By M.A. Sumanthiran –
M.A. Sumanthiran PC
Thank you, Honourable Deputy Speaker, for the opportunity to speak on this very important constitutional amendment that has been presented to this house. I say ‘important’ not because there are any important contents in this Bill, but because this Bill is being touted as an important reform to the constitution of this country, while it is not. And it is my intention today to inform the country as to what this amendment actually seeks to do.
There are many members in this House who voted for the 17th amendment to the constitution. The same members voted for the 18th amendment to the constitution Those very members voted for the 19th amendment to the constitution, and they voted for the 20th amendment to the constitution and today they are all ready to vote for the 22nd amendment to the constitution, which will become the 21st amendment. They are like a pendulum they swing from one end to the other. I have my respect for Hon. Sarath Weerasekara seated there: right or wrong he stands at one end. He doesn’t swing like a pendulum.
I say this because when the 17th amendment to the constitution was passed in this house nobody cast a vote against it, only one member of Parliament abstained from voting. When the 19th amendment to the constitution was passed in this house, only one member, Hon Sarath Weerasekara voted against it. Everybody else voted for it. That shows what the 17th amendment and what the 19th amendment sought to do and how even members in the opposition benches were conscious of the expectations in the country and they went along with it, particularly the 19th amendment. When the 19th amendment was presented to this House, I think the government had only 48 members, the opposition had over 150 members. Yet it was passed. That was soon after an election. But those very members out of that 150, I think about 60 odd members, later voted for the 20th amendment, including the Hon Minister of Justice or you did not vote you did not come, or you voted , including the Minister of Justice who presented this Bill and pleaded with the other members to give them an opportunity to correct a wrong that they have committed by passing the 20th amendment.
I ask with all sincerity: from the turn of this millennium, 17, 18, 19, 20. Every time you say you have made a mistake and you want to change it. What type of parliament is this? That swings like this from one end to the other? Every time you say I made a mistake, let me correct it. No wonder the country says to be done with these 225! No wonder that everyone in the country today says “throw the 225 out.” “You are misleading us, you are taking us for jokers,” people of the country are not jokers, they know what they are asking for. Why is this 22nd amendment coming today? In the very same Parliament that adopted the 20th amendment it is coming because people in the country want to democratize this country – want to change the constitution of this country. They want a system change, not tinkering with the constitution. Some tinkering happened from 17 onwards but this Bill that is before us today doesn’t even tinker with the Constitution. After it is passed, if it is passed, it will still retain all the powers of the executive presidency that the president enjoys under the 20th amendment to the constitution. I have challenged people for debate, I had one on Monday night. No one is able to show that it actually reduces the presidential powers. So, this is a fraud on the country – this is an absolute fraud. People are asking for a change, a total change they don’t want the executive presidency. How have the people of this country been taken for a ride? 1994 presidential election manifesto said, abolish executive presidency within 6 months. Within 6 months! 1994! 6 months has still not come! Now not to be outdone, every other candidate at every other presidential election comes before people and says “I will abolish executive presidency, vote for me”. Eventually in 2015 president Maithiripala Sirisena, who is here, he also said, when he became the candidate. The first promise that he made to the country: “I will abolish the executive presidency.” And then in the Manifesto, small adjustments were made: we will first do what is not required to be done with a referendum and then we will bring a new constitution. It is only President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who did not promise to abolish the executive presidency. But even he said he will bring a new constitution within 1 year. That was a promise and on the 3rd of January 2020, when he addressed this house, when he made his throne speech, he said I will bring a new constitution within this year. And he pointed to four factors, one of those was the executive. He said to deal with executive…… Hon.Suren Raghavan, your telephone conversation can be heard on the speakers, on the microphone here. If you don’t want to listen to what is happening in the house, please go out and speak.
He said there are four things that are necessary for change in the constitution: 1. the executive, 2. the electoral System, 3. Provincial councils and 4. he termed it Independence of the Judiciary.
The first matter that he identified was the executive. So everyone has promised this country that executive presidency will be revisited. Not only then, but before he relinquished office, in the last Address to the Nation, he said, we will do away with the 20th amendment as a first step, and then we will deal with the executive presidency. A day later, then prime minister who just took over as prime minister, the incumbent president, in his Address to the Nation very specifically said we will abolish executive presidency – only a few months ago! But what are we left with? The history shows, as I said, from 1994 the abolition of the executive presidency has been promised. Consistently the solution to the Tamil National Question also has been promised. President Mahinda Rajapaksa, famously in 2011, three times told India that he will fully implement the provisions of the 13th amendment and go beyond that and make devolution of power meaningful. Three times! joint statements! not done yet. None of these promises are ever kept. That’s why citizenry of this country is asking for a fundamental change. They are exhausted; they know that this doesn’t happen. When we talk about this in meetings we are told incrementally we will do it, but I can assure you nothing is done even incrementally. You keep going further down. And I will show how that is done. 17th amendment to the Constitution established a constitutional council, why? Because there should not be political interference. Appointment of independent commissions. The key word is independent. Therefore, the constitutional council itself had to be independent. In order for the constitutional council to be independent seven out of the ten members – it required – should not be members of any political party. That’s why they came from outside – should not members of any political party. That’s how you assure independence. Now 18th amendment did away with that. I spoke in this house, I made the longest speech on the 18th amendment to the constitution in this house on the 8th of September 2010, hardly a few months after I entered to this August assembly for the first time. That’s because of the UNP had withdrawn from the chamber and it was left to us and the JVP to make even just speeches on the 18th amendment. In the 18th amendment the constitutional council was done away with. Then when the 19th amendment came because you had promised to abolish executive presidency but then in the – I am talking about President Mithripala Sirisena – then in your manifesto you said we will first do what is possible without a referendum. There itself there is a step down. No step up, a step down.
And then 19th amendment Bill was prepared, that went to the supreme court, supreme court scrapped down a few matters. Another step down a second time. Then we came to this House: 150 members in the opposition, several matters they opposed. In order to get it through, a further step down. That is when the constitutional council composition became politicized. 7-3 became 3-7, only three independent members. Other seven were members of parliament and by definition they are politicians and members of political parties. No independence thereafter. There it went and even now what the Hon Minister of Justice is saying of re-establishing the constitutional council, it is that – that constitutional council, which is not independent. How will it appoint members to independent commissions then? That’s steps down. Then what had happened? 20th amendment was passed and now you say you want to correct it, because people who protested demanded a change. They want the executive presidency abolished; they also said, do away with the 20th amendment first. So, if you do away with the 20th amendment you have to go back at least to the 19th amendment. I have always said that the 19th amendment is not the perfect legislation – even at the time it was passed. Because of the several compromises that were made. But we did it because immediately thereafter there was a constitutional assembly created by the whole parliament, and we went into the creation of a new constitution. A draft was presented to this House on the 16th of January 2019 by the incumbent president as the prime minister then, of a new constitution where there was consensus between all the parties. There were few adjustments perhaps necessary with regard to electoral system but everything else was agreed. Even power sharing arrangements was totally agreed. But that never saw the light of day. That was dumped and then 20th amendment strengthened executive presidency. Now you are telling the people, because people want to change this, they want to abolish executive presidency, you are lying to the people saying this is a first step towards that, when in fact none of the powers of executive president are taken away by this bill. Its false, you are lying to the people of this country. මේ විධායක ධූරය අහෝසිකරනවා කියලා, ඒකට ප්රිතමව මේක සම්මත කරමු කියලා කියන එක මහා බොරුවක්. ප්රෝධාවක්, ජනතාවට කියන බොරැවක් මේක, කිසිඳු චෙනසක් නැහැ 20 වෙනි සංශෝධනයේ තියෙන හැම විධායක බලතල ජනපති වෙත තියෙනවා,…the Constitutional council appointments show that the government will have control over the constitutional council. The Supreme Court also has swung like a pendulum unfortunately. In the 19th amendment bill they permitted various changes and said this doesn’t require a referendum, but now those identical changes, the same supreme court says you require a referendum. Now people have to be told this as well, its not only the Parliament that swings like a pendulum, Its the Supreme Court also. Change the Supreme Court also. Ask them also to go home. If they can’t read and understand their own determination in the 19th amendment with the very same words, within a few years, they say now this requires referendum. How can that be? they are supposed to be learned; how can that be? Of course, today, there was a good determination on the Bureau of Rehabilitation Bill. We said, as it was presented, “withdraw it” It goes against the fundamental principles that a person must be presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Not to be just rounded up and taken and put into rehabilitation. And I don’t know why the minister even presented that Bill in this house. I have asked the question publicly: whether the cabinet should be rehabilitated for even presenting this bill. Second time that I have come across where the supreme court has said the whole of the bill is inconsistent with the constitution. First time it was the broadcasting authority bill some years ago. The whole of the bill! This may have been done you were not the Minister, but when you are the Minister and present, it surely you should read the contents of the bill? Why do you present a horrendous piece of legislation like this? At least on this occasion the Supreme Court has shot it down. But on the 22nd amendment they have been swinging this way and that way. How will people have confidence in the Supreme Court, when it interprets? Supreme Court is also swing like a pendulum when it changes its mind on constitutional interpretation, which is the sole and exclusive preserve of theirs. They jealously guard it also, and they swing, one end to another. Now because of this I say with respect, people have asked for a change and what you are trying to do is pull wool over the eyes of the people. You are pretending to the country that you are making some reforms, when, in fact you are not making any reform. And this is dangerous, I must say there are no harmful provisions in this Bill, but the harm is that you are showing the country something when it is not, and that is potentially harmful because the confidence that people have in this institution have eroded and now totally destroyed and when they find that the parliament has also misled us, led us to think that there is some major reforms when there is no reform, they will only take to the streets. They will have no confidence in their representatives who have fooled them once again. Same thing happened with the devolution, when 13th amendment was enacted, we said it is not enough we did not accept it. But even what was enacted was never implemented in full, kept coming down, step down, step down….then whatever that had been given to the provinces was also taken back: transport authority …. This, that….various things, pinnacle of that was the “Divinaguma Bill.” 15 powers given to the provinces swiped away and taken to the Centre, step down whilst telling everybody else we will give 13 plus, but here minus minus minus…. Identical to this is your approach. You are telling the people that you are going forward you are democratizing but in fact you are strengthening a dictator. இந்த சட்டமூலமானது மக்களை முற்று முழுதாக ஏமாற்றுகிற ஒரு சட்டம். ஒரு பெரியதொரு மாற்றத்தை ஏற்படுத்துவதற்காக மக்கள் போராட்டத்தை செய்கிற போது, அந்த மாற்றத்திற்கு வழிவகுக்கின்ற முதலாவது படியென்று மக்களுக்கு பொய்யைச்சொல்லி, எந்தவித மாற்றமுமில்லாமல், இப்படியாக நீங்கள் செய்வது மக்களை ஏமாற்றுகிற காரணத்தினாலே, மக்களுடைய போராட்டம் நிச்சயம் வெடிக்கும். ජනතාව නොමග යවන මේ උත්සාහයට අපි තරයෙන් විරැද්ධ වෙනවා.
This is a very dangerous thing that you are doing to the country, and I must warn the Honorable Members of this House: let’s stop pretending, let’s stop fooling the people or attempting to fool the people – people are never fooled. If you want to do a reform, do it and take it to the people at a referendum. Why are you fighting shy of a referendum? After all, people have asked for this. When people have asked for this, take it to the people. Get their consent. That’s how you make reforms in the country. You make a fundamental change – bring a new constitution, don’t pretend, don’t lie to the people and try to make people fools.
Thank you
*Speech on the 22nd Amendment on 20th October 2022
Nathan / October 22, 2022
This comment is not about who or what is right or wrong. This is about the urgency of reforming ourselves.
Our House of Parliament had learned members, in the past. Their speeches were of very high standard, both in content and in delivery. They were learning experiences for Democracy.
Gone are the days of the House being a bastion of discussion, debate and democracy.
What we have today is a pale imitation of the House of yore.
Is Sumanthiran an exception. I have to say, ‘Yes’.
Sumanthiran cannot do it all by himself, – the task is beyond the ability of a single!
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chiv / October 22, 2022
Is M. A. Sumanthiran an exception?? Definitely for people who agree with him. Did any out of 224 say the same??? For me he is an exception because he has said many witch no one ever mentioned. The rest voted for 18 then for 19 , 20 and now 22. Which becomes 21. He also maintains all 225 should go.
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Nathan / October 22, 2022
chiv,
Exercise caution.
Study the ‘theme’ of my comment, before rushing in.
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chiv / October 22, 2022
Nathan, My comment has nothing to do with yours, We both seems to have the same opinion. I also agree with what you had to say below. People in Silly Lanka cannot be fooled but they prefer to be fooled. I typed the same comment a day prior ,under CVW article.
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chiv / October 22, 2022
By the way I not only agreed, but gave a thumps up to you.
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Simon / October 22, 2022
Nathan: Please be conscious of not far of the history, but 1978 during which year JRJ saddled us with this Constitution to which we “Cut and Paste” Amendments even in 2022.
So do you still maintain that “Our House of Parliament had learned members in the past”?
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Nathan / October 23, 2022
Simon,
I am quite ‘conscious’. Do not require any transfusion.
Of yore, – of long ago or former times.
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old codger / October 23, 2022
Nathan,
Remember “Sinhala Only by day and Tamil Also by night “?
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leelagemalli / October 23, 2022
Simon,
It is a known fact that the Sri Lankan people were also easy targets of the colonial masters. our history books prove that we were not fighters for our rights. Not for our own sacrifices, but the British themselves granted freedom to their Indian neighbours. In contrary to us, indians fought for their freedom and that may well be the reason, entire world to consider INDIANs as one of the industrial nation amidst stricken poverty levels for majority of its population.
A few people may have done a good job, but looking back as experts believe, our people are not raised to fight for their rights.
There is something in them common, which is their passivity. This is very much exposed in today’s context than anytimes in the past. Entire house is under fire, but PEOPLE are as yet ready to support ” nation’s destructors, egoistic Rajaakshes”. In a civilized country, not just few, but entire nation would have stood against Rajaakshe SIBLINGs considering the size of harm they have deliberatly done to this nation.
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An Indian social and psychoanalyst, Professor Kovoor is very clear about the nature of our average mind set; WHICH is even if they are university educated, they would not expand out of their box easily, but ended up being caught by their cultured influences.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._T._Kovoor
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old codger / October 23, 2022
LM,
Dr.Kovoor (I am also a great fan) was born in India, like many of our teachers of that era. But he acquired SL citizenship and died as one. I remember how, with Carlo Fonseka, he totally rubbished the bogus firewalkers by doing it after eating pork and drinking arrack!
Unfortunately, Carlo Fonseka didn’t carry on the fight, and people have gone back to their primitive beliefs. Even the Government shameless promoted the Ratana Sutta as a Covid cure.
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leelagemalli / October 23, 2022
OC/
Then u have much in common with me than with anyone in CT. I thoght that YATHARUPA weekly programme telecasted by SLRC at the beginning of GG govt.
🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂
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leelagemalli / October 23, 2022
YATHARUPA was one of the best TV programmes ever🙂 but thirisannu dominated lanken society stood against it being continued 🤔 😕 😉
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Nathan / October 24, 2022
old codger,
Kovoor gained fame discrediting a practice that no educated man believed in or needed persuasion to ridicule.
The publicity was the end result of sensationalism the print media was after.
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Simon / October 24, 2022
My Friend LM: You always find fault with our local “Yakos”. Did you find out what happened in New York two days ago? The Sri Lankans got together and had a contest to choose a “Beauty Queen” for the first time. In the end, a “Free for All” fight started where the men and women all participated. A video is available on Social Media. Watch it. You will realize, wherever our “Yakos” go, that “Geneology” works very well beyond correction. That is the problem I encounter presently even with my “Kadamandiya” and “Yakos” who are a little enthusiastic with “Nagituma Mahinda Ekka”. Well cannot stop with those tremours, but have to work hard and get over this “Evil Spell” presently staged by Ranil W for and on behalf of “Rajapakses”.
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Nathan / October 22, 2022
… ‘ people are never fooled’, – Hon. Sumanthiran. (final para.)
How valid is this statement?
The country is waking up only now. Their hunger has woken the country up.
They people were in some deep slumber, they don’t even remember when they were not fooled!
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leelagemalli / October 23, 2022
‘ people are never fooled’, – Hon. Sumanthiran. (final para.)
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is this true with srilanken nation ?
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Are people never fooled? Why does he say that?
I thought srilanken people were being bullied all the time. above all in Nov 2019…. there people could have thought better… but they were caught again…
… I don’t understand how the same people who have been in untold stories for 30 years can irresponsibly put a “bunch of thugs, big criminals” on top of society. Not only the majority Sinhalese but also Tamils, Muslims and other minorities were caught in the media scams.
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Lasantha Pethiyagoda / October 22, 2022
Although eloquent, the so-called “august” assembly of “honorable” parasites will turn a deaf ear to these kinds of hard-hitting critiques as they are now immune to shame or embarrassment. AKD has for many years expounded similar points, and young Rasamanickam eloquently puts it time and again.
The impunity with which these numbskulls rape the poor people of the land has to be stopped, and the people must take back their country.
As “Wishwamitra” in another article here concluded:
….”The sun breaks through, piercing the morning mist and shedding much wanted light on a sleepy population. With the chores of the day completed, as twilight approaches, the autumn moon dominates an otherwise dark sky. Billions of stars are keeping company to a solitary moon and the usual lullabies and serenades begin their evening meditational twirling, bringing forth the calmness and serenity to an expectant land. Let’s indulge in the magnificence of this moment….
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Dinuk / October 22, 2022
Mr. Sumanthiran, where does the money behind the swinging Politicians come from?! USA, China, Japan, EU?! How many trips have you taken to the US and with US ambassadors on flights?!
Your 2015 good friend Bondscam Ranil, who thinks “the sun shines out of the white man’s ass” who looted the Central Bank- CBSL in 2015 to fund his election campaign on advice from USAID and MCC. The US citizen Ranil Rajapakse govt. UNP-SLFP alliance of the past 2 decades to turn the Parliament into a ‘Cesspit of Corruption’ was done with US brokering and backing and trips for the politicians to Washington DC
Finally, Have you heard of the term LAWFARE, which your USAID backers are famous for in Brazil where they imprisoned Socialist President Lula by gaming the justice system. There are many good books on CIA’s Lawfare in South America . Please read them..
BTW. .It was Yankee Dickie J.R Jayawardena who designed the Prsidential Constitution with the help of his foreign friends and protection from the British outfit Keenie Meenie (.K.M.S Security Services), hired by JRJ that were throwing Granades in Cocktail glasses from Helicopters in Batticaloa while training JRJ’s STF in h
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Dinuk / October 22, 2022
British Keenie Meenie ex-RAF officers trained the STF to commit War Crimes..
And now the British who did the cover up investigation into SWRD Bandaranike’s assassination want to do another cover up of the 2019 Easter Sunday CIA-SOF- ISIS attacks?!
Truly, the Parliament of SL is a Miracle of Modayas indeed.
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Tamil from the north / October 26, 2022
Hey Dinuk stop lying about the Keenie Meenie services and the Easter bombing.
Keenie Meenie Services was formed by retired SAS soldiers, SAS: Special Air Services. Even though they had ‘Air’ in their name, they were not part of the British Air Forces. They were part of the British Special Forces who were specifically trained in desert warfare. They did train the STF which is one truth you stated. Coming to the Easter bombing, it was no ISIS – U.S., coverup, it was your Banda from Hambantota by the name Gotabaya who orchestrated this tragedy. So get your damn facts right before you come out here and lie right through your teeth.
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SJ / October 26, 2022
TftN
Regadrless of the accuracy of charges by Dinuk, let us not pretend that Keenie Meenie was formed without the knowledge of the defence establishment or its blessings.
KMS survived various scandals in Southern Africa to carry on regardless to this day.
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SJ / October 22, 2022
How did Sumanthiran vote in the past? Did he alaws abstain or vote against? He has deviated from the TNA’s official line. (I stand corrected if shown inaccurate). Will the TNA discipline him?
I wonder why he did not publicly raise the point about the futility of the amendments much earlier, when the extra-parliamentary left groups said it loud and clear, especially since he seems to have known it all along.
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SJ / October 22, 2022
Did he always abstain or vote against?
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old codger / October 22, 2022
SJ,
People seem to have missed the antics of that devious twister, Wijedasa Rajapakshe. He is the archetype of the amoral lawyer. Even Ali Sabry couldn’t hold a candle to him. Currently some of his colleagues and his son are appearing for Thilini Piumali, but he has the nerve to threaten the newspaper which reported it under Parliamentary privilege.
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Native Vedda / October 23, 2022
old codger
–
“He is the archetype of the amoral lawyer. “
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On 21 December 2016 Wijedasa Rajapaksa addressed media flanked by two saffron thugs warned the minorities at the Mangalarama in Batticaloa.
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/wijeyadasa-rajapakshe-plays-with-numbers-again-this-time-he-lies-about-the-sinhala-population-in-batticaloa/
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https://www.facebook.com/wijeyadasarajapakshe/videos/10154888232236474/
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Hope Simon, Sinhala_Man, Nimal, Chiv, ………………………… good souls remember Wijedasa bearing solutions, ….. Some months ago in the North he offered bribe to those ladies who have in protest for many years demanding to know the where about of their missing kin and kith. Wijedasa was lucky to escape from the ladies only with severe scathing.
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He is another public racist who does not understand the difference between secularism and Cultism, in other words faithfully adhering Sinhala/Buddhism, and giving false respect to Saffron thugs.
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SJ / October 23, 2022
Ali Sabri has restraints on him compelling him to appear be honourable even to limited degree of success.
.
Morality by any set of standards is a liability in parliamentary politics, WR is among the least hindered thus he is free of any such compulsion.
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SJ / October 22, 2022
Did he always abstain or vote against?
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Mallaiyuran / October 22, 2022
Sumanthiran PC’s speech suggests that he misunderstands the principles of the protest. Protesters’ “system change” cannot be narrowly interpreted in any unsettled or ambiguous situation as ” removing the President or on a minor expansion, changing the constitution”. Changing the constitution is not anything different from regime change. Protestors are hoping to change the civilization level, taking the people with them to higher echelons. They feel enough of this lifestyle of lying, looting, raping, prostitution, murdering, hating, cheating…….., as Bharati once said: they want “to annihilate the old world and build a new world, with meaningful life, for people in that” . Evil, who is always against change, struck at the best time and caught the power at wavering & quivering situation. He provided lib service to the change of contrition or even removal of presidency. He may say so, but where did the rational thinking of an educated person’s mind go? Why did that mind fail to do a critical analysis of that pathological twister’s talk? Have you ever seen a person, as foxy or as shrewd as the Evil Emperor, cutting down the branch that one was sitting on?
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Mallaiyuran / October 22, 2022
Mind, the Evil who was ever defeated by the majority community is an emperor of a democratic country now, because of the loopholes in the constitution and his never dying desire to become a dictator. “மனம் படைத்தேன் உன்னை நினைப்பதற்கு நான் வடிவெடுத்தேன் உன்னை மணப்பதற்கு (determined to think of you ceaselessly; acquired this appearance to get married with you!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWC1ujSYW8w . That is a line perfectly describing the longing that Evil had until now. “Willingly tell a thousand lies if that is what it takes but enter into a marriage relationship” that is a Tamil saying. ‘Do not be shrunk by guilt feeling or embarrassment or shame to do whatever it takes to achieve what you want! “: The Newtons’ Law I of politics.
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Mallaiyuran / October 22, 2022
Protesters do not’ want die-hard criminals like The Evil ever trying to fool the people, lurking for 40 years & stalking victims in this style. The average community does not have the ability to resist this kind of ever lasing effort to succumb people to break-in. They need honest protection from the political system and constitution. The political system and constitution are for the people, by the people but must come from the Learned, sincere leaders. Evil spent 40years and sacrificed his “body, soul & properties” to achieve this position. Is somebody is really honest when saying that they expected Evil to go forward and change things in Langkang? Come on! That is the satire of this century. Aren’t they also fooling the people along with Evil like Sinhala Buddhist leadership? Can Sumanthiran be open now about what happened to the “Secret Solution” which everyone contended when TNA was not ready to bring the negotiation details to the majority community, it was only deceiving conduct of TNA. The majority community decides every referendum. How could somebody claim they were sincere when they appeared to be planning to hide the matter from the Majority community?
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Mallaiyuran / October 22, 2022
If sumanthiran considers himself not a pendulum, it is time for him to explain why he thinks so. It is time to explain why the Evil & TNA resisted taking the “Secret Solution” to Tamil & Sinhala communities?
Evil is suppressing the protesters because there is a point. If the Sinhala Buddhists’ backwardness is eliminated, if they imitate democratic nations in their political behaviors, if they become an enlightened modern society, then the story of Evil’s great grandmother sleeping with a lion will become unscientific. Mahavamsa will become a bloody lie, unhealthy bestiality fantasy. A Rowdy who crowned himself as Tamil King “Dutugemunu” has to be stripped of that title. Tamils’ status in the society has to be recognized. That is like a million times torture and a billion times murder of him, to Evil.
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Ajith / October 22, 2022
Sumanthiran has raised a serious question regarding the behaviour of majority MPs of the same political party have voted for 18th amendment, 19th amendment, 20th amendment and now 21st amendment. Whether Sumanthiran voted for or against or absent is not the proble. The important change that was promised by all leaders of the government promised to the people. When they promise to the people before the election then that is the mandate given to the people. That policy statement is the mandate the people voted. Did the people gave the mandate to make the 20th amendment or 21st to the constitution? Why Mahinda did not vote for this amenment? Who leads nowthe SLPP? What was the overall policy of the SLPP? What is the stand of the current President on executive presidency?
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Simon / October 22, 2022
The next “Amendment” must be titled “RE_CONSTITUTION” of the Parliament and “ELIMINATE” all those who voted for the “20th Amendment” and that includes the present Minister of Justice Wijedasa Rajapakse – the “Hypocrite”.
There are “MANY” more to be “Eliminated” from the Parliament other than those who said “YES” to “20A”. All those “Amendments” can be done through a Parliamentary Election where the PEOPLE will VOTE, “YES” and “NO” to “Desirables” and “Undesirables” respectively. That is the next URGENT NEED the People must demand. First “RECONSTITUTE” the Legislature and go for a NEW CONSTITUTION for the Country.
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Leonard Jayawardena / October 23, 2022
Sumanthiran:
Quote
The history shows, as I said, from 1994 the abolition of the executive presidency has been promised. Consistently the solution to the Tamil National Question also has been promised. President Mahinda Rajapaksa…three times told India that he will fully implement the provisions of the 13th amendment and go beyond that and make devolution of power meaningful…None of these promises are ever kept. That’s why citizenry of this country is asking for a fundamental change.
Unquote
Actually, when the masses say that they want a “system change,” what they really mean is a system in which they are economically secure, at least no egregious corruption and the law is applied equally to all. Executive presidency for them became an important issue only after Gota’s fiasco. If a referendum were held today, over 70% of the Sinhalese would vote for the abolition of Provincial Councils, not for more devolution of power. This shows how much out of touch with reality politicians like Sumanthiran are.
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chiv / October 23, 2022
LJ, ” actually when the masses say that they want a “system change”, it’s not masses saying, it’s you the hypocrite deciding for the masses. You are part of that system (which masses want to be changed) and how on earth will you know what the masses want ?? First of all, masses want people like you to stop deciding for them. If executive presidency is not an issues why did every politician promise to abolish, during elections to get elected.??? It’s you who is out of touch with reality and not Sumanthiran. He is one of the few politician who kept in touch with protesting masses throughout the struggle. Whereas you the so called “born again” called them immoral. I repeat you are neither close to your religion neither your people.
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Leonard Jayawardena / October 23, 2022
CHIV:
“If executive presidency is not an issue why did every politician promise to abolish, during elections to get elected.???”
It is true that in the past election manifestos have contained a promise to abolish the executive presidency but this was never a core issue on which people voted. In case you haven’t noticed, Sumanthiran himself states that Gota did not promise to abolish it but 6.9m voted for him in 2019. Looking through Sajith’s manifesto, I don’t see a promise to that effect even there. How do you explain that?
On the issue of Provincial Councils, on which your comment is silent, you want to bet with me how the preponderant majority of the Sinhalese would vote if a referendum were held?
“I repeat you are neither close to your religion neither your people.” [sic]
Unlike you, who seem to have nothing better to do than write comments all day on other people’s articles (usually not having read/understood properly or read at all) and live in your little ethnic bubble, I live and move among the majority community and understand their thinking and have “the finger on the pulse,” as they say.
And what do you know about religion?
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chiv / October 23, 2022
Live in your ethnic bubble ??? HYPOCRITE look at your self in the mirror first ?? I have been writing my thoughts for almost 12 years and no one criticized me for commenting without reading the article. You put your BS comments together and call it an article ??? As I said , I left your religious exploits to read the rest. It’s you who tried abusing religion to call Aragalaya immoral. If at all there is a ethnic bubble, it burst and evaporated after leaving Sham Lanka almost 40 years ago as a student to study Medicine. I am not you to refuse progress, when provided with an opportunity.
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chiv / October 23, 2022
Hypocrite LJ didn’t you the one argue Aragalaya was all about empty stomachs and NOT Rajapaksa corruption. Now you say Aragalaya demands ecomic security and corruption free system. Why don’t you and Sumanthiran go out and explain your positions to public and see what they have to say ??
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chiv / October 23, 2022
LJ , ” what to do you know about relegion???” May be not much as you but know enough to respect and NOT exploit for political reasons.
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chiv / October 23, 2022
LJ,” You want to bet how SB will vote “. No never. Only a retard will know how 6.9 million retards voted for a loser who inturn made 6.9 million go without food.
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Leonard Jayawardena / October 23, 2022
“Hypocrite LJ didn’t you the one argue Aragalaya was all about empty stomachs and NOT Rajapaksa corruption. Now you say Aragalaya demands ecomic security and corruption free system.”
More proof of your abysmal comprehension skills. In my first two articles I argued that, contrary to widespread popular belief, the present economic crisis was not due mainly to corruption on the part of President GR and the Government headed by him. There is no contradiction between that and the Aragalaya demanding “economic security and corruption free system.”
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Leonard Jayawardena / October 23, 2022
I don’t know if lunacy is infectious but I don’t want to chance it by being too long around one clearly afflicted with it, so I will confine my responses to just this round.
You:
“It’s you who tried abusing religion to call Aragalaya immoral.”
My article titled “The Aragalaya and Morality” was written in response to an article by Dr. DJ, in which he accused opponents of the Aragalaya of being immoral for the reasons he cited therein. My article titled “Would Jesus Have Supported the Aragalaya?” came later. In the latter article, which you admitted you didn’t read yet commented on it, I clearly stated that my arguments for opposition to the Aragalaya was not based on Christian morality.
Why are you being so unkind to yourself as to provide proof in your very first comment of your utter inability to read and understand articles you presume to comment on?
As usual, you have resorted to your habitual ruse of diverting the discussion with peripheral issues when you lost the argument. What happened to the main issue of Sumanthiran’s claim relating to executive presidency and devolution of power?
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chiv / October 24, 2022
LJ, readers here seems to have understood what you are upto, responding any further gives attention you do not deserve.
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leelagemalli / October 23, 2022
YATHARUPA was one of the best TV programmes ever🙂 but thirisannu dominated lanken society stood against it being continued 🤔 😕 😉
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chiv / October 26, 2022
Even Dark Prince SW ( abolish PC ) seems to have a personal ball carrier among CT readers. How lucky??
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Mallaiyuran / October 25, 2022
Leonard Jayawardena,
People who vote for candidates think their selections would form a government to make their life better. But their opinion about the selections also differs. Candidates, by campaigning, create differences in the minds of people. Though candidates have different suggestions for the people about what could be done to better their life, people have only one decision, that is, their selection is the best one to provide them with a better life. The actual history of Langkang candidates is that none of them are good for anything. People vote for the one proposed to annihilate Tamils because they are made to believe that when Tamils are wiped out their lands and properties are going to be transferred to the Sinhalese and they are going to become richer. Chitanta government was stunned to see the opposition were united to put a CC and defeat them even after they had the advantage of 18A. Sinhalese found out the truth that the Tamils were genocide, but Sinhalese had become poorer. CC candidate New King and Evil Ranil created biggest disappointment for Sinhalese during the Yahapalanaya time. Evil Ranil blamed White Flag murderer, but it was he who worked against his government, an international country with only one object, that is saving War Criminal from UNHRC. This led him to not be successful at anything he initiated, including UNHRC.
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Mallaiyuran / October 25, 2022
People showed their anger by closing the Sirkotta UNP, with no seats. After Yahapalanaya, people thought they were bringing a brand new, non-political candidate. The defect there was the non-political candidate, who did not have any political experience, but had defeated the LTTE. His nethermost ability was quickly overrun by Viyathmaga and they this time sucked the country more than Royals did. The story given to modayas that he won the war with Zero Casualty was a lie. He created 150,000 Tamil civilians’ deaths. War was won by 32 countries, most of whom are now waiting for their war dividend. Failed Yahapalanaya was followed by the failed Hitler government. Yahapalanaya was formed with a common candidate. Hitler government was formed with a non-political candidate. After the last three disastrous elections, Sinhala Buddhist masses have started to realize that they have run out of options to fix the country with one more election. Revolutionary thinking “Generation Zero” refused to concede and went for the protest. So far it is only a partial success. But the next avatar of the USSR revolution, Evil has grabbed the power. So, people’s opinion is that the younger generation’s job is not over, and it is not yet time for them to rest. In the meantime, The Evil is reviving with the Military the old legacy Evil system.
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Mallaiyuran / October 25, 2022
You are saying the Singhalese are still with the Rowdy Royals. But that is not what the message coming from the Colombo media. Old Rowdy King’s Dutugemunu title is already stripped. What is now desperately needed for the country is Old Rowdy King, White Flag Murderer, Evil Ranil, Rear Admirable, Lemon Puff and you like people have to work together to save country from another 1958 or 1977 or 1983. You guys are pushing people, who lost their direction by the UNP-SLFP cartwheel circus, to the edge of the cliff. If Protest is not going forward, people take to the hand destructive violence. Every good citizen who wishes to save the country from falling into fire from the frying pan, is going to guide the Sinhala masses properly. If still people like you want to set the racial fire and warm yourself in that fire, the country can no longer bear these devil dances. Please do not be too proud to declare that Sinhala masses want only Royals. That situation can be created only with an extremely misleading campaign. Thanks Buddha, gone are the royals. Your class people have to accept the reality. Otherwise, if you think that Don Stephen or Solomon West Ridgeway Dias have forgotten to ring the toll bell of Ceylon, you go for it. Do not underestimate President Xi Jinping who is showing nightmarish intimidation.
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Leonard Jayawardena / October 26, 2022
The Colombo Telegraph editor surely must have one of the most unenviable jobs in the world in having to read through this kind of b.s. comments on a daily basis prior to approval.
Mallaiyuran, why do have to burden others with this drivel and harangue when all I did was to state the simple truth that if a referendum were held on PCs the preponderant majority of the Sinhalese would vote for its abolition. Please reread Sumanthiran’s statement and my comment in its proper context.
Or are you trying to outdo in stupidity and ignorance my original low I.Q protagonist—a tough ask anyway—who has now slunk away from the exchange when he had nothing to say on the pretext of not wanting to give me further “attention,” when it was I who condescended to respond to his b. s. reply to my comment in the first place?
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Leonard Jayawardena / October 26, 2022
The majority of the Sinhalese, including yours truly, would vote for the abolition of PCs not because of racism but because they consider them to be a useless drain on the public purse—a white elephant.
Speaking for myself, I am not averse to the North and the East retaining the PCs but without land and police powers.
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Mallaiyuran / October 25, 2022
To come back to your statement, people vote in the election expecting a better life. If you think that Sinhalese will be voting only for the continuous annihilation of Tamils, then the election campaigns keep reinforcing that idea. Sinhalese are given to understand that Tamils demise will transfer the better life Tamils are enjoying to Sinhalese. World economists do not hold a belief like that. But this is done to ensure that the power will be staying within four families, without them undertaking any struggle to make the country prosperous. Don & Solomon dreamed of getting rid of Tamils from Ceylon and handing over the country to Sinhalese. What happened in the country does not indicate they were successful. Larger portion of the Estate workers are finding a job for them within the country. The recent trend is the Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims who wrongly believe that they are going to greener pastures are ending up in the Middle East’s torture chambers. There is no eminent economist in Langkang. So, there is no one to explain to Sinhalese that they can never become rich by annihilating Tamils with the hope of having their wealth looted by them. You can see the mistake Britain made by leaving the EU to control their flux of immigration, Mandela did not agree to strip the White minorities’ wealth and deport them. So, he saved SA.
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Mallaiyuran / October 25, 2022
Protest is different and the mandates given to parties in the previous elections are different matters. Protesters have no mandate, but they have the full blessing of the entire population. In other words, protest is people’s action, and it does not need a mandate, where the unscrupulous politicians act for people. Further, whatever mandated is not the word scripted in a piece of paper, but the belief and expectations created in the minds of people, by the words & actions of the politicians. Annihilation of Tamils, explained to the Sinhala Majority, will transfer all the wealth and land and talents Tamils were having, thus Sinhalese will become a prosperous community overnight without any effort. Sinhalese voted for the destruction of Tamils only because of the belief Sinhala Buddhist intellectual created within them that that is a quick and sure way to become rich. The protest is about Sinhalese taking them above their history and trying to merge with the advancing world. There are no measurable objectives set like in a budget, but people wish to uplift them to the world standard; without jealousy, looking forward to enjoying whatever the new world is enjoying with science, inventions, and industries. So, the Sinhala Intellectuals (viyathmaga) past yardstick is not measuring the present situation.
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Mallaiyuran / October 25, 2022
There is a Supreme Court decision against all southern politicians that Federalism is not separation. If Ranjan Ramanayake or Thavani clad Gnanam had to be in prison for disrespecting the court, for 17 years, then the politicians who interpreters to the southerners that by asking for devolution (Federalism) the Tamils were asking for Separation had to be lifetime in precision. If you understand that much, then you need to explain to the CT readers the reason for your enthusiasm to advocate that Sinhalese would be against any devolution.
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Mallaiyuran / October 25, 2022
Fundamental rights are equal for everybody. Devolution is some principles to help the minorities achieve equality in a government which is in some physical attributes split into majority-minority, unbridgeable. In those occasions where devolution is not possible, affected minorities have the right to claim their right to self-determination. It is under these principles that a country is recognized as a Country (one complete unit, has one vote at UNGA) by the UN. You may remember, as he was one of those who understood these, the year before that, Communist Dinesh went to UNHRC to cancel its membership but only refused to implement a co-signed resolution. Your writing suggests that you are putting words into Sinhalese mouths. You are denying that Sinhala Buddhists vote only for Biryani and arrack. But in 1970 Sinhalese voted to Siri Ma O for free rice from the moon, rejecting all the developments Dudley initiated.
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Mallaiyuran / October 25, 2022
As per you, Sinhalese are asking for a non-corruptive administration which is contributing to economic progress. In 1948, Don Stepen decided to disenfranchise the Up Country Tamils, who, from the time of universal franchise (1931), through the country Ceylon created, and up to the Indian Pakistani Citizenship Act introduced, were citizens of Ceylon; the highly productive citizens, who the main party contributed more than all other communities to keep Ceylon an economically viable country. The Don and SWRD started the culture of ignoring the selection by merit, induced lazily looting from Tamils and eating. That is what has brought now for all to take the yoke of the sex addicts, ME’s Muthalalis. They both rolled down Ceylon from the summit, the richest in the neighborhood, to today’s situation, the poorest in the hemisphere. To Keep UNP supported by Sinhalese Majority for the remaining history of Ceylon, Don Stephen, by disenfranchising a minority, made the country dependent on loans from other countries. But in the elections followed, UNP was instructed by the majority community that meddling with Tamils is not wanted by the majority, but by the economy. The UNP was defeated by the Sinhalese. The 1953 Hartal was a witnessing event that the country was looking for equality in income and status.
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Mallaiyuran / October 25, 2022
Then Solomon West Ridgeway Dias, completely lacked any knowledge of modern economics theories, explained to Sinhalese, destroying the Tamils’ ability create economic progress, will transfer that ability directly to Sinhalese. So collected a mandate for Sinhala only and burned the country with Emergency 58. Solomon did not worry about fulfilling Sinhalese expectations but contended his family would remain in politics forever, thereafter. You well understand that all leaders elected by the country worked hard against devolving power with Tamils and were successful for the past 75 years. They all annihilated Tamils. But none of them stopped the sagging economy. Is that not striking to you now, that annihilating Tamils and improving the economy is like saving the cake and eating it? So, start to support protestors, instead of the UNP-SLFP thieves, they are the two sides of the same coin, the Sinhala Buddhist.
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