Colombo, Sri Lanka: This week when the Parliament met, members observed silence on two days as mark of respect for victims of violence. On Tuesday when the Parliament met, Wimal Weerawansa, the Leader of JVP Parliamentary Group made a statement condemning the claymore attack on the bus travellers in Keppitykollawa and called for a minute's silence as a mark of respect.

The following day R.Smapanthan, the Leader of Tamil National Alliance Parliamentary Group made a statement condemning the violence unleashed on the innocent civilians in the North-East in the recent past and called for a minute's silence.

Although the House observed silence on both days, there was a marked difference between the two. When Parliament rose to observe silence for the Kapitikollawa violence, two TNA Parliamentarians did not comply. Soon after, when Authuraliya Raththana Thero, Leader of the JHU Parliamentary Group made a statement, TNA MP Raviraj objected to observing silence only for death of Sinhala people while ignoring the killing of Tamils. The TNA MP’s protested against the government and the army for their violence against the Tamils. This resulted in heated arguments ending up in a brawl.

The following day R.Sampanthan made an appeal to observe silence for the victims of the violence by the security forces in the North-East. This was observed without any incidents. J.M.Lokubandara the Speaker who presided over the proceedings on both days observed that such homage should in future be observed only after a decision at the meeting of the Party Leaders.

It is tragic the elected representatives of the people are unable to overcome their linguistic, racial or religious prejudices even on a question of paying homage to victims of tragedies.

An English translation of the Editorial in Thinakkural, a Tamil National daily, based in Colombo

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