Power does not bring happiness, sharing and caring do - EDITORIAL

e all wish to be happy but sadly many of us are not aware of how we could be happy. Most of the people most of the time are saddened by the delusion they could be happy by indulging in luxuries or extravagance or by seeking personal gain, satisfaction or glory. But the liberation  spirituality of all major religions tells us that what will make us happy is the gradual, inner liberation from selfishness, self-centredness, greed and related vices. To put it simply, we will have the deep lasting happiness only when we speak and act in a manner that makes others happy. Essentially we need to go to the dimension of other-centredness from self-centredness but an increasingly selfish and wicked world, using high technology also now prevents us from being other-centred and making others happy so that we will be happy.   

The United Nations has proclaimed tomorrow, March 20 as the International Day of Happiness. Since 2013, the UN has celebrated this day and says the celebration invites all people of any age, plus every class, business and government to join in celebrating the International Day of Happiness. On the eve of this day of happiness, we need to reflect on what role we are playing in the local or international mission to alleviate poverty by reducing inequality and to protect our planet by doing what we could and should in the battle against global warming. We need to be aware that the battle against global warming is a battle to save our planet Earth and if we do not act with responsibility and commitment, we will destroy our planet and ourselves.   

As we pointed out on our editorial on Saturday, the UN in its latest survey has named Finland as the happiest country in the world. During the past few years, Nordic countries such as Finland, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands have topped the list of the world’s happiest countries. The reasons are similar to the goals of the International Day of Happiness. Because of the harsh winter in those countries, for several months of the year the people have learnt to help each other more, share and care for each other and bring about a more equitable distribution of wealth and resources. Heavy taxes are imposed on the rich and ruling elite so that more benefits could be given to the middle or poverty stricken classes in the vital areas of healthcare and education, employment and career development.   

Sri Lanka is blessed with the liberation spirituality of all four major religions. In 2016 President Maithripala Sirisena launched a national mission for poverty alleviation by encouraging Sri Lankans to grow our own food without importing junk or artificial food. Part of this mission was to gradually reduce the use of imported chemical fertilizers, some of which are known to be toxic and are believed to be partly responsible for the pollution of our ground water and the chronic kidney disease epidemic in the North Central province and other areas. But the mission to promote organic fertilizer did not succeed mainly because the farmers were not made aware of or properly educated on the need to switch from expensive imported fertilizer to compost or cow dung fertilizer.   

After the parliamentary elections in August 2015, the United National Party (UNP) and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) have been ruling together for the first time since independence in 1948. When two rival parties work together disputes are inevitable but now the national unity or consensus government needs to work together to achieve the goals of poverty alleviation, intensify the battle against global warming and achieve the vision of creating a peaceful, just and all inclusive society where the dignity of the poverty stricken people is restored and they are given an equal say in decision making.   

The state of emergency was lifted yesterday after it was imposed on March 6 to defuse the tension and curb the religious and racial violence in Digana, Teldeniya and other areas of the Kandy district. Weekend reports indicate that another political crises is brewing over a no confidence motion. In 2015, President Sirisena emerged as a potential statesman who pledged to work above party politics and we hope he does so without getting embroiled in deal-making or wheeler- dealing with some extremist groups who are trying to indulge in petty party politics. Those who do not fulfil the 2015 people’s agenda, will end up in the garbage dumps of history.