What next for President Rajapakse & the SLPP
Posted on February 13th, 2018
The best way to predict the future is to create it – Abraham Lincoln
10th February 2018 will go down in history as a watershed moment in Sri Lankan politics. It beat previous startling outcomes of 1956 and 1977. The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna a lifespan of just 2 years electorally thrashed parties that had been in politics for over 70 years – UNP (1946), ITAK (1949), SLFP (1951), JVP (1965) & UPFA (2004). No bookie would have expected or predicted such a result. Every plan backfired in what has to be some divine intervention (sans astrologers) to safeguard Sri Lanka. None would have expected that in 3 years the people would democratically decimate the very government they helped bring to power in an almost unexpected democratic tsunami. It was a virtual Parliamentary cum Presidential election wherein the people came out to say they reject the Government, the Prime Minister & even the President all players the very voters brought to power in 2015. SLPP’s journey has more daunting challenges and threats than it can fathom. Are they upto the task?
The results no doubt must be a shock to every entity foreign and local that has been working 24×7 to emotional brand Rajapakse Government as rogues believing in the Goebelles theory of repeating a lie to make it a truth. With so many foreign intelligence, NGOs, foreign advisors and others on the ground none expected or even anticipated the outcome. Both local and foreign apparatus was on the side of the yahapalana government and every election rule was bent and violated with no punitive actions taken. 24×7 the SLPP were attacked both on private and state tv and media publications going down to the level of threatening to remove Mahinda Rajapakse’s civic rights & threatening to deny funds for the Local Government bodies that the SLPP may win. All that the SLPP had was the social media that the regime coup operators has found baffling to counter or dilute even with foreign training and the nationalist forces who were intelligent enough to read between the lines and provide all support voluntarily.
Rajapakse’s now given another lease to re-enter politics must not make the same mistakes that the Yahapalana leaders have made. Its well and fine to have foreign patronage but then foreigners do not deliver the votes – the people do. Miscalculations & taking people for granted and thinking people were stupid are a handful of the mistakes made by Ranil fraction. Knowing that in 3 years other than calling Rajapakse’s HORU (rogues) nothing substantial had been proven before any court of law. However, the Bond Scam associated with the EPF and Bank of Ceylon irregularities were enough for people to conclude who the real rogues were. The money lost to the State was evident and the state of the economy was witness. Moreover, it did not require any level of intelligence to conclude that the PM recommended a foreigner as Central Bank chief and that foreigner was not only connected to the LTTE but was also personally protected by the PM even inside the halls of Parliament. There was really no requirement for a Bond Scam investigation for people to conclude Ranil’s involvement in the scam even to the level of accepting him to be the mastermind having taken the Central Bank directly under him after controversially taking over as PM in January 2015 without a parliamentary election.
The psyche of the UNPers is difficult to fathom. They do not hesitate to call Rajapakse as a hora but are reluctant to refer to mass murder Prabakran as a terrorist, they preach anti-corruption but are mum on corruptions of their own leaders – anything UNP does is fine by them. Apart from a handful of UNPers who have been able to sieve the lies and put country first all others are beyond repair even for the sake of the nation.
Having drilled ‘corruption’ ‘anti-corruption’ into the minds of the people – the voters are unlikely to tolerate more than an acceptable level of corruption from any future government. So Rajapakse must immediately identify all players who have had a bleak record and distance himself from them lest he wants to suffer the same fate again. Rajapakse would recall that he would not have suffered defeat in 2015 had he taken action against MPs were being a public nuisance as well as controlled the occasions of going overboard by spouse & children (car races etc) these factors would not have been used as examples to justify the regime change. It hurt the sentiments of many to see the war heroes who had no comes or electricity of their own being used to build homes of Tamil IDPs when it was the duty of the state to raise the salaries of the men who sacrificed their lives to deliver us peace, to attend to pension anomalies & give them something extra which no one would have objected to. President Rajapakse must at all times remember all the ingredients that contributed to the foreign funded campaign to oust him in 2015 & ensure none is repeated.
While UNP’s vote base remains its eternally loyal 3.5m it has always vouched on the support of the Tamil, Muslim & Christian minorities (barring a few of each who have intelligence to put country before party) All of UNP’s actions and statements centre on the demands made by these entities primarily because of their international influence and support. Had Rajapakse heeded advice and appointed a commission to investigate LTTE TNA links and denazified LTTE criminalizing the use of any Eelam emblems/flags/slogans/songs etc even the Tamil victims of LTTE would have been grateful and the LTTE diaspora would not have had any footing to interfere in Sri Lanka’s affairs. Even Northern Chief Minister would not have the guts to be blowing hot and cold as he does if he knew the repercussions and realized that he was dealing with a government that would be scared of him like pansies.
However, what Rajapakse’s must remember but tend to forget is that the forces that have rallied around and supported them to power at every election since 2005 has been the working class, the middle class, the poor southern rural voters many of these sacrificed their sons to fight the enemy terrorists and live to mourn their loss in very poor economic conditions. Rajapakse’s will now regret that they transferred funds meant to develop the South to the North probably on foolish advice of some so called ‘smart patriots’ who had other plans in mind. Rajapakse in his shock defeat would have realized that he had failed the people who without expecting special favors cast their vote for him and supported him without question. These were the people who came in their busloads to boost his morale when he lost and the whole world branded him a rogue. No leader even foreign has had the fortune to have people in their thousands (women, children & even men) cry to see their leader defeated and thereafter go in busloads to see the face of their leader. These gestures were an envy to past leaders & most others who knew they could never even imagine people come to visit them leave alone cry for them. Rajapakse cannot forget these people for new friends.
Factors that contributed to the rejection of this government are many – the cunning manner constitutional changes are being secretly drafted with connivance of foreign NGOs, foreign envoys and LTTE diaspora, the shocking manner that the historical identity of the island Buddhism is being not only diluted but removed from a bogus new constitution, the manner in which military and intelligence personnel are being hurled and put into prison without bail, the controversial destruction of the arms supplies factory leaving Sri Lanka virtually defenceless, the manner in which treacherous locals working for foreign payrolls are given positions in the state and privy to all data that should not be open to them, the shocking manner scores of Buddhist theros are put into prison on sham charges like not having a license to keep an elephant in the temple, the secret deals and pacts with assistance of public officials that are allowing foreigners to enter carte blanche set up businesses like ETCA, ferry/road & rail link with India, to own property and land, bring their families, given tax havens and other concessions all of which will be detrimental to the country and pose serious demographic and security issues in the future. The minorities must be clearly conveyed that they cannot use their minority status to demand and accrue unreasonable demands and that no reconciliation can take place without reciprocation.
The Rajapakse’s cannot agree to any of the above and must commit to nullifying all these agreements and taking action against all corrupt public officials a factor that would bring about discipline to the public service and uplift its service mechanism. Rajapakse’s must remember that their greatest defense are the people who would back them if they do right by the nation and that is more powerful any demarches issued from embassies. One of the first and foremost issues that the Rajapakse’s must deal with is the UNHRC Resolutions and if Rajapakse takes the role as Opposition leader which he must insist upon, the international community must be lobbied and challenged to nullify all false claims for war crimes tribunals and all co-sponsorships by the Government based on handouts by the LTTE diaspora must be nullified forthwith.
Rajapakse’s must not fall for any traps that the Yahapalana coterie will plan to dish out and instead seek to remain in the Opposition using that position together with the hold over the local government bodies to strengthen ties with the people of these areas and develop the areas that had been neglected. There is little use in shouldering the liabilities of Ranil, two years before the big election.
How could Ranil & Sirisena have failed and frustrated the voters so much in 3 years? Both didn’t have Prabakaran blowing bombs causing chaos, the entire international community was on his side even showering awards but the rupee kept climbing and notes kept printing, there were no need to create false flag events, even the Opposition JVP & TNA were virtually on their side, so too was the media but not the social media and these are all lessons that the Rajapakse’s cannot brush aside, forget or believe the same will not happen to them.
The voters are certainly emotional and compassionate people but at the same time they can also hurt, they forgive but they do not forget and they silently watch and are patient enough to wait and deliver the blows when needed. This is what took Ranil, Sirisena, entire yahapalana Government & the foreign supporters & NGOs by surprise.
The SLPP probably would never have thought they would receive such an overwhelming mandate from the people and there was no Sumanasiri Astrologer either!
There are some factors certainly worth revisiting – should we be celebrating a bogus independence day when it should be either 22nd May when Sri Lanka became a republic in 1972 or May 19th when in 2009 Sri Lanka liberated areas that had been held by terrorists uniting the country as one island.
With people more alert, more informed and not easy to fool they are unlikely to want to tolerate the theatrics and drama as happens presently in parliament. Now men wearing suits behave like clowns.
While professionals are being encouraged to enter politics and bring professionalism to governance, it is advised to keep to a formula of have a reduced number of politicians in parliament and have a separate professional body of experts who are the policy makers and whose policies the politicians (cannot interfere in) but must canvass among the people as politicians know the art of reaching to the masses that professionals lack the expertise in. Better checks and balances, transparency and greater accountability will help leverage Sri Lanka in deciding policies based on Sri Lanka’s terms, for Sri Lanka’s benefit and to serve Sri Lankan citizens first and foremost. Sri Lanka must tap into experts from our own people. We do not need to import advisors or consultants. We must harness and nurture our own but work in a policy of non-alignment with all nations of the world clearly establishing no-go and no-interference areas clearly to foreign neighbors and others.
We are a small nation, our people are united so long as there is a united plan that equally benefits all and sans hidden agendas and other manipulations. These are all lessons that the Rajapakses & the SLPP decision makers need to now take cognizance of. Short-Medium and Long Term plans on economic, social, cultural, political levels must now itself be ironed out.
Its time to build the future – our future, together
Throughout history,
it has been the inaction of those who could have acted;
the indifference of those who should have known better;
the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most;
that has made it possible for evil to triumph
-Haile Selassie-
Shenali D Waduge
February 12th, 2018 at 3:11 pm
Basil MR & Gota should not underestimate the evil forces at play. They should put some pride & vengeance away & try to get as many partners on board as possible. An alliance with the JVP is a must. Also consider MS on board with SLFP. I do not think Muslims & Tamils can be swayed with whatever promises we give, ungrateful lots. So get Sinhala votes as many as possible. What about getting some breakaway bigwigs in the UNP who are unhappy with UNP leader. Maximise your Sinhala votes, that should be the theme.
February 12th, 2018 at 4:16 pm
Shenali, you couldn’t have said it any better. As always a big thank you, for you lay it on the ground without any bias.
My only hope is that Mahinda Rajapakse this time will not go to thank Thrirupathi or what ever devil he worships in a temple in South India for his and his party Pohottuwa’s win at the Local Government Election and follow that with a visit to the Vatican – Pedophile Protection Inc in Rome.
This time around the victors are truly the people and only the Patriots at that. In spite of all the step-motherly treatment, they received even while MR was in power when he tried in vain to win over the North and East, they stayed solidly behind MR because he saved the nation from the Tamil Racist Terrorist menace the LTTE. Good people like great pachyderms have long memories and they are ever grateful.
No doubt the image of MR has a mesmerising effect to galvanize their patriotism. That should not be confused with the man inside. He is a politician still working numbers to stay in politics. Politicians are not visionaries, they are mostly worried about the ‘immediate’ – what is there within the viewing distance, the horizon.
On the other hand a statesman would have a vision for the future – the likes of Bismark, Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Nehru, Ho Chi Minh and more recently Lee Kuan Yew and Mahathir Mohammed are personnel to be emulated. A statesman does what is best for a nation and stay put by their decisions regardless of petit setbacks. They are not easily shaken by temporary setbacks. Mao’s Long March comes to mind.
In this vein, if only MR went onto consolidate his war victories forming strategic diplomatic friendships, Sri Lanka wouldn’t be in this mess today. Instead, he made more trips to the Vatican and Thirupathi Temple, believing in the power of the supernatural instead of the ‘supernatural’ already on the ground – the People.
We sincerely hope that MR and those close to him will mend their ways in time for the next Presidential Elections! Sri Lanka is a country in need of a Statesman. The only figure that looms large in my mind is Gotabhaya!
February 12th, 2018 at 4:24 pm
I agree with Cahrithsls too, but need to be vigilant with back-stabbers. They come in all shapes and forms. Vairee SIrisena should not be touched even with a barge pole – he must be allowed to fade away into oblivion after finishing any corruption charges including those coming from Australia. The other failed and old politicians who have been rejected by the people many times over should be entertained ever!
February 12th, 2018 at 4:50 pm
Charithsls,
Policies need to be match to a certain extent if JVPeers are to join and form a new coalition. Is that possible ?
February 12th, 2018 at 5:13 pm
It is mind boggling to see still sinhalese voting for UNP and also in the east… We tried to get single sinhala candidate in east area and its always that UNP blocked it.. It says lot now and 50’s and 60’s as well. Its anti sinhalese party.
I would not trust Basil since he is in indian pocket and this man adore money, more than the country.. People still don’t know about this mans personality, he is very dangerous crook.
Only candidate to me is Gotha and he is a man of deep buddhist ethics and also love the country. MR’s past behaviour basically got him into trouble and his main liabilities are his wife and corrupt anti buddhist sons and corrupt people around him. People still love him due to his unwavering commitment to end the war and he should be a elder statement and should support Gotha for the next presidency. I know for a fact MR’s wife want elder son the crook to take the mantle and this will be a another disaster like sirisena since sinhalese want non corrupt nationalist leaders that look after the poor and countries badly managed institutions.
Yes, we do not need christian churches to preach us and also going after non entities in india to make mockery of our buddhist heritage.
Its the people that decide this present vote and poor are crying for a truly nationalist leader to take the country to next millennium ..
February 12th, 2018 at 5:48 pm
Look at Mahinda’s demand for a parliamentary election in 2019 ahead of a presidential election. Why?
Mahinda knows his party cannot win a presidential election (which requires 50%) and minority block voting plays a huge role. Swan Alliance contested all presidential elections since 2010 and they will contest again in 2019. Now they have 53% against 51% they had in 2015. An improvement of 2%. Incumbent government has a huge advantage in presidential elections. No president has lost his second election.
Powerful countries including China, India, Russia, etc. will not tolerate a US citizen (current or former) becoming president of Sri Lanka. That directly goes against their interests and they don’t buy local excuses.
Leftist parties in the SLPP including NFF, LSSP, CP, MEP, SLPF, etc. will become the laughing stock if they promote a US citizen (current or former) at a presidential election.
These are added problems of a presidential election for the SLPP.
However, it is the oppositte in a parliamentary election. Tamils in the north and east vote for TNA depriving UNP. All districts have bonus seats. CWC, SLMC and ACMC join the largest party after the election. These things favour SLPP. If this was a parliamentary election, SLPP will have a working majority.
This is why Mahinda wants a parliamentary election in 2019 ahead of a presidential election. However, it cannot be done after 19A.
It is nearly impossible to win a presidential election without the JVP. With an increase in JVP votes, SLPP cannot disregard the JVP. Some form of agreement must be reached with the JVP which now controls over 9% of Sinhala Buddhist votes.
February 12th, 2018 at 6:58 pm
Thank you Shenali for putting these together for MR. Hope not only the people close to him read these, but also consider the knowledge and patriotism of some of our LankaWeb writers including Shenali for professional advisers on various matters including Foreign Affairs if not to make the same mess at UNHCR by using Mahinda Samarasinghe and other people in the ministry. Foreign Ministry is totally infested with LieTTE virus.
@ Dilrook – Although I am an ardent supporter of Gota, only today I realised the fact which highlighted by you. Being a US Citizen not only it will antagonise China and Russia (No India of course..) but also will have problems for nominations, similar to Geetha Kumarasinghe.
This is a grave danger because we were all these time thinking that Gota is there to play the second inning and win the world cup for Mother Lanka.
However, if he gives up the US citizenship, there won’t be an issue for the nomination… but the support of China and Russia is the question. But I have a strong feeling that they have already measured up his calibre and he should be clean within their records due to his patriotism and dedication to doing good to Mother Lanka.
I think we still have some hopes for the Presidential Election… There is no one to match GOTA in honesty, straight dealing, dedication, the brains etc.
February 12th, 2018 at 9:34 pm
BREAKING NEWS, NEWS, NEWS!
Many members of the UPFA elected to various Local Government entities around the country HAVE EXPRESSED SUPPORT for the SLPP.
As such, the total number of Local Government Entities controlled by the SLPP has INCREASED from the ORIGINAL 231 to 239 at the last count reported on TV news.
No doubt, many more will join the SLPP in the near future! The post-election FENCE JUMPING has begun in EARNEST and will only ACCELERATE!
JAYAWEWA …. Pohottuwa!
February 13th, 2018 at 5:12 am
History is history, don’t compare history to now. We should think of the future. We should think positively of Mahinda Rajapaksa and his new born party Pohottuwa. If he makes the same mistakes again it will be his downfall. This time he should think differently than in the past. Next election will be the last for all these current politicians if they don’t deliver the goods to the the people in this country honestly and genuinely. People need a strong leader and a strong stable government to take care of their basic needs not a bunch of rouges or money making uneducated, vulger thugs and drug lords, gangsters, brainless, spineless individuals governing the country. Mahinda must be careful when selecting his people in the future. We are opposed for taking the traitors and cowards who left him because they disrespect him in public and abused him. We all want him to do good. Our country needs him more than any time to stop this evil trio breaking our country and selling our assets. Patriots time has come to join Mahinda Rajapaksa and his pohottuwa and work hard to save our Sinhala buddhist Motherland with the help of other minority communities who loves this nation truthfully.
We all should thank Shenali and other patriots who contribute to Lankaweb for their outstanding support and fight in favour of our beloved nation. We read fantastic articles these days from various contributers who writes many valuable articles concerning our country. Let’s unite the sinhala votes to bring a sinhala buddhist leader to lead us for a better future. If no Mahinda Gota is the best candidate for that job. We should not worry about the nationality or citizenship now itself and lose our hopes. United we win, divided we lose. Pray for a better future for all Sri lankans.
February 13th, 2018 at 5:31 am
save our Sinhala buddhist Motherland with the help of other minority communities who loves this nation truthfully – Please leave minority communities who never ever love (include myself & USA-Ananda’s yaluva).
wish you all the best My Chignkala Sakotharam !!!
JAYAWEWA /Vettinichchayam .
February 13th, 2018 at 6:32 am
Sri Lankans must realise that whoever who comes into power must see to the welfare of the entire Nation, not just Sinhala folk.
That is what a Statesman would have to do !
MR is/was a Statesman.
MR could not have done better, considering the odds he had to face before, during, and after, the war with decades of ruthless Tamil terrorism, and ongoing Separatism.
As Lanka is a difficult place to govern due to various reasons, past & present, we suggest that a group of Patriots 5-8 in number, govern the Country.
Other suggestions welcome.
February 13th, 2018 at 7:16 am
Many thanks for good news, Ananda !
May the Pohotuwa bloom and flourish !
February 13th, 2018 at 8:12 am
I believe, if Ranil continues to lead the UNP for a few more years, the UNP will cease to exist, or will dwindle into a party of no significance eventually, just like the SLFP lead by Maithri today!. Therefore, no one should be asking for the resignation of Ranil from leadership, and has to worry about the future and the SLFP and UNP taking over the reign anymore! However, the SLPP under the leadership of Mahinda or any other person who takes up the leadership, should be aware of intruders who are concerned of promoting their agendas, local or foreign, or persons driven by unjustified ambition (like Maithri ) and keep such elements away from the party.
February 13th, 2018 at 8:19 am
Mahinda must not do the same mistake by keeping eyes closed for misdeeds done by Basil and Namal. Must abolish 13th amendment. No revenge politics, keep away people like Nmal Sripala Silva and scum bags like him.
February 13th, 2018 at 12:19 pm
S A Kumar,
Please do not exclude yourself, like Chief Minister Vigneswaran, from those Tamils who are willing to be friends with and live in amity among Sinhala Buddhists as Sri Lankan citizens.
If you do, you will have only yourself to blame for the consequences, and will provide a bad destructive example to others.
Despite your often provocative statements, I believe that you are a good person, and invite you and other well-meaning Tamil people to join us, become DESHA-PREMIS committed to a SHARED EXISTENCE and prosper together as ONE Indomitable Nation, of ONE Inseparable People sharing ONE Indivisible Destiny.
Tamil people have to STOP listening to the Racist Mantra of the Eelamists, ABANDON their old attitudes, DISAVOW their past practices and JOIN their fellow Sinhala citizens knowing that in a Nation ruled by the majority with the Sinhala Buddhist ETHOS they will always be treated with respect and be given every right that the Sinhala Buddhists themselves enjoy.
However, they should also know that the Sinha Buddhists will NEVER grant them SPECIAL RIGHTS or allow a PRESENCE SEPARATE from all other Sri Lankan citizens, no matter HOW LONG or HOW HARD they attempt to achieve it. The tsunami-like VICTORY of the SLPP in the recent ELECTION is a DEMONSTRATION of what can happen when Sinhala Buddhists finally REVOLT against the Machiavellian strategies of the SEPARATISTS.
We will DEFEND and PROTECT our tiny yet resplendent Motherland till our last breath as a people.
February 13th, 2018 at 7:54 pm
If you have been watching the News Channels, there is a beehive of ACTIVITY within the SLFP and UNP parts of the Yamapalanaya, ALL geared to AVOIDING stepping aside for the SLPP as the VOTERS want, and to form a CARETAKER Govt until a General Election can be held.
So, lets look at the existing situation to UNDERSTAND WHY:
1. MR has said he does not the post of PM offered by MS without the mandate of a New General Election
2. UNP wants to create a UNP-ONLY government but is short of 7 MPs to get the required 50% majority in Parliament
3. JVP has REFUSED to join a UNP-led or JO-led Govt
4. MS has said he will not accept as Ministers any SLFP/UPFA individuals who join an ONLY-UNP-led Government
5. The TNA with its16 MPs is remaining non-committal until requested by some major Party to be the kingmaker.
The Party composition of MPs in the current Parliament is as follows:
UNP 106
JO 52
UPFA/SLFP 43
TNA 16
JVP 6
EPDP 1
SLMC 1
TOTAL 225
Without ministerial portfolios no UPFA/SLFP-ers will join ANY Govt, because MS refuses to accept them as Ministers.
So, the ONLY WAY the UNP can reach the required number of 113 MPs is to form an ALLIANCE with the TNA!
However, that will be DEATH for the UNP in future Elections because Sinhala people will see that as the ULTIMATE TREACHERY and CULMINATION of Yamapalana efforts to Federalize Sri Lanka through a New Constitution.
The JO cannot form a Govt with 113 MPs, because JO(52)+UPFA(43)+EPDP(1)+SLMC(1) seats add up to only 97 seats.
That may be why SLPP/MR wants a New General Election to win a sufficient number of Parliamentary seats without accepting, even if were possible, the JVP and the TNA as allies.
February 13th, 2018 at 8:58 pm
It seems MR has done the calculations!
@ Ananda and Kumar,
I agree with the idea of Ananda’s invitation to Kumar. This is the country we all love so let’s share the spirit and live together without dividing and destroying it. please throw away the idea of Ealam and join the Band….One country, One nation!!!, One Team, One Dream!!
February 13th, 2018 at 11:16 pm
Hiranthe & Ananda
Thank you for your invitation BUT be honest We-Tamil need more time include myself as We both know (as older people) 1956 to 1983 Demila baila .
hope & pray MR & his future Govt won’t make same mistake as SWRDB to JRJ made it .
OUR Chignkala Theevu was One country, One nation, One Team, One Dream for last 2,000 years or more according to Great Mahavamsam & will be for another 3,000 years or more …… because We both believe in Dharma & Karma !!!
February 17th, 2018 at 5:33 am
The problem we have is common to other Indian colonies and dominions. President Zuma of South Africa resigned. PM of Nepal gone. Maldives in trouble.
Indian Colonial parasites in our country and other Indian colonies should go back to India like the Indians in Uganda who went to UK.