Stopping The Rot
By Colombo Telegraph -
Namini Wijedasa colombo telegraph
Namini Wijedasa
Keynote speech delivered by journalist Namini Wijedasa at the Annual General Meeting of the Citizens Movement for Good Governance today, held in the auditorium of the Organisation of Professional Associations, Colombo.
Members of the Citizens Movement for Good Governance and friends,
This is an honour indeed. And yet, I am more than a little daunted at having to speak before an audience whose experience and memories stretch so back into the past. When Dr. Visvalingam invited me to address you, I was delighted. But as the days flew by, I became more and more uncertain of what I could say to people who already knew so much more than I do. And who have lived much longer than I have.
So I stand before you as an ordinary journalist who makes no pretence about the depth and extent of my knowledge or insight. I present to you my views based on what I have learnt of my country through the exercise of my profession.
It is the practice today that when somebody presents a view contrary to that which is held by the government and its henchmen, that person and his opinions are loudly denigrated. He must have an agenda, they say. And the word ‘agenda’ is almost always used negatively.
If you criticise the way foreign relations are conducted, you’re being bribed by the West. If you speak about human rights abuses, you are a grasping NGO agent. Either way, you are embroiled in a certain conspiracy to topple the government.
If you oppose the mass ordination of Buddhist children because you think it is not the healthiest way to alleviate poverty or to protect the Buddha Sasana, you’re part of an international religious plot to destroy Buddhism in Sri Lanka. If you eat bread or noodles, you’re a slave to those evil multinational companies—despite the fact that the person making this claim is a noodle himself.
If you criticise your rulers, you’re just downright ungrateful because they won the war—and that should suffice for the next several decades. Indeed, “if you are not with us, you are against us”. Still. Three years after the war ended.
This bigotry and intolerance is untenable. It is wholly detrimental to the free thought, free speech and the advancement of society. Why in this day and age is a government afraid of a diversity of views? Why do they feel so threatened by detractors and critics that they feel it necessary to classify them as conspirators or traitors?
As journalists, we have to avoid all these labels. And yet, you could still be sold out by colleagues who have aligned themselves so closely with this government that they are irreversibly indebted to them. If there are stooges in all other sectors, so it is also with the media. Carrots are certainly more powerful than the stick.
This is not a phenomenon unique to the prevailing regime. Ranil Wickremesinghe had media lackeys who treated as heretics those colleagues who did not blindly follow the leader. So did Chandrika Kumaratunga and no doubt those before her. I may be mistaken but it feels so much worse now. If there is one change I would like to see in the media industry, it is that we do not let our political preferences erode relations among ourselves to the extent that we are unable to tolerate each other in a room.
I have an agenda. That agenda is set by me, based on certain principles, and is not financed by anybody. It comes from wanting a better life for my children. It comes from having made a choice to stay in Sri Lanka when leaving was an attractive option.
As with any journalist, I have had access to many policy and decision makers over the years. I have observed how politicians think, how they work and the difference between the two. I have been able to compare how systems, and the attitudes of those that run them, have changed. I have witnessed half-baked attempts to introduce some semblance of independence to our public institutions through the 17th amendment. Then I saw how easily, and flippantly, even these efforts were reversed through the passing of the 18th amendment.
Having covered the story from the day the law was passed, I will be the first to admit that the 17th amendment was flawed. I remember writing that the law was riddled with more holes than a string-hopper. But it could have been improved for the greater benefit of this country’s citizens and its public officials. Instead, the opposite was done. Our public institutions have lost every semblance of independence and are completely and wholly controlled by the executive. And this includes the judiciary.
When the judiciary depends on the executive for survival and career advancement, and the executive is of the type that expects complete subservience, what hope does this country have?
I don’t have to go into detail here about just how politicised our institutions are. My audience knows it. What is despairing is that it appears to be a bottomless pit. You keep falling, and falling, and falling. The level of submission required is suffocating and even extends to the arts, particularly to the world of film. Since the war ended, Sri Lankans have been allowed to view the conflict only through the eyes of the Sinhalese or through the eyes of the military.
Their story of loss, grief and victory must be told. But what of the others who died, who suffered, who grieve? What about the Tamils? What about the LTTE fighters, many of whom even the government says were conscripted by force? They have a story to tell too. If we don’t tell it, a foreigner will. And then we won’t like it. Then we will whine about it. And somebody out there will join the growing ranks of traitor, of conspirator, of enemy.
I remember visiting a Tiger cemetery once, during the ceasefire. It was for a story. Back then we were encouraged to report these things. A mother and her daughter were laying flowers out on a grave. The woman said her son was buried there. He had been 16 at the time of his death. I saw the same pain in her eyes that I have seen in the eyes of other mothers, Sinhalese mothers, Muslim mothers. Sorrow has no ethnicity, no bias, no race or political preference. So why do we give it these attributes?
Everyone is doing politics everywhere now. The end result is that we don’t get our services. It’s politics at the municipal council, at the police station, in schools, universities and in the health sector. Sportsmen do politics, actors do politics, soldiers, even very senior ones, do politics on behalf of politicians. Politics, politics, everywhere. To prep up a regime, or to topple it. Nothing in between, where the people are.
Then there is this business of how people have come to accept the unacceptable. Some months ago, I walked to the top of our lane with our five-year-old daughter, Anshula. We were heading to the little bookshop near Jubilee Post junction. When we got there, there was police tape around the shop and policemen outside. So we turned back.
I asked some three-wheeler drivers parked at the stand nearby what had happened. As my daughter listened open-mouthed, they described how some men had come the previous evening—not too late—shoved the owner of the bookshop into the inevitable white van and taken him away. They had guns, these drivers said, with great relish. Don’t know where they took him. “Oh well,” I told my daughter, “let’s come some other time”. “Will they find that uncle?” she asked. “I don’t know darling,” I replied, noncommittally. “But there are other bookshops.”
It was only at night that it hit me. My reaction was not normal. It was not normal for me to have accepted the abduction of this man. I don’t know if guns were actually used, but it was also not normal for me to have accepted that a bunch of guys could turn up with guns at the local bookshop. What had happened to me?
But this how it goes. We Sri Lankans are getting so used to things being done wrongly that we forget what the right way is. Does it make me an NGO puppet when I say all this? A traitor? A conspirator? A misguided fool? A plant of the West? An anti-Rajapaksa ingrate? Of course. To some people. But I’m none of those things to me. And that is what matters.
So… how do we reverse the rot? Heck, I don’t know. If the whole distinguished lot of you failed to get it done over the years, what chance do I have of prescribing or enforcing solutions? Most times, the situation seems so hopeless that the worst option seems to be the best option: That is, if you can’t beat them, join them.
But there has to be a way. And here is a little of what I figured out through my interactions as a journalist. First and foremost, we must fight on behalf of institutions and systems while separating personalities and politicians from the same. Politicians, regardless of their parties, have taken ownership of institutions and systems that do not belong to them. The public must bear on politicians to run them in a manner that benefits us.
So often, since the war ended, we have heard that we must be grateful to the government. Yes, we must. But this notion of gratitude has been taken too far. Today, we are expected to be grateful for everything, particularly services that are our entitlement. And those services, too, are delivered so grudgingly, so lackadaisically and so incompetently that it makes you cringe. This is a country that can’t conduct an advanced level examination without a breakdown. Need we look further?
I say that now, three years after the military victory, it is time to stop focusing solely on gratitude. It is time to demand good governance. The regime must be grateful to the people for tolerating its inefficiency thus far. All the international conspiracies in the world can’t mask the fact that things are not right here.
So how does the public know that they are being poorly governed, that politicisation is eating way at the very heart of our systems? The message must go to the grassroots, to the members of local government and provincial councils, of village societies and women’s groups. Teachers, clergy, business people, professionals, agricultural workers, everyone, must be made aware of their rights and entitlements. People must be educated about how proper systems work because we are so entrenched in what we have now that we cannot see or remember a better time.
As a journalist, I have found the public eager to learn about alternatives. I recall a discussion I had with a group of law students at the Colombo High Court last November. It was a vibrant dialogue about the importance of separating the judiciary from the executive. It seemed all the more relevant because we were waiting for the judgement in Sarath Fonseka’s ‘white flag’ case. They, and I, went away more enlightened than when we came in. And I wondered whether the legal education system was today independent enough for similar debates to take place at student level. My guess is, no.
When the message goes to the grassroots, stuff happens. Changes occur. We may not see them now, but things start moving. Politicians get nervous and feel more accountable. If the voices circulate only in the capitals, nothing will change. I had a scheduled interview with a senior VIP government minister recently. I was to meet him at 2 pm. At 1.30 pm, his aide called me and said the minister would be delayed because he was in meetings at Anuradhapura. Two o’clock came and went. I waited because the interview was an important one. We have waited a lifetime for Chandrika to get to places so this was nothing.
At 3.30 pm, I called the aide. So sorry miss, he said. The minister was still at meetings and hasn’t even had his lunch yet. What’s the problem, I asked. “Big problem, miss,” he said. “All the local politicians are fighting with him about so many things and he can’t get away. He’s been stuck since morning.” The minister did not return till late that day. He had been given a tough time by the people that matter.
This pattern needs to be repeated. People from the bottom have to get their rulers to listen. They have to cut through the rhetoric about international and local conspiracies and get to the root of the problem.
But the objective, in my personal view, should not be to topple governments. Any fool can see that the alternatives are not viable. And if the systems remain the same what’s the point in changing a government anyway? Besides, that objective will defeat the purpose. The fight will once again be about personalities and not about systems.
I don’t know whether we can achieve this. I do know that the job can’t be left to journalists alone or to civil society alone or to anybody else alone. Everyone who has the knowledge and the exposure must encourage people at the grassroots to demand more from our rulers. Governing, after all, isn’t the sole prerogative or business of governments, and of particular political parties. The agenda has to be set by us. If we can’t get the people we elected to do their job, then we are responsible for the rot we so despise.
Restore all rights to General Fonseka and release all political prisoners -Mangala
(Lanka-e-News-23.May.2012, 7.30PM) While we acknowledge the release of General Sarath Fonseka from prison as recommended by the Minister of Justice to HE the President and approved accordingly, we do register our strongest protest for restricting his civic rights in engaging in political activities, as he chooses and wish to.
As we have come to understand, General Fonseka has been released from prison, given a remission on his sentence under Article 34 of the Constitution, which only means he had been allowed from prison, before serving the full sentence and without restoring any of the rights he was denied by the sentences and due to imprisonment. We stress that he was a “political prisoner” and his release should therefore accept him as a politician, free to involve in politics on his own accord.
We also demand that all other political prisoners including the 234 Tamil youth on hunger strike, who are held in detention and without charges for well over 02 years be released immediately, as the government has so far failed to file any charges against any of them. Filing of charges hereafter would only mean, the government is not prepared to free them and for that purpose, charges that could not be framed for over 02 years are now being framed.
So is the issue of all the security personnel who were victimised and punished for being in association of General Fonseka. They should also be pardoned and their previous status restored immediately.
A government that claims, it is respecting human and civil rights and safeguards democracy, should not only be seen to be so to the world, but must also live to be so for the people of this country to engage with their conscience as free and independent people.
M J - May 23, 2012
11:02 pm
This is the same Mangy baby who compared Sarath fonseka to a Salvation Army commander..no? This man has been in hiding while the UNP factions squabbling because he wasn’t appreciated by or welcome in either faction. Suddenly he found something different to talk about, what a rat!
Rupert Vanderkoon - May 24, 2012
6:26 pm
The way forward to with educating the lankan voter and people about the rot in Lanka’s political culture cultivated by MR and Ranil Wickramasinhe, the corruption, nepotism, land=grabbing etc. so that a tipping point is reached and the Rajapakses Bros Inc swept out of office. This generation of politicians that ruined the country must be gotten rid of and new younger voices are necessary to be the change. Also promote women like Rosy Senanayake for leadership positions..!
Dinuk - May 25, 2012
12:13 pm
Dinuk,
The political cultural decline began with the 1978 constitution, not necessarily with the current politicians. For any change to happen, the system needs an complete overhaul as well as new and intelligent faces need to replace the old lot. But funny you want Rosy to be promoted to lead. A beautiful looking gob or a gun weilding rat is certainly not what we need,but an intelligent person who knows a bit about the economy and decent politics.
Rupert Vanderkoon - May 26, 2012
6:48 am
Really! The grass on the other side of the stream is always greener, only until you get there.
Victor Wellhouse - June 2, 2012
10:09 am
Namini deserves credit for her courageous approach and unrelenting demand for justice..
Jeyan - May 24, 2012
5:51 am
WE DON’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT YOU.
BUT,WE RESPECT YOU AS A PEOPLE’S JOURNALIST.
SERUVILA SENARATH - May 24, 2012
6:09 am
sir. we know who is namini wijedasa. she works for island also,, last year she got a european union award. what for, she wrote againast motherlanka.. in colombo embassy cocktail media know she met every embassy official.. we have some pics..
yohan ranjith perera - May 24, 2012
1:38 pm
This man is some who is jealous with Namini, even man doesn’t know about the Natali priz. LOL
Kalu Albert - May 24, 2012
5:39 pm
Mr Yohan Perera…YOU HAVE SERIOUS SHORTCOMINGS IN YOUR IGNORANCE!!!
Namini was awardedthe LORENZO NATALI PRIZE for her two articles
1. Tigers Destroy Democracy inBatticaloa
2. Blatant Recruitment of Child Soldiers…
Those articles were NOT AGAINST SRI LANKA.
As her father I know that she does not frequent EMBASSY COCKTAILS.
J K WIJEDASA - May 26, 2012
4:09 am
I am shocked by the comment made by Yohan Ranjith Perera. By attempting to discredit a journalist who has stood for the right from the day she took up journlism, he has exposed his ignorance and i am sure he is a bums-sucker. The european award she won was the prestigious Lorenzo Natali prize for reporting on human rights violation. To be enlightened about the truth please visit the official website of the prize and read it.
Rohan Perera - May 24, 2012
1:53 pm
The author of this article, a journalist, laments the lack of processes that characterise a true democracy.To speak with conviction and sincerity merits people’s respect. However, this young journalist has probably greatly underestimated the power of the system which seems to deny her what she claims to be her entitlement. I would even go so far as to label it naivety and inexperience, unless she is hiding information that she fears to divulge, for fear of adverse consequences. Whatever the truth of the matter might be, there is always a lot of spice in these speeches, which I am sure the audience welcomed and appreciated.
Lasantha Pethiyagoda - May 24, 2012
1:57 pm
warm and honest. well done namini!
sumadhu weerawarne - May 24, 2012
5:14 pm
By the relentlessly brilliant Namini Wijedasa. Great!
Less Mad Max - May 24, 2012
5:33 pm
Namini, You were right to be nervous about, when you had the invitation, because you are one of those journalists who would jump on the bandwagon wrapped with all the rags in town. A Keynote Speaker should not only have oratory skills, which surely you do,but intelligence on his/her topic, and must be able to engage the audience while showing openess.Unfortunately, you are biased on issues and openness clearly is not your thing.
When you say “If you oppose the mass ordination of Buddhist children because you think it is not the healthiest way to alleviate poverty or to protect the Buddha Sasana, you’re part of an international religious plot to destroy Buddhism in Sri Lanka. If you eat bread or noodles, you’re a slave to those evil multinational companies—despite the fact that the person making this claim is a noodle himself.” what on earth were you thinking? That you were unique that you were the only one in that category? Just for your record, we all oppose ordination of children, but nobody accuses us of any plots. Then again, your accusation is based on the bandwagon again, where the mass ordination idea of an idiotic minister is what you are concerned about, (not the general child-ordination) because it is the topic of the town, how typical! Your speech has been done just by the numbers. Not quite a keynote speech but hoghwash of a tabloid journalist.
Rupert Vanderkoon - May 24, 2012
8:24 pm
Rupert Vanderkoon has certainly exposed himself as a government crony and pretty obvious who this crony is. The history of this individual is no secret to the entire country and the country knows that you were not even good enough to be a tabloid journalist as you have given up ethics of journalism to fulfill your personal agendas. Yes in your eyes the speech is biased because it’s certainly hit you hard as Namini clearly explians
“And yet, you could still be sold out by colleagues who have aligned themselves so closely with this government that they are irreversibly indebted to them,”.
Grow up man
Rohan Perera - May 25, 2012
3:52 am
It is clear as a bell you have got your wires crossed! Like a few others here, may be you are hurt by some political sentiments. But the criticism here is against a keynote speaker. Clearly you haven’t had that opportunity but if ever you get a chance, which probably will not happen, judging by your tone, but if ever you get it, you have to speak not the general market trend but something more than that. For example, Namini here talks about white vans, noodles,giving freedom to law students blah blah but there is enough noise about these issues. For example, she could have just chosen one of the issues, noodles for instance..and discussed it in detail, the history, politics, psychology, environment and international perspective.Why would you want to listen to a keynote speaker who talks about tabloid headlines? She is basically at a loose end here talking like they said in the olden days, all my eye and Peggy Martin. In short, I can only repeat what I said previously, it wasn’t quite a keynote speech but hoghwash of a tabloid journalist. She doesn’t need to be there but unfortunately, she was invited to do a keynote for which she wasn’t prepared. Yes you can grow up or you can ask!
Rupert Vanderkoon - May 26, 2012
7:21 am
A journalist with a lot of guts. She spoke with conviction. In the prevailing climate of fear and injustice she shines like a beacon of hope and support. A consistent advocate for the rights of the oppressed. May God bless her
Piranha - May 25, 2012
9:12 pm
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kalum sarath bandara - May 26, 2012
4:20 am
Hey…. Namini… its excellent. Well done Namini, you have spoken the truth… Great. We-journalists- are with u. Warm wishes to be a voice for the voiceless.
Shanika - May 26, 2012
6:31 am
Well done Namini for having the courage to speak up! Please continue to do so.
Sunari silva - May 26, 2012
6:47 am
Dear Namini,
I read your speech this morning on facebook and congratulat you on the forthright expression what hailed from your heart on issues that you found worthwhile to speak about.
Criticism will always be there constructive or not but it gives credance to the subject and confirms the fact that it is not only your well wishers but those who are averse to your comments who give you an audience to help you get another perspective to reflect upon.
I from a far am able to appreciate an unbiased expression of thought for the betterment of the country and its’ people at large. It spells hope for a better future where one can still want to live in harmony.
Keep up the good work it is what is right to your conscience is all that matters when an honest job is done.
I was very much moved by the reflection of thought on your comments to your daughter related to the book store experience.
I am personally proud to have come in contact with you by chance on my one and only visit to my homeland in thirtyseven years.
Best wishes to family,
Sincerely
Frank
Frank Seevaratnam - May 27, 2012
12:26 pm
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xxxxx - May 28, 2012
6:20 am
I quote from Namini Wijedasa’s key note address:
“If we can’t get the people we elected to do their job, then we are responsible for the rot we so despise.”
I agree with Namini 100%. If we do not act fast time may run out!
Neelani - May 28, 2012
6:33 am
Very few go to the root cause of this rot.It was the 1978 Constitution that prevented any decent and genuine social worker entering politics.Now only agents of rotten get into the Parliament. Then our so called voters elect people like Paba etc.What contribution can these people make and has the elector gone mad. What can we expect in return from these so called lawmakers.At the moment unmanned drones are directed at us. Human rights reports by parties that kill innocent in hundreds in the Islamic countries are preaching.We have to be together.Also the rot must go. Only the educated can chase them out. Namini is correct.
Tissa - May 28, 2012
8:41 am
Dear Namini,
As a women I am very proud of you and want to thank you ever so much for calling a spade a spade in a country and a time where most of the people are keeping thier mouths shut.
Hats off to you dear daughter, you are one of the very few courageous individulas that I have come across in my life. I wish you all sucess and remember THRUTH ALWAYS WIN.
Visaka Dharmadasa - May 28, 2012
12:32 pm
An honest assesment by Namini Wijedasa that took courage to orate, and most eloquently presented to an audience. Long over due and a much required change by the “one that counts” must be forthcoming from the helm of goverance.
As for the nastiness of some responses…I am reminded of a joke about the most expensive brain. Why Expensive? Because it was smaller than a peanut and tough to find!
Noel Goonesekera - May 30, 2012
4:46 pm
Well said Namini,you have the courage to speak the truth.Among our journalists i’m proud of you…Ranjan
Ranjan Paranavithana - June 2, 2012
3:28 am
Ranil W, May I suggest you at least print this speech ( with a Sinhalese/Tamil translation) and distribute to people through your district level organizers if you have at least a wild dream of challenging the regime.
Senaratne - June 2, 2012
3:53 am
What a pity Wimal Weerawansa or many other Ministers and M P s can not read and understand the contents of this article.
We are going down hill very fast.
richardson - June 2, 2012
4:21 am
Democracy is a form of government of the fools,by the fools,and for the fools, This is in Sri Lanka and in many Asian and Mid Eastern countries.
We will hit the road to protest if the poonac prices go up.
Latest news “Gota WON the War”
richardson - June 2, 2012
4:27 am
What about the ‘developed west’? Does anyone in their right mind think that these ‘democracies’ have clean governments, do not cheat, and ‘make hay while the sun shines’ for their own personal benefit. Only fools recognise their own ilk.
P.Riyad - June 2, 2012
9:39 am
The underlying theme of her speech is righteousness..but aren’t there as important, nay more important, requirements of society to feed the hungry and give more people the opportunity to live better than their parents did? The rich, the entrenched, those who have inheritances can glibly speak of righteousness but governments have to create the circumstances for any man, including the poor, to raise their living standards. And that this government is doing.
P.Riyad - June 2, 2012
5:33 am
I congratulate your little contribution to the discourse. You are quite right in your general assessment. We need journalists like you, although we understand the risks you are taking. Good governance is presently a dream that we live with every day. Given the turbulent history that we have recently gone through, perhaps an intelligent leader will emerge; I am not holding my breath though. I really think your father should stay out of reacting to every comment that is made. Cheers Nimal
Dr. Nimal Chandrasena - June 2, 2012
10:27 am
Namini Wijaedasa’s speech is one of the best speach I have ever read and that came out of a Sinhala person. I used to think why Sri Lanka has not produced any fair minded sinhala political elites or thoughtful sinhala elites who look at other countries and design a suitable political system for Sri Lanka. Hope other Sinhala people like her wake up and change the political culture of Sri Lanka.
I am a Tamil. I have been following Sri Lankan politics since I left Sri Lanka in 1973. Never will or wanted to come back to Sri Lanka. Analysing Sri Lankan politics I always felt that Sri Lanka did not have any pragmatic political elites and leaders who could move Sri Lanka out of ethnic devisions, corruption, lack of independant judiciary, fair governance etc. The only results is people are suffering. Hope the Sinhala majority realises this weakness and corrects itself.
Bala Tharmabala, PhD, P. Eng - June 2, 2012
12:36 pm
I am really proud of you girl. all what you have said and delivered are absoultely right and it is sad that these things are happening while the authorities are given deaf ears. ” The fight will once again be about personalities and not about systems.” you are rightly said
Sudharshani Ranasuriya - June 2, 2012
2:37 pm
It is high time that the Sinhala Buddhist Voters take into picture the
non-governance by this regime in various sectors.
Even the Holy Pope is preparing to intervene, let alone the I/C !!!
The Sinhala Voter is bolder when SL actions sends L.Fox into
Resignation and British H.C. getting the sack! Jeya Wewa!
Punchinilame - June 2, 2012
3:07 pm
Namini, I do not know how old you are, but if you had lived long enough to witness people getting burn’t alive and hacked to death, in black July, then getting 18 year old burnt alive on tire spires or see lifeless dismembered heads on stakes in front of your house early in the morning, bloated bodies floating freely and daily down Kelani river during early 80′s and then getting blasted in buses, trains almost any minute anywhere, during 90′s and early 00′s,I bet you..you wouldn’t have said that,”I may be mistaken but it feels so much worse now”..
Sadly you say that any one who go against the regime, get labelled, and what do YOU do..any one goes with the regime get labelled by you, where is the free speech you so feverishly seeking…you should practice before you preach…for the first time in my life, I truly feel free in this country, it is only the other day I heard a heart warming conversation of a Tamil speaking woman taking to a Sinhala collegue over her phone in a bus and no one paid much attention. But I did, not because it was so alien. but because I would loath to hear that tamilised sinhala dialect we used to hear everywhere we went in late 70′s or early 80′s..loving, friendly chit chats from next door neighbors or the parents of my dearly loved friends advising or praising us..
I’m glad it’s coming back, slowly but surely they are back, we are going to be one big community again..I am sure we will..and for that, I owe the people who won this freedom for us, not just three years, as long as this peace prevailing in my motherland..
Dear Namini, yes we need people who can handle the economy, we need this regime to put an end to corruption, we honestly do need a plan for way forward, but…there is a way to say this or demand..but the way you are doing it utterly ungrateful, and stubbornly foolish..
Darshana Mudalige - June 2, 2012
3:24 pm
I am bewildered by the majority of the comments posted, except from Rupert Vanderkoon’s good points. No body understands the problem of sri lankan is nothing but to do with its Constitution. With this kind of constitution is in place, it would be utter stupid of people to expect anything better than these highly complexed social, political problem like the ones we all know today. The simple truth is PEOPLE ARE STUPID. Stupid people will never
It is no point bashing and arguing about silly questions that Ms. Wijedasa is trying to highlight unless we can find practical solutions to them. Her points are very common & everybody knows. However, one thing can be done! Those who do not like they can throw this government from power and help form a new government as they like when the elections are due. And then do what? Wait for a little while and raise arms against that gov when new people in power are doing the same thing what these people are doing today. Have you not seen this in your all life. We are a miserable nation and do not have anything sensible in mind. They are dreamers and talkers. Nobody come out with a practical solution. This is what our lives are all about and after some years of silly life, just die the death.
This is a funny thing. One chooses livelihood as a journalist in no different to another’s wish to become a politician. The common thing they’ll after is money. My question is, the government in power id 100% pure, what would you do as a journalist? There is nothing as such a journalist does but than doing a job. Jobs don’t help change social progress. It is a total misconception.
The Truth - June 2, 2012
4:34 pm
The biggest problem faced by our society today is shamelessness .Specially people in political circle. Either they directly involve in bad/incorrect acts, encourage others to do the same, or help others to do it or being silent by watching it. Especially when they are in power and country like Sri Lanka where judiciary almost dead how can ordinary people expect justice. We are one of the most violent societies in the world since 1956. We have annihilated our opponents by now. Why cannot we try to reform now at least? How far we can move forward with this arrogance.
Jamal - June 2, 2012
4:49 pm
We have no free media in Sri Lanka.It’s amazing, a great many people
do not even know it.
We will eventually be a bunch of mediocre misinformed bunch on donkeys.
richardson - June 2, 2012
4:51 pm
“It is the practice today that when somebody presents a view contrary to that which is held by the government and its henchmen”
“henchman” ? where is the freedom to hold opposing view????
Jeewan - June 2, 2012
7:55 pm
You do not need a “free media” in a country where people are not too greedy and caring for others and society. Sri Lankan media is nothing far different from finding filthy, unethical stories of the kind.. how’s that man is eating, sleeping, toiletting and so on…
This is not “media”. (may be “free-media”) If somebody thinks it is media then he can find someone like ‘Kopikade Dayawathie with a bit more witty taste!
But saying that, the fact of a noble media service to a country is not marginalised.
Those who say they are the media champs of the country, then by now there should not be majority of people out there still under poverty line. Media is not a job, a noble undertaking with utmost discipline & dignity. No gossipping. No bias. I feel sorry for Sri Lanka with so much ignorant people who’s purpose of life is to live to please outside world. Yes, certainly we need a media to educate that broad viewpoint in people. That is the need of the hour.
The Truth - June 3, 2012
7:31 am
This is how she starts the talk
‘…I became more and more uncertain of what I could say to people who already knew so much more than I do. And who have lived much longer than I have…’
Why bother about her when she does not know what she talks about! Utter stupitidy and good start for a asylum application to UK/Europe, may be.
randunu - June 8, 2012
4:42 pm
Randunu Dah! Is more appropriate to compute your intelligence!
marie - June 18, 2012
5:03 am