For analysis on the post-war political and economic situation, Dateline speaks to an expert on Sri Lankan politics, Dr Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu. For more on Mark Davis’s interview, go to the SBS Dateline website
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=td1howq38og&list=SP049C5FCB6ED2D6D0
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Merril / August 29, 2012
This is very sad, where is our political leadership? It is time for us to put our political veiws and greed aside and try to help these people, world can be a better place.
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Dinuk / August 29, 2012
The fact is that the so-called economic development in the northeast is benefiting the tourism mad Rajapake Bros who have stolen the coastal lands of poor villages to build massive hotels while the rest of the coast line has been acquired by Navy, army and airforce camps for the prime coastal lands to be sold off later. The people of the nrotheast are being left out and excluded and the whole development paradigm tourism centered and has negatively affected fisheries livelihoods.
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Savithri / August 31, 2012
The reason that so many boat people are leaving for Australia from northeast is due to the land grabbing and economic dis- enfranchisement of minorities in post-war Lanka in the northeast, despite and because of the mega development road building projects that does not do anything for communities “off the main roads”, whose land has been grabbed for Rajapakse’s cronies hotels and the military- visit Passikudha in the east and see for yourself, the “development” that marginalizes and impoverishes the local fisher communities after grabbing their lands for tourist hotels and army camps!
The exodus of boat people from the northeast is because of post-war ethnically biased “development”. Australia as a donor should challenge GoSL to do more equitable regional development and support provision of HOUSING and BUILDING NEW HOMES for IDPs many of who are homeless and living under trees.. after release from Manic Farm. The road building and infrastructure road building projects have not helped them the homeless IDPs and its hard to make a living when you have no proper shelter..also because India govt has been dragging its feet on the home building and the Rajapakse regime has no more interest in seeing people properly settled than it has in sorting the crisis in the education sector in the country and making a proper settlement with FUTA because it is profiting from other peoples misery.
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gamini / August 29, 2012
The Australian govt. is no different to the Sri Lankan govt. making a mockery of Humans who are faced with absolute hoplessness. On the one hand although the Sri Lankan govt. boasts of the War being over that there is unprecedented economic development, in the North and the East, at ground level there is nothing tangible for the survival of these people to earn a living or a house to live. Therefore is it surprising that hoards of people, young and old, male and female, including children take a chance on these boats knowing very well of the dangers, that possibly none might reach their destination, yet take the chance. From these people’s point of view, they are so desperate, that it makes no difference because remaining here there is no hope. At least taking a chance is well worth it, as it will give an opportunity for them to make a decent living if they succeed the journey. So is it any wonder that boat loads are leaving this country of their birth for the generous manner how the Govt. of Sri Lanka has reposed it’s faith in the masses in the North and the East. While all this happens in the Northand the East with no opportunity for the people to live a decent life, we see the govt. spending and wasting billions of rupees otherwise on foreign trips by the Head of State with his catchers. Building Car Race Tracks for the first family siblings. Spending on various elections, before schedule time to hood wink the masses to show they are popular still. On unsuccessful bids of World Sporting events. On white elephant projects like Mihin Lanka, Hambanthota Port, Cricket Grounds, and Air Ports without a return. Errecting massive bill-boards larger than life size, all over the country to show the magnitude of Development undertaken and on massive frauds as revealed in the recent CSE. It is a damn disgrace for the Sri Lankan Govt.of MR’s, for it’s citizens to leave their country of birth and is equally disgusting for the Australian Govt. not to provide them with shelter for a mere few thousand number of migrants who are desperate to find some place on earth to live peacefully. Yet we boast of being Civilised and Religious?
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Profoundminds / August 30, 2012
No need to write that much, most of these boat people seek refuge for a better life. These peoples stories are sad. But that is not new to developing nations.
Dont you and the many on this thread feel that how many srilankens would prefer to leave country for a better life ? How many of poor indians would want to leave India for developed countries. Most of them are not political refugees but economic refugees.
Fruther to this, while the majority of tamils – tryying to stay in SL and raise their lives, only a small percentage is seeking refuge risking their lives is not fair. These people were well informed the situation in Australia because this is not the first time, that Aus rejected illegal boat people coming to their territories. As the crying kids explain their views, everyone would feel – very sorry for them, but if one would focus on the reality of majority of the island nation is one of the poor countries in the world. Not only tamin children but sinhalese have the chance to go to school also number of remote areas in the country. Should all these families need to move to Australia, Germany, France, Canada or any other scandinavian countries ?
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Profoundminds / August 30, 2012
Correcting my previous comments, It should be not only tamil children but also sinhalese children in number of rural areas have no chance regular schooling. So that is common to entire country and any country that had a long held war or disaster. At the time, Tsunami hit the country, 150 000 lanken victims could have left here for a better destination seeking a better life. These boat people just want to follow up what their relatives did during the war times. Most of the tamils who could afford paying lacks of rupees to illegal agencies were human smuggled to europe, canada, Australia and scandinavian countries.
Were/Are all these real refugees ? Real refugees that need to be suported by all means remained and perhaps got killed in the war, while large numbers of ones who sought refuge on economic grounds left the country. Right at the momenet, EU and other countries have ameneded their asylum laws not getting them abused as had been before. I believe this could be the case with Aus too.
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gamini / August 31, 2012
Profoundminds, it appears you are out of touch, what drives these Tamils from the North to risk travelling by boat to Australia knowing fully well what the consequences are as they are desperate. You try to equalise poverty of the South with the present state of the poor being displaced in the North. Yes the poverty faced by the Sinhalese in the South was no different to the poverty faced by the Poor in the North. The only difference was that the Tamils of the North, leave alone the Poor, did not have the same recognition as the Sinhalese had in the South being the majority. As a result after repeated requests for equal status from all successive governments falling on deaf ears, the resultant was the War. As a result the most affected are the Poor in the North with no house and property, and all their live’s savings lost now and moving from place to place as displaced when the Forces command. However the poor Sinhalese in the South have their belongings intact and continue to live in their own houses. So what comparison is there for you to state that these are only economic refugees? If the Poor in the North had been resettled as claimed of unprecedented development in the North by the MR govt. where these people have houses of their own and a livelihood, would they risk such a perilous journey? The problem is due to half baked Pundits as you are, who believe you know everything, living in Colombo with comforts, having access to Internet with Computers write this Poppy Cock, when infact are ignorant totally of the ground situation, what redemption there is for such destitutes? What you all are trying to do is to cover your selfrespect, that is if you have any, the whole world becoming aware when the citizens are leavng the country as Boat People. What a great achievement for Sri Lanka you all have brought about? Thanks indeed!
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Mohhamed Nissam / August 29, 2012
There is Tamil of LTTE-terrorist Mifiya operation behind human smuggling To Auatralia.The Govt Auatralia still not Ban as LTTE name of terrostit-orginization.This will misused by LTTE for human smuggle from Sri Lankan Tamils to Auatralia.Hope Govt of Auatralis has taken immperdiate action to BAN LTTE as terroestt out-fit,without futher dealy.This is one way to stop n human smuggling Tamis to Auatralia.
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kris / August 30, 2012
Gamini, There is no room in Australia for terorist, that is what happened in Canada and England, they let few people to come in now what happened to those countries, therefore we don’t need those trouble makers in this country
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gamini / August 30, 2012
Kris if these people are LTTE terrorists, why is it that the MR govt. is not taking action against them? On the other hand, the known Terrorists as KP, Karuna Amman, Pillayan, Masters George and Daya et al are provided security and enjoying all the comforts, at cost to us tax payers, while these helpless poor are undergoing all the hardships. Why this descrimination from the Patriots of your ilk? Besides how can you decide that these people have no right to live in Australia because you are also a selfish Immigrant.
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Logithasan Sajeenthiran / August 30, 2012
Gamini
Great posts !!
I’m an avid fan of yours !!
Thank you very much !! :)
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sittingnut / September 1, 2012
paikiasothy saravanamuttu is not an unbiased expert on sri lankan politics…..
@Sittingnut,
You have not provided sufficient evidence to support your accusations against Dr PS, so we are not publishing your long comment, If you wish to continue this discussion please repost your comment with evidence!
Moderator Colombo Telegraph
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Mohotty Udayan / September 2, 2012
Pakayamutthu is none other than [Edited out]. In a country like US and UK will nevel allow people like Nimalka Fernado, Vikramabahu, Dewasiri, to camapign agaist their country.
Sri Lankan govermanet must procesute these traitors under a Patriotic Bill
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Wombat / September 3, 2012
Technically these are ‘economic’ refugees. They may be desperate and should be sympathised with. However they are trying to beat the queue of people who are seeking entry into Australia through regular channels – most of whom do so for economic reasons – and are on a waiting list. This is the problem. One must not forget how the GOSL treated the ‘kalathonis’ from South India. They were deported as ‘illicit immigrants’ – and not refugees; they were economic refugees. Should not all Sri Lankan boat people be treated as ‘illicit immigrants’ in similar fashion?
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dicky Bird / September 5, 2012
Pakayasothy is a plant with a hidden agenda of his paymasters.
This how the outside world interfere with internal affairs of another country.
Rama Mani came & aksed to leave.
Mr dicky Bird, Rama Mani worked with ICES. Please provide proof for your allegations.
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