By M.A. Sumanthiran –
M.A Sumanthiran MP
The Statement on Government Policy as laid out by His Excellency Gotabaya Rajapaksa on the 3rd of January 2020 is one that needs to be discussed very seriously as it signals an important paradigm shift from the general direction successive governments have pursued in the last three decades.
November 16th 2019 gave the President a decisive victory. But what is troubling about this big victory is that no community other than the majority Sinhala Buddhist people of this country were prepared to repose any confidence in him. I am not saying this to cast any aspersions on the President himself, but only in order to flag a very important factor that we cannot ignore if we are serious about national reconciliation and moving forward as a country. The test of popularity of a leader of a country is not whether his own people have confidence in him, but whether the other peoples are prepared to place their trust in him. Sadly, this was found wanting. The President himself showed that he is conscious of this fact, in the two comments he made after his victory. His Excellency spelt this out at his oath taking ceremony at Ruwanwelisaya when he acknowledged this fact but very correctly added that he is President for the whole country – even of those who did not vote for him. We expected His Excellency to take steps to breach this gap by recognizing that our country is rich in diversity with people of different races, religions, languages and cultures. The equal status of each of these peoples is not dependent on their respective numerical strength. This principle must be acknowledged if our democracy is to survive and indeed flourish, and not regress into naked majoritarianism. Regretfully, in his address to Parliament on 3rd January 2020 the President has articulated such a regressive position. It was this kind of regressive mindset on the part of the leaders of this country that gave rise to a conflict which resulted in armed hostilities that raged for more than three decades.
Our party, the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi, better known as the Federal Party in the early years, was born as a result of the passage of the Citizenship Act and in the Indian-Pakistani Citizenship Act, which disenfranchised nearly 800,000 people who had 7 Members in the first Parliament. This was said to be the will of the majority which took away the most basic right of a citizen – in fact, their citizenship itself. The people of this country must understand that the necessity for a political party based on race – the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi – was this rank majoritarian act by the first Parliament of Independent Ceylon.
In 1956, we saw further manifestation of majoritarianism in this country when the Official Languages Act recognized Sinhala as the only official language. Violence against the Tamils of this country was used when our leaders protested through a peaceful Satyagraha campaign at Galle Face Green, which later expanded to periodic pogroms.
When the first Republican Constitution was being drafted, our party sought to correct the injustice relating to language. J.A.L Cooray in his treatise ‘Constitutional and Administrative Law of Sri Lanka (Ceylon)’ at page 81 says:
“on 28 June 1971 the Constituent Assembly adopted by 88 votes to none (10 declining to vote) the Basic Resolution regarding the language of legislation, namely that ‘All laws shall be enacted in Sinhala and that there shall be a Tamil translation of every law so enacted’. The amendment proposed by the Federal Party that ‘Sinhala and Tamil should be (a) the languages in which laws shall be enacted, (b) Official Languages of Sri Lanka, (c) the languages of the Courts and d) the languages in which all laws be published’ was rejected by 88 votes to 13. After the debate and division on the Amendment, Mr. SJV Chelvanayakam, the Federal Party leader made a statement in the Assembly. He said that as the language rights of the Tamil speaking People were not satisfactorily provided for in the proposed Constitution no useful purpose would be served by their ‘continuing in the deliberations of this Assembly’. He went on to say that after the adjournment on that day they would not come back to the Assembly”.
Our Party’s efforts were in vain and a majoritarian Constitution was enacted in 1972. This was repeated in 1978 when the Second Republican Constitution was enacted. It was only after the events of Black July 1983, when scores of unarmed Tamil civilians were killed across the country that India used its good offices, which was accepted by the Sri Lankan Government, to turn the tide and begin to correct the historic injustices against the Tamils. In 1987 the country turned towards the right direction, started acknowledging the diversity of its peoples by amending the Constitution. Provincial Councils were established so that those peoples who are numerically in the minority can exercise at least a measure of governance in the peripheries. Tamil was also made an official language along with Sinhala.
These first steps enabled us to re-enter the national life from which we had, until then, been excluded. Successive governments thereafter took further steps in this direction in order to fully settle the Tamil National Question: The Mangala-Moonesinghe Parliamentary Select Committee process under President Premadasa, the several proposals culminating in the Constitution Bill of August 2000 under President Chandrika Bandaranaike-Kumaratunga and the APRC process under President Mahinda Rajapaksa. During the final battle with the LTTE President Rajapaksa’s government repeatedly assured India and the rest of the international community that the Tamil National Question would be politically resolved after the war by means of greater devolution. The assurance given to India on at least 3 occasions was to ‘implement the Thirteenth Amendment in full and build upon it so as to achieve meaningful devolution.’ Full implementation of the Thirteenth Amendment also includes the full implementation of Tamil as an Official Language.
After the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government took office in 2015 a Resolution was passed unanimously in this House on 9th March 2016 to convert this House into a Constitutional Assembly. A great amount of work has been done by the Steering Committee and the several Sub Committees with the full participation of all the parties in Parliament including the UPFA. We have fully co-operated in this effort in order to finally settle this issue for the betterment of the country. Our people are still ready and willing to settle this question on the basis of a united, undivided, and indivisible country that recognizes the diversity and equality of its different peoples. To this end we welcome the President’s proposal that a new Constitution be enacted.
The last 30 years have seen the country making such positive efforts towards resolving issues that have plagued it since Independence by meaningfully acknowledging the plural nature of our polity. We still have some distance to go, and that is the direction we must continue in if the country is to prosper. Any deviation from that path will spell doom to us all.
I have heard many people close to the present government talk about the example of Singapore and how Singapore prospered while achieving national harmony among its citizens. Singapore is a great example, if we do not pick and choose what we like to see. It has 4 official languages and they sing their National Anthem in Malay, who are 15% of their population. Perhaps it is instructive to listen to Lee Kuan Yew, the father of modern Singapore:
“Ceylon was Britain’s model Commonwealth country. It had been carefully prepared for independence. After the war, it was a good middle sized country with fewer than 10 million people…When Ceylon gained independence in 1948, it was the classic model of gradual evolution to independence.
Alas, it did not work out. During my visits over the years, I watched a promising country go to waste. One-man-one-vote did not solve a basic problem. The majority of some eight million Sinhalese could always outvote the two million Tamils who had been disadvantaged by the switch from English to Sinhala as the official language. From having no official religion, the Sinhalese made Buddhism their national religion. As Hindus, the Tamils felt dispossessed”
“From Third World To First – The Singapore Story: 1965-2000″ published in 2000 by Times Media Private Limited and The Straits Times Press.
*Transcript of the speech made by M.A. Sumanthiran in Parliament today 07.01.2020
Angered sinhalaya / January 7, 2020
Thank you Mr Sumanthiran. They call you too KOTIYA. Anyone that would stand for TAMIL or MUSLIMA would be branded as NGO worker or Tiger supporters, since the bunch of thugs returned to power would not have the wisdom to see the real grievances of the destitute in this country.
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I am sinhalaya, for some reasons, I have never looked at my tamil and muslim friends looking down them upon. That was the case with me also at Pera.
I then came to know tamils in Europe, there i shared almost everything with them. But some of them among there were thinking that I would behave the same manner as majorty of sinhalaya have been.
We had WUS sessions in Germany and France, there we got together, some sinhalayas behaved as if they should be KEPT above as majoratarian community. But for me, so long you are srilanken, you have the right to get served euqally. You have the right to adhere your own religion, of course so long many of the country men are not disturbed by the manner you handle it.
If any religous adherent to abuse the freedom unnecessarily to the very manner we were compelled to wathc on TV screen from MANGALARAMAYA; there, we should destroy the person on the spot. I think that pesudo hamuduruwo – thug, should be smashed to death on the spot, as if we found a poisounous snake that could harm the fellow human beings.
Where on earth he owns such aggressions, and why not authorties send this bugger to reha camps, instead, treats him as if he should be placed above the LAW and Order ? For good or bad, if he slapped that man in the picture, should be INVESTIGATED. Even if he had been on a missionary service, Thug hamuduruwo had no right to take over the role of POLICE
Ballage weda buruwa bara gaeniima .. (the donkey#sto be taken by a dog) should not be commended. #
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Leelagemalli / January 8, 2020
If Tamils would fight for their rights – they are called TIGER supporters
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If Muslims would fight fo rtheir rights – they are called wahabi or ISIS supporters
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If sinhales would fight for the right of minorities- they are called and even attacked branding them as NGO worker or dollar crows, or even supporters of western countries
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If Sinhalese would fight for Democracy would be called – butterflies.
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This country – the people, I mean the majority apparently have no tolerance at all.
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Israelis get elected 48% to 52% or near to that. So they have been unable to save that country from threat. Likewise, our peoples have not achieved much even if the war is physically over …. but NOTHING seem to work in the directon of permanent peace of this country. Not the least is achieved in that direction.
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In any civilized world, if a human being would behave that aggressive as a poisonous cobra, for the sake of the masses, that poisonous creature would be shot dead on the spot.
But in our rotten hell, where rascals and extremists are dominated, Safron CLAD Thug, Ampitiye ballige putha enjoys impunity round the clock. Why is that ? Can anyone please explain me. No law and order at all.
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Eagle Eye / January 8, 2020
Leelagemalli
When Native Sinhalayo who were oppressed by ‘Para’ Portuguese, Dutch, British and Malabar Wellala Demalu for nearly 450 years talk about their rights they are branded as racists.
During British rule, British were ‘First Class’ residents, Wellala Demalu who licked the a** of British were ‘Second Class’ residents, Sinhala Christians who licked the a** of British were ‘Fourth Class’ citizens and Native Sinhalayo were right at the bottom.
After Brtish left, Native Sinhalayo attempted to regain their due status through democratic means but ‘Para’ Wellala Dravidian racist bigots who did not like to give up their privileged status highlighted this as discrimination. ‘Para’ British colonial junkies who were keen to destabilize their former colony and ‘Para’ Hindians extended their support to ‘Para’ Demalu to launch a terrorist campaign against Native Sinhalayo.
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Sinhale is the Land of Native Sinhalayo and Vedda Eththo. All the others are ‘Para’ who were allowed to settle down in this country due to kind-heartedness of Sinhalayo. Be grateful for that kind gesture.
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Leelagemalli / January 8, 2020
We the srilankens should build a big ALLIANCE consist of JVP, UNP, muslim and tamil parties and other parties, that stand against RAJAPKSHE abusive politics.
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RACISM, EXTREMISM and any kind of Xenophobia shold be destroyed by promoting truths about a better future based on peace and reconciliation.
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K.Anaga / January 7, 2020
What harm will befall on the Sinhalese by Converting the present constitution to a Federal Constitution? Is it that the Sinhalese want to keep the Tamils under their feet and live on imaginary fears that Tamils will overrun them.? Even if a proper powersharing was introduced, the Tamils would never have taken up to arms. Even during the 1960s, some Tamil politicians were propagating division of the country but there was no support from the Tamils and they continued to support the federal party. Perhaps those who propagated division was right? They wanted to restore the status quo prior to the Britishers taking over the Tamil Kingdom. Today it is proved beyond doubt that the Sinhalese do not want even to share power. All they want is to call themselves a ‘Monarch of all they survey’ in Srilanka.
The so-called Federal Party has lost its teeth by their own seeking by flirting with Ranil. They have lost the Provincial Council and instead, Sumanthiran has got his President’s Counsel.
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Richmond / January 7, 2020
Anaga,
Your wording shows your attitude toward yourself is somewhat inferior! Why do you say the Sinhalese try to keep Tamils under their feet? I was in Sri Lanka for a few months after retirement and worked with many friends and relatives from both ethnic communities. My sister’s neighbor is a Tamil and he wanted to send his son for university education to the country (where I live). I gave the required details and my email and phone numbers for further info. In Sri Lanka, Europe and North America, we (the Sinhalese) go to Tamils’ owned shops for many purchases including grocery. Honorable members of Parliament from TNA enjoys all the perks and facilities given to any other MP. Hon. senior MP and former Opposition Leader Sampanthan enjoys extra superior facilities, given his age, health condition, and seniority.
In my adopted country I don’t feel even for a second that I’m from the other side of the globe because I don’t have that attitude and mentality.
When you are an educated person you don’t see any difference between two humans other than certain physical features.
Politicians play a game of football in any country, but why do you want to be the football instead of being the coach?
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Siva Sankaran Sharma / January 8, 2020
Stupid comment . what individual Sinhalese do does not reflect on what most Sinhalese think and do. Most Sinhalese are racist to the core . Brainwashed with this Mahavamsa myth , that has now been proven mostly a myth mixed with facts to bolster Sinhalese and Buddhism, this is why they constantly vote for racists and scoundrels who they know will discriminate and marginalise the Tamils . Even during the height of the Nazi era many individual Germans risked everything to help Jews and others , but they were a minority , that vast majority of the Germans then overtly and covertly supported what the Nazis did . What a few individuals do does not reflect the attitude of the total community and the government and you cannot use what you did to excuse or trivialise what all governments did to the Tamils and what they are still doing. This means you are also a racist
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soma / January 7, 2020
Mr Anga
Can you tell us what percentage of Tamils will be benefited in a a federal setup?
My worry is +50% Tamils (all Tamil speaking people irrespective of their religion, caste or the date of. arrival scattered across the island) presently living outside NE will be reduced to second class citizens. Frankly speaking if I were a Tamil I would oppose federalism even if the Sinhalese wanted it for the simple reason that land powers and the ownership of natural resources to Sinhala majority federal units will pose a deadly threat to the Tamils. Mawil Aru dramas will be common place. With police powers independent police units will be fighting mini wars.
In the end in federal Sri Lanka people will be walking from place to place. Sinhalese will be living under constant suspition of another Perumal and a Prabakaran while Tamils will be living under the constant fear of a Rohingya like situation.
Back to my initial question: what percentage of Tamils will be benefited in a federal setup?
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Soma
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Siva Sankaran Sharma / January 8, 2020
You keep on asking the same dumb question , thinking an often repeated lies becomes the truth. 1) The north and east is the land of the Tamils not Sinhalese or Muslim land ( the Sri Lankan Muslims are ethnically Tamils and migrated from South India a few centuries ago not Arabs or Moors as they fondly and falsely love to claim for petty political and economic benefits. However they are not native or indigenous and have no history of owning or ruling any part of the island and only came to the east a few centuries ago as refugees ) , there fore it does not matter if 10% of the island’s Tamils live there or 90% live there it is Tamil land . Most Scots in UK do not live in Scotland but this does not mean Scotland is not the land of the Scots. It is the same for Eelam Tamils. Even as per your government statistics. 52% of all Tamils live in the north and east and 70% of the indigenous Tamils live in the NE. The rest largely in Colombo. Many indigenous Tamils live along the western coast north of Colombo that was once part of the Tamil homeland. They are the remnants of the Tamils who did not convert to the Sinhalese identity like their relatives and neighbours but remained Tamil. They still living in their homeland Eg. Udappu and many other Tamil villages in the Chilaw. Puttalam and Negombo area. 90% of the Tamils who live in Sinhalese areas are the Indian origin estate Tamils, who had lived there now for the past 200 years. This is where the British settled them. Go get a life racist woman
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soma / January 8, 2020
Mr.S.S.S
As far as the Sinhalese are concerned Tamils are “All Tamil speaking people irrespective of their religion, caste or the date of arrival.”
Look what Sumathitharan says above:
“Our party, the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi, better known as the Federal Party in the early years, was born as a result of the passage of the Citizenship Act and in the Indian-Pakistani Citizenship Act, which disenfranchised nearly 800,000 people who had 7 Members in the first Parliament. This was said to be the will of the majority which took away the most basic right of a citizen – in fact, their citizenship itself. The people of this country must understand that the necessity for a political party based on race – the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi – was this rank majoritarian act by the first Parliament of Independent Ceylon.”
Vingesswaran and Sampandan always refer to ‘Tamil speaking people” or ‘Tamil Nation’ when they discuss the subject of a Political solution They never confine their definition to ‘Hindu Tamils in Jaffna’ as you do.
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Soma
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Stanley / January 7, 2020
Gotabaya Rajapaksa is certainly no Lee Kuan Yew. Gota may share that same authoritarian style but he does not possess the broad outlook, empathy and insight that set apart LKY.
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Native Vedda / January 7, 2020
Stanley
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I find some similarities between Tamils and Sinhalese, both boast their culture, how clever they are, how brave their boys are, and how humane …… and …. how well educated their people are, … yet both people could not come up with a clever alternative development plan that should be an envy of Singapore if not the whole world.
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In the past 73 years of post independence both stupid people could not create a development model leave alone implementing it. They are best when they hurt each other and themselves.
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Both psychopaths VP in the past as well as Gota at present want to emulate Singapore.
Why?
Why not emulate Germany, USA, Canada, Scandinavian country……….. or an home grown Utopia?
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H.K. Weerasinghe / January 8, 2020
Native Vedda: Singapore is the country to emulate because it’s a multi-ethnic Asian country. Germany, US, Canada and Scandinavian countries aren’t Asian, neither do they have a history that is similar to Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka, like Singapore, is multi-ethnic. Sri Lanka, like Singapore, has a violent past rooted in ethnic differences. Sri Lanka, like Singapore, is an Asian country built upon traditional Asian values. Shared Asian values were one of the tools the leaders of Singapore used to unite the Singaporean Chinese, Malay and Indian populations during the 1970-90s. Sri Lanka, like Singapore, is located on a major trade route. Singapore is the nation to look up to, it’s within the Asian region and everything shows that Singapore is what leaders ought to look up to.
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Native Vedda / January 9, 2020
H.K. Weerasinghe
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1. Thanks
2. The Singaporean leaders didn’t experiment nation building with fire, racism.
3. From the outset the Singaporean leadership had one thing in their mind, progress, development, higher living standards, … peace, equal opportunity, … etc, unlike the narrow minded stupid leadership of this island and its people who are prone to intense jealousy.
4. The policies that the so called founding fathers adapted immediately after gaining independence was to alienate, and divide people on racial ground, for example Citizenship Act 1948, Sinhala Only Language policy, successive riots, standardisation in Education, Suyabhasha, recruitment policies to state jobs, police, armed forces, ….. cultural destruction, and concocting new brand name for people, such as Sinhala/Buddhists in that Sinhalese were blended with Buddhism ended up with a lethal Molotow Cocktail, …..
5. When a president is proud of himself being elected only by majority of the majority that shows how dump has the people have become and how divisive the president can be, with this kind of self gloating divisive mindset of the leadership the country cannot and will not have a chance of attaining the minimum standard it requires to emulate another country.
6. The basis of Singapore’s nation building process was Unity in Diversity.
7. Unlike in Singapore the Saffron Brigades are jockeying for power.
8 In the past 40 years the Armed forces have become another destructive political force.
9. Singapore is a secular state unlike this island.
For all intents and purposes this country stands no chance of emulating Singapore but it has very good potential of becoming a SINHALA/BUDDHIST PAKISTAN. Therefore, Singapore is not a good model country to emulate.
10 The founding fathers of Singapore formed their vision by watching this island’s political development and avoided emulating sorry tale of Ceylon.
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Eagle Eye / January 7, 2020
Mr. Sumanthiran,
Can you please tell Sinhalayo:
• What is it that the Sinhalayo are enjoying that the other communities are not enjoying because they are not Sinhala?
• What is it that the minorities do not enjoy because they are the minority which the majority enjoys because they are the majority”?
• What is legally, constitutionally and legislatively given to the majority that is not given to the minorities”?
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Leelagemalli / January 7, 2020
Eagle Evil@
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1) We perfectly know the answers to your questions if you are not an idiot right ?
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dont we have the sinhalese the advantage whereever we move in srilanka as sinhalaya ?
Not long ago, that ballige putha Madhu madhawa, if I had been their, would kill him on the spot, the manner, he organized riots against our muslim innocient people… remember ?
what supports were they given as MUSLIMS in that disaster?
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2) Just because JVPrs did all harm to own folks in 89 insrugeny killing our youth – but what actions the majority sinhalese took agains tthose culprits.
Wimal ponna wanse is the main sexual organ of rajapakshe prostitution camp today or not ?
Rajakshe ballige putha let WIMAL PONNAWANSE respond crucial issues, as WIMAL weerawanse is clever enough to do so why?
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3) I as onc eliving in Uk, know how much it is difficult to approach our Tamils and Muslims to their own SRILANKEN embassies.
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4). I saw by my own eyes, how tamil students were discriminated at Peradeniya Univeristiy.
5). I know our sinhalaese how they treat fellow tamils and muslim yet today whenever I travel back home for visit my parents in home country.
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Eagle Eye / January 8, 2020
Leelagemalli,
“I saw by my own eyes, how tamil students were discriminated at Peradeniya Univeristiy.”
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Probably you had some sort of a problem in your eyes. I studied at Peradeniya University where Sinhalayo, Demalu and Muslims lived in harmony.
But I can tell you a case where a Wellala Demala Head of a Department discriminated against a Demala person from Madakalapuwa and recruited a Wellala lady who had lower academic qualifications (Sorry, I cannot reveal the names). This Demala person from Madakalapuwa was later recruited as a lecturer at Colombo University where Head of the Department was Sinhala.
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I can also tell you how a Demala instructor in the Chemistry Department passed information about practical examination to Demala students and got caught.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / January 7, 2020
Eekel guy, Sinhalayas have full immunity to go on a rampage killing minorities and destroying their properties, while minorities are arrested even for protesting against Sinhala atrocities. Sinhalayas can arrest innocent minorities on false charges, but minorities cannot arrest Sinhala criminals despite incriminating evidence. Sinhalayas can break the laws to construct Buddhist temples and place Buddha statues even in places where there are no Buddhists, but minorities are not allowed to do it. Sinhalayas can change demographic pattern of an area as well as cause cultural damage but minorities are not allowed to do so. Sinhalayas can enter universities with low marks and gain government employment even unqualified, while minorities cannot do it.
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Leelagemalli / January 8, 2020
Dr. GHANA,
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Not only Minorities, but also their own people.
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Just imagine how then Gotabay shot at the innocient young boys that protested for pure water – in Rathupaswala
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Just imagine how they massacured walikada prisoners
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Just imagine how they set fire on SIRASA TV
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Just imagine how they harmed their own people in SOUTH
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That is all because they believe in BUDDHAGAMA, which is far from true buddhism taught by LORD BUDDHA.
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I am now criticising our people, so I should be according to RAJAKSHES – an another NGO worker .. ha ha…. so narrow minded sinhalayas would never learn it.
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Better now on we stop helping any srilankens but outsiders in Africa or India.
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Native Vedda / January 7, 2020
Eagle Blind Brain Dead Eye
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“What is it that the Sinhalayo are enjoying that the other communities are not enjoying because they are not Sinhala?”
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Right to steal, kill, abuse, hurt ….. with impunity.
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Eagle Eye / January 8, 2020
NV,
Your buddy Piripaharan also enjoyed what you say. kill, ateal, abuse, hurt and on top of all these things grabbed children from parents and recruited as child soldiers; 3000 children!
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Native Vedda / January 8, 2020
Eagle Blind Brain Dead Eye
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VP was neither my buddy nor elected by people on the contrary he was a close friend of the anti Hindian Sinhalese. VP single handedly recovered Sri Lankan sovereignty (whatever that maybe) from invading Hindian forces while the Sri Lankan armed forces were hiding behind his fat bum. He also rigged elections to help elect Mahinda for a substantial fees while he was accused of forced recruitment of child soldiers and other criminal activities.
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How pathetic one can be?
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Desperate Sinhalaya / January 9, 2020
NATIVE@
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THIS QUESTION is being repated by 80 year Old Evile BP from down under: This is why we thought of sending RATA THANAKOLA to grass made in Europe to Eagle Blind. His hatreds are much more powerful thank nagasaki bomb.
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Let me add more-
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1)Not just right to steal, but to even rape on broad day light
2) Right to molest the children in Temples
3) Right to abuse MEDIA prostitutes in numbers
4) Last but not least to put unethical bastards above the law (Rajapakshes should be thrown to Jails, but sinhalayo … though I am sinhalaya, never make efforts to teach them that their crimes should go to end if this nation to rise up)
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Tamil from the north / January 8, 2020
Eagle ‘BLIND” Eye, every time a Tamil writes something, he or she is NOT obligated to send a response to the Sinhalese. Sinhalese do not own this country nor the Tamils. So relax and take a chill pill!!!
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nadarajah / January 7, 2020
Mr Sumanthiran one of the best politicians at present and should lead the ITAK
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Mallaiyuran / January 8, 2020
Sumanthiran argues, now there is a paradigm shift from last 30 years. His opinion is from Richard .P or Vaalaiththodam Sr government, there is a proposal to solve Tamils problem based on Federal principles. King told European Union that he cannot go by 13A because if he gives Tamils the police rights, they will use the police authority. So King is not for any solution. This is what Sumanthiran means in his statement.
How much you believe that this statement has anything truth in it? I say from SWRD’s Banda-Chelva Pact, Tamils were made to believe and cheated. There were never any honest proposals from Sinhala Buddhist Governments. Americans have said to Appe Aanduwa that they had proposed Federal System in the past so they can give it to Tamils. Did Aanduwa do it? They cheated even Ex State Secretary John Kerry. That is all.
Hindu Ram was awarded Lankaratana for writing against Ceylon Tamils. You know what he wrote recently? “Tamils will have to fight democratically to get their rights”. Do you know what Norwegian Envoy Solheim said after negotiating with Lankawe for peaceful solution? “Sinhala government will not give anything to Tamils unless they fight for their rights””
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Richard Kaz / January 8, 2020
Mr Sumanthiran’s support of the UNP and the TNA’s (his actually) decision to blindly support Premadasa has been a failure and has not delivered anything to the Tamils he represents. His closeness to RW has delivered nothing to the people.
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / January 7, 2020
ITAK/FP….we know your history and nothing can change historical facts/truth does not matter how much we polish it up and regurgitate/repeat the same.
What would have been a change is for Mr Sumathiran to be progressive and change the party’s name and offer national policies with respective expertise in relevant departments for a development framework/manifesto that encompasses all and join hands with our new President………..that is where Malaysia and Singapore is fundamentally different.
In Malaysia official language is Malay and in Singapore Malay is respected so all else is made possible…..indeed is a good example justifying the SL governments policies that ITAK is opposed?…Malaysia and Singapore got the best of both world whilst pleasing/addressing the Majority Malays needs in the region. Hon late Lee Kuan Yew is a diplomat understood the importance of working with Malaysian leaders until everyone come on board to the principles of equality…which needed time…in SL we needed time too. Then again this time was spent by ITAK to separate the communities through antagonising the victims in the first place? until the point of no return.even when the Jaffna voters try to reject them they killed the opponents via their proxy.
continued….
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / January 7, 2020
Only think ITAK could and should have focused then and now is the cast issues since independence within Tamil communities and taken the matter to the UN if deemed impossible to redress within the community……….had no right to further provoke the Sinhalese to allow the Indian workers (10 year rule) to remain in the Sinhalese heartland and not in Jaffna?. In fact I personally know how Indian Tamils were treated/looked down by the Jaffna Tamils (not by the so called low cast Tamils) who delivered nothing to them….not even to demand them to be settled in Jaffna? In Malaysia the Indian Tamils know how the SL immigrants treated them too……Singapore is not different……the untold stories………that is why our children died for Tamil something when all other Tamil children around the world in many prejudiced placed too focused on getting somewhere using what was happening in Sri Lanka?? none of died for the cause??
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Mallaiyuran / January 8, 2020
You are rotten a case , Jove, Thiyagarajah Jr. I am going to tell what Federal Party MPs did in my time and going to ask you to do the same thing and place the photo in CT and write an article of what was effect of it.
1.) Federal Party’s private act is the Hindu’s Temple Entry Act of 1957. By this act, virtually a temple private ownership is by passed, if anybody wants to enter the temple and pray. A private owner may not stop a devote entering a temple to pray only because of his/her cast. Please talk to King and bring an act that no Kandy Ayatollahs Palaces are segregated by castes like Govigama or Salgama, Karawa….
2).Federal Party MPs organized cleaning teams with its high caste members. So they go to discarded neighborhoods and clean there. They arrange lunches to high caste members from discarded families and they go together and eat at their houses.
3). Do you know, for the first time, in all Jaffna Peninsula, It was MP Vanniasingham daughters did his ritual rights? In all other cases if there was no male member within the immediate family another male was supposed to do.
Federal Party was never awkward regressive in its history. It ignored caste matters recently because of Colombo’s aggressive Genocide Policies. Siri Mao was overusing Shanmuganathan to split Tamil in caste line and destroying, created bottleneck even for SJV. But Leader Pirapaharan was a novel man is treating all equal. He named his son as Charles. He added females in all jobs.
Please link me if you have ever mentioned, in any direction whether Positive or negative of Sirithunga or Bahu in your writing? The extreme hate & foolish mind is looking for all ways to destroy Tamils taking hand with Sinhala Buddhist Genocide criminals like Old King or King or New King or Siri Mao tse.
I am eagerly waiting for the pictures in CT for actions, at least, something equivalent to what FP members did.
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / January 8, 2020
Dear Mallaiyuran
Respect your opinion and thoughts. That is your birth right I will not trample nor will I try to eliminate.
This is a great platform for us to see ourselves just like someone holding a mirror.
Jove sounded like the thugs who killed the innocent people of our country you may want to redress so your message is objectively evaluated and taken on board. I do like what you have written above and are all healthy things…there are lot Of people done great things in our land including all those you mentioned be it Tamil, Sinhalese etc. We are all Sri Lankan’s need to move forward with the lessons learned all around. Love to city plan futuristic Jaffna and we can discuss amazing features??
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Mallaiyuran / January 9, 2020
Dear Thiyagarajah Jr.
” We are all Sri Lankan’s ”
Sorry man;
1). My Birthplace is Tamil Eelam.
2). Living in a Western Country as a refugee, chased out by Junius Richard.
3). I am a Civilized, Nagariga Paradesi (Para, Param = “open, at larger, bigger picture, as a whole…. .”, Desi= “one resident”) That means I am a world citizen on my own designation (not a country less person, but one who sees whole world as his/her, by the same logic you see the whole Lankawe is yours, not just Tamil Eelam). “Yathum Ure; Yarum Kelir”
Good luck!
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / January 9, 2020
Dear Mallaiyuran
You may realise I never disputed the problems needed solutions. It is the path this has compounded the problems is always my argument.
I am in the same boat as you when being a destitute having lost all……….yet I am trying to state the facts as I know it is my duty that may have changed the way things turned up. Infact what NV has stated about Singapore is correct but we need to fully understand the dynamics in all is delivered to people.
Now we are in a position to ask questions/make changes such we do not repeat the same mistakes specially now we have an entirely new generation of Sri Lankan children who needs a better guidance from all that was suffered by our Nation of people.
The FP/TULF/TNA need to go for that change otherwise we next generation are doomed. Tit for tat is not what we needed or need in the future but revisiting our mistakes will tell us all we need to know.
For me change starts with us in the CT discussion forum where we exchange thoughts that will shape a better future…….I have asked the question why my/our children have died trained openly in foreign lands when no other Tamil children have been part of all the sacrifices any where in the world???? Who’s interest was served by creating havoc in our Land in the name of solving problems where Mother Lankan children have killed each other?? even the countries we look unto for models have played into this in the name of looking after their own economical interest we know for a fact???
We Sri Lankans should be able to face each other without fear…………we give our people the rights first of all to open up and talk to each other without being intimidated/killed????
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Uthungan / January 9, 2020
“ITAK/FP…..we know your history and nothing can change the historical facts / truth does not matter how much we polish it up and regurgitate/ repeat the same”.
Fact/ truth was no different even in the case of the support that the later Vadukoddai MP got when elected by the voters of that constituency that elected it’s former MP who declared the famous Resolution In 1976.
The fact/truth is they both supported the UNP and got gunned down.That history is same.
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Eagle Eye / January 7, 2020
According to my findings, it is compulsory for Sinhala students to learn Demala language up to Grade 9. A monk studying in a Pirivena told me that they too have to learn Demala.
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According to my understanding, teaching Sinhala language to Demala students is discouraged by not appointing Sinhala teachers. Appointing Sinhala teachers is the responsibility of Provincial Council.
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According to my view, Sinhala students devoting their time to learn Demala language in the name of reconciliation is an utter waste of their valuable time. What can they do by learning Demala language? For Demala students learning Sinhala is an advantage because that will give them the opportunity to work in any place in Sri Lanka. After all about 75% of people in this country speak Sinhala. This may be the only country that FORCE majority people to learn the language of the minority. Demala students learning Sinhala will contribute to promote harmony between the two communities. May be Wellala politicians do not want that.
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umberto / January 7, 2020
Hey eagle eye/mahindapala
What is the language of communication between you and your wife, who is a Demala?
What about your children who are at least half Demala, the other half is open to question as you well know. What is your problem with wellalas? Are you a govigamaya?
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / January 8, 2020
By the way HLD may be related to Mahathir Mohamed the current prime minister of Malaysia who is a hybrid of Malay and Malayalee ancestry (derisively called Kaka). His deputy Anwar Ibrahim is a hybrid of Malay and Tamil ancestry (derisively called Nana). It is a case of Malaysia being ruled by Kakas and Nanas.
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umberto / January 7, 2020
Hello eagle eye/mahindapala
what is your language of communication with your DEMALA wife ?
What do the half DEMALA off springs of MRS Mahindapala speak—DEMALA OR SINHALAYO??
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ajith / January 7, 2020
Eagle Eye,
You need to consult an ENT surgeon immediately. There is a limit to your lies. There is no compulsory for any Sinhala to study Tamil or any Tamil to study Sinhala. Only those who are employed in the government sector has to pass in both languages. I don’t know you are aware that there were Sinhalese Teachers teaching Sinhala in the North Eastern schools before Sinhala only act. Unfortunately the 1958 anti Tamil riots made the Sinhala teachers to give up their teaching.
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Eagle Eye / January 8, 2020
Ajith,
Go and check with the Ministry of Education whether I am telling the truth or not.
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Tamil from the north / January 8, 2020
Eagle ‘Blind’ Eye, yes Ajith will go and see someone at the ministry of education only if you will check yourself at the Angoda hospital for your issues upstairs. Eagle Eye bugger, you are truly a sick fellow.
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Native Vedda / January 9, 2020
Tamil from the north
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Can you now assure me that Eagle Brain Dead Blind Eye is at the present not being admitted to Angoda with access to internet?
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Tamil from the north / January 9, 2020
NV, I will find out this weekend. I am going there with a tin of Lakspray for Eagle Blind Eye. Maybe this wonderful drink will cure his illness.
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ajith / January 8, 2020
Eagle Eye.
Ministry of education confirmed that you are a absolute liar.
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Tamil from the north / January 9, 2020
ajith there is no record of Eagle Blind Eye at the ministry of education because he never went to school. He is a dull boy!!
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / January 7, 2020
One has to find the answers to why India and Tamil Nadu did not run killer training camps for the Tamils in Malaysia and Singapore when the similar standardisation existed just is exist today in India too for the unprivileged?
How many upcountry Sri Lankans were in the Tamil Nadu training camps??
who made this blunder possible stage after stage is ITAK?? seeing our children for the biggest crime we yet Bri ng these to books???
the question is who is going to bring Justice to this misfit of an organisation out of their profession lived off the blood of all Sri Lankans?? Any head of Sri Lanka needs to find answers how these undemocratic elements were ever allowed into the parliament in the first place to this date?? If GOSL feels they are obliged to this folly for any reasons we Tamils say not in our name for humanity sake?? remove the word Tamil and have them employed elsewhere please so we can now educate our children lead a normal life just as other Tamil children love and do elsewhere in the world. 1956 is no more and this is 2020. None of the current generation is answerable to the past but to the future??
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Pandi Kutti / January 9, 2020
Stop it you Thamizh traitor
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / January 10, 2020
Hello Pandi Kutti
Do you know the name of the training camp locations/the names of the people who trained our children/names of the people who facilitated our children to stolen to these locations?
Do you know the names of the foreign Tamils around the world including Tamil Nadu conducting business as normal during g the war?? spinning and making money??
They are the traitors of my Nation we are looking for?? do know the statements made by each elected ITAK/TULF elected member when fellow Tamils were being gunned down in their own land? did they attend the funerals?? what was written in Suthenthiran papers??
I am not interested in Tamil traitor identity but important is if we are have committed treachery and treason in the name of Tamils? not hunting down the war criminals/training camp sponsors to underage children stolen from foreign lands?? how. many Tamils from other than Jaffna you know of in the Tamil fight in Sri Lanka please??
let us have an open discussion??
Go and fight for Tamil in others country and not in mine?? we fight for human rights/equality/fairness for a developing country??? it is the strategic development of Sri Lanka. naturally gifted by her global position that was stolen by other for theirs own Nation building at our expenses?? just as the entire fisheries were stolen for the past 70 years?? do you know how every other countries business men thrived on providing war related support to all parties???? the same flights are now filled with our children going to these Nations for toilet washing you not so well informed? that includes Tamils speaking Sri Lankans too………so much for the Traitors who died telling the consequence of the ITAK folly??? is a matardam of a nature unheard before…….not brain washed children sent to their death??
TNA MP’s sitting in the parliament to do what exactly??
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Vicky / January 8, 2020
Well done Sumanthiran.
When the court made a decision to separate the North and East, it was said that the file was pass to you to file case against the court this decision.
Please tell us, why you could not proceed with this case.
If that was done, today all these problems would not have arise.
It is not late for you to proceed with this case.
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JD / January 8, 2020
MODA VICKY: Sumanthiran is a Lawyer. Not one cash strapped like you.
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Hussain / January 8, 2020
Well done Sumanthiran.
When the court made a decision to separate the North and East, it was said that the file was pass to you to file case against the court this decision.
Please tell us, why you could not proceed with this case.
If that was done, today all these problems would not have arise.
It is not late for you to proceed with this case.
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Raj / January 8, 2020
By law, the Singapore anthem must be sung with Malay lyrics.
However, there are authorized translations of the lyrics of the anthem in Singapore’s three other official languages: English, Mandarin and Tamil.
If we follow the Singapore model, what will happen to Tamil language?
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JD / January 8, 2020
RAJ: Singapore is mostly Chinese. But the anthem is in Malay. Why is that ? Sri Lanka wants eventually the sing Anthem even in Burgher language and in Arabic.
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H.K. Weerasinghe / January 8, 2020
JD: Malays are the indigenous ethnic groups of Singapore. That’s why the national anthem is sung in Malay because Malay is the only national language recognised in Singapore. Malay is the natonal language of the country because Malays are the indigenous people. The government (composed of multi-ethnic politicians), since 1965, has stressed the importance of a Singaporean identity that revolves around Chinese, Malay, Indian and Other (mainly Eurasians). Lee Kuan Yew (the Founding Father of Singapore and the man that transformed Singapore) famously said, “Singapore is not a Chinese country. Singapore is not a Malay country. Singapore is not an Indian country”. With the help of his close friend and colleague, S Rajaratnam (a Singaporean Ceylonese Tamil), who was also a founding father of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew established the CMIO (Chinese, Malay, Indian, Other) model and modern Singapore revolves around this concept. Even before the country became independent, it was a known fact that it was the Chinese, Malays and Indians represented Singaporean society and this is why the government established the CMIO model to ensure everybody was represented and treated equally. Look at Singaporean culture, it’s a mix of Chinese, Malay, Indian (mainly Tamil) and Eurasian influences. That’s why Singapore has four official languages representing the main ethnic groups of the country. CMIO represents Singapore. Sri Lanka is similar to Singapore, it has five main groups that have shaped Sri Lankan culture. These groups are the Sinhalese, the Tamils, Moors, Burghers and Malays. Gotabaya’s plan to ensure all Sinhalese medium students learn Tamil and all Tamil medium students learn Sinhalese is a perfect way to represent the equal nature of both the Sinhalese and Tamil languages.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / January 9, 2020
Recently north Indians in Singapore attempted to disrupt harmony by demanding that Tamil be removed and Hindi be declared as official language as Hindi is the official language of India. Government told the north Indian racists that for Singapore India means Tamil, as Tamils and not north Indians who stood with us right along. This made those north Indian racists to shut up. This shows that in order to deliver justice you have to do what is morally right and not what is politically right.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / January 8, 2020
Chinese leader LKW was magnanimous to grant Malay language the prime status because he knew that Singapore was a Malay fishing outpost called Temasek and the first language that was spoken there was Malay and not Chinese. If this policy was followed in Sri Lanka, no problem would have occurred. In Sri Lanka, first language that was spoken was Veddha dialect, followed by Elu which is a Dravidian language and precursor to Tamil (proto-Tamil) and Tamil itself and not Sinhala which was non existent till 3AD. Why should the national anthem of Sri Lanka be sung in the fourth language bypassing the top three. Now that it has been proved genetically that almost everyone in Sri Lanka were once Dravidian, it is nothing but fair to sing the national anthem in Tamil only. Recall what an Indonesian minister said “We can change our religion, but not our ancestors”.
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H.K. Weerasinghe / January 8, 2020
Tamil must be recognised. Both Sinhalese and Tamil are native languages to Sri Lanka. The only way to move forward is to treat everybody equally. A multi-ethnic country can’t move forward if its citizens aren’t equal. It is high time those in power establish a framework that will allow for the equality of all Sri Lankans. Making sure a Tamil is equal to a Sinhalese in all departments of life in Sri Lanka needs to happen. Failing to do this is only going to continue this decades-long ethnic animosity. Sri Lanka won’t be able to move forward if its minority groups don’t feel equal. Singapore is thriving because its multi-ethnic citizens are equal. It’s a meritocracy and the smart thinking of the founding fathers of Singapore (which included a Singaporean Ceylonese Tamil) is why Singapore is so advanced. Singapore put behind its troubled ethnic-related violent past and moved towards multiracialism and look where it’s now. Its neighbours (including Sri Lanka) are still hung up on identity politics and racism in 2020. It’s time Sri Lanka moved forward too.
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JD / January 9, 2020
H.K. Weerasinghe: I agree that Tamils are native. Yet, it says, Tamils appeared in Sinhale Census only in 1910 and not before. Why is that :
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Native Vedda / January 9, 2020
JD
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Have you ever had the time, inclination, need to look at the census of 1871 which clearly gives a schedule of demographic details. Go search for it.
I am surprised how you lot live your life idling away the precious time without the urge to search for sources of information.
You have been recycling what you hear from the local member of the saffron brigade:
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Here is the link for Census 1871 (page 104) at the bottom line you stupid dumb will find the evidence:
Census of the Island of Ceylon 1871 General Report
Department of Census and Statistics
http://repo.statistics.gov.lk/handle/1/309
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Now go back and freeze your brain then come back in about a months time ask the same stupid question. You are really a waste.
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By the way Tamils, Sinhalese, Muslims, …. are not native to this island, they are the descendants of Kallathonies like you and other 21 Million.
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babalath appu / January 9, 2020
You have a valid point Mr Weerasinghe, but how many of living in paradise of fools respect it ?
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If south africa did it why not we the srilankens ?
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As some SOCIOLOGISTs and ANALYSTs pointed out, if people to see it forward, they should basically feel that they belong to the country where they live. They should feel themselves, that people are treated as ” srlankens”: Those some radical groups repeating that we the sinhalayas are the folks with 2500 yrs heritage, but not respecting the minority rights, would bring us nowhere.
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EVEN AFTER 30 Long years, we should now be able to see it right. Korea and Vietnam have overtaken us by various kinds of development, but us to stay fallen like FROGs in a water well, will be the consequence, destiny, if our people s woul dnot change tangibly. Changing means not follow any western cultures but make some changes in mind set, that each and every individual is ought to contribute his or her part if the nation to march towards the development. Productivity would not come by itself, … waiting others to do it for us should be stopped. Thinking patterns should be changed with a shift of paradigm. Let any ones to share and care their opinions so long they respect common laws, common cultures, all religions, sexual orientation nothing harms to other. If anyone would exceed the laws, should be HIGHLY punished as is the case in LEEQUAN u s country or Germany. :
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In Germany, we are struggling to be alert with their rigorous law enforcement. If plastic would not be collected separately, garabe collecting men would not pick them up. Those who have packed them in mixed manner, not respecting the order that the regional authorities have sent us home, are punished by which they the social workers deny collecting the garbage from such families. So, people are compelled to obey the rigorous laws.
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Native Vedda / January 9, 2020
Raj
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“If we follow the Singapore model, what will happen to Tamil language?”
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The demographic composition of Singapore:
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Chinese 74.3%
Malays 13.4% (minority)
Tamils/Indians 9.0%
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You will be singing National Anthem in Tamil.
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K.A. Sumanasekera / January 8, 2020
Ok No problems,
Singapore has no separate lands for Malays, Chinese, Euroasians or Muslims which are controlled by Malays , Chinese, Euroasians or Muslims , with their own individual Police Forces..
That suits fine And everyone in Lankawe will agree…
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Native Vedda / January 8, 2020
KASmaalam K.A. Sumanasekera
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“Singapore has no separate lands for Malays, Chinese, Euroasians or Muslims which are controlled by Malays , Chinese, Euroasians or Muslims , with their own individual Police Forces..”
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Of course you are right.
There are a few historical facts you tend to selectively forget.
The Singapore police is not exclusively Malay, or Chinese or Tamils.
The Singapore police never set fire to a library.
The Singapore police does not prey upon weaker members of the society.
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….
….
The Singapore police does not stand idling while weaker members of society are being robbed, killed, raped, hurt, ……………. their houses and properties burned down.
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Most of the members of police and armed forces are enjoying impunity (actually from 1971) who should be inside the prison and not outside on the streets.
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K.A. Sumanasekera / January 9, 2020
Dear Native,
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Has any Policeman or Police woman done even one of those acts to any one, let alone to Abraham Sampathar, Sivajilingam , Ponnamabala or Vigesnwaran or their families or friends even in Yarlpanam?.
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Now you are trying to do a Ranjan by putting our poor Lankan Cops behind Bars for crimes which they haven’t committed..
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Native Vedda / January 9, 2020
KASmaalam K.A. Sumanasekera
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“Now you are trying to do a Ranjan by putting our poor Lankan Cops behind Bars for crimes which they haven’t committed..”
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Poor Lankan cops!?!?!?
Oh please.
You must be kidding.
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Could I have your address in your parallel Universe so that I could send you live stream.
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JD / January 8, 2020
I think the 1978 constitution and black July of 1983 are the work of the same people and JRJ understood it. Probably, JRJ was promised some thing. But, they did nit give it. Because of that JRJ included a SUDDEN – DEATH SUICIDE CLAUSE IN THE SAME PORTION of the constitution because of that it can not be implemented fully.
Anyway, Mr. Sumanthiran No one believes what the Parliament talks. Welikada Prisoners ate respectable parliamentarians. It is well known that Parliament talks what their pay masters want. TNA, Muslims, Sumanthira, UNP are all in the same pay list. Present JVP or their new party is exactly the same as UNP which is made up of all the minority parties, Christian groups and foreign interests. That is how people identify it.
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Eagle Eye / January 8, 2020
Based on the way Dravidians who live or lived in Sinhale humiliate, insult, condemn and hate Native Sinhalayo who gave refuge to the descendants of slaves brought to this country by colonial parasites and gave citizenship to people who were made Stateless by colonial parasites so that they can live in this country, Sinhalayo are wondering whether the religion these Dravidians follow or their parents taught these people the notion of ‘Being Grateful’ to those who helped when needed?
After British left, Sinhalayo could have chased all ‘Para’ people who entered Sinhale illegally during colonial rule because there was no one to stop that. British were running away abandoning the country that was not generating enough money to run the place and Hindians were bogged down in their own mess created by British and chasing Muslims.
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dayal / January 9, 2020
if the sinhala buddhists want their supremacy to be the victor then give up any idea of development which is not possible without participation the other 5 million minorities. this is as simple as that.
dayal
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