Sunday Times 2
Bhagya Abeyrathna: A voice against environment destruction
View(s):The 17-year-old girl from a rural school was answering questions on a TV quiz show from the show’s impresario about her background. We did not see the show, but from information, we gather that the participant had said she was living in the borders of the Sinharaja rainforest. With the zest typical of a young environmentalist, Bhagya Abeyrathna had lashed out at the destruction of vast areas of the forest reserve with even the construction of an apparent business establishment coming up in the forest reserve and the drastic impact these activities have had on wildlife such as elephants whom she had come to adore.
The very next day, the participant had a rude shock. Policemen called at her home where she lived with her parents and questioned her on statements made by her at the quiz show, media reports said.
This police interrogation — or call it investigation or what you may — impacted on a section of the community that believes that this is still a free and democratic country and that the freedom of expression still exists and this questioning was sheer intimidation.
The Government’s next move appeared to be defensive. The ubiquitous ‘police spokesman’ on all matters of the police, we see in the media these days, was reported as saying that the Ratnapura police authorities under whose jurisdiction the areas referred to by the girl come, had wanted the statements made by the girl verified.
For what purpose was this police investigation? To stop the devastation of the forest? Or frighten the girl? Time will tell us about all that.
The impression created in the mind of the public, however, is that this was one of intimidation particularly of the youth who are coming out strongly against environmental devastation.
In naval lingo, it was ‘A Shot across the bows’ says a political observer.
For the police to ascertain whether the girl’s allegations are correct or not seems amusing, for this issue of devastation of Sinharaja forest was a subject of intense discussion in the media.
Besides, there is a huge administrative juggernaut for information on the environment. There is the Central Environmental Authority; besides the Ministry for the Environment headed by Minister Mahinda Amaraweera — always talking on the subject– and its Secretary is Dr. Anil Jasinghe, the former Health Services Director General who successfully led a team of officials that controlled the first wave of the pandemic in Lanka but was shifted from his post — promoted as Environment Ministry Secretary for unknown reasons. The media units of the President, the Prime Minister, the state-owned newspapers and TV stations; very many of the ever loyal privately owned TV channels could also have helped the police in their quest other than the TV quiz show girl.
Public petitions are being signed, protesting the questioning of the girl because prima facie it does appear to be intimidation against those who speak out about what may be construed as anti- government.
On the other hand, both President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and brother Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa stress that Sri Lanka is a democracy with the right to freedom of speech — a basic right.
But if state functionaries keep grilling citizens over opinions expressed that do not endanger the security of the nation, Lanka becomes a nation with many voices and multiple tongues.
| Quiz shows are dangerous The 17-year-old girl from a rural school was answering questions on a TV quiz show from the show’s impresario about her background. We did not see the show, but from information, we gather that the participant had said she was living in the borders of the Sinharaja rainforest. With the zest typical of a young environmentalist, Bhagya Abeyrathna had lashed out at the destruction of vast areas of the forest reserve with even the construction of an apparent business establishment coming up in the forest reserve and the drastic impact these activities have had on wildlife such as elephants whom she had come to adore.  Bhagya Abeyrathna: A voice against environment destruction The very next day, the participant had a rude shock. Policemen called at her home where she lived with her parents and questioned her on statements made by her at the quiz show, media reports said. This police interrogation — or call it investigation or what you may — impacted on a section of the community that believes that this is still a free and democratic country and that the freedom of expression still exists and this questioning was sheer intimidation. The Government’s next move appeared to be defensive. The ubiquitous ‘police spokesman’ on all matters of the police, we see in the media these days, was reported as saying that the Ratnapura police authorities under whose jurisdiction the areas referred to by the girl come, had wanted the statements made by the girl verified. For what purpose was this police investigation? To stop the devastation of the forest? Or frighten the girl? Time will tell us about all that. The impression created in the mind of the public, however, is that this was one of intimidation particularly of the youth who are coming out strongly against environmental devastation. In naval lingo, it was ‘A Shot across the bows’ says a political observer. For the police to ascertain whether the girl’s allegations are correct or not seems amusing, for this issue of devastation of Sinharaja forest was a subject of intense discussion in the media. Besides, there is a huge administrative juggernaut for information on the environment. There is the Central Environmental Authority; besides the Ministry for the Environment headed by Minister Mahinda Amaraweera — always talking on the subject– and its Secretary is Dr. Anil Jasinghe, the former Health Services Director General who successfully led a team of officials that controlled the first wave of the pandemic in Lanka but was shifted from his post — promoted as Environment Ministry Secretary for unknown reasons. The media units of the President, the Prime Minister, the state-owned newspapers and TV stations; very many of the ever loyal privately owned TV channels could also have helped the police in their quest other than the TV quiz show girl. Public petitions are being signed, protesting the questioning of the girl because prima facie it does appear to be intimidation against those who speak out about what may be construed as anti- government. On the other hand, both President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and brother Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa stress that Sri Lanka is a democracy with the right to freedom of speech — a basic right. But if state functionaries keep grilling citizens over opinions expressed that do not endanger the security of the nation, Lanka becomes a nation with many voices and multiple tongues.
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