19 March, 2024

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Parliament Of Monkeys

By Ameer Ali

Dr. Ameer Ali

The title does not use the term parliament as a collective noun for monkeys, because that noun is reserved for ants. It is employed here to describe the hopping nbehaviour of many among the 225 to jump side and rushing to rally behind the newly appointed and anointed non-elected Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe (RW), (who has been bestowed with a new surname, Rajapaksa, for emerging as saviour of disgraced Rajapaksas). RW and his retinue of supporters had advertised their new role as patriotic and to save the nation from its state sponsored economic disaster. While outside the parliament, aragalaya is clamouring, with nationwide support and amidst numerous sacrifices, for a systemic change in political governance and the economy, inside the legislature these side-swayers are desperate to protect the status quo, because once the system is allowed to change there would be no hope for many of them to return to this assembly.

But will this interim government bring political stability? The man who is the primary cause for the economic ruin and on whom people have lost confidence is hiding behind the constitution and continuing as an autocratic president. Aragalaya demands him to step down. At least a couple of party leaders in the opposition had declared that they would not, on principle, join RW’s interim government as long as GR remains in that position. In the meantime, the ousted Prime Minister, who should have been arrested by now for his role in the recent violence, is under state protection at tax payer expense. Aragalaya also demands that all five Rajapaksas including the President brought to trial and made accountable for their collective loot. According to one anonymous source, the total value of the Rajapaksa clan’s wealth amounts to a staggering LKR 1,050,000,000,000,000. Even if 10% of it were to be proved true that amount is colossal. RW, having sanctimoniously declared support to aragalaya is keeping silent on these core demands. In presenting the dire situation of the economy in a televised address he said that, “my goal and dedication is not to save an individual, a family or a party. My objective is to save all the people of this country and the future of our younger generation”. These are laudable sentiments. But the fact of the matter is he was chosen and appointed by an individual, anointed by his clan and supported by its party. Are we to believe that he will not be obliged to show gratitude to his promoters? Already in parliament, TNA MP Sumanthiran exposed RW’s turncoat behaviour for not supporting the censure motion against the president to which the premier had promised support when in opposition. Thus, the current political stability is artificial and transitory. Moreover, whatever the stability inside the parliament it does not translate into stability outside. As long as there is a “disconnect between Ranil’s premiership and sovereign people” political stability is not guaranteed.

What about the economy? RW is an appointed premier without a mandate even from a constituency. Of course, he is experienced in the art of political craft and to his credit has earned some international recognition. With those assets and in the immediate term RW government may be able to collect short term economic and financial assistance from friendly countries mostly on credit basis, and from international donor institutions, to tie over some of the immediate difficulties facing the nation. Negotiations with IMF could recommence as soon as a minister of finance is appointed, and IMF may extend cheaper and longer-term credit than others, and successfully restructure the country’s foreign debt also. But these alone are insufficient. The economy needs structural changes and the premier’s address did not touch at all on this important area. He is now floating the idea of privatizing the loss-making Sri Lankan Air Lines, which was unsuccessfully tried before. In fact, all state enterprises need radical reforms to increase their efficiency. There is also the problem of corruption and mafia power to be eradicated.

To restructure the economy and set it on growth path requires serious re-thinking about and reformulation of the post-1977 open economy model and a U-turn from GR’s disastrous “alternate path”. It does not mean a total rejection of open economy but reshaping it to give a Sri Lankan face, like how China embraced capitalism. Such restructuring is destined to disturb existing power relations in society and powerful vested interests would be up in arms against any fundamental change to the prevailing system. This is why restructuring requires a clear mandate from the people. It is highly unlikely whether the interim government with the kind of individuals supporting it and a premier whose educational background, political thinking and experience belong to the centre right would embark on such an adventure.

At least JVP and FSP seem to understand this necessity and they seem to build an understanding with the new and awakened generation that is spearheading the aragalaya. This generation that accounts for nearly 60 percent of the voting public is educated, gender balanced, hetero-ethnic and is prepared to make the necessary sacrifices to build a new Sri Lanka. Theirs is the local expression of a global phenomenon. Without their mandate no party or government could dream of succeeding let alone surviving. The best that RW government could do is to expedite the opportunity for that to happen. Let the monkeys go back to where they belong.

*Dr. Ameer Ali, Murdoch Business School, Murdoch University, Western Australia

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Latest comments

  • 20
    0

    The Parliament has BECOME A JOKE. The Deputy Speaker resignations times two plus the selection of a new one yesterday. This circus activity has to stop. How come the previous PM is sitting in the Parliament and not in the REMAND PRISON?
    It seems the AWAKENED New Generation’s STRUGGLE is a wasted effort.
    First foremost all the Rajapaksa clans give up their current positions and declare ALL their WEALTH located all over the world.Can Ranil W do this for the sake of all the “Right Thinking” Sri Lankan citizens.

  • 15
    1

    The INTERIM GOVERNMENT should not be headed by ‘failed’ Leaders but by someone else who is above corruption & a good educational background. The current SYSTEM should cease immediately. Let us have a new President with a qualified people to rule the country for one or two years.

    • 0
      0

      Fully agree with you!! Save this beautiful island.Corrupt leaders should be employed to work for the people….find social work for them as a way to payback for crimes committed.

  • 14
    0

    Dr.Ameer Ali.

    To refresh your memory,since you are domiciled Down Under I am listing out below Monkey spotting destinations in Srilanka.
    1] Yala National Park.
    2] Kumana National Park.
    3] Minneriya National Park
    4]Kaudulla National Park
    5] Parliament National Park Battaramulla.

    Site no:5 is is a bit dangerous and unpredictable.
    They jump not only from treetops but pee when in flight which would make them a Tourist attraction to rope in the Dollars………
    .

    • 0
      0

      Haha …😂😂
      Like your sense of humor!!
      Have to visit this new National park in Battaramulla.
      Shame on the politicians! Srilanka has very smart people to govern the country .Find them and vote for them next time! 🙏
      Not career politicians trying to line their pockets!

  • 9
    2

    As Ranil admitted he has no following in parliament and is there as PM propped up by SLPP (read Basil) at the pleasure of the Prez (read Gota.)
    That was proved when he wanted a lady as Dy Speaker but the entire SLPP voted for a Rajapakse.
    So he will not raise even his little finger against the Rajapakses.
    Even when ” TNA MP Sumanthiran exposed RW’s turncoat behaviour”, Ranil just sat through it with no one to defend him..

    • 3
      0

      MyView, the new Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapakse is not related to the Mahinda Rajapakse’s family. Nor by the way is the optician Eric Rajapakse.

  • 15
    1

    In a land of monkeys, what do you expect? Naturally they will vote the most screeching monkeys to parliament.

    At independence Britain gave the garland of independence in the hands of monkeys. Do the monkeys know the value of a garland?

    • 4
      6

      T
      The true land of the monkeys is to the north of this island, where the creature is worshipped.
      Do you have the faintest idea of how MPs and MLAs (and even whole political parties) are traded there?

      • 0
        0

        I wouldn’t be surprised, if it is by MLA’s/MP’s DWT??

      • 0
        0

        I guess that may be the reason a beggar donated his day’s collection. We are the ones bankrupt, pleading for food, fuel, medicine ………

        • 0
          0

          Post 9th tragicomedy. 1) many Mara cronies are staging sob stories including Geeta , Sabry, P.B.G, Rambuk stating they are innocent , never took a rupee and were there only to serve people. Geeta and Sabry promised not to return. 2 ) the new recycled sh*it list is released 3) Nalin. F, in 2018 arrested at BIA , while trying to flee country, In 2014 he cheated 39 million LKR just on purchasing recreation items as chief of Sathosa. 4) Tiran. A ,as head of reconstruction and development board cheated 125 million LKR. and was arrested in 2018. Also received 645 million from treasury to reconstruct houses affected by Tsunami and not one victim received. 5) Kekeliya .R used Rupavahini money 1,000,000 LKR to purchase 600 or so GI pipes for personal use. He also has 12 million LKR pending electricity charges. 6) A. Hole . Wijedasa, prevented AG from arresting Gotha in Avent Garde scandal in which govt lost 11.5 Billion LKR. 7) Nimal .S as minister, made deals purchasing medications past expiry date for govt hospitals .There was a loss of 0.5 Billion to treasury 8) Susil . P as minister was involved in oil hedging deals, took bribes in getting admission to schools. 9) Prasanna . R took 64 million LKR as bribe from a businessman to reclaim his own land in Meethotamulla, by creating fake documents/deeds.

          • 0
            0

            Arundika. F told parliament important flying logs of his as cadet officer in SLAF was destroyed in recent arson. SLAF clarified he was never ever a cadet officer of SLAF. As per records once he attended flying aptitude test and failed in that.

      • 2
        0

        You are a Rajapakse mole otherwise you won’t spew this venomous hatred towards the minorities.
        Get your act together. Are you coming to the rescue of these pariahs.
        Join RW.
        what a shame

        • 1
          0

          Rajapaksa’s are a shameless, guiltless and a family of entitled, you know what!!
          They don’t own our land.Why do they think they are the owners of Srilanka?
          They are government servants, appointed by the people who forgot what they did in 2005 and reelected them.
          Now the people of Srilanka are asking them to leave…please leave with dignity.All these curses will affect generations of Rajapaksa’s.

          .

        • 1
          0

          This is true! A typical Rajapaksa mind set! We are one Srilanka ,one flag one family!!
          And I am a sinhalese Buddhist from the south.
          Don’t create division in our motherland!!

    • 1
      0

      Haha …😂😂
      Like your sense of humor!!
      Have to visit this new National park in Battaramulla.
      Shame on the politicians! Srilanka has very smart people to govern the country .Find them and vote for them next time! 🙏
      Not career politicians trying to line their pockets!

    • 1
      0

      Hmmmm….this is a little harsh.There are a lot of Srilankan’s who are extremely smart.If we unite as Srilankans and not let crooked politicians devide us in to groups because of our religion or our ethnicity, I think next time we will vote for the correct cause.For a better country and a better life for all…equal opportunity for rich / poor.Education, health care …. improve our citizens life style.

  • 12
    2

    Ameer Ali is no more being diplomatic. That is a sign of true patriotism.
    .
    Mahinda is back in Parliament. Ranil is doing shadow boxing. He did that in January 2015. He will do it again. Aragalaya should add Ranil’s name to its list of wanted (or, unwanted) people.

    • 0
      0

      Hmmmm….this is a little harsh.There are a lot of Srilankan’s who are extremely smart.If we unite as Srilankans and not let crooked politicians devide us in to groups because of our religion or our ethnicity, I think next time we will vote for the correct cause.For a better country and a better life for all…equal opportunity for rich / poor.Education, health care …. improve our citizens life style.

  • 3
    31

    “…for emerging as saviour of disgraced Rajapaksas.”
    —-
    Disgraced for what?
    For eliminating Tamil terrorists who carried out genocide of Sinhala Buddhists for three decades bragging that they cannot be defeated militarily. Rajapakshes are going through this humiliation because they had the spine to stand steady against the pressure exerted by those two guys representing the group who supported LTTE and went ahead with the military operation.
    Muslims want to ridicule Rajapakshes for not allowing to bury COVID infected dead bodies.

    • 7
      0

      I don’t think this is a Tamil, Sinhala or a Muslim problem.This a real problem faced by all Srilankans.No one should make this in to an ethnic crisis , create division and forget the real crisis, that’s food shortage, fuel , shortage, children’s education….
      For their political gain.Forget politics.Help the country before it’s too late!

  • 3
    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

  • 4
    27

    “According to one anonymous source, the total value of the Rajapaksa clan’s wealth amounts to a staggering LKR 1,050,000,000,000,000. Even if 10% of it were to be proved true that amount is colossal.”

    In 2015, ‘Regime Change’ mafia came out with similar fabricated stories about Rajapakshes to tarnish their image. They talked about lamborghinis, golden horses, gold plated toilet seats, gold cutlery. Mangala Samaraweera told that Rajapakshes took US$18 billion from Sri Lanka. Rajitha and Chatura Senaratne told that they know where that money is hidden.
    6,217,162 retards believed those BS and sent Rajapakshes to Medamulana and brought Ranil and Sirisena who promised to punish Rajapakshes for their corruption. Those dumbos cound not find any of the things they mentioned. Ranil sent a couple of guys to Dubai to bring stolen money but they came back empty handed after having a great time in Dubai. So, AA should ask Ranil Wickramasinghe why he did not keep his promise and punish Rajapakshes for their corruption instead of singing the same old ‘Baila’ sang in 2015.

    • 6
      0

      Whether true or not , I appreciate Dr AA giving the amount in numbers rather than saying: two billion or Trillion. These are just words that make no impact but LKR 1,050,000,000,000,00 is huge. May be someone can go a step further and illustrate what it means – say so many houses –

  • 12
    2

    Dr. Ameer Ali: You say referring to RW: ” to his credit has earned International recognition”. What type of “Recognition” RW has earned? To my understanding, RW is and has proved to be a “PUPPET” who can be made to dance to the tune of very many International “Powers”. You also said he is “Crafty”. He is crafty in local politics that is flooded with “Monkeys” and “Donkeys”, but with “International Players” he is an “Obedient Slave”.

    What to talk of the very many “225”? Yesterday, when the Speaker wanted to take a rest, the Parliamentary staff, as requested by the Speaker called upon ITAK Shannkiyan Rasamanickam to take the Chair. What did the House Leader Dinesh Gunawardane do? He sent several messages to the Speaker’s office and made MP Shantha Bandara take the chair and prevented Rasamanickam. This Dinesh too speaks of decades of Parliamentary career. Just see what he did and acted? What to speak of “225” when the Leader of the House is a “Donkey”? Most of these “Monkeys” and “Donkeys” got a very good “Beating” on 9th May and hopefully, they will “LEARN” what is in “WAITING” and fade away from the political arena. The “YOUNG” generation will “TEACH” them if they refuse to “LEARN”.

  • 8
    0

    The root cause of this beautiful country being pulled down to this disastrous state is primarily the sad fact that persons versed in other callings except politics, are dictating terms on how the country should be politically administered, since the majority of these so called peoples representatives are at sea about their responsibilities. .

  • 13
    2

    It is SAD to say that those who studied at Royal College such as RW and Dinesh Gunawardena are in the parliament propping up the crooks instead of STANDING along with the NEW Generation at the Galle Face. The Speaker should not be guided by the Monkeys

    • 5
      0

      Naman,
      Even Harsha de Silva is a Royalist. Sajith is both a Royalist and Thomian.

      • 0
        0

        Sajith went to S. Thomas Prep, Kollupitiya which makes him a “Prepaite”. You have to go to S. Thomas College, Mount Lavivna to call yourself a “Thomian.” Prep only has class’s upto O/L. Then students go Mount for A/L. Some go to Royal. Wasim Thajudeen went to both prep and college , while Ruwan Wijewardene only went to prep. If Sajith or Ruwan are calling themselves ” Thomians ” -it’s an absolute disgrace. Mount Lavivna is hundred times the school that Kollupitiya is.

    • 0
      1

      Don’t blame schools for the actions of individuals.We are all responsible for our own behavior and actions.The Schools guide us who we become is our responsibility!

  • 5
    0

    The writer hits the nail on the head: “there is a disconnect between Ranil’s premiership and the sovereign people.”
    .
    Right when the people’s Aragalaya was gaining momentum around the whole country and it looked the exit of the Rajapaksas including Gota was only a matter of weeks – bam suddenly jumps out the unelected, solitary, book-reading neo-liberal monkey into the fray to save the criminals and their monkey troop.
    Sri Lanka’s economic crisis cannot be solved without forming a new government. It can be interim or all-party or whatever you call it – but it cannot be under Gota. That’s what the IMF and other donor agencies are demanding. They are insisting on the formation of a new government without Gota in order to provide the much-needed financial aid. Ranil knows this but his greed for power and glory got the better of him. Without consulting the opposition parties openly and working as a team, he surreptitiously made a deal – as usual – with the Rajapaksas to become the PM, totally ignoring the people’s sovereignty.

    • 4
      0

      Ranil is a pawn on Rajapaksa chess board.Everytime the Rajapaksa’s are checkmate the pawn blocks it!! Savior of the Rajapaksa clan.Save the citizens of Srilanka.

  • 2
    9

    Dr. Ameer Ali, Murdoch Business School, Murdoch University, Western Australia
    ——-
    Rupert Murdoch is a high ranking freemason/satanist, and also a tare (serpent seed of cain).
    He owns many of the worlds dishonest mainstream media outlets.

    • 7
      1

      H
      The university was named after Sir Walter Murdoch, author, philosopher, and Emeritus Professor at the University of Western Australia.
      The media mogul having the same name is rather unfortunate I would say.

    • 1
      0

      Humble yourselves. The newspaper empire is the beacon of free speech not like the Lakehouse or for that matter BBC, CNN or VOA.
      Educate yourselves about the media freedom.
      You find only a handful of organisations that come out with truths.
      See what happened in Sri Lanka. Rajapakse dynasty using the state media to muzzle the peoples voice.
      Thanks for Srimavo Bandaranayake who killed the free speech.

  • 6
    5

    Old codgers think ranil is the solution. They are old codgers !

    • 3
      3

      DS
      I do not know how old you are.
      What has age to do with the validity or otherwise of one’s views?

      • 2
        0

        DS,
        I suppose your immaturity makes you hide your comments where I can’t see . Soo childishly cute.

  • 2
    1

    You are a Rajapakse mole otherwise you won’t spew this venomous hatred towards the minorities.
    Get your act together. Are you coming to the rescue of these pariahs.
    Join RW.
    what a shame

  • 4
    0

    I say Soundra ( alias OC) are you alright ? You say I must be a mole f Rajapaksa and that we should all support RW !!

    I thought Rajapakasa and RW are all together, one and the same.

    Get the situation right. RW is PM only with Rajapaksa support(PA)

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