Former Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrama will not take up a position in the new Cabinet, informed UNP sources confirmed.
Malik Samarawickrama
Samarawickrama is a former Chairman of the United National Party.
UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam told the media today that the party had sent a list of proposed Cabinet ministers to President Maithripala Sirisena.
The list sent by the UNP this morning comprised 30 names, party sources added. President Sirisena is yet to formally respond to the UNP’s list.
Colombo Telegraph learns that there is a tug of war between President Sirisena and the UNP over several key issues concerning the new Cabinet.
President Sirisena had informed the UNP that he wanted to keep the Department of Police and two state media institutions under him. The UNP, in response, has opposed the move saying that it is a UNF Cabinet and the strategically important ministries should come under the purview of UNP ministers.
Sirisena has also opposed giving Cabinet positions to SLFP MPs who crossed over to the UNP. He conveyed the same message to the SLFP parliamentary group at a meeting last night.
Disregarding Sirisena’s warning, however, three more SLFP MPs namely Vijith Vijayamuni Zoysa, Lakshman Seneviratne and Indika Bandaranaike today crossed over to the UNF.
c mahendran / December 18, 2018
congratulations three of you. you havce guts. keep it up
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Ajith / December 18, 2018
President has no moral ground to oppose to giving ministerial posts to SLFP cross overs to UNP because he himself appointed a PM who crossed over from SLFP to SLPP and some MPs crossed over from UNP and TNA after paying a bribe of 60 million rupees for each cross over. He himself a cross over.
However, I don’t like those cross overs getting ministerial posts because they are opportunistics. It is important to respect those who stood firmly with UNP or any other party to save the country and save the country falling in the hands of dictator and fake patriotic Mahinda & Co.
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Amarasiri / December 18, 2018
Sirisena,
You have violated the constitution, you took oaths to defend. You lied. You have no moral authority to keep any cabinet ministry, as this is UNF government. If you want to keep those ministries, form your own government.
Anyway, for your recent past unconstitutional and Illegal actions, you should be impeached, and 20A tabled.
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whywhy / December 18, 2018
Amarasiri ,
“Anyway , for you recent past unconstitutional and illegal actions , you
should be impeached.” Sirisena is a name for worthless coin now . He
is now sitting there to hinder and punish R W Government’s smooth
functioning and to claim some credit of good moves of the government.
And to show to the country WHO SIRISENA IS , NOT WHO THE
PRESIDENT IS ! As for his recent illegal actions , he must face the law ,
impeachment alone is not enough ! There was a report that he regretted
joining the U N F and it was against his conscience . O K , I propose HE
CAN CORRECT IT NOW AND GO HOME . HIS PARTY VICE PRESIDENT MR
WELGAMA , according to reports , HAS RECOMMENDED THE SAME . I
also recommend , not only him , HIS MASTER MAHINDA AND ALL OF HIS
COHORTS WHO ARE OVER 70 AND TOOK PART IN THE COUP ATTEMPT
MUST NOW LEAVE POLITICS if they ever had an IOTA OF LOVE FOR THE
COUNTRY . THIS IS THE TIME TO PROVE IT AS THEY CLAIM THEY ARE
THE PATRIOTS .Patriots not only come to politics and stay in politics ,
they also LEAVE POLITICS HONOURABLY. And if they don’t do it this way ,
people are anyway going to show them the door , THE EXIT DOORS OF
THOSE DISGRACED !
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Amarasiri / December 18, 2018
whywhy.
“Anyway , for you recent past unconstitutional and illegal actions , you
should be impeached.” Sirisena is a name for worthless coin now .
Sirisena’s balls also dissolved when the parliament dissolved, and the his balls did not come back., and he continues to lie. He said he will resign, and did not resign. He is like a leach. Need a burning cigarette but, to burn his butt, so that the leach will fall off. He is indeed a butt-head. He has earned many similar titles.
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Nic / December 19, 2018
What guts Mahendran: this guy Malik has robbed amounts close to MR and his aurora and persona stink. This guy is behind all the shady deals of MR’s nominee owner of the Dubai 5 star hotel – the steel “king”!!!!
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Thiru / December 18, 2018
Does the president who violated the constitution and took illegal actions according to the supreme court have any authority to appoint the ministers?
Can any government officer who violates the law and the constitution still wield power?
What is the point of having a constitution if breakers of it cannot be punished?
This is the height of absurdity that Sri Lanka as a country has reached!
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Craig / December 18, 2018
What the President really wants is the “Low and Odor” Ministry. Give that to him. Nothing more nothing less.
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Doratupala / December 18, 2018
“Low AND Odor”- better term it “Low END Odor” – which has been emanating from the Central Bank and many other institutions and ministries which were managed oh – so yahapalanically!
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Ajay / December 18, 2018
Yes, it is a UNF cabinet, and the deranged Gamarala should keep out of it. This wicked idiot should realize he was found to have violated the constitution by the supreme court. That means he has forfeited any moral authority he may have had, and the people don’t respect him anymore. He cannot lecture or scold any citizen of this country. He cannot dictate terms to the PM about the composition of the cabinet. He cannot keep any ministries under him. He is only a lame duck president until he is impeached and thrown in the jail.
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Benji rajaputhra / December 18, 2018
Wholly in agreement with you.
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edwin rodrigo / December 18, 2018
Malik dropped. Good start. Ranil should also drop his plans that will bear fruit only in 2050 (32 more years). By 2050, if what climatologists say is true, Sri Lanka would not be there. I don’t mean the same way that Sirisena meant when he said that, if Ranil was allowed to have his way, Sri Lanka would be wiped off completely from the map and nothing will be left. Even Ranil would not be able to make such a level of destruction even if he did his best.
.
This man (Sira) is surely suffering from a form of mental disease, which I would call ‘chronic obsessive compulsive insecurity complex’ (COCK), and he should be certified and put in confinement as soon as possible. Unless it is done soon, his Missile Brigade that has been under development in Polonnaruwa (the Peenemunde of Sri Lanka) under the leadership of a schoolboy would be completed. The plan is to attack India. But in a bout of frenzy he might launch them at all his perceived enemies and that would be the end of Lanka as we know it.
.
Again I am diverting from my main subject. Ranil’s plans should produce results in a year or so. Not after 32 years! We want explosive plans like Sira’s Missile Brigade, which would produce results in just few minutes.
.
One can start with declaration of assets by all politicians. That should drive the jumping frogs in to the brink of extinction. If Ranil can do that, that would be enough. By 2050 we would be the United States of Lanka after the annexation of India and Sira could be the Emperor of Lanka provided he is discharged (ticket cut) from Angoda.
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JD / December 18, 2018
Edwin rodrigo: come to Senses. YOu can wite this gibberish. What do you think Ranil doe snot know anything even with his 40 years of Experience. Ranil doe snot know these things even when he was the PArty LEadr for 24 years. He doe snot know any of these thigns when he is, the PM for five times. Ranil is goingto play the same game again. His New Yahapalana govt includes Muslim parties and TNA. ERan Wickramrathen says they will advertise all the projects that Maithriapala did as their projects. tha tincludes renovating about 40,000 Reservoirs in the country. They are still blaming Mahinda Rajapakse and will try to Play out Maithripala sirisena. Remember, it is TNA Sambanthan who infomred the American Ambassador visited his house, after OCtober 26th, Ranil was having problems because he di dnot do what promised to people (God Natha). So, the international community is aware and has informed MS to continue without Ranil. COME TO SENSES PEOPLE.
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edwin rodrigo / December 18, 2018
JD, When I say that Sirisena is suffering from COCK, it is not a Cock and Bull story. On second thoughts, it could be, because we are talking about a Bull who talks nothing but Bull Shit. How can you believe that he renovated 40,000 reservoirs when there are only 32,000 reservoirs including tanks in the whole country, unless Sira includes 8,000 in TN that he hopes to acquire after he conquers that part of India, using his ‘Ahas Kooru’ rocket brigade?
.
JR started the Accelerated Mahaveli Project against misgivings of 90% of the experts. Do you know that there is no plaque anywhere in the project mentioning his name? It is not because they were removed by his opponents, the way that Sira removed the plaque at Mahakandarawa reservoir in the North and put his name there. JR did not want that kind of publicity.
.
Do not try to stir the ethnic pot like your Sira and Sira’s boss Mahinda do. I am sure that any day Sambanthan would be a better Leader of the Opposition than MR. Somewhere here in CT they say Sambanthan used much less resources that he was entitled for as the Leader of the Opposition – just the opposite of Mahinda, who cannot have enough of anything.
.
See what an idiot Sira is. He says, that he will never appoint Ranil as PM under any circumstances and then does exactly the opposite a few days later. A politician should never use the word ‘never’ even to say “I will never use the word never”. I think Sira is not only COCK but an OCL (Obsessive Compulsive Liar).
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JD / December 19, 2018
Correction. My intention was to sy Sri lanka that many tanks. Number may be not exact.
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edwin rodrigo / December 19, 2018
JD, anyone who believes that Sira renovated 40,000 reservoirs in less than 4 years must be stupid. It works out as 30 tanks per day. Unless it is done on an assembly line basis, it is impossible. Even if the bathing wells, septic tanks and overhead tanks are included it is crazy and is a prime example of another big lie by Sira.
.
But there is one way it can be true. By tanks, Sira may have meant battle tanks. Hitler loved battle tanks. Sira loves battle tanks. All dictators love battle tanks. It is a sign power, technology and a good way to hide their cowardice. Remember that dictators are cowards who hide behind military hardware.
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edwin rodrigo / December 19, 2018
Mr. President let us make a deal. If you will stop telling lies about Ranil and UNP, we will stop telling the truth about you. Deal?
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Simon De Silva / December 18, 2018
Hello Edwin,
hope you are feeling better. I am feeling really good today. Finally Democracy won it. But when thinking about the manner SIRA has fully been ignoring 99% BOND scam he himself has been uttering to have occured since 2008 to 2015 is beyond my understanding.
The total sum of 1000 billions rupess shoudl have been lost since 2008.
But only what lost in the start of Ranil -MS govt is given the higest publicity by SIRASA to kill the image of RANIL is very unfair or not ?
If the facts related to all bond saga are as MP Hirunika P made it clear, then over 991 billions should have been disappeared during the high days of ballige putha Rajakshe. Meaning at least 14 billions a year. Why on earth lanken media only focus on 9 bilions whic should have gone lost under Ranil and MS ? I dont think we should tolerate any parties, but we should hate more to Rajakshes than anyone else. But Rajakshe too, claims that Ranil ” maha bankuwa kaewa .. etc”: Is that right ?
My anger is why not BALLIGE putha Rajakshe is not imprisoned yet even if varioius allegation on much high profile cases are filed against the buggers ?
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Eagle Eye / December 18, 2018
Simon,
“If the facts related to all bond saga are as MP Hirunika P made it clear, then over 991 billions should have been disappeared during the high days of ballige putha Rajakshe.”
What the hell bellige putha Wikunana Singham did as the Leader of Opposition without exposing those things. May be he got a share of it. That guy is no more ‘Mr. Clean’, just a piece of shit.
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edwin rodrigo / December 18, 2018
I think he said, 1000 billion lost since 2005 which includes MR regime.
.
Anyway, compared to MR – the super crook, Ranil is just a novice. They also say that the money is blocked and amounts 11 billion. Not that it is an excuse, but on a scale of 0 to 10 in grand robbery, MR and his cohorts rate a big 9, while RW is a measly 1 only.
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edwin rodrigo / December 19, 2018
Hi Simon, yes, you are right. Sira said 1000 billion since 2008. It was done with the help of MR’s crony Nihal somebody. Eagle Eye’s complaint is that Ranil did not do anything about it.
.
Perhaps it was done so secretively that no one found out. One has to admit that whatever other short comings MR has, he was a superb crook. He was like a Backo machine. Scooping up from here and dumping it there. And he was very good at hiding his shit.
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Emil van der Poorten / December 18, 2018
Edwin Rodrigo:
At the risk of sounding superior, may I congratulate you for an intelligent and humourous contribution to this discussion. Such a rarity!
I think there is, speaking very seriously, grounds for Sirisena’s right to he head of state to be examined considering the completely irrational things he keeps repeating for public consumption. No gossip columnist could make up what this man keeps uttering.
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edwin rodrigo / December 18, 2018
Unfortunately Emil, some do have any sense of humour.
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edwin rodrigo / December 18, 2018
Correction – Unfortunately Emil, some do not have any sense of humour.
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Natieve Vedda / December 18, 2018
KASmaalam KA Sumanasekera
–
Could you tell us which party does Wijedasa Rajapaksa belong to right at this millisecond.
I learn Dr Ranil has relocated to his own Kollupitiya residence. Why? Is it because he is now scared of Wimal Sangili Karuppan’s mob now has more chances of forcibly ejecting him from Temple Trees than before?
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Ruwan / December 18, 2018
This abominable idiot should be impeached as soon as possible.
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Suresh / December 18, 2018
Malik is an absolute crook & con man.
I wonder why he decided not to accept a portfolio?
He is RWs no 1 downfall.
Robbed usd 2m in the last election given by the Indians to make sure that MR lost the election.
Money went into his pocket.
Bloody rogue.
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JD / December 18, 2018
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
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Steve / December 18, 2018
Hope there will be new faces in the cabinet that will actually deliver results. If it is going to be the same old Royal College gang then that will be the beginning of the downfall of the Prime Minister.
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Manik Captain / December 18, 2018
What did the Sri Lankan people do to deserve Malik S as a politician in the first place? He is all charisma of a funeral director and has never had any touch (no pun intended) with the common people. But being a part of the butterfly swarm that took control of the UNP, he became a minister and made some big amounts of wealth through his position. He shoild leave politics altogether if he really want to help Sri Lanka.
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Mervin / December 18, 2018
You stupid doesn’t have authority to say anybody in this country how to act or what do. Hereafter you’re dummy as effigy at chana in polonaruwa. Don’t preaching to the citizens of our motherland. You gave an ministerial portfolio s to the illegal govt. Those who are crossed over from UNP! Is it correct. Go home man your time already over now.
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Buddhist / December 18, 2018
Sirisena the violator of the Constitution as per the Supreme Court has no moral authority to hold and ministries under him.
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Muslim / December 18, 2018
For a strong government the UNP must stand their ground and not give into Sirisena who scuttled their every move and will keep scuttling unless there are very strong UNP ers to face this wicked and revengeful
man.
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Muslim / December 18, 2018
Wijedasa Rajapaksa is a turncoat and is spying for Sirisena and Mahinda he should not be given any positions in the government ,Ranil must take advise from the younger members of the UNP and make the UNP stronger , sadly the UNP was losing ground ,but was brought back by the younger members. Please keep up the victory .
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kolla / December 18, 2018
Sirisena has violated the constitution ! What a joke.
You can argue that everyone who has committed a breech of fundamental rights has also violated the constitution . This is a mere technicality decided by the present supreme court . A future supreme court may well decide that Sirisena was right.
But Ranil appointed his school time friend mahendran and they together did something very violent against the people . This was the fraud at the Central Bank.
What is more serious ?
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K.Pillai / December 18, 2018
Coalition governments might be the way for quite a while.
MS and RW should know by now the need to discuss aspects of coalition thoroughly.
.
Do we continue to use cabinet positions as bribes?
If Ministers are to serve the people, then we may try ten for a start.
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Good Advice / December 18, 2018
You can’t avoid it -whether it is a RW or MR government the majority cabinetr ministers will be Royalists. There should be at least 70 – 75 Royalists in the parliament, I may be wrong. And that is not directly RW or MR fault.
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R Fernando / December 18, 2018
How can Sirisena advise that Cross overs should not be given ministerial posts when he committed the biggest crossover in Srilankan history.?
Who is the president who was elected by Oneparty & who has now switched sides & is supporting the side he campaigned against ?
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SKM / December 18, 2018
What happened to that complaint filed re. insanity of Sirisena. Action on that should be taken without delay. Otherwise the whole country would be in danger.
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Lanka Watch / December 18, 2018
RW is a weak leader and why hasn’t he started consulting the constitutional lawyers and start the impeachment procedure against the current President who has violated the constitution and made
a mockery of it, as confirmed by the Supreme court. He also made an attempt to hide the reduced
powers he is vested with under 19A. UNF is going it alone this time and it is in the hands of of the
leader RW to appoint the ministers and the important ministries like Law & order, Finance, Elections,
justice, media, minority affairs and PCs should be in the hands of the ruling party if they want to run
an effective govt.and the President, until such time he remains President , should hold only the traditional position of being the head of armed forces.
People are wondering as to how this man is continuing to be the President after violating the
constitution and surprisingly the learnt judges of the Supreme court have not warned him that he
can be impeached. People’s warning to RW is that if he goes for any compromise with Prez/SLFP,he
on issues of governing, he is sure to go back to square one.
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Siri / December 18, 2018
President Sirisena should act like the President of SL, and not like the President of SLFP. He should be like how President DB behaved during President Chandrika’s time. He should let the UNP to run the government. Lately, his image badly tarnished in the eyes of the country and the world, and this is the only option for him to gain some lost respect and credibility, else he might end up in a pathetic plight. God must save him, if he try to play to the musics of MR and cabals.
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shankar / December 18, 2018
“President Sirisena had informed the UNP that he wanted to keep the Department of Police and two state media institutions under him.”
why should he be given those.UNP must ask him to give his reasons in writing as to why he wants it.
“Sirisena has also opposed giving Cabinet positions to SLFP MPs who crossed over to the UNP.”
That is none of his business.Once they cross over they are UNP’ers.However an amendment must be brought to the constitution to stop cross overs.They have crossed up and down too many times.
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Muhandiram / December 18, 2018
The Only objection that My3 should, and must, make is against any portfolio to Penthouse Ravi. Actually, it will be a Big Favour to the UNP.
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Peoples power .. / December 18, 2018
A wise decision and appreciate Mr.Malik and others who support such decisions by accepting it gracefully ,
Hopefully Mr.Ravi Karunanayake will agree and opt for any other portfolio besides Financial and hope Mr.Mangala Sameraweera will be vested with Ministry Of Finance again (He is Mr.Right for it ) ,Housing for Mr.Sajith ,
————————————————Navin+Tourism+Navin+Tourism +Navin and nothing but Tourism For Hon.Navin Dissanayake
———————————————–
Tourism must be given to Mr.Navin ,no compromise in this must be made. ,
Hopefully
———————————————–
Hope Hon .Eran , Harsha and Budhika will get worthy positions . and UPFA MP .Mr.Soysa ,deserves the same position , a very decent man indeed (Respect),hope to see Dr.Amunugama and Mrs.Fernando Pilla to crossover she belongs rightfully with UNF , a fine lady,she has lot of potential can do a lot for the people .
———————————————–
The Police and State medias both should neither come under The Government or The President (A big No)
They both should be strictly vested under a 100% public Group of council or commission and given 100% independence ,and all political interference must be removed once and for all , Give the men in uniform some dignity at least bow ,it’s ugly to see them not allowed to perform their duties without interference .
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Pon Kulendiren / December 18, 2018
People know that Sirisena is not behaving like a President of Sri Lanka. He has brought shame to the country. He has no self respect. He should resigned immediately after SC verdict. He is power hungry. He now wants media and Police ministry. Please give him the ministry for mental health. UMP should not give in . Impeach him without delay and send him to Polonaruwa to burn the forest and do chena cultivation.
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whywhy / December 18, 2018
J R J created this Executive Presidency for a special purpose and then he had
a wish to attain Nirvana and the presidency now has to be sent to him to rest
in peace with him ! It is too heavy for anyone else , especially to those from
paddy fields where the job is to handle buffaloes .
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Peoples power .. / December 18, 2018
Malik must handover his National list position to Madam Chandrika .
Shot n the jaw .hmmm .
What do you think Edwin ,
/Sinhala Man (Where are you now!? Malaysia ?)
!Native Veda ,(More proper to say Native Lankan,) and Amerasiri the die hard atheist.
???
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Native Vedda / December 18, 2018
Peoples power
–
“!Native Veda ,(More proper to say Native Lankan,) and Amerasiri the die hard atheist.
???”
–
Why?
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Ranjan / December 18, 2018
After the waves of overwhelming public out pouring against the high way robbery of Sirisena and Rajapaksa junta, and the resultant public backing of UNF for their cause of rule of law and democracy, it’s going be the last chance for the UNF to their job by the country and people. Clocking is ticking fast, and hardly enough time left before the next elections, but they got to do all what they set out to do, come what may. If they fail, then it’s the end of all them, and they wouldn’t get back to power this side of another quarter century. All able and young go getters must be given the pride of place, the old ones should graciously give way to them, and ably and abundantly giving their guidance and insights with their years of experience for them to accomplish the mighty tasks ahead of them. This is the mighty serious game and failure going to be a huge miseries for all. Ranil should forsake his old ways and his royal club, and gate keepers like Charitha Ratwatte and Paskeralingam. He should follow the path of JR, he gave the freedoms for his ministers to perform instead of tying theit legs and asking them to run, and he let them have a healthy compition at it, and that brought out the best of them, intern the country and the party reap huge rewards of it.
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Buddhist / December 19, 2018
President Sirisena has violated the constitution as per the decision of the Supreme court. He is a convicted person. He has no right to change or not appoint anyone from the list provided by UNP. If he does it, it amounts to sabotage. President Sirisena is not an Independent Neutral President, he is acting like a mad lunatic. When UNPers jumped ship he gave Minister posts to them to join Mahinda’s team, now he is refusing to appoint any one who jumped from his party to UNP. He has to be impeached.
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Peoples power .. / December 19, 2018
@Native Veda ,
Diehard Atheist Amerasiri ,only a carefree expression,not meaning anything in particular.
But Native Veda ,The Term Veda is extremely repulsive as far as I am concerned ,as much as much repulsive as the Term Red Indian ,(regretfully displayed unknowingly, unintentionally in some tuk Tuk ,in SL)
The term Red Indians was intentionally coined to insult the Right full owners Americas ,so they are actually Native Americans and of cause ,no one dare call them red Indians anymore in America ,they are referred as Native Americans .
And there is no such term as Vedas ,at least that is my stance ,they are Native Lankans ,and Sinhalese and Tamils (North &Eastern ) are their descendant’s and others like burghers , , Ceylon moors ,
Indian moors , some Malays (only those who intermarried ) are descendants from both Sinhalese and Tamils (with definite DNA from Arab or north African and Malay with Indonesian and few Malaysians mix )
So I think you must consider to change your nick to Native Lankan .
But the choice of freedom is yours.
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Native Vedda / December 19, 2018
Peoples power
–
I wonder where you found the courage and authority to discuss about my people in our land.
Where did you find the name Lankan or Lanky?
Why should I rename my land, me and my people?
Who do you think you are to tell me what to do?
When the weeping widow and her merry men changed the name of the land from Ceylon to Sri Lanka she never offered a referendum to obtain consent of the people.
Why should it bother you when I chose my own name or names to identify myself?
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Amarasiri / December 19, 2018
Peoples power ,
“@Native Veda ,
Diehard Atheist Amerasiri ,only a carefree expression,not meaning anything in particular”
You do have a point
The word Vedda or Veddah, has its origins in Sanskrit, which means hunter gatherer The term Adivassi is also used
The Veddah People call themselves Aethho or Aetto, people, in the Land of Native Veddah Aethho ( Sri Lanka)
Mitochondrial DNA history of Sri Lankan ethnic people: their relations within the island and with the Indian subcontinental populations
https://www.nature.com/articles/jhg2013112
So, to refer to the Veddah people as Native Aethho, would be correct, or call Lankan Native Aethho, to distinguish them from the Paras from elsewhere, mostly from India, who should be called Para-Aethho So, they can be called Para-Sinhala Aethho, Para-Demala-(Tamil) Aethho, Para-Muslim Aethho, Para-Malay Aethho, Para-Portuguese Aethho, etc
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedda
The Vedda (Sinhalese: වැද්දා [ˈvædːaː], Tamil: வேடர் Vēdar) are a minority indigenous group of people in Sri Lanka who, among other self-identified native communities such as Coast Veddas, Anuradhapura Veddas and Bintenne Veddas,[5] are accorded indigenous status. The Veddha minority in Sri Lanka is in threat of becoming extinct] Most speak Sinhala instead owing to near-extinction of their indigenous languages.
PS. Have you come across a Jewish-Atheist, Christian-Atheist, Muslim-Atheist, Buddhist-Atheist, Hindu-Atheist, Peoples-Atheist etc?
/