Daily News Editorial

Comments that boomerang

Comments that boomerang

Wednesday 04th November 2015

 

UPFA Parliamentarian and staunch supporter of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has excoriated the Government over the police action against HNDA students during the demo opposite the University Grants Commission last week. Terming the attack brutal and inhuman the former Minister said the incident represented the blackest episode in the history of student agitation in this country. He also said it was ironic that a government which has set up a Commission to tame and discipline the police had become the first accused in connection to the attack. He also called upon the newly established Police Commission to define and educate the members of the police force on the difference between minimum and maximum force.

The Police certainly went overboard in dealing with the student protest. It could be claimed in extenuation that the police was forced to act in this manner as a last resort when the protestors hurled stones and other missiles at them (a Policeman was injured and admitted to hospital). Television footage conformed this. But to single out this particular incident as an example of the Government's brutality and insensitivity to student demands is indeed strange to say the least coming as it does from Alahapperuma.

The whole country is aware how student protests were dealt with by the Rajapaksa Government in which Alahapperuma was a powerful Minister. There was a time when television news carried scenes of brutal attacks on student protestors almost on a daily basis. Even monks were tear gassed and baton charged. The former Minister talks as if this was the first time that water cannons were used against student protestors. Alahapperuma also offers his gratuitous advise to the Government to accede to the student demands in order to prevent such incidents.

One couldn't spot even a single member of the armed forces in the melee at Ward Place. This was not the case in the past. All protests, including student protests were dealt with by the military against all civilized norms democratic practice. The army is brought only as a desperate last resort. It is this same army that was sent to deal with people demanding drinking water at Rathupaswela. Alahapperuma who is today weeping buckets for the HNDA students we cannot recall making any noise over the death of two innocent students who were mere bystanders, shot by the army. Alahapperuma who has cultivated an image as a politician always supporting the cause of the underdog we cannot recall taking exception to the decision to send the army officer responsible for ordering the shooting on a diplomatic assignment abroad.

Interestingly the MP makes reference to a parala ena (rafter nails) case where two university students were alleged to have had nails drilled into their foreheads by a UNP politician following his defeat at the hands of Nanda Ellawala at the 1988 Ratnapura by-election. Alahapperuma one recalls was in the forefront demanding justice for the two students whose tortured bodies were dumped in a jungle. Later the self same Alahapperuma made the same parala ena reference in Parliament when the same UNP politician (both were MPs at the time) was on the run from the law for the alleged murder of Nalanda Ellawala, directly pointing the finger at the MP as the perpetrator of the act. However Alahapperuma had no qualms whatsoever to sit with this same UNP politician whom he accused for murdering his erstwhile colleague, in the Government benches, after that worthy did a political somersault and joined the Government.

People, especially politicians, should be careful when finger pointing, because it is bound to boomerang. Alahapperuma should do well to ponder on the instances where protestors were brutally suppressed by the Rajapaksa Government. Not just at Rathupaswela. Protestors were also killed at demos in Katunayake and Negombo, the victims being youth. He should also ponder as to how the army was brought in to quell protests by civilians, now that he has ample time to reflect on the past, relieved of the many portfolios he held.

None of this however is meant to exculpate the police from blame. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has already appointed a committee to get to the bottom of the matter. Similarly the newly established National Police Commission too has appointed a Committee to probe the incident separately. Tasked with enforcing discipline, it is hoped that NPC would act firmly against those men who used excessive force. This could well be the defining moment for the NPC to demonstrate to the public its willingness to act sans any political pressure. It will also be a test for the new Government who is confronted with the first major incident since being elected to office. Already the Opposition is in overdrive laying the blame at the door step of the Government. There are accusations that a political hand was behind the police attack. Hence it will have to clear the air in this regard.

Students on their part should also act with circumspection. The HNDA issue was certainly not of such a magnitude that warranted an agitation of the scale witnessed at Ward Place, giving credence to accusations that the demo was politically instigated. Negotiations should always be the first recourse.