An analysis piece highlights the precarious position of state officials who align themselves closely with incumbent governments, citing historical examples of prominent figures who faced career destruction after regime changes.
Sri Lankan politics has a documented pattern of governments discarding senior officials who become too closely associated with ruling administrations, according to commentary published in The Island. The cautionary account points to multiple instances where high-ranking state functionaries faced professional ruin, imprisonment, or public humiliation after political transitions, suggesting a cyclical pattern of political expediency superseding institutional loyalty.
Notable examples cited include former Chief Justice Mohan Peiris, who was appointed following the controversial 2013 removal of Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake. Following the 2015 regime change, Peiris was removed from office and subjected to what the commentary describes as "indignities" by succeeding administrations. Similarly, former Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundera and Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando were both appointed by the Yahapalana government but later sentenced to death in connection with their alleged failure to prevent the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks. Both men have since criticized former political leaders for their treatment.
The analysis suggests that current public officials appointed by the present NPP-led government should exercise caution, warning that history demonstrates how officials become political scapegoats during transitions of power. The piece notes that numerous bureaucrats have been arrested and remanded by successive governments for allegedly executing unlawful orders from previous administrations, establishing a pattern where "the boot will be on the other foot after the next regime change."
The commentary argues that Sri Lankan politicians prioritize self-interest over institutional stability, and that political favors inevitably carry hidden costs for those who accept them.
