Attempts to stifle freedom of expression by NPP supporters troubling

Several members of the popular musical band “Marians” were recently in the limelight, not for their musical prowess but for more controversial reasons. Four members of the band coined a few lines to the tune of a popular Sinhala song while having a bit of fun and this went viral on social media which in turn put them in the middle of a political storm of sorts. 

Supporters of the NPP/JVP took offence to the manner in which the words of the song were coined and unleashed a vicious social media attack on them. Not only were they severely criticised and insulted but there were reportedly death threats against them as well. This led the four men to make a video apologising if they had hurt the sentiments of any group and more or less bent backward to say they meant no offence.

This indeed is a sad state of affairs in a country where politicians are almost always subject to ridicule and are at the receiving end of many a jibe. Cartoonists often take the mickey out of politicians in their caricatures while be it cinema, theatre, music or other forms of art, politicians are the main bait.

The country is in the middle of an election campaign and sentiments are running high with supporters of each candidate fighting to have their man elected. This is part and parcel of a democracy and there is freedom for those canvassing for the person of choice to do so but it has to be done without threats and intimidation.

The recent incident with the Marians groups is troubling because the members of the band were forced to apologise for doing no wrong. No doubt that worries about their personal safety prompted the men to issue an apology through their social media pages when all they had done was sing a song which some found offensive. 

To get offended or not is a personal choice but that does not mean one has to react and threaten and intimidate others because they have a different opinion from the one you may hold. It certainly does not give anyone the right to threaten or arm twist anyone, as has been the case with the members of this band.

At election times, songs are galore poking fun at different politicians, and it’s all done in good spirits and which the public too enjoy. With memes all the rage now, not a day goes without a new meme about a politician.

If the supporters of a certain party cannot take a joke, that is their problem and certainly not of those making the joke.

The disturbing things about the apology by the members of the musical groups is that it adds to the growing concern among many in society that the JVP which controls the NPP and has a violent past, hasn’t completely moved away from violence. This has been demonstrated from time to time by some of its seniors who have used political speeches to make veiled threats against opponents.

The problem may not be with either the leader of the NPP and Presidential candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake or a few of the other public faces of the party but the rank and file who see the election as a way to get even with their opponents. The leaders of the NPP/JVP need to do more to reassure the public that the Party does not endorse this kind of behaviour by their supporters or else it will be a matter of time that dissent will become alien in the country.

Any party waiting to take power and their supporters must understand that this country is a democracy. It’s not perfect, it has many flaws but it’s a country where freedom of expression and speech are constitutionally guaranteed rights. It’s certainly not Kim Jong-Un’s North Korea where poking fun at the leader carries a death sentence.