Message of Maithri for Motherland!

19A crucial to preventing emergence of dictatorship

Says no other leader afforded unlimited power has been so willing to give

it up
Tackles criticism about his leadership skills
Vows not to use the full force of his office because people put him there
to reduce powers of the presidency
Recalls the risks he took to contest the presidency in January; vows to be
fearless in fulfilling election pledges
Hints at counter-revolution being staged by ex-regime
Bemoans slavish mentality of some who have been granted a taste of
freedom
Hits out against racists spreading communal tensions with falsehoods on
the internet

By Dharisha Bastians
On completing his 100th day as President of Sri Lanka, Maithripala Sirisena
issued a clarion call to the national legislature to pass key constitutional
reforms that will slash the powers of his office and strengthen democracy
and freedom in the country.
In a measured and clear 30-minute address to the nation, telecast live
across electronic television networks, President Sirisena spoke humbly

about the risks he had taken to contes

t
the presidency on 8 January and vowed that he remained equally resolute
about fulfilling his election pledges to the people.
The decision I made to contest the presidency was like I had decided to

jump into the deep sea with my children, he said.

He urged members of Parliament to seize a historic opportunity next week,
to pass the 19th Amendment to the Constitution that reduces the powers of
the presidency and restores independence to state institutions.
Become a stakeholder in establishing democracy and freedom in this
country, he urged Parliamentarians during his speech.
Passing the 19th Amendment was crucial to preventing the emergence of
dictatorship and to creating a democratic and civilised society, the
President explained. It is necessary to prevent one person taking control of
state power, state assets, the Judiciary, Parliament, as a result of the
powers of the Executive Presidential system, President Sirisena said.
Addressing criticism about his leadership style directly, President Sirisena
told the people that they had elected him to reduce the powers of the
executive presidency, so he had refrained from using the full authority and
force of his mighty office. Some say I lack strength. Some say I am weak.
Some say I am not a leader.
But I say to all these detractors and my people that I will not use the
unlimited powers of this office. You appointed me to this position. But you
appointed me to reduce these powers, he charged.
No leader in the world, afforded such unlimited power has been as flexible
as I have been, about trying to get rid of them, the President said, quickly
insisting that he was not trying to heap praise upon himself.
His own constitutional advisor had gone before the Supreme Court when
the draft bill came up for consideration and argued for the reduction of
powers, the President explained.
In his 100 days in office, President Sirisena said he had never once
personally approached members of the Bribery Commission or the judiciary.
Nor will I ever interfere. This is necessary for good governance, he
claimed.
He vowed that there would be no room for corruption within his
administration. I will act against it. When decisions need to be taken, I will
take them. And I will take them fearlessly, the way I did when I decided to
contest this election, President Sirisena asserted.
Extreme racists
Stressing the importance of fostering unity and reconciliation in the country
following a 30-year conflict, President Sirisena strongly defended his

Governments decision to return land to its original owners in the islands

North.
During the armed conflict the armed forces took private land for their use
not only in the North and East, but also in the city of Colombo. Therefore, is
it wrong to give these lands back to their original owners? Should we not
return the large extent of private property acquired in Colombo Fort near
the Presidents House, around Temple Trees without any compromise on
national security or weakening of and security camps? he charged.
In marked contrast to his predecessor, the President did not shy away from
calling those who sought to create divisions in post-war Sri Lanka extreme
racists.
He hit out against those spreading falsehoods to create communal tension
on social and mainstream media, President Sirisena called them the most
extreme form of racists.
It is regrettable that our political opponents are using the internet and
some media to spread false information that the armed forces are to be
reduced or removed from the North. That land had been given to LTTE
terrorists in Sampur. That more rights had been given to the Tamils and
Muslims than to the Sinhalese. Such stories are entirely spread by extreme
racists. Please dont send these messages out into the world. This only
results in misleading Sri Lankans living overseas, he said.
In a major broadside to forces gathering around his predecessor Mahinda
Rajapaksa, President Sirisena said that as with many revolutions around the
world, the democratic revolution in Sri Lanka on 8 January 2015 had also
brought about a counter-revolution.
After Abraham Lincolns administration abolished slavery in America, for a
season, some slaves claimed to prefer slavery to living as free individuals in
society. They believed for a while that living as slaves was better than
enjoying freedom granted and building themselves on their own strength.
This is the nature of human society, he explained, even as his
administration faced criticism about doing too little in its first three months
in office.
When action was being taken against corruption, there were people who
thought like the slaves first did in America, President Sirisena said. They
seem to prefer a corrupt system and attempt to mislead the people when
action is being taken to root out corruption and fraud, he charged.

Scores of demonstrators have rallied against investigations into the conduct

of top members of the former ruling family by the police and the Bribery
Commission over the past week.
Despite the criticism about the lack of action in the 100 days, President
Sirisena said democracy and freedom had already been restored in Sri
Lanka.
Some people ask about what has been done in the last 100 days. So much
has been done, he said.
Some of the most precious freedoms restored, were not tangible things,
things that could be seen or touched, President Sirisena explained.
Today the media is free from the control and pressure of politicians. The
Judiciary is independent. A world that was divided because of Sri Lanka, has
recognised our resolve to ensure the protection of human rights and
fundamental freedoms of our people today, the President said.
Posted by Thavam