By Adolf
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake was elected on a powerful promise: to clean up Sri Lankan politics and wage an uncompromising war on corruption. That promise is one of the reasons many Sri Lankans placed their faith in him.
But there is a growing danger that the Government’s anti-corruption campaign is beginning to look less like a war on corruption and more like a war on political opponents.
Perception matters in politics. Today, the question being asked is simple: Is the Government investigating corruption wherever it finds it—or mainly where it finds its opponents?
President Dissanayake has the opportunity to silence that criticism. He must demonstrate that his own ministers, MPs, officials and political colleagues are subject to exactly the same scrutiny as members of previous governments.
Asset declarations are an obvious starting point. Some declarations have become almost a joke in the eyes of the public. If a politician declares assets that appear completely out of line with his or her known lifestyle, income or interests, the authorities should investigate. It should not matter whether that politician belongs to the Opposition or the Government.
Expenses of AKD
The same principle must apply to the use of public money. If a former minister is imprisoned over the alleged misuse of Rs. 300,000 of state funds, the public is entitled to ask whether the same determination is being applied to much larger allegations involving those currently in power. And if imprisonment costs the taxpayer many times more than the alleged loss, the Government should also explain the rationale and proportionality of such punishment.
Meanwhile, the country is still waiting for convincing answers on the coal controversy and the containers that have become a major public issue. President Dissanayake should tell the country who the culprits are. If there has been corruption, name it. If there has been negligence, establish responsibility. If there has been no wrongdoing, tell the public that too.
Taxpayers are already being squeezed from every direction. Taxes have increased, the cost of living remains high, and yet millions of rupees are being spent on the machinery of government. The President’s extensive travels to promote the proposed 22nd Amendment must also be subjected to the same standard of accountability. Every rupee spent is ultimately a rupee taken from the taxpayer.
The JVP has also proved highly adept at using social media and artificial intelligence to shape political narratives. It is clever politics. But public opinion should ultimately be shaped by facts, performance and results—not sophisticated digital messaging.
And if the Government wants to establish a new standard of accountability, it cannot selectively rewrite history. The violence and atrocities associated with the JVP’s past must also be examined where credible evidence exists. Justice cannot have one standard for yesterday’s governments and another for today’s Government.
Power is Temporary
President Dissanayake should remember that political power is temporary, but institutions are permanent.
The strategy of putting political opponents in jail may work for a while. But it will not guarantee political longevity. Eventually, the public begins asking whether justice is being served—or whether political power is being used to settle political scores.
Mahinda’s Fall in 2015
Mahinda Rajapaksa once appeared politically invincible. His fortunes eventually changed in 2015 losing to a relatively weak candidate. Every government discovers, sooner or later, that political luck runs out especially if they have been vindictive. JVP should therefore be careful. If they continue to witch hunt than rebuild public trust and reduce taxes and COL, someone new can emerge—perhaps without the baggage of the old establishment, as happened in Nepal. President Dissanayake still has a choice. He can make history by ensuring that his war on corruption covers everyone—friends, colleagues, opponents and former rulers alike. That would be a real revolution. Anything less will simply look like politics as usual. The show becomes stale. He can certainly test his popularity by having the provincial election to check his performance .
The post Anura’s War on Corruption Must also cover his Colleagues appeared first on LNW Lanka News Web.
