DID JHU COMMIT POLITICAL SUICIDE?
Posted on November 18th, 2014
By M D P DISSANAYAKE
With fewer members in Parliament, the JHU’s decision to leave the government will not cause major political drama. However, the JHU’s constant inability to work in a coalition goverment in a constructive manner was visible from the very early stages.
Former Minister Patali Ranawaka was appointed as the Minister of Power and Energy, to be responsible for one of the key areas of infrastructure development of the country.
Norochcholai power plant contract was a complex case, involving 3 major parties. Extreme patience and superior negotiation skills were needed to address complex legal and contractual issues, involving legal and taxation issues of foreign countries as well. No one can expect a Minister to possess all such skills in any portfolio, but help is always available to the Ministers through Advisory and Professional Panels to work out a negotiations timeline identifying the critical areas to be addressed. This is a long process. A Minister in this situation ought to be a good listener to all parties, make his own minutes to discuss with his team after the tri-partite meetings and then develop strategic plannig process for the next round of negotiations. As we are now aware, the Minister has come under increasing pressure to perform, the job became too big for him. He became a poor listener instead tried to solve the problem with “THANI MOLE” ( single brain) by himself. Some of actions and behaviour had caused destructive conflicts with the Management and the Ministry. He was demoted from the portfolio, yet infrastructure projects on electrification continued and the President has now been able to reduce tariffs, reduce interruptions and maintain harmony with the contractual parties. It is sad that the former Minister has not been able to capitalise on the vital opportunity provided to him and thus become an Effective Minister. To his credit, the former Minister was above the board, when it comes to the question of honesty and integrity.
In his early political career his association with the JVP and fighting against the UNP government, the former Minister was arrested and detained. The JHU and its leaders may have lot to learn in the coming years.
There are many political parties and organisations aiming at Sinhala Buddhist votes, around 5.5 million to 6.1 million. It is not an easy task to win these votes, just playing the songs of Buddhism alone. Buddhists will move with their day to day work like other religious followers in their own religions. They have other personal and national issues. All citizens are equally entitled to share the dividends of prosperity. The rightfull place for the Buddhism is well enshrined into the Constitution and Sri Lankans have a great leader they can count on, without being an extremist.
November 18th, 2014 at 5:49 am
JHU will go into history as a JATHIKA HORUNGE URUMAYA !!!
JHU is a failed party. JHU is and was run by a group of inexperience highly egocentric and self-seeking individuals with unpredictable political decisions. If you see the history of JHU, Initially JHU organisers were fighting against unlawful conversions but with the political power vested on them by SL Ruling party they completely forgotten about the basis on which JHU was first formed. Then they were fighting against the 13th amendment and now they have completely ignored that issue too. Now they are fighting for diagonally opposing issue subcontracted them by NGOs, International Community, UNP, JVP TNA and Tamil diaspora. If you search Lankaweb for JHU you will get a week worth of readings and you will be surprised to see the way they have been changing their goal post in the political arena of the Sri Lanka.
Even though Minister of Power and Energy Patali Ranawaka is an engineering graduate, he has never worked as an engineer or never received his basic graduate engineering training. So he is not an engineer. He himself disclosed recently a corruption involving billion of Rs under his ministry while he was the Minister of Power and Energy. So he should have been fired from the government as the minister responsible for this scam .
Storm in the alms bowl
“Maha Sanga said that they would use the JHU Party as a boat. But what has happened today is that we find that the Maha Sanga has been made prisoners in the boat. Within this milieu it is not possible either to protect the Sinhala Buddhist Heritage or maintain our respect as Monks”-Ven.Uduwe Dhammaloka Thera.
Here is some links;
Lankaweb Special -Bikkhus in Politics
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/bikkhusinpolitics.html
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2013/09/09/jhu-withdrawing-from-the-psc-highlights-danger-of-not-removing13a/
JHU withdrawing from the PSC highlights danger of not removing13A
Science and Technology Minister, Champika Ranawaka stated, that the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) has decided not to participate at future sittings of the Special Parliamentary Select Committee to resolve the national question, as the PSC has failed to revise the 13th constitutional amendment before the upcoming elections.
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items04/260404-11.html
In a fair analysis, therefore, The JHU, has done nothing but imparted more momentum to the separatist efforts. We remember that the JHU invited the president openly, to form a government giving an indirect pledge that it will not allow any body to topple the government saying further that it will help government implement all “good promises”. But The JHU has now extremely hastily adjudged the very first action of the UPFA,( ie, appointing a UPFA man to the speaker post), as one with bad intentions, or failed to weigh it’s importance how it will form the basis for future course of action, and went ahead to foolishly nullify the votes of the defected members.
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items04/040504-4.html
Why did the JHU not vote in the first round?
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items04/100604-3.html
VENERABLE ELLE GUNAWANSA SAYS NINE JHU MONKS BROUGHT INSULTS AND RIDICULE TO 20,000 OTHER MONKS IN SRI LANKA
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items04/130404-1.html
JHU must not go to the rescue of traitorous politicians !
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items04/290404-8.html
Birds With Same Feathers Flocked Together
Asoka Perera PhD Toronto
It has been getting more clear now that the JHU has been made born to destroy the progressive forces which came to power on April 02. The business tycoons of pawnbrokers, bookie brokers and arm dealers together with the support of Sihala Urumaya poured millions of rupees to form this monk wing of UNF to function as a collector of frustrated UNF fall outs in preventing falling them into the UPFA reservoirs and finally bring them back to the UNF-LTTE-SLMC solidarity in the parliament.
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items04/300504-3.html
Venerable Ellawela Medhananda as Commander of Chief of Armed Forces
By R.G.Gunapala
Now, at a Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) conference in Sri Lanka Venerable Ellawela medhananda has been made the leader of the political party making him the only candidate of the party at a future Presidential election, following Archbishop Makarios of Cypress. The election of Medhananda as President would automatically make him the Commander in Chief of the armed forces. The difference is Christian priests had a tradition of going to war , especially during the mideaval ages, while Buddhism provided no such tradition.
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items04/260404-4.html
IT IS SHAME THAT JHU HAS JOINED THE TREACHEROUS UNP AND SLMC TO SERVE THE TERRORISTS.
A.A.M.NIZAM MATARA.
As a person studied with and associated Sinhala Buddhist bretheren from the LKD, I happened to know some Buddhist monks and had a great esteem for them due to their altruistic, and noble qualities and for the righteous and exemplary lives they lived. In the villages they were truly responsible for molding the lives of village children and shaping them as patriotic, responsible individuals who loved and respected their parents, elders, the village and the country over and above the self.
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2010/11/08/open-short-letter-to-mr-udaya-gammanpila-western-province-councilor-and-a-leading-figure-of-jhu/
Open Short Letter to Mr. Udaya Gammanpila: Western Province Councilor and a leading figure of JHU
Posted on November 8th, 2010
Kithsiri Athulathmudali, Florida, USA
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items04/280404-3.html
JHU MONKS HAVE BECOME A LAUGHING STOCK!
By Gamage Palihapitiya
November 18th, 2014 at 12:57 pm
Wrong turn Patali.
Ven Ratana was not given a minister post. Patali was sacked from a LUCRATIVE minister post. So they found an excuse to leave the govt. Karupaiyya Jayalalitha has promised them LUCRATIVE minister posts and 50,000/= per month each.
November 18th, 2014 at 1:05 pm
That’s the end of JHU. Foolish act. .
November 18th, 2014 at 3:19 pm
I will not DEMONIZE the JHU, except to say that Ven. Ratana is too egocentric and does not conduct himself as a Buddhist monk should; he does not belong in politics.
However, the JHU is ABSOLUTELY WRONG in leaving the UPFA coalition on the eve of the Presidential eection, because they are contributing to the DISINTEGRATION of the ALLIANCE OF PATRIOTIC FORCES that supported the Military Victory over the Separatists in 2009, and has supported the RAPID ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT of our Motherland since then.
In my comments at LankaWeb, I repeatedly WARNED that this will be the END RESULT of the attempt by various parties seeking to exploit the Presidential Election to achieve their various agendas by BLACKMAILING the UPFA Government in genera,l and President Mahinda Rajapaksa, in particular.
Today is an EXTREMELY SAD DAY for me to see this UNRAVELLING of the PATRIOTIC FRONT that defended our Motherland.
Only the TRUE PATRIOTS will mourn this day, while other MARGINAL patriots and CONCERNED citizens who criticized and undermined the President and UPFA Govt at every turn and egged on the JHU to this end will shed crocodile tears, while the ENEMIES of Mother Lanka will REJOICE!
Nevertheless, the vast majority of ordinary Patriotic Citizens of Sri Lanka will not be swayed by the ANTICS of these FOOLISH EGOCENTRIC political leaders, and will re-elect the President by a wide margin.
Make no mistake, peoples lives are at stake here and those who have forgotten the crucial issues at stake in preserving the Patriotic Forces in Control of our Motherland for the next decade will rue this day if the UPFA Govt loses the 2/3 majority it now commands in the next general election. These CONGENITAL IDIOTS will find that for them “Allapu Athtath Naha, Payagahapu Athtath Naha”!
Most importantly, REPEAL of the 13th Amendment was NOT ONE OF THE DEMANDS the JHU made!
SHAME on you, JHU!
…………………
JHU ministers Ranawaka and Gammanpila resign from Sri Lankan government
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Nov 18, Colombo: Members of Sri Lanka’s coalition party Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) , Minister of Technology, Research and Atomic Energy, Patali Champika Ranawaka and Western Provincial Council minister Udaya Gammanpila resigned from their ministerial portfolios in cabinet and provincial levels.
Parliamentary Group Leader of Jathika Hela Urumaya Ven, Athuraliye Rathana Thera said the two ministers will resign today, on President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s birthday.
The two senior leaders of the JHU will no longer be representatives of the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA).
Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thero resigned Monday from his position as the Chairman of the Divulapitiya Divisional Development Committee and handed over his official vehicle.
The JHU leader has told the media that the government has clearly stated that they cannot implement the proposals and constitutional amendments proposed by the party and as a result the party cannot work with the government any longer.
The JHU proposals call for passing a 19th Amendment to the Constitution and reinstating the 17th Amendment.
The proposals also ask the government to abolish the preferential vote system, to hold the presidential election and the general election on the same day, grant powers to the Prime Minister, limit the President’s cabinet portfolios to Minister of Defense.
November 18th, 2014 at 3:26 pm
The MASK of SINHALA BUDDHIST PATRIOTISM finally comes off, and the Bodu Bala Sena stands revealed as a UNP proxy!
So, here is PROOF that it was the UNP that engineered the communal antics of the BBS all along, to incite communal hatred and give more cause to Western Powers to demonize Sri Lanka!
……………….
Extremist Buddhist movement in Sri Lanka says Ranil is the most suitable common candidate
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Nov 18, Colombo: The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), an extremist Buddhist movement in Sri Lanka says Opposition Leader and Leader of the United National Party (UNP) Ranil Wickremasinghe is the most suitable common candidate for presidency.
Addressing a press briefing held in Colombo today, the leader of the BBS Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero said that the BBS was considering to field a candidate to the Presidential election but a final decision would be taken when the election is called.
Speaking of common candidates the BBS General Secretary said theout of the names suggested as a common candidate, the Opposition Leader is the most suitable and someone who possesses certain good political policies.
The Thera explained that 80 percent of BBS membership is of the view that the group should field a common candidate. However, the BBS is thinking about a national candidate instead of a common candidate.
Gnanasara Thero further said that the aim of the BBS is not the presidential election but the general election and the party’s aim is to buildi a Buddhist state.
In addition to the opposition leader, The names of Chairman of the UNP Leadership Council, Karu Jayasuriya, former President, Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, former Chief Justice, Shirani Bandaranayake, Democratic National Alliance MP Arjuna Ranatunga, and Leader of the National Movement for Social Justice, Ven. Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera have also been suggested for common candidate.
November 18th, 2014 at 3:48 pm
Ananda you said it all. These people are extremists. They can all join the JVP. Champika did not do a good job in the ministries he had.All big talk. I hope they will learn.
November 18th, 2014 at 4:06 pm
Hope commentators most right. But this may also be a problem to all. What will happen if BBS, JHU, MEP etc etc get together and produce BBS leader as the candidate ?
There is great danger of UNP candidate winning.
November 18th, 2014 at 8:38 pm
this is a good move by jhu.
JHU, JVP and some other groups very correctly forced MR to start the war against LTTE and supported it until LTTE is defeated.it was successes of jhu.
Now it is time fight corruption, family politics , lawlessness .
The way this government behaving is scary. for example , you can see how public money is used for propaganda at araliya dansal. never in history such kind of misuse of public funds happened so openly and shamelessly.
jhu .jvp and other people who love the country should act as a pressure group to
force future government to establish rule of law. we support you .
November 19th, 2014 at 3:20 am
JHU committed suicide ? I think ultimately it is Sinhalaya who is committing suicide.
November 19th, 2014 at 3:52 am
The whole idea seems to be based on the aim of taking away some of the votes that go to the president so that he would lose or at least fail to secure the 50% needed to win it outright.
Will they succeed? I hope not.
Cutting the nose to spite the face is not the way.
I still have more hope of getting the most harmful 13th amendment repealed by the current president than by whoever is going to be competing against him. Efforts of all the patriotic forces, not the UNP, must be directed towards that.
All these clamourings for constitutional changes are bogus as shown by the same people burning of the version brought at a previous attempt in the parliament!
The leader of the country having more than 50% of the popular vote as opposed to merely 50% of seats in the parliament is superior in terms of mandate.
If the other system is superior India must be a paragon of virtue already!