By Niranjan Rambukwella –
This article is not about Dayan Jayatilleka – it’s about the arguments he uses to defend the Rajapaksa regime. These arguments are currently the most sophisticated apologies that exist for the Rajapaksa regime. If they are flawed, then the entire foundation underlying the case for supporting Mahinda Rajapaksa crumbles.
Arguments can be flawed for two distinct reasons. First, if an argument’s premises are false. The second cause of flawed arguments is invalid logic linking premises to conclusions. For example, the conclusion in the argument below:
Premise I: Socrates is a man
Premise II: All men are mortals
Conclusion: Therefore, Socrates is mortal.
holds because the premises are true and the logic linking the premises to the conclusion is valid. If either of them were faulty then the conclusion would not hold.
Dayan’s has two inter-linked arguments for supporting Mahinda Rajapaksa. The first argument is to arrive at to the conclusion that voting for Maithripala Sirisena will result in a Ranil or Chandrika government. The second argument, that we should vote for Mahinda Rajapaksa because his track record is better that Ranil/Chandrika, depends on the first. But the first argument is flawed because its logic is faulty. The second fails because its premises are false and also because of faulty logic.
Faulty Logic – A Vote for Maithripala is a Vote for Ranil/CBK
Here’s Dayan’s first argument.
Premise I: Maithripala Sirisena will shift power away from the President towards the Prime Minister. As Dayan puts it, “Maithripala Sirisena will occupy a shrunken Presidency and therefore wield reduced authority and power will be shifted to Parliament and the Cabinet.”
Premise II: Either Chandrika or Ranil will become Prime Minister
Conclusion: Therefore, Ranil or Chandrika will “wield real power and influence” i.e. govern Sri Lanka.
These premises are true, but the logic is invalid. If Maithripala wins, both he and Chandrika/Ranil will share power. Therefore, the conclusion that Ranil or Chandrika will govern the country is at best a mischaracterization. This is because power will lie with both the President and the Prime Minister. Neither will have the quasi-dictatorial power Presidents often wielded under the ’78 constitution and the Prime Minister sometimes wielded under the ’72 constitution. Not to mention that Maithripala’s manifesto also shifts takes power away from the President and vests it in the judiciary, public service and parliament’s committees. The real choice we will face on the 8th is between Rajapaksa family rule and Maithripala-Ranil jointly led democracy.
Faulty Premises – Biased & Backward Looking Performance Evaluation
Even if Dayan’s first argument holds, the overarching conclusion that we should vote for Mahinda Rajapaksa does not follow. In the second argument Dayan says that we should vote for Mahinda because, on balance, his track-record is superior to Ranil and CBK’s track-record. In his words, “what Mahinda Rajapaksa has done wrong- or got wrong–is greatly outweighed by what he has got right and done right. On the other hand, what Ranil and Chandrika got wrong have done wrong, far outweigh whatever it is they did right. Since Mahinda’s positives greatly outweigh his negatives and the opposite is true of Ranil and Chandrika.”
Here’s his argument:
Premise I: Mahinda’s overall track record is very positive
Premise II: Ranil/Chandrika’s track record is very negative
Conclusion: Therefore, we should vote for Mahinda.
The problem is that Dayan’s assessment of the candidates’ track records is based on obsolete evaluation criteria – one that has little relevance to the issues our country faces today. The conclusion that Mahinda’s track record is overall very positive appears to be based almost entirely on his success at defeating the LTTE – the main national concern prior to 2009. The corollary of this is that Ranil and Chandrika’s allegedly overall negative record is because they failed to win the war. That the LTTE was defeated under the Mahinda presidency is true, and that it was not under Ranil and Chandrika is also true. But that is not the only criteria we must use to assess presidential candidates. Right now our assessment of a candidates track record must take place in the context of the country’s needs viz rule by institutions rather than rule by family, democracy rather than dictatorship, good governance, a stable and less corrupt government, harmony among ethnic communities and better relations with the rest of the world. On all these counts Mahinda does terribly, and Ranil and Chandrika are certainly better than the Rajapaksa family.
The second and related logical problem is that Dayan sophistically transforms the question of “Who will be the best President?” to “Who was the best President/Prime Minister?”. Dayan’s analysis of who we should vote for is entirely backward looking, so the logic linking the assessment of track records to the conclusion that we should vote for Mahinda does not follow.
A candidate’s past performance is not the only criteria we should use to assess a candidate’s suitability for office. We also need to consider our future under each of the candidates. Ever since he has come to power, Mahinda Rajapaksa has by hook or by crook – appointing family members, passing the 18th Amendment, impeaching the chief justice etc – grabbed power for himself and his family. If he wins this election he will have at least seven more years to further centralize power. At this point in Sri Lanka’s history, that means establishing a dictatorship based on corruption and fear. A messy Maithripala-Ranil-(and if Dayan insists) CBK led government will create much needed space for democracy, accountability and institution (re)building.
In the final analysis, the choice is not between Mahinda Rajapaksa and Ranil-CBK. It is between Mahinda Rajapaksa’s kleptocratic, dictatorial, fear-mongering family rule and the restoration of some semblance of democracy as a result of a Maithripala-Ranil jointly led government with power shared and negotiated between the President and Prime Minister. It’s a choice between dictatorship and democracy.
Matilda Ellepola / January 4, 2015
no one should take notice of this political waste called DJ.
This man should be kicked on his behind by the Royal pimp Sajja Vaas to let him know the real Rajapaksa taste.
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Hinnibanda / January 4, 2015
Matilda nangi,
all right thinking – people will agreew ith you.
This man has become today#s kelaniya Mervin unfortunatlely.
It is all because the man is against Ranil from his child hood on.
Please read his arguments in the recent articles whether he at all mentions a word about – rule of law, lack of democracy, MR #s thugs rally round in Hamba region, as to why the man did allow TOY pistol mayor to attack My3 audience etc ?
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Real Peace / January 4, 2015
Hinnibanda
You are spot on!
Dayan is now behaving like Mervin, but surprisingly Mervin is now behaving like, the way Dayan behaved about 5 yrs ago, a gentleman!!
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Mohamed / January 4, 2015
Fully agree with Niranjan Rambukwella, Matilda Ellepola and Hinnibanda. This man has Ranil phobia. Its time to consign this DJ to the dustbin. The man keeps shifting his position for his supper and has no principle.
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punchinilame / January 4, 2015
DJ – be warned – you will be targetted for sure:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwFRgMySYBs
With this kind of track-record, DJ may be considered a lunatic to
request votes for MR:
(Charitha has proclaimed that he has got DJ to support MR direct)
(Statement by the United Front Of The Peradeniya University Lectueres And Alumni)
Friends, time has come to educate one another about the massive corruption that happens in Sri Lanka under the Present Regime. The Executive has taken the lead in this process resulting in massive debt, virtually mortgaging our mother land to foreign countries. Each individual and even the unborn in Sri Lanka owes close to Rs 400,000.00 as debt to China and other lending agencies. Country is in the threshold of bankruptcy.
Today more than 50% parliament members have not even passed the O/L examination. Present regime has no respect for education.
Country’s development could be achieved only by educating people. We emphasise that more than 6% of the GDP need to be allocated for education, which the emerging new leadership has promised.
Hence we strongly feel that the present regime should be removed for a more thoughtful, compassionate and considerate leadership to take reins to spearhead this beautiful nation to be a DEVELOPED NATION devoid of corruption, family favouritism and protected independent Judiciary.
This Government ………
1. Promised that the presidential system will be repealed, in the “Mahinda Chinthanaya”, instead extended the number of times a president could contest from two times to unlimited.
2. Robbed around 95 Million LKR from the “Tsunami” fund ( Helping Hambantota ) donated by the Japanese government. This was his first political robbery apart from what he made as the Minister of Fisheries.
3. Let all the ministers of his cabinet to rob at their will, hence he could blackmail them. He turned a blind eye when his Prime Minister imported Drugs and few members of his cabinet importing illegal ethanol and drugs.
4. Alienated the country towards China resulting in India developing bitterness with Sri Lanka.
5. Obtained loans from China at rates higher than Libor (London Interbank Offered Rate) to earn commissions. These commissions in billions were routed to Swiss bank accounts via Seychelles, where MR opened a branch of Bank of Ceylon and also an Embassy in a country where only 92000 thousand people live. Sri Lankan airline flies to Seychelles.
6. Built a port where no ships come. Air Port where no Airplanes land. He made billions of commissions doing these projects.
7. Made money building Roads : The cost per km of the Outer Circular Highway from Kadawatha to Kerawalapitiya financed by China is US$ 56 m(Rs.7.3billion) This cost is three times higher than the Kottawa Kaduwela extension of the Southern Highway financed by Japan ,which is Rs.2.4 billion per km.
8. The cost per km of Extension of the Southern Highway from Mattala to Hambantota
will cost Rs.2.14billion, whereas per km cost of the Southern Highway cost only
Rs.975m
9. Bid price of A9 road was Rs.140 m per km when the departmental estimate for an A
class road was Rs. 20m.
10. Construction of the Norochchole Coal Power Project was awarded to a well- established Chinese contractor at US$280.00M in 2005 by the previous regime. Soon after present regime came into power it cancelled the contract and awarded it to another inexperienced Chinese firm at US$520 million-almost double the previous price. Plant is inoperative even after 2years of completion.
11. On a dispute between Essential Services Commissioner and Asset Maritime (Pvt) Ltd
arbitrator-a retired High Court Judge awarded Rs.600,000.00 as compensation to the company. A Committee appointed by the President on the intervention of the First Lady awarded Rs.180 million to this company owned by Dhammika Perera and Nishantha Wickramasinghe- latter being a brother of First Lady.
12. Due to the ill-conceived Hedging deal of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation headed by
Asantha de Mel (a person connected to the political establishment) lost Rs. 230 billion in2007. No one has been held accountable for huge loss of public funds.
13. Failed to initiate investigations on 29 journalists murdered or disappeared. Lasantha
W, Pradeep Eknaligoda
14. Failed to initiate investigations into the deaths of Members of Parliament 1. Raviraj and one other.
15. Appointed 38 numbers of the Presidents family and extended family, to diplomatic missions.
16. Turned a blind eye on losses at Mihin Air to the tune of 6-8 Billion, made by his closest buddy Sajin vas Gunawardane who had been criminally charged previously. He appointed his brother in Law Nishantha Wickramasinghe to Sri Lankan Airlines who has no formal education and made losses to the tune of Rs 70 billion to date.
17. Influenced the judiciary to President’s benefit. Impeached the 43rd Chief Justice for no reason. Makes judicial appointments to his benefit.
18. Allows Presidents children to play (Car races) on the streets of Colombo at their will by closing roads. He over ruled Mahanayake Theroes to hold car races for his children in Kandy town.
19. Failed to nominate Election, Police, Public Service and Judicial services commissions.
20. Udayanga Weeratunga – Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia. Cousin of President Rajapakse. Accused of involving in a shady deal to purchase MIG Fighters for the Sri Lankan Air force.
21. Paid 700.00Million rupees to Prabhakaran to purchase weapons to kill innocent Sinhalese using Karuna Amman who is now a deputy Minister and a Vice President of the SLFP. He uses Kumar Pathmanathan alias LTTE arms dealer to his personal benefit.
22. How Karuna was sent to London
“ On August 30, 2007 the Department of Immigration and Emigration issued a diplomatic passport number D1944260 in the name of “Kokila Dushmantha Gunawardena” whose occupation on the passport was given as Director General of Wildlife Conservation. The photograph on the passport was that of Karuna Amman. The Department of Immigration, it is pertinent to note, comes under the Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law and Order of which Gotabaya Rajapakse is Secretary and President Rajapakse the Minister”.
23. Failed to conduct an impartial inquiry into killing of around 43 prisoners at the Welikada Prison.
24. Did nothing to improve the economy and failed to introduce workers charter.
Economy in shambles.
25. Arranged for his son to sit for the Law exams in an isolated air-conditioned room, away from the other candidates.
26. Killed protesters in Rathupaswala (8), Free Trade Zone (1) and Chilaw (4). He used maximum force on all protestors.
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Ebola da Silva / January 5, 2015
Dayan has become a [Edited out] with a phD.He will serve anybody who pays.
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Seelawathi / January 4, 2015
The day DJ has to speak from his real mouth – is nearing.
Unfortunately the man has been going through a crisis being unable to find the correct end to speak out. Else, he or any academic with a bird brain would not ask anyone to support MR and thugs who almost killed the democratic values of the SRILANKENS sofar.
Having listend to Satana program today, from what I heard from Rajitha – former minister of MR cabinet – MR has fallen to no go level being surrounded ONLY by Rascals. If people would elect him again, the folks would have been betrayed… srilanken will be isolated in the global arena. No proper diplomacy will be there to represent us but only tea tasters and former army men or the like personalities will do the job.
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Arlene / January 4, 2015
Dear matilda, We as women knows how very hot mahinda is!
Campare Sirisena to him and it is the shortest way to understand the meaning of life. Some people haven’t just got it.
I will vote for Mahinda anyday even though our household is divided, with my lunatic partner ranting against MR under more than 50 pseudonyms.
Only if he knew about ….
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Samuel Jayaweera / January 4, 2015
Hi Friends,
I ll bet you – this partiuclar Depita kattuwa -Dayan Jayathilaka has to face it on the 9th. Most likely he will be found as pants down as was the case with him in early 90ties. This man has lost his credibility (if he had some) to zero level to this day. Ane paw ? He should learn to listen to his own conscience rather than making every efforts to cough pro rascals (Rajaapkshes).
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Waran / January 4, 2015
Well said Matilda Ellepola, A show off Marxist, scholar in English language. But DJ was kicked by MR and his pimp twice since DJ managed to turn around the June 2009 UNHRC resolution. It gave him and the country, to get a pat on the back. However, He got pushed out of Geneva, then he received a grace chance about a year later to go as the ambassador to France. For some stupid reason he was packed back to home. Shameless fool has still to realise, yet, trying to suck MR for some crumps.
I am always intrigued, how come his name came to be personified as ‘Dayan Jayathillake’ when he had claimed that his father was the famous Journalist’s Mervin Silva?
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mj / January 4, 2015
This Spindocter is very lucky , he got throne out before vass kick him out.
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Leelagemalli / January 5, 2015
what is the difference between Sajin Vaas and DJ (spin doctor) ?
I have the feeling both behave like identical twins right at the moment. …
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Amarasiri / January 4, 2015
Niranjan Rambukwella –
RE: Dayan Jayatilleka’s Arguments For Supporting Mahinda: False Premises And Faulty Logic
But the People Know, the Villages know..DJ Just another Shill and Cronie of MaRa. DJ should ask MaRa to retire.
Read Below.
The 2015 Presidential Election: A view from the village by Bradman Weerakoon – on 01/04/2015
http://groundviews.org/2015/01/04/the-2015-presidential-election-a-view-from-the-village/
Photo by Eranga Jayawardena/Associated Press, via The Washington Post
The Pre-election scenario
For the last eight months I have been living in a village in the Kalutara district. The village is situated about 10 kilometres south of Kalutara the district capital and a kilometer or so east from the sea.. The village economy is based on paddy farming and services with many young men and women commuting for work in Colombo and the neighbouring urban centres. The village is well served by rail and road transport. It is almost entirely Buddhist with temples of all three Nikayas and most people claim to be of the farming community. The village is perhaps typical of the hundreds of self – identified village communities in this south west quadrant of the island.
The political affiliations of my village population has been more or less unchanged over the years. The five or six old families (the appuhamies) and their numerous relatives are essentially UNP. The middle level of school teachers, government functionaries, garment factory workers and retail shopkeepers are SLFP. The JHU ideology has some traction among this group. The JVP used to be strong among the “depressed “ communities of which there are a few pockets yet, but has lost its salience since memory of their ‘oppression’ at the time they were rising in the late 1980’s is yet persistent.
What has been a remarkable change recently in political affiliation after the emergence of Maithripala Sirisena as common candidate, has been the shift of the SLFP elements from Mahinda Rajapakse and the UPFA to Maithripala and the SLFP. Since the date the Election was announced until the 25th of December the only canvassing in the village has been for Maithripala. The highlight of the canvassing effort was a joint UNP/SLFP 30 member large group distributing the common candidates manifesto and 100 day programme. It is noteworthy that the group was composed of the principals of the five schools in the neighbourhood and pradeshiya level political figures. There has been no canvassing by groups supporting Mahinda for President so far. If this village is representative of the low-country Sinhala Buddhist constituency the shift in ‘loyalties’ could presage a major swing in this sector of the Sinhala-buddhist hinterland. But of course there are yet a few days more of campaigning to go.
‘An equal playing field’
It is a truism that an essential pre–requisite for a “free and fair” election in a democratic country is an ‘even playing field’ for all candidates contesting the election. Regrettably the structure of the Executive Presidential political system and the manner of its functioning in Sri Lanka militates against an even playing field as far as the incumbent Executive President is concerned. For one thing there is the rich array of state resources that is available to the incumbent to use as he chooses. Men, transport and money can be deployed with the distinction between that which is official and that which is political being porous. State media, electronic and print is particularly susceptible to abuse almost without detection or open transgression of the electoral law. Another pervasive structural feature particularly in a traditional society like ours is the perception that an incumbent President (virtually a monarch) has a divine right to his position and should not be dethroned by a mere election. Conversely the challenger is held to be an usurper who is making an unworthy attempt at the throne. The almost total absence of civic education in the school syllabus and top – down teaching methodology contributes to this widespread attitude.
The Candidates
Shorn of their official plumage the two candidates MR and MS are contesting for the 75% or so Sinhala Buddhist vote bank. MR as to be expected stresses the achievement of saving the heritage by his defeat of Tamil separatism alias terrorism. Although five years on, this rhetoric yet resonates. MS has no such magic wand and concentrates on waste, corruption and high cost of living. His chief 100 days project of the abolition of the Executive Presidential system has little meaning to the mass of the village who have little knowledge or awareness of liberal democracy. On the other hand his image as the authentic common man from a colony in the NCP appears to find touch with the large crowds that come on their own to his public meetings. On the contrary MR’s meetings and the publicity through State media seem contrived with social media pointing out ‘photo shop’ activity in making these appear larger than they are. Stories of the large number of buses commissioned to carry audiences hither and thither are current in the village as are accounts of unwilling samurdhi beneficiaries being dragooned for nearby meetings. The villagers mind is particularly sensitive to this kind of deceit, fraud being an ever present part of daily life.
The campaign
Apart from some house to house canvassing and personal information sharing especially in work groups (offices, garment factories, trains and buses) the rival campaigns have followed the usual form of the large public meeting and sponsored debates through the TV channels. An entertaining interlude was the long awaited debate between four well – known astrologers. Based on their knowledge of the candidates public horoscopes (it was divulged that most individuals have private horoscopes as well) and a stupendous background in the transition of the planets, the four political soothsayers concluded that both candidates had an equal chance – two going for one and two for the other. As the locals would have it a ‘tie / tie’ situation.
An interesting development suggested by MS of a public debate (perhaps on the lines of the US Presidential debates) was not taken by MR on the basis that the challenger was not worthy of his time. He magnanimously offered a Minister of his Government for any such debate! The public view was that this round was won by MS.
Cross-overs and Party positions in final week
While some private media channels attempted to make light of cross-overs, calling them high jumps and somersaults, the lines of demarcation appear clear enough for amateur pollsters to make their predictions of what the final count would be like. The ethnic minorities, the Sri Lanka Tamils and Muslims stand clearly behind MS, the Indian Tanil vote is divided, so too the Sinhala Catholic while the main Sinhala-Budddhist seem divided down the middle. The patriotic Sinhala Buddhist vote appears confused in this election owing to the JHU and JVP (Anura Dissanayake faction) being supportive of MS. In 2009 the Sinhala Buddhist majority were without doubt for MR. Thr JVP (which is influential among the Police and Military -other ranks -) has taken the position that they want MR defeated but have not supported MS. (their reluctance to openly support MS is said to lie in their innate lack of trust in the UNP and the fear that the promise of the abolition of the Executive Presidential system will remain as before merely a promise.)
The chances of an abuse – free Polling Day
While the pre-election period has been marred by violence and malpractice of various kinds, the vast majority being perpetrated by the Governing party, Polling day itself in recent elections has been largely free of violence. This may be due to the large number of uniformed police mobilized for duty at crucial points but I think, more due to the pressing need for the governing authorities to display that the election was indeed free and fair. The presence of international observers (at this election from the UN and Commonwealth) act as a powerful incentive for the Government that called the election to ensure that the election was indeed so. Generally Observer teams start their scrutiny of the process too late to observe the number of violent acts (breaking up of rival candidates offices, etc) which have preceded the final “peaceful”election.
With no Election Commission (as mandated by the 17th Amendment which itself has been amended) and an Election Commissioner chosen by the President the opportunity for bias in the choosing of members from the Public Service for election duties is wide open. However straight the Commissioner might want to be, the opportunity for him selecting persons who conduct the election being those who favour the incumbent President is overwhelming. The well known incidents of uncounted ballot papers in bundles being found after the last 2010 Presidential election is yet in the public mind. Moreover a well documented case of even the Returning Officer (the Government Agent/District Secretary) of the 25 Districts being induced to violate laid down procedures is available from the 2010 Presidential Election. Thanks to Wikileaks we know the astounding account of the Government Agent Ampara mentioning to the then American Ambassador (Ms Butennis) that he along with some of his colleagues had been instructed to, and had sent, the final results of the District count to the “Temple Trees” (the official residence/office of the President) and NOT to the Elections Commissioner (Mr Dissanayake). Small wonder that the Elections Commissioner had at the conclusion of that election and his announcing of the results, actually said on TV that this was an Election in which he could not guarantee the integrity of a single ballot box! The question has been raised as to why then no Election Petition was instituted according to the Law. The sad fact however is that the cards are so poorly stacked against the petitioner under the executive Presidential system that every attempt at a Petition has been lost in the courts.
With this background what then is the likelihood of similar or more innovative malpractices being initiated to vitiate an authentic count. It is clearly impossible to predict what could happen on the 8th night.
But one thing may be said with some certitude and that is that the closer the election results look to the main actors in this final act of this national drama – ie the Elections Commissioner, the Returning officers, the Presiding Officer at the polling station and the clerks and the Police on duty, the greater the chance of the procedures being correctly followed on Polling Day. The retribution that will surely fall on the wrong doer if the Opposition candidate wins acts as a more powerful motivation to doing the right thing than lofty exhortations that the public service should and will do its duty.
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Leelagemalli / January 4, 2015
Dayan’s credibility barometer :
all the commentators on to this forum have been against his views
100 % lost – can this man express himself again ?
Oyes, this kind of idiots can even run naked after MS will win on the 9th.
Jayawewa – finally we the right respecting ones are about to breath in .. Jayawewa
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Amarasiri / January 5, 2015
Leelagemalli
Mahinda Rajapaksa
Best Average Worst
0.592 0.4465 0.301
59% 45% 30%
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Pandu Collonne / January 5, 2015
I agree that DJ is a [Edited out]. Who gave him this authority to analyze a prez or a Prime Minister. Its a waste of time to read his analysis.
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Dr Dayan Jayatilleka / January 4, 2015
Please do not go by what I say. Here is another view, published originally in the Daily Mirror, by an intellectual ex-diplomat and presently a UN Rapporteur, who is a critic of MR.
“Sirisena-Ranil” Ticket Approach will Make People Believe they are Voting for Sirisena but will be voting for Ranil
Posted by Administrator on 28 November 2014, 1:02 am
By
Tamara Kunanayakam
The surprise announcement that Maithripala Sirisena will be the common Presidential candidate who will face the current incumbent at the forthcoming elections and his promise to abolish the Executive Presidency within one hundred days has raised hopes that an alternative is finally in the air.
RW MS TG
Although there are a lot of ‘ifs’ on the way, including the need for a 2/3 majority in the legislature for constitutional change, of concern is Sirisena’s announcement of UNP leader Ranil Wickremasinghe as Prime Minister before holding General Elections.
By adopting a “Sirisena-Ranil” ticket approach, the architects of the Common Candidate – the UNP and sections of the SLFP – are effectively giving the voter a single election choice for the office of President and Prime Minister, trapping the people into a Ranil premiership in a most unprecedented and undemocratic manner.
People will be made to believe they are voting Sirisena, but will instead be voting Ranil. And, where Sirisena will be is anybody’s guess!
What is ominous about this cynical way of doing or thinking is that it by-passes the people in at least two ways! Firstly, the person who may become the Head of Government with executive powers a hundred days from the presidential elections will have been selected by a handful of leaders from the ruling class represented collectively within the two main political parties, the SLFP and the UNP.
Secondly, and, more importantly, the so-called alternative is only so-called, because there is no indication that apart from a new face and a new electoral system, there will be a fundamental change in policies and programmes – domestic and foreign – that will finally and genuinely address the concerns of the Sri Lankan masses, and by that I mean Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Christian and all other Sri Lankan minority communities living in this island nation.
Structures and institutions must serve the people, not vice versa. It is like building an airport, port or highway without knowing for whom and for what purpose. In the case of the common candidate, the people are being effectively asked to take a stand on a person and a structure without being told what objective that person and that structure would serve.
The opposition has put the cart before the horse and nobody knows where cart or horse is heading!
What will this promised ‘change’ signify to ordinary people if it only means more of the same or continuity? And, what about the cartel that has hijacked the State, whose emergence can be traced back to more than quarter century of war that created conditions for trafficking of all sorts, and during which period the one or the other Party wielded power?
Driving the Rajapaksas out of power is fine, but how will this change the daily lives of the working masses if the alternative proposed does not break with an unjust and exploitative system that generates inequalities, division, conflict and poverty through a programme of privatisation and liberalisation?
Breaking with that system implies a radical reorientation of the economy from one that serves the privileged few to one that serves the working majority; from one that serves the needs of external markets – to one that serves the needs of the domestic economy upon which the majority of the people depend for their livelihood; from one that serves private profit to one that serves public well-being, protection of the country’s natural resources and its ecological heritage.
No country lives or can live in a vacuum. A “peoples first” domestic policy will inevitably require a foreign policy based on principles that rejects the present practice of making private deals behind the backs and at the expense of the people.
If change is to be meaningful to ordinary people, they must stop being mere objects or cannon fodder of a history made elsewhere, by others, and for others; they must become the architects of their own history, of their own destiny!
Courtesy: Daily Mirror
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Anpu / January 4, 2015
Tamara Kunanayakam – partner in crime ?
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Suresh / January 4, 2015
Dayan Jayatilleka and his mutual friend Tamara Kunanayakam are used condoms, Mahinda Rajapakshe used them well and threw them into the garbage bin. Right now, Mahinda Rajapakshe is so desperate, he has dug the garbage bin and taken out the used condoms back to reuse them. Let us see how long Mahinda Rajapakshe can ride with them before they are thrown again never to be used again.
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Off the Cuff / January 5, 2015
Dear Dr Dayan Jayatilake,
I respect you for the way you successfully defended SL in Geneva where your arguments to the world were incisive. But I was listening to you live on Derana 360 today and your arguments were surprising. This article is about your arguments at an earlier date. My comment is about your arguments aired on Derana TV today as they also pertain to your argumentative style.
I have written copiously defending MR’s War effort on many forums and the 13A and will continue to do so. But I did not agree with the process adopted in removing CJ Shirani B as it was against common decency, Justice and the Rule of Law. I cannot agree to the use of racism to win what should be a democratic election.
I hope you will clarify the points that I am raising below.
MR’s term of office extends to 2017 January and hence this election costing the Public a colossal amount of money that could otherwise be used to alleviate the living conditions of the poor is completely unnecessary. The reason for calling this 2 year premature election is hence not in the interest of the Public but in the personal interest of MR. If you don’t agree please explain why.
The main charge leveled at the Govt is unprecedented corruption. The govt has not denied this charge factually but has attempted to circumnavigate it by shamelessly fanning racism.
Today you said you don’t know anything about corruption but you can see the development. I agree with you that we can see the development, it is palpable. We can see better roads, better airports and better harbours and a beautiful city but I cannot understand how any educated person can say he/she cannot see the corruption when all of this is devoid of financial transparency (no competitive bids). Does that not lend credence to the charge of corruption? Do you approve the management of public funds in that way?
By making such a puerile argument about development you were trying to cover up the apparent corruption and mismanagement.
Can you explain why we pay a colossal amount of indirect taxes which actually taxes the poor, the majority population, of the country (Milk powder, Fuel, Sugar, Electricity etc)? What about the losses made by the CPC hedging deals where initially the govt tried to twist the arm of the Chartered Bank and finally paid up meekly? What about the colossal losses at SriLankan and Mihin Air?
If you are really unaware of corruption please explain why we pay so much indirect taxes? Today Green Chilies is Rs 1000/= a Kilo. Milk powder over Rs 1000/= a kilo. Vegetables are hoovering around Rs 500/= a kilo. Petrol, Diesel, Kerosine, Sugar Milk Powder, Mung Dhal, Telephone calls, Electricity etc are heavily taxed. Why? We are supposed to be a middle income country on a per capita basis but does the average person’s income reflect that?
When there is no more war expenditure what is the justification for these heavy taxes on essentials? Is it due to good financial management and good governance?
How much does the Presidency cost the population? How much does the present cabinet of ministers cost the population (ignore the duty free luxury vehicles)? Where has all the money that we spent on the war gone when there is no more war?
Recently Mr Sujeewa Senasinghe exposed an unsolicited Water project in Hambantota that has been initially offered at USD 120 million which became inflated to USD 270 million at the time of awarding the contract. Mr SS offered the complete dossier of documents pertaining to this deal to the 5 front line govt cabinet ministers (Keheliya, SB, Weerawansa, Dilan P and Bandula Gunawardene) who were present at the Swarnavahini TV debate on 31st night. The 5 ministers had no answer. This issue was raised at an earlier debate by Mr SS where he made the same offer to hand over the complete dossier to the govt and hence it should not have been a surprise to the 5 cabinet ministers. Yet they were tongue tied! Don’t you see the hand of corruption here? Mr SS asked if this comparatively small project was inflated by USD 150 million, what a lot of padding the very much bigger projects like the Expressways, Habours and Airports would contain. Is that question unjustified?
Ravi K, Champika, Senasingha, Gayantha Karunatilake and Rajitha represented the MS camp. This is just a small project compared to the other development work. So how can we believe that the other mega development was above board?
Here is the link to the full debate it is 4h 30 mnts long
http://sirisara.info/watch?v=6165
MR has even refused to accept the challenge thrown by MS for a Public, televised live debate. Thus the govt is denying the Public a chance to know the truth. What is the govt afraid of? How will such a refusal be interpreted in France or USA the two countries with Presidential systems that you brought in as examples today? Isn’t this inability to face a Public Debate an admission of guilt?
Is it not the right of the Public to know what their incumbent President and the Presidential aspirants hope to do?
I am in agreement with you regarding the number of times a person can be elected to the office of President as it is the public who will decide who is elected. The number of terms in office should not be a disqualification for a future candidacy. However some mechanism should be in place to prevent an incumbent from misusing state power to remain in office by manipulation like JR did with his referendum.
The constitution says the people are sovereign yet the people’s wish expressed through the vote is prostituted by crossovers that are not subject to the peoples’ review at a by-election. We can thank a certain person for this anarchy. This points to the need for closing the loophole and give real meaning to the People’s unalienable sovereignty.
Today you said that MS is a puppet in the hands of CBK and RW. I think that is speculation of the worst sort. Neither CBK, RW or anyone else can dictate to a President of SL under the current Constitution, be it MS or anyone else. You of all people should know that very well. Remember both MR and CBK promised to abolish the Presidency. Neither one did that. What makes you so sure that MS will do so? Is it because you trust MS’s word more than you trust MR’s or CBK’s?
MS has said he will retain the Defense Portfolio and all the powers of the Provincial Governors. That means that the current powers of the Governors would still be devolved on them while MS will have overall power over the Provinces. Please explain how any province can separate from SL under such circumstances.
Tamara says “Driving the Rajapaksas out of power is fine, but how will this change the daily lives of the working masses if the alternative proposed does not break with an unjust and exploitative system that generates inequalities, division, conflict and poverty through a programme of privatisation and liberalisation?”
Tamara wants SL to jettison capitalism (which both the UNP and MR’s present govt follows). She wants an overnight revolution and does not seem to believe that the reversal of the cut backs on Education, Health etc that the govt has imposed does not benefit the poor working masses. She cannot see that the reversal of those two cut backs alone encompass the whole SL population not just the working masses. She should explain to us why she considers injecting back to the treasury Rs 19,500,000,000 (money allegedly pilfered by a small water project) and the many billions that are allegedly wastefully spent in the other much bigger projects will not improve the daily living conditions of the masses.
Perhaps she thinks that those cut backs does not affect the working masses and the reversal of that situation is not for the benefit of the population. Her opinion is irrelevant unless she can answer the points raised about financial mismanagement, misappropriation and the rule of law.
You see Dayan, you are selectively choosing what MS says to fit your argument.
Kind Regards
OTC
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Burning Issue / January 5, 2015
“You see Dayan, you are selectively choosing what MS says to fit your argument.”
I am not excusing DJ but you are not any different as cherry picking was the theme that you followed when we debated on many issues on Groundviews!
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Off the Cuff / January 5, 2015
Dear Burning Issue,
Thank you for your response.
During a debate it is the responsibility of the participants to build their arguments using factual data. Data is factual if it can be substantiated and false if that cannot be done.
Those who are ill informed and those who try to argue using false premises fail to substantiate their positions when challenged. If you engage a person in debate and you fail to prove your position it is foolish to blame your opponent for your own ineptitude and lack of competence.
It is foolish to expect your opponent to roll over and play dead. It will definitely not happen if your opponent has a command of the subject matter discussed.
All the data I use can be substantiated and has been substantiated when challenged.
Dayan J is not a simple person. He is well equipped intellectually and as I have stated above I have immense respect and admiration for his performance at the UN in successfully defending SL. He is a formidable opponent to take on without a factual argument. I took him on because I can substantiate what I have written.
If you think I have cherry picked in my comments addressed to Dayan J above, please be kind and brave enough to venture to point them out.
It is cowardice to write what you have written without Solid Proof of what you say. I have called you a lair before and that was done with proof of lying. I have never accused anyone of anything without proof. If I am wrong I apologize unconditionally. I am sorry to say that I cannot say the same thing about you.
Kind Regards,
OTC
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Burning Issue / January 6, 2015
OTC,
I do not think that you read my post properly; I never said that you cherry picked addressing Dayan; I said you did that when we debated on many issues on Groundviews. I was just pointing out that you are not any better!
You can challenge all you want but Dayan, when it suits him, will not engage; I can categoricall say that he will ignore you. One Sarath Farnando exposed Dayan left, right and centre and Dayan’s responses have been one of none engagement.
Years back he said that he would join a credible opposition and work towards re-establishing democracy. The current situation is exactly what he eluded to back then, but his decision to back MR is preposterous and comical. What does he stand for? Does anyone know? No matter how intelligent one is, his actions will stand him as to how he is perceived by people. I am afraid Dayan’s reputation is irreparably blemished for good!
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Off the Cuff / January 6, 2015
Dear Burning Issue,
Thank you again.
I support the principle embedded in the 13A but DJ supports the 13A completely. Hence there is a very big difference in my position and DJ’s position, re the 13A.
When DJ wrote about the 13A (several times) I commented pointing out the conflicting sections in the 13A. DJ avoided giving direct answers. Obviously DJ did not expect such a challenge. Hence I am fully aware of what you say about DJ’s response or absence of it.
But as I have said before, my comments though addressed to a person are meant for open discussion of issues, while giving a chance to the person that I am questioning, the opportunity to explain himself or herself. However I am certain DJ has already read my comment and the message would have gone home.
That being said, I have the utmost respect and admiration for his successful defense of SL at the UN, which I have seen. Removing him from the team defending SL is one of the worst bungles that MR has done and SL is paying for that folly today.
My focus is on issues and not the writer as long as the writer confines him/her comments to issues.
I started writing when I saw the unopposed vile propaganda that separatists were carrying on in the Canada Post comments sections. At first I was inundated with attacking comments in order to discourage me, but they could not counter what I wrote, because I gave references that could be verified. The propaganda targeted the Westerners and the exposure of the verifiable truth was not palatable to the separatists. I must say that I received encouragement from a few Tamils. One of them warned me that the Wiki was being taken over by separatists wherever it deals with SL and SL issues.
The reception I received at GroundViews and CT was no different. GV unfortunately do not publish all responses. They would sometimes publish an attacking comment which infringes their own policy but will suppress the reply even though the reply does not infringe their policy. CT on the other hand is more open and refrains from manipulating the comments.
I have read Sarath Fernando’s comments to DJ but were they issues focused or derogatory? If my memory is correct it had both.
I read and understood your post before writing mine. The message I tried to send you is that when you accuse another of cherry picking (or anything else) you should be able to give reference examples of such action to provide an opportunity for a defense.
Wish you and your family Peace, Prosperity and Health in 2015. I should have done so with my first post, sorry for the belated wishes.
Kind Regards,
OTC
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Matilda Ellepola / January 4, 2015
we dont care of any Tamara as the king once told to BBC – you were working for a NGO and you are biased.
Tamara as well as anyone can be bought up by the Rajapaksas for their money stolen from Sri Lanka masses.
Just imagine Tissa A – 500M, Katagoda 100M, Janaka B Tennekkoon 200M etc to either keep with him or to take from the opposition.
He can definitely afford to pay a bit less than that for a Tamara K.
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Dom / January 4, 2015
I believe this is going to be hard for MR to stop the defections from his party. Thus, spending over 1bn to protect his party will make no difference. Because the people will decide what’s the best for Sri Lanka either remain with dictatorship or move forward for democracy.
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dcn / January 4, 2015
Dr.Dayan Jayatileke,
This may be a article appeared sometime ago but do you realise that more than 25 members of the UPFA have deserted Mahinda and joined Maithree + many more on the way. Are they doing so through severe madness or seeing the reality of the need for a change?
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Ajith / January 4, 2015
Two wrongs cannot become right. Too fools can’t become intelligent. DJ is wrong. Tamara is wrong.
Chandrika was President from SLFP. Mahinda was President of SLFP. Maithiri is from SLFP. What is important for SLFP and Nation? Individuals, Party, Policies, Nation?
What is your choice? Your choice is Individual. People choice Nation, Policies, Party and Individual.
Why couldn’t SLFP nominate another individual instead of Mahinda? I think DJ thinks that Mahinda is the only person is clever and other SLFPers including him are fools. For Mahinda party means his family and for people party belongs to people and Nation.
What charcteristcs a President should hold?
Honest, Clean, respect the law, respect the justice system, respect relegion, respect people.
Mahinda is not honest, Mahinda lied to people, rule of law is fully violated, human rights are violated and be has become a dictator.
DJ is a liar. DJ is an oppotunistic. DJ is a racist. He wants a corrupted regime, He wants rule of jungle. Overall he is against people who wants justice.
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Borella 1992 / January 4, 2015
Dayan, you are dead currency now.
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AVB / January 4, 2015
I really can’t understand this man, Dayan… He certainly has very complicated but unfortunately very small brain…
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Jango / January 4, 2015
How very convenient (not to mention, chicken-shit) to use another stooge and bird of a feather to bolster your argument, instead of responding to the logic of the writer.
Par for the course with you!
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Agnos / January 4, 2015
All DJ can find is this trash of a lady, who wants to ride as a champion of ‘ordinary people’ to support white-van abductors, murderers, rapists and racists, so that they can be subjected to more of the same evil?
Mr. “Evil”tilleka and Ms. “Evil”nayagam, if you have fears that a Maithripala regime will bring in Ranil W. and that will be detrimental to “ordinary” people, then the way ahead is for a people’s movement to start right away so that the new regime stays honest, something another man on the left, Kumar David, has suggested.
But continuing to support murderous thieves and racists, by coming up with various sophistries, make you complicit in the regime’s continuing tyranny; you two have been complicit for a long time, so it is not exactly revelation now. Even if MR uses every trick to win again, the day of reckoning for you al is coming soon.
If you are blind to the enormous sums of money that is moving around from the regime to make people stay or switch to their side, you want the ‘ordinary’ people to be just as blind?
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padmakumara / January 5, 2015
Cute how you use your old protege to buttress your arguments. Although you don’t see Tamara claiming everyone should go out and vote for Rajapaksa. Nor does she like you did on Rupavahini the other day (remember that really long talk show that ran overtime?) insist that if she can’t understand the Sirisena roadmap for abolition of the presidency no one can. “Me, I can’t understand it,” quoth Dr Dayan as the Rupavahini interviewer chuckled gleefully. “Me a political specialist If I can’t understand it, who can?”
Let me tell you who can. The people whose minds are not musty from expedience. Those whose supposedly ‘academic’ ‘intellectual’ arguments are not for sale to the highest bidder. (And the highest bidder will always be Mahinda Rajapaksa, won’t it Dayan?)
Overall Tamara’s arguments, though she may be your loyal pupil since her Geneva days, are infinitely more palatable. At least there is no gloating. At least there is no insufferable superiority.
Such hubris, Dayan. Such vainglory. How cheaply you sell your integrity, you who spent the past several months pointing out all the evils of the Rajapaksa regime, from the authoritarian defence secretary to its protection and promotion of ethno religious fascist movements. How eloquently you appeared to flay the Rajapaksa regime for its vile treatment of villagers in Weliweriya demonstrating for water.
If Maithripala wins on Thursday, I look forward to you telling us repeatedly, prolifically and arrogantly, how you told us all so. If Mahinda wins, at least you will be one person who can cherish his victory since after this yeoman service you rendered, how can he not appoint you ambassador to some fancy city again?
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Raju / January 5, 2015
We want regime change. You want retention of a corrupt regime.
We want good governance. You hate Ranil as a result hate Maithiri.
You are a stubborn maverick trying to postulate your will on others.
You oxygenate evil and justify day light murders.
Will you vote against Mahinda in the election to pay homage to Lasantha.
You will not. You are constrained and a constipated sole and your self ego is important for you.
Why did the God give you the writing skill? You are really a vacuum on your top.
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Vincent Gunasekera / January 4, 2015
Dear DJ,
Looks like the piece in DM has been written by you! Could you please check this with Ms. TK? Or else has she become yet another Tissa Attanayake (producing forged/doctored documents)?
I heard from friends that you regurgitating in both so called national TV channels (which are maintained at tax payers’ expense). They also say that nobody understand what you say (just like the crap you write to defend MR and his despotic regime). So, keep it up.
The country knows that you are ready to sell your soul to anybody if any party is willing to give you any prominence I mean to say that you are the only “pandithaya” this country has ever produced to talk about politics/international relations etc. Your history proves that clearly.
It is learnt that you have been promised the post of Professori after 8 Jan. by the great King of Weeraketiya (King Chetiya for me). I am sure all regular readers of this website would no doubt agree that a person like you is ideally suited to be a Minister at the Court of King Chetiya of Weeraketiya. Why don’t you start writing the chapters of this new dynasty in English as Jackson Anthony is doing that in Sinhala?
By the way please check with MR whether SVG and Kshenuka S would still be there when you step into the Republic Building after 8 Jan. So, good luck!
Could you please also tell us whether you have retired from “revolution” like Vasudeva Nana?
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Dr Dayan Jayatilleka / January 4, 2015
C’mon, does this look like a forgery? In the anti-regime Daily Mirror, no less? Why don’t you check it out yourselves.
Tamara Kunanayakam, “On ‘Common Candidate’: Nobody knows where cart or horse is heading!”, Daily Mirror Online, 27 November 2014
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sama / January 4, 2015
Do we the right respecting people have any other choice than voting for MS ?
What bs have you been adding to this wonderful forum ? which is the only place to be free from MR’s thuggish attacks to this day ?
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Waran / January 4, 2015
Hi Dr Dayan Jayatilleka , you and Tamara Kunanayakam are not from the career diplomatic service. Both entered through the back door. This shows the boot licking advantage for the entry. You claim as a political scientist, But what is she? Once upon a time an NGO in Geneva.
However,in this election people do want the cart to be pulled by the horse and have a sensible driver. Majority of the people do believe, What MY3 and Ranil capable of doing for the wellbeing of the people and the country. Not just for one family and the cronies. We do not want yours or Tamaras views. MY3 would stop the country sliding further down towards hell. They will not be needing the USA,UK PR companies to do the facelift for the country. Would save by not spending the Millions US$ of Tax payers money to prop up this Imbecile’s government. cretins like You or Tamara supporting Mahinda have no sense .
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Suresh / January 4, 2015
Tamara may have collected a few degrees but diplomacy is certainly not one of them. Her diplomatic faux pas proved her unworthy of representing SL at the UNHRC. MR did her a huge favour way beyond what she deserved in her ad hoc appointment in 2011 bypassing senior diplomats due to some personal reasons (an open secret). I don’t agree with many things that MR does but removing this woman I fully agree. No diplomat has ever ranted and raved so much and given more interviews to sycophantic websites and newspapers than Tamara Kunanayakam. When it comes to credibility, she is not second to Dayan Jayatilleka. Birds of the same feather.
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Flycatcher / January 4, 2015
Dayan J – Don’t just waste your time to justify what you say was right. Go and help Mara instead. He’s sinking every minute.
Please don’t take a massive U turn on the 9th Jan.
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sha / January 5, 2015
There are paid advertisements too on dailymirror. Mara can do anything!
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Off the Cuff / January 5, 2015
Dear Dr Dayan Jayatilleka,
I have addressed a comment to you above
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/dayan-jayatillekas-arguments-for-supporting-mahinda-false-premises-and-faulty-logic/comment-page-1/#comment-1740832
I do hope you will be able to clarify the questions raised.
Kind Regards,
OTC
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manel fonseka / January 4, 2015
Vincent —
While Tamara probably wrote this article, she may well have written it together with her left-wing and former trade union leader (I THINK am right here), French husband. Which is why, there has been speculation that it was DJ who wrote it and not Tamara.
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Off the Cuff / January 5, 2015
Dear Madam,
Speculating about the author of the article is irrelevant. Try to address the issues raised by Tamara and Dayan.
Kind Regards,
OTC
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Menikdiwela / January 4, 2015
This is the main problem in SL.
Every [Edited out] got an opinion and every corner of the street got a policy alternatives and Research Institute.
People have to much time on their hands to go about stoning the opposition or writing vulgar about the president and the govt.
SL politics is a big cash cow. Too many players from
gramasevaka to urban and praadheshya sabaa to municipal to provincial councils. Then another layer of mps and deputy ministers ministers and the list goes on and on and on..
Nobody is there to work and public servants are appointed by who kissed the ruling elite’s arse better ..
Then we have two jokers who decided among themselves that one is for ‘FOR’ and one is for ‘AGAINST’ MR. These two jokers namely, Dayan and Rajiva.
I wonder why they cannot pit their arguments against another joker called Jayantha Dhanapala and his coterie of Friday Forum.
PEOPLE WANT PEACE DIVIDENDS. It’s the village youth who were in front line dying in their hundreds to win the War. The PEACE DIVIDENDS must go to the villages. None of the rulers have done this. They go to the villagers ONLY when they need their Votes to stay in power or claim victory.
Everyone has an opinion but cannot make a decision to vote on their own analysis and merits to award their vote to the right candidate.
Then we have the wholesale rigging. There are 3000 ballot boxes stuffed and ready to go to counting stations. The Computer Gilmart is also in place.
MR will be victorious.
But, the country will face chaos. Unfortunately, the mood of the people is for change and MR will NOT let it go that easy!!
So, Dayan and Rajiva and as for any other policy alternatives and research institutes, they will churn out article after article while Lanka as a nation goes from bad to worse!!!
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Piranha / January 4, 2015
DJ,
The fact that you failed to persuade your dear friend and fellow intellectual Prof Wijesinha to stick with MR says a lot about the validity of your arguments in support of MR.
Tamara Kunanayakam is a lefties basket case. She is still hurting from MR’s slap but despite this any right wing politician capturing power is anathema to her. Her views are therefore biased, just like yours.
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K.A Sumanasekera / January 4, 2015
The great majority of the 12 Million Sinhala Buddhist voters do know or have seen what their motherland was before 2009 and the how it is today.
And they know who made that difference.
They will cast their votes accordingly.
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Sensible Thinking / January 4, 2015
So they will vote for SF’s camp.
I don’t think they will vote for the American citizens.
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Piranha / January 4, 2015
So, you want people to forget about all the bad things MR has done to the country and it’s people. The people are hungry for food and are fed up with his criminal and undemocratic governance. Winning the war has lost its pulling power, my friend, and MR is flogging a dead horse. It won’t work this time. The man has to go and he will be out come Jan 8.
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Spring Koha / January 4, 2015
What the people do not need are patronising commentators with convoluted arguments. MOST of our voters can see the nonsense going on around them, and they will make up their minds come the time. The fact is that, in Sri Lankan politics, the opposition is a very lonely place. All the benefits and kudos accrue to the winners, only invitations to diplomatic cocktail parties await the losers and their supporters.
Already, there has been an unholy stampede to be, and be seen to be, on the ‘winning’ side. Not only in Colombo but out in the provinces the mood is changing, and change is in the air. Nowhere is the herd instinct better developed than in our blessed island paradise.
MR’s only hope is that the people will still, deep down, associate him with the historic 2009 victory. But his legacy has been spoilt by the sycophants, hangers-on and thugs who have run amok in the last five years. Our traditional beliefs tell us that nothing is permanent; and this applies to politicians as well as all other life.
Maithripala and his motley crew have fractured the all important Sinhala-Buddhist vote, and this time the minorities, IF they all come out and vote, are most likely to hold the key to enable change.
These are nervous days in Medamulana but there are options available, and be sure, how the ‘international community’ and rest of the world think, and expect us to behave, will not be a factor when exercising the more extreme these options.
Dayan, Tamara, Rajiva, et al propound myriad views but thankfully hold one vote apiece.
In just over 100 hours from now, the people will have made their sacred choice. There may (or, improbably may not) be change. But for sure the show will go on …and on….on.
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Moda Putha / January 4, 2015
Niranjan Rambukwella
a very good intelligently presented arguments – thanks. Quite a change from the crap written by Rajiva, Dayan et al.
Re the statement by Vincent Gunasekera, “Looks like the piece in DM has been written by you (Dayan) ! Could you please check this with Ms. TK? Or else has she become yet another Tissa Attanayake (producing forged/doctored documents)?”, very valid fear. The language suggests it is authored by DJ and not TK.
Tamara is keen to get a job and will change her loyalties at a price and money is not an issue to MR at this juncture, he will spend his illgotten gains to buy support.
Tamara’s loyalty swings from one end to the other like that of GL, Attanayake, Gamanpilla and other spineless “oxygen thieves”. Tamara worked for the World Council of Churches and held placards supporting the tamil cause in Canada. During this era MR as an MP with little money to scratch his rear end used to stay with Tamara’s mother and brother sleeping in the couch and attending the human rights mtgs in UN Geneva. MR was asking the UNP govt about the misssing persons.
Then MR came to power and Tamara working for UNOHCHR is said to have been responsible for the files on the Sri Lankan missing persons going missing. This caused her job and she tried to claim early retirement on medical grounds and failed. It was in this background that she joined the foreign service and went to Venezuela, cuba, Geneva and back to cuba.
I will not trust dayan, rajiva and the likes as they are clever but have sold their soul to MR, dont know the meaning of integrity.
Thanks to people like Radhika, Amb Jayanta, Shirani, if they could openly support a change emphasizing the need for restoring democracy and getting the Duvaliers out that will be great.
At this moment Aristide is better than the Duvalier family !!
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manel fonseka / January 4, 2015
Moda Putha
Re your:
‘Re the statement by Vincent Gunasekera, “Looks like the piece in DM has been written by you (Dayan) ! Could you please check this with Ms. TK?’
Please see my response to Vincent G. re Tamara’s French partner.
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Wickramasiri / January 4, 2015
Mahinda Rajapaksa is an unscrupulous man. He is cruel, does not respect justice and fairness, is corrupt, selfish, and is a compulsive liar. That is enough logic for me to kick him out. Who needs a man like that as head of our country?
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Aela / January 4, 2015
Dayan, your time is up just like MR’s. You can’t fool people all the time.
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Ranil Wijeyesekera / January 4, 2015
Ranil performed well as Minister of Industries, Youth Affairs and Education. He grasp of necessary amendments to improve human rights are praise worthy. As Minister of Industries he introduced policies for protection of local industries. There will be no going back to policies of JR. As Prime Minister he learnt the ropes and under Premadasa he will use policies of Jana Saviya. The economy was crumbling when he took over in 2002. He worked and shared power with a politician. He is known to use professionals to obtain advice. He will learn to do this in a government which he does not control. The new government and its allies will select the policies together. Chandrika is known to have sound knowledge in Education. She has her husbands views. She provided the foil that prevented excesses of devolution of power. She is responsible for the President coming to power. he was given preference to Anura. The others in the coalition have contacts that will help us abroad. We will negotiate the best terms.Decisions should be assesed as they were made contextually.
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Sanjaya / January 4, 2015
Ajith said it – DJ is a liar. DJ is an oppotunistic. DJ is a racist. He wants a corrupted regime, He wants rule of jungle. Overall he is against people who wants justice
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sha / January 4, 2015
Dayan is the only pandithaya in gov side so he can fool MR but not Ranil
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Leelagemalli / January 4, 2015
Only a doctoral thesis could bring the true colours of a man of DJ sort.
Looking back and if one would closely study the archives of DJ s articles, you would find thousands of inconsistencies – comparably the writer could be a person with all ailments that the psychologists should still find the remedies. This kind of hypocrites are not what srilakens deserves – at this critical jucnture of lanken politics.
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Sha / January 4, 2015
Exactly, he is a hypocrite and selfish
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punchinilame / January 5, 2015
This is why Charita declared in the presence of Dallas that Charita had
got DJ to agree to support MR, amid appaluse at a UPFA gathering recently.
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Estate Labourer / January 4, 2015
The only person DJ can cite to support his views is Tamara Kunanayagam; but neither of them can be trusted or taken seriously any more!
As for their professed fears, it does not really matter whether the president or the prime minister wields more power. The main thing is that the person leading the country should not be a corrupt, nepotistic, undemocratic, megalomaniacal despot, hellbent on clinging to power at any cost.
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Ganjapani Gorakapola / January 4, 2015
The artcle by Niranjan Rambukwella makes interesting reading. However, it is based on many assumptions and therefor cannot be considered conclusive.
For example, “Maithripala Sirisena will shift power away from the President towards the Prime Minister. As Dayan puts it, “Maithripala Sirisena will occupy a shrunken Presidency and therefore wield reduced authority and power will be shifted to Parliament and the Cabinet.”
I really cannot see how this could happen. MY3 may amend the constitution (where is the 2/3rd in Parliament? Will Shirani B be restored as CJ?) and appoint those independent commisions for public Service, Police etc. But this will not change the SL mindset; this will not change the socio-economic culture. If we as a nation work hard to change culture, we may achieve that change in, maybe, 20 years, when we have the next generation, committed to good governace, providing leadership in political, commercial and administrative arenas.
“A candidate’s past performance is not the only criteria we should use to assess a candidate’s suitability for office. We also need to consider our future under each of the candidates”
The future under the MY3 coalition whose sole intention is to send the Rajapaksas packing, is terribly fearful. Fonseka will wreak vengeance in whatever role he is assigned. Rajitha, the architect of the MY3 cadidature, will be the ruler’s philosopher; we all know of his disgusting past performance. If Champika has his way, all ‘jaywalkers’ in the Parliament, in the Business community, in Public Service, in the Police, in the Corporations, in the Provincial Couclils, in fact, the entire citizenry sans the war veterans, will be behind bars.
MY3 has to listen to CBK and Mangala too and also to the verbiose Dr De Silva, expert in economics . Can you imagine the chaos?
I have a feeling that in 6 months time, history will repeat itself and MY3 will do a CBK and send RW and Greenies packing and instal a parliamentary leadership with persons who speak his ‘language’ from the Blues.
None of the promises being made will be delivered. Commerce will be disrupted and Stock Market/Casino manipulators will thrive. The IMF will enter the fray in a big way and post-election relief to the massess will be wiped away. TNA and Muslim Congress will walk away because there will be nothing done regrading their sectarian interests and the Diaspora will be out for blood.
Considering above, and the fact that ““what Mahinda Rajapaksa has done wrong- or got wrong–is greatly outweighed by what he has got right and done right”, a vote for MR is a vote for peace, stability and growth.
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Lasith / January 4, 2015
Everyone talks about winning the war, defeating LTTE and so on as a very big achievement in the history of Sri Lanka, true, but almost everyone has forgotten to ask the question: why did LTTE start in the first place? Were they born that way? Or was it circumstances that lead to formation of the LTTE? And the subsequent war.
Since we are being logical for a change can we reason out the sincerely the root cause of terrorism in Sri Lanka and find strategies to avert this in the first place?
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bandana1948 / January 4, 2015
Dayan has actually made the case for Maithri. By his own logic:
1) MR has a better track record and is hence more trustworthy than Maithripala
2) MR has said Dayan is an INGO agent.
3) We should accept MR’s argument that Dayan is an INGO agent (Since MR is more trustworthy)
4) Therefore, what Dayan’ says should not be believed
5) So when Dayan says we should vote for MR, we should not believe him
6) Logically, this means we should vote for Maithri
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Ansar / January 4, 2015
It is astonishing to see DJ replying to all comments in this forum. Generally you do not do that, do you?
That shows the depth to which your JARAPASSA’s popularity has reached, not even paid commentors doing their job, just like all the MP’s are bolting away from the MURDEROUS THUG, except for murderers and thugs themselves.
I am sure you were not a Swindler, Murderer or a Thug before you got your doctorate professor, just like the ones you are still protecting and praising.
COME TO YOUR SENSES PROFESSOR, IF YOU ARE LEFT WITH ANY SENSE. AS THE SAYING GOES, YOU CAN ONLY TAKE THE DONKEY TO THE WATER AND YOU CANNOT MAKE IT DRINK, DO YOU? I AM SURE YOU ARE NOT A DONKEY, PROFESSOR.
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Burning Issue / January 4, 2015
Where is Sarath Fernando when we need him? I wish he comes on this forum and pulverise DJ’s rhetoric for good!
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Leonvet / January 5, 2015
DJ Mr Rambukwella is questioning the arguments that you make in favour of MR. Instead of quoting others who were deemed unfit to hold their position in Geneva by none other than MR, shouldn’t you respond to the points raised by Mr Rambukwella?.
ie if you can.
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Nawaz Dawood / January 5, 2015
At least this time DJ is quite right. We know the disadvantageous web presence for the opposition for the last so many years, and the government has not taken a count on that. Perhaps government thinking is not the web, but the ground. On the web the opposition candidate has already won the government. Some of my colleagues overseas thinks the government is defeated and UNP is in charge of the country. We see time to time flimsy organization with high sounding names flash something in the web to the effect Maithripla’s life is in danger. Who wants to harm any body. Or some one writing about Army is preparing to take over the country. These stories are implanted daily to confuse people. The government is not worried as they have a good system to connect with the electorate on the ground level. Let us see what the toss is. If a recognized name like Fonseka cannot beat the president, let us see how this obscure worm get ahead. Yes, the government did not have the support of JVP. TNA and SLMC even in last election.
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naren / January 5, 2015
Do’nt take DJ seriously.He is running like a bitch in heat.
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Gamarala / January 5, 2015
Excellent analysis by Niranjan Rambukwella.
The so called `intellectual’ Dayan Jayatilleka, instead of supporting his hypothesis with facts in response to NR’s analysis, merely quotes another diplomat Tamara K, as if she is the God.
These are the people along with Sajin Wass who represented Sri Lanka to the world. They are angry only because they were removed from their diplomatic posts. They have a twisted mentality and cannot differentiate right from wrong.
With such `intellectuals’ Sri Lanka do not need any enemies.
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EddieWijesuriya / January 5, 2015
The only way RW can achieve some sort of leadership or position is by riding on MS and CBK’s backs and be GENTLY placed on the Premiership chair. Not by election as we have seen by the dozens of elections he has lost. Whilst the earlier UNP leaders were successful in keeping the party intact, he is responsible for the split. Therefore, I consider it a total manipulation by him using MS & CBK to his advantage. As for the Presidential Election, what choice do the voters have ? Today, hardly a politician is without a skeleton in his or her cupboard.
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chimpa / January 5, 2015
Dayan u are a capable person who could contribute a lot to this Country. We were yet an underdeveloped Country yet, after over 65 yrs. of Independence because of what? Pl. analyse that & act ccordingly to bring this Country to a developed state. I wish u all the best.
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Ramarajan / January 5, 2015
Irrespective all these speculations and political punditry, President Rajapakse will be remembered as one who brought this country back to normalcy after 30 years of blood shed. Chandrika, Ranil and Maithriapla clan have no back bone and clear vision for the country. How can they have one when they have a bunch of parties and individuals with diverse political ideologies, and each one is demanding the piece of the pie without oneness of purpose for the welfare of the entire country. If MS wins it would be like the story of the monkeys trying to share a rotti. Of course MR regime had its faults and deficiencies. When was the last time a Sri Lankan government was above faults and corruption? Governments under SWRD, Sirimavo and Chandrika had the worst situation in Sri Lanka. Chandrika faced several civil cases on corruption charges. Sirimavo faced the law and punished for wrong doing. Ranil messed up during peace accord almost giving into Norway-LTTE machinations. He never had a clear solution to the ethnic question.
Maithripala is a gutless man who defected at the last moment even without giving a signal that he was leaving the government. Can you expect honest politics from such a meek and weak personality? To govern Sri Lanka at this crucial hour amidst foreign intervention and threats from divisive groups, the country needs someone who can really LEAD with conviction and resolute. MR has a proven record.
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punchinilame / January 5, 2015
“By adopting a “Sirisena-Ranil” ticket approach, the architects of the Common Candidate – the UNP and sections of the SLFP – are effectively giving the voter a single election choice for the office of President and Prime Minister, trapping the people into a Ranil premiership in a most unprecedented and undemocratic manner.” DJ
In principle, what way does this differ form the cross-overs/purchasing
M.PP within Parliament Mr. Political Scientist??
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Nimal Putha / January 7, 2015
According to Dayan:
By adopting a “Sirisena-Ranil” ticket approach, the architects of the Common Candidate – the UNP and sections of the SLFP – are effectively giving the voter a single election choice for the office of President and Prime Minister, trapping the people into a Ranil premiership in a most unprecedented and undemocratic manner.” DJ.
How is this different from re-electing Mahinda as the President coupled with Basil who is the true Prime Minister in the current government. What choice do the people have to keep away the lecher family (The Seven Eleven guy, The Petrol Shed guy and the brats from fleecing the country).
Analyzing Dayan is a waste of time. Those who knew him at Peradeniya knew better…
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