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• DrPolitics

  UNP Vows to Uphold Sri Lanka’s Sovereignty with a Federal Solution

  “Freedom is one of the deepest and noblest aspirations of the human spirit” ~ Ronald Reagan

  I suggest that a coherent classical liberal must be generally supportive of federal political structures, because any division of authority must, necessarily, tend to limit the potential range of political coercion. Those persons and groups who oppose the devolution of authority from the government are placing other values above those of the liberty and sovereignty of individuals.

  The incoherence in values that such anti-federalist ambivalence reflects is not widely acknowledged. The relationships between federalist political structure and the sovereignty of the individual must be carefully examined.

  Prof. G.L. Peiris is an outstanding intellectual and along with the next President Ranil Wickremesinghe will work out the best federal solution that will uphold the sovereignty of Sri lanka.

  12 November 2005, 12:30 pm

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• DrPolitics

  Who is Mahinda? He is one big pattapal boru who says his best friend Buddhika Kurukularatne :

  This open letter was emailed today

  Begin forwarded message:

  Subject: Men and Memories An open letter to Mahinda Rajapaksa by Buddhika Kurukularatne

  Features
  Men and Memories
  An open letter to Mahinda Rajapaksa
  by Buddhika Kurukularatne

  My dear Mahinda,

  I have always wished you well — although we were poles apart in
  politics. But I consider you a better friend of mine than Ranil. These
  are not empty words and I said so to Ranil’s mother in the presence of
  Ilika Karunaratne and Janaka Edirisinghe — the latter of Edirisinghe
  Opticians fame. The following day I repeated this to my one time boss
  Mr. Ranjith Wijewardene — Ranil’s uncle.
  When you rang me to solicit my support emphasizing the fact that both
  of us were southerners, I told you if you were to join the UNP and
  contest Ranil for the leadership of the party, I would support you
  wholeheartedly — and I meant it.
  Mahinda, you were such a charming chap, oozing with P.R. that many
  UNPers — some of them who had held cabinet rank wanted to support you.
  In fact this position was known to Chamal and ‘Vasu’ (Vasudewa
  Nanayakkara).
  But then you spoilt everything by aligning yourself with the JVP. Was
  it your over-enthusiasm for political power that made you to team up
  with the very elements who you wanted wipe out as they were operating
  from your Meda Mulana House? I was with Ranjan Wijeratne when you
  begged of him to at least get foreign troops to wipe out these
  b……s My friend ‘Vasu’ who also has joined the Mahinda-JVP band
  wagon used to come to parliament in a modified vehicle which looked
  more like a battle tank in those days.
  No doubt you displayed guts and courage in your political activities.
  You will remember I always compared you and Chamal to the baby parrots
  blown off from the nest due to heavy storm. One baby parrot landed in
  a hermitage and the other in a den of thieves. The parrot who grew up
  amongst the hermits was very gentle and courteous whilst its sibling
  who grew up with the thieves was rude and impolite. I used to tease
  you that while Chamal was the former you were the latter!
  You were a fighter from your childhood. Chamal was present he said
  when you hit Sir John with a mango at the latters Kandawala Estate
  when the then Prime Minister teasingly asked you who gave you
  permission to pluck his mangos. Daya Fernando, retired director of
  education who was a Richmondite much senior to you, relished narrating
  the schoolboy pranks of yours-once climbing a signal post by the
  Richmond Hill railway station in protest against the older boys who
  were playing cricket not giving you a ‘batting chance’. Again Chamal
  said how you climbed the top most branch of a ‘kadju’ tree and
  threatened to jump down. when your father came after you with the cane
  to punish you for some mischievous act of yours. You were totally
  unpredictable even as a kid and once threatened to give a kick to a
  tethered elephant to ‘kill it’. You seemed to have been suffering from
  ‘elephant-phobia’ from a very young age.
  My friend G. L. M. de Silva, retired High Court Judge, mentioned to me
  as to how you took a manna knife and chased another boy much older —
  Ranjith Wijewansa (son of former Matara Rahula College Principal Mr.
  Gallage William de Silva).
  Lest you had forgotten this episode this was when you were about 13 or
  14-years-old and was attending Thurstan. G. L. M. was boarded in a
  house next door to J.R.’s ‘Bremar’ at Ward Place. G. L. M. who
  incidentally has sentenced 55 accused to death was at that time, a
  tutor at Aquinas University College and was occupying the front room
  of this boarding.
  Your father, Morris (G.L.M.) recalls asked him to have an eye on you.
  Morris would have had to keep not one but both eyes on you to keep you
  away from trouble. The boarders were chatting about this and that when
  Ranjith had inadvertently said something which offended you. you ran
  to the kitchen, grabbed a manna knife and chased after Ranjith. Morris
  tells me that Ranjith who was his best man at his wedding asked him
  whether it was not the same fellow who ran after me with a knife, to
  kill me who is now the P.M.
  You fought the might of the Premadasa government by organising Pada
  Yatras and Jana Ghoshas. I have it from a very reliable SLFP source
  that at Matara when Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga with whom you
  were even then having a running battle arrived there you ordered her
  out of the stage addressing her in some harsh, vulgar and unprintable
  words. I am no admirer of President Kumaratunga but in all fairness to
  her, it must be stated that she made you a leader of the opposition,
  minister and now a presidential candidate.
  I remember the occasion when I had to see the then DIG Premadasa
  Udugampola as my friend the then Vice Chancellor of the Moratuwa,
  University G. T. F. (Francis) de Silva wanted some of the jackpot
  machines’ confiscated by Udugampola during his notorious ‘raids’ on
  ‘night spots’. When I went to Udugampola’s office then off
  Malalasekera Mawatha, I found SLFP MP Mahinda Wijesekera with the DIG.
  Udugampola, though hailing from Baddegama is the same district I
  represented did not know me and Mahinda ‘malli’introduced me to
  Udugampola, whose entire family had been wiped out by the JVP. His
  ancestral house too I was told, was let on fire. Whilst we were
  talking the telephone rang and someone was giving some information to
  Udugampola whon the JVP called ‘Ukussa’ (‘hawk’) for his alleged
  notoriety in snatching JVP prey! Udugampola was taking down names
  given by his caller and after he finished he told us, that was Mahinda
  — giving me names of the JVP leaders! ‘Udugampola also said that he
  did a stint at Law College at the time that Mahinda was also a law
  student and that was how the two of us became friends.
  Now you are the champion of the very murderer who slayed innocent
  people at will and made your Meda Mulana House in Weeraketiya their
  headquarters.
  Politics make strange bed-fellows indeed!
  You remember that unfortunate incident in my parliamentary career
  where I inadvertently proxies for an absent colleague who was not even
  in the island. At your group meeting you had told Mrs. Bandaranaike
  who presided that you (SLFP) could feed on this (incident) like a
  roasted leg of chicken! Even before your group meeting adjourned a
  senior cabinet minister during that time ‘leaked’ this information to
  me. Ironically it was another lawyer — (a national list member) who
  had wanted the issue taken before international fora!
  Mrs. Bandaranaike literally hit the ceiling when a leading SLFPer (now
  a very senior cabinet minister) told her that he did it every day
  without getting caught — but from all reports they have had Buddhika
  was one person who fought a clean election. Vasudeva who smashed the
  books on the floor of house and staged a ‘walk out’ had according to
  A. H. M. Azwer, told the speaker (M. H. Mohamed) that ‘Buddhika would
  never have done it intentionally’.
  During the 1989 General Election, I canvassed the votes of a relation
  of yours in the Galle Fort. When you had visited this relation a lady
  — you had been told that I was the only candidate who went to the
  kitchen and canvassed the ‘kussi amme’s vote and that the domestic
  help was also voting for me. She had also stated that she had even
  contributed a scholarship to be awarded by the Ambalangoda Deshapremi
  Sanvidhanaya. Hearing this, you are reported to have told her ‘why did
  you do that? All those scholarships are given only to karawas’.
  When I came to know of this from the lady friend who introduced me to
  your relation all what I did was to invite you for several of the
  functions of the Ambalangoda Deshapremi Sanvidhanaya and ‘you came’
  and ‘you saw’. You were so happy that it was sans any race, caste or
  religious considerations, you requested me to spend a weekend at
  ‘Carlton’ — your residence in Tangalle to organize the Isira
  Scholarship Scheme in memory of your father.
  I stayed two nights at Carlton and became perhaps the only exUNPer to
  have been hosted at Botale, Mahawelatenna, Horagolla, Richmond Hill
  and Carlton — the abodes of Prime Ministers of the UNP, SLFP and the
  LPP!
  In 1989 we saw the General Elections being contested for the first
  time on the district PR system. The 1989 General Election was marked
  by violence, murder and bloodshed. There was a very low ‘poll’ due to
  the JVP curfew.
  You, the fighter you were did not want to give in to the JVP. The mild
  and charming Dr. Ranjith Atapattu who was of the same view. Dr.
  Atapattu was the leader of the UNP group.
  Rumour had it, a very reliable rumour at that, that Ranjith Atapattu
  who was the caretaker Minister of Health at the time used to visit the
  polling booths and inquire from the presiding officer as to how the
  poll went. When told that there was no show he had said, no point in
  taking these ballot papers back. Give me 10 books! The presiding
  officers it was said willingly obliged. A short while later you would
  arrive at the booths visited by Ranjith and ask the presiding officer
  as to how many books were given to the ‘amathithuma’. Upon being told
  that Ranjith was given 10, you were gentlemently enough not to ask for
  the same number, but only ask for 5 ballot books!
  I believe you wanted to show the JVP that you too had a few cards up
  your sleeve and what was cause for the goose was sauce for the gander.
  At the time you were organizing the padha yatras, AB (mallow) and
  Hemakumara Nanayakkara were your best friends. I had gone to
  Hemakumara’s Unawatuna house with my wife one evening and in order not
  to ‘expose’ myself or Hema (who at that time was a fire brand SLFPer)
  I had parked my vehicle towards the rear of the house and entered the
  house through a side entrance. Just then I saw the headlights of an
  approaching vehicle and I took refuge in the kitchen. But my seclusion
  was short lived for you, having seen Hema’s wife Nedra and my wife —
  who you did not know then, having a tete a tete in the living room,
  dragging the hapless Hema by his hand walked into the kitchen! You
  were started at seeing me in the kitchen of your friend. You asked me,
  ‘what are you doing here’. I replied that ‘Game Ralahamy can be on the
  bed or under the bed’ without anyone’s permission’. Sensing that you
  had confidential matters to discuss, I walked away.
  Mahinda, do you remember the case in the Matara High Court where you
  were the virtual complainant in a murder case? Mr. Eardley Perera, our
  mutual senior was appearing for the defense and the Matara jury
  disbelieved you and acquitted all the accused who were UNP activists.
  When I used to tease you about the fact that even the Matara jurors
  disbelieved you, you used to retort that it was purely Eardley
  Perera’s brilliance that got the accused out. You were gentlemanly
  enough to go to Mr. Eardley Perera’s house to congratulate him on his
  victory though it was at your expense. Mahinda! Why didn’t you attend
  Eardley’s funeral? The family was talking about it even the other day!
  You remember visiting my wife’s office unannounced after a function at
  the Bellanwila Temple in the company of our mutual friend Samson Silva
  to whom it was alleged that you promised the Ministry of Industries?
  You had unsuccessfully tried to bait Bandula Amawardena too by
  offering him the Finance Ministry. What are you going to do with
  Amunugama then?
  My wife was so taken up with your simplicity and openness lamented that
  our man (meaning-Ranil) should take private tuition from you in P.R.
  But Mahinda, although you have excellent P.R. you cannot run a country
  only with P.R. See your ‘Chinthanaya’! It is not worth the paper it is
  written on. It has been brought to naught by Amunugama who had
  completely ignored the Chinthanaya proposals (do I see a gentle hand
  behind this?’)
  Mahinda when I started writing, about the Rajapaksa’s of Giruwapattuwa
  to the ‘Men and Memories’, column some thought that I was going to do
  a ‘Rohita Bogollagama’. Most of the information to my articles came
  from your first cousin Kamala Wickramasuriya — now Bhikkuni Kamala.
  Even she told me that some of her friends had told her that he is
  (refering to me) contemplating a ‘jump’.
  Even my Dharmasoka friends who are aware of my friendship with you
  were wondering whether I would cross-over. They remember with
  gratitude how you at my request arranged lunch for a bus load of old
  Sokians at Tissamaharama. You were informed of our request at Matara
  by phone via Mohottala of your office cum residence at Tangalle. You
  were in Kandy but still you arranged with a mill-owner — Somapala and
  we had a good ‘picnic-mill’ lunch.
  As this was on the eve of the New Year, I wanted to thank you
  personally. When Malini my wife learnt that I was going to see you on
  that day she said you don’t go to see people empty handed for the New
  Year’ and gave me a parcel to be given to you.
  It was a bottle of Chivas Regal — the finest Scotch Whisky.
  I reprimanded her that what I don’t consume, I shall not give others
  and she thereupon made a basket of fruits. When I told you that I
  deprived you of a bottle of whiskey you said that you have given up
  taking hard drink.
  In my house not only do I not drink, but also do not offer drinks to anyone.
  If you do not drink then why ‘open bar’ at Temple Trees?
  Several years ago, when you were the Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic
  Resources I offered a ‘pooja’ to mark your birthday on the 18th of
  November (unfortunately you are destined to celebrate a black birthday
  this Nov. 18 all due to your follies.) I offered 18 water containers
  to the Nimalawa Hermitage for the cave dwelling monks to store water
  during times of drought. Nimalawa is in the Yala National Park in your
  home district and as you were busy electioneering at Baddegama you
  asked me to accompany Aiya’ and it was with Chamal that I attended
  this ‘Pooja’.
  When you attended a function at Ambalangoda as the Minister of
  Fisheries, you spotted me in the crowd and invited me on to the stage
  to the applause of the people (your supporters — not mine!) The then
  SLFP UC Chairman, Aruna Pradeep who hosted you invited me to lunch and
  after which you yourself dropped me at my abode. People were really
  surprised to see a SLFP cabinet minister bringing home an ex UNP MP
  complete with motorcycle escort riders.
  It was indeed very enjoyable to spend time in your company. I remember
  when you overheard me saying that I would very much like to attend the
  funeral of SLFP stalwart Mr. Edwin Wickremaratna (former MP for
  Mahiyangana) in Badulla, you offered to give me a lift provided I was
  agreeable to attend the function at the Horagolla Samadhiya — for it
  was a 26th of September — Bandaranaike Commemoration Day. Anura who
  was yet an UNP MP hugged me and told his ‘hangers on’ that they must
  run me as the SLFP candidate for Ambalangoda. This was the first
  intimation I got that AB was about to go ‘home’ earliear I had told AB
  that as his mother was confined to a wheel chair he must get back to
  his mother. (You will recollect that I was the first UNP MP to welcome
  AB into the UNP) Anura’s response was, ‘Buddhika, if I do that people
  will lose all confidence in me!
  Mahinda I am indeed a grateful to you and to your secretary the
  affable Lalith Weeratunga for collecting Rs. 300,000 in advertisements
  for the souvenir of the Ambalangoda Deshapremi Sanvidhanaya.
  Once I rang up Lalith to remind him about the money that was due on
  the advertisement and I found he had gone overseas. His P.A. Mr.
  Uduwana when told of my reason for asking for Weeratunga said that on
  a matter of principle, the Prime Minister does not get involved in
  securing advertisements and even to the ministers he had declined to
  give advertisements.
  I told Mr. Uduwana, that I was extremely happy that the Prime Minister
  was respecting my request even though ministerial requests were turned
  down.
  Mahinda, when the campaign got off the ground you were clearly in the
  lead. A fair section of the UNP had decided not to take part in the
  UNPs presidential campaign whilst a few were to cross-over. But all
  that changed with the boorish remarks of the likes of Somawansa and
  Samaraweera. Somawansa hit out at the armed forces whilst you were on
  stage; and you did not prevent it. Samaraweera has a knack of saying
  or doing the wrong thing at the wrong time.
  Mahinda, with friends like Somawansa and Samaraweera you need not have enemies!
  Mahinda, I am sorry I cannot wish you well for the presidential
  election. For the country to prosper you must lose. You make promises
  on the print and the electronic media and one wonders whether you are
  the leader of the opposition. You are the Prime Minister. Why then is
  God’s name don’t you implement the promises that have been pledged
  over and over again by you (and broken over and over again as well.)?
  You did not take up Ranil’s challenge for a debate until the last
  moment. Knowing you, you will dodge this debate. I am no great admirer
  of Ranil myself — but you must give the devil his due. He is streets
  ahead of you in the presidential race. People have come to the
  irresistible conclusion that you utter his — pattapal boru — whereas
  Ranil promises what he can and doesn’t promise the sun and moon like
  those in your camp.
  Let’s face it. Ranil is brains. You are brawn. You are like chalk and
  Ranil is like cheese. Before attending the walkabouts I thought that
  the whole exercise was ‘declared’ — but at Giritale I found out that
  he answered off the cuff the questions that were fired at him on
  various topics. He gave the impression of a Sachin Tendulkar, batting
  all round the wicket.
  Mahinda it is obvious that your own comrades are pulling the rug under
  your feet.
  Mahinda, I hate to say this. Your ‘chintanaya’ is nothing more than a
  fragment of your imagination. And from the look of it even your
  imagination is not fertile. It is as barren as your policies.
  So the best bet is for you to join Ranil in the all party government
  he is set to form on your 60th birthday!
  May the noble Triple Gem Bless You.

  Yours-in-service.
  Buddhika Kurukularatne

  14 November 2005, 10:38 am

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• DrPolitics

  Sri Lanka Politics projects that Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe will win the presidential election by a clear majority with over 53%

  Ranil will win 15 out of the 22 districts according to our information.

  The districts we project for Ranil are the following:

  Kandy, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, Kurunnegala, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Galle, Hambantota, Digamadulla, Puttalam, Jaffna, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Monaragala and Wanni are clear projected wins for Ranil.

  15 November 2005, 7:16 am

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• DrPolitics

  Sri Lanka Politics Endorsement of Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe for President

  If it isn’t blindingly obvious to my faithful readers, I’m fairly liberal in my political leanings. It should come as no surprise, then, that I endorse Ranil Wickremesinghe for President. Now it’s on record.

  Ranil you the definite winner in tomorrow’s presidential election and in the upcoming years, I will try and be a fair observer of your performance, and judge you no more or less harshly than I have Mahinda. I want you, my readers, to help keep me honest. I thank you all for supporting my opinions in the past few weeks that this blog has been operational.

  I also take this opportunity to thank Harvard University’s esteemed Global Voices online, Google, MSN, Yahoo, Technorati, Bloglines, Blogger.com, LankaNewspapers.com and Unpsrilanka.org for extending there fullest cooperation in many ways to make my blogging experience a success.

  That said, when I started this blog, I didn’t mean for it to be entirely Presidential politics. That’s just been the main issue on my mind for months, so it’s been mainly what I’ve been posting about. From here on out, I’ll try harder to shift my mind into more burning issues of the Sri Lankan political and economic culture and other topics occasionally, and make thoughtful and educational posts about them.

  I take this opportunity to wish you the very best take it cool listen to some great jazz music and jazz your way to the presidency. Good luck!

  Ray Grairo
  DrPolitics

  16 November 2005, 0:10 am

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• DrPolitics

  Report – 3

  Sri Lanka Politics projects that Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe will win the presidential election by a clear majority with over 54.76%

  Ranil will win 18 out of the 22 districts according to our information.
  The districts we project for Ranil are the following:

  COLOMBO, Kandy, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, Kurunnegala, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Galle, Hambantota, Digamadulla, Puttalam, Jaffna, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Monaragala, Kalutara, Gampaha and Wanni are clear projected wins for Ranil.

  NOTE MAHINDA VOTE EATERS:
  Victor Hettigoda is taking chunk out of Mahind’s vote
  JVP vote split heading Ranil’s direction
  JHU 0ver 80% voting for Ranil
  NEW VOTES over 60% for Ranil
  OLD UNP BASE who have not voted in past 10 years voting full strength for Ranil
  SLFP vote split over 30% voting for Ranil
  TAMIL VOTE over 90% for Ranil
  MUSLIM VOTE over 90% for Ranil
  TSUNAMI affected people vote over 80% for Ranil

  ABOVE TAKEN TO CONSIDERATION RANIL HEADING FOR A LANSLIDE VICTORY

  16 November 2005, 8:33 am

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• DrPolitics

  Ranil Wickremesinghe would be the Abraham Lincoln of Sri Lanka

  Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, guided his country through the most devastating experience in its national history–the CIVIL WAR. He is considered by many historians to have been the greatest American president.

  “Stand with anybody that stands RIGHT. Stand with him while he is right and PART with him when he goes wrong.” The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume II, “Speech at Peoria, Illinois” (October 16, 1854), p. 273.

  Our Ranil Wickremesinghe would be the Abraham Lincoln of Sri Lanka on Nov 18 President Designate Ranil Wickremesinghe will change the course of history in Sri Lanka and shepherd us to new political culture and equality to all irrespective cast creed and status he will restore a new beginning with everlasting Pease to Mother Lanka the Paradise on earth. Wow what a great feeling to be a Sri Lankan. I quote from Abraham Lincoln “I leave you, hoping that the lamp of liberty will burn in your bosoms until there shall no longer be a doubt that all men are created free and equal.” The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume II, “Speech at Chicago, Illinois” (July 10, 1858), p. 502. Ranil I wish you the very best.

  16 November 2005, 12:39 pm

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• DrPolitics

  Sri Lanka has a new president Mr. Mahinda Rajapakshe and it is our duty as Sri Lankans to unite for peace and prosperity and extend our fullest cooperation to Mahinda’s presidency, folks Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe will think the same way, the gentleman we all respect.

  In life we have to take responsibility, just because Ranil lost the presidency it’s not the end of the world, Ranil understands this as he is a high caliber politician, it’s a way of life, so do what is best unite as one nation for the greater prosperity of Sri Lanka.

  18 November 2005, 5:35 am

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