Even though I was not fully aware of how dangerous the situation was in the “Struggle Grounds”, this excellent piece of photojournalism tells us a story. Led by the puppet, his no excellency President Ranil Wickramasinghe, it is apparent that the “Regime” has begun safeguarding its hastily cobbled illegal government. I do not know the name of this catholic priest running for safety, but I salute him for his courage and empathy in supporting this inevitable and historical struggle in Sri Lanka. You might be wondering, what could possibly happen if you are actively engaging, supporting and opposing an unlawful government, which brings about misery in catastrophic proportions? The answers are clear. Historically we have seen that the ruling illegitimate governments’ solutions for people fighting for their rights and survival are suppression, unlawful arrest and detention, abductions, involuntary disappearances and murder. Salvadorian Archbishop Romero spoke out against social injustice and violence amid the escalating conflict between the Military Government and left-wing insurgents that led to the Salvadoran Civil War. In 1980, Romero was shot by an assassin while celebrating Mass. Though no one was ever convicted for the crime, investigations led by the UN Truth Commission for El Salvador concluded that Major Roberto D’Aubuisson, a death squad leader, had ordered the killing. Major Roberto was the founder of the right-wing Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) political party.
Whether it’s in Sri Lanka or elsewhere, history shows that corrupt governments tend to focus their efforts on silencing the people instead of finding solutions for the crisis. We know it, they know it and so does this Catholic Priest willing to put his life on the line for our people. We salute you!
