Thursday, 7 November 2013 00:00
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When politically powerful people act like fools, the innocent suffer. There are multiple examples of this in Sri Lanka’s society, but none more heartbreaking that the tale of Samurdhi officer Mohammad Irshad.
Many will be confused over his name until they are told why he is famous – or infamous, as the case may be. He was the public official who was tied to a tree by Public Relations Minister Mervyn Silva for failing to show up for a dengue eradication program on 3 August 2010. For the first time he tells his side of the story in a tearful interview posted on Groundviews and shames not just the political system in Sri Lanka but the voters who allow it to exist in impunity.
Irshad did not attend the dengue eradication program because both his children were sick on that fateful day. His action as a responsible and caring father was ridiculed by Minister Silva, who with cameras in tow tied him to a tree in what was surely an incredibly humiliating and unjust act. What happened after the cameras left is told in heartrending detail by Irshad and speaks volumes about the blatant abuse of power by politicians in Sri Lanka.
Irshad was repeatedly threatened, intimidated and browbeaten by the Minister and his powerful coterie of hangers-on. Readers who will be well aware of the shenanigans of Minister Silva, that range from allegations of extortion to intimidating of powerful companies, attacking Rupavahini in broad daylight and issuing marriage proposals to UN Human Rights Chief Navi Pillay, will understand why Irshad did not stand up for himself. He was afraid, for himself and his family and attempted to deal with the spirit crushing humiliation in private.
The former Samurdhi officer insists that he was “talked into” signing a letter absolving the Minister at his residence but never at any point accepted any money. His refusal to pursue the issue was out of fear. Fear that is justified because Silva’s over-the-top actions have always been given silent support by the Government. Silva has never been significantly reprimanded either by his party or by a court of law in this country and Irshad knew better than to stand up to his misplaced might.
But the humiliation never stopped and destroyed his till then respectable 14-year public career. Disappointed and distraught, Irshad finally left Sri Lanka in November 2012 to work at a bakery in Saudi Arabia. It is a telling tale of injustice, but the saddest part of all is such incidents take place almost on a daily basis in Sri Lanka and are roundly ignored.
Just a few days ago a Police officer was attacked after he attempted to stand up to a group of powerful “businessmen,” who promptly beat him up. According to reports, his superiors in the Police Department are blocking investigations because the offenders are well-connected. Political impunity does not just affect public officials, but spills over into the rest of society as well.
But the point is that Sri Lanka’s 1.3 million public officials are mired in this injustice and dare not oppose their political leaders because in essence they are the masters of a deeply-flawed public system. While other countries are attempting to empower their public employees, Sri Lankan politicians sidestep accountability without even breaking into a sweat. It is a plight made worse because it is without hope.
