Is Ranil a Traitor/LTTE Supporter?
Why did Prabakharan prevent Ranil’s victory in 2005?? Food for thought if one’s brain cells are still not duped by ‘chinthana’ media. Mahinda Rajapakse would have been history by now-if not for Prabakaran’s intervention.
Cease Fire Agreement (CFA)
This was signed at a time when our armed forces were playing the role that LTTE plays at present! LTTE had captured Elephant Pass(EP) and was hitting at the doorsteps of Jaffna. A last ditch attempt by our army at recapturing EP through ‘Operation Agnee Kheela’ had failed. Katunayake Airport/Colombo Harbour had been attacked. Risk Insurance surcharges were hitting our international trade hard. Economic growth was at a historic low. Troop morale was at an all time low. Let’s not talk about the desertions. Sri Lanka needed a breathing space to re-charge. (Same as what LTTE would be pleased to have right now).
The real out come of the ceasefire can be analyzed by comparing the economic/military equation pre & post CFA. Had the LTTE gained so much during CFA how can it be losing now?
Air force & Navy is playing a key role in the current cycle of fighting against the LTTE. Navy acquired the ability of going offshore and destroying LTTE arms smuggling operations even in Indonesian waters. Offshore Patrol Vessel SLN Samudura (formerly USCGC
Courageous) is the key player behind it. It is during the so called traitor’s tenure this valuable piece was obtained. Not to mention the 2 Highly sophisticated “Beachcraft” surveillance aircraft which helped the SLAF to wreck havoc in LTTE territory.
The so called ‘traitor’ also mooted an Indo-Lanka defense pact which was about to bind India for military support in the event LTTE broke away from the peace process. Ranil’s ‘International Safety Net’ resulted in LTTE getting banned in several countries after its continuous cease fire violations were highlighted. Countries such as the US re-started providing arms & training to SLA after the sincerity shown by the government in the peace process.
Not to mention the ‘Karuna’ breakaway which resulted in the Eastern Province being handed to us almost in a platter!
It is very naïve to believe that all these military victories are solely because of Mahinda Rajapakse’s leadership/personality/moustache etc…
Just imagine a situation where the country being handed over to the same Mahinda Rajapakse to wage a war in 2001 December…..Think!
Millennium City Incident
Millennium city raid was done by police officers after obtaining a court order on the information that Lohan Ratwatte was hiding there (suspects of udathalwainna massacare).
The new government of Ranil was only a few days old at the time and the army commander nor the president at that time had given any information to the new administration on the existence of a LRRP(Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol) unit. Thus on the information received a raid was carried out & soon afterwards Director of Military Intelligence(DMI), Brig. Hendawitharanma officially informed the government of the LRRP involvement and the 'suspects' were immediately released.
The string of killings that took place later involved mostly paid informants (the list of payees for providing information has supposedly being leaked through the Army HQ)--and NONE OF THE MILLENNIUM CITY OFFICERS were killed-contrary to the propaganda !! These are two independent incidents that have been put together for political expediency. Further, killing of informants too were exaggerated as LRRP team members being killed. I am in no way saying killing of informants is a minor thing; it should have been minimized-
Ranil took efforts to save the lives of millennium city officers who got exposed and sent them overseas. Capt. S.H. Nilam who was heading the LRRP team was sent to Indonesia as an
attache to the Indonesian High Commission. He did a great service there in getting info on tiger activities in Indonesia. Subsequently Major General Janaka Perera (yes, the same person sacrificed to the LTTE by the present regime since he committed the “cardinal sin” of contesting from the UNP), joined Nilam to continue the good work. However, Mahinda Rajapakse- “the patriot”, who took the maximum possible advantage over this millennium city incident, did the ultimate betrayal----by terminating Capt. Nilam's assignment. He could not return to SL (for fear of life) and had to go hiding-to date he is considered 'missing'.
One of Ranil’s major weaknesses I did not mention above is over estimating the Sri Lankan General public’s ability to withstand the Gobbelsian propaganda. The “Sell out of country” by the CFA & “Millennium city betrayal” wasn’t countered adequately-resulting they being accepted as facts.
Is Ranil capable of Developing Sri Lanka?
I will not go on to point out the abilities of RW in managing the economy as most of the 4,700,000 who voted for him were convinced of it . His opponents who spoke of ‘world bank plug’ are now covering their nudity using the national flag! The ones who shouted hoarse against the IMF are going begging behind it!!
Why Only Ranil?
As of now he is the only reputed leader who has the experience, knowledge, proven ability, vision and courage (he made some highly unpopular but tough decisions in 2001-such as not filling the state sector) to turn around the economy of the post-war Sri Lanka. He is the only national leader who commands the respect of the minorities to heal the nation bleeding from war.
But he is always losing?
It is a moral obligation of the MPs who pleaded him to stay on in 2005 to support him until the next major election. Now it seems like some are eagerly waiting for the party to lose so that they can call the leader to quit! We should realize that unlike the pre-1977 system it is a tough task for the opposition to win against the executive presidency. Unfortunately RW was the first leader of UNP in that situation having inherited a battered party in 1995. Still, He brought the victory in 2001 after 6 years in opposition. Then he lost. Shouldn’t we let the current government to run its course of 6 years? By being gullible to the government’s propaganda we are only furthering the chances of victory.
Recent provincial council election results show that despite the media hype, war victories, MR’s popularity being at a peak and increased number of eligible voters- UPFA only managed getting just about what it got in 2005. However there is a 15-20% reduction in voter turn out, which probably account for the discouraged UNPers - who are being ‘emotionally manipulated’ by the state media!
The path forward….
If only an Election victory is required we could easily find a “Mahinda Rajapakse” (packed with corruption/violence /nepotism/ignorance etc.) installed as the party leader or join the UPFA and reap the benefits from current wave of victories. But how will the country benefit from a UNP “Mahinda Rajapakse”? I’d rather go with original MR. Lets put the country first and think what’s best for it.
It is a Herculean task ahead… to un-do the damage currently being done to the leader. But if we believe in principled politics we should be up to the challenge-rather than chickening out giving excuses. Ranil should also play his part-rather than concentrating only on big picture, by being more people friendly & acknowledging ordinary supporters he comes across. A little small talk would take him a long way!
Source:
http://www.lankaweb.com
By by Chandima Welagedara