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| Sunday, 22 February 2004 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Kicking mandate of the people Light Refractions by Lucien Rajakarunanayake "Looks like soccer is getting more popular than cricket" said Prof. Kicker Chandaratna, a leading member of the Research Centre on Sri Lankan Politics. "What makes you say that, when everyone is getting all excited about the tour of the Aussie cricketers?" asked Dr. Sidekick Chandavickrama, another key member of the Research Centre. "Didn't you follow the Prime Minister's address to the nation on the private media? He said the President had kicked the people, and kicked the mandate of the people by dissolving parliament without consulting the Government that had a clear majority. In cricketing parlance he would have said the President hit the ball of the people's mandate for a huge six that went over the pavilion." "Hmmm, quite interesting. Could it mean that the Prime Minister does not want to get involved in any cricket, and adding to his difficulties. After all it was the Cricket Boss who supported him most, and even claims to have been responsible for his coming to power. He could very well be turning his back on his backer" said Goalpost Kathiragedera, a specialist in Political and Social Sciences. "Well, whatever the reason is, we have now to think in terms of soccer, the game still played mostly by the masses, instead of cricket that is enjoyed by the masses and all others, because of the Prime Ministers talk of kicking the people and their mandate" said Prof. Chandaratna. "Do you mean our research should look into the soccer images in the latest political developments in Sri Lanka?" asked Dr. Chandavickrama. "Exactly so, we must compile a data base on the various kicks and other soccer-like moves made by the President and Prime Minister in the recent past", said Prof. Chandaratna, who heads the research team. "I already have some of the data you need", said Fullback Kathiravansa, a senior researcher. "From what I have, the Prime Minister takes the lead in kicking the mandate all over the ground from the time he got it. The first kick was his signing of the MoU with the Tigers without even showing it to the President. Although he thought it was an early winner, it went quite a distance from the goal posts." "That's interesting," said Kathiragedera. "Looks like he's been having kicking practice all the while. Another kick at the mandate of the people was not to include even an observer representing the President at those globe-trotting talks." "The next was the refusal to even respond to the President's request to have a special committee representing the President, the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition, who could asses the progress of the negotiations and make suggestions on the path it should take. There were cries of foul play by the crowds watching, but he did not bother one bit about them". "In fact he even kicked the mandate right at the people, and out of the ground, when he arranged for the Norwegian Embassy to facilitate the import of that powerful transmitter for the Voice of Tigers, and even had his secretary order that the Customs not inspect it, and have it transported direct to Kilinochchi, without any security checks on the way," said Kathiragedera. "Looks like he has been enjoying kicking the ball around these two years," said Prof. Chandaratna. "Oh yes, he even got a special safety net for the goals, with international support, but apparently could not get a strike at goal all the while," said Dr. Chandavickrama. "He displayed some unusual skills in kicking too," said Kathiravansa. "For example, he had a kick at his own goal when Balasingham announced the LTTE was suspending the talks last April. Balasingham passed the ball to Ranil and he had a great kick directed right into his own goal. Although Balasingham and the PM were playing in the same team, the PM could not read the slick move in Balasingham's kick, making the crowd hoot at him for kicking into his own goal. The rival side also could not help cheering while on the field." "One must be fair by the man. He did have a good kick at goal when he got those donor nations to pledge so many billions of dollars as aid," said Prof. Chandaratna. "No doubt that was a good kick, and well timed. The rival goalie had no chance. But although he did score one, he side-kicked another one into his own goal, when he could not persuade the LTTE to return to the negotiating table, without the pledge of an Interim Administration," said Dr. Chandavickrama. "Don't you think he did make a good kick at the mandate, when he sent the Government's proposal for an Interim Administration, without showing it to the President, or sending the President a different copy from what the Tigers ultimately received?" asked Prof. Chandaratna. "It was a good kick, but it too went way over the goal posts to give him a score. And very soon he had another kick at his own goal, when the LTTE presented its proposals for an Interim Self Governing Authority. That was when his play began to wilt, whatever his enthusiasm." Very soon after, the Referee intervened to put a stop to his foul play when he decided that Defence should be playing with the President and not be in the PM's team. "That was the time for the big kick by the President. She had a direct kick at goal, stunning the green-shirted goalie, with the mandate stopping at the safety net, when she took over Defence and Interior, and Mass Communications too for good measure. He had no way of getting replacements because the Rule Book for this type of soccer said the President's play was right, and the PM had been playing with two extra men on his side, in Defence and the Interior," said Kathiravansa. "From that time on he began kicking all over the field, with no proper aim, all the while demanding or pleading that he be given back defence if he was to carry on with the game. But the President stuck by the Rule Book, while the Prime Minister did not make an appeal to the match referee at Hulftsdorp. Instead he appealed to the foreign observers who gave him the safety net, but they too said he had to play by the rules" said Kathiragedera. "Don't forget how he and his players kept kicking at the people to keep the cost-of-living high, and selling off national assets on the cheap," said Kathiravansa. "Cries of foul, foul were heard from all over. That's when the President made a tactical move with another kick at goal." "It's that last big kick by the President he is complaining about now. That was the direct kick at goal, when parliament was dissolved, with the President's side winning on successful goals, throwing the game into the arena of elections. It is now a different ball game altogether," said Dr. Chandavickrama. "It's a game with totally different rules, somewhat like Thai boxing. Most of the players either ignore or violate the rules. But the problem is for either team to muster enough crowd support as to claim a clear mandate, that cannot be kicked around as the Prime Minister was doing all the while, although he now complains of the President's last kick," said Dr. Chandaratna. "We will all now have to follow the play carefully as to see who will get the boot and who will strike at goal, when the scores are tallied" said Kathiragedera, with a feeling of great expectation. "We will get to know the real state of play when the new teams are picked by the people. The foreign observers who contributed for the safety net are watching things closely." "That's not all. The Tigers have made it clear they will back the green shirts all the way, which shows that they may do the real kicking next time round, and not the other main teams," said Kathiravansa. "Don't forget the Tigers can kick with all four legs and may even carry the ball away in the mouth, to score a goal. They can even chew up the Rule Book," he added. |
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