Story of how Maithripala Sirisena spent the night at a house in Dodamgaslanda on night of Presidential Election

Story of how Maithripala Sirisena spent the night at a house in Dodamgaslanda on night of Presidential Election

A photograph of President Maithripala Sirisena watching the television when the Presidential Election was being won on January 8th, 2015 was published sometime back. It has now come to light that on that occasion he had been at a secret location. The President inclusive of his family had come to a house in Dodamgaslanda, Kurunegala belonging to Mr. Kiran

Atapattu, a businessman and a longstanding friend of his. He had found lodging in a clandestine manner this way having 'sniffed' a clue that if the results changed, a conspiracy of some sort was in the offing with the Army being installed in Colombo. In those days since there had been a methodology of tapping phones, he had taken measures to pre-plan his visit to this house by way of a signal system. The description conveyed by Kiran Atapattu to a newspaper by revealing all this, from below.

* On the day the Presidential Election was held what were you'll doing?

   On the day before the Presidential Election we went to Polonnaruwa from Colombo. Both of us went in the same vehicle. When travelling like that he was sleeping in the vehicle. During that period we got telephone calls. It was informed with responsibility that Army personnel were going to be posted in Colombo. Since he was sleeping at that time it was told that the call would be connected in a short while. Later when he awoke the two of them were connected on the line. That day we stopped at 'Perera & Sons' in Dambulla and had some tea. It was after tea and were proceeding and around Inamaluwa he said that he would be coming to my home after casting the vote. He told me to go to Kurunegala and attend to the necessary work immediately. He told me not to tell about it to anybody. Nobody knew where he was coming after casting his vote.

* What did you'll do on the day of the Elections?

   There wasn't anything for us to do. At about five thirty or six on the Election day there was a call. At home, the only protection he had was I. There was nobody else there. I was the only male who was in the house. About an hour or so before the President came I got down my wife's brother to our home. My house was on the top of a hill. Nobody knew that the President was coming on the night of the Elections. Only my wife was aware. All the servants in the house were sent out that day. Two hundred bulbs keep burning in my house. All those lights were switched off. He came in the vehicle. To come to the house from the spot where one gets down from the vehicle one has to travel by foot a short distance. It was with the aid of a small torchlight that I escorted Mr. Maithripala Sirisena into the house.

* Then members of his family?

   About ten minutes after he came, a vehicle arrived. It was his wife who came in that vehicle. She got down from the vehicle and said, "Mr. Kiran ... you hid this secret from me also". Later the daughters and the son arrived.

* What did Maithri who came to your house do?

   He was in a very relaxed mood. Even by that time he knew that the Presidential Election had been won. He didn't answer any telephone call as such. After having dinner around nine thirty he went to sleep in my room. It was I, the President's son and the son-in-law who kept listening to the Election results. Actually he went to sleep all the while knowing that he was victorious at the Elections. He got up at about four in the morning. Early in the morning Ranil Wickremasingha rang him up.

* Then Mahinda Rajapaksa called ...?

   Around five in the morning Mahinda Rajapaksa called. At that moment I was closeby. Mahinda Rajapaksa greeted him. Even at that moment he spoke to Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing him as 'Sir'. When being greeted he said, "Thank you Sir". He could have avoided saying 'Sir'. But in a humble manner he addressed him as 'Sir'.  After having had tea in the morning he said he wanted to leave by eight. After having kiribath both of us set off from home at eight.

* What was done in Colombo?

   Having spent about five minutes in the house at Colombo we came to the Elections Secretariat. After that I once again went to Dodamgaslanda. At the time the oaths were taken I was at my home.

Discussion -- Sanjaya Nallaperuma (Lakbima)