Will Wigneswaran Raise The Issue Of Economic Freedom Under 13A?
Ayathuray Rajasingam
A close examination of the 13th Amendment, would reveal that the Northern Province Provincial Council (NPPC) is powerless to manage the Provincial Fund required for the economic development of the Northern Province, because of the enormous powers vested with the Governor. Actually it denies the economic freedom that would lead to the growth and prosperity of the Northern Province. Economic freedom denotes the ability of the individuals to undertake economic direction and actions. According to Friedrich Hayek Rule of Law is required for economic freedom as evidenced in the Western democratic countries. Equality of law requires that all legal rules apply equally to everyone which are seen as safeguards against restrictions on liberty, because they require that all laws equally apply to those with political and coercive power as well as to those who are governed. However, special privileges and arbitrary application of law in Sri Lanka are seen as exemptions from this principle of generality and equality.
After the defeat of the LTTE, economic challenges has been a major factor for the Northern Province that was ravaged by war. Though the infra-structure development work are being carried out, the denial of economic freedom and an absence of equality of law was characterized by systematic and calculated acts of grabbing lands belonging to the Tamils and colonized with the Sinhalese. The government failed to realize that majority of the Tamils aspired to live peacefully for which it should have provided a platform for economic freedom. On the contrary, the ruling politicians celebrated the victory as though they have won a great battle against another country and began to harass the helpless Tamils, which is not the method of healing the pains of feelings. It appears that the ruling politicians are still driven by narrow considerations that Tamils are not a segment of the Sri Lankan community.
It is time to take adequate steps to create an atmosphere of friendship and brotherhood for the Tamils to feel that Sri Lanka is still their home and to allay their fears of being hunted on suspicion through para-military groups. Now look at Canada. 50% of the Canadian population are immigrants, some of whom have fled through fear of being persecuted in their countries and they are been given their freedom to develop the economy in Canada. A friendly atmosphere is created to feel themselves that the country is their home and the immigrants had shown their sincere in developing the economy of the country and they are also ready to defend Canada. It is time for Sri Lanka politicians to realize that Nations are built on trust. Instead of pursuing a malignant economic policy, it is far better to grant their economic freedom to develop the country rather than borrowing loans from foreign countries, in addition to the hundreds of thousands of housemaids being sent to Middle-East countries where they are subject to endless harassment and torture. Read More
