Nagananda Kodituwakku
Whilst seeking people’s mandate in the 2005 Presidential Election, MR promised to be the trustee of the people (Mahinda Chintana 2005 – page 2) and pledged to eradicate the drug menace (page 4). But what people of this country witnessed since then, was completely the opposite.
He promised to abolish the Executive Presidency with a new Constitution put in place reverting to Westminster style of governance, upholding the social, cultural, political, economic and civil rights of all Sri Lankans (Chintana page 97, 98). What he did was simply abusing the office with scant respect to the Rule of Law and paralyzes all other organs of governance covering himself with the veil of ‘war victory’
It is common knowledge that no patriot would disagree with the fact that MR stood firm against the West and gave the right leadership to the nation at its hour of need. He did what other leaders failed to do. But he cannot be allowed to use it as a license to destroy the fundamental elements of democracy, the Good Governance the Rule of Law.
And again when he sought a fresh mandate for a second term, once again he pledged to the people, to be their trustee (page 2 of 2010 Chintana) and to perform the office of the President, in accordance with the Constitution and the Rule of Law. People then took him to confidence and believed that he would do the right thing and not follow his predecessors who had been thrown into the dustbin of history.
People were delighted when he promised to be accountable to the Parliament and to the Judiciary (page 56 of 2010 Chintana) and declared “… I will address this social decline … by eliminating fraud, corruption and malpractices, which have engulfed our society for long time, and will take whatever measures necessary to eradicate criminal activities …” (page 37 of 2010 Chintana)
However, his conduct since then has been an insult to the intelligence of the people who had placed total trust in him after being cheated for decades by other leaders.
- Pledged to defend and uphold the constitution but altered it to satisfy his greed for power for a third term even before assuming the office for the second term in the aftermath his 2010 election victory
- Destroyed the pride and honour of the Judiciary for refusing to approve draft legislations that clearly violated the Constitution
- Taking vengeance by removing the Chief Justice by unlawful means
- Dishonoring the Judgments given by the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal
- Unlawfully installing his legal advisor Mohan Pieries to the office of the Chief Justice despite no vacancy existed
- Making appointments to the Superior Court System on his own choice denying career judges of their legitimate expectations
- Effectively usurping the powers of the high profile offices to his advantage
- Disregarding the safeguards established by law to prevent corruption in all high profile offices such as Members of Parliament, Cabinet of Ministers and the office of the Executive President
- Making the Office of the Auditor General irrelevant
- Failing the revenue agencies like Customs, Inland Revenue and Excise by appointing subservient and inefficient lackeys
- Making the Foreign Service a mockery and a laughing stock at international arena bringing the country into disrepute and possible economic sanctions
- Encouraging abuse of public funds by ‘so-called elected representatives’ with the removal of all safeguards imposed by law (eg; removal of conditions prohibiting unauthorized sale of vehicles imported under tax free care permits, noncompliance with the directions of the Auditor General etc)
- His presidential escort is one of the classic examples that demonstrates the extent of the abuse of office at will that one would never witness in the other leading democracies such as the UK (despite prevailing Al Qaeda threats the British Prime Minister uses only one security vehicle and respects all traffic rules like any other road user)
- Following the JRJ doctrine in pardoning the criminals charged in the high Courts with withdrawing the indictments served on them by abusing the office of the Attorney General
- Tolerating the serious offences committed by politicians at Cabinet level, Provincial level and Pradeshiya Sabha level insisting the fear in the minds of the innocent people
- Encouraging the criminal elements in the police to suppress people’s civil and political rights as in the case of his predecessors
- Accommodating and encouraging the acts of right violators in the police department by paying compensation awards from by public funds following the footsteps of JRJ
It is unthinkable that a politician with such a poor record has the audacity to go before the people seeking for a third term. This shows nothing but the endless greed for power at any cost. He is the one and not the people, who should pay gratitude to the people for tolerating all this nonsense for almost a decade.
Rohan / December 25, 2014
The man in the photo is trying to bite the head of the man in the picture???
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The Messenger / December 25, 2014
The Rajapakshes have pawned the whole country to China and pocketed (robbed) more than 50% of the money for their own personal benefit and enjoyment. It is we, the countrymen and our future generations have to repay it with interest or handover the country. Mahinda Rajapakshe and his family is worse than Prabakaran.
It is the duty of the whole countrymen, both majority & minorities, the Sinhalese, Tamils (NE & Hill Country), Muslims (Moors & Malays), Burghers, Veddas, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Christians and all others to get rid of the Rajapaksa family and save the country for our future generations.
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Easton Scott / December 25, 2014
This is a brilliant summary of the misdeeds carried out by the incumbent president who cheekily seeks a third term after having manipulated everything holy. It is, as the author suggests, a gross violation of the people’s will and their rights, and everything possible should be done by the opposition and the common candidate to make this fact known to the people on all the campaign platforms and via printed / disseminable material.
The summary of misdeeds listed by the author would fill future textbooks on civics and government, in terms of how NOT to vote foolishly and thereby allow the will of the people to be thwarted; but for the moment, my fervent hope is that the list above be used by the common opposition to publicise, publicise and publicise and educate, educate and educate the masses on how all this is affectingthem already and will do for generations to come.
There are many clever and decent people in the midst of the opposition, including Harsha de Silva and Eran Wickremaratne who are both numerate and savvy…..
-they should be used to do the write up
-then get good marketers to refine and rehash to make the message clear and sellable
-and finally put it in the hands of the main spokespeople of the opposition including the presidential candidate, Anura K Dissanayake, Ven Rathana Thero, Ven Sobitha Thero and capable others to get on the stage, hold their noses in public and tell the people at the grass-roots what their president has done with their money, how it will impact them and their grandchildren for generations to come and how things can begin to become better if the common candidate is elected and this nonsensical, whimsical and ruthless regime is swept into the dustbin of history.
They must also promise the people NEVER to accept or condone any of this rubbishy behaviour in the hopefully new government and to EXPOSE any and every bit of corruption, rent-seeking or misbehaviour if it ever happens in howsoever small a way irrespective of who the perpetrator is.
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Puhul Dosi / December 25, 2014
Hey everyone
Have you seen the GORA presentations at the recent Momentum conference in Colombo? Take a look below and form your own opinions as to what the regime focus seems to be at the current time and importantly for all the people, during the crucial election time. The canard continues that there remains a major and significant LTTE threat that necessitates the mammoth military presence in the NE and there is every intention to keepthem going!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLmk-xOKkvs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwP1JDsrgVk
It’s frightening to me to learn that the alleged head of the white van brigade has had two years’ training in Israel and has now returned to assume command of the Jaffna district. Heaven help the people there.
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j.thavarajah / December 25, 2014
Mr.Nagananda K.
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j.thavarajah / December 25, 2014
Mr.Nagananda K.
Great.We need fearless advocates of Public Interest litigation like you.
Notwithstanding,the long list of abuses by this man IF he gets himself elected again then there is something radically wrong somewhere.The literacy rate in the country is supposed to be the highest in the Region!
Enter MR exit VP.
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Navin / December 25, 2014
A well presented piece. And all true. Except the following:
“It is common knowledge that no patriot would disagree with the fact that MR stood firm against the West and gave the right leadership to the nation at its hour of need.”
That sentence is Mahinda Rajapaksa’s propaganda. Also it is a blatant lie. The fact is that the whole of the West and the East including India rendered a yeoman service for nearly a decade to the Sri Lanka Government to destroy the LTTE. Without the help of India, USA and European countries’ help Sri Lanka today will be a disaster. In 2008 the LTTE was in distress and disarray, requiring only a coup de grace to finish it off.
Mahinda Rajapakse had a great opportunity to transform himself to great Statesman. He could have ended the war mercifully, rehabilitated the Tamil victims of the LTTE, and punished (legally) the terrorist leaders. But his parochial mind could not see that far. Rajapaksa wanted to be an overnight hero – like a winner at the casino. That was his small mind. So he chose the following alternative route.
In order to make political capital, Mahinda Rajapakse withdrew protection in early 2009 to the UN and other International mercy missions, and made them leave. Thereafter, he murdered those thousands of civilians helpless and entrapped as human shields. Rajapakse also considered the Sinhala Buddhist population in the South will make him a hero (which could be of benefit for future elections to office) if he slaughtered as many Tamil men women and children as possible. He declared “zero” casualties in English, and employed his propangandists to declare to the Souther electorate, that thousands of Tamils were killed. He correctly foresaw this will politically benefit him. Hence the landslide victory of 2010, in a “brought forward” election.
If educated persons of the caliber of Nagananda Kodituwakku, can swallow down the Rajapakse administered poison with consummate easy, it is no wonder Sri Lanka has sunk to the sordid depths she has.
Sri Lanka needs to consume massive doses of anti venom to rid itself of the Mahavamsa disease.
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