THANK GOD FOR OUR NOW INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY AND PATRIOTIC CIVIL SOCIETY

I HAVE NEVER BEEN AN MR SUPPORTER, BUT I CERTAINLY EXPECTED BETTER OF HIM THAN HIS INVOLVEMENT IN THE POLITICAL SCENARIO OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS SURELY, AS ONE WHO HAD BEEN PRESIDENT TWICE OVER, HE SHOULD HAVE FROM HIS WIDE POLITICAL EXPERIENCE KNOWN BETTER, THAN TO AGREE TO COME IN AS PM FROM THE BACK DOOR WITHOUT THE SUFFICIENT NUMBERS TO BACK HIM? SOME MEDIA MOGHULS ARE BEHIND THESE MOVES. THEY WANT TO BE KINGMAKERS AND KNOW THEY CANNOT GET HIM TO GRANT THEM FAVOURS HE STILL LIVES IN THE HOUSE HIS FATHER BUILT FOR HIM, HAS NO PROPERTY ABROAD, HIS FAMILY WAS NEVER ALLOWED TO THROW THEIR WEIGHT ABOUT AT TEMPLE TREES, OR OTHER OFFICES OR OFFICIAL RESIDENCES. AS FOR THOSE DISGRACEFUL POLITICAL JUMPERS, I THINK THEY SHOULD BE NOMINATED TO REPRESENT SRI LANKA IN JUMPING AT THE OLYMPICS! THIS MAY EVEN BRING BACK THE RECOGNITION WE HAVE LOST INTERNATIONALLY SINCE THE 26TH OCTOBER RECENTLY A FELLOW COLUMNIST, WHO IS NOT AN UNPER OR A RANIL FAN TOLD ME THAT ALL THESE QUALITIES HE POSSESSES WOULD BE APPRECIATED ONE DAY, PERHAPS ONLY AFTER HIS RETIREMENT

Those of us who were on our knees praying fervently ever since the 26th of October for justice, democracy and the constitution to be adhered to, the events of the last two days have been a welcome relief. But it is important that our prayers continue for it is only God who can work miracles. This is not an issue between three individuals, it is an issue that concerns our country, our constitution, freedom and democracy. The nation is grateful to the judges for acting independently, something which has been sadly missing all these years, all those who prayed through day and night and civil society who came out fearlessly and courageously to protest in their thousands.

I know now that I was right in always being against the executive Presidency. Power of governance has to be with Parliament and not with one individual who can act on personal vendettas,whims and fancies which are not in the interests of the country as a whole. This perhaps was why, my favourite politician the late Dudley Senanayake was always against the executive presidency. I have always been an UNPER born and bred, supported every Leader as it must be when one supports a party, whether I liked them personally or not. I have never been an MR supporter, but I certainly expected better of him than his involvement in the political scenario of the last few weeks Surely, as one who had been President twice over, he should have from his wide political experience known better, than to agree to come in as PM from the back door without the sufficient numbers to back him? Former Presidents such as the late President Jayewardene, the late President Wijetunge and Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge exited with dignity when they had served their terms. That is what greatness is all about.

Politics and statesmanship should be all about principles, although some have with some cunning and a dollop of luck, navigated successfully through some stormy waters. Power must be used wisely and well; not to feather one’s own nest and bask in the grandeur it brings in its wake. Justice and freedom for the individual must be the priority.when the government changed in 2015, people saw it as the dawn of a new era of freedom, a return to fairness, equality, truth,transparency, the embodiment of their dreams and hopes for a new country, recovering slowly but surely from the rampant corruption, extravagance, dictatorship and white vans which were trademarks of the former regime. Politics we know, often has strange bedfellows, no permanent friends or enemies. But when one who accused another of sending him several feet underground if he lost and the other whose accusations of betrayal continued unabated, get together in an act against the constitution and the country, I find that this kind of behavior is far beyond my comprehension and the principles I was brought up on. As for those disgraceful political jumpers, I think they should be nominated to represent Sri Lanka in jumping at the Olympics! This may even bring back the recognition we have lost internationally since the 26th October.

In all this, one man has stood tall, his calm demeanour through it all speaks volumes for his inbred qualities of self control and self discipline which money or fame cannot buy but which Leaders must have. No other politician in this country could have handled this situation as he has, having to tackle both MR and Ms.while they and others in their rat pack ranted and raved, he remained a gentleman through all the abuse thrown at him. Let it not be forgotten that he did the same after President Premadasa’s assassination, saw the transition through peacefully, again when MR was defeated, he personally went to Temple Trees, saw that he left safely. I was present at his first Press conference after the Presidential election. I heard him say that he didn’t want anyone to harass or attack MR or his family, that all should remember MRS leadership through the war and victory against the LTTE. This is the hallmark of statesmanship. Again, no other Sri Lankan politician could have spoken as eloquently as he did recently to The Oxford Union, or dealt with the questions so cleverly, many of which were about the atrocities committed during the previous regime. He got the GSP back for the country, regained friendship we had lost internationally with all democracies in the world and other countries too. All this was due to him and him alone. Prime Minister Modi and The Congress party in India respect him greatly as was shown by Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul calling on him on all his visits there. All those stabbers in the back from outside and within the party must not forget all this. Some media moghuls are behind these moves. They want to be kingmakers and know they cannot get him to grant them favours. He still lives in the house his father built for him, has no property abroad, his family was never allowed to throw their weight about at Temple Trees, or other offices or official residences. Recently a fellow columnist, who is not an UNPER or a Ranil fan told me that all these qualities he possesses would be appreciated one day, perhaps only after his retirement.

I would like to end by quoting from a message I received on my phone about him just today.‘ This is the Man of the Hour in my opinion! He stood firm,cool,calm and confident throughout this shocking crisis which had the entire country in a tizzy. He didn’t resort to thuggery, violence, slander or anything unlawful,but sat his ground and waited for the law to take its course. A kudos to you, Honourable Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’.

As one who has known him since his childhood, I fully endorse these words. As a Christian, I say as Christ said on the cross ’Father forgive them they know not what they do’, but I will also add another quote from the bible, ’Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord , I will repay’.