By Jehan Perera –
Jehan Perera
The Sri Lankan government sees in the Indian Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi a new opportunity to win India over to its side. President Rajapaksa has made sure that he will be off to a flying start with his decision to be present at the swearing in of the new Indian Prime Minister, who had tweeted that it was a great pleasure to talk to the Sri Lankan President when he made his congratulatory call. It is clear that the Sri Lankan government leadership senses, or believes there is, a resonance with the new Indian leadership. Indeed, the change of government in India has opened up the possibility of a new dimension of personal warmth to enter into the relationship between the two leaders of Sri Lanka and India. There is every possibility of the personal charisma of President Rajapaksa, and his closeness to the ethos of the masses of people, to find resonance in the new Indian Prime Minister.
However, there is a danger of reading too much into the personal relations between leaders. Politicians and the general public have a tendency to prioritise the role of individuals in history. When Russia annexed Crimea, much of the debate in the international media revolved around the personal motivations of President Putin. In reality, however, individual leaders have a limited ability to affect international relations, which are primarily driven by geopolitical and socio-cultural forces. President Putin is important no doubt, but only insofar as he reflects the values and goals of his inner circle, a broader coalition of the elites that back him, and, no less importantly, the general population. All parties represented in the Duma (Russian Parliament) were behind the annexation. In the Duma vote, 445 votes were for the annexation with only one against. Not only did President Putin’s party, United Russia, support him, the other three parties, Just Russia, the Liberal Democrats and even the Communists, were also behind him.
This same prevalence of national interests over personal relationships can be seen in Sri Lanka’s own experience with India in the past. Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike enjoyed a warm personal relationship with Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Both were women leaders, both were widows bringing up families, and both were strong in their leadership. But when the Pakistan civil war broke out and India moved to cut off West Pakistan from East Pakistan, Prime Minister Bandaranaike gave permission to Pakistani airplanes to refuel in Sri Lanka. This would have been in opposition to India’s interests, but the Sri Lankan Prime Minister decided to act in Sri Lanka’s longer term interests. She was backed in this by the key decision makers within her government. During Sri Lanka’s own civil war, Pakistan was one of Sri Lanka’s staunchest allies, and its defense of Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council in March of this year was very special.
Disappointing Failure
The failure of President Rajapaksa to persuade Chief Minister of the Northern Provincial Council C V Wigneswaran to accompany the Sri Lankan delegation to the swearing in ceremony for Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi is another example of the limitation of relying on personal relationships. The Northern Chief Minister has, to all appearances, an affable personal relationship with President Rajapaksa. When there was doubt as to whom he would take his oaths before, and where he would take them, Chief Minister Wigneswaran came down to Colombo and took his oaths before the President. There is no doubt, that as an individual he would have liked to be at the swearing in ceremony of the new Indian Prime Minister at which the leaders of neighbouring countries and most of India’s states will be present. However, Chief Minister Wigneswaran felt constrained to decline the invitation to join the Presidential delegation to New Delhi.
In declining the President’s invitation the Chief Minister of the Northern Province said in a rather strongly worded letter that “acceptance would indicate that there exists a strong cooperative spirit between the Centre and the Province, when in fact the peoples of the North are engulfed in a climate of fear on account of the presence of the military while the activities of the Northern Provincial Council have been stultified. “ He had added that he would “be guilty of facilitating tokenism” had he accepted the invitation. Indeed, from the government’s perspective taking the Northern Chief Minister along would have given an impression of unity within Sri Lanka that has yet to materialize although five years have passed since the end of the separatist war.
It can be expected that the government will be disappointed at the Chief Minister’s rejection of the President’s invitation. However, the government’s inability to persuade him to join the government delegation in a show of Sri Lankan unity is an early warning to the government in relation to its strategy with the Indian government. Both India and Sri Lanka have their national interests, and these can diverge and converge. Personal relations alone are unlikely to be able to bring about a convergence where there is divergence. One area in which there is likely to be divergence is in relation to the manner in which the Sri Lankan government has been addressing post-war issues of governance in the North and East where the Tamil people live in large numbers. The lament of Chief Minister Wigneswaran about the militarization of the North and disempowerment of the Northern Provincial Council would be concerns that parties in Tamil Nadu would wish to take up with the Indian government.
Indian Concerns
India’s approach to conflict resolution in Sri Lanka so far has been to seek the devolution of power to the Tamil-majority areas, which would assuage the sense amongst the Tamil people that they are a marginalized community without access to state power. Under the previously dominant Congress-led governments, the Indian solution to Sri Lanka’s conflict has been to implement the 13th Amendment and provincial council system it established, and ensure the maximum possible devolution of power to the Tamil-majority areas. This solution has never been fully acceptable to successive Sri Lankan governments. However, in 2012, when an Indian all-party delegation led by Sushma Swaraj who led the BJP parliamentary opposition visited Sri Lanka they reaffirmed its commitment to the principle of devolution of power as a key part of the solution to the Sri Lankan conflict.
Prime Minister Modi has already come under criticism from political parties in the state of Tamil Nadu who are boycotting the swearing in ceremony on account of the invitation extended to the Sri Lankan President. Prime Minister Modi’s primary duty is to keep his huge country with its diverse peoples together. He will also be conscious that the BJP won only 31 percent of the popular vote, and with its allies won no more than 38 percent of the vote. There is a vast mass of people whom he has to take along with his government if fragmentation is not to occur in India. The fact that Sri Lanka’s Tamil community is bound by kinship and close cultural ties with the Tamils who inhabit southern India links the two countries together. This is a reality that any Indian government will seek to cope with in a manner that is not detrimental to its own internal relations.
The Sri Lankan government needs to appreciate this reality if it is to build on the personal rapport that President Rajapaksa is surely likely to generate with Indian Prime Minister Modi. But there is also sure to be another important issue that will have to be faced. This is Sri Lanka’s relationship with other great powers and their impact on India’s national security concerns. President Rajapaksa gives his primary and focused attention to Sri Lanka’s national sovereignty and national security interests. He is therefore well suited to understand that Prime Minister Modi is likely to have the similar concerns where it concerns India. A potential rise in nationalism in India might also become a subject of concern, with implications not just for India’s relations with China, but also its approach toward Pakistan, multilateral issues and the United States. In dealing with other foreign powers, it will be necessary for Sri Lanka to take India’s national security concerns seriously if it is to keep Prime Minister Modi’s goodwill.
Indra / May 26, 2014
Is there a Gratien Prize for [Edited out]? Read this:
“The Sri Lankan government sees in the Indian Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi a new opportunity to win India over to its side.” Also wishful thinking.
“President Rajapaksa has made sure that he will be off to a flying start”. Also, wishful thinking.
“Indian Prime Minister, who had tweeted that it was a great pleasure to talk to the Sri Lankan President”. Ha ha.
“There is every possibility of the personal charisma of President Rajapaksa, and his closeness to the ethos of the masses of people, to find resonance in the new Indian Prime Minister.” There is no such charisma, no such ethos. Many people just throw up when they see the image of that Jarapassa face inserted in these pages.
“President Rajapaksa gives his primary and focused attention to Sri Lanka’s national sovereignty and national security interests.” This is an outright lie. Jehan knows that the only focus is on making money and consolidating the Jarapaksa hegemony.
Jehan, if you must write for a living at least be courageous enough to tell him what is right and what Modi will be interested to hear. Some of these are:
1. That GoSL will administer the country in a manner which is just and fair by all citizens.
2. That GoSL will enforce the law, like in India, that punishes individuals and entities that stir up hate between communities.
3. That GoSL will repeal the 18th amendment to the Constitution and allow the people to manage local affairs pertaining to their areas without interference from the GoSL. Tell the idiot President that this is the greatest gift he can bestow on Modi to secure his everlasting gratitude because that will enable him to boast for eternity that he secured the just aspirations of the Tamil Nation (and in the process rub Jaya Lalitha’s nose in the mud) to achieve a lasting peace without firing a single gun in anger.
4. That GoSL will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law the LTTE war criminals who are in your cabinet and who were responsible for assassinating Rajiv Ghandhi
5. That GoSL will co-operate with the international war crimes enquiry to establish the responsibility of Government and LTTE persons for atrocities committed.
6. That GoSL will dismiss the current Chief Justice and appoint instead a person who does not have the reputation of being MR’s personal cksu..er.
If you cannot write on these lines, despite believing in them, then for ever your writings will remain just bla bla. Don’t write.
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eusense / May 26, 2014
Indra,
You need to learn a lot about politics. There is no perfect country any where in this world. You appear to be ignorent about India’s own situation with regard to its governance in areas you list.
For some reason separatist diaspora want Sri Lanka to be the only squeeky clean country of the world! Good luck
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wathie / May 27, 2014
Modi is a true Indian nationalist. He knows that Tamil Nadu Tamils (5%) are the greatest danger to the unity of his country. Tamils led the Dravidians demanded for the division of India even before Jinna wanted Pakistan. Practically every Indian knows Tamils wanted divide Sri Lanka first and then spill it over to India. That’s why Tamils get no support for their project from 95% of Indians.
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Leelawathie / May 26, 2014
Indra@,
please dont take this “EUSENSE OR NOSENSE” that serious. He is just an another appointed by Raja niwatayas to balance the discussions on this forum.
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Dodo / May 26, 2014
Modi’s handshake with Rajapaksa was cold indeed – compared to how Modi greeted the other SAARC leaders as evident from his body language and time spent in greetings..
Rajapaksa is the only leader accused of WAR CRIMES whose presence at Modi’s coronation was protested by Indian citizens..
Wherever he goes there are protests, that is why Rajapakse likes visiting dictatorships – Bahrain, Uganda etc.
Modi will have no patience with Jarapassa’s Sinhala Buddhist racism and destruction of Hindu places of worship either..
The apparent honeymoon will soon be over and Rajapaksa will be held accountable for FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF 13th AMENDMENT PLUS by the Modi regime.
IF Jarapassa refuses to corporate, he will be held accountable for WAR CRIMES.
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Amarasiri / May 27, 2014
Dodo,
“Rajapaksa is the only leader accused of WAR CRIMES whose presence at Modi’s coronation was protested by Indian citizens.. Wherever he goes there are protests, that is why Rajapakse likes visiting dictatorships – Bahrain, Uganda etc. Modi will have no patience with Jarapassa’s Sinhala Buddhist racism and destruction of Hindu places of worship either..”
Tamil Nadu and Tamils in India must organize protest in India, if Rajapaksa Visits India. Modi cannot keep ignoring the protests…
Rajapaksa will be asked why are they protesting every time you come to India?
What will Rajapaksa Say?
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Amarasiri / May 26, 2014
Jehan Perera –
“The Sri Lankan government sees in the Indian Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi a new opportunity to win India over to its side. President Rajapaksa has made sure that he will be off to a flying start with his decision to be present at the swearing in of the new Indian Prime Minister, who had tweeted that it was a great pleasure to talk to the Sri Lankan President when he made his congratulatory call. “
Jehan, what did Mr. Rajapaksa do over the past 5 years?
What did the Allies do after 1945 after the end of Word War 2?
Ask Mahinda Rajapaksa Shill can you explain to Mr. Hahinda Rajapaksa?
Mr. Modi will be asking this question from Mr. Rajapaksa.
As his tutor, try to find some good answers.
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Rajash / May 28, 2014
Apparently, Mahinda’s astrologer made hm a special charm to wear all the time when he went to New Delhi. We have not seen any close up photos yet as the ones during CHOGAM and hi Al Jazeera interview
Poor Mahinda decided that he only option is to resort to black magic to tame Modi and get him on his side. The author as Indra says is full of wishful thinking
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Ram / May 26, 2014
Those who pooh poohed the news that there was an attempt by the LTTE rump to resuscitate it in Sri Lanka must be aghast at the news of the arrest of 3 more LTTE terrorists (with a large sum of money)in Malaysia. It was they who arrested Gobi, another with the same evil intent, about 2 months ago and the fact that more are being sought before they can create mayhem in Malaysia itself is great news.
We can ONLY hope that our neighbours behave with similar alacrity to bring terrorism to an end once and for all, but with Jayalalitha still in power.. hmmm.
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Kiri Yakka / May 26, 2014
Wake up Jehan,
“There is every possibility of the personal charisma of President Rajapaksa, and his closeness to the ethos of the masses of people, to find resonance in the new Indian Prime Minister.”
Seems that you too are carried a way by his charm. The Tamils of India do not see the “closeness to the ethos of the masses of people ” – they have seen enough of mass murder.
Dream on my friend. Sucking up is the only solution for MR. But then Modi must be getting an over dose of it right now.
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Andare / May 26, 2014
Modi tells his [Edited out]: “Enough enough. I’ll kill you if you don’t stop the Sooppuwa. It is hurting.”
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Mallaiyuran / May 26, 2014
Charm, here used as a deceiving word to polish the corrupted politician’s activities to appear as legal. Kings relationship is only with corrupted nations and corrupted peoples. That is not charming.
King rushed to Delhi only to investigate which spot is better for him to start sparing with Modi. Sonia’s revenge mentality was good soft target for King to practice his punches. CV came to Colombo to take oath while entire TNA was protesting against him on. CV did not do it as facilitating Kings Tokenism. So, that did not give any advantage for selling Kings’ corruption to North or producing a new Devanda form CV. No way Modi can be turned into another Sonia. Kings has to forget about it.
King’s flying to Delhi may give the same effect What CV’s oath at Colombo did, but on the opposite side viewing. There appears, there are no soft parts on Modi for the King to practice his punches. If King is not changing his charm to a working relationship, Modi too going to say he cannot be part on “be guilty of facilitating tokenism”. This charm worked with West only until LTTE was there. After that west has lost the attraction of King’s charm. In other word, just the way the West and CV resisted to the corrupted buying practices of the King, Modi will too resist it soon. His administration in Gujarat is a monumental witness of how to survive corruption.
Lanka’s problem is not isolated one any more as Lanka is not an isolated country in the world any more. Modi can not just solve the Lanka problem or just ignore it possible anymore. See my previous comment too.
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/modi-and-mahinda-the-twain-will-meet-on-monday/comment-page-1/#comment-1299285
RSS has acknowledged that the Eelam Tamils’ problem can be a thorny issue to Modi. Everybody knows the Al Qaeda problem is one created by Reagan era America. The current status of the Lanka’s problem earns the same merit to Sonia’s Congress too. That is, instead of solving the Lanka problem, that was a problems about to be go solved by negotiations after the international countries stopped LTTE from capturing the North in 2002, the Sonia’s Congress put forward “NO” as the answer to effort of Norway and dragged it until Mullivaaikkaal. (Norway is, now, likely to come forward and release some of Sonia’s Congress conduct, for Public consumption). Reagan created Al Qaeda and Bush , not knowing to deal with it, fought with it. Indira Gandhi created rebels and Sonia not knowing to deal with them, fought with them. Now it has become an International problem. By protecting King from international efforts of stopping the war, Sonia has turned it into Genocide/War Crime inquiry. RSS see this does not offer an easy way out for Modi to solve Tamils’ problem. Sonia has made the problem into three fold by dragging it up to Mullivaaikkaal. Now BJP has three problems. First is, since the Tamils are perceived as Hindus, to keep the image of its Hindu color and to keep the Tamil Nadu cool and prevent it keep creating political turmoil, Modi has to solve the Tamils’ problem. He cannot afford to watch the way Vajpayee did it. Second is, China has firmly footed in India’s backyard. After so many things said and wrote, now the relationship China has with Lanka is not a trade relationship like China has with Middle East, South America, and Africa et al. So this is more than a trade. A story they say is “Once a thief who had climbed high up on a gardener’s coconut tree was caught by the owner. The owner shouted to the thief from bottom to come down and was asking why the thief was climbing on his tree. The thief came down and answered that he was looking for to cut some grass for his hungry calf.” Lanka is a country in a strategic Geo- position. After putting in all these unrecoverable loans and other efforts, if China replies it was trying to cut some grass for its hungry calf in Lanka, the story will be received by International community with due suspicion. Sonia’s Congress refused to accept the ground realities or pretended did not, just to revenge Tamils. So it has been acting like it was competing with China in Lanka for trade. Instead of creating real trade relations, Sonia’s congress has been giving substantial freebies for Kings Family to keep hidden both parties’ illegal trades. These freebies were no match at all to the massive billions dollar loans China was pumping into Lanka to buy Lanka inch by inch. China has now made Lanka obligated to say “yes” for anything it ask for. Now the question for Modi is, Is he capable of redeeming Lanka from China so that Lanka will not be obligated to China to help it in a war situation, as way it helped to Pakistan in 1971. The third is Genocide/War Crime and the West. West appears to hold the war crime trump card over Lanka not just to bring in a regime change. Until Modi’s election, like many others, that is what I thought too. Now it does not appear to be just so. America one time blamed LTTE to throne The King. But, right away swallowed it its own word and worked with King to wipe out LTTE. After the war, in the next election, America dumped UNP, for which loss it had blamed LTTE, created a common candidate. India did not like Fonseka, but, yet he is not as hate-able as UNP to India either. All the way from Indra Gandhi’s time UNP is India’s enemy . The first thing India would not like to happen in Lanka’s political sky is that UNP coming back to power. Teasing Mrs Gandhi, beating up of Rajiv to cheating on India-Lanka Pact, throwing IPKF out of Lanka, everything done by UNP was an anti-Indian act. Now, UNP’s Ranil is being pushed up by America, instead of the common candidate, whom it invented in 2010. This, America would know for sure, India will not like. So the answer to the question why America is taking this risk is, America now (after Modi’s arrival) really interested its person on the power in Lanka. That indicates, now, America too have interests, more than mere regime change, with Lanka the same way like the China. Sonia’s Congress went on the path of revenge rather than keep up the same aggressiveness Indira and Rajiv Gandhi had showed in managing Lanka. From 2008, Lanka the Prize Fruit of India has been pecked little by little by the same tree squirrel China and the far away bird America. Longer the time Modi takes to saves its prize, the more only of the skin and seeds are going to left over to India, and the flesh of the fruit will be gone. Modi will not be afforded to say that he is a prime minister elected only for India and stay put contented with that. Modi will be forced to act on Lanka’s issues. Only a few Lankans would argue against it. But how is it going to be is the one let to be seen. One of the greatest Sri Lanka’s diplomats, JR, found it is too difficult to deal with India. Premadasa completely broke up with it. Chandrika stayed away from it. Surprisingly, King won every bit of diplomatic game with India. A first look of this may make it to appear that the King is the best diplomat Lanka ever saw. But, someone analyze the India side on Kings period will know that the King, at lease, had gone to Law College, but the one on the other side had not achieved even that. The blind relationship that existed between India and Lanka during the Sonia and King time was like a girl who fell in mad love with her boy, surrendered every hold of her to him. (Those who know Tamil knows that word is not mine and I am borrowing it form Naavukkarasar’s esoteric poetry. The meaning of the song is here. http://myanasworth.wordpress.com/2010/03/01/esoteric-poetry/, the YouTube part is here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsSjzeo1kYA). In that time India surrendered anything it had with it to Lanka. The story of India with Pakistan China, America… during the period was much different. It is purely of ignorance and stupidity rather than the infatuation for revenge. Pakistan has built an extensive terror network direct and through Lanka, on the Indian soil. This is interconnected with Human smuggling, Criminals protection, contraband and drug dealings, counterfeit rupee printing network, arms dealing, fake passport for proscribed groups…… everything. Even if Navas Sheriff thought of getting along with India, ISI not going to give in. The extensive penetration of Pakistan, direct and though Lanka, will be a challenge for Modi throughout his Premiership period. Pakistani fire crackers (rather than the usual Chinese ones) bound to blast all over India for the next few years. They have indicated that by already attacking the Indian sub-embassy in Afghanistan. This will be increasing, with especially the increase in Tamil Nadu on exponential propotion, using the newly opened up route Colombo. America’s expectations, from India regarding Lanka, are going to be a challenge. America wants to handle China though Lanka. For that it wants India’s help. America wants to expand its trade with South India and Lanka. For that it wants India’s help. It wants a share of the strategically located Lanka’s advantage too. America wants a new post USSR era military-emphasized relationship with India too. Whatever the solution Modi propose to Lanka has to address all these. This is why America prefers UNP in power. But Modi would like to solve all these without allowing UNP to the power. China, the coconut tree thief, in realty does not care of whoever is in power in Lanka. Even if UNP come to power, it knows to sign a Rubber-Rice pact. At same time, if UNP wins the next election and King wants to hold the power, China would not mind to give all necessary arms for loan to King to put down all uprising and bring the country under control. China will not mind India’s or America’s opinion on this or rules of a free election and power changing methods in a democratic country. This is unlikely become a problem as there is very little chance anybody wining standing oppose King in the coming election. All winnable candidates like Chandrika, Fonseka, and Ranil will be dealt in the criminal court so they are unlikely to go up to the Election Day as opposing candidates. But, Chinese spies agencies are, under business company names, delivering services for Indian Central Government. Modi will have to deal minimum with these Sri Lanka’s current conditions. He knows that from the time Sonia took the baton, India has fallen far behind on the relay. Without interaction, Modi cannot stand alone in trade relation, diplomatic foreign relation and the countries land and sea boarder relations. The strategic position of Lanka and the failure of Sonia’s handling of Lanka’s relation aggressively like Indira and Rajiv Gandhis did, is serious disadvantage to Modi. So he has invited his neighbors (Maldives, Bangladesh, Lanka, Pakistan…) and has indicated that he is ready to erase every point India has on the score board and start with a clean slate. He is expecting the others to match him and give up the extra mileage they gained during Sonia’s time. Lanka, even before his call reach colombo, it has rushed to Delhi, ready to sign another Indo -Lanka pact. It knows there will be always a time that any pact can be tear off. So, if Modi played “no hold barred game” any time during his tenure, Lanka will play low profile and wait for a time to overturn the pact, after he leave. The advantage for King, here is, Modi will not like UNP coming to power. So that he too unlikely act on anything if China and Lanka get into a pact to save the throne for King in the next election too. So all the dealing Modi like to have with Lanka, as it appears at this stage, will be with King. This will be a lot of ailing to Tamils and to America too. Though King has this advantage, on the disadvantage side, the biggest entanglement that is going to be between King and Modi is the 13+. BJP will hold the from not going back from the promise King gave to the Indian Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh and the opposition leader Sushma Swaraj. They will be holing it like a Pact No-2 signed between India and Lanka. King may survive until next election (2015-2016) pointing on that to Modi saying any substantial change that may affect Sinhalese mass’s perception of giving in to Tamils is not possible for him until the election is over. If Modi does not want to see UNP back again on the power, he has to give in for King. But, after the election, there will be so many variable will be present, no prediction can serve any purpose.
Mallaiyuran
May 26, 2014 at 9:57 am
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Tamodaya / May 26, 2014
Tamils boycotted Modi swearing in.
MR participated as a VVIP invitee.
Tamils can get back to weeping and howling.
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Javi / May 26, 2014
!Tamils can get back to weeping and howling. !
Para Sihala/demla lanka will be nuked not by NaMo but by Chennai as in the good old days of the Maratha Army the only martial force of the region.
Problem solved for all the large nations for 1000 years.
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Amarasiri / May 26, 2014
Javi
“Para Sihala/demla lanka will be.. “
“Para Sihala/demla lanka will be nuked not by NaMo but by Chennai ….”
Thank you for picking up on the fact of Para-Sinhala and Para-Tamil, in the Land of native Vedda.
Let’s get the para-Sinhala and Part=-Tamils to South India, so that there is no need to nuke Lanka, the Land of Native Vedda.
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Afzal / May 26, 2014
JP is has been mesmerized by the personal charisma of President Rajapaksa, that has prevented him from clearly grasping the ground reality. It’s unfortunate people are still writing such crap without any regards to the chaos around them.
JP has picked a suitable picture to hammer his point.
The whole country is in a total mess, the economy is be hurriedly driven towards self destruction. N Modi did not care if the TN politicos boycott the ceremony. This is not a personal invitation besides India and Sri Lanka were not in any kind of political stand off.
If N Modi does not care about the TN political opposition to inviting MR to ceremony surely N Modi has something in up his sleeves. We will know how the real drama is played out within the next few months.
However knowing MR he will only look for his political survival which would mean he will resits N Modi as much as possible to hoodwink wise voters of Sri Lanka which does not take lot to convince. This will allow the Chinese to feed more carrot to MR. Surely MR will indicate to N Modi he is to face Presidential Election within 18 months and will ask for space till then.
At the end when the MR regime is banished, we will be left with a rotten tomato.
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sach / May 27, 2014
spot on!
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Siripala / May 26, 2014
Srilanken army did a great job FOR INDIA by eleminating LTTE terror.
LTTE terror was a challenge to indian politics too.
Now as a repay, India should help srilanken nation by eleminating Rajapakshes from the Island.
Rajapakshes have been becoming a threat to all folks in present day srilanka. So no need to talk only about the harm by deploying still over 80 000 millitary ONLY in nothern soils… almost every other sinhalese is today made precarious about the prevailing situation. Crime rates have come to the levels that are comparable to those of Pakistan or any other low stadards cutlures. For srilanken context, this is not affordable. We the srilankens enjoyed more democractic values in the past.
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aratai / May 26, 2014
.
Modi did not invite Rajapakse, he invited the President of Srilanka.
:-)
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paul / May 26, 2014
Why didn’t he invite the Prime Minister of TGTE?
:-)
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Tamodaya / May 27, 2014
He did.
TGTE rejected the invitation on policy grounds! :))
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aratai / May 27, 2014
Paul, because TGTE is not part of SAARC (yet?).
:-)
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Tamodaya / May 27, 2014
What a dumb foolish thing to say!
He knows who the president is!
Tamils LOST again. NO Tamil at the ceremony. :(
On the way back, MR can drop in at Chen-Nai airport just to annoy FAT Jaya.
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Kiri Yakka / May 27, 2014
If the vast majority elect a donkey instead of a human being, the donkey would have been invited by Modi and would have caused him less embarrasment
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K.A Sumanasekera / May 27, 2014
Can’t these Christian NGOs offer some of these “U Beauty” advice to the main Opposition Party the UNP , which is now totally controlled by the Christian Faction lead by Mr Ranil W. ?.
“TNA can’t get any concessions from the Govt because the UNP is waiting to thrash Rajapaksa if he gives any,” according to the Vellala CM.
UNP big mouth Tissa Attanayaka is in the Press now saying Rajapaksa will be in trouble with PM Modi if the NPC doesn’t get everything laid out in the 13th by India.
Why doesn’t the UNP come clean and tell the inhabitants in clear terms that they want Sambandan to have full Land Powers and his own Police?.
That the UNP guarantees bipartisan support for constitutional amendments if needed.
And they will attend the PSC and work with the Govt to get a majority by passing the fringe elements who practice extremism.
Wouldn’t that clear the decks and allow the Govt to talk turkey with the TNA and please the UNP backers in the West?.
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Kiri Yakka / May 27, 2014
Sad to see Jehan succumb to the charms or MR as GL,Dayan and other lesser beings. MR was nothing but a great embarrassment to Modi an accidental invite that Modi could have done without. Not sure if the folks in Glasgow are looking forward to his arrival. He may ruin their show too.
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Rajash / May 28, 2014
“In reality, however, individual leaders have a limited ability to affect international relations, “>>>>
What nonsense. take JFK, Geroge Bush , Clinton they changed the geo politics of the world because of their individual leadership and personilty. Comapre that with Obama he has not clout on the international stage or that of Reagan or peanut Carter.
In the UK Tony Blair and Thatcher because of their leadership and personality had more international clout compared to John Major Geroge Brown.
we need to wait and see if Modi-fication wil have any internationl clout.
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sridas sivasambo / June 2, 2014
Think again, Jehan
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