By Suranimala Umagiliya –
Nominations have been filed and Sri Lanka will go to the polls on 16th November to elect a President. The Constitution demands so and this will be a crucial election to all Sri Lankans and especially so to the young first time voter. Though over 30 nominations have been presented only two serious contenders have emerged. This has been the pattern and not much has changed in our history since Independence.
Lasntha with Ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa
We Sinhalese have governed since Independence and therefore must take responsibility for the economic, social and other indicators of our country.
A new catch phrase has crept into our way of life. Sinhala/ Buddhist. So be it then. If that is so, we Sinhala/ Buddhists have ruled this country since Independence and must in the same breath take responsibility for the state of the nation. This Sinhala/ Buddhist phenomena will definitely rule Sri Lanka for the next hundred years. No Muslim, Tamil or for that matter a Sinhala/ Catholic President will emerge even if such groups have twin children each year. Do not forget that it requires a man and a woman to bring forth a child and these groups are actually half of their number ( a man/ woman) and the Sinhalese far outnumber them. Given our peoples proclivities to vote upon ethnic and now religious lines, this maybe a fair comment.
Are we happy with the way our Sinhala / Buddhist rulers have governed us? Obviously we are not. Every party in Opposition says so. We are in serious debt. Our people are ever with the hand outstretched. Debt restricts us from spending for education and state of the art health. Our government service is overburdened to such an extent that pension payments will be another serious debt burden the future generations will have to pay for. We are proud of our history. Proud of our ancient irrigation systems. Proud of our engineering skills of the ancient kings. That is the sum all of our pride. We are not civic conscious. The manner in which we drive, walk on our roads is but one indication. We do not have social graces. We assault a driver if he meets with an accident but yet have total indifference to speeding maniacal bus drivers speeding totally out of control till he meets with an accident.We ignore loud horns of buses driven by moronic drivers who use them indiscriminately even if there is no room for him to overtake. Overtake he does by pushing others but stop thirty yards away to pick up his next passenger. This is but one example to show who we are.Yes that is our thinking. So then what yardstick will we use to elect our next President?
He has to be Sinhala / Buddhist. He must be able to speak loud. He must be concerned of our national security. He must give handouts and have plenty of money to spend at election time. Then it must be Sajith and Gotabaya. The rest will matter for extraneous reasons. They will whittle away important votes from the top contenders.
Gotabaya, seriously? No one was hunting him down when he left the Sinhala / Buddhist country. Quite unlike many journalists who did in fact run away from him. He decides to return only when his brother became President. He never gave up his US citizenship till he was to be nominated to run for President. That too we are uncertain if he indeed has done so. No one has the guts to ask him to show such certificate simply out of fear. If Gotabaya wins they know that their fear would be justified. His wife is a US citizen at this time as is his family. The Sangha does not mind that. Hisbullah fronting for him at this stage does not matter to them either. But, if Hisbullah does so much as smile at Sajith it would certainly matter. Does that mean Gotabaya’s support base and that is a considerable number, ( Mahinda’s legacy ) is racist?
His personal file in the Army is missing. His evidence led in the MiG Court Case where he said under oath that it was a Government to Government deal and now proved otherwise, yes you guessed correct. Missing.
His application for dual citizenship…… Missing.
His application for a fresh National Identity Card……..Missing
His application for a Sri Lankan Passport…….Missing
Lasantha’s Note Book, where he recorded numbers of motorcycles that followed him and eventually killed him, given via IGP to Gotabaya……Missing,
These cannot be coincidental nor negligence of government officials. There is a definite pattern. Eerie is it not?
Do we need such a candidate or is it the reality that we need such a candidate?
K.A. Sumanasekera / October 19, 2019
Dr Ranil’s first Cabinet decision in 2015 was to store Paddy in Mattala International Airport.
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Yesterday Dr Ranil refused summons from Presidential Commission in to Yahapalana Corruption saying he has to go Jaffna,
And won’t come back until after Nov16..
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Our inhabitants will not only be Stupid but Doomed too, if Dr Ranil takes the reigns after Keslwatta Kid wins the Election..
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Amarasiri / October 25, 2019
Amanda,
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RF-JiaAqsJg
The scum bug, Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa, is a coward and traitors.
See what Sarath Fonseka had to say,
The problem is that still many low IQ imbeciles do not know that or had missed the truth.
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Amarasiri / October 25, 2019
Kiribanda A Sumanasekera,
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RF-JiaAqsJg
Don’t be hung up on Dr. Ranil W. His days are numbered and he is getting old, and will one day die of old age, not injuries. The Keselwatte kid is still young, 52, unlike the sick heart patient Gota, who will die too.
Keselwatte kid has the real Hero and diet, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka. Just listen to the video for information and edification.
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Ananda W / October 19, 2019
Gotabaya has lived upto his name. Scumbag, murderer and demagogue. Proven by his cynical laughter and denial when confronted by the media about perpetrating the infamous murderous White van culture. Kudos to him for an exemplary record of blood on his hands, enormous corruption raping our taxpayer money to accumulate an abundance of wealth for generations, selling our assets to the Chinese empire builders while making our country bankrupt and indebted to the Chinese at finance costs that no normal sovereign power would accept, supported by a band of totally dependent crooked slaves who have proven themselves for following the Rajapaksa clan in the corrupt accumulation of wealth and illegal activities.
If this is who Sri Lankans vote for, so be it. The writing is on the wall. Learn to accept and live with a brutal family autocracy / monarchy wielding absolute corrupt brutal power for generations to come that no Sri Lankan would ever be able to displace. Wake up Sri Lanka …. . Is this what we want ?
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Amarasiri / October 25, 2019
Amanda,
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RF-JiaAqsJg
The scum bug, Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa, is a coward and traitors.
See what Sarath Fonseka had to say,
The problem is that still many low IQ imbeciles do not know that or had missed the truth.
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Ananda W / October 19, 2019
Gotabaya has lived upto his name. Scumbag, murderer and demagogue. Proven by his cynical laughter and denial when confronted by the media about perpetrating the infamous murderous White van culture. Kudos to him for an exemplary record of blood on his hands, enormous corruption raping our taxpayer money to accumulate an abundance of wealth for generations, selling our assets to the Chinese empire builders while making our country bankrupt and indebted to the Chinese at finance costs that no normal sovereign power would accept, supported by a band of totally dependent crooked slaves who have proven themselves for following the Rajapaksa clan in the corrupt accumulation of wealth and illegal activities.
If this is who Sri Lankans vote for, so be it. The writing is on the wall. Learn to accept and live with a brutal family autocracy / monarchy wielding absolute corrupt brutal power for generations to come that no Sri Lankan would ever be able to displace. Wake up Sri Lanka …. . Is this what we want ?
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Lester / October 19, 2019
“He has to be Sinhala / Buddhist.”
That’s not true. Remember, Sri Lanka elected the world’s first female Prime Minister. The reason there is no Tamil running for President is because the LTTE assassinated most of the Tamil intellectuals. Someone like Kadirgamar could have given GR a good run. The day the TULF became the mouthpiece of the LTTE is when Tamils sacrificed their political representation. Regarding Gota, he is a 20 veteran of the SLA. The LTTE tried to kill him in 2006 because they knew he was effective. As it turns out, they were right.
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Roman Leslie / October 20, 2019
Lester, so you mean to say MRS B was not Sinhalese Buddhist??? Or are you denying that When Chandrika tried to appoint Kadirgamar as prime minister the entire cabinet and the party opposed it. You must be living in an alternate reality please don’t say things which doesn’t even barely make sense. Sinhalese were rasict and are rasict period. ( I’m not talking about the vast majority but the minority who always was and is)
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Lester / October 21, 2019
Roman Leslie,
You are contradicting yourself. If Sinhalese are racist, why was the foreign minister a Tamil? Why was the President trying to appoint a Tamil as PM? Of course there is opposition, that is part of the democratic process. Who are the real racists… look at your TNA, how many Muslims are in the TNA? It is the Tamils who want a separate state, based on myths of racial superiority, not the Sinhalese.
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Lohan / October 19, 2019
Yes we are stupid for the way we voted in 2015. The two party system ended that year. The winners had an absolute majority and the rogues amongst them ( with an absolute majority ) in Parliament ) went on to make economic hay while the sun sun shone .They even robbed the Central Bank. Pardon my pessimism when I say that Sri Lanka has buckleys chances of getting out of third world status , for a very long time.
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Kugan / October 19, 2019
Owners of the land seeking foreign citizenship,all the kudu muddallallies in Dubai,most of the students wants foreign uni,our politicians goes to Singapore for Medical treatment even the health minister himself gone to s’pore that’s tells how our political out fit of our doctors they are of more interested in politics,taking the poor man lives for ransom.
It’s not the Buddhism,the thugs in robes are the problem,no control or limits,there is no governing body,after the brits 1st political shooting initiated by a thero,
Uprising in 70’s. heavy handed brutality towards minorities,ask anyone from Jaffna how many times Pupalasingam’s book shop parade was burnt down by the armed forces.Canadian govt even gave fire engine as gift.
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JJ / October 19, 2019
Are we looking directly at a possible Banana Republic? Does the majority of Sinhala Buddhists know the difference? I personally do not think so going by what they post on social media. It is a pity that some of them are from the educated elite. It also shows the caliber of people our local education system has churned out. These are the people who have fallen prey by allowing them to be brainwashed by the tyrants who ultimately wants to gain supremacy at the expense of them. This theory that Sri Lanka belongs to Sinhala Buddhists reflects how backward they are in terms of their understanding of evolving civilizations. This country does not belong to anyone. However all Sinhala Buddhists, Sinhala Christians, Muslims, Burghers, Tamils (you name them) belong to this country. Albert Camus said “The welfare of the people in particular has always been the alibi of tyrants!
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Jey / October 19, 2019
Within a decade even the natives of Andaman Island will surpass Sri Lankans in intelligence and intellectuality. Sri Lankans ,hug yourselves and give pat on your back, you all are the stupidest beings in the Indian region. Hooray.
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Gemini Cricket ? / October 19, 2019
There are two factors we have to consider here.
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1. Birds of a feather flock together
2. Support for Gota is not due to stupidity, rather it is due to extreme cussedness.
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Most of Gotas followers support him not because they are oblivious to facts, but they identify themselves with his ways.
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It is their cussed nature, consciously or subconsciously, that make them to be attracted to such a cussed man.
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We are not only stupid, we are cussed too. This combination is path to doom.
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kali / October 19, 2019
We Sinhalese have governed since Independence and therefore must take responsibility for the economic, social and other indicators of our country.
*** You really are. What about the blood bath for which are “solely ” responsible. Under Gotha more of the same. and your Economy will be doomed.
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Bawa / October 20, 2019
A Tamil writes ” We Sinhalese……”
Typical.
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Rohan / October 20, 2019
A pretend Arab , South Indian immigrant Tamil convert to Islam , constantly denying his own Tamil ethnicity and backstabbing Tamils in the name of Islam and siding with Sinhalese racists , for perceived crumbs from the table. Typical
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Bawa / October 22, 2019
So you admit you are a Tamil writing under a Sinhalese name. Well done. BTW what is a ‘pretend Arab’? Are you writing in English?
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SL's Story / October 19, 2019
Here is a sad story describing the collective achievement of SL’s political leadership over the last 70+ years:
“
A centipede was happy, until a toad in fun
Said, “Pray, which leg comes after which?”
This raised his doubts to such a pitch
He fell distracted in the ditch
Not knowing how to run.
“
Author Unknown.
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K.Pillai / October 19, 2019
Suranimala Umagiliya list several ‘missings’. In spite of these, the sycophants of the MR family have projected Gota ‘riding high’.
Suranimala questions {“Are We Stupid Or Doomed Or Both”}
Lankans have been in a “a state of Doom” for a long time. Not doomed yet.
“Are we stupid?”. No we are bigoted. Bigots are not necessarily stupid. Look at the Nazis. Goebbels was not stupid.
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Ranjith Gunawaradana / October 20, 2019
Gotabya R was born in Ceylon . Well his father was Member of State Council, then DA Rajapakase …become Member of Parliment since 1947 . That is quite enough to proven beyond doubt that his Sri Lankan citizens .
Actually GR has renounces his USA citizenship by volunteer….documents has submitted to enforcement USA authorities, to that relevant institutions.
What is more than that leadership of UNP wanted from GR ?
Why was that UNP-leaders of pair of Sajith-Ranil make more fuss about citizen issues advocated by that UNP affiliated of NGO guys !
Do not go to that such low level of politics by Sajith & Ranil of UNP which lost their mandate since 2015 Jan 8th ….later on 2018 Feb 28 of local elections.
UNP’s classes of politics are as below;
1 Politically almost of that politician are jointly working bunch of lumpen.
2 An ideologically orthodox christen by believers of dividing rights of democracy.
3 An economically neoliberial or Neocolonialism of selling all national wealth to USA led western nations order .
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Buddhist / October 20, 2019
Where is Deal Dasa hiding his tail? He jumps from branch to branch than any other that jumps on top of a tree?
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Rohan / October 21, 2019
He is a protector of the corrupt and crooked. He himself has admitted…..do you think the party will be doomed. The country has gone to dogs because of scvanger dogs like him in the parliament. Think twice about voting for a party that works with crooks of his caliber.
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chiv / October 21, 2019
Not even 24 hours have passed since I wrote my last comment and today I am told our clown presidential thatha is on his way to Japan to be with the royals. And for screwing the people and country he will be rewarded , more than 350 million worth residential facility as part of retirement benefits. This is the rogue who promised to return home and do farming post retirement. Buddhism rewritten by our Lankan politicians. Fun is not yet over, wait for the coming ones. Welcome to Lanka.Does anyone have any doubts with the title of article????
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Rtd. Lt. Reginald Shamal Perera / October 21, 2019
A Picture is worth a Trillion words as they say.
This one shows a friendly Lasantha and a President having a joyous moment. In contrary to what many say, it looks like LW and the leadership got on very well.
LW was doing his job as a journalist and the govt of the day was doing their job which was kicking the Tamil LTTErs in their rear-ends.
I suspected all along, there was no animosity between LW and the govt.
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Ranil Wijeyesekera / October 22, 2019
We need a national government. After a victory of GR as president by a landside we can except many MP s to join a GR government. Parliment will be disolved. Fresh elections will be held. From a position of strenth we can have a new conswtitution. This will be a non revenge constitution. Neocolonism hads brought us to this s tate. We must unite tyo face this threat.
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Rtd. Lt. Reginald Shamal Perera / October 24, 2019
I am sure they are all smiling while talking about some of the exploits with the opposite sex like we all men usually do.
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Vanguard / October 25, 2019
Mr. Gotabaya realizes that he will suffer the same fate as his brother if he makes the same mistakes. Therefore I think he will be very careful.
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