• Ethical conduct, Ranil, and defenders of democracy comedians

Dear members of the Opposition,

You are now talking about democracy and ethical conduct and as to why former President Ranil Wickremesinghe should be considered above the law. First, let us see what experts say about ethical conduct and democracy and whether one can be above the law. Although there are various definitions, let us look at the most simple common definitions.

"Democracy is a system of government by the people, for the people and of the people," said the late United States President Abraham Lincoln.

Ethical conduct is acting in accordance with moral principles, values ​​and accepted standards of ‘right’ and ‘wrong.’ This is demonstrated by behaviours such as honesty, fairness and respect for others. It provides a framework for behaviour, which is often described in professional or organisational codes of conduct, and is essential for building trust and long-term benefits for individuals, organisations and the society.

Now, let us review the press conference held by all of you Opposition parties on 24 August, and the views expressed with a few examples.

“The coffins of democracy are being carved,” said former President Maithripala Sirisena.

This same Sirisena is the one who threw out Wickremesinghe, a fully democratically appointed Prime Minister, and appointed former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, a democratically discarded person as the Premier. The Supreme Court (SC) decided that the act of the President was undemocratic and unconstitutional. 

The SC also found Sirisena guilty of failing to prevent the Easter Sunday terror attacks and ordered him to pay compensation. What ethical right does Sirisena have to come on to your stage and boast about democracy? 

The SC ruled that the Rajapaksa family and the then Governor of the Central Bank were   responsible for making the country bankrupt? A crime against the nation and its people. Why didn't you come together to hold press conferences and  to file criminal cases against those corrupt people and take action against the criminals who have ruined this country? Are you not ashamed to get the same people on your stage to speak about democracy and ethical conduct? 

Where were you when Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake was humiliated, investigated by a team of people such as former Minister Wimal Weerawansa who is supposed to have not even passed the General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level Examination and removed her from office? Was it not a grave situation endangering democracy for you all to come together to defend democracy?

Most of you all had been shouting at the top of your voices charging Wickremesinghe as the Batalanda murderer and the mastermind in the Central Bank scandal. Why didn't you have the strength to raise your voice in a gathering like this now, demanding that he be arrested immediately and brought before the law?

There was not a speaker amongst you questioning as to why Wickremesinghe was not arrested for those crimes but for this comparatively minor crime? Let us know which law book states in which order criminals should be arrested, or prosecuted?

Former Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva was accused of soliciting bribes from a Japanese company for undertaking a development project. Wickremesinghe got him exonerated from the charges through tactful political maneuvering. But, the Japanese Ambassador himself exposed that the Japanese development project was halted as a result of corruption of government officers and the minister, and offered to support the Government on its work against corruption. His actions came as humiliation to the whole country before the international business community. Did you not realise that the same de Silva coming on your stage to speak about democracy and ethical conduct will turn your media conference into a meeting of comedians?

The news that more than 400 people were killed and buried in the Chemmani burial grounds is a situation where our country's democracy and human rights are being questioned internationally. What is the ethical conduct that you are exhibiting by not speaking a word about this massacre up to now, while taking the matter of an individual, Wickremesinghe, who is facing many murder, corruption, violations of human rights and democracy-related charges, to the international community. Will not the international community mock your double standards?

Why didn't you feel the need to come together and raise your voice when former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa prohibited the use of chemical fertiliser overnight and destroyed the entire country's agriculture and the livelihood of farmers? Did you all open your mouth during the economic crisis when people were dying of starvation and waiting in long queues to get their essentials? Democratic treatment for Wickremesinghe is more important to you, rather than this worst ever humanitarian crisis, while Wickremesinghe remains one of the culprits’ leading the country to this situation. 

The minister responsible for the lives and health of the people of the country Keheliya Rambukwella, now charged for criminal activities in connections with fake medicines and putting the lives of the entire country at risk, was protected by Wickremesinghe. Think of the value that Wickremesinghe gave to the entire population of this country. 

You didn't realise the importance of coming together to demand that Wickremesinghe take immediate action against Rambukwella? Lives of the entire population of this country have no value to you while Wickremesinghe has become your ‘hero’ and you all are coming forward to play the role of the defenders of democracy and ethical conduct – what a joke?

The law expert leading your platform Prof. G.L. Peiris has suddenly realised that there is something called ‘democracy and ethical conduct.’ He has always played the role of the leaders of comedians and rightly did so on this occasion too. If you have only read the comments about the submission made by Wickremesinghe’s lawyer in court, you would have thought twice before going for the media briefing. One comment I quote: “For the global legal fraternity, the spectacle has become a case study in what not to do before a Magistrate.” Legal blogs in India and the United Kingdom have already dissected the fiasco with grim amusement. One British barrister quipped: “If my pupil submitted an argument citing YouTube predictions of remand orders, I’d send them back to chambers with a textbook.”

Now, dear Opposition members, go back to the beginning of this article to have some basic knowledge about what is democracy and ethical conduct.

When the law is to be applied against your opponent, you will say ‘no one is above the law’ and you have faith in the Judiciary. But, when the law is applied to you and others of your interest, you will have other and new theories of ‘exemptions.’ 

In toto, what you all are doing now is not defending democracy and ethical conduct but pre-preparation and preventing the ‘Welikada call’ knocking at your door.

You can’t any longer fool the people with your new theories of democracy and ethical conduct. 

(The writer is the Executive Director of the Plantation Rural Education Development Organisation)

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The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication