The latest Game of Sri Lanka’s National Sport, politics, has ended.
In words, divisive, peaceful and large turnout,
Turnout:
83% of approx 16 million eligible voters.
Total Population 21 million.
Results:
Winner: Gotabya Rajapakse 52.5% (approx 6.9 million votes)
Second: Sajith Premadasa 42.99% (approx 5.6 million votes).
Difference: 9.51% or 1.36 million votes
Divisive
Green Color (for Sajith): Minority as Majority area (Tamils and Muslims)
Red: Majority in Majority area (Sinhalese)
Await next Game, Parliamentary elections in a few months.
Divisive Analysis (my opinion)
Gotabaya got less of the minority vote (less than 10%) compared Mahinda Rajapakse in 2015 (around 20%).
Tamils: Instead of reaching out for Economic development, its still pie in the sky separatism. These views are propagated by the Tamil leadership like Sumanthiran who live comfortably in Colombo, went to Colombo schools (and their children).
Sumathiran (or someone in the TNA) went as far as to say if we dont vote for Sajith we cant defeat the Sinhalese. The Tamils united and backed Sajith by over 70% in the North and East. That was the kiss of death for Sajith with the Sinhalese voters in the south
Muslims: Sajith, hobnobbed with Muslim MP’s who had been pals of the Easter Terrorists. The Muslims voted for Sajith en masse (again over 70%) and Sajith lost a lot of Sinhala votes.
The Sinhalese responded,and united in what they saw as Sajith’s apparent support for separatism and seeking support of Muslim MP’s sympathetic to Islamic Extremists. The SLPP party base is not sufficient to win. There has been UNP crossovers to Gotabya and he won with pretty much only the Sinhalese vote.
Background on Gotabaya Rajapakse
Was the all powerful Defense Secretary 2005-2015. Credited with ending the Civil Wat, Urban renewal and Infrastructure development. Diploma in IT from Uni of Colombo. MS in Defense Studies from the University of Madras and various Defense related training In SL Army, 1971-1992 retired after 20 years as Lieutenant Colonel. Unix Admin (1998-2015) at Loyola Law School, CA. Credited with being a Technocrat and authoritarian.
Gotabaya and Wife Ioma
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotabaya_Rajapaksa
he looks Bengali. Sinhalese are from E India so makes sense
thewarlock
His brother Mahinda even more so.
http://www.dailynews.lk/2016/11/11/local/98878
More than bengali, probably direct Malay/Indonesian admixture. They are from the deep south Matara area. A few kilometers away is an old port, now a controversial Chinese funded port Hambanthota. Also home to fairly large Muslim/malay community.
Hamban = Sampan
Thota = port
On and off will see FB comments like Malay Rajapakse’s but no evidence. Anyway considered “Pure” Sinhalese Buddhist.
Btw aren’t those muslims also Tamils? What language do they speak?
So it appears that Sri Lanka is now firmly in China’s grasp.
Less than when we were in the IMF/World Bank grasp. At least the Chinese dont tell us how to run the country.
For now…
From what I’ve read, Sri Lanka’s president is pro-China while the prime minister is pro-India. But still not too good for India, if it’s steadily losing whatever tenuous grip it may have had on the countries in its immediate sphere of influence.
the rational response to this encirclement is to respond in kind (antichinese sentiment in mongolia and vietnam are red-hot, for example). but india doesn’t have the power projection yet.
Seems increasingly unlikely that India will ever have that kind of power.
India HAD that power at least with Sri Lanka and Nepal. But frittered that power for some foolish domestic political reasons. And is about to do that wrt Bangladesh in the coming decade.
Indo-Carib,
while the prime minister is pro-India.
The former Prime Minster has resigned. He was pro West and India. Talked big in 2015 and dissed the Chinese. There were rumors his election campaign was funded by the West and India. Anyway unable to get the economy going and no one in the West gave a hand out. Had to go on his knees to China and they paid back by getting him to do a 99 year lease of Hambantota port for peanuts.
The current president says he will get the Port back. Count me skeptical, though hopeful.
Sri Lanka/Sinhalese are always wary of India, because of history past and present. Invasions from the 13th century that devastated Sri Lanka.
In recent history India funded and trained the LTTE. India forced the 13th amendment and a disastrous Provincial council system that just sucks up money.
The Indian Foreign secretary tweeted (since deleted) that the Rajapakses ensure right to Tamils. Thats just another way of saying devolution or Federalism. It is none of India’s business (SL does not comment on Kashmir etc). Anyway not going to happen in this watch.
You going to see plenty of hit pieces with various accusations on the Rajapaksas (two brothers as Pres and PM) in western media. In my opinion that means they are doing something right.
Great summary mate. This was really informative yet also concise!
“Tamils: Instead of reaching out for Economic development, its still pie in the sky separatism.”
Not accurate. I’m in Jaffna. Whole family voted en masse for sajith because we fear what Gota will do. I invite all readers to do a search of ‘human rights violations’ with his name on any search engine.
“Sumathiran (or someone in the TNA) went as far as to say if we dont vote for Sajith we cant defeat the Sinhalese.”
This was a slanderous lie spread in the media. Sumanthiran is now suing the papers involved for libel.
Damo
Sumanthiran: He said (in a video I saw on his FB page) “they are attributing this to me”, i.e. implying someone else in the TNA said it.
Sumanthirans letter demanding an investigation is a fluff piece for public consumption. He is asking the Acting IGP to open a Criminal Investigation based on International Covenant blah blah. You know the procedure to start a criminal case, a police entry; which has not been done.
The IGP probably filed letter under “wishful thinking” because it refers to some International COVENANT not even a law.
The problem with the Tamils they always loose or support the loosing side.
Gota ended the almost 30 year war and annihilated the LTTE leadership and the Tamils hater him for that
The Rajapakses were not in power when all the mayhem, progroms occurred between 1977-2005. Specially 1977, Jaffna Librry and July 83 progrom. That was Ranil, JR his Uncle and the UNP. The LTTE assassinated all the moderate Tamil leadership, including Kadirgama, Neelan Thiruchelvam and Amirthalingam
Have the likes of Sumanthiran and Sampanthan ever condemned the LTTE. I am open to correction
http://www.internationallawbureau.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Law-Paper-Attachment-2-List-of-Tamil-Politicians-Assassinated-by-the-LTTE.pdf
Maybe you dont like the Rajapakses for defeating the LTTE and ending the civil war. That is not rational. Since 2010, Tamils are able to travel to Jaffna, most ancestral lands have been handed over.
If the LTTE managed to create a separate state, you would not have got your land back. My classmates Land had been occupied by LTTE supporters. Had a hard time getting it back after 2010.
Kudos for the new commenting/editing format
Genetically the Muslims are Sri Lankans, i.e. not much different from Sinhalese and Tamils.
Many muslims are multi lingual. However, the language spoken at home is Tamil even in the deep south.
It is changing, younger generation (below 40) now speak Sinhalese (or English) at home.
The LTTE and many Tamils dont think the muslims are Tamils. The LTTE ethnically cleansed the muslims from the Tamil areas in the North and East.