Basil Rajapaksa

Family

He hails from a well-known political family in the southern part of Sri Lanka. His father, D. A. Rajapaksa, was a prominent politician, independence agitator, Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister of Agriculture and Land in Wijeyananda Dahanayake's government. He is a younger brother of the former presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa and Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who was the secretary for the defence ministry in the Mahinda Rajapaksa's government. Furthermore, his older brother Chamal served as the Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka (2010–2015).

He had his secondary education at Isipathana College and Ananda College, both located in Colombo.

Political career

At the 1977 General Elections, he contested Mulkirigala Electorate from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party but was defeated. He was the youngest SLFP candidate that contested in this election. In the 1977 election, only 8 members managed to win from the SLFP. Basil Rajapaksa later worked with the first executive President J.R. Jayewardene and joined the United National Party, He made this decision to join the UNP due to some infighting within the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. Although he was with JR Jayawardana, he openly supported his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa. While he was in UNP he became very close to the minister Gamini Dissanayake. When SLFP and coalition parties won the 1994 he actively assisted Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. In 1997 his wife won the US green card lottery and migrated to the USA with his family. He frequently visited Sri Lanka, especially whenever there were elections.

During the 2005 Presidential election campaign, he actively worked for his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa's victory and became an advisor for the President. In 2007 he was appointed as a national list member for the Sri Lankan parliament. When the 2010 parliamentary election was announced Basil contested the Gampaha district. As the district leader, he gained over 400,000 votes and became a member of the Parliament who obtained the highest number of preferential votes from the district.

In 2021 Basil Rajapaksa returned to the parliament from the national list and was appointed Finance Minister. During his time as minister Sri Lanka had entered an economic crisis but Rajapaksa began avoiding parliament sessions for months. The Opposition complained that pressing economic matters could not be discussed due to his absence. Other government MPs were also critical of his behaviour with Udaya Gammanpila, the energy minister claiming that Basil Rajapaksa refused to accept that an economic crisis was growing and that he knew nothing about his subject.

Rajapakasa finally attended parliament on 5 April after an absence of four months and after being forced to resign after a series of protests against the government.

In 2022, following the nationwide protests, Sri Lanka's ruling Rajapakasa family attempted to flee the country. On 11 July, Rajapakasa's attempt to leave through the VIP terminal at Colombo International Airport failed after a standoff with airport immigration staff, who refused to board him.

He would later successfully leave the country to the United States. On 22 November he returned to Sri Lanka and despite not being an MP or holding any government position he was allowed to use the VIP lounge of Colombo Airport and was given a police escort. In addition he used the Gold Route Service at the BIA which costs over US$200 per person when the VIP service is used and over a hundred SLPP members were seen eating food from the lounge waiting for Basil Rajapaksa to arrive.

Personal life

He is married to Pushpa Rajapaksa and has three children.

Corruption allegations

Rajapaksa is accused of many corruption scandals, and he is under investigation for corruption and abuse of state assets. He gained a reputation as "Mr. Ten Percent" due to the allegations of taking commissions from government contracts. In 2016, the court ordered authorities to auction a luxury villa and 6.5 ha of land in Malwana, which is allegedly owned by Rajapaksa. The house and land have not been auctioned and a court case is still ongoing in respect to this allegation.

One of the accusations that the current government made was the misappropriation of funds belonging to the Divi Neguma Development Department. Financial Crimes Investigation Department (FCID), a police division that was established to punish the supporters of the previous government, filed charges against Rajapaksa. There are several court cases where some citizens of Sri Lanka have challenged the legality of the FCID.

S. B. Dissanayake, the Minister for Social Empowerment and Welfare has stated: "The pipes were purchased according to due tender process, the purchased pipes were duly delivered the pradeshiya sabhas. The pradeshiya sabhas need pipes – for temple functions, funerals, when a minister is visiting – they need pipes for all of this." He has misused funds in a construction project while he was the Minister of Economic Development under his brother's government.

On 14 November 2023, following a case filed by filed by Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) and other four activists, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka found Rajapaksa, his brothers Mahinda and Gotabaya and several other officials guilty of economic mismanagement between 2019 and 2022, and ordered them to pay about $450 (150,000 rupees) in legal costs to the petitioners.

References

References

1. "I have not renounced my US citizenship – Basil Rajapaksa". Newsfirst.lk.
2. "New Cabinet sworn in".
3. (9 June 2022). "Sri Lankan economic crisis: Ex-finance minister Basil Rajapaksa quits amid protest".
4. [http://www.slelections.gov.lk/web/images/pdf/general-election-results/general-election-1977.pdf 1977 Parliamentary Elections Results] {{Dead link. (November 2018)
5. [http://www.nation.lk/2007/09/23/mynation.htm Can Basil rescue Mahinda’s sinking ship?].
6. "Basil Rajapaksa's name gazetted as National List MP". adaderana.lk.
7. "Basil Rajapaksa sworn-in as Finance Minister – Presidential Secretariat of Sri Lanka".
8. "Basil doesn't come to Parliament – Mano Ganeshan".
9. "Basil's silence for three months amidst dire economic situation causes uproar in Parliament for second day".
10. (14 May 2022). "A Ruling Family on the Run as Sri Lanka Plunges Into Economic Ruin". The New York Times.
11. "Basil Rajapaksa finally attends Parliament after 4 months". Daily Mirror.
12. (12 July 2022). "Lanka Ex Minister Basil Rajapaksa's Dubai Escape Dashed By Flyers: Sources". NDTV.
13. "Special treatment accorded to Basil at BIA comes in for condemnation".
14. "No payment made by Basil to use VIP arrival lounge at BIA". Daily Mirror.
15. "Pushpa Rajapaksa's China funded Sri Lanka NGO now a boutique hotel. {{!}} Sri Lanka Brief".
16. "බැසිල්ගේ මල්වානේ ඉඩමේ නඩුව මැයි 7 දක්වා කල් යයි".
17. (22 April 2015). "Sri Lanka ex-leader's brother Basil Rajapaksa arrested". BBC News.
18. (1 April 2022). "Sri Lanka's all-powerful Rajapaksas under fire". France 24.
19. "Basil Loses His 240 Million Worth Luxury Villa in Malwana". Colombo Telegraph.
20. "Court stops auction on Basil's alleged land in Malwana – Breaking News | Daily Mirror".
21. "FCID illegal, therefore whole process not lawful, say counsel | the Sunday Times Sri Lanka".
22. (10 August 2016). "SB Defends Basil Over Divi Neguma Case". Colombo Telegraph.
23. (22 April 2015). "Sri Lanka ex-leader's brother Basil Rajapaksa arrested". BBC News.
24. (14 November 2023). "Sri Lanka top court rules Rajapaksa brothers guilty of economic crisis". [[France 24]].