By Rasika Jayakody –
Rasika Jayakody
What was reported in western media in the aftermath of CHOGM sheds light on serious lapses on the part of the government in terms of ‘Perception Management’ among the international community.
One has to admit the fact that the Sri Lankan government stepped into hosting CHOGM and threw itself into the limelight on a relatively bad wicket, so to speak, vis-à-vis the strong propaganda initiated by pro-LTTE Diaspora demonizing the Sri Lankan government and armed forces over what happened during the final phase of war.
From the very outset, the Sri Lankan government had to defend its position against serious allegations which – if mismanaged – would result in an international war crimes investigation. Any such international inquiry will be certainly influenced by western super powers who are strongly gravitated towards the pro-LTTE Diaspora, narrowing the chances of a fair and impartial hearing. In that context, it is important for the government to understand the gravity of the problem and checkmate the western super powers who are hell-bent on flogging Sri Lanka. Now that requires a lot of diplomacy, a great deal of perception management and sanity in terms of handling international media.
When considering the developments on the ground particularly during CHOGM, it is not so difficult to fathom that the government is just “firefighting” and there is no concerted effort to counter scathing attacks on Sri Lanka by a certain section of western media. There seems to be no robust PR plan and almost everything that comes from the government as counter-arguments, is ad-hoc. Right people are not at the right places, and wrong people are making things much more difficult for the government.
One such example was the behavior of Parliamentarian A.H.M. Azwer who went berserk at the press conference, convened by the Commonwealth Spokesman. He acted like a bull in the china shop although the points he made, made a great deal of sense. But, that was not the right place to raise such issues and Azwer was certainly not the right guy! In the end, Azwer, who is a national list parliamentarian representing the ruling party and a Presidential Advisor, looked like a jester in the eyes of the entire world, putting the Sri Lankan government in a highly embarrassing position.
Azwer’s bull in the china shop behavior should be weighed against the manner in which President Mahinda Rajapaksa handled unexpected questions thrown at him by Channel 4’s Jonathan Miller on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Business Forum. The President greeted him in a very polite manner and handled his questions in a fairly civilized way, even though it was not the place and time for questioning of that nature. Although such individual gestures alone will not rescue Sri Lanka from the disadvantageous position it is in at the moment, it is commendable how the Sri Lankan President immediately reacted to a journalist who always exhibited a hostile approach against Sri Lanka. This is exactly what the large majority of ministers and the top echelons of the Rajapaksa administration do not seem to understand!
It is in this light that we have to understand the importance of Dr. Chris Nonis’s seven minute brief interview with CNN. He faced the questions with great fluency and his answers were loud, clear and convincing. He knew what he was talking about and never raised his voice or resorted to a high-pitched tone, giving way to “overwhelming patriotism”. It is important to know that Dr. Nonis did not make earth-shattering revelations in his interview, but simply reiterated what the government has been saying all along. The only difference is his answers were well-structured and well-organized, and there was no sense of arrogance in his demeanour. This was the striking difference between him and the other government representatives who shared their views with international media on behalf of the Sri Lankan government.
Handling international media plays an important part in preventing an international inquiry. To perform that operation with sanity and prudence, the government has to first understand what its core message is. Secondly, there should be a central mechanism to handle the dissemination of the message, without accommodating any act of jumping the gun by any individual representing the government. Thirdly, there should be right people at right places to carry out the operation in a well-planned and systematic manner, without digression or shifting the focus from time to time. And without having such a robust system in place, the government has only meager chances of achieving success.
Therefore, time is ripe for the government to position the likes of Dr. Nonis at right places, as the behavior of certain government representatives and spokespersons who deal with international media resembles the jataka tale where a foolish soldier used a sword to get rid of an insect that was resting on the king’s neck!
*Rasika Jayakody is a Sri Lankan journalist who may be contacted at rasikajayakody2@gmail.com
Pasel / November 18, 2013
Ok I want to asking you one thing you don’t have an idea what is going on in north police and army intimidation and they can’t even do peacefully demonstration
All these people are the way you calling people as pro-LTTE Diaspora demonizing the Sri Lankan government and armed forces over what happened during the final phase of war.
Your head is inside the sand first take it out and write
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Spring Koha / November 18, 2013
Rasika
Good topical and pertinent points.
Azwer: He was a nightmare. Who let him loose? Not only that, he scoffed all my favourite short eats too. Doesn’t Keheliya have any power to keep these guys muzzled?
Nonis: So sad to see a man squander his talents and erudition reciting a mantra for a tainted cause. All to fatten his chairmen’s contact book? I wander what the grandees of the Mendis-Nonis clan would say if they saw him hob-nobbing with the parvenu’s of this regime – never mind espousing their denials.
MR: The questions were really not unexpected; he has been round the block and he knows what journalists are capable of. Perhaps he thought his minders wouldn’t let them get through. He batted the questions with effortless ease – truth to tell, he had the answers well rehearsed.
All in all this was a shitty debacle for the PEOPLE of Sri Lanka. Our ruling regime are thick skinned and life will go on for them as if nothing happened; but our people will go on forever.
This was a case of third time unlucky. In 1971 when Sirima’s GOSL (with help from ‘friends’) gave the JVP a good hiding, no one asked questions. In 1987-89 when Premadasa (again with help from ‘friends’) gave the JVP another good hiding, no one noticed. This time the perpetrators were not so lucky (those blasted cameras had been invented and some of the people escaped to tell tales).
This is a text book lesson; Governments should not hosts such high profile events before the ghosts of events passed have been properly exorcised and laid to rest.
MR and the GOSL can clone as many Nonis’s as are required for the business at hand but until the issues are addresses and satisfactorily resolved none of us will be able to move on and find the peace our people rightly deserve.
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Peace Dove / November 20, 2013
Spring Koha,
“Governments should not hosts such high profile events before the ghosts of events passed have been properly exorcised and laid to rest”.
You are absolutely correct, but how else could our Emperor have shown off his new clothes i.e.landscaped city of Colombo,highways and other infrastructure?
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chathu / November 18, 2013
Army and police are not only in north but every where in the country. Why the final phase of the war, what about the acivities of LTTE for 30 years – killing, abducting, suffering thousand of civillians irrespective of ethnicity.
Remove your striped glasses and see the generalized view. You will see better.
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Bebon / November 18, 2013
Yes, Army presence in north is must for another decade as area was occupied by LTTE nearly three decades ,so there might be possibilities of reoccurring of Pro-eelam propaganda as some of Pro-LTTE bad eggs still in large..
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kali / November 21, 2013
Bebon,
For your information the Sinhala Army will be evicted as Tamil Nadu Army ( TNA ) are scheduled to arrive after March 2014.
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dave / November 21, 2013
Tamil Nadu Army? they will be busy making Toilets in Tamil Nadu. they are only good for that because if they come to Sri Lanka, they will experience what really Prabakaran experience. Dont day dream fool…. our Army is the greatest ….
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kali / November 22, 2013
Dave you Sinhalese Moron,
We will see in March and you are finished.
British PM & Eelam CM on the Balcony ( Did you see it man)
Tamil Nadu Army in the North
MR in the Dock ( You will see it )
Man Did you see the picture of MR which Tisaranee posted yesterday he looks like a man who about to be executed. He looks frightened and horrified. Your Boss and you lot are finshed man
You are a Mad Dog You can Bark all day and all night but you cant bite any more.
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PR guru / November 18, 2013
Keheliya Rambukwella, media minister started this and Azwar ended it. In between people followed it (Protests) and Mahinda (mis)managed it – Our clumsy PR..
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PR guru / November 18, 2013
Sorry forgot to mention BBS and Gnanasara for their splendid PR performance in Sirikotha…
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Suganthan / November 18, 2013
His description of the pro-LTTE diaspora and their influence on the decision making ability of “western SUPER POWERS” are more hilarious than Azwer’s blabber…
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NAK / November 19, 2013
May be that’s why the interviewer just let the point carry!!
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Lanka Liar / November 19, 2013
There is nothing to demonaize just expose that is enough. Sinhalease have demonized them self to the extent that every Sinhalese looked at as a liar kidnappers or a rapist. You have to clear this name. Don’t blame the diaspora for your bad behavior.. It is very easy if you behave like ordinary civilized people. That is all you have to do.
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dave / November 21, 2013
Yes .. all these people are acting for pro LTTE. of course there were so many LTTE cadres were killed and so.. it was a war and Army needed to Kill them. No need inquiries for that. While LTTE was ruling, they always abducted children from schools .. but there was no protect .. where was jokers like Sampanthan that time and also jokers like Cameron
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David / November 22, 2013
This guy Azwar is a paid commodity of Government, bad behavior, same behavior in parliament. what a shame and embarrassment. Idiot
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Safa / November 18, 2013
This smart alec Azwer thinks that he is very smart and that people are impressed by his glib talk. His strategy as he does in parliment is to disrupt and derail any civilised discussion or discourse on the subject. ‘First and last a citizen’, my foot, he can say that if he resigns from parliment and lives a normal life without drawing a double salary as MP and adviser to the President.
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Dodo / November 18, 2013
Rasika, the time for PR and SPIN which is NOT the Rjapaassa regime’s forte is long past. The EDUCATED people of Sri Lanka and the international community need logical, substantive, evidence-based and reasoned answers from the uneducated, uncultured and uncouth Rajapassa brothers and their cabinet of morons, crooks and cronies.
However, neither the Rajapassa brothers nor the majority of their cabinet of clowns have even a basic grasp of the ENGLISH LANGUAGE! Most of these sorry to say uncouth, CORRUPT and uneducated “Ministers” stutter and make absurd and illogical statement – just like MR at the CHOGM press conference. MR could not answer the question re. Camaron’s trip to Jaffna and started defending himself against war crimes allegations instead!
Or, take that GROSS, FAT, FOOL – Nimal Siripala Silva – slinging mud at ALL opposition (local and international) – out of place and sleazy at the CHOGM Business Forum who is such an uncouth speaker of the English Language in addition to being ILLOGICAL. What a bloody embarrassing spectacle the top SLFP leadership is today – uneducated, illogical, sleazy and uncouth, corrupt and incapable of making REASONED, LOGICAL AND most important SUBSTANTIVE (evidence-based and measured) arguments.
Finally, we are not impressed by Nonis or Mahinda Samarasinghe, either who speak better English – their only qualification – like that cheap and corrupt accountant Nivard Cabraal who called the head of the Central Bank. Rajapassa is impressed by his English Lanugae skills!
None of the about make SUBSTANTIVE and REASONED arguments but just reiterate the general Rajapassa spin albeit with greater ENGLISH language fluency.. The fact is that the Rajapassa regime is an uneducated bunch who do not know or value a trained mind or intellect that can make EVIDENCE-BASED analysis, debate and argument. They think that it they should loud and character assassination can cover their lack of education and logical reasoning skills.
The UNEDUCATED AND UNCULTURED Rajapakse brothers are the worst combination of ARROGANCE AND IGNORANCE and have turned Lanka and themselves into the laughing stock of world leaders and diplomats!
Finally, there are NO SHORTCUTS in education – you can buy a degree but you cannot buy a TRAINED MIND or INTELLECT and even the best PR and SPIN only goes thus far – beyond which logical, evidence-based and substantive reasoning is essential to persuade educated people who are trained to see through the PR and SPIN. Finally, Sorry to sound elitist but all this is fact!
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Lion / November 18, 2013
Rasika your point is accepted but the fact remain how this regime is ruling the country.You can employ very able people with fluency in language and with lot of PR but truth cant be concealed with all those talents and it comes out at any moment.
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Abhaya Premawardena / November 18, 2013
The difference is the fluency of the English Language . That should not be held against the Hon MP .
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jansee / November 18, 2013
Abhaya:
It is not just the fluency of the language. Try listening to how MR answers questions compared to that GR. Surprising isn’t it that GR almost didn’t exist and that he kept his big mouth shut.
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Lanka Liar / November 19, 2013
No this is how the Sinhalease speak and write. Not the language. If the cant kidnap why cant I kidnap… If they can kill why cant I kill sort of things. It is part of Sinhalese breakfast but always Lies in the menu. No one breaths anything but lies.
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MrRetort / November 18, 2013
Quite right that Facebook of Dr. Nonis appear as a Public Figure. Nobody would disagree and nobody would be interested to know who or what is Azver. But it would be quite appropriate for public to request Asver to call himself a Public Toilet Figure.
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Bandulatha / November 18, 2013
In that discussion, he was answered by saying ” if you want me to respond to that, as minister he has to behave in a civil manner”. That is more than enough to a bugger that seems to have no nothing than kind of blind support to his Man. Here it is irrelevant that MR is shy or not, he has to respect world standards, democractic standards. I regret why rest of the country failed to exchange today lawless situation in the country with foreign degnitaries. That is a great mistake.
On CT, GV or other platform almost over 50% of populace disgree with the rule of law situation in the country. Not only tamils but also sinhalese and muslims are being harmed by MR rule.
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kumar / November 18, 2013
Dr. Chris Nonis’s speech may be structured and organized. But it seriously lacks truth. We are witnessed of what kind of civilization you made over a period of 2000 thousand years such as fucking death bodies, removing cloths of death bodies, raping,using chemical weapon, restriction on free speech and civil society, killing and abductions.
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Abhaya Premawardena / November 18, 2013
damm . this turd has forgotten all the atrocities of the lap dogs he paid for (LTTE)
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chathu / November 18, 2013
Is that what you have heard of Sri Lankan civilization? You have missed the truth by miles. Hopefully you have never visited or experienced the civil conflict in SL. The content in your post represents the synthesized ideas of the so called diaspora. In fact, LTTE is a terrorist group, who never represented majority of tamils. They killed women, children, disabled civilians or whoever they found simply as war victims and did all sort of human suffering for 30 years. Where were these humanitarian guys at that time, probably hiding under tiger paws.
There are enough and more evidence to disapprove your views. But as this writer says the SL government failed to bring them up at the correct time and at correct places. They wait till the truth win, but it never happens without an effort.
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Johnny English / November 18, 2013
Yes, Kumar. We don’t know why these smutts with every turn of a reference use the bloody 2500 years of dumb culture..blah,blah.. It is something thst no one can prove by any scientific means but by mythical stories not going even 800 years backwards in their pseudo history.
As you said, these bastards can’t hide the truth. Its like the fart they let inside a water tank. The air/
gas released will definitely come to the surface.
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Devion / November 18, 2013
There is a video of Keheliya Rambukwella answering the media after a CHOGM event. He also said the same points, “democracy”, “democracy”, “democracy” “internal structure” and notably the “2000 year history” story. May be there is a cardinal script writer wandering!
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Suganthan / November 18, 2013
well said… a fluent English wont make all the wrongs into rights…
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Ravi / November 18, 2013
First of all, from the CNN journalist/reporter’s questions and response it was clear that he had no much idea about the Sri Lankan issues. On the other hand, if it was a reporter from BBC, CH 4, or Al Jazeera, he/she would have roasted him. Of course, compared to Azwar, Nonis did a better job.
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Medalankara de Choppe / November 18, 2013
Kumar, You are dead on the nail.This army and the politicians had been going berseck since 1971.No body pointed this out.How the JVP was destroyed is similar to the way they handled the LTTE.It is high time that the army and the civilian population, that means the judiciary sit down to prepare a system to bring uprisings under control. Uprising happens not because people want to go to heaven but because there are problems which are not solved or attempted to solve over a long period.The 1971, 1987-89 and 1983-2009 was not against a foreign force but with internal dissent.
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kumar / November 19, 2013
I born in conflict and lived in conflict in Sri Lanka. I am capable of making such comments and don’t educate me about your civilization. You all know only the brutality of LTTE. Others only know what happened in the last month of the conflict by the Sri Lankan forces. But you don’t know how the Sri Lanka forces have treated the innocent Tamils over the period of 30 years: mass massacre, gang rape, killing, disappearance. Think a while why LTTE became so powerful militant groups in the World.
The Sinhala media was utterly biased and failed to educate the state terrorisms to its own people. It’s also non-sense to compare inter-ethnic conflict with intra-ethic conflict.
This is only a civilization in the world that entertains with the naked death bodies in the world. How many Tamil women have been sexually abused and then killed by army?
You are not lions but liars. Now world knows this. You have to wait to another million years to civilize
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dave / November 21, 2013
You are talking about Channel for movies about Sri Lanka produced by LTTE donkeys but reality is different. if you dont like to stay in Sri Lanka, get out of here and go to Tamil Nadu then you will experience real discrimination.
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Amarasiri / November 18, 2013
Rasika Jayakody,
Clearly, there needs to be a mechanism for screening and selecting the spokesmen. After all, there are examinations for the University and the professions and why not for govt spokesmen positions who can communicate and have the intelligence so that a coherent message can be given diplomatically in a civilized acceptable fashion?
However, the country suffers from filling government positions with political appointees who are not qualified for the posts they are appointed. Mr. Azwer, seems to one such appointee, out of many. Sometimes, one gets to be lucky, but not always. The primary qualification is to be a crony or a shill, weather they have the intelligence or not. So, they fumble.
This is the price the country pays for practicing cronyism as opposed to meritocracy, a system in which advancement is based on individual ability or achievement and leadership by such a group.
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MrRetort / November 18, 2013
This bull in the China shop attitude of Asver is known to all Sri Lankans. Goverment may like to use him as barking dog at the Parliament. Yet the figure he cut in the environment an international participants are active would obviously be very counter productive. He will be ok for fish market auction. But such Dr Mervin calibre politicians should be rounded up kept in house arrest till international conference is over. This is very much more important than rounding up of beggars from the streets and public places.
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ruwan / November 18, 2013
well said, but then you have to start with # 1 – The Chief BUFFOON himself !
There after, there won’t be any others left, except the UNP pole vaulters, GL, Amumugama etc.
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Percy Jilmart / November 18, 2013
“Three things cannot be long hidden: The sun, the moon and the truth.”
~ The Buddha
“The media circus started off like a badly written detective novel as Channel 4 was openly tailed by intelligence from the airport to the hotel and thereafter to every location they travelled. The idea was to intimidate them but the news station probably enjoyed it all the more as they filmed their “secret’ escorts and interviewed plain clothes policeman on the street. The President robustly declared that “We have nothing to hide” but ‘somebody’ went to the extent of stopping a train in order to prevent them from going to Kilinochchi. What they probably didn’t expect was for Callum Macrae to conduct a Q&A with the so-called protestors at Anuradhapura only to find out that none of them seemed to have (and I repeat none of them – watch the news report if you want to see it for yourself) even watched the No Fire Zone Videos. In effect what the government has done is given Channel 4 enough of footage for probably two more documentaries on Sri Lanka, all on their own steam.”
http://groundviews.org/2013/11/17/chogm-2013-a-lie-well-told/
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Thiru / November 18, 2013
In Mahawana inspired, ethnic-based, authoritarian rogue state of Sri Lanka, what can you expect from one of its stooges like the author?
The adjectives above are not mine, but those of respectable international media.
Do I need to say more?
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NAK / November 19, 2013
NO!!!
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ruwan / November 18, 2013
Rasika, on an ealrier topic as well, I highlighted these ‘obvious’ issues to you, re. the Rajapakse regime, but they seemed to have swept right over your head !
This article by you, has the same substance but with a different title. What you so obviously fail to realize, is that you have a very insular outlook, sort of a frog in the well mentality.
What I said before, and I’ll repeat again is, unlike most administrations of the past, the Rajapakse regime has a Completely UNEDUCATED pool of talent, and the only brains to it came from ‘pole vaulters’ of the UNP. ex. GL & Amunugama
The rest of these Uneducated thugs & murderers of the Rajapakse regime, starting from the president down couldn’t even have a serious discussion to a class of foetuses !
You have to remember that in addition to the ‘Primary’ want of education/ knowledge in an administration, there also must be people of class and stature, unlike the Madha Midhulna Mud Buffalos.
The reason I know you have a very insular outlook is, that these two criteria are not even a point of debate in most other countires, and was NOT a point of contention during the Senanayakes, Dahanayake, Sir John, JR governments for example.
Being form the village should not be a disqualification for a leader, as long as they have ‘atleast’ the primary qualification of being Educated !
What SL is seeing right now is, BOTH the lack of Educated people in the governement (except the UNP pole vaulters)as well as people who don’t have class and stature. Buffoonery maybe good in Maha Midhaulana, but certainly not in the nation’s capital, nor on the world stage ! This is even MORE important for minnows like SL. !
Trying to project one’s buffoonery to the gov’t and the international stage makes the Rajapakses and their low folk a complete laughing stock ! Sort of like the Tea Party trying to govern in the U.S !
So, pls. don’t bring up this childish and irrelavant topic again when there are far more issues of substance to take up this space !
Thank You,
Ruwan
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jansee / November 18, 2013
Rasika has just got up from his long slumber. This ostrich never even realised or even understood that if SL had escaped the “gallows” for so long, it is precisely the very modus Rasika suggest that it had employed as part of its strategy to deflect the truth from the world. To dumbs like Rasika, truth can and need be sacrificed at the altar so long as the masters of deceit are well chosen and crafted. It will not surprise anyone that this game plan includes appointing former defence guys (army, navy and airforce) as ambassadors, etc. So, Rasika, please tell us what is new. But let me tell you Rasika and all those who believe that they can use a paper to hide a burning fire, the CHOGM will remain as the single most publicity, an adverse one at that, that highlighted that the serendipity the brutal regime has potrayed to the world has been shred to litters, much much more than what several UNHRC resolutions could have done. Are you now going to say that you have to include the President in your adversarial list too?
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essie / November 18, 2013
Your piece seems to be based on the assumption that the international media is always wrong and the GOSL supporters always right. That is downright dangerous, because there are some appalling facts that cannot be ignored; these should have been addressed, not hidden.
Mr. Nonis was impressive. No doubt about that.His answers however were only reiteration of what the GOSL has been saying all along-a complete denial of wrong doing; a foolish exercise, but i guess he had to do it.
As for the likes of Mr Azwer and Mervyn Silva, they should be put under house-arrest when SL problems are open to international scrutiny. Unfortunately they seem to be useful members of the GOSL PR machine.
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Lankamithra / November 18, 2013
“Right people are not at the right places, and wrong people are making things much more difficult for the government.” Quite right!, who put incompetent people in those people. Well NEPOTISM has been the policy of Rajapaksa familial regime. It was the very President’s brother ( a US citizen) who set the standard of going berserk … The world is not blind and demented, wasn’t it the very president’s brother who arranged a false passport for the LTTE butcher Karuna Amman. Isn’t he a Minister in the familial Rajapakse regime. The other thug is the regime Mervyn Silva was publicly warning “suddhas” the British that they will soon have to leave UK and find some other place to live. Rajapaksas cannot hide behind the four letters LTTE to justify all the thuggery, erosion of freedom of speech and corruption. Where is the very General Sarath Fonseka who was instrumental in winning the war against terrorism.
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Lankamithra / November 18, 2013
The MP Azwer cannot even engage in a discussion in a civilised manner. He was referring to child soldiers recruited by LTTE, but the very LTTE butcher who masterminded the engagement of child soldiers Karuna Amman is sitting in the parliament with Azwer. Well Azwer made a good suggestion to probe those heinous crimes .. let the Commonwealth then start inquiries by probing the very architect and commander of the killer army of Karuna Amman. Helping terrorists also a crime why then Azwer ask the President the question why his brother organised a false passport for Karuna and why the high ranking terrorist is still free. ?? When one is inebriated with subservience and vested interest one becomes oblivious to the facts and truth… one becomes not only myopic but demented as well. Azwer has publicly proven it for the whole world to see.
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bbs dayan / November 18, 2013
Aswar should pray to Allah that instead of the Tigers it is Bodu Bala Sena who will get him at the end of all this flattery of the Sinhala Buddhist regime. Lets face it, the Sihalese have more in common with the tamils than they have with the muslims…even if they abandon sharia as the law for sri lanka.
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Lankamithra / November 18, 2013
Rasika sending FYI:
“A group of Tory MPs of the British ruling party were banned to travel to Colombo while the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) is in progress, to defend the Sri Lanka government’s actions during the war and the alleged human rights abuses according to an article published in the London Daily Telegraph last week.
According to British Telegraph, the all expenses paid trip was leaked after the Sri Lankan High Commissioner in London, Dr. Chris Nonis publicly boasted of the move at the meeting.”
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Javi / November 18, 2013
Even school kids can see the lie. Puhul hora Karen daney or Midas has donkey’s years.
There was nothing diplomatic about Nonis- just another executive speaker in a debating team- shameful to say the least because of the atrocities committed on own people irrespective of ethnicity.
After all MacWoods was nationalised by the governing party and conveniently sold to his family business. Times they are changing to coffee break so why bother about this brand selling in the UK.
If it comes to it I like Dera Dun goldleaf tea from Sanskrit land where its spoken.
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Spring Koha / November 18, 2013
Rasika
Good topical and pertinent points.
Azwer: He was a nightmare. Who let him loose? Not only that, he scoffed all my favourite short eats too. Doesn’t Keheliya have any power to keep these guys muzzled?
Nonis: So sad to see a man squander his talents and erudition reciting a mantra for a tainted cause. All to fatten his chairmen’s contact book? I wander what the grandees of the Mendis-Nonis clan would say if they saw him hob-nobbing with the parvenu’s of this regime – never mind espousing their denials.
MR: The questions were really not unexpected; he has been round the block and he knows what journalists are capable of. Perhaps he thought his minders wouldn’t let them get through. He batted the questions with effortless ease – truth to tell, he had the answers well rehearsed.
All in all this was a shitty debacle for the PEOPLE of Sri Lanka. Our ruling regime are thick skinned and life will go on for them as if nothing happened; but our people will go on forever.
This was a case of third time unlucky. In 1971 when Sirima’s GOSL (with help from ‘friends’) gave the JVP a good hiding, no one asked questions. In 1987-89 when Premadasa (again with help from ‘friends’) gave the JVP another good hiding, no one noticed. This time the perpetrators were not so lucky (those blasted cameras had been invented and some of the people escaped to tell tales).
This is a text book lesson; Governments should not hosts such high profile events before the ghosts of events passed have been properly exorcised and laid to rest.
MR and the GOSL can clone as many Nonis’s as are required for the business at hand but until the issues are addresses and satisfactorily resolved none of us will be able to move on and find the peace our people rightly deserve.
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Crazyoldmansl / November 18, 2013
So what this Sinhala Buddhist is suggesting is that better people be hired to “manage global perception” so that “impunity, the subversion of the independence of the judiciary and an increasing ideological collusion between the government and the opposition” is perceived by the international community as “democracy”. This is “pulling the wool over the eyes” of the world and this is what this specimen advocates.
What the CHOGM has effectively achieved is the exposure of this kind of thinking and this kind of attitude and this kind of politics of deception and cunning. It is usually called fascism and in Sri Lanka it is called sinhala buddhism. Now the whole world knows what it is dealing with in Sri Lanka.
All those who actively worked with this sinhala buddhist machine must be identified and prosecuted for adopting and attempting to implement a fascist ideology at the expense of all minorities and for turning sri lanka into an ugly, violent place where people live in fear of the government and where Rape, torture and murder reign supreme with absolute impunity.
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Yehiya / November 18, 2013
Why send only Azwar where Merwin,Wimal&mahindananda
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Palayang yako! / November 18, 2013
Rasika Jayakody (as usual) is trying to salvage something resembling dignity out of the circus performed by buffoons, liars and thugs during the CHOGM. However, as someone points out Nonis’ Oxbridge pretensions in delivery cannot conceal the fact that he is obfuscating and lying through his teeth. The only difference between him and Azwer is the quality of English grammar and syntax, not matters of fact.
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Anil / November 18, 2013
Nonis said that we are a vibrant democracy that cherishes the freedom of speech and divergent views. The CJ 43 was impeached because of her divergent views. Nonis referred to the LLRC report but did not talk of implementing it fully.
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Devion / November 18, 2013
This honorable idiot Aswar thinks shouting like an idiot over everybody will prove his point( the technique he practices successfully in our parliament and that is why he is therefor).
LTTE committed mistakes and the commonwealth punished them. They banned LTTE in their country after listening to UN(child soldiers issue) announced LTTE as a terrorist organization etc. The maximum that can be done was done and that was one the main causes for the FALL of LTTE because of their isolation.\
Now this idiot thinks that he manipulate the international community by clinging in to KOTIYA all along and get away from what has been done. Tamils have an issue here, LTTE brought it out but in a wrong way, now it’s the time to sort it in a civilized way.
Dr.Nonis might have practiced a thousand times above dialogues. Well organized and presented like a per-programmed human robot. “Srilanka is a democracy” Srilanka is a Democracy” yea we know that and that is why we are offering you so much aids, loans tax relieves and asking QUESTIONS about your attitudes.
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Frodo / November 18, 2013
What Dr Nonis uttered is the same rubbish that has always come out of this administration. I will not even bother to listen to the other clown for he has no credibility whatsoever. What is coming out loud and clear is that the Sri Lankan judiciary has been destroyed and is incapable of anything close to an internal impartial investigation. What is also loud and clear is that the abuse of human rights did not stop with the end of the war but has continued unchecked and was on display while the CHOGM was going on. The intimidation of CH4 the assault on Sirikotha and the Tamils who were traveling to attend this event. The tailing of journalists by the secret service and the questioning of those who spoke to them all examples of blatant abuse right under the international communities nose and this Dr thinks he can go on coolly making stuff up. Also one more point that needs to be made is this attempt to lump all those who protest as being unpatriotic LTTE sympathizers. This is far from the reality. There are very patriotic members of the armed forces who themselves having been dismayed at the treatment of their own commander in chief released video clips they has taken to people who then carried them onto CH4. That is how CH4 got the videos. The videos are not fake and those that took measures to get them to the international press are our war heroes themselves. So quit lying and insulting a nations collective outrage.
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reeza / November 18, 2013
Rasika seems to be overwhelmingly impressed by Nonis speech and tone of delivery. That of course, compared with Azwers. At the end of the day, is that all that matters? Remember, this is not a debate organised by the English Literary Association of a gents school. What we are dealing with here is real ground reality facts. Whatever the oratorical skills of the speaker, what really matters in the end is the truth. And to this extent, Nonis was a bluff while Azwer was an emotional bulwark, doing his best to deliver his point as best as he could . Simply put, human wrongs and human rights cannot be glossed away by ‘gentlemanly’ and ”civilised’ bluffing of facts and the emotional outbursts of the speaker has to be considered within this context. Azwers bone of contention was that the international community and Britain in particular has no right to dictate terms to a country like Sri Lanka which has its own constitutional set-up, while ignoring their own transgressions in places like Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan. Remember, US Drones, like Nonis also deliver their target in a silent and ‘civilised’ manner. But they are deadly, nevertheless although Nonis’ delivery was harmless and only meant to appease and cajole the international community into acceptance of Sri Lankas predicament in the current context. Cameron can act as a God among the displaced and homeless people of Sri Lanka. But his motives are open to question when his next ‘godly’ assignment was to head to the airshow in Dubai to arrange for the sale of deadly fighters in a questionalble arms deal. Sheer muscle power and crude business deals involving weapons of mass destruction make a mockery of his call for an international inquiry into human rights involving a country which battled the worst form of terrorism for over 30 years.Azwer is no sweet tongued orator and can be foul-mouthed most of the time. However, his point should not be dismissed merely on impressive and ‘gentlemanly’ oratory. True politicians are never gentlemen and that includes Cameron, Nonis as well as Azwer.
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A. Sellathurai / November 18, 2013
Prof. G.L. Peiris’s voice should have been echoed most during this International conference days. As things are going, it would not be a surprise if Hon. Azwer gets GLP’s post soon.
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Keith Fitzgerald / November 18, 2013
Dr. Nonis’ responses may have been calm and articulate…But they were also untruthful propaganda (also known as lies). Many of us who accuse the Sri Lankan Government of war crimes also condemned the war crimes and terrorism of the LTTE. The LTTE leaders got their punishment. The Government of Sri Lanka still has not been tried for suspected crimes (many of which continue).
His attempt to compare the Sri Lankan LLRC with the South African Truth & Reconciliation Commission and to call the LLRC “restorative justice” are completely illegitimate (laughable, in fact). In South Africa, it was the VICTIMS of Apartheid (black South Africans) who set-up the TRC and decided to forgive the crimes of apartheid in exchange for admission of the truth and confessions for crimes, abuses, and atrocities. Those who committed the atrocities had to subject themselves to TRC hearings and confess, or risk prosecution.
Real “restorative justice” in Sri Lanka would mean the TNA arranging for hearings and offering Sri Lankan officials (and soldiers and police) a chance to confess their crimes in exchange for amnesty — or risk prosecution and conviction. There is no such process in Sri Lanka…You don’t get to call it “justice” and move on until the VICTIMS say it’s okay to move on…
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sach / November 19, 2013
Really did you condemn the war crimes of LTTE? What did you do to stop the LTTE? Did you reveal their fund raising networks? How did you speak about the victims of of suicide bombs and massacres at border villages? Please give me a link to a single article. I would like to read cos I haven’t seen any.
And what sort of crimes? There is no substantial evidence to say there were crimes against humanity or even war crimes. The ones that is aired on Channel 4 itself is execution of ex ltte. How can anyone say it is a gov policy. True that gov’s inaction in punishing soldiers for execution has gotten themselves in a difficult situation, but still how does it prove any war crimes by the gov? British soldiers killed Afgan civilians and minor punishments were given to the perpetrators. How would you call it? Are the war crimes? The victims here are civilians unlike SL case.
Many people compare Sri Lankan issue with many countries like even Ruwanda. That too is laughable. Not only comparing South African truth & Reconciliation commission with LLRC is laughable comparing South Africa with SL too is laughable. There was discriminatory policies in SL but they are hardly similar to the ones that were in South Africa.
Saying restorative justice in SL would mean TNA arranging for hearings and offering SL officials a chance to confess is not only humorous but pathetically hypocritical. What is TNA? It was the proxy of LTTE that killed people in this country. This man speaks as if North was functioning well and LTTE was having a legitimate gove and SL gov sent forces and killed civilians there. Do you have any idea of the ground situation in SL or even the nature of the conflict in SL. It is not only the terrorist funders in diaspora but also the ignorant western terrorist apologetics that create problems in SL who think they are very important to come and solve problems in the third world. If I put everything in a single sentence man you know nothing you talk about here.
Btwn I expect your answers.
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Dawn Dale / November 19, 2013
“It is not only the terrorist funders in diaspora but also the ignorant western terrorist apologetics that create problems in SL who think they are very important to come and solve problems in the third world. If I put everything in a single sentence man you know nothing you talk about here.”
truest statement. ‘could not agree with you more.. Neo colonialism rearing its ugly head. “White” think only they can explain the truth when no one has a worse record than “white-west” on human rights for the last 500 years.
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Javi / November 21, 2013
(゜゜)～ Btwn I expect your answers.(゜゜)～
Mugabe Loves You konde badhapu appu!
Male Cows Fly we are the Emptiness.
0:3
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sach / November 20, 2013
I am expecting Keith Fitzgerald’s answer….
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dave / November 21, 2013
Well, Britons killed thousands of civilians in World war 2, was there any inquiry for that.. Only lost Germans face all inquiries… because Briton was in winning side. just mind your own business…
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Javi / November 22, 2013
Hinayana Buddhist Thailand the only country that has never been ruled by foreigners gave the Japanese free passage to kill their neighbours during WW2. Many a Northern Ceylonese in the British Army fought at Rangoon and died for the cause of freedom from fascist while Sinhala Buddhist assisted the fascist Japanese.
Seen the photos of gore at Nanjing where the Japanese bayoneted Chinese babies and lifted it up saying they were dirty and inferior. Only your darling darling Japanese bend over when they greet you and kiss you with dosh. Why so? Strange: Japan has never formally acknowledged its military aggression. Nor has the Japanese nation publicly apologized for its crimes against humanity. Yes, the Japanese butchered millions of unarmed Asian men, women, and children. But the Japanese also butchered hundreds of thousands of military and civilian personnel who were not of Asian descent.- The fascist need 2 more big boys to drown the pipsqueaks
Everyone’s adversary talks nonsense don’t you think so! ;)
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kali / November 22, 2013
Dave you Moron,
You really are stupid idiot.
For your information Britain didnt start the War. Germans started the War ( like MR the Criminal) and Britain fought against the Nazis. By the way take some English lessons otherwise write in Sinkalam.
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Suganthan / November 18, 2013
The phrases used by the writer like “strong propaganda initiated by pro-LTTE Diaspora demonizing the Sri Lankan” and ” influenced by western super powers who are strongly gravitated towards the pro-LTTE Diaspora, narrowing the chances of a fair and impartial hearing” are more hilarious than Azwer’s blabber. According to the author a few hundred thousand Tamil diaspora (of them a few thousand may be pro-LTTE) effectively control the decision making power of worlds “SUPER POWERS”. Doesnt this seem too funny? Writers like Rasika are one of the main reason for the current situation of Sri Lankan, deepening polarization between ethnic groups by seeding pointless poisonous bullshit.
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Kiri Yakka / November 18, 2013
Raskia, wrong analysis. Azwer’s reaction was authentic and keeping with government policies. It displayed real native anger expressed with native finesse.
While Dr. Nonis’s response seems to be a practice session from his last ellectcution class – where instead of reading “Peter Rabbit” he ahs been voice trained on “LTTE Terrorism and the the Tamil Diaspora” – a story that the foreign media has long stopped buying. Repeating in the same does not help unless Dr.Dayan Jayatillake is rehired to give it Marxist Lennist twist – like Anton Did for the LTTE. But for those who could not afford Ellocaution classes Nonis’s response remain massively impressive.
Glad you see a future for your self in advising the natives in power of manners that others find missing.
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Lanka Liar / November 19, 2013
Azwer is an LTTE agent. He was planted there to tarnish the image if Sri Lana. Keep up Azwer
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Deshapriya / November 18, 2013
Rasika
You miss a few crucial facts:
1. Journalists like drama. So they prefer Defense Secretary’s broken English, belligerent bumbling to the Dr Nonis’ polished articulate delivery. Have you see the Hard Talk as on BBC where they show Gothabya pointing an angry finger? So regardless they always try to interview the crazy one
2. Dr. Nonis and likes will be considered elitist and disconnected by patronizing foreigners, especially the NGO/UN crowd very much because of their fluency and polished accents. So we have the talk, but the currency of what they say is not as effective.
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