Insights Of A Tumultuous TV Debate & Airport Assault

By Vipula Wanigasekera –

The recent video clip capturing a TV debate in Sri Lanka has ignited discussions surrounding the conduct and status of parliamentarians within the country. This video went viral and was commented on by several leading Youtubers. The footage reveals a factional dispute between members of the governing party and representatives from the JVP characterized by intense shouting matches, threats, warnings, and the use of indecent language.

Such heated debates are common, but it appears in this instance, that either these members in the debate were briefed to behave in that fashion or the Governing party does not have any spokespersons, leave alone decency and integrity.

Accessible through the provided link now available in many forms, the video shows a firsthand account of the intensity of the confrontation, shedding light on the underlying dignity and democracy  within Sri Lanka’s political landscape.

Meanwhile a State Minister was seen through another video footage, assaulting a porter at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA). According to sources, the minister and his armed security personnel attempted to enter the airport through the main entrance, but were stopped by airport security officers who informed them that firearms were not permitted inside.

This led to an alleged verbal outburst from the Minister, who reportedly threatened several security officers. The situation escalated when a porter assisting with the luggage of the minister’s wife was assaulted as seen in the video.

Witnesses claim the conflict began when the porter objected to receiving Rs. 750 instead of the standard Rs. 1,000 fee, which is posted at the airport. In response, Minister was seen slapping the porter in the face before leaving the premises which he admitted to media later. There was no action against the Minister nor was there a complaint made to the police by the porter until now.

These underscore broader concerns regarding the state of Sri Lanka’s political arena and the potential ramifications for upcoming elections. The particular worry is the emergence of thuggery and intimidation tactics merely scratching the surface of deeper underlying tensions.

After ending the war and as described by a leading Youtuber ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXicSTZMnHY, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aE3Fl1phgvU&t=201s many within the governing party adopted kind of an entitled posture, seemingly asserting ownership over the country and some placing themselves appear above the law.

Regrettably, party leaders turned a blind eye to the behavior of these members in the debate perpetuating a culture of impunity. To everyone’s surprise, this behaviors of the two MPs were praised by a fellow member on the May day rally in front of the party leaders.

While this being the current scenario, there are signs of change on the horizon. The worries seem to be emanating from the notion of having to hold on to power by hook or crook to prevent any pending cases or alleged corruption stories in the past from surfacing, should a new government come into power – a prospect eagerly anticipated by the majority of masses.

Against this backdrop, these videos serve as a stark warning of the lengths to which certain factions may go to when the change takes place. Needless to mention that the presence of unqualified and indecent representatives poses a significant obstacle to the nation’s advancement, highlighting the critical role of the electorate in selecting their parliamentarians wisely.

It is only through collective action and informed decision-making can Sri Lanka hope to overcome the challenges it faces and realize its full potential on the world stage. In doing so, it is necessary to acknowledge that Sri Lanka’s political history has been marred by war, violence, thuggery, protests and looting serving as painful reminders of the consequences of such behavior.

Despite the lessons learned from the past subsequent governments have veered off course by allowing individuals lacking basic human decency but brimming with arrogance to hold positions of power. The result of this negligence was evident in these video footages – a reflection of what the people may witness after the election period has been announced. 

*Writer is a former Diplomat, Head of Tourism Authority , currently  a senior lecturer for Edith Cowan University, Perth 

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