Reforms Need “People” Not “Proxies”
By Kusal Perera -March 15, 2015
Kusal Perara
There’s plenty good things told to the local media by this new government and its ardent fans on a daily basis on Constitutional Reforms, Electoral changes, Right to Information Act and also on “Yahapalanaya” (good governance). The fad now is to say, “But, there is freedom and a change for the better”. Yes, with Rajapaksas out of power, there certainly is a sense of relief. A carefree feeling blowing around, more in Colombo. There are things happening on reforms, whatever “yahapalanaya” is meant to be. What’s amiss though are PEOPLE, in all these rough and rushed efforts to keep pace with the much delayed 100 D programme of the new rule.
In Sri Lankan context, why people are the most important factor in democratic processes has two major reasons. It is now an internationally accepted norm and practise in the democratic world for any constitutional and State reform to ensure vibrant “citizen participation”. It’s not just the end product that is important, but the process as well through which changes are affected. People have to feel they were part of the reform process that decided change and own what’s done. Therefore, all reforms this government proposes, first have to be in public domain to fit in with democratic processes. Most unfortunately, what we see are drafts and discussion documents circulating in private circles and clearly labelled as “private” or “unofficial”. That too, only in English language.
The other is an added and a serious reason why we have to have people actively involved in deciding all reforms, before they go to this parliament and into effective implementation. This parliament is no legitimate body to represent the people anymore and have proved over and over again they are not competent and committed in taking up serious responsibility such as debating very important issues like constitutional and electoral reforms. Reading through “Hansards” of the past decade, one would not come across a single speech that can be taken as intellectual, logical, relevant and with common sense. Whatever the subject, there are no serious contributions in parliamentary debates except when at times the TNA is on their feet.
With that comes illegitimacy of this parliament. In 2010 April, the people voted at the elections and constituted a parliament with 144 UPFA members, 60 UNP members, 14 TNA members and 07 DNA members. Almost five years after, can anyone guess how the parliament is constituted now, without any elections held? The UPFA numbers went up to 156 MPs by end 2010 while the UNP was reduced to 42 members and the TNA losing their Ampara district MP to the Rajapaksas. Almost a year later, the JVP moved out of the DNA with their 04 MPs. That in every way deformed the people’s verdict in just one year.
In the latest break up in early January, 07 from the SLFP including Maithripala Sirisena crossed over, with 02 JHU MPs, 01 DNA, all SLMC and ACMC and 01 from the CWC joining the crossing over to the opposition. Meanwhile UNP lost their General Secretary who joined the UPFA. But the UPFA itself is now fractured with Weerawansa, Dinesh, Vasu and the breakaway JHU going their own way, canvassing a comeback for Rajapaksa. All of it has brought in a uniquely freak government that lives each day on the tactful sympathy of the SLFP majority in parliamentary Opposition. SLFP that in fact should be the government with their 125 MPs.
