Fonseka press conference yesterday
General Sarath Fonseka has left the Cinnamon Lakeside and been escorted home. I don’t think there’s any danger of him being assassinated, indeed, that’s the worst case scenario for everyone. Mahinda Rajapaksa has been declared the victor by his own state apparatus and I think most people accept that result. I guess I do too, but that’s more a testament to our low standards than anything else. The election campaign was illegal, but not illegal enough for us to care.
Sarath Fonseka’s complaints against the election are wide reaching and probably valid. Misuse of state resources, defamation, the unconstitutional appointments of both police and public services, and then election rigging. However illegal these things are, they are also largely accepted by the public. The issue of the appointment of police and public service people is so big and entrenched that it’s blatant and obvious unconstitutionality does not even draw attention. All these people are supposed to be appointed by a Constitutional Council, under the 17th amendment, but every leader has ignored that.
On a purely legal level it’s a simple ruling, but this is not a land of laws. In term of rule of man, no one cares. That said, there are precedents for elections being overturned on similar grounds. Most notably, Basil Rajapakse vs. his niece Nirupama Rajapakse.
Ultimately Kularatne won the poll, but was disqualified by a judge based on an election petition submitted by Nirupama Rajapakse, which held that an agent of Ananda Kularatne, Basil Rohana Rajapakse, committed the “corrupt practice of making a false statement relating to (Nirupama’s) personal character and conduct.” (Sunday Leader)
There are other other precedents as well of MP elections being tossed out, but never on the Presidential level. Do I think it will happen? No. So what now? Honestly, we go back to not caring and Mahinda Rajapaksa goes back to being President. The election wasn’t free and fair, but it wasn’t that bad. What to do.
Get real. A lead of over 1.5 million votes means Mahinda has the people’s mandate. There’s no way any amount of abuse of state resources would have led to such a huge victory… this is the idea that the Colombo elite has, that the people in the rural areas are idiots who gullibly believe anything said by the state media. This is a nonsense that they uphold because they live in a little fantasy world of their own. No one can challenge this election – the process was free and fair (as even the UN acknowledges) even if the run up wasn’t, and the people have spoken. Boo ya.
Hi, so far only Indian PM has congratulated President on re-election. Have you heard of any other state leader? o
“Misuse of state resources, defamation, the unconstitutional appointments of both police and public services, and then election rigging.”
Right, but look at it logically. When ridiculous amount of power is trusted upon an individual, by the law itself, the said individual will always say fuck it and do whatever he/she pleases. It’s not personal, it’s the human nature. Of course there will be individuals who won’t abuse power, but chances of them raising to the top position are remote to say the least. Everybody (except perhaps Wijetunga) did it, and Ranil couldn’t get the top job. Yet. If he did, I’m pretty sure he would have too, though he would have taken a bit diplomatic and subtle approach to it. He too is power hungry alright. After losing countless elections and his own party people rejecting him, he’s still their leader – that says a lot.
So, unless this fucked up constitution changes, things won’t change.
“There’s no way any amount of abuse of state resources would have led to such a huge victory… this is the idea that the Colombo elite has, that the people in the rural areas are idiots who gullibly believe anything said by the state media. This is a nonsense that they uphold because they live in a little fantasy world of their own.”
Jana, do you see the circular logic in your own statement?
‘No way abuse of state resources would have led to such a huge victory’ – Your proof?
‘People in the rural areas…believe everything said by the state media’ – Do you have proof that suggests otherwise?
I have no contentions about the winner of the election. As far as I’m concerned, Mahinda won what he deserved. It’s your strange logic and assumptions about both the rural and urban folk that gets me. Seems to me you’re the one living in a fantasy world.
So say what. We need to change hte constitution. How can we do that? By giving tha parliament 2/3 majority to one party? Are we willing to do that?
Again, if Fonseka really feared an assassination attempt, a Hotel isn’t the place to be. And “high cost” of hotel isn’t a reason to risk life in an assassination threat. Moving out because of “high cost” only supports a theory like mine: there’s not any use for the hotel stay now. Fonseka didn’t win. He packed up, and went home.
http://subtlesl.wordpress.com/2010/01/28/aftermath-of-the-election/
One person that has done considerable damage to the country is Ranil. He has an excellent knowledge on the economy and how to develop the country. But he never let go of the Opposition Leader Crown at the right time. I suppose yesterday was the last best time.
True, the government is not letting the opposition speak up. But then you have to become stronger. Because in this election as well, 4.1mn people voted for you. Because you have to care for those people. Because they trusted on you. Now they’re helpless because usually any government cares only for their supporters.
This is what MR does right. Cuz all his supporters usually get the perks. At least a janitor job for the dude that pasted posters.
Sure, this situation must be changed, but to change it you’ve to become stronger. And without caring for the voters or becoming brave, a party could never do that.
Time’s up for Ranil, seriously.
Now Sri Lanka can look forward to a bright new future – away from the skunks of the UNP and their hangers on.
Exactly Kentucky Fried…. 4.1 million people voted for the opposition, if the time was right and the mandate and person was too, I would have and lots more people would have. UNP needs new blood.
I thought electing SF was going to create non-stop political drama. That was because of his improbable coalition and his volatile personality. It turns out the drama was more literal than that. Last 3 days have shown the true character of this man and his so-called supporters.
Indi’s posts show how absurd our Colombo in-crowd has become in their self generated media bubble. I wouldn’t have believed this before, but journalists are happily broadcasting SF’s/Ranil’s bizzare conspiracy theories. Who can really believe that SF is going to be assasinated by the govt? I thought we were only supposed to laugh at conspiracy theories of JVP/JHU types.
There can’t be any doubt about the election result because that scale of rigging is not possible if you know anything about how elections are conducted in Sri Lanka. Apart from rigging, everything that SF claims should nullify the result was true a week ago as well and they knew that full well. Even Tuesday monitors confirmed that election went without hiccups by Sri Lankan standards.(Aren’t Sri Lankan standards what actually matters?)
Some people do make a living telling the world that everything Sri Lankan must be suspect. So some contrary views were expected, but to condemn the entire democratic process, and the country with it, is just plain wrong. And unethical by any standards.
BBC is still highlighting SF’s challenge of the result as their primary news item about the election. They hardly mention the loss was by a convincing 17% margin with 72% casting their vote.
What BBC is doing unfortunately is not journalism, it is activism of the worst kind.
This election could have been a major challenge to any country. It is barely 8-months from an unbelievably brutal conflict. How Sri Lanka pulled it off this peacefully is a testament to the resilience of our democracy. Preserving what democratic system we have is much more important than party politics or political figureheads. This is not an easy thing for some people whose careers and dreams are not consistent with those of the common people of this country.
Indi, what you do is truly remarkable. Independent voices like yours absolutely trumps those who pretend to speak for the common person.
And SF really needs some help. Medical help that is. Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may account for some of the unpredictable and hallucinatory behaviour he has shown recently. After all SF had a near death experience when he met that pregnant suicide lady. While it is almost certain that SF has PTSD symptoms, it doesn’t explain how Ranil and his JVP buddies come up with those crazy conspiracy theories like assasination attempts and military coups.
No circular logic my dear. The assumption that abuse of state media led to MR’s win is there in SF’s letter. This is a silly idea because the masses are swayed by grass roots campaigns, not by watching tv (which is what the elites do). It’s the conversation at the kopi kade that helps them decide. Elitists can’t understand that and believe that the masses should share their views. Too bad. The UNP has always belived its own propaganda much to its embarrassment. Rajeeva Wijesinghe said it best – “they took in poor General Fonskea with their mythology and he really doesn’t understand that the vast majority of people in this country are really sane!” (last night on Al Jazeera)
All these other claims, except for vote rigging, were true even before the election day.
Everyone went to polls knowing fully well that there was no CC.
To make these claims after the results were announced, seems like an attempt to undermine the democratic will of the people.
Basic requirement of a democratic candidate is the readiness to accept either victory or defeat. SF is unable to accept defeat.
There is a fundamental problem here that Indi and the Colombo NGO crowd is conveniently ignoring.
What they want to do is to weaken the democratic system so that their candidate/agendas can have another shot this time around. In other words they want to throw out the baby with the bath water.
This is very short sighted and dangerous, but fortunately there is very little chance of this happenning.
Spot on! The BBC last night didn’t even let Bogollagama finish his sentences. The contempt in the news anchor spoke volumes for the international media’s anti Sri Lanka bias–this woman actually had the gall to ask (very contemptuously, mind you): “will you let Gen. Fonseka contest the election result?” What the hell does she think Sri Lanka is, some kind of banana republic?
The fundamental problem here is the media bubble the Colombo elites live in and perpetuate. They and the NGO crowd propagate their unrealistic mythologies and sell it to the international media, who seek them out because they’re polished and speak well and seem intelligent. They had no clue about how the vast majority of Sri Lankans feel, and now they’re reeling in shock and spreading ridiculous conspiracy theories.
As we say in Sinhala – aney mandha Sarath.
What nonsense.
The only media bubble is the one created by the state media for the consumption of the masses, and yes, we are indeed a Banana Republic, in my opinion.
Yer yer, you get what you deserve. Lets see how the Mahinda boys when the taxes, fuel and electricity prices go up to pay for the lavish government expenditure.
Indi, please dont be biased and write things like this.
Yes you supported SF, another 41% of the country did too, but at the end of the day, MR won with a margin that has never seen before (CBK got when Gamini got killed). Thats the ppls verdict. Now, u SF guys were talking abt a close election, but that was unreal. It was just in ur colombo circles, english speaking circles and circles that watch sirasa. But the ordinary man of this country didnt call for a regime change. U guys cant believe the result bcos u were in a hyped up world that created the perception tht SF was strong, bu the ordinary Sl supports MR for who he is and for what he has done. In that context, all your wingings abt the elction are just bcos your wrong predjudices abt the elction before it. Yes, govt media was used but every govt does it and if not how could u control ur kata katha and rumor brigade? Just take all the posts u made yday creating confusion? This happened during elctions much strongly creating various stories and the govt needs to answer those. At the end of the day, if the oppostion is strong no matter what the govt does, the opposition will win the elections. It happned in 94 and 2001 and way back in 77 and many times over before that. In this case, there was no call for a regime change. Untrustable LTTErs like Sambandan, Mano and Rauf had come together with traitors like Mangala and Ranil with Foni as the mask. Thats all. That does NOT represent the reality or peoples opinion. At least get real NOW. Undersntad who SLs are. Its a bit difficult for u to read them but please try. Stop wining. Also, yday display of SF in front of media was a testament tht peoples verdict was correct and he is no fit to hold high office like President. Accept that and respect Mahinda for what he has done, who is and for what he has pledged to do. He didnt come out with a joke 10 point porondu list, he has a plan, which SF wont even understand. But importnatly we all need to support MR in this development battle. Please do join in that.
Read and weep:
Sri Lanka’s economy onwards and upwards
By R M Cutler
MONTREAL – The continuity inherent in incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s election victory, based on early returns, is likely to further strengthen confidence in Sri Lanka’s economic revival after decades of civil war.
Indeed, such is the present strength of the economy, which is forecast to grow as much as 6% this year, that few observers believed even a surprise victory by his chief rival, former army chief Sarath Fonseka, would have had a significant negative impact on the present boom.
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/LA28Df02.html
“Indi’s posts show how absurd our Colombo in-crowd has become in their self generated media bubble.”
Tell me about it. The Colombo crowd have been so clueless it is embarassing. They still think that only their views count. The results of the election show otherwise. The UNP has been dealt a severe, severe blow. Can you imagine what would have happened if they didn’t have Sarath Fonseka as a puppet? I think Mahinda would have had the biggest win in election history. What’s sad is even after the very obvious election result, they are running about screaming blue murder and wanting the results anulled.
Thank you for proving my point.
When do you plan to leave the country. I guess you can go back to place you born that is Vancouver BC.
Need volunteers to run winter Olympics.
You talk about a Banana Republic? That’s hilarious. After the whole drama yesterday. A Banana Republic would’ve been much better.
Indi, at least have the graciousness to accept defeat like a gentleman.
Over 1.5 million votes is NOT a margin that anyone can wank about.
On a purely legal level it’s a simple ruling, but this is not a land of laws. In term of rule of man, no one cares. That said, there are precedents for elections being overturned on similar grounds. Most notably, Basil Rajapakse vs. his niece Nirupama Rajapakse.
Ultimately Kularatne won the poll, but was disqualified by a judge based on an election petition submitted by Nirupama Rajapakse, which held that an agent of Ananda Kularatne, Basil Rohana Rajapakse, committed the “corrupt practice of making a false statement relating to (Nirupama’s) personal character and conduct.” (Sunday Leader)
There are other other precedents as well of MP elections being tossed out, but never on the Presidential level. Do I think it will happen? No. So what now? Honestly, we go back to not caring and Mahinda Rajapaksa goes back to being President. The election wasn’t free and fair, but it wasn’t that bad. What to do.
Didn’t Fonseka camp alleged MR personally and his relatives for corruption, etc. Have they proven? MR camp also made some bad statements about SF and his relatives too. Neither has be proved. So the legal procedure would be complicated.
Don’t see the world in one angle.
“The moment we want to believe something, we suddenly see all the arguments for it, and become blind to the arguments against it.”
–George Bernard Shaw
haha get real… who’s the silly joker who wrote this lame piece of shit? vote rigging indeed… even ranil himself said that the election was fair and peaceful!!