5th Column
Plenty of pain in the annus mirabilis
View(s):My Dear Mahinda maama,
I thought I must write to you to say, “Suba Aluth Avuruddak Weva” now that this year is coming to an end and another one is fast approaching-and also because you have already announced that next year would be an ‘election year’.
Looking back at the year that is just ending, Mahinda maama, I think you should consider it quite a good one for you. At the end of it, not only are you still firmly in charge but there is no challenger in sight either within your own ranks or in the opposition.
I thought however that the year didn’t begin that well because you were quite keen to get rid of Her Ladyship. In that instance, I am not sure whether justice was done but it certainly didn’t seem to be done because of the indecent hurry in which she was dismissed from her job.
I am not sure whether you realise this, Mahinda maama, but many regard this as the lowest point of your term in office so far, even more so than the treatment meted out to the General. What happened to the General was seen as being against one man, but this was an assault on the entire legal system!
And that didn’t help you or our country at the United Nations when Uncle Sam brought a resolution against us and as expected, India also voted against us. I wonder what you will do to avoid a repeat performance in three months, Mahinda maama?
Then, you opened that airport in Mattala that is named after you. Now that you have a port, an airport, a theatre and a cricket ground named after you, Mahinda maama, you can rest assured that you will be remembered by posterity-or else very soon every bus stand and public toilet will be named after you!
Then there was the incident at Rathupaswela which was another blot on your copybook. No one still knows why protestors asking for clean water had to be shot dead. Some heads have rolled but I hope you know that because you have ultimate power, you must also take ultimate responsibility.
Despite that, you were able to still win the provincial council elections held in the hill country and Wayamba a few weeks after that incident quite convincingly-although your critics will argue that this was only because the opposition was in total disarray, but that is hardly your fault, is it?
In the process, you also enticed one of the most energetic and up-and-coming Greens, Dayasiri, to the Blue camp. Given the headaches he has created among the Blues in Wayamba I am not sure whether it is a gain for the Blues, but it is certainly a big loss for the Greens who lack popular people.
But, Mahinda maama, I suppose the biggest feather in your cap this year was not winning the provincial elections in the hill country and Wayamba but holding provincial elections for the first time in the North, even though you lost that contest.
Many believed that you will never hold free and fair elections there and you proved them wrong. There will be some who argue that the elections were held only because of pressure being exerted by Big Brother India but I think you do deserve some credit for honouring your promises.
Mahinda maama, there is still a lot of work to be done in building trust. In having that chap Wigneswaran as Chief Minister you have a golden opportunity to deal with a reasonable man rather than a gun-toting militant. We hope that you will not let that chance go a begging.
Last but not the least was your crowning glory-hosting the Commonwealth summit and becoming its ‘Chairperson in Office’. That is a creditable achievement because there were a lot of people who didn’t want the meeting to be held in Sri Lanka and they did their best to stop you-but they couldn’t.
I am sure you know, Mahinda maama, that being the ‘Chairperson in Office’ comes at a price. Now you are not expected to court martial former army commanders or sack chief justices at the snap of your fingers but I am sure you will as always, manage to do a decent job in this new position.
Most of your energy next year will, I am sure, be directed at holding elections. You have become a master at holding the correct elections at the correct time and whatever your critics might say, more elections cannot be bad for democracy!
Anyway, I am told that you are quite good at calling people and offering them your good wishes. Then, in this festive season, the first person you should wish in the New Year is the Green Man. If he has another year like the one that is just ending, you will be in office for a long, long time to come!
Yours truly,
Punchi Putha
PS-Since elections usually bring about a change in the Premiership, Mahinda maama, that might be a big headache because so many people want the job. My suggestion to you is that you could avoid a lot of conflict by keeping it in the family-but even then you will have to choose between aiya and malli!