Sri Lanka: Obituary notes on the sudden death of SLFP (1951 --- 2018)


I’m sorry to send this condolence for the sudden death of SLFP. After, 65 years of service to Sri Lankans, Maithri has brutally murdered SLFP in a broad daylight with his punch on its back







by A Patriotic Lankan

( November 13, 2018, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) We are going through one of toughest times in Sri Lankan politics. Since Sri Lanka got its Independence, Sri Lanka has been ruled by two main political parties namely SLFP and UNP. Both parties have been changing hand since 1950s. No time in Sri Lankan political history, politicians plotted to wipe out their own political party as we see today. SLFP is not slaughtered by outsiders but by crook insiders. Maithri wants to contest for the second term. For that he is ready to wipe out SLFP in collaboration with Mahinda. All what Mahinda needs is to capture power at any cost even if it is at the expense of SLFP. Of course, UNP and SLFP encountered political fights and yet, neither SLFP nor UNP intend to literally wipe out an opposition party from the soil of Sri Lanka as MS and MR have done it now.

I’m sorry to send this condolence for the sudden death of SLFP. After, 65 years of service to Sri Lankans, Maithri has brutally murdered SLFP in a broad daylight with his punch on its back. He has been plotting to kill it for a long.   It has been a painful week to see dying a patriotic political party. I’ve never voted any party in Sri Lanka except for SLFP in my 55 years. Maithri’s name should be written by red letters in history book for killing this wonderful party. SLFP produced some of best political leaders in Sri Lanka.  Bandaranayake family worked day and night to establish this party for the last 65 years and now, Maithri comes and wipes it out overnight. Late PM Srima used to walk village to village to strengthen her party during political careers. SLFP members sacrificed a lot for this party. All those political works go into history books now.

Now MR wants to write his family name in politics by creating his own party. Soon after he secured the second term, the political attitudes and behaviour of Mahinda family dramatically changed. They began to behave like kings or like  dictators controlling all governmental apparatus and departments. Mahinda almost became a king in Sri Lanka. Some people began to compare him with past kings of Sri Lanka. Yet, civil societies, monks, and many politicians and intellectuals arose up against his dictatorial behaviours. Now once again the same dictatorial family rule is going to come back. This time destroying SLFP. They come with a new party with the intention of establishing family rule in Sri Lanka.

Since Sri Lanka got independence, our focus has been who rule the country. The focus has been on who should rule the country. We have been focusing which party should form government? Who should come president or PM of Sri Lanka. The political fight has been on parties and personalities. Yet, we have forgotten to ask how the country should be ruled. What type of political system is viable and suitable to us?  What type of constitution is fitting us and what type of politics is best to Sri Lanka?  We did not care about this? All what we cared for was to get power by any means.

JR introduced presidential political system to Sri Lanka. We let him do what he wanted. He consolidated power and even he asked his cabinet to give him resignation letters in advance (undated letters with signatures of PMs). This executive presidential system is no good for any third world countries. It gives unlimited and excessive power to presidents to introduce dictatorial rules and misuse of power. Although, JR, R. Premadasa, Chandrika used it with some constraints, but Mahinda used it to loot public money and he misused it to control legal, financial, political and administrative intuitions. Media, judiciary and all other department came under strict control. Then, people begun to feel the characteristics of dictatorship in Sri Lanka. People so quickly forget all what happened in the past. Some politicians need him back to escape from court summons and punishment.

The danger of executive president was highlighted many times and yet, now only 22 Million Sri Lankans feel it when this crafty Maithri shameless cheated Sri Lankans in a broad day light political robbery. He thinks that 22 Sri Lankans are stupid like him in politics. Today, Sri Lankans are highly educated, well vested in politics, diplomacy, international relations, geopolitics, world economy. Millions of Sri Lankans are clearer enough than Maithri and his cohorts. After all, 50% of MPs are without GCSE in Parliament.  So, no politician should dare to fool public now. Sri Lankans will teach a good lesson to Maithri and Mahinda collaborators in the next election. This is not a problem of UNP or SLFP or JVP. It is a problem of 22 million Sri Lankans and their future.

When JR introduced this excessive political system and opposition was so weak. They had a few members in opposition party and I think less than 20 MPs. They could not do anything to change it.  Yet, some academic opposed it and expressed their dissatisfaction and yet, they could not do any thing to change it. Dr Colvin had already warned JR about the danger of this executive presidential system to Sri Lanka, yet, JR left it for coming generations to sort it out. Since then, No president dared to abolish it. Now, we pay the price that mistake. Greedy Maithri wants to keep it to enjoy executive power and to secure a place for his children in politics.

After almost 65 years, SLFP has been murdered by Maithri. It is reported that Maithri and some of his supporters want to contest this coming general election under SLFP symbol and yet, Mahinda and his cohort want to contest with Pohattu symbol. It is reported that there had been a heated augment between two groups about the selection of election symbol. It is very much apparent that Pohattu has an upper hand now in politics within SLFP circles. Maithri and his cohort can not do much now. His influence will be subdued soon by family rule of Mahinda.

It is reported that Chandrika is trying to resuscitate SLFP to give some life back to it.  I think it is too late now to unite SLFP members. They are brought and sold in a public auction. Unfortunately, Sri Lankan politicians do not live by their political ideologies and principles. They are so cheap to be sold in public auction. Now, I think that third party will emerge soon in Sri Lanka. I feel that JVP will get ground support soon in Sri Lanka. It has will power and dedication. I think today modern information does a lot of political revolutions and mind change. Unlike in the past, this social network makes political miracles. I think that death of SLFP will give life to JVP soon.

They have all qualities to be elected to Sri Lankan parliament. They nominate only good people with good characters. They elect dynamic youth and young political leaders. I think Sri Lankan political map can be changed with JVP. Yet, Tamil, Muslim, Malay, Sinhalese and all other communities should work hand in hand with JVP to make a political change in Sri Lanka.