Understanding what went wrong with the former President of Sri Lanka

• Was the former President roped into pretend to be the “nationalist” candidate BEFORE or AFTERvictory? (this should answer whether nationalists were taken for a ride from the beginning)

• IF BEFORE – does it explain why he ignored the Viyathmaga policies & began appointing pro-US/India appointees who were misusing their positions and nothing was done against them.

• IF AFTER – at what point & how & by whom was he compromised (his son in US & wishing to return to US & live –is a factor the nationalists failed to look at)

• Was his handling of COVID and initial months a means to FOOL NATION until he was used to change the systems via appointments to slowly collapse the nation (economically / administratively even weaken the armed forces by appointment of former Army Commander & not removing him inspite of many allegations against him including COVID malpractices –taking commissions from expats being brought to SL on flights)

• If former President was a US plant from beginning & US was able to get former President to do as they wanted– why did US want to REMOVE HIM in such an ugly manner? Did he deserve such a treatment? Why have we failed to comprehend the scale both US & India stoop to, to achieve their geopolitical goals. Our leaders continue to fail to learn lessons from global assassinations, regime change and election fraud. Why couldn’t or why didn’t they want to continue to use him & get what they wanted done – or were they in a hurry to get everything done & thought present President was a better bet? Did they think that the R’s would succumb to nationalist pressure & not commit the capitalist agenda they wanted to roll out?

• Was it because former PM was an obstacle (as nationalists would force him to take action) that the plan was to remove him first? Though noticeably the campaign slogan was to remove the President & not the PM.

• Was former President used to OUST MAHINDA as PM & out of politics (MR remains the symbol of nationalism – was the plot to neutralize the nationalist lobby & negate their influence in governance/govt)

• Was former President’s refusal to take LOANS part of the plot to collapse the economy (as advice regarding the impending dangers were ignored & offers of solutions were not accepted/negotiated) – it is also to be noted, that instead of obtaining vaccines from China, large amounts were paid to purchase from Pfizer (which India refused because Pfizer did not want India to test it & refused to enable litigation against them for deaths)

• Why does former President not address the nation and explain his side/version (as Sirisena did to explain why he sacked Ranil), why is he not reminding Ranil that he is not conforming to mandate given to former President by voters, this is the least GR can do to the 6.9lakh voters who placed their trust in him.

• Was former President INFORMED OF A PROTEST BEING STAGED by his handlers & asked not to take action against them– was this why he allowed protestors to park at Galle Face and ignored the illegality of the protestors permanently parking themselves in a public place for months

• Was former President asked to give orders to shoot protestors as part of plot to bring down foreign troops – was this part of the plan in case things were not working to the main plan?

• Was former President ordered to remain in Presidential Palace, falsely given assurance that nothing would happen to him? Was he forced to leave by the few still loyal to him & respecting his status of President? Did handlers bargain that components of the protestors who wanted “revenge” would do what was done to Gaddafi to both GR & MR. (Even if this was not planned by the handlers, did they look at the possibility of this happening as a bonus for them)

• Was former President ordered to resign & flee to be given a dose of what his life would be if he did not agree to surrender to the dictates of those who were giving him orders from behind the scenes. WHO ARE THESE UNKNOWN FACES THAT WERE WRONGLY ADVISING HIM?

• Why did the former President decide to resign? Why didn’t he leave the Palace & return to duties after the situation was calmed & controlled? Was he ordered to resign – by whom?

• Why did the former President appoint the present President who was then Prime Minister as Acting President after deciding to resign? Why didn’t the former President appoint a senior member of SLPP to be the President? Was it because he was told to appoint present President or did the R’s trust the present President more than his own SLPP team members.

• Everyone who played a part – whether they were corporate heads, Colombo socialites, cricketers, media, artists, political parties & supporters, academics, student unions, social media, youth fronts, Catholic Church & other clergy, numerous public personalities, local NGOs and civil society were given respective roles – no one knew what the other was tasked.They each had separate roles which put together resulted in the aragalaya, mass protest, mass destruction of state buildings & illegal occupation. No one knew what the other was tasked to do – but they were brought together on a common podium by those that were funding them or advising them – this is what needs to be understood.

• Who else in Govt & Public Sector has been co-opted into this greater project that took place in 2022 – what are their current role (it is obvious that some have been kept to continue next leg of their program)?

• It is also important to realize that everyone who funded/supported the aragala had their own agenda & this was what came out as “events” inside the protest grounds – revenge & personal hate against Rajapakses (for favors not given to them), anti-Buddhist / anti-Sinhala Culture / promotion of LGBTQ & free sex / commemoration of LTTE / Islamic extremist groups were careful not to project their agenda though they funded much of the food/ disrporportionate number of Catholic clergy & nuns reminded of the role of Catholic Action continuing since colonial times.

• The thinking public should wonder why the protestors who seem to be “knowledgeable” of the “economy” are now silent about present president taking loan after loan, agreeing to forfeit the handful of profitable states assets we have? If they claim that former president collapsed the economy in 2 years, why cant they see the future scenario when we have to pay back the loans taken, pay interest on the loans but we don’t have any more assets to mortgage or sell? How come these “intelligent” protestors are unable to see this future reality happening with every new loan being taken, every import restriction being lifted, every state asset being given away – why are these protestors now suddenly silent? Given that they are silent now, but vocal then, raises more questions than answers

• In the meanwhile, the entities tapped to promote the “system change” are now being harnessed in different ways. A good look at the target areas and target groups by US & Indian missions explains the people they are nurturing to create a bloc vote influencer – youth, low-income families, SMEs, special prominence is being given to women (youth, SMEs, social influencers, media, academics, women in armed forces & police etc) minorities (usual favorites) while dividing the majority through various programs using social media, and drawing them to illicit ways, values. People are funded (representing various roles that influence people’s thoughts) and used to indoctrinate/change people’s thinking – this is a slow steering of psychological thought process that would culminate during a future election campaign.

Are we a nation of people being handled by external forces knowingly (via funds/positions/perks/scholarships/sponsorships/gifts etc) or unknowingly (victim to social media psychological indoctrination as a result of one’s inability to think & put facts into perspective without falling prey to disinformation/misinformation) – this is the battle that prevails. So at both spectrums, our people are being pulled and roped in & most are falling prey to the deceits that prevail.

We have 2 choices – we can chose to fall prey or decide to save our nation and become an independent thinker viewing both versions, balancing one’s views & looking at the issue from the angle of what is in the nation’s interest & of national interest devoid of political colors/allegiance or expecting personal political favors.

Shenali D Waduge