By Suranimala –
It is a shame that Sri Lankans are yet like Ostrichs with heads buried in the sand. In this modern age when information is at a click of a button, millions of our people at home remain in a slavish state by choice. Loss of shame, slothfulness and a sense of entitlement have seeped into our people. Such a mindset cannot be wished away. It is simpler to demolish a house than to build one.
There is more. Consider, if a child is ( he/she ) is aware that his/ her father has never held a regular job in his life other than that of a politician, but yet has acquired millions nay even billions, wouldn’t he /she know that such wealth is robbed from the people? I will not refer to the people in the know calling out such politicians. No, they do not do so in public as they are aware of the consequences. Nor will the ” I am alright Jacks ” out of self-interest, or the rural masses who are too ignorant to grasp even a simple fact such as that. But the wife and children of such politicians must know that? I have not heard nor you of any such wife or child leave home or blow the whistle on such profligacy. They enjoy the benefits of robbery, corruption, and bribery. Ill-gotten gains have no other nomenclature. It is sheer robbery of people’s money. It cannot be wished away by convincing oneself that much money is required to stay in power to work for the peoples’ benefit. No Sir, it is bribery, corruption, and robbery. The wives and the children of such politicians have no shame. That shame must be shared by the nation.
Selendiva, the SPV which would pilot the shedding of prime property extending in a contiguous line from the Port City will leave only The President’s House owned by Sri Lanka. The Presidents House will be garrisoned. Or it could be surmised that The President’s House will be secured by foreign-owned interests. Is there a sinister motive behind such a move? There were news reports that vaccines from a certain country were being bought at five dollars more by Sri Lanka than the price offered to another nation. Lo and behold, such nation issues a press release that vaccine prices sold to Sri Lanka will be classified information alluding that it is at concessionary rates. It may not be so as well. Surely if people’s money is being used should it be not their right to such information? Can any Sri Lankan import a product backed by a letter from the producing country that the price paid is confidential? C’mon, tell that to people who yet plait their hair.
President Nandasena Gotabhaya Rajapaksa touted as the messiah has been nothing but a wolf. The sheepskin has worn off in double-quick time. His grasp of governance is not only woefully inadequate but the arrogance inherent in him prevents good advice from being offered. It appears that his elder sibling Mahinda who has experience in governance is unable to be of any help either. But consider. Does someone over seventy years of age and coming from a stable that is known to be dodgy at best wake up the next day a changed man?
Dream on Sri Lanka. Dream on.
Be that as it may, what future does one foresee for Sri Lanka? Covid has not helped. That is true of all nations. President Nandasena Gotabhaya Rajapaksa in his simplistic mindset misread that a pandemic could be eradicated by the Army pointing a gun at the virus. Such naivety has pushed the nation behind by a decade. It was not as if Sri Lanka had financial stability prior to the pandemic ripping through the world. Financially stable nations and others that care about her people have fared better at minimising the impact of the virus. Sri Lanka fails on both counts and naturally will pay dearly. I digress.
A morally degenerate country cannot keep pace with an ever speeding world pushing forward backed by a knowledge-based and technologically driven path to prosperity. Recall our three principal exports, Tea, Rubber, and Coconut?
Sri Lankans yet harvest Tea and Rubber by hand. Remember this is 2021. Coconut? Yes, you still climb trees.
Sri Lanka is not all doom and gloom. Wilbert Singho, Gunadasa, and Dasa from the hinterland have access to smartphones. If they have the opportunity to visit the big cities they could enter modern mixed development malls and gaze at the wares on sale. They could also take to the highways and overhead bridges for the novelty, go back to the village and climb a coconut tree to pluck a nut to make a sambol for lunch.
As for the siblings who know their parents have plundered the nation, keep on enjoying the spoils and dream of stepping into their shoes in the future. Oh, Sri Lanka, a land like no other.
Dilshan / July 5, 2021
Isn’t it fair to put the blame only on Nandasena.
the rot started from the day of independence when defranshied the estate workers.
Nandasena is the jewel in the crown.
When the man butchered the Tamils in muliwaikal we cheered.
It is those people’s curse we are suffering now
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Paul / July 6, 2021
Why did the Tamil leaders support disfranchising the Estate Tamils? More importantly, why have you not mentioned it? Half-truths again.
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Humble / July 6, 2021
Paul
Why did the Tamil leaders support disfranchising the Estate Tamils?
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NE tamils hate indians just like the sinhalese do.
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leelagemalli / July 7, 2021
However Nsndasena got elected being an apolitical candidate promising sky earth losing him to have a vision for country but as of today he is seen as the weakest ever to have misled the very same stupid people,why and what goes through his head today ?☹☹☹☹☹☹☹☹
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KP / July 5, 2021
Suranimala you say: “His (NGR) grasp of governance is not only woefully inadequate but the arrogance inherent in him prevents good advice from being offered. It appears that his elder sibling Mahinda who has experience in governance is unable to be of any help either.”
~
On the other hand, is it just possible that no real help is being offered to NGR from within the family and furthermore bad advice is being intentionally fed by people close to him with the ulterior motive of bringing about his downfall so that someone else waiting in the wings can take over?
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Nathan / July 5, 2021
KP,
What a defence you provide. Is he that naive not to know who among his family is having an ulterior motive, if at all. When you elect a stupid man, you look for stupid excuses to defend him.
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nimal fernando / July 5, 2021
IMF-Driven Bailout
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IMF better force human-rights and independence of the judiciary as the No. 1 condition for the bail-out.
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And keep a tight grip on it …… handing-out the money in small tranches ………. and withhold it if there is any hanky-panky …….
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If we can’t save ourselves ……… let someone else give it a go …………
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SJ / July 5, 2021
Countries struggle to save themselves from the IMF.
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nimal fernando / July 5, 2021
Prof SJ,
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What you say is true …….. but there are many countries with better leaders who managed their affairs well …… that have escaped the clutches of the IMF.
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IMF didn’t ask SL to come into their arms ……… because of the mismanagement of our finances we have to force ourselves on the IMF …….. or even on few other organizations ……. perhaps the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank …… to rescue us.
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SJ, shouldn’t you be blaming our leaders who got us into this mess ……… rather than resort to typical Lankan intellectual-dishonesty ……..and start blaming others ……. like the IMF?
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Well, she might be able to help us! https://www.imf.org/en/About/senior-officials/Bios/sharmini-a-coorey ….. Do you want me to put in a word? :))
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SJ / July 5, 2021
NF
If I restrict myself to my immediate surroundings, I may only be blaming our ‘leaders’. I do not hold a candle for any.
What I see here is people pouncing on one group of bandits because they prefer another group of bandits.
*
I do not know what you mean by intellectual dishonesty. Search, and point it out when you see it.
*
Things are more complex than we see.
The IMF, WB, ADB etc were not established to save any poor nation.
Look a little beyond the shores to know what happens when honest leaders try to free themselves of imperialist shackles. (For example guess how many murder attempts were made at Fiedel Castro.)
I will not waste time listing things.
Search outside mainstream media.
Read William Blum for a start (Killing Hope: US Military and CIA Interventions).
*
Please do not refer to me as Prof., for I am not one.
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nimal fernando / July 6, 2021
SJ,
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As requested I’ve dropped the “Prof” ……… I try to address elders the proper way to show respect ……. I want to respect them …… but above all, I want them to respect themselves ………..
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And I have tremendous respect for apolitical people/professionals who could have easily left but have stayed behind …….. even though I may not agree with all their views or deeds ……
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I try to stay away from people’s personal details; not my thang (Well, except OC’s and Native’s love lives and Native’s Chinese gals!) ….. all I know about anyone is what has been written here in the forum ……..
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“The IMF, WB, ADB etc were not established to save any poor nation.”
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Agreed! Everyone looks after themselves: it would be crazy, not to! ……. “Capitalists” countries look after themselves ……. “Communist” countries look after themselves …… It’s not restricted to/by an ideology ……. no country/ideology is beyond reproach
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nimal fernando / July 6, 2021
continued
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There is a Lankan saying that was taught us in primary school in Sinhala …… “Thama hisata, thama athamaya sevanalla.” ….. “One’s hand is the only shade for one’s head.”
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That was drilled-in at a very young age …… not for nothing!
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“Life has not been devised by morality: it wants deception, it lives on deception–but wouldn’t you know it?” ……… As adults, we should have that carved on our foreheads, so when we meet we can’t escape reality.
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In the entire human history …….. there was only one Christ and one Buddha ……. so it’s crazy to go around looking for exceptions rather than work with the rule one is confronted with.
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nimal fernando / July 6, 2021
continued
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But let us limit this to SL for now …… then expand later …..
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“What I see here is people pouncing on one group of bandits because they prefer another group of bandits.”
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That’s where your typical Lankan intellectual-dishonesty seeps in by trying to equate the unprecedented outright unhidden/open shameless corruption of the Rajapakses to the rest of the crooks!
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Let’s face it ….. in the history of SL, there has been no such corruption and robbery of public funds like what has happened under the Rajapakses.
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If you just simply say Yes to that obvious/clear truth/reality then I will gladly continue with the discussion/argument.
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If not we are not discussing truth/reality …….. but hallucinations in someone’s mind! …….. Native Vedda is the specialist to consult/channel for hallucinations.
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SJ / July 6, 2021
nf
“That’s where your typical Lankan intellectual-dishonesty seeps in etc”
Please yourself.
I am not here to please anyone by saying ‘Amen’.
Blame me when I defend an crook.
*
If you have a problem with hallucinations, I can suggest better specialists.
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Native Vedda / July 6, 2021
nimal fernando
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SJ types:
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“I am not here to please anyone by saying ‘Amen’.
Blame me when I defend an crook.”
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True, here we are not discussing Mao and his red book, Manuel Rubén Abimael Guzmán Reynoso or Pol Pot.
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leelagemalli / July 7, 2021
NF,
.
it is alright to address anyone with prefixes, but Profs are highly educated personnel in their fields only. Prof. in Medicine would not be a Prof for political science or sociology. That is what I see in Europe. In UK, medical doctors would not want to be addressed as ” Dr” if they have not obtained the titles by completing a doctoral thesis. They would prefer Mr/Mrs/Ms instead. This I experience with them whenever exchanging e-mails with them. However, srilanka and perhaps in entire south asian region – they have been used to address medical doctors setting prefixes ” Dr” also in their correspondence.
And I have got circles, they would love to even set “name boards” on their vehicle ” Doctor”. In Germany, if a medical doctor has not completed a doctoral thesis – they are called ” Arzt /Ärztin” (similar to” medical doctor”). It is a legal issue, if anyone would violate the rule.
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And further to this in Austria even if the wives of PhD holders are called ” Frau Doktor” – which is similar to ” Lady Doctor” in SL context. Those who know austrians make fun out them on the kind of silly acts.
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Nathan / July 5, 2021
nimal fernando,
You should know that you are challenging a person who knows no fair play!
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SJ / July 6, 2021
N
So you are back in the game?
Tell us more about fair play.
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Native Vedda / July 6, 2021
nimal fernando
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“…….. but there are many countries with better leaders who managed their affairs well …… “
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I am sorry you don’t seem to listen to Wimal Sangili Karuppan Weerawansa who recently assured us that instead of one Lee Kwan (Gota) we have one Lee Kwan and one Mahathir (Mahinda).
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What do you have to say to that?
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chiv / July 6, 2021
Native, do you see a pattern here. 1) Prof comes up with the most ridiculous comment with no bearing what so ever, then accuses of some thing else . What has attempts on Fidel to do with IMF loans to Lanka??? any idea 2) Does not provide any evidence to support but recommends to read further on subjects which are not at all relevant to topic discussed. Instead why not quote Dinuk or Anthropologist , so called outside main media sources. Will saves time for us readers. 4) If this is not intellectual dishonesty then it has to be intellectual stupidity. 5) Plain things are made to appear “more complex” so that to claim ” I am well read and informed are you ???. 6) I will not waste time because I have nothing to support or offer. 7) Haven’t we heard and seen it all?? 8) Last but not least when banks lend money they expect the individuals to pay , if not there are charities who may donate for free. IMF loans comes with stiff medicine such as Austerity measures. It is pretty much saying spend less than what you earn. Isn’t it the same told to individuals facing bankruptcy or run massive credits.
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SJ / July 6, 2021
The itch is back I guess.
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chiv / July 6, 2021
Check your undergarments it may be contagious.
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SJ / July 6, 2021
Is it hurting badly?
See advice below
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Native Vedda / July 6, 2021
“The itch is back I guess.”
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Don’t scratch.
You will make it worse.
You must see a doctor.
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Native Vedda / July 6, 2021
chiv
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Thanks for your detailed observation from points 1 to 8.
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Is it Dangerous to Wake a Sleepwalker especially when he suffers from itch?
https://uamshealth.com/medical-myths/is-it-dangerous-to-wake-a-sleepwalker/
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Ajith / July 5, 2021
Countries struggle to save themselves from the IMF and China loans.
Sri Lanka is struggling from China. Mahinda got $1.3bn loan from Chinese state – controlled companies to develop Hambantota harbour in 2010(11). But it has since struggled under heavy losses, making it impossible for Colombo to repay its debts. In 2016 Ranil government signed to hand over it to China for 99 years.
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SJ / July 6, 2021
A
The biggest lenders to SL are private fund holders.
So there are other lenders to worry about more.
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Ajith / July 6, 2021
From China?
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SJ / July 6, 2021
How desperate can one be for lack of a sensible answer.
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Native Vedda / July 7, 2021
“How desperate can one be for lack of a sensible answer.”
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Therefore defend the indefensible at any cost.
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N. Perera / July 7, 2021
The Biggest wealth robbers are Sri Lanka’s Kallathoni Tamils. This is a well-known secret also and Tamils in the world are especially secret people. Everyone knows only Indian Bohras brought money and start the business in Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Kallathoni Tamils brought the money from the moon to start the business in Sinhalese Aryan country, Sri Lanka?
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old codger / July 6, 2021
Nimal,
I think the problem is with the voters who elect these crooks who then proceed to pawn the voters’ jewellery to pay for what was promised. Our people have a very unreal image of the country they live in. The Daily Mirror ran an item about the Police getting 2000 three-wheelers. There was a deluge of comments from presumably educated people, on the grounds that these vehicles were bad for the image of the Police. Do these people think they live in Beverly Hills????
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Native Vedda / July 6, 2021
old codger
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Police has been using three wheelers for many years.
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Mahila / July 10, 2021
Native V.,
Absolutely correct. Commandeered on Demand and necessity.
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nimal fernando / July 7, 2021
“Beverly Hills”
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OC,
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The visions we had in our minds of these places when we were school kids in SL …… are not what they are in reality …. most places are nothing much to write home about and mostly dirty ……. Valentino (who I always liked as a designer) in Rodeo Drive has about 6 dresses and few shoes on display and about 10 people standing around waiting to serve ……. as soon as we stepped in about 3 people came running to serve us ……. it was pretty embarrassing, we didn’t go to buy anything only just to take a peek ……
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You realize how insecure we all are …….. and what we do to cover it up. :))
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If you are planning a trip after the pandemic ……… make a beeline to Copacabana Beach, Rio ……. when we arrived it was dark and cloudy, I was thinking what’s all the fuss …….. then it cleared and the sun came up ……. I’ll stop there, don’t wanna corrupt young impressionable kids like Native whose minds are still at the formative stage ………
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The world is a many splendored place!
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old codger / July 7, 2021
Nimal,
I don’t mind a bit of corruption now and then.
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Kuviyam / July 5, 2021
“I will act in the way I wish to act, Whther you like it or Not, I am not worried” this is the thinking of President Gota`; for many years, he was in the US, He never understood the problems of the people. Rajapakse family is well aware of the sensitiveness of the Ethnic issue. That was the trump card they had like SWRD, Basil, the magician who will d wonders to save the country from disasters; the same DNA flows in the Mahinda dynasty; Basil among the brothers is a shrewd guy; he has kept his legs on two boats. If his Black Magic Trick fails, he will get back to the USA<What is the purpose of returning to Sri Lanka giving up a comfortable life in the US. Money money,
taking a loan from India, China, and Bangladesh show the island's plight, productivity at a standstill. Tourism is almost dying.
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SJ / July 5, 2021
“I will act in the way I wish to act, Whther you like it or Not, I am not worried”
*
Was it also not the motto of VP?
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Sugandh / July 6, 2021
Was VP ever a President or PM of SriLanka? Was VP ever elected by due process?
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SJ / July 6, 2021
S,
Your memory seems to play tricks.
Was not VP de facto ruler of a good part of N&E Sri Lanka for close upon two decades?
*
Is not being elected a license to act arbitrarily?
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Ajith / July 6, 2021
SJ,
So you agree that Rajapaksas are terrorists and should be eliminated the same way as Gota did to VP?
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SJ / July 6, 2021
Please yourself.
I am not in the elimination business.
That was something that VP & Co specialized in.
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Ajith / July 6, 2021
SJ,
Were you not involved in the elimination business of VP? Anyway you are happy with GR!
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SJ / July 6, 2021
Unlike some people here, I am not happy with any terminator.
Are you?
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Sugandh / July 6, 2021
Prof SJ:
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(1) Gotabaya is not a de facto ruler. (2) Gotabaya was elected per The Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and laws thereof.
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Those are two important and incomparable differences to VP’s leadership of LTTE.
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The legal obligations and the practicality of administering democratic policies to the tax paying citizenry by an elected government are vastly different from the offerings and workings of an armed separatist organization that was waging guerrilla warfare and managing a region captured from the government forces.
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Whether or not VP acted arbitrarily like Gotabaya is doing now is really off-track to this article, and as well to Kuviyam’s thoughts here.
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SJ / July 6, 2021
S
Someone said:
“I will act in the way I wish to act, Whther you like it or Not, I am not worried” this is the thinking of President Gota;”
I responded to it, because there is inconsistency on the part of people who condemn highhandedness of some but never that of certain others.
No more no less.
The author of the comment did not object.
I am surprised by the convoluted arguments in defence of VP.
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Sugandh / July 6, 2021
VP is dead. Has been for over a decade.
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Gota is our current president. That’s our current and most pressing concern.
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There’s nothing convoluted about that, is there Prof SJ?
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The author of the comment has not responded to your comment – That doesn’t mean he has or hasn’t objected to your off-track quip.
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SJ / July 7, 2021
Any pathetic excuse to duck the question.
You started with “Was VP ever a President or PM of SriLanka? Was VP ever elected by due process?” as your defence of the party concerned.
Sad.
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soma / July 7, 2021
SJ
I am not.
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Soma
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SJ / July 7, 2021
Soma
Thanks.
My question was a response to a rather sick defence of someone and came way below your comment.
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chiv / July 6, 2021
Sugandh, please ignore people who does not have the ability to differentiate between President and VP. I wonder such comments are made to create ” shock and awe” moments or mere stupidity.
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Sugandh / July 6, 2021
Dear Chiv!
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I deviated from my usual restraint.
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SJ / July 6, 2021
The itch again
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chiv / July 6, 2021
Keep a distance from your near and dear ones, and try remembering all those close contacts you have had . You may need it when you visit your doctor.
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SJ / July 7, 2021
Take care.
Get better soon
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Native Vedda / July 7, 2021
“The itch again.”
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Don’t scratch.
You will make it worse.
Urgent you must see a doctor
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leelagemalli / July 7, 2021
Sugandh@ beg to differ
Both got elected not by DUE PROCESS. Please check it again.
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Facts about election of both: Both belong to the DE FACTO catergory
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Merriam Webster
1: ACTUALespecially : being such in effect though not formally recognizeda de facto state of warWhatever it says on the calendar, Florida has de facto summer.— E. L. Konigsburghas become the movement’s de facto spokesperson
2: exercising power as if legally constituteda de facto governmentthe de facto head of state
3: resulting from economic or social factors rather than from laws or actions of the statede facto segregation
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N/E – VP was a Defacto President – this is the fact
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Since Nov 2019
Srilanka / Defacto President Gotabaya Nandasena – his election is illegal by the time his nomination was given, he had not produced his – renunciation of US citizenship to EC, MaCo: – Prof. Hoole is the principal witness
.
Please check the sources below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYxRNekhhTc
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Ajith / July 6, 2021
Was it also not the motto of China and SJ?
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SJ / July 6, 2021
You are a great defender of one who takes that attitude.
Do you want company?
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Eagle Eye / July 6, 2021
Kuviyam,
There is no sensitive ethnic issue in Sri Lanka. After Tamil terrorism which was promoted by racist separatist Tamil politicians was defeated, Tamils (Hindu, Muslim and Christian) and Sinhalayo (Buddhist and Christian) live in peace without any conflict. More and more Tamils from North and East come to Sinhala areas. Yet, racist separatist Tamil politicians try to show to the world that there is an ethnic issue in Sri Lanka for their political survival. These Tamil politicians who live in Colombo amongst Sinhalayo with their families are the main obstacle to co-existence of Sinhalayo and Tamils in Sri Lanka.
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“Rajapakse family is well aware of the sensitiveness of the Ethnic issue.”
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leelagemalli / July 5, 2021
Thank you for the great analysis about today’s self made mess.
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It can well be compared with an act of Harakiri. To my surprise, yet today, people are in the hallozination mode with that most abusive Wimal Buruwanse being kept under the bed of the corrupted men in leadership.
.
True, those grown up young generations born to vicious and highly corrupted politicians dont seem to question how they became wealthy. May well be, they are taught not to question “why” and “what”: Alone their qualifications are bought by bribing the supervisors. Sadly, there are also such professors in the country that would bend down to any such acts.. The very same manner, that Jayasumana the fake Prof. should have gained his titles. To me this wijeratne who is said to have publisehd an article with Rohitha Rajapakshe is a biased man.
.https://twitter.com/Rohitha_Chichi/status/841972549512699906/photo/1
I have no idea, how CMBO/UNI professors could allow Rohitha Rajapkshe to complete his doctorate in astrophysics without having done/taken part in his doctoral work as any other PhD student would do but immediately after father returned to power ?
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And, lately we were compelled to read that MaRa#S youungest son, not having worked a single day by his own, is repoted to have a villa worth in billions.
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MyView / July 5, 2021
Dear Author.
…I have not heard nor you, of any such wife or child leave home or blow the whistle on such profligacy….
I heard it just once. Mahindananda’s wife gave a list of his assets to court in her divorce case, and it was in hundreds of millions. She asked for Rs.2 million a month as alimony – he offered, I think, 1 million. Of course that was driven by her self-interest only.
…… They enjoy the benefits of robbery, corruption, and bribery…..
I am sure even she enjoys the spoils jointly, as yet.
…..The wives and the children of such politicians have no shame.….
But what shame have their backers, catchers and even those who vote for them.
What it means is that “SHAME” has no relevance in SL due degeneration of moral values and loss of simple cultural values. We have been immunized by making looting and thuggery by politicos so commonplace, that 75% of teledramas are about the shenanigans of the politicians.
That is the anaesthetic given by servile media. It is worse than tetracaine which is 5 to 8 times more efficacious than cocaine.
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GATAM / July 5, 2021
Only way forward for the island is to divide it equitably into 3 mono-ethnic nations and relocate people.
At the moment the nation tries to please everyone, none pleased in the end!
SL has come to the end of the road. If we don’t do it, USA, EU, Japan, India and China will split the island into separate nations with a lot of bloodshed. Do it peacefully now and let at least part of the island develop. (Surely Tamil Elam and Muslim Elam cannot be so mismanaged like SL.)
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Rohan25 / July 5, 2021
Fathima there are only two linguistic groups and ethnicities in the island. Sinhalese and Tamil. Islam is a religion and the Sri Lankan Muslims are ethnic immigrant Indian Tamil converts to Islam, with a dash of Arab in a few hundred families. This makes them Tamil. If they want to change their language and speak Sinhalese, then they are Sinhalese Muslims. The island had only Sinhalese and Tamil kingdoms and Sinhalese and Tamil areas and homelands. No Islamic homelands or rulers. Converted Tamil Islamic immigrants from South India, who had only arrived in the island a few centuries ago, largely as refugees and still largely living in Sinhalese areas, cannot now start claiming a homeland now exclusively only in Tamil areas, where only a minority of them live, in the name of Islam and a fake Arab origin, that everyone knows is a lie. They have been set up they the Sinhalese politicians and racists deliberately to do this , just to deny the Tamils justice, steal more of their land in the name of Islam and muddy the waters. If you want Islamic Arab homeland move to Saudi Arabia or some other Arab gulf nation.
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Eagle Eye / July 5, 2021
Rohan25,
“If you want Islamic Arab homeland move to Saudi Arabia or some other Arab gulf nation.”
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In the same token Tamils who live in Sinhale/Ceylon/Sri Lanka should move to Tamil Nadu because that is the ancestral home of Tamils. Tamils came to Sinhale either as invaders or coolies to work for colonial rulers. Tamils cannot have two homelands; one in India and another one in Sinhale.
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Humble / July 6, 2021
Eagle
In the same token Tamils who live in Sinhale/Ceylon/Sri Lanka should move to Tamil Nadu because that is the ancestral home of Tamils
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And since sinhalese are ‘aryans’ perhaps they can relocate to some aryan land in the far north of the world?
Because as far as i know aryans are not indigenous to tropical islands close to the equator
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SJ / July 6, 2021
Have you asked Hill Country Tamils?
They do not want to be lumped together with the NE Tamils. I has been the case for many decades.
So we have three Tamil-speaking minority nationalities.
With such nastily arrogant attitude of some ‘Tamils’ who will like to be seen as part of that group?
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soma / July 5, 2021
Two. Muslims are Tamils practising Islam.
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Soma
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SJ / July 5, 2021
S
You keep repeating this with no consideration for what the Muslims have to say on thee matter.
Over a century ago Macan Markar rejected P Ramanathan’s attempt to impose Tamil identity on the Muslims.
Muslims of former Yugoslavia are ethnically the same as Serbs and Croats. Like the Serbs and Croats, the Muslims also were recognized as a separate nationality.
The Han Muslims of China are recognized as a nationality, Hui.
*
Who is anybody to impose an identity on a people who resent such identification?
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Humble / July 6, 2021
SJ
You keep repeating this with no consideration for what the Muslims have to say on thee matter.
————-
Lankan muslims claim to be arabs but arabs will never accept them as arabs and they know it.
At least the white australians recognized lankan burgers as having european blood and granted many of them australian citizenship when the sinhala state kicked a certain number of them out.
Arabs look down on asian muslims. An arab politician once made a highly insulting remark towards pakistanis very openly to the media. And there was hardly a word of outrage from any south asian muslims. Such is the inferiority complex. South asian muslims look up to arabs like they are one step above them and closer to allah than they are (they will deny this if you ask them but the proof is clear to see)
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SJ / July 7, 2021
You may know when Australia chose to accept a certain ‘percentage of European blood’ as adequate to satisfy their Whites only policy.
in the late 1950s Australia was desperately short of skilled man power. Not many Europeans will go there. Australia had Southern European immigrants but not many and not very skilled.
But Australian racism could not throw out its ‘Whites Only’ policy. The Australian racists fudged the same way South Africa did under apartheid when it had to deal with the Japanese.
Nobody kicked any Burgher out of this country. They felt intimidated by the language Policy as they were English speakers who could manage in Sinhala but not fluent.
*
Tamils look down on fellow Tamils by caste and region.
Does that mean that Tamils have no moral authority to insist on an identity?
*
More later if necessary.
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Humble / July 7, 2021
SJ
It was a burgher who told me about what happened. Whether or not he was exaggerating i cant tell. But knowing SLs history of communal hatred its hardly surprising is it?
During the 1960s the lankan government evicted around half a million lankan born up country tamils, who india took and dumped inside concentration camps for decades. This is something i KNOW happened.
They got rid of an old chinese community that used to live in SL long before the modern day chinese arrived.
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SJ / July 8, 2021
Check on populations records to find when Lankan Burghers migrated.
The Burghers got along well with the Sinhalese. Some of the greatest historical research of the country was by Burghers.
*
Do not mix the question of Hill Country Tamils with that of the Burghers.
The UNP (then including the founders of the SLFP) that disenfranchised them was happy as long as the HCT worked on the plantations for a pittance but would not vote in elections.
Although the unjust Sirimavo-Shastri pact was signed in 1964 very little was implemented. The Sirimavo-Indira pact of 1974 tidied up the loose ends of the S-S pact.
Emigration started in earnest not even after the nationalization of tea estates.
It was the drought and joblessness in ‘tea country’ that persuaded many to actually leave.
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Manel Fonseka / July 5, 2021
I’m sick of hearing/seeing people claim this. Maybe a portion of SL Muslims are of Tamil descent, originally from India or here, but I believe many SL Muslims go back to the period when Muslim traders settled — taking mainly local wives, perhaps.
Incidentally, all my Muslim friends here are extremely fair, apart from anything else.
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SJ / July 5, 2021
Manel
Thanks.
Even if over half of them have Tamil ancestry, the point is that they seriously assert a separate identity.
We should respect it.
Punjabi speaking people identify themselves differently as Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs. They have gone separate ways for too long, despite a common ancestry. It was unfortunate, but can anyone impose a common identity upon them.
Leave them alone, and they will get closer and friendlier and even find much in common.
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Humble / July 7, 2021
SJ
Punjabi speaking people identify themselves differently as Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs
—————-
Punjabi muslims never deny they are punjabi and claim to be arabs.
This kind of madness is unique to lankan muslims.
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SJ / July 8, 2021
Punjabi Muslims and Punjabi Hindus now share a language but no more. The cultural identities are now far apart.
You skipped the Sikhs.
Madness belongs to those who impose an identity on them.
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Manel Fonseka / July 6, 2021
I forgot to name the most important element — namely, that these traders were Arabs, from the Middle East.
—
And I absolutely agree with SJ when he/she asks:
‘Who is anybody to impose an identity on a people who resent such identification?’
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Sugandh / July 6, 2021
Dear Manel:
–
I always did wonder about Soma’s claim on the Muslims of Sri Lanka.
–
Never really inquired about the ancestry of Muslim folk when growing up in the East. Now that you have mentioned about the super fair complexion of many, it reminded me of many of my Muslim classmates, teachers, friends and residents in the community. Back in those days, the attires worn by the Muslim community weren’t much different and in thats sense, there was less of a visual gap.
–
Given that ethnic identities are scientifically or biologically determined, it’s absurd that anyone would even attempt to clump everyone under one label which doesn’t fit some of them at all.
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Humble / July 6, 2021
Manel fonseka
Incidentally, all my Muslim friends here are extremely fair, apart from anything else.
———
If lankan muslims are descendants of arabs then why did they adopt tamil and not sinhala when they settled in SL?
Does that mean sri lanka was originally a tamil speaking island? Oops!
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SJ / July 7, 2021
H
The traders chose Tamil, but married both Tamil & Sinhalese women.
The choice of language was based on the dominant language of trade in this region. There was a large seafaring and trader population in southern India that was Tamil speaking or had a working knowledge of Tamil.
They had no caste inhibitions and coexisted well with their neighbours.
*
Not so loud with your last line. There are desperate pseudo historians around who will pick it up and use it as evidence to prove that there was no Sinhala spoken here before the Sinhala Only Act..
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Humble / July 7, 2021
SJ
The choice of language was based on the dominant language of trade in this region
—————–
So sinhalese despite ‘being the majority’
Despite being a ‘superior aryan race’
Allowed the tamil minority to control their islands economy?
And arabs came along, decided to settle down and adopt the language of the
‘inferior dravidian minority’ and not the language of the ‘aryan majority rulers’?
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SJ / July 8, 2021
H
The Arabs were trading in the region.
For a long while, this piece of land surrounded by salt water was just a place to park themselves to do business a ‘little beyond the coast’.
The language you denounce is the longest living in the South and Southeast Asian region.
The ruling Aryan majority perhaps could not persuade the rather money-minded Arabs of the worth of their language.
*
Our languages have been stagnating for the last few centuries. Efforts to reactivate them have achieved very little.
We are increasingly overwhelmed by an absolute mongrel of a language and we do not care two hoots.
*
Work on building your language on the lines that Munidasa did without pouring scorn on others.
*
Be humble, and grow up.
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old codger / July 7, 2021
Humble,
“Does that mean sri lanka was originally a tamil speaking island? Oops!”
Perhaps not, but there are credible indications that coastal areas, where Muslims would have landed, were in fact Tamil-speaking. 18 th century Dutch maps show very Tamil-sounding names from Negombo and Colombo right down to Matara.
As to Tamil control of the economy, it is still the case. The Sinhalese were never very good at trade, even with State backing.
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Eagle Eye / July 5, 2021
Gatam,
Except Sinhalayo and Vedda Eththo all the others who live in Sinhale are immigrants who came as invaders, refugees or coolies to work for colonial rulers. Sinhalayo did not invite any of these people to their country. Sinhalayo and Vedda Eththo sacrificed their lives and shed blood to protect this country from Dravida and European invaders. So, do not expect Sinhalayo and Vedda Eththo to give their land to immigrants who settle down in their country to have their Kingdoms.
—
“Only way forward for the island is to divide it equitably into 3 mono-ethnic nations and relocate people.”
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Native Vedda / July 6, 2021
Eagle Blind Eye
–
“Except Sinhalayo and Vedda Eththo all the others who live in Sinhale are immigrants who came as invaders, refugees or coolies to work for colonial rulers.”
–
Which of the following category you would classify your ancestors invaders, refugees or coolies to work for colonial rulers ?
–
Whether you are a Tamil, Sinhalese or Muslim you still remain a descendant of South Indian (Thamilakam) Kallathonie, perhaps you are a recent convert to Sinhala/Buddhism.
What seems to be the problem?
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chiv / July 5, 2021
Last time you wrote people who could not digest truth came out accusing of taking the PSEUDONYM of someone else. Even when our names cannot be claimed as our own , how can pseudonym ?? I still vividly remember the article you wrote prior to presidential election warning of consequence of Rajapaksa presidency. What family dynasties in Lanka are dynasties of corruption, crime,hatred, violence, division and immoral. I believe it is not just politician but people who keep electing them too have become the same. Youngsters today when asked about future /goals/dreams ,most answer spontaneously “to make easy money , become quickly rich” quoting examples around them.
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davidthegood / July 5, 2021
Suranimala, Nothing new here. When a house is closed and unoccupied, robbers get in to plunder, occupy and then own it with fake deeds. That’s why a land registry is there. The owner must show legal evidence of payments made in ownership, win the supreme court case and then chase out the squatters. If they don’t go, then they can be imprisoned, and any losses made good. The owner cannot go to sleep and expect justice to fall from above. He must adjudicate the verdict. Joblessness is the cause of poverty of robbers. There is a great need for these robbers to do a job with income to cover their needs, and not rob the nation. The difference between a royal kingdom like UK with service and not robbery compared to a marxist dictatorship kingdom with palaces without peace is clearly seen in slavery without freedom of expression for masses.
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leelagemalli / July 5, 2021
DTG,
All is clear who is the elephant in the room, but people#s conditioned mind set dont seem to allow them go beyond their levels. No protests or any kind of rises come from the people…. their indifference levels are beyond bearing.
Why do people stay permamently scared to react acocrdingly ?Why do they yet today respect hypocrite-Monks that become decorative animals in the political parades of the political crooks.
This has nothing to do with school education but about the culture and religion. Besides, srilanka s literacy levels are simialr to that of Singapore. However India, Bangaldesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Maldives would have to dream of such higher literacy levels. Meaning not the literacy but something else should be behind us SRILANKEN nation to make us that – obsequeous to the vicious politicians.
–
Sinhala Buddhism (SB) is a life style for us and some parts of Thailand. It has nothing to do with true teachings of buddha.
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Thiha / July 5, 2021
A vast segment of the Sinhalese population seems to beleive in lies. these are not just rural folk but expatriates. They bought all the lies about the Yahapalana government. Did not appreciate any of the benefits of living in a law abiding democracy. Wanted a fascist dictator to take over. Wanted the military to take over civilian administration. Never realized who the real culprit and benefactor of the Easter Sunday bombing was. Gave the dictator a 2/3 majority and followed it up by the 20th amendment which enshrined the dictator with absolute power and the subjugation of the judiciary. Now majically assume Basil will fix the mess and produce orgnaic fertilizer to solve the chemical fertilizer ban. When it comes to the the SLPP they think it is fine to elect hooch merchants, chain snatchers, drug dealers, plain dumb imbeciles with not a brain cell to bless themselves with into parliament. They think it is fine to import luxury SUVs for these no nothing idiots at a time when there is a debt crisis. The opposition on the other hand do have talented people but pay not attention to them. Also pillrory the former PM with all kinds of outlandish lies that he is related to Shiranthi that he is not a Buddhist that he did absolutely nothing beneficial to the country, that he was some how to blame for the Easter bomb etc.etc.
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davidthegood / July 5, 2021
Thiha, Much of Sinhala population has no input from a higher source of power and believe any lie without any discernment. Military and dictatorship is to fight wars, but the overall pattern of reconciliation and living in harmony and oneness only can eventually bring peace and righteousness and justice and wholeness of government and kingly rulership. There is no other magic either in parliament or in sangha even if all the rest of humanity are beheaded. The evil drug dealers and robbers will eventually receive the consequences of their actions. Marxists create the chaos and then take the glory for solving the chaos like easter bombing. What we sow, we will reap throughout the generations and affect the nation.
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Eagle Eye / July 6, 2021
Thiha,
It is the other way round. Large number of Tamils believe in lies told to them by racist separatist politicians for their political survival that Tamils are indigenous people who lived in this country before Sinhalayo arrived and North East of the country is their ‘Traditional Homeland’. None of these things are true. Tamils who live in Sinhale>Ceylon>Sri Lanka are the descendants of Dravidians from Hindusthan who came as invaders, coolies to work for colonial rulers and traders. When Tamil politicians and academics realized that they do not have a history similar to Sinhalayo in this country, they started ridiculing Mahawansa and distorting the history of Sinhalayo. Tamils who do not know the history of Sinhale believe these lies.
—-
“A vast segment of the Sinhalese population seems to beleive in lies. these are not just rural folk but expatriates.”
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justice / July 5, 2021
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9756677/Kate-Middleton-forced-self-isolation-covid-scare.html
In the United Kingdom, even royalty have to obey the rules regarding the Covid epidemic.
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Mallaiyuran / July 5, 2021
Thanks Justice
Royals obey, that is why the commons obey.
Example has to come from unnaturally larger, highly visible model for the common to place faith on law.
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Paul / July 6, 2021
Mallaiyuran, your memory is playing tricks. Have you forgotten Prince Andrew and his paedophile friends?
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SJ / July 7, 2021
Paul
It is not memory but fantasy that is involved.
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Raj-UK / July 5, 2021
SL politicians are hypocrites, but more than that, they are shameless, & have armour plated hides. The cronies who suck up to them are worse. At the end of the day, we all worship money & it does not matter how it is earned. We may laugh behind their backs but happy to greet them with a smile & clasped palms, maybe even with sheaf of betel. No doubt, Kudu Silva is surrounded by ‘well wishers’ & he is probably proud of his murderer tag as he is feared, yet revered by faithful followers & I am sure he will be welcomed back to the social circles. We have Ministers who think oxygen is not important as one cannot ‘eat’ oxygen or believe the ecological catastrophe caused by Xpress Pearl was a god send because it would improve our FOREX reserves from the compensation, not to mention, those who believe in divine intervention & not scientific facts, yet, we vote them in every time. Ignorance in public is nothing to be ashamed of, whilst the Rajapakse brats boasts of their intellectual & high educational achievements, the jokers, from Aluthgamage to thugs like Johnston, are happy to make a fool of themselves in public but the joke is on us because we carry on accepting these yobs instead of shunning them in disgust.
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Mallaiyuran / July 5, 2021
Sinhala Buddhist Modayas not just believe untruth, but also do not believe the truth. If the Chitanta Royals are masculine gender of crimes of murders, rape, robbery, impunity, then Ranil- Mangala’s Yahapalanaya is only feminine gender of those. Of cause Ranil or Mangala did not charge any woman with sex and fee to appear for their terrorist activities. But these Yahapalanaya wives never brought out the crime of the Masculine Royals but enjoyed the swindling in their own ways and threatened that if the international governments investigate those crimes, they too will commit suicide by sleeping with China. Few years ago, Bangladesh joined international cricket. Thank God, they were lucky enough, so no Colonial Britain favored Tamils, there. They didn’t have to have a Sinhala Only Policy there. So, they are a leading cricket team now. In contrast, the Lankawe which is still on the project of liberating Lankawe from Tamil Colonialists, hit bottom even in cricket. It is not about the game, the shame is about the player who willingly exposes their Sinhala Buddhist culture & their minds of playing for pennies, without any condemnation from the hooligan crowd who adore them at home.
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Mallaiyuran / July 5, 2021
Back to Bangladesh, which was devastated by Pakistan a few years ago, stood on its legs & bargained its vaccine vials prices with China, bought cheaper, lent the profit for Lankawe to swap it back at a better time And, the Modaya’s hell, Lankawe took that loan and bought at premium prices from China. I don’t think Modayas have selected a Hiller as they were because even Hitler didn’t do such heinous crimes against the taxpayers, though he too spent money on war, like Lankawe spent $400B to wipe out Tamils. The interesting part is, to beat the Britain favored Tamil Colonialist, The Wildlife Sanctuary, SinhaLE Lankawe has sought refuse in Nazi time German philosophies and ethics. Is this too something that History Repeats? Now this game of China and Royals cannot be exposed to Lankawe taxpayers, not because Modayas may be recent with China (that will never happen as long as China promises to veto against Tamils in UN), because non-Modaya Countries will start to suspect Ching’s motives in Lankawe, which China denies with lies. That is why I say Bangladesh is a classic practical example for Tamils to take, not Singapore, which is an extraordinary miracle that why adversaries like Pakistan & Bangladesh need their own governments, but even friends like Singapore and Malaysia needed separate governments to take care of their economy.
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Eagle Eye / July 6, 2021
Mallaiyuran,
When Indians came to liberate Bengalis, Bengalis did not kill Indian troops but when Indians came to liberate Demalu, Moda Demalu killed Indian troops and the person who sent troops.
—-
“That is why I say Bangladesh is a classic practical example for Tamils to take, …”
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Black Lankan / July 7, 2021
[Which of the following category you would classify your ancestors invaders, refugees or coolies to work for colonial rulers ?]
This AH Blind Eagle alias HLD is a left over from Portuguese. Look at his complexion. That is why he had a marry a lowcaste Tamil. This booruwa keeps repeating the same thing again and again as he has nothing else to say. A pathetic sick moron. Just ignore the clown.
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Nathan / July 8, 2021
The chances are that some of the Tamils living in the island gradually became Sinhalese with the new dialect that evolved with the advent of Buddhism and Pali. More Tamils followed suit, as time passed.
.
The language of a person is by birth; so is his nationality. Religion is another matter.
.
Anyone could be a Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, or a Muslim. Yet, he has to be a Tamil or a Sinhalese. Exceptions are always there.
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