7 December, 2024

Blog

NPP & Bird Cage Economy

By Ameer Ali

Dr. Ameer Ali

It was Chen Yun, a theoretical economist and a Chinese Communist Party Politburo member from 1934 to 1987 who rejected Mao Zedong’s reliance on the revolutionary enthusiasm of masses to promote rapid economic growth, and propounded the theory of a bird cage economy characterized by a dominant plan and subordinate local markets. Yun stressed the importance of the market to improve agricultural production and productivity. And it was that model which was later picked up by Deng Xiaoping and put into practice. Even today the Chinese economy, the second largest in the world, remains a bird cage economy operating within its 14th Five Year Plan. In China, the market bird is free to fly but restrained by the iron bars of the cage. In a relative sense however, China is an open economy. If it is good for China, why cannot it be suitable for a small open economy like Sri Lanka? True, the Five-Year Plan of Sirimavo’s leftist regime ended in unmitigated disaster, but the reason for that disaster was not planning as such but the way that plan was implemented.  It was ruined by doctrinaire ideology and not ruled by economic pragmatism.

The idea of a planned economy and the strategy of economic planning received notoriety among free market pundits since the end of the Col War and victory of economic liberalism, a demonic ideology. However, and quite ironically while free market theoreticians were prepared to condemn national macro planning by the state, the very same idealogues have no qualms in advocating planning at microlevels by large private companies or multinational corporations and for that matter even by small and medium scale enterprises in order to enhance their competitive performance and profit making. It is time one rethinks about the rationality of economic planning and consider the suitability of the bird cage model in restructuring bankrupt economies like Sri Lanka. It is in that light one should look at the essence of NPP’s economic strategy for development. Blind criticism of that party by digging into its buried past is a pointless exercise of scaremongering, which ignores the reality that the new generation of NPP leadership is schooled in the art of economic realism rather than doctrinaire revolutionary ideologies. Their call for a systemic change and social revolution are not based on any outdated texts but on a rational analysis of how Sri Lanka’s once flourishing economy and high standard of public welfare had been systematically wrecked by decades of ethnoreligious parochialism, which provided a social license to its champions and promoters to loot the economy for private opulence in the name of development. Those culprits are still roaming the corridors of power and occupying seats in parliament. This is why NPP advocates a U-turn via paradigm shift.     

NPP’s leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) and his team of economists and theoreticians had repeatedly emphasized that their economic strategy is market friendly, open to foreign investment, accommodative to IMF agenda, and above all that it is people centred. From that policy platform NPP cannot be expected to surrender the final choice of deciding which market to be open and to what extent, which investment to be allowed and for what purpose and which advice of IMF be accepted and for what reason, to an uncontrolled free market entity which economic neoliberalism endorses. That means NPP is compelled to design a macroeconomic strategy or an economic plan to develop the economy in stages, and that plan would be the cage for the market bird to fly. However, it would be unreasonable and irrational to expect miracles to happen overnight within NPP’s first term of office. But unlike Ranil Wickremesinghe’s (RW) 2048 Valhalla, which he aspires to build on a high-tech and competitive export intensive magical platform, NPP’s bird cage economy would be realistically grounded on a rejuvenated real sector rather than on an IMF stabilized financial sector. To drive this point further, it is an undisputable fact in recent economic history that it is the excessive financialization of economies globally that produced series of economic downturns and recessions globally. Pundits of neo-liberalism justify this as part of a normal trade cycle. But these recessions were not cyclical but structural. Therefore, to rejuvenate SL’s real sector, NPP’s first task would be a cleanup campaign to get rid of the artificial rigidities that were intentionally created with support from different governments to sabotage the normal operation of the of a market economy. It is the threat of that cleanup campaign and the fear of losing fortunes accumulated already by promoters of those rigidities that had frightened them and hence their scurrilous anti-NPP propaganda. In the current situation, and in spite of all its advice and financial assistance IMF is regrettably not interested in freeing the market from those rigidities. Instead, its agenda for recovery is based on strengthening the financial sector and continuing with the status quo while expecting that sector to drive economic growth. IMF’s recommendation for improving governance lack specificity and direction. Thus, NPP’s first task is to clean up the market before restructuring it.    

When Chen Yun proposed his bird cage model, he was primarily targeting to incentivize China’s agricultural sector, which involved hundreds of millions of Chinese households. Agriculture desperately needed a market to encourage profit motive to drive production. Likewise, without a productive and resourceful domestic sector driven by market and state provided incentives Sri Lanka’s economy cannot remain stable in a volatile global environment. Therefore, a domestic-sector-centred development strategy should not be misconstrued as backward-looking or closed-economy strategy. Sri Lanka is a fertile country surrounded by the Indian Ocean. Why should it import its food supply from foreigners? What sense does an open free market make to an island that could produce all or bulk of its food supply domestically? Similarly, in the industrial sphere also there are subsectors where domestic skill and creativity could play a deterministic role in partnership with foreign capital to develop a local industrial complex catering to domestic needs first before exporting to other markets. Therefore, the domestic market should not simply be a magnet to attract foreign investment of all sorts. Those investments need state guidance or direction to fit into its macro strategy. The bird cage model teaches exactly such a strategy. This is where NPP’s economic policies mark a clear distinction from its opponents.

Every other party in the field is talking about promoting economic growth via IMF agenda. But apart from explaining how they fail to realize that economic growth is simply a unitary measure based entirely on GDP growth. But what sort of a growth it would be, what contributes to that GDP and who gains and who loses from that growth are not specified. So far NPP is the only party that is not mentioning anything about economic growth, which makes a lot of sense. In supporting its stand, one should also be reminded of the fact that it is the failure of economic growth to reflect the actual improvement in the living conditions of people that made UNDP to introduce the Human Development Index (HDI) in which per capita GDP is only one of the elements that make that index. NPP’s bird cage economy indicates a shifting focus on HDI and not simply on growth.

Moreover, there are also other institutional clean ups to be carried out. Corruption, tax evasion and unlawful tax minimization, and influence peddling are few of the known evils that had contributed to the economic collapse of this nation. Accounting firms that indulge in the art of tax minimization should be made accountable. So far only NPP has openly campaigned against these crimes in general and promised to bring the culprits to book. This alone is a good reason why NPP deserves a chance to govern. It is time for a U-turn.  

*Dr. Ameer Ali, Murdoch Business School, Murdoch University, W. Australia

Latest comments

  • 18
    1

    NPP has openly campaigned against these crimes in general and promised to bring the culprits to book. This alone is a good reason why NPP deserves a chance to govern.
    _ The above lines appeal to me. However, I am not convinced.
    Reason:
    It is not easy to execute. Particularly bringing the culprits to book.
    (Because of the legal tangle. Because of the likely paucity of evidence. Because of the resources needed. Because of the urgency to have the time for Governing. Because of the … .)
    .
    The priority should be on ensuring maximum utilisation of Human Capital. On being honest and sincere about national unity.

    • 16
      2

      Nathan,
      “Because of the likely paucity of evidence. Because of the resources needed. “
      You are right. Even though such a huge fuss was made by financially illiterate media about some “bondscam”, the Singaporeans didn’t take the “evidence ” provided seriously. Insider trading for sure, but that happens every day at the CSE.
      I am reminded of the TIN number fiasco, which the government thought would go as smoothly as the QR code for fuel. But when it turned out that this one project needed hundreds of thousands of people to manually check the ID and utility bill scans of millions of applicants, it quietly disappeared.

      • 5
        1

        Thank you for cementing my reason, old codger.

    • 5
      2

      Nathan,
      .
      Despite the facts that economists and various other professionals study their own subjects, implementation of certain policies for certain countries depends on some barriers such as culture, religious stances, traditions and several other factors in accordance with the thoughts of experts. That is why inexperienced politicians such GOTABAYA do not always succeed. And some law and economics professors (GLP and Rajiva Wijesinghe) get all the backlash for the same reason.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGqyJlKj-f4

      Our nation must learn to be patient and hard working. Our people people are highly emotional if South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Germany or similar countries worked for a cup of soup to achieve their standard life styles, we should learn it from them. We should change our attitude and try to focus on how other folks improved their standards.
      :
      I think the IMF’s ongoing recommendations on lanken economy and other actions taken over the past 15 months should not be discontinued. No matter who is elected in the next election, the IMF’s recommendations should not be stopped. Use your brain for the future of this nation should be a must. No government appointed in the past did not implement the good projects of the previous government. This kind of opportunistic politics should be stopped

      • 3
        1

        Dear “leelagemalli”,
        .
        Your comment sounds impressive, but some facts are wrong.
        .
        Rajiva Wijesinha was a Professor of English. Look up Wikipedia yourself. I know him well, although I haven’t met him for almost twenty years.
        .
        He certainly is knowledgeable; whether he can use Latin and Greek fluently is not something that I ever tried to assess. However, although more than five years younger than me, he did about five lectures on Trollope and Tolkien at Peradeniya, and at various times I have interacted socially with him. I disagree with him on many things, but he works hard at whatever he does. He travels a good deal, but mostly wasted effort.
        .
        He hates his first cousin Ranil Wickremasinghe; I don’t know why.
        .
        I’d say that Gamini Lakshman Peiris is a quite different kettle of fish. I know him, but less well, but he is listened to more.

        .
        Please don’t insult either of them by making reference to Gota in the same comment!
        .
        Panini Edirisinhe (NIC 483111444V)

        • 10
          1

          SM
          I have not met Rajiva W but I had some respect for him as a learned person, however, it all went out of the window when I saw him on TV some years ago, interviewed by Channel 4 about the atrocities committed by the SL army as revealed in their documentary ‘Killing Fields’.

          I am not a sartorial pundit to comment on fashion sense but when I saw him dressed in a light pinstripe suit, he reminded me of an aging gangster as seen in films. So, the first impression was not good but more importantly, he was unable to respond to the questions pricesisly to the point. He may be a widely travelled classic scholar but he didn’t give me the impression as knowledgeable & practically capable in the real world, instead, just another academic by name only, best left to lecture on English (& Greek?) classics. As for GL, he is another pathetic academic who has prostituted his integrity & professionalism. He would have been respected as an academic if he did not dabble in politics. In politics, they are all in the same boat with GR.

          • 2
            0

            It is a tragedy that GL ever came into politics, perhaps with the best of intentions. I still don’t understand why he kept crossing over from one party, particularly reprehensible since he always came into Parliament as a National List MP. Why on earth did he leave the CBK administration?
            .
            As an academic he was brilliant, and even as Vice-Chancellor. I don’t think that he was ever corrupt. However, that is not the opinion of this man:
            .
            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nihal_Sri_Ameresekere

            Now, at last, GL is redeeming something of his reputation. I don’t think that he will try to remain in politics.
            .
            Compared with all this, can you think of anything shocking that the NPP has done during the past 25 years, although my admiration for them has grown mainly during the last ten?

          • 7
            1

            “As for GL, he is another pathetic academic who has prostituted his integrity & professionalism. He would have been respected as an academic if he did not dabble in politics. In politics, they are all in the same boat with GR.”

            FM in this country for a while. however, He could not do it like the late Mangala did. By the end of 2014, MR’s second term had ended, making more than a few MR-pro diplomats enemies. Pro-MR countries were Belarus, Swaziland and China. China was not really a friend, but raped out srilanka in the guise of their so called investments.
            The whole West was opposed. All that was restored in the good governance government by the late Honorable Minister Mangala Samaraweera.
            .
            There were speculations that GL is always ready to be appointed to any position at any time. I thought that if one studied to the level of a Prof, he or she would be blessed with “superior cognitive abilities”. GLP broke all that like a glass wall snaped into pieces. He is shamelss no different to the manner Wimal weerawanse is today.
            :
            Of course, this transcended all ethics and morals. However, as of today, GLP has fallen to an all-time low. Curse should go to MEDAMULANA bests and their manipulative tactics.

          • 6
            1

            Learning is not a good measure of respectability.

          • 8
            0

            Raj – UK ,

            Spot on ! You can see the professionalism of many as soon as
            they open their mouth , especially those in politics . Many
            contemporary so-called leaders are talking rubbish to vulnerable
            ignorant public , just for their applause and rob their support . You
            can take any bet that Srilankan Educated of any level are nothing
            but copycats . Such lot is never creative and as long as we don’t
            find a creative guy to lead us , we are doomed . A myth that
            Educated are the best , was cultivated in the minds of not-so
            educated poor masses long ago , with the introduction of universities
            in the country . That led to confrontation with the wealthy who were
            mostly not-so educated and the left exploited this situation . The
            wealthy lived like wealthy which I believe is , quite natural in any
            part of the world with some exceptions depending on different
            cultures and civilizations .

            • 3
              3

              WW, long time no see, where had you been ? Greetings, LM

              • 2
                0

                L M ,

                Hi there ! Thanks . I’d been present here and there on different
                subjects but with some limits . It is boring to repeat the same
                thing over and over again and again under different labels .I
                love music and photography , childhood hobbies . One got to be
                health conscious after especially forty , starting with eyestrain .
                Love to read and exchange views but without much strain on the
                keyboard . Thanks again .

        • 4
          2

          Thanks for coming back to reveal their “generation tree”, I will emphasize once again that what matters to us in politics is how he or she delivers in political agendas.

          This habit is unfortunately ingrained in your person, Mr Edirisinghe from day one. Someone in CT got to know someone and his family from you and your gossips-filled comments. Actually, they never requested you to reveal them.
          :
          iF i MAY say so, we need to focus better on the topic and why they failed to deliver in politics even though they were educated as professors.

          Prof. Vitharana (well known virologist) did the same.

          We are not interested in Rajiv’s relationship with the current President, what blocked me and others is to find out as to why they failed., why did he sit with the “medamulana” beasts? They could rather warn the nation and save the nation from the danger before them.

          That is what we CT commeters hope for after ” those learnt profs” being a part of the politics of this country or anyone else.
          Although you have now drastically changed your commenting style to the expectations of many of us, I still see, your style would not change much. This is a sad and bad as well.
          :
          We don’t care what kind of background he or she comes from. They are mandated or elected from national lists to their job.

        • 4
          1

          ‘some facts are wrong”
          Can a fact be wrong?
          A fact may be not to our liking, but that is another matter.

          • 0
            9

            SJ – you should know better. He is the darling of the many tamils that frequent this space. You on the other hand is categorised under the same group as me, Lester, LankaScot and someone that use the handle The Eagle Eye to comment. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya!

            • 8
              2

              Ruchira,
              “He is the darling of the many tamils that frequent this space. “
              You seem to have decided that Sinhala Man isn’t quite the harmless victim of character assassination, and included SJ and LankaScot in with you and Lester the Nazi.
              I see a certain desperation to appear respectable.
              Perhaps you found that SM taught at a government school? Or that he commented honestly on 1983, unlike Lester?

              • 9
                2

                OC, I’m just curious, were you a psychologist before?? If not , you should seriously consider taking up on it.

                • 10
                  2

                  Chiv,
                  No, I don’t claim any psychological expertise, but I’ve been around long enough to be able to tell the difference between what people say and what they mean…..

                  • 6
                    1

                    As you say it’s more about the personality and character traits ( in some, defects) I too, don’t have any expertise but find it very interesting and useful in our daily practices (person>>patient) According to psychologists Thoughts influence emotions and actions / behaviors See the reaction to a simple

                    • 6
                      1

                      inquisitive query. I believe these kind of reactions are termed as TRANSFERENCE and COUNTER transference. During PG we were offered a free nedical / forensic psychology course, for those intrested.

              • 1
                9

                OC – Once again it looks like you and chiv our doctor here too got your nickers twisted as usual.
                .
                “You seem to have decided that Sinhala Man isn’t quite the harmless victim of character assassination, and included SJ and LankaScot in with you and Lester the Nazi.”
                .
                FYI it wasn’t me who did it – someone else. Why SM wasn’t included has to be asked from that person not me!
                .
                “I see a certain desperation to appear respectable.”
                .
                I can’t be responsible for what you see. But my above explanation hopefully may clear the fog for you to see better.
                .
                “Perhaps you found that SM taught at a government school?”
                .
                I usually dont go looking information about people that they don’t volunteer here about themselves. If I want to know more I just ask directly.
                .
                “Or that he commented honestly on 1983, unlike Lester?”
                .
                In a response to Native Vedda once, I expressed my views briefly about ’83. You may benefit digging and reading it.
                .
                Just for the record my views or impression about Panini hasn’t changed. In contrast I think you saw that both Panini and I recently agreed how our views on you had changed over time.
                .
                Once again looks like you made a fool of yourself trying to be the mind reader, which is not what psychology is about. ;)

                • 8
                  2

                  Ruchira,
                  I don’t know what you’re talking about. Didn’t you type
                  “He is the darling of the many tamils that frequent this space. “ in reference to SM, who made the comment “some facts are wrong “?
                  And, you say LankaScot, SJ, Lester, and you are categorised in the same group.
                  As I have said before, there are Tamil racists who might do that. Where is your list of Sinhala racists, BTW?
                  “Or that he commented honestly on 1983, unlike Lester?”
                  So you don’t agree with Lester that it was simply a shopping spree?

                  • 1
                    6

                    OC – “…don’t know what you’re talking about.”
                    .
                    No point in continuing then.
                    .
                    You can carry on your psychology session with doctor chiv here.

                    • 5
                      0

                      Ruchira,
                      Did you or did you not say of SM : ““He is the darling of the many tamils that frequent this space. “.
                      Don’t run away because you can’t answer.

                    • 1
                      6

                      FYI – I was referring to LM not SM.
                      .
                      In SM’s comment facts is written in bold font. I took it as what LM considered facts, SM thinks are not so!.
                      .
                      It is you lot always nitpick others on minor issues without really addressing what is discussed. SJ included.
                      .
                      Is SM the darling of the Tamils here?
                      .
                      It’s not my fault the you jump to conclusions.
                      .
                      Aren’t you going on a tangent here, over some trivial issue?

                    • 6
                      0

                      Ruchira,
                      Don’t you think that those who want to comment on “the broad picture” should have the ability to figure out who is saying what? Jumping to conclusions is not anyone’s monopoly.
                      “Is SM the darling of the Tamils here?”
                      FYI, SM strongly believes that Tamils are discriminated against. You can ask him if you like. He doesn’t agree with me that the JVP hasn’t mended its ways on the issue.
                      If you had not just popped up last month, you wouldn’t be asking such inanities.
                      You really should keep quiet for a while and figure out people’s positions. Not everything or everyone is as one-dimensional as you seem to think.
                      The only one-dimensional person here is your pal Lester.

                    • 1
                      6

                      OC – FYI I have a reasonable grasp of Panini’s positions on various issues and that includes his position on Tamils too. I interact with a number of people here and I do not fully agree or align myself with their views on every single matter. That however is not a barrier for me to exchange views with them in a decent manner.
                      .
                      Despite being here for so long or lived in real life for so long you do not seem to have learnt to accept that there are people that have opinions different to yours and if you try to push your agenda on them they would defend themselves and attack back even.
                      .
                      That is what is happening with Lester. There’s nothing inherently wrong with him, like you, sj and several others seem to think.
                      .
                      A lesson for Tamil folks to learn in general.

                    • 1
                      6

                      OC – And for one last time my reference: “the darling of Tamils…” was directed at LM not at SM.
                      .
                      I have no issues with SM unlike you.
                      .
                      I am done with this nonsense.
                      .
                      If you want to pick fights, you better find some other person for it. Seeing the low levels you are capable of going I don’t think I’d be inclined to interact with you hereafter on CT.
                      .
                      Being in SM’s generation one would expect that you would have some maturity but sadly that is not something that you are endowed with. You are worse than a 8 year old who throws a tantrum for not getting the toy he wanted or the sweet he likes.
                      .
                      SM has qualities that you nor some of your other pals here could ever have.
                      .
                      My honest feeling is that you all who gang up, mainly on Sinhala Buddhists, are part of a some corrupt network.
                      .
                      Such things may come to light when we send Ranil & Co. home, come next elections.
                      .
                      Till then enjoy.

              • 3
                9

                Old Codger,

                The joke is on you. You tried to whitewash the massacre of 600 unarmed policeman by saying Premadasa armed the LTTE. Premadasa armed the LTTE because India militarily intervened, against the wishes of SL. Had India not intervened, JR would have finished off the LTTE long before CBK came to power. The stupid war dragged on for a very long time, giving some geniuses the impression that a separate state was possible.

                Anyway, what about the Dollar and Kent farm massacres, where children were hacked to death with LTTE machetes, blowing up of Dehiwela train, Central Bank bombing, killing of monks at Anuradhapura, Palliyagodella massacre, Kattankudy Mosque Massacre, assassination of R Gandhi, Premadasa, Lalith, Neelan. Yogeswaran, etc. etc. You had a very clever answer for that as well, “it happened after 1983.” Try telling to the families of the victims (Tamil, Hindi, Muslim included) and get back to us.

                • 0
                  5

                  *policemen

                • 9
                  1

                  Lester,
                  1983 was indeed before all that, and 1958 even earlier. Thank you for saving me the trouble of pointing it out.
                  “Premadasa armed the LTTE because India militarily intervened, against the wishes of SL. Had India not intervened, JR would have finished off the LTTE”
                  If that was true, Preme would have finished off the LTTE. Instead, they finished him off, didn’t they?

                  • 1
                    7

                    OC,

                    Nonsense semantics aside, you are unable to condemn the LTTE massacres. That puts you at a level lower than any Nazi. It’s also the reason why there will be no 13th Amendment, ever, and that is a fact. Enjoy the boiled water, courtesy of your hero VP.

                    • 6
                      0

                      Lester
                      Didn’t they teach semantics at your private school? Perhaps you were too busy with Ruchira…..

            • 9
              0

              “You on the other hand is categorised under the same group as me”
              That is not sad but simply hilarious as any other such comment.

              • 7
                0

                “You on the other hand is categorised under the same group as me, Lester, LankaScot……..”
                Now I know why Ruchira’s father drinks. A fortune spent on private schooling, and what results did he get?

                • 0
                  6

                  OC – Says a man who goes to Buddhist alms giving ceremonies to just have decent meal, while preaching here on CT how racist the Buddhists are.
                  .
                  Time to grow up.
                  .
                  If you don’t have anything of substance to say, better keep quite than making a fool of yourself.
                  .
                  But then again choice is upto you – self determination !
                  .
                  It’s the big match season try your luck – there’s plenty of free booze offered for free loaders like you, rather than envying simple luxuries that others enjoy.
                  .
                  You are way more pathetic than I ever imagined.

                  • 6
                    0

                    Ruchira,
                    “while preaching here on CT how racist the Buddhists are.”
                    Where did I say “Buddhists are racist”? You’ve definitely caught Lying Lester’s disease.
                    Have you just had a drink with your long-suffering father?
                    .

                    • 0
                      7

                      Racism in you and the condescending manner in which you treat anyone that does not buy into your petty little stories are self evident. No need to provide any examples.
                      .
                      Anyone can see that it is mostly Sinhalese and Buddhists that are at the receiving end of them- Whose almsgiving ceremonies you shamelessly attend for free food despite your hatred and condemnations.
                      .
                      Get a life – without hating others who have.
                      .
                      Looks like the arrival of your boss Ranil’s boss Basil has unleashed your assault mode today.
                      .
                      Like I told SJ enjoy while you can, bcoz it won’t be too long before Ranil Rajapakse and the cabal are brought to justice.

          • 8
            3

            “Can a fact be wrong ?”

            The answer is no.

            However, it depends on the facts so far. SM doesn’t seem to adapt to anything else, but uses whatever his eyes can see or his ears can hear to judge. Mostly out of context. That’s how he is. Leopards do not change their skin spots.

            Whatever we question about JVP-NPP, he (as a staunch supporter of NPP) says nothing. Now a nation of 0.5 million in the Indian Ocean (Maldives) is in a cold war with giant India (1300 million). However, as a person who loves Maldives, SM is dead silent. Muizi is becoming a real threat to the region and is being abused by China with so-called false support. This is geopolitically intertwined with the issues in Sri Lanka and I have raised this issue elsewhere but SM behaves like a sloth in amazon.

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aNscRgxxUk

    • 14
      3

      “It is not easy to execute. Particularly bringing the culprits to book.”

      Let fire and violence ……. take care of that.

      The Aragalaya was just meandering along ……. letting off steam through frustration-al theatre. The fire on the 9th of May achieved results: not the desired results ……. but results are usually achieved in stages ……..

      The stopgap result of the French Revolution was Napoleon. Napoleon destroyed most of the European monarchies that later heralded in democracy: and then his megalomania destroyed him.

      Thank ye lucky stars, our emperor in the making compares himself only to Churchill …….. even though his sick delusional megalomania, amply aided and flattered by Native, surpasses Napoleon’s !

      Prabakaran’s unspeakable violence and brutality – he adopted/copied from the pacifist Buddhist Sinhalese – kept the Tamils equal to the Sinhala government in the South for 30 long years.

      I’m not condoning violence: just making the obvious more obvious. How humans behave.

      I’m not manufacturing any of this …….. just stating the truth: what happened …….. if ye childish tender emotions can handle it …….. it’s ye problem: not mine.

      If ye want to shoot the messenger ……. since I’m anonymous …… shoot one another …….

      Glad to be of help.

      • 13
        3

        “he adopted/copied from the pacifist Buddhist Sinhalese – kept the Tamils equal to the Sinhala government in the South for 30 long years.”
        I wonder why Lester and Ruchira don’t notice what you write?

        • 13
          0

          Dear OC and other rational thinkers,
          .
          I woke up today to some of Ruchira’s comments (how he abuses the web space for Aruchira – he’s the Linda LANGE sangamaya – style stories) mostly containing only “anecdotal ” thoughts. What does he know about ethnic DNA studies?
          .
          He would be good enough to please Lester, the man hired by the Rajapaksa gang, but no one else.
          Most of us learn nothing from his thoughts. The whole world knows that federalism or similar systems are the only way to solve our or other ethnic problems, but both behave like malpracticing surgeons abusing their surgical devices to please their own conditioned agendas.

          We should not introduce 100% federalism like in Europe but decentralization of power to regions where no further arguments are needed. It should be only wayout to all srilankens for our motherland. Regardless of our race, religion or others we should all be treated equally.

          For a country now on the brink of collapse, being hung on the last straw, misrepresentation of ethnic truths is not timeworthy.
          These biased men seem to have their own agendas to further promote and distort information based on facts. The kind of lankens woudl do any low work aiming at their personal gains. Alas SRILANKA !

          • 12
            0

            cont.
            .
            whole lot of Sinhala Buddhists with racism in their little heads wherever they are are real harmful beasts if they are not as tolerant of other races as Sri Lankans and they should become Buddhists soon.
            Those Ghanasara or other violent monks should first become real good Buddhist monks. If they don’t agree, should be derobed by force. We have to clean up them for our own good. If rigorous law and order would be introduced, dust will settle accordingly.

            Only then will we ever see reconciliation and economy, culture and crime prevention by imposing one law for all regardless of caste, religion or whatever barriers.
            :
            Respecting only Rajapakshe beasts such as LESTER is always an abuse, WHEN reading from Ruchira tells us everything in that line. Ruchira is just one single person, but his style of thoughts are plenty in our society. That will be grown like a cancer obstructing any plans for devolving power.
            .
            Either Ruchira OR the like dont have the IQ level or he should refrain from abusing his pen further. We the people were long battled by an unwanted war just because of our self-aggrandizements and sinhala supremacy, we should finally see it broader picture.

          • 0
            14

            Amen!.
            .
            Opp$$$ sorry I meant….
            .
            Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu!

            • 7
              0

              The R*d*ya community supports Basil, who organizes the supporters of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, who are not even in Parliament, no matter what anyone says or does. They never question who stole that Gampaha land. This is good old Sri Lanka full of rascals….shame. Look how pathetic it is to give recognition to this booger in this style …… People and journalists are wearing sarees and sitting on their heads ?
              -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IO0LyEMglsM
              All this makes me feel that the NPP has no chance as many of us expect. This country will never be okay. :::: Sadness. The poor majority. We must unite to expel the Rajapaksa from Sri Lankan politics. Only then can we breathe a sigh of relief for a better future.

      • 1
        9

        “Prabakaran’s unspeakable violence and brutality – he adopted/copied from the pacifist Buddhist Sinhalese “

        There were no, never has been, and never will be a Sinhalese suicide bomber, though I think one current resident in Germany may be a good candidate. You fail to understand the cult behind VP. He was called Sooriyathevan (Sun God). Black Tigers enjoyed a meal with him before going about their “mission.” Prabhakaran was inspired mostly by DMK politics – which called for a separate state called “Dravida Nadu” and people like Periyar who hated Brahmins. Periyar called Brahmins “snakes” and compared them to “Jews.” Similarly, VP hated Vellalar and eliminated most of the top TUL:F leadership.

        • 9
          1

          “There were no, never has been, and never will be a Sinhalese suicide bomber”

          Eureka! …….. That’s a brilliant insight! …….. Sinhalese are such a cowardly and selfish lot ……… only someone like you, will take this long to see the bleeding bloody obvious!

          • 5
            0

            Amen!.
            .
            Opp$$$ sorry I meant….
            .
            Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu!

          • 1
            7

            The psychology of self-hatred is fascinating. Have you looked into it?

            • 0
              6

              Not to mention the psychology of glorifying suicide killers.
              .
              I am sure there’s some higher moral and virtue to be found in conscripting children that should have been in school – studying, playing and engaging in various age appropriate activities, to an armed struggle, the cause for which may have escaped the understanding of many of them – but it eludes the cowardly ordinary folks like us – Sinhalese, especially the Sinhala Buddhists.

              • 7
                1

                “Not to mention the psychology of glorifying suicide killers.”


                The LTTE never sexually abused captured women!

                Do you know what the great pacifist Sinhala Buddhists did to their own captured JVP Sinhala Buddhist girls with bottles and chair-legs?

                Try and glorify that! ……. After all you are a Sinhala Buddhist …… this is your chance to be proud! :))))))

                • 1
                  7

                  Nimal Fernando,

                  “The LTTE never sexually abused captured women!”

                  Did you see what the Americans did at Abu Ghraib? I’m not going to link it (too graphic). Let’s just say, in one instance, the guards abused the prisoners by making them form pyramids (while naked and blindfolded). In another instance, a female guard put a dog’s leash around a naked male prisoner and dragged him. Sexual abuse happens in every war. You put young guys with high levels of testosterone in dangerous combat zones, the end result is not surprising. I am not justifying it, this is just the reality.

                  Ruchira is spot on with the glorification of suicide killers. That was a major highlight of the LTTE’s media propaganda. A suicide bomber became a “martyr.” The Tamil Diaspora would celebrate this occasion during “Maaveerar Naal” by lighting candles for the “martyrs.”

                  • 5
                    0

                    Will ‘what the Americans did at Abu Ghraib’ prove anything about the LTTE?
                    How is it a parallel?
                    If it is., will it not prove many harsh charges against the government?
                    *
                    Putting one’s foot in the mouth does not come easy.

                • 0
                  6

                  Oh shit! Nimal Fernando has finally responded to one of my comments! Today must be my lucky day! Must buy a lottery ticket!.
                  .
                  NF – FYI I have read some of the content you post here and it seems like you are a wise man. Way more wiser than our Vedda and Codger fellas.
                  .
                  But I have to disagree with you here – crimes are often committed, including rape. It is rather unfortunate and the perpertrators must be brought to justice, like Lester say without any selectivity and bias.
                  .
                  That said, glorifying crimes as bravery and trying to assign them some higher moral value is entirely a different thing. And glorifying a criminal syndicate that funded a war in the guise of a freedom struggle as bravey just does not cut it either.
                  .
                  I am sure like I mentioned before there’s some special virtue to be found in raising funds by human smuggling to campaign for human rights, but my low IQ just doesn’t seem to get it.
                  .
                  https://mfa.gov.lk/ltte-human-smuggling-links/
                  .
                  One needs some objectivity exercised when calling out and making various accussations.
                  .

                  • 0
                    4

                    Cont’d
                    .
                    Not to justify rape, but in India Muslim women are raped in broad daylight in streets by Hindu Nationalists. These rapists after being convicted get special pardons ahead of time courtesy their political sponsors and often end up in political stages of Modi and his BJP, that, not just Indians but our very own Tamil brethren here adore.
                    .
                    Confronting unfair accussations, peopaganda, mis and disinformation and collective condemnation of Sinhala Buddhists as dome evil force isn’t about being proud of any crimes that may have committed by any of them.
                    .
                    On the other hand like Lester has highlighted in many occassions Tamils and their sympathizers do not seem to be able to own up and condemn the atrocities and crimes committed by their supposed liberators.

                    • 0
                      4

                      ….and their diaspora community that funded them oft through money raised by engaging in criminal activities.

            • 7
              1

              Buddy, Can you give me just one reason not to hate …….. but to love and admire the Sinhalese? …… Just one reason is all it takes, please , please, please ……. :))))

              “The psychology of self-hatred is fascinating.”

              The psychology of blindness to faults of one’s own race …….. is even more fascinating!

              • 2
                7

                “The psychology of blindness to faults of one’s own race …….. is even more fascinating!”

                What faults are you on about? I believe in equal justice. If you want to investigate Rajapakse for war crimes, be my guest. Just make sure he’s sharing a cell with Netanyahu, Biden, Obama, and the Tamil Diaspora. The problem with people like you is you only want *selective justice* to suit your own agenda.

                • 5
                  0

                  “The problem with people like you is you only want *selective justice* to suit your own agenda.”


                  You want to ignore unspeakable sexual abuse of the pacifist Sinhala Buddhists …….. and focus only on the LTTE suicide bombers. …….. Now who is selective? :)))

                  But you still didn’t give me one single reason for me to be proud about my fellow Sinhalese!

                  Please please please ……. give me one reason. ……… Surely, it can’t be that difficult? :)))))

                • 5
                  0

                  Lester, Ruchira,
                  “The psychology of blindness to faults of one’s own race …”
                  One more time.
                  Name at least one (1) Sinhala racist.

              • 0
                6

                NF – The problem is trying to ‘admire’ one group or the other as if there’s some competition going on between them and the group that gains the highest admiration being declared the winner. No need for any admiration. There are good, bad and ugly individuals in any community. That should not be a reason to collectively condemn the entire group. Defending and confronting such collective condemnations should not be confused for actions seeking any adniration.

        • 7
          2

          Lester

          “Similarly, VP hated Vellalar and eliminated most of the top TUL:F leadership.”

          Like the other Psychopath Gota VP hated all, eliminated not most of the Top TULF leadership but a few including Vellalar, ……Sinhale, Buddhist, Hindus, Tamils, Christians, Muslims, ….. .

          One thing though, VP never discriminated.

          “Black Tigers enjoyed a meal with him before going about their “mission.”

          I know you are bit jealous. Had you asked our friend Nimal Fernando he would have arranged the last meal for you.

          • 9
            1

            Native,

            Your great idol Ranil ……. is the one who signed the “Peace Treaty” with good ol’ Prabakaran!

            Why blame me? :)))

            All you guys are just pathetic ……. running around like headless chicken ……. trying to blame everyone else for your own faults ……. that you can’t accept like grown men.

            It’s not only Prabakaran …….. who recruited children!!! :)))

            • 0
              4

              “It’s not only Prabakaran …….. who recruited children!!! :)))”
              .
              True. The vatican also does….

              • 7
                1

                “The Vatican also does….”

                Why did you leave out Abbitiyas in Buddhist temples?

                If it’s Sinhalese …… See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil, Eh? :))


                You guys are the best comedians in town ……… ROFLMAO :)))))

                Keep up the entertainment ……. Native was looking for his other 2 Stooges!

                Now, his team is complete! :)))))))

                • 0
                  3

                  “Why did you leave out Abbitiyas in Buddhist temples?”
                  .
                  Because I knew you would come up with it. No more arguments. Case closed.

                • 2
                  0

                  Nimal, I too was thinking the same. Why Vatican, when you have so close why look that far. Frequently there is news about , all kind of child abuses , perpetrated by Theras. Not only that, under the watch of Buddha Sasana ministry, we hear illicit affairs, drug use, murder, robbery , rape . . . . . . . . …

          • 4
            1

            “Black Tigers enjoyed a meal with him before going about their “mission.”

            Native,

            Ever heard of kamikaze? ……… Ol’ Prabakaran wasn’t a pioneer. …….. But how would you …….. a “Sinhala Buddhist” hiding under Ranil’s bed …… know? :)))

            Don’t tell me your’re like your Ranil’s best buddy Mahinda’s son ……….. who came only within 5000 miles of sacrificing his life, hiding away in some Naval Academy in England?

            You guys are the best comedians in town ……… ROFLMAO :)))))

            • 1
              4

              “Ever heard of kamikaze?”

              You are definitely slow, perhaps a classmate of OC? Crashing a plane into the enemy’s battleship (Japanese) is 180 degrees apart from wearing a suicide vest and blowing up the office crowd on a train.

  • 17
    2

    If “ethnoreligious parochialism” is the root cause of the economic crisis, what does the NPP propose to do about it. So far, the solutions advanced are meagre. The JVP opposed the 13th Amendment. Now, their stand is that it is a part of the Constitution. So, they will accept it. The Tamil view is that the 13th Amendment is insufficient. Will the JVP/NPP give more devolution? Also, if what Ali describes as the economic agenda is correct, how is it different from the neoliberal policies adopted so far? Ali says: that “the NPP economic strategy is market friendly, open to foreign investment, accommodative to IMF agenda” but that the NPP will make choices. This is not saying much. It is not an alternative policy. The so called “bird cage economy” -first time I read of the term- is floundering at the moment as it is shut off from foreign inputs. Ali, being an economist, should say more, if he is in the know.

  • 13
    7

    “Corruption, tax evasion and unlawful tax minimization, and influence peddling are few of the known evils that had contributed to the economic collapse of this nation.”
    I don’t understand why Dr. Ammer Ali reluctant to tell that it is that Buddhist Sinhala Fundamentalism is the primary evil that contributed to corruption and other unlawful activities of Politicians and Officials. It is one of the factor that makes difficult to accept by Tamils to support NPP.

    • 2
      0

      I saw this article sometime on Friday, the 1st evening, but by the time I read it, Ajith, four comments, yours being the last, dated 2nd, had also been displayed. So, it would have been after midnight. The confusion caused by dates changing at different times.
      .
      However, what caught my attention even at that time was Cicero’s puzzlement over the “bird cage economy“. So I scrolled up the article and following the reference given by Dr Ameer Ali, read through all of this:
      .
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chen_Yun
      .
      All quite real. So we have a lot of finding out to do.
      .
      Now as I write, there are nine comments, and I have read them all, including “leelagemalli“‘s except that I decided that spending nearly 18 minutes on the video would result in my comment never getting made.
      .
      But having submitted, I shall listen. We have to keep open minds – that had already been imprimpted in my mind by reading about Chen Yun, a man I had not even heard of!
      .
      Panini Edirisinhe (NIC 483111444V)

      • 2
        0

        Dear SM,
        .
        I have an anxiety disorder that is bothering me these days. And surely, I don’t think I’m alone with those thoughts.
        ..
        With Maldives pivoting towards China, I have a big question how an NPP government, which we know is pro-China, will engage with India and other allies. You may pass this to AKD leadership so that they could deliver some informaiton to the nation.

        And at this moment when the island nation is sinking, while other people are showing their backwardness, Dr. Jayashankar is making a big statement about their financial assistance to Sri Lanka.

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFCxMixV9EE

        There is no doubt that the Maldives will not succeed in their pro-China principles with the newly elected president of the Maldives, and Muisi is believed to lack the support of many in the current parliament. However, speculations say that this marriage with China may not last long.

        tbc

        • 3
          0

          cont.
          Today, when the European press talks about India, some of the issues related to Russia are not accepted by the Europeans, but most of them speak publicly in favor of India rather than against India. Indians are winning more bilateral agreements with the West these days. More Indians are earning jobs in Europe than before. I know some Indians start engineering jobs in Europe without knowing German or French. This was earlier restricted to the UK and Ireland due to the language barrier, but today, non-English speaking countries have hired indians offering them graduate level jobs.
          .
          Can you share some valuable insights from your high-profile friends in Maldives? Or, you can ask JVP-NPP to enlighten the nation from the hidden agendas of foreign politics to further liberate the nation. THAT WILL SURELY RELIEVE US SRILANKENS.

    • 5
      0

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

      May the kind of videos help improving the awarness of the people.
      I am afraid, this is in SINHALA.

    • 1
      1

      ” It is one of the factor that makes difficult to accept by Tamils to support NPP.”
      But they have elected UNP and SLFP MPs as recently as five years ago.

  • 4
    0

    Now that you have done an article entitled “NPP & Bird Cage Economy”, which is about NPP’s economic strategy, I would be grateful if you would do one on “NPP & National Question”. Thank you

  • 8
    1

    All the people must unite against their oppressors. No party affiliations matter now. The country is in deep trouble. All indicators have been present for all to see. These catastrophic conditions are not created by nature. They are the direct results of decades of rape and violation of the motherland by a few opportunists at the top, with the two party groups that have taken power turn after turn.. The vermin must be removed and whoever has the courage as a network to uproot this evil must be supported to the fullest. Now is not the time to still bicker about niceties and nuances. Our children’s future is at stake.

    • 3
      3

      LP,, Agree so much with you that this is not the time for bickering when the future of the next generation is at stake. It is very important for them to grow up seeing a good future in SL. As you say ” the vermin must be removed”. Judgement needs to make its appearance.

    • 3
      10

      LP,

      Some think the country is bad under Rajapakse. There are people who want to do much worse things. In my opinion, they want to create some kind of humanitarian crisis that forces foreign powers to intervene. This intervention will result in the permanent division of the country along ethnic lines. This is not some fantasy. They have done this in places like Syria, Yugoslavia, South America, etc. I support the democratic process in S. Lanka, regardless of who is in power. But we should be mindful of the country’s sovereignty that was achieved at great expense.

      • 10
        3

        Lester,
        “But we should be mindful of the country’s sovereignty that was achieved at great expense…..
        will result in the permanent division of the country along ethnic lines”
        So what? There will be two sovereignties. Aren’t two sovereignties better than one?
        Guys like you wanted the war. But you ran away and left us to it.

        • 2
          11

          Old Codger,

          What war did you fight in? You are on this forum calling VP a “genius”, bashing the majority culture/religion, and cavorting with separatists. Just like your other hero Ranil, if people listened to you, there would be no country left.

          • 12
            2

            Lester,
            I’ve already challenged your pal Ruchira to give me an instance of me insulting Sinhala Buddhists. He couldn’t. Would you like to try?
            I criticize Sinhala Buddhism when necessary, because it’s a pernicious ideology, and it isn’t the only religion I criticize. I don’t insult Sinhala Buddhists as such.
            If you are so concerned about this country, why do you keep away?

            • 2
              10

              Old Codger,

              “I criticize Sinhala Buddhism when necessary, because it’s a pernicious ideology,”

              How does a “pernicious” ideology survive for 2500 years? Are you going to say something clever like, “because the Saivites converted to Buddhism.” Of course there are problems with Sinhala Buddhism, these have mostly to do with mismatches in resource allocation due to foreign invasions. Forget the Cholas who burned down cities. The European invaders used indentured labour to create cheap exports for their own countries. They created a civil and educational system beyond the reach of most peasants – due to barriers in language & religion – causing further distortions in wealth. When the Europeans left, some of the majority – now in charge of the government – tried to rectify the imbalance, but the Vellalar sought to retain their own privileges. leading to a civil war. Now in the latest iteration, the island is caught in a power struggle between the US and China.

              • 2
                12

                Lester – OC lives in a world of his own, created by certain someones, for the benefit of the same certain someones. For them India and particularly the southern states of India are the world. Anything and anyone that challenges this world of their’s will be met with severe resistance, with various labels attached to them and insults on top. It would be futile to try to make them see anything else and/or different, or beyond what they see. They are simply incapable.

                • 1
                  9

                  Ruchira,

                  I don’t understand the fascination with India. OC and others complain about corruption in SL. India is 10000x more corrupt. Check out Sukesh Chandrashekhar, who had an affair with Jacqueline Fernandez. This guy conned 200 crore Indian rupees out of various people and he is low level. He makes Bond Scam Ranil and Arjuna look like amateurs.The Gandhi family is super corrupt, yet they let Sonia run the Congress Party. Lakshmi Mittal (billionaire) is another one. If you know about Bollywood, people like Sanjay Dutt have strong connections to the underworld. OC thinks India is some tourist paradise, check out what tourists are saying on YT. Just search for “South Korean streamer harassed in Mumbai.” That is a big city, Mumbai. There are many women assaulted in places like Goa who simply don’t report it. Economically, India lags China by a huge margin and will never catch up because the smartest Indians (IITians) go abroad to work for top tech co’s. Look at the exchange rate, 1 INR = 0.012063 USD.

                  • 1
                    10

                    Lester – I know. But like I said trying to make them see is futile. A waste of time and effort. They now want India to take over Sri Lanka as well. One sad story.

                  • 7
                    1

                    Lester,
                    “India is 10000x more corrupt.”
                    2. You don’t live in Sri Lanka.
                    3. India isn’t bankrupt.

                    • 0
                      7

                      Lester – Haven’t you noticed how OC seems to always justify corruption? I wonder why?

                    • 0
                      8

                      Ruchira,

                      “Haven’t you noticed how OC seems to always justify corruption? I wonder why?”

                      Corruption is okay only if Ranil or India is involved. Then the justification is something like, “they gave us a loan”, “they gave us rice”, or “Arjuna was a victim of Mahavamsa racism.”

                    • 7
                      0

                      OC, India with population of 1.45 Billion is 10000x more corrupt says Jester. According to latest corruption PERCEPTION index , India is ranked at 93 and Lanka 115. Explains why Lanka is bankrupt and not India. Can go back to year 2009 , and Lanka has never done better.

              • 10
                4

                Lester,
                You know that I enjoy watching you in action than joining you in action. I make exception owing to boredom.
                Old Codger will take care of your pernicious nonsense. I am here to show appreciation of your capacity to see the nonexistent.
                … the island is caught in a power struggle between the US and China… ?!

                • 10
                  3

                  I thought it is Taiwan. But, I’ll be proud if it is Sri Lanka!
                  Thanks.

                  • 1
                    10

                    Nathan – “the island is caught in a power struggle between the US and China… ?!”
                    .
                    You have a long way to go mate. Time to grow up. Stop playing teacher and start learning a bit about what’s going on in the world.
                    .
                    This has been going on forever. Sri Lanka is THE most valuable piece of real estate in the Eastern hemisphere, dubbed as the ‘East-Pole’ of the world.
                    .
                    I learnt this when I was about 8. You on the other hand still play teacher – student. Time to grow up. Besides isn’t it a little girlish to want to play teacher?
                    .
                    Have a good day. Lester would be a good teacher if you want to learn. But feel free to remain ignorant. It they say is blissful.

                    • 9
                      0

                      Ruchira,
                      “Sri Lanka is THE most valuable piece of real estate in the Eastern hemisphere, I learnt this when I was about 8.”
                      How sad that you haven’t learnt anything since. Was this at that private school with Lester?

                    • 10
                      0

                      Ruchira,
                      “I learnt this when I was about 8.”
                      About the same time, you must have learnt about your leonine ancestry. Have you groomed your tail recently?

                    • 0
                      7

                      OC – “How sad that you haven’t learnt anything since. Was this at that private school with Lester?”
                      .
                      I don’t know about Lester but I am glad that I never learnt to stoop to levels so low, like you are capable of.
                      .
                      And you don’t seem to be capable of coming out of it yourself.
                      .
                      Honestly aren’t you the juvenile one here, who is trying to pick a fight about the most trivial things – almost anything? Once you realize a person doesn’t buy into your arguments? Every word misspelt, every comment mis-communicated the list is endless….
                      .
                      Doesn’t look like the conduct of person who ever learnt anything, whther the school they attended was private or public one – another matter you relentlessly pick on.

                    • 0
                      8

                      “I thought it is Taiwan. But, I’ll be proud if it is Sri Lanka!”

                      India is a proxy of the US. When you see Ranil aligning with India, he is effectively aligning with the US. The reason Ranil is able to secure IMF grant money so easily is because of his pro-Indian/pro-Western stance. China wants Sri Lanka specifically because of Hambantota Port. It can send submarines and other ships to spy on India as well as US assets in the region.

                    • 7
                      0

                      Ruchira,
                      “whther the school they attended was private or public one – another matter you relentlessly pick on.”
                      The two of you thought you were being very smart by referring to “government school idiots”.
                      Do you expect us government school idiots to handle you with kid gloves? Never start anything if you can’t take the consequences.
                      Be decent and you will get decent treatment.

                • 2
                  11

                  Nathan,

                  You must know that whatever you or others donated to the Eelam project went straight to the Rajapakse’s offshore bank accounts when KP was captured. He spilled the beans on all the LTTE gold. Rajapakse doesn’t have to loot from starving Sinhalese. Tamil Diaspora made them multi-millionaires overnight. Why do you think Gota ran away from his job as systems admin in LA? That job pays $135K USD. The man knew he could hit the jackpot.

                  • 6
                    1

                    … when KP was captured.
                    Was he… ?

                    • 5
                      0

                      What Good it is to have Rajapakse relatives – even Cousins and Betrothed to access important connections!!! Make maximum use of them to Optimise!!??

                  • 4
                    0

                    Yes Jester, Gota was highly successful as system admin in LA making 135 K USD , he decided to not write about his success but his conspiracy theories ( like yours),. Apparently his book is released tomorrow titled ” THE CONSPIRACY, to oust me from presidency”. Gotha said, “this book is important for not only 6.9 million Lankans but also for foreigners “. I’m not sure about that, but it may help him in getting a nomination seat after next elections. I’m sure you will be first in line , to buy your hero’s book and tell us all about his escape from bankrupt island.

                    • 4
                      0

                      Gotha, also said, keeping in mind ,his 6.9 million followers, book will be available in both Sinhala and English, translated and edited by Namal. Jester, choice is yours.

              • 11
                4

                Lester, Ruchira,
                “How does a “pernicious” ideology survive for 2500 years?”
                It didn’t, because it was only invented in the 19th century by a racist charlatan called Dharmapala. Sinhala Buddhism isn’t Buddhism.
                For your information, nobody invaded the country. The Portuguese for example were invited in by one local king to help him against his rival. Old story.
                “. It would be futile to try to make them see anything else and/or different, or beyond what they see. “
                When one cannot find answers, one should go look in the mirror.

                • 1
                  10

                  OC,

                  At least Dharmapala had enough conviction to stand up for what he believed in, unlike some anonymous cowards who hide their ethnicity and call others “racist.”

                  • 6
                    1

                    Lester,
                    An anonymous coward is someone who runs away while a war is going on, but comments from a safe distance when it is over.

                    • 0
                      7

                      OC – I see now you change the meaning of English words too, to suit your own narrative. Splendid! Wonder what’s next!

                    • 0
                      8

                      OC,

                      What about the Tamil Diaspora? Seems like your definition of AC would apply there. The Palestinians, on the other hand, never ran away. Amazing resilience. I saw videos of people in Gaza, they literally said, “we would rather die here than move somewhere for safety.”

                  • 7
                    0

                    Lester,
                    “At least Dharmapala had enough conviction to stand up for what he believed”
                    If you’re talking about Don Juan, yes.

                  • 5
                    0

                    What if all who believed in their convictions went into hiding in a safe place and resurfaced after the Heat of the event is overcome!!?? They are cowards and Opportunists too.
                    Diabolical Scoundrels!!??

                • 1
                  10

                  OC – I thought racism went way back… into Mahawansa…. never mind, whatever makes you happy.

                • 9
                  1

                  Ruchira
                  “For them India and particularly the southern states of India are the world. “
                  I don’t know if this is a quality taught in certain religious schools, but lack of gratitude is something found among some here. Instead, it seems they are trained to prevaricate with statements like “I personally didn’t get rice from Tamilnadu ” or “I bought rice with my own money, so I have nothing to be grateful for”. And of course they don’t personally beg for Chinese loans, but feel free to criticize repayment requests.

                  • 1
                    8

                    OC – Hurt much? Need any tissues? India can shove their emergency fund facility where the sun don’t shine. Have a good day!

                    • 8
                      1

                      Ruchira
                      Your rapier wit has me laughing on the floor. It’s only slightly better than your English skills. Don’t you think you should go back to writing for Shenali ‘s rag? She protects her acolytes.

                    • 7
                      0

                      Uneducated and Ungrateful Mindset trying to tell, US ALL, What is Right and Wrong!!!???!
                      Lester, You are absolutely Right on the Money, keep the way you are proceeding, Salvation is “Close at Hand”!!!??? Let all these retractors ‘BARK’ like MAD DOGS but the Caravan goes-on!!!??? WHY SHOULD YOU THANK FOR RICE AND ‘PARIPPU’, because that was EXCEES Production and was to be disposed of, so as to Protect COMMODITY PRICING MECHANISM!!!
                      We Sri Lankans did them A FAVOUR, EATING ‘TOILET NADU SHIT’, which was indeed very Tasty, like the Grandpass Keera Kottuwa Stuff’ which is also similarly grown with amongst other thing, Excreta and Urine, matter collected from nearby Northern Suburbs of Colombo Residents!!!???

                    • 1
                      7

                      OC – the very thought of you laughing on the floor is quite funny.
                      .
                      To picture it in ones mind’s eye is even funnier!
                      .
                      I also pitty your lack of awareness of certain phrases from the pop-culture used to make artistic expressions. That goes to SJ as well.
                      .
                      Both of you get highly technical at the very mention of anything outside of a text-book, usually getting all you stnking little knickers in a twist.
                      .
                      But whatever floats your boat old man. But there ain’t no free food served here. ;) Try somewhere else.
                      .
                      FYI – ““The sun doesn’t shine forever” is the correct way of saying this. You may hear the grammatically incorrect “the sun don’t shine forever” in some dialects or used for artistic purposes (in a poem or song for example) but it would be inappropriate to write or use it this way in formal English.
                      .
                      Other than the language, the school I went to, my religion, and the plethora of other foci of attack – do you have anything with substance to share?

                    • 0
                      7

                      OC – Also:
                      .
                      I do not know any Shenali to go back to.
                      .
                      A place that I have never been that you want me to go back to.
                      .
                      Where is it and who is she? A friend of yours?
                      .
                      She protects her acolytes? Is that how you too are protected? By being certain someone’s acolyte?
                      .
                      As for me I don’t need to be anyone’s acolyte to be protected.
                      .
                      But Good luck with your affiliations, they may not be there forever to protect you.
                      .
                      You’ll be one day judged for the merits of you your own conduct and the sins you may have committed, rules you may have decided to overlook.
                      .
                      Don’t say I didn’t warn ya!
                      .
                      It’s easy to sit behind a keyboard and unleash hate, using a pseudonym – but remember there’s a real world out there, that one day would decide your fate. So enjoy while you can.

                  • 1
                    7

                    OC,

                    “I don’t know if this is a quality taught in certain religious schools, but lack of gratitude is something found among some here.”

                    If you are so grateful, why don’t you show your gratitude by moving there? It’s a global world, no one is forcing you to stand in a bread line.

                    • 7
                      1

                      Ruchira,
                      “It’s easy to sit behind a keyboard and unleash hate, using a pseudonym –”
                      Wow, what a philosophical turn……
                      “I also pitty your lack of awareness of certain phrases from the pop-culture”
                      But I do know how to spell “pity”
                      “Other than the language, the school I went to, my religion, and the plethora of other foci of attack – do you have anything with substance to share?”
                      But you are the one who brought all that up, remember?
                      I really miss the truly educated and cultured racists who used to be on this forum. They never felt sorry for themselves.

                    • 5
                      1

                      Ruchira,
                      If you don’t know who Shenali Waduge is, I have grave doubts about your SB credentials.

                • 1
                  0

                  Hello OC,
                  I couldn’t reply when you asked Ruchira about Shenali Waduge but here is a link to one of her old articles https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/buddhism-bashing-columnists/
                  I wonder if she would write the same today?
                  Best regards

              • 5
                0

                B_____y BS!

  • 5
    0

    So well written by Dr. Ali.

    Free Market Neoliberal Economy was first utilized by US that did not have traditional farming economy to sustain it (as they had destroyed the traditional Native agriculture when colonizing America….they further destroyed it with cash crops like cotton and tobacco). Nothing was left but invention upon commercial invention to sustain them via trade and wars.

    They eventually developed their agricultural base whilst our ridiculous Lankan government is attempting to destroy ours to sustain the American dollar created by their commercial history.

    Yes, “trade rigidities” are in place for all kinds of useless and mad business to take place with foreign countries (now forcing us into Indian trade), so a few can accumulate the wealth and have a Western look at night-clubs and cocktail parties.

  • 1
    12

    “In China, the market bird is free to fly but restrained by the iron bars of the cage.”

    China has done very well economically thanks to the resilience of its people. However, government interference in the economy and markets is preventing the country from taking the next step. For example, technology demands innovation to move forward. But the CCP has stifled the growth potential of companies like Ali Baba & Didi through its restrictive policies. China is also lagging in the development of advanced semiconductors.

    • 2
      10

      “China is also lagging in the development of advanced semiconductors.”
      Have you checked out on the extent of lag?
      AliBaba etc. are profit driven and putting profit in command has its dangers. Capitalists need some harnessing.

      • 1
        1

        SJ…..Agreed!

      • 2
        10

        Those who don’t work in technology won’t understand the process of development.

        • 11
          2

          Lester,
          “Those who don’t work in technology won’t understand the process of development”
          Says the guy using a high-tech scraper …….

          • 2
            11

            “Says the guy using a high-tech scraper …….”

            Says the guy complaining about 20 Rs eggs. By the way, have you figured out why superpower TN cannot afford chlorinated water?

            • 12
              0

              Low level questions. Not relevant to us Sri Lankans. We are hanging on at the last straw today.
              .
              Lester, when are you going back to kindergarten? Either give us reliable information or leave it to the good commenters of this valaube forum.
              .
              Today we are a nation of beggars, EVEN basic things we cannot afford. 18 months ago we could not even pay for our daily needs including food and drink. Thanks to Indians we survived. These are true for us not to argue. Dr. Jayashankar is on a mission to tell it in the world, how they helped us…. that is a different matter.. there we cant argue… we are like raped vicitims… who raped us if not Rajapakshe Sakkiliyas ?… .. who brought us to that extreme? Isn’t it Rajapaksa?
              However, I have heard from my Indian colleagues that they have stumbling blocks being unable to implement good systems in some parts of their country.


              tbc

              • 12
                0

                cont.

                Many good systems are a bottleneck in implementation. Some parts of the Indian subcontinent are more dominated by mythology and mysticism.. The way some southerners in our country act is similar.. Isn’t it? those who stay licking bo-tree would never see it right easily. is that the buddhism ? They are NOT used to use their LITTLE brains.

                You still think we’re superhuman. This is a mental disease of our sinhalayas. The Rajapaksa Sakkili Mantra has set your mind in such a way that nothing can reverse it.
                Go to some places in Negombo, Kalutara and see how poor our people are… The needy in the UVA province and the northern province of Sri Lanka do not have basic needs. All these have emerged today by Mara s misadministration. THAT WENT UP for a period of 15 years or so.
                That is why I believe stricter laws should be brought in so that they can be hanged quickly for the various HIGH crimes they have deliberately committed. It will then lead to the eternal reconciliation of this nation. MaRa has no right to shed his last breath out of a prison cell. period.
                .
                Since these are real facts about us and TN, how can we point the finger at TN (72 million)?.

            • 9
              3

              Lester,
              “By the way, have you figured out why superpower TN cannot afford chlorinated water”
              Which is better:
              1. Not having chlorinated water
              2. Being bankrupt
              3. Running away to avoid 1 and 2 ?

              • 1
                10

                OC,

                You must have sat at the back of the class at “Prince of Wales.” Running away requires financial resources. K-tonies had to pay the smugglers before going on the boat. To get a visa (airplane) you need something like 20 lakhs in the bank. I don’t know what it is now.

                • 8
                  0

                  Lester
                  Whether you have money or not, running away is running away.

                  • 1
                    8

                    OC – shouldn’t you be a little sensitive to the feelings of the Tamil Diaspora? After all it was them who funded your little maverick boy’s war? Not to mention the propaganda war they still do not seem to have stopped. Should you NOT be throwing stones in glass houses?

                  • 3
                    0

                    Ruchira,
                    “Prince of Wales product. A wannabe of sort that suffers from incurable jelousy for not being able to rub shoulders with certain factions in the society.”
                    I would be proud to to be a Walesian. I believe if you went there yourself you could have counted among your accomplishments the ability to write proper English. Jelousy indeed.

                    • 1
                      0

                      Ruchira,
                      Since you brought up “inferior ” Prince of Wales College, I wonder what you think of Tambuttegama Central, an alumnus of which you keep promoting?
                      You guys claim to be JVP supporters, but demonstrate shameless elitism.
                      At least be consistent.

                • 1
                  8

                  Oh Lester – That explains it – a Prince of Wales product. A wannabe of sort that suffers from incurable jelousy for not being able to rub shoulders with certain factions in the society. Hence always looking for something to look down upon others. The name, the school, the caste, the class, the creed….a never ending list. A born loser! No wonder he hates private school kids and anyone with some accomplishment.

                  • 1
                    6

                    Ruchira,

                    Yes, his arguments lack any substance. I don’t know what they teach at the government school, but it’s definitely not logic. And rather odd that he hides his ethnicity while attacking other ethnicities. Clearly some strong personal insecurity there. Keeping in mind he’s a Ranil sycophant.

                    • 1
                      4

                      Lester – Yes. Just another Key Board Warrior who is afraid to show his identity. Panini is right they hide behind pseudonyms and attack various people and communities of people. Surely full of insecurities. Does not seem to have any financial security either. Poor fellow he should probably sign up for Aswesuma rather than seeking free food from Sinhala Buddhist alms giving ceremonies. A pathetic low life.

                  • 2
                    0

                    Ruchira,
                    Since you brought up “inferior” Prince of Wales College, I wonder what you think of Tambuttegama Central, an alumnus of which you keep promoting?
                    You guys claim to be JVP supporters, but demonstrate shameless elitism.
                    At least be consistent.

                • 6
                  2

                  OC, running away requires financial resources ( to get a visa, airplane ), but not for people who go on frequent shopping sprees.

              • 1
                10

                Just for a change imagine, if you are capable of, if those who don’t have clorinated water going banckrupt?
                🤣🤣🤣

              • 6
                0

                No matter what anyone says or does, the R*d*ya community supports Basil, the man who is not even in Parliament but organizes the slaves of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna. They never question who robbed that Gampaha land. This is good old Sri Lanka full of rascals….shame.

                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IO0LyEMglsM

          • 6
            2

            OC, do you think AI / process of development (nothing else ), can compensate those intellectual challenges of an individual ??? Hopefully , the clone will be sensible and a better person.

        • 6
          0

          Process of Development is Technology!!!?? Nothing Else!!!???

      • 3
        0

        Hello SJ,
        I have asked people quite a few times why they put up with the sub-standard Chinese Products that are sold in Sri Lanka. The Chinese are capable of producing good quality products (e.g. Apple, HP Laptops).
        I designed my own house here in Sri Lanka and with local Builders, Carpenters, Electricians and Labourers, we completed a building that we were all proud of.
        I tested every single Electrical/Electronic component or device that we bought. I made some mistakes with the type of Door Locks, but we rectified that. Obtaining decent plumbing materials was a nightmare, but we succeeded. So now more than a year after completion our Maintenance is close to Zero (our taps don’t leak, our electric sockets and lamps all work etc). We had one 240V Moulded Plug on a Fridge that melted.
        In the 1950s Japanese products were of poor Quality. An American, W Edwards Deming went to Japan and taught some of their major companies (including Toyota) everything about good quality standards and practices.
        Sri Lanka needs a Deming in every Government Department and State Owned Enterprise before you build your Bird Cage or the bird will escape very quickly.
        Best regards

        • 6
          4

          LS,
          “I have asked people quite a few times why they put up with the sub-standard Chinese Products that are sold in Sri Lanka. The Chinese are capable of producing good quality products (e.g. Apple, HP Laptops).”
          The problem is with the buyers, not the manufacturers. The Chinese will supply you with what you want at the price you want. Very flexible. So, local dealers negotiate for the lowest price, and get cheap rubbish. A while ago, there were used Chinese made computers on the market which were more expensive than equivalent brand new ones. This was because the used ones were from Australia, and of better quality, though all were Chinese made!

          • 1
            4

            oc
            A businessman friend who has imported from China told me that China has sales outlets for seconds and goods that could not meet quality control norms.
            Rather than destroy them they let willing buyers take them.
            But big brand names do not compromise their name.

            • 0
              4

              SJ,
              I sometimes buy the dodgy ones and fix the obvious faults before use. Much cheaper!

            • 0
              0

              Hello SJ,
              I didn’t believe my Sri Lankan friends in Doha when they explained why they bought all their Electronics in Qatar and then shipped them home. They said that although the Models were the same the Sri Lankan ones were poor quality. They explained that TVs, DVD Players, Sound Systems (Home Theatres) were all subject to high import taxes, but they could ship a box back and pay a bribe if they went over the limit of what they were allowed.
              Best regards

        • 6
          2

          OR, THERE WON’T BE, A BIRD TO KEEP CAPTIVE!!!???

  • 11
    1

    Most of us are hoping to see AKD to win the Presidential election In October/November of this year. But we can not trust that the President (RW) is going let us have the Presidential election. SLPP will be plotting do something that will derail the elections. Do the Public know who are the NPP parliamentarian candidates going to be?

  • 6
    1

    The elites in the country had been sending their kids to private schools and then to the overseas Universities spending the country’s hard earned foreign currency. These kids have NOT been coming back to serve the motherland. This is the kind of education that had been going on for many decades. GoSL had not been spending enough funds to train and keep highly trained staff. The Health and Education should take much priority than the Defence. We need to improve the transport systems of the country. What happened to the Light Railway system that Japanese were willing to get it going!
    It’s sad that we spent so much money on defence to spill our own BLOOD for decades. The SWEAT the exploited tea/rubber/coconut estate workers had shed to earn the Foreign Exchange has been spent UNWISELY so far!

    • 2
      0

      Hello Naman,
      “The SWEAT the exploited tea/rubber/coconut estate workers had shed to earn the Foreign Exchange has been spent UNWISELY so far!”
      I would say stolen, as has been the part of the earnings of Sri Lankans workers sending money from abroad.
      Best regards

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