12 February, 2025

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Did Gotabaya Precipitate The Crisis With Chris Nonis?

By Rajiva Wijesinha – 

Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha MP

Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha MP

In the course of the frenetic travel programme I had set myself before the usual budget period, I had just two days in Sri Lanka last week. They were packed, with Parliament, and an overnight stay with a cousin visiting after several days, and the 92nd birthday of my most distinguished aunt, but also a couple of interviews as well as meetings with two ambassadors.

Though I feel increasingly despondent, I continue to defend the war record of the government, and indeed feel that some of the absurdities now occurring spring from the bitterness felt with regard to unfair attacks on us. But when I reiterated how fundamentally wrong the Darusman Report had been, one of them asked very simply why we had not refuted it.

This failure continues to bemuse me, and the more so now after the Marga Institute produced their Third Narrative, which provides a wonderful opportunity on which government could build. But given the schizophrenia that possesses government, it will not take ownership of this document and flesh it out with details that only government possesses (though perhaps it has again misplaced them, for I had a frantic but informal request from the Foreign Ministry for the Peace Secretariat archives).

One explanation I offered the ambassador was that government simply had no one left who could argue a case intelligently and in good English. A couple of years back, when I told the President to make better use of the professionals in the Ministry of External Affairs, he told me that their command of English was weak. I fear this is a myth of which he has been convinced by those who see themselves as brilliant exponents of the language, having been to elite Colombo schools. The fact that they cannot use the language with sophistication, or respond in a manner those accusing us would take to heart, is not something the President realizes.

But there had recently been an exception, in the form of Chris Nonis, who had given a superb interview on Channel 4. All those I met in London were still full of the way he had responded, which is not something that had happened, they were kind enough to say, since my discussion on ‘Hard Talk’. However I had soon after that been removed from public appearances, except just the once when the President over-rode the blockages of the Ministry and sent me to London to deal with an attack on us organized by Channel 4.

John Snow dropped out after my participation in that programme was announced, though it would be too much to assert that was the reason. Conversely, after Chris’ great performance last year, a Sri Lankan station had asked him to participate in a debate with John Snow and Callum Macrae, but he had said he wanted me involved as well. The station then abandoned the idea, which I suppose is some sort of compliment. If both Channel 4 and local television would rather avoid me, I can claim to be perhaps the last adherent in government of Mr Bandaranaike’s Middle Path.

But though I am on the blacklist, government had at last found someone as able, and it is for that reason I assume that Chris was invited to be one of the principal speakers at the last Defence Seminar. I had been a regular there, as well as at seminars at the KDU and the Buttala Academy, but after I signed a petition with regard to the unsavoury episode at Weliweriya, I was politely uninvited to an event at which I had been asked to speak. Interesting enough though, recently there was an attempt to get me back, and my inquiry as to whether the ban had been lifted was met with a polite chuckle.

Chris did well at the Seminar, and perhaps it is that which precipitated the crisis. Earlier he had faced harassment, which had increased after his seminal work in making sure CHOGM was a success, and he had even tendered his resignation, but the President had persuaded him to stay on. Interestingly enough, he still has a touching affection for the President, and has no idea what has changed. It seems he has not read ‘The Lord of the Rings’, or seen the brilliant account in the film of ‘The Twin Towers’ of the increasing anarchy in the Kingdom of Rohan. That, which I saw again on the flight to London, is what makes me, given my own affection for the President though I have far fewer illusions now than Chris, still hope things might change. But I have to recognize that we have no Gandalf – unless Gotabaya takes on the role.

He should, because what is happening under his nose is that his defences are being eroded. The reason for this needs to be established, but even if it is perfectly innocent, he needs to take action. With the UN report due shortly, with intelligent argument needed as to the efficacy of the systems Sri Lanka has put in place, he needs people who can talk convincingly, but at present he has none.

The innocent explanation of what happened is simply jealousy. Over the last year, following his CNN interview, Chris has been invited to speak by a host of important bodies, the Institute of Architects, the Youth Affairs Ministry, the Commonwealth ICT Conference, as well as giving the concluding address at the Defence Seminar. After the first speech, he was working with Tourist agencies, when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs imposed a general fatwa, asserting that such matters had to go through the Ministry.

Given the neuroses that govern the conduct of the Minister – which the President knows well, for it was he who warned me about them in saying that the Minister for frightened when he saw another Professor – that alone may explain the manner in which Chris was humiliated, so that those who understand the mindset of a civilized man of character knew he would resign. But I suspect there is more, for I do not see Sajin Vas Gunawardena as the hatchet man of the Minister, being rather someone who is able to play on the Minister and has trained him now to his will.

I thought back then to something I had been told some years ago, by an envoy who said that Sajin thought he ran Kshenuka but in fact it was Kshenuka who ran Sajin. Given their very different spheres of ambition, it is not however unlikely that they each use the other, in an arrangement that Tolkien certainly would have understood.

But then what is it that Kshenuka wants, apart from power and position? The answer seems to lie in the scandal that has now burst, and in which both Sajin and the Minister, and also Wimal Weerawansa, have defended her forcefully. I suspect no one else in government will want to get involved, though they may in time be forced into it. But the clear evidence that is mounting of not just financial impropriety, but also dealings with those with LTTE corrections, is something that should serve as a red light to all those concerned about their political futures.

The removal of Chris Nonis will be welcomed by those elements still pursuing the agenda of the LTTE. The head of military intelligence assured me that such elements amounted to no more than 7% of the diaspora, but he then had no answer to my question as to what we were doing about the more than 90% whom we should have been winning over. Finally he granted that the fault was that of the Ministry of External Affairs, and indeed I am horrified that it has done nothing about one of the most important recommendations of the LLRC, namely developing a strategy to work with the diaspora. Unfortunately Gotabaya, given his Pavlovian opposition to the LLRC, has concentrated on blocking its very mild recommendations about possible abuses (after the war, he should note it stresses, not in the conduct of the war) and done nothing about other work that would help him in defence.

Chris had noticed this, and mentioned in his speech at the Defence Seminar that perhaps Gotabaya, who had conducted the war so successfully, should also take charge of this aspect. Certainly the myopia with which Gotabaya looks on 2009, his adulation of his troops (which in effect is what allowed Sarath Fonseka to emerge as a rival) and his belittling of the role of our diplomats and negotiators, will destroy us if unchecked. That is why perhaps Chris was right in proposing a solution that would satisfy Gotabaya’s ego while also ensuring that Sri Lanka uses all resources available rather than only military style intransigence.

But Gotabaya was not listening, and instead it was those who now have a monopoly on the way we deal with other countries who heard, and perhaps therefore panicked. And so we have moved into tactics that will plunge us into further disrepute with the West that is pursuing us, successfully now unlike when Dayan Jayatilleka was in charge of our approach.

Chris was not even allowed to take formal leave of his office, after the decision was taken to accept his resignation (a resignation that was initially denied). But the Marshall of the Diplomatic Corps, for instance, heard about the resignation, and invited him over to St James’ Palace for a farewell on behalf of the Queen. Other envoys in London had commiserated, and a British Minister had made the point, though sympathetically, that perhaps Chris now understood why the British were so critical – criticism which Chris had done his best to combat. And certainly, after the report on the inquiry into what happened in New York, it will be impossible for Sri Lankans to claim that internal inquiries into possible abuses will suffice.

So Gotabaya’s defences are further weakened. So are those of the country, which I hope the intelligent officers around him will tell him, instead of letting him continue to indulge forces he must recognize do not share his intense patriotism.

Latest comments

  • 10
    3

    Rajiva Wijesinha,

    Please read the recent article by Kusal Perera in the CT recently: You will find the state of the society today. Pretenses won’t do.

    • 11
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      Please watch the 2 videos in Lankasiri News about a Buddha bkikku in Batticaloa abusing the electricity meter reader, using raw filth and beating two men.

      This is the state of the Sinhala Buddhist society exposed by Kusal Perera.

      What is all this big talk Rajiva Wijesinha you are engaging in?

      Go view the videos in raw filth by this venerable bhikku!

      If these are the people – like Gnanasara and others – directing the government from behind, what can you expect?

    • 3
      2

      Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha MP,

      You can be a Shill and whitewater. If you have the prof. Title, we expect some class in the Shilling and Whitewashing business.

      Please do not disparage and disrepute the title Prof,, because most have some eythics left.

      • 3
        0

        Earlier I thought Rajiva expresses his views being unbiased but today this day, his are not far from that most laughable figure of the nation – NONE other than DJs. These men are on a struggle to find what end they ve been talking about .. anyways, every child grasps today that the man in power is a rascal and rascal promotor. He abuses the nation whenever he can but knowing the the majority of folks are easily manupulative. These buggers like Rajiva and DJ behave as if they are the sides fo the same coin angers many than comfort them in a critical juncture of lanken politics.

    • 5
      1

      So in the first paragraph Rajiva explains why he has no time to think. Understood.

      What he urgently needs is to stop somewhere to think deep. Then he will realize that his thinking is full of contradictions. He wants to blindly defend how the war was fought and at the same time, want some hand picked events that are inevitably underpinned by the same flaws prevailed during the war to be morally correct.

  • 13
    3

    If I were white, I would be red, blushing with embarrassment.

    I have heard people in power lose their sense of reality, Dayan and Rajiva have spent so much time praising one another they start believing it…..wow everyone drops out of meeting this professor since he will rip them apart?

    I certainly will drop out of a discussion with you, not because of that though…I am still relatively young and don’t want to be bored to death by you…..that would be a cruel way to go !

    “after the report on the inquiry into what happened in New York, it will be impossible for Sri Lankans to claim that internal inquiries into possible abuses will suffice.”….you only woke up today? The NYC report is not the first one to show this…

    LLRC, no need to go across the seas looking for the diaspora to win over, the LLRC suggested the restoration of the parity of the National anthem, why has that not been implemented?

    • 6
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      LLRC suggested the restoration of the parity of the National anthem, why has that not been implemented?
      I think this was one of the silliest recommendations of the LLRC. As a Tamil I can tell you that the rural Tamil boy is not interested in ensuring that the National anthem is sung in any language, be it Tamil, or Sinhala. It is IRRELEVANT to him. He has more important things to worry about.

      It is only relevant to Tamil nationalist activists who want to find some ankusam அங்குசம் (a hook used to goad elephants) to goad the Sinhalese nationalists.

      The population of Tamils in the North is about 5% of the total population of the country. If we include the Tamils in the south, east and the Tea estates, we get to about 12% or more.
      But take a country like the USA where there are over 18% Hispanics, and EVEN MORE if you include the illegals. Has any Hispanic law maker (e.g., from New Mexico or Southern California where the Hispanic population is over 70%) ever proposed that a Spanish version of the US national anthem be sung conjointly at US official functions? NO, the Yanks will not stand for it.
      Today France has over 15% Arab speaking people. Is there a move to singe the Marseillaise in Arabic together with the French version? NO, the French will call it a sacrilege.

      Do they since the Indian national Anthem (Vande matharam) in Tamil in Chennai. NO, absolutely NOT.

      So, this dumb idea, designed to irritate the Sinhalese Goons, and create trouble for Tamils like myself (living in Dehiwalai-Mount area), comes from none other than the same Tamil leaders who took us on the garden path against the Sinhalese, militarily pitting a small minority against a majority ten times bigger. The LLRC is trying to placate the Tamil hot heads by making such stupid recommendations.

      • 4
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        You bloody mutt, the Jaffna Tamils are an indigenous population of Sri Lanka thus if their is a national language, it needs to integrate and provide recognition to historical aspects.
        USA anthem is made of a purely migrant population. The Latinos arrived from different areas in South America and Europe and have embraced English wholeheartedly. The New Zealanders have a national anthem in English with Maori included. The Indian National Anthem is not even in Hindi, but the people have learnt to respect races and religions in that country. Can you say the same for the Sinhalese? What is the origin of the Sinhalese? Is this a race born out of a brothel house? Otherwise how did Dravidian names such as Weerasingham, Jayasunderam, Pattali, Dharmaratnam get bastardized to Weerasinghe, Jayasundera, Pattali and Dharmaratne?

      • 3
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        First see this link on Groundviews:
        http://groundviews.org/2014/09/09/infographic-llrc-implementation-statistics/

        It even shows Mahinda Samarasingha claiming 99% is implemented from the LLRC !!!

        My point is in reply to Rajiva who wanted to go across the seas looking for the diaspora when the regime could not/would not even implement the easy recommendations of the LLRC.

        This was simply to highlight the lack of implementation of the proposals while claiming to have implemented them.

        By the way nice name :)

  • 9
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    If you have any self respect left, resign from parliament.

  • 9
    2

    Prof,

    But when I reiterated how fundamentally wrong the Darusman Report had been, one of them asked very simply why we had not refuted it.

    When govt said it did not deliberately targeted civilians, then other must believe them isn’t it?

    UK for instance said there was no need for ICC for their war crimes in Iraq.

    Similar precedence should prevail.

  • 13
    2

    Aaah! Dr No lives on!

    In an amazing turn of events, 26 written submissions claim that His Excellency Dr No fell of his high chair during the ‘Battle of New Jersey’.

    No less a distinguished person than Ariyawansa claimed that our renowned plenipotentiary was rocking his high chair while miming to Lionel Richie’s
    ‘All night long’ when he lost his balance, the chair toppled, he was furious with himself, Dr No then admonished HIMSELF by slapping HIMSELF and in a guilty strop, left the party and rushed to offer our Prez his resignation.

    You couldn’t make it up, folks.

    • 8
      2

      Spring Koha,

      I’ve just read a leaked version of the “Dr. Nonis vs. Baggage Boy” report.

      These people so drunk with ill-gotten power & an unlimited supply of money from taxpayers have totally gone mad.

      Who else would otherwise even think of publishing such an openly fraudulent report.

      “Report” basically claims Dr Nonis slapped HIMSELF. They back up their theory with endless witnesses. Including testimonials from well-known so called “Career Diplo-Door-Mats”.

      Mother of all jokes!

      Cheers!

      PS: Who on earth is going to’ take Sri Lanka’s own war crimes investigations? Possible Hamba Clan has given up & concluded to ignore the whole world. Except China. Just like Zimbabwe’s Mugabe.

      • 5
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        Ben Hurling

        Here is some aspect of the report:

        REPORT LEAKS

        http://www.ceylontoday.lk/51-76324-news-detail-report-leaks.html

      • 3
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        “Sri Lankan Ambassador to the United States, Prasad Kariyawasam, who accompanied Dr. Nonis to the party has stated; “I was listening to the music and later came to know that Dr. Nonis had left the venue.””

        i have had some respect for prasad K , OMG they are all same !

        • 3
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          Yep.

          No telling how disappointing it was to read Prasad K’s statement. He has shown his true colours.

          BTW, where is Professor Pira in all this? Deputy Neomal is never in the media either.

          Baggage Boy & Manipulating Lady are running the show?

          Cheers!

        • 2
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          Dear Srilal,

          all these are walmathwela by the perks they enjoy. For the no matter that the nation suffers today being unable to express themselves.
          I never thought this PK could be an honest man. Now Dr. Nonis should have gotten it – that it was the greatest mistake he made in his life being that naive .. but caught by srilanken Rajapakse criminals. May well be Dr. Nonis regrets to have supported them in the LOST CHOGEM circus about which the govt uttered nothing to have achieved by spending billions of the poors mans funds.
          I am telling you my dear friend, the day these Rajapakshes are no longer there only we can even start breath in being there.
          Please post as much you can … your posts are the best among the few we get to read on this unique platform.

          • 1
            0

            Dear friend Sirimal,

            As always , i appreciate your encouraging words sirimal , guess what , it has been reported that PK was the one who came forward to step them apart during that heated argument and save Dr CN from further assault , but now PK turned around and say ” i was just listening to Music ” , incidentally this shows how our distinguish, well mannered , educated Gentleman’s true character, Sajin Vas’s latest drama is yet another addition to the MR’s true governance style , remember Mervin silva tying a man to a Mango tree , Duminda Silva’s day light murder , Hambanthota mayor’s pistol wagging drama ? it just keep adding , we as Sri lankans paying the ultimate prize !!

        • 2
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          BUT LET S BE PAITIENT FOR FEW MORE WEEKS:::: NO DOUBT JHU and OTHER CONSITUTENT PARTIES OF UPFA WILL REVEAL A LOT THAN HAD BEEN IN THE PAST.

    • 3
      2

      Though I feel increasingly despondent, I continue to defend the war record of the government……
      Careful Professori, it takes more than one lie to cover the bullshit you fed us during those Peace Secretariat days and now you have to circumnavigate the globe to defend your lies and this putrid regime.

      since my discussion on ‘Hard Talk’. However I had soon after that been removed from public appearances……
      Well Professori, even the King can see the danger of you tripping up.

      John Snow dropped out after my participation in that programme was announced, though it would be too much to assert that was the reason…..
      Dr No and his puppet? A double dose of bullshit.Thank God Channel 4 spared us the agony.

      But though I am on the blacklist, government had at last found someone as able, and it is for that reason I assume that Chris was invited to be one of the principal speakers at the last Defence Seminar……
      Our swollen headed Professori is so far up his own posterior that he seriously believes his indispensability.

      Interestingly enough, he still has a touching affection for the President,………
      After all there is still Mackwoods and the family silver to be safeguarded. (Though Coconut-Head has his eye on that particular honey pot to add to his acquisitions.)

      The removal of Chris Nonis will be welcomed by those elements still pursuing the agenda of the LTTE………..
      What a bumptious assumption. The ‘LTTE’? couldn’t give a rats-arse for Dr No. In fact it is people like Professori and Dr No (our men now out in the cold) who make us look ridiculous with their affected mannerisms and strange accents.

      Chris was not even allowed to take formal leave of his office, after the decision was taken to accept his resignation…..
      An abiding disgrace and one that has lowered Sri Lanka further in the eyes of the watching world. If this is how we treat people who have been charged with serving (defending?) this country, then what chance does the ordinary citizen have?

      So Gotabaya’s defences are further weakened………….
      Bollocks! I have no truck with Gota, but I will venture a lakh to your tenner that Gota is in a better place than you, and in full control of the puppets who dance to his tune, AND Plans A to Z.

      So, Professori, back to the question;
      Did Gotabaya Precipitate The Crisis With Chris Nonis?…………

      NO! Our Gota just waited for the inevitable to happen as he watched the cavorting of the incendiary lot that has been entrusted with our external affairs. In fact our Gota still wonders ‘what took it so long?’

  • 9
    3

    “So Gotabaya’s defences are further weakened. So are those of the country, which I hope the intelligent officers around him will tell him, instead of letting him continue to indulge forces he must recognize do not share his intense patriotism.”

    Stop uttering rubbish, Dayan. We both know that there aren’t any intelligent officers around him. He was a ‘deserter’. All the intelligent and brave officers are and were with SF.

    • 2
      2

      Correction with apologies: the above should be read as, [Stop uttering rubbish, Rajiva not Dayan.]

  • 5
    2

    Oh dear Professori..!

  • 11
    2

    The answer to the question of this Oxbridge scholar in his reference to the diaspora ” what we were doing about the more than 90% whom we should have been winning over” the government or the MoD prevent the implementation of ever the toothless and ineffective 13A which is part of the constitution, keeping the parents and relatives of expatriates under military control, use military intelligence to arrest suspects on faked charges and grabbing of civilian properties and houses.

    Rajiva, Dayan, Chris and Tamara are also guilty of war crimes committed against ethnic minorities and political dissenters. Calling the report of the UN Panel of Experts as Darusman’s is itself a part of that crime. These partners of crimes have not managed to explain the genocidal behaviour of enforced starvation of more than 400,000 civilians including babies, bombing and shelling of civilian targets within the ‘safe zone’ and killing of captives including sexual attacks exposed by CH4.

    The UN report that is expected in next June will expose the above crimes and more and these do-gooders or born-again Buddhists are waiting it call it Navi Pillai’s. The Rajapakse brothers may then realise that millions of dollars spent on individuals who are willing to be bought or bribed, publicity firms and conferences are a wastage of the money of poor masses.

    • 2
      2

      Gota is no more enamoured by the likes of Rajiva. Gota has his think tank in CJ Mohan Peris. Mohan Peris recently hosted Judge Hunt and his wife for a lavish holiday free of charge in Sri Lanka, spending over Rs. 7 mil of the Supreme Court funds. Now Judge Hunt in return is to influence those sitting on Human Rights at the UNHCR to soft peddle the issue.

      • 0
        2

        Jayantha could you show us the link where you get this piece of information , Cheers .

        • 0
          1

          The De Facto Chief Justice Mohan Pieris has spent over Rs. 7 million off the Supreme Court fund to pay for luxury accommodation and entertaining a US district judge and his wife who have not visited Sri Lanka on an…

          October 4, 2014

          • 0
            1

            Jayantha , where is the link ?

    • 2
      0

      The UN panel report aka Darusman report also faults the LTTE for war crimes. The TNA leaders fully endorsed the LTTE and were their political representatives. The LTTE backed the TNA, and even hand picked its candidates in the elections of the time. So, following Saro’s logic should we indict Mr. Sampanthan and his gang (except Anandasangare) for war crimes, and crimes against humanity?
      Remember, the french collaborators (Vichy government) of the Germans we executed for high treason. The TNA collaboration with the LTTE is unfortunately a very hard fact that cannot be white washed away.

  • 4
    2

    Prof you have not defined in your own words the real meaning of PATRIOTISM. Any fair minded human will say you are referring to Mahanama ‘ s Sinhala Buddhist Patriotism based on Mahanama. The Tamils are enemies and all the minorities are second class late arrivals.

    Prof you have concluded only GORA has intense patriotism.
    It should include all those Sinhalese intellectuals who are part of MR regime since 2005.
    Some examples of that are DJ, Tamara, you, Nonis, so called experts who renounced their Mawbima citizenship. Then from various parties of the ruling coalition people like Dew, Vasudeva, Vitharane, J VP and JHU minsters and MRS.

    Hope you will in your next article l give accurate figures of Sinhalese diaspora Tamil Diaspora, Muslim Diaspora and Burgher Diaspora in various countries. And also the political leanings of these diasporas.

    It is claimed GOSL has employed 8 foreign companies to promote the image of your SL. It looks like a lucrative business.You, DJ and the likes must either from your own companies or join one of these 8 companies. The money is good.

    • 1
      1

      I heard that Tamara used to extend visiting SL politicians a welcome to her Salon.She looks attractive.

      I cannot imagine wavulas like GLP and you being entertained there.

      Does the Ceylon University act allow Wawulas from being deprived of their first degree?

  • 8
    2

    The bottom line is “Game Baiyas” whose only mantra is “Might is Right” have hi-jacked the social fabric of the country.

    We saw it during CJ Shirani Bandaranayake’s impechment trial, during UNP MPs visit to Mattala Airport, in Weliveriya and when calling back Dr.Dayan, Ms.Tamara, Prof.Rajiva and Dr.Jayantha Danapala from their UN posts and many other senior Diplomats from their posts.

    The so called ” Game Baiyas” who have built their own inferior complexes are at a constant war with so called “others” who are educated but have “different and views” other than theirs.

    Can anybody justify giving a Secretary General post to a war criminal Karuna Amman and other posts to KP and Daya Master etc, while Voting and election rights been taken away from Gen.Sarath Fonseka.

    There will be many more of Chris Nonis in future.

  • 4
    6

    ” that government simply had no one left who could argue a case intelligently and in good English. “

    Fortunately for us Chris Nonis had been doing just that in the UK, exceedingly better than ANY of his predecessors, taking on the ill-informed media personnel effectively in public. His biggest fault seems to have been that he exposed the timidity of the others.

    • 1
      3

      Dr No turned out well-dressed and speaking in his own affected accent and went around defending acts committed by the Sri Lankan Regime. Like the many others before him, he was bull-shitting. As a fall back when cornered Dr No invoked our ‘2500-year old-civilisation’ – bringing it into disrepute for good measure.
      Dr No and Professori are two sides of the same coin. Until a proper independent investigation gives us as near to the truth as we are going get, all that these apologists can do do is give us THEIR version – and we already know their version is laced with lies and obfuscation.

  • 4
    1

    With all due respect, I suggest that the main problem at the Foreign Ministry is not that there are not enough people with a good command of the English language but that here, as elsewhere, there is a conspicuous lack of a clear line of authority and responsibility, consistency or principle. Language skills cannot make up for a lack of basic good order.

    BTW, the Professor has seen fit to refer to Dr Nonis’ “seminal work in making sure CHOGM was a success”. I imagine he is referring to CHOGM 2013. If that was indeed a success, it was not for Mahinda Rajapakse or the Sri Lankan government; not in my book, anyway. On the contrary, it was an expensive disaster.

  • 3
    3

    Repeating lies continuously and saying a hundred words to each one uttered by an interviewer was Chris Nonis’ forte.
    The interviewer could not get in even a word ‘edgeways’.
    This was evident at all of the interviews in which he took part.
    This was where his command of English came to the fore.
    This did not make him a ‘great’ diplomat.

    The UNHRC report will state the true state of affairs in sri lanka – Let us wait for it.

    What is “pursuing of the agenda of the LTTE”?
    Is it telling the world what is even now happening in the north, prompting the ban on foreigners visiting the north?
    Why is the government and military so terrified of what outsiders may discover in the north?

  • 8
    2

    Rajiva,

    One fundamental question from your statement “I continue to defend the war record of the government”

    How exactly do you defend the record, if all what you did was to block the investigation rather than allow the investigation and prove (defend) the legitimacy of the conduct of the war?

    Denying is not defending! You are the English Prof – I don’t need to explain the difference to you – do I?

    Allow the investigation and defend it like a man – if you indeed have the necessary cojones! Then all these continuing international, Diaspora and other harassments will disappear – don’t you think?

    Let me re-ask my previous question already repeated multiple times – if what Dayan, Tamara and you did was a “great victory”, could you please tell us from what exactly were we, as a nation, saved from?

    I know, I know – you are the master of one-sided discussions: you just throw in your nonsensical arguments, and then close your ears and look the other way. Raises question whether the graduate school education on the need to defend a thesis or the necessity to get publications peer reviewed had any objective impact at all!

  • 7
    3

    Ram,

    You must re-phrase your statement.

    NONIS WAS WASHING THE DIRTY LINEN OF THE MARA GOVERNMENT EXCEEDINGLY WELL, TILL HE GOT THE BETTER OF HIS SERVICES.

    There is a saying in Tamil, if goat roams around with pigs, that too will eat shit.

    I cannot think of a better quote than that.

  • 5
    5

    Let these hoodlums kill each other wherever they are. Disgusting pigs. I simply cannot believe how they ever came to power. These fellows should be running a gas station operation, which is Gota is quite experienced in.

    • 3
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      Tamil from the north

      Killing each other is not the answer and killing has been the main instrument of politics in this island for a long period of time. Can’t you find a better way of dealing with these stupid people?

  • 6
    1

    The ONLY solution to all our problems: meritocracy.

    That would give the minorities the same rights and obligations as the majority and the rural kids same as those in Colombo. No more nepotism, graft, and ethnicity-based appointments. Let those who strive to develop their minds and skills climb up, and those who cannot be bothered stay put.

    • 2
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      Shameless Professor who thinks he can influence and craft policy to become a local Henry KISSINGER when the ass is preaching to a presidential bumpkin made up of an IRC choir. Likes of Dr Rajiva are the new BUM-KISSINGER’s and the butt end of jokes! If you self appointed and so called “intellectuals” cannot do anything, I suggest tending your resignation and leaving than to live-off mouse dropping that cost the tax payers and add to our national debt. You worthless trash talkers deserve to rot in hell.

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      sinhalese buddhist,

      I agree with your comment. But with the current constitution which has given mandate to Sinhala Buddhists, your point could be difficult to achieve unless the constitution give equal rights to all communities, races and religions.
      Proper position should be given to academically qualified rightful candidate and not to a political goon.

      Similarly I strongly presume that more powers should be given to Provincial Councils and to encourage more Private sector enterprises and self employed businesses and services. Private sector participation in Economy should be encouraged and to minimize Govt. bureaucracy and red tape.

      Also corruptions, waste and Mis-management at all Govt. Institutions and Corporations should be eliminated. Bringing back 17th Amendment is a must.

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        Meritrocracy, are you an Andare? Meritrocracy in this mad house.It is possible only in one way. First bomb this place out. Make it a physical desert and replant.No damage will result. Since 1977 this had been an intellectual and a cultural desert.

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          Meritocracy……yes Meritocracy is the key to Survival.

          In India one has to work minimum 15 years in the local office of MFA before been placed as a Diplomat to a Foreign country.

          How many years of experience, communication, public relations and knowledge of the subject matter a Sri Lankan Diplomat has before been placed to a foreign country……..None.

          The only qualification needed in Sri Lanka under Rajapakses are to be a “Ape Eka” and to be a Game Baiya “Baggage Carrier”.

          Thank God Prof.Rajiva, Tamara and Dr. Dayan narrowly escaped from what happened to Chris Nonis…… “Guti Kemata Niyathai”

          Sri Lanka now been turned into a Rajapakse “Kudu” drugs, casinos, ethenol, Gambling, Prostitution, Thugs and Clan family Mafia colony.

          Await for more surprises.

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    Brilliant.

    Now its a when not if Rajiva Wijesinha is going to get a SajinVG kicking.

    BBC Hard Talk antic by Rajiva Wijesinha is evidence for War Crimes prosecutors.
    Whatever done now is late to shrug off Complicity to Genocide charges bejng brought on to Rajiva Wijesinha. There were two similar Goebbels of Rwandan Genocide found guilty in Tanzania.

    Rajapaksas and Fonseka might strike deals with the LTTE and save the country of Genocide charges but that does not exclude the kicking coming to Rajiva Wijesinha.

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    This article is full of me, me, me and I, I, I. Ane Miyo, what is the point of you telling us what you said or did. At the end of the day we are only interested in the final outcome.

    With regards to the war, being a member of the Democratic Party, are you of the same view as your party? Or are you of a different view re: the last war?

    At least will you kindly answer this question.

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    Rajiva,

    I heard that you visited London recently to meet Chris Nonis and write something about him. I believe that he would have given you some information about the New York incident, food and lodging during your stay in London. I seriously suspect that your air ticket also might be purchased by him. Is it true Ragiva?

    1. Your Argument about Foreign Ministry Official’s English

    Rajiva, your believe that only people who can speak English like British or American can run the Foreign policy of Sri Lanka. it shows your lack experience in international relations. Look at Indian, Pakistani and Bangladesh diplomats and their pronunciations. They speak good English without any grammatical mistakes but not like you or Chris Nonis or Americans or British still do good diplomacy and defend their countries. Look at the African diplomats or current Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon, how do you want them to speak English in international conferences. I will not surprise that even you suggest that Ban needs to be replaced either by you or Chirs Nonis, since both you pronounce the English in British style.

    Rajiva, if you take Sri Lanka, 75% of the people live in villages and engage in Agriculture. Most the Sri Lankans go to Maha Vidyala and not colleges you or Chris went. Their parents are not billionaires or Secretary Generals of Parliament who can afford to send their children to the UK for education. We want the true Sri Lankans to represent the country. Doesn’t matter if they speak English in Sri Lankan style but without any grammatical mistake and be true patriots.

    Can you tell us other the megaphone media diplomacy, what the so called professional and Medical Doctor Chris Nonis did for Sri Lanka in London. How many articles he was able to publish in the British Media about Sri Lanka’s success in peace building or reconciliation. How many Parliamentarians and Lords are supporting Sri Lanka now because of Dr. Nonis?

    Poor Rajiva analyze and ask Chrish before making unsubstantiated glorification of Nonis and allegations against the Foreign Ministry officials? By the way, are you living in Sri Lanka or in London?

    2. Allegation Against the Foreign Secretary

    I hope, you, DJ and Tamara K are supporting Nonis and trying to find evidence against the current Foreign Secretary to discredit her by connecting the Geneva residence repair. You all think if a Tamil living in a foreign country involves in anything he or she is a LTTE member or paid by the LTTE. You are forgetting that there are true Sri Lankans among the Tamils who live in abroad. Do you want us to believe that Dr. Nonis was asked by the foreign secretary of the UK that Whether he realizes now why UK is actively engaged in Human rights campaign against Sri Lanka. I know it is a narrative of Dr. Nonis to create sympathy towards him and to show he was defending Sri Lanka in the Foreign Office. I don’t believe at ththe Foreign Secretary of the UK will be that much undiplomatic to ask Dr. Nonis, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner at that time, as claimed and reported to media by him.

    Do you know that Dr. Nonis at the Conservative party conference 2014 met Mr. Arjuna Sivanathan, a member of the Tamils for British Conservative, who was an active supporter of BTF and [Edited out]? Can you now say Dr. Nonis is having connections with the LTTE?

    Do you know why Tamara K left her UN Job? When UN was paying good remunerations, why did she leave UN premature?

    You are unable to market your policies within the government which you and your party support. You think publishing articles will make people to think that you are an interlingual.

    If your polices are better, why you are unable to sell them in SL? do you feel that all the Sri Lankans are fools other than Dr. DJ, Tamara K, Dr. Chrish Nonis and you? because they didn’t go to foreign university?

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      Did Tamara Kunanayagam have a job at the UN or with the UN.? I believe it was the former, and her salary was dependent on the Sri Lankan government. If you know different please let us know.

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        Before, she worked for GOSL she was working for the UN or some other organisation which connected to the UN. Her salary was paid by that organisation not the GOSL.

        Later she worked for the GOSL.

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          Thank you

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          Podi appuwo,

          what do you know about your masters ?

          Wait and see JHU will reveal them soon. Jaya niyathai for the opposition.

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    Typical Rajiva,

    Self aggrandisement to the core.

    In the scheme of things Rajiva, you and your purile opinions do not matter.

    “given my own affection for the President’. Grovel grovel. Give us a break please.

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    BBS Rep

    “Self aggrandisement to the core.”

    Have you noticed Dayan and Rajiva complement each other.

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      Yes NV, they are both, “eka walle pol”.

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    This PodiAppu is a arse licker of KS. That is why he gets so irritated when reading the truth.

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      Hi Thrishu,

      Can I say the same to you for DJ, Tamara k, Dr. Chris Nonis and Rajeeva. I will not make that knid of staement, but defend my possition.

      Can you say that, if Dr. Chri Nonis was a efficient High Commissioner,better than the previous envoys, as claimed the above group, why he was unable to convince the UK to agree that Sri Lanka is indeed addressing the human rights issues and therefore to consider the local process and dicuss the matters bilaterllay and not take it to the Human Rigts Councuil.

      If Dr. Nonis speaks good english and the CNN interview was well received by the Americans and others, Howmany Congressmen, Members of House of Commens and Lords support Sri Lanka after watching the so called famous interviw or after he took as our High Commissioner in London.

      Do you know who was staying in the SL Residence in Geneeva with Tamara.K. Who is her boy friend. Why can’t we, the sri Lankans, suspect that her boy friend bugged the residence and gave the information to some third parties.

      If the Residence was bugged by the Tamil groups, howmany confidential discussions held at the residence were known to the Tamil groups and that endangered SL in the UN.

      Don’t make this kind of statements witout critically ananlysing the matters.

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    If I understand him right, Rajeeve seems to complain here and there about the “English” competence of the SL diplomats. He himself is an Englsih Honours man, and we expect him to set a standard.
    I have complained before, about his very opaque, long winded English. let us just look at his first paragraph here:

    In the course of the frenetic travel programme I had set myself before the usual budget period, I had just two days in Sri Lanka last week.
    He is trying to say “I had two days in Si Lanka within his travel program before the budget period”.
    They were packed, with Parliament, and an overnight stay with a cousin visiting after several days, and the 92nd birthday of my most distinguished aunt, but also a couple of interviews as well as meetings with two ambassadors.

    If you drop the “with parliament”, you see that the accord in the sentence is wrong. Where Rajieev needed a “with” before parliament, he correctly added it, but not with the other completing clauses to They were packed with. They are too distanced from the root to be adequately influenced by the initial “with” that he supplied, and completely fails to extent to the but also a couple of …..” etc.

    The whole essay is full of such labyrinthine constructions where the accord gets lost, and the reader may well be lost in confusion.

    Is it possible that the professor is shunned, not because of his incisive sharpness, but because of his long-winded, opaque turn of phrase?

    Good English, according to I. A. Richards, can be written using only a vocabulary of less than 1200 words, and consists of short, clear, focused sentences. Rajeev’s whole essay may easily be reduced to about 1/4 of its length, and re-rewritten more clearly. Rajeeve’s most distinguished aunt need not even make an appearance here to clutter up the focus.

    But the liberal party members do not have a constituency to care for, and they have liberal amounts of time – but we don’t.
    Can we at least ask for good English, but please also make it short and sweet.

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      Kautilya ,

      Yes you are absolutely right , this so called professor’s written English is similar to his (self proclaimed political scientist) buddy’s political knowledge .

      “They were packed, with Parliament, and an overnight stay with a cousin visiting after several days, and the 92nd birthday of my most distinguished aunt, but also a couple of interviews as well as meetings with two ambassadors.”

      is this the standard of a professor of English ? i’m not a professor of English ,but any one with a little knowledge of basic grammar knows that our kalu Suddha professor would have been better off using “Non defining relative clauses (who,which,where, when and whose) ” to explain all these non essential information quite easily , instead what we have got here ? incoherent, grammatically incorrect , series of clauses !not bad for a British qualified professor !!!!!!!!

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      Oh I say!

      Kautilya, I fear you have debagged our Professori. You see, it is obvious that the man gets paid by the word. His watchword is ‘why use one word when a sentence is available. Why use a sentence when a paragraph is there for the taking’.

      God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change….

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    Sinhalese Buddhist,
    ” The ONLY SOLUTION to all our problems is meritocracy.”. So you mean meritocracy among the SB.
    Wonder full Idea as a solution.

    Since independence, from DS Sena followed by SWRD, Srimavo- Colvin, JRJ , Premadasa to MARA all have made Sri Lanka A Buddhist Nation without any regards for the non Sinhala Buddhists.

    So your effective solution of meritocracy first among the the SB who are 1st class Buhmi Putras and the going down to the 2nd or 3rd classes sound not bad if practised.

    Sinhala Buddhist, do you think there are exceptions to the kind of meritocracy you advocating ?

    Like ,Vasu’s daughter in the SL mission in the US, Sajin Vas, Old Thomas GLP, Shenuka, Tereasury Sec Jeya sunda, Mohandas Peris, Sarath N Silva, Champika, DJ, Rajiva, Nonis, Prasad Kariyawasam and the likes were selected.
    Bodhu Saranai SL.

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    Rajiva every time you write about anything you display your ignorance by trying to bring Dayan Jayathilaka and Tamara. Now Nonis is the main man. We work for world bodies and did a very good job, and during our service we met Sri Lankan Diplomats from various schools, but due to the training they got managed well to present the SL agenda well.
    You are trying to say Darushman report is not your piece of cake. But when it was to be published as an experienced UN employee I requested the present CJ, then the AG a good friend of mine to sit with GSF and reply to that report to keep the barking dogs away from our doors. But none realised that, specially Gotabaya, it will bring so much grief for him and his brother.
    When you head the Peace Secretariat after present UN Ambassador Palitha Kohona, what you did to bring peace to the people in Jaffna, or to advice Mahinda your relation to leave GSF along. You never did anything to be a patriot, why you were aiming a Ministers font folio, but when it fail now you come with all these theories. You may be a Professor from a University, but your. IQ about world affairs is very limited and you are very slow to understand how villages from Beliattha your birth place do for a living.
    You wrote in this Article GOTABAYA did every thing organising the defeat of the war. When was a civilian Defence Secretary ever Commandered an Army or Navy or Air Force. Before Gotabaya there were two Army Commanders who held that position, but never interfered with the Three Commanders. But Gotabaya ‘s foolish acts now coming to hunt every one, and even though Sajin is not the best friend of Gotabaya he may have given orders to Sajin via his brother to get rid of Nonis. Please keep in mind most people who read all thee articles knows you, DJ, Nonis and Tawara belong to the same Churth group, and trying to bring them up as the ONLY saviours left for MAHINDA is a very childish habit. There were MA ny people work for MahindaRajapaksa during his first term and left him as they don’t want them to sell the country to China. But you are still hanging on to get some position, may be the FM post. But you are not capable of handling that job.j

  • 1
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    BALUMACK

    There was once a film called The Nutty Professor. Reading Prof Rajiva Wijesinha’s convoluted and unnecessarily meandering essay, I find they are not just fictional characters but exist in real life.
    He showers praise on a few of his favourites and of course on himself as a worthy combatant in the field of debate and then finds another egocentric bore to defend as though Nonis, like Horatius across Tiber, was standing alone over the Thames slaying the LTTE and the evil British.
    Wijesinha speaks highly of Nonis’s interviews to the media. It is a pity that this so-called professor of English did not sit down and try to make sense of some of the phrases Nonis used in his much-valued CNN interview. Some of them are meaningless like Wijesinha’s own prose.
    Talking of the great achievement called CHOGM. Could he spell out in specific terms what Sri Lanka achieved except spending vast amounts of public funds and been torn to pieces by the British Prime Minister and the British press.
    So Wijesinha thinks his very name frightened away veteran British journalists such as Jon Snow. BTW Prof it is Jon not John Snow as you have written. Wijesinha’s opinion of himself is as crazy as Chris Nonis’s assessment of himself as a great intellectual and speaker. Maybe these chaps who studied (as opposed to were educated)in the UK labour under the belief that they are superior to the natives. No wonder the Liberal Party to which he belongs cannot even muster five persons to make it an unlawful assembly under the old emergency regulations.

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    Amidst all these garbage included in the article, if the professor’s title is correct, then there was a very valid reason to get rid of that GREAT intellectual NONIS.

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    I have a feeling that the Professor does not read the comments he gets for his “chest thumping write ups” Any other sensible person would have abandoned the idea of “blowing his own trumpet” long time back!!

    May be the CT readers should boycott his writings altogether and see what happens next. He might feel “forsaken” and stop writing!!

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    One thing is certain: There is one person in this world who thinks that Rajiva Wijesinha, not Muhammed Ali, is “the greatest.”
    That person – Rajiva Wijesinha.
    Sycophancy and demented self-importance make for a hell of a combination, though I am sure his 92-year old aunt still thinks of him as the greatest “mama’s boy” in the world!

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