Wigneswaran
Betrayal manifests itself in many forms among which are that of an urbane, pious, and on the face of it, a pacifist. These are the sentiments expressed about Wigneswaran by a lot of those who toiled expending blood and treasure to mobilize the political establishments in Tamil Nadu and the West in the fight for the right of Tamils to forge their own destiny.
Educated at Royal College, Wigneswaran’s peers included cricket captain Wile, ruggerite ‘Roti’ Sivaratnam, and Karthigesu Dharmachandran. Many believe that this is a man who sees himself as being a Sri Lankan rather than a Tamil, and, yet seeks to lead the Tamil nation in that island. Some argue that he has no option but to embrace this identity because conservative Tamil society brand his progeny as being “half-caste”.
The Vedic chants, which he is fond of reciting at the beginning and end of speeches, and, the holy ash he smears on his forehead are seen as a mask he wears to hide his true intent. That is, to sell Tamils in Sri Lanka short, very very short!
People say he has “no dog in the fight” in the Tamils struggle for freedom while others ponder its pedigree.
The most shocking omission of all is Wigneswaran’s failure to robustly tackle the issue of war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated Sri Lanka’s forces on the constituency he seeks to represent –the most heinous atrocity of the twenty-first century. Forty thousand innocent Tamil civilians were slaughtered in the final stages of the civil war and over a hundred thousand remain unaccounted for in the Wanni region of the Northern Province.
Contrast this with him loudly protesting “illegal” impeachment of a Sinhala chief justice – his relative silence on the former is deafening!
Of note are his familial links to a serving cabinet minister in the Rajapaksa regime at the time it unleashed this holocaust.
His elevation by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to be their chief ministerial candidate is reflective of a malign trend within itself. That is, to promote an out of touch cabal of Colombo based lawyers at the expense of sons of the soil. Many look at this with dismay as history repeating itself. After all, it was the myopic, self-serving acts of a similar cabal of Colombo based lawyers at the helm of the predecessor to the TNA, the Illankai Tamil Arasu Katchi, that brought about the structural debilitation of Tamil society in Sri Lanka.
Wigneswaran is a septuagenarian. Many in the diaspora and Tamil Nadu will continence the brickbats he hurls at them, because they see him as a means to an end. That is, to show the rest of the world the intransigence of the Sinhala supremacist state. There exists a view that his time has come but it will also go soon; very soon! And, he fails to appreciate that without the enormous pressure brought to bear by Tamil Nadu and the diaspora, both the Tamils in Sri Lanka and the TNA will now have been reduced to naught, with his Vedic chants or not!
If Wigneswaran genuinely wishes to retain any semblance of credibility among those whom he seeks to represent, or pay heed to the Hindu philosophy that he so publically touts, he needs to bring to the fore the genocide that they had to endure and seek redress for them in multilateral fora.
More so because he is supposed to be an eminent jurist!
Else, by deliberate act or omission he will be seen as being complicit in whitewashing of these crimes, and, his name will become synonymous with that name in Tamil which singularly describes the act of most heinous treachery –Ettappan!
Fairplay in action / July 23, 2013
So! The Tamil LTTE Diaspora talks of “Half Castes” and wants CONFLIcT and not PEACE in Sri Lanka.
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Raja / July 24, 2013
Let the Tamil diaspora integrate into the countries that they have immigrated to for economic reasons. Their children do not speak Tamil. They are economic migrants. We Sri Lankan Tamils can take care of their own affairs and do not need direction from expatriate Tamils in Canada, Norway and the like. It is we alone who will decide our own destiny. Wigneswaran is a good choice. He is erudite. He is educated. He is articulate. And he decided to remain in Sri Lanka rather than migrate overseas. He is an excellent candidate.
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Raja / July 24, 2013
typo – ‘we can take care of our own affairs’
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Tamil Diaspora Activist / July 24, 2013
“We Sri Lankan Tamils can take care of their own affairs” is a euphemism for English speaking Tamil lawyers to seek power standing corpses of 40,000 innocent Tamils slaughtered by the genocidal Sinhala supremacist state.
If Wigneswaran is establish any sense of credibility his first actions need to seek redress for these dead souls in multilateral fora!
He also must seek justice for the 100,000 Tamil civilians still unaccounted for.
Otherwise he will be no different to other Tamil leaders who used innocents as fodder to gain power!
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Ramesh / July 24, 2013
Tamils in Sri Lanka will decide what is needed. Wigneswaran is a man of credibility unlike you who ran away from the island and writes without a byline
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / July 24, 2013
Tamil Diaspora Activist;
You, SO CALLED TAMIL DIASPORA ACTIVISTS are always looking for CATS FAWS to Do your Dirty jobs,
But NOT THIS TIME.
You have met a TATER this time .
so try to look another way to full fill your day dreams.
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Native Vedda / July 24, 2013
Tamil Diaspora Activist
Are you Gota’s man in Tamil Diaspora?
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M.SIVANANTHAN / July 26, 2013
Accountability? It is a joke for Tamils, specially who support LTTE.
Can you tell the number of the LTTE terrorists killed in the last days of war?
What is that 40,000? Is it including the LTTE deaths? or all the LTTE morons became “civilians’ after the death?
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Nabil / July 27, 2013
the coward with a Tamil Name !:)
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Spring Koha / July 27, 2013
Redress for the dead souls, justice for the missing, may not have been needed if the ‘TDA’ and his ilk had stayed and guided the tamil community through a different channel to redress their grievances with the GOSL instead of leaving their fortunes in the hands of a megalomaniac. The best that Tamils in the Diaspora who have not succeeded in settling down to normal lives in their adopted communities can do is, either return to SL and pursue their lost dreams, or spend the rest of their miserable days pumping gas and parking cars, or perhaps running an ubiquitous Sri Lankan grocery store now much appreciated in the cities of the west.
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kali / July 26, 2013
Raja or dear Raja how much have you been paid to write this rubbish. You are a Sinkalam man
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kali / July 26, 2013
Raja I agree with you to some extent but without outside help the Thugs in Sri Lanka will not yield an inch. I hate to disagree with you but it is 63 years since independence and it was not possible to achieve anything from within except death and destruction and look at the ruins of Tamil Land.
The majority Sinhalese will never give you anything willingly and why do you think Ranil is in the wilderness for so long. That is because the vast majority of the Sinhalese perceive him to be too sympathetic to the Tamils which is not correct but that is the perception
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Bensen Burner / July 23, 2013
Give him a break
Bensen
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AR / July 23, 2013
Bensen Burner
Earlier you said you had reservation about this candidacy. It appears that you piece of shit wrote this article. Who pays you?
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Tamil Diaspora Activist / July 24, 2013
Of course he deserves a break…when he stand-up does the right thing at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva for those innocent souls slaughtered by the Sri Lankan state.
Till then he need to be hounded.
NAY, HE DESERVES TO BE HOUNDED!
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Raman / July 24, 2013
Tamil Diaspora Activist
You do not speak for those of us who remain in Sri Lanka as Tamils of this land. Wigneswaran is the ideal candidate. We have had enough of the politics that you represent. Why not you come back home and contest?
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DW / July 24, 2013
you are an idiot….sorry that Tamil Daspora has been sitting on their heads rahter than on their reat!
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Mahela / July 23, 2013
Firstly I doubt the true identity of the author. Secondly, this smells and sounds a typical Sri Lankan smear instinct intent at attacking the candidate, as so comprehensively done on ITN, Rupavahini channels to discredit and defame the presidential candidate General Fonseka. Hate campaign they did, but these channels lost all credibility!
Justice (Retd.) Vigneswaran is certainly the best candidate the Tamils can field, at least of those still with Lankan citizenship…to find a better one would be to bring God to life! In essence, your article is perfumed excrement! You judge the man even before he became the CM! How unfair…again this proves your crass Sri Lankan instinct much in need of therapy.
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Tamil Diaspora Activist / July 24, 2013
This is no smear but pointing out salient facts.
So far Wignewaran has failed raise the issue of 80,000 Tamil war widows who face ongoing and persistent sexual exploitation by the Sinhalese Sri Lankan army!
He was not dealt with the slaughter of Mullaivaikal!
He has no addressed the issue of over a 100,000 civilians who vanished in the Northern province between 2007 and 2009.
When he has the courage to this then we will disappear to where we cam from. Till then, his omissions deserve to be brightly highlighted!
He has been built up as some kind of saint, let us see whether he will trod this path.
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David Blacker / July 24, 2013
What is deemed important to the diaspora isn’t necessarily important to SL Tamils, and it is the latter who will vote for this man, not you. As a “diaspora activist” you should be cognizant of this.
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Raman / July 24, 2013
David
Well said. I do not think that this diaspora activist even represents the majority of Tamils living overseas who are largely apolitical. Its a small pro LTTE cabal that is noisy.
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Tamil Diaspora Activist / July 25, 2013
“Raman” stay off the meds…Tamils decide who wins government in both Canada and the UK. If they get themselves organised it will include Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and new Zealand.
But, in case you missed it, they have held the balance of power in India for two decades!
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David Blacker / July 25, 2013
But as long as they remain out of touch with both the needs and the sentiments of the SL Tamils, they will have no weight in the balance of SL Tamil opinion. You are alienating yourselves not just from Sri Lanka, but the SL Tamils you are no longer part of.
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dingiri / July 25, 2013
Wow! Congrats! Looks like they are well on their way to world domination! What then is their problem? Havent brought little Sri Lanka under their domination yet? Perhaps, being a judge, Justice Wigneswaran does not believe there is any evidence to support your wild claim of 80,000 widows and “persistant sexual exploitation by the army”. Perhaps, being a judge he sees through the motives for such claims and can make the distinction between propaganda and fact. And perhaps that is why he has not raised the “issue”.
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Tamil Diaspora Activist / July 24, 2013
Tamils in Sri Lanka have no voice and those who speak freely are “White Vanned”!
Furthermore, Genocide is not a local issue -IT IS A GLOBAL ONE.
So stop this nonsense about what is important for “SL Tamils”
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Native Vedda / July 24, 2013
Tamil Diaspora Activist
“Tamils in Sri Lanka have no voice and those who speak freely are “White Vanned”!”
My elders remind me that during LTTE’s misrule Tamils opened their mouth only to feed themselves.
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Tamil Diaspora Activist / July 25, 2013
Perhaps, but the LTTE is dead and gone and do you see me anywhere either seeking defend or justify its actions?
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David Blacker / July 25, 2013
Your mantra is the same as the LTTE’s, ie “We are the sole representatives of the Tamils”. Unfortunately for your silly government in exile, it is the SL Tamils who have the vote, not you, and the further you alienate yourself from them, the less say you will have in their affairs.
The recent history of the Tamil diaspora is a lesson in stupidity, failure, and the inability to learn from mistakes. From waving Tiger flags and preventing international intervention in 2009, to opposing the TNA, you are your cause’s worst enemies.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / July 26, 2013
David Blacker,
The recent history of the Sri Lankan government is also one of stupidity, failure, and the inability to learn from mistakes of the past.
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran.
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Hela / July 26, 2013
Dr,
The debate David having has nothing to do with your ‘koheda yanne malle pol’ interference.
You might contribute better to the discussion if you can add or deduct from/to what DB argues with regard to the diaspora claims.
Otherwise you can start a separate debate on GOSL.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / July 26, 2013
Hela,
Malle pol gedi dekkak thiyanawa. Ekak Demala Diaporage moda pol gediya! Anitheka ape aanduwe moda pol gediya. Dekkama yanne eka pathatai- Rata vinaasa keranda.
( There are two coconuts in the basket. One is the Foolish Tamil Diaspora coconut. The other is the foolish government coconut. Both are going in the same direction to destroy this country)
I think my comment you are referring, placed both parties, one no better than the other, in the same plane of foolishness/ idiocy.
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
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David Blacker / July 29, 2013
No doubt, Dr Narendran; but what has that go to do with the diaspora’s failure to influence events in favour of the SL Tamils? It is that subject that I am referring to.
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M.SIVANANTHAN / July 26, 2013
More Tamil women became widows because LTTE killed their husbands. Do you have the number of Tamil people killed by LTTE criminals?
Vanni which was carved out to LTTE by Ranil. Thousands of Tamils vanished under the LTTE rule.
You bark at the wrong tree!
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / July 23, 2013
Tamil Diaspora Activist;
Writings of this article looks like TGTE Usha Sri SkandRajah’s
Anyway Why don’t you Invite to Rudrakumaran to contest for the chief ministerial post.
War Crimes First Done By You Eelmists and by later by the ALL COOKS.
After spoiling the Soup,
now Barking for human rights.
You did not care about human rights, S L Governance either.
so now you are asking Wigneswaran’s failure to robustly tackle the issue of war crimes and crimes against humanity .
It was you, Eelamist’s and Government’s responsibility to stop the war crimes and crimes against humanity .
But my vote [ a Buddhist Sinhalese vote from Maileddy] will not go to him [to rudra,or KP, DAYA MASTER or Sughanthiraparevi] even though he is a lawyer [lower].
but to Panaikotte Hon Wigneswaran .
And most of us expect, one day Mr Sumthitharan will be our President of Sri Lanka.
not any ELAMIST,uneducated Cheaters, liars or kudu thugs.
Because there is a reason for that,
Until now,
Still he is considering him self as a Sri Lankan.
NOT A DIASPORA EELAMIST LIke YOU PEOPLE.
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Saba / July 23, 2013
I request the Editor of Colombo Telegraph to keep an eye on Donald J Gnanakone who insults everyone in this forum.
How many pseudonyms and how many enemies he has?
He knows everything about everyone but not about himself.
Writing insulting comments is his full time job and life time achievement.
I feel sorry for him.
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Donald J Gnanakone / July 23, 2013
Yakko, Editor knows me very well. I do not mince my words and call a freaking spade a spade.
My record is public much before 1983 July, whether is Parliament or courthouses or outhouses.
BTW, I do not write on bogus/fictitious names like most of the Bayagullahs including you, backboneless and spineless bum.
As for this article I agree. But it is unfair to attack Mr.W as an Ettapan nor will he be one. He has not betrayed or sold out any Tamil whether from the bench or from Cinnamon Gardens. He like any other government servant or Tamil lawyer looked after himself, and provided well for his family. He has been an honest judge and I have heard from very reliable sources that he has made some comments from the bench, supporting Tamil human rights. I do not have the details but I have requested it from those same sources, who are attorneys from Hultsdorf.
He also studied Sinhalese at Royal like his classmate Rotti Seevaratnam (Former Chairman of Aitken Spence and Export Dev. Board)and all others of that vintage (Born in 1939)and got his promotions and increments in government service by passing the Sinhalese exams.
His Sinhalese btw is better than Ranil’s. lol. (From the little I heard on his English interview with DM, but he was a judge). Even Pilots @Air Ceylon have to pass their Sinhalese to get their increments and I knew young Tamil Pilots like Capt Pathy’s two sons from India were busy studying Sinhalese to earn their increments. (LMAO). That really pissed me off in 1969, when I received a letter asking me whether I was competent in Sinhalese from the Personal Manager Tissa Fonseka.
I did not fight on this occasion, but chose to use by charm and wit, 54 years ago. lol. Many Sinhala pilots themselves could not read or write in Sinhalese, although they all were Sinhala Patriots.
As I said on many an occasion, both Sampanthan and Wigneswaran have done a big favor to Mavai Senathirajah, Sivaganam, Vidyaharan, and Prof Sittrampalm. Now he can use his linguistic skills and family connections (Nannayakaras and Gunasekeras and not the new claim of being distantly related to Sir Ponnampalam Ramanathan or President Chandrika) to talk to the Rajapakses, diplomats in Colombo and the foreign governments (lol), and obtain funds to operate the NPC. W should not be begging the MOD/UDA for funds and permission to do work in the NP, or KP or the Major Generals.
Let us see, when he is going to talk about my dead relatives and friends who were massacred (100,000 or more)in Mullivaikal 5 years ago. As CM he needs to protect the 80,000 widows from rape and torture or sexual harassment as well as the spreading of drugs, alcohol, and porn corrupting the Tamil/Sinhala youth. (The 150,000 Sinhala youth are in the army and hundreds of thousands of Tamil youth from 16 to 29). The KUDU Silvas in Colombo are sending tons of different drugs into Colombo with the obvious help of the army, distributed by certain Tamil politicians and thugs, who are protected by the military. These guys are still armed with their own private army.
Let all the Tamils support the Sampanthan/RAW selected Wigneswaran as the office is more important than the person who occupies the chair temporarily. Best Wishes to Mr. W.
Donald Gnanakone
Tamils For Justice.
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Raja / July 24, 2013
How Tamil is Donald – with a name like Donald Duck. We do not need arm chair activists residing abroad. Come back home and contest the elections yourself then!!
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / July 24, 2013
Saba;
You are beating around the bush.
you canot be the hound and the rabbit at the same time
You have Another agenda. but it will not be fulfilled.
very sorry for your status.
what connection you have with K A S [ LEELA].
Are you pointing finger at me or you want to insult others.
we do not take your insults, so keep them for yourself,
When you need to insult your self , use them.
sadly,
JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA
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Samaya / July 24, 2013
Hi Amare,
are u known to this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-mDgCVl3GI
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Sureka p. / July 23, 2013
How would he condemn war crimes etc. when he was living a retired life!?? Of course, if elected CM he could take stances based on his mandate, position…come on, no retired judge of the superior courts (at least from the old school where there was class..) would should and riot! This is not the life they led during their career while upholding the independence of the judiciary. Perhaps you could have chosen the infamous and dishonourable Mohan Peiris to pick on….for he surely has much you could write and spill while holding onto your credibility…but this man, I do not think so!
He has way too much integrity and credibility…enough to make all of us jealous!
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crazyoldmansl / July 23, 2013
One thing that I can guarantee is that he will not dance to the tune of India.
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NAK / July 26, 2013
Don’t you bet your marbles!
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Mrs. Waduge / July 23, 2013
Actually Mr. Sampanthan deserves credit for fielding such a candidate of honor and caliber, which has already undermined and exposed the weakness in character and lack of credibility/integrity/choice or class of the ruling brothers and their opportunistic band of insincere flies.
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Fernando / July 23, 2013
This so called ‘Tamil Diaspora Activist’, is either a Christian or written with negative intention.
If he or she is raising a valid point, why reluctant to identify?
I will consider what was written by this author as pure RUBBISH!
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / July 23, 2013
agreed with you,
Not this author as pure RUBBISH,
but pig shit Christian or
from the diyawannaoya piggery nominated like lee potter agency,
who wants to discredit Hon Wigneswaran
,as he is a Educated Tamil Hindu and gone / going against the RAJAPASSA regime.
Not Like present Cheap Justice.
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Christian / July 24, 2013
“This so called ‘Tamil Diaspora Activist’, is either a Christian…”. When you are not sure either way, the done thing is to be politically correct in the public forum even if you can’t be in your private life.
Fernando, Please leave us Christians alone. We get enough bashing in these columns already.
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Correct-the-Record / July 24, 2013
Fernando and JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA obviously do not like Christians. There are lots of Hindus (eg. Tamils for Obama) who have issued statements against Justice Wigneswaran. Fernando and JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA are simply communalists who love beating up on Christians. I think they should apply to BBS and the BJP for membership.
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Raja / July 24, 2013
Tamils for Obama have zero standing in the Democratic Party. The fact remains that the church had sponsored Tamil separatism to drive a wedge between Buddhists and Hindus so that they could continue with their campaign of religious conversions. Wigneswaran is a good candidate who will unite Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims as it ought to be.
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / July 24, 2013
C T R;
You have misunderstanding on the comments.
I have nothing to share and fight with Christians,
I assume same with commenter Fernando.
I just commented on an individual called Tamil Diaspora Activist,
I hoped few decades back,
THE Hon Lakshman Kadiragamar , A good Christian Tamil, Will be our Next Prime minister, Before Raja passa.
And You have to understand that,
most of the Diaspora Tamils and Few Sinhalese are converted as Christians for Personal gains and other perks,
not for the Spirituality or Understanding of the religion.
Personally, I do not to like hurt any body, for any reasons.
SO YOU HAVE TO TAKE BACK your words,
” JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA are simply communalists who love beating up on Christians. I think they should apply to BBS and the BJP for membership.
Suite to yourself and wear them.
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Anura / July 26, 2013
Hello Amaraya Mahatha,
You said “And You have to understand that,
most of the Diaspora Tamils and Few Sinhalese are converted as Christians for Personal gains and other perks”
I got hurt and I called you a BALAYA for writing this sort of personal opinion.. I simply do not agree with you, I haven’t seen a simple case in my long life outside SL .. ANd I am a converter too..
On the other hand, when a small child start to believe or follow his/her Buddhist parents religious belief, isn’t that done for personal gain??… or it is child’s IRANAMA or KARUME or destine to become a Sinhalese Buddhist???
Anura
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NAK / July 26, 2013
This could be a starting salvo from the Senadhiraja camp!!
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David Blacker / July 23, 2013
Who exactly would you like as CM?
We’ll leave aside the mythical 40,000 dead for now.
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Native Vedda / July 23, 2013
David Blacker
“Who exactly would you like as CM?”
Why don’t you consider contesting the NPC?
“We’ll leave aside the mythical 40,000 dead for now.”
What is your realistic dead toll?
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Dev / July 23, 2013
zero -I thought we established that !
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David Blacker / July 23, 2013
Dev, we’re not talking about your IQ.
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Dev / July 23, 2013
oh you know my IQ do you? I guess it takes one to know one !
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David Blacker / July 24, 2013
Your IQ is clear from your idiotic comments.
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David Blacker / July 23, 2013
Firstly, Jungle Boy, the question was addressed to the author, not you. Second, why don’t you contest, instead of continuously asking others to do what you have neither the intelligence not the testicles to do yourself.
“What is your realistic dead toll?”
When I have evidence to support an estimate, I’ll let you know. What is your method; counting the stars?
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Burning_Issue / July 23, 2013
How do you unearth evidences without an investigation? First, GOSL should create a platform that is free and fair for people to come forward without fear; would you support such a situation?
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David Blacker / July 24, 2013
There must be enough evidence to support an investigation, just as there must be enough to support any judicial prosecution. Evidence to convict will come from the investigation itself. I certainly would support such a platform. and I believe the GoSL and the SL military should investigate cases of clear violations. I do not support and external investigation that doesn’t have enough evidence to support it.
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Native Vedda / July 24, 2013
David Blacker
“I believe the GoSL and the SL military should investigate cases of clear violations.”
Did LLRC uncover any truth?
Here is a news item that you might have chosen to ignore:
Sri Lankan army given clean chit by military court
Hindu
April 10, 2013
A Sri Lankan military court of inquiry has said that the Sri Lankan army was not responsible for any civilian casualty in the last stage of the military operations.
Following observations made by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) — appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa — on the army and allegations made by Channel 4, the Army Commander had convened the inquiry to investigate and submit a report.
Army commander Lieutenant-General Jagath Jayasuriya handed over the first part of the ‘Court of Inquiry Report’ to the Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Wednesday, according to an official statement of the army.
Zero civilian casualty
The report said the LTTE had violated international law with impunity by committing various unlawful acts. Army commanders, according to the report, obeyed the ‘zero civilian casualty’ directive given by the President, it said.
Part two of the report, which the army will now work on, will look into allegations made by Channel 4, in regard to summary executions of captured LTTE members, the official statement said.
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David Blacker / July 25, 2013
The LLRC wasn’t an investigation, and the GoSL must investigate sincerely any cases of clear violations; individual cases, such as the Trinco 5, ACF, etc.
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Native Vedda / July 24, 2013
David Blacker
“What is your method; counting the stars?”
Have you ever tried counting stars before? It is lots of fun. You should try if you are capable of counting beyond two digits.
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David Blacker / July 24, 2013
I don’t waste my time on futile pursuits, so why don’t you go out and have that fun instead of wasting people’s time with your foolish comments.
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Aney Apochchi! / July 24, 2013
David Blacker:
If one thought a village idiot’s outpourings were funny, you’d be amusing.
Unfortunately, about the only one who is probably impressed by your “wit” is probably the moron in your mirror.
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David Blacker / July 25, 2013
Aney Malpochchi, given your inability to ever engage with even a single article on this site, you should consider yourself fortunate that I pay some attention to your retarded mumblings :D
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Vichara / July 24, 2013
Please refer to Tamilnet reports on the killing of civilians. The total reported by the Tamilnet as it happened basis for the whole year 2009 is less than 10,000.This is also the figure given by Professor Francis Boyle who is active supporter of the Eelam project,immediately at the end of the war. He increase it to 50,000 within a few months.
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eureka / July 23, 2013
40, 4,000, or …..
What on earth did the army do inside the Vanni with A9 closed to the public till early 2010? What happened to the people who couldn’t get up and walk (some tugged at the feet of the upright beings) while hundreds of thousands just managed to drag themselves out of the warzone by 18 May 2009 – ICRC and the UN weren’t allowed into the warzone after the people stopped to emerge on 18 May 2009.
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David Blacker / July 24, 2013
Cleaning up after a war isn’t as easy as clearing up after a party. Have you ever seen a war zone? Or have you simply forgotten that the towns and villages had to be made safe for the IDPs — you know, those people you claimed were being kept in “concentration camps” forever?
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manisekaran / July 23, 2013
You have not got the concerns expressed by the author regardless whoever had written! Seems like CVW a sensible choice, however he was allegiance to governmnet which did war crimes even if the number is 15000 as agreed by you and colman. In most countries, judges are prohibhited to take political activities post their retirement, example In India, judges are paid out of consolidated fund and not allowed to work for any private, political or any assignment that accrues financial benefits. Why so? Any thoughts?Moreover though he may be a enlightened and sensible person, what is his track record of political work for Tamils upliftment in Srilanka? Seems like TNA out of pressure from India forced to choose CVW.( With all my fullest respect, it is just a view)
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Native Vedda / July 23, 2013
manisekaran
“In most countries, judges are prohibhited to take political activities post their retirement, example In India, judges are paid out of consolidated fund and not allowed to work for any private, political or any assignment that accrues financial benefits.”
This was what Arun Jaitley observed:
Judges’ verdicts are influenced by post-retirement jobs: Arun Jaitley
Edited by Janaki Fernandes | Updated: October 01, 2012 12:56 IST
http://www.ndtv.com/
New Delhi: Arun Jaitley, former Law Minister, has shared a scathing assessment of judges.
“There are two kinds of judges – those who know the law and those who know the Law Minister,” the BJP leader said over the weekend at a conference organized by the party’s legal cell. “We are the only country in the world where judges appoint judges,” he said, adding, “Even though there is a retirement age, judges are not willing to retire. “Pre-retirement judgements are influenced by post-retirement jobs.”
BJP chief Nitin Gadkari suggested a two-year wait should be mandatory for judges after they retire and before they are appointed to judicial commissions or tribunals.
“My suggestion is that for two years after retirement, there should be a gap (before appointment), because otherwise the government can directly or indirectly influence the courts and the dream to have an independent, impartial and fair judiciary in the country would never actualise,” Mr Gadkari said.
Reacting to Mr Jaitley’s statements, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said, “rather than cast aspersions by insinuation, he should have the conviction of saying certain things squarely, if he knows them to be true.”
“Being a former law minister, Mr Jaitley should know that certain statutory bodies can only be headed by serving and retired judges,” Mr Tewari said.
Mr Jaitley also spoke in favour of creating a National Judicial Commission which would have representatives of the judiciary, government and civil society to look after matters related to appointments and complaints against judges.
A few weeks ago, the Supreme Court ruled that the country’s information commissions – the national commission is flanked by one in every state- must be headed by either a retired or serving judge from a high court or the Supreme Court. Information commissions handle thousands of applications filed by the public under the Right to Information Act, which allows access to government documents. The judgement also said that every application or petition should be heard by two people -one of who must be a retired or serving judge or a lawyer with 20 years of experience. The verdict has been criticized for serving as an employment scheme for judges.
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Rev.Devil / July 24, 2013
Native, next time you please try to do a research on criminals and thugs who have no barriers to contest in any elections in India and Sri Lanka !!? In the meantime do you know that your chief Vanniyala Aththo is to travel in a double cap to collect bee honey in the thick jungles of Mahiyangane !!? Of course donated by our Omnipotent robber MR !!?
Further, this article clearly shows the dirty minds of the Jaffna people.They need another idiot to enjoy their pleasure at the expenses of poor Tamils. They do not need an intelligent and honest man.
We have seen enough ordinary Government officers in the Vanni, (Mannar, Vavuniya and Mullaithivu) and in Batti- grabbing lands and properties by cheating the poor in the area.We have seen enough cast discrimination in the hands of the Jaffna people. We have seen that 80% of the diaspora population is Jaffna Tamils while the same amount perished their life in the North east from outside of Jaffna. We have seen 80% of the top rankers in the LTTE were from Jaffna while the same amount sacrificed their life in the battle were from outside of Jaffna.
We have seen the Jaffna political jackals including the LTTE lying that standardisation was against the Tamils…. not knowing or out of fear we kept our mouth shut to say that poor students from the Vanni and the east were able to go to Universities because of standardisation.
When the LTTE announced that Tamils need not vote to select a Sri Lankan president, We dared not to question them ”how many millions of rupees you took as gift from the future president of Sri Lanka.
When the LTTE predators and and vultures of the Northern Catholic Church estimated to sacrifice about 350,000 lives at the last battle- claiming that the already sacrificed amount of lives were not enough to gain Tamil ealam,….did we ever protest !!?
So you criminal minded selfish Jaffna man under the guise of ”Tamil diaspora Activist” no wonder that you have the gut and believes that you can continue to cheat all the people all the time ??….What is your name man !!?
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Native Vedda / July 24, 2013
Rev.Devil
Wha did make you pose these questions to me.
If anything my people are the ones who should be complaining about all those issues you mentioned above.
Both stupid people should be charged with whole sale theft of my ancestral land.
Incidentally most of ordinary Government officers were/are Sinhala/Buddhists.
You ask
” ”how many millions of rupees you took as gift from the future president of Sri Lanka.”
Bribe taker is dead and gone, you cannot bring him back and charge him for ballot rigging or for electoral malpractices. However Mahinda and his cronies who bribed VP are still alive and kicking. You should be taking actions against them. What are you waiting for?
I don’t understand many things as you know I am bit thick. I still don’t understand what did make you to aim your questions at me?
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Rev.Devil / July 25, 2013
Hey dude, only those few first lines are directed towards you to just pull your nerves, and the rest is towards the ruthless Diaspora. You are a healthy contributor of this forum. Sorry for any inconvenience caused.
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Punchisingho / July 23, 2013
There is no doubt many innocents would have been killed during the last phase of the war.But the writer conveniently forgets that many Tamil, Sinhalese and Muslim civilians were killed by the LTTE. It was due to intransigence and foolhardiness of Prabhakaran that so many Tamils; innocents and cadres lost there lives.Had Prabhakaran not ordered to kill Rajive Ghandhi, India would have stepped in to save innocent Tamils during the last days of the war.Had Prabhakaran been a wise man he could have achieved more than the 13th amendment for the Tamils under an autonomous administration.
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Concerned / July 23, 2013
Diaspora activist
Just butt out. Wigneswatan can do what your war mongering couldnt, you Eelamists are also responsible for human rights violations and iin genocide and inprisonment of its own people.
There is much wrong within the country that we sensible people expect people like Wigneswaran to address. We can hope,
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Emil van der Poorten / July 23, 2013
This is certainly an interesting “take” on a nomination that has received unqualified praise from some quarters and the usual unadulterated abuse from others.
It does raise some interesting questions which deserve to be answered irrespective of whether the one posing them is some kind of agent provocateur or simply an Eelamist (whatever that is!)
I trust that we will see that rather than the “drive by smears” (in extremely poor taste) about civilian casualties from the usual quarters!
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / July 23, 2013
Emil van der Poorten;
Sir,
Could you elaborate some on the “that has received unqualified praise from some quarters”. what you point on that.
Because most of us are not Qualified to understand, and not into abuse,
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Bhamini / July 23, 2013
Jayantha Donald Gnanakone, Chairman of the Tamils 4 Justice, USA.
Pseudonym JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA suits you well.
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / July 23, 2013
Bahamini;
who ever you are?.
Very sorry you have done wrong judgment.
I am not eelamist Jayantha Donald Gnanakone,
Who does not have any love for our mother country.
I am a Buddhist Sinhalese ,
who studied from Divulapitiye Ven Wimalathana thero.
and
if you can point out what bother you from my comments, and I can get corrected.[If Iam Wrong.]
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Bhamini / July 24, 2013
So you know
Jayantha Donald Gnanakone, Chairman of the Tamils 4 Justice, USA.
That’s enough for me.
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / July 24, 2013
I do not wants to know who is Jayantha Donald Gnanakone,
and I do not care who ever he is?
but I like to know, Who you are representing.
because you are washing somebody’s dirty linen and getting in to Shit holes.
What a shame man.
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Emil van der Poorten / July 24, 2013
JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA:
I was trying to convey the fact that some commentators had praised Justice Wigneswaran uncritically, while others had merely insulted him and what he stood for, one extreme or the other with few, if any, balanced analyses.
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / July 24, 2013
Thank you sir ;
your analyses understood .
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / July 24, 2013
Thank you sir,
Facts are correct.
as Lord Buddha’s preaching,
“Come, Inquire and Understand”.
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dingiri / July 23, 2013
Is it obligatory for a Tamil CM candidate to subscribe to the fabrications of the Diaspora myth-makers?
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Mahesh / July 23, 2013
Leave Mr. Wigneswaran alone. Don’t spoil the soup. Seems so called Diaspora and Tamilnadu people don’t want any peace and harmony. They want to continue the fire.
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Vibhushana / July 23, 2013
Hello Mr. ‘Diaspora activist’
It’s known as the ego. That is why you cannot even reveal your name. Learn to let-go of your caste, your ethnic tribe and learn to co-exist my friend.
Tell this to Mr. Wignineswaran as well. Open up TNA to low-castes, middle-castes, Moslems and Sinhalese. Learn to co-exist because in heaven or hell your ego does not exist. Over there you and the high-caste sit on the same bench.
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Simhi / July 23, 2013
TNA is open for upper caste middle caste lower caste Muslims and Sinhalese. Piyadasa was MP till he leaped for his perks to the govt. side. Oh no, no to call Wignes ETTAPAN is philippic. He is a principled man incapable of an ignoble thought as betrayal. But then there is something Wignes should know. From the bench you can say very hard things the way it should be said. Not in politics. I am reminded of what once Dr. Vernon Mendis told some gentlemen who were to assume duties as Heads of Missions. Gentlemen he said ” I know you are eloquent and know what to speak and how to speak but I want to gently remind you to think about What not to speak. So heir apparent! get someone else to say what you want to say. Do not draw fire so early.
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Vibhushana / July 23, 2013
TNA is open to non-high caste Tamils? I think you are living in cloud coocoo there.
Read here and get educated please.
http://vibhushana.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/sri-lanka-what-now.html
cheers
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Simhi / July 24, 2013
I am a non high caste Tamil and I am in the TNA.
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Vibhushana / July 24, 2013
Of course you are in the TNA. But how did they get you there? By whipping up Tamil nationalism and by making you feel insecure isn’ it?
They do that because they know Buddhist leaders can give ‘lower cast’ folks like you a better deal.
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CHANAKYAN / July 23, 2013
Tamil Diaspora Activist
If you can list out your achievements and your contribution to the Tamils, your goodness and greatness can be assessed by the community. The immensity of your activism or your facelessness can also be appraised. That will define your identity for people to know your credentials. In judging CVW you have judged yourself. Let others judge you.
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Peace Lover / July 23, 2013
@ Tamil Diaspora Activist,you lot are sitting in comfortable climes of northern america and europe with a tentacles in australia and critisise each and everything thats happening in SL
Please list out what did you do for the tamils of SL other than send money for other peoples children to blast themselves to pieces while your kids and grandkids attned good schools and unis there and take part in arangetrams and carnatic music do’s
Justice W is a very good choice and all in SL (other than Govt stooges) are for him irrespective of being Tamil or Sinhala
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Janak / July 23, 2013
Justice Wigneswaran is completely unsuited for the job. He is not a murderer, drug dealer or a common or garden variety of thug. He suffers from being educated, has a genuine law degree earned the hard way and is very likely to have a sense of justice and respect for the law. The TNA has completely lost their collective marbles putting him up as a candidate.
Janak
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / July 24, 2013
I love that;
” Justice Wigneswaran is completely unsuited for the job, because Honourable Justice Wigneswaran has a genuine law degree earned the hard way and is very likely to have a sense of justice and respect for the law”.
OUR present President also have a LOW DEGREE, I donot know it is genuine or /and earned hard way.
And every body knows that president is having a respect for the law.
Even his clan also.
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Kulanayagam / July 26, 2013
Please do not compare Justice Wicky with Mahinda Raj. The latter had been to prison, and is a politico who indulges in all sort of jugglery such as ‘helping Hambantota’.
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NAK / July 26, 2013
Janak,Vignaswaran is an attempt by the TNA to get their LTTE proxy tag Ramoved. Wether he is suited or not is another matter. But,despite all the qualifications,deep within,Vignaswaran is also a Tamil nationalist who suffers from the homeland desease.
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shankar / July 23, 2013
“The most shocking omission of all is Wigneswaran’s failure to robustly tackle the issue of war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated Sri Lanka’s forces on the constituency he seeks to represe”
I think he said he is grudgingly taking on the CM job if elected so that he can do something for his people.He did not say dead people.If you are in srilanka you can’t be focused on the war crimes issue.You need to work with the government to look after the people who are alive ,not try to bring justice for those who are dead.If you cross the line you will also end up dead.These matters can be taken up by the diaspora and the international community if they want to without distracting those tamil leaders in srilanka from focusing on matters that matter to most tamils who are yet alive.Dead people don’t vote,but those alive do and expect you to deliver.
What is more shocking is that this idiot who writes this article without giving his name really expects wignesvaran to have an IQ as low as his.
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Lankan / July 23, 2013
The Tamil Diaspora is not supported by all the Tamils who are living abroad. In fact the so called Tamil Diaspora is a militant group who are trying to impose their belief on the civilians of North and East Sri Lanka. This is an unfair thing to do. The correct thing to do is to find out from the people who live in the North and East of Sri Lanka and follow their path. The so called Tamil Diaspora are living in developed countries enjoying their scotch and chicken curry but create trouble for all the Tamils living in Sri Lanka by carrying the Tiger Flag. Tigers are gone and every single Tamil will agree the way in which Tigers attacked civilians in Sri Lanka and India is wrong. Tamils are peace loving people. Let the people in the North and East of Sri Lanka decide their future. If the Diaspora want to help them then let them follow what the Tamils in Sri Lanka want, and definitely not the other way.
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Jim softy / July 23, 2013
Tamil diaspora activist certainly is one who is mourning about the LOST INVESTMENT OF THEIR’s.
They invested lot of money and poor Tamils in Sri Lanka for a separate state that ended up floating in water in Nanthikadaal.
Why this diaspora activist is not responsible for war crimes. They provided money to kill people and to exploit people.
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Lankan / July 24, 2013
If we follow your argument then you have to be responsible for the killing of Tamils during 1983 riots! Are you prepared to accept this blame?
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Jim softy / July 24, 2013
It was created by Tamils. LTTE tried it’s best to recreate 1983.
What do you say about that
and Sri Lankan Tamil Ambassador, EAV Naganathan’s wife and EAVN himself, I suppose involved in distributing the fake videos.
What do you say all about it ?
It is amirthalingam’s wife, In Vavinya, who wanted to skin Sinhala people alive and wanted to hang them in Galle Face and next day she had gone to a party with Sinhala – politicians in colombo.
what do you say all about those ?
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hannah rajaratnam / July 23, 2013
Justice Wigneswaran has lived through the years of turmoil and heartache of the Tamils.On many issues he has given a balanced view.We see the adverse comments,and it is so premature.If we had followed his speeches he has made in the past – that should give us some insights on what his thoughts are on the issues the Tamils are still facing in Sri Lanka.
He could have declined Mr Sambandan’s request.He has accepted and he knows it is going to be a very rutty road.There are difficul people on both sides of the spectrum he has to deal with.
Give him space and time.The job has to be done.
The candidate has been fielded and there is no purpose in singing this ‘slanderous tune’.
For our own Sanity and Peace lets us move out of his way and give him the encouragement.
We have plenty of time to watch,see and act —- later.
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Che / July 23, 2013
Here we go again, the Tamil racists are branding CV an “ettappan” (traitor) while Sinhala racists are protraying CV an Anton Balasingham in disguise, who is hell bent of dividing the nation. The truth is some where in the middle. The truth is CV is a moderate Tamil nationalist who has always remained committed to the territorial integrity of SL. The truth is CV if he wanted to “sell the Tamils” would have gone to the Rajapaksa regime a long time ago. He would have got a prominent and cosy position like an Ambassador to a European capital (not the CM of north which is, if anything, a punishment transfer for him) and enjoyed life that way. CV has remained truthful to his inner-self and not gone for such offers. I would like to know on what authority does this diaspora activist speaks, when he says he represents the people of the north. It is easy to instigate a war from the luxury of a cosy flat in Sydney or Toronto or London. But if he has travelled the length and breath of the north east since 2009 (I have) he would see that the ordinary Tamils who inhabit that island have no appetite for any violent struggle. They also have little appetite for any war crimes trials and revenge taking on the regime. The Tamils of the Island yearn for the following; 1) Resettlement 2) Jobs and a chance to rebuild their life 3) Land powers to the local units of gov. so that they can at least put and end to state sponsored colonisation and changing of demography 4) Police powers so that they can deal with their issues locally without feeling like being ruled from Colombo these are the bread and butter issue of the people of the north and east. These are the problems they want a solution to now. Not war crimes investigation. Yes there is a place for such agitation but it is not the need of the hour. and if it will come in the way of finding a solution for the Tamils problem TNA should be willing to drop it altogether. What is more important to the Tamils is getting a workable provincial gov. that will give a minimum guarantee, not chasing after revenge by pursuing war crimes.
To be honest, this activist seems like a “activists of the regime” for me he sounds like he is trying to play mischiev amongst Tamils. The way he attacks CV’s Colombo education trying to raise the regional issue (Jaffna/non- Jaffna), the way he attacks the efforts of the moderate Tamil leaders off the past to find an amicable solution, the way he points to the marriage of CV’s family connections with Vasu and CV’s Sinhala friends, all of this points to only one thing, that this man does not have the interest of the Tamils at heart. He is playing dirty, racist mind games with the Tamils in the hope of discrediting CV. Evidently he knows little about how wise the Tamil mind is.
And for his comments about “both the Tamils in Sri Lanka and the TNA will now have been reduced to naught” without diaspora support I say – my foot. The Tamils of SL withstood all that was heaped on them, on their own, by their resilience. No one can claim credit for that. I will take my hat off to the TNA who lost their members and stood with the people throughout the dark days, than to a a self proclaimed “diaspora ettappan” who ran away from the country when the going got tough, and then kept on warmongering, killing other peoples’ children
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Jim softy / July 23, 2013
This is How Tamil Activist became War criminals – LTTE killed Sinhala soldiers and gave those modified videos to channel 4.
“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmTBgV7X_CE
“
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Jim softy / July 23, 2013
check out all these.
[Edited out]
Please write instead of posting links – CT
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Sengodan. M / July 24, 2013
Some Tamil activists in the diaspora are expecting too much too soon. They can easily talk about ‘Tamil Eelam or nothing’, continuation of the struggle etc.,etc from the cool climes in which they live. They don’t have to shed any blood or suffer any prosecution or repression. The most they could do is to collect some money and send it to serve their ‘Cause’. That is the reality. They live not only physically far separated from their homeland but even totally divorced from the realities on the ground in their homeland. They mix up priorities. Is the priority now de-militarisation or Tamil Eelam? Is the priority now re-settlement in the villages from where the people were uprooted or asking them to arm themselves for a fresh struggle? What an enormous sum of money has been wasted in the US courts in unfruitful legal battles? Can’t that money been better utilised in providing a better livelihood for the war widows in Vanni?
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NAK / July 26, 2013
Friend, welfare and well being of the Tamils who suffered during and after the war is the least of worrys for this runaway warriors. They are only interested in maintaing the status quo so that their well being is maintained.They talk big about suffering Tamils in the north and the 80000 widows but do not lift a finger to help them but those who do help do it silently.
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Sengodan. M / July 24, 2013
I would like to ask these fake Tamil activists, why not return to the homeland, re-kindle the fire of liberation and continue the struggle instead of talking nonsense from the safety and comfort of lives in the Western countries?
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Thanaga / July 24, 2013
Tamil Activist is a first class coward hiding under false identity. If he is honest, if he has the backbone he should disclose his real identity. It is waste of time to reply to such imbeciles.
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Thanaga / July 24, 2013
Tamil Activist is a first class coward hiding under false identity. If he is honest, if he has the backbone he should disclose his real identity. It is waste of time to reply to such imbeciles. What is obvious is he doesn’t know his Tamil. The word Ettappan refers to someone who betray his own community like Vibeedenan who went over to Raman thus betraying his brother. This he did in exchange for the thrown of Lanka when Ravanan is vanquished. In the case of Justice Wigneswaran he did not go over to the Sinhalese, but joined other Thamils who are fighting for equality, justice, dignity and self-respect.
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Tamil Diaspora Activist / July 24, 2013
Justice Wigneswaran can allay all fears about his bona fides if he
– restates the TNA position that only an independent international inquiry would suffice for the war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated on the people whom he seeks to represent, and,
– joins the thousands of activists who spend millions of pounds and lobby the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva this September calling for one like many of his peers in the TNA.
To dodge it would reinforce the view that he is happy to participate in the whitewash of these crimes!
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David Blacker / July 24, 2013
But the fears about his bona fides are only amongst the diaspora, who he doesn’t represent.
If the TNA is choosing him as their candidate, they clearly have no fear about his bona fides and will state or restate whatever their actual position is; not your position.
Why should he join these “thousands” who neither vote for him or his party, nor even live in the country they are attempting to lobby against? Shouldn’t he in fact represent and speak on behalf of his constituents?
If the latter believe in him they will vote for him. Your view is immaterial.
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Peace Lover / July 24, 2013
Spot on David spot on my friend !
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / July 24, 2013
Tamil Diaspora Activist, NO HAVE SHAME]
are you inviting Hon Judge Wigneswaran to
joins the thousands of Selfish Diaspora killer activists,
who spend millions of pounds for forming to finance a another war and
trying to kill others children.
And to cover up the tortures and killings of innocents
by the terrorist outfit LTTE.
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Maamanithar / July 25, 2013
Tamil Diaspora Activist lives in the UK !!?
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Hela / July 26, 2013
Maamanithar,
You must be a chartered accountant!! Good pick……
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