Thoughts from London

Those who value freedom of expression and association would surely condemn the recent attempt to attack and disrupt an anti-war rally in Colombo.

Some of the disruptors were said to be Buddhist monks and also perhaps some imposters in yellow robes.

If the latter is true then an even greater disservice has been done to the Buddha who preached not only non-violence but the value of free speech and thought.

It is indeed a disgrace that those who are expected to propagate this message of the Buddha should denigrate him and his teachings by conduct that could not be justified under any code of civilised behaviour.

If they had their own message for the people, the civilised and correct thing to do would have been to hold their own rallies to gain public support for their view, not to deny others the fundamental right of free speech.

This is not to say one need agree with everything that the motley group of individuals on the anti-war platform stands for or had to say. This is only a plea to uphold the right of individuals to express their views within the ambit of the law, something the front might urge the Kilinochchi clan to practise.

By trying to suppress views different from one’s own, the disruptors were no better than their bete noire in the Wanni whose threshold of dissent hardly rises above the ankle.

Those who have in the past raised their voices in dissent with the Wanni doctrine have long gone. Only a handful would know exactly where and whence.

Kumar Rupesinghe, chairman of this new National Anti War Front claims the rally “mobilised the largest coalition of forces ever seen in the history of the conflict.”

Who knows he might even get an invitation to the White House after that hyperbolic display of strength. Even George Bush who tried to whip up an international coalition to support his Iraq war could hardly muster such an array as Rupeasinghe claims he has done.

Any sensible person would know it is not numbers that really matter but the intrinsic worth of the message and the credibility of those who articulate it.

One of the coalition forces that Rupesinghe proudly acclaims is the legendary Mervyn Silva whose periodic antics, not to mention that of his progeny, have occupied many column inches in newspapers and minutes of air time on the electronic media.

In this grand coalition (of force?) who does Silva represent? Could it be that unknown to the general public Mervyn Silva has launched an Association of Non Violent Politicians? Or is it Assault Incorporated? Maybe it is a legitimate group such as Silva and Son- the night riders.

Somebody once wisely said that people are judged by the company they keep. How true.

If the rally was marred by disruption, thuggery and violence, it was not without its funny side- I mean funny ha, ha not funny curious.

Rupesinghe is quoted in one Sunday newspaper as saying they will “not be deterred by terrorist goons who are determined to push the country into war.”

It might sound Churchillian in its defiance, but Rupesinghe seems to have lost his moral compass (I almost said marbles) at Viharamahadevi Park.

I don’t really know which direction Rupesinghe was facing when he made this Manichean-like pronouncement on war and peace, but at least his finger should have been pointing towards the Wanni where resides a man who, according to several foreign governments, presides over a group they have outlawed as terrorist.

But then Rupesinghe should know all about such difficulties having once tried to bring peace to Sierra Leone.

Those classic words of his would surely be etched in stone one day and placed alongside such historic and historical manuscripts as the Dead Sea Scrolls.

When Kumar Rupesinghe stands up against terrorist goons and for free speech it gives strength to everybody’s elbow, not to mention Mervyn Silva’s own vala mita.

But things were not always like that in the days gone by. If Rupesinghe could engage the rewind mode and throw his mind back to the early 1970s it might jolt his memory.

He was hardly known to the public until he entered the Bandaranaike family with a marriage licence in hand. Unlike James Bond though, he did not have a licence to kill but did have one that made him powerful enough. It was somewhere in the early 70s that time the UNP decided to hold a rally in Attanagalle against the Bandaranaike government. But the UNP’s attempt to reach Attanagalle was marred by physical attacks on the vehicles and party supporters.

Not only were trees felled to block the roads, even ACS Hameed was felled by blows from terrorist goons of the day. If I remember correctly Gamani Jayasuriya was also a victim of violence.

Nobody, it was said, could come to Attanagalle, the rotten borough (perhaps even more rotten today) of the Bandaranaikes and hold protest meetings.

So was born the infamous Attanagalle Doctrine which advocated free speech but only if it was for the SLFP.

Some time later, deputy minister Ratne Deshapriya Senanayake, an affable enough chap and a close associate of Kumar Rupesinghe in the notorious Jana Vegaya group, told me the story of what really happened and how plans were hatched to stop the UNP meeting at Attanagalle.

Some will recall that after the take over of the Lake House by the Sirima Bandaranaike government, the Jana Vegaya used its power and influence to plant their own ‘goons’ in the newspapers to oversee and report on those considered politically unreliable. That meant even neutral journalists without political affiliations.

We used to call these plants “commissars” like in Joe Stalin’s time, for that was what they were, the prying eyes that reported to some Orwellian Big Brother.

It seems that times have not really changed though some have reversed their roles and now speak with great gusto about freedom of speech and whatever.

The disruptors thought that when they challenged the Front to hold similar anti-war rallies in Kilinochchi they had check mated the organisers.

Actually, by doing so they have played into the hands of the Front and the LTTE. The Kilinochchi clan would surely love an opportunity to show the world they are opposed to the war because, from their perspective, it is the state that is to blame for the war and the Tigers merely defending themselves against an aggressor.

One wonders whether there is money to be made out of this anti-war front. After all conflict, their management and resolution are today’s big business. Hundreds of foreign and local NGOs thrive on conflict and conflict related issues. More conflict the better. No conflict, well start one

To many this is their livelihood and the opportunity to convince foreign governments and foundations to cough up tax payer’s money in the mistaken belief that they are helping bring peace and stability.

Some of our own people have learnt to cleverly exploit this and today the country is replete with NGOs which are not accountable to the State and its people with regard to the origin of their funds or how it is spent. Nor are they transparent.

Kumar Rupesinghe himself heads an NGO, one understands, that concentrates its attention on the Eastern province trying to improve relations between the Tamil and Muslim communities.

A laudable objective no doubt. But given recent events where Muslims have been the target of LTTE attention, the acrimony between the two ethnic groups will surely deepen.

Well that would not be a bad thing would it, if looked at purely from the standpoint of self preservation. At least the funds will continue to flow like the water from Mavil Aru.