Civil society warns the Government

Aug 16, 2017

Civil society has warned the Government that they will face the same fate as the former Government if it fails to fulfil its promise to crackdown on powerful members of the former regime over their involvement in corruption and crime. Lanka News Web we talks with activities about the current situation of country.

Brito Fernando, President of the Families of the Disappeared told us that “ Everything was just for that short moment and then nothing. He says that if there is an allegation against someone it must be investigated and dealt with under the law. “We see a long delay now in the judicial process as well,” he said.

The Maithripala Sirisena-led government assured that the Rajapaksa regime will be held accountable for the allegations against them. However so far, neither Rajapaksa nor his family have been found guilty of any crimes and this has baffled civil society.

The Secretary of the Ceylon Teachers’ Union Joseph Stalin told that while investigations into large scale fraud had been launched after the current government took office, there was no positive outcome.“The entire process has been very slow. We do not see any progress on the investigations into former President Mahinda Rajapaksa or Shiranthi Rajapaksa,” he said. Stalin warned that if the government fails to fulfil its promises to the public, civil society will be forced to take things into their hands.

Puravesi Balaya Co-convenor Gamini Viyangoda told that one of the main issues facing the current Government is that corrupt Ministers from the former regime are now in the current regime as well. “The government is struggling to take action on the corrupt Ministers who were in the former regime as some of them are part of the current Government. Everyone is now mixed together,” he said.

Viyangoda said that the law is unable to take its course as those corrupt are now working for the top members of the current Government. “The corrupt are roaming free and so are the criminals,” he said. He further said that a group of civil society members will gather in Colombo on yesterday (15th) and protest against the government’s failure to take appropriate action on corrupt members of the former regime. “We will remind the Government of the promises it made during the 2015 election. he said. Viyangoda said that civil society have a responsibility to ensure the government keeps to its promise to the people who voted for change.

Anti-corruption activist Ranjith Keerthi Tennakoon also told that can be seen today is institutions with name boards above them but little action. He said that those who investigated some cases are now not even to be found. “The actions of the Government will return to have a negative impact on them if they don’t act fast,” he said. He says the Government seems to be dragging its feet on some issues and this is not what the voters expected from the government in 2015 at the elections. Tennakoon also warned that if the Government fails to act public will respond at the next election.

AshWaru Colombo