The greatest betrayal: Part two:

MEET THE TRAITOR

Opposition’s conspiracy with LTTE rump comes to light:

by K.M.H.C.B. Kulatunga

Too many ‘cooks’ in the Opposition have already spoilt its ‘common’ soup, even before Maithripala Sirisena has handed over his nominations to contest the next presidential election.

Maithripala has become a political prisoner of the UNP as well as former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe tells him one thing and the next morning UNP deputy leader Sajith Premadasa tells him another. Then, the UNP’s leadership council chairman Karu Jayasuriya and Treasurer Daya Gamage will advocate contrasting statements on the next day.

At the same time, Maithripala will have to listen to Chandrika’s malicious advice and also take orders from Mangala Samaraweera. In short, Maithripala is compelled to become an obedient servant of all those power hungry politicians in the so-called common Opposition.

But the biggest damage would be done by the LTTE rump which is operating in a sinister manner through their UNP links. This was evident when the Global Tamil Forum, a front organisation of the LTTE, threatened to take President Mahinda Rajapaksa before an international war crimes tribunal within 24 hours if Maithripala wins the presidential election.

This is clear proof about the links the common Opposition is having with the Tiger rump to capture power at any cost.

Perhaps, Ven. Maduluwawe Sobhitha thero and Ven Athuraliye Rathana thero who are backing Maithripala, may not be aware of these sinister links. But they would soon realise the damage they would be doing by supporting a team which would destroy Buddhism under the instructions of LTTE cohorts.

The Opposition is well aware that none of their leaders would come anywhere near the soaring popularity of President Rajapaksa. Hence, they found a man from within who could play a role of Judas and betray the UPFA and the SLFP.

In Maithripala Sirisena, the common Opposition had little difficulty in finding a scarecrow. Hence, the presidential race has now turned out to be a battle between those who love the country and those who don’t.

Some of the slides that did the rounds on facebook

From the very beginning, it was Chandrika, in her lust for power which has not ended even after holding the Presidency for 11 long years, who masterminded Maithripala’s betrayal. She is not sincere and want Maitripala to become the President from the bottom of her heart. She would have thought that it would be easier for her to pull the strings if a political puppet like Maithripala becomes the President.

Maithripala appears to have realised the early mistakes done in his campaign and is making a desperate attempt to rectify them. The biggest blunder on the very first day of his campaign was to have ‘madam always late’Chandrika beside him at the press conference.

People are aware of the lethargic manner she ran the country. That did irreparable damage to the joint Opposition’s campaign.

Hence, the common opposition is now compelled to ‘reduce’ Chandrika’s role in Maithripala’s presidential campaign as many parties have raised concerns over her inclusion and the manner in which she is positioning herself in the common opposition. Sensing that she would be unceremoniously thrown out, Chandrika had already threatened not to underestimate her role in making the joint Opposition.

Perhaps, she would have referred to satellite telephones she secured from a Western mission for the sinister operation of brining in Maithripala as the common candidate.

But the fundamental question is “Who rules?” in case Maithripala wins though the chances are extremely slim. Who would actually rule the country, if Maithripala wins even by accident? Definitely, Maithripala will not stand a chance of doing so for sure.

He has categorically stated that he would abolish the Executive Presidency within 100 days and would appoint Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister with more powers.

In other words, Maithripala is contesting and even beg the votes of SLFPers to bring the UNP leader to power. By paying homage at the Bandaranaike Samadhi at Nittabuwa, Maithripala attempts to mislead SLFP supporters that he is going to be another SLFP President. That is merely o mislead SLFP voters. But Maithripala cannot fool them by bringing an ‘expired’ former President to the limelight.

If Maithripala steps down after abolishing the presidency in 100 days or whenever, who would take the lead over from him, who would pick that person?

Definitely not the masses! In case Maithripala steps down as promised, though he is not legally bound, it is not the people of this country who would choose the Head of State? Will the rebels in the UNP who show temporory unity for the time being, allow Ranil to become the Prime Minister or even the President throughthe back door? Absolutely not!

In the 1978 Constitution, the power of the Executive Presidency lies in the hands of the institution occupied by the individual who has won a majority of votes of over 50 percent and could not be taken before courts. Even if Maithripala becomes the President in his day dreams, none of his agreements with the joint Opposition would be valid.

If executive power has been transferred to the Prime Minister, then the country would be led by someone who has not been elected by the majority of the country’s voters but by those of a single electoral unit, a district—which is a far more narrowly restricted base. Is that what we want? Is that the democracy and good governance the Opposition has been shouting from the rooftops? Is that the ‘change’ the Opposition is

talking about? This is a well-orchestrated attempt to mislead the masses and hand over power to someone who is not the people’s choice. This is this is the shortcut the UNP is looking forward to capture power at any cost by making Maithripala a scapegoat.

Even if somebody votes for Maithripala, he is no longer the occupant of the office that person had voted him into because he has abolished it, and instead it will be Ranil. In other words, voting for Maithripala will be a futile attempt that would not reflect the true aspirations of the voters.

Ranil could become Prime Minister with executive powers as they proclaim on the UNP platform. But who will govern the country,will it be Ranil or Maithripala? Maithripala has already sought permission to ‘Sir’ Ranil, something a person aspiring to become the Head of State would never think of doing! Moreover, Maithripala calls Chandrika ‘madam’. Hence, who governs the country even if Maithripala becomes the President is anybody’s guess.

The UNP Leader and the common candidate of the Opposition are now in a place where they have to make a hard decision on the involvement of the big lady. It is still not clear as to how the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe duo is going to approach the vexed question of the former big lady which is, in a way, hampering the campaign of the common Opposition.

The so-called jount Opposition is coming out with different stories every day. First they promised to abolish the Executive Presidency within 100 days.

Then they said some important chances to the Executive Presidency could be done immediately and they are armed with the necessary legislation so that the ‘change’ could be done within 24 hours if Maithripala comes to power.

But by Thursday, the Opposition was playing a different melody altogether, as if the voters have asked them to change things overnight.

The UNP on Thursday declared that the joint Opposition would retain the Executive Presidency with ‘some changes’ to cut ‘certain’ powers of the Executive. The Opposition now says that Maithripala could remain as the Executive President if he is elected.

The sudden change of policy was made to hoodwink the SLFP supporters and rob their vote as the UNP found their earlier plan of handing over full power to Ranil would be rejected by SLFP supporters in toto.

Making a ‘U’ turn, parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera made a desperate attempt to mis

lead SLFP supporters, emphasising that the process of transferring power to the Cabinet of Ministers would be done in accordance with the Constitution.

Mangala dismissed the notion that voting for Maithripala would pave the way for a UNP National Leader to receive the post of executive Prime Minister on a platter.

There are huge differences among the so-called joint Opposition which is now struggling to reach an understanding. Hence, Mangala now blames the Government of trying to deprive the Opposition of a decent venue to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). One wonders why the UNP headquarters Sirikotha is not good enough.

If Maithripala could go there on Prabhakaran’s birth anniversary and celebrate his crossover, why can’t he go there to sign the MoU?

Although the majority of the seniors in the joint Opposition strongly reject the presence of Chandrika, Mangala has once again explained their plans to bring the retired lady.

Mangala has said that Ranil-Maithripala-Chandrika alliance power sharing arrangement should continue for at least two years. He said that this arrangement could continue until the next parliamentary election.

Ranil appears to be in a jubilant mood after averting another personal defeat by contesting the upcoming Presidential election and handing over that ‘headache’ to Maithripala. Problems at the UNP camp seems to be never-ending.

Wednesday’s ceremony in UNP headquarters, Sirikotha to welcome Maithripala, took an unexpected turn with UNP General Tissa Attanayake striking a discordant note.

Attanayake said that if one thinks the UNP could make any headway without its colour or symbol or candidate at an election, it is sadly mistaken.

Attanayake said the real UNPers had been shortchanged at all levels of the party and he, too, had not been spared. “I am ready to give up the post of General Secretary any time he declared, the interests of UNPers had to take precedence over everyone else’s.

The UNP should not be taken lightly,” a dejected Attanayake was quoted as saying. He is among the top UNP seniors who wanted the UNP to field its own presidential candidate.

Even Sajith Premadasa has said whoever enters the presidential fray, it was the UNP supporters who had to bear the brunt of the campaign and their interests had to be looked after. “Our dream is to have a President elected from the UNP — a Green President,” Sajith has said.

That is a clear indication that he rejects a SLFPer who invaded the UNP with hopes of becoming the President. But a relaxed Ranil has said that he was more than happy that a person from Polonnaruwa had been nominated as the Opposition Common Candidate at his expense.

What did Maithripala promise LTTE rump?

The Tiger rump in the West which roars to take President Rajapaksa before an international war tribunal, has channeled a staggering sum for the joint Opposition’s campaign to support Maithripala Sirisena.

The conspiracy hatched in the West and plotted at former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga’s official residence. It came to light when the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) jumped the gun, claiming that they would take President Mahinda Rajapaksa to an international war tribunal if Maithirpala Sirisena wins the next Presidential election.

In less than 24 hours after Maithripala Sirisena was named the joint Opposition candidate following a conspiracy by Chandrika and her blind-follower Mangala Samaraweera, the GTF has disclosed its future plans. The LTTE front organisation is yearning to take the leaders who ushered in peace to the country before the international courts in the Hague with the support of opportunistic Opposition politicians.

Suren Surendran of the GTF told Al Jazeera television that they plan to take President Rajapaksa before an international war tribunal for alleged war crimes if the joint Opposition candidate emerges victorious.

He has said that it will be easy to take the President before the war crimes tribunal if he loses immunity as the Head of State. Isn’t this an indication of the links between the common Opposition and the LTTE cohorts to discredit the country and take the leader who saved the nation from LTTE terrorism before the international war crimes tribunal?

However, on a previous occasion, the President, who gave unmatched political leadership to the Security Forces during the country’s relentless battle against terrorism, had said that he is ready to go before any international court on behalf of the true sons of our soil who had eradicated terrorism and ushered in a peaceful country for all communities to live in peace and harmony.

Western missions picked common candidate - Minister Mahindanada Aluthgamage

The Government said today in an interview telecast recently on Al-Jazeera which was

related to a discussion by some opposition MPs with regard to the possibility of President Rajapaksa being taken before an international war tribunal by next April.

“We are aware about the covert walks by night by certain politicians to those foreign missions. The foreign conspiracy to oust President Rajapaksa and replace the Government with one that danced to their tune was clearly manifested from an interview telecast recently by Al-Jazeera involving UNP’s Dr. Harsha De Silva, UPFA’s Dr. Rajiva Wijesinha and the secretary of the Global Tamil Forum, Surendra,” Minister Mahindanada Aluthgamage said.“This is the conspiracy we are talking about,” the minister claimed.

He charged that the common candidate was the result of a conspiracy hatched against President Mahinda Rajapaksa by a combo of Colombo-based foreign missions, Ranil Wickremesinghe and Chandrika Kumaratunga.

Addressing the media at the SLFP head office, Minister Aluthgamage said the Government knew that the Opposition did not have the capability to choose a common candidate against President Rajapaksa and the selection was done by a few western embassies.

UNP secures deal with TNA to woo support for Maithripala

The Tamil National Alliance has informed the joint Opposition that the Tiger proxy party would unofficially support their presidential election campaign of the common candidate. However, the UNP has asked the TNA not to make their understanding public as that would affect their Sinhala vote.

However, the joint Opposition has asked the TNA that they should project their links as a program to fight for a fair election and democracy. It is a joke to ask for the support of the TNA for a free and fair election and talk on democracy with them as the TNA had endorsed all what the LTTE had done.

It was the LTTE which prevented holding elections in the North. After 22 years, President Rajapaksa restored the democratic rights of people in the North and East by conducting the Northern Provincial Council elections.

During the last presidential election, common candidate of the opposition Sarath Fonseka secured victory at predominantly Tamil areas in the North, with the TNA’s support. The UNP now plans to secure a similar deal to support Maithripala.

TNA leader R. Sampanthan has already expressed confidence in Maithripala as the TNA plans to give conditional support the common Opposition candidate.

The TNA leader has said that Maithripala would keep promises, including the abolishing of the Executive Presidency.

Sampanthan also stated that he was “impressed” with the press conference held by Maithripala at New Town Hall last week.

Rajitha’s track record

Rajitha Senaratne, who betrayed the UPFA along with Maithripala Sirisena, has never stuck to one political party. Originally, he was in the Sri Lanka Freedom party (SLFP) and then joined the Sri Lanka Mahajana Party (SLMP).

When the parties in the left formed the United Socialist Alliance (USA) after the death of SLMP founder Vijaya Kumaratunga, Sebaratne became an ardent supporter of the USA, making a vow beside Vijaya’s coffin along with Chandrika. But neither Chandrika nor Senaratne kept the promises they made before Vijaya’s dead body. Rajitha then joined Bahujana Nidahas Peramuna (BNP) before crossing over to the UNP do become a minister in Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government.

Rajitha Senaratne began his career in 1974 as dental practitioner in the state sector and was soon appointed as the secretary to the Government Dental Surgeons Association (GDSA) the trade union of the dental surgeons that had many battles with the Jayewardene Government over the Private Medical College issue.

He was elected to the Western Provincial Council in 1988 from the USA with which the SLMP was in an alliance. He unsuccessfully contested the 1989 general elections under the USA ticket. When Ossie Abeygunasekera,the successor of Vijaya to the SLMP leadership, started to gravitate towards the Premadasa Regime, Rajitha broke away from SLMP and formed the Bahujana Nidahas Peramuna (BNP) to shelter Chandrika when she returned to Sri Lanka from the UK.

Later Rajitha later joined the UNP which appointed him as a national list MP in the Wijetunga government and became a bitter critic of Chandrika.

In 1994 he was elected to Parliament from the Kalutara District on the UNP ticket. He played a pivotal role in the debate over the Channel-9 scandal of the Chandrika regime. He even went to the extent of challenging the ‘self-declared’ educational qualifications of Chandrika.

In 1999, the court disqualified him from doing business with the State and he was unseated from Parliament. However, the UNP re-appointed him to the vacancy created by his own unseating. In 2007, he crossed over to the UPFA with Karu Jayasuriya and 16 others.