Daily News Editorial

JO’s selective patriotism

14 September 2016

Court rulings have come to be belittled in this country as of late. There was the infamous case of the Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara creating a shindig at the Homagama Magistrate's Courts sometime back and was taken into custody along with a host of unruly bikkhus who similarly misbehaved in the hallowed precincts of the court. Their objection; the arrest and trying of a military intelligence officer allegedly responsible for journalist Pradeep Ekneligoda's disappearance and murder.

Not long after that we had a whole host of Joint Opposition heavyweights coming out of court houses, on bail, with triumphant raise of manacled hands, taken into custody for alleged murder and large scale corruption, in clear defiance of the court rulings. No less a personage than Namal Rajapaksa took upon himself the liberty to mount a vehicle to deliver a broadside at the country's rulers, moments after being granted bail in a money laundering case, outside the court premises. Here too the courts were made to look feeble and a helpless spectator to the goings on under its very nose.

Now comes the news of a move by the Joint Opposition to pay the compensation money amounting to Rs. 2 million, ordered by court to be paid by a former army major, found guilty of shooting dead an LTTE cadre when he attempted to flee a camp under the major's watch, to the relatives of the dead LTTEer. The compensation was to be collected beginning yesterday opposite the Dharmapala statue in Homagama under the benign watch of JO frontliner Bandula Gunawardena. The JO has appealed to the public to contribute lavishly towards the project so that a war hero won't unduly be penalized.

The court would necessarily have found the military officer guilty, based on the material placed before it and after taking into consideration all the evidence. Hence, there can be no reason for the JO to act the way it is doing unless it wants to seize on the opportunity for cheap political gain. The opportunity has also presented itself to buttress its (JO) claim that the government was on a witch-hunt against war heroes.

While the concern demonstrated for the war heroes by Gunawardena and his ilk in the JO is gratifying indeed, why pray was this same milk of human kindness nowhere to be seen when the son-in-law of the former war winning army commander was constantly hounded and his offspring driven into exile. Did Gunawardena and his lot, now going overboard to ensure that the military officer concerned was not penalized at all and that they (JO) would do whatever it is in their power to ensure this war hero will not go to jail due to default in payment of this compensation, ever give a thought to the welfare of the jailed army commander who led from the front in the battlefield that brought us victory, while he was wasting away in a prison cell for two long years?

Up to date none of the charges against Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka has been proved and the case against him and his son-in-law is at a dead end. On the other hand, the investigation arms have unearthed sufficient evidence against the military intelligence officer now in custody. Nay, a whole network of military and police personnel had been very active, either being directly involved in the murders that are now being priced open, or engaged in cover ups.

Bandula Gunawardena and co. should accept the fact that military personnel, by virtue of being responsible for the elimination of terrorism cannot be above the law. They too should answer for their crimes like any other citizen arraigned before courts for criminal acts. There cannot be a different law for the armed forces and police, some of whose crimes are now gradually coming to the surface, going by the results of the myriad investigations now on. The newspapers often report of murders and robberies committed by ex soldiers (It was reported recently that a serving military officer was among those arrested for treasure hunting). Is Gunawardena and members of the Joint Opposition asking the law to look the other way because of the contribution made by these men towards the cause of defeating terrorism?

Name board parties as political allies

It is reported that seven more political parties had expressed their willingness to throw in their lot with the Joint Opposition and that their representatives had met with Basil Rajapaksa to communicate their decision. However, glancing at the list of these seven parties one cannot help thinking that they are mere name boards, bereft of any voting strength. There is the Liberal Party of which the public are aware of only one member while there is also a party by the name of Muslim Ulema Party, whatever that means. On top of that, the list also includes a party bearing the title Green Party. Is the JO trying to impress the electorate by bringing what are called political parties with zero following into its fold?