Respect for the dead and political expediency

We are a country well known for our rich civilisation and a social and cultural ethos steeped in pristine values and traditions. Among the foremost values of our people are to treat the dead with dignity and respect. Even one's worst enemy is accorded this honour in the true Sri Lankan tradition and a funeral ceremony anywhere is a sombre, solemn event not to be trifled with in any way. It was therefore sad to have witnessed the bizarre scenes accompanying the funeral of slain journalist Lasantha Wickremetunga which turned these values and ethos, for which we pride ourselves, on their head.

While friends, colleagues and the public alike genuinely mourned the death of Lasantha, most unfortunately some thought it fit to turn this sad occasion into a political circus in a bid to make a short cut to power.

As already mentioned, in the time honoured traditions of this country funerals are sombre occasions where the dead are treated with due solemnity and respect. Even in cities the cortege makes it way to the cemetery in hushed silence in a gloomy atmosphere with a pall hung over the mourners.

They are not occasions for showmanship or exploited for gaining one upmanship. Nor are they demeaned or degraded and degenerated into a comedy with scant regard for the departed soul.

What the nation witnessed on Monday was a complete negation of all our values and customs held sacrosanct, where the dead was paraded in the most bizarre and vulgar display of political opportunism.

It is hardly surprising when one considers the social milieu and background of those who hi-jacked the whole affair, that of being completely alien and out of touch with the pristine traditions and indigenous values upheld by the majority of the population.

The vast majority of our countrymen who lay great store in these values would no doubt have been aghast at the scenes they witnessed on television where the funeral of a well known journalist and public figure was desecrated for obvious political gain.

The solemn and sombre mood was completely destroyed and shattered by the carnival atmosphere injected into the funeral procession by the display of decorative balloons and other features that smacked of revelry. The dashing of coconuts, burning of effigies and the display of banners certainly are not facets associated with the last journey of any mortal in a country steeped in the asiatic tradition.

Many would agree that the spirit of mourning and atmosphere of grief was completely removed from the solemn moment by this side show staged by interested parties, who, frustrated by their electoral misfortunes had seized on the last journey of a popular journalist to breath oxygen into their dying campaign.

And who are these people who are today weeping buckets for media freedom? Who can forget the spate of extra judicial killings, the abductions and disappearances that took place in the late 80's, the mysterious murder of a photo journalist opposite the home of a powerful Minister in Kandana, the slaughter of Richard de Zosya whose body was washed ashore on the Lunawa beach, the tortured death of rights lawyer Wijedasa Liyanaarachchi, the abduction and murder of Kanchana Abeypala another HR lawyer, just to name a few.

The irony is that those today in the forefront fighting for Human Rights, Media freedom etc. were powerful personalities in the Government of the day at whose doorstep all these killings were placed.

Given this record it is disgusting to note the eagerness of the present Opposition to pounce on this death to gain political milage

It was even reported that the Leader of the Opposition in his haste to be thrust into the limelight had even stormed the operating theatre where the injured journalist lay, with his shoes on, against medical regulations.

This conduct alone amply demonstrate the indecent hurry by the opposition leader to make political capital out of this incident even disregarding the safety of the victim.

The statements made at the funeral were no less harmful and disrespectful of the dead. Speaker after speaker held the Government responsible directly and by innuendo, when investigations had hardly got off the ground. In short Lasantha's funeral was turned into political platform for speakers to engage in Government bashing.

Those aspiring to come to power some day should be first taught the customs and entrenched value among the population of the country foremost among them being respect shown to the dead. If only some of these elements would venture out into the villages they would see first hand how dignity and decorum is accorded to the departed in the true traditional customs.

It is not surprising that those who have no grasp of the even of the rudiments of the country's values and traditions have failed to win public confidence and support all these years. Hence their attempts to take short cuts to power, even at the expense of the dead.
