-By A Staff Writer
(Lanka-e-News -20.Sep.2024, 11.00 pm) With the potential victory of National People's Power (NPP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the upcoming election, a wave of high-profile political figures and their families are reportedly fleeing Sri Lanka. Sources indicate that former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, his brother Basil Rajapaksa, and Yoshitha Rajapaksa, along with his family, have already left the country. Additionally, Namal Rajapaksa's wife and children, and even the brother of current President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s national security advisor, Kavan Ratnayake, are rumored to have fled. Media personality Chamuditha Samarawickrama has also reportedly left the island. Iraj and Samantha Bhadra Thero, who spread smear campaigns against Anura Kumara, have also fled the country.
These departures follow widespread speculation that Anura Kumara's victory is imminent. The NPP leader has called on his supporters to avoid engaging in any form of violence or revenge, urging them to protect all Sri Lankans, regardless of political affiliation. He stressed that although many traditional politicians had committed atrocities against opposition parties in the past, the NPP's goal is to create a different Sri Lanka—one where unity prevails over division.
Historically, Sri Lanka has witnessed violent reprisals after elections, particularly following the 1977 victory of the United National Party (UNP), when many members of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) were targeted. However, Anura Kumara has made it clear that his administration would not follow the same path. He has extended an olive branch to his political opponents, inviting them to work together for the country's betterment.
The sudden exodus of these figures is widely believed to be tied to their involvement in corruption and other criminal activities. Those implicated in major scandals such as tender scams, the bond scam, and illicit land deals are reportedly seeking to escape legal consequences under a new government. Anura Kumara has pledged to pursue justice through the proper legal channels, emphasizing that his government will not tolerate the law being taken into people's hands.
Reports suggest that over 1,000 Sri Lankans, including many elites with offshore accounts, have been flagged by international investigative organizations. Billions of rupees looted from the Sri Lankan people must be recovered, according to the NPP leader, but through due process. Anura Kumara’s call for restraint comes as a reminder of past violence, particularly during the JVP insurrection, when innocent people were targeted.
As the country faces a severe economic crisis, with bankruptcy and resource shortages looming large, Anura Kumara has emphasized the importance of national unity. He envisions a new Sri Lanka, one built on cooperation rather than conflict, and is calling on all Sri Lankans to join forces to rebuild the nation.
With these developments, the future of Sri Lanka stands at a crossroads, as the country braces for a political transformation under the leadership of the NPP.
(A photo of Basil Rajapaksa leaving Katunayake Airport is shown here)
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by (2024-09-20 19:51:42)
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