The Sri Lanka Army has taken over security on the outer perimeter of Parliament, a move the military claims is due police officers being call out on coronavirus duty but has raised questions about whether President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fears a showdown with the Parliament he dissolved after elections were delayed.
The military was put in charge of securing Parliament on Thursday Colombo Telegraph learns soon after several MPs expressed the view that the gazette dissolving Parliament was invalid since the Elections Commission declared June 20 as the election date.
June 20 is 18 days after the constitutionally mandated deadline for Parliament to meet after it is prematurely dissolved by the president. With the country headed for a serious constitutioinal deadlock President Gotabaya Rajapaksa took steps to prevent any moves by parliamentarians to reconvene the House even if he does not withdraw his gazette of dissolution or reconvene the House by exercising his powers under Article 70 (7).
The Military Spokesman clarified that the security arrangements were prompted by a reduction of police personnel available for parliament security affairs due to being called away on coronavirus mitigation and curfew enforcement duties.
The sudden onset of the military in Parliament prompted a swift reaction from former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya.
Jayasuriya assured the Government in a public statement that he had no intention of reconvening Parliament but would only act on the rulings of the Supreme Court.
Jayasuriya convened a meeting of the Constitutional Council on Thursday which was well attended. The move may have made Government officials jittery about whether Jayasuriya was going to go all out and exercise his authority to re-summon the House.
However Colombo Telegraph learns the former Speaker has no such intention but will only comply with an interpretation of the courts if it is applied for and granted. (by Chamika Madiwake)
Nathan / April 25, 2020
GR needs no Army around Parliament. He doesn’t have to have excuses. He will do whatever he feels fit, – Dissolving, Assembling, Dismissing, … .
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leelagemalli / April 26, 2020
Thank you Rajapakshes – you have made SRILANKEN nation a laughter stock again.
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Only punnaku drinkers would rally round to cheer you again.
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leelagemalli / April 26, 2020
Part I
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We ve been facing a pandemic regardless of the status, rich or poor, literate or illiterate, caught by chinese debt trap or not… so we need to get together forgetting all the differences on political parties, but to protect the nation.
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Knowing the ground realities, but to make efforts to see it different has always been the case of Mr TRUMP, but what resulted nearly 1 mio of the americans got infected. And nearly 100 000 are already dead in the US. See, it is like 1/5 of the population in COlombo area. Just imagine, if 20% of colombo people would die by the viral infection, how would it have been…. meaning evey 5 th is dying… my gosh… the danger is unbelievably high.
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This rational thinking is miles away from Rajapakshes family who now rule the nation. If the BPs were blessed with brains, they should have been doing what they have been doing today, as of end of February… then we could go for elections or whatever the good development projects we have on our agenda.
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These dimwit DUO have now made worst with the CORONA criisis because of their unexplainable stupidity. I have no doubt, if Dr Senaratna was the minister of health, he could achieve lot more for the benefit of the masses. As we all know main gate into the country is colombo Bandarana Nayaka Airport and Harbour. These bugger duo were unable to do the due .. now entire country is in mess.
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Tobe contd.
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leelagemalli / April 26, 2020
Part II
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So what cant go wrong in the next few weeks and months ? Economists and experts keep saying economies of our nature will own minus- levels next year – since developing countries of our nature hav eno other choice but very dependent to the developed. Meeharakas of Rajaakshe nature, not revealing even the funds being offered by the developed world, neverthless have not shown the gratefulness yet -… but the plans are underway, to treat those funds also going by DIWINAEGUMA which was then set to abuse TSUNMI funds – and ended up being known to have abused for their own expenses. We the ones living on the west, collected and contributed that much then, but over 5000 millions of that funds were reported to have gone missing.
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And srilankas situation is no better to that of ANY OTHER countries whose recovery rate is 25% so far.
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That APAWITHARA WANNIHAMY – made a public statement shortly before 19th April that her govt would be able to free from COVID-19 by 19 April 2020, and today she is speechless, but not a single word is added in the media, against her – on the very day 19 to 20th itself – the health officials reported the numbers increased by 30 or so.. since then, it has gone up exponentially.
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Now the it is over 460 with 7 deaths.
I have no doubt, these bps would kill all these patients tot he manner they once gunned down the prisoners in Welikada ( prior to 2015). That way only they would become the pioneers in the controlling covid crisis. Rajakshes to me and tot he world, born men with killing and inhuman nature.
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Native Vedda / April 26, 2020
leelagemalli
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Watch out Wimal Weerawansa who warns the opposition “while country is facing great challenges he would not allow the opposition to create Constitutional Crisis.”
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This is the smart ass patriot Mahinda’s b***s carrying lacky who promised to evict Ranil from Temple Tree by force.
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paragon / April 26, 2020
Most of the learned singala lawyers are very silent and not showing their real faces in this constitutional dead lock.It is only tamil speaking lawyers like SUMANTHIRAN,THAVARAJAH,HOOL,AND HAKEEM are openly coming out with their opinion.Already DERENA,AND HIRU channels are trying their best to give a communal twist to this matter.Whether GOTHA,MAHINDA,RANIL OR SAJITH It is a matter the singala leaders them self has to sort out this matter.I do not understand why a man like SUMANTHIRAN being a tamil opening his mouth and inviting his neg in trouble for the benefit of ungratefull singala comunity.TAMILS OR MUSLIMS at this point must keep their opinion to them self leave it to SINGALA MODAYAS to fight among them self.SUMANTHIRAN MUST OPEN HIS EYES AND SEE THE CURRENT FATE FALLEN ON MUSLIM LAWYER HISBULLA.IF SUMANTHIRAN IN TROUBLE NONE OF THEM LIKE RANIL,SAJITH,FONSEKA OF EVEN RAMANAYAKE WILL TURN THEIR FACES AND CLOSE THEIR EYES.SUMANTHIRAN IS OPENING HIS MOUTH FOR WHOSE BENEFIT?
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Mallaiyuran / April 26, 2020
Nathan,
Agree with you 101%.
Many animals in the nature programs not always readily fight. But they show a kind of smooth aggressiveness to warn the intruder that it is his territory so further advancing in his circle will end in disaster. Then it is up to the intruder to further advance and face the fight, or back off. Many will back off. This how the dominant males save their energy for other unavoidable fight. Though Karu, who was another partner in the Coup d’état in 2018, this time has already taken King side, still king has issued the signal mainly for Mangala & other minority parties.
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S. C. Pasqual / April 26, 2020
My dear Mr. Nathan,
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Of course he has the power to do what he sees right.
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You guys don’t have Common sense.
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We elected GR as our president in a free and fair election.
That’s called democracy.
He received an unparalleled majority votes.
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# “Yahapalana” president…..
# “Yahapalana” prime minister….
# All “Yahapalana” idiots….
# “Yahapalana” sponsored “Civil Society”……..
# Minority Manipulaters….
# Self appointed guardian of Fake Democracy Mr. Ratnajeevan Hoole…..
Etc…..
Did everything possible under the sun….
# Not to hold presidential election.
Or….
# at least postpone presidential election…
Or…
# to prevent GR from contesting in the presidential election…
All the idiots failed….
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Now GR is OUR president.
DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED PRESIDENT……
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GR has the unconditional support of our military.
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GR has the unconditional support and love of our people.
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Are we going to let those idiots to revive doomed “Yahapalana” parliament….?
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bugger off you idiots….
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leelagemalli / April 26, 2020
Pasqual,
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Like or not, those who opposed to RAJAPAKSHES are scoring more points today… people those who voted for the criminals – are becoming speechless day by day.
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Those buddhagama monks (not worth naming them as buddhist monks) are too speechless… they scratch their heads not being able to understand how poor the brother duo et al perform today.
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Beleive or not, if Vietnam and Nepal could manage it better with no deaths yet regarding corona… what went wrong with us the island nation >?
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Entire world is frowining at BP Brothers duo… not knowing how they brutal men duo would end up next days…
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Until day before yesterday they attacked muslims to have spread the virus.. but after over 60 navy soldiers being found caught with the COVID 19, brother duo#s both orifices are sealed off.
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These bps are good only to ruin this nation – is becoming to everyone in that country today.
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Rajapakshes are identified as an another synonyme to “high criminals, bastards, stupid men of the nation”:
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Basil BP to be appointed as the man to give a lead, is a shamless act by Rajapakshe brother duo, since entire nation and foriegn c are well aware fo the fact how Basil Bp looted the state until 2015.
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rj1952 / April 27, 2020
Leelagemalli -thanks to the circus acts of the no brain rajapuka clan and their fellow rogues the navy officials have nearly in cricketing language are close to a well deserved and a well compiled 100 runs.
It will the 200 then 300 run mark soon.?
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Around the rest of the military-led rajapuk nation, this lovely tasteful curse of a coronavirus is spreading like wildfires.
The health department in anticipation of what’s around the corner has ordered an emergency supply of 1000 body bags.?
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In abated anticipation, R. J. the friendly crusader.?
Hopefully, the entire rajapuk’s and their fellow mini maru horu fellow friends will be dumped into these bags and burnt alive.?
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In abated anticipation, R. J. the friendly crusader.?
Only then this Kota Uda island will prosper.?
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Ajith / April 26, 2020
SC Pasqual,
Gotabaya Rajapakse (American) became president by majority of Buddhist Sinhala Fundamentalists like you. Do you know a sunk of Buddhist Sinhala of Yahapalana president and his Yahapalanaya ministers supporters also contributed on that majority. The election may be free and fair on Buddhist Sinhala fundamentalists term, but the propaganda was based on usual lies and cheat of Buddhist Sinhala Fundamentalists. We killed Tamils, We kill Muslims, We kill Christians, We kill Americans (except Gota and Basil). Hoole clearly explained that it Election Officer Mahinda Desapiriya was threatened to follow their orders. Parliament will be replaced by military and country will be populated by Chinese. No more Mahinda in politics. Next president will be Gota’s daughter (American).
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Native Vedda / April 26, 2020
Nathan
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Shavendra is enforcing Social Distancing among the members of his Ranavirus rather than lumping all of them in crowded army camps. By all these actions Gota is being self isolated from himself.
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Champa / April 26, 2020
This is an illogical decision to make our military a standing joke.
Is Parliament a place which could be raided by a bunch of people?
President’s and his Corona Team’s immaturity to brand patients based on their occupation, home town, past medical history and ethnicity has created a fear psychosis among people.
For example, some Navy personnel who went home on vacation after Corona duty had to face the irrational aversion of the suspicious villagers.
Whenever Sri Lanka faces natural or man-made disasters, our tri forces, police officers, healthcare professionals, hospital workers, officials of district/divisional secretariats were well known for their personal commitment, work responsibility and around the clock dedication.
The election madness of the President and his close supporters has overshadowed the exemplary sacrifices made by the above people, especially the members of the Tri Forces.
Since past week, the number of infectious people has jumped up.
When the EC met on 20 April to fix the new election date, there were only 309 patients.
As of today, there are 452 infectious people!
Curfew is now being imposed until May 4, the date when the Elections Commission is scheduled to meet again, which might be lifted afterwards in order to give the required 5 weeks period before the election.
We are yet to see the winner of this Tiger and the Tail game between COVID-19 and the General Election.
My fervent hope is to see the innocent citizens, who are sandwiched between the conflict, be the winners.
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Buddhist1 / April 26, 2020
I have been writing for months now that Gota was setting up a Military Govt by appointing military guys to various positions. It has now proved beyond doubt that the Military Govt has been formed in Sri Lanka. All international bodies and countries should pay immediate attention to this move of Gota, including World Bank, IMP, ASEAN, SARC, UN etc.
There is no rule that the Parliament should only meet in the Parliament premises, as long as there is a quorum the Speaker can conduct a Parliamentary session anywhere he likes.
Also what is the Army protecting around the Parliament, are they worried that Mr. Corona will walk into the Parliament. It should be the duty of the Speaker to decide if he wants the Army to protect or not. Its not the duty of the President. Parliament is above the President and the President is answerable to the Parliament and not above it.
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leelagemalli / April 26, 2020
Mr Buddhist,
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You are dead right.
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Today they have proved that their political masturbation is already understood by the masses.
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Thanks to TRIFORCES they have beena ble to manage it to the levels, but the it is still named as one of the high risk countries.
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If BPs did their job properly, as of early March, they could well maange it achieving the levels of NEPAL and Vietnam by today, but their interests were not to save the nation but to go for holding election and grab the power so that their millitaisation could become even easier.
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sonali / April 26, 2020
Nathan, GR is gradually moving towards a dictatorial state in Sri Lanka in order to do all the things you want him to do.
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Helios / April 26, 2020
Is this the latest charge of the Yamapalana hangers on?
They want their rober gang reappointed without an election?
Go jump in the lake, baiyas.
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Sri Lanka must be the only country in the world where the so-called democrats (pushers of American style democracy, human rights and everything else) who hate elections!
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This time they are trying to use the calamiy of the epidemics to creep in to Diyawanna house through the vack door. The most desperates are Kiriella (with his 70 relatives as advisors), Sumanthiran (who hasn’t got 10 people who know him in the North) and the Seeyata Thune karayo (JVP). They know they can’t win elections and they want to try the CONSTITUTIONAL challenge route.
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The Buddhist clergy have also approved the President’s approach and the people will be fully behind. So the election scared thieves, desperadoes can go and jump in the lake.
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SJ / April 26, 2020
Not easy if the public is alerted.
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Burt / April 26, 2020
First CT’s entering the image is crap after a person logs in.
Shortsighted Sinhala Buddhist elected a accused war criminal with the experience of running a 7Eleven to run a country. Now the whole country has to pay the price.
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Native Vedda / April 26, 2020
Burt
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“Shortsighted Sinhala Buddhist elected a accused war criminal with the experience of running a 7Eleven to run a country.”
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Don’t forget he is a patriotic alien, like Palitha Kohona, who was the the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, Chris Nonis High Commissioners of Sri Lanka to the United Kingdom, …..
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Good Sense / April 26, 2020
Corona Virus can spread anywhere. It can even engulf the entire Hulftsdorp. So! No court can sit and here any petition aimed at reconvening the old Parliament. One can say “Corona! I am the Corona”.
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Ajith / April 26, 2020
Dear Sinhala people.
True face of the military dictatorship by commander in chief Gotabaya Rajapakse (American citizen) which is confirmed now. There will be no parliament in the future. The rule of Mahinda family was confirmed by majority of Buddhist Sinhala. Not only Tamils and muslims but also Sinhalese also lost their complete freedom to Mahinda family. Judiciary no longer exist.A free unlimited Visa to Chinese Buddhist.
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Plato / April 26, 2020
By sending the Army would the illegal curfew become Legal?
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Native Vedda / April 26, 2020
Plato
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“By sending the Army would the illegal curfew become Legal?”
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Army occupation when endorsed by Saffron Brigade makes it legitimate. Full Stop.
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Fahim Knight / April 26, 2020
There is a dangerous message being circulated .
a supose to be a man who fits Sunni Tradtional Muslim had caughed on a Ven. Monk of a Temple and escaped.
I hope his identity can be soon traced and arrested .
as a Citizen ,if this is true , please have him flogged and imprissoned for life. and if it is someone who impersonated as a muslim to distablize the country at this time of great grief, I believe he should be excuted by the gun
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Ashan / April 27, 2020
We should all stop spreading fake news, and unverified bits of news, or gossip, as we are playing into the hands of those deliberately starting these untruths to cause trouble. We have learnt from recent events, that those stories of “Wanda Pethi”, Charmed toffees, and Doctors sterilizing Buddhist women without their knowledge, which led to the imprisonment of a good doctor, ALL turned out to be vicious anti Muslim propaganda, spread by Islamaphobes, the media like Derana, and trolls on social media. It seems you are inciting readers here, and you agenda is clear.
If there is an issue, let the law enforcement in our country handle it.
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rj1952 / April 26, 2020
Little by little the starving masses of the most blinded racist Yakko’s who voted en masse for this kallathoni American citizen whose only worthwhile qualification in life is he is well known on the world stage as a low life one in a lifetime thuppai bugger.
As his present Army commander is totally submerged into the kallathoni’s smelly urine { hudja }amude, this fellow war crime will dance sexually to every braying worse than a Medamulana donkey voice of his lord and master now sadly to the whole world holds the paper title of president of the saddest shittiest sorriest bankrupted by the rajapuka’s.
The army will to their masters’ voice will soon with the other 2 tri forces, force the police even by force to tow their lines and just around the corner will enable this lost isle to become one of the globe’s most brutal self-imposed dictatorships a pariah nation shun by the whole wide decent world except by the likes of China, Russia and Swaziland where the rajapuka clan will thrive on deflowering the topless suffering young underage girls.
This along with robbing and being the world’s best ganan-karaya’s are their only civil cum professional qualifications in life.
The sooner we are able to cull and get rid of these mangy mongrels from our unfortunate now begging bowl the better it will be for the whole wide world.?
Cheers, R. J.
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sonali / April 26, 2020
Fahim Knight. With this story are you intending to start another round of rumors like the Muslim restaurant mixing birth-control pills for Sinhala customers, the two Muslim boys supposedly hitting a Buddhist monk at a Kandy petrol shed and who were found not guilty, the Muslim doctor in Kurunegala supposedly sterilizing Sinhala woman? So now you say a Muslim with Covid-19 coughed in a monk’s face. To believe such stories one has to be extremely gullible. But then again, among those people who believe black tea and Ayurveda can kill a virus, I suppose any idiotic story is believable.
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Ashan / April 27, 2020
Science disproved all this anti Muslim fake news, and only those who are intellectually challenged will believe the garbage that the racist “Knight” desperately tries to spread here. What pathetic lives they must live to find some excitement making up stories about those who have done nothing to them. It is doing the devil’s work.
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chiv / April 26, 2020
OMG, Covid is yet to reach a manageable stage, the warning signs for the next big Pandemic has begun. Lankans seems to be in a hurry. Usually they come out of a catastrophe just in time, only to see them getting into the next one. This time around they are looking at a double whammy.
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Nathan / April 26, 2020
S. C. Pasqual, Nobody is telling you that GR was not ‘democratically’. Your ‘democracy’ is what you ‘decide’ democracy is. All of you who chose GR are intelligently stunt. What will a President who feels obliged to please intelligently stunt folks do? Wouldn’t he be as dumb as you all are.
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Nathan / April 27, 2020
intellectually stunt, not intelligently stunt, – Regret the error.
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Nobody is telling you that GR was not ‘democratically’ elected. (Regret the missing of the word ‘elected’.
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Mallaiyuran / April 27, 2020
There is no question that the Rapist Army is in the parliament because King see parliament as visible Corona threat. Getting it off is an easy way to take the Royal proclamations forward.
This drama staged at Diyawanna Lake is not focused on Tamils’ as NorthEast is already under Rapist Army control. Muslims have heard the messages recently and Muslim civilians are behaving properly too. Nariya Ranil class Sinhala Intellectuals have rescued themselves this time, unlike they gathered together with Vaalaiththodam Jr in Southern street in October 2018 and objected to New King’s moves. That would leave the Rapist Army deployment in parliament to be interpreted as a special message only for Sinhala Buddhists. (This is not a prediction that Sinhala Buddhists may gather together this time too, or not that). But deploying Rapist Army in Diyawanna Lake is a “nibbling on the bud move” by King. In October 2018, the opposition parties’ rally & meetings took a pitch against the coup government. This gave a boost to CoA and SC so they issued injunction boldly until the coup government dissolved itself. That situation is not there this time. Many analysts have predicted for 2/3 for Royals if an election is held now. So, in reality, even Sinhala Buddhist going against King for suspension of Parliament is Zero. That too is not an unintelligible subject to King. After all tri-forces leaves are cancelled and weekend curfew is extended to Monday, to facilitate the troops to return. (Is Colombo streets are clogged and the Rapist Army really needs a Curfew to have the streets cleared so they can return to work?-No, I don’t thinks so). So is there a way to explain why they are tying the Army around an empty building while the Rapist Army is badly needed in Corona fight.
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Mallaiyuran / April 27, 2020
The real challenger against King is only coming from Lokku Annai. He is the one want the election right now. He is only one challenging King’s authority in parliament or cabinet. He is the one went against unity government idea proposed by Ranil, who resigned and handed the power to King to form the unity government. Old King knows that now there is gun pointed on New King, accusing him of masterminding the 4/21. Old King fears, once the New King is out of the way, it will be his image displayed on the viewfinder. So he wants his position secured with a 2/3 in time.
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chiv / April 27, 2020
Lot of schools and education facilities have been taken over by govt to place military personals. I am sure some will be converted to quarantine holding places. Shavendra says schools will not be converted to quarantine for public (what he did not say was “it dose not include military”). Two of the Navy camps are under quarantine, where one other Army officer died of Leptospirosis. Obviously they need more quarantine places. Then we have the letter requesting for 1000 body bags, which the health authority reports as “casual request”. Are we still in number NINE position or have we moved to the top spot ????? Three individuals died of acute Pneumonia were not either tested or counted as Covid victims. We also hear in news ,sudden deaths(irrespective of age) of unknown causes. No one dies of Corona alone like in Diabetes.But many die of Diabetic related complications like heart, kidney or infections. No doctor will right “runny nose or simple cold as cause of death. But if that individual dies of complicatins like Pneumonia then iSo people with such condition like asthma, kidney, diabetes,heart or other issues can die of complications triggered by Covid. Obviously if such cases are not counted or tested, then the deaths , can be maintained at minimum. Did GMOA play a role in this????
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