Political Column

Political Column

Thondaman hits out again - what Code of Ethics?
By Our Political Editor
Minister Arumugam Thondaman was in an eating drinking mood a few days back, maybe around two weeks ago. So, he went to a well known Hotel in Nuwara Eliya, close to the Grand, in the company of a senior police officer, and some of his own security men. Mr Thondaman ordered food and drinks, but according to him, the waiters got the order wrong. He said the waiters were incompetent.

Then, he started assaulting them with his fists and he pistol whipped them too - mercilessly. When the Front Office Manager intervened he was pistol whipped and mercilessly assaulted too. The on-looking police was then asked by the Minister 'don't these rascals deserve this treatment?"" The police replied in the affirmative and added 'api amathithuma ekka'' " We are with you , Mr Minister.''

On an earlier occasion, Thondaman was involved in a similar assault fracas, when some of his security detail vehicles got involved in an accident in Borella. On that occasion, he virtually commandeered the Borella Police Station and sat on the OIC's chair.

The Police earlier were not in a mood to tolerate any of this; but soon the police was tamed after Thondaman flexed his muscles. There was also the spectacle of the Minister of Justice saying that 'there is no harm in the Minister sitting on the OIC's chair.''

This is as absurd as saying there is no harm in the President sitting on the Chief Justice’s chair in the Supreme Court. The President definitely is higher in the pecking order, but she cannot sit on the Chief Justice’s Chair of course.

Of course the argument need not be taken to such a stretch. It is totally and absolutely unforgivable for Thondaman to appear at the Borella police station on his own matter - - an accident case in which he is involved in some ways - -and proceed to take over police matters by sitting in the OIC's chair.

The Justice Minister's statement on that occasion by the way, has got to be recorded as one of the most asinine and irresponsible ever made in political history in this land. Anyway, the fact is that the recent Thondaman performance was worse. The Sunday Times tried to contact Mr Thondaman to obtain his comment on the matter, but he was unavailable, and was on a visit to India.

This may be only the latest in the now all too common litany of Minister's behaving in the manner of thugs -- but this is also by a high profile Minister who had got used to behaving in this way, particularly because all major political parties in this country are used to sucking upto him for the votes that he provides. It maybe that Mr Thodaman knows that - - and being "kingmaker" he thinks he is king.

The staff of the hotel concerned are afraid to even talk of this incident let alone make a police complaint. Obviously a police complaint won't do any good when the police says 'we are with the Minister''. Also, the staff has been threatened not to talk about the incident, which is why this paper is not mentioning the exact name of the hotel, even though we are in possession of the name.

What is the Prime Minister and the UNP doing about these glaring acts of intimidation on the part of his Ministers his MPs (and now we hear even Secretaries of Ministers) who intervene at the police station demanding bail etc., Is ethics and a code of ethics all for the book? Shouldn't this kind of thing result in resignations or sacking of Minister's and of course police action against them for assault? Ha ha. This is Sri Lanka -- what do you think -- this is Japan?

Anyway, talking of Japan, the commotion that resulted from Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's visit to the Lankaji Vihara in Japan, has caused embarrassment - - and given rise to more questions than answers.

The JVP says there is no involvement by the party in this incident -- but also, there is a police complaint made by the JVP branch in Tokyo to the police in Tokyo that the Prime Minister's security assaulted them.

Anyway, contrary to all that was generally reported there was a melee in which two groups had a free-for-all. Which group attacked first is still not known, but the fact is that the Prime Minister was challenged when he was leaving the melee. He was asked 'so you have already written the nation over to the Tigers?'' etc etc.,

The protestors version is that the Prime Minister's supporters and 'security men' then set upon them, but the version that was generally reported courtesy the Sri Lankan government was that the protestors wanted to assault the Prime Minister. Ven Banagala Upatissa of the Lankaji Temple has been attacked, in the further argument that resulted after the Prime Minister left. Now, the government is trying to paint the JVP black, and JVP supporters are trying to paint the government black, over the incident.

Alliances and crossroads
The government - JVP exchanges over the Lankaji incident may be all very interesting as the JVP for its part is not so competent in forging an alliance with the main opposition party the PA. The final coalition has never materialised, and a day for announcing the shape and the form of the coalition has now been set as a deadline -- but this is not a sign that definitely there will be a pact and a electoral alliance between the JVP and the government.

For once, those who are against the JVP-PA combine, according to the JVP have plotted against them , and are now seeking an alliance - - wonder of wonders - - with the UNP. The JVP now feels that a bogus cry for a ' national government' is now being used to pull the rug from under their feet on the matter of the JVP-PA alliance. What of the real moves towards a national government? So far they are very tentative, and too sketchy for this newspaper to speculate on. All that can be said at the moment is that whether its sincere or otherwise, there has been a resurrection of the often heard ' national government' cry yet again……..

The SLFP has been finding it difficult to get its act entirely together, for instance on the issue of a Deputy leader for the main constituent party of the PA, the SLFP. There is a fear among sections of the PA that Aura Bandarnaike will be the party's undoing, as he is bound to create certain rifts in the party which will not be healthy for the party at all.

They say its going to be a repeat of the old scenario when Anura was in the party and was pulling to one side while his opponents pulled to another side, while the UNP laughed watching all of this all the way to elections and to parliament.

The first signs of fissures are seen in the Presidential race that is yet to be, and the matter of the Deputy leader of the SLFP which is also to be settled. It is now said that the President has made her own inquiries and is convinced that Mahinda Rajapakse is well ahead in the popularity stakes for the Deputy leadership. However, blood is thicker than water, or what?

The whole issue of national government and indeed the issue of future leadership of the PA is now being seen in the context of the fact that in Sri Lanka, political loyalties are short term and fickle among the top politicians - - the ambitious ones -- in particular.

For instance the national government cry always comes from those who have a tendency to crossover to the winning side -- on the whole National Government cry, even though good, has come from a desire to protect their own political skins, rather than a desire to save the destinies of the nation. Suffice to say that those who are reviving the national government cry are those who have been fond of being on both sides when it serves them.

On the other hand, with the leadership of the SLFP also, this issue is coming to the fore as it is seen that those who crossed-over are the ones that are most keen to take over and lead the party. What is the trust that can be placed on them? This and some other issues were raised at a SLFP politburo meeting which was held last week.

Galle Fort? What Galle Fort?
Those days there was a 100 per cent tax on foreigners buying land in Sri Lanka. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's government removed this tax, even though now it is rumoured that he is contemplating bringing it back.

Those days there was Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage City. Not anymore - - and certainly not in the future if things go the way they are going. By all reasonable estimates, almost the entirety of the houses in Galle Fort will soon be owned by foreigners - - not just foreigners , but foreigners based outside who use the houses for holidays, and of course nefarious activities (aplenty now in these lodgings in Galle Fort)

It is a long story - - but essence of it is, that Galle Fort is being taken over by mostly non-resident (for all intents and purposes non resident ) foreigners, and therefore is ceasing to be a living city anymore.

A sad and unmitigated disaster, because Galle Fort is one of the best of the UNESCO designated Word Heritage cities, which are very few indeed. World Heritage city status is given only to living cities meaning cities in which there are human communities, which still preserve their cultural heritage.

Galle also, is the world's only living fort, a Fort with a resident human community. Not anymore, owing to the conspiracy now going on between top officials, politicians and Mayor's among them, and Galle Heritage Foundation officials, to sell the soul of this grand city with a scintillating heritage. But one may as well ask: who is bothering?

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