By Charles.S.Perera

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ “The UNPƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya had said that Egypt has proved that every tyrant has his day of reckoning and therein lies the hope for those of us in Sri Lanka, who witness with each passing day, the dictatorial aspirations of the current regime. There are deep lessons for all Sri Lankans, oppressed and oppressor alike, in the peoplesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ revolt that changed the course of Egyptian history, and the world, last night,ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” The Sunday Island 13 February 2011.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This political treasure hunter Karu Jayasuriya has a short memory. But fortunatelyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the Sri Lankan votersƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  on the other hand have not forgotten his crooked pathƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  backƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and forth from one political party to the other feelingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  both sidesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  to see from which sideƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  he will stand to gain more.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Jayasuriya is a political arriviste, when his political future seemedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  uncertain in UNP, he moved on to greener pasturesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  blissfully happyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  in the cabinet ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the President Mahinda Rajapakse whom he now accuses for ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-dictatorial aspirations ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-, and then when he saw the possibility of an eventual political leadership in going back to UNP, he leftƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the Government, to become the ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ deputyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  leader of the UNP.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ NowƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  he is not sure of his place in the UNP, with Ranil WickramasingheƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s days as leader of the UNP ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ being ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ numbered.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  He has got to do another volte-face for a ride behind Sajith Premadasa.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  He is strangely fallen into the same bracket along with Mangala Samaraweera. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The people of Matara are by now tired ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the hate mongering ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Mangala Samaraweera, and ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ may soon kick him out of ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ politics from Matara. Therefore following Mangala SamaraweeraƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s political tactics will not help Karu Jayasuriya.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Leaving aside the political ambition of Jayasooriya who is falling in to line with the rest of the UNP ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- bag pipesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ Tissa Attanayake, Lakshman Kiriella , Jayalath JayawardhanaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and Gayantha Karunatilleke ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ all like NerosƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  playing their violins whileƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Rome is burning, are little concerned about Sri Lanka, but more about their own political future .

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Jayasooriya may be intelligent, but he is making a fool of himself by making absurdƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  political statements that does not give credit to his political respectability.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  His ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ latest attempt toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  show off his knowledge ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  foreign affairs is ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ his looking at the Egyptian political situationƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  from the wrong end of his ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ political binoculars.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  It has no relevance at all to Sri Lanka and least of all it does not ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ give even an oblong view to make a comparison between ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ our President Mahinda RajapakseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and President Hosni Mubarak.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Two of them both ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ as personalities and politicians are ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ far apart like the earth and the sky.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ However it is impossible to imagine ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Mahinda Rajapakse as a President with ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- dictatorial aspirations ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ in the uniform of a tyrant.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  It would only be an old witch like Thisaranee who may writeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  in similar vein.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  She at least has no political ambition, but desires one ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-miserable awardƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ from the ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ International Federation of Journalists, The CitizensƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ Peace Award , US Freedom Defenders Award or the UNESCO Press Freedom Prize.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ These awards are readily available to any citizen ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ whoƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  writes against the government if it is trying to break away from theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  traditional allegiance to the West. For instance ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ writing against ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the President and Government of Sri Lanka, and Cooperate with some one like the United States Assistant Secretary of State Robert OƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢Blake to provideƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  anti Sri Lanka Government information forƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  his annual ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ report to the American Senate on Sri Lanka is a sure bet to win one of theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  International Awards mentioned above.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Coming back to JayasuriyaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s effort to compare our President Mahinda Rajapakse to Hosni Mubarak, it would beƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  interesting to know what was behind JayasuriyaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s mind to make such and absurd comparison.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ He may have assumed that he could fool the ordinary people- the peasants he meets during his UNP Grama Charika with a statement that Mahinda RajapakseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  is preparing to be a Dictator like Hosni Mubarak to tyrannise the people, so that frightened they might vote for the UNP at the Local Government Elections, which would avoid them having to go to manifest around the Lypton Circus in Colombo like the people in Egypt around the Tahrir Square.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The caption of JayasuriyaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s articleƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  is ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- Egyptian peoples revolt has deep lessons for bothƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  oppressed and oppressor in Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  It is very unfortunateƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  that a man who had been silently doing his work as the Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs in theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Cabinet of President Mahind Rajapaksan to have called the president an ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-oppressorƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The people of Sri Lanka are however behind the President and do not accept him as an oppressor.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Neither do they feel that they are oppressed.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  If Jayasuriya means the rising cost of living that makes them feel oppressed , he should know that it is not unique to Sri Lanka and the inclement weather thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  destroyed acres of paddy fields and affected vegetable cultivation is also aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  cause forƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  unprecedentedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  price hikes of related consumer articles.

In his article Karu Jayasuriya speaks very highly of the largely peacefulƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  pro-democratic protests and the pivotal role played by the military in not transferring the peaceful manifestations into a blood bath on the streets,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  to allow Egypt to embark on the road to democracy. He speaks of watching history being made in Egypt ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ moved by the significance of the event to ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- demand for the removal ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the President MubarakƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ . He adds that the young people of Egypt did not employ violence or terrorism, which he thinks is the overreaching beauty of the revolt.

Overwhelmed by the significance of the event Jayasuriya seems to be givingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  himself a relaxingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-yellƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ of satisfaction saying that , ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-the sheer might of the Egyptian people, will be etched in the collective memory of this generation, providing hope, inspiration and comfort to the oppressed and striking terror into the hearts of politicians who seek to tyrannize over their populations throughout the world.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

Somehow all these rhetoric seems to have a relevance to the only political ambition of UNP from the day one of the announcement of the election ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Mahinda Rajapakse as the President of Sri Lanka in November, 2005, which is to stop Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse fromƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  continuing to beƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the President of Sri Lanka.

The UNP had few progressive projects for Sri Lanka, andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  unable to think of any more thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  would interest the people they have turned to one and only ambitious for the benefit of ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ themselvesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  rather than for the country, which is the ouster Mr.Mahinda RajapakseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  from the Presidency. JayasuriyaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s greatest ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ joy would beƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  doing a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-MubarakƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ in Sri Lanka.

He comes directly to the point in sayingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  that, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦..People argue that Sri Lanka is no Egypt, and that the Sri Lankan president is no Mubarak. But there are parallels to be drawn here, because while they may differ in appearance, every autocrat speaks the same language, plays the very same game. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-

In the uprising ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ of the Egyptian people againstƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  its President Hosni Mubarak, followingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Tunisia, there ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ are some ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ unanswered questions.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  While respecting these people for the risk they had taken , thereƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  are the questions as to whether the uprising of these people against the respective regimes were spontaneous or there were certain forces behind it such as the Shiites, Religious leaders, Muslim Fundamentalists,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  CIA, or even Al Qaida. There had been no leadership to accept conditions to the future situation after the departure of the Dictators. What is left for the people now and how will the democracy be established ?

In Tunisia and Egypt the Dictators have left the countries, deposed by the people, but what have the people won ?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Would it be a case of falling from the frying pan into the fire ?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  No body seems to have the answers.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Jayasuriaya so enamoured by the Egyptian peopleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s revolt cannot help either the Egyptians or the Tunisians. Is his jubilation reciprocated in the aftermath of the uprising of the poor people in Egypt ?

The Tunisian people who were the first to have been victorious, in forcing out their President ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ El Abidine Ben Ali are now free.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  But these people having no immediate plans to organise their lives in their country under the new found democratic freedom, areƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  reorted to be fleeing the country in thousands to Europe through Italy.

CanƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Karu Jayasuriya who sings swansongs of freedom ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- we are truly privileged to have witnessed such defining moment in modern historyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ understand the utter helpless situation in which these poor people now find themselves ? ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Who stands to profit from the end of dictatorships inƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Tunisia and Egypt ? Will it be the poor people of these countries ?

Karu Jayasuriya quotes another one of his heroines BurmaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢sƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Aung San Suu Kyi , ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-there is an inevitable sameness about the challenges of authoritarian rule anywhere at any time, so there is a similarity in the intrinsic qualities of those who rise up to meet the challengeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.

The wisdom filled Karu Jayasuriya adds, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- It is this common creed that binds those peaceful protestors in CairoƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Liberation Square, the people who risk life and limb demanding freedom for Burma and Tunisia, and those of us in this tiny island clamouring for a return to the tradition of democracy and freedomƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.

Poor Jayasuriya knows next to nothing of Democracy.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  If he know he will never sayƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-that this tiny Island clamouring for a return to democracy and freedomƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

This is what the UNP, be it through its roaming Ranil Wickramasinghe , or the catholic Jayalath Jayawardhana, or ignorant Karu Jayasuriya tells the world. That Sri Lanka under the President Mahinda Rajapakse has lost theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  tradition of democracy and freedom.

To what extent is it true ?

If the tiny Island he refers to is Sri Lanka he should know better that Sri Lanka is today a country with aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ robust democracy at its pinnacle.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Our people are free.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  There is the free media that could criticise our President, his Government, Sri Lanka Armed Forces.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  There are political partiesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  springing up like mushrooms after the monsoon rains.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Everybody can organise a Political Party The Tamils, Muslims, Sinhalese,and ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ sub groups of same Communities have their own political parties..

Our people are free to follow what everƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  religion, speak what ever language and correspond with the government with their own language.

UN, Human Rights Activists, Amnesty International, NGOs, Tamil Nadu, Tamil Diaspora, and Bruce Fein, they can all criticise the President and the Government, make Investigations andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  even file criminal charges.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Our Ambassadors too could be accused for all types of criminal charges for freeing our country from terrorism. Even the Tamils in the diaspora canƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  float there own provisional government. Who says there is no democracy in our tiny Island.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Our prisons have no political prisoners, there are not torture chambers.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  We have free democratic elections regularly.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  We have a Constitution which is kept up to date with legally drafted amendments and voted in the Parliament.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Our President is democratically elected forƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  a specified period of time in Office according to the Constitution. Any number of persons can present themselves for the Presidential elections. There are the Courts of Law and Judges.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  How can Jaysuriya under these circumstances say we have no democracy and freedom in Sri Lanka?

Karu Jayasuriya speaks as if Sri Lanka ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is hell on earth for its people.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  He calls the people of Sri Lanka ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the oppressed class and says, that in ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Egypt people have at last found democracy and freedom after forcing outƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Hosni Mubarak.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  He is indirectly asking the people to get rid of Mahinda Rajapakse to findƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  democracy and freedom !!!

Jayasuriya adds, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- People argue that Sri Lanka is no Egypt, and that the Sri Lankan president is no Mubarak. But there are parallels to be drawn here, because while they may differ in appearance, every autocrat speak the same language, play the very same game,ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

What are theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  parallels Karu Jayasuriya sees between MubarakƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢sƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Egypt and Mahinda RajapakseƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  who he says though ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-differ in appearanceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  speak theƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ same language and plays the very same game ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- ?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is strange the people of Sri Lanka do not see it that way.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  They love the President Mahinda Rajapakse.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  They are very close to him. Unlike the President Mubarak who did not mix with the ordinary people, President Mahinda Rajapakse meets the poor people at weddings, funerals, in the temples, in the fields and invites them to his Official residence.

Let us see to what extent Jayasuriya is correct or wrong in his assertion that there is no democracy and freedom in Sri Lanka..ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Who was Mubarak and what was Egypt under him ? MubarakƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  was an army man through out his life until he became the Vice President, in 1975.

It was when he was the Air Chief Marshall ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ that ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ he was appointed by Late Anwar El Sadat the President of Egypt to be his Vice President.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  He was schooled and trained as a military man and was not a politician who mixed with theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  people.

Mubarak ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ as a Air Marshall stood outside the ordinary people .ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  After the assassination ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Anwar El Sadat in 1981, he became theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  President of Egypt.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  As the President he was also the head of theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  National Democratic Party.

As the President of Egypt has Hosni Mubarak any parallel to the President Mahinda Rajapakse ?

The President Mahinda RajapakseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  comes from a family of politicians and he himselfƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  was the youngestƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Member of Parliament when he was elected to represent Beliatte in 1970, at the age of 24 years.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  He had been a politician through out his life.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  He was also a practicing lawyer.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Coming from a village in the Sothern Sri Lanka he was a man among his fellow men, constantly in touch with them.

Hosni Mobarak was appointed President of Egypt after the assassination ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Anwar El Sadat inƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  1981.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  As the President he became the leader of theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  National Democratic Party of Egypt.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  During the 30 years as PresidentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Hosni Mobarak was nominated four times by the Parliament as the President of Egypt andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  confirmed in a referendum of the people.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Egyptian Constitution does not provide for multi candidates for the Presidential Elections and therefore Mubarak unlike Mahinda Rajapakse, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ did not have to face any elections.

Is there any parallel in the ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ election of Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse as PresidentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and that of Hosni MobaracƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  nominated by the Egyptian Parliament and confirmed by a referendum as the President of Egypt ?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  I donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t see any.

Egypt was a Semi RepublicƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  for the most part ruledƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  underƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  emergency. President Hosni Mubarak helped USA to free Kuwait from Iraqi Invasion becoming a close ally of the USA .ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Mubarak escaped four assassination attempts. There was no free media in Egypt during his Presidency.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  There was a large number of political detainees, and people arrested under emergency laws languished in Egyptian Prisons.

Does Karu Jayasuriya think that the situation described above which he is free to make research and assert for himself is in any way parallel to what is prevailing in Sri Lanka ?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Does he now accept that Mahinda Rajapakse is different with politics in his blood andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  has not arrogated ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ into being a President, but elected by the people in proper( Westminster style) democratic methods, with a large majority of people voting for himƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ?

Does Karu Jayasuriya the Deputy Leader of the UNP now agree with theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  people whoƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- argue that Sri Lanka is no Egypt, and that the Sri Lankan president is no Mubarak ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- ?

Does he still agree as he had said in his article, that ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦..ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  there are parallels to be drawn here, because while they may differ in appearance, every autocrat speaks the same language, plays the very same gameƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ?

HadnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t Jayasuriya been looking through the wrong end of the binoculars and saw parallels with Egypt and Sri Lanka ?

And thereforeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  doesnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t he owe an apology to the President Mahinda Rajapakse for comparing him to an incomparable?