Colombo ~ Will this be the last day for President Rajapaksa?

January 8-9

Colombo ~ Will this be the Last Day for President Rajapaksa?

 

We arrive in Colombo on a historic election day for Sri Lankans.  President Mahinda Rajapaksa has called an election 2 years before he had to, probably because he expected easy re-anointing for his 3^rd Presidential term.  In 2010, 57% of the population voted for him in his 2^nd election. His popularity at that time probably rested on his role in ending Sir Lanka’s 26-year-old civil war by defeating the Tamil Tigers.  The Tamil Tigers fought for the creation of a separate state in the north of Sri Lanka for the largely Hindu Tamil minority.  The Tamils had been subject to  discrimination by the majority ethnic-Sinhalese (about 70% of the population) who are largely Buddhist.  The Sinhalese army victory over the Tamils was ruthless and cost thousands of civilian lives. There have been charges that the army, like the Tamils, committed war crimes including killing tens of thousands of civilians in the final stage of the war.

Discontent with the current president Rajapaksa has occurred because he did little for the poor or minorities and because he stacked the administration with his family (4 brothers, son, nephew) in many important governmental positions.  His brother Gotabaya is Minister of Defense, another brother Basil runs economy while a third brother is parliamentary speaker. Moreover he changed the constitution removing the 2-term limit on presidential tenures.  During his time corruption worsened and probing journalists and social activists have lived in fear. Apparently he has been critical of the West and resentful of their harping on Sri Lanka’s failure to support human rights.  Consequently he has drawn the country closer to China where aid is not hampered by such human rights concerns. Rising prices for rice, higher taxes, government corruption and one family oligarchy rule are reasons why there is much discontent and his fall was predicted.

Beacon of Hope ~ Opponent Maithripala Sirisena (63 years old and 6 years younger that the Raj) has had four decades in politics. He was a leading light in the family party and was health minister and general secretary of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) until he defected in November. He is thought to be the best hope of ending oligarchy or a dynastic dictatorship, curing some of its ethnic ills and the only way of saving Sri Lanka democracy.  Supposedly his campaign is backed by the West, although no proof of Western meddling has been provided.

We meet our guide, Karu, at the airport at 4:30 and he is excited because the election voting has just ended at 4 o’clock.  He is pro Sirisena and seems confident he will win.  He tells us that he believes that as new President Sirisena will try to do something for farmers and lower taxes. He is popular with the Sinhalese majority and has promised constitutional amendments, the end of corruption, and “moral” society without drugs, cigarettes and alcohol. Many parliamentarians have defected to his side as well as the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress  & Tamil National Alliance (Muslims and Tamils make up 25% of population).  Karu tells us the elections have been peaceful so far but that we should not walk into town late in the day.  He seems to believe that the Raj and his family have already left Sri Lanka. He believes that Raj's son has sent his 4 Lamborghini cars to another country and that Basil will flee to America because he has a green card.

Tintagel Hotel 

Marie & John Planners for Trip

We meet our friends Marie and Steve who arrived earlier that morning at the Tintagel Hotel who arrived earlier that morning.  

We talk about the elections and they tell us that everyone they have met that day was excited about the possibility of change in the government. There is much hope in the air.  While John and Steve take naps Marie and I walk up the nearby street to see if anything is happening. It all looks very quiet and peaceful but we don’t walk too far. It seems fitting that we are staying in a delightful small hotel that was previously the home of Prime Minister Bandaranaike in the 50’s. He was shot here on the verandah and his widow became the world’s first female Prime Minister. She was elected 1970 and 1990 and has been the longest serving Prime Minister in Sri Lanka.

Election Results

The next morning we have a relaxed breakfast on the hotel’s outdoor patio and Steve announces that Sirisena has won! The hotel staff seem ecstatic and everyone is smiling. While the final numbers have not been announced apparently the Raj has already announced he has stepped down and we are told he has left. 

 

We set out early for the markets of Pettah by taking two tuk-tuks, which are 3-wheeled vehicles with roofs.  

Our guidebook tells us that this ancient market is one of the most ethnically mixed places in the country and will have crowds reaching Biblical proportions.  However, when we arrive it is quiet and peaceful with all shops closed due to the holiday in honor of the election. 
 

We wander around the streets stopping to talk to people sitting around chatting and reading the newspaper. Everyone smiles and seems pleased with the outcome.  Newspapers report that 70% of eligible voters have voted. 

For others life goes on as usual.  

 

Hindu Temples and Buddhist Mosques

Hindu Temple

Taking off our shoes and covering our shoulders we wonder into a small Hindu Temple.  Steve who speaks Tamil surprises the monks as he names various statues. Marie tells me about the war god Murugan.  We are lucky to have these two friends as our cultural tour guides.  

Muslim Mosque

We also enter a Muslim mosque that is being renovated. Here only the men are allowed inside this decorative building with candy-stripped red and white brickwork.  John gets lost in the mosque and we wonder if he has been converted.  At 11 am it must be 95 degrees and John tells me it is 95% humidity. This explains why I am dripping like a faucet.  

Back at the hotel Marie and I find out that a few stores are open and we head off for Barefoot store to view its textiles.  Sri Lanka has a thriving weaving industry and Marie is anxious to find a tablecloth.  This lovely store has many bright colored textiles but we limit our purchases to textile-covered notebooks for journaling and Marie buys a small mouse and elephant. We wait impatiently for lunch at the Barefoot Café which takes over an hour.

I feel we haven’t totally reached a mindfulness state yet as we are both still in a hurry, mostly because there is more we want to see and we feel we are running out of time.

Back at the hotel for a refreshing swim first and then off to Galle Park Hotel for a drink and an oceanfront view of the sunset.  We discover that the government has allowed no liquor sales on January 8 and 9^th in an effort to reduce any violence.  This approach seems to have worked as all seems peaceful but we are surprised there are not more celebrations. 

Next we visit the Gangaramaya Temple  where some people are chanting and singing.  In the back of this sprawling temple we find a small elephant and are encouraged by the handlers to stroke the elephant’s skin.  Steve even puts his hand in its mouth and touches its tongue. I am somewhat distressed by the big chains on the elephant’s legs.  This sprawling temple is a mash of eclectic objects that have been given as gifts to the temple over many years. There are Hindu as well as Buddhist statues. Off in the distance we hear fireworks going off to celebrate the new President. We wonder if the people are feeling the same hopeful elation we did when Obama first was elected. We hope they are not disappointed with unrealistic expectations.