3 December, 2024

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75 Years Of Corruption, 75 Years Of Tears: Pearl Of The Indian Ocean Has Become The Teardrop Of Asia

By Vishwamithra

“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” ~ Aristotle

The rain stopped a little while ago. The rumbling of thunder was eerie and the surroundings were lit up for a nano-second by occasional lightening in the far away land. Darkening of the skies is telling another story; a forlorn moon is guiding the villagers, sauntering back to their shanty-dwellings. The dry zone is flat and looks barren to the naked eye. The sun that burnt the bare-bodied men and shabbily dressed women is no longer troubling the hapless collection of humans whose entertainment has been constrained by cruelest lifestyles. The sun is finally dipping below an unseen horizon, beneath the hillock that adds to a solitary uniqueness of this parched, flush land.

Nishantha with his two kids, one he was carrying on his shoulders and the other holding the hand of the mother, his wife, was already showing signs of fatigue. No three-wheelers were available for their nightly ride; they too seemed to have retired for the night under the gloomy canopy of hidden clouds. His wife, Shanthi, was alive with what she heard at the political rally organized at the Kada Panaha (fifty boutiques) borough by the National People’s Power (NPP). Anuradhapura, the first capitol city and the major metropolis of ancient Ceylon was reverberating with the oratorical roar of Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the NPP leader, and the pouring rains were an apt epilogue to that magnificent oration. The echo of the arguments and electricity of delivery is irresistible for an ordinary mind to cast-off without thinking more deeply.

The corruption of the Rajapaksas, invalidity of president Wickremesinghe and lethargy and irrelevance of Sajith Premadasa were spelt out lucidly by all speakers at the meeting. Nishantha and his family were never attracted to politics. But the circumstances have changed for Nishantha and his family as they did for the rest of the country. Taking things lying down is no more an option. It was time at least for rudimentary yet meaningful action.  

Nishantha has a more-than-decent job. As manager of a call center cum internet café, he has put his IT education into employable use. His pay is somewhat dependent on the monthly business turn-out. His wife, being a trained graduate teacher in the adjoining township that has come about thanks to the Mahaweli-related township development scheme, also has never engaged in politics. For her the world revolved around her family, her husband and the two children for whose education both parents were ready and willing to sacrifice whatever that was necessary to be sacrificed. And they would happily do that parental deed, without question and without a second’s hesitation.

Nishantha knows the value of education. His parents hailed from a decent background; a typical reflection of the rural life in Sri Lanka, the middleclass upbringing that both Nishantha and Shanthi received paid its dividends in the long run. Ambitious but within reasonably reachable limits, Nishantha and Shanthi endeavored to bring up their two children in the traditional and normal way. Their walk is short; situated about three miles from the Anuradhapura city, in the middle of an interior hamlet they had built their house. In comparative terms, the villages called it the Maaligawa (palace). The white lotuses have already bloomed in the middle of the lake they were passing by. The very sight of the white blossoms bring enthralling memories to Nishantha. When both Nishantha and Shanthi were in the University they used to come to the edge of the waters of this lake; seated together and enwrapped in each other’s arms, Nishantha hummed the mesmerizing songs of Amaradeva and Sunil Shantha, appealing to Shanthi and draping her in an enchanting trance. Such subliminal togetherness, both Nishantha and Shanthi agreed, is divine and beyond the profound lyrics of Mahagama Sekara and Madawala Ratnayake. The emotions of fear and pain gave way as Leonard Wolfe wrote, to desire and joy. But that was then, about a dozen years ago.

Nishantha’s quiet trudge was disturbed by a flock of bats flying away from a branch of a Maara tree sited by the gravel road. Nishantha’s disturbed mind came back to the present. The television pundits say that the economy of the country is about to get much worse before showing any signs of becoming better. Those politicians who are alleged to have committed unforgivable financial crimes, those who allegedly ransacked the country’s national coffers are still in place; they continue to plunder and bleed the current generation to death. The Change that every man, woman and child clamored for and expected to arrive yesterday seems to be receding into oblivion once again, as they did during the last seventy five years.

Chanakya or more widely known as Kautilya, the ancient sage who advised Emperor Chandragupta (Emperor Ashok’s grandfather)  said that “Never settle for anything less than what you deserve. It’s not pride, it’s self-respect.” Nishantha, being a voracious reader, has read most of the books written about Chanakya. Chanakya known to the western world as ‘Indian Machiavelli’, wrote Arthashastra, the first book in history on social science and economic administration; his wisdom, application of wisdom and authoring of one of the greatest books in human history is still echoing in the present world; it’s like a judicious wind that claims its victims and beneficiaries alike. One who does not bother to learn from his unmatched wisdom might as well not be born.

Sri Lanka cannot brag about such gems of wisdom and erudition, especially as ones close to the throne; none in ancient Ceylon and none now. That is our national tragedy. But we cannot rot in that self-pity. As a nation throttled by unparalleled economic crisis and wasting away from a cancerous sociopolitical malady, we still need to rise up as one people and one country. Nishantha’s determination was bordering on, not hesitancy, but his immediate family. His wife Shanthi and the two kids were his world. Nishantha looked at the current crisis as another challenge that he overcame throughout his life. Yet it dawned upon him that a great majority of his country faced the same challenge.

Not the super-rich classes who spent in one day more than he could earn in one month. Such painful realities are thrashing him on all exposed parts of his body and mind. He learnt from his teacher-wife that some of her pupils have already got addicted to a drug that has been introduced as another ‘high’ in the ‘cartel’s’ language. Drug addiction is claiming lives every day. Those who become addicted are the ones whose parents can afford to give their kids more pocket-money than most. Nishantha is reminded of another quotation of Chanakya: “As a single withered tree, if set aflame, causes a whole forest to burn, so does a rascal son destroy a whole family.” Nishantha’s focus has to be on his children and wife.  But the call at the time is, he pondered, nobler and more immediate. He has to tell his neighbors, friends and relatives.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the NPP have not been tested in power yet. AKD’s oratorical skills have captivated the country, the young as well as the old. Every other politician has been tested and all of them have failed wretchedly. As a result, a miserable people have been searching for a ‘real’ alternative, an alternative that has the aroma of the new and stability of the old. 

Fragrance of a fresh flower may not last the whole day, yet once the whispering wind spreads it across a boring and lifeless landscape, new shoots of new plants may emerge. That wholly new phenomenon should be the other whisper today. When that whisper gathers many a willing voice, it shall become a whole new roar, a roar that captures the entire nation by surprise and thunder. Political organization and its modern machinations will oil the cogs and wheels and when the turning of the whole machine begins, those whose ambitions are purely limited to self-enrichment and corrupting the community that surrounds them shall be uprooted, making the ground more conducive to new plants and new seeds.

Nishantha’s dream is such an optimistic one. Just because Nishantha has the ability to dream like an adolescent who was dreaming before he took Shanthi’s hand in love, compassion and kindness cannot be ignored anymore. 

Nishantha heard the other day at his workplace that chances of a NPP-victory are slim to none; only a political miracle would pave the way for such an incredible occurrence. Nishantha decided to keep dreaming and put all his efforts to make that dream a reality.

Even on this eventful evening, while treading the gravel road leading to his home, Nishantha did not stop to think about the various options he had. The moving silhouettes of his villagers gave him strength; the chirping crickets and a distant peacock added to the orchestra that provided the milieu; enveloped in the twilight of the evening, yet ambitious to wake up the next day with fresh ideas and newer ideals, Nishantha decided to brief his wife of his intentions. If men like him cannot render leadership to apathetic and helpless fellow inhabitants, his life is not worthy of living.

75 years is a long time. 75 years of suffering, tears, sweat and blood must be put to an end. The only way open is a System Change that could be achieved through the ballot at the polling booth. 

*The writer can be contacted at vishwamithra1984@gmail.com         

Latest comments

  • 8
    12

    “… the surroundings were lit up for a nano-second by occasional lightening in the far away land. “
    An average duration of time for a stroke of lightning is several microseconds (thousands of nanoseconds).
    So much for hype.

    • 3
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      SJ
      Vishva is talking about “lightening “, which is a different matter altogether.

      • 3
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        OC
        I referred to “lit up for a nano-second”.
        Where does nanosecond enter the picture either way?

        • 2
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          SJ,
          Lightening is much faster than lightning, I am told.😉

          • 2
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            OC
            That is brighter than any flash of lightning.

      • 2
        2

        OC
        I missed the misspelling, and so did the pundit that pounced it.

    • 2
      2

      OC , the discussion is on 75 years of corruption and tears. As usual mechanical thinking retired couldn’t get over the difference between Micro and Nano. So long for his contribution.

      • 2
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        C
        I understand your problem: you have trouble with both language and arithmetic.

        • 4
          0

          So much for your comprehension.

          • 2
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            Have you read OC?
            Better not.

      • 6
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        chiv

        If dumbos don’t agree with views expressed here they should at least try to put across their alternative views with evidence. Here we see one so called educated Dumbo habitually making a fool of himself.

        Well what can we do, perhaps frustration emanating from life time failure to be part of a successful Maoist party let alone successfully building one, causes him to be silly old ……. or cantankerous old fossil.

        However I wish him well.

        • 0
          0

          Native, fully agree with you , I just feel pity.

          • 1
            4

            The ball bearing pair together in despair!

    • 5
      2

      //… average duration of time for a stroke of lightning…//
      Oh, picky, picky…. “Ten thousand saw I at a glance…” do we ever ask how long a glance is and how long it takes to count 10K?

      • 2
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        SAV
        Do you really think that “lit up for a nano-second” is such an expressive phrase?
        I wonder if “nano-second” will in a nanosecond capture the imagination of all creative writers of tomorrow.

        • 3
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          //… will in a nanosecond capture the imagination of all creative writers of tomorrow…//
          I do not know. Predictions are hard, it is said, especially of the future.

          • 0
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            SAV
            Thanks, but I was only wondering, and did not seek a forecast, even on these pages where predictions come so easy?

  • 8
    14

    “The only way open is a System Change that could be achieved through the ballot at the polling booth.”
    Like to know where it happened!

    • 9
      2

      China’s man in Sri Lanka

      “Like to know where it happened!”

      China, China, China, China, ……
      Now China is attempting to replicate it in Taiwan, Hindia, Afghanistan, …. and Sri Lanka, … It did not work in Maldives though, doesn’t matter, ….
      China’s most successful collaboration with the West (US and UK) was in Cambodia, but it didn’t last much, because of uncivilized Vietnamese.

      By the way China unlike Hindia never in its entire glorious history practiced expansionism as its core state policy.

      Long live China’s man in Sri Lanka (not EELAM).

      • 4
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        Native, question is ” like to know where, it did not happen after 75 years ???” What will be the alternate option ??? regime change not through ballot . That is exactly VP thought and achieved to certain degree .

        • 4
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          chiv

          This China’s Man in Sri Lanka is too much into ……….. who cannot remember how system change was brought to USSR. Mikhail Gorbachev summed it as a revolution without a shot being fired.

          Now I get it, the this China’s man in Sri Lanka supported VP believing that VP stopped Hindian expansionism, forgetting it was Unlcle Sam which through VP the hired gun (Mercenary) made life difficult for IPKF. Then the weakest Prime Minister VP Singh saw a trap being set by US and the west, pulled out from Sri Lanka to avoid Vietnam, Afghanistan, ….. situation, avoiding bog down, …..

          • 3
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            How pathetic can one get when stuck on a simple question!

            • 5
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              How pathetic to see a mechanical thinking professor like you get stuck with Micro and Nano second, when the discussion is on 75 years of corruption and tears. With people like you around it ain’t a surprise the country is bankrupt.

              • 3
                3

                Chiv. This Ckinkopath is a unique specimen of a Homo Erectus who can talk from both his front end and the rear end. Nevertheless, the output is just the same.

                • 1
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                  hp
                  You seem most familiar with stuff emerging from the back of members of the mater race.
                  Enjoy yourself.

              • 2
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                Sorry, I forgot that you will probably not know the difference between the two. (I do not mean your ding-dongs.)
                *
                Interesting to note that I have helped to bankrupt the country and thus thrill the likes of you.

        • 4
          5

          It was a simple question.
          To answer one had to simply name a country where a “system change” occurred by the ballot.
          But what is offered is irrelevant waffle.
          *
          Thank you for confirming that you haven’t the answer.

          • 4
            3

            If somebody takes you, for help, to admit you at Angoda, the hospital doctors and nurses will get together and kick on the butts of the patient and the social helper and put them out of the hospital compound wall. After that they washed their shoes to clean any contamination of infection and would shout in direction the social worker ran away: ” What a gut to bring a pesky monkey within a clean and neat hospital, intended for patients of mental problem”.

            Sad CT stuck with you, a born bred for UOJ only.

          • 4
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            Retired, Thamk you for confirming that you still exist in your own well. What you offer here is autistic waffles.

            • 2
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              “Thamk you!”
              When did they retire you?
              About time I suppose.

      • 2
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        Peng Chun, head of the China Investment Corporation, which owns more than 250 properties across Britain via dozens of companies. Composite: Guardian Design/Getty Images/Alamy/Reuters

        Visit the site and many more
        Do chinese corrupt live in china or like Sri lankas 75 + benificiaries seek refuge in white mans land ??

        • 2
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          F
          China has grown its fair share of corrupt multi mllionaires since it embraced capitalism.
          But it has greater risks than here.
          Sorry, I cannot speak for the corrupt: that is your patch.

          • 4
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            ooooh touchy arent we old boy ?

          • 4
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            oooh touchey arnt we old boy ?

    • 2
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      SJ, Not where it happened, but work now to make it happen. Abolish this darned manipulating and corrupt presidency. Help people not cling to but avoid presidential ambition and serve citizens instead. Self will must go

      • 2
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        dtg
        Ask yourself why it has never happened before trying to make it happen.
        Let us be real.
        When money speaks out loud in elections, democracy has to find other ways.
        *
        Every elected socialist government was sacked (like by QRII in Guyana) or sabotaged (like in Iran in 1952 and many many more).
        The most powerful ‘democracy’ is the destroyer of all democracies that dare to defy it.
        If you disbelieve, check it out.

  • 12
    3

    It was 9 million or so citizens of SL like Nishantha who turned a blind eye to massive corruption & mismanagement to vote in the ‘saviours’ of the Sinhala nation & Buddhism. The ‘Ranawiruwo’, murderers or not, have to be venerated, after all, they were patriots, & civilians die in times of war anywhere in the world, so everything is forgiven for the heroes. Now, at least some have realised they have been well & truly f****d, therefore, looking elsewhere (to be f****d again?)

    NPP is JVP in a different dressing. They may have a convincing manifesto while the others, including SJB, are still without positive direction or a realistic plan but despite AKD’s oratory skills, has he got the guts to apologise honestly & sincerely for the murder & destruction of the JVP past? I would prefer them in the opposition than running the country because I think the Rajapakses are here to stay, & no doubt, some of Nishantha’s friends would still like to be f****d by them. At least the JVP/NPP can be critical of the ruling regime even if its only words & no action. System change means a completely new set of politicians with integrity.

  • 13
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    Yes 75 years of corruption, tears , BS , family kleptocracy, Democrazy, SHAM elections / politics, racism, pseudo patriotism/ nationalism…….., Ceylon has now become Stupid / Silly / Sham Lanka.

    • 11
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      How did the impossible / BANKRUPTCY (failed, dysfunctional nation) become possible. 1) Ignorant Silly Lankans of various kind, immoral, uneducated, naive, who believe in myth, utter stupidity like pills, procedure for sterilization , Gannacca (they have some excuse) 2) The so called educated or not so ignorant are those who question ” did the rot start in 1948, 58 or 68″ ??? Love to debate “who is worse, Gotha or Mahinda , Silly Mao or Chandrika, JR or RW???” Their debates are always about who is worse, never about who is better. 3) If you notice, pretty much all authors, including the ones who wrote in past, on various time lines blaming particular individuals have now resigned to the fact , ” it’s 75 years of nothing but rot / BS” (except may be V. Gupta who thinks it started from Silly Mao) 3) But our retards and retired , are hellbent, continuing with their stupid excuses, denials, normalizing, stereotyping, telling all countries are bankrupt and failed like us, finding fault with others . . . . . . . 4) Meantime we hear a ruling member in UK is fired for not disclosing tax audit, though it was paid with fines, A senator is soon to be fired in the U.S for hyping his resume to look good (falsifying considered as federal offence under oath).

      • 0
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        (Sorry this got edited due to limited space). 5) In a country like India ,when Modi govt is trying desperately to stop citizenry, from viewing controversial BBC documentary, rights activist resist by screening it in public. 6) Whereas our own govt instigated months long nonviolent protest ( only one I’m aware of ) turn violent, so that people can be put behind bars.

    • 9
      0

      “Sri Lanka cannot brag about such gems of wisdom and erudition, (Chanakya) especially as ones close to the throne; none in ancient Ceylon and none now. That is our national tragedy.”
      No, that isn’t our tragedy at all.
      Our tragedy is that we keep believing the tale that we have the oldest history in the world, are the repository of the purest Buddhism, were the granary of the East, blah blah, when the reality is that we were a minor culture on the edge of a great one, under the spell of a clerical clique that we still can’t escape.
      It is possible to be modern without having a history to speak of. Look at Maldives, Singapore, or Dubai.
      Let’s forget our so-called history and come into the 21st century.

      • 2
        0

        old codger

        “under the spell of a clerical clique that we still can’t escape.”

        wasn’t it the reason why Buddhism was completely wiped out from Tamil Nadu and mostly from India, the clerical machination at the time?

        Perhaps the awakened one’s teaching was lost in translation.

        • 3
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          More glass ball talk:
          “wasn’t it the reason why Buddhism was completely wiped out from Tamil Nadu and mostly from India, the clerical machination at the time?”

          • 3
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            Bakthi Marka is/was not clerical machination at the time, it is still a Cihese Marxims pratices y Siri Ma O in Langkang

            • 1
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              Sorry about the computer problem.

          • 3
            3

            Bakthi Marka is/was not clerical machination at the time, though it is still a Chinese Marxism practiced by Siri Ma O’s devotees in Langkang.

            Didn’t Vasanthi take classes for you in your mechanical engineering subjects like Bakthi Marka, Marxism. Maoism. Didn’t your Grandpa Sampathar Aiyya take you classes in Gandhism? One of the UN accepted methods to change the ruling system by referendum. Nations can change their constitutions depending on their earlier constitution, by ½, ⅔, or ¾ support. It is irrelevant howling on who did it or who didn’t. Not everybody has to get involved in Grand Larceny like Lenin Vappa. Now what is the problem? Is it that what you are trying to defeat is not appearing in Google for more than a week? That is really, really sad! I can explain all those complicated matters to you, but first tell the answer to the simple question: tell me what Hinduism your parents followed and why did they name you Savasekagaram?

          • 5
            1

            China’s man in Sri Lanka
            ………………………. …… b***s.
            He is so absorbed he couldn’t or wouldn’t lift his head to see the world outside his own imagined world of Mao.
            Let him enjoy his own world.

      • 4
        1

        OC,/NV,
        Fully agree that the 2600+ civilisation is the biggest “Bug Bear” to development, emancipation and progress of our country!!!???
        Stuck in the past historical glory of our ancestors, Mesmerizes and with a “misted vision”, with or no ability or time to think and forge ahead our future PROGRESS in Unity!!!???
        Did any mentiontion ‘DOG IN THE MANGER’!!!???
        “API THAMAI HONDATEMA KRRE”, syndrome!!!???
        Successful operation in creating a Bankrupt Nation of progressive people!???

    • 5
      0

      Chiv, You say SHAM elections. Solution is to stop the sham and the robbery. ABOLISH the presidency and give hope for future. Chase the robbers in the 225 too. Get young leaders who are not doddering.

    • 2
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      You can do with a thesaurus I guess.

      • 2
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        Sorry dtg
        The thesaurus was suggested for the man whose vocabulary of abuse seems rather limited.

  • 3
    0

    75 Years Of Corruption, 75 Years Of Tears: Pearl Of The Indian Ocean Has Become The Teardrop Of Asia
    RW will stand tall happy tear drops because of the bankruptcy he became the president and register his name in history books. some people failure other success, It’s fine to celebrate success, the people should be happy but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure, but the thing is it is failed by default He will give very good speech next day he will tax the people

  • 5
    4

    Vishwa. It is amazing how you find the time to let your mind to riot so freely. AKD/HA, JVP/MPP is a powder keg in the forming. The memory of the JVP Resurrection should not be that far off to forget it. It was perfectly logical for late Mr. Vellupillai Prbhakaran to tear off a page from it to launch a Resurrection of his very own to establish an Independent State of their own than to be governed and dictated to by the Chinhala Morons. In the sphere of intelligence Tamils are far superior to the Chinhalese. After 75 years of Independence it is most incredible that they have to obtain the permission from the Chinese to invite much respected and revered Dalai Lama to let him to worship at the holiest of holy the Tooth Relics of the Lord in Kandy. If you complain to HA about a robbery, she will give you the instructions to find the mother of the thief to ask where to find the thief. I doubt it very much if there are very many people to have the time to read this kind of stuff.

  • 6
    1

    As has been customary of the Rogues in Saffron Robes who have manifestly contributed to the parlous state of the sinhalas by their racism towards minorities and specifically the ceylon tamils, these Rogues have written to Ranil Rajapakse that the 13th amendment is NOT to be implemented in full. However, these Rogues in Saffron Robes have not even whimpered. WHEN the chinks ( preferred rulers of sinhalas? rather than minority rights) have WARNED the sinhalas of dire consequences if the Dalai Lama visits sinhala land.

    • 3
      0

      GUS,
      Sri Lanka is a proclaimed Republic and is no more a Kingdom as in the ancient times, nor a Dominion of the BE!!???
      The governance of country, implementation of all constitutional provisions are enshrined in the constitution and is the responsibility of the 3 Independent Pillars of Governance of the Republic – Executive, Judiciary and legislature – and not any others as a FIAT issued by the king and his aides in the times of yore and the KING gives assent to such inclinations!!! No MORE!!??? Not by the King or King-makers, but cohesive rational decision working in conjunction!!!???

  • 8
    1

    “75 years is a long time. 75 years of suffering, tears, sweat and blood must be put to an end. The only way open is a System Change that could be achieved through the ballot at the polling booth. “

    Yes it is along time but it is very simple to buy people and politicians of this country in to a bootle of arrack for people and buy powerful Monks to a bens car. This is a reality and system change is far away for another century.

    • 3
      1

      WHAT FOR THE TELLING??? – As the Portuguese would exclaim!!!??? What is required is for the Maha Nayakes to be elected by the 15+ million citizens/eligible voters, choosing, which one of them would be the 1st citizen or Executive President!!!
      Did I hear a comment “muttered” that it was against Gautama the Buddha’s Great Precepts, which these Maha Nayakes say and deemed to follow and preach thereof!!!
      Not at all, not in these times!!!
      They didn’t have exposure to Luxury Benz cars and Toyota land Cruiser V8’s to propel from 0 to 100 Kms per hour in 6+ seconds!!! Exhibit to uninitiated, dynamism of Luxury consummate traveller to those minions, who follow their preaching!!?? In case they attempt to question the eligibility to preach at all, to avoid pre-emptively!!!
      Who cares?? Or what I meant was care only as much as using a Luxury Benz and Gas Guzzler or Toyota V8 Land Cruisers, consume more!!!???
      Make sure the Dayakas deliver the meals on time and don’t have to go seeking or purchase meals to cushion one’s hunger – which if you seek to purchase, becomes “Thannawa”, presumably against religious concept as proclaimed by the Lord, Prince Siddhartha upon enlightenment!!!???

    • 1
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      Ajith, Agree with you that arrack and benz cars nullify attempted murder of Vasantha Mudalige by a suppressing and shameless leader, reviewed by Vasantha’s own account. Then is it a farce that this leader received asirvada from Kandy clergy to start independance. High time that this whole farce of executive president be abolished from this nation, for national survival

  • 7
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    //75 Years Of Corruption, 75 Years Of Tears: Pearl Of The Indian Ocean Has Become The Teardrop Of Asia// Vishnu

    This is solely due to Ceylon being ruled by mediocre and nincompoops. D.S. Senanayake the first Prime Minister did not pass the SSC. So was Sir John Kotelawala, Sirimao Bandaranaike, Ranasinghe Premadasa, Mahinda Rajapaksa, Gotabaya Rajapaksa etc. etc. All these politicians could not think beyond their nose.

    We failed to produce a statesman like Lee Quan Yew of Singapore who turned a fishing village a mini-superpower within a period of 25 years. Despite the fact the Chinese were in the majority (75%) he made all four languages the official languages as official languages. He made Tamil an official language despite the fact they formed less than 5% of the total population.

    Bilingualism is a key feature of Singapore’s education system. All students learn the English language and an official Mother Tongue language.

    English is the medium of instruction, while the official mother tongue of each student – Mandarin Chinese for Chinese, Malay for Malays and Tamil for South Indians – is taught as a second language.

    • 3
      6

      “Bilingualism is a key feature of Singapore’s education system. All students learn the English language and an official Mother Tongue language.”
      What is offered is tokenism, while English rules.
      Tamil and Malay are already irrelevant for purposes of governance.
      Chinese (Mandarin dialect) may rise in prominence with China’s rising influence in Asia Pacific. Total dominance is not even in the minds of Beijing. They are still looking at money, and money still mostly speaks English with an American accent.

      • 4
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        Chinese (Mandarin dialect) may rise in prominence with China’s rising influence in Asia Pacific. What kind of glass ball you are using? Appears to be the lenses have cataract. Use something like your hard ones you use in your mapping. That will give much better clear.

        • 3
          5

          Still doped?
          Have a good nap.

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