Sri Lanka: Parables - The Ruler And The Thinking Citizen

FOR PUBLICATION
AHRC-ART-142-2012
December 11, 2012

An Article by the Asian Human Rights Commission

Sri Lanka: Parables - The Ruler And The Thinking Citizen

Basil Fernando

Once a ruler told one of his country’s citizens,

Mr. Thinking citizen, you have told me some very beautiful principles. For example, you have said that any inquiry against anyone must be fair, and you have explained what fairness means. But you do not seem to understand that I do not like principles.

The thinking citizen then said, Sir, every nation that wants peace and tranquillity must fellow good principles.

The ruler said, I do not agree; peace and tranquillity can be brought about by the sword.

Such a nation will be a very unhappy place, said the citizen

All unhappy ones can be erased by the sword, said the ruler. And you, thinking citizen, if you wish to be happy, stop thinking or you may soon not have a head to think with.

President’s Judges

The ruler said to the judges of the country, “I understand your worries. You have been told that you belong to a separate branch of the government and that you are to be independent. Now, I will remove the reason for that worry. From now on, there is only one branch and everyone is part of it. Your loyalty is only to me. Everyone serves me. I created a position called President’s Counsel - PCs. Now I will make you one of the President’s Judges – PJs. And the Chief Justice will be called the President’s Chief Justice - the PCJ.

But we are supposed to protect the people said the judges; we are supposed to protect their liberty.

Do not worry about that. I have declared that people have surrendered their liberties to me. They have become slaves voluntarily. I am now the people’s sovereign. You have only to protect me.

# # #

About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation that monitors human rights in Asia, documents violations and advocates for justice and institutional reform to ensure the protection and promotion of these rights. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.

Visit our new website with more features at www.humanrights.asia.

You can make a difference. Please support our work and make a donation here.

ENDS

© Scoop Media