Thursday, 19 March 2015 11:43
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The possible return of Rajapaksa should be resisted by all fair-minded citizens. There was not one Sri Lankan institution that did not go belly-up under his presidency. Name one that stood independent and robust. My point is, current institutions are necessary for a civilised administration. Whether we lost independence 200 years ago or not, we definitely lost it again under Rajapaksa.
This happened because the Rajapaksa regime relied upon ignorance and fear. In the last election, the more distant voters were from the more knowledgeable urban voters, the more they voted for Rajapaksa. Closing of schools and silencing of universities served the Rajapaksas. The painting of the whole world being against poor little brave Sri Lanka served the Rajapaksas. Censorship, when it was no longer necessary, served the Rajapaksas. Of course, many others have written about the blatant suppression of law and order.
These points should be brought out forcefully and repeatedly by the President and the PM. The President is a very brave man. The current Leader of the Opposition should remember (otherwise it should be repeatedly pointed out to him) that he did not have the courage he now displays, under Rajapaksa, and that he did support Rajapaksa at the last election. It is only the decency of the President and the PM (and the necessity to form a National Government) that permit him to even speak. But too much decency can be taken advantage of by the Opposition.
MohanColombo
(This letter was in response to a guest column written by Tisaranee Gunasekara published on the Daily FT on 18 March, 2015. Read original article here.)
