A Fool’s Paradise: Cricket Provides The Perfect Distraction For Latest Regime Clampdown
By Chinthika De Silva –
Nothing highlights the state of impunity and political apathy in Sri Lanka today as well as the Presidential Spokesman’s incessant Twitter updates about cricket and calypso just minutes after news broke that the Secretary to the Judicial Services Commission Manjula Tillakaratne, the regime’s present Enemy No. 1 was hospitalized following an assault by four unidentified persons early Sunday morning.
Bandula Jayasekara
Bandula Jayasekara who tweets under the username: @bundeljayse tweeted Baila v Calypso in Colombo before following up with “Recently returned fm Sri Lanka Andrew Alderson believes New Zealand can learn a thing or two fm the host countrys international success-NZH” and “Arjuna described Shane as a media myth Warne got a whiff and ran 2 Chappell saying Whats that fat bastard said now?”NZH”
Jayasekera’s tweets reinforced public perception that the attack on the JSC Secretary had been cleverly timed and occurred on a day when most Sri Lanka’s were almost obsessively distracted by the ICC T20 World Cup final in which the Sri Lankan team meets West Indies to battle for the trophy.
With the entire country on edge about the match that unfolds at 7 p.m. local time and the Meteorological Department’s glum prediction of thunder showers tonight, the attack that is extraordinarily significant in light of tensions that have erupted between the Rajapaksa regime and the judiciary is likely to be drowned out.
The incumbent administration is well known to spring unpleasant things upon the citizenry like price hikes and increased taxation during times of intense public distraction, whether by way of international cricket tournaments or the influx of Bollywood superstars in the island. More ominously, major attacks on journalists and dissidents have occurred when the Government was flying high, whether with major victories on the battlefield or in the public sphere.
The attack on Manjula Tillekaratne is no different. Strangely reminiscent of the assassination of Sunday Leader Founder Editor Lasantha Wickrematunge, the early morning attack also featured four unidentified persons who assaulted Tillekaratne with a blunt weapon in broad daylight on a busy street. Wickrematunge also died of blunt force trauma to his head.
If Sri Lanka trounce the West Indies tonight to clinch the cup, all will be forgiven as President Mahinda Rajapaksa descends on the R. Premadasa Stadium to present the Lankan cricket skipper with the prestigious trophy. Tomorrow’s newspapers will be splashed with pictures of the victory and the attack on a judicial officer who so recently criticized the political powers will be relegated to a corner of the front pages.
If conquering Kilinochchi was the anti-dote to the social poison of Lasantha’s murder, so the T20 world cup will ease the discomfiture of an attack on another person who dared to cross the incumbent regime.
And so, when no one was looking, another death knell has tolled for democracy in Sri Lanka.
More posts;
WikiLeaks: Sri Lanka Is A Cricket-Mad Country
WikiLeaks: Cricket Is Like A Religion In Sri Lanka
Secretary Of The Judicial Services Commission Was Assaulted By A Group Of Unidentified Men
kalum bandara perera / October 7, 2012
This a c.i.a type plan done by j.v.p group they wants to inform the world the govt goons done it. this trics is a method of j.v.p and u.n.p
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JULAAMPITYE AMARAYA / October 7, 2012
K B P
NOW A DAYS CHINESE DON’T HAVE KNOTTED HAIR.
SO TELL YOUR STORIES TO PUTHTHALAM DONKEYS.
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Lanka Muslim, UK / October 7, 2012
Are not the majority of Sri Lankans like the ‘Knotted Hair Chinese’ swallowing as truth all what the present horrid Govt. says and keep voting for them again and again.
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shankar / October 8, 2012
Lanka Muslim,they don’t have a choice do they,when the UNP keeps on having the same leader after defeat after defeat.The UNP is stubborn and the people are also until one gives way and provides the leadership that the people want.Do not think that a vote for the government is a vote of approval,it could be just because the alternative is worse.
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Jim Hardy / October 8, 2012
Kalum Bandara You seems to be stupid ignorant fool without any proof.
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gamini / October 7, 2012
The MR govt. selling Cricket to the MODA Sinhalese who have mixed up their priorities in the country to cover the short comings, excesses and price increases. I am reminded here something similar, the pickpockets, used to resort to in the ’60s in the Fort area. Two guys would look up at the sky and continue to point at the sky. In a matter of ten minutes, over hundreds will be looking up at the sky and some of the public too point at something. While this scenario is continuing the Pickpockets have cleaned the pockets and hand bags of quite a few and had moved away. Like wise MR is resorting to the same tacticks like the Pickpockets.
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gamini / October 7, 2012
I find difficult to understand how and why the ICC even thought of getting Sri Lanka to host a World Cup event as the T-20 at a time the country is moving towards a DICTATORSHIP. The rule of Law in this so called Democracy is no secret, how a Corrupt, Dishonest and a Murderous President is subverting Justice to a Nation who has enjoyed freedom of Democracy from Independence. Or is it that it has been planned by the vested interest to help MR, to project his image and advertise the country?
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shankar / October 7, 2012
Wonder whether MR will take the full responsibility for the loss.He had come for the match so he has to take the responsibility.If srilanka had won he would have taken full credit for the victory and would have had victory celebrations with him at the centre stage and mahela would have been pushed into the background.Last world cup too he went for the match.In future he should not go for the matches and just watch it on TV at home.When he went to the Navy vs kandy rugby football club match too ugly incidents took place.MR,please don’t pollute sports too with your presence and stay at home please.The gods don’t want you in the sports ground because you don’t know how to play the game like a true sportsman and cheat and flout the rules.
PS.At least the yaksha dancing girls were hilarious and enjoyable.MR also could have picked one out for the night like his friend the swaziland king.
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gamini / October 7, 2012
In hind sight, Sri Lanka losing the match is good for the country, as otherwise the mad hatters in the country would have been filled to brim with euphoria of a Cricket Victory, that the assault on the Judiciary would have paled in to insignificance. Now tomorrow with the Judiciary going on strike, the momentum should be kept on a high to divert the public focus on grave issues reference the country and not just on Cricket. Possibly they hammered the Secretary thinking that the match will be won and the public interest would have been diverted towards celebrations with the main culprit taking the credit for the Victory. Now serves the bugger right to pin blame on him and for the Public to get their priorities in order.
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Peter / October 8, 2012
gamini,
How could the regime anticipate victory?
They could have waited for the result and decided to attack.
May be the President’s astrologer would have assured of victory
and now it has misfired.
When will he ever learn and realise that Asrology is only a probability, and stop seeking advice fom Astrologers.
Had he gone to Tamil Nadu they would have given a better prediction.
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gamini / October 9, 2012
Peter you are correct, but their action before hand shows their level of intellect.
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Shanker-Iyer / October 7, 2012
I am sure MR would have picked one of the yaksha dancing girls. He gives first preference to Sri Lankan produce!!
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Bandula Jayasekara / October 8, 2012
Looks like this article is written by a stranger without his/her real name. Someone who wanted to write something for the heck of writting He/She is trying to politicise cricket, my tweets and everything else. I have clearly said that I express my personal views and I have tweeted as a cricket fan like any other. There is a saying if you have nothing to do don’t do it here. There is no story here. :) Thank you
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Shanker-Iyer / October 8, 2012
When YOU had nothing to do, you went on a screwing spree in Canada as well as in the United States during your tenure of office, remember! You brought disgrace to the country you represented and doctoring photographs for Idi Mahin was your speciality. Please take a hair cut in case you are not wearing a wig?
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Bandula Jayasekara / October 9, 2012
I have only sympathy for you, your lies, and your hatred. May god bless you
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Peter / October 11, 2012
Bandula,
I thought that you are a Budhist and Budhists don’t believe in God!
Understand that you are going as ambassoder to Australia- so adjusting for future.
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gamini / October 9, 2012
Shanker, this breed not having much upstairs they have this Pudding Basin style to cover it like Rajeeva.
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AYMAN / October 8, 2012
WE SRI LANKANS WERE DOING WELL, UNTIL KING MAHINDA CAME TO THE STADIUM.
BAD ENOUGH HIS COMING,WHICH BROUGHT ABOUT THE BAD LUCK, HE STARTED WAVING
AT THE CROWD, AND THEN I KNEW THAT WAS THE END FOR OUR CRICKETERS.
THE THOUSANDS WHO PAID THOUSANDS TO SEE OUR TEAM WIN WOULD HAVE GONE BACK CURSING THIS BUGGER.
REMEMBER, WHEN HE WENT TO WEST INDIES TO COME BACK WITH THE WORLD CUP,WE LOST.
BY THE WAY THE MINISTERS AND M.P’S WENT TO DAMBANA AND PLAYED ACRICKET MATCH AGAINST THE VEDDAHS. THE VEDDAHS WON. THERE TOO NAMAL RAJAPAKSE WAS THE MAN OF THE MATCH. THESE BUGGERS ARE MORE UNCIVILIZED THAN THE VEDDAHS.
LET THE RAJAPAKSES LEARN A LESSON THAT THEY CANNOT CONTINUE WITH THEIR
BLUFF AND BUFFOONERY AND ALWAYS WIN, BY CHEATING.
THERE IS BOUND TO BE DIVINE RERETRIBUTION, AND IT WILL BE SOON!!!!!!
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Moda Kolla / October 11, 2012
Yes Sri Lankans were doing very well before Mahinda arrived the scene and his bad luck has enabled Srilankans to live without Bomb scares now. And his bad luck has destroyed our innocent LTTE force too.
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shankar / October 8, 2012
We have reached 4 finals,but could not finish it off like the way the LTTE was finished off because we lack that killer instinct.For the next world cup a Rajapakshe is sorely needed to take over the captaincy and as mahinda,gota and basil are too old,i propose Namal.He will see that we get that world cup by hook or by crook.If we are losing a bomb could go off disrupting the game and a replay necessary or heavy intimidation or abduction or assaut of family members of key opposition players will make them so worried that they will bowl loose balls or play loose shots.All’s fair in love and war and we do love our cricket.
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d Pillay / October 9, 2012
You people are rapist , you did not win the war , You needed India, Pakistan, Russia,Israel, your God China, and many , many other countries to defeat the ltte, In the most cowardly way to.
Karma WILL catch with Sri Lanka.
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Joanna Gray / October 8, 2012
The wheels of justice turn slowly but surely. People are now beginning to realize who the Rajapakses really are. State tv showed “the last king of Scotland” many times before the last Presidential election. This is what were to expect.
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Lanka Muslim, UK / October 8, 2012
The day that divine justice will prevail is not far; the unjust rulers all over are meeting their due fate one by one; and no doubt the peoples’ will in Sri Lanka will be victorious ending the ruthless regime.
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Lasantha Pethiyagoda / October 8, 2012
I believe that Bandula Jayasekera should not have been featured in the above article, as his tweets or personal preferences with regard to music or sports has nothing to do with the government’s policies, strategies, maneouvering or tactics. I would have preferred to see the author’s picture instead, as it would be more relevant to the article.
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gamini / October 9, 2012
Well, when you are the Official Spokesman for the Corrupt, Dishonest, Murderous President, you can not escape blame either?
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Shanker-Iyer / October 10, 2012
Well said, Gamini. Hello, Bandula Jayasekera, I am sure you must be reading all the JUICY comments above. Please pass it on to Idi Mahin!
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Nisal Amarasingha / October 11, 2012
Hey Bandula why are you asking for a posting to Sydney. We Sri Lankans here know your record as a [Edited out] con man and Idi Mahin arse licker. Your [Edited out]in Toronto and you being kicked out for your feuding with a [Edited out] who is a synthetic diplomat comes with your CV. Get rid of that knuckle headed mat on top of your head before you are mistaken for an escapee from the North Shore Hospitals Mental ward.
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mike / October 11, 2012
As Idi Mahin’s arse licker Bandula is sure to get what he wants very soon!!
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