Regime changes in Sri Lanka and ‘Subha saha Yasa’

Recently a perfect analogy brought forth by a well known actor at a political rally, comparing regime changes in Sri Lanka, to the story behind the famous play of yesteryear, ‘Subha saha Yasa’, was reported in social media. In Simon Navagaththegama’s reputed novel, the regime changes that were prearranged by mutual consent between two look-alikes, King Yasalalakathissa of ancient Sri Lanka and his gate keeper, Yasa, who temporarily exchanged their roles, are depicted.

Reportedly, each party on the throne at a particular time was protected by the other and vice versa, while the then public were duped by their jocular expressions (bordering on ‘koloppan’) and promises of ‘ yaha palanaya’ and prosperity. In the process, the people at large were being taken for a ride by the two look-alikes. It was lucidly pointed out that the identical happenings have been and are taking place in Sri Lanka over the years, and the country has thus been brought down to the pathetic current situation by two major political forces.

Based on the foregoing comparison, Sri Lanka has to necessarily move away from this pattern of regime change , whereby the governing parties take turns protecting each other and also deceive the electorate by making false promises. So much so that in essence the country is now bankrupt. It is earnestly hoped that at the next democratically available opportunity for a regime change, the Sri Lankan electorate will act wisely to break the aforesaid trend that has taken root over the years. They must do the needful to bring in uncontaminated material sans undesirable ‘baggage’ to freshly take over the leadership role for this gem of a country which was once called the ‘ Pearl ‘ of the Indian ocean. (‘The country floating in the Indian ocean’ as referred to by an astronaut viewing it from outer space many years ago, as per a documentary film shown at the Smithsonian Institute, Washington D.C.in 1992)).

A. BEDGAR PERERA
Moragolla Imbulgasdeniya