Minister of National Languages and Social Intergation, Vasudeva Nanayakkara has expressed concern over the dwindling democracy and increasing militarization Sri Lanka is presently undergoing.
Vasu
The Minister had made these remarks in his speech at the National Convention on Inter Religious Integration organised by the National Peace Council.
“The only way to ensure unity and national reconciliation is to strengthen democracy. Only through democracy can we get equality for all citizens and build ethnic coexistence,” he had stated.
Among those who participated in the convention had been religious leaders, representatives of community based organisations and diplomats.
US Ambassador Michele J. Sison speaking at the event had pointed out that all members of the gathering at the convention including religious leaders, government leaders, community based organisations and the media have extremely important roles to play in strengthening values of coexistence.
“All your good work is badly needed to continue building strong and fruitful relations among various communities,” she had added.
Meanwhile, Norwegian Ambassador Grete Lochen had emphasized on the fact that Norway had no interest in creating communal tensions in Sri Lanka.
“The Norwegian government shares the values of dignity, respect, diversity and dialogue. My government is deeply concerned about an increasingly polarised world where the narrative is more about exclusion than inclusion,” she had stated.
Leon / September 18, 2014
This a…hole from the dead left, a minister of the present regime is able to make statements like this and still continue to to remain a minister. If you are a man, leave the Govt and do something about it.
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Thiru / September 18, 2014
Leon,
There is a word for these kinds of people – hypocrites. They hang on like leeches to suck the blood from the public purse and pretend to be principled leftists.
There is another beautiful English word for it – humbugs!
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Sellam / September 18, 2014
What will Chief Minister Vigneswaran feel about it?
There is another beautiful word “turncoat” and so on and on. Disgusting. They are the great leaders teaching the younger generation how to succumb to power.
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Siribunja / September 18, 2014
Cockless guys of Vasu kind are the root cause Rajapakshe to have built up their fences ruining the nation to this day. In my Childhood days 3-4 decades ago, we were proud to see Vasu and other powerful voices to represent the nation, but today, the levels they have been fallen, or drawn by MR thugs, even my dog would not like Vasu to represent him. Ane habatama ape sinhalaya giya kala. This is what my aged father murmurs to me whenever I speak to him about the current mess in srilanken politics.
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Samuel Jayaratne / September 20, 2014
This proves that one can do anything in our country if you use state funds abusively.
Today having listend to a video telecasted by Boston TV, I felt myself, this time, this eleciton should long been annulled the way ballige puthas henchmen of Rajapakshe abused the Monaragala people unnecessarily distributiing materials abusing tax payers funds.
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Seelawathie Punchihamy / September 23, 2014
This can happen when once powerful men fail their erections. Sure, this will be the reality with Wimal buruwansa sooner than later.
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whywhy / September 20, 2014
This is what leftists are always looking for,more time
in power.They have a history for that and the truth
now is,they don’t have to lie to continue when they can
tell the truth and still stick with the wrong without
any shame.Another Chinthana vested with the public!
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Amarasiri / September 20, 2014
Dear Minister of National Languages and Social Intergation, Vasudeva Nanayakkara
RE: Democracy Declined And Militarization Increased: Vasu
“Meanwhile, Norwegian Ambassador Grete Lochen had emphasized on the fact that Norway had no interest in creating communal tensions in Sri Lanka.”
“The Norwegian government shares the values of dignity, respect, diversity and dialogue. My government is deeply concerned about an increasingly polarised world where the narrative is more about exclusion than inclusion,” she had stated.
Very interesting. Norway Funded BBS along with the Christians…Eric Solheim Said so..
All Vasu, Norway and the many religions leaders are hypocrites.They do not even follow the originals, but want to maintain hegemony, are hypocrites and wants to maintain power and position.
Vasu what did you say about Aluthagama Sinhala Buddhist racism?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhU3OvG39E8
http://barnabasfund.org/Buddhists-launch-anti-Christian-campaign-amid-assaults-in-Sri-Lanka.html
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Diogenes / September 18, 2014
Vasu is one of the dirtiest opportunists & so called leftists – 2nd only to Dinesh Gunawardene – ever to have appeared in the sad political scene of Sri Lanka. About thirty years ago I had a chance to tell my candid opinion point blank to his face. [Edited out]
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Leelage malli / September 19, 2014
Today Vasu is not we knew in his person 80ties.
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Bonaboboy / September 20, 2014
Vasu has proved that even his kind of men can be bribed – this the nation will never forgive him. JRJ did good things too, appart from that he introduced EP to the country – but he just died as if he was nobody and left the nation. Nobody paid that respect to him in the last days of his life.
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Diogenes / September 18, 2014
Vasu is one of the greatest opportunists and a sham socialist – second only to Dinesh Gunawardena a despicable lowly son of a great father – ever to have appeared in the local political scene. About thirty years ago I had a chance to give a piece of my mind direct to this vaasu bugger. This type of people should be provided with a lightening conductor each to fix on to their heads!
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Mahinda Wijesekara / September 18, 2014
This fellow has no dignity, He will give awy anything for his ministerial position, If the democrazy is not there what he must do it he should resign in protest and find a place where he could istill that like Hemakumar his brother,
Only bull talk and no action, Like NATO
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Ram / September 18, 2014
I am surprised that Michelle Sison is still in Colombo. She had been ‘promoted’ to be Samantha Powers’ underling at the UN quite some time ago. Samantha Power tried to enforce ‘democracy’ on Libya, by dropping bombs and choosing it’s leader herself, a Libyan living in the US for 20 years with no visible means of support. Libya suffered destruction and the ‘new’ leader is still trying to take control. Syria was the next victim. The chosen ‘leader’ remains elusive but the destruction has been even more extensive. Unfortunately for the US, the chosen vehicle though funded trained and armed at great expense, has been untrustworthy, to say the least.
The Sri Lankan problem has been the LACK of respect for democracy and NOT a lack of democracy itself. An ‘aspirational’ minority believes that it is entitled to more than the rest of the citizenry. The majority beg to disagree.
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Lapatiya / September 18, 2014
Wasi-Deva Nanayakkara is an expert of flying Kites.
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Saro / September 18, 2014
Cabinet ministers like Vasu, DEW, Rauf Hakim and Vitharane make statements of facts but still remain in the government thereby making it float. They cannot make the Rajapakse brothers see the destruction caused by the racist and anti-religious parties and thugs to the country. What they say is blacked out to the common masses with the help of the government controlled media and racist private press.
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Jim softy / September 18, 2014
Shameless white collar thieves with no self-respect.
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Native Vedda / September 19, 2014
Jim softy
“Shameless white collar thieves with no self-respect.”
With Kurakkan shawl, national symbol.
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Wije desilva / September 18, 2014
Dear Mr. Nanayakkara,
Please tell this to your Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse and to Gotabaya that Sri Lanka is losing democratic value and increasing its Military Power.
If you are a true patriotic resign from the Government or in the alternative be with the Government and spend your time by flying kites at the Galle Face with the President.
Wije desilva
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Anpu / September 18, 2014
Real leftist – Uruguay’s José Mujica lives in a tiny house rather than the presidential palace, and gives away 90% of his salary. He’s legalised marijuana and gay marriage. But his greatest legacy is governing without giving up his revolutionary ideals
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/18/-sp-is-this-worlds-most-radical-president-uruguay-jose-mujica
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manel fonseka / September 19, 2014
José Mujica really is an extraordinary person. Inspiring. Ex-Tupamaros…or maybe not even ex.
One of the latest articles I’ve seen about him can be read at
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/18/-sp-is-this-worlds-most-radical-president-uruguay-jose-mujica
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manel fonseka / September 19, 2014
Sorry, Anpu! I only just noticed that you had already drawn attention to the Guardian article.
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Anpu / September 19, 2014
No problem Manel. Colombo Telegraph should republish this article.
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punchinilame / September 18, 2014
Sri Lanka hits the headline when it scores low in International Index on
various topics. This “Miracle of Asia” is now at the top when it comes
to Militarization, which opens the eyes of VASU only now!
The C.P.A. Statistics on “Acres per soldier” is as follows:-
Jaffna High Security area, Sri Lanka 0.425
Fort Hood, USA 0.2
Delhi Cantonment, India 0.09
Okinawa, Japan 0.066
Pune Cantonment, India 0.04
Mangla Cantonment, Pakistan 0.03
Dhaka Cantonment, Bangladesh 0.016
see – http://groundviews.org/2014/09/18/infographic-military-presence-in-the-north-of-sri-lanka/
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punchinilame / September 20, 2014
Thea area claimed to be “occupied” by the Forces in the Jaffna peninsula
has to be large as this part of the story must be under wraps for more
time:
see: http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=37386
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pran / September 19, 2014
Oh well, this guy woke up from a long slumber and sweet dreams he was having, flying kites in the Galle face, having plump jobs, under the umbrage of MARA, You NSSP self proclaimed bastions of civil rights-watched aided and defended us losing all the civil liberties. When our brothers from minorities being beaten, killed and when their livelihoods were destroyed not a single word. And these guardians of So Red helped washing away judiciary, rule of law. And now see the writing on the wall from UVA electionsthat poeple are pissed and going to give a good kick in their rear-end in the next coming elections, he sees the fascism, see the injustice. We should chase these kind of liberty guardians before any other rouges in the regime. Pathetic fools, how can you claim that you are the guardians/protectors of poor, battered, working class when you carry water, for the ruling class.
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Tamodaya / September 19, 2014
Vasu = Vasi
Shameless!
He is on his last legs anyway. So no one cares.
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Ram / September 19, 2014
The civilisation in Sison’s USA – you’re not safe in your own home. Is this what we want ?
http://www.infowars.com/texas-wants-to-execute-man-who-killed-home-intruder-who-turned-out-to-be-swat-member/
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Park / September 19, 2014
Vasudeva is one of the biggest Traitors of Democracy in Sri Lanka. He is a wolf in sheeps clothing. He pretends that he does not like to policies of the UPFA but remains a UPFA member and votes in support of UPFA in every parliamentary voting. Traitor of the highest order!
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Dr Romesh Senewiratne-Alagaratnam / September 19, 2014
“Militarise: Make military or warlike; equip with military resources; imbue with militarism” (Concise Oxford Dictionary).
By this definition what is going on in Sri Lanka is not exactly militarism – Sri Lankan people are not becoming more warlike, quite the reverse (as the comments on CT show). The involvement of the military in building civilian infrastructure and engaging in civilian activities can be a step towards making the country less warlike.
Sri Lanka has never been a warlike nation in terms of international ware. The support of Sri Lankans for active involvement in the First and Second World wars was minimal compared to that of Australians, who have been involved in wars all over the world since then. There is considerable public support in Australia for Australian soldiers to “serve” overseas and there was conscription during the Vietnam War. Yesterday the Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, and Opposition Leader, Bill Shorten, jointly praised the Australian soldiers who are flying out to bomb Iraq and Syria. They are calling it a “humanitarian mission” but are sending out fighter jets for the purpose. Australia sent its youth to kill and die in Vietnam and then Iraq and Afghanistan under the leadership of the Americans. Our new Governor General, Peter Cosgrove was head of the armed forces when Australia played its part in invading Iraq. Yet no one talks of a problem of militarism of Australia.
What seems to be happening in Sri Lanka is the growing influence of the Department of Defence, under the leadership of the Defense Secretary. Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The integration of Defense with Urban Reconstruction has been justifiably criticized and could be seen as “militarisation”, but it can also be a step towards ‘demilitarisation of the military’ – meaning that instead of training to fight wars (or terrorism) , the national armed forces are armed with spades and shovels, improving things for everyone (preparing for disaster relief, countering environmental problems, etc).
The military in Sri Lanka is also in a position to lead reconciliation in language, where the Sinhalese learn Tamil and the Tamils learn Sinhalese, with English as a bridging language. This is official policy under the present government, which is also actively recruiting Tamils to the armed forces.
I think those members of government like Vasudeva Nanayakkara who are opposed to militarism should stay within the government and try and control dominance of the military in properly civilian affairs. He can have more influence in government than in the opposition.
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Palayang yako! / September 19, 2014
Romesh Senewiratne-Alagaratnam:
1. You really should have a DNA check to confirm where you inherited your brains from.
2. You certainly consume a lot of space each time you try to stand facts on their head. A country that has security forces IN EXCESS OF THE RUSSIAN ARMY is not “militarised” in your book? What planet are you living on or is the fact that your house is “down under” mean that your brains are also in that same place?
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Dr Romesh Senewiratne-Alagaratnam / September 20, 2014
Palayang yako
Sri Lanka ranks 35th globally in terms active military manpower:
http://www.globalfirepower.com/active-military-manpower.asp
Russia ranks second in the world in terms of firepower (after the USA). Sri Lanka, of course, has nothing like the weaponry and firepower of bigger countries, including India. There may be more people in the military per head of population in Sri Lanka than in Russia. That would not be surprising given Sri Lanka’s recent history.
You have missed the point of what I was saying. The actual number of people employed by the Defense Department need not be a reflection of militarism as in being more warlike, if the defense department is involved in civilian construction and development. There is a big difference to training to drop bombs and building roads, railways, schools and hospitals. The Russian military is not engaged in the sort of civil projects that the Sri Lankan Defense Force is.
I still think that this should be a temporary phase, with civilian institutions (including the Police) and private companies and individuals progressively taking over from the military over time.
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srilal / September 19, 2014
” but it can also be a step towards ‘demilitarisation of the military’ – meaning that instead of training to fight wars (or terrorism) , the national armed forces are armed with spades and shovels, improving things for everyone (preparing for disaster relief, countering environmental problems, etc). “
what a dim-witted response , people with ulterior motives can come up with these sort of weak arguments , pathetic !
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Appuhami / September 19, 2014
[Edited out] Vasu
Resign from the government and get on to the road with the placards without throwing empty bomb shells at the government.
We all know Sri Lanka is not only militarised it also anti-democratised.
Sanity is needed from parasitical politicians like you whom at your residual age are not willing to give up the luxuries enjoyed.
Or why can’t take your state pension and go home?
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Gaje / September 19, 2014
ABSOLUTELY SHAMELESS HUMBUG! !
WHY THE F…..GN HELL ,ARE YOU STILL CLINGING ON?
You have always been a Humbug that fooled the poor.
GO TO HELL……THAT IS THE ONLY PLACE FOR YOU,
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Matilda Ellepola / September 19, 2014
Wasi-Dewas have make millions by looting public finances and that is the reason he cannot go on for a full blown attach for Rakapaksas. He just tell this and that in a forum and the next day go and kiss the behind of the Sataka types.
This man have sold his soul long time ago and all his children are in the imperialist US of America and having the good life with the poor masses in Sri Lanka have to curse for Vasu’s parents day in and day out.
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An old Comrade / September 19, 2014
Oh Comrade Vasu what a pathetic figure you cut for yourself today! trying to run with the hare and hunt with hounds. You have only become a hound in the process!
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K.A Sumanasekera / September 19, 2014
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Ms Sisson obviously hasn’t had a stint in the Middle East.
Ms Greta Locen probably doesn’t know that Solheim’s scholarships to BBS paid handsome returns until our Monks went too far.
Until Gota read them the riot act to the utter disappointment of the Opposition and its allies.
But our own Nana wants to have the cake and eat it too..
With the Niece in the Diplomatic corp, BIL holding the first ever CM position of the Vellala clan and Nana himself with his lurks and perks pushing the Pillai Cameron , Harper line is puzzling to say the least,
Is Nana one of the Chandrika loyalists?.
JVP Anura, the new darling of the Colombo Intelligentsia put the boot in to Ranil yesterday after meeting one of the Mahanayakas.
And declared that they will pick a good one to put in to the ring against Rajapaksa.
May be Nana is sitting on the fence to watch how things are panning out..
Our proletariat, I mean the Dalits will wish him well,,
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Native Vedda / September 19, 2014
K.A Sumanasekera
“JVP Anura, the new darling of the Colombo Intelligentsia”
Where did you get this idea?
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Sapumal / September 19, 2014
First thing first. You cant see Colombo telegrph from Sri Lanka. Therefore Vasudewa may not see our comments. Vasudewa is trying to do what he believes correct at his old age by securing position in the Govt. We have seen jokers through out the History. They represent the elite. Worse than others. hey dont have any base in the common persons mind. Sometimes they talk about democracy while they praise for a dictator and his facist rule. Vasu…….I am Not a JVP supporter, I am not a LSSP or other party supporter. But please understand , you all are responsible for present crisis in the country. You all have inherited us a spoiled , inedible fruit for us. Now what we eat is your product. Dont talk about Democracy and equality any more. Enjoy your parliamentary priviledges until your death. Stay with the devil and let us rest in peace.
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radish.S / September 20, 2014
10 Reasons to Love Uruguay’s President José Mujica
by MEDEA BENJAMIN
President José Mujica of Uruguay, a 78-year-old former Marxist guerrilla who spent 14 years in prison, mostly in solitary confinement, recently visited the United States to meet with President Obama and speak at a variety of venues. He told Obama that Americans should smoke less and learn more languages. He lectured a roomful of businessmen at the US Chamber of Commerce about the benefits of redistributing wealth and raising workers’ salaries. He told students at American University that there are no “just wars.” Whatever the audience, he spoke extemporaneously and with such brutal honesty that it was hard not to love the guy. Here are 10 reasons you, too, should love President Mujica.
1. He lives simply and rejects the perks of the presidency. Mujica has refused to live at the Presidential Palace or have a motorcade. He lives in a one-bedroom house on his wife’s farm and drives a 1987 Volkswagen. “There have been years when I would have been happy just to have a mattress,” said Mujica, referring to his time in prison. He donates over 90% of his $12,000/month salary to charity so he makes the same as the average citizen in Uruguay. When called “the poorest president in the world,” Mujica says he is not poor. “A poor person is not someone who has little but one who needs infinitely more, and more and more. I don’t live in poverty, I live in simplicity. There’s very little that I need to live.”
2. He supported the nation’s groundbreaking legalization of marijuana. “In no part of the world has repression of drug consumption brought results. It’s time to try something different,” Mujica said. So this year, Uruguay became the first country in the world to regulate the legal production, sale, and consumption of marijuana. The law allows individuals to grow a certain amount each year and the government controls the price of marijuana sold at pharmacies. The law requires consumers, sellers, and distributors to be licensed by the government. Uruguay’s experience aims to take the market away from the ruthless drug traffickers and treat drug addiction as a public health issue. Their experiment will have reverberations worldwide.
3. In August 2013, Mujica signed the bill making Uruguay the second nation in Latin America (after Argentina) to legalize gay marriage. He said that legalizing gay marriage is simply recognizing reality. “Not to legalize it would be unnecessary torture for some people,” he said. In recent years, Uruguay has also moved to allow adoption by gay couples and openly gay people to serve in the armed forces.
4. He’s not afraid to confront corporate abuses, as evidenced by the epic struggle his government is waging against the American tobacco giant Philip Morris. A former smoker, Mujica says that tobacco is a killer that needs to be brought under control. But Philip Morris is suing Uruguay for $25 million at the World Bank’s International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes because of the country’s tough smoking laws that prohibit smoking in enclosed public spaces and require warning labels, including graphic images of the health effects. Uruguay is the first Latin American country and the fifth nation worldwide to implement a ban on smoking in enclosed public places. Philip Morris, the largest cigarette manufacturer in the United States, has huge global business interests (and a well-paid army of lawyers). Uruguay’s battle against the tobacco Goliath will also have global repercussions.
5. He supported the legalization of abortion in Uruguay (his predecessor had vetoed the bill). The law is very limited, compared to laws in the US and Europe. It allows abortions within the first 12 weeks of the pregnancy and requires women to meet with a panel of doctors and social workers on the risks and possible effects of an abortion. But this law is the most liberal abortion law in socially conservative, Catholic Latin America and is clearly a step in the right direction for women’s reproductive rights.
6. He’s an environmentalist trying to limit needless consumption. At the Rio+20 Summit in 2012, he criticized the model of development pushed by affluent societies. “We can almost recycle everything now. If we lived within our means – by being prudent – the 7 billion people in the world could have everything they needed. Global politics should be moving in that direction,” he said. He also recently rejected a joint energy project with Brazil that would have provided his country with cheap coal energy because of his concern for the environment.
7. He has focusing on redistributing his nation’s wealth, claiming that his administration has reduced poverty from 37% to 11%. “Businesses just want to increase their profits; it’s up to the government to make sure they distribute enough of those profits so workers have the money to buy the goods they produce,” he told businessmen at the US Chamber of Commerce. “It’s no mystery–the less poverty, the more commerce. The most important investment we can make is in human resources.” His government’s redistributive policies include setting prices for essential commodities such as milk and providing free computers and education for every child.
8. He has offered to take detainees cleared for release from Guantanamo. Mujica has called the detention center at Guantanamo Bay a “disgrace” and insisted that Uruguay take responsibility to help close the facility. The proposal is unpopular in Uruguay, but Mujica, who was a political prisoner for 14 years, said he is “doing this for humanity.”
9. He is opposed to war and militarism. “The world spends $2 billion a minute on military spending,” he exclaimed in horror to the students at American University. “I used to think there were just, noble wars, but I don’t think that anymore,” said the former armed guerrilla. “Now I think the only solution is negotiations. The worst negotiation is better than the best war, and the only way to insure peace is to cultivate tolerance.”
10. He has an adorable three-legged dog, Manuela! Manuela lost a foot when Mujica accidentally ran over it with a tractor. Since then, Mujica and Manuela have been almost inseparable.
Mujica’s influence goes far beyond that of the leader of a tiny country of only 3 million people. In a world hungry for alternatives, the innovations that he and his colleagues are championing have put Uruguay on the map as one of the world’s most exciting experiments in creative, progressive governance.
Medea Benjamin is cofounder of http://www.codepink.org and http://www.globalexchange.org, and author of Drone Warfare: Killing by Remote Control.
Counterpunch
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Dr Romesh Senewiratne-Alagaratnam / September 20, 2014
President Jose Mujica of Uruguay is a breath of fresh air in global politics – a real world leader. Sri Lanka should follow his lead and legalize cannabis. So should Australia and the rest of the world. It will take ganga out of the hands of criminals.
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Vasu / September 20, 2014
Oh, our minister discovered something new after decades. Most probably he had a winter sleep
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