Editing Gotabaya Rajapaksa

{{Villain Infobox
|Image = Gotabaya Rajapaksa.png
|fullname = Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa
|alias = Gotabaya Rajapaksa<br>His Excellency Lieutenant Colonel Gotabaya Rajapaksa<br>Gota<br>Gotabhaya Rajapaksa
|origin = Palatuwa, Sri Lanka
|occupation = Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development <small>(25 November 2005 - 8 January 2015)</small><br>Eighth president of Sri Lanka <small>(2019 - 2022)</small>
|goals = Defeat the [[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam]] <small>(succeeded)</small><br>Remain President of Sri Lanka <small>(failed)</small>
|crimes = [[War crimes]]<br>
Human rights violations<br>
[[Murder]] (allegedly)<br>
[[Kidnapping]] (allegedly)<br>
[[Censorship]]<br>
Using [[Death squad|death squads]] (allegedly)<br>
[[Crimes against humanity]]<br>
Corruption<br>
[[Torture]]<br>
[[Islamophobia]]<br>
[[Xenophobia]]<br>
[[Misogyny]]
|type of villain = Dictatorial war criminal}}
{{Quote|I am definitely not threatening your lives. Our services are appreciated by 99 per cent of the people. They love the Army Commander and the Army. There are Sri Lankan patriots who love us do and will do what is required if necessary.|Gotabaya Rajapaksa after being asked by two journalists if he is threatening them.}}
'''Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa''', commonly known as '''Gotabaya Rajapaksa''' (born 20 June 1949) is a Sri Lankan politician who served as the eighth president of Sri Lanka from 2019 until his resignation in 2022.

==Villainy==
Rajapaksa served as Defence Secretary from 2005 - 2015. In this capacity he oversaw the military defeat of the [[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam]] during the [[Sri Lankan Civil War]], ending in the death of LTTE leader [[Velupillai Prabhakaran]] in 2009. However, this victory is controversial due to reports of [[war crimes]] committed under Rajapaksa's direction. General Sarath Fonseka, who led the war against LTTE, has claimed that Rajapaksa gave orders for all LTTE leaders to be shot on sight even if they tried to surrender, which resulted in Fonseka being jailed for three years for causing public disorder.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/nov/18/former-sri-lankan-army-chief-jailed Former Sri Lankan army chief convicted for war crimes claim], ''The Guardian''</ref> When, in February 2009, Sri Lankan forces shelled the only hospital in the war zone, Rajapaksa declared that everything outside the government safe zone was a legitimate target.<ref>[http://justsecurity.org/10537/sri-lanka-gotabaya-us-citizen-war-crimes-accountability/ Sri Lanka's Greatest War Criminal (Gotabaya) is a US Citizen: It's Time to Hold Him Accountable], ''Just Security''</ref>

Rajapaksa has been accused of threatening and imposing state censorship on journalists on several occasions, including telling two journalists attached to the state-owned Lake House Publications that what would happen to them if they did not stop criticising the armed forces was beyond his control. When asked if he was threatening them, he replied that certain "Sri Lankan patriots" would "do what is required" if they continued criticising the army.<ref>[https://www.sundaytimes.lk/080601/News/news0016.html Death bells toll for the free media], ''Sunday Times Sri Lanka''</ref>

In April 2007 Rajapaksa was accused of threatening Champika Liyanaarachchi, editor of the Daily Mirror, that she would escape reprisals only if she resigned.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160304110436/http://www.dailymirror.lk/2007/04/19/front/4.asp HRC to review recommendations], ''Daily Mirror Sri Lanka''</ref> He was also accused of threatening to "exterminate" the Daily Mirror journalist Uditha Jayasinghe for writing articles about the plight of civilian war casualties.<ref>[http://www.bbc.com/sinhala/news/story/2008/05/printable/080505_fmm_gotabhaya.shtml FMM protests Gotabhaya's 'threats'], ''BBC News''</ref> A story from ''The New York Times'' quoted his news reporting position as "he insists that journalists should not be allowed to report anything that demoralizes the war effort".<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/world/asia/06lanka.html Sri Lankan Army Is Pushing for End to 25-Year War Against the Tamil Rebels], ''The New York Times''</ref>

Deceased MP Sripathi Sooriyarachchi, assassinated journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge and others have accused Rajapaksa of corruption since 2006.<ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/1/18/rajapaksas-brother-probed-over-killings Rajapaksa's brother probed over killings], ''Al Jazeera''</ref><ref>[https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/academic-exposing-corrupt-war-procurement-tender-process-threatened-by-rajapaksa-government/ Academic Exposing Corrupt War Procurement Tender Process Threatened By Rajapaksa Government], ''Colombo Telegraph''</ref> In 2015 Interpol provided further evidence to the Sri Lankan government on corrupt military procurements.<ref>[https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/mig-deal-rajapaksas-paid-us-10-million-to-a-ghost-company-no-company-called-bellimissa-interpol-confirmed/ MiG Deal: Rajapaksas Paid US$ 10 Million To A Ghost Company: "No Company Called Bellimissa", Interpol Confirmed], ''Colombo Telegraph''</ref> In March 2015 a Sri Lankan court imposed a travel ban on Rajapaksa over allegations he used a commercial floating armoury as a private arsenal. The travel ban was lifted by the court in December 2016.<ref>[http://www.adaderana.lk/news/38065/court-lifts-travel-ban-on-gotabaya-and-7-others Court lifts travel ban on Gotabaya and 7 others], ''Ada Derana''</ref> UNP MP Mangala Samaraweera claimed that Gotabaya's son illegally occupied a house rented for a consulate in Los Angeles and caused millions of rupees in losses to the state, which Rajapaksa denied.<ref>[http://www.dailymirror.lk/120023/Mangala-levels-charges-against-Gota-over-LA-residence Mangala levels charges against Gota over LA residence], ''Daily Mirror Sri Lanka''</ref>

During Rajapaksa's political career, many critics of him and his policies were abducted and never seen again, such as journalist Keith Noyahr, who was kidnapped by two men in a white van in 2008.<ref>[http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/A-van-suspected-to-have-been-used-to-abduct-Keith-Noyahr-found-126353.html A van suspected to have been used to abduct Keith Noyahr found], ''Daily Mirror Sri Lanka''</ref> A few weeks after Noyahr's abduction, journalist Namal Perera was attacked by the same men, who attempted to abduct him, but he was saved by the intervention of local residents.<ref>[http://www.economynext.com/Sri_Lankan_journalist_Namal_Perera_identifies_his_would_be_killers-3-7768.html Sri Lankan journalist Namal Perera identifies his would-be killers]</ref>

Several government critics have also been murdered allegedly on Rajapaksa's orders, most notably journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge, who was shot and killed on 8 January 2009 while on his way to testify against Rajapaksa during a corruption hearing.<ref>[https://cpj.org/2022/06/new-details-raise-questions-about-whether-sri-lankan-president-was-complicit-in-the-killing-of-journalist-lasantha-wickrematunge/amp/ New details raise questions about whether Sri Lankan president was complicit in the killing of journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge], ''Committee to Protect Journalists''</ref> Sri Lankan human rights activist Nadarajah Raviraj was also assassinated on 10 November 2006, and state police official Liyanarachchi Abeyrathna later claimed that Rajapaksa had paid [[Terrorism|terrorist]] leader [[Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan|Colonel Karuna]] to order the assassination.<ref>[https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/gota-paid-karuna-faction-5-million-to-kill-raviraj/ Gota Paid Karuna Faction 50 Million To Kill Raviraj], ''Colombo Telegraph''</ref> Investigations into the killings and disappearances of critics of the Rajapaksa government suggest that Gotabaya Rajapaksa directed a [[death squad]] to attack journalists and human rights activists, resulting in the deaths and disappearances of many.<ref>[http://www.colombopage.com/archive_17A/Mar20_1490023831CH.php Secret military death squad killed journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge, CID tells court], ''Colombo Telegraph''</ref>

In the first year of his presidency, Rajapaksa introduced massive tax cuts which, combined with the COVID-19 pandemic the following year, led to government income falling by over $3 billion, plunging Sri Lanka into its worst economic crisis since its independence in 1948. This crisis continued through 2021 and 2022, with Rajapaksa's approval rating falling to 10% as a result.<ref>[http://bizenglish.adaderana.lk/only-10-approve-the-way-current-government-is-working-survey-reveals/ Only 10% approve the way current government is working, survey reveals], ''Ada Derana''</ref> Rising public anger at the shortages of electricity, fuel, cooking gas, medicine and food led to widespread protests which forced Rajapaksa to seek a bailout from the International Monetary Fund.<ref>[https://www.dw.com/en/sri-lanka-seeks-imf-bailout-amid-shortages-rising-public-anger/a-61154249 Sri Lanka seeks IMF bailout amid shortages, rising public anger]</ref> However, as the crisis continued Rajapaksa was forced to implement 10-13 hour power cuts to save electricity, triggering even more protests which culminated in an attempt to storm Rajapaksa's private resident on 31 March 2022.<ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/31/tear-gas-as-sri-lanka-protesters-try-to-storm-presidents-house Dozens arrested in Sri Lanka amid protests over worsening economy], ''Al Jazeera''</ref> Rajapaksa's residence was stormed again on 9 July, forcing him to flee. He subsequently announced his resignation, effective 13 July.<ref>[https://www.newsfirst.lk/2022/07/09/breaking-president-to-step-down-on-13th-july/ BREAKING: President to step down on 13th July], ''Sri Lanka News''</ref> Upon his resignation, Rajapaksa fled to the Maldives, then to Singapore for his own safety and did not return to Sri Lanka for 52 days.<ref>[https://www.france24.com/en/asia-pacific/20220902-sri-lanka-s-deposed-leader-gotabaya-rajapaksa-returns-from-exile Sri Lanka's deposed leader Gotabaya Rajapaksa returns from exile], ''France 24''</ref>

==References==
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