Political Column

The story doing the rounds in the corridors of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Republic Square is about a telephone call its Secretary, Palitha Kohona, received from President Mahinda Rajapaksa last Wednesday afternoon.

A respected Sri Lankan, known to be a strong backer of the opposition United National Party (UNP), was being invited to the White House last week. Senior staff there was seeking his opinion on some issues. Rajapaksa asked Kohona whether it would not be prudent to persuade the fellow compatriot to say some good words on behalf of the Government. That is to be conveyed to key players at White House and would thus reach President George W. Bush.

At least that, the President perhaps felt, would offset the bad fall out from the tough message delivered to him only days earlier by Richard Boucher, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs. As revealed in these pages last week, Boucher urged Rajapaksa to ameliorate human rights conditions, rein in paramilitary groups and respect media freedom.

Kohona, according to the story, replied that the man in question had been seeking a diplomatic appointment from the Government. "I am not averse to granting such an appointment," he responded. What Kohona may not have known is that the President had, in fact, offered that Sri Lankan a posting in Washington. Then the President burst into laughter with a light hearted Sinhala remark in his stentorian voice "why not, when we have given diplomatic appointments to persons who cannot even stand straight." There was more laughter and Kohona hung up thereafter. Whether the Foreign Secretary was able to persuade his fellow citizen to embark on a public relations exercise to create a brand new image for the Rajapaksa Administration remains to be seen.

But, this week, an embattled President Rajapaksa was doing many things, some even contradictory, to grapple with the issues haunting him. Speaking to Editors and senior editorial management representatives of the print and electronic media at Temple Trees on Wednesday (it was followed by a hearty breakfast) he declared his Administration could do without foreign aid. "If we are offered genuine aid we will take it; if not we will forget about aid and do our job. We will not be dependent on aid," he declared. "We will use our own money. We cannot wait for assistance from any sources to carry out our responsibilities," he added. For Government Ministers and officials, it will now be no easy task determining what "genuine aid" is. Nor would they be in a position to give would-be donors a clear cut definition of what Sri Lanka would accept and what they would reject as "non genuine aid." There are no precedents either.

The meeting with Boucher was also to figure when Rajapaksa met face to face with his erstwhile Foreign Minister (cum Ports and Aviation Minister) Mangala Samaraweera and Western Province Governor, Syed Alavi Moulana, now a celebrated but equally much maligned political broker, at the 'Janadipathi Mandiraya' last Sunday afternoon. There, the President said Dayan Jayatilleke (Sri Lanka's Ambassador-designate to the UN in Geneva) had given it back (In Sinhala: Dayan dunna) to Boucher by raising questions on human rights issues involving the US. He praised Dayan, who had previously authored many articles in the State run media heaping plaudits on Rajapaksa and his brother Gotabhaya, for carefully studying his subjects (Dayan Hondata subject eka study keranawa).

As reported last week, Boucher and entourage found Dayan was not listed as among those whom he would meet with President Rajapaksa. They learnt of his identity only when subtle inquiries were made as to who he was. Joining in to back Dayan, the President said, was Douglas Devananda, leader of the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), just back from a visit to South Africa with TULF President V. Anandasangari to lobby the government in that country against rising LTTE activity there. Douglas thrust a document at Boucher to make the point that members of his party too had been victims of human rights violations - by Tiger guerrillas. The point was made by the President that Dayan and Douglas had won the day over Boucher on human rights issues.

The Rajapaksa-Samaraweera meeting, the second since the latter was sacked from the Cabinet, was not without hiccups. There were many. Like the first round, the second too was brokered by Governor Moulana. It was only on Friday (May 11) afternoon that Moulana conveyed to Samaraweera that the President would wish to meet him on Monday (May 14). But Samaraweera, it appeared, was in no mood. He had heard through the grapevine that Rajapaksa had castigated him during a speech to journalist groups and trade union leaders at Lake House. They were summoned for a meeting (followed by lunch) to be told not to oppose his personal friend, veteran Sinhala journalist Bandula Padmakumara. He was named Chairman of Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. (Lake House) and assumed office at the auspicious hour of 10.37 am on Wednesday.

As revealed in a front page report in The Sunday Times last week, Rajapaksa told the Lake House senior management that he had not offered the former Ports, Aviation and Foreign Minister a portfolio during a discussion at Temple Trees (before departing to Barbados for the World Cup Cricket Final). Samaraweera, he claimed, had come over there for a chat, to watch the Sri Lanka-New Zealand match and to enjoy some hoppers. He said the UNP's ongoing campaign about the three Rajapaksa brothers, President Mahinda, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya and Senior Advisor Basil, was the brainchild of Samaraweera and his colleague, Sripathi Sooriyaratchchi. It was only thereafter that the UNP had picked that up as their main slogan for the campaign against the Government.

On Saturday (May 12) Moulana was to inform Rajapaksa about Samaraweera's reluctance to meet him in the light of critical remarks made to the the Lake House staffers. Rajapaksa was infuriated. He did not hide his feelings and told Moulana if he only knew who had conveyed that to Samaraweera, he would know what to do to that person. Therefore, he insisted he would like to meet Samaraweera on Saturday itself. But the former Minister had gone to his home town of Matara. Hence, Rajapaksa told Moulana to ask Samaraweera to come over as soon as he returned to Colombo on Sunday. The meeting began at the upstairs lounge at Janadipathi Mandiraya at 2.30 p.m. and lasted till 4.30 p.m.

It started with Rajapaksa referring to that day's The Sunday Times news report. He urged Samaraweera not to take any notice of the report which, he claimed, had been published to put the two of them apart. Rajapaksa, in fact, admitted he had made some references to Samaraweera, but did not elaborate. It was then that their conversation centered on issues like the Boucher visit and a few other matters. Later, the two began talking core issues that had led to bad air between the President, Samaraweera and his close associates.

Samaraweera had begun with a very conciliatory preamble. He told President Rajapaksa "if we are to work together there should be a very high degree of mutual trust between us." He said Rajapaksa should ask him whenever there were any doubts or questions with regard to his conduct. "Call me and even scold me. I will take it in the spirit of an elder brother admonishing a younger one," he said. Then Samaraweera began taking up one issue after another and Rajapaksa responded to them.

Samaraweera was to raise the issues involving his confidant, former non-Cabinet rank Minister Sripathi Sooriyarachchi and Tiran Alles, publisher and one time Chairman of the Airports Authority. He told Rajapaksa that he should meet them for a chat before the two sides reached any accord. Moulana concurred with the suggestion. Ideally, Samaraweera said, he would prefer if things were restored to the levels they were on February 9. That in effect would have meant restoring his former portfolios, lifting the freeze on the bank accounts of Alles' company and withdrawing charges against Sooriyarachchi. That was the date on which Samaraweera and Sooriyarachchi were sacked from their ministerial positions. Rajapaksa was to tell Samaraweera that he should come to the Cabinet and other matters would then resolve themselves.

Then Rajapaksa was to give Samaraweera some shocking news. "I cannot give you the same portfolio you held before. People who have been appointed to positions in the Ministry of Ports and Aviation are in fear that you would take revenge on them," he said. Samaraweera was quick to react. "I have not taken revenge on anyone. Those fears are completely unfounded, In any case I am not going to undermine you by acting against your own people," he retorted. Rajapaksa was not going to change his mind. He then offered the Ministry of Irrigation, now held by his brother Chamal, to Samarweera and declared, "There are various projects you can execute. It is a good Ministry. Take that."

But Samaraweera responded, "I have no knowledge in that field and no inclination to accept that." Rajapaksa then sounded out whether the Urban Development Ministry would be suitable. Samaraweera shot that down on the grounds that he had no intention of offending his good friend Dinesh Gunawardena by taking over his Ministry. Rajapaksa said if Samaraweera was willing to accept the Ministry of Irrigation, he could be sworn-in at an auspicious time on Tuesday or Wednesday. Samaraweera was to tell Rajapaksa that he would continue to support the Government but would remain as a backbencher. Then the two stood up to shake hand after which Samaraweera left the Janadipathi Mandiriya.

Samaraweera had thought that the episode had ended. But there was more to come. By Tuesday evening, there were frantic calls from 'Temple Trees' to his former official residence at Stanmore Crescent. He still lives there. It is only during the first week of June that Samaraweera plans to shift to a private house at Thimbirigasyaya, in Colombo East. He had sought and obtained permission from the Ministry of Public Administration to remain until then. President Rajapaksa wanted to speak with Samaraweera but he was away till late that night. There were more calls on Wednesday morning. It was only then that Samaraweera learnt he was expected to take oaths that morning. He telephoned the Secretary to the President, Lalith Weeratunga to inform him of his unwillingness to accept that portfolio. He also spoke on the phone to Moulana to convey the same message.

By that time, President Rajapaksa was at a meeting with Editors and senior editorial management staff of print and electronic media. One of them asked about Samaraweera and Rajapaksa responded "you will see him here any time now to take his oaths." Later, the media personnel saw Moulana who was known to have brokered the deal. At an auspicious time shortly after 9 a.m, President Rajapaksa swore in his brother, Chamal as the new Minister of Ports and Aviation. But Samaraweera was not there to be sworn in as Minister of Irrigation, the post Chamal had quit at his brother's request only to receive a more exalted one.

President Rajapaksa could not believe it. Only a day earlier, after his meeting with Samaraweera, he had told a Cabinet colleague "Mangala looked so down and desperate he would take any portfolio I give him." That was not to be. Rajapaksa asked Moulana to immediately speak to Samaraweera and get him to come to Temple Trees since there was another auspicious time at 10.58 a.m. on the same day. Moulana hurriedly drove to Stanmore Crescent to make a plea with Samaraweera. The latter was adamant. Moulana went back to 'Temple Trees' to convey the bad news to President Rajapaksa. The latter was angry and fumed at Moulana by charging that "you have ruined me."

The next day a highly upset Moulana was at a private hospital in Wellawatte undergoing treatment for a heart ailment. Among the visitors were Samaraweera and his close associates. Moulana was to complain to Samaraweera how he tried to do good and ended up being insulted. The senior SLFPer and veteran trade unionist was upset that the outburst from the President had come in the presence of a number of others. An associate was to tell Moulana, if Samaraweera was accused of branding the Rajapaksa trio, Mahinda, Gotabhaya and Basil as the triumvirate who ran the country, the President had on his own added the fourth - brother Chamal by giving him a lucrative Ministry.

If Rajapaksa accused Samaraweera of prompting the UNP to hijack the slogan of the three brothers running the country, he had by his own actions drawn a response from the UNP too. A newly emerging UNP spokesman, Lakshman Kiriella said with Chamal's appointment, the Rajapaksa brothers who had controlled 65 per cent of the country's annual budget had raised it to 75 per cent. Some Cabinet Ministers were also irked that Rajapaksa had chosen it fit to consider only his own brother Chamal for a plum position ignoring their own eligibilities. But they were too frightened to raise issue in public for fear of reprisals.

There were reports this week that Samaraweera confidant Sooriyarachchi will soon be indicted by the Attorney General's Department. This is whilst a Police probe into a purported murder is under way. Both Samaraweera and Sooriyarachchi have been questioned in this regard. Investigations into the business activities of Tiran Alles are also under way. His Finance Manager Dushyantha Basnayake, who was produced in courts and remanded after the Terrorism Investigation Division (of the CID) arrested him, is also likely to be indicted shortly. In a related development, the head of the TID, Superintendent of Police C. N. Wakista, has been transferred out. His post has been taken over by SP Nanda Munasinghe, until then Deputy Director of the CID.
These developments come against the backdrop of a rapidly deteriorating economy, spiraling cost of living and mounting corruption. Whilst those influential in the new Sri Lanka and their contacts abroad are pocketing millions, it is only the clerks, constables, peons and porters who are being rounded up in what amounts to a virtual cosmetic exercise. The main Opposition United National Party is still to get its act together as a meaningful Opposition to the Rajapaksa Administration.

Its Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has just returned from an official visit to China where he heard from that country's leaders how a report handed over to them by the Sri Lanka Government alleging that Chinese weapons had found their way to the LTTE had hurt Chinese sentiments. The innuendo seemed to be that China, one of Sri Lanka's steadfast allies in the supply of military hardware to its Security Forces, was helping its enemies with the other hand.

This report seems to have been submitted after some Chinese made weapons, probably in the hands of Kampuchean guerrillas of yesteryear and sold to the LTTE were found in a sunk LTTE arms ship recently off the Dondra coast. Wickremesinghe was quick to say that the UNP under former Presidents Junius Jayewardene, Ranasinghe Premadasa and Dingiri Banda Wijetunga, and even President Chandrika Kumaratunga maintained good relations with China and never made such accusations against it.

But the UNP must now stop complaining abroad, and act at home. On Thursday, it held a rally in Moratuwa to protest against some burning issues at home. Party supporters led by General Secretary Tissa Attanayake carried placards decrying many things including corruption and the high cost of living.

That same evening, some of those very UNP leaders engaged in the protest about the high cost of living were at the five star Colombo Hilton enjoying cake and coffee. The lifestyle reflected the main Opposition's own attitude to burning issues - part time protests and enjoying the good life rest of the time. That is the nation's blow hot blow cold Opposition. This is whilst an entire nation is facing unprecedented challenges, particularly the poor man, woman and child for their daily survival. The carnival in the meantime continues. So does the high pitched propaganda to create a make-believe world.

Make-believe world heads for collapse