Sri Lanka: Are We Being Diluted By President Sirisena?

By Nilantha Ilangamuwa

27 November, 2015
Countercurrents.org

An unfortunate curve in the political arena of good governance is emerging. This is evidenced by the recent press conferences held by the president in which only favoured “journalists” were permitted to ask questions. And, it was very obvious that they had been told what questions to ask, and more importantly, what questions not to ask. Indeed, it looks as if history is repeating itself, first as a tragedy then as a farce, so we’d get ready for it. However, we appreciate, those who have, quite courageously, openly questioned the president in the talk shows.

It is time to review the President’s foremost promise of abolishing the executive power of the President.

The majority of people in this country voted in the new government because they no longer wanted to be victims of polluted political system. They wanted, and expected a better future. The people were thirsty for justice and freedom where they could secure their civil liberty. They wanted the respect and dignity of every Sri Lankan to be restored.

President Maithripala Sirisena promised to abolish the excessive powers granted by the executive presidency in 1978. His promise was subsequently approved by the Cabinet and many media outlets started beating their drums and dancing around the subject.

However, the political superstar who is extremely shrewd in planning, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, did not hesitated to step forward and disclose the true timeframe of the abolishing of the Executive Power of the President.

He announced that President Sirisena will abolish executive power the very moment before his first term of the office is concluded. That moment is five years away.

We have heard similar promises from the last two presidents. The same crafty words of “abolishing the executive power and making the President accountable and transparent”, were spoken by each of them. But none of them was sincere to their people as the only thing they attempted to abolish was civil liberty. It was former President Chandrika Bandaranaike who expressed her guilt in failing to dismantle the political beast created in early 1978. President Sirisena himself is a result of her failure to halt the political decay in the country.

The new government is the result of a non-violent democratic revolt by the people, in general, which was geared up by former President Chandrika Bandaranaike, along with true activist such as late Rev. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero. It was indeed interesting to read what her private secretary disclosed to the media recently, on how he struggled to find President Sirisena, then a Cabinet Minister, to have his consent to run the for Presidency.

The more things change the more they remain the same. Those who actively worked for social change are gradually being sidelined. Those who were encouraged former President Rajapaksa in his wrongdoings are as disgusting as Sirisena’s buddies. This is indeed an indication of future threats of the leadership and the country in general.

Corrupted men and women contribute nothing towards in good governance but only dilute the leadership. Once the leader himself is diluted, he will take decisions out of the dilution. Decisions made out of dilution will not address the issues ordinary citizens craving for. It will only benefit those who in his immediate circle.

Let’s discuss just two examples out of the dozens that have occurred within the walls of the Presidential office.

First, there is the well-known exposure of the behaviour of the President’s younger brother, Mr Kumarasinghe Sirisena, who was appointed as the head of Sri Lanka Telecom. It is not just blatant nepotism but also a deliberate action of ignoring the commitments of those who elected the President. By and large, this can be compared to how the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa granted immunity to his younger brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Whether appreciated or reviled, Gotabaya Rajapaksa had the professional experience to hold the office as the defence secretary, but in the case of President Sirisena’s brother, the president is well-aware of the truth.

Second, the little known, but slowly coming to light, the modus operandi of Former Commander of Navy, Admiral (Retired) Jayantha Perera, who was appointed as the President’s adviser on Maritime Affairs.

We have reliably learnt, that Admiral Perera was under the payroll of the Avant Garde Maritime Service Ltd., just after he retired as the Navy Commander. In the same time, he was appointed as the President’s advisor on Maritime Affairs. The President was taking steps to appoint him as an ambassador. But, it was learnt, that there were few concerned officials who prevented the move. However, the “silent coup” continues.

Is President losing his sense of good governance or he is deliberately diluting the people?

Good Governance will be turned into farce sooner if the president has no mechanism to remove the cunning culture in the bureaucracy and the putrid tradition in politics while destroying the dreams of countrymen.

Not only will good governance be impossible but also abolishing the executive power of the President will also just be a smokescreen.

Mr President, please don’t pull this nation from Kablen Lipata (from the frying pan into the fire)! We still have trust and believe that you are not diluting the public to conceal schemes but that you will be a man of accountability and transparency. Just, a matter of five years!

Nilantha Ilangamuwa edits the Sri Lanka Guardian, an online daily newspaper, and he also an editor of the Torture: Asian and Global Perspectives, bi-monthly print magazine. He is the author of the just released non-fictions, “Nagna Balaya” (The Naked Power), in Sinhalese and “The Conflation”, in English. He can be reached at [email protected]