Will Maithri chew his words?

by Upul Joseph Fernando

( July 8, 2015, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) President Maithripala Sirisena in the run up to the last January presidential election put the country and the people before party politics. Today we reproduce important contents of his speeches made during that period and published in our sister paper Mawbima for an analysis to ascertain whether he had truly put the country before party politics after occupying the presidency of this country over the past six months as a general election has been fixed for 17 August. This upcoming election has caused confusion in the manner most confounded within the UPFA and the SLFP with Maithripala’s predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa reportedly offered nominations by Sirisena’s UPFA.

“After giving nominations at the Elections Commissioner’s office Mahinda tried his best to shake hands with me. I never give my clean hands and he attempted many times to grab it. As a true Sinhala Buddhist I greeted him in the traditional clasping of both palms in a firm manner”. (Maithri addresses UNP Lawyers Meeting- Mawbima report on 10-12-2014)

Comment – How could Maithri who stated like that give nominations with his clean hands to Mahinda? How can he board the same platform with Mahinda? People raise such questions. Following is what Maithri said during the last presidential election. We do not know whether he remembers what he told.

“In this contest the people have a simple question to answer. That is, are you going to protect the country or the family? If you are to protect the country then the right symbol is ‘Swan’. If you want to protect the family the symbol is the ‘Betel’ leaf. In the recent past our own ministers asked how many were there to address as ‘Sir’ because Mahinda, Basil, Gotabhaya and Namal were all Presidents. Only Chamal possessed a good character. Others retained 60 per cent of the national wealth in the Treasury”. (Maithri at the Rambukkana rally – Mawbima report 23-12-2014)

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“Last year he got down six helicopters and distributed amongst the children. A golden horse was brought from Buckingham Horse Stable in London. The son goes by helicopter in the morning to ride the horse. He returns from Nuwara Eliya in the same helicopter in the evening. Separate security with bullet proof cars. This was the Tharunyata Hetak concept. No Head of State in the country ever built buildings within the President’s House other than colour washing it. Over the past five, six years billions of rupees have been spent on that palace. Do you know the number of presidential palaces in the country? They are in Kandy, Anuradhapura, Nuwara Eliya, Embilipitiya and everywhere. Whose monies are they?” (Maithri at Kurunegala – Mawbima report 18.12.2014)

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“You will remember the extent and scope of corruption of this government. Nearly two months ago Mahinda Rajapaksa went to the North after the completion of the northern rail track and said he had merged the North and South. It was said a kilometre of the track would cost Rs 44 million but Rs 340 million had been expended on a kilometre. Where did those monies go? A kilometre in the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway cost Rs 1,250 million. Did he construct these roads with gold? Mahinda Rajapaksa is the most corrupt leader after Independence”. (Maithri at Kotamale – Mawbima report 17-12-2014)

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“As a child born to an agricultural family I am aware of the problems faced by the farmers. As the Minister of Agriculture and also Heath I proposed to stop the import of pesticides. Every time I brought that proposal I felt isolated. Though Ministers like Rajitha Senaratne, Duminda Dissanayake and Champika Ranawaka supported me, a crown prince in the ‘Royal Family’ who represented multi-national companies suppressed my proposal. In a similar manner he came forward to protect tobacco companies and drug companies”. (Maithri at Galgamuwa – Mawbima report 16.12.2014)

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“There is a crown prince for security. He does not look into the grievances of soldiers. How does he treat the war heroes? He had made them slaves and labourers. They wash plates in bungalows. Some pick coconuts, cut bricks and trim grass in ministries. The value of their uniforms had been undermined. These heroes would not have won the war if not for General Sarath Fonseka”. (Maithri at Galgamuwa 16.12.2014)

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“It was the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime that spread the drug menace in this country. Mahinda sported a smile and held elections like the most corrupt leader. Eleven hours before I left him I had hoppers and tea with him. Now they are saying Maithri ate hoppers and had tea before leaving. Yes.. . I ate hoppers and left them. I came out because I could not stay with a leader who had destroyed the national economy”. (Maithri at Matugama – Mawbima report 12.12.2014)

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“There was no government in the country like this government which had plundered public property and State funds. I pledge to punish the offenders during the first 100 days through commissions of inquiry who plundered the nation for nine years. I make this pledge from the historic city of Kandy today”. (Maithripala in Kandy – Mawbima report 11.12.2014)

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“Mahinda represents arms power and wealth. I represent the power of the people. This time the people’s power will crush the arms and money power”. (Maithri at a Media Conference – Mawbima report 09.12.2014)

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“Mahinda Rajapaksa contests a third time to crush all political parties. If you give him a third time, he will crush all political parties and the Rajapaksa family will establish an authoritarian rule. I am aware of all that”. (Maithri at Polonnaruwa – Mawbima report 02.12.2014)

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“It is during Mahinda’s administration that murders, prostitution, abuse of women, child abuse, drug menace and ethanol spread. As a minister of his government I know that five Cabinet Ministers imported ethanol. When this government embarks on mega development projects, two third of the commission goes to the Rajapaksa family. Ports, roads and airport development projects were designed in a manner to ensure that the Rajapaksa family got the commissions”. (Maithri at Ampara – Mawbima report 31.12.2015)

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“Five members of the Rajapaksa family hold breakfast meetings daily between 8:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. They discuss the government at that meeting. They take decisions on Wednesday breakfast meetings. No ministers are present. That was how the corrupt regime conducted itself to destroy the country”. (Maithri at Ranna – Mawbima report 30.12.2014)

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“If I had lost the presidential election, you would have never got an opportunity to see me. Not only I, my wife and children would have been buried under this earth. I knew that Mahinda Rajapaksa had prepared measures to have my children arrested”. (Maithri at Polonnaruwa – Mawbima report 27.01.2015)

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“When I accepted the Chairmanship of the SLFP, the UNP wondered as to why I did so as the President elected by their support. Likewise, the SLFPers too wondered why I did so after having being elected with UNP support. I am indulging in upon a historic task, respected monks! In our political agenda, the first item should be the agenda of a political party. Our agenda should be to put the country and the people first. Thereafter, we political parties should decide where those should stand”. (Maithri at the opening of the Sadaham Sevana Buddhist Institute – Mawbima 21.01.2015)
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Comment – Will Maithri who believed in such a noble concept suddenly put the party before the country?