The Caesar-Brutus play back in Sri Lanka Politics
Posted on July 24th, 2019

Mario Perera, Kadawata

BETRAYAL is the key word of the Sinhala history from time immemorial, from that of the Kings to the Diyawanna Oya assemblies.  Such betrayals facilitated foreign interference and foreign invasions of this country. Even during the Duttu Gemunu-Elara war, Sinhala Generals led Dravidian troops to battle, although Duttu Gemunu had clearly stated that his fight was for the Sinhala-Buddhist nation.

Examples of inmates of the royal houses plotting and overthrowing kings abound. The classical example is that of Dhatusena and Kassyapa. The tragic result of such intrigue within the palace was the grip or hold the Tamils had over parts of the country since the remotest times. Another element of alliances going wrong for the country were the inevitable need our kings had for South-Indian brides. That story which begins with Vijaya lasted up to the Kandyan Kingdom, paving the way for a Dravidian to sit on the sacrosanct Sinhala-Buddhist throne.

In more modern times, intrigue and betrayals among the Sinhala opened the gates for European domination of the island. Much has been written in these columns recently about Don Juan Dharmapala. Realistically that name must not be used to identify an individual. Countless Sinhala Don Juan Dharmapalas have left their mark on our history. While some stab in the back, yet others do so face to face. This latter phenomenon is called crossing over. Differently from the former this is a show of open defiance.  Both however are invariably done for personal gain. The attitude is always ME FIRST.

How many unpredicted cross-overs have brought down governments be it immediately or eventually? Think of SWRD and Rajapaske crossing over…of C.P.de Silva crossing over…Of Dahanayake crossing over….Think of more recent times when MPs of one party cross the aisle and even unashamedly cross back! Such somersaults was even done by Chandrika and Anura Bandaranayake, as well as the present speaker. Has the country benefitted from such stabbings, whether in the back or from front? The present situation of our country will provide the irrefutable answer.

The personality of Don Juan Dharmapala has endured over the millennia.  Some are even now continuing to don that personality – the personality that epitomizes dishonour, treachery, and betrayal. As regards Sinhala rulers, the word betrayal goes hand in hand with back-stabbing. An unbelievable number of our kings died at the hands of their kith and kin. In his clash with the Cardinal, Sirisena evokes his own past which is tainted with DISHONOUR. Betrayal by back stabbing is inalienably linked to DISHONOUR.

Evoking this theme brings to my mind the death of JULIUS CAESAR and its aftermath.  When his closest friend and confidant BRUTUS stabbed him, the words of reproach Caesar uttered were ones of powerlessness, desperation, and anguish: ET TU BRUTE. These three words summarize all that went through the mind and heart of Caesar at that unexpected moment. ET TU BRUTE…Can this be?  Caesar was asking himself. HOW CAN YOU…Brutus!

In his speech, standing over the dead body of Caesar, Marc Antony playing to crowd sentiments calls Brutus ‘honourable’. Brutus is an honorable man” he says. But the use of that word is sheer irony, as Antony is attempting to portray Brutus as ungrateful and treacherous, while adding ‘so are they allall honourable men’. The use of the word ‘honourable’ only highlights its utmost importance when attributed to rulers and lawmakers.  A modern Marc Antony playing to the gallery could well say with reference to Sirisena: Sirisena is an ‘honourable man’. So are they all, ‘all honourable men’, all standing to attention as the maze arrives and bowing to the Speaker (How nice and heart-warming!). Honourable? What honour for these backstabbing treacherous betrayers of Diyawanna-Oya.

Sirisena, replying to the Cardinal supports his claim of having a strong backbone, by referring to his dramatic act in 2015. But on that occasion did he act differently from Brutus as regards Caesar? The next morning when learning of what the modern Brutus did, Caesar Raja could well have said: ET TU SIRA!  If ever there was dishonor, betrayal and backstabbing, that was it – the crossover of Sira, after enjoying a wonderful dinner with Caesar Raja.

That night, whether restful or restless is anyone’s guess, Sira dreamt of the day at hand when he would occupy the seat of Raja, but not through his own power and popularity. He would do so with the help of others, accomplices of dishonor, betrayal and backstabbing. Yes Sira, as Marc Antony so ironically said: you are an honourable man…so are they all, all who were accomplices of your dishonor, on both sides of the aisle. Such is the nature of the strong back bone you lay claim to.

And later, as is the nature of backstabbers, he would turn against his saviours and redeemers, the ones who lifted him on their shoulders and placed him on that high seat of power. But those who promote backstabbing cannot claim immunity from being backstabbed. After the betrayal and backstabbing of Raja, Sirisena continued on his merry way betraying and backstabbing Ranil, and that after repeated violations of the Constitution which he swore to protect and uphold. How can any man, leave alone the President of a country with an age old culture and civilization, equate such shamelessness with a strong backbone? ‘O Judgment ! Thou art fled to brutish beasts, and men have lost their reason’.

Sirisena, if you really have the strong backbone you claim to have, you still have a chance to prove it: present yourself for re-election. With the strong backbone you profess to have you can dare do so. But for all your strong backbone talk you know you are doomed to fail, that your days are numbered. The writing is already on the wall.

But you still have a chance of showing your remorse for your dishonourable, shameful, cowardly, treacherous, backstabbing past. Stop overturning your shit bucket on your head by referring to your strong backbone, and just do as the Cardinal told you. Just GO. That applies to all the other ‘honourable men’ so dishonourably connected to your story. Just GO.

Mario Perera, Kadawata

7 Responses to “The Caesar-Brutus play back in Sri Lanka Politics”

  1. dhane Says:

    Excellent article. Yes Sira, you really have the strong backbone you claim to have, you still have a chance to prove it: present yourself for re-election. With the strong backbone you profess to have you can dare do so if can get at least 70,000 votes this theory applies to Ranil as well as he always cover himself behind common candidate. Now Ranil looking 3rd Common Candidate but shameless UNPers still regard he is their Boss. As the Cardinal told Sira had already overturned his shit hat on his head. Just GO both of the. Just GO

  2. aloy Says:

    Are we not missing the wood for the tree when we say ‘Just Go’ to two or three people. It is the whole system at fault here.

    When every thing points out to those who are involved in the crime, we find a situation that the CID top brass ( who have been put there to ensure safety of people) telling the courts and parliament that they do not find any culprit behind the plot.

    And the learned judges want another set of volumes (usually carried by black coated gentry) to be presented to them on another distant date why the rogue Mahendran should be indited. Just imagine this is happening after four and a half years the crime has been committed and volumes had been painstakingly produced by the judges themselves.

    My wish is for a courageous man like Flight Lt. Gerry Rowling of Ghana (in 80s) to come forward and end the misery of people of Sri Lanka. The politicos and those in the system will behave well for some time after that. I have written about this before and I am writing it again as it seems to me as the solution.

  3. Dilrook Says:

    Yes; if Sirisena has a backbone he must contest the presidential election.

    I bet he cannot because he doesn’t have a backbone.

  4. Naram Says:

    Well said Mario, but there may be more tricks up the sleeve of our magicians of RW ilk.

    How the new police top brass are spinning the story to protect the suspect Kurunegala medic I saw by one witness’ vague reference at Parliamentary select committee hearing. He placed low value on the complaint from the Hospital Director as unreliable citing he is a Dentist. Simply why should a Policema questiona the veracity of a submission based on complaints from nearly 1000 mothers questioning the qualifications of the local head of an institution.

    The alleged unethical /criminal practices reported and submitted to the higher authority is an administrative function, and the investigation to be conducted should necessarily be carried out by the specialists with proper facilities. I do not put it beyond the wit of Professionals to investigate inner organs of complainants and compare that with a sample of mothers, including the volunteering satisfied mothers of all religions of the district for comparison.

    The Police force have not proven their ability so far in conducting the terririst organisation for bomb making equipment procurement and training. They should not have a hand in the medical matters of appointment of personnel and method of investigation of an unethical unlawful medical practice.

  5. DR M D P DISSANAYAKE Says:

    Well said Mario.
    Problem is with our Sinhalese. They forget the past too soon. Just imagine GR become President. Even during first 100 days, all defeated political groupings will create a massive anti GR/MR campaign. Sinhalese will forget Ranil/Maithee past very soon.

    I am not sure if our Sinhalese have learnt the lessons so far sufficiently, they can be easily fooled.

  6. aloy Says:

    Let me quote what Naram wrote above:

    “Well said Mario, but there may be more tricks up the sleeve of our magicians of RW ilk.”

    Not withstanding what Mario said in this thread about intrigues in Sinhela royal families that he discredit (which are common occurrences even in British royalty) this may perhaps be an attempt by our man to remain the PM via tribal politics. They are now portraying Sajith as the heir apparent for the worthless presidents post and try and get the entire Catholics of Sinhala and Tamil communities to back him. His father got the JVP to support him in the election which he won with a racer thin majority of only 25,000 votes and got him declared (with the help of then election commissioner who was another parasite) immediately as the winner despite large scale election malpractices.

    If not what was the reason for only Sajith to be there from the government side at the consecration of the church at Negombo?.

  7. Ananda-USA Says:

    TODAY, Dr. Jayampath Wickramaratne, the proud architect of the 19th Amendment, declared in Parliament that the 19th Amendment is VERY BAD, FAR WORSE than they EVER IMAGINED!

    We are GLAD that even at this LATE STAGE of DESTRUCTYION of Sri Lanka under the 19th Amendmenty that fueled the Yamapalanaya, he is WILLING TO FINALLY ACKNOWLEDGE what has OBVIOUS TO MOST PATRIOTS from the very inception of the 19th Amendment.

    What we had been PREACHING about the DANGERS of SPLITTING THE EXECUTIVE in TWO, this ARCHITECT of the 19th Amendment SEES ONLY NOW!

    But, he uses the DEBACLE WROUGHT by the 19th Amendment to his ADVANTAGE to ADVOCATE the ELIMINATION of the Presidency!

    INSTEAD, we PATRIOTIC Sri Lankans want the Prime Minister’s Position to be Eliminated, and the EXECUTIVE PRESIDENCY RESTORED to its original Strength, and STRENGTHENED EVEN FURTHER to give Sri Lanka IRON-CLAD STABILITY and PROTECTION.

    BTW, Asath Salley today DEFENDED the Sharia Law, and said they .. the ALL POWERFUL MUslims of Sri Lanka … will not ALLOW the ERADICATION of Sharia Law from Sri Lanka!

    Asath Salley is feeling his OATS and is feeling ALL POWERFUL right now, but We will see about that, soon!

    We will make him EAT HIS OWN WORDS from behind the BARS of the WELIKADA Prison!

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