Machiavellians Tend To Be Demonic: Stuck Between A Rock & A Hard Place
By W. Vishnu Gupta –
W. Vishnu Gupta
It seems people have resigned to believe that “Aragalaya”, effectively became a “Beragalaya” to facilitate the installation of well-known Machiavellian as the nation’s Executive President unwittingly. Machiavellians tend to be demonic and can use military force or violence to quell peaceful struggles waged by innocent people due to injustice, hunger, poverty, and the hopelessness faced their families. Moreover, Machiavelli argued “…Fear restrains men because they are afraid of punishment, and this fear never leaves them.”
On 2nd December 2022, Joe Biden, the President of the United States of America tweeted:
“I just want to make a few things clear: The Holocaust happened. Hitler was a demonic figure.” A well-timed remark by a respectable democratic world leader. Furthermore, the Press Release issued by Ms. Samantha Power’s office after meeting Ali Sabri who was on a mission to the USA recently with the BEGGING BOWL says:
“Administrator Power, who visited Sri Lanka in September, reiterated the U.S. commitment to supporting Sri Lanka to help resolve its complex crisis, including addressing the urgent needs of Sri Lanka’s most vulnerable and marginalized communities. She underscored that political reforms need to accompany economic reforms in Sri Lanka.”
It appears Ranil and Ali Sabry have no time to heed the advice of Americans on required political reforms as they are fixated in shielding away those who committed economic crimes and human right violations from a credible judiciary. It is normal for a demonic person to speak ill about the people struggling to feed their own families, cloth them and provide shelter and security. A demonic figure always depends on corruption, brutal force, support of similar minded persons such as Rajapaksas and deceptive tactics to achieve his political and personal objectives. Ranil has been a very active member of the oligarchy that existed since the departure of British colonialist and responsible for economic crimes. He is accused of being the leader who operated the infamous Batalanda Torture Chambers in 1980’s. His recent remarks about the deployment of security forces to quell any opposition that may sprung up in the country against his regime installed with the help of a constitutional coup, confirms his beliefs in the Machiavelli approaches, specifically the norm “End justifies the Means.” He has continuously defiled Buddhism by denigrating “Maha Sangha” and misquoting selected phrases of sacred Buddhist text according to his conveniences. What a charade to divert the attention of people from his incompetent administration. Though his mother was a Buddhist, it looks like he has made every effort to hide that he hails from a rich Anglican Christian clan, his father Esmond Wickremesinghe was a devout Christian, and the paternal uncle Lakshman Wickramasinghe was the Bishop of Kurunagala, Anglican Church from 1962 to 1983 his aunt Mukta Wickramasinghe and her children Rajiva and Anila are Christians.
Ranil Wickramasinghe, the present unelected politician, was thrust into the position of the executive president by the political struggle known as “Aragalaya” waged by an uncoordinated, leaderless bunch of men and women driven by many agendas. It is alleged that, there were many dubious characters funded by political dirtbags, and NGOs, some were staying in five-star hotels and others pretending to be ordinary citizens who were concerned about the unbearable economic difficulties but taking directions from the most unpopular and corrupt political leaders currently occupying the parliament of Sri Lanka. Accusations were levelled against many political parties, chief among them were the UNP, SLPP and JVP. It seems, those who participated in the “Aragalaya” were nothing but headless chickens running around. They did not achieve anything positive; Rajapaksas are back and living lavishly in mansions funded by the people, Ranil Wickremesinghe got his dream job without any effort. Ranil’s inner coterie including the chicaneries Sagala, Ashu, Saman Ratnapriya Silva (another dubious man who misled “Aragalaya”) and Vajira got their personal agendas and dreams fulfilled.
It is highly unlikely to expect political reforms from a demonic leader who advocates brutality and suppression of freedom of people and vouched to use military means. No western democratic country, neither IMF nor other world organization should assist a demonic regime. Fake friendly countries like China, India and Japan will hesitate and then completely ignore and abandon Sri Lanka if their demands are not met.
Rasamanickam has put foot in his mouth again
The recent comments made by TNA MP Rasamanickam another alleged Canadian citizen sitting in the parliament of Sri Lanka; has “warned that in the event the Chinese Embassy and its Government fail to look after the citizens of Sri Lanka and refuse to restructure the debts, he is ready to lead a “ChinaGoHome” campaign with all 22 million Sri Lankans, similar to what was seen at the “GotaGoHome” Aragalaya, to chase the Chinese.“I would like to warn the Chinese, there will be a China Go Home soon, and I will lead it.”
Rasamanickam must be reminded of his bravado in the parliament is great to entertain the pollical gallery, those words are highly counter productive, it will be better if he starts to grow fingernails to scratch his rumps before threatening a superpower like China. The speaker should have admonished this TNA MP for the comments made against another country that has helped Sri Lankans during many difficult times, in this incident whether Rasamanickam is in the payroll of another international sponsor is irrelevant, but he has embarrassed the entire nation. Only a dimwit politician of a bankrupt country alleged to be a citizen of another country will think of antagonising a superpower, especially China which has given enormous development loans, nearly 20 percent of the country’s public external debt, without any strings attached. It is also highly infuriating comment at a time when the government is attempting with China, Sri Lanka’s largest bilateral creditor and, with India and Japan to restructure the country’s debt.
Staff Expenditure of Mahinda and Maithripala
The former presidents Mahinda and Maithri have been living like drunkard sailors, with unbelievable number of personal staff at the expense of citizens of the nation. It was reported last, since 2010 they have spent over Rs.1480 million only on personal staff. It is surprising to note that Maithree has spent more than Mahinda, according to a new report.
“Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa had deployed a personal staff of 2,578 from 2010 to 2014 at a cost of more than Rs.630 million. and former President Maithripala Sirisena had a personal staff of 1,317 from 2015 to 2019 at a cost of more than Rs.850 million.”
Although, Maithripala as usual has denied the charges, alleging the media and Lionel Guruge for reporting the extravagant expenditure incurred by these two failed politicians. Obviously, they have misused people’s money for glorification of their pollical careers. Maithripala has claimed that some of the funds were given out to Smart Sri Lanka program to distribute 1000 computers to divisional secretaries. The proper procedure should have been reallocation of the funds or returning the funds to the treasury. These devious politicians have been using state funds for nearly seven decades to promote their personal image among Sri Lankan gullible voters and to improve the chances of electability of their corrupt political parties. JR, Ranil, Premadasa, Channdrika, Maithree and Mahinda have always followed the unholy traditions of stealing from the treasury under different guises.
(225 +1) are unresponsive to the sufferings of the people
The temporarily elected (225 +1) men and women of the current parliament have totally forgotten the needs and wants of 22 million of citizens in the country as it was evident from the recently presented budget. A fresh report published by the World Food Programme (WFP) says; “about three out of 10 households (nearly 6.26 million Sri Lankans) are uncertain of where their next food will come from. More than 60% of households are resorting to rationing their food and do not obtain sufficient nutrition. As one Sri Lankan woman said, “These days, we don’t have a proper meal but eat only rice and gravy.” In June 2022, WFP Deputy Regional Director for Asia and Pacific Anthea Webb explained, “Pregnant mothers need to eat nutritious meals every day, but the poorest find it harder and harder to afford the basics.” Furthermore, UNICEF has warned of a humanitarian crisis, it has found depleting food stocks, gas and medical supplies have forced 70% of Sri Lankan families to reduce food intake in 2022. The crisis may be well hidden by ignoring the reports coming out of villages and small towns, it is suspected that some families have not eaten for many days. Just like the (225+1) currently focussing on tactics to ensure their political survival, the established media houses too have paid very little attention to the plight of ordinary Sri Lankans. The ensuing useless budget debates and cabinet priorities clearly shows that there is a huge gulf between the government objectives and the needs and wants of the people; for instances people did not ask or never have asked for guns, boots, or huge mechanized military force in the country. It looks like these temporarily elected men and women MPs have bent over and shown the rumps to 22 million of citizens gleefully. That may be the reason why they have opted to perform circuses in the parliament with acts such as defiling Buddhism by Ranil, Controversial Diana’s Cannabis project, Kanchana’s threats, Rambukwella’s denunciations, Susil’s sweet talk but no books for children, Sabry’s begging trips, Wijedayadasa’s noncommittal comments and equally reprehensible opposition parties’ lukewarm response to the government’s budget proposals.
All these (225+1) scheming political figures have performed very well in the “Diyawanna” circus to ensure their survival and knowing very well that none of them truly represent will of the people. The role played by the opposition is also highly questionable, the duplicity nature off the opposition parties was further confirmed by not coming to the parliament to defeat the tax bill passed on the 9th of November, they conveniently took a passive stand on the matter. The donor countries too have become wary about the credibility of (225 +1). Consequently India, China, Japan, and the USA know very well, that most opportune time to acquire and control the highly strategically important geopolitical assets in Sri Lanka is now, and there will not be any formidable opposition in the parliament because it is rigged highly in their favor by dubious, devious, and demonic (225+1) persons in the executive and legislative branches of the government of Sri Lanka. The politicians have put our nation in peril, the state is stuck between a ROCK (IMF) and a HARD place (countries vying for supremacy in the Indian Ocean). The bankrupt state is helpless as the oligarchies and their conniving political cohorts have committed economic crimes since 1956, mainly lead by Bandaranaikes, Jayewardenes, Rajapaksas, Ranasinghes and a slew political leaders such as NM Perera, Sirisena, Ranil, Anura, Ranawaka, Vasu, Badurdeen, Hakeem, and Wimal.
Let us not forget that the UN High Commissioner’s report in October this year, it has clearly stated among many other reasons, impunity for human rights violations and economic crimes by officials as the underlying reasons for the economic crisis. Furthermore, UNHCR has called for the government to investigate and prosecute former and current public officials who triggered the country’s worst financial crisis in more than seven decades, plunging the population of 22 million into soaring inflation, currency depreciation and severe food, medicine, and fuel shortages.
Therefore, Sri Lankans should be prepared to encounter misery until fresh elections are held to introduce much needed political reforms, in other words, the system change demanded by the genuine proponents of “Aragalaya.”
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