Choke on definitions

DEMOCRACY

Demos = people +  Kratia = power, rule

The modern definition of democracy is “Form of government, where a constitution guarantees basic personal and political rights, fair and free elections, and independent courts of law.”

Therefore the key elements of a Democracy are:

• Guarantee of basic Human Rights to every individual person vis-à-vis the state and its authorities as well as vis-à-vis any social groups (especially religious institutions) and vis-à-vis other persons.

• Separation of Powers between the institutions of the state:

Government [Executive Power],

Parliament [Legislative Power] and

Courts of Law [Judicial Power]

• Freedom of opinion, speech, press and mass media

• Religious liberty

• General and equal right to vote (one person, one vote)

• Good Governance (focus on public interest and absence of corruption)

The U.S. president Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) defined democracy as: “Government of the people, by the people, for the people.”

The Sri Lankan style democracy can be defined as “Form of government appointed by the people, where a constitution is just a piece of paper, governing body decides the rule of the country as the ignorant people are duped to accept all that is dished out to them by the anointed governing body”.

Unfortunately for Sri Lanka even the governing body is ignorant of the meaning of a democracy…the country is somewhat a monarchical oligarchy…!

await for more…

In these times of victory…

The whole senario of a long war coming to an end is indeed a cause for celebration, however thinking of the civilians and soldiers that were killed in the process of achieving this rather “premature” victory is daunting. Although I do not mean to disrupt the whole festive atmosphere and attitude, true peace can only be achieved when all Sri Lankans can live together without any discrimination on ethnic, racial or religious grounds.

It is hard to celebrate while fellow Sri Lankans are displaced from their homes, living in camps under very harsh conditions without adequate food, medicine and other basic essentials. While we celebrate we should also make this triumph of the soldiers worthwhile by extending a generous hand of help towards the displaced fellow Sri Lankans. To achieve peace one needs to change the perceptions and attitudes towards the “other”. What better way is there than extending a helping hand to those in need and proving not to anyone but ourselves that Sri Lankans are capable of taking care of their own. Through our actions we can change the perceptions and slowly contribute to the healing of all wounds and pave way to a lasting peace in the country. This effort needs to be supported by proper political solutions and actions of politicians. All the while effort must be taken to talk to the diaspora as well.

So we are at the brink of a decisive moment in time where everything depends on our actions and perceptions. As political beings humans can shape, change and transform the future.

Shunning the Swedes

The conspired decision of the Sri Lankan government through the foreign ministry to deny entry visa to the Swedish foreign minister at this crucial hour will tarnish the humanitarian image the government is trying so hard to portray. This image has been tested so many times over the last few weeks and months. For example, after denying the use of heavy weapons for so long the government recently announced it had given orders to the army to stop using heavy weapons from now on – which suggest that the army did use these weapons amidst the vehement denials. The initial count of people trapped in the “Safe zone” has been proven wrong by the numbers that crossed over. These are subtle things that point fingers at the negligent behaviour of a responsible sovereign state government. The latest issue of denying entry visa to the Swedish foreign minister only casts doubt at the government further. There is a lot at stake here which the government needs to reconsider. The government has so far been successful in rescuing those innocent people amidst the cries of the diaspora and to prove the capability and determination of the government to protect and safeguard its citizens. Why put all the efforts at risk?

Given the conflict management and resolution expertise vested in the Swedish foreign minister it is definitely worthwhile to lend an ear to his suggestions. There is no hard and fast rule that the government of Sri Lanka need to exercise these suggestions as these are merely “suggestions”. Even if the government did invite the Swedish foreign minister for a different function in May, considering the prominence of getting an opinion as well as showing representatives of the international community the efforts the government has put in place to accommodate the IDPs, it is a smart move to extend an invitation to the Swedes together with the British and French delegation.

After all if the government can give these delegates as well as a few international media personnel access to the IDP camps and the battle field(I know it is pushing it a bit what with the governments no outside media policy) it might actually support the governments image rather than tarnish it. If what we see and hear on National TV where the rescued people talk about the atrocities they suffered at the hands of the LTTE and the negligence of human life by the LTTE is in fact true then the government should indeed let some of these delegates and international media in and let them talk to these people. They should witness the rest of the country pulling together to support their fellow citizens. This might help not only to depict that the government is not trying to commit genocide etc that the diaspora are portraying but that it is actually doing it’s duty to it’s people as a responsible state government.

By extending a grant to visit the country to the Swedes or any other country does not necessarily mean the government is bowing down to the international community or that the government needs to implement whatever they are suggesting. It is merely to show that the government is open for suggestions. Note “suggestions”. In a globalised world a country cannot be an island.Instead of pointing fingers at other international media outlets and leaders for being supporters of the LTTE why not prove the point by granting some of these international leaders and media access to the country and showing them the truth.

After all it is a wise move to keep the international community at hand now that we are close to phase ii, development and rehabilitation which is a costly affair by itself.

Jay Leno interviews US President Obama

Click on this link to see the video: “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno – interviewing US President Obama”

The Tonight Show host Jay Leno interviewed the US president Obama on 19 March 2009. It is inspiring to listen to a leader who upholds the moral and ethical values in a society as oppose to making a quick buck on the expense of others. I would also like to quote a few lines from president Obama’s acceptance speech:

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it’s that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers – in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.

Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House – a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity.

Those are values that we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours: “We are not enemies, but friends… though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection.”

And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn – I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your president too.

(Highlights intentionally done by the author of this blog.)

It is indeed refreshing to see a leader actually say that he needs to EARN the support of those who didn’t vote for him, which I think is a very good approach.