President Maithripala Sirisena’s high pitched speech at a ceremony to hand over deeds of houses and property to retired military personnel under the ‘Sathviru Sanhinda’ programme held at the Sri Lanka Foundation yesterday (12th) thumbed his nose at the fundamental principles of good governance and indicated that all was not well with the Yahapalana Government he jointly leads with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
The President expressed displeasure and disgust at the way that action was being taken against high-ranking military personnel. Referring to an incident where commanders who fought the LTTE had been called for an investigation last year, the President said he had opposed this, clearly implying that he believes that military personnel should not be prosecuted at any cost.
According to footage published by BBC and Derana, Sirisena mentioned an incident from the previous week where the former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and three Navy Commanders were ‘herded to court’ and the cases related to members of the military intelligence who have been detained for over 16 months and insinuated that proceedings were politically motivated and violated procedural protocol.
“As the President, I express my extreme displeasure and disgust to the Minister of Defence, at the way that three former Navy Commanders were herded,” the President said.
He also stated that established procedures related to prosecution have been violated, charged that the independent commission set up in accordance with the 19th Amendment were exceeding relevant mandates and complained that he has not been kept informed of decisions taken.
The President, in expressing his objection to the way that military personnel are being prosecuted, said that the law should be applied to everyone equally, contradicting his early assertion that he believes those who fought the war should not be prosecuted.
Interestingly, these views were expressed not long after he directly violated the issue of equality before the law by interfering in the prosecution of his son Daham over an incident of assault and battering at a night club.
While the President unwittingly demonstrated his abysmal understanding of the principles of good governance, his terse speech also raised questions regarding the nature of the rocky relationship between the two parties (SLFP and UNP) that lead the Unity Government.
The President said that action against military personnel are being plotted ‘in various corners’ and in accordance with political agendas. He said that he had told the cabinet of ministers and the Prime Minister at a special meeting held the previous evening that ‘if the CID, FCID and the Bribery Commission act according to a political agenda, then I would also have to make some decisions’.
He said ‘I have not spoken about these things before, but I have been forced to do so and if necessary to take certain actions’, a clear warning issued to the major coalition partner of his Government.
Interestingly and perhaps not coincidentally this tirade follows a classified report regarding his son Daham’s behavior that had been delivered to the Prime Minister the morning after the fracas at the night club. The President, according to reliable sources, is said to have been upset that the Prime Minister had done little to protect his errant son. Cleary, the President has loose and contradictory notions of ‘equality’.
This is not the first time that Sirisena has got into hot water due to his son’s obnoxious behavior. In fact the rift with his former boss, Mahinda Rajapaksa, is frequently traced to the perception that Rajapaksa had got deliberately exaggerated and distorted version of an incident involving Daham published in several national newspapers. It appears that this time around Daham is causing or at least bringing to surface friction between Sirisena and Wickremesinghe which, if not checked soon, could spell the end of the cohabitation arrangement of the Yahapalana Government.
Raizuh Langai / October 13, 2016
If the courts cannot hear the wrongdoers where else? then establish Such courts where state secrets can’t be exposed ASAP. Otherwise establish parliamentary hearing committee and finish these cases.
What a Banana Republic we are living in? MR might be laughing his head off. Can anyone tell me “Has MS’s Rahu Kale started? Suddenly I have become firm believer in this.
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AshyD / October 13, 2016
What is wrong with you Mr.President?
It is the duty of the investigating agencies to investigate and report to the Judiciary that a crime has been committed, and produce the suspects before a Court and what the relevant Court decides impartially cannot be questioned by anyone.
Even you Mr. President.
If anyone thinks that he has been wronged they could seek redress from a higher Court and get the lower Court’s decision over ruled or over turned, by due process.
Listening to the President’s speech,it is anyone’s understanding that he is implying that former and present Service Commanders are God’s reincarnations and above the law?
Why are you putting your “Foot in the Mouth”, Mr. President?
It is a forgone conclusion among many citizens of this country that corruption was rampant during the time the Rajapakses were in power, so please Mr. President let the legal processes take it’s due process and if the relevant investigating arms of the Government along with the Attorney Generals office too in collusion are on a witch hunt and are unable to prove the charges brought against these “so called” innocents, then would be the time for you, Mr. President to take action, and severe action too, against those who would do so to tarnish your image, the image of the Government and that of this thrice blessed land.
Till then Mr. President, please hold your horses and please “don’t jump the gun” for political expediency and cheap popularity from the “gallery”.
Your predecessor did the same and is today barking at the Moon from every opportunity he gets and now nobody takes much notice of him. Please don’t try to follow him.
You would have been much loved and respected if your son was brought before the law for the recent fracas he and his PSD goons created at the “Clique” nightclub.
Mr. President, Sri Lanka’s Criminal Procedure Code on unlawful assembly is very clear, anyone knowingly being a member of an unlawful assembly is as guilty as everyone else in that particular crime committed.
So far Mr. President the citizens who voted for you and even those who did not have only love and respect for you, hence please rein in your offspring and show that you are the Statesman we all look up to.
ONLY TIME WILL TELL.
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Jehan / October 13, 2016
Get daham to apologize and give a suspended sentence.
People will understand. Sought it out, otherwise country will have
To pay.
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nimal fernando / October 13, 2016
The “Yahapalanaya” mob talks of good-governance and gives you bad-governance.
Mahinda just gives you bad-governance. No talk.
I am beginning to miss the sod. Mahinda, alls forgiven; please come back.
For a raving ultra-realist good-governance and Sri Lankans are mutually exclusive. We can live in hope as there is nothing else to do. But Good-governance is not gonna ever happen.
Time to quote the cleverest Lankan, Mr Udurawana!
“Are you mad or am I mad?”
“Both, respectvely.”
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mama Sinhalam / October 15, 2016
You are soft on the little brat. Why should he not be punished like others.
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KA Sumanasekera / October 13, 2016
Will Hindinan Modi drop Parippu this time, to save Batalanada Ranil?..
Military Intelligence Unit has been locked up for nearly two years by Batalanada Ranil ,to please the Tigers, Tiger supporters , TNA and the Diaspora.
Now three Navy Commanders are hauled before the Courts by the Independent Yahapalana F*******CID which was hand picked and put in place by Batalanada Ranil.
While Latrine Mouth Rajitha who has accumulated eleven charges of taking bribes, doesn’t get even a phone call from the Independent Yahapalana Bribery Commission Director who Batalanada Ranils claims is his close family friend.
Yahapalanaya is now Kaput..
No respectable PM who claims to be elected by the popular franchise can keep quiet, after these serious allegations of anti nation and anti Military activities perpetrated by the political suckers who were appointed by Batalanda Ranil, and parade as Independent Authorities.
Then there is another Batalanada Ranil appointee who must be still counting the Yahapala harvest ,collected in the first 12 months.
Which the Yahapalana sucking PAYE Taxpayers and even their children will be paying to Mahendran and SIL in perpetuity for the next 29 years.
No wonder they called it Perpetual Treasury.
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Native Vedda / October 13, 2016
KASmaalam KA Sumanasekera
“Now three Navy Commanders are hauled before the Courts by the Independent Yahapalana F*******CID which was hand picked and put in place by Batalanada Ranil.”
All three should have been court marshaled for letting the Hindian IPKF unload its war criminals on our shores.
All three should be court marshaled for letting the Hindian fishermen looting this island’s sea food.
All three should have been court marshaled for shelling the innocent people for nearly 15 years.
All three should have been court marshaled for carrying Gota’s clanking b***s.
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Justice & Fairplay / October 13, 2016
Sadly, very sadly it appears with each passing day, the President does not possess the required sophistication to lead the nation in the path being cleared by Ranil Wickremasinghe out of sheer wilderness.
It is really pathetic, and indicative there aren’t any technocratically bent politicians within the leftist fold, who could give leadership and seize opportunities. (I am not referring to Mangala Samaraweera here).
The President has his appeal but I must say he is fast losing it’ at least with the intelligent segment.
These are not things that he needs to be advised about, but if advisors are needed, he has obviously got the wrong ones.
It is the same old story about SL where every prospect pleases but only man is wile!
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Sinhala_Man / October 13, 2016
Thanks, Justice & Fairplay,
As you say a level of “sophistication” is necessary at this level. Your word choice is excellent. It is NOT his rural background that you draw attention to.
Yes, a leader has to have “appeal”, and have acceptability to all citizens. Like you, I have not given up all hope that Maithri will act with sagacity.
It may be that you have found the speech, virtually in its entirety, here:
http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/President-hits-out-117341.html
He doesn’t sound his usual collected sense.
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Vanguard / October 13, 2016
This is why some people did not vote for him in 2015. They could have told you so. However the supporters of the previous regime are now happy that this resembles the previous regime.
Backwards we go.
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ala / October 13, 2016
MS is very immature to make such statements. He should put him family in order without taking rubbish.
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thondamannay / October 13, 2016
Jehan…………… Why a suspended sentence??????????????
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Sinhala_Man / October 13, 2016
Dear thondamannay,
You’ve got a point. but let me try to understand Jehan’s reasoning.
I guess none of us want to savage this, or any other young man. So we would hope that he is allowed to refashion his life. There is nothing to suggest that this Daham is an incarnation of evil. A suspended sentence will mean he has to serve the term out if he repeats a similar offence. Put a guy in prison with hardened criminals, and he becomes a hard core criminal.
However, what Jehan says before this incident is properly investigated even amounts to fixing. That should never be. There have been almost a dozen accounts of this on CT alone, plus others like this:
http://www.ft.lk/article/573394/The-political-blind-spot
Everywhere I’ve been suggesting that what this unfortunate young man needs is psychiatry, more than all else. Such a suggestion stems from sympathy for the decent father, although I have met no one in this family; which may be a good thing, since violence was to be see in some of the Maithri siblings. But what Maithri himself said on yesterday’s T.V. news was that there cannot be special treatment for any.
Never mind all that fanciful thinking. The interests of our society demands even handed justice.
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Sherantha / October 13, 2016
Jajajajaja..Give me some what your Smoking” Mr. President..Damn!! Were you stoned since Jan 8th 2015..?? God bless to Sinhala Bhuddist land.
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dingiri / October 13, 2016
He says that three Navy oficers have been investigated but he has forgotten for what….!!! Surely does he not believe that that is important. If they were being investigated for criminality is he saying that everyone in the armed forces should be above the law? What did he say in parliament when Sarath Fonseca was arrested and imprisoned for a much lesser crime than murder? SF was arrested for sitting on a tender committee where a company connected with his son in law was one of the bidders and was sent down for over 2 years.
So in essence, the Yahapalanaya president believes that certain important people, the military and his son should be above the law. That is his possition today. Give him another two years I bet you we wont be able to tell him apart from Rajapakse and his “babys”.
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Patriot / October 13, 2016
Colombo Telegraph has got this story all twisted. MY3 got his heebi jeebies after seeing the crowds in Rathnapura. He know it is full time curtains for him. This is his attempt to come back to the SLFP (proper) fold. If any of his advisers have even an inch of wisdom they will advise him to push Ranil out from the UNP and get the leadership of the UNP. All UNPers see MY3 as their leader who got them elected. They will rally behind him. But the path he is taking will make him a nobody at the next election. At the next election Patali and Field Marshal will fight for the leadership of the UNP. The fragmentation will happen of the UNP contrary to all expectation of the SLFP fragmentation.
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srinath.gunaratne / October 13, 2016
Maithree has no idea about the depth he is in and when he get check mated by Ranil cum Anglo Indian lobby who promote federalist agenda,
Maithree is the temporary errand boy brought into clip wings of the Mahinda.
Chandrika Anti is the other agent used by Anglo Indian lobby.
You do not need mind of a genius to realize that the FCID is politically motivated and persecution of army intelligence officers is the first part of the plan to demoralize the army and slowly dismantle the security apparatuses set up to protect the country from terrorism.
UNP have no future for Maithree, The show down can be seen when the elections get closer!
The question for Maithree is, When thing hits the fan how many enemies you have made and how many friends you will be left with!
Surely he will be despised by the grass root SLFP as the man who brought down the SLFP together with Mahinda and handed over the government to UNP!
Country has seen enough antiques from Maithree and he is losing his credibility fast.
He is losing popularity with the Sinhalese Buddhists.
At the end, Maithree is left with the sympathy of Ranil!
Is it not the right time Maithree make amends with Mahinda?
Is it not the right time Maithree stop antagonizing the military?
Chandrika Anti has a place in Buckingham-shire!
Polonnaruwa would be too close, if Mahinda came back to power.
New federalist constitution!
Place of Buddhism in it!
FTCA with India.
Best is yet to come!
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Navin / October 13, 2016
What’s happening with Daham? Special treatment? If we wanted this to continue we would have kept Mahinda in power. At least his sons had some class and glamour!!!
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Lankan / October 13, 2016
Wow, is this the Big Deal JVP, JHU,SLFP, Champika Ranawaka and most of the other MPs’ were talking about? This confirms that President Sirisena has a deal with Gotha and his brothers and nephews. This is the end of the inquiries and Sri Lanka.If some one has committed a crime, it does not matter what position that person has. He or she has to be brought before the courts. We are back to square one again and we will be going down the toilet from here on. Once again President Sirisena has shown what a weak President he is.
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Eddie Wijesuriya / October 13, 2016
All the” would have been” good leaders were killed. Their caliber is no more. We have to deal with the leftovers, not Statesmen.
No one knows whether the last regime or this is worse. The way it is going the last one appears to be “not so bad”, or the lesser evil.
How is it that only politically connected brats smash up night clubs. Who has the CCTV tapes, The Police or the PSD , or have they been already destroyed and new ones introduced. It is clear that “POWER CORRUPTS”.
It is high time justice prevailed, VVIP’s brat or not, he has to be suitably punished and made an example to other growing up VVIPs brats. Not all of them are. There are the better brought up ones, but only a few. RW has none to boast of anyway, otherwise the story would be the same. What has this beautiful country come to.” DEIYO SAAKI”
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Plato. / October 13, 2016
Aiyo Sirisena!
Interestingly,AIYO very much a Srilankan term has now been included as an English word in the Oxford Dictionary.
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Waffa / October 13, 2016
Many or money ? Who knows. We innocent voters fad up. AIYO THAIYYO SAKKI.
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Plato. / October 13, 2016
I should have added: Just the other day!
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Clare / October 14, 2016
It’s better to have the known devil then the unknown. What’s wrong with you MR President your son has behaved high handed ly and you as a parent should take action without trying to cover it up. Your son is no better then Malaka. You should be ashamed of what you speak out. You yourself said that if you did not win you and your family will be six feet under so knowing that you are trying to protect them, are you a covered ? You have for Shure let down the people of this country. Shame shame shame that’s if you know what shame is
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Nallur Kandasamy / October 14, 2016
Sometimes I hardly can not hold my laughter at the comments on this forum.
Most folks who enjoy the benefits of peace have already forgotten. Its the end result that matters now not how or why it was achieved. yes Im sure folks are ready to draw the sarongs up to fight about the so called genocide, or the country being robbed may be. But FCID, Bribery commission or whatever other agencies are there to investigate “ALL WRONG DOING” past and present, past meaning even before MR’s presidency.
President MS is correct in saying that these institution should be impartial
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thumpane gamaya / October 14, 2016
Is Sirisena gone insane? does he expect FCID to stop investigating corrupt Govt Officials like Gota, Lalith weerathunge, Politicians etc. and start investigating crimes like ” a school girl robbing five coconuts to pay for schools fees etc.” I think Sira is a nut case.
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mama Sinhalam / October 15, 2016
poor Gamaya Sira is no nut case. He is living up to the Rajapakses. Like Raja Raja Rajapakse’s sons, his son is also acting like a thug. So, he interferes with the judiciary so that his brat could be safe. He interferes with the Bribery Commission probably because his lackeys have started taking bribes on a massive scale. So, we are turning a full circle. Who will be president next? He too will go the same way.
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Rohan De S Ekanayake / October 14, 2016
The outburst of HE was playing to the gallery. Those morally and ethically corrupt,immaterial of the post they may they have held; has to be brought to justice as all are equal before the Law.May it be ‘Watergate’ or ‘Britex’ where President’s and Prime Minister’s resign,it is not in HE -justice at any cost.He is too bound by culture.Any culture has it’s weakness and unfortunately this is showing up in HE under pressure. It is possible that for some reason, including “Insecurity” as the JO is threatening a break away and the necessity to keep the Party together, or attempts to reach to the chauvinist who are the loudest and the greatest follower’s of MR,or even to cover up matters closer to home-the prodigal son- may have been for the emotional outburst.It seems that the corrupt political culture is getting the better of him.As for Bribery commission, FCID etc.Keep up the good work.
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anonymous / October 14, 2016
Hello Sira,
Watched your disgraceful, idiotic and agitated state of mind only this morning. You are not suitable to be even a ‘Gamarala’ let alone a ‘Gramasevaka’. What have you got to say about ‘Sarath Fonseka’ the war winning Generals ‘Dakkagena Yema’ when you were just a puppet of the ‘Jarapassa’ family?. You will be a ‘goner’ very soon and better find a safe haven again from your ‘Jarapassa’ killer squad. No one will help upu this time for sure.
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GaleeNana / October 14, 2016
Mr President
Your are elected to protect the country not the SLFP & not to cover up RAJAPAKSAS AND DHAHAM , 3 murder cases about to closie specially this time your comments blaming judiciary and independent commission in public is abserd. you are immature to be a president. If such thing that Goda the God of yours had been called for judiciary makes you unhappy why you can’t call the judge or other relevant parties to your house n sort it out rather. Your are accountable n responsible to the nation.
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cassandra / October 14, 2016
So we now have our own Papa Doc and Baby Doc
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paul / October 16, 2016
You vote a clown, you get a clown.
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Upali Wickramasinghe / October 26, 2016
Paul,No this is DNA of inheritance. What else can the descendants of Indian Thugs and Indian Prostitutes do otherwise?
If this society is 2500+ years old, imagine how bad it would have been when the thugs and the prostitutes started business in this country 2500 yeras ago?
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