By Vishwamithra –
“Who is the forgotten man…? I know him as intimately as my own undershirt. He is the fellow that is trying to get along without public relief…” ~ Amity Shlaes
Only two more days to go. Presidential Elections-2019 is here. The candidates have behaved fairly decently, except perhaps the political charlatans who are supposed to represent the Rajapaksas, Mahinda included, have resorted to their usual uncouth statements, sometimes bordering on outright falsehoods and sometimes dwelling in the twilight zone of the delusional. What might happen in three days, whether our country as one single nation would choose to reject a hackneyed wannabe-politician, that is Gotabaya Rajapaksa or a potential leader of men that is Sajith Premadasa would be elected the President is a million dollar question.
This is the usual time for speculation for those lotus-eaters who occupy the armchairs in their posh sitting rooms with a shot of whiskey or brandy at hand gossiping about the analysis of this pundit or that academic. Yet for those who comprise nearly eighty percent of the electorate, it’s no speculation game. That is the forgotten 80% of Sri Lanka. The under-privileged, undereducated, undernourished and underclass of a nation has been thoroughly forgotten. Whether they represent one ethnic community or the other, for them, a Presidential Election, especially the closing days of the campaign are a nail-biting time, of some sort.
Traditions and conventions need to be forgotten; they need to be swept away for their very presence hinder rightful, clear thinking. The cobwebs that veil the lucidity of the picture have to be banished. Nevertheless, a rejuvenation of a dead past, resuscitation of a set of buried values with a populist stance could have a chance to sway the lingering voter into another expectant believer, not making the candidate Sajith a ‘messiah’ but a kinder and more realistic fellow with an oozing sense of empathy. The average, forgotten Sri Lankan needs to relate to Sajith more than Sajith to him. And it did happen.
Politics is about making friends. An inscrutable sense of empathy coupled with belief in the vision one has about oneself and his horizons are essential for success in politics. It was true in ancient times when the Caesars and Alexanders and Asokas guided the world and mankind in it. It is so true now. Those fundamentals have not changed. Not one bit. For the human condition and its sustenance during the darkest days in history has adapted many ways and means to guide what is around it rather than vice versa.
Yet the long journey of mankind has not been trekked on the proverbial bed of roses. Wars have made friends enemies and enemies friends; geographical evolution of the world in fact has been more consequential than any other factor in change. Albeit, the fact, geography’s intrusion is more of an outward image as a result of more fundamental values humans have opted to discard and adopt, it has greatly shaped the meandering flow of humanity and defined all mankind as one single entity moving as one unitary being what color, creed or religion each group holds in each geographical location. And Sri Lanka has not been spared of this unique spectacle.
Great American poet, singer, memoirist, and civil rights activist Maya Angelou said thus: ‘History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again’. It is the stinking past that we are trying hard to forget; it is that past which takes us to delusional ends of the earth and drops us like dead hardware; it is that story we tell our children with burst and vigor, yet we ourselves do not know its angelic yet dreadful inadequacies and its consequential dissipation and destruction of character. It was Charles Darwin who said that ‘in the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed’. Time after time, it has proven to be right.
It is within such a global and historical context, the 2019-Presinsendtial Election in Sri Lanka is being held. The time-advantage, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the ‘Pohottuwa’ candidate enjoyed, thanks mainly to the stupidity of Ranil Wickremesinghe’s dillydallying of the nomination process in the United National Party, seems to have evaporated the moment Sajith mounted the public platform.
The culture that nursed us during the last quarter century has been one forgettable saga. Its repetition would only exacerbate its own ruthless duel-trait of corruption and dishonesty. A society so acclimatized to such dishonesty would naturally try to cling on to the same if no alternative is offered. However, submerged in provocative slogans and wrapped in shawls (sātakayas), those who claim to represent the common man and patriotism can be exposed if genuine and sincere enunciation of elegant vernacular utterings. It is the personification of that elegance and determination the young Sajith is promulgating through his neo-populist political agenda.
Delving in the last twenty five years of dishonest and corrupt political leadership is of no use now. A new beginning could be made provided, we, as a single people, make our simple minds without resorting to simplistic formulae. The henchmen traveling with Gotabaya Rajapaksa need no more exposition; only reminders are necessary.
In Gota we find a robotic man turning to his brother Mahinda for answers when confronted by the probing pen of the journalists. When reminded about the ruthless past and the ungodly acts of pillage, plunder and murder, in terms of Gota’s interpretation of facts, should remain unasked and therefore unanswered. Man’s memory might be short but its need for readjustment and reconciliation remains a question residing very much in the present.
Offering new leadership to an old family-cabal is no hard task. Constitutional constraints might hinder the path of a would-be dictator’s greed but would surely not allow illegal coup d’états and unlawful takeovers. In 2015, Mahinda Rajapaksa, the best candidate of the ‘Pohottuwa’ could not defeat Maithripala Sirisena, the worst candidate backed by the United National Party (UNP). Today the UNP has fielded its best candidate against a weaker candidate of the ‘Pohottuwa’.
On paper, both sides surmise, that they win. Pohottuwa guys mix apples and oranges and insert the statistics of the local government elections results in 2018 into Presidential polls and infer it’s an easy win for Gota. The UNP and its allies say that if they could defeat Mahinda, how they cannot beat his younger brother after four and half years of stagnation. Both are solid arguments. On the one hand, the UNP-brand has suffered immensely. There is not a thing done unto the Rajapaksas and their alleged horrendous felonies and political malpractice. There is no argument about it. On the other hand, how can a family rule that was swept away four years ago come back as if the voters have been reborn after four years?
But all these arguments are on paper. Elections are not fought and lost on paper. They are being fought, bloodied, and sweated on hard grueling fields and streets; inside rural villages and urban slums; on parched paddy lands and arid zones. This is where the forgotten man lives, that 80% of our population who is still grateful to a father who gave them shelter and employment in a garment factory. It is this 80% that needs uniforms for their school-going children; for them a free lunch is not a factor woven into the grand scheme of finance but a bare necessity for their starving children.
This forgotten man is being remembered by Sajith every day on each election platform; while Gota is wrapping himself up in a phony shawl of patriotism, Sajith is calling those forgotten men and women and children. Maybe, the Rajapaksas underestimated immensity of this appeal.
In stark terms, the choice could not be clearer: a thoroughly forgettable family-cabal or salvation to the forgotten man?
*The writer can be contacted at vishwamithra1984@gmail.com
Rtd. Lt. Reginald Shamal Perera / November 13, 2019
Sajith for the two terrorist groups.
Gota for peace.
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rbh / November 13, 2019
Rtd. Lt. Reginald Shamal Perera /
How can Sajlth be for terrorist Group his father was kill by terrorist
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Real Revolutionist / November 13, 2019
rbh
Had LTTE claimed responsibility for RP’s slaying?
NO.
The best way to explain is RP, the late leader committed suicide by having an unreliable person beside him.
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Words / November 13, 2019
Forgotten man???
Why did Sajith forget them during the last 4 years??????
He’s just remembered them now????
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Leslie / November 13, 2019
Father was killed because he was playing double games with terrorists.
Son is a bigger f, will do it again
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Native Vedda / November 13, 2019
Leslie
–
“Father was killed because he was playing double games with terrorists.”
–
Who killed Athulath S**t Bomb Mudali?
Then who killed Premadasa?
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Has the members of the Jury come to a decision?
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Rtd. Lt. Reginald Shamal Perera / November 14, 2019
Leslie,
Just ignore the troll. He uses lots of bad language and is unable to conduct a decent conversation.
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K.A. Sumanasekera / November 14, 2019
Dear Native,
–
Why do you ask silly questions when KeselWaata Kid is about to be crowned as President Premadasa Number 2.
–
Some one said on TV the other day a LTTE suspect Ragahavan was brought from the Mortuary to plant in Pamanakada Stadium as the Sniper who killed Athulath Mudali.
–
Now your mate Nayakkas second son says he is worried about Keselwatta Kid has promised to follow the Piyanos Footsteps .
–
And baby Nayakka is pleading with the older Bro to do something about it.
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Which side is Navin, Elite , Anlican and Vellala Faction or Keselwatta Kid’s Dalit Faction?,,
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K.A. Sumanasekera / November 14, 2019
Native,
–
One more thing.. Who killed Premadasa?.
It can ‘t be that poor Butler who was on a Push Bike .
–
Unless the UNP Security Services thought the poor bugger was bringing Lunch for the Boss…
–
BTW , our Wimale told the Pohottuwa Crowd that Premadasa Jr also has his own Butler….
The Butler goes where ever Keselwatta Kid goes , with the Chutty Pots in a Defender.
–
And the Kid has never had a meal in the Kotte Mess.
Neither the Kid has ever had a cuppa even in his best Buddies like Madduma Bada and Thevere’s houses.
–
You won’t believe I read in the Colombo Press this morning that Keselwatta Kid does that because he thinks there are evil forces out there to kill him by poisoning.
–
Do you have any idea who those Evil Forces are , Native?…
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Native Vedda / November 14, 2019
KASmaalam K.A. Sumanasekera
–
“Who killed Premadasa?.”
–
Not the one (Kulaveerasingam Veerakumar alias ‘Babu’) whose head was shown in the media. He belonged to Brahmin family whose customs dictates cremation should take place on the same day of death, hence the police released the bodiless head soon after his death.
–
Who killed
Denzil Kobbekaduwa,
Lakshman Kadirgamar,
Lalith S**t Bomb Athulath Mudali
Rohana Wijeweera
Vijaya Kumaranatunga
Thiruvengadam Velupillai Prabaharan
….
….
….
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K.A. Sumanasekera / November 15, 2019
Dear Native.
–
Aren’t we supposed to observe that “Punya Kalaya” which they call Campaign Curfew?.
–
Anyway the answers are in that same order.
Premadasa
Pirahaparah
Premadasa
Premadasa
Premadasa .
My Elders tell me the last one took his Cyanide Pill before the Rana Viru got to him..
–
I didn’t think such a great man would have surrendered to Kamal Gunarathna..
Don’t you think , Native?..
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BTW , The soon to be deposed SLFP Madam , the ex President said she has 45 Letters which she wrote to Mr Pirahaparan
And She is going to publish them soon’.
–
With over One Million supporters who earn in FX, even 10 Bux which is nothing , would earn the Madam easy USD 10 Mil.
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That is if she puts them in a Book with the Replies and give a catch Title like Pirahaparan and Me ,
–
The signed copies will be well sought after and will become a very valuable Collectors item not too far in the future,.once the first ever Thamil Homeland is established..
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K.A. Sumanasekera / November 15, 2019
Dear Native,
–
So Babu was s a Brahamin..
I thought Lankawe has no Brahamins , That is why Sampathars and Abrahams and Sivajilingams reign supreme.
–
I always thought why you blokes don’t have that String which comes over one shoulder up to the Navel, which I have seen in those Hindian Websites..
–
What the heck.. What was Babu doing on a Push Bike ?…
–
Wonder what happened to that Gold Watch which was next to the President’s severed arm .
It must be worth a fortune now…
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a.Muslim / November 14, 2019
Leslie,
–
Okay, his father was bad, CBK was bad, Ranil was bad. You elected MR who ended the war, then what? Are you next to Singapore or Malaysia without a war? SL became poorer than it was during war time. Then MS, who is also bad. Back to MR…
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Eagle Eye / November 13, 2019
rbh,
Sajith has forgotten that his father was killed by LTTE terrorists and has agreed to give everything TNA which is the political wing of LTTE demanded. Politicians who are sympathizers of terrorists are with Sajith.
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Navin / November 13, 2019
Rtd. Lt. Reginald Shamal Perera for White Vans, Nepotism, Ethnic violence and terror attacks on the minorities, murders, threats, and kidnappings of journalists, unsolved crimes, killing of protesters, illegal citizens, Sri Lankan flights for entire families, empty flights sent to collect dogs from foreign nations, Museums looted, ex military death squads, and puppets of America.
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Rtd. Lt. Reginald Shamal Perera / November 13, 2019
Navin,
You hit the nail right on the head. You said White Vans blah blah blah and attacks on the minorities. The key word being “on the minorities”.
In a democracy, what matters is what is good for the majority of the people. Who cares about a small number of people who are impacted.
Even JR a UNPer (wink wink) made this clear just before the Armageddon he unleashed on a small segment of the population to the much rejoice of a majority.
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a.Muslim / November 14, 2019
Rtd. Lt. Reginald Shamal Perera – How was your experience as a guy from minority in the army?
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Ajith / November 13, 2019
Buddy, reliable sources say, per the intelligence community sources that Sajith’s ahead and leading with 400,000 as of yesterday, few more days to go and that would increase. Saw the 150 rallies, one each in every electorate. Crowds are huge and massive, and cheering. There going to be a new dawn for the nation.
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Abhaya Premawardena / November 13, 2019
We remember this clown’s idiot dad, He got blown up by the LTTE who are proliferating on this forum, for his own stupidity.
In Comparison what has Gota done? He only saved the country from the same barbarians and also did more development work, none of which was done by this esteemed housing ministers party when they were, are in power,
Listen to Gota speak. He does not speak of any other politician. Never blames anyone. He actually speaks like an honest bureaucrat, Just like how those politicians in Singapore talk, I have some hope for my motherland. It is because in spite of all the idiots it has produced it also produces the best of the best. doers not TALKERS.
I can only hope that my countrymen love Sri Lanka enough to appoint this guy president. That is the only hope for Sri Lanka.
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Amarasiri / November 13, 2019
Vishwamithra,
RE: Sajith For The Forgotten Man & Gota For A Forgettable Family Cabal
“This forgotten man is being remembered by Sajith every day on each election platform; while Gota is wrapping himself up in a phony shawl of patriotism, Sajith is calling those forgotten men and women and children. Maybe, the Rajapaksas underestimated immensity of this appeal”
රාජපක්ෂලාට කෙලවිලා පවුලම ගිනි ගොඩක
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwD_IFGobFs
Is Para-Gota’s wife going to vote for Para-Gota? No.
Will Para-Gota’s children going to vote for Para-Gota? No
Brother , Basil, No?
Why? Because there are Paradeshis, Paras, Americans.
Para-Gota wants the low IQ imbeciles with low common sense to vote for him.
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BukiPaala / November 13, 2019
And here comes H.E. Amarasiri with the “Para” talks and the “IQ” talks ???
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Eagle Eye / November 13, 2019
Amarasiri,
If Native Sinhalayo in Sinhale are not worried whether Gota’s wife will vote for Gota or whether Gota’s children will vote for Gota why the hell ‘Para’ Malabar Demalu and NGO guys are so worried on these trivial matters. Desperation?
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Abhaya Premawardena / November 14, 2019
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.
For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2
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nalmen / November 13, 2019
if sajith wins the first thing he should dois take over the leadership of the party and appoint a new working committee consisting of those under 60 years
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Real Revolutionist / November 13, 2019
nalman
If Sajith wins only.
So keep your talk to future, postpone it till 25.
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K.A. Sumanasekera / November 13, 2019
80% of our Inhabitants are like Vishwa’s Under Shirts..
This is a startling revelation.
–
I always thought it is about 60% ,
And MR has 5.2 Million of them who are in the voting age plus their dependents.
Even if it is Mom and Dad and One Kid, that is a whopping 15 Million plus. which is only 60 %.
–
Keselwatta Kid the UNP Candidate seems smart unlike his nemesis, the Party Boss Dr Ranil.
–
KK’s research must have identified the UNP Under Shirts to make it up to 80%
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KK always says he does his Politics very Scientific..
–
No wonder the UNP Candidate Keselwatta Kids total Campaign Strategy has been on, issuing Free Everything from,
Free Menstrual Pads ,
Free Bath Packets to School Kids
Free Manure to their Moms and Dads ,
Free Fibro Cements, and more Samurdhi Dole..
–
Now I understand why he was talking about opening IT Schools and IT Parks at the dying stages of the Campaign .
May be that is for that 20% UNP who are Vishwamithras..
–
Because our Moms and Sisters lining up every month for their Free Quota of Sanitary Pads, and their sons and brothers who line for Bath Packets every day at School , wouldn’t have any business in IT Parks let alone being able to go to IT Schools..
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BTW, Wonder why this great UNP Candidate who promises to Dalits t that he wants to live like an Undershirt even on the Pavement buy two Penthouses at the Royal Park?…
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meer / November 13, 2019
KAS – KAS – … and you are like Gotler’s/Medamulana Rajafucksha’s underwear. Take a cyanide capsule and go to bed!
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Native Vedda / November 13, 2019
KASmaalam K.A. Sumanasekera
–
“No wonder the UNP Candidate Keselwatta Kids total Campaign Strategy has been on, issuing Free Everything from”
–
Although Gota too has promised a number of freebies the strategy of Mahinda, Gota, Basil, Namal and 154 others is how best to empty the treasury and keep the 21 million (minus soma, Hela, KASmaalam, ….) under Gota’s a**e, or feed them to sharks or crocodiles.
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charles / November 13, 2019
Sajith for the not so forgotten father, R Premadasa. Every body reminds of R Premadasa when Sajith gives a speech with full of promises.. Then everyone remembers 89-90 killings of youths except JVP leadership.
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Gamini / November 13, 2019
The writer has been emboldened to write as he sees it and I for one, agree with most of what he has written in lucid English. Perhaps, it needs to be translated into Sinhalese and published, so the ‘common man’ on the street is reached.
But my question is, inpite of all this, why do we see so much support for this alleged criminal? What has happened to our society to act and behave that way? It may be complex and difficult to give a straightforward answer as we are dealing with the psyche of human beings.
Voters, please be warned. Please use your franchise wisely, judiciously, aptly and appropriately. Please help defeat racism, extremism and authoritarianism in all its forms!
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BukiPaala / November 13, 2019
Like if you think Sajith will win
Dislike if you think Gota will win
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Real Revolutionist / November 13, 2019
Bukipala
CT doesn’t represent the whole electorate.
So 1 dislike = 1000 votes..
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John / November 13, 2019
Gota must win!!!!!!
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rbh / November 13, 2019
How can UNP be pro terrorist find it through the below list
R Premadasa kill UNP
Chandira was attacked
S. Fonsaka was attacked
Gamini Dissanayeke Killed
Lalith Athulanmudali Killed
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Real Revolutionist / November 13, 2019
Yes RP is a forgotten man & people aren’t in a mood to remember that gloomy period; dead bodies everywhere being tasted by stray dogs.
He’s giving promises to tread on dad’s foot steps.
Nobody wants that era back.
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John / November 13, 2019
Sajit is trying to be a Santa Claus president. The houses he has been building are like garden sheds, don’t meet the modern day basic standards. And the worst of all is Easter day Muslim terrorism facilitators are on Saji’s stage. Saharan’s and Safi’s thousands of victims haven’t been served with justices yet, the victims are deliberately forgotten because Yahapalana regime is afraid of losing Muslim votes. That’s how powerful Muslims are.
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So, only Gota has the expertise and PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS to Sri Lanka’s problems.
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To those who make a unnecessary fuss about Gota’s eligiblity, why didn’t you make any objection on the precidencial election nomination day????????????????? Because you knew Gota is eligible.
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wright Right / November 13, 2019
Man for the ‘forgotten men’ is all things to all peoples. He will give what Tamils demand, what Muslims demand and what racialist like champika demand. Right now we need a leader, not an ice-cream seller who can please everybody!!
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Real Revolutionist / November 13, 2019
Ranil is a weak person for an another reason too
Though he tried hard, he failed in not to making Sajith the nominee for UNP presidential candidate.
The failure was due to making the UNP, the UNF.
Face the consequences as the majority dislike it.
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Hela / November 14, 2019
Remember? Lots of forgotten men, women and children live in Elpitiya…………What happened there? It will be the case in the whole of rural heartland.
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Hela / November 14, 2019
“It is this 80% that needs uniforms for their school-going children”. It was Sajith’s yahapalana UNP govt that took away those uniforms. The spin doctor’s audacity is remarkable…….
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Native Vedda / November 14, 2019
Helass
–
Do we know what happened to distribution of free Sil Redda to the poor?
In the absence of evidence confirming the poor received Sil Redda do you know who made off with approximately Rs 650 million?
–
Two were convicted yet they are free to cover up their crimes or indulge in further fraud. Who really benefited from Sil Redda fraud?
Constitution must protect the fraudsters in the name of Sinhala/Buddhism.
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Hela / November 14, 2019
Gotabaya only talked about his programme and how it would address the nation’s needs. Not a single instance of mud slinging. Alternatively the greatest mud factory is operated by Mangala, Rajitha, Champike (& Harsha too) etc at the behest of the so called “winning candidate”. All that mud have boomeranged on Sajith’s campaign. If they were so sure of winning, they wouldn’t need to stoop that low.
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Native Vedda / November 14, 2019
Helass
–
“Gotabaya only talked about his programme and how it would address the nation’s needs. “
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Do you know anything about his unpublished programme or hidden agenda or his secret ambition?
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