President Maithripala Sirisena, speaking after Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe‘s swearing-in, said his statement on not giving the premiership to the UNP Leader even if 225 MPs approved of it only reflected his personal opinion.
Sirisena
“My personal opinion on this matter still remains unchanged. But, I decided to reappoint Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister as I have the utmost respect for parliamentary traditions,” Sirisena said in his speech.
He also referred to several statements made by pro-UNP activists that the President’s actions could lead to violence and Sirisena might suffer the same fate as Gaddafi. “Sri Lanka had many leaders in the past who faced numerous problems. Some of them, like JR Jayewardene, ruled the country with an iron fist. But no one dared to make such claims, as they knew the dire consequences of such threats.”
“In my case”, the President said, “they freely express their anger as they know I won’t take revenge. I am the kind of leader who will open the gates of my house even if the public wants to lay siege to my residence. I will allow unruly protestors to harm me if that is their wish.”
Commenting on the Central Bank bond issue. Sirisena said the previous government hampered investigations into the Bond issue and allowed former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran to abscond the law enforcement authorities.
He also added bond scams took place from 2008 and the Bond Commission stressed the need for a forensic investigation to unearth details about such scams. “To date, a forensic investigation has been carried out by the Central Bank over the possible scams that have taken place since 2008. Even this morning I checked this matter with the Central Bank Governor and he confirmed that no action had been taken.”
Sirisena also stated that the appointments made by the Constitutional Council established under the 19th Amendment are questionable. He said the Constitutional Council refused to appoint several nominees, recommended by him, to the judiciary.
“They have turned down the names of some senior judges recommended by me. As a result, there are concerns in the legal circles that the senior judges do not get the promotions they deserve. But I have done my part by recommending their names. This brings the impartiality of the Constitutional Council into question,” Sirisena added.
Sirisena also added that he acted on the advice of legal experts and “high profile” Presidents Counsel when he issued gazette notifications which were later overturned by the judiciary.
“I did not act like a toddler. I consulted high-profile lawyers and well-known legal experts. Some of the finest lawyers in the country defended my conduct in the judiciary. This means I have acted in good faith, in accordance with the advice given to me,” he added.
Watch the full speech in Sinhala:
Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka / December 16, 2018
Whoa! What just happened?
Just one, single, slender, Populist leader from the rural Rajarata, supposedly defeated and in retreat, faced a roomful of supposedly victorious, cosmopolitan neoliberal “suits”, supported by the global elite– and promptly took them on, turned the tables, went on the offensive, sustained it, without a script, live, before a nationwide audience of TV viewers!
And those guys and girls and their fan clubs think they can take on BOTH Maithri AND Mahinda–the Rajarata-Ruhuna axis–in the arena of the sovereign people?
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old codger / December 17, 2018
Anybody who thinks this was a “victory” of some sort needs their heads examined. This was nothing but a whiny, contradictory and ineffective attempt to justify his infantile actions by a half-educated hypocrite who couldn’t rise even to toddler level.
Most toddlers are honest.
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nimal fernando / December 17, 2018
I feel very sorry for Sirisena …….. he is totally out of his depth ……… trying to play for an equally out of depth gallery.
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“Anybody who thinks this was a “victory” of some sort needs their heads examined.”
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OC,
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This is a 60 year old Lankan envoy (soon to return home :)) ) that’s writing!!! Spare a thought for the rest of the bunch! Is it any wonder the country is always in reverse gear?
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“Whoa! What just happened?”
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Dayan old chap,
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Except for Sirisena, the others in the room displayed class; loads of it. That’s what separates the parliamentary chilli-throwers and “urinate-ors” :)) from the rest! The well brought up from the uncultured, uneducated, riff-raff rascals .
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But you wouldn’t know it even if it fell on your head. :))
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old codger / December 18, 2018
Nimal F,
“Except for Sirisena, the others in the room displayed class; “
Exactly. The video should be played in Parliament every day.
Ranil has problems, but I liked his “I am listening to a toddler” expression.
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Ajay / December 17, 2018
Dayan,
What happened was, Hopperman was having one of his psychotic episodes. He was hallucinating that all who were present in the room had come to assassinate him. He was trying to scare them off by yelling at them like a country bumpkin that he is. The sane, sober, intelligent, civilized liberals sat it out with great compassion and understanding. They didn’t want to interrupt him because they knew that would only aggravate his condition and push him over the edge. He could become physically violent. Most Sri Lankans are now convinced that he has serious issues. Just look at his inappropriate, incoherent speech – especially the rapid “pressured” nature of his speech. This is a sure sign of serious mental illness like mania or schizophrenia. The poor guy needs immediate psychiatric intervention and treatment. This is the liberal, non-judgemental approach to mental illness – not sending to the Gulags like the tyrant Stalin did.
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Matilda Ellepola / December 16, 2018
the 1st thing is to kick Pissu-Sira to Pollonnaruwa to plough the rice fields and get the country go for a fresh elections.
It looks like this man has gone nuts and what a waste of time the country had to lose going for the next months and years.
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Uthungan / December 18, 2018
Matilda
No he will not plough the fields in Polonaruwa. He only knows how to set fire to the fields according to his beloved daughter.
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Champa / December 16, 2018
Only a toddler needs others to tell him what to do. Grown ups know what is right and wrong. You indeed acted like a toddler.
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Anil Fernando / December 16, 2018
His favourite past time. Lecturing and pontificating.
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Champa / December 16, 2018
The next President should be someone who could read and understand country’s Constitution on his own. He need not to know English but should be someone who could at least understand Sinhala language properly.
Those who think that they cannot rule the country without Kewattayas, should refrain from contesting for Presidency.
The political drama unfolded for 50 days proved again and again that without public support, politicians cannot achieve anything. The deafening silence in the country after Mahinda’s appointment as the PM taught the best lesson for politicians that people were not ready to approve parachute appointments even if the country is in peril and even if the receiver was their heart and soul. And most importantly, it has proved that Rajapaksas cannot have their say all the time. (I am not talking about MR.)
I don’t know about other websites, but a large number of people voiced their support on Ceylon Telegraph CONTINUOUSLY in order to protect the Constitution, democracy, age old Parliamentary traditions and rule of law in the country which proves that people are no longer controlled by politicians.
Ranil’s appointment as the PM was inevitable as per the Constitution. Therefore, this is only a personal failure of the President who tried to use a non-existent power to dissolve the Parliament. Except that, he still holds the executive power in appointing the Cabinet and almost all other decisions.
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k.kulesh / December 16, 2018
He could have given the same speech at another occasion, not at this stage. He proves what kind of low quality leader he is! He has not realized the negative impact that has been caused by his blunder and he is trying to hide his mistakes by blaming UNPers.
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nimal fernando / December 16, 2018
Sirisena, old boy,
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“I decided to reappoint Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister as I have the utmost respect for parliamentary traditions”
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What a load of bull! ………… You were compelled by the judiciary; you were left with no other option.
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“Some of the finest lawyers in the country defended my conduct in the judiciary. This means I have acted in good faith”
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Then why the late Friday evening secretive putsch? It points to the fact that you were aware of the illegitimacy of the whole shindig.
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For once in your sorry life, why don’t you cut the crap and tell the truth? ………. Simply what happened was a plot hatched for moths between you and Rajapakses ……. the incentive for the Rajapakses was to save themselves from the special courts …… and the incentive for you was a non-futile run for a second-term.
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Any simple adult with an open an free mind can figure that out ………. need no load of cockamamie finest lawyers ………..
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Ranjrh / December 16, 2018
Like a fool, still trying to defend his foul actions. As results of his greed for power, brought down all these calamities on him, it made him loose the reality, and clouded his moves and actions. His request to Ranil and UNP to back him for the next term was turn down, in a haste, then he decided to court MR & cabals to achieve his aims, and it all back fired badly on him. Now, like a good human being, please let them govern the country, don’t surbertage it. when their term is over, go for election, and let the people decide who is going to rule the country again. For goodness sake, stop your weaning and crying for people know all what happened, and they are not fools.
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Amarasiri / December 16, 2018
Sirisena,
You should not listen to your advisors who lack comprehension of the constitution like Dr. Dayan Jayatilaka and Prof., Gon L Peris. In the end you suffer and the country suffers.
Please get the idiot Dayan out of Moscow, Russia.
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Analyst / December 16, 2018
Speaking against Supreme Court sir?? It’s Contempt of court Sir! Punishable offence Sir ! your honourable Prezident.
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K.Pillai / December 16, 2018
One felt that MS was a loner in a den of………….??. Now his body-language suggests that what he did what he did from 26 October, might have been forced on him.
If one is really really interested in finding the truth, bad-mouthing will not help at all.
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Sena / December 16, 2018
Who are the top lawyers? MR, GL, Vasu, Namal, Gammanpila, Susil Paramajayanth, Dilan, Anura P. Yapa, F. Mustafa, Dr. DJ etc. Any one with good senses call them lawyers but they are utter and cold herbitual liars.
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Ruwan / December 16, 2018
You are a joker, Mr. President. You acted worse than a toddler and still acting like that making foolish statements. Why should CC appoint your nominees? CC was established to appoint capable professionals to top positions and reduce the political influence. Sri Lankans should get out of the mentality that seniority deserves promotions to top posts. There are lots of senior jokers in top positions, doing nothing but drawing a salary. There are young professionals who are lot more capable of doing better jobs than the lethargic senior jokers. CC’s job is to appoint qualified professionals who are capable of taking country forward to top positions; not to appoint senior jokers you or other lunatic politicians nominate for political gains.
Mr. President, please stop making a fool of yourself again and again. Citizens are sick and tired of your foolishness. We know the top lawyers who advised you…. fools like GL Peiris, Sarath Silva, Gonmanpila, Shriral L, 8th grader Booruwansa , etc.
During the past two months you clearly showed that you are an uneducated fool who is not fit to be the President. Keeping up your words (and for the betterment of the country) please resign and go back to Polonnaruwa so that the country can elect a president who can take country forward. You can be a farmer or a Grama Sevaka. You proved that a Grama Sevaka is not fit to be a president.
Wish you a great retirement:-)
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Sunil / December 17, 2018
His speech will remain legendary.
Exposed the government activity in a way nobody ever did.
It is a folly to think that the message will not get through to people.
He has done well!
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vithura / December 16, 2018
What a load of trash. When did the appointment of a PM become a personal choice for him to have a personal opinion on the matter? Moronic thinking of this kind is the unbecoming of a president.
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Renu / December 16, 2018
Were the lawyers , Lakthilaka, Gunaratne, Konngahage and of course Great Liar (GL)?
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old codger / December 16, 2018
This rambling attempt at rescuing himself is an insult to any self-respecting toddler. What a contradictory piece of humbug! Sirisena talks about Bond scams since 2008, but doesn’t explain why he tried to appoint the main scammer as PM.
There was no need to ask advice from high-powered “lowyers”. He could have asked his own Attorney General. In any case, why was it done in such secrecy? This sanctimonious hypocrite KNEW what he was doing was illegal, that’s why.
Between 6.00 to 6.30 this idiot claims that the “loss” from the “‘bond scam” was more than 1000 Billion. Even my toddler grandchild knows that you can’t have that from an issue of 10 billion. Either this gamarala is a new Einstein or he is the worst head of state this country has ever had. He must GO NOW!!!!!
Ranil has his faults, but Sirisena is the very limit. People of this sort do not deserve the the right to vote, let alone leadership.
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Ajay / December 16, 2018
Yes, you didn’t act like a toddler; you acted like an uncouth moron, a wicked clown, a shameless rascal, a deranged fool, a raving maniac. Don’t insult toddlers; they are innocent and guileless. Hey Appaya, it is obvious you’re now scared of the legal consequences of your criminal actions. That is why you keep coming up with these silly and hollow explanations for your conduct. But it is not going to help. Get ready for impeachment and 90 years in jail.
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Sinhala_Man / December 16, 2018
Dear Maithri,
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The problem is that we, too, were very angry with you for aligning yourself with Mahinda Rajapaksa. My vote helped you to become President, and I helped you in various other ways as well. I haven’t ever met you, but during the 2014/2015 Election Campaign I visited your office in Thimbirigasyaya many times. I met both Palitha Pelpola and Karunasena Hettiarachchi who were running your election office.
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I think that you are essentially a decent man, but at some point it looks as though you gave yourself delusions of grandeur and wanted a second term as President. I feel that many are now wondering if you will resign because you must understand that what you did during the last two months was unpardonable. The last thing that we wanted to see was you bringing back the Rajapaksas.
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There is much truth in the rest of what you say.
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The obvious thing for you to do is to resign right now; however, if you find a way in which you can continue by getting back on the Yahapalanaya track as Rev. Sobitha and us understood, I’ll be very happy.
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I appreciate how difficult it would have been for you to eat humble pie by having to swear in Ranil – who certainly has serious faults. By going through that ordeal you have done your penance. I forgive you!
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I’ll listen to your speech tomorrow morning (using my morning Internet quota). Yes, many of us have limited resources, unlike those corrupt Rs 500 million Members of Parliament.
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anonymous / December 16, 2018
“I did not act like a toddler. I consulted high-profile lawyers and well-known legal experts. Some of the finest lawyers in the country defended my conduct in the judiciary. This means I have acted in good faith, in accordance with the advice given to me,” MY3
Sure, I bet you didn’t. Toddlers are human beings with a ‘Prabashwara Chitta’ (ප්රභාෂ්වර චිත්ථ), empty of greed, hatred and dilution (ලෝභ, ද්වේෂ, මෝහ). You should have taken the advice of the ‘Enlightened one’, the ‘Damma’ instead. ‘Dammo Hawe Rakkhathi Dammachaaree’. Suwapath Weva!
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C.P. Bacon / December 16, 2018
Not Janathipathi Thatha but Janathipathi Pissa. The man is not double-tongued but multiple-tongued. Where his “honour and integrity” in resigning in one hour if Ranil is brought back? If he is let scot free after all the damage done to the country in the past month plus this will be a slap on the face of all the people in the country. He should not only be punished severely for his theatrics in undermining the Constitution but a serious inquiry should be made into his large assets, how and men when he made them. A forensic study should be done on his declared assets when he became an MP and what it is today. The results should be made known to the whole country so that the large number of gullible voters who voted him and supported him will know what a rogue he is.
Chris P. Bacon
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Amarasiri / December 16, 2018
Sirisena,
When you sought the advice and opinion from these-called legal experts and consultants, you got junk. The 7Justices of the Supreme Court have confirmed that. Now that you have been a “victim” and the country as well, would you please resign. Before that can you at least fire the so-called legal experts.
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Coconut Donkey / December 16, 2018
The President did make a few factual salient points.. RW best take note and work on them. If that crook Ravi K is in the cabinet and no further action is taken on the bond scam, rest assured your days a numbered..
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Muhandiram / December 16, 2018
“I consulted high-profile lawyers and well-known legal experts. Some of the finest lawyers in the country defended my conduct in the judiciary.”
Mr. President, the “high-profile lawyers”, “well-known legal experts” and “some of the finest lawyers in the country” who advised you have let you down badly considering that the Seven Supreme Court Judges were UNANIMOUS on their Decision about the WRONGFUL Dissolution of Parliament. Take all those legal experts who misled you to task and NEVER ask for their advice again.
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Critical thinking / December 16, 2018
Not only lawyers but also all his cohorts to do it..
He acted against constitution..it backfired on him…
Man is crafty he wants to escape law suits
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Deshapremiya / December 17, 2018
President Gonn Sirisena’s actions are not like of a toddler but the actions of a mental patient who is president. Toddlers are innocent in whatever mischief they do. Their actions are not premeditated and are not meant purposefully to harm others with inner rage. Never has a toddlers actions caused collateral damage or catastrophic harm to any economy as you have done as the president of this country. There is no asylum in the country that is good enough for you. Mental Sirisena deserves a little grave for the GRAVE injustice and damage that he has done to our people, our country, the little international reputation we had and the Buddha Sasanaya. “බුදුන්ගේ දර්මයටත් අගවුරවයක්. සම්බුද්ධ ශාසනයට නිග්රහායක්” stated the Venerable prelates of the Ramanna Nikaya. What a disgraceful presidential sinner to lead a Buddhist country. None of our prelates must allow this mental patient to set foot into any of our Temples. Mental Sirisena deserves to be hanged for treason without any pardon for insanity.
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Ajith / December 17, 2018
Dear Srisena,
Whatever you say now is pointless because your actions during the past 50 days is sufficient enough to prove that you are part of an illegal political coup well planned under the dark. It is true you are not a toddler but you are like an underworld criminal. Just go through al what you did and what you told from the Friday 26th October until today you will realize that you should not be contnuing in this chair from tomorrow. Yes there are lot of expert lawyers (eg: former Chief Justice, professors eg:GL Peries,Dr. Laksiri, diplomats(Dr Dayan Jayatilake) and Mahinda Rajapakse (former President) all gave you advise. This advise was free and their advise was to help Mahinda Rajapakse. They believed that they can buy all the supreme court judges as they did in the past. They also believed they can buy few UNPers each for 50 or 60 million.
In addition to this, I have to pay respect to those two policeman (one Sinhala and One Tamil) who lost their lives unnecessarily in this political coup organised by you and your former boss Mahinda. It was a well planned murder probably with the help of Karuna amman in order to put the blame on LTTE and to cheat Sinhala masses.With all these problems you went to the funeral of that Sinhalese police.
If you are gentleman you should tell the truth about the whole episode of this political coup and those involved in this coup.
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Doratupala / December 17, 2018
No comments so far by the “vidvaths” – (Intellectuals ) who love to hang around here?
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Samuel Jayaweera / December 17, 2018
Now he is well aware of the facts about the situation before him next weeks months.
So president has to behave so.. But he is complacent of all the losses if MS-RW govt is charged to this date. That he should be well aware of .
In current context, after the court verdict ended up in vain to his gazette notification, he sounds not respecting the verdict but behave because he has no other options left.
And days ahead of us, we will see, how it moves forward. I have no doubt, UNPrs will score lot more even better.
In between ballige putha Rajakshe has reiterated that he resigned to allow PEACE in the country. And those biased media channels supported his COUP will have to face legal actions. According to him.. the very same president who killed over 44 or more jounos during his murderous regime, seem to have the audacity to say all these to the VERY same punnakku eaters dominated srilanka .
And also not to forget, there is an issue… those who left SLFP but got elected to parliament as MPs will have to lose their positions in the parliament.
So those some over 50 incl. MAHINDA RAJAKSHE will have to face it now.
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Buddhist / December 17, 2018
He did not act like a toddler, but he acted like an illiterate, immature, idiotic, lunatic, thankless goat! He exposed not only to all Sri Lankans but to the entire world how stupid he is. How is he going to face the leaders of other nations? Its time he start packing his bags. He said Mahinda dug a 6ft hole for him, but now with this speech he has dug a 12 feet hole by himself.
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KumM / December 17, 2018
OMG! Mr P,
Please reflect upon your actions. I really admire the irresistible silence of your audience; most likely in due respect to the Presidency.
Your actions in past were simply irrational, arrogant and idiotic, and unbecoming for a President. Overriding the constitution over emotions can not be accepted from a President at any cost . You were just playing Sirisena for 50 days. Now, you are trying to validate your actions and panic. Obviously you are guilty and continue laundering. Do what is legitimate; not the mind set.
Tragically, you were worst that a Toddler with ADHD. You idiotic new-founds friends manipulated you; and you manipulated your Advisors to tinker Rules. Hats off to Judiciary and Legislature for standing up to the values.
Readers/watchers/listeners are smart enough to connect the dots.
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