Manifesto of political incompetence

Vernon Boteju Attorney at Law

In the publications in these columns on December 11, 2009 under caption “Let Us re-elect the tried and tested friend of the people”; on December 30, 2009 entitled “Ensuring unity and safety under one flag” and on December 31, 2009 captioned “Uniting to defeat vicious forces” this writer commenting on the issue of the contest between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Sarath Fonseka, designated by the mass media as the two main contenders at the upcoming Presidential election at which there are also twenty other candidates, expressed his opinion in favour of President Mahinda Rajapaksa for the reasons adduced therein by him.

Vernon Boteju

In the aforesaid publications although the statements and utterances of the two main contenders published in the mass media both print and electronic was the main source of information on which this writer arrived at his conclusions no reference was made to any written political manifesto of Sarath Fonseka although reference was made to “Mahinda Chintanaya” that embodied the policies of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, as at that point of time, no such written publication of Sarath Fonseka was available to this writer.

Shortly thereafter a copy of the printed and published election manifesto of Fonseka has been received by this writer and that enables him to offer his comments and opinion thereon. Since this document is the written political manifesto under the hand of Fonseka himself, seeking the support of everyone in the country as he says therein, it is manifestly a more reliable document to act upon to discover the truth behind the reasons for his entering the political arena.

The document under consideration is printed in Sinhala as a folder containing five pages and signed by Fonseka on the last page over his name “Sarath Fonseka” and also bears his symbol “Swan” that manifests he is an independent candidate. It is therefore manifestly evident that this publication under consideration is the unilateral act and deed of the signatory to the publication who endeavours to explain therein the reasons for his entry into the political arena to contest the upcoming Presidential election and place on record his personal agenda and policy that he intends to execute on being elected to the office of President.

The front page of the manifesto carries the smiling face and bust of Fonseka now having shed his military uniform, attired in civil garb but below his photograph appears the cryptic words of introduction. “Country’s Heroic General Commences Second Operation to release Motherland from corrupt family management.”

The words describing himself in his own election manifesto is not only transgressing a basic rule of modesty and in sharp contrast with the “humble pride” he attributes to himself as expressed at page 2 in referring to the success of the military operations against the LTTE but also sounds an ominous note that his second Meheyuma may also be a veiled threat of a military operation the first being the military operation against the LTTE.

The opinion expressed by a retired head of the Intelligence of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka (1987-1990) published in the Editorial page of a daily newspaper on December 17, 2009 under the caption “Sarath-Mahinda WAR Gets Dirtier” lends support to the adage “Coming events cast their shadows before them.”

The allegation made by Fonseka in his political manifesto is that he President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his family members, in order to continue their undemocratic and corrupt family administration are usurping for their sole benefit and political advantage the credit of the victory against the LTTE won by him that pricked his conscience that he could not bear and continue to be an on-looker any longer he decided in order to eradicate the corrupt family rule to contest for the office of President. This decision of his is manifestly vindictive and far from the truth.

In any event this allegation of Sarath Fonseka against President Mahinda Rajapaksa under whose direction and orders he functioned at all times who was the Head of State and the Commander in Chief of the Armed Services of Sri Lanka is untenable and does not stand the test of scrutiny, it is frivolous and vexatious as it is of his allegation of corruption and nepotism that he did not complain of till his removal from the office of the Commander in Chief of the Army and retired from service and decided to contest his former superior in office. Undoubtedly demonstrating conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman of the Sri Lanka Army.

It is noteworthy that Fonseka publicly declares at page (3) of his manifesto “after much thought” I agreed to accept the invitation of several political parties and a number of citizens to come forward for the Presidential election as the “nirparshika podu apekshakaya” non party common candidate.”

In the manifesto under consideration no names of the political parties or names of citizens who have invited him are mentioned by Fonseka, there is no admission or acknowledgement of any agreement or association or connection or obligation to any named political party or party leader.

Thus it is manifestly self evident that “Sarath Fonseka” the “podu apekshakaya” preserves to himself the right at any given moment of his own choice or will to deny any connection or affiliation to any political party, or group that would try to direct him or push him after he attains his personal ambition of being elected as the all powerful fifth Executive President under the Constitution which he has pledged to revoke immediately on assuming office an act impossible to legally perform under the Constitution he is elected unless the President commands a Parliamentary Majority of two thirds.

The cryptic question that arises is how can a President elected as a non party candidates claim that he has a parliamentary majority of any political party or group that he does not belong to even for the purpose of making seating arrangements in Parliament grouping the members as the members of the democratic government or members of the opposition? A plausible answer is that while the elected executive President will sit on the throne those who thrust him there will be ruing their fate in silence or behind prison bars as an old legend recorded in history during the period of the monarchy reminds us when a king intending to enjoy a little bit of humour in the palace, at his own risk, persuaded his door-keeper who closely resembled the king to wear his royal robes and sit upon the throne while the king played the role of the door-keeper and ended up in the guillotine on the orders of the king he placed on the throne.

The writing in the political manifesto of the disgruntled Retired Army General Sarath Fonseka is clear as the “Writing on the wall at Belshazzar’s feast.” That “Democracy” is at stake. The retired General has clearly demonstrated through his election manifesto that he owes no obligation to any named recognized and duly registered political party in Sri Lanka or agreed to abide by the political program or policy statement of any such political party who he declares are supporting him at this election.

In short he requests every political party in the country to support him to attain his personal ambition of becoming the President of Sri Lanka to pay off grudges against his erstwhile superiors and friends on the pledges he makes to revoke on assumption of office the constitution of Sri Lanka and in the same breath says he will give immediate effect to the 17th amendment of the said Constitution and appoint the various commissions and strengthen democracy all acts impossible to perform under the law.

The remedy is in the hands of the discreet and patriotic voter to reaffirm his faith and confidence in the tried and tested friend of the people and with one voice reject the green horn in politics who admits in his manifesto the fruits of office he has enjoyed and details of the benefits that he is entitled to on retirement that he is sacrificing by the hard decision he has made to contest the incumbent president from whom he has received all that he has enjoyed in life as the commander in-chief-of the army demonstrating gross ingratitude to his benefactor.