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| Sunday, 9 November 2003 |
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Editor, Sunday Observer. E-mail: [email protected] Snail mail : Sunday Observer, 35, D.R.Wijewardana Mawatha, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Telephone : 94 1 429239 / 331181 Fax : 94 1 429230 Shared governance The President has spoken and so has the Prime Minister. After the Presidential action last week to bring three cabinet portfolios under her direct control, what both sides in this political inter-action, that is, the Government and the President, has to say indicates what the future holds for Sri Lanka. Or, does it? For Sri Lankans used to a sad divergence between political rhetoric and political action or inaction, what politicians say is only a vague indication of what politicians will ultimately do or, not do. What the President had to say was that, having responded to national exigencies and taken on the ministries of defence, internal security and mass communication, she stood firmly for a continued collaboration between political parties in the national interest. Indeed, Ms. Kumaratunga has called for a grand national alliance of all parliamentary parties for the formation of a 'national government' to deal with the urgent task of permanently resolving the ethnic conflict and re-building our nation. She has reaffirmed the Presidency's commitment to continuity in national policy pertaining to the economy and, most importantly, to the ethnic conflict. The world is reassured that the executive Presidential actions last week are designed to enrich and sustain the implementation of existing policy rather than to drastically change tracks in any way. The Prime Minister, while in Washington as well as immediately on his return, has criticised the style and content of the President's action last week. At the same time, Mr. Wickremesinghe has clearly indicated his, and his United National Party's readiness to engage in dialogue with the President and her political party, now leading the Parliamentary Opposition. The Premier has emphasised that the situation would not be allowed to deteriorate into a confrontation that transcends the institutional and constitutional framework. While roundly rejecting the proroguing of Parliament, the Prime Minister did not betray his national responsibilities by pointing towards actions that would cause chaos, violence and undermine the current international confidence in the country. He too reiterated the need for continued co-operation between the two sides. It is this dialogue and co-operation that was seen to have been mandated by the people when the electorate chose to elect Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga of the People's Alliance to the Presidency for the second consequent term, while electing Ranil Wickremesinghe and his United National Party to Government and as the Prime Minister of the Republic. Thus, both the Government as well as the Presidency equally have the people's mandate. It is a mandate, therefore, for a national collaboration, at least among these two major political formations, to bring the country out of its worst crisis since freedom from colonial domination. At the time of the general election, which placed the UNP in governmental power, both the PA as well as the UNP leaderships acknowledged the citizens' expectation for a 'co-habitation' in State power. Everyone acknowledged that it was to be co-habitation not merely to enjoy political power, but principally to provide the national consensus and collaboration needed to end the ethnic conflict. There were many pronouncements at the time that upheld this people's mandate for co-habitation. But the past two years did not show any serious or genuine practise of co-habitation by either side. Last week's Presidential action could be seen as a development that redresses the balance between the two parties with the President being structurally drawn into the process of governance. Now governmental responsibilities are shared. But will this result in better governance? A genuine practice of co-habitation calls for, firstly, co-operation in governmental work and, secondly, the setting up of mechanisms for a coordinated effort in the peace process. Once again, both sides are making the same pious noises. The people can only wait and see whether both parties will practice what they are preaching again or whether they return to the old game of rivalry and manoeuvres for exclusive power and political gain. |
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