The iron woman that scares the government

(Upul Joshap Fernando)

The author of this article wrote in “ Guruda Wigrahaya” about a prediction, made by an astrologer when Mahinda Rajapakshe government was in the peak. It was in 2012. It was that Rajapakshe government will be destroyed by a woman. This author questioned whether it is UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay , American Ambassador Patricia Butenis, Barrak Obama’s advisor Samantha Power, former Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake or Chandrika Bandaranayake. This author questioned whether all these will destroy Rajapakshe government as a group. After the defeat in 2015, Mahinda as well as Rajapakshers stated that they were defeated by an international conspiracy. That means that Mahinda too accepted that he was defeated by these females.

Now Rajapakshers are back to power. Now Gotabaya has become the President while Mahinda has become the Prime Minister. Immediately after winning, Gotabaya got stuck with a female employee of the Swiss Embassy. At that time not only the Swiss Embassy but also the Swiss government stood on behalf of her. The Swiss government, Swiss Embassy, the state and private media that slinging mud, forgot that the Geneva is in Switzerland. It was the tern of crane. Now it is the turn of the small river fish which is in performance in Geneva

. American State Secretary blasted a bomb before the turn of the small river fish in Geneva. It was imposing a travel ban on the Army Commander Shavendra De Silva and his family members in America. Before the ban, Trump government sent a team of representatives to Sri Lanka. It was headed by Lisa Kurtz, Director of the South and Central Asian Region of the US Security Council, Alice Wells, Additional Secretary for South Central Asia Relations and the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka. They met Gotabaya Rajapakshe to express their objection for appointing Shavendra De Silva as the Army Commander who was charged for violating human rights at the war by the Human Rights Commission. It was not Gotabaya but Maithreepala who appointed Shavendra as the Army Commander. Maithree made this appointment with the consent of Gotabaya and Mahinda. Immediately after this appointment, American Ambassador to Sri Lanka Ms. Aleina expressed her objection to Maithree. But Maithree did not take care of it. The reason was his imminent retirement and his agenda to please Rajapakshers to cover up what he has done for them. After Gota became the President, in January he appointed Shavendra as the Acting Chief of Staff.

A team of American representative came to Sri Lanka after that. Gotabaya too did not care the objections, raised by the American representatives and the American Ambassador in Sri Lanka. It was after this incident that American State Secretary imposed a traveling ban on the Army Commander and is family members. It was little before the Indian tour of Trump. Even though Gotabaya’s advisors of foreign affairs tried to get Trump to Sri Lanka after his Indian tour, it did not work out. . In this situation, the ban, imposed by America shocked Rajapakshe government. He was not the first military officer to be banned by America. Sarath Fonseka was also banned by America sometimes back. He also lost the privilege of Green Card to live in America. Those Patriots who came forward on behalf of Shavendra did not come forward on behalf of Sarath Fonseka that day. The reason was his being UNPer. The patriots of this government practice the patriotism on the base of party politics.

When America banned Sarath Fonseka it was a matter of pleasure for Rajapakshers. When America imposed a ban on the present Army Commander their patriotism is over flowing. If the Army Commander was in UNP, they would have shut their mouths. America had proved that they do not go by parties and party colors in cases of Human Rights. Rajapakshers were in the opposition when Trump came to power. They thought that Trump who came to power with an agenda of anti terrorism would not harm him since he also is trying to come back to power with an agenda of anti terrorism. He thought that Trump government would not chase behind his government when he comes back to power as if Obama’s government did. That is why pro Mahindians highlighted Trump’s victory as the victory of Rajapakshers.

If Obama’s government is in power today they would have further thought before taking such a decision like imposing a ban on Army Commander. Even though Obama’s government was trying to fix Rajapakshers, at the Human Rights Commission they did not battle against Rajapakshe government raising their weapons. Obama’s government feared that if they fight against Rajapakshe government, it will be captured by China. Obama’s foreign affairs advisors warned Obama’s government not to push Rajapakshe government towards China by antagonizing them.

But Trump’s government was the other way. They also are similar to Rajapakshe government. Rajapakshers are used to govern the country by dividing those who support them as patriots and those who do not support as traitors. Trump’s administration too is the same. They try to govern by dividing countries as supporters and pro China that are against them. Before the Presidential Election Rajapakshers showed a favor policy towards America to settle Gotabaya’s American citizenship. But America became clear on Rajapakshers’ stance on the case of Shavendra and America took a strong decision on Shavendra matter by expressing Trump’s direct and strong position on foreign policies. .

The message given by America in this stance is, even though you want us we do not want you. The statement made by Mahinda Rajapakshe that the agreement entered with China on the Humbantota Port cannot be changed even though Gotabaya promised that he will change this agreement, would have had an impact. The statement made by Gotabaya to the special representative from China that he will not allow any foreign force to interfere with the domestic matters of the country also would have had an impact.

The other hand America made this decision after giving far thoughts. China that stood as the defender against America is suffering heavily from Corona virus. China does not have enough time to pay attention on Sri Lanka. It was Muslim countries that came forward in favor of Sri Lanka when the Human Rights Commission was trying to pass resolutions against Sri Lanka before 2015. When a resolution was to be passed in the Commonwealth, it was Muslim counties that came forward to protect Sri Lanka. It was Muslim countries of the gulf which voted against a resolution that was brought by America against Sri Lanka at the Human Rights Commission. But these Muslim countries know that Rajapakshers created an anti Muslim protest in the country in the aftermath of Easter Sunday attack to come to power. These Muslim countries know that there is no Muslim Minister in the present government. Hence there is no possibility of seeking the support of Muslim countries against America.

It seems that Rajapaksher government is responding to foreign forces in a descent manner when compared to the way before 2015. If America imposed such a ban on the then Army Commander they would have got down people to Colombo to stone the American Embassy. There is a saying that a person who got assaulted by the fire torch is scared of the firefly. Even though Rajapakshe government is scared, they are not seemed to display that because of the General Election. But Rajapakshers should keep in their mind that the present American Ambassador to Sri Lanka is more powerful than everyone who toppled the Rajapakshe government in 2015.

-Guruda Wigrahaya-