Democratic National Alliance and the Democratic Party it’s all confusion!- No show at the Rallyw

 

A statement was issued today that the Democratic Party of which Sarath Fonseka is the leader, will not participate in the rally Organized by the UNP against the Government. It further says that Anoma the wife of the General who earlier had indicated participation, will not participate, and is sending her regrets, but sends her best wishes to the UNP for the success of the Demonstration.

The reason behind this is that they are in Parliament as the DNA, namely the Democratic National Alliance. The constitution of the group does not permit the participation in any gathering organized by a party outside this coalition. One of the main issues the demonstration was organized was to show the people’s disapproval of the kangaroo court decision to lock the General for 3 years on an incitement charge, when a whole host of worse crimes of Government MPs and Ministers go unpunished.

It is therefore a slap in the face of these people, to use a technicality to snub this event. I feel if the General does not apologize on behalf of his party for this behavior he is not worthy of being represented or people agitating on his behalf. We must face facts, if he represents a party that hides behind a technicality not to demonstrate, then the UNP has every right not to have any common platform with the JVP or the General. It is important therefore to use this incident as an example why the UNP should forever sever their ties with the General no matter what the public opinion is, and allow him to float freely on his own. People must understand a simple act of compassion and a show of disapproval. In fact the DNA should have lent a hand, or at least permitted all their members to freely attend this demonstration even if they did not wish to actively participate.

The UNP should once and for all realize who and what they should agitate for. The rationale and the explanation for their rank and file as to whys and why nots must be given with simple explanations to justify each stance they decide to take.

When it comes to showing strong disapproval over the Expropriation Act and the various items in the Budget and what was left out they have a voice that is not necessarily one that the DNA agrees with and for that I believe the platform the DNA adopted is rational on their part. The latter points should carry the day in the agitation, though the General issue resonates with the UNP faithful in the villages who sometimes look for a simplistic way of showing and reasoning their disapproval. Either the absence of the DNA is regretted and the show must go on.

The planned anti-government demonstration in Hyde Park on the 29th November 2011

The UNP is trying as a test of its organizational skills to draw as many people from all parts of the country on a weekday to demonstrate against the government and thereby show the government by a show of hands that there is a significant population who disapprove of what the government is doing in a whole host of areas, and is willing to sacrifice time and money to come to demonstrate.

The demo is targeting the very biased verdict of the High Court on the so called
“white flag case” the General was convicted for three years, on breaking a nebulous law about incitement which was only valid during the emergency regulations and which no longer applies. The nature of the judges, especially Saleem a Rajapakse acolyte who owes his very existence to the President, shows that there is absolutely no independence of the judiciary left in Sri Lanka.

It is also expected to cover the Expropriation Act and for the public to show their disapproval of the actions of the government in passing legislation, on an ad hoc basis targeting anyone they dislike as well as rush through legislation that has not been properly thought about. The backlash of this Act against investments in Sri Lanka far outweigh any political or revengeful benefit they expected and is indicative of the behavior of a govt. that has become too cocky.

Obviously this is a general demo by all opposition parties against the acts of the state that even include pressuring Buddhist priests into appointing favorites to temples when the Chief Priest vacancies come about, as just happened in the Sri Pada Temple, where a govt. sycophant was installed and everyone who had a vote was threatened to vote for the govt. choice or else!!!! Scenario. So they vote out of fear for their temple, and their well being, throwing all greed and need into the ring.

As for the ability to bring in a large crowd, it is an expensive thing to do as the UNP is not subsidizing anyone. People have to find their own way and pay their own and even take time off to attend the rally, where a whole day’s work could be lost for them. This kind of commitment will identify the wood from the trees and one may be able to ascertain the real party faithful. During the internal party conflicts it is expected that all differences will be set aside for the time being to make this rally a success, against a lot of odds. The weather being one as there are unexpected drenching showers in Colombo these days.

It is also expected that the government will try and attempt to prevent buses full of demonstrators to come into Colombo for this event. One does not know what kind of hindrances will take place, but it is easy for the security forces to prevent a crowd gathering using a whole host of legal means, be they be legitimate or just to prevent the freedom of expression.

The state spy network has infiltrated the UNP ranks as was reported in today’s paper which noted that the President was informed prior to his arrival in Parliament to give the budget speech that the UNP were planning a demonstration including the upholding of placards in Parliament and also a possible walkout which happened in the end. It is important therefore to ensure that this demonstration is peaceful and any reason for a skirmish to be firmly blamed on the police force which has already been asked to be prepared for any outcome.

The confrontational method of the instructions to the police does not bode well for the freedoms of peaceful protest, but then who said this administration cared or even tolerated peaceful protest. They will inevitably blame it on the laws being broken, as the demonstration is likely to disrupt traffic in the areas close to the demonstration and if the crowds spill on to the road then they could accuse of the demonstrators of obstructing a public highway and arrest and use tear gas or water cannon against the crowd.

The ability of the UNP to get even a decent crowd to fill the place with this short notice on a party that is bankrupt in funds and bankrupt in ideas as to how to take the moral high ground from a completely bankrupt administration will in itself be an indication of how easy it will be to resurrect the fortunes of the party with a little leadership that is charismatic and inspiring. That is something the party does not have nor does the party have any individuals who can show that which is required for leadership in the century, with a quick mind and ability to galvanize people by using the latest technologies both to inform, keep in touch and communicate his ideas as well as instructions to the party faithful, for example for demonstrations to be held in Hyde Park or for that matter anywhere in the island.

Mrs Anoma Fonseka has indicated her willingness to speak at the demonstration, and the JVP which has been invited does not seem to have accepted the invitation to join forces. Therefore this will primarily be a UNP effort, which the detractors of the leader would love to fail so they can point a finger at the leader. It is therefore in the interest of the leader to get as many people to attend.

It was rumored that Sajith Premadasa would have his people meet elsewhere and come in force, to show that he has a following in excess of the leader’s and we shall see who wins this beauty contest. Let us hope it is a peaceful protest.

Sarath Fonseka – What to do with him? Sajith, Arjuna have called a meeting

What do we do with this thorn in the backside? He was the General who won the war, who the President praised from every hill top as the man who saved this country from a lifetime of subjugation. That was until he shouted his mouth off, became the common candidate for the combined opposition a sorry ass bunch of strange bedfellows and who in the campaign trail effectively warned the rulers that he would line the lot of them and have them summarily executed. If that was not enough he is alleged to have told a lady Newspaper reporter that Gotabhaya Rajapakse had given the order to take no prisoners.

So he is serving 3 years RI for shouting his mouth off, a very harsh term when rapists and murderers in the government ranks even as Ministers and Rulers get off scot free with no one to dare prosecute them. The emergency regulations under which he was found guilty does not apply today if he makes the same statement!! After all the whole case was a kangaroo court, and Frederica Janz at best is a liar and at worst a ‘Mata Hari’. So taking her word, whilst Lal Wickrematuge her boss, who was supposedly at the same meeting where this allegation was made, was not called to give testimony, is further evidence of justice denied! What is more, some members of the opposition the ‘kondak nathi’ Sajith is scheming in anger, ready to offer him the UNP leadership on a plate today, just to spite RW whose sight he cannot stand.

So can you imagine how a person who can sell his own party for spite, and just to try a fast one as he is no leadership material use Sarath as his surrogate in a cowardly act at best. Sarath Fonseka in power will just as easily incarcerate Sajith as he would Mahinda, no matter how many Bhodi Poojas he carries out for SF. This is the state of mind of the opposition, and the lack of any real men with leadership qualities. Please, let a real woman rise up from the ashes to take over this unruly mob, who do not have a direction, an opinion, and a vision to counter the daily crap thrown at us by the likes of this broken Sandanaya Government.

Desperate times call for desperate measures and Arjuna Ranatunge has been brought in for this so called ‘coup de tat’. Needless to say they cannot organize a piss up in a brewery, but like to be seen to be doing something. Planning my dear man is not calling a meeting. It is putting your complete rationale on paper or on computer, debating it first by yourself and then with some of your bright trusted aides before venturing into the big wide world to share it with others of equivalent talent. This is not done and it shows when disjointed statements are made to the press, all of which are pulled apart as trash talk which then gets no traction.

The papers report that the UNP are organizing a mass protest in Hyde Park on Tuesday the 29^th of November 2011 at 2pm. One is to demonstrate against the treatment of Sarath Fonseka, to which Mrs Anoma Fonseka has agreed to participate. Further it is also to show anger at the Expropriation Act and any other misdeeds the government will come up between now and then. Note the complete news blackout in the Press about Mervyn threatening Akbars after its first outing!

Pray what happened? Pres called in Akbars and said he will take care of it and stop Mervyn in his tracks. However no one reported that in the press for fear of arousing Mervyn’s or Lokka’s wrath. That is how the banana republic operates.

So back to where I started! What is to be done about Sarath? How long will he be incarcerated? Will he be released? What does he want? Should he be given another stab as the common opposition candidate? Will Sajith offer him the UNP leadership, and will Arjuna join? Will this break up the UNP into pieces because the old timers do not want an ex- soldier no matter that he beat the LTTE to lead a political party. They are too wise to know that a military man cannot be trusted. SF is bent on revenge for the personal attack by Rajapakses that his maniacal attitude will not be good for the country. There are lessons to be learned from all of this.

1       We tolerate any joker out of desperation if we believe he has a following.

2       We lose sight of the big picture in our search for an alternative.

3       We trust our leaders to do the right thing even if he has nothing upstairs.

4       We put no weight in common sense and back spurious arguments.

5       We never ask a housewife who stays at home to bring up the kids for hers.

6       We have no patience in our search to find the needle in the haystack.

7       We love ourselves too much over those who we love to hate.

8       We are too impetuous to listen to reason and experience. We know better.

9       We grab and discard our friends like they are disposable nappies.

10  We think we know what is right and so everyone else is wrong.

11  We lust for power over any other desire, sex included.

12  We do not go back to basics to find the solution to the deepest problem.

13  We are looking at the dark cloud for a silver lining, when there are no clouds

14  We cannot see what is right in front of us, and are constantly looking behind.

15  We do not care about what we do, as we do not know what we care about.

16  We have no principles over which we are prepared to lay down our lives.

17  We must learn to love before we can hate, only then can we reason well.

18  We are not human but animal, and that gut instinct is what we pursue.

19  We wish we had more, done more, lived more, but not loved more.

20  We want it now as tomorrow we are nothing, but the world will still be there

What Incompetent Authorities to manage important enterprises?

 

We in the Banana Republic have just been informed that the Cabinet has appointed the Government Agents of Hambantota, Moneragala and Badullla as Competent Authorities to run, Pelwatte, Sevanagala Sugar Industries and Colombo Commercial Ltd. Any person with a pea brain will know that these people do not know one end of the sugar cane from another, and will appoint sycophants of the rulers to mismanage these now public institutions in any manner they wish. This dangerous precedent has not elicited any word from people with common sense, as either we do not have any with such sense, them being uncommonly sensible or have been silenced by threats or bribery.

The crash daily crash in the market down where the 6000 barrier was broken today, down to 5900 does not seem to worry the rulers as they are surrounded by yes men. Oh they will tell the big man don’t worry we will take more protection money from the Peliyagoda Fish Market and when the market falls a further 1000 points we will buy into the market and you will get a fare share too and we will own every share in Sri Lanka. These are the people that the rulers listen to and so do not get concerned. To add insult to injury the PLC share issue was the first time in history that a premium could not be maintained for even 5 minutes on market opening before it crashed below now trading a whole rupee below the issue price.

THERE IS A SERIOUS CREDIBILITY ISSUE and as long as the rulers live in isolation from reality they cannot understand the importance of their actions and how badly it has shaken the confidence of private industry.

When the country is going out of its way to self destruct and there is no one really concerned about it, it seems that we deserve to slide into oblivion. It is even more galling when statements are made that it is development based on a nationalistic outlook, but non nationalistic but purely personal motives are actually intended, using nationalism as a cover. Whilst the Expropriation Act talked about paying compensation immediately there appears on the face of it no hurry to do so as some of the parties involved are still in litigation on the very takeover.

I cannot believe that we are living in a time when not a day goes by and soon it will be not an hour goes by without a further erosion of liberty, freedom, rights to defend one’s own property from state sponsored terrorism, freedom to gather in a public place to protest against all the above injustices. However in the normal scheme of things and the circle of life, things have to get worse before it gets better. For the sake of Sri Lanka let us hope that we reach this bottom soon.