By Harini Amarasuriya The hashtag #MeToo started trending in 2017 when American actress Alyssa Milano tweeted a request asking women who had been sexually harassed or assaulted, to write Me Too as their status. This was at the time when sexual abuse allegations against Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein were beginning to gather steam. Milano’s […]
By Harini Amarasuriya
The hashtag #MeToo started trending in 2017 when American actress Alyssa Milano tweeted a request asking women who had been sexually harassed or assaulted, to write Me Too as their status. This was at the time when sexual abuse allegations against Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein were beginning to gather steam.
Milano’s tweet generated a huge response and #MeToo became a global phenomenon with women from various parts of the world using the hashtag to talk about sexual harassment that they had faced. The phrase ‘Me Too’ was originally created by American activist Tarana Burke, who works with survivors of sexual violence. The Me Too movement not only led to the exposure of many instances and perpetrators of sexual harassment throughout the world, but has also generated a broader conversation about sexual harassment and sexual violence.
Predictably, there has been a backlash against the Me Too movement, mostly concerning the possibility of false accusations. However, almost four years into the movement, it is clear that the space that the Me Too movement has created for women to speak out against sexual harassment has led to a much needed conversation about men’s behaviour towards women – especially that of men in positions of power.
Globally, well known men in the entertainment industry, media, academia and politics have been exposed by women. In Sri Lanka, there has been an interest in the movement and although not widespread, similar conversations and initiatives have been taking place especially on social media platforms. The backlash against the Me Too movement has also revealed how easily society reverts to ‘blaming the woman’ trope when men’s power is challenged.
We know how common it is to hold women responsible for ‘putting themselves in danger’ whether it is the clothes we wear, the alcohol that we consume, or daring to believe that we have a right to expect not to be leered at or worse in public spaces or not to be taken advantage of in our intimate encounters.
The Me Too movement also provoked a host of reactions about shrill and selfrighteous women who don’t understand or appreciate ‘fun’ or have Victorian ideas about sex and sexual relationships. Even more than the lack of systems in place to protect women or procedures to deal with allegations of harassment and violence, the greatest challenge to opening up about experiences of sexual harassment and violence are the reactions women have to deal with when they choose to speak out.
Socialised as we are to always seek the approval of others and not to make ‘scenes’ many of us tend to swallow the indignity, pain and trauma of sexual harassment and carry on. It is this barrier that the Me Too movement really broke through by encouraging thousands of women to speak out, letting them know that they will be heard and that they will be supported. The significance of that support and space cannot be underestimated.
While it is extremely important to support women who want to speak out about their experiences, it is important to recognise that there are as many who do not speak out – often for very good reasons of their own. It is not simply lack of access to social media or support that prevents women (and men) from speaking out about sexual harassment. Much of the silence is around the harassment and violence that takes place within intimate circles: within families, close friends and colleagues.
How do you call out someone for inappropriate behaviour when you have every day, close and personal interactions with that person at many different levels? How do you deal with someone like that even if you have not been personally or directly affected? For instance, what do you do when you hear about a colleague who regularly sends inappropriate texts/images to women but who has always treated you with respect? What do you do when male colleagues whose work you respect, constantly crack sexist jokes around women? Or worse, behaves abusively towards other women? What do you do about a dearly loved relative who makes you uncomfortable with his overly affectionate behaviour, especially when you are the only one who seems to notice or care? The point is that much of what makes us feel uncomfortable, scared or violated, raises certain fundamental questions about how we interact with each other and what we understand by things such as respect and consent. And drawing strict lines about what is ok and what is not ok in our interactions with each other is extremely difficult.
How many times have we been in situations where we go along with jokes or conversations full of sexual innuendoes, even when we know it makes us uncomfortable because we don’t want to be spoilsports? What constitutes sexual harassment is on a spectrum and each one of us may have our own threshold of comfort/discomfort.
Yet, what constitutes our threshold is contingent on so many factors – not least the relations of power and sense of agency that shape our interactions with each other. For instance, the allowances granted to charismatic and intelligent men are much more than what is granted to men who are more direct (or cruder) in their behaviour. Social context also shapes behaviour.
I still remember what a very dear, male friend told me when we were discussing the issue of sexual harassment: “Never try to check the intentions or feelings of a man – only how he acts on those intentions and feelings”. The same friend told me how the men who leer at you in dark corners at the Majestic City or on a lonely street will behave quite differently if you bump into him at say, One Colombo.
This also brings me to a much more difficult point: if what is determined as sexual harassment is on a spectrum, so are the perpetrators. No human being is one dimensional or defined in totality by a single characteristic or act. Human beings are endlessly complicated and human interactions even more so. As much as the Me Too movement created a space for women (and also men) to speak out about sexual harassment, there will also be others who are still hesitant to speak out.
We may choose to continue to interact with people whose actions and behaviours have made us uncomfortable or whose actions and behaviours we condemn. Sometimes, we may not have the luxury or opportunity to avoid such people. In such situations, we choose other strategies to manage those interactions as safely as possible. As much as we celebrate those who speak out, it is important that we hear and support those who do not.
My worry about the power of movements such as Me Too is that they sometimes present us with a set of certainties and fixed choices in situations filled with uncertainty and the possibility of a multiplicity of responses. Or rather, that sometimes, the certainty and choices before us are overemphasised especially when the discussions are confined to or conducted primarily on social media platforms.
At the heart of all of this is the quality and the humanity of our interactions with each other – whether in public or intimate spaces. Just as much as we interrogate the individuals complicit in abusive and predatory behaviour, we also need to interrogate the conditions that enable such behaviour, conditions that give rise to de-humanising behaviour. This includes our education system and mainstream ideologies that justify exploitative and abusive relationships in subtle and not so subtle ways. It is also not enough to expect victims to seek legal interventions – very often these incidents cannot be presented to or resolved satisfactorily within a legal framework.
Even when they are pursued legally and concluded successfully from the point of view of the victim, they rarely deliver justice in the broader sense. Ultimately, it is the quality of our forms of sociality and human engagement that we need to focus on – while acknowledging its full range of complexities and nuances. Acknowledging complexity and nuance should not provide loopholes or excuses for unacceptable behaviour, but simply appreciating the spectrum of human experiences, feelings and emotions. In the meantime, let us keep supporting each other to talk and to be heard, in whatever manner each of us chooses to be heard.
https://ceylontoday.lk/news/some-reflections-on-the-metoo-movement-1
It is becoming increasingly evident that this government, which has failed in every sphere of governance, is also incapable of tolerating even the mildest criticism or dissent. We have observed that the police force is being used not for the protection of people, but rather as an instrument for harassing and intimidating government critics. In […]
It is becoming increasingly evident that this government, which has failed in every sphere of governance, is also incapable of tolerating even the mildest criticism or dissent. We have observed that the police force is being used not for the protection of people, but rather as an instrument for harassing and intimidating government critics. In recent times, students, teachers, academics and activists who have been engaged in a range of protests have been detained and/or being sought for questioning by the police. Trade union leaders have been harassed. Media including social media commentators, even health professionals who have been sharing their COVID experiences publicly are being questioned by the police. Civil society activists who express their views are being investigated, the latest being Shehan Malaka Gamage, who spoke out on the Easter Attacks to the media.
We would like to remind the government that the freedom of expression is a constitutionally guaranteed right. We appreciate the actions of several Magistrates recently, who have unequivocally reminded the police of this in recent incidents when people were presented to court by the police. However, it is clear that the police are being ordered by the political authority to act in this manner. We noticed several instances where police officers were embarrassed in court because they had to follow politically motivated directives. We also know that the government will not step up to defend police officers who have been forced to carry out these instructions.
These are cowardly tactics employed by insecure leaders who are clearly out of their depth in doing what they are supposed to do: govern the country. When the country and its people are in the midst of a battle against a global epidemic, unsure of their own lives or those of their loved ones, this government is seemingly more concerned with shutting down its critics. Unable to provide solutions for any of the legitimate issues faced by the people of this country, harassing critics seems to be the only response the government can conjure up at this time. The NPP calls upon the government to focus on what is important for the people at this moment in time – namely managing the COVID epidemic effectively and prioritising the health and wellbeing of our people. We vehemently condemn these efforts at intimidation and the use of the police for political ends. We call upon all the people to stand strong together against these anti-democratic government tactics. As the NPP we will continue to stand by the right of people to dissent and express their opinions and we will take whatever necessary actions to protect these democratic rights.
நிபுணத்துவ மருத்துவர், பேராசிரியர் கிறிஷாந்த அபேசேன உயிர்த்தஞாயிறு தாக்குதலுக்கு இன்றளவில் 28 மாதங்கள் கழிந்துள்ளன. சனாதிபதி ஆணைக்குழுவின் அறிக்கை கையளிக்கப்பட்டு ஆறு மாதங்களுக்கு மேலாகி விட்டது. இந்த தாக்குதலில் ஏறக்குறைய 270 பேர் உயிரிழந்ததோடு அதைவிட அதிகமான எண்ணிக்கையுடையோர் இறந்துகொண்டே வாழ்கிறார்கள். கைகால்களை இழந்தவர்கள், மூளைக்கு சேதமேற்பட்டவர்கள் பெருந்தொகையினராக இவ்விதமாக உள்ளதோடு அவர்களின் குடும்பங்கள் இதன் காரணமாக பாரிய அனர்த்தத்திற்கு இலக்காகி உள்ளன. இது கிறிஸ்தவ மக்களுக்கு எதிராக மாத்திரம் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்ட தாக்குதல் என நாங்கள் நினைக்கவில்லை. […]
உயிர்த்தஞாயிறு தாக்குதலுக்கு இன்றளவில் 28 மாதங்கள் கழிந்துள்ளன. சனாதிபதி ஆணைக்குழுவின் அறிக்கை கையளிக்கப்பட்டு ஆறு மாதங்களுக்கு மேலாகி விட்டது. இந்த தாக்குதலில் ஏறக்குறைய 270 பேர் உயிரிழந்ததோடு அதைவிட அதிகமான எண்ணிக்கையுடையோர் இறந்துகொண்டே வாழ்கிறார்கள். கைகால்களை இழந்தவர்கள், மூளைக்கு சேதமேற்பட்டவர்கள் பெருந்தொகையினராக இவ்விதமாக உள்ளதோடு அவர்களின் குடும்பங்கள் இதன் காரணமாக பாரிய அனர்த்தத்திற்கு இலக்காகி உள்ளன. இது கிறிஸ்தவ மக்களுக்கு எதிராக மாத்திரம் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்ட தாக்குதல் என நாங்கள் நினைக்கவில்லை. தமது சமயமே மிகச்சிறந்த சமயம், தமது இனமே தலைசிறந்த இனம் எனக் கூறுகின்ற எவரேனும் இருப்பாராயின் அவர்கள்தான் தீவிரவாதிகள். இதனூடாக பயங்கரவாதத்திற்குச் செல்வார்களாயின் இந்த சூழமைவின்கீழ் அந்த நிலைமையை மாத்திரம் கருத்திற்கொள்வதில்லை. தீவிரவாதம் அல்லது பயங்கரவாதத்திற்கான காரணங்களைக் கண்டறிந்து முழுமையான கருத்தொன்றினை பெற்றுக்கொள்ள வேண்டும். அழுத்தத்திற்கு அல்லது தீவிரவாதத்திற்கு மாத்திரம் சுருக்க நான் விரும்பவில்லை. இங்கு இருப்பது தீவிரவாதம் அலலது பயங்கரவாதம் பற்றிய பிரச்சினையொன்று, முஸ்லிம் மக்களுக்கு மாத்திரம் ஏற்பட்ட பிரச்சினையொன்று போல சுருக்க இயலாது. பௌத்த, இந்து மற்றும் ஏனைய மதத்தவர்களைப்போலவே முஸ்லிம் மக்களுக்கும் இந்த பிரச்சினை உருவாக்கக்கூடும். ஆனால் இங்கு இனவாத அல்லது மதவாதப் பிரச்சினையைப் பார்க்கிலும் வேறோன்று இருக்கின்றது.
சனாதிபதி ஆணைக்குழு அறிக்கையின் பிரதான விடயங்களைப் பார்த்தால் இது சம்பந்தமான தகவல்கள் இருக்கின்றன. ஏன் இந்த தாக்குதலைத் தடுத்துநிறுத்த நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படவில்லை? அரசாங்க உத்தியோகத்தர்களை தவறாளிகளாக்கி இந்த அறிக்கை சமர்ப்பிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. சட்டத்துறை தலைமை அதிபதி திணைக்களத்தின் உத்தியோகத்தர்கள், பொலீஸின் உத்தியோகத்தர்கள் பொறுப்புக்கூற வேண்டுமென குறிப்பிடப்படுகின்றது. இந்த பொறுப்புக்கூற வேண்டியவர்கள் பற்றி இற்றைவரை நடவடிக்கை மேற்கொள்ளாதது மாத்திரமல்ல, குற்றச்சாட்டுகளுக்கு இலக்காகியுள்ளவர்களுக்கு இந்த அரசாங்கம் பதவியுயர்வுகளைக்கூட வழங்கியுள்ளது. இதனைத் தடுக்காமை சம்பந்தமாக முன்னாள் சனாதிபதியும் பிரதம அமைச்சரும் மாத்திரமன்றி அந்த அரசாங்கத்தில் இருந்த அனைத்து அமைச்சர்களும் தாக்குதல் பற்றி அறிந்திருந்தார்கள். அதனால் கடந்த அரசாங்கத்துடன் சம்பந்தப்பட்ட அனைவரும் உயிர்த்தஞாயிறு தாக்குதலுக்கும் பொறுப்புக்கூற வேண்டியவர்களாவர். இந்த நாட்டில் நிலவுகின்ற டீல் அரசியல் ஊடாக ஒருசில முஸ்லீம் குழுக்களுடன் அதிகாரத்தைப் பெற்றுக்கொள்வதற்காகவும் அதிகாரத்தை தக்கவைத்துக் கொள்வதற்காகவும் இந்த டீல் அரசியல் பிரயோகிக்கப்படுகின்றது. டீல் அரசியல் காரணமாக இதன் மறைவில் இயங்கிய குழுக்கள் பற்றிய முறையான விசாரணைகளை இந்த அரசாங்கம் மேற்கொள்ளவில்லை.
இந்த திட்டத்தை தீட்டியவர்கள் முஸ்லிம் தீவிரவாத குழுக்களென ஒருசிலர் கூறுகிறார்கள். மேலும் சிலர் தெற்கின் அரசியல் குழுக்களில் இருக்கிறார்கள் எனவும் கூறப்படுகின்றது. அது முக்கியமானது. சாரா ஜெஸ்மின் பற்றி எங்களுக்குத் தெரியும். ஒருசிலர் அவர் தப்பியோடியதாகவும் மேலும் சிலர் அவரைக் கொன்றுவிட்டதாகவும் கூறுகிறார்கள். தெஹிவலையில் இறந்த ஜமீலை சந்திக்க இராணுவ உளவுப் பிரிவின் தூதர் ஒருவரை அனுப்பிவைத்ததாகவும் கூறுகிறார்கள். நல்லாட்சி அரசாங்கத்தின் வினைத்திறமையீனம் காரணமாக மக்களுக்கு ஏதேனும் அழுத்தம் ஏற்பட்டது. அந்த அழுத்தத்தின் பேரில் இனவாதம், தீவிரவாதம் மற்றும் பயங்கரவாதத்தை பரவச்செய்வித்த தெற்கின் அரசியலை நெறிப்படுத்துபவர்கள் இதன் சூத்திரதாரிகள் எனும் சந்தேகம் எமக்கு நிலவுகின்றது. நிகழ்கால அரசாங்கம் உயிர்த்த ஞாயிறு தாக்குதலைப் பயன்படுத்தியே ஆட்சிக்கு வந்தது. இது சம்பந்தமாக முறையான விசாரணையை மேற்கொண்டு அனைத்தையும் மக்களுக்கு அம்பலப்படுத்துவதாக தேர்தலுக்கு முன்னர் அவர்கள் கூறினாலும் தற்போது கடைப்பிடிப்பது உப்புச்சப்பற்ற ஒரு கொள்கையைாயகும். விசாரணைகளை இடைநடுவில் நிறுத்திவிட்டார்கள். அதனால் தெற்கில் அரசியல் அதிகாரத்தைப் பெற்றுக்கொள்வதற்காக இது மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டதா என்ற வலுவான சந்தேகம் எம்மிடம் நிலவுகின்றது. கத்தோலிக்கர் மாத்திரமன்றி இந்த நாட்டில் வசிக்கின்ற நீதியை நேர்மையை மதிக்கின்ற அனைத்து மக்களுக்கும் உண்மையை அறிந்துகொள்வதற்கான உரிமை இருக்கின்றது. ஒவ்வொரு மாதத்திலும் 21 ஆந் திகதி எதிர்ப்பினை வெளிக்காட்டுமாறு கர்தினால் ஆண்டகை வேண்டுகோள் விடுத்துள்ளார். நாங்கள் அந்த கோரிக்கைக்கு இணக்கம் தெரிவிக்கிறோம்.
28 மாதங்கள் கழிந்துள்ள குண்டுத் தாக்குதலால் இன்னமும் கவலையுடனும் அழுத்தத்துடனும் சீவிக்கின்ற அனைவருக்கும் இறந்த அனைவருக்கும் காயமுற்ற அனைவருக்கும் எமது ஆழ்ந்த அனுதாபத்தை தெரிவித்துக் கொள்கிறோம். அதைப்போலவே ஏதேனும் மோதல்கள் காரணமாக இறந்த இராணுவத்தையும் பொலிஸாரையும் சேர்ந்த அனைவருக்கும் எமது அனுதாபத்தை தெரிவித்துக் கொள்கிறோம்.
இந்த நாட்டில் குண்டுத்தாக்குதல்கள் பற்றி உங்களுக்கும் எனக்கும் பாரிய அனுபவங்கள் இருக்கின்றன. அது சம்பந்தமாக பலவருடங்களின் தகவல்கள் எம்மிடம் இருக்கின்றன. இவை மத்தியில் குண்டுகளை வெடிக்கவைத்தல் மற்றும் குண்டுத் தாக்குதல் நடாத்துதல் என இருவகைகள் இருக்கின்றன. ஆனால் இந்த இரண்டுவகையான குண்டுத் தாக்குதல்களையும்விட நினைத்துப்பார்க்க முடியாத வித்தியாசம் உயிர்த்தஞாயிறு தாக்குதலில் உள்ளது. எல்.ரீ.ரீ.ஈ. அமைப்பினால் குண்டுத்தாக்குதல் நடாத்தப்பட்ட பின்னர் அவர்கள் அந்த பொறுப்பினை எற்றுக்கொண்டார்கள். குண்டு வெடிக்கச் செய்விப்பதற்கு முன்னர் பெறப்பட்ட புகைப்படங்கள் பிரசுரிக்கப்பட்டிருந்த விதத்தை நாங்கள் கண்டோம். இந்த குண்டுத் தாக்குதல்களுக்கு ஏதோஒரு காரணம் இருக்கின்றது. ஆனால் உயிர்த்த ஞாயிறு குண்டுத் தாக்குதலுக்கான காரணத்தைக் கூறுமுடியாதுள்ளது. இது சம்பந்தமாக பாரிய குழப்பநிலையே இருக்கின்றது. அதனால் புலனாய்வுச் செயற்பாடுகள் மேலும் விரிவானதாக மேற்கொள்ளப்படல் வேண்டும். ஆனால் அன்று இருந்த அரசாங்கமும் தாக்குதலால் அநுகூலத்தைப்பெற்ற நிகழ்கால அரசாங்கமும் கடைப்பிடிக்கின்ற செயற்பாங்குகள் எமக்குத் தெளிவாகவில்லை. இற்றைவரை வழங்கப்பட்ட அறிக்கைகளை கத்தோலிக்கத் திருச்சபை நிராகரிக்கின்றது. உள்ளடக்கப்படவேண்டிய ஒருசில தகவல்கள் கிடையாதெனக் கூறுகிறார்கள். இதனால் பாரிய சந்தேகம் நிலவுகின்றது. சந்தேகத்தைப் போக்கவேண்டிய பொறுப்பு அரசாங்கத்திடம் இருக்கின்றது. இந்த பொறுப்பினை முறைப்படி ஈடேறறாமைக்கான காரணம் என்னவென தேசிய மக்கள் சகதி என்றவகையில் நாங்கள் கேட்கிறோம்.
இத்தருணமாகும் வேளையில் குண்டுத் தாக்குதலால் கொல்லப்பட்டவர்களின் குடும்பங்களில் வசிப்பவர்களுக்கு பாரிய சந்தேகமொன்று எழுந்துள்ளது. இதன் மறைவில் இருப்பவர்கள் யார் என்பதுதான் அது. உயிர்த்த ஞாயிறு ஆணைக்குழு அறிக்கை காரணமாக தாம் பாதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளதாக பொலிஸ் உத்தியோகத்தர்கள் கூறியிருந்தார்கள். கீழ்மட்டத்தில் உள்ளவர்கள்மீது பொறுப்பினை சுமத்துவதைப் பார்க்கிலும் உயர் மட்டத்தில் இருப்பவர்களை இனங்காண வேண்டியது முக்கியமானதாகும். யாரோ ஒருவரின் கட்டளையை ஏற்றுநடக்க எந்தவொரு பங்கரவாதக் குழுவினாலும் முடியும். ஆனால் அவர்களை நெறிப்படுத்தியவர் யாரென்பதுதான் பிரச்சினை. மக்களுக்காக இந்நாட்டின் ஆட்சியாளர்களிடம் நான் கேட்கிறேன். எமது உளவுப் பிரிவுகளால் கண்டுபிடிக்க இயலாத இந்த குழுவினர் யார்? உயிர்த்த ஞாயிறு தாக்குதல்தாரிகளை கண்டுபிடிக்க முடியாத உளவுப் பிரிவா எமது நாட்டில் இருக்கின்றது? இங்கு மறைக்கப்படுகின்ற பல தகவல்கள் இருக்கின்றன. இதனால் மக்கள் மத்தியில் சந்தேகம் வளர்ந்து வருகின்றது. சந்தேகத்தைப் போக்கவேண்டிய பொறுப்பு அரசாங்கத்திடமே உள்ளது. அந்த பொறுப்பினை வகிக்காததால் ஒவ்வொரு மாதத்தினதும் 21 ஆந் திகதி நடாத்தப்படுகின்ற எதிர்ப்பு ஆர்ப்பாட்டங்களுக்கு நாங்கள் ஒத்துழைப்பு வழங்குவோம். அது அரசாங்கத்திற்கு எதிர்ப்பு தெரிவிப்பதைப் பார்க்கிலும் மக்களின் உரிமைக்காக செயலாற்றுவதாக அமையும். சந்தேகம் நிலவுகின்ற இடங்களுக்கு அரசாங்கத்தின் கவனத்தைச் செலுத்தி அசல் குற்றஞ்சாட்டப்பட்டவர்களை சட்டத்தின்முன் கொண்டுவருமாறு இந்த நாட்டின் ஒட்டுமொத்த மக்கள் சார்பிலும் நாங்கள் வற்புறுத்துகிறோம்.
உயிர்த்தஞாயிறு தாக்குதலுக்கு 28 மாதங்கள் நிறைவடைகையில் இந்த மிகநீண்ட காலத்திற்குள் சம்பந்தப்பட்ட பொறுப்புக்கூற வேண்டியவர்களை இனங்காணாமை பாரியதொரு பிரச்சினையாகும். இந்த தாக்குதல் காரணமாக மக்கள் பேரதிர்ச்சி அடைந்திருந்தவேளையில் திருவாளர் கோட்டாபய ராஜபக்ஷவை உள்ளிட்ட அமைப்புக்கள் அதிகாரத்திற்கு வருவதற்காகவும் பாவித்தன. சனாதிபதி தேர்தலுக்காக திருவாளர் கோட்டாபய ராஜபக்ஷ போட்டியிடப் போவதாக இந்த அதிர்ச்சி நிலவுகையிலேயே கூறினார். அது சப்பந்தமான விசாரணைகளை மேற்கொள்வதாக வாக்குறுதியளித்து இந்த தாக்குதலால் அச்சமடைந்திருந்த மக்களின் வாக்குகளைப் பெற்றார். அதனால் இந்த அரசாங்கத்திற்கு தாக்குலால் இறந்த, வேதனைக்கு உள்ளாகிய, காயமுற்ற அனைவருக்கும் நீதியை நிலைநாட்டுவதற்கான பொறுப்பு இருக்கின்றது. ஆனால் தற்போது படிப்படியாக காலப்போக்கில் வரலாற்றின் மணல்மேட்டில் புதையுண்டுசெல்ல இடமளித்துள்ளார்கள். திருவாளர் மைத்திரிபால சிறிசேன நியமித்த ஆணைக்குழு பலவீனமானதாயின் புதிய ஒன்றை நியமித்து கோட்டாபய ராஜபக்ஷ தகவல்களைத் திரட்டியிருக்கலாம். ஆனால் அது அவ்வாறு இடம்பெறவில்லை.
தாக்குதல் இடம்பெற்றவேளையில் இருந்த சனாதிபதி தற்போது இந்த அரசாங்கத்திற்குள்ளேயே இருக்கிறார். அவர்கள் பொறுப்பினை தவறவிட்டமையால் தாக்குதல் இடம்பெற்றதாக கோட்டாபய ராஜபக்ஷவை உள்ளிட்ட குழுக்கள் கூறின. அதனால் அவர்களை தோற்கடித்து தம்மை அதிகாரத்திற்கு கொண்டுவந்து பொறுப்புக்கூற வேண்டியவர்களுக்கு தண்டனை வழங்க வாய்ப்பளிக்குமாறு கேட்டுக்கொண்டார். ஆனால் இப்போது பொறுப்புக்கூற வேண்டுமென அவர்களே கூறிய பிரதானியை தம்மிடமே வைத்துக்கொண்டு உண்மையான பொறுப்பாளிகளை பாதுகாக்கிறார்களா எனும் சந்தேகம் மக்களிடம் எடுந்துள்ளது. யார் சதிகாரர்கள் என எங்களிடம் கேட்கவேண்டாம். அரசாங்கத்திடம் உள்ள உளவுப் பிரிவுகளை ஈடுபடுத்தி அதனைக் கண்டுபிடிப்பதற்கான பொறுப்பு அவர்களுக்கு உண்டு. ஆனால் உப்புச்சப்பற்ற கொள்கை காரணமாக இந்த சந்தேகம் மேலும் வலுப்பெறுகின்றது. அதிகாரத்தில் இருக்கின்ற அரசாங்கத்தின் செயலென்றால் இவ்விதமாக செயலாற்றுமென சாதாரண பொதுமக்கள் அறிவார்கள். ஊடகவியலாளர் திரு. லசந்த விக்கிரமதுங்கவை படுகொலை செய்தமை போன்ற பல உதாரணங்கள் இருக்கின்றன. உயிர்த்தஞாயிறு தாக்குதலும் இந்த குவியலில் வீழ்ந்துள்ளது. விசாரணைகளின் பெறுபேறுகளை சரிவர நாட்டுக்கு வெளிப்படுத்தாமையால் சந்தேகத்தின் கரங்கள் அரசாங்கத்தின் பக்கம் நீட்டப்படுவதை தடுக்கமுடியாது.
முன்னர் நிலவிய அரசாங்கம் தாக்குதலை தடுக்கமுடியாமல் போனமைக்கான பொறுப்பினை ஏற்கவேண்டும். அதைப்போலவே தாக்குதல் தொடர்பாக முறையான விசாரணைகளை மேற்கொள்ளாமை பற்றிய பொறுப்பினை இந்த அரசாங்கம் எற்றுக்கொள்ள வேண்டும். இது ஒரு விளையாட்டல்ல. ஏறக்குறைய 300 மனித உயிர்களை இழந்தமை, உளரீதியான பீதிநிலை உருவாகியமை போன்றே நிகழ்கால அரசாங்கம் இந்த சம்பவத்தை அரசியலுக்காக பயன்படுத்துகின்றமையும் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டுள்ளது. அரசாங்கத்தைச் சுற்றியுள்ள தீவிரவாதக் குழுக்களை அந்நாட்களில் ஈடுபடுத்தினார்கள். இதனால்தான் வேட்டையாடியதை தோளில் சுமந்து போகின்றவரைக் கண்டால் துப்பாக்கியைக் கட்டியவரை இனங்காண முடியுமென்ற கதை உருவாகியது. தற்போது நடைபெறுவது அரசாங்கம் மென்மேலும் இந்த சந்தேகத்தை உறுதிசெய்வதாகும். அரசாங்கத்தினால் இந்த பிரச்சினையில் இருந்து கைநழுவிச்செல்ல முடியாது. கர்தினால் அவர்கள் சனாதிபதிக்கு அனுப்பிவைத்துள்ள கடிதத்திற்கு கிடைத்த பதிலைக்கூட ஏற்றுக்கொள்ள இயலாதெனக் கூறியுள்ளார். அரசாங்கத்திற்கு எதிராக சந்தேகம் தோன்றுவது ஒரு நாடு என்றவகையில் பாரதூரமான கவலைக்குரிய நிலைமையாகும். எமது நாட்டில் ஒவ்வோர் அரசாங்கமும் அதிகாரத்திற்காக மனித உயிர்களுடன் விளையாடினவென்பதை நாங்கள் அறிவோம். முதலாளித்துவ ஆட்சியாளர்களுக்கு அதிகாரத்தின் மத்தியில் மனித உயிர்கள் தொடர்பில் எந்தவிதமான பெறுமதியும் கிடையாதென்பது எங்களுக்குத் தெரியும். எந்தளவு எண்ணிக்கையிலான மனிதர்களையும் கொன்று அதிகாரத்தைப் பற்றிக்கொண்டாலும் கைப்பற்றிய அதிகாரத்தை பாதுகாத்துக்கொள்ளவும் அவ்வண்ணமே செயலாற்றி வருவதும் எமக்குத் தெரியும். கொவிட் பெருந்தொற்று நிலைமையைக்கூட பொருட்படுத்தாமல் அவர்கள் மனித உயிர்கள் பெறுமதியற்றவை என்பதாலேயே மாயாஜால உலகில் வசிக்கிறார்கள். முதலாளித்துவ ஆட்சியாளர்களுக்கு அதிகாரத்தின் அளவுக்கு மனித உயிர்கள் பெறுமதியானவையல்ல. அதிகாரத்திற்காகவும் சிறப்புரிமைகளுக்காகவும் அவர்கள் எந்தவொரு சதியையும் செய்வார்களென்பதை வரலாறு நிரூபித்துள்ளது.
இந்த சந்தேகம் ஏற்படுவதை அரசாங்கம் விரும்பாவிட்டால் உண்மையிலேயே பொறுப்புவாய்ந்தவரை காரணங்கள் சகிதம் முன்வைத்து அவர்களுக்கெதிராக சட்ட நடவடிக்கைகளை மேற்கொள்வதையே செய்யவேண்டும். ஆனால் தற்போது இடபெற்றுள்ளதோ காலத்தை வீணடிப்பது மாத்திரமே. வழக்குத் தாக்கல் செய்யுமளவுக்கு பேதியளவிலான சான்றுகள் முன்வைக்கப்படவில்லையென சட்டத்துறை தலைமை அதிபதி அண்மையில் குறிப்பிட்டிருந்தார். இறுதியில் நேரக்கூடியது படுகொலைகள் இடம்பெற்றாலும் கொலையாளி இல்லாதிருப்பதாகும். எனவே இதிலிருந்து பாடங்களை கற்றுக்கொள்ளுமாறு நாங்கள் மக்களுக்கு கூறுகிறோம். தமது அதிகாரத்திற்காக நாளைகூட இவ்வாறான செயல்களைப் புரியக்கூடும். அதனைத் தோற்கடிக்க வேண்டும். இந்நாட்டு மக்களாலேயே அதனைத் தோற்கடிக்க முடியும். அதன்பொருட்டு மக்கள் மத்தியில் தேசிய ஒற்றுமையும் மதம்சார்ந்த ஒற்றுமையும் நிலவவேண்டும். அதைப்போலவே ஆட்சியாளர்களின் சூழ்ச்சிகளை அடையாளம் காண்பதற்கான ஆற்றலை மக்கள் கொண்டிருக்கவேண்டும். மக்களை ஏமாற்றி, இன்னல்களுக்கு இலக்காக்கி, மக்களின் இரத்தத்தின்மீதும் உயிர்களின்மீதும் அதிகாரத்திற்கு வந்து அதிகாரத்தை தக்கவைத்துக்கொள்வதற்காக மேற்கொள்கின்ற முயற்சிகளை நாங்கள் விளங்கிக்கொள்வோம். இறந்தவர்கள் இந்நாட்டின் பிரசைகளே. பெருந்தொகையான இலங்கைப் பிரசைகளை படுகொலை செய்தமை தொடர்பாக அரசாங்கம் மௌனம் சாதிக்குமானால் அது மிகவும் பாரதூரமானது. அதற்காக எந்தவிதமான மன்னிப்பையும் வழங்க இயலாது. அதனால் வெகுவிரைவில் முறையான விசாரணையை மேற்கொண்டு பொறுப்புவாய்ந்தவர்களை அம்பலப்படுத்தாவிட்டால் அரசாங்கம் இதற்கான பொறுப்பினை ஏற்றுக்கொள்ள தயாராக வேண்டுமென்று நாங்கள் அரசாங்கத்தை வலியுறுத்துகிறோம். இது சம்பந்தமாக அரசாங்கத்திற்கு அழுத்தம்கொடுக்க தற்போது திட்டமிடப்பட்டுள்ள நடவடிக்கைகளுக்கு தேசிய மக்கள் சக்தி பூரணமான ஒத்துழைப்பினை வழங்கும்.
Specialist Physician, Prof. Krishantha Abeysena It has been 28 months since the Easter attack. It has been more than six months since the report of the Presidential Commission was handed over. The attack claimed 270 lives and left many more dying internally daily. Many people lost limbs and suffer from brain damage and their families […]
It has been 28 months since the Easter attack. It has been more than six months since the report of the Presidential Commission was handed over. The attack claimed 270 lives and left many more dying internally daily. Many people lost limbs and suffer from brain damage and their families have been adversely affected by this. We do not view this as an attack on the Christian people alone. If there are individuals who call their religion the best religion, their nation the supreme nation, they are extremists. If we go to terrorism through this, that situation alone will not be considered in this context. We need to find reasons for extremism or terrorism in order to obtain a complete idea. I don’t like to limit it only to pressure or extremism. We cannot say that this is a question of extremism or racism or one that only affects the Muslim people. This problem can affect Buddhists, Hindus, and other religions as well as Muslims. But there is more to this than just the racist or religious issue.
The key points in the report of the Presidential Commission provide information in this regard. Why was no action taken to prevent this attack? This report was submitted to convicting the government officials. It states that the officers of the Attorney General’s Department and the police were responsible. Not only has the government not taken action against those responsible, but the government has even given promotions to those who have been accused. Not only the former President and Prime Minister but all the MPs and ministers in that government were aware of the attack. Therefore, everyone connected to the previous government is responsible for the Easter attacks. The politics of this deal is being used to gain and maintain power with certain Muslim groups through the politics of the existing deal in this country. Due to the politics of the deal, the government has not carried out proper investigations into the groups behind this.
Some say the planners here are Muslim extremist groups. Others say they are political groups in the South. It’s important. We know about Sarah Jasmine. Some say she escaped, and others say she was killed. It is said that a military intelligence messenger was sent to meet Jameel who died in Dehiwala. Due to the inefficiency of the Good Governance Government, some pressure was put on the people. We have a suspicion that the political leaders of the South who spread racism, extremism and terrorism under that pressure are the masterminds. The present government came to power using the Easter attacks. They made statements before the election that they would conduct a proper investigation and reveal everything to the people, but now they are following a dead policy. Half of the investigations have been halted. Therefore, we have a strong suspicion as to whether the politics of the South was carried out to gain power. Not only the Catholic people, but all the people living in this country who value justice and fairness have a right to know the truth as to what happened. The Cardinal has called for a protest on the 21st of every month. We are in agreement with that request.
We extend our deepest condolences to all those who are still living in grief and depression and to all those who were killed and injured in the bombings, which have now passed 28 months. We also express our condolences to the soldiers and police who died in some conflicts.
You and I have a lot of experience of bombings in this country. We have had information about it for many years. There are two types called bomb blasts and self bombings. There is an unimaginable difference in the Easter attack from all these bombings. LTTE claimed responsibility for the bomb blasts carried out by them. We have also seen photos posted before the bombing took place. There is a reason for these bombings.
But the cause of the Easter bombing remains unclear. There is a lot of confusion about this. Therefore, the investigation process should be more extensive. But it is not clear to us the process followed by the then government and the current government that took advantage of the attack and came to power. The Catholic Church denies all reports provided so far and indicates that some points are missing. Because of this, there is great doubt. The government has a responsibility to dispel the suspicion. As National People’s Power, we are questioning the reason for not fulfilling this responsibility properly.
At this moment, the families of the people who died in the bombing have strong doubts about who is behind this. Police officers have said that they were distressed by the Easter Commission report. It is more important to identify those at the top level than to place the responsibility on the lower level people. Any terrorist group can obey anyone’s orders. But the question is about who directed them. On behalf of the people, I ask the rulers of this country, who are the persons that our intelligence services cannot find? Do we have an intelligence service that can’t find Easter Attackers? There is a lot of information that is being hidden here. Because of this suspicion is growing among the people. The government has the responsibility of dispelling the suspicion. Because we do not take that responsibility, we support the protests that take place on the 21st of every month. It is more about working for the rights of the people than protesting against the government. On behalf of the entire people of this country, we demand the government to pay attention to areas where there is suspicion and bring the real culprits before the law.
As the 28th month of the Easter attack draws to a close, it is a big question of not recognizing those responsible during this long time. Organizations including Gotabhaya Rajapakse came to power using the time when the people were shocked by this attack. Despite this shock, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said that he would contest the Presidential election. Promising to investigate the matter, he took the votes of the people who were frightened by the attack. Therefore, this government has a responsibility to fulfil justice to all those who died, suffered and were injured in the attack. But now it has been gradually allowed to be covered by the sands of time. If the commission appointed by Maithripala Sirisena is weak, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa could have appointed a new one to seek information. But that has not happened.
The person who was the President when the attack happened is part of the present government. Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his allies stated that the attack took place as a result of their negligence. They advocated for an opportunity to defeat the then government, to ensure that those who were responsible would be held duly accountable. But now there is a very real suspicion as to whether they are harbouring the very person they claimed was responsible for the attacks and hiding the real culprits. Members of the public have doubts as to whether investigations are not taking place due to a connection between those responsible for the attacks and the present government or whether it was part of a larger conspiracy aimed at gaining governmental power. Do not ask us who the conspirators are. They have a responsibility to use the government’s intelligence services to find out the truth. But this suspicion keeps growing due to the lackadaisical approach of the government. The public is already aware that this is a tactic used by an incumbent government if they had a hand in it. There are many examples like Lasantha Wickrematunge’s murder. The Easter Sunday attacks also fall into the same category. The incumbent government cannot evade the suspicion created about its possible involvement in the attacks when it has repeatedly failed to reveal the findings of the investigation to the public.
The previous government must take responsibility for failing to prevent the attack. The present government must take responsibility for not conducting impartial investigations into the attack. This is not a game. More than 300 lives were lost and a psychological fear was created. The present government used the incident for political gain. The government used the extremist groups around them those days. This is why there was a rumour that the person who tied the gun could be identified when one saw the person carrying the hunt. What has happened now is that the government has further confirmed this suspicion. The government cannot avoid this issue. The Cardinal has stated that he cannot accept the response he received from the President for his letter. The creation of suspicion against the government is a serious tragedy for any country. We know that every government in our country has played with human lives for power. We know that capitalist rulers have no value for human lives in the face of power. We know how people are killed to seize power and to remain in power. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, they continue to live in a world of make-believe, because they do not attribute any value to human lives. Capitalist rulers do not value human life as much as they value power. History has shown us time and time again that they can create conspiracies, to gain power and privileges.
If the government does not want this suspicion to be directed at them, the government should present the real culprit with reasons and take appropriate legal action. Instead, the government has chosen to simply waste time and delay the process. The Attorney General has recently stated that there is not enough evidence to file a case. In the end, it is possible that there won’t be a killer although so many people were killed. Therefore, we ask the people to learn a lesson from this. Even tomorrow, they could do the same, to remain in power. This must be defeated. Only the people of this country can defeat this. In order to do this, there should be national unity and religious unity among the people. The people should be able to identify the conspiracies of the rulers. We identify the attempts taken to remain in power by deceiving and oppressing the people. Those who died are citizens of our country. If the government remains silent over the killing of so many Sri Lankan citizens, it is cause for grave concern. We cannot forgive the government for that. Therefore, we urge the government to be ready to accept responsibility for the attacks if a proper investigation is not carried out and those who are responsible are not revealed soon. The National People’s Power fully supports the measures currently being undertaken to force the government to expedite this process.
මේ රටේ පවතින ඩීල් දේශපාලනය ක්රියාත්මක වී පාස්කු ප්රහාරයේ චෝදනා ලැබූවන්ට වර්තමාන ආණ්ඩුව යටතේ උසස්වීම් පවා ලබාදී ඇති බවට ජාතික ජන බලවේගය චෝදනා කරයි. එම පක්ෂය, අන්තර්ජාලය ඔස්සේ අද (20) සජීවී විකාශයක් ලෙසින් පැවැත්වූ මාධ්ය හමුවේදී මෙම චෝදනාව කරනු ලැබීය. එම මාධ්ය හමුවට විශේෂඥ වෛද්ය මහාචාර්ය ක්රිෂාන්ත අබේසේන, ජාතික ජන බලවේගයේ මෙහෙයුම් කමිටු සාමාජික අරුණ […]
මේ රටේ පවතින ඩීල් දේශපාලනය ක්රියාත්මක වී පාස්කු ප්රහාරයේ චෝදනා ලැබූවන්ට වර්තමාන ආණ්ඩුව යටතේ උසස්වීම් පවා ලබාදී ඇති බවට ජාතික ජන බලවේගය චෝදනා කරයි.
එම පක්ෂය, අන්තර්ජාලය ඔස්සේ අද (20) සජීවී විකාශයක් ලෙසින් පැවැත්වූ මාධ්ය හමුවේදී මෙම චෝදනාව කරනු ලැබීය. එම මාධ්ය හමුවට විශේෂඥ වෛද්ය මහාචාර්ය ක්රිෂාන්ත අබේසේන, ජාතික ජන බලවේගයේ මෙහෙයුම් කමිටු සාමාජික අරුණ ශාන්ත නෝනිස් සහ ජනතා විමුක්ති පෙරමුණේ ප්රධාන ලේකම් ටිල්වින් සිල්වා යන අය සහභාගී විය.
ඔවුන් එහිදී දැක්වූ අදහස් පහත පළ කෙරේ.
“පාස්කු ප්රහාරයට මේ වනවිට මාස 28ක් ගතවී තිබෙනවා. ජනාධිපති කොමිසමේ වාර්තාව බාරදී මාස හයකට වඩා ගතවී තිබෙනවා. මේ ප්රහාරයෙන් ජීවිත 270ක් පමණ අහිමි වී ඊටත් වඩා ප්රමාණයක් මැරි මැරී ජීවත් වෙනවා. අත් පා නැති අය, මොළයට හානි වූ අය විශාල පිරිසක් මේ ලෙස සිටින අතර ඔවුන්ගේ පවුල් මේ හේතුවෙන් විශාල ව්යසනයකටද පත්වී සිටිනවා. මේක කිතුනු ජනතාවට එරෙහිව පමණක් එල්ල වූ ප්රහාරයක් හැටියට අපි සලකන්නේ නැහැ. තමන්ගේ ආගම හොඳම ආගම, තමන්ගේ ජාතිය සුපිරිම ජාතිය වශයෙන් හඳුන්වන කවුරු හරි ඉන්නවා නම් ඒ අය තමයි අන්තවාදීන්. මේ ඔස්සේ ත්රස්තවාදයට යනවා නම් මේ සන්දර්භය තුළ ඒ තත්වය විතරක් සලකන්නේ නැහැ. අන්තවාදය හෝ ත්රස්තවාදයට හේතු හොයලා සම්පූර්ණ අදහසක් ගන්න ඕනෑ. පීඩනය හෝ අන්තවාදයට පමණක් ලඝු කරන්න මම කැමති නැහැ. මෙතන තියෙන්නේ අන්තවාදය හෝ ජාතිවාදය පිළිබඳ ප්රශ්නයක්, මුස්ලිම් ජනතාවට විතරක් ඇතිවුණු ප්රශ්නයක් වගේ ලඝු කරන්න බැහැ. බෞද්ධ හින්දු සහ අනෙකුත් ආගමිකයින්ට වගේම මුස්ලිම් ජනතාවටමත් මේ ප්රශ්නය ඇතිවෙන්න පුළුවන්. නමුත් මෙතන ජාතිවාදී හෝ ආගම්වාදී ප්රශ්නයට වඩා දෙයක් තිබෙනවා.
ජනාධිපති කොමිෂන් වාර්තාවේ ප්රධාන කරුණු බැලුවාම මේ සම්බන්ධයෙන් තොරතුරු තිබෙනවා. මේ ප්රහාරය වළක්වන්න කටයුතු නොකළේ ඇයි? රජයේ නිලධාරීන් වැරදිකරුවන් කරලා මේ වාර්තාව දී තිබෙනවා. නීතිපති දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවේ නිලධාරීන්, පොලීසියේ නිලධාරීන් වගකිව යුතු බව සඳහන් වෙනවා. ඒ වගකිවයුත්තන් ගැන මේ දක්වා කටයුතු නොකිරීම විතරක් නෙවෙයි, චෝදනාවලට ලක්වී සිටින අය මේ ආණ්ඩුව උසස්වීම් පවා ලබාදී තිබෙනවා. මෙය වැළැක්වීම නොකිරීම සම්බන්ධයෙන් හිටපු ජනාධිපති සහ අගමැති පමණක් නොව ඒ ආණ්ඩුවේ සිටි සියලුම මැති ඇමතිවරුන් ප්රහාරය පිළිබඳ දැනගෙන හිටියා. ඒ නිසා පසුගිය ආණ්ඩුවට සම්බන්ධ හැමෝම පාස්කු ප්රහාරයටත් වගකිව යුතු වෙනවා. මේ රටේ පවතින ඩීල් දේශපාලනය තුළින් සමහර මුස්ලිම් කණ්ඩායම් සමග බලය ලබාගැනීමටත් බලය පවත්වාගෙන යාමටත් මේ ඩීල් දේශපාලනය යොදා ගන්නවා. ඩීල් දේශපාලනය නිසා මේ පිටුපස සිටි කණ්ඩායම් පිළිබඳව නිසි පරීක්ෂණ මේ ආණ්ඩුවෙන් සිදුකර නැහැ. මෙහි සැලසුම්කරුවන් මුස්ලිම් අන්තවාදී කණ්ඩායම් බව සමහර අය කියනවා. තවත් සමහර අය දකුණේ දේශපාලන කණ්ඩායම් සිටින බවත් කියනවා. එය වැදගත්. සාරා ජෙස්මින් ගැන අපි දන්නවා. සමහර අය ඇය පැනලා ගිය බවත් තවත් සමහර අය ඇය මරා දැමූ බවත් කියනවා. දෙහිවලදී මැරුණු ජමීල් හමුවෙන්න හමුදා බුද්ධි අංශ පණිවුඩකරුවෙකු යැවූ බවත් කියනවා. යහපාලන ආණ්ඩුවේ අකාර්යක්ෂමතාව නිසා ජනතාවට යම් පීඩනයක් ඇතිවුණා. ඒ පීඩනය මත ජාතිවාදය, අන්තවාදය සහ ත්රස්තවාදය පැතිරවූ දකුණේ දේශපාලනය මෙහෙයවන්නන් මහ මොළකරුවන් බවට සැකයක් අපිට තිබෙනවා. වර්තමාන ආණ්ඩුව බලයට පත්වුණේ පාස්කු ප්රහාරය පාවිච්චි කරලා. මේ පිළිබඳව නිසි පරීක්ෂණයක් කර සියල්ල ජනතාවට හෙළි කරන බව ඡන්දයට පෙර ඔවුන් කීවත් දැන් අනුගමනය කරන්නේ ඇල් මැරුණු ප්රතිපත්තියක්. පරීක්ෂණ බාගයට නවත්වලා. ඒ නිසා දකුණේ දේශපාලනය බලය ලබාගැනීම සඳහා සිදුකළාද කියන සැකය අපට බලවත්ව තිබෙනවා. කතෝලික ජනතාව පමණක් නෙවෙයි, මේ රටේ ජීවත් වෙන යුක්තිය, සාධාරණත්වය අගය කරන සියලුම ජනතාවට ඇත්ත නැත්ත දැන ගැනීමේ අයිතියක් තියෙනවා. හැම මාසයේම 21වැනිදා විරෝධතාවයක් දක්වන්න කාදිනල්තුමා ඉල්ලා තිබෙනවා. අපි ඒ ඉල්ලීමට එකඟත්වය පළ කරනවා”
“මාස 28ක් ගතවී තිබෙන බෝම්බ ප්රහාරයෙන් තාමත් දුකින් සහ පීඩනයෙන් ජීවත් වෙන සියලු දෙනාටත් මිය ගිය සියලු දෙනාටත් තුවාල ලැබූ සියලු දෙනාටත් අපගේ බලවත් ශෝකය පළකරනවා. ඒ වගේම යම් ගැටුම් නිසා මියගිය හමුදාවේ සහ පොලීසියේ අය සම්බන්ධයෙන් අපගේ ශෝකය පළ කරනවා.
මේ රටේ බෝම්බ ප්රහාරයන් පිළිබඳව ඔබටත් මටත් විශාල අත්දැකීම් ප්රමාණයක් තිබෙනවා. ඒ සම්බන්ධයෙන් වසර ගණනාවක තොරතුරු අපි ළඟ තිබෙනවා. මේ අතර බෝම්බ පිපිරවීම් සහ පුපුරවා ගැනීම් වශයෙන් දෙකක් තිබෙනවා. මේ හැම බෝම්බ පුපුරවා ගැනීමකටම වඩා හිතාගන්න බැරි වෙනස්කමක් පාස්කු ප්රහාරය තුළ තිබෙනවා. එල්.ටී.ටී.ඊ සංවිධානය මගින් පිපිරවූ බෝම්බවලින් පසුව එහි වගකීම ඔවුන් බාරගත්තා. බෝම්බ පුපුරවා ගැණීමට කලින් ලබාගත් ඡායාරූප පළ කර තිබෙන ආකාරයත් අපි දැක්කා. මේ බෝම්බ ප්රහාරවලට මොකක් හරි හේතුවක් තිබෙනවා. නමුත් පාස්කු බෝම්බ ප්රහාරයේ හේතුව කියාගන්න බැරි බවක් තිබෙනවා. මේ පිළිබඳව දැඩි ව්යාකූල බවක් තිබෙන්නේ. මේ නිසා විමර්ශන ක්රියාවලිය වඩාත් පුළුල් ලෙස සිදුකළ යුතුයි. නමුත් එදා සිටි ආණ්ඩුවත් ප්රහාරයෙන් වාසි ගෙන බලයට පත් වර්තමාන ආණ්ඩුවත් අනුගමනය කරන ක්රියාවලිය අපිට පැහැදිලි නැහැ. මේ දක්වා ලබාදී තිබෙන වාර්තා කතෝලික සභාව විසින් ප්රතික්ෂේප කරනවා. ඇතුළත් විය යුතු සමහර කරුණු නැති බව දක්වනවා. මේ නිසා ලොකු සැකයක් පවතින්නේ. සැකය දුරු කිරීමේ වගකීමක් ආණ්ඩුවට තිබෙනවා. මේ වගකීම නිසි පරිදි ඉටු නොකරන්න හේතුව මොකක්ද කියලා ජාතික ජන බලවේගය හැටියට අපි ප්රශ්න කරනවා. මේ මොහොත වනවිට බෝම්බ ප්රහාරයෙන් මියගිය ජනතාවගේ පවුල්වල ජීවත්වන අයට බලවත් සැකයක් තිබෙනවා, මේ පිටුපස ඉන්නේ කවුද කියන එක. පාස්කු කොමිෂන් වාර්තාව නිසා තමන් පීඩාවට පත්ව ඇති බව පොලිස් නිලධාරීන් ප්රකාශ කර තිබුණා. පහළ මිනිස්සුන්ගේ පිට වගකීම පටවනවාට වඩා ඉහළ ඉන්න අය හඳුනා ගැනීම වැදගත්. ඕනෑම ත්රස්ත කල්ලියකට පුළුවන් කාගේ හරි නියෝගයක් පිළිපදින්න. එහෙත් ඔවුන්ව මෙහෙය වූයේ කවුද කියන එකයි ප්රශ්නය. ජනතාව වෙනුවෙන් මේ රටේ පාලකයන්ගෙන් මම අහනවා, අපේ බුද්ධි අංශවලට හොයාගන්න බැරි පිරිස කවුද කියලා. පාස්කු ප්රහාරකයන් සොයන්න බැරි බුද්ධි අංශයක්ද අපට තිබෙන්නේ? මෙතන සඟවන තොරතුරු ගණනාවක් තිබෙනවා. මේ නිසාම ජනතාව තුළ සැකය වර්ධනය වෙමින් තිබෙනවා. සැකය දුරු කිරීමේ වගකීම තිබෙන්නේ ආණ්ඩුවට. ඒ වගකීම නොදරන නිසා සෑම මාසයකම 21වැනිදා පවත්වන විරෝධතා ව්යාපාරවලට අපි සහයෝගය දක්වනවා. ඒ, ආණ්ඩුවට විරෝධය දැක්වීමකට වඩා ජනතාවගේ අයිතිය වෙනුවෙන් කටයුතු කිරීමක්. ආණ්ඩුවේ අවධානය සැකයක් තිබෙන තැන්වලට යොමුකර නියම චූදිතයන් නීතිය හමුවට ගෙන එන ලෙස මේ රටේ සමස්ත ජනතාව වෙනුවෙන් අපි බලකර සිටිනවා.”
“පාස්කු ප්රහාරයට මාස 28ක් සම්පූර්ණ වෙද්දී, මේ විශාල කාලය තුළ අදාළ වගකිවයුත්තන් හඳුනා නොගැනීම විශාල ප්රශ්නයක්. මේ ප්රහාරයෙන් ජනතාව විශාල කම්පනයකට පත්වී තිබුණු මොහොතක ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂ මහතා ඇතුළු සංවිධාන බලයටත් එන්න පාවිච්චි කළා. ජනාධිපතිවරණයට ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂ මහතා ඉදිරිපත් වන බව කීවේ මේ කම්පනය තිබියෙදීයි. මේ පිළිබඳව පරීක්ෂණ කරන බවට පොරොන්දු දී මේ ප්රහාරයෙන් භීතියට පත් ජනතාවගේ ඡන්දය ගත්තා. ඒ නිසා මේ ආණ්ඩුවට ප්රහාරයෙන් මියගිය, වේදනාවට පත්වුණු, තුවාල ලබපු සියලු දෙනාට සාධාරණය ඉටුකිරීමේ වගකීමක් තිබෙනවා. නමුත් මේ වනවිට ඉතිහාසයේ වැලි තලාවෙන් වැසී යන්න ක්රමානුකූලව ඉඩහැර තිබෙනවා. මෛත්රීපාල සිරිසේන මහත්තයා පත්කළ කොමිෂන් සභාව දුර්වල නම් අලුත් එකක් පත්කර තොරතුරු හොයන්න ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂ මහත්තයාට තිබුණා. නමුත් එය එහෙම වෙලා නැහැ.
ප්රහාරය සිදුවෙනකොට සිටි ජනාධිපතිවරයා දැන් ඉන්නේ මේ ආණ්ඩුව ඇතුළේ. ඔවුන්ගේ වගකීම් පැහැර හැරීමෙන් ප්රහාරය සිදුවුණු බව ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂ මහත්තයා ඇතුළු කණ්ඩායම ප්රකාශ කළා. ඒ නිසා ඔවුන්ව පරද්දලා තමන්ව බලයට පත්කර වගකිව යුතු සියලු දෙනාට දඬුවම් ලබාදෙන අවස්ථාව ඉල්ලා සිටියා. නමුත් දැන් වගකිව යුතු බව ඒ අයම කියපු ප්රධානියාව තමන් ළඟ තියාගෙන ඇත්ත වගකිව යුත්තන් සඟවනවාද කියන සැකය කාටත් ඇතිවී තිබෙනවා. හරියට පරීක්ෂණ පවත්වන්නේ නැත්තේ මේ කෙළවරේ සිටින අය සහ ආණ්ඩුව අතර සම්බන්ධයක් තිබෙනවාද කියන සැකය ජනතාවට තිබෙනවා. එහෙම නැත්නම් මේ ආණ්ඩුව බලයට පත්වීම අරමුණු කරගෙන සිදුකළ කුමන්ත්රණයක්ද කියන සැකය ජනතාවට තිබෙනවා. කුමන්ත්රණකරුවන් කවුද කියලා අපෙන් අහන්න එපා. ආණ්ඩුවට තිබෙන බුද්ධි අංශ යොදවා එය හොයා ගැනීමේ වගකීම ඔවුන්ට තිබෙනවා. නමුත් ඇල් මැරුණු ප්රතිපත්ති නිසා මේ සැකය වර්ධනය වෙනවා. බලයේ ඉන්න ආණ්ඩුවේ වැඩක්නම් මේ ආකාරයෙන් ක්රියා කරන බව සාමාන්ය ජනතාව දන්නවා. මාධ්යවේදී ලසන්ත වික්රමතුංග මහත්තයා ඝාතනය කිරීම වගේ උදාහරණ ගණනාවක් තිබෙනවා. පාස්කු ප්රහාරයත් ඒ ගොඩට වැටී තිබෙනවා. හරියටම පරීක්ෂණවල ප්රතිඵල රටට හෙළි නොකිරීමෙන් සැකයේ හස්තය ආණ්ඩුවට එල්ලවීම වළක්වන්න බැහැ.
කලින් සිටි ආණ්ඩුව ප්රහාරය වළක්වන්න අසමත්වීමේ වගකීම බාර ගන්න ඕනෑ. ඒ වගේම ප්රහාරය පිළිබඳව නිසි පරීක්ෂණ නොකිරීමේ වගකීම මේ ආණ්ඩුව බාරගන්න ඕනැ. මේක සෙල්ලමක් නෙවෙයි. මිනිස් ජීවිත 300ක් පමණ අහිමිවීම, මානසිය භීතියක් ඇතිවීම වගේම වර්තමාන ආණ්ඩුව මේ සිද්ධිය දේශපාලනයට යොදා ගැනීම සිදුකර තිබෙනවා. ආණ්ඩුව වටේ ඉන්න අන්තවාදී කණ්ඩායම් ඒ දිනවල යොදාගත්තා. මේ නිසයි දඩයම කරේ තියාගෙන යන කෙනා දැක්කාම තුවක්කුව බැඳපු කෙනා හඳුනාගන්න පුළුවන් කියලා කතාවක් ඇතිවුණේ. දැන් වෙලා තියෙන්නේ ආණ්ඩුව මේ සැකය තව තවත් තහවුරු කිරීමයි. මේ ප්රශ්නය මගහැර යන්න ආණ්ඩුවට කිසිම හැකියාවක් නැහැ. කාදිනල්තුමා ජනාධිපතිවරයාට යැවූ ලිපියට ලැබුණු පිළිතුර පවා පිළිගන්න බැහැ කියලා ප්රකාශ කර තිබුණා. ආණ්ඩුවට එරෙහිව සැකයක් මතුවීම රටක් ලෙස බරපතළ ඛේදවාචකයක්. අපේ රටේ හැම ආණ්ඩුවක්ම බලය වෙනුවෙන් මිනිස් ජීවිත සමග සෙල්ලම් කළ බව අපි දන්නවා. ධනපති පාලකයින්ට බලය හමුවේ මිනිස් ජීවිත පිළිබඳව කිසිම වටිනාකමක් නැති බව අපි දන්නවා. මිනිස්සුන් කොපමණ හෝ මරලා බලය ගන්නත් ගත් බලය රැකගන්න ඒ ලෙසම ක්රියා කිරීමත් අපි දන්නවා. කොවිඞ් වසංගත තත්වය පවා නොතකා ඔවුන් සුරංගනා ලෝකවල ඉන්නෙ මිනිස් ජීවිතවල වටිනාකමක් නැති නිසා. ධනපති පාලකයින්ට බලය තරම් මිනිස් ජීවිත වටින්නේ නැහැ. බලය සහ වරප්රසාද වෙනුවෙන් ඒ ගොල්ලන්ට ඕනෑම කුමන්ත්රණයක් කරන්න පුළුවන් බව ඉතිහාසය ඔප්පු කර තිබෙනවා. මේ සැකය යොමුවීමට ආණ්ඩුව අකමැති නම් කළ යුත්තේ ඇත්ත වගකිවයුත්තා හේතු සහිතව ඉදිරිපත් කර ඔහුට එරෙහිව නීතිමය ක්රියාමාර්ග ගැනීමයි. නමුත් දැන් සිදුවී තිබෙන්නේ කල් මැරීම විතරයි. නීතිපතිවරයා පහුගිය දවස්වල සඳහන් කර තිබුණේ නඩු පවරන්න තරම්වත් සාක්ෂි ඉදිරිපත් වී නැති බවයි. අවසානයේ වෙන්න පුළුවන් මිනිස් ඝාතන සිදුකළත් ඝාතකයෙක් නැති වීමයි. ඒ නිසා අපි ජනතාවට කියන්නේ මේ තුළින් පාඩම් ඉගෙනගන්න කියලා. තමන්ගේ බලය වෙනුවෙන් හෙට වුණත් මේ වගේ කටයුතු කරන්න පුළුවන්. එය පරද්දන්න ඕනෑ. ඒ පරද්දන්න පුළුවන් මේ රටේ ජනතාවටයි. ඒ වෙනුවෙන් ජනතාව තුළ ජාතික සමගියත් ආගමික සමගියත් තියෙන්න ඕනෑ. ඒ වගේම පාලකයින්ගේ කුමන්ත්රණ හඳුනාගැනීමේ හැකියාවත් ජනතාවට තියෙන්න ඕනෑ. ජනතාව රවටමින්, පීඩාවට පත්කරමින් ජනතාවගේ ලේ සහ ජීවිත මතින් බලයට පත් වෙලා බලය පවත්වාගෙන යාමට කරන උත්සාහයන් අපි තේරුම් ගමු. මේ මැරුණේ රටේ පුරවැසියෝ. ශ්රී ලාංකික පුරවැසියන් රැසක් මරා දැමීම සම්බන්ධයෙන් ආණ්ඩුව මුනිවත රකිනවා නම් එය ඉතාමත් බරපතළයි. ඒකට කිසිම සමාවක් දෙන්න පුළුවන්කමක් නැහැ. ඒ නිසා අපි ආණ්ඩුවට බල කරන්නේ ඉතා ඉක්මනින් නිසි පරීක්ෂණයක් කර වගකිවයුත්තන් හෙළි නොකරන්නේ නම් ආණ්ඩුව මේ වගකීම බාර ගන්න ලැහැස්ති වෙන්න ඕනෑ කියලා. ආණ්ඩුවට මේ සම්බන්ධයෙන් බල කරන්න දැනට සැලසුම් කර ඇති ක්රියාමාර්ගවලට ජාතික ජන බලවේගය සම්පූර්ණ සහයෝගය ලබා දෙනවා”
අධිකරණ සේවා කොමිෂන් සභාවේ ලේකම්වරයා විසින් මහේස්ත්රාත්වරුන්ට යවා තිබෙන දේශපාලන බලහත්කාරය සහිත ලිපියක් පිළිබඳව සහ එවැනි බලපෑමක් එල්ල කරන ලද සම්මන්ත්රණයක් සම්බන්ධයෙන් ජාතික ජන බලවේගයේ පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්රී අනුර කුමාර දිසානායක අද (17) පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේදී ප්රශ්න කරනු ලැබීය. අධිකරණ කොමිෂන් සභාවේ ලේකම් මහේස්ත්රාත්වරුන්ට යවන ලද ලිපියේ “මෙම සම්මන්ත්රණයට සහභාගීවීමට අසමත් වුවහොත් එය උසස්වීම් දීමේදී ද වැටුප් වර්ධක […]
අධිකරණ සේවා කොමිෂන් සභාවේ ලේකම්වරයා විසින් මහේස්ත්රාත්වරුන්ට යවා තිබෙන දේශපාලන බලහත්කාරය සහිත ලිපියක් පිළිබඳව සහ එවැනි බලපෑමක් එල්ල කරන ලද සම්මන්ත්රණයක් සම්බන්ධයෙන් ජාතික ජන බලවේගයේ පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්රී අනුර කුමාර දිසානායක අද (17) පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේදී ප්රශ්න කරනු ලැබීය.
අධිකරණ කොමිෂන් සභාවේ ලේකම් මහේස්ත්රාත්වරුන්ට යවන ලද ලිපියේ “මෙම සම්මන්ත්රණයට සහභාගීවීමට අසමත් වුවහොත් එය උසස්වීම් දීමේදී ද වැටුප් වර්ධක දීමේදී, විදේශ පුහුණු සඳහා යැවීමේ දී සහ මහාධිකරණයට පත් කිරීමේ දී සැලකිල්ලට ගැනෙන බව ඔබට දැනුම් දෙමු.” යනුවෙන් දේශපාලන බලහත්කාරය යොදවා තිබේ.
