Sri Lanka News

Rajapaksas are ‘uneducated and uncultured rascals’

“Members of Rajapaksa family are ‘uneducated and uncultured rascals, the political climate in the country has been made “vindictive and threatening” and Rajapaksa had ‘muddied the thinking’ of masses.

” This is what US ambassador Patricia A. Butenis had written of what former President Chandrika Kumaratunga had said when the Ambassador met her on the 14th December 2009 as leaked by ‘Wikileaks.’

 

According to the cable leaked by ‘Wikileaks’ “Former President discussed President Rajapaksa’s abuse of power and said that under his leadership, the economy, the political climate, health care, education and international relations had spiraled down reaching a new low in the country’s history.

Kumaratunga remarked that governance had broken down and corruption was appallingly bad. She noted that while she was responsible for nominating President Rajapaksa for the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, he had a detrimental impact on the party.”

In response to Ambassador's query on elections and General Fonseka's candidacy, President Kumaratunga said,while she was surprised by Fonseka's entry into politics, if

"free and fair" elections were held Fonseka would win.

According to US Ambassador as revealed by ‘Wikileaks’ Ms. Kumaratunga had said Fonseka came from a Buddhist extremist background, he seemed more honest than Rajapaksa and might not go back on his promises. She noted that the State-owned media, Rajapaksa's propaganda

machine, had been very effective and had brain-washed the masses. Kumaratunga observed that the rural people referred to Rajapaksa as "King" and pointed to the President's 12 foot billboard cut-outs as distasteful examples of abuse of power.