JHU strategy for presidential election
Posted on October 27th, 2014
By Udaya Gammanpila
There is a common belief that the Jathika Hela Urumaya’s (JHU) days with the UPFA have now been numbered. People think that the JHU would quit the UPFA soon after announcement of the presidential election. However, they are confused about options available for the JHU after quitting the UPFA. Hence, let us explore the options available for the JHU.
The presidential election held in 2005 was extremely crucial for Sri Lanka since it marked a paradigm shift in its national policies adopted hitherto as Mahinda Rajapaksa who being elected President, decided to militarily defeat Tamil terrorism instead of reaching a negotiated settlement. Despite the widely accepted belief that the LTTE cannot be defeated militarily, the UPFA government was able to eliminate it within a span of three years. Previous governments were of the view that Tamil separatism cannot be defeated without offering a federal solution. Fortunately, President Rajapaksa’s government was of the view that Tamil separatism would further be strengthened if a federal setup was established. Hence, the UPFA protected the unitary character of the State despite pressures from powerful foreign forces such as USA and India.
Excise duty on liquor and tobacco formed a significant slice of government revenue. Government leaders gifted liquor licenses to politicians to reward their loyalty and dedication. President Rajapaksa’s government heavily restricted promotion and sale of tobacco and alcohol after terminating the tradition of gifting liquor licenses to government politicians. New laws were introduced to prohibit sports sponsorships, advertisements, promotion, and consumption at public places of tobacco and alcohol. Further, the government stopped privatization of profit making public enterprises.
Achievements
The foundation for the above-mentioned achievements was the agreement entered by the JHU with President Rajapaksa when he was a presidential candidate. Conservation of unitary character, abolition of tsunami joint mechanism and stopping privatization of profit making public enterprises were fundamental conditions in that agreement. Although President Rajapaksa was reluctant to include a condition about defeating the LTTE militarily because of the atmosphere prevailing at that time, he verbally agreed to commence military action against the LTTE at its provocation. That is why the JHU commenced a march towards Mavil Aru sluice gate forcing the government to commence military operations when the LTTE closed it violating the ceasefire agreement. The historical march of the JHU marked the beginning of the end of the LTTE.
The JHU not only included anti-alcohol Mathata Thitha policy in Mahinda Chinthana election manifesto, but made it a reality by introducing required laws to parliament. As a result of the programme implemented under Mathata Thitha, the sale of tobacco has come down by 30% within the last eight (8) years. Sri Lanka still ranks as the 131st nation in terms of per capita alcohol consumption thanks to this project despite per capita income and tourist arrival increasing by three fold during the last eight years.
The JHU was able to bring several significant victories for the motherland because of its conditions set for supporting President Rajapaksa at the election held in 2005. After considering the progress achieved during the first term, the JHU decided to support him for his bid for a second term in 2010 without introducing a new set of conditions. Nevertheless, the JHU’s aspirations were included in Mahinda Chinthana – Idiri Dekma, election manifesto. That agreement will end when a presidential election is declared in the near future. Hence, the JHU is now duty bound to negotiate a new agreement with President Rajapaksa in order to bring another set of victories for the motherland as it did in 2005.
Set of proposals
The JHU has been discussing a new set of proposals in different fora in the recent past. Introducing checks and balances to the presidential system, strengthening anti-corruption institutes and introduction of an election method which contains good features of both proportional representation and electorate based first-past-the-post method are among the JHU’s proposals. These proposals have been prepared aiming President Rajapaksa because he is the solitary person who can do this with his executive powers and the two-thirds majority in Parliament. If another candidate accepts these proposals, he cannot do anything beyond including these in his manifesto. Even if such a candidate wins the presidential election, he will never get the two-thirds majority in Parliament to implement the proposals. In fact, no government will be able to enjoy this super majority in the foreseeable future. Hence, only pragmatic option is getting these proposals implemented by President Rajapaksa.
The JHU is insisting President Rajapaksa to implement its proposals before the presidential election. It is a rational request. It is customary that the President would dissolve Parliament soon after the election. As explained before, it is near impossible to get the two-thirds majority at a future election. Hence, if the JHU agrees to implement its proposals after the election, the UPFA will not possess the required majority to do it. At least the President should implement several proposals of the JHU before the election as a confidence building measure for both the JHU and general public.
A lot of people pose the same question in varying ways. What can the JHU do, if President Rajapaksa refuses to accept its proposals? If the President refuses to implement a single proposal, does that me the JHU has exhausted all its options? Although the JHU roars like a lion, does it possess alternatives other than supporting President Rajapaksa at the presidential election? Can the JHU support Ranil Wickremesinghe directly or indirectly? As a leader of the JHU, I am duty bound to answer these questions.
Supporting Ranil is not the only available option for the JHU, in the event of President Rajapaksa refusing to accept the JHU’s proposals. The JHU can support a common third candidate. However, presidential election is a bipolar contest forcing voters to choose one of the two leading candidates. Hence, minor parties prefer to support one of the leading candidates as happened in both 2005 and 2010. However, minor parties from communalist to communist are reluctant to support Ranil for various reasons. Most of the political parties along with professional bodies and trade unions are interested in fielding an apolitical common candidate with an agenda for introducing measures for good governance. That is why there was high morale among them when Ven Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera announced his ambition to be the common presidential candidate. However, the UNP disappointed all of them by announcing Ranil’s candidature. The JVP and DP have decided to boycott the election because they are not in a position to support any of the leading candidates.
As repeatedly mentioned in this column, the middle class has grown by five fold during the last nine years. They are the voters who have been frustrated with both the UNP and the UPFA. This is the crowd who gave as high as 14% of votes to the JVP and DP at the last election for Western Provincial Council. The JHU can field a common candidate with the support of the JVP and DP aiming the middle class. The JHU is reputed for its capacity and dedication in the fields of eco-friendliness, good governance, righteousness, and public administration. Therefore, there is potential for tapping this vote bank.
Let us assume for a moment that the JVP and DP reject the concept of fielding a third common candidate. The JHU has another card in its hand. That is fielding a common candidate for the silent majority of the nation with the support of Buddhist organizations such as Bodu Bala Sena and Sihala Rawaya. The JHU was able to obtain 6% of votes exploiting the Buddhist revival that prevailed in 2004. It is noteworthy that Buddhist consciousness in the country has been increased by several folds now thanks to networking in the internet. Hence, we can be very optimistic about such a candidate.
Some people express fear of Ranil’s victory, as a result of fielding a third candidate. In fact, if the third candidate can secure 500,000 votes which is a mere 3.5% of the votes, the winner of the presidential election is immaterial. If the third candidate can obtain 500,000 votes at the polarized presidential election, it will increase to at least 800,000 at the forthcoming parliamentary elections. In other words, the third force will secure at least 15 members and will be the remote control of the next government. In this backdrop, they will be de-facto rulers, whoever has won the presidential election becomes de-jure ruler.
The JHU will have to explore the alternatives mentioned above, only if President Rajapaksa does not accept its proposals. Getting the agreement of President Rajapaksa who possesses both executive presidency and the two-thirds majority in parliament is the best approach to bring historical victories for the motherland. We are still optimistic about receiving a positive response from President Rajapaksa.
JHU STRATEGY FOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION – II
The members of the Jathika Hela Urumaya passed a set of political proposals at its annual national convention held on 19th October to be included in the election manifesto of the presidential candidate supported by the JHU. We further said at the convention that we first discuss these proposals with President Rajapakse. That is because he is the only person who possesses the required power to make it a reality. However, there is a condition attached to our discussions with the government, ie, the proposed constitutional reforms should be implemented before the presidential election. Why did we impose such a condition?
When President Rajapakse originally became a presidential candidate in 2005, he was just the Prime Minister of the country. When President Premadasa was the Prime Minister, he once said that his powers were equalling to that of a peon. Further President Rajapakse then did not possess the required two third majority in parliament to amend the Constitution. He did not possesses not only the two third but also simple majority to maintain a government. In fact, he had only 88 parliamentarians although he needed 113 parliamentarians to achieve the simple majority. In this backdrop, he could not do anything more than inclusion of our proposals in his election manifesto. Nevertheless, the present situation is different. He is now all powerful executive president. He enjoys more than two third parliamentary majority. Hence, he does not have to wait until the next presidential election to implement the proposals of the JHU.
There is another reason for the pressure mounted by the JHU to implement the proposals before the presidential election. The government will lose its two third majority and thereby its capacity to implement the proposals in near future. If the presidential election is declared in November 2014, it will be held in January 2015. If the election is won by anybody other than the incumbent president, president-elect will definitely dissolve the parliament as he would not want to work with a parliament of 163 hostile parliamentarians.
If President Rajapkse is the winner, he will also opt for dissolving the parliament. If he holds the parliamentary election soon after the presidential election, he will have a stronger parliament despite the present parliament has one more year to go. If he waits for one more year, he may face the fate of President Chandrika Kumaratunga. After her re-election in 1999, she wanted the parliament to spend its full term and waited one more year. As a result, defeated opposition bounced back producing a weaker parliament despite the victory of her party. The government collapsed within an year paving the way for the UNP to come to power. Hence, President Kumaratunga had to spend two years with a UNP cabinet of ministers functioning as a de facto nominal president.
In the light of above analysis, the parliament will definitely be dissolved soon after the presidential election. Irrespective of the winner, no party will be able to gain two third majority in the parliament. It is relevant not only for the next election but for any subsequent election. President Jayawardena, the architect of the present Constitution, once said that no party would be able to gain two third majority under the Proportional Representation (PR) method introduced in the constitution. The present government gained the two third majority under extraordinary circumstances, namely, miraculous military victory over the LTTE. Such an event cannot be repeated in the foreseeable future. Hence, this is the last government to enjoy the two third majority in the parliament and it will be ended within next three months.
There were two previous occasions in the post-independent history in which governments enjoyed two third majority. Premier Sirimavo Bandaranaike gained two third majority in the parliament in 1970. She used this special majority to bring several historic victories for the nation. She made Sri Lanka a republic ending its ties with British Empire. Buddhism was given the foremost place. Official language status of Sinhala was constitutionalized. Unitary character of the State was introduced to the Constitution. Fundamental rights were recognized in the Constitution.
President Jayawardena became the second leader to enjoy the special majority in the parliament in 1977. He used this majority to bring several victories for the people. Introduction of the executive presidency is among those victories. Although it contains several fatal mistakes, it brought political stability to Sri Lanka which was vital in the rapid development and defeat of the LTTE. That is why the JHU stands for a presidential system in which the President is accountable to the parliament and subject to judicial writ. Similarly, whatever the weaknesses associated with the present PR method, it has strengthened the opposition. If this method was not there, R Sambanthan of the TNA which obtained mere 3% of the votes, would be Leader of the Opposition in 2010 instead of Ranil Wickremasinghe of the UNP which obtained 29% of the votes. Further, provisions were included in the Constitution for filing legal action for violation of fundamental rights using the special majority.
President Rajapakse is the third Head of Government to enjoy the two third majority in the parliament. He has been possessing this power almost for five years. Unfortunately, it has never been used for the benefit of the people. Although it is destined to end within a few months, there is no apparent interest in the government to use it for the benefit of the people, before it get vanished.
Although Constitution of 1978 has corrected several weaknesses of the previoius constitutions, it is one of the worst constitutions in the world. President Jayawardena gained his two third majority under electorate based method which is also known as first past the post method. He made it impossible to get two third majority again using this power. Hence, nobody can now abolish the Constitution introduced by him. In other words, he had thrown the key to the sea after locking a rotten and stinking constitution inside an unbreakable box. It is now so rotten that the smell is unbearable. Everybody rejects it. However, the box is unbreakably strong. The key is in the deep sea.
The key has been floating on the surface of the sea since 2010 thanks to the miraculous military victory. Unfortunately, the present government is not keen to use the key to open the box and clean it by removing the rotten constitution. The key will go back to deep sea in near future and will be lost forever. The JHU’s attempt is to compel the government to remove the rotten constitution exploiting this rare opportunity. If we fail to do this, the future generations who will suffer because of this constitution, will curse for missing this golden opportunity.
If the UPFA is not ready to substantially restructure the Constitution, we will be forced to field a presidential candidate. Although he would not win, his votes would make us the deciding factor in the next parliament. In such a scenario, whoever is the winner at the presidential election, we will decide the party which can capture the governmental power after the parliamentary election. We will then be able to force the government to amend the Constitution to strengthen good governance.
By Udaya Gammanpila
October 27th, 2014 at 2:49 pm
We all must than Udaya for coming forward at a critical time, sending this to Lankaweb.
“The foundation for the above-mentioned achievements was the agreement entered by the JHU with President Rajapaksa when he was a presidential candidate. Conservation of unitary character, abolition of tsunami joint mechanism and stopping privatization of profit making public enterprises were fundamental conditions in that agreement. Although President Rajapaksa was reluctant to include a condition about defeating the LTTE militarily because of the atmosphere prevailing at that time, he verbally agreed to commence military action against the LTTE at its provocation. That is why the JHU commenced a march towards Mavil Aru sluice gate forcing the government to commence military operations when the LTTE closed it violating the ceasefire agreement. The historical march of the JHU marked the beginning of the end of the LTTE.”
– Unless Udaya too is a friend of Pacha Mangala, UNPier , LTTE supoorter or even an unscrupulous liar and a breaker of the 4th precept those people who are not even citizens of Sri Lanka shouting Jayaweva from USA should note this with due respect and honour. Who are the real heroes ?
Please don’t get angry. Just take action.
October 27th, 2014 at 2:53 pm
“Hence, the JHU is now duty bound to negotiate a new agreement with President Rajapaksa in order to bring another set of victories for the motherland as it did in 2005.”
– Yes. That is the right thing to do, but wallowing in low comfort, the bugger is not negotiating.
October 27th, 2014 at 2:59 pm
But my only important question to Udaya is,
Why JHU has not included the demand to get rid of the dreaded Pallath Sabha together with Tamil Homeland 13A ?
Is it because you too are in the Pallath Sabha system ?
Now you have 2/3 majority, then why don’t you do it now and include this condition too ?
October 27th, 2014 at 3:10 pm
As Ronald Reagan once said, “Ah, there you go again!”, Nanda is relapsing again from the aggressive “high” state into the depressed “low” state of his bipolar mind that I described earlier, and is hiding behind religion … ONCE AGAIN!
When Nanda cannot defend himself his own secular words, he spouts Lord Buddha’s immortal bana to hide his nefarious purposes.
Nanda has little regard for the ability of LankaWeb’s readers to see through that veil of religion designed to obfuscate a mean purpose.
As we all know, RELIGION is the LAST REFUGE of the UNREPENTANT SCOUNDREL!
October 27th, 2014 at 3:20 pm
As we all know, RELIGION is the LAST REFUGE of the UNREPENTANT SCOUNDREL! – famous last words of a FOOL, then suddenly he will realises he is in hell, too late to recover.
October 27th, 2014 at 3:48 pm
WITH GREAT DEFERENCE MR. GAMMANPILA, CAN WE INCLUDE THREE TERMS ONLY, FOR THE OPPOSITION LEADER TOO ?
The proportional representation system was not an innovative idea of JRJ. It was originated by Hitler to beat all his opponents. This is clearly laid down in very simple English, in the Book, ” The Rise and Fall of the Deutsche Reich “. The book is about a 1000 pages and is interesting to read. I had this book, and gave it to a friend, when leaving Sri Lanka.
Also one more suggestion:- Can we stop the system of LOSERS and PASSENGERS, coming through the back door into PARLIAMENT ?
October 27th, 2014 at 4:07 pm
Very good JHU but don’t end up making fools of yourselves. We need to SCRAP 13 amendment NOT 19th amendment.
But it is a good idea to JOIN BBS and other patriotic groups to DEMAND MR come to the right path or else…….
Udaya, if you are reading this please ADD these demands too.
1. “Why JHU has not included the demand to get rid of the dreaded Pallath Sabha together with Tamil Homeland 13A ?
Is it because you too are in the Pallath Sabha system ?”
2. “Can we stop the system of LOSERS and PASSENGERS, coming through the back door into PARLIAMENT ?”
If these 2 are done, people will love you.
October 27th, 2014 at 4:48 pm
I agree with Lorenzo and many others. JHU is going in the same path as JVP… They are becoming another opportunistic party.. Why can’t they talk about abolishing 13A.. As long as the 13A is operational, we need a good President with Executive powers as the only defence against this Tamil Ealam 13A.
UNP, JVP and Sobitha hamuduruwo are all out to abolish the EP… The next day Vigneshwaran will call for an independent country for the North.
Now, we have no hopes for getting rid of 13A. Weerawansa has stopped talking about it too.
Only thing I am dreaming of is a military intervention with Gota as the key man and abolishing the Pala Baba…. But it is only a dream..
If any person with true love to the motherland comes forward and contest for the presidential election with the promise to abolish 13A and bring back law an order , getting rid of KUDU menace and stop corruption, he will beat MR.
Can’t we find someone like that???
October 27th, 2014 at 4:59 pm
Mr. Gammanpila,
This is also like the unwinnable war mentality. Take courage and go straight ahead. Take a cue from Nanda and Lorenzo; propose to abolish 13A also and give part proportional representation together with first past the post system. You will be successful and can make the difference if prez doesn’t give in.
October 27th, 2014 at 5:42 pm
Our meetings with senior JHU leaders in the last couple of years have been somewhat productive. Happy to see some points we used in reasoning are used for a similar outcome. Not including the abolishing of 13A is a disappointment which is understandable given the plight of all political parties. Even the SLFP and JVP rejected provincial councils until they got a taste of it. Now they support it not for the sake of the country but for their own sake. Even Udaya Gammanpila is a provincial councillor so it is futile to ask for the abolishing of 13A (conflict of interest).
Agree with the reasoning of the JHU strategy for the election. In 2004 many blamed the JHU for splitting the anti-UNP vote and thereby helping the UNP. But it proved a very wise decision. JHU obtained 9 seats and the UPFA (including 39 JVP seats) could muster only 106 seats. JHU was the kingmaker and a wise one; a position held thus far by the CWC and SLMC. JHU used its power to bargain a better deal for the nation and Sinhalese at the 2005 presidential election and afterwards. JHU played a pivotal role in commencing war in August 2006 which saved national interests.
Patriots around the world (mainly the ones who have invested their time and efforts for the nation) are utterly disappointed with the government. Unless the ruling clan changes its disastrous course immediately, it doesn’t deserve people’s vote.
The nation needs a leader unafraid of “war crimes”. The incumbent’s fear of war crimes has been exploited by Tamils, Middle Eastern extremist sects, USA-EU and India to destroy the country.
It is time NFF too joins JHU without petty jealousy and leadership tussles. Otherwise, its future is also in jeopardy.
October 27th, 2014 at 6:05 pm
I must add however that if the government pursues the referendum option (which is the most attractive of all options it has) for the parliament, then these strategies will not work for the presidential election. The next general election will be electoral annihilation for dozens of ruling party MPs and for all UNP MPs who crossed over. They will want to retain their seats without facing another election. NFF, JHU, CWC, EPDP, Liberal Party, DNA non JVP MPs and communist parties will find it better to retain their current strength than face the voters at a general election.
If the president informs them of his intention to do so, these parties would not make these demands and will stick with the government. As we saw with the 13A, political parties think of themselves first, even the JHU. However, it is unpopular among the people.
Had JR not held a referendum in 1982 instead of a general election, he would not have kept his special majority in parliament. That deprived Mahinda his chance to reenter parliament in 1982. He finally made it in 1989 – a 12 year absence. Now UNP is at the receiving end and chances are very likely the president will hold a referendum in 2015 to extend the term of the parliament, if he wins.
October 27th, 2014 at 7:48 pm
“..the UPFA protected the unitary character of the State despite pressures from powerful foreign forces such as USA and India.” Please read “Goat’s War” that tell the world how the war against the Indian terrorist outfit was won by the Sri Lankan armed forces and the support given by the USA. If not for the USA and tactical support given by them we would not have won the war against the Indian terrorists outfit. It is a pity these people are misleading the Sinhalese specially the Sinhala Buddhist to be in power. They hardly are critical of India, if they do they will not have funds to do what they are doing. My Indian Myna in Australia says the boss of JHU was in There recently and did not utter a word against India and only critical of Sinhalese.
October 27th, 2014 at 7:49 pm
“..the UPFA protected the unitary character of the State despite pressures from powerful foreign forces such as USA and India.” Please read “Goat’s War” that tell the world how the war against the Indian terrorist outfit was won by the Sri Lankan armed forces and the support given by the USA. If not for the USA and tactical support given by them we would not have won the war against the Indian terrorists outfit. It is a pity these people are misleading the Sinhalese specially the Sinhala Buddhist to be in power. They hardly are critical of India, if they do they will not have funds to do what they are doing. My Indian Myna in Australia says the boss of JHU was in There recently and did not utter a word against India and only critical of Sinhalese and the West.
October 27th, 2014 at 7:57 pm
Hirantha; “Sobitha hamuduruwo ” is a coolie of Favourite’s. A business of a leading Indian colonial parasite who arrived in the country shoveling coal to boiler of a steam ship.
October 27th, 2014 at 8:04 pm
“votes exploiting the Buddhist” you said it Mr Gammanpila. You people are not there to help the Sinhalese. Once I asked you why don’t you try and make English the medium of Instruction in Schools so every Sinhalese can exploiy their potential like you have done. Well if you do that you know they will be a threat to you as they will compete with you.
October 27th, 2014 at 10:10 pm
I agree with Udaya Gammanpila of the JHU that it is critically important for Sri Lanka to retain the Executive Presidency.
His exact words are: “Introduction of the executive presidency is among those victories. Although it contains several fatal mistakes, it brought political stability to Sri Lanka which was vital in the rapid development and defeat of the LTTE. That is why the JHU stands for a presidential system in which the President is accountable to the parliament and subject to judicial writ.”
Also, a system of Proportional Representation is important to properly represent the demographics of Sri Lanka’s citizens in its Parliament to make certain that no election skullduggery can subvert majority rule of the country.
However, I STRONGLY disagree with his ASSERTIONS that
1. That the UPFA will not be able to gain a 2/3 majority in the future. That has been achieved not once but 3 times in the past. There is NO FUNDAMENTAL REASON a Coalition of Patriotic Forces cannot achieve it again.
2. That the Military Victory over the LTTE was “miraculously achieved” minimizing not only the role played by the Political Leaders of the UPFA GOSL who led that charge, but all PATRIOTIC FORCES of the nation, including the SLFP, JHU and the NFF, and the ordinary citizens of Sri Lanka who bled and sacrificed to make it happen.
Nevertheless, we MUST RECOGNIZE that without the Rajapakse Band of Brothers who led and worked seamlessly together in that heroic effort at HUGE PERSONAL RISK, found and empowered the Patriotic Military Leaders to lead to victory in the field of battle, found the funds and the arms needed through personal diplomacy with leaders of foreign nations, that feat would never have been achieved.
It did not happen because of a confluence of magical miracles, but by design and determination, courage and experience of the highest leadership of the land.
The author also maximizes the role played by the JHU while minimizing the role of the President and his team. Such, I suppose, is the nature of dirty election politics.
3. He trying to use articles such as this to blackmail the President into doing what he wants, by threatening to field a common candidate, with even by jumping into bed with the likes of the UNP, the TNA and Sarath Fonseka’s virtual party. Among them are the very anti-national forces that are working day and night to return Sri Lanka to the bad old days of hung governments, with minority parties acting as kingmakers exacting a pound of flesh from Motherlanka for their support. Who is to say what that pound of flesh might be? We suspect by rich experience but we don’t know.
While acknowledging that the JHU, the NFF and even the BBS, are key to forming the next Patriotic Government with sufficient Plurality, even more than 2/3, it is absolutely REPREHENSIBLE for ANY PATRIOTIC ORGANIZATION to court those parties that DEMONSTRABLY serve foreign governments and exacerbate Sri Lanka’s problems abroad FOR ANY REASON. It is not without reason that the TNA leadership spends more time in India and in Neoclonialist Western Countries than in Sri Lanka, and it is not for nothing that Ranil Wickremasinghe spends inordinate amounts of time in those countries demonizing Sri Lanka just before calamities befall our country.
These threats by the JHU only gives openings to the enemies of Sri Lanka with their well-honed tools of money, threats, and sanctions to exploit and widen the cleavages in the BODY POLITIC of the nation, to engineer a REGIME CHANGE and confound the oft declared objectives of these “patriotic forces.”
If these unseemly strategies blow up with MR and the UPFA being turned out of power, the JHU may yet RUE THEY DAY they hatched this devious strategy. As they say, the JHU may find that “Paya Gahapu Athtath Naha, Allapu Athtath Naha”.
Worse still, Sri Lanka will re-enter the dark dismal age we fought our way out of on May 19, 2009.
October 28th, 2014 at 1:32 am
“It did not happen because of a confluence of magical miracles, but by design and determination, courage and experience of the highest leadership of the land.” _ Ananda USA
– In the contrary, people did not know the fact that “President Rajapaksa was reluctant to include a condition about defeating the LTTE militarily because of the atmosphere prevailing at that time” and the role JHU played.
I personally did not know, not sure about Ananda.
“Miracle” was the bravery of the soldiers who fought, it does not belong to Rajapaksas. Surely, leadership ( specially military) played a paramount role, but Rajapakse took the full credit and change the military leadership immediately after the war, in fear. This is a breach of trust. He appointed Colombian crowd chasing away the larders who fought the war.
October 28th, 2014 at 1:39 am
Ananda,
Let me answer you.
1. It is EXTREMELY difficult to get 2/3 in this PR system. MR won 2/3 in 2010 because a RARE EVENT happened which DOES NOT happen frequently! Thank god it was a good event.
NO AMOUNT of work by MR can win it 2/3 again. Do the math. Winning 60%+ votes (plus bonus seats) is very difficult for a patriotic party. Over 30% of the voters are BORN GREEN and another 3% are BORN LTTE. 60% out of the remaining 67% is an astronomical 90%.
2. Yes it was PARTLY a miracle. Please read the context. He does not mean it to be a “confluence of magical miracles”.
How many losers tried to stop us! Tamils bombed SF, GR, MR but they survived. MOST Tamil suicide bombings succeeded in the past.
I believe it was NOT JUST human effort. Guardian dieties of the Sinhela people helped us. They helped us for a REASON. We MUST scrap 13 amendment and other EVILS.
3. I DISAGREE.
JHU, etc. are NOT trying to get every pound of flesh from SL. They are trying to get the FAIR SHARE of GRAIN SEEDS from MR who is giving away every pound of flesh to Tamils.
* Do you see LTTE has returned to NPC?
* ALL seats of YARL DEVI for the weekend are booked at Jaffna by Tamils only which means NO ROOM for Sinhalese! Until now Sinhalese could sit and travel!
* Buddhist monks who are trying to keep SURVIVE the Sinhela culture in the EAST are KICKED OUT by the government by cutting electricity, removing army camps, etc.
What the hell is happening? IF people KNEW this is what would happen AFTER the war, they would NOT have helped win the war.
Remember the 2001 election? Chandirikka appealed to people NOT to let LTTE-UNP come to power. But she was CUDDLING Tamils! People DISREGARDED her and voted UNP to victory. What happened? MR came through. HAD people NOT punished the PA in 2001, MR could NEVER have come up.
JHU is playing the GAME THEORY – BRINKMANSHIP. MR can survive by giving into their demands – SOME are good. The sensible thing to do is GIVE JHU’s GOOD demands. If MR doesn’t CO-OPERATE, BOTH go bust but who has MORE TO LOSE? MR.
When MR loses, MR, GR, BR, NR, RR, YR, CR, SR, AR, KR, SR(2), etc. lose.
When JHU loses only PCR and AR lose.
And he knows it. So the TERRIBLE option will NOT happen. MR will come back even at the last moment.
October 28th, 2014 at 1:42 am
Please don’t fight here. It is a matter of time the moderator deleted the membership of those who fight each other here.
We need BOTH. Like the elephant every problem has MANY sides.
Even MR knows the art of keeping his friends close and enemies CLOSER!
October 28th, 2014 at 1:46 am
JHU should not back down. They should add removal of 13A ( 13A completely rubbishes hela urumaya, how could a party named “Jatika Hele Urumaya” govern when certain part falsely accepted as belongs to one race only ?)
JHU+BBS should contest presidential election with CR as the candidate, if stubbornness of MR continues. We cannot allow MR to run the country like he owns it. They should campaign for maximum votes. Tell the people how the east has become officially Tamil, how Sinhala people never settled back in the North. Expose everything they know without FEAR.
Even if RUin-ill wins he cannot do anything with a considerable amount of seats occupied by patriotic forces than people of Mr’s liking and Pandamaas, fools like Mervyn Silva. CR should contest and beat the maniac Mervyn in historic Kelaniya seat.
Time for real patriotic , real Sinhala Buddhist people who have been supressed and injected with drugs to show their power.
October 28th, 2014 at 2:13 am
The JHU proposals are all good and the country will benefit from them no doubt. but, I think these proposals are demanding too much too soon. The justification JHU forwards for that strategy though true sounds unwise to my thinking. President Rajapakse is not the kind of person one can corner and punch in the first place. Secondly,the JHU’s alternatives are not very convincing either.
Mr.Gammanpila seems to bank on a king maker position in a future hung parliament. What can that achieve except a few ministerial posts for the JHU? They will not be able to achieve any of their present demands from a weak coalition government.
A better strategy would be to get some of the demands now and get a commitment from him for the rest before the end of this parliament.
We must realize and accept that at least 30 years of rotting,some since independence, requires a lot of healing time. Any quick fixes will only make superficial gains.
So, a slow but steady run will win the race.
Getting the 13A though is a must,will take a lot of convincing to get the Indians on board because that too is a must. Not because India will interfere and stop it but,if not taken aboard, India will feel hurt and interfere in everything else and make this country a hell hole once again.
India seems to consider the 13A as a matter of prestige achieved at great cost and they would not like it to be simply dumped in the bin. They knew from the very beginning that 13A was not a workable solution and that it was created simply to keep the situation festering. They will come aboard with the right kind of persuasion and at the right time.
October 28th, 2014 at 2:37 am
I am sure this Vent. Sobitha hamiduruvo is one of the coolies of Favourite. Favourite is a conglomerate founded by an Indian colonial parasite.
October 28th, 2014 at 2:55 am
JHU mob is concerned about their dwindling support because BBS, RB and other similar mobs have encroached on their patch of voters.
October 28th, 2014 at 7:37 am
From this write up, Nandawathie ( = Mangala stooge)earned a tidy sum of $160, by commenting here 8 times.
Ananda is absolutely right to say Gammanpila is right ‘…that it is critically important for Sri Lanka to retain the Executive Presidency’.
October 28th, 2014 at 9:59 am
same questions were asked in the article written by dharmasiri s
now nobody wants to talk about scraping 13a and palaath sabhaa . all cheaters gammanpila please answer this
October 28th, 2014 at 6:15 pm
In the next preaidential election, there’d be only two main contenders. Sinhalese, Buddhist Mahindha Rajapakse and Anglican Christian Ranil Wickremasinghe. As the Island editorial once stated, all others are spoilers.
October 28th, 2014 at 7:33 pm
Lorenzo,
I know your stand on this.
However, this is not the first time you have been UTTERLY wrong. You were wrong (in another of your incarnations) on the landslide victory I had predicted for the UPFA, and more recently, you were wrong on Narendra Modi. To your enduring credit, you admitted both those errors.
Likewise, I believe you are WRONG on all 3 points I have raised here. But, let us agree to disagree; it is sufficient that LankaWeb readers know that we strongly disagree on the path forward, but not on the ultimate goals we both espouse for Sri Lanka.
Those disagreements may be WIDER in scope beyond the LankaWeb readership. If so, we may be seeing the disintegration of the ALLIANCE OF PATRIOTIC FORCES that came together during the last 5 years to rescue the nation, and those who are creating these cleavages may be opening the doors to Sri Lanka’s enemies to exploit, so they can again divide and rule.
The time for fine tuning benefits of the Victory of the ALLIANCE OF PATRIOTIC FORCES is not now, when we facing another election battle to preserve and extend the gains of the last 5 years.
Those genuine but misguided patriots who do so today, may RUE THE DAY their lack of wisdom undermined both their own interests and those of their Motherland.
October 28th, 2014 at 8:25 pm
Sri Lanka’s Sinhala Buddhist organizations to support Mahinda Rajapaksa at presidential election
Oct 28, Colombo: A group of Sri Lanka’s Sinhala Buddhist organizations announced today that they would support President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the upcoming presidential election.
The national organizer of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) organization Dilantha Vithanage told media that the representatives of about 50 Buddhist organizations participated in the conference held in Colombo today to discuss about the election.
Moderate as well as extremist Buddhist organizations like BBS, Sinhala Ravaya, Jathika Hela Urumaya, Hela Ravaya, Dharma Vijaya Foundation, All Lanka Buddhist Federation etc. had sent representatives for the meeting. The meeting was held at the BBS headquarters in Colombo.
Vithanage said the BBS would take its final decision when the presidential election is announced.
October 28th, 2014 at 8:27 pm
Sri Lanka ruling party appoints committee to study JHU proposals
Oct 28, Colombo: Following a decisive discussion held yesterday between Sri Lanka’s ruling alliance, United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), and coalition party Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) a five-member committee has been appointed to study the proposals put forward by the JHU.
The decision to appoint the committee was taken in the meeting held at the President’s office at Temple for more than three hours, between the representatives of the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) representatives and the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) for the second time.
Accordingly, the committee will comprise Ministers Dullas Alahapperuma, Susil Premajayantha, Champika Ranawaka, Nimal Siripala de Silva, and Western Provincial Minister Udaya Gammanpila.
The JHU proposals call for passing a 19th Amendment to the Constitution and reinstating the 17th Amendment.
The proposals also ask the government to abolish the preferential vote system, to hold the presidential election and the general election on the same day, grant powers to the Prime Minister, limit the President’s cabinet portfolios to Minister of Defense.
The five-member committee is expected to finalize the analysis of the proposals Tuesday.
October 28th, 2014 at 8:38 pm
Old left parties of Sri Lanka divided over supporting President at polls
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Oct 28, Colombo: Old left parties of Sri Lanka are divided on their party stand regarding the Presidential election, according to political analysts in the island nation.
A major rift was observed at the central committee meeting of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) held on October 26th.
A proposal mooted by MP Y.G. Padmasiri and confirmed by the party leader Tissa Vitharana to support President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the next presidential election had reportedly come under heavy criticism.
A group led by constitutional lawyer Dr. Jayampathi Wickramarathna and lawyer and activist Lal Wijenayaka opposed the move.
They argued that the party’s stand was abolishing the executive presidency and the party had to support a common candidate for this purpose.
A vote showed clear division in the party central committee as 25 voted to support President Mahinda Rajapaksa while 13 members voted for supporting a common candidate.
Similar division was reported in Sri Lanka Communist Party (CP) also and the central committee of the CP is to take a decision on November 09.
October 28th, 2014 at 8:51 pm
Ananda,
This is NOT about YOU and ME. This is about SL.
I draw you attention to Alhaj Mahinda’s promise to give FREE AIR PASSAGE to Muslims for Hajj. MOSTLY Sinhala Buddhist women toil in the middle east with nails in their feet and babies in their wombs to earn this money and they don’t get FREE AIR PASSAGE FROM GOSL (or equal money, if paid by the agency) from Arabia to SL and back.
I fail to see how this is patriotic. I may be wrong, AGAIN! (This may be the most patriotic thing ever.)
October 28th, 2014 at 8:55 pm
“a five-member committee has been appointed to study the proposals put forward by the JHU.
Accordingly, the committee will comprise Ministers Dullas Alahapperuma, Susil Premajayantha, Champika Ranawaka, Nimal Siripala de Silva, and Western Provincial Minister Udaya Gammanpila.”
But 2 of the committee ALREADY KNOW the proposals because they DID IT!!
This is an attempt to DILUTE the proposals by FORCING the 2 lay JHU guys to accept the others’ decision.
October 28th, 2014 at 9:08 pm
Lorenzo,
I know this is not about you and me, and that it is about SL. You are wasting your time preaching to the choir!
You don’t see the whole picture. MR has many issues to deal with, in addition to saving funds.
For example, he is trying to build support for SL when SL is dragged in front of the UN on war crimes charges, build markets for SL products and SL workers, attract more tourists, and get petroleum for below market prices, etc.
The block of Muslim countries is large and is also economically important for SL.
If we pay X MILLION Rupees to fly Muslims to the Haj, but we get X BILLION Rupees through expat worker remittances, favorable prices for imported oil, increased tourists from the Gulf, AND increased support and votes to help SL at the UN … that is a VERY GOOD RETURN on the money, and PATRIOTIC to boot, don’t you think?
October 28th, 2014 at 10:08 pm
India reveals names in quest for hidden foreign assets
Yahoo.com, AFP
October 27, 2014
……….My Comment………….
As a Sri Lankan American, who came to the USA for graduate studies as a callow youth, I have lived in both the USA and Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka has a culture intimately related to that of India, and achieved independence from the British about the same time as India.
Given that background, I have a lot of sympathy for your views.
However, why is it that Sri Lanka has forged ahead of India in delivering social equity, in education, public sanitation, women’s rights, basic universal healthcare, equitable labor laws, land ownership, rural electrification, public transportation etc etc, despite a debilitating 30 year externally fomented terrorist war that nearly destroyed it?
I believe that it is because as a majority Buddhist nation, the vast majority of Sri Lankans believe deep down inside that every human deserves and merits an equal opportunity and fair play, irrespective of caste, race, creed, sex, or wealth.
Sri Lanka never had people defecating in public, has all but eradicated its traditionally mild caste distinctions, and its people are more tolerant than in many other countries. This Buddhist mindset of the majority has set the tone for the nation as a whole, encouraged the emergence of a Dharmishta society cast in the Asokan mold, with a more tolerant progressive mindset, irrespective of community.
I am optimistic and convinced that Narendra Modi is also imbued with these Asokan Buddhist values, and that India will uplift its most impoverished people rapidly with him at the helm. It just takes a few dedicated leaders, like Emperor Asoka himself, to break the ingrained chains that have held India in thrall to misguided priorities.
Long Live the new Indian paradigm of “Toilets before Temples”!
October 29th, 2014 at 6:43 am
Ananda, there is no point in arguing with retards, and there are quite a few here.
October 29th, 2014 at 8:19 am
A fool who knows his foolishness is wise at least to that extent, but a fool who thinks himself wise is a fool indeed.
– Buddha
October 29th, 2014 at 10:38 am
I think the presidential election will be different from what people here imagine.
October 29th, 2014 at 12:55 pm
AnuD,
With BBS strongly backing MR, things will work in favor of MR. But it is NOT final. They too have put forward their proposals.
BBS can be used as a lever to get SLMC to toe the line. IF SLMC goes, BBS comes in. That compensates.
October 29th, 2014 at 10:25 pm
My Problem is Mahinda Rajapakse is trying to be Alhaj to muslims and a Pope to Catholics etc.,
Can he do anything genuinely except he tightening grip on the power for himself.
October 30th, 2014 at 1:16 pm
The cat is out the bag! Now UNHRC demands SL remove 18 amendment! As UNHRC asks it, SL should NOT do it. What is JHU doing with UNHRC? Is JHU working to UNHRC agenda?
“Oct 30, Geneva: The United Nations Human Rights Committee, while welcoming several measures taken by the Government of Sri Lanka to ensure human rights of its citizens, asked the government to repeal the 18th Amendment to the Constitution approved by the parliament in September 2010.
Presenting the Concluding Observations on the fifth periodic report of Sri Lanka, the UN human rights treaty body, which reviewed Sri Lanka on 7 and 8 October, said the Committee is concerned by the 18th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution.”
– colombopage
October 30th, 2014 at 3:03 pm
I WARNED that bickering and blackmail on the eve of the Presidential Election will UNDERMINE the ALLIANCE OF PATRIOTIC FORCES that brought Victory over Separatism in 2009, and enabled the RAPID ECONOMIC PROGRESS of the last 5 years.
I also WARNED that “The time for fine tuning benefits of the Victory of the ALLIANCE OF PATRIOTIC FORCES is not now, when we are facing another election battle to PRESERVE and EXTEND the gains of the last 5 years. ” We need another DECADE of ROCK SOLID POLITICAL STABILITY and CONTINUED GROWTH to make SRi Lanka IMPREGNABLE.
Well, the JHU attempting to “primarily dilute presidential powers, regardless of the consequences” is now beginning to UNRAVEL that PATRIOTIC ALLIANCE as I had feared. They fail to understand that the Executive Presidency has been the main bulwark against forces inimical to Sri Lanka.
This JHU move is encouraging even the UN to interfere in Sri Lanka’s internal politics by recommending that the 18th Amendment, but not the 13th Amendment, be REPEALED.
Why? Because they see cracks appearing in the PATRIOTIC ALLIANCE that they hope to WIDEN, to transform Sri Lanka into a VASSAL STATE as in the not too distant past!
The JHU is now saying that they are pushing to REPEAL of the 13th Amendment. That is EXCELLENT, but coupling it to REPEAL of the 18th Amendment to weaken the Presidency that MUST BE POWERFUL to achieve the NATIONAL GOALS in the next DECADE, is ASININE!
JHU fails to understand that WISDOM is the BETTER PART of VALOR! There is a time to HOLD the cards, and a time to FOLD them, and this is a time to fold in the self-interest of all patriotic citizens of Sri Lanka!
“Mey Gonnunta Witharak Noveyi, Api Hamatah Allapu Aththath, Paya Gahapu Aththath Dekama Nathiwenawa!”
……………………………
Talks deadlocked: JHU threatens street protests; Ven. Rathana bitterly disappointed
by Shamindra Ferdinando
Island.lk
October 29, 2014
Ongoing high profile talks between the SLFP and the JHU to resolve a simmering dispute over the latter’s constitutional and political reform proposals primarily meant to dilute presidential powers have failed to produce the desired results.
JHU proposals are about political reforms and a range of other contentious issues including police and land powers in the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
Except the JVP, other political parties while demanding the abolition of the executive presidency/pruning of presidential powers remain committed to the 13th Amendment.
JHU MP Ven. Athureliye Rathana yesterday told The Island that he was bitterly disappointed at the situation. Referring to talks, the two parties had on Monday (Oct 27) and Tuesday (Oct 28) at Temple Trees, Ven. Rathana Thera insisted that there hadn’t been any progress contrary to various views expressed by various parties.
Ven. Rathana declared that the JHU was preparing to lead a public protest campaign early next month to pressure the SLFP.
Two rounds of talks between the two parties were held consequent to a meeting chaired by President Rajapaksa on October 21, during which the President allegedly left abruptly.
The JHU delegation comprised Minister Champika Ranawaka and Western Province Minister Udaya Gammanpila. The SLFP delegation consisted of UPFA General Secretary and Minister Susil Premjayantha, Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva and Minister Dallas Alahapperuma.
Minister Premjayantha yesterday told The Island that talks were continuing. Asked whether they intended to conclude the talks within a specific period, Minister Premjayantha said that negotiations would continue.
Ven. Rathana said that the JHU would go ahead with its campaign regardless of consequences.
JHU spokesman Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe told The Island that they had several options in case the ongoing talks failed.
Warnasinghe said that their support to the ruling coalition would depend on the outcome of talks.
October 30th, 2014 at 6:41 pm
I have my reservations about some JHU demands and the absence of other vital demands. When assessing JHU demands, we must look beyond Mahinda. JR thought only the UNP can win a presidential election and assigned it all imaginable powers to it. But within two decades SLFP won it. 18A powers in the hands of an unnationalistic president can be of great harm.
Given the other available options, I don’t mind Mahinda even for 5 terms but that is not what takes place. The third term is a stepping stone for Basil to become president. Thereafter he will be going for 3 terms. I have no faith in him. Assuming corruption allegations against him are untrue, there are serious national concerns about him.
Firstly he is an American citizen. Given UNHRC issues, there is a huge conflict of interest between his American citizenry and serving Sri Lanka. An African country appointed a British dual citizen as caretaker president until elections. Even this lesser matured democracy has a process in place to arrest this conflict of interest. Conduct of others who held dual citizenship particularly in geopolitical issues and corruption is well known in Asia and Africa.
Secondly, according to Wikileaks, he revealed to Robert Blake about an alleged STF involvement in the Trincomlaee killing of terror activists in 2006. This amounts to a serious matter concerning national security.
Thirdly, it was Basil who gave the undertaking to India in 2008 to fully implement 13A. Now this promise haunts us. 13A has sufficient powers to create regional warlords, again, and give them legal powers.
Fourthly, as economic development minister, he allocated 90% of borrowed funds to the north and the east, a disastrous economic decision of which the ill effects are felt now. As no sufficient state revenue is collected from the beneficiaries of the projects, paying off these loans and very high interest will be another disaster.
JHU proposal to make the president answerable to parliament is essential before Mahinda leaves office. He has not abused his powers but I cannot say the same of any other president. We must appreciate that it was JR who landed the nation in this current mess via 13A to which he agreed to with the Indian prime minister without any parliamentary accountability. Our constitution clearly states people’s sovereignty vests in the parliament.
The president must retain his executive powers but he must be accountable to the people and parliament.
This delicate difference must be understood.
October 31st, 2014 at 12:50 am
Dilrook,
You have presented the best argument I have read so far for REPEALING the 18th Amendment: that we must look beyond MR to the future when someone not as trustworthy, skilled and able as MR could become President.
I agree with you that there is no one else I would trust with the powers conferred on the President by the 18th Amendment … under NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
But, we are not facing NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES NOW. Sri Lanka is faced with a multiplicity of enemies .. both foreign and local … who would like nothing better than to BIND the President’s hands using the people they have stationed in Strategic positions (eg., BASL), or they can buy with unlimited foreign funds for personal coffers and party politics, and offers of foreign citizenship and refuge on their soil if things go wrong and they have to flee.
We need a POWERFUL PRESIDENCY for at least 10 years to place Sri Lanka in an IMPREGNABLE position, and the LEGAL AUTHORITY to implement NATIONAL PROGRAMS without barriers being set up in Parliament, in Regional Administration, or in the Legal Courts. The drumbeat of accusations of corruption and illegality being leveled at the GOSL, are moves orchestrated by foreign and local enemies, to transform every molehill of an issue into a mountain, to get Sri Lanka wrapped up in various fabricated and inflated legal issues, at home and abroad, to tie the hands of the GOSL, so that NATIONAL PROGRAMS cannot be executed, and NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT is HALTED in its tracks.
These enemies KNOW that if the nation continues to develop at the current breakneck speed, they will SOON LOSE ALL CAPABILITY to CONTROL, DIVIDE and RULE Sri Lanka. Our Motherland will have achieved ESCAPE VELOCITY and moved beyond their reach into an orbit beyond their reach.
MR and his brothers are the PRIMARY BARRIER to achieving the agenda of these enemies of Sri Lanka. So, their PRIMARY GOALS is to ENGINEER a REGIME CHANGE and drag the Rajapaksa Brothers in front of the ICC and get rid of them.
MR is in VERY GOOD HEALTH and is a VIGOROUS man, who can serve AT LEAST another DECADE, which should see Sri Lanka in an IMPREGNABLE position to confront and overcome its enemies. There is plenty of time to AMEND the 18th Amendment, before he departs office and no equally suitable replacement is available. The TIME to HAMSTRING the Presidency is NOT NOW when we have yet to achieve our CRITICAL NATIONAL GOALS!
When Sri Lanka was on its knees under assault from separatists, and the lives of our families, and the integrity of our nation was in jeopardy, the Rajapaksa Family came forward at IMMENSE PERSONAL RISK to save the nation and our ungrateful hides from murderous terror. Then we all appealed to them for deliverance from terror, and URGED them to FINISH THE JOB ONCE and FOR ALL. Now that peace and security has been restored to our lives, and the nation is at PEACE, and is being DEVELOPED in leaps and bounds, foreign vultures are flying above to swoop down and make a meal of them. It was THEIR DUTY THEN to rescue us; it is OUR DUTY NOW to protect those who risked their skins to save us.
As a Buddhist, I know that “Kelehiguna Salakeema” is very high on the list of Buddhist virtues. To me it is an article of my faith. It is our turn NOW to stop being DESPICABLE INGRATES, to stop NITPICKING when our skilled, able, courageous and self-sacrificing leaders are being threatened, TO CIRCLE AROUND THEM and DEFEND AND PROTECT our heroic leaders. They breathed life into our nation, rescued her hallowed crown from the gutter and restored it to her unbowed head; it is our turn now to help them keep it there and complete this grand journey to transform our Motherland into the Light of the World.
You mentioned that Gota and Basil are American citizens. I have read ALLEGATIONS elsewhere (dbsjayeraj.com for example, and an Island.lk article) that they are US citizens; and also that they are only Green Card holding Permanent Residents, not citizens. I don’t really know what the truth is. I too think it is TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE for a foreign citizen, or a dual citizen, to become the President of Sri Lanka. Absolutely no one, but a person whose sole citizenship is Sri Lankan, should be eligible to run for the Presidency, and even other top positions in the GOSL, like VP, Prime Minister, Speaker of the House, Supreme Court Judges, etc.
If Basil wants to run for the Presidency, and he is a US citizen, he should GIVE UP the US citizenship.