the bull in a china shop approach continues in Sri Lanka politics - an appeal for considered reason to change direction

While I am no fan of General Fonseka, one has to think (kalpanakaranna) one's actions through and determine if the course of action chosen is the proper one taking into consideration both points of view, yours and your opposing person's arguments.

I believe that one of SF's gravest sins is shooting his mouth off. Well he paid a price for that by losing the election, but that is not a prosecutable offence. He has upset a lot of people by his utterances, but that is all they are, the rants of a person with some personality flaws. However tell me a leader who does not have personality flaws! Only the sycophants, not the average joe, thinks the current government is free from flaws, and much worse ones than what SF is accused of.

As the President is the undisputed leader of the country he must take responsibility for all the actions of his underlings, brothers included. I have noticed comments such as this is not the President's doing but other people who have a grudge against SF as the President in victory would be magnanimous and therefore blameless. I disagree. He must take full responsibility for what is going on, and he must be held accountable, whether he is correct or wrong. The buck stops with him and him alone as the underlings can easily be sidelined and disappear into oblivion.

Coming back to the considered approach that is needed in this hour of madness, I suggest we look in the mirror and ask ourselves that if we were not in power, we would just as easily be arrested for our transgressions, even if we did not think that we did anything wrong at the time we committed them. So it is only the positions that we hold that give us the arrogance and ability to do as we want, and in this era of politics of fear be free from arrest.

Going back to the time when SF was Commander and running the war, he could do no wrong, he was best chums or so it seemed to us with the President and Defense Secretary, and was tasked with winning the war at any cost. For better or for worse he achieved what was asked, so give him some common courtesy that you would even give a beggar for what he has achieved, whatever you think he has done since to contribute to the downfall and humiliation he has had to face.

If he is really a brute he will meet his waterloo on his own sword, and if he is in fact without guilt it is the person who put him there who will meet his waterloo at some point in the future. That is the way it happens whether you believe it or not. So in a democracy act as a democrat, unless the leadership want to honestly move away into an autocracy to fulfill personal ambitions.

Move away from calling all those opposing you unpatriotic, western imperialist stooges and bent on selling the country for personal glory, because if you were in opposition you could be labeled similarly, with the Western changed to Eastern. It is all a matter of degree.

Please remember amongst all this is the future of the country, the one the President claim to love so much, but by your actions show you hate it more than life itself, cant people see this? Are they blind or plain stupid?

The President owes it to our country to behave civilly towards all its citizens, not just those who are his favorites at the time, who work very hard to preserve its integrity, grow its food, slave in foreign lands to keep him in an abundance of luxury, helicopters, vehicles and security and above all suffer in silence to do what is necessary to keep their homes intact, nourished and healthy. They are the true patriots and they are voiceless, soulless, and leaderless in the real meaning of the word.

Lets cut to the chase and build a country not by empty promises of reconciliation on platforms, and highways and airports to nowhere, but by deeds. Please Mr President if you truly love this country, show it. Spending lavishly at Temple Trees at the people's expense is not the way to show it. If you want to know how, I will show you. Its called humility, actions of real nation building which the election proved to be broken-up in a sectarian way, and the extinguishing of personal ambition, to dedicate all your energies to your country, and NOT your family but to all its 20Million people. If you think you cannot, then let someone who can take the challenge.

Please don't think you are the only one who can do it. You have had 40 years plus as a servant of the state, so its not as if you have not had enough time to show your achievements, God forbid we have given you a further 7 and you can still change course for the better. People with just 5 can do as much. There are just no more excuses, why congratulate a 5% growth, when 10% should have been the expected, when you start at this level and look at the resource base at your disposal. Please don't waste it.