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.
anonymous / October 13, 2016
I knew he was not the roight person for the job. He has many skeletons in his cupbords I am sure. Sorry Lankans, get rid of him amd Wijedasa Rajapassa ASAP. Otherwise, Lankawata ‘Aba Saranai’. The executive powers must go immedietly!
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Sama / October 13, 2016
how beautiful – as if we dont have anything else but about Daham…
man we heard President has called for a separate investigation to find out who had been guilty …. I think we should better be enagaged in alarmingproblems such as not having drinking water, garbage mountains have covered colomobo city etc rather than hang on to this only.
CT has always been like that when it goes with President – may be they too cant tolerate Mr Sirisena. I have never heard the kind of attacks being made to Rajapakshe even if he ended up only not eating us out but ate everything around.
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Amarasiri / October 14, 2016
President Damarala Maithripala Sirisena,
So you want to protect thieves and Criminals.That is Not what people want.
SiRa SiR ChaTu SiRa AmaNa SiRa…
Through the Bulath Vine, Vettila Vine and Grape Vine….
Leaders of Civil Organizations who made Maithripala president up in arms against his speech defending Gota !…
The leaders of Civil and professional organizations who were in the vanguard to steer incumbent president Maithripala Sirisena to victory at the last presidential elections have expressed their bitter and fierce opposition to the obnoxious and odious statements made by the president yesterday which in other words were directly pressurizing the Bribery Commission , CID, FCID and courts that are committed to their tasks and discharging their duties duly.
The president’s speech also was directed at protecting and shielding the most infamous murderer Gotabaya , the devil incarnate of the nefarious decade of the corrupt ,oppressive Rajapakse regime which kept the people trampled under its despotic boots during its reign.
It is the view of these organizations that the statements made by the president were uncalled for, unwarranted , and therefore unnecessary.
One Civil organization leader who was shocked beyond measure said , a president who is re -born and has lost his memory would only make such stupid and silly announcements. However , since such a thing has not overtaken him , he must be either not in his right senses or suffering from puerile and insane drives or is possessed by an evil spirit to make such irresponsible and ludicrous utterances.
The leaders of Civil Organizations yesterday night decided to register their protests against the odious speech of the president , and a media conference is to be held tomorrow (14) in Colombo.
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Shan / October 13, 2016
Now he is somewhat repeating what JO says for months. Is that just a coincidence or My3 realized that SLFP is done without JO and MR. Time will tell.
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Analyst / October 13, 2016
He Namo Namo Mathaaaa
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BBS Rep / October 13, 2016
Ah well, the true colours are slowly coming out. What My3’s tirade and the threat to interfere with the legal processes shows quite clearly that My3 is nothing but a by-product of the MARA clan with who he very closely cohabited for 20 years or so. How can he really change colours. He is through and through a MR by product. My3 so strongly emulates all the paths of governance taken by MR and with regards to law the legal processes one law to others and a better law for some.
The FCID, CID and the Bribery Commission take offenders to custody and the Magistrates quite happily bail them out and let these mass scale criminals travel overseas without let or hinder. It is quite clear from who the Magistrate take instructions – My3 of course.
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Amarasiri / October 13, 2016
President Gamarala Maithripala Sirisena’
“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”
You can’t please them All.
Decide whether you are going to be a Statesman and Apply the Law equally or just so and so.
Mr. President, you no longer are a Gamarala, now you are a Nuwara-Rala, Rata-rala.
What are you going to do with your Brat Dimwit Daham?
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Silva / October 13, 2016
Ha! ha! Ha!
Ane Sira!
Moota amu kavilada, Deviyange haal kavilada? Though hitherto disguised himself under yahapalanaya cloak, this is the true gode typed uneducated real SLFP ratakajukaara, virindukaara, rabankaara, amudakaara retarded nature of SLFPers. Unapuruke dammath ada naare balu walige kiwwe mekata thamail. I wonder what will the international community will think about this asshole when the recall the high flying pora talks he gave them when he visited various important international forums! This moda gama rala is like the nariya who became the king of the wilderness after he fell into the nil baldiya of the dhoby and after coming out of the baldiya the animals in the jungle made him the king becuase he looked odd and strange and uncommon and they failed to notice he was a jackal. Now that the jackal has opened his dustbin mouth it is total chaos and an animal park out there!
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Douglas / October 13, 2016
Mr. President: I understand your “Frustrations” and “Anguish” over matters of “Yahapalanaya” (Good Governance) and the ugly behaviour of your son and some others of your family. That level of personal “Distraught” is no reason for you to go ‘viral” and make public utterances that would jeopardize the whole purpose of bringing in that co-operative effort of chasing away the virtual “Demon” from governing the country. Please try to recollect the situation prior to January 1915 and why and for what purpose you were supported to become the President of the country . You came with the promise to UPHOLD and ESTABLISH “Good Governance” in all areas of Governing. Why this sudden “outcry”? At the very initial stages, had you taken the “whip” into your hands, your brother would never have been appointed to SLT, instead some other Professional would have been installed there. Next, when you knew that a Singaporean is brought to head the Central Bank and also to bring that institution under the control of PM instead of Finance; you should have cracked the whip. When you knew that the biggest institution that made this country virtually bankrupt i.e the Sri Lanan Airline were to be left in the hands of a gang of “Royalists” from nowhere, you should have cracked the whip. When you knew that time and skill tested and aged people like Mr. Paskaralingam were to be “Imported” to manage and advise the most important aspects of dwindling economy, you should have cracked the whip. When you knew that FCID, CID and other institutions of Law Enforcement are being interfered to, you should have cracked the whip. Now just because those institutions are trying amid undue interference to solve some of the MYSTERIES that took place during the last regime and those that are directly involving some of the elite in the armed forces and those who guided them are involved parties, WHY you are getting agitated and restless. Just RELAX and give proper GUIDENCE to those institution to do their entrusted job diligently, efficiently and honestly so that the wrong doers of whatever status would be brought to account for their actions.
Of course, with you emptying the frustrations over the affairs of Governing, I now understand, why our KINGS had “Court Jesters”; “Wandi Battayas” (gang to sing songs of praise) and even a “Harem”; went on “Hunting” etc. Your trouble as I see is: you have all excepting above mentioned other than “Harem” and “Hunting” and please don’t ever think of these two; but try and get rid of first two i.e. those “Wandi Battayas” viz “Purohithayas” or Advisors and “Court Jesters” the “Kavatayas” the Clowns. First put your HOUSE – both Home and Office in order and then you will have enough time energy to govern the country. I hope you will read this brief piece of comment made by a “Simple Simon”. Thank you
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Silva / October 13, 2016
Sira now sounds and looks just like the asshole from the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte who even challenges the US president and calls him a son of a whore! If this country faced a single misfortune that made her a failed state, it is the creation of this party of whores SLFP! They simply cannot understand what “civilized” means and hence fall back on tribalism!
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Sinhala_Man / October 13, 2016
Yes, I heard most of (or even all) of the President’s speech on T.V. It would be correct to describe it as “terse” and high-pitched.
apart from what you have reported he said that there are those who are not willing to give up the reigns of power after their period is over; also that he was not elected to interfere with the judiciary etc.
Yes, throughout I was wondering how all this would apply to Daham. Anybody’s guess, I suppose. He wants to the right thing, but as a father he may apply double standards, and find a way of telling himself that it is not so.
In which case, we, the citizens, must make it clear to him that double standards will just not be acceptable. And, we will be doing so for his, and Daham’s own good. Unless he is stopped now, he may be hanged for murder in the not too distant future; or he may be murdered himself.
Poor Maithri; I wish him well, but it’s all up to him.
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Kumar R. / October 13, 2016
It is so comical that he would now state “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.”
Could someone please print anything that he may have said when he was under MR’s armpit while the MR gang dragged Sarath Fonseka by his ankles to the court and then to solitary confinement at Borella?
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Silva / October 13, 2016
Kumar R.
“Could someone please print anything that he may have said when he was under MR’s armpit while the MR gang dragged Sarath Fonseka by his ankles to the court and then to solitary confinement at Borella?”
Please watch the video wherein the moda gamarala praises the King in a long long hosanna just after the war ended. “You are the king, you are the true king, you saved the nation…….!!!!”
You could find the link in the internet.
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Attartuk / October 13, 2016
Gamaraala panicking. If he pisses off the Army he is in hot kola kenda. So he has to appeal to the SLFP base. He is worried justice will be done and his precious son the intellectual giant schooled in England will be questioned by the police. Hence favours to Pujitha assoochitha the IGP and threats and bribes. Why else will the PSD guard and block access to the guy who was injured in the fracas?
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Concerned Citizen / October 13, 2016
Buhahahaha so all that the executive president can do is express his displeasure? Another act/drama in the making. Good for the blind followers of this regime… In other news – Daham Sirisena is preparing for Friday night!
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Rajash / October 13, 2016
Yahapalana Government is to fool US and UN and IC.
It makes no difference whether its UNP or SLFP or Coalition who is in power. for the real power was given to men in yellow robes by SWRD. He was assassinated by a man in yellow robe. Now thugs in yellow robes call the shots and the politicians knee jerk to them.
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Sunil / October 13, 2016
Military, civilian or the son of the president they have to be punished if they break the law!!!
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umberto gui / October 13, 2016
Sunil
Oh No that does not apply in Srilanka.
Only minorities(people with morality) will be punished, in some cases, even if they don’t beak the laws.
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Silva / October 13, 2016
So is our beloved President the one protecting the Rajapaksa family and their criminal network!? If so this is really disappointing. We don’t want a criminal government or one that protects criminals! International community are you going to support those who protect criminals!? Make Ranil the President he will swiftly clean up the lot of them..
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Silva / October 13, 2016
Duplicate Silva,
[Edited out]
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justice / October 13, 2016
Is the President worried that a coup d’état by the army may take place?
Is this why a 300,000 strong peacetime army being pampered and praised round the clock daily as ‘heros’ who saved the nation from a ragtag LTTE of half trained males and females?
Is the army above the law of the land?
Why is he worried that army personnel are being investigated for economic crimes?
This well fed army whose daily food contracts alone are in billions have nothing to do except hold seminars, get flags blessed etc.
Are 300,000 houses planned for, when these retire, in the years to come?
It is not the duty of the prime minister to shield the president’s children against prosecution for misbehaviour.
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Pollonaruwe Banda / October 13, 2016
Maithri “.. insinuated that proceedings were politically motivated and violated procedural protocol.”
Hahahahaha! Just what the hell does HE think HE is doing if not blatantly “violating procedural protocol” when he does everything to excuse his moronic son’s behaviour?
Not only that, HE is also breaking his promises to all those who voted for the change based on those promises. Or doesn’t he understand what he is doing??
Sympathies to all those PSD ‘bodyguards’ have also been compromised by his goonish offspring and have to be embarrassed by this fiasco.
Time for the President to reset his mindset and not threaten us with “the end of the cohabitation arrangement of the Yahapalana Government.”!!
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ala / October 13, 2016
The people of this country will never get “good governance” in this century. They will be ruled by opportunistic leaders who only think about themselves. How can any security personnel be above law? This president is talking rubbish. It seems two wrongs (Bond scan/Avant guard) will make one right!!!
Wake up people of SL you have been duped once again. Where are the civic society leaders?
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MrRetort / October 13, 2016
Is this case of venting the frustration of his own sons behavior compounded by limited support that’s being extended to him as the leader of the SLFP in spite of the fact he is the President of the state. Uttering in desperation is not going to do any good for anybody and definitely not for him. Is he running short of genuining advisors.
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truth finder / October 13, 2016
POWER BLINDS!
When a leader does not understand accountability (in Yahapalanaya) whether it be his son or so called heroes who may not have touched a gun, he ceases to be a leader! A hero will also be accountable whether in the battlefield or screwing the government (people) of money either in Avant Gard or Central Bank!
You are losing faith of the people! My dear MY3! Don’t shoot your mouth like SF under stress of your prince’s behaviour! A real leader will banish his son the way Vijaya’s father did! Son or not.
Unfortunately Sri Lanka is full of banished prince’s descendents including the Javanese prince who landed in Hambantota (sampong-tota)!!! Genes matter!
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Mano / October 13, 2016
Sirisena cannot throw a tantrum because the PM did “nothing” to protect little Daham’s behind. It is up to Sirisena to show the nation how a tough President disciplines his son, give him the tough love treatment, he should even take his own advice and whip the rascal with a sting ray tail.
There is no point blaming others. In the first place Daham should have learnt his lessons from his previous shindigs and that trip to the UN should have taught him how to behave in public and how to respect property that does not belong to his father. It seems he is out of control and his dear parents are unable to put the leash on him.
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prem / October 13, 2016
sirisena it is time for you to realize that you are not indispensable. If people get on to the street for two days you will be out. I feel that MR if he corrects his brothers will be a much better leader that this dumb sira
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Lester / October 13, 2016
“… the President said he had opposed this, clearly implying that he believes that military personnel should not be prosecuted at any cost.”
The situation is complex. On the one hand, the Rajapakses did a fabulous job putting a permanent end to Eelam Enterprises Ltd. At the same time, they and some of their associates made a few crooked deals. The best solution may be to offer full clemency to MR and GR, while making examples of a few lower-level officials.
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Non PhD / October 13, 2016
“Here we go round the mulberry bush again…….”
Why former acting defence minister and current President doing his somersault again ? Because Gotha is in constant touch with MS and threatening with exposing MS ? Or MS wants Gotha to be the next PM or the President with the help of China and India ?
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Aia / October 13, 2016
Would not surprise if Maitiri make a visit to China soon.
MS should understand that he is holding the high office today largely because of UNP. His stupidity will see MR coming back to the power. And then he will not allowed to find a refuge under coconut grooves. He cannot see what is at stake here. Does he has the wisdom?.
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S.Modaya / October 13, 2016
A morning after pill for the Sirisena family is needed to cure the miracle of modayas!
Sinhala Lanka is cursed by its so-called leaders (UNP and SLFP), who are corrupt and criminal – Sira, Ranil, Mahinda Jarapassa and all their cronies and family members. Just like Tamils cursed by their leaders – Prabakaran to Thndaman and Ponnambalam Jr.
But as in USA there is no alternative – TINA – Trump and Clinton are more of the same rotten establishment – the global 1 percent that has been looting the working people of the world with the help of the IMF. The joke is that IMF which is supposed to do global financial governance has legalized financial crime and is headed by a woman charged with massive corruption in France today!
So Sri lanka is stuck with a bloated military that aids and abets political corruption while the people pay for the tax free lifestyle and super luxury SUVs that are blocking the roads of the corrupt politicians!
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Premila / October 13, 2016
President is conveniently passing the buck ! He is head of state and cannot be showing is disgust at the political witch hunt of Defence personnel NOW. He was aware of this case long before and could have stopped it if he felt it was a politically driven agenda. This is simply to divert attention from his son’s misdemeanors AND to appeal to the military personnel present at the event, in the aftermath of the Ratnapura rally and cooperative elections where his popularity has hit rock bottom. People cannot be fooled anymore by his smooth talk !!
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shankar / October 13, 2016
“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.”
if he is implying that,then why was fonseka jailed on trumped up charges?Does this also mean that if military tries to topple him he will not prosecute the coup leaders because they fought the LTTE?Did not mahinda also think that just because he won the war the people will elect him for the rest of his life.
“if not checked soon, could spell the end of the cohabitation arrangement of the Yahapalana Government.”
good.this government is just not working and co habitation may be the reason for it.time to dissolve it and have a real government.sirisena will be the big loser because at the cooperative elections if JO supported candidates got 45 people in and the UNP got 17 he got only 2.That is the end of him if fresh elections are held so he better shut up without talking BS.
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vetmahadeva / October 13, 2016
Baby Sirisena Prompts Papa Sirisena To Punch Yahapalanaya And Threaten Yahapalana Unity
The First Family shall watch their family members more closely than the other ordinary Family, particularly when one their member is noted for character and behaviour in public places.
Why Daham could not control himself from controversies, what evil is pushing him to act in this frequently – at lest twice for the munching taste of the media.
At one instance it was reported that Daham could not be “home alone” and was taken along with Pappa to New York
What ever it is Daham and Ranil deserves some strong string pulling, before cutting loose beyond control!
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Piumi / October 13, 2016
This man is no more a Gramasevaka. Gramasevaka’s are better behaved. Shame on you Sirisena. Was it you who killed Ekneligoda, Lasantha and so many others, Were you responsible for that. Where is the justice for the victims. Withdraw publicly ND APOLOGIZE to the CID FCID and BC. Who are trying to do some honest work, Or go back to your village with your family and stay there. Be Cursed for your irresponsible utterings
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Don Stanley / October 13, 2016
Ranil and Sira are busy Checkmating each other with the corruption scandals of friends and family. Eg. Mahendran and Sira’s bro. at SL Telecom.
Meanwhile Ranil is running around the world with a begging bowl for more loan rather than concentrating on catching the crooks and stopping the massive leakage of funds and corruption of politicians who have beggared the country.
CT Editors: how many overseas trips has Ranil done this year? Please tell us? He should first straighten out the corrupt FCID, CID and Bribary Commission and catch the political cronies to seize their assets and off shore bank accounts to may off the massive debt of Lanka and ask IMF to put it money where its mouth is and track the off shore bank accounts of financial criminals.
Sri Lanka should not be buying useless fighter jets but investing in EDUCATION as a priority at this time.
The Defense budget must be cut down, the defense sector RESTRUCTURED for peace time.
The bloated defense forces should be put to work in the Maritime Security Sector as Sri Lanka is strategically located on a maritime trade and security route.
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Mohamed / October 13, 2016
Money can be found by confiscating the ill gotten reported Rs 5 Bn profit of Perpetual Treasuries
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