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Security given to some self-important government politicians is such that the ordinary people have to get into wayside drains to make way for them on public roads. Besides, they have private armies consisting of trigger-happy, heavily armed underworld criminals. But, former Army Commander Gen. Sarath Fonseka laments that he does not have adequate security in spite of threats to his life, which, he says, is in danger. This is a very sad state of affairs.
The government claims to have detailed some security personnel to protect Gen. Fonseka, but he is not happy with that arrangement, we are told. A country`s political stability hinges, among other things, on its rulers` ability to protect not only themselves but also their political rivals. A government which shirks this responsibility asks for trouble. The unprecedented crisis this country was plunged into in 1993 is a case in point. Had President Ranasinghe Premadasa acted with restraint and been wise enough to provide security to the UNP dissidents who had broken away and formed the Democratic United National Front (DUNF) following their abortive attempt to impeach him, the assassination of Lalith Athulathmudali and the attendant political tempest could have been averted.
A gunman fatally shot the DUNF leader at a political rally in Colombo in April 1993 and the government became the suspect. The Opposition promptly pinned the blame for the killing on President Premadasa and took to the streets demonising him.
That tragedy triggered a gargantuan political upheaval which culminated in President Premadasa having to adopt desperate damage control measures, which unfortunately drove him to expose himself to danger on May 1, 1993. The UNP government failed to protect him he was blown to smithereens by an LTTE suicide bomber. The UNP has not fully recovered ever since. That is the price it has paid for not protecting Athulathmudali and President Premadasa. Those who do not learn from history, it is said, are doomed to repeat it.
True, the LTTE`s military muscle has been effectively neutralised but thousands of former Tiger combatants are at large as Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa himself told the media prior to the last UNHRC session in March this year. The country is awash with illegal fire arms, ammunition and explosive devices of all sorts besides LTTE`s underground arms dumps which have not yet been totally unearthed. So, the threat of terror has not gone away completely and the government must take all precautions. In fact, it has not lowered its guard where the security of its leaders is concerned. The question is why it makes light of threats to others` lives.
Even Gen. Fonseka`s worst detractors including those who openly campaigned against him at the last presidential election concede that he played a pivotal role in crushing terrorism, of course, together with other service commanders, the IGPs during the war years and the head of the Civil Defence Force. He deserves maximum security and his demand must be met.
Ironically, while a battle scarred warrior is worrying about his safety, chain snatchers, killers, cattle rustlers, fraudsters, bootleggers and drug dealers in the ruling party move about with massive security contingents wreaking mayhem on roads to boost their egos much to the consternation of the public. They have no threats to their lives whatsoever and therefore need no security at all. Instead, it is the hapless public who should be protected against such rowdies with criminal track records!
All those who were instrumental in defeating terrorism and, therefore, ended up high on LTTE hit lists must be protected by the State. The government must not deny them proper security for political reasons. Let that be the bottom line!
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AnuD
Senior Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 59069
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 13 Jun 2012 15:55:22 GMT Report for Abuse
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Besides, they have private armies consisting of trigger-happy, heavily armed underworld criminals.
when all these things are happening, when there is 18th amendment, when the president is the all powerful executive, tell us That Mahinda Rajapakse is doing a good job.
Instead, right now he is traveling all over the world with his entourage and having fun. |
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