By Brian Senewiratne –
Dr. Brian Senewiratne
The armed forces of Sri Lanka consist of the Army Navy and Air Force. According to the International Institute of Strategic Studies February 2019, “The Military Balance”, the Sri Lankan military has 255,000 active members. This is larger than the United Kingdom (146,390), Israel (168,550), France (203,910), and Saudi Arabia (227,000).
PEARL (People for Equality and Relief in Lanka) a Tamil advocacy group based in Washington DC, USA, and ACPR (Adayaalam Centre for Policy Research) a think-tank in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, in an outstanding publication, Normalising the Abnormal: The Militarisation of Mullaitivu, October 2017, estimated that there were 60,000 members of the Sri Lankan Army in Mullaitivu -1 soldier for every 2 civilians making it one of the most heavily militarised regions in the world.
Unlike the Sri Lankan Army, there was no publicly available information on the numbers of military personnel in the Sri Lankan Air Force and Navy in Mullaitivu, so that the number of members of the Sri Lankan military is larger than the 60,000.
The question that everyone, in particular Sri Lanka’s aid givers have to ask is “What is the need for such a massive military? The militant Tamil Tigers have been crushed, “Who is the enemy?”Until this question is answered there should be no aid going to Sri Lanka.
The same publication states a very relevant fact. “Despite calls by numerous international bodies and repeated calls by Tamil politicians and communities, the Sri Lankan government has yet to undertake a comprehensive process to demilitarise areas in the North-East. As a result the North-East remains under a military occupation that represses fundamental freedom and contributes to on-going ethnic conflict”.
What is the military doing in an area where there is no war? This, and the very important question of the effects of the military on civilian life in the Sri Lankan North-East have been answered by another outstanding publication by PEARL – “Delayed or Denied? Sri Lanka’s Failing Transitional Justice Process” which is a must-read publication. The second half of this article titled “The Effect on the Victims” is what everyone wants to know. One does not need to go to the Sri Lankan North and East. PEARL researchers sent their research staff from Washington to the Sri Lankan North and East to stay there and see what is going on.
The last paragraph is alarming. “The growing protest movements across the North-East reflects the fact that despite Sri Lanka’s grand promises in Geneva many Tamils feel that nothing has changed for them. Are we even in a transition? queried one activist, echoing comments made by numerous interviewees. Others spoke of the possibility that the increasing anger within the Tamil community might spark violence. “Our children are talking about taking up arms. Many suggested that the failure to grapple with victims and survivors’ grievances is endangering the prospects for long-term peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka”.
Then came the crucial sentence, “If the government doesn’t listen, there needs to be other action. If that doesn’t happen, Tamils will take up arms. This is how it all stated”.
Cultural Genocide
Genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy in whole or in part a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, as such:
1. Killing members of the group
2. Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group
3. Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part
4. Imposing measures to prevent births within the group
5. Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group
The Sri Lankan government has done most of these to the Sri Lankan Tamils in the North and East. As such, the requirements to constitute Genocide have been met.
The spectrum of Genocide
Although the Genocide Convention focuses on physical genocide there is a lot more to it. There are different types of genocide.
1.Physical Genocide – which has been clearly defined in the Genocide Convention
2.Cultural Genocide – such as the destruction of the Jaffna public library with more than 90,000 books, and material, some of which dealt with Tamil culture. What is going on today is as serious. Tamil children in the Sri Lankan North-East are being taught by Sri Lankan (Sinhalese) military who know nothing of Tamil culture or even the language (Tamil).
3.Educational Genocide – destruction of schools and preventing children from going to school
4.Economic Genocide – preventing Tamil people in the North-East from setting up businesses much of which is in the hands of the Sinhalese military, or earning a living (fishing and agriculture) by land-grabs and the relocation of Tamil people eg relocating fishermen where there is no sea.
5.Religious Genocide – Destroying Hindu temples and Christian churches and replacing them with Buddhist temples This has been very well documented in a publication by the British Tamils Forum: Proliferating Buddhist Structures in Tamil Homeland- Sowing the seeds of disharmony.
6.Structural Genocide –destroying anything built by the Tamils, and settling Sinhalese from the South in the Tamil homeland (“Sinhalisation”).
All of this (and more) the Sri Lankan (Sinhalese) government has done and is continuing to do with increased zeal, determination and alarming speed.
Is the word “Genocide” important?
Is it important to establish that “Genocide” of the Tamil people has happened and is continuing to happen in Sri Lanka to this day? Yes it is. It is not just a matter of words.
Genocide constitutes clear grounds for the application of R2P (Responsibility to Protect). The UN was very clear about this in the Report of the Inquiry into the Actions of the United Nations during the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda UN Document s/1999/1257
“There can be no neutrality in the face of Genocide”
Responsibility to Protect – R2P
Following the genocide in Rwanda and the failure of the international community to intervene, former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan asked the question “When does the international community intervene for protecting populations?”
In September 2000, the Canadian government established the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty (ICISS)
In February 2001, at the 3rd round table meeting of ICISS in London, Gareth Evans (former Australian Foreign Minister and later the CEO of the International Crisis Group) and others suggested the phrase “Responsibility to Protect”.
In December 2001, the ICISS released its report “The Responsibility to Protect”. This stated that sovereignty was not a right but a responsibility, and that the international community had to prevent mass atrocities. Economic, political and social measures were to be used along with diplomatic engagement. Military intervention was to be used as a last resort.
R2P included bringing security and justice to the victim population and finding the root cause of the mass atrocity.
It is time that this failure is addressed, and R2P applied in Sri Lanka, since the Tamil people in the North and East need “protection”. All four cardinal features of R2P – Genocide, War crimes, Crimes against Humanity and Ethnic Cleansing – have occurred in Sri Lanka and disturbingly continue to occur.
In considering Genocide in Sri Lanka, it is important to look at the Srebrenica massacre. The slaughter of 7,000 Muslim males in Srebrenica has been declared as ‘Genocide’ by an International Criminal Tribunal. Yet the slaughter of ten times that number of civilians in Sri Lanka has not been taken up. It is time that it is taken up.
After a visit to Mahinda Rajapaksa’s internment camp, the former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said “I have travelled around the world and visited similar places, but this is by far the most appalling scenes I have ever seen”.
What did Ban Ki-Moon do? He spent 15 minutes in the camp, was garlanded, he smiled and left. Did he take this up with the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa or his murderous brother? I have no evidence that he did.
The future of Democracy in Sri Lanka
There is no democracy in Sri Lanka, in particular in the Tamil North and East . This entire area is under the military (99% Sinhalese) and police (95% Sinhalese).It is a military/police state where those who run the area can do what they want with no accountability. It s not a democracy, it is a military dictatorship.
The previous President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe have repeatedly stated that there will be no reduction of in the military. In other words, the Tamil North and East will permanently be under the military.
The recent election of Gotabaya Rajapaksa as President has made a bad situation much worse. His advisors are all military men (see below). He has indicated in no uncertain terms that he is taking the country to a dictatorship assisted by the military. As such, there is no future for democracy in Sri Lanka.
The Tamil Homeland in the North and East
This will cease to exist because the agenda of the Sri Lankan government is that it wants the land (the North and East) without people (Tamils and Muslims). They will populate the area with Sinhalese from the south. This is ‘Sinhalisation’. The aim is to make Sri Lanka a Sinhala-Buddhist land. What then happens to the people who have been there for hundreds of years? They can 1) Leave the country as asylum seekers, 2) Stay as 2nd or 3rd class citizens, 3) End up in prisons or detention centres or 4) Be killed. This is Genocide.
Sri Lanka is completely bankrupt
Professor Nimal Sanderatne, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, has recently written a comprehensive article “Sri Lanka: Horrendous economic consequences of the corona pandemic”. It is a must-read document.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa
I do not need to write about Gotabaya Rajapaksa since Yasmin Sooka, Executive Director of the International Truth and Justice Project South Africa has already done an excellent job. I only need to quote what she has written. Here it is:
“President Rajapaksa’s inner circle, which now includes six Generals and Brigadiers from the President’s Gajaba Regiment, whom he has put in key positions like Commander of the Army, Chief of Defence Staff, Secretary of Defence and Chief of National Intelligence. Two of the Generals from the Gajaba Regiment served directly under Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 1989 in Matale District, when official records show at least seven hundred Sinhalese disappeared in army and police custody while he was the District Military Coordinator. Fourteen military and police officials now holding crucial official roles served under Gotabaya Rajapaksa during the civil war while he was the powerful and much feared secretary of defence.
Sri Lanka is now run by a collection of military officers many of whom will have to answer in a court one day for their complicity in the alleged killings of tens of thousands of their citizens in both 1989 and 2009, as well as alleged corruption”.
China
China, is ever willing to give (more accurately, lend) the Rajapaksas as much money as they want.
The best example of how money from China is used is the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport built when Mahinda Rajapaksa was President. US $209 million was spent, nearly $200 million from China. 2,000 acres of forest were cleared displacing some 200 elephants. Hundreds of people were employed to chase the elephants away. Migratory birds that frequent the area have collided with aircraft. Due to these hazards and a low demand many of these airlines stopped flying to Mattala. In June 2018 there were no scheduled flights. It has been called “The World’s Emptiest International Airport”.
Can anything be done?
Yes it can be done but it is in the hands of the donors. If the donors say “Aid will come your way only in exchange for restoration of democracy” then something positive might be achieved. Let us be clear about this. The Sri Lankan government will not address the humanitarian disaster in the North and East of the country. It has not done this for the past ten years and will not do it for the next ten or even hundred years. It will have to be done by those outside Sri Lanka. Hence the crucial importance of the donor community.
SarathP / July 16, 2020
Everything in this article is true. The donors need to have strict control over the flow of aid, and Japan has put its foot down, not on humanitarian concerns but over corruption. With the Covid problem, autocrats have been allowed to run wild all over the world. Can’t see a solution in sight.
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leelagemalli / July 16, 2020
Real expatriate srilankens like me would NOT support fellow srilankens further if BPs would be the majority in parliament because we have done enough to educate the people in that rotten hell. I would not support rascals and their proomotions.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW-vIyjaXAk
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It was the FAKE public perception made Gotabaya a president. They should live up the reality today with nothing is achieved regarding anything sofar. How can one compare the previoiu govt with that of current one, not even a single pledge is at least partly fullfilled by the bitch’ s sons. ?
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I have no sympathy with srilankens any more- better focus on like minded nations that are really in need. Our race sinhalaya would never see it right. JVPrs attack today that 7 or more decades were spent but nothing is achieved. But they themselves have failed to win the commeners. The reason is it is the mindset of locals.
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As Hirunika P former MP makes it very clear, lankens i meand the average would dont care much about facts but let any idiots to lead them, represent them.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUnyQm4Zjek
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW-vIyjaXAk
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Native Vedda / July 17, 2020
leelagemalli
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Here is something that is useful in this context:
SRI LANKA: MILITARISATION, SINHALA-BUDDHIST
SUPREMACY AND ABSENCE OF RULE OF LAW–
A DEADLY COMBINATION
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leelagemalli / July 17, 2020
Wie geht es Dir NV ?: Ich hoffe alles gut mit Dir
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I think the situation would turn out to be – incurable state- after 5th August 2020
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One young man in early 20ties wrote me lately – according to him, not just few, but almost many in srilanken society would not see it right. They just go after to the very same manner SADU SADU SA:… – no matter even the monks publicly would molest the child monks, our folks have respected those senior monks putting them above. To the very same manner, they seem to do it to RAJAKASHES since rajakshes are supported by those pinguthathayas.
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I have no doubt New Zealand will be the number one importer ally to srilanka after 05 August. As you guys know the best grass is being produced by Newzealand.
so for a nation, PUNNAKU and GRASS would become the staple food for the majority – number one investment would be to join hand with kiwies.
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Native Vedda / July 18, 2020
leelagemalli
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Alles ist gut.
The problem with most people is they are driven by jealousy.
They are not happy with what they have instead they envy what others possess to the extent that they are willing to destroy everything that is irritating them. If you look at every riot that was organised and conducted, rioters never benefited materially. They were contented simply because they are overwhelmed by the jubilation of destruction of the enemy’s wealth.
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Those who clamoured/clamour for blood could not see beyond their nose. Hence could not see unity in diversity, create a win win situation. Look at those who think they ought to save this island from infidels, most of them wear uniforms one or the other, saffron, olive green, khaki, white amude, ……. saffron brigade are supposed to be the renouncer, upholders of rule of law, defenders of people and their rights, …. Well this is Sri Lanka.
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Walter Bagehot / July 16, 2020
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.
For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2
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Sinhala_Man / July 16, 2020
Thanks to CT for keeping that comment so brief.
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Pseudonymous comments are, (fine example, “leelagemalli”) are fine so long as they are balanced, objective, and consistent.
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Actually, it would be almost the same even if the name were given – as in the case of Dr Brian Senewiratne, a man whom I have never met personally. I haven’t read the article yet, but I know that octogenarian Brian is truthful and consistent.
Quite a contrast to Rohan Johnpillai, who calls himself RJ@1952. Not yet seventy, but already senile. However, his vulgarity does not stem from age. People like him are doing immense harm to the human race. I almost made this a continuation of the previous paragraph, then realised that to put rj and Brian anywhere close to each other would be to insult Brian. Of course, this article cannot be commented on without reading.
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Bagehot is a liar and a coward.
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rj1952 / July 16, 2020
Psychotic SM –
I am glad that at least I have a loving admirer in a defective 2 legged psychiatrist very badly needed show off YAK.
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Keep on writing about me but as the saying says the dogs may bark but the caravan goes on and on.
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If you need to be funded to seek help to cure you of your obsessive lust please email me and I will magnanimously fund you.
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Sad to bring to your attention that I am a full heterosexual bulky tall man-mountain not interested in any bottom homosexual.
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Am only interested in good-looking young YAKKO lasses.
If you one of a stallion or two just ask and it shall be provided.
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leelagemalli / July 16, 2020
Dear Sinhala Man,
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Hope you are keeping well. I have been down with loads of my job related assignments, but whenever I read yours, that really encourages me. That is what thought of adding the few lines.
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HIRUNIKA’s latest speech tells almost everything about how average people elected a man with loads of crime investigations as the president of the country.
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That goes to the hearts of anyone with some sanity. But I dont think many in that 69 lakcs would realize it let alone today.
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Your gentle nature is radiating. That seems to be keeping us all balanced whenever exchangingthe views on this platform. I would not care much about RJ s comments. His should be well connected with his experience he collected in his home country.
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I have met many of srilanken burghers in Europe and Australia. Most of them though loved the country, were very much disappointed the way our sinhalayas treated them until they found new destination for them. We should really be ashamed to have treated burgher people that way. This topic is a taboo in srilanken society, but why not you guys write about them ?
None of the politicians of the day would utter a single word about their rights.
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N. Perera / July 16, 2020
Heladiva (Sri Lanka) belongs to Helayans (Sinhalese Aryans) There is no homeland for any race any religeon .This is gospel truth also. Each and every inch of Heladiva (Sri Lanka) belongs to Sinhalese Aryans.
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Rohan25 / July 17, 2020
So says some with an Iberian family name meaning Pear , to hide his recent immigrant South Indian Tamil low caste origin. Sinhalese Aryans ? Don’t make me laugh. Sinhalese are not Aryans and Sri Lankan Muslims are not Arabs or Moors. Both people are largely descended from South Indian Tamil immigrants , now one group claiming Aryan descent and the other Arab descent and creating chaos and mayhem in the island on the basis of this myth/lies. Half the present day so called Sinhalese Aryan population are purely descended from recent South Indian largely low caste immigrants , who were imported into the island by the Portuguese and Dutch to do low service work or work as indentured labour in the huge southern spice estates. This is recorded history. To hide their lowly South Indian origin they all took Portuguese names . One of this name is Perera( Pear). The word Hela is the Prakrit version of the ancient Tamil name for the island Eelam or Eezham and has nothing to with Aryans
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Native Vedda / July 18, 2020
N. Perera
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Even the Vatican has accepted that the world is not flat.
Please feel free to express your outdated ideas of Aryans, given that the hardcore Hindian Aryans have changed their views.
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However I wonder what the Kallathonie Aryans are doing in my ancestral land.
Go away.
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Pandi Kutti / July 20, 2020
I think you are a mouldy rotten pear, which is only good for the rubbish bin
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Plato / July 16, 2020
Sinhala Man.
Dr. Brian Senewiratne was at the Peradeniya Medical Faculty in the old days but he had his education in England. A close kinsman of CBK, he is one crusader who has taken up the cause of the ethnic Tamils over a very long time,much earlier than even the anti Tamil pogrom of 1983.
In fact he is more knowledgeable than most Tamil political commentators on the National question.
Its more than 10 years since the end of the war and the defeat of the LTTE but the mood of the present Sinhala Leaders is anything but conciliatory towards the Tamil minority.
The present political trajectory, as Dr. Brian has correctly pointed out, is to push the Tamils up against the wall with the help of the Military.
In that sense, even at his age, the consistent stand of Dr. Brian is a silver lining in the dark clouds engulfing the country.
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Rajash / July 17, 2020
Plato : “…Its more than 10 years since the end of the war and the defeat of the LTTE…… but the mood of the present Sinhala Leaders is anything but conciliatory towards the Tamil minority.”
That is an under statement.
Sinhala Leaders are still whipping up war with the dead Tiger…to fool the rural Sinhala masses.
They are good at finding LTTE cells and weapons closer to elections.
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Eagle Eye / July 17, 2020
Rajash,
The member countries of the Allied Forces that liberated Germans from Nazis in WWII are still celebrating their victory. Even German people celebrate that. Does anyone condemn what these leaders do?
So what is wrong with Sinhala leaders whipping up the victory over Tamil terrorists who slaughtered people for three decades? By defeating Tamil terrorists, Sinhala leaders and Sri Lankan Armed Forces liberated all the people in this country; not only Sinhalayo. So all the people should celebrate that victory.
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“Sinhala Leaders are still whipping up war with the dead Tiger…to fool the rural Sinhala masses.”
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old codger / July 18, 2020
Eagle,
“The member countries of the Allied Forces that liberated Germans from Nazis in WWII are still celebrating their victory. “
Now, that’s very interesting, coming from you. The Allies were a group of sovereign countries fighting another set of sovereign countries. It was not a civil war between citizens of one country. Since you are so bright, will you tell us how the Spanish or Irish civil wars are celebrated.
So what you are saying is that Tamil Eelam was a sovereign state and therefore it is OK to celebrate victory? Be careful what you celebrate.
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Eagle Eye / July 18, 2020
old codger,
There was no civil war in Sri Lanka. This is what ‘Koti Diaspora’ is trying to tell the International Community to cover up all the heinous crimes committed by LTTE Tamil terrorist barbarians.
In Sri Lanka, the descendants of slaves brought to Sinhale by Portuguese launched a terrorist campaign to slaughter Sinhalayo who are the Natives of the country in order to create a separate State for them. The Government of Sri Lanka tried hard to end the terrorist campaign through negotiations but Tamil terrorists were adamant to continue with terrorism. Having no other option, the Government of Sri Lanka carried out a military operation to wipe out Tamil terrorists and liberate all the people in Sri Lanka including Tamils.
Tamil people also should celebrate because the Government of Sri Lanka and the Armed Forces liberated them from the clutches of LTTE terrorists who killed Tamils as well and recruited 24,000 child soldiers.
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old codger / July 19, 2020
Eagle,
“There was no civil war in Sri Lanka. “
All the participants were Sri Lankan citizens. That’s what the term means.
If you say it wasn’t , you are admitting that Tamil Eelam was a sovereign state. You can’t have the Cala and eat it.
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old codger / July 19, 2020
You can’t have the cake and eat it.
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Jeeves / July 21, 2020
I wonder if he got the logic yet?
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leelagemalli / July 17, 2020
Dear Mr SM,
even if I would be kicked away from CT, I will find another forums to do the job but remain pseudomized because I know Rajaakshes are after me. My cry is for the poor in my home land.
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Lately, I thought one Italian mafia are after me – dont think I am sorta paranoid.. I know – rajakashes would destroy almost anyone that would stand against them. The blood thirsty men in that family would never allow the poor nation to raise their head. I will also support anyone that would stand against the criminals that block democratic systems in the country. With summer vacation is about to be begun in europe – but I have no hopes to travel to motherland and stay half of my time in a quarantine. Rather we travel to a week holiday in the netherlands.
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leelagemalli / July 17, 2020
Dear SM,
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See both Eagle Eye and Dr Seneviratne are from downunder .They are both migrants there. They are the minoritarian people: Like us srilankens in europe. But if we would have been attacked just because of us being from minority – we should be well aware of the feelings of our minorities in our home country right ?
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both of them are octagenarians
both of them are born to srilanka
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But Eagle Eye (if we assume him to be that Mahindapala) how abusive he is. Alone using his terms, native sinhalayo is becoming an allergic term to me today.
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I have read a lot about Dr Seneviratne even few years ago. His stand has always been very clear. Dr Senevirante has a tamil spouse while Late Mr Kadir has sinhala spouse. Both did/have been doing their best making it very clear we should no thave any difference based on race religion or whatever others.
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Eagle eye instead is sinking deep in the faecal silos of Rajaakshes for no reasons.
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God father of Racism in recent times – none other than Mahinda Rajapakshe.Man isa curse to our nation, no doubt about that.
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leelagemalli / July 16, 2020
WB,
thank for being that nice. Always make it that short. THat way you can save the nation.
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Thank you.
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Native Vedda / July 16, 2020
Walter Bagehot
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Brilliant
Thanks for keeping it brief.
Keep up your good work.
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punchinilame / July 16, 2020
Whilst the writer`s episode, which despite its repetition, the Tamil Leaders have been not able to make any decent progress for over a decade and their leadership
is now questionable by the Tamils – they have not been cheated but it could be
assumed they were soft-peddling to satisfy their own personal standing and social connections?
The immediate need is to curb this 2/3rd. I strongly suggest that all students
who have a vote for 5th August tell their family members of the dangers of
a 2/3rd at this time – to save this so-called Democracy and our future. To act
accordingly.
The Sinhala Intelligentsia, in general, have been frightened to speak out. This takes me to Dr.Dayan Jayatilleke`s stand today, despite his Feb.2015 Nugegoda grand-standing.
Remember the 19th amendment provides for no life-time Presidential immunity,
which the MR family wishes to provide just in the guise of dealing with the 13th and 19th under a new Constitution! This matters to GR as an opportunity he cannot afford to miss and hence his 2/3rd as guided by Basil – his US Rep. here.
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Eagle Eye / July 16, 2020
Dr. Brian Senewiratne,
“They will populate the area with Sinhalese from the south. This is ‘Sinhalisation’. The aim is to make Sri Lanka a Sinhala-Buddhist land.”
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This country known as ‘Sinhale’ was a Sinhala Buddhist country at the time Portuguese colonized the coastal belt. During the colonial rule that lasted from 1505-1948, colonial rulers carried out all types of genocides that you mention against Native Sinhalayo. In addition, the colonial parasites brought Dravida slaves from Hindusthan to Yapanaya and Central Highlands and changed the demographic composition in the country.
The Demala people in the North are descendants of Dravida slaves brought by Portuguese. During Portuguese and Dutch rule Demala people were confined to Yapanaya peninsula but during British rule, Governors Torrington (1848) and Ward (1856) settled them in the North Central Province (Nuwarakalawiya) and coastal areas of the Eastern Province (Tirikunamale and Madakalapuwa). So these ‘Paradesi’ people have no right to claim North-East as their ‘Traditional Homeland’ and demand a separate State.
The land that Demala people are occupying now in North and East was where Sinhala Kingdoms Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa existed. So they have every right to develop settlements in North and East and settle Sinhala people.
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Easton Scott / July 16, 2020
For all the terrible ills of colonialism, there are some gems. One of them is the higher levels of ethnic diversity (over and above normal migration) in today’s ‘liberated’ ex-colonies. Sri Lanka should celebrate this, not prosecute it.
While it is a shame that our last colonial masters, the Brits, fostered divisions and left Lanka and many of their colonies in ethnic strife, we should rise above this, celebrate the resultant diversity and exploit this as one of the tools for prosperity.
Regrettably, our political leaders have consistently tried to outdo Britain in this game.
We should look at countries such as Canada, which had more than a chequered past and treated its indigenous populations as well as coloured immigrants (or aspiring immigrants) cruelly, but is now a global leader in fostering and exploiting diversity as a basis for harmony and prosperity.
It is for the above reasons, Eagle Eye, that I feel your comments are bigoted, racist and have no place in decent and enlightened society.
Shame on you.
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rj1952 / July 16, 2020
Easton Scott –
You have hit the nail right where it will hurt most.
This petty racist who is in his late 80’s on his last Kota Uda trek to hell has no shame or respect for himself or his lovely young too good for him Tamil bride.
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He along with a few other Yakko misfits whenever they try to show off their prowess by racially posting their cheap comments which are not even fit enough for the gutters are meted out with many a dislike for their negativity.
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Keep up the good work, Cheers R. J.
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Sinhala_Man / July 16, 2020
Approved by me.
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Except “Yakko” (is that a word?). That expression tells us more about your base and vulgar origins than about anybody else in this conversation.
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Eagle Eye / July 17, 2020
Easton Scott,
Sinhalayo allowed ethnic diversity by not chasing away aliens who entered this country illegally during colonial rule as some countries did.
While expecting Sinhalayo to maintain ethnic diversity so that Demala people can live and work in any place in this country, Demala people have created a ‘Mono-Ethnic Entity’ in the North by chasing out Sinhalayo and Muslims. Vigneshwaran even say ‘Sinhalayo are not welcomed in the North’ forgetting the fact that North is the land of Sinhala people.
Ethnic diversity could have become a gem if Demala politicians allowed Demala people to learn Sinhala and live in harmony with Sinhala majority instead of demanding a Federal system soon after British left by forming a Federal Party.
Demala people in Sri Lanka are lost between the dreamland the Vellala politicians promised as ‘Elam’ and Sri Lanka where they have to live.
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Easton Scott / July 17, 2020
Eagle Eye, has your mother not told you that when you are in a hole, you should stop digging?
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old codger / July 18, 2020
Eagle,
“Sinhalayo allowed ethnic diversity by not chasing away aliens who entered this country illegally during colonial rule as some countries did”
Did Sinhalayo enter the country legally? Can you give Vijaya’s visa number?
Just give us your full name so that we can tell you which corner of India your great great great grandmother was thrown out from.
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Eagle Eye / July 18, 2020
old codger,
Archeologists P.E.P. Deraniyagala, S.U. Deraniyagala and Raj Somadeva who conducted research on Pre-History of Sri Lanka based on archeological findings have concluded with scientific evidences that Sinhalayo evolved from Homo sapiens who lived in the Southern Coastal areas about 125,000 years ago.
Except Sinhalayo and Vedda Eththo all the others in Sri Lanka are ‘Paradesis’ who were given citizenship by Sinhalayo.
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old codger / July 19, 2020
Eagle,
What about all the Karawes and Salagamas with Portuguese and Tamil names? Who made them Sinhalese? Aren’t you one of them, because you are so shy to reveal your real name?
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rj1952 / July 16, 2020
My friend LM has written a mouthful of truth.
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The Yakko buggers who whilst shitting squatting on their tinnies made the biggest error of their lives by casting their holy sacred votes for a devil looking kallathoni of a war criminal who if not aided and abetted by the biased corrupt inept not worth his salt Election Department head peon who blindly while too being in a squatting mode approved the nomination to appease the supported by the rampaging petty murderous military who are supportive of the criminal hora boru Rajapuka’s.
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They say that Lord Buddha works in a mysterious manner.
Soon after the poll of the 16th November 2019, the cost of living began skyrocketing towards the moon and it is safely perched there on a sledge.
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Not even 4 months had passed by China gifted to the world the delightful coronavirus-19 by which the poor poverty-stricken in penury poor folks are now suffering in a NO mode.
They and their fellow humans along with the beasts have no food to eat no money to buy it no jobs to go they are now clothed in their birthday suits no schools to attend no medicines in the hospitals except the word NO.
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Simon / July 16, 2020
The period from 2009 to 2015 was the “DISASTROUS” period for the country. It was during this period that Sri Lanka was trapped in a colossal “DEBT TRAP” by the then administration of MR as the President and his family and other cohorts. What happened then was, the President and the entire “Inner Circle” got so “Up-Beat” over winning the war, lost their “HEAD” (in every respect of planning and administration) and thought they did receive a “Blank Cheque” to do whatever they thought was fit and correct in terms of their thinking and ideology. That is how they got trapped into undertakings of large and “Grandiose” projects (excepting a few) that never were meant to bring economic and social benefits to the people and the country. The next Government – “Yahapalaanaya” made that situation worse and as of today, we are well and truly trapped in all respects of economic, social, and political misery. That “Yahapalanaya” did so badly that the people showed their anger and disgust by recognizing a “Brand New” political outfit named SLPP and handed over the Local Government administration to the same “Group” who laid the foundation for the “Disaster” from 2009-2015.
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Eagle Eye / July 17, 2020
Simon,
You can get some self satisfaction by writing this rubbish but people in Sri Lanka are not going to buy your rubbish. 2009 to 2015 is a period that people in this country, irrespective of ethnicity or religion enjoyed peace after going through hell for three decades due to Tamil terrorism.
Sri Lanka did not get into a ‘DEBT TRAP’ during this period. Sri Lanka borrowed and invested in several projects that could make a significant contribution to development. It was ‘Jadapalana’ Government that pushed this country to ‘DEBT TRAP’ by borrowing heavily but producing nothing.
—
“The period from 2009 to 2015 was the “DISASTROUS” period for the country. It was during this period that Sri Lanka was trapped in a colossal “DEBT TRAP” by the then administration of MR as the President and his family and other cohorts.”
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Ajith / July 16, 2020
Karuna said that he is more dangerous than Covid -19. He is correct because even after he changed from LTTE to Gotabaya group he did more crimes than before with the direction of former defence secretary during the regime who cheated Sinhala Buddhists with fake patriotism. Former defence sectretary was not brought to develop this country or bring peace to the country. Their aim is very clear that is family dictatorship. Sinhala Buddhists should realise that by creating Sinhala Buddhist only nation, this nation will end of into three independent nations fight other forever. Sinhala will be isolated from international community. Dictators never worry about people.
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Eagle Eye / July 17, 2020
Ajith,
“Former defence sectretary was not brought to develop this country or bring peace to the country.”
What did he bring by defeating Tamil terrorists who were bragging that they cannot be defeated militarily?
===
“this nation will end of into three independent nations”
—
You are dreaming. One good thing that happened as a result of Tamil terrorism is this country got a very strong and well disciplined Army, Navy and an Air Force. Anyone who thinks of breaking this country should think what happened to megalomaniac Piripakaran.
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Ajith / July 17, 2020
Eagle Eye,
“What did he bring by defeating Tamil terrorists who were bragging that they cannot be defeated militarily?”
Easter Bomb. sterlization of Sinhalese women. White Van abduction and murder.
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Mallaiyuran / July 16, 2020
Thanks Dr. Brian.
Come often here please.
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a14455 / July 16, 2020
brian the Brain , Mentally Ill senevirathne is back . It is all the interbreeding that made the ratwattes bandaranayakes mentally retarded.
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Mallaiyuran / July 17, 2020
a14455
Do you think interbreeding as bad as sleeping with wild lives. Isn’t your blood & brain are SinhaLE?
Check the google map, please, for path to hell! Don’t bother us.
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Eagle Eye / July 17, 2020
Mallaiyuran,
When Sinhalayo with lion blood roared the tigers ran putting their tails in between their hind legs.
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Mallaiyuran / July 19, 2020
Eagle,
Lion can fight best with prey a double the wight of him. Only male engage mostly non prey animals for fight, but don’t hunt. Females are much smaller, do the hunting by going to Middle East and working for for new Wahhabi colonial masters. In the captivity Bengal tigers, which match the body wight of African lion, wins the fights. But Siberian tiger is 600Kg compared African lion 200Kg. Theoretically no mach a lion of that size killing machine. Zoos have no public records on their fight I guess. I have seen some comic pictured morphed Sinhala Buddhists after the war that a lion raping a tiger. That time even Lankawe used to show it as world third super power. But when next year international countries start to introduce economic sanction, half of the Wildlife Sanctuary Lankawe species will be wiped out.
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Atu / July 17, 2020
This is what happens when your Tamil wife removed your backbone and left side of brain. Then, Brian, you would become less intelligent meek person. I am not sure whether you have woken up from a Coma. You guys with Tamil diaspora still misguiding young people to go against a democratically appointed government. Let them take arms and get same result. If you guys are still plotting, then that action justifies the presence of armed forces in the North. When a government is confident there is no threat to the country, the forces will be taken off. If you guys are not doing anything wrong, there is no need to be fearful about security camps strategically placed in the North. How many numbers in security forces is none of business from a civilian or any other country. It is a decision and a legitimate right for a government. The war needed that many forces and you cannot just delist them without giving them a proper job. That is why they are used for other capable works while paying them salaries. They are well disciplined and have special hands-on capabilities than many others. So why not keep them and use them?
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Atu / July 17, 2020
You can play genocide card over and over again. It played internationally before and failed. Whenever you play this, real Sinhalese people (you are not in that category) will get closer and closer to the Government as it is a lie. He the problem is not ethnic, It is poor vs. rich. Have and have nots. Powerful and not powerful. These are common to all eccentricities. Brainless and spineless you cannot accept that truth. can someone translate this and publish in a Sinhalese newspaper? This is a perfect one for the present government to get 2/3 majority. All floating votes will be attracted to SLPP after reading this.
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paragon / July 17, 2020
Mahinda and company should erect a statue or a plaque of PRABAKARAN in galleface green or in katharagama for keeping Rajapakse family to hang on to power for ever since even tamils may not remember PRABAKARAN Rajapaksa may be even see PRABAKARAN in his dream for all the help he got from PRABAKARAN to take singala modayaas for a ride for ever.
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ShanR / July 17, 2020
Thank you Brian. You have done so much to protect Tamils against genocidal situations. It needed a lot of courage and effort. You had to face so much mud-slinging, and so much harassment from many quarters, but you stood firm and unwavering as a rock. Tamil people, wherever they live, will be grateful to you for ever.
Hope God gives you good health.
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Hora Harvadian / July 17, 2020
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.
For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / July 17, 2020
Dear Sir
For your political analysis and generalisation of SL by language and religion please segregate 450 years of colonial rule to 1948, 1948-1956, 1956-1970, 1970 to 1977, 1977 to 2009.
Then please look at 1970 to 1977 in Jaffna with the JVP down south. You have no records of the evil that took place in Jaffna to get the 1977 separation mandate by ITAK/FP/TULF now TNA. For anyone who does not know what did realy take place in Jaffna the Tamil crime against Tamils from 1970 – 1977 and thereafter will not be able to analysis anything regard to Tamil lives and their future. There is a reason none of these hideous crimes are never recoded, published and investigated to date.
The same has now apply diverted the attention of the Nation to LTTE basically scope coated them so they can continue what they are doing now. What the world has analysed and dealt with is LTTE and the GOSL responses in the process but not addressed the FP/TULF now the TNA.
If anyone cares about SL will not entertain TNA in its form carrying the Tamil mantle….they are responsible for the entire Nations downfall and the suffering of us all complementing the JVP activity down south of the violence that was unleashed on the SL too.
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / July 17, 2020
Furthermore the words such as Genocide/Crime against humanity/War crimes and many more are such an inappropriate terms specially in Sri Lanka without the above analysis what happened in Jaffna 1970-2009 the Tamil crime against Tamils itself is investigate FP/ITAK/TULF part in creating the armed wing of their pursuits…….one of them is LTTE but not the full story here is it not?? I lost many many fellow Tamil men and Women killed by these children has nothing whatsoever to do with Sinhalese nor Muslims?
None of your discussion is valid if you do not factor in the Indian training camps for my children and not a single Nation/UN has discussed what happened/no economic sanctions/State sponsored terrorism accusations???
I am a Mn from Jaffna and knows what happened in my land too?? What we need is a peace time for Tamils to find their own mind (not at hun point) to shape their own future away from TNA politics…..where the state will play a normal stately part minus the TNA for Tamil future in a united country……one for all and all for one……nothing about Australia/Canada/America/Russia/China/India…. is perfect and we are not perfect too but better than the rest…….if you leave us alone.unless you all want to come back to live and contribute to a United Sri Lanka.
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / July 17, 2020
Dear It is Interesting the type of photos get attached to various CT articles to fit the theme…..leaves a bigger impression of the elected than the words themselves and then the articles with no head or tail followed by interesting commentators reinforcing the same………..one begin to wonder about it all…..the picture and words missing are the time periods in Jaffna the gruesome killings of Tamil by Tamils???? do you know why?? TULF publicly condemning opposition not death on stages, elected standing by as killings continued, no reporting, no attendance ion funerals, no condemnation of the violence…these were in peace time then……then the same attending parliament’s I never noted you said a one word about that to date??? is it means you agree the same that one can kill the other for reasons?????? then all is justified is it not??? duplicity/double standards/not applying the law and order they themselves specialised on and used it against the state….is called Devils Advocacy = Genocide in my books??
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / July 17, 2020
Dear Sir
Then to say Tamils are to be administrated by these people as is their birth right is the most racist things anyone can say to Tamil speaking people of SL. We do not like our life further compromised by anyone under any disguise is the point. until we have all laid out infant of us in the form of investigation we are not in a position to evaluate and vote……..given TNA will not resort to sending mercenaries to suppress is our right to vote freely whilst they enjoy the state freedom to make a living from the Tax Payers of SL whilst the trails are pending/implementation of the findings informed to all the citizens of the country and to the world is pending so they can make their own evaluation regards to who should be at The Hague???
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chiv / July 17, 2020
Thank you Brian for keeping up your battle in telling the true facts. There are few CT readers here too are decent as Brian . My humble request for the Tamils, is to appreciate such people and not keep blaming the Sinhalese community en masse . By doing so you may even end up loosing those few who still stand by you.
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / July 17, 2020
Dear Sir
Did you ever analyse that the FP/ITAK/TULF politicians were never killed by the Sinhalese or by the Muslims and why? the same openly advocated and carried out what they wanted in Jaffna the state never intervened and involved in sorting out these criminals why? even after the war end they have the freedom to enjoy life that the average Tamil is trying to survive why?? how come the Indians did not punish the TULF why? How come the world did not ask the obvious and observe the obvious who had a newspaper called Suthenthiran wrote all those ills about fellow citizens of SL and why?? How come no one investigated and taken any statements of the death of many Tamils not attended by the elected representing Tamil interest in our own soil why?? why no records of exactly who did what at the time of each killing and why?? million books and article to reinforce the same folk stories mom the same ever since even after the death and misery of Mother Lankan children why?? When Tamil children were stolen to Tamil Nadu the world did not cry foul why? The TNA did not run to the UN why??Who are these Aliens vampires living off the blood of the SL children and what are they doing in our soil??
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / July 17, 2020
Dear Sir
More than anything else why the Sinhalese thugs who killed the innocent Tamils who lived amongst them the a crime/rpvocations that was committed by FP/ITAK/TULF in 1977 and 1983???
I only wish GOSL will tell the full story of what happened in Jaffna 1970 – 1977 to the Sinhalese masses once all the investigations are completed so the killing of the innocence will never happen?? they should know where the TNA lives should they need them???
Well I can confirm and be the material witness to how many attempted killing of my Father, how many attempted killing of the family, stone throwing…….fire balls after fire balls around my home by the same?? What happen to all others too the Nation had no time to investigate is because they were Tamils and did not matter anyway? Hand granades, killings in front of the children, lynchings, and million more Tamil crime on Tamils I would not even bother to list here..were they all investigated , recorded and the elected TULF walked distance with the families to the graveyard even if they were their oppositions, kids choices to kill?? were the Sinhalese majority ever told the truth about what happened to the Tamils in Jaffna under the watch of the elected TULF MP’s?? this is not crime against humanity to you Sir?????
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Siva Sankaran Sharma / July 18, 2020
Thank you Dr. Seneviratne, for accurate and concise facts as to what is happening to the island’s Tamils at the hands of Sinhalese racists and Sinhalese Buddhist Fascists and the Sri Lankan government and military. Even so called Tamil politicians have not stated this clearly as you have or even understand the predicament that we Eelam Tamils are facing but you a Sinhalese who is very closely related one of the biggest anti Tamil prime ministers in the island Srimavo Bandaranaike and to her daughter Chandrika Kumaratunge the former Sri Lankan President has realized and have effortlessly fought for Tamil rights. I was fortunate enough to attend some of your speeches with regards to this manner in Melbourne. This genocide of the Tamils was planned long before independence and the then stupid Tamil politicians were taken for a ride by the Sinhalese politicians and the British , who in reality never favoured
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Siva Sankaran Sharma / July 18, 2020
the Tamils as the Sinhalese allege but only used them but have always favoured the Sinhalese. They only used the Tamil people for their hard work. If the British favoured the Tamils, they would have seen that native Tamil rights were protected under a federal system and the Indian origin Tamils were granted citizen ship . They did not but handed the reign and the hapless Tamils to the Sinhalese racists , who were their favourits under the Tamils will not be in this horrible position , that they find themselves now , at the verge of vanishing from the island , after living in the island from prehistoric times and ruling their lands until European colonization , especially the British who arrived and merged the Tamil lands with the Sinhalese lands in 1833.
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Siva Sankaran Sharma / July 18, 2020
Other than very short spans , the island’s Tamils have never been under Sinhalese rule until 1948 , for the Sinhalese to claim the whole island as their , it was the other way around . It was the Sinhalese who were constantly under Tamil rule and 90% of their kings and so called Sinhalese aristocracy , many now beating the anti Tamil drum have a Tamil ancestry . The last kings of Kandy and Kotte Sinhalese kingdoms were Tamils. The Kingdom of Kandy was a Sinhalese/Tamil kingdom and not a Sinhalese only kingdom as depicted now. Now all these countries including Britain who was the cause of this problem and helped these Sinhalese racists and war criminals to come to power are remaining silent , and even give support to this government but cry crocodile tears about Hongkong , Sebrenica , but remain silent about Tibet or Uigher
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Siva Sankaran Sharma / July 18, 2020
Their very selective about human rights and fight for this only when it benefits them. If people are looking for India to intervene they will never. If yo look at history India has always behaved like the wicked step mother to the Sri Lankan Tamils , and always pandered to Sinhalese demands and will do do , even if the Sinhalese treat them abdominally and run to China , play the China card well as India is ruled by lots of anti Tamils and even many so called Tamils who in reality are anti Tamils and Aryan supremacists. I do not have to name them. It is a well known fact that in 2009 there was a secret agreement during the Sonia regime , with the then Rajapakse government , that India will help with the destruction and annihilation of the island’ Tamils not just the LTTE to seek revenge for the Rajiv Gandhi assassination. Italian Sonia’s need to take revenge was far more important than even India’s interest. Rajapakse’s used this secret agreement to black mail the then Indian government and even this government will not to anything
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Agnos / July 18, 2020
SSS,
The Keralite cabal that was powerful within the South Block at that time probably wanted to curry favor with Sonia Gandhi and came up with strategies that they thought would please her, and in the process indifferent to the plight of the ordinary SL Tamil people. But I don’t think the RG family wanted that kind of pure revenge against the people as a whole, as they are a political family focused on their own political future and know assassinations, of IG as well, come with the territory.
FYI, many Indians in the US tell me that that Indian population has largely forgotten the RG assassination, and without blaming LTTE solely, they understand RG was way in over his head as well. India is a large country with many states and ethnic groups pulling the Center to focus on their own issues. Advocating for SL Tamil issues at the Center and getting attention would require powerful patrons from India but Tamils don’t have leaders who have the energy and will to invest time and energy to cultivate such relationships. The Diaspora can fill that gap, but I don’t see anyone doing it.
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Siva Sankaran Sharma / July 19, 2020
Agnos . I am aware that other than a few die hard anti Tamils and so called Aryan supremacists ( I have met many this kind too, still gloating at what happened to the Eelam Tamils. They open out to me far more , as I am Brahmin) . What you state is correct . Most Indians have forgotten, the assassination of RG and now have no rancour and do not blame the LTTE entirely . They are aware that there were many other factors playing into this. RG was way above his head. Powerful anti Tamil Indians were then at the helm both in Colombo and in New Delhi, deliberately giving him incorrect advice. They are also aware of the behaviour of the largely Sikh IPKF and their treatment of ordinary Tamil civilians , especially the large scale rape of Tamil women. Many Indians have actually asked me , is it true that this happened? These are ordinary Indians from all parts of India. Many have even told me they like and prefer Sri Lankan Tamils , and feel a very close rapport with them just like Sri Lankan Tamils feel the same with Indians. Many Indians have also told me they do not feel that with the Sinhalese , and generally feel uncomfortable around most of them , as they feel this hatred and anti Indian feeling oozing out of them.
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Eagle Eye / July 18, 2020
Siva Sankaran Sharma,
“what is happening to the island’s Tamils at the hands of Sinhalese racists and Sinhalese Buddhist Fascists and the Sri Lankan government and military.”
—
How dare you talk like this to people who gave your ancestors from Hindusthan citizenship in this country when abandoned by colonial parasites, gave free education and health services and perhaps even a job.
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Siva Sankaran Sharma / July 19, 2020
Why are you constantly shyting here ? Has your low caste Meenachchi forgotten to feed you or give your Dementia tablets? Yes we all know whose ancestors arrived from Hindusthan without a visa. Starting with the mythical Prince Vijaya and his bad of 500 , from La La land in Bengal and their Pandian Tamil Thangachchis and Jing bang , who were supposed to have founded the Sinhalese people. Then followed by all the invaders and immigrants , from ancient to medieval times , who arrived here , from the then Tamil country in India and settled down and got assimilated as Sinhalese. Lastly the hundreds of thousands of Tamil low castes and untouchables who again were imported from the then Tamil country , by the Portuguese and then the Dutch colonials for menial service work and to work as indentured slaves in the huge southern spice estates. Their Sinhalised descendants , Buddhist and Christian now make up half the present day so called Sinhalese. Not to mention that most of your kings and aristocrats are also Tamil and later Tamil speaking Telugu origin Nayakars from Hundusthan. Basically the Sinhalese are largely descended from HIndusthani Tamils , with a dash of Bengali/Odiya, who have Prakritised their Tamil language, due to the influence of Buddhism. You are just a variant of the Tamils. Just like the Malayali, Kannada, Telugu or Tulu.
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Rohan25 / July 18, 2020
An Army base hospital well equipped open in Killinochchi , to service the occupying Sinhalese racist armed forces in the region , whilst nothing is done to upgrade the Killonochchi hospital
https://www.army.lk/news/well-equipped-new-army-base-hospital-gifted-kilinochchi-troops
Look at everything oozing with Sinhalese Buddhist Fascism and racism in a district that is 99% Eelam Tamil. It starts with the name board outside The Tamil letters are very small, and not even written in proper Tamil but Sansritized Tamil , as an after thought, whilst the Sinhalese and English letters are large and bold . This is tell the Tamils in the area , that they are insignificant and an after thought and Sinhalese are their rulers , so the Sinhalese and even English letters are in big bold writing and the Tamil letters a later after thought added and not in proper Tamil too , to insult the Tamils.. I thought Tamil was an official language in par with Sinhalese and in the north and east where Tamil is the majority language in all eight districts it takes precedence over Sinhalese. Apparently not. Look only Sinhalese Kandyan dances in the opening ceremony nothing Tamil or Hindu in this 99% Tamil Hindu district.
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Eagle Eye / July 18, 2020
Rohan25,
There is no Elam in Sri Lanka and there are no Tamils. Sinhalayo call the Dravidians brought by colonial parasites ‘Demala’. Colonial parasites called them ‘Malabar’ because they were picked up from Malabar region in Hindusthan.
By chasing out all the Sinhalayo, Tamil terrorist barbarians created ‘Mono-Ethnic Ghettos’ with 99% Demalu.
—
“Look only Sinhalese Kandyan dances in the opening ceremony nothing Tamil or Hindu in this 99% Tamil Hindu district.”
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Rohan25 / July 18, 2020
Look only Sinhalese Kandyan dances in the opening ceremony nothing Tamil or Hindu in this 99% Tamil Hindu district. Lastly look at the banner inside only in Sinhalese and in English nothing in Tamil the other official language in a Tamil district. Revealing their real racist mindset . As no Tamil would have been inside so they did not have to make do with Tamil , like the after thought name board in horrible colloquial Sanskritized Tamil. Eelam Tamils take pride in our Tamil that is the least corrupted and Sanskritized and take offence , when outside Sinhalese racists are trying to bastardize our langu
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Eagle Eye / July 18, 2020
Rohan25,
You are worried about Sanskritized Demala. Sinhalayo are worried about ‘Demalized’ Sinhala place names in the North and East by Dravida slaved brought by Portuguese and dumb-ped in Yapanaya.
e.g.
Kokavila became Kokuvil
Mampe became Manipai
Batakotte beame Vadukodai
Hunugama became Chunkkamman
—
In 1824 –Waligama
In 1920 – Valigammam
In 1948 – Valikamman
—
Source: http://www.jaffnahistory.com/Place_Names.html
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Rohan25 / July 19, 2020
Mas man you keeps on repeating the same lies thinking that a lie often repeated , especially by those in power becomes the truth . This is that the racist Sri Lankan government and the Sinhalese racists are trying to do. Keep on repeating lies , creating fake web sites and evidence , for many prejudiced anti Tamil and lazy historians/journalists , especially western to quote from. It is a well known fact many of them do not leave their luxurious hotels in Colombo but are given materials by the Sri Lankan government , to base their articles from and they do this and spread lies , misinformation and pro Sinhalese propaganda. These words are all pure Tamil words, that are now being twisted by the Sri Lankan government and Sinhalese racists , to claim these areas as Sinhalese.. It is easy as Sinhalese vocabulary is 40% Tamil derived. If fact it is the other way around. You find lots of Tamil origin names in the so called Sinhalese south , proving that the island was once Tamil or semi Tamil( Elu) speaking
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Rohan25 / July 19, 2020
Previously I gave you the example of the Tamil origin of the typical Sinhalese place name Borella . Now another one, Kaduganawa on the way to Kandy. SO very Sinhalese sounding again . The meaning is the fierce mountain pass or the mountain pass to traverse ETC; It is derived from the Tamil words
Kadu kanavai(கடு-கணவாய்) .
Ganaawa Canal (Sinhala place names); Ka’navaya: Also Kanavaya: A canal (Paranavitana. S., Later Brahmi Inscriptions of Ceylon, nos. 14, 46 and 61); Ka’navaay: Mountain pass, ravine (Tamil, Dravidian Etymological Dictionary 1163); Ka’navaa: Mountain ghat, ravine (Malayalam, ); Ka’name, Ka’nave, Ka’nime, Ka’nive: Narrow pass between two mountains (Kannada, ); Ka’n-vaay: Sluice; Ka’n-paay: Canal; Ka’n-maay, Kammaay: Irrigation tank (Tamil, Tamil Nadu); Kaan: Canal, gutter (Eezham Tamil)
Katu (adjective) Fierce, displeasing, thorny, hot, pungent (Sinhala); Kadu: (adjective, verb, Urichchol) Harsh, severe, fierce, sharp, pricking, painful, hot, pungent etc (Tamil, Changkam and modern diction, Dravidian Etymological Dictionary 1135); Extreme, fierce, excessive etc (Malayalam, DED 1135); Severe, sharp, excessive (some other Dravidian languages, DED 1135); Kadu-varai: Steep mountain; Kadu-vazhi: Difficult passage (Tamil usages); Katu: Pungent, sharp, fierce, hot (Sanskrit); Katukka: Sharp, severe, painful, pungent (Pali / Prakrit)
Kada-ima Limit, boundary of a country, frontier (Sinhala); Kadai: End, limit, boundary (Tamil, Dravidian Etymological Dictionary 1109),
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Rohan25 / July 19, 2020
Kada (adjective of Kadam): The side of a hill, hard and difficult path in a barren track (Tamil, also Tamil place names, Pinkalam Lexicon, DED 1438); Kada: The difficult side of a hill (Sinhala, as in Kandyan usage Sen-kada-gala, the old name for Kandy); Gada: Stone, impediment, obstacle, fence, ditch, moat (Sinhala). See column on Kandy
Now you and your fake Sinhalese historians shut up again . You will not get the better of me
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Punchi Point / July 19, 2020
I wonder did the people who named the place Kadugannawa actually think all the above etymological rubbish before they named it? ;)
Stop your stupid falsifications Siva/Rohan. The longer the etymological stories the more likely it is that it is falsified. Etymologies are not done by taking a couple of dictionaries and browsing to the nearest sounding word and twist a few letters and do some story telling like in Tamilnet, but using scientific linguistic methods of sound change rules. If you take a Hebrew or Chinese dictionary or for that matter dictionary of any language you can make an etymology for Kadugannawa using the same methods of story telling like you do.
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Rohan25 / July 20, 2020
I know that you have a little brain and cannot punch any points or arguments to counter this . I have given all the details and please try to disprove this. Scientific linguistic methods have proven that Sinhalese vocabulary is 35-40% Tamil based in origin and the Sinhalese language has a strong Dravidian /Tamil foundation. The native dialect Elu is a simple semi Tamil Dravidian dialect. When Elu got corrupted with Prakrit it became Hela or old Sinhalese. Old Sinhalese like Elu was still close to its Tamil mother in structure and pronunciation. Even many reputable Sinhalese linguists and historians have admitted to this. Only foolish idiots and Sinhalese Buddhist Fascists like you are pathetically trying to argue otherwise and building fake web sties and history and with the backing of all Sri Lankan governments and the fake Archeology Department , that is the hand maiden of Singhalese racism . Instead of wasting energy , money and lies on all these fake web sites history and racism , why cant the beggar Sri Lankan government concentrate and use these scarce funds to develop the island , where everyone can prosper and live in equality , peace and harmony.
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Rohan25 / July 20, 2020
In this regard please google and read Charles Godakumbure’s paper on the influence of Dravidian element in Sinhalese. “Sinhalese, the language brought up and nursed by the Tamil”. Also refrain from low down mud slinging of trying to vilify and identify me with other bloggers in this forum , when you cannot come up with any intelligent or valid argument. Thinking that this will shut me up , so that you and your friends can post you racist rubbish here whiteout any opposition. My name is Rohan and this is my actual name. Even if I was someone else so what ? Is that a crime? You definitely are not Punch Point . Much better to call you Pointless. It is not our identities , that matter but what we post. We make sense , whereas you and Eagle blind and may other so called Sinhalese bloggers only post racist rubbish here. Cannot come back with any valid arguments and then resort to personal attacks.
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / July 18, 2020
Dear Sir
I have to agree most of the folks do describe all that happened and now happening in Majority Tamil areas/war affected areas after the FP/TNA/TULS folly taken up the separation treachery/treason in 1977 elections and the riots that ensued in 1977 and 1983 and the consequences/spoils of the war that ensued and engulfed all of us the Sri Lankans special emphasis to those in the war affected areas.
I have no issues with the problems we all had to resolve over the time peacefully as a developing Nation just as Sinhalese also needed to be empowered too?. However the charge against the FP/TULF/TNA is to have committed the crimes themselves in a democracy from 1970 -1977 the physical and mental violence on Tamil people themselves and then followed it up with up with a war until 2009 jumping all fences whom they blamed others jumped and called them turncoats and traitors and killed them too……..now it had a different name LTTE their mown making come to ask too??.
Post war dilemma of all our people affected as correctly described by Hon Judge requires this folly to come up with answers (not the Nation or anybody else) is the punishment???? The question is what have they done since 2009 to rectify matters????
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Ajith / July 18, 2020
Dear Sir TV,
Were you born in 1977? Why you have not mentioned anything that happened in this beautiful island. I know you are angry with FP, TULF, TNA and LTTE. That is why supported the massacre of Sinhalese in 1989 and massacre of Tamils in 2009. You asked for somebody but what is the answer for those who murdered Lasantha and Wassim (Rugby player)? Can you rectify those murders now?
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Eagle Eye / July 18, 2020
Ajith
What is the answer for those who murdered:
Alfred Duraiappah
Appapillai Amirthalingam
Neelan Tiruchelvan
Rajiv Gandhi
Ranasinghe Premadasa
Laxman Kadiragamer
Lalith Ethulathmudali
Gamini Dissanayake
Just to name a few.
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / July 19, 2020
Dear EE
It was the FP/ITAK + ACTC become TULF after GG lost the Jaffna elections and AA lost the Vaddukottai elections in 1970 to my Father??? a turning point in SL history should have put our Nation on the world map.
Then the open thuggery started by the same in a democracy as democracy was fully enjoyed/exploited/employed/taken for a ride to an extent the Jaffna killing fields started with open invitation to the youth to take the life of those who worked with the government by the “unelected mostly” (they are in your listing too) whilst the elected from ITAK kept silent? and the Suthenthiran party news paper did the rest on the unsuspecting public. Just the beginning of the horrors to come until 2009.
They try to kill my Father in Colombo 1972 that failed, after several attempts they killed Late Hon AD in 1975 not far from my home in Ponnalai at a temple? My father Thiagarajah was assassinated in 1981 during the Jaffna DDC election campaign. These were elected people serving their constituents.
The ITAK/FP/TULF who created the PLOTE/TELO/LTTE and many other groups were all one until 1980 where LTTE went down a separate path thereafter.
All others including late Hon Prime Minister Premadasa were all killed by LTTE some of which are all contested wrt who killed them etc to date.
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / July 19, 2020
The point here is the ITAK/FP/TULF who created the scene/misguided the youth and were very successful in intimidation/misinformation and assassinations that let to the 1977 miserable election victory for a separate state mandate etc. The important point is the Tamils who were at the front line of this misery by their own politicians who suppose to respect them/look after their choices and rights even before the GOSL soldiers had to take the bullets??
1970-1977 in Jaffna requires a separate investigations by an International body to unearth what did really happen in our Country.
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / July 19, 2020
Dear EE
Even more important is the 1981 Development Council Elections given us all a great second chance to navigate out of the 1977 blunder a well measured “Autonomy for Economical Indepoendence” distributed throughout the Nation without tipping any balance/upsetting the masses in our Nation yet empowering the people can be done on a more focused way sustaining the development momentum of our Nation was offered by our Late Hon Premadasa and his government. This was disrupted too by the TULF/PLOTE by killing my Father. Another historical blunder and abuse of Tamil voting rights was violated once more when the said could have awaited the election results to know if they have any relevancy in the SL and the north politics??? then came the Jaffna Library events followed by the 1983 blunder and more innocent Soldiers and Tamil civilians dying…this is how this folly survived from day one….story needed more death and misery……nothing but that to date. The same killers were then have to be protected by the armed forces and been apart of the same UNP governments too??? now the next ride is ready with the SLPP/SLFP even possibly with the most contracting liasons love affair with the JVP too whilst discussing North and East merger??? All this is after spilling the entire nations blood for what??
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / July 19, 2020
Now we in the era of information highway things are about get hard for the folly. For all those experts who analysed Sri Lanka based on the million publications the folly has done devilling the Citizens of SL rewriting the actual journey of a humble Nation taken for a ride all those so called democratic countries need to revisit the realities and answer the far right groups who are also equally Nationalist as this extremists were and are (now they can not accept fellow SL living amongst them) why these foreigners were allowed into their respective countries in the first place?? Each and every case need to be revisited as to why this folly made their sympathisers and participants in the killings to all those shores?? who is innocent and who is not…..living in Australia/America/Canada etc requires the permission of the aboriginals and not the invaders and the colonists?? we are happy to wash toilets there but can not diversify and live the fellow men and women who speaks Sinhalese as their mother tongue??
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / July 19, 2020
We can always blame on others for all that is wrong when we failed to Nation build?? Most of the refugee stories are not just about the GOSL but about the Tamil groups itself as to why they have to flee SL?? We no longer discuss facts but live on fictions?…..no basis as to what is right and wrong any more?? what is a crime and what is not a crime anymore?? Loom at some of the questions paused by fellow readers in the comments section tells you all you need to know?? live somewhere else and not connect those countries to our departments for developments?? do some study works on the economy/technology that can help the country they left no?? there are Sinhalese also fled the country siting the GOSL and the JVP too?? what has happened to us??
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / July 19, 2020
Can someone tell me what the JVP fought for please?? Are we working with any basis here or just killing time?? Let us analyse each and every party manifesto sincerely from now onwards and let us evaluate as readers and share what is feasible and what is not?? what is democracy and what is not?? may be we can all form a party that speaks for all or share the knowledge to all the SL parties for their consideration/incorporation as long as they are National parties with National policies??
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / July 19, 2020
Democracy in Vaddukottai – When the FP lost the elections the losses could even shake my fathers hand? he had the votes recounted and filed 2 more cases that my father has to defend at the courts…..(1) On my Fathers retirement age and procedural regards to retirement (2) My Father bought alchalol for his votes????
Hon SJV used to visit my Father did not think of my fathers charter as a Law Breaker?? nevertheless-less the point is a character of the nature who could not accept the voters and try to use used the Sri Lankan law and order to his advantage can not be a Tamil Leader is the point in a democracy?? No wonder no one published (ITAK/TULF) published all the stage speeches after stage speech a hate crime on the Nation to wind the children up in a democracy without a single fact attached??
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / July 19, 2020
it is also no wonder that the same and his goons took advantage of the Hon SJV’s deteriorating health and started advocating death to all those Tamil MP’s joined the GOSL in 70’s to serve the Nation specially with JVP running around to topple our government???
I have a lot of respect Hon SJV not for his politics but a man knew his boundaries inn a democracy?? basically he knew the law of the land. Respect differences and we make our case respectfully and respectively to the public is the point?? let them decide based on then track records/facts/change minds and hearts as they want is the way democracy work?? When someone try to incorporate guns to their arsenel and thuggery using innocent children brain washed by a foreign Nation is called what Mr BS Sir?? To help our Nation we need a balanced evaluation which has feasible and reasonable solutions for all?? When you incorporate the problems as part of the argument then there are no solutions??
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / July 19, 2020
Even strange looking back at the history of assassinations of people in SL……we know Hon Late SWRD was killed in 1959………but no one killed the FP/ITAK leaders in Colombo? until FP started talking of eliminating their elected opponents in Jaffna openly in the 70’s? which they did systematically and able to even come to Colombo and fire at my Father in his little room he was renting as a Government MP???
Only the innocent got killed in each riots? the killers were not looking for the masterminds the FP/TULF members 1956/1977/1983??? why?? Did not know where these people lived??? no one had information on these people??
How come the Indians did not know these things either???
Apart from the LTTE no one seem to have known nothing??? except the LTTE was born only in 1981 as a separate entity??
Very puzzling???? anyone have records of the FP/TULF elected crying foul as to what was happening to elected Tamil MP’s?? Did the FP/ITAK attend the Late Hon SWRD’s funeral/pay respect?? What did Suthenthiran write in each occasion??
Who attended the funerals of the TULF leadership???
Does this look like a Genocide to you Sir?? I think we need too start what is democracy first in a developing country with post colonial history?? before we get to these definitions Sir??
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Pandi Kutti / July 20, 2020
Hello crazy Eagle Grandpa. How is life at the Old People’s Home? Why do constantly keep on ranting here? Repeating the same nonsense again and again Eg: Native Sinhala, Para Demalo . Don’t you have anything else to say? May be you are angry as you do not get sufficient food or they do not give your medicines on time , to keep you calm and relaxed. How is your Thangachchi? May be angry that she has left you at the Old Age home and now living happily and peacefully at home without you. No more Thosai and Vaddai feeds. Jaffna Ulunthu Thosai with chutney or meat curry Yum Yum
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / July 19, 2020
Dear Ajith
You would have never found me miming into your comments and accusing of this and that correct?? there is reason that is I do not have the right to do so distorts others discussions.
You said “” That is why supported the massacre of Sinhalese in 1989 and massacre of Tamils in 2009. You asked for somebody but what is the answer for those who murdered Lasantha and Wassim (Rugby player)? Can you rectify those murders now?”””
I need to verify???? if you pay attention to all my writings that verifies any ambiguity you may have please.
Remember you what you said about Father and Family earlier discussions?? I never even asked you to verify hoping you will go and do your homework and get back to me?? unfortunately you did. not ?? if you did we could have had a more positive discussions on your sources and how to address them etc for our future generations benefit would have taken place??
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Ajith / July 19, 2020
Mr TV.
I have read all your comments in response to this article is about blaming Tamil politics, not a single word about Southern politics. It clearly shows that your comments are based on personal rather than common.I don’t see any relevance.
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Nathan / July 20, 2020
Ajith, Why do you want to ‘read’ the comments of TV. By now you should know whose comments you should be skipping.
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / July 20, 2020
Dear Ajith
Thank you. I totally agree I am using my personal life story to highlight a tragedy/human rights issue that requires sharing which happened to be so relevant to the topic we discuss that is critically important to the discussions we have as facts. It is done very purposely too…justice to me and justice to all just as we all lost someone the pain is same/justice should be the same but in my case it is also justice required in the National context as my Father was a Politician makes it more important??.
Evidence based discussion that I am privy to make this my responsibility too for others benefit…..and information not given/withheld to the masses for all that is being evaluated requires critical facts be incorporated for the correct conclusions we need to implement for a better future too. Not only Mother Lankan blood has been lost but people making statements/devils advocacy without knowing/applying the same factors used earlier repeatedly can not yield any better results?? all other nations have applied lessons learned to get themselves to overcome the prejudices, difficulties one encounter in any Nation building exercise and we are repeating the same why??
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / July 20, 2020
continued
I do not focus on the racists of any community but focus on the good things we share……Southern politics I differenciate on these lines just as do in my own enclave where I was born and brought up…….we all need to put ourself in others shoes to see what Independence means…..when I analysed the facts presented by the FP/TULF it is very clear historically this party has made the wrong arguments and got the entire Northern communities into trouble in a developing country……there are Tamils who vehemently opposed to this as they were very clear the what the results be and died making the message clearer….it is so happened my Father is one of them..hence this makes it appear personal but is really really not so from where I stand HOPE you will see that too over time. Just as say your Father did the same politics will get the same support from me too..I will look up and want to be part of it too..I hope you see what I mean etc.
When we respect each other we always had a great opportunity to make everything better…there are so much more I have not shared as it is too much for others bear….
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