Open letter to Sri Lankan voters - Presidential election 2010

Ananda K. Seneviratne - Aliso Viejo, CA, USA

As an expatriate Sri Lankan who has been involved in various activities personally and through Sri Lankan organisations in Canada and USA in fighting against Tiger Terrorists false propaganda campaign for more than 20 years, I am writing this article to express my independent views on the upcoming Presidential election.

I am somewhat shocked and dismayed by the fact that the great victory of defeating world’s most brutal, dangerous and inhumane terrorist organisation by the current political leadership has forgotten by my fellow Sri Lankans.

Barack Obama	George W. Bush	John F. Kennedy

How can Sri Lankan people have already forgotten the period of 30 years of destruction of daily life when Tiger terrorists attacked country’s economic targets and their brutal suicide bombings and shootings at public transit systems, public and political rallies and festivals and killings of so many political and military leaders and basically paralyzing the entire country as a whole?

To me, it is more obvious that Sri Lankans have forgotten that it is the current political leadership along with the Military Forces has won this war.

Shouldn’t we grateful and indebted to the current political leadership and the military leadership for winning this war without bending their knees to the international pressure and intimidations?

If my fellow Sri Lankan citizens still remember the suffering we faced with this brutal terrorism for the last 30 years, I cannot understand why Sri Lankan people and some opportunistic and selfish politicians are rallying around against President Rajapaksa to deny another term and supporting another candidate. Do they think President Rajapaksa doesn’t deserve to be the President of this country for another 4-5 years of his life to serve this country, develop the infrastructure and economy which needed much boost after wining the war?

For the last 20 years, I have witnessed how American Presidents and Canadian Prime Ministers elect and deject from there offices. One extraordinarily event I have seen in US Presidential elections is re-electing George W. Bush Jr. For a second term by American people regardless what he has done in Iraq.

After a careful review, I believe, one of the main reasons why Bush was re-elected for the second term as the US President by American people, regardless his unpopularity, is his courage and determination in fighting against terrorism after 9/11 and his patriotism.

American people are very patriotic and they want to respect him as the Commander in Chief for his service to the country when it was under attack and probably they didn’t want to demoralize the US troops either.

Remembering these political events, I am shocked to see that Sri Lankan people quickly turned their back towards a President who brought the country, a terror-free, peaceful society that we all can be proud of, regardless of our political, religious and ethic differences.

It is even more shocking and frustrating to see the former Army Commander who fought under the same commander in chief is contesting against him just to take revenge while discrediting the entire country and tarnishing the image. Any international recognition and respect that we earned after winning the war is died down by this Opposition Presidential candidate.

If all Sri Lankans remember the 30 years of brutal terror in the country, and if we are patriotic citizens who love this country, they should vote and re-elect Mahinda Rajapaksa as same as American people have re-elected Geroge Bush Jr a few years ago.

If we and our Opposition political parties are real patriots we should have unanimously given him a second term to eliminate the international Tiger network completely and to continue his development projects.

No one can deny that President Rajapaksa is a leader with a vision and his commitment to develop the country including much-needed infrastructure and war devastated North and East regions while countering international influences on our domestic affairs.

Some of the Sri Lankans who have forgotten this important achievement of President Rajapaksa’s short time in office want to see Ex. Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka as the next President of the country because they think the current Government is corrupted and/or Fonseka is an Anandian or he is a common candidate for UNP and JVP.

So these things are the most important criteria for them to elect the next President of our country while the country is still under international pressure after winning the war? One important thing that Sri Lankans living in the country may not know is even after President Rajapaksa and his Government have defeated the Tigers militarily, they are still continuing their Eelam struggle at full pace internationally.

Having seen their recent activities in Canada, Australia and European countries and their false propaganda campaign against Sri Lankan Forces, the Government as well as against Sinhalese, they are day by day getting organised to form their so called Transnational Eelam Government.

If any Sri Lankan and Sri Lankan politicians ignore the fact that the international Tiger leaders including Rudrakumaran, an American Citizen and their Western allies are rallying around Western politicians and UN to get their attention and the support for their Transnational Eelam government, that will be a great underestimation and a mistake.

The UN is also taken to a ride by the Western supporters of Tigers and working against Sri Lanka and more sympathetic towards Tigers and their false propaganda including the British Channel 4 video.

In this regard, how could educated and intelligent Sri Lankans forgot that this Government is their very best to fight the enemy in the Western countries and to counter their allegations, interventions and finger pointing? If there is a regime change at this crucial time, Tigers in the West will be the only people benefitting and not the people who voted against President Rajapaksa.

Only if this President and the Government can stay in power for at least for another term they can continue the fight against this international Tiger network to completely eliminate the LTTE and send the final message that there wouldn’t be any Eelam even in their dreams.

President Rajapaksa has proven this already by arresting and bringing K. Pathmanathan to Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, this Government’s development program including infrastructure development, Uthuru Vasanathaya and other economic development programs in the country are encouraging and praiseworthy.

As a leader with integrity, courage and determination, President Mahinda Rajapaksa really deserves another term to serve this country as the best President over other candidates.

Having family members in politics and public offices is nothing new to Sri Lanka or to other countries. Former President J.F. Kennedy’s family is still in US politics and they are not corrupted politicians. Anyway, the politicians who are contesting against President Rajapaksa are not corrupted and were not corrupted in the past?

As an expatriate Sri Lankan who has agreed with so many patriotic expatriate Sri Lankans in California, USA, on the Presidency of Mahinda Rajapaksa, I appeal to all Sri Lankans who remember the unforgettable service he has done to our country mainly saving us from three decades of terrorism, to re-elect him as the country’s next President for another term which he and all peace loving Sri Lankans regardless of party politics deserve as well.

I have no doubt that he is the only leader who has the courage to defeat LTTE’s international uprising, West’s human right allegation and other harassments to save our country and its heroic forces.

He helped us and guided the country to provide a peaceful path for our children’s future. It is the right time and our duty to extend our hands to give him the strength and the blessings of the Triple Gem to re-elect him to save this country from the international Tigers and Western conspiracies.