10 December, 2024

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A Repeat Must Be Prevented In Sri Lanka: The World Must Help Burma Overthrow The Junta

By Kumar David

Prof. Kuma David

The people of Burma are fighting a military power grab with courage, bare hands and clanging pots and pans the traditional way to drive evil spirits away. The army responds with blazing guns killing unarmed protestors – so far about 1000 including children. Military spokesmen when questioned promise “to investigate and take action against wrong doers in the army”. Can you think of another place where we have become accustomed to the same refrain for twelve years? The uprising will spread, it will not be subdued; military goons have bitten off more than they can chew. The intensity of the revolt has taken the gorillas by surprise.

Protesters ask the occasional international TV crew that gets access “What is the world doing; are we to fight these armed to the teeth goons with our bare hands?” Intervention by the outside world to assist the people’s uprising is morally necessary but thus far very little has been done. What is needed are hard sanctions and the supply of practical tools that the people ask for. However, world leaders are cowards compared to the people of Burma. Non-interference when a nation is crying for support is betrayal and apathetic talk-only is treachery. China has still to learn its lesson for giving succour to that genocidal manic Pol Pot who murdered millions. Now Chinese factories in the Burmese countryside are being torched by an angry populace as Beijing panders to the junta. After the junta is overthrown free-Burma will turn against China; how foolish the CCP! Geopolitics is taking its toll. China’s friends including Pakistan and Sri Lanka’s Buddhist will not lift a finger to help. The Islamic world does not care, but that’s understandable. Burmese Buddhists now fighting for their lives, Aung San Suu Kyi included, whitewashed the genocide of Rohingya Muslims. A Lankan cynic would ask if and when home grown autocracy puts its dagger at the throat of the Sinhala-Buddhists: “So, what did you do when the dagger was pointed at the minorities at home?”

I plead guilty to the charge that what motivates me to indulge in this harangue is to mobilise domestic unity against anything similar in Lanka and to emphasise the importance of international diplomatic and other forms of assistance if worst comes to worst. Foreign states, China, the West and India each have their own agenda and so do we. What counts is if two or more players can align their objectives sufficiently to be useful to each other. This is what the Sri Lankan state is attempting to get out of China: “Bank roll us, vote for us in world forums and in exchange we will take your side in Indian Ocean strategy”. Conversely but in like vein, if push comes to shove, if threats to democracy worsen, we the people of Lanka can demand that international verbal condemnation of the Lankan regime in Geneva must be reinforced by stronger methods.

GoSL has been weakened by domestic bungling; the regime is at sixes and sevens. It mucks up everything it touches; these crazy buggers have broken out of the asylum and arrested the Mayor of Jaffna. “Jesus Christ, what self-destructive demon has taken possession of these crack-pots!” my grandmother would say. Are Gota’s goons going to demand the extradition of every police force and private security outfit in innumerable countries and in the US from California to New York and Missouri because their uniforms resemble LTTE kits? Every branch of state in Lanka is at the throat of some other branch. PBJ slams GLP in public; the Cabinet can’t agree whether Provincial Council should exist and on PC elections; Columbage tells Tim Sebastian that the PTA is a disgrace but pleads that the government is unable to rectify it; Gota’s popularity has plummeted to sub-zero; Mahinda and Basil, having read Stephen Hawking, inhabit alternative universes; consumers snarl, farmers burn effigies and Muslims are livid. In its second year this government has become weak, wobbly and weary. Its enemies don’t need to do anything, only to stand and wait till a Westerly wind pushes the Double-Paksas aside.

US Ambassador Alaina Teplitz told a news conference that the proposed Port City Bill opens the road to money laundering and other shenanigans. The Economic Zone will be run by a cartel appointed by Gota – no doubt with lots of military sauce – with no parliamentary oversight; companies will be exempt from income tax, casino levies, exchange controls and customs duties for 40 years. In Pakistan a retired general, Asim Bajwa, has been crowned head the Sino-Pak Economic Corridor which will lever $60 billion (money which Pakistan will repay only in its next life!). In an odd reversal of roles Ms Teplitz took a stand well to the left of the Paksas and accused the government of failing to focus on reforms and put the economy on a strong footing. Posterity will jeer Tissa, DEW and Vasu who voted for the 18-th Amendment if they blacken themselves further by backing this Bill. Teplitz is more concerned about crooked commerce than our Dead Left! Ambassadors don’t go out on a limb unless something big is in the pot. Hmm interesting times, is the US planning to cook the Paksa regime?

I wish to summarise what I said a fortnight ago. People must stand firm, retreat no further and push to recover ground lost in the last 16 months. Prospects of outright presidential-despotism or a naked military grab have suffered setbacks. Counterattacks in the liberal middle class, in political spaces, the media, among the Tamils and Muslims, and in the subaltern social classes in step with ruinous increases in living costs, have been stark. The economic debacle has made the military unpopular because in the public mind Gota and his cabal are interwoven. However, the serving officer corps and men have nothing to gain and only opprobrium to earn in any Burma style grab? What does an army gain by battling its own people? An army instinctively knows the ambitions of leaders and a wise one will not let itself be exploited. Why should it pull chestnuts out of the fire for a President who has lost his way and become a liability? It is not the active military (except Army Silva about whom the International Truth and Justice Project has compiled a 50 page indictment) but some retired brass who are ambitious; the proclivity to militarise emanates from the Executive and its buddies. It is different in Egypt or Burma where the serving military is the beneficiary and the officer corps rakes in perks and dollars while goodies are also spread across the ranks. A military takeover in Lanka, with or without a role for the Executive would be suicidal. The world and India will respond firmly; Muslims and Tamils, in the context of the anti-minority posture of the Executive will petition the diaspora and the Islamic world; the birth of LTTE-Mark 2 cannot be aborted and maybe ISIS-Lanka Mark 1 will be conceived; the junta will isolate itself from the world and from progressive Sinhalese opinion.

China will throw a few coins Gota’s way but no Chinese cockerel will fly over to fight. But what is far more important is that China, though it can fund projects, for various reasons pertaining to its of its own nature, lacks the savvy and sophistication to assist Lanka sort out its complicated skirmishes – democracy-constitution-devolution choices, Tamil/Muslim imbroglio, autocracy/militarisation threats etc. The West and India, since their polities are not one-dimensional and linearized, and since their backgrounds are liberal bourgeois, like Ceylon-Sri Lanka, have experiences useful in assisting us with our messy problems.

True Gota polled an overwhelming 72% of Sinhala-Buddhist (SB) votes and extremist and non-extremist monks rallied to his cause as did political opportunists. But I would take that election, if offered as proof that he has SB mass support, with a ton of salt. Unlike Mahinda he lacks a proven and matured mass base. He was not active in politics till 2019 and it was a fortuitous concourse of events that brought the SB mass and the Defence Secretary into alignment. But it is not secure enough to weather the gathering storm. In a tussle between Sinhala-Buddhism and militarism to which Gota is now subservient, for moral hegemony over the nation, the former will win hands down. If in addition the regime thwarts accountability, reconciliation and anti-militarism demanded by international opinion, it would be firing off its cannons on both sides and setting course for shipwreck. Lacking a secure SB base Gota is attempting to conjure up one among retired officers who served during his time as Defence Secretary and in the shallow sallow petty-bourgeoisie of Viyathmaga.

It is unnecessary to repeat in the Twenty-first Century that the supremacy of the civilian over the military is a principle whose absolute remit should never be traduced. When it is breached – Burma, Pakistan, Thailand, Egypt and Syria for example – repression and the economic deterioration ensue. Apart from military regimes there are personal dictators in many parts of the world but these are usually easier to dislodge.

Latest comments

  • 5
    14

    This is the official position:
    “As a friendly close neighbor, China hopes that Myanmar will restore peace, stability and constitutional order as early as possible and continue to steadily advance democratic transition. China will keep engagement and communication with all parties in Myanmar to work for de-escalation of the situation.”
    I saw this comment in SCMP (6th April) to which the author may have access: “Despite the rumours, Beijing has not yet lent decisive support to Myanmar’s junta, and has called for domestic political reconciliation to end the post-coup crisis.”
    The author may be privy to information to the contrary on China’s actions. I would appreciate it if he would care to share it with us?
    *
    India along with China, Russia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand was among the eight countries that attended a military parade in Myanmar’s capital Naypitaw on March 27 to mark Tatmadaw Day (Military Day). (Source: India Today)
    Does this not call for a more comprehensive look at the issues at stake?

  • 3
    15

    Prof

    Do you mean the West by the World?

    Let me put it like this.

    Who supports Juntas? the East or the West?

  • 10
    11

    I have no comment over corruption, favouritism, nepotism , impunity or economic mismanagement.
    But as for this fear mongering of a “military take over” how many times I have to remind these imbeciles that what for further take overs when they are ALREADY in power through DEMOCRACY?
    And what obstacles DEMOCRACY has ever imposed on our “representatives” over corruption, favouritism, nepotism, impunity and economic mismanagement?

    Soma

    • 6
      7

      soman

      Could I take this opportunity to remind you army private Austrian born Hitler was also a Vegetarian, owned a dog and was elected in an election.

      We shouldn’t be surprised if the 6.9 Million ” Majority of the Majority” provoked the unrepentant Sinhala/Buddhist Fascist Nandasena/Gota demanding a referendum as being an reaffirmation of his true faith in Sinhala/Buddhist Fascism.

      With his supposed ” Majority of the Majority” in parliament, don’t be surprised if he turned this country into an “One Party Fascist State”. Can’t you see the Saffronistas and racists clamouring for the prohibition of parties that are different from their monolithic persuasion, discounting all other identities of a people.

      • 0
        0

        As usual ‘Yanne koheda? Malle pol.’

        Soma

        • 1
          1

          soman

          “As usual ‘Yanne koheda? Malle pol.”

          “Could I take this opportunity to remind you army private Austrian born Hitler was also a Vegetarian, owned a dog and was elected in an election.”

          I asked you politely if it was okay to ask/say what I asked/said.
          Comprehension must be very difficult for you.

    • 6
      8

      Dear Captain Gamini Somaratne,
      .
      Was it concern for Democracy that led you to nominate a then American citizen for the Presidency? Yes, you roused communal hatred and easily won the Presidency, defeating 34 candidates whose egos were such that they didn’t publicise the three preferences that were available to all citizens at the Presidential Elections.
      .
      Kumar, I don’t need your best single malt to inspire me. My father never touched the stuff, I only tasted it to satisfy my curiosity. Now I have a litre of cheap Red Label and a litre of prime single malt, both ten years older than when received, which I will leave in my will, that must be written post-haste, to my son-in-law, who also, unfortunately, doesn’t touch the stuff.
      .
      Yes, fire us with your words, to defy non-violently. Let the next two generations re-build most of what we have lost, and let us show this Avant-Garde fellow and his like the power that we possess through adherence to the truth.
      .
      Cowardly captain! I am Panini Edirisinhe. You can keep denying who you are

      • 1
        0

        Sinhala_man
        .
        Are you blind to see that those whom you suspect will stage a ‘military
        take over ‘ are ALREADY in power? What for further take overs, I fail to understand.
        .
        That said , let me remind you once again of possible serious repercussions of your dirty habit of identity theft and publising them on open media.
        If it goes wrong some innocent man somewhere , this “Gamini Somaratna” in your case could get assaulted by someone, get sidelined by colleagues or get fired by his employer for writing comments on Colombo Telegraph under the pseudonym ‘Soma’ who has been accused to be a racist and many believe so.(unjustly, but that is not the point here)
        EVEN IF YOU ARE RIGHT another Gamini Somaratna could face the same fate for these are very common Sinhala names.
        (Can you guess how many Edirisinghes are there with initial ‘P’. Type on Facebook and see for yourself.)
        Dear Sinhala_man, learn the first ethical principle in this dangerous game.
        NEVER AFFIX WRONG IDENTITIES ON UNRELATED INDIVIDUALS.

        Soma

        • 2
          1

          soman

          “NEVER AFFIX WRONG IDENTITIES ON UNRELATED INDIVIDUALS.”

          Isn’t it your job to mislead the discussion.
          Don’t you brand everyone LTTE, Toronto LTTE Diaspora, Tamil, Thambiya, …… Bank Hora, yahapalanaya lackey, …………………. ?
          What a hypocrite you are.

        • 0
          2

          Soma, military take over may happen this way. Though the suspects are already in power, they do not have absolute power. Everything is controlled by Mahinda and Basil and Gota is only a puppet. You are unable to see a grand plot being hatched by Mahinda to oust Gota and take over. Gota like a fool is doing things and Mahinda steps in to settle matters, thereby painting a picture that Gota is unfit to rule and laying the foundation for take over. Army personnel in top positions in government know that if Mahinda becomes president they will have no place, and are likely to stage a coup to oust Mahinda and take over.

          • 1
            0

            What are you smoking?

            Soma

            • 0
              0

              SOMA and like ilk would never realise the gravity of the situation the country faces today. 😎😎😎😎😎😎

            • 0
              0

              SOMA and like ilk would never realise the gravity of the situation the country faces today. 😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎

        • 0
          0

          Dear soma,
          .
          I know that there could be many Gamini Somaratnes; that is why I also state that you were educated at STPS, that you were a Captain in the Navy, and worked for Avant-Garde. I don’t think that any of the misfortunes that you have catalogued above will befall you. The line you take is a very safe one – a road to progress in this corrupt and racist society of ours.
          .
          Yes, I know that the surname “Edirisinghe” is very common. However, my careless great grandfather (whom I never saw) lost the letter . I sometimes curse the guy, but I respect my father, who actually modified it from “Edrisinhe”. There are other “Panini”s: I’ve actually met three others and heard of many more, including the Italian painter. I was named after the Sanskrit grammarian; unfortunately, I’m nowhere like as great.
          .
          Nevertheless, conjoin the two names, and I’m unique, plus I give my NIC. I know those to be dangerous.
          .
          tbc

        • 0
          0

          Continuing:
          .
          I did open a Facebook page long ago, and my daughter assures me that it is still there, but I just don’t like that culture.
          .
          Come to think of it, Soma, your charges against me of “identity theft” would make no sense if I had “misidentified” you. Also, why not reveal what you say is your true identity, if, as you claim, I have got it wrong? All that you write plays to the gallery, bound to be safe and popular; it’s I who run risks. Leelagemalli, in particular, has often warned me – as you may have seen.
          .
          The military take-over could get much worse. At least our mostly decent readership is able to see what I write. I’m occasionally censored, but I hope that CT will respect my “Right-of-Reply”.
          .
          BTW, I don’t consider you as bad as that Reginald Perera fellow – but then, that’s settingthe bar pretty low, don’t you think?

  • 9
    12

    I share the author’s anguish that the international community has left the Burmese people to fight the junta with bare hands. They are on the streets day in and day out for the last two months and 17 days without an end in sight. They deserve praise for standing up to the brutal army.

    So far Myanmar’s post-coup civilian death toll has climbed past 700 innocent men, women and children. A fair question is where is the world policeman the UNO?

    Like what happened in Sri Lanka in 2009, the UNO has become an onlooker? Should they not call the junta to halt assaults on people fighting for the restoration of democracy?

    • 10
      10

      Thanga,

      “…where is the world policeman the UNO?”

      The UN has never been a world policeman. It is the absence of any such policeman in the world that has been at the root of many crises. The US sometimes fills the gap, but only if it feels its interests are threatened. The rest of the time, people are left to fend for themselves. Unfortunately, it has been always that way. The Tamils in SL learned this in 2009. Syrian civilians have been learning this for the past several years. The Burmese people are learning about it now.

      • 9
        12

        Agnos,
        “The Tamils in SL learned this in 2009.”
        —-
        Good! Hope that Tamils will not commit the same blunder again and refrain from massacring Sinhalayo to grab their land to create a separate State for the Dravidians brought to Yapanaya by Portuguese.

        • 7
          11

          Eagle Blind Eye

          “Good! Hope that Tamils will not commit the same blunder again and refrain from massacring Sinhalayo to grab their land to create a separate State for the Dravidians brought to Yapanaya by Portuguese.”

          What a stupid typing!
          In the long run victory and defeat are zero sum game.
          Nobody wins.
          _
          Peacefully rising China is attempting to establish/impose 3 states solution, one in Hambantota, another one in Colombo port city and rest of the country.

          If you have b***s (even if they are clanging) you should be questioning the partition of this island by Fascist leaning Gota/Mahinda/…………. Why Hitlerian Asgiriya is keeping mum about China’s separatist war on this island?

    • 8
      12

      Thanga,
      UNO had no reason to intervene in Sri Lanka in 2009 because Sri Lanka Armed Forces were doing a great job to liberate about 300,000 Thousand Tamil civilians kept as a human shield by Tamil terrorists.
      —-
      “Like what happened in Sri Lanka in 2009, the UNO has become an onlooker?”

  • 24
    15

    Some are desperate for the Gotha regime to collapse. Okay, let me help you. If you want Gotha to leave, there is a simple way. Give up all claims to a separate homeland, stop asking the IC to investigate “war crimes”, and stop using suicide terrorism because you were brainwashed by ISIS. If these things are done, I am sure Gotha will vanish at the next election. When people (majority) are afraid, they elect a hardliner. That was the situation in 2005 and 2019. When people are optimistic, they elect a liberal, as in 2015. All Sri Lankan presidents since 1948 have been elected through a popular election, so this comparison to the military dictatorship of Burma is utter nonsense.

    • 14
      20

      Lester,
      “All Sri Lankan presidents since 1948 have been elected through a popular election”
      Can’t you get even that right, for f…k’s sake? What sort of US education did your parents pay for?
      Who was elected president in 1948???

      • 8
        17

        old codger

        “What sort of US education did your parents pay for?”

        Please remember Aging Jester is still stuck in Woodstock Era, can’t remember history or didn’t learn, due to too much cannabis, LSD, …… didn’t learn from hippy culture “F**k for Peace”, even to do this one needs a partner.

        • 15
          4

          Vedda,

          Went I went for lectures in UK, the Indians sat by themselves in one section of the hall. Do you know why? Buggers were selling themselves for a high-paying job, but still didn’t know deodorant. These were all South Indians, probably a few related to you.

          • 4
            6

            Lester the Jester

            “Went I went for lectures in UK”

            I am told UK education is one of the best.
            How did UK education fail you?

            ” the Indians sat by themselves in one section of the hall. “

            Perhaps they didn’t want to identify themselves with the most stupid dumb ass from this island. Were you copying them in the exams?

            Sundar Pichai is the CEO of Alphabet Inc and its subsidiary Google who is from Madurai Thamil Nadu,

            Alphabet Inc revenue of $182.5 billion 2020 year ended December 31, 2020.
            Alphabet total number of employees in 2020 was 135,301.
            Sri Lanka gdp for 2019 was $84.01 billion
            Employed Persons 7,967,695

            Hope you got the picture.
            You have a problem.

            • 3
              6

              Native,
              Probably Lester the Superior Black Aryan is a user of toilet paper like his presumed English relatives….
              You get the picture, or the smell, Native?

            • 6
              2

              Kindergarten Vedda,

              “Sundar Pichai is the CEO of Alphabet Inc…”

              Sundar Pichai is a Brahmin. He is not a pure-blooded Dravidian like your heroes at Nanthikadal. Your hero EVR chased him out of TN.

              “Alphabet Inc revenue of $182.5 billion 2020 year ended December 31, 2020.”

              Alphabet was founded by two Jews from the Soviet Union. Russia and Israel supported Sri Lanka to defeat LTTE fascism. Israel voted against the UNHCR resolution.

              Hope you got the picture.
              Ask Rudrakumaran for a refund.

              • 2
                6

                Lester/Jester

                “Sundar Pichai is a Brahmin.”

                All right could you provide us with his genetic make up, genotype, sequence of DNA.

                Assuming Sundar Pichai is an Aryan, for a Tamil Aryan he is doing well however I find 6.9 million Sinhala/Buddhist descendants of South Indian supposed Aryans are full of bull s**t and possess no substance even though some of them are educated in UK, USA, …..and many other countries.

                Probably due to time and distance away from South India your Aryan DNA must have been mutated into ……

                • 2
                  6

                  Lester/Jester

                  “Alphabet was founded by two Jews from the Soviet Union. “

                  So both must have mistook Aryan Sundar Pichai for Nagercoil Jew.

                  Why didn’t they chose Lester as the CEO of Google, though Lester is an Aryan (descendant of South Indian) and born in this island and educated in the UK?

                • 4
                  0

                  Vedda,

                  “All right could you provide us with his genetic make up, genotype, sequence of DNA.”

                  6.9 million Sinhala/Buddhists of Bengali descent were able to chase away Chola invaders for 2500 years. Why these Cholas with their 200 IQ’s were unable to conquer a little island? Why at Nanthikadal in 2009, a 136 kg super genius Dravidian was caught in the mud and sent to the heaven in amude? Kindly explain for the benefit of all readers. Please include at 3 expletives to further display the Nobel-Prize winning Dravidian talent.

      • 4
        18

        OC, it shows his ignorance!

      • 20
        6

        Old Codger,

        Prime Minister served the same function as President. D.S. Senanayake was popularly elected in 1947. Unlike your Sun God, who killed 20 people to become leader of the fake State. තලතෙල් dictatorship!

        • 2
          6

          Lester
          You slipped.
          What you intended was effective head of government.
          It is much easier to accept a mistake than strain yourself to justify it.

          • 3
            7

            SJ,
            Lester can type in Sinhala and studied in UK. So , as his writing suggests, he’s probably an ignorant yuppie.

        • 4
          7

          Lester the Jester

          “Prime Minister served the same function as President. D.S. Senanayake was popularly elected in 1947.”

          We never directly elected our prime minister.
          Its not true, Prime Minister served the same function as President.

          “D.S. Senanayake was popularly elected in 1947.”

          What are you implying?

          What was our Governor-General of Ceylon doing from 1948 to 1972?
          You are making a mockery of yourself.

          Jester, it is too difficult to pretend you are clever.

          • 7
            2

            Tiger Vedda,

            “We never directly elected our prime minister.”

            I agree. You never elected VP. He killed quite a few people to become “head of state” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_assassinated_by_the_Liberation_Tigers_of_Tamil_Eelam. List is too long to post here.

            What about Rudrakumaran, the current “Prime Minister”… I think he is still holding your donation from 1999 in his Manhattan bank account.

            • 2
              7

              Lester

              “I agree. You never elected VP. He killed quite a few people to become “head of state”

              UK educated very stupid man/woman/it what has VP’s killings got to do with D S Senanayake? Are you insinuating VP killed DS? In fact DS was arrested for the killing of innocent Muslims and freed on the intervention of P Ramanathan.

              “What about Rudrakumaran, the current “Prime Minister”

              What about him? Is he your blood relative?

              • 6
                0

                Vedda,

                Actually, DS tried to stop the riots. The British arrested him because they thought he was part of an “anti-government” conspiracy. Tamils also rioted against Muslims.

                What about Kattankudy, where Thailavar and his friends killed 147 Muslims in one day?

        • 3
          6

          Lester, Your reference, “Prime Minister served the same function as President. D.S. Senanayake was popularly elected in 1947.”
          The history I learnt, is to be believed, then DSS, was popular PM of SL no doubt, beg to disagree was not the Head of State of the Dominion of Ceylon in 1947. Factually incorrect.
          He was the Prime Minister of Ceylon and performed the function of Head of Cabinet and Head of Government of the independent Dominion of Ceylon (1948), in a ‘Westminster’ style of Government, structured under the Soulbury constitution of 1947. At the best, DSS was “Primus inter pares” (First among Equals) and not the Head of State.
          If we are to believe, the head of state, in 1947, (governed by the Governor and the Legislative Council) and then in 1948 as GG, performed well, the Accolade must be accorded to HM, Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and the rest of her realm (Empire) at that time (1947 to 1948) which included, then Dominion of Ceylon (Sri Lanka). In 1948 exercised the Function of the Head of State of then Ceylon, through his/her Nominee, His Excellency Sir Henry Monck-Mason Moore GCMG KStJ, the Governor-General of Ceylon 1948 – 1950.

          • 7
            3

            Mahila,

            DS became the first PM because he won the parliamentary elections in 1947. The Soulbury Constitution granted full power to the new government, the only power the British had was in defense and external affairs.

            • 1
              7

              L
              M is correct.
              Besides, the transfer of power to DSS was manipulated by the leaving colonial rulers.
              Still, the UNP was not well organized. There were seats where there were more than one UNP candidate for one seat. the UNP was the biggest party but badly short of a majority.
              There was attempt to form a non-UNP government, but Colvin R de Silva screwed it up by antagonising the Independents.
              *
              DS cobbled up a majority by buying Independents and then using nominated MPs, and later the ACTC to reinforce it.
              DS also conspired to make his son succeeded him. That forced SWRDB to leave and form his own outfit. Sir John K was so bitter that he wrote his famous “Premier Stakes” about the fixing by DS.

              • 5
                0

                SJ,

                Looks like you cannot understand the basic point: if DS had lost the parliamentary elections, he would not have been the PM.

                • 0
                  6

                  L
                  95 people won the elections in 1947.
                  Do they all qualify?
                  Sirimavo did not win an election to be PM in July 1960.
                  What are you trying to prove?

        • 5
          6

          Lester,
          The worst kind of idiot is the kind that doesn’t know he’s an idiot.

          • 0
            7

            OC
            He has plenty of company here.
            I shall not name names.

          • 4
            1

            Old Codger,

            I agree, Tamil nationalism is a total disaster. 80 million Tamils with no homeland. Eelam buried in the mud at Nanthikadal. What is left of your idiotic fake freedom fight after running out of suicide vests? A waste of C4; thal thel odor is far more destructive.

    • 3
      0

      Lester,
      name of the god, please wake up.
      Today, Rev. Malcom R has finally accepted, that EASTER SUNDAY disaster was not connected with religious fanatism, but more power gains related. Meaning you know that he is now pointing the finger at your GOD – NANDASINI et al.
      :
      Anyone with some sanity would agree with Rev. MR with today s statements. My problem is very same Rev. supported the murderers with their comeback.

      You are wrong, that not all elections since 1948 were not clean. THe last election was not at all clean. MACO should not have given NOMINATION to Gota if he was unbiased to them. If all these would be subjected to scrutiny today, sure MACO would have to face a legal action against his violation. By the time, nomination was given, NANDASINI was still bearing US citizenship.

      • 5
        3

        Leela,

        What I noticed after living in the West: different races can get along if there is a high level of economic development. This was the trajectory planned by JR with his economic reforms. However, all went to the dustbin because of separatism from the minorities. Anyway, the focus now should be rapid economic development, not human rights. Gota is correct to choose China as a partner. Westerners are still resisting China, they don’t want non-Europeans to be a global superpower. But they will lose this time, as they are having massive national debt from all the wars they carried out in Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq, Syria, etc. In Germany, you have to pay the bank to hold your money. China has enough money, no need to waste time with human rights. South of Sri Lanka will resemble Beijing and Shanghai by 2050.

    • 2
      5

      Lester the Jester

      “Some are desperate for the Gotha regime to collapse.”

      Gota’s regime is imploding anyway.
      The vacuum inside Gota’s head causing Gota’s regime to implode whenever Saffron Brigades start squeezing Gota’s …..

  • 6
    18

    ” Protesters ask the occasional international TV crew that gets access “What is the world doing; are we to fight these armed to the teeth goons with our bare hands?” Intervention by the outside world to assist the people’s uprising is morally necessary but thus far very little has been done. What is needed are hard sanctions and the supply of practical tools that the people ask for. However, world leaders are cowards compared to the people of Burma. Non-interference when a nation is crying for support is betrayal and apathetic talk-only is treachery. ”
    This should give an idea about that how far the IC is away to bring a solution to Tamils.

    • 12
      10

      Mallaiyuran,
      To which problem of Tamils are you seeking a solution from the International Community?

      “This should give an idea about that how far the IC is away to bring a solution to Tamils.”

  • 6
    16

    I don’t want to say negative things, because Tamils too seeing the world’s inaction and indifference as the cause for their suffering. Still I am not able to stay out of pointing the good lesson going here-the exact similarity to Buddhist Sinhalese and Burmese Buddhists. They both were silent when the minorities were bullied by their governments. Now Burmese Buddhists leading the way in taking the responsibility to correct it, even by some of them is giving their life. But in Lankawe, the Buddhist Sinhalese are far behind to Burmese Buddhists in rising up against the government. Burmese Buddhists are complaining about the inaction of the IC. But there is not enough talk within the Sinhala Community about the loss Hangbangtota harbor and the surrounding villages or losing Colombo Pong Cing and its surroundings. Some are still worried & staying out of West or India, fearing they may try to negotiate Federal system to Tamils, but sitting and watching while China forcefully pulling out its area with a Federal constitution. Then there is the talk of the job jokers like some bald heads and Deal Dasa suing the Aanduwa at Supreme Court. Well, that is joke of the 21st century

  • 15
    6

    the world says ok boss.

    • 6
      14

      a14455

      “the world says ok boss.”

      to deport you back to south India for being an imbecile.

  • 4
    13

    Mynmmar / Burma came under a military dictatorship initially in 1962 under General Ne Win with socialist slogans and off and on it was military dictatorship with occasional token civilian participation.

    Not only democracy, but justice to long suffering Rohingya Muslims are the twin issues.

    The international community is silent in spite of recent massive crack down with significant civilian casualities. How long the people to wait for international intervention.

    Even if a similar situation arises in Sri Lanka it is futile to expect international assistance, better to mobilize people irrespective of race, religion or caste and organize a mass movement with common programme with international support outside help will be a prudent feasible move.

  • 4
    12

    “However, world leaders are cowards compared to the people of Burma.”
    That is a profound and absolutely truthful assertion, Professor! These world leaders are just like those chaps who video the scene when someone is drowning, has been set on fire, or being swallowed by a python, without making any effort at all to rescue him and save his life!

  • 1
    4

    Just as a short response to KD’s prayer, yes people will stand firm & support Gota at the next election. There will be ups and downs but the final result will be thereabouts . We all are going through hardships but who is not anywhere in the world? In India two patients gasping thrown into one bed & others on the floor. SB will support Army Silva if worst come to happen unlike in Burma. The fact that US Ambassador is not happy with the port deal makes the SB happy about this grand deal. Certain aspects will be debated surely. The more US, West & India crying foul on this deal make us feel the project is better than originally expected. Gota did show he means business by taking the Mayor into the custody as strong as Sarath withdrawing the extra police protection offered to Sumanthiran who humiliates police while seeking its protection for his own life! What an irony. No more foul talk now. Stop talking divisive politics and as the Cardinal said with glowing tributes to Buddhists that all have to protect Buddhism in the country as only because of it other religions are able to practice freely. Can any religious leader say in those terms in India, my friend ?

  • 1
    2

    “Military goons have bitten off more than they can chew.” Clearly if anyone bites of more than he/she can chew the resulting disaster is obvious. What can Sri Lanka help, if Prof expects Sri Lanka to lift its little finger? On the contrary Sri Lanka did help in finding temporary housing for a group of “Rohingyas” floating in the sea. I make it clear to Prof and everyone else that if anyone of the two main contenders in the Prez elections of 2019 won a home-grown autocracy would be there in no time. International help to solve Sri Lanka’s miseries? Pooh! We had the infamous IPKF. A respected gent from the area told me that the IPKF expected every woman in the area to be “suitably attired” so that they are easily “rapable”. That is the result of help from foreign states, if any. I fully agree that people must stand firm. Towards that extent, I am for a mass agitation to have an amendment to the constitution enabling the people to recall their elected officials under given circumstances and have an expressed public policy approved by the people alone to be implemented by whatever government that gets elected.

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