New Recruits . . .

Amidst flashing bulbs the second son of President Rajapakse, Yoshitha, was sent off to China Bay, Trincomalee for training to join the Navy.

 

Are there any implications of this for the other Sri Lankans? What are the implications of this historic event for Sri Lanka? They can be three fold, two short to medium term and one long term ramification. Firstly it portrays the military mindset of the present regime. This event was first class propaganda for the ongoing military operations. The media circus that surrounded the event intimated the importance that was laid on sending one’s children to war as a patriotic gesture in her hour of need. There is belief that a military victory is at hand in the East and there will be dire need for personnel in the coming years. The message is clear, Sri Lanka is at war and all able bodied young should be in the forefront!

 

The phrase ‘mandatory conscription’ at the age of eighteen was touted around the second half of 2006, but was laid to rest because of the opposition towards such an effort. The move has re-emerged with a cacophonic blast. With the President’s own son in the Navy it would be problematical for the middle class well entrenched in the comfort zone to use the excuse that politicians only declare war and that none of their children would go to war. The situation has changed dramatically. The reality could well be that Yoshitha would never be cannon fodder at the front lines and  that he in all probability would be shipped off to Sandhurst for two years training and come back to a senior job well away from the battle fields, but this reality will be ignored. This essentially means that it would be terribly ‘unpatriotic’ for the middle class not to send their children to fight Sri Lanka’s battles, it will be a moral obligation. Those who cannot afford to send their children for ‘higher studies’ and ‘greener pastures’ will be morally obliged to send them to war if and when they are asked.

 

Finally the strategy has long term consequences. Could it possibly be seen as either a coaching for the future or a clearing space for the future for the Rajapakse family? Of the three brothers Gothabaya has a military background. There is a possibility that Yoshitha is trained as a part of the next generation to take over the reigns.

 

There are positive aspects as well, it is be a moral boost for the forces and for the families. The Presidential visit to Trincomalee training base would have also acted as a moral booster.

 

One just has to wait and see what happens next. . .