In the saga of the missing generals last Saturday, we saw the country’s highest-ranking security chiefs themselves flouting the rules they have set for lesser mortals. After telling others that two top men must never travel together, we saw the unthinkable fallacy of more than three top men - the Deputy Defence Minister, the Army Chief and the Police Chief - flying together over the war zone. It displays a tragi-comic trait in this part of the world where all are equal before the law but some are more equal.
Just four years after the horrifying Kayts blast which rocked the nation we saw security VIPs even higher than Gen. Denzil Kobbekaduwa and Maj. General Wimalaratne waiving the rules in a manner that would have brought punishment for juniors.
In warfare, one cannot be too careful for that would mean very few could get anywhere. But the saga of the missing generals smacks of indiscipline more than valour. In a worst case scenario the loss or capture of the country’s top security chiefs would have been a prize catch for the LTTE and would have seriously weakened the government. and the State in its military campaign to end terrorism. Replacements could no doubt have been found but the resultant dislocation and the destabilisation would only have given an edge to the enemy. Does the fact that the Army Commander and the Police Chief were with Deputy Minister Anuruddha Ratwatte stem from some pathological problem that often afflicts ruling politicos and their officials. On the one hand the politician expects to be surrounded by his officials wherever he goes and on the other hand the officials like to be around these politicians for a multitude of reasons such as the fear of earning the wrath of the politico, if they were not there, or preventing others from getting close to the VIP and influencing him.
The incident was all too close for comfort. Such blunders must never ever be repeated again and some definite and rigid procedures would be a better lesson than all the Hollywood scripts from Vavuniya.
The Cabinet news briefing, through which the supposedly sovereign people are told what their highest representatives are doing for the country, has not been held during the past two weeks. An official source is reported to have said there was nothing to report. Does it mean that nothing is happening in the Cabinet and in the country? Many would agree. The economy is stagnant, most people are feeling helpless, if not hopeless and wondering where we are heading.
On the other hand, the decision to put off the weekly Cabinet news briefing might also be a reflection of a growing tendency in the government to drift away from its promise of openness and transparency. It seems that leaders who began by proclaiming they had nothing to hide are now getting so bankrupt that they have nothing to say.
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