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?
Gamini / October 18, 2019
Ofcourse, to the fair minded person, NGR is totally, utterly, absolutely and wholly unsuitable to lead the Nation and to be the first citizen of SL. The reasons are too numerous to enumerate. His actions and deeds during MR’s tenure in Office, speak louder than words. Unfortunately, these mean nothing to the ‘slaves’, gullible and nationalist / racist minded folks. Fortunately such people are in the minority (and some such (hypocritical) racist / nationalist minded people live in western, christian countries enjoying all the freedoms, rights and privileges afforded to them in such countries. Not sure why they do not return to their beloved SL?. Even NGR decided to take citizenship in one such country). Well it’s said birds of a feather flock together.
All we can hope for is that saner minds would prevail. If it was possible to defeat MR (with all powers under him at the time which he used to the maximum to subvert the electoral process), it should be possible to defeat NGR although the same anti Rajapaksa forces are not united this time around. On the positive side there is a faction of the SLFP in the making that is likely to support the UNF candidate. Fortunately, it is likely SP will prevail in 2019.
Voters , please use your valued franchise wisely!
/
Anonymous / October 18, 2019
JVP, TNA and all other parties will give 2nd preference to Sajith to prevent a return to a Fascist Authoritarian Dictatorship…
/
Tara / October 18, 2019
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.” – Albert Einstein
That sums up the problem with Sri Lankans.
/
soma / October 18, 2019
We must be super wise vote for UNP:
-JR Constitution
-Referendum
-Scuttling Sirima Shastri pact and retaining a million Indians
-Jaffna library
-1983
-Indo Lanka accod and provincial councils
– 89 Bheesanaya
-RW-VP accord (God saved us from this nuclear bomb)
-Sale of critical assets
-Bungling economy
etc. etc.
NOW THERE ARE TWO MORE UNFINISHED JOBS SAJITH PREMADASA HAS TO CONCLUDE:
1) Breaking the country into Federal blocks
2) Facilitating entry of American forces.
NOW COMPARE THE ABOVE TWO NUCLEAR BOMBS TO THE FOLLOWING:
-Gotabhaya became Defence Secretary while his brother was President.
– Gotabhaya stole from Mid deal
– He still MAY be a dual citizenshp.
– Lasantha file missing.
.
We Sri Lankans must be definitely idiots to be carried away by these hate purveyors.
–
Soma
/
Kugan / October 18, 2019
Thanajudden body parts missing,lot of personal missing,lot of public funds missing, ……..
After all he is a mischievous man.
/
Gamini / October 18, 2019
BTW, if NGR is elected President that will be the end of the road for MR and his dream of making his retarded son NR the President and so continuing to loot the country and lining his own pockets. Reason – NGR is so calculating, cunning and devious that he will ensure MR is sidelined under his administration and his own kith and kin are promoted.
/
soma / October 18, 2019
There is a fundamental contradiction in UNP campaign.
– Why didn’t Ranil Wickramasinghe government implement the campaign promises of Sajith Premadasa? SP is Deputy Leader and a Minister
– Will UNP support if JVP brings in the 20A? How is he going to fulfil those gargantuan promises if Executive Presidency is abolished?
Soma
/
Native Vedda / October 18, 2019
somass
–
Where are those files Mahinda mentioned just before the last presidential elections?
He didn’t look well recently.
/
K.A. Sumanasekera / October 18, 2019
I thought this Suranimala is going to offer advise on how to over come all those ills of us which he has listed.
And help us to graduate into Singapore class as his beloved Dr Ranil and his coterie have been promising us…
And make us elect Muslims, Tamils and Christians as Presidents.
–
Then he brings Hezbulla who is under a cloud along with his other mates who are more UNP than anyone else to imply that Nandasena is a Terrorist supporter which seems to be Suranimala’s main message in addition to the list of so called bad things which Nandasean has done..
What a waste of space?…
/
Saman / October 18, 2019
all are extremely idiots
/
charles / October 18, 2019
When people ( Sinhalese) go to vote on Dec 16, the voters will mainly look at following –
* Who is with TNA, Baudeen .
*Who is surrounded by who. Sajith has Mongal and Ponil. Gota has MR and Basil.
*Performance of current government. (security, economy, judiciary and the religion)
/
Roman Leslie / October 19, 2019
Charles, when Sinhalese people go to vote on December 16, the president is already elected oops. Please vote that day my humble request so you can save this country
/
Buddhist / October 18, 2019
We have to christen President Gotabaya ( if he wins) Missing Document President Gotabaya Rajapakse in the future.
/
Hela / October 18, 2019
Umagiliya,
Can you use your investigative skills and tell us the dual or single nationality status of all TNA parliamentarians please?
/
Hela / October 18, 2019
Gotabhaya has a valid dual citizenship certificate.
Gotabhaya has a valid NIC
Gotabhaya has a valid SL passport
Umagiliya can challenge validity of any of those in courts without spewing BS.
/
Punchinilame / October 18, 2019
Very true – But all the RELEVANT SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS have gone missing. Will this be so for any Tamil Citizen? The SL Courts does not concern itself re the missing documents that should have supported the genuine DC Certificate, NIC, Passport held by this Presidential Candidate? Our future BS of a President!
Say a Graduate shows his University Qualification with a Certificate.
Suppose this is challenged in a Court of Law that the student
concerned did not sit or write the relevant examination. Will not the
answer scripts be produced in that Court of Law as evidence. Will
he be able to continue using his “Certificate” as the Court decided
that the missing answer scripts or its records have gone missing?
/
Native Vedda / October 19, 2019
Helass
–
Does Gotass have a heart, a brain, sense of justice, ….. wisdom?
/
Hela / October 18, 2019
The buggers who scream from the rooftop about a citizenship issue (a law that was enacted purely targeting one individual which was not an issue before) are deafeningly silent when it comes to selling the country’s assets to China, or allowing space for foreign troops to be stationed in the country through SOFA & ACSA. What is the bigger issue? The individual’s passport or the country’s passport to it’s identity and sovereignty?
/
Native Vedda / October 18, 2019
Helass
–
Now tell us who sold assets to China, what assets, when, why, who got the money, …. ?
–
ACSA was first signed by Gota. Sri Mao asked Hindians to provide troops to protect key installation from Sinhala/Buddhist terrorist attack in 1971.
–
“The individual’s passport or the country’s passport to it’s identity and sovereignty?”
–
What is your point if there is one?
By the way if you are really angry with yourself please go out, take somass with you, set fire to a few non Sinhala/Buddhist owned shops, premises, houses, …. vehicles, …. bugger the owners irrespective of their gender, …… ransake their places of worship, …. if you haven’t calm down go to Jaffna with a few of your mates from Kurunegala, locate the Jaffna library and set fire to the books and building.
–
Gnanasara will be pleased to join you.
/
Roman Leslie / October 19, 2019
Hell oh Hell, country was sold to China??? By whom?? Pakses .Sofa was intitially signed by whom?? The SL dual citizen signed it as an American what a joke facts matter my dear hell
/
Hela / October 21, 2019
Roman Leslie,
Who gave Hambantota for 99 years?
Please compare current and previous ACSA/SOFA documents. If you have brains you might pick the differences and the grave nature of the current documents.
/
Steve / October 18, 2019
Suranimala,
“Do we need such a candidate or is it the reality that we need such a candidate?”
The Voter will decide soon. The younger voters have the future of this country in their hands.
/
kebab / October 18, 2019
The Rajapakses are frauds, period.
But why are they so popular and appear to be deliverers ? The same with Chandrika and Maithri etc etc.Compared to what they faced, they look good
It is only because on the other side is a totally useless neuter called Ranil.
Ranil has now hogged the centre stage for nearly 30 years !
He did not want to to fight the terrorists LTTE, instead went in to some complicated negotiations. Ultimately the country went on suffering and even the LTTE let him down.
This time he got caught with Mahendran, again sucking the Central Bank in a very complicated way .
His corruption fighter Dilrukshi Wickramasinghe has been shown to be a brainless letdown.
To day Colombo is dirty again and Rosi is making money.The economy has not gone anywhere under Ranil.
Ranil in a suit and tie, goes on with a few old Royalists.In the UNP even the opposition led by Sajith is all Royalists . Sajith also sounds cheap and superficial
No wonder the Rajapakses look good to the voter.
In 1977 a curse called RW got into our parliament.In 1995 he took control of the UNP.
The rest is history
/
Extra Cover / October 18, 2019
An Excellent article. Memory in Sri Lanka is only for 07 days.People will vote for Gota not for the Country but to look after the the Sinhala /Buddhists. Minorities can go to hell.
Gota in my opinion and the discussions I have had with the so called educated and privileged class will win the Presidential elections.
/
Eagle Eye / October 18, 2019
Usual humbug. Blaming Native Sinhala Buddhists for what went wrong after independence. The main reason for what this country today is the Democratic System that was imposed by British Raj. During their rule British adopted their infamous ‘Divide and Rule’ policy and used Wellala Malabaris and Sinhala ‘Awajathakayo’ who embraced Christian religion to oppress Native Sinhalayo. After British left, whenever Native Sinhalayo tried to regain what they lost during colonial rule, these ‘Para’ Wellala Malabaris and Sinhala Christian ‘Kalu Suddas’ created problems because these guys who wanted to maintain the superior status they enjoyed by licking the a** of British could play hell using the Democracy in this country.
—
Lee Kuan Yew said go to hell with Democracy and developed the economy while rulers in Sri Lanka bragged about Democracy, created instability and ruined the economy. Same goes for China and India.
/
nalmen / October 18, 2019
tell it to ranil
has he worried about it in the last 4 years?
no way, because he was looking after the rajapaksas as they looked after him when he was permanently in the opposition
i am sure he prefers a gota victory over sajith as mathris chance of becoming first lady has vanished
sura
this is all good for the middle classes the problem is that the masses dont understand
and with the outdated universal suffrage they have to be convinced
/
Hamlet / October 18, 2019
Quoted from The Web:-
“The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has given a verdict unseating the elected MP, Geetha Kumarasinghe, because she holds a dual citizenship! There is wide spread conjecture about several other MPs and even Ministers suspected as Dual Citizens with divided allegiance between two countries. Following the Geetha Kumarasinghe episode the most appropriate step for the Parliament to take is to call for a declaration by all MPs about the true status of their citizenship in the Public Interest. Besides the politics involved in the matter, and the Public concern, there is a requirement for such a step to be followed with sufficient transparency, as an ethical obligation. “
/
chiv / October 18, 2019
Suranimala. YES today everything pertaining to Gotha is MISSING. But his supporters claim he has balls, must be the undescended ones , which only they can identify. He says he is not responsible for any wrongful acts during war but the credits of ending war is solely his.All the cases against him has be postponed or withheld by our Lankan Low and Odor, to facilitate his candidacy. When ever there is any threat he too will be missing (ready with bag and baggage to leave country). He is vowing to bring back the missing “discipline” , so that few citizens will be added to the that very long “missing” people (disappeared) list. He told nation there was so much of body parts which are now missing , and victims are confused ????? May be SLPP should rename itself as the ” missing party ‘.MR and Gotha had a meeting with Sumanthiran and claimed not seeing (missing ???) TNA members , the very next day.What else is expected to vanish (missing) when elected as president ??? money, Lankas international standing, economy ????
/
Craig / October 18, 2019
Thajudeen’s Body Parts – Also Missing.
/
S. C. Pasqual / October 18, 2019
writer’s argument.
1. Our table salts dispensed from sea water.
2. Potato carry includes salt.
So…. conclusion
3. Potato carry is sea water.
In Sinhalese “””Ala hodi kiyanne mudu wathura””
Nice…
/
Amarasiri / October 18, 2019
Suranimala Umagiliya,
RE; Ate we stupid , doomed or both?
Let’s look at the cause and effect.
Are we doomed is the effect.
What is the cause? Low mean IQ of 79 of the Paras? The mean IQ of Indians, where the Paras came from is 81, the Paras have lost 2 IQ points over the past 25 centuries. Is it Para-Sinhala Para-“Buddhism” that is the cause, aggravated by the Para-Monks and the Para-Polititians? The data seem to support the above view.
Have you heard about the expression, Sinhalaya Modaya , Sinhala are fools? There is circumstantial data in support of the above saying.
/
Janaka from Matara / October 18, 2019
Stupid alright, but no more doomed than the rest of humanity.
Living poor and miserable does not kill necessarily, but global warming will.
/
Lankan / October 18, 2019
Do not blame entire Sinhalese race for the mistake of a few ..we should not make a generalization out this politics.
MR family is not fit to rule the country at all..
No honesty.
No skills .
No talent to answer all question.
Thugs with them .
Drug dealers with them ..
No good leadership skills ..
AKD is the best candidate for this ..
/
Real Revolutionist / October 18, 2019
There’s no point describing Sinhala Buddhists rule this country as it’s not a constitutional requirement for one to lead the country.
Rather it’s the failure of non-Sinhala Buddhists to co-exist/share & bear with the vast majority that reduces their chances of becoming the leader.
Look @ the way Tamils @ Muslims cast their vote. only for members of their community.
So having the weakness in them & blaming the majority won’t be the constructive way.
/
Peter / October 18, 2019
We do not want a crook, murderer, or a moron who has no knowledge of state affairs to rule the country,
Don’t We all know the ultimate reason for him to come to power to cover his sins
/
Real Revolutionist / October 18, 2019
Suranimala Umagiliya
Who started giving prominence to Buddhists/Buddhism in Sri Lanka?
JRJ, after 77.made a ministry for Buddhism. Earlier it was the cultural ministry looked into matters related to every religion.
It’s that political culprit who’s responsible for every negative social developments & what we can’t understand is why writers like you still scribble in favor of culprit’s descendants.
/
vithura / October 18, 2019
Beating of SB drum began long before 1977, SWRD gave it the political platform and recognition. JRJ and most, if not all Sinhalese politicians since have continued and continue with it, as they know it is the only way the sentiments of the gullible masses could be whipped up to keep them in power! So gullible are the voters, they seem to like being treated as yaks!
/
Joe Paiva / October 18, 2019
“”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.”” your quote.
Please advise me who the 2 serious contenders are.
Thank you
Joe Paiva
Australia
18 Oct 2019
/
hancho pancha / October 18, 2019
This animal species called Sinhala-Buddhist is the worst animal species to be found roaming on earth.
/