Reject leaders rejecting system change - EDITORIAL

Two years ago, the last ten days of July saw a brutal crackdown of a public uprising that craved a system change following an unprecedented economic meltdown that irreparably ruined the life of over half of the populace while turning that of another huge segment of the society upside down. 

The weeks-long and miles-long queues which were a common sight then were not the real crisis, as some politicians attempt to portray, it was only the tip of the iceberg. Beneath it there were stories of hundreds of thousands, if not millions whose dream goals in life had been shattered, stories of comfortable lifestyles of thousands of families that had been overturned and stories of wailing of broken hearts over the uncertain future of their children. 

Also, there was a story beneath it of a struggle to make ends meet with drastically and suddenly slumped income while the expenses had shot up over threefold within weeks.

With this coupling with the frustrating queues, the rage ultimately poured into Colombo streets was so powerful that an all-powerful executive President who was also the commander in chief of armed forces had to flee to a neighbouring country.

Yes, now, queues have gone, “Gota has gone” as the slogan had it, subsequent to it. But has anything that brought millions of people to the streets gone? No, prices did not plummet, except for by negligible amounts, shattered dreams were not restored anyway, overturned lifestyles became the order of the day.  

That is the backdrop against which people have been given the opportunity to decide their future and that of their children by way of electing the next person who is going to rule over them for another five years. In fact, what majority of people failed to realize when they were offered the same opportunity eight times since 1982 was that this was an opportunity to select a programme that would uplift their life, no matter who presents it and not an opportunity to select a “messiah” without such a programme. They also failed to distinguish the programmes from empty promises. And 76 years since independence, those rulers so elected have accumulated a mountain of debt that will have to be repaid for generations.

Now, look at what is happening on the ground. We are borrowing more from international institutions to manage the daily affairs, calling it the recovery from the economic downturn. Nevertheless, we do not have any means at hand to repay the old loans, the upshot of which provoked the masses into a rebellion two years ago and the new ones that are being obtained now with the assistance of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). 

Also, look at what the politicians are doing. What is the rationale behind President Ranil Wickremesinghe contesting the September 21 Presidential election as an independent candidate? Has he abandoned the policies of his party, the United National Party? The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) whose leaders wholeheartedly supported President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s economic policies and programmes also has plans now, in respect of the Presidential election. 

Politicians are jumping from one party to another these days, despite we never having heard about them joining other parties or accommodating others after agreeing on policies and programmes on economic development or social justice. The system change that the people craved for two years ago as the only way out has been forgotten altogether. All are concerned about the headcount which would ultimately matter on the election day. It is really horse-trading that is going to reshape the political landscape. 

The crime wave is rising, despite special operations such as the “Yukthiya” are on and even the Supreme Court rulings are openly challenged while all are vexing eloquent on the rule of law. We know that almost all political parties have blood on their hands, one way or the other. We can forget the past, but only on the condition of political parties having reformed themselves. People have to decide with logical thinking, by being well-informed and shedding traditional and irrational political bonds, preferring interests of the country over personal gains. Only that would change the system.