By Sunil J. Wimalawansa –

Prof Sunil J. Wimalawansa

Part 22: Sri Lanka—Changing Pillows to Cure Headaches: Unelected and Unconstitutional MP Becoming the President?

So far, the protesters in Aragalaya, including the university students, have conducted a peaceful protests and have not engaged in violence. The occasional (pre-planned) violence we witnessed has always been initiated by government ministers and their cronies and conducted by inherently violent different politically-affiliated groups that have nothing to do with the Aragalaya. The latter groups have tried to do such unethical activity many times to portray the blame to actual Aragalaya folks. The last two prime ministers have been accused of initiating such violence.

Not only administrators but also most Sri Lankan professionals benefit from the ongoing corrupt system. They indirectly support it by accepting governmental corruption, with expected benefits for them. The latter could be money, promotion, pre-paid foreign trips, getting children to a school, approving documents or permits, etc.

Such pettiet mindsets of professionals and others have become entrenched and an integral part of the problem in society. Those in (ir)responsible and prominent positions, including administrators, are least interested in changing the system—they are most comfortable with the status quo. They have no interest in the country’s progress. Therefore, it has become a self-perpetuating, negative vicious cycle that only the Public can break by introducing a completely new corruption-free System in conjunction with a new constitution.

Examples of how politicians manipulate the system

A political party or individuals (e.g., president, prime minister, or mayor) extensively use and attempt to use unscrupulous manoeuvres to create instability and unrest to take advantage and divert the attention away from them. For personal and political gains, they even obstruct essential human needs (e.g., the current gas crises created by the newly appointed temporary prime minister and his cronies). They have even taken steps to prevent development activities. Such actions are a menace to the country.

Over the past two years, misguided and blatantly wrong policies of the Sri Lankan government led to the destruction of agriculture, energy and food insecurity, selling off national resources, including prime land, to foreign companies, destruction of forests, exploitation of protected natural reserves, even national parks for personal gain, illegal encroachment of public land by politicians, and disrespecting and creating unlawful activities and breakdown of the order. These have brought public agitation and recent uprising, severe inconvenience to families, and increased poverty, starvation, and deaths.

Adding to the problem, selfish Politicians and Senior Administrators (like successive secretaries and assistants to presidents and prime ministers) were inherently shrewd and greedy. They disregarded the law and common sense and had no feeling for the country or its people. Once elected or appointed, they immediately lose their empathy and listening skills and refuse to take care of the public needs. They are only interested in themselves, their families, businesses, and their cronies (always them, but not the country or public).

The goals of The Aragalaya and legitimacy of street protests

People who participate in the Aragalaya are mostly a large group of determined educated youth who and their families have faced enough suffering enforced by the political mismanagement and pilfering of resources in Sri Lanka. Their focus is to drive away the corrupt political leaders and re-establish democracy (not occupy buildings, as some media talking heads claimed). The public had the constitutional right to protest.

This peaceful Aragalaya is uniquely different from previous violent protests in Sri Lanka by trade unions, JVP groups, and others. The Aragalaya protests are also distinctly different from all other protests and riots observed in other countries. Therefore, their motives, goals and behaviour are commendable. Those who have not yet participated, especially the older people, should consider joining and supporting the Aragalaya from 18th July and value it.

Sri Lankans demonstrated how to conduct nationwide peaceful protests while being proud and enjoy doing so, without destroying property or harming others.

Police brutality

On several occasions, the Police have been attacking unarmed protesters with baton charges, endless water cannons and tear gas attacks, ruthlessly conducting unethical orders blindly, thus, violating human rights. They should also be accountable under the law in due course. Despite unwholesome and illegal instructions by politicians, including the president and senior police officers, to harm people, the military has been relatively quiet and observant. To date, they have not used overwhelming force to control the protests. We urge them to remain disciplined and protect the law, not crooked politicians.

This is despite the recent ill-thought, over-reaching (illegal) order on 13th July 2022 by the temporary president on his first day in office authorising and instructing the military to use brutal force. He has already gone out of his mind. His mind is polluted with ego and ludicrously immersed in grabbing power. His ego is irresistible to become an unelected caretaker president due to overwhelming greed and power hunger (i.e., desperately eager to open a public goldmine for himself).

His actions vividly display his desire to replace the already hounded Gotabaya government with yet another centralised mob via parliamentary power under the pretence of protecting the constitution. Despite his false claims, many of his actions started from becoming an MP in 2021 and are unconstitutional and illegal. Highly unlikely that the Aragalaya folks or most of the constituents in the country will agree or approve of such a ridiculous concept or action.

The voters must note that all MPs will be voting for an illegally appointed person (who is not an even an MP anymore and thus, doubly disqualified) on 20th July for him to become the interim president. Vote them out at the next general election. If he is not resigned or appointed as the interim president, then Aragalaya #2 will commence on 21^st July.

Interim presidency

The country is in a highly volatile situation concerning its political crisis. Besides, the politicians completely failed to act on the concerns and needs of the public. Consequently, the constituents have lost the trust of the ruling party (Phottuwa), the prime minister, and the president, and no longer have the mandate to govern. In any other country, the entire government would resign. However, Sri Lankan politicians have neither guilt feeling nor shame in betraying the public.

Regarding corruption, the government has gone way beyond the accepted norms by the public and demonstrated a total lack of empathy and moral authority. The government passed multiple red-lines (i.e., have taken several harmful decisions/policies to the country and the public), yet current parliament members voted to sustain corruption. People did not vote for MPs in the parliament to approve and engage in corruption. So, from now onwards, voters must not vote for any of them and keep them away from all elected positions.

The political crisis worsened due to a series of unconstitutional appointments by the former president. An extension of this is that the current temporary president is desperately trying to break the laws again by attempting to become the interim president, which is also unconstitutional. Sri Lanka can do without a crooked president, prime minister, MPs or administrators; we have too many already.

The main goals of The Aragalaya

Re-establishing a proper democratic system must encompass many fundamental issues, including enforcement of law and order where no one is above the law. It is incredible that even today, many areas in Sri Lanka still lack National Policies. How can a country have a consistent and continual development program without countrywide policies?

Examples of these include but are not limited to agriculture (food security), healthcare (health security), water and sanitation (water security), economic framework (economic security), education (intellectual security), and law and order (national security)? Aragalaya folks want a peaceful, prosperous, democratic country without corruption.

Everyone, especially parliamentarians, must stop unconstitutional appointments and unlawful activities, such as brutalities, bribery, and corruption.

What is the country needs now?

The country needs to appoint an independent person like Karu Jayasuriya or a competent person like Sarath Fonseka as the interim president, not entrenched incompetent candidates who have already put in their nominations. That would allow the interim president to appoint a new twelve expert cabinet members from outside the parliamentarians according to the constitution, as discussed in the previous Post. These talented folks must not have political distractions, baggage, conflicts of interest, the desire to satisfy constituents, or desperation to contest in the next election.  Thus, they should focus entirely on resolving the fiscal crisis and other issues affecting Sri Lanka, which is feasible within six months. The expensive-to-run puppet parliament should then be dissolved, and the next general election should hold in 6 to 9 months.

The country needs honest and altruistic politicians and trustworthy experts willing to dedicate themselves to the country. They must immediately start preparing the steps, strategies, and documents necessary to resolve crises in Sri Lanka.

Neither politicians nor government Servants, including the Police and the Military, are above the law: all of them are subject to punishment for breaking the law, including corruption and bribery.