Mahinda Rajapaksa writes to Namal about political hardship

Daily Mirror, Lankadeepa and Newswire report that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa sent a letter to his son, MP Namal Rajapaksa, while Namal is in remand custody. Daily Mirror and Newswire say the letter looks back to the advice Mahinda gave when Namal entered politics in 2010.

He urged Namal to place his trust in the courts, according to Newswire.

Newswire reports that Mahinda and his wife, Shiranthi Rajapaksa, are being treated at Nawaloka Hospital, where Namal was born, and that their younger sons Yoshitha and Rohitha are caring for them. Newswire says Mahinda also referred to legal proceedings concerning Yoshitha and alleged that one case followed Yoshitha’s decision to join the Navy.

Newswire reports that Mahinda urged Namal not to retaliate against political opponents if he returned to power, and argued that children should not bear responsibility for their parents’ conduct. Newswire also says Mahinda asserted that the family had been blamed despite its role in bringing the country’s war to an end. He acknowledged the family’s electoral losses, encouraged Namal to retain faith in the Sri Lankan public, and closed the letter with a Buddhist blessing, according to Newswire. Ada Derana’s headline also reports the appeal against revenge if Namal came to power.