POWER CORRUPTS

“ A Court in Pakistan allows investigation into bribery allegations levelled against President Sardari”
“Swarnavahini says TV station is not sold to a Rajapakse”
“Rajapakse Brothers looking to acquire coconut estates in Kurunegala”

Sri Lanka has fallen into 97th place among the most corrupt nations in the world.
Back in 2004, we occupied 67th place among the most corrupt nations globally. So, now we can imagine to what depths we have fallen in a matter of 5 years: down by 30 places on the scale.

Although economists warned that the Rajapakse Brothers have cornered 70% of the country’s economy, the ordinary man in the street never understood the seriousness of this charge. Same way, they never took serious note of the allegation that the Rajapakse brothers had shares in the American Stock market. The ordinary man also never completely understood it when there were stories that the Rajapakses had an Aston Martin car. Most probably, the public must have thought that Aston Martin is also another motor vehicle like Toyota.

Also, when it was pointed out that most of the country’s wealth is being siphoned off by the Rajapakse brothers, still the people never understood its seriousness.

All this because the common man did not have a good understanding about the 70% of the economy and about the American stock market.

The other reason is that the people were only concentrating about the war. They thought if the war is successfully executed, then there is no need to worry about other matters. They may have thought that if the war is won, even if the Rajapakses gulp down the whole country’s wealth, it does not matter much to them. So, the Rajapakses too merrily carried on knowing very well that the public are only looking at the war situation.

But, now, things are different. People feel the unbearable cost of living and they are slowly realising that war is not the only reason for this, and that there is massive corruption in the country.

From one hand, because of Nimal Siripala’s corrupt activities, people get medicines with broken pieces of glasses.
On another hand, about 60% of the country’s transportation expenses, goes to the government by way of taxes.
On the other hand, no one is able to find out what really happens to the massive loans taken by the government.

In such a sorry situation, when someone says that Swarnavahini Television station is being bought by a Rajapakse Brother, then people start opening their eyes and take note. That is why Swarnahavini itself had to announce that they are not selliing their TV station.

The reality is now different. If anyone says that Rajapakses have robbed this or that, then people start believing it. That is how the public opinion is moulded. First the middle class educated people start probing into these allegations to establish their veracity. Thereafter, this information is filtered down to the working classes. When this happens, the common man starts to believe there is corruption going on in the government.

This is what is happening to Rajapakses now. Some people might remember Wimal Weerawansa’s charge during Ranil’s short-lived government that Ranil was going to sell Sigiriya to some foreigners. People even started believing that canard at that time. This is what has happened to Rajapakse’s now.

Corruption is like a Boomerang.

It is possible to indulge in corruption for some time. But when it comes into public domain, such ill-gotten wealth itself starts to come back as a Boomerang to hit the perpetrator.
That’s what has happened to Pakistan’s President, Sardari, now. He was involved in so much corruption and amassed ill-gotten money when his wife was the Prime Minister. Now, the judicial system which he himself helped to establish, has allowed legal steps to be taken against his misdemeanours. There is a mass agitation demanding his resignation from the office of President. That is how natural justice works.

That is the current situation in Pakistan which has a standing of 137 among the most corrupted nations in the world. And who is to say that Sri Lanka which is in the 97th place, will not face such a situation as time goes on.

For that to happen what his required is a free media and an independent judicial system.

We hope and pray that we will be blessed with such a free media and a judicial system.

Power corrupts absolutely, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.