Sri Lankan leadership, political, military as well as bureaucratic, bears a grudge against the Tamils and the LTTE. They have tried for years to dominate a small group of people, who though bore British domination with equanimity, cant bear Sinhanlee leadership.

They would do anything possible to bring them under themselves. Now do they have anything with them to justify their years of belligerence? Is Sri Lanka so wonderful a nation that they can naturally claim that they are aiming to spread the same benevolence to the Tamils that they themselves enjoy at home? It is doubtful.

In many ways, the LTTE civil administration would be at least equal to the quality of the Sri Lankan civil administration; if not more in quality.

However, it is very much possible that the Sri Lankan public officials are corrupt and overbearing to their own citizens.

The usual problems stalking most Asian nations may be listed here:

Extremely feudal language, and communication, with the officialdom existing on the superior words and the common man existing on the lower level words. This could be more possible in Sri Lanka than among the LTTE, where there could be more camaraderie, than condescension; between the common folk and the administration.

Corrupt to the core officialdom. It is possible that the Sri Lankan officials are corrupt to their hilt whereas corruption may not be so much rampant in the LTTE administration, if at all it is there.

Fabulously paid bureaucracy. It is true that in many Asian nations, including India, that the officials are paid huge salaries, which are unimaginable for the common man. For example, most Indians earn much less than 2000/- per month. The bureaucrats starting from the peon to the senior guys, get from 10.000 to 125,000 per month for 13 months a year. There is fabulous pension programmes for the government officials. Many other things also. Now, in Sri Lanka also, this could be true. Whereas in LTTE administration, there could be a more equitable level of distribution of government resources.

Now, what Sri Lanka can do and should do: Instead of wasting its scare resources on a war that is fed by a foolish ego, go in for improving the living standards of the common man. If the facial expressions of the ordinary soldier can be taken as a measurement, the common folk over there sure require a lot of quality improvement.

What could be suggested may be removing feudal Sinhalee language from the position of national prominence and use English instead. Many social phobias, irritations, provocations etc. will disappear automatically. Even the Sinhalee-Tamil irritations will vanish.

Instead of wasting money on war, and officials, built/provide free rest-houses, free drinking water facility, free good quality toilets, good conveniences in hospitals, seats and courtesy in public offices, good roads, free English education for the children of the common man, free school buses for students, and such other things. Instead of providing pension solely for the government officials, create social security for all common people. The nation will improve. Then there will not be a talk of secession but only of accession.

If instead the mood is for cunning, people-fooling belligerence, then there is only doom in the offing.

It may be mentioned in passing that the above-mentioned items are good not only for Sri Lanka, but also for many other nations including India; where also the common folk are befooled by a most cunning self-serving bureaucracy. 

Posted on www.newspostonline.com

-- Edited by Ved on Thursday 7th of May 2009 08:20:05 AM

-- Edited by Ved on Monday 18th of May 2009 12:07:59 AM