Yureni Apologized, Sirisena Did Not
October 6, 2015
Whereas young TV host Yureni Noshika had the guts to apologize to those who may have been offended by her choice of attire, President Maithripala Sirisena is yet to apologize to the public for encouraging his children to abuse privileges, critics point out.
Yureni
Sirisena has so far failed to make a statement regarding his daughter Chathurika using her father’s position to drag state officials on a personal trip. Neither has he explained the presence of his son Daham‘s presence in the Sri Lankan delegation to the sessions of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. He has not apologized to the public for these excesses that are antithetical to his rhetoric on putting an end to nepotism.
Yureni caught a lot of flak from the social media ‘culture police’ for what was neither an illegal nor indecent act. Nevertheless, she called it a ‘mistake’. She had the courage and the humility to make a public statement.
The actions of the presidential progeny in contrast are illegal as well as distasteful considering Sirisena’s solemn pledges not to go the ‘Rajapaksa Way’.
Two days ago Leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Anura Kumara Dissanayake told Colombo Telegraph that if President Maithripala Sirisena is still serious about pledges made to the people on January 8th on good governance, rule of law, doing away with nepotism and favoritism, he has to make a clear statement regarding his son Daham‘s presence with the Sri Lankan delegation at the sessions of the UN General Assembly in New York.
Specifically, he said that the President has to explain why he took his son to New York and in what capacity. Dissanayake referring to the fact that Daham had stated that he was representing his mother at the UNGA and that he was a ‘youth representative’, said that in the event that President Sirisena cannot defend these statements, then both father and son as well as the Foreign Ministry have to tender an unqualified apology to the people of Sri Lanka.
