{"id":42271,"date":"2015-07-21T19:27:24","date_gmt":"2015-07-21T23:27:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=42271"},"modified":"2015-07-21T19:27:24","modified_gmt":"2015-07-21T23:27:24","slug":"is-mahinda-rajapaksa-upholding-the-dignity-of-an-ex-president-that-was-established-by-jr-jayewardena","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=42271","title":{"rendered":"Is Mahinda Rajapaksa Upholding the “Dignity of an Ex-President” that was Established by JR Jayewardena?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By<\/p>\n

Upul Joseph Ferando<\/strong><\/p>\n

Late President J.R. Jayewardene was obstructed from paying his last respects to late Lalith Athulathmudali when the latter’s remains lay at his Flower Road, Colombo residence as an organized group of Lalith supporters who had been at Lalith’s residence was planning to jeer JR. However, JR got information to this effect in advance.<\/p>\n

Late PresideI told them that I must uphold the dignity of a former President and protect the title called President. I told them to leave me alone”. Stating this JR explained that Lalith supporters may have thought he was protecting Premadasa and that was why they had ganged up to abuse him if he had gone to pay last respects to Lalith.<\/p>\n

JR’s assumption was correct. After Lalith and Gamini brought the Impeachment Motion against Premadasa, the meets between JR, Lalith and Gamini appeared to be less. JR took that stand to avoid criticism countrywide that he was conspiring against Premadasa and not that he opposed Lalith and Gamini.<\/p>\n

JR never liked a message of a conspiracy being spread in the country involving his name as he was in retirement. When drafting the 1978 Constitution, JR included the provision to provide an office to the former President, official residence, security and other privileges to safeguard the dignity of a former President.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The Opposition at that time was very critical about the huge expenditure that would be incurred to maintain a former President. This issue was raised by a foreign correspondent and JR explained, “A former President should not face the fate that befell former MPs and a Prime Minister like W. Dahanayake. The Executive Presidency is an honourable post. Those who are in that office and others who had retired must safeguard the dignity of that high office”.<\/p>\n

JR’s viewpoint<\/strong><\/p>\n

That was JR’s viewpoint of the Executive Presidency. That position is commended. Wijayananda Dahanayake, was the Prime Minister in the 1959-60 period, after S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike was assassinated. Later he formed a new party and aligned with the UNP. He was also a Minister in JR’s Government. JR was not happy about a former Prime Minister being made a Minister.<\/p>\n

That stand was demonstrated in the biography of J.R. Jayewardene in the following manner; “Nevertheless, as he got ready to step down from office, in itself a notable political rarity in a country where party leaders cling to office, he took consolation in the fact that his objective for the last and very difficult year in office had been achieved; the UNP had won a third consecutive term of office, something that no party had done before in Sri Lanka’s political history, and the transition to a new leadership within the party had been effected.<\/p>\n

He was 82 years old, but physically fit. He had enjoyed excellent health throughout his period in office. Apart from an occasional cold his medical advisers had nothing at all to worry about during that time. His mind was clearer than that of many who were a full twenty years younger.<\/p>\n

His colleagues did notice a slowing down, especially after the riots of 1983, but even those who did notice this admitted that they were full of admiration, as he stood up to the myriad problems that beset him in his last few months in office.<\/p>\n

Biography<\/strong><\/p>\n

All of them were agreed on one point: nobody other than JR could have prevailed over the seemingly impossible difficulties that confronted him then. Our biography stops at this point. It is an appropriate point at which to stop because JR had decided that retirement is retirement, and that under no circumstances would he be persuaded to intervene in a political controversy within the government or on a matter of public policy and, much less, serve as stop-gap in the leadership even if the situation seemed to warrant such a measure.<\/p>\n

Even in this he was a unique figure, the only head of government in South Asia to have retired from office without being driven out by the collapse of a parliamentary majority (as in the case of Morarji Desai) or a disillusioned and disgruntled electorate (as in the case of Sir John Kotelawala).<\/p>\n

Generally he maintained a dignified silence even when he was under attack, sometimes unfairly, in journals and newspapers, or even when his policies were being jettisoned by his successor. Occasionally even his legendary patience wore thin enough to evoke a response, such as when he decided that enough was enough and took legal action against Lake House in general and the Sunday Observer in particular against what he regarded as a blatantly unfair campaign of denigration. Or again there was Premadasa’s decision, which JR thought both ill-considered and uncharitable, abruptly and rudely to order the Israeli mission to leave the country.<\/p>\n

A farewell party was organized by the US Embassy when the Israeli interest section there closed down. Not a single Cabinet Minister was present on the occasion. The only government party MP who did accept the invitation was the Deputy Speaker, Gamini Fonseka. JR made it a point to be present to thank the Israelis personally for the assistance they had given in helping the Army to train its soldiers and officers at a time when such help was difficult to come by”.<\/p>\n

The above facts look stubborn in the argument to deprive Mahinda Rajapaksa of his privileges as a former President because Mahinda has returned to contest a parliamentary election to become an MP.nt J.R. Jayewardene was obstructed from paying his last respects to late Lalith Athulathmudali when the latter’s remains lay at his Flower Road, Colombo residence as an organized group of Lalith supporters who had been at Lalith’s residence was planning to jeer JR. However, JR got information to this effect in advance.<\/p>\n

JR’s security informed the former President to exercise caution about his safety in deciding to visit Lalith’s residence to pay respects to Lalith.<\/p>\n

When a prominent minister of the Premadasa Government asked JR what reason had that Lalith group to oppose his presence to pay last respects to Lalith, JR replied, “Before the Impeachment Motion on Premadasa, both Lalith and Gamini came to meet me to discuss about their opposition to Premadasa. They sought my advice to impeach Premadasa. I told them to have patience. At that time Premadasa was using the Lake House newspapers to attack me. My Secretary Menikdiwela’s family was being harassed. I told Lalith and Gamini that though there were problems, I could not assist to divide the UNP. I was retired at that time.”<\/p>\n

Courtesy:Ceylon Today<\/em><\/p>\n

Tweet<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Upul Joseph Ferando Late President J.R. Jayewardene was obstructed from paying his last respects to late Lalith Athulathmudali when the latter’s remains lay at his Flower Road, Colombo residence as an organized group of Lalith supporters who had been at Lalith’s residence was planning to jeer JR. However, JR got information to this effect …<\/p>\n

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