මේ සතියේ සමාජ දේශපාලන අංශවල පමණක් නොව මුද්රිත හා විද්යුත් මාධ්යවල ද ප්රමුඛ මාතෘකා බවට පත්ව තිබුණු ඩෙංගු උවදුර, ත්රස්තවාදය වැළැක්වීමේ පනත යටතේ අත්අඩංගුවට ගැනීම් මෙන්ම ප්රජාතන්ත්රවාදය හා නීතියේ ආධිපත්ය සුරැකීම වැනි කරුණු සියල්ල මොහොතකට යටපත් වූයේ ජනාධිපති අනුර කුමාර දිසානා…
This week, issues such as the dengue menace, arrests under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, and the protection of democracy and the rule of law, which had become prominent topics not only in the socio-political sectors but also in the print and electronic media, were all momentarily overshadowed by the arrival of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Parliament on the 25th. Addressing Parliament, the President once again assured the people and all political and civil organizations that this government would not act in any way contrary to democratic and public aspirations. Currently, farmers' protests taking place across the country and the implementation of the law against organized criminals are also being criticized and interpreted in various ways. The President said that since such various allegations are mostly leveled against those in the opposition, there has been a tendency to portray them as political vendettas. However, the President also recalled how it has been revealed that there were strong links between many organized criminals and politicians.
It is no secret that the President's revelations are well-known in society. It is also clear to the public that the government is committed to combating organized crime. Whatever petty political criticisms are made about this government, everyone knows that they have been developed under the political shadow for a long time. It seems that many people have been interested in not only looting national resources but also abusing the law with political encouragement, disregard or the support of their official power. The President had also told Parliament that some bribes, frauds and thefts have been suppressed using political power. The President emphasized that the mandate given to this government is based on fulfilling the promise of providing a good country and a beautiful tomorrow.
The President strongly emphasized that civility is essential for this country today. Here, the President also reminded us of the disturbances in Parliament. He said that the people who look at the usual fight to raise the mace in Parliament will not approve of it as a civilized act at all. We also remember the wicked and indecent example that Karu Jayasuriya set for the country when he was the Speaker of Parliament. We could also see the clowns sitting in the Speaker's chair then. Not to mention, there were attacks, pepper sprays, etc. Some MPs and ministers acted like thugs then. A party in power in a country should always provide the public with the ideals of civility and human dignity. There is also an allegation that even some of the indecent activities in this country have been carried out in the name of democracy.
Jawaharlal Nehru, a great leader of India and a world-renowned Prime Minister, has said that self-discipline is essential for the qualitative development of democracy. It is certain that it is difficult to take this country on the right path today because of the authoritarian power of politicians who misuse democracy and love to be above the law. As President Anura said, we also believe that the people do not consider the mace snatching from Parliament to be heroic. The entire country watched this mace fight on television channels in the past few days.
Another important emphasis made by the President in Parliament was on the people's right to protest and question this government. The President emphasized that this government will not use tear gas and water cannons to suppress public protests and said that they should not be taken in front of private homes. He also said that there is freedom to hold such protests near places like the Presidential Secretariat and Parliament. As a political criticism, we can say that democracy should not end with a citizen throwing his ballot into the ballot box.
He also said that the Prevention of Terrorism Act, which has already caused a lot of controversy, should be repealed. Although the President did not mention the incident of former military intelligence chief Suresh Sale, who was arrested and detained using this act, it seems that he has given an answer to the controversies that have arisen over it. He asked in Parliament that if a small group of military intelligence units have acted on behalf of a party or a family contrary to the general law of the country, it is an offense, a crime. The President had also raised the question of how it can be an offense to use the current Prevention of Terrorism Act to investigate a brutal crime like the Easter massacre.
The President asked how it can be revenge when officers of the Criminal Investigation Department implement the law. He also strongly stated that the criticism leveled today against officers like Shani Abeysekara and Ravi Seneviratne is baseless. The series of events centered on Suresh Sale is a chain of events that the public saw as a drama. Sale has been accused in connection with a large-scale human massacre. Not only this, but there is also a suspicion of politics tied to it. Only the judiciary can resolve all this and provide justice to the victims who faced this unfortunate fate. The President had also said that there is no obstacle for the accused to prove their innocence by facing that judicial process.
Here, the President has also clarified the discourse related to revising the retirement age of judges, which is being questioned by the opposition and some civil society activists. A well-known allegation was also raised from the legal field that the vacancies of several Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judges were neglected. Civil society activists including the Bar Association also spoke out against revising the tenure of judges in this way. Allegations were also raised that the government is preparing to fulfill an ulterior motive by this. According to our understanding, there is a relevant legal framework for making such an amendment. The opinions expressed in this regard have also been shared in the social media. We also remember that this issue was raised in Parliament before. Also, two previous Presidents have been accused of influencing the judiciary. The Supreme Court judges and the Chief Justice, who are respected as the highest institutions of the country, should not be subjected to political influence for any reason.
The respect and acceptance of the process of administering justice in this country is very high. There have been cases where allegations have been made against the police and some officers who investigate crimes for administering justice before they go to court. However, it is an accepted fact in this country that the judiciary will not allow the powerful to subvert the law. It is also said that law was documented as far back as the 7th century BC. It is also said that the people of Greece protested demanding a proper judicial system. There are also cases in this country where there is suspicion and ambivalence among the people regarding the police and criminal investigation activities. Some time ago, a political thug who was chasing a group of members of Parliament with a pistol behind him was arrested by the police. However, the police said that the pistol in the hand of the thug was a toy pistol in the eyes of the law and was used to intimidate, so the thug was released. This confirms that for justice to be served in the courts, the police and relevant investigations must be carried out independently.
We also remember the revelations made by the alternative newspaper Ravaya regarding several judges and one Chief Justice of this country. There were even allegations of corruption and fraud. This is mentioned in the book ‘The Endless Struggle’ written by Ravaya editor Victor Ivan. However, it must be said that the trust and respect for the judiciary in this country has not been broken. President Anura emphasized that the government will not influence the judiciary in any way and will take steps to make their appointments as per the law. The President responded in this way in a context where the opposition is making strong criticisms and allegations about the delay in the appointment of judges. There was a commotion in Parliament in recent days because the opposition raised this issue and demanded a debate. But the Speaker did not allow it. The opposition, enraged by this, came to the middle of the chamber and shouted. A few even tried to take the mace. But that too was not achieved.
It is no secret that Parliament is a democratic center that should not be subjected to indecency. No one can approve of acting like an underworld gang without respecting the dignity of Parliament. President Anura said that such indecency would not be allowed under his rule. At that time, the government-opposition conflict was also shown to the country through television channels. In fact, many of the socio-cultural core systems in the country collapsed because of the actions of these uneducated political rascals?
Those who were in charge of the government at that time did not even want to condemn such stupid activities. The same rulers who allowed the entire political system to collapse could not control their political colleagues. It is no secret that the lumpen social stratum of this country has grown significantly in the past three decades. Black money was the strongest factor in the economy as well as in social advancement.
As President Anura said, today, tear gas or water cannons are not used to suppress democratic and peaceful protests. There are no reports today about the good-for-nothing between the country's rulers and criminal gangs. It is true that there are criticisms about the underworld and the circulation of weapons. But it seems that they are not connected to politics. However, there are also allegations about the JVP cadres who have taken up the old political style.
The President's speech, the promises and hopes placed before the people are many. It is also no secret that today the common people as well as the middle class are immersed in crises.
Not only the opposition but also civil society organizations have pointed out that people are tired of the problems of life. Although the treasury is filling up with VAT, the pocket of the common man is empty. Warnings from financial and economic experts are also being heard. Although its authorities are happy with the International Monetary Fund, it does not seem that a planned economy is being built in the country. However, no one who loves this country wishes for an economic collapse like that of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Everyone knows that oil prices are coming down as the Middle East crisis is unraveling. It is also being said that the people will not get that relief right away. The opposition leader and the energy minister were also involved in an argument in parliament about oil prices. But there is no benefit to the people. Gas, electricity and fuel are the three deaths that people face today. There is no need to write new commentaries about their dangers.
In the midst of all this, there is a dengue fever that creeps up on the doorsteps of the people. Colombo holds the record for dengue prevalence and deaths. The destruction caused and still being caused by the dengue killer in this country is serious. Dengue mosquitoes do not limit themselves to a political party, organization or any social class. How many lives have been lost due to their deadly operations? It is also evident that dengue control operations are being carried out throughout the country. However, it must be said that the operations carried out after the spread of the Marasena are a weakness of the health authorities. Political scoundrels who are not sensitive to the environment are also responsible for the pollution of this country and the environment going to hell. Similarly, the people who maintain the houses, surroundings and dengue mosquitoes in which they live are also guilty of this. As reported by the media, those who were accused of spreading dengue and paid fines are still committing the same mistake in the same way. Minister Sunil Handunnetti, who participated in a dengue prevention Shramadan held in Matara, said that those who are not afraid of the law, fines, and lawsuits are the ones who are putting society in danger. It should be emphasized that that fear was destroyed by corrupt politicians. Whatever President Anura Kumara said, the country of civilization, the city of humanity, democracy, and the rule of law are what the country itself demands today.