By Charles.S.Perera

Lot of people have taken exception to the blame worthy ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ behaviour ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Mr.Mervyn Silva. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Many question why despite his irritating behaviourƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the President continues to keep him in the cabinet. The President may have his own reasons, perhaps he thinks it is safe toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  keep him in the CabinetƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  rather than let him loose outside without ministerial responsibility.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ There are those who think that he should be ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-kickedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ out of the cabinet, to avoid Sri Lanka being the laughing stock of the West.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  This is a flimsy excuse, as it really does not matter now what the West would think of Sri Lanka with or without Mervyn Silva in the cabinet.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The governments of the West have worst erratic MinistersƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  than Mervyn Silva .ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If the West is watching Sri Lanka to commend it for its good actions and good behaviour, and condemn it for bad, they would have rose as one to applaud Sri Lanka for its incomparable feat ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  eliminatingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  terrorism .ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  But have they ?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  No, they have insteadƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  rose up as ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ one to condemn Sri Lanka and accuse it as a war criminal just for eliminating terrorism.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Therefore, it does not really matter whether the West is laughing at us or not for our irritating ridicules ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  an eccentricƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Minister.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Minister in question should be sympathised for the way he expressed his anger over a government servant who had neglected his duty in view ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the gravity of the situation Sri Lanka is facingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  with dengue fever that has taken aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  large number of lives.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Mervyn SilvaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s act was perhaps ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to bring to the notice of the public the importance ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  doing their duty correctlyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  when the lives of the people are stake. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ But there are Parliamentarians more condemnable than the Minister Mervyn Silva in the august assembly who areƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  not just jesters or jokers but buffoons, and clowns whose appropriate place is aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  circus ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for children.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  They are certainly the ones who should tickle the laughter glands of the Western Sri Lanka Watchers.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Mangala Samaraweera finally realised that he could neither fool the people, nor himself by being the leader of a one-man political party called SLFP (M), and joined the UNP announcing that he is a principled politician, and as such he has no alternative but to join the UNP.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Some would sayƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  it was a case of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-savourƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ grapes .ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  He had been holding on, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ hoping that some disgruntled members from the President Mahinda RajapakseƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s SLFP will jump on to his side, that not forth coming, the other alternative left for ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ him was either to join the UNP or jump in to the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Beira LakeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. He had chosen the former.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Mangala Samaraweera has no principles, even if he shouts from roof tops in Colombo or Matara if one speaks of the same ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-principlesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ Mangala Samaraweera isƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  speaking about.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  He left the SLFP, because he was removed from his portfolio of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  He left hoping that the President mightƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  call him back, and that having not happened, he started a wild ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ campaign against the President Mahinda Rajapakse first accusing him of having ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-bribedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the terrorist leader Prabhakaran.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Having failed to antagonised the people against the President with that accusation, he started the second campaign against the President Mahinda Rajapakse accusing him of floating a Rajapakse and ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Family Company, which has taken over theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  government.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  That too failed to appeal to the people to go against the President.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Instead the people replied to Mangala SamaraweeraƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢sƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  second accusation by electing the President.Mahinda Rajapakse for a second term with a thumping majority.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  But that accusation, was swallowedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  by ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ another buffoon who fell for it, and added his own ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-spiceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ calling the President a Dictator, floating a family company.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Ranil Wickramasinghe continues his harangue against the Rajapakse Government , when every one around wants him to step down from leadership of UNP.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  If he has any principles he should have resigned from his leadership of the ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ UNP long time ago.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Mangala Samaraweera who has now joined the UNP, does not wantƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Ranil Wickramasinghe removed from the UNP, for his own personal reasons.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  It is obvious having just joined the UNP because of Ranil Wickramasinghe, he would not know what his place in UNP would be withoutƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Ranil as its leader.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Karu Jayasooriya seems to have the same problem.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  IfƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Sajith Premadasa becomes the UNP leader what would be his position ?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  In order not to be in doubt he too claims that this is not the time to change the UNP leadership.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Are these people really patriotic and love the country so much that they want toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  sendƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Mahinda Rajapakse and family to Beliatta? ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Or are they looking after their own interests ?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If they come into power what more can they do, other than what the President Mahinda Rajapakse had done, and is continuing to do ? ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Of course they will want to disband the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- Rajapakse andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Family CompanyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  But whatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  better proposition have they ?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Is that not sheer madness to do away with a President and his Government, thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  had carried outƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  from the outset what they had promised to do ?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Governing is not easy, as criticisingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  it from out side of it.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  OnceƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  those critics come back into power, they will undo all that had been done and reorganise things their way, which would not beƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  for the benefit of the country.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Even the worst of critics of the President Mahinda Rajapakse and his governmentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  cannot deny that they have done a wonderful work to steer the country on to the correct path of development, and the countryƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  is now showing every sign of being able to rise above its status of aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  developing country.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We have moved our foreign policies from dependence on our former colonial masters and the West who have their own agenda for their further enrichment, keeping the developing nations under their control.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ What are the Western Governments doing with the withdrawal of GSP+, accusing government for violation of human rights, setting up panels to investigate whether theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Armed Forces of the Government had not violated human rights in eliminating terrorism ?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Who are our real friends ?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Can the opposition that criticisesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the President Mahinda Rajapakse and his Government guarantee our independence from the dictates of the West ?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The President Mahinda RajapakseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  hasƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the correct vision of development.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  If the opposition parties are real patriots, who want Sri Lanka to develop as an independent Nation , should instead of falling over each other to criticise the President and the Government, shouldƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  fall behind theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  President to develop this country, to make of it aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  united country without ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ separation of Communities, drawing what is best of each other for the commonƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  good of every one to make our country a developed Nation in par with the West.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We can do it and we have the potential for that sort of development, and the present President and his government have gone a long way in the correct direction and this is not the time to change.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  There are always difficulties, andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  even wrong decision taken, we are human we should be able to understandƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  these mistakes, wrong decisions, and correctƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  them to overcome difficulties,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  without harping onƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  them ad in finitum.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The President Mahinda Rajapakse is far from being a Dictator.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  These are terms used to frighten the ordinary people.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  But they cannot be fooled any more.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ When Marxism was introduced to Sri Lanka UNP went round campaigning that the left is a movement against religion, and against the countries cultural values, and the leftists call every one including the parents as comrades.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It had to be an intellectual politician like SWRD Bandaranayake to introduce socialism, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and recognised cultural values.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  He invited the ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ left to join him to form a united front.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Bandaranaike ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ was not a racist when he wanted to make ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ SinhalaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  official language, he was seeking to ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ break away from the bonds of colonialism, toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  identify Sri Lanka as a NationƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚  part entiƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚¨reƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ He was not given a chance by the Tamil racists like Chelvanayagam and the rest.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  They were trying to do what Jinnah did to India.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ SWRD BandaranaikeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s daughter Chandrika Kumaratunga, in criticising theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Government of the President Mahinda Rajapakse ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ becomes ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a traitor to her fathers political vision. She is like Mangala Samaraweera, a person without principles , wailing the place she has lostƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  among the peopleƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  in Sri Lanka. She has become a tool in the hands of the west.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ JVP too in holding ontoƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Sarath Fonseka has given up theirƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Marxist and Socialist principles.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Sarath Fonseka is the one that dragged Sri Lanka into inconceivable difficulties with all nondescript humanists, agencies, activists, and most interfering western and localƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  media.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Sri Lanka after the elimination of terrorists had the path open for undisturbed progress and development.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Sarath Fonseka put an end to that possibility.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The UNP should change from its age old principles of hanging onto the tail end of Western capitalism in the name of development, and cooperate with the President and the GovernmentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  bringing in their constructive criticism to make our country a peaceful and a happy place for every one.