Pending Opposition Cross Overs to Government- Is It Patriotism?

By Darmitha-Kotte

The recent newspapers have been rampant with news clips of possible UNP cross-overs to the Government and a possible cabinet re-shuffle. With the leader of the UNP Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe living in a world of his own and oblivious to the incessant requests that have been made by party members to re-organise the party if the UNP hoped to have any future in local politics, there is no doubt a rising and increased amount of frustration and dissatisfaction within UNP party members. Mr. Wickramasinghe is like the Ostrich hiding his face in the soil hoping that his problems will get blown away in the winds!

To national minded Sri Lankans, it is a good omen if the UNP members hoping to cross-over have even an aorta of patriotic feeling for the Motherland and if they really and truly want to do some constructive work together with the incumbent government. However, news items have also been speculating that some of the members aspiring to take on ministerial posts in the current government if they cross-over, are those who are anxious to join the government to avoid facing disciplinary action either within the UNP or from government authorities who are now in the process of investigating corruption and irregularities related to these individuals. For sure, we are aware that the government of Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse needs to be cautious of individuals who have misappropriated funds when they were holding ministerial portfolios; earning from commissions during their terms of office as ministers of trade, Samurdhi and shipping or well known "professors" specializing in constitutional affairs who were instrumental in the preparation of CFAs, "Packages" for CBK and are now twiddling their thumbs with nothing to do! We sincerely hope that our President will ensure that such criminals are not "doled " out ministerial portfolios for them to ruin the reputation of a government that is making endeavours to bring about a visible change in this country- adding on criminals will not help in any way. It would also be wise for our President, to ensure that those UNP members who are national and world famous for their "rich and obscene vocabulary" in parliament and outside do not have a place within his government. We Sri Lankans are ashamed at their behaviour and they will never be an asset to the government but a terrible liability! The Sinhala saying " Aththen Athata Pannine Kurulla, themee nasee " but what would be dangerous would be if because of these "kurullas" the government will eventually destroy itself?

It is ironic to see news items in the papers stating that Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe is to meet the Mahanayakes to brief them about the situation in the UNP and the MoU and to seek their blessings for him to carry on. The Mahanayakes must never forget that it was his UNP government of 2001-2003 that had a Cabinet of Ministers of whom over 60% were non-Buddhist and that it was during his time that Buddhists in this country were forced to believe that Christianity was our national heritage! Ranil Wickramasinghe who is President of the Asian Region in the International Democratic Union(IDU) has been getting his advise from Christian Democrats the world over, to rule a country with over 2550 years of Buddhist heritage! It is therefore all the more ironic, that he is now seeking the blessings, advise and help of our Mahanayakes to overcome his woes. The IDU is an international organization of Christian countries and it would be interesting for the readers to note that Ranil Wickramasinghe had registered the UNP as the Sri Lankan representative for membership with the IDU. It is not even sure whether all UNP members are aware of this decision of his?

We Sri Lankans are naïve to the extent of being considered foolish and idiotic. Let not these political manipulations destroy our country further. For 30 odd years we were made to feel that terrorists were invincible and that it was the Sinhalese who were extremist and nationalist and that it is they who were hampering peace in this country! The propoganda machinese of all subsequent governments since 1977 have been blaming only the Sinhalese or rather the Sinhala Buddhists for all the ills of this country but not the disgraceful "kalu suddas" who have been ruling our country and who have not had the backbone to stand up to western dictates. Let us hope that those are bygone eras and that we will be able to prove to all and sundry, that the real criminals are the "kalu suddas" and the LTTE terrorists who are blood thirsty and have no qualms whatsoever of even murdering their own Tamil community of which they profess to be their "sole representatives." The majority Tamils except for TNA members, have never said so and will never say so even in the future!