EDITORIAL : THE DAILY MIRROR, SRILANKA

To be good politicians, practise your religion

Recently the media reported that a leading prelate had made a strong plea to the main opposition United National Party (UNP) to support the government in development and other projects.

This plea raised two vital issues – the relationship between religion and politics and the working relationship between the government and the opposition.

As for the second issue Sri Lanka’s political history shows that the failure of successive governments and the opposition parties to work together has resulted in national conflicts being distastrously handled. The failure of successive governments and opposition parties to consider the grievances and aspirations of the minorities in Sri Lanka and the failure to see this as a vital national issue and a human problem have resulted in the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives with the material damage beyond calculation.

Sadly in the context of the bankruptcy of party politics, minority issues have been used like a football by governments and opposition parties over the years.

This happened  largely because of the failure of opposition parties to support governments and the divide and rule policy by various governments in relation to opposition parties. Critical students of political history will understand what is being said.

What then is the answer? All Sri Lankan political parties whether in the government or in the opposition need a paradigm shift, a shift from party politics for personal or party gain to sincere, sacrificial and selfless service to the people. That is the real meaning of politics – public service. But sadly today party politics is the name of the double game and deception where most members of most political parties are seeking power not to serve the people but to dominate them and to plunder the wealth and resources of the country.

With regard to the other issue, not only the majority religion but all faith communities in our land must be taken seriously by those in the government and the opposition. Those in party politics should not use religion but practise the essential teachings of all religions seriously. Therefore it is not only a matter of a plea by a religious prelate but we need to also take seriously what used to happen in the then Burma where those in party politics took time off to don the yellow robe and practised the teachings of the Buddha. We wonder if similar moves could be considered to make the state-religion relationship and therefore the government-opposition relationship what they should be. All party politicians and faith communities in our land, need to take note of this.