Some people are very angry that no real protest develop in the streets of Lanka. The happenings that take place currently in this country must awaken the just wrath of the people, they say.

Enough has taken place to rouse the masses to practical actions against tyranny. Some go to the edge pf pessimism and say that Lankans have rulers of this nature at the helm, because they deserve them.

Others are alienated from suffering of the people and wait patiently, fiddling and smacking their lips. They could be waiting for their chance to do the same as the Rajapaksas.

Also it is very common to blame the opposition for inaction. They ask whether any of present people’s representatives come out to join the on going public to protest. In the end they blame Ranil for inaction.

Clearly these opinions are far from the truth. It is true that the Lankan society was totally submerged in chauvinism and irrational faith in Mahinda regime. For the last three years the government got away with many mistakes and corrupt practices due this particular situation.

People were tolerant to the man who claimed to have defeated evil and promised to go towards prosperity and success. Even the urban working class that usually mistrust promises of bourgeoisie was prepared to accept the version of the regime and to follow a non-confrontist policy towards the government.

It is true that if the public fails, there is no point in blaming this one and that one. Under the power of chauvinism almost all of our parliamentarians (government and opposition) became insincere, selfish, greedy unsympathetic hypocrites.

Self-impeachment

Continuous adherence to the faulty or tolerating false stories has reduced these welfare workers to become such hypocrites. They are unitedly responsible for the transposition of parliament into a kangaroo-court that carries out a foolish inquisition violating every tenet of natural justice.

Latter act represents the ultimate degradation of the parliament that is supposed to represent the people. MPs must be the servants of the people but under chauvinist irrational ideology they have become masters; feared rather than respected; despised rather than loved. Even in the developing world such bumptious arrogance, and indifference is rare. In this situation whether parliament can dispose the tyranny by an election has become a common question!

So, while the regime is evil the public mood is turning hostile not only to government parliamentarians, but also to the chauvinist section of the opposition as well. On the other hand it is now obvious that Mahinda regime, in trying to impeach the CJ, has impeached itself. Now it is up to the public to give the verdict to the regime that it deserves.

A stoic alliance

If the public fails, there is no point in blaming the liberal opposition. There is only one alliance in the opposition that is free from chauvinism and has won the confidence of thew minorities in addition to attracting the angry radical masses in general. That is the Protest of the Opposition-VV (Vipakshaye Virodaya).

It is not an electoral alliance confined to a short term electoral victory, it is far from it. As indicated it is an alliance for the common struggle. It has a track record of struggles facing all sorts of obstacles and criticism. We have go forward.

This can only mean one thing, greater mobilization in democratic chambers and forums, the press and publications, and protests, slogans and demonstrations. And electoral mobilization too, of course, but not confined to that only.

In fact in elections alliance parties can contest separately with the common enemy in mind. Truly they can march separately while striking together. The implied call is for mass intervention, democratic but forceful, using a wide range of tools.

This vision is the most important. This is the best way to short-circuit these “bumptious, arrogant, conceited, and vain, hypocrites”. Nor will we need to “wait till the messiah comes”.

Vickrambahu “Bahu” Karunarathne