By

Don Manu

Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe must ask himself a few simple questions:

Has he as a member of parliament availed himself of any generous hospitality in the past extended to him and his family by the controversial Avant Garde chairman, the arms dealer Senadhipathi whom he has been defending so vigorously in public in recent times as being innocent and devoid of any wrong doing?

And whether, even if he, Wijeyadasa, has not accepted the benefit of any sponsored stay in the United States or elsewhere, his past actions now revealed have irrevocably created in the public mind the indelible impression that he appears to have been influenced and his judgement coloured even by a shade as a result?

And whether, even if he is innocent of all the innuendos levelled against him, his close friendship with the controversial Avant Garde boss – now photographically established beyond reasonable doubt -has made his position as the nation’s Minister of Justice no longer tenable?

With Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka presenting photographic evidence showing Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, his wife and son, living it up in Los Angeles, with former Avant Guard boss arms dealer Nissanka Senadhipathi and his family, the public demand his answer forthwith.

Not that anyone is accusing Wijeyadasa of any wrong doing. Not that anyone is claiming that the holiday was paid for by Senadhipathi. Maybe it was Wijeyadasa who hosted the Avant Guard chairman, his wife and baby to travel around in stretch limos in California nine years ago when Wijeyadasa was a national list member of parliament and a Minister of State in Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government or paid the 75 dollar tickets to enter Disney Land and see Mickey Mouse goofing around. That is not the issue.

What is important is whether his past close family ties – so close as to enjoy family holidays together in affluent Californian climes – with the arms dealer he is now defending as Justice Minister of the government, has deprived him the ability to claim that high degree of objectivity his exalted office inexorably demands?

While Wijeyadasa has spiritedly defended the roles of all those involved in the Avant Garde affair including its Chairman Nissanka Senadhipathi both in Parliament and elsewhere and even taken the credit for preventing the arrest of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa during the ongoing Avant Garde investigations, he has also made no mention of his personal link to Senadhipathi and his family.

But as these photographs clearly show, his relationship with the arms dealer extends far beyond a passing acquaintanceship. As these posed photos for candid camera reveal, it is one that appears to be firmly embedded in a close-knit friendship encompassing the wives and children of both men.

When former Law and Order Minister Tilak Marapana rose to speak in the Avant Garde debate in parliament on 4th November he was frank enough to admit at the outset of his speech defending Senadhipathi, that the arms dealer was his client. Shouldn’t Wijeyadasa now confess that Senadhipathi is his friend?

In the light of Sarath Fonseka’s photographic expose shouldn’t Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe ask himself the final question: Whether his silence on his friendship with Senadhipathi while defending in Parliament the latter’s controversial Avant Garde role as being above board has compromised his own position as the Minister of Justice and is tantamount to conduct unbecoming?

Courtesy:Sunday Times