Dr. Sudath Gunasekara. President Mahanuwara Senior Citizens Movement 8.7.2015.

In certain political circles and NGOO and some Civil Organizations funded by sinister foreign forces and urban based anti SLFP forces who have no vote base but who think they are the King makers and who even claim paternity to the Jan 8^th change, now a days, it has become a fashion to say that there was a political revolution in this country on Jan 8th. This displays not only their ignorance of the concept of revolution or their inability to comprehend what really happened on Jan 8^th   or their refusal to accept the real modus operandi behind this sinister coupe. Sometimes they may be doing this just as the tortoise hiding itself under its shell. Since there was only a change of the President and there was no major change of Government or the policies of governance, I do not know whether it could be called a ‘revolution’ by any means within the generally accepted meaning of the word revolution in political parlance. Neither a forcible overthrow of a government or a social order took place on that date. Therefore in my opinion it is silly to call Jan 8^th a political or social revolution.

Leaving that apart talking about the Jan 8^th ‘Revolution’ I would call the change as the result of a disgraceful coup d’e tat by the Western powers, India and all anti Sinhala anti Buddhist unpatriotic forces at Home spearheaded and manipulated by Chandrikka, of course on reasons of personal vendetta, to overthrow Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Sinhala Buddhist majority Government. To me it is as simple as that. If someone has called what happened in 1956 a political and social revolution, definitely I would have agreed, but never this.

What really happened on that day in my opinion was only a change of the man who held the post of President in this country. In other words the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa an acclaimed nationalist leader was replaced by Maitipala Sirisena one of his own Party men and Party Secretary who fell prey to anti national and anti Sri Lankan forces, invariably persuaded by Chandrika and personal grievances, that have been simmering within him for a long time. As far as an ordinary man can see, finally what happened as a result of these personal and exogenous interests and conflicts was only a transfer of Presidential powers from one person to another and a windfall for the UNP that had gathered rust and dust for 21 years under the weak and in-effective leadership of Ranil wickramasingha and few of his handpicked favorites who does not have their feet on ground. But for a prudent one it means much more than that. There appears to be wheels within wheels and a world of master conspiracies of both national and international, behind it.

What really happened on that day in any case cannot be termed a victory for the masses. Though stunning, it is only a temporary defeat for the patriotic forces in the hands of well organized unpatriotic and anti national and anti Sri Lankan forces both at Home and abroad, more especially for the Sinhala Buddhists who will rise from the ashes again like a phoenix in no time under the command of an unassailable and strong Sinhala Buddhist leader as it had happened throughout the past 2500 years in this Island.

On the other hand this so-called change is definitely a victory for the minorities who are trying always to fish in trouble waters. An analysis of Janu 8^th results clearly shows this position. Although a major portion of the 62.2 million votes polled by President Sirisena came from the UNP vote base, say around a conservative 4 m votes, aroused to make Ranil, the master loser in Sri Lankan elections, the Prime Minister, on the back of Sirisena,s victory, the critical factor of his victory was the minority vote, especially the Tamil and Muslim substantiated partly by the three components, JVP, JHU (determined to defeat MR) and the new votes. It also included a sizable anti Rajapaksa SLFP vote that was determined to punish him for misdoings of his Government and some of its members, both in Parliament and Provincial and Pradesiya levels, during the last lap of his Government (2010-2015) and alleged arrogance and family rule

People also know that the President thereafter changed the Prime Minister.  He appointed Ranil as new Prime Minister obviously who did not command the majority in Parliament and a Cabinet of ministers even by violating the Constitution of the Republic as he did so without first removing the then Prime Minister. The next crucial question is whether there was a legitimate and a real defeat of the then existing Government as a result of that election. The answer is a very big NO as that election did not affect the strength of the party positions in Parliament. Therefore strength of the then Government still remains in the opposition. Even the Speaker and the Deputy of the same Government continues. It is as simple as that. What we have today is an unconstitutionally constituted illegal and minority Government the architects of which will have to pay a severe tall the day they get ousted. Since the then Prime Minister has not legally ceased to be PM as provided under Sec 47 the question arises as to whether the appointment of Ranil as PM and other Ministers to the Cabinet thereafter are legally and constitutionally valid may be queried one day.

The other major changes like abolishing the Executive Presidency, changing the voting system, depoliticizing public service and many others were also not done. But of course promises never made like giving land to estate Tamils, Presidential pardon for criminal like a Tamil woman who vandalized Sigigiri gafiti even with providing employment under the Government and releasing thousands of state lands in the north and east threatening the even national security etc were hastily done for political expediency. Are these the type of changes the pro-Government agents are afraid of losing if a real change takes place on the 17^th under MR? Or is it a resurgence and awakening of the national feeling and patriotism in this country under MR that these forces are afraid of. Or do they want the LTTE back at home, or the North and East to be made one District again? Or a separate Kingdom for Muslims in the South Eastern part of Sri Lanka and a Malayasnadu for Digambaran and Kandurat Janata Party on the central Hills and throw the Kandyan Peasants who protected this country for 350 years fighting against western invaders, to the Indian Ocean? These are the most pertinent questions all Sinhalese people of this country should ask all politicians ON THE 17^TH OF JULY, whether they are UNP, SLFP, JVP or JHU.

IT IS HIGH TIME WE ALL BURY PARTY POLITICS AT LEAST NOW AND THINK ONLY OF THE COUNTRY AND THE NATION AS WE HAVE BEEN DOING FOR 2500 YEARS THROUGH OUT HISTORY. ENOUGH WE HAVE BEEN DIVIDED ON THE BASIS OF DIVISIVE PARTY POLITICS INTRODUCED BY THE WEST TO RUIN AND DESTROY OUR COUNTRY AND THE NATION. DIVIDED WE FALL UNITED WE WIN.