8 December, 2024

Blog

Let Dudley Speak!

By Ravi Perera

Ravi Perera

“Everything is abnormal in our society; that is how these things happen, and, when they do, nobody knows how to act-not only in the most difficult situations, but even in the simplest” – Fyodor Dostoevsky

“Happy families are all alike, every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way” – Anna Karenina-Leo Tolstoy

Going by the various posts, it is obvious that there is a certain fascination with Dudley Sirisena on the part of the social media; more than most other businessmen or politically connected persons. Possibly, the perception that he is a decisive ‘player’ in the rice market, the staple food of the country, gives rise to the public’s curiosity.  Perhaps, it is the Western suit he prefers at formal occasions like Weddings, unlike his more famous brother who remains in the traditional dress, is what evokes interest. Even the name titillates, names such as ‘Dudley’, ’Percy’, ’Mervyn’ and ‘Reggie’; very English names on very un-English personalities, a particularly common practice among an older generation of Sri Lankans. The resulting sense of unreality, the mismatch, is explained away by reference to the more than a Century occupation of the Island by the British. An explanation which does not extend to all colonial stories; it is difficult to conceive of the Indian independence movement under the leadership of a ‘Don Stephen’ Gandhi or a ‘Solomon West Ridgeway’ Nehru.

Dudley Sirisena is from a high achieving family, his brother Maithripala Sirisena was elected President in 2015, voted in on a platform of ‘Good Governance’, an ingredient which he claimed was sorely lacking in the then reigning Mahinda Rajapaksa government of which he was a minister almost to the last day. How often we are provided with such political idylls! Like the nebulous ‘Dharmista’ (righteous) of half a century ago,’ ‘Good Governance’ also proved to be still-born!

Hardly had the Sirisena government commenced when it was hit by a deeply wounding scandal at the Central Bank. Their newly appointed Governor had a son-in- aw who was a primary dealer in government Bonds. Within a few weeks there were allegations of favouritism and interference at the bank in favour of the young man. Every government magnifies the significance of its appointees to high posts, a hype contradicted by the sum results of the seventy years since independence; most appointees have been bad, the rest even worse! It seems failed cultures see things in a manner peculiar to themselves, a view which is then elevated to an article of faith by the prevailing social narration of that culture; ‘he is like an encyclopaedia’, ‘he is a product of Oxford’, ‘he has held an important post overseas where white people reported to him (Sunak clones!)’, ‘his English is so good even Englishmen are impressed!; utter nonsense of a nonsensical society, a failed society on nearly every score.

With the Central Bank scandal impacting the very basis of the mandate, the 2015 government soon became a farce, the coup de grace coming in the form of the Easter bombings of 2019. The diminishing of Maithripala Sirisena was rapid; a befuddled man on a large stage, confronting complexities never considered in his philosophy. At the Presidential elections held in November of that year Gotabaya Rajapaksa the opposition candidate triumphed with a large majority of votes. The continuation of the tragicomedy under this Rajapaksa is yet another episode of the saga.

If Maithripala Sirisena owes his ascend to the presidency of a country to the broad political methods and structures that came with the European occupation, Dudley Sirisena ought to be doubly grateful to that interlude, the relentless march of capitalism opens newer and greater opportunities evermore for those with the necessary wherewithal.

In a recent interview Dudley Sirisena expands on the sacrifices and the hard work that brought him financial success. We have no doubts about his assertion, success in any field demands unusual effort. Nevertheless, is hard work the critical factor in business success in our country? To elevate his particular story of labour, is to deny the daily labours of manual workers, office workers, professionals, varied categories of artists who also work hard, but are barely keeping their heads above water.

The world is not a fair place, certain economic activities; business, investments, speculation, wheeler–dealing and even professions can bring in disproportionately large rewards relative to a regular 8-5 job. Business activity, by its very nature carries risks, not every businessman is a success. However, in developed societies while there are the mega rich, the rest of the society also enjoy a high living standards. In contrast, in countries like Sri Lanka, while a handful indulge in an excessive lifestyle, most can hardly afford three meals for the family on their subsistence level salary. It seems, the value they add to a product or a service, is in the main expropriated by the owners of Capital.

Politics in Sri Lanka is a patronage business. Our public sector dances to the tune emanating from the intertwining of a corrupt political culture and sleazy business methods. Furthermore, that most essential element for business success, bank credit, is also a matter of who you know or how much political clout you carry (examine the top defaulters of any of our banks, the names tell a tale) Many a member of parliament has become prosperous entrepreneurs after being elected as legislators. The reverse is also happening; having acquired money in what is a very dubious business world, businessmen offer themselves as the solution to the country’s political problems. To observe this unholy relationship between business and politics, you have to only attend one of their family weddings or funerals; the gross bonhomie on festive occasions, the oleaginous speeches at funerals; how they break bread on joyous occasions, how they mourn the passing of their kind!

Dudley Sirisena accounts his financial success to hard work and sagacious entrepreneurship.

A few days ago, Dudley Sirisena was invited to a Colombo university to give a talk, presumably on business. When he arrived, a large body of students got on the road obstructing his vehicle, protesting his arrival. They did not wish him inside the university, leave alone listen to him. The rough and ready businessman had no choice, he had to turn back.

In other countries it is very common for institutions of higher learning to have captains of industries talking to the students. They not only widen the horizons of the students but also give them larger ambitions. Some of such invited speakers may be controversial, but, by and large, they are visionaries, inventors and motivators whose entrepreneurial activities have made the lives of millions across the world better.

A student’s ambition need not be limited to making a living out of a State owned enterprise or a life as a stoic government servant dictating policy to a hapless public.

Because of advancements in the computer industry we can now communicate with any person on earth in a matter of seconds. Governments today cannot impose censorships or restrict information, Social Media has made it difficult to hide misuses, including human rights abuses. In our own life time, the sheer number of improvements seen even on a basic car, from signal lights to protective airbags, have made motoring more pleasurable and a lot safer. More and better innovations are improving the quality of everything humans use, from medicine to sporting equipment, from food packaging to home-deliveries, entrepreneurs are driving the transformation at a pace unbelievable a few years ago. Whether you like it or not, tomorrow happens.

Needless to stress, our entrepreneurs are not of global calibre, content with replicating models and methods that have been in existence, in some cases, more than a hundred years now. Almost one hundred percent of the ideas and of course the equipment they use are imported. We have neither the capital nor the capabilities to make them here. Even when we attempt, it is like making a wheel, which can be obtained somewhere else easily. However, in this small economy some have accumulated a certain amount of wealth, enabling them to live a First World life in a Third World country. Perhaps they inherited some money, or, more likely, had an instinctive grasp of the native realities; who to befriend, whose palm to grease.

Yet, Sirisena should have been heard by the students. From every dialog there is something to be learnt. When a person talks about his career, he is invariably the hero of the story, his success is presented in heroic terms. It is for the listener to give an intelligent ear. Openness to the ‘other’ is fundamental to the intellectual process.

By chasing away Dudley Sirisena in that manner, the students violated a basic tenet of higher learning. The truth emerges only when opinion is allowed free expression. Another’s opinion does no harm to the listener, unless he allows it to. Institutions of higher learning ought to be sacred places, where thoughts flow freely, a million flowers bloom. Today in nearly every seat of responsibility in this country, from the President to the Peon, we have products of our education system. The same goes for the so called private sector. When considered against comparable Asian countries like Malaysia or South Korea, our failures become apparent. Not only do we lag far behind, we lurch from crisis to crisis.

Although financially Dudley Sirisena is at another level, his compatibility, both socially and culturally, with the students protesting his arrival at the university is undeniable. The vast majority of them are of rural background, and, perhaps resentful of social realities they perceive in a larger world. Although Dudley Sirisena had broken out of his condition, he was perhaps conceived as a mirror reflection of themselves, only older.

They obviously did not like what they saw.

Latest comments

  • 10
    4

    What a scintillating exposure of our own undoings. Hats off to Ravi Perera.
    I am glad that I chose to read him. He is easy to read. His is not difficult to admire!

    • 11
      12

      Sorry Nathan, I disagree.
      What is the point of this article? Seems to me that the author is sucking up to a Mafia style punk. He is an oligarch who benefited during his brother’s regime, pure & simple. Students need a role model not a thug who exploited political windfalls, unless the objective is to inspire a new generation of ‘get rich quick’ entrepreneurs without any qualms about ethics, morals or scruples. In fact, this thug & his slimy brother should be investigated, particularly, by the Inland Revenue.
      Hats off to the students who chased him away & I would be happier if he was literally ‘stoned’ while being chased away.

      • 7
        13

        R-UK
        There is a mafia controlling paddy marketing in the NCP.
        I will not name its members.

        • 9
          0

          Interesting point:
          ” An explanation which does not extend to all colonial stories; it is difficult to conceive of the Indian independence movement under the leadership of a ‘Don Stephen’ Gandhi or a ‘Solomon West Ridgeway’ Nehru.”
          It seems (to me at least) that Sri Lankans were quite happy to dump their culture and take on whatever happened to be the colonial flavour of the moment, be it Portuguese, Dutch or British. Was there really any anti-colonial resistance? Are our “national heroes” real or made up?

          • 3
            0

            old codger,
            Time to display my stupidity!
            There was only some token resistance against the Colonists. We waited until they left, for us to remind them, the kind of resistance they would have had to face, had they had not left!
            You know who got caught in between. Poor me and my kin. (Include yourself, if you wish to be among my kin.)

            • 5
              2

              Nathan,
              The premier “National hero” wrote this passage:
              “Lanka is the only country where Buddhism exists. This
              noble religion is declining day by day. Our
              noble nation in declining day by day…
              The noble Sinhala nation started declining
              the day it started associating with barbaric
              non Aryan Dravidian, Arabic false
              believer nations who came here from foreign
              countries (Sinhala Bauddhaya, Jan 6
              1912).
              Any decent country would have thought twice before elevating such an ignorant bigot to hero status.

          • 1
            9

            oc
            The circumstances under which a cultural take-over happens vary.
            Look at Africa. Great anti-imperialists had names like Julius Nyerere, Kenneth Kaunda, Franz Fanon, Nelson Mandela and they meant business more than the South Asian counterparts.
            Religious conversion was less of an obsession with European conquerors in India.
            Non-Christian Tamils have fewer foreign components to their names.
            Muslims have Arab names mostly, here but less as we move East.
            There was anti-colonial resistance by the LSSP in the 1930s-40s and that was why they were persecuted.

            • 1
              0

              SJ,
              But, as far as I know, no LSSP members have been designated “National Heroes”, have they?

          • 6
            0

            OC,

            “Was there really any anti-colonial resistance? Are our “national heroes” real or made up?”

            We had resistance heroes, alright ……… but they all died young ……Veera Puran Appu et al ……. from what I’ve read, even Native’s granduncle Anagarika D did his bit to keep Lankan culture pure …… try to dissuade people like Paanaani turn themselves into shoos boosh Uncle Toms …….. alas AD’s efforts fell short …….. no wonder Native is so cutup. ……. AD might’ve failed but AKD might succeed ……. well, the way thing are going ……..

            Yes, we had heroes ……. but they are not the ones who reaped all the benefits ……. the ones who reaped all the benefits are the ones who colluded with the Whites (or disappeared from danger and appeared when others have paid the ultimate price and things were safe again) and were cunning enough to change sides at the right time. ……. Do we hold them accountable? …….. Even we of different political-persuasions support their decedents! …… Do I have to go to the boring length of naming names? :)))


            Because idols are best when they’re made of stone
            A savior’s a nuisance to live with at home
            Stars often fall, heroes go unsung
            And martyrs most certainly die too young

      • 12
        1

        Raj
        He may be a thug, his brother may be slimy, etc etc, but do not even these characters deserve a fair hearing? If these presumably JVP “students” are to pass judgement on these matters, we might as well let Deshabandu and Tiran decide who is to be bumped off as a drug dealer.

        • 14
          4

          OC I can agree with you this time. This kind of mob behaviour of students is unheard of in other countries.

          I also think this Raj from UK and this SJ guy have not understood the rather high English standard of the writer. I think tongue in cheek writing is too subtle for the blunt Sri Lankan mind. Only all out abuse or physical violence satisfies them ( not when they are the victims however!)

          I am not sure whether someone like Raj from UK can even understand the average British newspaper which is often tongue in cheek or leaves many things unsaid inviting the reader to think through. You will appreciate that with the English language one can do that

          Ranil who hates Sirisena has not launched any legal action on them . He probably feels there is no provable case. May be he should give the job to SJ or Raj !

          My reading of this article is that the writer has belittled the Sirisena brothers in a refined way.

          • 4
            15

            deepthi silva,
            .
            “This kind of mob behaviour of students is unheard of in other countries”
            .
            Not necessarily.
            .
            “The gender-critical feminist Dr Kathleen Stock was forced to temporarily halt her contested appearance at the Oxford Union after a trans activist glued themself to the debating chamber close to the speaker’s chair.”
            .
            From: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/society/2023/may/30/trans-activists-disrupt-kathleen-stock-speech-at-oxford-union

            • 16
              2

              The students at oxford were about a huge social/gender issue .

              We need not waste time on what students from these universities have given the world Their societies are prosperous and very democratic . Where as in Sri Lanka which has had free education for more than 50 years now . is poor, corrupt and violent. I suppose they are all like frogs in a well

              Now what crime has Dudley being convicted of ? Our student unions are tightly controlled by radical parties and act as their soldiers. Just because they don’t like a person or make all kinds of allegations that does not mean that person cannot speak. Vijaya Kumaratunga was killed on a similar basis.

              Most of these university students end up as corrupt politicians or corrupt and inefficient government servants

              • 4
                16

                DS – I fail to see the distinction you are making between the protests of the two student groups – the local and the Oxford ones. Since you have already established you are the smarter one here, let me not comment any further.

              • 1
                1

                Prof. Deepthi Silva,

                “The students at oxford were about a huge social/gender issue”

                Why on earth do you think we should bring it up here for our discussion? Thank you if you could please elaborate bit more.
                As I understand it roughly, it is a gender identity issue in that society. I didn’t go into details because I didn’t have enough time. Anyways, I will check that later.
                .
                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuR_yuDqOXw

          • 12
            9

            das
            “I also think this Raj from UK and this SJ guy have not understood the rather high English standard of the writer. “
            I should confess that I have trouble understanding your English, but that has nothing to do with height.

            • 10
              6

              Dear all,
              Deepthi Silva is known to us so many years. Mostly her absurd comments about OC and how nice her neighbors are, remind us about her person on and on.
              .
              I think she is proud to be able to live in the UK even though she left her home country seeking a greener pasture.
              .
              This 70-year-old srfialnken woman always thinks she is smarter than others. NOr does she add her thoughts cohrentliy to the ongoing discussion. That is her nature.
              Looking back, It may be a psychological problem that we see every day.
              However, it seems she hasn’t learned to respect others.
              How can she underestimate Raj (he is a learned Enginner working in UK) not being good at English? Besides, she is not a professor of English or anything else. All she did sofar on CT was to be loyal to Rajapaksa’s politics.
              I believe, she may be a native doctor (WEDAHAMINE) had finally set foot in the UK for some reason. She is/was always proud of her ego. funny srilankens !
              :

            • 2
              3

              SJ –
              .
              Ravi Perera’s reading of the matter he has addressed in his essay doesn’t resonate with mine.
              .
              But I noticed that you and Raj UK too have come under deepthi silva’s attack here in comments.
              .
              Ironic as it may seem here’s an excerpt from Ravi’s essay who deepthi silva holds very high, particularly because of his language skills:
              .
              ” It seems failed cultures see things in a manner peculiar to themselves, a view which is then elevated to an article of faith by the prevailing social narration of that culture; ‘he is like an encyclopaedia’, ‘he is a product of Oxford’, ‘he has held an important post overseas where white people reported to him (Sunak clones!)’, ‘his English is so good even Englishmen are impressed!; utter nonsense of a nonsensical society, a failed society on nearly every score.”
              .
              Isn’t Ravi referring to the likes of deepthi silva and perhaps some others here?
              .
              This perhaps indicates where our problem has been as a country, that went down from being the Switzerland in South Asia to the most banckrupt – in 75 years.
              .

          • 14
            5

            deepthi silva

            Obviously you have not read the Guardian & other respected newspapers which convey the message for the understanding of its readers. Even trash like the Sun convey the message, albeit blunt & crude, because that is the intention, not for readers to read between the lines, Maybe certain magazines include political satires & such like for the entertainment of those who indulge in them but ‘tongue in the cheek’ refers to comments. My English is adequate to get by in an English speaking country but maybe not enough in a country where English is a second language & standard is higher than in UK.
            Corruption in SL is never challenged & obviously perpetrators are cunninging enough to cover their tracks. Maybe that is what the organisers wanted to inspire the younger generation with.

            • 7
              5

              Raj,
              .
              What you and sinhala people could do is help her to go to a better psychologist. Until recently, she was attacking Old Koger almost every day.
              Her behavior at the CT forum was remarkable. Such people are not satisfied with their life and try to attack anyone at any time.
              I also had a maternal aunt like that. So, I know what I’m talking about. We have now kept her in a senior home in Colombo area. She was a very difficult person by nature. Every time I read Deepti’s funny comments, I remembered that Aunty.

              • 7
                2

                LM
                Thank you for coming to my defense. FYI, I am just another among millions of obscure engineers & I don’t claim to be an authority or an expert in English or any other subject. My knowledge & skills gained over thirty years enable me to get by in my profession & my comments are based on life experience & my personal opinion which readers are free to agree or disagree.
                Whatever subtle message the author was trying to convey was beyond my comprehension & probably better appreciated by Deepthi Silva & others who have a better understanding of English. I am surprised if Deepthi lives in UK or maybe she is in her own world unaware of what is happening in UK. My point was Douglas is not a role model & the audience, by large, have rejected him but Deepthi is all over, even referring to Kangaroo courts. I have commented else where that everybody is entitled to a fair hearing but corruption in SL is never addressed or in rare cases, a minion is usually sacrificed. Douglas is considered an Oligarch with a questionable reputation, in which case, is he suitable material to inspire the new generation?

                • 1
                  1

                  My good reviewer Raj, I am honest and share your comments most of the time except our OLDCODGER’s comments.
                  Engineers and biomedical specialists or similar professionals may not be able to understand every subtle and connotationsof the English terms as they approach their working day.
                  .
                  This is common to all of us. However, professors of English, history, humanities and linguistics and similar subjects must have advanced knowledge of languages because they are teachers of such subjects. Lankans working as professors and senior lecturers in Australia, the UK or elsewhere do not always come from “native speaker” status. As those of you who live in the UK may well know.
                  :
                  With all this in mind, please don’t take it seriously if it comes from DS or SM. It seems that those mentioned above are also not professors of English.

                  tbc

                  • 1
                    1

                    cont.
                    We still remember that SM put you down as a low IQ person. Neither he nor similar inferior beings will ever come to you for forgiveness.

                    SM attacked you because you and I are not clear about NPP and their amazing politics.not yet. …..
                    How can we be clear about their capabilities yet today ? what gurantee they would give us ? Killing tactics would not be an additional qualification to stand out standard politics…. is not that so ?

                    These elderly men and women are in CT and dare to abuse their mouths. Deepti Silva (a self-proclaimed doctor) distorts her thoughts due to lack of understanding or some morbid reason. From what she comments on this forum, we know she is mentally ill. Another “bodhisattva” born in Halavata could be of better help to her.
                    Added link below for her support.
                    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMU7MYoe4N0&t=743s
                    English is used everywhere in our working lives, and many of us, including ourselves, use it as a second language. Facing our business day life, we are quite successful with our knowledge. In my case I deal with German (completed my MSc in German) and several other europeans languages.

            • 6
              13

              Raj the reader of British newspapers, Your way of fighting corruption , Kangaroo courts-mob rule , very crude for a person so proud of your English !

              • 8
                2

                deepthi silva
                I don’t claim to be an expert on English. It is just communication & as an engineer, I have been trained to convey the message in simple easy to understand manner but precise & accurate. I read newspapers on a Sunday but apart from that, I have no interest in the English language nor English literature.
                I have no intention of fighting corruption in SL & maybe I am misinformed by ‘fake new’ about alleged corruption & who mentioned kangaroo courts? Maybe MR & the whole were also not corrupt & corruption in SL is only hearsay but the point is why give the opportunity for an alleged thug a platform to glorify himself? If the intention of the organisers were to inspire a new generation, would a questionable oligarch a suitable role model? In democratic countries, students & the public have protested against dictators & extreme right wing racists & university students in SL have shown their displeasure. End of story.

                • 2
                  8

                  Raj UK –
                  .
                  All this time when you have been complaining about NPP, saying that their economic policies and costing and funding for the same have not been published, I thought you too are one of those Pro- UNP fellows that simply want to discredit the NPP, by finding some fault or the other.
                  .
                  But from your comments here now I see that you could exercise some objectivity to matters and perhaps are genuinely interested in improving things here in Sri Lanka, like getting rid of corruption!
                  .
                  Hats off to you!

                  • 3
                    2

                    Thank you Ruchira.
                    I have only been asking questions. While SJB, UNP have indicated their reliance on the IMF & other such Western agencies, the NPP, in my understanding, has rejected that path. Therefore, without increasing taxes, including stealth tax, I would like to know their expected sources of income but even the academics who support the NPP are not clear about it. Also, I would like to know the key people in the party who will be in control. Will all the 23 parties be represented & if so, who? Furthermore, the NPP talks of recovering the stolen loot. Deepthi Silva implies there is no corruption because neither RW or Sirisena have instigated any legal action. So, have the syphoned out loot & the laundered assets identified? If so, how can they be recovered? These are not difficult questions for any competent political party to answer.
                    Voters had a lot of faith in GR & his viyathmaga intellectuals. A friend of mine voted for GR because he promised to cut income tax & nobody questioned how the loss of revenue will be recouped. So shouldn’t we learn from mistakes & ask questions?

                    • 4
                      1

                      Cont.
                      Anyway, Ruchira, we are deviating from the subject & I was only responding to your comment about me.
                      Getting back to the subject in question, I have made my point & I rest my case.

                    • 0
                      0

                      Hi Raj – Yes, I know what you mean. But I don’t think NPP has said they are not going to work with the IMF. What they have said is they would renegotiate the terms in a fundamentally different way than the SJB, who too say they would renegotiate the agreement with IMF.
                      .
                      Here’s the NPP website. You could durect your questions to them through it. https://www.npp.lk/en/qna
                      .
                      Hope you will have a great week ahead.
                      .
                      Cheers!

                    • 2
                      0

                      Raj UK – ppl like deepthi silva are not to be taken seriously. They are on a mission. See my response to SJ above in which I have given an excerpt from Ravi Perera’s write up itself that speaks about the likes od ds.
                      .
                      But if not for NPP who else? Should be the question to answer. Their importance come from all the others being corrupt and belonging to the same crooked political class.
                      .
                      Anyways I will leave it upto you to decide for yourself. But on their website they have said that they’d soon publish their policy document. Perhaps something to look forward to.
                      .
                      Cheers!

              • 2
                7

                DS,

                Kangaroo courts and one party politics, along with ethnic cleansing, is part and parcel of the separatist project, didn’t you know that?

            • 10
              5

              Raj,
              “My English is adequate to get by in an English speaking country but maybe not enough in a country where English is a second language & standard is higher than in UK.”
              😄😄

          • 4
            9

            DS,

            “I think tongue in cheek writing is too subtle for the blunt Sri Lankan mind. Only all out abuse or physical violence satisfies them ( not when they are the victims however!)”

            One must admit, the Brits have mastered debate, at least in the English language. Watch Ben Shapiro walk away: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VixqvOcK8E

            Correct that Sri Lankans fail here, a case in point is when Gothabaya threatened to hang a journalist on BBC. Besides the threat of violence, one will note ad hominem attacks, appeal to authority, bandwagon fallacy, strawman fallacy, non sequitur, confirmation bias, etc.

            • 0
              7

              *It was Fonseka, not a journalist

              • 3
                1

                Hello Lester,
                You are right about this one, but, what do you make of Gotabaya’s threats against Sunday Leader editor Frederica Jansz? According to Reporters without Borders ” During the 9 July phone interview, the defence secretary reportedly called Jansz a “pig” and said “people will kill you.” He then denied threatenig her. GR: People will kill you!!! People hate you!!! They will kill you!!! FJ: On your directive? GR: What?? No. Not mine. But they will kill you – you dirty f…..g shit journalist.
                Best regards

                • 1
                  5

                  LankaScot,

                  Journalists can also spin the roulette wheel when the stakes are high. My understanding is that “Sunday Leader” was paid a tidy sum to smear the Rajapakses. Particularly when Fonseka was running for Pres. My personal opinion is that GR was not behind the execution of LW. MR and LW were good friends for quite a while (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfJwu687DVE). They even joke about a killing. Ranil said in the Parliament that Fonseka was behind LW’s execution. It must be true, because such an accusation is out of character for mild-mannered Ranil, the master opportunist who plays both sides. Fonseka is very cunning, you can see it in the way he executed the war. How do we know Gota gave the orders to execute surrendering LTTE holding white flags, it could have been SF’s prerogative. Gota lacks decorum (he should not be in politics). It doesn’t mean he intended to execute Jansz. Jansz may have left because she’s under threat from SF. By the way, did you see the news that an Al-Jazeera journalist was a senior commander for Hamas? There are pictures of him assembling rockets.

                  • 2
                    0

                    1
                    May I know anybody of you know, who pays Lester?

                    Who is this guy who remains eternally loyal to the Rajakashe villains?

                    Don’t forget that as of today, so called ROYAL ASTROLOGER (hand picked illiterate man similar to Ghanakka) also has publicly turned against MaRa et al.
                    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMpW3M_ZUFE

                    Over time, Lester, the joker, develops a biased and defensive attitude towards Rajapakshes, be it MaRa, GoRa or other members of this brutal family. There are also times when we CT readers were not forced to read his regular posts. His functions are set by remote mode. who is behind that ?

                    Facts as experts reveal that Rajapakshes were not a WALAWWA people until 2005. However, this changed with the coming into force of the Rajaakshe junta rule. Therefore, no further discussion would be necessary. It’s just a complete waste of time. There are enough videos in circulation that are clear cut evidence on their life in the lower middle class back then.
                    Btw, Fake Walwwa was planted (fake news about them) by Mlechcha media to attack CBK and Ranil. They were masters there. Satakaya became their WALAWWA symbol. The same was the case regarding the book titled “Chaura Rajina” funded by BLACK money of BASIL (the same goes on with FAKE DOCTOR THAMBULA affairs in current day arts).
                    -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMpW3M_ZUFE
                    tbc

                    • 2
                      0

                      2
                      Military operations in most countries are a team effort, from the commander to the lower ranks of soldiers, who are responsible for targeted killings during the brutal attacks at the end of the war.
                      I have myself met several Tamil refugees who fled the country immediately after Sri Lanka was declared free from civil war, that was June 2009 or so if my memory is right. These innocent people shared with me in Zurich that whole lot of civilians died at the brutal end of the war and that only they knew the statitics.
                      .
                      We cannot rely 100% on what RW voiced in parliament that day accusing SF being the person to have killed LW (Former editor of Sunday Leader News Paper).
                      The then leader of the opposition, who became the president of the country today, also stood against the federal proposals brought by former president CBK: however, the very same leader is today more into federal than anyone and for better solutions to the long-term ethnic problem.

                      Leaders change their views over time, however, experts can analyse the situation better than the politicians.
                      To my knowledge, we see slaves like “Lester the Joker” and their agents remain like dogs to the Rajapaksa politics for their rest of the life. That would never be changed. Pigs might fly if they would act otherway around. Period.

                • 2
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                  Hello LankaScot,
                  Not only Federica Janz but also a few dozens of journalists who fled the country during that time, would reveal the truth. Today, our people have forgotten everything at once.
                  I think you can surf the web for more details, you will find them all yet today.
                  Some journalists selected by the Rajapaksas (including Malin Seneviratne) were given free computers and other equipment on the cost of “tax payers”, not only to report in favour of them, but also for change the public perception and to destroy CBK and Ranil. FAKE NEWS about any opponent of RAJAPAKSHE-MANTRA was forcefully planted from these men. Dire consequences are in front of our eyes today. Goebbels was chosen by them.Be them popular actors, or other professionals, all these were hired on the costs of “tax payers” .
                  .
                  A good friend of mine had met Federica in the US some years ago, and asked what she would say about her escape today. She had confirmed that there was a death threat to her family at that time, by Gotabaya led groups. They was clear by her public speech in the US some years ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUKS45gmak4

        • 1
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          OC – They do deserve a fair hearing, in a court of law.

          • 9
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            Ruchira,
            “They do deserve a fair hearing, in a court of law.”
            Yes , but even many members of the public favour them being bumped off . Until, that is, one of their own friends or relatives gets bumped off.

          • 15
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            Ruchira, “they deserve a fair hearing in a court” ! ! Deserve ! Who decides whether they deserve or not ! YOU ?

            NO, they are entitled to a fair hearing!

            • 5
              16

              Ms. Silva,
              .
              FYI We the public decides.
              .
              I just had a drinking session with my father after a long time and am not in the mood to deal with a persons like you. But I will catch up with your kind of thinking on a later date. Before that let me tell you that you are a disgrace to the family name you portray – Silva. Silvas regardless of what the variety is far more better. You are just being a dog that has been unleashed by the party that is Goo & Pee! We will make sure we put you in where ever you belong. Hope you’d have a better week ahead.

              • 15
                2

                oh Ruchira , did you enjoy drinking with your father, very cultural !

                I also like your language-learned and broad minded ! Our universities are producing good stuff !

                “We the public decide !” You are the public ! Do you take a vote every time ? The public may vote UNP today and SLFP tomorrow. When are they right ?

                I also like your way of categorising names with expected behaviour. Silva must have a particular opinion. No room for other ideas and ways !

                A failed nation adopting Nazi ideas ! very funny !

                • 2
                  10

                  DS – I think you fail to understand public participation in democracies in the form of protests, agitations and sit-ins like… Democracy isn’t about just voting.
                  .
                  I said Silva’s are far more better. Didn’t say anything like you have suggested. Looks like you have trouble understanding straight forward English, let alone any innuendo.
                  .
                  “A failed nation adopting Nazi ideas !” – AGREED
                  .
                  “very funny !” – like your views your sense of humour too seems to be…. a little warped finding Nazism funny.
                  .
                  Anyways I don’t much time gor Goo & Pee nonesense. I am done here! You are welcomed ride your high horse all by yourself. There’s always an audience for a good circus.

            • 7
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              ds
              Nobody decides.
              Each of us is lawfully eligible to a fair hearing.
              Obstructing fair trial is unacceptable regardless of who is involved.

        • 13
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          OC
          Certainly, everybody deserves a fair hearing in court or even by the media if accused of any misdeeds but this is about inspiring the youth. Surley, aren’t there any successful entrepreneurs with a better track record than a controversial businessman to inspire future generation?
          Today, bribery & corruption is rampant to the extent of being acceptable as the normal way of doing business. It can be taken for granted that anybody stinking rich literally overnight has made his or her fortune by dishonesty or exploitation. If we want a decent society in the future, such people are not role models for the youth

          • 10
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            Raj from UK, since you claim to know abut their corruption , why don’t you give your evidence openly , after all you are using a pseudonym.Yoou can hide under this name. Let us understand what you mean by evidence of corruption…

          • 7
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            Raj,
            It may be true that Dudley is corrupt, benefited from nepotism, etc, etc. But who is deciding the matter? The same JVP students who make life miserable for everyone else with their pointless demonstrations?
            I don’t think this particular set of “youth” (some of their leaders have been on campus for 8 years) will ever be inspired by anything.. These guys make life hell for genuine students.
            Dudley also did an universal session at NSBM, which isn’t infested with these characters:
            https://www.nsbm.ac.lk/entrepreneurship-experience-session-by-mr-dudley-sirisena/
            “can be taken for granted that anybody stinking rich literally overnight has made his or her fortune by dishonesty or exploitation”
            Not defending Dudley, but neither Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg, both dollar billionaires, took as long as DS to become a rupee billionaires.

            • 9
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              OC

              So, were only JVP students responsible for chasing away Douglas? I thought the new generation of JVP youth are not militant & we have accepted AKD & the JVP he represents as the new ‘system change’ the country needs. Obviously, Douglas belongs to the old corrupt system & the new generation has made their dissatisfaction clear.
              As for overnight millionaires, Gates & Zuckerberg, even Bezos, were more than entrepreneurs, they were innovators, quite different from oligarchs.

              • 3
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                Raj UK,
                .
                Another gem from you.
                .
                Cheers!

              • 7
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                Raj,
                This is the very conundrum I have been hammering at, much to the annoyance of a certain JVP apostle here. There is a huge gap between what the JVP/ AKD says in public, and what its unions get up to on campus and in state institutions.
                “they were innovators, quite different from oligarchs.”
                Dudley claims to have the largest rice mill in Asia, so surely he has some talent. Even oligarchs need that.

                • 4
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                  OC
                  Russian oligarchs close to Putin now have the monopoly of state assets, including oil & gas. They didn’t need the vision & entrepreneurship of Gates & Bezos, just friends in high places. India, Pakistan. China are major producers & exporters rice but if Douglas has the biggest rice mill in Asia, I wonder if the harvest in SL is enough to run the mill at full capacity. Now, weren’t we talking about oligarchs & monopoly?

      • 9
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        Raj-UK,
        At first, I wanted to ignore your comment. Again, I could be somewhat of a help to you, I thought. And hence,
        Let Dudley Speak is not about the man Dudley. It is about us!
        Ravi Perera speaks of OUR fascination with, OUR perception of, the likes of Dudley. Even the name titillates, Ravi Perera says!
        Enough for now.

        • 9
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          Nathan

          I may not be having the intelligence to understand subtle message the author is trying to convey but to me, it is glorifying a corrupt businessman with an opportunity to speak at student forum. The students protested indicating their displeasure so what is there to tell us? I am sure you are aware that student protests are normal when it comes to controversial speakers even in developed countries.

          • 7
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            Hello Raj-UK,

            To misquote Shakespeare “Friends, Romans and Countrymen, I come to bury Dudley not to praise him” could have been the title of the author’s article.
            The author uses the phrase “Openness to the ‘other’ is fundamental to the intellectual process.” Is he using “other” in the Husserlian, or Hegelian sense or maybe he has also been to an R D Laing lecture – I went to one of Laing’s lectures at Aberdeen University in the early 1970s and was totally confused along with 99% of the audience.
            The practice of Othering excludes persons who do not fit the norm of the social group, which is a version of the Self.
            After criticizing the students for chasing Dudley away he then suggests that they are from the same social background and recognise in Dudley a reflection of what they may turn into – “The vast majority of them are of rural background, and, perhaps resentful of social realities they perceive in a larger world. Although Dudley Sirisena had broken out of his condition, he was perhaps conceived as a mirror reflection of themselves, only older.”
            His attitude towards the students is (using his own word) oleaginous.

            Best regards

            • 1
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              LankaScot- oleaginous! I read R D Lang when I was much younger but frankly failed to detect such nuances in his ways. Just loved him for the substance of his work. Is he a Scot?

              • 0
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                *Laing

              • 2
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                Hello Ruchira,
                Yes he is (was). He was a famous (possibly infamous) Psychiatrist with a penchant for alcohol and psychedelic drugs. I agreed with many of the things he said – some were very funny e.g.
                “Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent.”
                In his practice of Psychiatry he dealt with many broken and dangerous people. He remarked one time if I remember correctly – that he could forgive most transgressions, even murder, but he couldn’t see it in himself to forgive child abusers. I agreed with him.
                However when he went all mystical, he lost me and quite a few others.
                Best regards

                • 1
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                  LS – Yes, I can remember that quote. I was introduced to Laing’s work by someone, because of the somewhat different view he took on psychopathologies, particularly psychosis. Read atleast one book in which he recommends that a catatonic patient become a model that pose for artists to practice drawing and how it was a win win for both the artists and the patient. Not sure if you are familiar with Dr. Iain McGilchrist’s work, a modern day Psychiatrist from Island of Skye. Check him out online if you have the time. Scots seem to be an interesting breed!

                  • 0
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                    Hello again Ruchira,
                    I hadn’t heard of Dr McGilchrist before but I am familiar with some of his theories. When I did my Post Graduate Certificate in Education back in 1995-97 I was very skeptical of Learning Styles, David Kolb’s Experiential Model, Mumford and others. I continually asked in lectures for concrete evidence to back up their claims – none was forthcoming. It was the same with the left brain/right brain claims. Only one study by Sperry in the 1960’s provided any evidence – which has since been debunked see https://healthcare.utah.edu/press-releases/2013/08/researchers-debunk-myth-of-right-brain-and-left-brainpersonality-traits
                    This is a problem for many Educationalists – they don’t keep up to date and continue to teach outdated and just plain wrong theories.
                    I have found some books by Dr McGilchrist that look like interesting reading but I don’t see the relevance to colonialism. I will get back to you😊
                    Best regards

                    • 0
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                      LScot – Sure take your time. It wasn’t necessarily about colonialism. His book on brain hemispheres draws on quite a substantial body of research but he himself does concludes leaving room for skeptics to be critical.

                    • 0
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                      LankaScot – Iain’s book isn’t about what the research you have shared is about. Infact that was one of the very first things he is explicit about in the book. I will leave it upto you to decide if It’s worth your attention. Unless you read thw book it’s difficult to explain it in a short comment.

                    • 0
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                      LankaScot –
                      .
                      “I hadn’t heard of Dr McGilchrist before but I am familiar with some of his theories.”
                      .
                      What was the theory you have heard of him?

    • 4
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      I understand the author ( and few others) saying “let Dudley speak”, but why is that, Natasha and Jerome are denied of such privileges ??? Didn’t people pay and invite them to listen ???? Why the corrupt govt has to jump in , not only preventing but throwing them in prison ??? Is it because, our govt can do as they wish but not the disgruntled youth / people ??? Not just them, our governments denied minority speak of their own suffering / misery , not even remember their dead ones. F . . . . hypocrisy. As rightly mentioned , current financiers / beneficiaries Dumika, Dudley, Dilith are future political leaders of ShamLanka.

  • 7
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    When considered against comparable Asian countries such as Malaysia or South Korea, our failure is evident. Not only are we far behind, but we are falling from crisis to crisis.

    I think it is the need of the hour to build consensus with the nation to meet economic, external, health, education and all other challenges.

    Like a family with bickering and illiterate parents, it should not be allowed to drag on. We must build peace in the nation as one force, it can be the only weapon to face world challenges with today’s revolutionary world of information technology. More workshops based on “not pirith” but “Dharma – understanding the realities” should be first hand programs in the visual MEDIA can make the real change.

    My appeal to the higher castes or other monks and other religious dignitaries is to come forward and help the illiterate villagers to understand the dire need of the day. Peace is everything. Not only the thoughts of voters but also international influence and their direct involvement will shape the next government of this small island. It is becoming very clear how our men and rascals read it in favor of their preconceived knowledge. That is why, in the face of this extremely critical situation in the country, experts in political knowledge (not really people like Dayan Jayathilaka) and unbiased university professors should come forward.

  • 6
    3

    Nathan and all,
    .
    I think srilanka is easy playground any thakkadiyas to stand out as ” powerful figure”. . They make use of the freedom being given to youtubers in this country to become so.
    ..
    Who made this country a place of crime breeding, if not Rajapakshe-rule.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4IUJiYMdXc
    .
    How can BASIL RAJAPKSHE be against the law and order and offer that huge size of land to a man, whose sudden emerge is highly questionable.

    Not just the person,Thambugala, once welcomed by country’s artists, but his capacities and wealth and education are all questionable. There are true evidences to see, that black money landed in overseas accounts by RAJAPAKSHE-TRIBALISTS are now coming in a form of so called investments in the country. Basil should be rejected by lanken affairs should be made clear to the law and order bodies, if not today when ?

  • 15
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    “Dudley Sirisena accounts his financial success to hard work and sagacious entrepreneurship.”
    What kind of work and what kind of sagaciousness?
    Which of us has had his ears pierced?

  • 1
    11

    “Good Governance’ also proved to be still-born!”
    .
    It was ILL- CONCEIVED to begin with. Should have been aborted without going to full term, like in the case of you know hoo’s term.

  • 19
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    A very good article ….. and well written.

    Reading all that …….. only one thought comes to mind …….. “Behind every great fortune lies a great crime” – Honoré de Balzac

    The hope/beacon of upward mobility (preferably, honest :)) ) is de rigueur (is that the right term SM?) …….. in any “Democratic” society.

    In pre-Trump America …… workers would labor long hours at several jobs without proper remunerations or health-insurance …… in the hope of reaching the carrot of being a Bezos, a Zuckerberg, a Musk ……… someday ……

    Or a working class greengrocer’s daughter can enter Oxford and discard her accent and adopt an upper crust accent and end up as a prime minister ……… and die a duchess …..

    Keeping them as honest as possible is the responsibility of the respective societies …….. some do a decent job …….. others don’t ……….

    • 7
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      Nimal,
      “Or a working class greengrocer’s daughter can enter Oxford and discard her accent and adopt an upper crust accent and end up as a prime minister ……… and die a duchess …..”
      And Dudley , like one AKD, emerges from the proletariat to don a sharp suit.
      Ever heard of Princess Alice ?
      “Keeping them as honest as possible is the responsibility of the respective societies ……..”
      In other words, the voters.

      • 4
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        In chemistry if you mix a weak acid to a weak base, they don’t really neutralize each other and eliminate each other, but rather they both will be present. In Excel you can write a formula like this: A10= B11/2+C12*2 -A10/5. If I write this formula in excel it will report that there is a circular reference and fix it. But you can put it in for iteration and then Excel will give you an answer. This type of problem is common in budgeting when you peg an expense to the revenue like 7% of revenue. Basically, expense is the one that brings revenue, so if you hook it to revenue then what you earn is dependent on what you spend. Though that is the reality, it creates a complication at the start of the production year that at what level you should start your operation. In a democracy, from start to end of the term, the voters’ influence is present on the rulers. Then only the government can be a democratic government. On the other side of the coin, during the election, rulers’ influence is present. Voters slavishly do what the past and future rulers say. If the rulers appropriately directed the voters, then the leadership would come into existence. Then the candidate selection takes place. A true democratic government is formed. Democracy is established. End woven into start.

        • 5
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          Boredom begets utterly confused chemistry lessons as well.
          But misses the real essence of
          HA(aq) + B(aq) ⇌ A⁻(aq) + HB⁺(aq).A
          (Weak acids and weak bases ionize partially, and, when mixed lead to a reversible reaction with a conjugate acid and a conjugate base as products.)

          • 7
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            If you want to show off your mastery in Chemistry write an essay for CT laymen readers, explaining the chemistry terminology that what is acid, what is base, what are the bonds, what are the characters of each bond, from where do they get those behaviors, or what cause them to behave like that, why some are weak acid- weak base, what is ionic bond, what is covalent bond, why the buffer solution molecules move back and forth, what happens to the part of the weak acid that is not ionizing….. Do one useful thing instead of always playing clown. Please don’t come and pull your pants down and shout that Sampanthar told to rape Jain women in his Thevarams. At least if you want to say it like that, attach the link to that Thevaram, here.
            “ Boredom begets utterly confused chemistry lessons as well “ So was the mechanical school Marxism illumination attracting waves of crowd to CT to have your Deva, Devi Darshanam so enthusiastically? Isn’t it you who always rush in to read and then rate jealousy as boring. Apparently, your words and deeds are completely failing to achieve your objective, but performing against it, isn’t it! You sheepishly challenged that you would ridicule all my comments. But that is not happening, so you end up calling yourself a Savam.

            • 3
              7

              Who was showing off may I know please?
              I only put a pin on the balloon.

              There is a saying in Sinhala bout “nodanna Demala”. The above is about “nodanna rasayana vidyawa”.

              • 6
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                ” Who was showing off may I know please? I know you will have hard time to understand anything and everything. If that is going to be a long worry for not knowing who it is, why don’t you take it as you and start to feel happy about that?
                ” I only put a pin on the balloon. “ But it blasted on your face? Careful next when you have lot of itch to be prickly.
                “nodanna rasayana vidyawa Feeling sad? If you know it is acid don’t lick and burn your tongue next time! Then you have cry like the fox that this grapes are really really sour.

                • 0
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                  Oh dear
                  I hope that I have not caused another bout of diarrhoea.

                  • 2
                    1

                    Is that worry coming out of the Deva medicines pharmacy owner? Don’t you cure many diarrhea patients with your medicine? Isn’t it you claim that you can always tell the disease and the medicine for the disease as the Tamil Saying goes. At least, to distract all others from the original subject, that is what you try to do in CT. Never truly engage in the topic being discussed.

                  • 0
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                    Sorry!
                    It is another..

                    • 0
                      0

                      Don’t be so hesitated. Keep licking hoping until it cure one day. You showed off or established you ups proved who you are. Why now trying to erase it?

          • 6
            3

            The classical nature of the Jaffna Paadam Theriya Sadampies raising their tail and jumping up and down is tormenting you relentlessly. The way it Is tearing you at your age is even painful for people, who are observing your troubles. Poor soul! You spent so much time editing the buffer solution equation, with special characters and fonts, but you stayed out to explain what connection it has to my comment and why should I have included it in my comment? Further you didn’t talk about what that buffer solution is or how that equation is being used to explain the mechanism of the buffer solution, for the other readers. Why did you do that? That is why I always say that you fool your students in the name of teaching but make donkeys out of human girls and boys. You always illuminate but stay out of explaining any of them because you have had many bitter experiences from the school kids fixing you in the classes isn’t it. For your information, my comment has nothing to do with the buffer solution you are taking, though they both use the same ingredients. It was your hasty conclusion that I was trying to explain something about buffer solutions.

            • 5
              3

              Explanation of subjects that are difficult to conceive many times done with examples or metaphors. They are not the original subject in discussion. So, the demonstrator always puts forward clearly what is going to be the limitation on his/her metaphor and what to ignore and what to pick up. If it is a Swan, it will drink the milk leaving the water behind. If it’s a Panadai, (palm tree fiber) it holds on to bugs and dead bodies for it and let the sweet toddy filter through it for the man waiting. Other than this there is no other classical example clarifying why you called yourself Savam. I took a metaphor to explain a point for the normal people, not the ones like you who are avenged by God, cannot not understanding even what a metaphor and what the main point is.
              You evaded explaining why I should have mentioned the buffer solution equation that has no connection to my point, or I should have talked about ions. That is showing your inability to conceive things, so you are unnecessarily trying to connect your fancy imaginations in Chemistry with my point. Then as you always do, after baffling something, run around like a headless chicken and pull all the Saris to cover your face. Why do you want Old Codger to substantiate, while he has another point to talk about.

          • 5
            3

            My metaphor is only about the behavior of weak acid and weak base when they are mixed. I had nowhere mentioned buffer solutions, though buffer solutions are prepared by mixing weak acid and weak base, and their use and purpose are completely unrelated to the point I took. I did not mention ions either. It is you who cackled that I had mentioned them and it was all wrong. Your behavior on that is sheer comedy. In the enthusiasm of your habit of always raising tail and jumping, you completely misunderstood that I was explaining Ions and buffer solutions. I was not. Period. My metaphor assumed that all readers would know what an acid is and what a base is, which are common substances, not any special chemicals. The ions’ action or covalent bond presence in the buffer solution is completely irrelevant to my main point that I took to explain. You didn’t have the capacity to understand what I tried to say. You failed to understand what I was trying to say, so you sheepishly connected it to the buffer solution and brought the uncalled-for equation and sadistically bragged that you know better chemistry. I can judge it when you bring your own article in chemistry to the area I asked for. Until that, as I always said, you know nothing other than your Karl Marx Mechanics.

          • 5
            3

            It never attempted to start teaching Chemistry to any reader. If I had, unlike you hiding behind Munthanai, I would have started to explain to them from the very beginning like “acid carries H+ and base carries OH- . That might have made some of them ask why the HOH doesn’t conduct electricity, and some might have asked me why H2O conducts electricity. That means they might have easily got how complex that subject and how it was unrelated to the point I took to explain. I don’t hide unlike you for fearing questions and only try to illuminate, instead of writing a point in detail. It is your comedian complex that makes you think that you are an intelligent person, while there is nothing but inferior cunning only there. You try your best to hide your inferiority problems but that was never successful because from time to time your hidden personality comes out to expose it like this time. Everybody knows your tricky cunningness, and always a coward to come right forth with your side of points. You intervened to show that you are a Chemistry PhD, but you proved you are only a jealous overfilled.

          • 6
            3

            My point was not at all to talk about what is an H+ ion and what is OH- ion. That is why I did not start the way you tried and crashed. My talk was about weak acid not reacting with a weak base fully and concluding the reaction, but they remain to follow further beyond that incomplete reaction for future reaction and likewise that neither voter concludes his duty with voting, but he/she goes further to participate in ruling and candidates neither reserve him/her to ruling only but bring him/her down to ensure proper candidates are selected. It is based on the notion that I had earlier advised political parties to educate the masses for proper democracy flower, instead of voters blaming candidates for failure and candidates blaming voters for improper election. In other words, if voters and candidates are not connecting within themselves on both functions, only cunning and cheating by both partners will flourish. Rulers will go to parliament seeking perks and voters will vote for Biryani and arrack. This subject is out of your capacity so every time you try to figure things out like this, you start sheepishly baffling. Otherwise, if you understand things, in Dr Thiyagaligam’s selection meeting you would not have hooted like the rowdies in the Cinema theater gallery seats that you will not allow diaspora culture coming to UOJ, would you?

          • 6
            3

            In a neutralized salt solution, there won’t be any acid or base characteristics present. But the ions will be present. The Izons have not vanished out of neutral salt solution. That is why even pure water conducts electricity, because electricity manages to find H+ and OH- out of the water’s covalent bond. That is why I didn’t get into that side ions confusion as you sheepishly did. I selected a topic where there is no need to get deep into how the ionized molecules work. I simply said when people mix acid with base, they expect it to be neutral. But it need not be neutral. So, I took the weak acid, weak base example, where the part of the not ionized acid or base remains as inactive molecules. But they would change into ionized molecules only when there is space, (if the solution’s balancing position is changed). So generally, after mixing acid and base and neutralizing, in a buffer solution, they are still present. That is how, there is a duty for candidates in election to help voters to select proper candidates and in the ruling time voters to be involved in the administration of government. The base and the acid are not fully inactivated in the buffer solution.

            • 0
              0

              Hello Mallaiyuran and SJ,

              I am sure that you will both correct me but PURE water does NOT conduct electricity. A stream of water will be attracted to a charge (use a plastic comb) due to Hydrogen Bonds. I was fascinated as a child when my father showed me this.

              Best regards

              • 0
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                LankaScot,
                I don’t want to comment on what you are saying and deprogram you because I am not a full Chemistry student. At A/L I was about to register for a Maths specialty class. With two (Applied and Advanced math) I was supposed to take two more subjects. Because of the heavy punishment of standardization on Tamil students of that time, my neighbor, who is too practical on anything, advised me to take Economics and Commerce. Then, at the registration office, there was my O/L Chemistry teacher, he said “what the stupid thing you are talking about, forget about standardization, study the subjects all other students are studying.” Then I ended up registering for Chemistry and Physics. At O/L, he noticed my interest in Chemistry, he had made me take leadership to the Junior division chemistry exhibition. But I could not come out through the standardization milling machine. After A/L I gave up Chemistry completely until I got entangled in this mess, now. But physics, though not as any systematic study, but like many of us have been trying to keep updated with the inventions, I have some familiarity. But at the end of my school life I followed my neighbor’s advice, instead of my Chemistry teacher.

              • 0
                0

                So, because it was more than half a century ago, I do not remember exactly what the Chemistry teacher said about the “to the power of minus” formula of the rate the water ionizes as H+ and OH-. But I got it for you from google. He talked a lot about the strange, queer behaviors of our very common substance water. I remember very little of that now.
                You sound like the son of the student of Benjamin Franklin. Did the teacher and the student go out in the evenings, after school, fly kites in the pouring rain, lightning, and thunder?
                Yes, water vapor has a high capacity to store static electricity and create thunder and lightning. As a substance it can store static electricity, water is a poor conductor. A good conductor does not store electricity, other than as capacitors. But still water ionizes very little. It is contented pure water doesn’t conduct electricity. But I don’t know if there are small amount H+, and OH- ions are present, why they don’t categorize it as a very poor conductor.

              • 0
                0


                Sasha Chemey ,Ph.D. in Nuclear Chemistry, Florida State University (Graduated 2019), Malcolm Sargeant, Degree level applied chemistry + 20yr experience in corrosion prevention and water treatmentAuthor
                Bonds are statistical. We say that two atoms are “bonded” when the electrons they bring to a bond overlap in space to a degree where it takes more energy to separate those atoms than it does to keep them together. As such, they are not absolutely defined. It turns out that, at room temperature and pressure, 1 molecule of H2O in 10^7 molecules (1:10,000,000) will break apart into hydroxide and hydronium. .
                There are three main features here – a low-energy left state, a high-energy intermediate state, and a medium-energy right state. Let’s arbitrarily say that the left state is H2O and the right state is H+ and OH-.

                https://www.quora.com/Why-do-water-molecules-dissociate-into-OH-and-H+

              • 0
                0

                LankaScot,
                I have always been frustrated by the fact that none of those electrostatics experiments from our British textbooks ever worked here. I would spend hours combing my hair trying to get it to stand up……

                • 0
                  0

                  Hello OC,

                  Not having much left, they don’t work for me anymore.

                  Best regards

          • 5
            3

            There is reversal reaction is present and the equation explains that. That only explains how the acid and the base remain in the container, along with the resultant salt they may produce. That explanation is not affecting the reality of the presence of acid and base in the container even after the initial reaction. There is no point in you bringing an equation you copied from google, without understanding.

            ” Weak acids and weak bases ionize partially” Is that all the evidence you have to prove that I was wrong in saying the acid or base on the solution concerned doesn’t completely engage in full reaction with the counterpart? Please come honest, instead of playing the fool like children, how your uncalled-for equation or the Ionizing is changing the fact that I mentioned in my metaphor that neither the acid nor base engage in reaction completely. By that I meant, neither ruler, nor the voter go for exclusive action for them in voting or ruling. We have known you for 12 years and we know you have problems understanding things, and we know how you react in those circumstances too. So, in future, just tell us so we can explain a second time. Instead, if you jump up and down like this you are making yourself petty & cheap.

          • 5
            3

            I give you the last opportunity to disprove my metaphor. At least now take the challenge and show how your words differ from my words “if you mix a weak acid to a weak base, they don’t really neutralize each other and eliminate each other, but rather they both will be present”. If you can honestly take it and reply. When I give you challenge, don’t baffle that Sampanthar has written in Thevarams to rape Jain women so you could not write it here. Sampanthar has nowhere written anything like that but it’s in your imagination those continuous reels of violence on women run, never ceasing. We can do nothing for that but only God can help you to get out of those hallucinations. Still, you cannot recite one Thevaram Sampanthar wrote, but you said Alvars have written better Pirapanthams than Thevarams. Why are you pulling your pants to denude you like this, thinking that you are showing a lot of intelligence? What kind of bad thing has affected you to become a psycho like, so you behave like this? Did something very bad happen when you were a child?

            • 4
              4

              Dear Mallaiyuran
              .
              Thank you for your efforts, but I have had some questions for a long time.
              1- Where do you find so much time to write your long texts? I really wonder how you find the time to write such long texts.
              2- Why not think about shortening your paragraphs to make it easier for readers to understand your thoughts? That will make sense then, right?

              • 3
                8

                Short paragraphs risk ready exposure of ignorance.
                The technique is to bore the reader to death.

                • 6
                  3

                  All your Peethal life is about winning without substance. You constantly engineer to make you looks (negative) great. Leelagemalli is not talking about winning or losing. You are buffing that also, to pretend when you hit truly on something real rock you can easily bluff it all and escape, without others noticing you had felt the pain of hitting a black-hole hard object. He is talking about finding time. So here is the hint for you to honestly try to answer him instead of trying to show that you are heavy wight bluff. Tell him if anybody hit you like a great great big bully rock, because of your immovable mass, those who hit on you lose the sense of time and it get stretched to infinity. Then they can do anything they want with that time.

                • 2
                  5

                  Looks like this guy is having a “Nanthikadal Moment.”

                  • 2
                    0

                    Lester,
                    During Nanthikadal episode time he was in Rapist Army brethren as a Paramilitary Mole (Not Chemistry mole) and throwing shells and bombs on the refugees surrendered in no fire zone. Then he went and took a common bath with the Zero casualty heroes. Heroes went to Diyawanna Lake Palace. This is surrounded the CT and howling. He is dying hard to get a White Washed Certificate” from somebody. I have no guess who that would be.

        • 5
          2

          Malli,
          Great dissertation on Excel.
          So you have decided to write in Standard English? Keep it up!

          • 3
            8

            oc
            You are are a most ambitious optimist.
            But keeping it up has its risks.

      • 6
        3

        When Junious Richard, after setting up July 83, said to the nation that “If I strive the Tamils, Sinhalese will be happy” then he is creating cemeteries in the middle of the towns. That is where Langkang ended has now. NPP took a different path in recent years. They have earned support from the masses talking about development, wealth, education …….so the UNP-SLFP Union legacy parties who are not able to find a campaign topic for the past 75 years beyond annihilation of Tamils, is lacking much behind. This is what we asked the elite, gentlemen, lords and erudite to let take place in the 2015 election. But they all introduced the criminals back again, only gold plating as Yahapalanaya. Yahapalanaya did not have the Gold’s weight, completely crashes and showed true thuggery, UNP Kadai Nature. Then they introduced as regiform guard as titanium leader, Hitler. He crumpled on the pressure in the Presidential Palace. Evil, who presented him as Hero to the German TV DM, looked like overwhelmed in the Wion TV interview. The only change between those two interviews was a clandestine poll said that the NPP is much ahead of the parties that practiced violence pretending to be peaceful democracy. It looks like the time to end the anarchy Don Stephen started in 1948.

        • 1
          6

          Careful Mallaiyuran. If I starve … .

      • 8
        2

        “And Dudley”

        OC,

        We stayed in one of his hotels – we didn’t know at the time but were told later – Araliya (Green or something ……. he has different colors :)) ) in Nuwara Eliya – in front of the Grand. We were told he used political influence to up-end/stiff the Grand. The decor is a little over the top and gaudy ……. (the Grand is quaint and has it’s old world charm.) But the rooms in Araliya were excellent …….. almost apartments. With a few design flaws ……. but that’s to be expected.

  • 9
    2

    Thanks, Ravi Perera, for yet another simple-looking narration cum meditation. I’ve read it through, and all thirty-three responses that I now see.
    .
    It is your intelligence that allows you to write in such a way as to tease so many clever people, but what we sense behind it all is deep human concern.
    .
    What we desperately need is a re-setting of the system through the conducting of some election from the range of elections that are ordained for us.
    .
    Panini Edirisinhe

    • 6
      0

      S M ,

      Dear S M , Dharshana had a talk with Nagananda . It came out during
      the show that Vijitha Herath , Lakshman Nipunarachhi , Anura Kumara
      dissanayaka and Anura Dissanayaka have registered four parties
      with the Election Commission , at the same address of JVP .

      • 1
        3

        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

      • 1
        2

        WW,
        .
        please watch this as well.
        .
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=py26iYleU84

        • 5
          1

          L M ,

          Thanks for the attachments . What everybody knows is what
          I know too , that is , you don’t win a debate with J V P for a
          simple reason . While J VP is fresh , the rest is in 75 year mud .
          That is why J V P enjoys upper hand in any debate . I had always
          maintained that Srilankan politics is heavily dependent on
          outside involvement Nobody will walk out of that frame . So the
          cheap tactics of anyone trying to laugh at their Indian visit is
          childish and misleading . Nothing interesting , just habitual .

          • 6
            0

            L M ,

            Harsha these days trying to show off he is an economic and
            finance Guru . No that is not the case . Many things he says is
            outdated , not valid for us any longer . Take the Garment
            manufacturing , Gems and Tea . Where are we standing with
            them today ? How many countries before us started , benefitted
            and then switched to other demanding areas ? I mean , the
            Garment manufacturing for exports . We are still sticking to it .
            Why ? No other countries before us depended on it more than
            20-25 years . Go to a Retailer in the UK and try to find any
            clothing made in Turkey , Egypt ,, Morocco , Tunisia , Hongkong
            or Singapore ! These are the countries that were once busy
            manufacturing for the West . We got it only when they found
            better avenues . We , thanks to our 2500 yrs old talent , know
            how to go stale almost on everything until our next door is
            greasing its doors .

  • 8
    6

    LankaScot

    Blame it on illiteracy but I don’t appreciate Shakespeare & English literature at school was pure torture for me. Maybe your title would have been more enlightening but I refer to the subject -. An oligarch was invited only to be chased away buy the audience
    ”Dudley Sirisena had broken out of his condition, he was perhaps conceived as a mirror reflection of themselves, only older.” Isn’t that rather baseless? It maybe so but subjective, a conclusion based on opinion without facts in support..

    • 2
      6

      Hello Raj-UK,
      Many of the Intelligentsia in Sri Lanka like to parade their knowledge of European (including British) literature. The author quoted from Dostoevsky and Tolstoy both Russian. Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar is about the assassination of Caesar by the Tribunes on the steps of the Senate. It is also about deception, duplicity and the abuse of power. Mark Antony in his Oration at the funeral of Caesar shows the duplicity of Brutus, the main conspirator, a supposed friend of Caesar. Afterwards Civil War breaks out and many of the conspirators die.
      Ravi Perera, the author, in his article seems to be defending Dudley whilst at the same time disparaging him. Later he attempts, at the end of the article , to tar the students with the same brush -almost accusing the students of chasing Dudley away, not for his ‘dodgy dealings” but because of their envy of him and their possible recognition that they too will become like him. His last line was “They obviously did not like what they saw.”
      I don’t know enough about Sri Lankan political history and machinations, but I am sure Ruchira’s comment on Feb 13th has some substance to it.

      Best regards

      • 0
        4

        LankaScot –
        .
        “Many of the Intelligentsia in Sri Lanka like to parade their knowledge of European (including British) literature.”
        .
        The author Ravi Perera has the following to say:
        .
        “It seems failed cultures see things in a manner peculiar to themselves, a view which is then elevated to an article of faith by the prevailing social narration of that culture; ‘he is like an encyclopaedia’, ‘he is a product of Oxford’, ‘he has held an important post overseas where white people reported to him (Sunak clones!)’, ‘his English is so good even Englishmen are impressed!; utter nonsense of a nonsensical society, a failed society on nearly every score.”
        .
        I too noticed that both the quotes the author has provided at the start of his essay are Russian. What do you make of it?

  • 2
    16

    How come no one sees the possible connections between: (1) Maithreepala and CBK deciding to support Ranil; (2) Withdrawal of Paddy Marketing Board from purchasing paddy that Dr. W. A. Wijewardena has described in his newest essay; (3) Maithreepala’s recent visit to the USA; (4) along with CBK alluding to a possible connection withe Prima Co.?
    .
    This isn’t an attempt to teach students entrepreneural skills or motivate them. This is essentially part of Ranil’s election campaign.
    .
    Hence I doubt if the author’s conclusion as to the reason for students to boycott Dudley has any validity.
    .

    • 1
      2

      Hello Ruchira,

      I didn’t realise that CBK was a full member of the Club de Madrid https://clubmadrid.org/who/members/kumaratunga-chandrika/
      The USA Dept of State octopus has many long tentacles – do you think that she has some hidden agenda?
      “U.S.-Sri Lanka relations are based on shared democratic values and a rules-based regional and international order. Current U.S policy in Sri Lanka aims to support Sri Lanka’s democratic institutions, encourage its economic development, counter terrorism, and promote a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.”
      https://www.state.gov/countries-areas/sri-lanka/

      Best regards

      • 0
        1

        LankaScot,
        .
        Neither did I know about her involvement in Club Madrid. But it was her government that signed an agreement with Prima giving it the monopoly over wheat flour distribution in Sri Lanka.
        .
        https://www.bbc.com/sinhala/news/story/2007/10/071008_prima_unp
        .
        Rumour has it that Chandrika got a hefty cut from the deal, with which she acquired properties in upmarket London, whose luxury now she enjoys. Lester seems to know about them than any other here.
        .
        It looks like they, Chandrika- Sirisena- Ranil, alliance is trying to pull a similar number perhaps with rice flour by allowing Dudley to monopolise paddy buying, in return of their (Dudley-Maithreepala-Chandrika) support for Ranil in any upcoming election. Perhaps both in cash and kind.
        .
        I am sure despite his claims of wanting to stay away from politics, Chandrika’s son Vimukthi’s possible entrance to Sri Lankan politics too may have been etched into this agreement, leaving the Rajapakse Clan and Namal’s dream of becoming the president, to their own devices, who as a result now seems to be turning to JVP/NPP for salvation.

      • 0
        5

        LankaScot,
        .
        “The USA Dept of State octopus has many long tentacles – do you think that she has some hidden agenda?”
        .
        😀 I used to call the US, “Kataragama Deiyya”. If you are not familiar with (your wife and her family would definitely know) It’s a deity that locals revere that has half a dozen faces and pairs of hand. Basically 6 people put together. A multiple personality (syndrome).
        .
        Because the US has many faces – just because you are dealing with one of them does not necessarily means you get to know what the rest is doing behind your back at the same time. You refer to the same phenomenon as an Octopus!
        .
        As per if Chandrika has a hidden agenda, apart from what I described above, she to me looks like aligning herself with a US agenda that wants Ranil to stay in power. What that means in terms of costs and benefits to the ordinary citizens only the US would know.
        .
        But we can guess that from what Dr. WAW has written, income and the living conditions of the paddy farmers may deteriorate as a result of Dudley’s market manipulation tactics. Rice prices may nevertheless go up intermediaries cashing in at the expense of the farmer. Nothing new, just good old free market capitalism at work. You may find a wave of farmers committing suicide AGAIN, to speculate the least.

        • 0
          5

          Continued…
          .

          .
          So you could see what the students are protesting against. It’s all about food security and livelihood of the local paddy farmer. Even if the students don’t know the whole story, I am sure they know the ground realities of the paddy farmer and Dudley’s antics of market manipulation.
          .
          Neither the Bandaranayakes nor the Sirisenas are good people.
          .
          Immediately before this students of the same university protested Ranil’s visit to the same I think to open a new building. Ranil I think somehow accomplished his task regardless of students’ protests.
          .
          Kelaniya (where the university is) is also Ranil’s traditional electorate if I am not mistaken. And in the recent past Rajapakses pulled various tac tics to pacify the support to Ranil and establish their dominance there. University if I am not mistaken has been usually pro-Rajapakse, at least in the recent past. I am sure there’s more to this story than any one of us know!

      • 0
        4

        LankaScot,
        .
        “U.S.-Sri Lanka relations are based on shared democratic values and a rules-based regional and international order. Current U.S policy in Sri Lanka aims to support Sri Lanka’s democratic institutions, encourage its economic development, counter terrorism, and promote a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.”
        .
        Which means Sri Lanka is an important player in the region especially when it comes to countering China!
        .
        Also it has it’s own potential and importance of being in close proximity to India with a market of 1.4 billion bigger than that of China. Sri Lanka could be to India, what Hong Kong or Taiwan is to China.
        .
        If we knew how to play our cards, we should have been able to benefit from these interests and geopolitical dynamics long ago. Unfortunately all these leaders have been able to do had been driving the country to banckruptcy! Rather unfortunate state of affairs.
        .
        There were people who knew this 20 – 30 years ago and Chandrika was told to capitalize on such strengths. Those people were never given a seat at the table nor did Chandrika did anything significant to the economy.

        • 1
          1

          Hello Ruchira,
          Sri Lanka has had many lost opportunities. One that I know about personally is regarding the discovery of Oil by Cairn UK https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Exploration-wells-drilled-in-Sri-Lanka_fig1_243963635
          I used to work in the Oil Industry and one of my Geologist friends told me about the Cairns finds in the Cauvery and Mannar Basins back in about 2011 or 2012. We both worked together for a Schlumberger subsidiary on a Drilling Rig that discovered a huge field West of Shetland (Clair Field) in similar depths of water back in 1977. It took a long time before it came online partly due to the depth of water and overrunning costs.
          When I asked one of my Sri Lankan relations why they had not started to develop their own Oil Industry he remarked that the politicians were still arguing amongst themselves whose back pocket the bribes would go to. I don’t know if he was joking or serious.
          Best regards

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