Chamal Jayantha Rajapaksa will perhaps always be known as Mahinda Rajapaksa's elder brother. However, the elder Rajapaksa sibling who was unanimously elected Speaker at Thursday's inaugural session of Parliament wouldn't mind; he preferred for the spotlight to shine on Mahinda even forty three years ago.
That was in 1967, when their father D.A. Rajapaksa passed away. Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) leader Sirima Bandaranaike wanted Chamal to continue DA's political work and nurse the constituency of Beliatta. Chamal, then a Sub-Inspector in the Police, declined and offered the chance to his younger brother, Mahinda.
The Rajapaksa family was large: nine siblings. In the absence of D. A. Rajapaksa, Chamal Rajapaksa was the father figure that all others looked up to in times of crisis. He took on the task of shouldering the responsibility of the family, allowing Mahinda to concentrate on the unfinished political work of their father.
Mahinda Rajapaksa became the SLFP organiser for Beliatta for over two years and when general elections were called in 1970, was elected as the youngest MP. Big brother Chamal was recruited by Mrs. Bandaranaike as a senior officer of the Prime Minister's security detail.
Later, the elder Rajapaksa opted to retire from the Police and served thereafter as the Chief Security Officer at the State Trading Corporation. The 1977 elections brought about landmark changes in the country but they were not happy times for the Rajapaksas: Mahinda contested Beliatta and lost to Ranjith Atapattu, Basil contested Mulkirigala and lost to T.D. Fransiscu and their cousin Lakshman, brother of late Fisheries Minister George Rajapaksa contested Tissamaharama and lost to P. M. B. Cyril. As the United National Party (UNP) swept into power, Chamal was removed from his position at the State Trading Corporation.
Over the next few years, Mahinda Rajapaksa began practising as a lawyer in Tangalle and Chamal Rajapaksa spent his time tending his coconut estate in Beliatte. Meanwhile, the electoral politics in Mulkirigala was becoming complicated.
A 1983 by-election saw UNPer Ananda Kularatne being elected as MP for the constituency but defeated candidate Nirupama Rajapaksa won an election petition against him -- ironically because of statements attributed to Kularatne's agent who was Basil Rajapaksa -- Nirupama's cousin and Chamal's brother!
That necessitated another by-election which was held in September 1985 and that was Chamal Rajapaksa's maiden attempt at entering Parliament. Mahinda Rajapaksa campaigned for him and it was during this by-election that the latter was arrested on a shooting incident and remanded for three months. The senior Rajapaksa still lost, by the slim margin of 1,300 votes.
The wait to enter Parliament was not very long however, for Chamal Rajapaksa. Four years later, he was elected from the Hambantota district, along with younger brother Mahinda who was making a re-entry to the legislature after twelve years of political hibernation.
As the Peoples' Alliance and Chandrika Kumaratunga rode to power in 1994, Chamal Rajapaksa was re-elected but it was years later that he was rewarded with a cabinet portfolio, that of Ports and Aviation. But he was not one to complain, being content to be in the shadows while his younger sibling was aspiring for dizzy heights in the political arena.
However, when he was finally handed the Ports and Aviation portfolio, it was a subject he took to with enthusiasm, especially because of the twin projects it entailed: the Hambantota harbour and the Weeravila airport, giant development efforts which will bring tremendous changes to the Hambantota district when they are completed. In fact, there were reports that Rajapaksa was hesitant to take up the Speaker's post; such was his interest in developing his home terrain.
The Rajapaksa political machine is now well-oiled than ever before. Gotabhaya basks in the afterglow of the victory over terrorism, Basil is the political point man and Mahinda is at the helm, steering the ship of state. Chamal Rajapaksa however is the patriarchal figure that they all pay obeisance to, respecting the man who took on the task of nurturing the family when their father suddenly passed away, four decades ago.
For the President, Chamal Rajapaksa is not merely his mentor. As Speaker of Parliament, he is also an invaluable insurance policy that the legislature will not turn against him.
It is true that President Rajapaksa has just won an overwhelming mandate and commands a near two-thirds majority in the House. But he must know, having seen the pitfalls that President Premadasa faced during the impeachment crisis, that having a trustworthy Speaker can do no harm, especially when there would be so many disaffected Parliamentarians within the ruling party because of the pruning of the cabinet.
And, having seen the melee that ensued when W.J.M. Lokubandara was installed as Speaker six years ago, the President would have been keen to ensure that the Speaker of the next legislature was acceptable to all. So, Chamal Rajapaksa was an obvious choice, despite the claims of nepotism that would invariably be made.
From a parliamentary perspective too, Chamal Rajapaksa fits the bill. He counts twenty years' experience as a legislator, has an even temperament and is known to be unruffled in a crisis. His election, uncontested as it were, indicated that he even commands respect from the opposition ranks.
And, from a historical perspective, almost unnoticed, Sri Lanka is setting another precedent: this is the second instance when the President has had his or her sibling installed as the Speaker. Previously, we had Chandrika Kumaratunga as President and Anura Bandaranaike as Speaker. Had Anura been alive, being the history buff that he is, he would have surely let out a hearty chuckle at this strange irony.
Chamal Rajapaksa wouldn't mind though. He told a newspaper interview some time ago that he had two passions: planting trees and watching them grow and serving the country as a Policeman. Now he has the task of policing its law makers. And it is likely to be a job where his experience as an Inspector in the Police wouldn't be in vain. |
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