Gota Goes Berserk
By Frederica Jansz
Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Defence Secretary, Gotabaya Rajapaksa went berserk when contacted by The Sunday Leader to clarify and find out if he was aware that the management at SriLankan Airlines had taken a decision to change a wide bodied A340 scheduled to fly to Zurich on Friday July 13, to a smaller A330. The change was to be made so that a SriLankan Airline pilot, who is dating a niece of President Mahinda Rajapaksa could personally fly the aircraft that would carry a ‘puppy dog’ for Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa from Zurich.
The Sunday Leader was told by senior airline pilots that 56 passengers would have had to be off-loaded if the aircraft was changed.
The pilot concerned is Capt. Praveen Wijesinghe who currently is dating Flight Officer Madini Chandradasa, the niece of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
When asked, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, while denying that he had any knowledge that CEO Kapila Chandrasena had ordered the change of aircraft from an A340 to an A330 as Capt. Wijesinghe was not qualified to fly the bigger aircraft, admitted that Capt. Wijesinghe would indeed be ‘passengering’ on one sector so he could bring down the dog for his wife. “Yes they are bringing a puppy – it is for my wife. There is nothing wrong with that. I have every right to bring not just a dog but an elephant on SriLankan if I so wish – I am paying for the cargo. I have every right to bring anything I want. This is not the first time – before this also they brought a dog for me…what is wrong – I am paying for the cargo I have every right,” Rajapaksa said.
When it was pointed out that bringing the dog was not the issue – but a loss of revenue for the airline as an entire aircraft was to be replaced with a smaller bodied plane – resulting in the loss of 56 passengers, Rajapaksa turned abusive.
Using foul language he screamed, “If you write one bloody word I will sue the writer and your newspaper – which I have already done - I am not afraid of the bloody courts – I will sue you and shut down your f……. newspaper.” (see box for full conversation)
The Sunday Leader was told that the decision to change the aircraft scheduled to fly to Zurich on Friday July 13, from an A330 back to an A340 was made only after members of the Pilots’ Guild vehemently protested to the Head of Flight Operations Capt. Navin de Silva.
However, both Capt. Ruwan Withanage, President of the Airline Pilots’ Guild of Sri Lanka (ALPGSL) and Capt. Navin de Silva subsequently denied that senior pilots had pressured the management into reverting on their original decision to fly an A330 instead of an A340 to Zurich to suit Capt. Wijesinghe so he could bring down the puppy.
Kapila Chandrasena, Chief Executive Officer for SriLankan Airlines when first contacted refused to answer any questions on this issue over the telephone but asked for an email to be sent. After this was done, he replied saying he would request the Manager of Crew Resources to respond to our email.
Instead, Ranjith de Silva, Senior Manager Corporate Communications, sent us a response which said, “aircraft allocation to routes are based on the flying range. A330/A340 aircrafts are generally used for long range travel.” He added that generally an A330 or A340 is deployed on the European routes, while the change in the aircrafts is based on the commercial requirements.
He refused to comment on whether or not a dog for Rajapaksa was to be transported on this flight.
Kapila Chandrasena however subsequently did speak with us reiterating that he knew nothing of this matter. Asked if he did not know about the puppy dog to be brought down from Zurich for the Defence Secretary he said, “No. I know nothing – I don’t know what this controversy is all about”.
Asked if at any stage a decision was taken to change an A340 scheduled to fly to Zurich on Friday July 13, to an A330 in order to accommodate Capt. Praveen Wijesinghe to fly to Zurich, Chandrasena replied, “we do make those decisions based on passenger load – and that we do all the time though usually it is an A340 that flies the second leg from the Middle East to Zurich”.
It was to ascertain the veracity of this story that we contacted not only SriLankan Airlines officials but the Defence Secretary as well to find out if he was aware of this situation.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa confirmed that indeed Capt. Praveen Wijesinghe was to travel on July 13 to Zurich to bring down a puppy dog for his wife. “He is a friend of mine and he offered to do so,” Rajapaksa said.
However, Capt. Wijesinghe contradicted Gotabaya Rajapaksa by saying, “No, I do not even know if we would be bringing a dog from Zurich to Colombo. That sort of information is not known until the day of the flight.”
Wijesinghe after making this pronouncement telephoned us again to warn us saying, “If nothing but the truth is reported about my girl friend or myself, I will be forced to take legal action.”
The fact is, Capt, Wijesinghe is rostered to fly the first leg of this journey – Colombo – Kuwait or Doha (the middle eastern destination is decided depending on the passenger load) on an A330 and from thereon passenger on an A340 to Zurich.
Wijesinghe admitted to The Sunday Leader that he was indeed recently rostered to fly an A330 on the first sector from Colombo to Kuwait or Doha on Friday July 13. He said he would fly the initial sector up to the Middle East and thereafter travel the rest of the journey as a passenger. “I will only be flying the A330 leg, while the A340 will be flown by someone else.” He further said that he is not qualified to fly an A340 and if he did he would be facing a possible jail term.
With additional reporting by Dinouk Colombage
“You Are Pigs Who Eat Shit” – Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa
When contacted to find out if he was aware, if indeed an aircraft scheduled to fly to Zurich was to be changed to accommodate a personal friend and pilot who had offered to ensure the safe passage of a puppy dog for him, Gotabaya Rajapaksa turned abusive and screamed at this journalist in two subsequent telephone conversations in raw filth.
On Thursday July 5, excerpts of the first telephone conversation:
FJ: Mr. Rajapaksa I do not know if you are aware but we have been told that a SriLankan Airlines flight is to fly to Zurich next Friday to bring down a puppy dog for you?
GR: So what is wrong with that? It is a regular flight – Yes they are bringing a puppy – it is for my wife. There is nothing wrong with that. I have every right to bring not just a dog but an elephant if I so wish – I am paying for the cargo. I have every right to bring anything I want. This is not the first time – before this also they brought a dog for me…what is wrong – I am paying for the cargo I have every right.
FJ: Absolutely. But that is not the issue. We were told that Capt. Praveen Wijesinghe has personally offered to fly to Zurich to bring this dog for you?
GR: Yes. So what? He is my friend – I have friends at SriLankan former Air Force officers who will do me favours – What is wrong with that?
FJ: But this pilot is not qualified to fly the A340 – and so initially SriLankan was pressured to change the aircraft to an A330 in order to accommodate him…
GR: No aircraft was changed…
FJ: That decision was reverted only after the President of the Pilots Guild objected …
GR: Nobody objected! If you write any bloody thing about this I will sue you! I am not afraid of the bloody courts! I have already sued you I will sue you again! That is my right!
FJ: Yes. But it is also my right as a journalist to ask you for your side of the story or clarify this story with you since it involves you.
GR: You go ask SriLankan Airlines!!FJ: We already have. However the issue is this. Any pilot can bring down a dog – it is all about controlling and ensuring the correct air pressure in the cabin. Why should Capt. Praveen Wijesinghe be chosen despite him not being able to fly the aircraft on one sector and having to passenger as a result…
GR: So what? Yes he is passengering so what is wrong with that? I am telling you again if you write any bloody word about this I will sue your f…..g newspaper – this is the way you all wrote about the MIG deal – without checking you bloody… wrote your f……g version all because somebody told you something…
FJ: Which is why I have called you. I am not going by what ‘somebody’ told me. I called you to get your side of the story and to clarify this issue.
GR: You write one bloody word and I will sue you!!! I will sue the writer and your f…..g paper again!!
FJ: Mr. Rajapaksa are you threatening me?
GR: Yes! I am threatening you! Write every single word I have told you if you want – you write a bloody f…..g word and we will see…
FJ: Mr. Rajapaksa I called you as a journalist to inform you of what was happening and get your version but all you have done is abuse me in raw filth…
He hung up.
On Thursday July 5, I again telephoned Mr. Rajapaksa after being informed that a VIP had informed him about the matter and Rajapaksa had said he did not know an aircraft was to be changed in order to accommodate Capt. Praveen Wijesinghe to facilitate the bringing down of the dog in question. Rajapaksa had told the VIP that if this was the case he would fly the dog down on another airline.
I then decided that given the fact that he would take action on the matter and ensure there was no loss in revenue to SriLankan Airlines, I would not carry the story. I however telephoned Mr. Rajapaksa again to tell him that my decision was based purely on him promising to take action and not because he blatantly threatened me the previous day and used foul language.
Excerpts of the telephone conversation on July 6, 2012FJ: Mr. Rajapaksa I am calling you again because I have now been told that Mr. …….. spoke with you this morning and you had said you were not aware that the management at SriLankan were changing a plane resulting in a loss of 56 passengers in order to accommodate Capt. Praveen Wijesinghe to bring down a puppy dog for you…
GR: I warned you yesterday not to speak with me. If these pilots are idiots to change a plane for this… that is not my fault. I was doing this the right way – but these pilots are fighting among themselves. And you shit journalists listen to them. They are f……g idiots… This is not my fault.
FJ: True. But the fact is a decision like this was taken and later changed when pressure was brought on the management by senior pilots…
GR: That is not correct! I have since checked and there was no such decision.
FJ: There definitely was. However since you have promised to take action I have decided to hold the story but I want you to know that I am not doing so because you threatened me yesterday…
GR: Yes I threatened you. Your type of journalists are pigs who eat shit! Pigs who eat shit! Shit, Shit Shit journalists!!! Ninety percent of the people in this country hate you! They hate you!!! You come for a function where I am and I will tell people this is the Editor of The Sunday Leader and ninety percent there will show that they hate you.
FJ: I don’t think so.
GR: You don’t? That is your ego!! You are a shit, shit journalist. A f…..g shit. A pig who eats shit! I will go to courts!!! I will not withdraw the case on the MIG deal – this is how you wrote…
FJ: I had nothing to do with that story so I cannot comment.
GR: But I will put you in jail! You shit journalist trying to split this country – trying to show otherwise from true Sinhala Buddhists!! You are helped by the US Ambassador, NGOs and Paikiasothy – they pay you!!!
FJ: I wish.
GR: You pig that eats shit!!! You shit shit dirty f…..g journalist!!!
FJ: I hope you can hear yourself Mr. Rajapaksa.
GR: People will kill you!!! People hate you!!! They will kill you!!!
FJ: On your directive?
GR: What?? No. Not mine. But they will kill you – you dirty f…..g shit journalist.
Gota is worth to us much much more than all the A330 and A340s in the world where as ‘journalists’ are dime a dozen in SL. Most of the SL ‘journalists; will write anything the west or an Ngo wants for few $s. So who knows Gota may be correct, you might be one of them. course we dont have the inside info where as Gota has.
Goodness gracious me, first and foremost this so-called Defence Secretary should mind his language and more so when the interviewer is a lady! When he says he is “not afraid of the courts” he means he is NOT afraid of his brother, the regime chief of the country. Let’s hope saner counsel will prevail sooner or later. LoL.
This is the state of Sri Lanka, where Idi Amin (MR) and his brothers rule.
If this is the language he used during this conversation, this realy shows what sort of a person he is and what education back ground he has had. This all boils down to lakh of education.Sad affairs in our mother Lalnka. What a roll model to up coming younger generations.
goodness gracious me !
People who do not come from good families behave like this.
Wow
The reporter Ms. Jansz seems to be getting a thrill by annoying the defense sec.
She called him once got his side of the story and called him again for what? To make him mad? Do you get some kind of satisfaction by calling and annoying a high ranking official like this? I cannot believe he even answered your second call.
Do you expect us the readers to be mad or amused at this type of reporting?
I wish you do a better job next time.
FJ Lookout for the white van. Good Luck.
GOTA HAS A VERY LIMITED AND FILTHY VOCABULARY..
KEEP GOING FREDRICA, MORE STRENGTH TO YOUR ARM……………..
Sad as this is , it is not surprising , given that it is comng from a Rajapakse sibling. These scumbags are a curse to SL and should be sent home NOW.
Great to be led by leaders like him! Long live Sri Lanka….
If this is a true story, how unfortunate we as citizens of Sri Lanka. Being a public servant (appointed by brother President) his behaviour cannot be approved by all means.If this kind of a situation arises in a country like Australia,he will not be kept in his place.We feel it badly because the democracy and the law and order prevails in very high standard in developing countries.He should be punished the way Gadaffi,
Hosney Mubarak,Ali Butho,and Sadam Hussain were punished.
Their future will be decided by the intelligent people of this country.
I have known Gotabhaya is foul mouthed, but not to this extent. In the interviews he gives his body language betrays his uncivilized character. What it shows his low birth and upbringing. Being an ex-army officer who retired and fled the country and education-wise not gone beyond GCE (O) level, it is not surprising to hear the filthy epithets hurled ad nauseam at a female journalist. I personally don’t wish this journalist to join her predecessor who was murdered in broad day light. His murderers are still lurking in the shadows. It is said power is intoxicating, and those who enjoy power briefly are intoxicated by it. Power could be ephemeral as well. Worst dictators and tyrants like Saddam Hussein, Mohamed Gadhaffi, and Hosni Mubarak have ended in the heap of history and Gotabhaya will not be an exception.
hmmmm….. very interesting conversation, very gutter like…..
This language and attitude is appalling in any low standards. Sadly it comes out from a so called most respected government dignitary responsible for the defence of the country. Never heard in the aviation history that an aircraft swop had ever been made to a smaller aircraft type dumping 56 revenue passengers to accommodate a dog! This only happens in our “Air Wonder” in our wonder land. Subha Annagathayak!
The commander of white van corps speaking in the vocabulary he knows best.
Mother lanka of the sinking island has no hope; the pakses are pulling the plug of the life line steadily.
Tamils have been the scape goat for their tamashas.
The time will come sooner than later to pay for their sins.
The Defence Secretary seems to be a charming and refined gentleman, a member of a fine family. Eloquent, too..”a pig that eats shit”..the man has a way with words.
What, our defense secretary can’t handle this small mater with professionalism? that is bad!
There was once a Roman Emperor, by the name of Nero, who went Mad and fiddled while Rome Burnt
This is not an Emperor or a king but a knave who has now gone mad. There is insanity in the first family, and one is kept in hiding at their palace in Deniyaya, now. Some one go and check old Beverely Estate which belonged to the Costas, who were killed by the JVP in 1971. It was not the JVP, but Lt/ Mad man Gotha, of the Gemunu Watch, because he wanted the land even then. The JVP was blamed.
This shows the caliber of our saviors of the country. Soon they will end up like Gaddafi under a culvert. What a away to talk to a lady? The top is rotten! Gota, you lived in the West and act and talk like thug and fool.Now only God can save us. No- it may be SF?
Don’t worry FR. can you see the way this VVIP talk like a Crab with his hands too, This is the First man to talk in the Public like this. That shows his Pedigee, Quoificaton, and witch part of USA he lived in USA. He is talking as if he is the President of this Country, It’s a Shame to his Brother the Sri Lanka President. FJ has done a great Job.
these are rowdies who trying to rule the country by thuggery god save sri lanka
We like you Fredrica you are a brave women unlike an arrogant ex army colonel . I salute General Fonseka what a gentlemen after all.
He perhaps is not satisfied with the bitches he has,,,,wants another one…a swiss bith
This is not good journalism at all. Its a disgrace for the paper itself.
You do not dig into people’s personal life. If that is what this paper is all about I think its time that they probe the journanlist in particular!!! If one is paying for the freight so let it be, who cares whether its a dog or a cat or a rabbit …
The guys is losing it. Disgraceful way to behave no matter what the circumstances or provocations.
Glad to see there are still some people with a backbone left in the country.
It is sad, Sri Lanken Airline is gone to dogs
Only Sri Lankan defense secretary will use this kind of nasty language. Just shows from where he comes.
What a cultured and honourabale Defense minister we have! We are all not true Sinhala Buddhists perhaps because we did not kill as many Tamils for the minister? Aney what a sin!
SriLanankan Air line is gone to dogs and our country is gone to pigs.
Is this a true story, I do not believe mr.Gotabaya Rajapakse used the words mentioned, he was a very honorable person always….
Has Goatboy lost his mind?
If this is true, I hope the Sunday Leader will publish the audio file of the conversation.
What a country and rulers?
This will never happen overseas. SL is third world poverty stricken country run by uneducated, corrupt boofoons who have no power outside this filthy country. No wonder we live in peace happiness and luxury in our beautiful western country.
Gota is a distubed uneducated, uncultured little man not cut out for high office
Great courage Fredrica. brave journalism. keep it up!
This Gotabaya should be put behind bars if this evidence does not suit the Court then we all have to think WHAT IS JUSTICE ???? he is acting because of this regime I don’t think NO ONE in any other part of the world who has Human dignity will abuse this journalist. This is shear abuse of power just imagine HUMAN RIGHT VIOLATIONS if we had people like him as defense secretary abusing power just for a dog what would have been done at the time of the WAR ???? this man should face the world court for human rights violations ???????
This is an example of how power can corrupt people. Typical behaviour of a third world politician and their cronies. Anyone who questions their behaviour or actions is threatened with violence or death. When will the people realise the damage these leeches are doing to the country and its people and rise up in anger?
Very abusive man is this idiot Gota. Ask him to eat his own shit then only he will understand what filth is. Send this píece of info. I challenge to use such filth with Hilary Clinton and he shall know where will he land. Put him in a dungeon with dirty pigs.
People who hold high public offices should be learned to tackle criticism in a diplomatic way.
Great sense of humour your journerlist has and courage to cofront GR and get him so infurated, I salute your courage! The whole world would now know the character of these “thugs” called the” Rajapakse clan” who thinks that the Sri Lanka & it’s Air line is their private property, when people of Sri Lanka is struggling to eat at least one meal a day, these crooks can import “Puppy Dogs” at exsobitant cost from Zurich as play mates for their spouses!! Where did this former computer analyst get all that money from? Recently MRS Brother in Law got caught flat footed having in his position “Black Money” now every one will know why our great hero General Sarath Fonseka went against them!!? He knew how corrupt and spoilt they were!! GR insulted the courts; Cheif Justice, over to you!!
Is it a true story or fabricated one? I can not believe Gota can talk like this? If he talks like that on as in simple matter, I wonder how would he handle serious matters? Shame on you Gota if you did talk like this.
100% OF THE EDUCATED CIVILISED & MOST IMPORTANTLY, ENGLISH SPEAKING SRI LANKANS , FULLY SUPPORT & PRAISE THE SUNDAY
LEADER NEWS PAPER,IT’S EDITOR FREDERICA JANZ & IT’S LATE EDITOR LASANTHA ( WHO OBVIOUSLY
WAS MURDERED ON THE ORDERS OF THE RAJAPAKSA SCUMBAGS WHO
RULE THIS BANANA REPUBLIC) .
IT IS SELF EVIDENT TO ALL ENGLISH SPEAKING EDUCATED LANKAN’S THAT IT IS IN FACT GOTABAYA RAJAPAKSA WHO IS THE SHIT EATING
PIG WHO DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO TALK TO A LADY. GOTABAYA RAJAPAKSA ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE RAJAPAKSA
SCUMBAGS WHO RULE THIS BANANA REPUBLIC ARE IN ADDITION TO BEING
SHIT EATING PIGS, MASS MURDERING SNAKES AS WELL.
This guy is an absolute disgrace and it is a reflection on how absolute power corrupts absolutely. Unfortunately, Sri Lanka will be saddled with these incompetent foul-mouthed nincompoops for several years to come and will remain the laughing stock of of the civilised world. How could you put a idiotic moron like him on the world stage? Come on G.L. – , divorce yourself from these idiots as you are getting tarred with the same brush.
This is how these thugs ruling the country.What happened to their patritism and love for the people ? Gadaffis, Assad and Idi ameens relatives has act like this.But your judgment day will come soon.Gota , wait and see!
another white flag case?
Dear Frederica
Take care. You also will get the same treatment as Lasantha Wickramatunga
We should be thankful to God that now madam Gota has a puppy to play with.
Gota has a point. Why cant the NGOs the ambassadors help him to bring the puppy? Probably they had been paid by the LTTE.