19 March, 2024

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Grand Alliance For Systemic Change

By Ameer Ali

Dr. Ameer Ali

When paradigms change, the world itself change with them. Led by a new paradigm, scientists adopt new instruments and look in new places. Even more important, during revolutions scientists see new and different things when looking with familiar instruments in places they had looked before. It is rather as if the professional community has been suddenly transported to another planet where familiar objects are seen in a different light and are joined by unfamiliar ones as well”.

The philosopher of science, Thomas Khun’s thesis about the nature and significance of paradigmatic change in his The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (published in 1997 and gone into several editions, 2016 being the latest) can be applied on a limited scale to understand the situation in Sri Lanka. It is to the credit of the young men and women who started the aragalaya that the term systemic change has come into this country’s political parlour, and has been bandied about by journalists, academists, commentators and even desperate politicians. When the current stopgap Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe introduced his fiscal measures to cut down the budget deficit and satisfy IMF, he called it, though erroneously, as the beginning of systemic change. In that vein, even IMF reforms according to him would be considered as a pathway to such a change. Similarly, in the view of some political and economic commentators, ending corruption, reforming lossmaking state enterprises and pruning state expenditure would also be deemed as measures for systemic change. These are actually means to strengthen and entrench the system and not to change it. On the contrary, the demand by the pioneers of aragalaya, a proud product of the nation and who are contemporaneous of a new global generation of young men and women, covers more and goes deeper than what is being propagated by these misrepresentations. Systemic change to aragalayers and their global family is more fundamental, radical and thorough, which involves the total abdication of the very philosophy and ideology on which the present political and economic models are structured. Without destroying that edifice, none of the reforms, including those of IMF, even if they were to be successful, would liberate Sri Lanka from its current pariah status. The reforms suggested by the present regime and its backers are an exercise in finetuning the operating models hoping that they would create “splendour and prosperity” and protect the paradigm that upholds them.

#nofuelgama protest |
Picture by Angelo Samarawickrema

Post-1948 Paradigm

Sri Lanka’s post-1948 politico-economic and social structure could be considered as a paradigm in a Khunian sense. This paradigm is not national and inclusive in shape and content but ethno-religiously sectarian and exclusive with the primary objective of transforming Sri Lanka into a permanent Sinhala-Buddhist majoritarian state, benefiting overwhelmingly the interests of that sector of society. To achieve that objective, the paradigm adapted two British gifted working models namely, parliamentary democracy and laissez-faire economy, and redesigned them over seven decades through systematic political meddling, discriminatory educational reforms, communally biased economic projects and subtle administrative measures, to suit the purpose. Governments of course came and went and the models were finetuned, but the paradigm remained static and resilient.

What the architects of the paradigm ignored to notice was the emergence of a class of exploiters who while pretending to uphold the principles of the paradigm hijacked its working models and used them to enhance their own private benefits at the expense of the country and its masses. That exploitation, which started less noticeably when the economy was in respectable strength accelerated and reached its pinnacle during the current regime resulting ultimately in bankrupting the treasury and pauperizing the economy. The fiscal mess into which the country was pushed into was the direct result of this exploitation. The President himself became a party to this exploitation while pretending to be the guardian of the Buddha Sasana – a pillar of the paradigm. Members of the Sangha ignored all that and ennobled him as Lankaeeswara Padma Vibushan.

One of the most irreplaceable losses of this paradigmatic exploitation was the migration of waves of intellectual and entrepreneurial excellence to foreign soil. The vacancies left by that migration came to be filled with the mediocre and less productive. That migration still continues to swell the diaspora community. The mediocre that replaced excellence requires extra support from the state to deliver the same level of productivity, which means it imposes additional burden on state resources. The current economic crisis is therefore the combination of mediocracy and exploitation.

Paradigmatic Shift

The pioneers of aragalaya realizes this fundamental truth, and are therefore calling for systemic change or paradigmatic shift. But the powers in control are offering more reforms to fine tune the operating models. The stopgap prime minister is now claiming that it would take eighteen months to bring back some sort of a normalcy. This is optimism bereft of any knowledge of what is happening in the international arena. Given the state of play, the current wave of worldwide inflation and food shortages eventuated by the Ukrainian crisis and the traditional weapon of raising interest rates by central banks in the industrialized world is going to make life harder to a significant proportion of world population. Sri Lanka cannot escape from this additional travail, especially when its foreign relations are in tatters.

The demand for systemic change is something analogous to what is happening globally in the context of worldwide protests for action against global warming and climate change. These calamities exhibit the failure of the neo-liberal economic paradigm, which uses the market model as solution to redress the imbalance. It was the same solution offered to overcome the overuse of natural resources when pointed out by the Club of Rome in 1960s. The calamity was only postponed and now appearing with greater vengeance in the form of floods and droughts and the market is becoming increasingly impotent to find a solution. That is why the protestors, who also belong to the same generation of local aragalayers, are demanding a paradigmatic shift to reorder our civilizational priorities. Aragalaya therefore represents the local expression of a global movement.

Need for a Grand Alliance

None of the traditional opposition parties such as UNP, SLFP, SJB and the ones among minorities are prepared to challenge the ruling paradigm. The reported talks between SJB and SLFP leaders are fruitless. However, there are enlightened individuals within these parties who could see the rationale behind aragalaya. On the other hand, JVP/NPP and FSP do seem to be in dialogue with the new generation. These progressive elements need to form a grand alliance to take the struggle to a new level and bring about a paradigmatic shift. Once the paradigm is shifted even familiar variables in the existing models would find new meanings, work better and become more productive to benefit the whole society rather than one of its segments.

*Dr. Ameer Ali, Murdoch Business School, Murdoch University, Western Australia

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Latest comments

  • 18
    4

    Ameer Ali, even if Lanka manage to recover ( very much doubtful), there will never be a systemic change or paradigm change. It did not happen in the past 75 years, and to expect in future, is mere wish. So the real problem will continue to exist, regardless of outcome. Remember, 7 million just recently gave absolute majority to a Mafia family. What concerns me more is the disconnection between reality (seriousness) and the suffering public. People tend to believe the current crisis as temporary, whereas the actual recovery may take years.

    • 15
      1

      Here we go. Dhammika calls on RW to resign as Finance Minister, ( if possible PM too ) stating he has no plans to bring $ and preventing others from doing so. Dhammika says there are foreign businessmen waiting in line to get 10 year multiple visa for business purpose. Is it for only business ?? what kind of business ? casino expansion ?? where were these businessmen until now ?? Appears Dhammika and RW are calling each other’s bluff.

      • 9
        0

        chiv

        ” what kind of business ? casino expansion ??”

        Well have you thought about hospitality trade, for example, legalising prostitution, and Pedophilia, expanding beach boys businesses, licensed importers of all kinds of recreational and other drugs (minister Duminda), facilities for legally money laundering, trade in Ivory, Human Trafficking Hub, Surplus Army Sales, ….. I have few other ideas, ….. will be supplied on request, for example porn movie production, ….
        TUCO will be interested in the ……

        • 0
          1

          Very Funny indeed. I am still laughing thinking of TUCO starring in —-.

    • 10
      0

      You are saying exactly what I wanted to say Chiv! We saw how we all messed up everything in just 74 years. We will never go back to 1948 level of state sector discipline and judicial independence. All political parties contributed their bit to rot the system, of course with the support of the masses. Every place; be it the state sector, private sector, universities, judiciary, journalism, religion – are all rotten to the core!! I do not think anyone can salvage the country now!! What Dhammika Perera trying to do is to give the last bit of oxygen to salvage the Rajapaksha mafia in which he himself is a huge pillar. He will finish it by selling the entire country to the best godfather from somewhere with the biggest loot. Anarchy and corruption are all over the nose level now and the nation is quickly drifting towards the Mariana trench. There is no hope, particularly with passive mindsets. I am beginning to come to terms with that reality and stop bothering anymore.

    • 3
      1

      Chiv,
      .
      we all knew the consequences long before Rajapakshes would be back.
      .
      Nevertheless people at large were misled by MAIN stream media and so called KALAKARUWO ( artists).
      .
      Now all incl. those mercy cows that amounted 6.9 millions, make every effort to get rid of Rajapkshses.
      :
      Just look how LUCKY the british people are … to see things move forward in favour of their wishes, even if their parliament has no such written CONSTITUTION to function.
      .
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ia31s8VuYhs

  • 17
    4

    “These progressive elements need to form a grand alliance to take the struggle to a new level and bring about a paradigmatic shift.”

    The great challenge to these progressive elements is to convince the people that permanent Sinhala-Buddhist majoritarian state concept is wrong and Permanent Sri Lankan majoritarian concept where each and every citizen is equal not only in law but also in practice.

    • 3
      0

      Thank you, Dr Ameer Ali for introducing the concept of Paradigm into the current discourse.

      Paradigm Thinking is needed to avoid the pitfalls of isolated treatment of various elements which are parts of a network, forming a composite entity.

      Paradigm is a systematic set of ideas, values and methods.

      Paradigm changes over a period of time and always evolves.

      Scientific Method itself is a revolution in Science.

      The socio- economic crisis facing the country could only be changed by a revolution.

      A complete overall change of the entire framework is the need of the hour.

      The Aragalaya protest movement that spearheads systems Change is a Paradigm shift and the movement should succeed, and no other patchwork is feasible.

      • 0
        0

        “Paradigm Thinking” seems a truly novel concept, while ‘paradigm shift’ is old hat.
        Can you kindly elaborate on “Paradigm Thinking”?
        There is no help from any search engine or even my philosopher friends.

        • 0
          0

          SJ,
          I had already given some indication of what paradigm thinking is!

          Just think of the present crisis, some may say the problem is only a shortage of dollars!

          It is only an isolated way of looking at the problem.

          Dollar shortage is only a symptom of deep seated crisis and you address only the symptoms and find solution to the symptom.
          .
          On the other hand If you use “Paradigm Thinking” as a tool to understand the reality, you have to look at the whole, not only the parts-, the 1978 constitution and Open economy that graduated into neo liberal economy, the institutions it had created and massive corruptions and bad governance .

          These are the real causes and dollar shortage is only a symptom.

          Paradigm Thinking is necessary to understand the present crisis in all its dimensions and find solutions for the whole , not piecemeal solutions to parts that will create more problems in the future..

      • 2
        1

        srikrish

        “The socio- economic crisis facing the country could only be changed by a revolution.”

        Al right, let us invite the Single Handed Kamala Gunaratne to stage a palace coup. Won’t it be a revolution?

        • 1
          0

          Native,
          A military coup is hardly a revolution!

  • 6
    2

    I think that I first read Kuhn’s work in the early 1970s, in its first edition. Interestingly, it led to extreme views of science and theory of knowledge, like Paul Feyerabend’s ‘Against Method’.
    ‘Posted’ theories like postmodernism too drew on them.
    *
    A key point among others that Kuhn made was:
    “A scientific revolution occurs when: (i) the new paradigm better explains the observations, and offers a model that is closer to the objective, external reality; and (ii) the new paradigm is incommensurate with the old.”
    These have been contested by important philosophers of science.
    *
    One could arguably claim that the Russian Revolution of 1917 involved a Paradigm Shift. It could be said of other such changes. Even there how “incommensurate” the new paradigm is with the old is contestable.
    However, is a radical shift in the basics on which the models are founded.
    *
    Can we so of ‘Aragalaya’?
    There is more than a small distance to travel before such a suggestions can even be hinted.

    • 3
      1

      Correction
      However, there is a radical shift in the basics on which the models are founded.
      *
      Can we say so of ‘Aragalaya’?
      There is more than a small distance to travel before such a suggestions can even be hinted.

    • 3
      0

      SJ
      Do (1) the creation of an all powerful President and (2) the changes allowing Ministers to engage in businesses constitute a paradigm change?
      One could argue that it is the creation of an all powerful political structure (JR’s disastrous legacy) that destroyed Sri Lanka.
      No accountability resides with the parliament except being voted out.

      • 0
        0

        SA
        They are drastic changes. But the way politics works here did not change very much I suspect. The open economic policy had a far bigger impact on the country.
        *
        When some terminology becomes fashionable or sounds exciting, people use it with little thought to it means or implies.
        Here is a definition of paradigm from Wikipedia that will simplify the matter:
        In science and philosophy, a paradigm is a distinct set of concepts or thought patterns, including theories, research methods, postulates, and standards for what constitute legitimate contributions to a field.
        *
        The distinctive nature can make something hard for others to appreciate or even imagine.
        The culprits are sociologists– their fancy for jargon is notorious, and they can make jargon out of the simplest word known.

        • 0
          0

          Thanks SJ

        • 3
          1

          “When some terminology becomes fashionable or sounds exciting, people use it with little thought to it means or implies.”

          Something similar to the following:

          Pancha Maha Balavegaya – the five great forces
          Non Alignment
          Indian Ocean as a zone of peace, free of both nuclear weapons and great power rivalries.
          Friends of all and enemies of none
          ….
          ….

      • 0
        0

        Sunil Abeyratne,

        The answer to your first question is “yes”

        The establishment of 1978 constitution and the radical changes including open economy is a new paradigm.

        It is not simply a change in the earlier system/paradigm that was in existence since independence. It is overall radically different system.

        And sooner the existing system including a new constitution will constitute a new constitution.

        Whether we like it or no whether it is beneficial or not, these are all new paradigms-

        it is beyond personnel likes or dislikes, not determined by our judgment.

        We expect the new paradigm that will come into force in the immediate future will constitute a people friendly paradigm that will be radically different from all previous systems.
        .
        the second question is ambiguously worded and hence I refrain from answering the second question by a simple “yes” or “no”
        SJ,
        Sorry for my intrusion!

        • 0
          0

          Do not apologize for a non-offence.
          Kindly elaborate on “Paradigm Thinking” for everybody’s benefit.

          • 0
            0

            SJ,
            i had already done so. See my explanation above. I want your observations/ comments to further clarify matters.

            Thanks your probing questions, it is healthy!

      • 2
        0

        Dear SA,
        I would venture to suggest that even before JR, Felix and Sirimavo dismantled the excellent administrative structure under the Civil Service with powerful Permanent Ministry Secretaries, and made it subservient to ministerial politics. This was the beginning of the decline of a once useful public service, and resulted in political control of the administration which made it easy for political manipulations, and resultant corruption.
        JRJ with his EP then destroyed even the last vestiges of balances necessary to reduce corruption..

      • 6
        1

        Sunil Abeyratne

        “One could argue that it is the creation of an all powerful political structure (JR’s disastrous legacy) that destroyed Sri Lanka.”

        The destruction actually started with the public racist Anagarica Homeless Dharmapala’s idea of a new Super Aryan race in Sri Lanka(Ceylon) and the deliberate transformation of Sinhalese and Buddhists into a fake manufactured identity holders of Sinhala/Buddhists (whatever it is).

        • 2
          1

          srikrish, MyView and Native Vedda,
          I appreciate all your responses, which reflect our views on how we got to where we got to.

          Native Vedda,
          It is a bit of a stretch to link Anagarica Dharmapala’s legacy to where we are.
          I would imagine, a university could conduct research to investigate the nature of the impact although such an investigation is not the need of the hour.
          We all wait to see what happens tomorrow although I am a bit apprehensive that trigger happy (remember the Rambukkana killing) individuals may choose to teach the demonstrators a lesson.
          Repressive actions are the last resort!

          • 4
            1

            Sunil Abeyratne

            “I would imagine, a university could conduct research to investigate the nature of the impact although such an investigation is not the need of the hour.”

            Well the research should have been done immediately after the public racist’ s various pronouncement about race in or before 1915. We would not have to endure all these wars, mostly against the people (from 1956 to date, including 1971, between 1987 and 1991, and over 30 years.).

            The majority which voted for successive governments, which supplied the work force for the state corrupt bureaucracy, the Sangha which has nothing better to do but continues to put spanner in the work (in progress), the academia which is supposed to guide the future generation imbibing values and knowledge which failed miserably, justifying all sorts of racist schemes and ideas, the Police, Armed forces and Courts have become personal enforcement agencies of the ruling crooks and racist members of saffron brigade, …. Archaeological department is another tool in the hands of fake diggers, ….. we can go one until the cows come home if you have time.

            Just face it.
            The majoritarian idea has failed failed miserably. Even at this eleventh hour most people do not want to face the facts.

            “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.”
            Quote by
            Albert Einstein?
            Al-Anon?
            Narcotics Anonymous?
            Max Nordau?
            George Bernard Shaw?
            Samuel Beckett?
            George A. Kelly?
            Rita Mae Brown?
            John Larroquette?
            Jessie Potter?
            Werner Erhard?

          • 5
            1

            Sunil Abeyratne

            I have been looking for an apt definition of
            “What is your IDEA OF SRI LANKA”

            Any idea?

            • 0
              5

              Native Vedda,
              Sri Lanka should operate on the premise that ‘everybody is equal’. ‘Everybody is equal’ does not mean hard work is not rewarded.
              My knowledge of the very recent history of Sri Lanka is limited and hence, my views may not be valid.
              There are many complex issues (for example the institutional marginalisation of Sinhala Buddhists during the colonial rule). My Tamil colleagues were complaining that it was difficult to get jobs after graduating.
              These comments have the potential to lead to unending debates. I have no appetite for debates!

              For all purposes, Sri Lanka was like a first world country when we grew up, which is not the case now.
              Many of us who planned to get back to Sri Lanka for retirement no longer consider it a desirable option.
              ‘LOST PARADISE’ is an apt definition for Sri Lanka.
              Two foreigners who holidayed in Sri Lanka wanted to know why I left Sri Lanka.
              Sri Lanka is like a first world country.
              It is 1977 that allowed politicians to destroy Sri Lanka.

              • 3
                1

                Sunil Abeyratne

                “There are many complex issues (for example the institutional marginalisation of Sinhala Buddhists during the colonial rule). “

                So you believe what you hear without any supporting evidence.
                Please give it a thorough investigation based on evidence not on frivolous campaign material and/or paranoia.

                Colonial rule supposed to have ended in 1948. What were the numerous permutation and combination of parties that ruled the country(by the way the minority never had a overwhelming majority in the parliament), do to appoint or promote least qualified, least knowledgeable, …. unqualified one’s to jobs, not the best candidate who can perform just because Colonialists have marginalized Sinhala/Buddhists during colonial rule.

                Don’t you think this attitude alone is more than enough to systematically destroy the island?

                “For all purposes, Sri Lanka was like a first world country when we grew up, which is not the case now.”

                Come on Sri Lanka has never been first world country when we grew up nor ever. Is it the Mahawamsa effect or the war victory still blinding you from facing reality and truth? Without ((Anagarica Homeless Dharmapala’s Sinhala/Buddhists) fake identity many countries have prospered.
                Why didn’t Sri Lanka.

                Crooked politicians, academics, functionaries, saffron brigades ……. legal fraternity, …. have been hiding behind Sinhala/Buddhism all their life. Honest persons do not need such religious racial masks.

                • 3
                  1

                  Sunil Abeyratne

                  “It is 1977 that allowed politicians to destroy Sri Lanka.”

                  For your Information the destruction started with D S Senanayake (citizenship act 1948), then it gained momentum in 1956 and under the Weeping Widow, the majoritarian became so mad they gave special position to Buddhism in the constitution.

                  Crooks cannot live a life of a practicing Buddhist hence they have to fake it and give false promises in the constitution.

                  And you want us to believe once upon a time everything was hunky dory in that island. The unintended cumulative effect was that it has created a country which cannot pay its bills, no petrol, can’t feed its people no food, no medicine, ….. even doctors are leaving in rows, …. lots of people are queuing up to apply for new passports.

                  Where is Sinhala/Buddhism which is supposed to protect Sinhala/Buddhists? Or the president who blissfully and repeatedly declared he was a Sinhala/Buddhists?

                  • 2
                    0

                    Correct. Everyone was discriminated against during the colonial rule, not just the Sinhalese. The British did practice divide and rule but not to the extent all Sinhalese leaders/politicians did after independence when real institutionalized racism against Tamils started. The Tamils made use of the western English education that was provided largely to them not by the British but by American missionaries and various Hindu institutions. The Sinhalese other than their aristocracy, upper classes and Christians largely did not for various reasons. More fertile lands and the power and influence of the Buddhist monks, as well as a far more feudal society than the Tamils, especially in the Kandyan areas. The British did not discriminate when they recruited for their public service and employed the most qualified person and in most cases, it was the Tamils. As they were more suitable with their educational qualifications. It is more than 75 years since independence and yet this story keeps on being used to justify the marginalization of non-Sinhalese, especially Tamils.

                • 0
                  0

                  Part 1
                  Native Vedda,
                  Thanks for responding.

                  ‘do to appoint or promote least qualified, least knowledgeable, …. unqualified one’s to jobs, not the best candidate who can perform just because Colonialists have marginalized Sinhala/Buddhists during colonial rule’.

                  I have no intention of getting into a debate that opens old wounds. However, what you note above is tantamount to obfuscation.
                  ‘Appointing unqualified one’s to jobs’ has no link to ‘institutional marginalisation of Sinhala Buddhists’ that I stated.
                  In fact, ‘Appointing unqualified one’s to jobs’ is a standard tactic deployed to demonstrate the incompetence of certain groups of people.
                  For instance, it is possible to appoint an incompetent person of a particular group to a senior position who would, consequently be ineffective. When that person fails to deliver, such failure could be used to demonstrate that people of such a group are poor performers.
                  I have had first-hand experience in the operation of such practices in another country.
                  I took the trouble to demonstrate how marginalisation could be sustained by sabotaging policy initiatives.

                  • 0
                    0

                    Part 2

                    With what is happening in Sri Lanka, we should look forward to creating conditions for all communities to live in peace and dignity. And not tenaciously pursue counterproductive international actions (passing legislation in Canada asserting that there was genocide in Sri Lanka).
                    You are free to look at all issues through the lens of Tamil rights.
                    You are also free to conclude that I am a racist (that is the standard ‘shoot the messenger’).
                    As such, it may be best not to engage in a debate that leads us nowhere.
                    Thanks

              • 0
                2

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                For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2

            • 0
              0

              “I have been looking for an apt definition of
              “What is your IDEA OF SRI LANKA” “
              It is a tough proposition as definitions are usually for nouns and nominal phrases.
              Whole sentences, especially questions do pose a problem.
              Even the nominal phrase “IDEA OF SRI LANKA” is poser even for someone who may have an idea.

              • 3
                1

                “Whole sentences, especially questions do pose a problem.”

                If you haven’t got an answer please keep thinking (if at all possible) or refer your red book where you might or might not find an answer.

                If it is too difficult don’t bother.

  • 7
    1

    “…the current wave of worldwide inflation and food shortages eventuated by the Ukrainian crisis…”
    This is partially correct:

    US created more than 40% increase in US dollars in 18 months since the pandemic began. More money in circulation with production not increased significantly after the pandemic means inflation going up. This itself can cause worldwide inflation as commodities are priced in US dollars. Several commodities have increased in price since the pandemic though economies are down. Commodity price index has doubled in one year.

    People have saved up, at least in the US, money as they stayed home during the pandemic and monetary help was provided by governments. Now they have pent-up demand in affluent countries to buy goods which are scarce. Supply chain issues caused by the pandemic are still not fully resolved as China is still having covid19-related lock downs. Ukraine war has further aggravated food and energy prices to sky high levels.

    US, Australia and other countries have started increasing the interest rates to tame inflation: how long this is going to go is not certain: Developing countries with massive debt servicing will suffer more and more as interest rate goes up.

    US creating more money is part of the causes of inflation, and if countries like Sri Lanka prints new money, local inflation will be disastrous.

  • 20
    0

    Labour and Foreign Employment minister, Manusha Nanayakkara, has told the media that he will hold Sri Lankan expatriate workers who have returned home hostage and not allow them to go back to their employers abroad unless they have sent significant amounts of dollars to the country. So is this the reality now? Any minister can make laws and stop people going abroad? Does this illiterate minister know what he is talking about? Can ministers violate the constitution and stop freedom of movement?

  • 16
    3

    The major political parties in SL need first and foremost declare their STAND on the Tamil grievances. War victims on both sides need Justice that has been eluded for many YEARS. For the Tamils to expect Justice from the Sinhala Politicians is a waste of time. Tamils need a separate Federal State asap

    • 2
      3

      Naman,
      “The major political parties in SL need first and foremost declare their STAND on the Tamil grievances.”
      —-
      What is so special about ‘Tamil Grievances’? Do you think grievances of other people are not important?

      • 0
        0

        What’s the special lot better than you lot

      • 4
        1

        TUCO Eagle Eye

        “What is so special about ‘Tamil Grievances’?”

        Does it have to be special to be grievance?

        “Do you think Do you think grievances of other people are not important? of other people are not important?”

        It depends what sort of grievances other people have?
        For example do they enjoy too much freedom and exclusive right to steal, kill, abuse powers, land grab, ….. with impunity?

  • 14
    1

    Aragalaya 2022 has still not achieved their main objective —> removal of the President NGR.
    As long as he is there the Aragalaya is not going to achieve it’s objectives.
    We need to get new parliamentarians of some standards asap

    • 2
      0

      Gota-Go- Home is not the objective. It is only a simplified slogan.

      The objective is system change- a revolutionary change once and for all.

  • 17
    1

    This is president backed by military and majority in parliament!
    No amount of “Grand Alliances” can move an iota…

    President don’t give a crap about Grand Alliance or what people thinks. He simply doesn’t care.

    Now what?

    Work on getting the military and security establishment to stop supporting him. Talk to foreign diplomats to threaten military higher ups with law suites overseas and property confiscation.

    That’s the only way out I see..

    6.9 mil screwed up right royally!

  • 10
    2

    Who is destroying the country in the name of in tamil saying “kurunkinda kaiyela poomalai” given garland to monkey’s hand.

  • 18
    1

    Is systemic change possible through a parliament with jokers like these? “Investment Promotion Minister Dhammika Perera said Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe should resign as the Finance Minister and from the post of Prime Minister immediately and the political game which he is playing needs to be stopped. ” – Daily Mirror. With these idiotic ministers and a stupid president do you think the economic or political situation will turn around even if ample time is given?

    Will investment promotion be possible with the minister responsible exposing his prime minister like this? This will surely scare off the prospective foreign investors. This clearly shows the minsters are inept.

    I think the ruling parliamentarians are racists, murderers including mass murderers, at least one convict, money launderers, drug dealers, etc. If an all party government is to be formed , where will these undesirables go?

  • 12
    4

    Ameer Ali is not just a man with qualifications. He is educated, learned, and intelligent as well. But, he errs.
    Where should I start … .
    The French Revolution is the best known ‘Aragalaya’. It was the beginning of Systemic Changes. (Nothing so far has exceeded that achievement.)
    .
    The objective of transforming Ceylon into a permanent Sinhala-Buddhist majoritarian state was hatched prior to 1948. It was put into action from 1948. It is those very men who hijacked our Democracy, who hijacked our Economy.
    As such, the logic that what the architects of the paradigm ignored to notice was the emergence of a class of exploiters, is erroneous. Because, they themselves were / are the exploiters.

    • 3
      8

      ‘The objective of transforming Ceylon into a permanent Sinhala-Buddhist majoritarian state was hatched prior to 1948’
      .
      Absolutely true, it started centuries ago with the Tamil invasions from India pushing the Sinhalese capital further and further South and eventually up into the hills.
      .
      So have a look at Tamil-Hindu fundamentalism which gave rise to: caste discrimination, the barring of low caste Tamils from temples in Jaffna, suicide bombers and child soldiers, the depiction of Prabhakaran as a Hindu God, Surya Devan, the justification of bomb attacks and massacres as well as ethnic cleansing of Tamil speaking Muslims from the north, the murder of Buddhist monks, including novices, attacks on Buddhist places of worship.
      .
      Tamil-Hindu fundamentalism is not a new phenomenon. Study the history of Sri Lanka and you will see that it is the main reason for Sinhala-Buddhism to exist. Centuries of Tamil Hindu invasions and attacks led to the binding of Sinhalese consciousness to Buddhism.

      • 5
        3

        Svenson,
        “the barring of low caste Tamils from temples in Jaffna, “
        Yes indeed. Quite unlike the way any Salagama person can become a Mahanayaka in Kandy.

  • 15
    2

    The easiest and the quickest way to get the much needed dollars …….. is to recover the loot ………. especially the Rajapakse loot.

    If not, it’s a long hard difficult road back to recovery.

    No one even talks about it. ………. Without begging for money from other countries ……. request a loan from the Rajapakses.

    Apart from Jit …… who thinks Ranil is the man to recover the loot? …….. Or arrange the loan? …….. Any takers? :))

    Ranil is the only pol who feels the hardships and hunger of the common man: he has his fingertips on the pulse of the common man ………. his parliamentary performance yesterday proves it!

    According to Harsha, some UN-body has predicted, 5 million Lankans will starve ……. it’s still 1.9 million short.

    Starting to enjoy this …….. may be a pacifist but a sadist. …….. The difference between me and others: I admit. ……… Native, what’d ye say? …….. Any points for honesty?

    Or, should first steal the money and then show empathy? Take advantage/profit from both sides? Might get the highest number of votes next time!

    • 7
      1

      With the billions of dollars these crooks have syphoned off to their off shore bank accounts, lavish homes and property abroad including the US, there jolly well should be some means to get all that to save this country, at least give us some relief.
      Unfortunately, there are no legal means. The crooks will live in luxury, and generations of Rajapaksa’s will live like kings and queens on ill gotten gains.

    • 2
      9

      ‘The easiest and the quickest way to get the much needed dollars …….. is to recover the loot ………. especially the Rajapakse loot…No one even talks about it.’
      .

      Is that so? No one talks about it? Do you know how long it would take to do this Einstein? Do you know that Sri Lanka has 43 ongoing cases? You can learn something here before you start typing crap. https://www.tisrilanka.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/ASSET-RECOVERY-DECK-01-converted.pdf

      • 9
        3

        Gotcha! :)))

        Now, now ………Don’t get so hurt ……. have a tall glass of water and go to sleep dreaming what the Sanga is all about ……. you’ll feel like a million Rajapakse-dollars in the morning. :))

  • 5
    17

    This man lives in Australia and writes about a Grand Alliance in Sri Lanka that is going through hyperinflation and complete breakdown. need I say more.

    • 7
      1

      a14455, You need not have said even this!

    • 3
      7

      He churns out one article every week ..blabla bla

      • 3
        0

        Rajash,
        .
        Dr Ameer Ali does write many articles, not on one subject, but many. I think it unfair to say that he “churns’ them out.
        .
        He usually maintains very high standards, and his articles usually generate intelligent discussion.
        .
        It may be that there is some repetition in these recent articles, and we have an ever-changing political climate. I will definitely be demonstrating in Bandarawela, whatever the situation. Yes, even if there is violence, although I will not contribute to it.
        .
        Whilst I was typing this comment, I got a call from my daughter, about 22.30, whom I had persuaded to demonstrate in Maharagama, or hopefully in Colombo. She said that a curfew has been declared. Not unexpected, I said. There may be no buses to get to Colombo, owing to owner reluctance. However, if we are on foot, it’s simpler. We quite simply don’t recognise the authority of the government and go about our peaceful demonstration.
        .
        I don’t think that she was quite convinced by my advice. I know that there is a moral issue here; whether I should put pressure on some other person; but I think that I know the situation to be far mre grim than my daughter realises.

      • 3
        0

        There is great determination and support for tomorrow’ demonstrations, but the government realises that many Lankans, like my daughter, desire to be “law abiding”. In my case, I realise that give the obduracy of the government we have no choice, but to defy this evil throng.
        .
        Yesterday, I sent off a warning to three key people who are in the Colombo area: Kumar David (now turning 81), Vijitha Herath and Harini Amarasuriya.
        .
        A major event was scheduled for tomorrow (Saturday) at STC, Mt Lavinia. Celebration of the 80th birthday of Russel-Bartholdmeusz, the organist. Kumar and Russel must have known each other 65 years ago – the school was never huge. Pohottuwa M.P., Keserralal Gunasekera, one of the organisers. Suddenly, on Wednesday, the 6th, comes an email postponing it all for Wednesday the 13th. Factors like transport were known knowns when the event was scheduled. It had to be the possibility of a curfew.
        .
        We are at a crucial point in the the life of the nation. (Please, let’s steer clear of the probable complaint from you about how this doesn’t concern Tamils. Issue admitted, but we must overcome such parochialism.) We must be alert in this way.

      • 2
        1

        I walked to the town again, today. On Sunday, I reported the diminution of the fuel queues. Today, they were at their longest so far. A few vehicles were moving, and the buses were there.
        .
        I’ve seen this report of an SLTB strike, but it was in one of those buses that I returned a mile starting 4.40 pm (on Friday). Most shoppers, including me, are acutely conscious of prices. We convert prices to “per kilo”, and compare with other brands. Local butter at Rs 700/=; an ulundu wade in a typical (poor) restaurant, Rs 95/= other “shorties” ( I hope you know what I mean!) just not available.
        .
        The Boris Johnson resignation may have unnerved Gota, but nothing surely as startling as the assassination of Shinzo Abe. That must surely have shaken the Rajapaksas.
        .
        Given this backdrop, today (Saturday) could well have the pivotal hour within it. Our duty is to participate, however uncertain we are of the outcome.
        .
        Panini Edirisinhe of Bandarawela

    • 12
      4

      Ameer Ali may live in Australia but he is a known and identifiable man.
      .
      Too many of those who comment are not only abroad, but are also anonymous, and spewing hatred for the common man. Yes, they were fools to vote for Gota; our task is the difficult one of persuading them to THINK before voting. The messages to them must be in Sinhalese (not so much in Tamil).
      .
      Work at educating the electorate without expecting material reward!

      • 6
        1

        SM,
        “Too many of those who comment are not only abroad, but are also anonymous, and spewing hatred for the common man.”
        Definitely, you aren’t talking about that paragon of sobriety,
        truth, and consistency, A14455?

      • 2
        10

        Sinhala_Man, the comments are dominated by Tamils (and a few morons like Nimal Fernando). They spew hatred because having been discriminated against for so long, they took up arms and lost. This is all they have. Pathetic I know, but there is no future for them in Sri Lanka. Having lost so much with no change in sight for the foreseeable future, they try to wreak vengeance from abroad. I have to mention one rare and noble exception – Prof SJ.

        • 11
          0

          A Sinhalese racist with a pseudo-Scandinavian name, living somewhere in the west again, running down the Tamil diaspora, who had no choice but to leave or less from planned state-sponsored Sinhalese racism. How hilarious. They were forced to leave because of discrimination, that you yourself admit, what was the reason you left. Obvious for the good life. Now from the comfort of the west spewing venom and racism against the Tamils. Rare and noble exception . Prof SJ. says a lot about a well-known racist praising a well-known quisling.

        • 10
          0

          “Pathetic I know, but there is no future for them in Sri Lanka. Having lost so much with no change in sight for the foreseeable future”

          Are you talking about the Sinhalese now queuing up in the streets for everything? ………. Sure there is no future for them in the foreseeable future! …. ROFL!!!

          You guys make my day! ….. Oh boy this is fun; keep it up. :))

      • 3
        1

        Sinhala_Man,
        Good morning.
        Disagree.
        It must be in all 3 languages, unless one assumes that only Sinhalese, imbibe in 1/4 Bottle of Gal, Biryani and SL Rs. 5000 Santhosam to vote for the party or the Dumbo, to be elected!!!
        ‘THINK BEFORE YOU VOTE’, electing 225 Dumbos plus the Shepherd possibly at a different time!
        Not only discriminatory, importantly does not serve the ultimate purpose or goal!!??
        All Sri Lankans should be equally tutored integrity, be a non-participant in Bribery, including our Malay, Moor and Parsi cousins, which confined to Sinhala may be a non-starter.
        Unless one thinks, it is the sole prerogative and/or failure of the Sinhalese, which presumably is not the case??!!

      • 0
        0

        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

    • 12
      2

      Oh! poor you! ……… Gota and Basil live in California and robs Lanka …….. that causes hyperinflation and complete breakdown. need I say more? :))

      Perhaps they couldn’t do the job in the gas-station and the 7/11 they did on Lanka.

      You guys are the best comedians ……. walking around.

      Get on stage charge money …….. don’t waste your talent!

      • 1
        9

        Nimal Fernando troll, don’t worry about money. The Government could always chop you up into little pieces and export you as dog meat.

        • 9
          0

          Got hurt, uh? A wee little bit? :))


          “chop you up into little pieces and export you as dog meat.”

          Now that you tell me, is that what the Sanga is all about? Nice to find out! :))


          Why do the Rajapakses always have to scrape the bottom of the barrel to find defenders? Desperate times, uh? :)))

  • 8
    4

    What a thick racists country is leaders after leaders what do they have done to own citizens atrocities meyhem bullies devastation arrogance traumatic
    Just kill them shoot bombed takes there children away kept in cells for years without charges
    As far as north and the east we lived with it along with sanction embargo from our own govnt for 2 province what ever you.all are queuing up for now we hadn’t at all at that time still not issue
    The petrol station incident, thank god that soldier haven’t used his AK47 or T56 if its our side it would have been open fire and promoted with medals.

  • 10
    6

    Is there going to be a “Grand Aragalaya” on Saturday, the 9th? If so, let’s make sure that it is a demonstration that Ranil and Gota cannot ignore.
    .
    Given that our only mode of locomotion now is walking, we can’t all get to Galle Face in Colombo. We’ve got to demonstrate in all the major towns. Don’t expect anybody to walk more than five miles, but at the same time, there’s no point having “Aragalays” (and prayers!) at home.
    .
    So, walk some distance to a main road or known community centre, and demonstrate! It must be sufficiently Public to be noticed. If Police or Army visit your site, then that is success.
    .
    We’ve got to get rid of the duo. Ranil is the stop-gap; but his economic plans are for years. He talks of initiating systemic changes himself. Not his job!
    .
    Hold elections soon (with sufficient notice to get ready). Election campaigns? They’re going on all the time! The enormous expenses are mostly within the country; since so many rupees are still being printed that will be less than the current stand-still.
    .
    Panini Edirisinhe of Bandarawela

    • 3
      1

      “Given that our only mode of locomotion now is walking”


      “My feet is my only carriage
      And so I’ve got to push on through
      But while I’m gone

      Everything’s gonna be all right
      Everything’s gonna be all right
      Everything’s gonna be all right”

  • 5
    13

    “…exclusive with the primary objective of transforming Sri Lanka into a permanent Sinhala-Buddhist majoritarian state, benefiting overwhelmingly the interests of that sector of society.”
    —-
    What else you expected indigenous Sinhala Buddhists who were oppressed, discriminated and marginalized by colonial rulers for about 450 years to do?

    • 1
      0

      Eagle Eye

      Why are you now taking revenge on fellow citizens (Tamils and Muslims) for the ‘fault’ of the colonial rulers?

    • 1
      1

      EE Blind Eye,
      Morning.
      “Sinhala Buddhists who were oppressed, discriminated and marginalized by colonial rulers for about 450 years to do?”
      You should be asking that valuable question from the people who led the Sinhalese people to that position?? The Kings and Monarchs by Fratricide, patricide, for self glory and not for common Lankan Good, should answer that question and held responsible squarely and Truly!?
      None other than them?!! Until now they demonstrate anything but that?!
      Disunity amongst the clan, brought about the despair??
      Definitely not the present minorities of Sri Lanka??
      Then why punish them???!!!

  • 4
    2

    the current wave of worldwide inflation and food shortages eventuated by the Ukrainian crisis
    ——————
    Shortages and inflation are deliberately being caused by the freemasons.
    Has nothing whatsoever to do with Ukraine.

  • 3
    2

    Yes there will be a paradigm shift.
    A new world where there will be no more freemasons and tares in any positions of power!

  • 6
    0

    If the SB’s truly want to maintain their SB-right-of-majority together with United-Island with brotherly love between all races, they need to go the JVP-NPP-FSP way.

    Otherwise, it will be the current paradigm fine-tuned with Tamil diaspora erasing the USD 56-billion debt, and/or Saudi and other ME places erasing the $56-billion debt with mosques and burkhas on Lankan soil included.

    • 3
      1

      Absolutely correct, dear RTF,
      .
      The supporters of the NPP and the FSP are guys who have no conscious racism in them. We are all more comfortable with people with whom we can communicate easily. Actually, up here, in Uva, most Tamils are able to use some Sinhalese; yes, I know it seems rather unfair that they have to learn another language, while the Sinhalese don’t do it.
      .
      I admit that I don’t know any Tamil, and apologise for it. The Northern Tamils whom I interact with tend to know English. Rather unsatisfactory that on the rare occasions when I meet a monolingual Tamil, we are reduced to helplessness. But at least we smile at each other.
      .
      English? Very important, but I have virtually given up. Teaching is too difficult for guys of my age. Oh, I do speak in the simplest and most basic way to help guys whom I meet. But few seem to appreciate the effort that must go into devising disciplined lessons.
      .
      I have done my bit; I just want peace for all here.

      • 4
        5

        See how NPP’s Dr Harini Amarasuriya has got the fundamentals right. This has been her speaking just yesterday. Eleven minutes in Sinhalese:
        .
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPGD_ofZ70s
        .
        Note for those who don’t understand Sinhala: from 3′.10′ to 3′ 20″ she acknowledges that the majority of the 225 MPs are racist and religious bigots.
        .
        Harini is actually more fluent in English than in Sinhalese. This is 20 minutes in English, speaking three months ago, about why she agreed to go into Parliament:
        .
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AC3mabiIKUU
        .
        These are serious issues, and we must take what she says seriously, instead of being masculinely flippant about feminism.
        .
        Panini Edirisinhe of Bandarawela

    • 4
      7

      RTF,
      Good morning.
      It seems that the JVP-NPP-FSP solution seems to be the solution, but some measures being contemplated are Nondescript, and the question is about the yield in return would be commensurate with the expectations??
      Such items as taking “over/nationalising Brandix-MAS” may have negative results, (what assurances that orders may continue – same owners have establishments overseas too) along with nationalising Tea and Rubber estates?? Have my reservations on the outcome and end result!
      Alternative method 1 may not appeal to the hard-liner SB’s and Mahanayaka’s, who would consider that as a “Loss of Face” – Kotti (Tiger) Money?! Do not want to touch with a barge pole!!??
      Alternative method 2 may appeal to the SB’s and they may go that way?! They could live with some of those Mosques proposed by Saudi and ME Emirs, after converting Hindu Temples to Buddhist Viharaya!!!
      As time passes, the ME Emirs may extract the, ‘Their pound of Flesh’!
      Well the Chinese did too, but that is ok and SB’s do not mind it??!!

      • 2
        0

        Mahila…..they should semi-nationalize & also increase taxes on these industries. Tamils will contribute well and do well with greater involvement in island -wide commerce, industry, and politics. So will Muslims sans radical Islam.

  • 12
    26

    “This paradigm is not national and inclusive in shape and content but ethno-religiously sectarian and exclusive with the primary objective of transforming Sri Lanka into a permanent Sinhala-Buddhist majoritarian state.”

    The author should take a poll of those in the “Aragalaya” between the ages of 25-40, see how many have any interest in living in the North or East. Younger generation are a lazy bunch. They don’t want the country to be divided, but the majority will not fight for that ideal. Probably they are protesting in the “Aragalaya” because power cuts interfere with time spent on social media. If the Sinhala-Buddhists were as zealous as the author claims, Sri Lanka would not be in its current situation. Sri Lanka would resemble something like Israel, with right-wing Sinhala-Buddhists queuing up to live in colonies in the North and East. If there is any zealotry left in the country, it is with the Muslim community, the fastest growing demographic. I need not elaborate.

    • 19
      12

      Oh yes, that is why you have run away to the UK, using the war as an excuse, most probably falsely stating you were also affected, for the good life. Now from the comfort of your home in the UK, preaching Sinhalese Buddhist Fascism and plundering Tamil people’s lands in the north and east for Sinhalese settlements, just like the way Jewish fundamentalists and the government of Israel does in the Palestinian Arab areas. What a despicable person and a joker. The country is bankrupt with no food, fuel and other essentials vital for life, as a result of all the racist policies that have been implemented marginalizing the Tamils and now every non-Sinhalese person and this racist Sinhalese joker from somewhere in London does not care, as he is living in comfort, is preaching more of this racist rubbish from the safety and distance of London, as the aftermath will never affect him or his family.

      • 15
        28

        You chased the Muslims and Sinhalese out of your make-believe Eelam. Did you forget Kattankudi mosque massacre? After killing them in the mosque, your heroes gave the other ones 24 hours to leave and stole their gold, land and houses. Don’t forget your fake freedom struggle where you begged Europeans to impose sanctions on Sri Lanka. Everyday on TamilNet, a new white man, enna da? How much did your LTTE heroes pay them using drug smuggling, extortion and other criminal activities. Sea piracy, arms smuggling, extortion, money laundering, passport forgery, drug trafficking, credit card fraud (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criminal_charges_leveled_against_the_LTTE). Fake freedom struggle is over now, you missed the refugee boat. You will be sent to Rwanda if you try to come.

        • 2
          1

          Looks like I have stated the truth and the fake refugee in London has started to screech. Muslim home guards, Sinhalese settlers and the Sri Lankan armed forces chased out thousands of Tamils from the east, especially in the Amaprai and Trincomalee districts. In the northern border areas, many Tamils were chased out. In the 1990s Tamils were chased out from the Manal Aru area and this area was renamed Weli Oya, a literal translation of Tamil Manal Aru an outside Sinhalese were settled. Please give details of Sinhalese being chased out of any place in the north or east? Stop lying. There were far more Tamils chased out from the east than Muslims chased out the north. Yes, I have not forgotten the Kattankudi massacre and the reason behind it, as it was then., just like now a hotbed of Islamic extremism, where arms supplied by the Sri Lankan state were stored and used to attack neighbouring Hindu Tamil villages. This was the reason the Mosque was attacked by your beloved Karuna and Pillyan gang, after a spate of attacks of killings, ethnic cleansing and destruction of Hindu temples by the Muslim home guards. Strange after the attack on this mosque all this killing, raping and destruction of Tamil Hindu villages ceased.

          • 2
            1

            You seem to have conveniently forgotten this. Sinhalese only arrived in the north and east, after independence, deliberately planted by the racist Sinhalese state, especially in the east to change the demography and they have a history of being heavily armed by the state and attacking not only Tamil but even Tamil Muslim villagers. The LTTE would have only retaliated against these state-sponsored attacks by these illegal Sinhalese settlers on Tamil villages that have been there for centuries. The LTTE never bothered the Muslims up north as they were only around 60000. Largely concentrated in the Mannar area, they caught them spying for the Sri Lankan armed forces and also found large amounts of weapons and ammunition provided by the Sri Lankan state, stored in their mosques. What was the reason for this? No one harassed them or treated them badly. Their population may have been small but highly armed and in conjunction with the Sri Lankan armed forces, they could have caused immense damage and deaths to the Tamil civilian population in the north, especially in the Mannar region. They did not want a repeat of what happened to the Tamils in the east at the hands of the Muslims, deliberately and heavily armed by the Sri Lankan state to occur in the north and asked them to leave. By their behaviour, they had proved to be a fifth column being used by the Sri Lankan state to kill and marginalise their fellow non-Muslim Tamils.

            • 3
              1

              You sit in London, where you have now fled, enjoy the good life for you and your family and keep on posting racist venom against the Tamils and urge all your fellow Sinhalese not to reform but keep on marginalizing the island’s Tamils, even if they starve and bankrupt the country. As all these hardships now will not affect you. The Tamil diaspora is fighting for the just right of the Tamils as they are the only ones who can do so, but you and most of the Sinhalese diaspora, who have run away for the good life, are supporting racists, religious fanatics, fascists and rogues back home to continue the marginalization for the island’s Tamil speakers. This is the difference

            • 0
              5

              Rohan25,
              “Sinhalese only arrived in the north and east, after independence,…”
              —-
              That is according to the manufactured history presented in Vaddukkodai Resolution.
              Indigenous Sinhalayo who evolved in this country have lived in Sinhale for more than 2500 years. They are the people who developed this country from scratch. They had their first Kingdoms Anuradhapura (377 BC to 1017 AD) and Polonnaruwa (1056 AD–1232 AD) in NE. Those Kingdoms were destroyed by Chola and Pandya Dravidians. If you dig any place in NE, what you find is Sinhala Buddhist heritage sites. Malabars who came to Yapanaya after 12th Century occupied Sinhala land in NE.

              • 1
                0

                Modern Sri Lankan Tamils descend from residents of the Jaffna Kingdom, a former kingdom in the north of Sri Lanka and Vannimai chieftaincies from the east. According to anthropological and archaeological evidence, Sri Lankan Tamils have a very long history in Sri Lanka and have lived on the island since at least around the 2nd century BCE . The ancient Buddhist ruins and heritage in the north and east are all Tamil. Only the modern ones built after independence are Sinhalese.

                • 1
                  0

                  Most of the ancient Sinhalese are of Pandian heritage. Starting from your mythical prince Vijaya who took a Pandian princess for his wife and Pandian Tamil women as wives for his 500 followers who came with him and these marriage alliances continued. The vast majority of the Pandian and Chola immigrants and invaders who remained behind assimilated to the Sinhalese identity, as evidenced by many Sinhalese family names. Yes they did invade and destroy but rebuilt a lot of it and many of the world heritage ruins in Polonnaruwa Buddhist and Hindu are from the Chola era and ironically most of them also assimilated into the Sinhalese identity and most of the Sinhalese royalty and aristocracy were closely allied to and part of the Pandian royal family. Lastly, there was no Malayalam ethnicity or Malayalam language at the time when all this happened. The Malabar region, at that time, was Tamil and even when to Portuguese arrived, most of the population were still speaking a form of Tamil and identifying themselves as Tamils. This is why the word Malabar was used quite a lot for Tamils during this period.

              • 3
                1

                TUCO Eagle Eye

                “Indigenous Sinhalayo who evolved in this country have lived in Sinhale for more than 2500 years. “

                Are you saying Buddha the enlightened one was a Sinhalayo and he preached and spoke Sinhala?

          • 0
            3

            You are lying as usual. Of course the Sinhalese government began a few colonies in the East to settle Sinhalese people, who are 85% of the population. That is not discrimination. Discrimination is Indonesia or Bangladesh, which are 99% Sunni Muslim, or Uganda, where Idi Amin expelled all the Indians. No Tamil was deported from Sri Lanka, even the Indian Tamils who were brought here were given full citizenship. To this day, not a single Sri Lankan Tamil refugee in Tamil Nadu has been given citizenship. Before the war, Sinhalese lived in all these places in the North and East. Historically, these were part of various Sinhalese kingdoms. If Sri Lanka was like Israel, the Buddhists would be fighting for their birthright, as the author Ameer Ali claims, but that is not the case. The majority (Sinhalese) only retaliated when the LTTE terrorists openly declared their intention to divide the country. At that point, there was no choice, as LTTE would tried to take over the whole country, driving Muslims and Sinhalese to the sea.

            • 4
              1

              Chingkalla people currently are 74% of the population and at that time were around 66%. The only person lying is you? However, this is not surprising as you always do. Even if the Chingkalla people were 90% and Thamizh 5% the state has no right to settle outside Chingkalams in Thamizh people’s lands, to deliberately change the demography and destroy the Thamizh. In the UK where you live do you see the British government sending thousands of English to colonize Scotland and Wales? The answer is no. They move of their own accord and purchase properties there legally. No one objects to Chingkallams doing this in Thamizh areas.

              • 4
                1

                The Chingkallams hardly ruled the Thamizh areas before colonisation and even if they did like in parts of the east, like the Thamizh/Chingkalla kings of Kandy did after the fall of the Jaffna kingdom, it was a loose federal form of rule, where the local Vannimai chief had the say and the Thamizh character of the region was acknowledged. The Thamizh of the east, who came under the loose control of the Kings of Kandy, considered him a Thamizh, as they really were and dealt with them in Thamizh. Now trying to use their majority, after the independence unfairly to deliberately destroy Thamizh character and history and change the demography of these areas. It Is called ethnic cleansing and that is a war crime.

      • 2
        0

        Rohan25,

        I don’t think that you (and Mahila, especially) quite get what I mean. Also, although Svenson may irritate some, he directs us towards important issues.
        .
        The task before us is not our writing on CT. It is decisively swaying that section of the electorate that isn’t bookish, those whose votes determine who rules the country. The Tamils are an honoured part of our population (unfortunately, much of the time over-obsessed with what they have suffered), but it is not they who determine the dominant ethos of the government.
        .
        It is the unenlightened and unlettered Sinhalese who decide. For two years schools have been closed – the effects will be felt a decade later. YouTube and WhatsApp influence these people in ways that I find difficult to monitor.
        .
        We can’t help but feel superior, but that only compounds the problem. How to have some respect for them, and be serious in addressing them, is not easy.
        .
        But it is crucial.

        • 0
          1

          (Part I)
          Sinhala_Man,
          Reference, I don’t think that you (and Mahila, especially) quite get what I mean.”
          I am happy that you seem to have read my comment and justifiably ‘happy’ and ‘Not Happy??!’
          While I am still not sure which part of my comment may have attracted your complement, let me assure you that, I am fully supportive of the JVP and more so of the NPP, which am sure you are wholeheartedly supportive of too??!! Very Good!
          However, I totally despise any moves by any party to Nationalise or ‘Take over’ private enterprise in any form or shape??!! Anathema to me, principally, because that ‘venture’ has been built on an individual’s’ investment and dreams of enterprise to further his/their lifestyle and their family!
          If there appears concern of malpractices and/or then the law should be implemented to the fullest, even by amending the laws to ensure compliance and revenue to state?!
          We in Sri Lanka have a plethora of such instances since 1956 to 2007/08 with some of those entities once profitable leading industrialist, to be organisations to park political relatives and acolytes in comfort and loss making as a profession and career??!!

        • 0
          1

          (Part II)
          I would only mention, BCC/Orient Co and Air Lanka/Sri Lankan Airways Emirates JV to please the ego of a Rampant, out of control of then HE as example!! Now making SL Rs 1 Billion loss per day??!! National Carrier and flag bearer to many an outpost in this world!!
          Panini, I would be only too delighted to hear your response, which has been very rational always, which I respect and would be welcome, if your concern is any other than nationalisation of Estates, enterprise etc.
          Nothing, no single venture that was nationalised has become a worthwhile venture to record as successful??!!
          Very sad outcome indeed, and we do not need any repetition of the wild old folly of SWRDB, SRDB et all??!! Do we??
          New addition is the CPC, which was acclaimed as a best venture for long years, does not have Sl Rs to get USD and the Governor CBSL is printing money, which in return causes inflation/devaluation SL RS and misery for Sri Lankans??

    • 6
      6

      Lester the inconsistent Joker,
      “If the Sinhala-Buddhists were as zealous as the author claims, Sri Lanka would not be in its current situation”
      And aren’t you the guy that accuses everyone else of running down the Sinhala Buddhists and their hydro-electric civilization?

    • 7
      6

      Lester the Lying Jester

      Forget what you have been tying in these forums for donkeys years.
      One this clear, people have started appealing to foreign countries for essential food, medicine, …………… now for protection against Gota’s goons.

      Do you think it is appropriate to seek the intervention of foreign powers to protect the unarmed innocent civilian (soon there is going to be secular genocide)? What happens to our sovereignty (whatever it is)?

      Would you suggest people to swim over to South India?
      I might consider it as a serious option if I can take all our active public racists with me.

      What do you suggest?

      • 7
        3

        Fake Vedda (The Tamil Speaker)

        You are waiting for the country to fall, to avenge your fake freedom fighters and the fake freedom struggle. That is your real purpose here. Your hatred of (Sinhalese) requires maximum suffering, with innocent Tamils as pawns – if necessary – similar to the civil war. My purpose is not for the country to fall. I am interested in a full economic recovery. I don’t care about freedom struggles – real or fake – as they are a waste of time and resources. There are different paths to a recovery. Removing Gotha is not a requirement. Look at every Arab country, a total dictatorship with the “royal family” spending billions on Bentley’s, palaces, and vacations. In Saudi, women were given permission to drive in 2018. If some bugger like you goes and insults their imams, like you do the monks, they will chop your head in public with a big sword. Sri Lanka does not have oil, so things are different.

        • 2
          1

          Lester the incontinent,
          “Removing Gotha is not a requirement.”.
          Maybe he’ll do it himself, the coward. Go watch TV.

  • 8
    12

    One can name the CHANGE that SL needs as Paradigmatic /system/ systemic/ Radical etc. We all mean the same things i.e. Getting rid of the scoundrels in the parliament/politics.
    — Bribe takers/givers sent to prison
    — Sending People who propagate racial and religious HATRED to Jails.
    — rulers to stop appointing their friends/relatives to Government or semi government jobs.[all jobs given on the basis of MERITOCRACY.
    — Funds should be allocated to the provinces equally. so should be developmental activity –> over the 7 decades Tamil areas were NEGLECTED. Rajapaksas built white elephant projects in the south without considering whether such projects will bring in huge returns.
    — English should be used as LINK language to bring National unity and prosperity.
    —Judiciary not TAMPERED BY rulers.
    —Media freedom and unbiased reporting promoted
    — Security Forces SHOULD not used inappropriately

  • 11
    11

    EE

    “What else you expected indigenous Sinhala Buddhists who were oppressed, discriminated and marginalized by colonial rulers for about 450 years to do?”

    What else is expected that the sinhala buddhist racists for 78 years voted in sinhala buddhist racists lying thieving looting politicians that ultimately resulted in the BEGGAR status of the sinhala buddhist MILLIONS TIME WORSE THAN ANY CIRCUMSTANCES during ANY Colonial rule.

    Washington Post news says that the sinhala land news is more popular (comedy??) than the Ukraine War!

    Wonder why the sinhala buddhist are getting on boats and leaving sinhala land to work as OPRESSED toilet cleaners in other countries

  • 10
    11

    EE

    “What else you expected indigenous Sinhala Buddhists who were oppressed, discriminated and marginalized by colonial rulers for about 450 years to do?”

    What else than to periodically murder loot arson the indigenous tamils lives and property.

  • 12
    10

    Another good article from Ameer Ali. Ameer Ali nothing will change as Sinhalese only supremacy and racism is entrenched. Until this is dismantled nothing is going to change. Are you aware that many of these Buddhist monks, not all, at the Go Gota Gama camp chanting against the current government, most probably because of the current economic condition and nothing else, had travelled to the north to Kuroonthoor Malai to support and participate in the failed installation of the Buddha statue at the site of the ancient Sivan temple? Says it all in a nutshell and only shows the mindset of most Sinhalese people. Once this crisis is over and there is food, fuel and medicines, they will revert back to their usual racist anti-Tamil ways and want the marginalization of all Tamil-speaking people and including the Muslims.

  • 1
    0

    Dear OC and NV,
    .
    sinhala buddhist monks are in hibernation mode yet today- we dont know what would be the outcome at the end of TOMORROW. Medamulana bps would hurt millions of innocient people tomorrow. ……
    .
    Btw, I have seen stray dogs eating JARAWA/stinky garbage so greedily at the road corners even in Romania and Bulgaria.

    Perhaps, you might have noticed the same somewhere.

    Is the very behaviour of our SELF PROCLAIMED professional – Lester not similar to that of a stray dog?

    That is one of the reasons that kept me away from commenting to the CT all these days.
    It is just pointless. No whatsoever supprotive sources, but keeps continuing his kind of ” koheda yanne malle pol” style comments.

    Each time travelling to SL, I love feeding stray dogs, but I know they are unpredictable. That is how their genes are formed. Some dog-lovers become very dissapointed not being able to see the estranged behaviours of their own pet dogs. My neighbour is such a person – who lately thought to get rid of his 10 000 dollar worth dog.
    Scientists believe that what you get in genes guide your life, rather than any other factos incl. environment.
    .
    Even if one would make effort to drive awaythem from their bad habits, they would never be away from them easily. Shock therapy would bring some progress – howeer, it is a real hard job.

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