S. Akurugoda

President Maithripala Sirisena, as per a news item appeared in The Island dated  10 July 2017, while virtually declaring a three-month deadline for his UNP-led coalition government to prosecute those responsible for murders such as Lasantha Wickrematunga and Wasim Thajudeen murders and mega corruption cases, has told his cabinet that cases would have been completed in three months if he controlled the law and order ministry, as well as the attorney general’s department.

He also alarmed the possible consequences he and his family will have to face,  if the Rajapaksa regime is back,  saying, “If the Rajapaksa regime is back, there will be no problem for UNP ministers, but the first people to be persecuted will be me and my family”

(http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=167946)

The  biggest corruption case is the well known Treasury Bond Scam  and the entire country is aware who are the people involved, who are protecting them and for whose survival, although the President or his UNP-led government has failed to take actions either through the normal law enforcing institutions or through the FCID despite there are overwhelming evidence against the culprits.

FICD (Financial Crimes Investigation Division), as the name implies, specially formed by the current regime to investigate serious financial frauds and has utmost powers to arrest anyone without getting approval from Attorney General  or DIG of the unit. The suspect can be remanded by a magistrate Court until further hearing.  When we think about the end results of various Investigation Commissions appointed, since independence, it is not difficult to predict the outcome of the current Presidential Commission investigating the Bond Scam too.

Regarding the murders, there should not be mercy to anyone responsible.  Anyone can easily pinpoint another, possibly due to political or personal reasons, but murderers should be identified  based on clear evidences. In the case of Lasantha Wickremathunga, we remember how Ranil Wickramasinghe, then  Leader of the Opposition and his followers pinpointed former army commander Sarath Fonseka  (SF), those days, although the very same people are now pinpointing in a different direction.  President and his UNP-led government,   promoted  SF to field marshal level and brought to Parliament through backdoor and appointed him as a Minister.  It is a well-known fact that the current rulers tried their best, since they came to power, to link the Thajudeen case to Rajapaksa’s and failed.

Apart from Lasantha Wickremathunga and Thajudeen cases there are thousands of unresolved murders since independence, especially, during the infamous ‘Bheesana Samaya’ under JRJ and Premadasa regimes. Unfortunately, people accused of such murders such as infamous  ‘Batalanda’ massacre  are set free and holding key positions  of the current regime even today.

Other than the alleged murders, and corruption cases, we have heard the stories (and still on record) of Mr Sirisena telling us about Rajapaksa’s Lamborghinis’ and ‘Golden Horses’ during his presidential campaign. The members of the current UNP-led coalition also told voters many more  lucrative stories under a ‘Yahapalanaya‘ government  during the presidential and parliamentary elections.

It is not only the future of the Mr Sirisena and his family, the future of the entire country and its people depends on what the country’s President  is doing. Thus, it is time for Mr Sirisena to realise that the ordinary masses of the country too are concerned about their future and will act for their survival. As per the most recent dire warning given by the Asgiriya Chapter prelates, the rulers should take responsibility if the country faces unrest in the future.

It is clear beyond any doubt that the Sirisena-Ranil administration has failed in all aspects including the foremost publicized economic, political and ethnic reconciliation process.

Apart from the above mentioned Treasury Bond Scam, absolutely pathetic economic policy, uncontrollable inflation, a rotten capital market, appointing people rejected by the people to Parliament, appointing a fake Opposition Leader,  inefficient bloated ministries, arresting and discrediting the war heroes and doing whatever possible ( including constitutional changes) to please those who were behind the regime change, suppressing the freedom of expression and harassing opponents in many ways, selling important assets that threaten national security, not taking adequate measures to handle health issues , natural disasters while spending billions on the comfort of the ruling corrupt politicians and legislators, civil/union unrests, not holding elections etc have been the highlights of the worst  ruling we have seen since independence.

The best way to test the future of the Sirisena-Ranil administration is to hold local government elections without further delay.