The entry of Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Janaka Perera (JP) into politics at a time of increased fighting in the Wanni and depressed newspaper sales came as manna from above for the print media. More often than not, they showed him in military uniform as though the hustings were a military campaign. (We saw a pre-polls advertisement of Janaka P in military uniform in your newspaper as well).

When the results of the provincial council elections were announced, JP, whose side was beaten hollow, was shown on the BBC news complaining about impersonation and at the same time exulting in the number of preferential votes he garnered. Obviously, his votes were all lily white!

The BBC has for nearly 30 years carried a distorted and virulent campaign against the interests of the SL state, especially its armed forces, including JP himself. JP’s appeal to them was like a Jew complaining to Goebels. So much for seeking allies, even the devil, to publicise excuses for defeat at the PC elections.

The Midweek Review of The Island recently carried an article on JP’s ‘apparent religion’, which was in contradiction to the places of worship in which he was pictured piously invoking blessings for himself during the elections. However, while he did pay obeisance to religion dressed in shimmering white at the beginning until he donned the party green, he was also quoted saying more characteristically that he would meet ‘fire with fire’ if anyone indulged in violence against him. That’s piety for politicians and late-comers to peace.

JP also petitioned the court and thereby received an increase in his personal security saying that he was high on the LTTE hit list. In short, that was heaven sent propaganda for the LTTE.

He also through the media made out that, like his leader, he was willing to walk that extra mile to seek political accommodation with the LTTE. This was despite his oft-quoted slogan of fighting them for 30 years. Maybe he also imagined it would diminish the LTTE threat to him. That made the Sri Lankan Australians gyrate like kangaroos as when he was there, JP made out that he was uncompromisingly for fighting the LTTE to the finish. Yet, he insisted that he who had been debarred from entering army camps be given nothing but army security. His insistence to have soldier bodyguards and his threat to meet ‘fire with fire’ in his political campaigning sounded far too ominous. Fortunately, the army was not impressed. Neither did the LTTE show any concern for him or his campaign.

JP spitting fire on 27/8 on TV, probably reading the minds of many, tried to convince them that he was not of a ‘vote and vamoose’ type. He promised he would build a house for himself in Anuradhapura and reside there. Suddenly, the frenetic pre-election need for enhanced military security had vanished. His failed CM mate in the Sabaragamuwa Province, shrewdly avoiding bunker-building schemes to match JP’s offer, has promised to marry a lass from the province. What defeat can spell!

JP may not have heard Field Marshal Alexander Montgomery of Alamein fame (Monty) describe politics when asked why he did not take up to it like Eisenhower (Ike), the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in World War II in Europe, who was then President of the USA. Monty said that he had been through two World Wars and seen battle as a frontliner in many parts of the world from the time. He was a subaltern (2nd lieutenant-like many of our present formation commanders, while Gen. Sarath Fonseka saw battle from the time he was a major) unlike Ike, who came in only when he was a Lt Col and in the third year of the war. Monty had suffered bayonet and gunshot wounds and was left for dead on the battlefield.

Monty had seen the effects of war including the dead, wounded, refugees, rape victims, the destitute, prisoners of war, survivors of concentration and death camps, carpet bombing of cities and nuclear bombing, which he said was "horrible, horrible", but he was of the considered view that politics was "far worse".

Now that he has baptised himself voluntarily in a different vocation, JP will appreciate, if not understand, how much ‘far worse’ is from ‘horrible’.

JP, whose tentative entry into politics began in 2005 when he attended meetings of a nationalist group in Maharagama, changed horses in 2008. Suddenly, even the ranks of Tuscany could scarce forbear to cheer when Ms Fernando, who spearheaded the LTTE campaign in Australia to blacken his name as a man responsible for alleged war crimes etc., began praising him in the NCP.

JP on his return to SL in 2008 from Australia, moved with great fanfare into the NCP hustings by taking pot shots at Defence Forces commanders of different periods. Some of JP’s new found friends did say JP had relieved the ‘siege’ of the Jaffna Fort in 1995, when the LTTE were calling the shots. It was the Air Mobile Brigade under Brig Hiran Halangode that captured the Fort in1995 – from the LTTE!

JP before the elections said that he wanted Pillayan, the former LTTE man and now fast becoming a noteworthy, if not a model Chief Minister (CM) of the East, to be indicted on charges for the same crimes JP was indicted with by the LTTE-led by Ms Fernando in Australia. What a pity that JP, a general and envoy known not only locally but also internationally, referring to CM Pillayan as a former rebel.

Politics is sadly an unremitting leveller of those who slither, slide and stoop to dabble in it.

Maybe JP could make good his boast to look after the ex-servicemen in the NCP with the money he will receive from selling off his companies, starting with his fellow opposing candidate, the disabled survivor of the ill-fated vehicle, which killed two top generals and a rear admiral in Kayts.

After that he could throw his political baggage out and rejoin the ranks of gentlemen. He will be welcome.