IMF: Let Maithri handle -- Democracy and the 52-Day Coup

 3 January 2022

Last week, the former President Maithripala Sirisena revealed how he successfully negotiated with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) (convinced them to further enhance our debt burden?) and obtained loans for the Yahapalana government headed by him. Explaining the art and science of persuading the funding agencies, he also warned the incumbent heads on certain criteria that we have to fulfill before we go to them with the begging bowl. He emphasised the fact that democracy and Human rights were vital measures that we had to establish in order to satisfy the basic requirements of lenders. Talking of democracy, we do not intend to confront Maithri, for sure, he must have referred to his missions prior to the 52-day Constitutional Coup that he masterminded in collaboration with his 2014 bête noire Mahinda Rajapaksa, in the latter part of 2018. Accommodating Rejects in the National list and pardoning murder convicts and human rights violators like Jayamaha and rabble rouser Ven. Gnanasara, respectively, fall outside his criteria. However, he restored judicial independence, democratic freedoms and rights; and a non-aligned foreign policy to a great extent.

"Former President Sirisena disappointed those who trusted him to do away with the Executive Presidency and switch to a democratic parliamentary system that he had pledged to restore within 100 days. Instead he unwisely attempted to transfer all the authoritarian powers to PM Ranil Wickremesinghe"

    Maithripala imperiously sacked his Prime Minister who held the majority support in parliament and replaced with someone who failed to produce the required numbers. When the conspiracy backfired, Maithri dissolved Parliament for the SC to intervene and reverse both his unconstitutional acts. This undemocratic action [the worst by an Executive President in its 40-year history] and his failure to perform his duty during the Easter Sunday Attacks have badly thinned his authority as a leader.  Maithri exposed himself as a person provoked by political expediency. He did not have significant control over crucial political pronouncements that his government made on economy, foreign relations, sale/lease of national assets, and emerged to be in a state of political bemusement. He was just pointing a finger at the UNP leadership. He once said his own government members were criticizing him for appointing a commission to probe the CB bond issue; but never divulged their names. 

Former President Sirisena disappointed those who trusted him to do away with the Executive Presidency and switch to a democratic parliamentary system that he had pledged to restore within 100 days. Instead he unwisely attempted to transfer all the authoritarian powers to PM Ranil Wickremesinghe. He professed an alternative beyond Executive Presidency in an ambiguous coalition with Parliament and Cabinet.  

"The former health boss made unrealistic, unsubstantiated, or flawed revelations like ‘400 Companies - each 2.5 mn; one billion?  There are hundreds of thousands of victims of the big Pharma’s Mafia. By not exposing the culprits, the ex-president could even be said to have acted treacherously"

   He is guilty of failing to divulge the parties who attempted to bribe him over holding National Drugs Policy. He could easily have brought it to the notice of Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption. As Former Health Minister, Maithri said he was aware of the moves initiated to upset the plans to cover smoke cigarette packs with 80% medical warnings; but stopped short of divulging the names of the culprits. May be he did not have the strength to make allegations against his former bosses then; but why not as the Executive President from 2015-2019?  They obviously deserved exposure for they worked against the nation and its people. Sirisena claimed that each one of the 400 registered drug companies doled out two-and-a-half million to make a one billion payment to a government big wig, but again failed to divulge the names of the accused.  The former health boss made unrealistic, unsubstantiated, or flawed revelations like ‘400 Companies - each 2.5 mn; one billion?  There are hundreds of thousands of victims of the big Pharma’s Mafia. By not exposing the culprits, the ex president could even be said to have acted treacherously. 

   Addressing the media from Sirikotha in November 2014 the common candidate Sirisena said, “The nation is slipping fast toward the authoritarian paradigm” later at the Hyde Park on Dec 2 quoting Gandhi and Mandela he said, “I was warned not to talk of corruption by UPFA bosses”. 

"Maithripala imperiously sacked his Prime Minister who held the majority support in parliament and replaced with someone who failed to produce the required numbers"

A couple of months ago he proudly claimed that it was he who initiated the move to have Perpetual funds frozen, facilitating their utilisation by the treasury. He took a swipe at his estranged yahapalana chum, and PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, who also claimed the credit for freezing the above funds. They facilitated the bank robbers to carry out the historic scam and then froze a fraction of the loot.  However, by appointing a commission to probe the scam, he earned some credit.  He further stated that he took action to protect a team of CID investigators who the PM wanted censured for discovering a telephone call purported to have taken place between the bank robber gang suspect and a few top UNP leaders; claiming that it was a deliberate effort by them to frame him. In his usual style, or true form, Sirisena will leave many things undisclosed, creating speculation among people. His bombshell revelation in 2015, that Rajapaksas had imported two Lamborghinis and a few golden horses from British Royal Stables and also consumed tax-payers money for holiday merry making in Nuwara-Eliya turned out to be damp squibs. As Executive President he could not trace any of the said luxury items during his tenure. He dispatched a CID team and Backhoe machinery to unearth the stolen wealth hidden by Rajapaksa, including LTTE’s gold, to dig acres of land in Rajapaksa homes in Weeraketiya, Mirihana and Kumara Welgama’s Estate in Agalawatte. Maithri never reimbursed the state with the costs involved in such stupid and futile exercises. The Rajapaksas, even if they indulged in such fraudulent acts, knew where to hoard them safely.

"He dispatched a CID team and Backhoe machinery to unearth the stolen wealth hidden by Rajapaksa, including LTTE’s gold, to dig acres of land in Rajapaksa homes in Weeraketiya, Mirihana and Kumara Welgama’s Estate in Agalawatte. Maithri never reimbursed the state with the costs involved in such stupid and futile exercises. The Rajapaksas, even if they indulged in such fraudulent acts, knew where to hoard them safely"

  Fearing that legal action will be taken against him over the Easter Sunday Bombing, as the government was under severe pressure not only by the local Catholic Church, but by quite a few foreign religious groups affiliated to the Vatican joining the chorus calling for implementation of recommendations by the commission appointed by Sirisena himself.  The SLFPers are issuing threats to go with it alone at future elections and some even profess leaving the government immediately [sounds stupid; as they made a test run at 2020 General election in two districts and ended collected just 1.4 and 1.5% of total votes] thus depriving it of the 2/3rds. These statements appear nothing but political rhetoric aimed at boosting the morale of SLFP rank and file ahead of local government and PC elections due in 2022. However, if the SLFP departs at this crucial moment, true, the stability and confidence of the government will drop to rock bottom. 

George Washington, the first President of US in his farewell address made on September 17, 1796 said,  
 “Political parties may now and then answer popular ends… , become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.”
… Did he have a clue about our 225 when he made the statement 225 years ago?

Writer can be contacted at kksperera1@gmail.com