Ajit Randeniya

The saga of Sarath FonsekaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Presidential campaign is proving to be a farce that will easily outdo that of the 2008 campaign of Sarah Pelin . The possibility of a future ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢President FonsekaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ taking office has already become a logical inconsistency similar to ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢boiling snowƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢.

The simple reasons are that the man is corrupt; dishonest; and has no ability or experience required for such a high position.

FonsekaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s anti-corruption platform has no credibility following his acceptance of the offer of a new residence owned by a Colombo businessman who is a known LTTE and UNF financier, and his escape to the sumptuous residence of Ravi Karunanayake from the public uproar that followed ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”thoseƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ allegations.

These examples show that, among the many things Fonseka does not seem to understand is the concept of political corruption.

For comparison of the standards of corruption in a functioning democracy, consider the recent case of theƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ OzCar AffairƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ in Australia. Accusations of corruption involved the Australian prime minister Kevin RuddƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s use of a motor vehicle ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”donatedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ by a businessman for campaigning purpose, and allegations of Rudd providing government favours in return to the businessmen concerned.

Though the allegations were later found to be concocted, and part of a Zionist conspiracy hatched with the help of a senior public servant named Godwin ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”GrechƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, the incident shows that acceptance of favours by people campaigning for political office is considered corruption in proper democracies.

Both T. Alles and Ravi Karunanayake who have so generously ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”assistedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ Pawnseka are highly dubious characters, Alles on national security grounds and KƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢nayaka on allegations of stealing government money. Still Pawnseka seems to expect the rural folk of Sri Lanka to trust him, and hand over the country for a good clean up! Clean up my foot – Fonseka himself is as dirty as a pig in mud.

Let us look at some of his ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”faux pasƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and the manner in which he has tried to extricate himself out of the sticky situations that followed. Nothing beats the ludicrous events that followed his ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”thoseƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ stupid and dangerous allegations, vomited to the lap of Frederica Jansz.

As to the background to the cowardly allegations, Fonseka has forgotten that he is on record for declaring at his old school that the usual rules of war had to be dispensed with the last stages of the war, and claiming ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”95 per centƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of the war victory. Any war crimes investigation (that should follow the elections) will be greatly assisted by such self-claims.

What is more disgusting is PawnsekaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s crawling during the week to the Assembly of God headquarters at Katukurunduwatta to meet up with Fredrica Jansz and Lal Wickrematunga, apparently to discuss damage control by getting Jansz to publish an apology.

During the meeting, Fonseka apparently admitted that he made those allegations, but an apology was needed ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-because they are saying it would damage my political campaign.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ Only Pawnseka could have come up with such a grand strategy of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”damage controlƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢; this is worth at least four exclamation marks!!!!

Fonseka would have found squeezing blood out of a stone much easier. Jansz was not going to do make any apology, correction or clarification because it was hard work deliberately and dishonestly downplaying the hearsay origins of the allegations, which Pawnseka said during the interview, was given to him by a former journalist who has chosen to become a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”FonsymoronƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ (a Fonseka supporter).

Clearly, Jansz exploited the poor judgement and communication ability of Pawnseka, and cynically crafted the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”sensationalƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ headline, knowing fully well that the common man was only speculating. Now she argues that a retraction would open herself to both ridicule and legal action; one can understand JanszƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s concern for legal liability, but ridicule? How more ridiculous can this woman be?

Then comes the top-secret cocktails and dinner party Fonseka threw for the media, at that common manƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s play ground, the Crystal Ballroom of Taj Samudra, with foreign liquor worth Rs 270,000 flowing. This is by the same man who is cursing the government and the Rajapakse brothers for seeking to influence the media!

However, the bribe was a total waste of money (and liquor!) because Fonseka stuffed up ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”big timeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ on the delivery of his media policy ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”pledge to the nationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢; brainchild of the fashion designer. Fonseka, as is usual for him, read a different document!

At the risk of being repetitive, it must be stated that Sri Lanka needs to be saved from this man. These incidents and events sum up his incompetence and lack of judgement and sophistication in political thinking or strategy.

The answers would be to send Pawnseka to the war crimes tribunal, the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Garden GnomeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ Somawansa Amarasinghe to jail for the murder of Nandana Marasinghe, and, to be kind, Mangala Samaraweera, back to the rag trade; Ranil Wickremesinghe would be happy as long as he is given a weekly trip or two to ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”someƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ foreign locations.

Down with Pawnseka and Fonsymorons.