Editorial

My dear Tilvin sahodaraya and Nihal sahodaraya,

I thought of writing to you because, even though Anura sahodaraya was busy presenting his Budget on Friday, that has been overshadowed by someone whose wife is a ‘maalimaawa’ local councillor being arrested, allegedly with a stock of heroin. This is not exactly the news you wanted to hear, is it?

After all, it was only last week that Anura sahodaraya made a stirring speech at the Sugathadasa Stadium and launched a campaign to rid the country of the narcotics menace. No one doubted his sincerity or his determination to do so. So, this connection to your councillor must have come as a rude shock.

Strangely, Anura sahodaraya’s words at the Sugathadasa Stadium have become eerily prophetic. He described how the narcotics trade has now infiltrated political parties. Some individuals have become councillors and chairpersons. This network grew under the protection of certain politicians, he said.

We all know who he was referring to then, and he wasn’t wrong. There was a time when that was the case. Politicians turned a blind eye to the narcotics trade because those involved did the politician’s dirty work of intimidating opponents. They had an understanding that they should ‘live and let live’.

Then, those who were involved in the narcotics trade themselves entered politics. Initially, this was at the local level. Later, some of them were seen at the national level too. We all know the story about one of our leaders taking a helicopter ride to visit someone when his home was raided, don’t we?

The person who was detained, a school principal, was produced in the Thambuttegama courts. Some in your camp will argue that at least in this instance Anura sahodaraya didn’t take a helicopter ride to Thambuttegama to support him, although he could have easily done so, that being his hometown!

The problem though, is that when that Manamperi chap who was a ‘pohottuwa’ candidate at the last local council elections was detained recently over the discovery of a large amount of narcotics, your ‘maalimaawa’ comrades were overjoyed. They were quick to accuse the ‘pohottuwa’ of drug dealing.

The ‘pohottuwa’ reacted quickly. They suspended Manamperi promptly. Secretary Sagara said that, in appointing some 8,000 candidates for the local polls, there could be some bad eggs. He had, of course, conveniently forgotten that Manamperi was linked to parliamentarian Raviraj’s murder.

It was a similar scenario when the ‘telephone’ chap who chaired the council at Weligama was gunned down in his office. Your chap in charge of Public Security, Wije, provided a list of alleged links the victim had with the underworld and blamed the telephone party for choosing him as their candidate.

So, when the ‘maalimaawa’ has taken the moral high ground in such instances and blamed rival parties, they will bite back at you when your councillor’s husband is detained for allegedly possessing heroin. You can’t shy away by saying it was not the councillor herself, only her husband.

Tilvin and Nihal, you can argue that, despite the accused being only the husband of your councillor, she resigned. However, that resignation did not come forthwith, it took some time, just as much your first resignation took some time to come from Ranwala who is yet to provide evidence of his PhD!

We are glad that the law is taking its course regarding this person. In fact, we would expect nothing less from you. That is because it was the ‘maalimaawa’ which told us that the rule of law applies equally to all. So, if you can put Uncle Ranil in the dock, you must put your councillor’s husband too.

However, it is disappointing that we haven’t heard from either of you, or any of those who regularly speak on your behalf, on this issue. That silence is deafening. Wouldn’t it have been more appropriate if one of your many spokespersons came forward and said, ‘Yes, we made a mistake here’?

After all, this incident only underscores what Anura sahodaraya said just the other day – that the narcotics trade appears to have infiltrated political parties. Now, unfortunately that includes your party too. You should be able to acknowledge that, if you are being honest about what has happened.

Most people still believe that the ‘maalimaawa’ is different to other parties in that it is not supported by those who dabble in narcotics, nor does it seek their co-operation. However, that confidence will be short-lived, if you are unable to admit your mistakes or act against those who are responsible.

If either of you do plan to go before the people and explain what has happened in this instance, you can always get some help from secretary Sagara of the ‘pohottuwa’. He is well trained in defending the indefensible and keeps a straight face while doing so and I am sure he will be able to assist you!

Yours truly,

Punchi Putha

PS: If you are saying anything about this incident, ensure it is not Handun who says it. He has a talent to say the unthinkable. The latest is saying that those who receive ‘Aswesuma’ should be ashamed of themselves. Is he really one of yours or is he a ‘pohottuwa’ spy in your party, that is the big question!