Beyond Impunity: The Hambantota Fracas And The Fall-Out From It
Emil van der Poorten
While the Rajapaksa Regime’s response to the attempt at wholesale intimidation of the group of UNP MPs who visited one or the other (or both?) of the Ultra-Pale Ruhunu Magampura Pachyderms recently was typical of the behaviour of the most corrupt and violent of Sri Lankan governments in its modern (or ancient) history, there was little cause for any great surprise.
This mode of behaviour has been a feature of this government’s conduct, steadily accelerating as the days and weeks speed by.
There were, however a few little variations from the usual modus operandi.
The absence from the fray, both in a physical and vocal sense, of The Hon. Mr. Weerawansa and the Hon. “Dr.” Mervin Silva was cause for some surprise. After all they usually, one or both, attempt to be the “Stars” of the UNFPA circus. Whatever the reason, they were conspicuous by their absence.
What was also surprising was the fact that several members of the Royal Family, inclusive of its Reigning Monarch, chose to enter the fray – the print and oral one – after the opening salvo had been fired – literally – down south.
The man who threatened the UNP MP’s with a side-arm – now claimed by him to be a “toy” – claimed that he was there as some kind of “peacemaker” on the orders of Namal Rajapaksa, patently the Heir Apparent (HA) to the Sri Lankan throne, and that he was seeking to protect the Parliamentarians. He subsequently chose to remove himself from the discussion of these events when the HA denied that he had issued any orders to the (very large) local politician (the Mayor of Hambantota?) to play (armed) peacemaker. The ensuing deafening silence from a man who appears to be the closest thing to a Sumo wrestler in Ruhuna should be obvious to all with even a smattering of knowledge of how the Monarcy operates in this country and the level of subservience displayed by those beholden to it. Read More
