Rupawahini, Mervin Silva and The Broken Society

Most of the Sri Lankans are absolutely delighted to see Mervin Silva getting a good old kick on his behind. We watched that news over and over again, like it is Sanath and Kalu batting the 1997 world cup. We record it. Watch it in slow motion. When every single time we saw it, we enjoyed every bit of it. We Put that in youtube, then discussed about it months to come with smiles on our faces. We feel proud finally we witnessed that exciting minute, which we know as a fact, we are the people, absolutely deserved to witness.

We are happy, not because Mervin Silva the person got painted in pink , like the Barney the Dinosaur, because “we are the people” were able to do something about those dreadful politicians finally. Mervin Silva is a fine specimen for a dirty politician in any Democratic country. By humiliating him, we representatively humiliate all the filthy politicians. So I believe.

Talking about Democracy, we Sri Lankans don’t know the value of Democracy. It was artificially planted here in Sri Lanka. And since that day, we could not sleep better. We tried to bring it down every time we can, but failed miserably. Still Tamils in North of the country, do their absolute best to make sure their children and grandchildren will live under a dictator whom they believe as a reincarnation of the God Vishnu. And I wish from bottom of my heart, let them be failed miserably, just like others.

Democracy is the most vulnerable political system we humans ever created. It had never lasted more than 200 years straight before one way or another a dictator took over it and become royalty or declare himself a God. But after the invention of the news paper, media become the soul guardian of Democracy. And it is, till this day.

Media didn’t like Marvin Silva that much. That is not because he was not an elected Parliament member, but because Marvin seems to have this cute habit of bashing in to media institute with his entourage, like Michael Jackson in famous Bad music video, and beat the shit out of journalists like he is Tony Montana in Scarface. And it seems journalists didn’t take it very well.

Now I understand everything up to this point. I understand journalists getting beat up and even getting killed. That is the nature of the job. That is why I’m not a journalist and I respect everyone one who is brave enough to do that kind of a job. I also understand politicians like Marvin hate journalist’s guts. Now my questions and fears come to surface from this point.

Journalists suppose to be the most powerful entity in a democratic system. They seems to go in to the trouble declaring, they have something more powerful than a gun, which is commonly known as the Pen, which I really started to doubt the whole statement right now..

Journalists indeed pen about Marvin Silva. They even went as far as protesting front of Fort Railway station with big posters and screaming loud as they can, trying to get in to the ears of “we are the people”. But nothing changed. Marvin went one institute after another, beating shit out of people. Even his son went on doing the same, giving pure delight to his father and president uncle. I can’t figure out how. Is that our journalists are doing such a terrible journalism, or “we are the people” not listening to journalists anymore?

But at the end, proving the pen is not as powerful as they say, journalists turn around and beat the shit out of Marvin Silva. I believe journalists didn’t have any other choice. I don’t want to hide my amusement about the whole drama. But at the same time, I’m sad and feared it was the journalists who did it. I wish it never come to such a point journalists have to leave their pen behind, start beating up people physically in order to get things straight. I wish if they were able to get things done by using ink in the pen, rather than pouring it on politicians head. And worst of all, we are happy about it, because we know as a fact that is the only possible way a thug like Mervin Silva can ever get closer to justice.

If “we are the people” have to beat the shit out of politicians, then unfortunately there is no democracy left. If journalists have to beat the shit out of politicians, then there is no journalism left. I wish if we had never come to this point.