28 March, 2024

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Have We Lost It All?

By Vishwamithra

“I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself.” ~ Charlotte Brontë

April 3, 2020 was the day. Sporadic yet peaceful and determined protesters roamed the streets in the country. They stretched from Colombo to Kandy to Galle to Vavunia. Gotabaya Rajapaksa was the President, Mahinda, the Prime Minister and Namal, the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports. Basil Rajapaksa was still the Minister of Finance. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had declared a state of emergency on Friday, April 1 (April Fool’s Day) as the Indian Ocean island-nation grappled with rising prices, scarcities of essentials and regular power cuts. On Saturday, the government enforced a countrywide curfew after protests turned out of control.

When the severity of economic crisis was being felt on the belly of all segments of the population, on Sunday, April 3, the protesters determined to defy a nationwide curfew; while the police used tear gas to disperse student protesters in the central city of Kandy, they, the students, did not budge. Ominous signals of a grander event sprang up at every corner of a peaceful Island-country whose only experience with a political uprising was as far back as 1987-1989, except, of course, the ethnic conflict with the North-based Tamil militants who battled their own war for their own piece of land called Elam.

On the broad canvas of national life, among the various and inscrutable lines, are found some abstract nuances which often escape an intellectually incurious mind. It is that intellectually incurious mind most of our population possesses. A collective mindset that has been conditioned by the fairytale sagas of the Mahavamsa (The Great Chronicle) for successive generations cannot be undone in one single generational uprising. Modern society’s development and its growth precisely owing to the first industrial revolution that introduced the steam engine then the second with, the age of science and mass production, and the rise of digital technology giving birth to the third industrial revolution, the world around us fundamentally changed. The current youth generation all over the world that is adapting itself to the marvels and innovations of the digital age are fast passing by the old. Unless the old chooses to embrace these new technological advancements, history would not have any space for the contemporaneous age.

That digital revolution has charmed the young in Sri Lanka too and it’s utterly futile to stem their rapid and enchanted advancement by imposing numerous restraints and prohibitions. Nobody could imprison the Neanderthals in their caves forever.

Romanticism associated with violent revolutions and mass movements is quite hard to comprehend yet its inherent glamor and glory are essentially their integral elements. People’s, especially of the youth, magic-like attachment to politically motivated movements cannot be eliminated from any serious discussion on current affairs of any country. Sri Lanka cannot escape from that paradigm.

It is in such a broadly philosophical context that we need to pay our attention to the so-called ‘Throne Speech’ which was delivered by President Ranil Wickremesinghe. Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD), the leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) in his latest press briefing outlined very valid and sharp criticisms on Ranil’s speech. AKD and his JVP along with the solitary Sarath Fonseka still remain doggedly committed to the ideals and aims of the Aragalaya on a consistent basis. Nevertheless, the general optics of their recent conduct, both inside and outside Parliament, renders neither a bright nor an optimistic promise for a short or midterm prognosis.

The leaders of the conventional political parties seem to be more fatigued than those of the Aragalaya, thereby affirming the public perception that there is no option other than a total ‘system change’. At the same time, all the traditional party leaders, in the midst of the most politically significant social uprising, seem to be clinging on to an outdated concept that enacting political transformation could be attained within the framework of the current constitution. Gotabaya Rajapaksa was elected in terms of the constitution and he governed in the same terms. But he was not ousted according to the constitution. The only way in which a President could have been replaced before his term of office is completed is either by way of an impeachment or physical incapacity or death of the President or resignation on his own volition.

Gotabaya was forced by the Aragalaya to flee the country and there is no chapter, article of verse in our constitution to say that the incumbent could be replaced by force of an Aragalaya. When the Aragalaya achieved one of its premier demands of ousting of Mahinda Rajapaksa from Premiership, Gotabaya invited the leaders of the opposition parties to join him to form a multi-party government. But Gotabhaya opted to accept only Ranil’s proposal or non-proposal. The people led by the Aragalaya forced the issue on the governing clan and they caved in. Rajapaksa-proxy, namely Ranil Wickremesinghe, was appointed as Prime Minister and later elected by Parliament in the wake of Gotabaya’s desertion (by the way, this is not the first time that he deserted his office when the going got tough; he left the Sri Lanka Army in the midst of crucial fighting in the North).

Pressure enforced by mass movements can change governments. It can cause, besides many an obstacle to regular routinized daily lives of all, an entirely fresh beginning to be made by each and every entity that is involved in the sociopolitical life of the country. Disowning or distancing from one segment of the country’s sociopolitical life is not a good recipe for any political party which is aiming to grab power in the elections.

There are some very salient and crucial elements in the current circumstance in the land.

1. A sizeable segment in Parliament seems to be far too divorced from the people’s wishes and aspirations

2. Their preoccupation with their own vested interests is destroying the will and the purity of the Aragalaya ideals

3. Petty issues such as pension at the end of their 1st term in parliament seem to be more significant than the need for an urgent change in the ‘system’ and that mindset has overtaken the wider interests of today’s youth.

4. Reluctance and fear on the part of all Parliamentarians for a total overhaul of the ‘system’ has gripped them to blind allegiance to the ‘status quo’.

5. Romanticist-approach to a ‘system change’ is losing its initial luster thereby losing the main protagonists, today’s youth, of the Aragalaya.

6. Last but not the least, absence of an acceptable political leadership/leader of the movement has cost the movement dearly resulting in the loss of direction and discipline of such a political uprising.

The failure or a would-be failure of the Aragalaya could be ascribed to many more reasons than the aforementioned factors, yet a resurrection of the original enthusiasm and drive is far more difficult than it was three months ago. The representatives of the Colombo elite may have dropped out altogether. The last thing that should have happened to such a mass uprising has happened which is unforgivable sense of apathy. Sri Lankans time and time again have proved to be quite at home with this societal weakness- mass apathy.

The Galle Face Green is no more crowded with protesters; frequent arrests of leading personalities being taken into custody is bearing fruits for those who initiated the arrests. Ranil Wickremesinghe is once again showing his true personality. His unforgiving attitude of arrogance and inferiority complex, undoubtedly weak and lacking in mental steadfastness, is being displayed but ironically advantageous to himself and his close friends.

Against such a gloomy backdrop, one would find more questions than answers. Have we all lost our will? Have we lost our friends and relatives? Have we lost our self-confidence? Have we lost our step? Have we lost our aims and goals? Have we lost our way? Have we lost it all? How far can we advance as a mass-based movement or have we given birth to a movement that has already been aborted? The complexity of matters, the complexity of a sociopolitical journey of a nation is not easily understood, nor resolved in a couple of months. History has shown us that civilizations have strived for centuries while it had taken only a couple of decades to collapse.

Perhaps, fresh thinking is the right way to tread. A novel way of thinking is the most needy weapon one should use today. As the great Bertrand Russell said: “Men fear thought as they fear nothing else on earth — more than ruin, more even than death. Thought is subversive and revolutionary, destructive and terrible, thought is merciless to privilege, established institutions, and comfortable habits; thought is anarchic and lawless, indifferent to authority, careless of the well-tried wisdom of the ages. Thought looks into the pit of hell and is not afraid … Thought is great and swift and free, the light of the world, and the chief glory of man.”

Human endurance and human steadfastness is not an accident of our civilization; it is taught and learnt; it is practiced and coached. As much as great leadership is not an accident, so are the illuminating consequences of failed leadership. All these factors, both positive and negative, each would take its own respective course. One is not more deaf and blind than who is not willing to see and hear with keener sense of awareness. Education must be an essential accomplice of great deed. Not only what’s gained via Universities and schools, but in the real world where the wise and experienced always show the way forward. The great wise men and women have enriched mankind and our earnest hope at this hour must be for the emergence of such greats who have wandered the enchanted corridors of human civilization.

*The writer can be contacted at vishwamithra1984@gmail.com

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Latest comments

  • 18
    17

    “His unforgiving attitude of arrogance and inferiority complex, undoubtedly weak and lacking in mental steadfastness, is being displayed”
    Which planet is the author living on?
    Arrogance, maybe, but that is forgivable given the intellectual pygmies that comprised the Gota regime. But,”lacking in mental steadfastness “? Anyone who listened to his “Throne Speech ” would have seen that this was no Rajapaksa pawn. Did he deviate in any way from his non-racist principles.? Was there any change in the realistic economics he believes in? Only the JVP now is out of the all-party government. Hasn’t the food and fuel situation improved? It may be an understatement to say he isn’t popular, but that is more of an indictment of the voters. Popularity may win elections, but popularity and ability are two different things.
    “But Gotabhaya opted to accept only Ranil’s proposal or non-proposal.” An obvious falsehood. Sajit tried to impose impossible (at the time) conditions and lost the bid.
    For God’s sake, stop sniping and let the man do his job!

    • 15
      17

      Who decides who is intelligent and who is an intellectual pygmy ? Some old codger !

      What you see as arrogance is just insensitive stupidity of a man who circumstances have raised to a level he does not deserve .

      Now there is gas .and the petrol queues are shorter. Is it because of ranil ? What did he do ? The companies listed in the stock market are reporting good results. Again because of ranil ? It is raining and fewer hours of power cut. is it because of ranil ?

      What did he do ?

      Ranil is like a con CEO who wants to create an image of a doer just in order to retain his job. His whole life is a con-job. There are about a dozen fools who keep saying in this forum that it rains only because ranil’s ability to make it rain.

      Look at the UNP ! This is man who has been PM 6 times , Minister so many times , has SL become better ?

      • 5
        5

        DS,
        “Now there is gas .and the petrol queues are shorter. Is it because of ranil ? What did he do ? “
        I suppose you are free to claim that your Rajapaksas did the work and Ranil takes credit. I can’t stop you from thinking that a jumped-up drill sergeant called Nandasena had to run awayfromthe country because he was so intelligent.
        Oh, BTW, you forgot to mention that RW is gay.

        • 6
          5

          DS,
          “Who decides who is intelligent and who is an intellectual pygmy ? “
          All I can say is, given your less-than -impressive debating skills, remarkable ability to run away when challenged………….please feel free to put on whatever cap fits you.

          • 6
            5

            Codger, you keep saying I am for Rajapaksa and that they are bad . You also keep saying Ranil is the best. Do you follow the events happening here ? It was the rajapaksa vote that brought in Ranil who has no mandate at all !

            Are they together ?

            • 1
              0

              DS, beg to differ, I have never heard OC saying RW is the best. However may be he is like me, that Rajapakshes are the worst politicians in entire south asia.
              .
              It is true how humans, animals and flora evolve, our eyes cannot believe but first they have to face their basic needs of food, shelter and clothing. It is natural human beings to behave like animals, if they are not accessed to the basics.
              .
              . To me, humans have a lot in common with animals (dogs and other mammals), they behave that way if they are not guided properly.
              Religions help shaping up societies, as ideologies do the same. Society misled by mythos and witchery or other deceitful man made occupations destroy the mindset of the weaker people easily.

              This is common in south asia, as well as in indiana tribe led latin american countries. Unfortunately, the growth economies schrink in such social and economic situations because the greatest stumbling block them to see beyond is their conditioned mindset.

            • 1
              2

              Ds,
              “It was the rajapaksa vote that brought in Ranil who has no mandate at all !”
              What is the relevance of a “mandate”?
              Gota got a huge mandate, didn’t he? Are you implying he did better?

      • 3
        4

        As I have said before, although Ranil has been PM several times he has always had some President above him derailing his efforts. This is the first time he has had real power. Give him a chance for God’s sake. Did you know that this ‘con CEO’ hasn’t taken a salary since the Seventies? Did you know he supports three orphanages with this money?

        • 3
          1

          Svenson, Mahinda looted money (Tsunami fund) which otherwise could have supported few orphanages. Didn’t he become the PM and then President. Lanka is weird Bro. Ranil was in politics when many of us were in kindergarten, and you telling to “give him a chance for God’s sake”, is crazy. (Gods must be laughing). If the surgeon has botched a surgery on you, will you tell him ” do not worry, next time”.

    • 14
      10

      Dear oc,
      .
      If we let Ranil “do his job“, my children, and my children’s children, will be done for, until developments that we cannot yet foresee remove all trace of him.
      .
      Like the anonymous “Vishwamithra” you, too, are a major contributor of ideas on this site. Another is Professor Kumar David, and I’m glad that he takes a very different view of how events are panning out in our country:
      .
      https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/remember-ranil-is-revengeful-a-risk-to-rights/
      .
      I hadn’t collected any fuel in cans, and I also hadn’t joined a queue until yesterday, on my pathetic motor-bike. I stayed at home for the most part, foraged for food on foot, and used public transport. I spent only half an hour in the queue owing to a WhatsApp alert that I received, and the QR code. I was given four liters of petrol for Rs 1,800/=. So, an improvement, in fuel supply, yes.
      .
      Legalities be damned; this is my country, and Ranil lacks legitimacy in my eyes.
      .
      I still respect you; but I find your comment deeply disappointing.
      .
      Panini Edirisinhe (NIC 483111444V) of Bandarawela

      • 4
        3

        SM,
        “Legalities be damned”? Even KD says it’s legal. We can’t give up on rules, however twisted they are. The alternative is the law of the jungle, like in 1989 when random guys would declare curfews and confiscate your ID card.
        “If we let Ranil “do his job“, my children, and my children’s children, will be done for, until developments that we cannot yet foresee remove all trace of him.”
        You seem to forget that it wasn’t Ranil that banned fertilizer, got the CB to print money, cremated Muslims, or caused fuel shortages……….Ranil opposed all those stupidities.
        Still, I don’t think it is necessary to worry too much about our grandchildren. I know for a fact that my own father thought his children couldn’t survive, (he was horrified that bread cost 2 rupees) but survive we did. We adapt to circumstances.

        • 1
          2

          OC
          All of us have our preferences, call it obsessions on occasion, but letting them drive our reasoning is dangerous.
          It will be good if all of us hold back on our forecasts (or prophesies) for a while and restrict ourselves to real happenings.
          *
          Judging by how the forecasters sheltering under the canopy of the CT have fared thus far, the humble man seated under a tree, armed with a caged parakeet and a stack of cards, soars in my esteem.

          • 1
            0

            SJ,
            “Judging by how the forecasters sheltering under the canopy of the CT have fared thus far,”
            Especially considering that nothing very much happened on August 9th.

    • 4
      4

      Old Codger Let the man do his job like the last time, like handing over the Hambantota port to the Chinese instead of going for a restructuring of our loan repayments and let most of the swindlers who looted this country go scot free I presume.

      • 5
        5

        Hari my dear,
        Would you explain how the Chinese are running the port at a profit? You really expect the Sri Lankan government to do that? Why don’t you also explain why IOC can make 4 billion profit while CPC loses money?
        It is easy to talk big about national assets, but you must remember that entities which lose money are
        liabilities, not assets. It is that sort of thinking that brought us to this bankrupt situation. At least, wake up now.

      • 2
        3

        H do you wonder that there are no replies to your inane comments? The Rajapakses are responsible for the 99 year lease of Hambantota to China. They allowed the relevant clause to be included in the small print of the agreement. Several Rajapakses were taken to court over financial crimes but were released on technicalities engineered by their cronies. Neither of these matters had anything to do with Ranil.

        • 0
          0

          S
          “The Rajapakses are responsible for the 99 year lease of Hambantota to China.”
          NOT TRUE.
          It happened under “good Governance” and, in fact, MR strongly denounced it.

      • 3
        0

        H
        The port was stupidly handed over to a Chinese company to get cash to service the huge debts– the least of which was to China.

      • 1
        0

        Harischandra,
        Good morning
        “Old Codger Let the man do his job like the last time, like handing over the Hambantota port to the Chinese instead of going for a restructuring of our loan repayments”
        Restructuring of Loan repayments, can be done, but the question that begs the answer importantly is why, the Messiah wnet on a spending spree to get a CHINESE LOAN AT COMMERCIAL INTEREST RATE WITH SHORT REPAYMENT PERIOD??
        If not for that folly, presumably done to exploit and get 20% commission, after tasting the sweetness of it, as an outcome after the stage 1 of Norrichholai coal fired plant???
        Well none was to heed the call of RW not to go ahead with the HPP, from the opposition??!
        ignored as as it was a cry from then opposition and irrelevant by the ‘so called’ educated and emancipated lot in government (2007)!???
        They, then didn’t foresee starving and i meal a day staring in their face???? Losers didn’t have the wisdom to envision a future calamity!!

      • 0
        0

        Haris😶
        If Hambantota was not leased / what were the options to pay off Rajapakshe loans? 😶😶😶😶so is not seera leoner where gold and diamonds are available. So what should he have done according to you? This time we could better sell out Mattala and Shiranthi to Russians red light companies comforting the suffering nation/ agree? Rajapakshes should be forced to throw up all billions they swallowed out. Period 😶😶😶😶😶😶😶

    • 5
      0

      OC
      I doubt if RW will deliver us out of the crisis, although he may achieve something in the short term. The latter prospect troubles some, and induces them to hurl abuse at the man.
      What I see here is a lot of personal abuse but little political criticism. It is time that pettifogging took a break.
      The procession for posts suggests that the opposition is resigned to the prospect of RW boxing on till the end of his term, unless a big economic disaster befalls us.
      A revamped Aragalaya will be the only serious opposition. Of the elected opposition, only the JVP is a friend of the Aragalaya. Others will make noises to keep their fires going.
      RW is not my choice, but I cannot think of another feasible choice given the context, although there are a few trustworthy and competent people around.

      • 2
        2

        SJ,
        The few trustworthy and competent people aren’t Buddhists, and some are not even Sinhala. How horrible is that prospect?

      • 1
        0

        SJ,
        Fully agree.
        There is none else to salvage the situation!!

  • 9
    11

    The answer is Yes. We have been living in a Ponzi scheme and our young people are so deluded to think the answer is to remove/kill the democratically elected politicians.

    But if you think that is not the case can you propose this so-called system Change we need and what is the system that would give us this so-called utopia?

    I am eagarly listeneing from a far.

    • 7
      6

      /b>Who talked about a “Utopia”? Many of us have been more realistic. We know that the Rajapaksas have beggared us for decades, at the most optimistic.
      .
      “Democratically elected?” Yes, but by deceiving, misleading, and confusing the Sinhala-Buddhist majority, who alone were responsible for installing the Rajapaksas. Gota acknowledged that. I’m old, and I shall continue to protest. If I’m shot, my death will be perfectly legal according to the laws of Lanka.
      .
      But in the eyes of the World, you will not be accorded legitimacy. I have not misled you, or anybody else, coward a14455. You know me, perhaps interacted with me, since we entered the University of Peradeniya on the same day. I’m much older than you, and I walked in as a Second Year student, you as a First Year in the E-fac. No cheating or unfairness there. Even at that time, it still looked a paradise, but I remain honest; you are not even in this land.
      .
      We demand a fresh Parliamentary Election; legalities are admittedly not on our side.
      .
      Panini Edirisinhe (NIC 483111444V)

      • 2
        3

        Sinhala_Man
        “We know that the Rajapaksas have beggared us for decades,…”
        ====
        It is not Rajapakshes but your friends in the North that beggared this country by resorting to terrorism to grab land belong to indigenous Sinhalayo in the NE to create a separate State for Tamils. Sri Lanka has spent 32.84 billion USD since 1983 to fight against Tamil terrorists. Sri Lanka got indebted because of Tamil terrorism. Rajapakshes saved money as well as human lives by eliminating LTTE Tamil terrorists.

        • 1
          0

          EE,
          So where is this so-called money saved by the R Bros Inc., and what has happened to it,
          Could we access those savings to bridge to finance the gap in foreign reserves at this time of need????
          Or has that too gone to St Monica with the money looted by Rajahoru?
          Then comes the gold USD and other wealth that LTTE stalwart had in his possession, whenhe was arrested in South East Asia?
          He is related to Medamulana and living in style??
          What happened to that money, hidden or looted by Rajahoru??
          None of those was the cause of this economic crisis, but the LTTE war, which was due to standardisation and economic oppression of minorities??!!
          That being the case, is still not justiciable act by LTTE.
          My point is that, if the people in governance has displayed, (even if they didn’t have any in surplus)) even a meagre gesture to allay the concerns of the minorities, in that respect after 20 years, would have been meritorious and significantly saved much of the war cost!??
          Majoritarianism is the primary cause of the war and deprivation of rights of minorities contributed to the unwanted War??
          Not the other way around??!!

      • 2
        4

        ugh . Thankfully I have never known you or interacted with you. because even in my younger days I had some taste. I only know you by your Seville rants on this site. and what gives you the right to call me a coward from behind your computer?

        But again as usual you are not answering the question. What is this so-called system of government that you and your lot are proposing? How is it going to solve the financial problems this country is having?

        And sure keep protesting, why not? There are many completely mad roaming the streets. No one will notice or even care.

        • 2
          4

          The system that we will have after elections is not something for me to decide.
          .
          “Your lot?” Whom do you mean by that?
          .
          I’m not calling you a coward from behind a computer. I’m walking around Lanka, known to all who care (may not be many admittedly). Your heroes (Rajapaksas, Ranil, the lot of them) know that there is a guy like me, where I am, what I’m doing.
          .
          The purpose in having elections is to let the country as a whole to decide. I know that they could make mistakes. Well what do you propose?
          .
          I tell you again, the next leader who changes the system, will not be somebody whom I know! The country will decide!

        • 1
          0

          Sm and u? .
          .
          Sm is a man with lot of hearts. He has been doing a great job all along.
          .
          a14455/ you are instead a shameless Rajapakshe backlicker who became pompous after finding greener pasture in the US. U guys are a life long liability to the Americans/ period ☹☹☹☹

          • 0
            0

            If I am a liability to the US I would not be here would I? I don’t clean toilets. What I do is valued by companies enough to pay me the kind of money some of you monkeys dream of. but then again my competition is not monkeys or chimpanzees from SL.

            You and SM on the other hand are nothing but a liability to everything and everyone you know.

          • 0
            0

            Many thanks, “lelagemalli”.
            .
            I wrote to Manel F. She has written back – with the response really being an attachment which had used MS Word. It’s honest, and acceptable to me, in every way. However, that is a private conversation between her and me.
            .
            I’ve said this before; she and I have never met but, in a sense we know other pretty well. We can’t talk on the phone, because she is deaf.
            .
            She is a wonderful person, but now life is getting ever harder. That is part of the human condition.
            .
            So, thanks Manel; as for a14455, how does one communicate with a phantom? I really have no “JVP connections” and his reference to “editors of the board” may lead to misunderstanding, unless you use common sense.

      • 9
        5

        How the devil do you find out who’s behind a pseudonym, Sinhala_Man?
        And WHY the devil do you hunt them down?
        Cant you let people contribute on CT pseudonymously if they want to?
        Differ, criticise, attack verbally if you must, but, for want of a better way of puting it, cant you let sleeping dogs lie?

        I am also mystified why you continue to post under a pen-name after revealing not only your real name but yr ID as well! Does that give u some extra stature?
        I’m just curious.

        • 2
          0

          This clown is trying to threaten people by revealing their identities because he thinks his JVP / LTTE connections will keep him safe. He is also connected with the editors of the board so he probably gets the information through them.

          All I can say is LOL.

        • 0
          0

          Manel
          You are absolutely right, with the exception that a pseudonym is used to hurl abuse, often without evidence.
          Any serious allegation against individuals should be backed by evidence and the accuser should take personal responsibility, for which CT should stand guarantee.

  • 13
    6

    “Have we lost it all?”
    This is not the first chance and not the last because the people are still not prepared to make change. Global powers again. Today, Queen of the UK congratulated the unelected and appointed President. United Nations secretary Congratulated. China and Indian leaders congratulated. Russian leader congtatulated. Petrol is coming. Ques in Petrol is reduced. Our people are not worried about our children is going to be permanent slaves of loan givers in five years. Our politicians even Rajapaksas, Wimalawanses started the racism propaganda again. All corrupted politicians are now energised. It means we lost everything.

    • 2
      12

      Ajith,
      “Our people are not worried about our children is going to be permanent slaves of loan givers in five years.”
      —-
      Although Rajapakshes are blamed for the debt problem in the country, actually it was Dr. Indrajith Coomaraswamy, Governor of CB during ‘Yahapalana’ Government led by Sirisena and Ranil who is responsible for pushing the children to be permanent slaves of loan givers by persuading the Government to obtain USD 12 billion in ISB loans from private money lenders with high interest rates and short maturity periods. By doing so, Sri Lanka’s debt servicing became unsustainable. That was the origin of Sri Lanka’s external debt problem. Anti-Rajapakshe morons are barking at the wrong tree.

      • 4
        1

        Eagle,
        “Anti-Rajapakshe morons are barking at the wrong tree.”
        And pro-Rajapaksa morons have forgotten the stupid decision to go organic, reduce taxes, and build useless monuments named after themselves.

      • 1
        0

        Dear EE bp,
        .
        We always label you as either a sick person or a follower of the Rajapaksa money. Not after May 9th and July 9th, we said very clearly that the Rajapaksa people are the cancer of this nation.

        Today, almost everyone feels that the Rajapaksa’s are bloodsuckers in general. It just took only 3 years.
        :
        However, to protect them, Eagle Eye further proves your true identity. Even if your mother, wife or other loved ones are raped and murdered, you will do any menial assignment. This type of cognitive failure is not something you are born with, nor is it something you are privileged to have with schizophrenia.

    • 2
      1

      “Our politicians even Rajapaksas, Wimalawanses started the racism propaganda again.”
      Have they? Why then are the media not telling us?

  • 3
    4

    What a thick blooded, arrogant, pigs are better than these lot,Soorawansasam says if you see a Tamil and a crocodile kill the Tamil first Sunday sill Monday
    Still you lot lucky no bombed meant or shellings we all had all these embargo
    What system change nothing, now ground works are going on to bring back “sir” he warned before about his character dog and shooting
    Boile the milk rice and get the fire crackers
    Spoli the nation all in the name of
    What a atrocities mayhem got oath then flew

  • 3
    0

    What did we have to lose?

  • 7
    0

    Any movement not motivated by love for the other and respect and service of the other is bound to face challenges. Standing up against corruption, murder and uninformed, incorrect decisions made in contrary to advice by professionals and intellectuals is why we supported the Aragalaya. But, would you label burning of your house your home as a non violent action? Would you consider dumping women and stripped men into a crocodile infested lake, non violent? Would you consider consider occupation and wanton destruction of state buildings non violent? This is where we failed. Why didn’t anyone in the Aragalaya condemn the torching of the homes and businesses of individuals? Why didn’t anyone condemn the burning of the then Prime Minister’s residence? “Do unto others what you want done unto you’???? I wondered” what will I do if my home was burned down? Violence that is answered by violence brings no fruitful solution. Why is there such hatred, venom being displayed one against another in this forum? Shouldn’t we as elders speak more of love, understanding, compassion and unity at a critical time like this, when people are suffering ….just down right suffering.? Why did so many vote for Gotabaya and promote him knowing about all the cases against him and the recent Easter attack? And now why do we promote yet another group of leaders associated with violence?

  • 5
    0

    Apathy is at the heart of all the losses of golden opportunities to rid the nation of its parasitic political class, never to regain control again. Apathy is what makes some people now accept this Poxer proxy as their head. Apathy makes people stay in their comfort zone, hoping that those few who take risks to challenge the wholly corrupt system will ensure something falls into their plate also, for them to lazily feed on. As long as our lotus eaters remain apathetic, they will be an oppressed population, enslaved, miserable and starving.

    • 1
      0

      It was not by themselves that the Rajapaksas evolved into cruel and rogue politicians.

      It is the Sri Lankan people who do any menial work for profit, let Rajapakse be the Saibaba of Sri Lanka who once stole a cow.

      The blood-sucking artists, media prostitutes and businessmen of this nation put Rajapaksa on the altar for their own selfish gains. Malini Fonseka, Geeta Kumarasinghe, Jackson Anthony and other movie stars who have unlimited fans were all supporters of Mahinda Rajapaksa for the sake of vote gain. Remember?

      All this happened in broad daylight with the so-called investigative journalists who according to them run the nation.

  • 2
    2

    Gotapaya had failed in his service to the nation twice. During the war with Tigers when the Deputy Commander Col. Kobakaduwa had been killed by a landmine attack at velanai area, he failed to remain in the vicinity at Mandative Camp, being in charge of a battalion left to Colombo, and also left the country. Now, he has proved the second time, with all his powers as the President, left the country voluntarily and submitted his resignation from foreign soil. Ranil as a seasoned senior politician, could handle the present situation with the support of the parliament and the general public toward a solution, let us hope.

  • 1
    0

    It is not apathy but disagreement on the course of corrective measures that should be taken to stop the corruption, the disunity and disrespect of “the other”

    Till we educate ourselves to make the correct decision at our polling booths we will be a divided nation fighting one sector against another and wasting our state and personnel and natural resources we have in repairing damages caused by our eternal conflicts and wars. Unlike most developed countries we are a small peace loving nation. We are a nation built on beliefs of kindness, compassion, hospitality to the other and respect of the other. Politicians have exploited the mindset of our people preying on our financial vulnerability and religious beliefs and cheated themselves into power through the votes of the innocent masses. THIS is what needs to be revolutionised. Re-setting the mindset of the people through education; open the minds of the young brainwashed through these last few years into a sectarian divided mindset and recreating a society united in her diversity and enriching herself drawing from the wealth and richness of our natural including our human diversity.

    We need to be inclusive in our mindset as Sri Lankans and not form exclusive ghettos of various groups and think tanks, besides all the other divisions of caste, creed, place of birth and language and what else that we bring into any attempt at solutions at every point in our endeavours to recovery, social stability and prosperity.

  • 0
    0

    You lost it when you started attacking those who defend you.

  • 0
    0

    EE

    Good job keep blaming the ceylon tamils for the fact that the sinhala majority are stupid and their prioritising since independence (instead of developing ceylon) marginalisation of the ceylon tamils has been an utter failure because the clout of the ceylon tamils has greatly increased including in the international sphere. I am told that the ceylonese singaporeons tamils put pressure on the singapore government (noting that ceylonese in singapore are generally professional class while sinhalas are labouring class and have no clout whatsoever). Note that there are ceylon tamils in Thailand and Gota Hora needs to watch his back.

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