President Sirisena: A principled man or an Emperor without clothes?
Posted on August 16th, 2015
By Raj Gonsalkorale Courtesy – Asian Tribune –
Whatever one’s view is about the letter President Sirisena, as the President of the SLFP, has written to Mahinda Rajapaksa, the contents of the letter are unambiguously political, and it is bound to favour the UNP and the UNFGG combine as well as other political parties opposed to Mahinda Rajapaksa.
In the interest of democracy and a free and fair election, the Elections Commissioner should instruct the immediate withdrawal of this letter from public circulation as it is not befitting of the President of the country, who took a position that he will not support any political party or combine directly or indirectly, implicitly or explicitly at this election, to have made this letter a public document on the eve of the general election.
That would be a fair outcome for all concerned.
In the 5 page letter which President Sirisena would have burnt much mid night oil writing it and pouring his vitriol out, he has mentioned once in the dying embers of his political inferno, that he hopes the UPFA will win enough seats to form a government. Although he has made this grudging after thought, there is no doubt in the letter where his preference is and who he would want to have as the government and the Prime Minister although he is the President of the SLFP and the Chairman of the UPFA.
He is basically asking the voters to give the UPFA a majority but not to vote for them because of Mahinda Rajapaksa! He also seems to be saying do not vote for those supported him to be the President, but give them a majority so that he can ask Ranil Wickremasinghe to be the Prime Minister. Confused? No doubt the entire electorate is.
Those who wish to see this latest act surpassing what Brutus did to Caesar, as a principled position, the argument will be that Maithripala Sirisena as the President of the SLFP has written this letter as he is entitled to do so considering Mahinda Rajapaksa is a candidate of the SLFP. However, what is difficult to sustain here is that the President of the SLFP is also expressing an opinion as to what he will do as the President of the country, and also expressing an opinion on something that is hypothetical at the moment, and which can favour a particular political group at the election which is not his group, and which clearly muddies the water as to where he draws the line as the President of the country and President of the SLFP.
If the matter was one of principle, he could have expressed his wish as the President of the SLFP that Mahinda Rajapaksa and all SLFP and UPFA candidates conduct the election campaign free of violence or intimidation and not say or do anything to inflame racial hatred, and to project an image of inclusiveness. He could have a written a similar letter to all political parties as the President of the country.
However, his diatribe is entirely about Mahinda Rajapaksa, as the President of the SLFP and the President of the country (considering his expression as to who he would and would not select as the Prime Minister in the event the UPFA wins an absolute majority in Parliament).
This cannot be regarded as expressing a principled position on the eve of the general election.
Some may feel he has stuck to his principles but many will feel he is now the proverbial Emperor without clothes, totally exposed, and his attack is personal and not on principles. They will also question whether such a person is fit to be the President of a country that boasts of being the cradle of Theravada Buddhism and boasts of a rich cultural heritage spanning more than 2600 years. They will also wonder whether he is the latest in the line of traitors who have sold the country to foreign elements considering that the entire regime change plan, hatched and executed, had the finger prints of a particular powerful foreign government which is well known for the destabilization and destruction they leave behind wherever they have been involved in interfering in the domestic affairs of other countries.
Contrary to what Maithripala Sirisena may have expected from writing and making public this letter, and contrary to what those who would have drafted this letter would have expected, the person who will gain most will be Mahinda Rajapaksa, as Maithripala Sirisena does not command the respect and regard of a majority of people in the country and as he has identified himself with those who have attacked Mahinda Rajapaksa the person, mercilessly, and not given any credit to him, ironically, for giving back the very environment to make these attacks by ending the 30 years scourge that sapped the country’s spirit, its belief in itself, and its wealth.
In a sense this letter is a disservice to those who are opposing Mahinda Rajapaksa and the UPFA, as it is bound to favour the very person and the political combine they are opposing. It is also a letter which is challenging and setting a precedent in regard to how one interprets the peoples mandate at elections. The lingering question will be whether one person should have the power over the mandate of the people, and if so the purpose served by asking for a mandate from the people.
Maithripala Sirisena’s energies should have been directed to making structural changes within the SLFP to prevent a recurrence of everything he accuses Mahinda Rajapaksa of having done during his tenure. While it may have been Mahinda Rajapaksa in the past, it could be Maithripala Sirisena today, and it could be someone else tomorrow who could abuse their positions. Removing Mahinda Rajapaksa does not address the structural weaknesses that allow someone to exploit such weaknesses.
As the President of the country, like taking leadership for the passage of the 19th Amendment and the re-introduction of the independent commissions, Maithripala Sirisena should have devoted his time and energy to address national constitutional weaknesses that impacts negatively on democratic practices. He should also have taken a lead in addressing the national question in regard to issues with the Tamil and Muslim communities. When there is so much to do, and so much he could do to so many people, it is perplexing why he devoted so much energy to destroy one person.
– Asian Tribune –
August 16th, 2015 at 4:44 am
I used to put comments in Asian Tribune but got kicked out and they don’t put my comments any more.
President Sirisena: A principled man or an Emperor without clothes?
No man; he is a Coolie of the Indian Empire voted in by the Indian block vote. Indian colonial parasites vote as a block in Asia. Look at Malaya, Singapore for example.
Read this: Namaste: The 2015 Sri Lankan Presidential election: How it happened?
How it happened? Another Indian job. The former President called an early election. The Indian imperialists (India) were ready to correct its mistake in 2005 when it backed Mahinda Rajapaksa over Ranil Wickramasinge. Then, Indian imperialists advised Indian block vote in the island to abstain from voting. The reason for the preference was Indian imperialists thought it will be easier to negotiate with Mahinda an unknown matter for India. Unfortunately for India, Mahinda did not follow Indian directions as former Sri Lankan leaders did since 1956. In 2010 India enrolled General Sarath Fonseka as a presidential candidate against Mahinda and failed. So behind the scene as Indian imperialist always do they were planning for years and got former governor Chandrika Bandaranayake-Kumaranatunge to do the job and succeeded with doing a repeat of what India did with her father Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranayake in 1951. India did not have to wait for four year this time. India managed to divide the non-Indian vote and got the Indian block vote for Maithripala Sirisena the new governor of Sri Lanka who may be the proxy for the real governor Chandrika.
August 16th, 2015 at 12:28 pm
Yamapalana Sudiya!
Lankawata Harima Deyak Siduwuna,
Seemawak Nathuwa Pathuruna.
Raja Wennata Sithapu Landa,
Sudiya Nisa Moda Wuna,
Biwwa Neda Yahapalanaya?
Biwwa Neda Yahapalanaya?
Gilla Neda Yahapalanaya?
Aney Magey Sirisena Paney,
Kiyannako Attha Aney,
Apita Pewwa Neda Yamapalanaya?
Apita Pewwa Neda Yamapalanayaaa ….?
August 16th, 2015 at 11:14 pm
Today the people of Sri Lanka will go out to vote. Unlike in the Presidential elections, the votes controlled by racist parties will not influence the outcome, since such votes are confined to pockets of ethnic minorities in the North, East, Hill country and Colombo. This scenario will allow the majority choice to prevail and if the Presidentrespects democratic values, then he should accept the people’s choice. It is clear the two contenders for Prime Minister position, are Ranil and Mahinda. The President should not play the role of God almighty and over rule the people’s choice if it is not his choice. He has already done enough damage to the democratic process and brought the country’s image into disrepute.
As for the President’s partisan letter on the eve of this election, obviously to damage and demoralise the Rajapakse camp and favour Ranil’s camp, it may have had the opposite effect. Of the seven Senior members he had nominated, instead of Rajapakse, six have openly declined and the seventh a loyal SLFP member and a Muslim has remained neutral. This is a good tactical move by Mr Fowzi, as this could attract the alienated Muslim community to vote for SLFP, as they too have a leader who may end up as the next Prime Minister. However, I wish as a step towards ethnic reconciliation, either Mr Fowzi or Mr Anandasangaree would be appointed as Deputy Presidents, to eventually replace Maithripala, who is acting so erratically.
I am confident, we all wish Sri Lanka a good future economically, which would contribute to harmony and peace. There is one man who has proved he is almost indispensable in this regard, through his track record and that is Gotabaya Rajapakse. Under Mahinda’s selfless courage to protect the nation from powerful enemy forces, Gotabaya, coordinated the armed forces to effectively defeat the terrorists and usher in a period of peace and development, which all of us are enjoying today, but only some of us grateful. Since that victory in 2009, I believe Gotabaya along with Mahinda and others, either coordinated the development of the nation by almost 6 fold, which has now unfortunately come to a standstill. Therefore, whoever wins the elections, it is my hope they will engage people like Gotabaya to continue the good work.
August 16th, 2015 at 11:33 pm
I agree with Sooriarachi except for the part Anandasangaree who is unfortunately a Tamil communalist and a signatory to the infamous Vadukoddai Resolution (1976). He is still agitating for special rights for Tamils and for the division of the unitary country. If a Tamil is to be appointed to that post, it must be someone from a major political party. Arun Thambimuttu is a much better choice.
However, creating ethnic zones in top positions will further alienate populations. People have to learn to work together instead of ethnic divisions from the national flag to the parliament to provincial councils.
August 17th, 2015 at 12:32 am
This CONGENITAL IDIOT Facebook Lorenzo, after his BOASTING at LankaWeb how he “single-handedly” OUSTED the MR/UPFA GoSL, STILL thinks that his TREACHERY WILL BE FORGOTTEN or FORGIVEN by us at LankaWeb!! NEVER!!
Even now he is BOASTING that he is “POLITIKING” in Sri Lanka CARTING VOTERS to POLLING stations?
Well, if he is doing that and is in Sri Lanka which I very much doubt like ALL OF HIS CLAIMS, he is rasing votes for the TNA and the UNP, not the UFPA!
LORENZO the BLOODY SHAMELESS IDIOTIC TREACHEROUS HYPOCRITE!