Premadasa Ranil
Posted on September 14th, 2019
Dr Sarath Obeysekera
It was first of May 1993 when tigers exploded a bomb to kill President Premadasa
I was a chairman of a corporation hand-picked by Premadasa though I have never done any politics before that
We were obliged to attend 1st of May parade with the UNP union on 1st in May
I was in the front of the section of union members of and walking along the road towards Galwala junction
We were stopping on and off to keep the pace and Thondaman’s union has joined the parade in front of us near Dimo
Same time we saw Premadasa passing the parade in the same Land Rover imported by Montague Jayawickrama which was bulletproofed by the company where I was working, who was waving to the participants with Mohideen who was sitting in military fatigue in the front
One hundred yards before Galwala we heard the bang which sounded like firecrackers
Some people in front of us who have joined the parade may have perished and saved our life!
Most of the People ran away, but without knowing that he was dead, I told our people to continue walking towards Galle Face where final parade to
be held where Premadasa was to make a speech
We still did not know that he was dead and waited in the Galle Face
Everyone knew that there was an explosion but none were aware that Premadasa was one of the victims
I told some of my colleagues that he may be watching from Presidential Secretariat to see that we have not left the parade
Then we see Ranil and Sirisena Cooray arriving at the stage and sitting and having a discussion and no announcement was made by the duo
I walked back home and got a call from my wife who received a message from an Australian friend that Worldwide news already announced that Premadasa was dead
Whatever said and done, we saw how DB was peacefully coronated with the leadership of this duo
O who was on that stage that day to continue to run the country and hold the most peaceful election for Chandrika to come to power.
In an African country, there could have been a coup to take power but it was prevented.
Same people who may have got houses from the Gamudawa program lighted crackers despite the fact that they should have been mourning.
My contention is that son of same Premadasa and nephew of Cunning fox JR should get together and work out a plan to save the country and democracy unless GR has other plans to develop the country by marrying democratic rules with enhanced Discipline of this unruly nation
17th September which is the birthday of JR ( and also mine!!) maybe the day these two can get together !!!!
Dr Sarath Obeysekera
September 16th, 2019 at 2:20 am
Same people who may have got houses from the Gamudawa program lighted crackers despite the fact that they should have been mourning.
Not sure what is the meaning of this statement, but only derivation can be made is Gamudawa Houses put people in trouble. Otherwise why should they celebrate ?
On that day, I was in the island for few days on a project. I traveled to Hikkaduwa with my foreign friends because it was a Holiday.
On the way back the radio played funeral music but we did not know why (including the driver). When we reached Colombo district people were lighting fire crackers all along the road. Then we heard the news.
I am very sure people were scared to open mouths those days. People were scared of then equivalent of white vans, Kola Koti were silent those days.
Permadasa ended 1989 terrorist war. People were happy after the war. Udagama was a money wasting development although benefited some people.
People value FREEDOM the most.