Last month the former secretary general of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and minister of health, Maithripala Sirisena, who was also sworn in as the acting defence minister in May 2009, was announced as the common opposition candidate for the upcoming presidential elections.   See our editorial: No Choice (22 Dec 2014)

Sirisena and Rajapaksa embrace during Sri Lankan government celebrations on May 19 2009 Photo: lkwebnews.com

Sirisena has had a busy lead in to the elections since first announcing his intention to run as the common opposition candidate against the Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Reaches out to BBS for support 
The Bodu Bala Sena, allegedly responsible for violence against ethnic communities in Sri Lanka, shortly after the announcement of Sirisena's decision to run as opposition candidate, confirmed that he had reached out to the BBS to garner their support. 

Immediate guarantees to protect Mahinda Rajapaksa and army from potential international war crimes prosecution

Within a week of assuming the role as the common opposition candidate, Sirisena stressed that he would not allow Mahinda Rajapaksa or armed forces to be tried for war crimes.

“I will not allow President Rajapaksa, his family or any member of our armed forces to be taken before any international war crimes tribunal,” Sirisena said to reporters.

Coalition forming with nationalist Buddhist political parties

Less than 14 days after, launching the opposition campaign, Sirisena signed an MOU with the Buddhist monk led political party, the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU). The JHU broke away from the ruling party coalition warning Rajapaksa that the Sinhalese were becoming a 'minority community' whilst calling on the president to follow 'Buddhist teachings.' 

Rejections of Tamil demands based on elected TNA mandate, alongside pledges for Buddhist prominence

On 02 Dec 2014, Sirisena, at an election rally, said that he rejects calls from Tamil leaders for a federal constitution that granted greater powers of autonomy to the predominantly Tamil speaking North-East.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) was elected to the Northern Provincial Council last year under a mandate calling for a federal solution that devolved powers to a merged Northern and Eastern province and acknowledged the Tamil people's right to self-determination.

At the same rally Sirisena pledged further to preserve constitutional prominence given to Buddhism in any newly drafted constitution.

Reiterated rejection of international inquiry into Sri Lankan atrocities

At a joint election rally with the new opposition partner, the JHU, Sirisena reiterated his commitment to opposing any international investigation into Sri Lankan atrocities and prosecution of military authorities including current President Rajapaksa.

Categorical rejections of all rumours alleging promises to meet 'extremist' Tamil demands

Responding to rumours of the common opposition candidate party joining a pact with the 'extremist' Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to meet Tamil demands, Sirisena rejected that any pact had been made with the TNA.

Sirisena's opposition party made further rejections of the UN inquiry into Sri Lankan atrocities in an interview with the Hindu.

Official Maithripala manifesto rejects international investigation into Sri Lankan atrocities

Maithripala Sirisena's official manifesto, released on 19 Dec 2014, further reiterated, that "No international power will be allowed to ill-treat or touch a single citizen of this country."

In response to violations of human rights allegations, Sirisena's manifesto said that such allegations would be combated by "disseminating among the learned Western society Buddhism and its vision of impermanence and denial of soul that expressed non-violence, equality and great compassion for all."

Maithripala Sirisena hailed as only way to defeat foreign intervention

Sri Lanka's main opposition on 23 Dec 2014, stated that only Sirisena could settle the 'crisis' faced by Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). The opposition UNP blamed the current regime for "earning the wrath" of the international community.

Buddhist nationalists call on army to vote Sirisena for international protection

The ultra-nationalist Buddhist party, National Bhikku Front, called on the Sri Lankan army to vote for Sirisena, as the opposition candidate would never allow for an international investigation into Sri Lankan atrocities.

Reminds voters of 'patriotic' assumption of defence minister role during height of war against LTTE

In an interview with the Daily Mirror, Maithri assured readers he is a “patriot” saying,

    “I was the Minister in Charge of Defence during the last two weeks of the war in which most of the leaders of the LTTE were killed with General Fonseka at the helm of the Army.”

    “Prior to that I have acted as the Minister of Defence five times during the height of the war.”
 

Whilst serving his tenure as the Minister of Health, Sirisena has been one of the more vocal SLFP politicians in past years.

The ‘No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka’ documentary was one of 5 documentaries to win a BRITDOC Impact prize on Friday.

The Sri Lankan government has questioned the credibility of the UN Human Rights Council, over its decision to pursue an independent inquiry into mass atrocities in Sri Lanka, despite its objections, reported Colombo Gazette.

The US Ambassador for Sri Lanka, Michele Sison, has been confirmed as the deputy representative of the United States to the UN and the UN Security Council, and the representative of the US at the UN General Assembly.

Sirisena and Kumaratunga (2nd and 3rd from right) at press conference announcing his candidateship for presidency/ColollmboMirror

The general secretary of President Rajapaksa’s SLFP, Maithripala Sirisena, announced on Friday that he would contest the presidential election as the opposition’s common candidate.

“I thank all political parties and political groups for selecting me as the Common Candidate,” Sirisena, who is also the minister of health, said at a special press conference in Colombo, flanked by former president Chandrika Bandranaike Kumaratunga and other officials who have left the government.

The minister said a catastrophe had befallen the country and vowed to bring change, pledging to abolish the executive presidency within 100 days of being elected as president.

“One family is creating a soft dictatorship,” Sirisena told reporters today in Colombo. “There is corruption, injustice and rule of law has broken down. We have taken a decision to change the situation.”

Sirisena expressed his gratitude to the UNP and said he would appoint UNP leader Ranil Wickramasinghe as the prime minister, if elected.

The Sri Lankan presidential elections will be held on January 8, according to the country’s election commission.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa will contest the poll for an unprecedented third term, against the common opposition candidate announced earlier today, his former health minister Maithripala Sirisena.

Relatives of the fishermen outside Jaffna prison (Uthayan)

Relatives of three Tamil fishermen, who remain on death row, have staged a protest outside Jaffna prison, calling on the Sri Lankan state to release the men, reported the Uthayan.

A total of 8 fishermen were sentenced to death over drug trafficking charges, however the 5 Indian Tamil fishermen were released after protests in Tamil Nadu and subsequent intervention by the Indian government.