Rajapaksas Have Lost Their Glitter

By Kusal Perera -March 30, 2014

Kusal Perara

“Let them win in Geneva. We will win here.” - President Rajapaksa, addressing a campaign rally

True there were not much progress in terms of votes received for the US sponsored Resolution adopted at the 25 Sessions of the UN Human Rights Council just 03 days ago. The most striking and surprising move was India backtracking on the Resolution this time. President Rajapaksa immediately thanked the Congress led government in New Delhi, by ordering the release of all South Indian fishermen, who were detained in Colombo for trespassing on Sri Lankan waters.

Prof G.L. Peiris, commenting on the adoption of the Resolution was quoted in the Daily News arguing the US in fact had lost at the UNHRC. “Prof. Peiris stressed that the US resolution was voted for with a majority of 25 last year and it has dropped to 23. The number of countries that do not support the resolution are greater than those supporting it”, he had argued. His formula is that those who did not vote and voted against it making a total of 24, are all who opposed the Resolution. Such was the satisfaction the regime had in its post UNHRC analysis.

They had to take that public stand, for it was the UNHRC Resolution the regime projected as their main campaign theme, spearheaded by President Rajapaksa himself, at the Western and Southern Provincial Council elections just concluded. They appealed to the people to cast their vote for the UPFA, to prove the people are against the “Geneva Resolution”. Protests and pickets against the US, against the “Geneva Resolution” were regular entertainment on Colombo streets, patronised by the regime. In the provinces, the regime organised public petitions against the “Geneva Resolution” as part of their election campaign at the Western and Southern Provincial Council elections. There were the Weerawansas and the JHU, talking big as usual, for a “patriotic vote”.

What “GL Formula” Says                             Read More