26 September, 2023

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Is It Too Late For Arscharya?

By Malinda Seneviratne – 

Malinda Seneviratne

Malinda Seneviratne

Leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe has stated that if national unity is to be obtained then the primacy of the law has to be protected. He has made the further point that the collapse of law and order has not only caused anxiety among Muslims and Tamils but has impacted everyone.

He is correct. While Wickremesinghe has taken pains to cite specific instances where the behavior of law enforcement authorities have been suspicious and even downright scandalous necessitating finger-pointing at political figures, fear and apprehension are not the preserve of the opposition or Tamils and Muslims.  There is a palpable lack of confidence among the general population about the efficacy and integrity of the entire legal edifice of the country, the judiciary and the police included.

There is a vast distance between politician and citizen with ruling party politicos holding sway over the police and, according to some, over judges too, to the point that ‘no one is above the law’ is a notion that would be laughed at.  If it weren’t worrisome, that is.

There are countless instances where politicians have prevented police officers from doing their job. Countless too are instances where police officers have happily deferred to the will of politicians. Then there is highhandedness on the part of police officers. Police brutality followed by intimidation that forbids proper investigation is another issue that goes into the ‘countless’ column. Countless also are the number of times the Police Media Spokesman Ajith Rohana has had to twist and turn to defend police action and inaction.  He’s been the butt end of countless jokes.  But it’s not funny.  He’s just a fall guy for a system that could only be called ineffective if it were not corrupt.

This state of affairs has served to exacerbate fears and anxieties, adding grist to the lie-mills of the most pernicious elements in the political firmament. Interestingly, we have a situation where all communities place the blame on the police for rising unrest, anxiety, mistrust and violence. However, as Wickremesinghe points out, it is not a communal issue alone; the breakdown of law and order affects everyone in multiple ways.

Not only does it pose severe challenges on efforts to reconcile communities and obtain national unity, it compromises the smooth functioning of all institutions including businesses, government agencies and religious organization.  Indeed even the day-to-day of citizens going about their lives and their work are tinged with disconcert and unpredictability that speaks of an unhealthy social order, clearly a disappointing state of affairs in a country that was supposed to recover and flourish in the aftermath of putting behind a terrible three decades of death, despair, destruction and dismemberment.

Whatever the doomsday prophets may say, a country which boasts of more mobile connection than its population cannot be said to be suffering depravations that make for an insurrectionary moment.  That aside, a polity which is adequately fed is not necessarily one that will suffer other shortcomings.  Where justice is a privilege and where that privilege is the preserve of the powerful, where power is linked to wealth and where relative wealth implies relative poverty, the underclass thus described (naturally the majority) will not exactly salute the state of affairs.  ‘State of affairs’ will necessarily be seen as the regime’s baby.

Sloth, foot-dragging and tacit and open encouragement of all elements that metaphorically drop pants and show all to ‘the law’ in defiance, arrogance and outright ridicule, has brought about a situation where things are less compromised than they are outrageously out of control.  The question has to be asked, ‘does the government want to pull things back?’   There’s a second question, ‘can the government pull things back?’ Right now it looks as though rhetoric will not help and therefore ‘more of the same’ or worse is what the options for the regime have narrowed down to.

If anyone can turn things around, it is President Rajapaksa.  If he does deliver on this, then indeed that much talked of and vilified word arshcharya or miracle would recover some respectability and thereby cover both president and regime with glory.  If not?  Well, the answer is single word that should sober one and all: scary.

*Malinda Seneviratne is the Chief Editor of ‘The Nation’ and his articles can be found at www.malindawords.blogspot.com

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Latest comments

  • 5
    1

    The English started tackle this problem 800 years ago. The idea was written in a charter called the “Magna Carta”. Its about separation of powers and independence of institutions. Sri Lanka is still struggling with the 17th amendment.

    Since then the English have produced many intellectuals, conquered 3/4 of the world and undergone an industrial revolution that saw average income increase to $25,000 pa when a Sri Lankan barely makes $500.

    Despite the myth wealth and prosperity does bring happiness. However, higher order things like happiness and wisdom (gnana) only grow when there is seela (discipline). Discipline comes from structural changes. Sri Lanka needs structural reform. Discipline will come when the 4 pillars are able to act independently.

    • 1
      0

      Before ascharya, your criminal leader has lot of stuff hidden black games under his stinking white sarong. [Edited out]

  • 4
    0

    Malinda Seneviratne –

    “There is a palpable lack of confidence among the general population about the efficacy and integrity of the entire legal edifice of the country, the judiciary and the police included.”

    Lying, Lying and Lying is the Norm.

    So what can you do as a Whitewashing Shill for the regime?

    Can you tell a spade, a spade?

  • 8
    0

    “If anyone can turn things around, it is President Rajapaksa”. Well in order for the President to prove that he is HONEST about it, the first thing he has to do is to remove his brothers and his relatives from top positions. If he does this, automatically things will begin to fall in place. Has the President got the GUTS to do this?

    • 2
      0

      Park, please understand that Mahinda Rajapaksa is not Sri Sangabo. If he removes Gota, he knows he will lose his head. The whole stinking Establishment is such that Office bearers of the State depend on one another for their survival. For example, if Gota goes Mahinda goes; Mahinda goes Police hierarchy will be replaced, the Chief Justice will be jailed; Chief Ministers’ heads will roll. Most Ministers and Parliamentarians deserve beheading. Mobs will remove the robes of the Mahanayakes,have their robes removed, foreheads tarred, and chased around the market places. Army … ah! that’s a nice one. There will be investigations into funds held in “Swiss” accounts for the rich. Todays super rich will be rendered paupers.

      So, your suggestion “remove his brothers and his relatives from top positions” will never see the light of day.

      Park, you need to cut the Gordian knot. What do you suggest Sri Lankans do?

  • 2
    0

    Well, well, well….. I am gobsmacked at this epiphanic moment for young Malinda. He is actually now saying that something is rotten in his Denmark. Where was he hiding all this while and how did he miss out on all the vile stuff that happened for the past little while? Does he feel that the rotten edifice is cracking? Has he finally got it? Has he stopped being a shill? Has his laptop broken down and has he been denied a replacement?

    Ah well, I guess better late than never….I guess time will tell.

  • 1
    0

    Since Malinda is writing something critical about Jarapass regime, I thought the Malinda laptop is broken.

    Then he tries to become an economist with this stupid economic theory. -:)

    “Whatever the doomsday prophets may say, a country which boasts of more mobile connection than its population cannot be said to be suffering depravations that make for an insurrectionary moment.”

    Even coconut pluckers have mobile connection nowadays.

  • 2
    0

    Malinda,
    After All you are Boasting,
    “If anyone can turn things around, it is President Rajapaksa”.

    Yes, Always, there are Ball suckers around Looters of public wealth.
    Like Hyenas and Vultures hanging around for a lion’s Kill.

    No difference from your Ilk and those of hyenas job.

    JARAPASSAS Already delivered Aascharya to sri lanka, and All Sri lankans enjoy it with Rapes, Killings, Drug use, Abductions, corruptions, Lootings and
    we have International reputation for all the Misdeeds of Some of the corrupt media supporting to corrupt Political hierarchy.

    Are you Proud of your Self??????????,

  • 0
    0

    Not sure why you are landing all your eggs on MRs basket. would it not be better to land one on your head and write about it so that the more intelligent readers can conclude that selective distribution of lap tops does not produce the intended results.

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