The Failed “Political Marriage” 

By Gamini Jayaweera –JANUARY 4, 2019

Gamini Jayaweera

The Hon. President Mr. Maithripala Sirisena has publicly announced that he is currently writing a book about his failed “Political Marriage” to the Hon. Prime Minister Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe. He has stated that he is going to reveal all the details which have led to his decision of sacking Mr. Wickremesinghe and appointing former President, Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister. Millions of people who supported the “Political Marriage” between Maithri and Ranil had high hopes that the two partners would deliver the promises given in the presidential and general elections. The aim of this brief analysis is to remind the Hon. President of some factual information about the “Failed Political Marriage” which have been witnessed by the public during the last four years. I believe that any help that could be given to the Hon. President to write his forthcoming book accurately and honestly, is considered as providing a great service to the nation. I would be pleased if this brief account could make a small contribution towards that goal.

The “Political Marriage” between Maithri and Ranil was established in 2014 with the blessings of the well-known Buddhist monk late Ven. Sobitha thero, former President Madam Chandrika Kumaratunga, and selfless members of several Civil Societies. The primary goal was to ensure that the country would be free from potential dictatorship amongst other important issues which were crippling the democratic values in our society. Having defeated the authoritarian previous regime, the nation expected the newly “married” partners Maithri and Ranil together with their “Blue and Green relatives” to work in partnership to restore the good governance in our society. 

The main objective of the “marriage” is to remove the powers granted under the constitution for an executive president to act as a dictator if he wishes to exercise his authority. It is now crystal clear that after nearly four years in power, the Hon. President in particular has failed to implement his pledge which he has made at the funeral of the late Ven. Sobitha thero to abolish the executive presidency. Instead of fulfilling the main objectives of the previous “marriage”, the nation had witnessed in horror how the Hon. President justified his illegal “marriage” to the former President Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse without going through the proper “divorce proceedings” to end his legitimate “marriage” to the Hon. Prime Minster Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe in an ethical, moral, and legal manner. 

Partnership – A Marriage 

It is widely established that a successful partnership in any field would depend on by observing certain essential criteria such as honesty, openness, integrity, humility, and sharing praise & blame equally by the partners to the agreement. It is like a marriage. Two people from entirely different backgrounds get married to live as partners in a new relationship on common objectives while recognising and adapting their different cultures, values and obligations under the new partnership. 

A successful marriage is not measured by the marriage certificate or trying to fulfil the requirements of the relatives and friends of both partners at the expense of their core objectives of the marriage. Extra marital activities and marrying another person without obtaining a divorce from the first marriage are unethical, immoral, or illegal under the prevailing law in Sri Lanka.

It has been said that to have a successful marriage the couple need to put the marriage certificate beneath the bed and they must concentrate on the activities on the bed. So, where did it go wrong for Maithri and Ranil? 

Equal Partners

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