We have to defeat Mahinda Rajapaksa

September 26, 2014

We have to defeat Mahinda Rajapaksa, says Anra !mara "issanayake,
the #eader of the $anatha %imkthi &eramna, assertin' that the peop(e in
)va have 'iven a *(ear indi*ation that the present re'ime *an be easi(y
defeated and therefore it is the responsibi(ity of the +pposition to be nited
and ,'ht to defeat the *rrent (eader-
.n an intervie/ /ith the "ai(y 01, "issanayake points ot that the po/er2
hn'ry Rajapaksa fami(y is desperate for another term in o3*e sin*e they
are not /i((in' to 'ive p on the (avish (ife they are *rrent(y enjoyin'-
41here /i(( be more vio(en*e and more abse of po/er be*ase the
Rajapaksas5 ftre rides on this e(e*tion, he added-
0o((o/in' are e6*erpts7
87 What are yor remarks abot the re*ent(y he(d )va provin*ia( *on*i(
e(e*tion9
A7 1he Rajapaksa administration5s bi''est *on*ern is the p*omin'
presidentia( e(e*tion- 1hey sed the )va &rovin*ia( :on*i( e(e*tion as a
parameter- .t /as a pre2rn to see ho/ they /o(d perform at the
forth*omin' presidentia( e(e*tion- "rin' the 200; &rovin*ia( :on*i(
e(e*tion, the <overnment ba''ed the hi'hest nmber of votes from )va-
1he (ast e(e*tion before the presidentia( e(e*tion is important- 1hat is /hy
they kept )va for the (ast-
1he e(e*tion res(ts 'ive s a 'ood indi*ation- Monera'a(a,
/hi*h had a voter per*enta'e of =1> in 200;, /as red*ed to
?=>- .n @ad((a, voter per*enta'e that /as 6A> in 200; has
*ome do/n to 4A>- +vera(( the )va &rovin*e voter
per*enta'e has *ome do/n to ?1> from the previos A2>-
&eop(e have 'iven a *(ear si'na(B they /ant this <overnment
to 'o home-
.n Sri #anka5s po(iti*a( history, the Wayamba &rovin*ia(
:on*i( e(e*tion is kno/n as the most vio(ent e(e*tion- And
the )va e(e*tion /as the one /ith the hi'hest abse of State
po/er- 0rom distribtin' bott(es of (iCor to si( redi, this
re'ime sed every sin'(e e(e*tion 'immi*k to 'rab votes-
&resident Rajapaksa /as dire*t(y invo(ved in the e(e*tion
*ampai'n- )ndobted(y, he is the person /ho vio(ated the most nmber of
e(e*tion r(es- @y attendin' a pro'ram to open a bi(din' that /as bi(t /ith
<overnment money, or'anised by <overnment o3*ia(s, the &resident /ho
is maintained by the peop(e5s money, /as *ampai'nin' for the vi*tory of
his nephe/ and his party- 1his proves ho/ *riti*a( this e(e*tion /as for the
<overnment-
1his is the (ast e(e*tion before the presidentia( e(e*tion- 1he ot*ome of this
e(e*tion has a massive impa*t on the presidentia( e(e*tion- 1he *hief
ministeria( *andidate /as from the Rajapaksa fami(y- Dis defeat /o(d have
had a ne'ative impa*t on the Rajapaksas- +n the other hand, the
Rajapaksas /ere very /e(( a/are of the fa*t that they /ere be*omin' more
npop(ar amon' the peop(e by the day-
87 A**ordin' to Minister Ssi( &remajayanth, if the )&0A had introd*ed
pop(ar ne/ *andidates, the res(ts in @ad((a /o(d have been diEerent
and more favorab(e- For *omments9
A7 1hese are (ame e6*ses- 1hey took every sin'(e measre they *o(d
have taken to /in this e(e*tion- 1he *hief ministeria( *andidate of the S#0&
/as branded as the G,rst 'rand*hi(d of "-A- Rajapaksa5- 1he entire
Rajapaksa fami(y, in*(din' the &resident and his sib(in's /ho are
<overnment Ministers, and top State o3*ia(s /ere seen *ampai'nin'
drin' the e(e*tion-
+n the other hand, ho/ *ome /e never sa/ a fresh fa*e in the Western,
Sothern and Sabara'am/a &rovin*ia( :on*i( e(e*tions9 1he <overnment
is tterin' foo(ish /ords to *over p its defeat-
87 Do/ /i(( this res(t aEe*t the forth*omin' presidentia( e(e*tion9
A7 A**ordin' to the e(e*tion diary, the ne6t presidentia( e(e*tion sho(d be
he(d in $anary 201A- @y havin' the e(e*tion t/o years before the
s*hed(ed date, it *(ear(y proves ho/ n*ertain this <overnment is abot its
ftre-
1he <overnment has a t/o2thirds majority in &ar(iament- +ther than in the
north, they have the po/er of a(( provin*ia( *on*i(s- 1he &resident has t/o
more years- Why is he so keen to have another e(e*tion9 .f his e6*se is to
provide job opportnities for the nemp(oyed or estab(ish (a/ and order in
the *ontry or to improve the (ivin' *onditions of the peop(e, he has t/o
more years to *arry ot his /ork- 1he simp(e fa*t that Mahinda Rajapaksa
/ants to ho(d the e(e*tion before the s*hed(ed date proves ho/ nsre he
is of his ftre-
"rin' the )va e(e*tion, /e /itnessed the e6tent of this re'ime5s
desperation- 1hey sed <overnment2sponsored 'oons to assa(t peop(e,
they tried to bribe the voters, sed State property and money to *ampai'n-
We *an ima'ine ho/ this <overnment /i(( behave drin' a de*isive and
*r*ia( presidentia( e(e*tion-
A(( those /ho r(ed the *ontry so far /ere ab(e to 'ive p on po/er and
(ead a norma( (ife after/ards- :handrika !maratn'a (ives pea*ef((y in
Attana'a((e- @t &resident Rajapaksa and his fami(y *annot do that- "o yo
think the Rajapaksa fami(y *an (ive a norma( (ife9 <ivin' p on po/er is (ike
'ivin' p their (ives- 1his is /hat the prob(em is-
A person /ho /as not kno/n to anybody /as made the Se*retary of
"efen*e- Hobody kno/s /hat he did in the )S, bt today he is the most
po/erf( and inIentia( individa( in the *ontry- Another person /as pt in
*har'e of the *ontry5s e*onomy- 1he e(der brother is headin' the
&ar(iament- 1he e(der son behaves (ike he is the se*ond president- Another
son is in *har'e of the *ontry5s r'by team- 1he brother5s son a*ts as he is
the kin' of )va &rovin*e- 1he /ife5s e(der brother is the Dead of Sri#ankan
Air(ines- Der yon'er brother is Ambassador to %ienna- 1he ant5s son is
the Ambassador to Rssia- 1here are more re(atives ho(din' top posts in the
<overnment and ho(din' dip(omati* positions- "o yo think the Rajapaksa
fami(y /i(( easi(y 'ive p on these9 1hey /i(( try ea*h and every measre to
se*re this 'ood (ife-
87 What happened to the $%&9 Why didn5t the peop(e 'ive yo the Gremote
*ontro(59
A7 We didn5t have a stron' e(e*tion front- We have to admit the fa*t that
there /ere dra/ba*ks, espe*ia((y /here e(e*tions are *on*erned- Do/ever,
drin' the Western and Sothern &rovin*ia( :on*i(, /e performed /e((- We
fa*ed the )va e(e*tion /ith *on,den*e- .n )va /e *arried ot a very
s**essf( *ampai'n- We tried to visit a(most every hoseho(d- We had
meetin' in ea*h and every to/n and vi((a'e- We tried to ed*ate the
peop(e- 1o some e6tent /e have been s**essf(- .n Monara'a(a or vote
base has in*reased threefo(d- @ad((a res(ts have improved t/ofo(d
*ompared to the previos time- 1here is a 10> in*rease in or posta( votes-
1here is an ar'ment that /e have fai(ed to perform /e((- @t the trth is
that or po(iti*a( me*hanism is diEerent to that of other parties- We try to
ed*ate peop(e- +r p(ans and strate'ies are (on'2term- We don5t promise
short2term bene,ts- Whi(e /e try to e6p(ain this (on' story, or opponents
are bribin' the peop(e /ith money, (iCor, se/in' ma*hines and jobs- .n
poverty2stri*ken p(a*es (ike Monara'a(a, /here peop(e hard(y have three
mea(s a day, a(( that matters is a ba' f(( of dry rations or a mere pa*ket of
(n*h- 1hese peop(e have a dai(y str''(e J ho/ to feed their *hi(dren, ho/
to send them to s*hoo(, ho/ to by medi*ine- A(tho'h they nderstand
/hat /e say, they 'o behind the main t/o parties to ,nd a so(tion to their
day2to2day str''(es- 1hey kno/ they /i(( 'et Rs- 1,000 or some 'ro*ery
items if they spport these parties drin' e(e*tion time- &eop(e too sho(d
rea(ise that 'oin' after these parties for short2term bene,ts /i(( on(y make
them poor forever-
87 "o yo fee( that yo need to *han'e yor po(iti*a( me*hanism in order to
perform /e(( at e(e*tions9
A7 Ho, /e /i(( not *han'e or me*hanism- @t de,nite(y there are thin's
that /e need to take into *onsideration and add to or me*hanism- We are
not here to rob from peop(e- We have not taken a *ent from the peop(e- We
(ove this *ontry and the peop(e n*onditiona((y- We /i(( ,'ht this njst
po(iti*a( *(tre- &eop(e sho(d rea(ise that the main po(iti*a( parties are
sin' their poverty and hn'er a'ainst them-
+n the other hand, /hat does a(( this prove9 When yo *an by a vote by
'ivin' them a bott(e of /ater, a pa*ket of (n*h, it te((s a diEerent story-
.sn5t it eno'h eviden*e of ho/ bad the *ondition of the *ontry is9 .s this
the mira*(e this <overnment /ants to sho/ to the /or(d9 "o yo think if
the peop(e have eno'h food, emp(oyment and a 'ood (ife, they /i(( vote
for any of these major parties9 Why does Shasheendra Rajapaksa distribte
sarees9 0or /hat prpose9 &eop(e need to rea(ise the trth-
87 We see that peop(e have on*e a'ain 'athered arond main po(iti*a(
parties, diverted from minor e6tremist parties- For *omments9
A7 1his /as on(y seen in )va- 1hat too /as be*ase the )nited Hationa(
&arty had a fresh yon' *andidate, /ho took the e(e*tion to a diEerent
(eve(- . don5t think this *o(d be /itnessed in a ftre e(e*tion- 1his /as
somethin' that /as niCe to )va- When Sarath 0onseka5s party performed
/e((, /e stood stron'- We said it /as jst a po(iti*a( bbb(e- 1oday it is a
proven fa*t-
A party (ike ors has a prpose- +r str''(e is to ,(( in a va*m in so*iety-
1here is no other po(iti*a( party that /o(d do this- 1he $%& is a de*isive
fa*tor in the *ontry- .t is the de*isive fa*tor in &ar(iament- +r bi''est
/eakness is the e(e*tion front- 1hat is or bi''est *ha((en'e too- Ho matter
ho/ m*h faith peop(e have in the $%&, drin' an e(e*tion their thinkin'
'ets *onventiona(- &eop(e are re(*tant to 'ive s the opportnity, so they
vote for one of the main t/o parties instead- %otin' for the S#0& or the )H&
is a more of a habit- &eop(e /ho don5t vote for s have faith in s- 1hey
e6pe*t s to ,'ht and raise a voi*e for their 'rievan*es, bt they are
n*ertain /hether /e /i(( perform /e(( if /e are 'iven po/er- :han'in' this
mindset of the peop(e is or bi''est *ha((en'e-
87 What are yor vie/s abot the forth*omin' presidentia( e(e*tion9
A7 0irst(y, ethi*a((y and *onstittiona((y, this &resident *annot *ontest a'ain-
.n or :onstittion there are *ertain *(ases that *an be amended /ith a
t/o2thirds majority- 1here are some *(ases that need to be amended
thro'h a referendm- .f a <overnment has a t/o2thirds majority in
&ar(iament, it proves that they have a massive peop(e5s spport- Do/ did
the <overnment obtain a t/o2thirds majority9 @y bribin' the
&ar(iamentarians- Some of them had 'enine reasons J one needed money
to sett(e his /ife5s hospita( bi((B there /ere some /ho /ere a(most bankrpt-
1he Rajapaksa re'ime approa*hed these peop(e and oEered them money-
1hat is ho/ they formed this <overnmentB that is ho/ they had their t/o2
thirds majority- 1herefore the 1=th Amendment they had /ith s*h a t/o2
thirds majority *annot be *onsidered as va(id-
Se*ond(y, if the &resident sti(( de*ides to *ontest, /e have to defeat him- .
stron'(y be(ieve that no (eader sho(d r(e the *ontry for 1= years- A
person sho(d not r(e a *ontry for 'enerations- 1/e(ve years is more than
eno'h for a (eader to deve(op the *ontry- Ho (eader sho(d be 'iven a
*han*e to r(e the *ontry for t/o de*ades- Kspe*ia((y the Rajapaksas
sho(d not be 'iven that *han*e- 1herefore, at a forth*omin' presidentia(
e(e*tion /e /i(( ,'ht to defeat Mahinda Rajapaksa-
We *a(( pon other po(iti*a( parties to identify /hat the rea( *ha((en'e is and
/ithot dividin' for mere po(iti*a( advanta'es, /e sho(d nite to defeat
the present &resident-
87 .t is said that Rani( Wi*kremesin'he /i(( be *ontestin' from the )H& at
the p*omin' presidentia( e(e*tion- Wi(( yo spport him9
A7 We /i(( not spport Rani( Wi*kremesin'he- We be(ieve Wi*kremesin'he
has fai(ed as a &rime Minister and as a :abinet Minister- Dis po(iti*a( vision
and strate'ies are not sitab(e for a *ontry (ike ors- .n simp(e /ords, he is
not po(iti*a((y rooted to this *ontry- De *an5t fee( /hat rea((y matters to the
peop(e- De *annot re(ate to the sEerin's of the peop(e- 1herefore if Rani(
Wi*kremesin'he *ontests, /e /i(( not spport him nder any *ondition- We
are not ready to spport the )H& dire*t(y or indire*t(y to *ome into po/er-
1he forth*omin' presidentia( e(e*tion is a *riti*a( jn*tre in or *ontry- We
have to de*ide /hether /e /ant to (et the present (eaders *ontine /ith
their ato*rati* r(e or /hether /e /ant to take this *ontry to a ne/ era-
As the $%&, or vision is to take this *ontry to/ards a pro'ressive ftre-
We take this very serios(y- . kno/ some individa(s are a*tin' as if this is a
bi' joke- A(( they /ant is to be on te(evision or 'ain some pb(i*ity- We see
them makin' varios *omments and remarks abot the presidentia(
e(e*tion and a *ommon *andidate, bt for the $%& this is a *riti*a( matter-
Whatever de*ision /e /i(( take, /e /i(( do it for the betterment of the
*ontry-
We have to be nited- Ho party *an ,'ht this batt(e a(one- We need a
*ommon strate'y- @t if that is not /orkin' ot proper(y, /e are *ompe((ed
to think of the ne6t best a(ternative-
87 1ho'h there has been a drop, the )&0A se*red ?1> voter per*enta'e
at the re*ent(y2he(d )va &rovin*ia( :on*i( e(e*tion- "o yo a'ree they sti((
have the peop(e5s spport9
A7 .t is not on(y the peop(e /ho are a'ainst the Rajapaksa administrationB
their o/n :abinet Ministers are a'ainst them- .t is these Ministers /ho are
happy abot the res(ts- Many of them *ame to me in &ar(iament and said
ho/ satis,ed and '(ad they /ere abot the drop of )&0A votes-
A provin*ia( *on*i( is a(/ays favorab(e to the r(in' party- @t even nder
s*h *ir*mstan*es the <overnment had to fa*e this tra'edy- 1his is not
on(y the )&0AB there are so many other minor parties /ho are /ith them- .f
it /asn5t for those parties, the )&0A /o(d have not been ab(e to 'ather
those votes in @ad((a- @t drin' a presidentia( e(e*tion thin's /i(( be a (ot
more diEerent- "rin' a nationa( e(e*tion the ot*ome /i(( be a (ot more
diEerent to a provin*ia( *on*i( e(e*tion and it /i(( not be favorab(e to the
Rajapaksas- 1he )va e(e*tion res(t has 'iven a *(ear indi*ation that this
<overnment *an be easi(y defeated- 1here are :abinet Ministers /ho are
ready to /ork to defeat the &resident-