No One Misses You Mangala
Posted on June 10th, 2020
Dilrook Kannangara
At long last Mangala Samaraweera has decided to end politics. Assuming it is true, a wise decision, albeit too late. Mangala was a regressive force in Lankan politics contributing nothing much positively. He earned the wrath of the people in whatever ministerial portfolio he held – media, construction, foreign, finance, etc.
He played a not so small part in disrupting the war effort by Chandrika and Mahinda regimes. While the army was battling Tamil terrorists under trying conditions in July 1995, his ‘Sudu Nelum Movement’ ridiculed the military while he was a senior minister of the same government. Around 1998 he said the report of the ‘Sinhala Commission’ that looked into some Sinhala grievances must be rubbished. That was both racist and malicious. He was the campaign manager of Mahinda in 2005 but soon after Mahinda’s election as president, Mangala disrupted him and defected from his regime.
Mangala was a burden to whatever party he aligned. Although he could win in his home district of Matara thanks to his paternal and maternal political heavyweights, his views were in sharp contrast to mainstream views.
Mangala, you won’t be missed.
June 11th, 2020 at 12:07 am
Like his father Percy Samaraweera was a back stabber. Matara district voters are happy now they can cast their voter to a New comer as their MP without seen this Avamangala face any more.