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WIKILEAKS – “RAJAPAKSAS ARE UNEDUCATED AND UNCULTURED RASCALS” – CBK

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By Colombo Telegraph

_54260165_012528290-1.jpg_47175264_008608495-1.jpg

CBK - Fonseka came from a Buddhist extremist background, he seemed more honest than Rajapaksa

“President Kumaratunga found the Rajapaksa family involvement in politics very distasteful and called them ‘uneducated and uncultured rascals.’ She worried that the political climate since her term had become “vindictive and threatening” and that Rajapaksa had ‘muddied the thinking’ of masses.” The US ambassador wrote to Washington.

The Colombo Telegraph found the leaked cable from the WikiLeak database. The cable classified as “CONFIDENTIAL” and recount details of a meeting ambassador Patricia A. Butenis has had with former President Chandrika Kumaratunga on 14th December 2009.

The remarks by Washington’s ambassador to Sri Lanka, are revealed by the Wikileaks leaked cable. The Colombo Telegraph found the cable classified as “CONFIDENTIAL” by ambassador Butenis.

The cable said “Former President discussed President Rajapaksa’s abuse of power and said that under his leadership, the economy, the political climate, health care, education and international relations had spiraled down reaching a new low in the country’s history. Kumaratunga remarked that governance had broken down and corruption was appallingly bad. She noted that while she was responsible for nominating President Rajapaksa for the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, he had a detrimental impact on the party.”

In response to Ambassador’s query on elections and General Fonseka’s candidacy, Kumaratunga said, while she was surprised by Fonseka’s entry in to politics, if ‘free and fair’ elections were held today, Fonseka would win. “While Fonseka came from a Buddhist extremist background, he seemed more honest than Rajapaksa and might not go back on his promises.” Butenis wrote.

“Kumaratunga acknowledged the mood and the thinking in the country was changing. People were hopeful of changing and were interested in moving ahead. Although Kumaratunga was no longer directly involved in politics, she remarked that President Rajapkasa feared her influence and had restricted her movements.” the ambassador further wrote to Washington. Read the below US diplomatic cable for full details.

VZCZCXRO8860

OO RUEHAG RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR

DE RUEHLM #1150 3510954

ZNY CCCCC ZZH

O 170954Z DEC 09

FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO

TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1003

INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 2192

RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 9216

RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY 7466

RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 5315

RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 3619

RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 5241

RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 0105

RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM PRIORITY 0776

RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 4363

RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI PRIORITY 9776

RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI PRIORITY 7067

RUEHON/AMCONSUL TORONTO PRIORITY 0097

RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 3931

RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY

RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY

RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001150

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/08/2019

TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM PTER EAID MOPS CE

SUBJECT: FORMER PRESIDENT NOTES DESTRUCTIVE INFLUENCE OF

RAJAPAKSA

Classified By: AMBASSADOR PATRICIA A. BUTENIS. REASONS: 1.4 (B, D)

¶1. © In a December 14 meeting with Ambassador, former

President Chandrika Kumaratunga discussed President

Rajapaksa's abuse of power and said that under his

leadership, the economy, the political climate, health care,

education and international relations had spiraled down

reaching a new low in the country's history. Kumaratunga

remarked that governance had broken down and corruption was

appallingly bad. She noted that while she was responsible

for nominating President Rajapaksa for the Sri Lanka Freedom

Party (SLFP), he had a detrimental impact on the party.

President Kumaratunga found the Rajapaksa family involvement

in politics very distasteful and called them "uneducated and

uncultured rascals." She worried that the political climate

since her term had become "vindictive and threatening" and

that Rajapaksa had "muddied the thinking" of the masses.

¶2. © In response to Ambassador's query on elections and

General Fonseka's candidacy, President Kumaratunga said,

while she was surprised by Fonseka's entry into politics, if

"free and fair" elections were held today, Fonseka would win.

In the same breath, however, she noted that Fonseka's

negatives were insurmountable for many voters especially the

Tamils and, thus, the Tamil vote was still in question. In

Kumaratunga's opinion, Fonseka was the only man who could

counter the President's "war victory" strategy. She reminded

the Ambassador that it was her administration that cleared 70

percent of the Northern Province and that Rajapaksa was only

responsible for clearing 30 percent of the LTTE-held grounds.

Conversely, the Rajapakasas were falsely taking sole credit

for winning the war. In her opinion, Fonseka would need the

Tamil votes to win, and while the United National Party (UNP)

leader Ranil Wickremesinghe could command the Tamil vote,

this was not a guarantee with Fonseka. While Fonseka came

from a Buddhist extremist background, he seemed more honest

than Rajapaksa and might not go back on his promises. She

noted that the State-owned media, Rajapaksa's propaganda

machine, had been very effective and had brain-washed the

masses. Kumaratunga observed that the rural people referred

to Rajapaksa as "King" and pointed to the President's 12 foot

billboard cut-outs as distasteful examples of abuse of power.

¶3. © Ambassador raised the issue of international

expectations about accountability and reconciliation in

reference to the release of the Department's war crimes

report. Kumaratunga said that there was a fear psychosis in

the country and that President Rajapaksa had instilled a fear

in the people, so no one was willing to talk. She disagreed

on Rajapaksa's stance with the West and said that foreign

criticisms, international pressure and monitoring had kept

the human rights violations from getting worse. On the issue

of Tamils, Kumaratunga noted that the vast majority of Tamils

were not terrorists and did not want a separate State, but

rather fundamental rights. According to Kumaratunga there

were 800,000 Tamils overseas and the diaspora was now ready

for change. In the last few months, Kumaratunga acknowledged

the mood and the thinking in the country was changing.

People were hopeful of change and were interested in moving

ahead. Although Kumaratunga was no longer directly involved

in politics, she remarked that President Rajapaksa feared her

influence and had restricted her movements.

BUTENIS

  • கருத்துக்கள உறவுகள்

The cable said “Former President discussed President Rajapaksa’s abuse of power and said that under his leadership, the economy, the political climate, health care, education and international relations had spiraled down reaching a new low in the country’s history. Kumaratunga remarked that governance had broken down and corruption was appallingly bad. She noted that while she was responsible for nominating President Rajapaksa for the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, he had a detrimental impact on the party.”

ஹிஹி.. அமெரிக்க பொருளாதாரம் அடிமட்டத்தில இருக்கு.. இவ எழுதிறாவாம் ராஜபக்ச சரியில்லையெண்டு.. முதலில இவ தன்ர நாட்டுப் பிரச்சினையைப் பார்க்கட்டும்..! :icon_mrgreen:

செவ்விந்தியனைக் கொன்று அக்கிரமம் புரிஞ்சதால இப்ப இவைட பொருளாதாரம் பாதாளத்தில.. கறுப்பனுக்கும், வெள்ளையனுக்கும், செவ்விந்தியனுக்குமிடையில ஒற்றுமையில்லை.. எப்பிடி அமெரிக்கா உருப்படும்..? இவைக்கு என்றாவது ஒருநாள் அழிவு வந்தே தீரும்.. இப்ப வந்திட்டிது.. :wub:

இங்ஙனம்,

யாழ்கள மாற்றுக்கருத்தாளர் சங்கம்

புரட்சிகர சிந்தனையாளர்கள் சங்கம்

:huh:

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

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