RUN MAHINDA RUN
Posted on March 3rd, 2015
By GOMIN DAYASRI
Crowd at Nugegoda is a mini take of 58 lakhs of votes Mahinda Rajapakse obtained. Frailty and fragility in Sirisena’s armory stand exposed. SLFP singularly cannot hold a mammoth public meeting though President Sirisena heads the party and holds presidential power. Significantly the selected district for the meeting perennially favored the UNP – location beckons a crowd?
Forfeiting party leadership and surrendering to Sirisena was a blessing in disguise for Rajapakse to rid rubbish and transfer trash to Sirisena. Nevertheless is weighted with an over burdened dustbin at home carried through a regime where janitorial facilities were sparse.
Without Mahinda Rajapakse’s blessings UPFA vote cannot be marshaled into a one ballot box. Moppets seated on the platform at Nugegoda needed a pump from Mahinda Rajapakse (MR) to become electable? Came by way of a message – to show where his loyalties were. Those at the meeting will become his legitimate heirs – dream fulfilled for the negligible?
Ask the throng at Nugegoda whether they jeered at corruption and poor governance? Will feint ignorance. Culprits of the past don’t care a hoot for misdemeanor, instead called for a bumper hamper before Christmas. Realists of the present want hard rock evidence, not loose allegations thrown in the air. Silly sleuths acted stupid under the Immigration Ordinance chasing Weerawansa’s wife instead of searching for the known under the Bribery & Corruption Act; made them look small. Material emerging is too late, too slow, too little, and is far too weak. Substantial evidence, should reach masses that voted for MR, if a change of heart and mind is sought at general elections. Otherwise roll out a colored carpet for Rajapakse to tread: decorated as a national war hero – failed on governance and damned on corruption. Whither evidence? Are they looking or were they cooking?
Sound waves from Nugegoda set a tremor that shook SLFP headquarters: a stampede may result if members take flight in fright. They are running hither and thither, for sure. Nugegoda bruised Chandrika Kumaranatunga if she were to stake a claim for the SLFP (could she choreograph such attendance at Attanagala?) and makes President Sirisena’s future dependent on the UNP while a desperate SLFP officialdom presents a case for a national government to justify survival. True to blue Sirisena, wore a green shirt and won; SLFP dressed him in blue pants. Is he in disguise as a double in trouble trying to woo all those color blind?
Platform performers at the Nugegoda meeting, look ominously split on paper, displayed cordiality for public consumption presently and contradicted each other in public outpourings previously: not a concern, all are small- time captains minus men and machines.
The lineup holds elements pro- or anti- 13th amendment, elements that love or hate Sinhala Buddhists, elements loyal from RAW to BBS (excluding ISIS), elements that are Marxist bent and greedy for the Yankee dollar. Except for a few, most keep true to their views notwithstanding disharmony amongst the participants.
Who crossed and re-crossed within hours? Was it a mistake or on principle or a selfish objective? Are we in wander-land! What is the future for Sinhala Buddhists?
UPFA voters know of one SLFP of one Mahinda Rajapakse: broken into two; team that emerges in front is the fraction that carries a name that evokes pride to the faithful. Worse, official SLFP is the ‘B’ team of the government – could soon become a decrepit name- board with an abandoned post box. UNP does not want its list for parliament fouled with SLFP garbage.
UPFA MPs – lonely and unheeded, buried in newspapers for want of company and like vultures try to pick the most attractive option; intake is dependent on the choice of a one-man panel where preference is for sycophants and relatives.
Left alone MR may chose to remain an elder statesman than run for a lesser title in a contracting SLFP, locked in a box of queer assortment – desirous to end his days’ as the leader of the opposition? The Run Mahinda Run call is making him don his running shoes to cover a distance at a painful pace! Marathon Man prefers the event postponed as his challengers are falling by the wayside.
Ranil Wickremasinghe knows the UNP better than the UNP knows of itself, having long overstayed – corruption creeps early and popularity dips rapidly in a miscellaneous government. Allegations are made up front while no action is taken. Go it swiftly and alone to gain a working majority is Ranil’s doctrine; neutered by the partners-in-disguise, Sirisena’s team whose desire is to hang long in parliament, enjoying privileges, return being doubtful – they want all three in a tub. Rather place them on a common platform and watch the Famous Three gnarl to provide wholesome entertainment.
Sirisena has no options – won, thanks primarily to UNP and minority votes- wedged behind UNP and Rajapake on a popularity index, seeks an unavailed space and resides in no man’s land. In the south the contest is between Wickremasinghe’s UNP and a side in the making registered as Team Rajapakse.
Mahinda Rajapakse was ahead of President Sirisena at the count in the south at the presidential election; votes in the north/east are not aggregated at a general election to impact the final result. Will lead to re-thinking since the presidential system carries value to the minorities, as they are the uncrowned winner at the last election. Those paltry votes in the north can disarray the heavy voting pattern in the south. Those who want to demolish the presidential system may now pull back: those who did not want it dismantled might insist upon it. Both are on reverse gear after analyzing results at the presidential election. Watch out! Politics is on a roller coaster.
South enjoys a democratic multi party system while north is comfortable with an authoritative structure and retains a mono party framework, ethnic in character. They learnt it from the LTTE than from the TULF. A vote in the north is worth more at a presidential election, since the winning candidate has to reach the 50% mark where every vote counts for the final tally wherever resident. Winner at the 2015 election was not the choice of the South but the near unanimous selection of the North. It makes a decisive difference – by which the North can hold the southern leadership captive. It’s happening before our eyes. UNP should not fall prey – otherwise await another long spell in the opposition.
North overwhelmingly votes in one way for one party or one candidate. Where the contest is close in the south or marginally tilted in favor of a candidate in the south (as at the 2015 elections)- vote in the north becomes pivotal to reverse the result of the south and determine the winner at a presidential election. Candidate with northern support is at an advantage at a close presidential election in a divided south. Difference is pronounced because it is a battle between multi-parties vs. a single party.
100-day government may seek an extension of time to implement its objectives. Ranil Wickremasinghe understands the matrix that any loss of popularity on the 50th day can grow six fold after 300 days. Constitutional changes need 2/3 majorities, which require the support of a substantial number of UPFA MPs’. An exercise where Sirisena’s guidance will be handy and agreeable MPs’ slotted to the UNP’s parliamentary list for the support rendered. SLFP MPs will weigh options.
UPFA’s policy seeking the yellow peril without realizing that as an economic hit man ‘china-man is always a china-man’ – making a fast buck by picking any pocket. Instead we have fallen in to a side pocket of an exploiting India, which treats USA as its favorite Uncle Sam. We will be more exploited without letting the two Asian powers to tango.
Foreign policy determines the lifetime of a government while the Foreign Ministry is a focal point that can make or mar a government. Look at the team that called the shots in the last government at the Foreign Ministry- don’t only blame the travel weary Minister fortunate to be resting at home instead being airborne since grounded. Think more of the man carrying a license to trash ambassadors and remain unharmed.
Ranil Wickremasinghe is captive to please northern voters and TNA politicians for the favor done. Security concerns were overlooked with land released from the High Security Zone; pliable civil governor is in an office in the clouds; security forces have been reduced to the minimum; portfolio was offered to the TNA in the cabinet and the navy is being questioned on disappearances. It’s the season to placate the Tamil diaspora and woo international community as a new foreign policy unfolds.
Is there any reciprocity by the TNA for the friendly hand offered by the government? An Oliver Twist mentality in asking for more and more while TNA makes allegations of genocide seeking international disapproval for a nation rid of terrorism. Northern behavior can contribute to the downfall of UNP. Last time it was the CFA and Norway: this time it may be TNA and India? A hostile North can unwittingly unite the south against the UNP.
Economy, Security and Welfare peak the needs of a Sri Lankan family. Rajapakse government climaxed with the defeat of terrorism in 2009 and guaranteed personal security. Present government peaked with a mini budget that enhanced the personal economy of the individual but now working in the reverse. From that zenith it has been one long slide down the mast slide. More at the receiving end: than at the accusing end. No result to show on the day fifty? Be fair give time to buy time.
March 3rd, 2015 at 2:49 pm
INDIA IS OUR RELATIVE- MR
RAW Fomenting Insurgency in Pakistan, Says Rajapaksa
Mon, Mar 2, 2015, 10:02 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Mar 02 (NIE) COLOMBO: Former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has told a leading Pakistani newspaper, that the Indian external intelligence agency Research Analysis Wing (RAW), is fomenting insurgency in Pakistan.
“Pakistan helped us, especially Musharraf. What happened in my country and the insurgency happening in your country, RAW is behind it.” Rajapaksa told Maleeha Hamid Siddiqui of the Karachi-based daily Dawn on Sunday.
Sources close to Rajapaksa told Express that being angry with India, he had refused to meet two high ranking Indians when they sought an appointment with him. One is a former Congress MP from Tamil Nadu, and the other is the head of a pro-BJP Delhi-based think tank. Rajapaksa asked the intermediary to tell the Indian visitors that he was not in town, when in fact, he was in town.
Rajapaksa identified the West also as a common enemy. “See, the US, Europe, the West they are not our friends,” he told Dawn.
The Lankan leader who was ousted in the January 8 Presidential election, blamed “international forces” for his defeat.
“The Muslims in the East and people in the North (Tamils) were misled, probably by international forces,” he asserted.
Asked if he still believes in astrology after being misled by his astrologer ahead of the Presidential poll, Rajapaksa laughed loudly and said: “Now I don’t.”
He is still popular. Daily dozens of buses bring Sinhalese-Buddhist hoi polloi to see him at his ancestral home “Carlton House” in the southern seaside town of Tangalle.
” Only the poor come to see me now. The businessmen I had helped don’t,” he told an aged admirer.
As part of his comeback bid, Rajapaksa last week worshiped at the ancient Siva temple at Munneswaram, north of Colombo. The Pivithuru Jathika Hela Urumaya led by Udaya Gammanpilla is trying to collect one million signatures on a plea to nominate him as the common opposition Prime Ministerial candidate in the June parliamentary elections.
But his own Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) has all but abandoned Rajapaksa. The SLFP is looking to President Maithripala Sirisena to lead it in the coming elections. Towards this end, it is trying to wean Sirisena away from the grip of the ruling United National Party (UNP).
March 3rd, 2015 at 2:49 pm
GD !!! An interesting read. Puts everybody on *alert* mode.
March 3rd, 2015 at 2:59 pm
YAHAPALANAYA NEWS – A MUREDEROUS WOMAN GIVEN PARDON BY POLICE WHILE ANOTHER ID DRAGGED OUT FROM HOSPITAL
Dr. Maheshi Wijerathna bypass the law by the help of Malik Samarawicrama
Details Created on Tuesday, 03 March 2015 14:18 Category: General
Dr.maheshiWith great displeasure and disgust we report an impunity incident of Dr.Maheshi Wijerathna who escaped from law enforcement by the influence of the UNP chairman Malik Samarawicrama when she stabbed a woman named
Ronda Deli and caused severe injuries last Saturday at a function in Hotel Galadari.
The fort Police without producing Dr. Maheshi Wijerathna to the courts has recorded a statement and sent the accused home. Malik Samarawicrama has called the IGP and influenced the Fort HIQ to stop the investigation immediately.
The Fort HQI has switched off his mobile due to inquiries from media about the case and believed to be hiding. Under greatest difficulty when the media contacted the Fort police court sergeant he said the police submitted only a “B report” to the courts.
However the specialist neurosurgeon Dr. Maheshi Wijerathna who caused severe injuries with 20 stitches to the head and hands of a woman has able to bypass the law with the help of Malik Samarawicrama who is a strong member of the “Good Governance” and continue to work in her official post.
March 3rd, 2015 at 3:06 pm
දොස්තර නෝනාගේ වීදුරු කටු ප්රහාරයෙන් කාන්තාවගේ අතට බරපතළ තුවාල
චමින්ද සිල්වා
කොළඹ තරු පහේ හෝටලයකදී වෛද්යවරියක විසින් කාන්තාවකට බෝතලයකින් පහර දී පසුව වීදුරුවක්ද කඩා එයින් තුවාල සිදුකළ බව කියන සිද්ධියක් සම්බන්ධයෙන් කොටුව පොලිසිය පරීක්ෂණ ආරම්භ කර ඇත.
කාන්තාවට පහරදුන් වෛද්යවරිය භාරත ලක්ෂ්මන් ප්රේමචන්ද්ර ඝාතන සිද්ධියෙන් තුවාල ලබා රෝහල් ගත කර සිටි පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්රී දුමින්ද සිල්වා මහතාගේ වෛද්ය වාර්තා නිකුත් කළ වෛද්යවරිය බව ද පොලිස් මාධ්ය ප්රකාශක අජිත් රෝහණ මහතා ඊයේ (02 වැනිදා) පැවැසීය.
හෝටලය තුළදී පහර කෑමට ලක් වූ කාන්තාව සමඟ වෛද්යවරිය බහින්බස්වී පසුව වෛද්යවරිය විසින් වීදුරුවක් කඩා කාන්තාවගේ අතට පහර දී ඇත.
එම පහරදීමේදී කාන්තාවගේ අතට බරපතළ තුවාල සිදු වී ඇති අතර ඇය කොළඹ පෞද්ගලික රෝහලකට ඇතුළත් කිරීමෙන් පසු අතට මැහුම් 16 ක් දමා ඇත. පසුගිය 28 වැනිදා රාත්රි 10 ට පමණ සිදුවූ මෙම සිද්ධියට අදාළ වෛද්යවරිය කොටුව පොලිසිය මගින් අත්අඩංගුවට ගෙන පොලිස් ඇප මත ඊයේ (02 වැනිදා) මුදා හැර ඇත.
March 3rd, 2015 at 5:25 pm
Needlessly clashing with India is unwise for the foremer president. Instead he should make it constructive by leading a campaign to abrogate Indian imposed 13A while maintaining a cordial relationship with Indians.
Although the Nugegoda event attracted pro-13A and anti-13A politicians, the pro-13A persons (Vasudeva and Dayan) are no crowd-pullers. Had they not attended, the crowd would have been the same. Mahinda should run for a worthy cause not just run for the sake of it.
March 3rd, 2015 at 8:10 pm
Not only the UNP and also the SLFP seem transcended as political streams. Because, both parties did not deliver righteous solution goes with the Majority Sinhala throughout the post colonial era. I truly think the leadership potentials of MR ( who has a vital role to play in this juncture ) will safeguard the interest of the Majority Sinhala in Sri Lanka. Get rid of 13-A that helps only to the survival of Indian Union not Sri Lanka. Make India understand that Sri Lanka is a sovereign state that has its own jurisdiction and certainly not theirs. Having two or more link languages commonly accepted by many democracies .. Having diplomatically balanced policies with BRICS and NA to tame India .. As the reincarnated force of the voiceless Sinhala Majority, redefined MR will be the only resistance that can turn around Sri Lanka to the next level ..
March 3rd, 2015 at 9:35 pm
“Mahinda is not a name but a country” as Wimal correctly said at Nugegoda. He is the only hope we have to save our country if not before long ungrateful Tamils with the help of Diaspora,India and America will have their own dreamland very easily without a fight. Already the signs are there although our stupids do not understand. Under MR there were no protests or disturbances in the North but you see now even the University children are protesting and burning effigies on the roads. They are pelting stones at the police which we never saw during MR time. Foreign dignitaries go straight to North and meeting Tamil politicians and discussing privately their grievances,taking photos and making movies freely without any restrictions from the Jarapalana Govt which we never saw during the previous Govt.s time. Coming colors are not good for the Sinhalese when these type of things happen in front of our eyes because of this new Govt’s policy.
MR must decide before long whether he is willing to take the challenge or not if not he must sit back and relax and enjoy his retirement. Majority prefer his come back because they know that the country is in safe hand rather than with these UNP traitors. We are seeing so many foreign hands interfering in our affairs these days which we haven’t seen for some times after the war. We should not allow them to harm our war heroes at any cost. Our duty is to safeguard them even with our lives. We owe them that much. Sinhalese should not believe fairytale stories and lies these UNP traitors are uttering these days. Rally behind our war hero MR if you need to live in Peace with your children and grand children in a sovereign state called SRI LANKA.
March 4th, 2015 at 5:39 am
MR must sit back and relax and enjoy his retirement – He completed his two teams let’s Namal lead SLFP.
March 4th, 2015 at 11:57 am
SA Kumar: YOU SAY’
MR must sit back and relax and enjoy his retirement
NO! YOU TAMILS DID NOT SIT BACK WHEN RAJAPAKSE WAS IN POWER YOU FOUGHT HIM AND THE BUDDHIST SANGA FOR 5 YEARS.
NO! WE WILL NOT SIT BACK. WE WILL FIGHT BACK AGAINST TAMIL OPPRESSION.
March 4th, 2015 at 4:35 pm
SA K !!! Time you retire from this forum. Senile Decay is setting into you. Grrr
March 4th, 2015 at 9:23 pm
I have a big problem with GOMIN DAYASIRI, he never reads comments for his article, or does he? When he is cornered with covered ball comments he moves away and let the ball (Readers) go every which way with the meaning. To a person with a minimum education, it gives one meaning to a average educated blue color worker it give another meaning. Then the well educated Sinhala living aboard, who is used to dis-information give the meaning what GOMIN wanted to twist.
Let’s start form the title: RUN MAHINDA RUN! It reads like MR should run and hide in his residence in Tangalle. No where in the article he says it. For the naked eye he is saying that MR should be a candidate at the next election. Gomin is a brilliant constitutional attorney, yet he ignored the fact that by saying so, he is aiding and abetting an illegal regime, which in it self is a TREASONABLE Offence.
Next he has omitted two key players namely; the ELECTION COMMISSIONER, the disgraceful former JVP Killer Mahinda Deshapriya and President OBAMA of USA. I proved beyond doubt that the ballot boxes from Killinochchi was stuffed and the police, to guard the election was the private army INDIAN RAW provided to the election commissioner. Soon after the election OBAMA (Who is not an American, I didn’t say it but RUDY GIULIANI former Mayor of New York City and seconded by Guvnor of Louisiana Boby Jindal) appointed Dr. Mendis to the White House Staff and gave him all the authority so that Ranil Wickramasinha can do any thing out side the Sri Lanka constitution. Of course Gomin read the speech KARANUA gave in the parliament. All the land the security forces had was given to TAMILS who came to JAFFNA two weeks before the election. can any one do anything to reverse this action? NO, NO, it will take at least 5 years, after Ranil Wickramasinha is jailed for TREASON.
Now let’s see what INDIA has with this victory of Sirisena President. Ranil openly said that with a Gazette notice he will make Tamil the official language of Sri Lanka because he wants to take revenge that he lost the election because of Sinhala Buddhist. Can any one stop him? certainly not because he has the OBAMA and RAW support. INDIA certainly do not want TAMIL NADU breaking away from India and becoming a republic. Obama got this message but the rest of the Tamils did not get the message. That is why the Indian Foreign minister is visiting SL next month to give the message to Ranil and Mangala. DO NOT INTERFERE WITH THE CONTRACTS INDIAN Companies have already signed. I hope Domin at least will read my comments, and I might even be lucky if he replies on the comments column.
March 5th, 2015 at 12:06 am
SA K !!! Time you retire from this forum. Senile Decay is setting into you. Grr
Susantha Wijesinghe- I am sure We both live in open society country ( I have to thank to JRJ 1983 )
I only give my opinion no offence as We mature to know We both community lived last 2,600 years or more & will live another 2,000 more years in mother lanka whether We like it or not.
NB/ one day We-Tamil will have 3 status (silai) in Aspathiri vithi (hospital road) in Jaffna for MR,GR,SF instead of Valluvar, Gandhi,Avvaiyar now, you know why liberated 297,000 from Vanni !!!! you happy now .