28 March, 2024

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Progress & Backsliding

By Tisaranee Gunasekara

“One step forward and two steps back

Nobody gets too far like that

One step forward and two steps back

This kind of dance can never last.”

(The Desert Rose Band)

Rizana Nafeek was the first Lankan woman to be executed in Saudi Arabia. She was beheaded after a questionable trial.

Now a second Lankan woman is on death row in Saudi Arabia. Convicted of ‘adultery’ she is to be stoned to death. The Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration has promised to do its utmost to save her life. But this promise sounds hollow given the execrable conduct of the newly appointed Lankan envoy to Riyadh. Going by internet reports, Ambassador Thassim is quite blasé about the imminent stoning of a fellow Lankan, but is deeply concerned about the criticism of this brutal sentence in Lankan media. Such criticism, says the envoy, “can harm our relationship with Saudi Arabia”[i].

Mahinda Sirisena RanilIf the media reports are accurate, it’s impossible to envisage Ambassador Thassim lifting a finger to obtain even a drop of mercy for his fellow Lankan. He will be busy bending over backwards to placate Saudi Authorities. (Incidentally, is the Lankan envoy stating the official position of Colombo or his own opinion? If it’s the latter, shouldn’t he be reprimanded/recalled for shooting his mouth off? Diplomats cannot express their private opinions publicly, particularly if they are at variance with the official government positions.)

Ambassador Thassim’s alleged statement places him on the opposite side of not just good governance but also intelligent governance (not to mention basic decency and humanity). Unfortunately, the upper echelons of the new administration are teeming with appointees who seem wedded to the Rajapaksa way. At least Tilak Marapana had the decency to resign after his outrageous conduct over the Avant-Garde issue, but many other politicians and political-appointees openly and shamelessly follow the worst practices of the Rajapaksas, starting with corruption and nepotism.

There are 57 member states in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, but antediluvian punishments such as stoning to death are implemented only in a very small number of them. Most Islamic countries with Sharia Law do not endorse let alone resort to such outrageously barbaric punishments. Saudi Arabia is almost unique in this regard (it’s probably the only country in the world where a man can get away with a light prison sentence after raping and murdering his baby daughter[ii]). Cushioned by oil wealth, strategic geo-political location and complete Western backing, it persists in ignoring humanitarian norms and international pressure. A concerted international campaign has failed to save Raif Badawi, a Saudi blogger, who had been sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment and 1,000 lashes. Another campaign is being waged to save the life of Palestinian poet, Ashraf Fayadh who had been sentenced to death by a Saudi court, but so far authorities have not relented. Though every effort must be made to save the life of the Lankan migrant worker, the chances of success are rather slim.

The case of Rizana Nafeek and of the unnamed woman from Maradana shed a disconcerting light on the reality of Lankan development. Despite all the fancy infrastructural projects, the Lankan economy will collapse if deprived of the earnings from our migrant workers. That is why the Rajapaksa government did not ban any more Lankans from going to Saudi Arabia as unskilled workers (especially domestic workers), even after the Rizana Nafeek tragedy.

Now the ball is in the court of the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration. Will it do what the Rajapaksas didn’t and ban any more economic migration to Saudi Arabia? Will it give priority to two goals which have the potential of reducing economic migration in the medium term: employment generation and reduction of living costs?

The Bubble

Economics was the Achilles Heel of the Rajapaksas and nowhere is this failure more evident than in Hambantota. Under Rajapaksa rule, the district got a port, an airport, a convention hall, an international cricket stadium, a botanical garden, a TV/film studio, a six-lane road and an artificial island. But the people didn’t get jobs, houses or even clean drinking water; small country roads remained in a state of disrepair and poverty continued to be rampant.

A tragedy which happened to a family in Tangalle in November 2015 is symbolic of this Rajapaksa developmental failure. A seven year old boy in Ranna, Tangalle died after complaining of stomach pain. He had to be carried for more than a kilometre on a rural road (which was in a state of disrepair); the resultant delay in getting him to a hospital may have contributed to his death. Even the boy’s funeral became a problem because the family’s wattle-and-daub hut was so miniscule. The family had been promised Rs.100,000 by the previous government to build a new house, but received only Rs. 30,000. The father is a radio mechanic but cannot earn enough in the economically depressed community. The mother is unemployed.

All this is in the Rajapaksa heartland, the area which supposedly experienced exponential development in the last nine years. Families like these are faced with a choice – beggary or going abroad as migrant labourers.

In his Budget speech, the Finance Minister acknowledged the existence of three interrelated problems which, if left unattended, can destroy whatever good that has been achieved since January 2015: a looming debt trap; a youth unemployment rate bordering on 20%; and 20% of populace subsisting on less than two US dollars a day (around Rs. 280).These are politico-economic landmines which can make Sri Lanka’s future as bloody as her past.

A de jure breakup of the SLFP is unavoidable and is likely to happen before the upcoming Local Government elections. The pro-Rajapaksa breakaway group is bound to embrace racist and religious extremism as its main banner. This new Sinhala-Buddhist nationalist entity will turn to unemployed young people for foot-soldiers and people subsisting on less than two dollars for supporters/voters. If the government keeps some of its economic promises, neither foot-soldiers nor voters will be available in sufficient numbers and the SLFP breakaway group will dwindle into politico-electoral irrelevance. But if the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration fails to deliver on its economic promises, if it succumbs to signature Rajapaksa evils such as massive corruption and limitless nepotism, the politico-psychological landscape of the country can change in favour of extremism.

That is why the new government needs to take seriously the precarious condition of migrant workers in places like Saudi Arabia. Next time a Sinhala-Buddhist woman is sentenced to death in the obscurantist kingdom, Sri Lanka might be in the throes of a severe economic crisis. In such a context, ordinary Sinhalese might be responsive to attempts by the likes of BBS to use the death sentence in Saudi Arabia to incite hatred against Lankan Muslims.

And another Aluthgama might become possible.

Learning from the Sobhita Example

In his statement on the death of Ven. Maduluwawe Sobhita Thero, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa made pointed references to their shared past, including their presence at the Pettah rally against the Indo-Lanka Accord. Ven. Sobhita Thero was once a leading exponent of Sinhala-Buddhist extremism and a tireless campaigner against any attempt at reaching a political solution to the ethnic problem. Mahinda Rajapaksa still wallows in that same racist mire, but Ven. Sobhita Thero escaped it almost two decades ago. And in the last years of his life he stood with rock-like steadfastness against extremism of every variety and for an undivided Sri Lanka which belonged to all her people. During a time characterised by despair, he was a beacon of hope not only to the Sinhalese but also to Tamils and Muslims.

President Premadasa once observed that the expectations of ordinary Lankans are modest; they don’t mind others going about in cars, so long as they have at least a bicycle. It’s when governments fail to ensure that necessary minimum to the people at the bottom of the economic totem-pole, an environment conducive to extremism develops. It happened during the second term of the JR Jayewardene government. It could have happened in 2014, but didn’t. Ven. Sobhita Thero played a leading role in guiding the oppositional forces away from extremism and along the path of tolerance and sanity.

Almost eleven months after the ousting of the Rajapaksas, that mood of tolerance and sanity continues to prevail. That was why the recent attempt by Northern and Southern extremists to create a Nagadeepa-Nainatheevu issue failed. The extremists up North behaved as if the very existence of the Tamil people depended on changing the name of Nagadeepa to Nainateevu. The extremists down South acted as if any such a name change would cause the immediate disintegration of Sri Lanka.

But the people, ordinary Tamils and ordinary Sinhalese, refused to take the bait. The screaming, burning, pillaging mobs Northern and Southern extremists were hoping for have failed to materialise, so far. The popular response to the ‘Nagadeepa-Nainateevu issue’ has ranged from indifference to bemusement, but never anger.

The absence of rage is due to the refusal of the UNP and the SLFP to become embroiled in this inane non-issue. History shows that mobs sprouted whenever the UNP or the SLFP used the race card. But this time both parties desisted from flame-throwing. President Sirisena and Premier Wickremesinghe deserve some credit for this much needed display of sense and sensibility. The hybrid-government has its uses.

Interests of extremists often coincide. It was in the interests of the LTTE and Sinhala hardliners to prevent a political solution to the ethnic problem, to keep the pot of suspicion and hate boiling. On the issue of Syrian refugees, Donald Trump and the IS (Islamic State) stand on common ground. What the IS loses with the exodus of Syrians is immeasurably greater than what it would gain by getting a few of its operatives into Europe and America, disguised as refugees. The IS offered people their very own Caliphate and ordinary Muslims in their millions responded by fleeing the Caliphate. When the choice is between Raqqa (the self-styled capital of the new Caliphate) and Paris, Paris wins every time. Given an option, ordinary people prefer places where they can lead their ordinary lives in peace.

The Syrian exodus is not just a severe loss of face for the IS. Far more pertinently, it is loss of invaluable human material, without which no war can be sustained, let alone won. If instead of fleeing, the Syrians in their millions decided to support the Caliphate, to become its fighters, breeders and human-shields, the task of defeating the IS would have become difficult to the point of impossibility.

That was what happened with the LTTE. The Tigers had money and weapons, but they lacked soldiers. Like ordinary Syrians, ordinary Tamils too voted with their feet. Had those Tamils who demonstrated in European cities in 2009 stayed back in Sri Lanka and fought for the LTTE, the Tigers may not have suffered such a comprehensive, annihilating defeat.

Extremism is not an inborn trait of ordinary people. Their natural instinct is to live and let live, because in any conflict, they are the main sufferers. Outbursts of extremism always have a pre-history consisting of years of patient hard work by political parties/organisations seeking to craft a path to power through rage and hate. And such incendiary efforts are more likely to succeed in times of economic hardships, times when present is devoid of relief and future devoid of hope.

In his speech to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Selma and Montgomery marches, President Obama called the US a work-in-progress and identified the demonstrations as “a clash of wills, a contest to determine the true meaning of America.”[iii] The nature of a country is not cast in stone; it is something which changes constantly. In this sense, every country is a work-in-progress and this is true for Sri Lanka as well. So far, a majority of Lankan continue in their rejection of the Rajapaksa way and their endorsement of the Sobhita way.

But this is not an immutable condition; it is something which needs to be nurtured and protected. The struggle for the soul of Sri Lanka – like the struggle for the soul of any nation – is a continuous unending one. It is a struggle which forces of sanity and reason must keep on winning. Failure is not an option, because the past is not a place we can afford to return to, even for a short visit.


[i] http://asianmirror.lk/news/item/13142-sl-ambassador-to-saudi-arabia-approves-stoning-to-death-of-house-maid

[ii] http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi-arabia/saudi-preacher-gets-light-sentence-for-killing-daughter-1.1141045

[iii]https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/03/07/remarks-president-50th-anniversary-selma-montgomery-marches

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Latest comments

  • 11
    6

    “Saudi Arabia is almost unique in this regard (it’s probably the only country in the world where a man can get away with a light prison sentence after raping and murdering his baby daughter”.

    So what is the problem? if you cannot rape and murder your own daughter, what kind of personal freedom is that?

    • 14
      6

      Brilliant Thisaranee dear. Thanks again.

      Would you please write on need for DECENT PUBLIC TRANSPORT needs to be on the agenda for ordinary people and elderly to travel in decent transport and for cities like COlombo to have decent rapid transport is a must. Singapore has airconditioned buses and we need them in cities.

      Last week commuters attacked train driver. The public transport in the Miracle of Modayas is appalling. The trains and buses are over crowded, people travel like cattle, the stations have stinky toilets and cafes. People who travel like animals, behave like animals.

      Even though decent public transport should be an UREGENT POLICY PRIORITY The Minister of Transport is a clown – Nimal SIripala Silva and nothing will be done.

      Colombo needs a sky train on the Battaramulla, Mt. Lavinia and Nogegoda lines to ease traffic congestion and pollution.

      Yet all the focus is on CAR PERMITS for the political and administrative elites. The UNDP waxes poetic on climate change but does not pursue a serious agenda of decent public transport in cities because the car manufacturers are so powerful.

      • 4
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        EDWIN RODRIGO,

        “”So what is the problem? if you cannot rape and murder your own daughter, what kind of personal freedom is that?””

        Eddi has Zoophilia please help the bestiality breed overcome this sickness.

    • 9
      1

      Tisaranee Gunasekara

      RE: Progress & Backsliding.

      Thanks.

      The Three Musketeers, Mahinda , Maitripala and Ranil, three most formidable musketeers of the age, and gets involved in affairs of the state and court.

      They also frequently works into the plot of various injustices, abuses and absurdities of the old regime, giving the Yahapalanaya an additional political aspect at a time when the debate in Lanka is between the Executive Presidency in the Socialist Republic is still fierce, and corruption and nepotism is rampant.

      In Saudi Arabia, the Wahhanis and their Clones Follow the Devil, Ibils, and the current Rulers and Ulema are all agents of the Devil.

      References:

      1. al-azhar cleric about wahabis/salafis

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

      2. Al Azhar Sheikh shia are Muslims, Wahabi Salafi’s are Extremist

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69z-PHiqOiU

      3. Egypt’s top cleric plans face veil ban in schools

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW2L3yF4IS0

      4. Hadith of Najd

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadith_of_Najd

      According to two narrations in Sahih Bukhari, Muhammad asks Allah to bless the areas of Bilad al-Sham (Syria) and Yemen. When his companions said “Our Najd as well,” he replied: “There will appear earthquakes and afflictions, and from there will come out the side of the head (e.g. horns) of Satan.”[1][2] In a similar narration, Muhammad again asked Allah to bless the areas Medina, Mecca, Sham, and Yemen and, when asked specifically to bless Najd, repeated similar comments about there being earthquakes, trials, tribulations, and the horns of Satan.

      • 5
        1

        Tisaranee Gunasekara

        RE: Progress & Backsliding

        Given below is a very interesting “explanation” given by a “Muslim” regarding…

        1. IBlis, Devil

        2. Adam

        3. Eve

        4. Earth and Sri lanka.

        Very interesting Theology.

        see what brainwashing can do!. Is Religion the opium of the masses?

        • 0
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          Edited out]

        • 0
          5

          Mr. Amarasiri – May be you will take this also into consideration:

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsMccnb_270

          • 5
            1

            pun

            “Mr. Amarasiri – May be you will take this also into consideration:”

            It has everything to do with Brainwashing.

            Joshua Stopping the Sun, Jesus dying for man’s sins etc., and Trinity etc.You need to Fix Christianity.

            Why Christians Convert To Islam ? Conclusive evidence Come and see

            Published on Apr 7, 2012
            Why Christians Convert To Islam ? Conclusive evidence
            Jesus , Christianity , mary Come and see

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cn7rbZEWikw

    • 7
      0

      Tisaranee Gunasekara

      RE: Progress & Backsliding

      “Rizana Nafeek was the first Lankan woman to be executed in Saudi Arabia. She was beheaded after a questionable trial.”
      “Now a second Lankan woman is on death row in Saudi Arabia. Convicted of ‘adultery’ she is to be stoned to death. “

      Let’s look at the Top 10 Controversial Quran Verses and what the Wahhabis Follow.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-oR1WIMtLE

      1. Dismemberment Quran 5:38

      2. Women are Ignorant Quran 2: 282

      3. Women Deserve Less Quran 4:11

      4. Incest Marrying Cousins Quran 33:50

      5. Slavery Quran 4:24

      6. Pedophilia Quran 65:4

      7. Domestic Abuse Quran 4:34

      8. Polytheism Quran 9:5

      9. Apostasy Quran 4:8

      10. World Domination Quran 9:29

      Saudi Arabia, an ISIS That Has Made It

      Black Daesh, white Daesh. The former slits throats, kills, stones, cuts off hands, destroys humanity’s common heritage and despises archaeology, women and non-Muslims. The latter is better dressed and neater but does the same things. The Islamic State; Saudi Arabia. In its struggle against terrorism, the West wages war on one, but shakes hands with the other. This is a mechanism of denial, and denial has a price: preserving the famous strategic alliance with Saudi Arabia at the risk of forgetting that the kingdom also relies on an alliance with a religious clergy that produces, legitimizes, spreads, preaches and defends Wahhabism, the ultra-puritanical form of Islam that Daesh feeds on.

    • 5
      3

      Tisaranee Gunasekara

      “There are 57 member states in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, but antediluvian punishments such as stoning to death are implemented only in a very small number of them. Most Islamic countries with Sharia Law do not endorse let alone resort to such outrageously barbaric punishments. Saudi Arabia is almost unique in this regard “

      Saudi Arabia , Wahhabis and their clones Follow the Iblis, Devil, not the Quran. The Idiotic Sri Lankan Ambassador Thassim is a disgrace to Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankan Intelligence. Sri Lankan can do without such idiots and those Idiots who appointed them. Sri Lanka should stone such idiots like Thassim.

      Stoning to Death: A Violation of the Qur’an

      http://www.quranicpath.com/misconceptions/adultery_punishment.html

      “This is a chapter We have sent down and made obligatory. We have sent down clear revelations in it so that you may take heed: flog the male and the female adulterers and fornicators (الزانية والزاني) one hundred times. Do not let compassion for them keep you from carrying out Allah’s law if you believe in Allah and the Last Day – and ensure a group of believers witnesses the punishment.” (Qur’an 24:2)

    • 0
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      [Edited out] Please write instead of posting articles – CT

      • 6
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        Tisaranee Gunasekara

        “Religion is the Opium of the Masses”- Karl Marx

        ” Good People do Good things. Bad People do bad Things. To get good people to do bad things, it takes Religion”-Steven Weinberg-Physics Nobel Laureate.

        ” Good Muslims do Good things. Bad Muslims* do bad Things. To get good Muslims to do bad things, it takes Wahhabism** and its Clones*** who follow the Devil, Satan”- From News since Abdul Wahhab appeared in the scene since early 1,800 C.E.

        *Muslim: One who submits (to God)” and believes in the Quran

        ** Wahhabism : Those who follow Iblis, Devil; Satan. Boyh Wahhabis and Satan , believes and accept God is One.

        Wahhabism** and its Clones*** Salafis, Tawheed, ISIS. ISIL, Boko Haram, Taliban, al Queda, and other deviants

    • 8
      1

      EDWIN RODRIGO

      Tisaranee Gunasekara writes:

      “Saudi Arabia is almost unique in this regard (it’s probably the only country in the world where a man can get away with a light prison sentence after raping and murdering his baby daughter[ii])”

      Tisaranee is missing the point.

      Saudi has been fighting to establish democracy in various parts of the world from Afghanistan (1980), Pakistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Mali, Yemen, to Syria.

      So what is Tisaranee complaining about?

      “Such criticism, says the envoy, “can harm our relationship with Saudi Arabia”[i].”

      Perhaps such human scarifies are necessary to keep the gods happy, a point she had completely overlooked.

      How dare this woman slept with fellow Sri Lanka,instead she should have made herself available to the medieval master.

      Foreign employment, petro dollars, etc are far more important than the life of faceless woman from a poverty stricken area/family and not connected to the rich or the powerful.

      We need to maintain good relationship with Saudi at any price. Tisaranee is jeopardizing our relation with Saudi. They might consider bombing this tiny island all the way from Yemen.

      Saudi’s have nothing to do with Mujaheddin, Al Qaeda, CIA, MI6, Inter Service Intelligence (Pakistan), ISI Head Gul, Taliban, Wahhabism, Islamic Republic of Kattankudy, Twin Tower Destruction, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Anti Shia campaign, …………… for without them you would not have got cheap petrol.

      Please be grateful to Saudis. Thanks to Saudi funded Madarasas, now our beautiful women cover their face, head, body, hands, … top to bottom and all around them thus preventing potential rape,…. self actualization on the streets, in the cinemas, …… jacking up in public transport, …

      • 4
        1

        Native Vedda

        Thank you for the succinct summary of the “Good Things” the Wahhabi Saudi Arabians are doing.

        May Iblis, Devil, Satan, Shaitan and Lucifer bless them.

    • 8
      1

      EDWIN RODRIGO

      One more important issue, if you protest too much about Saudis where are our politicians, bureaucrats, and well connected rich going to get foreign exchange to import tax free luxury cars from around the world?

      Be realistic.

  • 5
    3

    Once a state declare a position then its members must adhere the rules without question.

    The position the state makes is not colored by individual bias but taken with interest of the whole.

    2 things happened recently that broke the rules.

    The LTTE is not allowed to be commemorated. Its forbidden because its still a banned organisation. The rule would have formed after considering many factors including intelligence inputs.

    The second was Saudi govt stoning to death a woman who is accused of adultery. The man however only gets a few lashes for the same offence.

    Its certainly true the duo entered Saudi knowing the law. There is absolutely nothing any outsider can do to stop it either.

    However, as a responsible world citizien when brutality happens the state made it a point to protest. The state official without personal bias needs to convey that position emphatically.

    The reason Sri Lanka is in this position is because at certain times the tough decisions weren’t taken in the interest of the state over “political correctness” early on allowing things to fester.

    Wingeswaran is taking Jaffna the same path Amirthaligam did. He is indoctrinating children to follow and venerate the LTTE. The child who committed suicide recently is a direct result of his actions.

    I think the central govt needs to take over control of NPC for at least 10 years. Appoint a board to manage in the interim to stabalise things.

    • 4
      2

      Vibhushana and Tissaranee,

      “Its certainly true the duo entered Saudi knowing the law. There is absolutely nothing any outsider can do to stop it either.”

      However, if the Iblis, Devil Following Saudi Wahhabi claim that they follow the Quran, it has to be pointed out to them, they are are NOT following what is stated in the Quran.

      Therefore, they are devil , Iblis followers.

      Stoning to Death: A Violation of the Qur’an

      http://www.quranicpath.com/misconceptions/adultery_punishment.html

      “This is a chapter We have sent down and made obligatory. We have sent down clear revelations in it so that you may take heed: flog the male and the female adulterers and fornicators (الزانية والزاني) one hundred times. Do not let compassion for them keep you from carrying out Allah’s law if you believe in Allah and the Last Day – and ensure a group of believers witnesses the punishment.” (Qur’an 24:2)

      Therefore, the Appeal has to be based on the Quran, that the Punishment given by Allah, in the Quran, is 100 Lashes, not stoning to death. Stoning to death oi the punishment given by Iblis, Devil, Satan, so that Muslims and Allah will look bad. since, the Wahhabis, follow Iblis, Satan, they are prescribing the punishment of the Devil.

      “This is a chapter We have sent down and made obligatory. We have sent down clear revelations in it so that you may take heed: flog the male and the female adulterers and fornicators (الزانية والزاني) one hundred times. Do not let compassion for them keep you from carrying out Allah’s law if you believe in Allah and the Last Day – and ensure a group of believers witnesses the punishment.” (Qur’an 24:2)

      http://www.quranicpath.com/misconceptions/adultery_punishment.html

  • 11
    19

    Dear Titsaranee, Miss your ‘holier than thou’ sermons from the hobby horse these days. Looks like you have re-appeared to write bullshit again.

    You say, “Almost eleven months after the ousting of the Rajapaksas, that mood of tolerance and sanity continues to prevail.”

    Where do you think the mood of tolerance you are talking about came from? Haven’t you noticed that the majority Sinhala Buddhists refused to have anything to do with the New yahapalana ‘people of the world’ clicque (Ramanayake, Harin Olubakka Fernando and P. Harrison and the like)?

    Ranil and Sirisena won with the Muslim block vote and the Tamil separatist vote because they are serving theIslamic and Tamil separitst aims. The Sinhala majority DID NOT VOTE FOR THEM.

    You are living in the cuckooland and reading politics through your dishonest, stupid glasses.

    Have they given you a job yet?

    • 2
      4

      Rambutan Seed, this is truly a pathetic effort from you.

      Whoever you are, you are showing the regrettably venomous aspect of the Sri Lankan characteristics here. A trait we all need to live down.

      The greatest disservice you have done through this effort is to yourself.

      • 1
        4

        Mr justice
        explain how. If you are for justice and fair play you need to explain. Not just statements!

        • 2
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          Nuisance

          “Mr justice explain how. If you are for justice and fair play you need to explain. Not just statements!”

          If you really want an answer please tell us the difference between you and a knife.

    • 0
      0

      Rambutan Seed:
      Different pseudonym, same abusive garbage!

      You really should TRY to disguise yourself by some other means but that would be impossible for an idiot of your dimensions, one supposes.

      Really, what you deserve is the sentence that goes, “…. you and the horse you rode in on” except that one can’t expect a donkey to ride a horse.
      P.S. to Justice & Fairplay:
      Rambutan seed is TOTALLY incapable of anything approximating civilized conduct no matter what pseudonym he uses, so please don’t waste your time trying to reform this demented piece of ….

  • 4
    5

    The men should protect and take care of their women at least financially rather than sending them to foreign land and the government should stop building castles out of thin air from international debt. The bank bail is just the start and lot more tax aka extortion to follow. The foreigners in Arabia have to observe the local laws or face the consequences. Political pressure has no value in the tribal system.

    • 5
      1

      Maghribi

      Saudi Wahhabis Follow The Devil, Iblis. So they innovate for the Iblis. Iblis will end up in hell with All the EWahhabis and Their clones

      Stoning to Death: A Violation of the Qur’an

      http://www.quranicpath.com/misconceptions/adultery_punishment.html

      “This is a chapter We have sent down and made obligatory. We have sent down clear revelations in it so that you may take heed: flog the male and the female adulterers and fornicators (الزانية والزاني) one hundred times. Do not let compassion for them keep you from carrying out Allah’s law if you believe in Allah and the Last Day – and ensure a group of believers witnesses the punishment.” (Qur’an 24:2)

  • 5
    0

    A fine essay Tisaranee to light up a Sunday morning.

    Adultery,normally leads to Divorce in the Civilized world.Stoning to death for such a common occurrence is absolutely barbaric.Saudi Arabians do have double standards.
    About two steps behind and one step forward; The style of Governance of MS-Ranil duo is all about side-step,particularly those related to Nepotism!

  • 5
    2

    There was a woman with a sinhala name who here was talking for Saudi Arabia like countries.

    Anyway, Saudi Arabia is next UNHCR chairman in UN.

    What a joke is UNITED NATIONS.

    • 0
      0

      Then why is SL still a member?

      • 0
        0

        pandama, the begging bowl will sit wherever there is food.

  • 7
    0

    “The struggle for the soul of Sri Lanka – like the struggle for the soul of any nation – is a continuous unending one. It is a struggle which forces of sanity and reason must keep on winning. Failure is not an option, because THE PAST IS NOT A PLACE WE CAN AFFORD TO RETURN TO, even for a short visit.”

    Spot on, and very well put!

    Tisaranee,

    Like some dude said,

    “The history of the world is none other than the progress of the consciousness of freedom.” (If, I am not mistaken he was trying to suck up to his patron, the ruler of the principality or whatever he was at, to convince him that his rule was so good that his principality has reached “End of History.” :):):) )

    It’s the good old Dialectical Process (thesis, antithesis, synthesis …. and all that jazz) going through its rigmarole. If you look at History, the above, in the main, is true. In most cases first the quantitative change (usually by coercion/force) takes place followed by the qualitative change. For example, how the National Guard through missiles and taunts had to escort the first Black student to enrol in The U of Mississippi. Now the Whites – in their minds – have come around to accept that any Black has the right to enrol in any collage.

    I for one don’t believe that the Tamil struggle was purely a freedom/ethnic struggle; it was more of a struggle against bad-governance. The Tamils were in an enviable position where they could project bad-governance as racial discrimination and ask for separation; the Singhalese, being the majority, had no such recourse. The Sinhalese JVP revolted first, against bad-governance (only just that the Tamil youth were better at revolution than the Singhalese youth!) and wanted to topple the government; Prabakaran being in the minority couldn’t topple the government (to bring on something better) but could only ask for separation. Although they don’t realize it (or don’t have the intellectual honesty to admit it) the Singhalese have also revolted against bad-governance by migrating to other countries en-masse.

    We have our very own Dialectical Process. What the JVP and the LTTE did was just a blind/short-sighted desperate cry for help, utilising whatever was at hand at the time in their effort to overcome bad-governance (not only every man is a prisoner of his time, every struggle/cause is a prisoner of its time.) For the Tamils/LTTE a “Tamil-homeland” was just a rallying point against bad-governance. If one is rational, there is never ever going to be a Tamil-homeland where all Tamils will find freedom just as there is no Singhalese-homeland where all Singhalese have found freedom. When you try to identify a country/homeland by ethnicity/race, who decides who is a true Tamil or a true Singhalese? When the task fell on Prabakaran he massacred all the opponents and declared himself the true Tamil. On the Sinhalese side, that BBS monk takes on the task of deciding who is a true Sinhalese-Buddhist and always attacks another monk in robes! So, which monk is the true Sinhala-Buddhist? Does anyone know? Can things get any crazier?

    There are two ways we can reach “End of History.” Persevere in the current blood-soaked, conflict-driven, unknowing dialectical Hegelian-journey of fate for generations or approach the process from the final-destination/end-result/”End-of-History” utilizing intellect and comprehending the wisdom of John Rawls’ “Veil of Ignorance.” The only peaceful Sri Lanka we will ever have is a secular Sri Lanka where all citizens have the same rights – that’s our “End of History” which we are trying to reach not through wisdom/intellect but through conflict and violence.

    I admire your writing but you are wasting your talents by limiting the scope of your writings to Rajapakses or the current political situation (which I believe is Anthropological – what happens when an advanced culture is imposed on a primitive culture and withdrawn?) Sri Lanka is bigger than Rjapakses/Ranil or anyone else. It gets a little trite when the message ad-nauseam is chimp-Mahinda got together with all his brother-chimps and stole all the bananas. Then one can only say “what did you expect?” That’s what chimps do; it’s in their nature, they know no better.

    People who have the talent must utilize their talent to look at the “bigger-picture” and set the agenda for the future-direction of Sri Lanka, beyond Mahinda/Ranil/Sirisena and the rest of the clowns.

  • 3
    5

    You say, “And another Aluthgama might become possible”. It sounds more like an attempt to place ladders for jumping monkeys.

    You guys wanted MR out. I too wanted him out. But look at what we got! Having nothing to write about to jack up the MS rule, you turn to this incident. The woman knew very well what the law of the land is and still went ahead. Unlike in the ealier case, where there was a possibility that the girl may have been innocent, this was deliberate.

    She has to pay for what she did. You cannot make exceptions in such cases. The law is law and Sharia law is Sharia law. Period.

    • 17
      2

      Edwin Rodrigo,

      Disgraceful comments from you. Saudi Arabia is a backward and primitive country. They don’t have a justice system, theirs is a system of institutionalised barbarity and gender discrimination, and that country is a hotbed of religious extremism.

      Is it right that dirty men are set scot free while women are subject to
      such cruelty?

      • 2
        6

        Well Lankan, you are entitled to your opinion and me to mine.

        As I said, it would be almost impossible to make any exceptions to the Sharia rule in this case. I can quote from the Holy Quran, where this is explicitly laid down. There is a lot of trouble brewing in the country already and the rulers would be hard pressed do this especially at this juncture. I think that is why the ambassador has stated what he has stated.

        It is easy for you to redicule and insult the rulers and the systems in the country. If you want to terra-form a country then you are welcome to try. It will be as difficult as terra-forming Mars.

        My advice is, if you want to violate the Sharia Law then don’t come to Saudi Arabia and if you want to come to Saudi Arabia then don’t violate the Sharia Law. The choice is pretty simple.

      • 5
        0

        Lankan

        “Is it right that dirty men are set scot free while women are subject to such cruelty?”

        Wahhabi Saudi Arabia is the ISIS that made it. That is the First ISIS State. ISIS is trying to make the Second ISIS State in Syria and Iraq, funded by Wahhabi Saudi Arabia.

        They follow the Devil, Iblis. Wahhabis and Iblis, hates people, especially women.

        Top 10 Controversial Quran Verses

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-oR1WIMtLE

        1. Dismemberment Quran 5:38 2. Women are Ignorant Quran 2: 282 3. Women Deserve Less Quran 4:11 4. Incest Marrying Cousins Quran 33:50 5. Slavery Quran 4:24 6. Pedophilia Quran 65:4 7. Domestic Abuse Quran 4:34 8. Polytheism Quran 9:5 9. Apostasy Quran 4:8 10. World Domination Quran 9:29

        Saudi Arabia, an ISIS That Has Made It

  • 3
    1

    Tisaranee Gunasekara

    RE: Progress & Backsliding

    “Rizana Nafeek was the first Lankan woman to be executed in Saudi Arabia. She was beheaded after a questionable trial.”

    “Now a second Lankan woman is on death row in Saudi Arabia. Convicted of ‘adultery’ she is to be stoned to death.”

    Thank you for bring this subject of Double standards of the Wahhabi Saudi Arabia to the forefront, and lethargy of the current Yahapalanaya and the Idiot Ambassador, who was appointed by the Yahapalanaya.

    Russian President, Mr. Putin, where are you? Can you please warn Saudi Arabia on behalf of the Putin followers in Sri Lanka, that Russia will bomb Saudi Arabia, if the women is stoned to death.

    Those Iblis, Devil, Satan following Saudi Wahhabis and their clones need to be taught their own Religion, Islam, when they are masquerading as Muslims, while Following the Devil.

    1. Stoning to Death: A Violation of the Qur’an
    http://www.quranicpath.com/misconceptions/adultery_punishment.html

    “This is a chapter We have sent down and made obligatory. We have sent down clear revelations in it so that you may take heed: flog the male and the female adulterers and fornicators (الزانية والزاني) one hundred times. Do not let compassion for them keep you from carrying out Allah’s law if you believe in Allah and the Last Day – and ensure a group of believers witnesses the punishment.” (Qur’an 24:2)

    2. Saudi Arabia, an ISIS That Has Made It

    Black Daesh, white Daesh. The former slits throats, kills, stones, cuts off hands, destroys humanity’s common heritage and despises archaeology, women and non-Muslims. The latter is better dressed and neater but does the same things. The Islamic State; Saudi Arabia. In its struggle against terrorism, the West wages war on one, but shakes hands with the other. This is a mechanism of denial, and denial has a price: preserving the famous strategic alliance with Saudi Arabia at the risk of forgetting that the kingdom also relies on an alliance with a religious clergy that produces, legitimizes, spreads, preaches and defends Wahhabism, the ultra-puritanical form of Islam that Daesh feeds on.

    • 4
      0

      “Idiot Ambassador, who was appointed by the Yahapalanaya…” The man made his money breeding Goats for decades in Hambantota. He has no educational qualifications coming even remotely close to a below-average diplomat. And he is our man in an important posting like Saudi Arabia!!! This is the result of our giving in far too much into the intimidation of Rauff Hakeem’s SLMC. Let us at least learn now the one to man our posts in Islamic countries does not have to be a Muslim – only because they are Muslims. It should be the best one in the cadre – that can include Muslims as well. At least, let us stop this nonsense now. Otherwise, we will get Ambassadors like that of Hakeem’s father-in-law, who was caught raping a Sinhala girl in the Embassy premises itself. The poor girl had taken refuge at our embassy in Jordan (?) already escaping the clutches of a vulgar amorous ageing employer.
      From the frying pan to the fire – one might sigh.

      Rumad

  • 3
    0

    How could anyone have a relaxing meal with such a large crowd watching? It just shows what a farce governing is, comedians acting for cameras!
    Excuse me from digressing from the subject, but the photo is very apt for the title, don’t expect serious action to follow political rhetoric.

  • 9
    3

    Coward spin doctor liar, Tisaranee Gunasekara

    The Political moron has come out of hibernation unable to cope with what was requested.

    “Donald Trump and the IS (Islamic State) stand on common ground. “

    BRIGHTER ECONOMY VOTE FOR DONALD TRUMP

    • 1
      6

      Funny how Sam wants Trump, a proven “spin doctor liar” and “political moron” (to use Sam’s description), to be voted in as President!!!! His next choice must be Carson – another liar (but real doctor who needs a brain transplant!).

      Another Rajapakse worshiper, no doubt!

      Give us a break, stupid!

      • 3
        0

        joe of the harem, you are an ignorant racist- that is your problem.
        only Trump can bring a quick solution to lingering wars and hypocrisy.

  • 5
    0

    Tisaranee Gunasekara looking up to run on the muslim card like most sinhala politicians and destroy the populace.- like you are a member of john’s harem.

    Saudi wont have oil to run the nation in 7 years from now.The Russian involvement will bring the mussies to their knees and then who knows …like lost civilisation of polygamist.

    Tisaranee Gunasekara you are running with the hare and hunting with the hounds.

  • 4
    1

    If a signicant number of people are possessed with insatiable hatred towards those whom they dislike, as being diplaced by Madam Tisaranee Gunasekara towards Rajapaksha, this world would be next to hell.

    She played a lead role in fanning hatred in the hearts of minority brothers and sisters towards Singhalse and Buddhists in the regime change agenda. She single handedly created a new persecuted minority: Christians.

    She certainly is entitled to be flattered over her influence on the English reading public. No doubt a tallented essayist, I await a peice sans the word “Rajapaksha”.

    Soma

  • 1
    1

    Tissaranee, I’m an admirer of your writing and have views that are generally common to yours.

    It would be interesting to see how you view the ‘progress’ of Yahapalanaya, with all the questionable appointments, Maithripala’s brand of nepotism and Ranil’s Nelsonian view of the Mahendran fiasco, among all the other crap that these guys have put in place.

    I’m sure that a few millions share my views and are extremely disappointed at how the ship of State is being steered.

    What do you think?

  • 1
    0

    We Sri Lankans do not have a leg to stand upon in protesting the probable killing of this woman (as abhorrent as it is). We Sri Lankans are the champions of killing. Ours is a country where life is so cheap. We have killed each other with abandon and the state also joins the fray killing haphazardly. Ours is also a most intolerant country and barbaric to the core. We have thousands upon thousands still missing, not only Tamils but the so called JVPs as well, certainly tortured and killed and hidden in the most horrendous way. Not to be outdone even the saffron robed monks joined in the killings as recently as in Aluthgama.

    What is the difference of a State carrying out a well publicised public stoning of a woman to death to that of the State abducting, torturing, killing and making a person disappear like in the white vanning cases.

    We Sri Lankans are the king of mega deaths and I suppose being the hypocrites we are, we are shedding tears (or crocodile tears) for this single unfortunate soul.

  • 2
    1

    Thisaranee and others, before you start denouncing Saudi Arabia and our ambassador there, it would be prudent to investigate comprehensively, why this has happened and not give in to emotional rhetoric based on half baked knowledge.

    The Holy Quran lays down precise conditions on the punishment to be given just as it does for all other things the Holy Book covers.
    On the punishment it says, “Only a married person who commits adultery is to be stoned to death. The punishment for an unmarried person is a hundred lashes”. So the lashes prescribed for the man in this case, very likely, is not based on gender equality. I say, very likely, because I do not know his marital status.

    The person who pardons such a person is himself committing a sin and is punishable irrespective of his position.

    What I suggest is that we take this case as an example and educate the Sri Lankans going for employment in Saudi Arabia about these strict rules. That would be more practical than trying to correct (terra form) that country.

  • 3
    0

    “The hybrid-government has its uses.”

    It would have been far better if they kept the number of cabinet ministerial posts at 30 in agreement with the 19th amendment. Increasing the number of ministers to 89 and having rogues in the cabinet won’t be tolerated by the people.

  • 7
    3

    T Girl is more worried about a Sinhala Buddhist Up Rising than the Wahabis stoning a Sinhala Amme to death.

    T Girl needn’t worry yet.

    UNP and the Diaspora hired gun, Boru Sira is working overtime to hoodwink the Sinhala Buddhists until Batalanda and Mangalan bring in the Hybrid Judges to try our War Heroes in a White Court.

    And pave the way for Btalanda to give Vellala Sambandan his Eelaam.

    Boru Sira has even given a dual passport to Tiger Emma and pleaded for him to visit his old Eeelaam.

    It is all in Sunday Leader..

    Perhaps Boru Sira wants Emma to bless the White Court and the Hybrid Judges before starting proceedings, because our Catholics in the South won’t be too pleased to have the War Heroes punished for eliminating Terrorism .

    Because they know that these War Heroes made big sacrifices to liberate their Holy Places, paving the way for them to pay respects to their Holy Madhu and St Annes in Talawaila.

    Boru Sira summoning the 9 Front Line Commanders who eliminated the Vellala Hero Pirahaparan is not a good omen.

    Reverend Emma, Tiger Suren and Sambandan all want to see the War Heroes punished first.

    Anyone who cares to read Bedouin’s resolution can see that .

    Even if our Dalit Sanga come to the fore, and save the War Heroes from jail, Batalanda wouldn’t rest until all 9 Commanders are sent home preferably with only the shirts on their back.

    These Commander have another 10 to 15 years service life left in them.

    If they are in control, our great majority will be safe.

    Batalanda wouldn’t want that.

    He wants the Armed Forces like the way UNP had them in the Sixties.

    Anglicans, Vellalas and Sinhala Elite in that order holding the high positions.

    Can Boru Sira prevent it happening?.

    That is what the great majority is worried about…

  • 0
    4

    “Now the ball is in the court of the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration. Will it do what the Rajapaksas didn’t and ban any more economic migration to Saudi Arabia?”

    I rather hope that this government will not do this!

    This is not because I support our workers going to Saudi Arabia, but rather because I oppose the banning of it.

    Our workers go there because they have no other options. It is, as you have said, for economic reasons.

    To ban migrations means to impose poverty on these people.

    Say rather: “Improve the economic freedoms and circumstances in Sri Lanka so that our people DO NOT HAVE TO travel to Saudi Arabia for work”.

    • 1
      0

      Safety first.- look elsewhere go work in fields etc.
      better to start planning early. In 7 years (2022) Saudi won’t have oil to run its administration according BP.Middle East and Russia are over pumping out to stop america controlling but american new technology coupled with subsidy has brought down the prices and it will be so even with next administration.
      The Americans will leave Saudi as they at present are the worlds largest exporter of Gas.Perhaps all their F16 over a hundred will be used in the war about to begin.

  • 1
    0

    I have read the many varied and interseting comments. But my thoughts keep returning to the picture, and then I recall the words of W H Davies

    What is this life if, full of care,
    We have no time to stand and stare.

    Then again, I hear the words of Lennox and Stewart

    Sweet dreams are made of this
    Who am I to disagree?
    I travel the world
    And the seven seas,
    Everybody’s looking for something.

    Some of them want to use you
    Some of them want to get used by you
    Some of them want to abuse you
    Some of them want to be abused.

    AND, then again, am I seeing things? Why is MS sitting so close to MR, and what is RW doing with his hands under the table and giving us such a beatific glazed smile? Of relief?

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