{"id":39441,"date":"2012-04-22T12:17:10","date_gmt":"2012-04-22T12:17:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=39441"},"modified":"2012-04-29T11:35:12","modified_gmt":"2012-04-29T11:35:12","slug":"a-violent-government","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/a-violent-government\/","title":{"rendered":"A Violent Government"},"content":{"rendered":"

By\u00a0Sanjana Hattotuwa<\/a> –<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Sanjana Hattotuwa<\/p><\/div>\n

Around a fortnight ago, when I interviewed for public television Gomin Dayasiri, I asked him about Minister Mervyn Silva\u2019s public threats to tear apart the limbs of and kill human rights activists. Mr. Dayasiri, a senior lawyer and a well-known supporter of the present government, expressed his confidence that the Police would investigate Minister\u2019s most recent hysteria. Time did not permit me to ask Mr. Dayasiri about the fate of the many Police investigations in the past against Minister Silva\u2019s odious violence and revolting public statements. Given the Minister\u2019s revealing asseveration \u2013 not once denied by the President or government \u2013 that he derives his power and legitimacy directly from the President and the Rajapaksa\u2019s, it\u2019s hardly surprising they went nowhere. Par for the course then to read reports in the media last week that disciplinary action by the SLFP against the Minister\u2019s most recent hate speech were stalled \u201cbecause of the lack of support from the party hierarchy for such action\u201d.<\/p>\n

The story is interesting for another reason. It notes that because no action can be taken against Minister Silva \u2013 acknowledging in other words, that he is above the law \u2013 complaints relating to corruption, fraud and violation of party regulations against party members, SLFP members of Pradeshiya Sabhas, Urban Councils, Provincial Councils and Parliament could not be acted upon, even \u201cthough a majority of these complaints were well substantiated\u201d. So essentially, even though violent, corrupt and cancerous elements within the ruling party have been identified, nothing can or will be done against them because of the impunity a single individual enjoys.<\/p>\n

I cannot believe I am the only one who finds this incredible, outrageous and untenable. The President and trenchant voices in his government never tire calling human rights activists and NGOs traitors, doing and saying things against Sri Lanka. But the level of impunity Minister Silva so publicly enjoys, and worse, shamelessly trumpets, escapes similar reproof. Even within government, this hasn\u2019t gone unnoticed, though no one wants to be named on it. One exception is Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, who noted recently that he was \u201cof the view that no intelligent person could have failed to realise that such pronouncements were immensely damaging to the government, and to the President personally\u201d and that intelligence which he thought basic \u201ccould not be expected of Minister Silva\u201d. He goes on to submit that his expression, along with sentiment that violently rejects the West as detrimental to Sri Lanka\u2019s sovereignty is \u201cemphatically a minority viewpoint, and not shared by the vast majority of those in government\u201d.<\/p>\n

Prof. Wijesinha may like to believe this, just as much Mr. Dayasiri would like to believe in credible investigations into Minister Silva\u2019s public threats. Both choose to ignore a more disturbing, and indeed, deeply embarrassing reality \u2013 the President, for whatever reason, protects Mervyn Silva. In protecting Minister Mervyn Silva \u2013 and what is in fact indefensible and possibly illegal \u2013 the President in effect projects the Minister\u2019s voice and violence over and above the official policies and practices of government. That neither the President nor his powerful brothers have uttered a single word of condemnation against the Minister strongly suggests they condone his behaviour, and in fact, give him the freedom and legitimacy to continue with it. And seemingly no one, not even high ranking members of the SLFP, will put their name to efforts to hold the Minister in check, even though news reports clearly suggest they have been \u201cembarrassed by the untoward actions and controversial remarks of maverick Minister\u201d and find themselves \u201cextremely helpless\u201d to explain his behaviour. However, it\u2019s not just the Minister. The Secretary of Defence, the President\u2019s brother, has on a number of occasions and with equal impunity, employed a similar violent expression, and during the war years, along with someone now languishing in jail, incited public hate against independent journalists and human rights activists. Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra and \u201ckudu Duminda\u201d were not so long ago, leading lights of government.<\/p>\n

I take no happiness in noting that contrary to what Prof. Wijesinha submits, it is violence in deed and word that sharply defines this government. Minister Silva is just one of many. This is a systemic problem. We may deserve those we elect, but surely, is this the face of a country \u2013 that is and can be more cultured and civil \u2013 we want to project to the world, especially post-war? Shouldn\u2019t patriots be worried?<\/p>\n

Read Sanjana’s writings @\u00a0http:\/\/sanjanah.wordpress.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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