Editorial

2nd September 2001
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End-game begins?

Leave alone a government of con sensus, even a marriage of con venience is not possible between the two chief protagonists of the Sri Lankan political crisis. That's the obvious verdict, judging from the speed with which last week's talks failed.

In a display of desperation, the government which not more than a month ago characterized the JVP as "murderers'' "blood hounds'' "jackals'' and "barbarians'' is now trying to cosy upto the JVP's new kids on the block. The government's tenacity for political survival is almost leech like. 

(1) War with the LTTE (2) Power cuts (3) water cuts (4) a drought (5) a travel advisory (6) retrenchment (7) escalating prices. That seems to be a fair encapsulation of the national litany in these times.

There has been an appeal going out to milk food manufacturers to scrap advertising, so that milk food at least can reach the masses at an affordable prize. It's as poignant a portrayal of the situation that you can get. These are somewhat like the times of international sanctions, though there are none here. The long-suffering people of Iraq perhaps are used to the levels of hardship that may soon be manifest here.

Devo Vassatukalena/ Sassa Sampattihetu ca /Phito Bavatu Loko ca/ Raja Bavatu Dhammiko.

The familiar exhortation from the Siddhiratu is excerpted in the Sri Lankan constitution (which is maybe why our national leaders are so keen on changing the document!) The ancient piece of wisdom evokes a symbiotic relationship between nature and the rule of law – may the rulers rule justly, it says, and the deities cause the rains to come in time. In today's context, it isn't hard to see why the Devas are livid.

All this brings us to the impending reconvening of parliament, the dreaded event which in spite of the grim and austere times we are going through, is a political event that will have far reaching consequences.

A plethora of analysts have speculated on how the chips will fall when parliament reconvenes, and the scenario promises some sort of excitement no matter which way it turns out. There is talk of a virtual heist of the forum; and there is talk of the Opposition unilaterally moving for a dissolution of parliament, with or without the mace, that quaint artefact without which no parliamentary session is deemed to be officially held.

If talks and political rapprochement cannot lend any closure to the extended national political tragi-comedy, at least the showdown in parliament will conclusively close this chapter in the national drama. Perhaps a time has come for a political quantum leap to be taken; perhaps there is enough discontent out there for at least one camp to muster all the dissenting forces available and force the issue, to their political advantage.

There is absolutely no guarantee that the political farce will come to a denouement just because parliament re-convenes. But, the fact that parliament re-convenes at all shows that the President, however autocratic her tendencies may be at this point of time, is not in command of the situation to a point where she can ignore constitutional imperatives totally. The political theatre out there has been so awash in ugliness that the masses have been almost gagging and holding their noses, but there is a feeling that there is a powder-keg beneath the stink.

The people perceive that the political players are like the vermin feeding on the stink, but that notwithstanding, there is a feeling that some grace will prevail, and if not grace, some measure of eleventh hour rear-guard that will pull back the nation from the edge of the precipice. It is fervently hoped that this turning point will come from the reconvening of parliament and what ensues.

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