The Rajapaksa Government has commenced a campaign to threaten and intimidate Sri Lankan academic Dr. Thrishantha Nanayakkara who exposed for the first time the tender procedure about the controversial MiG 27 purchase by the Defence Ministry in an article he wrote in the Colombo Telegraph recently.
Dr. Thrishantha Nanayakkara
Dr. Nanayakkara’s family in Sri Lanka have been visited by military intelligence officials who have urged him to stop writing, the Colombo Telegraph learns. He has since de-activated his Facebook account.
Repeated attempts made by Colombo Telegraph to reach Dr. Nanayakkara have proved futile.
Dr. Nanayakkara is a Senior Lecturer at the King’s College London, where he is attached to the Centre for Robotics Research. As an ex-academic at the University of Moratuwa, Dr. Nanayakkara has served on the technical evaluation committees at the Defence Ministry run by President Rajapaksa’s brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
The controversial MiG 27 deal was first revealed by Sunday Times Defence Correspondent and Senior Journalist Iqbal Athas in December 2006 and further exposed in The Sunday Leader then edited by murdered Editor Lasantha Wickrematunge.
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa filed legal action against The Sunday Leader newspaper to prevent further exposure of the corrupt deal. The investigative reports on the MiG deal proved to be one of the last reports on controversial defence purchases under Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s reign in Sri Lanka’s mainstream press.
In a recent article published in the Colombo Telegraph, Dr. Nanayakkara claimed that the Ministry of Defence calls on academics to sit on Technical Evaluation Committees for defence purchases, gives them less than 24 hours to review documentation and then finally blames academics when things begin to go wrong.
In his latest article, Dr. Nanayakkara notes that it was very unfortunate that the Ministry of Defence itself took to exposing the names of professionals and the recommendations of those TECs when things went wrong. “It seemed to us that the professionals who were kept in the darkness whole throughout the TEC process were just used as a cleansing shield in the event things go wrong. I am not alone in this concern. One can check with any academic in the University system in Sri Lanka on this,” he explains.
Responding to the fraud said to have taken place when purchasing MIG 27 fighters for Sri Lanka Air Force, the Ministry of Defence exposed the names of the Technical Evaluation Committee.
Palmsquirrell / December 7, 2013
This is what I wrote in the previous thread about Thrishanta , ” Well you are standing up for what is right and setting the record straight is brave, because we all know there are repercussions for showing Gota in a bad light, even though it is the truth. ” . –I think we all saw this coming, the intimidation by the Regime for speaking out against them.
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Javi / December 7, 2013
Nothing brave- never, never trust profs/lecturers into politics eg. GL;DJ.
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Dinuk / December 7, 2013
Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s corruption and SHIT is hitting the fan big time. This white van goon and Lanak’s military dictator in waiting needs to be taken out before he further destroys the few remaining democratic voices and institutions in Sri Lanka..
Why has the Tamil diaspora and the TGTE not moved for a war crimes trial of this corrupt murderer?
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Kumar R / December 7, 2013
Dinuk,
Why can’t the enlightened, humane, rational and civil Sinhala diaspora and even Sinhala citizens join in that effort – that will hasten the process that you so desire!
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Silva / December 8, 2013
Kumar R,
The moderate and intelligent Sinhalese are with you.
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Kapila / December 7, 2013
Sri Lankan universities today are full of Rajapassa stooges and yes men. People with brains and guts like Dr. Nanayakka flee the system. There is no knowledge production in the Sri Lanka university today – which is a HUB OF IGNORANCE and RACISM – filled with half-witted, unethical, uncultured and UNEDUCATED swabasha-speaking lecturers who cannot find jobs anywhere else..
All those with brains and guts have left the university system and talented folk will not go near the Sri Lankan universities which are full of politics and NO RESEARCH.
The Sri Lanka universities need to be purged, but when they are purged of all the rubbish lecturers – there will be no one left to teach. This is why the university system should be privatized completely since it is beyond reform. There are many highly qualified academics with TOP class overseas PhDs who are kept out of the university system, by third rate Sri Lanka trained lecturers who feel threatened by good scholars who can speak grammatical English! What a tragic state of affairs. The Rajapassa regime has destroyed the Sri Lankan institution and academic and intellectual freedom – Totally, by politicizing and militarizing the university which today only produces UNEMPLOYABLE GRADUATES!
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Dr (Medical specialist) Shamila / December 7, 2013
Yes authorities (President appointed Committee) has to re-check all the publications and qualifications of Sri Lankan bogus professors. You will find less than 1% are real international professors. In order to be a professor your PhD must be from top ranking good University and minimum 20 publications in international high impact indexed journal such as ISI,SCOPUS, COMPENDEX..etc. Take Trishantha’s University in Sri Lanka over 99% Eng. professors have only publications in IESL un-indexed non-listed two journals. Sack them and expose them for eating poor tax payers money covering to wrong title. Another faculties are worse than this.
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Perera / June 3, 2015
Dr Shamila
Sorry to say that your comment itself shows that you are not focused on the main discussion point of this article. This is a valid point for readers to judge and qualify your comment. However it is also important to respond to your comment.
It is unfair to judge all professors in the SL universities in the manner you have done.There are professors in SL universities contributed even to widely used international text books. pl have a look on text books such as SHORT PRACTICE OF SURGERY, Current Surgical Guidelines (few examples of your own field)
Your unethical and ignorance comment of thrishantha’s University in Sri Lanka shows your lack of knowledge on the field. Look at what professors have done internationally to bring recognition to graduates coming out from that university. many examples… QS, compter science
Lets make the comments relevant to the main body of the discussion
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Amarasiri / December 7, 2013
“The Rajapaksa Government has commenced a campaign to threaten and intimidate Sri Lankan academic Dr. Thrishantha Nanayakkara who exposed for the first time the tender procedure about the controversial MiG 27 purchase by the Defence Ministry in an article he wrote in the Colombo Telegraph recently.”…………………………………………
There is a story going round that says, the contractor or business person was asked to pay 5%, to one of the brothers or cronies. The contractor felt it was too much for essentially doing no work, and went to the boss. The boss had apparent told the contractor, my rate is 15%.
There must be hundreds of such stories floating around. Was the MIG 27 deal, a 5%, a 10% or a 15% deal? Some know. Others do not know.
“Responding to the fraud said to have taken place when purchasing MIG 27 fighters for Sri Lanka Air Force, the Ministry of Defence exposed the names of the Technical Evaluation Committee”
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Amarasiri / December 7, 2013
Dr. Trishanta Nanayakkara,……………………………………..
…………………………………………………………
Thank you for your principles and your position in the face of threats. This week this reminds me Nelson Mandela……………………………………………………
1. Yes, what was the wish of the soldier who died liberating the land from LTTE? To get a police state so that the MaRa regime can be in power? This is about making an economy around a Family Hegemony……………………………….
2. We want a national solution, and it need not come from Sri Lanka alone.. just like our clothes, our religions, laws etc…………………………….
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JimSofty / December 7, 2013
Every where in the world, amidst so many claims by the govts of the west, business deals are corrupt.
when it comes to military hardware always people signing the contracts and brokers get get Monitary rewards.
What is the most important is that British govt want to prosecute TELEGRAPH on TERRORISM CHARGES for supporting Edward SNOWDON.
Why British govt is keeping Adele Balasingham there, Why British govt is supporting TGF BTF and Why COLOMBO TELEGRAPH IS ALSO NOT PROSECUTED UNDER THE SAME LAW FOR SUPPOTING LTTE RUMP ?
I DON’T TRISHANTHA NANAYAKKARA REVEALED ANYTHING except what he wrote was compltete bad blood in his side. He was upset because the govt did not allow him to have his way.
Other wise, which stupid govt give complete freedom to the Technical evaluation committee to do it in their own time when the possibility of passing military secrets to the enemy was very high. Most probably, Trishantha himself would have passed the route of transport of those miltary hardware to the enemy and eventually the enemy take over what the govt was receiving.
Trishantha also made another mistake when there was a very urgent to need to have means to demine the north, Trishantha was asking money to do BASIC RESEARCH to use MUGATIAYAs as a tool for demining. IF he had asked money to do research on STRAY DOGs as demining – tools, that would had had some merit as a research proposal.
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Ben Hurling / December 7, 2013
Jimmy,
So, Thrishantha is good enough for King’s College, London. One of the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. But, his research proposals were not good enough for Rajapassa cronies?
Why is the establishment in Colombo/Hambantota feeling so easily threatened by a researcher in London? What was MI upto visiting his family? Is it possible that current, corrupt ruling establsihment in SL is not terribly bright?
Cheers!
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JimSofty / December 7, 2013
What do you know about what you are writing ?
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / December 7, 2013
NOw, the Mugatiyas, are not asked do any thing,
all the governing clan vultures and Defence beast HOTHAMBYA, are doing a good job of looting the people’s money.
So he went to Italy to check all the loot and accounting with off shore Banks.
So other Fleas like JIMA will say AAYUBOWYEVA MAHA JARA THUMANAENI, AAYUBOWYEVAA HOTHMBAYANENI
WILL the JARAPASSA CLAN LIVE happily with People’s curses??????
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mike / December 7, 2013
JimNutty – you are just singing for your supper! I presume you are well looked after by the Hitlerpaksha regime.
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len / December 7, 2013
Jim Jim Jim oh! no! lets clean Sri Lanka first the old saying if you got dirt in your your home worry about it first. By the way don’t worry about the Western countries they are hypocrites with no freedom of speech led by dictators no press freedom they are unlike freedom loving un-corrupt country Sri Lanka the last & only beacon of hope for the humanity.It is shocking proud Sinhalese Sri Lankan’s are still lining up to leave the paradise to hell holes of Western countries and even middle east to do menial jobs like cleaning toilets once thought to be only reserved and identified to a one ethnic section of Lankan’s.You think are these mentally ill.
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J.Muthu / December 7, 2013
Hooray, Good one sinhala budhist barbarism now started his own one….enjoy….You bloody fools blood and violence…After all tamils fighting for their own way life and peace in their own land and home…you violent budhist never learn any thing never will….all i can do wait from little house in veera vanni land( part of greater ealam )…..AS long as sinhala sleepy mode you loose u r dignity and other innocent minorities….
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j.muthu / December 7, 2013
correction ….U sinhalayos never learnt anything, you love blood and violent…I live in my beloved land eala land vanni….let my people go or live in peace….we beg u from 1948….last chance let my people go and u live enjoy u r blood and violent game….
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Ben Hurling / December 7, 2013
Mr. Muthu (The President Wannabe),
Will you then build your Presidential dwelling “in your beloved Ealam land in Vanni”?
Will it be Eco-friendly? Zero carbon foot-print on Sri Lanka & the planet?
Cheers!
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j.muthu / December 9, 2013
Oh Ben hurling, Jaffna library destroyer…love it? eco friendly nop first think we tamils must get rid of sinhla budhist barbs from my land, zero carbon foot-print…i love it sinhala brain talking about this..hope i beleive some thing changing….We will give you some time…before we get rid of sinhala brutes…u hav a chance……Sorry Ben Hurl i cant answer u r horse sweet…I am too busy with my land and look after my chicken and goats…cow they need my love and care ….u all lap top lovers stop rubbish …..
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Banda / December 7, 2013
Hay Muttu, What begging? Read the resolution that was approved at a public rally in Waddukkodai on May 14th 1976. Did not Thanthai Chelva asked you all to take up arms and not to lay it down until Eelam is won. And your Thalaivar gave us blood for over 33 years since. During all that time however, more and more of your Tamil brethern chose to move and live among Sinhalas in the south. Even the new Chief Minister of NP, Vigge is a southern resident. We cannot let you bite the ear while dwelling at the horn. So, just because demagogic Tamils like you say a section of this country is Tamil homeland and it belong to Tamils only, we are not prepared to buy it.
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manisekaran / December 9, 2013
you bought it in 1987 itself, is n’t it?
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Piranha / December 7, 2013
Thrishantha,
Exposing the Rajapaksa brothers’ corruption is bad for your and your family’s health. You may have helped the SL military defeat the LTTE but you must remember that the Rajapaksas are more important than the country and beyond reproach. A white van ride awaits you when you visit Rajapaksastan next time, courtesy of. Gota the barbarian.
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aratai / December 7, 2013
.
Is it still “white van”? For a change, GoRa should change the colour of the van…
:-)
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JimSofty / December 7, 2013
This Piranha
Is a Member of the LTTE RUMP and his only capability barking for LTTE and barking against the SL-GOVt.
Read his comments and see.
that is hoe most comments are just to fulfill their interests.
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Honest_Boy / December 16, 2013
Agreed with you Piranha.
Thrishantha tried to entertain the front row in the hall, who probably have cheered for him !
This guy seems to be honest, but not “intelligent” at all – he has all proper education and qualification – but NOT the wisdom !
Good luck buddy !
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Fedrick / December 7, 2013
Sameway expose Colombo University Arts faculty family dept and its corruptive Emiritus rather good Rajapaksha rulers who saved country from LTTE. All the recruitment out door connection based and family members are Lecturers and even sons entered to Kalaniya government medical faculty without Sri Lankan A/L. Whole Colombo University and its Arts faculty destroyed by this man and another 100 years you need to get recover this ills created by this family dept emeritus.
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Sumith / December 7, 2013
Then they came for me..
Gota send the white van to fetch Thrishantha’s relatives.
Sri Lanka had become Rajapakistan….
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Kiri Yakka / December 7, 2013
Muthu,
Thishantha, is no different from the Tamil Expats supporting the “boys” – for a long long time, without using his educated brain to assess the typology of people whom he was helping – and for what purpose. On the other hand, he has displayed an ability to learn from his mistakes – which the Tamil Expats are yet to demonstrate.
So do not blame him.
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Javi / December 7, 2013
There is one thing you never learnt if you have been to campus- never, never trust profs/lecturers into politics they are radical with a pinch on wealth eg. GL;DJ. This Nayakaraya does not seem to be different. After all perhaps he has received a better contract from his buddy `Gooo`ta.
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Dr Ransimala Vidurapola / December 7, 2013
Thrishantha, you have a whole nation’s gratitude for exposing this corrupt procedure.
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Ben Hurling / December 9, 2013
Agree. Thrishantha is the kind of everyday hero our country needs.
But, all we get are corrupt monkeys from Hambantota. Who wrap themselves in the national flag. Only to rob Sri Lanka’s wealth.
Cheers!
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Thondamanaru / December 7, 2013
Trishantha, I wonder is against any one as he was a part against the run on the mill.
However, exposing corruption that takes place in every nook & cornet of the world is GOOD.
At lest, the authorities will either realise now enough of corruption and/or bring it down to managable levels.
Corruption and/or lying are things you can not totally eradicate from our genes be it the scxm J.Muththu or any mother’s son or daughter.
These are ingrained things which need to be managed with self control
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / December 7, 2013
THis is the Sri Lankan BORIA in action.
But there is a UNIVERSAL truth called Good and Bad. + and – also.
The world will see, how the Jarapassa Borias , [ The CRABS] are dancing until the Water boils in the Pot.
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The Professional / December 7, 2013
It is time for Dr. TN to develop an emotional robot, which is qualified to participate in Technical Evaluation Committees for procurement of military hardware and capable of reacting to commands on grounds of morality. Dr. TN is too humane and therefore unable to maintain confidentiality of Technical Evaluation.
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Javi / December 8, 2013
You are the emotional troll pseudo professional. (@_@)|(@_@)
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Fathima Fukushima / December 7, 2013
What’s the use?
SL has already WON the war!!
The end justified the means.
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Lapatiya / December 7, 2013
Stage 1 – Within another day or two Dr. Thrishantha Nanayakkara will receive a call from the president and he will apologize and promise to have an Independent Investigation over the Issue. IGP will get direction from the President to Investigate the Incident Independently and submit a report within 7 days.
Stage 2 – President call Dr. Nanayakkara’s Family members over to Araliya abode and apologize again and the next day there will be a group photo of smiling president and family members of Dr. Nanayakkara in the Govt. Independent News Papers. – Chapter Close and everybody will be happy again.
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Ajith / December 7, 2013
Time is running out to decide the future of the Nation.
If we fail to act, we will see the following in the doorstep of Sri Lanka “It is sold”.
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MrRetort / December 7, 2013
If President can tame name sake of Thishantha, Vasu who was considered a firebrand at one stage to a Pusse Patiya, they try this with anybody and everybody. That is there way.
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shankar / December 8, 2013
“Vasu who was considered a firebrand at one stage”. Vasu decided he doesn’t want a fire up his arse in his old age.Wise guy.
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Rod / December 7, 2013
[Edited out]
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mj / December 7, 2013
Sri Lankan people suffered for 20 years after 1957 pact. Anther 20 years because of 1983 riots. Sri Lanka will suffer for another 20 years for masserkering over 5000 innocent Tamil in 2009. This will go on and on.
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srilal / December 7, 2013
Dear Dr TN ,
pl don’t bother to appear before “beyond Boston” BS , it’s another ITN type garbage , ask that Chitral Geezer to waste his time in interviewing Shavendra silva instead.
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justice / December 7, 2013
The Military Regime stands exposed – threats to family members of varsity don who exposed massive corruption – by ‘whitewashing’ corrupt deals by maligning him and fellow dons.
The Mig 27 issue was exposed by a sunday paper earlier.
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JimSofty / December 7, 2013
If there any readers who are knew what they are reading would have understtod that Thrishantha became an idiot by writing this article about the that they not getting weeks or days to complete the technical evaluation. That showed how LAZY they were. Most probably when he came to the table he did not have idea what he was doing and what he was talking.
He further aggravated that by asking money to do research on how to use mugatiayas for demining purposes when DOGs were already tested and proven to be useful
IT is simply double whammy.
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shankar / December 8, 2013
“Vasu who was considered a firebrand at one stage”. Vasu decided he doesn’t want a fire up his arse in his old age.Wise guy.
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shankar / December 8, 2013
Jim,when i visited srilanka i gave a girl an contract to design something and told her to post it to me when she completed it.Just as an afterthought when i was leaving through the door i asked her when does she think she can post it and she said in a about 5 years.I told her to check first whether i am among the living still before wasting her time posting it.Now you expect Dr.Thrisantha who is also a srilankan just like that woman, to do a technical evaluation of a multi million dollar MIG 27 deal in 24 hours.Don’t you think you should have given at least 24 years for him to do a good job?also did you check whether the good doctor had applied his signature saying he had evaluated it?If he had done that he can’t bring up matters such as he had no time etc.If he had not signed then the Defence secretary has to take full responsibility.
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Palmsquirrell / December 8, 2013
” also did you check whether the good doctor had applied his signature saying he had evaluated it?If he had done that he can’t bring up matters such as he had no time etc.If he had not signed then the Defence secretary has to take full responsibility. ” — Maybee they had no choice in the matter once they learned how long they had for the review? –If they said No to Gota, they would be painted as sabotaging the war effort and face repercussions.
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shankar / December 9, 2013
then they should not have got into these evaluation committees if they are treated as passengers only.IF you lie with dogs you will have fleas too.So many have had that experience with the rajapakshes.First they bumsuck them,then get their arse played and disposed like condoms and start whinging about it.Grown ups should take full responsibility and should be careful with whom they should have any relationships with,business or otherwise.
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kris / December 8, 2013
After he supported Sarath Foneseka, he expected to become priminister , SF failed , therefore he started to attacked Gota, he tried to get more advantage through his doctorate , so many other other help in war but they don’t talked like him, this [Edited out] talked about economics which he does not know anything , he proved that in this video , hilarious
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Kiri Yakka / December 8, 2013
Ajitha, You seem to have very high hopes for Sri Lanka ? “If we fail to act, we will see the following in the doorstep of Sri Lanka “It is sold” – which idiot will want to buy an idiotic dept riddled mess that belongs to China ?
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Sena / December 9, 2013
I am sorry why are we exposing the war hero Gotta . He needs money to be stacked away in that land locked country within Italy never to be used again because when he goes there next time he may be picked up on the way with a human rights violation warrant at the Italian Airport.
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Mahela / December 9, 2013
Dr. Thrishantha Nanayakkara has the same ideas and thinking like Nelson Mandela. Today the whole world is respecting and honor Nelson Mandela for his balance and broad thinking approach towards all communities and brought every community to Reconcile and live together as one human family. Hon. Nelson Mandela Loved his Country, South Africa and all ti’s people irrespective their Race, language and color. Also he never wanted to rule SA for ever and he never used his power to suppress opposition parties. He was never a selfish or a greedy person. He never branded citizens on racial lines.Hope President Rajapakse will learn how to govern Sri Lanka after his visit to South Africa.
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Vertex.Deep / December 10, 2013
Dr Thrishantha has put himself in trouble in the Sri Lankan MR kingdom. I feel really sorry about his immediate family in Sri Lanka as the so called patriotic movements will be after them soon with the blessings of GR..Salute you for revealing some truth about the present situation.
Vertex.Deep
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Peacelover / December 10, 2013
You reap what you sow Thrishantha sad but true im sure in 2006-07 period you would have rubbished the white van stories and intimidation as propaganda…..now it really hits you where it hurts
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