Is our President a Dictator?
Posted on August 24th, 2013

Dr. Mareena Thaha Reffai,, Dehiwela

THE DICTIONARY.COMƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  defines Dictator as: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-a person exercising absolute power, especially a ruler who has absolute, unrestricted control in a government without hereditary succession.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

If we go by this definition, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a person elected toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  be The ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ President of Srilanka, whoever it may be, is a Dictator; and it is not meant to be a derogatory term rather it is a fact he or she has absolute power. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It could be a positive attribute too, sayƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  for example when he chooses to free prisoners who are languishing in jail for minor offences where the law says he has to be tried and it may take years to happen but the Presidential pardon overcomes it. There are many more positive examples.

But what can be derogatoryƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  is whenƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The President who has absolute power does not exercise it when he should. Let me have my stand clear ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” I would always be thankful for our present president ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” as most Srilankans of yesteryear (of 10 years back or longer) would be – ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for having got the country out of the clutches of the war mongers of all types. That glory cannot ever be erased.

Having said that, one must recognize the fact one can be a Dictator in a negative ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ sense ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” not necessarily by commission but by omission too. The biggest question asked my many of his subjects ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” both Muslims and non Muslims – ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is why is he silent on the fact that Buddhism is being slandered, misused, given a bad name and flaunted to make a ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ mockery of the very lofty ideals it stands for? ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ He being a devout Buddhist, presiding a Buddhist country ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ why does he look on nonchalantly when many a crime is committedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  blatantly and openly in the very name of Buddhism?

As one youth pointed out in the netƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The loudest noise in the country today is the silence ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  our PresidentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ – while the monks, instead of preaching to the laymen, goes vandalizing mosques and churches, instead of teaching good manners to people ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ go about screaming ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ obscene, vulgar words into loud speakers, instead of being best examples for people to emulate become boisterous hooligans demolishing century old mosques in the name of protecting Buddhism ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” O Mr. President! ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ where are you?

A president is not the leader of only the ones who voted for him ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” that is why the system of secret voting was formulated. Once he is elected he is the sovereign leader of the country ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…”which means of every single citizen irrespective of their colour, creed, cast or partyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  affiliation. He is expected to protect the rights of every single one of the country men. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The rights of every single religion practiced in the country. Of every single ethnicity, minor or major.

That speech, which ends with the famous line in ShakespeareƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s 2 Henry IV (IV.i.248ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…”250) comes to my mind. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

Yes Mr. president , We do not think you are a dictator, but we want you to be one, exercising your power when you can, when you should. In order to be a good leader, an excellent politician,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  an iconic historical figure for the future history of Srilanka ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ where your name will be written in golden letters that you not only protected Buddhism in its pristine form but also treated all your subjects in the most just, hallowed and equitable manner.

Sent by :

Dr. Mareena Thaha Reffai,

, Dehiwela

8 Responses to “Is our President a Dictator?”

  1. mjaya Says:

    Butter Taqqiya! Nice new tactic!

    Regarding silence…….
    Who was silent when Rizana was falsely imprisoned, tortured and executed by Saudi barbarians? (more silence!!!)

    Of course HE the president should take all measures to eliminate stone age barbarism (that belongs to the Arabian desert) from our soil!

  2. Ancient Sinhalaya Says:

    President’s hands tied thanks to mossies. Thanks to UnPatriotic Party (UNP) Sinhalese are divided and mossies take full advantage. They become king makers now.

    Breed, breed, relentless breeding Sri Lanka will be a mossie country before long. Only obstacle to that is Buddhist monks. Mossies want to silence them. Then they will have a free reign. Free breeding. Free schools, free hospitals. Thanks Sri Lanka. It will be mossies soon.

    Future for Sri Lanka? Another Syria, Afganisthan, Pakesthan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq etc. Too many mosses. Then they start fighting themselves. Dark Ages. Dark religion. Dark clothes!
    STOP MULTIPLYING FOR GOD’S SAKE!

  3. Lorenzo Says:

    SL has elections EVERY YEAR under MR so he cannot be a dictator.

    For the LOOOOOSERS PEOPLE are the dictators because they don’t vote for fags.

    Bloody Saudi king Fart is the worst dictator in the world.

  4. AnuD Says:

    President is not a dictator. He is not doing what are the most important. Long ago, he should have started cleaning the clutter. He is not doing. Probably, because he was doing the same thing when he was the MP and was the minister.

    With Respect to Buddhism, What an handful of buddhist monks are not doing destroying buddhism. Those monks are doing what the govt and the civilians would have done years ago. IF the Sinhala buddhist culture is destroyed and other foreign cultures are allowed to dominate the Sri Lankan culture, Sinhala – buddhist civilization will lose for ever.

    Christian and Islamic cultures are foreign to the country. IF they use the word democracy and laws of the land to spread and propagate their cultures, eventually Sinhala -buddhist culture will not be there anymore. As both Christians and Muslims are in a hurry to destroy idols and what the ancient things left that should not be allowed.

    Think what has happened in Afghanistan, many countries along the Silk route, Maldive Islands, Pakistan, Bangladesh etc., IF allowed Sri Lanka also goes through the same fate.

  5. Fran Diaz Says:

    Sri Lanka shall have to have to maintain the Presidency for a long time more – in fact, till the Tamil Caste Wars are over, both in boisterous Sri Lanka politics as well as in silent Tamil Nadu.

    The President has no power to stop acts of violence BEFORE they happen just because he is a Buddhist. Buddhism is a religion. It is up to each of us to follow the Teachings of the Buddha.

    The Law of the Land is there to maintain peace. Most of the legal eagles of Lanka are minority folk. In fact, those who passed at the top of the scale at the last Law exams were Muslim students – curious how that was managed. Tamils become Muslims and become legal eagles too. Tamil folk become Muslims, Catholics/Christians, and even Buddhists (with name change).

  6. Lorenzo Says:

    Fran,

    Talking about law and order Weliweriya incident CHANGED all that because the army conduct was WRONG.

    The report was released last week to the president and army commander.

    The president SEPERATED ministry of law and order from ministry of defence. The ministry of law and order is headed by General Nanda Mallawarachchi.

  7. Fran Diaz Says:

    Lorenzo,

    The President has done the right thing to separate Law & Order from the Ministry of Defence. The Ministry of Defence is too loaded up with other responsibilities. Gota heads two ministries, Defence & Urban Development (correct words here ?). At any rate, we wonder what the Minister for Law & Order might have done, given the Weliweriya circumstances ? What would YOU have done if in command of the Army unit sent in ?

    I still maintain that the Army did the right thing in firing at the Rioters who were violent, though it was unfortunate that two plus one people died due to attempts to control rioters. And what about the person who died from rioters ‘missiles’ ?

    The govt. has been MUZZLED for the sake of peace prior to the CHOGM.

  8. chandrasena Pandithage Says:

    Our constitution has given the power to be a dictator to our President. There were four Presidents in our country and three of them used that power during their periods. Then what about President Mahinda Rajapaksa? He also use that power. The question is that constitutional power is good or bad? It’s depend on the way they use that power. The knife is good till it is in cooks hand when it transfer to murderer’s hand we know what will happened to next. Until now our President use the knife wisely. When he use it for majorities benefit, the strongest minority stand against him. To face that forces; he needs more power. Then the minority forces spread that he is a Dictator. Yes he is a Dictator to protect his nation.

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