Sudath Gunasekara

My Dear Mr Lalith Weeratunga,

Having failed to contact you or to get your private TP No or E-mail ever since I wrote you this note, I am copying you here with the note I sent to you by E-mail on 1^st Dec, 2014 as a prior warning about the last Presidential election.

I am seeking the assistance of Lankaweb to trace you as I have failed all other. I hope this will reach you via Lankaweb. I am sending this to Lankaweb for two reasons,

1 to reach you at least via Lankaweb

2 For the general public to know how much we have been trying to avoid the current situation in the country, which we expect to get worse in few more days.

I hope you will have few minutes to go through it at least now, as you had no time to do so then and I would like to hear from you in retrospect.

Yours Sincerely,

Sudath

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Strictly confidential and personal

To Lalith from Sudath   1.Dec.2014.

My Dear Lalith,

A note from an old friend of yours,

 I am greatly disturbed by the latest, political developments taking place in the country. The Government is heading for serious trouble unless you take immediate corrective measures to arrest this situation.

In the first place I do not think it advisable at all to go for a Presidential election now.

You have two more years to go. Therefore my advice is to wait these two years, as the bird in hand is worth more than ten in the bush. Meanwhile why don’t you advice the President to reduce the mega Cabinet, bring in few new and quality men in to it, listen to good counseling, at least  distance bad eggs both in politics and administration and take corrective measures to build up a new image before you go for the next election.

As for me I am particularly disturbed of any change in Government as that would definitely take us back to pre 2005 situation or even something much worse.   

I am also enclosing herewith a copy of the Siya Panatha” (100) prepared by me on behalf of our organization that will be sent to all political parties and few selected opinion leaders for them to reorient their future political strategies in the light of simmering aspirations of the Sinhala Buddhist majority in this country. You may use this as a broad guideline to put the Government on the correct track.

This report is based on a survey by our members, over the past few months that covered a wide cross section of the society (mostly Kandy district but covering other Districts as well). As such we believe it reflects the current political palpitation of a sizable section of people in this country. People to whom we spoke range from University dons, prominent Buddhist monks, public servants, teachers, students and businessmen to many others like chauffeurs, farmers and ordinary people. This document embodies in summary form the views of these people. You may go through this, and advice HE accordingly, to take necessary action you deem fit to avoid a possible catastrophe the country might have to face in the forthcoming Presidential Election, in case the old saying Achintitampi Bhawati Chintitampi vinassati” gets activated.

Most people to whom we spoke seem to have no issue with MR as a leader. But they are highly critical of most politicians like the, PM (who got only 10,000 votes from Gampola at the last election and who was widely criticized for breakfasting with a Muslim Kudu King by the people), Chief Minister CP (who is all the time seen hanging around and posting with the President where ever the latter goes or show off at film festivals like a film star in Colombo and does everything but his job in the CP as the CM for which he is paid by the people. People in and around Kandy wonder whether he is a Chief Minister for the whole country) and Hakeem; none of these men have popular support in the Kandy District. They are also critical of people like Mervin, Duminda, Sajin. Mutuhettigama, Vass and Sarana Gunawardhana whom they opine should be distanced immediately from the HE if he wants to avoid a major crisis.

Almost all to whom we spoke, think these are the men who will bring about the downfall of the government. Every vote the President gets, at least in the Kandy district is a personal vote to him and not votes collected by local politicians. These politicians are just like cunning foxes in the jungle that subsist on carcasses left over by a lion until they find a new lion to kill for them. As such it is very dangerous to depend on these unscrupulous sycophants and their reports and numbers. The votes are definitely not with them; votes are with the people. When we talk to people we see how much they hate these local politicians. They are corrupt and arrogant and distanced from the people. They don’t care and listen to anybody in their districts; they only care their self interest.

Most people to whom we spoke are also critical of Sarath Fonseka case.  Though they don’t approve his contesting 2005 elections they see him as the war hero and as such they feel that he should not have been treated so shabbily like that.

Even though the President has not taken any action regarding my only request to him dated 10^th June 2011 sent to you regarding my Village Meemure (in spite of the consistent support I have extended for him at the Presidential election 2005 and thereafter, as you would have already seen in the article enclosed, which I sent to you in mid 2006), I still admire him for the following things he has done.

1 Defeating the LTTE

2 Restoring political stability in the country by keeping this political animal zoo together

3 The new wave of infra structure development, especially the roads (excepting Meemure road)

4 The bold stand taken against the imperial West and Indian expansionism

5 Improved relationships with China and Russia

6 Construction of Sanda Hiru Seya

That is why I am sending this note to you, hoping that some of the ideas therein could be effectively used to counter opposition campaigns. I strongly believe this Siya Panatha will definitely help any politician to enhance his/her chances of getting more votes in this country, particularly the Sinhala Buddhist votes. If at least the key proposals of this programme are implemented the country will emerge once again to the pristine status of what it had been before the 13^th century. This is what the Sinhala Buddhists of this country had been dreaming for a long time.

I expect this document to activate the second take off from where the Dasa Panatha of Bauddha Sasana Com Report of 1953 stopped after 1956. Whatever the critics may say, in my opinion, the incumbent President is the best person to whom the country could look up for implementing these proposals as already he has the power as the Executive President on the one hand and the 2/3 majority in Parliament on the other.  We also hope that as a son of Ruhuna he possess the courage and guts to take such bold decisions as already proved by the way he handled the LTTE. What you need in this country just now in our opinion is a benevolent Sinhala Buddhist dictator.

 

Your Special Attention is drawn to the following items in the 100 Panatha.

Desapalana the foll sections

        1 Ek Ratak

2 Ek Jatiyak

3 Ek nitiyak

5 A National Advisory Council above politics

6 Abolition of the 13^th A and the Provincial Council system and Establishment of Tunsinhale and  Three Ratasabha

12 A National Planning Council

13  Senate

16 Need for permanent residence within the electorate for candidates etc

18 Ban on all ethnic & religious political parties

19 Ban on religious dignitaries entering politics

24 Removal of Pensions for politicians and enormous privileges given to them.

38 Remove Proportional representation and district MPP System and return to former electoral system so that every electorate will have a MP to whom the people could take their grievances. (Unlike the present District MP system where most don’t have a rep. Ex; In Kandy 11 out of 14 electorates don’t have MPP from 2004 up to date) Only Nawalapitiya, Gampola and Harisattuwa have elected MPP. So where is representative democracy? The same procedure to be adopted in the present Pradeshiya Sabha system as well by reverting to one member per VC ward.

48, 49, 50 New Constitution

Rajya Paripalana

5, 7, 9, 20 and24 Installing an independent, efficient Public Service freed from politics

23 Updating pension of public servants. One who does this will get at least 1 million votes more as there are over 540 000 pensioners. He will also go down in history as the person who revolutionized the rights of the pensioners of the country.

 

Podu Karunu

8 Implement the Recommendations of the Kandyan Peasantry Commission of 1951 by setting up the Special Development Authority recommended therein to ameliorate the problems of Kandyan Peasants. No one should forget that Kandyan areas have 1/3 the total voter strength of the country

In addition to what has been suggested in this 100 Panatha, I would also like you to advise the HE to take the following steps as well

1. Implement as many proposals as possible put forward by the JHU (Most of them are also included in 100 Panatha)
2. Reduce the Cabinet to max 25 and man it with people of quality, people like late Atulathmudali and Kadiragama
3. Set up the national advisory Council stated under Desapalana No 5
4. Start a country wide Small Tanks Programme (this will enhance the Farmer vote)
5. Review Fonseka and Shirani issues. This will bring the votes of all their sympathizers to his bag
6. Stand firm on Western bullying, Indian expansionism and Tamil and Muslim racial politics, for no one else will and can do it
7. Put an end to never ending political maneuvering by opportunists Tamil and Muslim political parties by banning all such parties so that they will be compelled to join national parties. Tell them to integrate with the majority and behave like Sri Lankans or get back to South India or Arabia

 

Dear Lalith,

1 President Premadasa as you would recall listened to my objections as the President of SASA at the BMIC meeting on the amalgamation of the Pradesiya Sabha and Divisional Sec Offices and the appointment of non-SLAS officers as Divisional GAA in 1992 and thereby I was able to save the demise of the SLAS and the total destabilization of provincial Administration in this country

2 In 1992 Lalith Atulathmudali listened to my advice and joined hand with Gamini to form DUNF. Lalith in fact thanked me for what I did and told me that they had decided to appoint me as the chief organizer of DUNF for the entire Central Province

3 Mrs B on 25^th Dec 1993 accepted my strategy to get Chandrika back to the Party and was able to bring back SLFP to power in 1994 and again having listened to my advice she got Chandrika trapped to appoint her as the PM on Sept 10th.

All that I did in good faith for the good of the country without expecting anything in return.

Even today I am sending this document to you with the same spirit to be conveyed to HE, although he does not care for what is said by people like us.

In the event this Programme helps him, even in a small way, in the forthcoming election to retain his position which will definitely save the Country, the Nation and the Religion, I can be happy thinking that I too had the fortune of becoming a party to that patriotic mission.

In case these proposals help him to retain power I expect only one thing from you and the HE, and nothing else, in return,

That is implementing the Development Programme on My Village which I sent to you on 10^th. JUNE 2012.

Sudath Gunasekara

1.Dec.2014.

PS: If you are scared or find it difficult to tell these things to the President Pl get me an early appointment and let me know. I will do that job in the name of my country.