Down with Divine Covid Blessings!

Sri Lanka is not any isolated island in the Indian Ocean. We may have thought so when we were able to hugely curb the spread of Covid-19 in its first wave. 

Today’s  spread of the virus here puts us very much in line with the rest of the world. We may catch up with the Indian trend, or even beat it and reach the US reality. That apart, this Brandix spread is also raising many issues about the situation of female workers in the garment and other industries in Sri Lanka. 

The uncontradicted reports of how employees who were sick – had fever and respiratory problems – were made to continue working, till the first Covid victim was found after a PCR test in a government hospital, shows the shameful situation in our treatment of female workers who have no trade union support; and also about trade unions silenced by proprietary dominance in a democracy that is hugely threatened by the promised ‘soubhagya” or good fortune of the 20A.  

There is much talk about an Indian play in the current Covid spread. Let’s hope we get to know more about the actual Brandix Role in this viral game of rapid and wide infection.

The Covid virus has certainly struck at our sovereignty, which is causing worries to the US Ambassador, Aliana B Teplitz, who is so concerned  about the protection of Sri Lankan sovereignty. Let us remind her that the threat to us just now is not from China, where the virus began, but from her own US, that is spreading much more calamities than the Covid virus, such as the huge threats to democracy and the very electoral process that is at the core of the democratic governance.

We face a much bigger threat from the US presidential moves, especially in his current Covid-infected thinking, with his calling the Covid-19 infection  “a blessing from God”.   He must be thanking the Creator for the spread of the Covid virus in the White House, to his wife and close work and political associates.  Does he want the families of the more than 200,000 US citizens, who died from this virus, and the more than 700,000 persons currently infected, to also sing praises to God, for this divine touch?

Covid-19 is clearly threatening the sovereignty of every country, as we see it continue to spread in this second wave of a global pandemic, and is a vast human tragedy.  But, let’s not forget that this gives new courage and strength to those in Sri Lanka who hold ‘dual citizenship’, having sworn to support and protect the United States of America against any other country, including their ‘Dual’ homeland or land of birth.

Are these dual citizens – US + Sri Lanka – feeling great about this new presidential message about a Blessing from God? If they are not the right-wing Christians of the Trump Brand, who are hoping to capture the majority in the US Supreme Court, will they offer thanks to the many other deities, or divine forces, to whom they offer poojas to and also dash coconuts, for hopes and curses, for the rising spread of Covid-19 in Sri Lanka?

The Trump followers, globally, must be planning big events to take this message of divine blessings to all who follow them in both his politics and religion. The US President says this was ‘a blessing in disguise’, and promises to make free distribution of the drugs he has been treated with, some not even  officially approved, to all the Covid-19 blessed in the US. 

This is a big opportunity for those who are promoting various anti-Covid foods and medicines, whether ayurvedic or not, to spread their own message of divine support or ‘deva ashirvada’ for their own mixes and blends to treat and cure those infected by this virus.  

We could soon see a big message of the “Trump Healing” or the “Thurumpu Suvaya” that will be spread in Sri Lanka, as the Brandix spread keeps doing its rounds of infection. They could be joined to the extreme Christian preachers and churches, too, who will be glad to bring this very special Divine Blessing to the Pearl of the Indian Ocean

The Covid-19 Task Force, headed by the Army Commander, who keeps giving strong assurances  of the viral spread being contained, may have to think of new strategies on beating the divinity of this virus. As November 3 and the US presidential election draws closer, this divine message of Donald Trump will certainly seek to shatter the sovereignty of all countries, as he fails to capture the American voters.

Isn’t it time to be warned and ready to fight this special Blessing from God? Shall we raise a call against any Divine Blessings from the Covid spread?