Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

07 September  2019

Ranil with Sajith as Junior

During discussions this morning, I shared with a White Australian who was in Australian ‘Foreign Service’ the message that we needed to replace ourselves in society. I said we owed it to family, community and wider society – to the extent we benefited from such persons whose contributions supported us. Structures help us share our wisdom and preserve them for the next generation and also for wider world.

Later this morning when I read the article ‘Ranil to run with Sajith as mate?’ by Republic Next I was happy  of the possibility. It’s a structure that I naturally identify with. It also upholds the values that I  have been voting for regularly since 2015. I believe that when  I vote – the truth upholds that. This is not known by victory through majority vote. It is known through identification of the structure  that confirms that I have produced the ‘other side of myself as a voter’. Every self-governing citizen produces her/his natural governor and v.v.

Whether Ranil will win within Sinhalese community  - I do not know. But within the current Northern Tamil community – which naturally leads the whole of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka – Ranil already has earned a strong position. Their governor is the one they produced as voters in everyday life – directly and/or indirectly through those who fit the other side of their position.
I believe that each time we complete an experience by saying ‘thank you’ – we confirm our deservedness to good governance. In that regard I was happy to read the  ‘thank you’ article attributed to  Dr Ragavan -  ‘Governor who understand the language of his people’ at https://northernbreeze.blog/2019/09/06/governor-who-understand-the-language-of-his-people/
This is healthy for Northern Sri Lanka. Whether UNP candidate wins or not – we need to say ‘thank you’ for any relief  from anxiety that we have experienced during UNP’s leadership. That is when we earn the deservedness to good governance.

The other side of the above came through the ‘DECLARATION OF MALINDA SENEVIRATNE IN SUPPORT OF DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO STAY’ at  https://www.colombotelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Ahimsa-Seneviratne-Declaration-Stay-Motion_US_165899425_1-2.pdf
If the above is fact – the contents of the said declaration confirms serious lack of consciousness of the principles underpinning the Separation of Powers between the Judiciary and the Executive Government. The declaration is presented as having been submitted in AHIMSA WICKREMATUNGE, v. NANDASENA GOTABAYA RAJAPAKSA

Excerpts below confirm not only  serious lack of knowledge about the purposes of court documents but reveal  also the truth that such a declarant  expects leading politicians to be treated more favourably than those without such status:

[6. On August 11, 2019, the SLPP nominated Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the
party’s candidate for Sri Lanka’s December 2019 presidential election.
7. The UNP and the SLFP have not decided on a candidate to nominate.
8.The UNP has been unable to decide whether to nominate Prime Minister
Wickremesinghe or Sajith Premadasa, the deputy party leader. The UNP’s
indecision has revealed deep intra-party divisions indicating that the
“Wickremesinghe” and “Premadasa” camps are preparing for a protracted battle
for the nomination, with no end in sight.
9.In light of the SLFP and the UNP being unable to nominate a candidate,
Mr. Rajapaksa is the probable victor in the December 2019 presidential election.
10. Recent voting patterns strongly suggest that Mr. Rajapaksa is the leading
candidate to win the presidential election. The coalition that supported the SLFP
…………………………………….
13. Under these circumstances, based on my knowledge and experience as a professional journalist and political commentator in Sri Lanka, Mr. Rajapaksa is currently the candidate most likely to win the presidency in the December 2019 election. ]

If the above is true – then one is assured of low level governance under the presidency of Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa. As per the established structure - Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been junior in Administration to Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa. In terms of politics – he is junior-most out of the above contenders. A governor needs an independent mind so s/he would hear the common citizen. By accepting the above declaration - Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa promises takeover of the judiciary by the executive.

We need to vote as per the real performance in current positions – with special focus on self-governance aspect. When we vote for the one who demonstrated strongest self-governance at our level – we would add to Sri Lanka’s self-governance. That is the ultimate reality.