DIVIDE AND RULE CAN ALSO UNIFY

by Dr. Jehan Perera

From a working class point of view there was ample justification for the general strike on July 10 called by the JVP. As a party that seeks to represent the most economically and socially deprived sections of the population, the JVP was the right party to call out the organized workforce to take action regarding the deterioration in their economic conditions. The past two years have seen the working class, especially those on fixed incomes, facing severe economic difficulties due to the high rates of inflation that have even touched the 30 percent level. A common story is that of the mother who goes to the grocery store to buy a few spoonfuls of infant milk powder as she can afford no more.

The steep rise in global prices of agricultural and petroleum products that have taken place over the past two years cannot be avoided in Sri Lanka. The problem is that the inflation rate in Sri Lanka is more than double that of neighbouring countries. Economists know very well that inflation is one method by which unscrupulous governments can seek to shift the burden of debt from the government on to the people, and that richer people are more able to protect themselves against inflation than poorer people. Most people have been inclined to give the government the benefit of the doubt on account of the soaring costs of the war against the LTTE.

The impression of a government that is not particularly concerned with cost cutting is difficult to dispel on account of some of the high visibility expenses that are being incurred. Foreign travel is one of them with government leaders appearing ever willing to go abroad with sizeable delegations. The stories of government profligacy extend to ministers taking over large amounts of high cost office space for themselves and their secretaries, and the purchase of very expensive luxury vehicles that are bomb proof. There are also the losses incurred by high government expenditures on various questionable and pet projects, not least Mihin Air, the budget airline which has now been grounded for lack of funds.

In circumstances such as these, the probability of success of a general strike seemed to be high, especially as the two largest opposition parties were backing the strikes. There appeared to be a strong possibility of the strike action highlighting the discontent of the general population in a visible and collective manner. The demand put forward by the JVP was for a Rs 5000 salary increase for public sector employees. The JVP also offered to call off the strike if some of their political demands were met that would demonstrate that the government was serious about reducing its expenditures. These included reducing the number of ministers from above one hundred to 30 and calling off the two provincial council elections that have been called early.


GOVERNMENT VICTORY

On the other hand, the government’s counter offer was Rs 1000 for the present with the balance increase to be decided when the new government budget for the succeeding year will be decided upon. The government also pointed out that the economic implications of giving in to the JVP’s demand would be enormous, and it could even lead to economic resources being taken away from the defence budget, and place the critically important war effort in jeopardy. The government stressed that the JVP’s demands on political issues showed a political motivation that had nothing to do with the cost of living. Government spokespersons even claimed that the JVP was plotting to help the LTTE by deterring the government from its war effort.

Although both sides claimed victory in the aftermath of the strike, the victory was more apparent for the government than for the strikers or the opposition. The two important sectors of electricity and public transport that could have made a visible impact did not go on strike in any noticeable manner. With the normal electricity and public transport systems functioning, and the morning buses crowded with their usual load of office workers and school children, the impact of the general strike on the public imagination was a limited one.

The government’s political victory in yet another power struggle with opposition parties was on account of President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s ability to engage with the union leaders who were proposing to go on strike and turn them around. Prior to the strike the President called a meeting with the trade unions and engaged in a dialogue with them for over four hours. In the course of this dialogue, he succeeded in making them an offer that many of them accepted, and others did not, thus dividing the trade union movement. The President has demonstrated great skill in engaging, cajoling and co-opting his opponents to win some of them over and effectively neutralize them.

The President’s success in the strategy of divide and rule became first apparent when he successfully persuaded 18 of the top ranking members of the UNP to cross over to his government. This group of UNP members, who called themselves reformists, and who had received large numbers of votes from UNP voters, joined the government promising to influence the government in the direction of good governance. The most important promise they made was to immediately implement the 17th Amendment to the Constitution that would enable independent institutions of state to function.

Unfortunately, this group of once powerful leaders of the UNP has not achieved their stated objectives after joining the government. Several of them have been doing high quality work, as befits their high degree of competence, but their work appears to be to justify the government in its current course of governance, which includes violations of the constitution and denying the seriousness of human rights violations. More recently, the tightly centralized JVP, also succumbed to the President’s strategy, and more than ten of its top ranking members have broken away from the party. The trade union movement is the latest to succumb in relation to the government.


WORKING TOGETHER

A crucial development in relation to the July 10 strike, however, needs to be noted. This has been the preparedness of the JVP and UNP to engage in a common programme of action. Since the 1980s, when the then UNP government headed by President J R Jayewardene cracked down harshly on the trade unions and JVP, these two parties have been at opposing ends of the political spectrum. There has been a deep ideological chasm and much distrust between the two parties. The JVP has worked very hard to ensure the defeat of the UNP at all elections that have taken place after the 1980s.

On the other hand, it is very likely that the experience of working together to achieve a common objective by democratic means will be a confidence building measure that can repair the relationship between the two parties. Engaging in strike action is a democratic action that a democratic society needs to tolerate, even though it may severely inconvenience the general public and cause economic dislocation. Therefore the media reports that quote government leaders as saying that they will take disciplinary action against the strikers is unacceptable. Such a repressive action will provide more reason for the JVP to collaborate with other political parties, including the UNP, with which it had no partnership in the past.

It can be observed that when unlike-minded people are compelled to work together for a common objective, they sometimes begin to see things in a broader perspective. This phenomenon may be observed, for instance, at the Department of Immigration and Emigration, which issues passports to citizens seeking to travel abroad. Many of those seeking new passports are ethnic minorities, especially Tamils. Sometimes the Tamil people who come for their passports have had a hard time, traveling for more than a day, from their homes in the north and east, and being security checked several times on their way. The government officials who are aware of the harassment these people have had to undergo, reportedly transcend their own ethnic biases, to take greater care to make the tired and angry passport seekers feel comfortable.

There is a great deal of wisdom in what an older generation of people has to say. They reminisce that when they were students and schooled together irrespective of ethnicity or religion, the divisions did not run so deep. This is because they had to engage with one another in a learning environment instead of growing up separately in separate schools, as at present. The coming together of the democratic opposition and trade unions, though they may have widely divergent ideologies and political stances, to avoid being divided and ruled over, may signal the beginning of a new era. This is being facilitated by the divide and rule policies that are currently prevailing. What Sri Lanka needs more than anything else if we are to get out of the morass is political leaders and political parties that will work together with commitment for the common good.