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| Sunday, 13 April 2003 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Rambling thoughts as the old yields to the new by FACTOTUM Traditionally the month of April is associated with fun and frolic that abound at the onset of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. There have been aberrations in the past as in 1971 when the youth rebellion took place. On parallel lines of festivities run the more religious observances and rituals connected with what is considered to be a harvest festival. As ancient wisdom would have it the life giving and energising Sun moves from the dormant sign of the Fish to the active sign of the Ram symbolising fresh hopes and new vigour tomorrow. Fresh hopes for lasting peace are uppermost in the minds of both communities. The downing of arms for over an year has created space for a free flow of ideas and an exchange of views discussed here to sort out the knotty problem of setting up a state structure that would safeguard the interests of all communities and ensure the Right to Life as laid down in the UN Charter. Political scientists of the West may consider a two state model not stable enough to accommodate the demand for Federalism - a demand made mainly by the Tamil community. A multi-state model on the other hand may allay the fears of those who perceive a two-state Federal model as paving the way for secession. If secession is considered a hot point this is naturally so considering the Sri Lankan situation. The US experience of a hot war to prevent secession of the Southern states is seen as a scenario in reverse here. Ofcourse, wherever there is provision for secession as in Canada the issue has to be negotiated by all provinces and cannot be a unilateral declaration. In Ireland again or even in the US secession is a matter for the entire people to decide. So while the fear of secession should not deter the on-going negotiations agreement could be reached to set in place adequate safeguards to prevent any unilateral action. Devolution of power is considered the key to invigorate negotiations and arrive at a settlement. There are clear examples in the UK where Scotland, Wales and Ireland exercise varying degrees of self and shared rule. The Scottish Parliament wields more authority while in Wales the Assembly has limited powers. Striking a balance appears to be a way of avoiding a stalemate. Questions of Revenue and Police powers in a Federal state can present dilemmas that would need thoughtful handling. The US being very pluralistic, questions of self-determination and traditional homelands have not cropped up but such issues have already been addressed and accommodated in India, Canada and South Africa. Resources of each state may vary and lead to the reality of rich and poor states but the practice in most countries that are Federal of 80% funds being raised by independent states leaving 20% for the Federal government appears to hold. In Australia the situation in reversed but all over he who pays the piper calls the tune. If fears are to be allayed sufficient checks and balances will be in order. Devolution of powers and the authority for decision making may be transferred to the periphery. To offset any imbalance a second chamber at the Centre may be necessary. Representation could be equal or proportional. The charge that corruption is rife in Federal states appears to be unfounded. In Unitary States with heavily loaded bureaucracies the scale of corruption can be greater. It is only a truly transparent, democratic set up that can reduce levels of corruption and ensure the tolerance of dissent and uphold human rights. To that end let the aspirations of all bend at this propitious time. |
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