By Tisaranee Gunasekara –
“The Bad Lands and the sinister direction?” – Auden (The Crossroads)
Imagine a Sri Lanka without the 18th Amendment.
There would have been repression and corruption, illegality and impunity, but not too far in excess of the normal Lankan template. The final term of President Rajapaksa would be drawing to a close. Any attempt to perpetuate Familial Rule by nominating Basil, Chamal or Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the UPFA presidential candidate would have been robustly resisted by the SLFP. Since the 17th Amendment would still exist, the Elections Commissioner, the police and the judiciary might be less subservient, especially with the Rajapaksa years drawing to a close.
Mr. Wigneswaran was right, when he identified the 18th Amendment as a ‘national calamity’. The 18th Amendment removed the most effective safeguard against absolutism in the 1978 Constitution; and it negated one of the most democratic laws ever enacted in Sri Lanka. It “fundamentally transformed Sri Lanka’s political system… Now the hegemonic executive president has been made a juggernaut…”[i]
Until that moment we had a res publica. The 18th Amendment was the ‘Enabling Law’ of Rajapaksa dynastic rule – and of the many egregious policies and deeds which flow from it.
Such as the appointment of an unknown Rajapaksa-acolyte to the Supreme Court.
Caligula may or may not have made his favourite horse Incitatus a senator. Whatever its historical status, the story has an abiding value as an allegorical tale about despotism. The exaltation of favourites and the degradation of revered institutions are staples of absolutist rule and a better illustration of this than the tale of Caligula and Incitatus is hard to find. Rajapaksa Sri Lanka is no exception to this near universal truth. Priyantha Jayawardene is supremely suited to join the Rajapaksa Supreme Court.
After the impeachment travesty and the appointment of Mohan Pieris, what else did we expect?
The Rajapaksas did not want a democratic and just Sri Lanka. That was not why they made the necessary extra effort to defeat the LTTE. In most fairy tales, the hero braves the monster because he had been promised a kingdom. That was the implicit bargain the Rajapaksas made with the Sinhala South – familial rule and dynastic succession in return for defeating the Tiger. It was no accident that the first song to hail Mahinda Rajapaksa as High King officially debuted days after Nandikadal[ii]. It was embarrassingly archaic; and iconic of the emerging times. It marked Sri Lanka’s transition from the Age of the Sun God to the Age of the High King (& Siblings).
‘Conquerors Keepers’ was Vellupillai Pirapaharan’s worldview long before the Rajapaksas came to power. The separate state the LTTE tried so hard to bring about was not Tamil Eelam but Tiger Eelam, under Mr. Pirapaharan’s sole suzerainty. That was why the LTTE accorded utmost priority to the task of exterminating Tamil competition and Tamil dissent. The Tigers were more wholeheartedly committed to Eelam than any other Tamil group/party, but that new state was to be their sole property, in which Tamils could exist only on condition of total obedience. Many of the Tiger crimes and errors stemmed not from the needs of Tamil nationalism or even Tamil separatism but from the needs of Tiger absolutism.
The goal of becoming the ‘Sole Representative’ of the ‘Nation’ once belonged to the JVP.
Now it is the Rajapaksa goal.
In his May Day Speech, President Rajapaksa implicitly endorsed Hambantota attack, again: “The President said that the UNP members visited the Mattala Airport and the Hambantota harbour recently to close them down. ‘The Secretary of that party had told that he Mattala Airport would be made a museum by them while the Hambantota harbour would be turned into a swimming pool’, he said.”[iii]
There is no real danger of the Rajapaksa airport or Rajapaksa port being anything other than protected White-Woolly Mammoths so long as the Rajapaksas rule. The UNP’s real crime was a dash of activism and a pinch of irreverence. The Rajapaksas fear one and loathe the other. The Hambantota attack could have been arranged without the Mayor playing such a prominent role, just as the demonstration in Weliweriya could have been dispersed minus lethal force. But attacks happened the way they did because they had a national message: Beware.
The Lakbima carried a picture of Mrs. Gotabaya Rajapaksa and a funny caption. It was inoffensive, and yet it offended. Within a month, Saman Wagaarachchi was forced to resign from the post of editor. The alleged role of Sajith Premadasa in this disgraceful affair is indicative of the reach and the potency of the Rajapaksa virus.
Sans Pity, Sans Law
Impunity is a sign of Rajapaksa-favour; greater the impunity, greater the connection and greater the favour.
Last week there was an attempt to abduct an elephant-calf from the Udawalave National Park. A cavalcade consisting of a tractor, a lorry and two luxury vehicles turned up for the purpose. Fortunately the people of Dikyaya, an adjacent village, intervened. They called wildlife officials, police and the media.
The criminals were caught red handed – and allowed to escape – by the police. The attempt by the would-be abductors to abduct the Sirasa area correspondent was foiled not by the police but by the villagers.
The police spokesman admitted that the police ignored the protests of the wildlife officials and allowed the criminals to get away[iv]. The criminals are still at large. According to some media reports, the ring leaders claimed that they were Presidential Nephews[v]. Perhaps that is why.
A wildlife official said, on conditions of anonymity, “We believe that this calf’s mother was killed. That would have been necessary to get the elephant-calf out of the jungle…. If the mother was shot it would have happened inside the park…. They would have killed the elephant mother about a month and a half ago. Their plan would have been to separate the baby from the herd and take her away.”[vi]
The largest chunk of the national budget is still spent on national defence. And yet, Sri Lanka is becoming a nation in which everyone other than the Rajapaksas are unsafe – including policemen.
The month of May is just one week old, but it is already replete with singular happenings. Such as the attack on two policemen, while on duty at a checkpoint in Kurunegala. They were reportedly abducted in a white van; their abductors stripped them down and tried to kill them. One escaped; the naked corpse of the other was discovered later. The police are investigating[vii].
It should surreal, but is real in Rajapaksa Sri Lanka
The elephant-calf was abandoned by the abductors and found by wildlife officials. The BBC report carries a picture of her. She looks gaunt and lost. It’s an image sufficient to melt the stoniest heart, if there is a heart to melt.
Five years ago we danced in the streets, as hundreds of thousands of Tamils were being illegally incarcerated by our state. Only an Eelamist could have considered them foreigners, and yet we were too intoxicated to spare them a thought.
Perhaps our transformation into a senseless, lawless and a pitiless land started in that moment.
[i] https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/you-must-continue-this-historic-struggle-for-extrinsic-independence-not-just-for-the-judiciary-but-for-democracy/
[ii] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrKq_CSh0jw
[iii] http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=local/we-are-unbowed
[iv] http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/sri_lanka/2014/05/140506_baby_elepahant_probe.shtml
[v] http://www.ceylontoday.lk/51-62992-news-detail-baby-jumbo-thieves-using-presidents-name.html
[vi] http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/sri_lanka/2014/05/140505_elephant_abduction.shtml
[vii]http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-etails&code_title=102848
Spring Koha / May 8, 2014
O tempora, o mores!
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Amarasiri / May 8, 2014
Dear Tisaranee Gunasekara –
“The Bad Lands and the sinister direction?” – Auden (The Crossroads)
Imagine a Sri Lanka without the 18th Amendment.
YES. ALI HORU. Elephant thieves.
JVP May Day Rally 2014 – Anura Dissanayake’s Speech
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0V7f1pSZ5k
Published on May 2, 2014 JVP May Day Rally 2014 – Anura Dissanayake’s Speech
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Dinuk / May 9, 2014
Many thanks Madam T!
The point is that the Jarapaksa regime would not get away with all the corruption and criminality if there was a proper OPPOSITION in the Parliament and in the country of Sinhala Modayas!
Does the OPPOSITION cares about good governance?
The biggest problem is that total absence of an opposition that is TECHNICALLY COMPETENT to challenge the Jarapassa regime.
1, The UNP report on Hambantota White elephants (port, ariport, cricket stadium, convention centre) is far too late! In fact a technically competant UNP would have challenge the Hambantota White elephant projects BEFORE they started –IN COURT for failure to do proper social and impact assessments as well as financial reviews. Now it is too late to cry about spilt milk – the opposition was ASLEEP and fin fighting when it should have challenge the Huge waste on Hambantota and the ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION caused by useless development projects..
What of the moron Sajith Premadasa who should have spoken out about the compelete absurdity of the Hambantota development plan given the lack of technically qualified human capital and resources..
2. THe JVP’s Anura Kumara, has challenged the Health Ministry to put its house in order the WRONG WAY by setting up all party parliamentary select committee. The fact is that the MINISTRY needs to have competant Professionals in the sector to solve the problem and it is NOT the job of parliamentary Committees which is any case accomplish nothing to sort the health sector. The Minister MUST RESIGN and competent persons appointed to address the problems in the Health Sector. The politician MORONs in the Diyawenna Parliament of corrupt clowns DO NOT HAVE THE TECHNICAL EXPERTIZE and setting up committees is not the solution to BAD GOVERNANCE in every Ministry and Sector!
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Palayang yako! / May 10, 2014
Dinuk
You are so right and the behaviour of Sajith Premadasa confirms the view that they are six of one and half a dozen of another: the government and the UNP!
What a fate for a country that had such a glorious future as a democratic bastion in the region!
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Ben Hurling / May 9, 2014
Just look at the despicable smile of MEP leader.
The back scratcher-in-chief!
Shameful, old left lunatics.
Cheers!
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / May 8, 2014
“Arasan ev-vali, makkal av-vali” ( Tamil Proverb), which means, the people follow the lead of the King.
We can see the signs of this phenomenon in all aspects of life in Sri Lanka.Even the Sangha is not exempt! How long would it take to irredeemably and irreversibly damage the moral fabric of this entire nation? I suppose, this will depend on how long it will take to change this government. Once again, it is us the people who have to make the required change come about, using their vote as their weapon. No one can be blamed, but us. Our past irresponsibility as citizens is haunting us now.
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
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Dev / May 8, 2014
Our past irresponsibility as citizens is haunting us now.
Does this “irresponsibility” also include rushing to SL with Noel Nadesan and “lauding” the regime
(in exchange for something?)
Even recently Noel was seen to be doing the same, I guess he is yet to learn.
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Dr,Rajasingham Narendran / May 9, 2014
Dev,
Have mini -buses been manufactured that can take off into the air like helicopters.? A bright idea for which I also laud you. However, I nor my colleagues who were part of the Diaspora Dialogue Group have yet not flown in such a contraption. We are yet waiting for the ‘ exchange’, which was the ‘ Liberation’ of Tamils from their post-war suffering and post-independence bad governance. The government has delivered in a meaningful way on the latter ( although lacunae persist), while miserably failing on the first. Now, I am demanding good governance for the Sinhalese and Muslims as well. It is your turn to laud me.
Dr.RN
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Dev / May 9, 2014
You have yet failed (despite my repeated requests) to explain why you rushed post-haste to come back to SL then laud the regime. The regime used your “lauding” as propaganda.
Now, why come back running ???
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Dr. Rajasingham Narendran / May 9, 2014
Dev,
To your rather devious/ sinister mind , the likelihood of retirement age, health and expatriate employee status, do not appear possibilities. I did not seek to stay on in Canada and moved to Saudi Arabia, because I was closer to Sri Lanka and had the privilege of being entitled to 60 days paid vacation annually. Most of these vacations were spent in Sri Lanka and included when possible visits to Sri Lanka. Further, my wife and children were settled in Colombo since1988 and the children attended school there. The end of the war, also provided me the opportunity to re-rebuild our house in Jaffna and live there- a dream come true. I have yet need to take on occasional consultancy assignments in Saudi Arabia, to support our life in Sri Lanka. The various tragedies I have faced in Sri Lanka over the decades, had also prevented me from saving much for my retirement, despite the long years as an expatriate professional.
I did not return to look for the pot of gold gifted by the government! In fact I travelled to Sri Lanka as a member of the Dialogue group and paid for my own air fare, despite the government offer to meet that cost. I was forced to stay in the hotel arranged by the government, because of security considerations the overt threats of the LTTE necessitated, although I had our own house to stay in Colombo. Further, I tipped the hotel staff quite generously to an amount equivalent to my meal costs at the hotel, the government had met. I was also embarrassed by the VIP security provided by the government from the airport to the hotel and insisted on returning to the airport in my personal car, without the VIP security, much to the genuine discomfort and fears of the External Affairs Ministry staff.
I came home to our hearth and country, because that is where I belong. I may be a fool, but am not a knave, as you are trying to imply.
I am replying to your rather nasty comment (not infrequent),sensing your persistent attempts to create doubts among CT readers about my bonafides.
It is sad that you use the CT platform to cast aspersions on persons you do not know personally. This is also an utter shame.
Dr.RN
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Dev / May 10, 2014
No one is casting aspersions my dear boy. It is your OWN ACTIONS that have tarnished your reputation.
Do you expect us to believe that the MOD didn’t coach you what to say to the media? You I am sure would have been well debriefed what to say and what not to say.
Please explain why you were picked by the regime?
You were picked for the very reason that you will stick to the script given to you.
Even now I won’t be surprised if you cannot speak openly for heaven knows what will happen.
So it’s ok, you stick to your story.
As for me, I will continue to point out your follies.
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Dr.rajasingham Narendran / May 10, 2014
Dev,
The truth that is not to your liking hurts, doesn’t it? The story I had to tell after visiting the IDP camps and the Vanni, obviously was not to your liking or in accord with your political goals. This motivates you to point out my imagined follies! You are welcome to continue doing so.
Dr.RN
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Dev / May 10, 2014
I think time has proved me right about the regime.
As for you, well the fact that you came post haste at the call of the regime speaks for itself.
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Dr, Rajasingham Narendran / May 12, 2014
Dev,
You were indeed the prophet of doom, amongst us ordinary men, who were hoping, praying and working towards ushering a different future for the Tamils and Sri Lanka. I wish we had been right and you were wrong. Unfortunately, MR is intent on proving that you and your ilk were right. Time may yet prove otherwise! What is right will ultimately prevail ( Dharmam/ Aran vellum! – Tamil).
As for me, I did not respond to the call of the regime, but the call of the inevitable dictated by my age and a desire to end my life in the town and country, I missed very much and had been averse to divorcing. I am sure this is beyond your comprehension.
Dr.RN
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Thiru / May 8, 2014
Dr.Rajasingham,
The Sri Lankan so-called democratic governance since independence is rotten to the core: Maharajapakse is the most evolved virulent version of the ‘governance’; he has brought it to a climax. That’s the only difference to me.
I wouldn’t place the blame entirely on Mahinda: It’s cumulative from D S Senanayake onwards.
Changing the rulers won’t change much to the couture of mis-governance nurtured by the ruling elite since the British left.
In my humble opinion, Sri Lanka is not ready for democracy with the present mind set of the political leaders and the emotion-driven voting masses.
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Native Vedda / May 8, 2014
Thiru
“Sri Lanka is not ready for democracy with the present mind set of the political leaders and the emotion-driven voting masses.”
Of course you are right.
The alternative to democracy is just that what we got now.
So MR is okay and find replacement for VP, everything will be hunky dory.
Its up to the people to decide what form of governance is best suited to them. On the other hand its the leadership to educate the masses while the stupid leaders are educated by them. Its a two way process.
Free media has a duty to inform, educate and entertain.
The media in this island miserably failed in all three.
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Rationalist / May 9, 2014
Thiru, I believe that you should go further back, ‘…before the British left’.
It was the British, (who did not understand the Demography of the Region), that gave the Tamil people the idea that a 50/50 Government was desirable.
They, The British, did not realise that a majority Tamil Nation existed in Tamilnadu, waiting to pounce on Sri Lanka, as soon as they left!
The British Rulers were not interested in the History of the Island, and the repeated, incursions of South India into Sri Lanka, before the European Invasions.
To them it was past History.
However I agree with you on the last paragraph:-
“In my humble opinion, Sri Lanka is not ready for democracy with the present mind set of the political leaders and the emotion-driven voting masses.”
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Native Vedda / May 9, 2014
Rationalist
“It was the British, (who did not understand the Demography of the Region), that gave the Tamil people the idea that a 50/50 Government was desirable.”
What was this of 50/50 idea and its background?
Could you describe the mechanism by which this idea was to be implemented.
What would the Tamils and Muslims have gained from this idea
What would have been the losses to Sinhala/Buddhists?
I believe you know what you are talking about.
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Maghribi / May 9, 2014
Thiru
Your statement “Sri Lanka is not ready for democracy with the present mind set of the political leaders and the emotion-driven voting masses.”
is probably the best observation in this forum.
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Thiru / May 8, 2014
“Imagine a Sri Lanka without the 18th Amendment.” says the author.
I don’t have to imagine it: Tamils know of all the pogroms and the armed forces indiscriminately bombing and killing them in villages since the war started. There was no 18th amendment then.
Sinhala youth merely on suspicion of being associated with the JVP were killed and dumped in tens of thousands, their relatives know life before the 18th amendment was hell on earth.
Life before the amendment was not a bed of roses as the writers make it out to be.
The cancer of lawlessness started with D S Senanayake evicting Tamils from Gal Oya and Pathavia, and the estate Tamils getting disenfranchised as a an independence present. So many lawless atrocities preceded the 18th.
Only when the cancer gets to these people’s back yard they start shouting for help to slay the demon they themselves created!
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Sengodan. M / May 8, 2014
Yes, the senseless, lawless, pity less land is quickly descending into a bottomless pit!!
Sengodan. M
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mike / May 8, 2014
I concur. The senseless, lawless, pity less land is quickly descending into a cess pit just like Venereal Gandasara’s big mouth!
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Javi / May 8, 2014
¡Hola, gente!Hello, people!
!ordo ab chao!
(out of chaos, comes order)
!omnis vir tigris! every translator is a traitor
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K.A Sumanasekera / May 8, 2014
Who is Ms T trying to kid with her new found disdain of the LTTE boss Probakaran…
Didn’t her new favourite , the Vellala CM praise the El TTE Supremo as his hero soon aft the election?.
The CM would have garlanded him too if there was a statue in Mullivaikal or on the shores of Nanthikadal…
If not for the 18th A , Vellala TNA lead by the LTTE proxy Sambandan certainly would have built not one but several even in the centre of Jaffna as well.
And our country would have been well and truly rooted by Ms Pillai and her coalition partners in the West by installing the serial loser, the leader of the Christian Faction as the President.after a constitutional crisis created by the ex CJ, to open the way for UN intervention.l
UN forces would have been protecting the UNP leader whilst guarding the gates of the Military Barracks where our Ranawiru soldiers would have been locked up.
And their brave commanders would have been in cages in the Hague with the Rajapksa brothers..
Srilanka would have been in the same league as Iraq,Libya and Syria…
And Mr samraweera would have appointed Ms T as the editor of the Daily news.
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Navin / May 8, 2014
Please take a second look at that picture. Doesn’t the meeharaka President look exactly like Caligula surrounded by his henchmen, flatterers, bootlickers and his ckskrs?
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Siri / May 8, 2014
You know Navin@,
what my aged father said to me last week at time I spoke to him
“Puthe balla ada raja wela, nethi ekata athiwela”, (social scum has become people’s leaders to this day, people have no voice today) there is no place for respect and dignity of life.
As Eran Wickramanayke analysed it going through facts and figures, Pinpadi people can be provided more, if the bugger in power could stop the collosal sums that have been looted by his henchmen through so called people’s projects.
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Siri / May 9, 2014
Last night I happened to listen to “Balaya weekly political debate” usually telecasted by HIRU TV sender. There looking at the manner- Vasudewa of today’s sri lanka argued ” Yes we will then control the prostitutes keep hiring by future casino runners – just fully neglecting the gravity of the sri lanka becoming and another Bangkok to the region”. How can a man that was unique marxist rebel at the time, clearly a voice arisen to raise the voice of the poor man to have blind folded by the perks he as a minister of MOST brutal regime we ever experienced. Now being in his 70ties, him to argue this way earns no respect at all. Asked why him to stay with Rajapakse and his policies, he went on saying to avoid UNP coming to power….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw2zfsU7l80
pleaes check all the Parts 1-9
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ela kolla / May 9, 2014
navin, you were a [Edited out]
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ela kolla / May 9, 2014
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/
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Afzal / May 9, 2014
Keep trying elo, don’t give up it will get published.
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mike / May 10, 2014
Afzal, Thana Kolla is taking valuable space in this journal. His brains, if any, are embedded (?) where it rightfully belongs. Please ignore him. That is the best we can do to a guy who is taking specialized medical treatment.
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ela kolla / May 10, 2014
mike, you are sitting on your brain
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ela kolla / May 9, 2014
navin, you miserable cow dung…..if you can lick maha raja’s feet, then you can be a henchman too…then you can be a gon raja as same as maha raja
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sama / May 8, 2014
These [Edited out] of ruling coalitions are deliberately used for scavenger work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9D418brM0A8
This man on the video – is almost like the gangsters that attacked decent UNP MPs in Hambantota lately.
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Lasantha / May 8, 2014
What else could you expect from a Pig who is even prepared to eat shit to stay in power.
Even after having robbed Tsunami affected homeles peoples donated money, Kangetta went upto even robbing the Museum and bribed VP to stop 2005 noth and East voters.
What is left in the country when even the Gold is smuggled out on daily basis, Walla Patta are been fraudulently shipped off the country, drugs, ethenol,cocain and Casinos been introduced and now even Elephants and calves are not safe.
Who is trying to fool the world by spending over 600 million rupees on a show off World youth conference, when our own university students are been deprived of their basic rights, necessities and needs.
GOSL dropped our Annual Budget on Education from 3.5% in 2004 to 1.6% in 2013.
The slippers and T shirt wearing university student protesters looks more like Fish Vendors than university students.Their looks, bodies and faces say it all. They spend more time protesting and asking for their basic rights than studying. What a Government who cannot even take care of country’s cream of One Percent(1%) eligible children whe enter Universities.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L33u73wCRm4
Only One Percent(1%) of our children get the opportunity to enter University and even with that low intake,their privilages been denied.
Todays Universities are more of a Battle Ground than a Education center. The universities themselves look more like Fortresses than universities.
What more could you expect from the Dictators who even evesdrop and follow the ex.President Madam CBK 24 Hours a day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfTTcJfKYUU
Getting rid of the Genocidal 18th Amendment is a must before the next Presidential or Parliamentary elections.
Another Great Analysis by our Award winning Journalist Tisaranee.
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Rarityminds / May 9, 2014
This now I feel the fate of this island nation.
Bunga bunga party maker – former italian premier Balasconi is announced to force labor work for homes for the aged on a daily basis going through his punishments got convicted for all the high crimes including sex abuses while being in the office.
But our leader, even if commands
a) allowed the forces to take the live of 3 unarmed protesters in Rathupaswala, injuring several dozens
b) allowed to take the lives of the unarmed civilians in the last phase phase of the brutal civil war against LTTE rebells – with deaths and numbers went missing are still subjected to scrinty – 40 000 – 120 000
c)allowed his shenanigans to harm/ (verbally and physically) decent UNP parliamentarians during their fact finding missions made to President’s habitat – Hambantota lately
d) I hope those who are with sanity would complete the list here….
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Leelawathie / May 9, 2014
Yes, I wish JVPers to come forward with the proofs collected against the wastages of the govt loans extending to over 90%.
This was what they had been proving to the nation during the election campaigning. Why these now to stay dead silence…
is my question.
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Hameed / May 9, 2014
Now that we are on the subject of killing elephants and stealing its calf, whatever happened to the inquiry into the robbery at the Colombo Museum? Remember there was talk of a missing sword that was stolen so that it could act as protection from evil to someone we know?
Mystery?
And how come the police have not a clue about who killed a comrade of theirs. It didn’t take them long to catch the killers of a comrade not so long ago. And we know the three killers (?) were themselves killed in an ‘encounter’ when they tried to ‘escape’from police custody.
So much is spent (or is ‘wasted’ an appropriate word) on defense and yet we don’t know who killed the poor cop.Won’t be surprised if this turns out to yet another ‘mystery’ that will soon be forgotten by us like the great museum robbery and other such mysteries.
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Tamodaya / May 9, 2014
How about Tigress thieves?
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Ally Weerasinghe / May 9, 2014
Is there any possibility for you to convince the citizens of this country about this calamity you claim to be exist. If the people have the access and the accessibility to all these news and if you become success conveying this to the people then we can see whether the people of this country are discern and they have the will to take a well informed decision.
No you will never succeed as as the people of all communities and the race have been ignited to go adopt a nationalistic agenda. This is the secret of the success of people supporting the ruler.
Because to the eyes of ordinary citizen the “ruler” in the government has been earmarked as the messiah for all their ills- that is for communalism and suppressing the other religions especially the Muslims and Catholics. Now you see Wimal Weerawansa has taken a different stance. So like what Hakeem did during the eastern and western PC election even Wimal can go on his own way ostensibly fighting for patriotism.
Not only the poor masses, this will be well received by all middle class Sinhalese as well because there is no rationale thinking when it comes to race and religion. This coalition partners are well aware of it as it is they who created it. That is why the BBS version of Buddhism has been orchestrated to ignite the people. NOw even the white collar people who are like the frog in the well without any exposure to other democracies think this is the good for the country and sinhala race.
According to CBSL figure country is developing well. Oppositin is fast asleep. Loyalists are ready to shift their allegiance to what ever the party which come to power. Even the politicians need the loyalists to spend for them. So they both will be benefited except the honest officials, loyalists (Businessmen)and citizensz.
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Don Quixote / May 9, 2014
Thisaranee, Please stick to subjects that you have some knowledge on and don’t undermine your credibility by doing superficial research on the subject matter you write on.
Elephant calves particularly the first calf of a young cow often get separated when the cow comes into season for the second time and is cut out from the herd and chased by a bull. As the mother gets more experienced she does not isolate her calf. There it is not essential to kill the mother to isolate a calf.
Quoting a “wildlife official” who probably doesn’t know the front end from the rear of an elephant is not acceptable ! I am not saying that the mother may not have been killed but it is not essential for these kidnappers to do their job.
Also I resent being painted with the same brush and accused of dancing in the street when the war was won. I made it a point not to accept any of the Kiribath or participate in the uncouth behavior and I AM A PROUD UPCOUNTRY SINHALA.
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Backlash / May 9, 2014
The PM tried his hand in the very lucrative heroine game now that his superiors were deep into it – and their returns were incredible. The entire administration system has been made a cesspit of bribery and
corruption. The No.2 in Inland Revenue milked the country and is sentenced to over a century in jail. The Police Dept is a hell-hole of crooks. The Justice system is bent to the whims and fancies of dishonest judges and venal lawyers. The once scrupulously honest School Principals – in big and small schools all over the country – are making huge sums in school admission – barring a few honest ones.
The Buddhist clergy is dominated by thugs and rogues.
The Rajapakse Brothers have turned the country topsy-turvey. It will take another generation to cleanse the stench. Whenever the Rajapakse name is mentioned in the future it will be associated with murder, killings, drug-trafficking, smuggling, large scale corruption in Govt Tenders and a hundred more venal crimes. That will be their legacy.
Backlash
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Razeek / May 9, 2014
I am more concerned about suppression of minorities and other religious sects by the Sinhala Buddhists rather than the elephant stealing Please, I urge all of you to write about religious persecution to the
US COMMISSION FOR INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE. Please google this name for address.
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mallaiyuran / May 10, 2014
Current Sri Lankan political situation is like Cancer patient. Writers are dealing with it by tumor by tumor. That is not an approach to cancer. In these columns as early as 4/22/14 we had proposed CV for common candidate. https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/president-rajapaksa-has-no-peoples-mandate-or-moral-right-to-contest-again/#comment-959269. Our intention was not seeking a new job to CV, and neither an attempt to insert Tamils into a Sinhalese problem. It was only for discussion and make to understand the writers the wholeness of the problem; it is invisible on the external skin. Some Proposed surgery. (Prof: Kumar and Prof: Laksiri) Who proposed eliminating EP needs understand it will not go away by eliminating EP, because it was only an organic growth within the Sinhala mass. Cutting a growth on the Cancer patient’s body does not eliminate the cancer. The growth reappear somewhere else on another part of the body. Our proposals of CV as the common candidate, in fact, are the earliest of that nature. These discussion, for my knowledge, appeared only in CT, until Kusal Perera, with true intention, proposed CV for presidency, with some supporting arguments. We will come back to that in an appropriate way.
Earlier after making sure the LTTE will be defeated, in November 2009, Robert Blake had to introduce the newly elected president Obama. Up to then, he had full say at state department back at home. But, at that point he was feeling little bit shaky with the new president. He ensured LTTE defeat during CBK time. He started it by taking GOSL navy to LTTE arms carrying ships. The Prime minister, Ranil, was kept in dark. As he did not get a share on this from CBK and by this he cannot put any claim on the LTTE’s defeat, he wanted the defense ministry to come under prime minister. CBK dismissed Ranil’s government and brought King as the PM. Ranil lost on the Presidential election too. King won it. Other than the Mahavamsa Modayas, everybody considered King as their enemy, including LTTE and America. LTTE supported King not for the money, but thinking as King is going to be a real enemy to America too, America may back off from supporting the King. This is how they were looking for to restore their power that was being depleted by America’s advanced Sky intelligence. Blake lacked political experience. His influence in American politics also one of Sri Lankan Family based styled. He refused to revise his policies and still wanted to support GOSL on its war. So he put the blame on the LTTE for appointing King as the new president. Even after everything was proven, one can notice, America never commented on that King paid money to LTTE, a banned organization, so the election was null and void. America insisted the GOSL Kings government was duly elected. In a contradicting way, America put the blame on LTTE, but yet treated the king as duly elected president. That is how the Blake’s argument went to post logic of their action of supporting King’s government on the war. King thought he had fooled LTTE by paying money to them (But he didn’t). At the same time, he lavishly gave promises to Blake who was convulsing to help the King. Here too, he thought, he had fooled America by giving promises .(Yes here he did that- Last year Blake accepted in American congress that Sri Lanka has cheated America.) Here Blake wanted to help GOSL, though knowingly, that it will be a mistake. But he understood well that UNP needs Tamils to survive in election. He understood one more thing, after 2005 election’s JVP’s standing, Lanka, from SWRD’s time, was moving to a cumbersome radical left, a place for Wimal, Gunaratnam and the like but, there was no place for prominent left authorities like Colvin, MN, Peter, Vickramabahu… In his eager to help GOSL, Blake even met the radical left Wimal at his office too (unlike that time, now, America is not supporting Syrian rebel who are with Al Qaeda, a lesson learning from their mistake on SL). What we need to see here is that Blake understood the Tamils’ importance in the Presidential election though he did not understand the Sinhalese political leaders like JR and King. So he inadvertently helped the King to become a king. But JR failed understands Tamils importance in presidential election, so he too made the King as a king by permanently leaving the EP with him. Though they two gambled on against the odd of the probability, considering the internal nature of JR’s SL politics, he goofed worse than Blake.
JR got the benefit of landslide by the failure of the rockets not bring the rice from the moon. So he introduced the EP. By mistake he thought the landslide is permanent. This made him to ignore the Tamils who have been supporting UNP from SRWD’s time. (I don’t know the reason for that, but their fear may have been less for the jungle Lion compared to the mythical two horned Lion Beast.) So to eliminate the Tamils influence so they never to become as opposition, he brought in the proportional voting system too.
With count of the Tamils UNP always, at top in total voting. So as per JR, hereafter the new EP will be always going to UNP. With the proportional voting system, Tamils will never have opposition in the parliament and cause trouble for them. Having done all these ill intended destruction to the democratic political system, he left the power. But UNP survived for only one more term as there was no known politician in SLFP to challenge Premadasa. But When CBK’s time came the JR’s mistake started peep out of the hole. Tamils, who were looking for the redress from UNP, changed their support to SLFP, when she was introduced as peace candidate. In the Mahavamsa political system, peace candidate is nothing, but for Tamils it means a lot. With the Tamils switch over the party, the EP had gone to SLFP. EP means lot of power. With Its power, even though UNP won the parliament once, it could not hold on to it. EP is so powerful, even the seats UNP won in the parliament were plucked out of UNP. This alone more than one quarter of the parliament seats.
Ignoring the Tamils, who supported UNP from 1956, JR has caused the EP to be changed over to SLFP, which he thought hereafter for ever to UNP. It is created with such powerful authorities; reclaiming it back is next to impossible. It has to be stuck with the party wherever it goes. CT’s cannons like Prof Kumar and Prof Laksiri are toying with their ideas like common candidate, eliminating EP like that. There is no assurance that the Tamils who switched over with CBK will come back to UNP. It is not sure still growing Sinhala Lefts will vote for a common candidate associated with UNP (Even if it is CBK). JVP will not accept a party Candidate. UNP cannot be the common candidate.(Ranil who went to America appears to be declared himself as the common candidate) As we said many times earlier about the choices of the individuals at the market, none of them are viable. If one of them won, there is no way to have EP removed. It needs two third in the Parliament too. Unless a substantial number of independent candidates (Equivalent of common candidate for presidency) won in the parliament election, no way obtaining 2/3 to eliminate EP from parties whoever going to have benefit of continuing with EP. King can conduct a parliamentary election and bring his 2/3 supporters before the presidential election. So even if another candidate win in the presidential election, with the help of the parliament, before his term ends in 2016, he can do lot of things to deal the new EP.
Most of the suggestions underestimate the power of the EP. And forgets the incumbent is determined to hold on to it at any cost. This is where all the suggestions are turn out to another belling the cat idea. First of all, with the powerful ability of the incumbent EP’s suppression, capturing the EP with a common candidate in the election is only a myth. It appears nobody is in a situation to remember the last common candidate election. So, if the incumbent lost the election, what can happen is not in anybody’s wildest guess. This would be the first election, an incumbent is going beyond his term limit, so as the voters may have a wish that he lose. At the end of the day, the opposing common candidate will is left with mercy of the incumbent. This is what happened to Fonseka. If I remember what happened on Jan 26th of 2010, was GOSL accused about 400 army deserters inside the Cinnamon Lake Hotel. Further it said as Fonseka was expecting to lose the election, he has installed a coup plan to activate when failed in the election. So to protect the government, what we read for here is, 1000 and 1000s of army was placed on and around the Cinnamon Lake hotel. This practically house arrested Fonseka to make sure that his not escaping if he had won the election. Anyhow, on February 8th Fonseka was arrested. With this scary experience and his civil status he is no longer willing to go for that risk.
If something happened to Ranil at election, it is only an internal case. If CV stand as a common candidate and something happens, there will be some repercussion from the international community. Tamils will certainly associate it with genocide. So the King’s government would not dare to do CV the things it did to Fonseka in the last election, yet it will do more of it to Ranil. When Ranil comes to power, he will not be able to quit the post and eliminate the EP without the UNPers. UNPers will like, he has with him, at least the PM post after quitting EP. This will become a raw deal for JVPyers, in effect; they may have had to work hard to bring a UNP to power. This is one of the reason we said CV may not have these problems. He won the NPC CM post as common candidate. He can do that in the EP election too. When he finished with EP, he will not hold any other position, this will leave JVP at ease. When he is on EP seat, the Tamils solutions also can be worked out. After making the defeat of the LTTE sure, when introducing the new American president, Blake said who ever come as president in America, it doesn’t matter, and the American policy towards Lanka will not change. Then to please Tamils too, he said after the defeat of the LTTE, a Tamil will also become a president in Sri Lanka, like Obama became the American president. So, this a chance for UNPyers to make that happen and latter capture the power through parliament and stand for American favors, instead of China’s favors.
This is how one can look at the problem as a whole. Luckily somebody show what happened to the baby elephant. Nobody knows how the elephant of the Eastern province died with a gunshot. Luckily one of the police man escaped to tell their tale. None of the three with Gobi came out of the wood. Constantly there is something is happening in the wood of the Lanka. Few are caught, many done in the way without any flaw.
About the writer’s say on the 18th amendment, as in my previous example it is only one of the tumors on the cancer patient body. Removing it will not remove the EP that is on the constitution. She may be thinking about that this election is for UNP. But, even if that assumptions turns out to be correct at this time, but eventually, the entire thing of it can go wrong as the way JR’s calculation went wrong on the Tamils participation on the EP election. So what the Lankans need is a colossal education by a radical turn.
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mj / May 10, 2014
AG of Rajapakses orders suspects who raped deaf and dumb girl to be freed
(Lanka-e-News- 10.May.2014, 3.15PM) Sarath Palitha Fernando the attorney general (AG) who has been appointed by the brutal lawless Mademulana beasts not to dispense justice but to stoke lawlessness in the country had given instructions to the Kuliyapitiya magistrate Bandula Gunarathne to allow two suspects to go scott free who raped a deaf and dumb young girl, even without hearing a trial.
The magistrate acting on the instructions given by the AG via an undated letter , has released the two suspects despite the fact that the DNA report has clearly stated that the father of the child born to the victim is one of the suspects , Susantha Vijitha Bandara. In other words in keeping with the raging lawlessness in the country under the MaRa regime , the magistrate had acted following an AG who is there solely and wholly not to dispense justice but to make it a mockery to solely and wholly to please the MaRa regime.
In 2010, based on a complaint lodged with the Narammala police by the brother of the victim , the two suspects were taken into custody and produced before court following investigations.
When the AG of the State instructs not to pursue the case , there is no law for the magistrate or the police to continue with the case.
In other words , while this poor innocent handicapped girl clearly had been proved as has been a victim of two ruthless rapists who had taken advantage of her physical weakness and committed the crime within the court premises , it has also been proved a heartless beast of an AG had ‘raped’ (mentally tortured ) her using the court taking advantage of the weakness of the bestial laws of the MaRa regime.
In the circumstances , if this is a country where the women do not rise against these brutalities and injustices of this demonic AG and the regime, this must be a country of women sans life or honor. If this is a country where there is a legal profession that does not protest , the latter must be manned by professionals who are deaf and dumb.
Meanwhile this same shameless AG had yesterday summoned Thusitha Mudalige , the state counsel of the AG’s department to his official cubicle and outrageously instructed him not to press the case that is now being heard relating to the murder of Khurram Sheikh , the British national , and the gang rape committed on his fiancée by the suspects , Tangalla local body chairman and his friends. The AG had also told Thusitha who is appearing on behalf of the prosecution ( the AG’s department) not to cross examine in a manner that would incriminate the accused
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