Let rationality reign!

The statement by the External Affairs Ministry which we front-paged yesterday, clarifies many a contentious issue which has surfaced over the temporary disappearance of political activists Gunaratnam and Dimuthu Attygalle from public life. While there is a clear tendency in some quarters to react with excessive emotion to some of the points at issue, the External Affairs Ministry statement puts the record straight on these questions with the utmost clarity and coherence.

The law and order authorities are continuing their investigations on the incidents in question and it would be inappropriate, from a legal point of view, for any responsible quarter to hazard any explanations on the matters raised by these temporary disappearances.

The investigations and the attendant legal process have to take their course and one would be clearly in the wrong to make utterances which would smack of prejudgments. Accordingly, it is best that all concerned are guided by reason and the consideration that the best interests of the public must be attached top priority.

However, some salient issues need to be kept in mind lest feelings are permitted by the more volatile to rule their heads. As pointed out by the authorities, the raising of the sensitive and explosive issue of disappearances could have as its end the embarrassment of the state at this juncture when human rights violation allegations are being leveled against it in some international quarters. On the other hand, it would be clearly counter-productive for the state to allow itself to be embroiled in an issue of this nature.

The quarters who stand to gain by scares and scandals of this kind are the enemies of the state who would go to any extreme to denigrate the state for cheap political gain.

Therefore, the possibility which the more reflective quarters of the citizenry need to raise is whether sections of the Opposition have not orchestrated these ‘disappearances’ in view of the gains which would accrue to them, whereas it would be clearly foolhardy for the state to allow itself to be inveigled into developments of this nature. We call for the exercise of reason and not emotion on the part of all concerned.

In fact, rationality and logical thinking ought to be our predominant characteristics in the days ahead. It is quite obvious that the enemies of the state are on what could be called an all out bid to embarrass it. It would go to any extreme apparently to undo what is being achieved by the state. Such approaches to politics should not surprise anyone because this is the stuff of opportunistic politics.

But the well-meaning and reasonable among us need to keep our heads. It is the general populace who would suffer most by this destructive brand of politics and the unsettling consequences which could derive from it. If the state is isolated internationally, for instance, it is the ordinary citizenry which could face the worst consequences from such a policy stance. For example, they could be deprived of some of their essentials.

But we believe it is the duty of every straight- thinking citizen to remain calm and detached and to the best of their ability to help the state in its efforts to put things right in this country. The country is on a swift course to normalcy and it is clearly in the national interest for things to remain this way. Let every right thinking person stand up and be counted.