President Sirisena, Playing With Fire, Must Take Note That Smoke Will Get Into His Eyes

ෂ්‍යාමන් ජයසිංහ

“This time President Sirisena’s sword is nearing his own neck; not mere smoke flooding his eyes.”

Penchant for Playing with Fire

President Pallewatte Gamaralalage Maithripala Sirisena has always had a penchant for playing with fire. He did fire-play at the local government elections when he made a disastrous U-Turn and went round country blasting the party and its leader that put him into power. He, next, flopped in an attempt to join his former political enemies and oust Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Unscathed by these foolish moves, the UNP and its leader managed damage control without saying a word. Ranil acted with Buddhist restraint and upekka.

 Sirisena should have learned a lesson and turned a new leaf. But no, he must continue to play with fire as some kids are prone to do. The latest that that has come to light is the episode of Sirisena’s alleged interference to defend Chief Of Defence, Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne against the CID. The Admiral, in the meantime, fled to Mexico for a public event.The CID has ordered Wijegunaratne’s arrest and if the going goes their way the latter will be arrested upon return at the airport

Whose Agenda?

“I condemn the actions of FCID, the CID and the Bribery Commission,” cried Sirisena.

“They should not work according to a political agenda. If they do, I will have to take stern action against them. I deplore their recent actions and I want to express my disgust.”

The facts are so clear as daylight that one cannot honestly see any political agenda that drives the organisations referred to. In fact, the universal complaint is that these institutions are too slow “to catch the rogues.” Looking at the bare facts, it seems that Sirisena is unhappy that the investigating bodies aren’t acting according to his political agenda.