A protest by only two against a vital issue

Protests in Sri Lanka, Colombo especially, are daily occurrences, university students being the most frequent protestors, next the health sector, followed by teachers and others. And what are their protests against? Invariably personal demands; higher salaries, allowances, release of troublous students taken into custody and strong violent gatherings against private medical colleges. All these are personal and selfish, even against privatisation of higher education which exhibits the ‘dog in the manger’ syndrome.

One recent issue that has not called forth public protests by any lot of consistent protestors is the MPs’ demand for duty-free vehicle permits, which they sell at fabulous prices.

There was one single protest against this pernicious, totally unnecessary perk to MPs, a week ago. And how large was the protest which should have been in the thousands? Just two persons. A gentleman and lady, very decent in appearance and very reasoned in what they told the police.

To stymie them was a posse of policemen all geared up. The fairly elderly man and woman said that MPs should not be given this perk which would eat into foreign reserves, while more than half of the population was struggling to have one decent meal a day. They were harassed by the police, and, I think, taken to the nearest police station.

Where was Stalin somebody with his stentorian voice demanding this and that for teachers, most of whom have a comparatively easy life and some make money on private tuition?

Where was Wasantha Mudalige and his following firebrands of the IUSF? They seem not to care what happens to the country’s economy; the majority people’s battle to make ends meet; and extravagant demands of most of the MPs. Why can’t they come out unified and stop this handing out of further perks to these pestiferous career makers of representing people in the legislature?

This woman shivered and shook literally, with outrage she supposes, when she heard MPs are demanding insurance for themselves and families for life!

It’s bad enough that ex-Presidents and families are setted in luxury thanks to JRJs vote catching largesse-giving from people’s money. Even Presidents who nearly destroyed the country enjoy the high life on government money – taxes extracted from struggling you and me. Now, most MPs are united in their demand for insurance. In return for what? Except just a handful, the others hardly contributed to debates in

Parliament, voted not knowing what they were voting for, but got fat on food served in-house and commissions or whatever pocketed illegally. The public was waiting to boot most of them out. Now they want to go with luxury car licenses and insurance for life.

There should be mass protests against these demands of MPs. Once given they cannot be retracted.Honestly, there are no other people like Sri Lankans for insensibility and personal greed.

Concerned Woman