By Nimalka Fernando –

Dr. Nimalka Fernando

I write this comment with a sense of disgust. People who braved the risks of resisting Mahinda Rajapaksa’s regime knew they were doing so with death standing at their door-step. President Maithripala Sirisensa eloquently expressed this reality by saying that “I would have been seven feet below the ground where I stand today if we had lost the election”. This reality is not yet over. Mahinda Rajapaksa and his brothers did not build their “Vampire State” for nothing. They are not sulking in a political corner licking their wounds. They have begun to mobilise with a vengeance. Don’t look far to see how they are planning their comeback. Look to those that slept inside the well of the parliament yesterday night. It is pretty obvious that these politicians are learning to live in ‘Political Displacement Camps’ (PDC). We Sri Lankans will have to start a new humanitarian venture called PDCs.

It is disgraceful that none of these members of parliament ever thought of doing this kind of `satyagraha’ when the coutry was being sold to China. Where were they when the Port City Project was signed? Were they sleeping when the Chairman of Sri Lankan Airlines was diverting flights to see his girl-friend? What were they doing when the son’s were bringing bollywood gangs at state expenses for their fun and frolick? What have they to say about “Siriliya Katha”, the Dame of Madamulana having some unbelievable identity card numbers and Bank accounts? Who benefitted from the Dame’s Fund? What happened to the funds of the Nil Balakaya and the so called “gifts” given to the youth leader? For every job given by the `young leader’ funds had to be deposited to the so called `Balakaya’ account. It is only very recently a former Minister of the Rajapaksa era shared these stories at a local meeting in Kurunegala. SLFPers present had all left this meeting silently after this revelation. It is truly shameful. The parliamentarians who went to sleep inside the well should be ashamed but I guess they cannot be because they are no better than the frogs who cannot see outside their own well.

People in Sri Lanka have no pity for those who now rally around to protect the privileges of the Ex-President. Did the Ex-President protect us from evil? He betrayed the very General who helped him to win the war? What did he do with the sacks of gold robbed from the areas of war, espeicially from Mulathivu and surrounding areas? What did he do to protect a poor government servant who was assaulted by a Cabinet Minister and who also tied him to a tree and forced the person to admit that he tied himself up? Did he act against this Minister who went on to claim that he made journalists to flee the country? The former President remained indecently silent when his own colleague, Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra was killed. The regime even sent sleuths from the criminal investigation department to record a statement from their erstwhile friend Vasudeva Nanayakkara, the former minister in effect to threaten others. All cabinet ministers shut their mouths afterwards. Thosands have disappeared during the Rajapaksa regime. Dead bodies were found thrown into shrubs. Some were assasinated in broad daylight like Lasantha and Raviraj. Raviraj and Joseph Pararajasingham were parliamentarians. Who dared to sit inside the parliament well then demanding `protection’ for their colleague? Whose privileges were violated then?

Mahinda Rajapaksa avatar knows only one thing. He knows how to inculcate fear and violence. Thuggery is the word he knows best. This is what they are unleashing now. Muscle power inside the parliament. The President is now called upon to call their bluff. Why should President Sirisena give in to these corrupt forces? I am of the view that he has to bring order into the present political process. I do not wish to repeat that the people of Sri Lanka did not expect the Pavithra’s and other shameless lot to be drawn into the yahapalana governance process. They violated multiple elections laws, used violence and “bought votes” misusing state resources to come to power. Given an independent and free election dozens of these crooks in the United Peoples Freedom Alliance alias United Profiteers and Fraud Alliance (UPFA) would have lost. The Rajapaksa regime robbed samurdhi funds and one brother slipped out of the country with looted funds and came back. Thank God the authorities are now taking action against him for robbing the funds of the poor which came under the Divi Neguma Programme. Who is paying for the expenses for the mobilisation taking place now to welcome Mr Basil and to maintain the political thamashas of MR supporters. Surely the devotees of Abayaramaya is not running a Wesak Dansala at Narahenpita? Who will spend the funds for the massive May Day rally being organised by the `left overs’. Surely we know that these political parties have little or no funds at all. Least of all left over funds. I am sure these expenses are paid by MR from the spoils gotten from deals, tenders and contracts rubber stamped by the Cabinet of Mahinda and horu hathaliya of the yester year.

These brothers knew (more than the Deaf Left) how to rob people and this country. They put into practice `each according to his/her ability and each according to his over spending needs’ to rob from the state coffers. The making of a North Korea and a little Chinese despot came to an abrupt end and hence these external masters will not take the sovereign people’s wishes kindly. Looking at the rallies and surveys conducted by them now to make plans for the come back I firmly believe that a conspiracy is on against the sovereign people of Sri Lanka. The powers who paid for the Rajapaksa luxury wants the reinstatement of the despot.

From the beginning these forces were against the passing of the 19th amendment. It is clear that the rogue state they built required unbridled power with something more than simple immunity. This is because Rajapaksa believes in his own ‘lost kingdom’ theory. Hence the disposed king is fighting back. This is not about the democracy simple citizens like us are hankering after. If the situation were so simple the Rajapaksa team could have waited until the next election and contested it. Ordinary citizens are perplexed. They are inquiring as to what is happening? The politicians are not fighting with each other to end poverty in Sri Lanka. These forces who robbed from Divi Neguma funds and those who are trying to cover these acts are yearning to establish the mafia state back. Unfortunately Sri Lanka is facing another ugly struggle. This is not a democratic struggle. These forces will resort to violence, make the present government more fragile by this type of parliament sittings. They are ready to make parliamentry democracy a mockery. If they had respected parliamentary Democracy in 2010 the 18th amendment would not have seen the light of day. Each one of the MPs who are promising to bring back MR are those who got bloated with MR’s benevolence. Them, and their families enjoyed these perks on the back of the blood, sweat and tears of our citizens. This is what they are used too and they have been doing this for years. They will fight for it with everything they have.

Those who have sold the very soul of mother Lanka, her rich resources cheaply and made her the unique display in the China shop have exposed us to regional vulnerabilities. Those supporting them are deliberately concealing this conspiracy by ponting their crooked fingers towards the west. It is the people who voted for President Sirisena who liberated us from the clutches of looting forces of the dragon. We have to denounce all forces eyeing our beautiful island. The people of Sri Lanka has always taken the proper political decision always.

Our struggle is to establish democracy and not to bring back Mahinda Rajapaksa. Sri Lanka needs a fresh beginning a new parliament. The politics of deal must come to an end. Let the voters decide the future of the Executive Presidency. President Sirisena was elected to deal with the matters of the State and not the matters of the SLFP nor United Fraud Allaince. He has to deliver the promise given to hold elections. He has to come before the people and expose the cheating going on inside the political well as MR forces delays the removal of powers of the exectuive presidency. This is his time to prove true statemanship. Be the leader we all respected as he left the folds of the `rogue regime’. Mr President mother Lanka now needs a true leader a man who will stand up to these ugly pressures and dissolve the parliament. Mr President they are waving fake olive branches. The plot is to send you alive seven feet below into the political abyss as you lose the popularity and stature becoming a prisoner of the mess that is SLFP.

We want a better system of governance, peace and reconciliation to be established, to put and end to abuse of power and corruption. The rape of mother Lanka including her daughters have gone unpunished. These criminals have to be brought before the courts of the people. Justice and accountability for all have to be established. The future of our country rests upon building a new vision and activism based on a new leadership able to end the ‘rogue regime’ culture that still lives within the cracks and corners of the Sri Lankan State. We cannot afford the dark ages of Sri Lankan politics to return back and remain silently for the return of the Vampires.