Sri Lanka Invaluable Political Lessons
updated 12012015 1937hrs: Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa's (MR) official media unit said "President conceded defeat". He will vacate his official residence for the smooth transition. The man who won with landslide victory in 2010 presidential elections lost the office after four years. What went wrong?
2. MR and his brother Gotabhaya Rajapaksa (GR) who were the prime suspects of Tamil genocide was seen over confident during the Presidential Election's press conference in November 2014 without knowing that it is a political suicide. Informed source said its never crossed MR's mind that his own party man, Maithripala Sirisena (MS) will crossover to opponent side and eventually became a residence of Temple Trees.
Analysis
2. MR and his brother Gotabhaya Rajapaksa (GR) who were the prime suspects of Tamil genocide was seen over confident during the Presidential Election's press conference in November 2014 without knowing that it is a political suicide. Informed source said its never crossed MR's mind that his own party man, Maithripala Sirisena (MS) will crossover to opponent side and eventually became a residence of Temple Trees.
Analysis
3. Election results had indicated Tamils' votes played an important role to boot out Rajapaksa's family from the corridor of power in Sri Lanka. Common candidate MS secured 6,217,162 votes (51.3%) against MR who received 5,768,090 votes (47.6%). MS won with majority 449,072 votes.
4. Rajapaksa built his image as a staunch Sinhalese Nationalist on the back of war after the SL armed forces under the command of Fonseka with the assistance of world powers brought to end the civil war between Tamils led by LTTE and the Sinhalese government. While MR won the war unfortunately he failed to deliver a political solution to win Tamils' supports in longer run despite was in strongest position to make the changes, which would have made him to win the real battle.
5. The way 30 years civil war brought to end saw widespread horrors perpetrated on Tamil civilians, prompting accusations of genocide on MR's government. While MR said his armed forces had secured the freedom for Tamils in North and East Sri Lanka yet none of his government's action after war confirmed his words. The atrocities on Tamils continues to the extend that family members were not even allowed to have a commemoration prayers for the love one who were killed during or after the war. Rape, kidnapping, detention beyond the legal means, academic discrimination, force recruitment into military service (open source reported Tamil girls who were recruited into military service raped in training camp), and various atrocities went off-records under MR's administration.
6. Non-sinhalese is a third class citizens in Sri Lanka and MR being a president since 2005 failed to rectify the constitutional defect that was so obvious, discriminating non-Sinhalese. In addition, he has allowed government agents either from intelligence section or Buddhist extremist to terrorize Tamils, as well as Muslims in the name of counter-terrorism or religion. Muslims were assaulted and the most recent violent few weeks before the call for presidential elections shows the attacks were preplanned to gain political support from Sinhalese. MR directly or indirectly has allowed violence on Muslims despite the political party who are looking after them was then the staunch supporters of ruling party. The violence and strategic discrimination on Tamils (including Muslims and Christians) has left permanent scars in the community against MR's administration. When the election was called they just want to get rid out MR from the office. The outcome was MR failed to secure votes from Tamil dominated areas.
7. In 2010 Presidential election, MR won the office overwhelmingly. However within four years the majority Sinhalese have turn their back on him. Why?
8. MR has built his dictatorship's by appointing his family members into government's strategic office. Government's daily activities had been run as though he is running family enterprises. Almost all the bases for good governance and democracy were put aside. Rule by law, force disappearance, cronyism, nepotism, corruption just to name few had became the normal practices in daily business of government.
9. Freedom of expression was at the lowest level. Whoever spoke against MR or his family members then they will be hunted by the state security agents. Media personnel were assaulted and many were assassinated after refusing to bow to the threats from state agents. For instance the editor of the Sunday Leader newspaper, Lasantha Wickrematunge was assassinated in a day time, in public place yet the investigation was never concluded. Even the Judiciary could not deliver the judgement independently and the separation of power between Executive, Legislative and Judiciary was put on a question mark. Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake was removed from bench for delivering judgement which are not in favor of the Executive branch.
10. The moderate Sinhalese were upset while they supported MR in 2010 elections, however, they didn't anticipate he will turn-up the public office as his family property. People were suffering while his family members were accumulating properties. Economy was not growing, and public law and order is getting worst. For Sri Lanka to progress they need a good governance and that only can happen by replacing MR with another capable man. Even-though Rajapaksa secured supports from Sinhalese yet the numbers had declined, in particularly, in the areas where more educated as well as moderate Sinhalese resides.
11. Politically MR failed to read peoples' desire for good governance and he cannot maintain political power just by running a propaganda that LTTE will return and he need to be re-elected to kept separatist under the government's thumb. Divide and rule strategy will not work all the time.
12. People irrespective of race or religion need to survive, and they will not be able to progress, if the government policies were not on right belting. It was obvious that while people on ground are struggling president's family are living in lavish life to the extend using government's jet to flew their pet from foreign country. In 2010 election the issue was the conclusion of civil war that had pulled the votes for MR but in 2015 the issues were totally different. With the mantra "Good governance" and strong supports from Ranil Wickremesinghe, as well as former president Chandrika Kumaratunga, Sirisena went into the political battle as a common candidate and defeated Rajapaksa.
4. Rajapaksa built his image as a staunch Sinhalese Nationalist on the back of war after the SL armed forces under the command of Fonseka with the assistance of world powers brought to end the civil war between Tamils led by LTTE and the Sinhalese government. While MR won the war unfortunately he failed to deliver a political solution to win Tamils' supports in longer run despite was in strongest position to make the changes, which would have made him to win the real battle.
5. The way 30 years civil war brought to end saw widespread horrors perpetrated on Tamil civilians, prompting accusations of genocide on MR's government. While MR said his armed forces had secured the freedom for Tamils in North and East Sri Lanka yet none of his government's action after war confirmed his words. The atrocities on Tamils continues to the extend that family members were not even allowed to have a commemoration prayers for the love one who were killed during or after the war. Rape, kidnapping, detention beyond the legal means, academic discrimination, force recruitment into military service (open source reported Tamil girls who were recruited into military service raped in training camp), and various atrocities went off-records under MR's administration.
6. Non-sinhalese is a third class citizens in Sri Lanka and MR being a president since 2005 failed to rectify the constitutional defect that was so obvious, discriminating non-Sinhalese. In addition, he has allowed government agents either from intelligence section or Buddhist extremist to terrorize Tamils, as well as Muslims in the name of counter-terrorism or religion. Muslims were assaulted and the most recent violent few weeks before the call for presidential elections shows the attacks were preplanned to gain political support from Sinhalese. MR directly or indirectly has allowed violence on Muslims despite the political party who are looking after them was then the staunch supporters of ruling party. The violence and strategic discrimination on Tamils (including Muslims and Christians) has left permanent scars in the community against MR's administration. When the election was called they just want to get rid out MR from the office. The outcome was MR failed to secure votes from Tamil dominated areas.
7. In 2010 Presidential election, MR won the office overwhelmingly. However within four years the majority Sinhalese have turn their back on him. Why?
8. MR has built his dictatorship's by appointing his family members into government's strategic office. Government's daily activities had been run as though he is running family enterprises. Almost all the bases for good governance and democracy were put aside. Rule by law, force disappearance, cronyism, nepotism, corruption just to name few had became the normal practices in daily business of government.
9. Freedom of expression was at the lowest level. Whoever spoke against MR or his family members then they will be hunted by the state security agents. Media personnel were assaulted and many were assassinated after refusing to bow to the threats from state agents. For instance the editor of the Sunday Leader newspaper, Lasantha Wickrematunge was assassinated in a day time, in public place yet the investigation was never concluded. Even the Judiciary could not deliver the judgement independently and the separation of power between Executive, Legislative and Judiciary was put on a question mark. Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake was removed from bench for delivering judgement which are not in favor of the Executive branch.
10. The moderate Sinhalese were upset while they supported MR in 2010 elections, however, they didn't anticipate he will turn-up the public office as his family property. People were suffering while his family members were accumulating properties. Economy was not growing, and public law and order is getting worst. For Sri Lanka to progress they need a good governance and that only can happen by replacing MR with another capable man. Even-though Rajapaksa secured supports from Sinhalese yet the numbers had declined, in particularly, in the areas where more educated as well as moderate Sinhalese resides.
11. Politically MR failed to read peoples' desire for good governance and he cannot maintain political power just by running a propaganda that LTTE will return and he need to be re-elected to kept separatist under the government's thumb. Divide and rule strategy will not work all the time.
12. People irrespective of race or religion need to survive, and they will not be able to progress, if the government policies were not on right belting. It was obvious that while people on ground are struggling president's family are living in lavish life to the extend using government's jet to flew their pet from foreign country. In 2010 election the issue was the conclusion of civil war that had pulled the votes for MR but in 2015 the issues were totally different. With the mantra "Good governance" and strong supports from Ranil Wickremesinghe, as well as former president Chandrika Kumaratunga, Sirisena went into the political battle as a common candidate and defeated Rajapaksa.
13. However, I wish to put on record here that Tamils' had played an important role in booting out MR from office. Without their vote most probably MS may not be able to claim solid victory against MR. While MS need to fulfill his manifestos within 100 days, he also have a responsibility to address the grievances of Tamil community including a war crime investigations by the UNHRC.
14. Sri Lanka's Presidential Elections has offered an invaluable political lessons to the rest of the world. Those who read the reason behind the electoral defeat of MR accurately will be in a promising end to form the government after their general elections in their respective country.
#end
14. Sri Lanka's Presidential Elections has offered an invaluable political lessons to the rest of the world. Those who read the reason behind the electoral defeat of MR accurately will be in a promising end to form the government after their general elections in their respective country.
#end
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