By Niresh Eliatamby –
“Welcome to the jungle, it gets worse here every day
You learn to live like an animal, in the jungle where we play” ~ Guns N Roses ‘Welcome to the Jungle’
The year 2019 has seen the near complete breakdown of law, order and human rights in this country. And we’re only five months into the year!
The list of lawbreakers who have committed the most heinous crimes against our very own people is very long indeed, and seems to be growing longer quite rapidly. Political leaders, top police and military officials, senior civil servants, international Islamic terrorists, mobs controlled by who knows which political party, rogue monks, international drug smuggling cartels, underworld gangs… it just goes on and on.
There seems to be a free-for-all competition going on to win some sort of unknown prize to be given to the most amazing feat of law breaking in Sri Lanka.
A Long List of Lunacy
Political leaders and law enforcement officials deliberately allowed terrorists backed by the so-called Islamic State (IS) and its proxies in Sri Lanka to carry out suicide bomb attacks in three churches and three five-star hotels, killing 258 people, mostly Catholics. This despite warning after warning from India’s elite intelligence agencies, who had already taken into custody two Indian terrorists with strong links to the Sri Lankan bombers.
This resulted in the devastation of the country’s tourism industry, threatening the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people.
The President and Prime Minister, who we thought were in charge of the country, shrugged their shoulders and said “I wasn’t told”. Ditto the Leader of the Opposition.
Military and police officials exhorted parents to send their children to school. Then, law enforcement officials of the police and military looked the other way while mobs rampaged through many towns in the Northwestern Province and Western Province over several days. Dozens of mob members who had terrorized these towns were belatedly arrested, only to be given bail within a week!
One of the President’s advisors, who last year singlehandedly turned Sri Lanka into the laughing stock of the world with his tall tales of assassination plots against the President, was seen on national television just hanging out in the middle of one of the mobs. He was then seen having a spat with the General Secretary of the President’s political party, who himself had just persuaded police to release some other folks who had wrecked and burned down shops and houses in several towns, even being so helpful as to play chauffeur to the hooligans in his luxury Prado that the public had paid for. Apparently the Advisor and the General Secretary were arguing over whose territory it was, a bit like the Sicilian Mafia arguing with Al Capone.
Mobs in Negombo attacked refugees who fled persecution in Afghanistan and Pakistan, who were legally in Sri Lanka until the UNHCR finds them countries to live in permanently. Not content with that, the mobs then attacked the refugees when they were shifted to the Northern Province for safety.
In the middle of all this, we are told that the country’s legal system has also been changed during the last regime, to legalise Sharia law here. Plus there’s a luxurious looking ‘Sharia University’ that has been built to teach it. But the University Grants Commission says it knows nothing about it. The Bar Association doesn’t seem to have much of an opinion on this sharia law business either.
The President pardoned and released from prison the nation’s most famous thug, who was quite proud of his rampages against minorities over several years. Never mind that he had been convicted by the Court of Appeal of rampaging through a courtroom, and that the Supreme Court had agreed with the verdict. It remains to be seen what mayhem he will wreak upon the minorities of the country.
Meanwhile, a much ballyhooed ‘War on Drugs” that was declared by the President, appears to have fizzled out.
I feel almost sorry for the CEB mafia who were holding the country hostage to power cuts just a few weeks ago, that were deemed illegal, just so that some folks could profit through emergency power purchases. That seems like such a miniscule transgression now. I wonder whatever happened to that barge mounted power plant that was heading for the Galle harbour. It seems to have been completely forgotten.
Remember that chappie named Makandure Madush? Whatever happened to him? His name was all the rage for a couple of months, living it up in a penthouse in Dubai. But no one seems to care about him much now. The last we heard was that he had arrived at Katunayake and been whisked off by the CID for questioning. I have this disquieting feeling that he’s living it up in a penthouse somewhere in Colombo now. I hope I’m wrong.
Meanwhile, the various parties in Parliament currently seem to be fighting over who can best whitewash several Ministers, Governors and other high and mighty folk who are accused of having links to international Islamic terrorists.
With elections only scheduled for the end of 2019, we really can’t expect much relief soon from the madness that seems to be sweeping over our Paradise Isle. This is going to be one very long year indeed.
*Niresh Eliatamby was for many years an investigative journalist, who also spent nearly two decades covering Sri Lanka’s civil war*
Sandra Aponso / May 24, 2019
Well written magnificent
/
jayt / May 25, 2019
Why it took so long for UN to find a country? UN run by Canada, US, Eu and Australia. What is trick behind? The trick is obvious; they play same game that the played to get Tigers citizenship in Western countries
/
Lanka / May 24, 2019
politicians do not care .
misuse power .
m&s should be in jail in any country that has the rule of law .
Ranil should I’m jail for CBK issue .
Mr too should for his abuse of power and corruption and killing some journalists ..
this is Sri Lanka .
soon it will become Somalia
/
Ethel Nanayakkara / May 24, 2019
Thank you for giving some relief to my poor head being tormented with trying to understand what exactly is going on in our land blessed with four “mighty” religions. If our tears and the blood that has drenched our motherland could heal the country and bring us to sanity – weep then; the time is right to do so.
/
chiv / May 24, 2019
“Welcome to the Animal Kingdom” called Lanka. Pick your selection and they have it on display.
/
upali wickramasinghe / May 24, 2019
chiv’ Thanks. You made my day.
/
Eagle Eye / May 25, 2019
Chiv,
Sinhale became an Animal Kingdom after Portuguese, Dutch and British brought animls to work in their plantations.
/
Muthu Eta / May 24, 2019
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2
/
justice / May 24, 2019
The ‘jungle law’ applies now in the Paradise Isle.
The Police and Army – who now enjoy the Good Conduct allowance and massive increase in salaries, passively watched while mobs ran riot, attacking citizens and property.
Will the tourists return, is to be seen.
Only politicians of various hues will, in new guises.
/
JD / May 24, 2019
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2
/
Jay Chambers / May 24, 2019
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2
/
Douglas / May 24, 2019
Chiv: Please don’t disgrace the “Animal Kingdom”. I invite you to watch a TV channel called “Love Nature”. To watch this channel, you have to subscribe; but worth the price. Please follow and study the presentations and you will be surprised to observe how that “Animal Kingdom” conducts it’s business. Too many details to mention in a comment form; but in short it is amazing to see how “ALL” types (various species & plants) survive and live together. Of course, if you look at it from a “SURVIVAL” perspective, you will miss the “Concepts” and “Principles”; but a rational understanding will definitely take you to a different level of “Survival”.. That “Animal Kingdom” comparatively is far “SUPERIOR” to the “Human Kingdom” that you speak of., because there is something called “Natural Law” that governs the whole system, that which is ABSOLUTELY missing in our “Kingdom”.
/
Saman / May 25, 2019
This system (Law of Jungle) was started by Chandrika and successfully nurtured by Mahinda.
This STUPID SIRISENA madly operate the system.
This IDIOT talks about democracy but unfortunately he does not know the meaning and the definition of this word .
This IDIOT has completely destroyed our system and the country.
Sirisena must be impeached and incarcerated for life for this CRIME.
/
Eagle Eye / May 25, 2019
Saman,
You got it wrong. This system was started by Thambi Mudianselage JRJ’s Unpatriotic National Party Government in which D.J.Dharmapala (reincarnated) was a Minister.
/
Manel Fonseka / May 25, 2019
Neat, Mr Eliatamby!
Perhaps this is what is meant by “a Sinhala Buddhist country”!
/
Fred / May 25, 2019
The international media got terribly excited when the Ukraine recently elected a comedian as the country’s new President, with many commentators calling it a world first. Quite obviously the fact that Sri Lanka elected Maithripala Sirisena as its President four years ago has been a well kept secret.
/
Dissanayake / May 25, 2019
Why did not you raise your voice when the President pardons the suicide killer who targeted Sirisena in a failed suicide mission? You should remember that the suicide killer was also convicted by the court.
/
Ad / May 25, 2019
If the forces realize that it is their duty to protect the public, they should take MS into custody and take legal action against him. If the forces are grass eating type they can go on worshiping orange color and target red color.
/
jayt / May 25, 2019
I know who wrote this article. I went out of my way to ask sri lanka to make friend with Jews, but it does not work the reason is there is a continuous conspiracy against Sri lanka. However, I did it out of good will to see thing change it will be good for everybody in Sri lanka.
Regarding the current situation, first We have to get Sri lanka president kick out these UN criminals out of Sri lanka and many other things have to be addressed, but in order to do that we have to New York and Germany hearing because all the conspiracies are hatched in the West.
/
Eagle Eye / May 25, 2019
Who brought ‘Law of the Jungle’ to this country? ‘Yahapalana Government’ of Sirisena and Wickramasinghe.
/
K.Pillai / May 25, 2019
Niresh Eliatamby tells us we have {“The Law Of The Jungle”}
Thanks Niresh. We never knew that!
Niresh concludes {“….With elections only scheduled for the end of 2019, we really can’t expect much relief soon from the madness that seems to be sweeping over our Paradise Isle……”}.
Elections never gives us ‘relief’. The ‘madness’ will increase in its fury.
/
Gemini Cricket / May 26, 2019
I think it is time to:
.
1. stop lamenting and crying
2. think about our plight from a broad perspective and understand our actual problems
3. focus on real issues causing us heart ache and distress
4. separate religion and politics
5. know our real enemy
6. be united as citizens
7. start pressurizing the government for justice and equity
8. choose people with capability, integrity and principles for leaders regardless of cast and creed
8. look at a future where everyone is a winner.
9. keep building our country together as Sri Lankans.
/
Thiagarajah Venugopal / May 28, 2019
Dear GC
Cool list.
Do you think we can add to your list
-drop the devolution of power discussions/war crime discussions/dissolve the constitutional assembly/dissolve the Provincial councils & Presidential position/parliament with reduced MP’s and ministries/remove identity political parties eve being allowed to be registered in a democracy.
Thank you Niresh for the writeup.
/