Mahinda Rajapaksa:

A multi-faceted personality

S. Francis PERERA

Continued from yesterday

President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s rare skill as a diplomat is clearly seen, when his diplomatic exercises are placed in juxtaposition with those of J. R. Jayawardene. For all this mephistophilion cunning JR was a hopeless failure as a diplomat. His arrogance and his shortsighted foreign policy disastrous to Sri Lanka.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa

Whether we like it or not India is our nearest neighbour, and is a great power in the making. JR failed to maintain cordial relations with India, and India for her part treated him with contempt for being a stooge of the west.

People will, no doubt, recall with shame and a feeling of humiliation. The manner in which JR, as executive Head of State, cravenly accepted conditions detrimental to the best interests of Sri Lanka, forced on him by India. The conditions were an Indian force was to be stationed in the North and East regions, and these two regions were to be merged without consulting the people of the said provinces. Having tamely submitted to these two conditions, he had the temerity to claim that they were beneficial to this country.

Unhealthy conditions

In the whole history of this country there isn’t a knave as despicable as JR of infamous memory. It stands to the credit of R. Premadasa, his successor, for striving - even though vainly - to undo the damage done to this country by the abominable treaty to which JR had entered with India, under duress.

It was JR’s vainglorious boast that under his constitution there was nothing he could not do except make a man a woman and a woman a man. Granted for the sake of argument. But this insufferable brag was made to kiss the dust by two Indian Prime Minister - Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.

JR appealed to this western allies to bail him out of a bad situation. The latter snubbed him with the excuse that they did not wish to be involved in regional disputes, which were best settled by the two parties concerned.

In the eyes of his western allies he was a tainted man, in that he failed to deal with the chauvinists responsible for the blood bath of 1983. On the other hand Rajapaksa has a clear record, the services he has rendered the Tamils in the East speaks volumes.

He routed the terrorists in the East and purged the region of terrorism. Basil Rajapaksa, as the President’s emissary, allayed the fears of the Indian leaders; he convinced them that President Rajapaksa is in earnest about wiping out terrorism, and introducing devolution to the North as well. Basil Rajapaksa returned from India covered with honour and glory; he has shown the world that Sri Lanka is no puppet to be manipulated by foreign powers.

Illustrious leader

President Rajapaksa’s aplomb and flexibility of mind are well illustrated by the manner in which he has reacted to the wave of protests coming from certain Western European leaders and the European Community. With a mulish stubbornness they ignore the atrocities committed by the LTTE against civilians.

He has vowed to end hostilities if the LTTE leaders lay down arms and agree to hold peace talks. Of course he is wary for he remembers that the LTTE bamboozled all his predecessors. Did not Oliver Cromwell, the great general and statesman say: ‘Trust in God but keep you powder dry?’ Threats to deny aid, to suspend granting of bank loans and to cut the quotas of our garments entering Western markets have failed to influence Rajapaksa. He has shown the West that neither threats nor blackmail will scare him. Why, we would like to know, do they not bring pressure on the LTTE to lay down arms?

Rajapaksa values the independence and integrity of Sri Lanka too much to give into the Tiger terrorists, as some of his predecessors did to save their lives, or to be left in peace to enjoy the perks of office. Thank goodness, that at last we have a head of state who is a patriot and no poltroon.

Concluded