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Message: <blockquote data-quote="lkdood" data-source="post: 10718200" data-attributes="member: 92282"><img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40052000/jpg/_40052218_srilanka203body_ap.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Former Sri Lanka President Chandrika Kumaratunga said on Sunday that  she still ‘agonizes’ over not using full presidential powers or  authoritarian rule to implement the then draft constitution that would  have ended dictatorial presidential rule.“I still agonize over this, over and over again as to whether I  should have used full presidential powers or authoritarian rule to  implement the proposed constitution (which had then been blocked by  Parliament),” she said delivering the memorial oration of the late  Justice K. Palakidnar, former President of the Court of Appeal in  Colombo on Sunday. The event was organized by Justice Palakidnar’s  family.In a speech, filled with anecdotes about her tenure of office,  history of the conflict and the faults and weaknesses of past leaders  and the ruling UPFA, she told a distinguished audience including judges,  politicians and civil society dignitaries that if the draft  constitution was promulgated and presidential rule ended, Sri Lanka may  not have faced the current rejection of the international community,  that prevails today. “At the time I didn’t want to do this (to be a  dictator).” In a hard hitting speech often directed at her successor, President  Mahinda Rajapaksa, the former President said the government today was  resorting to authoritarian rule. “We are a divided nation where the  Sinhala Buddhists are projected as the dominant force and others  excluded (from decision-making),” she told a rapt audience.Speaking  on the topic “Economic Development, Inclusive Societies and Peace”, she  said development means good governance with transparency and  accountability which is lacking today.“In the absence of this, the  country is deteriorating to a level of anarchy,” she said. Her strong  comments against President Rajapaksa and his administration comes a week  after former Chief Justice Sarath Silva told a public meeting that  people have a right to rise up against dictatorial rule like the way  people rose against the (ruthless) kings many centuries ago.Political  analysts said that the former President's comments are likely to anger  President Rajapaksa whose efforts to win the Tamil vote in the North  failed after the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) won a resounding  victory at Saturday’s local council elections. The Government and the  President promised international sports stadiums, economic centres and  other infrastructure to woo Tamil votes in the north.ST</blockquote>

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