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UNP’S CANINE SHOW SIGNIFIES
ITS DEDICATION TO PROTECT ROGUES AND
CULPRITS.
A.A.M.NIZAM MATARA.
The deposed UNP after getting totally beaten by the pro-people maiden
budget of the Freedom Alliance government, since it offered no valid
grounds for criticism, has taken up the issue of the convict S.B.Dissanayake
to drum up life-blood to save itself from probable oblivion, and to
display a born-again charade. This is not the first time the deceptive
UNP had shown disrespect to the rulings of the judiciary and tried to
undermine justice. The rally organized by the UNP for the jailbird Dissanayake
is nothing more than a canine show of the watchdogs of the capitalist
class and its bootlickers to safeguard and promote its vested interests.
S.B.Dissanayake, who faced a charge on Contempt of Court for the second
time, admitted his guilt and accordingly the learned judges delivered
the verdict convicting him for two years rigorous imprisonment. This
charge was based on a controversial speech delivered by him as a UNP
Minister at a State Ceremony held at Habaraduwa which had its official
audio-visual recordings. The first charge against him on Contempt of
Court was based on a similar speech made by him while he was a PA Minister
and since it was the first such occasion he was strongly warned by the
Court against repeating such offences.
At the time of first incident Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe was furious
on the behaviour of Dissanayake and posing as a champion of justice
said in Parliament on 3rd March, 2000 that “in Malaysia MPs have been
jailed for lesser offences against judiciary and in Prime Minister Margaret
Thatcher’s time, a Minister had to resign his post following a defamatory
remarks about the Attorney General of Scotland.” The same champion of
justice addressing the UNP rally at Hyde Park has said “ the Supreme
Court judgment not only affects S.B.Dissanayake but also the freedom
of expression of human beings in the country and it had affected the
fundamental rights of the people”.
The UNP has a long and bitter history of disrespecting justice and
judiciary, and infringing the fundamental rights of the people, and
has no moral right to speak on this subject. Although the 1978 constitution
was the creation of the UNP itself, the first amendment to this self-imposed
constitution was to change the power of the Court of Appeal to thwart
an appeal by Mrs. Bandaranaike challenging the authority of the Special
Presidential Commission. Similarly the 2nd, 3rd and 4th amendments to
the Constitution were aimed at infringing the fundamental rights of
the people, viz, barring only opposition MPs the right to crossover,
facilitate the President to call for a mandate at any time (convenient
to him) to hold office for another term of office, empower the Parliament
to continue until August 1989.
The so-called (A)Dharmishta UNP government of 1977-1994 enacted Parliamentary
Elections Act No. 1 of 1981 and the Development Councils Act of 1981
to prohibit house-to-house canvassing for votes and instead allowed
only recognized political parties to use state-owned mass media. Similar
repressive measures were taken against trade unions ad newspapers that
carried the views of the people against the government. In July 1980,
infringing the fundamental trade union rights of the workers, over 50,000
workers were dismissed for demanding a pay hike of a mere Rs. 300 a
month.
When the Supreme Court indicted in 1983 the pro-UNP Sub Inspector of
the Kollupitiya Police for violating the fundamental rights of Mrs.
Vivienne Gunawardene, UNP thugs transported by CTB buses staged unruly
demonstrations in front of the residences of the three judges and hurled
stones. Complaints made direct to the President by the three victimized
judges only resulted in offering a promotion to the convicted Police
Inspector.
The bogus human rights champion Ranil Wickremasinghe’s close associate
the notorious Gonawela Sunil from Biyagama was convicted by the High
Court of Colombo for 8 years rigorous imprisonment on a charge of rape.
Despite this judgment being upheld by the Court of Appeal, he was released
in 4 months time on a general amnesty, reinstated in his job and was
made a Justice of the Peace for the entire country.
The injustices done to the JVP and its followers by the UNP surpass
all known records of political oppression in the world. Its application
to register as a political party to contest the 1979 local government
elections was rejected. Since then, to curb the growth of its activities
and instill fear in its members, meetings were disrupted by UNP thugs,
houses were raided by the Police and Party supporters were arrested
on concocted charges and beaten. Frightened by the exemplary results
obtained by the party candidates in all districts in the District Development
Council elections, the UNP leadership waited for an opportunity to unleash
a campaign of State Terror on the party.
Wanton acts carried out by its own thugs led by its own Ministers,
against the Tamil community throughout the country in 1983 gave the
green-light to incriminate the JVP for these acts and ban the party.
Along with this ban, the so-called protectors of human rights and upholders
of justice, launched Sri Lanka’s darkest epoch of the “Reign of Terror”
and entrusted the contract of killing JVP members, sympathizers and
those who did not toe the anti-national policies of the UNP to highly
paid State Terror Groups such as “PRAA”, “Black Cats”, “Eagles” etc.
Those who played leading roles and helped these State Terror Groups
in the massacre of innocent masses are still among the leadership of
the UNP. Unfortunately Sri Lanka lost around 60,000 dedicated youth
who could have played a great role in rebuilding the nation. Details
of these massacres, fear instilled in the people, suppression of human
rights and freedom of expression need no elaboration as eminent Authors
have written many volumes on this.
Even during the two years of treachery under Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe
freedom of expression was denied and publication of reports contrary
to the government’s views on the so-called peace façade were suppressed
by the media units operated under the Prime Minister and some other
powerful Ministers. Personal interference by the Prime Minister to prevent
publication of a joint statement issued by Buddhist clergy against the
peace-façade is a case in point. British journalist Paul Harris was
deported for the crime of criticizing the peace-façade.
The stand taken by the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatte Chapter Ven.
Thibbotuwawe Sri Siddharta Sumangala Mahanayake Thero on the S.B.Dissanayake
issue is commendable and exemplary. He has refused to sign a petition
requesting for the release of Dissanayake and has pointed out that it
is not desirable to make such an influence to the judiciary. He has
explained that a decision taken by the highest seat of the judiciary
in this land should be respected and all should abide by the laws of
the country.
S.B.Dissanayake canine show staged by the UNP signifies its political
bankruptcy. Expectations from a political party in the opposition under
a democratic setup are to address the issues that may affect the people.
Everyone knows the characteristics of SB Dissanayake. He has been served
notice to appear before the Colombo High Court on January 28, 2005 for
failing to account for his cash and wealth amounting to Rs. 39 million
amassed between 1995 and 2001. UNP’s agitation against the Court ruling
clearly indicates that it is a party that represents and protects rogues
and culprits and not the common masses.
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