There is apprehension among Muslims as well. The way they have joined ranks with Tamils to oppose Rajapaksa can be explained by the fact that Fonseka won all Muslim-dominated districts in the polls.
In fact, experts believe that all these years, Muslims were wooed in order to isolate LTTE. Now that LTTE is gone, many believe, the heavily politicised Buddhist clergy will like the government to tighten screw on the Muslims as well.
It appears that issues like corruption, abolishment of the post of executive presidency and increased cost of living have failed to dent Rajapaksa’s vote base. There have been some serious allegations regarding threatening and bumping off critics and journalists. One of his brothers, Basil, is called anything between Mr 15 Per Cent to Mr 20 Per Cent. The figures represent the alleged cut he takes from every project that is passed. “Rajapaksa has ruled using jamboree techniques. He has not only exclusively presided over the armed forces but has also presided over the clandestine Tamil paramilitaries, the gangland Mafioso, death squadrons, corrupt ministers and the powerful commission lobby with the aid of his brother Basil,” says noted journalist Nilantha Ilangamuwa. “Now we have to face it for another 6 years.”
The Lankan economy is in dire straits. A colossal $11.7 million per year is spent on presidential advisors and over $8.6 million on luxury vehicles. Around $100,000 per day is spent on other central offices. Several millions a month go on looking after the President and security in Colombo. The nation that, in the past, had the second highest living standard in South Asia after Pakistan, which had generous subsidies for food and fuel and that once boasted close to complete literacy, has today one quarter of its population living below $1 a day. But all these have not mattered at all in the elections. Dayan Jayatilleka has an explanation. “The election was to decide the head of state, not merely the head of government and I consider Mahinda Rajapakse makes a superior head of state. As for our grumbles with the government, the management, these are best tackled at the forthcoming parliamentary election,” he says. Constitutional mumbo-jumbo as it may sound, it did find resonance with the voters.
Economy is a front where some out of box thinking is required. Defence expenditure reached $925 million in 2009. It is probably the only country on the earth where the defence budget has been increased following the end of a conflict. Sri Lanka’s main economic problem has been a high fiscal deficit averaging 8 per cent of GDP since 1991. Successive governments have borrowed heavily due to the 28-year-old war and the cost of maintaining a bloated public sector. Thus increase in post-conflict military budget is absurd.
In fact, experts believe that all these years, Muslims were wooed in order to isolate LTTE. Now that LTTE is gone, many believe, the heavily politicised Buddhist clergy will like the government to tighten screw on the Muslims as well.
It appears that issues like corruption, abolishment of the post of executive presidency and increased cost of living have failed to dent Rajapaksa’s vote base. There have been some serious allegations regarding threatening and bumping off critics and journalists. One of his brothers, Basil, is called anything between Mr 15 Per Cent to Mr 20 Per Cent. The figures represent the alleged cut he takes from every project that is passed. “Rajapaksa has ruled using jamboree techniques. He has not only exclusively presided over the armed forces but has also presided over the clandestine Tamil paramilitaries, the gangland Mafioso, death squadrons, corrupt ministers and the powerful commission lobby with the aid of his brother Basil,” says noted journalist Nilantha Ilangamuwa. “Now we have to face it for another 6 years.”
The Lankan economy is in dire straits. A colossal $11.7 million per year is spent on presidential advisors and over $8.6 million on luxury vehicles. Around $100,000 per day is spent on other central offices. Several millions a month go on looking after the President and security in Colombo. The nation that, in the past, had the second highest living standard in South Asia after Pakistan, which had generous subsidies for food and fuel and that once boasted close to complete literacy, has today one quarter of its population living below $1 a day. But all these have not mattered at all in the elections. Dayan Jayatilleka has an explanation. “The election was to decide the head of state, not merely the head of government and I consider Mahinda Rajapakse makes a superior head of state. As for our grumbles with the government, the management, these are best tackled at the forthcoming parliamentary election,” he says. Constitutional mumbo-jumbo as it may sound, it did find resonance with the voters.
Economy is a front where some out of box thinking is required. Defence expenditure reached $925 million in 2009. It is probably the only country on the earth where the defence budget has been increased following the end of a conflict. Sri Lanka’s main economic problem has been a high fiscal deficit averaging 8 per cent of GDP since 1991. Successive governments have borrowed heavily due to the 28-year-old war and the cost of maintaining a bloated public sector. Thus increase in post-conflict military budget is absurd.
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