I got a copy of the General’s Manifesto in plain text, so I’m including it here. The PDF is huge and unsearchable, so this may be faster. I think it’s pretty good and agree with most of the stuff. My comments on why are in today’s Sunday Leader. To quote: “you can support the believable change I am promising. I will restore democracy. I will eliminate corruption and help families by creating jobs, increasing incomes and lowering taxes and the cost of living. I am not a career politician but a public servant.” Now I do.
…
MY PLEDGE
Now is the time for believable change.
YOUR CHOICE
Life is hard under the Rajapaksas. Corruption, bribery, nepotism and ego-boosting extravagance is holding back the development of our country and hurting families. Now with the war over resources are available for development. But, instead of addressing peoples’ needs the Rajapkasas are interested in themselves. Sri Lanka is at the crossroads.
On 26 January you have a choice.
You can have more of the same from Mahinda Rajapaksa. You can have corruption, bribery, nepotism and ego-boosting extravagance that is costing your family through high taxes and high cost of living, falling income and failing health and education.
Or you can support the believable change I am promising. I will restore democracy. I will eliminate corruption and help families by creating jobs, increasing incomes and lowering taxes and the cost of living. I am not a career politician but a public servant.
It is now or never. Sri Lanka deserves better. Having won the war we must now win the peace. On 26 January vote Sarath Fonseka for believable change.
MY PLEDGES
- I will restore democracy and win the peace
- I will eliminate fraud and corruption
- I will help families become financially secure
- I will ease the cost of living
- I will start a process of national reconciliation
- I will restore health services and I will revive and invigorate education
- I will empower women
- I will provide jobs for our youth
- I will lay the foundation for a just and disciplined society
- I will safeguard the security of the nation
“I will restore democracy and win the peace.”
The challenge facing us is to restore democracy by abolishing the Executive Presidency that is paving the way for a dictatorial regime. My first act upon assuming office will be to reactivate the 17th Amendment to the Constitution by appointing the Constitutional Council to pave the way for the re-establishment of the Independent Commissions. I will then dismantle the jumbo Cabinet and invite all parties presently representing Parliament to nominate members to my Caretaker Cabinet. I will then dissolve Parliament. Urgent Cabinet papers will then be brought forward to amend Emergency regulations. Within a month Cabinet papers will be presented for the approval of a Constitution Amendment Bill, an Abolition of the Press Council Bill and a Freedom of Information Bill. I will also take necessary steps to ensure that the most free-and-fair elections of Sri Lanka will be held under my Caretaker Cabinet. I expect the new Bills to be presented to the new Parliament within one month.
After abolishing the Executive Presidency I will continue to work as President with the support of the Parliament for the nation and the people.
“I will eliminate fraud and corruption.”
Within three weeks my multi-party Caretaker Cabinet will bring in new regulations to combat fraud and corruption in conformity with the UN Convention against Corruption. Persons found guilty will have their ill-gotten gains confiscated. A new powerful agency to combat fraud and corruption will be established. An independent commission to audit all public finances will be established and I will take all necessary steps to remove obstacle in auditing public finances. I will ask the new Parliament to pass Parliamentary codes on ethics similar to that of developed democracies. An independent Parliamentary Ethics Commissioner will be appointed to uphold Parliamentary ethics for finances. I will declare my assets and liabilities to the people on an annual basis.
“I will help families become financially secure.”
I will increase salaries of public servants by Rs. 10,000 and resolve all pension anomalies. I will increase the lowest Samurdhi payment to Rs. 500 and bring in all deserving families who have been politically excluded in to the social safety net. I will also address the grievances of all Samurdhi Niyamakas.
I will ensure that subsidized fertilizer of all types and of good quality is available in the open market. I will ensure that the rice mill mafia is broken up and a fair guaranteed price for paddy based on the market is established. For the 2010 Maha Season I will ensure that Samba will be purchased at Rs. 40/Kilo and Nadu at Rs. 35/Kilo so that the farmer will get even a higher price in the market. I will ensure that dairy farmers receive a minimum of Rs. 45 per litre. I will also promote organic agriculture.
I will negotiate with the private sector to increase the salaries of employees by assisting in eliminating unwarranted taxes and payments that increases the cost of doing business. I will ensure the re-instatement of GSP+ concessions to save 300,000 jobs. I will appoint a powerful committee to urgently look into the burning issues of small and medium businesses. I will follow up on the negotiations to increase salaries of estate workers to Rs. 500 and take action to improve their living conditions.
I will also ensure families affected by the various financial scandals due to inaction by the Central Bank are compensated to the maximum possible. Pensions in agriculture will be increased and new pension schemes will be introduced for fisheries. Steps will be taken to provide protection to those in the informal sector in their old age.
Further, I will also ensure goods for the New Year will be freely available at an affordable price and that all festival advances are paid on time.
“I will ease the cost of living.”
I will take immediate action to bring down the cost of food by slashing heavy taxes on essential food items. I will remove all taxes on diesel and kerosene oil and reduce the price of petrol as per the Supreme Court judgment. I will significantly reduce taxes on LPG and other essentials as required. I will further reduce the cost of transportation by removing the payment for emission certification for school vans and three-wheelers and take action to provide spare parts at concessionary duties for private buses and three-wheelers.
“I will start a process of national reconciliation.”
I will help all Tamil, Muslim and Sinhalese affected by the war. A program of immediate relief measures for war affected persons and areas will be implemented which will also address the burning problems of Tamil speaking persons. All remaining IDPs will be immediately re-settled and the grant for resettlement will be increased to a minimum of Rs. 100,000 per family and assessed upwards based on need. Within the first month I will take steps to register all other persons displaced due to the war and see that they are re-settled without further delay. All detainees in relation to terrorism will be prosecuted, rehabilitated or released. I will promote and foster our Sri Lankan identity based on our ethnic, religious and cultural diversity. I will ensure the freedom of worship without any hindrance or discrimination.
“I will restore health services and I will revive and invigorate education.”
Within the first month I will declare a crisis situation in the health sector and take steps to stop the importation of sub-standard drugs and make available good quality medicines at Government hospitals. I will ensure that significant preventive measures are enforced to control the spread of epidemics.
Also within the first month I will restore confidence in the education system. Task Forces will be appointed to establish a credible examination system and an equitable system for Grade One school admissions for 2011. I will also take steps to eradicate the discrepancies between schools in the cities and rural areas. I will address the needs of undergraduates and provide accommodation to all undergraduates who are in need.
“I will empower women.”
Within the second month I will take steps to lessen the struggle women face on a daily basis and work towards presenting a Women’s Rights Bill. I will take all measure to ensure the safety and security of women. I will appoint a Task Force to devise a plan to help women-headed households. I will take action to start a Women’s Bank to provide micro-credit.
I will take immediate action to bring back all Sri Lankan women stranded overseas. I will initiate a programme to enhance the wages of those employed and wish to be employed overseas and to ensure their security. I will also take action to find solutions for the socio-economic problems faced by the families of women employed overseas.
“I will provide jobs for our youth.”
Within three months I will take steps to initiate the ‘Youth Challenge Programme’. This will enable young people between the ages of 17 and 25 to serve the nation and improve their lives. They will be provided a monthly allowance of Rs. 2,000 while being trained in vocations including computer software, ICT enabled services and English. I will establish the ‘Youth at Work Programme’ under which the Government and the Private Sector will find jobs for the youth who complete the Youth Challenge Programme. Daham Pasal teachers will also be included in this scheme. Any unemployed graduate in this program will be paid an additional Rs. 3,000 per month.
“I will lay the foundation for a just and disciplined society”
I will initiate action towards creating a society that upholds ethical and moral values. I will take urgent action to remove obstacles that prevent the further strengthening of an independent judiciary. I will restore an honorable police force that will enforce the law equitably to all. Their dedication to serve will be recognized and those who wish to retire after 22 years will be permitted to so with full pension. I will take immediate action to eliminate the menace of underworld thugs and war lords. No criminal activity will be tolerated. Extra judicial killings and disappearances will be investigated and the rule of law will be restored.
“I will safeguard the security of the nation”
I will modernize the armed forces to meet the challenges of the 21st century keeping in mind the security concerns of our neighboring countries. I will adopt suitable measure to ensure high standards of welfare for the members of the armed forces and the civil defense force.
I will ensure the welfare of all those military personnel who were unfortunately disabled. I will arrest the mismanagement of public funds collected by “Api Venuven Api” and ensure every cent is utilized for the welfare of military personnel. I will always remember those who sacrificed their lives and ensure the welfare of their families.
I will ensure that we maintain close relations with all countries throughout the world in order to achieve our national objectives.
TAKING STOCK
I believe that Sri Lanka, our resplendent land, is one of the best places in the world to live and raise families. The peace that the people expected at the end war has not materialized. Their hopes have been dashed. The economy has collapsed. Law and order has broken down. Life is hard under the Rajapaksas.
I know that families are unable to maintain a decent standard of living and quality of life. Some can’t even afford three meals a day. Good paying jobs are hard to come by. Even existing jobs are disappearing. The few government jobs that are being doled out at election time are only for their supporters. The unemployed are beaten and tear gassed.
I am aware that farmers can’t sell their produce to even cover their costs, fishermen can’t sell their catch, public servants struggle to make ends meet, pensioners are suffering indignity, millions of private sector employees are reduced to just managing, and small and medium sector entrepreneurs are going out of business. Every year hundreds of thousands are forced to go overseas to work in low paying and abusive environments, Samurdhi payments go to political henchmen and people who deserve assistance are on the streets, war veterans who liberated our nation don’t have proper homes to live in, hundreds of thousands of the war displaced are in camps and the disabled are ignored.
While a select few have amassed phenomenal wealth, life is hard under the Rajapaksas for the rest. I ask you why this is so? Unimaginable levels of corruption, bribery, nepotism and ego-boosting extravagance is holding back the development of our country and the prosperity for our families.
The magnitude of corruption in Sri Lanka is mind boggling. According to Professor A D V de S Indraratna, a Senior Advisor of the Central Bank and the President of the Sri Lanka Economic Association, “the total annual loss works out to around 9 percent of the GDP of 2006” (Impact of Corruption on Poverty and Economic Growth, 2007, Page 11). He states further that if not for corruption, Sri Lanka’s growth rate could have increased at the very least by an additional 2 percentage points without any further increase in the rate of gross investment or productivity (Ibid, Page 12). Using 2009 projected figures, this loss amounts to anywhere between Rs. 350 to Rs. 400 billion; that is more than twice the approved estimate for the Ministry of Defence or more than 15 times that of the Ministry of Higher Education.
So how does this affect you and your family? If not for corruption the government would have been able to collect much more revenue, help create more jobs, control the cost of living and spend so much more on social services particularly for the poor. We could have built more hospitals, used better quality medicines, have better facilities in schools and generally improved the lives of our people. Most importantly, if not for corruption I’m confident we could have reduced the heavy taxes on food and essentials people buy everyday. If not for corruption, we could have more investment that would help create hundreds of thousands of well paying new jobs. Life need not be so hard.
It is now very clear that President Rajapaksa leads a greedy Government mired in corruption. Mahinda Rajapaksa leads a Government where his family members have key positions of power. While Sri Lankans are struggling to get by, it appears that the Rajapkasas are phenomenally wealthy. It is evident to me that no meaningful steps are being taken to end corruption and the clan is thinking of the next fourteen generations. I believe that is why the 17th Amendment to the Constitution is not being activated. That is why the independent commissions are not being established, and that is why the Bribery Commission is impotent. That is also why the media is so severely controlled and all dissenting voices remain silent.
Corruption hurts all Sri Lankan people. We must act now or our children will have to pay.
With the war over and resources available for development, Sri Lanka is at the crossroads. But the Rajapaksas don’t want to take the path that will help our people.
I believe we need to have an economy where the private sector and the public sector work in partnership to serve the people in a corruption-free environment. We must ensure there is the right amount of regulation and that rights and obligations of workers as well as employers are protected. We need to learn from the great recession of last year where even the largest of economies suffered, and fine tune our economic management. We also need to learn from the economic policies of our own previous governments, so future mistakes are avoided. We must undertake necessary reforms. We must adopt pragmatic approaches.
I believe it is time to unleash Sri Lanka’s potential and boost economic growth. We need to create wealth in Sri Lanka by encouraging village businesses to supply food and other goods and services, not just for the 20 million of us, but to the whole world. As we move forward, we must take with us our traditional time-honoured Sri Lankan business knowledge and practices. We then need to ensure the distribution of this new wealth equitably to all people, not just for a select few.
To do this, I declare that Sri Lanka needs change. Sri Lanka needs believable change.
MY VISION FOR SRI LANKA
I am different. I am change. I will bring about believable change.
With forty year’s experience in the Army, I am not a career politician. I am a leader who is not frightened to make tough decisions. Just as my decisions of the past my decisions in the future will always be in the best interest of the nation. I have delivered on my promises. When leading the Army I promotions I made were not solely on seniority but more on merit. Likewise, in the future I will get the right person for the job.
I have a vision of a free Sri Lanka, a country where decent and functional democracy prevails. A Sri Lanka, free of corruption. A Sri Lanka free of discrimination and with equal opportunities for all. A Sri Lanka with a strong identity based on our ethnic and cultural diversity.
A Sri Lanka with democracy restored and the Executive Presidency abolished. A Sri Lanka where the best men and women run for Parliament and those elected have the highest standard of ethics. A Sri Lanka where the media is free and all people have a right to information. A Sri Lanka where the ‘white van’ culture of disappearances and extra judicial executions are firmly confined to the pages of history. A Sri Lanka where human and fundamental rights of all citizens are upheld.
- A Sri Lanka where every family enjoys three square meals a day.
- A Sri Lanka where families have the protection of a safe health service and know that their children learn in quality schools and universities. A Sri Lanka where our youth are trained and the rights of women are protected.
- A Sri Lanka where every agricultural household can live in dignity. A Sri Lanka where paddy farmers are freed from the rice mill mafia and where they receive a fair guaranteed price based on the market.
- A Sri Lanka where fishermen can be proud contributors to society.
- A Sri Lanka where public servants and private sector employees earn a decent income. A Sri Lanka where our respected elders have social and financial security in retirement.
- A Sri Lanka where small and medium businesses grow and where our quality exports take on the world. A Sri Lanka where our entrepreneurs can do business easily without interference by kappam politicians.
- A Sri Lanka connected to the global knowledge economy where information and communication technology is widely available allowing men and women everywhere to provide high quality services.
- A Sri Lanka that sees our family members working overseas in skilled positions and looking forward to their return to start their own business or vocation.
- A Sri Lanka where those who fought to unite our country are well looked after. A Sri Lanka where all those who serve, whether it be in the Army, Navy or the Air Force live with pride.
- A Sri Lanka where the Police Force and the Civil Defence Force is dignified and where Police Officers are treated with respect.
- A Sri Lanka where the families of those who paid the supreme sacrifice are looked after and a Sri Lanka that takes care of all victims of war.
- A Sri Lanka where the real poor have real help and assistance to get out of poverty and where the differently-abled have the same opportunities as the rest of us. A Sri Lanka that helps those without a job to find one but in the meantime ensures their families are fed.
- A Sri Lanka without IDPs.
To achieve this vision I have a plan and a timetable for action. A plan to create a just and disciplined society, a plan to restore democracy, to fight corruption, to reduce the cost of living, to increase jobs and incomes and to create an equitable Sri Lanka for all. To achieve this vision, My Government will be one of action.
Your Choice
On 26 January you have a choice.
You can have more of the same from Mahinda Rajapaksa. You can have more corruption, more bribery and more nepotism that will make life harder for you and your family.
Or you can support the believable change that I promise for a better Sri Lanka. It is now or never.
I will lead this change.
Reading the first line of your Leader article, aren’t you being a bit too optimistic about the manifesto? I mean, you do know that political parties or candidates rarely do what they say, right?
Indi, isn’t it a bit amateur that you’re largely basing your final decision on what SF has said in his manifesto? If we were all to get warm and fuzzy inside reading campaign manifestos, politicians would really have it easy.
More importantly though, just as I was beginning to make my decision his way, I am becomming increasingly worried about SF’s unpredictability…..shooting-off-the-hip …. gaffe after gaffe…. flip flop after flip flop…. from before this campaign began… to every other week OF the campaign. It’s worrying.
I was hoping that the whole white flag story would be the last, but now he goes and says he might not abolish the Executive Presidency! It was in an ITN interview last night!….
He even said he might keep 5 key ministries directly under him! Finance, Defence, Health and Employment included!
Golly, that’s the furthest you can get from restoring democracy!
The lack of a consistent message is screwing up his campaign. And I think Mangala is not happy about it either. Mangala is a master campaigner, and it seems all his efforts are being reversed one at a time.
I also wish that they had put some thought into a more original campaign slogan….
Obama: “Change we can believe in”
SF: “Vishvaasaneeya Venasak” (translated – “Believable Change”)
I mean, its true that over 90% of the vote base won’t even realise or notice this blatant ripping-off, PLUS, I think it’s quite effective on the voter, given the contents of what this CHANGE would entail ….
but as a keen observer and also a consultant on political messaging …. it’s…just… a bit disappointing….
LOL!!!!!
Read an Weep http://www.colombopage.com/archive_10/Jan1263101814RA.html
“The challenge facing us is to restore democracy by abolishing the Executive Presidency that is paving the way for a dictatorial regime.” He has contradicted his manifesto already…..!
ITN news????$%£.hah hah.
Leofry…. Please do a little bit more research before you make decisions and shoot you mouth… Don’t act blindly
His priority should be to change the proportional representative electoral system before making any changes to the Executive Presidency.
A lot of people don’t get it. Five star democracy without stable government will get us nowhere. We will see years and years of unstable governments with small extreme parties like JVP,JHU and CWC keeping the control of the government. If we are to develop as a nation and go to the next level we need to have a stable majority government.I don’t care whether it’s UNP or PA but we need a stable majority government. I don’t see us getting us anywhere closer to that goal in this manifesto.
If Mahinda is about corruption. Sarath is all about lies and deception.
Just yesterday at Palmadulle SF said he started negotiating with political leaders only 2 days after his retirement from the army. I have lost count of number of times this man has lied or contradicted with himself.
I understand local politics is all about lies and deceptions. But isn’t this time supposed to be different??? Isn’t it all about a “Change we can believe (Vishvaasaneeya Venasak)”. Don’t you think at least the man who is going to bring the change should be straight and have some integrity.
I feel MR has the best chance of getting this country on track (Development wise and Politically), give it a new constitution including a new election system (that will not make Sri Lanka have Hung Parliaments, thereby leading to Jumbo Cabinets or unstable Governments and corrupt Minister who can get away with anything, and Small Parties Dictation Terms) and Ensuring Rights of all Sri Lankans including ME :). Also an election system where dirty politicians will loose their seat and be kicked out BY THE CONSTITUENCY! It probably will be natural political deaths for lowlifes like MS (Kelaniya), RB (The fellow who ruined our Foreign relations), etc. etc.
Also SL needs a stable Political Environment right now, we can’t afford a different party President and a Different party Parliament. This is the Time Sri Lanka needs Stability to make use of the End of War to rebuild OUR NATION! So that Is a Reason to vote for MR, cause I don’t see the UNP+JVP+TNA+Blah Blah Blah getting Power in the Next Gen. Election. More likely the UPFA might gain somewhere close to 2/3rd required for the constitutional change in the Gen Election (I could be wrong… )….
Also I have not forgotten What MS, RW, RH, MG (He even called for Tamils to Fight SL on the LTTE Mahaweer Stage), LK, RK, RS & The party TNA etc. etc. Went around the World and worked with various NGOs carrying tales, demoralising our soldiers and fabricating stories to build International pressure on Sri Lanka & her Forces, to do the bidding of the LTTE and to STOP the WAR and give a lifeline to Prabahkaran! How is it that these people who wanted to destroy Sri Lanka, now want to Build Sri Lanka? I won’t wast time on JVP, all those who lived through 88/89 would know what the UNP and JVP did, and now they are all patriotic! 50000 dead youth, destroyed infrastructure and public property is proof enough!
So Finally, My VOTE is Logically taught out, Not to show Gratitude, Not cause the Artists are asking me to, Not cause my Mum & Dad Voted Blue, Not cause I am wearing Blue, Green, Red, Yellow, Purple, Brown (are there any more colours?) Coloured Spectacles. I vote to give Sri Lanka Stability, and GIVE SL A CHANCE TO EMERGE A BETTER & PROSPEROUS COUNTRY! I take responsibility for my VOTE, If MR ruins SL I will take Responsibility for my action (It’s a Chance I have to take). But mind you, IF MR does not clean up his act, clean up the dirty Politicians, and TAKE SL FORWARD, there will be a Natural Change just like in 1994 (Ending 17 Years of UNP Rule), it will happen in 2016 IF NOT EARLIER… POWER OF THE PEOPLE is stronger than Pea-Brains Politician think!
You haven’t really made up your mind yet have you? You’re still shuffling your feet and trying to run away from the truth.
At the end of the day, you are going to vote for more corruption, more rape, more murder, more extortion, more,
And this is because you couldn’t did deep, show some compassion, reconcile with the Tamils.
After these two dogs/pariahs have gone to war (election) even more of Sri Lanka’s finances will ruined.
We’ll be watching and praying for the innocents. What a nightmare.
I just heard the General say that he’s going to give a free piece of land to everyone, promote all OICs (to ASPs presumably). Even a grade 6 child could come up with better fantasies. Can’t believe any educated, rational person would want to vote for him. He’s no better than rice from moon.
This is very disappointing for lot of people who had high regard for SF at the end of the war. People thought he is a very pragmatic, very clever, very intelligent, straight shooter, and even started saying he is our “Obama”.
Now this average dude can’t even remember what he said the previous day. So far I have heard at least 5 versions of his Executive Presidency promise.
I think that Sarath has been lying for a long time. He is now lying about his interview to a Canadian newspaper (The whole “Sri Lanka belongs to Sinhalese bit”) by saying he was misquoted. Now he is denying what he told the Sunday Leader (that Gota ordered surrendering LTTE cadres to be shot) by saying he was misquoted. When is he actually going to accept what he says. If he wins, is he going to say everything he has said about working against corruption was “misquoted” and he is not going to be bothered about it? Frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised. However, there are a LOT of people who aren’t happy with what Mahinda is doing and I think they are numerous enough to tip the balance in Sarath’s favour.
It is difficult to expect democracy from a war general, because they have different sets of rules in the army which is a largely undemocratic and hierarchical organisation (not just Sri Lanka’s army, but armies around the world). Sarath also has no political experience and putting the nation’s hopes in the hands of a man who has no experience whatsoever is, in my opinion, quite dangerous.
Watch this, and tell me if Sarath Fonseka is not the Sarah Palin of Sri Lanka?
Are you implying that average SF supporter lack the basic fucking mental capacity to process the simple fact that Sarath Fonseka is horrifically incapable of fulfilling the requirements of senior executive office.
Read MR’s manifesto, he has copied most of the main points from SF’s one. But, as is usual it is silent on issues such as the 17th amendment or making the govt service, police and key institutions independent . After 20 years of experimentation, MR is still promising (vague) false dialogue about the PC system, with nothing concrete. He is hoping to make the executive presidency a caretaker post it seems – what does that mean? He is not clear again. I thought, according to the constitution, our President was supposed to be a caretaker and not a king anyway.
For some of the confused bloggers here, what SF hopes to bring about is a reformed presidency through the abolition of the sweeping powers vested in the current form of executive presidency. Thereafter, large scale changes will have to take place through a new constitution.
That, and they wouldn’t be able to articulate a single one of his “policies” apart from “end corruption” and “yahapaalanaya” etc.
Guess publishing a manifesto is not such hard work.
MR has done one that goes into 97 pages… http://www.mahinda2010.lk/downloads/mahinda_chintana_vision_of_future_sin.pdf
It’s available only in Sinhala/Tamil interestingly enough :) But if you can read it, I think you’ll find it equally compelling.
Promises, as we only know too well, are easy to make and easier to break. In an environment where accountability remains at best an old joke, the battle of the manifestos is to me a tough thing to take seriously.
Who has more credibility? Known Devil? Unknown Angel? A crystal ball in good working order would be a great thing to have these days!!
So the gist of his manifesto is this.
He will dramatically cut taxes and the cost of living, and yet massively increase government expenditure, particularly welfare payments.
He will introduce far reaching (costly, inefficient, cumbersome, bureaucratic, red tape) democratic reforms, and yet be able to have a lean, efficient government to carry out his nation building strategy.
He will get rid of the executive presidency, but will have 5 major ministries reporting to him.