By Dayan Jayatilleka –
Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka
When history is written it must not be said that the greatest achievement of the Aragalaya was to make Ranil Wickremesinghe, an unelected MP and leader of the UNP which was rejected utterly by the people, the Prime Minister for the 6th time.
Of course, the Aragalaya got rid of Mahinda Rajapaksa, but he was succeeded by Ranil Wickremesinghe. The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
That cannot be the final outcome, the last word, on the Aragalaya. There must be some victory which is in accordance with the values, demands and ideals of the Aragalaya.
The Aragalaya is the best thing that happened to us, the best thing we did as a country certainly since the war ended in victory. If the war was won thanks to the Rajapaksas and Sarath Fonseka, the peace was lost also thanks to the Rajapaksas. We had hit rock bottom when the Aragalaya resurrected us as a country; a people a society.
If the Aragalaya loses its way or worse still dissipates, we would have lost the best of ourselves as a society.
Therefore, with the Aragalaya now at a crossroads, a course correction is needed.
Every course correction starts with an honest audit or a self-criticism as the left calls it, though the Lankan left hardly ever engages in a sincere one.
The Trap the Aragalaya Fell Into
In the struggle to save the Gotabaya Presidency, a tactic was obviously devised by the deep State to divert the campaign to another target. The first was Basil Rajapaksa, the second was the Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. Elements of the 11-party bloc fell for that and presented solutions which shifted the focus to the PM.
From Gota’s Gotta Go, the struggle either was diverted to Mahinda or enlarged and therefore diluted to include the PM. When you enlarge a target to include a new element, you lose focus. Ask any sniper or simply any marksman.
The Aragalaya fell into the trap and it was NOT on May 9th when MR’s thugs went on a rampage. It was earlier. Ironically the mistake was made by the most dedicated, heroic, indispensable detachment of the Aragalaya, the Inter-University Student’s Federation (IUSF) and its sincere leader Wasantha Mudalige.
The IUSF staged a massive, impressive march to Galle Face Green. The Police placed roadblocks including ones with spikes. As we saw at the conclusion of the march though, the Galle Road was open as the point of access. Having made some smart tactical moves and built-up considerable momentum and velocity, the IUSF march made a detour to Temple Trees and at one point tried to get past the barricades and shake the gates. Promising to return, the march triumphantly made it to Galle face green, which it could have done without that detour.
That night MynahGoGama came up, which was cool. Mahinda Rajapaksa responded crudely with Pirith blaring and the rest of it. May 9th came afterwards.
By the detour, the struggle with the PM became the most dramatic. In terms of tactics and strategy, that detour was a deviation. It was to prove expensive. On May 9th the Aragalaya won that battle but damaged the war against the Gotabaya autocracy and the Rajapaksa oligarchy.
The thing is, Gota and Mahinda together gave the picture of a Rajapaksa oligarchy, which was the reality. Re-targeting the struggle to Mahinda was exactly what the Gota camp wanted. Mahinda’s stupidity enabled Gota to dump him and activate the Rajapaksas’ Plan B: Ranil Wickremesinghe.
It would be a naïve person to believe that Ranil’s return to parliament was not as part of an agreement with Mahinda and with the blessings of Gota. Ranil was kept as UNP leader even by CBK as a safe reserve option.
On May 9th-May 10th, the Rajapaksas activated Plan B and installed their ally Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister. That outcome is hardly an outstanding revolutionary victory. It is in fact a retro-move; in other words, it is historically a step backward.
So, what about Sajith Premadasa and the SJB? I think that two mistakes were made, by both the Aragalaya and the SJB.
Once Mahinda was pushed out, the Aragalaya should have insisted that the Opposition Leader take the Prime Ministership, because it would have been much better to have a quasi-ally of the Aragalaya as PM and dominating the Cabinet than having Ranil do so, and transitioning Gotabaya out by reformist ‘salami tactics’ such as the 19th amendment, while protecting the people’s living standards in negotiations with the INF and creditors.
Instead, some elements in the Aragalaya (and I believe they have been identified as NOT being MR thugs, Police/military spies or Peratugamee/IUSF activists) initiated a mob attack on Sajith Premadasa.
On the night of May 9th, the Aragalaya leaders made a second strategic mistake, that of silence. While it may be said that regime provocateurs were responsible for violence in the provinces, what was going on at Temple Trees was utterly transparent and could have been parametrically restrained. That what leadership is about. As Lenin said, ‘any real communist must know how to start a strike as well as how to stop it’.
SJB’s Delay
As for the SJB itself, it has to make an existential choice. It has to decide “Api Kavuruda”: whether it is a tough-minded, hard-charging Premadasist populist/social democratic party or a party dominated or influenced by liberals ( mainly liberal constitutional lawyers), most of whom were Ranil followers, bond scam foot-noters, Berghof Foundation products who supported Ranil’s CFA with Prabhakaran, assorted federalists, lawyers for Ranil in the Bond scam case and drafters of new Constitutions for Ranil going against the 1978 Presidential Constitution that their own fathers drafted.
The SJB delayed by wasting time for weeks with a slogan of ‘abolition of the executive presidency’ which could not secure the SLFP’s support and was more of a load than the moment could bear.
The SJB’s bad timing and slow intervention reminded me of the line of Carl Schmitt (whose formative background was Catholic, not evangelical) that “when faced with the choice ‘Jesus or Barabbas’, liberals appoint a committee!” His famous point was that liberalism, and especially liberal parliamentarism (devoid of a strong executive), was incapable of making a decision in crisis. The ‘decisionist’ critique of liberalism was proved by the SJB which delayed and miscalculated the actual balance of forces at a decisive moment.
Aragalaya Agenda, post-Ranil
So, what next for the Aragalaya? Slavoj Zizek wrote that “The Revolution Always Rings Twice”. It was a riff on the movie the Postman Always Rings Twice, and referred in this case to the Russian revolution of 1917 which actually witnessed TWO revolutions, in February and in October. Zizek’s point was that Lenin went against the tide and pushed through the second most decisive revolution within the year.
Now the Aragalaya has not even won the February 1917 revolution i.e., the democratic revolution that ousted the Tsar of Russia. Instead, Tsar Gotabaya is still there, while he has a new PM. Therefore, there is no question of a second (this time, socialist) ‘October’ revolution. The democratic revolution must be brought to completion and crowned by the departure of Gotabaya. However, the Zizekian point about Lenin is valid in that there can and must be a Second Wave of the (democratic) Revolution to carry it through to completion and do so within this year.
Here too, Zizek’s determined, resolute, hard-driving Lenin must be ‘read’ together with Georg Lukacs’ Lenin. Lukacs writes in 1924 of “Lenin’s realism, his Realpolitik…”
The Aragalaya must now have a three point agenda UNDER, NOT INSTEAD OF the Gota Go Home thematic slogan and intended as the concrete way to operationalize that slogan in the new conditions of Ranil’s PM-ship.:
1. Articulate a minimum economic program to defend and restore the living standards of the people in the face of any attempt to impose the burden of economic crisis management and recovery on those who had nothing to do with starting the crisis. This program must commence with the immediate restoration of the fertilizer subsidy.
2. Convene a roundtable conversation of all Aragalaya and Opposition forces and draft an Aragalaya+ Opposition Consensus platform. It requires a broad Church or Big Tent inclusionary approach such as the conventions that Sub-Comandante Marcos and the Zapatistas had in liberated Chiapas and the Sau Paulo Forum initiated by Lula as Mayor. My strong suggestion is do not go for the abolition of the executive presidency. It can easily be defeated at a referendum by showing that the executive presidency is indispensable in economic crisis, and anyway, the military may react against it.
3. Focus on an irresistible campaign for Parliamentary, Presidential elections within this year.
Gus / May 13, 2022
Ranil is a JOKER and in CARHOOTS with Gota RAKSHApakse and it is merely:
moving deckchairs on the Titanic (sinhala land)
Gota RAKSHApakse has to go for any meaningful change or otherwise much the same will prevail.
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old codger / May 13, 2022
“When history is written it must not be said that the greatest achievement of the Aragalaya was to make Ranil Wickremesinghe, an unelected MP and leader of the UNP which was rejected utterly by the people, the Prime Minister for the 6th time. “
If we take that sort of logic forward,
” When history is written, it must not be said that Mahinda Rajapaksa, the hero who saved the nation, had to flee Temple Trees in a helicopter”
Or “Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who received 6.9 million votes, appointed Ranil Wickremesinghe as PM.
When your toilet is overflowing, you call an experienced plumber. You don’t bother whether he farts , as long as he does the job
Slogans are very nice, but mean nothing. At the moment, the country needs someone who can do the proffered job. Sajith hemmed and hawed till it was too late. He has a credible team but they were let down by their leader’s indecision. Ranil has stepped up, let’s see what he can do. There is no point in nit-picking. The country is on the brink of an unprecedented disaster.
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SJ / May 13, 2022
OC
DJ always has his agenda.
*
The country would have been on the brink whether or not MR did not create the scene.
Clearly, it is just SP’s sour grapes finding voice in DJ.
*
The question is what will happen to the protest and its purpose?
But can this team deliver? Or rather what can this team deliver?
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old codger / May 14, 2022
SJ,
“But can this team deliver? Or rather what can this team deliver?”
The power stations are about to run out of fuel. We are lucky that the rain has enabled some hydropower. There isn’t any petrol, diesel, or LPG.
If the team can provide the above, plus fertilizer, it will be a start. I don’t think Gota any longer has the intention to impose his will, and will eventually go. He’s just a sick and tired old man and wants a safe exit.
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nancytwins17 / May 14, 2022
I concur with your statement “When your toilet is overflowing, you call an experienced plumber. You don’t bother whether he farts , as long as he does the job”.
When history is written, it is more often done in the eyes of the story teller, which later is taken as the truth.
I know for certain that when MR won the first time, with the help and underhand work by Sooriyarachchi, Mangala, and Tiran, the only thing MR wanted to do was to deal with the LTTE in the same line as RW. It was Gota’s guts and determination who put the organization together to recruit the right man, SF to win the war, or to sate it correctly to eliminate the terrorists.
Gota ‘was’ not a bad person as he is portrayed to be. Although, he has become arrogant with age, to become what he is today. His knowledge is limited and he acts the same way as Ranasinghe Premadasa did. However, one has to give the credit which is rightfully be given to him. He put the apparatus together to eliminate terrorism of LTTE. Later he got ‘assimilated to the Borg’ to become what he is today. I genuinely felt sorry for the way he looked when he delivered his address to the nation.
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deepthi silva / May 14, 2022
One of the subtle crimes of crimes of Ranil is to have wormed himself into the minds of old codgers as a big doer and economic wizard.( like PB, Nivad, Mahendran, we have had so many doers…)
I can understand if such a thing is said about a person who has never being tested.
This guy Ranil has been a PM six times! What did he do then ? Just listen to that interview of Pakiyasorthy by an Indian journalist. Ranil’s record shows nothing. Remember he is a lawyer, not an economist.
When JR was alive and had chaps like Lalith Gamini, Prema etc was ranil considered a big brain or a good doer ? NO
What changed/ I think the country became stupid.
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old codger / May 14, 2022
DS
“Remember he is a lawyer, not an economist.”
And how many of our PMs were economists?
In case you have forgotten, he brought the economy back from Chandrika’s negative growth, and his last stint was marked by improvements in human rights, better relations with the UNHRC, reducing Presidential powers, low fuel prices, etc. Are you saying the Rajapaksas did better? Prove it.
There much worse things than being a lawyer, like being a jumped-up drill sergeant, a pickpocket, an idiot who bans fertilizer or another idiot who thinks his amulets will save him.
The trouble with many Sri Lankans is that they don’t know what “good enough ” is until they lose it.
BTW, THERE WAS NO BOND SCAM.
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Ajith / May 13, 2022
Dayan,
You have lost your credibility and you are not entitled to advise the “Aragalya”. Aragalya should not change its “theme” of GotaGoHome. The appointment of Ranil by Gota brings “Ranil” into their circle who is nothing to different to Rajapaksas. “GotoGoHome” includes not only Gota or Rajapaksa Family but also includes Ranil and others .
There is nothing going to be changed in the economic crisis or political crisis because Ranil has some influence with the West and India. The West itself undergoing economic crisis and they have no influence on the Gas or electricity prices. Further, they have also suffering from Foregin exchange deficits. IMF loans are conditional and it will take time and it will not give money for subsidies or help the poor.
Ranil may think he can cheat TNA again but Tamils in the country or diaspora not prepared to fall in the Ranils cheat once again.
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SJ / May 13, 2022
Sending anybody home cannot be an end in itself.
What happened is a master stroke by a hidden hand.
The protest should find a renewed direction that will speak up for the bulk of people.
*
As for the “Tamils in the country or diaspora” the leaders have demonstrated their impotence far too often.
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Gus / May 14, 2022
SJ
ou say: ““Tamils in the country or diaspora” the leaders have demonstrated their impotence far too often.”
WHY? do anything other than look after their brethren whcich from my sources say that dollars are flowing into the North and East.
WHY? da anything when the RAKSHApakses have done such a good job TO the sinhalas that have somewhat compensated for the periodic and regular atrocities on the ceylon tamils.
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Ajith / May 14, 2022
“Sending anybody home cannot be an end in itself.”
Every one understands that sending Gota Home cannot be an end in itself. But keeping a devil cannot be an end in itself. By sending home the devil, you give an opportunity to stop or minimise further deterioration of the economy. I know you worry about sending Gota home.
“As for the “Tamils in the country or diaspora” the leaders have demonstrated their impotence far too often.”
So what? Do you understand the difference between Tamils and Tamil political leadership. How did Buddhist Sinhala people came out against a war hero who was elected by the same people?
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Jit / May 13, 2022
Ranil, Gota and Mahinda are in the same camp. So what miracles can you expect?
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Pandi Kutti / May 13, 2022
Correct. Have you noticed Mahinda goes to be replaced by Ranil then Ranil goes and he is replaced by Mahinda this has been happening a few times and they both cover each other’s crimes. Nothing has changed one crook and charlatan replaced by another. Nominally different parties but in the same camp.
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Ajith / May 14, 2022
PK,
You are absolutely right. There is no difference between Ranil, Gota and Mahinda, they are one family. We talked about Tsunami Fund Corruption, MIC deal, murder of Journalists, Lasantha murder, Rugby player murder, Easter Bombing, Bonds scam and so many other crimes but so far, not a single politician were brought to justice whether it was from SLFP/SLPP or UNP Government.
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SJ / May 13, 2022
J
Was not Sajith begging pathetically to join the camp even after Ranil got there?
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Jit / May 14, 2022
SJ, that is absolutely a separate issue (and fyi I have never endorsed SP). What I said was, the turmoil we undergo now is engineered by Rajapaksha gang and what can we expect from another Rajapaksha stooge??
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SJ / May 13, 2022
DJ specialises in irrelevant parallels.
With Sajith desperately pleading to be made P{M after RW beat him to it, is there nothing to infer about what SJB and Sajith have in mind.
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chiv / May 13, 2022
DJ, my Man , time to arrange a Nugegoda like rally, may be this time closer to GF. Let people see who you are and what you can do ?. Are you ready ? “Lights , Camera, Action” ( music playing in the background).
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nimal fernando / May 13, 2022
Yippee ……….. It’s Big Ranil, once again!
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After everyone has fled …….. when the Vietcong tanks were at the gates of Saigon presidential palace …….. Big Minh grabbed the presidency ……. such was his desire for power
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“assumed power as the fourth and last President of South Vietnam in April 1975, two days before surrendering to North Vietnamese forces.”
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Let the parliament be flattened with all its current occupants …….. to extinguish the odious memory from the Lankan consciousness ……… and a new dawn begin …….
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“Let a thousand flowers blossom” —- Chairman Mao Zedong; Native you’ll love it! …….. It should be “hundred” but I added a few more ………….
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Simon / May 13, 2022
“The Proof of the Pudding is in the eating”. This “PUDDING”, (Ranil W as the PM) offered by President Gota is a “STINKING STALE DESSERT” that the people of Sri Lanka have tasted many times and thrown out of the “TABLE” (Parliament). Of course, we all know who eats such stale stinking food when thrown out into the garbage. They are most “NOTABLY” by the “STRAY DOGS”, “PIGS” etc. Let them “ENJOY” it.
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ReginaldShamalPerera / May 13, 2022
“By the grace of Allah, by the grace of Allah, we will get ready for what we have planned to do. We will rid this country of dogs and non-Muslims for they have no place. We will continue our effort until they are punished, may Allah be with us.” – Mohammad Rilwan – brother of Zaharan Hashim.
The above was said by the brother of Zaharan Hashim (not Mahinda Rajapakse wink wink). Those who say Rajapakses orchestrated the Easter Sunday bombings are doing so either because their IQ is too low or because they are racists. Their racism makes them think that nothing in Sri Lanka can happen without a Sinhalese giving the initial commands.
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chiv / May 14, 2022
Regie , nothing in SriLanka can happen without a Rajapaksa giving the initial commands. .Haven’t we heard and seen enough , leave the IQ testing for another day. It’s you who is trying to make it racism.
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RBH59 / May 14, 2022
ReginaldShamalPerer
IQ of Rajpakse bringing gangs to temple tree giving them liquor and ammunition thoughts to injury to peaceful people and did not have the mind to give the basics ( instead of Gas, Petrol, Milk, Medicine, Fertilizer ) sum up that to keep the leadership and he used them in history countrywide destruction witness coming.
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Abimanu Siva / May 13, 2022
The mass protest was for “Gota to Go Home”, then ballooned into Mynah (Mahinda) Go Home. But Gota is still around. The only reason why Ranil was made PM was not that he was the only clever or the cleverest in Sri Lanka but he was the only one prepared to compromise, as he is always accustomed to, if a position of power was dangled in front of him, having miserably failed and being unable to earn on his own; and he is the only one who agreed to be subservient to Gota and serve under him. Other potential PMs stressed the fundamental –that Gota ought to go and they are not willing to serve under him. Thus, a “Joker” has been suddenly elevated as an “Ace” in the pack of cards. Now with his appointment and agreement, ‘democracy’ and ‘people power’ has been mocked and thrown to the wild winds. This has to be either the end of the many times and much postponed political nemesis of Ranil or the very unfortunate smothering of the recently lit flame of “people power”, rendering it a waste.
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RBH59 / May 13, 2022
When Maithripala Sirisena in power he inviting Rajapakse & Rajapakse in power he is inviting Ranil
waste stage of time, can Ranil get 113.
Ranils come back people will decide Tactics bringing to power without strategy is a noice before defeat
Democracy by the people for the people from the people in sri lanka democracy by president from the president for the president. Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance.
People shouldn’t be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people
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ramona therese fernando / May 13, 2022
Sajith and Anura were given the chance, but did not take it. They stayed true to their principles. But in retrospect, with Ranil around, they should have been more scheming. Ranil is the traitor! He’ll probably use IMF loans to build the land-bridge for the India merger over Lankan immediate needs for food and sustenance. Masses, with IMF blessings, will be well controlled like in the UNP 80’s and 90’s (different from Rajapaksa illegitimate white vans). But let’s hope he has a different, more genuine plan, this time around.
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nimal fernando / May 14, 2022
To hell with Lanka ………. your Crypto is crashing and burning, Ramona! :))
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ramona therese fernando / May 14, 2022
To hell with all the R’s you mean…they are the ones who placed the money of the hardworking-suffering-Lankan-Masses on it. No wonder people are starving.
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Jit / May 14, 2022
Ramona, that’s a good one…I must admit!! :))
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SS / May 14, 2022
Of course, the Aragalaya got rid of Mahinda Rajapaksa, but he was succeeded by Ranil Wickremesinghe
———
Reminds me of a classic line from a classic movie:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09-GbpOd9T4
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Simon / May 14, 2022
ramona therese fernando: Both Gota and Ranil had a discussion before this appointment. Who knows what was discussed and planned? Could be: Gota as demanded by the “Gota Go Home” resigns and say I have bowed down to the peoples’ demand. Then who becomes the “Interim President”? The Prime Minister in Parliament at the time. So in terms of the Constitution, the PM Ranil Wickramasinghe becomes the “Interim President”. This is my “Wild Guess”. These types of “Wild Guesses” (Bahubootha) come to mind at these troubled times. Do you also get some “Wild Guesses” (Bahubootha) come to you?
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ramona therese fernando / May 14, 2022
Simon,….is it in the constitution that pm becomes president if prez resigns? He is not the vice prez like in the US. My Bahubootha is that the political process won’t be able to handle the pm and prez impasse and the country will starve even more. pm(x)+prez(y)=ZERO! …x being the oppositional parties, and y, the People. Both prez and pm need to be overthrown. No more niceties.
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SS / May 14, 2022
It is not enough to get rid of the Rajapaksas.
All freemasons need to be removed from all positions of power.
That also includes two faced opportunistic turncoat ‘journalists’
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Ajay Sundara Devan / May 14, 2022
Yes, system change cannot occur if ‘reforms’ are initiated by and under the existing institutional framework. If it is a revolution, something new – something from the outside of the existing system – should come into play. The repressive political system based on an unjust constitution should be totally replaced, and it can only be achieved by extraconstitutional action by the people based on their inalienable sovereignty. At the moment such a breath of fresh air is coming only from the Galle Face Green. Because only there something new is happening. Only there, some new players are on the scene – the arrival of the Millennial generation. Having grown up in the era of cultural globalization brought about by the information revolution, foreign travel and social media, they’re more concerned about equity, diversity, human rights, social justice and the environment than any previous generation. Theirs is the most genuine and unyielding conviction for a total system change now – for otherwise they know they have no future in this country. They have already achieved considerable success in building a new political culture eschewing racism, religious bigotry, sexual and gender discriminations – making the political class jittery. For over seven decades now, this decadent class, deriving its power through social privilege, patronage, corruption, hatred, thuggery, and state terror – has been the curse of this country.
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ramona therese fernando / May 14, 2022
Clarion Call (Part II)
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Blow bulge blow,
Beat the drums loud,
Ranil the Rascal,
Has come into town!
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He has a grand plan to stir up the Markets
He has a grand plan to whip hard the Masses.
From China Port-City to Monaca’s fine shores
His plan is to Rhumba and Tango with
With Lanka own Assets!
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Money, the Right of the hard-working Masses
Will now be put on the Global Stock Markets
The Elite will play their fiddle and tune,
Whilst Masses dance hard, to fill up their gloom
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Our backs, they will hurt, and so will our children’s
To satisfy these gory ambitions
Oh people, oh people to you do we plead,
You have the right, to have some reprieve
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Reprieve it must, from the class and the caste
Where the Masses work hard for the eternal farce
The farce of the system where the Rich always hold
The wealth of the labor, from off our back-bones.
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In Crypto, in Offshore, in Grand Bank-Accounts,
In posh tea-parties in fashionable house
In snooty articulation, in haughty haute-couture
The Elite will saunter in pompery galore!
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The lesser will labor at the learning of hard subjects
So their brains can contribute to the Global Advances
Motherland will get a trickle or two
Nothing of what our brains and brawn can actually do.
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ramona therese fernando / May 14, 2022
Our land will be merged with the Indian sub-continent
So the markets can sum-up the global mercantile ambition
Ancient forests cut down; farmlands laid waste
For this terrifying, Sci-Fi, capitalist craze.
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Where the Elites of both lands will live in their wonder
From money created from our own hard-earned endeavor
Port-City, the place where our hard-work is placed
From China to US, for them all to taste.
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Blow bugle blow,
Beat hard the loud drums,
March to the Parliament
And Flush them all out!
–
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Ashan / May 14, 2022
Unfortunately Ranil does not give this country any hope. His years of leadership at various times did not leave a good impression. He was an ineffective leader, with no spine at crucial times, seem to be in cahoots with the Rajapaksa’s, and it was HIS failures that saw these crooks and felons back in power again. He will not be the inspiration, stability, and strength, that this country needs at this time.
Most of all the Goat Man will still be able to call the shots.
Making Sri Lanka fail again.
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Rajash / May 14, 2022
DJ – showing his opportunistic and survival instinct.
He jumps from camp to camp to be on the winning side
Some one from Aragalaya said “you fucked the wrong generation.”
DJ – Sri Lanka is a failed state and bankrupt state after more than 70 years of racist politics that yu were part of.
=====
Its time for the young generation of Sri Lanka to take control of their future.
They don’t need your lecture ..you guys have failed Sri Lanka for the last 70 years with your so called wisdom …
so F off and leave it to the young generation….
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Peradeniya Critical Tradition / May 14, 2022
The state has rebalanced with the appointment of Ranil, architect of Yahapalanaya, as the new PM. He has invited his partymen to function as a committee to find solutions locally e.g. Vajira, Ruwan. So now we have a Rajapaksa cum UNP government -anogher Yahapalana government including the control of the cenral bank.
Aragalaya should not follow Dayan’s advice. Key members of Aragalaya will evolve and adapt to face the new situation. Failure of SJB is not the failure of Aragalaya. If Aragalaya joins with SJB and other opposition parties, it will be the end of Aragalaya.
Aragalaya has wide support in urban and rural areas. It is expanding. One wonders how long Ranil can continue as PM? Let’s see the next few weeks. With Gota and Ranil project, the system will remain.This is contrary to the ‘system change’ that Aragalaya anticipted. Ranil is the darling of global capital, liberal camp in the west, and the system. It will be impossible to expect system change merely because the shape of government is rebalanced. Keep an eye on the new agreements he will enter into with foreign countries and agencies, especially the American ones in order to obtain dollar loans.
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Pundit / May 14, 2022
The “Aragalaya” will soon peter out . It was making good progress until Colombo’s self proclaimed ‘elite’ and official and unofficial clergy of various denominations stepped in to make it their own . Notable intruders were the wife of a star sportsman making a statement in her mother tongue with pronounced difficulty , and a stirring rendition of the theme song of Les Miserables which would have sent a shiver up the spines of the swabasha speaking ‘antharay’ youth .
Meanwhile SP, our very own Houdini proved once again that he is not leadership material . Harsha, Eran, Ranawaka,SF and the handful of others with ability have to wait a while longer for their claim to fame. The more than adequately well heeled Dentist , LK (by no means the great Kadirgamar) et al on the other hand might do one last summersault to strengthen their former boss’s hand.
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AYATHURAY RAJASINGAM / May 14, 2022
I think the appointment of Ranil Wickremasinghe as Prime Minister is a perfect choice. It is not the question whether his party was defeated or unelected. As I see he is the only matured and experienced Parliamentarian who can tackle this situation. Sajith Premadasa, Maithiripala Srisena and Wimal Weerawansa are politicians who can ruin the country to the maximum as they don’t have good records. It is true that there are allegations against Ranil. But at present he wanted to bring the country back to normalcy and attend to the immediate needs of the people. The present situation cannot be solved over night. People must tolerate for some time until Ranil clears the obstacle. As a first step he temporarily arrested the inflation and reduced the price of consumer goods. Western countries, India and Japan have shown green light to Ranil’s government. Now he will have carry out with some meaningful projects that are beneficial to the country. Meanwhile Ranil never took any measures to harm the people. There is a duty on the people to assist Ranil in solving this burning issue.
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srikrish / May 14, 2022
Elections, presidential or parliamentary are not the priorities.
Aragaliya must go beyond the slogan “Gota Go Home”, it has to make strategic specific proposals/slogans that go beyond this single issue.
What happens after Gota go home? Another rascal or set of rascals continue on the path of Gota.
No more Gotaism, corruption, family bandism, totalitarianism , but necessary and sufficient constitutional and system/institutional changes that will make the country real participatory democracy with good governance as the philosophy that could produce leaders who are honest, capable and committed, efficient and effective in the march towards prosperity for all.
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deepthi silva / May 14, 2022
The very first principle of democracy is that any law maker or a person deciding on public finance should be elected by the people.
Ranil was rejected by the people as a person not fit to be in parliament.
What is this nonsense Ranil is up to ?
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old codger / May 14, 2022
DS,
“The very first principle of democracy is that any law maker or a person deciding on public finance should be elected by the people.”
Would you please provide a few links to prove your statement? I’ll give you a few days.
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pakisB / May 14, 2022
Shit ! We are still talking politics. Be sensible and get Ranil (I am not a fan) to do the dirty job. Give him a timeline. Either he succeeds or fails. Either way kick him out after that.
Few things that he should do.
1. Restore the economy
2. Initiate good governance (repeal 20A and bring something better). This should be easy as all the parties want it now.
3. Prepare for the abolition of Exc. Presidency
4. Ask him to organize an assembly of people from a cross section of intellectuals (including the Aragalaya prostestors) and politicians to discuss the future course of Sri Lanka and a new constitution.
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deepthi silva / May 14, 2022
Why O Codger, don’t you agree that those deciding these things in parliament must be elected by the people?( not some backdoor MP) Ranil himself said he will not go to Parliament since he was not elected.
You must be Ranil’s brother who hired some thugs to assault the protestors in front of Ranil’s house !
I will give you a few decades to show that Ranil is the same as Churchill !
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old codger / May 15, 2022
DS,
You wrote :“The very first principle of democracy is that any law maker or a person deciding on public finance should be elected by the people.”.
Provide proof. Don’t change the subject. You expect me to unquestioningly swallow “principles” that you make up??
I see that you, Lester, and A000 all use the same green thumb machine. Are you that desperate for approval? Is there some connection between you superior foreign citizens?
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deepthi silva / May 15, 2022
Old Codger, do you ever question yourself, look at yourself objectively. We can see you hate the Rajapaksas to the point of madness. You worship ranil equally.
You insult Gotabaya Rajapaksas using words like drill sergeant. I wonder how your Ranil addresses Gotabaya now .
You defend what Ranil has done claiming that it is OK for an unelected guy to become PM, even praising Ranils lack of standards and scruples .
Have you ever wondered what you would have said if Mahinda Rajapaksa became PM in the same way that Ranil did ( back door , claiming he was going to save the country) . I think you would have shouted with foam in your mouth.
Don’t be a hypocrite.
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old codger / May 16, 2022
DS,
“You insult Gotabaya Rajapaksas using words like drill sergeant”
Why don’t you come out and say that you support the Rajapaksa?
Be honest.
Where is the proof of your fake “first principle of democracy “‽
I suppose this is in the same class as the proof you are still providing for ancient Sinhalese hydro-electricity. Loooser.
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Naman / May 18, 2022
Aragalaya started only after the economic downturn even though lots of ISSUES [ racial/religious discriminations; lack of meritocracy; lack of political maturity of the rural population; unfair election practices; judicial interference by rulers; unfair money allocations to different provinces; Army that carries out
INHUMAN acts; etc etc] had been there from our INDEPENDENCE. DJ talks about WINNING the war with pride. War withers own citizens too is one of the main CAUSE for current country’s bankruptcy. If the Tamils weren’t discriminated against We will be in a better position
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VanguardII / May 18, 2022
Dear Dr. Dayan J.
An economic program will first involved the immediate cessation of protests and economy-crashing activities that have reduced tourism and industrial production. Losses of millions and billions of dollars are reported and that is not due to lack of gas and fuel.
At least have the sense to not destroy the economy further.
Do you still have faith in elections? We will have the experienced politicians replaced by naive, idealistic dreamers without a days administrative or government experience.
Who will be the President with his unfettered powers, another inexperienced man off the streets?
The existing parties, as you well know, have some very capable and experienced people in them who can run the country as long as it is not sabotaged by refusing to take orders. But you knew that.
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