28 March, 2024

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In Praise Of President Sirisena

By Sarath de Alwis

Sarath De Alwis

Being in a minority, even in a minority of one, did not make you mad. There was truth and there was untruth, and if you clung to the truth even against the whole world, you were not mad.”  ~ George Orwell1984

Who made Maithripala Sirisena, President of our republic? Was it Ranil who claims that he made a great sacrifice by deciding not to contest as the UNP’s candidate? Is it the executive committee of the UNP that decided to endorse Maithripala Sirisena as the common candidate that the party should support? Or did the majority of people who voted for the common candidate make him our president?

Let us cut to the chase. Let’s avoid obfuscation. Let’s get to the point. This missive is in praise of Maithripala Sirisena’s handling of the Bond Commission report.

And further, more specifically it is in praise of his unhesitant referral to the Supreme Court for a precise ruling on his current tenure in office. 

This writer is relieved to discover the new bold and decisive ‘Sirisena’, who has abandoned his ‘little Bo peep has lost her sheep’ demeanour. One hopes he will gradually shed his ‘Apey Hamuduruwane’-‘ upsaka’ mask  and also his ‘Ranaviruwas have done no wrong’ disorder as well,  in his remaining years in office.

The immediate purpose of this dispatch is to congratulate him on his discovery of the precise mandate he received on 8th January 2015. The people did not vote for him to replace Mahinda Rajapaksa in office.

He was not elected to implement the agenda of the UNP. He was not tasked to reform the SLFP. He was tasked with halting corruption, punishing past offenders and deterring present offenders.

No one expects him to draft a new constitution all by himself. If he cannot persuade parliament to enact the required legislation, let the people decided the composition of the next parliament. He was not elected to name ‘flyovers’ after Sobitha thero. Had he lived he would today, urge him with all his might to fly away and not even fly over the cuckoo’s nest presided over by Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Those who saw the movie or read the novel by Ken Kesey would know the parallel between the three years of Ranil Wickremesinghe’s premiership and the psychiatric ward described as the Cuckoo’s nest.  The story is about a psychiatric facility run by an obstinate matron. The narrator calls it a combine. The kind of combine that today runs our country. Ranil, Malik, Charitha, Pasky etc. The combine adopts a mechanistic attitude towards their charges. They manipulate the process and methods. Their system was to offer rewards to the pliant and shame the resisters. What was horrific about the story is that the victims failed to realise that they were being controlled at all.  The novel that satirically mocks the consumer society damns the powers that be for emasculation of the defenceless.

The Bond Commission report should be made available to parliament, people and the Prime minister concurrently.

The manner in which the President has handled the report of the Bond Commission has made politics of our island something far more compelling than politics.

That the issue of the Bond Commission report coincides with the local government elections is not a matter of concern but a propitious eventuality for democratic discernment.

This writer is not surprised by the derisive comments and tasteless fun made of the Presidents referral to the Supreme Court.

Maithripala Sirisena does not belong in the elite crowd. We do not extend to him the kind of deference that Ranil or Mahinda claims as their due in status and power. In both camps – Mahinda’s and Ranil’s he is the outcast. How dare he consult the Supreme Court was an elite reaction. It was not a popular discussion and created no mass embroilment.

Maithripala Sirisena has finally decided to do what he was elected to be President of the Republic. Not a lame duck head of state bound by the advice of the Prime minster whose personal bonds of friendships are now subject to a public probe and for the curious – an exciting look see!    

The 19th Amendment prevents the President from dissolving parliament. Ranil claims that he commands the numbers. Therefore he demands to be the organ grinder. Now at last the President has decided that he is not ready to play the role of the proverbial monkey!

The referral to the Apex court was a resort to practical politics. He has now informed Parliament that the equation has two components.

What is so, immoral about knowing the terrain that one has to navigate in? What is so vulgar about measuring the depth of the swamp he has to wade through? 

It is almost certain that the Commission has concluded that the Prime minister taking over the Central Bank was either legally not permissible or it was a legal stretch .

The Prime minister has to now, explain why he wanted the central bank under his ambit and why he selected Arjuna Mahendran to run it. He must also explain why he wanted Arjuna Mahendran’s tenure extended for another term. He must also explain why he preferred Charitha Ratwatte to the present incumbent who happens to be the President’s alternative whose appointment he swallowed with frosty stoicism.

The Bond Controversy is not a partisan battle. This is controversy about the wealth of the nation. The subject is neither new nor surprising.

It has been said that in the early days of UNP rule the country was run not by an oligarchy but by an ‘olivergarchy’- a reference no doubt to the financial wizardry of Sir Oliver Goonetilleke who was colonial auditor, financial  secretary and civil defence commissioner of colonial Ceylon and Governor General of Independent Ceylon.

Ranil Wickremesinghe belongs to that old tradition of pre independence comprador class.  He understood and mastered the system. He, however, did not expect the peasant from Polonnaruwa to wake up and undermine the system by ordering a public, transparent inquiry.

When the question first surfaced in parliament, Ranil stood up and surveyed the house in mock eagerness and asked ‘who amongst you can discuss the question of bonds?” He was right.

We have the advice of a great practitioner of paper money to understand the swagger Ranil displayed at the time.

Mayer Bauer Rothschild who made his fortune by financing wars and profligate monarchs has said it for all time.

“The few who understand the system, will either be so interested from its profits or so dependent on its favours, that there will be no opposition from that class.” . . . “Let me issue and control a nation’s money and I care not who writes the laws” 

We live in a period of transition from an autocratic rule to a democratic yet dysfunctional rule.

Political ambition and patrimonial politics still threaten our task of creating a just society. These are not ordinary times. We cannot be led by conventional thinking. Old arrangements must be dismantled.

It is too early to conclude that Maithripala Sirisena is the man who could deliver. That said, we have no choice but to help him steer us through the murky swamp.

It has been said that upheavals offer new opportunities. This is an opportunity to create a new path instead of muddling through as was the experience of the past three years.

We must encourage new leaders. We must create new ideas. We must depart from the tradition of servility to political parties and political leaders.

The Bond Scam has taught us a lesson. Experience in the old ways is not only irrelevant but also presents a clear and imminent danger to our wellbeing in the age of transparency in governance.

It seems that President Sirisena has decided to convince the man who has done wrong by doing what is right. People will believe what they see. Let them see.

A caveat. I may be wrong. I fervently hope not.       

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Latest comments

  • 9
    3

    What pride and pround he has given to the country yet.
    Yes ; he did risk his life .
    He would have been gone he he lost the presidential election .
    Or would have been behind bars
    As happened to FS and yet; let us assess his; achievement?
    All public fund looters and robbers are out there.
    All thugs are out there .
    CB was robbed.
    Ranil has his own rich circle.
    Now; JVP is Only solution to this problem.
    Vote JVP
    And free the country from robbers

    • 7
      1

      Ranil needs to be impeached for looting the people of Lanka through “State Capture” and setting up crony networks with his Royal College crooks circle – Ravi K, Malik, Marapone, Kiriella, Harsha and Sujiva to name a few, to loot Central Bank, Sri Lankan Airlines and other national assets.
      There needs to be a Commission to Investigate the Avant Guard Scam which is also a national security scam.
      As in South Africa where State Capture by Zuma and his family and cronies has caused enormous corruption, so too in Lanka Ranil and cronies captured the same Deep State and assets that Gota and Rajapakse Family had built up to steal from the people of Lanka. Ranil is Dangerous to the economy and people of Lanka.
      Now RW is planning to sell off Hotels, state lands in Galle Fort and fill his cronies pockets in order to bribe politicians and rule. Ranil is mad for power and needs money to become President cos he will never win the popular vote!.

    • 3
      1

      It’s a good right-up, but futile in the end.

      We can sit and write here – myself included – till the cows come home but the simple truth is ………..except for the CB governor Coomaraswamy, there is no one (not even sitting in the wings) in SL that is up to the task ………… of the demands of the respective positions they hold. Zilch!

      Ranil is monumentally unlikable but like Lee Kuan Yu – Lee wasn’t renowned for his modesty or for his adherence to democracy – if he gets the job done I don’t give a hoot about his shortcomings………..But unfortunately I don’t think Ranil is up to the task .

      Neither was/is Mahinda ……….I can’t imagine that a 21st century adult could take high-interest loans and build all that crap in Hambanthota! …. would give a million to gaze into how his mind works in the economic sphere.

      Can any of you guys name one single Lankan who is capable of taking up the mantle? Just one name?

      “I don’t know what we want, and I don’t even know what will crop up. But all what we can do is pull out the weeds and eventually something we like will crop up.” — Dany le Rouge …………..That’s the only alternative left…………..

      • 0
        0

        Interesting thoughts Nimal, except that you discount 22 million people and indicate there isn’t one among them to come forward and do the job.

        I think we are mistaken if we think so. Besides, there isn’t a semblance of a resemblance between Ranil and Lee Kuan Yew. Lee stuck to the law. Ranil is often seen in tha company of those who made the law an ass.

        What you say about Coomaraswamy though, is right on the button.

    • 1
      0

      Sinhalese Pundit
      You mostly correct in your assessment but partly insane to believe that the JVP could be a solution.
      The JVP gambled with the fate of this country in April 1971 and lost.
      Who do you think was behind that infantile adventurist insurrection?
      Who would have benefited by that? Certainly not the JVP. It would have been the UNP and Yanky Dicky JRJ. It was he who resurrected it and then got his fingers burnt and it was left to his successor Premadasa who succeed as President who had to firmly put an end to it. How Premadasa also used the JVP is another story and is irrelevant at this point of time.
      Now JVP has emerged again in a docile version ably headed by AKD on the path of electrol politics sans home made guns and crude improvised bombs and extolling the virtues of it’s believe in a democratic path to solve the country’s problems.
      But when faced with a solution for the national question or the benefits of a secular constitution the JVP gets defensive and uncomfortable.
      So how can it be relied upon as “the only solution to free the entire country from robbers?”
      The voters may think robbers could be a preferable choice because they are predictable because they know what robbers naturally would do, but not what the JVP on the other hand do!

      • 0
        0

        Give JVP a chance. The will perform well. But they are good only for local governance. But not national level. Their economic thinking is not right for that level. For that we have to somebody elsa. They will never mature for that level.

        .

  • 11
    1

    Let’s be realistic.

    As long as UNP is in power nothing is going to happen with the bond report. No politicians will go to jail or no money will be recovered.

    Sirisena will keep it as a tool to keep the UNP is check but will not take any action.

    Sirisena will use Sirasa to keep it alive.

    Attorney a General is eyeing the CJ post this year and hence he needs the support of both Sirisena and Ranil and hence he will play safe.

    Sirisena is keen to run for a Presidency in 2020 or 2021 and hence will be a useful report at that time.

    For the moment sit back and relax !!

    • 4
      0

      Jagath Fernando:
      You seem to have captured the (cynical) reality of Sri Lankan politics.
      Sirisena is the only glimmer at the end of the tunnel of the current corruption.
      The JVP appears to be the best of a bad (horrific?) lot and if they’d stop using the ersatz Che Guevara poster, better suited to the backs of three-wheelers, could well provide a transitional relief to suffering Sri Lankans.
      Time will tell. Soon we hope!

      • 1
        2

        Emil van der Poorten

        Can you guarantee members and leadership of JVP do understand the concept of pluralism, secularism, freedom of speech, freedom of movement, multi party representative democracy, …………………………….. and self sufficiency is not import substitution, the country needs to import fuel, components, raw materials, industrial goods, expertise, …………….. for own consumption as well as input for export products.

        I hope JVP will not invent fire, wheel, ………….. again.

  • 2
    1

    It is true that Srisena did the right thing in appointing a presidential commission on the bond case to deal with the corruption under his presidency and asking supreme court to take action against those who did wrong. The report also said the issue was had a history from 2008. We all know corruption is one of most factor that was changed the presidency and still nothing done even to initiate to appoint a commission. Corruption is one of the factor among many other factors. Most importantly the crimes against humanity during the war, what happened to those who surrendered to the military after the war, assasination of journalists, trinco students and so many issues need to be investigated to bring peace to this country. This is the fundamental issue that lead to misuse the power over the years and 95% of the parliamentarians are corrupt because they use this as an excuse. Will Srisena bring justice?

  • 1
    0

    The end words “People will believe what they see ” could go right with anyone
    but Srilankans ! The majority was totally blind to see Rajapaksha blunders in
    the name of war victory and it was the overwhelming minority revenge that
    turned the table . What was My3 planning to do if he was not selected as the
    common candidate with the blessings of UNP , a faction of SLFP and civil
    organizations ? He has not said anything about this so far.It is a valid question
    that requires an answer for us to engage in a quality discussion about placing
    our unquestionable faith on him . His former cabinet colleagues who have
    committed massive financial crimes , according to his own self , are yet to be
    discovered and punished . Instead , the general public has been made jury by
    an LG election with undue massive publicity ! Can this not be a ploy to let the
    fraudsters free which will automatically let the new Bond scammers also free ?
    Is LG election not a blessing in disguise for the SLPP , win or lose ? If Srilankans
    choose to vote for JVP , we can say Srilankans believe what they see !

  • 13
    2

    Ranil W is a man with pretensions of grandeur without substance.

    That is ultimately the reason for all his failures and let us make no mistake, he is a failure!

    • 3
      0

      A very well written masterly effort which deserves high commendation. A truthful scholarly dissection. A ‘must read’ for all.

    • 3
      0

      Perriamma, you sound dangerously close to the disappointing truth. It is clear Ranil has feet of clay and possibly we have all over-rated the man.

  • 4
    0

    What happened to Mr. Sirisena? As a leader he LACKED the most important trait called “INTUITION”. That quality comes with experience and running through the “MILL”. He did count all that experience and run through the “MILL”; but did not develop the most wanted aspect of “INTUITION” i.e “Quick and Ready Insight”. The “Message” was very clear, when Ranil W visited Temple Trees in the company of Thiru Nadesan in the early hours of Jan. 9th, 2015, even before Mr. Sirisena “disembarked” in Colombo from Dodangaslanda in Kurunegala. From there onwards , he lost sight of so many “Hurricane” types of storms that plagued his administration, among most “Noteworthy” were the selection of “Advisers” and “Heads” of Public Corporate Entities by the PM , Ranil W. Mr. Sirisena, FAILED to “FEEL” the manoeuvres of his own colleagues and PM’s brought to bear on the the Investigations by the FCID, CID and the “planned” in-action of the AG’s Dept. On the political arena, he lost sight and failed to deploy a “Quick and Ready” insight into the WAVE of “NUGEGODA MAN” campaign of MR. In that case, I am pretty certain that Ranil W would have been laughing with his colleagues sitting in dialogue at Siri Kotha. Those were the early signs of CRACKS that appeared in the HOUSE built for him by the people on Jan.8th, 2015. Now he is running around like a “Cat” whose tail is caught with “FIRE”. Will he be able to “EXTINGUISH” that fire and save at least his TAIL.? Who will HELP him in that? Will the Judiciary assist him? Will the Law Enforcement help him? Will the “Civil Society” groups who are scheduled to meet him next week help him? Will the PEOPLE send him a consoling signal at the Local Government elections? Questions remain to be answered by HIM ONLY.

  • 3
    0

    Agree that MS did the right thing by taking prompt action on the CoI report. He should take the obvious step and release the report as is where is.
    His action to seek Supreme Court advice on possible extension of his term is to be admired. He did NOT get a Wimal to do it on his behalf. He has not provided the Supreme Court judge with the advice he expects.
    The language/religion-divide was used since independence to obfuscate the real power struggle, which was (and is) a home vs home match.
    After some seventy years, we may have found out that a suitable government must consist of power sharing between the home teams providing checks and balances.
    Why the hell did Sarath de Alwis conclude ” A caveat. I may be wrong. I fervently hope not”?

  • 3
    0

    Well Well Well!

    If the President could continue for 6 years MaRa and even CBK could contest the Presidency again.There would be no limits. This is by no means a catch 22 situation but catch 19th Amendment situation!

  • 0
    0

    This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/

  • 2
    4

    Jimmy shitty.

    Hoo hooo UNP bashing is the name of the game, and you are paid handsomely for your shitty bashing service.

    • 1
      1

      Trevor the Low caste Tamil. It is Not me. that Tamil turned Sinhala RAVI the LIAR and the Two catholics, Penthouse Ravi and bond Scam Ranil are doing it.
      So much for the Tamilness….. Name is Sirinivasan. Were you a black tiger or escaped LTTE Brigadier ?.

      • 0
        0

        Jim,

        What the hell Catholics had to do with this? Are they the bane for everything?

  • 1
    0

    The importance of President fighting another Presidential election is he has to fight it separately from UNP.. Because bond Scam is not the only destruction that UNP has done to Sri lanka. See how Kiriella and Sujeewa Senasinghe are crying. It had been the same stupidity with Sri lankan air lines. If Sri lanka has a fair law enforcement system by now Ranil should be in Jail and it is long since Ranil was chased out from the party. Ranil is keeping another two unsuitable fellows as deputy leaders because that protect his place.

  • 0
    0

    How much it is moral and legal, the call Supreme Court to explain why New King’s term cannot be extended to 6 years, that much legal and moral the 18th amendment to extend the term of the 2 times by Old King. 17th Amendment was to create CC. 18th to replace CC with PC and extend the term limit. 19th is to Control the terms, release a limited version of CC and to limit the cabinet. Unlike the other two amendments, as all the benefits cited in the 19A were purposefully to cheat the voters, the 18A should be assumed still active. Because of the hidden ill will techniques of 19A, somebody can contest the 19A in Supreme Court and have it declared illegal. Old King came to power when constitution limited his presidency for only two terms. He did not feel obligated to the constitution existed or to the people who voted for only two terms for him. Yet he legally passed 18A and used it to go beyond the times he promised to people, immorally using his victory over Tamils. Neither New King nor Ranil had challenged Old King going beyond to two terms though he was elected under the constitution, which limited his terms for two only. On the morale side, Old King never counted the Modayas for even a penny when he amended the constitution to get a third term. Now New King, who promised to abolish the presidency in 100 days, has so far not counted the Mondays for anything. His only Lively (if not mechanical) intention is getting a word out for dastardly acts as that he is still under the lawful conduct. Further, the moral and legal logic is, as it was done by the previous leaders, the current leaders are justified matching them.

  • 0
    0

    The logic here seems, as Sirimavo to Old Kin all presidents were involved in war crimes and mass murders, it is Ok for New King and Ranil to go ahead and wipe out another 100,000 or so. Further Ranil still has Batalanda in his hand and New King has White Flag Murders in his hand, too.
    If the Supreme Court insists that the 19th Amendment will apply retrospectively and if New King accepts the verdict is correct, then it is not sure what New King, Old King Ranil and Supreme Could will do to Old King for have him the 18A applied retrospectively. What the public can expect on that is, “Silence, impunity, Hora saving Hora”. To cut the chase, the file New King has on Old King will ever come out.
    First action on this fraudulent investigation series is, New King fired Dilrukshi when Kegalle guy died. Then the book scandal; The PR editor said to go into hiding (like Saheli Gamage) . Russian Ship deal followed it. Then Ravi, who was forced by New King to leave the ministry, was accused of spreading rumors on Ship deal. Other ministers met New King (Sagala, Mangala…). Then Ranil met him. Then the New Kings statement came out on Presidential Commission report, but no statement on the Old Royals’ 34 part report ever came out.
    An interesting comparison of the CB Bond scam in Old Royals time was Prasad Kariyawasam. But PT was not delisted when Mahendran was taken into CB. The reason was PT was to be the star in the Bond game. When Aloysius worked hard, like Prasad’s in the CJ case of Old Royals, Ranil asked Aloysius to open he PT so the Colombo elites can loot his personal property.

  • 0
    0

    After that, his farther-in-law, Mahendran was fired from CB. That time, Prasad Kariyawasam was appointed to National Saving Bank hoping his half Tamil Colombo Chetty ID will be suitable to control and direct him fully, like it happened in Mahendran case. Looting took place and he probably did not hand over the proceeds unlike Aloysius handed over the PT. His wife was treated like a home maid and other Supreme Court judges were reduced to defense lawyers of Old Royals. Sriskandarajah was murdered and after the family had arraigned in big way for the Supreme Court Justices’ and BASL lawyers to attend and morn, the Family was ordered not to have ceremonial funeral. Ranil cooperated with Old Royals in the Parliament. But Supreme Court CJ’s dismissal by Kangaroo Parliament was objected by Colombo Diplomatic circle. Especially Patricia Butenis was said to have asked Hakeem why he can’t resign as it was demanded in the parliament. From that on ward, as Yahapalanaya era started, all the Colombo diplomats’ world went silent for long time.
    After this, now, I see there is some good thing starting to happen. After almost a decade, American diplomats have commented the murder deaths must be investigated. Very recently only, the present Ambassador has said the Trinco students’ murders must be investigated. The second in command, somewhere around the anniversary, commented that Lasantha’s death must be investigated. This was the position of Ambassador Roberts Blake those days. So, with some confidence level, something good can come out this New King’s Statement.
    But we have nothing to criticize of Sarath De Alvis as he is with “black and white manners” has openly said that his object was not to evaluate the recent events with a journalist’s standards, but only praise New King. For Buddha’s Blessing upon him, he has not expressed any confident of the good things he said will happened either.

  • 4
    0

    Whatever their faults, some very major , MS,MR,GR have contributed and have loyal followings in the country.

    What about RW ?

    His long career has been a only a burden to the country. He and a few old Royalists around him have realized that as long as they have a stranglehold on the UNP ( one time a relevant national institution-now only a vehicle for crooks to make money) they can be national players.This to them only means grabbing national institutions through which they can make money or do the cocktail rounds and innumerable foreign junkets. RW has a ego which is not justified by anything done in the 50 years he has hogged the limelight

    Immorality rules the UNP but they specialize in accusing others of it. Saw that recent performance in parliament ? RW thinks we are all fools.Just watch that cal for disturbance in parliament in a sqeekey voice. Can we say the UNP is led by a man ?

  • 2
    0

    Master piece of write-up meticulously and professionally articulated.
    Today in Sri Lanka, lacks leaders of Visionary coupled to Integrity nor do the Country is blessed with either of it. Infact, instead of being blessed, the Country is being messed with preachers sans Vision & Corrupt Cronies.
    For that matter, where on earth you can find people with such blessed character?

    Every personality who with noble principles (as one may appear to be) once get on to the saddle becomes the opposite of what he appeared to be.
    The system makes he/she corrupt no matter which background they come from.

    So, there wouldn’t be any purpose of intellectual writing hoping/praying/anticipating things will come right the way we want & wish to be.
    Then what do we do where we can go from here?

    We need to see who is the best out of the bad lot and try to see why most the Country can get.
    Right at the moment, the current leadership though lacks Vision however, expected to be the least corrupt amongst all others whom we all expected to be Visionary.
    Being least corrupt is in one way a mode of a damage control measure rather than the benefits derived from a Corrupt Visionary.
    If a least corrupt personality at least have the Wisdom of knowing his limits of Proper Governance and surround himself with a Visionary “Think Tank” by and large the Country could forge ahead to a greater extent.

    Having this in mind, I feel it is time and right to have the JVP be given some mandate to control the Village administration, so that they could be of some use to a least corrupt Country Leadership. The JVP will at least hold on to their good governance principles in the next 05 years anticipating to be a 3rd force to be reckon with in which period the Country will benefit in some way.

  • 0
    0

    This was a really good bit of writing outlining the whole situation….especially liked the Cuckoo’s Nest parallel, together with the olivergarchy and Rothschild analogies.
    ***
    But I disagree on some parts. First, Sirisena is merely implementing formality in the face of public outrage. As per Ranil, he definitely manipulated the system and used massive amounts of insider trading amongst other things. City elite base make it all possible and forgivable, in crass dismissal of rights of the masses.
    ***
    Rajapaksa on the other hand, made no bones on overriding oppositional UNP, and went ahead with his all-island inclusive plans (never was there insider trading on his deals……..never a need for that……….was dictatorial where country finances were concerned………albeit a good dictator).

  • 1
    0

    1. MARA – A wounded animal .
    2.CBK – A rotten apple .
    3.RANIL – A lame duck .
    4.My3 – A guinea pig
    5.Parliament – Meethotumulla .
    6.People – Deaf ,Dumb and Blind .

    GOAL – MIRACLE OF ASIA .

  • 0
    0

    Native Vedda: You asked Emil Van der Pooten : “Can you give a guarantee that JVP………..” This is not a reply on behalf of Emil. I leave that his desire. But, in one of your comments, you raised these doubts about JVP and I concluded by saying that you have a “wound” that cannot be treated and requested you to “live with it”. Yet, I too got interested and contacted a “Management Personnel” of JVP to clear some of the important questions you have. As regards that “asking for pardon” for all the atrocities committed by JVP in the past, that source referred me to their “Convention” held at Sugathadasa Stadium in 2016 May and said the present Leader AKD “unreservedly” apologized and stated in clear terms that their future will never be carved on an “armed struggle” but on a very democratic basis. Beyond that, this “source” also told me of their stand on “ethnic” issue and that is to consider all citizens of the country on “equal” terms as Sri Lankans; but will not “allow” to Divide the country. The third factor of their being “honest”, not bent on making money through politics and a host of all other reforms on economy, political culture, independence of the Judiciary, maintaining Law & Order and turn around on social order are not to be doubted. This is only for you to “consider” and hope it will be some “treatment” for the “wounds” that have plagued you.

    • 0
      0

      Douglas ,

      JVP politics is no wonder medicine for all ills created by country’s
      stupid rulers from time to time over nearly seventy years with the
      inclusion from all three communities. There was a time JVP thought
      that tea gardens should be replaced by Cassava (manioc) cultivation
      and they believed in arm struggle to establish a socialist state and
      they tried it twice . With all that experiences , they are now in the
      territory of capitalist democracy with the blessings of capitalism .
      The topmost question here is whether the traditional capitalist forces
      who are dependent on corrupt development and business practices
      can give in to a young , determined and promising reformers ! JVP
      arm struggle got crushed , everybody knows it , can their ballot
      struggle too be contained the same way ? They haven’t been offered
      the stage for us to see their performances against that of a bunch of
      joker cards ! For well over twenty years , JVP has maintained some
      credibility on discipline of party principles . They have succeeded
      in proving both the UNP and SLFP are corrupt by forcing them to
      accuse each other of fraud and corruption for years now . JVP in this
      mammoth scenario , stands taller whether the general public go
      with them or not . I see JVP has changed a lot though I am not a
      great fan of them and neither am I diehard UNP or SLFP . By being
      neutral , you can see things without bias .

    • 0
      0

      Comrade Douglas

      “” that source referred me to their “Convention” held at Sugathadasa Stadium in 2016 May and said the present Leader AKD “unreservedly” apologized and stated in clear terms that their future will never be carved on an “armed struggle” but on a very democratic basis.”


      Thanks for your comment and your various attempts to sanitize JVP’s gory past.
      How did I miss AKD’s “Convention” speech held at Sugathadasa Stadium in 2016 May as your contact maintains?
      Could you ask them to publish his speech on their webside in all three languages. Let us decide whether AKD is telling the truth. I may have follow up question.

      Beware all these so called Marxist/Maoist parties have natural tendency to believe in one party system. JVP won’t be an exception.

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    Mr.De Alwis

    The last sentence in your article perhaps is the only one which makes some sense.Dont worry you dont have to wait for long to know whether you were right or wrong.
    Surely your senses must have taken leave when you decide to write that MS has honest motives when appointing these “commissions”

    Looks like it is now “Dreamtime” for you

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    Writer might have been paid by Russian hackers to write against RW. MS appears to be behind the vilification of RW..
    MS is srilankan TRUMP

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