WHEN a top industrial group opens a new showroom in any part of Sri Lanka, it consults astrologers to find out the ‘negath (auspicious)' time for the opening. “We get what is called a ‘general' auspicious time and are guided by the advice of the astrologer. Opening the shop at a good time is considered a good omen to ensure that our business will prosper,” a company official said. Consulting astrologers for auspicious times is an old tradition and even sought by presidents or prime ministers when deciding to hold an election or being sworn in. It's a tradition across South Asia, practiced more vigorously however in some countries like Sri Lanka. Thus it was no surprise for the Sunday papers in Sri Lanka to ask astrologers what they felt would happen in the war-torn country in 2011. ‘What do the stars foretell,” was the headline of one such newspaper report. Most astrologers spoke of glad tidings for Sri Lanka particularly growth in economy, business and tourism. The English-language Sunday Leader newspaper said astrologer Tennyson Sripal scrutinized the planetary positions and changes ahead and predicted that 2011 will see ‘marked financial prosperity' with success in the tourist industry and a record number of tourist arrivals. “The year 2011 will be a marked year with a blend of success in the economy and better life for society. As compared with the year gone by, 2011 can be called a good year,” the paper quoted Sripal as saying. Tourism, following the end of the ethnic conflict in May 2009, is indeed doing well and for that matter doesn't need any astrological predictions about its future. Last year saw Sri Lanka record more than 600,000 arrivals, up from the 500,000 and less mark in previous years while 2011 which the authorities have themed as ‘Visit Sri Lanka 2011 Year' is expected to record 750,000 tourists. By 2016, the country has set an ambitious target of seeing 2.5 million tourists visit Sri Lanka. Astrologer Sripal believes the period January to May is very good for the country, saying, “the power of Guru (Jupiter) traversing in Meena (Pisces) till May 9 will bring luck, prosperity and well-being as Guru represents wealth and good living.” He says this ‘period' will also cast its good effects on children born during this time. Positive words indeed but if one is a non-believer of astrological predictions and forecasts then there are many events and developments that foretell unease for the country and lopsided decision-making. The fear psychosis, evident throughout 2010, will continue into 2011 affecting mostly the media and civil society. “People were afraid to speak the truth in public – about widespread corruption, lack of law and order, and abuse of power. That won't change in 2011,” said a political analyst. The government has a tight control on the media accusing those of criticism of being ‘unpatriotic.' Journalists have gone missing, lost their lives or beaten up by groups seen connected to the government, in the past five to 10 years. The government is also suspicious of foreign and local non-governmental organizations blaming them for feeding Western media with ‘untruths' about excesses by government troops during the last stages of the war. A poll in another English-language newspaper, the Sunday Times, seeking the views of readers as to what they believe would happen in 2011 saw many placing their bets on the cost of living continuing to rise this year, and hurting consumers. Their second choice of what they hoped would happen is that Sri Lanka's most famous prisoner, former army commander General Sarath Fonseka, would be freed. Fonseka, the country's most decorated soldier, led the army to victory against Tamil separatist rebels and along with President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his brother Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa formed the troika that was involved in the decision-making and execution of the offensive against the rebels which ended in May 2009 with the killing of rebel leader Velupillai Prabhakaran and surrender of his cadres. However Fonseka, on retirement from the army, chose to enter politics, becoming Rajapaksa's arch-rival from a close aide. Contesting the presidential poll in January 2010, the former commander lost badly to the incumbent president and, in what many feel was an act of revenge, Fonseka was cashiered by a military tribunal for misconduct during service and jailed for 18 months on Sept. 17. While Fonseka's release this year seems remote, other political developments in Sri Lanka are more likely to worry President Rajapaksa and his extended ‘family', better known as the ‘royal family'. The president's writ runs through his three brothers – Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Defense Secretary Gotabaya, Parliamentary Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa (the eldest of the Rajapaksa siblings) – and the president's eldest son, Namal, who is an influential parliamentarian. For example, apart from the successful end of the war, Rajapaksa's other main success has been making the country's opposition ineffective through a combination of crossovers to government ranks, continued wins at local and national elections and a myriad of problems in the opposition United National Party (UNP), Sri Lanka's oldest political party which along with Rajapaksa's Sri Lanka Freedom Party has taken turns in ruling the country since independence. Come April 2011, the UNP is likely to see a change in its leadership with Sajith Premadasa, son of the assassinated president Ranasinghe Premadasa, donning the mantle from Ranil Wickremasinghe, UNP leader since1994. The biggest joke in Sri Lanka is that Rajapaksa is responsible for ensuring Wickremasinghe remains UNP leader because the latter hasn't won a single poll as party leader for many years and has been ineffective. Prospects of Premadasa taking over the party have seen a lot of excitement in the UNP which is heading for a heated election of party leader before April. Premadasa has thrown down the gauntlet asking Wickremasinghe to step down or face an election and a change of leadership in the UNP could create problems for the government at local government polls due by mid-2011. These changes are also spoken of by astrologer Sripal. “After June, the planetary placing will be such that Sri Lanka will see undercurrents, undercutting, secret deals and conspiracies within one political party. Due to this situation we will experience certain splits within a party. Heads of state bodies and establishments will be changed and there will be scandals involving financial embezzlement and allegations of different kinds of corruption,” the astrologer was quoted as saying. He also spoke of the death of a celebrated artiste after June which ‘will cause heartaches to the whole nation'. Sripal says a key political figure ‘who now remains in the background will rise to the spotlight in June'. – The writer is a political analyst based in Colombo __
