Who Is Really Gunning For Dimu Jayaratne?
By Kumar David -January 16, 2014
Prof Kumar David
Who is really gunning for Dimu Jayaratne? It gets curiouser and curiouser!
The JHU, its leader Omalpe Sobitha, the monks of Sinhala Ravana (SR) and many other odd-bods known to be bigots and chauvinists, are out for the blood of Minister of Buddha Sasana and Prime Minister, DM Jayaratne. Conversely, UNP stalwart Mangala Samaraweera speaks in stout defence of the beleaguered PM and the party’s high command keeps a studied semi-silence on the matter. The JVP takes a principled stand, demanding that the PM step-down as a precondition for an impartial investigation. The unruly demonstration on January 8 led by SR monks could not have arrived at the gates of the PM’s office on Flower Road without someone at the level ofPresident, Defence Secretary or thereabouts, winking at the cops and clearing the way. The area is under vigilance as the Leader of the Opposition’s residence is half a km to one side and Temple Trees the President’s residence is a mere one km as the crow flies on the other. A demonstration outside the US Embassy the next day must also have had regime acquiescence. There is something strange going on; as Alice said “It gets curiouser and curioser”.
I am prepared to concede that the PM may not be directly implicated in or in the know of the heroin smuggling racket. It is possible that it was just lousy judgement in the choice of staff and lack of discrimination in the people he entertains that led to the position where a ministry official issued a letter to the customs department seeking the release of a container which turned out to be stuffed with the largest shipment of smuggled heroin ever detected in this country. This must be investigated by the enforcement authorities (if this is possible with this interfering government) and if need be DMJ should be prosecuted before an impartial court (if such still exists under the aegis of this regime). Despite justified reservations about impartiality in the country, this is the correct stand that we the public must take – investigate and if a prima face case emerges, prosecute.
If this were a normal country the Prime Minister should resign and it is a shame he has not done so already. Parliamentary propriety and common decency demand he quit and let the investigators get on with the job. True, neither propriety nor decency are high on the agenda of this regime and UPFA, so don’t expect miracles, but that is not the point of this article. What I find curious is that if the PM is being protected by the Rajapakse power-centre, then it contradicts my first paragraph which says that there is no explanation for mobs running amok unless higher powers are encouraging it. In passing, it is humorous that both “Prime Ministers” DMJ and Visvanathan Rudrakumaran of the self-styled TGTE are in hot water with the law; decency demands that both resign!
