Sri Lanka It's Happening

July 1, 2004

During the days of President Premadasa, his speeches were always littered with the 3Cs or 3Rs. He claimed to work through Consultation, Consensus and Compromise while the then opposition accused him of doing the exact opposite. Later on he added Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation to his vocabulary. Both sets had their Sinhala counterparts.

If i remember correctly the 3Rs were added at a time when there was a lull in fighting between the armed forces and the LTTE while the JVP insurrection in the rest of the country was been (brutally) crushed.

Now the newspapers have come up with a different version of the 3Cs, they call it Confusion, Caos and Contraditions though you may argue that the first is caused by the second and the second in turn is cause by the third.

The contradictions are everywhere to be seen. The JVP members of parliament who protested the norwegian involvment in the peace process can now be seen happily chatted with them on cosy armchairs, the goverment is backpaddling on every major issue and if you question two different ministers on a matter of policy they will give you answers that are poles apart.

Trade unions, once the apple of the eye of the JVP and the prime minister are striking left, right and center only to call it off a couple of days later, but before the ink has dried whatever agreement that was reached they down their tools again. Sadly doctors seem to be the worst offenders.

Posted by raditha at July 1, 2004 6:11 AM