masses, the proletarians, can make use of it as a bunker
in their struggle for state power. The latter is obviously a danger to
the ruling classes. Many ministers
indicated that this provincial council election is a referendum on
President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s programme. In other words it will be
used, if favourable to the government, to suppress opposition and
particularly, to control the media.
There is no
intention of giving real power to the provincial council set up. On the
contrary it will consolidate the Bonapartist powers of the president.
We have
experienced a referendum in this country, under the presidency of JR.
It was actually an attack on the democratic parliamentary system and it
pushed out an important section from the democratic domain.
Marx explained
the bourgeoise parliamentary system as a safety valve that covers the
oppression of the state. People are made to believe that they are
really participating in governance, as long as reforms and sounds made
in parliament are tangible. On the other hand the masses, the proletarians, can make use of it as a bunker
in their struggle for state power. The latter is obviously a danger to
the ruling classes.
That is why the
ruling elites, though they will always preach that parliament and
elections are sacred, use violence and repression whenever radical
leaders of the oppressed seek representation in parliaments.
JR was forthright when he said that he used the referendum to block Reds and radicals entering parliament to preach social unrest. However, when he realised that referendum and repression made the situation worse, he turned back 180 degrees and brought the 13th amendment to give new dimension to parliamentary democracy. What a dangerous enemy he was!
Bent on completing the war
Mahinda’s
chinthanaya is very simple and child-like. He never expected this war
and his war mongering friends to be such a burden.
Now he wants to
check how much support he can mobilise for his heroic war enterprise.
Like a classical warrior king he is bent on completing this war.
I am not sure
whether he is trying to imitate Parakramabahu the Great, Richard the
Lion Hearted or Alexander the Great. What is quite evident is that he
has lost his timeframe altogether. He is surprised that the masses have
not taken his project seriously and that they worry so much about the
future of their children and the reality of looming hunger!
The entire
election campaign of the government is based on victories gained in the
battle front. Everyday, the victories won make headline news of the
government media. According to such news, the government forces are
marching into the Wanni disregarding logistics, change of personnel,
possible retreat or an encircled counterattack. We are told that the
LTTE is deserting, leaving their powerful bases.
This reminds me of the ventures made by the Portuguese, the Dutch and the English prior to the take over of Kandy. Upto the time the Sinhala aristocracy rebelled against the king, all these military missions failed. The Sinhalese surrounded the intruders when the latter were in need of supply and reinforcement. Most unpleasant things happened to those who got caught. Is Mahinda driving the Sinhala soldiers to such a debacle in addition to untold suffering brought to the Tamils?
Whatever the outcome of this heroic war, the parliamentary set up is in danger. The provincial council election campaign could be likened to a mini war. The opposition, too has decided to retaliate and meet violence with violence.
Anarchic situation
In certain
places the masses have organised and demonstrated against the
government. It is a struggle, a battle, to gain bases to prepare for
the coming major war; maybe the parliamentary elections or an actual
civil war that could break out on the issue of the national problem.
These types of elections will put the entire state structure, armed forces, administration and judiciary into deep crisis. The police are forced to take sides disregarding the law and order. Court orders are not carried out, threatening the judicial structure. Naturally the armed forces are politically divided over the issue of the Tamil national problem, in addition to the issue of corruption and waste. However, while instability prevails corruption will multiply by several fold.
If this situation continues, it will create an anarchic situation that can be resolved only by a revolution.