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Big or small, punish them all

10 May 2021

Managing the Covid-19 pandemic is a shared responsibility, and in the battle against the pandemic, no party can, or should be exempted from, their responsibility. The new and intense wave is proof that failure to fulfil this responsibility on the part of any one party adversely affects all others too, and that one’s race, social strata, or power has no relevance when it comes to the spread of the virus. The scenes of Police officers apprehending and sending to quarantine centres those who were not wearing face masks in public places has attracted both criticism and commendations. While some viewed these people as a threat to the efforts aimed at managing the Covid-19 situation and approved of the law enforcement agencies’ stern action, others saw it as the police flexing its muscles against the poor and powerless, despite the rich and powerful being allowed to break health guidelines with impunity over the past few weeks despite warnings of a third wave. Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic more than a year ago, many parties of various backgrounds have violated Covid-19 safety guidelines, and the law enforcement agencies have been taking legal action against them on a daily basis. However, most of these incidents are solitary cases, and the offence most of them had committed was failing to wear face masks. However, the law enforcement agencies appear to have forgotten or conveniently overlooked those who blatantly violate Covid-19 safety guidelines on a much larger scale with zero consideration about the pandemic, while preaching about best practices from dawn to dusk. Sri Lanka has not forgotten, and must not forget or ignore, how those in powerful positions violated, from the beginning, and continue to violate Covid-19 safety guidelines by holding and participating in political rallies, funerals of famous politicians, public events, parties, and building openings, to name a few. Some of these events were attended by thousands and the public did not see any action being taken against them. On the contrary, these events received protection and support. Those who organised these events cause a much greater damage to the country than that civilian who momentarily forgot to wear a mask, and their actions are more than capable of jeopardising the progress the country has achieved. In this context, it is not fair to hold only the public responsible for the exacerbating Covid-19 crisis in the country. More than the ordinary people, who hesitantly step out of their houses only to go about their daily lives or make a living, it is those in power and rank that did the most damage to the country as far as the Covid-19 pandemic is concerned. Not only do these elite and powerful figures set a bad precedent in a context where their actions are expected to be exemplary, they also put on the line the lives of their acquaintances/followers that follow their path. On the one hand, a nation is unlikely to achieve any significant progress in mitigating the Covid-19 pandemic by making sure only one section of that nation adhere to Covid-19 safety guidelines; on the other hand, allowing one party to ignore Covid-19 safety guidelines on a much larger scale while enforcing the law against only the common man raises concerns as to whether the law is actually equal to everyone. Needless to say, the increasing number of Covid-19 cases and deaths as well as the decreasing resources to deal with new cases are proof that the country is at a very critical juncture. If the law is being used to manage the pandemic, it should be done right, and not a single person should be exempted from the law. Conduct that does not adhere to Covid-19 safety guidelines will not only put the lives of the ordinary people, who are wondering when they will receive the vaccine, at risk, they can also cause a whole new wave and push the country back to square one. Now is the best time to prove that no one is special before the law, and that the pandemic is bigger than all of us.  


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