Some Unknown and Interesting Facts about His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapakse

I am what I am

(What my Official Biographers have not said)

To my friends,
As you are aware I am a Presidential Candidate for the January 8th, 2015 Presidential Election of Sri Lanka. I feel uneasy about the campaign. I feel desertion causing me depression. I cannot sleep and I have bad dreams. I think of the past and would like to share with you the following facts about my past.

My real name
Although popularly called ‘Mahinda’ my registered name at birth is Percy Mahendra Rajapakse. ‘Mahendra’ is hard to remember, it is not popular in Sinhala and also difficult to pronounce in either Sinhala or English. ‘Mahinda’ is so easy; so common; a name that is culturally ‘people friendly. 
‘Mahendra Ayia’ (brother) is difficult; ‘Mahinda Ayia’ is easy.

However, it is ‘Mahendra Rajapakse’ that appears in my birth certificate-not ‘Mahinda’. To be exact, Percy Mahendra Rajapakse or “P.M.” Rajapakse-even before I became Prime Minister. It is also under that name that I have signed all my nomination papers at all elections contested by me since I first contested the May 1970 General Election. All official documents such as my appointment as a Member of Parliament (see Hansard) Cabinet Minister and Prime Minister (see Government Gazette) also bear the name Percy Mahendra Rajapakse. It was also as Percy Mahendra Rajapakse that I signed my nomination papers for the Presidential poll of January 8th, 2015.

All that I have said above about using the name ‘Mahinda’ instead of ‘Mahendra’, also bear the name Percy Mahendra Rajapakse. It was also as Percy Mahendra Rajapakse that I signed my nomination papers for the Presidential poll of January 8th, 2015.

All that I have said above about using the name ‘Mahinda’ instead of ‘Mahendra’, and also not using the name ‘Percy’ at all, is revealed at pages 99-100 of my official biography written by Mahinda Illeperuma (Lakbima Editor) and published and distributed free by Mr. Thilanga Sumathipala (owner of Lakbima).

My early life
As Percy Mahendra, I was born on November 18th, 1945. Thus I am now 69 years old.

I was the third of eight children begotton by my father Don Alwis (DA) Rajapakse. I have five brothers and two sisters. With me a total of eight. The eight children of my father D A Rajapakse are (i) Chamal (ii) Preethi (iii) Mahendra (iv) Gotabaya (v) Gandhini (vi) Chandra (vii) Dudley and (viii) Basil.

Although a true Southerner and a good Buddhist, we were (like many others) influenced by the Portuguese who dominated the coastal belt of our island. That is why like the Portuguese Generals’ Don Azavedo or Don Almeida, my family also adopted the honorific ‘Don’ and my father was Don Alwis (D.A) and my uncle (father’s elder brother) Don Mathew (D.M.)

As I said earlier (repetition is part of my ability), my father Don Alwis Rajapakse was the younger brother of Don Mathew Rajapakse. It was Don Mathew that enabled the Rajapakses to be the Kings and King-makers of the Hambantota district for the past over eighty years.

It happened this way. It is an interesting story that many Sri Lankans do not know. (I don’t know why, they should know, but they do not know).

Rajapakses’ Representing the Hambantota District
Today, the Hambantota District consists of four electorates, namely (i) the Tangalle electorate, (ii) the Beliatta electorate (iii) the Mulkirigala electorate and (iv) the Tissamaharamaya electorate. Prior to our Independence in 1948 there was only one seat for the entire Hambantota district and it was called the Hambantota seat.

From the time of the State Council (our first Parliament) in the 1930s, the Hambantota seat was won by my uncle Don Mathew (D.M.) Rajapakse who as I earlier said, was my father’s elder brother. It is because of D M Rajapakse who entered politics as a staunch UNP politician that the Rajapakses’ owe their political supremacy of the Hambantota district for the past over 80 years. While, I, Mahinda Rajapakse, and my father D A Rajapakse, has served the longest, the other Rajapakses that held sway have been (i) George Rajapakse, (ii) Lakshman Rajapakse, (George’s brother) (iii) Roy Rajapakse, (iv) Chamal Rajapakse, (my borther) and (v) Nirupama Rajapakse (George Rajapakse’s daughter).

My uncle, D M Rajapakse was a member of the United National Party (UNP) and had won the Hambantota seat for the UNP. Let me emphasize to you, although I now fight the UNP, my uncle who first brought our family into politics and my own father, were all members of the UNP, which was then popularly called The Uncle/Nephew Party. This was because a few families controlled the UNP. Now it is just the opposite. Families control the Sri Lanka Freedom Party which is my Party.

My uncle Don Mathew died young in May 1945. Born in 1899, he was only 46 years old when he died.

D M Rajapakse’s son was the handsome and charismatic George Rajapakse who later became a Cabinet Minister (Minister of Fisheries) in the Srimavo Bandaranaike government of May 1970. It is ironical that Buddhists are given the Fisheries portfolio because to improve Fisheries you have to kill fish, and killing is against the basic doctrines of Buddhism. Even Chandrika Kumaratunga may have seen this irony because when she relieved me of my first cabinet portfolio-the Labour portfolio-she gave me the Fisheries portfolio.

George Rajapkse (born in 1926) like his father D M Rajapakse also died young in 1976 at the age of 50 years. George Rajapakse’s wife is the well-known Colombo socialite Mrs. Lalitha Rajapakse who often appears in the fashion pages of newspapers. George’s daughter (as I said earlier) is Mrs. Nirupama Rajapakse a very pretty girl who married Mr. Tirikumar Nadesen. Mr. Nadesen is a very rich man having amassed great wealth on ‘tenders’. As a passing remark I must say that Mr. Nadesan, though he has amassed riches has contributed nothing to our country. He has started no factories, employed no people and makes money only on ‘commissions’ and ‘deals’. His wife, Nirupama successfully contested the Mulkirigala seat at the 1994 General Elections. She was appointed a Deputy Minister in Chandrika Kumaratunge’s government of 1994-2000. It is well-known that I could never get on with Nirupama but that is another story I will relate on another day.

My father’s entry into Politics in 1945
When D M Rajapakse died in May 1945, the UNP nominated his younger brother D A (Don Alwis) Rajapakse, my father, to contest the Hambantota seat. He was elected uncontested to the Hambantota seat at the by-election held in July 1945.

At the General Election of 1947 (on the eve of our Independence) the Hambantota district had two electorates (i) Beliatta and (ii) Hambantota. At the 1947 General Election my father D A Rajapakse conested for the UNP and won the Beliatta seat. The Hambantota seat was won by Lakshman Rajapakse (one of D M Rajapakse’s sons) who contested for the Communist Party. I was only about two years old at that time and I do not know why my first cousin LakshmanRajapakse contested for the Communist Party when his father (D M Rajapakse) was a die-hard UNP MP. But perhaps in those days it was fashionable to be labeled a ‘Communist’.

How my Father crossed-over from the UNP
In July 1951, my father (D A Rajapakse) crossed over to the Sri Lanka Freedom Party led by S W R D 
Bandaranaike. Mr. S W R D Bandaranaike’s historic cross-over from the UNP to form the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) occurred on the floor of the House of Representatives on July 12th 1951. Mr. Anura Bandaranaike has related this very amusing episode as to how my father joined S W R D Bandaranaike (Anura’s father) in this famous cross-over.

As I said before my father was a member of the UNP and had no reason to change political parties. According to Anura Bandaranaike my father used to frequent the Liquor Bar at the House of Representatives. Many Parliamentarians used to drink at the Bar in Parliament and walk into Parliament drunk. (It was Mr. J R Jayawardena when he was elected to office in July 1977 that immediately gave orders to close the liquor bar in Parliament). Anyway, to come back to my story, on that day, 12th July 1951, my father who was in the Parliament’s Liquor Bar and had taken many drinks was not in his proper senses. In his intoxicated state, he had gone into the House and accidentally walked immediately behind Mr. S W R D Bandaranaike, who at that very moment was crossing the floor of the House and sat next to Mr. S W R D Bandaranaike. My official biography has quoted the following statement of Mr. S W R D Bandaranaike himself as to how my father D A Rajapakse crossed over from the UNP to the SLFP on that day. Mr. Bandaranaike has said:

‘On that day when I left UNP and crossed over to the SLFP I saw person walking behind me like a shadow. It was not a person who had previously promised to cross-over with me. This person was Mr.D A Rajapakse’.

This statement of Mr. S W R D Bandaranaike (quoted in my official biography) appears to support Mr. Anura Bandaranaike’s version as to how my father walked into Parliament from the Liquor Bar and sat next to Mr. S W R D Bandaranaike on that eventful day. Mr Mangala Samaraweera’s father who was in Parliament at that time has confirmed what Anura has said. Anura’s father, Mr. S W R D Bandaranaike has stated that my father had not previously promised to cross-over. It just happened he did so on that day!. This is the story related by Mr. Anura Bandaranaike. He has related this story to many others bellowing with laughter as he relates the story. Remember from the time I first entered politics in May 1970, I have been a very close friend of Mr. Anura Bandaranaike. He was also the Bestman at my wedding. There are also many accounts of my close friendship with Anura in my official biography.

Creating a “Cult” about my father
People will understand a son building up a father’s image. After I became President I got several statues erected of my father and also got Memorial Orations delivered about him by eminent persons. By doing so I created a “Cult” about my father – what a great man he was etc. anyone researching my father’s life and how and why he crossed over with SWRD Bandaranaike will find out the truth and know that my father was a heavy drinkr and was in the Liquor Bar of Parliament when Mr. Bandaranaike’s historic cross-over from the UNP occurred. Chandrika Kumarathunganalso knows the true facts.

My father D A Rajapakse’s Political Career in SLFP from 1952 to his Death in 1967

However, after this strange ‘cross-over’, my father stayed with the SLFP. At the 1952 General Elections my father as earlier mentioned, contested the Beliatta seat for the SLFP and won. My father’s victory in 1952 was a historic victory because the 1952 General Elections was won by the UNP led by Mr.Dudley Senanayake and Mr. S W R D Bandaranaike’s SLFP managed to get only ten seats. My father was one of the ten. In that 1952 General Election, one Charles Edirisuriya contested the Hambantota seat for the UNP and won.

At the 1956 General Elections the UNP was badly defeated by a coalition of SLFP/MEP led by S W R D Bandaranaike. On that occasion also my father D A Rajapakse contested the Beliatta seat for the SLFP/MEP and won.

In the history of parliamentary elections, the 1956 General Elections was a political landmark. It was the first time that the UNP which had controlled the destiny of our country from the time of the first elected legislature-the State Council in the 1930s-was routed. Mr. S W R D Bandaranaike won in 1956 mainly on his election promise to make Sinhalese the only official language.

At the General Election of 1956, the Hambantota seat was won by my first cousin Mr. Lakshman Rajapakse son of D P Rajapakse. Lakshman Rajapakse had abandoned the Communist Party and at this election contested for the SLFP/MEP. Thus you see it is not strange for Rajapakses to change the colour of their political party. As shown earlier, my father, who was a staunch UNP politician, later became a staunch SLFP politician.

Rajapakses’ in Hambantota District from the 1960s
As we all know Mr. S W R D Bandaranaike was shot and killed by a Buddhist monk, (Rev. Somarama) in September 1959 and Mr. Wijenanda Dahanayake became the Prime Minister and formed his own political party. But my father stuck with the SLFP.

There were two General Elections in 1960. In the first election of March 1960, Mr. Dudley Senanayake who led the UNP won. In that election of March 1960 my father who contested for the SLFP for the Beliatta seat lost to Mr. D A Atapattu who contested for the UNP. D A Atapattu a well-known lawyer of that area, was the father of Dr. Ranjit Atapattu, who later entered Parliament and became a Minister in the J R Jayewardena government of 1977-1989.

My father’s defeat at the March 1960 General Elections was the first electoral defeat my father suffered since he was initially elected (uncontested) in 1945.

Although Mr. Dudley Senanayake won the March 1960 general elections, his Throne speech was defeated in Parliament and there was another General Election in July 1965. At that election, the UNP was defeated and an SLFP/MEP coalition government led by Mrs Sirimavo Bandaranaike was elected. At this election my father won the Beliatta seat for the SLFP. This was the first time that Mrs. Bandaranaike won office. She was to win again.

Mrs. Bandaranaike’s government was in office until 1965. At the next General Elections of 1965, Mr. Dudley Senanayake’s UNP government won office and at this election also my father once again lost the Beliatta seat to Mr. D A Atapattu, (Rajith Atapattu’s father) who had won first in March 1960.

On my Father’s Death in 1967, how I entered Parliament

Mr. Father died in 1967 when he was no longer a Member of Parliament. Born in 1905 he was only 62 years when he died. Just prior to the May 1970 General Elections. Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike wanted my elder brother Chamal Rajapakse to fill my father’s place and contest. However, at that time Chamal was serving in the Police as a sub-inspector and my mother felt that he should not resign to contest elections and therefore I was asked to contest Beliatta seat for the SLFP at the May 1970 General elections. In Mrs. Bandaranaike’s landslide victory, I created a political record. I was then only 24 years, so I became the youngest MP ever to enter and sit in Parliament. No one has broken that record upto

date. Perhaps, politically speaking, that is the only record I hold.

My Educational Qualifications
Before I continue the story of my political career since entering Parliament for the first time in May 1970 at the age of 24, let me update you on my educational qualifications. I was educated at Richmond College Galle, thereafter at Nalanda College and then for a short period at Thurstan College Colombo. At the time I contested in May 1970, I had obtained employment as a clerk in the Vidyodaya University, Nugegoda. I did not apply for this job but was introduced to the Buddhist Priest who was the Vice Chancellor and he took me. People, and many journalists who write in the newspapers make mistakes about my job at the Vidyodaya University. It has been said that I was an Assistant Librarian. Others have said that I was a graduate of Vidyodaya University. Some old friends of mine from Vidyodaya days celebrated an event organized by the Vidyodaya Graduates Association and referred to me as an ‘old boy’ of such a group. But I must admit that these references are incorrect. I was not an Assistant Librarian and have no Librarianship qualifications. Nor am I a graduate of Vidyodaya or any other University. My only educational qualification is a General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level (GCE’O’Level).

Politicians need not have educational qualifications. Mr. Ranasinghe Premadasa a former Presidentproved this point. He said that politicians come from the “University of Life”, meaning experience in politics.

Even in my official biography, it has been wrongly stated that I was an Assistant Librarian at Vidyodaya university (which later became Sri Jayewardenapura University). I am sorry that I permitted this mistake to be inserted in my official biography. There is indeed a big difference between working in a Library as a clerk-which I did-and functioning as an Assistant Librarian-which I did not.

I have also gone on record as saying that my father when he first appointed uncontested for the Hambantota seat, was a farmer and on the day of the nominations he was working in the paddy field and that he washed away the mud from his hands to sign the nomination papers. I am supposed to have said this at several ‘Dansalas’ (Free Food ceremonies) at Temple Trees always hosted by me for the members of the public to win elections.

Some of my friends told me to speak of “my father washing away the mud of the paddy field when he signed the Nomination Papers”. I was told (I did not myself know) that this statement was a reference to the famous quote from Robert Knox that a farmer is fit to be a king by only washing away the mud from his body.

My above statment should be corrected for two reasons. My father did not have to contest when he first entered Parliament as a UNP member in July 1945 on the death of my uncle D M Rajapakse. My father was appointed to Parliament uncontested. Thus, there was no big drama of signing nomination papers at a ceremony because there was no contest. Secondly, in July 1945, I was not even born so I would not have known what my father did when signing his nomination papers to contest an ‘uncontested’by-election. Since I was not born at that time I would not have even known that he was being elected ‘uncontested’ to the State Council, or that people had approached him when he was in a paddy field! I am well known to say things which are not true.

My Family Connections by Marriage to Mr Ranil Wickremasinghe’s family
In an Interview with a Sunday Sinhalese newspaper (The Lankadeepa of 16th October 2005), Mr. Sam Wijesinghe a retired Secretary-General of Parliament has said that I can claim relationship to Mr.RanilWickremasinghe by marriage. According to Mr. Sam Wijesinghe my father’s brother Mr. D M Rajapakse
had married from the Wiratunga family and Mr. Danny Wiratunga from that family had married a sister of the late President Mr. J R Jayewardena. And since Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe is a relation of Mr. J R Jayewardena, Mahinda Rajapakse can also claim relationship with Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe. This is the story related by Mr. Sam Wijesinghe-although upto date neither I nor Mr. Ranil Wickemasinghe have spoken in public about this possible relationship.

In that same interview to the Sunday Lankadeepa Mr. Sam Wijesinghe had stated that after my father Mr. D A Rajapakse entered Parliament in 1945, he used to come often to Mr. Sam Wijesinghe’s house in Colpetty called ‘Lakmahal’. That house was owned by Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe’s grandfather Mr.C L Wickemasinghe who was the first Sri Lankan Government Agent. Mr. C L Wickremasinghe was a favourite of our first Prime Minister Mr. D S Senanayake and Mr. Senanayake later appointed Mr. C L Wickremasinghe as the first Sri Lankan Land Commissioner and used to rely on Mr. C L Wickremasinghe to draft his Agricultural policies. (Mr. Sam Wijesinghe had married Mr. C L WIckremasinghe’s eldest daughter ‘Muktha’), that is Mr. Ranil WIckremasinghe’s aunt (father’s sister).

Mr. Sam Wijesinghe had also said that my uncle D M Rajapakse was also a member of the State Council’s Executive Committee on Agriculture. Because of this, he was also closely associated with Mr. D S Senanayake and since Mr. D S Senanayake used to often come to ‘Lakmahal’ to meet and talk with Mr. C L Wickemasinghe, Mr. D M Rajapakse also used to visit ‘Lakmahal’ not so much to discuss Agricultural Policy but to get some of his requests approved by Mr. D S Senanayake. However they used to discuss Agriculture policy as well. So much so that ‘Lakmahal’ (Mr. Sam Wijesinghe’s house) often resembled an Agriculture Ministry Office.

Sam Wijesinghe also stated that my father had approached him to get me admitted to St. Thomas College in Colombo but because I was over-age he had failed to get this admission. I had then been admitted to Richmond College and after that to Nalanda College and later to Thurstan College. Also when I attended the Colombo Schools, I had stayed at ‘Sravasti’ (near the Colombo Museum) which until about 1982 recently was a Hostel for Members of Parliament who resided in the outstations.

My Admission to Sri Lanka Law College
Normally one has to have at least an Advanced Level qualification to enter the Sri Lanka Law College to sit for law examinations to pass out as a lawyer in Sri Lanka. But I did not have this qualification. However, in 1970 after the victory of the United Left Front Government, Mr. Felix Dias Bandaranaike who was also the Minister of Justice, permitted any Parliamentarian to enter Law College even without any academic qualification. That is how I got into Law College as a Member of Parliament. No other Parliamentarian benefited by this rule of Mr. Felix Dias. I was the only beneficiary. So I must thank Mr. Felxi Dias Bandaranaike for enabling me to become a Lawyer.

It was Mr. Sam Wijesinghe whom I have referred to earlier who advised me to enter Law College and try to pass out as a lawyer. It was also Mr. Sam Wijesinghe who spoke to Mr. Felix Dias Bandaranaike and persuaded him to remove the educational requirements for entrance to the Sri Lanka Law College for parliamentarians which was done entirely for my benefit.

As a lawyer I had to do a six months apprentice course under a practicing lawyer. In this regard, it was the late Mr. Thivanka Wickremasinghe who helped me. I worked in his legal chambers and obtained the six months apprenticeship certificate. While working in his law chambers I got attracted to Mr.Thivanka Wickremasinghe’s wife-Lakshmi who was a daughter of the Colombo businessman Mr.Piyatissa. Although on the fat side, she was a pretty lady. I had an affair with her. The husband did not mind. We are still good friends. She has my personal mobile telephone number. I still keep in touch with her even after Mr. Thivanka Wickremasinghe suddenly died many years ago. He collapsed in the Supreme Court at the very ceremony that made him a President’s Counsel.

My Marriage to Shiranthi
In my early life I owe a great debt to Mr. Sam Wijesinghe for enabling me to become a lawyer. It was as a lawyer that I was able to have a gainful occupation during the period when I was not in Parliamentespecially between 1977-1989 (a period of over ten years) when Dr. Ranjit Atapattu defeated me in the Beliatta seat. Remembering the debt I owned to Mr. Sam Wijesinghe, when I got married to Shiranthi, from my side, I asked Mr. Sam Wijesinghe to be the Attesting Witness at the Marriage Registration. The Marriage took place at the Mount Lavinia Hotel. Here, it is relevant to mention my close friendship with Mr. Sarath Silva who is currently Chief ustice. When I was first introduced to Shiranthi as a prospective bride, I told Mr. Sarath Silva who was then working as a State Counsel at the Attorney General’s Department. It was with Mr. Sarath Silva that I went to see Shiranthi at her parent’s home.

This act is recorded in my official biography. Sarath Silva’s daughter was the Flower Girl at my Wedding.
So my friendship with Mr. Sarath Silva goes back a long time. Naturally that close friendship helped me to omplain to him as Chief Justice that the ‘Helping Hambantota Tsunami Relief Scandal’ was hurting my campaign. He told me to file a Fundamental Rights petition in the Supreme Court and that he will then direct the Police (CID) to stop their inquiry. I did that and the Chief Justice also honored his word and stopped the inquiry. By doing this I created another political record. It was the first time that a Prime Minister of Sri Lanka had got a Court of Law to prevent a Police Investigation against him for misappropriation of public funds. After all, what are friends for!

Rajapakses have Died Young
It is an amazing fact that Rajapakses do not enjoy the blessing of longevity (long life). I am not saying this frivolously, but it should cause concern to the people of this country when I was elected as President at the election on 17th November 2005. This is because if the President dies during his term of office of six years, the Prime Minister becomes the Acting President, for the balance period. Now let me outline how long the other Rajapakses who did politics lived.

D P Rajapakse died at the age of 46
My father D A Rajapakse died at the age of 62
George Rajapakse (D P’s son) died at 50 years
Lakshman Rajapakse (another son of D P) also died at the age of 57 years

My Fear of Dying Young
Sri Lanka’s Quality of Life Index is high and now men live till their late 70s and women to their late 80s. So they live longer.

But history records that all Rajapakses’ have died young and no one has survived beyond the mid 60s. Thus, I had a mortal fear that I will die in my mid 60s. Now I am 69.

The day I was elected President in November 2005 I decided to stop drinking. No more spirits of any kind, I said. Also, I consulted doctors and dieticians and kept my weight low. I have weekly and even daily medical check-ups and I am medically examined by American and English doctors. Expenses are of no concern as I am the President and the country needs me. My blood pressure is checked daily and I have got an excellent gym and swimming pool constructed at Temple Trees for my daily exercise. Yet I have to be careful because I have diabetes. I must live for another at least 20 years until I get my eldest son Namal as the Head of this country or at least my brother Gotabaya as head with Namal as the heir in waiting. My other brother Basil can always look after their needs. Basil is not popular and can never be a leader while Gotabaya and Namal are acceptable.

My Family Dynasty
One of the main arguments of the Opposition at this January 8th 2015 election is the hue and cry about the following.

My Family Tree. Truly it has become a jungle. Now Mangala Samaraweera has published a booklet about it. I cannot avoid the Nepotism and helping my family members. Upto date none of them have proper educational qualifications. Chamal had enough to become a Sub-Inspector of Police. Gotabaya had his GCE O” level and enrolled in the Army. Basil has no qualifications and was an office attendant at a former politicos house. My eldest son Namal is a lawyer. I got the Principal Law college (Mr. Rodrigo) to enable him to sit a special test at Law College in a separate room and got him passed out as a lawyer. Then I got Shiranee Bandaranaike the then Chief Justice to take a photo congratulating Namal. These things were done to give authenticity to the wrong way in which I got Namal admitted as a lawyer. I had to make that chap Rodrigo (Law college Principal) a President’s Counsel. Later I sacked him for fraud. Also, later I got Shiranee Bandaranaike, Chief Justice impeached. I got rid of both of them having made use of the, You can learn some tricks like that from me!

My Corruptions and Wealth
Over the last over nine years from 2005 when I became President I have amassed so much wealth for myself and my family that it is mind boggling. I have no idea whatsoever about book-keeping or accounts. So also I have no idea whatsoever about how much money I have amassed as President over the last nearly 10 years. Because of my own lack of education I cannot manage the corrupt money I have earned. So I have got a Public servant, Mr. Gamini Senarath, as my Chief of Staff and it is Gamini Senarath who knows where my wealth is stacked. Gamini knows (I have told him) that if he plays me out for deceives me, I have no option but to kill him ! He knows I mean it because in the Referendum of 1983 I shot and killed two persons in Beliatta. I was charged with murder but I was later acquitted because the so-called two eye-witnesses also suddenly disappeared and could not be found to give evidence. People will not believe me when I say that I do not know how these two witnesses disappeared!

Looking after Mine and My Wife’s Family, No Easy Task
People will never understand and I cannot explain to them the problems I have with my Family and my Extended Family. Not only my own Brothers and Sisters, I have five brothers and two sisters – a Family of Eight. Chamal (eldest), Gotabaya (2nd to me) and Basil are taken care of. Then I have to look after my other brother (living in America) and my sisters. The basic problem is our entire family of Eight were not well educated. We never went beyond the GCE Ordinary Level. None of the family could be professionals. So ALL have to be looked after.

Apart from My Own Family, I have to look after the Family of My Wife Shiranthi. I have given my wife’s brothers lucrative State sector jobs. The brother who is the Chairman of Sri Lankan Airlines takes the cake. He loves to be in the company of young girls and gets a Face Life and Hairdo every week! No other Presideent of our country had the above burden of caring for two such large families and we must make enough money while I am President to last a Life Time for all the Family members. So please understand my problem.

My Fatal Mistakes
The fatal mistake I made was to call an early election when I had two more years left. Also I expected Ranil to challenge me but almost got a heart attack when it was Maithripala. What is the use of Gotabaya’s secret service when we were not informed of this cross-over!

The other fatal mistake is Gotabaya and I being unable to control the Bodu Bala Senawa (BBS) led by a crazy Buddhist monk who is nothing but a THUG in yellow robes and he calls non-Buddhist political leaders as ‘Prostitutes’. When Gotabaya created this extremist Army, he promised me that he could control it but he has little or no control over it now.

All the Minorities both Ethnic and Religious – Tamil, Muslim, Hindu, Catholic, Methodist and other denominations have now turned against me because of BBS. I have nightmares because of BBS and I wake up sweating!

Farewell
Although I have hopes that I will win on 8th January 2015, many (even some of my own Ministers and close supporters) have given up hope.

I am not in any mood to write any more. Tears are welling inside me. Lasantha Wickematunga’s ghost is also following me. He was the fearless Editor of the ‘Sunday Leader’. He was a good friend of mine but he became such a thorn in our hides that I approved of Gotabaya’s request that Lasantha be silenced.

Readers may have forgotten that Lasantha’s car was stopped outside the Sunday Leader office on the main road at Ratmalana and Lasantha who was driving and the sole occupant of the car was brutally killed in the following way. They smashed his windscreen and his side driving side window and poked his head with iron rods and bars until his skull cracked. Lasantha was dead on arrival at the hospital.

Four people took part in this cruel act. They were all Army Commandos loyal to Gotabaya. Since then all four have been sent abroad and were found employment. This killing happened on 8th January 2009. I had completely forgotten this date 8th January which is now the polling date. (Three days before Lasantha was killed Gotabaya and I burned down Sirasa TV station. This was on 6th January 2009).

Whatever happens to me I wish every reader of this document a Happy 2015 and onwards.

Yours truly
Mahinda Rajapakse