Colombo Telegraph
IN JOURNALISM TRUTH IS A PROCESSCBK - Fonseka came from a Buddhist extremist background,
he seemed more honest than Rajapaksa
“President Kumaratunga found the Rajapaksa family involvement in politics very distasteful and called them ‘uneducated and uncultured rascals.’ She worried that the political climate since her term had become “vindictive and threatening” and that Rajapaksa had ‘muddied the thinking’ of masses.” The US ambassador wrote to Washington.
The Colombo Telegraph found the leaked cable from the WikiLeak database. The cable classified as “CONFIDENTIAL” and recount details of a meeting ambassador Patricia A. Butenis has had with former President Chandrika Kumaratunga on 14th December 2009.
The remarks by Washington’s ambassador to Sri Lanka, are revealed by the Wikileaks leaked cable. The Colombo Telegraph found the cable classified as “CONFIDENTIAL” by ambassador Butenis.
The cable said “Former President discussed President Rajapaksa’s abuse of power and said that under his leadership, the economy, the political climate, health care, education and international relations had spiraled down reaching a new low in the country’s history. Kumaratunga remarked that governance had broken down and corruption was appallingly bad. She noted that while she was responsible for nominating President Rajapaksa for the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, he had a detrimental impact on the party.”
In response to Ambassador’s query on elections and General Fonseka’s candidacy, Kumaratunga said, while she was surprised by Fonseka’s entry in to politics, if ‘free and fair’ elections were held today, Fonseka would win. “While Fonseka came from a Buddhist extremist background, he seemed more honest than Rajapaksa and might not go back on his promises.” Butenis wrote.
“Kumaratunga acknowledged the mood and the thinking in the country was changing. People were hopeful of changing and were interested in moving ahead. Although Kumaratunga was no longer directly involved in politics, she remarked that President Rajapkasa feared her influence and had restricted her movements.” the ambassador further wrote to Washington. Read the below US diplomatic cable for full details.
