By Rehan Fernando –

Rehan Derrick Fernando

Background for the discussion

It was in the year 2017 that I accidentally took part in an essential meeting representing my dean of the faculty in a restaurant at Kiribathgoda. It was organized by an academic team of the University of Kelaniya, and the meeting was to form NPP in a more technical procedure. Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the leader of JVP came for the meeting because he was considered the main figure. During the meeting, I mean that was the peak moment of our discussion, I raised a question for which Anura slightly threw an idea, but it was not so satisfactory. Amidst some of the objections, I truly supported NPP though I was not in Sri Lanka after 2018 [went to the US for studies]. I was quite helpful for my team to arrange certain meetings for NPP in Jaffna. That’s how we began a movement. 

But what has happened to NPP and Anura particularly?

Many suffered except Anura 

If we take the last decade of this country, many good men and women came forward to take this country to better legal control and show the right direction to the public. Unfortunately, what happened to those persons? Where are they? Some were expelled, killed, massacred, kidnapped, and many others were imprisoned, labeled as terrorists, etc. What are those mechanisms? Why do such illegal formalities exist in Sri Lanka at present?

Now, Anura Kumara, as a minister representing JVP has been in the parliament for many years and of course as the leader of JVP. He has been criticizing and critically giving evidence for many wrong-turns of the Rajapaksaa regime, Gotabaya’s regime, and Ranil’s cruel decisions that violated the constitution. We have enough records for Anura’s counterarguments and NPP public meetings. 

Following the above-mentioned issue, why don’t our ordinary people understand by now Anura must be in prison but not yet happened? Why is that so? Are citizens of this country dull of hearing or fully blind? If we still extend these questions: I would ask mothers and father of this nation; where are your children who dreamed of a better society? Are they living with you today? No, but how about Anura Kumara Dissanayake? He is still alive. Your critical thinking must begin right now from here. 

Spoiling a good soup

Anura is regenerating a strong voice through NPP conferences and public meetings. He is radically critical of many sub-cultures that were primarily promoted by the Rajapaksa regime and later at the hands of Ranil. However, in my view, Anura is spoiling a better soup. 

Analyzing history, we encounter many leaders who have shouted at public meetings, some were of course like wild bores. Those leaders have gained nothing except their nonsense words and deeds. Most of the Sri Lankans live a poor life in most of the villages. Poverty still exists. The bus conductors are screaming to hunt passengers every day. drugs and their dealers are so common in every town now. Moral behavior is gone to the drains of cities. The police violate the law of the country more than people. The Supreme Court judges do not know how to make the right decisions, instead, they work for political mechanisms. The parliament has become a dog cage. Anura does not have a clear vision to stop these crises, and he cannot do so if I reveal the truth in my argument because Anura is another production of the prevailing system. So, neither the Rajapaksaa family nor Ranil and his beloved wife would imprison Anura. Anura is a playboy for all those regimes.

Therefore, what Anura spoils is nothing but our soup that is to be taken for our dinner. We struggle a lot nowadays both economically and politically. We haven’t done anything wrong to go through such a nasty situation that kills our children. I am referring not to elections but to corruption. Likewise, many innocents live in the same conditions. So, Anura is spoiling our soup, I would strongly tell him now STOP!

“Life is a tragedy in Close-up and a Comedy in Long Shot”

A great personality Charley Chaplain made the above statement. Chaplain, in my understanding, reveals the naked truth of life when we see it and reflect on it more closely. It is full of dirty steps even. However, years after or when we see them from a distant location, we can enjoy the sense of humor of those events. Yet, we Sri Lankans have suffered enough, doesn’t matter whether it is a close-up or long shot. We live in a graveyard. That’ is my concluding remark for this article. I never deny what the Chaplain said, but I am showing the other side of the Chaplain’s truth. 

I don’t know how far Anura would understand this statement. Therefore, I would recommend Anura to watch a series of episodes of Chaplain’s comedies. Surely that exercise will reveal the truth, especially not to jump into our kitchen and spoil our soup. Anura is living more freely while others are killed, disappeared, imprisoned, etc. Anura must read this truth in between the lines. He is stupidly shouting to show his personality. But he has already shown his foolishness. What we need is not a mega crowd for elections, but better groups to develop our communities.