WHAT PRICE?

William Hazlitt says “The only vice that cannot be forgiven is hypocrisy,” if that is the truth and I agree with him, then the people who govern this country can never be forgiven, for the simple reason that the majority are a bunch of hypocrites!!!  The people are taking examples from the putrid glaring human examples governing them – what price politics???  More importantly, what price human life today???  We have only to look around or read a newspaper, the horror of murders, infanticides, patricides, suicides, homicides, death by accidents, the list is never ending!!!  Does it ever end, is the burning question???  Where and How does it end is the other questionable dilemma!!!  Children are ‘HACKED TO DEATH’ we read; what may we ask were the people around them doing while it happened to two not one child???  Is there NO PRICE ON HUMAN LIFE???  TWO PRECIOUS LIVES FOR ONE LOUSY GUTTER OF WASTE WATER!!!

Commissions, Commissions and Commissions appointed one after the other and the outcome only Omissions, Omissions and Omissions – the Commissions are the biggest attraction today – they purchase the Vote!!!  The Vote that is forgotten once it is cast!!!  The conclusions of so many Independent Commissions are long overdue!!!  The alleged Bond Scam with its unsurpassed magnitude, and the questions it rightly evokes as to why Mahendran has still not even been brought in!!!  Are they trying to tell us that the International Agencies tasked with doing this are incompetent or is there some huge cover up or protection of this individual involved???  The burning question is WILL WE EVER KNOW???  It is not just the Bond Scam, we are still waiting for long overdue conclusions on Keith Noyahr, Prageeth Ekneligoda, Wasim Thajudeen, Lasantha Wickramatunga, to name just a few!!!  WHY ARE THE WHEELS OF JUSTICE GRINDING SO EXCEEDINGLY SLOW IN ALL OF THESE CASES???  Additionally, why have no conclusions been arrived at on AG Mohan Peiris, Vaas Gunawardena, Duminda Silva, Mahindananda and so many others and why do we have to pay to have them incarcerated, apparently living in luxury in their cells with NO PUNISHMENT BEING METED OUT TO THEM???  IS SRI LANKA SO INCAPABLE OF METING OUT JUSTICE WHERE JUSTICE IS DUE OR WHAT IS THE REAL ISSUE FOR ALL THESE INORDINATE DELAYS FOR THE  RIGHTFUL CONCLUSION OF CASES???  THE HORRIBLE PROPENSITY FOR BRIBING LOOMS!!!   We have not been given any conclusion yet on the Easter Sunday perpetration, so how can we even expect to hear anything, when an equally gruesome mass killing was carried out on the Welikada Prison and up to date no conclusions have been arrived at nor has a finger been pointed at anyone and it will remain that way!!!  

Talking of inordinate delays – I cannot find words to describe the delays that occur in the Magistrate’s and District Courts on land cases – it is beyond human comprehension!!!  One poor man has been going to Court for the past 20 years and again yesterday (28/8) when he attended Court, he was told to consider himself lucky if it finishes in the next five years!!!  So, we ask WHAT PRICE JUSTICE???  These poor, poor people who earn a paltry salary, who have to sacrifice a day’s wage to attend Court, find money to pay their lawyer and find their way to Court only to be told to come back again and again and again!!!  IS IT WRONG THEREFORE TO ASK WHAT PRICE JUSTICE???   

The causes of suicide in our country, or for that matter anywhere in the world, stem most often from the desperation of loneliness, the inability to overcome drug addiction, divorce, mental instability which is growing fearfully, bankruptcy - another growing terror, financial instability, loss of family, domestic violence, drug or alcohol abuse, general inability to cope with life and the upheavals it brings!!!  

In countries like India and Sri Lanka most people resort to consuming pesticides or poison, self immolation, hanging themselves, shooting, jumping in front of a train or even jumping into wells!!!  The sad and pathetic truth of any person resorting to suicide is more often than not triggered by acute mental depression and the grueling disquietude of having no one and nothing to turn to, hence the desperation!!!   IS SUICIDE THE SOLUTION – WHAT A PRICE FOR A PRECIOUS HUMAN LIFE!!!  The desperate people of our country have nowhere to go to, no one to turn to!!!  Sure, there are Private Institutions, Clinics and Religious Organizations but in their desperation they do not have the money to go to these places!!!  Has the government ever thought of providing even one such Clinic or Rehabilitation Centre for these poor misguided human beings, who so desperately need a helping hand???  The meager number of religious organizations that do exist are so drastically overcrowded they just don’t have the room to take in anymore!!!   Time for the government to take some action to curtail this flood of desperation!!!

WHAT PRICE POWER? – Power, can be an extremely viable entity in the correct hands and an equally destroying force in the wrong hands, especially those of politicians!!!  In Sri Lanka, particularly before an election, our politicians will climb any mountain, ford any stream, follow any rainbow until they find their dream of becoming a politician!!!   After that, life becomes a non sequitur nothing logical follows, no promises are fulfilled, the people’s hopes are dashed to smithereens, expectations – we cannot even recall ever having given you any cause for hopes and expectations!!!  However, there is an exception - BEFORE ELECTIONS, - ask and it may be given, WE WILL KNOCK ON YOUR DOOR, you don’t have to knock on ours, oh no, YOU ARE THE VOTER AND IT IS YOUR VOTE WE NEED!!!  The jobs, the houses, the education, everything you are seeking WE WILL PROMISE YOU NOW BEFORE THE ELECTIONS, YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY!!!  Whether we will keep those promises or not is debatable!!!  As politicians we only need to GET not GIVE!!!  This is why we will GIVE PROMISES THAT NEED NOT AND WILL NOT BE FULFILLED!!!  SO, WE ASK, WHAT PRICE POWER???  

The other aspect of TRUE POWER IS SUPPOSED TO BE TRUE HUMILITY!!!  Politicians are expected to be servants of the people!!!  They are elected to serve but the irony is that it is we who end up serving them!!!  They promulgate themselves as demi-gods and expect to be waited on hand and foot!!!  If you go to them with a request, no matter what, you will be lucky if you get a look inside the door!!!  Their minions are well trained and are exceptionally capable of sending you from one corner to another – MISSION UNACCOMPLISHED!!!  The Minister has read your request, or given you a hearing and make no mistake, that is where it ends!!!  This is the TRUE PRICE OF POWER – THE POWER I HAVE OVER YOU NOW, THE POWER YOU GAVE ME WITH YOUR VOTE!!!   HOW STUPID CAN WE GET???

THE VOICE