Lihini Fernando urges GMOA to tender public apology to Dr. Shafi

Monday, 17 March 2025 04:27 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Main Opposition politician Lihini Fernando

Main Opposition politician Lihini Fernando has urged the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) to tender a public apology to fellow medical professional Dr. Shafi Shihabdeen who was unjustly vilified, persecuted, and deprived of his fundamental rights.

In a post titled “Societies evolve only if one admits to one’s wrongs” on her Facebook, Fernando said the GMOA must publicly acknowledge its failure to stand up for Dr. Shafi.

“The silence of the GMOA in his case stands in stark contrast to the vocal and unwavering support extended to the victimised lady doctor from Anuradhapura,” she said, questioning why the selective advocacy?

In her post, Fernando also said the following.

“Dr. Shafi, like any other medical professional, was entitled to the presumption of innocence, due process, and fair treatment – yet the very association that claims to uphold the dignity and rights of doctors failed him. Instead of standing against the blatant violations of justice in his case, the GMOA remained a passive bystander, allowing political, racial, and bigoted narratives to dictate the fate of one of their own.

Was there an agenda behind this double standard?
Was this politically motivated?
Was racial or religious bias at play?

Whatever the motivations may have been, the truth remains that an innocent doctor was demonised and wrongfully prosecuted under the very system meant to protect him. The GMOA’s failure to intervene speaks volumes about its credibility and ethical standing.

However, it is never too late to do the right thing. The GMOA must apologise to Dr. Shafi, not as a mere formality, but as a commitment to fairness, integrity, and justice.

An organisation that claims to represent the medical fraternity must rise above politics, racial biases, and selective advocacy.

Only by admitting to its past wrongs can the GMOA begin to restore its legitimacy and truly serve the profession it represents.”