“momentum against executive presidency is unstoppable” - cbk

8/10/2019 Momentum Against Executive Presidency is Unstoppable- CBK

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Momentum against executive

presidency is unstoppable - CBK

December 4, 2014

Love her or hate her, ex-President Chandrika Kumaratunga is a force to

reckon ith! Coming out of a nine-"ear retirement #ast month, the former

$ead of %tate has &oined forces ith a broad o''osition movement

attem'ting to abo#ish and reform the 'residentia# o(ce that she once he#dfor 11 "ears!

)he dec#aration of %L*P front#iner +aithri'a#a %irisena as a common

o''osition cha##enger to President +ahinda a&a'aksa has cemented

Kumaratungas 'osition in the 'ub#ic 's"che as 'o##s fever hits the nation!

.s she strugg#es a#ongside %irisena, the /P and the civi# societ"

movement coa#escing around the abo#ition '#atform, Kumaratunga is

'erceived as the #eader of the %L*P rebe##ion that is threatening to cracko'en the ru#ing coa#ition ahead of the anuar" 2013 'o##! %he remains one

of the ercest critics of the a&a'aksa administration, but the fears of her

chi#dren he#d her back from contesting as the o''osition candidate in this

e#ection!

.s she #ingered over a #ate #unch at her 5nde'endence .venue residence,

before the e#ections ere dec#ared, President Kumaratunga engaged in a

frank and #aidback discussion ith Dai#" *) about constitutiona# revo#ution,

%L*P 'o#itics and hen the hosti#it" ith President a&a'aksa began! )he

former President #aughed about ho she sketched the origina# design of the

e#um Pokuna, her essa"-riting ski##s that she is using toards 'enning

her memoirs and ho much she #oves being a grandmother! %he a#so

shared hat as'ects she ou#d tr" to do-over if she cou#d turn the c#ock

back on her to-term 'residenc"!

*o##oing are excer'ts6
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76 8hat have "ou been u' to in the nine "ears since "ou gave u'

'residentia# o(ce9

.65 dont kno h" but 5m ver" bus" since retirement! 5 have been 'art of

to or three foundations that ork on common issues a:ecting a##

communities! )he rst of course is %.P5, hich has recent#" been do

ing some ork on re#igious

freedom! )he .nura ;andaranaike *oundation hich 'rovides scho#arshi's

to chi#dren in need in the north and the south! 8e are a#so orking on

'overt" a##eviation 'ro&ects, e &ust nished one in a:na for 100 recent#"

resett#ed fami#ies, to 'rovide e#ectricit" through so#ar 'oer! 5n


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76 $avent "ou been invited b" the %ri Lankan =overnment to engage in

such initiatives9

.6 8hen 5 ca##ed President +ahinda a&a'aksa after he on, to ish him on

the te#e'hone, he b#asted me unceasing#"! 5 as sti## at Presidents $ouse

'acking u' to #eave!

)here ere to other 'eo'#e there > one of them is toda" a senior minister

in the =overnment, the other is a =overnor! 8hen 5 cou#dnt take it

an"more, 5 hung u' the 'hone! ;oth these individua#s came running to me,

asking me not to te## the nes'a'ers hat ha''ened because it ou#d be

bad for the %L*P! 5 to#d them 5 as not raised that a"!

5 ent overseas after that! 5 came back after to months! 5t as %L*P

=enera# %ecretar" +aithri'a#a %irisena ho ca##ed me u' and urged me to

come ith him to meet President a&a'aksa! $e said, ?Dont "ou kno ho

he is, hen he gets angr" he shouts!@ )o satisf" him 5 ent to meet him!

;efore 5 sat don 5 to#d him, if "ou start shouting 5 i## get u' and #eave!

8e s'oke for a hi#e and na##" 5 to#d him 5 sensed a #ot of hosti#it"! 5 to#d

him 5 as not sure h" this as the case! 5 c#ear#" to#d him 5 as not

interested in active 'o#itics an"more, so there as no 'rob#em and there

as nothing to be afraid of! ;ut 5 did sa" 5 cant do nothing! Aou and 5 are

both on#" B0 "ears o#d! 5 need to sta" active! 5 have '#ans to create some

foundations! 5 ou#d #ike to serve the 'eo'#e that a"! 5 said 5 ou#d be

ha''" to he#' his =overnment in an" a" 5 cou#d if the" shou#d reuire

consu#tations but 5 did not ant to ho#d an" 'ositions in his

=overnment!

?o madam, "ou sta" abroad,@ he to#d me! 5 said, ?8hat9@ $e re'eated
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himse#f! )hen 5 said, ?8h" +ahinda9@

?o 5 mean "ou have a great internationa# image! 8h" dont "ou use that

and sta" overseas and do some ork,@ he to#d me!

76 5n 2003, there is s'ecu#ation that "ou gave +ahinda a&a'aksa the

'residentia# nomination in the ho'e he ou#d #ose! 5s there an" truth to

that9

.6)here ere B1 in the 'art" 'o#itburo! 5f "ou take aa" me and +ahinda,

that #eft 3! 8ith the exce'tion of three of them, begged me not to give him

the nomination! )he" said the %L*P ou#d be nished and the countr"

ou#d be destro"ed! )his is h" +ahinda is sti## scared of these %L*Pers!

)his is h" he has forbidden them to s'eak ith me! ;ut 5 asked them, ho

ere e to nominate in that case9 5 to#d them ma"be e cou#d reform him!

8hen +ahinda suggested .nura become his running mate in the 2003

e#ection, 5 begged m" brother to reconsider! 5 to#d him under a a&a'aksa

'residenc" he ou#d a#so be ruined! ;ut he summoned me and m" mother

and our sister to breakfast one morning and to#d us about +ahindas

'ro'osa#! $e assured me that since 5 ou#d a#so be around in the 'art" e

cou#d contro# him! 5 cou#d see .nura had a great "earning to do this! %o 5

gave in!

76 Did "ou not su''ort his cam'aign for the 'residenc"9

.6 )hat is com'#ete#" untrue! 8hen he asked +anga#a %amaraeera to

become his cam'aign manager, +anga#a came and asked me hat he

shou#d do! 5 urged him to go ahead! 5 to#d +anga#a 5 didnt nominate him to

have him #ose! +aithri'a#a %irisena, ima# %iri'a#a, .nura Aa'a > the" a##

asked me if the" shou#d ork for him! )o a## of them 5 said '#ease go!

5 ent for four ra##ies of candidate +ahinda a&a'aksa but then he sent mea message through +aithri'a#a %irisena that 5 dont need to come for an"

more events!

$e signed a +o/ ith the EP ithout informing me! )hen three da"s #ater

he carried the signed agreement and came to see me, 5 to#d him to #eave

because he had not even had the decenc" to te## me about the dea# as %L*P

Chairman! %arath .munugama as a#so ith me! %ti## 5 continued to su''ort


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his cam'aign! .fter e nominated him e cou#d not atch hi#e he as

defeated! Karu a"asuri"a came to see me over and over again, about the

$e#'ing $ambantota scam, urging me not to give him the ticket! )hen La#ith

8eeratunga came to me cr"ing and sa"ing that it as a## him, and not

+ahinda! 5 cant stand this kind of corru'tion, but b" this time e had no

choice! $e had a#read" got ho#d of Chief ustice %arath %i#va!


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76 )here as ta#k then that even "our vote in the 2003 'residentia# e#ection

ent to ani# 8ickremesingheF

.6 GLaughsH onsense! 5 have 'art" disci'#ine! 8h" have 5 never s'oken
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against m" 'art"9 )his is the rst intervie 5 am giving in nine "ears! )here

are I0-40 reuests ever" "ear for intervies > &ust ask m" o(ce > from the

#oca# and foreign 'ress!

5 can s'eak out and destro" the 'art"! ;ut 5 i## not do that! 5f 5 nominate

someone 5 i## not defeat him! 5 to#d +ahinda this m"se#f!

76 Aou #ost the chairmanshi' of the %L*P in 200B! 8here ere "ou then9

.6 $e to#d me as soon as he as e#ected that he anted to be chairman of

the 'art"! 5 to#d him 5 anted the 'osition for &ust one "ear because 5 had a

dream of founding a 'o#itica# academ" and do a fe more things! ;ut he

said he anted it immediate#"! %o 5 to#d him then #et me kno and 5 i##

come and hand it over! 5 have ritten three #etters to the 'art" asking them

to give me one months notice to return from London and hand it over! 5n

those #etters 5 said 5 ou#d #ike to sta" one more "ear! 5t as customar" to

give three eeks notice before a 'art" convention!

*ive da"s before the meeting the" dro''ed the #etter o: at m" gate and

ousted me on m" birthda"! Peo'#e had begged him not to do it on m"

birthda" but he insisted! +" mother, father and 5 he#d the 'art" #eadershi'

ith great dignit"! 5 as read" to hand it over ith that same dignit"!

76 8hich ministers in this current =overnment, ho served ith "ou a#so

sti## s'eak ith "ou9

.6.t the rst grou' meeting after +ahinda a&a'aksa as e#ected, he

forbade ever"one to s'eak to me! )o this da", the" are so scared, the"

dont ta#k to me! Jn#" +anga#a %amaraeera, atnasiri 8ickremana"ake,

D!+! a"aratne before he as Prime +inister! )he others sa" he##o if the"

see me at a socia# gathering and run aa" in three minutes, sa"ing, Aou

kno ho it is if e ta#k for too #ong!@ ;ut if e ant to ta#k, there are a"s

to do it!

76 )here as intense s'ecu#ation that "ou ou#d come forard to contest

President a&a'aksa as the common o''osition candidate at one 'oint!

.6 5t as more than &ust a rumour! 5t came to a 'oint here 5 cou#d not go

out in 'ub#ic! Peo'#e ou#d ask if 5 as going to come forard for the 'ast

to "ears! 5 decided 5 ou#d not do that! ;ut to 'ut an end to this current

rotten s"stem, 5 i## denite#" contribute! 5 have a#read" been invited to


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contest! 5 have a#read" re&ected! )he" to#d me if not "ou, #et it be "our son!

;ut it i## never ha''en! +" son has no 'o#itica# ambition! .nd in this

'o#itica# cu#ture, the" i## ki## him!


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76 .s a head of state, "ou ere 'ersona##" and tragica##" a:ected b" L)) 5 am riting about it no in m" memoirs!

Jne "ear after 5 retired, ani# to#d me something! $e comes once in a a"

to see me because e have been chi#dhood friends! $e as com'#aining tome about the =overnment and ho +ahinda as becoming a dictator! ust

as he as #eaving, 5 said to him, ?ani#, 5 am &ust asking for the record! 8hat

do "ou think ou#d have ha''ened if "ou acce'ted m" suggestion and

voted for m" constitutiona# draft9 )here ou#d have been no executive

'residenc" and there ou#d be no ethnic 'rob#em in this countr"!@ $e

#ooked at me and said, ?5 shou#d have #istened to "ou!@ 5 re'#ied that it as


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a #itt#e #ate in the da"!

.nd in fact 5 had to#d them condentia##" during the negotiations, that if

the" voted for the constitution, the ver" next da" 5 ou#d invite the /P to

form a nationa# government! 5 cou#dnt sa" it 'ub#ic#" because m" 'art"

ou#d 'rotest > there as so much bad b#ood beteen the to 'arties! ;ut

if the" voted, 5 cou#d have &ustied it! 5 ou#d have said in a nationa#

uestion the /P has been generous and he#'ed us and stood m" ground!

76 )he o''osition kee's ta#king about abo#ishing the executive 'residenc"!

;ut given "our ex'eriences in the 'ast, do "ou be#ieve 'eo'#e #ike ani#

8ickremesinghe are genuine in that e:ort9

.6=ood uestion! 5 cant vouch for the individua# convictions of 'eo'#e! ;ut

from hat 5 can see, ani# seems to ant to abo#ish it! .nd on the other

hand 5 think that hoever ants to or doesnt ant to do it, the momentum

that is bui#ding against the executive 'residenc" i## see' them u'! .nd

the" i## not be ab#e to sto' it!

76 =iven that the /P managed a 'romising shoing in /va in %e'tember,

cou#dnt the 'art" have gone it a#one in this 'residentia# e#ection9

.6 .bso#ute#" not! .n a##iance as abso#ute#" essentia#! )hat as something

the President is terried about > an a##iance of the o''osition! .nd media

institutions that are '#ugging the 'residents #ine ere tr"ing to sabotage

the creation of the a##iance!

76


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.nd 5 think 'eo'#e are no convinced about it!

76 Do "ou think that hen 'eo'#e assume that o(ce of the 'residenc", its

hard to give it u'9

.65 didnt nd it hard to give it u', but others might!

76 ;ut isnt it a #itt#e strange to go from being the most 'oerfu# 'erson in

the countr" to being an ordinar" 'erson again9

.6)he" sa" 'eo'#e nd it ver" di(cu#t! ;ut > and 5 am te##ing "ou the gos'e#

truth > 5 didnt! 5 dont #ook #ike someone ho is su:ering do 59 ;ecause 5

had made u' m" mind that after to terms 5 go home! 5 had 'romised m"

chi#dren, 5 had 'romised m"se#f that! %o 5 as read" for it!

%econd#", 5 as never greed" for 'oer! 5 as dragged kicking and

screaming into active 'o#itics! 5 as a#a"s in 'o#itics he#'ing the 'art" but

not for m"se#f! %o there as a#a"s one 'art of me that as a#a"s aiting

to go home because 5 think 5 hated the fanfare and the cringing of aco#"tes

and the 'eo'#e around "ou hen "ou are in that 'osition of 'oer! 5 hate it,

5 rea##" hate it! .nd 5 have an interesting #ife a'art from 'o#itics! %o 5 didnt

nd it so di(cu#t to go back to regu#ar #ife!

.nd as a fami#", e never rea##" abused 'oer! +" chi#dren had on#" one

car beteen them the ho#e time that 5 as President! 5 havent robbed ve

cents from the %tate! %o 5 had no 'ersona# benets but 5 did get the thri##

and the ha''iness that some of m" dreams and visions for this countr"

ere rea#ised! .nd that as a huge thing! 5 #oved making decisions and

seeing them im'#emented successfu##"! ;ut if the rest of the 'ackage is not

there for "ou, "ou can give it u' an" time!

76 %o "ou fe#t no discomfort soon after retirement9

.6)here as in the rst "ear, as ith an" active 'erson ho retires, a #itt#e

di(cu#t" because "ou sudden#" sto' and "oure ondering hat the he## todo! .nd in m" case, 5 did a foo#ish thing, 5 ent and #ived abroad! 5t as

good and bad!

5 as com'#ete#" aa" from m" norma# surroundings and m" friends! +"

chi#dren ere there but the" ere in universit" and the" on#" had time for

me about once a eek! 5 had some


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me even a vehic#e! %o 5 had to get used to using the bus and the tube! .nd 5

remember a#a"s #ooking over m" shou#der thinking there might be an

L))


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5 have a## these 'ro&ects going on internationa##" and #oca##"! 5 have man"

friends and 5 think friendshi's are im'ortant! 5 ou#d have been ver"

frustrated if the kno#edge and 'o#itica# acumen 5 had as asted and 5

cou#dnt uti#ise it in retirement! ;ut ith this invo#vement in C#ub de +adrid

and e#sehere, 5 have an o''ortunit" to im'art hat 5 have #earned!

76 $o far have "ou 'rogressed on "our memoirs9 8hen do "ou think the"

i## be out9 .re "ou riting them "ourse#f9

.6 5 gave some mone" to an .ustra#ian riter once to rite this biogra'h"!

$e rote ver" e##! ;ut he intervieed a #ot of 'eo'#e and ran aa" ith

the mone" and that as it! 5 used to in essa" com'etitions in schoo# a##

the time, in %inha#a and and the on#" ones ho

ever got the bi#ingua# 'riOe at %t! ;ridgets ere m" sister and 5! .## three of

us ere good at #anguages #ike m" father! %o 5 thought 5 i## not de'end on

others, 5## rite it m"se#f!

5 am riting, 5 have started ith m" governance 'eriod, since the time 5

became Chief +inister! .t one 'oint 5 had on#" ritten four 'ages in to

"ears! GLaughsH! ;ut no 5 think 5 am more re#axed and better organised, so

5 am riting much more > but not enough "et! 5 a#k around ith this

cha'ter no, ever" eekend 5 am at $orogo##a, because 5 #ove it there! 5

kno 5 need on#" about to hours to nish! ;ut the #ast to eeks 5 have

on#" nished one 'ageN 5 ou#d #ike to nish it b" m" 0th birthda" next

"ear > in une! ;ut #ets see!

76 $o do "ou fee# about the fact that +anga#a %amaraeera, a condant

and sta#art of the %L*P is no a member of the /P9

.6 8e## 5 am no #onger in the %L*P after the President thre me out! 5 am

su''osed to be Patron of the 'art" ith a #ot of 'oers! .ccording to the

%L*P constitution 5 must be 'resent at ever" 'o#itburo meeting, and'artici'ate in a## im'ortant decision-making, etc! %o 5 can go to court! 5f he

thre me out he can thro +anga#a out! 5 am not on#" sad about +anga#a

but those in the 'art" > 'art" seniors ho have sacriced so much for the

%L*P > have been margina#ised and treated #ike vermin hi#e ne 'eo'#e

are getting more recognition!

76 Jther than for President a&a'aksa "ou are the on#" #iving 'erson ho


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can benet from the 1th .mendment hich removes 'residentia# term

#imits! $o do "ou fee# about that amendment9

.6 5 think it is horrib#e! Aou kno that m" 'art" tried to 'ersuade me to do

this9 8hen it as time to for me to go home, the" even 're'ared through

'art" #a"ers amendments to he#' me sta" another term! 5 refused to do it!

5 said 5 am a democrat, 5 cannot do that! 5t as a hideous, ug#" thing to do

and 5 dont think an" 'resident shou#d sta" for more than to terms!

76 $o does "our fami#" fee# about "our invo#vement in 'o#itics, even no9

.6)he" have a#a"s been against it! 5 have brought m" chi#dren u' in such

a manner that there as never an"thing in it for them, 'ersona##"! ;oth m"

chi#dren never anted me invo#ved! )he" ere dead against m" coming

into 'o#itics even in the beginning!

76 8hat about a## the s'ecu#ation that Eimukthi i## be the continuation of

the ;andaranaike 'o#itica# #egac"9

.65 dont think it i## ever ha''en! 5 dont kno hat i## ha''en if the

'o#itica# cu#ture changes! 5f it does, ma"be even 5 i## encourage him! ;ut

not in this #th" situation!

7Q $ave either of them ever ex'ressed an interest in %ri Lankan 'o#itics9

.6)he" ere never interested! )he" read ebsites and the" kno hat is

going on here! %ometimes Eimukthi ca##s me and sa"s, ?.mmi hat on

earth is going on here9@ so the" are interested in 'o#itica# deve#o'ments but

not in active 'o#itics!

76 5f "ou had a chance at a do-over of "our 'residenc", hich as'ects

ou#d "ou change9

.6 5 think rst and foremost, 5 ou#d be #ess of a humanist! 5 ou#d 'unish

corru'tion much more! 5 used to 'unish 'eo'#e b" sacking them but 5 ou#d

never have them &ai#ed or arrested! 5t is because 5 as too kind thatPresident a&a'aksa is 'resident toda"! 5 as 'robab#" being too

understanding > and 5 shou#d not have been!

7uite denite#" on the uestion of minorit" rights and devo#ution, 5 ou#d

not be so much of a democrat about it, 5 ou#d get it done! %o on minorit"

rights, corru'tion, 5 ou#d take a harder #ine! 5 ou#d have used more

authorit" to achieve these 'o#icies!


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76 *rom "our 'ers'ective, hat ou#d "ou sa" is 'ositive about the current

=overnment9

.6)he" na##" nished the ar! )he deve#o'ment of Co#ombo had to be

done and is being done e##! %ometimes that invo#ves the eviction of

'eo'#eQ that is not correct! ;ut a #ot of it as 'ossib#e ithout that! 5t is

great that bui#dings have been o'ened u'! 5 thank the Defence %ecretar"

for the #ove#" 'ark he has given me in front of m" house! ;ut other than

that, a## va#ues and ethics have Ron out the indo! u#e of #a doesnt

exist! Corru'tion is ram'ant! )he s"stem must change!

Posted by Thavam
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“momentum against executive presidency is unstoppable” - cbk

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