Dr. Thrishantha Nanayakkara
In year 2006, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) took a radical tactical turn to use remote controlled claymore mines to block Madawachchi-Mannar and Habarana-Trinco supply routes. This effectively made the vegetation clearance on either sides of the road fruitless. Attacks were frequent and caused huge damages to ground movements of the army. The defense research units that attracted the volunteer support of several civilian engineers worked day and night to develop a counter measure to jam the LTTE remote controllers, based on some pieces of circuits found among the debris of explosions in the North. The rate of innovation of the LTTE side was so fast that the Government defense research units had to struggle to keep up with their phase. Finally, LTTE gave up using remote controlled bombs. As far as I can remember, the last attack was on the Pakistan ambassador in Colombo. To be honest, I had respect for the researchers/innovators on the LTTE side who gave a difficult time to us, and worked with the only intension of outperforming. There was no hatred. For the civilian volunteers, burning midnight oil, and then returning to work the next day was not easy. The only motivation was to see an end to the war that kept on taking so many valuable lives. I am sure that this was the main motivation to all others who volunteered in many other fronts of the war. Those volunteers had complete trust in the Government to make a genuine attempt to bring in a lasting peace by firmly establishing democracy, rule of law, notion of citizenship, and justice, through some credible reconciliation process after the war.
After the war came to an end, silent ground forces went to rest, too tired of war, with a greater appreciation for humanity, but the racist cowards came out of their hiding places like mushrooms popping out. Unfortunately the country’s top leadership saw this as a cheap political opportunity rather than a threat to the dreams of those who toiled and died. To be honest, if I knew the close relationship between groups like Bodu Bala Sena or Jathika Hela Urumaya, and the secretary of defense, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, I would have quit without any hesitation, for it could have been ample evidence of what would happen after the war comes to an end. Due to some reason, Gotabaya showed a deep interest in protecting the country’s constitution and rule of law instead.
The way the law enforcement agencies behaved during recent public protests like the movement to release General Sarath Fonseka, the movement to protest the process of impeachment of the Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake, and the protest questioning the activities of Bodu Bala Sena, was shameful, filthy, and disgusting. In the case of protests to release Sarath Fonseka, we saw police mingling around with street thugs who hurled bricks and stones at the peaceful protestors. In the case of protests of lawyers to defend the constitutional rights of the Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake, the police openly worked among the street thugs as if they were one team. In the case of an attack on Fashion Bug, the police was watching how monks threw stones to damage private property. None were arrested on site. However, we saw how the police manhandled those who participated in a peaceful candle light vigil in Colombo, on 12th April, 2013, without a single warning to those threatening Bodu Bala Sena goons to disperse. Compounding the shameful situation, a police officer later expressed his opinion about the religious backgrounds of the peaceful protestors, as a reason to be hostile to them, as if the country’s constitution has given him a mandate to be hostile to religions he doesn’t like. Who thought stupidity and ignorance could reach this height inside a police officer’s brain?
I wanted to point out this final message to none other than but Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Please keep in mind that Sri Lanka belongs to all its citizens. You may have been entrusted by your brother Mahinda Rajapaksa to defend rule of law and peace, but keep in mind that it is not your private or family property. You are just a public servant and your job is to protect law and order to protect all citizens, not only to protect those who are close to you, or those who have religious or political ideologies that resonate with yours or those of your family. Please don’t think that those civilians, who volunteered in many fronts of research and development in the defense apparatus during the war did so because of they were blind worshippers of Rajapaksa family or because they were war mongers. There was a greater dream in their minds that you have humiliated in broad daylight. Simply put, you are disgracing those dreams by being partial to some groups in the way you manage the ministry of defence. May Sri Lanka be a country where all its citizens feel safe to live, where all their constitutional rights are safeguarded, where rule of law will sit above the tallest man, where the legal procedures respect the constitution, and where public servant serve the public, but not nepotistic agendas.
* Dr Thrishantha Nanayakkara is a Senior Lecturer at King’s College London
Bagiv / April 14, 2013
A brilliant factual and accurate view from a true Srilankan with a big heart for mother Lanka!! His accuracy in hitting at the heart of it all in – GOATa – is spot on!! May his tribe increase and take steps to lead our country out of this bleak future!!
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Samuel / April 14, 2013
My salute to the Writer :) – hope GOTABAYA would react FINALLY OPEN HIS EYES see to this.
This is the very first article in which the writer has focused on but the very truth about the ground reality of the country today.
Lack of wholeheartedness by the uneducated ruling bunch specially on the issues such as enforcement of rule of law, resolving the problems of weary citizenry and improving human rights as UNO anticipates to in SL seem to be more difficult than defeating LTTErs militarily.
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Perera / April 15, 2013
No hope for that!….Gotabaya is both a coward and a racist. The only way is to impeach him from his current position. I pity our president as I know MR is a good man at heart. He is caught in Gotabaya’s web and has to follow his agenda. If he get’s rid of Gotabaya, I’m sure MR will bring SL to prosperity again.
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Samuel / April 15, 2013
This I hardly believe from recent issues how he handled them recently :
a) Impeachment process against CJ Dr. SB
b) Appointment of the new CJ just according to HIS CONSCIENCE – but replacing the position with a candidate that has cases based on corruption going on
c)Loosing millions by appointing incapable candidates to handle SRILANKEN airlines
d) Above all – not BEING WHOLEHEARTED with law and order issues – Letting Mervin and Weerawansa to punish the nation- Cases against Mervin have not been investigated fairly – nor have the authorities made any statements yet.
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Samuel / April 15, 2013
GOTABAYA is like a deadly virus infected to the nation :) if even the President of the country would have to follow GOTA^s agendas ? Why is there so called wiser president get intimidated to react by his own ? MR is power greedy personality – he may feel if he would go against BBS, JHU would break away ? while boasting about 2/3 mandate in the parliament, president of the country seem to be only focusing on consolidation of his rule, neglecting all the grave issues ????????
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j.muthu / April 14, 2013
Mr thirish,
thankyou u shouting b’cos your own people suffering now.now u know Not u r mistake..at last u come out of u r own conscience. u sinhala dont know how to run a country successfully, u all know only love blood and vilolence, its in your blood. please let my people go alone good for u and innocent sinhala people. cheeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrsss..
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antibully? / April 16, 2013
i thought rajini diranagama also shouted when her own people suffered. ever listened to it commented on it?
could you please shed some light on how well the LTTE was running a territory they had in control? They did have a controlled territory with people living and their own law and order machinery in operation, right? Also it was extended to the other regions during the peace process so that people living in the intersecting regions had to make a police complaint as well as an LTTE political office complaint when there was some ordinary dispute/crime. As far as we can recall, it was even worse than what you would describe why all the seperatist ideology was conceived!
not everybody is a war-monger. neither is everybody free from guilt in a democracy that distributes political responsibility. problem now is what we have is a democracy-dictatorship duality: a periodically repearting freedom for people to choose their dictators.
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K.A Sumanasekera / April 14, 2013
A good candidate for a spot on the GFT delelegation to Gemeva next year.
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Lanka liar / April 15, 2013
But he is honest
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kautilya / April 15, 2013
This K.A.S fellow is a great boot-licker of Gotabaya and Rajapakse clan. Probaly he is working in defense establishment under GOTA. Gota is a megalomaniac who suffers delusions of their own power.That is why he developed a safety net with now paralyzed Duminda Silva and now with Bodu Bala Sena.
Thrishantha has hammered the nail right into the pig head of GOTA who is a smelling animal.He is suffering from inferiority complex which he cannot control of. His interview with BBC Hard Talk some time back and his “shit” talk with Fredric Janze showed how insane he is.Boot-licker like K.A.S is another of GOTA type.
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Eelapalan / April 14, 2013
“as if the country’s constitution has given him a mandate to be hostile to religions he doesn’t like” funny you mentioned that. I wrote along the same lines here. http://eelapalan.tumblr.com/
Talking about Dr. Dayan as well. But how about fixing this right by fixing the constitution first?
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KOKUVILAN / April 14, 2013
NICE TO READ THIS ARTICLE AND THE RESPECTED COMMENTS MADE.THIS PIECE OF WRITTING ONLY READ BY ENGLISH EDUCATED CROUD.THIS WILL NEVER REACH THE ORDINARY VILLAGE PEOPLES IN SRI-LANKA.HOW CAN YOU WIN THE SUPPORT OF THESE PEOPLE WITH ALL MAJOR SINGALA MEDIA IS UNDER INDIRECT INFLUANCE OF STATE.LONG WAY TO GO.WHY NOT PEOPLE LIKE DR.DAYAN JAYATHILAKA JOIN WITH SOME ANTI GOVT MOVEMENT AND TRY TO EDUCATE ORDINARY PEOPLE.LOOKS LIKE DAY DREAM.
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AKP / April 15, 2013
I admire Dr. Thrishantha Nanayakkara and truly believe that he is one of those people who truly believes in equality and fair play. But his hope that once the war was over the Sri Lankan state would seek a political arrangement to restore equality for the Tamils is naïve to say the least. An objective reading of Sri Lanka’s history since it was granted independence by the British in 1948 will surely show that the objective of all governments was to ensure that majoritarian rule was well and truly enshrined. The means used to achieve this has to date comprised Constitutional means. Administrative fiats, state sponsored violence and when these resulted in an armed uprising, a genocidal war with no holds barred. To expect those who control the levers of power to now reverse this process after having succeeded in militantly subjugating the Tamil people is absurd!.
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Mike / April 15, 2013
I welcome the writer of this article, who is one of the few decent, educated and fearless citizen belonging to the majority community
for chalenging Gota- who is little educated and doing enough harm to this coutry.
However as a Tamil who studied the recent history of discrimination
of our community, I do not expect peace in this island unless the Tamils are allowed to mind their own affairs.
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SAROJINI / April 16, 2013
Mike Do you know TN personally ??????
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antibully? / April 16, 2013
So you are here to bully instead of make sense. I was awaiting your response?
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Don Quixote / April 15, 2013
WELL SAID SIR ! Since you are a learned man please study the profile of a classic psychopath. You find find that Mahinda and Gotabaya fit the profile.
A main characteristic is to use people, promise them the world and not even realize that you have to keep your promises.The frightening part is that they can convince anyone to do their bidding !
Remember Hitler ?
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Aney Apochchi! / April 16, 2013
Blacker:
You are reaching the point when your deserting the sinking ship seems imminent. However,to mix metaphors, a white van might well be in your future if you do this before GR is out of the equation!
You really should seek another career now that the string is running out for your mentors because sucking up to the Fascist horde in Sri Lanka appears to have passed its “best before” date!
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kris / April 15, 2013
All these people are just trying to be hero writing peace of article, all the comments in here approving these articles they are so jealous about RP family and Gota, thanks Gota , MR ,SF and other army about saving our country from terrorist LTTE therefore Gota’s positive work to this country is thousand times better than these fake hero, we don’t want your advise give your advice to UK and Ranil . Do you think that you have doctorate and lecturer in UK therefore all the people believe what you say , you are just a another academic not a professional.
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antibully? / April 15, 2013
define professional, please? the author claims to be professional at his engineering profession, i suppose? and lot many people believe and have witness his professional excellency. and professional engineers learned from him how to solve differential equations and to make robots and to program . that suffices for the credibility of the claim, i suppose?
btw, how do your *heros* became heros, if not for expressing their opinions?
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SAROJINI / April 16, 2013
Most of the people who in favour of this article have a personal vendetta aginst the Rajapkses . They can blast people to pieces with the venom of this TN .It is clear TN has an axe to grind with Gothabaya and taking out his anger by thinking he is far superior to evryone else . There are many people in this world with PhD’s who are simple humble folks and do not throw their weight around thinking they are know alls like TN. HIs Phd hs got into his head .
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antibully? / April 16, 2013
Sarojini,
in which line of the article author expresses that his PhD has anything to do with anything? In which line the author says that he is superior to anyone else? Actually, demanding rule of law and equality in justice implies elimination of any form of superiority of one over the other. I am in favor of this article, and I have had no personal affair with Rajapakses, hence no vendetta.
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kris / April 15, 2013
Hey Thrishantha,
If you are so care about SL why are you working in UK , you have used free education in SL and used poor SL people’s money and serving in UK thinking only about you and money taking big things about other people who put their life into death for sever the country where they born and educated, before you point the finger at anyone point it to yourself
Gota is not working in US or UK and came to SL in most difficult time in SL now he is working for SL, his contribution to this country is thousand time better than your advices.
Fist come and serve to poor people( that you have used their money to do your studies) in SL and work in SL live in SL then give your advise.
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antibully? / April 15, 2013
//Fist come and serve to poor people( that you have used their money to do your studies) in SL and work in SL live in SL then give your advise.//
By serving poor people, you mean the author has to fill up an academic position in the country which is already struggling to cater for the qualified-unemployed? I think an academic contributes to humanity equally regardless of where he is residing. Sometimes it’s a sacrifice upon some people taht they have to live away from their home lands to do what they are capable of doing in order to advance/ save humanity. In order to understand such ideas that transcendent the little notions of blind nationalism, patriotism, racism/ethnicism and short-sightedness, you need to get out of the little well that you might be dwelling in and see the world for what it is. This is entirely a personal opinion. The author may have a different one.
FYI, the author worked in SL, lived in SL and contributed to SL academia and to the SL military at a high-time (I believe you read the article before you comment), and what’s more, risked his life at it, like the others. In fact the author practically initiated a unique trend of research culture at the place where he worked at and actually brought some recognition to the institution that he served, in certain research circles. You need to buy his book that has his memories of those times and reasons why he had to flee the country. The author also employed fellow Sri Lankans in his business – another way he contributed to the poor people? Please assess where you stand yourself before you catagorically bully others.
Again personal opinion: when you talk about paying back to the community etc and blame those who reside elsewhere for having opportunistically ‘used up’ their own poor people, could you make you point clear as to what economic disadvantage that the country is having because its citizens work elsewhere, bearing in mind the current economic situation in SL with regard to employment rates and throughput of the education enterprise? Do you understand that when I study out of tax payer’s money, while other kids’ parents are paying for my education, my father is also paying for other kids’ education? In teh end, assuming uniformity in tax payments for simplicity, if you work it out, it turns out that actually my father has virtually paid for my education and your father for yours. But then, that’s just an idealization. In fact, people who earn more must be paying more tax than those who earn less. A car owner pays about 250% of the value of the car as tax that goes to educate everybody’s kids. So it’s a collaboration! We as a society take care of each other. As of today’s situtation with regard to the availability of jobs, which the government policies and practices are partly responsible for, people who go abroad and bring wealth in (the net gain), in one form or another are actually contributing to the economy and we must show some respect to those who bring in that wealth generated from outside the country, instead of calling them having betrayed their people. Or at least be happy that they are leaving some space for another poor person in the limited job market.
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amden / April 15, 2013
But why doesn’t gota give up his US citizenship????? Why is he still hanging on to it????L
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antibully? / April 18, 2013
i’m no any war time historian, but google dot com suggest me:
myth: Gota …came to SL in most difficult time in SL
fact: In order to assist his brother’s Presidential election campaign, Rajapaksa returned to Sri Lanka in 2005 from the United States.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa was appointed to the post of Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence in November 2005 by newly elected President Mahinda Rajapaksa Source: the relavant Wikipedia entry and the references therein
Further, there was a CPA active while he took up the job
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antibully? / April 18, 2013
sorry CFA :/
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kamal nissanka / April 15, 2013
Defeat of LTTE fascism and its separatist war agenda was the only issue when we the Liberals decided to support Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse ‘s presidential candidacy in 2005. He did the job with proven support of both Mr. Gotabaya Rajapakse and Mr. Sarath Fonseka at leadership level.
Real problem is post war political, military , judicial, diplomatic and development status.All these fronts are ruined. MP’s were bought, Military expenses are increased and HR violations on the rise, judiciary is in the shambles, greatest diplomatic failures occurred, development with huge scale bribery and corruption.
Right thinking people should find a way out. First step should be criticism , second step should be to get organized, however finding a leader will be a difficult task.
If we take the Presidential Election the so called “Imaran Khan”(as Dr Dayan says) should come from a political party or a person served five years as a MP.
A Liberal is not bad for the job as at least in theory a Liberal believes in human rights, minority rights, internationalism, economic rights of the individual, individual rights as against majority rights
and so on. Finally the long term aim of the Liberal is to build a “Free Society” . I think that is what the post war Sri Lanka needs.
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Agnos / April 15, 2013
Thrishantha.
I echo many other posters that it is courageous of you to publicly name Gotabhaya.
But there is something I would like to add. Mahinda Rajapaksa as president, defense minister and commander-in-chief, has had the power to sack his brother, but he wouldn’t do it. And, unlike the blunt-talking GR, MR has been a habitual liar.
So your writing implicitly accepts the “Gota-bad, MR-good” false narrative produced by many allies of the regime, including Dayan Jayatilleka and Rajiva Wijesinha.
It is time for people like you to recognize that MR himself is the main problem, that the entire family has to go, one way or another. It may be hard for many people to articulate that point publicly given the conditions in Sri Lanka, but at a minimum, that point should be understood.
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Thrishantha / April 15, 2013
Agnos,
Sorry I had to leave out MR in this article to have more clarity in the point that Gota has a big responsibility to be equitable. MR is the political string holder of all these, I suspect. He has not been honest at all. My message to MR is that he should stop pretending that he hates terrorism while while nurturing the political womb of terrorism himself. He tries to preach that he is the president of all communities, but his local politics heavily depends on racist groups like BBS and JHU. Compounding the situation, Ranil as the opposition leader, never tries to take the bull by the horns. Unlike us, he has a Golden opportunity to make clear arguments in the Parliament, that will be recorded in Hanzard. Instead, he just sits there shoving the boat of Rajapaksas.
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Dr Dayan Jayatilleka / April 15, 2013
While MR is no innocent and is complicit, you guys will realize the drastic difference between MR and GR if the following scenario unfolds: the BBS-JHU-NFF-SR types succeed in making the latter the candidate and he wins, thanks to the Tamil nadu clowns, the ensuing Sinhala backlash and the non-option of RW as alternative. These MR years will then look like a walk in the park.
Note that this weekend’s SILUMINA ( the state’s main Sinhala newspaper) ran MR’s Avurudu message as the third item on page one, while the lead story with banner headlines was a statement by GR!
Are you guys so blinded by hatred of the incumbent that you can’t see what’s happening, or so ignorant that you can’t distinguish between a Bush and a Cheney/Rumsfeld?
Imagine the outcome of that anti-BBS gathering had the President been the younger ‘R’ rather than the present one.
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Sunimal / April 15, 2013
I simply believe MR is unpredictable and complicit for all the problems that the people in the country face today. He is not the same MR that people kept the faith on at the beginning.
Going through your comments and quoting from the writer^s
“Please keep in mind that Sri Lanka belongs to all its citizens. You may have been entrusted by your brother Mahinda Rajapaksa to defend rule of law and peace, but keep in mind that it is not your private or family property. You are just a public servant and your job is to protect law and order to protect all citizens, not only to protect those who are close to you, or those who have religious or political ideologies that resonate with yours or those of your family. Please don’t think that those civilians, who volunteered in many fronts of research and development in the defense apparatus during the war did so because of they were blind worshippers of Rajapaksa family or because they were war mongers. There was a greater dream in their minds that you have humiliated in broad daylight. Simply put, you are disgracing those dreams by being partial to some groups in the way you manage the ministry of defence”
Almost every right thinking ones would feel today, they the siblings deliberately abusing state and public assets for their benefits.
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ONE / April 16, 2013
Whenever you think you are facing a contradiction, check your premises. You will find that one of them is wrong.
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Agnos / April 16, 2013
DJ,
You characterization of MR : GR = Bush : Cheney/Rusmfeld is way off the mark. But discussing that now will be a distraction, so I will let it go.
I would think BBS-JHU-NFF-SR types cannot command enough votes. MR had no real need to bring JHU/NFF under his wing and give prominence to the Ranawakas, Gammanpilas and Weerawansas. Someone must have misled him to give them such prominent positions.
If the BBS drives Muslims to vote for the opposition in large numbers, why shouldn’t the opposition take advantage of it? Add the Muslim vote to what Fonseka got at the last elections, and –assuming the opposition can unite and field a common candidate—the opp candidate can win.
As I see it, chances of Fonseka’s rights being restored for him to contest the next presidential elections are slim. So the search for a common candidate needs to look elsewhere.
You have been arguing that in a country of 20 million, it isn’t hard to find the Obama-like figure. But that is not true. 100 million strong Republicans in the US didn’t have any serious candidate in the last Presidential elections, and had to settle for Mitt Romney.
Your promotion of Sajith Premadasa will fail. He doesn’t have enough of a national profile and organization skills; he cannot even outmaneuver Ranil Wickremasinghe within UNP, despite Karu Jayasuriya’s support; how is he going to be tough enough to defeat the Rajapaksas?
The best bet seems to me the coming together of CBK loyalists in the SLFP with the UNP, and the fielding of a common candidate supported from the outside by both Fonseka and Sobitha Thero, under some agreements on how/when to abolish the executive presidency, the proper roles for CBK and Wickremasinghe, restoring civic rights of Fonseka and finding a position for him later on, etc.
For all your attack on Ranil and CBK, a return by them may be the only viable alternative to the current regime, but with new players like Sobitha Thero and Fonseka playing key roles. I also expect people like Sajith Premadasa and Ranjan Ramanayake playing important roles for such a coalition in the deep South.
I have no love for any of these people, and in fact, I have heard plenty of chauvinist rhetoric from Sobitha Thero and Fonseka, and the latter may face war crimes charges one day. But I don’t expect the character of Sinhalese society (or, for that matter, the Tamil and Muslim societies) to fundamentally change within a few years, and political pragmatism demands such approaches.
Those who were fed up with CBK’s autocratic actions and corruption during her later years, need to remember how Indira Gandhi, despite her grave abuses during the Emergency period, came back later to be a reasonably good PM of India.
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Jayantha / August 8, 2013
Yes, we know that a couple of years ago MR spent 750 million rupees on his Birthday advertisements alone.
Yes why not Promote everything of the family in a monopolised media and TV, while Posters and Visuals been put up all over the country.
How come the Weliweriya Mass Genocide was given the least coverage in all the main stream Media and TV.
Dictatorship never worked in Sri Lanka and never will be.
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Outspoken Sri Lankan / April 15, 2013
Not only is there a mess in Sri Lanka, look at the “relatives” with open ticket to engage PR firms to write two paragraph speeches!!!! Thousands of dollars of the country spent because of uneducated diplomats. The wastage is unbelievable and the expensive incompetence of uneducated diplomats while the educated are downplayed. The US was and is too important to put political stooges to waste money and outsource every service with “finders’ fees” going into private accounts when there are enough educated expats who can do the work of the PR firms. The network is so bad that drivers are engaged as consultants. Drivers are recommended by dubious “friends” who are blackmailers. If one cannot write a speech, how can one talk diplomacy!!! It is insane to say the least. Some diplomats can’t even read written speeches without making boo boos!
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sunila Mendis / April 15, 2013
This is a fearless article that can only be written by some one residing outside the shores of Sri Lanka.There are academics living outside SL writing enlightened articles.At least they open the eyes of those who don’t see the reality of a militarized Regime.Out of all the comments I value the comment of some one calling him /herself Native Vadda saying that the fault lies not with the symptom who is GR but in the process of Nation building process which failed in an INCLUSIVE NATION BUILDING PROCESS.The nation building process has from it’s inception excluded the minority communities.Remember 1958,1977,1983 violence aimed at the Tamil community climaxing in 2009 killing thousands of civilians along with the LTTE fighters.The LTTE also is the symptom erupting after decades of exclusive governance by Sinhala Regimes.
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Patta Pal / April 15, 2013
The last paragraph paraphrases it all. We have a person in the capacity of the Defense Secretary who is a traitor to Sri Lanka. He does not care that he is a traitor, because of his warped bias towards only one sector of Sri Lanka. You MUST protect all citizens of Sri Lanka, but then you have taken an oath of allegiance to the US Constitution haven’t you – traitor!
If he believes that Sri Lanka is a Sinhala Buddhist Country, and it is only they who have rights, then why doesn’t he go all out for it openly rather than hide under a skirt pretending!
One has to show ones cards on the table like a man! then there is no play acting, it is clear.
So lay the cards on the table, make a choice, Multicultural Sri Lanka or only one for the Sinhala Buddhists and we will see where it settles. Isn’t that fair? We will then be able to sift between the patriots and traitors finally, instead of behaving like a patriot who is a traitor to his motherland.
Its nothing personal, it is the future of the Country that is at stake by your behaviour, and we have permitted you enough opportunity to give leadership, and you have only let us down badly (not defended the Constitution of Sri Lanka)
If you don’t wish to be a traitor, then simply change the Constitution so that it is clear that you are defending the Constitution, NOT attacking it as is done now.
This is the inevitable result of giving unelected foreign spies too much unchecked power in our motherland. The buck stops with the President for permitting it.
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kautilya / April 15, 2013
This K.A.S fellow is a great boot-licker of Gotabaya and Rajapakse clan. Probably he is working in defense establishment under GOTA. Gota is a megalomaniac who suffers delusions of their own power.That is why he developed a safety net with now paralyzed Duminda Silva and now with Bodu Bala Sena.
Thrishantha has hammered the nail right into the pig head of GOTA who is a smelling animal.He is suffering from inferiority complex which he cannot control of. His interview with BBC Hard Talk some time back and his “shit” talk with Fredric Janze showed how insane he is.Boot-licker like K.A.S is another of GOTA type.
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Ranjan Udawtte / April 15, 2013
Look at this so called Ministry Secretary, Just equable to Bullmastiff. He want show off that e is a poodle.He is desperately asking trouble through his big brother who think that he is a great attorney and legal egal, yet he always forgets he is a “GODA PEROKODORUWA”
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ashen / April 15, 2013
if our blood is true Srilankan blood, every Srilankan should come forward against GOTA and his Balu sena..
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Native Vedda / April 15, 2013
ashen
“if our blood is true Srilankan blood,”
How does one know one’s blood is Sri Lankan, Tamil, Sinhalese or contributed by Veddah’s?
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Patta Pal / April 16, 2013
One doesn’t. Take a gene test and you may find that there is little native blood in you, perhaps more african or even arab, who knows, until you have yourself tested!
That is if you don’t believe Gene mapping is another western plot against native people!
In a few years it will be available to all in SL for a nominal charge, and I am sure much of the passion will dissipate when most of the BBS realize they are less Sinhala and less Buddhist than most in a bloodline fashion that is.
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David Blacker / April 18, 2013
“How does one know one’s blood is Sri Lankan, Tamil, Sinhalese or contributed by Veddah’s?”
Ooruwarige Booruwa, do you believe that Tamils, Sinhalese, and Veddhas are not Sri Lankan? I ask because you give four choices.
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Native Vedda / April 21, 2013
David Blacker
Sri Lankan is a manufactured identity.
Tamils, Sinhalese and you are the descendants of Kallathonies.
Veddhas are the true sons and daughters of this island hence the lang belongs to them.
Now tell me have I made it simple.
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David Blacker / April 22, 2013
But you have given the choice between Sri Lankan and Veddha, thereby suggesting that one cannot be both. The name Sri Lanka might be recent, but the entity it represents is not manufactured.
On your “kallathoni” epithet: most of the world is populated by immigrant peoples. Even the Veddhas would have come from somewhere; they did not grow up like plants. That is why they share features with other Aboriginal peoples across Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific region. The Native Americans arrived from East Asia which is why they share features with Siberians and Eskimos. So you are as much a kallathoni as those you use the epithet on. The only difference is who came first; and that question has been invalidated in the modern world by the universally recognized rights of immigrants.
Time to stop hiding behind the name calling.
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DODU / April 15, 2013
Today, 15th of April, almost all the BUDHISTS shops are closed in Colombo! BUT ALMOST ALL THE WINE SHOPS ARE OPEN, EVEN AT THIS MOMENT, WITH THE BLESSING OF BORU BALU SENA! I the time now here is 20.50 hrs! This is THis is how we follow LOARD BUDDAH’S teachings!
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ONE / April 16, 2013
Drunken Buddha is a Nepali Restaurant in London.
Aren’t those there Drunken Buddhist with Kung fu style skimerishs.
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antibully? / April 16, 2013
are you calling for a religious police as in KSA?
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Upasiri de Silva / April 15, 2013
Trish, many thanks for this open letter to GOTABAYA. But the question is, he may not be able to read the entire letter and understand it, to take any action. MR and GR has forgotten about those volunteers who helped them during the last years of the war.Now all of us who performed important voluntary services are now labeled as TRAITORS, as those people who opposed them has become PATRIOTS. As you stated in your open letter, as GOTABAYA is now behaving as the acting President and the spoke person of the government about Law and Order, he should take urgent action to get the BBS and other organisation to maintain harmony among all in SL.
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Chanaka Lloyd / April 15, 2013
I’ve been avoiding commenting on writer’s (he was my lecturer back then) articles for a long time…for a good reason that is irrelevant here. But, after I saw this post on a friend’s page, I read it and wanted to make a comment.
I don’t have to agree or disagree with this. But, it’s sad that a lot of academics living outside of SL bash the SL govt (especially certain individuals within it). Some of those comments are good and constructive, but I can’t help thinking that most of them are motivated by reasons that we’d probably not fully understand!
Myself, I’m content with how things have slowly progressed in SL. But, I’m totally appalled by BBS and some elements within SL and their insensible and rhetorical actions. Instead of bickering about the situation in SL, or the writer or about the comments written here, let me put forth an earnest and (which I hope is a) constructive idea.
Take a snapshot of SL right now…what it represents is the level of current and accumulated education (factual and otherwise) of all its ppl. I could fully understand why SL is the way it is right now. With the current quality of education, we can’t expect any better. Education is not only about teaching facts and figures. It has to be about how to stand up like a man, accept responsibility, say sorry without reservation when you make a mistake, show your true face, develop a listening-heart, see an eye to eye, etc…I could go on night and day, on and on. Our great culture has much the latter encompassed in it. But, they are sadly forgotten and never really fully practised. That’s why I’ve been saying for a good 10 years now that we gotta revamp ‘how we teach’ our children. If we start with them, perhaps in few decades we’ll achieve a sociopolitical environment that we can proudly talk about…without pissing on each other each time we start an argument on SL politics and so on.
Anything else we do will only contain the situation temporarily (at best!). For example, in this case, Thrishantha heads one way, and there’s another who’d oppose him and head the opposite way. There’s no synergy, no volition, no real solution. So, I’d say,
…let’s start with Children.
…let’s start with Education.
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antibully? / April 15, 2013
great to see some are there to make constructive comments. humble contribution: introduce in the GCE O/L carriculum light-weight courses on other religions (in addition to the existing other languages courses) and make them taught by teachers from the respective religions. and don’t compell them on students, because anything compelled upon is often unwelcome; rather promote it. that will help remove a lot discomfort about ‘the others’ and eliminate the fear of elsewhere among students. focus on education is right as goes the saying, “education is what remains when one forgets everything learned in school”.
but still there is one reason why a government system must have a judiciary component: to ensure the monitoring and accountability aspect. we can’t do away with that. and the operational method of the judiciary is to look back and find the guilt ones and set the accounts straight. i think both tasks of ensuring justice for what happened in the past (and what happens in the present) and working towards for the betterment of the next generation are to be carried out simultaneously. failure of attending to either is wrong. i think that’s why people call for justice. establishing a better tomorrow does depend somewhat on the former.
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Samuel / April 15, 2013
@Chanaka,
I 100% agree with your suggestions in terms of how the start of our society building should be. Many of the comments, made me further clear, whoever was assaulted today in the country while being on a peaceful vigil or protest – even if the police have all prima facie evidence to arrest them, but doing nothing – why ? that has lot do with lawlessness of the state today as no seen any times in the past.
Just going through your comments on Education, it reminds me not just few months passed since FUTA and the sympathizers sacrificed their all energies for genuine efforts went on island wide protests over 3 months long even risking their own pays-, do you think that the rulers have fulfilled at least part of what they promised in regarding the great issue ?
If the leaders would be intelligent enough to analyse the ROOT CAUSES of all our problems- which is lack of law and order – they would focus on them without FURTHER delay – that can only be achieved through WHOLE HEARTED EFFORTS on the LONG DELAYED enforcement of the rule of law. That is the foundation for the solutions for all the problems that the folks facing today. If there is no healthy foundation what cant go NOT wrong ?
Hypothetically, if anyone violates the law would have been arrested, no many would add their comments in terms of appalling issues. Many including myself would not bother with that either.
Looking at all of crime scenes highlighted on the screens these days, being out of the country, I have asked myself dozens of times – why the rulers are handicapped and half hearted in terms of law and order issues ? and while they are good enough open new airports, several other people benefiting projects.
I truly believe, if a system should successfully be functional, the foundation is the most important step – that is not anything else – LAW AND ORDER TO THE POINT AS TO THE MANNER PRACTISING IN Malysia or Singapore – taking the most practicable system from the neighbouring south east Asians countries.
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Chanaka Lloyd / April 15, 2013
Samuel, I’m in agreement.
My suggestion of revamping the dimensions of the SL education was targeted towards a very long lasting solution. Of course, as you and others mentioned, fundamental necessities like law and order should be upheld to the utmost. But, both you and I know, that’s not gonna happen 100%. Why? ‘Cos the people who are supposed to uphold and officiate them are molded into those roles by the old education that heavily lacks on (what is now commonly called as) emotional intelligence. that is also why we see the gullibility of our ppl: anyone with a little status can convince a lesser person that—standing in front of a stray dog—that this ain’t a stray dog but a ‘pure bred dog of royal pedigree’.
that said, convincing the govt has to happen in a very strategic and a diplomatic way. that sounds counter intuitive, i know…they are our representation, so aren’t they suppose to work for our benefit? no, that’d not happen out of the box. that logic would work if the ppl of SL (you, I and all) aren’t that gullible and ‘dependent’. for us to come to that point, we’d have to implement the correct changes to the education (while the other services are maintained to the best of the ability) and wait a good few decades!
here i tried to be a realist. though my comment sounds very pessimistic and rather draining on the ppl who are actually expecting a shot of encouragement and hope, i actually did so in the best interest of all of us.
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antibully? / April 15, 2013
isn’t that exactly what the president promissed the entire country in all languages when he campaigned for elections, everytime? isn’t that all the election campaign posters and picture symbolically signify? an ideal blessed future, having forgotten the past? it’s an insult to keep on buying what politicians sell too naively.
if it’s wasn’t for the nuremberg trials, the sentiments in germany wouldn’t be the same as it is today. justice and rule of law are as important as we day dream of the utopia we are promissed by idealogical thinking. we need to learn from the germans and italians. we must disown the evil within us. and we shouldn’t feel ashamed of saying in future that some of us (not necessary to name) adopted bad thinking and things went wrong in such and such ways and that destroyed the well being of generations. that’s how we can caution the future generations and ensure that they lead a better life avoiding the evil.
if you really check the sri lankan text books on language, literature, history and religions, they all preach, in essence, the good – peace, harmony, well-wishing, good character, morality, tolerance… the evil enters from elsewhere. that’s what the people warning here about.
[i’ve gone a little off-the-track from purpose why i finally decided to write comments on CT today- counter-bullying. but i believe this deviation might contribute to some constructive discussion]
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Dr Laksiri Fernando / April 15, 2013
Chanaka Lyoyd,
Judging from your comments on the BBS and also education, you don’t appear completely content with the present situation. You say, “Take a snapshot of SL right now…what it represents is the level of current and accumulated education (factual and otherwise) of all its ppl. I could fully understand why SL is the way it is right now. With the current quality of education, we can’t expect any better.”
You may be correct for at best 15 percent (on a rough estimate) but the remaining 85 percent largely comes from politics and political culture of the country. The quality of education is a function of politics not necessarily the other way round. Changing education is long term and largely depends on politics to mean correct policies. Changing politics is short to medium term and could lead to a path breaking changes in education as well. Waiting to change education first is like waiting for Godot! It will never come unless politics is changed. The essence of FUTA struggle was to highlight this predicament.
The present ‘synergy’ between education and politics is that politics is run by the least or badly educated and not the best or the correctly educated. You may have some grievances about the way you were educated but it is not correct to put forward a viewpoint based on that ‘personal grievance’ which is quite obvious from what you say unfortunately.
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Chanaka Lloyd / April 15, 2013
thanks for your comment. there was no need to go on the “attack mode” in the last few sentences of yours. you ‘judged’ me on a personal level, which is uncalled for and something i wouldn’t expect from a learned academic (if u really are “Dr. Laksiri Fernando”, that is).
from ur comment, it’s clear to me that you got my point that i made on the ‘need’ for proper educational reforms. that’s good enough for me.
what you explained is the way to do it. i do not disagree that. my statement previously, “…and wait a few decades” is not entirely agreeable, it seems. but it is not incorrect though, and i understand that it is not the short term solution that some ppl seek.
what you suggested would work. however, to do that, i hope and wish a minority of smart and educated group of ppl could subdue the ways and wishes of a not-that-smart-and-educated group of majority in SL. ‘cos that’s essentially what needs to happen. however, i’d support either that or another solution as long as the intentions are genuine and transparent.
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MNZ / April 16, 2013
CL
Great thoughts, but we may not make any headway with the children as long as the vast majority of adults around them don’t practice “sila” (discipline).
The best example of “miraculous” resuscitation of a country in decline is that of Singapore when Lee Kuan Yew drew a red line and started with zero tolerance of corruption.
Sadly, none of our leaders have the willingness or cojons to do that.
As DJ suggests, we just need to find that rare specimen to pull this beautiful country out of the abyss it is in.
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Thrishantha / April 16, 2013
Chanaka,
The topic of education is sacred to me. So let me ask some specific questions to make sense out of your comments.
1. You mentioned that education is the long term solution to problems in Sri Lanka, and you correctly mentioned that it should not be limited to instructions. But you expect congruence of views out of it. I am afraid, education does not guarantee congruence of views, but regimentation does. Education is merely a basis one can use to reflect upon experiences to gain wisdom to question further. It is this process of questioning the status quo and one’s own role in forming that status quo as an integral part of the society, that can lead to a life that lives the change we aspire. And this aspired change never ends as far as human beings have greed and self identity. So, it would be helpful if you could further elaborate why divergence of my views from others is a problem. I see it as a healthy sign of a process of free investigation.
2. You mentioned about synergy of views. I was very sorry to see that you took Laksiri’s doctorate to let down his view as unworthy of a doctorate. Clearly this is hypocritical if you expect synergy out of diverging views. Laksiri merely pointed out some inconsistency in your argument about the education you received. I have seen this tactical approach in many people, but didn’t expect from you. Maybe you meant some special meaning of synergy. Can you kindly explain what you meant by synergy?
3. I am glad you have found things to be happy about in Sri Lanka. I suspect your sources of contempt to be in infrastructure development. However, you seem to be surprised of how BBS came into being. My guess is that this contradiction comes from what you mean by progress/development. But again, you mentioned the value of emotional intelligence which goes hand in hand with moral development. I don’t see how an appreciation of moral progress as a part of education can co-exist with an appreciation of a development model that dissociates things that underpin moral progress (human rights, notion of citizenship, justice, rule of law) and material progress (infrastructure development). Perhaps you could elaborate more on how you do not expect BBS to be there in the current development model that show callous disregard for human rights, justice, etc., that have been already emphasized in Sri Lankan school and university life numerous times?
/
Chanaka Lloyd / April 19, 2013
Unfortunately, it seems that my comments were heavily misquoted and taken out of context. I’m gonna try and clear the misunderstanding below, while attempting to answer your questions.
1.
(i) You said: “…education does not guarantee congruence of views, but regimentation does.” I really like that statement. I’m not sure of the exact definition of education, but in my mind I meant ‘education’ as knowledge and discipline together. So, I guess I’m not too far away from your view on that.
(ii) You said: “…if you could further elaborate why divergence of my views from others is a problem.” I never said it was a ‘problem’. I merely mentioned it.
2.
(i) You said: “I was very sorry to see that you took Laksiri’s doctorate to let down his view as unworthy of a doctorate.” I never mentioned his doctorate (only addressed him by the name he put on the comment himself) nor did I think it was unworthy of him (let alone his doctorate). I said “…is uncalled for and something i wouldn’t expect from a learned academic”.
(ii) You said: “Clearly this is hypocritical if…” It’d have been better if you asked first—and had my answer really been hypocritical—and then mentioned that it is hypocritical. Starting a statement with negative claims (whether it is followed by conditional statements or not…) is not too helpful in this sort of comments. That’s my humble opinion! Let me briefly clarify my take on synergy: it can be achieved out of diverging views, in the context of what this subject matter is about. Having a view that is radically different or opposing to another can actually bring to the attention of a totally new line of thought that wasn’t previously considered o r had been eluded. That can very well work towards a solution, given the parties having opposing schools of thoughts are actually open minded enough to listen to each other and humble enough to accept that he/she was wrong!
3.
(i) You said: “…your sources of contempt to be in infrastructure development.” I never mentioned of contempt of any sort in any of my comments.
(ii) You said: “…you seem to be surprised of how BBS came into being.” I never said I was surprised of their existence; in fact, I said I was ‘appalled’ by their actions.
(ii) You said: “I don’t see how an appreciation of moral progress as a part of education can co-exist with an appreciation of a development model that dissociates things that…” What we don’t see if what we should seek. Anyhow, what I mentioned (about this long term educational plan) was a “point of view”. How we implement that and put it to work is another matter. That’s why I agreed with what Dr. Fernando said (in my reply to him). With respect to his comment, however, such political changes that need to take place have to happen strategically. Strong opinions are fine. But, head on clashes will only make it worse. It’s evident to me by observing the “current situation of things in SL and outside”.
(iii) You said: “…you could elaborate more on how you do not expect BBS to be there…” I never mentioned anything about “not expecting” BBS to be there. Nor do I think I have to explain what you requested. With regard to BBS (if what I deduce from this and other comments of you is correct), you and I are on the same page. I’m well aware of why the come into being and am certainly disgusted by some of their actions.
/
Peace Lover / April 15, 2013
bravo Thrishantha,lets hope there will be many more Thrishanthas in mother lanka.
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Samuel / April 15, 2013
I have no doubt – there will be.
Waiting to see the reaction of the GR will be. I wonder whether these articles are being read by many – that is my worry right at the moment.
If anyone could publish the sinhala versions wherever the access is there, people would not stay scared still further.
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Ravi / April 15, 2013
Dear All,
We have to see the current situation of our country from overseas.Compare Democracy in countries like Australia with our country.Julia is struggling eventhough she is the PM.One radio station can destroy PM of Victoria.In this country politicians can’t make mistakes.If it happens it will become a political suicide.
Now see things in Sri Lanka.
Where is the power of media to question politicians.I think at the moment Sri Lanka should have panel of experts (At least academics) to take important decision affecting to the country.Not uneducated politicians.
We should not forget the contribution of Def.Sec ,three forces commander including former army commander) in eliminating the War.But this does not mean that these people are successfull in making economic decisions.
From my personal view it’s all about accountability and Good goverance.
from Top to bottom in every where.
When a country / organisation looses it’s coountability and good goverance there is no development.
Guys open for debate.
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antibully? / April 15, 2013
i must warn you that democracy with constituion protecting minority rights is the middle path, not a technocratic government machinery indifferent to human sentiments, which recently proved to be a failure in italy. they say education is what remains when one forget all that’s learned in school. my grand father didn’t go to a university – but was a wise man. we should respect education, but it shouldn’t eclipse the other important aspects of human nature which are (as of today) harder to be immitated by even by supercomputers simulating artificial neural networks.
agreed. war is long gone, it’s time for good governance. and that doesn’t require too much of pre-requisits.
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siri / April 15, 2013
[Edited out]
Shameless coward who had studied from public money trying to be a virtual hero by being thousnad miles away from our motherland….Just get lost…
We acknowledge criticism of the articles we publish, but will not allow persistent misrepresentation of our journalists/contributors to be published on our website. For the sake of robust debate, we will distinguish between constructive, focused argument and smear tactics. – CT
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antibully? / April 15, 2013
Dear pseudo-patriotic Sir,
I am making again the same argument as i did in response to another bu||y above. Your proud, bravely feedback is appreciated:
//Shameless coward who had studied from public money trying to be a virtual hero by being thousnad miles away from our motherland….Just get lost…//
FYI, the author worked in SL, lived in SL and contributed to SL academia and to the SL military at a high-time (I believe you read the article before you comment), and what’s more, risked his life at it, like the others. In fact the author practically initiated a unique trend of research culture at the place where he worked at and actually brought some recognition to the institution that he served, in certain research circles. You need to buy his book that has his memories of those times and reasons why he had to flee the country. The author also employed fellow Sri Lankans in his business – another way he contributed to the poor people? So how did you pay back for the public money you consumed? :)
A personal argument against the pseudo-patriotics who are against working abroad having been educated locally: Do you understand that when I study out of tax payer’s money, while other kids’ parents are paying for my education, my father is also paying for other kids’ education? In teh end, assuming uniformity in tax payments for simplicity, if you work it out, it turns out that actually my father has virtually paid for my education and your father for yours. But then, that’s just an idealization. In fact, people who earn more must be paying more tax than those who earn less. A car owner pays about 250% of the value of the car as tax that goes to educate everybody’s kids. So it’s a collaboration! We as a society take care of each other. As of today’s situtation with regard to the availability of jobs, which the government policies and practices are partly responsible for, people who go abroad and bring wealth in (the net gain), in one form or another are actually contributing to the economy and we must show some respect to those who bring in that wealth generated from outside the country, instead of calling them having betrayed their people. Or at least be happy that they are leaving some space for another poor person in the limited job market.
A wise man once said, “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win”. But I think a little elaboration is needed: first they brand you and isolate you so you can be ignored and then the rest follows.
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DODU / April 15, 2013
So you mean to say that a person who was away for 15 years with a GREEN CARD, has all the rights to do whatever he wants in this country! In 1989, when he was having a killing field in Matale his Brother was in Geveva with UNHRC looking for missing persons!
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David Blacker / April 18, 2013
No one has the right to do whatever he wants; his green card or time away has no relevance either way.
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DODU / April 19, 2013
Butt General Sarth Fonseka’s Green Card was a problem for the Great Brothers!
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David Blacker / April 20, 2013
And you agree with this?
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DODU / April 22, 2013
I do not and I hate those Great Brothers. They have a separate set of rule for them. They can have Dreen Card but not their opponents!
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David Blacker / April 23, 2013
If you disagree with that, why did you bring up the Green Card issue in the first place as a means of invalidating GR’s qualifications to be DefSec?
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JULAAMPITYE AMARAYA / April 15, 2013
SIRI, THE LICKER;
There is a SHAMELESS COWARD RAN AWAY FROM SRI LANKA AND GOT USA CITIZENRY and came to Sri lanka to be a public enemy number one.
YOUR WARDS;
“Shameless coward who had studied from public money trying to be a virtual hero by”
looting public money and and destroying the country.
Just tell that HOTHAMBAYA MANIAC, the sxxt eating pig to get lost…
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sarojini / April 17, 2013
At least GR came back, like many expats in SL to-day . Can you say the same for DR TN ? A super cardboard hero in the eyes of some .
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antibully? / April 17, 2013
Give him some 15 years and ensure there will be no white vans like Mr. G Rajapakse had his bro as the presidend?
Btw, i missed you a lot. Was awaiting some enlightenment from you, learned lady?
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Navin / April 15, 2013
Dr. Thrishantha,
I agree with everything you say about GR, BBS and anti-democratic activities of the MR government.
However, it is a fact that you supported general Sarath Fonseka
in his campaign for presidency against MR. Hence an anti-GR article coming from you would not be a surprise. Do you still stand by your decision to support SF then?
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JULAAMPITYE AMARAYA / April 15, 2013
NAVIN.
Is it a sin to take one’s own decision to support any body he likes???????????????????.
JULAAMPITYE AMARAYA, I R C,st Grd [ welikada].
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Native Vedda / April 15, 2013
Navin
Its you again.
The problem is not whether one supports this or that candidate but what happens afterwards in this majoritarian form of governance.
The winner takes all.
As long as this form of governance permanently denies minority rights. you are happy indeed.
You say:
“it is a fact that you supported general Sarath Fonseka
in his campaign for presidency against MR. Hence an anti-GR article coming from you would not be a surprise. “
What a stupid question.
He did not support MR gang in the first place hence he supported SF. Had he preferred MR, Thrishantha would not have supported SF. In other words his support for SF meant he was opposed to MR and his siblings.
Thrishantha, the man who opposed MR during the elections still continue to oppose the family rule. What do you find objectionable?
Much ado about nothing Navin.
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Sunimal / April 15, 2013
Who did not support SF in his campaign ? People wanted to see a change. It was the computer gilmart and related manipulations resulted MR to be the winner of election. As one of the commentators for an another thread raised it – one journalists should interview former EC allowing truth come to surface.
Given his today^s situation – without have his CIVIC rights, of course situation is different.
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Thrishantha / April 15, 2013
Yes, I did. But it was not based on any personal preference, but based on the best alternative principles available at that time. And yes, I tried to contribute my two cents to get him released. Now that he is free, I don’t worry anymore. I will see the next set of alternatives presented to us in the next election to take a decision. This is what we all do afterall, don’t we? The solution is not in them, but within us. We try to find a solution from outside us, that is why we keep on coming back to the same problem over and over again. The purpose of this article is to show that we, the people, sit above all of them, and that we demand for justice.
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Native Vedda / April 16, 2013
Thrishantha
“I will see the next set of alternatives presented to us in the next election to take a decision.”
As we have witnessed in the past, alternative to racist candidate was another racist candidate, or a set of corrupt politicians to another set of corrupt politicians.
“You must be the change you want to see in the world.”
– Mahatma Gandhi
You must be the alternative you want to see in Sri Lanka.
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j.muthu / April 16, 2013
Native for a change,
https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=525276657518496&set=vb.487999597912869&type=2&theater
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Native Vedda / April 16, 2013
j.muthu
Brilliant, this clip elucidate what Sinhala/Buddhism is all about and ought to be.
Any Sinhala/Buddhists who was not drunk on Aluth Avuruth please stand up.
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Thrishantha / April 16, 2013
Native V,
Spot on. We should live the change we want.
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Navin / April 16, 2013
Dr. Thrishantha,
Of those who supported SF at the election TNA, UNP, JVP, Parkiyasothy etc. all had their own reasons for doing so and none except you perhaps, expected (better) democracy and human rights from him.
Was it your belief that SF was a lesser human rights abuser than GR+MR or do you believe that it is fare game to support one human rights abuser to dislodge another? Please clarify. Thanks.
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antibully? / April 16, 2013
i thought SF still says he has no problem even with an international (perceived intrusive by many and in reality is far beyond what LLRC would recommend) investigation? isn’t that one’s confidence on their conscience and conduct expressed explicitly? some may resort to calling him naive and immature in international deplomacy, but honesty is the most main ingredient we have been missing in the reconciliation processes. you have to accept that war was war and some people did fight a professional war and that was even appreciated by the LTTE.
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Native Vedda / April 16, 2013
Navin
Its you again and again.
The state, its institutions, its rulers and their cronies are all in it.
Its no point comparing two abusers. Scale of abuse does not determine who is better abuser than the other.
People want no abuse, not less abuse. Victims want none of it and no such thing as good or bad torture.
There is no good torture and there is no bad torture. Torture is torture, is torture.
There is no good extrajudicial killing and bad extrajudicial killing.
One ought to decide on principle not on expediency.
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sham / April 16, 2013
Crap
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sach / April 18, 2013
Just because Thrishantha supported SF during election no one can say he is anti Gota, becasue every one has a right to support a candidate.
NOt only pakyasothy or several others, but 40 lacks of ppl voted for SF. Do u mean to say that all those 40 lacks voted for SF becasue of their personal reasons.
I supported SF in 2012, but i will no more, becasue i dont see any political awareness and maturity from his side. And it is the same for this regime too. The reasons we voted for SF was, we despise the way MR run this country. MR’s policies on SL defence, races, economy, freedom, free speech everything ARE wrong. that is why we needed a change and that is why we voted for SF. We can now see we were RIGHT about MR. simply saying MR is royally faqing things up. We foresaw this that is why we needed to get him out. It doesnt say the ones who worked for SF are anti MR and anti GR. got it?
After all even if thirshantha is anti GR u cant simply dismiss what he say. Just read the letter and if u disagree with him, debate with him on the points raised by him other than saying ‘u are anti GR so we dont care what u write!’. If Thrishantha is simply anti GR and his ltter has no substance, it would be easy for u to counter argue, but u dont even try doing that. Because u dont want to counter argure but simply dismiss what he say. It is not a problem of Thrishantha being anti GR but u being pro GR whatever that man does.
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J muththa / April 15, 2013
Donald Gnanakone – Tamils for Justice ???????
What Justice you Northern Tamils bestowed on the Indian Plantation Tamils(IPT) when you Northerners got them down with the promise of land and settle them along the buffer zone……..
WAS THAT JUSTICE ? You Northern exploiters.
These lives were cheap and expendable ?
When did the Gnanakone’s yelled blue murder when the stomachs were split and unborn babies were pulled out of their mother’s wombs?
When IPKF was killing , raping ang creating mayhem on the Tamils where were the crocodile tear shedding Tamil Naduas??Demostratin ??
Theishantha Nanayakkara [Edited out]
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manisekaran / April 16, 2013
TN people condemned the IPKF and still they shout at the actions of IPKF everywhere. We made congress null entity in politics in TN? But have you guys done to eliminate the racism and atrocities on minorities since 1956, had one sensible government at helm realized this and removed indifference, SL would have been like malaysia and witnessed much growth with support from TN in all quarters but you people chose to intimidate and now shouting us. Clean your back before commenting on others back!
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punchinilame / April 15, 2013
Dayan –
………”and the non-option of RW as alternative. These MR years will then look like a walk in the park.”
They both are partners-in-crime, going back to the alleged murder of
ones wife and the political hand in losing the File when RW played that
part?
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KAPAN / April 16, 2013
GOTA AND RAJAPASSA AND THEIR SYCOPHANTS ARE BRAINDEAD. OUR STUPID SRI LANKANS ARE SUPPORTING A BRAIN DEAD STUPID GREEDY IDIOTS.SRI LANKANS SHOULD REGRET RAJAPASSAS DEAD FARTHER FOR CREATING THESE IDIOTS WHO WILL RUNI DEMOCRACY, RUIN BUDDHISM AND MULTI CULTURAL UNITY. MAY LIGHTINING STRIKE ON THESE SOULS FOR ROBING MY MOTHER LANKA. RECENT WIMAL WEERAWANSA’S SINGING, THE IDIOT DOESNT KNOW THAT HE CANNOT SING.
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whodunnit / April 16, 2013
OMG!!!! Is this what we have spawned? Dr Thrishantha writes something which most would not dare and the knives come out. Have we forgotten that many have been eliminated ( fact), white vanned( fact), threatened with death and hate speech by top govt officials( fact)? Media hammered into submission( fact)? A cap has been put on on dissent. This is a fact too. We penny pick on a truthful assessment. Vent our base instincts on a comment without adding to the debate. This is why there is no room in Sri Lanka for reconciliation let alone arrest the downward slide as a democratic nation. Police et al, do not move when these happen as if they know instinctively that Rajapaksas approve the actions of some . Leave all this crap about who is writing what, who has the right to say such or not, and get to the gist of what is being said. Moving on from there to prod the leaders to fall in line is what is required. Then again we are a nation that is expected to haul one another down leaving a clear path for psychopath leaders and their ilk to fatten themselves. Dayan knows this. He says it whilst defending the war. Just take the educated responses out of the debate and do the simple things right. Stop murder. Stop the bashing of the media. Stop white vans. Stop hate speech.Stop glorifying mediocrity. Stop corruption. Stop political opportunism of one family being the only solution to all of this country’s problems. Stop being the guardians of one religion. Not rocket science, is it? Oh, start education the rural folk. There might be brilliant sparks who will contribute to our future. They should benefit from the surges in modern tech too. Give them also a “life” and not three meals.
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Jayasinghe / April 16, 2013
Trish, congrats! It is crucial that everyone with a semblance of a backbone should stand up unequivocally against the unholy developments in Lanka post-war. I am glad that Dayan and Laksiri have joined in for the honest job. This is not the time for scholarly pieces.The war was won and now it is being betrayed step by step.
I smell danger that the real opposition to the regime will come from India via Tamilnadu. Tamilnadu with a population of over 60 million Tamils are gearing up for something very very serious for Sri Lanka. Mobilization levels are very high over there. Our supine self-centred filmstars like Ravindra Randeniya who have benefited heavily from the regime performed a ridiculous ‘adhistana pooja.’
Unless the GOSL acts quick and with foresight it will be disastrous both for the family and for the people. The family can be damned;but our people must be protected. Gota and company are dash naive over what could happen.
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Sama / April 16, 2013
As I got to see – not RR but popular actor Anthony should be a great fool to have held a that kind of public speech recently making Raja even Maharaja… :( Our people will never learn to – think before leap –
If anyone would hold an opinion poll of EU sort to ascertain how many percentage of the citizenry would like or dislike the rulers – I have no doubt, like in North Korea – almost over 60% will be their sympathizers.
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