
By Vishwamithra –
“The world is before you and you need not take it or leave it as it was when you came in.” ~ James Baldwin
On Sunday, February 4, 2024 we ‘celebrated’ our ‘Independence’. After being a subject country of the Western colonial powers for nearly four and a half centuries, Ceylon obtained so-called Independence. Political and administrative power was transferred from the British to the people of the land. The British flag came down and the Ceylon flag climbed up the flag pole. D S Senanayake, our first Prime Minister, clad in Western Coat tails presided over the proceedings. A leading businessman, the media mogul of Asia, DR Wijeywardene was invited by DS and was provided with a seat on the rostrum but not in the front row. The front row was reserved to the VVIPs, those who were leading the government power. DR Wijeywardene was not amongst them. He was thoroughly unhappy and left the proceedings even before they started the ceremony.
DR Wijeywardene was no ordinary man. Before Ceylon gained Independence, DS, as leader of Ceylon’s movement for Independence, when needed to meet Wijeywardene for any unofficial advice, visited the media mogul, not the other about. Such was the power of Wijeywardene. Yet he, as per ‘precedence table’ drawn out by the Ministry of External Affairs, was not accommodated in the front row of the Independence Day celebrations. And quite rightly so.
Our current President, Ranil Wickremasinghe is the maternal grandson of DR Wijeywardene. Nowhere near achieving the grand exploits of Wijeywardene, Ranil, however, may have adopted the misplaced sense of importance that Wijeywardene was consumed by. Certainly not a very flattering story for the grandson, leave alone the grandfather. The grandson, as President, presided over the seventy sixth Independence ceremony without the people, for whom that independence was fundamentally meant to deliver freedom from the colonial masters. The people were banned from attending the ‘Independence’ they ‘won’. As much as his grandfather left the ‘Independence’ Day celebrations in 1948, the grandson has left the people out of the celebrations. A very cruel irony of recent history indeed!
Where are we now? Where are we going from here? Consumed by our own self-importance, we have arrived at a moment in time which is demanding a total departure from the road that we have been treading to date. We are a nation still in search of totality as one nation; she is groping and finding a debt note here and a missing pair of earrings there; they have been pawned for want of real cash. The former Minister of Health is in jail. He is accused of downright corruption, in order to enrich himself with commission money. The Sri Lankan court remanded this member of the Cabinet after taking to custody on Saturday over the purchase of fake medicines for state hospitals when he was in charge of the Health Ministry. Former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella was ordered to be held until February 15 pending investigations into a 144 million rupee ($465,000) scam involving what were meant to be life-saving drugs. President Ranil Wickremesinghe has not asked him to explain. There goes accountability out the door.
An independent nation is suffering from a serious malignancy; a malignancy that has spread all over her body politic. An independent nation is gravely ill and those who are treating her are more plagued by the same virus and seems to be nearer to death than the patient-nation. It is not a time for celebrations. It is no time for introspection and revert back to the same regimen of medicine, same dose of the same drugs. It is an extremely grave state of affairs. You cannot allow the patient to die; you cannot let her pass away for want of better and more educated administration of hospital care. Even the hospital is full of corrupt practices; not only the former Minister, even the doctors, nurses, attendants and other minor staff are guilty of negligence and willfully looking the other way.
Not only the doctor, not only the administrator, not only those who brought the patient to the hospital, relatives and friends, everyone except the patient has to be done away with, period. A country that has been nurtured and nursed on a steady dose of dependency syndrome cannot be expected to recover overnight. The patient who has been exceedingly dependent upon repeated dosages of sugarcoated medicine was never given a prophylactic; had that been administered at a very early stage of the first signs of the diagnosis, perhaps the patient could have been saved; now an invasive surgery seems to be the only option available and a change of doctors by no means can be ruled out.
When did the first signs of this dependency-malady manifest themselves? It was a way back in 1953 when the then left-wing parties led specifically by Dr NM Perera and his Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) organized the infamous Hartal. Here is how Wikipedia describes the Hartal of ’53 with its authentic historical context:
“The people had been accustomed for a rice subsidy, which was the staple diet of the island. Dating back from the rationing during World War II, the rice subsidy was issued for ration cards and over the 1940s had become a basis for the sustenance of the local population. The United National Party had promised in the 1952 election campaign to maintain the price of rice at 25 cents a measure. Soon after the election, the government faced a sudden economic crisis. In July 1952, the food subsidies were running at the rate of 300 million rupees, which was a third of the estimated revenue in the planned budget for the coming year. Ceylon depended heavily on rice exports and the global price of rice increased because of the Korean War. R. G. Senanayake, Minister of Trade and Commerce negotiated the Ceylon-China Rubber-Rice Pact, a barter systems which allowed Ceylon to trade its rubber for rice from the People’s Republic of China without affecting its foreign reserves. The pact came into effect despite the opposition of the Finance Minister JR Jayewardene who was pro- United States which was engaged in bitter fighting with the People’s Republic of China in the Korean War. However, it did not help the government’s financial position, with its trade surplus of 345 million rupees in 1951 turning into a trade deficit of 200 million rupees in 1952”.(Source: Wikipedia)
Independent Ceylon was unashamedly put on the cosmetic pedestal of dependency on government welfare programs which could not be financially afforded in the context of the worsening economic conditions in the country. But the left-wing parties and SWRD Bandaranaike’s Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), after assuming power in 1956 turned the country into a slavishly loyal welfare system of living making government subsidies an entitlement not only for the living but also for every baby born thereafter. Dependency syndrome became an entitlement syndrome, paving the way for a country overly reliant on subsidies the government offered to the masses more as a fulfillment of an election pledge rather than an economic principle.
Dependency on government handouts leading to intractable corruption was another nasty implement in the hands of our corrupt and incompetent politicians. Sirimavo Bandaranaike’s battle cry in 1970 General Elections was ‘rice from the Moon’ (Handen haal). The ensuing economic chaos and inefficient and incompetent handling of the country’s coffers ultimately, after successive governments of both parties, UNP and SLFP, is what we are witnessing today. In order to contain the mass protests against economic peril and their vehement opposition to corruption, the incumbent President has chosen to reaffirm his own executive powers and extend that power to curtail and curb the national will. An ‘independent nation has become an extremely dependent collection of men, women and children expecting a relaxation of draconian measures already introduced in Parliament.
The callous manner in which President Wickremesinghe and his media personnel interpret various articles of the Constitution and the conspicuous intellectual bankruptcy of the government and its Executive branch is amply illustrated in the article dated February 5, 2024 written by Nihal Jayawickrama to Colombo Telegraph. While President Wickremesinghe is abusing every political muscle he has in order to prevent public outcry and at the same time ensuring his own influence on the country’s body politic, the Opposition simply cannot limit its fight to court cases and leave it to the better senses of the judiciary to resolve matters of politics and public well being.
Politicians have erred. Their erring and deliberate misdoings cannot be ignored. The public as a whole too have an equal or even a more relevant and compelling responsibility and accountability to themselves for their own sorry state. Sri Lanka, like the United States as illustrated in the current manner in which she is upholding the rule of law by various branches of government, does not have defined ways and means of bringing the rulers to justice. Elections remain the most apt and imperious way in which we can hold the politicians to account for upholding the Articles and Chapters so enshrined in our Constitution. The Constitution is not merely a story written in incomprehensible language. The constitution is the source of law; from our constitution flow all our statutes, by-laws, Parliamentary Acts, precedents and even natural law would be interpreted in terms of our Constitution. Let it work and our would-be-rulers such as NPP and SJB must swear to uphold each and every word of that sacred document.
*The writer can be contacted at vishwamithra1984@gmail.com
Cicero / February 7, 2024
Good article replaced before discussion. We were always a dependent nation ruled by a class of Sinhalayas who never relinquished their mental subservience to the white man. They cheated the rural Sinhalayas with Sinhala Buddhism while they stole the nation’s wealth and kept the minorities under permanent subjugation. The situation will continue. The 6.9 Sinhalayas are not going to vote for the NPP when the time comes. We see that the devious Sinhala upper class is regrouping. It is hiding its wealth and will use it liberally to buy votes. The yellow robed brigade will come out to do the needful. There would be anti-Tamil/Muslim rabble rousing at the right time. We can live in hope that will not materialise. In Singapore they say that the crabs coming from SL are not covered as the ones trying to climb out will be pulled down. We will not get out of the Mahavamsa mud-hole.
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old codger / February 7, 2024
“Ceylon depended heavily on rice exports and the global price of rice increased because of the Korean War”
No, Ceylon depended on rice IMPORTS.
Not the author’s fault, but he should have noticed it.
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old codger / February 8, 2024
“Independent Ceylon was unashamedly put on the cosmetic pedestal of dependency on government welfare programs which could not be financially afforded in the context of the worsening economic conditions in the country. “
In other words, subsidies.
But the author keeps promoting the JVP , a party that is dead against removal of subsidies, as the next government.
Is the author telling us to vote for a party that is against his own economic principles?
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Native Vedda / February 8, 2024
old codger
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Did you hear Weerawansa squeaking when he heard Anura was in Sultanate of New Delhi meeting important policy makers/enforcers, …. perhaps making deals?
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Weerawansa told reporters,
“When they (India) want to make this (country) as a colony, they want to control all the political parties like kittens,”
economynext.com
February 8, 2024
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Didn’t he know Sri Lanka is the Sinhala State of Hindia and North East form part of Tamilnadu?
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Does Wimal desperately long to be invited to Sultanate of New Delhi?
Why doesn’t South Block invite him and the newly elected FP leader S Sritharan too?
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By the way any chance Hindia bestowing Bharat Ratna on Wimal for his service to Sinhala/Buddhism, Rajapaksa clan. …… the country, the region, the world, ….. mostly to himself, and his family?
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old codger / February 8, 2024
Native,
As most people with any real knowledge of history know, the biggest racists are the ones who arrived in the last 600 years.
However, I believe WW isn’t averse to attending diplomatic parties, whoever is foolish enough to invite him.
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Native Vedda / February 8, 2024
old codger
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“As most people with any real knowledge of history know, the biggest racists are the ones who arrived in the last 600 years.”
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I agree.
What about those Chola’s mercenaries who were brought to this island and remained here and over many centuries their descendants converted to converted to Buddhism and and eventually became Sinhalese?
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I suspect Lester’s family arrived here recently say under 200 years.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / February 11, 2024
Namal Rajapakse has gone to New Delhi to surrender and he had prayed at the new Ram Mandhir, in order to curry favour with Indian government.
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chiv / February 7, 2024
It’s mind boggling to compare real facts with 75 years of Lankan utterance. Like this author , now, many are of the view, dependence, corruption, racial hatred, family kleptokracy, democrazy . . . . . were there from the time or soon after independence. Dependence lead to 16 IMF bailouts and now bankruptcy. Unabated corruption has now lead to our own Health Minister distributing fake life saving drugs and Lanka being listed with most corrupt countries, around the world, Even after 30 years of civil war racial hatred is still a burning issue threatening to explode. Check the members with the name ending in Rajapaksas in past 25 years, to know all about family kleptocracy ( Chandrika too has promised a come back ) and do I have to say anything more on our democrazy. MR / GR in persona non grata member list, found guilty of causing economic meltdown, Pissu Sira found guilty of Easter killings, Geneva / ICC . . . . . .
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chiv / February 7, 2024
Now a days the possibility of having an election itself is decided by person / party, retards vote for empty promises like splendor and prosperity, voting on racial lines, voting for family kleptocracy/ dynasty, politicians turning constitution into constipation, corrupt / foreign money influence “rule of corrupt by corrupt for corrupt”
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chiv / February 7, 2024
Finally In-dependence day without people.
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Lester / February 7, 2024
I compared Sri Lanka to its East Asian cousins, Japan, Korea, and China. The only major difference I see is that Sri Lanka is not ethnically homogeneous. Buddhism as a religion is actually quite secular and goes very well with capitalism, similar to Confucianism. The problem is that the European colonizers who hijacked Sri Lanka were not secular and took advantage of this fact. Besides using proselytism as bribery, they exploited the resources of the country in accordance with the mercantilism of the day. The British went one step further. They offered privileges – namely, civil service – to the Vellalars who are not at all secular. Once the British left, there was an attempt to hold on to those privileges through outlandish demands (50-50), then federalism, and finally terrorism. In comparison, Korea was also occupied by the Japanese for a long time, but once the Japanese left, native Koreans were fully in charge of their own affairs.
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Ruchira / February 7, 2024
Hi Lester,
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What made you say: “Buddhism as a religion is actually quite secular and goes very well with capitalism, …”
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Would you mind expanding on it a little?
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You also have said: “Besides using proselytism as bribery, …”
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Since the previous conversation led to evidence etc, just wanted to ask you if this has been studied and documented anywhere?
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Lester / February 8, 2024
Ruchira,
Compare India to China. Both have populations of 1 billion plus people, but we know China is far, far ahead of India. The USA is so terrified of Chinese development, that they banned the sale of high-end semiconductor chips. The only advantage the US has is Silicon Valley, and even that depends on hiring high IQ Brahmins and Chinese through the H1B program, since the US education system does not produce enough STEM candidates. India cannot catch up to China because India is mired in casteism. Casteism is basically misallocation of human capital. Most of India’s success in science and technology (Nobel Prize, space program, etc.) is due to Brahmins, who represent only 4% of the population. Microsoft/Google CEO’s are two examples.
“The influence of education rose during British rule. American missions were allowed to work in the North and their path to proselytization was modern education, a path the Tamils readily took. But prior to that, especially during Dutch rule, the authorities were unabashedly coercive. Baptism was necessary to avail of any State facility, including education, a government post or even registration of marriage. Mass conversion was the order of the day.”
https://www.eurasiareview.com/09092022-challenges-of-proselytization-in-dutch-and-british-ceylon-analysis/
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Lester / February 8, 2024
Ruchira,
There it is. The solution to all of SL’s economic woes: create a special purpose visa program for high IQ individuals to come and work for very high wages. Productivity gains = higher GDP = higher living standards.We can only speculate where the US would be without Silicon Valley, which depends on foreign talent. Chamath P says that regardless, it will disintegrate due to political divisions. The problem for Sri Lanka now is that it does not have much in the way of manufacturing or natural resources to attract FDI. I don’t think anyone will build a chip factory, since Rajapakse is known to have close associations with the CCP and chips are now within the domain of national security.
To answer your original question, Buddhism is very liberal and goes well with accepted Western values of tolerance, freedom of expression, freedom of religion, etc. There is no misallocation of human capital, such as you have with casteism or Sharia law.
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Ruchira / February 8, 2024
Lester – Yeah a high end work visa scheme sounds like a good idea. They may have to do it atleast in the Port City. But industries like manufacturing I suppose is a different ball game. Talent alone may not be sufficient to kick start an upward shift in the manufacturing value chain. Anyways thanks for your views. Yes South Asia is lagging behind compared to East, the Far East and also the Middle East but latter I think had the fortune of having oil on their soil. I think China’s entry in to the WTO and resulting trade liberalisation had a trickle down effect to the naighbouring countries. Their people are more industrious, independent and forward thinking. Lot of positivity and optimism.
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Ruchira / February 8, 2024
Lester – Thanks, so that in your view is the reason Tamils were disproportionately represented in the political and professional hierarchies?
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Lester / February 8, 2024
Ruchira,
Yes. Divide and rule is the fault of the British, not the Tamils. The mistake made by the Tamils is assuming the status quo would not change after Independence. A minority that is 15% cannot control the affairs of 85%.
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old codger / February 8, 2024
Lester,
“India cannot catch up to China because India is mired in casteism.”
“The only advantage the US has is Silicon Valley, and even that depends on hiring high IQ Brahmins “
So, according to you, cateism works for Silicon Valley?
Do you have any evidence that Silicon Valley hires only Brahmins?
Why did California try to ban caste discrimination if the Indians in Silicon Valley are mostly Brahmins?
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leelagemalli / February 8, 2024
“But we know China is way ahead of India.” .
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Who says this? very same man, who just touch the surface of anything for his nature to please himself. is not that so ?
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Though it is correct to some extent, however, there are much more info which is kept awa by chinese govt, which is similar to the manner how RAJAPAKSHEs never wanted to reveal the truth about UVA and the stricken poverty in some parts of srilanka.
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Two totally different cultures and political processes. Sure not many die by hunger in China, but in India not just because of not having food, but also being caught by their superstitions. Besides, China goes with authoritarian style politics but Indians do it with their myths of controlling culture and traditions fighting democracy.
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According to my information there are yet today significant portion of rural people struggling for their daily meals in that same China. You just need to rely on factual information.
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Increasing numbers of Chinese are seeking asylum or other means of fleeing the country. Most of them reveal the truth to us in Europe. Indeed, I found a young chinese at the bust stop last week, who was struggling to communicate with others using his google interpreter. He revealed a lot about which I had only remote idea before. The kind of youth would never go back to China as I understood.
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old codger / February 8, 2024
Lester,
“Baptism was necessary to avail of any State facility, including education,”
So, can I infer from your statement that there was no education before Christian powers arrived and offered it? That explains a lot, including how your own ancestors acquired what might be loosely called an education.
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Lester / February 11, 2024
Old Codger,
I am confident my “ancestors” made good choices. For example, building ancient cities including palaces and swimming pools in the sky, which some Indians think were built by gods. And then the descendants of these ancestors were able to eliminate terrorism in 2009, which NATO with its money and weapons could not do in Afghanistan after 20 years. I won’t say anything about your ancestors, since you are too embarrassed to tell us who they are.
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leelagemalli / February 11, 2024
Lester the joker,
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Ironically, you compared 22 million Sri Lankans and 1400 million Indians, neverthless you speak highly of everything your little head knows.
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This is paradoxial. you the Kind of people emerged curse to Rjapaksaism ruined our beautiful country on and on…. today everyone tease us thanks to medamulana dogs. .
.
Now returning to the so-called war victory declared by Medamulana thugs in May 2009:
It was a purely collective act by the nation’s three armed forces with the support of various groups within the country.
Field Marshal , then army commander SF has made it very clear that the CBK’s term strengthened military armaments, and they were already prepared to retaliate against the LTTER if they opposed the talks.
To that point in time, late former FM LKR got agreed all powerful nations banned the LTTE in their territories. Remember ? So fund raisers were fully stuck somewhere thanks to great achievements of Mr LKR. I myself knew from Europe at that time that much of the regional fundraisers across Europe could not keep up and the political wing that operated from the London headquarters was also weakened for some reason.
Overall, the defeat of the LTTE was successful and it was associated with multiple factors. Blatant lies were sowed for the political surivval of the medamulana barbarians. They the selfish uncultured rascals took it as their victory and started eating “milk rice” overating the sinhala race. They did not think that all the victims were Sri Lankans. That became clear to us later, after Gota and his brothers bankrupted the nation by mid of 2022.
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Native Vedda / February 7, 2024
Lester
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“I compared Sri Lanka to its East Asian cousins, Japan, Korea, and China”
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Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat? Seiously?
Is there a doctor in the house?
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“Buddhism as a religion is actually quite secular and goes very well with capitalism, similar to Confucianism. “
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Maybe, however Sinhala/Buddhism is not.
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“Besides using proselytism as bribery, they exploited the resources of the country in accordance with the mercantilism of the day.”
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Blame Chola, Pandya, Ramanathan, Ponna, Chelva, Amir, Praba, Sambandan, , ……………………………………..
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leelagemalli / February 7, 2024
Lester@
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“Buddhism as a religion is actually quite secular and goes very well with capitalism, similar to Confucianism. “
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So do you really think that Buddhism is practiced in Sri Lanka?
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According to my knowledge “Buddhism” is practiced in Sri Lanka, not “Sinhala_Buddhism” which equates to Jainism, barbarism, annihilation or something like that
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leelagemalli / February 7, 2024
apologies for errors above@
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To my knowledge “Sinhala Buddhism” is practiced in SL and it is not “Buddhism” . Buddhagama is equivalent to Jainism, barbarism, holocaust or anything like that.
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Lester / February 8, 2024
Leela,
I don’t know what the separatists did to you. Maybe you were a hostage. I wish you a speedy recovery. Buddhism is essentially the same regardless of the sect. Japan, Korea, China, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam. All go to the temple for the dana.
“In Korea the birthday of Buddha is celebrated according to the lunar calendar. This day is called “Seokga tansinil”, meaning “Buddha’s birthday” or “Bucheonim osin nal” meaning “the day when the Buddha came”. It falls on the eighth day of the fourth month according to the lunar calendar and this year the celebration falls on May 6th. Buddha’s birthday is not only a holiday for the 15 million people who pray at Buddhist temples all over Korea on a daily basis, but a public holiday enjoyed by everyone. It is a carnival day when Korean culture and tradition is celebrated.”
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old codger / February 8, 2024
Lester the liar
“Buddhism is essentially the same regardless of the sect. “
Then why is it forbidden to set up Mahayanist temples in Sri Lanka?
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Lester / February 8, 2024
Native,
“Blame Chola, Pandya, Ramanathan, Ponna, Chelva, Amir, Praba, Sambandan, , “
Don’t forget the k-tony petrol pump attendants who funded the fake freedom struggle. Btw, who is Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran? According to Linkedin, he is
the “Prime Minister at Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE).” These jokers have an imagination bigger than Walt Disney.
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Native Vedda / February 8, 2024
Lester
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“Don’t forget the k-tony petrol pump attendants who funded the fake freedom struggle.”
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You mean the descendant of Kallthie convert Gota Rajapaksa former petrol pump attendant who along with his brother funded (Rs 165 Millions) VP through Tiran Ales.
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” who is Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran? “
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He is also another fake prime minister like Dinesh.
By the way why was Dinesh sitting among the guest during independent day facing sea front where school chidren were singing national anthem in Tamil. Any self respecting Sinhala/Buddhist nationalist racist would have walked out of the event. Is it because he was hanging on to the Prime Minister’s chair/seat? Pathetic isn’t it?
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” These jokers have an imagination bigger than Walt Disney.”
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So do the Sri Lankan politicians, I agree.
I thought he was mimicking/aping the fake Sri Lankan state (which is unable to feed its people, nor protect them from foreigners, communicable diseases, crooks, murderers, war crimes, …. ).
By the way who is protecting the people from all those nasties here in this island?
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Have fun man while it lasts.
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Lester / February 9, 2024
Native,
“You mean the descendant of Kallthie convert Gota Rajapaksa former petrol pump attendant who along with his brother funded (Rs 165 Millions) VP through Tiran Ales.”
You’re saying Gota took Kumar Chandran’s gas station job? Gota is much smarter than that. He worked as an IT admin. Current pay is around $130K.
“He subsequently migrated to the United States in 1998 and worked at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, U.S., as a Systems Integrator and Unix Solaris Administrator.”
“I thought he was mimicking/aping the fake Sri Lankan state (which is unable to feed its people, nor protect them from foreigners, communicable diseases, crooks, murderers, war crimes, …. ).”
But you’re still alive. Congrats.
Did you receive a call from Nadesan on 18 May 2009? That guy was on the phone till 1:06 AM, begging for help. None of the “white flag” buggers took the cyanide. After 26 years, they went against their ideology. Cowards. I respect someone like Saddam Hussein, who can look death in the eye. See here, the judge says he will hang and Saddam tells him to bugger off: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YBVnknHBIM&t=119s. You need real conviction to do that. Most people will fold.
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leelagemalli / February 9, 2024
Lester the joker,
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If everything you say is true about GOTA why did he fail to solve even the small issue of “cooking gas crisis”? POOR mothers and some got killed in kitchens remember ?
Why on earth did those 3 years end like no other country in the world has ever experienced? It was a calculated disaster in retrospect.
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let alone What about national security issues?
Ironically, it was the same “Wedabari Tarzan” (pompous but incapable in many ways) who was crowned as the chief of the war’s final victory. You can lie, but to the extent that you are upto?
Shame on you Lester. Remember how Rajapkshes offered Dr Titles to their son (Rocket Chichie), immediately 2019-2022 govt came int to power. The mathamatician of COLOMBO University who supervised that DOCTORATE was given volumes of funds for the completion of the dissertation. That is how sons of bitches ruined this nation. If further info would be required, can be provided.
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tbc
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leelagemalli / February 9, 2024
cont.
SRIALNKA MEDIA inflated a man similar to Sanath Nisatta’s profile to become the president. That man from EC, MACO should be put in jail forever.
. The Sri Lankan media is responsible for the chaos. SL media could have done the same to “Juliampitiya Amaraya”, who is in prison as a serial killer. That is the appalling level of crime promoted by MEDIA brothels in Sri Lanka.Look at that dog, Dilith Jayaweera the man who spread the most blanta lie, is now back to work as a presdiential candidate. What an animalistic world ?
:
Btw, generally, IT admins do not earn that much. Not even a POST DOC in life science earn 130 K. PLEASE DONT lie….. we are not fools .. told you. Don’t lie: your lips will turn rot if you protect the bastards any longer.
Look at Victor Ivan today, the man who was loyal to the Rajapaksa for money to “publish books about Queen Chaura”. One of his hands is permanently bandaged today.
May our people bless with brains !
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old codger / February 7, 2024
Lester the liar.,
China is not “ethnically homogeneous “. It has fifty plus ethnic groups. As to Buddhism, Korea has more Christians than Buddhists, and most development occurred after American missionaries activities. With your usual dishonesty, you ignore our closest relative, India..
India is streets ahead of Sri Lanka too, and has even more ethnic groups. India is not a “cousin” as you put it but even more closely related. India too was colonized by the same people.The o ly difference may be that it has a Hindu majority. By your own logic, then, you should convert to Hinduism.
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leelagemalli / February 8, 2024
Dear Readers,
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Facts about the relation of religions to its politics in JAPAN:
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Is Japan politics stable?
Japan has now established itself as a stable democracy with the second largest economy in the Free World, accounting for about 10 percent of the Free World’s gross national product.
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What is the Japanese policy on religion?
The constitution provides for freedom of religion, requires the state to refrain from religious education or any other religious activity, and prohibits compelling any person to take part in any religious practice.
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What is Japan’s view on religion?
The secular nature of Japanese society can be seen in the demographics of religious affiliation. No single religion is particularly dominant, and people often follow a combination of practices from multiple religious traditions.
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Does Japan have freedom of religion?
Freedom of religion is guaranteed to all. No religious organization shall receive any privileges from the State, nor exercise any political authority. No person shall be compelled to take part in any religious act, celebration, rite or practice.
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Lester / February 8, 2024
Thanks for demonstrating your lack of knowledge yet again.
(1) China is 92% Han Chinese. CCP is 100% Han Chinese.
(2) The native religion of Korea is Buddhism. Buddhist monks from S. Lanka visited Korea 2000 years ago. More proof confirming Mahavamsa.
(3) USA did not contribute anything significant to Korean economic development. Industrialisation began under Japan. Koreans speak very poor English compared to S. Lankans
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Lester / February 8, 2024
*USA did not contribute anything significant to Korean economic development.
Until the 1960’s. After that they did, but Japan was first.
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leelagemalli / February 8, 2024
This is the facts about South Korea.
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After Japan was defeated by the Allied powers in 1945, the Korean peninsula came under the joint occupation of the Soviet forces in the north and the US forces in the south with the 38th parallel as the demarcation line, as agreed between the United States and the Soviet Union before the end of the war.
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The Allied occupation was seen at the time as a temporary measure for the Koreans to prepare for election of their own government and regain independence. However, with the spread of the Cold War from Europe to the Far East, it gradually became clear that a peninsular-wide election was no longer possible.
Eventually, the Korean peninsula was formally divided into two separate states along the 38th parallel in 1948 with the establishment of the Republic of Korea (hereafter referred to as South Korea) and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (hereafter referred to as North Korea).
With the breakout of the Korean War (1950–53), the United States and South Korea formally formed an alliance. In 1954, the two allies signed the Mutual Security Treaty, by which Seoul was officially incorporated into Washington-led anti-communist security framework in the Far East. The US-South Korean Mutual Security Treaty thereafter became the cornerstone of America’s military commitment to South Korea, while South Korea took a development path that was vastly different from that of North Korea.
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tbc
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leelagemalli / February 8, 2024
It is good to pay attention to how South Korea was built in the first place. Those countries, including Singapore, were far behind the situation in Sri Lanka.
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What was known was the “Miracle of the Han River”.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracle_on_the_Han_River#/media/File:GDP_history_Since_1950_~_2016.png
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old codger / February 8, 2024
Lester the liar
If there are even 2% minorities in China, it isn’t mono-ethnic.
Japan was a first class industrial and military power in the 19th century. It wiped out the Russian navy in 1904.
“The native religion of Korea is Buddhism. Buddhist monks from S. Lanka visited Korea 2000 years ago. More proof confirming Mahavamsa.” Oh, really? Why are the Korean Buddhists Mahayana then? It might have been their “native religion”, but there are more Christians than Buddhists in Korea right now. Stop lying.
“USA did not contribute anything significant to Korean economic development.”
No, of course not, apart from spending billions on the Korean War..
BTW, should I remind you to claim that all these East Asians are honorary Brahmins?
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Native Vedda / February 8, 2024
old codger
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Do you think educating Lester is waste of time?
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leelagemalli / February 9, 2024
Dear Native,
tahnks for having articulated the mere truth.
I couldn’t agree more.
Please spend your valuable time elsewhere. His lips seem incurable.
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It’s like doing it with a DS patient (not insulting the patients – but just an example to compare with).
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Down_syndrome#:~:text=Down%20syndrome%20or%20Down's%20syndrome,disability%2C%20and%20characteristic%20physical%20features.
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DS patients are actually genetically impaired by their cognitive functions. I know that from our research projects. However, even if Ghanakka left Gota, does a man who claims to be university educated still follow Gota? I am speechless.
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ARUCHI, the newly appointed assistant of our Sinhala_ man, should also be treated by doctors. All his chain style posts only hurt tamil srilankens lately.
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Lester / February 8, 2024
Slow Codger,
Most Koreans have no religion. Stop writing about things you don’t know.
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Lester / February 8, 2024
Old Codger,
92% means every 92 out of every 100 people in China is Han Chinese. Homogeneous does not mean monoethnic. Did you take English with Native at Wilpattu?
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old codger / February 8, 2024
Lester the dim,
You wrote “ETHNICALLY homogeneous “
So, even Sri Lanka and India are “homogeneous “?
“Most Koreans have no religion”
Oh, so you finally checked? Congratulations!
But there are still more Christians than Buddhists in Korea. It is NOT a Buddhist country.
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old codger / February 8, 2024
Lester,
“92% means every 92 out of every 100 people in China is Han Chinese”
So, 92% of Tibetans are Han Chinese too? Why don’t you ask them? Lester the Loser, go and take a nap.
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Lester / February 9, 2024
Slow Codger,
Tibet is officially part of China. The 56 ethnic minorities you keep dreaming about live mostly in Tibet, Xinjiang, and Inner Mongolia. Your knowledge of geography is zero, just like everything else.
“But there are still more Christians than Buddhists in Korea. It is NOT a Buddhist country.”
It’s not a Christian country either, so what’s your point? It’s a Buddhist country by heritage. That’s why they celebrate Buddha’s birthday. Only a fool will claim Korea is a Christian country, when the biggest influence is Confucianism.
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old codger / February 9, 2024
Lester the liar.
Is Tibet ” homogenously” Han Chinese?
YOU typed “I compared Sri Lanka to its East Asian cousins, Japan, Korea, and China. The only major difference I see is that Sri Lanka is not ethnically homogeneous. Buddhism as a religion is actually quite secular and goes very well with capitalism,”
implying that Buddhism is the reason for Korean / Chinese progress.
Only a fool would claim that. Why did the UN declare Buddha’s birthday a holiday? Is it a Buddhist outfit by heritage? Is India a Christian country because it celebrates Christmas?
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old codger / February 9, 2024
Lester,
You got caught lying about Korean English ability, Korean Buddhism, and Chinese ethnicity, in order to prove your theory about Buddhism and ethnic purity being good for progress.
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Lester / February 9, 2024
Something is not true just because you or Leela say so.
Unlike you, I’ve to Korea and Japan. Korean English is terrible, much worse than SL English. The word order in Hangul (Korean language) is the reverse of the standard English. There are also cultural factors that prevent Koreans from speaking good English, which you have no idea about.
You seem to have serious reading comprehension difficulties. I clearly said, “Homogeneous does not mean monoethnic.” China is racially homogeneous, but ethnically diverse only *on the surface.* The ethnic diversity is negligible since most of the minorities live on the BORDER areas of China. That is the point that your weak brain missed. Now you are asking some rubbish like whether Tibetans are Han Chinese.
“The 55 ethnic minorities account for less than 10% of China’s population and are rather heterogeneous, with most of them inhabiting the rural frontier regions of western China.”
Most Koreans have *no* religion. Buddhism = native religion. Many Christians = no difference. Korean culture = 99% Confucian influence, which is closer to Buddhism than Christianity.
Buddhism is compatible with capitalism, yes. Hinduism (at national/economic level) isn’t, because of caste. India won’t be a superpower like China.
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leelagemalli / February 8, 2024
“””(3) USA did not contribute anything significant to Korean economic development. Industrialisation began under Japan. Koreans speak very poor English compared to S. Lankans”
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PATTAPAL BORU – lies behind lies.
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https://www.ef.com/wwen/epi/
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No doubt sirlanka was conlonised by Brites last, however, in terms of English proficiency, it s rank is far more down than that of SOUTH Korea.
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South Korea – 49th
SRILANKA – 67th
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You can be WEERAYAS to modayas, but not to us. Easy mouse clicks could clear your doubts.
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Please check the facts right and enlighten us further. Thank you.
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old codger / February 8, 2024
LM
Thank you for exposing that particular Lester lie, which I missed.
https://www.humanresourcesonline.net/regions-in-asia-with-the-highest-and-lowest-english-proficiency-2023-index
Singapore is no.1 in the Asian top 10. South Korea is no.5, and India / Pakistan are nos 9 and 10.
SL doesn’t figure in the top 10.
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leelagemalli / February 8, 2024
OC,
.
Lester the baby critic, never take it serious what his forked lips are. Whatever comes into his little head, he only thinks to spread it through his comments. Look at what he write about south korean economic revolution.
Now that all-naive RUCHIRA is bonded with him makes our PUNDIT SM sielnt for somer reasons.
Not even KOPIKADE dayawathi (popular teledrama actress, in 80ties), most popular serie in SLRC behaved like that, but LESTER continues.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnxVuttngGI
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Even after the facts are on the table, the two aforementioned dont stop short of continuing the commentary style. THese men should both see them in mirror and identify first.
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According to me, both should go to “Kindergarten”: Ruchira should start it at pre-montisori level. So these men and women are said to be our “knowledgeable voters” who struggle hard to bring about “real change”: my foot !
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Native Vedda / February 8, 2024
Lester
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“The native religion of Korea is Buddhism. Buddhist monks from S. Lanka visited Korea 2000 years ago. More proof confirming Mahavamsa.”
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Aiyoooooooooo Lester are you backing Chamibika Ranawake’s presidential candidacy with your outrageous claims?
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Buddhism was first introduced to Korea in about 372 CE.
How did Buddhism become native religion of Korea when it had faiths other than Buddhism ?
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Will you cite reference for Buddhist monks from S. Lanka visiting Korea 2000 years ago? If you haven’t got I understand.
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What more proof do you have to confirm Mahawamsa?
Did the proof you believe refer to bestiality, incest, patricide, genetic engineering, Buddha’s flying machine, …… ?
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Let me remind you Buddha’s teaching is not our native religion, it was brought to this island from India.
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“Koreans speak very poor English compared to S. Lankans”
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Could we see the comparative study on spoken English in Korea and Sri Lanka.
Do you think Lankies speak good English?
Tamils speak Thanglish and Sinhalese speak Singlease, not English.
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leelagemalli / February 9, 2024
Dear N,
.
On the one hand, false public opinion will grow exponentially if we would not correct lies of Lester the Joker.
:
On the other hand, it is a complete waste of time. He only conveys “half-baked” information, so it costs me more time.
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Medamulana Thirisannu used this gimmick to polarize by hiring the street boys (Veeranwase) for their propaganda and the “Kotuwe” monk on Sinhala Buddhist platforms. Kotuwe Monk should be ordained first before being able to preach others.
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Many monks today are believed to have rejected it, but the rascal monk presided over the sermon for Sanat Nishantha, with Mahendra Rajapkshe in preside.
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Native Vedda / February 8, 2024
old codger
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Hindi speaking people are also minorities among Indian population perhaps the largest minorities.
However there are other independent researches point out it is the way the Census included other unclassified languages with Hindi that has blown the figures.
Please refer to:
How Grouping Of Languages Inflated Number Of Hindi Speakers
Of the 53 crore purported Hindi-speakers in India, according to the 2011 census, 12 crore actually spoke languages that are awaiting their own recognition.
https://www.outlookindia.com/national/how-grouping-of-languages-inflated-number-of-hindi-speakers-news-195648
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Amit Shah would be relieved only when he sees India has become 100% Hindi speakers who are also Hindus.
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Lester / February 9, 2024
Read again. I said compared to all three, not just China, Sri Lanka is less homogeneous. China is racially homogeneous to the extent where the Han control everything and the minorities don’t make a difference.
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old codger / February 9, 2024
Lester
So, you think that when a particular ethnic group rules a country, there is progress? A particular group ran Sri Lanka since 1948. That’s why you’re in Europe.
Time to let a more efficient group run the country.
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Kumar Chandran / February 8, 2024
Lester, You are the poster child for everything that is wrong in Sri Lanka and why we crashed and burned as a bankrupt nation after gaining independence seventy six years ago.
Disgruntled pieces of excrement like you – are the ones who fanned the flames of racial hatred among the people and started the downward spiral that soon will put Sri Lanka as the poorest among all the countries in the world!
You are blinded by and engulfed by the forces of prejudice and hatred in the darkest corners of your mind, that you are blaming the British for giving Tamils civil service positions. Have you ever thought of pulling yourself up by your bootstrings and elevating yourself and your kin – instead of sitting on your ‘hansi-puttuwa’ and blame the Tamils for all the problems in Sri Lanka.
What is so outlandish about demanding equal rights?
When did federalism became a bad word?
Do you know that in the US and India, both Republics, federalism is embodied in their political structure?
Here is a piece of advice. Get up from your easy chair, put away the rice packet, read, become educated, be informed – then go about spreading your knowledge to your family, friends and neighbors. The future generation will thank you – in about 100 years from now.
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Lester / February 8, 2024
Kumar Chandran,
Great speech. Bravo! Clap clap! But you still lost the war. All that money you donated to the “cause” is now in Rajapakse’s Swiss bank account. Ask Kumar Pathmanathan. Here is some advice: next time you want to invest in terrorism, consult with Interpol first.
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The Ugly American / February 7, 2024
Great article, sir.
After seventy six years of independence, the nation is in its deathbed!!!
Doctors, nurses and all skilled healthcare professionals are leaving the country – abandoning the sick nation, now symbolically in hospice care – with the IMF standing by the bedside holding the saline drips on one hand and the life support system on the other!
The minister of health now charged with corruption involving importing substandard drugs ordered to be jailed by the courts, conveniently gets himself driven from the courts to a private hospital feigning ill health!
The above illustrated scenario is a fitting portrayal of the state of the nation in seventy six years of independence!
This picture is worth a thousand words!
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