WHEN PATIENCE IS NOT A VIRTUE…
No government would want a breakdown of confidence in the judiciary system as it would lead to anarchy which is detrimental to a country. The extent of deterioration of the government is so acute that it has not been able to identify its limits
There is a saying that patience is a virtue. However, this saying cannot be applied to all situations. The Rajapaksa regime told the masses to be patient. It was during the war when the government increased prices of essential commodities and burdened the masses with more and more taxes. The Gover nment's excuse was that it had to earn a large amount of money to spend for the war. It was emphasized that the masses, despite suffering, should endure without a moan. The demands and trade union action for necessary pay hikes too were deterred by this ‘ order f or patience'. It was told that suffering would be temporary and as soon as the war was over the living conditions of the people would change for the better.
It seems that the masses accepted the flattery of the government as they kept mum regarding their suffering. Three years have gone by since the end of the war. However, nobody knows what happened or is happening to the money. The masses received no benefits but the prices of essential commodities and taxes were increased in another round. The government has not annulled the ‘order for patience' yet.
Whatever the government thinks the people have taken their decision. Now that their patience has worn off, they might not wait any longer. The masses have taken the path of struggle instead of waiting in queues in front of offices of gov- ernment politicians to find solutions for their issues. Instead of being submissive and miserable they have decided to fight for their rights. This is a sign that the masses are recognizing their might. It is a state that should be admired.
Farmers took to the streets demanding water for their fields; politicians had to promise compensation for damage to their crops. Working masses agitated to win their rights and engaged in strikes. Following their usual policy of repression authorities at the Ceylon Electricity Board interdicted new recruits for engaging in a strike action. However, the authorities had to promise to reinstate them and give into their demands.
Women are terrified of the wave of sex crimes prevailing in the country. Many politicians of the government are connected to these crimes. The government that had been driving university students to the streets has now made school children too come on to the streets with the A/L results fiasco. Agitations by the students and their parents were held throughout the country. The government has promised to increase the intake to the universities.
The struggle of university teachers is an indication of how isolated the government is. Many university dons had done a yeoman service to bring President Mahinda Rajapaksa to power. However, the government has now labelled them as enemies of the government and has ignored their demands. The government is deaf to the demand for an allocation of 6% of GNP for education in the country. It is indeed a question of how the government that cannot fulfil the just demands of a small group of individuals could fulfil the demands of 20 million people!
No government would want a breakdown of confidence in the judiciary system as it would lead to anarchy which is detrimental to a country. The extent of deterioration of the government is so acute that it has not been able to identify its limits.
The Rajapaksa government has, with unabated gusto, created situations to get social sectors that had never taken any trade union action before to take to the streets. The attempt by the government to suppress the developing mass indignation towards it by bringing in an ‘election snare' doesn't seem to be working. Issues of the masses and their responses to them are overshadowing the subject of elections. The masses feel that their patience would not bring fruitful results, which confirms the statement by Lord Lansdowne who said “Patience is the virtue of an ass”.