11 December, 2024

Blog

Midterm US Politics & Postterm Post-Rajapaksa Politics 

By Rajan Philips

Rajan Philips

Thanks to global information overreach, the American midterm elections have been splashed everywhere in everyone’s face. American elections are canonically fixed for their timing, not necessarily for their fairness. Mid-term elections are held between two presidential elections to elect 435 members for a two-year term to the House of Representatives, and a third of the Senate whose 100 members serve a six-year term. In addition, multiple states have their legislature and Governor’s elections in the same mid-term year. Mid-term elections are a referendum on sitting Presidents, especially in their first term, and verdicts usually go against the incumbent President’s Party. President Biden was expected to fare worse than any of his recent predecessors. As it turned out he has performed better than any of them, Democratic or Republican. President George W Bush said he and his Party got a “thumping” after the 2006 mid-term. Obama called it “shellacking” after his mid-term experience in 2010. 

If there was any thumping or shellacking last week, it was not in politics but in cricket down under, at the Adelaide Oval, where the national icons of Indian Cricket were memorably thrashed by a relatively nameless team from England which now has a PM of Indian origin to boast. England will now face Pakistan in the 20-over World Cup final, thirty years after a charismatic Imran Khan led his country to its first (50-over) and only World Cup victory, defeating England in the final, which too was played in Australia. 

In a curious twist of cricket and politics, Imran Khan is now a deposed Prime Minister leading the charge against the powerful Pakistani military, accusing its top brass and the Pakistani government of plotting to kill him after a gunman’s failed attempt on his life. Ever the fighter, now with his right leg in a cast after the shooting, the former cricketer has become the most serious political threat to the country’s all-powerful military establishment.

Talking of cricket, Sri Lankan cricket is earning notoriety on rape charges in Australian courts after losing out on Australian cricket grounds. What a fall from the winning feats of Arjuna Ranatunga, the spinning exploits of Muralitharan, and the batting brilliance of Mahila Jayawardena and Kumar Sangakkara! For a fleeting moment, there was something to celebrate about a pathbreaking achievement in the Booker Prize award for a Sri Lankan novel, but then someone pettily decided to toss a piece of dung into a pot of literary milk with a pathetic charge of plagiarism. Be that as it may!     

Winners & Losers

President Biden has not only avoided the thumping and shellacking that Bush and Obama got, but has also performed better than any President since John F Kennedy at the national level, and is only the third President since 1900 (after Roosevelt in 1934 and Bush in 2002) to register a net gain of seats at the state level. The much touted red (Republican) wave was reduced to a ripple. So, President Biden did a victory lap in the White House with a vindicating press conference, while Republican leaders ran away from cameras. Except Trump, but as always coveting publicity for all the wrong reasons             

At the end of the day, and it is becoming a long election day for every election in the US with its state-specific and contested systems of vote counting, the President’s Democratic Party might lose control of both the House and the Senate, but by the slenderest of margins. Not at all by a landslide that Republicans were cockily waiting for. At the same time, Democrats may still retain their slender control of both, as they currently have. Or the Republicans may take the House, while Democrats keep the Senate. The final tally for the House may not be known for several weeks, and the status in the Senate may not be known until the runoff election in Georgia later in December, as no candidate passed the 50% thresh hold for outright victory. But the indeterminate results have not hampered political postmortems. Nor have they slowed down the Biden Administration which wants to make the maximum use of the current lame-duck status quo, before the newly elected Congress is sworn in January. 

The clear losers after the mid-term vote are Donald Trump and his brand of the Republican Party, on the one hand, and the Catholic-Action Supreme Court of the formally secular United States of America. Besides the pundits, Trump was the only political leader who was boastfully predicting a Republican red wave, and if it has materialized, he would have taken to his megaphone MAGA (Make America Great Again) politics and triumphantly announced his candidacy for a third time in 2024. With the mid-term Republican setbacks, Trump cannot take another Republican ticket for granted. But that does not rule out his candidacy as an independent Trump-Republican. He might decide to run for presidency not with any hope of winning, but as a political safeguard against potential indictments in the courts by the US Justice Department.   

In addition to Trump’s political antics and disrespect for the law, the Republican chances in the mid-term elections were undermined by the overturning of the longstanding Roe vs Wade Supreme Court decision on women’s abortion rights, by a conservative majority of six judges of the present Court, five of whom are Catholics and the sixth had a Catholic upbringing. In exit polls during voting, abortion was the second most voting driver after inflation and cost of living, and it certainly cost the red wave for the Republicans.

The Catholic-Conservative dominance of the US Supreme Court began during the Reagan presidency and is a direct result of the economic mobility of American Catholics and their increasing migration from being a mostly immigrant, working class vote base of the Democratic Party, to becoming a wealthy and influential Republican constituency. 

According to a recent statistical study of Supreme Court rulings in cases involving religion over nearly 70 years (1953-2020) by two respected empirical law scholars (Lee Epstein and Eric Posner), there have been two major shifts in the court’s rulings: a leftward shift in the 1960s and 1970s, and a rightward shift since the 1990s. However, in recklessly overturning Roe vs. Wade, the Catholic conservative judges may have dared too much, and have in fact created an unprecedented political backlash against their ideological judicial agenda. 

At the same time, the rise of Catholic conservatism in the US, like Rishi Sunak’s rise in British political society, is also symptomatic of the inclusiveness of the American society, albeit at the regressive, if not wrong, end of the ideological spectrum. It is also true that notwithstanding Trump’s ugly racism, there has been an increase in the number of Latinos and African Americans voting for the Republican Party, and a number of them becoming Republican candidates. This year’s mid-term election also saw several firsts – of women, lesbians, and Black people winning elections to hitherto barred elected offices in a number of states.  

The mid-term election results show that racism, bigotry and, more broadly, anti-foundational populism can be pushed back both politically, even electorally, and through constitutional means. They also show the institutional resilience of the American polity in pushing back the onslaughts of Donald Trump. Other societies would have buckled under such attacks against the political order, even though launching attacks against the political system for personal gains and without any serious political purpose can only be seen as a unique trait of US Trumpism.  

Post-Term, Post-Rajapaksa Politics

However much one might despise and disparage the Rajapaksas, there is one thing to be said to their credit that they did not choose to dig in their heels and unleash state terror or thug terror on protestors. Not that they did not think of doing it, or thought better of it and gave up the idea, or found the aragalaya movement too formidable to take on. Or a hundred other reasons. Some of them tried it on May 9, with disastrous results. Not Gotabaya Rajapaksa. He may or may not have left what he wouldn’t do to be done by his chosen successor, Ranil Wickremesinghe, who did it anyway. 

As the protest dust settles, Sri Lanka finds itself in a period of tense transition. The transition, or stalemate, whatever you might call it, is showing no sign of getting to an end. Put another way, post-Rajapaksa politics is beginning to look like post-term pregnancy, not a healthy situation for anyone. Sri Lanka has experienced political changes and successions through elections and between elections. But never before has there been such an extended transition. The departing political forces (i.e., Rajapaksas) are drawing out their departure. Their potential replacements are jostling for traction. 

Rajapaksas are virtually finished in politics – at least from the power business of politics. Ranil Wickremesinghe who was virtually finished in politics a year ago is trying to find his last wind to make most of the fortuity of his becoming President literally out of nowhere. At 73, Mr. Wickremesinghe is about the same age (in fact, a little older) as JR Jayewardene was when he became Prime Minister for the first time and Sri Lanka’s first Executive President soon after. But JRJ had four-fifths of the then parliament in his pocket, literally the resignation letters of his MPs and his Ministers. 

Even so the long parliament of 1977 was a substantial parliament in terms of its MPs and their endowments. And also, in terms of its accomplishments. Whether one agrees with them or not, they were significant and substantial. On the other hand, the present parliament is the most insubstantial parliament since parliamentary system was introduced in Sri Lanka. And President Wickremesinghe has to dole out cabinet positions from his presidential pocket to keep his parliamentary majority secure. 

Sri Lanka’s first Prime Minister, DS Senanayake wanted it written into the (Jennings-Soulbury) Constitution that the number of cabinet ministers in a government shall not exceed – if I remember right what I have read – 18. British officials advised him not to, as that would be unnecessarily restrictive. Now the Constitution is not restrictive, but permissive. And not only is President Wickremesinghe expanding his cabinet, but he is also expanding the self-assignment of portfolios to himself as President. On all important matters, the Wickremesinghe Administration is a one-man band. The unimportant matters are the playing fields for corrupt middlemen and money makers. 

If the government, or what is there in name, lacks direction, the opposition is in disarray. There have been two separate protests in the name of the same people. The first was on October 27 by JVP-led trade unions, and the second on November 2 by non-JVP unions with limited show by SJB stalwarts. Neither protest gave worries to the government, nor did they make any political gain for the organizers. The JVP seems to have gotten itself into a puritanical political bubble, and is intending to stay there until elections are called. The SJB is all over the map, with as many heads as it has MPs. Between them, the two have made parliament more worthless than what the SLPP has already turned it into. And they are contributing to the post-term extension of post-Rajapaksa politics.      

Latest comments

  • 7
    1

    Rajan Philips has to provide supporting arguments, when saying something.
    He says, ‘American elections are canonically fixed for their timing, not necessarily for their fairness’.
    – canonically fixed, – obvious; evident. Doesn’t require to be supported.
    – not necessarily for their fairness, – ? Where is evidence?
    (When you don’t provide evidence, it is merely a personal opinion.)
    .
    If the article is on World Cricket, the picture looks vivid and better.
    But, some adjustment to the assessment on Sri Lankan batsmen becomes necessary.
    Mahila Jayawardena and Kumar Sangakkara are truly great; but, the adjective brilliant belongs elsewhere. (I’ll leave it at that, unless I am called upon to provide names.)
    .
    Credit goes where credit belongs.
    ‘They also show the institutional resilience of the American polity in pushing back the onslaughts of Donald Trump’.
    Accurate and True.
    America practices democracy. Democracy gains meaning in their hands.

    • 5
      4

      N
      “not necessarily for their fairness, – ? Where is evidence?”
      Do you remember the number of rejected votes in the George Bush Jr elections?
      Are you aware of persistent issues of registration of voters?
      Most importantly, how politically literate is the electorate, and how fair are the media?
      *
      If America practices democracy, how come Biden got the Democratic Party nomination?
      An ill informed electorate thoroughly misled by the dominant media cannot be seriously practicing ‘democracy’ when money decides much of the outcome.
      *
      Please read even parts of “Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right” by Jane Mayer.

      • 5
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        Nathan, you are absolutely right. Biden has historically achieved what was last witnessed decades ago. Senate is already under Democratic control,( 50 to 49 ) and there is no need to wait until Georgia runoff. The House may go to Republicans but only with a very slender margin. Even today Democratic’s have a small chance of prevailing. ( 204 to 212). There is still possibility of Democratic party getting the necessary 14 seats for majority ( holding nine where they have steady leads and win five out of six where count is neck and neck). Except for abortion laws every thing else was against Biden. But young people between 20 and 35 years voted heavily for Biden ( women outnumbering by more than 60 to 70 %). For people who think Putin and Xi, electing them selves as lifetime Presidents is fair , progressive and democratic this may appear ill informed, just as them.

        • 0
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          Predictions are Republicans need 3 and Democrats 6 to get to House majority where margins are too close. Out of which many are from California.one each from Oregon and New York. Who ever wins may have less than 5 majority.

    • 5
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      True, True, SJ, but I’m still glad the Senate hasnt yet passed to the Reps. & the woman who just came in seems to have a decent voting history. It’s frightening the developments we’ve been seeing in the U.S.

      • 7
        1

        “America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between.” — O. Wilde


        There is a brutal honesty about America ……… they value money above everything else and don’t hide it.

        There is a pretence in the rest of the world ……… although they too value money above everything else, they pretend that other things are more important than money …….

        To me, that pretence/illusion ……. the make-believe world …….. in some of the other places around the world ……… is more alluring

        To me, America is a soulless place ……. How many big houses, cars, TVs …….. can you ……. live-in, drive, watch?

        Driving/riding through small-town America is a real eye-opener …….

        America is just another place on this earth …….. populated by humans …….. Trump proved my initial childhood suspicion ……….

      • 1
        1

        Oh dear, SJ, that
        (‘True, True, SJ, but I’m still glad the Senate hasnt yet passed to the Reps’)
        got posted under the wrong post by you. It referred to later remarks by you here.

      • 5
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        MF. You should be more concerned about things at the tip of your nose than things farther down the road. Like for example the rotten state of the Srilankan judiciary.

        • 1
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          MF, LM & OC. I have emailed the entire sad story involving the judiciary to the Editors of CT. I can assure you it would be of parochial interest to you if you could have them forwarded it to you. It will also make clear to you the threats, harassment I received from “Snake_Man”, Panini Edirishnghe who had in his little mind got the heart of the story upside down revealing how nasty he is wasting no time to convince the world “he knows it all”.

          • 4
            1

            Please note this comment by the very intelligent hanchopancha.
            .
            He wants “Colombo Telegraph” to start rousing public opinion on behalf of his private Land Dispute which has probably now gone into the archives of some Land Registry.
            .
            He may genuinely have been victimised, but in these matters the aggrieved has to find lawyers who will fight his case fro him.
            .
            I told him that; he turned nasty. The same happened to Nagananda K., Harini Amarasuriya and others whom I don’t know. He tried to recruit leelagemalli, and Manel Fonseka.
            .
            CT can take it on, but I can’t see them obliging.
            .
            Panini Edirisinhe

        • 4
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          HANCHOPANCHA! – how on earth does an expression of interest in the US election negate my concern about any thing else!!!!!

          I wonder if you have written or been mentally & physically involved in local SL political, administrative, civil, political & human rights & culture as I have — & over many years.
          And I’m not speaking about in regard to personal matters (tho I/we have experienced quite a lot of injustice, etc, there, too).

          Should I detail all my other concerns whenever I drop a small, pretty minor, suggestion of interest about a particular one?

          I actually felt like challenging Dinuk about the ‘Red Wave”, especially since (if I havent misremembered) he seemed to support the attempted coup by the defeated Republican party 2 years ago & declare there was plenty of evidence to say the election was fraudulent. I wonder what he has to say now that a number of districts expected to Go or Stay red have actually gone blue!

      • 2
        3

        Manel
        “It’s frightening the developments we’ve been seeing in the U.S.”
        What we see are not new but visible signs of a decay of an imperialism caused by overreach.
        I place may hope in the awakening of a public, which still is alert to its legal and civic rights amid deception by the state and the media.

        • 3
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          LOL . Exactly the same statement ( nation is failing) Trump made on his own ” truth social ” ??? platform after learning the loss of Senate to Democrats. Not just the country but the world (especially Europe) is relieved except for Trump backers

          • 4
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            Except for very few, almost all election deniers ? Trump endorsed candidates were shown the exit. (including Governors, state sec, House and Senate candidates). Just today high profile Kari Lake was defeated in the race for Arizona Governor. Trump not only endorsed but personally campaigned for many of them and still lost. Lets wait for today’s so called big announcement of Trump running again for Presidency. Majority Republicans doesn’t want Trump anymore, but Trump being him self, may try to threaten / blackmail, by taking away his racist supporters causing further disarray. What ever the outcome , it will be a gift for Democrats. Biden can now relax and enjoy Trump’s antics , going against his own party candidates ( De Santis, Youngkin……)

            • 5
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              Sanity prevails. Final Count Democrats picked up one Senate seat and with that clear majority, Among Governors Democrats picked up 3, Republicans 1 , now the tally stands at 24 to 25 in favor of Republicans, House majority yet to be called, but NO Red wave ( just a drop ). If Republicans take over House, it will in turn help Democrats in 2024, by shielding them from passing any unpopular / unfavorable bills. (blocked by Republican controlled house ). Any bipartisan success will be credited to Democratic controlled Senate / Govt.

    • 3
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      Let green grass be the main food of this nation !!!!!

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBNtY3waIPE
      .
      There is more to weight myths than meets the eye. After introducing Diyasena Kumara, now it is working again…. Who is behind this?

  • 9
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    “canonically fixed”

    Ranil is trying to make election canonically unfixed

    If any elections are held …….. :))))

  • 10
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    I had a bad dream last night ……… in the dream, they had hung Native Vedda upside down on a lamppost in The Galle Face Green ………. he recognized me and was calling for help ……… I ran and ran and ran ……… away ……… like there was no tomorrow

    “There’s a dream where the contents are visible
    Where the poetic champions compose
    Will you breathe not a word of this secrecy” — Queen of the Slipstream

    We compose and write and write and write here to no avail. …….. Man, I don’t know who among you feel the sheer hopelessness of it all: to know beforehand how all this is going to end.


    I insult Native, call him a women-beater ……. he insults me, calls me a Fascist ……. We get our rocks off and feel good about ourselves ……. that at least someone in some far corner of the universe has noticed our existence …….. that we are alive

    • 11
      2

      continued


      Thanks to the invention of the internet ……… people who wouldn’t have had a clue about one another’s existence, now know each other in the far off corners of the word …… Sinhala_Man in a far corner of the country is in conflict with Old Codger in another corner of the country, in conflict with Leelage Malli in another country. ………. Old Codger wouldn’t have known the existence of love in far off Pittsburgh. Native Vedda would’ve been a truer Buddhist, if cyber-women are not in the scene.

      • 11
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        continued

        If there was no internet and he didn’t know the existence of others, the only outlet for Sinhala_Man’s urge to save the nation/world would’ve been confined to his locale ……. although his 1/4hp Honda can’t muster the full power of a horse he would be riding to the rescue in local issues like a knight in shining armour to battle windmills of his mind ……. tummy full of scones notwithstanding …….

        I was thinking about a short story by Argentine author Borges that I read in my childhood ……… “Circular Ruins”

        “He wanted to dream a man; he wanted to dream him in minute entirety and impose him on reality. …………. he understood that he also was an illusion, that someone else was dreaming him”

        • 6
          1

          “He wanted to dream a man; he wanted to dream him in minute entirety and impose him on reality. …………. he understood that he also was an illusion, that someone else was dreaming him”.
          – You are well read, nimal.
          .
          I was so weak in English, I never read anything. A Tale of Two Cities of Charles Dickens was too much English for me!
          The only thing I read was the Atlas Hall notes.

        • 6
          0

          You read Borges in yr CHILDHOOD, Nimal! Wow!
          What are you reading these days?

          • 9
            0

            Manel,

            The books were lying around in our house. I read many non-English authors way back then. Borges, Kawabata, Mishima et al ……… and a book that had a profound effect on me very early on Camus’ L’Étranger ……… when they were very young, I introduced it to my kids as well but later felt perhaps I shouldn’t have …….. Lies and deception – up to a point – are an integral part of survival :))

            “To lie is not only to say what isn’t true. It is also and above all, to say more than is true and as far as the human heart is concerned, to express more than one feels. This is what we all do, every day, to simplify life.”


            to say more than is true — Sinhala_Man is an expert: takes the cake! :)))

            Strangely enough, I don’t read much these days …… don’t watch movies much …… don’t listen to music much ………. just silent contemplation :))

            • 6
              0

              continued

              But one simple pleasure recently, listening to a 5 piece jazz band in a small room – without any amplification – in Preservation Hall in New Orleans https://www.preservationhall.com/ ……. it showed up how inadequate HiFi gear is at producing live music realistically; especially my system, which until then I and a few visitors/friends thought was pretty close to the real thing.

          • 3
            0

            Manel Fonseka

            “You read Borges in yr CHILDHOOD, Nimal! Wow!”

            nimal is a good man (or woman).
            Do you think he is dropping names?

            Actually I learn the art of politely insulting people from him.
            I am grateful to him and want to share a pipe whenever he is free. The only problem is he is too busy, as you know he is another present day Casanova.

            • 5
              0

              Native,

              “Do you think he is dropping names?”

              Sure, I do! We all do …… but I make no pretence about it. :)) ……. If you are looking for modesty, especially false-modesty, you’ll have to look elsewhere.

              What do you this your great hero Ranil is doing? ……. Dropping whole libraries?

        • 8
          0

          Nimal,
          “If there was no internet and he didn’t know the existence of others,”
          Nobody would have heard of that cad Nihal Fernando either.
          Telephone numbers and telegrams would have to do instead of e-mail addresses. Imagine the thousands of hapless telephone operators all over the world trying to cope with an avalanche of irate calls from Bandarawela, the only place where scawns are available!

          • 5
            1

            OC
            How long can one whip a dead horse?

            • 5
              0

              SJ
              At least for a quarter of the time the horse has been kicking me. Do I detect some sympathy for the horse?
              Even I too feel the same. Perhaps the symptoms are caused by something we don’t know.

              • 2
                0

                old codger

                “Perhaps the symptoms are caused by something we don’t know.”

                Don’t you think its a sign of aging?
                Where is your sense of humour and tolerance?

                • 5
                  0

                  Native
                  I’m aging too, but………

              • 3
                0

                The dead deserve respect, even a horse.

          • 2
            0

            old codger

            Here is an interesting discussion, please watch when you have time:
            Defending democracy in Sri Lanka from repression
            Voice for Democracy in Sri Lanka
            Dr Jayampathy Wickramaratne
            Prof Jayadeva Uyangoda
            Ms Soraya Marikar Deen
            Mr Upul Jayasuriya
            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rYU2jSiptc

            Please watch Prof Jayadeva Uyangoda starting from 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. After listening to him I realised the country is in dire state.

            • 3
              0

              Native,
              What he says is true. The ruling class protects itself. All our rulers except Premadasa had familial connections to each other.

              • 3
                0

                old codger

                After listening to Prof Uyangoda I see much more difficult time ahead. Fascism can be dealt with people’s power however how would they deal with a security state?

                Gota, Mahinda, and the clan miscalculatedempowering the armed forces, police and like minded fellow paranoia sufferers.

                Even Ranil has allocated Rs 410 billions to defense, 35% of total state budget. What is his big idea? Is he trying to please the Kamalas, Shavendras, Weeping Weerasekera’s, and their Gestapos, Stasi,….. as he fears for the life and perk of corrupt politicians?

                Do you see future arm conflict between Sri Lanka and Hindia or the rest of the world?

  • 5
    0

    Cant wait for the latest election result in the US!

    • 3
      2

      Manel
      It will make far less difference to any of us than would an election in any Latin American country today.

      • 2
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        Oh dear, I posted a response to what you said here but it has disappeared and I dont want to see myself popping up twice saying the same thing. Shdnt be using my mobile late at night. Anyway, I basically agreed but welcome any brake on the seemingly nigh fascist element that has been emerging in the US .

  • 2
    0

    Midterm US Politics & Postterm Post-Rajapaksa Politics

    Failures one was ousted and one who has no votes with tie and coat. An expenditure of words without income of ideas will lead to intellectual bankruptcy. Today’s society is obsessed with success and achievement, Good in Suppression of people’s ideas.

  • 10
    1

    Elections are very unlikely to bring any system change that the country desperately needs now. The running between wickets and each one scoring during different overs has to end. The only solution seems to be a team of educated youth who braved the elements for months, to topple the gota presidency. The people must rise against their oppressors. It is quite a legitimate thing, to take back their country from a cabal of opportunistic parasites.

    • 6
      4

      Dear Lasantha,
      .
      You have said here: “The only solution seems to be a team of educated youth who braved the elements for months, to topple the Gota presidency.”
      .
      And you’ve been consistently saying that. The problems with that are:
      .
      1. Who is going to be the arbiter who decides which claims to accept?
      .
      2. What evidence are you going to accept (let’s say that you are the arbiter) that the claimants were indeed those who “braved …….. the Gota presidency”? The “opportunistic parasites” will prove too clever for us, and again creep in. I’d accept Wasantha Mudalige, but see the first two results I’ve got by googling:

      (2a). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inter_University_Students%27_Federation
      .
      (2.b) https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/profile/wasantha-mudalige
      .
      (2 c) YouTube gives you this:
      .
      https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=wasantha+mudalige+wikipedia#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:008e4106,vid:Z6ovg7W3MJE
      .
      For now I’d accept those 90 seconds, but will others accept it? In any case this is trusting profit-seeking google with far too much.

    • 5
      2

      Lasantha,
      .
      The problem faced by us is summed up in less than 2 minutes here:
      .
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr3VZJUItAs
      .
      The two problems with that response are that (1) this appears only in one language – Sinhala. In the current context of Lanka, if we added Tamil and English, we may be said to have honestly covered most of the stake-holders in our country – including the diaspora. I have commented before this about how little is available from the Group in Tamil.
      .
      (2) And this is being said by one of the contenders for office.
      .
      Most of us would agree that English is not a suitable language for this conversation, and yet we are discussing this in that language.
      .
      Let me see what you, or others say to this. Of course this is assuming that you and others have nothing better to do but to wait for the next update of comments. I don’t think that we have a viable alternative.
      .
      All that I can offer is my subjective experience, which most would reject. Who you are is quite clear; the articles by you carry your photograph, etc. I try to compensate for my obscurity by being as open as possible about who I am.
      .
      I don’t expect others to follow suit!
      .
      Panini Edirisinhe of Bandarawela (NIC 483111444V)

      • 5
        1

        Sinhala-Man: Please take a little time and listen to:

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPtfu70Nkko

        This is a speech by Thilan Wijesinghe an Ananadian, a BOI Chairman.

        • 7
          0

          Have you ever heard of sanctimonious rogues/humbugs?

          This guy solicited a bribe while chairman of BOI ……. it was so blatant …… had to be removed although he had much support from CBK.

          Talk is cheap …..the funny thing is, the fine education he boasts about has had very little effect on him …….. just like all the books Ranil has collected has had very little effect on him …..

          “And life has not been devised by morality: it wants deception, it lives on deception–but wouldn’t you know it?” —- Human, All Too Human :))


          That’s why I trust Native and hangout with him ….. he has no education, has read no book: just a plain and simple humbug ………. without the ol’ sanctimonious …….

          • 8
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            nimal fernando

            “he has no education, has read no book: just a plain and simple humbug ………. without the ol’ sanctimonious ……”

            I feel much much better now.
            Recharged and fired up and ready to go.
            Thanks.

          • 1
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            Oh, dear nimal,
            .
            I thought that speech quite impressive.
            .
            The world seems to be getting all topsy-turvy.
            .
            I’ve been looking for some silver-lining in all the clouds that lour upon our land.

          • 8
            0

            nimal fernand: Thank you for the information provided: “Have you ever heard of a sanctimonious rouge/humbug” and continued: ” This guy solicited a bribe while chairman of BOI……it was blatant…..had to be removed although he had much support from CBK”

            You are a walking Encyclopedist. Without you and your comments, this page would have been a ‘Dark Cave”. Thank you again.

        • 2
          8

          Thank you, Simon.
          .
          I have given your comment its first like.
          .
          This clearly is a speech that required courage and a remarkable sense of values to make. I listened to it all (67 minutes of well-delivered English).
          *
          Let me now get that link more prominently displayed.
          *
          *
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPtfu70Nkko
          *
          *
          Only 851 views so far at 04:44; only 22 hours since being posted here. Mine is only the fourth comment, and the eleventh “Like”.
          .
          Thilan Wijesinghe is a man who wants our people to stay here and resurrect the fortunes of this land, and wants interaction with the Rest of the World. Am I right in stating that his roots are in Wellawaya?
          .
          We must now hear the views of those who think negatively. The analysis is convincing, but I’m no economist. I think that I identified a few in the audience. I’m waiting for the responses of others.
          .
          Panini Edirisinhe of Bandarawela

          • 6
            2

            Dear SM: Thanks for your response. “I am no economist,” you say. Don’t worry. I will give you and all others who worry about “Economics” a clue to get all that these “Pandits” tell and “Confuse” the ordinary simple Simons like me to understand this subject, and that is nothing but: To Know What is INPUT and What is the OUTPUT. Think in terms of these two words, you are sure to know “Economics”.

            I go back to my school days. I was very, very weak in “Arithmetics”. The student (my friend) who sat next to me was a “Genius” in the subject. One day, on seeing that I scored a big “O”, he told me: “Machang – Arithmetic is all about ADDITION, MULTIPLICATION, SUBTRACTION, and DIVISION. The rest is a simple application of these four basics to any problem solving”. It was a miracle to me and it worked very well.

        • 3
          2

          Hello Simon,
          .
          did you watch the video below?
          .
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBNtY3waIPE.
          .
          See how stupid these people are….. God bless to srilanka !

          • 3
            3

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvJom_PHZVA

            SO HOW CAN I have a high opinion about our nation ?

          • 7
            1

            Dear LM: Yes, I watched it. Please don’t rush to assess or measure the entire population by sampling a few who follow “HOODLUMS”. I agree that it is an uphill task to change the “ATTITUDES” and “MINDSET” of the people who have been misled and conditioned to be “SLAVES” for generations.

            • 4
              4

              Dear SIMON,
              Not a few, but a considerable number, are still under the spell of sorcerers and witches. I have no sympathy for them anymore. They cut their own throats.
              – That money pig Thilini Premamali is reported to have heard about Kattadia (child rapist alias Unawatune Rattaran) in your area before taking countless sums of money from rich candidates.-

              Also, many of the literacy rates in the Western Province, which reporters believe, are actually high. I think the reason behind them becoming perpetual idiots should not be education but sheer ignorance and apathy. So what about Uva and Sabaragamuwa provinces and other poverty-stricken provinces?

              • 3
                2

                APOLOGIES,
                most literate people in WP are also after any kind of tricks being introduced by someone.

                • 3
                  6

                  Dear LM,
                  .
                  All this is typical of you. The gallery love it, of course!
                  .
                  I reaffirm that you have no agendum, but you’re just crazed because some of your friends were murdered about 34 years ago, when AKD was just about nineteen years old.
                  .
                  There was a ten to twelve minute video that I referred you to once, where in 2021, AKD clearly apologises for the excesses during the 1988 to 1990 period.
                  .
                  It looks as though, because of what happened then, you want to avenge yourself on all Sinhalese people. Your advocacy of Tamil Rights also seems to be a subconscious effort to avenge yourself on the Sinhala populace, whom you hate.
                  .
                  I know that accessing my subconscious mind may show me to be as unsatisfactory. Since you’re in Germany, integrate with that society. That’s not some sort of order, but now listen to this. You’ll love it:
                  .
                  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY93NvyqOm4
                  .
                  Others may have to read the comments below it to understand, but not dear LM.

            • 6
              2

              BTW Simon, what do those KADAMANDIYA people say about DHANUSKA casnoa ?

              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAOJD0c510U

              Why do our people fabricate stories to defend their wrongdoings? The whole world knows that if someone makes a mistake, we have to sue. Consequences should be clear to those who do wrong. But in the case of Dhanushka Casanova, Sri Lankans are protecting it…. If that happened in Saudi Arabia, this bugger cricketer would be sent back to Sri Lanka without his penis.
              Meanwhile, some people inform me that a former CT reviewer (Edwin Rodrigo) went to jail for some rape incidents in ME. However, I don’t know about the veracity of the rumours.

            • 3
              2

              Simon, if possible explain to your Siamese brother (Sinhala man) why I added that video to the commenters. To understand how stupid our people are. if he realizes it, he would not kill his time for nothing. Instead he will perhaps start teaching English to poor people in his province. If he did it from the year he entered retirement, things might have changed for the youth in that poor region. Unfortunatley, what he did was, engaged round the clock with blackmailing.
              Even if few of us expect the next election result to be exceptional, is it a good sign that our people will be “under the illusion” for so long, that the electorate will be able to properly vote for the right candidates?
              He beats me, saying that I can please the gallery. Isn’t it like “If you point your finger at the moon, that Sinhalese man or similar will look at your finger”?
              If we really want to make tangible changes in this nation, the situation before us is an extremely difficult task.

  • 3
    0

    “If the government, or what is there in name, lacks direction, the opposition is in disarray. “

    It is not only the government and the opposition are lacks direction and in disarray, the people of this country, the elected/selected 225 MPs also do not know where to go, how to go, who to trust , and when to trust. Majority of Youngsters are now surrendered to drugs, military is helping to drug traffickers to bring continuous supply, people traffickers business is flourishing with the help of politicians, members of parliament are moving towards ministerial posts to enhance the pockets, president use all the available travel opportunities in international holiday tour etc.etc.

  • 3
    0

    If late ven Sobitha Thero would have been alive, things much would have been better ,he united the all people made common platform.
    Now we have Gunaraja, then nursing union leader he doesn’t served as nurses either.next will be army commander
    Gota wants UN permanent representation in US.
    Now minister coming up with foreigners buy condominium for $200 000 then they can get 10yr visa.while people are fleeing takes any measures to leave the country. We will be next Somalia definitely not Singapore.
    Who exactly destroying and raping all in the name of religion and the language.
    MR back in the areana kandy Mullas put the nods.jai wewa, sapai

    • 3
      0

      “Sobitha Thero” too had a grey past.

      • 2
        0

        SJ,
        “Sobitha Thero” too had a grey past.”
        More black than grey. I suppose even Soma Hamuduruwo could have gone on to be canonised if he had survived his attempt to earn a “doctorate” in a Leningrad winter.

        • 5
          0

          OC,
          .
          truth is Soma Hamuduruwo was equally racial so as the testesterone boy aka Ghanasara. He stired up sinhala buddhists for racists acts. Those who praised SOMA hamuduruwo were no different to those who got caught ” Dr Safi-Saga”. I may be short of more information about SOMA hamuduruwo, but I am against any Hamuduruwos that spread ” jathiwadhaya” – racism seeds.

          • 4
            0

            LM,
            The fact that a Buddhist monk,was looking for a dubious doctorate to boost his ego says a lot about Soma Hamuduruwo, don’t you think?

            • 4
              0

              If any beast wrapped around with Sanga costume and made a racial comment in public/ that monk s name went viral to sinhalayas. That is how fake public perception s are made for some pinguththarayas in my motherland/ once upon a time only it was seen as a paradise/ now Medamulana reptiles have ruined it to no go levels 🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕😉😉😉💪😉🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨🤔🤔🤔🤔

      • 3
        0

        “Sobitha Thero” was a public racist until he was invited to South Africa on a Educational Tour, (not a Boot camp). He changed, changed for the better.

        People have the capacity to learn, think and change, who do not have to ape and justify foreign “Thinkers and Old Revolutionaries”.

      • 2
        0

        You are always first in the line to throw the stone. But has poor memory of your present sins! You said you changed from FD in 1960s. Can you reveal the parties you have voted so far. Deva is major agent of Evil Emperor in North to sell Evil’s Secret Solution. Tell me who is your friend. I tell you who you are.

        • 2
          2

          “Tell me who is your friend. I tell you who you are.”
          M, your friends will duck for quick cover before they are exposed.

  • 1
    0

    This time the American midterm election was fought on less critical issues. The issues used to contest were Roe Vs Wade, Economy, and explosion of crimes in major towns & citizens, and Texas & Florida spread out of immigration problem. At the first look of an average voter, these may appear to be the principal issues at this time. They want to deal with day-by-day life issues. Like the Tamils say, “the swelling is judged by on which finger it is.” These are good issues for Langkang elections, but serious distraction in American elections. Langkang does not have the ability to resolve day to day problems. But they concentrated on an awfully, long-term dream of wiping out Tamils from there and taking the whole land for Sinhala Buddhist only, so Buddha can come & land with pride. The IMF is insisting on cutting the budget shortage and suggesting specifically one area as cutting down is military expense. Evil is increasing the taxes and further tightening the belts of the concave bellies. He is saying “pay for the military budget or stand in the line.” Military is more important for him because the Indian Ocean is being threatened. Evil, without any hesitation, says that the military is important because of his own concocted reason.

  • 1
    0

    What can the bastard beggars do if something happens even within the 12 miles sea border of Langkang? Then what are they planning to do if that happens beyond the 12 miles limits, which is what is meant by the Indian Ocean. How did Evil Ranil used the Army to protect Hangbangtota Harbor when China captured it? When the Indian army came in, as Native Veda says, the army was hiding behind the women folks’ buttocks. During the 2019 EP election, Slap Party rowdies’ and Modayas’ Slogan were saving the sovereignty. They fooled Sinhala Buddhist Modayas as Tigers were resurrecting. Importantly, they used Muslim Ministers to launch a fake Jihadi attack on Tamil Churches. The Evil Emperor. who too was party to sweep Indian warning under the carpet, used his presidency, to escape from that case. Real ME Jihadis may not know what Tamil mean. They may ask if that is sold at the food vending carts. Then why would a jihadi plan to attack Tamils’ prayer places? At that time (2019) we said “save people to save the nation; save the nation to save the Sovereignty. People were cheated and made to vote for the Slap Party. Now the country is in peril. By the path the Slap Party took neither sovereignty, nor the people were saved.

  • 1
    1

    But still the Evil is saying, even on losing the IMF loan, he wants to save the Indian Ocean and thus preserve the Sinhala Buddhist racism. By merging UNP into Slap Party & following the same path Slap Party took, Evil is going to make people “Pay the Tax and Stand in the Line The petroleum minister solved the oil lines by distributing Indian Oil to whoever had a QR code. Nobody else could go to Gas station. Subsequently, miles of stretched lines were cleared from Petrol Sheds. Then he said he had cut down the oil import cost from $500M to $270M, monthly. That Modaya never studied Economics in any university, had no capacity to understand that it was a direct cut in $230M GDP. But with a negative multiplier effect, the actual can be many times higher than the first bounce of GDP loss, which is induced by oil alone. Now there is a Oil ship standing in Colombo is incurring demurrage charges more than $75M. The penalty paid to Chinese Hunu ship was only $7M. But the entire time the UNP pundits and media pipes were blowing that Langkang became bankrupt only by China Hunu and the failure of farming was by suddenly trying to switch over to natural fertilizer.

  • 1
    2

    Well, sudden switch over is not a method at all for organic farming, but that is not what happened; farming failed because there was no dollar to import fertilizer, until India and America helped on that problem. The total loss Aanduwa engineered in farming loss is only the $7M they paid to China. But the crop failure could not have been avoided because there was no dollar to import fertilizer. Here the game players were the false interpreters of the events, who are media campaigners, half-baked pundits and the fortune tellers who kept saying that the country is going to fall into Anarchy, if the protesters win the protest. Now they have seated the Evil and he is branding the whole Modayas in the country with hot iron saying, “Pay the Tax and in addition to that stand in the line “because I must save the Indian Ocean.” The Indian Ocean problem is Langkang created by inviting China to annihilate Tamils. Thus, it was Langkang’s set up between superpowers, interested in the Indian Ocean. But Indian FAM, Parai Demulu, Dr. Jaisankar said in Thailand that if Langkang slipped into the hands of China, it is nothing bigge; but he wanted China to be with India to create the new Asian Corporation.

  • 1
    1

    Then can somebody explain to me why the Evil Emperor is convulsing to secure the Indian ocean from rivaling superpowers? At this time of the Langkang nincompoops’ life’s ability is nothing they can do about the Indian Ocean; it is not something the Bankrupt Langkang should attempt to deal with, now. They should first straighten the broken country. In contrast, that is not the theme on which the USA midterm election should have been contested. But sadly, that is what happened. President Biden is saying Democracy is in peril in the USA. But I do not have the stomach to buy that (after a heavy dinner this evening). Yes, there is a small to medium size regurgitation and lack of hunger for democracy, especially within minorities citizens, a reasonable number of them have started to do well under the 8 years of country’s growth under President Obama, and a few of them even switched from Democratic party to Republican party, which brought the unexpected result of Secretary Hillary Clinton’s election loss. My opinion is that Hillary’s loss is not a permanent loss for Democratic party though the Supreme Court is lost for years to come, and Biden has won the presidential election, so it cannot be treated as any major turn of path from democracy.

  • 1
    1

    Because the American presidency is immensely powerful, and it is because of the country’ background, it is always suggested that presidents may0 turn into dictators. As we know, American presidents are powerful only because of the country’s power base, not by an imbalanced constitution, like in the Langkang case. Remember, even the Langkang Modayas needed 75 years and minority Tamils to break the back of the Soulbury constitution and wreck the country, finally. So, the current sporadic violence in America is not the death of democracy. But the serious breakage of democracy in many parts of the world is a new challenge to America’s leadership and the role it has been playing as the protector of democracy. During the Obama administration, Secretary Kerry very badly misunderstood the nature of Burma’s and Ceylon’s problems. So, he gave Imodium for a stomach pain patient and laxative to the other Diarrhea patient. Both countries’ problems were aggravated and now Ceylon is bankrupt, and Aung San Suu Kyi is in 30 years imprisonment. In the same way, Secretary Condoleezza Rice gave an idea to Russia fighting with the West by unnecessarily getting involved in Georgia and taking a setback.

  • 1
    1

    Now America and Europe are thinking that it is unlikely Russia using atomic bomb in Ukraine, because, if did all democracies will get together and bomb Russia out. And in the next election President Putting coming back is extremely unlikely. Like in Ukraine, after some struggle, it became a democracy. There is a chance Russia will also become a true democracy. Now many of the western democracies do not want Ukraine continuing the war. (This is the same mistake they made in Ceylon and helped Appe Aanduwa annihilate Tamils.) So, they look forward to Russia naturally turning into a democracy at the expense of Ukraine, but they do not look for Germany, Japan style defeat to Russia. This could be a long-fetched target, that is taking Russia on their side in the rivalry with China. Unfortunately, currently China is the biggest threat to the world’s democracy, not Russia. That is why, in the last American election, federal candidates must have put forward competing policies on Ukraine war and shrinking world democracy.

  • 0
    1

    A firm policy on the current and future wars and democratic issues would give much more confidence for the other democratic nations to act with America. The recent two American – Republican Party’s mismanagement of foreign policies have put severe strain on European, American (continent), Asian, and African countries. An enlightened forecast of future events and strong policy to deal with them will improve trade relations and world economic stability, including America’s. Time for Americans to make their presidents look at macro pictures, instead of never-ending local fire fighting. In reality, China is tactically using this American’s local firefighting for an interval to build up its might and preparing It for a Unipolar world leadership. Here what is happening is the watchdog, American citizens are doing the donkey’s work and the Afghani donkeys, the Langkang parliamentarians are doing the dog’s job.

  • 6
    4

    CBK has spoken for 24 minutes two days ago:
    .
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEvkC5LIjr0
    .
    She knew how to quit gracefully. She’s getting old and looks older now. However, I still feel nostalgic about her.
    .
    Unfortunately, almost all the comments that she’s got are unfavourable. I’ve tried to correct that.
    .
    Why do people relish insulting others so much? None of us is perfect.
    .
    Panini Edirisinhe

  • 6
    3

    She knew how to quit gracefully after trying to stretch her stay by an year.

    • 5
      5

      Dear SJ,
      .
      You’re beginning to disappoint!
      .
      I thought that you were not going to read any comment by me. It’s taken you only a day or two to break your word.
      .
      Yes, she did try, but once she quit, she’s refused to interfere, and has probably actively encouraged her children to stay away from involvement. It’s possible that she slips off to England occasionally, but she’s not hiding from anybody.
      .
      I’ve just replied a guy called diliup gabadamudalige below the recent YouTube:
      .
      “On 22nd April 2022, there was a 75 minute interview in which CBK revealed how hard she had tried to hand over to somebody else. I haven’t listened to it again. I suggest that you do, and tell us what you feel.
      .
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zV8TBSS8uo&t=1622s

      • 4
        2

        Continuing:
        .
        CBK’s mother succeeded in adding two years, which allowed JR to stretch his term, as unelected President out from 1978 to 1988, although he did win an election with Sirimavo disqualified in 1982. Followed by the referendum to allow him to keep the FPP majority after opting for the fairer Proportional Representation.
        .
        I’m not sure where Vijaya Kumaratunga’s assassination (almost definitely by the JVP) came. I’m neither Historian nor Professional Commentator. I know I’m making too many comments – so that the truth may prevail.
        .
        Since you made such a fuss about “computer mistakes” by Prof. R S Perinbanayagam, here:
        .
        https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/review-of-the-vaddas-in-sri-lankan-history-society/
        .
        and about slips in grammar by people, in a humiliating way, may I point out one that you have made: you should have said “a year” and not “an year”.
        .
        Here I have thrown it rudely at you, emulating your behaviour, although you don’t usually get caught out because of your undisputed intelligence.
        .
        Panini Edirisinhe of Bandarawela (NIC 483111444V)

        • 3
          4

          SM,
          You’re jumping the gun.
          “The Oxford dictionary agrees that “a” is used before consonant sounds and “an” before vowel sounds. When saying abbreviations like “FM” or “UN”, use “a” or “an” according to how the first letter is said. For example, F is a consonant letter, but begins with the sound /e/, which is a vowel sound, so it’s correct to say “an F”.”
          “Year” sounds exactly like “ear”.
          So, nice try, but SJ is correct.

          • 4
            2

            No, he isn’t!
            .
            But I request other readers to see how politely (and I think with genuine kindness) old codger tries to teach this GambadaIngirisiIskoleMahaththaya how to suck eggs. However much a temptation I am to SJ, he won’t try to defend this for “a year” at least. He must have checked a more relevant source than you:
            .
            Such as:
            .
            https://www.englishforums.com/English/AnYearVsAYear/cjknp/post.htm
            .
            or this young American who’s getting more pedantic and tiresome than even me:
            .
            https://www.krisamerikos.com/blog/a-year-or-an-year-which-one-is-gramatically-correct
            .
            I knew this from childhood but when Professor Thiru Kandiah, in 1984, actually tried to teach the wrong form, in a Linguistics/Phonology lecture, I protested. He was taken aback at my challenge, knowing that on some matters I’m not an ass. He said he would check, which he did and he corrected himself.
            .
            But that was not before it got to Professor Ashley Halpe, who didn’t have to think twice, and said “of course it’s a year“.
            .
            The Dictionary can’t tell you all this, oc. Just put something like this in the google browser: “a year” OR “an year”.
            .
            I confess that I didn’t look carefully at the OED for this, but don’t you think that this is not the sot of thing that we should get mad at people over, and harass them mercilessly?

            • 0
              3

              “Just put something like this in the google browser: “a year” OR “an year”.”
              Exactly what I did. The quotation IS from the OED. I hardly think a “Gambada…etc” should argue with the OED.

              • 1
                4

                To make it clearer, the “y” in “year” is silent, therefore the first sound in the word is “e”, a vowel.
                Unless of course, there are people in Bandarawela who pronounce the “y”.
                In any case, this is the 21st century, and phrases like bus driver, south bridge, shell program, white noise, bubble logic, etc are totally incomprehensible even to linguists who aren’t in the know!

                • 3
                  2

                  English is hardly used in Bandarawela, dear oc.
                  .
                  When we were kids, I guess there were a few “non-browns” who used English as their first language. I think that in our family we had both. My father’s Sinhala was pretty good. But I think it correct to say that after he died, (in 1963) when I was fourteen, and as the seven of us, children grew into “educated” people, English probably has become our first language.
                  .
                  Now, it is true, that we always speak to each other in English. But this is a-typical for the Uva Province. Conversation with the public is in Sinhalese. Only my youngest sister knew some Tamil (but she must have forgotten it in North Carolina) and my elder-daughter (engineered by me).
                  .
                  A three language policy is fine, but in practice it’s very difficult to ensure it.
                  .
                  My wife tried to give the kids some Sinhala, but what she gave was something hybrid. Not very satisfactory, but well-meant. Their school-studies were in Sinhala.
                  .
                  I’m being very open; please don’t brand me as all sorts of things!

                  • 3
                    2

                    Also take seriously the fact that this Supreme Court case:
                    .
                    https://www.lawnet.gov.lk/eksith-fernando-v-manawadu-and-others-st-thomas-college-cases/
                    .
                    would not have been had I not told G.L. Peiris (and 3 others still alive) on the 15 member Board of Governors that I was not sure about the existence of God, although I had first answered affirmatively the only question on the subject: Was I a baptised and confirmed Anglican? Bishop Jabez Gnanapragasam and I later had a three hour chat in the Bandarawela vicarage, when he came up for confirmations, and he told me that I was quite all right. He told me that he was retiring soon. He was a saintly man.
                    .
                    One layman (will not be named, because now my dying friend) objected vehemently for twenty-five years. He made Peace Overtures on Sinhala New Year Day, 2012.. Too late. But because his repentance is genuine, I have forgiven him.
                    .
                    So the fellows at the top now cheat. Google these two words, for my articles on the happenings at STC: “Thomian Pharisees”. I’m the only fellow who has collocated those two words.
                    .
                    I don’t want leelagemalli to support the NPP. I want him to stop saying that the present JVP is guilty of the murder of his friends around 1988.

                    • 3
                      1

                      Sorry, this last bit has got in earlier than it should have.
                      .
                      And one other thing: Where’s nimal fernando today? I have no clue as to what his name, etc are. But he’s a relation of some sort. As I’ve said, there was lots of intermarriage among the Protestant Christians of the Galle Districts. I have mentioned Tangalle, but that was a relatively late move from the area around the Gin Ganga.
                      .
                      Panini Edirisinhe

                • 2
                  1

                  My mother was a dozen years younger than my father, and lived until December 2007. Her own mother (being one of the many children of “the Grandfather of Richmond College”) had the ability to use stiff English sentences on formal occasions, and lived to see my elder daughter.
                  .
                  However, this was one of her brothers:
                  .
                  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V._S._de_S._Wikramanayake
                  .
                  He would definitely have known good English, but I don’t think that I ever met him. And that Wikipedia entry may be a bit misleading. He must have been his mother’s youngest son. She died, and the old man married her younger sister, then a girl of nineteen. Please don’t ask me any more details, because I’m pretty confused myself.
                  .
                  And there was lots of inter-marriage. There are second, third and fourth cousins who try to trace genealogies, but I think that we’ve got to focus on chasing Ranil out of the Presidency!

                • 3
                  1

                  I don’t know when comments will close here – I hope it is soon, because I may live to regret putting down all these things. I’m giving you all this because it may really benefit somebody.
                  .
                  Anyway, my father was very particular about his pronunciation. He was very proud of some much older relative, Reverend J S H Edirisinghe. That spelling got me some google results. i can’t be trying other spellings. He was probably the first Lankan to corrupt this country with “elocution”. His daughter, Irene, was also one of the “Big Three” in elocution in Colombo up to the 1990s. Her surname changed with her marriages – Wanigaratne, and de Costa. My elder daughter completed an ATCL (in Speech and Drama) with her, and I met her, but my own ATCL was with Wendy Whatmore.
                  .
                  Nobody at Peradeniya acknowledged to Professor Thiru Kandiah that they’d had “Elocution Lessons” – that word is now taboo among the “educated” in Colombo.
                  .
                  Thiru, now in Perth, Australia, is still the High Priest of Lankan English. Model? His own speech!

                  • 1
                    0

                    Topic of the current article
                    Midterm US Politics & Postterm Post-Rajapaksa Politics

                    Comment of SINHALA MAN focused on his usual gossips. Can anybody of you please discuss this in next days ?
                    .

                • 2
                  1

                  My mother had had reasonable schooling in Tangalle, until my father, one of her teachers “spoke to my Grandmother”. According to my elder daughter, her beloved grandmother (can you work this out?) had claimed that she could have studied very well had she not married at eighteen.
                  .
                  However, after my father’s death, and a period of absolute poverty when all available cash was spent on education, there was a period when she was “rewarded” with lots of foreign trips. Lankans still hanker to live abroad. See how the fellows harass us saying that we are uncultured. First, may have been to Jamaica, for the wedding of one of her daughter’s wedding (to a Sinhalese man, whom she had known a little in Colombo). Yes, this is the problem; all villagers like me get drawn into the Metropolis. Later, she was to spend ten full years of baby-sitting in Sydney for that same sister who has a son and daughter.
                  .
                  Three of her passports are here, the last unused. I’m looking at them for the first time. Were there others?

                  • 7
                    1

                    Dear Sinhala_Man,
                    How would you feel if you were to read my biography from me(!) in these columns. Give it a thought.

                • 5
                  0

                  OC
                  Did I not warn you before?
                  I admit that I too fail at times to heed my own warnings.

                • 3
                  1

                  My mother’s passports, looked at for the first time.
                  .
                  Yes, first trip to Kingston, but passing through Heathrow. That’s been in 1982. Next to Sydney in 1987. Returned here in 1992. Another short visit to Australia in 1996. And then a Visa to the United States in 1997. I think that she’d visited Disney Land in Florida. A Passport may be missing.
                  .
                  Anyway old codger, her English would probably have improved considerably. I can’t remember whether to the end she had some “spelling pronunciations” for “looked” for instance – she used to perform the very difficult feat of voicing the final consonant. Myself? I’m pretty sophisticated in analysing speech. After all, long before Wendy Whatmore ragged me before allowing me into her class, I had, at age twenty-five been teaching “Speech Theory” to English teachers (one of my then pupils was fifty) every week-end for two years, and they were awarded a valid Trained Teacher’s Certificate. It’s acronym was ESTEPEX.

                  • 1
                    0

                    CT over to you.
                    .
                    2/Topic of the current article
                    Midterm US Politics & Postterm Post-Rajapaksa Politics

                    Comments of SINHALA MAN focused on gossips ?????

                • 3
                  1

                  Dear oc,
                  .
                  It is unlikely that you know more than I do in this area. I will check the OED later.
                  .
                  I’ve found only one result for “ESTEPEX Sri Lanka” after googling.
                  .
                  https://www.dailynews.lk/2016/01/11/features/appreciations-11-01-2016
                  .
                  Scroll down till you see an appreciation of “D.R.L. SAMARARATNE”. I remember the guy. And you’ve got to keep in mind that by the time I was doing that teaching, I had been trained as a teacher at Maharagama, but hadn’t been to a single “elocution class”.
                  .
                  From the time I was about sixteen I’d been recording myself speaking. It was then on open reel tape recorders; big, heavy boxes they were. Something like this:
                  .
                  https://www.kijiji.ca/v-ipod-mp3-player-other/woodstock-on/vintage-reel-to-reel-tape-recorder-not-working/1640097342?undefined
                  .
                  It’s so easily done on a smartphone now, but teachers and IELTS candidates don’t realise until I ask them to. And I listened to the BBC on shortwave.
                  .
                  https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b008cpb3
                  .
                  They wanted me now to register, with a password, to boot. How many passwords can I remember now? That’s a link to these programmes.
                  .
                  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letter_from_America

                • 3
                  1

                  It’s almost midnight, oc.
                  .
                  No, I’m looking again at your comment beginning: “To make it clearer, the “y” in “year” is silent”.
                  .
                  No, it isn’t dear oc, not in Standard English.
                  .
                  Remember also, that I had a father who gave me this somewhat unusual first name:
                  .
                  https://mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/Panini/
                  .
                  A six-minute English video from India (just tested only).
                  .
                  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JumgsS6SHls
                  .
                  And I had British Headmasters in these Uva schools up to mid-1963. Rajan Hoole joined in January that year.
                  .
                  If you want a little more on this, I thnk that you’d better move the discussion elsewhere.
                  .
                  Panini (NIC 483111444V)

                • 3
                  1

                  The last comment went in, somewhat to my surprise. It would depend on the time at which Rajan Philips’ article came on the web. He wouldn’t know, and now the moderators at CT have nothing to do with cutting off comments. Done automatically by the computers.
                  .
                  But the moderators would have seen that these frank comments of mine have sociological relevance.
                  .
                  I could certainly have contributed something more to the teaching of English in the country, but something always seemed to intervene. Before the Boxing Day Tsunami struck I had actually got myself a passport because some people in the Ministry had thought that a guy like me deserved at least a holiday in the UK. But after that Tsunami, CBK, whom I have never met, declared that there should be no more foreign junkets; all spending had to be n the Tsunami Victims.
                  .
                  And who were those: the bloody Rajapaksas, of course!

                • 5
                  0

                  Sorry, old codger, but in “Standard” English (if there is such a thing now — which there probably isnt) “year” is definitely pronounced Y E A R!
And I’m pretty amazed at all this to-ing & fro-ing about it.
–
And, true, this is the 21st c., as you point out, old codger, so maybe a first class English Hons from UCL, with another year of Latin & several tedious years of linguistics (Quirk & Wren ‘n all that) thrown in, is old hat now, past it, out of time or whatever. Doesnt have anything to offer today’s speakers of English.
–
I recently had occasion to write to a former University Head here (I think he was a VC) who had misquoted me several times in a review of the new film “Alborada”. A friend (who still buys a newspaper) told me about the howler & another wrong fact the guy had attributed to me. I sent corrections to the paper & the writer. The paper took 3 weeks to carry it — but I subsequently discovered the same article in another local newspaper — AND on several online sites! Awful.
And what is worse, the writer recently brought out a book with a number of articles by himself on the film, etc., in which he not only repeats the howlers, but he miscopies four words of mine in one of his later articles in the book.

                  • 0
                    0

                    Manel,
                    I found a good explanation on Quora:
                    “Some people pronounce the word ‘year’ as ‘ear’ with ‘y’ silent, thereby wanting ‘an’ to precede and feeling discomfort with ‘a’. e.g. ‘It’s been an _ear since we talked’.

                    Whereas others pronounce it with a ‘ye’ sound in the beginning. In this case one finds that using ‘a’ suddenly sounds more comfortable. e.g. ‘It’s been a ‘ye’ar since we talked’.
                    So, I suppose it depends on what dialect one speaks.

              • 0
                0

                Dear old codger
                Btw, a previous post of mine had “Dodger”. That was a typo; didnt notice it till someone pointed it out. Let me blame my busybody mobile phone.

                Let’s start again. Up till now I was falling back on years of usage to back my support for “a year” & not “an year” but I just pulled out Eric Partridge’s “Usage and Abusage”. First published in 1942 & revised over the years, my copy is the 1999 edition.

                page 27: an (in bold); a (bold). Under those entry terms it reads:
                “Before vowels and silent h, an (italicised);
                Before consonants (other than silent h) and before u sounded yoo, a.
                Thus “an airy room’, ‘a bad boy’, ‘a use not known before’, ‘a horse’, ‘an hour ago’, ‘a unique signature’, ‘a eulogy’, ‘a union’….
                Words beginning with h and an unstressed syllable formerly took an, but a is now usually preferred here.
                Thus, ‘a hotel’, ‘a historian’.

                Of course, in the book, ‘a’, ‘an’, ‘h’, ‘u’ & ‘yoo’ are italicized. I lack S_M’s skills to indicate this.
                …2…

                • 1
                  0

                  2…
                  Me, again, old codger

                  In “Hart’s Rules for Compositors and Readers at the University Press Oxford”, OUP, 1967, 37th edn, completely revised, the first ‘chapter’ is headed “RULES FOR SETTING ENGLISH” & the very first subject (on pages 1 & 2) is “A or AN”.

                  See also page 1 in Collins’ “Author’s and Printers Dictionary, 11th edn, OUP, 1973.

                  Just pulled out the heavy, unwieldy copy of vol. 1: A to M of The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, 1993 edn (with 1876 closely-printed, tiny font, pages). It says that before ‘an’ was frequently used before a consonant to the end of the 13th c., and before a sounded ‘h’ until the 18th c. It doesn’t mention the use of it before “year” but it is clear that ‘a’ is used before the sounded ‘y’.

                  Oh, god! Now to get this rarely-opened volume back into the box beside its companion. This must be the first time this century that it has had an outing!

            • 3
              2

              My comment above has been displayed before the deadline, but SJ may not have seen it.
              .
              OR,

              .
              He may have seen it, and his response may not have been put on yet.
              .
              At this moment, the one line comment by SJ with the “grammar mistake” (oh, it’s not serious) has got 4 Likes (and one Dislike that I put on);
              .
              Mine expressing “disappointment” has got 2 Likes and 3 Dislikes; my next, “Continuing” has got a LIKE and a Dislike apiece; oc politely warning me that I have jumped the gun has got 2 LIKES, no DISLIKES, me demonstrating “No, he isn’t!” has got a LIKE and 2 DISLIKES. The comment by SJ that appears below those precedes the some of the others in chronology.
              .
              Please see also the comments that I’ve begun submitting on Dr Wije’s article, in response to Thiha and nimal, here:
              .
              https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/budget-2023-will-be-the-acid-test-of-rws-magic-wand/
              .
              The time is 18:30. fifteen minutes ago, I sent off an email appeal to “leelagemalli”. All that I have asked him is to explain why he didn’t respond to Jeevan Hoole’s article, here:
              .
              https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/was-the-presidential-election-free-and-fair-when-colombo-returning-officer-called-sajith-premadasa-the-son-of-a-donkey-asks-prof-hoole/
              .
              Panini E.

          • 5
            0

            Dear old codger,
            I usually refrain from barging in on anyone’s (SL) English, tho I must admit there are times when some of the posts on CT are beyond my comprehension.
            But since this particular example is being debated — if not hotly, then quite warmly – l venture to add my 2 cents.

            I grew up speaking English many years ago in London. True, the bombs were falling, which may have knocked some of my grey matter out of joint (one actually blew out the windows down our street & the glass scattered all over me in my cot) — & my mother trained to defuse bombs shortly before I was conceived; so maybe I lost an “n'” here & there.

            BUT! I have always said “a year”. It’s what comes most naturally — to hell with the rule! Which I may or may not have learnt at some time.
            And I wasnt a Cockney, either, but grew up speaking middle class, BBC English.

            So, maybe there is a rule somewhere that explains this particular deviation. I’ve too little time left to look inti that now.

            • 3
              1

              Manel,
              Rules change with time. English is a very peculiar language, compared to, say, Sinhala, in which usually aberrations like “ear/year” or “hour/our” don’t occur.
              The language that youngsters speak nowadays would be incompressible to someone from even the fifties, leave alone that many words have acquired new meanings.

              • 6
                0

                OC,

                I side with SM and Manel on this. The y in year is not silent even in mainstream British English.

                • 0
                  0

                  Anos,
                  You’re welcome to your opinion. You must have uncannily acute hearing! Still, I shall not insist on your ID number.
                  This seems a much-discussed subject online. From Quora:
                  “Some people pronounce the word ‘year’ as ‘ear’ with ‘y’ silent, thereby wanting ‘an’ to precede and feeling discomfort with ‘a’. e.g. ‘It’s been an _ear since we talked’.

                  Whereas others pronounce it with a ‘ye’ sound in the beginning. In this case one finds that using ‘a’ suddenly sounds more comfortable. e.g. ‘It’s been a ‘ye’ar since we talked'”

            • 6
              1

              Undoubtedly, the Sinhalese man would not contain his pride and praise for the correct collection of MF. Most proofreaders who have reviewed theses know that they have many grammatically incorrect paragraphs. I focus on biology, medicine and other sciences and engineering.
              I like SM’s corrections, however, I object to him adding his “family gossip” as part of his comment.

              Cheers,
              LM

          • 4
            0

            Have you heard the song “A Year Ago”, old Dodger?
            Those 3 words are a refrain. Perhaps you can listen to it at
            https://youtu.be/kXpZC7_tA34

            • 5
              0

              “old Dodger?”

              Was that intentional? ……………. That’s what he’s been doing all his life …….. like Hershel Walker, dodging child-support!

              An older Artful Dodger? :))

          • 2
            4

            OC
            Thanks.
            In the American language the y sound is clearly articulated in the word year with the word sounding like ‘yeer’.
            As far as I know it is sounds like ‘ear’ in Lankan English. Most people I know here do it that way.
            The British pronunciation demonstrated in
            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKK1A5DQDPQ
            is much like the Lankan version, an differs from the American ‘yeer” .
            *
            The rule concerning the use of the article a/an is phonetic and I abide by it.
            *
            I insist that, CBK acted most improperly in trying to extend her term by an year.

            • 1
              5

              As far as I know it sounds like ‘ear’ in Lankan English.

              • 4
                1

                Yes, if so, it could be “an”, dear SJ.
                .
                That, and the two pronunciations of “the” evolved only to make it easier to speak.
                .
                However, schoolmasters (like me?) have turned that into rules. And those prevail when it comes to writing.
                .
                This controversy raged, quite seriously, in the early 18th Century (the time of Swift, and a little after.). At that time it was the newly emerging Middle Classes that wanted to demonstrate that they knew what was correct, and were “educated.” A nasty reason!
                .
                If we changed our pronunciation according to our dialects and accents, we would run into further problems. What we write would be understood only in our region. I’ve heard you on YouTube, SJ (how to put that on without Manel Fonseka attacking me?). Your accent is good. Mine? Ah, there’s the rub! Thiru thought it ghastly, but after he disappeared to Singapore it was I who had to teach Phonology for (a/an?) year! I’m not on YouTube.☣

                • 4
                  0

                  Dear all,
                  The arguments are interesting, not revealing. Mere opinions.
                  Knowing my skill level of English, I should stay away.
                  I am not going to ignore my own wisdom.
                  A / An is determined by the pho·net·ic of the succeeding word. If everyone pronounces the word year exactly the same way, no doubt should arise.
                  * I pronounce ‘year’ with a heavy accent on the ‘y’.
                  * Most of us, stress on the ‘y’ sound.
                  Any more discussion is better left to authorities on English.

                  • 6
                    0

                    Dunno if it’s coming or going …..

                    Thank my lucky stars …….. my knowledge of English is limited to the cuss-words I’ve picked up from Native.

                    And am not confused enough to know ……. Dodger suits his behaviour with his love interest in Pitts better than Codger! :)))

                    • 1
                      0

                      nimal fernando

                      “my knowledge of English is limited to the cuss-words I’ve picked up from Native.”

                      Actually you picked up vocabulary from Rajpal Abeynayake.
                      These days you tend to forget things.

                  • 0
                    0

                    “I pronounce ‘year’ with a heavy accent on the ‘y’”
                    Like in “லாஸ்ட் யியர் வாஸ் 2021” I guess.

            • 0
              0

              Sorry, there was a slip in the link.
              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LwaXo_yEYo
              is more helpful.
              *
              I learned my English here and always heard people pronounce ‘year’ the same way they did ‘ear’.
              Somehow the ‘y’ sound is suppressed to the point of inaudibility.
              I have yet to hear people here articulate ‘year’ any differently from ‘ear’, but for those speaking with an ‘American’ accent.

          • 3
            2

            Where in the OED did you see this?
            .
            The Englishman who worked on this was Daniel Jones:
            .
            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Jones_(phonetician)
            .
            This used to be considered the last word in English pronunciation by Trained Teachers.
            .
            The number of Phonemes in Received Pronunciation, a term known to most teachers in Ceylon, is given as either 44 or 45. That “or” doesn’t mean guess work by me! The additional vowel enters because some speakers use a long pure vowel in pronouncing the word “door” (in Lankan English now it is a less open pure vowel, and that’s what I tend to use) whereas others use a diphthong. These are terms known to all English teachers.
            .
            However, what many don’t bother to find out is that almost all phonemes have allophones, depending on the company that they are in. I have heard the simple word “there” distorted in all sorts of ways because both parts of the diphthong are pronounced with equal force. It is only the first part that should be said strongly.
            .
            There is now another Pronouncing Dictionary published by Longmans, but I’d advise you to stick to Daniel Jones – which is also likely to be much cheaper. But few now bother with Dictionaries of any sort. For pronunciation you have to learn another set of symbols; that is without bothering with allophones.

          • 3
            2

            It’s now 02:30 on Thursday:
            .
            I do try to be familiar with British English. I saw this about six weeks ago; it’s quite new:
            .
            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OT16yUEh7-0
            .
            King Charles’ accent analysed in 6 minutes by Dr Geoff Lindsey
            .
            There are lots more, but you don’t really want to be “posh”, do you? Manel Fonseka will scorn you, except she can’t hear!
            .
            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0qShxkuS7Q
            .
            Another “posh-accent” video:
            .
            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_gl8v7-tIQ&list=RDLVg0qShxkuS7Q&index=7
            .
            Back to the King Charles guy:
            .
            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgPRqjJCUyE&list=RDLVg0qShxkuS7Q&index=11
            .
            Just listing
            .
            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtnlGH055TA
            .
            Above, “linking r” and below weak forms.
            .
            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaXYas58_kc
            .
            A current Scottish MP, not understood by others:
            .
            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jHfY0dDZxA
            .
            An MP from Wales:
            .
            https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-politics-46198476
            .
            This ought to be taken in small doses! This has been t much for one day!
            .
            But btw, I told you about Daniel Jones. In this book, he has analysed the phonemes of Sinhalese, but not of Tamil.
            .
            Panini Edirisinhe

      • 5
        3

        I never said that I will not read anyone.
        I read all manner of crap, and why should I make exception of any and deny myself amusement.
        You are too much of a temptation at times, I admit.
        *
        I said that she tried to stay on beyond the due date, and doubt if it is graceful departure.

        • 7
          4

          S.J.
          For some reasons, SINAHALA Man (an upsetting avatar for someone who doesn’t really know Sinhala) is used to speak for others. It has now become his hobby.
          So how does he know the “JVP” ideology?
          He has revealed a lot about me and many other CT commenters. But much of what he explains is not true. What I did not add he interprets as me.
          He does it again and again. In retrospect, he was wrong about a lot of things. At first I only liked some Sinhala YT videos produced by journalist Sepal Amarasinghe – this self-proclaimed sinhala man interpreted it as I may be Sepal s friend. What I am questioning today is whether the Sinhala man is still in his adolesence or not. Again this evening, I found another provocative blackmail in my inbox, guess from whom? …. The estranged Sinhala_man. I had another long day work – and returned home for relax… :(

  • 0
    3

    The Democrats were said to be surprised by the positive midterm election results. The widely predicted “giant red wave” didn’t occur at all. What actually happened? Well, I am not interested in the US. I am here to write about their role against Russia in Ukraine. I am a writer and my opinion expressed here is entirely based on what I read and watch.
I think the US led NATO is playing a double game. On one hand they commend the quadripartite grain agreement and urge Russia to extend the deal and on the other hand they provide weapons and intelligence and deploy combat troops in Ukraine to attack Russian forces. Their sudden interest in engaging Russia with talks may be misleading. Maybe they want to distract Russia from launching any attacks on Ukraine in the winter, while they make all the plans to attack Crimea from sea, land and air, and Kherson by air, land and river. (That is why I said in one of my previous comments that Kherson and Crimea play a pivotal role in Russia’s sovereignty.) Maybe western weapons will malfunction in Ukraine in the winter.

    • 0
      4

      
Therefore, the West wants to encourage talks to bid time until springtime OR all the talk about an offensive in the springtime is misleading and an all out attack on Russian troops in Kherson and Crimea will take place before December, most probably after Russia extended the grain deal.
(At the Bali Summit, the Ukrainian President ruled out any peace talks which confirmed my view mentioned above.)

      The ‘grave concern’ expressed by the West when Russia suspended the grain deal over Britain-orchestrated attack on Russia’s Black Sea fleet shows as to how much the West relies on Russia for unhindered Ukrainian grain exports to European countries. That means, Russia has the upper hand to extend the grain deal beyond November 18 only if they receive a fair share of the deal. Then, there is the possibility of Ukraine abusing the “grain corridor” to attack Russian ships again. It has already proved that written assurances are inadequate to maintain the “grain corridor” specifically for grain ships only. There is a possibility that Russia may exercise the right to attack any ships that are not grain ships that sail in the “grain corridor”, including patrol boats, fishing boats and coastal guard boats, without prior warning.

      Contd’….

      • 0
        4

        After retreating from the capital of Ukraine, the city of Kiev, Russia gained over 25% of territories in the Eastern Ukraine. Last week, Russian forces retreated from the capital of the Kherson oblast, the city of Kherson. Are they planning to gain more territories? Yes. Otherwise, why did Mr Putin mobilize 300,000 reservists and 18,000 volunteer fighters within just one month?
        What is remarkable is, Mr. Putin didn’t have to impose martial law in Russia to mobilize a massive 300,000 personnel or ban anyone in the fighting age from leaving the country. Contrary to negative propaganda by the West and Ukraine, his mobilization drive concluded with great success.
When Sri Lankan military waged war against the LTTE terrorists, hundreds of thousand Sinhalese Buddhist youth voluntarily joined the militry to defeat terrorists. Sinhalese Buddhist parents in rural villages blessed their sons to fight against terrorists to protect the country. One Sinhalese Buddhist father sent his third son to the war, the day he received dead bodies of his two older sons who fought in the war. Then, we had brave soldiers like Gamini Kularatne who approached an LTTE tank with two hand grenades in each fist, climbed into the tank and destroyed it at the cost of his life.

        Contd’….

        • 0
          2

          The then Opposition called the youth who joined the military enmasse as “Bili Boys” (cannon fodders) and not having proper military training or weapons. Ultimately, it is the sacrifices made by “cannon fodders” that eliminated LTTE terrorists from our soil forever. Russia has 144 million citizens, and Mr. Putin didn’t even invite volunteers to join the military to defend Russia as yet, which is food for thought.

          • 0
            2

            Withdrawing Russian troops from “Ukrainian territories” is one of the main conditions laid out by the Ukrainian side even to initiate peace talks. Well, according to history, Russia hasn’t taken a single inch from “Ukrainian territories”. They are only taking back their own lands gifted to Ukraine. They have a right to do so after Ukraine leaders/officials say they belong to the family of Europeans. Well, Russian leaders didn’t give their lands to Europeans, did they? They gifted their extraordinarily rich mineral, energy and agricultural lands to Ukrainion the assumption that they belong to the family of Russians. When Ukrainians say they are Europeans, applied for NATO membership and teamed up with over 50 countries that supply weapons, troops and intelligence to attack Russia, I don’t think we can find fault with Russia for taking back its territories gifted to Ukraine. What I am trying to say is, Russia will not part with Russian territories this time.

  • 0
    2

    What will Russia do next? The answer is obvious. Mr. Putin will deploy nuclear weapons in Crimea. He has already threatened to deploy them in Ukraine, and his overall commander in Ukraine said that he was not ready to sacrifice Russian soldiers (to the war) anymore. Why am I so certain about it? In support of my argument, I reproduce some excerpts from an article published in “The Hill” on 11/13/2022 by Retired Capt. Garrett I. Campbell directed the U.S Navy’s Staff OPNAV N5 Russia Strategy, Policy, and Engagement Branch.
    1. “The West must stop ‘shooting behind the duck’ and provide Ukraine the weapons it needs.”
    2. “….the West must send a strong message by providing weapons for not only today’s fight, but also TOMORROW’S.”
    3. “The West has acknowledged the stakes that Putin’s war presents to the European security environment and international order.”

    • 0
      2

      Continuation….
      4. “There are also short-term answers to meet the next shift in Russian strategy, likely to springtime ground offensives. Ukraine needs Army Tactical Advanced Missile Systems (ATACMS) with greater ranges to destroy Russian logistics and C2 nodes and drone bases. GMLRS and 155mm cluster munitions, specifically the Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions (DPICM), are needed. For naysayers who rebuke the idea of transferring cluster munitions because the United States has a moratorium on providing them, or for fear of escalation, we have failed to get out in front of the Russian military strategy to date….”
      5. “The attack on the Black Sea Fleet on Oct. 29 should be just the beginning. The West should continue to provide such systems….” (The US has already provided close to 100 suicide sea drone boats and riverine boats to Ukraine. It is reported that a Russian drone has destroyed an armoured riverine boat in the Dnipro river which seems that Russia is already aware that an attack will come from armoured ‘riverine patrol boats’.)
      6. “We should no longer deny the Ukrainians armed combat drones such as the MQ-1 Predator/Gray Eagle and MQ-9 Reaper.”

      • 3
        0

        Hello CT Editor/Team
        I noticed that you have taken trouble to include my entire paragraphs that exceeded word limit into the next comment without cutting off the last few lines. I re-sent the other comments that were not published on the 15th. I really appreciate that you give space to discuss different opinions.

  • 3
    0

    CT “trimmed” my reference to another example of UnStandard English, presumably because I had exceeded the 200 words. I must learn to do a Mallaiyuran on the few occasions I drop in to CT.

    Not that what I wanted to say wd be of the slightest interest to readers here — let alone, importance — I guess I’m becoming too talkative on the few occasions I crop up nowadays, stemming perhaps from an awful isolation that has descended over the last 2 years or so.

    I began to describe how a retired university academic, quoting me in his review of “Alborada”, not only repeated the howlers of his Dec 2021 article, but also misquoted four words of mine (from another source) in another article (March 2022) in the book.

    Some years ago, an account appeared in the press by retired govt servant & writer, Tissa Devendra, of meeting the (now married) daughter of Pablo Neruda – the result of the latter’s rape of a “low” caste woman in Wellawatte. And he learnt that she had worked under him in govt service previously. And that she had been adopted by Neruda’s Sinhalese servant, whom Neruda sent money to care for her.
    >2

    • 3
      0

      2
      I was stunned by his “revelation”, remembering Neruda’s washing his hands of (apart from financial support) his legitimate daughter who was born with disabilities. But repeated reading & some enquiries led me to question the story & finally disbelieve it.

      Subsequently, Devendra published it in a collection of short stories & I came across an extremely appreciative response to it (on a blog) by a retired SL doctor abroad, who seemed to believe every word of it. I posted back (on 7/12/21): “If I’m not mistaken, Devendra’s whole story was exactly that! A STORY! No basis in truth!”

      My last 4 words were picked up almost a year later by a retired academic who delivered them as “No basis on truth.” ON!

      It may seem nit-picking to be even a tiny bit bothered by the replacement of a single letter, but for someone like myself, who grew up with an intensely close – not to say, passionate — relationship with the spoken (English) word, the inability to copy correctly such a simple expression, really upset me.
      >3

      • 3
        0

        3
        Of course, of course, I must be frequently annoying people regularly with my poor Sinhala – which is, alas, much worse now than when I was working hard at it many years ago, to the extent of trawling through old copies of Lankadipa, etc in the National Archives, trying to find some of my father’s stories, poems, articles. I even found one, under a pen-name & copied the whole thing out by hand in pencil (1977 or so) – “Rita nissa”. And a few years later actually met “Rita” Quite a story there, too.

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