Sunday Times 2
Are the Rajapaksas regrouping?
Chamal Rajapaksa’s recent statement in Parliament that Mahinda Rajapaksa “should have retired from politics when his second presidential term came to an end” has to be viewed in the context of the times when brother Mahinda’s second term ended while he was at the zenith of his career and the position he occupies in his career’s trajectory today.
Chamal the older brother (Loku Aiya) of the Rajapaksa family was the Speaker of parliament in that momentous year. In May 2009, the LTTE was defeated in an insurrection that went on for 30 years and Mahinda Rajapaksa was hailed by most Sinhalese as the man who defeated Tamil terrorism. It was a time for ecstatic joy for hard-core Sinhala extremists and some called him (M.R.) ‘Maha Rajaneni’, the ‘Great King’.
When LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran was killed in the swamps of Mullivaikkal and the LTTE conceded defeat Mahinda Rajapaksa was abroad. Most Sri Lankans will recall his plane touching down at Katunayake Airport and Rajapaksa walking down the gangway with utter gravitas, in the style of a conquering hero, going down on his knees and kissing the soil of Mother Lanka.
This was the stuff that made legendary heroes in history. He declared that he and his brother Gotabaya who had directed military operations as his defence secretary, as the leaders who won the ‘war against separatist Tamil terrorism. A fake historian, it was reported, had found a nexus between the ‘Rajapaksa clan’ and the Sakyawansa clan of the Buddha!
Mahinda Rajapaksa gave no indication that he wanted to retire from politics at that time. His victory in the 2009 presidential election was a foregone conclusion, having won ‘the war’ against ‘Tamil terrorism and division of the country’. The UNP did not field a presidential candidate in 2009 and instead backed Gen. Sarath Fonseka, the war-winning Army Commander. Rajapaksa won the presidency for the second time but during this term, he wanted the two-term limit attached to the presidency to be done away with and to leave it unlimited — a provision that could enable an incumbent to be president for life!
Chamal Rajapaksa was in the thick of politics at that time but neither he nor any other Rajapaksa advisor dared to tell him to retire from politics with grace at the apogee of his successful career. But after the wisdom gained after 7 years of hindsight, he now declares in a statesman-like manner that Mahinda should have bowed out with grace at the height of his triumph.
Why?
His statement enhances the belief of a section of the public that the Rajapaksa family will step out of politics.
But developing events indicate a contrary view.
Those who took off in helicopters to save themselves — from whoever they may be — have materialized themselves in Colombo but not seen very much. Some who took off from the Katunayaka airport to known destinations were back last week. An interim Cabinet comprising inexperienced mediocrities of the Pohottuwa has been appointed at this critical moment. Basil Rajapaksa, the godfather of the Pohottuwa party is reported (at the time of writing this article) to be canvassing MPs to vote against the 21st Amendment that was to be moved soon.
Are the Rajapaksas regrouping to consolidate power?
Meanwhile, the country is going through the worst ever economic crisis. Millions of dollars are being pledged by India to assist its friendly neighbour as well as acquire real estate to pursue its geopolitical interests and get a handle on the country’s politics. But Indian assistance is not materialising in real terms and time for the suffering masses. Shiploads of fuel, gas and coal are reported to be lying in Lanka’s territorial waters but the life-saving assistance is extremely slow in coming. Queues for cooking gas, petrol and diesel stretch over the horizons in most parts of the country.
And pressure is building up on Ranil Wickremesinghe, the solitary political fireman who volunteered to step in and extinguish the fires.
Meanwhile, the country roars:
Gota and all the Rajapaksas should go. Will they?