Where President Mahinda Rajapaksa went wrong?
Posted on February 25th, 2016
Dr Sudath Gunasekara Secretary to Former Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike and President Sinhala Bauddha Jestha Puravesiyange Sanvidhanaya Mahanuwara 24.02.2016.
I have never had any relationship with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, either political or personal. I have made only one personal request from him through Mr Lalith Weeratunga his Secretary, whom I came to know as a Committee Member of the Sri Lanka Administrative Services Association when I was its President from 1991 to 1994. The subject my request to MR was a road to my ancestral village Meemure, which was never done in spite of my repeated requests. As such I have no hosanna to praise him either. Any way I am not hasty to blame him as I do not know whether Lalith had passed on my request to him. I also failed to get even an interview to discuss this matter with him. Finally rather desperately I invited him to visit my village in 2014 to witness the pathetic conditions of this historic village and its people. My personal experience tells me that if I had made a similar request to President Premadasa or Lalith Atulathmudaly I am hundred percent sure both of them would have definitely come and taken prompt action on my request and today Meemure would have been an entirely a different village. Was it my misfortune or the bad luck of my village and its people I do not know. In 2004 sept I wrote an article from America supporting him under the caption Who are the real enemies of Bandaranaike Policies” In that article I supported him to the hilt and I was the first person to have predicted his victory in 1905 Presidential Election. It appeared in the Island and Prabath, Editor wrote back saying Sir your piece went down very well. I do not think any other person would have done better” I also sent a copy to MR with a congratulatory message after the Election. But he never had the courtesy even to say thank you.
Nevertheless even today I admire MR as the most outstanding President and national leader of Sri Lanka in contemporary history for the following highlights among his achievements as a Head of a so-called poor Third World State.
- Winning the war against the LTTE terror, the most dangerous and savages terrorist outfit in the world acclaimed as undefeatable, and unifying the country after 30 years of terror, killing, mayhem and disaster. It is true that it was the three forces that fought the battle, died in thousands and won the war. But it was MR who gave the political leadership as the Commander. Had he hesitated, as all his predecessor Presidents, by this time Sri Lanka would have been definitely two countries? Not only he was determined to end it but he also openly declared his stance to the world as a real leader, thereby taking a very big risk.
2 He stood firm against India and the Western bullies in defense of this country and his people as a true leader and a patriot
3 He also kept the so-called Minorities in their places. He declared that there are no minorities and there is only one nation in this country, though he did not specify Sinahla as the nation
4 He adopted the correct and strategic foreign policy by aligning with China and Pakistan when there was none to help this country to fight the terrorist
5 He achieved a mission which even world powers like USA and Russia could not do
6 His achievements at Hambantota, the Harbour and the Airport
7 The vast network of infrastructure development all over the country, where the pride of place goes to the net work of super highways like Colombo-Katunayaka and the Southern highway he achieved while engaged in a massive an extremely arduous war
8 By defeating the LTTE he liberated the whole nation from terror, fear and death of hundreds of people occurring daily in every nook and corner of this country and brought peace and sanity and enabled a fear stricken populous to live freely after 30 long years of terror and uncertainty.
9 He never betrayed the country like those of the UNP in the ilk of JR and Ranil and even Chandrika
Even if he had done nothing other than winning the war against the LTTE and ending the 30 year war no one can dismiss him as a failed leader like Chandrika, a rainbow leader, who had done nothing for 11 years other than destroying all what her great and illustrious parents had done from 1956 to 1977. As such whatever his political enemies say, in my opinion he stands above all other Modern Heads of State in Sri Lanka as towering Himalaya. His place in Mahavamsa is already engraved in golden letters as a Great leader of this Island nation who followed the footsteps of Dutugemunu who defeated Elara in the 2nd century BC and Vijayabahu 1st who chased away Magha the intruder in the 11th century.
What is more is the 2009 war was a much more difficult task than the historical and conventional wars of the Kings in every respect. For example the art of war, the scale and the parties involved were poles apart. The historical war was confined to the land and they were fought between two parties only, south Indian intruders vs the native forces. Even the Indian Government was not involved in those wars. But the 2009 war was three dimensional and it used much more sophisticated weapons; in addition to the local LTTE Tamil terrorist the Government also had to face the whole world on their side Headed by India and supported by UK, USA, Norway and the entire Western block and the so-called Tamil Diaspora spread all over the world who provided large sums of funds and military assistance; India provided the training, armory, money and military advice and assistance against the Sri Lankan Government; they also barred the supply of military equipment to the Sri Lanka Government while providing enough supplies to the LTTE; in addition most of these countries provided military advice as well. Meanwhile the western block as well as India exerted pressure on the President to stop the final battle and USA had even secretly made arrangements to rescue Prabhakaran and top LTTE leaders before which the Sri Lankan forces eliminated the enemy at Nandikadal. Immediately after the war he carried out a massive development programme, unprecedented in history, in the North and the East having allocated the largest sum of money for any area thereby recording the highest rate of growth in the Island.
The way how the masses rallied round him and visited him at Medamulana after the election from all over the country like no other leader defeated in election anywhere in the world alone sufficient to judge his popularity as a charismatic leader. Isn’t that an authentic barometer of this man as a national leader?
Then why he lost the Presidential election?
In spite of all these achievements why did MR lost the Presidential Election. Most people attribute his defeat to external factors like conspiracies by International community and Indian RAW manipulations. But if you carefully analyze the election results you will find that it was the Tamil and Muslim block vote which actually changed the balance. In addition the JVP and new votes blocks were also critical factors. All these vote bases together with the UNP block vote determined to come to power after long years of starving upset the balance. It was not the popularity of the Common candidate which mattered. Even Ranil himself would have won it. For that matter any common candidate would have won it. Because more than anything else it was the ungrateful and revenge full Tamil and Muslim vote base that mattered in that election.
Although these were the major factors that contributed there were other factors which I think were even more important for MRs defeat. MR alone is responsible for all this which he earned mostly in the post 2009 period. I put them in to two categories as follows.
1 Blunders MR did which he should never have done as an elected Head of a State
They are
1 The arrest and imprisonment of Sarath Fonseka, the acclaimed war hero, and the way he was treated for the wonderful job he did as Army Commander to win the war.
2 The way Sirani Bandaranayaka CJ was sent home and treated for not supporting the Divineguma Act in spite of her supporting the 18th Amendment
3 The infamous 18th Amendment seeking election for a third time as the President
4 Failure to take actions against people like Mervin, Duminda, Mtuhettigama and many others who had committed serious crimes under his Government
5 Rampant nepotism like appointing his close relation with no professional qualification as Ambassadors Chairmen of Corporations etc
6 Appointment of Basil a novice to politics, as a senior Minister who messed up and betrayed the Kandyan peasants by scrapping the Kandyan Peasantry Commission and the Upcountry Development Authority that cost loss of all the Kandyan areas.
7 Above all going for early elections while he could have waited the full period during which time he could have mended some of the mistakes he did. (In fact on 2nd of Dec 2014 I wrote to him on this matter and advised not to go for early elections) But all that fell on deft years
8 His heavy dependence on occult science and believing people like Sumanadasa Abegunawardhana
9 Overestimated overconfidence and miscalculation of his vote strength and the mirage of trust he had on Tamil and Muslim opportunist politicians and inability to ascertain their hypocrisy in the correct perspective like all other Sinhala leaders in the post Independence period
10Holding the NPC and NEP council elections
2 Things which should have been done but he never did
1 Immediately after the war was over he should have scraped the 1987 Rajiv -JR Pact and also
abolished the Provincial Councils and all unconstitutional steps taken under the 13th Amendment forthwith, such as
- a) Giving unconditional Citizenship to all Indian Tamils on the Estates and
- b) Making Tamil an Official Language
2 A Failure to abolish not only the Provincial councils but also the very provinces carved out by the British to perpetuate their divide and rule policy to meet their strategic, economic and political colonial agenda
3 Failure to abolish the Proportional electoral system and the District MP system and to restore the previous simple first-past-the –post system which would have eneured every electorate to return a member to Parliament
4 Failure to RE-establish the Tun Rata, Ruhunu, Pihiti and Maya, the most appropriate geopolitical division to this country as that was the time tested political divisions for almost nearly 2500 years. That alone could have put an end to Communal and divisive politics in this country and paved the way for permanent ethnic reconciliation and also saved 2/3 the cost of governance in this country. This proposal I had brought to his notice several times for the past 10 years
5 Dismal failure to sack Maitripala Sirisena from the Party as soon as he left to contest as the Common Candidate. Had he done it immediately MR would have still continued as the President of the party and would have even won the August elections and got appointed as the Prime Minister of the people. That would also have put MS in a precarious situation with his feet neither in SLFP or UNP either.
6 His failure to tell the world that this is the only Sinhala Buddhist country in the world and Sinhalese are the nation. And Tamils and Muslims are only two ethnic minority groups. Since he came from Mgama in Ruhuna, the land of the nation’s hero Dutugamunu, he had the legacy to do so than any other. In fact when I predicted his victory in 1905 Presidential Election in an article in the Island under the caption Who are the real enemies of Bandaranaike Policies” I expected him to be a Dutugemunu reborn.
- His failure to make Sirisena the Prime Minister at least on the second term
- 8 Not listening to well meant advice given in good faith by the Mahasangha and people like Nalin Silva and me
9 Neglecting the Kandyan areas and allowing Basil to abolish the Kandyan Peasantry dept and ountry Development Authority
10 His inability to build up a single popular regional leader of stature from the Kndyan region who would not have deserted him in adversity and be an asset to him and the country at large.
11 Put the minorities in their places and declared this land as the Sinhale that was ceded to British in 1815.
Had he been able to achieve this agenda he would have definitely ended up as the unassailable leader who retrieved the pristine Lanka that was lost in the 13 the century and continyed as the nation’s leader for many more years to come.
Postscript
I have never being SLFP or UNP though I have been associated with the SLFP in my student days from 1956 to 1962, mainly due to the Sinhala Buddhist nationalism that emerged in 1956 under S.W.R.D, The Veyangoda Central College where I did my UP and my colleagues at the University at Peradeniya most of whom were from Central Colleges have exerted a tremendous influence during these formative years. But since I joined public service in 1962 I have strictly adhered to public service rules and regulations as a public servant though alternatively both UNP and SLFP have labeled me as a SLFP man or a UNP man whenever they were in power. This was mainly due to my refusal to grant their requests which were inconsistent with rules and regulations and often went against public interest. I always thought though it is a duty a public servant to carry out the policies and programmes of the Government of the day it was more important to do the correct thing in the interest of the public in the ultimate analysis. So in this mental frame work I had the courage to say no to people like Tamara Ilangaratna, U.P.Y Jinadasa, Gaminij Disanayaka, W.M.P.B. Disanayaka Chief Minister CP, Dharmadasasa Banda, Lalith Atulathmudali, Renuka Herath, Luxman Jayakody and even President Wijetunga over the years. Some of them got angry with me. But I survived and finally ended up as the Secretary to Mrs Sirimavo Bdaranaike, the first woman Prime Minister in this world, maintaining the independence of Public Service and proved that a public servant. Of all these political p[ersonalitiesI had my best relationship with Ms Bandaranaike, Lalith Atulathmudali, Gamini Disanayaka and Tamara Ilangaratna.
Why I print these few words here is just to tell my readers that I am not a torch bearer to any politician. These are my personal views as an independent citizen who is concerned only over my motherland, my nation and my religion.
February 25th, 2016 at 1:23 pm
Dear Dr Sudath Gunasekara,
I LOVE MR and wants him to succeed. But for that he MUST correct A LITTLE BIT. NO BIG changes needed. JUST A LITTLE BIT ONLY.
First thing, he has to ACCEPT the mistakes. Otherwise he will KEEP doing them and KEEP losing election after election.
It was LLRC that defeated MR. ALL LTTE demands crept into the LLRC report in a more civilized manner.
150,000 Displaced Singhalese and Muslims were NOT resettled in Jaffna, Batti, Vanni, Trinco, COLOMBO, etc. but “displaced Tamils” were resettled.
YARL DEVI train was restarted without considering how it AFFECTS Singhala travelers from Anuradhapura, etc.
‘UTHURU’ VASANTHAM program started that ONLY helped the NORTH. The WHOLE country was affected! Instead he should have started SRILANKA VASANTHAM. Tamils have proven AGAIN AND AGAIN they are UNGRATEFUL.
Singhala people in GAMPAHA DISTRICT (MOST IMPORTANT district for MR) were shot dead over a dispute over water. NO SLFP candidate has EVER WON an election after losing GAMPAHA.
Vigneswaran was appointed as the CM. This was a GRAVE mistake. It gave HOPE to all Tamil Elamists around the world.
My3 camp HEAVILY USED these mistakes in their campaign and MR had NO answer.
Despite all this MR could have EASILY WON had he tried to SCRAP 13 amendment in 2014.
In MY VIEW, it is game over for MR, BR and NR. They have to give a chance to GR. They may come back UNDER THE UMBRELLA of GR.
I’m trying to be OBJECTIVE here. NO offence to anyone. I want GR to be the next president of SL. It will be tough because NAVIN D will contest against him, NOT Run-nil. Navin’s father Gamini was a patriot and paid the price for it. But minorities support the UNP. He only needs some Singhala votes. And he has it.
February 25th, 2016 at 1:25 pm
Dear Dr Gunasekera,
I have never met past Pres Mahinda Rajapakse. But I am truly grateful to him and the Armed Forces of Lanka for bravely liberating Lanka from terrorism, and also developing the country, under very difficult circumstances.
I have always respected the content of your concerned articles on Sri Lanka, especially on the situation of the Kandyan Peasants. I sympathise with you greatly on the latter matter and hope redress is given to these people who have suffered so much due to Colonisation, with no proper redress.
However, re past President Mahinda Rajapakse, I beg to differ with you on some points, especially the points on FM Fonseka & former Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake.
Re FM Foseka : We are thankful to him for the great work he did in removing the LTTE. However, he should never have been legally allowed to contest the Presidential Elections against MR. No country allows their Armed Forces men or women to contest elections right after a major war. There is good reason for that – and the law recognises that army folk are in no fit state emotionally or mentally to face civilian duties after a major war as they may suffer from PTSD etc. In Lanka, the law is lax in this aspect, as in many other areas. That is how FM Fonseka contested elections and came up against Then Pres MR.
After the election were over, FM Fonseka went and holed up in a hotel with hundreds of Ex-Army men as in an Army maneuver – was he suffering from PTSD at that time ? He threatened to ‘take MR & Others to Bogambara’ if he won the electon. Now, this is something to be taken seriously, is it not ? Hence the jail term, to ‘cool off’. I feel that he was unwell due to the LTTE suicide bomb attack – Gotabhaya Rajapakse had him treated in Singapore at govt cost when the LTTE suicide bomber got at FM Fonseka, and he was injured seriously.
Gen Eisenhower became a President of USA many years after WWII. The law in the USA does not allow Army personnel to contest public elections for office until at least after 7 yrs after a war. Lanka has to refurbish the law in this regard.
Lanka is short of able people to fill public offices after the LTTE finished off the UNP leadership.
Re Shirani Bandaranyake : She was appointed CJ by MR. She has not been fostering the National development Plans of the MR govt when she did not endorse the Divinaguma Program. She was found wanting in integrity and honesty when she had huge amount of clandestine monies transferred from her ten bank accounts from time to time. Her husband, Mr Kariyawasam, was found wanting of same when he was found ‘dipping into’ tea estate workers EPF. She as CJ took her husbands case under herself – was that good legal ethics ? Thus the actions taken by PARLIAMENT according to the Law of Land against Ms Bandaranayake and she was removed. A sorry state of affairs, to say the least.
Please correct me if I am wrong in any of the above.
The last point I wish to state is that the MR Govt & the Armed Forces were accused of War Crimes by the then Ms Navi Pillai led UNHRC – unjustly so. The war with the LTTE & the MR GoSL was somewhat like the 1983 Riots, the GoSL of that time forced into a situation by an INDIAN led conspiracy (J.N. Dixit & likely the church) with Tamil leaders – and the Cold War type politics continue/s. In both cases of war & riots, the Tamil goal of Eelam comes closer. These are Traps from the past and more in the future perhaps, if allowed.
The WAR CRIMES charge had the whole post war MR govt in a sort of corner. I dare not imagine how the People of a govt which had fought tooth and nail for the integrity of the Country and the People must feel today when cornered for FALSE War Crimes, and the then Presidents Family members harrassed and a young member jailed on false charges.
I am forced to conclude that the MR Govt faults were minor and their pluses a multitude. They must be forgiven for smaller lapses. We have to shout loud and clear that there were NO WAR CRIMES ! If any, of a small number and such cases, if justifiable, taken to courts – probably tried under Martial Law.
I am not an apologist but someone seeking Truth & Justice where it is due. MR & his Family, and the Armed Forces of Lanka deserves such Justice. We hope the rest of the country feels so too – and Justice delayed is Justice denied.
February 25th, 2016 at 3:44 pm
Fran,
NO ONE has any right to stop SF from contesting against MR. It is his right given by the SL (NOT US) constitution.
I think it is this ATTITUDE that created trouble for MR camp. If they just let SF be he would have become a USELESS MP without steam. Throwing him in jail made him a BIGGER HERO.
I agree on Shirani. She was playing politics.
Anyway it is a waste of time blaming MR now. Let him enjoy his well deserved retirement. The BEST president we EVER had.
MR can NEVER become president again. He served 2 terms and now it is all over for him. Let him retire peacefully. Namal is also at the end of his political career. H’tota people will vote for him but NOT others. ONLY GR has any political future. Even GR will lose his popularity IF he is not allowed to take MR’s place soon.
February 25th, 2016 at 4:24 pm
Lorenzo,
Let’s talk of hard common sense here for the greater good of the Nation, not individual rights ! Going on lines of ‘every right’ will not work.
Then Prabhakaran had every right to kill and maim innocents for 30 plus yrs ??? !!
We are talking of ALTERING archaic Laws in Lanka.
Frankly, IF I were in MR’s shoes, I would not want to lead a crazy, damaged country like Lanka. Lanka has taken on the Tamil Dalit problems of Tamil Nadu and gone off National brain. Tamil Dalits are useful for nasty work of Ex-Empires.
February 25th, 2016 at 4:43 pm
LORENZO !! Yes let MR enjoy his retirement. If he forms a new party, he should promote GR to be the Top Man. Fran as usual has got his wires mixed. THE RIGHT TO CONTEST, AFFORDED BY THE SRILANKA CONSTITUTION, AND A MEGOLOMANIACS RIGHT TO KILL ARE TWO DIFFERENT KETTLES OF FISH, ALTOGETHER. IT IS INSANE TO EQUATE THE TWO **RIGHTS**
February 25th, 2016 at 5:13 pm
Anyway it is a waste of time blaming MR now. 100% true.
But this is a very timely article. We should never be blaming MR, no matter what it is his time than Sinhalaya got some vitamin injection, whether he intended or not.
But without personally blaming , he should be held responsible for giving back 50% of what he gained.
Otherwise, we have to pick up from LLRC and start giving more. Next president will give more.
We need not let MR retire – but LLRC MUST be shot dead.
It is war against LLRC now. MR should take the lead. He need not become president. But he can become PM ( without LLRC) and next REAL SINHALA PM. No need to be Buddhist PM, it is unfair to ask him to be a TRUE Buddhist.
When Real Sinhalaya wakes up, Buddhism will be automatically protected. No need to even talk about Buddhist rights now.
Let him make use of Muslim vote fro now, but keeping under control. This is one more important mistake the writer forgot. During his time he destroyed our prime land to support Saudi Islaam. Very dangerous indeed.
February 25th, 2016 at 5:38 pm
We wonder what Lanka would have been like under then Gen Fonseka if he became Prez of Lanka at that time, straight after the war with the LTTE ! He promised to raise an Army of thousands more and go to war with INDIA !!! Enjoy the game, dear fooled Lankans !
Ha ha !
February 25th, 2016 at 5:39 pm
I predicted Mahinda’s defeat, unless he changed the economic policy, since 2013 in these columns. While most agreed, the ruling clan and its apologists didn’t. I agree on Basil. His political knowledge is basic. He failed in 1980s in his role in the SLFP and then as the UNP organiser for Hambantota. In 1991, he was associated with later DUNF leaders and that too failed. DUNF succeeded after he left for USA. His economic policies post-2010 favoured the north at the expense of the rest. Making him the SLFP national organiser was a huge mistake. Mahinda removed him from running his campaign in late 2014 but it was too late. As a US citizen, he is unable to enter parliament post 19A. If keen on winning, he should not be allowed into the new political party.
Mahinda won 61% of Sinhala votes in 2005 based on regression calculations. This increased to 68% in 2010 and collapsed to 58% in 2015. What if he had won 61% of Sinhala votes in 2015 while others remained same? This additional 3% equals to 2.25% of the national vote. When added to Mahinda’s tally in 2015, it crosses over 50%. Therefore, the sole reason for Mahinda’s defeat is the reduction in Sinhala votes for him. Voting malpractices in the north helped Sirisena win, but, had Mahinda retained his Sinhala support, that could have been overcome easily.
Corruption and alleged abductions had nothing to do with Mahinda’s defeat. By the time of the 2010 election, Sri Lanka was ranked 97 in the corruption perception index (TI). It improved enormously to the 85th place by the 2015 election. People’s perception on corruption improved. Alleged abductions and killings took place before the 2010 presidential election. No such thing happened in Mahinda’s second term.
Mervyn, Duminda and others were following their usual highhanded approach in the first term as well. Media caught Namal driving an Aston Martin during Mahinda’s first term but no one battered an eyelid. Mig deal and other stories of corruption were spread in the first term but no one cared. People didn’t find these huge problems as long as the government looked after them. All these became excuses when the government shifted its focus away from them to the north and east.
Over 90% of borrowed funds were wasted in the north and east depriving the rest of the country (except the southern province). People’s hopes of prosperity after the war were dashed. Peace was not the only objective of winning the war. Economic hopes were also there. According to central bank reports, western, central and northwestern provinces had GDP growth rates below inflation rate since 2011. Mahinda recorded heavy reductions in votes in these provinces.
Why he resisted resettling displaced Sinhalas and Muslims in the north remains a mystery. LLRC report was biased against Sinhalas and Muslims in order to counter the Darusman report. 13A was never popular outside the north-east and its continuation was seen as cowardice for a leader who won the war.
Gratefulness for protecting the nation (including winning the war) is shared by all leaders since 1983 and soldiers that actually went to war. Mahinda deserves more of it but not all. People’s gratefulness also falls on leaders who sacrificed their life fighting LTTE violence. Mahinda’s family and SLFP in general deserve none or little of it. Overall, gratefulness for protecting the nation is divided among tens of thousands and cannot be claimed by a single family. If a single family tries to claim bulk of credit for protecting the nation, it earns the wrath and disgust of grateful people. Most of them know someone among family, friends and community who made the ultimate sacrifice for the nation and didn’t bother to beg a thank you for it. “thun hele sama mawwarun laya kiri eri atha un naming” (Blood of mothers of this island turned to milk out of gratefulness for dead soldiers.)
February 25th, 2016 at 6:02 pm
Fran,
It is not an INDIVIDUAL RIGHT. It is a CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT!!
What’s the point of winning the war if people are NOT entitled to CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS?
“He promised to raise an Army of thousands more and go to war with INDIA !”
SF promised to DOUBLE the army, SETTLE THEM in the north but he NEVER said he will go to war with Endia.
IF SF was president he’d be in HAGUE by now but SL will NOT have Vigneswaran, LLRC, a separate Endian HC for Jaffna, Sunil Ratnayaka in prison, Endian relatives, Salman Khan, CHOGM, KP and a few more traitors. SL would be a TEMPORARY DICTATORSHIP until he is sent to HAGUE.
February 25th, 2016 at 6:12 pm
Dham is right (not because he agreed with me but because what he says makes sense to this Singhala Buddhist country).
Scrap LLRC should be an election slogan.
“Most of them know someone among family, friends and community who made the ultimate sacrifice for the nation and didn’t bother to beg a thank you for it.”
IF they KNEW the LLRC empire will be built on their graves they would NEVER have died fighting the LTTE. Instead they would have saved their life to FIGHT THE LLRC.
February 25th, 2016 at 6:33 pm
What amounts to Constitutional Rights to participate in elections in Lanka by members of the Armed Forces after a War in Lanka, have to be amended. That is evident to anyone who knows even a bit of Law and Psychology.
February 25th, 2016 at 6:41 pm
It is increasingly evident to some of us that some writers to these columns find a pro-west bootlickers stand more beneficial than supporting MR & the Armed Forces (as there would have been no Armed Forces to act against the LTTE if not for MR’s leadership) !
February 25th, 2016 at 6:52 pm
Regarding Sarath Fonseka here are a couple of points.
There were four charges against him which were heard by a Military Tribunal. See http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/37757
“a) Politicking whilst in uniform.
b) Conspiring against the Commander-in-Chief whilst in Service. c) Harboring more than 1,500 deserters whilst on service. d) Corrupt practices relating to military procurements.”
The other point is that as a Field Marshal he is having the Military title for life. So legally he cannot take up a political post as far as I know according to the constitution.
In this one year this govt has made far more mistakes than MR did during his entire 9 years. MY3 has co-sponsored the UNHRC resolution which the country cannot wriggle out of. They have taken the economy down so much now it is on the verge of crashing. MR in spite of the ear developed the country more than the UNP did for the last 30 odd years. So on the balance MR is a far better leader than the Ranil/MY3 combination. If there was a Central Bank bond scam like what happened last year during MR’s time the entire country would have been up in arms. Why is everyone so quiet now. Look at the illegal things that were done by MY3 during the last year. People have such short memories.
February 25th, 2016 at 7:03 pm
Read word “ear” as “war”.
February 25th, 2016 at 7:16 pm
Dilrook said “Corruption and alleged abductions had nothing to do with Mahinda’s defeat. ”
It reduced votes. But did not contribute enough to cause defeat.
Fran,
“SF promised to DOUBLE the army, SETTLE THEM in the north but he NEVER said he will go to war with Endia.” – Lorenzo said the truth but Fran lied, why lie Fran , you are a devout Buddhist , I thought.
Look , he proposed something in line with that to MR. MR not only disagree but made him redundant by making him useless “Chief of Staff” and made him an enemy. This may be Gota’s choice but this was the beginning of big betrayal.
Actually this proposal of stronger army was very good. We should have used the money spent on war to make our forces even more lethal and modern. We should have continue to do so.
Again look at Singapore and learn than trying to find various excuses. Look at their military spending and compare with us. To survive against India this is essential. We could have been closer to USA as well while being more honest with China.
But we had this big lie “INDIA IS OUT RELATIVE” to fool ourselves. These are the political stupidness of MR.
He is our man. He is my man. We have to correct him like a father correcting Son. No point buying him lollies. This is our duty.
February 25th, 2016 at 8:28 pm
Fran,
“Constitutional Rights to participate in elections in Lanka by members of the Armed Forces after a War in Lanka, have to be amended.”
NO WAY!
How can you INFRINGE the rights of armed forces personnel after doing so much for the country?
It is DISCRIMINATORY.
Even LTTE Karuna Amman, Pillayan, EPDP douglas can contest elections but SL armed forces people cannot contest elections!! Outrageous.
“as there would have been no Armed Forces to act against the LTTE if not for MR’s leadership.”
NOT TRUE. We had armed forces even before MR was born. The first local general was an Endian Tamil Christian.
We fully APPRECIATE MR’s leadership during the war. But it is wrong to say there would have been no Armed Forces to act against the LTTE if not for MR’s leadership.
February 25th, 2016 at 8:34 pm
I invite all patriots to read LLRC report fully, once again, as a lot of situation change has taken place since first release.
Reading it, it sounds like CBK prepared it. Everything is written ignoring fact that Sinhalaya has suffered even more than a handful of Tamils ( compare to population). Everything is against us. All our mistake.
I don’t understand how on this earth ANY patriot agree to fulfil these recommendation in 1 year. I didn’t even see any opposition to it. It means Sinhalaya has been drawn down to pre-Ranil era , when they voted for Rani thinking “let the Tamils have the north , we don’t go there anyway”.
Let us thank Dr Sudath Gunasekara for timely article again. there are many Sudath’s working in key positions who were sacked in 2009-2014 period due to not listening to politicians , unable to justify themselves that they are not doing wrong. Country paid heavily for that too.
Under the blunders, Sudath probably forgot the Environmental damage done trying to satisfy Muslims and “quick money seekers”. Vilpattu and Sinharaja rape is his legacy.
Anyway, let bygones be bygones and fight LLRC now to regain the advantages completely lost by Sinhalaya due to these blunders.
Fight against LLRC must be declared open right now without delay.
February 25th, 2016 at 9:19 pm
Without any argument or doubt we must accept MR was the best President we had in our country. Not only he stopped the dirty war of thirty years but develop the country as well where no other Govt has done. When other previous leaders played games with the war MR promised the nation that he will somehow stop the bloodshed and he did it very wisely and for the astonishment of all people around the world. What he did was enough for me and for millions of our citizens. We breathe today freely because of him. I feel sad and angry when I see these dirty leaders and this Govt treats this great leader.He deserves more respect than this.
Past is past.I agree with every word of Dr. Sudath but we must all protect this great leader from all evil individuals and evil minds for the sake of our beloved nation as he is the only brave Sinhala leader we have who can answer even the devil in all three languages. Let’s join together to defeat the evil Regime of Hitan and Run-nil and bring real peace to the country we love so much.
February 25th, 2016 at 10:06 pm
Sudath, This is the part that very many leave out: What has Palestinians to our mother land? What made him submit the Palestinian state at the UN when he was warned by the CIA and FBI not to do so? His secretariat was full of cronies. Example; Vass Gunawrdena? When he came back from UK he brought with him Vass and came out of the air port with him! where is Vass now. He and his wife is now giving evidence against MR and they got Special task force protection. What has ABBS done to mother Lanka and why does this Markkalaya was is so important to MR. I might be naïve, but as a politician one must know how to discard unwanted politicians when they present a problem. Obama the Muslim got him out in a heart beat. Never go against US state department. Sinhala Buddhist link to Israel start at the time of Gotham Buddha. So why attempt to create a separate state for Marrakalays by him self?
February 26th, 2016 at 2:10 am
I agree with most of what Gunasekara writes in his artiocle. I am with Fran Diaz, and Susantha. Lorenzo has his own Agenda which he clouds with lots of” yes I agree” “no but” etc to blur the good image of MR.
February 26th, 2016 at 3:53 am
Holding the NPC and NEP council elections – first step to 13 (13 + 0.000001 ) plus but as usual some thnig stopped since 1948 all our Head of states to solve our Only one problem .
let’s see when MS will stop …..
February 26th, 2016 at 4:10 am
Another mistake MR did was not adopting Sirimavo administration economic policies (at least partially). He continued the policy of importing luxuries (such as duty free cars) for educated and politicos who contribute nothing to the economy (using the meager dollars earned by blue collar workers like housemaids and farmers). The blue collar families rescued us from terrorism by sacrificing their sons and daughters and alas they continue to shoulder our poor subsistence economy while our 80 years old higher education system has contributed nothing to our economy. Unless the professionals (without depending on blue colar worker productivity) step in to develop a knowledge based economy SL will always be at the mercy of its donors
February 26th, 2016 at 4:17 am
Something caught in a drag net of trawler:
Namaste: The 2015 Sri Lankan Presidential election: How it happened? What it means for Sri Lanka? What it means for Indian Empire (Indian Union & its colonies)?
How it happened? Another Indian job. The former President called an early election. The Indian imperialists (Indian Union) were ready to correct its mistake in 2005 when it backed Mahinda Rajapaksa over Ranil Wickramasinge. Then, Indian imperialists advised Indian block vote in the island to abstain from voting. The reason for the preference was Indian imperialists thought it will be easier to negotiate with Mahinda an unknown matter for India. When profiling Mahinda they did not take in to account his brothers, in particular Gotabaya who was in the US at that time. Unfortunately for India, Mahinda did not follow Indian directions as former Sri Lankan leaders did since 1956. In 2010 India enrolled General Sarath Fonseka as a presidential candidate against Mahinda and failed. So behind the scene as Indian imperialist always do they were planning for years and had got former governor Chandrika Bandaranayake-Kumaranatunge to do the job and succeeded with doing a repeat of what India did with her father Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranayake in 1951. India did not have to wait for four year this time. India managed to divide the non-Indian vote and got the Indian block vote for Maithripala Sirisena the new governor of Sri Lanka who may be the proxy for the real governor Chandrika.
What it means for Sri Lanka? Nothing much. It will be the same as what the island nation had from 1956 to 2005 and before from 1792 to 1948. The Indian minority will run the country with the privileges they enjoyed since their arrival under the cover of the British fire power and their own nonviolent aggression and oppression. They will claim they are the victims of Majority Chauvinists; the same claim that they make in other colonies from Fiji to Guyana. For example; finance and justice; most important ingredients in the world and heads of these two institutions in the island now are from the victimized minority and one of them has been brought from another colony.
What it means for the Indian Empire? It means a lot to the Indian Empire. The former partner of the British-Indian Empire from Fiji to Guyana that is all former tropical colonies of the British-Indian Empire. India lost its control over the island nation since 2005 as the new government of the island nation managed to wipe out the Indian terrorist arm; trained, armed, financed, managed and branded Tamil !Tigers by India. Since the election of the new governor Indian cars and food have become cheaper with reduced tax on Indian products. Indian Imperialists have already indicated massive investments and projects in all sectors of the economy. This will not be a hard act as the island nation’s economy has been in their hands for more than two centuries and the business language in the country is an Indian language spoken by more than 75 million of them in India. The wealthiest in the island are Indian though their wealth is not stored in the island but most of it in India. Reclaiming the control over the island nation will supplement its control over the Indian Ocean and Indian Ocean countries. With its unchallenged military power; with ICBMs, Aircraft Carriers, Nuke Subs, Nuke (Peace) bombs and purchase of hundred billion dollars’ worth of military hardware the island nation provides the best step with Mauritius a third State of India to lay a drag line across the Indian Ocean.
Jai Hind. Contact: xyceliao@gmail.com
• Namaste: He has put the foundation with the coming out of the Empire, the Indian Empire after the collapse of the British-Indian Empire. The defense spending has more than quadrupled (relative to A$ etc.) and armament production and research been privatized. The Gujarat model has been implemented in other States like the English Spencers did in Ireland in the days gone by. Acquisition of land occupied by the untouchables and Aborigines and giving it to Patels and Singhs. No compensations paid under old British Ordinances. (there has been some changes lately). Untouchables and Aborigines are butchered in thousands calling them Maoists. The latest are Chathththrigarth in April-May and India-Burma border in July. Villagers are butchered in the middle of the night while they are sleeping dead. No prosecution of the Central Specialist forces under another British Ordinance. Human rights orgs of the West are dead silent thanks to Indian Rupees and Indian imperialists working in these organizations and the UN etc. Chai Wallah is fulfilling the dreams of RSS. Jai Hind
Namaste: The 2015 Sri Lankan Presidential election: How it happened? What it means for Sri Lanka? What it means for Indian Empire (Indian Union & its colonies)? What it means for Australia?
How it happened? Another Indian job. The former President called an early election. The Indian imperialists (India) were ready to correct its mistake in 2005 when it backed Mahinda Rajapaksa over Ranil Wickramasinge. Then, Indian imperialists advised Indian block vote in the island to abstain from voting. The reason for the preference was Indian imperialists thought it will be easier to negotiate with Mahinda an unknown matter for India. Unfortunately for India, Mahinda did not follow Indian directions as former Sri Lankan leaders did since 1956. In 2010 India enrolled General Sarath Fonseka as a presidential candidate against Mahinda and failed. So behind the scene as Indian imperialist always do they were planning for years and got former governor Chandrika Bandaranayake-Kumaranatunge to do the job and succeeded with doing a repeat of what India did with her father Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranayake in 1951. India did not have to wait for four year this time. India managed to divide the non-Indian vote and got the Indian block vote for Maithripala Sirisena the new governor of Sri Lanka who may be the proxy for the real governor Chandrika.
What it means for Sri Lanka? Nothing much. It will be the same as what the island nation had from 1956 to 2005 and before from 1792 to 1948. The Indian minority will run the country with the privileges they enjoyed since their arrival under the cover of the British fire power and their own nonviolent aggression and oppression. They will claim they are the victims of Majority Chauvinists; the same claim that they make in other colonies from Fiji to Guyana. For example; finance and justice; most important ingredients in the world and heads of these two institutions in the island now are from the victimized minority and one of them has been brought from another colony.
What it means for the Indian Empire? It means a lot to the Indian Empire. The former partner of the British-Indian Empire from Fiji to Guyana that is all former tropical colonies of the British-Indian Empire. India lost its control over the island nation since 2005 as the new government of the island nation managed to wipe out the Indian terrorist arm; trained, armed, financed, managed and branded Tamil !Tigers by India. Since the election of the new governor Indian cars and food have become cheaper with reduced tax on Indian products. Indian Imperialists have already indicated massive investments and projects in all sectors of the economy. This will not be a hard act as the island nation’s economy has been in their hands for more than two centuries and the business language in the country is an Indian language spoken by more than 75 million of them in India. The wealthiest in the island are Indian though their wealth is not stored in the island but most of it in India. Reclaiming the control over the island nation will supplement its control over the Indian Ocean and Indian Ocean countries. With its unchallenged military power; with ICBMs, Aircraft Carriers, Nuke Subs, Nuke (Peace) bombs and purchase of hundred billion dollars’ worth of military hardware the island nation provides the best step with Mauritius a third State of India to lay a drag line across the Indian Ocean.
What it means for Australia? Hell of a lot. Most of the new Australians came through Ceylon (Sri Lanka) before the jet lag. So the island is a very important piece of land for Australia as it lies in the Indian Ocean where the back side of Australia is. India has already started attacking Australia by getting appointed Prime Minister of the island to criticize the Prime Minister and the former Minister of Immigration and Border Protection of Australia. This is the first time I have heard a Sri Lankan leader blame Australia for its own decisions. I see India controlling Australia like it does in in UK, USA and Canada. Jai Hind. Contact: xyceliao@gmail.com
• Will the Indian PM Fulfill His Potential or Squander It?
• Namaste: He has put the foundation with the coming out of the Empire, the Indian Empire after the collapse of the British-Indian Empire. The defense spending has more than quadrupled (relative to A$ etc.) and armament production and research been privatized. The Gujarat model has been implemented in other States like the English Spencers did in Ireland in the days gone by. Acquisition of land occupied by the untouchables and Aborigines and giving it to Patels and Singhs. No compensations paid under old British Ordinances. (there has been some changes lately). Untouchables and Aborigines are butchered in thousands calling them Maoists. The latest are Chathththrigarth in April-May and India-Burma border in July. Villagers are butchered in the middle of the night while they are sleeping dead. No prosecution of the Central Specialist forces under another British Ordinance. Human rights orgs of the West are dead silent thanks to Indian Rupees and Indian imperialists working in these organizations and the UN etc. Chai Wallah is fulfilling the dreams of RSS. Jai Hind
February 26th, 2016 at 7:38 am
Lorenzo,
If you read. my notes carefully, you will see that I am requesting that through the Law a TIME PERIOD (such as 7yrs) MUST elapse before Army personnel who have been in a WAR are allowed to take part in govt Elections.
Otherwise, a country runs the risk of having Army personnel with PTSD taking part in Elections. That is a very dangerous for the citizens of that country.
———
Dham,
I myself read that then Gen Fonseka made such a statement about raising a huge army and taking on INDIA. It is no lie. I am sure others read the same news item at that time. It was made just before or after 2010 Pres elections. Likely he was very wound up at that time, but nevertheless he said that.
Not only “devout Buddhists”, others too ought not to lie. Spouting Buddhism doth not a good Buddhist make …. practice of simple Buddhist Truths makes a Good Buddhist. I am suspicious of those who ‘spout Buddhism’ and does or thinks contrary to the Teachings of the Buddha.
Btw, over 22,000 Tamils are now said to be Buddhists in Lanka (recent news item). One wonders HOW Tamils convert to Buddhism and what sort of Buddhists they do become in Lanka. They have every right to be Buddhists, but we wonder why the sudden conversions, and again, how the converson happened and what sort of Buddhists they are.
Another news item stated some months ago stated that there is a TAMIL Buddhist Assoc in Jaffna.
———
Dear Charles,
With you.
February 26th, 2016 at 3:11 pm
Fran,
7 years? NO WAY!
ALL armed forces persons MUST have the right to contest any election after leaving the job.
How about KARUNA, DOUGLAS, PILLAYAN? They remained PARAMILITARY group leaders and MPs and ministers or PC Councillors.
What you say is DISCRIMINATION against the army.
Charles,
My agenda is SL, NOT a person.
Without fighting in dark, lets all READ THE LLRC REPORT in full and then discuss. The discrimination against SINGHALESE and MUSLIMS in the LLRC report is SHOCKING.
February 26th, 2016 at 4:06 pm
Fran,
Someone who believes news from only rogue media, will not be able to prove any evidence because that evidence will be vanished in couple of years. It is a lie, but not from you , I admit and my apologies.
Fonseka did not say so. But a strong army is deterrent to Indian invasion. For you Indians are big. Not for me, knowing that Premadasa+LLTE have already beaten them.
Anyway, what Foneseka proposed was good for the country.
February 26th, 2016 at 7:49 pm
So much has been said about the LLRC report. It is not pro-Sri Lankan prema facie but a detailed analysis has to be done to decide its suitability for political policy. The report is over 300 pages.
February 26th, 2016 at 8:07 pm
Dham,
It was not rogue media at all. It was the popular press that reported the news. It was a short write up. If I recall exactly where it was so reported, I will write it in. No need to apologise. I can see you misunderstood me. Thank you.
I think at that time Gen Fonseka may have suffered from PTSD. He has probably recovered now.
Re India :
*. Indian is big on the spiritual path (Buddha, Ram, Krishna and even Jesus is supposed to have lived in North India), dress materials, various dances, songs & instrumental music, delicious food, etc. but VERY LOW with the CASTE SYSEM, which spoils everything good that India offers the world. I am hoping that their Caste Systems will be done away with through Development in India. I hope there will be a truly trustworthy friendship between Lanka & India in the future – sooner rather than later.
*. I hope that killing of Maoists will stop with the 100 Smart Cities getting off the ground, again sooner rather than later.
*. I also hope that INDIAN interference in Sri Lanka’s internal matters will STOP ON A FOREVER BASIS.
I agree with you that a strong Army in Lanka is needed for all times. Also, training of ordinary citizens as a stand by civil army as in Switzerland. I have written these points so many times to these columns – may be you have not read those entries. SECURITY MUST BE THE TOP CONCERN.
*. Along with Security through the armed forces of Lanka, the Laws must be in place to protect Lanka & citizens. The latter is lax – as we can see the 6-A has never been implemented due to Indian interference.
*. During Cold War times INDIA TRAINED THE LTTE and IMPOSED THE 13-A on the JRJ govt.
I have written these in many times.
At present, INDIA is being used also by other foreign countries to wag Lanka. Lanka is not allowed to grow on its own, at a pace and manner suited to our culture here.
What should Lanka do ? Negotiate a deal (INDIA/UN/LANKA) where INDIA’s Security issues are never threatened through Lanka . If you can think of any other ideas, please do write in.
—————
Lorenzo,
I am not the Lawmaker to decide when Army personnel can contest elections !! It is up to the govt lawmakers to decide when army personnel can contest elections after a WAR. It is the WAR factor that we are concerned with here, as WAR brings PTSD and other mental conditions not conducive to what a poltician would have to deal with in peace times.
Now that the WAR is finished in Lanka, it is up to Lanka Lawmakers to give the thumbs up or not, and regulate the whole process through the Law.
Re Army rule that you refer to :
Army rule in Burma did not work out as the west put strong sanctions to break up Army rule there. The country became impoverished. Now the situation has changed, as Aung Suu Kyi has been released and has won elections to suit the west. She was married to a British citizen. Note : Burma was under British rule, same as Lanka.
February 26th, 2016 at 8:14 pm
Dilrook,
It is sufficient to read the recommendations sections.
There is a section dedicated to “Concerns relating to the Muslim Community in North and East” but there is no section dedicated to Sinhalas in North and East.
There is a small section ” Grievances of Sinhalese in Villages Adjacent to Former Conflict Areas” but looks like no one lived inside LTTE. This is in support of “Tamil Nijabhumi” lie.