The Government decision to continue with emergency rule, despite the military defeat of the LTTE, to deal with the remnants of the terrorist organisation, was supported by most in the Opposition in Parliament but continuous attacks and intimidation of media personnel were highlighted as causes for concern by Opposition legislators who fear that the tough laws were being used to clamp down on democratic dissent.
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| Lakshman
Seneviratne |
Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayaka opening the first post-LTTE defeat debate on the extension of the emergency said, the embers of terrorism continue to burn despite the elimination of the LTTE and the emergency laws were needed to prevent the embers becoming a forest fire. “There are some living abroad who are trying to breathe new life into the LTTE and ignite the fire of terrorism in the country once again. The emergency regulations are needed to prevent any such attempts from succeeding,” he said.
While the UNP and JVP praised the President, the Defence Secretary and members of the armed forces for eliminating terrorism, their support for the extension of the emergency was limited only to dealing with terrorists. “Don’t use the emergency to break the legs of journalists, because if this is done, they will not be able to expose any of the wrongdoings in the Government,” UNP Badulla district MP Lakshman Seneviratne said.
He also referred to claims made by some in the Government that it had the names of 50 journalists who had alleged links with the LTTE. “One Media Minister says there is no such a list; the other Non Cabinet Media Minister says there is a list. If this is true take legal action against the journalists. But making such public statements will only intimidate them and make them leave the country like many others have done,” he said.
JVP Kurunegala district MP Bimal Ratnayaka said his Party had been consistent in its support for emergency because the laws were needed to deal with terrorism. “We supported the laws because our main aim was to see an end to terrorism but don’t use it to attack journalists,” he said.
In a lengthy speech, Mr.Ratnayaka detailed the JVP’s support to President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Government in its fight against the LTTE including the abrogation of the Ceasefire Agreement and said such steps were taken by the leader of the JVP Somawansa Amarasinghe, even though some others who were no longer in the JVP were taking credit for them. “When you go to a restaurant, it is the well dressed waiter who serves the food, but the chef who prepares the food is never seen though he does the more important work. A similar scene is being enacted by some who have got themselves embedded in the government now,” he said.
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| Mervyn Silwa |
The JVP MP also said despite the military victory, the task of overcoming years of mistrust and hurt caused to members of all three communities in the prolonged war was a more difficult mission and proposed a Truth and Reconciliation Commission be set up so that personal sufferings could be discussed as a first step to overcoming the deeply engrained suspicions among communities.
While a few MPs spoke sense, there were others like Minister Mervyn Silva who chose to continue with his usual attacks on the media and prop up President Mahinda Rajapaksa to the status of king.
With Media Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa seated one row in front of him, Minister Silva after a blistering attack on a private television station and other media organisations he deemed “unpatriotic” asked that he be given the media portfolio. “Hand over this ministry for five minutes and I know how to handle it,” he said.
His attempts to elevate the President to the level of a monarch came in for criticism from JVP Anuradhapura district MP Ranaweera Pathirana who said while countries were moving away from monarchies and adopting democratic forms of government, some in Sri Lanka were moving in the other direction. “What the people want is democracy not a monarchy,” he said.
Whether the government decides to heed the advice of the Opposition and not use the emergency regulations to intimidate the media and deprive people of their democratic rights can only be seen in the coming weeks, but going by the attitude of some Government members in Parliament, there appears to be little room for optimism. |
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