Columns

Politicians will be politicians: Either in office or out. Once the notion has set in and taken hold that public wealth is theirs to be enjoyed, public money theirs to be used, public coffers theirs to be squandered on paying for their every whim and vanity, it becomes almost impossible to dethrone the belief in their minds that the people owe them an affluent living.

And people-deposed former president Mahinda Rajapaksa demonstrated last week he was no less different from any two bit politico to whom it is second nature to scrounge on the public even after the people had booted him out of office.
Earlier this month a thrilled Rajapaksa announced that he had been invited to Uganda, the land of former dictator the cannibal Idi Amin, to participate in the 5th inauguration of its president Yoweri Museveni who was celebrating 30 years of power. It was an invitation from an old friend which Rajapaksa perhaps felt he could not decline.

Ever since Museveni visited Lanka at the invitation of the then President Rajapaksa in November 2012, it seems the bonding between the two was spontaneous. Both had shared the urge to extend the existing two-term limit set on holding presidential office; and both had succeeded in making themselves eligible to contest the presidency for life. Both had become outcasts, exiled from the international community on account of human rights violations. As a result, both had few friends in the world, so few the number could be counted on their hands. And, with the world ganging up on him, it would have appeared to Rajapaksa, at that trying hour of growing isolation, that to lay claim to the proffered hand of friendship even of a baboon in the darkest bush of Africa was not something to be dismissed disdainfully but clasped warmly.

THE UGANDAN REUNION: Museveni plays the host while Lanka pays the bill for Mahinda's exotic freebie

Within six months of Museveni visiting Lanka, Rajapaksa took wing to Uganda to open a new Sri Lankan High Commission in its capital Kampala. Perhaps due to some strange affinity he has with the mineral rich land where corrupt dictators are dime a dozen, this was the third African High Commission Rajapaksa opened in Africa during his ten-year reign. The following month Mahinda’s brother, the then Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa arrived in Uganda to ‘promote bilateral security among the two nations’ and to ‘discuss defence issues’.

Though the 72-year-old Museveni triumphed in surviving five terms and won each presidential election with consummate ease by jailing his political opponents, cracking down on the media and violating human rights, no such luck visited Mahinda, 71, when he came a cropper daring his controversial attempt to win a third term.

But with a friendship so strongly cemented in so short a time, it would have been only natural for Uganda’s Museveni to remember he had a close pal in Lanka who, though jinxed with defeat, would delight in being present at his swearing in ceremony and revel in the celebrations.

In the manner birds of a feather flock together, Mahinda flew to Uganda on May 11th to suck with Museveni the nest eggs of election victory, however flawed the result may have been. Uganda’s Supreme Court had ruled in Museveni’s favour naturally. The day before the inauguration, the opposition presidential candidate had been arrested, his whereabouts unknown. Mahinda may have felt at home, his feet firmly planted on familiar ground.

No doubt Museveni would have welcomed him warmly on arrival. For though the guest list had been full with over 50 heads of states invited, most of the seats at the ceremony lay embarrassingly vacant. Only 15 heads of states — if you leave out a former president who must have felt honoured to mingle with such distinguished company — graced the occasion. Present were the presidents of Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. Also present was Sudan’s president who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on genocide charges. When Museveni in his speech called the ICC ‘a bunch of useless people’, the US, British, European and Canadian delegations walked out in protest.

Rajapaksa, however, stood his ground and adorned the stage as if he was still the miracle of Asia and not Lanka’s mirage. The day before his departure to Uganda he had announced at the International Nurses Day event at the BMICH how he had been invited by the Ugandan president to grace his swearing in ceremony possibly brimming with pride that he alone out of all Lanka had been the chosen one.

Those who would have been glad to see the back of him, even temporarily, would no doubt have been moved to wish him bon voyage. After all, have money, will travel. That was the right of every man. My ticket, my jet, my cash. None could care less even if he had gone to Timbuktu to take a joy ride on a camel’s back in the large salt caravans of the trans Sahara trade route in 400 Celsius heat.

But last Saturday the news broke that the Foreign Ministry had paid for Rajapaksa’s ticket. On April 25, the Ugandan Government had extended an invitation direct to the office of the former President Rajapaksa, inviting Rajapaksa to Museveni’s inauguration.
On May 5, Rajapaksa’s private secretary Uditha Lokubandara had written to the Foreign Ministry asking the ministry to “facilitate for air ticket fares (note the plural) and other expenses” that will be incurred during the four-day visit. Rajapaksa’s retinue to Uganda comprised nine, including UPFA MPs and the Dehiwela-Mount Lavinia Mayor. He was also to take with him his son Yoshitha who is presently on bail on money laundering charge but a judge refused permission.

Later that same day the 31-year-old Lokubandara, a former MP who served in the last Parliament and lost his seat last year, demonstrated another instance of politicians who, having ridden once on the gravy train and developed a taste for freebies, audaciously expect the public to pay their private expenses even after being off loaded. He wrote a second letter to the Foreign Ministry informing them that he would be travelling with Rajapaksa as his private secretary and requesting the ministry to be kind enough “to facilitate expenses for air ticket fares and food and lodging in Kampala from May 11 to May 15.”
The Foreign Ministry’s Directory General A.L. Ratnapala confirmed last Saturday that his ministry had indeed paid between Rs. 400,000 and Rs. 500,000 for Mahinda Rajapaksa’s air ticket to Uganda.

Mahinda Rajapaksa’s request on May 5 to Maithripala Sirisena’s Government to give him approximately half a million bucks for a first class plane ticket to visit an old friend in Uganda who was being inaugurated as the country’s president is an example of the cavalier attitude all politicians seem to have either in or out of office that the public must pay for their junkets.
And the Sirisena Government which has been accusing Mahinda Rajapaksa of waste and squander of public money while in office and of treating the public purse as if it was his family inheritance, seems to have had no qualms in doling out the dough from the self same public coffers in similar fashion.

Lokubandara attempted last Sunday to justify the payment. He said that ‘according to the Presidents’ Entitlement Act 1986, the former President is entitled to ‘official’ transport. That may well be the case. But he is entitled to official transport only when he is travelling to attend an official function for an official purpose duly determined as official by the Government. Merely because Museveni had invited Mahinda to attend his official inauguration does not make the out-of-office Mahinda’s private visit official.
The much-touted principle of accountability demands that the people’s money should only be spent according to carefully laid-down guidelines. Such ad hoc payments must be justified with credible reasons given as to how such unwarranted expenditure can benefit the nation. It does not bestow upon anyone the unfettered discretion to disburse public money as they think fit as if they were gifting it out of their personal pocket and owed no explanation to anyone.

Two questions must be asked. First who accorded Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Uganda safari official status and on what basis? Second, if the Rajapaksa jaunt had not been given official status, then shouldn’t the government answer how Rajapaksa who has been crucified by the Government for wasting public money on private trips whilst as president could be dished out public money to spend on his private junkets as a private citizen?

Night the Buddha attained Nirvana The last days of a long samsaric journey Night was falling. And even as the morning star must meet its evening doom, even as all life must end in death, what was true for all beings on earth was inevitably coming true for the mortal frame of Gautama the Buddha. The house, karmic action had erected birth after birth throughout the samsaric journey, now stood poised to fall and would not be built again. And as his disciples peered into the gloom of the dying light on that full moon night of Vesak, they could scare forbear to brood in dread what luminosity now lay left to illumine the gathering dark in a world bereft of a Buddha. They had known it was coming three months earlier when the Buddha had chosen to announce it publicly at Capala Ceitya near Vesali, though the Enlightened One had known of its approach much earlier. With his two chief disciples Venerable Sariputta and Moggalana predeceasing him as had his son Venerable Rahula and wife Yasodhara, the Buddha, now in his eightieth year, had described himself as ‘a worn out cart.’ It was time, he decided, to leave Rajagaha where he was then residing; and embark on his last journey restating what he had preached for forty five years. The final destination was not to be the great cities of Savatthi or Benares but the little known hamlet of Kusinara. THE BUDDHA’S FINAL JOURNEY: Night the Eye of the World vanished from sight The journey is long and arduous. Travelling with his closest disciple the Venerable Ananda, it takes him through Ambalattikka and Nalanda to Pataligama. From there he proceeds to Kotigama and then to Nanda. He passes from village to village, from town to town, sojourning briefly at each place to expound the essence of his Dhamma to the communities of Bhikkhus; and reaches Vesali where he retires with his retinue to the Mango Grove of Ambapali, the beautiful courtesan. Knowing Ambapali to be a potential Arahant, he preaches the Dhamma and edifies her on the path to enlightenment. It’s the onset of the rainy season; and the Buddha decides to spend his retreat – his forty fifth and last – in the village of Beluva in Vesali. He tells his closest disciple, ‘Come, Ananda, let us proceed to Beluva,” and they proceed thither. But with the rains, come the pains. It comes in sharp, short shocks, pointed arrows from the illness which has taken hold. Tormented by these relentless pangs of deadly pains, and with his body wracked by the severe disease and made weak, he realises the end is fast approaching. But there is still some work of noble note to be done before he can bid final farewell. It will not be fitting if he came to his final passing away without addressing his disciples and clearing the last vestiges of doubt they may have. And so he resolves to suppress his illness by his superhuman strength of will and resolves to maintain his life course and live on. Thus is the illness flayed and he makes an astounding recovery. Then the Blessed One takes his bowl and proceeds to Vesali for his alms. On his return, he tells Ananda, “Come Ananda, take a mat and let us spend the day at the Capala Ceitya.” They reach the shrine of Capala and sit down. And then the Buddha tells Ananda, “Whosoever, Ananda, has brought to perfection the four constituents of psychic power could, if he so desired, remain throughout a world-period or until the end of it. The Tathagata, Ananda, has done so. Therefore the Tathagata could, if he so desired, remain throughout a world-period or until the end of it.” But Ananda’s mind is dominated at that moment by Mara. He does not beseech the Buddha to remain for the lasting good of the world, but remains silent. The message is lost on him. The Buddha repeats it for the second time. But Ananda remains silent. The repeats it for the third and final time but still Ananda stays silent. The significance of the moment eludes him. The opportunity to invite the Buddha to remain on earth for an aeon for the lasting good of all mankind flies. Then once Ananda had gone, Mara approaches the Buddha. He says, “The time has come for the Parinibbana of the Lord.” But the Buddha answers, “Do not trouble yourself. Three months hence the Tathagata will utterly pass away.” Thus here at Capala Ceitya the Buddha renounces his will to live. When Ananda returns, the Buddha tells him of his decision. Ananda recalls what the Buddha had told him earlier and realises his folly of having remained silent. He now beseeches the Buddha to remain, but the Buddha cuts him short and says, “Enough, Ananda, do not entreat the Tathagata, for the time is past. For if you had done so earlier, Ananda, twice the Tathagata might have declined, but the third time he would have consented.” Thereafter he asks Ananda to summon all the Bhikkhus in the surrounding area of Vesali and, after impressing upon them the truths he had preached, namely, the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four constituents of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the Noble Eightfold Path, he publicly announces that three months hence the Tathagata will utterly pass away.” He then leaves Vesali and proceeds on his journey to Kusinara, passing through Bhandagama, Hatthigama, Ambagama, Jambugama and Bhoganagara giving counsel to the Bhikkhus at every place until he reaches Pava. Here he is served his last meal and then falls violently ill with dysentery. The pains come and, though extremely weak and severely ill, he determines to walk the final lap of his journey to Kusinara, six miles away. Owing to his illness the Buddha is compelled to sit and rest in 25 places. At once such spot, a traveller sees the serenity of the Buddha and, so moved by the sight, gifts the Buddha a golden robe. As Ananda adorns the Buddha with it, the dazzling robe of burnished gold loses its splendor for the Buddha’ complexion becomes exceedingly radiant. Noticing Ananda’s astonishment at this transformation, the Buddha tells him: “Ananda, on two occasions the Thathagata’s skin becomes clear and extremely radiant. One is on the night the Tathagata attains Buddhahood. The other is on the night the Tathagata passes away and attains Nirvana”. He then pronounces he would pass away on the third watch of the night on that day. The Buddha arrives in Kusinara and heads to the Sala Grove of the Mallas. There between twin Sala trees he lies down on the couch Ananda has prepared for him. He lies on his right side with his head to the north, with one leg resting on the other. Though in pain, he remains with perfect composure, mindful and self possessed. Soon the gods descend on the Sala Grove to express their grief, so great in number that not a spot is there that could be pricked with the tip of a hair that is not filled with powerful deities, lamenting “’too soon has the Blessed One come to his Parinibbana, too soon will the Eye of the World vanish from sight”. He then proceeds to explain to Ananda variant salient points of the Dhamma, then addresses the Bhikkhus and asks them to question him as to any doubts they may have on the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. But all remain silent harbouring no doubt or perplexity. He makes his final exhortation that if anyone thinks they have no master any longer and wonder who their master shall be, they should not ponder over such thoughts. He says: “The Dhamma and the Discipline which I have proclaimed and made known shall be your Master, when I am gone.” Then the Tathagata states his last words: “All compounded things are subject to change and decay. Strive on with diligence,” and enters the first ecstasy. Then rising from the first, he enters the second ecstasy, then the third and fourth. Rising from the fourth ecstasy, he enters the sphere of infinite space, then infinite consciousness then nothingness, the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. Then rising from that sphere, he attains the cessation of perception and feeling. Seeing this, Ananda believes the Buddha had passed away and begins to grieve but is told by the Venerable Anuruddha, that the Buddha has entered the state of cessation of perception and feeling and that he has not passed away. Then the Buddha rises from the state of cessation of perception and feeling and enters the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, then, in reverse order, enters nothingness, then infinite consciousness, infinite space, then the fourth ecstasy, the third, the second and then the first. Then he rises from the first ecstasy, the second, the third and then the fourth. And finally rising from the fourth ecstasy, the Buddha immediately passes away in the third watch of the night; and attains that indescribable state of permanent bliss, the supreme state of Nirvana.