Rohitha plays ducks and drakes with justice

Leader newspapers demands Rs 240,000 costs ordered by court

Asst Sec Gen of Parliament demands Minister's presence in House

Foreign Ministry officials used to carry letter to court in private case

By Vimukthi Yapa

One fancies, perhaps a little naively, that in a democracy of sorts, there is a smidgen of a chance that one may find equality in the intricate network of the justice system. Needless to say more often than not one comes away empty handed and a little perplexed.

On the one hand one is confronted with the likes of Malaka Silva and other political brats who wangle their way into spending jail time on hospital beds. The Malaka Silva's of this world are more to be pitied than censured. They are the products of an irresponsible up bringing that finds it hard to escape from the trappings of a political sewer.

Malaka

Before he was released on bail Malaka spent his time in comfort. His Papa was there to rescue him every time a court order was given to transfer him from hospital to remand. On the last occasion, Malaka sat on the bench outside the remand hospital looking rather sick. An official who had just received the court order to transfer him to remand called out his number.  Once you've been bad, the first thing the system does is take away your name.

It was at that very moment by the happiest of coincidences that Papa Mervyn barged in. Almost on cue Malaka trying hard to look weak and emaciated fell to the ground in an awful faint. Mervyn in what could only be termed as an award winning performance beat his bosom in despair calling out loudly that his son could not be moved from the hospital due to his condition.  

Real victim

Then you get the real victims of a cruel inhuman world. In May this year a little 12 year old girl was raped then clubbed within an inch of her young life. She had no Daddy to rush to her rescue, as she lay bleeding and alone. Her Daddy lay in a pool of blood unable to help his little girl. Her mummy, her granny and her two little brothers lay dead beside her. But Dinusha Madurangi from Delgoda, the sole survivor of a brutal massacre despite her ordeal, did not faint when she was asked to drag herself into court to identify her family's murderers and her rapist. She may have felt it, but she would not say she was feeling vomitish. She did not hide inside an ambulance, though if any one could have, it would have been this dear little girl. This is a life to be admired. This is a spirit to be emulated.  

Rohitha manoeuvres 

And then of course you get those suave manipulators who cannot be excused or pitied and certainly should not be emulated. Take Rohitha Bogollagama for the nonce. Consider his scant regard for the justice system even when it is he Rohitha who is using this system.

It was he and his sometimes estranged, sometimes not so strange wife Deepthi who filed  Defamation suits against Leader Publications in their personal capacity.

The Sunday Leader had published an article based on authentic documentation and a number of correspondence of an intimate and personal nature Leader Publications had received involving Rohitha Bogollagama and another person.

Cross examination

The Sunday Leader is in possession of all these letters and documents which of course will be used at the time of cross examination of Rohitha Bogollagama, and there for the Minister of Foreign Affairs lies the rub.

And if there has been one man who has misused his powers and paid scant regard to the courts then that man is Bogollagama. Granted there is a finesse with which Bogollagama acts quite lacking in a Mervyn Silva. But surely, one cannot excuse a man for his manners?

Here's how Bogollagama has been totally disregarding court orders which has now prompted Leader Publications to send him a letter of demand on October 12, 2007.

Last year on March 15, 2006 Rohitha Bogollagama concluded his Chief Examination in the case and very deftly seems to have decided to avoid cross examination. Ever since, the dashing Foreign Minister, whose looks and charm are ever and anon getting him into a ton of trouble with his wife, has avoided court like the plague. Mind you in a case that he has filed himself as well.

First blow

The first blow in the case that Bogollagama received was from his own senior counsel Ikram Mohamed, PC who discreetly withdrew from the case. Next into the arena entered Senior Counsel S.L.Gunasekera on behalf of the Bogollagama family 

But all is never quite well in the Bogollagama household according to a number of media reports. Even though Rohtiha and his wife both filed action together subsequently Rohtiha bogollagama's instructing attorney M/s Sudath Perera Associates revoked proxy for Deepthi Bogollagama.

It was immediately afterwards that S.L.Gunasekera also decided to withdraw from the case.

But Bogollagama was not without Counsel. Mohan Peiris, PC legal advisor to the Defence Ministry and also Senior Counsel in the Malaka Silva High court Bail Application matter heard last week, immediately took over the brief for his wife Deepthi.

Interestingly enough Peiris soon started appearing for Rohitha Bogollagama as well.

If the Bogollagama duo were allegedly having trouble keeping their home life in tact it was obvious they were having more trouble in keeping their lawyers in tow.

Be that as it may on three occasions on December 11, 2006, March 14, 2007 and June 26, 2007 the case was taken up in the District court of Colombo and postponed merely on the grounds that Bogollagama was out of the island. One may almost take judicial notice of the fact that Bogollagama is a man well traveled but when he decides to gallivant on court dates on which he is due to be cross examined, their seems to be a method in this madness.

On June 26, 2007 for instance the audacity of the man and his natural inclination to abuse and misuse his power for personal gain was obvious. Bogollagama was to furnish to court a letter on a foreign ministry letterhead signed by C.F.Chinniah Additional Secretary (Admin & Consular Affairs) informing court that he had left the island on Sunday, 24 June, 2007 on an urgent official visit to Tokyo and New Delhi for important bilateral talks and will be returning to the country on Wednesday 4, July, 2007.

Two officials from the Foreign Ministry were present to submit the letter to court. Senior Counsel for Leader Publications Romesh De Silva PC pointed out that Bogollagama was misusing his powers by employing foreign ministry officials in a case filed by him in his personal capacity and in a case which was absolutely personal in nature.

Costs awarded

Be that as it may, the District court on three occasions ordered costs to be paid to Leader Publications. On December 11, 2006 a sum of Rs. 30,000/-. On June 26, 2007 a sum of Rs. 105, 000/- and on October 11, 2007 another sum of Rs. 105,000/-

Which part of final doesn't Boggles understand?

And here in fact is the irony of it all. On June 26, 2007 the district court granted a very final date even making a remark from the bench that under no circumstances would any more dates be given to Bogollagama. The date was also given subject to the payment of Rs. 105, 000/- costs and the court fixed this extremely absolutely final date for October 11, 2007. And for good measure the District Judge in his order stated that no further dates would be given under any circumstance.

October 11

On October 11, 2007 when the case came up for what everyone though was the final date before District Judge of Colombo Sisira Ekanayake, one was astounded to observe that Bogollagama did not appear in court. Needless to say court ordered cost of another Rs. 105,000 to be paid for the second time to Leader Publications.

A motion had been filed submitting a letter of excuse for the Foreign Minister signed by W.M.N.P. Iddawela Assistant Secretary General of Parliament. Mohan Peiris, PC in making submissions on his client's behalf was to plead that it was absolutely necessary for Bogollagama to be in parliament as his leader wanted him to be present at the sessions. 

Court made the order for costs when Bogollagama's Counsel made the application for a postponement on the basis the Minister was unable to be present in court as his presence in parliament was vital as a number of bills were to be taken up for voting and produced a letter signed by the assistant Secretary General of parliament. 

Romesh De Silva PC, Senior Counsel for Leader Publications was to quickly point out that Bogollagama's leader was in fact opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, sending the open court into peals of laughter. The irony was not lost on those in court as it was unlikely Wickremesinghe would want the cross over Bogollagama to sit in parliament and vote with the government on any issue taken up that date.

Excuse letter

But what it more important to note is that not only Iddawela but also the Secretary General herself has no authority to compel any Minister or MP to be present in Court. For Bogollagama, The Chief Government Whip Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, The Leader of the house Nimal Siripala Silva or Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramana- yake, could have stepped in to write him a letter directing him to be in Parliament that day. But not the Secretary General of Parliament or an Assistant Secretary and Bogollagama should know that very well. In fact President's Counsel Romesh De Silva was to advert to this fact and inform court that the Assistant Secretary General of Parliament could be cited for breach of parliamentary privilege for writing such a letter. Indeed the Opposition is now set to take up the issue in Parliament on that very basis this week.

Romesh De Silva strenuously objecting to the postponement stated as follows:

(1) That the application for postponement is totally mala fide

(2) That Minister Bogoll- agama gave evidence in chief in court on March 15, 2006 and for almost 1-1/2 years he is avoiding cross examination

(3) The October 11, 2007 date was the Final date for trial granted by court to the plaintiff subject to payment of costs of Rs. 105,000/-

(4) Up to date neither Rs. 105,000/- nor any part of that money has been paid by the plaintiff to the defendant

(5) A motion has been filed by the plaintiff's instructing attorney on October 10, 2007 and the defendant had no notice of that motion.

(6) in that motion it had been stated that a copy of the motion has been hand delivered to the Defendant's attorney at law and also a copy of the motion has been sent by fax to the registered attorney to the defendant and the relevant proofs are annexed thereto.

(7) On perusal of the original motion it is clear the contents of the said motion is absolutely false and no receipt of proof of the hand delivery or the fax report are annexed to the motion.

(8)  The Assistant Secretary General of Parliament has no authority to direct a member of parliament to be present in parliament and it is the party leader who could direct the plaintiff to be present in parliament and the party leader of the plaintiff is the opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.

(9) On December 11, 2006, March 14, 2007 and June 26, 2007 three consecutive applications for postponement of the case was made on the same ground, namely Minister Bogollagama is out of the island and on all three occasions Defendant's counsel strenuously objected for postponement and the objections were overruled and postponements granted to the plaintiff.

(10) On June 26, 2007 namely the last date when the case was taken up for trial court made a specific order that no more postponements will be granted on any grounds whatsoever and ordered minister Bogollagama to pay Rs. 105,000/- as costs and granted a final date.

(11) De Silva therefore again objected to a postponement stating the district judge was bound by the order made by his predecessor on June 26, 2007 and therefore the court cannot grant any more postponements.

Finally finally finally

Having heard these submissions Court took notice of the fact that the plaintiff Bogollagama was not present in court due to special circumstances as set out by the letter of the Assistant Secretary General of Parliament and granted a postponement subject to Rs.105,000/- costs and re-fixed the date finally  for January 25, 2008.

Court also made order that in the event Bogollagama failed to appear in court on the next trial date he would have to face the consequences.

Leader Publications have now sent a letter of demand on October 12, 2007 demanding the immediate payment of Rs. 240,000 being costs awarded to them. Bogollagama was given till October 19 to make the payment  failing which action is to be taken for a writ against the minister.

What is pathetic is this. That while real survivors of cruelty like Madurangi limp into court for an identification parade - a brave young girl with a dignified respect for the rule of law, there are those like Bogolla- gama almost unashamedly privileged, using every mechanism in his power to subvert the course of justice.  Little wonder Sri Lanka remains as yet Paradise lost. Leader Publications is represented by Romesh De Silva PC with Attorney Sugath Caldera instructed by Attorney G.G. Arulpragasam.

Plaintiff Bogollagama was represented by Mohan PierisPC instructed by Attorney Sudath Perera Associates. 

When the President went Bollywood

Overcome with happiness and grinning from ear to ear, President Rajapakse poses with a rather more sombre Sharukh Khan

By Sonali Samarasinghe

President Percival Rajapakse had never looked happier. Nay, not even on November 18, 2005 had his uncomfortable 'subjects' ever seen him so jolly and vibrant. And the cause of all this conviviality was none other than the presence of the next best thing to sliced bread - Indian mega star Sharukh Khan. Add to the mix the pleasant face of Karan Johar and there you have it.

And Sharukh Khan as he stood next to Rajapakse to helpfully facilitate the Sri Lankan President's photo opportunity of a lifetime, would perhaps have recalled the trauma and anguish of that night of Temptations in Colombo nearly three years ago on December 11, 2004.   

That fateful evening the crŠme de la crŠme of Bollywood may have been wiped out in one fell swoop and Colombo would have had the blood of several Indian icons and the wrath of several billion fans on its hands.

Violent monks

The furore was precipitated by a frenzied Buddhist mob egged on by a manipulative Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) intent on fanning the flames of hatred and dissent even as it whipped up popular sentiment over Ven. Soma Thero's death. 

Recall Buddhist monks strongly and violently opposed the outdoor concert in Colombo which included Sharukh Khan, Preity Zinta, Priyanka Chopra and Saif Ali Khan along with a large group of Bollywood dancers and musicians. The JHU called on the UPFA government to cancel the show as it coincided with the death anniversary of Ven. Gangodavila Soma Thero who passed away in December 2003 after suffering a heart attack during a visit to Russia.

Frenzied fanatics had earlier called Soma Thero's death a conspiracy to murder inciting several nasty incidents including a spate of attacks on churches and Christians in the country.

At the time BBC Sinhala Sande- shaya quoted Parliamentarian Ven. Katapola Amarakiththi as saying the JHU suspected a "conspiracy," as the concert was being held on the eve of the first death anniversary of Ven. Soma Thero.

Demand to ban concert

One week before the show the JHU promised peaceful protests to block the show, due to be held at the Race Course grounds in Colombo on December 11, and said the JHU would ask the government to ban the concert.

Ironically the JHU also protested that the Bollywood show was going against the serenity and beauty of Sri Lankan culture and no doubt the 2500 years of civilisation was thrown into the argument as well.

The JHU at the time blamed the government for inaction on a commission to be appointed to investigate the death of Soma Thero, and the National Organisation of Buddhist Monks had asked the government to cancel the concert and close, for the day, any places selling liquor.

Ven. Galagodatte Gnanasara Thero, Secretary, Jathika Sangha Sammelanaya (JSS), one of the main arms of the Jathika Hela Urumaya said they opposed the show and did not direct their protest at any other musical show that was held on that day because it was the only show that received state patronage.

Govt. rejected appeal

Ven. Rathana Thero even told the media that while the party had no problem with Sharukh Khan, their grouse was that the government had not accepted their appeal that the concert be put off. "The Buddhist youth of the country wanted this demonstration, and as their leaders we had to comply with their request," he had reportedly said.

Later JHU renegade monk Ven. Aparekke Punnananda Thero was to charge that extremist elements in the JHU were responsible for the ugly violent incidents at the concert.

A week of protests ended in a violent demonstration at Race Course grounds on the morning of the show and culminated later that evening with a grenade thrown near the stage exploding, killing two young fans and injuring several others including a number of police officers.

At a public rally in Matara after the grenade attack, then President Chandrika Kumaratunga immediately blamed two monks - JHU frontliner Ven. Omalpe Sobitha Thero and Ven. Aturaliye Rathana Thero for the incident.

Aggravating crisis

Meanwhile Ven. Ratmalane Seelavansa Thero, a founder of the Soma Himi Chinthana Padanama and a former JHU member, in turn blamed the government including then Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse for aggravating the crisis by not acting upon the advice of Buddhist leaders.

"We sent fax messages to government leaders, including Prime Minister Mahinda Raja- pakse, warning them of our fast and expressing our displeasure, but they failed to heed our advice," he had reportedly said.

But Rajapakse is not a man to go against his Bolly- wood idol. Readers will remember that even Foreign Minister Bogollagama's wife Deepthi was featured in the front rows of the concert as any newspaper photo will show.

Zenith of his career

Consider. Meeting SRK three years later was no doubt the highlight of Rajapakse's recent October 2007 visit to India, and the zenith of his political career. The President will look back at his fleeting tryst with the Indian idols at the Taj Palace Hotel in New Delhi two weeks ago and his bosom will swell with an awful pride and a humble gratitude.

Gratitude directed perhaps at the LTTE for enabling him to ascend the presidential throne and gain access to such South Asian glitterati.  

President Percy as his uneasy subjects know is a man easy to please. Bombs may be exploding in Yala, the cost of living may be going through the roof, 350,000 IDPs may be languishing in makeshift camps, a war being fought at great monetary and human cost, but Percy lives in a make believe world of Bollywood blitz and fantasy.

JHU theories

And if President Percy lives in a world of Fantasy, the JHU lives in the darkness of middle earth. Their world is a mixed system of Rowling and Tolkien, liberally spiced with conspiracy theories mainly perpetrated according to them, by heathen Christians who should perhaps be compelled to take up permanent rooms in a lion's den.

Pray, what gems of wisdom do the sanctimonious JHU monks have for their hawkish President now as he, grinning like a Cheshire cat, rubs shoulders with the man once accused of polluting the Sri Lankan culture?

Ban jumbo diplomacy

Sports and Entertainment Minister Gamini Lokuge was reported last week making a remark which cannot be considered to be entertaining on the tragic fate awaiting a nine-year-old cow elephant which had been living in the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage.

The elephant which had been frolicking in the warm waters of the Ma Oya all her life with her family of jumbos is to be sent to a zoo in Armenia which is freezing for a greater part of the year.

Rejecting protests by animal rights activists about the fate of the elephant, Lokuge is reported to have said: 'Tell me one thing people do not protest about in this country.'

Lokuge, the former UNP trade unionist may have protested about anything and everything in his trade union days but the protests of the animal rights activists over this issue which has touched the heart strings of the nation cannot be dismissed with such skewed trade union logic.

Heritage endangered

Elephants are very much a part of the heritage of all Sri Lankans. They are intertwined in our history, religion and culture. It is an incumbent duty of the present generation to protect and foster these majestic beasts for future generations.

Yet, with all the poojas and hosannas paid to them they are a dying breed. Every week we hear reports of these animals being slaughtered by poachers, villagers in attempts to protect their crops and mowed down by trains passing through jungles. No comprehensive plan has been put together to save the jumbos and their only refuge is the Elephant Orphanage at Pinnawela.

Gifts of friendship

In addition to the calamities caused in their natural habitat we have our political leaders visiting foreign countries and offering our elephants as 'gifts of friendship' towards these nations. Such friendly international relations are indeed in our interests although right now we seem to have very few genuinely friendly countries backing us in our moments of crisis.

Much more efforts are required than the gifting of elephants. But this stupid exercise of gifting elephants to foreign countries only results in the depletion of our jumbo population which is perhaps less than 2000 right now.

Maharajas and Maharanis

Our political leaders seem to consider elephants roaming in the wild or living in captivity as their private property. It must be boosting their egos to pose off as Maharajas or Maharanis offering jumbos as gifts of friendship. It costs them nothing. But copious tears are shed on behalf of saving the elephants. We wonder whether our Foreign Ministry has kept a record of the animals that have been gifted by our political leaders.

Whatever happened to these animals that have been donated to foreign zoos? After the photo opportunities are over with our political leaders posing off with their 'gifts' together with foreign dignitaries, does the Sri Lanka government follow up and check the welfare of the animals? Apparently not.

The animals are gifted to countries with temperate climates which are quite unsuitable for these animals born in the tropics. Reports about the Yerevan Zoo in Armenia where our elephant Asokamala is intended to be sent say that one elephant had died there after slipping on the snow and falling down. It is said to have died of malnutrition and hypothermia (cold).

Elephants we are aware need enormous quantities of vegetation. Do these countries which have denuded their forests have sufficient vegetation to feed jumbos?

Minister Lokuge has said that all the relevant departments  and authorities will 'prepare' the elephant before it is sent to Armenia but the greater issue will be its treatment in the Yerevan Zoo such  as the space that will be provided and accommodation in extremely cold weather.

Whose responsibility?

Lokuge has said that he was not the minister in charge when this deal was initiated and he was merely following up with the procedure. But he will be held responsible for the fate of this animal. He can cancel the deal or request President Rajapakse to do so. 

It appears that he is being duped. He is quoted saying that the Meteorological Department of Armenia had said that the weather conditions there are similar to Sri Lankan weather these days. It is obvious that the weather conditions will not remain the same and usually during winter it will go down to sub zero conditions.

The suffering of animals, even in reputed zoological gardens, is very well known.

The trauma that huge animals undergo when confined to small spaces and unfamiliar surroundings can well be imagined. Why should a country with an essentially Buddhist and Hindu population who have greater regard for elephants subject this poor animal to such torture? Is it for the delight of Armenian kids?

All Sri Lankan governments should work towards the objective of abolishing zoos rather than contributing attractions. The concept of caged zoos is now outdated and the trend is to have animals fenced off in large areas where they can be observed in natural environments.

Ban gifting jumbos

President Rajapakse should take an example from his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh who issued a directive in 2005 stopping the practice of gifting animals by the state and head of state. It is relevant to note that this ban followed protests by animal rights activists against an Indian elephant being gifted to this same Yerevan Zoo. Asokamala is intended as a substitute.

The cause of Asokamala should be taken up by all Sri Lankans with a heart and not left to hypocrites shedding crocodile tears over jumbos. President Rajapakse would do well if he halts this grossly inhuman and un-Buddhistic act and do away with jumbo diplomacy.

My dear ole Millipede

Ma-hinder may have succeeded in inducing a bunch of 17 half-witted greens to disfigure the Colombo scene by donning blue bandanas and carrying out his orders but I thought you m’dear, was above it all.

To your credit if not to your mercantile credit, a forehead like that deserves more than just a blue bandana and a populist slogan. Glistening with honest sweat, your ample frontal lobe was the product not only of a warm heart but a not so cool head Thellie always felt.

Only once before if truth be told, had I encountered a forehead of such magnitude — and that too only in pictures. I don’t know if you sometimes get to mull over a particularly knotty case presenting itself to that dear old chap Sherlock Holmes but if you do, you will recall that his elder brother Mycroft who frequented the Diogenes Club in late 1800’s was a man of exceptional endowment in the head area in terms of size and capability.

Unfortunately m’dear what Mycroft had in size you lacked in capability. I was compelled to raise an eyebrow or two when you skipped over to the blue camp brimming with girlish enthusiasm, your hair in a braid and what not. Particularly since, not too long before your little turncoat act, I had seen your coy glances of admiration and regard towards the green leader such as a distressed damsel of the middle ages might have directed at a Knight of the Round Table.

The problem for you dear is that these blue fellows are a barbaric mob and the likes of you should not be seen and or heard hobnobbing with the uncouth chaps. But not unlike an adventurous and inquisitive adolescent told by his mother to stay away from the criminally minded boy next door, you just had to go hobbing and nobbing with the likes of the Medamulane boys hadn’t you?

You heard some hired hand shouting Heil Ma-hinder and you imagined it was the voice of the people when all the time the frightful Ma-hinder and his blood brothers were being looked upon as a conglomerate of frightful poops.

Perchance you hadn’t noticed it my darling, but why pray are the blue fellows struggling for utterance on this no confidence issue. There you are I mean to say, calling for an early inquiry. Reading left to right, you, the green camp and in a lethargic kind of way even the red camp have been urging, calling, entreating, enticing and using other means of trying to get this no confidence motion off the ground.

You may have bristled and gritted your teeth feeling that the green fellows not to mention Sri and Mangy were always lurking about the corridors twiddling their fingers with evil intent waiting and plotting, plotting and waiting to make their sinister move. No wonder it caused you to fret and fret and to flit away off the stage like an oriental dancer in her last act who had just lost the top button of her blouse.

And though the no faith churned you up like an egg whisk one wonders why it caused the government in whom you so trust to curl up like a burnt feather and refuse to come to your aid. I mean to say it was all they could do considering the great sacrifice of life, limb and friend you made in crossing over not too long ago.

Be that as it may the best thing for you dearie is to have it out in the open. And you know better than I do that in Paradise, there is no such thing as bad publicity. A bit of splashing of your large domed mug on a number of pages of several national rags and you look as if you hold sway in ruling ranks. A matter not easily accepted by the rank and file of the blue camp as you well know. The last thing one of those die hard blue fellows would want, is for you to rise into prominence like a phoenix out of the flames of the no faith motion.

Why m’dear have your own friends in the Ma-hinder camp abandoned you at this hour of need? There the green chaps are. Tabling no faith motions willy nilly and sitting back on arm chairs waiting for the fun to begin. And then there your government is. Coyly shying away from defending you and retreating on tip toe like a bally snotty nosed young schoolboy, avoiding getting caught with his fingers in the jam jar.

And the upshot? A rag tag band of stragglers such as big cement roof, RAD Sirisena and Mahinda Yapa Abey- wardena to support you. Where m’dear are the droves of supporters, constituents and blue friends laying in wait with open arms to greet you as you crossed the great divide, as you raced along the corridor like a young mustang to snatch your portfolio eagerly off the hands of Mallo? The whole affair might have seemed extraordinarily impressive if indeed the blue chaps had rallied round and spoken up.

Hmm! I wonder dearie, have they lost confidence in you too?

Food for thought old friend

Benazir Bhutto’s triumphal but bloody return home was not that of a head of state who was in exile for nine years facing charges of corruption.

International TV channels showed her return as that of a conquering heroine with ‘several hundreds of thousands’ of frenzied Pakistanis bellowing slogans of support and dancing as her colourful motorcade with hundreds of vehicles packed with supporters was winding through the streets of Karachi.

Benazir before embarking in Dubai had spoken of the restoration of democracy in her country and this was a fitting answer to the advocates of extremist violence who want to enforce their ideology on innocent people.

The charismatic 54-year-old woman stood with her supporters in a well guarded vehicle as the procession wended through but then a suicide bomber struck, instantly killing 126 people, many of whom were security guards and police personnel who were part of the moving cordon protecting the former prime minister. Miraculously she escaped unhurt.

This attempt would deepen the crisis that is gripping Pakistan which is being wracked by violence. The extremists did not hide their intentions about killing Bhutto. Two weeks ago Baitullah Masood, the Taliban commander had vowed to kill her if she returned to Pakistan. Immediately after the assassination attempt another extremist, Hadji Omar was reported saying, ‘She had been in agreement with the Americans. We will carry out attacks on Benazir Bhutto as we did on Pervez Musharaff.’

Benazir was considered a bulwark against Islamic extremism. While in exile in London she had supported the raid on the Red Mosque complex in Islamabad which was being held by Islamic militants.

In an interview given in Dubai she had said: ‘If in a short sighted way some people think that this is not Pakistan’s war but that of America, we will end up with warlordism. Pakistan will end in disintegration, fragmentation and ethnic cleansing.

Indeed it appeared that Bhutto’s return to Pakistan was part of an arrangement backed by the United States and Britain. A deal had been worked out between the two arch foes Pervez Musharaff and Benazir Bhutto to jointly rule the country.

Musharaff, the army commander who seized power on a coup stage against Nawaz Sharif was attempting to be re-elected for a second term as president by the country’s electoral college while retaining the post of army commander, specifically forbidden by the constitution. Musharaff sacked the Chief Justice Ifthikar Choudhry whom he suspected would not play ball with him for his re-election but the Supreme Court reinstated him.

The president appeared to be in dire straits with petitions before the Supreme Court challenging his election by the electoral college citing that Benazir’s party abstained from voting while the entire opposition boycotted the election.

The compromise solution was to get Benazir who heads the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) to work together with Musharaff who will give up his job as army commander.

But the question remains whether the Supreme Court will still hold Musharaff’s election as being constitutionally valid and also whether the amnesty granted to Benazir on charges of corruption by a special bill adopted is also constitutionally valid.

If the Supreme Court decisions go against Musharaff’s election and the amnesty for Benazir, the country which is wracked by extremist violence with the al Qaeda and the Taliban making their contributions it could, as Bhutto has said, degenerate into warlordism and even disintegration.

There is much speculation that if the court decision goes against Musharaff, he may dissolve parliament and declare Martial Law which the United States has strongly urged him to desist from. The Supreme Court decisions can save the country from such anarchy but will certainly come under the fire of the extremists.

The Pakistani crisis is part and parcel of the geopolitical crisis concerning Afghanistan. To the United States and the West, a friendly regime in Pakistan is essential in its attempts to defeat the Taliban and end al Qaeda terrorism.

There are moves made in the United States even to deploy US troops in Pakistan to combat al Qaeda terrorists who have sought refuge in the tribal border region of Waziristan where even the much wanted Osama bin Laden is believed to be in hiding.

Even scarier for the West, though it is not openly stated is that if a pro terrorist regime takes control of Pakistan and gets their hands on the nuclear bombs which Pakistan possess. An Islamic bomb has been the nightmare of the West from the mid ’70s.

Will the entry of Bhutto into Pakistan politics help bring about change in the country’s politics? Political analysts say that the army which has been the real power in Pakistan will not surrender their rights but may compromise with Bhutto to bring about stability.

This remarkable woman however will be harbouring grave doubts about Pakistani generals. Benazir Bhutto on completing her studies at Harvard and Oxford returned to Pakistan to find her father Zulficar Ali Bhutto who was prime minister jailed by the military dictator Zia-ul-Haq who hanged her father on a charge of murder.

After that she was jailed for six years and later went into exile in London.

Later she returned to Pakistan, contested elections and became the first Muslim woman prime minister at the age of 36. But 20 months later she was sacked by then President Ghulam Ishak Khan on allegations of corruption but in 1993 she was once again elected as prime minister only to be sacked again by another president also on charges of corruption.

Bhutto and her husband have been accused of massive corruption and money laundering but she denies it all saying that the charges are fabricated and politically motivated.

Now she has retuned and is willing to compromise with President General Musharaff. She obviously believes that politics is the art of the possible.

Asian women clashing with military dictators are a phenomenon peculiar to the region and not seen in other parts of the world.

In Bangladesh we have two former women Prime Ministers, Khaleda Zia and Sheik Hasina locked up on corruption charges by a military backed interim government. In Burma there is the frail and determined Aung Suu Kyi defying a 45-year-old military dictatorship and arousing world opinion despite being placed under house arrest for 12 years.

And now we have Benazir Bhutto. Asian women apparently do not like being dictated to, not even by military dictators. What are Asian men doing?

It is a crazy world we live in. I mean this Paradise which we lost just like that chap John Milton who lost his.

He at least was able to regain it. We are hardly likely to regain anything the way we keep losing not only our prestige but also our marbles.

That is not surprising given that gun-toting politicians roam the streets and their ninja sons chicken out in the first brush with the judiciary.

People normally go to hospital because of some affliction or a health complaint.

But the brave sons of the brave fathers of Lanka who can apparently trace their ancestry to Dutugemunu, find hospital a convenient place to lay their heads when the long arm of the law catches up with them and tries to consign them to a prison cell, awaiting justice.

Blundering words

While the pistol-packing pappas use their state-issued pistols to frighten people into submission there are others who threaten us with their blundering words hiding behind the cloak of official position.

The other day it was that Hulugalle fellow from what is called the Media Centre for National Security. If every chappie who applies for a licence to run some potty TV channel considers himself a media expert, this world would be full of pretenders.

Now the man is poking his proboscis trying to find traitors. Obviously this Hulugalle fellow cannot see the wood for the trees. Come to think of it the man does know a thing or two about trees since he has had something to do with them. Personally I would not shout timber in his hearing lest he gets strange ideas into his rather wooden head.

Hulugalle, of course, is not the only administration lapdog, if a metaphor might be allowed trying to play a government Rottweiler. There is an old saying that barking dogs do not bite. By the same token biting dogs do not bark.

Enter the Professor

Hardly had Hulugalle returned to his corner, curled up and gone to sleep who do you think enters the fray?

The professor from the deep south. From Beliatte or some such corner of our Paradise island, I am told. Anything is possible of course. In my time I have known people who came from Mulleriyawa. But not all of them had lost their marbles. Whereas I have known some who came from the best residential addresses in Colombo and Kandy who could have been justifiably deposited in the closest loony bin for some of the most outrageous thoughts they would express from time to time.

I have known a person or two from Katana who would more than qualify for the bin treatment. But instead they are walking around as though they own the country. Well I suppose they do, seeing how the nation is being sold for scrap.

In the old days they used to blame people for selling everything including the family silver. Today the family is not selling; it is collecting everything it could lay its hands on.

Now I don't know why that institution called the Secretariat for Co-ordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP) needs a professor. I suppose there is a rationale for it.

Wanted: a teacher

SCOPP today is not what it was intended to be or what it was before. Its recent heads have been busier making thunderous statements whether they related to the purpose for which it was established or not. Today it needs a professor not to co-ordinate the peace process or what is left of it, but to teach everybody a lesson.

There are those who ask, and quite justifiably one could say, whether the present head of SCOPP has a right to continue to call himself a professor when he is no longer attached to any academic institution.

Perhaps he has simply got himself some leave from whichever university he was working at, to work for SCOPP. Maybe he was not satisfied just being heard by a handful of students of some Sabaragamuwa campus. Perhaps he wanted a wider audience and to speak to the world as though anybody outside this blessed isle had the slightest interest in listening to the poor chap who seems to have lost his audience not to mention his plot.

Laughing stock

Now he is left only with his sub plot and as a chap who is said to have studied English literature at Oxford University no less, he must know what a sub plot is.

Even in this blessed isle there are hoots of laughter whenever the man issues a statement or plants his prose in the obliging state media. The Colombo society in which he moves around is of course too polite to laugh in his face. So when he turns his back the whispers gather momentum and then turn into gales of laughter at the man's inanities.

That is how he became the topic of our conversation when we met as usual at Paradise Club, our Duplication Road watering hole where political stupidities are dissected, bribery and corruption trisected and prayers are said to the deities of every existing religion - and some that don't exist too -- in the hope they would save our Paradise isle from this medley of mediocrities that run it.

I know it will tax the combined wisdom of the pantheon to rescue this land from the enormous tragedy that has befallen it.

While they put their collective shoulder to the wheel as it were and at a time when living costs are fast approaching the 20 per cent commissions that some are making in what must be the zenith of corruption since independence, the only thing left to escape from these bleak times is to share a joke or two and have a good laugh.

Another gem

"Oi Pachoris, did you read Rajiva Wijesinha on the Louise Arbour visit," asked Kandiah (call me Ken) Vinasapathi of the former Ceylon Civil Service.

Before I could reply Kesara Kasalagoda, Royal College and SSC, who was just moving to join us and overheard Ken broke in "Hey where did you read that? I didn't see in the newspapers,"

"It was in some website called 'Sri Lanka Guardian.' Great stuff really, if you'll excuse an overstatement," I said.

"What has he blurted out this time?" asked Kasalagoda.

"Nothing new of course His usual attacks on the media. This time he has turned his guns on another Sunday newspaper," replied Vinasapathi.

"Another pus vedilla, I presume," asked Para Pathiam, the Mannar mathematician.

"Funny fellow, really. He labours the point that Louise Arbour did not say anything about wanting to set up a UN human rights office here and blames the newspapers for fabricating the news. Neither Arbour nor her office issued any clarification or correction to the reports which she would have done if she had been misquoted or misrepresented on such a key issue. And so far she has not," went on Vinasapathi.

Twisted logic

"That is not all. Wijesinha says Arbour is in a position to issue what he calls a categorical denial. If she does not, then it seems she is in cahoots with the Tigers or NGOs or Western colonialists or all of them," added Batty Bebaddah, former MP for Arakkupattu.

"But how can she issue a categorical denial if she has actually said what the newspapers said she did?" I asked.

"That my friend is the sub plot. They are trying to force her to issue a denial. If she does not then it will be said that the government cannot work with such a person. All this nonsense about newspapers making up the story is a cover up so that if she does not do so, Fernandopulle could say she is a terrorist paid by the Tigers," added Vinasapathi.

"The Professor tries hard to minimise the damage that Fernandopulle did by saying it was the reaction of just one Sri Lankan. That is the real joke. He forgets that Fernandopulle, minister and chief government whip said so at a regular media conference held on behalf of the government," said Dr Ananda "Andy" Ansabage.

Vacancy

"He should tell that to the Pulle to see what he has to say about being reduced to a Simple Singho," Bandu Bahubootha, university don turned NGO wallah said.

"I say has this Wijesinha fellow been in theatre, has he acted?" asked Pulli Pachchathanni, the poet laureate of Pungodativu breaking his prolonged silence.

"Why, why do you ask," I said.

"As you know I'm staging a Shakespeare play. I am looking for somebody to play Malvolio," said the poet.