19 March, 2024

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The Next Three Years

By Tisaranee Gunasekara  –

That narrow way towards a precipice, Just follow, I can find it in my sleep.”Brecht (War Primer)

In Terry Pratchett’s Small Gods, a god gets turned into a tortoise. Omnia is great god Om’s fief. Everyone worships him there, out of habit or in fear of his human enforcers. But no one believes in him. When belief diminishes, gods fade. Om would do anything, absolutely anything, to rekindle belief.

Like the Rajapaksas.

Two years after Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s spectacular victory, the Terminator appears more like a joker. The Family inc. is in trouble, haemorrhaging support, as a new opinion survey by the Institute of Health Policy reveals.

Of those Lankans who voted for Candidate Gotabaya in 2019 and the SLPP in 2020, one third – 33% – think they will not vote for Gotabaya Rajapaksa again.

The malaise runs deeper. Other findings point to a crisis of faith that is systemic. More than a quarter of Lankans (27%) wants to get out of the country. Amongst these, the young and the educated predominate. 48% of those who want to migrate are between years 18 to 29; and 53% are degree holders or above. Disenchantment with the Rajapaksas is morphing into a general loss of hope in a Lankan future.

The Pandemic is a contributory factor. But the main reason for the simmering discontent is economics. 72% of those surveyed expect general economic conditions to worsen in a year’s time. This belief is shared by 66% of disenchanted Gotabaya/SLPP voters. Of those still loyal to the Rajapaksas, 59% expect economic conditions to worsen in a year’s time. Only 25% of Rajapaksa loyalists believe that the state of the economy will improve in the coming year.

Of those surveyed, 65% said that their household economic situation worsened compared to the previous year. 66% of disenchanted Gotabaya/SLPP voters had experienced a similar decline. Of those still loyal to the Rajapaksas 56% said their household economic conditions deteriorated; only 11% reported an improvement in their personal economics. (Full report here)

The Rajapaksas sing of the motherland, race, and religion. But their real goals are familial and personal. They want to stay in power and they want to build a dynasty. How the Family Inc. responds to its eroding popularity and diminishing prospects would determine the tone and the tenor, the shape and the form of the next three years.

The One Country, One Law taskforce has commenced its operations in the North, proclaiming there are more important concerns than commemorating the dead and searching for the disappeared. The juxtaposition of this with the President’s inglorious Kelani Bridge speech indicates that racism and repression will form the cornerstones of the Rajapaksa’s survival strategy.

If Sri Lanka had a parliamentary system, a government change could have been effected before 2024, halting or at least minimising the downfall. The executive presidency precludes this possibility, especially after the 20th Amendment restored presidential powers. The country will have to suffer through three more years of this bumbling, malicious incompetence.

Mindless Majesties

Call it a sign of the times. Five easy cooks that you can do without gas – that was the telling title of a recent article in a popular lifestyle website. Another website carried the picture of a chief monk of a temple in Mawanella standing in a gas queue. This was his fourth foray to get a cylinder of gas, the monk explained.

“It is the pride of kings which throws mankind into confusion,” wrote Thomas Paine in Commonsense. Sri Lanka of 2021 provides a classic example. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, aspiring to a global first, decided to turn Lankan agriculture fully organic from one farming season to the next. Did he dream of being feted in Washington and London for his historic achievement? Did he dream of making the keynote speech at the next UN climate summit, graciously advising global giants on how to turn their economies green in one swoop? Be that as it may, the cost of his uninformed ambition will be visited on the nation for years to come.

Having swept across the country’s agricultural lands with devastating effect, Cyclone Gotabaya has abated into a glowering pout. The private sector has been given permission to import chemical fertiliser sans subsidies. Given skyrocketing fertiliser prices internationally, the new decision may place fertiliser beyond the purchasing power of small and even medium scale farmers. So the crisis will continue, with many farmers forced to abandon their livelihoods and sell their lands, just to survive. A hike in rural poverty, landlessness, and unemployment may result, together with increased migration to urban areas and a further spurt in the numbers of those who want to migrate.

Given the political cost to themselves, will the Rajapaksas try to steer clear of such acts of extravagant folly in the next three years? Unlikely; the mistakes (from slashing taxes to the fertiliser fiasco) remain unacknowledged, and the Rajapaksas have a visceral dislike for expert opinions that go against their own inclinations and ambitions.

The unveiling of the Sanda Hiru Seya is significant in this regard. The symbolism of the project is in-your-face obvious. King Dutugemunu defeated King Elara and built Ruwanweliseya. King Mahinda defeated the Tigers and built Sanda Hiru Seya. The edifice in the historic Anuradhapura is obviously meant as a display of the essential unity of rata, jathiya, agama, and the ruling family. (Incidentally, Sinhala-Buddhist supermacism and Rajapaksa supremacism were not the only characteristics on display at the unveiling ceremony. The president and the prime minister occupied high chairs while their spouses were given conspicuously low chairs. Equality of any sort is alien to Rajapaksa ethos, including gender equality within the Sinhala-Buddhist space.)

According to the former commissioner of archaeology, Sanda Hiru Seya should never have been built in that archaeologically sensitive location. In a recent interview he revealed that he asked the then president Mahinda Rajapaksa not to build the edifice there or to build a smaller one. But his expert advice was ignored and he was compelled to give his permission to the project. (One wishes the Commissioner saved his professional integrity by resigning in protest, but fear is a great compeller).

As the former commissioner said, by this time Mahinda Rajapaksa was being portrayed as king. And kings have this habit of thinking themselves as inerrant. Ignoring expert opinion is thus in Rajapaksa political blood. And in the pursuit of their own glory, nothing is off limits. So the tragicomedy of errors that characterised the last two years (and the previous Rajapaksa tenure) is likely to continue in the next three years.

Even in a country with well laid guardrails, an executive president can cause havoc, as the case of Donald Trump demonstrated. In a country like ours where democracy is not home-grown and strong institutional bulwarks are absent, the harm an executive president can do is immeasurably more. This is aggravated by our millennia long history of absolute kingship, which ended not with a popular rebellion like in France but with foreign invasion and occupation. The misbegotten desire for a king and the yearning to be turned from citizens to subjects (relieved of the responsibility of thinking and of choosing) probably stem from that unresolved history. Unhappy in our democratic present, we dream of returning to the monarchic past, deliberately misperceiving it as a lost paradise. This makes us particularly vulnerable to the grand declamations of ambitious and cunning politicians.

The opening of the new Kelani Bridge was probably scheduled to coincide with the second anniversary of the Gotabaya presidency. 24 hours before the gala ceremony, the absence of a bridge caused six deaths (four of them children) in Kinniya. If some of the billions spent on turning Hambantota into a megapolis were used to provide essential infrastructure to Lankan people, a bridge across the Kinniya lagoon would have been built years ago, preventing the ferry tragedy by making a ferry unnecessary.

A government that cares about the people it governs would have responded to this tragedy by re-examining its development priorities. A government that is at least concerned about optics would not have held a gala ceremony, even as the people of Kinniya were burying their beloved dead. Yet the Rajapaksas went ahead with the Kelani Bridge opening ceremony. That absence of intelligence and of empathy is a stark warning of the hell awaiting us in the next three years.

Indecent Exposures

While the Rajapaksas are playing at royal families, something strange is happening at the ground level. The SLPP lost the budget vote in two of the pradesheeya sabhas it controls, in Mahawa and Lahugala. In the Ja-ela town council too, the budget was opposed by a majority of members.

The newly formed SLPP’s victory at the 2018 LG polls presaged the future. Are the budget defeats suffered by the SLPP in councils under its control a mere flash in the pan, or an omen? Either way, they provide a valuable lesson to all those who want to see Sri Lanka rescued from the Family Inc. Like in 2015, the Rajapaksas can be defeated only if the opposition forms a broad united front, a wide tent.
According to the Institute of Health Policy survey, of those who said they will not vote for Gotabaya Rajapaksa again, a majority said they will abstain in 2024 or refused to answer the question as who their choice will be.

The voters are rejecting the government. But they are not rallying round the opposition. The danger of massive abstentions working in the Rajapaksas’ favour is real. No wonder, given the underwhelming performance of the opposition.

When a particularly repellent SLPP parliamentarian responded to MP Rohini Wijeratne with a misogynistic and indecent outburst, his remarks were greeted with a few titters from his own side and a telling silence from the opposition. In that moment, no opposition parliamentarian rose to decry this denigrating of women and of the parliamentary tradition. That instinctive non-reaction says much about what is wrong with the opposition, a distressing lack of convictions and principles, of passion and feeling.
A protest was organised subsequently within the parliament, but in a distressing display of sectarianism, it was limited to the SJB. Did the SJB fail to inform other opposition parties of its protest? Did the other parties refuse to join? Whatever the answer, it demonstrates why the growing opposition to the government has not translated into a growing backing for the opposition.

The president publicly threatened to disenfranchise a large part of the opposition and the SLFP. He won’t be able to do it, but the publicly expressed desire is indicative of a new willingness to abuse the law and violate norms. The most recent custodial death is another signal of the growing lawlessness of the government. The killing of suspect LS Lasantha was known in advance. The president of the Bar Association e-mailed the IGP warning about the planned killing. Yet the killing happened. Not for the first time either. On May 12th the mother of another suspect, Kosgoda Tharaka, wrote to the Human Rights Commission through her lawyer, expressing fear for the life of her son and asking for protection. He was killed the next morning, while on a weapon-showing ride, just as she feared.

The two incidents show a willingness by the government to take the law into its hand blatantly, and heedless of the consequences (all this is while the regime is on its ‘best’ behaviour in order to save the GSP facility). This is mirrored by an increasing willingness on the part of the people to execute their own justice. The attack on the house of the area parliamentarian in response to the Kinniya tragedy is a case in point.

If protests turn violent, whatever the justification, the Rajapaksas will use it as an excuse to unleash repression on a massive scale. The Lion flag and the saffron robe would be their preferred methods to haul themselves out of the unpopularity pit they have dug for themselves. But if race and religion fail, if Muslim/Tamil/Christian enemies cannot bamboozle Sinhala-Buddhists in sufficient numbers, the Rajapaksas will not hesitate to resort to imprisonment and even murder on a large scale. Against their desire to hang on to power, even country, race, and religion will contend in vain.

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Latest comments

  • 22
    2

    The portrayal of the present political state under the “family” is real, and, that of the future is terrifying.
    With the economy in tatters, the future looks bleak.
    Lankans abroad look back and realize what they have escaped from.
    The ‘dual citizens’ including the ‘royal’ family are not bothered, naturally.

    • 6
      0

      What went wrong with our sinhala-buddhist dominated nation ?
      .
      President though promised again and again (BP should be ashamed today not being able to see in the eyes of the people)
      .
      1) Released multi criminal Duminda De Silva who was then convicted high criminal . imprisoned for life long, … however, his bond to the president was above the law and order of this country – but 6.9 mio of voters were promised about ” one country one law”:
      .
      2) MP Ranjan Ramanayaka who fought dieheard for the justice of the poor is jailed for contempt of court – the question being rasied – IS THERE ANY PROPERLY HANDLING COURTS IN THE COUNTRY TODAY ?`

      3) Eva Wanasundara became RAJAPAKSHE family Judge.
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eva_Wanasundera
      Since she is appointed as the Prior to her appointment as Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, – all cases filed by GOOD GOVERNANCE govt against their henchmen are subjected to exonerations with any lawyers becoming “stand still” yet today. No justice at all, curse to MEDAMULANA meeharakas

  • 2
    0

    All these are reasonable and sensible predictions.

    But, I wish to read some hints as to how to prevent the commission of such monstrous destruction.

  • 22
    1

    Very scary predictions. Rather unusual for the writer to be so direct in her forecasts of ominous political moves. For most of us its just a “wait and see” option only. Alas..

  • 20
    2

    In all these articles, nothing is mentioned about Gotabaya’s past record. It is like that everyone had taken him as a nice, decent, and intelligent man who would be a great democratic ruler but has turned into a dangerous idiot after coming into power.

  • 10
    2

    Thanks, Tisaranee Gunasekara,
    .
    Your articles are always valuable, but really, their value has always been enhanced by the possibility of interacting with other readers, and (if need be) even with you doing a deus-ex-machina.
    .
    CT hasn’t updated for almost 24 hours. The time now is 3.14 am. Let’s not blame those heroically running the site. We’re being squeezed out by commercial and other interests. Google controls Youtube, and so much else. We were warned about monopolies ages ago, and in all those dystopian novels.
    .
    We’ll have to do some hard thinking. Getting rid of the Rajapaksas may be the tip of the iceburg.

  • 12
    4

    Tisaranee Gunasekera was absolutely correct. After Chandrika’s rule, Mahinda Rajapaksa began to take pride that he is supreme. Gotabhaya began to boast that there was no one in the world who could surpass him, not only in defeating the LTTE in the war but also in gaining China’s evil friendship. Both Rajapaksas failed to take notice of the nature of the Indo-Sri Lanka peace agreement and looked down on India for it. But in the world they failed that the Lord will introduce an object without anyone knowing to change the game. That is the deadly monster called Corona. Arrogance has blindfolded Gotta for so long. He freed a convict and made him the leader of a group that enforced the mantra of ‘one law, one country’ with the aim of arousing communal flames and destroying the minority. Meanwhile, as the country’s economy plunged into the abyss, the cost of living rose to an all-time high and people began to suffer. Gotabhaya had also become unpopular in foreign countries, all of which shows that he is not a proper person to govern the country. Yet Gotabhaya’s arrogance never disappeared. However. It should come as no surprise that he will be assassinated by his own people at this crucial period. If he realizes his true condition, there is a possibility that once he truly goes around the famous Thiruvannamalai on foot, one of the holy places, he will be freed from the present problem. It is believed that Lord Shiva have mercy on evil people also once they realize their faults. Thus he can give up arrogant evil thoughts.

    • 1
      2

      AYATHURAY RAJASINGAM,
      “If he realizes his true condition, there is a possibility that once he truly goes around the famous Thiruvannamalai on foot, one of the holy places, he will be freed from the present problem. It is believed that Lord Shiva have mercy on evil people also once they realize their faults.”
      —-
      You should have told this to Prabhakaran. If he followed your advice, he is till alive.

      • 5
        0

        Both Gothabaya and Pirabaharan had ego and both will not listen. Both were under the impression that they were above Lord Shiva. Both relied on weapons and not on love and affection.

  • 3
    1

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  • 3
    1

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  • 10
    5

    The last two years of sufferings by Sri Lankans is recorded as the worst in the history of the island The main root cause is that the political power is in the hands o f one family. Voters were cheated uisng country;s sevurity after esater attcak and ethnic hatred. Lookinhg at the issues
    1. Appointing mulitry personnels to Manage the country ignoring the adminstrtaive system
    2. Leasaing out ports and aiarports and projects to China
    3, Mismangemnet of COVID 19 Virus
    4. Relesaing crminals from Prison
    5. Teachers and State officials salar issue
    6. Badly affected children’s education
    7. Manure supply to farmers
    8. Vindictive political actions
    9. Oil leakage in the ship causing environmental and fishermen issues
    10. Continueos violation of HR
    11 Deteriorating economy and increse in COL
    Moew and much more
    The next three years more political issues will crop up. The question is whether
    the present governmnet will survive . There will be an exodus of intelectuals nad skill workers from the country
    Money is wasted in appointing commissions
    The media freedom is under arrest
    More begging for loans from countries will continue
    The terminator who came to power will terminate the econmy of the country
    and the confidence of the voters who voted for him and Rajapakse danuly

    • 1
      2

      Kuviyam,
      I am not sure whether you experienced the syndrome of 1970 -77. it would appear that we are going to see the repetition of that from 2019 -24 whether you like it or not!
      45 – 50 year period of growth (More so approximately) 1977 – 2019.
      1970 – 77 was a period which replicated all what you have stated 1 – 10.
      Item 11 was not that apparent simply because of acute shortages of milk foods, staples including rice (black market rationed rice was 10 times the controlled price), and textiles, (one had to obtain a permit along with the certified copy of the Notice of Marriage to buy suit lengths for the Tailor to make your wedding suit!! – No impromptu wedding and falling in love at first sight – not at that time) No rice served in eateries, tourist hotels on Tuesday and Friday (Kurrakkan Pittu and Manioc) and the enlightened , educated and professionals departing from the country.
      In 1977, the new government had to provide incentives for the professionals and scientist to come back at salaries equivalent to foreign experts/consultants, temporarily with provision of houses and subsistence as for foreign experts and cars/chauffeurs!

    • 1
      1

      Part II
      That provision of amenities was then extended to locals, who were experts later on.
      This along with the liberalised imports (free market economy to ease the shortages and black market prices!) with the assistance IMF for standby credit to finance the imports.
      First time Sri Lankan’s saw Apples and Grapes after 7 long years!!!
      Apple a Day keeps the Doctor away!! Not so in the lexicon of the Sirimavo/SLFP enlightened intelligentsia lot!! it was considered a supra luxury and banned!!
      I agree that we have not seen the ‘Peak’
      Many more episodes in store, it looks like!!!
      Incidentally and very important notable event is that this was the government, which saw the advent of Anura Bandaranaike and Mahendra Percival Rajapakse, in their first entry into parliamentary politics!!! Along with peaking of left (LSSP/CP) politics, prior to Demise!
      We are in the process of concluding 50 year cycle or recommence a new cycle, time will be the best judge!!!!
      More importantly, whether, the new Finance Minister able to “get a handle” on the crisis and correct it for a better SL and Sri Lankans1
      Wish all the best his efforts and Sri Lankans
      Revisit short-term History for uninitiated!!!

  • 15
    4

    “Of those Lankans who voted for Candidate Gotabaya in 2019 and the SLPP in 2020, one third – 33% – think they will not vote for Gotabaya Rajapaksa again.”

    Ha ha ha ha ……… that means 67% will still vote for him!

    I’m amazed but not surprised ……. look at the Rajapakse-supporters in the forum …… has a single one of them changed his/her mind? ……. These are not some village-idiots in some shit-hole in Hambathota who have never even ventured out of their rural locale even to visit Colombo.

    There is hardly a difference between the “educated” and the uneducated ……. they are all cut from the same mould and have the same traits/insecurities/essence.

    Funny clip …….. Hands and legs cut off …… but the torso still fights-on to hang-on to the entrenched deep-seated beliefs (name ye own favourite in the forum) ……… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmInkxbvlCs

    Talk about unexamined insecurities!

    I wrote the book on Lankan psychiatrists ……….. psychiatrists’ psychiatrist ……..

    Native, want a free consult? …… Dr Sunil?

    • 3
      0

      Very rational comment Nimal, as always comes from you! You are spot on this “….There is hardly a difference between the “educated” and the uneducated ……. they are all cut from the same mould and have the same traits/insecurities/essence….”

      I have long held that view too. Educated or not – all are in the same boat when it comes to personal gains which is absolutely #1 for both categories. Education about civil societies, civic rights, ethics, social values or democratic values instantly dumped in the ditch when it comes to power and wealth gains. It was mostly the so called educated lot that ruined the country to this lowest level than the uneducated. This applies to those living in SL and those in numerous diasporas abroad as well. So shocking to see even highly qualified academics still supporting one of the worst corrupt regimes in the world while their whole families benefiting immensely from the least corrupt rich western democracies. Their ignorance of social sense and democratic values towards their fellow countrymen is truly unbelievable!!

  • 4
    2

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  • 7
    6

    When the US sneezes Sri Lanka, headed and Colonized by US citizens Basil and Goat families now gets new strands of Covid-19 – Omega – is the latest best – and dangerous mRNA genetherapies called vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna! Moderna is a US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) project and a bioweapon ‘vaccine’ along with Pfizer – swallowed or injected by the Sri Lankan masses who are being BOOOSTED on FEAR!
    Rajapaksas are the new Don Juan Dharmapalas of Lanka who rule with the US backed Covid-19 fear Psychosis and the PERMANENT STATE OF EMERGENCY also with climate change disaster stories, Militarization, and Social and Economic disruption that it produces is part of the Hybrid War – cyber,, bioterrorism, maritime trade disruption against Asian countries to Make America Great Again and reboot European colonialism. So too Ethno-religious identity politics and the Sinhala Buddhist and Tamil Diasporas have been weaponized to Divide, Distract and Colonize – with US citizens Rajapapassa brothers. This project will not succeed!

  • 12
    2

    Not just vicious politicians but knowing the facts but to make him the leader was made by very people, good riddance!!
    .
    Yesterday today there are enough portions that dont respect the facts.
    .
    This has lot to do with south Asian consitioned mentality
    .
    God bless srilanka 🐃😉🐕🐃😉🐕🐃😉🐕

    • 6
      2

      Yet today there are enough portions that dont respect the facts.
      .
      😉🐃😉🐃😉🐃😉🐃😉🐃😉🐃

      • 0
        0

        Dear LLM,
        I have virtually given up.
        Whether it is “South Asian Conditioned Mentality” or virtual attempt at ‘Ignorance and memory loss’, burying their heads in mounds of sand or non-believers of ‘Facts’ and learn from past events and history.
        Only time will tell us, “who is right and who is trying to ‘pull the wool over the eyes’ and have a dive at amassing wealth and hoodwink the masses.”
        As someone else in this columns, pointed out, lets ‘Wait and See’
        Whether a turnaround after the revelation is possible or not is another matter!
        The SL position is to shut their eyes to their faults and blame, terrorists, ME/OPEC oil prices, Pandemic or something else, than admitting where they went wrong and repeating the same folly!!
        This is specifically not an Sinhala Buddhist (SB) phenomenon, but common to all ethnicities in SL.
        The SB percentage of the population is large, so it manifest in larger numbers, but proportionately.
        God bless Sri Lanka

  • 7
    5

    Thisaranee: It wheel within wheels as usual!
    How come the USAID-funded, Institute of Health Policy, conducts political opinion surveys on the US citizen Rajapaksa Presidential family’s Popularity?!

    Is is because Covid 19 health Bioterrorism and biopolitics is all about the control of the populations through lockdowns, fear, militarized vaccines, surveillance (Test, trace track), AI
    The American game with all Sri Lankan politicians, Rajapaksas and Ranil W: UNP and SLFP / PP has always been: “Heads I win, Tails you loose! America is the biggest military and arms producer in the world of weapons of war and destruction and preaches Human Rights and sells vaccines for its own Gain-of-Function Research produced bioterrroist viruses! Wheels within wheels as usual!

  • 19
    3

    Madam, Uganda airport financed and built by Chinese is now repossessed by China for nonpayment of loans. I will like to see Sir fail completing his term and China repossessing most of our liabilities including Rajapaksas.

    • 2
      1

      Hello there 6.9 million, “Dan Sepada , Rajapaksas are here to stay” and I too have serious concerns of their options, mentioned here by TG in her last paragraph.

      • 1
        0

        You are right only retards may cross check with China and Rajapaksas / Uganda officials who received bribes to accept debt trap. China also said they saved Lanka from Western debt traps?? Can you cross check with Chinese high commission and let us know.

    • 1
      7

      Chiv,
      “I will like to see Sir fail completing his term and China repossessing most of our liabilities including Rajapaksas.”

      Rajapakshes who eliminated Tamil terrorists that massacred Sinhalayo for three decades are not a liability to Sri Lanka. They are an asset. Racist separatist Tamil politicians and Wahhabi Muslim extremists are the liability to the country.

      • 2
        0

        Evil Eagle, tell this to those 6.9 million .According to Viswamitra some of the ladies who voted are now ready with the broomstick to give a warm welcome to you. How long are you planning to parrot this ??

    • 2
      0

      All is clear not just Mattala Airport but all other constructions being finalized will have to be treated similar to that of Uganda s airport.
      :
      Rajapakshes interpreted that the CHINESE would treat them brotherly… however, it was due to lack of wisdom in that siblings. They can fool majority of the people in SL, but it is not easy them to fool international community. The chinese would not be friendly to anyone, their investment injection is for the benefit of their future generation … on long term.
      If Rajapakshe understood it – long before, the volumes of debts that we have to return would be much less…. ENOUGH is Enough – Rajapkshes should be punished by every means .. if not today when ?

  • 2
    4

    Hi Tisaranee

    Thanks for insight of how Gotabaya and Rajapakshe has managed the Pandemic and subsequent economic fall out. Sure it has not been perfect. But just imagine when the Pandemic hit if that Yahapalanaya gang was in charge. More than 50% of our population would have been wiped out. They would not know how even to how run a Royal college Chook Raffel . I am not happy that Rajapakses are surrounded by some career criminals hope they have the guts to get rid of them. We accuse Rajakshe about commission they earned by building roads and infrastructure. At the end of the day most people in the country will identify as “Komis gahala hari parawal Haduwe Kaude” . For sure they are not perfect.But people will think twice is the known devil is better than unknown devil. They have painful memories what happenned last time they changed the government.

  • 4
    0

    I am for one who thought Gotabaya will be a different type of person as a President than the Secretary of Defense. Unfortunately, I am totally disappointed. Even after Gota became a Grand Father, I thought, he would change and become a human, no that has also not happened. I wonder if he ever thinks what would his newly born Grand Daughter would learn about her Grand Father from the history books? History is definitely will call Gota an arrogant human rights violator if not a murderer who ruined the country under his rule. He knows well that Mahinda is pulling the rug under him using Mahinda’s rogue MPs, supporters, and above all Buddhist Monks to whom he has given “santhosams” in order to make Namal Baby the next President. I hope Gota will at least stop this.

  • 4
    0

    Why do Sri Lankan people need to wait three more years to save this country from further destruction by a family dictatorship criminals? What more evidence you need to prove that the this family is dangerous to this country ? Do you still need American citizens to rule this country?

  • 0
    0

    A good article by Tisaranee and a frightening dose of reality.

    If people had the brains, they WOULD have looked at Nandasena’s past, the unsolved murders, the killing of journalists, the white vans, the missing people, the corruption, and the blocking of investigations by international agencies into the massacre of thousands of citizens in the North, and realized that voting for him would be asking for deep deep trouble. That deep trouble has now hit the country, and we are living in fear and uncertainty. Tisaranee is right, the only way they know how to win back their Sinhala Buddhist supporters who (too late) are now opening their eyes and brains, is to go the usual Rajapaksa route and start provoking racist attacks on the minority, and the BBS terrorist is already perched up in a strategic position ready to do their bidding, and he will without hesitation. People now realize all about the Easter Day bombings, and that it was an orchestrated crime organized by power hungry people, using brainwashed extremists, all to win the elections.

    The Buddhist extremists will start anti Muslim lies about Muslims taking over the country (funny, but it seem their Chinese buddies are doing just that) and distract the suffering masses. What else are they capable of doing otherwise to stay in power?

  • 2
    2

    In 1959 the country was in a similar mess and a Buddhist saved it.
    In 1963 the country was almost saved by Christian military officers.
    Again in 1993 the country was in a mess and a Tamil saved it.

    Someone must come forward to save it again.

    The military is made up of shameless cowards. If this was another country the military would have at least expelled madman Gota.

    Youth and the educated leaving the country helps Rajapaksas.

    When the electorate is uneducated and hopeless, it is easier to fool them than in 2019.
    Sensing defeat early JR’s regime did the 1981 Jaffna library attack in retaliation to the 1979 Tamil bombing of the Air Ceylon passenger plane in Ratmalana international airport at that time. This sent out the signal that JR was a tough leader unlike his opponents who were more sympathetic to Tamilians. JR raced to a massive victory in 1982 despite severe economic and social hardships.
    (SL won whatever that started in 1983.)

    I will be totally surprised if GR does not do a JR.

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    From “Day One” Gotabaya declared he is seeking election to be the President, I knew for certain what he was planning to be. That “Decision” was a well “Calculated” move by the “Rajapakse & Co, Inc.” My assertions are being slowly and steadily confirmed with the evidence that are being now unfolding in courts in the case against the former Police Chief Pujitha Jayasundara. Both the present Police Chief and the ex- Intelligence Chief Jayawardane are “Womiting” out the “Hidden” agenda that was available to the public. More to come with the ongoing cross-examination of both the witnesses.

    “Rajapakse & Co. Inc.” as “Pre-Planned” set aside the “Saubagaye Dekma” (Vision of Prosperity and Splendor) and embarked on a “Mission” to establish a hegemonic rule with the “20A” Constitutional change. Then immediately proceeded to establish a “Military Command” in all the Government Institutions including the Port & Aviation, Foreign Ministry, and the Police. That “Military Command” was established at “District Levels” over the Civil Administration at Provincial

    Part II in continuation…

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    Part II: Having set up the “Military Command” over the “Civil Administration” that is presently under the District Secretaries (formerly of GAs) “Rajapakse & Co. Inc” headed by “GR” has now moved over to very “Surruptiously” create “Economic” “Political” and “Social” upheavals in the country by “Fishing” in troubled waters of the “Opposition” political parties. You would note these “Economic” “Politica;” and “Social” troubles are all “Man-Made” and “Intentional”. This “Regime” will allow these “Troubles” and “Hardships” to grow day by day and bring it to a “Boiling Point” of a civilian “Demand” for a “Militarized Autocratice” rule of the “Rajapakse & Co.”. The next “Grand Move” will be launched in the near future.

    Already, a “Buddhist Chief Priest” – Getamanne Dharmalankara Thero, at a “Public Meeting” held in Matara District, attended by the Media Minister Dallas Allahapperuma and the District Coordinating Chairman MP, Nipuna Ranawake ( a nephew of Rajapakse) URGED the President to “SREW” Democracy and “PROCEED” for full “MILITARIZATION”. Even this “Opinion” has been expressed by another “Priest” of Asgiriya at a meeting with another Minister. The appointment of Galabodaththe Ganasara to “Roam” the country on the pretext of “One Country One Law” is a well-crafted “Project” towards that “Goal”. A very “Fertile” ground for this “Next Move” is already in place with the most “Invisible” and “Fragmented” weak “Opposition” in the country.

    As Mr. Pethiyagoda said in his comment “Let us wait and see”.

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    The Rajapakses are black but not that black. Why did this happen ?

    It happened mainly because Chandrika was only a a garrulous fool, Ranil a cunning pretender a mere lawyer pretending to be an expert on everything-economics, international affairs, parliamentary procedures-when the truth was found out the people voted against him/UNP.

    Ranil also pretended to be honest. His robbing is at a sophisticated level which the average person will miss. So are all so called old elite-read ‘Nobodies who became somebodies’.

    Then we had Sarath Fonseka a crude violent man who having defeated the rag tag LTTE talks as if he is Napoleon. Soon after defeating the LTTE , Sarath Fonseka wanted to create two more army divisions ! MR/GR stopped the bull in a china shop.

    We saw cricketer turned politician Arjuna Ranatunga when made ports Minister immediately bring own his brother as chairman Ports !

    Ruwan Wijewardena was made deputy minister Defence by MS. He had to be removed when it became known that he had given a contract to a girl friend !

    Can you blame the people for voting for the Rajapakses ?

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    Gas cylinders are blasting off sequentially, town after town. It is said a 6 year old child saved the family in Puttalam, by observing the cylinder’s abnormal behavior. Even child didn’t go school will understand that “we cooked with it all these time; some chemistry went wrong with the tank, that is why it is blasting, now”. But the whole cabinet is saying “We don’t do nothing”. Didn’t they said the same thing right after they planted bombs in the Tamil Churches & Tourist Hotels, on 4/21? “I don’t do nothing” is the first sentence that comes out of these thieves’ mouths for anything. A joke said in Tamil by school kids. A teacher asked one of his students “Who wrote the Thirukural”. The boy right away replied “I didn’t do it sir; Don’t punish me please”. Do you find any difference between that worthless school kid and these ministers? Now all the crooks are denying the responsibility. But when the investigation is over, the TID will put an unknown-innocent Tamil or Muslim or even a UNP worker in the prison to year without any inquiry (at least until the government changes) as the culprit. Then they will check the sacrificial ram’s house and pull out all the bombs and guns like magician pulling put a house full of things from his black hat.

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    Even the Thirukkai Vaal New King have had in Diyawanna Lake Palace is no longer there to cattle-herd the livestock there! These guys are barbecuing alive the woman folk in the kitchen to feed other members of the family.
    If a child can observe the abnormal behavior of their house gas cylinder, The trained professionals who are filling, storing and transporting 1,000 and 1,000 tanks are telling that “We don’t do nothing” until a sacrificial ram gets caught?
    It would have been decent & honest if they had accepted that they don’t know how to manage F_ex even though CB Cabal bragged in the press meeting during Yahapalanaya time that “Give it to us, we will manage”. Now what? Same donkey work happened in the fertilizer case. They could have told farmers that they don’t have money to import fertilizer. They always turn any backslid into an opportunity to earn commission from China. When pressure built at home, they tried to return the China Hunu. China might have threatened in return that they were having copies of all documents Ranil burned from TTH and they are going to send copies of them all to Dharshi, Vaman & New York Times. Hitler King has fallen much behind to Idi Amin’s Entebbe Airport. What to do now? Eat it up what you throw up. Comedy Thamai!

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    I agree with everything in this article apart from the last paragraph. If the Family unleash repression they will not win. The people are far too used to throwing out the governing party to stop now. I think the Family are aware of this and won’t go that far. They will have to think of some other way of clinging to power.

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    As for the ferry tragedy, foundation was laid in 2017 for the bridge.
    Should not the Yahapalanaya regime take its fair share of blame for the neglect.

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      sharing the power sharing the blame escaping route!

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    When militarization of the civil administration, allegations of removal of independent commissions, political pressure to prevent criminal justice, interference with religious freedom, intimidation of civil society activists and restriction of media freedom, etc still continues, it is utterly meaningless to worship at Buddhist shrines. He is disgracing the teachings of Lord Buddha. Rajapaksas have accumulated wealth, sufficient for seven generations to lead a luxury life. It is better for Gotabhaya to step down from office with grace. I have my doubt whether he can continue for the next three years. If he does there will be number of killings and there is a possibility he will be assassinated by his own people which cannot be ruled out.

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    Gotler is not some well meaning nice guy who is just incompetent at his job. He has a temper and a history of loosing it. His brother MR has the same problem. Between the two of them they ordered the murder of the surrendered during the war. MR is implicated is several murder cases that occured before he became president. Collectively the Rajapakshe family are not old world aristocrats as they like to pretend. That distinction belongs another family from their pocket burrow. The family as a whole have a trade mark propensity to thuggery and crude violent language. One former IGP Balasooriya was physically assaulted by the duo on the upper floor of temple trees. Low IQ and unintelligence cap off the family tradition. These are the people the Sinhalese voted for. These are the people 67% of which still adore and worship. I left out the Easter Sunday bombings as it is painfull to keep repeating the facts in that regard.

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