Shenali D Waduge 

The Island newspaper of 15 Oct 2016 brought to the attention of the readers that an NGO that helped the President come to power is now threatening him because of the President’s remarks against the wrongs of the FCID, CID and CIABOC. Can the public of Sri Lanka know exactly who Sarath Wijesooriya and his civil society movement and their members are to be dictating and even threatening the President of Sri Lanka? Who are their funding sources for these organizations to think they are the cat’s whiskers of society.

The heading of the article is shocking in itself “NGO that helped Sirisena to come to power threatens to turn against him for pointing out wrongs of FCID, CID, CIABOC”.  

Headed by one Sarath Wijesooriya of some group called National Movement for Social Justice/Purawesi Balaya together with someone called Gamini Viyangoda (his name rings a bell – Oh yes he is on the task force on reconciliation set up by the PM together with CPA’s Pakiasorthy Saravanamuthu) Others at the press conference mentioned in the Island newspaper were K W Janaranjana, Saman Rathnapriya, Joseph Stalin, Nishanka Diddeniya, Lucian Bulathsinhala and Gemunu Wijeratne. As per Noor Nizam’s article most of the initial members of this civil society group have abandoned ship claiming the current spokespersons are having their own agenda. In such a scenario the Convenor of the Purawesi Balaya should be removed from the task force for reconciliation given his questionable disposition.

When was this movement organized, why and who is funding it for them – these are extremely important in view of transparency that the good governance is boasting and promising the people. The Right to Information Act should be used to see the funding of such groups who just because they helped campaign cannot be so bold to make such vile and open threats at the country’s President. Exactly who are they to be demanding the President to arrest people? Are they the police?

This movement has threatened to take to the streets against the present govt – it would be very interesting to see how many would join them. Not many even know of them or have any regard for them. Why don’t they contest an election and find out whether they have a following or not.

The President should also note that people are known by the company they keep. Therefore, in the light of the President being openly humiliated as was clear in the press conference, it is best that such groups are not entertained and the public has their own medicine for such people who blow hot air having being funded to do so. Which is again why it is important to know who is funding the movement.

In law the onus is on those making the accusations to put forward the evidence and not arrest people and then look for the evidence. This has to be applicable to everyone irrespective of party colors.

The movement is claiming the heads of these investigative bodies will get discouraged – what about those being brought to these bodies without evidence, are they not likely to be demoralized as well. Or is this the idea?

If people are arrested in view of evidence against them and case filed on facts there is no reason for anyone to be making a fuss. All of us want the law & order to prevail in an orderly and equal manner not because some NGO who were funded to campaign for the President is now upset with some of the statements the President says. Does the President have to read off only their speeches? We don’t think so. The President of Sri Lanka is not a puppet of Purawesi Balaya.

We don’t need some NGO to be dictating to either the President or the Prime Minister of the country. As public servants both are using the tax payer’s money to uphold the sovereignty and national integrity of the country. They don’t need to be hen-pecked by some NGO. Their decisions are relevant to all the citizens of the country not just one party and certainly not to please some NGO. People did not vote for the President just because some civil society asked them to do so. If they think so, they are sadly mistaken.  

If this movement feels that the country laws are being flouted there are enough of lawyers to file cases for them. They should take the legal route and not issue threats to the country’s President.

Moreover these foreign funded civil society groups are often used to create mischief and plant various controversial views into society to create confusions. Given that the media is also paid and used in similar fashion both entities end up projecting a view that is not necessarily what the general public feels. Therefore these entities end up giving wrong and deceitful presentations to the entire world – well that’s what they are paid to do.

That the comments by the President has generated such public vituperation has resulted in a nation-wide security alert. So these players have achieved the objective. Eventually it is the people who end up suffering now that a once peaceful country is in turmoil once again.

We are appalled by the manner that these supposed to be ‘educated’ ‘academics’ have addressed the President of the country ordering him how he should rule. How dare they dictate to the President who should and should not be arrested?

This is not what we expect from ‘learned’ people. Nobody can threaten the President of a country and dictate how he should run the country just because they helped him come to power. If they think they can do a better job why not contest elections and see if people vote for them.

Shenali D Waduge

http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=153765

Also refer to Noor Nizam’s article questioning the same

http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2016/10/15/puravasi-balaya-controlled-by-a-handfull-of-opportunists-has-turned-out-to-become-a-political-thug/