Pada Yathra, Self-criticism and a new leadership for Sri Lanka - by Ajith Rohan JTF, Rome

Pada Yathra (March), 

Self-criticism of politicians and 

a new leadership for Sri Lanka

- by Ajith Rohan JTF, Rome

• In this brief reflection, we examine the critical "socio-politico-economic-cultural" (SPEC) situation in Sri Lanka under the current pro-Western regime, led by the UNP and its allies. This regime, characterized by separatist and extremist capitalist tendencies, is widely perceived as being imposed and sustained by Western powers, including the UK, USA, and their allies. These nations have strategically established this regime as a "cat's paw" to retaliate against former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his allies. Rajapaksa and his administration challenged Western influence by defeating their previous proxy, V. Prabhakaran, the leader of the LTTE terrorist organization, which had sought to divide Sri Lanka.

• The extent of Western involvement is further highlighted by the infamous "email-gate" involving Hillary Clinton, which revealed attempts by her and her staff to halt military operations against the LTTE and protect its leader. Now, it appears that the West, including the UK, USA, and Norway, seeks revenge for these past actions, further complicating Sri Lanka's socio-political landscape.

1. On the other hand, Chandrika Kumaratunga Bandaranaike appears to feel a sense of guilt over what she believes was a mistake made by her father, Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike, in 1956. Specifically, she claims that her father overlooked the rights of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka, and she now seeks to rectify this historical error. However, the issue lies in her approach: she seems to treat Sri Lanka and its people as though they are the property of her family. Chandrika Kumaratunga acts as if she is the queen of a "colonial" Sri Lanka, disregarding the democratic principles, constitution, parliament, judiciary, and sovereignty of the nation.
2. In her efforts to address this perceived injustice, she has aligned herself with Western powers such as the UK, USA, Norway, and their allies, pushing for a solution that serves their interests rather than those of the Sri Lankan people. This undermines the nation's independence and democratic processes. In response, initiatives like the joint opposition’s “Pada Yathra” are essential. We fully support the goals of this movement and stand in solidarity with its aims to protect Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and democratic values.
3. We firmly assert that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, with the unwavering support of the brave young sons, brothers, and husbands of Sri Lanka, successfully defeated the LTTE terrorists. These courageous individuals fought for the freedom, peace, harmony, and territorial integrity of the country and we stand firmly with them in honouring their sacrifice.
4. However, the West—particularly the UK, USA, Norway, and their allies—has consistently sought to undermine this hard-fought victory over the LTTE, a notorious terrorist group that served as one of their "cat’s paws" to divide Sri Lanka. Their efforts to devalue this achievement must be countered both politically and tactically. These foreign powers, with the assistance of India, NGOs, INGOs, and other forces, orchestrated a regime change in Sri Lanka. Their ultimate goal is to distort this historic victory into an alleged "war crime," thereby not only discrediting the humanitarian mission but also branding the Sri Lankan people, its leaders, and soldiers as criminals.
5. We vehemently oppose this vengeful agenda by the West, UK, USA, Norway, and their allies, and we stand in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka in defending the truth and justice of their struggle.
6. However, Mr. Rajapaksa must engage in sincere reflection and conduct a public self-evaluation of his political career. By doing so, he can provide explanations for certain peculiar and inadequate decisions that jeopardized the nation’s interests. For instance, why did former President Mahinda Rajapaksa overlook the critical importance of international relations for a country that had just defeated the LTTE terrorists? He was well aware that the LTTE had the covert support of the West, including the UK, USA, and their allies. Yet, he appointed unqualified and non-professional individuals to key positions, leaving the country ill-prepared to counter false narratives such as the "war crime" allegations propagated by the West and the LTTE diaspora.
7. As a result, the situation across the country has deteriorated significantly. Mr. Rajapaksa, living in a somewhat idealized and unreal world, allowed himself to be influenced by those who exploited his trust for their own political gains, undermining his vision and legacy. Today, the cost of these missteps is exceedingly high. To regain the trust of the people, he must publicly apologize to the nation for the mistakes he made, which adversely affected both the country and its citizens. Only through such accountability can he hope to win back the support of the Sri Lankan people.