By Dayan Jayatilleka –
A specter is haunting the coalition of the anti-national and non-national, the deracinated and the decadent, which comprises and supports the arrogant, unelected, elitist UNP administration of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe: the specter of a politically resurgent Mahinda Rajapaksa. Behind that specter looms another: the specter of populist nationalism.
The Nugegoda meeting of February 18th may or may not have been the largest Opposition mobilization of recent decades but it has sure been the most written about. That is a symptom of the fact that Nugegoda was the single public meeting that has had the greatest impact, social and political, in recent years.
The cosmopolitan civil society critics, in Sri Lanka and in the émigré communities, have trashed Nugegoda. A representative sample would be “Nazism” (V. Kanthaiya), “chauvinist” (Laksiri Fernando), “Revanchist” “Tribal nationalism” (Sarath de Alwis), “communal” (Achintaka), “racist and extremist” (Granville Perera).
Related criticism has been directed against me, for my presence and participation in the Nugegoda event and my notions of Smart Patriotism and a New Nationalism. Romesh Hettiarachchi, a lawyer from the Sri Lankan émigré community in Canada, calls my views “fascist”.
First, let’s deal with Nugegoda. I was there just before the event began and managed to leave the stage a half an hour after the rally ended (having been touched by the photos, the selfies, the autographs and the sentiments, all with an unknown youngster standing behind me holding a Sri Lankan flag over my head!) Having been there all the time and listened to every word from the platform as well as the roars from the crowd, I can vouch that there wasn’t a single phrase that was anti-Tamil or anti-Muslim. Furthermore, I cannot recall the word “Sinhala” mentioned even once, let alone “Tamil” or “Muslim”. Where was the racism or chauvinism? How then could this event be denounced as such, not least by the Prime Minister and the Minister of External Affairs?
Is it perhaps racism or chauvinism to denounce the Northern Provincial Council resolution that damned every single democratic administration starting with that of DS Senanayake as having perpetrated genocide on the Tamil people? Is it racism to note the empirical fact that Mahinda Rajapaksa remained undefeated in the Southern two thirds of the island while he was defeated by a spike, a surge in the North and East—whose elected provincial representatives followed this up with a resolution accusing this country of having committed genocide, thereby revealing that their commitment to Sri Lanka is questionable to say the least?
Did the Nugegoda rally qualify as “Nazism” “racist”, “communal” and “extremist”, because the crowd carried the Sri Lankan flag together with the pictures of Mahinda Rajapaksa? Or is it because the speakers invoked the Mawbima, the motherland? Was it racist, communal, extremist and fascist because it criticized Northern racism and fascism (i.e. the Tigers)? Is it racism to criticize Tamil racism, separatism and fascism?
We now come to the question of patriotism and nationalism. These cosmopolitan critics shudder at the mention of patriotism. Then they shift the goal posts and wave patriotism through, while targeting nationalism. Intellectually shifty, they conflate all forms of nationalism with racism, chauvinism and even fascism/Nazism. Let me correct myself immediately: they conflate all forms of Sinhala nationalism with racism, chauvinism and fascism. No such conflation takes place when they comment on Tamil nationalism, and even the worst forms of Tamil racism, such as the Tigers and/or the ‘genocide’ resolution are explained away as Tamil nationalism.
Thus, for these cosmopolitan neoliberal critics, any form of Tamil racism, chauvinism and fascism is more excusable—and actually better—than any form of Sinhala nationalism, even if it is of the most non-racist, non-chauvinist, moderate and democratic variety.
Some strive to contrast Leftism and its inextricable marker, internationalism, with nationalism. (They also try to contrast my Marxist-Leninist, revolutionary and communist past with my present). While leftism must indeed be contrasted with and immune to any form of chauvinism, racism and obviously fascism, and stands as a universal antipode to such ideologies, only a knave or an ignoramus would regard leftism—which is intrinsically internationalist—as incompatible with nationalism. Here is Sir Isaiah Berlin, the renowned liberal historian of ideas, on the whole affair:
“Communism, for instance, certainly became a great force, but except in alliance with national sentiment it cannot advance. This seems to me the case in China; in parts of Asia…; in Africa, in Cuba. When Marxism comes into conflict with national sentiment—we can all think of examples in recent history—it suffers as an outlook and a movement, whatever the alliance with nationalism may add to its material power and success.” (‘The Sense of Reality: Studies in Ideas and Their History’, 1996, p. 251)
Was the Nugegoda event a Sinhala nationalist mobilization then? That was not the primary characteristic of the event, which is far more accurately classifiable as populist. In almost all countries, especially in the Global South, with a history of colonialism and an aversion to neocolonial interventionism and hegemonism, all populism is also nationalist. The classic case is Latin America. An aspect of populism throughout the global South is the backlash against the elite which is seen as pro-Western and anti-national. In Sri Lanka this was the case with SWRD Bandaranaike and Ranasinghe Premadasa. It is also the case with the support for Mahinda Rajapaksa.
What would be most accurate theoretically is to understand the ideology of Nugegoda and the Mahinda Rajapaksa phenomenon through the prism of ‘communitarianism’ rather than from the perspective of a deracinated pro-Western liberalism. Already in my Long War, Cold Peace (2013), I had drawn attention to “a group of quite outstanding thinkers [who] have staked out a position distinct from the antipodes of liberal individualism and collectivist fanaticism. These theorists stand for a ‘moderate patriotism’ and a ‘communitarian’ perspective. They include Richard Rorty, Charles Taylor, Alasdair Macintyre, Michael Walzer and if you revise the formulation to ‘left patriotism’ or ‘left republicanism’ instead of the ‘communitarianism’, Regis Debray”. I would venture the category of ‘communitarian populism’ to understand Nugegoda.
What is the firebreak between nationalism and racism or chauvinism? It is the sense of the inferiority of ethnic, linguistic or religious groups other than one’s own; the sense of the intrinsic superiority of one’s own ethnic or ethno-religious group, and the striving to dominate and subjugate the other groups. At its worst it would entail the hatred of ethnic or ethno-religious groups other than one’s own. There was none of that at Nugegoda. There is none of that in Sinhala or any other nationalism. The predominance of such elements would render the phenomenon classifiable not as nationalist but precisely as racist or chauvinist.
The attempt at de-legitimizing Sri Lankan patriotism or Sinhala nationalism is an attempt at weakening the defenses of the country and its capacity to defend national sovereignty. What is the relationship between Sri Lankan patriotism and Sinhala nationalism? The position and role of Sinhala nationalism is analogous to that of the proletariat, the working class, in Marxist theory. It is a role and function conferred by structure, i.e. by the ensemble of objective relationships. Three reasons are pertinent here.
(1) The Sinhalese are the overwhelming majority on the island and are thereby the major stakeholder in any demographic and democratic sense.
(2) While there exist Tamil and Muslim communities all over the world, and one therefore refers to Malaysian Tamils, Singapore Tamils, South African Tamils etc, one does not and cannot refer in that manner to Sinhalese communities. There are only Sri Lankan Sinhalese. Therefore, while Sri Lanka is NOT ONLY the home of the Sinhalese, it is the ONLY home of the Sinhalese; the only home the Sinhalese have and will ever have.
(3) While many cultures coexist on the island, the predominant civilization on the island is that of Sinhala Buddhism (Prof. Joseph Needham sees the hydraulic civilization of this island as comparable to Chinese civilization).
For these three reasons in combination, it has been and it is the Sinhalese, most specifically the Sinhala Buddhists, who having had the central and main role on the island’s social and civilizational formation, have the most to lose if this island were to be jeopardized. Thus it is they who have been in the forefront and constituted the main force of resistance to invasion. It is the Sinhalese who have been and are the main guardians and defenders of this island’s sovereignty and independent existence.
This—and not any racist assumption of intrinsic cultural or ethnic superiority– is why there can be no Sri Lankan nation or patriotism without a central place for the Sinhala nation and Sinhala nationalism. It is a matter of geopolitics and (certainly in my case) derives from a Realist reading.
Laksiri Fernando names me as “the foremost ideologue of Sinhala chauvinists”. In what sense do I qualify as a Sinhala chauvinist as distinct from, arguably, a Sinhala nationalist? How can someone who continues to defend the retention of the 13th amendment and advocates devolution within a unitary state, be described a Sinhala chauvinist? Is every Sinhala nationalist by definition a Sinhala chauvinist? Is Sinhala nationalism illegitimate? Is it perhaps a hallmark of Sinhala chauvinism that I refuse to go beyond devolution within the unitary state? Is a defense of the unitary state itself a sure sign of Sinhala chauvinism? Is my refusal to regard the Tamil minority of Sri Lanka a nation whose right of self-determination must be recognized, and my rejection of any definition of Sri Lanka as a multinational state, damning evidence of my Sinhala chauvinism? If so, it must be taken up with the late Joe Slovo, the white, Jewish, Communist icon of the South African liberation struggle and closest comrade of Nelson Mandela. Slovo had this to say:
“What is the future of the cultural and linguistic diversity and how do we cater for this diversity within the framework of a unitary state…National self-determination correctly remains part of the Holy Grail of Marxist learning. But, for most parts of Africa, the invocation of this right for regional or ethnic entities (either for secessionary purposes or for creating ethnically-defined political groupings) usually serves to undermine rather than to advance the right to national self-determination…The battle is still joined to prevent ethnic separatism from making advances from positions it continues to hold…It is our duty not only to proclaim, but also to ensure that in a unitary democratic South Africa the language and other positive cultural heritages of the diverse groups will really flower and find effective expression.” (‘The South African Working Class and the National Democratic Revolution’, Joe Slovo, General Secretary SACP, 1988)
Romesh Hettiarachchi an émigré lawyer in Canada attempts to brand my views on Smart Patriotism and the new Nationalism as “fascist”, and even invokes Nazism. One recalls Fidel Castro’s derisive description of émigré critics in Florida as “gusanos”. In a typically slippery exercise he identifies my views with those of Carl Schmitt who was once associated with fascism. Schmitt identified “the political” as defined by the “friend/enemy” distinction. In this I certainly agree with Schmitt, but this was essentially expressed by Sun Tzu (“Know yourself, know your enemy; a thousand battles, a thousand victories”) half a century after the Buddha; by Lenin a decade before Carl Schmitt ( “Who-Whom?”), and by Mao Zedong ( “ Who are our friends? Who are our enemies?”) around the same time as Carl Schmitt! Secondly, any serious student knows that Schmitt’s ‘The Concept of the Political’ was published in 1932, BEFORE the Nazi takeover and in an effort to strengthen presidentialism so as to stall the Nazi movement. He made the brief detour into supporting Nazism only after the effort failed. Thirdly, any intellectual would know that just like the philosopher Martin Heidegger, who deviated into Nazism, Carl Schmitt is also recognized and taught the world over as an important thinker, irrespective of his brief political affiliations. Hettiarachchi is obviously perfectly ignorant that there has been a Left-Schmittian school of thought of which Chantal Mouffe is a major figure. In the interests of intellectual transparency I must add that Hettiarachchi has not ‘outed’ me, because I have stated in print years ago and often enough, that I am a Gramscian and a Left-Schmittian (just as Mouffe is).
More important is the attempt to make Sri Lankans forget the friend/enemy distinction. There is an enemy. A political formation, entity or institution, which systematically accuses, by means of the formal political process, the Sri Lankan state of the damnable crime of genocide is not a friend of Sri Lanka but an enemy. This despicably dishonest accusation regarding the Sri Lankan state, Sri Lanka as a country, clearly indicates animosity – enmity–towards Sri Lanka as a political community. To ignore the friend/enemy distinction is to disarm Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankans.
The best illustration of the political relationship between Sri Lankan patriotism and Sinhala nationalism is the brave rebel Puran Appu. This identification is no sudden conversion of mine after an epiphany at Nugegoda. Contributing an essay by invitation to the special supplement of The Island on the ‘Dawn of the Third Millennium’, published on Saturday, January 1st 2000, I identified Puran Appu as my Sri Lankan hero of the Millennium. Was Puran Appu a Sinhala nationalist? Most certainly! His rebellion against British imperialism was in large part animated by a Sinhala nationalism which had an important place for Buddhism and the Buddhist clergy. Was he in any sense of the word, anti-Tamil, Muslim or Christian? Most certainly not!
The best example of the ideological relationship between Sinhala nationalism and Sri Lankan patriotism was provided not by a Sinhalese but by the Tibetan Buddhist monk and poet, S. Mahinda, in his ‘Lanka Maatha’. It is written in and addressed to the Sinhalese, whom he attempts to shame into awakening from quiescent conformism into patriotic assertion with the words: “has lightning struck your eyeballs, you Sinhalese?’’ Was he racist, chauvinist or fascist? Most certainly not!
It is this Sinhala nationalism which in an updated form, must and cannot but be the driving force of Sri Lankan patriotic resistance to external hegemonism and a neo-comprador puppet regime. It is this spirit of Puran Appu and S. Mahinda that makes the masses who rallied at Nugegoda unwilling to accept the arithmetical defeat of Mahinda Rajapaksa as the sign and seal of the permanent surrender of peoples and national sovereignty. A purely arithmetical defeat based on a spike in ideologically proto-secessionist TNA votes in the island’s periphery neighboring a hostile Tamil Nadu, cannot conquer and subordinate either the Sinhala heartland or what Jean-Jacques Rousseau would call the General Will. Nugegoda was a manifestation of peaceful civic resistance and Peoples Power.
alex / February 23, 2015
The same old chauvinist, genocide-denying claptrap – he would learn a thing or two from the Diaspora lawyer. Unfortunately, DJ only has a ‘talk mode’ and no ‘listen mode’. At least DJ is loyal … still defending Rajapakse .. that is a positive trait, in anyone. Misguided, but loyal.
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Alahakoon / February 24, 2015
A man belonging to a family which was ashamed of inherited Sinhalese family name and religion and adopted new Parangi Name and changed the religious faith, now talking about Patriotism.. DJ quote.. “has lightning struck your eyeballs, you Sinhalese?’.. S. Mahainda must have said this in 1940s. Christian DJ DeSilva, had you checked your father’s eyeball, you hypocrite…
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Thiru / February 24, 2015
Dayan by bringing quotations from great writers and tests, pretending to know a great deal of political science, claiming to be from a great family tree and all that crap to make people believe that he is a great thinker by by association:
To everybody it is clear that his family tree only shows opportunists who changed stripes to please the colonizers and thereby filled their own pockets;
Most of the so-called patriotic Sinhalese politicians since independence who converted to Christianity to fill their tummies during the colonial period, reconverted to Buddhism also simply to fleece the state purse.
It is a pity he is still a puny third world writer who commands no more respect than you and me.
Now it appears that he is commanding respect as Sinhala Buddhist Joseph Goebbels.
These are mere racist chameleons egged on by the racist Buddhist hierarchy to fill their pockets with shekels!
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sach / February 24, 2015
No ‘ “has lightning struck your eyeballs, you Sinhalese?’’ should be asked from you!s
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David / February 24, 2015
DJ you lost!!! [Edited out]
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sun / February 24, 2015
These ballige puthas can only generate new problems. They just add their thougths self describing as if they are gods … those were the days of MR – dj AND the like could abuse people, but today, people have got up. Today, you cant make them deaf and blind anymore. They question themselves why ?
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sach / February 24, 2015
this is the exact mindset DJ is talking about in his article
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Rabok / February 25, 2015
I do not think Dr D is loyal to MR – It would be more precise if you say that he is loyal to his country – and people who love this country – By experience he knows none of the current leaders in the gov.are loyal to this country — their loyalties are with their Western masters ( may be MS is bit different – but he volunteered himself to the trap laid by Sri Lankan born western boot lickers)– Sri Lankan born western worshippers who feel proud when their leader cannot speak proper Sinhale and wears western attire and had completed his secondary education in Royal Collage – never wants to support a sarong wearing Gamey Biyya – When this gamey biyya misused tax payers money with his other Biyyas – everybody is up in Arms to kill the bugger/s – but when the well educated / english speaking white color robbers start robbing this country (as had happened earlier) — which will again happen – may be after upcoming election – there will be nobody to talk — The problem with Dr D haters is – they cannot figure out why Dr D who also belong to the English Speaking educated class of this country – is refusing to lick the Western boots – instead had selected to rub soldiers with Gamey Biyyas who genuinely love this country – Dr D we hail you – please continue – Dogs will bark – but De Silvas never give up – loving your country is not a crime
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Jean Paul Marat / February 23, 2015
Dayan Jayathilake rooted for 13th Amendment and even beyond that not many moons ago – But now the same person is rooting for populist nationalism proponents of which eschew anything to do with 13th Amendment – in fact websites like LankaWeb operated by these populist reactionary nationalist types openly called Dayan an “idiot” for pandering so much to 13th Amendment – and I remember when BBS which supports Nugegoda “rising” attacked a vigil by Buddhist against BBS and nationalist / opportunist Malinda Seneviratne disparaged the vigil Dayan was the first on scene defending ethnic harmony and multiculturalism much for our appreciation.
Now the same man cheers reactionary populist nationalism that gave birth to BBS and indeed supported by those guys even now –
One wonders whether Dayan has a set of tongues
I feel sorry when I think of his illustrious father who stood up to what he termed as Gon Thadia school of nationalism –
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Native Vedda / February 24, 2015
Jean Paul Marat
Dayan types:
“which comprises and supports the arrogant, unelected, elitist UNP administration of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe:”
Could you pass this excerpts from Constitution to this man who has completely gone raving bonkers.:
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA
CHAPTER VIII – THE EXECUTIVE
The Cabinet of Ministers
Responsibility of the President.
42. The President shall be responsible to Parliament for the due exercise, performance and discharge of his powers, duties and functions under the Constitution and any written law, including the law for the time being relating to public security.
Cabinet of Ministers.
43. (1) There shall be a Cabinet of Ministers charged with the direction and control of the Government of the Republic, which shall be collectively responsible and answerable to Parliament.
(2) The President shall be a member of the Cabinet of Ministers, and shall be the Head of the Cabinet of Ministers :
Provided that notwithstanding the dissolution of the Cabinet of Ministers under the provisions of the Constitution, the President shall continue in office.
(3) The President shall appoint as Prime Minster the Member of Parliament who in his opinions is most likely to command the confidence of Parliament.
Ministers of Cabinet and their subjects and functions.
44. (1) The President shall, from time to time, in consultation with the Prime Minister, where he considers such consultation to be necessary –
(a) determine the number of Ministers of the Cabinet of Ministers and the Ministries and the assignment of subjects and functions to such Ministers; and
(b) appoint from among the Members of Parliament, Ministers to be in charge of the Ministries so determined.
http://www.priu.gov.lk/Cons/1978Constitution/Chapter_08_Amd.html
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J.Muthu / February 24, 2015
Dear Native mahathaya,
why dayan fool never answer u? Is he highly brainy than u….
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Native Vedda / February 24, 2015
J.Muthu
“Is he highly brainy than u….”
Dayan thinks he knows who he is.
I know who I am.
That could be the reason.
He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.
Confucius
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sach / February 24, 2015
puh!
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Native Vedda / February 24, 2015
sach
“puh!”
“He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger. – Confucius”
We know you find it hard to fathom those wise words of Confucius. Please don’t waste time trying to comprehend what Confucius had to say as it won’t make any sense to you.
Go back to your own shell.
Here is one which aptly describes your pathetic self:
Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.
– Confucius
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sach / February 24, 2015
LOL
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R. Hettiarachchi / February 23, 2015
With all due respect, I don’t think any of your critics are giving a pass to Tamil nationalism. But I recognize that trying to convince you otherwise, is like talking to a wall.
However you have yet to respond to my question to you: what do you call those who are not Smart or Dumb Patriots?
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sach / February 24, 2015
R.Hettiarachchi,
How can you speak on behalf of other ‘critics’? Dont you think you cannot do that?
So please read what other critics say…
Between “However you have yet to respond to my question to you: what do you call those who are not Smart or Dumb Patriots?”
Seriously? Is education in Canada this much substandard?
Your this question shows, how little you understood in what he writes!
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R. Hettiarachchi / February 23, 2015
And yes, I’m happy to let you have the last word.
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Isuri Jayawardena / February 23, 2015
A specter is haunting Dayan Jayatilleke-the specter of selfdestruction.
Having earlier misquoted from Bruce Springtreen DJ now misquotes from Marx’s manifesto.This chappie is insane
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Burning Issue / February 23, 2015
DR DJ,
You must think thst people who read CT are imbeciles to buy your garbage!
Nick Griffin, the leader of the British national party is well known for his racist stand. There are documented proof that he supports clansng of all people of colour from the UK. However he does attend events where racism is not a subject and do you think people of repute would join company with him because no mention of racism at this juncture? Would a decent person whether one is a politician or not want to associate with such a person? Please be real and be a man and accept that you made colossal mistake tarnishing your image for ever.
For sometime you have been advocating that Sajith Pramadasa should be the leader of the UNP. Suppose your wishes had been granted, do you think you would have stepped foot on that platform? In fact you would have written volumes of articles denouncing that platform. In effect, you would have worked against MR if Saith P were to be the leader of the opposition. There is no question about that. Hence, your present position is directly predicated on the premiership of RW. You made reference to that RW was not elected. This is not strictly true because MS fought the presidential election with the manifesto that explicitly stated that RW would be the PM. Then what is the issue? Is it because majority of majority did not endorse MS?
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sach / February 24, 2015
No No most readers in CT are imbeciles who worship and approve ultra racist tamil tribalism like that of GG Ponnambalam, Wigneshwaran and Prabha.
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Ben Hurling / February 23, 2015
Dayan,
“Mahinda Rajapaksa remained undefeated in the Southern two thirds of the island while he was defeated by a spike”.
Have you forgotten? Mahinda Rajapassa was never won in 2005. He should never have been Sri Lanka’s President. He was a corrupt rogue from the begining.
Cheers!
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Native Vedda / February 24, 2015
Ben Hurling
” He should never have been Sri Lanka’s President. He was a corrupt rogue from the begining.”
MR is eternally grateful to VP.
Now he must be regretting the death of VP much more than Diaspora. Whom can he trust now, for a captive vote bank to boycott elections? For a fees he would have done it for MR.
TNA, Weerawansa, Dayan, … nopes. Whatever VP did or didn’t do he honoured his business deal with MR by withholding votes, ………..
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J.Muthu / February 24, 2015
OI ben u muppet,
Answer this
still u fool believe u r Sinhala budhist bull shit…
[Edited out]
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Palayang Yako / February 23, 2015
I need hardly begin to describe Dayan Jayatilleke for what he is. His actions speak far louder than any words could. One thing’s for certain, he has a track record of being a supplicant for those he sees as his “superiors” and never has displayed an atom of anything resembling principles, independent thought or morality of any kind.
Something that he needs to put in his pipe with whetever else he does is that a whole host of those who have been beneficiaries of the monumental Rajapaksa corruption and THEFT made a simple decision to apply some of the proceeds of their embezzlement to hire buses to bring in thousands of other vicious racists to the gathering concerned. Check that fact, friends and don’t depend on the stupid Sri Lankan media’s shallow description of the facts.
WHO PAID FOR THE BUSES THAT BROUGHT THIS VICIOUS HORDE TO COLOMBO FROM THE BACKWOODS?
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Burning Issue / February 24, 2015
“Laksiri Fernando names me as “the foremost ideologue of Sinhala chauvinists”. In what sense do I qualify as a Sinhala chauvinist as distinct from, arguably, a Sinhala nationalist? How can someone who continues to defend the retention of the 13th amendment and advocates devolution within a unitary state, be described a Sinhala chauvinist?”
It is simple, you support 13A on one condition that is the executive presidency is retained and provincial governors are appointed by the president and controlled by him/her. Hence, the executive powers rest with the centre. This is why you support the 13a in its present form. This is exactly why TNA are insisting on governor’s powers certailed. Please do not take people for fools.
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Kumar R. / February 24, 2015
Dayan asks “In what sense do I qualify as a Sinhala chauvinist as distinct from, arguably, a Sinhala nationalist?”
Here is one distinction. Only a Sinhala chauvinist will entertain the view that Sinhalese should celebrate the victory over a subdued minority, rationalizing it as “after all the protest against apartheid was rooted in the thirst for majoritarian dominance over the minority.” A Sinhala nationalist will harbour the exact opposite view, namely that the nation is respectful, fair and sensitive to all segments of his/her nation.
Get it now Dayan? What exactly did they teach you as you spent all those long years pursuing up to a PhD, and presumably not in Timbuktu (with due apologies to Timbuktu)
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sach / February 24, 2015
So what is the condition of a good SLn patriot? Please define. Let me make a list.
1. Accepting that SL conducted a genocide of tamils from 1948
2. Accepting that Sinhala is a fake hybrid race and they are actually tamil and therefore SL is tamil
3. Prabhakaran is a freedom fighter.
4. Mahinda is wrong and criminal for defeating terrorism by killing Prabha.
5. SL should apologise for killing terrorists from terrorist funders in west
6. SL should erase everything Sinhala
7. Pointing and even calling to protect Buddhist places of worship is racist…
8. Sinhala tribal language is bad and should be shunned at every opportunity while giving tamil language a place and making everyone talk English
9. Humiliate and shun every Buddhist practice in SL
10. Erasing and ignoring Sinhala history
I guess these are the hallmarks of the true ‘patriot’ the imbeciles in CT suggest!
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punchinilame / February 24, 2015
I challenge in the name of Sinhala patriotism that this new Nugegoda-man
discloses his Assets as declared to the EC last, before he stands-up at
another rally, which alone will make this poor man from down south our
next Ececutive PRIME MINISTER!!
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Mallaiyuran / February 24, 2015
“The Sinhalese are the overwhelming majority on the island and are thereby the major stakeholder in any demographic and democratic sense.”
Dhayan made the 150,000 murder as zero casualties. Now he is redefining what a majority is in the democratic context. His meaning is, a majority race imposing its will is the democracy. If more than one race in a country and the situation is only one race can rule that is called slavery-not democracy, the law of that country can be any humanitarian. That is not democracy. When was Dhayan success in defining “stake holder”, he abruptly killed the democracy. In a democracy, peoples are expected to realign issue to issue in various groups. Thus one group lost in one issue will be gaining in the other issue. The issues are about governing materials or aspects. That is welfare, education, health, economy, security. The issues like religion, cast, language or any other private identities not elements for governments to govern. This is how the democratic government expected to work. Democratic government is not about words. If DS disenfranchised Tamil, If Srima deported Tamil, if JR chased out Tamils, If Old King took away their dual citizenship right then that is sheer racism. Words do not count. That is the, status of the people only count. That us of the measured by the satisfaction they get from the government. If a group of people could not change the government, then it is not a democracy for them. Democracy recognizes the unitary nature of the human being. Not the Sinhala Buddhists’’ majorities stake holing right. It is not democracy. Majority in democracy is absolute majority, not majority race’s majority. Last election, Old King lost. You have to accept it. You should not interpret the way Nazis fooled the Germans that the Germans are deprived in Germany. Those who have sold the country’s sea and land to China and lost the sovereignty on those are telling if the international inquiry come the country is going to lose the sovereignty is pure racial explanation. Otherwise, the government will first try restore the lost sovereignty to China rather than resisting an international agreement under UN to protect the human right.
Tamils do not have the ability to use their private IDs. In both communal rights in 1977 and 1983, I was beaten up for having Sandal paste pottu. We did not have palaces to complain about it, in those circumstances. Refusing my right to me is racism. Tigers had the right to fight and restore Tamils language and religious rights. That is not racism. Tigers fought against the Sri Lankan Government. Sri Lankan Government did not even bring back its dead soldiers because the Sinhalese would not have accepted the government’s fake Humanitarian War. (Government even refused to bring the bodied the Tigers collected and handed over to Red Cross). Tamils cannot practice their Religion, use their Language….. These are laws in Lanka. Sinhala Only, Standardization all are laws did not exist in even apartheid SA.
Wimal’s every words in that speech was poisonous racism.
Your Napoleon, Victoria era patriotic theories are racism. These are the ones created 2nd world war. These are not the ideals taught in the Western universities any more. Remember, many school have stopped using Shakespeare because the writers assumption that Jews have certain type of behaviors. In that standard, your preaching that your Grandee naming the descendants based on dutu king’s ill- glory is a far off teaching. Either you have to contend that you are uneducated backward person, cannot see what is happing in the world, or you misinterpret the matters for your opportunistic current idea. Your current position is more horrible and dangerous than the old one. That is what the writers are trying to point out to you. You know that you were wrong in the past to practice outdated communism. You are not ready to open your eyes and understand the current mistakes, now. It is going to another generation for you to realize that you now also wrong in the way you were in the past. German realized that they were fooled by these theories and they have created the EU and leading it.
Nugegoda phenomena have to realize yet in an election. In Uva Old King lost because the UNHRC meeting was not there. In South and Northwest he won because the UNHRC meeting. He lost in January because that was the reason. Now there was surge because it. Mangala has thawed a lot of the concern of the UNHRC meeting. That is out is not reflected in the Nugegoda gathering. Next election is coming after the UNHRC sitting. So nobody knows if the Nugegoda will realize to the Old King. Everybody show even after hijacking hundreds of buses from SLTB to Polunaruva, before the election, Old King could not make crowd to gather. Now, after election propaganda is rested, the crowd is gathers. It is only about the UNHRC. I think Ranil knows that and his recent speeches are downplaying the Nugegoda.
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sach / February 24, 2015
“Wimal’s every words in that speech was poisonous racism.”
Point out a single one…
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Native Vedda / February 24, 2015
sach
“Point out a single one…”
AUDIO: Singing National Anthem in Tamil is a joke – Wimal
December 13, 2010 12:50 pm
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Minister of Housing and Construction, Wimal Weerawansa voiced his support towards the Cabinet decision to do away with the Tamil version of the National Anthem, branding this practice a joke.
He said that in no other country is the National Anthem sung in multiple languages including India where the National Anthem is only sung in Hindi despite the hundreds of languages been spoken in the country.
“Only in Sri Lanka is this being practiced and it’s a joke. This decision was simply a correction of an error made through the Constitution of 1978,” he added.
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sach / February 25, 2015
So you cannot point at a sentence from the rally? So there was nothing racist in the rally then?
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Mallaiyuran / February 24, 2015
Ha ha ha This is Amazing my friend.
Is there anybody who know to point out a “Single one” out of “Everything (Word)”. Man until you resolve this issue of comprehend the meaning of an English sentence, even if I point out one out of everything, it is no way you can understand anything. This was the thing in Wimal’s mind when he was delivering his speech and in Dhayan mind when he was writing this essay. He hoped it to reach exact racist, Mahavamsa Modyayas like you and get go nothing understood, but a pure racism cultivated.
Are you the army gang who arrested the Jayakumari and killed Gobi saying the Tigers have come back and started to fight or are you the one extracted the Juice when Wimal drank it, he got enlightened that he should not die on a racist protest that he doing against the UNHRC Investigation?
First, if you leave Wimal and Dhayan alone, they may find out something to defend themselves. Not just Wimal, even Dr.Dhayan may start to get some clues of what he writes. Really You are not fit for that job man!
Our friend Dr.Dhayan is writing about legitimate groups of Stake Holders
out of a democracy that stems out of a secret voting. So, how does this group ensures that it is members are acting as per the group’s prescription in the secret voting process?
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Billa / February 24, 2015
DJ is just wasting his time and bites for nothing. What are all these ‘ism’s poured into this crappy article ? To confuse everyone ?
Nazism, racism,nationalism,…it’s all mad’ism, non understandable’ism, complicationism..just his crappy old rotten rut. Write something people can understand, even if they are manufactured lies and deception.
No one cares about what you write here Sir while you are becoming a pathetic, desperate guy looking for something unethical and selfish.
Show me your friends and I can tell you who you are. We know your friends now, and Thank you for that. Mahinda, Vasu, Wimal, Dinesh,BBS thugs,that’s enough I guess ! So you guys want to save the country now ? We know what they did in the past 10 bloody years and you guys want these parasites and murderers again ? You are really a nasty fake Sinhala chauvinist racist patriot ! Stop poisoning the populace with your crude ‘isms and divide the people of the country. Just go get a life for your own good.
Every human has two things very inside of his or her mind. One is god and the other is animal. If you allow the animal to grow, the animal will destroy the god in you. Try to grow the god with in yourself and the animal will disappear from you and with your bad thoughts. Always think of good things, god, peace, love, if not just keep quiet. Stop writing idiotic nonsense no one likes to read.
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Samuel Jayaweera / February 24, 2015
Billo,
it is just because he has been suffering from – DJ syndrome – as ones met with Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; as you guys are well aware of the facts that he is being not invited by any of the state TV programmes these days as had been prior to MY3 – he has been bringing the articles onto CT at least 2 per day – irrespective all the criticism being made by commentators – may be he feel in that way too he could stay live… else, he has been kept on a mental asylum thanks to MR regime.
So what is the use of reading his articles ?
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Aela / February 24, 2015
DJ is a racist and so is MR. Simple as that.
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nike / February 24, 2015
how do u rate wiggie, hakeem, salley, TNA….? they are born racists
aela, you are a fruit salad
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Supun Jayawardhane / February 24, 2015
I think not a racist just a gossip monger, EVEN ONES IN HOMES FOR AGED would start doing so – when things turning to be lazy for them…. an another unemployed person who apparearently have nothing better to do so, just making every effort to take revenge on Ranila nd CBK. He wished so much MR to be the next – may be MR promised him much.
If anybody would check it going back to his writings – all archives within the last 3 months alone, you will only find inconsistencies. He may feel that he is the analyst for the nation, but CT readership is not that stupid to trust him any more.
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sach / February 24, 2015
Is it that simple you simple mind?
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K.A Sumanasekera / February 24, 2015
All those exiles whom Dr Dayan mentioned are only Sinhalese when they are close to retirement and want to migrate back for cheap comforts, cheap living on the foreign pension and get some respect from the poor neighbourhoods who call them sir and madam and do their menial tasks for a couple of Dollars.
The great majority, in fact 5.8 Million inhabitants couldn’t give a crap about their sermons, because the majority know that these exiles are either Elite, Anglican , and Vellalas or they suck up to the Elite for their antagonism and dislike of Buddhism and the poor majority who follow Buddhism.
Elite in Srilanka never changed their attitude and ill treatment of the Dalits willingly.
British and other invaders created the Elite and trained them to rule the Dalits in perpetuity.
Things changed a bit in the last 10 years after Mahinda Rajapaksa who gave a descent voice for the Dalits.
This became too much for the Elite , whose leader couldn’t score for 20 years.
But the Elite finally got a break through the people who are supposed to be the leaders of the poor Dalits and protectors of the Sinhala Urumaya and Sinhala Buddhism.
Look at them then now.
The Rouge PM treats them like shit,
But you don’t hear a hum.even when the rogue PM threatens the Sinhala Media owners in public, and on tape, for standing up against the separation of the country in to ethnic enclaves..
Dayan should ignore those exiles and keep helping the Dalits with the next rising in Matara.
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BBS Rep / February 24, 2015
Words DJ, just mere verbosity to mask the ingratiate that you are. Yes, I give you one distinction, that of being loyal, though your loyalty is twisted and influenced by filthy lucre, a loyalty to a ‘god father’ who committed the heinous crime of robbing the poor and enriching the family and those most nefarious within our society.
How can any intelligent man stand in a platform rubbing shoulders with fraudsters, robber barons, sham leftists and out and out tyrants? You did DJ, and for all the gift of the written language you seem to have, you are not an intelligent man.
Hurling a barrage of words at us will not convince us that your choice of party politics is the best for the country. There are a whole heap of honourable people out there who you continue to appal by being an ingratiate to the most heinous ‘hora kalliya’ Sri Lanka has known so far.
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Samuel Jayaweera / February 24, 2015
May be he is now somewhat lazy not being able to be the middle point of the discussions that had been routined by MR regime.
His reactions are akin to that of an amok runner. What made him to turn this way is the million dollar question. Anyways, his hatred growing towards Ranil and CBK should be more than his real partriotic views. According to Buddaha,
“Wairayen wairaya nosansinde” reminds me when just overreading DJ ‘s articles.
He is the most malicious public figure known to us sofar. Anyways, his genes are not reflecting father’s acts. Mervin De Silva as a journalist did a great job, but his son has been marching to become the most cruel analyst of all times.
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simon / February 24, 2015
Sinhalese automaticalky become prolitariate the? Tamils and Muslims automatically disqualify ?
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Mr. Gamarala / February 24, 2015
Respectfully, you sir are an unashamed apologist. The fact that you publish on this publication reeks of hypocrisy because you stood silent when this website was banned.
Once, you very eloquently defended and won a reprieve for our country after the war ended but afterwards, like a one hit wonder, is content to sit on that single accomplishment. You failed to build on that momentum in international fora, you did not counsel the president on conducting a stable foreign policy and while I commend you on physically intervening during the beating of Chris Nonis, your deafening silence on the matter (even now) is emblematic of your character.
You sir have demonstrated yourself to be a ‘perk kappiththa’. If you have your DPL posting and are treating with the pomp and pageantry that goes along with it, you will sing hosannas even for the devil.
You write here opining day in and day out about what it means to be patriotic and nationalistic (or rather who and what is unpatriotic and anti-nationalistic) but you fail to grasp that patriotism requires you to demand good governance because patriotism is not love of one party or person, but rather the love of country.
Your intentions vis-à-vis the country is quite clear; you would rather campaign to have a defeated presidential candidate try for a comeback so you can angle for either a UN posting or even the foreign ministry itself. Even here, unashamedly, you are not risking yourself, you risk the reputation and whatever goodwill remains with the former president.
Be ashamed sir. Be ashamed
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sach / February 24, 2015
Talk about things you know Mr.gamrala.
And first use a name that suits you without humiliating village people taking a name like Gamarala.
Everyone who read a newspaper knows DJ was sidelines by MR for his steadfast support to 13A
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Mr. Gamarala / February 24, 2015
Dear Sach (sack?)
You ask me to talk about things I know, which I have. I have also talked about things I have observed and continue to observe. Instead of your pithy little expertise on village people, can you offer anything more constructive to the discussion?
DJ WAS sidelined for support for 13A. It was that support in his speech that got the reprieve. Since then, he has been smoking the lokkas cigar day in and day out to get back into the game. Look at who he is campaigning with. All those jokers on the stage won’t be able to win an election to be the toilet cleaner without the support of a personality like Mahinda Rajapakse.
My point is that MR went out at the best level possible; he eradicated terrorism and put in place large infra structure development projects that the new government cannot ignore. Why should he humiliate himself by trying to come back as the PM? if he loses the general election history will record that not only was he the president who tried and failed to get a third term, he also tried to be prime minister for the second time and failed also.
If you have a copyright or if people need permission from you to use the alias Gamarala, how about Ralahami? or Appuhamy?
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jam / February 24, 2015
(2) While there exist Tamil and Muslim communities all over the world, and one therefore refers to Malaysian Tamils, Singapore Tamils, South African Tamils etc, one does not and cannot refer in that manner to Sinhalese communities. There are only Sri Lankan Sinhalese. Therefore, while Sri Lanka is NOT ONLY the home of the Sinhalese, it is the ONLY home of the Sinhalese; the only home the Sinhalese have and will ever have.
My comment: This crap was used by many Sinhala Buddhist racists to defend the 1983 riots. If you are a Tamil or a Muslim or a Burgher born in Lanka you have equal rights just as any other citizen. What does the “Ceylon Tamils” have to do with Malaysian, Singapore or South African Tamils- Go to hell Dayan-you humbug- you have either lost your marbles or a very big racist. I think both. Besides how do you or any other Sinhalese will know their real pedigree with the intermarriages with the immigrants who would have come from say Kerala etc etc.
What is required now is as the threat of LTTE is no more, to shape the destiny of the country to make it a true multicultural, tolerant, right place where EVERY CITIZEN HAVE EQUAL RIGHTS AND EQUAL PRIVILEGES and opportunities. Bring proper political administration to North acceptable to people. Your king Rajapassa was just plundering the country-and was thrown out taking you to a precipe. Hence this crap from you almost on a daily basis in CT except the two or three days that you were intoxicated with celebrating the Nugegoda “rising”.
Dayan, [Edited out] Rajapakse as much as you want- spare us from posting this type of crap. CT readers are not as gullible as the Sinhala Buddist racist gon raela brainwashed by the Mahavansa. jam
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David / February 24, 2015
Dayan be frank.
Don’t deny that you have an ambition to be a Minister, properbly as the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Otherwise why are you supporting Rajapaksa?
He sacked you not only once twice.
Because your good Rajeva Wijesinghe is a Minister now, you too wish to be Minister.
But you see, you have messed-up your Ministerial post in the North Eastern provincial council.
Varatharajaperumal says you were minister for only a few hours.
You have become a power hungry Dayan Jeyatilake.
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dcn / February 24, 2015
DO writes more these days though he promised to not write in English media, another broken promise like his Leader MR.
He changes colours like the Katusa and only wants to create hatred and disharmony amongst the races. As you can see from the time MR lost elections on 8th Jan this has been their theme. They are living in fools paradise as they cannot deceive the majority of the people all the time.
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karl.singham / February 24, 2015
Nugegoda and Nationalism? Nice, well-turned alliteration.Another one comes to mind: Jayatllika and Jingoism ….
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karl.singham / February 24, 2015
Jayatllika and Jingoism
All these citations and allusions to various leaders and authors of dubious relevance is just a pedantic smokescreen to obscure both your jingoism and that you really have no case in supporting the return of MR.This may impress hapless undergraduates but will not cut the mustard elsewhere.It is still astonishing however that you would cite these revolutionaries and progressive thinkers in support a Mein Kamp! They will be spinning in their graves.
Shame on you Jayatllika into invoke their names in support of your nefarious cause. But I suppose jingoists have you no sense of shame, do they?
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Billa / February 24, 2015
@Samuel Jayaweera:Thank you for the comment. DJ has so many kinds of syndromes but we are still reading and commenting here without fail. Shall we all like minded people punish him by just ignoring, boycotting and not writing any comments for his racist mad crappy venomous vomit ? ! He may not quit but will just fade away into oblivion with MR.
MR feels insecure after losing power and wants to make a come back by hook or crook in order to save himself and his close mafia family. He doesn’t want to face UNHRC or inquiries, which is understandable. He never thought he would be a looser at the election. If he had done something good for the country and people he might have emerged triumphant. He missed all the great opportunities and wasted 10 years without doing anything to unite the country but he only tried all his crude best and divided it more than anyone. The guy just lost his head long before the shameful defeat. We should be grateful to Gota the goon, who brought the downfall on themselves by his murderous and inhuman activities, even after winning or massacring the battered civilians in the guise of eliminating terrorism. Hope we are safe now and better than before. God will teach them or punish all of them, no one can escape from that.
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premawathi james / February 24, 2015
well done dr dayan jayatilleka. teach these ignoramuses more than a lesson or two…i.e. if they have the grey matter to comprehend!! what we see most lacking, particularly amongst the so called literati these days, sadly.
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Solutions Needed Dayan / February 24, 2015
Thank your for your article, while the Nugegoda Movement was a legitimate expression of populism, and a democratic right, we need more than self-aggrandizing patriotism and nationalism to solve our pressing problems.
The rally was in support of ‘brining back MR’. But there is the thorny question of the tarnished image of the previous government and all those associated with it. Any political endeavour will have to adress these concerns and obtain a pardon from the populace for the wrongs commited, whether imaginary or not. There must be a sign that even if MR comes forward as a candidate, he will adress the accusations against him (even if they are false) to the general satisfaction of the nation, and give them a reason to support him with a clean conscience: of course for some it does not matter.
MR must also show that he has got the message loud and clear from the last election that the Minorities Are Not Happy. Whatever the reasons, justified or not, must be adressed.True, the LLRC did much, but more is needed. How will he win hearts and minds?
What is also needed is an attempt to apply Buddhist principles to the resolution of the issues at hand, or for that matter any religous principles in ‘do unto others’ and trying to show kindness and concern towards those who now appear very hostile. Is it possible that intellectuals like yourself start to show an imaginative and compassionate way out of the divided nation that we now live in, since you are writing so much, maybe you could outline some options, even those you do not like?
Have you seen a former CJ’s article in the Sunday Times, May 10th 2009 :
“Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed”
What do you think of that?
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jansee / February 24, 2015
Dayan:
“Is it racism to note the empirical fact that Mahinda Rajapaksa remained undefeated in the Southern two thirds of the island while he was defeated by a spike, a surge in the North and East—whose elected provincial representatives followed this up with a resolution accusing this country of having committed genocide, thereby revealing that their commitment to Sri Lanka is questionable to say the least?”
You must be a back-alley minted political scientist. The southern 2/3 of the population are predominantly sinhalese. So, it was mostly sinalese votes that gave MR the majority in the south. You may want to cut this in any other way but it is a plainly a racial overture towards MR. The Tamils, to the contrary, voted for a Sinhalese President and Maithiri received all round support from all the races.
It is of course very soothing to the heart that such a racist was dumped by the Tamils and Muslims.
I know you are upset and bitter that Tamils taught your friend MR lessons in politics, which even you couldn’t. Whether this issue of genocide goes to the international arena or not will depend on how the present regime handles the Tamils’ issues. MR tried to screw up the Tamils and had to lick his wounds. Instead of listening to jokers like you and pay such a heavy price, he should have listened to Sampanthan who promised the Tamil votes. How many votes can you summon other than fooling around with people’s lives. There is one way though and I wish to share this secret – for your ears only. Since you yourself admit that MR can only return with Sinhalese votes, get him to press for the Tamils to have their own homeland. In this way the Tamils cannot influence elections in a way to rob your friend of his throne. How about that? Please take it and practise it as a mantra and your path and Mahninda’s path will be clear to rule – FOREVER.
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Saman / February 24, 2015
Ultimate truth is majority of people in Sri Lanka completely rejected and turned down Mahinda Rajapaksa and his regime on the 08th of January 2015.
Not only locally but also globally it was a happy and jubilant news for the people.
Huge relief for the multitude of population who were depressed by the Rajapaksa Family regime in Sri lanka.
This So called Dr.DJ and other henchmen never understand the reality of that because they were lavishly fed by Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Now that feeding is no more and they are lost in the middle of the desert.
Unfortunately these people try to dispute and divide the SLFP which was saved from Mahinda Rajapaksa.
People must assemble together to protest these criminal ( Buruwansa, Dinesh, Vasudewa, Gammanpila and DJ) and must be broght to jusctice and put them in a prison.
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MNZ / February 24, 2015
Dayan, if “Nugegoda was a manifestation of peaceful civic resistance and Peoples Power” (where in fact rented crowds and buses predominated), what would you call the defeat of Mahinda at the Presidential elections (where the whole country was involved)?
Dayan, please be true to thine own self!
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Ansar / February 24, 2015
IGNORANCE OF THE IGNORANT IS THE MALADY OF IGNORANCE.
I do not know whether, I have phrased it right. If I am wrong, I am open to stand corrected.
All what I know is, I can feel the truth of above phrase going by the articles of our learned Doctor Dayan the D…..
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Samitha / February 24, 2015
212 buses and barrels of liquor were used to influence “Nugegoda” nationalism…Ane meeharako, Mahinda’s election rallies were far more bigger in number than of MY3’s…The secret? CTB buses from all over the country,liquor,lunch packets,maalu paan,1000rupees etc…We all know who won at the end…So masturbate as much as you can thinking about “Nugegoda massive crowd” you shameless low life old fart..Orgasms only last for a few seconds…Mahinda’s gon bayiyas are having multiple orgasms like women these days because of “Nugegoda”…Wimalasena was having an orgasm just like you but then his wife was arrested for fraud…The orgasms will be gone and the”Fart Patriots” including Dayan Silva will be having erectile dysfunction in the coming future
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Navin / February 24, 2015
Winston Churchill was asked what he thought about Hitler. Everyone knows Winston Churchill was far better in the use of the English idiom than Dayan Jayatilleke. Churchill’s reply was simple: Hitler was a bad man.
Similarly I suggest to the commentors here, keep it simple. Just say Dayan Jayatilleke is a dishonest man. He does not deserve the honour of being described with more subtle uncommon words and phrases.
He knows the truth; maliciously utters falsehoods.
That is why normal decent people find DJ repugnant, repulsive, nauseating. [Edited out]
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