By Raazi Muhammadh –
Raazi Mohmamadh
“..what all prudent princes ought to do, who have to regard not only present troubles, but also future ones, for which they must prepare with every energy, because, when foreseen, it is easy to remedy them; but if you wait until they approach, the medicine is no longer in time because the malady has become incurable; for it happens in this, as the physicians say it happens in hectic fever, that in the beginning of the malady it is easy to cure but difficult to detect, but in the course of time, not having been either detected or treated in the beginning, it becomes easy to detect but difficult to cure. Thus it happens in affairs of state, for when the evils that arise have been foreseen (which it is only given to a wise man to see), they can be quickly redressed, but when, through not having been foreseen, they have been permitted to grow in a way that every one can see them. there is no longer a remedy” -THE PRINCE by Nicolo Machiavelli, CHAPTER III, Concerning Mixed Principalities
This 500 years old advice of Machiavelli perfectly suits to the leader of SLMC Mr. Rauff Hakeem.
A national list (NL) position which was promised to Addaleichenai by the leader of the SLMC during the last elections has been awarded now to Mr. Hassan Ali, Secretary of SLMC. Hakeem and his blind supporters may think and sigh with relief that they have tackled the burning issue the party had been facing for the last few months. The NL which was earlier promised to Addaleichenai had been awarded to Mr. Hassan Ali after the fear that Hassan Ali would split the party if NL is not given to him. Eastern Provincial Health Ministry which was earlier promised to Mr.Thavam- Eastern provincial council member is given to Addalaichenai to water down the broken promise to Addalaichenai people in Ampara District.
All this breaking of promises is caused because of the appointment of Hassan Ali. The justification for this change of mind of the SLMC is the fear that Mr. Ali would break the party into pieces. Some of Hakeem’s stalwart supporters are happy as to the shrewd decision of their leader.
But if scrutinize thoroughly it reveals not the shrewdness of Mr. Hakeem but his incapacity to control the party. From the beginning, Mr. Hassan Ali is in cold war with Mr. Hakeem. He uses his secretary position of the party as the trump card to retain his seat in the Parliament. Whenever there is an appointment to the NL, Hassan Ali tries to fish in the troubled water or trouble the water so that he can fish. In short Hassan Ali is a stumbling block for the future of SLMC. He prioritizes his personal growth over party’s.
Machiavelli says a prince should identify this sort of maladies in earlier stage. If not it would become incurable. If not identified earlier it will worsen day by day and finally everyone will get to know. Today Hassan Ali has become an incurable disease to SLMC. All the blames go to Hakeem.
Hassan Ali’s behavior is not new to the party. He persistently does this. Keeping him in the party is the grave mistake of the leadership. After knowing how Hassan Ali behaves, letting him to go this far without tackling this issue to the extent of Hassan Ali challenging the party’s decisions over the NL nomination shows the weakness of SLMC Leadership. Hakeem has let Hassan Ali to grow to the extent party has to change its decisions in favor of him.
To heal the repercussions after this nomination will take much longer than expected.
Hassan Ali is from Nintavur. Nintavur has already a deputy Minister. Rather giving this NL to Nintavur if it is given to Addalaichenai as promised by the party leadership, that would have earned more votes to SLMC in Addalaichenai. If provincial Health ministry is given to Akkaraipattu as promised SLMC would have collected more votes from Akkaraipattu. If the NL is given to Addalaichenai Hakeem would have earned a good name in Ampara which is a timely need for Hakeem after breaking many promises.
He should have smelled the moves of Hassan Ali and found a way and a clear strategy to tackle him. Now Hakeem is compelled to do what Hassan Ali wants and not what party needs. That raises a serious question of a need for a Hakeem to SLMC.
It is very dangerous to let the enemy survive in politics.it is not enough to destroy the political rival. You have to eliminate the root. If not root will grow again and again.Hasaan Ali is a good example. He achieved what he wanted and Hakeem has kissed the dust.
The purpose of this article is not say who is correct among these two but to confirm the inability of Mr. Hakeem in sorting out the burning issues within the party tactfully.
One thing is very clear, as long as Mr. Hakeem occupies the leadership of SLMC, SLMC will go downwards and become a pray to its rivals. It is the time to choose either Hakeem or SLMC.
