Mahinda Rajapaksa: Return of Sri Lanka's wartime strongman Image copyright Reuters Mahinda Rajapaksa, the man who dominated Sri Lanka as president for a decade, is now back at the summit of political power as prime minister. He is yet to receive the assent of parliament, but many now fear the return of a man accused of presiding over serious human rights abuses, as Charles Haviland reports.
Rajapaksa has charm and charisma in abundance.
I met him for the first time in 2010, in the early stages of a five-year stint as the BBC's Sri Lanka correspondent. I and my colleagues had turned up at his rural home totally unannounced. We were greeted by his son - and heir-apparent - Namal and were ushered in to meet the powerful leader, who was relaxing in his front room.
We chatted at length. We were served tea. At no point did Mahinda Rajapaksa check the time, or imply we should leave. At later meetings, usually in a crowd of journalists, it was the same story. He would pat the seat n..