By

A. Patabendige

It was the Speaker of a rainbow coalition House that said at an International Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting at Lusaka, Zambia (and not Geneva, SL’s Everest in submission) that SL “is one of the countries with a robust and strong democracy, Parliamentary democracy”. On 6 May 2016 SL’s people had a close shave with that ‘democracy’ if it was just ‘one’ or not. The IPU, if not National Geographic, must still be trying to pinpoint that SL after what happened in that ‘one’ on 6 May 2016.

On that day there was a free for all in that ’one’ democracy. It went on for 11 minutes. It started after the PM, responding to objections about replacing the security contingent of the former President from Army to Police, asked FM Fonseka to speak. He did so, carefully reading, possibly for the first time, from a prepared script. Hooting began from the well of the House, where some opposition MPs, followed by some Government MPs were gathering. A well known ‘lion’s’ roar could be heard well.

Repeated and forlorn cries of “shame there are school children in the gallery” went unheeded. Not one leader ordered, instructed, or directed the unruly MPs to get back to their seats. No riot act was read. Some party leaders were seen intently leading, inches from the bellowing mob. Although the cries of ‘shame’ continued, no one took notice. The school children had seen worse.

The President himself remembered. He referred to an incident in 1991, when too the same party was in power. He said someone dragged another. It wasn’t just about school children being present. It was about the dignity, if not sanctity, of Parliament and the image of its members. No one seemed to care two hoots except for being heard and seen by ‘school children’. They were well aware of how MPs behave in and outside Parliament in a 90% literate country that sadly has the same percentage of boorish people. One has only to see their road manners.

There was one man as though possessed, bellowing “devil” and “mad devil” repeatedly. The performance was now obviously also for the ‘school children’. That intrepid lot, like their predecessors who faced terrorist bombs and carnage while in school just a few years earlier, did not flinch, retreat or run away as the screeching reached virtuoso heights. They, like all who saw the performance, did not want to miss a moment of it.

Everyone knew there had to be a climax, but no one appeared to want to prevent it.

It happened. Push turned to shove while shouting and gesticulating increased. No one punched. Then one MP / Deputy Minister was seen coming down the aisle. He shoved aside another with considerable force and plunged into the arena. He threw a beautiful south paw straight left and it connected. The mob then began a frenzied and agitated free for all. Someone fell. The mob gathered around. Shameless kicking of a colleague on the ground, took place. Before anyone was seriously injured or worse, it was announced that the session was “suspended”, no the voice said again “it was adjourned” and finally the correct word for ‘stumps’ was announced or was it?

The Government ‘puncher’ being identified on CCTV by all SL, was given a ‘deterrent’ one week suspension together with an opposition MP. He showed little remorse and actually appeared boastful. At an interview later, he candidly said that if his blow had landed as he had intended the victim (who was named) would have been in hospital. He justified his actions by saying that as school children were present and ‘good governance’ and the image of Parliament were being sabotaged by some of the opposition members, he just could not tolerate it. So he decided to wade in to put things right. He was willing to take worse punishment.

Impunity appears to be the name of the shield many in power hold. If anyone did the same even at a rugby match the minimum would be suspension for 2 games at least. This would be called an affray in public and ‘boxers’ would qualify to be the guest of the government for possibly 6 months.

The media reported that both the PM and SF had self appointed guards. Actually the two were like well ensconced Roman senators watching the volunteer gladiators slugging it out in the arena below. No one asked whether the danger to them was from the blowing of the monsoon, Northern kachan winds, Arabian hareef or sirocco winds, or sweeping draughts from windmills that Sancho Panza was familiar with.

After the ‘fighting’ ceased, there was only one walking wounded. He was given medicine and discharged the next day. Doesn’t say much for the fighting prowess of the Diyawanna gladiators. They never fail on political platforms to say that they are willing to die for the country. None had joined the Forces. Some fighters.

The next one saw on TV was MPs crowding around their wounded ‘comrade’ in a hospital bed. Who among them visited, just one wounded soldier in 26 years of conflict?

A former puppet of the LTTE was heard moaning that there should be decorum in the house. A far cry from the turbulence he glorified for 26 years.

Did this brawl while shaming SL’s Parliament bring any credit to any party leader(s)? When violence or any type of misbehavior breaks out in Parliament, is the only concern that ‘school children’ are present? If they are not present, surely it is as disgraceful. Cannot party leaders lead?

In 1983 SL saw its Government leaders watch stupefied and mummified as mobs ruled first in Colombo and then all over the country less the North. SL with a 2,500 year history was labeled by others as a pariah nation for the first time. Here were MPs in 2016 behaving no better than a mob. No one attempted to dissuade, control, prevent or stop them. Why? What has changed? Those school children will know. Let them come to Parliament and be witnesses.

Simply pathetic!

Courtesy:The Island