sumane

Accountability to whom? Inversing the Order September 26, 2011, 7:12 pm   The term ‘accountability’ is in vogue these days. Advice that comes as a ‘friendly pressure’ as Robert OBlake puts it is that Sri Lanka should be accountable to what happened in the last days of its war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Although it has not been expressed in explicit terms, the implication is that Sri Lanka and other poor countries should be held accountable to the Imperialist West usually disguised under some such coy pseudonym as ‘the international community’, ‘free world’, ‘democratic countries’, ‘liberal democracies’ etc. My Longman Dictionary defines ‘accountable’ as ‘responsible for the effects of your actions and willing to explain or be criticized for them’. In my opinion, ‘accountability’ in the current conflict discourse goes beyond this simple and uncomplicated meaning. The imperialist countries and civil society organizations funded by them have demanded that an...

India, China and Rest of the World September 18, 2011, 6:58 pm   Many seem to ask if Sri Lanka is moving towards China away from India. Those who answer the question in the affirmative hold two opposite views. While the first group seems to be happy about Sri Lanka’s increasing ties, economic and otherwise, with China, the other appears to see it as a danger because our closer ties with China would result in antagonizing India and the West. Sri Lankan foreign policy, especially when the UNP was in power, was oriented towards the West. Although the SLFP-led governments adopted more balanced foreign policy regime, they always valued the importance of close links with the USA and its allies. During the past six years, we have witnessed a kind of paradigm shift in the Sri Lankan foreign policy placing more emphasis on the countries in the region. As I have argued on many occasions, this is a positive change. Where could India and China be located in this new foreign policy shift? Can ...

August 14, 2011, 8:24 pm   How do we understand the present crisis of capitalism? Can it be grasped theoretically using the categories of neo-liberal economics? What is the sound theoretical perspective that helps us understand the crisis? Of course there is no mono-causal theory of crisis since crises are invariably caused by multiple factors. The most pronounced and seemingly correct explanation of the crisis has been directed to what is generally called over-financialization. Referring to rioting youth in Tottenham, London, the Daily Mail called them "nihilistic and feral teenagers". Are the teenagers feral? Or, is it the capitalistic system as it has failed in the capitalistic West to provide a secure future for their young people? According to Professor Tony Chapman, only 49% of young people in the UK believe that they would have secure jobs in five years’ time. What have we witnessed since 2008? Credit rating of the USA was downgraded by the Standard & Poor fr...

TNA is very justified in issuing an ultimatum on talks to the govt 8 August 2011, 9:34 pm by Sumanasiri Liyanage A t the time of writing, it appears that the talks between the UPFA government and the Tamil National Alliance are on the verge of collapse. It has been reported that the TNA wants the government to address some issues if the latter is willing to continue talks. The government’s argument varies. Some Ministers have said that the issues raised by the TNA are fundamental so that 10 days period is not adequate to take a decision on the issues of such importance. On the other hand, Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva has informed us that the issues raised by the TNA can be placed before the proposed Parliamentary Select Committee for discussion. If the government wants more time and can inform the time period it seeks, I am sure the TNA will accept that, provided it does not appear as a dilatory tactic. However, if the issues should be placed before the select committee as the M...

Kafka’s Dream June 5, 2011, 12:00 pm I was at the trial of Josef K, who was arrested by two unidentified agents for an unspecified crime. Everybody in the country began to think that Josef K would finally receive justice as he was arrested unlawfully and arbitrarily. Trial began and I was eagerly watching everything that was happening around me. Court was beautiful with its wooden panels over the rusty walls. The judge who looked smart and old was sitting on the bench and began the proceedings. Lawyers were looking at their notes and files often asking questions from their assistants for clarifications. While the proceedings were in progress, I looked at the judge and was surprised to see that he was, like Gregor Samsa, a travelling salesman in The Metamorphosis, transformed into a monstrous insect-like creature. I closed my eyes and opened them once again to see if I am in a kind of hallucination. No I was not. He was transformed into a monstrous insect-like creature. Verdict was ...

Opening the Path of Development June 12, 2011, 12:00 pm (Text of a talk delivered at the N M Perera Memorial discussion on the Political Economy of Sri Lanka.) Dr. Saman Kelegama was absolutely right when he argued with reference to Argentina and Thailand that some economies might be trapped eventually in for a prolonged period in the state of middle income countries. Sri Lanka has reached according to the data released the status of a middle income country and expects to double its per capita income by the end of 2016. As Dr. Kelegama has pointed out, this also in itself is a herculean task as it needs a rate of capital formation in the vicinity of 32-35 per cent of the GDP—a kind of 6 to 9 per cent rise of investment from its present level. While accepting the argument that the rate of capital formation should be increased significantly to achieve required rate of growth, as a student of the late Dr N M Perera and the Samasamaja school of thought, I would like to see the issue fr...

Sri Lanka’s Tamil nation question is not just an external issue for India 29 May 2011, 4:23 pm By Sumanisiri Liyanage A t the end of Minister of External Affairs of the Government of Sri Lanka, Prof. G L Peiris’ visit to India from 15-17 May, 2011, a joint press statement was issued by the two governments and it has once again raised critical issues that govern India-Sri Lanka relations. Cartoon in Chennai Tamil Daily Dinamani in April 2009, depicting DMK leader M. Karunanidhi on a heated campaign trail laying ultimatum 'whether war is going to be stopped or not' in Sri Lanka over Tamil deaths Moreover, as it happened on many an occasion, the India-bashers within the government coalition and without have decried the press statement by invoking the grand but blurred notions of national independence and sovereignty. In my opinion, revisiting the issue of India-Sri Lanka relations with special emphasis on post-conflict situation and developing a policy framework taking the geo-...