PCoI report have failed to identify a ‘mastermind’ that destroyed 268 lives and wounded more than 600, but have
recommended punitive action against the number one who failed to prevent the disaster and also exposed number two, laying a solid foundation for a Constitution to Constraint Politician, ‘by the People, of the people, for the people…’
Taking over from a economically disastrous second term of Rajapaksas in 2015, they both apart from doing a few good things, mostly shamed, neglected, passed-the-baby and clashed over trivial matters over the four and-a-half years. Since the ‘Bank Heist’ on the 49th day in office, followed by the cumulative effects of the 2nd Bond scam and the Easter attacks we lost investor confidence, tourism industry was shattered, and economy continued its downward trend. In a court case they may get away; it would be rather difficult to prove beyond doubt with evidence similar to what was revealed at the commission. They will leave Hulftsdorp as conquerors blaming the prosecutors and back to the waiting stupid supporters.
Drastic action exposing the two will create a precedent that the present and future ‘leaders’ would take serious note of. It has never happened on this soil though, South Koreans and quite a few counties jailed or even executed their former heads. Any attempt at fixing Maithripala Sirisena will end the two-thirds; his fifteen SLFPers, will leave the government taking away with them the two-thirds; a victory for people who can expect better performance from rulers. Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, a JVP Politburo member alleged India’s RAW for masterminding the attacks. Why did they avoid making submissions at the inquiry? Surely, as related by him at an interview with a national newspaper, they must be in possession of vital information on the Indian involvement in the crime. There should be some basis for his statement, but it was the Indian intelligence that offered complete information about the impending attack weeks in advance. In fact their information included the Indian High Commission, as well as one of the targets. Are we to believe that they masterminded the attack and then leaked the info too?
Former President Sirisena’s party which unethically opened the back door for nine Rejects in 2015, and was Rejected in Kalutara-N/Eliya with a negligible 1.5% votes; being decided to go ‘solo’ in the two districts, have contemptuously Rejected the report of the PCoI. Do you need such efforts and waste of energy in reading the PCoI’s report? It was quite obvious even to those ‘non-O/Ls’ to conclude that the Ex-President either through lethargy, or incompetence, he irresponsibly derelict his sacred duty by the people of this nation during the journey up to April 21, 2019. The so-called rejection by the party is disgusting, silly and bizarre and worst it is an insult to their leader’s spotless political career as someone who never indulged in family bandyism, cronyism, or of practicing malicious acts or accumulation of wealth. Maithri was ‘used’ by local and foreign ‘masterminds’ with vested interest who scrupulously persuaded him to accept and handle a position which was absolutely beyond his competency.
"All leaders in past and present deliberately or inadvertently used religious or racial extremism, [ chauvinism by some] albeit, DS Senanayake and CBK. The report may not have ‘dug deep’ as to find the ‘mastermind’ but recommended solutions to the causes"
Their obvious response is no surprise as Sirisena was ridiculed by a junior member of AG’s department when he was confronted at the hearing. Poor man displayed his dishonesty and lied to the commission appointed by himself with a ludicrous answer, “I cannot remember” being asked if any family member accompanied him in the Singapore excursion on eve of Easter attacks. He was scorned and mocked on the occasion for it was no secret that a few family members were with him too on a shopping spree cum medical check-up.
Last week, we referred to MP’s vaccination and wrote, “…our politicos of both sides of the divide are historically famous for rising in unison on a common stand on an issue of privilege at the expense of the tax-payer.” They have risen once again within two weeks clamoring for rejection of one of the most people-friendly Commission reports for fear of a threat to their customary ‘political Picnics.’ They all know that it can catalyze the growing rejection of ‘traditional’ and destructive political culture where they survived scratching each other’s back alternatively— a practice that prevailed over the decades to the detriment of the nation and its helpless people. The combined protest launched by them is nothing but a political ploy to cover themselves against any current and future threats to their time-honored ‘privileges’ and to safeguard and assure impunity from prosecution over commitment of atrocities against the people.
All leaders in past and present deliberately or inadvertently used religious or racial extremism, [chauvinism by some] albeit, DS Senanayake and CBK. The report may not have ‘dug deep’ as to find the ‘mastermind’ but recommended solutions to the causes. In their “urge find the mastermind,” the opposition attempt to coax us to believe that it was Rajapaksas, they implicit argument on the concept of ‘who benefited?’, and want search lights focused on them, while some government spokesmen counter them pointing a finger at the then yahapalana government who would have been benefitted from an anticipated chaotic situation leading to postponement of the elections.
In an unconvincing argument they all quote Senior DIG Ravi Seneviratne’s un-supported submission that there must be someone above Zahran Hashim who masterminded the assault. Both attempts are to mislead the masses. Masterminds local or foreign may or may not have involved. Let the law enforcement authorities focus their investigative skills on those lines or a fresh commission inclusive of party reps sit over the matter. Those politicians who appear to have some valid evidence in their possession on the ‘mastermind’ as they now spit-out on voice-cuts, but refrained from coming up with any during PCoI sittings can help them too.
The Commission had delved with more important aspects in the report digging deep into the causes of the catastrophe, and have recommended precautionary measures; banning of ‘Sinhala-Buddhist’ and Islamic extremism. An excellent determination by them in spelling out the root causes. The other root cause that helped terrorism was the dilution of intelligent network. The current ruling party is mainly responsible for promoting the ‘Sinhala-Buddhist’ facet of extremism, while intelligence network was weakened by the yahapalanists.
For a strong nation, the foremost duty of a Government is the provision of security of people. If we relax intelligence like we did in 2001-2000 and again in 2015-2020, we become more vulnerable than in our long history. A conventional attack by a hostile power can be ruled out.
Today, we should be prepared to face more complex variety of threats from criminals; terrorists, home-grown or overseas; acts of insurgency, unconventional chemical or biological weapons, as well as natural hazards. Identifying a mastermind will not stop them as long as the conditions favourable to a new mastermind exist. We have to equip our Forces, police and intelligence to tackle current and future threats effectively: most importantly the people’s power over the politician has to be established through a constitutional process; the “Rejected” report, is one of the invaluable tools, inundated with many such recommendations for the current Constitutional Committee to work with. For a document that tightens the politician and thwart him from doing what he wants and keeps him within the bounds, control, regulates and impede him: this could be materialize through a process of civil society’s initiation only.
kksperera1@gmail.com
