Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe resisted multiple entreaties to amend the Presidential Elections Act in a way that would empower the Elections Commission to reject the nomination papers of any candidate who held citizenship in a foreign country, Colombo Telegraph can now reveal.
The crucial amendment to the Presidential Elections Act has been ready in draft form for nearly 18 months now, but Wickremesinghe has deliberately pushed the issue to the backburner.
The bill to amend the Presidential Elections Act never made it to the cabinet of ministers for approval. Before the October 2018 political crisis the draft amendment was sent to the Legal Draftsman but Wickremesinghe blocked the bill from getting to cabinet despite appeals from several ministers and even President Maithripala Sirisena.
Wickremesinghe initially blamed the delay on the President, telling UNP ministers Sirisena would never agree to the amendment. However, once the seriousness of the matter was brought to the attention of the President he urged Wickremesinghe in the presence of several UNP ministers to bring the bill before cabinet and get it passed as soon as possible. At the time witnesses say Wickremesinghe made an excuse to delay and said he would appoint a committee to study the matter.
Wickremesinghe’s blatant refusal to put safety measures in place to block the Gotabaya candidacy made President Sirisena extremely jittery Paget Road insiders said. It may even have hastened his decision to join hands with the Rajapaksas and try to pull off a coup a few months later.
Just months ago fresh efforts were launched to push Wickremesinghe into bringing the draft amendment to cabinet and getting it through Parliament. Wickremesinghe stonewalled the effort again.
For reasons best known to the Prime Minister he resisted every effort on different pretexts.
When UNP ministers urged the Prime Minister to revoke Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s dual citizenship status since he was accused of embezzling state funds, under investigation for money laundering, bribery, gun running and leading a death squad that targeted journalists and political opponents, Wickremesinghe refused again.
With new revelations made about Wickremesinghe’s pact with former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa the reasons have become clearer.
In the event Rajapaksa failed to renounce his US citizenship in time the Prime Minister was laying the groundwork to enable him to contest anyway.
Unless the Presidential Elections Act is amended ahead of the poll, any challenge against a dual citizen handing in nomination papers would have to be posed post-election as a petition in the Supreme Court.
The Amendment would have given the Commission teeth to reject an application by a dual citizen trying to stand for election outright, and even subject the person to punitive action.
Without the amendment, had Gotabaya Rajapaksa handed in his nomination papers while still being a US citizen, the Commission may have told any one raising objections to file a petition in the Supreme Court to challenge the issue, as it was in the Geetha Kumarasinghe dual citizenship case.
In fact sources close to the former Defence Secretary told Colombo Telegraph that when Rajapaksa’s lawyers wondered about the wisdom of renouncing US citizenship given the number of corruption and violence cases he was facing in Colombo, he was provided assurances at the highest levels that he would not need to do so to contest the presidency.
Ishini Wickremesinghe who is on the Prime Minister’s staff assured Gota backer and Derana owner Dilith Jayaweera that her uncle would ensure the Presidential Elections Act would not be amended which would mean Rajapaksa could contest without renouncing his American citizenship.
Meanwhile,investigations are likely into how the former Defence Secretary obtained a new passport and National ID card, without meeting the necessary requirements.
Investigators are likely to uncover a trail of evidence that will likely be a pointer to high level political interference Colombo Telegraph learns.
Since Gotabaya Rajapaksa obtained his passport after hours and managed to get a new travel document that does not have any travel restrictions even though he is currently on trial at the Permanent High Court At Bar in the D.A. Rajapaksa museum case and is currently under a travel ban the probability is high that intervention took place politically to assist the ex defence secretary in his endeavour.
The question now remains how many laws Rajapaksa broke in the process and who in the upper echelons of the ruling Government helped him to break them.
Recent revelations about who helped Rajapaksa to obtain a new travel document under the radar have caused widespread panic at the levels of infiltration the former ruling family has managed in both major power centers currently running affairs in the country. (By TB Bambaradeniya)
JD / August 7, 2019
What ever it is, Ranil knows he can come from the National List and become a powerful Minister. Who knows he may become the minister looking after the ACSA, MCC -compact, SOFA-VFA, Land Registry, Real estate and SATHOSA..
/
D. P. / August 7, 2019
JD,
Why should Ranil look after ACSA two US citizens (BaRa & GoRa) are there in the SLPP to that? Don’t you know that ACSA was first signed by GoRa without even telling the parliament ?
/
Douglas / August 7, 2019
The PEOPLE must always realize that both Ranil W and Gotabaya R are the “PROXIES” of US. When this question was posed to the Commissioner of Election, he too dodged the question without a direct reply, because he knew there is a big “Black Hole” in the Legislation. However this question will not arise at all, if the PEOPLE know how to vote INTELLIGENTLY for the future of the county. All these “PROXIES” must be chased away without allowing them any breathing space in this country. That would be the answer to all the “Legal” questions.
/
Old codger / August 7, 2019
To all the faithful True Believers currently having heart attacks:
Politics is a game. All the drama is for your consumption. If you fall for it that is your problem.
Still, look at the bright side. Is Ranil trying to kill the CT editor? Has he banned CT ?
That’s progress.
Also , the Paksa supporters must remember that there is more than one person in this game.
A word to those who criticize CT for its revelations: CT exists to tell us what we don’t know. If you want to be comfortable, go back to the Daily Noise / Gammedda / Kudu TV for your daily fix of what you want to hear.
/
nimal fernando / August 7, 2019
“A word to those who criticize CT for its revelations: CT exists to tell us what we don’t know. If you want to be comfortable, go back to the Daily Noise / Gammedda / Kudu TV for your daily fix of what you want to hear.”
–
Hear, hear.
–
Lets learn to appriciate what we have.
/
Old codger / August 7, 2019
Nimal,
I am really surprised that so many readers think that CT has to be permanently pro- Ranil .
/
punchinilame / August 8, 2019
and in the process. I wish Mr T.B. Bambaradeniya takes good care
of himself, especially from road accidents. No white-vans are
needed, with a volunteering 50 from the ex-forces.
/
Mallaiyuran / August 7, 2019
Basically all Ministers in UNP have met with Old Royal Prince. These include Kafir Kassim, the original proposer of Vaalaiththodam Jr for EP candidacy. All the three trios have met with each other, in the past, couples of times. I did not see Mangala’s name, but Mangala is a leader in asking for including SLFP in the new Front. At this time we don’t from an opinion which party Old Brother Prince will stand for election. SLFP has threatened “Old King changing party and then keeping the Opposition Party Leadership” would not work this time. Last time, when Old King ran to Slap Party, it was Sumanthiran who brought him back to SLFP. By then Karu had fired Sampanthar from OPL without notice. This provoked Sumanthiran to go for legal action. In fact, that time SLFP, which had accepted his resignation without any punishment, tore off his resignation and Slap Party, which had taken him in there, wiped off his membership number from the computer. This time SLFP is saying they may go some kind of actions. But GLP is challenging if they could do anything legally, he will take care of them. (Did GLP ever argued any cases in Court of Law and won?)
The new wind whirring around the Colombo streets is not about NPC CM CV lost his 13A case, but India swallowed Kashmir. CV is a CM, whose authority from 13A to dismiss ministers he appointed, was stripped by TNA by a legal action. Probably this is how TNA is proving that 13A is worth for nothing, which something even Varathar didn’t do to prove India that it failed to get him any authority in NEPC.
That is not an issue for Colombo Sinhalese. Ranil wished well for Mr. Modi on Kashmir capture. For a reporters’ question of what is Lankawe feeling of abrogating S 370 Indian Constitution, he replied gentlemanly “It is an Indian Internal Matter” .
/
Mallaiyuran / August 7, 2019
Further, in Dec, 2017, when Ambas, Athol Keshap went to talk to him about US accepting the Israeli offer of a place in Jerusalem to new American Embassy, Ranil said that he was supporting Palestine, so he will not support America moving its embassy. Though Palestinians deserve a state, East & West Jerusalem is decided matter. Ranil did not tell Athol Keshap that he was not interested in who will hold Jerusalem. Neither Palestine nor Kashmir is UN members. Pakistan Promised to take India to UN. OIC may bring economic sanction against India, If Hezbollah comes to know this. It was India came to Ceylon to have the 13A created, imitating its constitution. But Ranil said to Indian newspapers that what India was doing was only internal matter.
UNP Ranil hailed Modi’s decision to abolish Kashmir. This is not about that he wants to give up China and Pakistan’s friendship and go with India. But he has spotted very good legal point that the Blind Eagle, TNA could not find in 13A or 13A plus. The reality is that Kashmir federating with India has never happened. Kashmir not simply having its own separate country, but by the merging condition, the promised referendum for merging, had never been conducted by India, in Kashmir. So, even the S 370 was not applicable to Kashmir. Basically India has now captured an Independent neighbor country, striped its territories, attached Ladakh to Union and subjugated Kashmir as one of its province. This is many time bigger interference of India than getting the UNP writing 13A with the instructions of Rajiv. If this is internal for Ranil certainly 1987 was an Indian internal matter. Ranil treated this as only internal matter because if he get an opportunity to abolish the Indian Constitution copy of 13A, as now in Kashmir, Ranil wants India to say that it was only Lankawe Internal matter. One-sidedly Lankawe refused to conduct the referendum proposed in 13A and Old King, without India’s assent split North East.
/
An Observer / August 7, 2019
Dear Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe,
I never got involved in politics until 2015 and actively supported “The Yahapanaya” in the last Presidential and General elections to save the country from the brink of dictatorship.
I also expected you and the President to work together to allow freedom for every citizen to express their views without fear, maintain Law & Order, put an end to bribery & corruption, punish the politicians who plundered the public money for personal gains and misuse the public funds for political gains, lead from front to instigate economic, social, technological, & religious developments, and above all as leaders in our country to demonstrate honesty, integrity, and humility in the political arena.
As far as I am concerned you have manged to achieve only one of the above expectations and that is the freedom for people to express their views without any fear. Thanks for that..
But your behaviour during the last 4 years is beyond belief.
It is alleged that some of the senior administrators during the Premadasa era, who have robbed the World Bank aid money to educate their children in UK private schools have been appointed as advisers to your ministry as soon as you came to power. Henchmen without sufficient experience and qualifications have been appointed to top govt. & semi govt. positions. Your close association with Ravi K. speaks volumes of your behaviour in the recent past.
The credibility which you have had as a decent & honest leader is in tatters.
You have let us down very badly.
It is too late for you to change and I have my doubts that you will ever change your ways of doing things. I suggest that you should retire from politics.
We need to find an honest politician {a very rare commodity in the SL political arena) to take over the leadership of our country.
/
wannihami / August 7, 2019
What a lot of bull, but shall we call the comfort thoughts?
/
Native Vedda / August 7, 2019
KASmaalam K A Sumanasekera
–
Aren’t you confused more than ever?
Why would Ranil facilitate/create a level playing field by removing all barriers for Gota to contest the elections unless of course he is going to benefit one way or another from Gota’s participation in the Presidential election.
–
Remember CFA broke the LTTE and weakened it and led to its eventual demise.
—
Is it possible Ranil is engineering a permanent rift in the clan and eventual destruction of Southern strongmen(?)?
–
The question is what is in it for Ranil?
/
Native Vedda / August 7, 2019
KASmaalam K A Sumanasekera
–
Come to think of it, is it possible Gota has already caught Ranil by his b***s?
/
M. Basnayake / August 7, 2019
Tamil has b***s? Sorry, haven’t been paying attention to the news for the last few weeks, did he get them recently? Coz I don’t recall him having any.
/
M. Basnayake / August 7, 2019
I meant Ranil, stupid autocorrect.
/
Lunu Ambul / August 7, 2019
Ranil would really enjoy the punishment then!
/
Isharath / August 7, 2019
CT,
.
“Meanwhile,investigations are likely into how the former Defence Secretary obtained a new passport and National ID card, without meeting the necessary requirements.”
.
In the previous news item linked to the story, you publicly finger-pointed RW, and now you say that investigators are yet to find that. If RW is not found guilty, you can be in trouble.
/
JD / August 7, 2019
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
/
nalmen / August 7, 2019
once again the close association of ranil with the rajapaksas has come to light
time the party sent the old bugger home
/
punchinilame / August 8, 2019
This reminds me of a past Ranil-Mahinda link when a Canadian Tamil
investigative journalist wrote that he found evidence of Mahinda
murdering his first wife and the File relating to it was stolen after the ASP handling it was directed by Ranil over the telephone to cease
all Investigations!
Any truth?
/
K.A. Sumanasekera / August 7, 2019
After declaring his hand, Keselwatta Kid has finally shown the UNP that he has a Back Bone telling the Media that Premdasas never lost Elections .
–
I thought it was nice a double whammy.
First aiming to stick it up to Dr Ranil , whom I believe has the World Record not just Mahavamsa record of loosing Elections.
–
Also the Kid wanted to make a big impression on our Brother Cardinal , after His Highness called both Dr Ranil and My3 Sira Jelly Backs after the Muslim Easter Attacks on his Churches…-
–
Dr Ranil now has Buckley’s of wining the Sinhala Buddhist votes even in Magampura .
And Podii Hamuduruwa in Pita Kotuwa will ensure our Sinhala Buddhists even in Colombo won’t vote for Dr Ranil.
–
Will Nandasena do a Fonseka for Dr Ranil?..
I don’t think even Yahapalana Dr Kumar who is a Punter would put money on it..
/
Native Vedda / August 7, 2019
KASmaalam K.A. Sumanasekera
–
“First aiming to stick it up to Dr Ranil , whom I believe has the World Record not just Mahavamsa record of loosing Elections.”
–
Of course he does.
However, in recent times he lost two elections thanks to VP and Hindians (2005, 2010).
–
By the way if there is a conspiracy/collusion to form a Gota Ranil coalision do you think Sam and his TNA would secretly waving the horrible Sinhala/Buddhist fascist lion flag and urge his people in the North East to vote Gota the National hangman as he did in the 2010 elections choosing to support the failed lonely Field Marshall.
–
Tell me if Gota is elected as president of this island, would he actually hang the failed lonely Field Marshall as he promised to the BBC?
–
In case if Gota loses the elections, will he attempt to run away to USA, Hindia, China,…?
/
Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / August 8, 2019
The statement that Premadasa never lost elections is wrong. In March 1960, Premadasa was first elected to parliament for the three member constituency of Colombo central. But that government was short lived. In the ensuing election in July 1960, Premadsa lost finishing fourth.
/
K.A. Sumanasekera / August 8, 2019
Dr Gnana.
–
Did the UNP in Colombo Central pick a Dalit from Keselwatta in the 60s?…I can’t believe it ..
Because I thought Karunanayaka Families in Colombo wouldn’t have allowed that sort of bad things to happen to the UNP ……
–
Did Mano Ganeshan’s Boat People have the Universal Franchise then ?…
/
K.A. Sumanasekera / August 8, 2019
Dear Native,-
–
Where is the Vellala Boss Sampathar?..Are you telling me that Sampathar is still in Charge of Thoppigala Jungle?..
–
Keselwatta Kid is now well poised to roll your Fav Boy Dr Ranil.
Digital Harin is no push over. I remember Digital boasting that he is the one who dragged out withering Dr Ranil to become the Yahapalana PM..
=
That UNP Catholic Boy from the Bible Belt, who is a junior Minister is pissed off with not only Dr Ranil, but also with Kabeer Hashim and Sagala Boy as well.
He wants both to apologize to UNP Dalits, whom he call “Poor UNP Members” .
I didn’t know there was such a sub species in your UNP.
That is why I like Sampathar’s TNA . You are Vellalar , or You are out.
–
Wonder whether that Junior UNP Minister went to Church on Easter Sunday?..
/
Hela / August 7, 2019
“Recent revelations about who helped Rajapaksa to obtain a new travel document under the radar have caused widespread panic at the levels of infiltration the former ruling family has managed in both major power centers currently running affairs in the country. “
Panic among whom? The US and EU embassies (and their local minions)?
/
Hela / August 7, 2019
Why do these buggers try so hard to block Gota the opportunity to present himself to people’s judgement?
These buggers shed crocodile tears about democracy yet try to trample it in every turn….postponing elections, appointing prime ministers, opposition leaders, as they wish….the list goes on and on…….They have given an entirely new meaning to “yahapalanaya” just like their grand master did with ” dharmishta samajaya”……..
/
Native Vedda / August 7, 2019
Helass
–
“Why do these buggers try so hard to block Gota the opportunity to present himself to people’s judgement?”
–
When the opportunity knocked his door join the army and killed with impunity.
When the opportunity knocked his door he ran away from his own people to US grabbing the US offer of safety and security.
When the opportunity knocked once again through Hindians he came back and ran the murderous armed forces and his own White Van goons.
He had the good fortune of being the brother of a corrupt megalomaniac.
While being citizen of USA he continues to kill people of this island. He had the good fortune of being US citizen and enjoyed impunity.
When the opportunity knocked he was also in charge of massive Defence budget.
When opportunity knocked he and his goons grabbed it by looting gold and cash LTTE stashed away in Vanni.
..
….
….
…
Now once again opportunity knocks from all directions.
–
He is one of the greatest opportunist of all time.
I congratulate you for being a great supporter of an opportunist and am sure you too are looking for opportunities under his “Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer!” rule.
–
I wish you well.
/
Amarasiri / August 7, 2019
CT,
If these articles are true, then::
Ranil Wickramasinghe is showing is real “Royalist” colors as. a Traitor and Sevalaya( sleaze).
He is indeed a Para-Sinhala Para-“Buddhist”, as he has been prostrating to Para-Sinhala Para-Monks.
So, the Traitor Ranil non-Wickramasinghe want to sell out all those who voted for the common candidate and UNP.
/
Winter Koha / August 7, 2019
You are not wrong.
Around 1820, Ranil’s grand parents are said to have converted to the so-called ‘Church of England’ in return for colonial jobs and land grants government by a man named Robert Mayor (real name Mayer), introduced to our shores by a fortune seeking British beggar named George Winter. Mayor made Wickramasinghe Wickremesinghe to distinguished from Buddhists who proudly carried that name.
/
Based on that history, it can be surmised that the man has no decency, or a patriotic bone in his body, and he will have no compunction in selling out those who voted for himself or the UNP.
/
Native Vedda / August 7, 2019
Winter Koha
–
“Based on that history, it can be surmised that the man has no decency, or a patriotic bone in his body, and he will have no compunction in selling out those who voted for himself or the UNP.”
–
Thank you for elucidating the family connection history of Ranil. However it appears Wickramasinghe family is not the only one which has chosen to fit in with the crowd of the time.
–
There have been many who opted to convert and reconvert when political expediency demanded and forced their greed, for example
Sir Solomon Dias Abeywickrema Jayatilleke Senewiratna Rajakumaruna Kadukeralu Bandaranaike, KCMG, JP,
Hon. Justice Eugene Wilfred Jayewardene KC, a Chief Justice of Ceylon,
Don Alwin Rajapaksa, to name a few.
…….
/
Eagle Eye / August 7, 2019
‘Para Demalu’, ‘Para Parangi’, ‘Para Olanda’, ‘Para Ingirisi’, ‘Para Malay’ ruined this Paradise Island of Native Sinhalayo and Vedda Eththo.
/
Amarasiri / August 8, 2019
Eagle Eye,
Correction:
Para-Sinhalayao, ‘Para Demalu’, ‘Para Parangi’, ‘Para Olanda’, ‘Para Ingirisi’, ‘Para Malay’, ruined this Paradise Island of Native Veddah Aeththo.
/
Eagle Eye / August 8, 2019
Can tell the truth to donkey but cannot force the donkey to accept the truth.
—
Sinhalayo and Vedda Eththo shed their blood to protect this country from ‘Para Demalu’ from Hindusthan who invaded Sinhale 52 times. One does not have to be a rocket scientist to figure out who are Native patriots and ‘Para Parayas’. But some Demalu with low IQ might not be able to figure this out and will keep on repeating the Mantra ‘Para Sinhala’ probably because they are paid to do that.
/
Craig / August 7, 2019
The manner in which a new passport and NIC has been issued to a man facing so many criminal cases in court stinks of disgusting collaboration from the Govt. Nobody from the UNP has made any comment on this. Ranil is a wimp and a half. Sagala and Kabir (and who knows who else) have already been caught slinking in to visit gotler.
Stalling the Presidential Election Act is heinous.
/
charles / August 7, 2019
Why suddenly CT go against Ranil.
/
Sinhala_Man / August 7, 2019
Charles,
.
I guess it maybe because we have all suddenly been taken by surprise.
.
Think back to the days when we succeeded in bringing about a change of government. We were all so full of hope.
.
Sirisena is now mad – quite incapable of acting rationally. One now wonders if he was driven off his rocker by what Ranil began to do as the results came in.
.
This is why I say, do your homework before the elections. Find out for yourself how you have got Three Preferences at the Presidential elections. Study this:
.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Sri_Lankan_presidential_election
.
Just now, a link from there took me to another article:
.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant-runoff_voting
.
Instead of getting enmeshed in all that, it may be that these election figures for electing the Mayor of London may help you understand how to use the current Sri Lankan system:
.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_mayoral_elections
.
It’s a relatively new system that has been used only five times in the 21st Century. Nobody has won on the first count.
.
By way of contrast, our system has been used seven times since 1982. Somebody always reached 50% on the first count. I’m not saying that those Brits are all superior voters to ours. But at least many are indifferent and don’t vote at all. All our voters who are in the country, and can hobble to the polling booth, insist on voting.
/
Sinhala_Man / August 7, 2019
Dear Charles,
.
Here’s another quote from the link I gave you earlier:
.
“The Sri Lankan president is elected using a form of instant-runoff voting. Voters can rank up to three candidates, and if no candidate wins a majority in the first round of voting, second and third preferences from ballots whose first preference candidate has been eliminated are used to determine the winner.”
.
You will find those words here:
.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Sri_Lankan_presidential_election
.
We’re in desperate straits if all these slimy Sinhalese political leaders are making deals with one another. I do what little I can to talk to even strangers on buses and urge them to sudy the system. For this to be effective, one must tell them that it is their “sovereign vote” and leave them (for ever!) to work out which honest person they ought to give their First Preference to.
.
If we attempt manipulation of their thinking (and voting), they will just reject all that we say.
.
No single one of us can make a huge difference, but if we just urge people to do some thinking we may still achieve something for this country. We certainly won’t be harming anybody – except the crooks!
/
Jayantha deAlwis / August 7, 2019
Ranil Wickramsinghe is not only a crook (architect of the Bond Scam) also a traitor (signed a peace treaty with the LTTE, wanted to merge North & East, etc) No Sri Lankan should ever vote for this man. We need to elect a new president with a backbone, who can hang this man for high treason.
/
Henry Fernando / August 7, 2019
Any person with a modicum of understanding by now knows who is doing what in the Govt. and in the opposition. we do not see a semblance of decency or good mannerism in their conduct as our representatives. Does the leader of UNP caucus think he is the supreme legislator. If one remembers the scene, that he led at the well of the parliament with a handful of UNP members vilifying MR as Hora one could gauge the calibre of SL. PM. The kind of highly irregular underhand actions that are being exposed are shocking. Now the citizens clearly see the type and the class of men who are ruling the unsuspecting and suffering people of our country. If you have a semblance of decency and honour you should do well to say good bye to politics. Enough is enough. You cannot forget the Easter Sunday massacre of the innocence which we are sure is haunting you.
/
Old codger / August 7, 2019
To all the faithful True Believers currently having heart attacks:
Politics is a game. All the drama is for your consumption. If you fall for it that is your problem.
Still, look at the bright side. Is Ranil trying to kill the CT editor? Has he banned CT ?
That’s progress.
Also , the Paksa supporters must remember that there is more than one person in this game.
A word to those who decry CT for its revelations: CT exists to tell us what we don’t know. If you want to be comfortable, go back to the Daily Noise / Gammedda / Kudu TV
/
Soam / August 7, 2019
These three evil doer are plotting their survival in the back of intelligence poor Sri Lankan. The educated Sri Lankan need to be aware of the happenings and cast away these sort of beings. It is time for the good and silent many to stand up and change the course of political landscape, in line with Lord Buddha’s teachings.
/
The Sinopian / August 7, 2019
Balderdash
/
M.Iqbal Cassim / August 7, 2019
Woo! To these Politrickers who unashamedly ride on poor People ‘s Wraths. Only Almighty has to take action against these hooligans!
/
Janaka from Matara / August 7, 2019
I am by no means saying it ain’t a worthy target, but Colombo Telegraph seems to have got Ranil on its crosswires. In Sri Lanka or anywhere else elections are where people choose the least evil. Who will be heading the charts post-RW ?
/
D. P. / August 7, 2019
I think that taking away the right to contest for higher level of political posts (PM or Prez) from SL nationals on the ground of having a temporary dual citizenship is totally unfair. Such an effort can affect many lamkans who had to flee for justifiable reasons. Several Journalists and Tamils having to flee the country to escape GoRa’s brutal repression itself is one example.
We know that GoRa himself renounced SL citizenship b’cos his wife forced him to do so for fear of LITTE bombing threats on his life (what a patriotic heroism!). Even though it is also true that he never wanted to give up his US citizenship without the assurance of the SLPP ticket (I don’t know what kind of patriotism is that either), his SL birth rights, including to face trials for crime committed in SL, shouldn’t never be taken way.
/
Sinhala_Man / August 7, 2019
Dear D. P.,
.
I fear that you have confused many readers, which is why, so far, nobody has liked your comment, but three have disliked it.
.
You have written a theoretical first paragraph in which you have sympathised with those who fled for valid reasons.
.
The way that you have written about Gota it is clear that you dislike the guy. However, when you say all that at this juncture, it comes through as support for allowing Gota to contest the Presidency.
.
These are not the people whom we should be fair by. It’s the housemaids who send back money to keep their families going. That money gets to us in all sorts of indirect ways. Let’s not start speculating on what duties other than “maiding” they have to perform. The key issue is that we’ve been exploiting them for so long without making any effort to ensure that they get to have a say.
.
Your pity is totally misplaced.
/
D. P. / August 7, 2019
Sinhala_man,
I honestly don’t understand the meaning of this big fuss about GoRa’s candidacy. If GoRa fulfill basic qualifications, then he should be allowed to run. Let the voters decide his fate. If the the IQ level of the majority of voters is 79 or less as Amarasiri keep saying (I don’t know where he got the figures), then there is nothing much constitutional amendments can do b’cos, with such voters, the candidates who perform better monkey-dance can always win elections.
–
Besides, governing under democratic system is not a one man show; it is a work of very high caliber team led by a visionary team leader. To my observation, Gora hasn’t shown to be a good team leader. Rather, his nature has been manipulation by fear. Losing temper very easily is the hallmark of his personality. This may be a result of a mental decease called ‘bipolar syndrome”. Just listen to taped conversation with Fredrica Janz. Why should such a person be elected to a higher office at all?
–
In any case, can the same old failed team for past twenty plus years be expected to perform any better again even if SLPP win?
/
Sinhala_Man / August 8, 2019
Dear D.P.,
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It’s good to see your basic honesty; also appreciate your civilised tone. You say he may be bipolar, and yourself cite evidence to that effect. In your own judgement, he’s not suited to be in “high office.” That is my judgement as well.
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The point is that Gota suffers from basic DISqualifications. It is true that we are a democracy, and all that, but do you REALLY think that we must undervalue our own education and seriousness of purpose to bow to the fickle majority?
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Note that I’m not advocating the manipulation of the rules. I’m quite a poor man myself. However, must we actually remove impediments that Gota has placed in his own path? You, yourself have spoken of “Gota’s brutal repression.” Didn’t that include, in our understanding, murder? We are just citizens with no personal knowledge of these happenings, but we believe these things, don’t we? Should we, despite all that, over-rule our own seriously arrived at judgements to allow what we almost know will be disastrous?
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Weren’t you being sarcastic when you said, “what a patriotic heroism!”?
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Suriya / August 7, 2019
Sri Lanka belongs to the youth and younger generation. This current generation of politicians has ruined the country and politicians over the age of 60 must be banned from contesting.
America’s puppet Ranil and US citizen Gota’s pact is brokered by various US Ambassadors and advisors to Parliament who have under the title of “Democracy strengthening ” and Reconciliation funded by USAID with fake advisors like Prasad Kariayawasam. USAID funded jaunts for politicians and fake democracy projects have turned the SL Parliament into a Cesspit of corruption, while the real project since the LTTE war ended in 2009 has been advancing the US agenda to turn Lanka into a military base..
A massive peoples movement is needed to call for impeachment of Ranil and Gota for corruption and betraying the country.
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Sherin Mendis / August 7, 2019
These are Mangala’s fabrications !!!
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Christopher Seneviratne / August 7, 2019
This useless bugger Ranil Wickremasinghe is a traitor to the People of this nation, feathering his own nest sad to say and a traitor to the United National P[arty. I have been a lifelong supporter of UNP.
BUT THIS SHOCKING. One thing I can say Man proposes God disposes. He will not get away with it.
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Andare 2.0 / August 7, 2019
How can you do that fool ? That would be a violation of fundamental human rights. SC will throw away any such amendment. More garbage from Kolombo Telenuts.
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jehan / August 7, 2019
Gota has family working and citizens of U.S.A. Gotas son works for the millitary company raythorn, manufacture of missiles and propulsion systems. Does anyone think these post are given because of getting a degree, Most probably a pay-back to Gota in kind. This is how US/UK works. China gives in hard cash commissions. So all these guys are bought one way or another. Same as giving ranil lecturing assignments to pay for politics.
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