Are you ready for a national government? Remember, it also means end to political criticism.
October 15, 2005by Kumaran
There is a lot of talk these days about the two major parties working together to find a solution to the LTTE waged war. It is one thing for the southern polity – not only the two main parties, but also other not so main, but politically influential parties, as well as the general public opinion in the south - to arrive at a consensus regarding the devolution of power. This is a welcome move whoever initiates it and, to repeat, it should include all political forces – not only political parties, for it to become a success.
But it is an entirely a different thing to form a so-called national government, (see, The Sunday Leader , 16th October, 2005 ) which means a majority of parliamentarians getting together to do as they wish with our common life, thus virtually eliminating the opposition, however, without the sanction of the public who elected them. To consider a presidential election as a referendum on an issue such as forming a national government out of a parliament already elected is somewhat misleading the public to say the least. That is an issue which has to be fought separately in a fresh general election.
Politically, a national government could mean an end to criticism and it could lead to the suppression of any critically dissenting opinion, in other words, to a possible constitutional dictatorship. As such we may revert back to an era similar to the fear-driven one we experienced throughout JRJ’s regime and especially during and after the 1987-90 terror period. Sri Lankans who can’t govern themselves, talk all the time about the need for some authoritative regime or political figure to discipline them. When a society authorizes their politicians to discipline them it is also an invitation to authoritarianism. In the first place, it is politicians who create the major law and order problems by cultivating thugs, mafias of all sorts under their patronage. If at all it is them who need the disciplining.
So, are we getting there yet? The authoritarian regime we dream of? Well, only the election results will tell us.
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