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This week in The Media Analysis...
01. Rambukwella arrest opens [another] window to social resentment
02. The Language Divide
03. The TV coverage of the issues
04. This week’s cartoons
05. This week’s memes
06. Other topics covered in reportage
Past issues can be viewed here
01. Rambukwella arrest opens [another] window to social resentment
Events:
The deaths of patients from allegedly substandard medicines
Parliamentary debate on the no-confidence motion
On July 21, 2023, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) handed over a no-confidence motion against the then Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella to the speaker of parliament for his alleged involvement in procuring substandard medicines.[5][6] On September 8, 2023, the no-confidence motion was defeated 113 to 73 votes.[7][8]
Portfolio change after cabinet reshuffle
On October 23, 2023, President Ranil Wickremesinghe reshuffled the cabinet, leading to changes in ministerial portfolios. Former Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella was appointed as the new minister of environment, while MP Ramesh Pathirana was sworn in as the minister of health.[9][10]
Protests against Rambukwella
On July 18, 2023, former Minister of Health Rambukwella stated in parliament that “if a hundred go to hospital seeking help, not everyone returns in good health. That’s why unfortunately there is a funeral parlour in front of some hospitals”, which drew heavy criticism from the public.[11][12]
On January 1, 2024, a funeral wreath was placed in front of the residence of Rambukwella.[13][14] Chamal Sanjeewa surrendered to the courts for placing a funeral wreath in front of Rambukwella’s house.[15][16]
On January 9, 2024, a protest was held in front of the ministry of health demanding the immediate arrest of Rambukwella due to his involvement in procuring substandard medicines during his tenure as the minister of health.[17][18]
On January 16, 2024, another protest was held in front of the ministry of health demanding the arrest of Rambukwella.[19][20]
On January 31, 2024, a protest was held in front of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) displaying banners with the slogan ‘Keheliya-Go-Gama’, demanding the arrest of Rambukwella.[21][22] The CID arrested five activists in connection with the protest.[23][24]
Produced before court and admitted to the prison hospital
On February 2, 2024, the CID arrested the Minister of Environment Keheliya Rambukwella in connection with the procurement of substandard human intravenous immunoglobin (IVIG) during his time as the minister of health.[25][26] Rambukwella was ordered by the court to be held in remand until February 15.[27][28]
On February 4, 2024, Rambukwella was admitted to the prison hospital on a medical recommendation.[29][30]
On February 6, 2024, Rambukwella tendered his resignation from the position of minister of environment to President Ranil Wickremesinghe.[31][32]
Analysis
Over the past week, Sinhala print reportage, TV coverage, and social media commentary were overwhelmingly critical of former Minister of Health Rambukwella, who was arrested for his alleged involvement in procuring substandard/counterfeit medicines for the public health care system. The reportage featured little to no voices in support of or defending Rambukwella.[1]
Sinhala media criticism of Rambukwella opened a window to two reactions from the public (1) disgust at the functioning of the “system”, and (2) distrust towards state institutions. The critical discourse on the former minister serves as an aperture into understanding rising social resentment with systemic issues of governance within the country. This week’s TMA will briefly expand on these two sentiments below.
1. Disgust at the functioning of the “system”
Critical discourse on Rambukwella in the Sinhala media underscored a deep-seated frustration with the “system” in Sri Lanka, where the law operated differently for those who are ‘privileged’, in the sense of being connected to political power. This entrenched sense of injustice and disgust at the injustice and inequality of the “system” has been noted in past TMAs as well. [2] The events surrounding Rambukwella’s arrest, where he was immediately transferred to a prison hospital,where he reported requested that his medication be sourced from Singapore and that he be transferred to a private hospital, gwere narratives that heightened and focused this sense of disgust.[3]
This reaction of disgust from the public stems from an embedded frustration with systemic and increasingly blatant inequalities in law enforcement. For instance, in the past, the Sinhala media has condemned the actions of influential individuals who used their privileged status to obtain COVID-19 vaccines for their families and friends to the detriment of less affluent people who were forced to wait in long queues to get vaccinated.[4] Most recently, the ‘Yukthiya’ anti-drug operation carried out by the Sri Lanka Police was criticised for disproportionately targeting small-scale drug dealers and users instead of concentrating efforts on dismantling major drug trafficking networks.[5] The arrest of Rambukwella opened a window to understanding this deep seated sense of disgust among the public towards this type of systemic inequality and injustice.
2. Distrust of state institutions
Sinhala media criticism of Rambukwella also showed deepening distrust towards state institutions among the public.[6] The political establishment was also bemoaned in social media, citing the majority of parliamentarians that defeated the No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against Rambukwella. Overall, the distrust stems from a perception that these institutions, crucial for basic principles of democracy and governance, seem to be acting blatantly against the interests of the public.
This disillusionment with the state institutions is also reflected in the broader critique of the systemic issues embedded in Sri Lanka, and is seen over a long period of time. Last week’s issue of TMA analysed the distrust of the police. Similarly, last year, following reports of patient deaths and illnesses said to have resulted from the shortage and poor quality of medicines, critical voices in the Sinhala media bemoaned long-standing governance-related issues in health sector.[7] The role of regulatory bodies, such as the National Medicines Regulatory Authority, was also called out, further underscoring the lack of public confidence in the mechanisms meant to ensure the health and safety of the public.
Overall, the commentary on events this week and the previous two are windows into broader public disenchantment with the “system” and anger towards their political representatives. Three weeks ago the death of politician Sanath Nishantha was met with celebration and rejoicing (as analysed in TMA Vol.14, #04) – it was a window into deep-seated anger towards political representatives who have been prominent within the government. This week the reactions to the arrest of Rambukwella provide another window into the sense of disgust and distrust that is prevalent with regard to the overall “system” and the institutional structures. These sentiments in the various media reflect rising social resentment towards the status quo in Sri Lanka.
[1] In accordance with TMA’s methodology to monitor social media, the TMA team filtered the ten posts with the highest interactions on Facebook in Sinhala for the terms ‘Keheliya’, ‘prison’, and ‘medicine’ using CrowdTangle, from February 5 to February 9.
[2] See TMA Vol.11, #24.
[3] For more information, please see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0gfoQ9OHN0.
[4] See TMA Vol.11, #09.
[5] See TMA Vol.14, #05.
[6] See TMA, Vol. 13, No. #26 & 27; Vol. 13, No. #34
[7] See TMA Vol.13, #29.
02. The Language Divide
Signposts the differences and nuances in reporting between Sinhala and Tamil language newspapers
Last week’s Sinhala and Tamil press converged in relation to four main stories. The four stories were on the: (i) former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella’s arrest on charges of procuring substandard medicines; (ii) establishment of new electoral coalitions; (iii) NPP’s official visit to India; (iv) national Independence Day celebrations. The Sinhala press exclusively featured two main stories, and they were on: (i) the enactment of the Online Safety Bill and (ii) the ongoing anti-narcotic ‘Yukthiya’ operation by Sri Lanka Police. The Tamil press exclusively featured two main stories. They were on the: (i) exclusion of the ethnic issue as a topic in President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s policy statement in parliament and (ii) commemoration of Independence Day as a ‘black day’ in the North and East.
Do you want to see the divided priorities on a daily basis? Check out FrontPage. It captures the day’s headlines and features succinct summaries of the political news reported in the most widely read Sinhala and Tamil newspapers.
The Independence Day parade at Galle Face and the various protests held across the country: How did TV channels cover them?
On February 4, 2024, Sri Lanka marked 76 years since gaining independence from the British. The national Independence Day parade held at Galle Face Green was covered by all the Tamil and Sinhala channels. However, the Sinhala and Tamil media allotted varying coverage to the protests held across the country marking Independence Day as a ‘black day’. The graphics above portray the divided coverage afforded to the protests. For more information, click here
03. The TV coverage of the issue
The data on television coverage is based on the monitoring of the primetime news telecasts of selected Sinhala language TV channels uploaded to YouTube.
04. This week’s cartoons
Courtesy of Aruna, Feb.7, 2024
Context: “Prisoners are human beings” is a statement displayed at the entrance to the Welikada Prison.
Courtesy of Tamil Mirror, Jan.5, 2023
05. This week’s memes
To be directed for intellectual inquiry…
Whenever Sri Lanka’s thieving politicians are remanded for any crime, they are admitted to the prison hospital. They are given permission to have food brought from home. Either these thieves are all sick or else the doctors at the prison must be sick. Whatever the case may be, the general public do not have that privilege. This is how even the rule of law is exercised…
Sri Lankan adults
Who is that pariah of a doctor who fabricated a medical report for this pariah and had him hospitalised?
Top: When [he was] admitted to the prison hospital
Bottom: When he remembers that he has to now take the very same substandard medicines that he imported
Where are those kaiyas (those accused of only talking about the country’s problems without taking action about it) who bet that they would walk naked on the streets if Keheliya is arrested?
Come out from wherever you are hiding
They must be thrashing Keheliya now after suspending him (referring to a form of torture the police have been accused of using in which [an ordinary] person is suspended in the air and beaten.)
Newspaper headline: Keheliya has misled the cabinet to import fake medicines
For the cabinet to be so misled, does it mean that it is comprised of foolish idiots?
News caption: The ‘Keheliya-Go-Gama’ (Keheliya-Go-Village, similar to the Gota-Go-Gama established by citizens during the aragalaya to protest against Gotabaya Rajapaksa) is established..It disappears as soon as it is set up…Villagers arrested..
If Gotabaya had been in power, he would have provided them with food and drink and also police protection
06. Other topics covered in reportage
- The prevailing economic crisis in Sri Lanka
- Strikes launched by health sector trade unions concerning allowances
- Alleged dispute between MP Sarath Fonseka and the SJB regarding the SJB’s decision to allow former Army Commander Daya Rathnayake to join the party
- Sri Lanka’s electricity tariffs being the highest in South Asia
- Reported rise in accidents occurring on the expressways in Sri Lanka
To view this week’s news summaries, please click here