{"id":93957,"date":"2019-10-16T16:19:12","date_gmt":"2019-10-16T23:19:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=93957"},"modified":"2019-10-16T16:19:12","modified_gmt":"2019-10-16T23:19:12","slug":"yahapalana-as-a-puppet-regime-part-13-c","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2019\/10\/16\/yahapalana-as-a-puppet-regime-part-13-c\/","title":{"rendered":"YAHAPALANA AS A PUPPET REGIME Part 13 (C)"},"content":{"rendered":"

KAMALIKA PIERIS<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

This essay\ncontains snippets of information on Mangala Samaraweera and Ranil\nWickremesinghe, taken from the media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MANGALA SAMARAWEERA<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Journalists\nbased in Washington and New York have noted that, from the time Mangala Samaraweera\nassumed office as Foreign affairs minister, \nhe has taken upon himself to denigrate the previous leadership of the\ncountry before his Western counterparts, sometimes embellished with\nunsubstantiated tall yarns, perhaps in the naive and forlorn belief that his\npopularity among them would be enhanced. (One recalls his tales of the\nRajapaksas siphoning off $50 billion to foreign tax havens or Mahinda\nRajapaksa\u2019s election campaign being funded by the Chinese). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is\ndoubtful if this goal has been achieved as Western diplomacy itself is based on\nthe continuity of a country\u2019s interests. Badmouthing a previous leadership\nwhich could return to power at some point, with foreign counterparts, is\ncertainly not cricket\u201d and not in the country\u2019s best interests. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minister\nSamaraweera was in Los Angeles after attending the 71st Session of the UN\nGeneral Assembly in New York. About 200 residents from Southern California were\npresent at the September 25 event, 2016, which was the first featuring a\nvisiting government dignitary organized by Mrs. Gunaratne who took office\nearlier this year,  reported Lankaweb.\n Notably absent were Buddhist monks from the local Sri Lankan temples. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minister\nSamaraweera, dressed in open shirt while the invitation called for formal\nattire, said he was surprised at the large turnout, quipping that as he walked\nin to the meeting he thought for a moment he was in Matara (his\nhometown). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In\ncontrast to other Sri Lankan leaders who from time to time have addressed the\nexpatriate community here, Mr. Samaraweera, speaking for about 20 minutes,\nsolely in English, did not have one good thing to say about Sri Lanka from\nindependence to present.  None of the warm nostalgia for the homeland\nusually evoked by leaders from all sides of the political divide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quoting\nextensively from the late Lee Kuan Yew, founder and prime minister of Singapore,\nhe painted a grim picture of a country that couldn\u2019t evolve,\u201d a nation, contrary\nto the promise shown when it became independent, is still struggling to move\nforward.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When\nCeylon gained independence in 1948, it was the classic model of gradual\nevolution to independence. Alas it did not work out.  It is sad that the\ncountry whose ancient name Serendip has given the English language the word\nserendipity\u201d is now the epitome of conflict, pain, sorrow and hopelessness,\u201d\nhe quoted the late Singaporean leader as saying. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, after sliding for almost 70 years, Sri Lanka has finally\ncaught a break according to the Minister.  There\u2019s hope in the horizon\nwith a new vision for democratization and development\u201d being pursued by his\ngovernment which came to power in 2015. All the countries are coming forward\nto help us,\u201d he declared. Emphasizing that the island will be a strategic\nmilitary hub in the Indian Ocean and a gateway to Asia (Source https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2016\/07\/28\/the-foreign-minister-samaraweera-must-go<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elsewhere,\nSamaraweera, touching on Sri Lanka\u2019s economic future, said the government will\ntake measures to make it easier for foreign investors to do business in the\nisland as well as for foreign nationals to buy land. In pursuit of promoting\nreconciliation, there was a new political trajectory\u201d aimed at breaking down\nwalls and building bridges\u201d and putting away past baggage.\u201dReconciliation was\nkey to coming to terms with the tragedies of the past\u201d which was why, he said,\nthe government felt it important to show the world\u201d its commitment by\ncosponsoring the Geneva Human Rights Council Resolution 30\/1. ( Source https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2016\/10\/05\/fm-mangala-samaraweera-in-l-a-says-no-separation-but-leaves-door-open-to-federalism\/)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RANIL\nWICKREMESINGHE (1)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ranil Wickremasinghe should retire, he will\ndefinitely lose the presidential elections if he comes, said Derana news of\n10.6.18. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

RANIL\nWICKREMESINGHE (2)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It may be recalled that the PM on several\noccasions, both within and outside the Parliament, made attempts to cover up\nMahendran\u2019s misdeeds, said a critic. He first appointed a committee of three\nattorneys handpicked up by him to report on the issue, who exonerated Mahendran\nfully. When the COPE report on the bond issue was submitted to Parliament,\nbefore the report was taken up for debate, it was conveniently dissolved.\nFurther, the PM defended Mahendran at every opportunity he got. Covering up a\nmisdeed is equally an offence as doing the misdeed itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With all the damage done to the country and to\nits economy by Mahendran, the PM should not be allowed to go scot free for\nhanding over the Central Bank to Mahendran, particularly when there was\nopposition at the Cabinet, as if the Bank was his inherited property, this\ncritic continued. Though the Commission has not held the PM responsible\nexplicitly for Mahendran\u2019s misdeeds, the PM has no option other than to tender\nhis resignation if he has even an iota of self-respect,  the critic concluded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RANIL\nWICKREMESINGHE (3)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Probably the most noteworthy contribution ever made by Ranil\nWickremesinghe  in support of the Rule of\nLaw was his unswerving refusal to vacate Temple Trees during the 50-60 days\nthat the unconstitutional regime of MR was imposed on the country. Given the\nrevoltingly crude manner in which Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake and\nGeneral Sarath Fonseka had been treated by  Rajapaksa\u2019s  regime, there was genuine public concern that\na similar fate might befall Ranil Wickremesinghe . <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, in an unprecedented show of public support, a determined\ncontingent of civic activists took significant risks, made personal sacrifices\nand gave very generously of their time to protect Ranil Wickremesinghe  and thereby safeguard the existing Constitution.\nThe highly impressive, steadfast and absolutely vital part played by RW in\nprotecting the Constitution during this fearful period is something for which\nall citizens of this country should be eternally grateful, said\nA.C.Visvalingam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand analysts pointed out that Ranil Wickremesinghe\nwas reappointed to the post of Prime Minister December 16, 2018. Which\nmeant that  Rajapakasa\u2019s appointment as\nPrime Minister was legal, and the  occupation of Temple Trees by the UNP was\nillegal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RANIL\nWICKREMESINGHE (4)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Senior Journalist\nand former UN\u2008official Mohan Samaranayake said that Prime Minister Ranil\nWickremesinghe was the only winner who wanted to promote imperialism and danced\nto the tune of Western powers. Citing examples, he said that PM Wickremesinghe\nwas the only leader in the developing world who justified the US invasion of\nIraq. (Island 28.6.19 p 2)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RANIL\nWICKREMESINGHE (5)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is how Prime Minister Wickremesinghe\ncomes across in the account of an expert British analyst. Prof Paul Moorcraft\nis a former senior instructor at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst and the\nUK Joint Services Command and Staff College.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 He writes:”\u2026On 20th December 2001 a Special Forces\nteam was in place in the Vanni jungle. For once it knew for certain where the\nelusive Tiger leader was. The assassination team was due to strike on Christmas\nEve. The team leaders were just ready to press the start button when they were\ncountermanded, despite fierce intelligence arguments that Prabhakaran\u2019s death\nwould end the war\u2026The Special Forces operatives were stood down temporarily in\na safe house in Colombo. In one of the biggest intelligence own goals of the\nwar, the house was raided by Special Branch police from Kandy. The highly\nsecret operation was exposed. It was not a case of overzealous detectives\u2026The\nheads of military and national intelligence were overridden when the police\narrested the operatives and jailed them in Kandy. They were released after two\nweeks and, as a scapegoat, a middle-ranking police officer was suspended,\ntemporarily. It didn\u2019t end there: the intelligence leadership was accused of\nusing the safe house as a base to assassinate the Prime Minister. Once again,\nthe Tiger leader was unscathed.”(Paul Moorcraft, \u2018Total Destruction\nof the Tamil Tigers: The Rare Victory of Sri Lanka\u2019s Long War\u2019, Pen & Sword\nMilitary, UK, 2012, pp. 38-39.)I<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RANIL\nWICKREMESINGHE (6)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dayaka Sabha of the Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara passed a\nresolution to remove its Chairman Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe from that\npost. The resolution was moved by a member of the Kelaniya Seela Bhavana\nSamitiya and seconded by Co-Secretary of the Dayaka Sabha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chief Incumbent of the temple Ven. Prof. Kollupitiye Mahinda\ninquired from the Sabha whether there was anyone supportive of Prime Minister\nWickremesinghe, and seven members of the Sabha raised their hands in support of\nthe PM. There had been around 300 members of the Sabha present. Chief Incumbent\nthen announced that the matter would be referred to the Executive Committee of\nthe Sabha for a final decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RANIL\nWICKREMESINGHE ( 7)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Sri\nLanka joint study group for  CEPA  set up by Ranil Wickremesinghe  in 2003 included  18 \npersons. Among them were Ken Balendra as \nCo chairman of joint study group, Arjuna Mahendran, Chairman BOI, R.\nPaskaralingam, advisor to Prime Minister ,N.Pathmanathan, Chairman of Rehabilitation of Persons, Properties and\nIndustries Authority, Mano Selvanathan, Chairman Korea  Lanka garments, K. Shanmugalingam, Chairman, Tariff\nadvisory Council,  and R Selvaratnam,\nChairman EDB. Several who were in the CEPA committee Such as Mahendra,\nPaskaralingam are also in the ECTA committee, added Chandraprema.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

RANIL\nWICKREMESINGHE ( 8)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suave, comfortable in a European life style, fluent in the only\nEuropean language he knows, English, neo liberal in thinking, and from an elite\nbackground, Ranil Wickremesinghe  is\nfondly addressed as Ranil\u201d by the European diplomats and the dominant Western\nmedia representatives. He moves in Western circles with ease and is the darling\nof the mainly Western funded NGOs. Ranil enjoys an easy relationship with the\nOccident, having cultivated individuals and institutions there over the years,\nsaid analysts.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 He  is a member of the Mont\nPelerin Society. The Mont Pelerin Society is a society dedicated to dismantling\nthe welfare state. The USA  liked him and\nwanted him to be President of Sri Lanka .he was nominated for the Presidential\nelection of 1999 . He lost, continued critics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Politicians\nsometimes make fun of Ranil Wickremesinghe . When Ranil  went to Singapore, they wanted him to bring\nArjuna Mahendran back with him. They criticize him heavily too. Corruption\ncharges against  Mahinda Rajapaksa are\nnot proven but corruption charges against Ranil Wickremasinghe are, said one\ncritic. Wickremesinghe and his group of closest friends conducted themselves as\nif shaping the future of the country was a fun game they played, said  President Sirisena angrily.  ( Continued)\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

KAMALIKA PIERIS This essay contains snippets of information on Mangala Samaraweera and Ranil Wickremesinghe, taken from the media. MANGALA SAMARAWEERA Journalists based in Washington and New York have noted that, from the time Mangala Samaraweera assumed office as Foreign affairs minister,  he has taken upon himself to denigrate the previous leadership of the country before […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[104],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-93957","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-kamalika-pieris"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93957","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=93957"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93957\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=93957"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=93957"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=93957"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}