Western interests Keeping Maithri -Ranil alliance alive
Posted on February 25th, 2018
By Shivanthi Ranasinghe Courtesy Ceylon Today
If after 70 years of democracy, installed by the British, we are at the brink of having our country broken into pieces, we should realize the way we handle issues is wrong. Even before the British departed, certain Tamil politicians had already taken cudgels against what they termed as the “Sinhala government”.
It was their deliberate mismanagement of affairs that led to the creation of terrorism in the North and the East, which was exploited by India for their own political survival and geopolitical reasons. However, we too have played our part in letting ourselves be manipulated.
LG results shock
The drama that unfolded after the Local Government election shock amply demonstrates this fact. The cracks within the Unity Government widened and deepened rapidly from the minute the Local Government elections were called. It was bigwigs of the two main parties in the Unity Government, United National Party and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, that fired cannonballs of slander at each other. As war winning former President Mahinda Rajapaksa quipped, he really did not have anything to do, to pave the way for his massive victory for the UNP and SLFP and worked overtime to discredit themselves.
The two parties’ second ranks were also acutely aware of the Pohottuwa gains at their expense and tried their best to downplay the fights. UNP stalwarts Lakshman Kiriella likened Maithripala Sirisena and Ranil Wickremesinghe to old lovers, who will patch up after the elections.
Even the Joint Opposition and national movements like Eliya, repeatedly maintained that these “fights” are not serious. Venerable Madagoda Abayatissa Thera on the Eliya platform explained, that the two politicians, Sirisena and Wickremesinghe, to avoid facing key issues that are fast crippling the country, are behaving like a husband and wife duo brawling loudly, when the landlord comes to collect the rent.
However, many never anticipated this landslide victory for the Pohottuwa. Many JO supporters were disheartened with Basil Rajapaksa for not forming a link with the Sirisena-SLFP faction. His failure to do so would divide the votes and none would emerge with a clear victory was predicted by all political pundits. In fact, there were even whisperings that BR was betraying his own brother, MR, to pave the way for a UNP victory.
Efficient unpopular Basil
Basil Rajapakasa is not a popular politician because he is an efficient politician. The biggest grouse against him is his poker face. During the previous administration, he gained many enemies within the SLFP itself for not ‘sharing’ the projects and allowing others to earn their commissions. It was within this disgruntled SLFP ranks that the nickname, “Mr Ten Percent” emerged and capitalized by their political rivals to topple the then Government.
During the previous administration, he was the driving force behind the country’s massive and rapid infrastructure development. Though he is accused of hogging all the projects, the young SLFP MPs are extremely grateful to him. They claim that when the other seniors do not even share a logical point with them for fear that they will gain political mileage; Basil had helped them to win their electorates by giving all the support to develop their areas. It is in this context that it is a pity that Basil is still so quickly misjudged and his loyalty questioned.
It is perhaps for this reason that the war winning, former defence secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa emphasized their family unity in a recent interview. It remains to be seen whether that will assure BR’s bona fides, especially in the coming months with crucial elections to nine Provincial Councils, followed by the Presidential Elections and finally the General Elections – all coming up within these two years.
When the results came, it was akin to old lovers who had aged clumsily. The lost last love did not rekindle easily. Instead of the victory been dividing between the three parties with no clear winner, the UNP got a terrible drubbing and the SLFP a worse drubbing.
Interestingly, Sirisena who fared the worst interpreted the results as a rejection of Wickremesinghe by the people. For almost a week and a half we were entertained with Sirisena’s efforts to oust Wickremesinghe from the Premiership and Wickremesinghe coolly refusing to go. Even more interestingly, the UNP camp never asked Sirisena to vacate his position for clearly people have rejected him more than they had rejected Wickremesinghe. Instead that camp broke in two with one group pledging their support to Wickremesinghe and the other who clearly wanted him gone.
Surprisingly, in the camp that wanted Wickremesinghe out were UNP blue-eyed boys like Dr. Harsha de Silva. He is one who worked overtime to discredit the previous government’s economic policies and went as far as to call China, who was funding most of our infrastructural development projects, as an economic hit man. Though a politician, his warnings were seriously heeded as he is an economist by profession. Shortly after assuming power, he changed his professional opinion by 180 degrees, though he never explained why he got it wrong when he was in the Opposition.
Throughout the tenure of this Government, he enacted its policies with blind faith. He even went to Geneva on 15 November 2017 and at the Third Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review of Sri Lanka re-pledged the Government’s commitment to enact the conditions of the U.S.-led Resolution that this Government treacherously co-sponsored in 2015. This despite the revelations made by Lord Naseby a month before in the British Parliament that according to the dispatches sent by Lt Col Anton Gash, who was their defence attaché during the last phase of the war against terrorism, we never committed war crimes.
All this camp that wanted Wickremesinghe out was another to take the leadership. The two candidates approached were Karu Jayasuriya and Sajith Premadasa. Jayasuriya, now known as the most partisan speaker in Sri Lankan Parliamentary history, was a bold and patriotic man during the height of the war. He did yeoman service by crossing over to the then Government that was in the hands of his arch political rival. By doing so, he gave the necessary numbers for the then administration to continue with its war efforts. He only returned to his Party after terrorism was eradicated from our country. Though he challenged Wickremesinghe, then, for the latter’s refusal to support the eradication of terrorism, today he rather not.
Premadasa too had challenged Wickremesinghe in the past; today, he too rather not. Premadasa who created a promising political career for himself by keeping his nose to the grindstone and working for his electorate has truly lost his way. Instead of letting his work pave the ambitious path to presidency, he has taken to insulting MR for political mileage.
His father, who tried so hard to work with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, was killed by them. MR was the President that finally annihilated his father’s killers. the killers of his father annihilated.
Yet, Premadasa whilst vilifying MR without restraint stands with Mawai Senathirajah and Vijeyakala Maheswaran. Veteran Tamil politician Anandasangaree had repeatedly exposed Senathirajah as a politician installed by the LTTE. Maheswaran, whilst openly admiring Prabhakaran is on record that life was better under the LTTE.
Unseen by the public, but exposed by mainstream media, U.S. Ambassador Atul Keshap and Indian High Commissioner worked overtime to bring Sirisena and Wickremesinghe together. In a country where students commit suicide, unable to suffer the humiliation of failing the Ordinary Level exams, Wickremesinghe remains positive and never for a moment entertained the possibility of retiring despite 25 years of continuous failure. He knows it is not the voters’ voice that counts, but that of his international backers.
We watched Sirisena’s convincing act of trying to rid Wickremesinghe, never factoring that the West would never allow it. It is in their geopolitical interest that our country is broken to pieces, bankrupted and destabilized. Just as the UNP and the SLFP lost in the south, the Tamil National Alliance in the north lost heavily for not concentrating on the people’s real needs such as creating employment opportunities and tackling the increase in the narcotic menace, instead, focusing wholly on a constitutional change; that really does not interest the people.
The West may have saved the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe political marriage, but we must stand together and save our country.
ranasingheshivanthi@gmail.com
February 25th, 2018 at 5:55 pm
Dear Ms. Shivanthi,
Facts DON’T add up with what you say.
My3-Run-nil already SOLD H’tota port to CHINA, bought Russian warships, etc. AGAINST western interests. They even gave away a LARGER CHUNK of PORT CITY to CHINA. Plan to give another 15,000 acres to CHINA.
My3 and Run-nil even JOINED China’s BELT ROAD INITIATIVE!!
Why should the WEST keep them in power risking MORE sales to CHINA and RUSSIA?
IF My3-Run-nil regime continue they will SELL 15,000 acres to CHINA, but Chinese jets, build more Chinese buildings in port city, implement the SINGAPORE-SL FTA which is actually a FTA with CHINA routed through Singapore where Chinese companies have branches.
On the other hand SLPP has 3 American citizens. GR, BR and DA. West supports their citizens.
Something doesn’t add up.
(I’m just stating facts here. Not driving any political agenda.)
February 25th, 2018 at 6:03 pm
Lorenzo, the Undercover LTTE AGITATOR asks,
“Why do you want to shut me up for telling something DIFFERENT?”
Because you have NOTHING to CONTRIBUTE that is TRUE, MEANINGFUL or PATRIOTIC. You are just spouting falsehoods and LTTE propaganda to destabilize Sri Lanka at the bidding of your EELAMIST Masters!
Just as you did when you spewed propaganda to get Sirisena elected as PRESIDENT, and HOIST the YAMAPALANAYA into POWER so they could HAND YOUR MASTERS of the LTTE the EELAM they crave!
No, WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN your ANTICS here at LankaWeb, and We NEVER WILL!
Bah, STUPID SHAMELESS TREACHEROUS MAN!
February 25th, 2018 at 7:17 pm
Good analysis Shivanthi. But along with the general public, I can see that you have also got into the trap and watch the drama played by these rogues as a real thing.
My3 blamed UNP during the election to get the angry public cooled down due to the Bond scam. These are all in line with the instruction of RAW and the West. They never had or have a plan to go separate because both will get destroyed and the blessing of the West was on them. They are executing the assignment given by the West and RAW. That is all.
Similar to Killer Velu , the RAW very well know that only one week’s short memory of Sinhala people they have to deal with. So they did nicely with all the TV’s covering ministerial / VIP vehicle movement and meetings etc so people were waiting and waiting to see them go home and after one week gave up and got into their day to day work. Now the heat is gone, they can get back together and play the same music without any public uprising. Just for the records, changed some ministries, which has no meaning whatsoever.
They all know how to take the advantage of this good quality of Sinhala people which got carved into them by the Buddhist culture of not having grudges and not getting carried away due to external factors and not living in the past.
This is the very thing that LieTTE and the West were exploiting for 30 years.
Anyway, another drama like “Kumbio” has unfolded. Now Pohottuwa should try and win the North and East. Those innocent Tamil people will definitely support Pohottuwa if they get assured that they are safe against the cruel treatment on them by the so called “high cast Tamils “and politicians.
February 26th, 2018 at 5:48 am
Shivanthi you have emphasised the political scenario as it is today. I listened to Basil in Hiru Salakuna, and understood why he is such a great organiser. In preparing SLPP to go beyond SLFP and UNP he had taken into account every thing that goes to make a great political party and , even to the extent of preparing a booklet as to how the newly elected Councillors should conduct themselves and carry out the duties to make a success of Local Governments.
February 26th, 2018 at 3:07 pm
The most intriguing thing why did Ranil take the Ministry of Law & Order just for two weeks. There is a real reason behind it I think, to destroy all evidence against him & his cronies caught in the Bond scam. Otherwise why did it take it just for two weeks?
February 26th, 2018 at 5:09 pm
Ranil may be kicked out by India. But it may not.
India has managed to get an anchor for its Navy and other forces in Seychelles.
So Hanmbantoata is not that important.
Our connections to Chinas One Belt One Road is no longer important to India as Pakistan has fully joined with China.
India is more concerned about interfering in the local economy and politics.
India has its chosen Governor Sirisena in Control.
February 26th, 2018 at 7:38 pm
@ Christie,
Ranil is not anti-Indian. He is the one who want to pursue ECTA and the Hanuman Bridge. He is the one who is selling Trinco to India. for India, he is the action man. Sirisena is there to do the damage control to manage the public sentiment.
Both are acting equally key roles in the Yahap drama directed by RAW and the West. All comes to taking Public to a ride. Sira talks against Milo to show the public that he doesn’t care of Big fish and his daughter is distributing Milo to school kids.. all are part of a drama…
February 27th, 2018 at 1:11 am
Split permanent, SLPP going it alone at future polls ‘Likely presidential candidate GR being targeted’
February 27, 2018
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Chairman of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Prof. G. L. Peiris yesterday told the media at Battaramulla Nelum Mawatha Office of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa that the SLPP-led Joint Opposition would got it alone at the next Provincial Council polls as well as subsequent Presidential and parliamentary elections.
Former External Affairs Prof. Peiris said so in response to query whether the warring SLFP factions were likely to reach an understanding ahead of critical polls for six PCs expected to be held later this year.
Those who had voted for the SLFP at Feb. 10 local government polls would certainly switch their allegiance to JO/SLPP at future elections, Prof. Peiris said.
JO parliamentary group comprises 54 members elected on the UPFA ticket at the last general election in August 2015.
Calling Sunday’s reallocation of ministerial portfolios a devious bid to deceive the public, Prof. Peiris pointed out how President Maithripala Sirisena and PM Ranil Wickremesinghe had reallocated portfolios of some yahapalana members amidst calls for Wickremesinghe’s resignation.
Having made an abortive bid to force Wickremesinghe to resign in the wake of the humiliating defeat the UNP and the SLFP had suffered at local government polls, President Sirisena had strengthened the UNP Leader’s position. Prof. Peiris chided President Sirisena for assigning the law and order portfolio to Wickremesinghe, in addition to national policies and economic affairs held by him.
President Sirisena’s declaration that the reallocation of subjects in respect of SLFP ministers would take place in the near future meant that he couldn’t understand even basic requirements.
Commenting on recent comparison of LG polls results with the next presidential polls scheduled in less than two years, Prof. Peiris pointed out that a foolish attempt was now being made to deceive the electorate that the SLPP couldn’t secure 51 per cent of the total vote cast at the next presidential polls. Prof. Peiris said that their candidate endorsed by war winning President Rajapaksa had been able to comfortably secure the required vote as those SLFPers who voted for the party at the recently concluded LG polls would certainly back the SLPP candidate.
Inviting Maj. Ajith Prasanna, formerly of the Sinha Regiment to address the media regarding stepped up propaganda offensive directed at wartime Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Prof. Peiris alleged the government was hell-bent on restricting the activities of those who could pose a political threat.
Prof. Peiris warned the SLFP of dire consequences due to President Sirisena ill-fated strategies. The former minister urged President Sirisena to seek a two-thirds parliamentary approval in terms of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution to dissolve parliament to pave the way for a fresh general election. “Sri Lanka cannot continue to suffer due to weakness and inability of Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration.”
Retired Major and attorney-at-law Prasanna alleged that an attempt was being made to blame Gotabhaya Rajapaksa for January 2009 Lasantha Wickramatunga assassination. Accusing a section of the media for recent unsubstantiated reportage of The Sunday Leader editor’s assassination, Prasanna, a former UPFA Southern Provincial Council member said that those wanting to go after Rajapaksa had conveniently forgotten how the UNP in 2009 both in and out of parliament accused the then Army Chief Fonseka of running a hit squad.
Prasanna alleged that law enforcement authorities had ignored specific evidence available soon after the assassination furnished by retired Maj. Gen. Kumar Herath in an obvious bid to suppress the inquiry.
The retired officer alleged that a section of the media at the behest of the current administration wanted to protect Fonseka’s interests. Prasanna named several officers, who had been aware of Herath being told by the then Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) retired Air Chief Marshal Donald Perera that Wickramatunga had been killed with a sharp object.
Prasanna also referred to the attempted assassination of The Editor of Rivira Upali Tennakoon in a similar fashion using sharp objects during the previous administration.
The Island sought an explanation from Prof. Peiris and Prasanna as to why the previous government hadn’t brought the investigation into 2009 January killing to a successful conclusion before the change of government in January 2015, Prof. Peiris said that it was certainly unfair by the previous government to assert that nothing was done at that time.
Prof. Peiris and Prasanna said that had there been a lapse on the part of the previous administration, the UNP-SLFP administration should have made progress over the past three years. Instead, they engaged in political witch-hunt, Prof. Peiris alleged, adding that politically motivated inquiries had been accelerated in the wake of Feb. 10 polls defeat.