Respect for the dead and
political expediency
We are a country well
known for our rich civilisation and a social and cultural ethos
steeped in pristine values and traditions. Among the foremost
values of our people are to treat the dead with dignity and
respect. Even one’s worst enemy is accorded this honour in the
true Sri Lankan tradition and a funeral ceremony anywhere is a
sombre, solemn event not to be trifled with in any way.
It was therefore sad to have witnessed the bizarre scenes
accompanying the funeral of slain journalist Lasantha
Wickremetunga which turned these values and ethos, for which we
pride ourselves, on their head.
While friends, colleagues and the public alike genuinely
mourned the death of Lasantha, most unfortunately some thought
it fit to turn this sad occasion into a political circus in a
bid to make a short cut to power.
As already mentioned, in the time honoured traditions of this
country funerals are sombre occasions where the dead are treated
with due solemnity and respect. Even in cities the cortege makes
it way to the cemetery in hushed silence in a gloomy atmosphere
with a pall hung over the mourners.
They are not occasions for showmanship or exploited for
gaining one upmanship. Nor are they demeaned or degraded and
degenerated into a comedy with scant regard for the departed
soul.
What the nation witnessed on Monday was a complete negation
of all our values and customs held sacrosanct, where the dead
was paraded in the most bizarre and vulgar display of political
opportunism.
It is hardly surprising when one considers the social milieu
and background of those who hi-jacked the whole affair,that of
being completely alien and out of touch with the pristine
traditions and indigenous values upheld by the majority of the
population.
The vast majority of our countrymen who lay great store in
these values would no doubt have been aghast at the scenes they
witnessed on television where the funeral of a well known
journalist and public figure was desecrated for obvious
political gain.
The solemn and sombre mood was completely destroyed and
shattered by the carnival atmosphere injected into the funeral
procession by the display of decorative balloons and other
features that smacked of revelry. The dashing of coconuts,
burning of effigies and the display of banners certainly are not
facets associated with the last journey of any mortal in a
country steeped in the asiatic tradition.
Many would agree that the spirit of mourning and atmosphere
of grief was completely removed from the solemn moment by this
side show staged by interested parties, who, frustrated by their
electoral misfortunes had seized on the last journey of a
popular journalist to breath oxygen into their dying campaign.
And who are these people who are today weeping buckets for
media freedom? Who can forget the spate of extra judicial
killings, the abductions and disappearances that took place in
the late 80’s, the mysterious murder of a photo journalist
opposite the home of a powerful Minister in Kandana, the
slaughter of Richard de Zosya whose body was washed ashore on
the Lunawa beach, the tortured death of rights lawyer Wijedasa
Liyanaarachchi, the abduction and murder of Kanchana Abeypala
another HR lawyer, just to name a few.
The irony is that those today in the forefront fighting for
Human Rights, Media freedom etc. were powerful personalities in
the Government of the day at whose doorstep all these killings
were placed.
Given this record it is disgusting to note the eagerness of
the present Opposition to pounce on this death to gain political
milage
It was even reported that the Leader of the Opposition in his
haste to be thrust into the limelight had even stormed the
operating theatre where the injured journalist lay, with his
shoes on, against medical regulations.
This conduct alone amply demonstrate the indecent hurry by
the opposition leader to make political capital out of this
incident even disregarding the safety of the victim.
The statements made at the funeral were no less harmful and
disrespectful of the dead. Speaker after speaker held the
Government responsible directly and by innuendo, when
investigations had hardly got off the ground. In short
Lasantha’s funeral was turned into political platform for
speakers to engage in Government bashing.
Those aspiring to come to power some day should be first
taught the customs and entrenched value among the population of
the country foremost among them being respect shown to the dead.
If only some of these elements would venture out into the
villages they would see first hand how dignity and decorum is
accorded to the departed in the true traditional customs.
It is not surprising that those who have no grasp of the even
of the rudiments of the country’s values and traditions have
failed to win public confidence and support all these years.
Hence their attempts to take short cuts to power, even at the
expense of the dead. |