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A
meeting with a lady
By
Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema
It
is not every day that one bumps in to the head of state,
especially if you represent The Sunday Leader, a media institution
the very head happens to simply love to hate.
Walking
in to the ceremony held to mark the 50th anniversary of World
Bank's assistance to Sri Lanka which began with the signing of the
Laxapana power project in 1954, little did I know that it was
going to be the day I would encounter first hand President
Chandrika Kumaratunga's love for this newspaper.
Entering
the banquet hall, I received what is considered 'normal'
Presidential Security Division (PSD) treatment. After confiscating
my mobile phone, the PSD asked me to go for a body check where I
was felt up as if I was a mannequin on a shop window. At the end
of the squeezing session, I made my way to the main hall.
Almost
one hour after the proceedings had begun and after chief guest at
the event, Tourism, Industries and Investment Promotions Minister,
Anura Bandaranaike had finished addressing the gathering, in
walked the President.
Kumaratunga,
who thanked the World Bank for its support said that the funds
played a key role in the country's development. "Despite
controversies, I believe the World Bank has played an essential
and important role in the nation's development," she said.
She ended her speech by saying that she hopes the bank would
continue to support the country as a developed nation when it
celebrates its 100th anniversary, to which World Bank's Country
Head responded that they hope the country at that time would be a
contributor and not a recipient.
At
the end of the proceedings, while everyone was engaged in small
talk over a sandwich or two, I decided to make my way to the
President to ask about the present status of the peace process.
I
was stopped dead in my tracks by PSD officials, who rudely said
that I cannot go near her. Questioning as to why I, a citizen of
the country, cannot speak to the head of the state, they responded
that if she comes my way I could speak to her.
Now
more adamant than ever to speak to her, I stood there and the
World Bank Country Head, Peter Harrold having observed my attempts
to meet the President, tried to take me to her, but to his
surprise, he too was stopped by the PSD. "You can go, but not
her," they said.
Visibly
shocked Harrold looked quizzically at me to which I responded,
"this is the Sri Lankan treatment, you are only needed to
vote them in and once they are in you are outside."
PSD
officials, annoyed by my statement, asked me to move aside.
Refusing to budge an inch, I asked how foreigners managed to have
easy access to the President, while Sri Lankans were asked to keep
away.
The
President seeing this exchange, made her way towards me exchanging
pleasantries with those standing next to me.
She
said "hello." Responding quickly, I said I have one
question to ask her about the peace process. Realising that I was
from the media, she asked my name and the name of the media
institution for which I work. And boy, did the answers trigger
something.
Explaining
that she has nothing against me, Her Excellency began to rant
stating that she would speak to any other institution no matter
how critical they might be of her, but not The Sunday Leader,
which she said was a rag fit only to be thrown to the dustbin.
She
went on. "The Sunday Leader has no ethics whatsoever,"
she said, adding that apart from attacking politicians, it has now
resorted to attacking children as well.
Kumaratunga
said that she has given orders that The Sunday Leader should not
be brought anywhere near her. She went on to say that when someone
recently brought a paper cutting of an article in the newspaper to
show her, she had simply asked it to be thrown to the bin.
While
this happened, 'men of stature' who were standing next to me a
little while ago, had simply disappeared-and proceeded to nod
their heads in agreement eager to get an approving smile from the
'boss'. The eager PSD officials also moved away and the rest of
the media kept a healthy distance from the scene.
Saying
that The Sunday Leader is "a waste", she paused and when
I asked whether that was it, did not respond. The PSD officials
then asked me whether I got my story. I responded that the
President opening her mouth meant a story.
Be
that as it may, for a person who throws The Sunday Leader into the
bin every week, she appears to possess an extensive knowledge of
the stories carried in this rag.
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