The Law's Role in a Changing Political Landscape

 


I'm inspired to write this on a day when all of us in Sri Lanka have been shaken by the arrest of Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, a former President of our country. The emotional spectrum regarding this arrest is broad, ranging from profound anger and sorrow to unbridled joy. These responses are rooted in subjective political preferences. 

I too feel a personal sadness at the arrest of Mr. Wickremesinghe. During my time as the head of the Methodist Church, he, as the Prime Minister of the Yahapalanaya government, intervened in a couple of situations where our Methodist Churches and church workers were attacked by anti-Christian elements. He ensured that the unlawful elements were brought to justice and provided a safe passage for us to continue our mission work.I pray that his health issues will soon be sorted out with a speedy recovery. 

I hear a loud cry echoing, "This is political revenge." Yes, this has been a reality that people have experienced for decades after a regime change through elections. Stripping the civic rights of Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike after the landslide victory of Mr. J. R. Jayewardene is just one example out of many.

With the present government coming into power, we have seen a couple of politicians and other prominent figures from previous governments, including former Inspector General of Police Deshabandhu Tennakoon, being arrested and put on the dock. What was previously swept under the carpet or shelved is now coming to light through court proceedings and judgments. Given this, can we put all the arrests and court cases into the same basket of "political revenge"?

 I see a lot of corrupt politicians in fear of their future. Their voice clips and media interviews are a clear indication of them seeking refuge in the "political revenge" defense. A majority of them are politicians who have abused their rights and privileges when they were in power. They even meddled with the independence of the judiciary to get off scot-free. It's obvious that more politicians and their stooges, with even more serious offenses, will be put on the dock in the time to come. This is why the political vultures are gathering, circling the halls of power, hoping for a chance to feast on their old influence. The present government must act in a way that unequivocally proves to the nation its dedication to truth and justice. Justice must be seen as impartial, not as a tool for political revenge.

I feel that Sri Lanka has truly come of age and evolved to a point where even the first citizen of the country can be held accountable. The public is gaining trust in the justice system and is now more willing to seek legal recourse rather than resort to extrajudicial actions.

Rev. Asiri. P. Perera 
Retired President Bishop 
Methodist Church Sri Lanka 

August 23, 2025 


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