Sri Lanka and the Future
Nalin Abeysekera - Lecturer-Open University of Sri Lanka
This is the first time generation Y (born after 1980) in Sri Lanka celebrated their new year with peace and prosperity. (Though this is not a traditional Sinhala –Tamil New Year there is a significance of this at least as a new calendar year). But because of the election environment and the current situation people of the county could not celebrate.
This is not an exception for the country like Sri Lanka. The Battle of Mulleriyawa (Mulleriyawa Satana in 1562) was one of the most decisive battles in Sri Lankan history. At the time, it was the worst ever defeat by a colonial power on eastern soil. Local chronicles say that the marshlands of Mulleriyawa turned red with blood after the annihilation of the Portuguese.
By winning this battle Sitawaka emerged all-powerful, able to challenge the Portuguese who lost the opportunity to ensure their total control of the island. But in 1900s the invaders established a mental hospital in this area. After this establishment the name of Mulleriyawa became famous not for the battle but for the mental illness!!!!this is the nature of planning to put down the victories of our motherland. So this time again the plan was well implemented!
There is a need for all leaders to think of the county first. It is a duty for all politicians to put country before seek irrespective of their party policies. You have to put your country first.
This was visible in May 2009 after defeating the terrorism. People belonged to all races, people belonged to all religions celebrated the victory on one family. What has happened to that now?
Again slowly but surely we are setting buried in a quagmire. It is well known that the politicians spend billions of money for the propaganda and amount is equal to total expenditure we incur for our health and education for one year!! Now all parties should get together. They should think as Sri Lankan. They should celebrate at least the Sinhala-Tamil New Year together. But we have to identify the people who don’t understand the roots of the country. They are the very people who are creating these problems. I like to quote the words of Anagarika Dharmapala, “Para Sudda will leave and Kalu Sudda will take control of the country and the latter is more dangerous than the former”. It has become a reality!!!.
Now we should pursue only one thing that is the rapid development of this country. The money we spend for the war now can be directed towards the development. At least 10 years development plan is needed and there should be amendments to the constitution to make sure continuous implementation of this plan even if there is a change of government. By changing the governments you can’t achieve your targets. Consistency is the need of the hours. This is an island of endless enchantment, a tiny tropical paradise where you could discover almost anything from golden sandy beaches, bright sun shine, mist-shrouded mountains, awe-inspiring ancient monuments and sprawling wild life parks to impenetrable rain forests and rushing white waters to get the adrenaline flowing.
Known as the Smiling People though out the world Sri Lankan enjoy a unique life style that's humble, artistic, entertaining and touching someone's heart with Sri Lanka hospitality is known for centuries. Sri Lanka is one of the few countries which have been able to record positive GDP growth rates in 2009 despite the global recession.
The growth rate of the Sri Lankan economy revised upwards in 2009 after the dawn of the peace. In the past four years, the country’s economy growth rate was reported to be more than six percent. The per-capita income of the country had doubled within four years. The IMF had provided us with loan facilities having studied our economy carefully.
Sri Lanka was placed 89th (Medium Human Development Category) out of 173 countries in the Human Development Indicators constructed in 2002, ahead of China (96th), Vietnam (109th), Indonesia (110th), India (124th), Pakistan (138th) and Bangladesh (145th).
The Human Development Index (HDI) measures a country’s achievements in three areas of human development viz: longevity, knowledge and a decent standard of living. Longevity is measured by life expectancy at birth. A combination of adult literacy and the combined primary, secondary and tertiary gross enrolment ratio are used as a measure of knowledge while GDP per capita (PPP) is used to measure the standard of living. According to the World Economic Forum’s Network Readiness Index (covering 134 countries in 2008-09), only Sri Lanka has gained any ground among the South Asian countries. India is the first within the region, ranked 54th (down from 50th in 2007-08).
Sri Lanka has made considerable progress from 79th place in 2007-08 to 70th place in a straight comparison. Pakistan has slipped to 95th in a straight comparison from its 89th position in 2007-08. Nepal has slipped to 121st from 119th, and Bangladesh holds at 124th when compared with the 2007-08 set, but is 130th out of 134 in the 2008-09 set. Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services raised its outlook on Sri Lanka’s credit rating to stable from negative. The credit assessor affirmed Sri Lanka’s long-term foreign currency debt rating at ‘B’. Standard and Poor’s is a global leader in credit ratings and credit risk analysis; ratings objectivity and intellectual rigour can be named as paramount objectives. Further International underwriters in London have lowered the war risk rating for Sri Lanka with the ending of the war, paving way for reducing insurance premium on sea and air cargo.
Moreover, The Sri Lankan stock exchange more than doubled in value in 2009. The CSE also achieved the highest turnover for a given year by generating Rs.142.5 billion for the year 2009. The previous record was Rs.114.6 billion generated in the year 2005. The average Daily Turnover for the year is Rs.593.6 million, surpassing the previous high of Rs.481.5 million for the year 2005.
So it is the duty of all to understand our achievements in the recent past and do everything possible to protect this from out side invisible forces. Everyone should get together and work as a team which will make this island as the best in the world. It is surely not an impossible task. It is achievable.
- Asian Tribune -
Comments
excellent article. Its pity
excellent article. Its pity some Kalu suddas are trying to drag the country in reverse gear. And these kalu suddas getting all the necessary support from para suddas. We never had a chance to rise as Sri Lankans after the so-called Nidahasa. We still struggle economically, socially and mentally in a neck-deep pit created by colonial masters. To make matters worse, Kalu Suddas make sure to block out even a slightest ray of hope.
The Unavoidable “Para-suddas”
The Unavoidable “Para-suddas”
"The IMF had provided us with loan facilities having studied our economy carefully." - Author
An obvious Sinhalese-Buddhist patriot, why denigrate yourself to accepting a loan from an institution that is mostly funded and controlled by the very para suddas (Americans) that you so openly detest and reject?
On a more critical note, it is absolutely true that Sri Lanka will never rise economically, socially or democratically unless and until time Lankans develop a more balanced attitude about the West/U.S. and its immense contributions to democracy and global development. As long as Sinhalese nationalists (the single biggest obstacle to national development) continue to slam the West mostly due to their deep seeded insecurities, they will remain their own victims but also prevent the nation from integrating to the emerging order of global unification. The narrow minded Sinhalese, i.e. the Mahavamsians, think that they are a 'hot' lot when in reality they are the most dangerous national lot who are often less than a 'not'.
While millions in other nations - including the Chinese and the Indians - are striving to compete and win by learning from the West/US, the “know-it-all” nationalist fools of Sri Lnaka continue to reject progressive Western approaches in the empty hope that Mahavamsa kings will somehow come back from their graves to rescue the nationalists from their horrendous failures. By attaching themselves to their warped philosophy of the “superior Sinhalese-Buddhist race”, the nationalist Sinhalese have been stuck at Year-1 (1948) for 60 years and become the laughing stock of the world. (Sri Lankan passport holders know this well - how they are treated at the immigration counters of international airports, yes, including Sri Lankan prime ministers and diplomats!) When are the fools going to wake up from their decades of slumber and face the reality that their “superior” attitude (as depicted by the patriotic author) remains the single biggest barrier to unleashing their human potential to become compassionate (less angry) and equitable members of the global race? [I wished every Sri Lankan has the opportunity to visit China and observe first hand the Chinese people’s admiration for Western / American values / ways and their tremendous drive to emulate progressive Western ways. BIDU, the Chinese GOOGLE and the thousands of Chinese based sites it provides access-to is a good example of this social, cultural as well as the technology emulation.] On a more sympathetic note, by slamming the West/US, the Sinhalese are only hurting themselves - please try to think afresh with objectivity and less anger, you'll be doing the entire nation a great favor.
We do not think that Nalin
We do not think that Nalin Abeysekera is downing the west/US by referring to 'Kalu Suddas'. He is merely trying to warn against the negative aspects (and there are many), of western influence. It is up to the educated & discerning citizen of Lanka to absorb the good & life supportive aspects only, and blend it judiciously with the local ancient culture & values. Lanka is, and must remain an Independent, Non-aligned, Multi-cultural country, with its invaluable & distinct ancient culture. It will present enormous challenges to maintain this balance.
Sadly, Dias's comments reveal
Sadly, Dias's comments reveal that he caught with his emotional buttons being pushed by certain words used by the author, attributing to them an unintended malice. The terms "Para-Suddha" (foreign Whites) and "Kalu Suddhas" (local Black Whites) are in fact given a derogatory connotation largely by the English-educated who are less conversant in the Sinhala idiom.
That said, there is also a warped psychology of self-hate in the scoffing reference to the Mahavamsa, which should be respected as a chronicle of a period of ancient Sri Lankan history during which most of the West were after all, Barbarians. If some persons take all of the chronicles literally, it is as silly as those who take all of the Bible or the Koran literally. Hopefully, there are more sensible people around who respect ancient writings and literary works for their historic and cultural/civilizational value. Sri Lankans who devalue and denigrate the Mahavamsa in the effort to appear free of cultural bias or ties to Sinhala and Buddhism need to look at themselves and try to probe into what drives their hate...
Sri Lanka is today attempting to bridge the cracks in its long friendship with the West which arose at a time when the island was dealing with the #1 issue of bringing an end to a 3-decade long conflict, but faced unexpected hostility from these friends. In attempting to deal with the West's cold shoulder, it was compelled to turn to others.
While Dias calls for less anger at the West, he should also recognize that he is stirring dormant embers into flame by referring to Sinhala Buddhists as "Mahawamsians", "narrow-minded", and similar derogatory terms.
Bigots of a same feather
Bigots of a same feather
It is unlikely that one bigot can objectively observe the bigotry in another bigot as they all are bigots of the same feather – in this case the feather of Sinhalese-Buddhist nationalism. [And if my memory serves me right, the respondent Voyager is one who once referred to national patriots as “Sinhalese patriots” on these very AT threads.]
As for barbarianism, whatever the condition of the West was during the period of glorious Mahavamsa, today the whole world can witness what the Sinhalese-Buddhists are doing to each other: clubbing and openly shooting one-another to steal the other's right to freely express and vote. Who really are behaving like present day barbarians of the world?
One blended bloody soup
One blended bloody soup
(Reple to Fran Diaz’s comment)
For the last 60+ years you have been judiciously blending Western advantages with traditional values and what have you got? One messy bloody soup. No one is debating the desire of a sovereign nation to be independent, unique, non-aligned, multi-cultural and the natural want to preserve its cultural, religious and traditional values. But none of these goals can supersede the value placed on the rights and dignity of the individual citizen – as the individual’s rights and dignity are supreme in a civilized society. And it is here that Sinhalese-Buddhist nationalists screwed-up big time and still, simply cannot “get it”.
Lanka’s first and foremost challenge is not at attempts of blending with the West but blending with itself – among majority and minority communities. To do this effectively, the Sinhalese-Buddhists must first relinquish the artificial defenses they brought upon over the last 60 years (out of xenophobia of ethno-religious extinction). Until they recognize that the nation’s minorities are as every bit good and valuable as they are (and not one iota less), you can do all the blending you want, you will never have a smooth mix. There should not be anything disingenuous about this simple little Buddhist concept: equality.
Dias's diatribe against
Dias's diatribe against Sinhala Buddhists speaks for his own venom. I rest my case.
If I referred to 'national patriots as 'Sinhala patriots' it would have been in a specific context, and it would have been because it is the Sinhalese who fought the wars against colonial invaders....these wars were not fought by Tamils or Muslims.
THAT IS A FACT, AND THESE SINHALESE DESERVE TO BE CALLED PATRIOTS.
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