by Chandra Jayaratne
We, the citizens of society, merely watched on as the rule of law and justice were withering away before our very own eyes.
We watched as goons and unruly elements, egged on openly or directed unseen by the powerful elements, attack students and peaceful protestors. We watched as civil society activists were threatened, grenade attacked and put under pressure to a level that some of them even went in to exile. We also watched on as journalists were attacked, disappeared, and were even killed. We watched media stations being threatened, attacked and burnt down.
We even only watched without reaction when the police in uniform attacked and killed a man of unsound mind who threw stones at a train. We similarly watched as the police allowed goons to attack peaceful protestors and students.
We watched as offices and cut outs/ banners of election candidate were destroyed by opponents. We merely watched as political rivalry led to violation of the law and incarceration of opponents and the denial of fundamental rights of those not yet proven guilty. We are now watching inter party rivalry drive candidates of the same party attack each other and destroy their offices and cut outs / banners.
We watched as powerful personalities threatened openly from political platforms their opponents, media and journalists, civil society activists, business personalities, leaders of society and even religious leaders. We also watched and some of us clapped as our leaders threatened the leaders of international community for perceived interference in matters of internal management and our sovereignty.
In all of the above instances, we merely watched as the law enforcement officials, especially the police, failed to find errant persons who broke the law and even killed media personalities and innocent citizens. We remained merely as a society on watch as the power brokers who directed and controlled all these incidents went happily about surrounded by official and private armies. We even watched on as the errant persons arrested or identified by the police were not charged before the courts and penalized according to the law. We watched as the arrested wrong doers were forcibly or by network pressured released and were never charged for the offences committed.
We watched political rivalry lead to violation of the law and incarceration of opponents and denial of rights of those not yet proven guilty. We watched and perhaps even laughed at crude statements uttered publicly over the media by well known agents of power and thuggery.
We have today watched the head office of a media institution, where their news rooms are situated, being attacked by goons who had the audacity to come in a group, in a bus, during the day time, take over the control of a busy road intersection and attack a private sector office without any apparent rhyme or reason, unaware or uncaring whether they were leaving evidence in film.
This surely must be when we, the citizens of society, must stop being merely bystanders who watch the rule of law and justice wane before our very own eyes.
We, the citizens of society, must send a powerful message to many leader stakeholders that we are now on alert and watching, with readiness to act against our democratic rights, human rights, rights under law, acceptable societal norms and values and finally access to fair and equitable justice being taken away by goons, errant power houses, police, government officials, attorney general’s office and the executive leadership.
We must clearly demonstrate that we, the citizens of society are watching;
• Our executive and political leadership with a report card of accountability to the statements upholding democratic rights made on assumption of office, post election victory, and currently made as election promises in seeking a strong parliamentary support and even a two third majority in parliament
• The political leaders of all hue and colour, (especially those who visited the scene of the heinous attack on the private business property today and denounced the attack and promised delivery of justice), that they must live up to our expectations in upholding much cherished societal values and norms
• Our key Secretaries of Ministries with accountability as public servants to ensure delivery of freedoms, democratic rights, human rights, rights under law, uphold acceptable societal norms and values and provide access to fair and equitable justice
• The Inspector General of Police deliver upon all the commitments he made on the assumption of high office
• The Attorney General for his commitment to prosecute the errant and ensure that the law is correctly and fairly interpreted and enforced by the law enforcement officials
• The Chamber and Business leaders that they use their economic power and network, to ensure freedoms, democratic rights, human rights, rights under law, uphold acceptable societal norms and values and provide access to fair and equitable justice for all
• Civil society activists that they are taking the front seat and a leadership role in assuring good governance,
• Media institutions, both state owned and private, whether they are reporting facts and not fiction and are ready to report correctly and denounce all acts of violence, mafia activity and unlawful acts against the interests and rights of citizens
• Religious leaders in promoting civil society action of ‘naming and shaming’ the errant and unlawful elements of society ,irrespective of position and power
Let us as citizens of society also remember that we are on a watch list too, by;
• Goons, mafia and errant power brokers who are looking at the potential “Tipping Point” up to which they can get away scot free after their unlawful acts
• The politically powerful persons, to assess whether they can get way by making empty promises that are never meant to be delivered once in power, elected by our own ballots
• The Executive, who believe that they have no accountability to the citizens and anything they dish out must be accepted without question
• Law enforcement official who believe the application of the rule of law and justice are only to be upheld against those persons or institutions selected by them at their will or as directed by their political masters
• Media as to what level of wrongful reporting and cover up, the society is willing to tolerate
• Those who have no ‘fear’ nor ‘shame’ to do the wrong, believing they are above the law and immune from binding to societal norms and values
• Society at large, as to whether we have a commitment to uphold societal values and norms and not allowed to be mere pawns on a draughts board, yielding and waiting to be swallowed by more powerful citizens who wear crowns
• By investors and trading partners overseas, as to whether Sri Lanka is a place worthy of sustainable business relations and investments
• The international community as to how much the local community on its own care for their democratic rights.
This surely must be when we, the citizens of society, must stop being merely bystanders who watch the rule of law and justice wane before our very own eyes.