By Latheef Farook –
President Maithripala is destine to save the country; Despite racist elements trying to oust him
In his address to the nation on Thursday 23 April 2015, marking the completion of his government’s 100 days in office, President Maithripala Sirisena described Sri Lanka as a multi racial, multi religious, multi cultural and multi lingual society where all should live in peace and harmony with dignity.
This was a historic speech .For the first time in the independent history of Sri Lanka a national leader boldly said in this highly corrupt, criminalised and commercialised political environment that this country belongs to all communities. This is the reality which the Sinhala leaders refused to recognise to promote and exploit Sinhala chauvinism for their own selfish political ends-to either remain in power or to gain power.
Had President Sirisena’s wisdom dawned on the Sinhalese political leaderships, since the early days of independence, Sri Lanka could have continued as an enviable paradise as it was during the independence when it was a shining example for political, economic and social stability in the entire Third World?
The country could have also averted the unwanted destructive ethnic crisis which caused untold misery to all while politicians and their cronies flourished making money in the form of commissions in weapons purchasing.
However this long felt need was filled by President Maithripala Sirisena who has destined to become the hope of the country. He was people’s choice. Yet Sinhala racist outfit Bodu Bala Sena’s General Secretary Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Theo had the audacity to say that “it is time for President Sirisena to pack his bags and leave”.
It appears racist elements which flourished under the previous regime were hell bent on toppling President Sirisena’s government.
This is the message of the unruly supporters of previous regime when they protested, before the bribery commission office, against summoning former Defence Secretary Gotabya Rajapaksa for questioning as if he was above law.
This protest, on the day President Sirisena made his speech on April 23, was naked lawlessness insulting peoples’ verdict aimed at discrediting the democratically elected President Maithripala Sirisena.
These racists, suspected mercenaries of local and foreign forces, have nothing to do with the interest of the country, Sinhalese community or even Buddhism which they claim to follow while violating all tenets of Buddhist principles.
This is not something new. The evil of racism began rising its ugly head in the 1930s when some Sinhala politicians began to promote the interest of the Sinhalese for their own selfish political interest. They openly equated Sinhalese nationalism with Sri Lankan nationalism and Buddhism not realizing that they were plunging the country into a bloodbath.
For example even before independence DS Senanayake as Minister of Lands and Lands Settlement initiated the colonisation scheme of Sinhalese in Polonnaruwa, Padaviya and Inginiyagala in the East which were claimed by Tamils and Muslims as their traditional home.
Realising the racist mindset of the Sinhala politicians, the British colonial government, before granting independence, enshrined in the Soulbury Constitution a special provision, section 29A as a security valve in the hope of protecting minority rights.
However, racist politics was accelerated since independence on 4 February, 1948 dismissing the rights of minorities. For example;
*The Citizenship Act No 18 of 1948; Indian and Pakistani Residents (Citizenship) Act No 03 of 1949 followed by the Parliamentary Elections (Amendments) Act, deprived a large number of Indian Tamil residents in Sri Lanka of their citizenship rights and franchise.
* JR Jayewardene moved in the United National Party annual convention the Sinhala only resolution which was seconded by Mr Ananda Tissa De Alwis.
* SWRD.Bandaranaike called for “Sinhala Only within 24 Hours” and faced elections on communal slogans. Adding fuel to fire the politicians encouraged Sinhala chauvinism with frequent violent attacks on Tamils, killing and causing damage to their property.
*In 1970 Prime Minister Mrs Srimavo Bandaranaike removed Section No 29A of the soulbury constitution in her Republican Constitution and made Buddhism the state religion. This gave birth to Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), an umbrella organisation of Tamil political parties, which demanded equal rights.
*President Jayewardene’s draconian 1978 constitution paved the way for a democratically elected all powerful dictator, not accountable to parliament or anyone, virtually turned the country into a “ One Man Show” and made minorities voiceless and helpless.
*In July 1983 his party thugs attacked and killed Tamils besides burning their properties under a very well organised anti Tamil pogrom. The result was the emergence of the Tamil militancy which called for the creation of a separate Tamil state in the north and east of the island. This plunged the country into a three decade long war causing immeasurable sufferings, mayhem and murder besides blocking economic growth.
*There was death and destruction all over. The situation was such that womenfolk at home were not sure whether their husbands who went to work or the children who went to school would return alive. Those were the days when people went about only for essential work as they did not know when and where a bomb would explode.
Then came the military defeat of the LTTE in May 2009 changing the situation overnight.
There was hope all over and all thought, quite rightly, that they could look forward to a future where minority grievances would be redressed.
However, it didn’t take long for Tamils and Muslims to realise the shocking reality when, instead of addressing minority grievances, defeated President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s regime turned out as the worst ever racist regime in the known history .
A senior minister in the government told me that “the Rajapaksa government has written off the minorities-Tamils and Muslims. They know the Tamils and Muslims will not vote for the government. They are banking on Sinhala vote and thus working only for the Sinhalese. This is the reality now”. Overall Sinhalisation was underway in full swing forcing even UNP leader Karu Jayasuriya to state that the government is “anti minority”.
Since then Sinhala extremists, often led by monks with state patronage, began a vicious and violent campaign to annihilate the island’s Muslim community. They openly attacked mosques, religious schools, burnt and destroyed Muslim owned business establishments, street demonstrations with posters of pigs with the Arabic word Allah on its face, posters of Holy Ka’ba with a dog on it, attacking girls wearing hijab and abaya and many more.
Betraying his racist mindset Mr. Mahinda Rjapaksa, addressing an election meeting said that “this is Buddhist country and we cannot dance to the tunes of minority Tamils and Muslims”.
Lashing out at politician for the present state of affairs in the country at a book launching ceremony veteran Sinhala journalist Siri Ranasinghe urged them to abandon their short sighted and destructive communal and racist politics and help save the country. He lamented that, despite different races, religions, languages and cultures, a minority member could become a president or prime minister in India. However this is not even a distant dream in Sri Lanka due to communal and racist politics.
It was in this environment there came the meticulously planned and executed to military precision the Killing of Muslims, looting of their belongings and the burning and destruction of their properties in Aluthgama, Dharga Town and Beruwala following the highly inflammatory speech by demagogue Gnanasara Thero.
The Aluthgama anti Muslim pogrom and the VVIP treatment to Myanmar’s fascist saffron thug Ashin Wirathu, described by TIME magazine as Face of Buddhist Terrorism, was the peak of Rajapaksa brothers’ hostility towards Muslims and racist arrogance.
Muslims did not turn to guns. Instead they raised their hands above seeking protection from God. We can see the results today with perpetrators of these crimes being exposed of their true faces of crime, corruption and lawless arrogance.
It was under this circumstance that the people voted for President Maithripala Sirisena hoping that these criminal elements would be brought to justice and the county would be saved from racist lawless elements.
However this was a shock for Mahinda Rajapaksa and those who ruined the country together with him. This is people’s choice and there is nothing they could do about this. Those who flourished under him are desperate to regain power. Their desperation is understandable.
Now the question is why do they wanted to bring Mahinda Rajapaksa to power despite his role, as president, in turning the country into one of the most mismanaged, corrupted and lawless countries in the world.
All what President Sirisena is trying to do is to bring back the country to where it was and ensure cherished human values were restored.
People have woken up and racist elements should take a note of it.
Maghribi / May 2, 2015
The message in this essay should be transmitted to the masses in the rural areas. The common man / woman seems to distance themselves from the debt the previous Ruling family has left for generations to pay up.
Can the new leader make a difference?
/
Amarasiri / May 3, 2015
Latheef Farook
RE: On Moves By Mahinda Supporters To Topple Maithri
President Maithripala is destine to save the country; Despite racist elements trying to oust him.
Yes.
The Mahinda Supporters have an Average IQ of 65, and they are at this stage incapable of getting those with common sense to join them.
Why do they want Mara back? To Lie, to Become Crooks and Robbers?
Only the Modayas will go for it.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s Speech on Wimal Modawansa 2/2 =0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UMO0jqC7ww
/
Ram / May 3, 2015
You must be close to RW and RK, to believe that the masses have gladly embraced the huge debt imposed on them at mouth-watering rates by the new governor of the Central Bank, his very first act as governor.
/
Amarasiri / May 3, 2015
Latheef Farook
RE: On Moves By Mahinda Supporters To Topple Maithri
President Maithripala is destine to save the country; Despite racist elements trying to oust him.
Given below is an attempt by Namal Rajapaksa, the Mahinda Rajapaksa hit man.
/
Amarasiri / May 4, 2015
Lateef,
RE: On Moves By Mahinda Supporters To Topple Maithri
On Moves By Iblis, Shaitan Wahhabi Supporters To Topple Allah Following Muslims
“The message in this essay should be transmitted to the masses in the rural areas. “
Yes. Put into the Common Sense Phamplet and distribute widely to expose the Mara following Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Devils.
Write the Common Sense Phamplet for Modayas, Mootals and Fools Following Mahinda Rajsapaksa and the Wahhabis and their Clones.
Similarly, you need to send the message across to Muslims, about the Iblis, Shaitan, Satan following Wahhabis and their Clones, who are fooling the Muslims to follow the Wahhabi Shaitan. The Saudi Wahhabis are infected with Iblis, Shaitan, Satan.
Scholar from al-Azhar: Wahhabism is a Satanic Faith, the Horn of the Devil that Muhammad Predicted
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufxTUFapy1w
Hadith of Najd
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadith_of_Najd
http://www.ceylontoday.lk/59-38048-news-detail-muslims-are-self-alienating-dr-ameer-ali.html
Muslims are self-alienating – Dr. Ameer Ali
Q: But the brand of Islam that is imported from Saudi Arabia is intolerant in its teachings.
A: Exactly. It is increasingly becoming intolerant of others. In the history of Islam, it has been very tolerant. In Moghul India, the palace of Akbar was full of non-Muslims. This new brand is a misrepresentation of Islam and its scriptures.
/
Marwan / May 2, 2015
Thanks Latheef. Your message is loud and clear, specially on the minority oppression. Even to this day, we still witness the BBS Sec. Gen. defying the accusations by throwing counter challenges to the government to arrest him and prove the charges, while the government is still dragging its feet to bring in the minimum legislation, at least to stop the hate speech that goes on, let alone arrest this goon and his cohorts for the mayhem and murder that he caused at the Aluthgama/Beruwela/Dharga Town riots.
On the other issue, it is common knowledge that as of the present time, MR’s chances to come back into power has been sealed. But still those ‘slaves’ prefer to be slaves to him, in spite of new opportunities to be free and ‘get a life’. Why? Because they know not any other form of life, except the corrupt, abusive and threatening kind that they thrived on to enrich themselves. They have become so dependent on MR’s weakness in leadership, they understand his cravings for the rich trappings of power, self aggrandizement through name emblazonment on all places of public gathering from toilets to harbors and airports. This is a sickness that has gone right through their heads and they cannot see the reality let alone the differences in what is commonly called ‘the role of good governance’. They all need rehabilitation like the common drug addicts.
/
mike / May 3, 2015
@ marvan
“… self-aggrandizement through name emblazonment on all places of public gathering from toilets to harbors to airports.”
We should remove Medamulana Meeharaka’s name from the harbour/airport and leave his name on the toilets as is! This will make him happy.
/
ela kolla / May 5, 2015
get lost, buru mike
/
Plato. / May 2, 2015
Latheef.
I am in total agreement with you except one issue.
The colonisation of Pollannaruwa by DS was on the basis that this was a seat of ancient Sinhala civilisation.The ruins at Polonnaruwa bears testimony to this.The former Hindu temples in these ruins,established by Sinhala Kings was for the benefit of Chola Princesses whom they married.
/
Sunil Mohan / May 3, 2015
The people who are still around mahinda do not see the east with a rising sun for them to continue , and they could see only the west and darkness going to enfold their political life forever. They cannot avoid such destiny and have to perish sooner or later. People have already taken correct decision in January , and they are desperate to take even stronger decision in the near future with that all these murderers , morons, plunderers, booruwas , kochchis, wasiyas will have to rest in the corners for the rest of their life.
/
Amarasiri / May 5, 2015
Sunil Mohan
“People have already taken correct decision in January , and they are desperate to take even stronger decision in the near future with that all these murderers , morons, plunderers, booruwas , kochchis, wasiyas will have to rest in the corners for the rest of their life. “
If these Morons can be enticed to form a New Party… them they will always be in the Fringes… Need to keep them away fro,m SLP.
/
Analyst / May 3, 2015
Latheef
I enjoyed reading your vivid information on the past and present history of SL.
You have also touched on the period well before SL gained Independence.
I used to wonder why young men of certain race emigrated to the Far East like Malaysia and Singapore in the 20s and 30s. Your piece of information on that Era has given a bit of insight to fill the jig saw puzzle to understand why those men and women left this land .Were they in search of employment or was it due to Racial intolerance during that period too?.
To concentrate on the last Worst case scenario of the Racist Regime which ruled our land until the 8th of January in the name of ultra national Buddhagqma has it taken the last breath ?
The leader has been toppled but it’s going to be too difficult to realise the fact by the BOOTLICKERS AND CRUMBS PICKERS that the end has come.
The shackles are still locked and difficult to break free. The future could be bleak for this group.
The effect of this can lead to,depression , violence and self neglect.
This group of people have been used by their leader and do not know any other way to make life worthwhile.
Soon after the forth coming general election we might see a pattern developing among this group.
The President should be able to identify this kind of situation arising and be prepared to act on it.
/
Billa / May 3, 2015
@Latheef Farook: Really a very understandable and descriptive piece of article about the rise of racism and racist political history of our nation. Obviously all the culprits were and are racist Sinhala selfish politicians, who hide behind the words ‘nationalism’ and ‘patriotism’ jut to be in power and exploit all and sundry. They are the ones destroyed the country and the people. Right from D.S.Senaayake, SWRD.B, Mrs.B, JR, MR and all the rascal politicos.
These guys were and are the worst enemies of Lanka and Buddhism. They just ruined everything we all had. We must find a strong Statesman with vision to take the country back to the glory days of yester years. I don’t think we have got one yet, unfortunately ! Maithri and Ranil are just okay for the interim but they are not the kind Sri Lanka needs urgently.
/
srilal / May 4, 2015
” Maithri and Ranil are just okay for the interim but they are not the kind Sri Lanka needs urgently. “
Tell you the truth , no body (including me) expects MY3 to be this honest , , as MY3 had all the necessary credentials he was just ok to challenge the mighty Mafia king at the Jan 8 th presidential Election , owing to Mahinda’s wanton corruptions and nepotism people voted him out ,end of the story ! only after 8 th jan 2015 real MY3 character comes in to play , without exaggeration he is the best we had since 1948 , just imagine who would give up all the existing luxuries voluntarily i.e he could have easily used all the existing super luxurious palaces (Temple trees , president house , kandy , kataragama , Nuwara Eliya , Mahiyangana , jaffna etc ), could have easily utilized that massive allocated budget without any hindrance , could have given unprecedented poster , bill board , banner , news paper , radio , TV campaign to promote himself as the saviour of the nation , could have appointed all his extended family members and relatives as the top executives of all the state institutions ( one exception , SLT) , could have easily given up on 19A , not only has he limited his term to one term but also reduced to 5 years .who would possibly compromise his/her own guaranteed perks like this man ? so all in all MY3 is a leader whom we can trust , up to now he is on track , so let’s keep our fingers crossed that he will maintain the current status quo until the end of his tenure.
/
dcn / May 3, 2015
The evil forces using racism as a way to achieve their goals will try their best to destabilise the President and the government. MR & Co, BBS, Booruwansa/Udaya & Co have no future unless they are able to keep the racial fire burning.
Therefore,every effort must be made to eliminate these evil forces for the good of the larger population of this country.
/
Sylvia Haik / May 4, 2015
dcn, the names you’ve mentioned, their biggest fear is that the judiciary left to its present state without interference from the government as was the norm under the previous regime, sooner or later the law will get to them for the bribery and corruption they thrived on. Maithripala Sirisena’s presidency has all the opportunities to bring to book his arch rivals, the Rajapakses, Weerawansas and Mervyn de Silvas etc. on their unanswerable account of from where they accumulated their massive fortunes, expressed by their mansions here and in USA. India convicted Jayalalitha on similar charges but it appears it is not this president’s style. His is more forgiving like Nelson Mandela’s.
/
Sifaan / May 3, 2015
IIRC Buddhism has not been made the state religion.
/
Amarasiri / May 4, 2015
Sifaan
“IIRC Buddhism has not been made the state religion.”
Will the Citizens be guaranteed Nirvana, or will they be burdened with more debt and loans?
/
ela kolla / May 5, 2015
[Edited out]
/
R.M.B Senanayake / May 6, 2015
I agree with the sentiments expressed by Mr Lateef. But I have my doubts whether the people are prepared to accept a pluralist state. From 1956 they have been fed with this concept of the country belonging to the Sinhala Buddhists and that the others must live on their sufferance. We must educate the masses on the rights of man- individual rights as provided in the ICCPR which should be compulsory reading for all our Sinhala Buddhist politicians.
The minorities which includes Christians like me will have to go through much discrimination unless a new generation of people are educated in Fundamental Rights and learn to modify their views regarding the Sinhala Buddhist special position in the country- a concept from the time of Anagarika Dharmapala and propagated by Sinhala Buddhists. One can only hope that such discrimination will not take the form of violence against the minorities. But action follows the thought.
/