Mahinda has increased his salary by 40% charges Mangala
Former Foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera has charged that President Mahinda Rajapakse had increased his salary by 400% within four days of being elected President.
Mr. Samaraweera said, "Upon being elected President on November 19th, 2005 Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, on November 23rd, had got his salary increased four-fold, a proportion unseen from the time of President J.R. Jayawardene. This is mentioned on page 1,210 of the Hanzard."
Mr. Samaraweera was speaking at a media briefing titled "Three years for Chinthana: Country is lost" in Colombo today (Nov. 20th).
He further said "As President -- J.R. Jayewardene, Ranasinghe Premadasa, D.B. Wijetunga and Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga -- all received Rs. 25,000 as their salary."
As President Mahinda Rajapaksa celebrated his third year in office, 79 of his closest relatives hold top government positions, including as ministry secretaries, parliamentarians, presidential advisors, diplomats and chairmen of corporations, said leader of SLFP Mahajana Wing, Mangala Samaraweera.
Commenting on the capture of Pooneryn, Mr. Samaraweera said, "The government has been saying in the past couple of days that our security forces have captured Pooneryn area. On most occasions, it was painted as an achievement of the President himself. We must pay out tribute to the heroic soldiers who fought and laid down their lives to recapture Pooneryn area."
"But, 15 years ago, we similarly celebrated the taking of Pooneryn. This is mentioned in Dinamina. It is an irony of fate that it was captured on 15th November 1993 when D.B. Wijetunga was president, with Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister."
"That day too, we captured Pooneryn at the cost of a large number of lives in the security forces. Today as well, we have gained it by sacrificing members of the security forces of yet another generation. We may feel happy that Pooneryn has been captured from time to time, but we still cannot provide a solution to the national conflict."
"This is an endless war. Newspapers do not publish these things. You will not be allowed to publish these either. I know that by last Tuesday, 235 injured soldiers were brought to Colombo National Hospital. It was reported that 85 were brought to Kalubowila, 90 to Jayawardenepura and more than 300 to Military Hospital. Also, the bodies of more than 200 brave sons of this country were brought to Jayaratne Funeral Directors. This government is preparing to sacrifice any number of lives to hide all these and cover up its inabilities."
The SLFP (M) leader also commented on the state of the economy.
"The IMF and the World Bank held a joint meeting in Washington on October 10th to discuss the collapse of the global economy. At that meeting, they released a report on 160 countries. Of those 160 countries, Sri Lanka is among the 28 weakest of economies. The other countries include Eritrea, Ethiopia, Tajikistan, Madagascar, Rwanda, Malawi and Haiti. Three years of Mahinda Chinthana, and our country has fallen to the level of these countries. I am not saying this. It is the World Bank report that says so."
"We have not yet felt the effect of the global economic collapse. At present, we are feeling the economic crisis brought about by the waste, corruption and fraud of the Rajapaksas. It is only when we prepare to celebrate New Year in April that we will feel the burden of the world economic crisis. The Central Bank governor recently admitted that foreign reserves had declined by 30 per cent within three months. We will have to take money in suitcases to buy goods for Sinhala New Year. By that time, the value of the Rupee will be depreciated that much.
5 Comments
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Tajikistan, Madagascar, Rwanda, Malawi and Haiti.
add Somalia and Zimbabwe.
Once described as the pearl of the Indian ocean has gone to the swine. At this rate we will soon have an inflation up to 400 % within a short period. America went to war 7 years back on a patriotic fervor and even what is considered a robust economy couldn't hold them from reeling under. For us the waves will wash ashore pretty soon under the current economic conditions. We can fly our flags half-mast then, tragically so.
The problem in South Asia is that there is political oppression and not democracy; this is the mother of evil. If Bush would have termed Pakistan-India-Sri Lanka as the axis of evil I would have totally agreed.
In Sri Lanka, there is extreme and ugly form of state terror that is causing counter terror. It became an "off shoot" of "war on terror" to the advantage of Bush and to the disadvantage of the people.
Ehnically based political oppression against Tamils exists in Sri Lanka and India. Because of this oppression, there is a resurgence now in the North East of Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu. It is difficult to oppress people for long, is a historical reality.
The government Of India and Sri Lanka do not practice democracy as it should be, yet they shout aloud from roof tops that they are a "democracy". The west supports them overlooking their deficiency or inaccuracy.
In India "The Hindu" newspaper, in existence for so long, has not educated the masses on the real principles and practice of democracy. They deliberately misled or miseducated the masses and so it is in Sri Lanka with Daily News, Daily Mirror, Island and other news media.
Consequently, in Sri Lanka, violating the basic principle of equality of citizens, Sinhala language was pushed down the throats of Tamils. And in India, Hindi was implemented in the South against the wishes of Tamils, making one to think of the "axis of evil". Therefore, the Sinhalese and the Hindis have become strange bed fellows !!
Political freedom to seek secession or independence - which is their legitimate right accruing from history- is denied in India; a reason why a Tamil lawmaker Vaiko is arrested and kept in custody now. This week, three TNA law makers were questioned in Sri Lanka, for expressing their desire for Tamil Eelam in the North East. The charge was that they acted against the constitution, though they expressed the despearte desire and the will of the people of North East, whom they represent.
Funnily enough, when Sarth Fonseka, the army commander and Champika Ranawaka a cabinet minister of the government, both Sinhalese, say that Sri Lanka belongs to the Sinhalese, a statement against the constitution, it is absolutely right and praiseworthy !! Fonseka was even rewarded with an extended term as military commander !!
Freedom of expression, a fundamental principle of democracy is being grossly violated through legislation and constitution of India and Sri Lanka.
The policy is "freedom for us and repression for others" is the reason for state terror and counter terror. This axis of evil should be demolished, for every one in the region to be democratically free.
Sinhala-Buddhist Deshapremis fundametally two things for their survival. One, they spread racism; two, they ransack the national coffers. In the case of Ranawaka and his ilk they would even ask you to starve while they unashamedly claim every allowance under the sun including a fat rent allowance.
The country in the brink of bankruptcy. Contractors are not paid;the government even finds it hard to feed the patients in hospitals. No minister of state has even volunteered to take a pay cut. Has these Deshapremis no shame for goodness sake!
This is an endless war: I do not agree.It can be ended if politicians like Mr.Samaraweera have the will.
Sinhalese are the majority in Sri Lanka.It is the responsibility of the majority community to maintain the legitimate rights of other minority communities and go forward. That is how we can have peace and economic developments in any country. The Bipartisan politics in Sri Lanka have kept the communal fire burning. It is high time now for both parties to get together and address the reality. That will only End the war. Is it that the politicians are not aware of it? Sure they are. Then why not? The answer is simple. They don’t want it.
It is high time for the civil society to demand for peace. To demand better working conditions. To improve the cost of living and to go for a political solution acceptable to all communities.
Suppression by military means will never solve any problem. Sri Lanka may get military support from other countries. But it doesn’t mean those countries accept the military solution. They are only looking to fish in troubled waters. A reasonable political solution is the only the way out.
Ratnam Ganesh.
"Mahinda has increased his salary by 40% ..."
At least this source of financial gain is known!