Ensuring unity and safety under one flag

Vernon Botejue J.P.U.M. Attorney-at-Law

Vernon Botejue

Since the announcement of the date of the upcoming Presidential election, mass media both electronic and print, continue to provide sensational news, giving wide publicity to the policy decisions and utterances in particular of two candidates - the incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Retired General Sarath Fonseka who are designated by the media as the two main contenders among and unprecedented 20 others at this election.

In the light of this preponderant opinion of the media the task of the voter is made lighter, in making the choice between two candidates than 20 whose names will appear in the longest ballot paper according to the Elections Commissioner. It is in this context the writer of this essay intends to weigh and assess the published achievements, policy decisions statements and utterances of President Rajapaksa and General Fonseka to make a just and fair decision on the choice of the candidate to attain the above goal.

On assumption of office in 2005 President Rajapaksa vowed, "My political policy from now on will be the 'Rule of Law' and 'Protection of Human Rights'. I will not discriminate on party, colour, racial or religious grounds.

I will not allow anyone to subvert law and order using political power and privileges'. This affirmative public assertion of President Rajapaksa to uphold 'the rule of law' and 'to protect human rights', inter alia, was published in the article in the Daily News of January 10, 2006 under the hand of this writer titled, 'Rally round President's effort to restore order' long before any controversy arose between the two main contenders.

Of whom the latter then was a subordinate officer of the Army acting under the direction and orders of President Rajapaksa as Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.

In the article under reference it was also published: "It is gratifying to note through reports in newspapers that tangible action is already under way against vice dens, underworld criminals, gangsters, bribery and corruption the bane of civil society.

It is equally heartening to read news of cleansing operations within the bureaucracy and offenders being brought up before Courts. These facts reported in the said article bear testimony to President Mahinda Rajapaksa's attitude and action taken against 'bribery and corruption' on assumption of office and demolish the allegations now trumped up by the Retired General who then was presumably a loyal member of the outfit of President Rajapaksa's administration.

The article further carried the comment of this writer "that the successful implementation of the commendable policy of President Rajapaksa however will to a great extent depend on the good faith, co-operation and support extended by the people to achieve such an end and their desire to reap its benefits."

Ex-LTTE combatants being rehabilitated in Vavuniya. AFP

The recent public statements of President Rajapaksa confirm that in fact he did receive in full measure the unstinted co-operation and support of the people that enables him to eradicate LTTE terrorism, the scourge that afflicted the entire country, from the shores of Sri Lanka.

It is noteworthy however, that offences under the law of bribery and corruption on the other hand are difficult to detect and punish as the offender himself is a member of the public and the remedy lies entirely in the hands of the people to reform and refrain from committing such unlawful acts for their personal gain in the larger interests of the nation.

President Rajapaksa in his swearing speech vowed to give effect to the provisions of Section 27 (3) of the Constitution that enacts, "The State shall safeguard the independence, sovereignty, unity and the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka" by affirmatively declaring, "I will defend by all means the country you entrusted to me".

It is noteworthy that at that point of time a ceasefire agreement with the LTTE was in force signed by Ranil Wickremesinghe who has stood down as a candidate at the upcoming Presidential election in favour of the Retired General.

The LTTE under the safe shelter of the ceasefire agreement strengthened its military arm to the maximum possible but did not cease to launch terrorist and suicide bomb attacks causing in its wake untold harm and death of innocent people and destruction of public property.

To be continued