With the dawning of the New Year the citizenry witnessed two incidents in as many weeks, where unbridled thuggery was unleashed on people while police personnel looked on, seemingly unable or unwilling to intervene to restore order. Video footage depicting the grotesque manner in which a news conference held by Ven. Watareka Vijitha Thera at [...]

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Why are these thugs not arrested?

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With the dawning of the New Year the citizenry witnessed two incidents in as many weeks, where unbridled thuggery was unleashed on people while police personnel looked on, seemingly unable or unwilling to intervene to restore order. Video footage depicting the grotesque manner in which a news conference held by Ven. Watareka Vijitha Thera at a Colombo hotel was disrupted by the saffron-robed leader of the Bodu Bala Sena was broadcast last week.

On Thursday a group of Opposition UNP MPs visiting the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport and the Magampura Harbour in the Hambantoata district were set upon by pro-government thugs, again in full view of the cameras. Several newspapers carried photographs of the incident that showed Hambantota Mayor Eraj Fernando at the site, running with a pistol in hand. The UNP MPs are on record describing how the pistol-wielding Fernando accompanied by a mob gave chase to their bus.

As if these events were not fantastic enough, the statements made by way of explanation by officials regarding the latter incident would seem to take the episode to the level of the ludicrous. The Hambantota Mayor has declared that he had only sought to intervene to ‘protect’ the UNP MPs, and that the pistol was a toy he had picked up from someone nearby. Why people in a harmless crowd would go around carrying toy pistols for no particular reason would be an additional mystery for the police to solve in this case. Ports and Highways Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena says the attack was a “public protest” against the Opposition MPs’ visit, thereby implying that some members of the ‘public’ are somehow above the law, and that this makes these acts of aggression justifiable. And the police spokesman says, as if by way of excuse for the inaction of police personnel on the scene, that the visitors had neither informed the police of their impending visit nor requested police protection.

In the public eye, the nonsensical statements emanating from officialdom only seem to add insult to injury in these situations. Who do they think they are fooling when everything has been exposed in the media already? These ‘incidents’ in which politically engaged persons and critics of the regime come under attack by pro-government thugs who seem to materialise from thin air, are nothing new. The Government’s seeming indifference to such episodes and their frequency at a time when the world’s attention is particularly focused on the country’s law and order situation, remain something of a mystery.

Window of opportunity
The shameful law-and-order situation hardly helps in a context where the country is faced with the prospect of sanctions that may be imposed by the authors and backers of the recent resolution against Sri Lanka in the Human Rights Council. It may be recalled that the resolution’s text dwells on issues such as attacks on places of worship, activists and journalists. The war may have been unavoidable, but such incidents are not. One would think that the regime would seek to address them out of enlightened self interest — if not for any loftier reason.

Prioritising law and order would also seem to be a rational route to take, in the process of eliminating the basis on which the harsh allegations of ‘lack of progress in reconciliation and accountability’ are made. This was a key aspect of the LLRC report’s recommendations. In this connection it’s worth recalling the remarks of India’s Permanent Representative Dilip Sinha at the UNHRC, explaining India’s abstention at the vote on the US-led resolution. He said: “The implementation of LLRC’s recommendations lies at the core of reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka. India continues to underscore that the report of the LLRC and its findings and recommendations, provide a window of opportunity to forge a consensual way forward towards a lasting political settlement.”

Sri Lanka’s friends in the international system may find it difficult to keep holding that ‘window’ open indefinitely. The recent incidents reflect a seemingly impervious attitude on the part of the GoSL towards external realities and shifting power alignments abroad. India’s abstention at the UNHRC may momentarily provide a push-back of sorts against the western move, to Sri Lanka’s advantage. But India’s ongoing Lok Sabha elections now open up the prospect of an Opposition BJP victory, going by opinion polls.

Prospect of BJP victory
With a different dispensation at the helm of the all-important-neighbour’s affairs, the question arises as to whether there will be continuity in the foreign policy trajectory staked out by the Congress-led government up until now. While there seems to be a lack of clarity regarding BJP leader Narendra Modi’s foreign policy priorities, analysts generally believe he will adopt a tougher line with neighbours. This is reflected in the heated rhetoric of his campaign swing in Tamil Nadu.

Addressing a rally in Chennai the right-wing BJP’s prime ministerial candidate said “A strong and determined government was the need of the hour as small countries like Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh were poking the country and they have to be met eye-on-eye and dealt with strongly.” He further said “With Tamils living all over the world, including in Malayasia, Sri Lanka and Fiji, it should be a priority of the union government to take care of their well being.” He accused Sri Lanka of ‘harassing’ Tamil Nadu fishermen. Addressing another rally in Kanyakumari he slammed both the Centre and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s AIADMK for failing to protect fishermen. “New Delhi sleeps while TN fishermen are being killed,” the ‘Times of India’ reported him as saying.

Modi has lashed out at both the ruling AIADMK and its archrival the DMK led by M Karunanidhi, projecting the BJP as the ‘third force’ in Tamil Nadu politics. Yet analysts say that after the poll he will be compelled to forge alliances with regional parties such as these in order to form a coalition government. Either way it is not a cheerful prospect for the small neighbour to the South.

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