Rajapaksa is walking into a huge trap
Posted on July 24th, 2017
THE WAY AHEAD FOR SRI LANKA
The recent silence from Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Joint Opposition grouping regarding present disasters going on in the country is very disturbing. Dengue, garbage, economic collapse, and student strikes are doing untold damage. Uprisings and haarthals in the north and east are weakening the state.
And more importantly the emergency of the upcoming fake war crimes” witch-hunt that the Sirisena-Ranil regime is about to start, targeting the war heroes who fought and died to save the country from the world’s most deadly Tamil terrorist killer group, should concern any right thinking citizen.
Rajapaksa is also adamantly staying as part of the committee that is creating a new, foreign-written constitution for the country.
Does he not realize that the purpose of the new constitution is precisely to lay the foundation for a foreign and minority-extremist dominated government? One in which Sri Lanka is returned to colony status? One in which he and his entire family are classed as war criminals?
The impending war crimes witch-hunt is going to destroy the military and tarnish the image of Sri Lanka.
Mahinda’s attitude however is that he couldn’t care less. Watch here how he grins and laughs without a care in the world, as he stubbornly stays within the constitutional committee:
Does he not realise that in any war crimes investigation, ultimately it is the political leaders of the country who bear most responsibility. If war crimes” occur in any country, those who are punished hardest and most severely will be the leaders of that country.
Mahinda and Gotabhaya Rajapaksa will be turned into international pariahs and will be taken to Europe for their trial” and punishment. They will receive life-long sentences and will never be able to set foot in Sri Lanka again.
Furthermore, the entire Rajapaksa family will be branded as criminals and never allowed to take part in the political field or any other civic activity.
After winning the war and being rightly rewarded with a second term and a two-thirds majority in parliament, Rajapaksa literally went mad with power. He surrounded himself with sycophants, suck-ups and political degenerates. He embraced thugs and protected them, released murderers from prison for New Year, and paid for criminals to be treated abroad.
He cast aside anyone with intelligence or decency as soon as the most immediate use for them was over (Dayan Jayatilleka, Tamara Kunanayakam). He never listened to sound advice. He never stood for principles, but thought he could shape” anyone and everyone, in Sri Lanka and abroad.
All this shows that he took the job of governing to be a huge joke. He took power for granted, and thought he could play the role of magnanimous king.
He intervened to help his nemesis Ranil keep hold of power in the UNP – Ranil repaid him by helping the jealous Sirisena take over the SLFP and eject Rajapaksa from the party. He held a snap election to please the Pope – when the Pope arrived, Rajapaksa was out of power and facing arrest.
With the aim of pleasing his children, he held night-races in Kandy – now his children spend nights in rotten jails. He didn’t ban Facebook even as it was filled with opposition and terrorist-created lies and rumors about him and his family – now he posts the odd message to social media, never knowing when his civic rights will be removed.
The foolish things, the stupid things, and the outright wrong things Rajapaksa did during his time in power finally came back to haunt him.
If he had stood firm against foreign meddling in the country, by shutting down NGOs, regulating the salacious press, prosecuting those like Ravi, Laxman, and Mangala who denigrated the war effort in parliament during the war and who spread filth about war crimes” after the war, and if he created a lawful and just society, he would have won not just a third term but also a fourth, fifth and sixth term.
Now he has come out of the hole he himself made, thanks to the steadfastness and political skill of principled politicians like Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila. The success of the Joint Opposition May Day rally 2017 showed him that he still has huge appeal among the masses, definitely more than in 2015 and perhaps almost as much support as in 2009 after the war victory.
However a May Day rally is not the same as an election win. But the crowd size on the one hand and the total incompentence of the Sirisena-Ranil regime on the other hand has again activated the same big-headedness and over-confidence which doomed Rajapaksa in 2014.
He is taking part in the constitutional committee which will call for a war crimes” tribunal. When he is hauled up before it, and when Rajapksa complains, Sirisena will smugly say well you agreed to this because you were on the committee that proposed it”.
Rajapaksa thinks that he can take part in the committee and then just not vote for it in parliament. But Sirisena will say correctly, that it is hypocritical to take part in the constitution writing committee and then to reject it at the vote. Sirisena will say that Rajapaksa is trying to score political points and isn’t interested in the country’s future.
If Mahinda cannot figure out these elementary truths, Mahinda’s son Namal Rajapaksa as a parliamentarian and lawyer educated abroad should be able to. He should be guiding his father who is stuck in the past and unable to get with the times. He should tell his father that the political landscape has changed, that the old tricks and crossovers and other third-world political games will not work now. He should tell his father that once the constitution process and fake war crimes” investigations begin, it will only end with their entire family in jail.
Alas, he too is blindly following his father into the even deeper hole that is right next to the first hole that Rajapaksa just crawled out of.
Let these words be well remembered: Continuing to take part in the constitutional committee, and not taking to the streets now to denounce this new imperialist constitution and the war crimes” witch-hunt, is a mistake even greater than the combined idiocy of 1.) keeping Sirisena as the SLFP general secretary for ten years and 2.) of not cancelling the presidential election the moment Sirisena emerged as the Common Candidate.
The only way to navigate the dungeon that Rajapaksa has put himself and his family in is to stand up for the principles of no foreign interference in the country, and no fake war crimes” witch-hunts. This can be summed up as standing for national sovereignty.
Stand up for national sovereignty now, before it is too late for you, your family, for our innocent war heroes and for our entire Nation.
July 24th, 2017 at 6:39 pm
Who wrote this article? EXCELLENT!
I wish MR will read this and CORRECT. Otherwise it is GAME OVER for Rajapakshas. Voters are NOT forgiving.
But you must understand the TRAP MR is in. IF they open their mouth they are GONE. Sirisena gets them. So they HAVE to shut up.
July 24th, 2017 at 6:40 pm
I’m travelling all over for my research. No time to visit LW.
TRUE. MR, GR and JO are careless about the plight of SL and the people. They are ANGRY people didn’t elect them and SCARED of Sira.
Please read SUGEESWARA’s article here. He is Sira’s advisor. He says ALL parties support the new constitution. HE IS RIGHT! May be WW’s party is the ONLY one opposed.
Sira uses THREATS to silence opponents. We DO NOT have BOLD politicians. ALL are cowards. WW left JO because he knows Sira will NEVER accept him. ALL SLFP MPs beg Sira for ministries. Others also want ministries. UNP is scared Sira will take their ministries, TNA is scared Sira will take opposition leader post and JVP is scared MR will NOT be punished.
So they all support Sira!
July 24th, 2017 at 8:38 pm
The way ahead for Sri Lanka? A load of codswallop. The person who wrote this does not know enough Sinhala to understand what the speakers including MR are saying in the video inserted. There is no split between the NFF and the other parties in the JO. WW’s ‘departure’ is a strategic move to which everybody in the JO agreed in pursuit of a common goal. The common goal is to stop the disastrous schemes hatched by the foreign installed yahapalana puppet regime. The writer of the piece is a hater of MR. Lorenzo could be serious (that is, not joking) when he says “He is Sira’s advisor”.
July 24th, 2017 at 10:15 pm
We may see more and more of this style cunning articles in the coming months, specially closer to an election.
According to this article:
1. MR (Quote) “doesn’t care about the country” (trying to create what mindset among people?)
2. (quote) “Rajapaksa literally went mad with power. He surrounded himself with sycophants, suck-ups and political degenerates. (surprisingly the has absolutely nothing to say about the current government)
3. (quote) “He embraced thugs and protected them, released murderers from prison for New Year, and paid for criminals to be treated abroad.” (again no proof is necessary for the author-repeat “Gobels” of 2015)
4. MR did (quote)”foolish things, the stupid things, and the outright wrong things” (so why does he want MR again?)
5. MR disliked both (quote)”Dayan Jayatillake and Tamara Kunanayakam. He never listened to sound advice. He never stood for principles, but thought he could shape” anyone and everyone” (trying a wedge between MR and Dayan etc, also if MR never stood for principles, who did?)
6. MR (quote) “took the job of governing to be a huge joke. He took power for granted” (trying to create what mindset among people?)
7. (Quote) “He held a snap election to please the Pope” – (can anyone make sense of this one ? may be to split Buddhist supporters of MR)
8. (Quote) “With the aim of pleasing his children, he held night-races in Kandy” (Did MR organize night races? why is he then go on to praise Namal?
You may now see the pattern and the hidden intention? Or is he playing the foolish monkey with the sword to protect the king from flies?
These types of articles are disguised as friends of MR and the people and the war heroes but in fact is a work of true enemies of the country, unless the writer is foolish enough to think by openly blaming someone with “blatant lies” will attract more votes to the person subjected to the blaming.
This article is simply aimed at dividing JO and create antipathy among people towards Mahinda. When that happens JO and Mahinda supporters will split, creating a clear path for the anti Sri Lanka, anti-Sinhalese forces. It also aims at driving a wedge between the members of the MR family too.
At how many places has this article highlighted the failures and grand thefts, and lies by Ranil-Rajitha-Chndrika-Mangal-Ravi clan? Absolutely none.
Reading the whole article one can see it is all about repeating the similar lies about MR during the 2015 election, of which absolutely none of them were proved. It is creating a type of “soft” suspicion in people’s minds. However it cleverly pretends to be “pro-Mahinda” to an unsuspecting reader.
If the writer of this article hates Mahinda for so called deeds by MR, then he should vote against MR and suffer for a little longer.
July 25th, 2017 at 12:31 am
Rajapaksa is walking into a huge trap ?
Fine with me, as long as he doen’t drag Sri Lanka with him.
July 25th, 2017 at 12:38 am
Vaisrawana,
I was referring to SUGEESWARA. Not to the writer of this. No name is given.
He is PATRIOTIC.
Wetta,
The world is NOT DIVIDED into pro-MR and anti-MR. People have problems. ANYONE who can solve them gets their vote. MR has to show he is the man to SOLVE them.
When MR called an early ELECTION some people around MR were VERY HAPPY. IF anyone said NO he would have been labelled a TRAITOR. Look what happened.
A GOOD FRIEND will not say YES to SELF HARM. He says NO. This writer seems to be a GOOD FRIEND of MR. That is why he has WARNED MR of the danger.
Sira will PASS the new FEDERAL constitution and say MR was ALSO in the CONSTITUTION ASS-EMBLY!! Then what?
July 25th, 2017 at 12:46 am
IF a group commits MURDER everyone in that group is LIABLE for it. NO NEED to actually KILL. Everyone in CONSTITUTION ASSEMBLY is participant in MURDER of SL.
Future generations will CURSE all 220 of them.
Our CONSTITUTION ASSEMBLY is a den of CROOKS led by that CUNNING UNPATRIOTIC EVIL WOMAN with NO LOVE for SL. NO good person can SURVIVE there.
MR should take the JO and LEAVE that dirt. MR can still remain in SLFP.
July 25th, 2017 at 7:47 am
If not for MR most of the critics of MR would not be around due to LTTE take over of Lanka.
MR knows what he is doing. That’s it.
What we need is high PATRIOTISM in Lanka.
Ever since Colonisation of nearly 500 yrs, the Cold War period and Tamil Caste Wars tied to Cold War parties, Lanka has a dearth of PATRIOTISM.
Someone in the Red Cross or a NGO said during the war years with the LTTE, that not even Jesus or Buddha can bring peace to the Hearts of Tamils !
The only alternative is that for Tamils to find true Happiness, they themselves must turn to their own Inner Peace within them through Meditation, and discover their God Within.
It is the same for us all.
Able and sincere politicians such as MR and the PATRIOTS of LANKA can provide the infrasturcture necessary for ALL to live in Peace & Security.
No one can open our mouths and pour Joy & Happiness into us – that is the Way Nature Made Us All. !!
QED.
July 25th, 2017 at 7:48 am
Read as : “. … said that not even Jesus or Buddha … “.
July 25th, 2017 at 8:03 am
This author is a coward as he has not given his name. He is either a UNP supporter or a NGO. It is a shame that Lankaweb decided to publish it without an authors name. Shame on you.
July 25th, 2017 at 8:09 am
The only alternative is that for Tamils to find true Happiness, they themselves must turn to their own Inner Peace within them through Meditation, and discover their God Within.- ie change religion from Saivam to Bhuddism ???
Is not that too much you asking from your Damil Sakodarayas ??? may be building a wall between NEP and Sinhela Lanka is better & clever choice
July 25th, 2017 at 9:43 am
I tend to agree with LankaDon. Whoever writes anonymous cannot be trusted, and certainly not genuine. If the writer cares so much about the country, he or she should come out and write with a real identity, like many patriotic writers in this forum such as Shenali Waduge, Charles Perera, Ranjith Soyza, and many others.
Also, I think LankaWeb should double check and verify the writers and their contact info, when they register with Lankaweb. Otherwise, there will be so many unnamed writers will be using this forum to promote their agendas with so much misinformation, like the above ghost writer.
July 25th, 2017 at 2:24 pm
Meanwhile,
The YAMAPALANA Cabinet approved the long-term 99-year lease of Hambantota Port to the Chinese yesterday for a 1.12 billion USD payment by the Chinese.
This will be presented to Parliament for DEBATE ONLY, but NOT FOR APPROVAL by a VOTE, before being SIGNED INTO LAW next Saturday.
If the Parliament is responsible for ENACTING LAWS, why is it not necessary to be VOTED ON and only DEBATED? The Yamapalanaya wants to CIRCUMVENT the Parliamentary vote and sign the agreement before itruns into ORGANIZED OPPOSITION.
The agreement provides for ownership of slightly LESS than 50% by China of the Hambantota SERVICES Company, while 70% of the ownership of the Hambantota Port INFRASTRUCTURE Company will be LEASED to China for 99-years. Apparently, various BUY-BACK provisions to REDUCE the lease period from 75 to 65 years after 10-years, and even 100% after 60+ years are also part of the agreement.
The FAILURE by the Yamapalanaya to SECURE a MAJORITY STAKE in the INFRASTRUCTURE Company is VERY DESTRUCTIVE, and EXTREMELY AGONIZING to me, personally!
No one but a PARA-GATHI KALLIYA of RANK TRAITORS do things like this.
The TRADE UNIONS representing the Petroleum Workers have launched a STRIKE to PROTEST the ALIENATION of National ASSETS including the oil facilities at Trincomalee Port, and the looming lease of Hambantota Port to China.
Let us hope that MORE TRADE UNIONS, POLITICAL PARTIES and ORDINARY CITIZENS rush to JOIN the ONGOING PROTESTS!
…………………..
Sri Lanka government approves Hambantota Port deal with China
Tue, Jul 25, 2017, 08:44 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
July 25, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s government on Tuesday approved the deal to lease the loss-making Hambantota Port to a State-owned Chinese conglomerate for over a billion dollars.
Ports and Shipping Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said the Cabinet today granted final approval to sell a 70 percent stake in the strategic Hambantota port for US$1.12 billion to state-owned China Merchants Port Holdings.
Under the agreement, the Chinese will manage the port operations and Sri Lanka Navy will be in charge of port security.
According to the agreement the Port will be leased to the relevant company to carry out the operations. The government will also be a partner of the operations.
The Minister said the Hambanthota Port was a huge burden to the Port Authority due to continuous losses and paying loan installments borrowed for the port.
“Security of the port will not be given to anyone else. It will be handled 100 percent by Sri Lankans,” the Minister said. “That should allay fears that port could be misused by the Chinese.”
Hambantota port straddles the world’s busiest east-west international shipping lane across the Indian Ocean and some nations, especially India have raised concerns that it could become a military hub for the Chinese.
Minister Samarasinghe said foreign naval vessels could call at Hambantota as they did at the main port in the capital Colombo.
“We will not provide special treatment to any country. We want to maintain good relations with all and we don’t want to antagonize anyone,” Samarasinghe said.
“We don’t envisage giving special treatment to any one country like during the previous regime,” he said referring to a 2014 incident when two Chinese submarines called at Colombo – the only time any foreign submarines had stopped there.
The previous government took a $8 billion loan from the Chinese to build the port – a commercial failure which does not even generate enough revenue to pay staff salaries – and other infrastructure.
The new government, which came to power in January 2015, has been trying to renegotiate the terms of the loan. Samarasinghe said Hambantota port needed a fresh capital injection of $600 million to make it viable, but Colombo could not afford the investment and was banking on the Chinese to turn around the business.
According to new negotiations, China Merchants Port Holdings agreed to reduce its stake in the Sri Lankan joint venture running the commercial operations of the port from 70 percent to 65 percent after 10 years, the document says.
Minister Samarasinghe said the deal now needs to be approved by the parliament and it will be presented in parliament for approval on Friday. After debate in parliament it will be ratified, the Minister said.
July 25th, 2017 at 10:58 pm
Its because of writers of this artile that MR lost the election. Saying if he did this this and that he would have a 3rd and 4th term. Well MR is not perfect and we don’t live in a perfect world. There was only one choice in Jan 2015 and that was voting MR govt back in. The above article and similar types of journalism in the Sri Lankan media played a big part in MR’s defeat. That is they don’t focus on the over all good that MR’s govt brought to Sri Lanka 2005-2015. Instead focus on the negative aspects of the MR Govt. When election day came in Jan 2015. People forgot the over all good that MR govt was doing to Sri Lanka instead remembered journalism viewpoints like the above article which was a prevalent view and voted like wise.
July 26th, 2017 at 6:05 am
Sira attacking Run-nil in 2010.
Please give wide PUBLICITY.
“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1BybtQHHx0”
July 26th, 2017 at 5:08 pm
Kumar,
Discover your ‘God within’ through Raj Yoga (highest of Hindu Teachings).
July 27th, 2017 at 7:17 am
‘God within’ through Raj Yoga (highest of Hindu Teachings).- So Raj Yoga is Bhuddisum ???
July 28th, 2017 at 3:39 am
Kumar,
Raj Yoga & Buddhist Meditation are similar, to reach the same Goal. Both reach to the Great Within.
Find a true Teacher to show Raj Yoga. Good luck !
The Buddha said “Truth is Within You”. Here ‘Truth’ (with a capital ‘T’), is equivalent to God/Reality, etc. It is Self Realisation.
* Christ said “The Kingdom of Heaven is Within You”.
* The word Islam means “Peace” (Within You).
The Core Teachings are the same !
Ignorance of the true “Self” is our enemy.