Change vs Status Quo

Lasting peace and stability:

Vernon Botejue Attorney-at-Law

The voters of Sri Lanka will certainly deliver their verdict on the Presidential election on January 26, 2010 in a democratic and discreet manner, answering the issue that had been raised by the challenger who demands “Change” in indecent haste and unbridled hate, against the incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa who valiantly restored the “Status Quo” that Sri Lankans now enjoy since about May 19, 2009, having realized a long lasting dream of peace and tranquillity that the country had been deprived of for over three decades.

Unkindest cut

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the trusted leader

The unkindest cut of all is that the challenger who endeavours to “throw a spanner in the works” and despoil the hopes of Sri Lankans continuing to enjoying lasting peace and stability leading the nation to development and progress, is none other than a former member of the incumbent President’s administration, a retired Army General Sarath Fonseka who contests the Presidential election as an independent candidate under a symbol of his choice but claims that he has the support of certain opposition political parties viz : the UNP, the JVP, the TNA and other individuals and members of political parties who have crossed over to the Opposition.

What is more reprehensible on the part of the challenger, apart from being guilty of an act of gross ingratitude towards President Mahinda Rajapaksa his former benefactor are his baseless allegations of corruption and nepotism raised against the President he served faithfully till he was moved out from the post of Army Commander that evidently roused his bile to become vindictive and aggressive.

The Retired General Fonseka in his written political manifesto entitled “Deshaye Veera Senpathy Devena Meheyuma Arambay” appeals to all political parties in the country to join forces with him to save the country from the corrupt family rule that he had not observed or complained of till his removal from the post he held by appointment made by the President himself whom he now vows to eject from political office.

It is not surprising that the UNP that had for a greater length of time, after independence, enjoyed the privilege and power to rule the country but consequent to the repeated defeats suffered at the elections under the leadership of the Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, followed by defections of senior party members and internal squabbles over leadership of the party has unashamedly agreed to sacrifice its own identity and standing in the country under the symbol of the elephant (that is reputed to be an animal that never forgets) to join hands with their erstwhile political rival and adversary the JVP that was responsible for slaying UNP stalwarts as well as UNP youth who opposed them democratically.

Political advantage

But now talks of saving democracy that is allegedly disappearing under the current administration while in the same breath participating in a democratic election called by the incumbent President Himself at the behest of the UNP and JVP that repeatedly challenged him in the name of democracy to hold an election. But when the President decides democratically to hold the election blame him that he has done so for his political advantage.

It is not a rhetorical question! Why should he not do so being the experienced and clever politician that he is?

Any reasonable and prudent citizen of Sri Lanka will now testify and confirm that after the eradication of the LTTE scourge that plagued the country through the years causing death and destruction the people can now move about freely in any part of the country without fear: That the time is opportune to add strength to the arm of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to complete the good work undertaken to develop the country to compete with the rest of the world.

In the premises it is most reprehensible and untrue for leading spokesmen at TV discussions on behalf of the main contender General Fonseka to keep on repeating publicly that the people now are living in fear of death and that there is no democracy or freedom of the mass media both print and electronic and referring repeatedly to the slaying of the Editor of the Sunday Leader over an year ago that is still under investigation while the mass media is being blatantly abused by certain Opposition politicians and rabble rousers for political mileage and character assassination or to pay off private grudges and blame it on the Government of the day.

Mere allegations

It is evident that up to this moment the allegations against the incumbent President remain as mere allegations only without foundation or corroboration and does not stand the test of scrutiny and must necessarily be rejected as frivolous and vexatious.

On the other hand documentary evidence has been adduced by those who alleged an illegal arms deal by the Retired General; such evidence has been subject to scrutiny in the Parliament by members of the Opposition. Outside Parliament such evidence has been subject to careful scrutiny publicly on a TV program by the conductor of a TV broadcast who cited chapter and verse in support of the defence and affirmatively pointed the finger at the Government and concluded the program by flashing on view the proceedings in Parliament showing a Member of Parliament who manifestly concluded his speech by asserting “if the charges are true why has not the Government taken action against him.” Thus leaving the viewers of the TV program to draw their own reasonable conclusions on this presentation.

Re-affirming faith

While the incumbent President as the leader of the recognized front of political parties contesting the Presidential election has placed before the country an election manifesto entitled Mahinda Chintana-Idiri dakma that is a continuation of his development work already undertaken after ridding the country of the LTTE terrorism.

The main contender Retired General Fonseka has tendered his political manifesto entitled “Believable-Change” under his election symbol ‘Swan’. This document apart from the personal promises made by the candidate himself that he hopes to implement on assumption of office does not place before the country a comprehensive political or economic policy or development program of the country to which the other political parties claiming to support him have agreed.

In the circumstances the wiser choice for the electors to make is to re-affirm their faith and confidence in the known leader who restored the status quo -lasting peace and stability of their Motherland and reject the challenge for change towards an unknown destiny.