Let’s be citizens and not subjects - EDITORIAL

30 December 2014 04:22 am - 0 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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hange hasn’t always been for good; but that’s how hope and conviction kicks in. Martin Luther King once said, “Everything that is done in the world is done by hope.” But it seems so many Sri Lankans have lost hope nowadays. And a good many of them simply don’t care. Yes, we are talking about the upcoming presidential election and people’s reactions. It is surprising and rather depressing to see so many Sri Lankans talking about the election with such indifference and a sense of detachment. Many have also become cynics.

They say and we quote, “Both parties are the same. All thieves. Those good governance champions could have created the equitable and corruption-free society they are now talking about when they were in power. We know the present government is not any better. But at least they finished the war.”
The above quote more or less represents a majority of our people. For them, this election has no meaning. They don’t want any change the common opposition is pressing upon them. They are either happy with the status quo or indifferent to it. For them the common opposition is talking a language they don’t understand. Good governance, rule of law and checks and balances are distant realities to them. Of course they do understand corruption. But it is so commonplace in Sri Lankan politics so why only blame the present regime? They question. Those who are now eyeing power have done it amply in the past and once they get appointed again they will do the same. They must be thinking.

But can we all sit still lamenting like this? Shouldn’t we as citizens of this country take the initiative to correct what has really gone bad? As they say, throughout our history, we Sri Lankans have always missed the bus. Can we afford to miss another bus? It is time that people of Sri Lanka become citizens of this country and not subjects of any regime. The difference between the two is citizens actively participate in the governing and policy-making process while subjects just obey the Government.

We believe it is high time the Sri Lankans wake up from their indifference, cynicism, disappointment or whatever it may be. If you want a better country you have to strive for it. Cynicism and indifference wouldn’t give you a better country.

It is encouraging to see like in 1994 and 2005, a people’s force, though consisting of not many, backing the common opposition on clear policy grounds. It is clear that they don’t see a special merit in the people in the common opposition. The entire country knows what these people have done and haven’t done. But they have extended their support to the common opposition because they want to change this decaying system and unscrupulous political culture. It is not the common opposition we should trust but the people’s force behind it who would constantly nag and press them to do what they promised when they come to power. If they are not walking the talk, these forces of the people should rise again to throw them out of power. This is a process. We citizens have to do it continually until we get it right. If we lose hope and become indifferent it allows the people with power to usurp us.

One would ask, “So should we seek a change for the sake of change? What about stability?” Yes, stability is a must for any country. But how long can you remain stable if your system’s core values are crumbling? Change hasn’t always been for the good. But that’s how hope and conviction kicks in.

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Let’s be citizens and not subjects - EDITORIAL

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