Mahinda Vs. Maithripala – Strongman Vs. Strong Institutions

By Indi Samarajiva -December 24, 2014 

Indi Samarajiva

Sri Lanka has a big choice this election. Whatever side you support, it’s just a choice and we can all eat kiribath together. I really hope it plays out that way.

The way I see it, Mahinda Rajapaksa represents a strong man model of governance. Maithripala Sirisena, on the other hand, is campaigning based on a complete reform of Sri Lankan institutions. There’s pros and cons. Personally, think the latter is a better investment in the future of our country.

Mahinda – Strongman Governance

Mahinda is a strongman. He’s a got a strong mustache, he’s got brothers and he’s got sons. As a leader he decisively ended the war and in the 5 years that followed he has pushed through more development than the country has seen in 30 years. He has accomplished more than any President in Sri Lankan history, with the possible exception of JR. I’d honestly say he’s much better than JR.

Like JR, however, he has also crippled institutions to empower himself.

What Mahinda has replaced institutions with what is essentially a patronage system. Power and money don’t flow through laws or institutions, they flow through individuals, namely Mahinda and his family. China is a willing source of this money, but it’s loans and the people footing the bill are ultimately the Sri Lankan people. We pay way too much for stuff and get stuff we don’t need (Mihin, Mattala), but the ‘waste’ is what actually props up the political system (ie, keeps all the Ministers and their voters in line).

If you can live with this sort of system it does get stuff done, but it only really works for stuff you can rip fat commissions from (ie, roads and infrastructure) and not so much for things like healthcare and education. It’s also, insomuch as anyone gives a shit, unethical.

However, they say that behind every great fortune lies a crime, and a lot of countries come up this way, wasteful and corrupt, but developing. It’s a choice. You can often pivot to a liberal democracy later, but if things get bad they get really bad.

Maithripala – Institutional Governance

Maithripala, as the Common Candidate, has to run and govern by coalition. In his manifesto, he is running on a very clear institutional platform. He is talking about reforming the Executive Presidency, establishing independent commissions for the judiciary, police, etc, reforming the electoral system and the elections commission.

Beyond talking, he has to do at least some of this stuff if elected because he’s backed by such an ‘achcharu’ coalition and there’ll be a Parliamentary election soon. If elected he will have a mandate for institutional reform and will be unable to govern as a strongman. He could be ineffective, but he simply doesn’t have the political capital to be as dictatorial as Mahinda.

The choice he’s offering is a very clear reformation of a really messed up political system. It would likely lead to less visible development in the short-term, but would probably benefit average people more and lead to a more stable country long-term. Even countries that boot-up under strongmen evolve into sorta-democracies eventually. Maithripala is offering that evolution now.

This sort of institutional governance would probably see less progress in terms of roads and mega-projects, but more improvements in health, education and things which benefit average people. At least he’s committed more in that direction.

So

There’s a very clear choice this election. If you like all the stuff Mahinda does and can put up with the corruption, waste and general neglect of law, order and sometimes logic – then vote for Mahinda (the betel leaf). If you’d like to take a gamble on Maithripala reforming all of the major Sri Lankan institutions (starting with the Presidency) and setting the country on a path to slower but more equitable and stable growth – then vote for Maithripala (the swan).

With Mahinda you know what you’re getting, which is a plus, but Maithripala isn’t a loose cannon like Sarath Fonseka either, he’s a pretty normal politician, which is not a bad thing in a post war era.

Me, personally, I’d like to take the gamble on institutions. I do think two terms is enough for a President and as much as I appreciate what Mahinda has done, I don’t like the people around him and I don’t trust him to be a careful custodian of our countries resources. For me the amount of corruption and waste he relies on for patronage is just too much. I’d rather take a chance on fixing Sri Lanka’s institutions so we can have a country of strong laws rather than strongmen.

Racism : The Final Rajapaksa Refuge

| by Tisaranee Gunasekara

“Increasing light throws darker shadows.”

AC Grayling (Toward the Light of Liberty)

( December 24, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) In an election campaign predictably marred by violence and malpractices, the unlooked for, the unimaginable also happens.

PL Keerthisinghe, the OIC of Wanduramba, resigned after 18 years of service, in protest against political interference in police work. “He charged that despite the political pressure on him, none of the senior police officers were willing to take action against the politicians…”
Racism  the Final Rajapaksa Refuge by Thavam Ratna

Presidential Election 2015 – Postal Voting Communiqué 01 by CMEV

(Lanka-e-News- 23.Dec.2014, 11.45PM) ​23rd December 2014 Colombo, Sri Lanka - Postal voting for the Presidential Election scheduled for 8th January 2015 commenced this morning at 7.30 a.m. A total of 541,831 voters are eligible to cast postal votes on the 23rd, 24th, 26th and 30th of December 2014.

Presidential Election 2015 – Postal Voting Communiqué 01 by CMEV by Thavam Ratna

UNP Urges Elections Commissioner To Stand Before The Country

December 24, 2014

The opposition is shocked and disgusted about the flagrant abuse of state power by a candidate in the presidential race who continues to misuse his authority as incumbent president, says the United National Party.

Issuing a statement the UNP says; “The Mahinda Rajapaksa campaign stooped to a new low yesterday when it broadcast his manifesto launch live on the state-owned Rupavahini network and a host of private television channels. The event was telecast live by the state media in violation of election laws, guidelines provided by the Elections Commissioner and all norms of fair play and justice. Furthermore, the broadcast was hugely embellished with praise of a singular candidate. Following the telecast several songs were broadcasted about the candidate that were not paid advertisements but a blatant propaganda campaign by state television.”

The UNP urges the Elections Commissioner to stand before the country and make his grievances known.

We publish below the statement in full;

The opposition is shocked and disgusted about the flagrant abuse of state power by a candidate in the presidential race who continues to misuse his authority as incumbent president.

The Mahinda Rajapaksa campaign stooped to a new low yesterday when it broadcast his manifesto launch live on the state-owned Rupavahini network and a host of private television channels.

The event was telecast live by the state media in violation of election laws, guidelines provided by the Elections Commissioner and all norms of fair play and justice. Furthermore, the broadcast was hugely embellished with praise of a singular candidate. Following the telecast several songs were broadcasted about the candidate that were not paid advertisements but a blatant propaganda campaign by state television.

This blatant abuse of power did not take place on just another day of campaigning. It happened while public servants were casting their postal votes in a crucial national election.

It is also with great alarm that we note that the private broadcaster Derana TV continues to air advertisements banned by the Elections Commissioner last week, using old speeches by Opposition Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena. Derana TV telecast this advertisement several times on the night of 22 December. It is disturbing that Private Media heads failed to take note of specific instructions by the Commissioner of Elections regarding the use of another candidate in election propaganda by the incumbent.

We must once again remind the national broadcaster and other state media institutions that they are not sustained by the Rajapaksa family or their political party, but by the public who pay valuable tax rupees to keep these channels afloat.Your salaries and allowances are not paid by candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa but by the toiling masses of this country. You have no right nor legal grounds to support one presidential candidate over others. This habit of assuming that all state property, from the SriLankan airlines to SLRC, belongs to a single family at the helm of affairs in the country is a Rajapaksa syndrome.

But the real question is to the Elections Commissioner. We must ask you Sir, if you have no eyes to see nor ears to hear the blatant misuse of power by none other than a candidate in this election your office is preparing for? Do you plan to be a passive observer of this process to elect Sri Lanka’s next president?

During election season, the Office of the Elections Commissioner is vested with full authority over law enforcement and the state media. Still there has been nothing but stony silence about this travesty of abuse on postal voting day.

As the country’s democratic opposition, we demand to know what action the Elections Commissioner will take against these violations of election laws. We demand that you use the authority vested with you by the constitution to appoint a COMPETENT AUTHORITY for the media until polling day to ensure this blatantly biased behaviour ceases. The Commissioner’s failure to do so would be tantamount to his condoning the behaviour of the state media in this election season.

Mr Commissioner, we demand that you remind Mahinda Rajapaksa that he too is a candidate in this election, subject to your authority. We demand that you command this country’s president to stop abusing his power and breaking the law.

Mr Commissioner, if there are powers that are attempting to influence your conduct during this election, we urge you to stand before the country and make your grievances known. The people of this country who stand for a just election will stand with you. At this time when the eyes of the entire country are on your conduct, we urge you to stay strong, courageous and independent, in the face of what must be tremendous odds.

China' factor in Sri Lanka election and strategic security 

By Col. R. Hariharan-Dated 24-Dec-2014

[Answers to questions raised by an international news agency on the subject in an e-mail interview on Dec 23rd.]

Any narrative on Sri Lanka would be incomplete if India's overwhelming influence in Sri Lanka is not considered. It comes from India's huge geographic size, economic strength and global political influence from times immemorial.
China' Factor in Sri Lanka Election and Strategic Security by Thavam Ratna

In defense of Muslim crossovers

POSTED ON DECEMBER 24TH, 2014

Hilmy Ahamed

The unthinkable has happened. Rishard Bathiudeen, the youthful minister of Industries has given up all his perks and privileges and crossed over to support Maithripala Sirisena, the common opposition’s candidate to challenge President Mahinda Rajapaksa with one other parliamentarian and 69 other elected members of Provincial Councils, Pradeshiya Sabbha’s etc. Azwer who was forced to resign from parliament to fulfill the long overdue promise of a national list slot for Rishard’s deputy, Ameer Ali is a disappointed man.  Rishard has been one of the incumbent governments most ardent and loyal supporters and continued to defend the government despite the onslaught on his community by extremist Buddhists that was allowed to continue with impunity. No action has been instituted against any of the perpetrators of over 350 incidents of violence and intimidation against Muslim during the last three years.
The relationship and trust between Minister Basil Rajapaksa and Rishard Bathiudeen has been envied by many including members of the incumbent government. This is probably the root cause that led Rishard Bathiudeen to take his unpleasant decision despite his unwavering support to the government and Basil Rajapaksa. The brawl at temple trees a few days back is listed as a result of treacherous scheming of certain powerful members of the current hierarchy to undermine the support and loyalty shown by Rishard Bathiudeen towards minister Basil Rajapaksa. A major onslaught on Rishard’s character has been undertaken with tacit support of certain influential persons at a private media institution. This media institution, despite their hosannas about other crossovers continue to bash Rishard, making the media outlet look more like one of the state media institutions. Whatever the reasons are, the government camp lost one of their most loyal champions.
Rishard’s list of woes could be pretty long. The unleashing of the Bodu Bala Sena on him and his community is seen as the first step in undermining him. The unfounded charges of encroachment in to the Wilpattu National Park by Rishard’s Muslim IDP’s were the beginning of the conflict between Rishard and the government. It is also claimed by Muslims of Mannar that hundreds of acres belonging to them have been appropriated by the armed forces. Large extent of lands belonging to the Muslims was also distributed by the LTTE to Tamils from the Mannar district, which has still not been returned to the Muslims.
Basil Rajapaksa who was in-charge of the presidential task force had the total responsibility for the development work undertaken at the end of the war. Rishard has made valuable contribution towards Basil’s efforts as minister in-charge of resettlement and rehabilitation in that has consolidated Basil’s position amongst the minority communities.
Rishard understood the need for support for IDPs as he himself was displaced in 1990 when the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) forcibly evicted the Muslims from the Northern province with less than 24 hours notice. The Muslims were not allowed to take with them anything of value, not even the deeds to their properties. Rishard has fought for the last 24 years on behalf of his forgotten people” who have still not been provided the opportunity of returning to their former homes as they are termed old refugees”.
The worst straw for Rishard was the besieging of his ministry by the Bodu Bala Sena and the threats made against him, which the government chose to ignore. No arrests were made, nor any action taken despite this thuggery by men in robes that was undertaken in front of the media in broad daylight.
The clear indications from the government that they would not need the support of the Sri Lanka Muslim congress confirm that negotiations with Hakeem and SLMC have failed. Whatever decision the SLMC makes will not make a huge difference in the way the Muslims would vote in this election. The SLMC in all probability would move to support the common candidate with in the next hours.
The last few Muslims to hold on and battle for Rajapaksa are seen by the community as insensitive to the suffering of the Muslim community. Faiszer Mustapaha, who fought valiantly to save the Grandpass mosque is a disappointed man as the mosque remains closed and the promised land for a new mosque has not been honoured. Further, he was an eyewitness to the pogrom in Aluthgama and Beruwela. He too was held hostage at the Naleemiya Institute on the 15^th of June by the mobs that came to burn down the institute and his vehicles were damaged. No inquiry or action has been taken to bring the perpetrators of the violence in Aluthgama to justice. With all this, It remains to be seen as to when Faiszer Musthapha will announce his defection.
With the end of the war in 2009, a large percentage of the Muslim community pledged their support to His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa even though the Muslims have traditionally favoured the United National Party. Muslim civil society and religious leadership too engaged in a constructive dialogue with the president and defense secretary. Despite all this, the Bodu Bala Sena was allowed to target Muslims with its hate campaign.  It is unfortunate that elements outside the government has been able to drive a large portion of the Muslim population away from supporting this government during the last three years.  Thus, the defection from the current government is mainly due to its failure to provide security and justice to the Muslim community.

Presidential Polls And The Deception Of Minority Nations

By G K Nathan -December 24, 2014 

Dr. G K Nathan

Deception of Minority Nations is a Continuing Saga in Sri Lanka, Successive Governments Failed to Respect Political Democracy

The “political democracy is founded on the equal sharing of political power among all citizens”; this was the basis for different Nations coming together as one country called Ceylon (Sri Lanka) which gained independence from the British Colonial Empire, on 4 February 1948. Ceylon was constituted as one country by bringing together three former independent monarchies of the pre-colonial era by British Colonial Government in 1833. Ceylon was given independence in a platter without a struggle or sacrifices made by the peoples, after India won its freedom pursuing a long drawn out liberation struggle and making numerous sacrifices by almost all Nations in India, against the same Colonial Power. Probably, this may be the reason Sri Lanka failed right from 

beginning as an Independent country to respect political democracy in the country? Immediate neighbour, India with multiethnic, multilingual and multireligious country consolidated their freedom recognizing the differences between Nations with quasi-federal state governments and built itself as the largest enduring democracy in the world. Indian constitution recognizes 22 scheduled languages and they are used as official language in the regions where it is spoken. Even though, Tamil language is spoken by less than 10 percent of total population of India, it was declared as a classical language, in 2004, the first one to be honoured bythe Indian Government.Read More

The 2015 Election: Shades Of 1956

By H.L. Seneviratne -December 24, 2014 

H.L. Seneviratne

Shortly after the MEP coalition led by S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike trounced the UNP in the general election of 1956, novelist and scholar Martin Wickramasinghe wrote an essay titled Bamunu Kulaye Bindavatima (The Collapse of the Brahmin Clique), which has since become a classic. There is much in that essay that I heartily disagree with, but the socio-political scene it examines bears striking resemblance to the present. The Rajapaksa regime, consisting of family, clan and cronies is sociologically a new Bamunu Kulayathat parallels its the pre-1956 prototype.

In a nutshell, what Wickremasinghe says is as follows. All cultures, however “advanced” or “primitive”, are equal in status. Out of their ignorance of this fact, the entrenched political class of the pre-1956 era thought of their western derived culture as superior to the indigenous. The resulting derogatory view of indigenous culture and arrogance towards the people backlashed in1956 to produce their precipitous downfall.

Read More

Mahinda Manifesto Bases On National Security Phobia

| by Laksiri Fernando

( December 24, 2014, Seydeny, Sri Lanka Guardian) When terrorism was ferocious and playing havoc, Mahinda Chinthana 2005 was soft on the LTTE. Everyone knows what the reason was. In addressing the problem, Mahinda said in his so-called Chinthana, “The fundamental platform that I would base my initiative would be an undivided country, a national consensus and an honourable peace” on page 31. I am quoting from the President’s official website and the emphasis is not mine but of the original document. He even didn’t say a unitary state, but an undivided country.

Mahinda Manifesto Bases on National Security Phobia by Thavam Ratna

Cheers for change!

December 24, 2014 

•  Applause for almost every answer from Common Presidential Candidate Maithripala Sirisena at packed business leaders forum 
• UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe with witty and hilarious comments drives home the point at forum that the country is lost without the elephant!
•  Maithri and Ranil say structural economic reforms; doubling of GDP needed to save country from debt and middle income trap
•  Promise good governance, law and order, widespread public consultation from day one of the new political culture 
•  Punishment in the offing against those involved in shady deals
•  Will review ongoing controversial mega projects; Say feasibility and environmental impact studies must for future ones
•  New laws to make Monetary Board, Central Bank, SEC more independent
•  Confident of free and fair polls; dismiss allegations of secret pact as baseless; allege bankruptcy of President Rajapaksa camp
•  Maithri renews call for open debate with Mahinda

Leading the leader

Ready for the battle, UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe walks into the Kings Court of Cinnamon Lakeside yesterday with the Opposition’s Common Presidential Candidate Maithripala Sirisena behind him for the forum with business leaders – Pic by Daminda Harsha Perera. 

By Marisa Wikramanayake and Waruni Paranagamage
The applauses which both the Opposition’s Common Presidential Candidate and UNP Leader received at a packed business forum yesterday sounded like early celebrations of a thumping victory.
That was the scene during the nearly two-hour engagement between Maithripala Sirisena, Ranil Wickre-mesinghe and the business community yesterday at the Cinnamon Lakeside.
The applause was sweet music for pro-Maithri or pro-UNP participants at the forum while the majority of those present were impressed by the answers and presentations of both Sirisena and Wickremesinghe.
The UNP Leader’s opening remarks set the stage for a lively discussion. The start of Wickremesinghe’s speech was tongue in cheek. Referring to President Rajapaksa’s first-ever synchronised ‘Momentum’ Forum, attended by business and professional leaders, he said: “Last week you listened to Moses, who didn’t come down from the mountain but he came over the satellite. And he told you that money is the god of our times and that Rajapaksa is its prophet.”
Then Wickremesinghe outlined his idea of filling Magampura port with ships and Mattala airport with planes to “help my friend Mahinda Rajapaksa after his retirement to fulfill his dreams”, which triggered a round of laughter.
Other responses which elicited laughter from the audience included Wickremesinghe saying that the head of the second largest party (in terms of electoral wins) under the future national government would not be named Opposition Leader but Deputy Prime Minister since he has held the former post for too long and that the lack of law and order was not the elephant in the room but because there was no elephant in the room
Witty remarks aside, Wickremesinghe spoke on several pressing and longstanding issues affecting good governance and sustainable and equitable growth in the country.
Both he and Sirisena promised good governance, law and order from day one of the new political culture which they are confident of, following victory at the 8 January presidential poll. They also assured favourable relations with the West as well as India and other Asian nations.

Sirisena warned that inquiries were in the offing against those involved in shady deals. It was also mentioned that all controversial projects would be put under review while all such deals would be under review and going forward feasibility and environmental impact studies would be insisted upon for future mega projects.
The duo also hinted at new laws to make the Monetary Board, Central Bank, SEC and other regulatory bodies as well as state institutions more independent. Sirisena and Wickremesinghe expressed confidence in a free and fair poll taking place. They also dismissed allegations of a secret pact detailing relaxation of high security zones, etc. between the UNP and the Common Candidate as baseless. Maithripala said that such allegations, with more to come, only confirm the level of bankruptcy within President Rajapaksa’s camp. He also renewed his call for an open debate with the President.
With regard to intimidation at polls, Wickremesinghe expressed doubt that the military would play any part in such activity and if attempted it would be foolish since the Opposition Leader said that Colombo was a UNP city and overall the public at large would be vigilant.
He said that any inquiry into shady deals of the past will not disrupt businesses but urged those present at the forum to rush to Inland Revenue and pay up if they have ill-gained income. He also emphasised that converting expensive short-term debt into more favourable long-term debt was an immediate priority as well as boosting investments and domestic demand.
Noting that the re-fleeting of SriLankan Airlines and Mihin Lanka had cost $ 330 million in the first half of 2014, Wickremesinghe warned that this had to be met without burdening the people with higher direct and indirect taxation.
It was in this context that Wckremesinghe suggested that perhaps the Rajapaksas should buy SriLankan Airlines and Mihin Lanka since, he alleged, the two airlines are being used lavishly by them.
Boosting Government revenue and eliminating wasteful expenditure were two specific measures both Sirisena and Wickremesinghe highlighted.
Wickremesighe added that the doubling of GDP in the next eight years and again in the next five years was the answer to save Sri Lanka from the debt trap and middle income trap.
He said the economy will be boosted through higher produce and services exports and rejuvenated agriculture and manufacturing. For this competitiveness will be improved, apart from investing in skills development, productivity and efficiency improvement.

Nil Balakaya seizes Kahawatte Plantation!

 

Tuesday, 23 December 2014 

Poranuwa Estate in Ratnapura, owned by Kahawatte Plantation PLC, a leading listed private estate in Sri Lanka, has been seized by Namal Rajapaksa’s Nil Balakaya and is sinking fast, say people of the area.

Touring Ratnapura recently, Namal asked Nil Balakaya members there for the land, saying that the only job he is familiar with is gem mining. Using the GPS satellite system, they identified Poranuwa estate and Kiribathgala Estate, owned by Agalawatte Plantation Company, as having gem deposits.

When he was told about this, Namal said they could do anything they wished. Overjoyed by his answer, his supporters in Demo Batta vehicles from Embilipitiya, Hambantota, Angunakolapelessa invaded these estates.

Uprooting the richly grown tea bushes, they had removed loads of earth from these estates and taken them to their areas. Other than Nil Balakaya, other government supporters too, have invaded these estates and destroyed the tea plantations. Unable to control the situation, the estate superintendents have complained to deputy minister Premalal Gunasekara alias Choka Malli, who represents the area. He had come to the area along with the police and tried to stop the destruction, when Namal’s supporters threatened him, “Mr. minister, if you stop this, we will not vote for the government.” Due to these threats, Choka Malli beat a hasty retreat.

As a solution, Kahawatte Plantation is to handover Poranuwa Estate to the Gem and Jewellery Authority to be auctioned, a top executive officer of the company told ‘Lanka News Web.’

The Opposition Manifesto Is A Mere Shopping List

By R.M. B Senanayake -December 24, 2014 

R.M.B. Senanayake

The Opposition Manifesto is a mere shopping list. It does not reflect any understanding of the problems likely to be faced in 2015. MR understood these problems – the vulnerability on the foreign debt repayment, the increasing current account deficit in the balance of payments, the need to borrow to fund it from foreign loans and the failure of the infrastructure investment program to improve the living standards of the people. So he decided to hold the presidential election in 2015, two years before it was due.

Flawed Economics

Perhaps the Opposition thought the primary goal should be “Carthago delenda est.( Carthage must be destroyed).So it seems to match or outdo the giveaways promised by President MR in his last budget. So the economic aspects of the Manifesto are badly flawed and inadequate. It promises to raise the salaries and pensions of government employees; increase Samurdhi by 200% which is paid not only to the genuinely poor but to over 50% of the population. These salary increases to government employees are not linked to any measures to increase productivity. Increase of Mahapola Scholarship by Rs 500, pension schemes for 3 wheeler drivers, carpenters, farmers’ fishermen etc (hopefully they will be contributory pension’s scheme.) are other goodies. The present non contributory pension scheme for government employees is a huge burden. MR recklessly converted the contributory pension scheme for new employees to the public service to the present unaffordable non-contributory pension scheme in 2009. What is required is to restore the contributory scheme. The losses in State owned undertaking must be eliminated either by eliminating the inefficiencies and corruption, either sold to the private sector or closed down altogether if there are no takers. This is what China did in the 1990s. She closed down the loss-making enterprises and sacked a large number of the government employees. There is no other way to promote economic growth. The Manifesto says the allocation for Education will be increased to 6% of GDP- impossible without cutting elsewhere and there is no scope for cutting since the entire Tax revenue is not enough to pay the salaries and pensions and the interest on the outstanding debt.

Read More

Gross Human Rights Abuses & Election Malpractices In Sri Lanka By The De Facto Dictatorship Regime

| by Thomas Johnpulle

( December 24, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Sri Lanka is a democracy only by name. In reality it is a dictatorship run by a single family. After the Constitution was changed in 2010 to allow the president unlimited terms, dictatorial tendencies have multiplied. Although an election is called, the opposition is not allowed to freely and fairly engage in election work. Regular attacks, intimidations, partisan police action and misusing the heavily politicized legal system to frame opposition activists are seen daily.

In its latest assault on freedom and harmony, the government has come up with a concocted story of an illicit agreement said to exist between the Common Candidate and the United National Party. It is a complete lie but this type of character assassinations take place regularly in Sri Lankan politics instigated by the ruling party using state resources. It arouses racism and intolerance and threatens peace and human dignity.

Government servants are pressurized and threatened to follow the political stand of the ruling party. Those who disobey are sacked from their positions and attacked. Even family members are not spared from these vicious retributions.

Opposition activists, students and peaceful protestors are attacked, killed and/or forcibly disappeared regularly. People fear to freely engage in politics turning the country into a dictatorship like North Korea. This emerging dictatorship must be nipped in the bud early. Otherwise the UNHRC will have to again take damage control action after the event.

UNHRC and the international community must prevail upon the Sri Lankan government to stop its gross human rights abuses and allow a free and fair election.

CC: United Nations Human Rights Council

CC: Embassy of the United States, High Commissions of the United Kingdom and India

Lajja!

Editorial-December 23, 2014, 7:09 pm 

Mannar mayhem: The need to solve underlying problems -DM

‘The Executive Committee of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka at an emergency meeting held on 19.07.2012 unanimously expressed its strong condemnation and abhorrence of the incident which took place in Mannar where the Court premises came under attack and the District Judge and Magistrate Hon. A. Judeson was threatened and subjected to questioning by Minister Rishard Bathiudeen, Minister of Rehabilitation. In the unanimous view of the Executive Committee, this conduct amounts to a serious and unwarranted interference with the Administration of Justice and the Judicial process and undoubtedly amounts to Contempt of Court.’

The foregoing excerpt of a special statement issued by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) is self-explanatory. We joined the premier association of Sri Lanka’s legal fraternity and many concerned citizens in condemning the aforesaid mob attack carried out at the behest of Minister Bathiudeen on the Manner court complex and threats he issued to a judge in 2012. In the same breath, we called upon the BASL to put its own house in order by taking action against its members who had gone berserk in the Colombo High Court, breaking furniture and abusing, in raw filth, two judges including a woman when the judgment in the so-called White Flag case was delivered in 2011.

Minister Bathiudeen, who drew heavy flak from the BASL, the Opposition, the media and all those who cherish judicial independence and democracy, has now defected and thrown in his lot with Opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena, who promises us good governance. Having shamelessly defended Bathiudeen and done everything in its power to prevent his crossover, the government is vilifying him, but the fact remains that he is now the Opposition’s liability.

Politically, no issue should be made of Bathuideen’s crossover. Defection is the name of the game in Sri Lankan politics. He is a politician and politicians are like frogs; they jump and croak. The upcoming presidential election has all the trappings of a crossover contest rather than an electoral exercise to elect a leader to rule the country. There are only two persons who, we can say with confidence, will not cross over. They are UPFA presidential candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa and Opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena!

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe were all smiles when they announced Minister Bathiudeen’s defection on Monday. Ironically, while advocating judicial independence, democracy, good governance, the rule of law and so on, those two leaders had no qualms about presenting as a prized catch a person who had caused a countrywide court strike in July, 2012 by organising a mob attack on a court complex, abusing and threatening a judge in a bid to have a judicial decision reversed. What a shame!

We have seen many campaigns for change and good governance during the past few decades and some organisers with sordid track records made them look like lorries that illegally transport cattle for slaughter with Budu Saranai’ and Devi Pihitai—may the Buddha and deities bless you!—prominently written above their windshields. This exactly is what the presence of Bathidueen has done to the Opposition campaign. It will be interesting to know what the campaigners for judicial independence such as lawyers who had been out for Bathiudeen’s scalp until Monday morning have to say about the Opposition’s decision to welcome him.

What moral right do parliamentarians who voted for impeaching Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake have to champion judicial independence? They may fight their political battles with the incumbent government and, in fact, they have every right to do so. And they must be able to take on the ruling party without being harassed, intimidated and attacked, in a bid to capture power and implement their policies. That is what democracy is all about. But, they should not make their power struggles out to be pro-democracy campaigns unless they think the masses are asses.