Relevance of Pak general's remarks

Commander of Pakistan's Army, General Jehangit Karamat's controversial address last week at the War College in Lahore has resulted in him resigning from his post. While this issue is entirely a domestic affair of Pakistan and we will not comment on it, his controversial remarks are indeed very much relevant to Sri Lanka.

Gen. Karamat suggested the setting up of a National Security Council at the apex of Pakistan's political system and to end the political squabbling between government and the opposition. He had said: 'Unlike countries with economic potential, we cannot afford the destabilising effects of polarisation of vendettas and insecurity -driven expedient policies'.

'The political mandate needed to be translated into institutional strength otherwise we would have a permanent election campaign-environment in the country', he had stressed.

In reviewing the performance of the four years of rule by the People's Alliance, let the translation of the political mandate into institutional strength be considered.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga was given a resounding political mandate with 60 per cent of the poll in her favour although the PA managed to form a government with a majority of only one seat in parliament. Even the staunchest of supporters of the government will concede that the political mandate is in shambles. The Mandate for Peace today is not being talked about. Other impossible promises made such as a loaf of bread at Rs 3.50 and Rs 1500 per every unemployed youth stand in contrast to fasting undergraduates at Kurunegala whose picture we published on the front page of this paper on Saturday.

What has been attempted is to draft a new constitution which will be a futile effort unless the confidence of the main opposition party, the UNP, is obtained .

The Herculean labours of Prof. G.L. Peiris will end up in naught if cooperation with the UNP cannot be achieved. Instead of such attempts being made, what we witness is a very vicious form of vituperative politics that has resulted in extreme political polarisation of the PA and the UNP. This has resulted in a 'permanent election environment', which the Pakistani general has spoken about, in the context of this country.

A very naive propaganda attempt is being made is divert public opinion from the main issues this nation faces by blowing up issues which are of little national interest. On Friday we had the state controlled press carrying huge pictures of the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe, dancing with his wife. A crude propaganda attempt is being made to sling mud and gain political advantage with prudes by showing cabaret artistes in flimsy costumes, who have apparently been hired by Sri Lankan Americans for the fund - raiser.

This kind of propaganda we are familiar with only during election campaigns. Before that came was the issue of the arrest of a judge by a government official. This controversy is raging with the country's leading lawyers taking to the streets. Before that there was a hue and cry made about a speech made by UNPer Dr. Rajitha Senaratne at Matara, where he was alleged to have used abusive language.

Almost every fortnight the state media is being used to drum up such propaganda while the main issue that confronts this nation, suppression of terrorism, is far from being achieved. Military disasters of unprecedented proportions are made to look as stupendous victories by the state media while banners are being strung across streets congratulating certain personalities for what seems to be a pyrrhic victory.

Pakistan at least is blessed with real generals who are not afraid to speak out in the national interest and risk losing their careers.

The present situation demands that if this country is to make any progress, the UNP and the SLFP, which is the main constituent party of the PA, must come to an understanding on major issues in the interests of the nation. The LSSP and the Communist Party have eschewed partisan politics and even though they are in the coalition have been forthright on certain national issues. Even friendly countries have realised this situation and efforts were made by the former Conservative government to bring about consensus between the two leading political parties here .

Gen. Karamat's suggestion for the setting up of a National Security Council at the apex could be the answer to the floundering military efforts. If the opposition too is made a party to the main decisions in the conduct of this so-called war, it is quite apparent that much more could be achieved.

The current situation calls for political leadership of a high order. It is the responsibility of the government in power to make the first move and the UNP to respond to it. How many Kilinochchis and Mankulams are we to suffer ?