Folly of the left in propping up the Rajapakistan regime in Sri Lanka

by K Suresh

LETTER TO EDITOR
Dear Editor,

(September 13, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian)Thank you for publishing the LSSP statement on the 18th Amendment to the Constitution by Prof. Tissa Vitarana, a cabinet minister of President Rajapakse’s Rajapakistan government.

Let me salute Prof Vitharane by saying ‘Rajapakistan zindabath’ and wish him every success in his endeavors to sing the Rajapakistan theme to uphold his confusing values.

I was so interested in reading the stand of the LSSP on the APRC report and the 18th amendment to the constitution passed in the parliament. Prof Vitarana/LSSP’s stand is clearly like that of a spineless worm struggling in the glaring hot heat. I like to touch on two issues:

1. The speech of Prof Vitarana in the parliament during the debate on 18th Amendment states: ‘The LSSP therefore stands for a New Constitution that completely replaces the 1978 Constitution. Basically one that restores executive power to Parliament. One in which the people are empowered through extensive devolution of power down to village level. One in which the minorities have a fair share of power both at the Centre and the periphery. One in which the independence of the Judiciary etc. is ensured. It is our view that this could be achieved by continuing the APRC process, which President Mahinda Rajapaksa initiated, to its logical conclusion with the participation of the TNA (free of LTTE pressure) and other parties. The position of the LSSP has been made clear both within the Government and at meetings held throughout the country, together with the CPSL and the DPF and other parties in our Socialist Alliance.’

As a cabinet minister the learned minister is well aware of the direction the President of Rajapakistan is taking after hoodwinking him to undertake an opportunistic task to head the APRC and produce the report that has now been torn into pieces as it did not envisage the President’s Rajapakistan intentions. How can a leader like Prof Vitatana still have hope that his APRC report will be seriously considered by the Rajapakistan President Mahendra Percy Rajapakse?

Let me quote what his fellow Cabinet and the External Affairs Minster Prof G L Peiris has said in his speech at the China Institute of International Studies in Beijing: ‘We had the APRC which deliberately dragged its feet until the war was finished; that was understandable, but that process lost its credibility and we the people do not expect anything to come out of it.’

Prof Peiris has reflected the real mindset of the President of Rajapakistan. After having helped you to drag your feet, he is now blaming you for the delay. Do you still have any hope that APRC report will be revived to change the course of fully establishing Rajapakistan? What a fallacy? You have been used as a guinea pig and the President has given you the right honour for your humble service by offering you at Cabinet meeting a grand cake on the day you celebrated your 80th birthday. It is time now for you give up any hope to reinvigorate your dead APRC report.


2. You than state: ‘It is our intention to remain within the SLFP-led Government and vote for this 18th Amendment….. But we shall continue to uphold our stated position and campaign for it. There is no doubt that the 18th Amendment to the Constitution would facilitate the mobilization of the Public Service and the other institutions for economic development….. There is no doubt that the 18th Amendment to the Constitution would facilitate the mobilization of the Public Service and the other institutions for economic development’.

Everyone knows how the economic development and mobilization of the public service process was undertaken prior to the introduction of the 18th amendment. President is the Defense Minister, Finance Minister and very important portfolios of the government are being held by his brothers and other family members. Rajapakse & Co., were doing everything that you were saying all these while without any discourtesy to them from anyone.

I hope you can recall what the Chief Minister of Eastern Province Pillaiyan who does not have the professorial knowledge like you said about the state of affairs of his Chief Ministership of the province. ‘I cannot even appoint a bus driver as Chief Minister in the province’ he said. It is knowledge, every thing from opening ceremonies to appointment of peons to the local councils are carried out by the Rajapakse family and why then there was haste in amending the constitution to achieve these job creation economic objectives achieved so peacefully by the Rajapakistan clan. Is it to legitimize the activities of the Rajapakistan rule that you supported this amendment?

Well! The leaned Professor, I am very sad that as being a Cabinet Minister you are unable to comprehend the Rajapakistan mission of the President. Isn’t the time right for you to hand over your Cabinet position to President of Rajapakistan and take sanctuary somewhere in a Tibetan monastery to get some atonement at this mature age?

Please do not test the modicum of intelligence of the citizens of Sri Lanka.

Yours sincerely,
K Suresh