12 April 2023

Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

 

 

INSULTING THE PROTESTORS

 

Law & Due processes regulate our conduct. Like plans and budgets, they help us operate within recognised limits. This could be our own laws as individuals, family, community, national or global. Where the ‘gap’ between our personal law and our institutional / national laws is wide, the risk of internal separation  is high. The reason is blindness caused by lack of express opposition, which promotes us to fool ourselves that we ‘fit’ the high position we hold. This leads also to allocating greater importance to the person than the position. This in turn leads to dual systems that oppose each other. Those who follow the law are naturally opposed by those who disrespect the law. Leaders who are ignorant of the lawful requirements of their position become the permanent opposition of the law abiding citizen and therefore the law itself.

Passive leaders who think they would never be charged on the basis of a particular law – for example – Anti Terrorism law, tend to make those laws that are irrelevant to them. Those who are violent, would find a way to attack. In countries like India and Sri Lanka, political influence is used to escape punishment. But they often fear rebels who are not punished. Mr Duminda Silva is such an example. As per Wikipedia, about 2022 protests:

‘Housing Development Authority Chairman and former MP Duminda Silva left for Singapore on 7 May. Silva was convicted of murdering a rival politician and his supporters in 2011 and had been sentenced to death in 2016 but was pardoned by Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2021’

 

and about Mr Basil Rajapasa:

 

On 12 July, Basil Rajapaksa, who attempted to flee the country via Bandaranaike International Airport, was forced to turn back after he was met with strong protests at the airport. The immigration and emigration officers attached to Silk Road Departures, which provides a dedicated service to VIPs, also withdrew from their duties. On the same day, The Hindu reported that the United States rejected President Rajapaksa's recent request for a visa.

On 13 July, Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country in an SLAF aircraft and arrived at Maldives. On 15 July, Supreme Court issued a temporary travel ban on Mahinda Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa, barring them from flying out of the country until 28 July.

 

This situation would have been prevented if the common citizen understood the law and was facilitated to present her / his understanding of the law as s/he would practice it independent of a lawyer. The way we genuinely interpret a law is as per our own truth which is our soul-power. Soul power is independent of us and spreads itself. That is the way, the system of Natural Justice works.

To the extent Aragalaya protestors caused the change, they have the responsibility to assist in the making of the new constitution.

The report headed ‘Basil, the next SLPP Prez candidate?’ at https://www.themorning.lk/articles/esuJqT2EWdLlsl48mteh  makes one wonder whether the Aragalaya was influenced by those who did not feel Sri Lankan.