Picture credit - Ceylon Today
By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando
People in this country appointed Maithripala
Sirisena as the President in January 2015, with the backing of several
political parties and civic groups, to abolish the executive presidency, hold
Parliamentary elections and to execute various political reforms and to appoint
commissions to oversee the Judiciary, Police, Elections Department, Auditor
General's Department and the Attorney-General's Department; and primarily to
strengthen the Commission on Bribery and Corruption with an undertaking that as
President, he would clean up the present defiled political system, and create a
clean country; take all necessary steps to punish all dishonest and corrupt
politicians irrespective of their status or the political party they belong to,
and to ensure that the law of the country applies equally to every citizen.
The late Venerable Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero
masterminded the plan and steered an effective campaign to defeat the then
President Mahinda Rajapaksa, despite his pre-planned designs and manoeuvres, in
case of a defeat! The general consensus of the public was that only a divine
intervention could have led towards the defeat of Mahinda Rajapaksa in January
2015.
Manoeuvring
In certain political quarters it was the belief
that Basil Rajapaksa was the firebrand in the Rajapaksa regime who dug the
political 'grave' for Mahinda Rajapaksa, while helping him (Mahinda) to earn
the reputation of being corrupt and dictatorial. After the devastating act of
the SLFP, Basil was also alleged to have been persuading Mahinda Rajapaksa to
go for an early election, two years ahead of the schedule, influenced by a team
of self-centred astrologists. It appeared more ironical when he abandoned Sri
Lanka, within 24 hours of Mahinda Rajapaksa's defeat, and headed towards the
USA.
Maithripala Sirisena had no option, but to
enter into a marriage with the UNP in forming the Unity Government. In doing
so, he had to fulfill an election pledge by appointing Ranil Wickremesinghe as
the Prime Minister. Under an agreement signed with the UNP, prior to the
general election, another commitment was to allocate several key cabinet
portfolios to the UNP. Once elected to the Executive Office, President Sirisena
voluntarily reduced his term from 6 to 5 years and relinquishing certain
executive powers with the hope of working for the nation through a Dharmista (just) administration.
Such actions made supremacies of the Prime
Minister to flourish, which was clearly indicated by the appointment of Arjuna
Mahendran, as the Governor of the Central Bank, by Ranil Wickremesinghe totally
ignoring Presidential advice. The Central Bank Bond scandal, in the infant
stages of the Yahapalanaya, became notorious and is seen as the historical
major fiscal scam, where the Government lost billions of public money and
earned a scandalous label as the Sri Lankan 'Bondgate'.
Ranil Wickremesinghe's attempts from Parliament, from March 2015 to whitewash
the indignity managed only to blow it, out of proportion, thanks primarily to
the intervention of the Sri Lankan media. Consequently, such exposure aided the
President to take the reins to his own hands and to appoint a special Committee
to investigate into bribery and corruption in relation to the Bonds scam.
Disturbed hornet's nest
Finally, on the release of the Commission
Report has made some of the UNP Parliamentarians, in the Unity Government
behave in a manner similar to that of a disturbed hornet's nest. Consequently,
they have been crying foul and criticizing President Sirisena in a most
outrageous and uncouth manner, which has transformed a composed and calm
President to fly off the handle and, to come out with forceful rhetoric often
repeating his promise to the nation that he would certainly expose the guilty
and punish them severely.
President has two more years to put his own
house in order. Mahinda Rajapaksa has not changed either, after his
presidential defeat three years ago, which is evident from his allegiance to
the 'Flower Bud' party during the forthcoming local elections. Therefore, he is
seen as a retired Police constable attempting once again to become the
Inspector General of Police!
Repeating the folly
General public criticized and condemned the
Rajapaksa regime for bribery and corruption, as well as keeping too many square
pegs in round holes. During his governance politicians were often seen taking
political might unto their own hands, where even senior Police officers were
made to look like puppets. The worse being, their children too started to
interfere with the law and order, as if they were public owners of this
country!
President Sirisena is being criticized for not
taking such lessons as an example in appointing rejected politicians to his
Cabinet, and the latest appointment of a new State Minister as Law and Order,
who commenced his ministerial journey and was caught on the wrong foot.
This new State Minister was exposed, within
three days of his appointment, for storming into a village Police station and
castigating a Police officer for apprehending one of his supporters for
breaking the traffic law. Is it what one would expect from a Minister in charge
of Law and Order, to act in such an appalling manner?
Of course, in Sri Lanka, no politician would
admit to his or her fault. This new Minister too has denied the charge of
invading the Police station, but later admitted that he did walk into the
Police station, but denied using harsh, using abusive language or that he
demanded to withdraw charges against his supporter. Despite being shocked by
the actions of the State Minister of Law and Order, in not helping the Police
to enforce the law, Police stood their ground and insisted that the offender
pay the traffic fine, which was done effectively.
The officer in charge of this particular Police
station need to be congratulated for setting an example to others, not
succumbing to political pressure, but applying the law equally to everyone.
This exactly is what President Sirisena wants to achieve, for the meaning of
the word Yahapalanaya, to become self-explanatory to the world at large.
tilakfernando@gmail.com
Ceylon Today 27 January 2018 - Saturday Column