The illegal foreign minister of Sri Lanka, Dr. Sarath Amunugama was humiliated in Maldives when he attempted to lead the Sri Lanka delegation to the inauguration of President elect, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
Amunugama who was named as “foreign minister” by President Maithripala Sirisena after the October 26 coup would anyway lose his position after the defeat of the No Confidence Motion against purported Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. As per Article 48 (2) of the constitution the Cabinet of Ministers stand dissolved in the event of a prime minister losing a No Confidence motion. Two no confidence votes have been passed in Parliament and the Speaker’s rulings have gone unchallenged. Only the House can overturn a ruling by the Speaker despite the President’s obstinate and unconstitutional claims that he will not “accept” the NCMs passed against his illegally appointed PM.
Almost one month into the Coup the Sirisena-Rajapaksa illegal Government is desperate for international recognition. Snubbed once by Colombo based foreign correspondents the illegal Foreign Minister even used a routine press conference at the Ministry to which local and foreign media were invited to claim foreign media had met the “FOREIGN MINISTER”.
It seemed to Dr Amunugama that the best opportunity for international recognition would be at the inauguration of the new Maldivian President Solih.
He was hoping for a picture opportunity with regional leaders that would give the Rajapaksa’s illegal cabinet some semblance of international legitimacy. No country in the world has recognised the illegitimate government of Rajapaksa and his Cabinet. Not a single congratulatory message has been received from any country, let alone India and the West. No Ambassador based in Sri Lanka has met the illegal foreign minister in a formal setting. When Foreign Ministers Mangala Samaraweera, Ravi Karunanayake and Thilak Marapana were appointed they all visited New Delhi within days and met with the Indian establishment. In all these instances high level meetings were arranged including with Prime Minister Modi.
Amunugama had hoped he could hobnob with the regional leaders and sneak in a photo opportunity to claim a minimum level of legitimacy to his rogue regime. All these plans went astray when the newly elect Maldivian government decided in invite former president Chandrika Kumaratunga for the inauguration of president Solih. Former President Kumaratunga was given pride of place by the Maldivians at the function. She sat next to former Maldives presidents Mohamed Waheed and Mohamed Nasheed. Next to Nasheed was the most powerful man of South Asia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India. Nowhere in sight of the VVIPs was the supposed head of the Sri Lankan delegation, pseudo foreign minister Sarath Amunugama.
Dr. Amunugama earlier in the day had tweeted “FM Dr Sarath Amunugama leading the Sri Lanka delegation at the swearing in ceremony of the newly elected President of Maldives.”
Clearly he did not expect to be relegated to a side by former President Kumaratunga. Amunugama didn’t even get the two second opportunity to shake hands with Prime Minister Modi to pull off his diplomatic coup for recognition. Instead President Kumaratunga was seen engaged in cordial conversation with the prime minister of India. The former Sri Lankan President also met President Solih after the inauguration. Desperate for photo ops but getting none Amunugama and his ‘delegation’ which included only Faizer Mustapha who was attending on a personal connection and the son and heir of Mahinda Rajapaksa – Namal. The country’s purported second son was seated way back somewhere near ambassadors from neighbouring countries who were accredited to the Maldives once again a safe distance away from Modi and other guests of honour.
The Rajapaksa camp has once again failed to fathom the power of a democratic movement against authoritarian rule. The parallels between the January 8th movement and the opposition victory in the Maldives are significant. The victorious president Solih represents a cross section of the opposition to former strongman Yameen, who like Rajapaksa took Maldives in a path of undemocratic repression. President Nasheed in particular who was in exile found support from Prime Minister Wickremesinghe. It was due to this gratitude that he had Sri Lanka on his minds at the most momentous occasion of recent Maldivian history. He tweeted “As a new dawn breaks in the Maldives, it’s heartbreaking to see Sri Lanka in such difficulty. I hope Sri Lanka will soon come out of this predicament. Sri Lankans are like our cousins, and Maldivians celebrate today only because of Sri Lanka’s help and support.” This is a not so subtle reference to the support extended by the Ranil Wickremesinghe government to the democratic forces in Maldives in the last three and a half years.
Neil Herath / November 20, 2018
I donot know international. I am a sri lankan. People in Sri lanka like Mahinda Rajapaksha.
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Sinhala_Man / November 20, 2018
Dear Neil Herath,
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Please speak for yourself only.
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I’m Sri Lankan. I don’t like Mahinda Rakapaksa.
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Real Revolutionist / November 21, 2018
Sinhala man
Good to make comparisons & reasoning to support your views.
Example
MR vs RW – MR strong, charismatic but may be bad/corrupt, lot of allegations to be proven in the courts so he’s still innocent
So he’s good person to lead the country whether I like or don’t like him.
RW comparatively less charismatic than MR but had been identified as peaceful, gentle, clean character but unfortunately (probably) proven himself as the most corrupt person in the country due to bond scam revelations.
Undemocratic person as when the MS’s support base left the fake gg government he stayed in power without seeking a fresh mandate arguing he has majority support in the house.
It must be emphasized that the mandate had been given to him was to go together with MS towards good governance so when they’re kept apart this mandate became null & void.
So please let me say that I don’t like RW & he must be kept aside from politics & must be prosecuted & as far as he’s in the UNP I’ll never vote for it.
Though there’s a constitutional barrier to be decided by the judiciary, I like & support whole heartedly, the president’s decision to dissolve the house.
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bullmustiff / November 21, 2018
talking about bond..what about tsunami fund ???
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Real Revolutionist / November 21, 2018
bullmastiff
Good dog name for a stray dog?
You mean misappropriation of tsunami fund, found on grapevine?
He should have been prosecuted by now by those with facts /knowledge about it.
MR had been the PM during that time (to my mind) & why shouldn’t CBK (the then president) be spurred to raise the matter with more energy?
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Sinhala_Man / November 21, 2018
Dear Real Revolutionist,
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I’m not particularly fond of Ranil Wickremasinghe.
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The objection here is to the attempted usurpation of all the functions of government by the President.
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That objection has nothing to do with personal likes and dislikes. As for the dissolution of Parliament, no, I don’t want that done in this arbitrary way. We have too many elections, but what is stipulated in the Constitution must be heeded. So, although the Provincial Councils serve little purpose, those elections ought to be held.
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I don’t feel very strongly on that issue, but I certainly don’t want Parliamentary or Presidential Elections held. I think that I am entitled to have certain likes and dislikes. However, the President, in his official position, cannot decide subjectively. He must abide by the constitution.
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Isn’t this also off topic? Whatever the main article is about we seem to end up talking about the same things.
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bert / November 21, 2018
Please keep your 2 cents to yourself. Bottom line majority of srilankans hate sira and mara. Sira must be prosecuted for treason and mara and his group must be prosecuted for murder,theft,killing rapes etc etc. If the future govt or govts refuse to do this there will be anarchy and that will be the end of srilanka. Please visit this news article and judge for yourself damage causing around the world, due to dictators like Sira and Mara.
https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2018/11/19/venezuela-maduro-regimes-continues-military-purge-arrests-reach-record-high/
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Sanjeewa / November 21, 2018
I too do not have a particular liking towards MR. However if I am demanded to vote compulsorily, I definitely pick MR over RW. Because RW does not have a Sri Lankan mentality & he works as if he is a leader of an European country like Norway or Sweden. With his Colombo 7 circle, he will never be able to see the real picture of SL & will live in a dream world of Colombo 7 society forever. As far as corruption is concerned, I do not absolutely see a difference. While MR does it thru his family, RW does so via his friends.
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EhPee / November 21, 2018
Some buffalo do like him!
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Preethie / November 21, 2018
So am I.
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bullmustiff / November 21, 2018
im a srilankan..i dont like him…
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Native Vedda / November 22, 2018
Neil Herath
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“I am a sri lankan. People in Sri lanka like Mahinda Rajapaksha.”
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True.
There are two kinds of people who like Dr Mahinda.
One that rejoiced the defeat of Demelas and the other who benefited from the war and Mahinda’s nepotism.
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I do not know which of the two you belong, maybe both.
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clean slate / November 20, 2018
The quality of chairs with labels attached offered to Namal , Amunu & Faizer Mustafa show the low status accorded to them.
I hope someone will call for a report from them in parliament because the trip was at government expense, and they will have the ginger to speak the truth.
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renu / November 20, 2018
Amunugamas are in the news these days , one young uncultured Amunugama from Kandy damaged public property , which the whole country witnessed Appropriate charges must be framed he should be sentenced, The general public can be called as witnesses by court, The Elder Amunugama from Galagedera has been snubbed in the Maldives President , along with the pseudo PM ‘s sibling. by not recognizing them in their positions in the country. May be that they were not invited . hence the seats at the back end
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renu / November 20, 2018
Retribution , Karmic forces cannot be stopped , They will come on you in your lifetime and after, Perhaps humiliation, the drop from the pedestal now on, loss of all the wealth amassed unlawfully, and mostly the distrust by the by the public on their actions will soon be seen
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rbh / November 20, 2018
Major Diplomatic Snub
President dont like Ranil he changed him why different foreign minister visiting the world
thats why they treatment is like that How do the minister introduce him self to foreiners they have underestimate what they were called to do.
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Sampath / November 20, 2018
If Sarath Amunigama died before getting into this mess, would have a remarkable legacy. Now he is going out of politics with shit. History will remember him as a dirty man who serves for Dirty MR Regime with the cost of self-respect and dignity. Shame on Sarath and His legacy.
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Rubu / November 20, 2018
What legacy – for bring up a scoundrel of a thug dressed in gentlemen’s clothes?
It is said that a cloak does NOT make a monk. It applies well for this brat who joins the cadre of scoundrels who are sons of politicians in Sri Lanka.
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bindu / November 20, 2018
Don’t allow Alibaba to come again.
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VP / November 20, 2018
What about his 40 plus thieves?
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Freddy / November 20, 2018
Just wondering what happened to Mahendran? In Singapore enjoying himself, and any case against him? Criminals should be charged. And those involved brought to Justice. The current Government did not better the Country but Only better themselves. We need Performers not Actors. Previous 30 years of Tamil ltte over and now still lesson not learnt, the people need capable leaders who can bring the Country up. Overseas invitation should not affect policies. Run the bloody Country, now is the best time when all Countries are striving Sri Lanka has hard working people to beat most Countries but Overseas people don’t want that. So Unity is Strength. Wake Up.
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rbh / November 20, 2018
Mr Freddy
Instead of pen and intelligent they bringing chillie powder and thugeery to the parliament how attain strength world is watching.
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Native Vedda / November 20, 2018
Freddy
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“Sri Lanka has hard working people to beat most Countries”
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You are not kidding are you?
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bert / November 20, 2018
Heres another Sira mara slave. Go get lost man
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Charles Perera / November 20, 2018
Freddy Silva
Mahendran will be back when International Judges sent to Srilanka by UN.
He will not face kangaroo courts led by
Capitol Maharaja.
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Buddhist / November 20, 2018
Budding President thought this would be a good opportunity to rub shoulders with other democratic leaders. Unfortunately he was treated as a Podiyan and placed behind the staff of the foreign dignitaries. Jayawewa, at least now he should understand how the foreign democratic governments view his father, him and his party.
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edwin rodrigo / November 20, 2018
No more Snubs: In 1961 announcing the Apollo Project to land a man on the moon, US President John F. Kennedy said ”We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard”. Inspired by that, Sri Lanka has decided to put a man on the Moon using its indigenously developed rocket technology.
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I can see you guys yawning and saying ‘give us a break. What is so new about that’? Well, the new thing is that the astronaut is going to be none other than President Sirisena. Has the US put any of its presidents, on the moon? No!
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MS is a Gamey scientist. He does not have a BSc. But remember, neither did Michael Faraday whose Laws we use almost every day even now. Faraday did not even have a proper schooling. His family was so poor that at the age of14, he was apprenticed to a local bookbinder.
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The heart of the project is the rocket developed by a Gamey Kolla. It is small but very powerful. Using it we have already developed a potent Missile Brigade. Central to this force is the ‘Ahas Koora-1 Rocket’. So, the Missile Brigade has been named as Ahaskooru Rocket for Space or ARS.
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The idea is to stick an ARS in the ASS of the ASS and fire the ARS carrying the ASS on a minimum fuel trajectory to the moon on the next Poya day. That should put an end to the snubbing of Sri Lanka!
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John / November 22, 2018
This article is good for idiots. No where in the world a foreign minister sits with heads of state. Modi and CBk are in the right place. Foreign ministers sits behind them. Please don’t print this kind of nonsense. It is good for yahapalana donkeys
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Srilanki / November 24, 2018
I am a Sri Lankan. I love my country. I have no particular love or dislike for any one. Coming my mother land I am against any one trying to destroy democracy and make country blessed by Triple Jem to be a madhouse.
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