By Tisaranee Gunasekara –
“Israel is no longer able to think about a solution to a political conflict except in terms of physical might; no wonder it is prone to never ending cycles of mortal violence. And when the cannons fire no criticism may be heard.” – Petition by 50 Israeli army reservists on refusing to join the Gaza offensive[i]
Israel calls it the Operation Protective Edge.
How many Palestinians must die for Israel to feel protected?
In the latest horror from Gaza, an Israeli attack on a UN school killed at least 19 Palestinians and injured about 90. According to Pierre Krahenbuhl, Commissioner General of UNRWA (the UN agency for Palestinian refugees), “….children were killed as they slept next to their parents on the floor of a classroom in a UN-designated shelter in Gaza. Children killed in their sleep; this is an affront to all of us, a source of universal shame. Today the world stands disgraced.”[ii]
The main difference is that before launching their murderous final offensive, the Rajapaksas ordered all UN agencies, INGOs, and media to leave the war-zone, so that there would be no outside witnesses to the impending horror, no blow by blow media accounts and no way for victims to be seen and to be heard.
The UNRWA boss reminded uncaring Tel Aviv and the indifferent world that victimised Palestinians were in the UN school because it was a designated safe place, because the Israeli Army told them to leave their homes and seek shelter in such safe places. In other words, the UN school was a ‘No-Fire Zone’ which became a death trap for the civilians seeking its protection. The UN is emphatic that there was no Hamas activity in the area. Tel Aviv will probably claim, again, that the UN is in cahoots with terrorists.
It is a depressingly familiar tale from innumerable war-zones, including in Sri Lanka. The Rajapaksas are not only building an Israeli-type peace in the North/East; they also waged an Israeli-type war there. The main difference is that before launching their murderous final offensive, the Rajapaksas ordered all UN agencies, INGOs, and media to leave the war-zone, so that there would be no outside witnesses to the impending horror, no blow by blow media accounts and no way for victims to be seen and to be heard.
The Israeli government does not have to bother with such precautionary measures, because it enjoys near-unconditional support from Western powers. Quite apart from all the current political, economic and electoral calculations, these Western nations have a blood-guilt to atone. They did precious little to save millions of Jews during the Holocaust. The Palestinians are being made to pay the price for that Western crime.
The UN has condemned the latest Israeli attack as a violation of international law. Before the world accepted the notion of Jus in Bello (just conduct of war), the notion of war crimes did not exist. There was only Just and Unjust Wars; the theory, crafted by Augustine of Hippo[iii], stated that a just cause would suffice to make a just war. If the cause was just, the means did not really matter.
The concept that wars, to be just, must not only stem from just causes but also employ just methods began to gain ground only in the last few centuries. The resultant theory of Jus in Bellow led to the enshrinement of principles such as non-combatant immunity, proportionality and the rights of prisoners of war in international law.
During his 2010 Speech to the UN General Assembly, President Mahinda Rajapaksa argued these international humanitarian laws should be changed to give states a carte blanche to combat terrorism[iv]. He argued that humanitarian laws should apply only to legitimate states and not to terrorist organisations. He wanted sovereign states to be given unimpeded legal rights to do whatever they deemed necessary to combat entities labelled ‘terrorist’ (by them of course).
If that proposal was accepted, the crimes Israel is committing (and will continue to commit) in Gaza would have become non-crimes, legally, just as what the Rajapaksas did during the Fourth Eelam War would have become perfectly legal.
The best way to escape war crime charges is to abolish the category altogether.
Indispensable Enemies
Israel lawyer Dov Weissglass commenting on the 2004 freezing of the Israel-Palestinian peace process said, “The idea is to put the Palestinians on a diet, but not to make them die of hunger”[v].
The current offensive too seems to be aimed at debilitating the Palestinians in every possible way. The deliberate targeting of basic infrastructure is aimed at reducing Gaza to a stage of savage-want and keeping most of its people completely preoccupied with concerns of sheer everyday survival. Another aim would be to destroy any possibility of Palestinian unity. The unity government which came into being in early June is already dead. Once this offensive is over, the antithetical conditions prevailing in the relatively normal West Bank and the totally devastated Gaza may create an insuperable politico-psychological barrier to Palestinian unity and solidarity.
But Hamas will remain, because fanatical entities like Hamas thrive in conditions of violent misery. Plus Israel wants to debilitate and not destroy Hamas. Without Hamas, Israel will find it harder to impede peace. In the 1960s and 1970s Israel encouraged the growth of extreme Islam as a counter to the secular PLO and to fragment Palestinian resistance along religious lines. When in 1978 Sheik Ahmed Yassin applied for a license for his humanitarian organisation, Islamic Association, the government of Menacham Begin responded positively. He was permitted to publish a newspaper and raise funds. The Hamas was born from this Israeli assisted Islamic Association.[vi]
Despite its very real contradictions with and enmity towards Hamas, Israeli-right would not want Hamas to be replaced in Gaza by a militantly moderate and secular leadership. This concern might explain, at least in part, the timing of this latest offensive. According to a May 2014 opinion poll (by the Palestinian Centre for Public Opinion), Hamas’ support base has eroded and it can be defeated even by the much-reviled Mahmoud Abbas. And neither of the top Hamas leaders, Gaza Premier Ismael Haniyeh or Hamas Chairman Khaled Meshal, can challenge the PLO’s Marwan Barghouti, the charismatic leader of the Second Intifada currently serving five life-terms in an Israeli jail. “Barghouti will defeat Ismael Haniyeh…..hands down, 49.7%. to 16%. He would also crush Khaled Meshal….51.0% to 16.2%….”[vii]
Mr. Barghouti is a radical moderate with whom a reasonable Israel can talk peace, successfully. Israeli establishment is loath to release him. Hamas has been equally unwilling to include him in the prisoner exchange programmes. Keeping Mr. Barghoutti captive, like freezing the peace process, serves the purposes of extremists on both sides of the divide, who prefer conflict to peace.
It was the secular militancy of the PLO which united the scattered and demoralised Palestinians, won them international sympathy and acceptance and brought them to the threshold of statehood. The religious-politics of Hamas has not made any gains for the Palestinian cause.
In his poem ‘The Martyr’, Abd al-Raheem Mahmoud advocates
“Either a life to gladden the hearts of friends,
Or a death to torture the hearts of foes!”
Israel wants Gazans to continue to be caught between a life which saddens friends and a death which gladdens foes. Will the latest horror make West Bank too become another Gaza, thereby gladdening the Zionist-foe? Or will Gaza discard religious extremism and embrace radical-moderation and secular-nationalism, depriving Zionism of its indispensable, life-giving enemy?
[i] http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/open-letter-50-israeli-army-reservists-why-they-refuse-shoot-palestinians-gaza?akid=12049.208383.N21XZ4&rd=1&src=newsletter1012693&t=21&paging=off¤t_page=1#bookmark
[ii] http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/30/gaza-another-un-school-hit-in-further-night-of-fierce-bombardment
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/30/gaza-un-school-shelling-jabaliya
[iii] In Contra Faustus Manichaeum, his polemical text against the Manichean Bishop, Faustus.
[vi] http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB123275572295011847
http://thearabdailynews.com/2014/07/27/sharon-hamas-likud-bloc-mid-wifed-birth-hamas/
Jay Chambers / July 31, 2014
The future of the Sinhalese people in the coming Muslim majority Sri Lanka would be similar to that of the Palestinians, unless the Sinhalese rally behind their leaders and follow the example set by Israel. Sinhalese, lower in numbers in near future once the 40 years and older group among them die out, will be attacked mercilessly by the by then majority Muslim fanatical population. They will force women to submit, men to either convert to Islam or die. Every single Buddhist place of worship will be changed into a mosque with the Temple of the Tooth turned into the biggest mosque in the country with maybe a golden minaret and dome on it. The Islamized Lanka will be India’s mortal enemy, and India will wonder why on earth they did not support former brother Lanka with her Buddhist/Hindu culture, which is after all nothing other than that of India itself.
So my advice to the pragmatic Sinhalese is that they should learn from both the Palestinians and Israelis but emulate Israel, a country surviving and thriving while being surrounded by mortal enemies who wish them destruction and carry out the most heinous provocation such as what precipitated the current conflict every day.
Otherwise, the Sinhalese can meekly submit to expanding Islamic fanaticism and lose their culture of over 5000 years of civilization both in Lanka and in India in the pre-Vijayan period. The choice is theirs.
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Sri Lankan / July 31, 2014
WOW, I’m not sure if you’re aware but, it seems like you’re like no other human. You have a very special gift to accurately describe the future. If I were you, I’d go buy all the winning lottery tickets now and make every one I know rich. Even the president of the United States with all his might and technology does not have anything close to your powers. But then, let me think … Nah, you’re just a lunatic like all the others who write similar mythical fiction out of pure lunacy. May your illness be cured before you humiliate yourself in public again!
“There is…..no worse crime than hatred.” – The Buddha (Dhammapada)
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paul / July 31, 2014
“There is…..no worse crime than hatred.” – The Buddha (Dhammapada)
Lankan, I assume you may not be a Buddhist, but please do not just copy and paste Tisaranee’s (who is also ignorant of what the Buddha taught) made up quotes purportedly from the Dhammapada.
According to Buddha, killing one’s mother or father is among worst crimes (ill-deeds), not hatred. According to Dhammapada, “hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. Instead it is appeased only by loving-kindness. This is an ancient and perpetual law”.
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citizen / July 31, 2014
you are writing this due to lack of knowledge
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Tsunami Hora / July 31, 2014
ha ha ha good question Citizen. Effect of Punnakku shortage I guess.
He needs both Ponnakku and Grass. He cant survive without.
Let him enjoy until we send him to the Gas Chamber [Edited out]
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Amarasiri / July 31, 2014
Jay Chambers,
Trading one myth for another. Who wins? The Ulemas and the priests Who Loses? The subjugated people.
In any case the Sinhala “Buddhism” practiced in Lanka, the land of Native Veddah, is FAKE Buddhism and follow Mara and MaRa ideology . Simularly the current Saudi Arabian Wahhabi and its Clones “Islam” practiced is FAKE Islam, and they follow the Devil, Satan or Shaitan ideology.
Is Buddhism a Religion? Is Islam a Religion?
Yes, Both are Religions, because, both are based on beliefs, and after-life.
What both lack is proof. However, the Priests, Monks and Mullahs have great Hegemony. They have not been able to convince agnostics.
“The inhabitants of the earth are of two sorts: those with brains, but no religion, and those with religion, but no brains.” Al-Maʿarri
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Ma%CA%BFarri
Religion is the opium of the masses.
Atheists and agnostics, Jews and Mormons are among the highest-scoring groups on a new survey of religious knowledge, outperforming evangelical Protestants, mainline Protestants and Catholics on questions about the core teachings, history and leading figures of major world religions.
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Lapatiya / July 31, 2014
“The future of the Sinhalese people in the coming Muslim majority Sri Lanka would be similar to that of the Palestinians”
I think we all should rally around Galagoda Aththe Gaanu 5 Bebadu Nanasara and Grease Piya. Also this is the correct time to implement “Aba Sarana” theory throughout the Country with the help of our Ranaviru Police and Armed Forces. Also correct time to introduce Gandasara’s proposal of Marrying 5 Woman and produce as much as possible. If anybody can’t get the expected result he should give the Job to Nanasara.
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Ravi / August 1, 2014
Oi Lapatiya,
How dare you insult the newly arrived Sinhala Buddha? (I mean the Aba Sarana Ganasara).
The next Buddha as predicted by the former Gothama Buddha has already appeared in Sinhala-Buddhist Sri Lanka but however, not as Maitrya Buddha but as Mleccha Buddha.
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ramona therese fernando / July 31, 2014
Ahh,…… so we see that Jay Chambers is deliberately riveting off the point so people will start discussing issues that are way off the point of the Tissaranee article.
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AVB / August 1, 2014
Jay,
How can you compare with Israel and what they do with SL? Before anything else, S-Sinhalese led SL should learn to feed itself, and men stop selling their women as housemaid for rich Muslims. Israel with 8 million people generate $66 billion Gov revenue, whereas 20 million people in SL generate only $9 billion Gov revenue.. Total Jews in the world is 13 million, but they produced 67 Nobel prize holders, but SL .. not even in the nomination list. It has NOT been reported that Israel Gov killed/murdered its own people. SL Gov murdered more than 100,000 unarmed Sinhalese in 1971, 88-89. and more than 100,000 unarmed Tamils… S-Sinhalese led SL Gov and people like Jay, is still waging wars against its’ own people who are born in the Lanka, no comparison…
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WHO / August 3, 2014
Great analysis AVB. I like the way you outline both countries’ status.
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kp / August 1, 2014
first the tamils, then the muslims, then the sinhala christians, then the buddhists ‘who dont follow true buddhism’… this path you’re on leads to just one place. a sinhala-buddhist majority sri lanka that is a carbon-copy of the Taliban’s Afghanistan.
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Poojitha Mendis / August 1, 2014
I believe CT is also encouraging some fun/entertainment (making us laugh) by letting a few old/insane mentally handicapped people suffering from an illness called schizophrenia, people like Jay Chambers who seems to have escaped from mental asylum to exhibit their hallucinations in public.
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Ram / July 31, 2014
As mentioned Hamas was a creation mainly of Israeli making, necessitated by the need to silence the single effective voice the Palestinians had in fighting it’s good fight. Later when Abbas was seen as a creature without even a notocord, the Gazans turned to Hamas and it was ELECTED to power, a FACT ignored by the US and Israel. Israel has NO intention of retaining a single Palestinian in Palestine, and the ethnic cleansing will proceed with Western collusion, slowly but surely.
The Arab countries with some degree of sympathy for the dispossessed, disempowered Palestinians have been bombed and destroyed, not so much by Israel itself, but by it’s protector. The Saudis and Gen. Al Sisi Al Amreeki have no love for them, and Jordan pretends neutrality. All these governments have limited longevity even with the protection of the hegemon. The UN is a creature at the beck and call of the hegemon and serves no useful purpose at the present time.
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Ben Hurling / July 31, 2014
Where are our ever preaching, uninvited, self-appointed Sri Lanka mentor David Cameron these days? What about his wagon full of international HR hypocrites & LTTE HR turncoats?
What is their principled “moral” position on the Gaza carnage by Israel?
Both Cameron & Obama are silent. But, busy supplying urgent waepons components to IDF, Israeli military.
Those who believe Cameron’s intentions are genuine on Sri Lanka’s internal quest for justice will end up gaining a lot more than they ever bargained for.
Cheers!
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Robert.R / July 31, 2014
Don’t worry about Cameroon, what about your king the ‘president of Palestinian solidarity ‘ what his is view? The latest is that our ambassador to Israel has actually praised Israel :-) and as of today is yet to be reprimanded or recalled ha ha ha
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Ben Hurling / July 31, 2014
Robert.R,
Our King has long lost his soul. If he ever had one.
Just like Cameron. Our King is playing the same game for power.
Idealism & activism are things of the past.
Besides Our King’s Bro Gota is a confirmed fascist. Who cannot hide his love of Israel. And its’ lethally brutal methods.
Therefore SL’s Ambassador’s BS in Tel Aviv is no big surprise.
Cheers!
PS: May I remind you in the 80’s David Cameron was campaigning hard to have Nelson Mandela executed. For terrorism in SA. Ha..ha!
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Robert.R / August 1, 2014
My point was that before we accuse others of falsehood, let’s look inward and see our state !
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Ben Hurling / August 1, 2014
Robert R,
Our King might build “friendship” with well established & thriving war criminals in Tel Aviv. They have the leverage to alter Washington’s position on Wanni accountability BS. If they so wish. And believe me UK’s Cameron will follow.
I fully support an internal, transparent investigation into atrcocities in our country. Does not matter which monkey from which ethnicity is involved.
I am not willing to subscribe to “cherry picked investigations” to suit agendas of forces looking to implement their will on this tiny country.
Cheers!
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Native Vedda / August 1, 2014
Ben Hurling
Here is an Guardian Editorial published today. My Elders have insisted that I read this piece upon receiving it. My Elders say they see some parallels between Gota’s war on Tamils and Biby’s latest war on Gazans.
What do you say? Forget the LTTE, Diaspora, UN, Navi Pillai,……. etc for a moment.
Here is the Editorial:
The Guardian’s view on the killing of children in Gaza
We need a settlement that will mean no repeat of this Gaza operation. A ceasefire is urgent but will fall apart without a broader agreement
Editorial
The Guardian, Thursday 31 July 2014 19.04 BS
Wars kill people, including teachers in their classrooms, nurses in their hospitals, and farmers in their fields. But when children die in the hail of steel soldiers direct at one another there is a special kind of obscenity. Children have no agency, not even the slightest shred of the responsibility or complicity that adults to one degree or another may possess.
They know nothing of propaganda, they did not cheer in angry rallies, they did not send off their menfolk to fight with a blessing, they did not sit at meetings where the pros and cons of making war were gravely discussed by middle- aged men. No, they just die. Or lose their little legs, their arms, their eyes. The scenes at Jabaliya elementary school had seasoned United Nations officials, who have seen and endured much, in tears. The rapid transference of images to the world soon made this tragedy everybody’s property and everybody’s burden. Then, of course, a familiar game begins. Mournful spokesmen explain that the other side is to blame, because it has hidden its fighters, mortars and rockets in populated areas. They take great care, but mistakes can happen. They do not explain why that other side might be reluctant to put its fighters into, say, the local soccer stadium so that they could be mown down without risk to civilians. Hamas, meanwhile, attributes all civilian deaths to the malign intent of the Israeli enemy.
This is what the British general Rupert Smith calls “the reality in which the people in the streets and houses and fields – all the people, anywhere – are the battlefield”. The Israelis did not go into Gaza to kill children. But, as Jon Snow implied in his passionate video this week, they went in knowing that they would kill children because it is impossible in that crowded, chaotic territory to pursue their foes without massive collateral damage. The only way not to kill children would be not to go in at all. And that raises the most critical issue, which is why they went in. The immediate justification was that Hamas rockets and raiding parties entering through tunnels were a threat to Israeli civilians. One may quarrel with that, because this threat has been, so far, relatively limited. It might get worse in the future, but is a country justified in the use of force because of something that may happen rather than something that has happened? That threat might never fully materialise because of Israeli technical superiority or because political developments rendered it irrelevant.
The more fundamental reason why Israel went in is not related to what Hamas or Israel has done, but to what Israel has left undone. The distinguished Israeli writer David Grossman, addressing himself to Israeli leaders, asks: “How could you have wasted the years since the last conflict without initiating dialogue, without even making the slightest gesture toward dialogue with Hamas, without attempting to change our explosive reality? Why, for these past few years, has Israel avoided judicious negotiations with the moderate and more conversable sectors of the Palestinian people … Why have you ignored, for 12 years, the Arab League initiative that could have enlisted moderate Arab states with the power to impose, perhaps, a compromise on Hamas?” If you want peace, prepare for war, says the Roman proverb. But here it is the opposite: if you want to avoid war, prepare for peace. The Netanyahu government is paying the price for having sedulously avoided real negotiations with the Palestinians through a long series of subterfuges and distractions culminating in the recent barren passage that, over many months, wore down even the ever- patient and optimistic John Kerry.
The outside world must help devise a ceasefire which stops the killing and puts in place arrangements on access, a degree of demilitarisation and the return of the Palestinian Authority. But that will not last long if Israel simply sinks back into the limbo land most of its politicians have come to prefer, a land where peace can be constantly postponed, and Israelis, although occasionally surprised by bouts of nastiness, can go off to the supermarket as if they were in Denmark. David Grossman thinks he can discern beneath a superficial show of support for the Gaza operation a shift in Israeli opinion. If so, that would be reinforced if both the United States and the European Union made it clear that there must never be another Gaza operation. Not one more shell in a Gaza schoolyard, ever.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jul/31/guardian-view-killing-children-gaza
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Patriot / July 31, 2014
The comparison between the island and Israel/Palestine is an important one. The conflict in Israel is the definition of intractable. Finding a solution to it has stumped the most capable leaders of the world – for generations. The reason is largely due to geography. Gaza is a key piece of the proposed Palestinian state because it offers the only frontage to the Mediterranean. However, Gaza is separated from the West Bank by a large stretch of Israeli territory. Any attempt to join Gaza with the West Bank in a hypothetical redrawing of the map is going to result in Israel being separated into two which is untenable. If this wasn’t enough there is also the issue of Jerusalem which is a single city in the west bank that both the Jews and Palestinians have a claim to! Given these realities the best the world can hope for is to try to keep the killing to a minimum. There will be no “permanent” solution. There will be no Palestinian “State”- the geography simply doesn’t support it.
By contrast, the geography of our island is extremely favorable to a two state solution. The NE and the rest of the Island are each independently viable as states. They both have harbors, airports and fresh water bodies of their own. The two “states” are also naturally separated by forest land (Wilpattu/Habarana/Yala). Any demographic engineering the GOSL has done over the years is largely superficial. The GOSL can’t even coerce the Sinhalese gentry to move to Hambantota, so they are not going to be able to convince them to move to Jaffna, Trinco and Batti. The Sinhalese peasant farmers who have been settled in the east will be easily assimilated into the Tamil state or returned to the Sinhalese state depending on the final settlement.
The conclusion is that for US diplomats, the Sinhalese vs Tamil problem is a far easier nut to crack than Israel vs Palestine.
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paul / July 31, 2014
“..the Sinhalese vs Tamil problem is a far easier nut to crack (by crrving out an Eelam covering half the land and two third of the coastal line) than Israel vs Palestine”
You are a nut or a crack-pot Patriot to think you can deceive the readers with your warped, opportunistic arguments.
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Thiru / July 31, 2014
Jay Chambers,
You seem to be readying with your gas chambers for Muslims.
What about the Tamils, and Christians? Will they be spared or the same fate for them as for Muslims?
Gnanasara, the government backed goon and his horde of monk-ies are saying that Sri Lanka is for Sinhalese only, just like Israel is for the Jews. Further, he says Sinhalese must treat Muslims like how Israel treats them.
India will say it is an internal problem, because they don’t want their repression of Kashmiris, North Eastern pweoples and the Naxalites brought to light.
If that is the line taken by the Sri Lankan government and its goons the island will soon be a Nazi-like hell for people other than Sinhala Buddhists.
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Rationalist / August 1, 2014
“…he says Sinhalese must treat Muslims like how Israel treats them.”
Thiru; As you say ‘Monk-ie See’, ‘Monk-ie Do’! Who pays him to ‘Do’?
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ela kolla / July 31, 2014
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/
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Kabi / July 31, 2014
Ela Kolla,
“This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/ “
I’m very much eager to read your comments but most of the times I see this message only!
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ela kolla / July 31, 2014
TG has become a puppet of muslims
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Afzal / July 31, 2014
Ela has abandon his abaya and become a Buddhist, such a short stint !
Is it possible he got mobbed by Singhala Buddhist extremist ? or did Gandasara made unwanted advances towards him (her)?
Ela has already being subjected to many untold miseries in the hands (or rather not with the hands but by other parts) Gandasara, Amarasiri can shed light on those good old “Adventures of Ela Polla”.
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ela kolla / August 1, 2014
afzal has gone from foolish to crazy….do you believe people belonging to your race are getting the medicine they deserve in Israel….just like aluthgama
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Afzal / August 2, 2014
Bravo ! Ela got one to publish. See my comments inspires you Ela !
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ela kolla / July 31, 2014
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/
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aratai / July 31, 2014
.
War is the same, killing is the same.
The difference is, Palestinians (Hamas) claims all country belongs to them, they want Jews out.
In Lanka, Tamils (LTTE) never asked for the entire Island, and never said Sinhalese out of the island. It’s the Sinhalese who wants all Tamils out.
:-)
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Sri Lankan / July 31, 2014
Have you ever thought why even the biased western media including the UN call it “Occupied territories” ? I think it would be best you learn the history of Palestine and Israel before you comment in future.
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aratai / August 1, 2014
.
Are you replying to my comment or someone else’s?
:-)
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punchinilame / July 31, 2014
“The main difference is that before launching their murderous final offensive, the Rajapaksas ordered all UN agencies, INGOs, and media to leave the war-zone, so that there would be no outside witnesses to the impending horror, no blow by blow media accounts and no way for victims to be seen and to be heard.” -TG
But as fate would have it, Gota and clan missed banning Camera linked
Mobile `phones!! The evidence in clear form is available in plenty,
which Rajiva vehemently denied,being all fake on so many occasions.The
LLRC had to hear an opinion on this matter in-camera, for obvious reason.
The Army embedded TV cameraman Ramawickrema of Rupavahini may be summoned for his evidence – but he may be “not-available” with white-vanning being a possibility?
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paul / July 31, 2014
[Edited out] Please write instead of posting links – CT
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paul / July 31, 2014
My point too. There shall never be war crime charge against Israel since all the bombing of scholls and hospitals and infants occur in self defence and for the greater good of the human race. Pillai, Ban-ki-moon and other leders of the Western alliance know it very well.
This is not the case in Sri Lanka. Any bomb fell near a school or a hospital was a war crime and killing Prabhakaran was the worst atrocity ever committed in human history.
Rajapaksa’s need to be punished for that.
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Native Vedda / August 1, 2014
paul-iban
“Rajapaksa’s need to be punished for that.”
He did what he did for Hindia with the support of the entire International Community.
If anything Hindia did it for the greater good of the human race?
Now you have a problem, whom should you punish, the Hindians, Clan, Armed forces, IC, or Sinhala/Buddhist who rejoiced the massacre of innocent people?
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Naomali Silva / July 31, 2014
Tisaranee is becoming a bore and is so predictable.
To understand Hamas, one has to know the Quran. Egypt tried to broker a cease fire, one that Hamas rejected. They were evidently not bothered at the loss of Palestinian civilian lives.
Here are a few Quranic quotes to understand the Islamist mindset.
i) Fight against them until idolatry is no more and Allah’s religion reigns supreme (chapter 2 verse 193).
(ii) I shall cast terror into the hearts of the infidels. Strike off their heads, maim them in every limb (chapter 8, verse 12)
(iii) Believers! make war on the infidels who dwell around you. Let them find harshness in you. (chapter 9, verse 123)
(iv) Fighting is obligatory for you, much as you dislike it. But you may hate a thing although it is good for you, and love a thing although it is bad for you. Allah knows, but you do not. (chapter 2, verse 216)
(v) O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and Christians for friends. They are friends one to another. He among you who taketh them for friends is one of them. (chapter 5, verse 51).
(vi) When you meet the unbelievers in the battlefield, strike off their heads and when you have laid them low, bind your captives firmly. Then grant them their freedom or take ransom from them, until war shall lay down her armor. (chapter 47, verse 4)
(vii) Prophet! make war on the unbelievers and the hypocrites and deal sternly with them. Hell shall be their home, evil their fate (chapter 66, verse 9)
(viii) Do not yield to the unbelievers, but fight them strenuously with this Koran. (chapter 25, verse 52).
(ix) The unbelievers among the people of the book (i.e. Jews and Christians) and the pagans shall burn for ever in the fire of hell. They are the vilest of creatures (chapter 98, verse 51).
(x) When the sacred months are over, slay the idol worshipers wherever you find them. Arrest them, besiege them, and lie in ambush everywhere for them. If they repent and take to prayer and pay the alms tax, let them go their way. Allah is forgiving and merciful. (chapter 9 verse 5)
Now compare this with the more enlightened and liberal Dhammapada chapter 1 verse 5
“Hatred does not cease by hatred at any time
hatred ceases by love alone.
This is an old rule”
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aSLMuslim / July 31, 2014
During the last 4 weeks since this round of the holocaust started. 1300+ people have been killed in Gaza. More than 1/3 of that are children according to the UN. There are more than 7000+ severely injured as I write this. 2 Israeli civilians have been killed and 1 more Thai migrant worker. Can you justify that in any way even if Hamas is at fault? Meanwhile US just replenished bombs and bullets to Israel today. How would Bhudda react is he was alive today? Let’s be honest!
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Afzal / July 31, 2014
as per you the 1 line from Dhammapada squashes all the above extract from the Quran. I wounder why in this case Buddhism being around for more than 2,500 years deteriorating in to level of extinction in few hundred years.
I wonder why Buddhism which preachers kindness and love has turned this islanders in to land of rapist, murders,bebaddo and unkind lot who lack compassion who are ever ready kill the other in the slightest of provocation.
In this country majority community kills the other for trampling the leg while dancing, kills the other for dispute over splitting the vesak collection. In this country AIDS infected father rapes his own underage daughter and infects the child also with AIDS. In this country Singhala Buddhist parents throw there children to rivers, give poison to children and take poison themselves.
Why is it wast majority of your youth are addicted to alcohol. Sri Lanka record in alcohol consumption is known world over.
Why ? why it has come to this ? did you or your government try to find out ? does any one making an effort to correct these social ills ? I don’t even want to talk about prostitution and fornication, Mother sells own daughter !
In this country Majority community talk big but in action they don’t follow even an iota of what they preach. In this country the majority community has a fear that their way of life, teaching of Buddha will fade way sooner or later. Which is a reality, but the solution is not found in basing other religions or destroying the lively hood of minority communities. In this country 600-800 pansal are being abandoned as there are not enough Hamuduruwo to take over them.
Do a bit of research and see how many muslim kids are studying in religious schools in Sri Lanka, you will be shocked to know the numbers.
The solution is in following and practicing the way of life shown by Lord Buddha. No matter what bull you all talk as long as this does not happen Buddhism will fade away and minority numbers will increase. Eventually majority will become a minority.
I would say 90% (if not higher) of all violent crimes and rape committed in the country are by majority community. No one talk of these as the majority community is busy getting fooled by their rulers.
They want to bash the muslims, sadly it is they who are fooling themselves. Muslim will never give up is believes more you bash him more he becomes steadfast in his faith.
You all can talk like this for maybe another 100-200 years.
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paul / August 1, 2014
“I wounder why in this case Buddhism being around for more than 2,500 years deteriorating in to level of extinction in few hundred years”.
Islamic invaders were single-handedly responsible for this state of affairs during early Buddhist periods in India, Afghanistan and many other places.
As per the 1 line from Dhammapada which as you say squashes all Islamic teachings (that hatred does not cease by hatred at any time), Buddhist monks did not retaliate but perished, leaving no one to carry Dhamma teachings.(Remember there is no almighty God to protect Dharma which is nothing more than “describing things as they really are”).
You Afzal may feel elated and begin celebrating the great achievements of your forfathers (by destroying Buddhism whereever and whenever they could).
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aSLMuslim / July 31, 2014
Naomali Silva, Quoting parts of the Quran out of context is as good a Hollywood movie that depicts Superman flying in the sky using nothing but his underwear and a cape. Learn and understand the Quran in full and see what it really says. For example see http://www.islamforpeace.org/quran.html for what I mean. Buddha’s philosophy is very much a muslim’s way of life. As a muslim living in Sri Lanka, I for one follow pansil everyday. I wish most “Buddhists” in Sri Lanka would too.
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Diogenes / July 31, 2014
Afsal, You are too provocative. Too challenging. You seem to be an idiot and another Islam extremist who challenge Buddhism and the Buddha himself with no knowledge whatsoever of what you are talking about.
I am telling you idiot that Buddha or his teachings will never `fade`. Before that Allah will find himself in hell which he certainly deserves.From where did you gather your statistics to insult the Sinhalese/Buddhist population of Sri Lanka? Any proportional analysis will will clearly indicate that the biggest criminals are muslims not only in Sri Lanka but worldwide as well. Because Muslims are the most uneducated uncultured lot ever to have appeared on this earth.
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ela kolla / July 31, 2014
Fellow citizens:
I am the real ela kolla not the other monster.
I wish to apologise to all those I have hurt Tamils and recently Muslims. Thanks to CT for bringing me to my senses by editing me out everytime I tried to put out a Racist Statement. I now realise how important freedom of expression is which we have denied to so many people up to now. Freedom of Expression is a wonderful thing without which man kind will cease to exit. Thanks CT.
There are million reasons why MR should be removed if are to join the Civilsed Nations. MR is a blot on Sinhalese as a people who are peace loving unlike MR who is a Tamil hating butcher.
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Tamodaya / July 31, 2014
Hey, come on ele kolla, why did you give up the struggle? Now we can only say we don’t trust you since you have a different avatar.
Cheap trick, good try. You stand exposed.
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ela kolla / August 1, 2014
again a blatant and a lame attempt by a duplicate ela kolla to mislead the general public.
[Edited out]
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kali / July 31, 2014
We now know why MR suports Israel. Israel is doing what MR did. Ask people to move into safe areas and then shell them causing Carnage.
How many Palestinians must die for Israel to feel protected.
Almost all including MR and Hakeem
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dave / July 31, 2014
Israel has all the right to exist and defend themselves from Hamas terrorists who only want to kill Jews as many as possible.
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Backlash / August 1, 2014
The death of Palestinian Arab children and children by Israeli bombing, once again, is unfortunate. But let us look at the issue in context. Hamas fires rockets into Israeli civilian targets from within schools, mosques and civilian areas knowing fully well Israel will launch mighty and destructive reprisal attacks. Hamas wants the attacks on the Palestinians for propaganda purposes – and this is what we see. Israel proves Hamas has inspired for the building of several modern underground bunkers to attack Israeli territory and swears it will not agree to any ceasefire until all these bunkers are destroyed. Palestinians and Hamas are fully supported by Iran that wants to appear as the saviours of the Palestinian Arabs – although Palestinians are mostly Sunni and the Iranians are their deadly foe – Shia. It is a deeply complex issue. The roots of the conflict go as far as Biblical times. Let us also not forget all Arab countries around Israel are determined to entirely destroy Israel. Israel pleads it has a right to live – and live in peace.
Backlash
Backlash
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Ram / August 1, 2014
http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/leaked-report-israel-acknowledges-jews-in-fact-khazars-secret-plan-for-reverse-migration-to-ukraine/#ixzz35KLMCAR7
Take the time to read it. It might change your views.
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Native Vedda / July 31, 2014
kali
Countdown: 16 days
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Afzal / August 2, 2014
Time for “Kali” to be dissolve and adapt a new Nic, but he has so many pseudo names this should not be a problem.
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Native Vedda / August 2, 2014
Afzal
Kali-istani is the Tamil equivalent OTC, Banda and mechanic put together.
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Upul / July 31, 2014
Is it just me, or are you feeling the same way?
Today, our ‘experts’ on all things Rajapakse, LTTE, Jihad and Wahabism have become proficient on Hamas, PLO, Zionism and Israel.
Amazing how far a little learning can go!
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Native Vedda / August 1, 2014
Upul
“Amazing how far a little learning can go!”
You maybe right.
I can see it from your own comment.
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Marwan / July 31, 2014
Naomali, all I can say is that the Quran was revealed to us in the Arabic language. Everything else is relative to how it has been interpreted by various people, according to how they understood it. Each of these translations that are out there from that many sources will vary in its presentation and are not exactly identical. That is why all Muslims all over the world learn to read Quran in its original Arabic language, and not in their native tongue. This Quranic Arabic is not spoken anywhere in the world today, just as much as Aramaic – the original language of the Bible is almost a dead language today. It is not your fault for picking up an interpretation and questioning its validity, since those are not of your own making. It is our fault (Muslims) for failing to interpret those divine messages correctly to reflect its exact meaning. It is not easy. Sometimes some of those classical Arabic words could mean a series of events when translated, and it all boils down to existing ground reality, which would have warranted such severity and admonishment. You need a good moderate Arabic Scholar to sort out these misunderstandings, and there are plenty around like Yusuf Estes, Nuhman Ali Khan, Ahmed Deedat and Zakir Naik just to name a few, who could put your concerns to rest.
Another thing is that although your referenced quotes mainly are about purported ‘killings of infidels’, as such, how many Muslims do you know who live by those edicts? We obviously see a vast majority of Muslims around the world who live peacefully side-by-side, sharing and caring fully assimilated with those of other faiths. Does that mean all those Muslims are disobeying God’s calling? The secret lies in the subtle interpretations of a few Arabic words I know to be as Jihad, Qit’l, Quds and Sabilillah. It may be worthwhile for you to do your own research to get to the bottom of it.
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ramona therese fernando / July 31, 2014
Tissaranee, how in God’s name can you compare Israel with Gosl?
Sinhalese have been on the soil for 2,500 years.97% Israelis have been on that soil for about 100 years.
When Israel bombs Gaza, it is at a tiny concentrated place like Gaza, with a population of 1.8 million. There is no place for the Gazaians to escape to. When Gosl bombed the north, there were plenty of places to run to, but the Tigers deliberately concentrated the civilian population in war-zone place for them to be used a human shields.
Sri Lanka has no borders, except for the sea. Thamils are invited to participate legitimately with Sinhalese. It was the terrorists who tried to procure borders.
Gazaians were forcefully driven from their land, which was taken up by Jews from Europe. Poor people, they were driven shamefully and painfully from their own land of over 2000 years, and now are being bombed to smithereens.
Israel ‘s economy is tied up with the Western system of capitalism and scientific research that requires more and more immigrants from the West (rather like the countries of US, Canada, Australia). Enter the emergence of even more European Jews with their Western educated brain power. Hence the reason that in spite of all the ceasefires and bilateral talks et al., even at this time, remaining Arab settlements are being demolished to make way for the Western commercial and scientific ventures.
Place like US is sheepishly wringing its hands wondering how to avoid humanitarian- atrocity-crisis over money-making and commercial bindings between itself and Israel. (Israelis are probably hoping that they can get Gaza too, and drive all the Arabs to Egypt – no wonder Hammas is fighting back – “if only they can become like unto us Jews and stop being darn Arabs, we can forgive them and make them provisional Israelis”).
Gosl has a trilingual strategy in place, and are willing to integrate with the Thamils. Thamils are all over the island. However, Israelis consider Arabs odious, and un-talliable with their economic system they used for sustenance……Arabs who have live there for 2 millinia, and have their blood and bones in the ground- it is surely Arab soil.
I would ask Israel to open their border (like Hammas has asked for), and let Arabs walk all over the Palestinian/Judean region. Israelis must become one with the Arabs, and forget about acting European and dismantle the Western money making machine.
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Ravi / August 1, 2014
How come those who came from Thoothukuddy (South India) during the Portuguese period and changed their names to Portuguese (Fernando, Silva, etc) to hide their original identity and later got converted to Sinhala Buddhists/Christians talk about a 2500 years history? The Tamils and Muslims have been in the soil very long before the Fernandos and Silvas. It is absolutely hilarious to see the recently arrived Sinhala converts talking about a 2500 years history.
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ramona therese fernando / August 1, 2014
It doesn’t matter, for even from Thoothukuddy, the Truth is very apparent that Sri Lanka belongs to the Sinhalese-Buddhists, Sigiriya and all. We are proud that the Sinhala Race accepted into their fold, races and religions from all around the world, and accepted their integration and conversion into their own. With pride, we will lay allegiance to the 2,500 year old heritage of the Lion-Race.
As per Fernandos, Silvas etc. on changing surnames: As the Sinhala Lion-Race has shown to be superiorly non-racial (accept towards those who try to divide us) , there has been no need to succumb to any shame certain Jaffna-Thamils have tried to heap on us out of bitter jealousy of the unity of our country, and jealousy of our acceptance into the Lankan fold. We revel in the pride of our heritage of Portuguese, Dutch, British, Sinhala, and even Thamil ancestry many of us belong to!!!
Indeed it is seen that the lighter in complexion that we Fernandos and Silvas are, the worse certain of these persons will try to belittle and shame our very existence according to the way they treat their own. In jealousy revenge will they rant on, because the Sinhalese give us more honor, compared to the contempt Sinhalese feel for them who lay claim to unlawful possession our land!
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Smodaya / August 2, 2014
RTF
In 1948, DS and other so called Sinhala leaders licked the bottoms of the Suddhas and got the whole country including the Tamil traditional areas (former Jaffna Kingdom) on a platter without spilling a single drop of sweat or blood. Only after that the Sinhala-Buddhists started claiming Sri Lanka as Sinhala-Buddhist.
It was a Tamil country during the ancient period (part of Tamil Nadu separated by the Rama Sethu Bridge). The Tamil Buddhists only became Sinhalese (the latest DNA tests/genetic studies proves it beyond any doubt). The 2,500 year old heritage of Lanka does not have any hall marks of the so called Lion-race (none of the kings of Anuradapura claimed they were Sinhala) other than the Buddhist structures that belongs to not only Sinhala but also to the Tamil Buddhists of the past. It is Ven. Mahanama’s fairy tale (lion mating human), the Mahavamsa Mythology that created a new Lion-race called Sinhala, and even the words Sinhala and Lanka he has borrowed/copied from the Mahabaratha/Ramayana.
You are right, unlike others, the Sinhala race is a bastard-race. It mixed with everything that landed on the Lankan shores, be it the North Hindian Singha (exiled prisoners/thugs) or the Parangi or those from Thoothukudi (the Fernandos). How the dark skinned Sinhalaya turned into lighter skin is because the Sinhalayas mixed with the Parangi Suddhas. The Tamils do not have Fernandos and Silvas because they did not mix.
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paul / August 2, 2014
“It was a Tamil country during the ancient period (part of Tamil Nadu separated by the Rama Sethu Bridge)”.
This was the vision of Soorya-Devan too. And I tend to agree Samodya. Clearly, the misunderstandings between Tamils and Sinhalese in Sri Lanka in the past +30 years are petty squables between blood brothers, not a racial or genocidal war as some were trying to portray.
UN, UK and Canada: Now you know the facts so buzz-off. Let the brothers resolve their differences in their own way..
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ramona therese fernando / August 3, 2014
Thankfully, the Lion-Race is as unto the rest of the civilized and evolutionized world. The bastarsized rest-of-the-world is indeed a creative and inventive force that thrives on originality and enterprise, rather than on cultural-repetitive-patterns and rote learning.
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ramona therese fernando / August 3, 2014
And I wonder about Fernandos being entirely from Thootukudai. Like all other Lankan surnames (except for the Thamils who either killed or banished any mixtures in accordance to Paleolithic tribalism), part of their ancestry would have probably come from south of India, which would have of course, greatly enhanced the Sinhala gene-pool.
However, the largest percentage came from Lion-race themselves. Many changed their names to the high-ranking Portuguese Fernando, at that time, to impress the Portuguese hierarchy who colonized Sri Lanka. Another number got converted to Catholicism, and took on the surname of their converters, out of deep appreciation and admiration of the divine-looking priests who baptized them (although some would have done so out of the fear of being decapitated or burned at the stake).
Yet another number of Portuguese settled in Sri Lanka and produced part-Portuguese offspring with the local people, and also with the later colonial rulers, the Dutch and British. Hence the elite Portuguese name of Fernando endured to this day. Persons from South America are in awe my Portuguese surname (my married name), for they are more used to the surname Fernandez, as the Fernando surname, according to them, is one of great aristocratic nature.
As for Sinhalese being Tamils previously, simple deduction, rather than historical myth, will give a better picture. Buddhism of the strict Theravada sort has endured in Sri Lanka for 2,500 years. This gives absolute proof that Thamils came far later, because that if Tamils who were Hindus, were in Sri Lanka at that time, it would have been impossible for Buddhism to have taken hold (as happened in the sub-continent). Also, if Thamils were there before, just one monk called Mahinda, together with the Lion and 500 followers could not have shaken away the ancient Thamil language and script. But it is Therevada Buddhism that has endured, together with the Sinhala language and script.
Therefore, can’t the Thamils just leave Thamil Nadu for Thamils and Sri Lanka for Sinhalese, instead of resorting to goading and mocking the amiable and genial Lion-Race?
If Sinhala-Buddhists are holding on to myths to secure their racial identity, it is the very best reaction in the face of the absurd racial-abuse of a certain twisted Thamil mindset. I, as a Lankan of classless mixed origins, dutifully give my full support to this race of people who are the true successors of Sri Lanka!
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Suresh / August 3, 2014
ramona
I think your knowledge on ancient Sri Lanka and the history of Buddhism is very limited. In fact you should read more about it from the Internet. Also, you do not seem to have any knowledge about Tamil Buddhism of the past. You are talking about the ancient period in todays context. Please google and get yourself educated. Also, about the genetic studies conducted on the population of Sri Lanka. There are many surprises waiting for you to enhance your general knowledge and to come out from all the myths that you believe as truth.
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ramona therese fernando / August 4, 2014
Suresh,
Knowledge of Buddhism and Sri Lanka don’t need to come from too many text-books or texts on the internet. Some of us are privileged to have an innate knowledge by observing people and situations, love for the country, and a certain intellect (as all others can have too, if only there are not clouded by delusion of racism and stupidity. In spite of all the text-books they read, they get thoroughly befuddled when history other people wrote is biased).
It is very apparent that Sinhalese and Thamils intermingled with each other in the past, and if there were any wars, they were kingly wars, and not the dirty twisted racial tensions caused by low-intellect Nazi ideologies brought down by the Europeans. Hence Thamils became Buddhists, and Sinhalese intermarried with South Indians (and very obviously so as in the Nayaka dynasty), and took in some of the Hindu customs and culture. There was no racism in those days.
Sigiriya, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Temple-of-the-Tooth, were all built by intermingling of Sinhalese and Thamil enterprise.
However, in light of Thamils insisting on racial purity as per their Hindu religious texts, and with European Nazi-ideologies that came upon us about 150 years ago, persons such as Anagarika Dharmapala, seeing the apathy of the Sinhalese persons, instilled Nazi-ideologies into the Sinhala mindset so as to uplift them on the colonial scale.
Europeans tried to indoctrinate the Thamils as well, but the system was already implicitly in place. For Sinhalese however, Nazi-indoctrination came in as shock and awe, away from their previous egalitarian and placid lifestyles. Modern day Sinhala-Buddhists were revived with racism, rather than by religion.
Time for a Neo-Sinhala-Buddhism, based on democracy, loving-kindness towards all people, and knowledge and acceptance that Sinhala race cannot be the pure Aryan race that Dharmapala espoused. Indeed you are right – DNA tests will prove that Sinhalese are actually Thamil based with a bit of other races (no doubt some North Indian Aryan blood will be there with Buddhist interaction from the north of India). However, in spite of all the Thamil DNA, Sinhalese are a race of their own, with a different language and script from the Thamils.
It is therefore shocking that Gosl will be honoring Anagarika Dharmapala one of these days. It is believed that yet again, as in the past with the Thamils, our pathetic SB government, in an inability to deal with minority issues (where minorities are yet again getting the better of them- this time it is the Muslims), will use racial tactics to demean others and raise themselves higher, if not intellectually, then racially.
In light of the terrible racial tensions and civil war that has besieged our country for over 70 long years, honoring this man will be akin to Germany honoring Hitler. Hitler wasn’t so bad comparatively, because at least he didn’t proclaim himself to be a religious teacher. Therefore in the whole history of the world, this will be the worst case of racism.
It is believed, that Gosl’s confidence in Chinese money and influence, is bringing back this chauvinism. But Lankans are more knowledgeable and understanding at this point in time, and will not tolerate.
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Suresh / August 4, 2014
Thanks ramona for your kind response.
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ramona therese fernando / August 2, 2014
~ correction: (except (not accept) towards those who try to divide us)
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paul / August 1, 2014
I don’t care who talks about it, or even if they have been in the country for just five minutes, so long as they tell the truth….and Ramona has done that.
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Smodaya / August 2, 2014
Paul
When ignorance is bliss, MYTH looks like Truth!!!
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Ellakollage Appachi / August 1, 2014
Saadarana yuddayata wadaa, asaadaarana wuwath saamaya wadagath!
Peace is more important though unjust, rather than a just war!
I think the above saying comes due to the collateral damage occurring during wars.
Very hard to digest, but think about it.
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aSLMuslim / August 1, 2014
During the last 4 weeks since this round of the holocaust started. 1600+ people have been killed in Gaza. More than 1/3 of that are children according to the UN. There are more than 7000+ severely injured as I write this. 2 Israeli civilians have been killed and 1 more Thai migrant worker. Meanwhile US just replenished bombs and bullets to Israel yesterday. Can you justify that based on your nice little quote?
http://tinyurl.com/Appachi
Im wondering if you would say the same if one of those children blasted to peices was one of yours.
Peace is what you call the period between 2 wars. Pretty easy to digest, think about that!
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zouari orna / August 1, 2014
Only one in the world knew eliminate terrorism and showed to the world that terrorism did not exist in his country .
He managed to defeat terrorism. Bring peace to his people and Tamils. Brought prosperity and economic development in S.L country.
Much respect for President Sri Lanka M.R family and army. Someday President of Sri Lanka will receive recognition for his work and will receive the Nobel Peace Prize., I wish the people of Israel have had and the courage to have like the President of Sri Lanka to eradicate terrorism and fear what from the nations of the world. Terrorism not negotiate.IS The Clearance Islamic terrorism .. We do not hate the Arabs we want peace., but not terrorism. well THE PALESTINIAN hate Hamas.THEM leaders are making money FROM situation in Gaza and keep the money for themselves not for their own people. Khalid MAshal has an account in Dubai 2.6 billion USD.
I hope Sri Lanka will not experience future Islamic terrorism.
God bless the PRESIIDENT AND NATION Sri Lanka IN peace.
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K.A Sumanasekera / August 1, 2014
After our JHU bosses’ demand,Ms T’s buddy Ms, Pillai finally came out of hiding.
But not with all guns blazing but a meek protest to say Israel is contravening International Law.
No Genocide allegations, no War Crime charges , no demands to take anyone to Hague , no deadlines to stop the carnage, no threat of sending a Pillai Police,no demand to send Darusman or no demand for herself to be allowed into Gaza for a site visit to watch the Fire Works in real time..
In contrast, only explosives in Ms T’s Gaza is the C4 which the Vellala CM is trying to plant under CS’s chair to blast her out of Office.
Poor thing is not even a Sinhala , let alone a Sinhala Buddhist….
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Smodaya / August 2, 2014
“Poor thing is not even a Sinhala , let alone a Sinhala Buddhist…”
Are you talking about “R.T. Fernando”?
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ramona therese fernando / August 3, 2014
Wow!
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Sri Lankan / August 1, 2014
Hitler did something real wrong with jews… He seems to have taken away their hearts. It seems Prabakaran has managed the same with some Sinhala Bhuddists too when you consider recent events in Sri Lanaka.
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razi / August 1, 2014
jay chambers
can you statiscally prove how 9% of muslims in this country can over take 91% of the population.
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paul / August 2, 2014
Razi,
You only need Arithmatic to prove this.
If 91% of the population grows at 4% net per year and 9% population grows at triple that rate (12%), in little over 30 years the two populations would be equal.
I do not need to elaborate on how such high population growth rates could be achieved by this particular minority as these are well documented.
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Amarasiri / August 1, 2014
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/
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Ram / August 1, 2014
” Wars kill people, including teachers in their classrooms, nurses in their hospitals, and farmers in their fields. “…… ” They take great care, but mistakes can happen. “
” British general Rupert Smith calls “the reality in which the people in the streets and houses and fields – all the people, anywhere – are the battlefield”. The Israelis did not go into Gaza to kill children. ”
This is what the Guardian (UK-31/07) said about the Gaza quoting a British general. Cameron boasted proudly recently that ” Israel is in the DNA of the Conservative Party” and he has yet to offer a single word of criticism about Israel for what is happening in the Gaza. Yet the exact opposite view was held by Cameron about Sri Lankan war in 2009. Hipocrisy of this degree is extremely rare.
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ukg / August 2, 2014
Actually Ramona Therese,
Sri Lanka is VERY SIMILAR to Israel
North and east of Sri Lanka was a tamil kingdom before the British created Sri Lanka and handed Sinhala racists control of that area
This is what the LTTE are fighting about
I am not personally advocating separatism, but you have to see why the LTTE supporters say what they say
The British handed the former tamil land to the sinhalese the SAME WAY they handed Palestinian land to Israel
As for the end of the war, BOTH hamas and LTTE have been accused of using civilians as human shields
Tamil civilians were told that they would be safe in the GOSL declared ‘no fire zones’ and the army proceeded to bomb these so called safe areas.
Hospitals were also blown up
Israel is doing pretty much the same thing
Israel is slowly wiping out Palestine bit by bit and turning into israel
Sri Lanka is doing the same thing in the north and east
Even some Sinhalese have admitted that a process of genocide and sinhala colonisation is going on to make the north and east fully Sinhalese
Sri Lanka and Israel clearly well aware of each others tactics
Your argument that Palestine is ‘different’ from Sri Lanka due to having a smaller land area is ridiculous and weak
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ramona therese fernando / August 2, 2014
No, the differences between the two regions are stark.
Even if the North was a tiny miniature Tamil Kingdom at the time, British left the Island in one piece with proportionate share for all political racial groupings (+5% extra for Thamil politicians ). The British, and Thamils themselves, felt they belonged to Sri Lanka, and not Tamil Nadu at that time. Jaffna had their own autonomous rule and governing-systems, but the problem came about when they also wanted extra governance in the capital city – the hub of the country.
Sinhalese never pushed Thamils out of their “homeland” (or even dared venture into the place). But Thamils came all over the rest of Lanka and kept demanding autocracy in language, trade, education and politics never taking into concern that 80% of the country was Sinhalese-based.
At this present time, Sinhalese are not taking over the North and East, but putting in place a system of integration for only a small percentage of Sinhalese to venture in, to make sure terrorism and separatism never rear their heads again.
About the no-fire zones, LTTE was very cruel to take the whole of the Jaffna population in the first place and herd them into the war areas making it impossible to the army to even mark out proper safety-zones for them.
Borders are open for Thamils and Sinhalese to integrate and live side-by-side. Not so with the Israelis. They do not want to integrate with what they consider the thick-headed Arabs, and ruin their high-functioning economic and cultural heritage.
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Smodaya / August 2, 2014
According to the Jewish mythology ‘the Torah’, the Jews are the chosen people of God for a purpose and Israel is God’s Promised Land for the Jews. According to the Sinhala-Buddhist mythology ‘the Mahavamsa’, the Sinhalese are the chosen people of Buddha for a purpose and Sri Lanka is Buddha’s Promised Land for the Sinhalese.
Lion race, 2500 years of Sinhala-Buddhist heritage, etc are all MYTHs and can NEVER be proved. The Buddhist monk who created a lion race through his historical fiction (fairy tale) called Mahavamsa must have been either smoking pot or whacking Kassippu to write nonsense like lion mating human to produce a lion race and only the Sinhala Modayas believe it as gospel truth even today.
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