Minister diverts criticism by putting CID on wrong scent
If the Police want to deploy the long arm of the law, their Chief and one of their agencies -- the CID, must surely not only know what laws exist, but what don't. Its foray into newspaper offices this week to record statements from editors of mainstream newspapers, reminiscent of the bad old days of not so long ago, was halted in the nick of time.
The Trade Minister who set the process in motion over a garlic scam in a state institution under his supervision also seems to be suffering from a bout of amnesia as the laws of criminal defamation were repealed nearly two decades ago by a unanimous vote in Parliament where the Minister himself raised his hand. Power corrupts and the Minister ought to have known he just cannot let loose the Police to harass editors and journalists on a criminal investigation.
If not for the timely intervention of the Prime Minister reminding the clumsy cops of the laws of the land, the Government would have ended up with one big embarrassment.
It was only a fortnight ago that the UN Human Rights chief referred to the "harassment of journalists" in Sri Lanka. And the cops barging into the newsrooms happened while a European Union delegation was in town assessing the democratic scorecard of the Government in order to extend the GSP tax facility for the country. To cap it all, it was the day the world commemorated the UN's International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI).
Ironically, the theme for IDUAI 2021 is to build back strong institutions for the public good and sustainable development as well as to strengthen the right to information and international cooperation in the field of implementing human rights. The CID could not have picked a worse day for its adventurism.
As The Editors Guild statement condemning this high-handed Police-state-like action says, the entire incident revolves around a humongous garlic scam that took place under the nose of the Trade Minister and it is the duty of the Minister and the CID to bring to book the culprits of this stinking scam rather than pursue the messengers exposing it. The CID not only misdirected itself on the law, but look like a joker following the wrong trail.
A related coincidence this week has been the coming to an end of the historic first Right to Information Commission (RTIC) established in 2016 after a media and civil society-led struggle for an RTI Law for over a decade and a half. The impressive record of the RTIC's work is reported on page 2 today. It opened new vistas for the ordinary citizen in accessing public information and changed the secretive culture of government.
The RTIC ceases to exist right now as only two members remain. The President must appoint the second Commission ASAP, if not immediately. Open government is bad for corrupt Ministers and officials but good for the country.