Sinking ships, drowning non-swimmers and a murder most foul

Well, the woman scorned in this case is a woman facing debarment and was even rudely commented on by colleagues. If you guessed it was State Minister Diana Gamage, you earn full marks. I was shocked by the vehemence of, and revenge inherent, in her statement in Parliament which I heard on TV news and was quoted in the Sunday Island of December 11: “If I go down, you go down with me.” She threatened that all SJB MPs too would lose their seats. She called the SJB and Opposition Leader crooks. Expanding her statement, she elaborated that the party she founded had “The original name Ape Jatika Peramuna, which is 17 years old. It was Jalani Premadasa who coined this new name Samagi Jana Balavegaya, which stands for Sajith Jalani Balavegaya. The party belongs to me. Therefore, when the SJB members sling mud at me, they should keep in mind that they are here today because of me.” Fabrication about Jalani being involved? Tall order to attribute the election winning of all SJBers to this novice female politician? OK, you create a political party but is it and its name copyrighted and change forever forbidden? There seems to be a case against her that if she is a foreign passport holder or even dual citizen, she cannot be in Parliament. So, any other woman with decency would just leave Parliament if the law decrees thus. Why boast and threaten that about 50 MPs will go down with her?

Her statement, “If I go down, you go down with me” instantly brought to Cass’ mind that song on the bow of the Titanic sung by Celine Dion lending her voice to Kate Winslet portraying the rich girl Rose DeWit Bukater. She was supported by the poor boy travelling cheap in the underbelly of the ship that was said to be unsinkable – Jack Dawson portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio. Diana’s refrain is far from that wonderful song which was an affirmation of undying love. It had tenderness and heartrending pathos. Diana’s statement is hate-filled, ugly and revengeful. The vessel she is on is the Parliament of Sri Lanka. The Titanic sank but our House by the Diyawanna will go on. Rose was rescued but Jack died, keeping her warm while he treads the icy waters of the Atlantic. Our Rose is sure to come to a bad end: lose her seat but more than that, be censured by the people of SL. Genteelness and soft speaking are essential in a gracious woman. Fair and lovely face, wealth and clout count for nothing against decency.

Requiem for a gentleman cruelly killed

I now write an appreciation of a truly fine person and express the anger that has been boiling within since Saturday December 10 morning. These two disparate emotions are compounded by genuine sorrow.You must have read and seen on TV the horrendous accident that happened on Saturday Dec 10 around 6.30 am. We hear of these accidents caused by careless driving and often by people with clout. We feel sorry and angry and soon forget it all. Not this time. Not for Cassandra and a couple of friends and probably others. But immeasurable loss and sorrow for his family who will sorrow thus for very long. After all he was only 58 and had so many years of active life left.

Two cars raced along Galle Road in the Kollupitiya area with young adults returning early morning from a night of carousing in a night club. One driver lost control of his luxury vehicle and veered to the opposite side of the road, nearly running over a woman with two small kids and then jammed into a slowly moving three-wheeler on the edge of Galle Road. Tuan was in it, a gentleman owner-driver who I have known and hired for years. My friends too knew him, referred to by me as; My White Capped Charioteer.

Added to the felony of drunken driving (imbibing all night there sure would have been), and killing a so innocent man and scaring the wits off pedestrian, this demon whose name was given in Sunday’s TV news, absconded from the scene of the murder. He vamoosed leaving his women companions to face the music, which they did. The irate mother who was nearly killed attacked one woman in the car; other women are supposed to have joined her. Cass was told not one man in the melee attacked them. Cass could not help but gloat at the immediate punishment meted out for carelessness and disregard for all else but their pleasure. The real felon escaped immediate punishment all the way to Dubai but returned, and thankfully, to police custody. However, as is usual with the police, will money, clout and powerful influence have this murderer released even if a court case results?

And Tuan is no more. He was a cautious, rule observing driver and he had to be the sufferer of absolute depraved behaviour. He was very religious and did not accept hires if they coincided with his mosque times. He would also go away for a couple of days; doing good work like sinking wells in remote Muslim villages. He was a genuine gentleman. He would take me right up to the steps I needed to climb or the doorway I had to enter on my errand and then caution me to be careful. Never did he allow me to carry any parcels I had; he would sprint up the stairs to my first floor flat. I reciprocated his kindness once in a way. One instance was when Muslims were ostracized and even in danger after the Easter Sunday suicide attacks. I phoned him and he told me he was staying home for a couple of days. When he returned, I invented errands to hire his vehicle and be seen I had implicit trust and regard for him.

I take up space but I need to narrate an incidence to prove his honesty. He came one day to me to say a woman hired his vehicle near Cinnamon Grand and he took her to a distant suburb of Colombo. He realized while returning that she had left her carry-all bag behind. He went back but could not locate her home. He had often taken me to visit friends living in Crescat Apartments and wanted me to find out whether the woman was an employee in one of the flats. I forgot his request. Two days later he said he opened the bag, found Rs 20,000 and clothes but no identity. He intended handing over the bag with money to the Kollupitiya police. I admitted shamefacedly I had forgotten to contact my friends. This was done immediately and lo and behold the woman was one of my friends’ employee. The bag was taken to my friend and the tip given refused. She had to force it on Tuan.

Sampath, the other three-wheeler driver who helps me said: “People who inherit wealth are able to spend wisely; they are modest in expenses. It is the persons who suddenly acquire wealth, more often than not illegally, who do not know how to manage their money nor their lives.” So true, we do not care how the nouveau riche behave but not when they infringe on the safety of others. Too many such have escaped punishment scot free. Clout – usually political – and riches circumvent the police and the law. Countless such cases have been recorded but no punishment meted out. Consider the murder of Thajudeen; Lasantha W; the recent mayhem in Yala; the witch hunt of Dr Mohamed Shafi. THIS MUST STOP. That driver who killed Tuan deserves the death sentence with no provision for a Presidential pardon.

Most unholy union

Is the coming together of the UNP and the SLPP: elephant and bud, as hinted by that Secretary of the SLPP and surely hatched by Brother Basil, a future reality? Is it coalescence, a conjunction, a convergence, a concourse, hook-up, tie-in, agglutination, concatenation, amalgamation or unification? It certainly is a hopeful symbiosis but to the jaundiced eye of Cassandra it is two drowning non-swimmers clinging to each other. So, maybe they will both go down, once and for all. There is much political meaning you can read into that last sentence.

To Cassandra it is a real big shame and disgrace. (Hope there is no off-with-her-head order emanating doubly voiced. Heads can be made to roll). Can you think of that old, great Party with persons like statesman DS, kindly Dudley, get-things-done even at breakfast Kotelawala and wily JRJ, joining a party cobbled from the almost as old SLFP and presenting a motley crowd of Pohottus? It is just for expediency and to save skins and return to power so secrets remain secrets. I hang my head in shame, this time not for Tom Dooley but Ranil Wicks. Even before the marriage his maiden name was given the married surname!!

Wake up Kuveni! Where are you?