By Jehan Perera –
Early this year the government under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa amended the Prevention of Terrorism law. It accepted the position that the law was in violation of international standards and wanted to show it was committed to improving its human rights record. The ground was set to mitigate the pressures from the UN Human Rights Council and other international bodies. However, the government’s plans now appear to be veering of course. This is reflected in the appeal of UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders to President Ranil Wickremesinghe not to sign the detention orders of Inter-University Students Federation convenor Wasantha Mudilage and two others. She said “I call on President Ranil not to sign their detention order, doing so would be a dark day for Sri Lanka.” The significance of the detention orders is that they were issued under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
Former foreign minister Prof G L Peiris who is no longer a member of the government has expressed his concern about this misuse of the PTA, which as it name suggests is for dealing with terrorists. He pointed out that If legitimate democratic activity is suppressed under the guise of terrorism, the consequences would be incalculable. “When I presented urgent amendments to the PTA and had them enacted by Parliament, the clear understanding was that the PTA would not be used pending a comprehensive review and introduction of fresh legislation.” He also warned that it was contradictory and cynical to allow the state of emergency to lapse and to use the provisions of the PTA instead. The use of the PTA after the government committed itself to discontinuing its use is a betrayal of trust that will not gain it the trust of the people but their antipathy.
The government’s policy appears to be to crack down hard on the protest movement on the justification that it is operating within the rule of law, even if the law includes pernicious laws such as the PTA. The recent arrests of Chintaka Rajapaksa, head of the Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR) a mainstream NGO is an indication that the government has begun targeting NGOs. MONLAR was formed as a network of farmer organizations, NGOs and people’s organizations in other sectors at the beginning of 1990, in response to the serious socio-political and economic crisis that emerged in Sri Lanka at the end of 1980s. MONLAR is also part of the global peasant movement and other regional groupings. It was supportive of the vision behind former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s bid to transform agriculture in the country by banning chemical fertilisers. The government’s loss of faith in civil society is a sign of its own distancing from the people which is likely to prove to be a recipe for political instability.
Ancien Régime
In the hardline actions of the government are signs of the Ancien Régime re-emerging. Former president Gotabya Rajapaksa is set to return to the country soon. The list of names proposed by the ruling party to be ministers in the government gives no indication of change or recalibration in the face of the political reversals and protest movement of the recent past. Those proposed to be ministers are those who were forced out of office by the massive tide of public discontent against rampant corruption and abuse of power that led to the takeover of state buildings and to the burning down of homes of parliamentarians. Accompanying the return of the old guard on the government side is the re-emergence of the protest movement, but this time a more clearly organized one with leadership being given by the JVP.
For the time being at least the organic leaders who sprang up spontaneously to bring the active members of their neigbourhoods to the protest arena are keeping their heads below the parapet wall. They do not wish to tracked, hunted down and arrested as the government has been arresting those found to have participated in the protests and committed even the smallest act of illegality, such as taking away a former president’s beer mug or for having sat in the president’s chair. Some of them continue to hold the new president Ranil Wickremesinghe in high esteem as a cosmopolitan politician, and the smartest one on the block, with the best hope of reviving the ailing economy and bringing some good tidings into their lives.
The government is giving the impression of getting the international support necessary to turn around the economy. The IMF is about to start the next phase of staff level negotiations. The Indian foreign minister has pledged his country’s full support to Sri Lanka’s efforts to get IMF assistance. President Wickremasinghe is about to leave for Japan and there is optimism that he will be able to persuade the Japanese government to set up an international donor conference where Sri Lanka’s international debts can be reconsidered by those countries to which Sri Lanka owes the most money. The government has demonstrated its concern about the rising cost of living and its impact on the most deprived sections of the population whose nutrition levels are falling by reducing the prices of eggs and fuels.
However, the problem is that the situation on the ground continues to worsen for the general population. The government’s efforts at price reductions are likely to be dwarfed by the price hikes in electricity by 75 percent and kerosene by close to 400 percent which will have a knock-on impact on the rest of the economy. If the situation deteriorates still further the ingredients are in place for a resumption of the protest movement. President Wickremesinghe has promised to provide compensation to those government members who lost their houses in the recent arson attacks, even though the value of those houses exceeds the known sources of incomes of those members. The protests are likely to take on passion if the government goes ahead with its plans to compensate its members at a time when thousands of farmers have had their livelihoods devastated by the fertiliser ban irrationally imposed on them by the government and families of persons killed or injured in sub standard gas cannister explosions are yet to be compensated.
Fools’s Paradise
The government led by President Wickremesinghe has also shown itself ready to nip anti-government protests in the bud if possible and through the unleashing of the might of the state security forces if necessary. It has shown its readiness to suppress the protest movement as it has already done in forcibly dismantling sections of the Galle Face main protest site, arresting those who protested in keeping with their democratic rights and tracking down and arresting even those who organized protests abroad. The government has once again given pride of place in the budget to catering to the security forces notwithstanding the humanitarian crisis and shortage of resources for direct social welfare purposes including medicines in hospitals.
These attempts at suppressing the protest movement and intimidating those who take a stand against the government utilizing the security forces are being challenged internationally at this time, though with time the protests will mount nationally as well. The government has been strongly criticized by international human rights organisations, such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. However, the government has shown no inclination of wanting to heed these protests in its apparent bid to reinstate the Ancien Régime, but this can be injurious to the national interest. Both the UN Human Rights Council and the EU in relation to the GSP Plus tariff concession have made their support to Sri Lanka conditional upon the observing of human rights norms in governance.
At the present time the government seems prepared to disregard the objections of the international human rights organisations who are lobbying for stricter sanctions against the country’s political leadership engaging in human rights violations. The recent controversy over the entry of a Chinese warship into a Sri Lankan port attracted considerable international attention. The western countries, Japan and India would not wish Sri Lanka to become a part of the Chinese sphere of influence. The government’s actions in disregard of the international human rights objections indicates that it is acting on the basis that geo-politics will take precedence over human rights in the calculations of the international community. The forthcoming session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva early next month will give an indication of who is living in a fool’s paradise.
cugan / August 23, 2022
LTTE gone how many prisoners languishing in the cells without any charges, Gunaratnam clearly told they don’t have any political prisoners.
They governed by the emergency law and PTA then visit Ruwan Welli saya, Kandy, Kelaniya….get blessed knots pirith nool
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Gus / August 23, 2022
Repressionand atrocities against ceylon tamils was the fundamental root cause of the crisis because these enterprising (which even Lee Kuan Yew lauded in his memoirs) FLED the barbaric sinhala land
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Champa / August 24, 2022
Gus, the LTTE rump paid coolie
Stop distorting well known facts about the LTTE.
If Tamils were repressed by the Sinhalese, why did Prabhakaran, the then leader of Tamil New Tigers (TNT), killed a Tamil mayor in 1972 as his first murder? TNT was renamed in 1976 as the LTTE and since then he killed Tamil politicians, Tamil journalists and Tamil government servants one after another to show his anger against upper caste Tamils. Would you like me to prove my point? This is the list of prominent Tamils murdered by Tamil Prabhakaran.
1. Alfred Duraiyapah, Mayor, Jaffna on 27 July 1975
2. M. Canagaratnam, TULF MP, Pottuvil on 20 April 1980
3. A. Thiagarajah, MP, Vaddukoddai on 25 May 1981
4. K.T. Pulendran, MP, Vavuniya on 19 January 1983
5. S.J. Muttaiah UNP Candidate Chavakachcheri on 29 April 1983
6. S. Rajarathnam UNP Organizer Velvettithurai on 29 April 1983
7. K.B. Rathnasingham UNP Organizer Point Pedro on 29 April 1983
8. A.R. Rajasooriyar UNP Organizer Jaffna on 12 August 1983
9. S. Gopalapillai UNP Organizer Thambuluvil on 18 September 1984
10. V. Dharmalingam, MP, Manipay on 3 September 1985
Contd’……
/
Champa / August 24, 2022
11. K. Alalasunderam, MP, Kopay on 3 September 1985
12. Sri Sabarathnam, TELO leader, 6 May 1986
13. S. Sambandamoorthy,TULF Chairman, Batticaloa DC on 7 March 1989
14. V. Yogeswaran, MP, Jaffna on 13 July 1989
15. A. Amrithalingam, MP and General Secretary, TULF on 13 July 1989
16. Uma Maheswaran, PLOTE Leader on July 16, 1989
17. Sam Tambimuttu, MP, Batticaloa on 7 May 1990
18. P. Kirubakaran, Minister, N-EPC on 19 June 1990
19. V. Yogasankari, MP, Jaffna, 19 June 1990
20. K. Padmanabha, General Secretary, EPRLF on 19 June 1990
21. T. Ganeshalingam, Minister, N-EPC on 28 June 1990
22. K. Kanagaratnam, MP, Eastern Province on 15 July 1990
23. Rajiv Gandhi, Prime Minister, India, 22 May 1991
24. T. Jeyarajah, Chairman, Chenkalady PS on 13 September 1994
25. Karavai Kandasamy, Deputy Chairman, DPLF on 31 December 1994
26. Thomas Anton, Deputy Mayor, Batticaloa on 26 October 1995
27. Nagarmani Rajadurai Chairman, Mandur PS on 16 April 1996
28. T. Rajkumar, Member of Porathivu PS on 31 May 1999
29. Kandiah Amirthalingam,VC, Vakarai Pradeshiya Sabha on 29 September 1996
30. Arunachalam Thangathurai, MP, Trincomalee on 5 July 1997
31. Ms. Sarojini Yogeswaran, Jaffna Mayor on 17 May 1998
Contd’……
/
Champa / August 24, 2022
32. S. Shanmuganathan, MP, Vavuniya on 15 July 1998
33. Ponnuyhurai Sivapalan, Jaffna Mayor on 11 September 1998
34. P. Kandasamy, Member of Kopai PS on 14 February 1999
35. Veerahaththy Gunaratnam, Member, Pachchilaipalli PS on 5 May 1999
36. M. Balasingham, Member of Pradeshiya Sabha, Jaffna on 12 May 1999
37. Muthulingam Ganesh Kumar, Leader, Razeek group, Batticaloa on 29 May 1999
38. Neelan Thiruchelvam, MP and TULF leader on 29 July 1999
39. Nagalingam Manikkadasan, Military-wing leader, PLOTE on 2 September 1999
40. Murugesu Gunaratnam, Dy. Chairman, Kaluvanchikudi PS on 2 September 1999
41. Atputharajah Nadarajah, EPDP Leader on 2 November, 1999
42. Marias Anton, PLOTE Leader (Mannar) on 10 December 1999
43. Kumar Ponnambalam, Tamil Congress Leader on 5 January 2000
44. Vadivelu Vijeyaratnam, Chairman, Point Pedro UC on 14 January 2000
45. K. Ketheeswaran, EPDP Member on 7 February 2000
46. Cheliyan Perimpanayakam, Mayor, Batticaloa on 10 September 2000
47. Kingsley Rasanayagam, TNA MP, Batticaloa District on 20 October 2000
48. Nimalan Soundaranayagam, TULF MP, Batticaloa District on 7 November 2000
49. Thambirajah Jayakumar, UNP Candidate Batticaloa on 17 November 2001
Contd’…..
/
Champa / August 24, 2022
50. M. Rajalingam, EPDP Member on 18 April 2003
51. T.S. Robert, EPRLF Member on 14 June 2003
52. S. Sundarampillai, UNP Candidate Batticaloa on 28 February 2004
53. R. Sathyamurthi TNA Candidate Batticaloa on 30 March 2004
54. K. Rajanayagam, TNA MP on 19 October 2004
55. Ariyanayagam Chandra Nehru, TNA/TULF MP, Ampara District on 7 February 2005
56. Lakshman Kadirgamar, Foreign Minister on August 12, 2005
57. Joseph Pararajasingham, TNA MP, Batticaloa on December 25, 2005
58. Nataraja raviraj, TNA MP, Jaffna on August 8, 2006
59. Kethesh Logananathan, DSG, SCOPP on August 12, 2006
60. Sinnathamby Sivamaharajah, TULF MP, Jaffna District on 20 August 2006
61. T. Maheshwaran, MP, Colombo on January 1, 2008
62. K. Sivanesan, TNA MP, Jaffna on 6 March 2008
63. Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, Minister of Highways on April 7, 2008
(I may have missed the names of some other Tamil victims. Please feel free to add them to the list.)
What made Tamils, HR organizations, UNHCR and Western countries which are at the vanguard of human rights not pursue accountability of the above atrocities committed by the LTTE against Tamils?
Then, I have the list of LTTE atrocities committed against the Sinhalese.
/
Champa / August 24, 2022
List of LTTE atrocities against Sinhalese civilians:-
1. Kent farm massacre
2. Dollar farm massacre
3. Kokilai massacre
4. Yal-Devi train massacre
5. Jaya Siri Maha Bodhi massacre
6. Air Lanka flight massacre
7. Havelock Road massacre
8. Aluth Oya (Habarana) bus massacre
9. Colombo bus station massacre
10. Aranthalawa massacre
11. Peliyagodalla massacre
12. Armour Street bomb massacre
13. Sinking of Navy Ship Sagarawardana off-coast Mannar
14. Thotalanga massacre
15. Kallarawa massacre
16. Eastern Province massacre (1995)
17. Kolonnawa and Orugodawatta massacre
18. Central Bank massacre
19. Dehiwala train massacre (1996)
20. Mullativu camp massacre
21. World Trade Centre massacre
22. Siri Dalada Maligawa sacrilege
23. Gonagala massacre
24. Lionair flight massacre
25. Town Hall massacre
26. Ratmalana massacre
27. Katunayake Airport massacre
28. Kebithigollewa bus massacre
29. Digampathana bus massacre
30. Gomarankadawala massacre
31. Nugegoda shopping mall massacre
32. Okkampitiya bus massacre
33. Dambulla bus massacre
34. Fort Railway Station massacre
35. Weliweriya massacre
36. Piliyandala bus massacre
37. Dehiwala train massacre (2008)
38. Akuressa massacre
39. Colombo suicide air raid (2009 – last one)
/
Ajay Sundara Devan / August 24, 2022
Champa:
Good work.
What about LTTE atrocities against the Muslim people, are they not citizens of this country?
/
shankar / August 25, 2022
champa
can you also give the list of the atrocities committed by the armed forces and sinhala thugs against tamil civilians starting from the 1956 riots.
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shankar / August 25, 2022
champa
why have you not listed the 600 policeman who surrendered to LTTE eastern province commander karuna and were killed in cold blood?
/
Native Vedda / August 25, 2022
Champa
–
Thanks for your impressive list.
Some of the above murders were committed before 2004 yet Rajapaksas employed VP (LTTE) and paid it handsomely. In return VP (LTTE) enforced an Election Boycott in North and some parts of the East. Mahinda won. You praised Mahinda, Gota, and their b***s carriers, eg Wimal Sangili Karuppan Weerawansa for their patriotism and victory over LTTE.
–
Why didn’t it occur to you it was VP (LTTE) who won the war and two elections for Rajapaksas was indeed ultimately responsible all those murders?
–
Now could you let us have the following details:
–
Names of victims of 1958, 1961, 1971, 1977, 1983, 1987 – 1991, 2013, 2019, …..over 30 years and the details of perpetrators.
What role did you play in all these riots, wars and war crimes?
Were you assisting Elle or Cyril, Dutta, Gota, Shevendra, Kamala, Janaka, Fonseka, ……. or all of them?
Who caused the destruction of Jaffna Library?
What role did you play in the destruction of the library?
….
….
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Native Vedda / August 25, 2022
Champa
–
Please inform yourself as to what makes oneself a hypocrite.
බැසිල්, ටිරාන් අත්අඩංගුවට.
Confession of a wheeler dealer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnF26wwF-P8&t=1s
/
chiv / August 26, 2022
Native, do you think Chimpa will complete the list of SB terrorism (as he/she did with LTTE) within five days, before comments close. ??????
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N. Perera / August 26, 2022
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
/
shankar / August 25, 2022
champa
i do not think raviraj was killed by LTTE.I think it was pillayan.
also with maheswaran i think it was douglas devananda.
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Rajash / August 25, 2022
Champa – not sure all 63 of them are killed by LTTE.
Unfortunately the names of near million of Tamils killed by the Sinhala State since 1948 is too long to publish here
/
shankar / August 25, 2022
champa
i am having doubts about kumar ponnambalam.I think he was killed by chandrika’s uncle ratwatte without her knowledge.She was suffering after losing her eye and this kumar ponnambalam was lambasting her in public.
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SJ / August 25, 2022
Shankar
“SJ
i think that list is accurate.”
*
“i am having doubts about…”
*
“i do not think raviraj was “
*
All dated 25th.
Is it the same Shankar I wonder.
/
Nathan / August 24, 2022
Champa,
Your data is near perfect. Congratulations.
I notice a big gap between the first in 1975 (not that I condone it) and the next in 1980.
What were LTTE doing in between? Preparing the list?
.
By the way, who provided the list to you. You seem an influential guy.
/
SJ / August 24, 2022
N
That list has been accessible at least in part in several sites.
The trouble is that the LTTE is given credit for several that they would not have even bothered to hurt.
Given the reputation, any evil could be attributed to LTTE and people will believe.
/
SJ / August 24, 2022
N
I am surprised though by the silence of some prolific writers who jump at the smallest accusation of the LTTE.
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shankar / August 25, 2022
SJ
i think that list is accurate.LTTE also a brutal bunch of thugs just like the sinhala thugs.Thugs.thugs everywhere in this country.No wonder our present plight.
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SJ / August 25, 2022
S
There are a few serious errors.
For example, Uma Maheswaran’s was an inside job
Kumar Ponnambalam’s was suspected to be a Ratwatte job. The LTTE had no problem with him.
T Maheswaran MP’s killing was a clumsy job. The LTTE had no grudges with him either.
Nataraja Raviraj: A witness, Sampath Prithiviraj, in an inquiry into the assassination of Mr Raviraj alleged that Sri Lankan navy intelligence officials were involved.
BTW
Jeyaraj Fernandopulle is not a ‘Tamil’
*
Accurate is when free of error.
/
shankar / August 26, 2022
SJ
agree with you except for uma maheswaran.I have also mentioned in comments to champa i did not agree with the chaps you mention.Given the amount of people that champa has listed 3 or 4 errors do not make it that bad.
if jeyaraj was not a tamil what was he?sinhalese?colombo chetty?
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Ajay Sundara Devan / August 24, 2022
During the period 1975-80, LTTE was building its skills by engaging in bank robberies, killing lone policemen, and any ordinary civilian in Jaffna who was overheard criticizing the Tigers. So during that period no ‘big-name’ assassinations to make the list.
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old codger / August 25, 2022
Nathan,
https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_attacks_attributed_to_the_LTTE
You don’t need to be influential, but you need to know where the info is.
/
Nathan / August 25, 2022
You spoil my fun, old codger!
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SJ / August 25, 2022
OC
There are some pieces of information that are increasingly hard to access.
Russia’s role in WW@ is one.
Critical scientific comments on COVID-19 vaccine-induced deaths and illnesses is another.
There is a lot of blacklisting going on.
Luckily, some controversial areas are still not taboo.
/
Ajith / August 25, 2022
Champa,
I am sure that you may be part of those who masscred Tamils in 1958, 1977 and 1983. I suspect even you may be also involed in the master mind of Easter Bombing.We all know you also involved in the 1970 and 1989 massacre of Sinhalese youth. Do you have any evidence that Pirabaharan killed all these people?
/
SJ / August 26, 2022
Welcome back, later than usual. Better late than never, is it not?
He did not say that your Thalaivar did anything. He said LTTE.
Do you equate the two?
/
Tamil from the north / August 27, 2022
Chimpi, any Tamil who has an objection is categorized as a LTTE paid coolie. Dumb ass woman, I do not know where the heck you circus clown cropped up from. Idiot, either contribute something intelligent here or you know what to do!!
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Tamil from the north / August 27, 2022
Chimpi, many of the Tamils you mentioned here were killed by other groups. Get your facts right. Nobody is supporting the dreaded murderous LTTE buggers here, but the LTTE ruled with an iron fist just like the brutes and killers who you support. Stupid woman, V. Dharmalingam was murdered by the TELO, so was Alalasunderam. Kumar Ponnambalam was murdered by Anurudha Ratwatte’s rowdy son Mahen and Lohan Ratwatte. Lakshman Kadirgamar was murdered by Gota’s goons to prevent him from becoming the PM, so his rowdy brother Mahinda can steal that job. Idiot, what a mutt!!!
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cugan / August 23, 2022
Will see how the law works when the person who destroyed the country the schools uni all closed couldn’t function but they after the students who demonstrated
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RBH59 / August 23, 2022
Ranil is pushing until it becomes a source of terror to all its citizens and creates a country where everyone lives in fear the path due his increasingly repressive measures. The global is warning for detention move. The prices of kerosene has gone up and all other will rise. He is not finding cause that put the country to today’s situation only taking time on shuffling the ministry who supported him and he things the people don’t know his tack ticks presently government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice. Ranil action will make Wasantha Mudalige and his people to be recognized in future who uphold the rights of the people to express their views. Even now the world knows them
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cugan / August 23, 2022
Aragalaya asked for changes, not this back door spoiler, he took the advantage of Aragalaya, shame on this man people rejected him,he wants to cling the power, what sort of democracy is ,now doing the ground work to bring back the run away prez.
Funny country, he even not bothered to prosecute 56 days coup, he was partying with these lot.
VP should have fought for the whole country. He didnt run away, he sacrificed his whole family, Rohana Wijeweera begged to safe guards the siblings
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ReginaldShamalPerera / August 23, 2022
Naah……Sri Lankans (Sinhalese, Tamils and Burghers) are too weak for prolonged revolt. Just crush em and watch em succumb.
Muslims have no interest in the revolt other than waiting for some unintentional benefits. Just like during the war. They might even end up being supporters of Ranil/Rajapakse and the Police acting as bounty hunters or tipsters.
I am waiting for another minor aragalaya on a 9th of any month. But my bet is Ranil will unleash his powers and crush it violently. I said this here once and I will say it here once again. Sri Lankans do not have arms to defend themselves. Now you know why Americans believe in the right to carry a weapon.
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cugan / August 23, 2022
Regi
Sri Lankan means Sinhala Buddhist only not the Tamils nor burghers still chasing, you could see how the nation is divided and the cracks. Dont blame the Muslims too,the war was benefited by big sharks not defiantly the innocents
Looks like this guy not living in this pride land,how many shootings happening a day,we might higher than Americans, you lucky to live under white man shoes.
/
ReginaldShamalPerera / August 23, 2022
Cugan,
Can you write in English so we can read whatever the hell you are trying to say?
When it comes to the Americans carrying arms and the many shooting you pointed out, yes, there are shootings in America. But the destruction from them pails into comparison, when it comes to the destruction when a government goes mad.
A democracy is useless without an armed citizenry. If it is by the people and for the people, those same people must be armed to protect themselves against a corrupt government and a corrupt judiciary.
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Nathan / August 24, 2022
Reginald Shamal Perera,
Which language did Cugan use when you responded first.
Isn’t he using that same language again. Why make a big fuss now?
/
Ajay Sundara Devan / August 24, 2022
Grammatical errors pale in comparison [“pails into comparison”] to the unsoundness of the ideas conveyed.
/
SJ / August 25, 2022
ASD
A pot and kettle story?
/
N. Perera / August 26, 2022
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.
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/
RBH59 / August 24, 2022
ReginaldShamalPerera
Ranil will unleash his powers and crush it violently.
Yes you are correct this is to defend his dealings as aragala discloses them to
the public.
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Nathan / August 23, 2022
I haven’t read the article. Just the Title.
The absolute truth.
I should know. It was repression that created LTTE.
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Sinhala_Man / August 24, 2022
I did read it a couple of hours ago, Nathan, and I’ve come back here now.
.
Superficially, right now it looks as though the people have been cowed. We have to organise and fight back for our rights. Yes, it is the NPP/JVP that has to provide us with leadership.
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Harishchandra / August 23, 2022
Ranil is steering this country to a state of despondency, so that we the citizens will be in a shell-shock psyche, to enable his masters to sign the MCC agreement which was shelved during this low down scoundrels previous tenure as Prime Minister.
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SJ / August 25, 2022
H
The country was already doing it without Ranil’s help.
Would you have rather had the Field Marshall or the Maharaja’s adopted Prince to scold?
/
Mallaiyuran / August 24, 2022
Baby milk formula should have been distributed with QR code, quantity based on some kind of medical recommendation for the mother and the child. Evil Emperor’s Satanic Aanduwa distributed gas by QR code only to clear the street for press photographers. Sabukasganda is not able to produce Kerosene, properly. Local flights filling their jet kerosene from India. Rapist Navy and Air-force going to as far as Australia to fill up their tanks. Locally, the gas stations are complaining that they have no customers to sell their petroleum products. Media reporting that the Oil import cost, monthly $500M is now $230M and QR code system is saving for the country $270M. Come man……… Ok CT won’t allow me write all that in coming to my by this economist who claim that they have saved $270 a month with QR code and large quantity of gas and oil left in the petrol sheds with nobody allowed to buy it. For what the heck you the junk yard dogs took loan for 12% from China and bought these? What is the effect of this? The negative growth for predicted 4.5% at the start of the year now being predicted at 8%. Is this how the junk yard dog are reving the economy?
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paragon / August 24, 2022
MR.G(GOO)L(LOOSE MOTION)PEIRIS IS A POLITICAL PROSTITUTE TALK IN SUPPORT OF PTA When he holds minister position and go to UNHCR and support all actions of governments in power.Now he talks differently and says that PTA is being used to suppress anti government activities.SHAME MR.GILL PEIRIS.
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shankar / August 24, 2022
everything depends on the armed forces,not ranil.The army told gota to get out of the country and he did.Now if the army says he can come back then he can.The first protest the armed forces refused to quell was when there was 7 hour powercuts and people came out spontaneously and protested outside gota’s house in mirihena.Then the powercuts were brought back to 2 hours and the protest eruption subsided.Then when the second mass protest occurred when the people did not have fuel.gas and kerosene and they marched towards the presidents office.Then the army told gota to get out of the country and he did though he had wanted the protesters gassed and water cannoned.
so everything depends on the situation of shortages of essentials in the country.If the protests are spontaneous and not organised by anybody the armed forces will not get in the way if people are going through unbearable hardship.So as long as the queues are not thre and powercuts are reasonable then ranil can try repression.However if long queues are there he will also have to go.
I suggest that nobody try to organise protests.Let the people come out spontaneously if they face immense hardship.That way it will be a people’s uprising and you can’t kill all the people.
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old codger / August 25, 2022
Shankar,
“.Then the powercuts were brought back to 2 hours and the protest eruption subsided.”
You are right. The protests started off because of the shortages of everything, people were bothered about survival. Shortages were attributed to incompetent Rajapaksa leadership and corruption. When fuel, food, and power were restored, even at a price, the protesters went home. What passes as the Aragalaya now is something quite different.
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SJ / August 26, 2022
OC
You are right about “What passes as the Aragalaya now is something quite different.”
But the sentimental sorts live in a time warp.
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The A has to be, to unburden itself of undesirable influences ranging from externally funded NGOs to trigger happy adventurists.
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SJ / August 25, 2022
“Let the people come out spontaneously if they face immense hardship.That way it will be a people’s uprising and you can’t kill all the people.”
The farmers did when there was a shortage of fertilizer. It was much long after that the mistaken policy was correct, and causing severe losses.
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Mass mobilization without organization is not only difficult but also easily suppressed.
Political education is essential to overcome a whole lot of obstacles, including disinformation and dividing the people.
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SJ / August 25, 2022
…mistaken policy was corrected, and after causing severe losses.
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Native Vedda / August 25, 2022
Aragalaya should have read the little red book before they started what they considered to be their own brand of struggle. Future aspiring revolutionaries should listen to old Mao’s b***s carriers and then remain inactive.
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SJ / August 26, 2022
Did not the ball tell you that such texts are taboo to the NED’s agents for regime change.
Try polishing it or get the usual carrier to do it for you, gently without scratching.
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For sure, the A has learned the hard way, and to succeed will read better than you.
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shankar / August 26, 2022
SJ
farmers are only one segment of a population of 22 million.How many million farmers are there.I think if a million people come out onto the streets from all segments of the population then it will be difficult to kill a million people.When you organise a protest then the government is justified in arresting those organisers,but not through PTA which is ludicrous.If its spontaneous then the government can;t arrest legitimately.
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Peradeniya Critical Tradition / August 28, 2022
Whats the point in getting a million people onto the streets on one day? What will happen the next day,week and month? It will be like a baloon with no air!
What is important is political strategy to face the situation. Parties like the JVP, FSP leadership must know a thing or two about how to face the current situation? I am not saying protests should not be organised. They have a place and time. But the broader strategy to face mardanaya strategy and defeat Ranil’s aims should be the focus.
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Bert / August 24, 2022
This is a fraction of the inconvenience suffered by the population in the North and East for over 30 years, and not of those arrested or abducted have disappeared from face of the earth.
What confuses me is why the south is making a fuss about it which they collectively supported for 30 years.
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SJ / August 25, 2022
“What confuses me is why the south is making a fuss about it which they collectively supported for 30 years.”
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B, this is no defence of any wrong, but to say that it helps to try to understand another’s viewpoint.
The majority community was systematically told things that made them suspicious of the minorities. What did minority leaders do? They did the same about the majority.
Every possible bridge of communication was willfully destroyed. Every hand of friendship was cruelly rejected.
There was the single memorable instance when in 2002 the LTTE sent disaster relief to the South after severe flooding. It was most appreciated by the ordinary Sinhalese who contrasted the LTTE with their uncaring leaders. Had the gesture been sustained, that would have achieved far more than all the acts of terror of the LTTE.
But what happened instead was that the moneybags that fund the LTTE from Europe objected that they send money to fight the Singhalese not feed them. So ended what was the best ever diplomatic stroke by the LTTE.
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It will serve well to remember that what is going on is not just about the Sinhalese.
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Ajith / August 25, 2022
“B, this is no defence of any wrong, but to say that it helps to try to understand another’s viewpoint.”
“The majority community was systematically told things that made them suspicious of the minorities. What did minority leaders do? They did the same about the majority.
Every possible bridge of communication was willfully destroyed. Every hand of friendship was cruelly rejected.”
Who rejected Banda-Chelva fact? Is it LTTE?
Did LTTE fought against ordinary Sinhalese? There should be limit to spreading lies.
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SJ / August 27, 2022
“Did LTTE fought against ordinary Sinhalese? There should be limit to spreading lies.”
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The LTTE true to its nature attacked Muslims, attacked all political rivals and killed many leaders.
What were the various attacks listed by Champa about?
[List of LTTE atrocities against Sinhalese civilians:-
1. Kent farm massacre; 2. Dollar farm massacre; 3. Kokilai massacre; 4. Yal-Devi train massacre; 5. Jaya Siri Maha Bodhi massacre; 6. Air Lanka flight massacre; 7. Havelock Road massacre
8. Aluth Oya (Habarana) bus massacre
etc. etc.
One or two are in error but the rest give your claim the lie.
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Do you not realize that the FP’s anti-Sri campaign provided a strong pretext for those who campaigned against the B-C pact.
What Tamil leaders lacked was sensitivity to the feelings of the other.
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Paul / August 27, 2022
‘Did LTTE fought against ordinary Sinhalese? There should be limit to spreading lies.’
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Of course the LTTE did. Have you forgotten the massacres of villagers, the bombing of civilian targets, he murder of bus passengers?
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Is spreading lies acceptable if it doesn’t reach your limit? Just curious.
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N. Perera / August 26, 2022
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Paul / August 27, 2022
Wow SJ, I am most impressed. Your comments are always worth reading for their fairness and accuracy.
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Peradeniya Critical Tradition / August 28, 2022
Though correct, what can be gained by beating this criticism over and over again? Tamils in the north and east also face the same mardanaya today if they are part of aragalaya.
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Bert / August 24, 2022
“Thousands of people have disappeared in Sri Lanka since the 1980s. A 1999 study by the United Nations found that Sri Lanka had the second highest number of disappearances in the world and that 12,000 Sri Lankans had disappeared after being detained by the Sri Lankan security forces.[1] A few years earlier the Sri Lankan government had estimated that 17,000 people had disappeared.[1] In 2003 the Red Cross stated that it had received 20,000 complaints of disappearances during the Sri Lankan Civil War of which 9,000 had been resolved but the remaining 11,000 were still being investigated.[2]
Human rights groups such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Asian Human Rights Commission have documented many of the disappearances and attributed them to the Sri Lankan security forces, pro-government paramilitary groups” WEKIPEDIA
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Peradeniya Critical Tradition / August 28, 2022
Attention should be focused at this time about the anti-hegemonic, progressive agenda to counter Ranil’s agenda(IMF) and steer the country in a different direction by galvanising support from the margins for a common cause. Those who are living on the margins and affected by the current economic and political crisis are many including the farmers, fishermen, teachers, students, artists, and even professionals. Things can get more difficult with price increases, restructuing of state institutions, more corruption by politicians, spending on the renovation/rebuilding of politicians’ houses burned during aragalaya, maintaining a jumbo cabinet, further expenses of armed forces and the police(this will be essential to maintain a police state), and maintaining a set of advisors and consultants from the UNP, PJP etc. Naturally the people will rise against further hardships but giving leadership to future uprisings require careful planning, strategy, international relations, and even organising the diaspora as Sisira Gamanayake suggests in another article. If the capacity within the country is going to be limited by mardanaya, re-invigorating international activity for aragalaya – II is critical.
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