Dr. Chula Rajapakse Colombo

I recently listened to a very eloquent presentation on ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- Why I will vote for General FonsekaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ in which the speaker introduced the GeneralƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s pledges in the document ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Vishvasaneeya VenesakƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. I could not help but notice the many contradictions in the GeneralƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s pledges of the many statements he has made in the recent past.

For example, until his fall out with the President recently , in his many TV appearances the General only extolled the virtues of the President & Defense Secretary though now he is highly critical of them, only a few months ago he declared that Sri Lanka belonged to the Sinhalese and minorities could live in them implying lack of ownership though now he is championing the cause of the minorities in partnership with the TNA, just after the end of the war he called for a further 100,000 troops for the army to maintain vigilance against reemergence of terrorism though now he now agitates on behalf of the IDPƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s in alliance with the TNA, once the proxy of terrorists, and even two weeks ago on television he confirmed his intention to keep the Executive Presidency and even specified that ministries of defense, finance, education, health and employment would be kept under him, soraising the specter of Pakistan like military rule.

These contradictions, inspire little confidence that the GeneralƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s pledges are anything more than the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-holier than thouƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ pledges of any politician , pre election.

The document ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Vishvasaneeya VenesakƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, begins with the statement ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- I will restore democracy and win peaceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. I have been following events in Sri Lanka from New Zealand for long with frequent visits and on this occasion for nearly four weeks so far and traveled over 2,500 km in the western, southern, central and north central provinces. I have only experienced ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-democracy and peaceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚- what then is the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-democracy and peaceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ that the general wants to restore? The different shades of opinion and debate I have witnessed in free to air television is no second to what I am experienced to in NZ.

More pleasingly, I have witnessed unprecedented changes for the better even when compared to what I saw in the same travels eighteen months ago. The quality of the roads, the southern motorway development, the massive development of harbor and airport in Hambantota, the windmills of Hambantota that even put those of my home city of windy Wellington to shame, the improvements in IT services and internet access no second to any where and better than most in the west and endorsed even by Bill Gaates, new hospital constructions in Badula, Anuradapura and Polonnaruwa were all really pleasing to behold & experience.

However, I must mention the concern of doctors of the erratic availability of medications though money for ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-tamashasƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ was not short. Also not short were allegations of corruption which appear to be accepted as fact. These clearly are matters that need urgent addressing, particularly to change the perceptions even if inaccurate.

Based on the perception of corruption and the Generals pledges and ignoring the contradiction , the speaker recommended that the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Unknown devil was better than the known oneƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ at the forth coming election..

However, I went away unconvinced and with the sentiment, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Beware of the devil with no track record, ever changing tunes and most of all military might.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚