By Tisaranee Gunasekara –
“You are talking all the time on the past, no. Ask the future (laughs) I’m trying to become the president of the future Sri Lanka. If you concentrate on the future, I think it is better (laughs).” ~ Gotabaya Rajapaksa (at his inaugural media conference)
Gotabaya Rajapaksa
The past is what Gotabaya Rajapaksa invokes when he tells us to vote for him. In his glitzy propaganda material, the past has the pride of place – the war-winning man and the Colombo-beautifying man.
He wants us to remember the past but not all the past, only the approved bits. When questioned about the Other past at his inaugural media conference, he turned testy and evasive. “Ask the future,” he told the media.
The next day, his media spokesman, Dulles Allahapperuma issued guidelines about questioning Candidate Rajapaksa. Don’t ask him about the past, Mr. Allhapperuma said, ask him about his opinions and ideas.
Ask the future.
At the media conference, the future was not forgotten. Some of the questions Candidate Gotabaya managed to answer, often with a general dose of platitudes. But when asked how he will finance the generous promises he is making, he had no answer to give. He turned speechless again, when questioned about the debt crisis. When a journalist asked him about extremism and reconciliation, he was silent for several long seconds; he stared, smiled and made a circular gesture with one hand, eventually giving an answer that had little to do with the question. On issues that could shape the future he was as clueless as he was unforthcoming about issues that coloured the past.
At the conference he didn’t have a meltdown, didn’t call any woman journalist a shit eating pig (as he did when Frederica Jansz questioned him about the Swiss-puppy) or threaten to hang a political opponent (Gen. Sarath Fonseka). But his dislike of probing questions and follow-ups were was clear. Asked why he didn’t attend the all candidate confab on October 5th (he promised to attend it and didn’t) his response was characteristic of both the man and of the president he intends to be. “I have presented my policy proposals on many occasions,” he said, followed by his signature laugh. “Therefore it’s not necessary to go to a place where there are about ten opponents, and one is isolated.”
Candidate Rajapaksa’s first media conference was more baby pool than ocean. Yet he often floundered and meandered. No wonder he has been shackled to a teleprompter ever since he was named the SLPP’s presidential candidate. In a theatre where every move, every word is controlled, he can don the mantle of sagacity, play the philosopher-technocrat to his heart’s content.
A firefly needs the darkness of the night to shine.
The president of the future Sri Lanka
There’s much to say for the teleprompter-habit. No off-the-cuff gems that Sajith Premadasa and his merry men excel at (especially Harsha de Silva, who is rapidly becoming the lead joker in a pack of jokers). Every word can be taken seriously, because every word is meant. Like these words, this pledge by Gotabaya Rajapaksa at his inaugural campaign rally: “A large number of war heroes are in jails on trumped up charges. At this moment I’d like to say by the morning of the 17th all of them would be acquitted and freed.” (At the media conference he was asked how many military personnel are in custody. He didn’t answer, perhaps because he didn’t want to admit that the answer is 7 – 48 military personnel were arrested by the CID since 2015. 41 have been bailed out.)
A president can pardon a convicted criminal. But only a judge can acquit and discharge an accused. Therefore Gotabaya Rajapaksa intends to begin his presidency by violating the constitution, by breaking the law, by exercising powers the presidency never had, no presidency anywhere has. If any judge or lawyer tries to resist this gross constitutional violation, he/she would probably be accused of treason and locked up, if not worse. Given the primordial silence of the Bar Association about Candidate Gotabaya’s statement, it is reasonable to assume that there won’t be any protests when President Gotabaya sets himself up as the judge and jury. The country will fall onto its collective knees, allowing the president of the future to shape the future any which way he likes.
In his warning to the media about permissible and non-permissible areas of questioning, Dulles Alahapperuma said that Gotabaya Rajapaksa separates black from white. No arguments there. When Mervyn Silva’s son Malaka Silva assaulted Major Chandana Pradeep of the Military Intelligence, the self-appointed godfather of all war-heroes, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa threw that particular war hero under the bus. He saved the ministerial brat by criminalising the major, accusing him of “acting as a personal bodyguard of an individual, which is beyond his duties” (Sri Lanka News – 14.9.2012). Amongst those he intends to acquit and discharge are the four military personnel charged with killing three unarmed protestors in Rathupaswala.
Black and white.
Like ACSA and SOFA, black as imperialism when others try to renew the agreements, white as national sovereignty when Gotabaya Rajapaksa renews them. The two agreements with the US were first signed under the presidency of Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and renewed under the presidency of Mahinda Rajapaksa, with not a hum from anyone. When they came up for renewal this year, the SLPP went into a patriotic frenzy, accusing Ranil Wickremesinghe of turning the island into an American military base, the Guantanamo of the Indian Ocean. The SLPP patriots even formed an organisation, STOP USA, to defeat this ‘great betrayal’. “If Sri Lanka does not take a stand against…there will be no turning back,” Parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa thundered (Ceylon Today – 26.6.2019). His partner in hysteria, parliamentarian Udaya Gammanpila warned, “The time has come for us to find allies that will not intervene in our internal affairs. Even if this agreement was for a certain time period, what happens when the time period is over and if the US refuses to leave?” (Ibid). Mr. Rajapaksa, who until recently was a Sri Lankan-American, remained silent as his supporters screamed about an imminent American invasion.
When asked about how ACSA and SOFA would impact on Sri Lanka’s non-aligned status, Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s reply was they didn’t. “The agreement we signed went on for ten years.” He said, and laughed. “Nothing actually happened with that. The benefit was for us. Not for them.” Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila both actively participated in the media conference, but remained silent as their candidate gave the lie to their fiery campaign of last several months. (Incidentally, thanks to the Rajapaksa mandated STOP USA campaign, President Sirisena deferred the renewal of the Millennium Challenge Corporation grant by six months. As a result, Sri Lanka stands to lose – or has already lost – a grant of US$ 480 million.)
Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the president of the future Sri Lanka, is breaking new ground in this campaign going back to the past. On September 26th, he and Brother Mahinda attended the Shanthikarmavedinge Jathika Sammelanaya, a gathering of kapuwas, exorcists, astrologers etc, at the Sri Lanka Exhibition and Convention Centre. According to internet reports, the brothers promised the gathering that these ‘god-men’ will be accepted as a separate profession, given a separate ID card and registered in the Cultural Ministry. A special administrative unit will also be established for them. Are we in the Duvalier territory, with this politicisation of superstition?
Ask the future, where disorder is discipline, lawlessness is law, impunity is justice and superstition is knowledge.
The God-president?
The Mirror and the Light, the long awaited final book in Hilary Mantel’s trilogy on Thomas Cromwell will be out in 2020. The official publicity video carries a quote from the book: What have I but what my king gave me? What am I but what he has made me?
Those two lines encapsulate the nature of monarchic despotism where king was god. It was a past common to most of the world. And in some parts of the world, it remains a possible future.
Candidate Rajapaksa clearly has little knowledge and even less interest in constitutional provisions. He sees post-19th Amendment presidency not as it is – a weakened institution sans many of its powers – but as it never was – an omnipotent position that will make him an uncrowned king, not a constitutional monarch, but an absolutist one, the head of all three branches of government including the judiciary.
The only man standing in Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s path to a god-presidency might be his older brother. Mahinda Rajapaksa is now the spiritual leader of Sri Lanka, at least according to Basil Rajapaksa. “No matter who our candidate or our president is, our leader (Mahinda Rajapaksa) will be the head of the government (as PM). So this arrangement suits us well. He is our leader and he is the spiritual leader of our country” (The Hindu – 13.10.2019 – emphasis mine).
Mahinda Rajapaksa’s elevation from the secular to the sacred plane, from High King (maharajano) to spiritual leader is but the logical conclusion of the Rajapaksas’ boundless self-veneration. But Gotabaya Rajapaksa is unlikely to be content to play nominal president to his brother’s spiritual-leader PM. The contestation between the two siblings and their attendant satellites to lay claim to the centre of gravity in the new regime would make an interesting spectacle, assuming anyone interested in such matters is in a fit shape to observe.
Totalitarian in intent, familial in nature, violent in means, majoritarian supremacist, deeply rooted in superstition under a technocratic and futuristic veneer, adhering to a kith-and-kin capitalism (which combines the worse features of neo-liberalism and statism) – where to pigeon-hole Sri Lanka under a Gotabaya presidency is uncertain. But stable is one thing it will not be. When Mahinda Rajapaksa was the president, his word was the law for his brothers. Who will call the shots when younger brother Gotabaya is the president and older brother Mahinda is the prime minister? What happens when the likes of Kamal Gunaratne, Mohan Wijewickrama and Chagie Gallage confront the likes of Dinesh Gunawardena, Keheliya Rambukwella and Dulles Alahapperuma for power, influence and wealth? Will the Lankan state become the terrain of contestation between the armies of God-president and Spiritual leader?
Is this future our unavoidable fate? Not yet. The election is wide open still. There is no clear winner the way there was in 2015 or 2010, yet. Currently Gotabaya Rajapaksa is the frontrunner. But given the nature of the man and his politics, his path to victory, while short, is also extremely narrow. He can never win anything other than a sliver of the minority vote. If he fails to win the SLFP vote in near-entirety, he cannot win outright. If he fails to win a majority of the SLFP vote (50% or above) he can lose. If he gains less than 30% of the SLFP vote, he will lose.
A percentage of the 2018 SLFP vote will go to the SLPP, but how much that would be is and would remain unknowable until after the election. There is a real possibility that a majority of those who voted for the SLFP in 2018 will not vote for the SLPP in 2019. The pro-Rajapaksa SLFPers are no longer in the SLFP. Those who remain are more likely to be Bandaranaike supporters or left-of-centre voters with a more modernist outlook and therefore uncomfortable with the extreme brand of familial politics practiced by the Rajapaksas.
If Sajith Premadasa can gain more than 75% of the SLFP vote and more than 75% of the N/E minority vote, he can defeat Gotabaya Rajapaksa, if not outright, then in the second round. His chances will improve considerably if he can persuade those who vote for various third party candidates to give him the second preference, as the only way to stop a Gotabaya-victory. When the real contest is between a joker and a murderer, the choice is cringe-worthy but clear. Sajith Premadasa with his embarrassing antics might give democracy a bad name, but he will not set out to destroy democracy on the morning after.
Unfortunately, Sajith Premadasa is yet to emerge from the echo-chamber of his supporters’ hurrahs and face reality. To overtake Gotabaya Rajapaksa and reach the finish line, he has a long way to go.
Filling the Galle Face will not win him election. To win, he needs to heal the fissures in the UNP he and his supporters worsened in their vitriolic campaign to win the candidacy. To win, he must understand that his constituency is no longer Hambantota, but Sri Lanka, a place of not just Sinhalese, Buddhists and monks, but also of Tamils, Muslims, Hindus and Christians, a place of not just villages but also of cities and towns.
Even if Sajith Premadasa gains a majority of the SLFP vote, he cannot without the minorities. If he thinks the minorities will flock to his side because of their fear of a Gotabaya-presidency, while he spends all his time chasing the mirage that is Sinhala-Buddhist nationalist vote, he is mistaken. The episode with the fasting disabled soldiers should have taught him a lesson about what his real constituency is. His assumed nativism didn’t work even in Hambantota (where he never equalled the UNP’s national average, except once). It will fail miserably in multi-ethnic, multi-religious Sri Lanka.
Ajay / October 20, 2019
GOTA:
You are the one keep bragging about winning the war, no. Aney, that is talking all the time on the past, no. You must know, no. That is why the silly people keep asking what the hell you did to all those who surrendered and the civilians you took into custody. Did you kill them … … Sin … Aney … Oya Harima Narakai.
/
Amarasiri / October 20, 2019
Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa,
Ok, ok, we won’t ask you about the past, even though it is a reflection of the future.
In the past there were well over 70 crimes committed by you, financial, criminal and capital directly linked to you,. In the future how many of these crimes do you plant to commit?
By the way why did why did you leave Sri Lanka for America and become a US Citizen, losing the Sri Lankan Citizenship, when you were in the Army and the Separatist was was still going on? Only deserters and cowards do that.
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Native Vedda / October 20, 2019
Amarasiri
–
Basil says:
““No matter who our candidate or our president is, our leader (Mahinda Rajapaksa) will be the head of the government (as PM). So this arrangement suits us well. He is our leader and he is the spiritual leader of our country””
–
I assume Mahinda will be sitting in Presidential chair and NGR on the other hand will be running his White Van fleets from the comfort of his old chair at the Ministry of Defense after winning the presidential elections. .
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K.A. Sumanasekera / October 21, 2019
Dear Native,
–
No need to stress , Mate.
Nandasena is a goner , according to what I read here.
–
Besides Keselwatta Kid is mobilizing the UNP Dalits like never before even better than the way his Old Man did.
But my Elders told And my Elders there weren’t many Dalits then in the UNP.
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Keselwatta Kid has pumped up so much Patriotism in to the new UNP Dalit Faction that the suckers in his audience even Boo the great leader who led them for 25 years.
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And it has become a problem for Dr Ranil, when ever Dr Ranil mounts the podium to tell them about good Governance , Peaceful Existence and of course how to Obey the West and please the TNA , SLMC, Bathudeen Party , Ganeshan Party and the myriad of other Minority organizations.
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The UNP Dalits who have been following their leader in great numbers starting from Galle Face must be of course stressed , thinking about those Dr Ranil’s speeches, and what Dr Ranil will do as the PM sitting next to President Keselwatta Kid when the latter has been castrated by Dr Ranil using his 19A…
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That makes me stressed too, to think whether Dr Ranil and his Cabinet of Neo Capitalists will allocate Funds for those 2 Sets of Uniforms and a Free Mid Day meal for our 41 Lakhs of Yahapalana Students.
And Free Manure for their Farmer Dads and Mums ..
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As I understand Keselwatta Kid has signed a MOU with Dr Ranil promising him all what Dr Ranil demanded in return for handing over the candidacy to Keselwatta Kid at the last minute.. .
/
Amarasiri / October 20, 2019
Ajay,
Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa is the deserter and Traitor who left the Army to get to the USA, to become a US Citizen, lose the Sri Lankan Citizenship, while Sarath Fonseka snd others were fighting the Separatist eat and getting killed.
So, he does not want to talk about the past.
Now the grass eaters, Harak and Mee-Harak, mean IQ 79, unfortunately won’t get it. No wonder they are referred to as fools, imbeciles, etc., as they continue to vote in these Rajapaksa Mafia.
Unfortunately, thus is the price a populace pays the mean IQ is 79.
/
Eagle Eye / October 21, 2019
Amarasiri,
Those grass eating, kewum kana, Moda Sinhalayo with low IQ managed to give meat eating tigers who were boasting that they cannot be beaten militarily a humiliating beating at Nandikadal.
—
From third century BC to 1505, Moda Sinhalayo had kept a record by beating ‘Para’ invaders 52 times. In 2009, they added one more victory to their past record. Low IQ did not matter at all. Do not underestimate the capabilities of low IQ Native Sinhalayo.
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Amarasiri / October 22, 2019
Eagle Eye,
“Do not underestimate the capabilities of low IQ Native Sinhalayo.”
Simhalayo are not Native,. They are Para-Sinhalayo, just like Para-Demalu. Just check their mitochondrial DNA Haplo groups.
https://www.nature.com/articles/jhg2013112
Through a comparison with the mtDNA HVS-1 and part of HVS-2 of Indian database, both Tamils and Sinhalese clusters were affiliated with Indian subcontinent populations than Vedda people who are believed to be the native population of the island of Sri Lanka.
From third century BC to 1505, Para- Moda Sinhalayo, mean I!Q 79, had kept a record by beating ‘Para’ Demala invaders , mean IQ 79, 52 times except a few/several occasions.
From 1505 to 1815, Para-Portuguese, mean IQ 95, Para-Dutch,, Mean IQ 100, and Par-English, mean IQ , 100 beat the Para-Sinhala and Para-Demalu. However, due to World War 2, the Para-English were severely weakened by the Para-Germans, mean I!Q 100, and Para-Japanese, men IQ 106, that resulted in the withdrawal of Para-English , mean IQ 100, n 1948, and handing over the Land of Natrive Beddah Aethho. to the Para-Sinhala and Para-Tamils , mean IQ 79, and other Paras..
Due to mismanagement by the Para-Sinhala Para-“Buddhists” , mean IQ 79, and their prostration to the saffron clad imbecile monks, by the politicians and populace alike, the Para-Sinhala and Para-Tamils fought a long 30-year separatist war, that was a stalemate. The Para-Sinhala with the help of Para-Indians, ( mean IQ 81) Para-Chinese,( mean IQ 106) Para-Pakistanis, ( mean IQ 84) , Para-Americans ( mean IQ 99) and other Paras, was able to ultimately prevail, and break the stalemate.
/
Eagle Eye / October 22, 2019
Amarasiri,
Usual humbug on DNA. Ranaweera et. al. should sue you for misinterpreting their research findings.
—
If Para-Indians did not interfere, grass eating Moda Native Sinhalayo with low IQ could have wiped out meat eating ‘Para’ Malabar Tigers at Wadamarachchi.
—
Those high IQ guys did not come and fight on the ground, in air and in sea. It was Native Sinhalayo who fought the battle and eliminated megalomaniac Prabhakaran. In fact, those guys with high IQ wanted to stop the military action when they realized Sinhala ‘ Kollo and Kello’ are going to wipe out LTTE.
/
Amarasiri / October 22, 2019
Eagle Eye,
Do you have a comprehension problem in understanding genetics papers on identifying haplo groups and their origins.
Both Para-Sinhalayo and Paa-Damalu are equally stupid, mean IQ 79, and they all came from India.
For long have these stupids been fighting each other? Have any got to Nirvana or to Nibbana? Is stupidity a virtue for them?
/
Hamlet / October 24, 2019
Amarasiri:-
For your Information, the ‘Para’ Veddahs , together with all the other Early Immigrants to Lanka, Came On the Great Eastern Migration Out of Africa!
They did not come by Air or by Space Ship from another Planet!
So. the sooner you give up your Misapprehension that You belong to the Original Inhabitants of Lanka, the Better it will be for your Peace of Mind!
/
Native Vedda / October 24, 2019
Hamlet
–
Out of Africa theory has been challenged by the discovery of Skull in China and stone tools of Athirampakkam in Tamil Nadu.
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Thappu / October 20, 2019
What little possibility we have of turning Sri Lanka around will be lost for a long long time, if the unthinkable happens. I am keeping my fingers crossed.
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ABM / October 20, 2019
This is the sentiment most of us here have. The coming color is not good, though. Sinhala electorate is so dumb and foolish and if they vote for GR by a 65% or so, he the mad man will be the president. And if that happens, MR and company will make sure that they will leave no evidence behind in the crime they will commit.
Yes, the fingers crossed, though.
/
Tara / October 21, 2019
Common sense tells us to NOT vote for a man already known for crimes, including murder, corruption, and unsolved disappearances.
Sri Lankans lack common sense, easily forget the past, and expect the leopard to change it’s spots. I agree it is dumb and foolish.
They seems to want more of the same.
/
Amarasiri / October 22, 2019
ABM,
This is what a low mean IQ of 79 does to a population. Many lose the ability to think.
/
K.A. Sumanasekera / October 20, 2019
Ms T doesn’t reckon that Nandasena can win..
What a contrast to fellow UNP supporter cum Part Time English Journalist Mr Poorten.
–
Funny, Ms T hasn’t costed Keselwatta Kids promises from at least 2 Free Meals a Day for our School Kids , Free manure for the Parents, LKR 50,000 pay increase to all public servants , Job Offers to who ever want Jobs and prostrate at the feet of Dalits to serve them in a way they want him to serve them…
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No wonder Dr Ranil looks uncomfortable on Stage with Keselwatta Kid is mouthing off his never ending list of promises..
Wonder what happened to Dr Ranil’s Dry Humor and Smart Ass Jokes which are his trade marks at previous UNP Rallies..
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Besides his beloved Neo Capitalism Dr Rnil must also be certainly worried about Keselwatta Kid dating JHU Champika and addressing the Media Scrum to say KK is all for Buddhist Country, with a Unitary State and no Foreign Alignment when the TNA ‘s revised List of 13 Demands which Dr Ranil has accepted specifically say , No Buddhism, No Unitary and it is all Federal with North and the East both in One..
–
Dr Ranil could blame Sira for failing to please the TNA and Sampathar last time.
=
Who can PM Dr Ranil blame this time , with all those mighty powers of the 19A and having an all UNP Government including Keselwatta Kid as the UNP President…
/
Emil van der Poorten / October 20, 2019
Sumaney:
The only thing worse than having to read your execrable English (?) on CT, is to have you so much as mention my name!
Now, I’ll have to think up a means of washing your mouth out with bar soap over the internet!
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K.A. Sumanasekera / October 21, 2019
Emil Aiya,
–
It is the new Premadasa Era , mate..
I don’t think even Old Preme could care much about the Elite , Anglican Dialect, which they think is only a notch below what Shakespeare used in Stratford.
–
Anyway I am starting to grow a bit of a soft spot for young Preme.
Not because of any love for Dr Ranil and his Neo Liberalism and Neo Capitalism and Elitism of the UNP..
But because of young Preme’s unending promises to the Dalits.which he pumps out 24/7 on Stage in every corner of the Nation…Like the ones last night.
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Preme promised to make Dr Ranil’s Cabinet Ministers push Logs in the Water from 4.00AM to 11.00 PM.
I like it, although I have no clue of what Preme means.
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Preme also told Dr Ranil’s young Akila that taking his School Uniform vouchers and beg the UNP organizers for those free uniforms is a disgrace.
And Young Preme promised Two free Uniforms and a free Mid Day free for all 41 Lakhs of our School Kids..
I never knew Dr Ranil’s mighty UNP had so many Dalits.
–
I know a few of my mates who contributes for a free meal to some Catholic School Kids at least once a week .
They will be relieved.
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Does your Old Boys Club do anything like that ?..
/
Nic / October 21, 2019
Emil, Bar soap? That won’t work. You need Harpic
/
Sharmini Serasinghe / October 22, 2019
Emil,
Soap won’t do it. Try acid.
/
Native Vedda / October 20, 2019
KASmaalam K.A. Sumanasekera
–
Why did Gota’s Spin Doctors allow Mhinda to appear with his swollen puffy face especially on the occasion of meeting the press? Experts believe the puffy face syndrome is caused by pressure being placed on his face while sleeping.
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As a warning/punishment to him was Shiranthi Sitting on his face/head for a prolonged period? She must have been disappointed the job was passed to Gota rather than her brat Namal Baby.
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K.A. Sumanasekera / October 21, 2019
Dear Native,
–
I always thought you had those kinky traits in you, because I know a few of your kind who are associates but not by choice.
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Anyway I am waiting to see our Colombo Journos asking Keslwatta Kid the tough questions like how President Preme is going to please the Vellala TNA Boss Sampathar with his 13 new Demands to go along with the old Hindian 13 A..
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And what Cabinet or non Cabinet Portfoloios, President Preme is going to offer , Mangala Samare, Galleon Ravi, Akila Boy,Young Sujeeva, Ajith Perera ,Kiriella Dr Rajitha, Young Chatura , Gonja Ramanayaka and last but not least Dr Ranil Wickremasinghe..
/
Native Vedda / October 21, 2019
KASmaalam K.A. Sumanasekera
–
“I always thought you had those kinky traits in you, because I know a few of your kind who are associates but not by choice.”
–
You are an old pervert.
You are reading too much into my innocent comment.
–
Don’t you think it’s better to grand reasonable powers to the Provincial councils now than leaving it until the Hindians to force themselves on Gota or Sajith. You do remember how Hindians caught JR by his b***s and got him to sign Hindo Lanka pact in 1987 and 13th amendment.
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You must also advise Gota the National Hangman to stop unnecessarily laughing, joking, neighing, braying, lying, talking, ………………….. at all time. The hangman is making more enemies than new supporters.
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You are rest assured Kessel watta kid is also attempting to join Gota in the sports known as “Competitive Racism”, as he had made a few comments on building 1125 Vihares, promising safe haven for war criminals, …..,… He is catching up with Gota.
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Who care who gets what cabinet portfolios?
This is what the double PhD man Fmr. Justice Min. Wijedasa Rajapakshe had to say to the media ‘I blocked Gota’s arrest in Avant Garde case’
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Whoever enjoying the power is ready to bend over backwards to please the opposition. anyway.
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K.A. Sumanasekera / October 21, 2019
Dear Native,
–
I understand, Mate..
At your age and your state , it must be hard to score even in Senior Citizens Singles Nights in Scarborough.
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Wije was the only decent educated and honest dude in Dr Ranil’s UNP.
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Even Keselwatta kid’s followers now shout ” Banku Hora Apita Eppa”.when Dr Ranil tries chant his his Neo Capitalist Mantra..
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Now I get the gut feeling that Keselwatta Kid won’t make Dr Ranil the PM , even if Dr Ranil and his mates sack him from the UNP.
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With the Boss Job of the Old SLFP now vacant Kelwatta Kid can be the Leader of that great Political Party in Lankawe which reined supreme from 1956 to 2015..
But I don’t think Keselwatta Kid is smart enough , although the Whiskey Madam will welcome the Kid and hug him with glee.
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It is only Sampathar Factor which will stop Dr Ranil sacking the Kid.
Because Dr Ranil won’t be able to Rest in Peace if he fails to give the Velllala Party their Federal Homeland after two consecutive stints in the Government..
/
Native Vedda / October 22, 2019
KASmaalam K.A. Sumanasekera
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“Wije was the only decent educated and honest dude in Dr Ranil’s UNP.”
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Seriously are you still living on this planet?
I am too bored and tired to list all his honesty in dealing with people. He had/has close relationship with the Batticaloa saffron clad thug Ampitiye Sumanarathana. The thug on many occasions went over the limit. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe went all the way to Batticaloa to protect the thug who had already slapped two officials.
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By any chance Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe (PhD + PhD, ….) was at Ampitiye Sumanarathana’s Dhamma School? Was the thug offering sweeties, kakkaru, …. to kids who attend the school learn?
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K.A. Sumanasekera / October 22, 2019
Dear Native,
–
If not for Dr Wije , your buddy the Dentist Minister would have put Nandasena behind bars on trumped up charges.
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Mangala Samare and his NGO buddies would have charged Nandasena on War Crimes .
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Field Mrshall Ponseka would have arranged his mates in Welikada to give Nandasena a hard time.
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Dr Ranil’s disgraced UNP IGP would have put Nandasena behind Bars on forced confessions from the “captured” Rana Viru Soldiers to say Nandasena gave the orders..
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Dr Ranil’s F******CID would have locked up even Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Mother in Law..
=
They say Karma will come to bite them in the back.. Can’t wait.. Mate..
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Mohd / October 20, 2019
K.A. Sumanasekera,
–
“Ms T doesn’t reckon that Nandasena can win”
–
Oath of Allegiance: “Give up allegiance to any other nation or sovereign, and renounce hereditary or noble titles, if any….”
/
Lankan / October 20, 2019
This media conference alone tells us a lot about these people and their leadership qualities .
I’m sorry to say why Sri Lanka defended this low level of ignorance and incompetency in leadership.
I do not know how any educated people or people with a commensense will vote for him…
Or his party .
All.are bunch of stupid people .
Thugs and all kind of corrupted people behind them.
They do not know how to answer the questions..
how to read the questions and how reply to media .
what do you expect form them?
If only Sinhalese know this ..i do not think any one can vote for them.
/
Christopher Seneviratne / October 20, 2019
God help Sri Lanka if this man the election.
/
nalmen / October 20, 2019
wow
looking forward to the mahinda gota battle prez vs pm
eliya and viyath vs dinesh ,vasu and wimal and of course gammanpila
which side will sb and dilan join
which side namal and yoshitha
what a battle
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ABM / October 20, 2019
Wrong!!!
There won’t be any battles. They all are cut from the same clothe and in this together.
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Tara / October 20, 2019
The Goat man wants Sri Lanka to be selective when it comes to remembering the past.
Laud only the victories, and forget the white vans, Lasantha, Thajudeen, and other citizens who were brutally kidnapped, killed, or never to be seen again, people living in fear, journalists fleeing the country, but remember how clean the streets were.
Do you want to go along with that Sri Lanka?
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Gamini / October 20, 2019
It’s clear to a rational person that NGR is an airhead (some say he was a former petrol attendant in the USA?). Hence his inability and failure to answer some questions with clear thinking (without a teleprompter or assistance from his elder brother and/or other sidekicks). Can such a person be expected to be a Leader of a Nation? Furthermore, constitutionally, he appears ineligible to run for the Presidency. If he wins (which improbable), there are bound to be challenges in the Courts of Sri Lanka. Do we want a person with so much baggage to lead our Nation?
Voters please use your franchise wisely.
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Estate Labourer / October 20, 2019
Actually, it is all the fault of the reporters who go to his press conferences. It is very bad of them to ask him awkward, embarrassing, difficult, probing and provocative questions about the horrible things he did when he was wielding so much power as the Defence Secretary. The worst sorts of question are the ones intended to trap him into making incriminating admissions about his past. Aw, come on reporters, have a heart!
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Ethel Nanayakkara / October 20, 2019
Ms Gunasekera, Pardon me for copying sections of your article but let me thank you for I am borrowing your words to express my own thinking.
“When the real contest is between a joker and a murderer, the choice is cringe-worthy but clear. ………….Filling the Galle Face will not win him election. To win, he needs to heal the fissures in the UNP he and his supporters worsened in their vitriolic campaign to win the candidacy. To win, he must understand that his constituency is no longer Hambantota, but Sri Lanka, a place of not just Sinhalese, Buddhists and monks, but also of Tamils, Muslims, Hindus and Christians, a place of not just villages but also of cities and towns.
Even if Sajith Premadasa gains a majority of the SLFP vote, he cannot without the minorities. If he thinks the minorities will flock to his side because of their fear of a Gotabaya-presidency, while he spends all his time chasing the mirage that is Sinhala-Buddhist nationalist vote, he is mistaken.”
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Nic / October 21, 2019
Ethel: You hit the nail on the head. “If he thinks the minorities will flock to his side because of their fear of a Gotabaya-presidency, while he spends all his time chasing the mirage that is Sinhala-Buddhist nationalist vote, he is mistaken”
GR is playing to the one track Sinhala Buddhist (monk led and driven mob) mindset – may be. SP needs to woo the Majority silent, peace loving, amiable Sinhalese who believe in co habitation with the composition of Sri Lanka’s diverse ethnic “minority” population. SP needs to visit and tour the North, East, West and South for his votes. Killi Maharajah cannot deliver the Tamil vote to him.
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Raj in SL / October 21, 2019
What all of you say is that Sajit is already lost!
How did you come to that conclusion which is correct according to my survey in Sri Lanka?
I spoke to a few dozen Tuk Tuk drivers, riders, by-standers and family friends about the possible winner/winning party for the last few weeks. I couldn’t find out even a single person who would vote for Sajit!
Almost all of them but 2 were expecting a Gota victory. One Tuk Tuk driver was highly critical of both Gota and Sajit and said he would vote for AKD. The only UNPer who spoke of the UNP’s glorious past is fed up with the current UNP leadership and Sajit’s baby talks; she said she would not vote for anyone, this time.
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Ratnam Nadarajah / October 21, 2019
Well said Ethel Nanayakkara
Its time that these guys accept the ground realities. One can not go on blindly as if the minorities don’t exist . That is fools paradise ,
In her ardent call to humanity Macrina Weiderkehr writes
“If you want to know if you are good for others, ask yourself how much hope you have given them. We need so desperately to learn how to hope more completely in all those little bits of life scattered through our days. We need to be so careful lest we throw someone away because of our lack of hope in their potential, their possibility to be”.
By ignoring “their potential , their possibility to be” ( of the minorities) the aspirant Presidential candidates, both Gota and Sajith are only fooling themselves and would live to regret.
Because ignoring the issue of the minorities , the problem would not fade away into the wilderness
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Gamini / October 20, 2019
Just curious to understand how a ‘front runner’ (alluded to by the writer) is determined in Sri Lanka? Are there any unpublished and unofficial polls conducted in Sri Lanka to determine who the front runner is? If yes, how reliable are those polls? Are such polls based on representative and scientific methodologies?
Even in the USA (where polls are supposed to be reliable and a barometer of public opinion), did the polls indicate a ‘win’ for Donald Trump in 2016? And more recently in Australia, did the polls indicate that the Liberal Party will be returned to power in the 2018 General Elections? Answers to both, I believe are ‘No’.
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Gemini Cricket 🏆 / October 20, 2019
Gamini
Don’t forget that Trump won the election through manipulation. Hillary got 3million more votes than trump.
But due to the electoral college system used in USA it was possible to jerrymander the result to favour trump.
This could not have been predicted through a poll, obviously!
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Gamini / October 20, 2019
When the trial of the first suspect, Amrozi, of the 2002 Bali Bombings took place (202 people died as a consequence of that incident), he was dubbed the ‘smiling assassin’. I was reminded of that ‘smiling assassin’ when I saw the demeanour and facial expressions of NGR when some pointed, uneasy and embarrassing questions were posed to him by some overseas journalists recently (has one noticed that local journalists do not pose such questions to NGR. Wonder why?).
It’s apparent to an intelligent observer, at the very least, even ostensibly, NGR would have been indirectly or directly involved in some disappearances, murders, abductions and shooting of innocent genuine protesters etc. (wonder why such incidents were not investigated by the previous regime?) A ‘smiling assassin’, indeed! – ‘who is Lasantha?’ !! – remember the BBC interview? – NGR appeared to be enraged! A Leader is expected to hold his / her cool. It’s clear NGR is nor Presidential material.
Voters, please be warned!
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Amarasiri / October 21, 2019
Gamini,
How do you warn the voters when the mean IQ is 79, most of them believe that the Sun goes around the Earth, they prostrate to imbecile monks, believe whatever the Rajapaksa Mafia dishes out, and do not even understand the significance of the second preference vote.
If they have some sense of common sense, they would select Anura Kumara D as the first preference, and Sajith Premadasa ad the second preference, to send a message and keep out the Rajapaksa Mafia,
.
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chiv / October 20, 2019
If Mahinda uncle is spiritual leader who am I ???? Dalai Lama. No surprises why Gotha could not sit with the the rest (thirty or so). when he has nothing to answer , other than laughing and stating I am for the future.
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Buddhist / October 20, 2019
Gotabaya projects himself as a son of the soil and a loyal citizen and an ex-army soldier. He ran away to USA claiming that he has mental issues and became a US Citizen taking oath “to carry arms for the protection of USA”. He is a person who is like “Hudini” can make all his legal documents vanish from Government records when cases relating to those documents are filed in courts. When his MIG stealing with a bogus contract was to be exposed he is supposed to have killed Lasantha. He finds either excuses through his lawyers not to appear to face any court cases or runs away to Singapore even for a day or two to seek medical attention to avoid appearing in courts. One of his major supporter today is the Cardinal. Who is this Cardinal, he is not elected by Sri Lankans but appointed by a Foreign Pope as Pope’s Agent. Chances are, like all other Cardinals this Cardinal may also be carrying a Diplomatic Passport of Vatican. Gotabaya who opposes and projects himself as anti foreign influence is surrounded by those like this Cardinal and other dual citizens and permanent residency holders such as Thondaman, Gammanpilla etc. The other supporter who was created is Gnanasara Thero who is anti-society. So who truly is Gota-Baya?
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / October 20, 2019
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith was refused Visa by UK to travel to London in 2016, to attend a function on 4th February organised by Catholics in UK connected with charity work. He was to conduct a mass at 12.30 pm at St. Georges Cathedral in Southwark, London and after that address a meeting at Amigo Hall. Cause of turning down his application given by UK HC Colombo as incomplete details such as his previous visits to UK, but it was speculated that the real reason was his support to war criminals and Human rights violators especially Rajapakse family. The fact that this cardinal has not made any application since then to visit UK, makes one to believe that it was so. But Tamil Bishops are frequently visiting UK without problem.
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Richmond Peiris / October 21, 2019
Dear Buddhist,
Sri Lankans don’t buy this ‘ran away to USA’ story at all. Please don’t waste your time and CT’s space any more on this blatant lie. Why? cause even in the past, kings have fled from the kingdom, some times to India, gathered the army, fought back, and captured/rescued the country. Gota did exactly the same!
Killing Lasantha is another sorry story! However, Premier RanilW has clearly said in Parliament, that Sarath Fonseca was the man behind it and that statement has not been denied or rectified yet. Sri Lankans believe the PM’s statement was correct.
Don’t try to sling mud at the Cardinal who bravely avoided a catastrophe through his strongly worded statements in the aftermath of the Good Friday carnage! He went to churches destroyed and damaged by bombs, attended funerals of the victims, and pacified the grieving public as a true peace-loving religious leader. Even UNPers have accepted this as a fact, and only myopic maniacs criticize him.
The real Magadhi-Pali meaning of Gotabhaya is the person who provides full protection to the unprotected. That’s what Gota has exactly done; you find ancient names with similar suffixes such as Chula-baya, Bhatika-baya etc. in our history.
You claim to be a Buddhist by name; if it is true you should know the meaning of these traditional Buddhist names.
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Hamlet / October 28, 2019
Buddhist:-
“He ran away to USA claiming that he has Mental Issues and became a US Citizen”
Do we need another Leader like Prabhakaran, with ‘Mental Issues’?
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Real Revolutionist / October 20, 2019
People aren’t concerned about Gota’s/ SLPP’s past or SP’s/UNP.’s past.
They’re concerned only AKD’s past.
Gota had a past, plus & minus (but SLPP didn’t).
For people, Gota’s plus points are enough & minus are deleted so he may score some more on future.
SP didn’t have a past (so he uses his dad’s past) but UNP had a past.(useless past after 77) that stands unfavorably for SP.
So SP talks dad’s past (as there’re fools to vote kids for dad’s plus points) & trying to utter some future unsuccessfully.
Kindly request for people to forget AKD’s past & see the possibility to give marks for his dreams.
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chiv / October 20, 2019
Just observe what is taking place now in US. Trump is just a another Gotha (minus committing murders). He refused to show his tax returns. Got foreign countries illegally involved in influencing elections. Arrogant at the same time stupid and ignorant. Always looking to take credit of others hard work and find scapegoats for his failures. At least more than ten of his close associates are currently in prison. Every secretary appointed by him has already been fired or quit.He like Gotha is arrogant, narcissistic , anti social with mixture of other character pathology, who boasted “he could shoot someone in daylight and get away with it” (Gotha actually did) and used all kind of loop holes and legal gimmicks in avoiding consequences but still could not stop his criminal behaviors (like alcoholic going back to drinking) and has got him self in trouble again, , leading to impeachment proceedings. The difference is, once Trump is done with his presidency, he will be spending rest of his life defending him self, from all kind of criminal and civil proceedings. Gotha is not just another Trump , he is a psychopath and a murderer.
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Ajith / October 20, 2019
Sinhala people should reject Gotabaya because :
He is not true patriotic to Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna or Sinhala or Buddhism.
He continuously violated rule of law, justice and freedom of speech.
He has no experience in politics, economics, development.
He cannot bring peace, unity and harmony.
His allies are terrorists, murderers, corrptors.
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Gamini / October 20, 2019
Hey, alleged criminal NGR, If you can’t take the heat, suggest getting out of the kitchen! You appear to be such a misfit out there!
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punchinilame / October 21, 2019
Will he be a misfit, although MR answers the questions on his behalf at
his first Press Conference when the situation of Rajapaksa Regime
past was made up as follows. Now with 3 marriages in the family,
the Nos.will have to increase:
The Rajapakse rule – 2004-2014:
Mahinda Rajapakse – President, Minister of Defence, Finance, Urban Development & Ports & Development.
Basil Rajapakse (Brother)- Minister of Economic Development. Former Presidential Advisor.
Chamal Rajapakse (Brother) Speaker, Former Minister of Ports & Aviation
Gotabaya Rajapakse (Brother) D.S & Chairman of State Owned Apollo Hospital
Shasheendra Rajapakse (Nephew) Uva C.M, Director SLT, SL Airlines PS to Minister of Finance
Namal Rajapakse (Son) M.P. Hambantota, Chairman T.Heta, Co-owner Carlton Sports etc.
Yoshitha Rajapakse (Son) Sub-Lieutenant in Navy, Co-owner Carlton Sports
Nishantha Wickremasinghe (B-i-L) Chairman, Sri Lankan Airlines, Mahin Airlines
Jaliya Wickramasuriya (Cousin) SL Ambassador to the US
Udayanga Weeratunga (Cousin) SL Ambassador to Russia
Prasanna Wickramasuriya (Cousin) Chairman-Govt. owned Aviatation Services Group
Nimal L Hettiaratchchi (Nephew) CEO Sky Networks (SLT)
Lalith Chandradasa (B-i-L) Director DFCC Bank
Asantha de Mel (Relation of MRs wife) Chairman C.P.C, Chairman/Secy: SL Cricket
Sumanadasa Abeyagunawardena (Friend) Astrologer, Director NSB, Advisor ITN, JP, Hosp.Director
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Lion / October 21, 2019
Nirupama R and the spouse?
Another family with surname ending with “Singhe” having an IT businesses in Colombo 03.
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ranjith / October 21, 2019
Punchunilame Gotabaya he should be in prison not on political flat form contesting for presidency
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sellam / October 20, 2019
The past will be his future if he is elected. So we will not speak of his past or his future and forget him. . Let him go to America
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Gamini / October 21, 2019
In general, the past is a harbinger for the future. Hence the reason, when one presents one self for a job interview, invariably, one is questioned about one’s past performances, experiences, achievements and results. NGR is infact applying for a job (even though he may not have the capacity to understand that). Hence he should be prepared to answer ALL the questions posed to him without being selective on which ones he chooses to answer. If he does not know the answer, be honest about it without looking around for a saviour! He cut out a very sorry figure out there that day and clearly displayed his lack of knowledge, experience and background to perform and deliver in the job for which he has applied. If I am in the selection panel, he will not be asked to come for a second interview!
I wish he will come out for more interviews alone and be more transparent, honest, sincere and forthright on what his plans are for the country. Then the voters will be better positioned to make a right choice between the contenders.
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Mauser / October 21, 2019
The future is to bring back Sajin Vaaz Gunawardena, to release Duminda Silva & his chums, to restart Mihin Air, to give a fat position to Kehelkan Rambukwella, to give a free hand to Gnanasara, to refloat Avant Garde, to purchase more Migs and chinese weapons, to build another massive harbor and airport, to import the latest armored Mercedes Benz and finally to shift Sri lanka to Africa.
That’s the future, so ! lets welcome the future.
Ps: to also create something similar to the infamous Nazi SS and Gestapo.
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Raj / October 21, 2019
Sajin Vaas is already back on Sajit Premadasa’s stage!
What a pathetic sight! Sajit lost a million votes in one second!
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charles / October 21, 2019
Any reason why UNP has been doing really badly last two years in elections So there must be a reason for that. After the Easter bomb blast. it has got worse.
So why somebody thinks Sajith( Hansaya) will win the election.
Last couple of years all the momentum is for POHOTUWA.
Even though some of the writers do not agree that is the bitter truth.
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Lion / October 21, 2019
Voters should give a chance to AKD this time. It is difficult to pardon JVP for the misery they brought to the ordinary peoples life in 89-90 and not offering a public apology. However with time they have learnt their lessons and had matured as a party. Please listen to AKD speeches and explanations at Q&A sessions to understand how matured and intelligent AKD with his humble beginning coming from a rural village in Anuradhapura compared to the rivals. With a physics degree his understanding of the local economy, Fiscal situation, workers and living conditions, agriculture is mazing. They also have some smart professionals backing them and these fellows are slowly surfacing at the Q&A sessions. His shortcomings are the is the lack of English knowledge that would have helped to expand the audience and the clarity with respect to the solution to the ethnic problem.
If voters want to hear the true side of NGR suggest listening to the military life of the suppose to be war hero GR narrated by FM SF. It is very interesting and if the facts are true people should think twice before voting for a such a person.
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Raj-UK / October 21, 2019
OK, lets say AKD is not responsible for the terror campaign of his party in the past & despite his Physics degree, humble beginnings from a rural village (now haven’t we heard this before?) & socialist ideology, if I am not mistaken, AKD & his gang never refused the perks, such as, luxury car permits which were all paid for by the citizens of SL by way of direct & indirect taxes. Does he need a bloated cabinet & all the trimmings that go with the job? Has he spelt out his foreign policy & his strategy for economic growth? Then there are whispers about owning property in foreign lands, so has he put these allegation to rest? I hope he has at least declared his assets truthfully.
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Native Vedda / October 21, 2019
KASmaalam K.A. Sumanasekera
–
“I always thought you had those kinky traits in you, because I know a few of your kind who are associates but not by choice.”
–
You are an old pervert.
You are reading too much into my innocent comment.
–
Don’t you think it’s better to grand reasonable powers to the Provincial councils now than leaving it until the Hindians to force themselves on Gota or Sajith. You do remember how Hindians caught JR by his b***s and got him to sign Hindo Lanka pact in 1987 and 13th amendment.
–
You must also advise Gota the National Hangman to stop unnecessarily laughing, joking, neighing, braying, lying, talking, ………………….. at all time. The hangman is making more enemies than new supporters.
–
You are rest assured Kessel watta kid is also attempting to join Gota in the sports known as “Competitive Racism”, as he had made a few comments on building 1125 Vihares, promising safe haven for war criminals, …..,… He is catching up with Gota.
–
Who care who gets what cabinet portfolios?
This is what the double PhD man Fmr. Justice Min. Wijedasa Rajapakshe had to say to the media ‘I blocked Gota’s arrest in Avant Garde case’
–
Whoever enjoying the power is ready to bend over backwards to please the opposition. anyway.
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Eagle Eye / October 21, 2019
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Sharmini Serasinghe / October 21, 2019
It’s always best to observe the body language of a person like Gotabaya than to listen to his words. Without the aid of a teleprompter, the man is a total disaster. He simply cannot can’t speak off the cuff – he’s not articulate like brother Mahinda. This is the reason he gets mad when journalists interview him and resorts to insults and abuse – the teleprompter cannot answer a journalist’s questions. Perhaps he’s a man of ‘action’ and not ‘talk only’.
On a programme like BBC’s ‘Hard Talk’, Gotabaya will be ripped apart and left shamelessly naked.
Compared to Mahinda who has a commanding personality, Gotabaya has zero personality, a voice and tone of speech that does not instill confidence or interest in the listener. Unlike Mahinda, Gotabaya can easily go unnoticed and lost in a crowd.
Mahinda has a booming and authoritative voice. In comparison, Gotabaya squeaks.
Gotabaya was most probably bullied and put down as a child by his family and he carries that anger with him. This would explain his ruthlessness and lack of a conscience. Such people if unhealed, are toxic to society.
It is obvious to the keen observer that Gotabaya suffers from a massive inferiority complex. This is why he surrounds himself with minions like Wimal Weerawansa. Gotabaya feels important amongst such men.
Without brother Mahinda to prop him up, Gotabaya will be an utter disaster as a leader!
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K.A. Sumanasekera / October 21, 2019
Pity Pira is not around to tell you how good Gota is ..
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Native Vedda / October 21, 2019
KASmaalam K.A. Sumanasekera
–
“Pity Pira is not around to tell you how good Gota is ..”
–
Was it Gota who explored VP’s posterior with a red hot iron rod when he surrendered to the Ranavirus?
–
If true Gota must be a real great hero to the Sinhala/Buddhists as he had gone to the frontiers no one had ever travelled before except Sisira Mendis and handful of other Ranavirus.
–
Are you feeling good?
You should.
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Raj / October 21, 2019
Can you make a similar body analysis of Sajit? It’ll be interesting and, important for the reader!
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Soam / October 21, 2019
Gotabaya, when your baggage is heavy and full off with the nefarious activities , you have no moral right to lead the innocent Sri Lankans. They may be ignorant lot but please spare them your “white Van” , killing of innocent journalists, spare them of your corrupt practice.
Your are not a leader but a ruthless person, the likes of Pol Pot, Idi Amin, Prabakaren etc. When things get under your collar, you run away. What sort of leadership you possess?
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JD / October 21, 2019
I think the ploy is using a UN affiliated organization to influence the youth votes (age 17 – 30) to make Sajith Pemadasa wins. I think Face book – Cambridge Analytica will do it as they did it with Bolzanaro. Social media will distribute selected propaganda to destroy one and to make win Sajith Pemadasa.
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JD / October 21, 2019
Sri Lankan youth already has been given the idea that they should involve in sri lankan politics. So, very soon thier social media sites will flood with political propaganda – mostly the BS what those foreign agent politicians and Parliamentary follows talk.
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Amila / October 21, 2019
It clearly shows that he is not suitable at all to lead the country. He has no experience at all. If he wins he will become the bigger joker tgan Siri.. It is high time that all get together and beat this American joker.
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