Jay Deshabandu

The game plan of the opposition is now clear. The fact that UNF has put forwarded a set of conditions before SF in order to be considered for a presidential candidate indicates that UNF only accepts him subject to those conditions.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The conditions effectively make SF a puppet president who would get rid of his own executive powers immediately as a president. In addition, this proposed puppet president as set out in the UNF or RanilƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s conditions should appoint and create an executive prime minister (Ranil) who has more control over the new president and the so called caretaker government. In addition, the puppet president should agree to make a cabinet of (JVP) ministers who follow the dysfunctional communist principles. Since we know that JVP cannot even get ten percent of the vote base, it would be like SF is going against the free will of the people and freedom of the democratic franchise.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ But who guaranteed a presidential election first? Now if the president is going to announce a parliamentary election before a presidential election, the opposition will be in totally disarrayed and confused position of what to do next.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Relatively speaking, politically inexperienced SF would be ideal bait for experienced politicians in the Sri Lankan political plane.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  As I predicted in a previous article on this website, SF would likely to form a new independent party because joining a coalition consisting of bankrupt parties such as JVP and UNP make him indeed a puppet president. He might just do that if he only desires to have ceremonial label-ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-President of Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ To create an independent new political party in Sri Lanka is not as difficult as we have hundreds of such new parties coming up in election times. But getting the message across the people with the vision and plans of his new political party is not so easy.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ One could argue that even an actress or actor with no experience in politics can become a politician over night, and become a president the next day. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ But this is impossible given the present political crises in our country.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Since a president of any country cannot have an allegiance to two different countries at the same time, of course, SF not only has to shed his uniform, but also his American Green Card and his aspirations to become an American citizen. He has to clarify weather this country belongs only to Sinhalese, in which case only Sinhalese should be allowed to vote, or to everyone who has a citizenship in the country. Given these his public remarks, can he expect to pull minority votes?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ SF is a courageous leader who put his life on the line of fire many times during and off times of war and he deserves to do what he wants in his life. But it is also up to the right thinking citizens of this country to choose a right president who has not only courage but also has strong knowledge and skills when giving leaderships to the entire nation, which is of course different from that of an army leader. PR has already proven to be an excellent leader who withstood the local and western pressure remarkably and led the country to the right path.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Given that we are now in the right path, why should we fix a machine that is working fine?