Will a Lion become the King of a country where the rest are bulls..?

How Mahesh took over the Eater attack 

What Mahesh told when bombing suspects were apprehended 

(Upul Joshep Fernando)

The Chief of Security of the country, the Defense Minister, President Maithreepala was on a foreign vacation when the Easter bombing attack took place in April. Even though Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe was in the county, he was prohibited by Maithree to enter the Security Council meetings alleging him a partner of the conspiracy of Maithreepla – Gotabaya assassination. Defense Secretary and Three forces Commanders had been instructed not to deal with the Prime Minister. He was prohibited to participate at the Security Council meetings alleging his involvement with the assassination plot of the Inspector General of Police.

All the Intelligence Unites including Police was investigating the statement made by mysterious character, Namal Kumara about the assassination conspiracy of Maithreepala – Gotabaya. Intelligence Officer Nalaka Silva who requested a warrant from the Courts to arrest Saharan , the Mastermind of the Easter bombing attack was taken in to custody on the evidence of Namal Kumara over the assassination plot of Maithree- Gota. With his arrest the investigations on Saharan and his team came to a standstill. It was this Officer who carried out this investigation. Security Council meetings had not been held after the October 26th conspiracy up to the Easter attacks. The security mechanism of the country had toppled due to mysterious character Namal Kumara.

The Easter bombing attack took place in this type of a situation. Eventhough the Prime Minister went to the Defense Ministry which was prohibited to him immediately after the attacks, Mithree

had instructed the Defense Secretary not to hold Security Council meetings.

“Where else will bombs blast…? “ What will happen…?

There was a man who took over the security of the country that was under severe horror. He was Army Commander Mahesh Senanayake. The Police which was disable with the IGP sending on compulsory leave too got up. Army Commander decided to take over the country’s security. He launched an island wide raids to apprehend Terrorists with the coordination of the International Intelligence Agencies. Within a short time span he broke the backbone of the Terrorist Organization having taken all the key figures in to custody. But in a manner of protecting Muslims and not doing an unjust to them.

The whole world praised Mahesh Senanayake for his braking the back bone of the Terrorism Network giving life to the Security Network in a situation where the Precedent had broken the backbone of the Security Mechanism of the country. Heroes are born not in normal situations. .But in abnormal situations. Heroes are born for doing abnormal things in abnormal situations. Mahesh Senanayake too is a Hero of that kind. Not because he was the Army Commander. Because he rescued the country from the Easter attack. Not by harassing Muslims by dispatching Army in nights to search houses of Muslims. Not by engaging Army to get ransoms from Muslim Traders. By giving instructions to carry out their duty considering it as a duty assigned by God.

He, nullifying all the International allegations against the forces, showed to the whole world that Sri Lankan forces are highly disciplined by suppressing the Easter bombing attackers. The world thought that he will get a service extension. But Maithree did not give him an extension must be due to a fear. It brought luck to the country and the nation. Now he has come to the stage as the Presidential candidate of the National Peoples’ Moment.

Mahesh Senanayake is an old boy of Ananda College. His Grandfather served Police under the British Regime before Sri Lanka got independence. His father too entered Police following the foot path of his father. But his father decided that Mahesh should join Army. Father proposed that Mahesh should enter the Military Academy if he wants to find a career ladder in forces. His father realized that his decision was correct when he got an invitation to participate at the passing out ceremony at the end of the training. The reason was Mahesh being the Batch Top of the course. He learned English customs of British Army under Major General Janaka Perera in the Academy. Mahesh performed a key role in Janaka Perera’s operations to rescue Army carders who were stuck in Jaffna when Prabhakana’s Terrorists under its “ Nonawathina Ralla” operation, reached the door of Jaffna where the forces had not left with any option but to jump to the sea. He gave a tough fight along with Janaka Perera to rescue the Army carders.

When Sarath Fonseka was appointed the Army Chief under Rajapaksha Regime in 2005, he was searching for competent Military Officers. Sarath Fonseka took up the position that it is not the seniority but the competence what is important to win the war. Mahesh Senanayake too was in the team selected by Fonseka. Fonseka selected him having witnessed Mahesh’s competency in the operation, launched in 2000 to rescue Army carders who were stuck in Jaffna. Mahesh too liked to work under Fonseka since he too was in the team who wanted to see an end to the war that was considered not possible.

Mahesh would never have thought that carrying out Fonseka’s orders to win the war will be a reason for termination of services one day. When the popularity of Fonseka that he got after winning the war, became a headache to Mahinda Regime, he ousted Fonseka from the his Army Commander position. Mahesh was looking over this with great frustration. When Fonseka was contesting as the Common candidate at the Presidential Election in 2010 having been unable to further tolerate these harassments, Army Officers who fulfilled Rajapaks’s bad contracts looked over Mahesh with suspicion. Mahinda’s Regime was searching for Army Officers who fought the war under Fonseka’s administration to attack Fonseka and to win Mahinda. Mahesh too got influences either to come to Mahinda’s political stages or participate at the Press conference held by State Media to attack Fonseka. He refused. He was forced to turn the votes of Army carders in favor of Mahinda. He, keeping his backbone strait, refused that too.

He would not have thought that he will have to compensate for not betraying his official power to politics. Fonseka was arrested after his defeat at the Presidential Election in 2010. Mahesh Senanayake received a letter from Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksha on 30th January 2010. It mentioned that his services along with another eleven, were not necessary for the Army further more. It further mentioned that he is informing this under the instructions of President Mahinda Rajapaksha. The service, salary, position, official residence and pension of these Officers were deprived over night. He revealed his horrible and bitter experience to the “Island “news paper on 22.07.2017…

“I as well as other Officers who lost the job were under a severe fear. I was living with my family in hide out in rural villages. Some days we were in jungles. The ghost unites of security forces that were carrying out contracts of Politicians chased behind us as mad dogs. My wife and the daughter were in great fear. Our fear was such severe my wife and children had to seek psychological treatments after some time. Ultimately I decided to leave the country.”

This is how Mahesh who bravely fought with Prabhakaran had to leave the country with the fear of Mahinda Regime. He came back to Sri Lanka after the defeat of Mahinda. Maithree- Ranil appointed him as the Army Commander when Media Institutes that were Pro Mahinda were criticizing Mahesh. He brought back the Army to a great position among the International community which was disgraced during Rajapaksha Regime.

Mahinda became the Prime Minister again on the October 26th conspiracy when he was the Army Commander. There was a great time to capture the power of the country though a military conspiracy when the Constitution was thrashed. When the International Media questioned as to where the forces stand in this situation, he stated that the forces remain neutral until the courts give a verdict. Rajapaksha along with Pro Rajapaksha Media alleged that he broke the backbone of the Military Intelligence while serving in Army Commander’s position. But those Military Intelligence unites could not find out who set bombs to Gotabaya even after finishing the war.

But Mahesh could trace the Masterminds of the Easter attack using the same Military Intelligence. Mahesh was in the Security Council meeting after launching operations in search of Bombers after the Easter attack. Maithreepala was in the main seat. Mahesh’s mobile was ringing. The Army Officer who was at the other end of the line told that he is in front of a camp of Easter Bombers. “ I should hear the shooting” Mahesh told only these few wards. Maithreepala looked at Mahesh being unable to understand what he told.

“ I can’t give instructions to attack while President is in the man seat. I used some other ward instead”

He told to a Security Council Member later on. Maithree did not tolerate Mahesh coming to the stage as the Hero who destroyed the team that planned the Easter attacks as Mahinda could not tolerate Fonseka becoming a Hero who ended the LTTE war.

As Mahinda ended the military career of Fonseka, Maithree ended the military career of Mahesh. Mahesh is coming to the Presidential Election due to the decision taken by Maithree not to extend his services.

He is entering the Presidential Election at a time when the third political force is raising against the two major political parties of most of the countries. When the candidates of the third force coming to power, defeating the candidates of major parties. Mahesh is not an Army soldier. He is a human soldier. When we see him, who is descending from a generation of Balapitiya of southern that protected the country, what comes to my mind is, the words told by Niganta when King Walagamba was evading.

“ Maha Kalu Sinhalaya palayanawa” ( The gigantic Black Sinhalese is evading) , Niganta shouted.

Mahesh too is a gigantic Sinhalese. He was a gigantic Black Sinhalese who evaded when wild dogs of Rajapaksha were chasing behind him. A great son of Sri Lanka who came back to the motherland and accomplished his tasks to the motherland. It is not sure that he, who is brave as a Lion will become the King in a country where the rest are bulls.

(Guruda Vigrahaya)