My Stand On Mahinda, The Rajapaksas, Ranil & The UNP

By Dayan Jayatilleka -July 3, 2014 

Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka

Reply to Shyamon Jayasinghe’s defense of Ranil’s candidacy & leadership

Though I refuse to be simplistic, my 

stance on President Rajapaksa and the Rajapaksa regime is absolutely clear, as it is about the UNP, the Tamil question, Sri Lanka’s foreign policy, and most issues of politics, national and international.

1. I defend President Rajapaksa from criticism that comes from the Right, while I do not do so in relation to criticism that comes from the anti-imperialist patriotic Left, and in fact endorse the latter.  Thus I defend Mahinda Rajapaksa from the criticism that comes from the pro-secessionistTamil Diaspora, Tamil Nadu, the UN International Inquiry and the dominant elite of the UNP (which appeased the LTTE), while I fully endorse, support and applaud the sharp criticism of President Rajapaksa and the Rajapaksa regime that comes from the JVP (as well as the more muted criticism from the Left within the UPFA).

2. If the choice is Mahinda Rajapaksa or Ranil Wickremesinghe, and so long as that is the main choice available, I support Mahinda Rajapaksa, as does most of the country. This is less to do with MR than it has to with RW. While I opposed CBK’s 1995 and 1997 ‘packages’ (and endorsed the Aug 2000 version), I supportedChandrika in late 1999 when the choice for the Presidency was her or Ranil. So did the country. I also supported CBK’s wresting back of the three portfolios and her dismissal of Ranil.              Read More