IF ISLAMICS STAY WITH EXTREMISTS 

PIX BY PRADEEP PATHIRANA

Fortune smiles on Sri Lanka again. While corruption abounds the political class - luck holds for the people, maybe for their goodness, overcomes the impurities associated with the lust of politicians? How long will good fortune rain on this thrice blessed land: Will it last long amidst the foulness felled by politicians. 

Most of the Moors including the extremists voted for SLMC or UNP as the alternate force. The UNP is prepared to sit in the opposition and have sat for a while too long, unlike the SLMC that shifted sides with impunity; the photogenic leader of the SLMC has from time immemorial held a Cabinet Office. 

If the UNP does effect a joinder overtly or covertly with the SLMC or bring Rishad Bathiudeen, representing the extreme Muslims or his nominees, the UNP can expect to warm seats in the Opposition.

The UNP/CP/LSSP Muslim supporters: Can vote for such parties that stood for the unity of the people. Where does cart-wheeling Faiszer Musthapha stand, beginning his political life under Thondaman’s CWC? Let the people decide the fate of the unreliable democratically! 

Christian/Catholics in a back to a wall fight along with Buddhists in a new alignment, after the war, neither are likely to hurt churches. Fighting together they acquired goodwill without much blessings from their divided reverend Fathers/Brothers unlike the Buddhists, where most monks drove their young Turks to the battle front. 

Will Tamils desire to attack their own Christian brethren in their homesteads? Buddhists Christians and Catholics are out of the equation from attacks on churches. There is a denomination that could have ‘dunnit’? Explanation is not needed. There is a religious outfit that feels triumphant in the killing of innocent worshippers of another while engaged in prayer on a most holy day in the month of Ramazan. These barbaric tendencies are not shown in the four legged beast deemed unclean for consumption. 

SI’s local barbarians made an ill-timed, poorly undertaken, with locally assembled equipment, to cowardly attack churches while its flock was at service. Made a Muslim Minister quip these swords and knives are maintained in mosques to clean its environs. He was silent on detonators, small arms, pellets and hand grenades retained in places of prayer. At least a Muslim voice was heard. Most Ministers talk whimsically most times: However, the aforesaid words carry an element of truth beneath its surface. Such equipment is not sufficient to blow away our Forces that shattered the mighty terror outfit of the LTTE. Where is the SLMC in this melee? 

Desire to expose prematurely hatred by the IS on other denominations, saved the day for Sri Lanka. Where were our intelligence outfits prior to the happening of events though they have shown dexterity after the event in uncovering the loot. Subscribes to the theory, intelligence outfits were compelled to show loyalty to the advancement of the UNP mindful of their association with the Muslims, is a possibility? Did Muslims spill beans fast, once the conspirators were found by the security services. With Muslims money talks - nothing is beyond them against Muslims to safeguard their own security unlike the committed LTTE. 

Removing two officers, who slept over intelligence information handed earlier (Subsequently leaked to the Press), is not sufficient. 

An unknown Fernando on accompanying. 

Mrs Bandaranaike to astrologers, gained a reputation (Made her witty son Anura declare him as Amma’s ‘hocus-pocus’ man) thereafter served every administration just like SL Muslim Congress (SLMC), till MS elevated him to the highest position in his administration, sanctioned by the so-called wily Constitutional Council. Stupidity at its prime. 

Public has the right to know how a foreign information gathering ensemble garnered information from local sources while our intelligence services knew virtually nothing till the Moor men killed devotees in churches. One thing is for sure-these killer groups were deemed part of the anti- Gotabhaya Rajapaksa (GR) front-the prime Opposition contender at the Presidential Election. 

IS forces it is believed did not entertain doubts against the UNP. But event turned otherwise as it backfired against the UNP as they suffered the most, politically. 

Muslims increased their vote from 2% to 7% within a limited period without any family planning in the Eastern Province (While Tamils after Black July lost 2%); Where a poor man sires 15 children to over crowd election enumerators lists, receives cash and asset from unknown sources to supplement their overcrowded families: local Muslim tribesmen tried to use small arms against our security forces versed in mobile multi-barrels to over-run the LTTE, a community that rose from a niche just above our aboriginal Veddah to become trilingual educated giants and takes a lead in the English media and does bulk writing fostering purified thoughts of Allah, earns green eyes instead of rounds of applause, since it enhances our national pride. 

Muslim super rich has contributed to only two centers of education in Colombo (Zahira and Muslim Ladies) while Anglican, Buddhist, Catholic and Hindu philanthropists contributed lavishly to set up educational institutions throughout the country. All Moors should bow to the name of Bathiudeen Mohamed father of Muslim education, who set the tone in Gampola for up-lifting the education of under - privileged Muslim children. Other Muslims have lavishly contributed to commercial ventures to fatten themselves. 

Moors fight to get their kids, cheap to Royal/Ananda/Visakha/Anula under the area rule and have not succeeded due to the wisdom of the Supreme Court rulings and the intelligence of Chief Justice Sarath Silva in interpreting an order given by Mrs Bandaranaike in promising Christian denominational schools to keep to proportions in the new intakes after the takeover, to the same proportion at the same levels as before take over. 

Ananda and Visakha made use of it with respective 96% and 95% Buddhists on the school rolls at the time of the takeover. As counsel for Visakha/Ananda the Supreme Court held with us against a Muslim doctor. 

After admission of bare 2% of Muslims students these Islamic kids (Unlike students of other denominations) clash with school authorities as the boys demand the exclusive right to grow beards in State schools - (An infection that will grow with other denominations asking for equal right to grow beards). Early seeds of hatred at a tender age are sown by Muslim parents that send their kids for confrontation with other denominations by taking the issue to courts. 

Strategically better timed, with the use of more sophisticated fire power in a craftily planned surprise operation might have made our forces run while knowing the outlook of most local men would queues to receive circumscribing; if events turned otherwise, due to their inbuilt timidity and the greed to make a fast buck. 

With the background of Sunni-Shiite clashes in the Islamic world, how possibly can a 7% population expect to run Sri Lanka with over 78% Sinhala population and feel smug after eradicating terrorism from the dreaded LTTE; rethink of the Shiite minority holding the Sunni majority in Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. Local Islamists seem easy meat as most yap against their fellow conspirators after a few days in incarceration. 

The government caused mayhem by weeding out the most able intelligence officers especially Islamic officers - the very best - after having served the forces for generations with iron determination - like the Gurkhas - brought great fame to the forces with their gallant intelligence workouts and trilingual expertise against the LTTE. 

Present government in an unprofessional manner due to jealous elements within the forces, rid the best of officers of Buddhist, Christian and Muslim origins, whereas our forces have been loyal to the service they served and have shown itself as a well knit, multi cultural, multi ethnic units. Brave Tamil officers stood till near end of the war and their loyalties were never split and the finest in the intelligence outfits were the trilingual Islamists where they served the nation and under took the most onerous tasks. Don’t look upon Muslims as terrorists but one lady wore headgear while a DIG spoke on TV seated in an prominent place. DIG had to look the other way. Why was he tongue tied to state the obvious! 

GR appears to be the benefactor of the Islam outbursts. SLMC switches sides always preferring to stay with the winners, with enhanced ministerial positions. Personally named are a revolving lawyer, diplomat presently moving to the Opposition and a prominent female educationists, banded as fluctuating artists purely to gain prominence. 

GR appears strong at the expense of MR who is deemed the prime mover in bringing Rishad Bathiudeen, a universally disliked politician, to the forefront. MR realized his folly but was too slow to dump the unwanted. Rishad has incurred the wrath of the Sinhala voters even in hamlets like Mandanam Nuwara (In the past said to be covered in mist where damsels were selected for the royal harem for their fair skin; now dark as soot as the mid-day sun shines) more than the SLMC leader. 

They say in pithy Sinhala that GR can only destroy himself by attaching wrong personalities on his administrative list. He does have plenty of MR’s bad eggs, like a disliked Viyathmaga Specialists with a doubtful past and a small time trade unionist pretending to know too much on banking concepts. Few are still lodged in high positions and can destroy GR’s reputation before the elections begin unless the unwanted are weeded out speedily to give him a clean slate. Poor guy has a military thought process-civilians are a shrewder bunch. They have sure cheated him thus far. 

Travelling along the Dumbara Valley, the heartland of the UNP in the Central Province, with a strong Sinhala presence past Wattegama via Mattekelle to Hanguranketa (Main attraction being S.B. Dissanayake house covered with a virtual Great Wall away from public eye) Rikiligaskada (Where all roads meet and emerges as a commercial capital) blue and green supporters were not heard/seen. Sinhalese voters were divided around an 40-year artificial age barrier. 

Over 40 years feel they need a tough disciplinarian to emerge at the next election and are concerned of the welfare of their children and the under 40s were emphatic of the great war victory deeming the Moors are a chicken feed for a correct leadership. 

None mentioned the name of GR, support appears overwhelming for him, as they sought to pick the political leanings of the man [me] in a kiwi black cap. On the same tour in 2009 and 2015 before the general elections, UNP and MR supporters appeared visible among the village gentry but heard only of a coming man that can keep Muslims at bay. In Nuwara Eliya where Muslims purchased the best rooms are shown a closed door in hotels. None know who carries bombs in bags freighting other residents-especially the few remaining foreigners waiting to board flights. 

This may not translate to votes for GR among the canny Muslim people expect in the Eastern Province where Islamists are most scared of recent events and will prefer to go with the winner at the time of elections, as a security precaution. 

Can never assure the way Muslims will exercise their vote; but lists and tills sent to Muslim business houses will bring plenty of undeclared funds for GR. They will feel obliged to fill his exchequer mostly out of fear to cover their previous hostility. 

If troublesome Central Province show such tendencies, rest of the Provinces will fall easy for GR with the exception of the Kandy electorate (As Westernized as Colombo West); Rest will be a walk over for GR, provided his followers behave and talk sensibly. GR can only destroy himself by words, acts or at play as kid brother to his brother MR. Assert yourself GR and be your own man; as MR or RW has lost ground.