Prof. S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole
Brexit as Separatism
Brexit, a portmanteau word combining Britain and Exit, is about tomorrow Thursday’s plebiscite in Britain over whether Britain should stay in or exit the European Union. As a student in the early 1970s I remember Conservative British PM Edward Heath convincingly speaking on BBC news (which often preceded movies in Sri Lanka) about the advantages of membership in what was then the Common Market. A plebiscite in 1975 after joining won a 65% approval to stay.
Exclusivity Versus Internationalism
Those were the days of reduced racial tension and I could as a Commonwealth student vote in British elections. Even while a student, however, that right was withdrawn under Conservative Margaret Thatcher who also doubled my tuition fees as a foreign student. Today with asylum and other residence seekers pouring into Europe, the tolerance for other peoples is long gone and the cry for exiting the EU, is really a cry against racial (non-White) immigration and for absolute sovereignty.
According to a poll in The Times (21 June) there is a near 20% lead among working class and unemployed workers to leave and a 20+% lead to stay among upper-middle class voters. Among postgraduate qualified Britons, the lead to stay is nearly 40% and even more among the less racist 18-29 year old segment. The lead among the liberal Guardian readers is nearly 90% while the lead to exit among The Sun readers is 40%. It is instructive of the people who read The Sun that it carried topless models on its infamous Page 3 for 45 years until a campaign stopped the practice in January 2015. What the educated and the cultured want is clear – an internationalist outlook.
Strength in Numbers
A lesson is that the educated segments know that there is strength for a nation in numbers. With white folk not producing enough children to sustain their population levels, Britain soon will not have people buying their own goods to sustain economic growth. Despite Donald Trump, the thinkers in the US, Canada and even the EU know that unless population levels rise, there will not be enough people to drive economic growth. Having decided that the required population growth can come only from immigration, the US and Canada have tailored their immigration policies to welcome immigrants who can contribute – students who come for degree studies who are then given pathways to immigration and skilled immigrants; while those with PhDs and publications are allowed to apply independently without a sponsor for residence. Having decided that they need more people, they wisely choose who such people shall be.
This is why David Cameron, Britain’s Conservative PM, is in affix. As The New York Times explains (21 June), “In 2013, besieged by the increasingly assertive anti-European Union wing of his own Conservative Party, Mr. Cameron made a promise intended to keep a short-term peace among the Tories before the 2015 general election: If re-elected, he would hold an in-or-out referendum on continued British membership in the bloc. But what seemed then like a relatively low-risk ploy to deal with a short-term political problem has metastasized into an issue that could badly damage Britain’s economy, influence the country’s direction for generations — and determine Mr. Cameron’s political fate.”
Cameron knows as a pro-business leader that the markets that come with EU membership are critical for British growth. The problems of jobs, the environment, and terrorism are more easily dealt with as a part of Europe. After a lukewarm position for staying, now as it seems the stay vote only has a statistically negligible lead, he has come out in full force for staying: “Brit’s don’t quit,” he said.
Pandora’s Box
By tomorrow, 23rd, the British voter would have voted. If the decision is to leave, it would be a disaster for England which would become more racist and jingoist, spurning economic well-being for the comfort of racial uniformity. But in some ways Pandora’s Box has been opened. The Scottish who take comfort in EU membership and in the same spirit voted as recently as in Sept. 2014 to stay in the United Kingdom (by a 55.3% margin with 44.7% wanting to leave with a record turnout of 84.6%), may want to reopen that if the decision is to leave the EU. Some Italians also want a referendum.
Britain’s decision will be known only on Friday morning says Britain’s Electoral Commission which prohibits exit polls to be published before voting closes at 10 PM on Thursday. It even cancelled the symbolic distribution of croissants from France (a French food that is a hot favorite in the UK) because it is giving a treat as a favor to influence the vote!
Brexit News in Sri Lanka
I am in Trinidad and Tobago for a Commonwealth Electoral Network Meeting where the British Electoral Commission is represented. All the talk is about Brexit. In Sri Lanka there is little news or discussion on this very consequential referendum. It is, it seems, a frightful thought in Sri Lanka that a people can go their own way by a peaceful referendum. Editors seem to be uniformly for a blackout. The referendum is after all a democratic exercise.
Quebec
As noted when the Scottish people were given the option to leave the UK, they chose resoundingly to stay. Recall how, around 1980, the people of Quebec seemed behind the separatist Parti Quebecois. When I was a student in Montreal it had relatively less educated separatist members including a shop-lifting provincial minister who ran through the streets when caught by a shop security guard.
The then Prime Minister, French but with an English mother, was Pierre Trudeau, the present Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s father. He offered a referendum allowing the Quebecois to go if they wanted to go. It was thought a dangerous move at the time, so shortly after French President Charles de Gaulle had visited Montreal in 1967 and inflamed passions creating a diplomatic row by saying in Montreal “Vive Montréal; Vive le Québec !” (“Long live Montreal, Long live Quebec!”). Perhaps carried away by the applause he added, “Vive le Québec libre!” (“Long live free Quebec!”).
Trudeau’s gamble paid off. As he urged the French to participate in federal government provisions for French cultural expression, the proposal to negotiate sovereignty was defeated 59.56% to 40.44%. The separatist agenda was revived by a very charismatic French leader Lucien Bouchard. But when it came to the crunch in Oct. 1995, the vote was again a “Non” to separatism by 50.58%. Today, we see that Canada’s liberal policies with enlightened leadership have led yet again to another Frenchman as Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau.
Ranil Wickremesinghe and Treaties
In Sri Lanka, like in Britain, the leaders know that we do not have a market within our borders to be anything serious. As a small example, when we write books in Sri Lanka there is no one to buy let alone read them. Thousands of my own books have been printed and sold only because they were published and marketed abroad. Local books cannot make a profit so they need financial subsidy sponsors which in turn means influence and that in turn means low quality. When we are evaluated for professorships we are too small to have experts who understand the esoteric work of publications or publisher quality. It has led to low quality universities. It is in being internationalist that we can survive as a people of quality. For example, successful Singapore is internationalist in outlook and has an active immigration policy.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, I strongly suspect, knows all this and that is why he is promoting international agreements with India, within SAARC and with the EU. Those who oppose cross-cultural compacts are those who want to preserve their positions and do not want any competition. In Sri Lanka do we have a nexus between no-education and racial exclusivity? It is exclusivist professionals promoted through patronage rather than qualifications that ensure that their positions are secure and the benefits of trade do not reach the less fortunate people of Sri Lanka.
Winning against Separatism
Winning the fight against separatism is easy. Separatism, really the fissiparous culture we have, is not good for anyone and is encouraged only when there is no equality among us. To win that fight, Sri Lanka must be truly egalitarian. War crimes must be punished. If not, we are saying that it does not matter if Tamils are killed. Who is the Tamil who would want to be Sri Lankan in these circumstances? If there was no war crime, then there is nothing to fear from an international inquiry. People who have spoken to survivors know that terrible crimes happened.
Our Leader of the Opposition, Hon. R. Sampanthan, has complained of broken promises: of reneging on the cosponsored UNHRC resolution, continuing job discrimination against Tamils, Tamil lands being held by the military without any perceptible use for them and Tamil prisoners being held without charge.
To dispel the real, heartfelt but unfortunate clamour for separation among most Tamils, the government needs to rectify these wrongs and be truly for a Sri Lanka where all are really equal. If our government can bring itself to do this and then holds a referendum, there will be a resounding cry affirming one united Sri Lanka. Scotland and Quebec have proved this. I think the British too will ultimately vote to stay in the EU because they have full rights in Europe.
Does our government have the will to make equality truly from the heart rather than a speech for the press, GSP-Plus and the UNHCR? Do we have trustworthy national leaders to inspire minorities?
J.MUTHU / June 23, 2016
I dont think sinhala Buddhist [Edited out] bother about this….they live in their own world.
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amal perera / June 25, 2016
Wikileaks believes Brexit will lead to ‘scrapping’ of Assange warrant.
Brexit is potentially a means to an end for the Wikileaks founder as the warrant is valid only in member states of the EU, however, it is unclear when or how Britain’s separation from the EU will be carried out.
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DH / June 23, 2016
“Does our government have the will to make equality truly from the heart rather than a speech for the press, GSP-Plus and the UNHCR? Do we have trustworthy national leaders to inspire minorities?”
Believe you are asking a rhetorical question here.
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Aloy / June 23, 2016
Being an educated person means nothing when one fails to see the difference between Canada and Sr Lanka. Canada was forcibly taken away from natives in the recent history by the British. Therefore it does not matter if a small part was given to descendants of another colonial power. However SL belonged to Sinhalese for over two millennia and tamils have been brought by the colonials only recently according to many historians. Even Prabha (originated from land of coconuts) could not hold part of it for more than a few years. So how come they claim for sovereignty for part of SL?.
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Sam Fernando / June 23, 2016
I am sinhalese, I am afraid I dont bear the same view as you. I do believe those who are well aware of own rights do behave like me… I dont think that we the sinhalese belong the country. Anyone born to srianka can claim that the country belongs to them. Even the once migrated to the country after some years after getting their legal documents done, becoming citizens should have the same thoughts – that country belong to them. Likewise, we the srilankens living in europe or anywhere else, having gotten the rights of each country have the right to claim, they belong to that conuntry as the indegneous would so. No matter the minority is the category someone belongs to – everyone should be treated euqally under one umbrella.
Radical thought bearers should finally learn to treat everyone equal. Be them buddhist monks or others, should think about it at least now having run a war that only left negative thoughts and losses that we would never be able to reshpae again.
Sociologists, psychologists or other profesionals in that line should work hard to get all together and teach them – the facts -a fter than only we can all work for common goal peace and harmony.
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Sam Fernando / June 23, 2016
This means not that i would ever like country to be partitioned. One country should be there for all. Lanka is not even bigger than Germany s Bavaria province.
Federalism is acceptable but no means separate country making should be allowed. If Switzerland could function well under Ferderalism why not srilanka. Those who just make stories about federalism should get the facts from SWITZERLAND, Germany or other countries that have the systems from that day on, but not having any kind of problems just because of federal ruling. Germany s Rheinland Pfalz has a different adminstrative system compared to that of NRW or Bavaria. But for some areas, they have to work under central govt. Police powers are given to states. I have even noticed there are turkish germans work as police men. Bus drivers to lawyers are there with turkish orgin – turkish people are the minority folks in Germany. They dont have problems so long central govt is held the most powerful.
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Sylvia Haik / June 24, 2016
Sam Fernando With the Turkish people working indiscriminately in every corner of Gerrmany, Germany has carved out a lucrative solution to their skills shortage. The Turkish people are classed as “Guest-Workers” for generations. They cannot vote nor have property rights. For Germany it is the best of both worlds. This also signed their fate as never being allowed to join the EU. This is probably the reason for Angela Merkel’s welcome to the 200,000 Syrian refugees. As a humanist, I welcomed it as the Syrians were trapped between evils.
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simon / June 25, 2016
“”This also signed their fate as never being allowed to join the EU.””
Every european who has traveled and studied is aware that Turkey is in Asia. Nawabs>Nabobs and east india company.
With the cold war The War to Start All Wars was heralded 25 years ago by the yankees and Pakistan got a bomb while Turkey got the latest of f16-32 etc.
Europe is Europe not USA or Turkey.
With UK out there is no one to promote turkey.
Its like Lanka wants to be ASEAN but can’t be and even Thailand would not vote.
The islamic hate card is unable to see how the area votes went.
Next Trump In November after Boris in October Then there will be a glimmer of light on lanka to focus than hoodwink.
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sanchay / June 23, 2016
does it matter who came first to srilanka? according to you if the singhalese came first to srilanka then they must have taken the country away from the veddhas, it is similar to the colonialist in canada. you dont want to get it Aloy? It is not the sovereignty the tamils need in srilanka but the equality, eglise. Who came early and who came late is not the term to deal with this. Tamils and Singhalese must have the equal rights under one democratic constitution, not only on papers but practiced. If you dont get it, then understandably you stick to your racism.
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Sam Fernando / June 23, 2016
I insist you again. There were also tamils inthe country not all tamils were brought from India.. Please read the literiture correctly before going to add your thoughts that could open new kind of hurts to the communtiies. We must nto exaggerate anything here. I feel the country belong to all of us. Basta.
And you say, we cant compare the country with that of Germany. Why not … first minority in Germany are the turks. But germany is a grand nation of 83 millions. And as you or others believe, not german average would go against the syrians coming in. But there are groups that would go aginst foreigners ingneral. Having lived on German soil for the last two decades, I know what I have been talking about. Recently I happened to visit Vienna, there the people in general are not open to foreigners. May be that Hitlor having come from Austria generated new of thoughts to go for that kind brutal wars. Germans in geneeral are good people. I know how much they do when disasters occur in 3 world. How much they each did at the time tsunami broke srilanka. Even if the funds were ended up in Rajaakshe pockets is an another problem, but they did help us lot. How many thousands of Tamils were given refuge in GERMANY… most of them are not educated enough to live in lanken metropoles but they had to leave srilanka for their escape, as the syrians do it today. Human being sin gneeral seek escape when threats are there, that is natural.If our politicians were able to do the due, nothing woudl have reached to that levels. Anyways, we can put the blame on them easily, now we knwo since the new regime is made in sl, how difficult it has been them to go forward. Alone Rajaakshes media men would not do the job for the sake of good politics. They block it on the way, as their businesess will broke up if they would call a spade a spade. Just think about how much of information refrain,.. though they should go tothe hearts of rural people who are the real ones that suffer a lot… they have been brainwashed by Raja et al as nothign could reverse their thoughts.
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RAJASINGHAM JAYADEVAN / June 23, 2016
As a strong advocate of Britain staying in the European Union, I grasped the news of the brutal murder of the aspiring young member of parliament for Birstall constituency in Leeds Mrs Jo Cox with profound sadness.
Cross-section of the political divide in the UK and world opinion have come together to mourn her death. The EU in-out campaign came to a halt and the British flag is in half mast in the Buckingham Palace and all the important places. Profound words of sympathy unheard in the history for a parliamentarian, have been expressed by world leaders.
Joe Cox did not die in vain. She was the first symptom of the worry of hatred trying to establish its roots in the UK, if it decide to leave the EU.
The evolution of the British political history from its medieval reigns to the present day democracy in affiliation with the European Union is a very unique one. It has come to a juncture to make a unprecedented decision to step back on the choice it made in 1972 to join the then EEC (now the EU). A step back decision that will have muffling consequences for the UK.
With the ever shrinking economic influence in the Commonwealth, Britain had to look for new markets to sustain its economy. It was compelled to join the EU and its progress for the 44 years in the EU has transformed the country to such a scale that a decision to walk-away will have catastrophic consequences for the UK.
One most concerning fact that is emerging from the exit campaign is the underlying nationalist feelings. Open boarders of the EU has created fear for the indigenous English of the overriding influence of uncontrolled immigration across the United Kingdom. The Brexit poll has energised this feeling that did not reach the violent stage until the murder of Joe Cox and the media too did not overwhelm on the issue to prop up the hate campaign in that direction.
Investigations and analysis into the killing is confirming the alleged killer Tommy Mair is a former psychiatric patient. The assailant however mentally deform had the sole objective of reaching the vulnerable MP and had undertaken a targeted attack using weapons he carried with him and screaming ‘Britain first’ at the point of his attack on her.
If exit happens will the skinheads reappear in the UK.
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / June 25, 2016
“”With the ever shrinking economic influence in the Commonwealth, Britain had to look for new markets to sustain its economy. It was compelled to join the EU and its progress for the 44 years in the EU has transformed the country to such a scale that a decision to walk-away will have catastrophic consequences for the UK.””
The commonwealth nationals were given a vote at brexit not EU nationals. Great Britain is a planner and a pirate that does not follow your cultural logic.The white commonwealth is only itching to trade once again because they were left out.Anyway, The UK exports less to EU but buys imports more so the sellers are negotiating. The Danish then Dutch are ready to move out – both fed up with immigration and even Brussels.
Most UK businesses are registered in offshore accounts so there is no effect. If Amazon, Starbucks can operate from Luxembourg why can’t UK when Nestle is registered Swiss but a english company.
no wonder the main criteria was immigration hitting the ceiling for the last 25 years and overwhelming of even the multinational economy protest to their multicultural protest. so labour died I am told.
keep to your temple duties don’t dabble in trade.
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / June 25, 2016
“If exit happens will the skinheads reappear in the UK. “
if you hibernate and not integrate you will perpetually dream of hoodlums in hoods.
Who said Boris is a skinhead? Boris and Trump have the best hairstyles.
As Nigel said it’s not about right wing or left wing (the world is cocky glued on it) But it’s about what is right and what is wrong. First comes the basics- housing (refugees ride high is a racket) employment, medecine.
Cheap labour poor quality fit for multinationals.
The chinese will still come to London to buy `brand` for new year and thats £2 billion in 2 weeks at west end- they have no time for sightseeing- change of guards etc.The visas are a hassle therefore less come to shop.
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Plato. / June 23, 2016
Superb analysis Dr.Hoole.Thanks.
Those who want to Exit from the EU,are those frantically trying to close the stable doors after the horse has bolted!
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MsMaralathoni / June 23, 2016
Not even focused it well – superb ? My gosh,…. what an education you should have to call the current analysis as superb ? Tell us please..
He is just an another who has compared the problems looking at the surface. The kind of articles are foudn in lanken tabloid enough. I thought the manner he started could contain valuable comparisons, unfortuantely not. We cant compare lanken cause with that of Canada.
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ramona therese fernando / June 23, 2016
Guess what: EU didn’t work in the end, did it! So what’s the use of talking about educated people and internationalism – that’s outdated culture belonging to the 80’s. What the world needs now is a fresh new outlook on things. And the breakaway from the EU is just that thing.
The differences between Sri Lanka, and England and Canada are stark.
England belongs to the EU that bases it’s principles on egalatarian Christian culture (even if they are more secular now). Still the alliance finds it hard to perform, and hence the need to break away.
India, on the other hand, is the opposite of egalatarian. Based on ancient caste-systems, capitalism in India has turned it into Nazism. Can you imagine little egalatarian Sri Lanka being thrown at the mercy of India?
Obama-Clinton policy wants all these localized global alliances to prop up their dollar. TTP for the Pacific areas, Isis for the ME, ETCA for South Asia. A place like North Korea will be in the way because their ideology will tweak the profit-base of TTP, thus pulling down the dollar value.
What a complicated way to do things. Trump has quite a diferent take on things. The world needs a fresh new system of interaction.
Canada has nothing of the ancient history and heritage of Sri Lanka has. So we needn’t even talk about them.
Yes, Sri Lanka needs to build up the Northern province at a far better pace. But it seems the Northerners would prefer to go as refugees to Western lands. So, building up is not too easy. Yes, a referendum can be done, but only after the areas are built up. And that will be only in a 50-100 years time.
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Nimal Kodikara / June 23, 2016
“Canada has nothing of the ancient history and heritage of Sri Lanka has. So we needn’t even talk about them.”
This is exactly why it did not take much time for the Europeans who invaded Sri Lanka to identify our people as ‘Kavum kana Modayas’ (fools who are only good for eating kavum).
Countries with Short histories like Canada & Australia are flourishing and prospering while the ego of the South Asian countries like Sri Lanka is keeping them down talking about their rich past but not the pathetic present and the bleak future.
Some European countries with ancient history and heritage also underwent similar crisis few centuries ago but with economic development and prosperity, religion, history, heritage, etc. have taken a back seat giving priority to development, prosperity and secularism.
Countries with short histories have successfully executed the political arrangement to co-exist with the minorities and are progressing by leaps and bounds while Sri Lanka is going on the reverse gear, sinking into untold misery and poverty, innocently immersed in this perverted and foolish belief of the ancient history and heritage.
The biggest challenge for Sri Lanka is how to make our people to think and analyse our past effectively in order to build a bright future. I am sure the people of Sri Lanka will come to their senses one day. I wonder how many of the members who argue with each other in an acrimonious manner really live or would like to live in Sri Lanka?
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ramona therese fernando / June 23, 2016
Well….I mean, those European countries could never endure within themselves could they. They just had to go to other lands and cause as much destruction and debauchery as possible. Is that what you call progression? Even at this time they are tottering on the brink of destruction and doing every ruse possible to keep their balance. If they had honorable histories, on the other hand, it would have been quite a more decent world that we would be living in now. Instead their next big step is to go to Mars. Nothing wrong with going to Mars, but it will be an alliance 100,000 years in the making for any monetary value to come out of the inter-galactical association.
So, why should we compromise our heritage and sell ourselves to help them prop up their statuses? We can certainly work with them, and help them somewhat. But the price of progression will certainly not help our masses. It will only be there for about 1% of Lankans with the rest of the masses struggling to keep that 1% happy. This, in the end, is what you call progression is about.
Oh,…. we’d be able to flourish very well with intelligent leaders. Buddhism can become quite secular if we wanted it to. It can become the implicit heritage value of all Lankans. And we need not have the ETCA alliance too much. Why, we can have the Chinese alliance quite well too. Hope that is the middle-path Sirisena was talking about. But with Ranil working with the Tiger-laden Raj Rajaratnam counterpart, Sri Lanka is being placed in the rut yet again.
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Celeo / June 23, 2016
Nimal
From the above response don’t you think you have responded to a nut case. This is only a piece of entertainment and nothing more, the equivalent of chewing gum when you feel bored. If you talk serious stuff there will be no end of hallucination and blabbering, mostly all good for nothing gibberish.
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ramona therese fernando / June 24, 2016
…so says the racist epithet blabbering gibberifyer.
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Silva / June 24, 2016
Nimal
What you said is 100% true. The biggest challenge for Sri Lanka is how to make our people think about the future and not the past.
The lady’s response is a clear case of ‘Yanne Koheda Malle Pol’.
(Where are you going, coconut in my bag), no relevance what so ever.
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Adams / June 25, 2016
“They just had to go to other lands and cause as much destruction and debauchery as possible. Is that what you call progression?”
Every human exploits for survival. Its just that you never had the b***s to go for it but ended up in a colonial plantation. independance was a fluke because UK was broke. The same way we leave our cars on the wayside when its of no use anymore- cheaper!
In any case as if SL follows any soft human laws but behave like cannibals very often then claim sovereignty over citizens wherever they may be.
Interesting Where are mangalas tons of files on funds stolen by MP’s?
What is interpol for? that is procedure not playing politics of blaming west and eating from the west.(colony mentality like west indies blacks)
For all the power wielded today by the world’s largest corporations – whether ExxonMobil, Walmart or Google – they are tame beasts compared with the ravaging territorial appetites of the militarised East India Company.
Survival of the fittest.
West provides charity unlike sinhala buddhist begging bowl swindle.
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ramona therese fernando / June 27, 2016
Sri Lanka was a self-contained and self-sufficient nation, and did not need to go to other lands to exploit for survival. That was what Europeans who couldn’t deal with their own societies did.
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Richard Kaz / June 23, 2016
Countries that talk about their ‘rich heritage’ and ‘ancient’ history whilst paying no attention to the present situations are like an employee who wants to get ahead on past experience but does nothing about their current under performance.
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ramona therese fernando / June 24, 2016
Look what an ancient history like Iraq has been reduced for the Western world to have employment.
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Celeo / June 23, 2016
“Can you imagine little egalatarian Sri Lanka with ancient history and heritage being thrown at the mercy of India?”
LOL!
By looking at how things are happening in egalitarian Sri Lanka with ancient history and heritage, it seems Gautama Buddha gave all his wisdom to others and gave his begging bowl to the Sinhala Buddhists, or rather the Sinhala Buddhists have taken only his begging bowl leaving the rest to others, that’s why they have been begging every country on earth for loan and aid. They are not only begging the West but also China and India for aid, grants and to save their sorry asses from war crime charges. They beg the Indians but at the same time they have the audacity to blabber about the same Indians. LOL!
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Celeo / June 24, 2016
For those who talk big about the ancient history and heritage of Sri Lanka, this is what a Sinhalese (not Parangi) intellect/scholar has to say:
Professor Carlo Fonseka wrote: “I do not find that reading the ‘ancient history’ enhances my self-esteem as a Sinhalese. On the contrary I feel greatly embarrassed and deeply humiliated when I learn that we the Sinhalese are the descendants of Vijaya, the banished profligate son of an incestuous marriage between (Sihabahu) and sister (Sihasivali) whose mother was so exceedingly lustful that only a real lion could satisfy her sexually. Moreover, Sihabahu killed his leonine father, the king of the brutes […] Thus, according to the Mahavamsa, brutishness, bestiality, incest, patricide and profligacy, were the stuff of our genesis […] of the 54 rulers recounted in the Mahavamsa, 22 were murdered by their successors; 11 were overthrown; 13 killed were killed in battle and 6 were assassinated” (The Island, 22 October 1995).
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Sylvia Haik / June 24, 2016
Celeo, You are so right. Yet the Sinhalese-Buddhists don’t miss an opportunity to flaunt their pseudo superiority at the minorities in Sri Lanka who perhaps have exactly the same rights to call Sri Lanka “Their Country”. Incidentally, that pseudo superiority is neither recognised nor acknowledged anywhere else and they face the same measure of abuse from foreign bigots and racists.
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ramona therese fernando / June 24, 2016
Sylvia Haik,
All races are proud on the soil of their ancestors. It doesn’t matter what others outside their country consider them. But in their own country, their rights are paramount. In Sri Lanka, Sinhala Buddhists have a right to be proud of their ancestral heritage. And compared to races in other countries, Sinhala Buddhists have been the most kindly, giving and assimilative with others that came to their shores.
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Emanuel / June 25, 2016
empty vessels make the most sound.
A large number of the worlds poor hooked onto an illusion of faith and pride.
the same as high class vs the arrogant left and poor who get franchise.
See how the poor chinese behave- all quiet.
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Native Vedda / June 24, 2016
ramona therese fernando
“What the world needs now is a fresh new outlook on things. And the breakaway from the EU is just that thing.”
Hence the project Sri Lanka needs now is a fresh new outlook on Sinhala/Buddhist ghetto, force it to leave from rest of the island, preferably to the deep south of the country and crown MR as the emperor and you as his consort.
That definitely will save part of the island from self destruction and put it in path of progress, development and enlightenment.
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Celeo / June 24, 2016
“crown MR as the emperor and you as his consort”
his consort??
You mean as a side kick or something else??
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ramona therese fernando / June 24, 2016
Native Vedda,
You are still living in the 2,500 year old past. Truth is, in this era, all of Sri Lanka is Sinhala Buddhist. It a implicit and generic-culture thing. It is a SriLankan-Union thing.
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Perisappu / June 25, 2016
“Truth is, in this era, all of Sri Lanka is Sinhala Buddhist. “”
May be you make it a day for outgoing Obama and modi the toadi.
one kunu bittere and your lokka will need a nappy.
the world belongs to the 2 crusaders from the west.
Become muslim and join them- thats your closest because the pews are empty.
Did you notice the pride when Thailand with many deaths refused American or any assistance from outside in the Tsunami aftermath.
Lanka was kaka with Pres PM all out to swindle UK school kids generosity.
Isn’t it Sinhala Buddhist Culture??
Thailand have never been subject to foreign rule and has seen many wars.
While your identity is questionable with 500 years of european plantations just like the west indies with its indians- bihar/UP.
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ramona therese fernando / June 24, 2016
hmmmm….now that is a very nice thought.
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ramona therese fernando / June 24, 2016
I mean…the consort thing is cute.
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DeepCut / June 25, 2016
“”Guess what: EU didn’t work in the end, did it!””
The EU was always known as the gravy train when it became more than a common market superimposing laws on a nation that has always been prosperous and also charging to be in the club.
it was never going to work the day America planted the Portuguese fascist Manuel Barrasso as President. Barrasso never wanted to resign in 10 years and was adding an amendment to stay for life (the war on terror was a good distraction and the financial collapse he helped) Exactly like what happened at Ceylon several centuries ago the Dutch foreign minister lobbied and drove him out while Obama went into disappear state.
All nations with their different languages cultures and economy would remain as before.Greece would be happy and the PIGS would follow suit. China and Germany are in for many things from Robotics.
now that Russia is coming to its end and china is smart not to buy new weapons on Saturday.
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A. Sellathurai / June 23, 2016
‘It is in being internationalist that we can survive as a people of quality. For example, successful Singapore is internationalist in outlook and has an active immigration policy.’
Well said Sir. Unfortunately, Sri Lanka is not for superior quality but always for numerical superiority.
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Pygmalion / June 23, 2016
ramona therese fernando.
Your last line…
And that will be only in a 50-100 years time…
So you envisage a scenario where the Tamils in the North would be reduced to a Minority,after steady Colonization.Is that what you mean?
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ramona therese fernando / June 23, 2016
Well….there are a hellava lot of Tamils in the south, aren’t there, Pygmalion.
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Native Vedda / June 24, 2016
ramona therese fernando
“Well….there are a hellava lot of Tamils in the south, aren’t there, Pygmalion.”
Weren’t they all (including your family) recently brought into this island by the Dutch?
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ramona therese fernando / June 24, 2016
Probably, Native Vedda. But that group of Tamils assimilated and mixed with the Sinhalese, and are indeed mostly Sinhalese now. I was speaking of the Tamils who are living as nothing but Tamils in the South.
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Native Vedda / June 24, 2016
ramona therese fernando
” But that group of Tamils assimilated and mixed with the Sinhalese, and are indeed mostly Sinhalese now.”
Do you know when exactly did you first become Sinhalese and how?
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ramona therese fernando / June 25, 2016
Oh…that’s lost in Buddhist egalitarian goodness Native Vedda.
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cat with 9 lives / June 25, 2016
Ha Ha treehugger!!
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aloy / June 23, 2016
@Sam Fernando,
Please read my post carefully. I did not say SL should belong to Sinhalese only. At my time in the Engineering faculty 30% of us were tamils and we never felt any semblance of racism. To date they are my good friends. What I am saying is that Tamils cannot own any part of SL exclusively for themselves. In fact the previous governments were even negotiating with Prabha to give a part of the country for his administration. Was it not?. He probably wanted to have the entire country and that plan misfired because of the blunder they did by killing Gandhi. I put the whole blame on this present situation on MR. After defeating the terrorists he should have abolished the provincial council system and put a stop to this nonsense of federalism etc.
Please do not compare Germany which is still under the allied forces in someway. Given the chance they will repeat what they did to Jews to others such as Turks and perhaps the Syrians who are there in large numbers, in case they try to misbehave. More over if Federalism is given who is going to control the influx of Dalits from caste ridden TN. They would come in boats in large numbers and flood rest of SL as well. Our biggest enemy is TN for over a couple of millennia. Even at present our cricket team cannot play in TN.
Our leaders should be mindful of these situations when they talk of federalism or any ECTA with India.
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Sam Fernando / June 23, 2016
QUote.Please do not compare Germany which is still under the allied forces in someway.
Unquote.
Yes, American troops are there,
British have gone back.
But they have no power to react being on german soil.
War is already 70 years ago. History is dark, but people s attitude have changed alot. I know it very well today, i cant trust germans but not srilanken even if I was born to lanka. My values have been diffierent ot the average thinkers in sl. I respect everyone regardelss of their ethinicity, regligion, colour, race OR whatever parameters work for the measurements. Germans in gneral are law bound people than any other folks. They look as if they are cold hearted, but it is their culture. Meanign not that average would go against foreigners which is not the fact. Like any human beings, they are against more foreigners coming in – woudl srilankens allow 0.25 millions of bangalidesis or indians to come and settle in srilanka until their living standards woudl become better… never…. our folks are more racial and xenophobic than germans. I know how WUS men worked earlier days. They even attacked their own lankens. Poor countries such as ours need more time to bring the folks to civlized tracks. So long poticians would not pave the way for that, they would remain so uncivlized. that is it.
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Sam Fernando / June 23, 2016
it should be I can trust germans but not srilankens.
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Simon De Silva / June 23, 2016
See the manner how the AVERAGE down there go against own burgher community for example. Do they have the same rights as the sinhalese enjoy ? So what about the talks towards the tamil or muslim srilankens ? We talk about GERMANs or others, ours have been more cruel even today. Our people should finally learn to behave- at least after 30 years of battle that took the live of masses and left the others torn as nothing can help them easily get back to normal.
We all know our majority folks had no sufficient knoweldge and that was the root causes for the ethnic conflicts. Language barriers kept the minorities in blind. Even today, they spend much less to teach them all langauges. Sinhales us shoud also learn tamil… not only tamils should learn sinhala. Even after the war is over, what did they do ? Rajaakshes almost destroyed everything rather than saving the nation, but fooling even unborn children blind by their propaganda machines. What qualification has that google anti boy wimale ? Keeping him as the right hand, what has Rajaapkshe been doing ?
Controversal trips being made by Rajaakshe to Uganda and Japan to satisfy his inferioritycomplex filled mind but never think even today about the folks and their real grievances but himself. The kin d of men are not worth even to be a team leader for a small project. Stupidity of the people allowed him making him the president. Politicians of the day should keep him under house arrest not allowing him leaving for any destinations. All kind of media shows could be arranged by their supporters, since they are brainwashed as it is the case for north koreans in that country or former Lybia by Gadafi rule. His administration deliberately destroyed the nation as no words can express it further.
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anotherbuddist / June 24, 2016
What killed the EU / Britain’s need to leave the EU has least to do with ideologies of internationalism or separatism. It is pure and simple, Brits have had enough of large trade blocks and they fear Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) like agreements have on sovereignty of a nation. They also resent the US influence on matter of UK internally and externally. They are tired of being dragged into wars, and one after another British leaders following US policy blindly. They want to be British again, whatever that means / leads to!
More nations will follow / leave the EU sooner or later for same reasons.
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Native Vedda / June 24, 2016
anotherbuddist
For your information, the US treat the UK as the largest floating aircraft or missile carrier.
The Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is being negotiated by EU on behalf of 28 countries which gives more powers to the US Corporations than to the individual countries. I am told it is better to stick together as one group of 500 million people than a single country.
Anyway now in this referendum people have expressed their will no matter what happens the government of the day is duty bound to see it through to next stage. That’s what Cameron wanted this morning.
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Sylvia Haik / June 24, 2016
Thank you Prof. S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole for a brilliant analysis, clearly written before the referendum results were known. Sadly, by a clear majority, the British people voted to leave the EU. This decision might even lead to the breakup of the United Kingdom as Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to remain in the EU. Scotland would want to join the EU as a separate country and Northern Ireland might want to merge with Southern Ireland that is already in the EU but was also the subject of their 30-year devastating conflict. Anyway, I believe the British voted to leave the EU for the wrong reasons fed with a tissue of lies and exaggerations. UK presently has a negative population growth and the migration of the young and able-bodied from the poorer Europe should have been welcomed as the future workers that will finance their State Pensions and the welfare benefits.
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sach / June 25, 2016
Mr.Hoole was crying for security from armed forces while LTTE was there. He was after MR asking to protect him.
Punishing wrong doers is different but punishing the ones who finished war by killing LTTE by the very funders of terrorism in SL is wrong and unjust. We can talk about punishing the day we see the diaspora who funded the LTTE terrorism for 30 years were brought to courts in SL and punished (preferably hanged in Galleface) against terrorism against people of SL
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arancha / June 25, 2016
S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole,
“Those were the days of reduced racial tension and I could as a Commonwealth student vote in British elections.”
You live in former colony and are bleating about a moving democracy like UK.
The immigrant takeover their use of human rights acts at tax payers cost. Finally the syrian flow of refugees to germany was something like hitler giving succor to the muslims.religion is dangerous for a prosperous society.
Brexit Referendum who can vote:2) a commonwealth citizen living in the Uk who has leave to remain in the UK or who does not require leave to remain in the UK
Canadians, New Zealanders Australians still pay royalty and are commonwealth members so they (even students) voted.
“Today with asylum and other residence seekers pouring into Europe, the tolerance for other peoples is long gone and the cry for exiting the EU, is really a cry against racial (non-White) immigration and for absolute sovereignty.”
that is stereotype! today if a coloured accused a white of racism no one likes to get involved except the blacks and bengalis. It is because you are not cultured enough to know when called a wog that folk watching are aware and Uk is for the underdog.
The core issue is integration and if it does not exist then there are bound to be problems. Europeans have confidence unlike lankans.
Lankans open doors for scantily dressed Europeans, jump the hospital queue etc so they are still treated like the British Raj.You have servants while the tourist are working class and have an opinion.
Every culture has bad eggs but UK addresses it and everyone took advantage of laxity.
12 year white girl is playing in her front lawn when a refugee iraq drives his high speeding car over her and kills her. The judge releases (3 months remand)the iraq because he now has a child of his own (settled down) but he was warned by another case that he should not drive for several years. The tribunal subsequently gave him refugee status. Who is stupid and who creates racist/ religion fanatic.
Home office has enough and more that it does not need EU court ruling(they are like UN unelected).
Obama overruled in the Trinco 5 case- that was history only a muslim made in the American judiciary.
He is a debater- so much for so called educated pricks.
We are happy obama hussain lost his Brexit after Libya.
Nobel Prize for Peace- more people have died under him than Bush.
Half baked who went to marry at Chicago is a disgrace to minorities. None talk of his mum anymore. i won’t be suprised Trump unearthing a birth certificate after November.just like Roots`. his half bro lives at China.
By saying racist nothing ever gets done at europe- its like religion political bullsh**.
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shankar / June 25, 2016
the tamils version of brexit was stopped by dixit.
will the UN one day have a brexit referendum in the north now that dixit is dead,or is a brexit for the tamils long dead because of india,not just dixit.
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take_that / June 25, 2016
Scottish referendum and Brexit came about because of the culture of conservatives not labour or left wing.
Power sharing is not in the culture of the island.Every 5 years after elections there have been riots and job losses.
“or is a brexit for the tamils long dead because of india,not just dixit.”
the tamils bit the hand that fed it and involved in local politics- so you are dammed as much as the sinhalese. Rahul will never forget it and must be blaming his childhood insecurity because of it.
folk can troll for their money’s worth but nothing is going to move USA which is harvesting peacekeepers.
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