Editorial - Those who exalt themselves shall be humbled

13 March 2013 03:12 am

Former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka in a widely watched 3 hour television interview has called for a new political culture where political leaders will be sincere servants of the people instead of being their lords or masters and where political leaders will look more at what they could give to the country rather than what they could grab from the country. Indeed we urgently need political leaders who are sincere givers, not grabbers. Otherwise we are on the road to disaster, distruction and doom.

In the comprehensive interview where pointed and tough questions were put to him instead of the amateurish full tosses we see at government news conferences, General Fonseka was asked whether he would go to the international community and testify there were no war crimes by Sri Lankan troops in the last weeks of the conflict. He said he was ready to do so, but his problem was that others who were mainly giving orders from air conditioned offices in Colombo were claiming credit for the historic victory. General Fonseka said he was in the frontlines with the troops including the commandos and the STF during the final battle’s last 48 hours which were decisive, tough and bloody. He said hundreds of troops and a similar number of LTTE cadres were killed, and he even paid a little tribute to LTTE leader Velupillai Prabakaran who he said had not tried to hide in his bunkers but told his men to come out and fight to death. As a General he admired such courage.

" The Holy Scriptures tell us that those who exalt themselves shall be humbled, and those who humble themselves shall be exalted. Our political leaders need to take such eternal truths seriously and practise them "

As for General Fonseka’s call for a new political culture, the four major religions practised in this country have a major role to play in producing men and women who will sincerely serve the country, live a simple and humble lifestyle and end this era of hypocrisy, self-righteousness and sanctimonious humbug. The Holy Scriptures tell us that those who exalt themselves shall be humbled, and those who humble themselves shall be exalted. Our political leaders need to take such eternal truths seriously and practise them instead of wearing Poya Day or Sunday masks not only to deceive the people but also to plunder the wealth and resources of the people and the country. For the new political culture to take shape and to be sustained, our political leaders need to experience a gradual inner liberation from slavery to selfishness greed and other vices such as vengeance and jealously. This will happen only if they acknowledge the truth about their real natures, their desire for power, prestige, popularity and more wealth. Then and only then will we be able to restore true democracy with checks and balances, accountability, transparency and, like the revered Huge Chavez did in Venezuela, bring about social justice with a more equitable distribution of wealth and resources.