Sri Lanka It's Happening

December 20, 2004

The first brother is often a source of great embarrassment to his sister the president of Sri Lanka. Such a big embarrasment that in March the daily mirror reported the president as saying her brother was speaking rubbish.

On that occaision the presidential brother had claimed that he would be the next presidential candidate after his sister's term ends. That was at a time that their party (the UPFA) was promising to abolish the presidency. Perhaps threatening is a better choice of words because the UPFA claimed they would change the constitution even without the 2/3 majority (they secured less than 1/2 the number of seats in parliament).

Now Anura, the president's brother claims that a presidential election will not be held in this country for the next ten years. Perhaps he has realised that he can never be president has has set his sites on the post of cout jester.

The election is supposed to be held next year. So it is safe to assume that the government would push the unconstitutional change of constitution through before that time.

Fortunately for Anura, his old school buddy is the leader of the opposition and will not speak against him. They are such good friends that at one time Anura defected from the PA (the prior incarnation of the UPFA)

Posted by raditha at December 20, 2004 2:03 PM