When severed heads bite

Monday 10th October, 2022

Severed heads of some venomous snakes can still kill. They have to be disposed of carefully. This holds true for the ‘decapitated’ governments as well; their leaders can remain destructive if they are provided with opportunities for political manipulations. What Sri Lanka is experiencing at present is a case in point. The SLPP lost the presidency due to public protests, but its ‘head’ has retained the bite reflex, and continues to sting fiercely, as evident from numerous corrupt deals, the ongoing witch-hunt against anti-government protesters, and the ouster of the Chairmen of the COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises), and the COPA (Committee on Public Accounts)—Prof. Charitha Herath and Prof. Tissa Vitarana, respectively.

Having elected UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as the President in keeping with its Plan B, the SLPP is now trying to consolidate its power. It launched what may be called its comeback campaign from Kalutara, over the weekend. It is trying to market former President Mahinda Rajapaksa again, the way it did very successfully following the 2015 regime change. Mahinda, addressing the Kalutara meeting, sought to boost the morale of the SLPP’s rank and file, and jokingly added that Ranil was now one of them. He has proved Ranjan Ramanayake right; the latter famously said, a few years ago, that all politicians were buddies although they took on one another in public.

Former Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena, who organised the SLPP meeting in Kalutara, broke down in tears during his speech. He recalled savage mob attacks on his properties, and his mother’s narrow escape. Such incidents have a psychologically devastating impact on their victims, and those who carried out arson attacks on the SLPP politicians’ houses, etc., must be brought to justice forthwith. The scenes of savagery we witnessed on 09 May and the following day bore the hallmarks of terrorism, and the ordinary protesters obviously had no hand in it; they were carried out by organised groups wearing full-face helmets. Strangely, the police chose to look on while the ‘Helmet Brigade’ was going berserk. Similarly, all the SLPP politicians and their goons must be condemned and arrested for unleashing violence against the Galle Face protesters on 09 May; it is they who triggered retaliatory attacks.

Several speakers at the SLPP meeting stressed the need for ‘self-criticism’, but none of them spoke about, much less apologised for, the brutal attacks on the Galle Face protesters. No one admitted that the theft of public funds and corruption were among the main reasons for the SLPP’s current predicament.

The SLPP never learns. Its leaders continue to indulge in corrupt deals, especially in the power and energy sector. What they are doing reminds us of Sunil Edirisinghe’s famous song, which highlights the incorrigibility of some thieves; it is about a thief who, while being taken for execution, dreams of stealing the drum that is beaten to announce his decapitation!

All right-thinking people must have felt sorry for Abeygunawardena in tears. The question however is whether the ruling party politicians care two hoots about the ordinary people’s tears. Millions of mothers and fathers are in tears, unable to feed, clothe and educate their children who are crying as they cannot bear the pangs of hunger. Most schools have cancelled morning assemblies as many students faint due to hunger. People are suffering in this manner because politicians have stolen their money, ruined the economy and are living high on the hog.

Let it be repeated that all those who attacked the SLPP politicians’ properties have to be dealt with severely, according to the law. But the victims of arson attacks must be asked whether they have declared the assets for which they are demanding compensation, and duly paid taxes thereon. Abeygunawardena should be asked what he did for a living before entering politics, and how he raised funds for the acquisition of the assets which the Helmet Brigade destroyed in May. The same question should be posed to all other SLPP politicians who have lost valuable assets at the hands of anti-government mobs.