Rajpal's Column

19th September 1999

Citizen Perera, he who owns the private estate, and his times

By Rajpal Abeynayake

There are times when the bad in institu tions, or in persons begins to far outweigh the good, that people begin to have to hold their nose.

The moral hypocrisy of the incumbent government is so complete now, that it has simply no business being in power. Upto a point, any government can engage in politicking, and engage in some sort of political hypocrisy and gamesmanship. It's acceptable and expected. This government, for instance, has been consummate in the art of blaming the previous dispensation, for whatever is rotten in the nation. That's gamesmanship that can be put down to playing politics – a kind of hypocrisy that is amusing and certainly not fatal.

But, now, the government has placed itself beyond the beyond the pale. It has particularly this week, made itself so notorious, that it's just plain and simple that this is a government of the absolutely and incontrovertibly shameless.

The UNP became absolutely shameless, in a certain era, when it succeeded in acquiring a notorious record with regard to its behaviour in the area of elementary civil and political rights. Of course, the UNP paid the price for it, eventually.

This government has now crossed the moral threshold. It's no more tenable, than the UNP was in the height of its notoriety. No honourable men can exist as part of this dispensation any more — no princes can exist among the notorious.

But, it's also a sad commentary on men and matters, that this society seems to be populated by mediocrity, a fact that seems to be apparent with the sort of reaction that greets obvious assaults on the integrity of the system from those in power. This fact seems to appear more glaring, as this dispensation gets about the task of making a mockery of all that is acceptable, and sacred to civil society.

There seems to be little that the man on the street can do about these transgressions by the powers that be. But, there are elite's and people in position of power, in the state apparatus, who can do their darndest about the assaults on the system carried out by any dispensation. But sans any men of guts, and sans any men who cannot think of much other than their own personal positions and their pecuniary gain, this system has become a veritable repository of mediocrity – particularly now.

When a dispensation begins to run a country as if the country is its own private estate, it means that power has corrupted that dispensation absolutely. This dispensation has been corrupted so absolutely, that now, its upto civil society to wrest back the "private estate'' from those who think they own it.

Some persons, from the fringes, have displayed extraordinary courage and strength in the face of what's palpably wrong . that's heartening; but, it's sad that a society has to be pulled out from the abyss by agitators, however formidable and talented they are, who act on the fringes.

But perhaps, at least to think aloud, a society has to be led by its leaders, even those acting from the fringe, while its plodders and mediocrities in positions of power, who can make a difference, are safeguarding their own future prospects.

There may also, not be much that can be done, when a government abuses its power, to accomplish deeds that are disgusting and unpardonable in any civilised polity. The power used, is enshrined in documents, and has almost accidentally, been bestowed on the abusers.

But, there are other answers. There is a strong message of stigma and ostracism that can be sent by society to governments that transgress everything that's acceptable, and still lay claim to honour and respect. Such messages of ostracism needs be sent not just to the government, or its leadership and personalities within government, but also to its most potent allies and backers within the system.

It was by the way, a little bit difficult to stomach the sort of arrogance that's now being displayed by those in power, particularly by a dispensation that promised to overhaul the system, and came to power on an mandate that was, in essence, a promise to restore the system. But, fact's stranger than fiction.

End-piece: Citizen Perera, who plods on, might probably think that fate plays the strangest tricks on him,. The millennium is about to dawn, but there are accolades being paid to him in unexpected ways.

Our features pages, carry an article this week, about an accolade paid to citizen Perera by someone who wants to name him Man of the Century. It's an inspired choice, but, citizen Perera, even at the fag end of the century, is not given a respite,. His sensibilities continue to be assailed. But, he is a resilient man. He owns the estate… Nobody else even has a lien on it...

The Jungle Telegraph

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