4 October, 2024

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President Sirisena, Playing With Fire, Must Take Note That Smoke Will Get Into His Eyes 

By Shyamon Jayasinghe

ෂ්‍යාමන් ජයසිංහ

“This time President Sirisena’s sword is  nearing his own neck; not mere smoke flooding his eyes.”

Penchant for Playing with Fire

President Pallewatte Gamaralalage Maithripala Sirisena has always had a penchant for playing with fire. He did fire-play at the local government elections when he made a disastrous U-Turn and went round country blasting the party and its leader that put him into power. He, next, flopped in an attempt to join his former political enemies and oust Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Unscathed by these foolish moves, the UNP and its leader managed damage control without saying a word. Ranil acted with Buddhist restraint and upekka.

Sirisena should have learned a lesson and turned a new leaf. But no, he must continue to play with fire as some kids are prone to do. The latest that that has come to light is the episode of Sirisena’s alleged interference to defend Chief Of Defence, Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne against the CID. The Admiral, in the meantime, fled to Mexico for a public event.The CID has ordered Wijegunaratne’s arrest and if the going goes their way the latter will be arrested upon return at the airport

Whose Agenda?

“I condemn the actions of FCID, the CID and the Bribery Commission,” cried Sirisena.

“They should not work according to a political agenda. If they do, I will have to take stern action against them. I deplore their recent actions and I want to express my disgust.”

The facts are so clear as daylight that one cannot honestly see any political agenda that drives the organisations referred to. In fact, the universal complaint is that these institutions are too slow “to catch the rogues.” Looking at the bare facts, it seems that Sirisena is unhappy that the investigating bodies aren’t acting according to his political agenda.

The Facts

Here are the facts: Lt Commander Chandana Hettiarachchi is a suspect in a case where 11 children had some years back been abducted and killed over a ransom demand. This is a most serious offence. The brutal killing of kids makes that outrageous, inhuman, and shocking by any standards. The incident is so undermining for any society that society cannot simply tolerate it and, therefore, all those suspect must be investigated freely and thoroughly and brought before court. One might remember that this same Chandana Hettiarachchi was suspect in the Raviraj killing.

The matter took a worse turn when it was alleged by a presently serving Lt Commander of the navy that Hettiarachchi had been allowed to escape and leave the island on the sly by the Chief of Defence, Navy Admiral Wijegunratne himself. The CID has already told court that Admiral Wijegunaratne gave half a million rupees in cash to help navy intelligence officer Hettiarachchi Mudiyanselage flee the country.

According to reports Sirisena was miffed by CID about the imminent arrest of Wijegunaratne. Sirisena has not denied this to date. A report in “Economy Next,” (14/9/18) alleges that Sirisena had even attempted to get the police not to cooperate with the CID during these investigations. Sirisena may, thus, well have been aware at the time that Wijegunaratne left for overseas.

Seriousness of Presidential Intervention

How could the President of our country – the highest in our land – even think of intervening in a case like this? A country has to sink to a deep low for a thing like this to happen. Citizens would lose all hope for justice if this happens. This all means that on this occasion President Sirisena has got caught in an inferno and not a mere fire. Yesterday (13/9/18) the President summoned a special cabinet meeting seeking cabinet backing for restraining judicial action on this case. The Prime Minister and some other Ministers had been away but yet Sirisena thought it appropriate to summon a meeting; it had been such a matter of urgent importance to Maitripala Sirisena – the self-acknowledged vanquisher of  corruption. Fortunately, the cabinet did not give assent to Sirisena’s wishes. This time President Sirisena’s sword is nearing his own neck; not mere smoke flooding his eyes.

We know how President Sirisena began his fire-play by removing that very honest Bribery Commissioner, Dilrukshi for allegedly arresting one of Sirisena’s supporters.

I wondered then why Maitripala Sirisena signed up at all for a yahapalanmaya order to replace the previous abusive regime. The central tenet of yahapalanaya is that nobody is above the law and that all alleged offenders have to account for their behaviour before court. The courts must be let free to adjudicate without reference to status or connections of the accused. If this fundamental principle is denied then Yahapalanaya becomes a joke.

Ranaviru Logic

Readers, just look at Sirisena’s logic: “We  must not take action against military personnel who won the war for us.” Wonder how he reacted in the cabinet of Rajapaksa when the very Army Commander, who commanded the war had been dragged and thrown into jail on framed charges by the then President. Sirisena never evinced any such moral conscience during those dark days of foul-play.

Be that as it may. The weakness of an argument can be demonstrated if one logically extends its play to show its absurdity. This is called in logic, reductio ad absurdum. In this particular instance, the Navy is charged with having run a mafia-like clique that kidnapped rich families for ransom. Following the line of reasoning here, If that kidnapping arm extended itself so widely as to operate in open space as it wills that should be alright. No rich family would be safe. They could even rob banks or rape in public if they found an attractive woman or girl. Your wife or daughter can be raped by a soldier alias ‘ranaviruwa,’ but that would be fine. Leave him all alone. In my case, I wouldn’t dare to argue with a soldier for he can shoot me if he thinks he must get rid of me. A soldier can relieve you of your purse. Leave the guy alone. The worst of all, a soldier who fought in the war can assassinate the President or any given high profile VIP; but ‘hush,’ don’t touch the soldier!

Two Systems

Non-soldiers, however, cannot do any of these “illegal,” things. We must answer to court and be prepared to go to jail. In this way, two systems of law would operate-one for soldiers and one for us. The first one let us call ‘ranaviru law,’ and the second one, ‘civilian law.’

Again, there is a danger in such a situation because the non-soldier component can use the soldiers to commit any crimes they want to engage in-bounce off an enemy, rob a bank, rape a girl or, simply, pick a pocket. Who knows even in this particular case non-soldier mafia may have employed the navy to do their dirty work. Such a development is inevitable in this dual system as it would give  the non-soldier offender protection to perform his crimes.

I know, these examples are extreme and laughable; but they are logical consequences of the ranaviru logic of President Sirisena.

Ulterior Motive?

It occurs to me President Sirisena maybe doing all this to prepare the ground for an obstruction to any possible arrest of Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the future.

*The writer can be contacted at sjturaus@optusnet.com.au

Latest comments

  • 11
    0

    Outrageous

    • 4
      12

      Oh Please Shimone, spare us the outraged tone- what about Bond sca- Batalanda Ranil who looted the Central Bank and People of Lanka and should be impeached?

      Ranil is protecting US citizen Gotler and Avant Gurad man on the behest of his US handlers, and Batalanda Ranil, Gota and Sira all should be in the Dustbin of History.

    • 11
      0

      Shyamon Jayasinghe

      Didn’t Sirisena in 2012 alleged that Ranil conspired against Dutta Gamani “during the 1994 presidential election campaign, all campaign details concerning the UNP presidential candidate Gamini Dissanayake were being secretly passed on to his opponent, Chandrika Kumaratunga by Wickremesinghe”?

      Then this man conspired against the man who fed him Appa.

      Since day one of his presidency he attempted safe all alleged crooks, war criminals, common criminals among the uniformed services, including Gota, ……………….. and justified his nepotism, taking his son to UN.

      This shameless man represents everything evil in Sri Lankan political system. In fact he sits at the top table to protect criminals and crooks who actively looted in the previous government.

      Now an academic believes a women common candidate would help solve everything bad in this country.

      On the other hand Hindians are up to something, cosying up to Rajapaksas. With all their power of persuasion, Sampanthan may be lured into campaigning for the former National Hangman Gota.

    • 4
      0

      “Ranil acted with Buddhist restraint and upekka.”

      True, for a Lankan Ranil has some class ……. at least in spots ………. wish he had the same class not to try to appoint Mahendran again ……. to his credit Sirisena stopped it ……… that’s the truth. ……… the instances when Sirisena is a crook Ranil is a saint …….when Ranil is a crook Sirisena is a saviour ….. Mahinda just plays the devil nonstop.

      “I condemn the actions of FCID, the CID and the Bribery Commission,” cried Sirisena.

      Where do you think The Donald and Giuliani learned to blame the DOJ? ……… Our pols are light years ahead of everyone else!

    • 6
      0

      President Sirisena himself is to be blamed for all the mockery.

      WHo was given mandate on the MR-DRIVING AWAY agenda ?

      Answer: President Sirisena not to RW

      So given that why he himself has been unable to take BOLD steps speeding ANY HIGH sharks being taken to custody, even if some evidence being surface are BLACK and WHITE to make Rajaakshes are the main criminals in those assulauts of Keith Noyar case,
      Ekanaligoda Case, Lasantha case and Thadjudeen case.
      Why an excutive president behaves as if hey has no teeth.

      If he is very like – REMINDING all what our beloved GURU of the 2015 campaign- golden son of the nation late Rev. Sobitha Thero repeatedly uttered. why the man is kept away not reacting ACCORDINGLY ??????????????????????????ß

  • 20
    4

    A well-written article Shyamon. Thank you!

    • 4
      10

      As an old Peradeniya friend of Shimon, I also feel indebted to comment, like many of his trolls, about his writing and the content.

      But I am afraid, I simply can’t.

      He writes absolute rubbish for one purpose only. To do the impossible and pay his dues to Ranil by painting him with gold!

      Silly idiots live every where and unfortunately they can’t be helped.

  • 6
    13

    Ravindra is Ranil Golaya, Ravindra is not New King’s Golala. What is Shyamon talking? When Ranil was selling Hangbangtota, Ravindra was the Alsatian pub protecting the port from media and workers. Did Shyamon go on vacation for Australia that time?

    Do one can think Shyamon Jayasinghe is trying to walking up? Who knows? Could he have read Chamindra’s essay claimed Vijayakala has to exempt by Yahapalanaya because it is going to damage the Proud SinhaLE Wildlife Sanctuary Lankawe’s name? Did Shyamon write any reply to that essay?

    Ranil, Sampanthar, New King, Old King, Mano Ganesan, Devananda, Hakeem…. (Other than Dinesh) all went to see Modi. Shyamon may want to wedge between Old King, Ranil and New King. But Modi will patch it all up. They jealously guard each other.

    In Jan, 2015, when Tissaranee Gunasekara, Shyamon Jayasinghe &, Chandrikathasan were Chanting in deep sleep, we assured that is was only in their dream. Now, Chandrikathasan is staying out of CT. Tissaranee Gunasekara is only just peeping once in a while. Shyamon Jayasinghe is still singing UNP fame in his dream.

    Anyway, it is too late for Shyamon Jayasinghe to wake up. So he is happy to falling into the next dream. The Jan 2015 Yahapalanaya election promise was “No Leader, No Commander, No Soldier will be prosecuted”. Ranil and New King fulfilled only that promise out of their 2015 election promises. Right in the middle of the election, right in the middle of the night, Ranil went to Temple Tree House and assured to Old King that he will protect Old Royals from American pressure and UNHRC traps. Ranil went to UN and fought with UNSC to scrap the UN expert Panel report. Ranil helped Mahendran to escape. Ranil demoted Mangala for signing Resolution 30/1. Ranil earned as the name of King in granting impunity. Shyamon is only making him as Papa clown in the “UNP Circus Show”. This is not hypocrisy, but senile retardation.

  • 18
    3

    Maru Sira or Gon Sirisena is resorting to all these despicable obstructions to justice at the behest of GoTa – White Van goon and US Gas Station assistant awaiting ascendance to Throne.

    Gullible “Sinhala Buddhists” of Mahavamsa Chapter believe, soldiers are war heroes and hence immune to law no matter what crimes they commit. Some war heroes are known to have raped their own sisters. What a shame!

  • 23
    0

    Police was carrying out the Orders given to them by a judge. If they do not act they would be in contempt of court. Actually, by pulling up the Police for carrying out their duties MY3 is in contempt of court. The way he behaves looks very stupid. He has aided and abetted a would be felon to abscond from the law. How can he be the president of a country?

  • 20
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    There is enough grounds to bring in impeachment proceedings against the President and the UNP also has the votes. So why is it not moving?

  • 26
    2

    The gas station attendant in Santa Monica California is a war criminal along with.his uneducated medadamula rapist thug MR.
    Patholaya Sillysena is a snake he bit the very hand that fed him.

    • 28
      1

      Ravi
      Calling this guy a snake gives a bad reputation to snakes.
      What kind of an A/Hole gives protection to criminals that kill children for money? Hope the same fate falls upon his children or grandchildren so he learns a lesson.

  • 17
    3

    One of best piece of writing from our rationalist Sri Lankan academic…who has indeed; proved his academic and logical reasoning skills.
    A lot of remainingful arguments and substance in this time .
    I like you writing in politics .but I do not like your stanch criticism of religion….
    You hate all religions ..
    Sometime ; you have valid points but not always in your reputation of faith and dogma..
    But we must thank you for your frankness and honesty in your writing

    • 2
      2

      Do you seriously expect people to have any respect for organised religions?
      .
      I have written about some of my experiences – three articles I wrote on the subject. This is the middle one. I don’t know whether you will do anything more than digest what the link suggests about the title:
      .
      https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/the-whited-thomian-sepulchres-the-pharisees-who-cheat/
      .
      That Bishop, who knows me and my family has so far refused to grant me an interview for something like 42 months. If you have the courage, study what he’s done, and tell me if he shouldn’t be grovelling before me begging forgiveness. It’s happened to the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania and Ireland, but this is the Anglican “Church of Ceylon”‘.
      .
      Actually, the Anglican Church in England has been much more frank. Rowan Williams was too honest to continue: he did not leave under any cloud. My respect for the current Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, tripled when I beheld how he faced up to the fact that the older Welby was not his biological father. We display far too much respect for these guys, and the Mahanayakes, and the Ulamas (or whatever they are called).
      .
      Pennsylvania once belonged to the Quakers; now that’s a lot for whom one can have much more respect.
      .
      I shall get back here in a couple of days to see if you have responded in any way. On the other hand, despite my caustic tone, I think that you must be an honest enough guy.
      .
      I’m sorry that I’ve been so bitter, and vented it all on you.

  • 19
    0

    What an irony ? My3 knows that his time is coming to an end ;thus, he is looking for alternative strategies to cling in to power for another term . He would try either Gota or anybody , as long as he can hold on to the thrown , it wouldn’t matter for him , he just doesn’t want to let go his chair any time soon. MY3 has let all 6.2 million down badly ;accordingly, we the voters had been betrayed by this opportunistic man for a quite while .

    • 4
      0

      My brother Srilal- i hope you are keeping well. I know well to read your mind.

      me too I am so fed up of even looking at current political betrayal in our motherland.

      I dont come to add my thoughts to this or other pages often as had been those days.

      We worked that hard to drive away MAFIA boss, but the elected President to please him by one orvarious ways but always telling palatable things to us (.6.2 millions of voters); is more than painful:

      Why Mr SIRISENA cant do ONE single thing taking steps to put those high men in jail.
      For that purpose only they were given a mandate.
      With less than 18 months to go with current govt, we are very skeptical if GR, BR, NR and all be caught by the mechanisms being applied to get them by date.

      API ASARANA UNA APEE SOBITHA HAAMUDURUWANE !

  • 5
    0

    He is greedy for power……..

    That is why all this takes place….

  • 6
    5

    A lot of things said here are speculation and gossip.It is RW and the UNP which is trying to escape the law on Bond and other financial scams.They want the attorney general to support them.

    This naval officer has not made money. The war was fought on many dimensions including underground, in the same way US and Israel deal with terrorists . No terrorist war has been fought in other ways. Even India uses hit men in Kashmir

  • 4
    0

    Quoting from the Daily News of 15/9/18:
    “President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday revealed that he had severely admonished officials of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Attorney General for constantly taking military officers into custody, remanding them for a short period and then releasing them, even though there had been no prosecutions so far. Addressing newspaper editors and heads of media institutions at President’s House yesterday, President Sirisena said that since investigations began in 2015, not a single case had been filed against military suspects arrested in connection with the Lasantha Wickrematunge assassination case, the Prageeth Ekneligoda abduction case, the Keith Noyahr abduction and assault case and the abduction of 11 Tamil youth”. The problem is with an absolutely corrupt and inefficient legal system. Also political interference. The backlog of cases must be a world record. What did the President do with the exposure made by Ms. Sugandhika ??. Absolute bugger all. Today he is talking about a plot to Assassinate him !!!!!!!

  • 5
    1

    It is not always that one can appreciate Mr.Jayasinghe’s views given his paint brush is always dipped in the colour”green”.Nevertheless he must be commended on this particular article.Can any loyal supporter of MS come out with any “logical ” explanation as to why the President is hellbent in protecting these villains

  • 1
    0

    Could you name a genuinely independent government body in SL? We have to just wait if so called independent police do anything unacceptable/wrong as they can frame something to keep somebody in remand.

  • 6
    0

    Just imagine! The President of this country is obstructing justice and trying to prevent the rightful course of the law in order to protect suspects who are charged with committing heinous crimes. What better proof than this do we need to illustrate that Sri Lanka is a Failed State?

  • 3
    9

    Old fart still batting for Ranil! We have heard enough from you! You are like the Orchestral Conductor of the band of Titanic. You never lose hope. Take a bold step & come to live with your cherished leader without being in a strange land. You are a misfit to that land. You are well off here than there!

  • 6
    1

    Gamrala sirinena the aapa (hòpper) President is shameless bugger he should be thrown our

  • 4
    3

    Nothing but praise for this article.

  • 1
    2

    Keep going Shaymon.
    Some Sinkhala as..hol.s here are just throwing mud at UNP and the next generation of leaders.
    For these morons when you write the truth it terribly hurts these bastards.

  • 1
    0

    “Ranil acted with Buddhist restraint & upekka”

    Suppler of good jokes? he has failure restrained face; not upekka, it’s forced upekka of circumstances.

  • 1
    0

    When this guy is going to learn RW is the worse no head leader we ever had. At school we used to have an award call “GON KATHA CHAKRAWARTHI”. I want to propose to government to official start this award and start it from Shyamon’s friend RW because recently he said their were no history books after Martin Wickramasingha’s “Rohini” and also said about a possibility of a submarine war in public meetings.
    Man go and read Batalanda commission report and how he betrayed millennium city and got our intelligence servicemen got killed.

  • 0
    0

    Its is said Ravindra went to USA and Applied refugees status. If that is refused for him, he will show his ability to invest in America and would get a direct citizenship.

    Rob the country to bottom. Kill all the innocents who come across. Then find out a nice country to retire!

    Good Luck!

  • 0
    0

    The word Yapa is missing in the full name of MY3 provided by SJ. RW definitely knows how to deal with problems in a mature manner, with a few exceptions. But to deify the man with a description of acting with Buddhist restraint and upekka hits the ceiling. The CDS leaving the country is described as fleeing and says that latter will be arrested on his return. If one flees the country why must one be expected to return? Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. This applies both to MY3 and RW. Therefore the support of Firepower is essential. Everyone knows that the significant core of the Police is on the side of the PM and some in the military. That part of the forces would be in the side of MY3 as long as the he “looks after them” and he has no real Police base. If he does not have a significant core support in the military then MY3 would be one of the first to face a firing squad perhaps after Ceausescu type of trial. If SJ thinks that MY3 is a damn fool to put his hand into a raging fire that is a serious error of judgement. Anti-Police fellows can say look you remand fellows for something or the other and keep on requesting remand until an year passes and the fellow is released on bail but no charges. Examples: Some senior officers in the Navy and the Police personnel involved in the cover up of the Thajudeen murder. In the absence of concrete action, unlike in Malaysia, the credibility of the Police is questionable and all the fuel is lined up for an undemocratic action. SJ should not pontificate from down-under when both of them are very much vulnerable.

  • 0
    0

    yahapalanaya make carry palanaya when presisent stop arrest of criminal

  • 2
    1

    Beautifully written piece. Well evidenced

  • 0
    0

    Remember MR refused to make MS the PM? Probably MS erred in taking it hard. When he was offered the common candidateship for the presidency in late 2014, he gave in to temptation. Lankans saw the chance and got behind him and MS won. MS had observed the ruthlessness used of MR and felt that he could replicate. That was not to be. The life of President MS was hell …….no need to go into details.
    MS now has nightmares as to what life would be like as citizen MS. Shyamon has enumerated some of his panicky response to ordinary issues. MS is offering the Peace-pipe to MR. Nothing like trying.
    .
    There is no fire Shyamon but only smoke. It will take lots of tobacco smoke to blind the eye!

    PS: Credit to MR for creating the Hobson choice to the voters. The era of the mega-rich getting giga-rich will continue.

  • 1
    0

    Sirisena has proved his unsuitability to hold the highest office in SL. He is uneducated, incompetent, unscrupulous, crass, gutless, perhaps even stupid but above all, he has amply demonstrated that he has no integrity & a hypocrite with no morals at all. He is now like a headless chicken running in circles, desperately trying for another term. He should have been impeached but with a parliament full of similar yobs, he is in safe company. As President, I believe he is above the law but once his term is over, he should be charged with obstruction of justice, even if can’t be charged with corruption. I am sure there will be enough dirt on his immediate family who have blatantly abused power to be charged with corruption. The entire family would be good company for the Rajapakses in jail.

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