The Struggle To Free The Tamil Political Prisoners & To Answer For The Displaced In Sri Lanka
By Ranjan Fernando –May 29, 2016
Ranjan Fernando
We are on the brink of a Fascist takeover, I feel. I cannot ‘prove’ it as one would a scientific hypothesis. Hence it is a collection of feelings based on what one hears, what one sees etc. In particular, I bring as a witness Prof. Sarath Wijesooriya, the successor to Ven. Sobitha whose impressive collection of civil organizations along with the Tamil votes brought about the downfall of the unlamented Rajapaksa regime.
In his regular writings to ‘Ravaya’, Prof. Wijesooriya chronicles a litany of lost hopes, betrayals, corruption and spinelessness of the new regime that he with millions of equally fair-minded citizens helped to found. But now he is ready to take up cudgels against them instead of merely complaining and moaning about their misdemeanors. The good Professor is in fact informing us of instances where the government is wheeling and dealing with Rajapakses for party political reasons thereby delaying, obstructing the legal process.
He once reminded me of Tsereteli and other ministers in the pre – revolutionary Kerensky regime in Russia, who played a similar role. The very weakness of that regime paved the way for Lenin, who was willing and ready to take power. Conversely, similar situations were obtained in Spain with General Francisco Franco coming to power in 1936, rise of Hitler (who was a mere Corporal during World War I) in Germany in 1934 etc, where the weak went to the wall yielding power to the strong. Prof. Wijesooriya now demands unequivocally and correctly that we should turn our backs on this degenerate regime and kick – start the good hearted civic populace to create the ‘just society’ that we all yearn for. Otherwise history will repeat itself, first as farce and then as tragedy. From homestead to the streets – let the march begin!
My second witness is none other than the Prime Minister’s own elder brother, Shan Wickremesinghe. In his daily morning progamme in TNL, the radio and TV channel that he owns, he openly chides and criticizes the many misdoings of this government and its officials. Now they are two sane and respected persons that the country listens to.
