Ranil’s anti-COPE eyewash
Posted on July 13th, 2015
Editorial The Nation
Ranil Wickremesinghe is a politician. Yes, not a statesman. A politician, let us reiterate. The next election and not the next generation is what fascinates him. Like other politicians from other parties of course, leaders included. Yes, like Mahinda Rajapaksa and Maithripala Sirisena. Ranil Wickremesinghe is a lawyer. He is not just a politician but a seasoned one. So when he says that D.E.W. Gunasekera, then Chairman of COPE, was out of order in releasing a draft of the COPE Report on the Central Bank bond issue, we have to take note.
Wickremesinghe’s argument is that after Parliament was dissolved, COPE ceased to exist and therefore has no legal standing. Consequently nothing that ‘DEW’ or anyone else in COPE says about any ‘COPE affairs’ is incompetent and irrelevant. DEW, for his part, has promised to respond.
Wickremesinghe claims that it’s not only DEW who is guilty of the ‘contravention of the Parliament Powers and Privileges Act’ but newspapers and other media that had published sections or the entirety of the ‘draft report’. His argument, apart from COPE ceasing to exist, is that some COPE members were not present when COPE deliberated because they were busy politicking.
It is strange that Parliament was dissolved before the COPE could conclude its deliberations. It is strange that Wickremesinghe and the UNP campaigned tirelessly for a dissolution and that this campaign intensified as word got out that the COPE report could constitute damning indictment of key members of the UNP.
All this is of course ‘politics as usual’. What is disturbing in the Prime Minister’s complaint to the Secretary General of Parliament is his attack on the media. He has referred to a newspaper by name for contravening, like DEW, the Parliament Powers and Privileges Act. On earlier occasions too he has seen fit to vilify media institutions and journalists. This, even as he lambasted political opponents for doing pretty much the same thing.
Wickremesinghe, in the fairytale days of the Maithripala Sirisena election campaign and into several weeks of post-victory euphoria talked about media freedom. Only one concrete fact has emerged in the five and a half months when Wickremesinghe operated as though he was ruling the country as Sirisena’s proxy: the inability to move a single muscle to get the Right to Information Act passed.
His agitation about the COPE, therefore, should not mask Wickremesinghe’s latent, sorry very real, antipathy towards media freedom. The Chairman of his party, let us not forget, is reported to have instructed all state media (now UNP-controlled) to toe the party line. That directive most probably was endorsed by the Party Leader.
What all this shows is Wickremesinghe’s true media policy, stripped of rhetoric readily lapped up by Rajapaksa-haters and rights advocates who make a living talking about rights and freedoms.
The letter to the Secretary General of Parliament regarding the COPE report therefore has to be read as a gag-seek in view of possible negative impact on the UNP campaign. It’s about power and privilege, yes, but not of the kind he refers to and certainly not of any diminishing of these things.
Mahinda Rajapaksa could have graduated into a statesman, but didn’t. Wickremesinghe, especially after helping Sirisena defeat Rajapaksa on a ‘yahapaalana-pledge’ was even better positioned to advance. He has not.
July 13th, 2015 at 5:51 am
At this point it is all about getting the FACTS from the COPE report to the voter so it is no longer about the COPE report and politics, it is about bond fraud and Ranil and the UNP’s cover up of this crime.
To win, Mahinda has to GAIN MORE VOTERS than his 5.8m base he won in January, and this is why he has to have a two-pronged approach – (1) one that appeals to his base to keep them at his side (security, separatism threat, econ development, etc.), and another (2) to get the disaffected Good Governance voters (2m) that now feel betrayed by Ranil and the UNP by proceeding over the largest bond fraud in the history of the country without holding anyone accountable.
Ranil needs ALL of the good governance voters from January to have even a shot at winning and this is why he has named his new alliance the UNF for Good governance. Mahinda, on the other hand, only needs 50% of these Good Governance voters and he wins.
UNP loyalists (2m) + Minorities (2m) + Good Governance (2m) = UNP/Ranil victory (6m).
UPFA base from January (5.8m) + 50% of Good Governance (1m) = UPFA/Mahinda victory (6.8m)
But Mahinda needs to BYPASS THEIR MEDIA FILTER controlled by the West and the UNP by running ads that reach voters directly. A good starting point to GAIN 50% of the good governance voters would be a TV ad featuring the Central Bank staff in a VIDEO (people want to ‘see’ your sincerity) news interview, in which they witnessed and objected to Mahendran’s direct involvement in the bond issuance to this nephew that included coming into the bond trading room, reviewing the bidding list, and directing them to accept all bids to the EXACT amount of his nephew’s bid. In this ad, the Central Bank staff testimony should be compared to Ranil’s ‘independent’ committee of UNP loyalist’s conclusion that there was no direct involvement by Mahendran to show that Ranil and the UNP tried to cover up the fraud (cover ups of crimes sway voters even more than the actual crime because of the abuse of power).
By bypassing the media filter with TV ads showing direct testimony of actual eye witnesses from Central Bank staff, it destroys Ranil and the UNPs effort to sweep this fraud under the rug with Western-controlled Sri Lanka media and undermines their ability to dismiss the COPE report as ‘politics’.
July 13th, 2015 at 6:00 am
Without promising to SCRAP 13 amendment, UPFA cannot win.
This is the bitter truth.
I sincerely hope UPFA STALWERTS will take up this deadly issue BEFORE Vigneswaran, Najeeb and HARIN get POLICE POWERS and LAND POWERS.
This is the way to WIN.
IF MR promises to SCRAP 13 amendment, UNP, JHU, etc. losers will have NO ANSWER to it!!
That will tell the people MR is FEARLESS against Endian dictates (and conspiracies) while all others are panicking.
July 13th, 2015 at 6:18 am
Lorenzo,
13 Amendment abolishment is necessary, but trying to use this as an election tool only helps Mahinda win the 5.8 voter base he ALREADY HAS, and doesn’t help him GAIN any voters at all. The patriots are already with Mahinda, but he needs to get the other voters who believe good governance is more important than patriotism.
July 13th, 2015 at 8:45 am
What the h..l has 13A got to do now ? It would only confuse the more important issues present at the moment That seems a trick to let down MR……..
July 13th, 2015 at 12:30 pm
13A is not a BEEG issue at this juncture, Lorenzo !
MR can always throw a side line by saying that he will abolish the 13A once he comes in. It certainly will bring big heads like Veggie to insanity.
There was a MAP of Srilanka separated into three pieces, in three colours. In one at the top they reflected President Viggie, in the Eastern Part they reflected President Rauf, and in the Western and Southern part was President Sirisena.
It would do good for MR to carry this MAP and ask the Voters, IS THIS WHAT PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR ? There should be a BEEEEEG **NO** too accompanying it. THIS WOULD CERTAINLY MAKE ANY VOTER SHAKE HIS HEAD, CONTINUOUSLY.
July 13th, 2015 at 12:35 pm
Please add one more line to the above:-
THIS IS WHAT RUINOUS RANIL AND HIS NEFARIOUS POLITICAL GANG WANTS TO ACHIEVE.
July 13th, 2015 at 2:00 pm
MR is VERY popular. But others are not as popular. It was MR who won 5.8 million votes but he now contests only from Kurunegala.
We need a PATRIOTIC SLOGAN to UNITE all these voters. FOR ME it is scrapping 13 amendment. But MOST others disagree!
To avoid the POSIBILITY of DIVIDING people, I will STOP NOW. Lets see.
July 13th, 2015 at 3:29 pm
“What the h..l has 13A got to do now ? It would only confuse the more important issues present at the moment.
Well said … Charles. This is not the time to push the REPEAL of the 13A. Win the Election first, repeal 13A after.
That seems a trick to let down MR……..”
And WHO is the PRIMARY TRICKSTER? Surprises, surprises ….. NONE OTHER than that BACKSTABBING TRICKSTER the Infamous Facebook LTTE Lorenzo … Isn’t it?
July 13th, 2015 at 3:40 pm
Palwatte Gamaralage Maithripala Yapa Sirisena scrambled into the Presidency of Sri Lanka by BACKSTABBING his longtime friend the sitting President Mahinda Rajapaksa with whom he had shared an Appa meal the previous day.
Quite appropriately, Nalin de Silva has drawn a parallel between Somarama and Sirisena.
Therefore, let us HENCEFORTH address the said Sirisena as Somarama Sirisena !
July 13th, 2015 at 3:43 pm
What a CREW of Assorted Anti-National Machiavellian Connivers:
Somarama Sirisena, Ruinous Ranil and Choura Ragina Chandrika !
July 13th, 2015 at 4:20 pm
How about USA agents and Endia agents?
In my view, no worse treason than defending 13 amendment!!
My3 is in the MR camp now. ONLY UNP, JVP and TNA throw mud at My3 now.
We all have to protect My3 from UNP, JVP, TNA terrorists as MR said. He is the UPFA and SLFP leader.
July 13th, 2015 at 4:33 pm
Lorenzo,
If UPFA is to have a slogan, it has to be as broad reaching as possible to include his base of 5.8m AND the voters he is trying to reach.
Something like: A STEADY HAND AND STABLE LEADERSHIP FOR ALL SRI LANKANS
In terms of direct messaging, following my first post on this thread will lead to victory. A pitch to the non-separatist oriented minorities (25% of minorities) might be useful as well, in which a new comprehensive and robust anti-discrimination legal framework is announced to ensure minorities have the same rights to achieve their potential as any other Sri Lankan. Proposing government subsidies for tuition classes for children of tea plantation workers would also be effective.
July 13th, 2015 at 6:53 pm
Minorities are the kingmakers this time and bringing the 13A is political suicide.
Including fraudulent votes, TNA’s 3.5% in January was worth only 3.5% but in August it will win 7% of seats with the same votes. CWC and SLMC will also be ‘force multipliers’ in the numbers game, before and after the election. Winning the bonus seat in at least 6 other districts (Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kandy, Badulla, Puttlam) will be determined by minorities.
TNA will not join the government but disrupt a UPFA government and defend a UNP government. It means UNP only needs 99 seats (113 – 14 TNA seats it will likely win) to form a government. UPFA has to win 113. CWC although contests from UPFA will join UNP after the election.
IF UPFA plays the 13A card, UNP will play Mahinda’s ‘13 Plus’ card which is more damaging. Though not specific, ’13 Plus’ obviously goes beyond 13A. Both UNP and UPFA officially support the 13A. UPFA national list has more devolutionists than UNP (DEW, Vitharana, Wijesinghe and possibly Vasudeva and Dayan).
Given these, it is best to avoid bringing up the 13A to the election discussion.
July 13th, 2015 at 7:18 pm
Dilrook,
Great analysis!
July 13th, 2015 at 8:22 pm
Dilrook,
Let me join MB in commending your analysis. That is why I, an otherwise strong advocate of REPEALING 13A, do not want to make that an issue in the upcoming general election.
July 14th, 2015 at 12:15 am
Fantastic! Now we change the NATIONAL SECURITY goal post to suit ELECTIONS!
BEAUTIFUL! Always national security gets step motherly treatment. Elections always come first!! ONLY in SL.
One by one the patriots who SCREAMED to SCRAP 13 amendment since 1987 have fallen. I’m the only man standing. I stick to my guns. SCRAP 13 amendment!
Goodbye!
(I have to pack things. See you in SL.)
July 14th, 2015 at 12:39 am
Lorenzo,
What “sticking to your guns”? Far from it!
You abandoned the Patriots fighting to REPEAL the 13A and joined Somarama Sirisena, knowing full well that with his dependence on the UNP, the TNA and the SLMC for support, the 13A will NEVER be REPEALED.
It is from the CONSEQUENCES of that DISASTER to NATIONAL SECURITY that took place on January 8, 2015 that the Patriots of Sri Lanka are now trying to RESCUE the Nation on August 17, 2015.
Who are you trying to FOOL?
We KNOW everything you have DONE HERE at LankaWeb, Facebook and elsewhere to DIVIDE & DESTROY Sri Lanka as One Nation.
Now, if you are REALLY going to Sri Lanka, that is to advise the TNA and those 10 Ex-LTTE-ers running to get elected as MPs, on how to achieve their separatist Eelam … not for any other reason! I hope that UNP Elephant sits on you and flattens you into a stain on the road!
What a GOD-DAMN HYPOCRITE! Bah!
July 14th, 2015 at 2:55 am
One by one the patriots who SCREAMED to SCRAP 13 amendment since 1987 have fallen.- .
Ananda-USA well come back
Lorenzo want to bring IPKF back (the day any one of head of SL open mouth to scrap 13A).
July 14th, 2015 at 4:11 am
God-damn Ananda-USA, wish you the same.
Come to SL and join the election campaign without punching a keyboard.
I go to heavan (SRI LANKA) while you go to hell (USA). Karumam!