Why people voted President Rajapaksa?

By Sarath Wijesinghe

(February 06, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Presidents re - election is the most decisive decision of the electorate since the introduction of the franchise to Sri Lanka. It gives a decisive message to the people countrywide and worldwide. 2005 election is the zenith of the political carrier of Mahinda Rajapaksa and the election on 26th of January is the crucial and decisive mandate given ever by the people, after the elimination of the longest terrorist war of South Asia which has engulfed the Nation over thirty years. With the amazement and the surprise to the world it took only three years for this unbelievable victory, which disproved the accepted world theory that terrorism could not be militarily defeated. Previous Sri Lankan leaders’ miserably failed to eradicate terror and terrorism for three decades and two leaders of India and Sri Lanka became casualties in addition to thousands died and the destruction of trillions of wealth belong to the nation. Citizen this occasion felt and smelt “blood and death” as a result of the conduct and statements of army commander turned politician mainly on personal vendetta, with the motto defeat President Rajapaksa at any cost flanked by UNP, JVP, SLMC and TNA. Ordinary citizen led by the “village” took an independent and collective decision to re-elect the President not necessarily influenced by propaganda by either side.

Year 2005 President Rajapaksa was entrusted with a Divided Nation with declining economy, and poor world reputation in addition to the complete breakdown of law and order and security of the Nation due to bloody war waged by LTTE - the most ruthless terrorise outfit on terror according to none other than USA country report. In the area carved to LTTE based on an international agreement between Mr Ranil Wickramasinghe and Velupillai Prabakaran, LTTE legally functioned as a “Mini State” with banks, court houses and administration units to which Sri Lankan government or forces had no access to. Most dangerous and amazing scenario was that there were four co-chairs including Norway, USA, UK and EU to supervise and oversee the implementation of the agreement which has internationalised the instrument. President Rajapaksa had to manage with a minority government with the mercy of JVP demanding a probationary government to rule the country on their terms.

War waged on terror and terrorism in Sri Lanka by Rajapaksa has been professional, unprecedented and exemplarily. Credit of the success and high standards go to celebrated ex army officer Gotabya Rajapaksa, who was appointed to the powerful post of Secretary of Defence by his brother President Rajapaksa , few hours after the election victory in 2005. He proved himself be a live wire of the government as the main attraction of the people to rally round the government has been the success story of the unwinnable war which has made life miserable to every citizen for so long. He was given a free hand to draw up and implement the strategy for the long and decisive war nobody thought would win, as LTTE was so powerful in Sri Lanka and worldwide. Enormous wealth and the international network of LTTE was so powerful, that even some governments and international organisations began to deal with the organisation indirectly and via powerful leadership backed by the misguided Tamil Diaspora worldwide.

People wanted peace and peace of mind to move about and lead a secured peaceful and contended life. Parents would take children to school and stay outside for their safety as threat was imminent and close to every Members of family. They would use different mode of conveyance as it was not certain when or whether the member of family would come back home alive. Suicide bombers and bombs were frequent all over the country. Life has become so cheap that it has become just numbers and with money nothing was impossible. Values had gone down and everybody lived in eternal fear of terror and imminent and unnatural death due to bombs and related devices. It was three decades of hell on the planet for the average peaceful and peace loving Sri Lankans.

Today wars are not fought and won on the ground and battle field alone. Modern technology and international relations have changed the complete outfit of the mode of war which have taken a different turn and has become dangerous and complicated. IT has taken over a major part of arms and arms dealers like sharks have influenced powerful world political blocks in dealing with war affected countries. They expect the wars to be managed according to their agenda and monopoly on arms and pressure by governments and international organisation in the guise of human rights and international relations. Influence and pressure on President Rajapaksa by some world leaders and International Organisations were enormous. It was too much for a country depending on the outside world on existence. But people understood the situation and stood by the President who frequently had heart to heart dialogues. They “gulped” the high prices of consumer items and the cost of living without worrying and troubling him until the war was completed. President Rajapaksa conducted affairs regardless of world pressure which is one of the main contributory factors of the victory.

To the amazement and surprise to the world Rajapaksa government eradicated terror regime with a sigh of relief to the neighbouring India, SAARC Nations, and the entire world living in fear of terror and the ripple effects. LTTE introduced human bombs and modern and sophisticated terrorist arms and know how shared by Al Quada and similar underworld/terrorist organisations backed by the powerful and worldwide network. He successfully fulfilled the eradication of the menace that has taken the country back to 30 years. We have to catch this up and it was voiced by the President in his speech.

Today people walk about and board into buses with children with a peace of mind with positive feeling that the child and the family would come home from school unharmed from the terror of bomb and suicide bomber. Gotabaya was given a free hand to end the war leaving President and Brother Basil to mend fences and lead the minority government by attracting opposition members of the Parliament while meeting the challenges of the powerful non governmental organisations and the irresponsible opposition vehemently opposed to war, backed by some local embassies. With the war efforts Rajapaksa government developed the road network in order to back the development. It runs length and breath of the entire country and as good as the road network in the United Kingdom and Ireland which is a prerequisite to the economic development of a Nation. People carefully and slowly witnessed the emergence of five harbours, airports, power plants, employment opportunities development on Information Technology English Education, and the development of the person within on the control of liquor and smoking in public which the Europe is struggling to implement.

Life is always a risky and premature launch of the presidential election has been another decisive political decision by President Rajapaksa, in order to test his popularity and pave the way to implement Mahinda Chintanaya one and two – the policy papers on which the policies were to be implemented. Sarath Fonseka’s sudden decision to contest his Commander in Chief at the presidential poll with traditional common enemies was unexpected and rejected by the ordinary citizen who genuinely adored Fonseka as a part of the team in the liberation of the Nation from terror. He exposed himself to be ungrateful to the President and Gotabaya and the Nation. He was appointed Army commander few days before his retirement and four extensions were given. He was given so much personal benefits including funding the educating of the children in USA with security. People witnessed these series of events patiently with an open mind and proved to be so intelligent and correct by taking collective and decisive political decisions with no influence or pressure The decision was spontaneous prompt and collective.

Opposition candidate Fonseka was forcefully supported by UNP,JVP, TNA, SLMC, western forces and NGO’s headed by Policy Alternative and Organisation for peaceful co-existence and funds poured into the campaign in trillions. Face books, emails and text campaign was on the peak and the outside world expected and predicted a comfortable victory for Fonseka and the “Regime Change” process of the West was pro active and surreptitiously on motion fully backed by international media and INGOs. Presidents campaign was traditional and did not kick off until the last few weeks except for Namal- Presidents son who single handily as a young man with no power or position strategically and carefully orchestrated to rally the youngsters and the thee artists as a powerful group to change the minds of the people. The weak areas identified for President Rajapaksa’s campaign has been the youth and IT, which Naml quite correctly identified as a veteran politician who has had political understudy in the shade of his father from the childhood. Namal is entitled to a fair share of the victory by strategically managing and organising the youth and artists during the crucial stages of the campaign.

What next now. The mandate is loud clear and decisive. People expect President to deliver goods, in all areas. Cost of living is rising. True nowhere in the world it would not come down - but it must be checked and effective changes should be brought about. Lectures and computations would not be sufficient and new blood and vision is to be looked into. It is time to mend the partitions and patches with EU G8 G20 and the entire West created by NGO’s and the irresponsible opposition. USA has recently declared that, they can not afford to loose Sri Lanka and EU too has sent positive signals. US considers India as a key factor with emerging China only second to USA financially and our position in world politics and new emerging tiger economy and reputation will be the main vehicle for our Bright Future ( Suba Anagathiyak! ) President is the leader of SAARC and many international and regional organisations who has excellent relations with Middle East, Asia and African Region. This is a defining moment in our regional security and relationships and time is prune for our Leader to be effective by redefining our foreign relations in his own style. Stock market is doing so well which is proof of the confidence of the world economy on us. We are leading in tourism as the emerging best place to visit among chosen countries. Investments are pouring in and peace is solidly established.

Law and order and constitutional changes are to be looked into. People rejected the cry for amendment of the Constitution and 17th amendment mainly voiced by Sarath Silva the former Chief Justice turned Politian with aspirations to be Sarath Fonseka’s Prime Minister in the care taker government. Silva has been a political animal and it is time to review his judgments which are controversial and his conduct on entry politics have raised eyebrows of the citizen. It is time the President look into the Law and order, rule of law and general safety of citizens especially from armed groups still hovering especially in the North and East.

President’s speech on the day of the independence should be read by the average citizen again and again and be used as a guideline in the broader implementation of Mahinda Chintanaya.

(This writer could be contacted at sarath8@hotmail.com )