EDITORIAL : Mr. President this is ugly

[October 28, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian] Kelaniya thugs have become the presidential  task force in enforcing discipline among the university students. Just yesterday they did their duty by mercilessly attacking a student leaving home, in front of large crowds and when policemen were watching. The television cameras caught the ugly scene and entire nation saw the pictures though television channels.

The president himself would have seen it and perhaps he enjoyed seen it. His crusade against university students and JVP, he must have thought was going on quite well and the students were learning a lesson.

That is the kind of “humor “that is a part of country’s political culture now. When such events happens there must be celebrations at the presidential palace. Tying a government servant to a tree, attacking television stations not supporting the government, getting political opponents to wear prison jumpers, making journalists disappear are all matters that are celebrated under the great programme of teaching lessons.

No wonder that police refused to take down complaints about the incident. The government’s spokesman has his own enjoyment when he answered the BBC Sinhala Service questions, saying it is because the students attack police that police do not take students complaints. What a wonderful defense of the new order.

President and his task force does not see the ugliness of all this.