Entrenched power of Gotabaya Way

The questions posed by Arahat Mahinda to King Devanampiyatissa on the historic Poson Poya day, in the 3rd Century BC, keeps ringing in the minds of our people to this day. The questions about a mango tree and the kinsmen of the king were to gauge the king’s intelligence and capacity to understand, which he clearly showed, and we saw Buddhism brought to this island.

Although the questions did not relate to justice, the teachings of Buddhism, and the traditions of teaching, learning and living in this country in keeping with Buddhism, saw a great honour and respect for justice. We have always valued Adhikaranaya, Yukthiya and Sadaaranaya in the social system of this country.

The principles of justice that have prevailed in our society through so many centuries, despite so many threats to the values of justice, accepted the need for proper judgment, and punishment for those who violate the law. Arahat Mahinda did not ask King Devanampiyatissa about the standards and values of justice. He was told not to kill the deer that was being hunted. Justice and kindness, compassion for other animals, were all part of the teachings of Buddhism that became the foundation of Sri Lankan society.

We suddenly see all of those valued teachings of human decency shattered by the Executive Power of the Presidency. So many centuries after the Mahindagamanaya to this island, we now see a Dumindagamanaya, that has crushed the values of a society, that has accepted Democracy and the principles of the Rule of Law.

A cartoon in an English newspaper yesterday had the most telling message of the destruction of Justice in Sri Lanka today. The cartoon depicted a caricature image of President Gotabaya in the role of Justitia, holding a raised sword in one hand, and balanced scales in the other, and not blindfolded.

The Executive Presidency has certainly made a mockery of the principles and values of Justice. A person sentenced to death (not carried out in this country) by a High Court of three judges, and confirmed by the Supreme Court of five judges including the Chief Justice has been released to society. Why and for what purpose? What special tasks done in prison gave him an earning for such a pardon? What call of society required such a pardon, and was it done with the consensus of the judiciary and the administrators of justice?

The people of Sri Lanka, caught and trapped in the Covid pandemic, were not waiting for any presidential pardon to a convicted criminal to ease the burdens of this ever spreading pandemic.

The pains caused by the increase in the price of fuel, are not reduced by this pardon. Neither are the burdens imposed on the cultivators of this country by the sudden ban on chemical fertilizers and other necessary agrochemicals, in any way reduced by this pardon of a convicted murderer, who played a manipulated role in the former Ministry of Defence.

There were some people outside the Welikada Prison who were singing praises of how much this person had helped them with loads of food and goods in his high days in politics. They had come to greet and cheer him, with hopes of many more loads of benefit to follow. But the prison authorities, who gave a special send off to the pardoned LTTE members, and released them through the front door, made sure that pardoned-prisoner Duminda would be released from the backdoor. There is certainly a backdoor substance to this entire exercise.

Is it a pure coincidence that this pardon and release took place with the return to Sri Lanka, from the USA, of that dual-citizen brother of the President and Prime Minister, and the head of two Presidential Task Forces?

Are we moving to a new policy package of government, with the Saubhagyaye Dekma, in parliamentary membership to a dual citizen, and a reduction in the functions of the Mahinda Rajapaksa?

Is the Dumindagamanaya the opening of a new chapter of the Rajapaksa Saubhagya, where the Covid pandemic is to be the background for the rise of political power that has no respect for Democracy, the Rule of Law, and the genuine needs of the people?

Udaya Gammanpila, Wimal Weerawansa, Vasudeva Nanayakkara and such political types will now have to think more about their political future — and lament about their voting for the 20th Amendment to the Constitution.

The Politics of Sri Lanka will be fast moving in the Gotabaya Way, with the new trend of the Dumindagamanaya, having little to do with the Mahindagamanaya and the questions posed to King Devanampiyatissa.

Just bear in mind that Justitia is no longer blindfolded, and the sword will be the weapon of power, and not of equality and fair play.