WHEN TROUBLES COME – an under-siege chief executive is fast discovering that the singular joy of being the Democratic-Republican project’s cherished common candidate is easily undermined by dint of being the Joint Opposition’s common enemy for target practice
President Maithripala Sirisena is the cynosure these days. Like the joker Trump on a State-side stage, he has evidently been identified as the King of Diamonds, the jewel in the Sri Lankan ruling coalition’s crown, to heartily club to death for the sake of the off-stage King of Spades.
The Joint Opposition’s runaway train, fuelled by Rajapaksa-injected turbo-revenge, is bearing down on him like an unscheduled express at virtually every parliamentary and propagandistic opportunity. Clearly, enemy action!
The UNP’s local-government machinery won’t allow him, their erstwhile running mate, the idyll of wandering lonely as a cloud. But rather, casts a long shadow over this out-of-left-corner once and future presidential hopeful’s presidential prospects and posterity-eying ambitions. Theoretically happenstance; but perhaps the parties of the third part are practising for the eventuality?
The allegations of personal corruption are whispering over seven seas (well, one.) and down the corridors of time. An unwelcome voice from the past that threatens to throw an alleged spanner in the actual works. Timing, or coincidence?
To add insult to injury, there was more slippage under the executive’s wheels as the executive’s website came in for undue and unwarranted attention by an albeit youthful, allegedly exam-testy, cyber terrorist.
Hackers
When troubles come, they come not single spies, but in battalions. “I must be doing something right,” that worthy is probably saying to himself. (The Prez, not the cyber terra.) Or, perhaps alternately, “What have I done to deserve this?” There are several possibilities, as regards a rational response. None of which will guarantee our incumbent chief executive any nirvana-like deep sleep. With miles to go! And many promises still to keep! But I digress.
Despite his best intentions and his better nature – maybe because of them… – MS has become a magnet for JO MPs’ metallic attacks and immodestly pontificating media attention. So distressing has been these series of paroxysms that his apologists have felt obliged to threaten to gag allegiants and vow to muzzle the Fourth Estate inimical to the Democratic-Republican cause. (Often, occupants of high political office change chairs and characters; but the character of low political culture remains abysmally the same… It’s The Bush Doctrine in blatantly antidemocratic guise: “If you aren’t with us, you’re against us for sure”… – ’Twas ever thus… And more’s the pity… A cardinal opportunity for paradigmatic change in local political mores is slipping away… While politicos of all stripes continue to play the game… Closing ranks to protect their own – and flay all opposition.)
Maybe the social media wisdom that to discover who rules over one, one must identify who can’t be criticised with impunity has more than some relevance to the vituperative warnings issued by all the President’s men?
Be that as it may, or maybe because things are as they are (nauseating, no?) and behind them there is nothing substantial, the rumour mills have worked overtime and the analytical engines ground out slow theologies to account for the incidence of MS in the unforgiving crucible of public and expert opinion.
NAÏVE: There is no truth or justification for any of these rumours. Shame!
NEEDY: It is all part of a conspiracy to alienate the President from the Prime Minister. We must realise this, and do what we can and must to stop it.
NORMAL: Par for the course in island politics. Politicos of all ilk and exaltedness are fair game for insult as much as for injury.
NATURAL: Only a matter of time before the exaltedness of even politicos of this executive ilk was challenged, cornered, compromised, by political foes and perhaps even erstwhile political friends. No such thing as a permanent period of grace for even vaunted political messiahs.
NECESSARY: The gloves came off because the gloves had to come off. The object of the affections of the nation-state, country, coalition, party, was beginning to believe in his own propaganda about statesmanship etc.
NAUGHTY: The UNP dropped him in it, first, with their CBSL imbroglio and VAT fiasco. Next, they will drop him per se, and anent presidential saga will continue to seek the highest office on their own.
NASTY: There was no need for enemy action. A political messiah with ambitions of statesmanship vis-à-vis posterity, but with feet of clay to boot, is his own worst enemy. Sooner or later his actions – past and present – will out him. Ambition for posterity’s praise must be made of far sterner stuff.
As one might discern from the gamut of responses above, the spectrum of public and expert thinking on the matter, as culled from one’s favourite media as much as one’s familiar mother-in-law, reflects a kaleidoscope of opinion ranging from silly to strategic to subversive.