VOTE RIGGING IN SRI LANKA- SINHALESE DEFEATED NATIONAL HERO TWICE OR UNP RIGGED THE ELECTION?
Posted on August 19th, 2015
By M D P DISSANAYAKE
NUMBERS GAME AND NUMBERS DON’T LIE:
On 8 January at the Presidential Election, President Mahinda Rajapakse garnered 5.8 million votes as against Aug 18 at the General Election the UPFA won only 4.7 million, a massive drop of 1.1million. On 8 January President Maithireeepala Sirisena secured 6.2 million votes with the combined support of some sections of SLFP, TNA, JVP, SLMC, JATHIKA HELA URUMAYA, compared with Aug 18, at the General Election the coalition secured:
UNFGG 5.01 mn
TNA 0.52 mn
JVP 0.54 mn
OTHERS 0.28 mn
TOTAL 6.35 mn ( an increase of 130,000 votes for UNFGG whereas UPFA votes reduced by 1.10 mn.).
Many reliable websites are reporting that two sons of relatives of Mr Ranil Wickremasinghe have entered the voting centres. Mr Yadamani Gunawardene ( son of Mr Dinesh Gunawardene), Messrs Bandula Gunawardene and Gamini Lokuge have lodged complaints with the District Secretary of the Department. Similary, several defeated candidates of UPFA have lodged complaints with the authorities regarding the change of their preferential votes, after the closure of voting.
MASSIVE MAJORITIES FOR UNP:
The above vote manipulation did translate results in favour of UNP. Majority of seats were won by them with very high majorities. This was caused by the reduction of UPFA votes as explained in the in comparative analysis.
The Western Puppets of UNP have already praised the government for conducting a free and fair election.
QUESTIONS TO ASK:
How did UNP manage to increase its votes in excess of 6.1mn secured in January, in spite of allegations of massive fruads, inefficiencies committed by the government within 6 months period?
How UNP prevented UPFA voters casting their votes, it is unimaginable that these voters who were hightly pumped up and energised to BRING BACK MAHINDA, refrained from voting unless a large scale vote rigging had been carried out by the three Musketeers RANIL/MS/CBK.
Did UNP interfere with the preferential voting, as the counting process was not foolproof.
There are three processes involved in the counting of Preferential votes. They are:
Stage 1 – Counting of the number of ballot papers in each box and transferring them to the through.
Stage II – Sorting and counting the ballot papers according to the valid votes received and the preparation of the statement of votes received by each party and group in the Electoral District.
Stage III – Recording the preferences received by each candidate in the Tally Sheet and transferring them through a series of Summary Sheets into a District List for a party or a group, which gives the total of preferences received by each candidate in the Electoral District.
The Three Musketeers have identified a major area of weakness in verifying preferential votes, where neither Election Officials nor Election Monitors were present. This could have allowed, MS loyalists to change votes of their candidates, at the expense of MR candidates.
The Mahinda Rajapakse loyalists must raise an awareness campaign immediately on these issues, coupled with legal actions against vote rigging.
August 19th, 2015 at 3:57 pm
I WISH TO BRING TO THE NOTICE OF ALL CONCERNED, ABOUT AN IRREGULATORY ON THE PRESENTATION OF ELECTION RESULTS AS REFLECTED BELOW:-
Please go back to SHENALI WADUGE’S article, Titled:-INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND MEDIA, TOTALLY SILENT etc dated 17th August.
My comment; (ONE)-August 17th ..6.03pm**HAMBANTOTA FINAL RESULT WAS NOT ADDED TO THE AGGREGATE OF THE TOTAL VOTES POLLED ( AS REFLECTED ON SCREEN,) BY UPFA AND UNP, APPROXIMATELY 200,000 FOR UPFA, AND 130,000 FOR UNP.
My comment;- (TWO ) MATARA FINAL RESULT WAS NOT ADDED TO THE TOTAL VOTES POLLED (AS REFLECTED ON SCREEN ) 250,505 FOR THE UPFA AND 186,675 FOR THE UNP
THIS IS A SERIOUS LAPSE AND IT WAS CONTINUING WITHOUT THESE RESULTS GETTING ADDED ON TO THE AGGREGATES REFLECTED ON THE SCREEN. THESE FIGURES NEVER EVER WERE ADDED AT ANY TIME.
I THINK THIS WAS A PLOY AND PROBABLY THE UNP FIGURES WOULD HAVE BEEN ADDED LATER TO THE FINAL SHOWN ON THE SCREEN. I COULD NOT FOLLOW IT TO THE END, BUT CERTAINLY FOLLOWED IT FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, DURING WHICH TIME THESE AMOUNTS WERE NOT ADDED.
UPFA MUST COLLECT ALL THE STATISTICS AND DO AN INDEPENDANT COUNT RIGHT NOW. THERE HAS BEEN ***JILMART***
PLEASE DO A RECOUNT OF THE TOTAL VOTES BY UPFA.
August 19th, 2015 at 4:14 pm
Had MR promised to SCRAP 13 amendment, UPFA could have WON a LANDSLIDE as SWORDB won in 1956.
We have to stop blaming this and that for our defeat. We have to CORRECT our wrongs. We should play our TRUMP CARD without hiding it.
August 19th, 2015 at 4:36 pm
AGAIN, I AM RE-ITERATING THE CONTENTS OF THE AFORESAID COMMENTS. I AM NOT MAKING A MISTAKE HERE. I HAVE BEEN A MANAGER OF A COMPANY, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS WIERD THAT SUCH A RESULT WAS NOT BEEN ADDED TO THE TOTAL VOTES POLLED BY THE FIRST TWO CANDIDATES, REFERRED TO, WHICH WERE REFLECTED ABOVE
THE FIRST ANOMALY WAS 200,000 VOTES FOR UPFA, AND 130,000 VOTES, FOR UNP, APPROXIMATELY, WHICH IS A LARGE NUMBER. I NOW FEEL THAT SOMEBODY WITH-HELD THE UPFA VOTES PURPOSELY, AND LATER ADDED THE UNP VOTES.
THE SECOND IS 250,505 VOTES EXACTLY FOR UPFA, AND 186,675 VOTES EXACTLY, FOR UNP WHICH TOO IS A LARGE NUMBER. THESE LARGE AMOUNTS WERE WILFULLY WITH-HELD FROM THE TOTAL VOTES POLLED, BY THE UPFA, AND UNP VOTES ADDED LATER. THIS MUST BE LOOKED INTO AND EXPOSED.
August 19th, 2015 at 4:38 pm
LORENZO !! PLEASE DONT TRY TO DRAW A RED HERRING ACROSS THE TRAIL. YOUR WORD HERE IS NOT FINAL.
August 19th, 2015 at 5:17 pm
Re Rejected Votes :
The Rejected Votes in the 2010 Elections were 596,972 (per Daily Mirror data).
In this General Election the difference between the UNP win and the UPFA in the votes is 366,258. This gap is way smaller than the Rejected Votes in 2010 !!
* Does anyone know the number of Rejected votes this time ? No number for this is given in the internet data bases.
We presume all Rejects have to be done when the District hand count is done and not done arbitrarily by the “Almighty” University Computer.
August 19th, 2015 at 5:19 pm
Susantha,
I hope investigations are done thoroughly into what you have stated and the true figures put out. Thank you for your vigilence.
August 19th, 2015 at 5:43 pm
FRAN !!! I WAS SEATED IN FRONT OF THE COMPUTER AND MY EYES WERE GLUED TO THE SCREEN. THE RESULTS OF EACH TERRITORY WAS BEING REFLECTED AT THE BOTTOM, THE AGGREGATE AT THE TOP CHANGED. THAT IS HOW IT WAS HAPPENING. THEN WHEN THE HAMBANTOTA RESULTS CAME AT THE BOTTOM, THE TOP AGGREGATE DID NOT CHANGE. I WAS WAITING TILL IT WAS ADDED, BUT NEVER HAPPENED.
THEN A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE MATARA RESULTS CAME AT THE BOTTOM, BUT THE TOP AGGREGATE DID NOT CHANGE.
THIS HAPPENED TO BOTH UPFA AND UNP RESULTS, IN BOTH INSTANCES.
IT WAS THEN THAT I DECIDED TO GO ONTO LANKA WEB AND ANNOUNCE THE **ANOMALY** IN THE VOTE COUNT. IT JUST CANNOT HAPPEN. IAM VERY GOOD AT MY FIGURES AND IAM SURE IT WAS WILFULLY DONE, BECAUSE THE NUMBER OF VOTES WERE VERY LARGE.
THIS IS ONLY TWO INSTANCES THAT I SAW WITH MY OWN EYES. IT MAY HAVE BEEN DONE MANY TIMES WHERE A LARGE VOTE COUNT CAME IN. THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT MANIPULATION.
August 19th, 2015 at 5:54 pm
In year 2010 after the Presidential elections Somawansa Amerasinghe accused the elections were rigged via a “computer jillmal”. He said this because no one could believe Sarath Fonseka would lose the elections so miserably taking into consideration that the massive turnover of people at his election meetings. No doubt he was one of those who were responsible in defeating the LTTE and was well accepted and respected soldier throughout the country and abroad! The polling at the election by him may not have been tampered with for a ridiculous accusation by Somawansa but the results could shed an element of suspicion on the government of the day.
The Presidential elections in 2015 was fairly lost by then incumbent President having performed extremely poorly by his administration, no one can deny there was no financial corruption, thuggery, breakdown in law & order and the rest accused of by the general public although an immense material development is achieved!
The 2015 General election was under the control of the illegal government who had all the blessings of the West. No sooner they came to power various experts were brought in under the pretext to advice the ministries for better governance. Their nature of the expertise is a doubt whether they are really experts in that ministry or of different motive.
Now looking at the results of the general election one cannot say it’s rigged because the victory margin in every seat was very closely contested. I believe at the end of the polling the ballot boxes may have taken to counting centers’ with representatives from major parties present so that no switching of boxes would happen.
The only place switching could happen is at the counting centre, though it seems very difficult with the American brains behind a “Houdini” act is possible, the only deterrent would be if all ballots carry the initials of the returning officers or the officers distributing the ballot papers at each polling booth.
If this protection is not taken one could switch pre-polled ballot boxes at the counting centers’ with a close victory margin eliminating any suspicion. Fair and clean results can be achieved if only the Election Commissioner has seen into all possible ways to eliminate a fraud!
So, what one must pay attention is only for the “ballots carry the initials of the returning officers or the officers distributing the ballot papers at each polling booth”.
It is indeed gratifying to see that the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa conceded defeat graciously.
But I thought to write this seemingly silly idea only because it was believed that UPFA expected nearly 120 seats due to new awakening by the people who regretted the mistake on 8th of January 2015.
August 19th, 2015 at 5:58 pm
Fran,
Rejected votes in 2015 parliament election is 517,123.
LOWER than 2010.
August 19th, 2015 at 6:10 pm
SW,
I suggest you immediately contact your lawyer contacts in SL and file a case.
This is serious stuff. (IF true.)
I added up MATARA by electorate and I get the published number.
August 19th, 2015 at 6:11 pm
Lorenzo,
Thank you. Yes, I saw it on the net too, later.
August 19th, 2015 at 6:20 pm
I agree with Susantha. In January’15 after the election it was proven by Dilrook Kanangara and Ajit Randeniya that the election had been cheated. There was so much mud slinging at President Mahinda Rajapakse that even I was beginning to wonder if it was all true. However now after 6 months of investigation by the Yahapalanaya group with the help of MI6, FBI and FCID. they could not uncover any proof of wrong doing by MR.
When one looks at the manifesto of UNP drawn up by Ranil W it is a list of all the things our people do not want.
1.Privatization of most of the state run organizations. This was done earlier by Ranil W when he privatized 1666 state corporations. MR undid about 924 of them during his time and made them viable.
2. Privatization of water. This means that the farmers and everyone who uses water will have to pay tax on water they use.
3. Privatization of health care by use of Insurance. In the USA it is done and the Insurance Companies make the most amount of money. Until President Obama passed the Affordable care act the CEOs of Insurance were making over $10 million/year in take home pay.
4. Cluster villages which will relocate Sinhala villagers from their ancestral land thereby releasing the best land for Corporations from abroad.
5 Privatize education by bringing in Universities from abroad. S. B. Dissanayake who was a big proponent of this idea lost his seat. Just shows how popular this idea is.
6. The worst idea was to merge the north and east provinces and give the Tamils a Federal state. Everyone knows that no Sinhalese will agree to it.
In addition there was the Bond Scam which Ranil W tried hard to cover up. Finally to prevent the COPE report going public my3 decided to dissolve parliament and have elections. There was also a “no confidence” motion which was brought against Ranil W. I therefore find it really hard to believe that he got the highest preferential vote along with the UNP win. For the 6 months they were in power they were globe trotting. Mangala had done 14 trips with his boy friend in tow. So did my3 and his son. After talking against MR putting his relations in office my3 appointed his brother to head the Telecom dept. All these actions did not go down well with the people. I feel in my bones that the Sinhalese were cheated once again from getting their leader to lead the country by a set of people dancing to the demands of the West and India. India is also dancing to the West after dancing to Russia earlier.
Even Ranil W was unsure of winning and that is why he was talking of forming a National Government. Suddenly at the last minute lo and behold ! he has won along with the UNP. I guess Britain is happy and so is India. Our people do not seem to matter.
August 19th, 2015 at 6:30 pm
DEMOCRACY cannot save SL.
If you look at history ONLY ONE FORCE saved SL ALL THE TIME – the Singhala army.
Prove me wrong if you can.
You know this. I know this. THEY know this. So what is their NEXT logical step? Get rid of the ONLY force that can save SL – the Singhala army.
We CANNOT let this happen.
August 19th, 2015 at 6:51 pm
AL Jzeera,BBC and many pundits predicted win for Mahinda long before the election and how come he lost? It’s not correct they did the same trick this time too because Ranil spoke in election platform as he was already won it. He spoke of continuation of Govt and Sira did immense damage to the S.L.F.P. party by issuing stupid statements to the media to downgrade the party and the leader. With all these difficulties and pressure tactics Mahinda won 83 seats compare to UNP 93. THIS WHOLE THING WAS A CONSPIRACY whether true or not and should be investigated. They rigged the whole thing and Macko should be tried in courts for all the irregularities occurred during the elections.
Mahinda must act wisely and strongly now. He should not anyway support this illegal Govt of traitors. S.L.F.P. must appoint him as the Opposition leader and work out a plan to oust the most dirtiest,treacherous,ungrateful,uncivilized,unpatriotic Maru Sira and Choura from the S.L.F.P. party if not this rivalry will go on and on for years if not Mahinda must form a new party with true Mahinda supporters. I like Mahinda to be independent from this dirty President and do his job freely and efficiently for the sake of the nation and it’s people. Let’s see how this drama ends. Sinhala Buddhists must rally behind Mahinda to save Mother Lanka. Should not believe Ranil or Sira for a dime.We have seen how they work and whether they are working to keep our Sinhala nation as one if not we will fight to defeat this evil combination together as one family.
August 19th, 2015 at 6:53 pm
ඉන්දියානු අදිරදය වැඩේ දුන්නෙ ජනපතිට ඉන්දියානු පරපෝසිත චන්දයෙන් ඉන්දියානු ඉත්තකු වසයෙන් සිරිසේන තෝරාගැනීමෙන්ය. ඉන්දියානු අදිරදයෝ 1951දී සොලොමොන් ගෙනල්ල කරපුවැඩේ එයාගෙ දෝනියැන්දගෙන් වැඩේ දුන්න. මේ චන්දයෙන් සින්හලයින්ට තුනෙන් දෙකක බලය නොදීම තමයි ඉන්දියානු අදිරද සැලසුම. සින්හල චන්ද කෑලි කිරීම ඉන්දියානු අදිරද මුදල්වලින් කරල ඉවරයි. ඉන්දියානු පරපෝසිතයෝ වෙනම උතුර නැගෙනහිර බලය අල්ලගෙන ඉවරයි. උතුර නැගෙනහිරට පිටින් ඉන්න ඉන්දියානු පරපෝසිතයෝ සිරිසේන හා රනිල් හරහා උන්ගේ බලය තහවුරු කරගෙන ඇත. සින්හලය ඉන්දියානු අදිරදයේ තෙවන යටත් විජිතය බවට පත්වෙමින් පවතී. මොරිසිය හා ගුයානා දෙස බලන්න.ඉන්දියානු අදිරද පුවත් හා උන්ගේ පුවත් පත් කියවන්න.
Definitely there are some vote rigging. The worst is buying votes with money and goods. For the first time I have heard votes have been bought with a promise to pay later. This is a new development in Sri Lanka and d may have been the result of economic cultural change within the Sinhala culture where debt is the norm.
August 19th, 2015 at 6:57 pm
Susantha,
I VOLUNTEER TO DO WHAT YOU ASKED FOR … RECOMPUTE the ELECTION data …..and will publish it here so EVERYONE can verify it.
Thank you for EMPHASIZING the need to do it RIGHT NOW!
August 19th, 2015 at 9:59 pm
I am at a loss to understand how this so called democracy works. A person who has never done anything other than cause chaos and destruction gets the highest preferences ever while the man who brought peace and development to the country is rejected twice within eight months based on just lies and false promises.
Then People like Rosy Senananyake,Arangal,Padukka who toiled for years for a UNP victory are out sacrificing their places for Parachuters like Champika,Mano,Hirunika in Colombo and Saranathissa,Rose Fernando,Joseph Micheal having to give way to Arjuna and Chatura. What kind of voters these UNPers are?
I think the main reason for the loss is the failure to get the 1.1 Mn UPFA voters out to vote. UPFA could have been home and dry comfortably with just half of that number had a better effort been made.
If an investigation is to be made who was responsible for this reduction of votes several traitors within might be exposed.
August 19th, 2015 at 11:11 pm
Ananda-USA
Now Your dearest friend publised whose name will be in September list !
August 20th, 2015 at 2:28 am
Susantha Wijesinghe
AN IRREGULATORY ON THE PRESENTATION OF ELECTION RESULTS
Game started long time (from 19th May 2009) ago mate
1) NPC elected a colombo man as their CM who gave regularly higher penalty to VP’s boys compare to his Sinhala counter part judges with 104,000 favourable votes.
2) Unknown a Kirama Servaka MP become President of Mother Lanka over night with higher vote .
3) Guinness book record broken opposition leader never had any glue about economy become president on Mother Lanka now won 10 more seats .
Game not finished yet …. to be continued……… kaput !!!!!
Modaya & Sakkiliya – say Arokara !!!!!
August 20th, 2015 at 2:50 am
Thank you & Good-bye MR
It didn’t occur to MR to revoke the 13th amendment, when the war was won as he was at the peak of his popularity. The 2/3 control in the parliament was never used to strengthen the constitutional and other protection against any future attempts to divide Sri Lanka. The (acquired) majority was only used to remove the term limits and to become an everlasting king. It was also used to take over the powers of Independent Commissions and create a dictatorial regime.
MR couldn’t comprehend the fact that the end of LTTE is not the end of Separatism. He didn’t have any understanding of how the new states like South Sudan or Kosovo were created by the separatists. He didn’t understand that as the West has been instrumental in separating these countries and if Sri Lanka wants to safeguard her territorial integrity she has to be on the good side of the West.
The UNHRC commission’s report was depicted as the West is trying to crucify him. He ‘sold’ the nationalistic feeling and the sympathy the investigations created, to get votes. He didn’t know or didn’t want to say that the intention of the separatists, who were trying to establish a separate homeland for Tamils, is to get economic sanctions based on that report. He interpreted the hype of activity on war crimes (at the end of the war) as a witch hunt of the West. He didn’t have the ability to see that the next step would be an UN sanctioned referendum.
The country is now in safer hands of Ranil & Maithree. Ranil will be able to isolate the separatists and get the West to take the side of the country. He has already succeeded in this. TNA resurrecting the ‘Federal’ demand which was there since 1952 to help Rajapakse get the chauvinist vote, is proof that they do not like the fact that after the January 8th the separatists lobbies are losing the ‘influence’ with the Western governments.
MR Please accept the fact that you now been defeated twice by the majority of Sri Lankans. You should let the country progress in peace without your idiotic and corrupt cohorts.
Nevertheless we are grateful for your leadership in winning the war.
August 20th, 2015 at 3:18 am
Obviously the war criminal Blair knew the election results way before the 17th and decided to have a family holiday in Sri Lanka few days before the election.
August 20th, 2015 at 3:23 am
Ian- I agreed with you .
West want to divide the country if MR come to power if not RW/MS in power they leave as it is now (Sinhalese call Federal NPC / We-Tamil call power less Provincial council N&EPC ).
if not Good-bye MR ,will see you in Rome -Huage.
August 20th, 2015 at 5:49 am
LORENZO !! I do not have a ***YOUR*** Lawyer. I am very old, a retiree, and poor. You seem to be the *MAN* with money. You don’t need a Lawyer to do a correct count. Iam just asking you one question. Why was Final Results of Hambantota and Final results of Matara NOT added to the Aggregate number of votes polled, by both UPFA and UNP, immediately the results came on the screen ? Do you think I went mad to come on Lanka Web and ESTABLISH THAT FACT. For atleast one hour, they did not do, what they ought to have done. I went to sleep after watching that **ANOMALY**
ANANDA !! Thanks for volunteering to do a recount. I do not have the moral strength and good health to do that. Both UPFA AND UNP should be added separately, to see whether they agree with the final tally, on each aggregate. Thanks for your effort to enlighten the public.
August 20th, 2015 at 5:55 am
Ananda-USA
Had MR promised to scrap 13 amendment (as SWORDB promised SINGHALA ONLY) he would have won 125+ seats and trumped Maru Sira.- This is your good friend statement even 5 boy know this why your friend repeat again and again.
something wrong somewhere, Inshallah … Only he can help us !!!!! VP where are you ???
August 20th, 2015 at 5:58 am
I agree with Susantha.
Independent counts ought to be done.
Frankly speaking, I do not trust the Yahap govt to be honest either in the Elections work or Finances of Lanka. That is the bottom line – LACK OF TRUST OF YAHAP. They have earned that negative aspect by their own negative actions against the Country and the People of Lanka.
Strange and Insecure times we live in, thanks to Colonisation, Cold War and Tamil Caste Wars. Look at the resultant negative forces that these negativities have heaped on Lanka.
August 20th, 2015 at 5:58 am
We can live with the truth, however bitter. But truth of everything must come out.
August 20th, 2015 at 6:51 am
I added and they tie in.
………………………………………..UPFA………UNP
Hambantota District…………. 196980 130433
Beliatta………………………….. 31389 21165
Mulkirigala……………………. 42503 26429
POSTAL-Hambantota ……………..8441 5955
Tangalle ………………………….50697 28700
Tissamaharama………………. 63950 48184
August 20th, 2015 at 7:58 am
I agree with Susantha, Ananda, Cerberus and ranjit, and a host of other right thinking people.
———–
This present govt of Yahap CANNOT be trusted.
We are headed toward a Tamil Opposition in Parliament and that is what was there in the JRJ time too and therefore the 13-A was put in place, easily. There has to be a proper Opposition. The bulk of the people, Sinhala/Buddhist & Tamil/Hindu are NOT safe with Yahap. The Yahap govt has aleady let them down both Politically and Economically with Fraud. The Yahap govt does NOT follow the Law of Land as the MR govt did.
August 20th, 2015 at 8:07 am
LORENZO !! YOUR ADDITION PRESENTATION IS ***VAGUE***. REPEAT ***VAGUE*** I was a Manager of a Leading Company. I know finance Control and Figures. Your presentation of just some figures is a TOTAL BLUFF.
August 20th, 2015 at 10:06 am
Susantha Wijesinghe
yours
UNP 250,505
UPFA, 186,675
Lorenzo
For UPFA 31389+42503+8441+5067+63950 = 196,980
For UNP 21165+26429+5955+28700+48184 = 130,433
My head is spining ( enra thalaya sutthothada )
August 20th, 2015 at 4:22 pm
Ian – well said. Unlike these other idiots who go on and on talking utter nonsense, you have pointed out the obvious. MR was so swollen headed after the war that he lost all perspective. He could have been more magnanimous, yet safeguarded any attempts at separation by bolstering the constitution. He did neither. On top of this inaction, he needlessly kept antagonizing the west. Despite the anti-western sentiments of the MR sycophants here, the west was instrumental in banning the LTTE and provided tacit support to the government during the war. If they had really wanted to, they could have impeded the government’s drive to stamp out LTTE terrorism. They understood what a vile outfit the LTTE was. However, MR never recognized the need to be accountable within the realm of protecting the country’s sovereignty. Although, MR, Gota and the rest of the cabal were brilliant in their execution of the war strategy, they failed miserably in delivering the peace and paid the price for it.
The electorate that elected Maithri and Ranil want the country to embark on an era of unrivaled development, optimism, good governance and prosperity. They are no less patriotic in wanting the country to be taken to the next level. This same electorate would have given MR the opportunity to do so if he had realized the different tangent that was needed in taking the country from war euphoria to the realization of the different skill sets that were needed to achieve reconciliation, good governance and inclusiveness. Hopefully, these leaders have recognized the mandate given to them and acquiesce to their needs. The whole country hopes that they will deliver a more peaceful, a more democratic, well governed, prosperous, future for us all.
August 20th, 2015 at 6:59 pm
Agree in part with Ian. However, I don’t think the country is in safer hands today.
Mahinda discounted core voters. The factual claim made on May 14, 2013 that over 85% of foreign loans were spent on the north underpinned the steady loss of core voters from 68% in 2010 to 58% in January 2015 and now 52%. Attempted reconciliation (instead of integration), empowering the TNA in the north, SLMC and TNA in the east and lack of lean governance amplified it. Constructive criticism was frowned upon. Cult like followers overwhelmed sanity.
However, this does not mean Ranil-Maithri will be any better. Ranil has been rejected many more times than Mahinda.
One huge casualty of bipolar differences between Ranil and Maithri will be the economy. Ranil is a capitalist while Maithri is a communist. Although both try to compromise avoiding extremes, there are inherent differences. Economic policy will get stuck in the middle. Privatisation, public sector, agriculture, water resource, healthcare and China/IMF will cause severe disagreements. The private sector and foreign partners don’t tolerate such bickering. A jumbo sized cabinet will also increase corruption, waste and inefficiency.
Agree partly on ‘winning the west’. UNP has already won the west on the Tamil issue. However, it will not translate well for the average Tamil voter in a few years’ time. Until recently Tamils took it for granted they could seek asylum abroad which is the dream of every Tamil youth. With the west shutting out Tamil asylum seekers totally, the dearest Tamil dream will be over. This will result in unrest and violence. Tamils will reject the UNP at elections in a few year’s time. No political solution can replace the earning capacity and the quality of life the west offers Tamils when they could seek asylum at will.
A political solution will hurt Muslims in attempting to merge the north and the east. UNP will be under pressure to remove the Muslim cheif minister in the east. Ultimately Muslims too will reject the UNP.
I say Chandrika has found the perfect scapegoat for the difficult and explosive first two years. Once the unpopular things are done, Sirisena will appoint a SLFP prime minister by around early 2018. This will allow the SLFP 1 to 2 years to get ready for the next presidential election (by 2020) and defeat the UNP comfortably. Keeping the UNP out of all important executive presidency is the most important thing. UNP only produced presidents totally lacking humanity.
August 21st, 2015 at 12:15 am
SW,
“I do not have the moral strength and good health to do that.”
“Your presentation of just some figures is a TOTAL BLUFF.”
OK.
I copied from the election department’s website. JILMARTS GALLORE!!
August 21st, 2015 at 12:19 am
Fran,
Tamil/Hindu people LOVES the Yaapa(la)naya govt.
NOT a SINGLE HINDU elected from UPFA!! 2 from Nuwara Eliya are from CWC contesting with UPFA. NOT UPFA.
August 25th, 2015 at 7:40 am
Lorenzo,
Of course, almost all the Tamils like the Yahap govt with the Separatist-fawning UNP attached to it !
August 25th, 2015 at 8:11 am
Dilrook sketches a possible future scenario.
I am wondering which parts predicted will come true.
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If Tamil Eelam is ever formed in Sri Lanka, it will be an appendage of Tamil Nadu & west. Tamil Nadu will impose the religio/cultural part and that would be the fatal blow to Tamil aspirations as the Caste structure, vital to cheap slave or slave type labor which is needed for the capitalist economy from the west, will be re-imposed on the Tamils of the North.