By Helasingha Bandara –

The denial of nominations to Duminda Silva, Sajin Vass, Mervin Silva and Sarana Gunawardene is a false token gesture. The assurance of nominations for all other rogue elements means that Mahinda Rajapaksa does not intend to make his reentry into the parliament as a reformed man but with the intention to continue with his corrupt governance with the same circle of colleagues of ill-repute.

Mervin Silva

Mervin had already refrained from supporting Rajapaksha at the previous Presidential election and had gone to the extent of complaining against the Rajapakshas on various misdeeds including murder. It is only ludicrous to believe that the UPFA has excluded him for him being a corrupt Politian. He had removed himself.

Sarana Gunawardene

UPFA has indeed removed only Sarana but kept Gunawardene with the inclusion of his wife in the nomination list. Is it not farcical? Four removals in reality have become two now.

Duminda Silva

Duminda has been involved in a daylight murder whether he has been proven guilty or not. Besides he may not have been left with any brain matter as he claimed that his brain was smashed to smithereens at the gun fight. However, despite his protests Duminda’s name has been removed and he is quiet about it now. With the experience of the manner in which MR strike shady deals, the citizens are well aware that Duminda would be an ambassador somewhere if they form a government.

Sajin

Having assaulted a High Commissioner in public he could get away with it thanks to Rajapaksa yahapalanaya. Although he has been denied the opportunity to become a monitoring MP, there are many lucrative posts awaiting his return if UPFA would be able to form a new government.

Taking that into consideration ,it appears that out of a huge list of corrupt politicians that includes Johnston Fernando, Sajin Vass Gunawardena, Duminda Silva, Mervin Silva, Sarana Gunawardena, Nimal Lanza, Lakshman Wasantha Perera, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Rohitha Abeygunawardhana, S M Chandrasena, Basil Rajapaksa, Rohitah Bogollagama and Wimal Weerawansa etc , who have been investigated for various crimes, only two have been denied nomination. Even Premalal Jayarathna who is in remand custody for allegedly murdering a Sirisena supporter at the recent presidential election is in the UPFA nomination list. Tissa Attanayake who was accused of perjury and Tiran Alles of extreme ill-repute also have been included in the UPFA national list. The token denial of nominations to Duminda and Sajin has thus become an eye wash.

Who has decided the nomination list?

Was it Maithri, Premajayanth, Yapa or Rajapaksa? The obvious answer is the Big Foot. MR has admitted that he was aware of the people who were involved in corrupt deals but he did not take appropriate action to prosecute them, This is an admission of his complicity in plundering poor peoples’ wealth and putting their lives into misery. The inclusion of all his rogue acolytes in the UPFA nomination list is the clear indication that he has no intension to introduce just rule to this country. His claim that he has learnt lessons not to repeat the same mistakes is just another lie from his arsenal of lies and deceptions. Here he has selected the same cronies to face the new election and form a new government. Can anyone expect this country and its people to be served fairly and squarely by a gang of criminals and its infamous leader who claim to have been reformed miraculously in just six months?

No Proof

Investigations into corrupt deals and to prosecute people take time. It has become even more difficult with the traditional snail pace of the Sri Lankan criminal justice system and the existence of MR supporters in every sphere in the government machinery. It is over ambitious to expect to rectify decades old inefficiencies in 100 days.

Besides should we need proof when it is obvious. Take Johnston’s TV interview with Ranjan Ramanayaka. People need no proof that Johnston is an uncultured thug who had no idea how to behave on a public platform that would be seen by millions of viewers. The amount of money that he spent on behalf of his son’s political campaign need not any proof as people have received most of it although they did not vote for him. Such money has not been earned through just means. People need no proof.

Some of Wimal Weerawansa’s shady deals were exposed by Sunday Leader yesterday. Everyone already knew that he had no inherited wealth to build a 70 million mansion and to accumulate more wealth. People see it and know that this mansion was built with the black money, no other proof is necessary

Nimal Lanza’s involvement in the narcotics trade needs no proof because it was reported that the Big Foot himself was flown into his house to rescue him from being arrested by the police.

Infamous Rohitha Bogollagama spent million on his foreign trips to include his family and entertain them around the world. His defeat in the Colombo district at the last elections was sufficient proof,

During the MR regime the poor suffered severely because the state coffers were emptied by the politicians. Politics had turned to be the most lucrative income earning exercise without doing any hard work to educate oneself. MR has developed a political culture in which he has given perks or opportunities to steal to a large number of people with the intention of retaining political power. He has shown no sign of departing from that norm.

People of the country do not need party politics but they certainly need to safeguard the measures taken within the last six months to restore democracy, law and order and to eliminate corruption. In this regards it is a must that MR and the gang be defeated.