Time for vigilance

Soon it will be election time once again. Whatever its nature, a national election attracts international attention.

On one hand, there are those forces that have delegated themselves the role of international monitors and probe into every incident in the campaign with microscopic detail. They are fed by a new type of fifth column embedded in the NGO sector that is not so discreet in its activities. They have also yardsticks to measure our performance. However, they do not apply the same yardsticks to their own societies.

On the other hand, one could also expect some open collusion between certain Opposition elements and those external forces and agencies that are bent on destabilizing the country.

There are also many instances in which certain Western powers openly intervened to influence the outcome of national elections in Third World countries. In some countries such as Venezuela, Chile, El Salvador, political parties were openly funded to oust popular governments or prevent the possible victory of political parties that were not pro-Western and subservient to them.

One could also find examples of such intervention by covert or overt means from our history too. It is only necessary to recall the developments following the nationalization of foreign monopoly concerns that were distributing petroleum in the country.

It is necessary to be vigilant about such dangers.

It is no secret that certain powers are not happy with the way the three-decade-old conflict ended. Perhaps some of them would have had an interest in prolonging the conflict. The many attempts to put Sri Lanka in the dock for alleged human rights violations are an indication of that displeasure and that interest.

Another cause for displeasure would have been the fact that Sri Lanka could overcome all such attempts to humiliate her with the assistance of an overwhelming majority of nations. The fact that countries such as China, Iran, Cuba and Venezuela were foremost amongst such friends besides India could also be another thorn in their flesh.

To put it in other words, those powers that held global hegemony are irritated by the articulately independent foreign policy pursued by the Mahinda Rajapaksa administration. Perhaps it may be due to the fact that certain administrations that preceded it were always willing to obey the hegemonic powers due to ideological reasons or were too weak to assert independence. It is nothing but natural for such external powers to favour those who are on the same wave length and punish others.

As far as the country is concerned, its foreign policy should be friendship with all while strongly asserting our national interest. This is what the present administration has done. This could be seen best when one peruses the Western media or those local political columns that openly show disapproval of our foreign policy.

Mischievous attempts are also made to vilify China, one of our best friends and also drive a wedge between China and our closest neighbour and friend India. They want to hide the fact that India and China have been inching closer and are entering a new period of mutual cooperation in many fields including joint attempts at international economic and political fora.

The best way to thwart all such attempts to threaten the independence and sovereignty of the land is to forge the widest unity among the people. It is such unity that could ensure the defence of territorial integrity and the continuation of the development drive that has just begun.

Highest common factor

What do some businessmen, Police officers, high ranking Army officers, devil dancers and persons in robes have in common? Greed and an inclination to become rich instantly. A perusal of recent and not so recent media reports revealed that all of them were caught on various occasions in treasure hunting or digging for buried treasures in temple grounds and other places.

Stringent laws must be enacted to impose severe punishment on these treasure hunters. They not only desecrate sacred places but also deprive the nation of valuable historical artifacts and archeologically important findings.

In most instances it is the vigilant public that led to the arrest of the offenders. It is sad that some law enforcement officers were also lured to join in such treasure hunting.