By AHRC –
As the country thinks back on the 66 years since its independence, there is unanimous agreement that the nation has failed to achieve any of the aspirations of independence. What is most glaringly horrendous is the vast numbers of crimes that are taking place. As a consequence, people are living in fear and without a sense of being protected by the state. All agencies that are supposed to be involved in making the country a safe place have become dysfunctional.
Mel
AFP reporter Mel Gunasekara‘s horrendous murder came just two days before the independence day commemorations. According to reports, she was killed while she was at home alone on Sunday morning. She was stabbed and cut. Such crimes are often reported from around the country. There are many professional killers with developed skills available to be put to use by anyone who wishes to have one of his or her enemies eliminated. Such killers are a ‘gift’ from the war. A sophisticated killer can be at anyone’s door at any time.
The government is least perturbed by such killings and does very little to investigate or prosecute such crimes. What is worse is that, often, when such crimes take place, the public perception – rightly or wrongly – is that the government itself is behind the killings. Stopping murder or any other serious crime does not appear to be a serious objective pursued by the government.
The de facto Chief Justice of the country, Mohan Pieris, went on record recently stating that the rule of law is not practiced anywhere. This does not appear to be a slip of the tongue but, rather, the overall approach of the government on the issue of rule of law. The very manner in which Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake was removed and Mohan Pieris was appointed was an open mockery of law.
The heart of the matter is that legality or illegality are not matters of significance regarding the actions of the government. The government does whatever it wants to do without any regard as to whether its actions are legally justified or not. Further, hardly any avenue is available for the citizen to challenge the legality of the actions of the government.
The adverse impact of the virtual removal of the 17th Amendment to the Constitution by the adoption of the 18th Amendment has been talked about so much that it hardly needs to be elaborated here. The result of that change was to make all the public institutions of the country dysfunctional. When the public institutions are dysfunctional, there are no valid instruments for a government to carry out its public functions, which includes the duty to protect citizens from crime.
The tamashas of elections which are offered from time to time are no indicators of democracy. It is unfortunate that there is comparatively little resentment from the people about the manner in which they themselves are turned into a spectacle without meaning during such elections.
In short, the day of independence has turned out to be a day that reminds people of their fears and helplessness, rather than a day that they could celebrate with pride and hope.
*Independence Day Message by the Asian Human Rights Commission
Bedrock Barney / February 4, 2014
There appears to be no way for institutions to be strengthened as there is a growing influence on the government by the criminal element in society. Apparently this was not a ‘sanctioned’ murder as the suspect was caught promptly. Either that or it was grand production to show Geneva that in this country we catch people who murder journalists.
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yarlpadi / February 6, 2014
“sanctioned murder”? Wonderful phrase!Captures everything.
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BBS Rep / February 4, 2014
What is worse is that, often, when such crimes take place, the public perception – rightly or wrongly – is that the government itself is behind the killings.
It is the most obvious conclusion to arrive at due to the fact the government make no attempt at investigating such crimes.
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Spring Koha / February 4, 2014
Independence day commemorates the day when our last colonial master left us to our own devices and we promptly set out on our long descent into the jungle. At the bottom of that long slide, we have the pretentious, opportunistic Mohan Pieris. Mr Pieris is right – he just didn’t complete his sentence – what he meant to say was that ‘the rule of law is not practiced anywhere ON THIS ISLAND’. Our present government has ensured that we now have the LAW of the JUNGLE to contend with and Mohan will be the dispensing primate.
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yarlpadi / February 6, 2014
I think the solution to the problems in Sri Lanka is to invite the British back.It is obvious that we don’t known how to run things even with minimum efficiency.We can’t deal with a multi ethnic society,we can handle the problem of law and order, our economy is in shambles, our best and brightest young people are leaving.mediocray thrives,corruption everywhere etc etc.
I say bring the British back!
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Survivor / February 10, 2014
“I say bring the British back! “
I can already imagine the howl of protests from India! Anything that will bring law and order and development to Ceylon, the Indian ruling establishment will oppose. It suits them to have an unstable Ceylon. It diverts attention from their shambles, open toilets and street dwellers, and makes them look good to the westerner. Approval seeking and privileged comforts is the name of their game.
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Rajash / February 4, 2014
Unlike India Sri Lanka did not fight for independece,. It was given to us without shedding a drop of blood.
If all the races got together and fought for independence we would be living in a country where all races are in peace with each other. Instead we have rivers of blood flowing for last 65 years.
Since independence the country is not flowing with Honey but with blood:
Race riots against Tamils consistenlty since independence
30 years of Tamil Upsrising
JVP uprising for many years
Bllody and bruttal final war
Murder and and rape and attack against minorities since the end of the war
Killing of political opponents and journalist
Blood Blood everywhere
I am sure MR will make a speech about again How Sri Lanka defeated terrorism. The only country in the world etc etc
Terror Terror Terror keep pushing it dow our throat
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Amarasiri / February 5, 2014
Rajesh,
What is the CORE CAUSE for this?
Monk Mahanama Sinhala Buddhist racism. The Sinhala Monks and Sinhala politicians follow this ideology.
Have you ever wondered why even after 2,300years there are hardly any Tamil Buddhists in Sri Lanka?
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sirimal / February 4, 2014
Life has no gurantee under the current regime.
She was yesterday, tomorrow you are targetted.
This is what we can learn from this. Even high crimes are being painted making believe majority folks as if they are not incidents deliberately carried out by them the rulers.
As oppo. leader reiterated the essence of the implementation of 17Amd is a the need of the hour. But so long of criminals are in power, this is not possible.
Today – the independence day, again, they animate the gawy folks (north korean like majority masses) using the same rhetorics manipulating them further.
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Michael Ranasinghe / February 4, 2014
I just attended Mel s funeral and the sadness in everyone s eyes told the story of what this country has come to. I over heard a senior lawyer comment to another that it is hilarious as to how garments of the accused were displayed on media by the police when these are exhibits that have to be produced in courts not display and go on a limb to say insinuate that there is nothing to hide. Why are these police officers who i reckon know the procedure of law whether under influence or not do things that make us the grieving public question the motive of this murder ? Nothing can ever bring back Mel but one thing was very clear at today’s funeral were fed up with this state of affairs. The priest questioned whether we are truly celebrating independence or simply making it yet another day to showcase power. Independence devoid of justice , rule of law, honesty is simply a word without meaning. Yet another valuable life was taken away in broad day light. When could we truly say we are independent ?
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Rajash / February 4, 2014
Michael
sad state of Sri Lanka. Educated people like you are powerless. Army is training on riot control, I wonder why.
Exodus of Bright Young Sri Lankans, Tamils, Sinhalease etc to foreign countries. I know 4 IT professionals emigrated last week.
How long will the people of this country tolerate this.
Sri Lanka Sitting on a powderkeg.
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Amarasiri / February 6, 2014
Michael Ranasinghe,
Thank you for your short summary. May Mel rest in peace.
The egalitarian society I dreamed as a child, cannot be dreamed any more, 66 years after “Independence”. Too many extremists. This is really sad. When there is no hope, revolutions happen, French, Russian, Chinese. Is Sri Lanka due for one or for anarchy, which is prevailing right now?
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nimal dunuhinga / February 5, 2014
chopped wings and barbed wire
in the sky
what’s the independence?
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