By David Blacker –
David Blacker
Unfortunately, much of history is written by journalists. And Gota’s War is no different. If you’re looking for a military history of Sri Lanka’s war, this is not the book for you. In fact, that book has yet to be written. C. A. Chandraprema looks at the conflict through the lens of the media – the incidents and events that drew the newspaperman’s eye; albeit a rather right-of-centre Sinhalese nationalist newspaperman. Make no mistake, this is an important book; if for no other reason than that it is the first since the end of the war to cover the conflict in its entirety.
Chandraprema’s use of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s truncated name in the title, and the description, The Crushing of Tamil Tiger Terrorism in Sri Lanka, is slightly misleading, giving the impression that the book is simply about the Defence Secretary’s role in the final few years of the war. In fact, what Chandraprema does is to use Gotabhaya as both a counterpoint and a parallel to the narrative, particularly in the early stages of the war, when Gotabhaya was a young SL Army officer. Gota’s War is both history and biography, but it is not a natural coupling, and Chandraprema’s attempt to do both in one piece, cripples the scope of the book as a historical work.
This is particularly clear in the almost non-existence of Gen. Sarath Fonseka in Gota’s War. When he does make a rare appearance, he is depicted, at best, to be a rather passive figure and, often, as a hindrance to the dynamic and practical defense secretary. Fonseka, in Chandraprema’s view, is a Montgomery to Gotabhaya’s Patton, plodding and rigid, petty and selfish. In this, the author has done both Fonseka and his book a great disservice, and is akin to writing the history of the Second World War and leaving out Eisenhower or MacArthur.
In order to keep Gotabhaya central to the narrative, Chandraprema is forced to keep the trench-level view of the war narrow, while looking at some events – such as the JVP uprisings, the political infighting between the Rajapaksas and their opponents – with a detail that is superfluous to the war against the Tamil separatists. Naturally, because of this, the early military confrontations between the Armed Forces and the separatists is confined to descriptions of operations carried out by the Gajaba Regiment, the unit Gotabhaya served most of his military career with. Similarly, this focus on Gotabhaya naturally prevents him examining some of the other influential characters that a true history should have. This is particularly clear in the almost non-existence of Gen. Sarath Fonseka in Gota’s War. When he does make a rare appearance, he is depicted, at best, to be a rather passive figure and, often, as a hindrance to the dynamic and practical defense secretary. Fonseka, in Chandraprema’s view, is a Montgomery to Gotabhaya’s Patton, plodding and rigid, petty and selfish. In this, the author has done both Fonseka and his book a great disservice, and is akin to writing the history of the Second World War and leaving out Eisenhower or MacArthur. Similarly, many of the other military officers examined – senior to Gotabhaya the soldier and subordinate to Gotabhaya the defense secretary – are largely those who had the most influence on him. While this is acceptable in a biography, it is certainly not in a history.
The converse of this is that Gotabhaya often disappears from the narrative for long periods, particularly in the ‘80s and ‘90s, when his character isn’t central to events. We have very little indication of Gotabhaya’s personality, or the motivations that drove him; almost nothing of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa the man, beyond the most superficial of sketches. This too is a deep flaw in Chandraprema’s book. At the end of Gota’s War, we know hardly more of the defense secretary than we knew at the beginning.
The President, Gota and the author Chandraprema
Chandraprema has also come under criticism, both from within the SL Army and without, for playing favourites in his book; for focusing on the feats of certain military officers, unfairly criticizing others, and completely ignoring still others. I will not dwell on this because every author has his own slant and viewpoint, and is entitled to it. To examine motive would be to review C. A. Chandraprema rather than his writing, and that is not the point of this article. I have mentioned the treatment of Fonseka simply because it is so glaring and obvious a failing.
One thing Chandraprema can be certainly complimented on is his writing style. Gota’s War is 504 pages long, and looks rather daunting when first picked up. However, it is very readable even if you’re not a history buff. The prose is smooth and conversational, the chapters no more than half a dozen pages in length, as fast paced as a novel, and devoid of the stuffiness, cliché, and archaic language many Sri Lankan authors of histories and memoirs feel obliged to write in. Chandraprema even manages to infuse a certain amount of sardonic humour to his writing. The book is solidly bound, and the cover is attractive, if rather unimaginative. The book could do with some better maps, however, in place of the hand drawn ones at the backwhich give no indication of the frontlines, the Tiger and government-held areas, or the direction of offensives described by Chandraprema.
The author begins his book by examining the origins of the conflict, in the two decades immediately after independence, and right from the start, Chandraprema’s flag is nailed firmly to his masthead, never to be relented throughout the following 79 chapters. In effect, the Tamils are wrong; they have always been wrong, and none of this long conflict can be blamed on the Sinhalese or the state.
The author begins his book by examining the origins of the conflict, in the two decades immediately after independence, and right from the start, Chandraprema’s flag is nailed firmly to his masthead, never to be relented throughout the following 79 chapters. In effect, the Tamils are wrong; they have always been wrong, and none of this long conflict can be blamed on the Sinhalese or the state. The blame is unequivocally placed at the feet of the Tamil political leadership who, according to Chandraprema, radicalised and nationalised Tamil politics by overreacting to perfectly reasonable laws and acts by the state. In his description of riots in the ‘40s and ‘50s, the author downplays the violence against Tamils and often highlights the incidents of violence against Sinhalese. He invariably portrays the state and the police to be doing everything they can to quell these pogroms, which Chandraprema believes were the fault of the Tamil politicians in the first place.
In Chapter 3, The Creation of Conflict, the author describes the protests of the Tamil leaders against ‘Sinhala Only’ thus: “The Satyagraha as an instrument of protest was never meant to be peaceful. It was non-violent only to the extent that actual physical violence was not used by the Satyagrahis. In every other respect, the Satyagraha was an instrument of confrontation.” Throughout, Chandraprema steadfastly refuses to apportion any responsibility for the conflict to the Sinhalese or the policies of the state. Just as he blames the Satyagrahis themselves for the violence perpetrated against them, he goes on to blame the 1958 riots on Chelvanayagam’s tarring of the ‘sri’ letter, and the 1983 riots on Prabakharan’s killing of thirteen soldiers in an ambush. Nowhere does he acknowledge the right to protest, nor the authorities’ responsibility to the rule of law. Elsewhere, when describing the undisciplined retaliation against civilians by SL Army troops that had come under guerrilla or terrorist attacks, Chandraprema suggests that this was quite natural a reaction and unnecessary of criticism. He cites the ‘70s and ‘80s as being a period in which such atrocities were acceptable, as if he was discussing the rape of the Sabine women, or the sack of Troy, rather than the conduct of a military fighting an insurgency in the late 20th Century. In Chapter 16, The Rajarata Rifles Mutiny, Chandraprema writes, “It is only after the end of the cold war that these new fangled notions of politically correct wars came to the fore.”
These, and other absurd comments, rob Gota’s War of a lot of the credibility it might have had, and such defense of the indefensible ensures that his later descriptions of the war tend to be suspect as well.
Just as he blames the Satyagrahis themselves for the violence perpetrated against them, he goes on to blame the 1958 riots on Chelvanayagam’s tarring of the ‘sri’ letter, and the 1983 riots on Prabakharan’s killing of thirteen soldiers in an ambush. Nowhere does he acknowledge the right to protest, nor the authorities’ responsibility to the rule of law. Elsewhere, when describing the undisciplined retaliation against civilians by SL Army troops that had come under guerrilla or terrorist attacks, Chandraprema suggests that this was quite natural a reaction and unnecessary of criticism.
Chandraprema’s narration of the war itself, while interesting and informative, doesn’t really add much that could not be gleaned from the newspapers of the time. If the reader is expecting inside information on the strategy and tactics of the various periods of the war, and the thinking behind these, he will be disappointed. Like any piece of journalism, Chandraprema’s depends heavily on whom he interviewed in his research; and, rather than interviews supporting a particular theme, the content is driven by the interviews themselves. So while we are privy to some selected after action reports and command memos by general officers, there is no reference to regimental war diaries that would have given a better viewpoint of the actual fighting. So while instructions from generals such as Lakshman Algama and Srilal Weerasooriya, run for several pages, the chapters on now-famous battles like the siege of Elephant Pass add nothing new to history.
On the plus side, Chandraprema is heavily critical of the lack of training and organization within the SL Army in the ‘80s and ‘90s which resulted in some of the heavy defeats like Pooneryn and Mullaitivu. This is an aspect that no one has really addressed outside the occasional article, and together with the descriptions of the detailed measures attempted by various Army commanders, gives an accurate picture of why the war was so unsuccessful in the first two decades. Popular opinion has tended to simply blame the politicians for lack of will, and some senior military officers of corruption, but Chandraprema points out that a lack of morale, discipline, training, organization, and equipment in the combat battalions was a big part of this military failing. Chandraprema goes on to call the SL Army of the ‘90s a defeated one, pointing out that some of the most celebrated victories were often nothing more than the prevention of utter defeat rather than real victories. These suggestions will not endear the author to the old guard, but he is right in that these were all, for the most part, defensive battles, and did little to further overall success against the separatists. Here too, however, Gota’s War is crippled by its lack of a trench-level perspective. Chandraprema never reveals what it was like for the men on the ground who were actually doing the fighting, restricting his narrative to that of the senior officers who he had interviewed.
Unfortunately, Chandraprema’s strategy of distancing the Rajapaksas from the more negative incidents that took place under their watch is quite transparent when he suggests that Gen. Sarath Fonseka was responsible for the killing of Wickramatunge, and that Mahinda and Gotabhaya Rajapaksa were nothing more than helpless bystanders.
Chandraprema also spends a lot of time on the second JVP insurrection, and on the period of the Ceasefire Agreement, which is largely unwarranted in a book of this scope. Both these periods are necessitated by his use of Gotabhaya (and by extension, Mahinda Rajapaksa) as a protagonist. In the examination of the JVP rebellion, he uses it to reinforce the view of Gotabhaya as an efficient military officer, citing the successful pacification of the Matale District where he served as a lieutenant colonel commanding the 1st Gajabas. Similarly, Chandraprema uses the period of the CFA to establish the Rajapaksas’ position in the wings, looking out on a country that was being sold out by Ranil Wickremasinghe and the UNP. These political dalliances by the author add little to the actual narrative on the war, and will make more middle-of-the-road readers cringe at what is clearly a partisan viewpoint. The cringe-worthiness continues as Chandraprema strays even further away from the plot to discuss the murder of Lasantha Wickramatunge, The Sunday Leader editor, and the unsuccessful eviction of non-resident Tamils from the city of Colombo; incidents that had nothing whatsoever to do with the course of the war. Unfortunately, Chandraprema’s strategy of distancing the Rajapaksas from the more negative incidents that took place under their watch is quite transparent when he suggests that Gen. Sarath Fonseka was responsible for the killing of Wickramatunge, and that Mahinda and Gotabhaya Rajapaksa were nothing more than helpless bystanders. He even claims that Gotabhaya’s reasoning for the eviction of the Tamils was quite sound and based on military expediency. Chandraprema could very well have achieved this by simply leaving out these incidents and focusing solely on the war itself, but the journalist in him probably refused to accept the insignificance of such events in the larger picture since they loomed large in the media headlines of the time.
Ironically, when Chandraprema deals with one of the incidents from the CFA period that did indeed have a strong effect on the outcome of the war – Karuna’s defection – herefuses to delve into the influence the UNP government of the time must have had on engineering this defection. The author blandly describes the events that everybody already is aware of, and doesn’t reveal any of the behind-the-scenes machinations. To do so would have meant crediting Ranil Wickremasinghe’s administration with something that runs contrary to the right-wing view of the UNP leader as a traitor to the nation.
Things descend into farce when Chandraprema then sets out to examine several war movies that were produced during the CFA, discussing their propaganda value, the effect they had on the Sinhalese population, and apparently their impact on military morale. While such examinations might be necessary when looking at the impact of war on society, they remain quite irrelevant in the context of history.
Ironically, when Chandraprema deals with one of the incidents from the CFA period that did indeed have a strong effect on the outcome of the war – Karuna’s defection – herefuses to delve into the influence the UNP government of the time must have had on engineering this defection. The author blandly describes the events that everybody already is aware of, and doesn’t reveal any of the behind-the-scenes machinations. To do so would have meant crediting Ranil Wickremasinghe’s administration with something that runs contrary to the right-wing view of the UNP leader as a traitor to the nation.
Similarly, when describing the LTTE aggression that ultimately scuttled the CFA, Chandraprema portrays the Rajapaksa regime’s lack of retaliation to these attacks as being inspired by a love for peace and a diplomatic solution. Even the most naïve of readers is unlikely to accept this. The unpreparedness of the military at this point, and the race to get ready for war, is largely ignored as a reason for the state’s lack of immediate reaction. While Chandraprema’s view is that publicized by the government at the time, he fails as a historian in not bothering to look beyond the official line. Chandraprema often opts for playing politics over being faithful to history, and this reduces the overall value of his work.
Unfortunately, narrating the war through Gotabhaya’s eyes doesn’t allow for much analysis of the actual tactics and fighting beyond the most superficial.
Chandraprema also often fails to give any motive or substantiation for many of his opinions.
When war finally breaks out again, Chandraprema’s narrative sticks firmly to Gotabhaya’s view as defense secretary. From this point on, biography and history meld together well for obvious reasons, and the author is able to present an insightful view of the war. Chandraprema gives the impression that the defense secretary was both civil administrator of the military as well as de facto Armed Forces commander. This impression is particularly strong in regard to the SL Army. While the roles of the Air Force and Navy commanders are acknowledged, Chandraprema largely skims over the Army commander’s role, instead superimposing Gotabhaya over this position, right down to describing the defense secretary telephoning individual division, brigade, and battalion commanders for situation reports when it suited him, and not following the chain of command. Unfortunately, narrating the war through Gotabhaya’s eyes doesn’t allow for much analysis of the actual tactics and fighting beyond the most superficial.
Chandraprema also often fails to give any motive or substantiation for many of his opinions. One example is his description of the failed Muhamalai offensive of October 2006, which the author claims was launched without approval or knowledge of the National Security Council headed by Gotabhaya. Chandraprema suggests that this offensive was planned by Gen. Sarath Fonseka, but he fails to explain how such a thing could have happened, why the Army commander would do such a thing on his own, and why he wasn’t called to account for it by the defense secretary. When the Muhamalai-Nagarkovil front is largely considered by other commentators to have been a sideshow to keep Tiger troops tied down on the Jaffna Peninsula, such contrary opinions require substantiation, and the failure to do so weakens Chandraprema’s narrative.
Another unfortunate fact of Gota’s War is that it skims over the operations in the Eastern Province. While it is true that these battles didn’t result in many casualties for the LTTE, the capture of the East was vital to the war effort, and deserves closer examination; particularly the role of Karuna’s TMVP paramilitaries, and the first use of some of the new tactics employed by the reorganized Armed Forces.
Gota’s War, though deeply flawed, is a book that anyone interested in the conflict should read. It is certainly not the definitive book on the war, and it remains to be seen if such a piece of writing will emerge. When and if it does, it will certainly be a more lengthy, detailed, and exhaustive book than Chandraprema’s. Gota’s War is tightly narrated, and its strength is its overview rather than its detail, its everyman view rather than its historical perspective.
Chandraprema’s description of the offensives in the Wanni is what most readers of his book would have been waiting for. And the author depicts the chain of events, the simultaneous offensives by multiple divisions, and the roles of the individual Armed Forces very well. Frankly, this final phase of the war deserves a book of its own, but Chandraprema does well in the circumstances. However, it is unlikely that the reader will find anything that he hasn’t heard before, albeit with a few insider stories and details. The scope of the book doesn’t allow Chandraprema to go down to the brigade or battalion level in describing the battles, so he sticks to the big divisions and task forces, thereby depriving a true student of history of any new knowledge. This again, reinforces what I said at the beginning of this review, that Gota’s War is a media history of the war, based around the headline news.
The book ends with Chandraprema falling back on the nationalistic agenda of demonizing the Tamil diaspora and the west in general, and claiming a conspiracy to gain by other means what the LTTE had failed to do militarily. While this is an interesting enough topic, it has little to do with the actual war.
Gota’s War, though deeply flawed, is a book that anyone interested in the conflict should read. It is certainly not the definitive book on the war, and it remains to be seen if such a piece of writing will emerge. When and if it does, it will certainly be a more lengthy, detailed, and exhaustive book than Chandraprema’s. Gota’s War is tightly narrated, and its strength is its overview rather than its detail, its everyman view rather than its historical perspective. As such, it deserves its place on the bookshelf of every student of Sri Lankan military history. It is important, however, to ensure that it is not the only book on that shelf.
Gota’s War by C. A. Chandraprema is published by the Ranjan Wijeratne Foundation and priced at Rs 1,000. courtesy Sunday Leader
Related posts;
Gota Probably Remembered Napoleon’s dictum “I Want Only Lucky Generals” By Dr Sarath Amunugama
A Question For Sarath Amunugama On “Gota’s War” By Dr Laksiri Fernando
Sumanthiran On ‘Gota’s War’ And ‘Independent International Investigation’
Gota’s War And The Quest For Peace By Dr Rajiva Wijesinha,
PresiDunce Bean / July 7, 2012
Not bad BlockHead. Reading through your review it looks like you paid Rs.1000 and bought a copy of the book. If Goat or Chandraprema had given you a free copy, you probably would have written a different review.(if you know what I mean). ;)
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Anti-Boru / July 8, 2012
Presidunce Bean:
As usual, you are spot on!
Blacker is the “military-historian” equivalent of Dayan J: a relatively literate sycophant of the Sri Lankan Fascisti, but a b…y sycophant prepared, in his own words, to justify bestial conduct on the part of his “war heroes.” Need more be said!
I await with not-s-bated breath this man’s critique of the Peloponnesian wars!
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David Blacker / July 8, 2012
Yes, Duncie. I understand that you can be bought for a thousand bucks ;) We have all known that for awhile.
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Mark Webber / July 8, 2012
Good work david.
Keep it up.
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Truth hurts / July 10, 2012
Monkey praising his own tail???
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kumudini / July 10, 2012
This man’s analogy, to killing 13 soldiers as a right to protest is unbelievable . Is he going bonkers with his crazy idea’s . This Book is worth a read to all those who have not understood or had time to think about the LTTE onslaught on SL . What this 30 year war cost the people and the economy is anybody’s guess. Thankfully SL now have the peace that everybody could only dream of.
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gamini / July 7, 2012
[Edited out] David Blacker is blowing hot and blowing cold. It appears he is running with the hare and hunting with the hound.
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David Blacker / July 8, 2012
These things can be puzzling when one is more interested in the messenger than the message. Oh, and try and learn to comment without being edited out. Shame, shame :D
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gamini / July 8, 2012
David what has been edited out by CT is the fact that I addressed you as half Tamil, which you yourself admited and nothing disparaging that I have said anything else. That is a right of CT. So do not gloat over that I have descended to your level still using filth as you did.
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David Blacker / July 8, 2012
Ha ha, if you say so, Gamini. Unfortunately, we will never know how bad your racist epithet was.
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gamini / July 8, 2012
Simple, then request CT to post my comment unedited. I never denigrate any on Ethnic or Religious lines, but do so only when one deserves to be, for what he or she is for resorting to hypocrisy.
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David Blacker / July 9, 2012
Why should I request CT to post your racist filth? Lol
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gamini / July 10, 2012
It is good for you to commit Racist Filth, killing non combatants, but do not want to listen to it?
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Rubert Vanderkoon / July 10, 2012
Gamini,
You are not just mad but totally deranged.
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gamini / July 10, 2012
All mad think others are also mad.
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David Blacker / July 11, 2012
Can you quote me saying anything racist?
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DAS / July 7, 2012
“The sayagraha was an instrument of confrontation”………a new take on non-violence !!! Mahatma Ghandi was wrong !!!
“In effect,the tamils are wrong,they have always been wrong,and none of this long conflict can be blamed on the Sinhalese or the state”
– quotes from above.
Indeed, tamils were wrong in submitting themselves passively to being slaughtered occasionally without retaliation !!!
http://www.eelamhomeland.com/infor/Lest_We_Forget_p1.pdf
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Donald J Gnanakone / July 7, 2012
Give credit to David Blacker or whatever his real name is. His analysis should be commended, although uncertain of the real motives, or he was a Fonseka man.
Chandraprema aka Thadi Priyantha has enough blood in his hands via the second JVP uprising and how it was finally crushed. That too was serious HR violations on the Sinhala youth and Sinhala terrorist, which Mahinda Rajapakse ran to Geneva to protest and found Tamil girl at that time (25 Years ago) Tamara Kunanayagam is help in more than many ways. Other Tamils also gave assistance but are not mentioned, but Tamara gave her own bed and bedroom to Mahinda and Vasu N, and what else she willingly gave is subject to speculation. Both were not spring chicken !!!!lol.
There are many aspects of this analysis that is worthy of comments. But determined not to read a rubbish book, interestingly published by Sunday Leader, despite the lies written that Fonseka was responsible for the ordering and execution of the murder of Lasantha is interesting. That needs further research.
That murder in January 2009, was not only just one murder, but subsequently to promote the cover up of those responsible for the murder, which can be only 3 gentleman, they murdered Jesuthasan, an innocent man in jail. He was supposed to be living in the up country and his ID was used by the murderers to purchase 5 Sim cards that was used in the mobile phones of the army like men in black on motor cycles.
On whose hands there is blood of Jesuthasan, who was murdered to coverup the true killers who were arrested, and released via Gota’s friend Rohan Gunaratne from Singapore, who negotiated their release, by buying their silence. If Fonseka was indeed responsible, why did Gota and his assistants who are alleged to be having blood in their hands, not expose Fonseka, Jesuthasan and any one else as the men in black MC riders in the middle of Colombo streets at 9 AM.
Why everyone turned a blind eye, and where did they vanish at the height of the war and full security, because it could have been even some TIGERS in black going after a political or military target like they had done in the past, but the Police, Army and MOD security chose to ignore nor investigate…
But Fonseka too bears some guilt that these army men (6 or 7) were arrested, and jailed till their savior appeared from Singapore and had them released and safely kept in luxury somewhere. (Cannot mention). David you find out since you have the connections to the soldiers as well as those who took trophy videos and photographs which is coming back to haunt all the war criminals now. More on that later….
I am glad that the author who is well known for his racism and chauvinism at the Island Newspapers, has confirmed that his hero, was making direct phone calls to division and brigade commanders and issuing orders and receiving updates bypassing army protocol. This was also increased when Fonseka was partying in China with his family for ten days during the last days of the war when tens of thousands of Tamil civilians were being killed using indiscriminate heavy artillery and aerial bombing. There are satellite photographs available with the US embassy, hundreds of them, and also with the MOD because of the unmanned Israeli and American planes. (UAV’s). These photos were never released to the Silva commission.. For obvious reasons.
Well if they want to be War Heroes, and there are credible allegations of War Crimes, then they have to also accept such blames. Interestingly, that buck stops at Gota’s and Fonseka’s desk, who unfortunately for them are US citizens and residents. The Minister of Justice who was in charge of the “concentration camps”, and Gota’s War book can describe it any other camp like Hitler did with his camps in Auschwitz and elsewhere, was a US born citizen.
Therefore, the US has full jurisdictions, and even Gota’s war book may become evidence, if Gota is sitting and phoning commanders and obviously barking orders, and not checking the weather in Vanni. This also could explain who gave the orders to the commanders in the white flag case, Balachandran the 12 year old son of Prabhakaran’s murder, and tens of thousands of other incidents.
Beginning with Major General Udaya Perera being posted as the Deputy High Commissioner in KL even before the end of the war, and about ten other commanders being posted to plum diplomatic positions around the world hoping that they could not be questioned by anyone because of immunity, as well as rewarding them for their actions and silence. Does Gota’s War book have any mention of that and why it was done? They were not appointed to head some corporation in Colombo and given a licence to rob and make hundreds of millions of rupees of the tax payer? No.
They were sent out of sight and mind, until the Tamil diaspora starting stirring the S……..Quote
“Pro-LTTE diaspora in the West remains to be a massive challenge and asked the country’s diplomatic envoys to counter them. -President Rajapakse today” Unquote.
http://www.colombopage.com/archive_12A/Jul07_1341683535CH.php
There is much more, and I do not have the time and patience.
But I want to comment about the riots of 1956, 1958, 1961,(Jaffna), 1977, and 1983. I am a witness of the attacks on Tamils from the Galle Face in 1956 as a young student at St. Thomas’s Prep, Colpetty when they all ran bleeding towards colpetty. In 1958 our retail store in Wellawatte was burnt, and again in 1977 and 1983.
My container freight station and trucks and fork lifts were burn, right next to the Island Newspapers in Bloemendhal Road. And much more, including land, buildings, vehicles, homes etc.. The GOSL was complicit with all the attacks in one way or the other, or did not take any action via the Police or army, Navy or Air Force.
On the 1983, riots, it was the army which was involved in so many murders in June and July 1983, including Inpam brothers and dumping the Tamil youth body under the bridges or along the roadside. I was in Colombo and I was forewarned from the GOSL of the riots at the highest level. So it was a preplanned and well executed pogrom by the UNP government, and all. There are no If’s and Butts….
And that ruined everything and everybody and it is 30 years, creating a 1 million strong diaspora and half a million refugees, 150,000 in India. Rewriting history and Gota’s War book is just a small portion, (We should wait for Fonseka’s book from some jail in the future), or some army official or even documentary will be telling. This could not be hidden for ever, or attacked by Gota and his goons at “Fake”, “Doctored” Lies, Propaganda and so on. Because the photo and video graphers were soldiers or Sinhala media men and women.
Sleep on this folks, as this is not only for David, because there is much more credible, verifiable evidence and eyewitnesses already in the appropriate hands and more available when and no IF there are independent international investigations. No one is interested in a Silva or Perera commission.
Those who do the CRIME (WAR too), will have to do the TIME.
For Fonseka the 27 months was just the starters at Welikade, and he could have written not one but 2 books. But he was too terrified to write, as he would have be locked for ever.
The best era Sri Lanka had in the past 30 years is between 2002 and 20006, when there was peace and country was saved from certain bankruptcy of monumental proportions If Chandrika and JVP-Rajapakse combo were allowed to run the GOSL. The last 6 years both Tamil and Sinhala blood flowed freely, limbs and lives were lost to at least 200,000, 10,000 Sinhala soldiers killed and another 20,000 injured and maimed, and 300-350,000 imprisoned/incarcerated. The rupee devalued by 40%, stock market by 50%, real estate by 40%, and you fools call it the golden era of the Kleptocracy and thieves????
Sinhalese might be oblivious and keep boasting about HUB Haven and Wonder of Asia, which is nothing but stupidity. But the Tamils are just getting ready after 3 years of moaning. Surprisingly, even the Tamils in the Island have started to protest and die, despite being imprisoned, and beaten up. Small village of Murugandy protested about the land grab, and so are in the world capitals. I only hope that sanity will prevail among the corrupt leaders of Sri Lanka. I hope they leave something for the next generation other than tens of billions of debts, and huge defense budget which is now 25% of the exports. NUTS.
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zaheer musamil / July 8, 2012
some ponsi tamil like koodella. never can keep on the bed as well other racist.they dont want deveolopment of country as Sri lankan.forget obout past. think of future. if we get together as sri lankan we can beat MR regime. MR and his thugs market your ponsy tamil ealam. it willnever happen. MR will rull the country with singhala moda deshappremi.
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Donald J Gnanakone / July 7, 2012
Hey David! Gota threatens Journalist saying they eat SHIT!!!!
You don’t believe it? Read this!!!!
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/you-are-pigs-who-eat-shit-gota/
Our friend Chandreprema aka Thadi Prema must have eaten a lot of SHIT to write this Book – Gota’s War, and as your correctly wrote that he had totally ignored the important role played by General Fonseka, and Colonel Karuna who gave tons of information and tactics and delivered the Eastern Province on a platter to the army.
There are NO thanks to the RAW, K T Rajasingam another journalist you know what kind, Ali Zahir Mowlana etc. and the Peace talks so that Karuna got exposed in Bangkok and elsewhere, while he was still in the LTTE….
If Gota is screaming at a female journalist like this, one can imagine what orders he would have given his division and brigade commanders to eliminate LTTE who were captured or surrendered with or without the White Flag. Whether the were children, boys or girls under 18. Or beautiful women and mothers like Issaipriya. OMG!!!!
May God and Buddha have mercy upon these rapist, torturers, and murderers on this earth and not the next birth.
Trust me, Justice is coming soon. I hope it does not kill anybody like the Tamil prisoners this week. So gruesome.
/
Rubert Vanderkoon / July 8, 2012
Gota got it wrong. But that interview is three years old. Gota musrt have thought the woman who telephoned was Prabha.
/
Rowdy Peter / July 14, 2012
The female “journalist” you talk about like to be in bed with the powerful so she flips with Fonseka and flops with Gota. This makes her feel important. Gota has to have his head examined for allowing the trap to be set on him. The man is a soldier and if you Gnanakoon can call me a “low caste sakkili” when you know that I am of a higher caste than you will ever be- why can Gota not call her a shit eating pig that she really is? Let us make this very clear that she is on your side and whatever she says true or otherwise is music to your ears. The GTF and the BTF can have processions and manifest all their hatred till the cows come home about the presence of the army and the colonising of the North – you and your friends will not stop Gota and his brothers. Your good friend Ranil is a pillow biter like you so when ush comes to shove you are with Fredrica and Ranil three peas from the same pod. Frustrated, very very frustrated and I love to read your comments because the portray you as a almost mad man losing not only your marbles but you malehood too.
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Rowdy Peter / July 8, 2012
Gnankoon.
You should have kept your businesses in Jaffna so that they would not be burned down. You were a refugee in Colombo from the caste sytem of Jaffna. Where is the gratitude?
/
PresiDunce Bean / July 8, 2012
@Donald J Gnanakone
Although I disagree with what David Blacker/BlockHead writes and his sycophancy and washing machine tactics towards the MR government and the armed forces…that is his real name and so is the picture of him. Hopefully one fine day he will realise his errors.
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Rubert Vanderkoon / July 8, 2012
You are still under the influence of your pal’s terrorism?
/
Donald J Gnanakone / July 9, 2012
I know that his photo is real, and he is a real person.
He served in the army for just over 12 months and he was with the Singha Regiment. Fonseka was the great leader and boss of the Singha regiment much after David left the army.
Reason? he got hurt…
I don’t where or how.
All I know is he was a good “Cabbage” boy, from Wesley College, and got stuck with the Yakkos in Elephant Pass. Left school at 18 or so. Not much education at Wesley, at best passed his O Levels, but with a distinction in English and may be Christianity…
No Shit,.
Athey Salli, Pu Kay Tinkiri.
Tigers did not injure him. Or did he really fight?
David is a good fiction writer and story teller.
He should spin his yarns about his days in Elephant Pass, and how he got injured by the Tigers or some “friendly fire” at night in the camp.
He left the army as soon as he could and went to Germany for some time before returning to work at some advertising companies starting with Grants, and 10 other companies ending up at JWT Sri Lanka for the second time. Thayalan Barlett was the CEO and now H Saxena… Thayalan has gone to Djakarta as MD for JWT.
He is about 40 years old…. So the photo is true, but taken at least 5 years ago. David also is a painter and photographer..
Hey David, give everybody an update and we will keep an eye on you at JWT… I know you voted for the Singha Regiment Chief, Fonseka. Also most of your former employers are all UNP guys.
Soldier’s life must have been tough in Elephant Pass and the weather so brutal? Good you left the army nearly 20 years ago…..He was born in the seventies.
/
David Blacker / July 9, 2012
Glad to see that at least Donald’s lawyer skills are good enough to find the Google button :D Sadly, as they say, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. You’ve found the dots, but you don’t know how to join them. Keep trying, Donald, and like the duck, one day you’ll be flying.
/
Peter Casie Chetty / July 27, 2012
Lawyer? You must be joking. This [Edited out] bought a few boats and learned to speak English at Wesley. Then he went to Yaalpanam and in a school of clowns he was taken seriously. He must have been Velupillai’s mentor smuggling sarees and othedr nick nacks. Must have had forged qualifications to join Air Lanka when Tamils were tolerated! So now he talks of other people not being able to pass the O levels.
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gamini / July 10, 2012
PresiDunce Bean, if you assert that David Blacker is his real self and the photo, for the reading public could you kindly state his contemporaries in the Forces to establish whether he was really in the Forces. Which is not difficult to do.
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David Blacker / July 11, 2012
Why don’t u ask your friend Donald? he seems more handy with Google than you. Also, what has my service got to do with the topic?
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gamini / July 8, 2012
Thank you Donald, for letting everyone know what happened behind closed doors. I believe all these B…..S should be hung at Galle Face and shot for public display and all their illgotten wealth confiscated including the pups. It is time the Professional Bodies came out strongly to nail them for good.
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gamini / July 8, 2012
This David Blacker has admitted that he is half Tamil. It is interesting to find out who this person really is, as for the contacts I have there has been no one as David Blacker serving in any of the Forces in Sri Lanka. If DB can mention any of his contemporaries the truth can be verified.
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David Blacker / July 8, 2012
You seem to be very interested, Gamini, in everyone’s parentage, background, etc. You want to verify the truth. Yet you hide behind a fake name and refuse to post your own picture. Cowards are always looking for excuses to hide their own cowardice :D Not one commentator here seems to have the capability to actually discuss any part of the review — all you folks are capable of is character assassination. It is a sad indictment on the level of intellect amongst those who think of themselves as opponents of the state. The only thing you are opposed to is intelligence.
Gamini (or whatever your name is), why don’t you stop worrying about who I am, and worry about what I am saying. You will do yourself a favour, and go a long way towards reducing the garbage this site has become home to.
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gamini / July 8, 2012
To this ghost writer called David Blacker, David give me six months more and I will come out and reveal to the whole world as to who I am, as I will not be frightened to die speaking the truth. Why I ask six months is to finish up my commitments, as after that I little care whether I live or die as I am only a passenger in the evening of my life. As for you, without hiding behind ficticious names and photographs I hope you do the same.
To quote you,’You seem to be very interested, Gamini, in everyone’s parentage, background, etc. You want to verify the truth. Yet you hide behind a fake name and refuse to post your own picture’. Yes David I am very much interested in the truth and one’s background to asses how genuine is the messenger. I take up that challenge and trust you too will.
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David Blacker / July 9, 2012
“give me six months more and I will come out and reveal to the whole world as to who I am”
I’m sure the world is waiting with baited breath :D
“as I will not be frightened to die speaking the truth. “
But the rest of us will have to die laughing.
“I am only a passenger in the evening of my life.”
Sadly, you’re a passenger on the bus to Angoda.
“As for you, without hiding behind ficticious names and photographs I hope you do the same.”
Even your pal, the Dunce, has pointed out to you that that is my real name and photograph. But you’re welcome to all your delusions in the evening of your life.
“Yes David I am very much interested in the truth and one’s background to asses how genuine is the messenger.”
Then it is only fair that you also reveal your own background, if you’re not a hypocrite. Sadly, you clearly are. Also, when the truth is revealed to you, if you’re unable to perceive that truth, then you must accept that perhaps your mind is not suited for this topic.
/
Sirimal / July 9, 2012
I really dont think that Gamini should ever need to reveal his background. Most of the comments that he added to this thread regardless of the topics of the articles contain valid points. Just few of you seem to be staying further to manipulate the masses as it is bieng done by main stream local media.
Let alone, the issue related to picking up a dog from Zürich by sending a friend along the way should be criticised by any healthy minded people. If the dialogue published is correct, reactions of Gota sound to be arrogant… not professional enough for a secretary for a ministry.
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Kapila Kahapola, UAE / July 9, 2012
Ha haa haaa… How Childish to Ask 6 Months More to Reveal Ur Identity [Edited out] Gamini ???
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David Blacker / May 21, 2013
Gamini, not 6 months, but now almost one year has passed. Where is the great revelation you spoke of? :D
/
Permanent Revolution / July 8, 2012
I fully agree with Donald D. There is more to be revealed about GotaR/MR’s war on Tamils. I am sure Donald G through his contacts and sources must know who is responsible for the assassination of Lakshman Kadiragarmar. Donald , Please disclose those information and clear LTTE of that assassination that gave a pretext for MR/GotaR plus JVP to carry out the genocide of thousands of innocent Tamils.
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Rowdy Peter / July 14, 2012
Innocent? You must be bloody joking!
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Peter Casie Chetty / July 27, 2012
Gnanakoon is all noise and no action.
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suz / July 8, 2012
i don’t know,gota doesn’t know and you don’t know,reviw of gota’s war is painful for lost mind.
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Kapila Kahapola, UAE / July 8, 2012
Congratulations David B !!!
Now I Wonder What these Idiots have to Say with Regards to Your Existence ???
/
David Blacker / July 8, 2012
Donald, your rambling comments are almost as long as the article, and unfortunately I don’t have the time to decipher your dementia. But from the tone and attitude that you have voiced on this site, you seem an uncouth lout from the gutter. So you making comments on Gotabhaya’s language is pretty ironic
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PresiDunce Bean / July 8, 2012
What are your plans BlockHead once the MR government falls one fine day? Will you switch sides and support the party or coalition that comes to power, or will you go into exile with MR,his family and his sycophants to North Korea, Zimbabwe or Iran? Remember how Vijaya and his band of 700 were kicked out of India? ;)
ps.why don’t you reply Donald’s comments?
/
David Blacker / July 8, 2012
Since I have never supported this government (not even with a vote), how would I be switching sides? :D I challenge you to substantiate your foolishness by linking to a single article or comment I have written in support of the government per se. An intelligent man sees only the actions of the state, regardless of their motive. Dunces look for motive before deciding correctness, much as your friend “Gamini” looks for ethnicity and parentage before deciding correctness.
Donald’s ramblings have nothing to do with my review. I have responded to him several times on this site, and he has slunk away when called on to substantiate his silliness. I assume, Duncie, that you too, like the rest of those springing out of the woodwork, have nothing to say on the review itself? :D
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gamini / July 8, 2012
David as for your ire, that none so far have responded to your review is because you are representing matters as per your observation, claiming that you served in the Sri Lankan Forces. None of us know for the veracity, as you have to first establish that you really did serve as a soldier, by stating any of your contemporaries in the Forces. As for me I have enough material to show that this war, between MR and the LTTE was a ‘designed drama’ by the Americans and the Indians to foist MR as an undisputed leader who will deliver according to their agenda. Even the offerings of Diplomatic postings to the Forces high ups are rewards to keep them shut. Unfortunately even SF although harassed by MR can not speak the truth as he will be labled as insane and if the Americans feel that they will be let down, it is an uphill task for SF to prove otherwise, having to face dire consequences. The whole country has been taken for a right Royal ride and some have paid the price with their lives, both the Forces and the LTTE, to give credence to this War Drama. It is difficult to believe that you have been unaware, if you had served in the Sri Lankan Forces, with your standard of English and background should have been a High Official and not an Ordinary Soldier, to write skilfully to distort the larger picture. Good try anyway.
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David Blacker / July 9, 2012
“David as for your ire, that none so far have responded to your review is because you are representing matters as per your observation, claiming that you served in the Sri Lankan Forces.”
Firstly, you mistake my amusement at the lack of substance in the average CT commentator for ire. Trying to do online psychoanalysis can be tricky ;) Secondly, nowhere in the above article have I so much as mentioned myself. I cannot help it if you’re obsessed with me and my service record.
“None of us know for the veracity, as you have to first establish that you really did serve as a soldier, by stating any of your contemporaries in the Forces.”
My service has nothing to do with the review. I haven’t reviewed it as a soldier, or an ex-soldier, but as a reader. You continue to ask questions about my personal life, and I have told you repeatedly that I will not give out personal info to anonymous idiots. You may persist in this foolishness as long as you wish. What little remains of the evening of your life is your own. If I was you, I wouldn’t waste it. The reason you’re doubtful about my existence is because you’re ignorant. Those who live in SL and are literate on the subject matter know who I am and what I do. Your continued ignorance and clear inability to educate yourself is of no importance to me.
“As for me I have enough material to show that this war, between MR and the LTTE was a ‘designed drama’ by the Americans and the Indians blah blah”
The world is full of deluded conspiracy theorists who believe all sorts of nonsense. Why should you be special?
“if you had served in the Sri Lankan Forces, with your standard of English and background should have been a High Official and not an Ordinary Soldier”
When you earlier said that you had many contacts in the SL Army, I pointed out that that was clearly untrue given the foolishness of your comments and theories. Your above comment proves that you really have absolutely no clue about what the Army or its soldiers are like. You’re one more armchair pundit who has picked up a few points here and there and now boasts of knowledge. You’re fooling no one, and just making a fool of yourself. no wonder you want to stay anonymous :D
/
Abimanasingham Sitthawatthai Uthayakumar / July 8, 2012
Dear David Blacker,
You have not written anything about killing of the ” Tamil Terrorist Leader” Prabakaran! Why?
“Gota’s War” does not speak about it?
I remember you argued in http://www.transcurrents.com that Prabakaran was shot at his head at close range with a rifle or a powerful point target weapon !!
Why you have not spoken about this matter in your review?
/
gamini / July 8, 2012
Even if VP was shot at close range the bullet would have pierced through or blown up part, but would not have resulted as a sharp cut opening, as seen on the head, of this supposed VP body, which could have been only possible from an axe or a sharp instrument other than a gun injury. If CT can post that photo once again and subject it to scrutiny will reveal who this person is. In the video where Issipriya’s dead body was shown along with so many other dead LTTE, I noticed a figure that resembles a lot like VP, but no reference was made as obviously if it was highlighted the fake VP story sold earlier would have blown up in the face of MR govt. Readers are requested to see the two photos and conclude the truth. If only CT can isolate the two photographs and display side by side for public view.
/
Abimanasingham Sitthawatthai Uthayakumar / July 8, 2012
Dear Gamini,
You say that:
” ..but would not have resulted as a sharp cut opening, as seen on the head, of this supposed VP body, which could have been only possible from an axe or a sharp instrument other than a gun injury.”
In that case, do you say that VP was captured by the Sri Lankan Forces and then hacked to death?
On whose order he was hacked to death?
In that case it is a WAR CRIME!
Was it because ff this C. A. Chanfraperuma avoided talking about the killing of the “Tamil Terrorist Leader” ?
Anyway a number of questions arise:
1) How VP was spotted and captured? Spotted by the Indian spy satellite with high resolution cameras launched on 20th April, 2009? Were special gaseous artillery shells were fired to capture VP? What country supplied these special shells?
2) What happened to the captured personal body guards of VP?
3) Is it true that the personal body guards were buried in a cemetery at Anuradhapura on the order of the Magistrate?
/
gamini / July 8, 2012
Uthayakumar, VP was never captured by the Forces and killed for his death to be treated as a War Crime. This so called VP’s body was found dressed in a span cloth in a field, after Maj. Gen. Kamal Gunaratne received a call on his mobile as revealed in the State Media, which is on record. Upto date no one has asked the question as to who gave that call, nor Kamal Gunaratne has offered an answer. Obviously there would not have been civilians frequenting this war zone to see the body to give a call and the only possibility is for the party responsible to have dumped the body, to have called Maj. Gen. Kamal Gunaratne. Obviously the look alike was dumped by the LTTE itself to deceive the masses where there was understanding reached between the LTTE and MR how to end the War supported by the Americans and the Indians who promised Tamil Nadu who kept mum all that time as MR had promised devolution after the War. But things did not go LTTE way as promised and the massacre of the LTTE who were to surrender is evidence that MR betrayed the LTTE and the rest at the behest of the Americans who are now trying their best to save MR from War Crimes lest they get exposed of their involvement. Looking at the video of Issapriya’s, please revisit and you will see the body of possibly that of VP lying with the rest.
This ficticious David Blacker to be hysterical when I show another side to this whole drama to react like how Gota had reacted when confronted with truth is not surprising. If he is so sure, he only has to refute what I say for the reader to assess without drawing inferences to dogs. If CT can display all shots, close up views the TRUTH will be revealed and here lies the KEY to this whole DRAMA. Let the public judge whether the solitary wound found on this individual is a bullet wound or a cut wound.
/
David Blacker / July 9, 2012
“This so called VP’s body was found dressed in a span cloth in a field, after Maj. Gen. Kamal Gunaratne received a call on his mobile as revealed in the State Media, which is on record. Upto date no one has asked the question as to who gave that call, nor Kamal Gunaratne has offered an answer.”
Why should there be any sinister motive to this caller? The caller was obviously a subordinate. This too was explained to you months ago, and you abandoned the debate. Now you come back like a dog with its vomit in the hope that you can pretend you haven’t been told about this.
“Obviously there would not have been civilians frequenting this war zone to see the body to give a call and the only possibility is for the party responsible to have dumped the body, to have called Maj. Gen. Kamal Gunaratne.”
Why is it not possible that the caller was one of the SL military tasked with clearing the battlefield after the night’s fighting? Why do you need to make up a fantastical theory about bodies being dropped off by mysterious unnamed people?
“Obviously the look alike was dumped by the LTTE itself to deceive the masses where there was understanding reached between the LTTE and MR how to end the War supported by the Americans and the Indians who promised Tamil Nadu who kept mum all that time as MR had promised devolution after the War.”
Why would the LTTE pretend VP was dead if he was going to surrender as you suggest?
“Looking at the video of Issapriya’s, please revisit and you will see the body of possibly that of VP lying with the rest.”
Why don’t you post this video yourself? And if VP was going to surrender, why pretend he was dead?
“This ficticious David Blacker to be hysterical when I show another side to this whole drama to react like how Gota had reacted when confronted with truth is not surprising.”
I can’t help it if your theories are hysterically funny :D Any sane person would laugh at you.
“If he is so sure, he only has to refute what I say for the reader to assess without drawing inferences to dogs.”
Your theory has been refuted months ago. It is only dogs who eat their own vomit. It is not my fault that you do the same.
“If CT can display all shots, close up views the TRUTH will be revealed and here lies the KEY to this whole DRAMA. Let the public judge whether the solitary wound found on this individual is a bullet wound or a cut wound.”
All the pix are in the public domain and can be found through an ingenious invention called G-O-O-G-L-E. Have you heard of it?
/
David Blacker / July 8, 2012
“Gamini”, you have brought up this foolish argument before, and I rubbished it at length. You had no answer, and you departed in your usual fashion when faced with facts. Now, like a dog with its vomit, you bring it back and play with it.
“Even if VP was shot at close range the bullet would have pierced through or blown up part, but would not have resulted as a sharp cut opening, as seen on the head, of this supposed VP body, which could have been only possible from an axe or a sharp instrument other than a gun injury.”
As has been explained to you before, a blow from an axe or other edged instrument with sufficient force to fracture the skull will leave bruising. There is no bruising visible in the pictures. High velocity rounds bisecting the radius of the skull frequently fracture it in this manner. I have seen similar wounds close up. It is not like the movies, where everyone has nice holes perpendicular to the body axis :D
“If CT can post that photo once again and subject it to scrutiny will reveal who this person is.”
Why don’t you google it for yourself and give us your “anal”ysis? Everything’s online.
“In the video where Issipriya’s dead body was shown along with so many other dead LTTE, I noticed a figure that resembles a lot like VP, but no reference was made as obviously if it was highlighted the fake VP story sold earlier would have blown up in the face of MR govt. “
Since it wasn’t the government that released the video or highlighted anything on it, why would whoever released it worry about anything blowing up in MR’s face? It’s funny that you have decided that the clear pics of VP are not VP, but somehow have expertly spotted VP in some other picture. Your cunning and logic is astounding. You will give the Dunce a run for his money.
“If only CT can isolate the two photographs and display side by side for public view.”
Yes, it’s very strange that CT isn’t interested in this theory of yours. Strange fellows.
/
gamini / July 8, 2012
David use your common sense. You say,’As has been explained to you before, a blow from an axe or other edged instrument with sufficient force to fracture the skull will leave bruising. There is no bruising visible in the pictures’. Exactly no bruising. Bruising will occur if only one tried to saw this man’s head. But with a sharp axe, one blow will cut open as seen in this case.
/
Rubert Vanderkoon / July 8, 2012
David, Why do you have to discuss how the maniac Prabha ended up his mayhem? He has been dealt with and no more bloodshed in the country, why don’t we leave it at that?
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David Blacker / July 9, 2012
“Bruising will occur if only one tried to saw this man’s head.”
I don’t know where you heard this nonsense, but I suggest you speak to a doctor in the military (since you claim to have many contacts there) or one in the accident service. Please don’t talk about things you have no idea about just because you have an internet connection.
/
Rubert Vanderkoon / July 9, 2012
Abimanasingham,
Nothng is a war crime. Just because Gamini waffles and writes in support of terrorists, ~don’t take hims eriously. Can’t you see, his accounts are always challenged, because all what he does is, reads Sinhala newspapers and translates them. He is so isolated that he gets no serious news from anybody but only what is in newspapers. Of course the big terrorist was captured and a soup was made of his balls for the dogs. It could have been a war crime but since the terrorist and his cohorts are gone, apart from some very quiet noises from a few Gaminis, the country is peaceful, no bus boms or suicide bombers. So that war crime charge is automatically negated. CA Chandraprema had more than enough material for his book. But it’s not all, there is more to the terrorist’s life that you can write in a book.
The big terrorist was surrounded by the Army from all the sides when they swept across the North. He simply ha nowhere to go but to surrender. because he was such a tame terroris idiot, he kept hiding until the last day, when he could do nothing but to surrender. The he came forward to the advacing Army, just waving his muddy underwear but it never looked white. The soldiers somehow shot the others and caught the bastard by his balls.
Captured body guards, some of them were treated appropriately, “rehabilitated” and released but some had t pay the price.
/
Abimanasingham Sitthawatthai Uthayakumar / July 11, 2012
Dear Rubert Vanderkoon,
“Of course the big terrorist was captured and A SOUP WAS MADE OF HIS BALLS FOR DOGS.”
“The soldiers somehow shot the others and caught The BASTARD BY HIS BALLS.”
All the languages have appropriate words to describe. Please do not use such words and expressions at least when replying me.
This cite is meant for those who knows English language and respect others.
/
Rubert Vanderkoon / July 11, 2012
Abimanasingham, Why do you think you are superior than the editors of this journal?
Anyway what do you mean by “This cite”? and “those who knows English”?
After all what is wrong in the phrase ‘A SOUP WAS MADE OF HIS BALLS FOR DOGS”? Anyway, let me correct it. “A liquid food was prepared from his bol*ocks for the domesticated carnivorous animals to enjoy”
It’s true, that’s what we did, I have no other better way to put it.
/
Kapila Kahapola, UAE / July 9, 2012
Hello there [Edited out] Gamini,
Why Do I Feel U are as Stupid as Our Very Own [Edited out] Given the Repeated Beating U’ve Got, No Wonder U Want to Stay Anonymous !!!
/
David Blacker / July 8, 2012
Abimanasingham, I didn’t argue that VP was shot at close range. Only that he was shot with a high velocity weapon.
Gota’s War doesn’t discuss VP’s wounds or the method in which he was killed, so I can’t review what isn’t there. Even if it did, the purpose of a review isn’t to oppose an argument, but to review the piece so that potential readers can get an idea of it’s quality before they spend money on it.
/
Abimanasingham Sitthawatthai Uthayakumar / July 8, 2012
Dear David Blacker,
Thank you very much for your prompt reply.
/
gamini / July 8, 2012
For this ballistic expert, all guns have a high velocity. The long range ones may vary. The cut visible on the head is a curvature cut where the skull cap has opened and the brain matter exposed. Had it resulted from a gun shot, the opening would not have been a cut opening but parts missing in the path of the bullet. Besides there is only this solitary wound where as all other bodies have so many injuries of gun shots.
/
gamini / July 8, 2012
When I brought this issue up earlier, did not David Blacker say that he showed the photos to some Doctor who confirmed that the wound was caused by a bullet and when I questioned for the Doctor’s credentials and his expertise, he went silent.
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Rubert Vanderkoon / July 8, 2012
He didn’t go silent, just ignored you, who wouldn’t!
/
Rubert Vanderkoon / July 9, 2012
Gamini, You are poorly informed and mad to the core. You can do a better job if you stop pretending to know everything and also if you stop taking lessons from the diaspora. Whatever you write is either your imagination or what you read in the newspapers. Man, you are nuts. It’s good to make people laugh but not by ridiculing your ownself. Your account of how Prabha the ruthless murderer ended up at Nanthikadal lagoon is bloody hilarious, but your pretention is mindboggling. If Kamal or Shavendra or Gota read your comment, they will collapse laughing. Just for your information, the big bastard was captured alive, if I remember right on the 14th May 2009, which was a Thursday. Does it hurt you? Quite possibly, it could have been even earlier, but the people came to know through informal news and rejoiced on this day. The guy was treated appropriately for days and the rest is now history but what you read in Divaina was just a story to complete the episode. Now stop waffling.
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Rowdy Peter / July 14, 2012
He was put down like a dog, the dog that he was and always will be. He must be a hero from where you lie in a gutter but for me and all straight thinking people he was a common criminal.
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Peter Casie Chetty / July 27, 2012
He was killed like the dog he was and dog he will always be. Hiding he always hid and Gnanakoon is the same type and race. They hide.
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Native Vedda / July 8, 2012
gamini
The talk of the town just after the end of war was that VP surrendered to the army, was subjected to interrogation (torture) and eventually hacked to death.
Do you have any take on the above “rumour”?
By the way have you heard any news about Pottu Amman and VP’s wife? Is Pottu Amman sharing Gota’s home?
/
gamini / July 10, 2012
Native, there is an interesting interview published in an Indian Magazine where Sarath Fonseka has been interviewed. The full interview is in circulation via e-mail at the moment. In it he states that the bodies of his wife and son are not the real individuals. How many more, who are not real, will be known in the future, although a few are mocking at me at the moment. In this book of Gota’s War why no descriptive details of VP’s killing is revealed, afterall this was VP’s War more than Goat’s.
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David Blacker / July 11, 2012
Fonseka talks about VP’s family, not VP. Like earlier, you’re taking separate incidents and correlating them to support your delusions.
Chandraprema’s book is based on who he interviewed, and he has only interviewed high-rankers. They wouldn’t have been on the spot when the fighting was going on. According to Chandraprema — and others — no one knew VP had been killed ’til morning. This is quite possible.
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Native Vedda / July 14, 2012
Gamini
A translation of the interview is available on
http://www.ceylontoday.lk/59-8818-news-detail-i-wish-to-see-a-tamil-become-president-sf.html
I still believe Pottu Amman is alive and living in Gota’s house.
/
Donald J Gnanakone / July 9, 2012
David Blacker is speechless to the facts I wrote, and complaining it is longer than his own commentary.
I commended his article and did not attack his fictitious name, breeding, or being a half Tamil and whether he served in the military as he claims, most likely under another name. He boasts about courageous Sinhala soldiers all stories highly exaggerated, because if that was true the armed forces would have won the war 20 years ago.
This time they used chemical weapons, cluster and phosphorous bombs, the forces of India, Pakistan and America sinking LTTE vessels 1,500 miles away in international waters, and killing 100,000 Tamil civilians who were all related or friends of the LTTE leadership or fighters. There were 300,000 other civilians would also would have been killed or wounded if they continued fighting, no doubt they got cornered from all sides.
Anyway, Blacker has show his breeding. I have a policy of not throwing stones on pieces of shit, lest it spreads and hit innocent bystanders. I would practice the same policy now and won’t bother to comment on his rubbish comments. Whom is he kidding when he says he did not even vote for the government?
Ah, may be he voted for Fonseka!!! That proves my point. Whether he is for Fonseka or Rajapakse, I never used that kind of language on anybody, or journalist. But he does not have the B…….ls to condemn Gota about his language, and has resorted to attack me instead.
Well, cannot expect much from him.
At least I am known for whatever reason from my schooldays playing cricket and basketball for years, and some whom I played against from Nalanda, Royal and St. Sylvesters became top officers in the forces and most were friends until I left in 1983. From Jaffna, to Colombo, and USA (Los Angeles), people know who I am and I do not hide under boru names and professional record. Shipping, Aviation or Travel, or politics (With Tamils and Sinhalese) I have a professional and business record, which is very good.
Who knows Blacker? Piece of ………….
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David Blacker / July 9, 2012
“David Blacker is speechless to the facts I wrote, and complaining it is longer than his own commentary.”
Your “facts” were responded to elsewhere, Donald, and it was you that was speechless to the questions I put to you. Would you like a link to those questions so you can regain your faculties of speech and perhaps answer them?
“I commended his article and did not attack his fictitious name, breeding, or being a half Tamil and whether he served in the military as he claims, most likely under another name.”
While that is to your credit — I’m sure you’d rather have your own brand of idiocy rather than “Gamini”‘s — you have now done so nevertheless.
“He boasts about courageous Sinhala soldiers all stories highly exaggerated, because if that was true the armed forces would have won the war 20 years ago.”
Wars are not won by individual courage alone, but the article you refer to was indeed about courage. What has that to do with the above review?
“This time they used chemical weapons, cluster and phosphorous bombs”
Unfortunately, you have no evidence to substantiate this claim.
“the forces of India, Pakistan and America sinking LTTE vessels 1,500 miles away in international waters”
Unfortunately for your theory, these vessels were sunk by SL Navy ships and SLAF aircraft. There is no evidence of any foreign vessels or aircraft being involved.
“and killing 100,000 Tamil civilians who were all related or friends of the LTTE leadership or fighters.”
Again, no evidence of any such killing exists.
“There were 300,000 other civilians would also would have been killed or wounded if they continued fighting”
If the Tigers had surrendered earlier and not used the civilians as human shields, and if people like you had at least called on them to do so, the civilians killed would have lived. How do you feel knowing that you are also responsible for those deaths?
“I never used that kind of language on anybody, or journalist. But he does not have the B…….ls to condemn Gota about his language, and has resorted to attack me instead.”
Given the comments you have made about Tamara Kunanayakam, it is clear what your breeding is like. Perhaps that is the sort of women you’re accustomed to? So I see no point in condemning Gotabhaya when someone like you is doing the same right here. At least Gotabhaya has the balls to say what he means instead of leaving blanks and pretending to be cultured.
I really am not interested in which school you went to or who you say you know. I am only interested in the message; not the messenger. In your case, your message is a rambling mess of incoherence and vituperation that doesn’t really make much sense. As a lawyer, shouldn’t you be able to set out your thoughts more coherently?
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Donald J Gnanakone / July 9, 2012
David’s response is nothing but argumentative and denials like the MOD, GOSL, and SLA where he served in for just over 12 months at best.
What I said about Tamara is correct and truthful, and if it is embarrassing for the President after 25 years, then it is too bad. It has no bearing of the President’s brother using all the vulgar, crude and filth on Frederica Jansz.
Defending Gota’s language as a public servant and President’s brother is disgraceful. But what else can you expect from a soldier, fiction writer writing fibs, glorifying Sinhala soldiers of their non existent bravery and lying about everything when ever he opens his mouth and picks up a pen/computer.
Well, as a man from the Singha regiment, who voted for Fonseka, and working in the advertising business in Colombo for a living, he needs to be careful of Gota’s white vans and goon squads. So it is understandable he does not want to complain in public about the language used by the Sinhala Buddhist on another Burger, despite being a half Tamil as well. (We do not know, but can easily find out and why he is in such denial, of his school back ground, work in the army, Singha regiment, nearly 20 years in the advertising industry and much more). If there are so much denial then GOSL can face the international community without fear at any independent investigations on war crimes.
We have all the evidence and we will prove it at the right forum. Let the Rajapakses and Fonsekas keep lying and hiding about the war crimes and we will see for how long they can deny and hide.
I have no time to waste about Blacker on Google, but the information I wrote are not all in Google. If it was there why was he trying to be in denial mode to Gamini and others.
If something I wrote is incorrect about David Blacker, he is free to correct the facts about himself. What is so dangerous about him to any one. I did not write about his marital status or his sexual preferences at all. There is nothing derogatory that I wrote about Blacker’s past, and at least I cleared the fact, that he is not some “Grease Devil” character, and his old school, joining the army at 18 so he is not a child soldier, and his 10 odd jobs in the advertising industry.
Being a burger, and your hatred towards the Tamils and LTTE is understandable now because of Blacker being posted in the Elephant Pass base for a few months, where the LTTE gave a thorough bashing to the army, and there was not enough lavoteries to service their needs during fear. And they were too scared to get out of their bunker at that time and finally when the LTTE overran the entire camp and over 1,000 soldiers died. But LTTE did not go chasing after the unarm soldiers and kill them, but allowed them to walk to safety.
If you recall the commander of the base died due to thirst and not due to injury during the fighting and defense of Elephant Pass. The bravery of the soldiers were nothing but imagination of the creative but fictional writer and totally exaggerated.
Good luck with all those medals, but the only medals the soldiers are now facing are as the War Criminals and criminals for crimes against humanity. They would not be prosecuted, except the US citizens on command responsibility.
Anyway, now GOSL have to deal with the IC, UN and US.
It will not be decided or discussed on websites.
Keep clear of the White Vans, and the Gajaba Regiment, Blacker.
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David Blacker / July 10, 2012
“David’s response is nothing but argumentative”
Lol, perhaps you’re fantasizing that this is a courtroom and that you can raise objections to my line of questioning. If that was true, you would have been debarred long ago for the personal attacks you have leveled against individuals. As it is, you should hope that Tamara Kunanayakam doesn’t see this thread. She would have a very good case in court for libel ;)
“and denials like the MOD, GOSL, and SLA where he served in for just over 12 months at best.”
So while before you attacked me for being an ex-soldier, you’re now attacking me for not having been enough of a soldier? :D Can’t you make up your mind?
“What I said about Tamara is correct and truthful, and if it is embarrassing for the President after 25 years, then it is too bad. “
You have insinuated that Ms Kunanayakam provided sexual favours to MR. Do you maintain that that is correct and truthful? Shouldn’t you be embarrassed to use such gutter tactics when you have told us which school you went to? Aren’t you embarrassing your old school by displaying your lack of manners and your immoral mind?
“It has no bearing of the President’s brother using all the vulgar, crude and filth on Frederica Jansz.”
If it has no bearing, why did you bring it up?
“Defending Gota’s language as a public servant and President’s brother is disgraceful.”
Where have I done so? I pointed out that your language was no better.
“But what else can you expect from a soldier, fiction writer writing fibs, glorifying Sinhala soldiers of their non existent bravery”
If you had read the article, you would have found out that two of those soldiers were Muslim and Tamil.
“and lying about everything when ever he opens his mouth and picks up a pen/computer.”
Why then can’t you prove my lies wrong?
“Well, as a man from the Singha regiment, who voted for Fonseka, and working in the advertising business in Colombo for a living, he needs to be careful of Gota’s white vans and goon squads.”
As far as I know, advertising executives are in no danger :D If I had voted for Fonseka, that is my right. I never said I did. Are you hoping to frighten me into silence like the Tigers did with those they couldn’t kill?
“So it is understandable he does not want to complain in public about the language used by the Sinhala Buddhist on another Burger, despite being a half Tamil as well”
What has my ethnicity to do with what I say or do? Haven’t you insulted a fellow Tamil (Tamara Kunanayakam) right here on this page? Didn’t the Tigers also kill thousands of the Tamils they said they were defending? Do you believe that ethnicity must dictate morality?
“We do not know, but can easily find out and why he is in such denial, of his school back ground, work in the army, Singha regiment, nearly 20 years in the advertising industry and much more”
Where have I denied any of that? :D Was your old school and your law college unable to instil in you a comprehension of simple English?
“If there are so much denial then GOSL can face the international community without fear at any independent investigations on war crimes.”
How can a denial — either true or made up by you — help the GoSL face an investigation?
“We have all the evidence and we will prove it at the right forum. “
Really? You mean the UNHRC was not the right forum? Wasn’t the Darusman Panel the right forum? Which forum are you waiting for — the one where hell freezes over, or the one with flying pigs?
“I have no time to waste about Blacker on Google, but the information I wrote are not all in Google. If it was there why was he trying to be in denial mode to Gamini and others.”
Again, where is this denial you claim I made? :D
“If something I wrote is incorrect about David Blacker, he is free to correct the facts about himself.”
I see no reason to worry about what you think of me :D Your ignorance or inaccuracy on my life has no relevance to the subject under discussion. It is you and “Gamini” who have made me the topic of discussion to cover the weakness of your own arguments.
“I did not write about his marital status or his sexual preferences at all. There is nothing derogatory that I wrote about Blacker’s past, and at least I cleared the fact, that he is not some “Grease Devil” character, and his old school, joining the army at 18 so he is not a child soldier, and his 10 odd jobs in the advertising industry.”
You attempt to bring in topics by claiming to not discuss them, yet in doing so, you discuss them :D It is like me saying I don’t think you are pedophile in spite of all the rumours. Or that I don’t think you have swindled large sums of diaspora money. Would you agree? Has there been any accusation of me being a grease devil or a child soldier? If there hasn’t, why bring it up?
“Being a burger, and your hatred towards the Tamils and LTTE is understandable now”
Why should I feel hatred towards Tamils when my mother is a Tamil? Do you hate your mother?
“because of Blacker being posted in the Elephant Pass base for a few months, where the LTTE gave a thorough bashing to the army”
Looks like your knowledge of history is as poor as your overall knowledge. The Tigers were thoroughly beaten at Elephant Pass in 1991, in spite of using armoured bulldozers. It was the biggest defeat of the Tigers up to that point. :D You have mixed up the two battles as you have mixed up many other things. EPS fell in 2000 to the Tigers, but there is no need for you to gloat — you have never risked your miserable hide for the Tamil cause, nor have you risked your children the way the Tamils of SL have. You ran away and got fat on ill gotten gains.
“If you recall the commander of the base died due to thirst and not due to injury during the fighting and defense of Elephant Pass. “
Again, you are wrong :D I’ve lost count now of the number of mistakes you have made, but you have certainly overtaken your friend “Gamini”. Maj Gen Percy Fernando was killed by a sniper. Perhaps you don’t believe Tiger snipers were that good? Lol
“The bravery of the soldiers were nothing but imagination of the creative but fictional writer and totally exaggerated.”
Most cowards believe that bravery doesn’t exist. Thanks for confirming that. At least the soldiers of EPS didn’t hide behind the saris of old women and little children, or run away in their jungees and die like dogs in the mud like your brave VP.
“Anyway, now GOSL have to deal with the IC, UN and US.
It seems they have dealt with it very well. Luckily people like you are on the other side :D They have nothing to worry about.
“It will not be decided or discussed on websites.”
And yet here you are.
“Keep clear of the White Vans, and the Gajaba Regiment, Blacker.”
Why would I have to worry about them? I’m not a supporter of terrorism.
/
Kapila Kahapola, UAE / July 9, 2012
Dear [Edited out] Donald,
If David Studied ONLY Up to Grade 10 & it Really Bothers U, How U Managed to Worship That Big-Fat-Ugly pussy tiger Leader VP the Podian ??? Or it has Got to Do Something with the Cast System in Jaffna as Ur Own Ex-Wife Said in the Below Article…
http://www.lankanewspapers.com/news/2007/5/15328_space.html
[Edited out]
I Hope CT will NOT be So Bias & Edit My Posting !!!
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Kapila Kahapola, UAE / July 9, 2012
Educational Qualifications: Well, Surely Mr Gnanakone you will not wish us to go into detail about the educational qualifications of Prabhakaran, Pottu Amman, Thamilselvan, Pulithevan etc. If you add up all their grades, one may barely reach 10.
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Rowdy Peter / July 14, 2012
Oh the count keeps incrreasing by the day. Gnanakoon you are a [Edited out]
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Peter Casie Chetty / July 27, 2012
Gnanakoon. You are so full of crap. You are a nobody and will always remain a nobody now that Eelaam is a pipe dream and you can be President at home when you go to unload.
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PresiDunce Bean / July 9, 2012
Looking forward to reading the sequel to “Gota’s War.” Inside sources say that it will be called “Blacker’s Bull” written of course by David BlockHead. :)
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David Blacker / July 9, 2012
I was thinking of calling it Duncie’s Balls — that really would be bull :D
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Rubert Vanderkoon / July 9, 2012
David,
You are wasting your time countering diaspora and Gamini the Ghost. They go hand in hand. Half of what Ghostmini says in these columns have been challenged. Whatever the subject of the article, he only has Gota to blame :). He is like that guy who only knew about ‘the flea’. So write more for everybody’s benefit, ignore Ghostminis and diaspora!
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Abimanasingham Sitthawatthai Uthayakumar / July 9, 2012
Dears!
Why “Gota’s War” doesn’t discuss how VP was killed? Is it not important in the ‘Gota’s war’ against the ‘Tamil Terrorists’?
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David Blacker / July 9, 2012
Chandraprema gives a description of the fighting that took place around the Nandikadal Lagoon on the night before VP’s body was found, but he doesn’t describe how VP was killed or comment on his wounds. The author writes about what he was told by the persons he interviewed. He gives the impression that he didn’t speak to anyone who actually witnessed VP’s death. It was night and there was a lot of confused fighting in the dark. It is likely that no one knew they had killed VP until the body was found. This is the impression Chandraprema gives.
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Abimanasingham Sitthawatthai Uthayakumar / July 10, 2012
Dear David Blacker,
“It was night and there was a lot of confused fighting in the dark.”
In the video film shown by the televisions, an army officer was pulling the body of VP several meters in water! Why VP went into the lagoon? A stray bullet from a high velocity point target weapon hit his head in the night? How the armed forces came to know that the body of VP was in lagoon water?
Please see the video shown by the televisions. There were hundreds of soldiers cheering when the body was brought to land from the lagoon water!
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David Blacker / July 11, 2012
Abimanasingahm, yes, the video was shot in the morning, after the body was found. The shore of the Nandikadal Lagoon is marshy, and some areas of the lagoon itself was quite shallow. A lot of the fighting was actually in the lagoon and the small islands in it. The Tigers even used suicide boats against soldiers wading through the water. It is possible that VP’s body was found in the water, or that he’s being dragged through some water to drier land.
The normal procedure for the Army after a night battle is to wait til daylight before clearing the area. It is too dangerous to move around in the dark when there could still be wounded Tigers or stragglers still around.
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Abimanasingham Sitthawatthai Uthayakumar / July 11, 2012
Dear David Blacker,
Why “Gota’s War’? There was a Chief of Staff and Generals commanding the battle ground? Is it purely political motivated?
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David Blacker / July 11, 2012
Chandraprema has been interviewed on his book, and I believe he explains his rationale. If you read that interview you can answer that question. I think one interview was posted on this site.
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PresiDunce Bean / July 9, 2012
Given below is an excerpt from the book “Blacker’s Bull” by David BlockHead, which is a sequel to the book “Gota’s War.”
Interview With A Comedian
Idiot Island on Planet Mirth (April 2nd 2009 AD)
Christianne Amanpourmeacupoftea of See & End interviews Offence Sick Cut Tree Mr.Goat(Who will henceforth be known as Mr.Goat) to find out the latest news about the 3,00,000 Tranquil tribes people holidaying in the Fullofthieves jungle in the north of Idiot Island.
The Liberal Tourists of Tranquil Elysium (Who will henceforth be known as Tranquil Tourists) have been agitating for a separate Tranquil Tourist Resort for the past 26 years on Idiot Island.
See & End: Mr.Goat, is it true that several Tranquil tribes people have caught cold, bronchitis and pneumonia and some have been permanently rehabilitated due to the heavy rain showers that your Humanitarian Peacekeepers have directed towards the Fullofthieves jungle?
Mr.Goat: That’s a lie. It does not rain on Idiot Island. When it does occasionally do, the rain is directed to where the Tranquil Tourists are operating. We have designated a 3500 square kilometre ‘No Rain Zone’ (also known as the ‘Dry Zone’) and we urge all Tranquil tribes people including wild animals and any living creature of the Fullofthieves jungle to move into this area to avoid being drenched by ‘Humanitarian showers.’
See & End: What have you got to say about rumours that warn of Tranquil tribes people in the Fullofthieves jungle facing a severe shortage of essential items?
Mr.Goat: This is incorrect. We have sent several truck loads of umbrellas and rain coats to the Tranquil tribes people. We have also sent them a supply of soap, shampoo and towels so that if by chance they do get caught in any showers, they could take a refreshing bath and dry them selves off. Yesterday we sent a fresh supply of vitamin C and cough syrup to be used by those who have caught cold, bronchitis and pneumonia.
See & End: The Tranquil Tourists website tranquilnet.con claims that several Humanitarian Peacekeepers have contracted bronchitis and many have been permanently rehabilitated due to the heavy rain showers directed towards them by the Tranquil Tourists.
Mr.Goat: That is a bare faced lie. Our heroic Humanitarian Peacekeepers are immune to these diseases. They have also been equipped with quality umbrellas and rain coats.
See & End: What about thunder and lighting?
Mr.Goat: Our Humanitarian Peacekeepers wear thick rubber soled shoes and they have been instructed not to stand under trees when there’s thunder and lighting. We will capture the whole of the North Pole Land in a few days and no showers or thunderstorms will stop our progress. We shall march through hill and dale…through valleys and mountains…with a gun in one hand, the Human Rights Charter in one hand and a camera phone in the back pocket. Westward Ho! Sorry about being carried away, what I meant to say was, ‘North Pole Land! Here we come!’
See & End: So who is responsible for the showers that have been falling on the Tranquil tribes people in the Fullofthieves jungle?
Mr.Goat: There is an ‘International Conspiracy’ to push rain clouds using giant fans towards areas where the Tranquil tribes people are holidaying to discredit the forward march of our heroic Humanitarian Peacekeepers. We have also received reliable information that the weather Gods are conspiring against us and assisting the ‘International Conspirators.’ We recently observed a low flying Flying Saucer that tried to rescue the Tranquil Tourist Leader, Rolypoly Prebiocarrom.
See & End: Just one final question. Sources close to us say that you had rice and curry for lunch today. Would you like to comment?
Mr.Goat: This is incorrect. It’s a categorical lie. This is not just a lie, but also a damned lie! Liar, liar, liar! This is a treason. We will hang you for this. I’m telling you, if they show you statistics, don’t believe them! This is another ‘International Conspiracy’ that has been hatched to discredit our forward march. I have satellite images to prove that I did not have rice and curry for lunch. I actually ordered a pizza with mozzarella cheese and spicy chicken…. with…. a sprinkling of…. and…
See & End: Thank…thank you…Mr.Goat…that will be all.
/
David Blacker / July 10, 2012
Oh dear, Aunty Duncy is feeling left out of all these long conversations. Not having the intelligence to write any articles, nor the literary capability for prose, he chooses comedy. Abysmal fail, Duncy. It’s long-winded, boring, and worst of all — not funny. Hope you like that review, Duncy.
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Mango / July 9, 2012
Lalin Fernando wrote a similarly critical review of “Gota’s War” and yet Mr Gnanakone and Duncie persist in attacking Blacker’s ‘breeding’ , military service and a host of other irrelevancies.
http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=53349
Oddly, there’s a fascinating account of why Mr Gnanakone was perhaps unable to contribute his children to the Eelam struggle. He was too busy with his travel agency and er.. other matters. : ) :)
[Edited out]
/
Donald J Gnanakone / July 9, 2012
@David Blacker.
Your wrote – “the forces of India, Pakistan and America sinking LTTE vessels 1,500 miles away in international waters”
Unfortunately for your theory, these vessels were sunk by SL Navy ships and SLAF aircraft. There is no evidence of any foreign vessels or aircraft being involved.
Unquote”
I stand by what I wrote, and resources/forces of the above mentioned countries was utilized. Even Robert Blake confirmed part of it and it is on record.
Attacking unarmed cargo ships is illegal. The cargo was never confirmed nor any evidence provided either.
On the contrary, If the LTTE or any other Tamil group did the same thing, everybody would be screaming terror on international waters.
The same with Chemical weapons, cluster bombs and phosphorous bombs.
Truth, Accountability and Justice would prevail one day.
All the denials of the Channel 4 videos has been vindicated by the new videos and photographs that are available…
We do not care and the world does not care about denials anymore. The noose is getting tighter and Blacker can write his fiction story books and blogs…
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David Blacker / July 10, 2012
“David Blacker seems to be having a fascinations for OPB,s. Yes, Other People’s Balls, as he mentions it several times in his responses.”
Actually, it was you that brought up the word “balls” in your rambling comment about Gotabhaya, Tamara, etc. I was just replying to you in the language you understand ;)
“Suck on that information and it is all on Blacker’s own writing.
No If’s and Butt’s.”
But if your so-called argument has crumbled to analysing writing style, what is your fascination with sucking and butts? :D Personal attacks seem to be your only capacity. So much for lawyers lol.
/
David Blacker / July 10, 2012
“I stand by what I wrote, and resources/forces of the above mentioned countries was utilized. Even Robert Blake confirmed part of it and it is on record.”
Do please then quote from the record, showing Blake claiming that US vessels and aircraft were used to destroy the Tiger vessels, as you claim. What Blake in fact said was that they had shared information with the GoSL, which is quite a different matter. You just can’t swallow the fact that the hated Sinhalese destroyed your beloved protectors of the Tamils, can you? :D
“Attacking unarmed cargo ships is illegal. The cargo was never confirmed nor any evidence provided either.”
As usual, you’ve got your facts wrong, unsurprisingly. Transporting illicit arms to terrorist groups is in fact what is illegal, and international law allows such contraband to be seized. The SL Navy hailed the ships and ordered them to heave to. The cargo ships then opened fire, and fire was returned. In several cases secondary explosions indicated the transport of explosives. Diesel, which is what cargo ships run on, does not explode though it burns. Only explosives would explode.
“On the contrary, If the LTTE or any other Tamil group did the same thing, everybody would be screaming terror on international waters.”
The LTTE has in fact done precisely that, seizing several cargo ships transporting essential goods to the people of Jaffna — people the Tigers claimed they were defending — taking the crews hostage and confiscating both the cargo and the vessels. This is in addition to assassinating an Indian PM in India, which is a far more heinous act.
“The same with Chemical weapons, cluster bombs and phosphorous bombs.”
I asked you before for evidence of these weapons, and you have been unable to provide any. Where is the physical evidence of shell casings, unexploded ordnance, photographic or video evidence? Do you have any documentation of foreign governments or companies having sold such weapons to the GoSL?
“Truth, Accountability and Justice would prevail one day.”
Not as long as bumbling incompetents such as yourself are in charge of it. I suggest you step out of the way and let better lawyers do the job if you have any hope of succeeding.
“All the denials of the Channel 4 videos has been vindicated by the new videos and photographs that are available…”
To the contrary. Here are the key questions raised by the first videos, and which no subsequent video has answered:
1. Why is there not a single photo or frame of video available in which an identifiable SL soldier is seen to be committing a war crime?
2. Why is there not a single photo or video frame available of a civilian being deliberately killed by an SL soldier?
3. Why is there not a single photo or frame of video available of a Tiger POW being tortured, raped, or otherwise abused by an identified SL soldier?
4. Why is there not a single photo or video frame of any civilian being raped, tortured, or otherwise abused by an SL soldier?
5. Why is there not a single photo or video frame available of an SL artillery shell or aerial bomb hitting an identifiable civilian target?
With all the claims of trophy videos, etc, there should be surely ONE photo or ONE frame of video showing at least one of the above? Can you show such a thing in any of those pix or films?
“We do not care and the world does not care about denials anymore.”
To the contrary, it is clear that no one takes the films, pix or UN reports seriously. Not yje US, and certainly not the UN, which instead based its resolution on the LLRC report.
“The noose is getting tighter and Blacker can write his fiction story books and blogs…”
Whatever I write is not your business. What is your business is to answer these questions if you’re to do the job you’re being paid for in hard earned diaspora money.
/
Donald J Gnanakone / July 9, 2012
David Blacker seems to be having a fascinations for OPB,s. Yes, Other People’s Balls, as he mentions it several times in his responses.
Any body can now guess and wonder why?
Suck on that information and it is all on Blacker’s own writing.
No If’s and Butt’s. Well in the army he would have learnt and experienced a lot on Butt’s. lol. No wonder he left and ran so quickly. ha ha. And now sticking to fiction and being “creative”. Perfect job..
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ranbanda / July 10, 2012
In my teens I had the opportunity to join as an officer and Iam glad I went in a another direction.Had I joined and after 30yrs maybe in the rank of at least a Lt general I would have told my troops not to take any surrendees with white flags but to shoot the bastards as they exauseted all the endeavours the govt made for them to surrender in a meaningful manner and they thought they were invincible and regrouped and became stronger. The Geneva convention was for warring states not for terrorists as they were not signatories to anything. I have no qualms about this white flag issue and all the better the way they they were done in.These ruthless barbarians terrorised the the nation and hijacked our lives killing innocent civilians.As much as the Tamil population has suffered at the hands of thugs let loose by politicians the LTTE only prolonged and prejudiced the plight of the low caste Tamil. .
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Donald Gnanakone / July 10, 2012
@Ranbanda. You do not know the Geneva conventions and the IHL’s.
It is not a matter of likes and dislikes. One has to obey the LAW. International Law.
You do not know the history of the Tamil-Singhala war, and a few liars cannot rewrite history after murdering innocent civilians from 1958..
Tamils stood up and fought after the 1983 riots…
Now the battles are in international courts and world capitals, and worldwide…
There will be a price to pay for war crimes…
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Rowdy Peter / July 14, 2012
Geneva Convention does allow the LTTE to murder women and children? Have you forgotten the Mus;ims who were praying? Kaathankudy? Jffna Tamils like you should be tied to trees and sodomised.
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S de Silva / July 10, 2012
Why should,p Chandraprema highlight only Gota. He ran away from Sri Lanka during the war and lived in the US of which he is a citizen.
– Chandraprema does not include these truths in his so called book. David Blacker, who ever he is gives a good review of the book. Hats off to him.
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David Blacker / July 11, 2012
Chandraprema does indeed discuss Gotabhaya’s resignation from the Army. By then, Gotabhaya had served in the Army around 20 years, and had seen a lot of heavy fighting. To say he “ran away” is quite absurd. Many officers of that rank were disillusioned by the handling of the war at that time — the political meddling, the corruption of some of the military leadership, etc. Many of these mid-rank officers felt that they were sacrificing their lives for nothing. That is quite understandable. To accuse an officer who had served for 20 years and experienced a lot of fighting of cowardice is quite churlish, regardless of how much one dislikes him. Especially when the accusations come from people who have never seen a day of fighting, and who wouldn’t last 20 minutes, never mind 20 years.
There are many things on which GR can be criticized, but to make up stuff that isn’t true distracts from his actual faults, and that makes me wonder what the point of that is. You can’t successfully topple someone on a fantasy. You have to go for the true facts.
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prasanna / July 11, 2012
Donald is living in dreamland ! lol
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Abimanasingham Sitthawatthai Uthayakumar / July 12, 2012
“In effect, the Tamils are wrong; they have always been wrong, and none of this long conflict can be blamed on the Sinhalese or the state. The blame is unequivocally placed at the feet of the Tamil political leadership who, according to Chandraprema, radicalised and nationalised Tamil politics by overreacting to perfectly reasonable laws and acts by the state.”
“Throughout, Chandraprema steadfastly refuses to apportion any responsibility for the conflict to the Sinhalese or the policies of the state.”
The Para. 8.150 of the Report of the LLRC appointed by the President says:
“The Commission takes the view that the Root Cause of the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka lies in the failure of successive Governments to address the genuine grievances of the Tamil people. The country may not have been confronted with a violent separatist agenda, if the political consensus at the time of independence had been sustained and if policies had been implemented to build up and strengthen the confidence of the minorities around the system which had gained a reasonable measure of acceptance.”
Thus the LLRC accepts that the violent separatist agenda was the outcome of the failure of the successive Governments of Sri Lanka to address the genuine grievances of the Tamil people!
Further, under “The Different Phases in the Narrative of Tamil Grievances” it has mentioned in para.8.163 of the Report:
“The decisive rift in the inter-ethnic relationship came first with the riots of 1958, then in1977, and culminating in what is known as ‘Black July’ of 1983, and the heinous failure of the then Government to provide adequate protection to Tamil citizens. The problems pertaining to the Tamil Community and their grievances cannot be fully addressed without a fuller understanding of this culture of violence that marred the relationship between the Sinhala and Tamil communities.”
Thus, the LLRC indirectly accepts that the “culture of violence” was introduced in the country NOT BY THE TAMILS, but by the Sinhalese and it was indirectly catalyzed by the Governments of Sri Lanka!
At this juncture it is very important to note that the LLRC has not mentioned in its Report what actually caused the successive Governments of Sri Lanka to implement policies and actions that produced genuine grievances to the Tamils and other minorities of the country.
The Paragraph 28 of the UN Panel Report states that:
“After independence, political elites tended to prioritize short-term political gains, appealing to communal and ethnic sentiments, over long-term policies, which could have built an inclusive state that adequately represented the multicultural nature of the citizenry. Because of these dynamics and divisions, the formation of a unifying national identity has been greatly hampered. Meanwhile, SINHALA-BUDDHIST NATIONALISM GAINED TRACTION, ASSERTING A PRIVILEGED PLACE FOR THE SINHALESE AS THE PROTECTORS OF SRI LANKA,AS THE SACRED HOME OF BUDDHISM. THESE FACTORS RESULTED IN DEVASTATING AND ENDURING CONSEQUENCES FOR THE NATURE OF THE STATE, GOVERNANCE AND INTER-ETHNIC RELATIONS IN SRI LANKA.”
The UN Panel Reports thus emphasizes that the ‘ROOT CAUSE’ of the problems of Lanka has been its Sinhala Buddhist nationalism based on SACRED DOCTRINE: Sinhala – Sinhalese – Buddhism – Lanka doctrine with one to one correspondence.
Chandraprema is an individual. He has not developed and maximized his “Critical Thinking.”
The problem we face in our country is the failure to maximize the ‘Critical Thinking’ of the school and University students through our FREE EDUCATION!
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Rowdy Peter / July 14, 2012
What should it have been then? Tamil Hinduism and Christianity? Minority rule like SJV wanted? This is the arrogance that the Sinhalese have come to detest. Build a boat and take off to Australia, US, the UK and live like Gnanakoon off food stamps and money you can get from the drug trade or prostitution that the GTF and the BTF are involved in. Housing rackets, credit card scams Thambi. Gnanakoon will send you a copy of his DIY Tamil scams if you ask him kindly. Hey where is the Kalla Swamy now? The rogue in robes is off the radar.
UN is a load of kakka pudding. Libya, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran and Palestine. What are they good for? Giving the Tamils hope for a homeland?
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Abimanasingham Sitthawatthai Uthayakumar / July 15, 2012
Dear Rowdy Peter!
“The Commission takes the view that the Root Cause of the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka lies in the failure of successive Governments to address the genuine grievances of the Tamil people. The country may not have been confronted with a violent separatist agenda, if the political consensus at the time of independence had been sustained and if policies had been implemented to build up and strengthen the confidence of the minorities around the system which had gained a reasonable measure of acceptance.”
“The decisive rift in the inter-ethnic relationship came first with the riots of 1958, then in1977, and culminating in what is known as ‘Black July’ of 1983, and the heinous failure of the then Government to provide adequate protection to Tamil citizens. The problems pertaining to the Tamil Community and their grievances cannot be fully addressed without a fuller understanding of this culture of violence that marred the relationship between the Sinhala and Tamil communities.”
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