Duminda Silva, multiple rape accusations led him to fail upwards to murder.
Sri Lanka has no political scandals. Scandalous politicians, certainly, but in my memory there is no scandal that has ever toppled a politician. Mahinda alleged to have been putting tsunami money in a personal account? Whatever. Ranil Wickremesinghe being gay? Meh. Mervyn Silva being involved with the underworld, extortion, possible drug-dealing and documented assault? All the better. Duminda Silva being accused of underaged rape, intimidation of a film actress and then a pretty well documented murder? Take a vacation. Nobody seems to care. There are no political scandals in Sri Lanka.
In other countries there seem to be unmarked lines that make politicians resign. If they lose a no-confidence vote, if a sex scandal emerges, if things merely look bad (not even if they are). In Sri Lanka there is just no such thing. Politicians will basically never resign under public pressure, though they can quickly disappear if they offend the powers above. It’s still a sorta feudal system where people aren’t really accountable down the rung.
Here’s some more off the top of my head. Chief Justice Sarath Silva found near Parliament getting frisky with his secretary in a car. Nirmal Silva being caught mounting someone on his desk. Some Minister I can’t remember having a vehicle caught full of weed. In other government’s they would have resigned in shame. Here they just keep failing upwards.
The latest case is the Chairman of the Tangalle Pradeshiya Sabha being reinstated into the party while being under arrest for the murder of a British national and possible rape and assault of a Russian. Even in matters that bring shame on the whole nation (ie, not just us assaulting and abusing each other), there is no sense of scandal.
Shameless bastards protecting other shameless bastards and until the village idiots grow a brain cell and decide to vote based on the merit of a good policies and not for some party colour or some sense of misguided obligation, Sri Lanka is stuck in a rut.
Good policies? The last one I heard was the one that took the war to its logical conclusion.
Scandals are considered scandals when certain moral assumptions have been breached.
The fact that none of these is considered a scandal means that the basis of morality or, values has changed.
I think it’s more a feeling of helplessness where some of these incidents are concerned. Most people are scandalized and even horrified by Mervyn Silva’s antics, but what can they do?
Incompetence doesn’t prompt any resignations here either. When will the multiple ministers of education just go?
“what can they do?”
a phrase that nicely explains why there will never be a ‘Lankan spring’ :)
It could also be the spectre of the aftermath of such a spring.
I believe current government is setting new standards(values) for the future generations. The new cultural values system has been introduced which is far superior to west. Quite correctly you have pointed out in west people will resign on public pressure and media pressure for doing unethical things. It appears there is no such a thing now in SL.
First you say this “I believe current government is setting new standards(values) for the future generations. The new cultural values system has been introduced which is far superior to west.” So you’re supporting the govt’s cultural values?
Then you say this “Quite correctly you have pointed out in west people will resign on public pressure and media pressure for doing unethical things. It appears there is no such a thing now in SL.” So you’re not happy with the way things are handled in SL?
What exactly are you trying to say…this statement is so full of…I mean…never mind.
“a phrase that nicely explains why there will never be a ‘Lankan spring’ :)”
And who’s going to bloom after that spring?
Ranil?Mr.Fonseka?
You have to understand, many do understand that this government is bad. But considering the options?
And now that Sarath N. Silva is going around the country preaching about ethics, rule of law, democratic values, independent of the judiciary, etc, etc. (Mr.Fonseka should be nuts to take this guy with him)
BTW who is Nirmal Silva?
That must be minsiter Nimal Siripala. I heard that his little indiscretion was revealed in the presence of his wife AND the press.
However I’ve also heard that he’s one of the ministers who at least comes well prepared when representing the country abroad. Wonder where he’s hiding these days.
well that explains it…i know about that incident. it’s quite old by the way…
i am more interested about his activities when he was the health minister… :/
Forget being gay, RW should be ashamed and quite possible because he is such big looser (loosing public elections but winning party elections).