By Gandara John

Battling COVID 19, the pandemic disease sweeping Planet Earth, Sri Lanka has done an excellent job thus far, in containing the spread of this highly infectious disease while limiting fatalities to a single digit.

 At the helm of Sri Lanka’s anti-COVID operations has been Gota, credited by most for the success achieved thus far.

 Gota’s successful strategy was based on the rationale that, as a poor country, Sri Lanka’s resources by way of hospitals, ventilators, medical personnel etc. are limited and that the number of COVID cases she could therefore handle, at any given time, is very small.

 If the number of patients exceeded this numerical limitation, those ‘excess’ numbers falling victim to the virus would not receive the medical attention their health-condition demanded and given the signal feature of this virus, to spread infection rapidly, Sri Lanka would conservatively have had, if not for the medical-lockdown measures taken, thousands dying per day. Gota’s strategy and the execution of that strategy very likely saved Sri Lanka a Million human lives. Sri Lanka undoubtedly owes a debt of gratitude to him.

 But then came the surprise. It caught many flat footed when Gota took an inexplicable decision to open schools and offices, while the virus continues to exist  unsubdued, while the medical exit-strategy from the current medical-lockdown, proposed and spelt out in detail by the medics, has been ignored and while measures have yet to be taken to expedite the process of testing and of cutting down the time duration between ‘test’ and ‘result’; this latitude has put at risk many people who have unwittingly exposed themselves to those unknowingly nurturing the  infection.

 Commenting on this decision, a shocked Gota loyalist said, This is absolute Hara-Kiri; hara-kiri for himself, hara-kiri for the family name and above all Hara-kiri for the Nation.”

 Shaking his head, this votary ruefully mumbled, All what Gota achieved is being brought to naught by this decision.”

 Why would Gota act in such a self-destructive manner? Gota says that he took this decision to revive the economy.

 Has Gota not come to terms with the stark reality that the old globalised economy is gone, gone forever; that it has collapsed in the wake of an attack by a microscopic bug and that we have to rebuild a new economy in a non-globalised scenario while taking precautions against COVID 19 and any other bug that may assail the world in the future.

 The question asked is ‘Why is Gota gambling with the lives of a million Sri Lankan people’? How did the caring man suddenly become an uncaring man? If the worst-case scenario were to happen, God forbid it ever should, the blood of the innocents will be on Gota’s hands.

 Gota needs to follow strictly the exit strategy spelt out clearly by his medical advisors.

 Attempting to rationalize Gota’s wafflly conduct, some analysts concluded that Gota is in a hostage situation and is being blackmailed by the Americans.

 In February this year, without a shred of credible evidence, the Americans categorised and declared the current Sri Lankan Army Commander a war criminal.

 This move appeared to be a warning shot across Gota’s bow. It is but a step away for the Americans to use the same yard stick and call Gota a war criminal.

The move appears to have frightened Gota no end, what with his wife being an American citizen and with Gota’s other interests in that country. The screws can be turned on the wife of a war criminal and on her assets in that country.

 Moragoda in the meantime unsolicitedly drew up and gave Gota for implementation, Sri Lanka’s National Security Doctrine and Sri Lanka’s Foreign Policy Doctrine; he is due to hand over to Gota, on 30 Apr 20, Sri Lanka’s Post-COVID Economic Policy Doctrine.

 Moragoda, exploiting Gota’s fears, has virtually taken over the Country. Some analysts say that while the de jure President of Sri Lanka is Gota, the de facto President is Moragoda.

 Moragoda has directly taken under his wings the Defence Ministry Portfolio, the Foreign Ministry Portfolio, the Central Bank Portfolio and the Finance Ministry Portfolio.

 With National Security, Foreign Policy and Economic Policy of Sri Lanka being the exclusive preserve of Moragoda, the notorious CIA funded US Contractor, some analysts argue credibly that the Americans have staged a soft coup d’état in Sri Lanka; and the Sri Lankans are yet, blissfully unaware of the situation.

 While Gota, the de jure President, was elected democratically by 6.9 Million Sri Lankans, Moragoda, the de facto President has been ‘para-dropped’ to the seat by an American soft coup.

 Gota does not have to be fearful; the 6.9 Million Sri Lankan people, and more, will ensure his safety and will lay down their lives for him.

/ to be continued

Gandara John is a freelance journalist