Features
WHY GOTA MUST GO
By Anura Gunasekera
We are way more powerful when we turn to each other and not on each other, when we celebrate our diversity….and together tear down the mighty walls of injustice ( Cynthia Mckinney- American politician and activist)
Perhaps, by the time this is published, Sri Lanka will have a working government. As it is being written, Sri Lanka has a dysfunctional administration which has failed the country. If the lawmakers do not bury both individual and inter-party differences, elect a working parliamentary group and quickly set in motion a viable recovery strategy, very soon Sri Lanka will be classified as a failed state, because successive regimes have failed the people. As leaders, the Rajapaksa family regimes have contributed heavily, with recent assistance from the Sirisena-Wickramsinghe duo, through indecisiveness, personal conflict and condonation of colossal fraud during the period of the “Yahapalanaya” delusion, to which this writer too subscribed, briefly, for a few euphoric months.
Whilst the fabric of the nation is disintegrating on real-time TV, the lawmakers responsible for this tragic situation have been, for the last three days, trading insults and accusations across the floor of that talk- shop, once the nation’s legislature, but now a haven for the scoundrel and the thief; Apart from nauseatingly pious statements about the imperative of comforting a nation in despair a single constructive proposal is yet to emerge.
The proceedings are a mirror image of the president’s address to the nation of a few weeks ago when, despite floundering helplessly in a morass largely of his own making, he blandly declared that he had nothing to do with it. Whoever wrote that juvenile, simplistic speech with its wish list of unattainable financial goals, also needs a serious reality check; included were two ridiculously contradictory statements, hilarious if not for the desperation of the nation’s condition- ” I accept responsibility for the decisions I take……. This crisis was not created by me”. That typically robotic, emotionless delivery , carried as much credibility as a confession extracted under torture.
Moving back to the events of the day, what is the solution available to the people ? Whilst he is grappling with immediate issues, GR must also understand the why of it. 26 months after being elected president with a massive majority, a popular endorsement reflected in the parliamentary elections which followed, the same millions are now calling for his immediate ouster or resignation. Though the regime in totality features in the citizens’ animosity, it is still largely personal against GR and the Rajapaksa family. It has always been crystal clear that all crucial decisions are made by GR, his siblings, a handful of trusted courtiers and handed down to a legislature of flunkies for unquestioning approval.
Take for example the disastrous edict on organic cultivation; GR chose to go with a personal belief, reportedly urged on by Dr. A. Padeniya- a paediatrician- and Ven Athuraliya Ratana, a Buddhist priest, whilst disregarding the advice, and entreaties, of a large body of agricultural experts and scientists. Perhaps Gnana Akka, the palace sorceress, also approved of it. It will also be recalled that the same Ratana was the architect of the ruinous Glyphosate ban, imposed with such catastrophic consequences during Sirisena’s tenure. These two examples alone re-inforce the need to remove both religion and servile amateurs from governance, a poisonous mixture permanently bubbling in the Rajapaksa cauldron, along with ethno-nationalism, the bogey of minority ascendancy and other related spectres, successfully paraded before the fragile Sinhala- Buddhist mindset.
GR appears to have convinced himself that the problem is simply a shortage of essentials and the daily power outages, and that re-establishing the supply chain will appease a raging nation. There was the immediate cosmetic exercise of reassigning portfolios while dropping brothers Basil, Chamal and nephew Namal from the cabinet, obviously in the belief that a reshuffled dispensation could carry on, with himself and brother Mahinda at the helm.
The reality that Gotabaya refutes is that what the nation is seeking is not just cooking gas, vehicle fuel and assurances of power delivery but, also, a change in the administration of which he, with the power conferred on him by the 20th amendment, is the pivot. The expulsion of the Rajapaksa oligarchy from the governance of the country is a unanimous wish, cutting across race, religion and social and economic divides. The once deified family is being demonized across the country. Gotabaya, who levered himself in to power by brutally divisive politics, dismissing the minorities as being inconsequential as he had the total support of the Sinhala-Buddhist polity, has, by the countrywide chaos his incompetent rule created, finally succeeded in uniting all those divided segments in a common cause; his immediate removal.
Johnston Fernando, Chief Government Whip, hilariously declared that there is no question of the president stepping down as he carries the mandate of 6.9 mn people. When millions of people from across the country have, for weeks, been demanding the man’s resignation, braving extreme weather, serious personal discomfort and the realistic expectation of bodily harm from the police and the armed forces, in what context can one cite a citizens’ mandate ? Even to Johnston’s limited intellect It should be clear that GR’s vote base has become a mirage.
Despite this reality Gotabaya seems determined to stay and, obviously, needs to be levered out politically. The protests are now in the nature of a magnificently passionate Civic Movement and the determination of the nation and its momentum is such, that its inability to achieve the primary purpose may convert it to Civic Unrest or active civil disobedience; a situation which could be catalyzed in to violence with covert assistance from mercenaries allied to the regime. The Avant Garde hand, wielded by GR’s close ally NIssanka Senadhipathi, was linked to the Mirihana violence by Anura Kumara Dissanayake in his April 7 speech in parliament. Given GR’s known appetite for the suppression of dissent, that would be exactly what he is waiting for; the opportunity for a counter by deploying the armed forces. The second stage would be governance in which the military machine overrides civil authority. The cogs are already in place in the mechanism, in the form of former army cronies in key positions in the administration.
Any repression leading to bloodshed may result in driving the movement underground and the emergence of an insurgency, which, unlike the earlier JVP uprisings, would receive the support of people all over the country. John F Kennedy once said, “those who make peaceful revolution impossible make violent revolution inevitable”.
But no army will be able to quell the wrath of a united nation, the power of a citizens’ movement, which has no political, ethnic or religious boundaries, or any other insular reference points. The outcome of an armed repression of the movement will be an ungovernable nation, the total disintegration of the economy, and the consequent withdrawal of international financial assistance, combined with sanctions. In an earlier writing I spoke of Lebanon and that doomsday scenario is not too far off from Sri Lanka unless, as a first step, the ruler who has lost legitimacy, the moral right to govern, resigns instead of clinging on to power citing a constitutional right. But the ruler who has no moral sense and is therefore unable to understand this reality needs to be ejected.
Despite the lack of unity in the Opposition there is sense in its reluctance to participate in any new form of government with Gotabaya still at its head. But it must also be clear to them that anarchy is a likely scenario unless, within the coming days, it sinks differences and initiates a viable strategy for GR’s removal. Tabling motions without securing a majority within the House will only reinforce GR’s decision to cling on to power. He is the malignancy in the national body and its excision must take place in Parliament, before Gotabaya offers his customary brutal solution to dissent.
Prime Minister Rajapaksa addressed the nation on Monday; a self-righteous, mendacious delivery with his tired, old rhetoric given a different twist, laying the entire blame on the previous regime and the Corona pandemic whilst equating a citizens’ democratic protest to an assault on democracy itself; there was also a request not to humiliate the ” Ranaviru”, of which there was no evidence in any of the protests. Absent was an acknowledgment of the regime’s responsibility to the ongoing collapse or a reassurance to a desperate nation. Instead there was a veiled warning to the protestors, with a reference to the JVP insurrections and the then state response; the younger brother’s ethos voiced by the elder sibling. He was a menacing Don Vito Corleone, addressing the convocation of the Five Families, implying violent repression if his family position is threatened. MR has thrown down the gauntlet and made the Family intentions clear to the nation.
What is taking place is a non-political citizens’ movement. It is the agitated heartbeat of a nation in turmoil, Sri Lanka’s Bastille moment. But the incredible energy generated by the people must be harnessed, before it loses its integrity by being hitched to an engine with a specific political agenda. In the despair of a people there is also an opportunity for a new beginning for the country, to usher in a different governance in which systems work for the people; in which the regime stands accountable to the nation for its conduct, with an effective mechanism for the punishment for the dishonesty of the elected, and for the excision of the systemic corruption and the impunity of the powerful, pervasive across successive regimes. This is a turning point and may also be our finest hour since independence. Future generations should be able to reflect on the events of today and be thankful to their ancestors, for making Sri Lanka a better country for them to live in.
There is hope for a new dawn for this country but that light will not emerge unless the Rajapaksa star is first extinguished from the horizon. That is an imperative and the primary task before the legislature and the nation.
by Dr Gotabhya Ranasinghe
Senior Consultant Cardiologist
National Hospital Sri Lanka
When we sought a meeting with Hon Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, Minister of Health, he graciously cleared his busy schedule to accommodate us. Renowned for his attentive listening and deep understanding, Minister Pathirana is dedicated to advancing the health sector. His openness and transparency exemplify the qualities of an exemplary politician and minister.
Dr. Palitha Mahipala, the current Health Secretary, demonstrates both commendable enthusiasm and unwavering support. This combination of attributes makes him a highly compatible colleague for the esteemed Minister of Health.
Our discussion centered on a project that has been in the works for the past 30 years, one that no other minister had managed to advance.
Minister Pathirana, however, recognized the project’s significance and its potential to revolutionize care for heart patients.
The project involves the construction of a state-of-the-art facility at the premises of the National Hospital Colombo. The project’s location within the premises of the National Hospital underscores its importance and relevance to the healthcare infrastructure of the nation.
This facility will include a cardiology building and a tertiary care center, equipped with the latest technology to handle and treat all types of heart-related conditions and surgeries.
Securing funding was a major milestone for this initiative. Minister Pathirana successfully obtained approval for a $40 billion loan from the Asian Development Bank. With the funding in place, the foundation stone is scheduled to be laid in September this year, and construction will begin in January 2025.
This project guarantees a consistent and uninterrupted supply of stents and related medications for heart patients. As a result, patients will have timely access to essential medical supplies during their treatment and recovery. By securing these critical resources, the project aims to enhance patient outcomes, minimize treatment delays, and maintain the highest standards of cardiac care.
Upon its fruition, this monumental building will serve as a beacon of hope and healing, symbolizing the unwavering dedication to improving patient outcomes and fostering a healthier society.We anticipate a future marked by significant progress and positive outcomes in Sri Lanka’s cardiovascular treatment landscape within the foreseeable timeframe.
by Fr. Emmanuel Fernando, OMI
Jesuit Fr. Aloysius Pieris (affectionately called Fr. Aloy) celebrated his 90th birthday on April 9, 2024 and I, as the editor of our Oblate Journal, THE MISSIONARY OBLATE had gone to press by that time. Immediately I decided to publish an article, appreciating the untiring selfless services he continues to offer for inter-Faith dialogue, the renewal of the Catholic Church, his concern for the poor and the suffering Sri Lankan masses and to me, the present writer.
It was in 1988, when I was appointed Director of the Oblate Scholastics at Ampitiya by the then Oblate Provincial Fr. Anselm Silva, that I came to know Fr. Aloy more closely. Knowing well his expertise in matters spiritual, theological, Indological and pastoral, and with the collaborative spirit of my companion-formators, our Oblate Scholastics were sent to Tulana, the Research and Encounter Centre, Kelaniya, of which he is the Founder-Director, for ‘exposure-programmes’ on matters spiritual, biblical, theological and pastoral. Some of these dimensions according to my view and that of my companion-formators, were not available at the National Seminary, Ampitiya.
Ever since that time, our Oblate formators/ accompaniers at the Oblate Scholasticate, Ampitiya , have continued to send our Oblate Scholastics to Tulana Centre for deepening their insights and convictions regarding matters needed to serve the people in today’s context. Fr. Aloy also had tried very enthusiastically with the Oblate team headed by Frs. Oswald Firth and Clement Waidyasekara to begin a Theologate, directed by the Religious Congregations in Sri Lanka, for the contextual formation/ accompaniment of their members. It should very well be a desired goal of the Leaders / Provincials of the Religious Congregations.
Besides being a formator/accompanier at the Oblate Scholasticate, I was entrusted also with the task of editing and publishing our Oblate journal, ‘The Missionary Oblate’. To maintain the quality of the journal I continue to depend on Fr. Aloy for his thought-provoking and stimulating articles on Biblical Spirituality, Biblical Theology and Ecclesiology. I am very grateful to him for his generous assistance. Of late, his writings on renewal of the Church, initiated by Pope St. John XX111 and continued by Pope Francis through the Synodal path, published in our Oblate journal, enable our readers to focus their attention also on the needed renewal in the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka. Fr. Aloy appreciated very much the Synodal path adopted by the Jesuit Pope Francis for the renewal of the Church, rooted very much on prayerful discernment. In my Religious and presbyteral life, Fr.Aloy continues to be my spiritual animator / guide and ongoing formator / acccompanier.
Fr. Aloysius Pieris, BA Hons (Lond), LPh (SHC, India), STL (PFT, Naples), PhD (SLU/VC), ThD (Tilburg), D.Ltt (KU), has been one of the eminent Asian theologians well recognized internationally and one who has lectured and held visiting chairs in many universities both in the West and in the East. Many members of Religious Congregations from Asian countries have benefited from his lectures and guidance in the East Asian Pastoral Institute (EAPI) in Manila, Philippines. He had been a Theologian consulted by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences for many years. During his professorship at the Gregorian University in Rome, he was called to be a member of a special group of advisers on other religions consulted by Pope Paul VI.
Fr. Aloy is the author of more than 30 books and well over 500 Research Papers. Some of his books and articles have been translated and published in several countries. Among those books, one can find the following: 1) The Genesis of an Asian Theology of Liberation (An Autobiographical Excursus on the Art of Theologising in Asia, 2) An Asian Theology of Liberation, 3) Providential Timeliness of Vatican 11 (a long-overdue halt to a scandalous millennium, 4) Give Vatican 11 a chance, 5) Leadership in the Church, 6) Relishing our faith in working for justice (Themes for study and discussion), 7) A Message meant mainly, not exclusively for Jesuits (Background information necessary for helping Francis renew the Church), 8) Lent in Lanka (Reflections and Resolutions, 9) Love meets wisdom (A Christian Experience of Buddhism, 10) Fire and Water 11) God’s Reign for God’s poor, 12) Our Unhiddden Agenda (How we Jesuits work, pray and form our men). He is also the Editor of two journals, Vagdevi, Journal of Religious Reflection and Dialogue, New Series.
Fr. Aloy has a BA in Pali and Sanskrit from the University of London and a Ph.D in Buddhist Philosophy from the University of Sri Lankan, Vidyodaya Campus. On Nov. 23, 2019, he was awarded the prestigious honorary Doctorate of Literature (D.Litt) by the Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya, the Most Venerable Welamitiyawe Dharmakirthi Sri Kusala Dhamma Thera.
Fr. Aloy continues to be a promoter of Gospel values and virtues. Justice as a constitutive dimension of love and social concern for the downtrodden masses are very much noted in his life and work. He had very much appreciated the commitment of the late Fr. Joseph (Joe) Fernando, the National Director of the Social and Economic Centre (SEDEC) for the poor.
In Sri Lanka, a few religious Congregations – the Good Shepherd Sisters, the Christian Brothers, the Marist Brothers and the Oblates – have invited him to animate their members especially during their Provincial Congresses, Chapters and International Conferences. The mainline Christian Churches also have sought his advice and followed his seminars. I, for one, regret very much, that the Sri Lankan authorities of the Catholic Church –today’s Hierarchy—- have not sought Fr.
Aloy’s expertise for the renewal of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka and thus have not benefited from the immense store of wisdom and insight that he can offer to our local Church while the Sri Lankan bishops who governed the Catholic church in the immediate aftermath of the Second Vatican Council (Edmund Fernando OMI, Anthony de Saram, Leo Nanayakkara OSB, Frank Marcus Fernando, Paul Perera,) visited him and consulted him on many matters. Among the Tamil Bishops, Bishop Rayappu Joseph was keeping close contact with him and Bishop J. Deogupillai hosted him and his team visiting him after the horrible Black July massacre of Tamils.
Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement
By Gomi Senadhira
senadhiragomi@gmail.com
“You might tell fairy tales, but the progress of a country cannot be achieved through such narratives. A country cannot be developed by making false promises. The country moved backward because of the electoral promises made by political parties throughout time. We have witnessed that the ultimate result of this is the country becoming bankrupt. Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet.” – President Ranil Wickremesinghe, 2024 Budget speech
Any Sri Lankan would agree with the above words of President Wickremesinghe on the false promises our politicians and officials make and the fairy tales they narrate which bankrupted this country. So, to understand this, let’s look at one such fairy tale with lots of false promises; Ranil Wickremesinghe’s greatest achievement in the area of international trade and investment promotion during the Yahapalana period, Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SLSFTA).
It is appropriate and timely to do it now as Finance Minister Wickremesinghe has just presented to parliament a bill on the National Policy on Economic Transformation which includes the establishment of an Office for International Trade and the Sri Lanka Institute of Economics and International Trade.
Was SLSFTA a “Cleverly negotiated Free Trade Agreement” as stated by the (former) Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate on the SLSFTA in July 2018, or a colossal blunder covered up with lies, false promises, and fairy tales? After SLSFTA was signed there were a number of fairy tales published on this agreement by the Ministry of Development Strategies and International, Institute of Policy Studies, and others.
However, for this article, I would like to limit my comments to the speech by Minister Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate, and the two most important areas in the agreement which were covered up with lies, fairy tales, and false promises, namely: revenue loss for Sri Lanka and Investment from Singapore. On the other important area, “Waste products dumping” I do not want to comment here as I have written extensively on the issue.
1. The revenue loss
During the Parliamentary Debate in July 2018, Minister Samarawickrama stated “…. let me reiterate that this FTA with Singapore has been very cleverly negotiated by us…. The liberalisation programme under this FTA has been carefully designed to have the least impact on domestic industry and revenue collection. We have included all revenue sensitive items in the negative list of items which will not be subject to removal of tariff. Therefore, 97.8% revenue from Customs duty is protected. Our tariff liberalisation will take place over a period of 12-15 years! In fact, the revenue earned through tariffs on goods imported from Singapore last year was Rs. 35 billion.
The revenue loss for over the next 15 years due to the FTA is only Rs. 733 million– which when annualised, on average, is just Rs. 51 million. That is just 0.14% per year! So anyone who claims the Singapore FTA causes revenue loss to the Government cannot do basic arithmetic! Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I call on my fellow members of this House – don’t mislead the public with baseless criticism that is not grounded in facts. Don’t look at petty politics and use these issues for your own political survival.”
I was surprised to read the minister’s speech because an article published in January 2018 in “The Straits Times“, based on information released by the Singaporean Negotiators stated, “…. With the FTA, tariff savings for Singapore exports are estimated to hit $10 million annually“.
As the annual tariff savings (that is the revenue loss for Sri Lanka) calculated by the Singaporean Negotiators, Singaporean $ 10 million (Sri Lankan rupees 1,200 million in 2018) was way above the rupees’ 733 million revenue loss for 15 years estimated by the Sri Lankan negotiators, it was clear to any observer that one of the parties to the agreement had not done the basic arithmetic!
Six years later, according to a report published by “The Morning” newspaper, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) on 7th May 2024, Mr Samarawickrama’s chief trade negotiator K.J. Weerasinghehad had admitted “…. that forecasted revenue loss for the Government of Sri Lanka through the Singapore FTA is Rs. 450 million in 2023 and Rs. 1.3 billion in 2024.”
If these numbers are correct, as tariff liberalisation under the SLSFTA has just started, we will pass Rs 2 billion very soon. Then, the question is how Sri Lanka’s trade negotiators made such a colossal blunder. Didn’t they do their basic arithmetic? If they didn’t know how to do basic arithmetic they should have at least done their basic readings. For example, the headline of the article published in The Straits Times in January 2018 was “Singapore, Sri Lanka sign FTA, annual savings of $10m expected”.
Anyway, as Sri Lanka’s chief negotiator reiterated at the COPF meeting that “…. since 99% of the tariffs in Singapore have zero rates of duty, Sri Lanka has agreed on 80% tariff liberalisation over a period of 15 years while expecting Singapore investments to address the imbalance in trade,” let’s turn towards investment.
Investment from Singapore
In July 2018, speaking during the Parliamentary Debate on the FTA this is what Minister Malik Samarawickrama stated on investment from Singapore, “Already, thanks to this FTA, in just the past two-and-a-half months since the agreement came into effect we have received a proposal from Singapore for investment amounting to $ 14.8 billion in an oil refinery for export of petroleum products. In addition, we have proposals for a steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million), sugar refinery ($ 200 million). This adds up to more than $ 16.05 billion in the pipeline on these projects alone.
And all of these projects will create thousands of more jobs for our people. In principle approval has already been granted by the BOI and the investors are awaiting the release of land the environmental approvals to commence the project.
I request the Opposition and those with vested interests to change their narrow-minded thinking and join us to develop our country. We must always look at what is best for the whole community, not just the few who may oppose. We owe it to our people to courageously take decisions that will change their lives for the better.”
According to the media report I quoted earlier, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) Chief Negotiator Weerasinghe has admitted that Sri Lanka was not happy with overall Singapore investments that have come in the past few years in return for the trade liberalisation under the Singapore-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement. He has added that between 2021 and 2023 the total investment from Singapore had been around $162 million!
What happened to those projects worth $16 billion negotiated, thanks to the SLSFTA, in just the two-and-a-half months after the agreement came into effect and approved by the BOI? I do not know about the steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million) and sugar refinery ($ 200 million).
However, story of the multibillion-dollar investment in the Petroleum Refinery unfolded in a manner that would qualify it as the best fairy tale with false promises presented by our politicians and the officials, prior to 2019 elections.
Though many Sri Lankans got to know, through the media which repeatedly highlighted a plethora of issues surrounding the project and the questionable credentials of the Singaporean investor, the construction work on the Mirrijiwela Oil Refinery along with the cement factory began on the24th of March 2019 with a bang and Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and his ministers along with the foreign and local dignitaries laid the foundation stones.
That was few months before the 2019 Presidential elections. Inaugurating the construction work Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the projects will create thousands of job opportunities in the area and surrounding districts.
The oil refinery, which was to be built over 200 acres of land, with the capacity to refine 200,000 barrels of crude oil per day, was to generate US$7 billion of exports and create 1,500 direct and 3,000 indirect jobs. The construction of the refinery was to be completed in 44 months. Four years later, in August 2023 the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to cancel the agreement with the investors of the refinery as the project has not been implemented! Can they explain to the country how much money was wasted to produce that fairy tale?
It is obvious that the President, ministers, and officials had made huge blunders and had deliberately misled the public and the parliament on the revenue loss and potential investment from SLSFTA with fairy tales and false promises.
As the president himself said, a country cannot be developed by making false promises or with fairy tales and these false promises and fairy tales had bankrupted the country. “Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet”.
(The writer, a specialist and an activist on trade and development issues . )
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