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| Sunday, 27 November 2005 |
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If you have tears, keep them for the next time Light Refractions by Lucien Rajakarunanayake My dear Sri Lankans (or is it half of three-fourths of them), I am deeply moved by your feelings of sorrow both for yourselves and me, at my failure to cross the Rubicon of 50 percent of the popular vote to be your Executive President. The large outpouring of your sympathy at my defeat, yes once again indeed, makes me write this. You should really not cry for me. Maybe you deserve to cry for the opportunities you lost, especially those in the corporate sector who were looking for me to deliver the goodies to them. My mistakes It is my duty to admit my mistakes and those of all the others who advised and guided me in the lost campaign, in which I have still not done the decent thing of conceding defeat to that Mahinda guy who walked longer than all of us did, and was faced with many obstacles especially from his own side. He has done a great walk all the way from Beliatta and Tissamaharama to President's House which he will occupy soon, when the present tenant leaves. Alas, how confident I was made to feel that she would be glad to have me as the next tenant. I had even planned a joint party for the moving in. But all of that is no more. Whatever it is I am glad that Anura did not forget his old school tie and the tenant to go did not forget our childhood friendship and family associations which were always very cordial. Looking back at our long march from Devundara to Colombo to get the election advanced to this year, I can well understand your sorrow that having achieved it, we could not walk that extra mile to President's House. Some say the first mistake I made was to attempt raban playing on that long march. Honest, I don't know a single raban pada and I just don't know how those rural women bring out rhythm and beat when they play it. My only links with a rabana was when I made some noise with them at Royal-Thomian matches. I don't blame Rajitha for having said all those things about modernising the paddy farmer. That was our genuine aim - a Levi clad, Pizza eating farmer. Our strategists said it was the best way to reach the hearts of the rural people. I left it to Rajitha, because I can't say such things as well as he can. He went over the top and I had to be the fall guy for it all. I shudder about Wimal Wee making an ass of me for what Rajitha said. He called me anaconda, for tripping over in everything I said. I am told I have never trod on the grass and sand of this country. How could I have? I was born in Colombo, and my parents put my feet into shoes very early. It was concerned infra dig to be seen unshod in public. I'm sure Mahinda did not have such a problem. He must have enjoyed the feel of the earth. Yet, I do feel for our country and our people. Especially those people in the world of big business who I have always believed are the only ones able to drag this country into the 21st Century which we are already in. I know they enjoy the buckshee that goes with political power, and I have always been willing to give it to them. It is they who advised me on the selection of my advertising agents for this campaign. I even established my Buddhist credentials by writing a book on Buddhism, but it served no purpose. My advisors I will never forgive the strategist who advised me to promise the biggest Theravada Dagaba in the world, and also misled me about the first two Sanghayanas being at Lumbini. How am I to know that not even the smallest boutique in this country sells powdered milk by the spoonful? I honestly don't know a thing about the small trader or how the poor people live. I was asked to offer myself as the answer to their pangs of hunger, and I did so. But when the count was over it was clear that the Ranil flavour was not something most of our people liked in their food. Badaginna nimavata Ranil I won't ever forget that. I must admit the LTTE let us all down. We all believed that the Tiger organised Northern vote would take me right to the top. Yet, it didn't happen that way, and we realised it far too late. Milinda and Naveen could not change the trend in other areas with their fairy tales about Karuna being our creation. I am now learning the meaning of the Sinhala aphorism that one must not nurture a serpent. Also, most Christians did not fall for the bait thrown about imminent danger to their religions. The Christians, who did awake after that Kotelawela sponsored message, decided that Mahinda was safer for them. Even Ja-ela didn't hold and Moratuwa fell too. I'm quite used to defeat. I'm sorry at letting you down once again. But I'm not the one to throw the towel in so easily. I will lead you once again. The Promised Land is at hand. It may be six years or a general election away. I assure you I will break this spell of defeats. If you have tears don't prepare to shed them now. There can always be opportunities in the future, with me being at your helm. With Elephantine Love, |
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