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The government has moved with astounding speed and skill to manipulate the levers of power

Jun 07, 2021 Letters

Dear Editor,
Reference is made to the article titled, “Online talk show host charged under cybercrime law with causing damage to Minister Ramson’s reputation” (SN June 4). As this registers, I struggle to grope the depths of this, and the possible implications of what could lead anywhere, and impact others. If my thinking is accurate, this is chilling.
I do not know Mr. Gavin Matthews, never heard of him prior to this matter when it became public in March.
I am grappling to recall what it was that he said or wrote that caused consternation on the part of Minister Ramson. Apparently, it was demeaning enough, that the editors of both SN and KN saw it fit to not include the specific language in their covering articles of June 4th.
Why rebroadcast what is damaging, keep the fires raging? I understand it has been deemed derogatory, humiliating. Whatever it was, and if, indeed, it was so, by any reasonable interpretation, then Mr. Matthews should be brought to book. We must be more prudent, more disciplined, more possessing of understandings of what is malicious, hence injurious reputationally; of those, we must strive constantly to refrain from, to call out others who engage in such, and to distance from similar settings and people.
On the other hand, I have a little difficulty in appreciating the problem with the title of the video (title only, not contents), which was “You are still de facto and if you want to do Something about it just Resign.” My position is that the PPP government was legitimately victorious, which is the only thing legitimate about its being. If saying so infuriates, then we have more serious problems than what the embattled talk show host faces.
For, if it is an offense to say that the government is illegitimate or “de facto” or “must resign” then I shudder to think where the creep of this could lead.

I take this elsewhere. If I say that I dislike or don’t have any regard for this or that government (or opposition) leader or parliamentarian, then I have to wonder whether I must look over my shoulder. When I say or write that I am terribly short on trust for ranking political figures, then there is the probability that this could lead to imprisonment, followed by charges, adjudicated by penalties.
It doesn’t have to be limited to the political or governmental segments; anywhere is in play, and every opponent and critically expressive citizen could be subject to judicial firing squads, kangaroo courts, or political oppression. I trust that this is seen for where it terminates.

Already the PPP government has moved with astounding speed and skill to manipulate the levers of power. I invite attention to the state of the security apparatus, public service (permissible to a point), media, and speech in general.
There is no opposition today; soon there could be no dissenting speech. Do I dare say the dirty word? Dictatorship?
Yours truly,
GHK Lall

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