Why Was There No Cry To Bring JR Jayawardene to Justice for creating the violence in July 1983

"If July 1983 demonstrated a problem of the entire political system, the solution had to deal with that problem. However, if the problem was a racial one, their demand for separation seemed justified."
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by Basil Fernando

(July 27, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka Guardian) Why is July 1983 discussed only from an ethnic point of view, is worth some discussion. This I reflected through another poem written in 1983 itself, entitled Just society. In this poem I accused J.R. Jayawardene for the responsibility for events of July 1983, though he has succeeded in put in the blame on “ Me” meaning the citizens. The world blames Sinhalese for July 1983 events. No one took J.R Jayawardene to task. There were no cries to bring him before an international tribunal or to bring him to justice in Sri Lanka.

Why was there and why is there no cry to bring JR Jayawadene to Justice for the responsibility for causing the violence in July 1983 ?

There are many reasons. He was the HERO of many and particularly the middle class, the rich and intelligencia. They have all supported his economic policies, his constitution and his vision for the country. When the hero reveled himself as the villain, no one wanted to recognize it. How could we be so stupid to have been deceived this man, is the question many are afraid to ask themselves.

Easy way to understand this mentality is to think of the situation of Neviile Samarakkon, the chief justice. He trusted JRJ so much that he was willing to be his Chief Justice. This acceptance helped JRJ to undermine the senior judges of the Supreme Court and deny the places they deserved. Having achieved his aim, JRJ treated his “ friend” like dirt. It took sometime for Samakoon to understand how he has been fooled. He died a disappointed man.

Exactly that kind of disappointment happened to a whole class of people. They suffered their humiliation privately. This psychological condition was never exposed, examined or discussed. Impact of this situation continues to this date. No real and deep criticism of JRJ has taken place, because such a criticism also become a self criticism for many.

Instead he remain the mentor of all leading politicians and those who support them. To criticize him is to criticize those who came to power thereafter. This man who is more responsible for violence of July 1983 is still the mentor of Sri Lanka’s ruling class and its propaganda agents.

JRJ’s yesterdays critics, who even wrote books against him are his followers now.

He has become the political guru of all those who benefit from the authoritarian system.

As for the LTTE, it was to their advantage to present 1983 July events from an ethnic point of view, rather than exposing the political roots of this violence. The demand for separate state required justification by way of racial hatred between Sinhalese and Tamils. Violence in July provided the imagery needed to support this point of view. LTTE with their mastery over propaganda used this to the maximum advantage.

If July 1983 demonstrated a problem of the entire political system, the solution had to deal with that problem. However, if the problem was a racial one, their demand for separation seemed justified. Thus, instead of exposing JRJ and his politics and seeking to replace him, JRJ was presented merely as another Sinhala leader and all such leaders as wanting to have similar violence on Tamils This approach worked to the advantage of JRJ.

Those moderates among Tamil leaders were deceived in the same way as Chief Justice Neville Samarakoon. Many of them who believed that JRJ will provide a solution that they could take to Tamil masses, later paid for the illusions with their own lives.

JRJ was able to create the impression that the problems he created were in fact creations of others. He even attributed July violence to some leftists, who were in fact saving some of the victims of such violence. Many of them had to spend months in hiding to avoid arrests and some surrender themselves and were held in custody. None of these were ever subjected any investigations and prosecutions.

JRJ who made Just Society his motto, undermined the entire system of law first by his constitution and then by the misuse of his powers. He reduced Sri Lanka to a lawless society. He made the making of complaints against authorities a fruitless activity. He made abuse of power and corruption normal affair in Sri Lankan society.

He got away with all that and created the impression on others who were later come to power, that you can get away from responsibility for any wrong doing. For this he remains a role model and is imitated.

The man who destroyed the foundation of law, who made search for justice nearly an impossible goal, paved way to the worst forms of violence, is still able to escape the condemnation he so much reserves.

The Poem- Just Society