On Selfishness
First we were stuck between two poles of violence. Now we’re stuck between polls. Mahinda is trying to consolidate power and Ranil is trying to consolidate something, the opposition, I guess. The Sri Lankan people are stuck in between.
Mahinda
Mahinda’s behaviour is blatantly shameless, merging the state and himself. In the end this leaves us with a sort of mafia democracy, rule of men rather than laws. Most recently, he’s appointed a special police unit to probe people tarnishing his name. This is just one example of state powers being subsumed into the service of one person.
The presumed payload of this election is constitutional changes that will enshrine these powers in law and, perhaps, even allow him to overturn term limits and run again. Mahinda is consolidating power outside the constitution already, so one can only imagine what will happen if he gets it.
Either way, this is a time of great potential change and Mahinda seems determined to, like JR, tailor-fit the state to himself. The danger is that a government based on a man rather than institutions does nothing to serve the dispossessed or future generations.
Ranil
Ranil — enabling Mahinda?
The other man that makes this possible is Ranil Wickremesinghe. By consolidating power over the body if not the heart of the UNP, Ranil has created a semi-permanent opposition that makes Mahinda’s bold power-grab possible. While Mahinda is using this time to take all he can get, Ranil is simply waiting. He allows other people to do the hard work of opposition while denying them the title and power of leader. He is the leader of the opposition in name only. In reality he is a vital part of Mahinda’s machine.
Perhaps Ranil thinks he’ll get lucky, or that things will get so bad that people will demand him back. Either way, it’s a deeply irresponsible gamble to take with other people’s lives. The opposition is running into this vital election in a fractured coalition, with new symbols each time and with a fraction of the potential force of the UNP. The UNP is just there, the real leadership comes from the neophyte wife of a recently neophyte retired General.
Shame
Both of these men should be ashamed. Mahinda for thinking that he is the state and Ranil for thinking that he is the opposition. They both enable each other, and disable our nation. Mahinda is dismantling our democratic institutions and Ranil is, by neglect, dismantling the opposition. This would be shameful in any age, but at this time of great potential change and renewal it is almost criminal.
Sri Lanka has a chance to emerge from the division of violence into some sort of democratic unity. Instead, Mahinda is dividing the country into a feudal us and them, which Ranil is enabling. They are both two sides of the same coin. It’s very easy for Mahinda to stay up when Ranil is so happy to be down.
Sadly, however, this may be the last flip. After this, lawlessness may be enshrined in law. Between the selfishness of these two men, the space for freedom and equal opportunity is getting smaller and smaller. We are not free to live without connection to Mahinda and we are not free to oppose without connection to Ranil. They are effectively crashing the democratic system, something it may take another generation to rebuild.
Good article – but a case of : more of the same.
I have a special request to make. It is depressing; constantly reading all the corrupt activities of our parliamentary representatives. Sure, the rotten apples are many – but dedicated people serving the national interest do exist.
One such person, I think, is Mrs Ioma Rajapaksa. I have admired the work and dedication of this lady with the Seva Vanitha Unit. Her simple unassuming nature, and empathy with the people she serves; cannot be a mere facade.
Hopefully, you may indulge my curiosity about this lovely lady.
Are my perceptions correct ? Lets have a positive interview, ‘showcasing’ the work of this lady. An interview that gets to the core of her ‘soul.’ Dedicated, ‘self-less’ people serving the country do exist – let us hear about them.
Spare us the questions any ‘journeyman’ journalist would ask .
What motivates this lady – what are her feelings towards the women who lost their husbands – saving her husband (but not in a vindictive manner). Is this a heavy burden she carries, etc ? Her visible empathy/sorrow for the disabled soldiers. Her fears. Does the lack of public appreciation and the occasional negative publicity depress her . How she perceives her role as a support ‘base ‘ for her husband . A wife’s insight into behind the scenes emotions and motivations of her husband . Their joint agonies and ecstasies of the job. Her plans for the future. Her view on miscreants who evoke negative perceptions, and tarnish the image of all people engaged in the dedicated service of their country. Etc , Etc, Etc. I shall leave the rest to you.
I look forward to reading the interview.
Yes, there are many decent people in Sri Lanka; some of them DO come forward to take on leadership. The problem is identifying them.
In practical terms each voter has to identify the decent persons and in the next, parliamentary elections, vote first for the decent party, then for the most able individuals; and we can give choices ONE, TWO, and THREE to just that one person to increase his/her chances of winning.
Thanks, Gabriella, for identifying such a person for us.
The problems with this identification are: (a) Does she have at least sufficient District Organization to become a lone voice in Parliament? (b) Can this become a nation-wide move?
I will vote for goodness and honesty irrespective of how many others are voting for such a person. But this must be a person who can see clearly what the key issues are and tackle them fearlessly.
Gabriella, my problem is “who is this lady?” The surname suggests one of the FAMILY. And your comment is in response to a fearless and intelligent critique of the two quite dangerous, differently selfish men whom the country now is in dread of.
Make no mistake: the people love neither Mahinda nor Ranil. The people are wrong to see no alternative. To me it seems the alternative forces have no time to group themselves. If, in your Distict, you have the likes of U.B. Wijekoon, Siritunga Jayasooriya, Dr Wickremabahu Karunaratne, or even the weird looking Wije Dias (they all contested the Presidential election and lost their deposits: the lot of them – the “other 20 candidates” got only 2%; each had to get 5% to save his deposit!). But I say again, vote for them. Each vote will carry that little message: we do not like corruption, racism, selfishness.
Let us put up individual little fights within our Districts – and hope God grants us early deaths. So bleak is the outlook.
Daya,
The lady I refer to is the Defense Secretary’s wife – Mrs Ioma Rajapaksa.
To the best of my knowledge, she is not a political candidate, and I certainly am not interested in her from a political perspective.
I thought it was about time we read about people who do serve the country well. Unless, I am very much mistaken – I think this lady is one such person.
If she is, let us give credit where credit is due; rather than constantly criticizing – for the sake of criticizing. This constant negativism has a debilitating effect on every strata of society.
Hey fellas
Do you know these type of work is loved by the JVP
to do, but forcefully made out bounds for them,
They have to take licence from UPFA or UNP.
Ioma fonseka is a new comer, who started Manel Mal
movement , who helped the Tsunami & flood victims.
Now dont bring the their past history , which is stale
& stinks that is the Kokatath thailaya for all
Anti JVpers.
Her husband is a corrupt man and if she watches his thieving and does nothing then she is as bad as he is. She benefits from his corrupt moneymaking so she is as corrupt as he is. So please think again before you nominate people like this. It’s just stupid really.
Day dreaming Gabriella,
You are really day dreaming. I wonder how you speak of Mrs. Ioma Rajapakse to be a true leader. A leader should serve the nation. Not only foot licking gabriellas only. A leader should identify the true threats to the nation and should be fearless to drive the nation to the prosperity. To do that she should start from her house it self. The immediate threat to this nation comes in the form of power hungry, autocratic Rajapakses and visionless, stupidly cunning, ever dreaming ranil. As said in the article very correctly, these two sides of the coin drives this nation to a paraya state. No point in tossing it up. Either side gives no comfort for the nation.
Would Gabriel thinks that Mrs. Rajapakse can identify this and drive the nation in to the right path??? day dreaming.
Now regarding the article… perfectly written. Thanks. All the Rajapakases are in Public appointments to serve the nation during there time of office. The president was elected to do just that. It is his job and all the Sri Lankans are paying for it by way of taxes. president or any public office can not excape doing 1 right and doing thousands of illegal, criminal things. There is no excuse for doing any wrongs. And also Ranil as a person who lives by the tax payers money have the same responsibility towards nation. The iorny here is, we sri lankans have a bunch of rajapakses who does not know the word of ‘responsibility to the nation’ and one and only Ranil who does not it either.
Ranil should be ashamed of his leadership. Ranil should accept his failers without trying to put the blame on something or somebody.
As Sundayleader, you have a bigger responsibility to play.
You should able to criticice Rajapakses and Ranil alike for the right reasons. And who ever the other stupid politicians we have currently irrespective of their alliences. We, as citizens will allways be with you.
Mr Manjula Weerasekera,
My Dear Sir: You address me incorrectly . It is not – day dreaming gabriella.
It is: WE DARE TO DREAM !!! – Gabriella
P.S. Critics do not build Nations. VISIONARIES DO !
I heard recently that boys from one leading buddhist school in colombo 10 raided a leading school in colombo 7 and broke down its walls. Do we all know about it? Ashamed. If the future generation is acting like this now what will our future be and what will our country be.
I have lived abroad for nearly 20 years and have been working in my country for the last twelve years I think most of these young people instead of sucking the blood of their parents should be sent to places like the middle east to work at least for two years. Then they will learn what life is.
POOR SRI LANKA and its future leaders.
What is the relevance of your reply to this article ?
“We are not free to live without connection to Mahinda and we are not free to oppose without connection to Ranil”…. there are people in every society who understand this more than the others. From the point of view of a Tamil this is what happened to the Tamils during the LTTE era, If you do not accept Prabaharan as the sole leader of SL Tamils, you are not eligible to be a Tamil, and this shows up now ……..