By

Lucien Rajakarunanayake

The days are ticking away, and the countdown of the 100 days that began on January 9, is gathering interest, especially among politicians who see opportunities in breasting the tape with success behind them, and many others who are keen to see a finish bereft of full achievement for the champions of the 100-day challenge.

The country is suddenly in the midst of a new race, where the campaign for a coming general election is becoming the focus on all sides of the political divide; where the 100-day trophy is being fought for, with a growing reduction of interest in the true depth of the 100-day promise. The media are having a great time, mainly as cheerleaders for those who can only see what is yet undone in the 100 days, presenting its own image of of public feeling – with convenient anger at the slow pace of arrests and imprisonments; with a refusal to explain the delays of a legal process that had been made a creaking and crawling shame in civilized society in the past decade and more. The Freedom of the Media that is now available is to be valued, but questions do arise as to how the freedom should be used – not to support the government or supposed deal makers, but rather to make the public more aware of the realities of governance that was controlled for years by the knaves and jokers in the pack.

We are fast coming back to the talk of conspiracies – both local and foreign – that led to the defeat of the Rajapaksa regime, and the increasing charge that the defeat on Jan. 8 was mainly the work of minorities that are non-Sinhala Buddhist … and not the result of the majority thinking of Sri Lankan voters. It sounds as if new policies would emerge soon seeking to disenfranchise all minorities in this land. That seems a major goal of the 100-day watchers and not of the slow runners in the race.

In thinking of how that once powerful regime came crashing down on January 8, despite those several thousands who attended public rallies that showed nothing but victory, my mind went back to the old days of the Sinhala theatre and cinema, where BAW Jayamanne was clearly the dominant player. By strange coincidence the names of most BAW films, both in Sinhala and English, seem to give a good indication of the record of crooked politics and bad governance that we have seen in this past decade and a little more.

The first BAW film, and the first Sinhala film to be screened in this country was titled ‘Kadavunu Poronduva’ or Broken Promise. It is interesting to look back on that vast range of broken promises that our people have faced, especially that promise to be rid of the Executive Presidency, especially by the Rajapaksa, who had gathered, but not won, the 2/3rd majority to be able to do it; but used it instead to give more powers to the president.

The next film was ‘Kapati Aarakshakaya’ or Grisly Guardian. It certainly does not need much thinking about the “Kapati” ways in which our people were treated, especially after that commendable defeat of terrorism. It was a game of trickery, fooling the people they were the beneficiaries of a thriving democracy, only because there were elections held every six months, and those in power always won. The gifting of elephants to brothers and others, and support for the Carlton name in pre-school education and crooked rugby were all part of this Grisly Guardianship.

‘Sangavunu Pilitura’ or Evasive Denial was another BAW film, which goes very well with the evasive and misleading responses that have been given not only to the people here, but to the world outside too, in attempting to hide the realities of the defeat of terror. It was an evasive denial indeed to say there were no or “zero” civilian casualties in that bloody battle against LTTE terror, made worse by later official publications that there may have been some. There were evasive denials aplenty about the progress of the economy and the emerging, but strongly suppressed, allegations of corruption.

‘Veradunu Kurumanama’ or Defeated Aim goes very well with all the crooked tactics applied, and manoeuvring of parliament used to remove the former Chief Justice, and through that means have a contemptible control over the entire judiciary. It was a huge insult to the moral values of our people, who placed their highest respect to the judiciary.

The “Defeated Aim” goes very well with what led to the fall of the regime that now talks so much about conspiracies, but there is a better BAW name for what happened on January 8.

The next is ‘Hadisi Vinischaya’ or Hasty Decision. The call for the presidential poll before it was due, was indeed a most hasty decision, carried out with the clear intent of remaining in power for more terms, until the path was paved with corruption, a crooked police, a fraudulent audit, managed judiciary and chicanery of money driven politics, for the Carlton Son to move in with political tackles that matched the crooked ones on the rugby field. If ever there was a Hasty Decision that went wrong in politics, this uncalled for search for an extended term through the January 8 election could hardly ever be beaten

‘Umathu Vishvaashaya’ or Fanatic Faith is the last of those BAW names of theatre and film that come to mind, when thinking of the new strategies for re-election, despite having a divided political party, and a whole heap of charges still unrevealed, awaiting some changes to law, to let us know more of the real truth.

The Carlton Reality Show is yet to begin. This fanatic faith was seen in those who kept part of the crowd at Nugegoda last Thursday spell bound, with daring calls for the arrest of a political wife with diplomatic immunity, and the increasing charges about New Deals and Mega Deals, that are readily thrown at those who are finding it tough to sprint to the 100-day finish line.

What we are seeing is the real theatre of politics at play today, and I await the handling of this by good stage and film directors of the future, while watching he 100-day dash go by with all its bumps and falls on the way.

Courtesy:The Island