Political Realities Need To Be Tempered With Faith In Human Rights:Lesson From Sri Lankan Election
By Dr. Vivek Kumar Srivastava
09 January, 2015
Countercurrents.org
As the reports have emerged in Sri Lanka historical changes have occurred. Mahinda Rajapaksa has conceded his defeat as main opponent . Sirisena have polled 51.28 per cent of total votes, while Rajapaksa has only got 47.58 per cent of the total votes polled. The defeat of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has brought once again into focus the issue of governance. One serious problem in the modern democratic system is that the ruling regimes in the name of protecting the national interest or the interests of the citizens often carry on the coercion to a unlimited level and violate the human rights of many. These regimes have rational legal authority which they misuse for serving their ends.
USA since the time of second World War did so when the war was on at end and there was no immediate need of dropping the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki but it went to drop on 6th and 9th August 1945 just in order to protect the so called national interests. These interests were only abstraction of certain whims of policy planners as these included to end the war swiftly in the far east pacific region and to deal USSR effectively and to contain it. For these self decided logic it decimated many bodies and reduced them to ashes and in bones. With a position of power it did an act which has no parallel in world history, uncounted ones were either killed or mutilated for generations
Perhaps Mahinda Rajapaksa had a training of the similar types when he decided to eliminate the LTTE, he took support of China but carried on a systematic violation of human rights of the Tamils. Elimination of LTTE was an objective, none decried government on this point, but violation of human rights was unacceptable to the global community. There are ample evidences about it as many have demanded action on him including USA.
The defeat of him is real reflection of the Rousseauian General Will of the people. The whole country has realised that he has done a great disservice to the humanity. The ruling regimes must have a lesson that human rights are natural rights of all fellow beings and no government or the person in power can disregard these in the name of national interests.
After the defeat it is likely that Tamils living in Sri Lanka will have better chances of realizing their basic political and civic rights. India is the most important neighbour of Sri Lanka in every manner. It has a greater responsibility in looking after that the new regime of Sirisena does the same as was done by the previous regime. India under UPA had failed to protect the interests of the Sri Lankan Tamils.
The defeat of Mahinda Rajapaksa also brings into focus the nepotism in politics. His many family members had occupied the positions as elites of governance thus defeating the true meaning of the democracy. The democracy in South Asian region has been high jacked by certain political leaders by establishing their kith and kin in the political field. India is a classic example where it has become a sort of family business. This is disowning of the true spirit of democracy where the younger ones are well placed even getting the plum ministerial positions without having done any social and political service for the reason that their father or mother had an influence in the contemporary political culture of the country. Even BJP which talked so much about dynasty politics is not immune, evidences are available in the recent Council of Ministers, leave alone the other political parties. Mahinda Rajapaksa seems to have learnt it from Indian politics. Nepotism , corruption and disrespect to human rights are common feature of the South Asian politics. Mahinda Rajapaksa only repeats what is being repeated in many other countries of the region.
One another task now for India is it must look after the interests of Tamils which have always remained at stake in Sri Lanka. They have been consistently discriminated. They have been disallowed the basic rights to lead a dignified life. Modi government needs to look after this issue in comprehensive manner and should initiate the proper policy activism. The next government needs to be given support after having ensured that interests of tamils will be taken into account in genuine manner.
One important lesson for the world politics is that evilness can not survive and sustain beyond a certain limit. Political realities will be followed by every nation state and its political leaders but it can not be done at the cost of violation of human rights. The general will of the Sri Lankan people have proved it.
Dr. Vivek Kumar Srivastava presently Assistant Professor in CSJM Kanpur University[affiliated college],Vice Chairman CSSP, email: [email protected]
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