ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY
The two minute unscheduled performance on some of our TV channels on Tuesday by Deputy Minister Mervyn Silva would have left no doubts among foreign observers about the state of human rights in this country, while it also increased growing fears among Sri Lankans that there is no protection for them against marauding ruling party politicians and their officials, if they want to walk over their basic human rights.
Mervyn Silva, it is reported, had instructed his cohorts to tie up a government official — a Samurdhi Niyamaka — to a tree with a rope he had brought along, and humiliated the hapless official before the public. The ‘crime’ committed by this public official was that he had not attended a conference called by the Minister for eradication of the dengue carrying mosquito. This kind of medieval punishment imposed on public officials is unheard of in contemporary times.
The pint-sized politician with his king-sized ego had apparently informed TV channels of his intended derring-do and wanted it recorded for public exhibition. Silva was seen posturing before the hapless man and barking orders into a cellular phone before he took off in his vehicle. The next day, he told parliament that the official concerned had voluntarily subjected himself to this treatment. The victim’s colleagues thought otherwise and staged vociferous demonstrations against Silva the next day. Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe told parliament that this act was a serious assault on the rule of law and violated constitutional provisions and cited Article 11 of the Constitution, which held that no person could be subjected to torture.
On Thursday, TV had pictures of Silva being carried shoulder high by a mob of his supporters cheering ‘our hero’. This is quintessential mob rule. Whether the helpless official would dare to lodge a complaint against the perpetrators of this crime is to be seen. Under normal circumstances, can a citizen be humiliated in public by being tied to a tree and the sadist be allowed to go free?
This is not the first time that Silva has committed such outrageous acts and been immune from state action. The case when he stormed the Rupavahini studios with thugs to attack a director of news, and irate employees justly turning against him, which they aired live on their TV channels, is all too well known. There are other instances where this Mickey Mouse character had attempted Rambo like acts and got away with it because of his official position. The question whispered by the cowed-down public is: Why does President Mahinda Rajapaksa tolerate this blatant thuggery? In fact he seems to encourage it, because in his second term as President, Silva has been given a post of Deputy Minister. Pray, for what public service performed has this post been conferred on him?
And why does Silva keep repeating these idiotic performances which even a jackass would refrain from doing? Rightly or wrongly it is being whispered that all these are performances produced and directed by Rajapaksa Bros & Co. to divert attention from greater problems faced by the people. It is inconceivable that a government which boasts that it has now reached the status of growth of a middle income country would smear itself with charges of medieval torture. But wittingly or unwittingly it is happening. Mervyn Silva may be kicking into the Rajapaksa goal.
Beyond Silva’s antics are much greater issues on the freedom of expression. An independent TV channel, Siyatha was attacked at dead of night and some of its studios destroyed. It is alleged by the management that the police and fire brigade that are located close to this institute at Hunupitiya, took quite a while to arrive. The channel that was reported to be quite close to the government, it is said, had drifted apart following allegations of connections to former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka who is the bete noir of the Rajapaksa clan.
In accepted democracies, vacillations in relations between a government in power and a media institution should not endanger the security of the media institution. The government to allay suspicions of its hidden hand should ensure that police investigations are successfully concluded. Police investigators it is noted become flat footed and tongue tied when it comes to investigations against attacks on independent media institutions and their journalists. The gang of goons that came over the gates of Leader Publications and set fire to a section of the press has yet to be traced or identified, even after three years of the attack. The attackers on the MTV transmission station at Maharagama still remain elusive to ‘crack teams of police investigators’ and so it is with those ‘crack teams’ investigating the foul murder of The Sunday Leader Editor Lasantha Wickrematunge.
Are killers of journalists and attackers of media institutions even more deceptive than K.P, who dodged Interpol and police investigators of many Western countries for more than a decade? If they traced K.P. to Kuala Lumpur can’t they do the same to local goons who can’t be far away? News people say that the police difficulties are well paraphrased by the Sinhala aphorism: Horage ammagen pene ahanawa (Asking the rogue’s mother to identify the rogue by looking into the sacred flame that reveals the culprit). While the government may provide great lip service to their favourite media and not care two hoots about the media that are doing their job, the media and governments in Western democracies are greatly concerned about what’s happening here. Violation of media rights has been cited as a reason for the holding back of the GSP+ concessions that will kill the employment opportunities of thousands of garment sector workers and affect adversely thousands more of family members.
The Rajapaksa family is getting cocky after their recent election victories and has had even the gumption to bulldoze a Buddhist temple at Arugam Bay allegedly to make way for a tourist hotel. The reasons for this are not very clear, but destruction of temples is one move which all governments have abhorred and refrained from doing in living memory.
The truism of ‘power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely’ is now manifesting itself in the likes of Mervyn Silva. The failure to enact the 17th Amendment that would have brought all major powers of governance under the control of independent commissions has been ignored and all police powers, administrative powers, appointments to key posts in government are in the hands of one family. It is estimated that over 70 percent of government functions are in the hands of this one family. The constitution is in tatters. So is the opposition and only the JVP is intact and is offering some effective opposition. General Sarath Fonseka, the presidential candidate who ran against President Rajapaksa is in jail and charges against him keep mounting.
There are ominous signs. Occasional references are being made to a ‘first family’ in the Independent Sovereign Republic of Sri Lanka that can tolerate no such family under its constitution. A proposed new constitution is being discussed between President Rajapaksa and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. What form it will take the people do not know.
At this critical time we offer a quotation for constitutional makers to ponder on: The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government.
great job, excellent article
everyone knew what the rajapakses are capable before the presidential and parliamentary election. the masses were not prepared to elect someone they called their war hero who was backed by the only gentleman in politics. they also gave almost absolute majority to the party of goons. the mentatlity of the majority of sri lankans have not changed since the july 83 mass murders by public. no one has since been brought to book.
Descent Sri Lnakans will have to live under the jack boots of the Hitler inc., as they also kept quiet when the Thamil people were subjected to untold hardships becuase of their race.
NOW THEY HAVE COME FOR ME AND THERE IS NO ONE LEFT TO SPEAK FOR ME.
There may be absolute power but being able to constantly write like this most times with bogus allegations proves beyond doubt press freedom is very much prevalent at highest levels in Srilanka. SF is in jail due to Sunday leader. Fredricas interview is treason how ever it must be proved who is correct SF or FJ???? Since both deny. The other reason is murder of lasantha – everyone knows the truth isn’t it??
this is a great article. Being silent by other public employee on this issue shows their selfishness and coward nature
Even though she is praising west like anything to entertain INGOs and get few more dollars, does she know what has happened to Wikileaks today??Wikileaks guy is finding its damn difficult to find a web hosting service to run his site due to threats on web hosting services from western governments..In Sri lanka all those LEN,LT..etc sites some how running..
This is just the begining.When idiots get absolute power they use it supress peapol.What I cant undarstand is still their are some peapol who believes MR is going to devolop the country.
Thanks to that fellow Ranil- MR will rule this country for ever- dogs will be off than people.
I really miss Leader late Lasantha Wikramatunghe’ s Editorial and any way thanks to F Jansz.
The government of thugs will do this type of things many more in future and who is
going to ask why nobody and the only solution to teach a good lesson to these
corrupted junta brothers and including Silva is the armed forces, because all
these rascals they do things and take law unto their hands because there is no
one to obstruct or interfere in their actions. Now the country has gone to dogs and
as far as this bugger is in power it would be worse in future. Not a single M.P,
will walk on the road without any police protection, because they know that they
may get attacked by somewhere by somebody due to their high handed act, so
now if the people cannot punish them then the only man is God and he might
teach a good lesson to all these corrupted bastards who are in the government licking the ass of MR. You go to hell.
yes all should condem this irresponsible behaviour.
However these politicos have people in the gallary who say ‘hooray’ as the mentality of the gallary is for chandiyas to do acts like this.
That’s why these clowns come to power. The sinhala & tamil media needs to play a pivitol role in educating the public about good governance and citizens rights. EvenResponsible proffessionals like doctors, lectures, engineers, nurses and teachers strike putting the people of this country in to tremendous difficulty
?????
Absolute press freedom corrupts journos absolutely and creates disharmony, tension and regress progress.
Journalists should be kept in their place.
Ballek miniseku gas banda, but no action agaist the Balla.
BALU MINISSU WADIYE INNE RATE, OKA THAMAYI WENNE
What one can imagine is Rajapakse’s are scared of Mervyn Silva. He knows something that can ruin Rajapakse’s forever. Otherwise why can’t the President get rid of the person who brings a bad name for the whole country. How can we say that we are Sri Lankans when our politicians do not care for human rights. What Mervyn has done was that Sri Lankans tolerate slavery and treat people as slaves. It is more than enough for Tamils to prove that they have not had any rights in their mother land.
Shame on you Mahinda. If you are a honest politician resign and show that you are the guardian of human rights of Sri Lanka or punish Mervyn for what he had done so we can be proud of as Sri Lankans.
Who said SL is a middle income country. I visited the country three months ago and people from all levels of incomes were asking me how they could get out and migrate to a beautiful rich economically advanced country where I live. SL is still dirty, unclean with dirty drains, garbage, full of Pollution and corruption. Anything but middle income, more like third world dump.
Do you wash dishes in your beautiful, rich and economically advanced country????
It is sad that our president is so blind that can not even recognise a rabid dog. In addition he showed him with many ministerial posts to the dismay of Lankans.
Surely this rabid dog was not going to ‘cure himself’ and kept on bitting citizens many many times some obviously unlawful. The law could not touch him and knowing this he want on his rampage.
Even a child would have been dismissed from school for fraction of such activities but our disgracefu govt. showed him with more and more for his services!!!
Sadly, this is the nature of our poiliticiens. The leadership must also be rabid not to recognise or act for many years as we would have expected from any true leader of a country.
Sadly, this is the nature of Lanka’s politics.
Hope to god that man Ranil moves on and retires. Rajapakse and his clan are heavy handed, Ranil is a idiot – I don’t know which is worse.
I completely agree with Ilankai Thamizhan.dogs are like to bark for everything.& every one.when someone try to throw a stone @ dog he runs away.this politician and police are thugs [horunwe araksha kerenwa balu police ranak]is there any law in this country noooo.where is judiciary they are sleeping with servants.so where is opposition parties there is noo opposition ranil stupid.IF WE DON’T STAND AGAINST DOGS & THUGS FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR CHILDREN.MOST OFF THE COUNTRIES WILL SAY OHHH THAT BALU RATA WE DON’T CARE WHAT HAPPENS TO THE COUNTRY AND WE HAVE TAKEN WHAT WE WANT.
‘power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely’ means when someone gains power and it is left for some time, it tends to corrupt…in this case
Mervyn is a joke, he was corrupted before he gained power.. he’s nothing of power but a monkey with a knife :)
:)and dyed hair