The Daily News where I worked almost 40 years ago has now staked its claim to be in the Guinness Book of World Records. On Wednesday it had a bumper supplement running into three sections comprising a near 20 full pages on its lord and master and incomparable Mahinda Rajapakse. This deserves the record for political sycophancy (the Sinhala equivalent being pandang), if the Guinness recognises such a record. If not they are advised to create one.

History of pandang

In my professional recollections I can think of many such bumper supplements - for Kim Il Sung  and his son Kim Jong Il , the current dictator of North Korea, the legendary Mao Tse Tung, Park Chung Hee (South Koran dictator who built up a modern state from the ashes of  the Korean War), Ho Chi Minh (founder of Vietnam) and many others - kings, prime ministers, presidents, dictators, potty dictators, strong men - ranging from the Shah of Persia, to Pol Pot and Ferdinand Marcos to Sirima Bandaranaike and Ranasinghe Premadasa - but I think The Daily News supplement is outstanding or runs close to them all.

Twenty full pages with blown up pictures top to bottom or right across of Rajapakse standing, Rajapakse sitting, Rajapakse smiling or laughing, Rajapakse looking deadly serious or philosophical with articles expressing his profound thoughts - vision - Mahinda Chinthanaya running alongside. About 60 pictures (sorry, if I lost count) in colour, black and white, single column, double column, six columns or even more. That was how the man with his glistening black moustache with not even a grey hair to show for his 63 years was presented to his readers.

And for what purpose? Ostensibly on the occasion of his 63rd birthday and celebration of three years as President, the Presidential anniversary coinciding on the day he took his oaths as President.

It also coincides with the 'historic' capture of Pooneryn town by our valiant forces. Very rare coincidences in the triple timing indeed. Cynics say that 'all coincidences are strange.' Let's ask cynics to go to hell at this moment, as we are celebrating a triple historical event.

Cheerleaders all round

Other newspapers, TV and radio stations too did their best, even those privately owned. They know best who has 'the spoon in hand.' Some of my well heeled colleagues now singing and playing for the Rajapakse band will say that all these supplements are 'paid advertisements.' True, they are 'advertisements' but whether they will be paid for is another matter.

After the razzle-dazzle of the event is over and when the annual accounts are made state institutions are holding out unpaid receipts and bounced cheques running into millions. Never mind, these state institutions can write them off as bad debts. Ultimately the public will have to pay.

At a glance it can be said that over 90 percent of these so called 'advertisements' are from state institutions or institutions in which the state holds over 50  percent of the stake. The most outstanding advertisement is that of grounded Mihin Lanka that ran into debt running into billions.

It is a grand ad with the national flag and an aircraft with the Mihin Lanka name painted on it flying over the full length Mahinda Percy Rajapakse in virgin white suit and red satakaya waving at the plane of the company, which incidentally does not have a single aircraft at present! Who will pay for this propaganda? Who cares?

'Traitors' and real heroes

Now this song and dance is not only about three years of Mahinda Rajapakse rule. It is about the historic victories 'our patriotic war heroes are achieving under the political leadership of Mahinda Rajapakse.' One week's celebrations have been called for by 'His Excellency' himself. Only those 'hired hacks of Sri Kotha' reactionaries, anti-nationalists, NGO parasites, LTTE supporters and traitors are casting aspersions and throwing mud at these great achievements, it will be said. It is however of vital importance to realise whose victories we are celebrating

Just as much as the government now keeps repeating ad nauseam that 'being anti-LTTE is not being anti Tamil,' it has to be said that being 'anti-Rajapakse clique intrigues and showmanship is not being anti-Sinhalese or going against the armed forces in their efforts to crush terrorism.'

The poor rural boys, those of the poor in towns (and now some girls too) are sacrificing their lives to fight terrorism and prevent the division of the country. Whatever that has been achieved on terrorism and will be achieved will be by these poor youth fighting in the bunkers and open jungles, in pouring rain or intolerable heat and not the fat cats riding bullet proof, air-conditioned luxury vehicles in Colombo. It is well known that old men declare war but it is the youth that must fight and die.

So let honour be bestowed on the deserving. President Rajapakse is not claiming the honours of war. He has openly conferred that honour on those on the battlefield. But his spin artistes are cleverly delivering the googly: President Rajapakse, his brother Gotabaya are shown as the real heroes of the operation. Or even read Mervyn Silva's interview in Asia Tribune in next day's Daily News (November 20). For sheer entertainment, it is unbeatable.

"Q: What is your view on the war situation in the country at present?

A: Who said there is a war? There is no war in the country. This is not a war but 'a Humanitarian Operation'... All our Tamil, Muslim, Burgher and Malay brothers were given the right to co-exist with the Sinhalese. They are all our brothers.. So it is only our President who strives to keep with these humanitarian operations without any interruptions. I feel in a couple of months this area will be completely free of terrorists.

Q: What can you say about various complaints people make about you?

A. What complaints. Tell me I don't know. If you tell me what they are I will reply.

Q: Take for instance the Rupavahini Corporation incident...

A:  No.  It is a result of a plot by certain people in the UNP. I went there for a discussion but they held me for several hours and I was asked to sneak out. I said no and I stayed, gave a speech also before I left.

 Q: When compared with the rest of the world, are you happy with the situation in the country?

 A: The world is now on its knees. We are standing upright and are in a good position. That is due to the guidance of our President's new philosophy - the Mahinda Chinthanaya.

"Need anything more be said?