Posted on 14 January 2010 by admin
In this article, we try to analyze the policy statements (manifestos) of the two main presidential candidates. As the first step, we list down the two manifestos side by side. Probably the first web site to do such side by side comparison. In the days to come, we will continue to discuss the key points proposed by both the candidates.
| Mr. Sarath Fonseka |
Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa |
- I will restore democracy and win the peace
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- Sri Lanka: the emerging “Wonder of Asia”
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- I will eliminate fraud and corruption
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- A prosperous country; a land of plenty
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- I will help families become financially secure
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- Disciplined and law abiding society
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- I will ease the cost of living
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- Comforts, convenience and satisfactory life styles
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- I will start a process of national reconcilliation
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- Developed road network and transport system
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- I will restore health service and I will revive and invigorate education
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- A Unitary state, not to be divided
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- Shared values, rapid development and lasting peace
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- I will provide jobs for our youth
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- Respect for fauna and flora
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- I will lay the foundation for a just and diciplined society
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- I will safeguard the security of the nation
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- Focus on modern education and knowledge systems
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- Entrepreneurs with strength to conquer the world
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- Reawakening of the performing arts Art and Culture
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- People return, rather than migrate
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PS: One thing we cannot resist pointing out is the phrase “I will” on every line of Mr. Sarath Fonseka’s manifesto. I’m sure there must be reasons for that wording. But, so far, our team could not find any positive reason except a bunch of negative ones. While we prevent expressing our own views on this, we do welcome comments or clarifications on this from our viewers
- SL Elections 2010 Team
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January 15th, 2010 at 12:33 am
Why don’t you like General Fonseka’s statement lines starting with “I will”? This is a sign of a man with confidence. Most of all, he is running for Presidents Office.
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January 15th, 2010 at 2:28 am
i agree with you Gihan S.” This is a sign of a man with confidence”
TOTALY AGREED
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January 15th, 2010 at 2:59 am
Gihan, It give me al the wrong signals and happy signs ..!
It surely sounds confident, more than that it has a military expression “I will rule you”.While I personally have no issues with SF, I think 15 times failure Ranil W , and Global rebellions JVP will take SF nowhere.SF has selected to rot in politics of JVP and UNP instead of being a war hero and live like a king !
I feel very happy inside, this proves once again how “STUPID and SELFISH” the Singhalese are. I am eagerly waiting for the war crime charges to materialized in UN, then we can take the revenge from all stupid Sinhalese like you and your stupid army
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January 15th, 2010 at 3:03 am
While we try to vote for one side, for a future, the world is readying to bring the army into Heige
Shame on you Sinhalese, shame on you Sri Lankans
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January 15th, 2010 at 5:54 am
What he seems to be thinking “only himself is to run this country likewise he is trying to get the credit of the war” This is a very bad signal of a dictatorship. While MR is welcoming people who migrated to comeback and live in your own country. We don’t need a military faces at all.
Wish of the nation is for a “Brighter Future” !!!!
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January 15th, 2010 at 8:10 am
Mahinda Chintanaya is a joke. It seems they have delivered 90% of that. Can you verify with facts like pictures rather than the government spokesperson saying they have spent the taxpayers money on certain programs. For instance the mid day meal for the school children, I just read they are going to allocate more money (Daily News Jan 15, 2010). And they already spent 2700 million already in 2009. What I am asking is where are the videos of kids enjoying this mid day meal in the tv channels? Please direct me to where I can see that the money was spent on it. Building roads is mere eye candy. I bet the JVP taught the government that. Just like one aspect of anarchy is taking out the roads so that government can’t do their jobs. The roads are nice but where is the transparency on how much of the taxpayer money was used. Please ask yourself can Rome be built in a day? All the development is for a commission too.
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January 15th, 2010 at 8:35 am
I really do not understand why Mahinda Rajapakse needed to go for a Presidential election. He has 2 more years to go. If he loves the country and the nation he should have tried to improve the contry and buil a political & economical stabilty. Then he would be the next Preseident without any doubt. I am not a Fonseka fan but this situation is extremly dangerous for the country. We should realise LTTE are awaiting the oppotunaties to rise…
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January 15th, 2010 at 9:06 am
This is a Presidential Election where two individuals are running for president. This is not a party election. We are asking “so what are YOU going to do for your country?” So the answer should have “I will do…..”. In that contexts, I see nothing wrong with “I will”.
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January 15th, 2010 at 12:22 pm
Tony, This article is trying to compare the two manifestos (or two bunches of promises) given by the two candidates to win the big office for the next term. And it is not trying to verify what either Mr. Rajapakse done during his past 4 years in big office or what Mr. Fonseka has done when he was at the Army. We are not writing these articles to white wash either Mr. Rajapaksa or Mr. Fonseka. I hope someone from Mr. Rajapaks’s camp would respond to your questions above… BTW, please be professional in writing your comments. Your other comment was deleted due to filthy content. If you enjoy writing filth, this is not the place to waste your time.
-Admin
January 20th, 2010 at 9:59 am
I wonder people in Sri Lanka are mad if SF win. SF like to deal with weapons, because his company needs to be raised financially. First time in the Sri Lankan history, US citizen is fighting for the presedency.
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January 23rd, 2010 at 12:41 pm
We have shown to the entire world how SELFISH and STUPID we Sri Lankans are. Surely they mainly LTTE supporters must be laughing at us.
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January 24th, 2010 at 4:49 pm
Any commentary should be unbiased,non-prejudiced,must not be a result of viewing through coloured glasses of any party.The criterion of it must be objectivity.It is objective has to be welfare of all in general,comprehending in it,in “All”,men, women,children,animals,fauna and flora.
1.
SF talks about democracy and peace.MR has no mention about it.
The lack of the aspect of democracy is a negative moment.EVEN if it is to be infered that MR is a democratic leader,who has dedicated himself to democratic politics,the present empirical context of pragmatic politics,by which the absence of democracy is being emphasized,as a burning issue,specially by MR opposition,is one discerning component,in no case,to be dispensed with.This is simply political immatuarity of those who diagnosed and constituted manifesto.Hence this not-presence of the visage of democracy,in MR Manifesto,pervades as a shocking intimidation,across the entire edifice of democratic governance in the country.
2.
SF writes about the elimination of fraude and corruption.MR Manifesto does not mention it as precisely as SF.There is a stipulation about “Dicsiplined and law abiding society”,in MR Manifesto(MRM).Yet it is an indirect taliking.It has to be rather implied than perceived directly.Implications are always not explicit.Then it is reduced to political cadjoling.And that is what has been happening in Sri lankan politics upto now.Deception of gullible people.Now this dirty trick of politics is, for the most part known and revealed.
On the other hand,huge propaganda campaign has been launched by MR opposition,against MR and his family,to blemish their dignity and reputation,declaring in it,that MR and his family members,thanks to MR’s unwaivering Nepotism,have plundered the wealth of the people of Sri Lanka,through the war,development projects,foriegn loans etc.
Hence the presence of no-mention in MRM,about the extirpation of fraud and corruption generates lots of pressure to suffocate MR victory in Presidential polls.
This clear negativity portrays several significant features of the designers of the MR Manifesto,i.e.,their unintelligent rush,absence of insight and short sightedness.
Fraud and corruption uprooting is an aspect not to be dispensed with.
3.
SF says,”Will help families to become financially secure.Herein SF is precise.Concrete.He is not to be implied.He can be discerned directly.His approach is in particular.Not in general.Positive for an election campaign.MR counters SF via pledges”Prosperous country,land of plenty,comforts,convenience and satisfactory life styles”.
MR is not so precise.He is only close.He is not concrete.But general.In MR’s statement a kind of inference seems to be involved.His statement is to be discerned through an oblique perception.MR’s statement target has to be implied.
“Prosperous country” he says.Question arises,”Prosperity for whom”???
It may be affluent class???.Perhaps,nepotism based MR’s Family???.May be general public???.One herein is in a guess.Any guess seeds one into uncertainty.In an election campaign this is going to be a definite negative mark.
Hence SF is more precise.”I will help families to improve financially”.This is more understanding.When a statement is concrete,the intensity of comprehension is relatively discerning.
Again this is a huge blunder,commited by MR’s Manifesto designers.
4.
SF stresses”I will ease cost of living”.
This is wonderful.This is what is needed.This is what can be felt by all with no exception.MR has failed to underline this.SF seems to have clearly apprehended the economic difficulties people are undergoing.He is having a vision of it.And there is a mission to fulfil the vision.Cost of living is one constituent,the people of this country are really crazy to eraze.
Absence of this component in MRM is very unfortunate.Actually all his speeches contain this aspect.It is rightful for us to have the attitude that MR is very keen in this aspect.
Yet MR is so unlucky that his Manifesto designers have totally failed to include this vast point-adding aspect in to MRM.
5.
SF accentuates,”Will start a process of national reconcilliation”.
Now this is very strange.National reconciliation is not an undemocratic thing.It certainly would impact into positivity.Yet SF,being the ex-General of the Sri Lankan army,having being subjected to LTTE bomb attack,merely escaping the death and thereafter mercilessly eraicating the LTTE with the help of other forces and under the political leadership of MR,does contain no mention about the unity of the country,about it’s territorial integrity and about the country’s indivisibility.
As a disciplined,persevering,untiring Army Officer at the highest command,who almost was forced to embrace death by Prabhakaran does not contain this terrific aspect in his Manifesto and for people this seems to be totally imposible.Yet as being evident that is the truth.
This engenders lots of confusion in the minds of the majority.SF’s mind cannot drop this aspet even by a mistake.In to this all his rights are exhausted.Instead suspicion dominates souls.
On the top of that TNA has expressed their support to SF.Yet TNA had discusions with MR too,before they dialogued with SF.They were not satisfied with MR.There are allegations that SF and TNA have reached a clandestine agreement,an agreement,so to say as said,”Of Betrayal”.
There were propaganda speeches by SF that he never had any agreement with none.And in such context TNA is not an exclusion.
But this burning issue is not clearly comprised in the SF Manifesto.The Indivisibility of Sri Lanka.It’s territorial Integrity.It’s Unity.
Now clearly contradicting SFM,MR not only precisely,but also emphatically states in his Manifesto…:
“A UNITARY STATE NOT TO BE DIVIDED”.
Wonderfully mentioned.It is a statement which is electric.Truly discernible.Over-powers all.Dominates all.Pervades everywhere.All other statements helplessly melt into this.There in no excuse indeed.It pictures MR’s true,dedicated,devoted political leadership that ushered to total eradication of the LTTE and absolute victory of the Motherland which MR seems to be loving,admiring and fascinating so honestly,so candidly and so stongly.
And after such a victory,such a difficult victory,being subjected to so much international pressure of the vested interest,loosing so many lives of people and soldiers,dispossessing so many limbs and organs of men and women, so much wealth being devastated,procrastinating and discarding so many economy-vitalizing projects,to drop this blazing issue from one’s own mind or from an election manifesto is to be totally crazy or absolutely dead.
In his statement MR shines.And shines infinitely.This generates faith.Engenders trust.Germinates hope.Carries towards stability.Dispels distress.Lodges in peace.Involves national reconciliation in an undevided country.In it’s unity with territorial integrity.
People, have undergone so much sufffering for this.They starved.Tightened their stomach-belts.Tolerated frustration.Sacrificed lives.Donated their children to the Army as martyres.And enough.Definitely enough.
Now it comes to the proverb:”Known devil is better than an unknown angel”.
Indeed,there is the statement of SF:
“I will safeguard the security of nations”.
This does not satisfy us.The “s” at the end of the word”nation” is confusing.It may be two nations.Three nations.One can be out.Hence vague.Disputable.Debtable.
Now,with all blunders,done by MRM designers,MR herein rises to the top.It is unstoppable.MR emerges as an unconquerable winner with victory.
6.
In other statements I don’t see much difference,save for sameness, except for
women’s empowering of SFM.
CONCLUSION:
IN RELATION TO HIS INTEGRITY,IN CONNECTION WITH THE COUNTRY,IT’S INDIVISIBILITY AND TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY,SF HAS FAILED TO SHOW HIS GENUINE AND UNEQUIVOCAL COMMITMENT.MR HAS,IN IT, BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
wHATEVER IT IS PEOPLE MUST HAVE THEIR UNITED COUNTRY IN WHICH THEY ARE TO LIVE IN PEACE.IT IS UNITY THAT GUARANTEES PEACE.NO DIVISION CAN GRANT PEACE WHAT EVER THE RECONCILLIATION MAY BE INTRODUCED TO.RECONCILIATION IS A PERIOD FOR A PRPARATION OF ANOTHER WAR.BUT IT MAY GRANT SOME CONSOLATION.YET CONSOLATION IS NOT RECONCILING + PEACE.
THEREFORE PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED ONLY IN UNITY.THEY ARE NOT AGAINST REONCILIATION.THEY ARE FOR IT.BUT THE RECONCILLIATIN MUST BE FOUNDED ON THE UNIQUENESS OF THE UNITY.
A PROPSPERITY WITH ABSENCE OF PEACE IN RECONCILLIATION IS TOTALLY FUTILE.WE HAD SUCH SO CALLED PREOSPERITY DURING THE TIME OF PREVIOUS GOVERNMENTS,PARTICULARLY DURING THE GOVERNANCE OF THE OPPOSITION LEADER,MR.RW.IT’S RESULT WAS TOTAL FORTIFICATION AND RE-FORTIFICATION OF THE LTTE.WE DONT NEED THIS ANY MORE.
IF THERE IS NEPOTISM AND CORRUPTION WE HAVE TO FIND OUT A WAYOUT TO ERADICATE THEM.BUT TO SACRIFICE THE UNITY OF THE COUNTRY,IT IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR US.
IT IS REALLY SAD THAT THE ASPECT OF THE INDIVISIBILITY OF THE COUNTRY COULD NOT HAVE ANY SPACE IN SF MANIFESTO.HAD IT BEEN,WONDERFUL IT WOULD HAVE BEEN.ORAL GUARANTEES IN PUBLIC SPEECHES WOULD HAVE BEEN OKAY,HAD SF BEEN STANDING ON HIS OWN FOOT.HIS HANDS ARE TOUCHIG CANCEROUS ULCERS WHICH WERE DEAVOURING THE FLESH OF OUR MOTHERLAND MUSCLE BY MUSCLE.
SF,WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH.
BUT NOW YOU ARE NOT INDEPENDENT AS YOU WERE DURING THE TIME OF WAR.THEN WE HAD ABSOLUTE TRUST IN YOU,IN YOUR WORDS,IN YOUR DEEDS.
YET PL.DON’T COMPARE SUCH WONDERFUL WORDS,UTTERED IN TOTAL INDEPENDENCE,WITH WORDS SPOKEN IN DEPENDENCE ON CANCEROUS ELEMENTS.
WE LOVE YOU GENERAL.
THE MARVELLOUS THINGS YOU DID FOR US,YOUR WONDROUS COURAGE,THE MASTERY OF YOUR WORDS,OUR PEACE YOU CONTRIBUTED TO IMMENSLY,WE CAN NEVER FORGET,EVEN IF WE TRY TO.WE DON’T WANT YOU TO LOOK LIKE A TRAITER.SOME POWER-GREEDY POLITICIANS HAVE ALREADY STARTED BRANDING YOU AS TRECHEROUS.
PL.DON’T FALL INTO THIS CATEGORY.DON’T ALLOW OTHERS TO MAKE YOU FALL TOO.
WE FASCINATE YOU SO MUCH THAT WE WANT YOU TO BE THE SAME GENERAL WHO WAS HEADING THE WAR IN THE MONTH OF MAY 2009.AND YOU CAN BE THAT.BE FOREVER THAT.
WE LOVE TO SEE YOU GENERAL,AS A POLITICIAN TOO.BUT WITH THE ABSENCE OF TRECHEROUS ELEMENTS.SHOULD YOU HAVE SOME MENTAL DESIGNS TO USE THESE TRAITORS,TO BE A REAL POLITICIAN+GENERAL,YOU ARE SADLY MISTAKEN.
WHY???
BEFORE YOUR BECOMING A POLITIIAN YOU WILL BE A TRAITOR.TO RECTIFY THAT IT WILL TAKE A LONG TIME.BY THAT TIME YOUR SENELITY WILL,AS TO ALL,FLEX IT’S POWERFUL MUSCLE.
HENCE GENERAL,STILL YOU HAVE TIME.DON’T FALL VICTIME IN TO THE TRAP,ENSNARED BY TRAITORS AND VESTED INTERNATIONAL INTEREST.THEY LOVE NEITHER YOU NOR OUR MOTHERLAND.
kindly note that above is written based on the points of the two manifestos
stipulated in this column above.
DR.GAMINI ILANGAKOON
dr.ilangakoon@gmail.com
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January 25th, 2010 at 10:23 am
i love how deluded people get with the prospect hope, what a sad case of middle class sensibilities.Mahinda et al are obviously corrupt, but they represent a government and an organization. What has SF got? just a collection of vacuous promises. how exactly is he going to achieve any of his economic goals without any form of a broader macro economic strategy. This is something neither himself nor the UNP has explicitly stated. SF is also fuzzy about how exactly he’s going to abolish the executive presidency without forming a government.
he’s also unclear about the protocol concerning his interaction with the parliament. for what it is worth president bandaranayaka allowed the UNP to form an government and appoint a cabinet of their own. What does SF plan to do if the PA comes back to power in the april elections. How is he going to pass a budget? What will happen if the president and the prime minister come to loggerheads over administrative decisions.
at more than one point he claims to be the school master who’s going to discipline the country. Is that a bad attempt at humor? Does he have any idea why there is corruption? Also how is he going to monitor the entire public sector that has about 2 million employees, a considerable proportion of which engages in corruption. How does he intend to depoliticize these departments. I think it is important that he presents the people with an mechanism of achieving this. the anti corruption provisions of the 17th amendment are clearly not capable of that level oversight.
10000 rupee promise is a farce. What is the real purpose of this gift? Under any sensible scheme of administration it should be noted that an salary increment is a tool that is to be utilized as a reward of effective service and a further incentive for employees to exert themselves. what is the utility of rewarding a bunch of indolent government servants? Is this culture of good governance SF is promising?
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January 25th, 2010 at 7:12 pm
SF’s manifesto does seem to be precise, but they have no depth in them. Most importantly he has no word on a “United Sri Lanka”, he only says he’ll secure ppl
SF’s manifesto is just a bunch of promises, he also has no experience as a politician which is very bad, b’cos the presidency of a country should be in the hands of a experienced,knowledgeable,reliable person. He’s economical policies are none different from the policies of Ranil, the UNP party leader. These policies are now considered to be unsuccessful.
MR has a vision, his manifesto implicates his vision for this country, which is what other leaders lack. His vision is not based on gathering votes, they aimed towards building “Sri Lanka: the emerging “Wonder of Asia” ”
I will give an example, other leaders did not have a vision how to fulfill the electricity requirement, they did only temporary things to satisfy people at that time & left the problem to future. They were not keen to begin required projects because of fear of loosing votes. But President MR took actions to initiate these projects ,Norochchole,Kothmale,Kerawalapitiya & more small electricity projects island wide so it will fulfill the electricity retirement for the present & many more years to come….. Otherwise earlier it was calculated that Sri Lanka will be in dark by 2009
If past leaders had worked with a vision Sri Lanka would have become a wondrous country by now, everybody worked on temporary satisfying manifestos but MR’s manifesto is a vision, to take Sri Lanka among to the developed world… So I think it’s best
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January 25th, 2010 at 10:04 pm
You dont have to compare past actions or future promises to judge either one. Just look at the way each behaving at present and you’ll see the future.
I’m not whitewashing SF but the way MR is abusing the media, abusing the election laws and abusing his power as the current president of the country at these very crucial pre-election is a very very bad sign in my opinion.
And to add up to it there’s this ultimate question hanging on the horizon(still unanswered, sadly) – Why did MR has to go in to a premature election 2 whole years ahead of his actual tenure?
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