The presidential campaign of a feared former defense official accused of condoning rape, torture and disappearances in Sri Lanka is getting a boost after deadly attacks this year.
Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa is the brother of former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa and the opposition candidate in the presidential election expected later this year.
Despite accusations of bloodshed, Gotabaya is a hero among majority Sinhalese Buddhists for his role in ending Sri Lanka's long civil war in 2009. Many see him as the best choice to protect the South Asian island nation after the Easter Sunday bombings that killed more than 250 people.
In this Aug 15, 2019, photo, former Sri Lankan Defense Secretary and opposition’s presidential candidate Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa prays at a Buddhist temple during his election campaign in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. Gotabaya is a feared former defense official accused of human rights abuses and crushing critics, but to many Sri Lankans, he is the leader most needed after last April’s Easter bomb attacks that killed more than 250 people. (AP PhotoSajeewa Chinthaka)
Gotabaya's hardened reputation and vow to ensure national security has become a selling point as the government faces severe criticism for failing to prevent the attacks at churches and hotels.
FILE - In this Aug. 11, 2019, file photo, former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, left, and former Defense Secretary and his brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa wave to supporters during a party convention held to announce the presidential candidacy in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Gotabaya is a feared former defense official accused of human rights abuses and crushing critics, but to many Sri Lankans, he is the leader most needed after last April’s Easter bomb attacks that killed more than 250 people. (AP PhotoEranga Jayawardena, File)
FILE - In this Aug. 11, 2019, file photo, former Sri Lankan Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa waves to supporters during a party convention held to announce the presidential candidacy in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Gotabaya is a feared former defense official accused of human rights abuses and crushing critics, but to many Sri Lankans, he is the leader most needed after last April’s Easter bomb attacks that killed more than 250 people. (AP PhotoEranga Jayawardena, File)
FILE - In this Aug. 11, 2019, file photo, former Sri Lankan Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, center, is embraced by his younger brother Basil during a party convention held to announce the presidential candidacy in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Gotabaya is a feared former defense official accused of human rights abuses and crushing critics, but to many Sri Lankans, he is the leader most needed after last April’s Easter bomb attacks that killed more than 250 people. (AP PhotoEranga Jayawardena, File)
DETROIT (AP) — The Oakland Athletics no longer have to wonder where they'll play the next few seasons. That won't make the long goodbye any easier.
The A's reacted to the announcement that this will be their last year in Oakland with a mixture of sadness and relief.
“At least as a player, you know where you’re headed,” outfielder Seth Brown said Friday before a game against the Tigers in Detroit. “There’s obviously a lot of moving parts, a lot of stuff we’re not privy to, so it’s just been kind of a waiting game on our end. Where are we going to go? Where are we going to be? So I think just having that knowledge -- at least we know where we’re going to be playing next year.”
Vivek Ranadivé, who owns the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, and Oakland Athletics owner John Fisher announced Thursday that the A’s will temporarily relocate to West Sacramento's Sutter Health Park for at least three seasons. The A's are moving to Las Vegas after a new ballpark is constructed.
The River Cats, who are affiliated with the San Francisco Giants, will continue to play at the same facility.
Fisher was unable to reach an agreement with Oakland city officials on extending the lease at Oakland Coliseum, which expires at the end of this season. The A's have played in the city since 1968.
“There's direction now, which we've talked a lot about,” Oakland A's manager Mark Kotsay said. “We've got time to kind of reflect on what this really means from an organizational standpoint, the history that we've had in Oakland, with this being now the final season. There's a lot of emotion that goes behind this.”
It will not only cause some upheaval for the players and staff but also members of the organization that work behind the scenes.
“At the end of the day, we know where we're going to be for the next three seasons after the finish this year and that in itself gives a little bit of stability,” Kotsay said. “At the same time, in the present, it's challenging in certain ways to think about the finality of this organization in Oakland.”
Sacramento will be a much smaller environment to house a major league team. Ranadivé said the River Cats venue currently seats 16,000 when counting the stands, the lawn behind center field and standing room only.
First baseman Ryan Noda is concerned with the facilities. He's hopeful that significant upgrades will be made, much like the Toronto Blue Jays did at Buffalo's Triple-A facility. The Blue Jays played at Buffalo's Sahlen Field in 2020 in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“New walls, new dugouts, new locker rooms — everything they needed to become a big league stadium,” said Noda, who played some games in Sacramento as a minor leaguer. “As long as we can do something like that, then it'll be all right. But it's definitely going to be different than playing in stadiums that hold 40,000 people.”
Kotsay is confident the upgrades will occur.
“I know it will be of major league baseball quality,” he said. “It's has to be of major league baseball quality. I know the Players Association will make sure that takes place, as they did in Buffalo.”
For the rest of this season, the A's will have to deal with small home crowds and disappointed fans.
“We’re sad for the fans, the diehard fans, who always come to our games, always support us, always support the boys wearing the jersey,” Noda said.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive, center, shakes hands John Fisher, owner of the Oakland Athletics, before the start of a news conference where Fisher announced his team will leave Oakland after this season and play temporarily at a minor league park, during a news conference in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4 2024.The A's announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
John Fisher, owner of the Oakland Athletics baseball team, announces that his team will leave Oakland after this season and play temporarily at a minor league park, during a news conference in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4, 2024. The A's announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Sutter Health Park, home of the Triple A team Sacramento River Cats, is shown in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Oakland Athletics announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Oakland Athletics manager Mark Kotsay walks to the dugout after making a pitching change during the eighth inning of the team's baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, March 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
