A rotting fish head

Wednesday 4th August, 2021

What is this world coming to when female legislators complain of sexual harassment in Parliament itself? SJB MP Rohini Wijeratne yesterday complained to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena that SJB MP Thalatha Athukorale had suffered verbal sexual abuse at the hands of some government MPs during the recent debate on the no-faith motion against Minister Udaya Gammanpila. She alleged that the Chair had done nothing to rein in the unruly SLPP MPs, who went scot-free. It was Parliament’s moment of shame.

Speaker Abeywardene later told the House there was no truth in MP Wijeratne’s claim, but the SJB insists that the incident happened, and a probe must be conducted.

A few years ago, the media revealed that some male MPs were sexually harassing their female counterparts. The then Speaker Karu Jayasuriya promised action and asked for formal complaints, but nobody came forward, and the issue fizzled out. The victims obviously chose to remain silent for fear of reprisal and stigma.

Allegations of verbal sexual harassment are not limited to Parliament. The local government institutions have their share of frustrated males notorious for insulting and/or even making advances to female councillors; they cannot utter a single sentence devoid of smutty double entendre.

We reported, on 18 Jan. 2021, that female local government members were denied their right to speak at council meetings, dominated by unruly males. Maharagama Urban Council member (SLFP) Chandrika de Zoysa was quoted as having said, at a press conference organised by a collective of female councillors, that their male counterparts heckled them and even shouted them down whenever they tried to speak. A similar situation prevailed at all other councils, the female councillors said. We editorially commented on the predicament of women, and called for action against the misogynists. Some women’s rights groups took up the issue, but the problem persists, we are told. How can we get rid of the scourge of gender-based discrimination against women when the so-called people’s representatives themselves promote it with impunity?

The SJB-led Opposition should ensure that action is taken against the bad eggs in the garb of government MPs who made lewd, demeaning comments on Thalatha, who is a former Minister of Justice. The members of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus, whose mission is to empower women and eliminate violence and harassment against them, must circle their wagons, and protest until a probe is ordered.

The Opposition must name the SLPP MPs who harassed Thalatha so that the public will know who these sick characters are, and action can be taken against them. It should also explore the possibility of moving a no-faith motion against these shameless elements, and making the House discuss the issue of gender-based discrimination against its own members and adopt measures to solve the problem once and for all. The Opposition holds protests over numerous issues, but is silent on the sexual harassment of one of its female members.

All political parties have women’s wings, which must take up the issue of discrimination and sexual harassment female representatives undergo in political institutions.

Women account for more than one half of Sri Lanka’s population, but there are only 12 female MPs. The number of women legislators should be increased. Women must push for this. This is something the Parliamentary Select Committee, tasked with identifying ‘appropriate reforms of the election laws and the electoral system’ and recommending ‘necessary amendments’, should give serious thought to.

We are not short of male MPs who pretend to be paragons of virtue and pontificate to others. We hear them urging the protesting teachers to behave. Shouldn’t they put their own house in order before faulting others for indiscipline? A fish, as we keep saying, is said to rot from the head down.