The Power I Have, I Will Not Share

by Wakeley Paul, Esq.

This headline summarizes the attitude of Rajapakse and his cabinet of new parasites. The concept of terrorizing the Tamil people into submission is their expectation and hope. Their recent military victory in Vahare has made this their merciless mandate.

In the meantime, the economy collapses with each passing day. Rajapakse not only alienates the Tamils, but his own Sinhalese peasantry and middle class, who can ill afford to live because of the growing cost of living, which rises daily because of his warring philosophy. The value of the rupee keeps declining disastrously.

Furthermore, Rajapakse's policy of leaving shattered bodies, broken families rendered homeless and devoid of their occupations, by his ruthless disregard of the fate of these unfortunates in the Northeast, is hardly likely to win over their loyalty, despite which he seriously expects to rule a united nation?

Rajapakse and his infantile cabinet are bent on continuing their failed effort to control the people of the Northeast by overhauling the demography of the East. They think they have succeeded in this endeavor by their current military success, while further alienating a rash of refugees in the process. The President and his clutch of rulers refuse to hear the drumbeat of these increasing disregarded elements beating loudly and imagine, instead, that the President and his loyal associates are bright lights in a galaxy of superstars.

In the meantime, it is hard to determine how the LTTE intends to combat the policies of these petty-fogging dictators who continue to sink the nation to tragic depths. I am sure the LTTE does not believe that the rest is up to fate, time and chance. They have come up with remarkable surprises before, including the recent effort to attack the Colombo harbor. The failure of this venture will only heighten their desire to shock this government by other techniques and tactics, which leaves the nation in a state of unending suspense.

Does anyone, anywhere on the island feel secure? Even the affluent businessmen in the capital have expressed their concerns over the emphasis on maintaining maximum security, because of its impact on their ability to run their businesses. In short, the sense of insecurity is universal.

The governor of the Central Bank has expressed his concerns about the financial debacle, while at the same time echoing the President's childish dreams of controlling their creditors and their right to loan money on their terms. What do they think, that the major donors, whether they be nations or institutions, are quivering and shaking at the thought that potty little Rajapakse and his government could and will dominate them? This sounds like the immaturity that prevailed on the island in the 1960.s and 1970.s. Their inability to appreciate the importance of the international community's precondition that  peace must be renewed before aid is forthcoming, betrays an ignorance of fundamental economics, that war is a fruitless expenditure which hampers overall development. They try to argue, in a mindless vacuum, that the attainment of peace has no bearing on economic productivity.
 
The fate of the nation is declining precipitously. The International Community must discern this and watch it with deepening  concern, while the local populace views their growing  misfortune with rebellious distaste. It is time Rajapakse, his cronies in the cabinet and his power hungry army commanders came to grips with these disconcerting realities, instead of dancing to their own distorted visions of success.