Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today announced that Canada will suspend its voluntary contribution to the Commonwealth Secretariat and reallocate the funds for the next two years.
“As host of the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and current Chair in Office, Sri Lanka has a duty to take meaningful action on human rights, political reconciliation and accountability. However, Sri Lanka has failed to realize progress on any of these issues,” said Baird. “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Canada took a strong and principled stand in not attending the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Colombo, and today’s announcement is an extension of that leadership.
“As Prime Minister Harper has stated, Canada believes that if the Commonwealth is to remain relevant it must stand in defence of the basic principles of freedom, democracy and respect for human dignity, which are the very foundations upon which the Commonwealth was built,” said Baird. “This decision was not taken lightly. We can no longer justify providing additional funding to an organization that turns a blind eye to human rights abuses, anti-democratic behaviour and religious intolerance in its member states.”
While Sri Lanka is Chair in Office, Canada’s $10-million annual voluntary Commonwealth contribution will instead go for two years toward supporting initiatives that espouse the Commonwealth’s values and help to deliver results for those who need them the most.
“Canada remains deeply concerned about the absence of accountability for alleged serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian standards in Sri Lanka,” said Baird. “We will reallocate the funds to assist in combatting the practice of child, early and forced marriage, and help Commonwealth civil society advance the promotion of human rights. Canada will continue to work with its partners to uphold the Commonwealth’s core values, which are cherished by all Canadians.”
*Statement – Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
Wijedasa / April 15, 2014
I have no doubt that the Right thinking people of Sri Lanka would appreciate Canada’s firm stand and refusal to compromise its demand for democracy, good governance and rule of law that is lacking in Sri Lanka as openly admitted by the de facto CJ Mohan Peiris.
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Dinuk / April 15, 2014
Braveo, Canada, way to go!
The Commonwealth of Clowns in an obsolete British Colonial outfit, morphed into a platform for Asian and African military dictators. Canada should stop funding it period and call for its SHUT DOWN..
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Kalpana / April 15, 2014
Like the Commonwealth of Clowns conference, the UN sponsored world Youth Conference – to boost the family Dictatorship and Namal Rajapaksa’s “crown prince” status in Sri Lanka should be BOYCOTTED by one and all.
We need a UN research paper on HOW MANY POLITICIANS SONS ARE IN MONEY POLITICS AND DRUG DEALING IN SRI LANKA. This world YOUTH conference being held in a quasi-military dictatorship that is blocking this very website (CT) is a BOG JOKE!
The World youth conference being held in a Banan Republic gives all the WRONG MESSAGES to the youth- especially since it has been hi-jacked by Sri Lankan politician’s sons who are thugs, criminals and CORRUPT – like there fathers. – Like the Ministry of Youth Affairs which is Namal Jarapassa’s private property!
NO space for women either.
Blocking media freedom and internet access for youth and young people, the quasi-military dictatorship of Sri Lanka is now turning the buzz and spin about YOUTH into an exercise to boost the sons of corrupt politicians.. What a circus!
BOYCOTT THE YOUTH CONFERENCE WHERE NAMAL JAPAPASSA IS TO BE ANNOUNCED AS CROWN PRINCE OF BANANA REPUBLIC!
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Dude Cruz / April 16, 2014
WORLD YOUTH Conference in Banana Republic of Sri Lanka – with Namal Jarapassa as MC?!
Way to go to spread the culture of military dictatorship among the YOUTH of the world!
Some one please do something about this!
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Pandukabaya / April 15, 2014
In fact its a welcome news to all those ‘Right thinking People’.
Canada has balls, unlike the opportunistic Australia. Canada is not against the people of Sri Lanka but against this appalling Family rule.
This bugger Kamalesh Sharma is another Mohan Peiris. Saharma’s prejudice and his nakedness has been clearly shown only a blind could missed it. Cant Canada bring a motion against this Sharma fellow in order to kick him out?
Mara must be disgraced!
Thank you Canada!
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M.Sivananthan / April 21, 2014
But Canada continue to fund the LTTE fronts as well. How is that?
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Thiru / April 15, 2014
This is the thin end of the wedge of the Western countries in the imminent economic sanctions against the genocidal Sri Lankan state and its rulers.
Unfortunately common will be hurt too, but this is the only way the voters can be coaxed to exercise their votes against the murderous junta of the MahaRajapakses in future elections!
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Ghost of Past / April 15, 2014
This is a very good move.
We Sri Lankan general public who is not connected to the Terrorist Govt., of UPFA must feel very happy that the western govts., are on the ball, continuously tracking and tracing the Terror traits and the many anti-social activities of Mahinda is being converted into real action.
Now, the people must gather all the past info on the support lent by the UPFA govt., and the private MEDIA (Terror Media) and also other commercial/social establishment to the newly classified TERRORIST GROUP of Bodhu Bala Sena (BBS) https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/bbs-classified-as-a-terrorist-organization-by-terrorism-research-analysis-consortium/
Following is a list of TERRORIST (BBS) SUPPORT BASES in SRI LANKA
1. Terror Supporting Media:
ITN, RUPAVAHINI,
DERANA TV
(Chatura of Derana is an ardent backer of BBS Terror group. During Halal issue he personally on “DERANA ARUNA” reqstd from the viewers to not to stop following Anti-Muslim campaign that was (still) carried out by Fcaebook/pages dedicated to the campaign. He was joyous when he refers to the verbal attacks on the derogatory speeches by Terrorist Gnanasara. We have recorded (with date & time) those programs for future references.
SWARNAVAHINI:
The news readers including the female news presenter had kick in reporting BBS speeches and Terror acts saying ” Apey Hamuduruwan honda wedak kalaa…..” (Our monks did a great service/terrorism).
TNL:
Shan Wickremasinghe is a Anti-Muslim maniac. He started the campaign nearly 20 years ago with Gangodawila Soma (Terror God Father) whose preaching bore the EVIL SIHALA URUMAYA/ JHU/NMAT/BBS/RAVANA BALLOS etc.
TNL is still at the fore front in the anti minority TERROR campaign.
2. TERROR PRINT MEDIA.
The whole world knows that the Sinhala Sri Lankan Media has a 65 years of active TERROR campaigning history.
SUNDAY TIME, DAILY MIRROR, ADA, Lankadeepa(Wijeya Publications), Daily News, THE ISLAND (Upali Group), Mawbima/Nation & allied publications…
3. TERROR “PROFESSORS”
NALIN DE SILVA, DAYAN PARA-JAYATILAKE, G.L.PIERIS…and many others.
4. TERROR LAWYERS ( Most of the anti social politicians have some sort of pseudo-law background)
MAHINDA, MOHAN PIERIS, NAMAL RAJAPAKSE(Hora Perakadoru), S.L.Gunasekera…..and many others.
5. TERROR FINANCIAL INST./BANKS
THE BANKS that has Mahinda’s corrupt money under the guise of Dhammika.
6. TERROR SOCIAL GROUPS
Almost all the Buddhist religious institutes support TERROR. They conferred Highest Titles to Mahinda & his cronies (Mahawansa)……
To be continued….
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Banda / April 15, 2014
John Baird, Foreign Affairs Minister of Canada says, he has withdrawn Canada’s $10-million annual voluntary contribution to Commonwealth. It is obvious that Baird has joined his neo con gang to force Sri Lanka to agree to their witch-hunt. He tells us that there is no ‘principles of freedom, democracy and respect for human dignity’ in Sri Lanka and for that reason Canada had stopped their stipend to reprimand Sri Lanka. I like to open Lankaweb readers’ eyes for the fact that Baird is blind to what’s going on in his own country, Canada.
Genocide is a deliberate extermination of one ethnic group by another. That has never happened in Sri Lanka. True, throughout history, Sinhalas fought to stop plundering by invaders. But when Tamil invaders were defeated or went back to their homeland with the plundered booty, the remainder had become guests and settled down with the local polity by integrating into the Sinhala populace. We can safely assume that’s how Sinhalas grew to what they are today.
The indigenous peoples or the ‘first nation’ of the Americas are the various aboriginal people commonly called ‘Indians’. These indigenous peoples have cultures spanning thousands of years. Progeny of invaders say there were about two million ‘first nation’ people in the late 15th century but repeated outbreaks of European infectious diseases said to have killed up to 80% of that number. What a lie.
That apart, what interest me is, the God’s agent, Pope Alexander VI drew a line and divided lands discovered in America between Spain and Portugal in 1493. American ‘first peoples’ were polytheistic, believing in many gods and many levels of deity. They attached supernatural qualities to animals, heavenly bodies, the seasons, dead ancestors, the elements, and geologic formations. Needle to say, Europeans hate such believers and call them pagan. So, Columbus brought a force of 17 ships on his return voyage in 1493 to implement slavery and mass-extermination on the first nation in Caribbean. Other conquistadors introduced small fox etc. to settlements of the first nation peoples in Canada and the US at later stages with the sole aim of exterminating them.
Somehow, the average ‘first nation’ slave said to have died at 18, and the average African slave died at 25 but the average European lived to reach the age of 35 at the time. One can visualize how Bairds’ ancestors reduce the ‘first nation’ to a bare minority. That’s what Baird’s ancestors meaning European invaders to Canada and the US had done to its indigenous populace. What a contrast to past events of Sri Lanka.
With all that dirty and gloomy record, Canada today has elevated itself to be a leading nation that preach others on human rights. So much so, its Foreign Affairs Minister, John Baird accuses Sri Lanka for failing to take meaningful action on human rights, political reconciliation and accountability.
So, let’s fast forward to 20th century. Canada says they have a National Aboriginal Day and recognizes the cultures and contributions of Aboriginal peoples of Canada. But Canada continued the force removal of the children that began in the 19th century till 1970s. At the forced boarding schools, children were forbidden to use their own languages and discouraged from learning about their own cultures. Canadian policy was not just to kill the colonized but eradicate their language, music, art, religion, healing, agriculture, cooking style, the institutions governing social life as well. We in Sri Lanka never had such policies.
Duncan Campbell Scott, a senior official in the Indian affairs department, wrote in 1920 that the aim was to “kill the Indian in the child” until “there is not a single American Indian in Canada that has not been absorbed”. About 90,000 of the 150,000 students who went through the system are still alive. Today, the indigenous population makes up only about 4% of Canada’s population. But they’re among the poorest.
Canada lobbied member states to postpone United Nations Declaration on the ‘Rights of Indigenous Peoples’. Their general excuse was it would create constitutional problems. The truth is, Canada didn’t want to cede state control of lands or resources to their ‘first nation’. But 143 states voted in favour, 4 voted against (Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States) and 11 abstained (Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burundi, Colombia, Georgia, Kenya, Nigeria, Russian Federation, Samoa and Ukraine) At the General Assembly on 13 September 2007. Are Canada and the US true human right protectors or schemers.
Not long ago in 1937, the Pequot Indians were exterminated by the Colonists when they burned their villages in Mystic, Connecticut in adjoining state in the US, and then shot all the other people — including women and children — who tried to escape.
Jose Noriega’s well-documented historical account of the forced indoctrination of colonial thought into the minds of American Indian children as a means of disrupting the generational transmission of cultural values, clearly demonstrates the cultural genocide employed by the U.S. government as a means of separating the American Indians from their land.
Talking about the 21st century, HRW has prepared a report which alleged widespread abuse of ‘first nation’ women in British Columbia by members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in 2013. Many say victim numbers would exceed 600. So, HRW hoped Prime Minister Harper would start a national inquiry into the problem of murdered and missing ‘first nation’ women across Canada. But Harper merely demanded that the alleged victims of police abuse come forward and be identified. Is that an action by a protector of human rights?
Terrified for their safety, and in some cases their lives, if they speak out publicly not many turned up for the inquiry that followed. In the 90-page report after 87 interviews with 50 indigenous women and girls between the ages of 15 and 60 in10 British Columbia aboriginal communities, one woman alleged she was gang-raped by four officers in 2011. The report’s findings include allegations that said “They threatened to kill me and make it look like an accident.”
Two 12-year-old girls said they were Tasered. Another youth said he was pepper-sprayed. Another said, she was attacked by a police dog. A ‘first nation’ woman alleged she was arrested and taken to a basement stripped, drugged and sodomized her, then threatened to murder or “disappear” her family members if exposed. Likewise, many ‘first nation’ women who say they were abused by the police fear retribution if they report the crimes.
There are more than 600 cases of missing or murdered ‘first nation’ women in Canada, says the leading missing-women advocate Gladys Radek co-founded the group Walk4Justice after her niece, Tamara Chipman who disappeared along northern British Columbia’s Highway. Native Women’s Association of Canada says it had a list of 582 missing women and girls from 2005 to 2010.
What a laugh, Baird accuses Sri Lanka for failing to take meaningful action on human rights, political reconciliation and accountability. Baird should go look for the culprit in the mirror.
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Native Vedda / April 15, 2014
Banda
“Genocide is a deliberate extermination of one ethnic group by another.”
What you Sinhalease and your brethren Tamils did to my people was a classic case of genocide.
You should look up what construe as genocide and let me know what you have learned.
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Palmsquirrell / April 15, 2014
How did Tamils committ genocide against Veddah? Unlike the Sinhalese and their Bengali/Orissan founders, Tamils did not slaughter the Veddah and assimilate the remaining Veddah.
Tamils fisherfolk communities would have existed in Northern Lanka before Vijaya and his Bengali/Orissan founders colonized Lanka. If Tamils tried to genocide the Veddah, Tamils would have colonized the Island before the Sinhalese and Veddah speech would be closely aligned to Tamil and not to Sinhala.
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Banda / April 15, 2014
Vedda,
What Sinhala genocide against Vedda you’re talking about?
You must a fake Vedda for you have failed to notice the most all-important point here. That is; Canada and the US didn’t want to concede state control of lands or resources to their ‘first nation’ and therefore voted against the UN Declaration on the ‘Rights of Indigenous Peoples’ whereas Sri Lanka supported it.
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M.Sivananthan / April 21, 2014
The comments from Tamils are disgusting. They think they have a right to kill everyone.
Further many who support Canadian move, have no knowledge of Canada.
Canada and other American states are invaded territories. Current governments represent invaders and not the people of the land , the natives.
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Palmsquirrell / April 15, 2014
” Genocide is a deliberate extermination of one ethnic group by another. That has never happened in Sri Lanka. True, throughout history, Sinhalas fought to stop plundering by invaders. But when Tamil invaders were defeated or went back to their homeland with the plundered booty, the remainder had become guests and settled down with the local polity by integrating into the Sinhala populace. We can safely assume that’s how Sinhalas grew to what they are today. “
Here we see the Sinhala Nationalist mindset with its revisionism.
First off; Tamils were in Lanka BEFORE the Sinhalese . The Sinhalese founders were invaders from Bengal.
Second; the Sinhalese committed their 1st genocide at their founding when they genocided the Veddah , by killing them then pressuring them to assimilate into the Sinhala fold.
Third; In past Sinhala society embarked on a goal to assimilate Tamils , and we see them still trying to do this with Tamils. This kind of pressured or forced assimilation is cultural genocide. Whites in the Americas tried doing this with their native peoples too.
Why didn’t Sinhalese integrate peacefully with the Veddah, why do Sinhalese think others (be they Tamils or Veddah) have to assimilate into the Sinhala fold.
From the assimilation of Tamils in the past, to various Sinhala language chauvinistic policies, to repeated Anti Tamil pogroms, to ethnically cleansing the Estate Tamils, to driving away hundreds of thousands of Tamils in the past few decades, to the slaughter and rape of Tamils thoughout the war especially in 2009 and later, the Sinhalese have pursued a deliberate goal of ethnically cleansing and genociding the Tamils. Sinhalese arrogantly think the Island is theirs alone, as if they are Veddah.
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Banda / April 15, 2014
Palmsquirrell,
You say, “Tamils were in Lanka BEFORE the Sinhalese.” Except for ‘Yalpana Vaipava Malai’ written by Mayilvagana Pulavar 1736 and few stone inscriptions like Konesar Kalvettu there ain’t many rock edits, monuments and chronicles like Sinhalas have. If Tamils were in Sri Lanka before Sinhalas, surely there must be better to prove it.
Besides, why so many invasions of Lanka by India based invaders Tamil scholars have never explained. Let me make an effort to explain it this way:
Long before British colonised Malaysia, Tamil Chola kings have ruled that Malay archipelago. With the end of Chola rule however, most invaders went back to their homeland. Those that remained were assimilated with the majority Malays. Malacca Chittys are believed to be remnants of them. Tamils in Malaysia today were brought by the British. Same goes to Tamils of the Jaffna kingdom 1215-1624 CE. No Tamil scholar has about other Tamil kingdoms in Sri Lanka to Wikipedia.
I do not deny that when Tamil invaders were defeated or went back to their homeland with the plundered booty, the remainder had become guests and settled down with the local polity by integrating into the Sinhala populace throughout history. Sinhala willingness to be magnanimous to absorb foreigners may well be the main reason for our survival.
Our history doesn’t say we had race riots or religious riots. We fought to expel the plunderers and invaders. Type ‘first tamil sinhala riot 1939’ and google to find what and who nursed racism in Sri Lanka.
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Palmsquirrell / April 16, 2014
Banda
Dravidian culture , of which Tamil is the oldest, was already established in South India before Vijaya colonized Lanka. Tamils were known for seafaring and maritime mercantilism. The distance between Northern Jaffna and Southern India is very minor, so it is perfectly reasonable to assume that Tamil fisherfolk would have landed in Northern Jaffna before Vijaya colonized Lanka.
Tamils didn’t invade, because a) they didn’t attack the Veddah and b) they were just coming to an Island that they already had a presense in before you Sinhala/Bengali colonizers showed up.
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Wickramasiri / April 15, 2014
Banda, Fine comment. Baird and Harper are the new generation of leaders from the so called ‘first world’ who feel that they must teach the upstart third world to remain subservient, or else…..Like Cameron they focus on the local electorate and hate it when others are not condescending. They do not have a true belief in human rights as evident from their own record.
It is a pity however that Britain and Canada with which Sri Lanka maintained extremely friendly ties are now near enemies. They have in fact abandoned the people of Sri Lanka just like Sri Lanka’s own government, caring less for the people when it takes away all their rights to freedom of thought,speech, action, justice and fairness. Canada’s action will not worry Rajapaksa. He may well go to the nearest temple and cast a spell on Canada’s leaders. As for the $10 million, it should not be difficult for Rajapaksa to dip in to his pocket and donate it to the Commonwealth Secretariat. Strife is only for the citizen, not for the politician.
Canada’s action will only enable Rajapaksa to use his nationalist card to strengthen himself politically even more. Not good for the citizen.
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Banda / April 15, 2014
Wickramasiri,
I cannot but agree with most of your comment. I do not know where you live. As for me, I live in a typical village hamlet in Sri Lanka. So, I could say, I have the first hand experience of village politics.
We Sinhala Buddhist villages are basically conservative in thinking and always look at comparatively to what it was before. We experience a better peace today than anytime during the last 30 years. And that we would never have if not for MR.
We experience freedom of speech in political debates regularly take place in the TV where all type of parties take part. We read and hear gossips as well. We remember during JRJ’s time homes of SC justices were stoned, and MP sitting in OIC’s chair to administer the rule of law. We do not hear such things now. We have peaceful elections as never before.
Every person has a phone, every household has a TV and one or two motorbikes. In addition, very many have a three wheeler or a four wheeler. Many have a fridge and a computer and the internet. It is relative man it’s relative to what we were.
Wild ass freedom may be a must for you intellectuals but not for simple Bandas in my village.
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Jay / April 15, 2014
You are dead right.
All other CW countries should get this before long in order to corner MR regime. That can then help people to topple this megalomaniac in power.
It has now turned to a Rajapakshecrazy… not a democracy. Where on the earth democracies reacted to this levels – harming own minority muslims and anyone who would not dance on their agendas. This authoritarian outfit should be removed from srilanken nation – many feel like that but they have no voice. They the rulers have made it to be appeared they are democractic, but nothing like that can be seen in today´s srilanka. People have been suffering from fears that we never had sensed before.
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Ben Hurling / April 15, 2014
Wijedasa,
Wonder why current puritanical regime in Ottawa is not extending the same courtsey to impoverished, defenceless Palestinians?
Why is Canada so alert about SL all of a sudden? Only after the end of the war. Where were they for 30 years?
Yes. Our country has serious problems.
But, are Candadian intentions so pure? Think.
Cheers!
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Parker / April 16, 2014
Your MARA banned many tamil canada-based orgs, Now canada has shown its colors.
Britian and Canada are the first two countries who support more funds to commonwealth than other nations.
Wait!! More to come to your sinhala nation.
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M.Sivananthan / April 21, 2014
If Canada is so honest, why Canada continues to fund LTTE fronts? SL banned the Canadian LTTE fronts.
The fun is Canada also banned LTTE but funds LTTE fronts.
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but / April 16, 2014
Canada led by Harper is no India led by Singh. Its not an opportunist country that asks what’s in it for me when doing the right thing.
Singh to the Congress Party is the same as Ranil to the UNP. Coming elections will tell what he has done to the party.
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M.Sivananthan / April 21, 2014
Canada banned LTTE but not closed all the LTTE fronts. Canadian governments continue to fund many LTTE fronts.
What are the “right thinking” people telling to Canada?
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eusense / April 15, 2014
It is time to disband this good for nothing commonwealth stupidity.
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Spring Koha / April 15, 2014
Damn right! WE should have left that pestilential organisation (an extension of the old colonial lark, by any other name) a long time ago. There are too many brown sahibs still happy to dance attendance on the old maid of Windsor with dreams of tea at the palace, or at least a photo-opportunity. Canada has given us a good example of what used to be taught as having the courage of your convictions. Can we match it? It is never to late to kick this whole commonwealth shebang into touch. Start with boycotting the commonwealth games!
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Senerath K / April 15, 2014
‘Its time to disband commonwealth stupidity’
In that case your lokka Gonraja must be a real stupid to spent millions of public funds to make himself CW Chairperson.
CW lost 20 million USD just because of an idiot. Very well deserved.
BTW this New year started so well. Mara will be doomed.
Cant wait to see he falls.
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mechanic / April 15, 2014
CHOGM is a useless and an archaic club of the colonial and its servile servants all right. But MR had used it to the maximum for a cheap publicity stunt. As a result, Sri Lanka’s tourist arrivals has increased by 32.6% in January 24.5% in February 2014. Tourist per capita spending has gone up by over 50%. At this rate, Sri Lanka will be earning around $2.0 billion from tourism. The most important thing is city is given a complete clean up and a facelift. I bet you wouldn’t recognise it. I am indeed proud of it.
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lanka lover / April 15, 2014
malle pol reply.
jan feb march until the end of april its high season tourist, its naturaly increases tourist arrivals. besides new hotels being built and out rate attractive than Maldives bankok Singapore kl Dubai so on.
where did gon-mara’s play a role?
this is the start with Canada cutting funds.
there will be more and more to follow.
mara is a ‘harakek’ all he need is a herd to lead somewhere in beliatte.
he wont suffer anyway because he had embezzled enough for few generations to live cozily. its the poor people are who going to suffer if there is sanctions.
I hope Canada and other powerful western countries who play the game should keep the ordinary srilankan people in mind when making decisions. all they have to do it freeze overseas assets and impose a travel embargo until maras testicles rot.
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gamini / April 15, 2014
Nuisance, then why the Big tamasha for the Commonwealth Conference held giving a face lift to Colombo by your Tsunami Fund Embezzler? Now he is only a Commonwealth Pambaya unable to go to the UK even. The Bugger is green with envy when RW goes to the West as a true gentleman and Leader.
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Dodo / April 15, 2014
Oh give me a break!
Ranil the UNP dictator is a shameless and unethical looser who has MORTGAGED the opposition to MR.
There is Nothing to choose between Ranil Wickramasinghe and Mahinda Rajapaksa both have conspired to DESTROY DEMOCRACY in Lanka.
Infact Ranil is worse than MR since he cannot even win an election!
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Pandukabaya / April 15, 2014
‘he cannot even win an election’
How many times did you vote for RW?
I know UNpers who say the same thing as you have said about RW but do not vote and they expect a clean sweep from RW.
Ranil didn’t lose, he has been robbed time and again.
CBK & JVP are portraying themselves as if they are clean as whistle but they are the main culprits who paved way for todays hegemony, carnage & atrocity. JVP lied thru their teeth about RW. This same JVP lead by Wijeweera in late 80s hammered JR, Lalith & Gamini but didn’t say anything about R Premadasa. They even called R Premadasa as ‘Premadasa unnehe’ while pasted posters JR ‘maramu’. Past is past. I arn’t against the JVP/R Premadasa/CBK. In fact JVP has changed big time and the only party that talk sense. New leader AKD’s popularity is raising every day. Lal Kantha on a winning track in Colombo. Many people feel that a come back CBK is vital. Mara will certainly have a heart attack if CBK officially announces it.
What you are saying about RW is cock.
You better speak to people who know RW. He is a only leader left right who can take Sri Lanka towards the right direction. RW’s only fault is that he doesn’t lie.
He should lie, cheat, deliver bogus speeches, utter patriotic jargon to fool the village folks, run around Bo trees, grant UNP tickets to Madam Jeanas, hire more Anarkalis Ravindra Randeniyas ans Suriyapperumas. He must also should make Sajith Premadasa as hus duputy and glorify him as a cardboard Hero until he wins an election.
Its so easy to kick Mara out. All you need is a combination of UNP+CBK+GenSF+Sumanthiran. The rest assured. Muslims would not vote for SLMC anymore. Muslims will guaranteed will vote for either UNP or JVP, hence SLMC is worthless. I doubt JVP’s in favour of a common opposition platform.
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sama / April 15, 2014
Pandu@,
You may be right.
“Its so easy to kick Mara out. All you need is a combination of UNP+CBK+GenSF+Sumanthiran. The rest assured. Muslims would not vote for SLMC anymore. Muslims will guaranteed will vote for either UNP or JVP, hence SLMC is worthless. I doubt JVP’s in favour of a common opposition platform. “
This will be a reality- I have no doubt about that. Now on, all other CW states would have to think why they should respect “madamulana buruwa”.
I also believe that JVP would reconsider to join hand with the opposition if EP will be abolished within the next month after the MR is defeated.
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Liberal One / April 15, 2014
What happens after the election? Do sumanthiran and west get their north east self governing authority?
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APDS / April 15, 2014
Dodo, although Gamini claims Ranil is a gentleman, he is also a gentleman’s gentleman.
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mechanic / April 15, 2014
Hay gaminiya, Are you getting free cannabis to warm up these days.
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Ghost of Past / April 15, 2014
@Gamini:
You’re right at it Gamini.
All these Big Jathiye bastards (JHU/BBS/UPFA) etc., cannot live without Middle East funneled money and IMF Loans.
Why can’t they open up their shit filled mouth and say…”WE’RE A GREAT NATION and WE DON”T NEED YOUR MONEY” & “WE ARE SELF SUFFICIENT” and bring back all those who are earning their good money in foreign countries and force them to work on the Paddy fields they’re proud of talking. (I don’t blame the hardworking poor farmer- They’re respectable people having a respected profession)
I am talking about the NON-WORKING but EARNING MILLIONS Supremacist politicians. SHAME ON YOU guys. You have Christian’s, Muslim’s & Hindu’s money in your pay packet. Ungrateful Swines!
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Ajith / April 15, 2014
Not only from Commonwealth but also from all civilized world institutions Sri Lanka should be ousted until justice is done to Tamils.
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Palmsquirrell / April 15, 2014
” It is time to disband this good for nothing commonwealth stupidity. “
Considering Rajapaksa is the chair, it sure is time to disband it.
What you Sinhala Nationalists arrogantly expect is for the Western powers to support you always without question.
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The Professional / April 16, 2014
eusense,
Is there any remote chance for China to become a member of CW? If so MR will be happy to propose. Browsing the internet I found the following;
“England (or more properly Britain) did not rule the whole of China. Rather, they merely “colonized” only a few small parts of China towards late 19th and early 20th century. After the loss of Opium War by China to Britain in 1842, under the Treaty of Nanjing (considered by China to be an unfair treaty), China was forced to open up 5 ports (Guangzhou, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Ningbo and Shanghai) to Britain’s trade and also to cede Hong Kong to Britain.
From 1894 till 1997, Britain basically ruled Hong Kong as a colony. Britain also ruled parts of Shanghai till 1949 until PLA “liberated” Shanghai.”
State controlled media in SL can write a chapter by using these bits and pieces and qualify China for CW membership. I am pretty sure that “pure Canadians(?)” and “pure Britishers(?)who patronize Chinese Restaurants in Canada and UK will support if China expresses interest. Already they are supporting Tamil Diaspora after enjoying “Thosai with Sambarau” at restaurants managed by expatriate Tamils. China will pump US$ 200-mln easily to CW and within 10-years China will gradually own the entire CW.
Can $ 20-mln, will surely go to the accounts of many organizations banned by the GOSL.
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Amarasiri / April 15, 2014
Dear Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird
“Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today announced that Canada will suspend its voluntary contribution to the Commonwealth Secretariat and reallocate the funds for the next two years.”
1. Suspend
2. Voluntary contribution.
Commonwealth celebrates the former Imperial Power Great Britain, and the Club of Colonies.
What Problem are you going to solve/ What effect will this action have? Will it be more effective than other measures?
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R. Varathan / April 15, 2014
Kamlesh Sharma, the SG of the Commonwealth Secretariat – whose role in
going out of the way to support the venal Rajapakses – has been suspect from the beginning, Sharma has to be held responsible for Canada withholding her usual funding to the CW Secretariat. Why was
Sharma not removed after Canadian PM, in an unprecedented move, called him “a Rajapakse sheel” He should have been – immediately after the
failed Colombo meeting.
R. Varathan
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Javi / April 15, 2014
“Why was Sharma not removed after Canadian PM, in an unprecedented move, called him “a Rajapakse sheel””
Because he had an alibi in northern ireland- therefore its normal to give the benefit of doubt.
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Citizen / April 15, 2014
A very wise move by Canada.
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Antany Peter / April 15, 2014
The world must know one important thing; we are not dwelling in the past. What we face in Sri Lanka is a real discrimination. We are not living in illusion. I have been to Sri Lanka in 2012. As a Tamil I couldn’t even get local tickets to see the tourist places; the staff refused to sell local tickets to me even though I showed evidence that I was born in Sri Lanka. Mr K Shanmugam is a Tamil; he is a Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law in Singapore. Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam is the Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore. They are having high-profile positions in the Singaporean government, because they are from Singapore. If they are from Sri Lanka they would not have got those positions, but ended-up as refugees somewhere in the world.
The truth is appearing in the international media, and the world is fully informed. But most of the Sri Lankan media continue to ignore the truth to please the thugs. Eventually, their ignorance, arrogance and foolishness will come back and haunt them. For years intellectuals have warned the Rajapaksa regime to ‘change course’, but it didn’t. Now it is facing the music. I am warning the Rajapaksa regime again to ‘change course’ ASAP, or face the consequences. This is the last and final calling from the international community. In other words this is their only lifeline, therefore they should not ignore. Their stupidity will only carry them for a short distance, in the long term they are losers. They will be history before they know it; if they paint the international community with the same brush as they have painted Prabhakaran. I say it again to the Rajapaksa regime to “change course” ASAP.
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eusense / April 15, 2014
Antany,
When I visited SL I too had to pay full price for tickets. It is not only for Tamils! You need to educate your self before you post here.
Is this type of things that the Tamils are yelling discrimination???
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The Professional / April 16, 2014
“As a Tamil I couldn’t even get local tickets to see the tourist places; the staff refused to sell local tickets to me even though I showed evidence that I was born in Sri Lanka.”
May be that you did not behave like a Sri Lankan.
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T.A.KUMAR / April 15, 2014
Well done Canada. Hope all other right thinking countries will do the same to open the commonwealth chairman’s brain co he has being sitting on it for many many years. ( THAT IS IF HE HAS ONE )
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Chandra / April 15, 2014
Good decision. Canada has shown how to walk the talk well.
Teach that cringing hypocrite Sharma a lesson and let the useless C’wealth die!
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Antany Peter / April 15, 2014
If the Rajapaksa regime carry-on its racist approach based on the population then it will get ugly. Canadian French is less than twenty percent of the total population of Canada, but they have equal rights.
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eusense / April 15, 2014
Antany,
Please list the rights Sinhalese have in SL, but not the Tamils.
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Parker / April 16, 2014
It’s very simple!! Here we Go!
1) I go to a police station and make a complain against a sinhalese even in jaffna police station, I’m 99.9% sure that I wont get justice. But at the sametime, if my complain was against a tamil, then I can be 99.9% sure that I’ll get justice. In other part of the country where more sinhalese live, the chances of getting justice against a sinhala guy is 0%.
2) They ask me to sing national anthem in sinhala, But still tamil is declared as official language in north and east. You may ask in which country national anthem in two languages like your rapist army leader asked a BBC reporter in an interview. I think that BBC reporter did not do enough ground work to reply that rapist.
(Canada national anthem in English and French version, and South Africa national anthem contains lyrics of 5 languages.)
I think the first example is enough to say my rights in your so-called democratic country which treats tamils as equal.
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LMAO / April 15, 2014
THANK YOU CANADA
from a Sri Lankan.
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Navin / April 15, 2014
What is 10M dollars compared to the amount of money that LTTE raised in Canada? If only they were this quick and determined to choke the money trail then…. How many lives would have been saved?
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The Professional / April 17, 2014
10M dollars are from the taxes paid by LTTE fronts annually from the income generated from their investments in Canada.
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Liberal One / April 15, 2014
lol at these hypocrites who did not ban tigers until 2006 or tiger fronts even to this date. For two full decades these hypocrites allowed citizen of their country to fund a terrorist movement in a developing nation. The hypocrites who did not give two hoots when we were getting blown in pieces by the bombs funded by their citizen have suddenly become interested on human rights, only after defeated the terrorists.
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Antany Peter / April 15, 2014
Canadian French is less than 20% of the total population of Canada, but they have equal rights. Canada had French Prime Minister. Punjabis are only 3% of the India’s population, yet India’s Prime Minister is a Punjabi. In Singapore only 5% of Tamils, but has a Tamil deputy Prime Minister and a Tamil Foreign Minister. Why can’t Tamils have the same system as Canada or India? The Quebec government even control the immigration for their province in Canada. In fact Tamils need like that when they have racist Gota who enjoys dual citizenship for himself, but refuses dual citizenship for Tamils. Clearly the Sinhalese are the most racist race in the world. Tamils need equal rights or divide the country, simple as that. Singapore is far smaller than Northern Province of Sri Lanka. Therefore, people can’t say Sri Lanka is too small to divide.
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wathie / April 15, 2014
Antany, Have you ever thought why a Tamil never could become the Prime Minister of India?
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Maveeran / April 15, 2014
Yes ofcorse, its because of self centered greedy [Edited out] like you exist all over the world. Its funny to see how these Sinhala beggars eat from Canada’s left over, but they don’t want to listen to what they have to say. What shameless bunch of [Edited out].
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eusense / April 15, 2014
Mav,
A poor response!
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Kettikaran / April 15, 2014
Some good questions Antany Peter. Post-1948 Ceylon/Sri Lanka has always suffered due to the contradictions of her leaders – sadly, the people are more subject to the consequent punishment.
Kettikaran
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Ram / April 15, 2014
you again. cut and paste.
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Spark / April 15, 2014
Excellent move by Canada, keeping to its line of clear conscience and the fact that the present Chairman for the next two years is in all probability a leader who is responsible for war crimes and genocide in Sri Lanka.
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lyingmonkey / April 15, 2014
After all -I think Shitty lanka ,in no need of Canadian dollars as The plan to also replace the middle east house maid jobs with services (all on board) for the House maids in the future Casino and BBS Gandasthero am sure will get 10% on very ride , all Sinhalese Buddhist women after taking sil ,can go and take variety of bananas in the casino.
Arab buggers are fed up of the over supply of black skin monkey faces
Sri Lanka Becoming A Gambling Paradise | The Sunday …
http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2010/…/sri-lanka-becoming-a-gambling-paradi…
Nov 14, 2010 – Sri Lanka had opened its own first casinos in 1977, and bookies existed … US studies have pointed out that “losses fall disproportionately on ..
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Piyaseela / April 15, 2014
Dear Prime Minister of Canada
We the people of Sri Lanka, who are helpless with no opposition to raise our concerns in this country now under the firm grip of Rajapaske family rule, extremely greatlful for the firm stand the people of Canada taken against the lawless regime in Sri Lanka.
The President in this country, keeps a firm grip on the entire Executive. All ministers have become nothing more than puppets. The so-called professor GL Peiris once condemned the Executive Presidency and drafted a new constitutional bill in 2001 sans executive presidency, has now become a utter nuisance to the people. This man has completely compromised his integrity for private benefits and his sight itself has become a eyesore to the people of this country. He would do anything the President Ranajapakse want him to and If the president claims that his poo is taste like chocolate this man is ready to taste it and say what the president says is absolutely true. This is the kind of bunch of headless people we have in the Executive and the Legislature, who has no concerns of the people who are taken for ride by the Rajapaske regime. Rajapakse, great Machiavellian runs the show beautifully, taking the whole nation for ride. You will observe that in this country all all media institutions too under the direct control of the president (except few runs from abroad that too controlled with viewers right to see what they say is denied with unlawful blockage imposed on these websites). Only problem he faces is the international community over which this man has no control.
The state of the Legislature is awful and has simply become a rubber stamp of President Rajapakse who maintains an absolute control over it with another brother appointed to control the affairs of the legislature.
When the CJ Bandaranayaka rejected two bills that clearly violated the people’s sovereignty, president simply abused the legislature to get rid of the Chief Justice. This coward action was declared unlawful by both the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, which the President binned ignored. Then he appointed one of his best cronies, Mohan Peiris, as the Chief Justice, forcibly denying the chief Justice Bandaranayaka perform the functions of the office of the CJ.
Mohan Peiris, then had a audacity to say in public that Rule of Law, Good Governance and Separation of Power are just nice words that is not practice anywhere in the world and no amount of work that the government does to uphold the rights of the people simply ignored by the International community. This man with the full blessing of the President selects the best stooges to the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal from the Governments Lawyers Department called Attorney General’s Department. In this background, you will naturally observe that Sri Lanka is a failed state where basis democratic values are completely violated to satisfy another Mugabe in South Asia, who is only concerns about the use of pressure on him by the international community probably with economic sanctions, that would only made the innocent people suffer.
We believe that other nations will follow the good standard of governance that Canada want President Rajapakse to practice and not talk.
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sama / April 15, 2014
All right thinking people in and out of country will SURELY agree with you.
In today´s context, we are a democracy whose values have become to its name while the leader with his siblings abusively enjoy the excutive power.
No heroin containers were properly investigated
No any crime investigations ended up either with fair convictions or even made the public clear about any of them.
No justice is given to anyone, let alone, some in religious sectors.
No justice is given to muslim community – on the 9th April, they the most violent radical buddhist group attacked minority folks publicly looking down them with police approval – nothing was investigated but just called a police inquiry so that perpetrator, leader of BBS recited it as ” just 5 min talk with police, it was settled”.
This country justice has now reduced to those men in topleadership – they ve been telling palatable and doing the most abusive way instead – is becoming clear day to another.
CW nations should pay even more attention towards SRILANKEN nation and give the verdict so that the nation could finally choose their leader to lead their future.
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bigballsyndrome / April 15, 2014
Regime’s profusion of lies about new ‘LTTE’ exposed : murdered ‘LTTE ers’ were in Kokavil army camp – State media contradicts Army
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Regime’s profusion of lies about new ‘LTTE’ exposed : murdered ‘LTTE ers’ were in Kokavil army camp – State media contradicts Army
(Lanka-e-News-13.April.2014, 5.00 PM) According to high rung army officer , the government proclaimed new LTTE leader was a youth helping in the cooking of food for some time at the Kilinochchi Kokavil camp, while the other two LTTE ers were assisting as laborers in the camp. By now it has come to light…. Full story >>
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eusense / April 15, 2014
Bigballs,
Don’t waste your time. Which ever way it happened it is a good thing for SL. Imagine how many lives would have been saved if the same was done to parayabakaran? 40,000 at the end of war according to the UN and 100,000 by the LTTE suicide bombing for a grand total of 140,000 lives. What do you think?
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mewan / April 15, 2014
Canada is a spineless jellyfish of a country that is subservient to the US and has no significance in the world power base. It is overrun by tiger the rump and now they are creeping into the legislature and obviously have partially hijacked the country. At one time I had lot of respect for Canada not only as a country of outstanding beauty, but also as one of the most upstanding countries in the world. However, lately it has been overwhelmed and overrun by the tamil Diaspora and it’s policy towards Sri Lanka is completely controlled by their desire to appease this group.
While withholding a measly $10 million (Canadian?) on the pretext of punishing SL for its human rights record, it is happily trading with China, which according to the Western world has one of the worst human rights records. Not only they claim Chinese people lack basic human rights on an ongoing basis, there is the whole issue of occupation of Tibet. Yet, just check who the second largest trading partner of Canada is? I wonder why they won’t say to China – “we won’t buy you goods or sell our raw materials until you end you occupation in Tibet?” We all know the reason. Not only Canada, even the US and the whole of EU dance to every tune China plays. There is only perfunctory mention about human rights in any high level meetings most of it is pre-cleared by the Chinese authorities. If China says they cannot mention or visit Dalai Lama, no world leader would dare to do so. This is how the human rights champions behave at the feet to China. Yet when it comes to SL there are all over it putting all kinds of pressure, simply because they could.
This is not an endorsement on everything that is going on in SL, but and indictment on all those countries who exercise abhorrent selectivity when then advocate human rights on other countries.
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Goraka / April 15, 2014
The United Nations, Commonwealth Heads, etc. are toys where the powerful nations control the less well off.
Take for instant – there are more than 50 resolutions against Israel. No action. There were just 02 resolutions against Iraq, and the country was invaded.
So, it is time for the Sri Lanka government to get out from these organizations.
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bo / April 16, 2014
Shows Canada in its true color! Mean and manipulating. They should be glad that so many Sri Lankan Tamils are contributing to the welfare of that country, and moreover giving them an opportunity to demonstrate the generosity of Canadians by giving away a piece of that land to form the Tamil Elam.
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Rita / April 16, 2014
The Rajapaksees are going to get their arsses kicked the time has come they are just a money grabing power greed [Edited out] family hurra,, as for canada its too late should have thought of it when they aiding the tamils with bom money”s would have saved more lives on both sides what a shame…the whole lot of them are “[Edited out] “
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Backlash / April 16, 2014
Men like DBSJ and Taraki Jayaram are principled journalists true to the lofty ideals of their profession. What consumed them, unfortunately, is the unbearable Cost of Living in both countries that made them vulnerable to the machinations of the waiting arms of scheming politicians. It is the same reason that trapped such talented young journalists like Rajpal A and Malinda S – exposing them to a negative reputation.
The “War” did not merely result in the defeat of the LTTE. It destroyed the very fabric of our once proud and sublime system of governance and civil society. What we see today are the results of a Failed Society. True – Taraki fell victim to the personal grudge of a killer-militant leader who did not hesitate to use every weapon in the State’s armour to satisfy his personal and sadistic prejudice.
Backlash
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M.Sivananthan / April 21, 2014
DBSJ is a backboneless writer. He was always used his pen to promote the winning sides. During the last days of the war this man wrote the LTTE “hardcore” fighters were ready to defeat the SL army but LTTE was on the run from Mavilaru to Mulli vaikkal. He wrote the LTTE was guarding the properties of the Jaffna muslims even after they were expelled by LTTE.
Taraki Sivaram was a member of PLOTE and a [Edited out]. He re-incarnated as a journalist during the UNP-LTTE honey moon era.
These two opportunists cannot be journalists of any merits!
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lal / April 18, 2014
Now Canada has some money to spend on the much suffering and discriminated natives (Indians). But $ 2m is not enough to reverse the harm done to those poor souls by Harpers, parents and grand parents of Harpers over 200 years. Shame on you Canada; you bullies, thugs, parasites!
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Hela / April 26, 2014
As if this money is meant for Sri Lanka!!! This type of BS is only good for powerless politicians and NGO parasites.
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