Putting an end to thuggery
Despite the democratic principles dictated and safeguarded by the Constitution, Sri Lankan political culture seems to be one that is empowered by gun-power more than the power of people. As ominous as it may sound, politicians do breed their private underworlds and metamorphose themselves into thugs in the process. This trend however, that passed through many eras, should be discontinued immediately; for it has caused enough damage to the country already.
Though often, brutal crimes committed by the underworld come to light, the hidden paws that direct them towards such ruthless acts always remain in the dark. Be it a case of extortion, killing, disappearance or even an incident of drug peddling, the truth is that, if the investigation comes closer to the mastermind, the suspect dies mysteriously, and the case files gutted in a sudden fire. This is the predictable conclusion, quite common to all the stories that have strings attached to those who sit on higher echelons, whose demonic sides people know very little of.
Perhaps, one does not realize the fact that these private underworlds directly contribute to the country’s crime rate. Unfortunately, arms have become the official way of silencing the dissent. For instances, despite the identity of the instructors, the white vans had been coming for those who oppose and stand against the incongruities of the powers that be ; up to this day, nobody who sings praises to the government and its so called benevolent actions had been abducted.
This reflects badly on the government that often boasts of the victorious conclusion of war against terrorism; for a behaviour such as this could hardly be tolerated from an institution that ought to exhibit its political maturity and respect for democratic principles. Every politician, be it one from the ruling party or that of the opposition should realize that attaining public favour at gunpoint is not the democratic way of governing.
To see this mission ending in a jubilant note, every politician who opposes thuggery should join the struggle without leaving any space for the gun power to win over the sovereignty of people. In this endeavour, people also should come out of their eggshell comforts and make their voice heard, for as voters, it is their fault that they were oblivious to the darker side of these quasipublic representatives. Democracy does not endure torture; be it politically sponsored or otherwise. If one exercises thuggery in the name of democracy, he is a traitor to the country as well as to the fundamentals above which the state is founded.