19 March, 2024

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A Young Writer Sees Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Political Success Story

By Shyamon Jayasinghe

Shyamon Jayasinghe

Thisuri Wanniarachchi

The author is a 22-year-old young writer called Thisuri Wanniarachchi. Her essay is a masterpiece in a way as the penetrative insight she evinces is impressive for a young writer of this age and experience. Her political observation is something that has developed only over a few years – maybe 5 years – since most of the years of Mahinda Rajapaksa that are referred to covers a period where she had been a kid or young adult at school.

Thisuri writes: “I first met President Rajapaksa when I was 11 years old. I had won a national short story competition and the Ministry of Cultural Affairs had taken me and several other winners to Temple Trees to see the President. He was a rare and skilled politician. He knew the game and he played it very well. He had a clever way of making people feel comfortable around him. He patted our heads spoke to us for a long time; asked us about school and home. We were infatuated. He had us hooked. The other kids and I would go home and tell our friends and family what a great man he was. He was simple, loving, almost god-like”. ‘He’s like a father, not a President,’ the kid from Mahiyangana who was the winner of the Sinhala short story category said on our way out. Little did we know, that was all politics.” Thisuri follows up: “I met him again when I was sixteen, when I won the State Award for the Best Novel of the year. By then I had read many books on democracy and governance, and I was starting to realize what Rajapaksa was up to. He was playing us. He was satisfying his electorates in every way he could, and ignoring the rest of his duties. By 2012 at least 30% of the people had noticed this, with the way he treated General Fonseka and his supporters and by 2013 40% of the people were talking about the growing nepotism. By 2014, he had resorted to creating internal conflict within religious communities to distract the people from the economic menace that the country was in due to mishandling of state resources; bad move on his part, and his opposition grew to 50-55%. His propaganda was no longer effective and come 2015 elections, he is defeated.”

Jailing Sarath Fonseka

Thisuri pinpoints the memorable and defining episode of Mahinda jailing the Army Commander. At the killing of Prabhakaran and the military defeat of the Tamil Tiger terrorists, Mahinda, at a rare honest moment in his life, applauded Fonseka as “the greatest army commander in the world.” Mahinda saw around him banners hailing Fonseka put up by a grateful public. Probably, Mahinda had been advised by his spin doctors not to do that and to have the banners removed. The spin doctors saw the unbelievable potential of taking Fonseka’s share away from the latter and cheating the whole victory for Mahinda.

That had been quickly done and achieved and it did not take many months for SF to be dragged away, indicted by a controversial military court and jailed as a criminal in the way Prabhakaran had been in the eyes of the law.

For three years Fonseka languished in jail. That was Fonseka’s most heroic period, which he spoiled later and now in becoming cheaply political.

Defines

This episode “defines” Mahinda Rajapaksa as I have said above. In management theory we learn of an employee’s true character and fibre by analysing a critical incident in his workplace where he was involved. This is called the ‘Critical Incidence Technique.’ The treatment of Fonseka was Mahinda’s earliest critical incident as a ruling politician; it showed him up to the world except for gullible patriots unable to extricate themselves from the deception.

As a matter of fact, that incident put me off Mahinda Rajapaksa forever as it dawned on me that he was nothing but a selfish man and nothing but an unscrupulous man who by virtue of a deep ethical anomie is unfit to rule Sri Lanka.

 Mahinda Lost a ‘Kalinga Moment’

If anyone thought that Sri Lanka is about to witness a dawn or renaissance into a bright future this incident would have been adequate to dispel such a dream. Socrates said that a virtuous man can be expected to behave in a virtuous way in any given field and that all society needed was to create such virtuous persons. Plato extended this insight into he concept of a philosopher king who is both virtuous and learned in the discipline of governing. Mahinda Rajapaksa sorely lacks virtuosity and an ability to move out of his ego. The golden rings around his fingers showed the values Mahinda stood for and the superstition clouding his mental capacity.

Had Mahinda Rajapaksa been the right leader he would have utilised the Great War victory to usher in a kind of Kalinga era that we have seen happened under Emperor Ashoka in medieval India. Ashoka won the war with Kalngas and unified India. He experienced a self-revulsion over the unseemly bloodshed that had occurred. He was self converted from ‘Chandashoka’ (violent) to Dharmashoka (just) thereafter and he set up one of the most peaceful and beneficent welfare regimes the world has seen. HG Wells described Ashoka in his History of the World: “In the tens and thousands of columns of world history the name of Ashoka stands, and stands alone – a star.”

On the other hand Mahinda did not become a guiding star like that. What an unimaginable political clout Mahinda had after the war! He could have turned the country around. That was not to be. He could have set up a Lee Kuan Yew style administration manning his government with good and competent men and women. No.

Riff-raff

Mahinda’s designs and his vision was far too limited for such a noble goal. On the other hand, Mahinda brought in all the riff-raff into parliament-thugs, murderers, gold- necklace snatchers, drug dealers and so on. As Thusiri points out Mahinda had been intent on family nepotism from day one.

Even today, we see a convicted murderer comfortably ensconced in a parliamentary seat. Duminda Silva, a convicted murderer has been pardoned. Mahinda picked thugs and deceptors who could win parliamentary elections by frightening villagers into submission.

Tsunami Funds Episode

Thusiri also mentions the Tsunami funds episode. We had a former Chief Justice admitting that he could have put Mahinda a behind bars for his dubious role in handling Tsunami donations through a privately set up account.

Thusiri says of this: “The deadly tsunami of 2004 hit Sri Lanka during Rajapaksa’s time as the Minister of Highways and Prime Minister. There are many strong allegations of tsunami aid embezzlement by the Rajapaksas, allegations which would very well explain Rajapaksa’s very expensive political campaign (and alleged rigging deal with the LTTE)   in the following year. The Golden Wave by Michele Gamburd speaks very descriptively of the debate of the Rs. 83 Million of Tsunami aid that Rajapaksa transferred to three private bank accounts of his.”

Presidential Election

Soon after, Mahinda Rajapaksa ran for Presidency and won it by a mere 50.2% vote against Ranil Wickremesinghe. Says Thusiri: “Rajapaksa came to power in 2005 in an inhumanly rigged in election. An alleged political deal with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam, (also known as LTTE, the separatist terrorist group that led the 30 year civil war in Sri Lanka) stopped the war-struck citizens of Northern Sri Lanka from voting.”

To ordinary Sri Lankans the political deal with the LTTE and Mahinda had been obvious because the UNP candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe found Tamil voters avoiding the elections as a block. For Wickremesinghe to have reached near victory point even after the boycott of Tamil voters was commendable and also is the answer to his entrenched critics who chant that Ranil cannot win.

Adds Thusiri:”On Election Day, bombs were set off at polling stations. LTTE motorcades roamed the streets, watching out. Vehicles that attempted to transport voters were set on fire. The few who were rebellious enough to still go to the polling stations were assaulted, sometimes killed. In Jaffna, the heart of the North, a youth activist was beaten to death in the Hindu College grounds. One man who voted had his inked finger cut off, clarifying the message to the others.”

Thusiri writes a lot more like implying Mahinda’s tacit acceptance of the assassination of journalists like Lasantha Wickrematunge etc.

Competitive Authoritarian Politics

Thisuri refers to the system prevailing in Sri Lanka as being one of ‘competitive authoritarian politics.’ Elites try to win competitive edge by buying over the system or pressurising the system to work for them. If these attempts are not sufficient, elites will move over to a new system that they can tune into without encumbrance or impediments. The current attempt to bring in a new constitution without public participation is a major step in this strategy.

When People Can be Manipulated

We shall conclude with a very pertinent statement by this 22-year-old writer: “What we can learn from the story of Rajapaksa is that when nations are vulnerable due to many reasons ranging from conflict to low standards of education, it is easy for its people to be manipulated by political propaganda.’

To conflicts and low standards of education, I would add inequality and corruption. In an unequal society it is easy for the rich to induce corruption. Media can be bought; voters can be bought; officials can be bought.

*The writer can be reached at shyamonjayasinghe@gmail.com

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Latest comments

  • 37
    1

    What an irony Shyamon. What, a 22 year old understood in her short political span , 6.9 million couldn’t all their life, and few call them self Viyathmaga. Then there are few who justify saying “by the way Gotha is not same as Mahinda, few more Basil is not Mahinda, Chamal is not Basil, Namal ???? the excuses given by these retards are endless. Even recently one author thought Gotha has slim chances of earning self respect, which he never had.The biggest scammer is our Finance Minister, the white van operator is President, and con artist is PM , and they all have the same DNA, called Rajapaksas.

    • 14
      1

      Dear Mr Jayasinghe,
      .
      No doubt 22 year old writer understood it to some extent.
      :
      But this nation ended up being – stupidier not because they lacked of good school education (srilanka is on the top of highly literate nations in entire like minded world – sometimes their literacy rate is comparable to that of singapore and the like developed nations).

      TRIPPLE COMPOSITION OF So called war victory + Media Mafia + Rajapakshe crook politics
      .
      War victory:
      Was that a victory as painted by Rajapakshes and their men ? Besides war went on since 1983 , and not originated in 2005 with the election of Mahinda Rajapakashe
      .
      TBD

      • 9
        1

        continuing.
        .
        Media Mafia:
        All these years, TV channels as main stream propaganda misled the nation as nothing can reverse the ” conditioned mind set”. Yet today, even if some media TV channels would not interview ” myths spreaders auch as so called astrologists”, DERANA TV channel starts their day by such programs. And the culture they have infected to this nation through the telecasts of “cheap indian films” and so called “tele dramas” that would not transport any good messages to the human development.
        .
        I wonder why dont they have such filters when buying various kinds of films from India and several coutnries, though the Japanese and several european coutnries would allow such films be telecasted in their main channels.
        Today – it is easy Derana and Hiru TV channels to spreads blantant lies as their headlines news. Nobody/not even UNIVERISTIES (media and communication studies) seem to be criticising them at all. How did these TV channels become that powerful ? – it is all lack of media laws.

        • 5
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          L.M,
          Yesterday I watched the evening news on Derana, Siyatha, and Rupavahini. To be fair, Derana was quite close to Siyatha, but Rupavahini comes from a different planet.

          • 3
            0

            Why is that yet today, no such CODE OF ETHICS for any news telecasts/broadcasts ?
            :
            We understand that SOCIAL media new items are not always reliable. But main stream media handled under MEDIA DEPT/entities can not emulate SM or the like.
            .
            Why on earth, yet today not many would react against MEDIA MAFIA ?

            MEDIA MAFIA IS THOUSAND TIMES WORST THAN DRUG TRAFFICKING MAFIA:


            For some reasons that BP from NEGAMBO none other than LANZA, goyya is made silent all these weeks how come ?

        • 2
          1

          Continuing….
          Rajapakshe Crook POlitics:
          .
          Is it not very typical to him and his misleading tactics ? Please check it out how he became untouchably wealthy with 3 sons never had worked for their own living yet……. the youngest behaves as if the entire nation should feel like that they belong to royals … my foot… it is in English that QUEEN is protected as gods… but why should srilankens…. protect a PATTAPAL HORA FAMILY ?

          Shortly before last election, questioned as to who brother DUO would handle the economy better than the manner former govt did it, MR prevaricated ” we brothers would do, havent we done it before etc ?”…. but the truth is before the EYES of the public today…… however, not much is being caught by the VERY SAME MEDIA …. which rabbleroused if it occured during the former govt. …. rememeber ????

          Former govt amidst all the debt related issues, did REAL wonders, having kept all the prices of daily essentials under the control… or not ?
          Please add your thoughts if lived in the country from 2015 to 2019 ……

          • 2
            1

            Former govt amidst all the debt related issues, did REAL wonders, having kept all the prices of daily essentials under the control… or not ?
            Please add your thoughts if lived in the country from 2015 to 2019 …… I am not supporting anyone, but they did it well….. however, media never supported them…. and MEDICAL DRUGS and all other health care services achieved a lot for the benefit of masses. This I know since my colleagues working for MINISTRY of health repeatedly reported us, as no time in the past, Rajitha Senaratne as minister of health did a great job….. but did media allow the news be passed to GRASS ROOT LEVEL of people ?

          • 2
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            Hi LM: Pl. connect with:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgezbcGEfs

            I had a good time with “Kadamandiya” friends. The language and the vocabulary fitted very well with the crowd. I think this is the most appropriate way to communicate with the “6.9 million”. Burampi Singho Maama stayed behind after viewing the video clip to tell me some things which I will tell you later. I also saw Seelawathi murmuring some things to my wife which I can’t write here. Cheers! One for the road!

            • 1
              1

              Simon,
              .
              I’ve actually seen this video
              in Bandarawela on Sunday. 3.30 am., but you can get at it only in a circuitous way.
              .
              When you click on that link, it says, “Video Unavailable”. Copy and paste in the browser: the same result. What you’ve got to do is to first get your Tab to display only Youtubes. Then paste the link.
              .
              It would be useful if LM can tell us whether he has had to go about it like that. Improbable.
              .
              Other videos were displayed below this: entertaining, but they were sleazy. One wonders whether one has to go to this level to get rid of the hoodlums who now control our kakistocracy.

              • 2
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                Sinhala_Man: Thank you for the advice and guidance. I will try.

            • 2
              0

              Simon,
              .
              This video has been made in Switzerland. The “maker” has explained himself clearly below the Youtube:
              .
              He says: “I’m D.M. Thushara Jayarathna . . . after that, I joined Sri Lanka Law College as a Law student. I have won the Gold medal addressing Jury competition and as well as I was the Captain of the Law College Debating Team.

              “I’m the one who made the complaint against Mr. Namal Rajapaksa, son of former president Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa regarding cheating the Law College Examination. After that incident, I faced political problems and life threats. Due to this reason, in the year 2012, I left my country and currently I’m living in Switzerland.”
              .
              LM is also in Europe. More from the Sinhala Diaspora had protested against Gota in New York. There still are a few from the Tamil Diaspora who don’t understand that there are many Sinhalese who didn’t like events which contributed to the build up towards the war, its conduct, and its aftermath. We may not have exactly the same perspectives, (I certainly disapproved of Prabhakaran), but we are in broad agreement with you about what we ought to now do.
              .
              Panini Edirisinhe of Bandarawela

              • 2
                0

                SM,

                His videos are not based on truths mostly. I dont like them. The aforementioned Jayaratne is believed to be a refugee in CH. Most of his videos contain – derogatory contents. Some of them could have useful information though. He had some issues with NAMAL RAJAPAKSHES before he left the country for refuge in CH. No comments allowed to his videos either.

            • 1
              0

              Simon,
              Thanks for sharing that link. very Good.

  • 8
    0

    Articles like this must be shared and published on all public media forums. Education and “enlightenment” of the citizenry must be our short term and long term strategies, if we are to save whatever is left of our conscious ability to think sanely, as a nation.
    If the youth, like this young writer, are able to see through the façade that has been created to hoodwink the public, there is hope for the nation.
    Disseminating correct information and enabling the people to see the facts on the ground is a must if we are to build up an “intelligent” vote base. Corrupt and low human behaviour like the Tsunami donation fraud must be publicized.
    We must be made to understand that true leadership first and foremost, respects and fosters life, builds up fraternity by celebrating the diversity in a community and will take care of the vulnerable sectors of the country.
    True leadership is not just investing all its resources to amass wealth and riches among a selected group of people and exhibiting a macho personality.

  • 15
    0

    “By printing more money, which sends up the cost even more? There is the LPG crisis, the milk powder crisis, and the coming fuel crisis, all brought on by idiotic grandstanding. The last government had a pricing formula to deal with these things, but the geniuses in charge now laughed it off”

    The way Ranil rescued the economy in 2002 and 2015 …… reduced the price of goods and increased the salaries ……… day by day he is beginning to look like Einstein!

    Now, who is honest enough to admit that he wasn’t such a bad guy after all. :))

    Only if the poor sod was good at politics and managing the crooked self-serving politicians ………. as much as he is at managing the lousy economy!!

    • 2
      8

      Na…..all he did was create expectation of the land-bridge and India merger. All would have fallen flat in the Covid era. But current admin. can save themselves and the country with IMF, giving cultural autonomy to the NE, and……ok, ok, doing some crypto (minus China’s financial City of course). Otherwise it is Sajith all the way.

      • 5
        0

        Ramona,
        “all he did was create expectation of the land-bridge and India merger.”
        If that happened, we wouldn’t be suffering today without gas, parippu, milk, turmeric, onions,etc.
        Not that it matters to you in Philly.

        • 0
          0

          Isn’t India suffering the same, if not worse?

          • 0
            1

            OC,

            Plenty of solutions out of the mess…..but Prez wants to do the radical overturn of world empires and things.

          • 3
            0

            Ramona,
            “Isn’t India suffering the same, if not worse?”
            Think, Ramona, think!
            If their rupee is 3 times ours, aren’t short of parippu , rice, fertilizer, turmeric, milk etc, and can loan us millions, how can they be worse?

    • 1
      0

      Nimal,
      Very true.
      RW managed the economy well and consumers were better off, no doubt.
      The Bond scam and Arjuna Mahendran spoilt the show.
      Don’t forget Maithri!
      Not RW’s spouse, but the political partner under Yahapalanaya!
      I just cannot believe that, the Gin – Nilwala Fraud took place least without the knowledge MS, as he was the Mahaweli and Irrigation Minister under MR!

  • 4
    1

    Rajapaksa is a cheater and at times an actor, sometimes he changes from human rights actor to become a passive corpse manager.

  • 6
    1

    Jayasinghe, you only see Rajapakse gimmicks.

    They are all frauds-I suppose 23 million mediocrities must make a living some how-why not little tricks? Some are successful. Some convince countries like UK, USA, Australia to open their doors for them-‘You see we are all honest, capable English speaking people, and an asset to your country !’

    What of JR, always in a white national costume, talking of Buddhism, democracy-wearing a state of the art Rolex watch, never paying his taxes, grabbing the best land from CPC, 1983 etc etc-not a hypocrite ?

    What do you think of Ranil-he even sleeps in a coat and tie, at a drop of a hat he will travel overseas-first class seat, 7 star hotel, VIP entry to talk of global affairs with all and sundry as long as they are whites( he does not like talking to brown skinned suckers like you , they will any way suck up) . When in power Ranil always goes for the Davos meetings. With all that what did he do ? He is also seen at international meetings of Conservative parties and parliamentary conferences.

    Does he live those things? How many times has he been shown the door by the voter ? He still manipulates the UNP and now the UNP is dead.Mahendran affair removed his clothes finally.

    MR is a successful hypocrite. Don’t hate success.

    • 2
      0

      deepthi silva

      ”successful hypocrite”?

      There maybe levels of hypocrisy but successful? We are talking about deceit, mega corruption &, possibly, even treason by selling the country to the Chinese. So, I would say MR is a successful con man who has taken the country on an expensive ride. Of course, there is Slimy Sirisena, CBK, Premadasa, etc who have been successful (as you put it) in amassing ill gotten wealth but probably not to that extent. So do we hate them for their ‘success’ or for their deeds?
      I don’t hate success, nor, jealous of other’s achievements but I have only one word to describe corrupt people & that is, ‘scum’. These people have no shame but they are laughing because the joke is on the losers.

      At least a 22 year old has the gut to view her opinion, unlike many others who continue to live in denial.

    • 4
      0

      Shyamon,

      Thisuri published some articles on CT 4-5 years ago when she was 22 or 23. She would be 27/28 now. Not sure if you are quoting from an old essay.

      As for RW winning, he could have definitely won before the war, but not after, when triumphalism was at its peak, and Sinhalese nationalism was de rigueur in the South.

      He had a chance to turn around things and get more support during Yahapalanaya, but he got off to bad start, trusting his Royal College buddies over a wider circle of talent more representative of SL, and things only got worse from there.

      • 2
        1

        Agnos
        Your assessment of RW’s potential to win after the war is correct.
        I think that the support for MR in 2009 was not merely because of Sinhala nationalism. All major parties in the South pander to it.
        There was a huge sense of relief and even gratitude for MR for ending the war. He could have made political capital of the victory in the N&E had he been more accommodating towards the Tamils, something possible at minimal risk to Sinhala Buddhist support. But he sought to consolidate and expand the SB base.
        He is a charmer, but no statesman.

      • 2
        0

        Agnos, all you observations are spot on.
        .
        Thisuri is smart and intelligent. I’ve met her just once, in the Presidential Secretariat in 2018; I think that it was just before Sirisena appointed Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister, but we feared it. She was with Shiral Lakthilake and Harindra Dassanayake: we had a long chat. They were all people who had supported Sirisena for the right reasons, but they weren’t happy with Ranil’s Yahapalana performance either. There were many people like that, including me.
        .
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thisuri_Wanniarachchi
        .
        I knew her age, but there’s a great deal more that I learnt here. I also find that she has written this moving tribute to a man whom I used to know very well:
        .
        https://www.ft.lk/columns/Susil-Sirivardana-Leader-teacher-and-friend/4-722329
        .
        I had lost contact with Susil, although I knew that it was to Buller’s Lane that he had moved.
        .
        Never mind that; Thisuri has much to contribute, so let’s take heart from the fact that there are such people around.

        • 0
          0

          This article is political, and I don’t think that our response to what is stated here can be divorced from political thinking.
          .
          I have referred above to Shiral Lakthilake. Here he is talking about one of the issues that most concerns us at this moment.
          .
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFw7ihZsfaA
          .
          Let me submit this so that other readers could at least get familiar with this man. How readers respond to him is their business!
          .
          Panini Edirisinhe aka Sinhala_Man

          .

      • 2
        0

        Native, am I ahead of time? ……… Ahead of time 2500 years behind?

        nimal fernando / September 29, 2016

        Do you really believe that MS & RW can give the Tamils Justice and even a simple form of self-governance and still remain in power? To hell with all the fancy analyses and sweet-worded hoopla, the choice for MS & RW is very simple, stark and clear – Do MS & RW want to give the Tamils even a modicum of justice and self-governance or do they want to remain in power? You know the answer. If they touch even a single soldier for killing a Tamil (killing a Sinhalese is a different kettle of fish) during the last stages of the war or give the Tamils any meaningful form of self-governance it’ll be curtains for them. The opposition won’t come just from the hardline-Sinhalese but from almost all of the Sinhalese.

        • 0
          0

          continued

          Unfortunately for the Tamils, the choice is between a rock and a hard place; do they live with the milder form of MS & RW discrimination due to their inaction or do you agitate for justice and self-governance and bring back the Rajapakses?

          I wish I am wrong, but the reality is, it’s very bleak for the Tamils. You can always live in hope, but it’s well-nigh futile to expect something good to come out of something bad.

          The only “Sinhalese” with “credibility/legitimacy/authenticity” who could have given the Tamils justice and meaningful self-governance was Mahinda Rajapakse, soon after winning the war. And he chose not to. That was the only window of opportunity. Siresena/Ranil will be always seen as nothing but pretenders by the Sinhalese.

        • 1
          0

          nimal, I’m sure that this is a tongue in cheek comment. It is Machiavellian.
          .
          That old Italian was not a bad man; he was giving “common sense advice to Princes who wanted to remain in power. This holds good for the short term, and will always figure in a politician’s thinking.
          .
          However, there are considerations of Justice and Morality. They count in the long run.
          .
          Even that doesn’t capture the concepts that must govern a guy who wants History to regard him as a Statesman. One can go on splitting hairs.
          .
          All humans are called upon to do what’s RIGHT because it is right. You know that well enough.
          .
          I’m a Sinhalese, but not a politician. What SHOULD my attitude be? I should support Justice – and forget self interest?
          .
          This is where the International Community must come in. They must not allow criminals to get away with murder.
          .
          There I’ve told you the boring truth that you deliberately provoked.

  • 4
    0

    Raj-UK I was being sarcastic, yes the Rajapakses are very bad but how did all this happen ?

    I think the main responsibility goes to Ranil, a man who fancies himself beyond his skills and intelligence. This happens in feudal cultures, because of the unlimited adulation, those in power begin to think of themselves as something special. They should realize that the adulation/flattery/worship is only because the people are essentially low. Not that the leaders are special, the followers are low.

    Can you remember Ranil, his efferminate arrogance, ignoring people , referring endlessly to so called history of his British collaborating, hooch selling family. We should realize that our elite is only a few millimetres ahead of the low society they spring out of. Where is all that now ? A bogus man has been brought down to what he deserves.

    Ranil is a rogue-period. Does he ever account for the billions of party/campaign funds he receives ?

  • 3
    0

    In addition to his basic dishonesty Ranil also is a poor manager and a bad leader.

    When history presents you with an opportunity you must take it. After 9/11 the LTTE was doomed.Prabakaran , an uneducated man was out of his depth. If Ranil decided on fighting him in the field he could have won. But Ranil is not made of such stuff, there is no greatness in him. Like his father he prefers behind the scene, complex moves like a company take over , which often come to zero.

  • 5
    0

    Not only in military maters, even in economic and finance Ranil is hugely overestimated. If you examine the statistics for his years you will see it is often worse than the Rajapakse performance.

    He will give some vague explanation, I am paying loans etc. This is neither here nor there, The fact is there is no performance.

    Today most business houses are with the Rajapakses. They were solidly UNP before . what happened ?

    The stock market booms whenever Ranil is kicked out . Why? He will say manipulation. What about the manipulation of Bonds by the Aloysius family. Good, because they are old Royalists?

    Aren’t you tired of this nonperforming poof’s unlucky face ?

    • 1
      0

      deepthi silva

      No criticism intended. Just that hypocrisy seems dismissive expression to describe probably the biggest con artist in SL history whose actions have brought the country to its knees. I treat most politicians in SL with contempt but there are a handful who can be exempted, & till recently, Ranil was one. Compared to most of the uneducated yobs & thugs, I think RW was capable, probably the best out of a bad lot, but his faith in his cronies & laissez faire approach was the last straw for me & now he is past his sell by date.

  • 2
    0

    The young writer very courageously mentioned the details of how Mahinda siphoned the $ 83 Million Aid money during the 2004 Tsunami into his Personal Bank account. That was proved to be true. The Pandora papers that were released recently by the New York Times reveal the assets of Mahinda in the Offshore Funds to the tune of $ 180 Million. HalliLuya ! . No wonder the country has gone Bankrupt.

  • 0
    0

    The Pandora papers that were released recently by the New York Times reveal the assets of Mahinda in the Offshore Funds to the tune of $ 180 Million. HalliLuya ! . No wonder the country has gone Bankrupt.

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