Features
JOE BIDEN; THE MAN
An example to all politicians, especially the ones in our paradise isle
The Praying Mantis
He has made it. Mr Joe Biden is the President-Elect of the United States of America. Even in spite of all her Foreign Policy misadventures, the USA has this time endeavoured to raise the bar of admirable political governance and splendidly responsible leadership that the world and those who seek to truly serve the people must learn from. Joe Biden is a natural and true politician. He is a man of the people and indeed, and most definitely, a man for the people. As things turned out, he is the epitome of the axiom ‘you cannot put a good man down’, implying that if people are able and determined, they will recover from any difficulties or problems and be successful.
He has come through the tragic motor traffic accident on 13th December 1972 that claimed the lives of his wife Neilia and his only daughter 13-month-old Amy, and left his two sons Beau and Hunter seriously injured, when the station wagon driven by Neilia collided with another vehicle. Joe Biden was in Washington DC that day. Luckily, the two boys recovered, slowly but surely. However, while he was heartened by the boys’ improving conditions, the widower was reported to have found himself consumed by anger, at times roaming the streets at night with the hope that someone would pick a fight with him. He is also believed to have contemplated taking his own life at that stage but had felt that he was the only one left to care for his two sons who had just lost their mother and their only sister. Then he had decided to take that responsibility very seriously and to go on and take life as it came. He recovered by focusing on the well-being of his surviving sons. In fact, Joe Biden took the oath of office as a Senator from U.S. Senate Secretary Frank Valeo in his son Beau’s hospital room. That in itself is a reflection of his commitment to his family, that has been torn apart by a totally unexpected catastrophe. Later, he made it a point to be home for dinner with his sons, virtually every day, read them bed-time stories and be there for breakfast with them.
As it turned out, it certainly helped that another woman came into his life a few years later when his brother set him up with fellow University of Delaware student Jill Jacobs in 1975. When it gradually became clear that Jill was an indispensable part of their tightly-knit clan, it was indeed the two boys who pushed their old man to pop the question once again. Shortly before their 1977 wedding, Joe asked his fiancée Jill, how she could commit herself to marriage knowing his feelings for his first wife. She had replied “anybody who can love that deeply once, can do it again”. Joe Biden has later written “that is when I realized exactly what Jill’s love had done for me. It had given me permission to be me again”. Indeed, he was dead right; the First Lady-Elect has been the wind beneath his wings.
Incidentally, Jill Biden is also a Professor in the English Department at Northern Virginia Community College and has now made history as a full-time teacher to become the First Lady. The incoming first lady took leave of absence from what would have been her 36th year of teaching, to campaign for her husband. During that crusade, she worked tirelessly to emphasize the importance of education in a year where the coronavirus pandemic upended millions of Americans’ hopes for their children to safely return to school. Now, Jill Biden plans to return to work, balancing both her duties as a teacher and the First Lady. In August 2020, she said in an interview with CBS Sunday Morning that she planned to continue working as a teacher while her husband runs the country.
Back to the man himself. Joe Biden had been in public office in the USA for over four decades. He was elected into the Senate at age 29, served in the Senate for 35 years and then was the Vice-President of that country for 8 years. As of now, he is scheduled to take office as the President of the USA in January 2021. Yet for all that, it is on record that in 2013 he could not afford to pay for the expensive brain cancer treatment of his son who was the Attorney General of his State of Delaware. The son was an Iraq war veteran who served in the Army before he became Attorney General. Joe Biden had to offer his house for sale to be able to pay for the medical care of his son. Of course the son must have spent himself out before Biden the father, could come in to help pay the bill. President Obama had to stop Joe Biden from selling his house and offered to pay for the medical care from his own personal money. Unfortunately, the son Beau, died in 2015 but not before his loving father had given all of his best to him.
Delaware, the region from which Joe Biden hails, is quite close to Washington and even as a Senator, he had come to Washington by train from Delaware every day for work at the Capitol Hill. Then, after work, he used to go back home in the train as well. He did join the train crowd going back home when he ended his tour of duty as the Vice President of the United States of America. Delaware absolutely loves Biden for his years of service to the State and the people of the United States. They call him the great son of Delaware. The younger members of the populace call him ‘Uncle Joe’. The point made here is of a man who served for 35 years as a Senator and 8 years as the Vice President of the USA and yet for all that had no tonnes of money buried inside his compound or in bank accounts.
Uncle Sam, the popular symbol for the United States, usually associated with a cartoon figure having long white hair and chin whiskers, dressed in a swallow-tailed coat, vest, tall hat, and striped trousers, will now have Uncle Joe as its First Citizen. The real mettle of this man is shown up dazzlingly well by just one recent episode. California Senator Ms Kamala Harris was a very strong contender for nomination as the Democratic Party candidate for the 2020 Presidential Election. At one stage she and Joe Biden had stormy arguments and strong words were exchanged. They practically had daggers drawn at each other. Then, due to a variety of circumstances, Kamala Harris withdrew from the race, in which she really had a very promising chance. Later, Joe Biden made it as the Democratic Party nominee.
Surprise, SURPRISE…, when Joe Biden announced that he was picking California Senator and former presidential candidate Kamala Harris as his running mate, history was made. Harris, who is of Jamaican and Indian descent, was the first woman of colour to ever be named a Vice Presidential running mate. In his announcement on Twitter, Joe Biden praised Harris, calling her “a fearless fighter for the little guy, and one of the country’s finest public servants”. Then they became allies and now Kamala Harris has indeed made history as the very first ever Lady Vice President and the first coloured person to hold that position in the entire history of the United States of America. It just goes to show what type of man Joe Biden really is. He had no hesitation in nominating one of his strongest critics as his running mate simply because he thought that she was the best person for the job. His interest was in America and not in holding grudges against people. Judging by her past record, we have no doubt that she would deliver the goods.
How and where the politicians in the USA get their commitment and contentment, that our own lot of the same breed here, cannot go and find, would be an eternal mystery. Leadership is about service. It is not a place to become millionnaires and billionaires. For Mr Joe Biden, and for his principles in life, there is nothing else but our tremendous admiration and respect.
Finally, as for us, something from our past rings a very strong bell. This reminds us of Dr W. Dahanayake, who took the bus to Galle after he finished his term as Prime Minister. What a Great Man; perhaps he was our own ‘Uncle Daha’. Many in our resplendent isle today, would give their right arm for statesmen of that calibre.
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There’s an ill more dangerous and pervasive than the Coronavirus that’s currently sweeping Sri Lanka. That is the fear to express one’s convictions. Across the public sector of the country in particular many persons holding high office are stringently regulating and controlling the voices of their consciences and this bodes ill for all and the country.
The corrupting impact of fear was discussed in this column a couple of weeks ago when dealing with the military coup in Myanmar. It stands to the enduring credit of ousted Myanmarese Head of Government Aung San Suu Kyi that she, perhaps for the first time in the history of modern political thought, singled out fear, and not power, as the principal cause of corruption within the individual; powerful or otherwise.
To be sure, power corrupts but the corrupting impact of fear is graver and more devastating. For instance, the fear in a person holding ministerial office or in a senior public sector official, that he would lose position and power as a result of speaking out his convictions and sincere beliefs on matters of the first importance, would lead to a country’s ills going unaddressed and uncorrected.
Besides, the individual concerned would be devaluing himself in the eyes of all irrevocably and revealing himself to be a person who would be willing to compromise his moral integrity for petty worldly gain or a ‘mess of pottage’. This happens all the while in Lankan public life. Some of those who have wielded and are wielding immense power in Sri Lanka leave very much to be desired from these standards.
It could be said that fear has prevented Sri Lanka from growing in every vital respect over the decades and has earned for itself the notoriety of being a directionless country.
All these ills and more are contained in the current controversy in Sri Lanka over the disposal of the bodies of Covid victims, for example. The Sri Lankan polity has no choice but to abide by scientific advice on this question. Since authorities of the standing of even the WHO have declared that the burial of the bodies of those dying of Covid could not prove to be injurious to the wider public, the Sri Lankan health authorities could go ahead and sanction the burying of the bodies concerned. What’s preventing the local authorities from taking this course since they claim to be on the side of science? Who or what are they fearing? This is the issue that’s crying out to be probed and answered.
Considering the need for absolute truthfulness and honesty on the part of all relevant persons and quarters in matters such as these, the latter have no choice but to resign from their positions if they are prevented from following the dictates of their consciences. If they are firmly convinced that burials could bring no harm, they are obliged to take up the position that burials should be allowed.
If any ‘higher authority’ is preventing them from allowing burials, our ministers and officials are conscience-bound to renounce their positions in protest, rather than behave compromisingly and engage in ‘double think’ and ‘double talk’. By adopting the latter course they are helping none but keeping the country in a state of chronic uncertainty, which is a handy recipe for social instabiliy and division.
In the Sri Lankan context, the failure on the part of the quarters that matter to follow scientific advice on the burials question could result in the aggravation of Islamophobia, or hatred of the practitioners of Islam, in the country. Sri Lanka could do without this latter phobia and hatred on account of its implications for national stability and development. The 30 year war against separatist forces was all about the prevention by military means of ‘nation-breaking’. The disastrous results for Sri Lanka from this war are continuing to weigh it down and are part of the international offensive against Sri Lanka in the UNHCR.
However, Islamophobia is an almost world wide phenomenon. It was greatly strengthened during Donald Trump’s presidential tenure in the US. While in office Trump resorted to the divisive ruling strategy of quite a few populist authoritarian rulers of the South. Essentially, the manoeuvre is to divide and rule by pandering to the racial prejudices of majority communities.
It has happened continually in Sri Lanka. In the initial post-independence years and for several decades after, it was a case of some populist politicians of the South whipping-up anti-Tamil sentiments. Some Tamil politicians did likewise in respect of the majority community. No doubt, both such quarters have done Sri Lanka immeasurable harm. By failing to follow scientific advice on the burial question and by not doing what is right, Sri Lanka’s current authorities are opening themselves to the charge that they are pandering to religious extremists among the majority community.
The murderous, destructive course of action adopted by some extremist sections among Muslim communities world wide, including of course Sri Lanka, has not earned the condemnation it deserves from moderate Muslims who make-up the preponderant majority in the Muslim community. It is up to moderate opinion in the latter collectivity to come out more strongly and persuasively against religious extremists in their midst. It will prove to have a cementing and unifying impact among communities.
It is not sufficiently appreciated by governments in the global South in particular that by voicing for religious and racial unity and by working consistently towards it, they would be strengthening democratic development, which is an essential condition for a country’s growth in all senses.
A ‘divided house’ is doomed to fall; this is the lesson of history. ‘National security’ cannot be had without human security and peaceful living among communities is central to the latter. There cannot be any ‘double talk’ or ‘politically correct’ opinions on this question. Truth and falsehood are the only valid categories of thought and speech.
Those in authority everywhere claiming to be democratic need to adopt a scientific outlook on this issue as well. Studies conducted on plural societies in South Asia, for example, reveal that the promotion of friendly, cordial ties among communities invariably brings about healing among estranged groups and produces social peace. This is the truth that is waiting to be acted upon.
Author
By Sanjeewa Jayaweera
It was on 3rd January 1972 that our family arrived in Karachi from Moscow. Our departure from Moscow had been delayed for a few weeks due to the military confrontation between Pakistan and India. It ended on 16th December 1971. After that, international flights were not permitted for some time.
The contrast between Moscow and Karachi was unbelievable. First and foremost, Moscow’s temperature was near minus 40 degrees centigrade, while in Karachi, it was sunny and a warm 28 degrees centigrade. However, what struck us most was the extreme warmth with which the airport authorities greeted our family. As my father was a diplomat, we were quickly ushered to the airport’s VIP Lounge. We were in transit on our way to Rawalpindi, the airport serving the capital of Islamabad.
We quickly realized that the word “we are from Sri Lanka” opened all doors just as saying “open sesame” gained entry to Aladdin’s cave! The broad smile, extreme courtesy, and genuine warmth we received from the Pakistani people were unbelievable.
This was all to do with Mrs Sirima Bandaranaike’s decision to allow Pakistani aircraft to land in Colombo to refuel on the way to Dhaka in East Pakistan during the military confrontation between Pakistan and India. It was a brave decision by Mrs Bandaranaike (Mrs B), and the successive governments and Sri Lanka people are still enjoying the fruits of it. Pakistan has been a steadfast and loyal supporter of our country. They have come to our assistance time and again in times of great need when many have turned their back on us. They have indeed been an “all-weather” friend of our country.
Getting back to 1972, I was an early beneficiary of Pakistani people’s love for Sri Lankans. I failed the entrance exam to gain entry to the only English medium school in Islamabad! However, when I met the Principal, along with my father, he said, “Sanjeewa, although you failed the entrance exam, I will this time make an exception as Sri Lankans are our dear friends.” After that, the joke around the family dinner table was that I owed my education in Pakistan to Mrs B!
At school, my brother and I were extended a warm welcome and always greeted “our good friends from Sri Lanka.” I felt when playing cricket for our college; our runs were cheered more loudly than of others.
One particular incident that I remember well was when the Embassy received a telex from the Foreign inistry. It requested that our High Commissioner seek an immediate meeting with the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr Zulifikar Ali Bhutto (ZB), and convey a message from Mrs B. The message requested that an urgent shipment of rice be dispatched to Sri Lanka as there would be an imminent rice shortage. As the Ambassador was not in the station, the responsibility devolved on my father.
It usually takes about a week or more to get an audience with the Prime Minister (PM) of a foreign country due to their busy schedule. However, given the urgency, my father spoke to the Foreign Ministry’s Permanent Sectary, who fortunately was our neighbour and sought an urgent appointment. My father received a call from the PM’s secretary around 10 P.M asking him to come over to the PM’s residence. My father met ZB around midnight. ZB was about to retire to bed and, as such, was in his pyjamas and gown enjoying a cigar! He had greeted my father and had asked, “Mr Jayaweera, what can we do for great friend Madam Bandaranaike?. My father conveyed the message from Colombo and quietly mentioned that there would be riots in the country if there is no rice!
ZB had immediately got the Food Commissioner of Pakistan on the line and said, “I want a shipload of rice to be in Colombo within the next 72 hours!” The Food Commissioner reverted within a few minutes, saying that nothing was available and the last export shipment had left the port only a few hours ago to another country. ZB had instructed to turn the ship around and send it to Colombo. This despite protests from the Food Commissioner about terms and conditions of the Letter of Credit prohibiting non-delivery. Sri Lanka got its delivery of rice!
The next was the visit of Mrs B to Pakistan. On arrival in Rawalpindi airport, she was given a hero’s welcome, which Pakistan had previously only offered to President Gaddafi of Libya, who financially backed Pakistan with his oil money. That day, I missed school and accompanied my parents to the airport. On our way, we witnessed thousands of people had gathered by the roadside to welcome Mrs B.
When we walked to the airport’s tarmac, thousands of people were standing in temporary stands waving Sri Lanka and Pakistan flags and chanting “Sri Lanka Pakistan Zindabad.” The noise emanating from the crowd was as loud and passionate as the cheering that the Pakistani cricket team received during a test match. It was electric!
I believe she was only the second head of state given the privilege of addressing both assemblies of Parliament. The other being Gaddafi. There was genuine affection from Mrs B amongst the people of Pakistan.
I always remember the indefatigable efforts of Mr Abdul Haffez Kardar, a cabinet minister and the President of the Pakistan Cricket Board. From around 1973 onwards, he passionately championed Sri Lanka’s cause to be admitted as a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and granted test status. Every year, he would propose at the ICC’s annual meeting, but England and Australia’s veto kept us out until 1981.
I always felt that our Cricket Board made a mistake by not inviting Pakistan to play our inaugural test match. We should have appreciated Mr Kardar and Pakistan’s efforts. In 1974 the Pakistan board invited our team for a tour involving three test matches and a few first-class games. Most of those who played in our first test match was part of that tour, and no doubt gained significant exposure playing against a highly talented Pakistani team.
Several Pakistani greats were part of the Pakistan and India team that played a match soon after the Central Bank bomb in Colombo to prove that it was safe to play cricket in Colombo. It was a magnificent gesture by both Pakistan and India. Our greatest cricket triumph was in Pakistan when we won the World Cup in 1996. I am sure the players and those who watched the match on TV will remember the passionate support our team received that night from the Pakistani crowd. It was like playing at home!
I also recall reading about how the Pakistani government air freighted several Multi Barrell artillery guns and ammunition to Sri Lanka when the A rmy camp in Jaffna was under severe threat from the LTTE. This was even more important than the shipload of rice that ZB sent. This was crucial as most other countries refused to sell arms to our country during the war.
Time and again, Pakistan has steadfastly supported our country’s cause at the UNHCR. No doubt this year, too, their diplomats will work tirelessly to assist our country.
We extend a warm welcome to Mr Imran Khan, the Prime Minister of Pakistan. He is a truly inspirational individual who was undoubtedly an excellent cricketer. Since retirement from cricket, he has decided to get involved in politics, and after several years of patiently building up his support base, he won the last parliamentary elections. I hope that just as much as he galvanized Sri Lankan cricketers, his political journey would act as a catalyst for people like Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene to get involved in politics. Cricket has been called a “gentleman’s game.” Whilst politics is far from it!.
Author
Believe me, seeing certain videos, on social media, depicting action, on the dance floor, at some of these entertainment venues, got me wondering whether this Coronavirus pandemic is REAL!
To those having a good time, at these particular venues, and, I guess, the management, as well, what the world is experiencing now doesn’t seem to be their concerned.
Obviously, such irresponsible behaviour could create more problems for those who are battling to halt the spread of Covid-19, and the new viriant of Covid, in our part of the world.
The videos, on display, on social media, show certain venues, packed to capacity – with hardly anyone wearing a mask, and social distancing…only a dream..
How can one think of social distancing while gyrating, on a dance floor, that is over crowded!
If this trend continues, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Coronavirus makes its presence felt…at such venues.
And, then, what happens to the entertainment scene, and those involved in this field, especially the musicians? No work, whatsoever!
Lots of countries have closed nightclubs, and venues, where people gather, in order to curtail the spread of this deadly virus that has already claimed the lives of thousands.
Thailand did it and the country is still having lots of restrictions, where entertainment is concerned, and that is probably the reason why Thailand has been able to control the spread of the Coronavirus.
With a population of over 69 million, they have had (so far), a little over 25,000 cases, and 83 deaths, while we, with a population of around 21 million, have over 80,000 cases, and more than 450 deaths.
I’m not saying we should do away with entertainment – totally – but we need to follow a format, connected with the ‘new normal,’ where masks and social distancing are mandatory requirements at these venues. And, dancing, I believe, should be banned, at least temporarily, as one can’t maintain the required social distance, while on the dance floor, especially after drinks.
Police spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana keeps emphasising, on TV, radio, and in the newspapers, the need to adhere to the health regulations, now in force, and that those who fail to do so would be penalised.
He has also stated that plainclothes officers would move around to apprehend such offenders.
Perhaps, he should instruct his officers to pay surprise visits to some of these entertainment venues.
He would certainly have more than a bus load of offenders to be whisked off for PCR/Rapid Antigen tests!
I need to quote what Dr. H.T. Wickremasinghe said in his article, published in The Island of Tuesday, February 16th, 2021:
“…let me conclude, while emphasising the need to continue our general public health measures, such as wearing masks, social distancing, and avoiding crowded gatherings, to reduce the risk of contact with an infected person.
“There is no science to beat common sense.”
But…do some of our folks have this thing called COMMON SENSE!
