Sri Lanka has earned the dubious honour of becoming the only country in the world to see its Coronavirus infection numbers increase sharply after nearly five weeks of islandwide curfew and questions are being raised about if testing during the shutdown was largely confined to high risk persons and security personnel attached to the Presidential Security Division and the Prime Minister Security Division.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Colombo Telegraph learns that even though President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Office claims 21,000 tests have been conducted in Sri Lanka the truth behind the testing number is that most of these are repeat tests on security personnel attached to the PSD and officials coming into contact with the President and the Prime Minister on a daily basis.
President Rajapaksa suffers from a serious heart condition while Premier Rajapaksa has been showing signs of serious illness for over a year. Both men would be highly vulnerable if they contract the virus. As a result the Government has focused testing on the two top citizens and their immediate circles.
One week after the Government decided to lift the curfew in most districts and re opened public and private offices Sri Lanka’s infection numbers skyrocketed, registering an increase of about 300 new infections in less than a week. Sri Lanka Navy Personnel who were played key roles in transporting patients to quarantine centers.
Many of the naval personnel were sent on home leave without being tested for the coronavirus which has resulted in infection spreading even in districts that were previously considered low risk,
The militarization of the response to COVID19 under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s watch is being heavily criticized for the failure of the lockdown. Health professionals were sidelined while the military was put in charge of running the task force against corona virus. The military took the task on as if it was fighting a war. The approach seemed clinically efficient but medical experts says epidemiologically the experiment has been unsound. “It is much better for the health sector to lead the response rather than the military which has no medical training” observers said.
Lock-downs must be accompanied by widespread testing. The Sri Lankan Government locked the country down with a curfew but did not ramp up testing during the same period. Tests were largely restricted to narrow circles around infected persons and their contacts.
The first go to response to the crisis by President Gotabya Rajapaksa was to appoint Army Commander Shavendra Silva as the head of the Task Force to handle the crisis. Military Intelligence was utilized to go into details of persons who had returned from high risk countries and hound them as criminals. With the Pro-President media led by Derana and Hiru racially stigmatizing the victims of the disease the stage was set for the first catastrophe where patients rather than coming out with their symptoms hid in fear of the castigation.
The politicization of the response is seen everywhere. Entirely focused on obtaining the 2/3 majority in parliament it is now revealed that the government intentionally minimized testing in order to show lower numbers of infected people. Sri Lanka records one of the lowest numbers for testing across the world and the region. Despite having a robust healthcare service the country lags behind India Pakistan, Maldives and Bhutan for the number of tests done.
Colombo Telegraph learns that even among the 50,000 quarantined persons less than 20% have been tested for COVID 19. This was one reason why persons leaving quarantine centers after 14 days were testing positive 10 days after getting back to their homes.
None of the thousands of navy and Army personnel who were in charge of the movement of persons in and out of quarantine had been given the proper protective equipment or been tested regularly. (by Chamika Madiwake)
Rajash / May 1, 2020
Repeat testing on Rajapakse clan, the Maha Sangha, all yellow robed thugs and WHO is praising
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Helios / May 1, 2020
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leelagemalli / May 1, 2020
Privy council of MR-GR will ruin this country.
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Media has a pivotal role to play in the improvement of the awareness of the people.
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If not today when ? It is really sad the way, the brutal duo have beent turning their leadership to rule without a giving the DUE place to the parliament.
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Any country, a constitution is there to be respected by the leadership: If there is no such CONSTITUTIONS, there the people in such countries are highly educated and civlized people – best example is UK – even if their Brexit issue took that long… but there had been no such riots or the like seen in the UK If our country fell in such situation – ours would have mobbed on their rivals…. but calling themselves BUDDHISTS. ha haa..
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leelagemalli / May 1, 2020
all is under way to oppose the opposition forces whatever good they have to share with the ruling forces. They impose media sanctions to local media going beyond all ethics and morals. This is the reason why you guys cant read or view not many critiques on the web today, even if what their selfproclamations are filled with untruths about the steps being taken on the prevention of COVID 19- spread within the nation.
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Unfortunatley, as usual, whole lot of people would not care much about anything being said and done against OPPOSITION, because their brainwashing devices/tactics continue to feed them with otherway around. But untruths and their contents are no right. .. alone about reconvene of the parliament is written in the CONSTITUTIONAL paragraphs and world experts have warned the govt even weeks ahead of 30.04.2020. This is similar to the NAGA-Relics story planted in the media shortly before Presidential election. Remember ?
Today, not only GR-MR govt, but millitay plays a huge huge role in day today activities. I lately watched myself few telecasts and there I noticed whoever being called for panel sessionson the main high level media with in the country are 80% former millitary, navy or air force.
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leelagemalli / May 1, 2020
There are whole lot within research community (Microbiology, Medicine,Forensic Medicine) in Germany that hardly believe the current COVID crisis is a real crisis but it came in to being through politicians across the globe. And the info being on the air are more or less speculations since the scientific based conclusions are not yet made. And it can take another few years to compare it so that consistencies can be made on the COVID 19 virus.
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It is also right – that the patients that are picked by the treating doctors belong to the category of the focus today. So the information based on that – cant necessarily be used for the explorative analyses. That according them is totally wrong and misleading. However, a tiny portion of analyses are coming up from Germany these days – they have interviewed not just hand picked patients but random lot of patients in an area where ONSET was pronounced to be high.
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leelagemalli / May 1, 2020
In a country:
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Where Parlamentary sessions has turned out to be to “ad-hoch meetings”.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1Gwh9AY-Mo
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Media freedom has become ONLY to SLPP henchmen (Derana TV, Kudu TV and other tabloids)
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Rajapakshes have gone beyond today- WHY CANT THE GODS PUNISH THESE BPs ?
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leelagemalli / May 1, 2020
Need of the moment in Sri Lanka is to improve the levels of the knowledge in the society. Just now people being locked down, they have some additional time to think about their profile.
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We the outsiders see it that innocient, gullible people have been becoming the ploy of the predator media and political will. Poor or rich, urban or rural, the trend of becoming caught by tricks of anyone is growing rapidly . not all would consume drugs and alcohol, but unfortunatley, over 80% behave as if they are addicted.
By holding social experiments, revealing how they really think about anything can be informed to the rest of nation, how their think patterns have really been. Today, the danger before the people to be caught by media fraudsters and sinister political will is rapidly growing.
It has been revealed that whole lot of people today are easily caught by any tricks being played on them. Be it for vicious politician’s grab or highly abusive media paparasso, it has been becoming to appalling levels today. more of analayses about srilanken society, can open the eyes of the people. More information about them, can then help them to correct their mindsets. This can be done by interviewing people representing a cross section of the nation: This should be the prime duty of the main stream media, so that they can improve the nation’s common sense. But the evaluation should be made by University experts. If any media
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Nathan / May 1, 2020
Putting the military in charge of running the task force while sidelining our qualified Health professionals is having a telling impact on the entire population, for sure.
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Good Sense / May 1, 2020
There are positive and negative virtues in dragging the military here. It appears that the whole thing is under the military jack-boot. On the other hand certain quick responses required could only have come up under a military involvement. No person who were in the care of the military, say during quarantine, has ever said something bad about them and on the contrary they said all concerned whether it was military or the health workers did really care for them. I would separate certain callous broadcasts of the media out of this and would not put two and two together. I think we should look at the big picture. So far there has been no allegations against the military for using a gun or a threatening people. Military personnel, especially the Naval persons have assisted in this operation and got themselves infected in a large scale and others in small numbers. I have commented elsewhere of the need to change the strategy in managing this infection and that is important for us to get out of this mess.
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leelagemalli / May 1, 2020
Good sense@
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Only far weaker nations would pass it to millitary – because such states find it difficult to control it by themselves. GR-MR -rule has proved it to the world that their govt is incapable of controlling it by themselves and that is the reason why they made such decisions.
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Like minded weaker would be – Zimbabwe, Tahiti, Angola, Uganda, Ruwanda, Swaziland or the like.
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If the GOVT itself, made efforts do the job, things would have been PAINTED as BROTHER DUO are the real leaders – in DEMOCRATIC world… else, give us one single reason these both to have done their job to be praised with WOW effect ..
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These brother DUO would not think twice before going to do anything.. we know how the bitch’s son acted prior to 2015
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-BBS and other under world men were arranged to attack those muslim minorities, thinking that would be nothing but an event for them to score bonuses from the majority extremists and racists forces in the south.
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Each time prior to UNHRC sessions, as former PRESIDENT SIRISENA made it very clear, Rajapakshes forces made every effort to arrange groups of mobs attacking on the muslims in Kandy areas (these were caught by the police, but investgations were blocked because Rajapakshes are mlechcha by their genetics)
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Native Vedda / May 1, 2020
CT
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“Colombo Telegraph learns that even among the 50,000 quarantined persons less than 20% have been tested for COVID 19. “
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Seriously did anyone believe those who were quarantined were based on sound medical reason given that the entire operation is being run by veteran war criminals?
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Did anyone note down the details of those went inside the quarantine (boot) camps? Did anyone record the details of those who were released? Remember the army refuses to give the names and details of those who surrendered to the forces before May 2009 and still refuses to give details of those who were released from internment camps.
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Does the government have any obligation to report the actual body count?
The elections are around the corner hence Gota wants to good look in the eyes of the stupid voters, by reducing the total number of deaths. The body bags come handy.
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leelagemalli / May 1, 2020
Dear NATIVE,
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Rajapakshes did not focus on lot more tests – that was not connected with anything like lack of capacity.
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Experts in the area had already shared that over 1200 test/day could be done, if they collectively started it.
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This information was 4 weeks ago. Meaning by today, they should have increased the test up to the total of 28 x 1200 = 33600
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How many tests they have been able to perform sofar -not even 20 000
Nepal is a country with 900 US as their per capita has already performed a total of 58,871 (meaning nearly 3 times more) with not single death is reported in Nepal yet.
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Nepal is also a country in the region with both kind of WEATHERs (Winter and Summer temperature)
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Vietnam with its nearly 97 millions of population – being a border country has managed it without any single death reported sofar, and a total of tests performed sofar is 261 000. Can you imagine ?
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Srilanken ballige puthas thought, if more tests would have been done, more patients would be revealed. .. then that woudl stand on their way to go for a general election. Brother DUO elected by punnaku eaters wanted to fish in muddy waters no matter, people s lifes would have been thrown in dangers. – now CAUGHT red handed or not ?
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rj1952 / May 1, 2020
This article clearly states that the crooked criminal by forcing gannakaraya gangster merry less and might less rajapuka clan are god’s gift to the world.
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All those who associate with these rotters primarily the security officers the government servants and the other ordinary Ran Bandsa’s along with the menike’s had a torrid time if and when they get close to these pariah’s, the world’s most hated human beasts.
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Whatever they think and should be primarily accepted by the sad sorry people who by an unfortunate birth have nowhere else to go and have to haplessly live amidst much suffering which includes starvation, no money as no work due to unwarranted hours of curfew.
Most of the poor folk due to their political affiliations to the wrong parties have been with purpose not to receive the much-valued SLR. 5,000.00 which if given would enable them to live like kings and almost all the royal families scattered around the many parts of the world would be jealous of.
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As sad shitty sorry Lanka has automatically made a military junta of a state the members of the armed forces and the police will be given extra benefits perks and their health will be very well cared for as they will be needed for a rainy day.?
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the gentry of peasants will have to look after themselves as the rajapuka led government does not care for them and their value will be sought only when the general elections get close.
After the poll, it is back to the same sad story of who gives a tuppence and two hoots for the less fortunate 99.4% who live in this rajapuka made hellhole.
in absolute sadness, R. J.
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a14455 / May 1, 2020
seriously . Sri Lanka has a death rate of 0.3 per million .
USA has 193
Germany has 79
France has 373.
These ungrateful monkeys can imagine what it would have been under the previous govt, ?
Yes, service members get infected but this is not the only place where people in camps get infected.
I can’t imagine what it would have been with the jada palanaya.
Sri Lanka has been an unreserved success. but these guys can’t stand it.
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Helios / May 1, 2020
It is a sad fact a14455, that coward paranghi bastards throwing stones from behind rubber stumps on stolen lands they currently occupy would stoop to any level to undermine us and our 3000 year old civilisation.-
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It is extremely important that we trace these fifth columnists and wipe them out, just like our forces are doing with the dreaded corona virus.
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Don’t you think?
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a14455 / May 1, 2020
Exactly ..
Anything to cover their loss. Anything to bring Sri Lanka down. If numbers don’t back them make them up like the 40000 deaths. lol
They hope their white masters will bail them out. But unfortunately, white masters have failed themselves. they are falling down dead like files.
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Mallaiyuran / May 2, 2020
It is extremely important that we trace these fifth columnists and wipe them out, You are not fighting Covid-19. But it seems you are doing only what you are wishing to do..
Today two people died in Northern internment camp (which is told to Colombo media by Rapist Army and Police as isolation Camps) with final stage of Corona. They were picked up from Colombo steers with systems of Corona virus. There is no reason they got transferred to Northern internment camp, other than Rapist Army was hoping them to use instead Swiss Pastor to spread virus. The hospitals in North have no capacity to treat this disease. Rapist Police have so far arrested 40,000 people from the Lankawe streets. They were not sent any Northern internment Camps or isolation camps in South. Now these two persons from Colombo streets died in North without medical treatment but under the strong hold of Rapist Army Jackboot. Dirty Aanduwa did not add them to any statistics. They are added only to Rapist Army Zero casualty. These could be upcountry Tamils wandering Colombo streets without any means to return for their hill side homes. Certainly, after this curfew is over, all over the Lankawe many families going to look for their loved ones. They may never come to know that you have successfully crushed your entire firth, sixth, Infinity columns.
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Native Vedda / May 1, 2020
a14455
“Sri Lanka has been an unreserved success.”
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Not so fast.
Unfortunately we will have to bring in investigators from abroad. Gota and his goons have a real problem with simple arithmetics, as it took more than 10 years for them to count the number of victims of the war, albeit understated
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leelagemalli / May 1, 2020
Dont mislead the readers, even if other health problems/epidermies could be measured by the number of deaths/million of each population – just not having onset the disease in far Poor Afro and Asian COUNTRIES for various unknown reasons, the rates is seen very low. That dont necessarily say, that those countries have contained the virus from spread.
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This BP an another Rajapakshe back licker has been trying to mislead the nation only by looking at the numbers where no death rates are reported sofar.
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Just imagine, a country such as NEPAL with lower per capita – 990 US have controlled it with no death sofar, but ballige puthas led srilankas with 4000 per capita score 7 death sofar.. and the two countries from the levels of their TEST performances – Nepal has done it over 70 000 while our balligeputhas restrict only to 18000 sofar… can you imagine ?-
””############################
For your note I have also add the list of all for values, what matters is how many o fthe patients recovered sofar.. since EU countries and their death rates are connected with the infection of the elderly people. Most of those countries are real masters in health control and services in general. UK is not able to estimate those numbers meaning not that UK is out of control.
Infected Total Recovered Death per Mio Remained unrecovered
USA
1,095,304 875,696 193 6,391,887
Spain
239,639 77,112 525 1,455,306
Italy
205,463 101,551 463 1,979,217
UK
171,253 144,138 394 901,905
France
167,178 93,326 373 724,574
Germany
163,009 32,886 79 2,547,052
Turkey
120,204 68,144 38 1,033,617
Russia
106,498 93,806 7 3,490,000
Iran
94,640 13,509 72 463,295
Brazil
87,187 45,246 28 339,552
China
82,874 599 3
Canada
53,236 28,629 84 806,449
Belgium
48,519 29,349 655 237,963
Netherlands
39,316 34,271 280 219,744
Peru
36,976 25,520 32 318,252
India
35,043 24,821 0.8 902,654
Switzerland
29,586 4,449 201 266,200
Portugal
25,045 22,537 97 395,771
Ecuador
24,934 22,476 51 69,054
Saudi Arabia
22,753 19,428 5 200,000
Sweden
21,092 17,501 256 119,500
Ireland
20,612 5,994 250 153,954
Mexico
19,224 5,942 14 81,912
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a14455 / May 2, 2020
Leelageballi
So you try to find something wrong in the numbers and post a lot of BS to cover up your nakedness.
What a joke man
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Native Vedda / May 2, 2020
a14455
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“What a joke man”
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Aren’t you laughing?
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leelagemalli / May 2, 2020
a144555555@
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What is wrong in my information ?-
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You the kind of idiots with WEERAWANSE style mentality appearantly cant see it beyond.
Is that my problem ?
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Worldometer from Johnhopskin University reveals everything about the statistics.
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The fact is ballige putha Rajapakshes failed to block the INFECTed entering into the country.
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Consequence is UNLIKE other ISLAND nations, Bp LED Srilanka thanks to BPs, are caught by unexpected LOCKDOWNS and Curfews.
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At least today, you the bitchs sons should be clear that people are in a problem today, because of the stupid GOVT. basta.
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Ari / May 1, 2020
You do not seem to know the difference between lock-down and curfew, the countries you have listed never imposed a curfew! India, a country which also imposed curfew like in Sri Lanka to control the Wuhan virus, has a death rate of 0.09 per million, so what do you say to that!
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leelagemalli / May 1, 2020
Lock down –
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a situation in which people are not allowed to enter or leave a building or area freely because of an emergency:
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Curfew:
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a rule that everyone must stay at home between particular times, usually at night, especially during a war or a period of political trouble:
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Lankens have chosen imposing curfew because that is the easiest way to control uncivlized people. And it has been passed on the shoulder of TRI-FORCES… as a dictatorship would react.
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I think the CURRENT govt is abusing there power not knowing NOT respecting the CONSTITUIONAL provisions for which the buggers have sworn in before a big crowd.
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a14455 / May 1, 2020
its not a big deal. at the end of the day if you care for your fellow citizens you stay home. if not you act like a covidiot,
in Europe they required passes to go out under a lockdown. What difference does it make?
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Native Vedda / May 2, 2020
a14455
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“in Europe they required passes to go out under a lockdown. What difference does it make?”
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In Europe there is strenuous effort to make its citizen’s life better while here the crooks and their cronies mostly their b***s carriers focussed on bettering their own life. In Europe the state, the medical profession, academics, … privately owned labs are working very hard to discover new medicines, new way of treating the patients, ….. while Gota and his goons sitting in their high table pronouncing new spins to show them in good light as part of the election campaign.
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Except gloating their imagined past and hollowed war victory asses have nothing to claim as theirs. Asses never get anything right anyway or discover anything for themselves leave alone the entire humanity. Has the asses invented anything new?
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Forget Europe and USA, you should be put on compulsory self isolation or socially distanced, preferably in Shavendra Silva discovered island, Palative.
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srikrish / May 1, 2020
It is an axiom that the military should have been always under civilian administration even under war.
It would have been much better if the entire process was spearheaded by civilian administration with Health professionals playing a leading role.
The Security forces should have been brought in to assist, may be in a big way
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Buddhist1 / May 1, 2020
The sad part is Sri Lankan voters are like cattle follow blindly one person without seeing if there are any other alternatives other than Rajapakses. Take the candidates who are going to contest the next general election under Pohottuwa, most of them have pending cases in courts or have been punished by the courts in the past for illegal acts. Similarly look at the advisors around the President including their secretaries, at least 90% of them have pending cases or have been punished by the courts in the past. Still due to cattle mentality of the voters the Rajapakses are popular. In no other country in the world we see this phenomenon.
Today we see another wave, the religious thuggery. It started with Mahasanga and now has moved to the Catholic sect of the country. Catholics are today instigated by Cardinal who prays to Mahinda Rajapakse more than Jesus Christ. Who is this Cardinal, he was not elected by the Catholics in SL, but by the Pope who himself is the head of a foreign country – Vatican. This places Cardinal as a Foreign Agent. The so called Deshapremies who always shout about foreigners holding high posts have forgotten that Cardinal is a foreign agent and Basil is a US Citizen. In fact, there is a big question re> the US Citizenship of Gotabaya, as Mahinda Deshapriya did not ask the US High commission’s opinion if Gota’s surrendering US Citizenship was officially accepted by the US Govt. Even the document presented by Gota clearly shows that the document (which has 2 dates on it) was issued on a date which was before the date of his taking oath. This can be seen on the dates indicated on the top right hand and the bottom of the document.
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a14455 / May 1, 2020
Sad part is that you realize the average Sri Lankan will not vote for your favorite UNP ..
So you have no choice but to bitch and moan.
period
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Ashan / May 1, 2020
Even during the time of a health crisis, the privileged few, those who are in the president’s inner circle, gets preferential treatment, or in this case, testing.
What about other Sri Lankans, especially the front line medical staff, medics, police, army, navy, and all those helping sick people?
Putting on a false front to cover up a mess does not work. The truth always comes out eventually.
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Ajith / May 1, 2020
Ashan,
This country belong to Mahinda family (and China) only. This is a state similar to North Korea/Myanmar. It appears like a democratic state but in fact it is a military state. In this context, Srilankans of all those who vote against Mahinda Family whether it is military or minorities or majority community they are not considered as Srilankans. Even the navy personal who got the corona must be UNP supporters or poor Sinhalese..
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Lasantha Pethiyagoda / May 1, 2020
When considering that most polymerase chain reaction tests are being conducted on people who come into close contact with the president and prime minister on a daily basis, one can be glad that rulers for once feel very vulnerable once again, as they sacrifice the people at the altar of power. It is important for the rulers who would otherwise act with impunity to feel the human frailties and vulnerability that they choose to ignore when it happens to be ordinary people whose lives are at risk. I’m sure in more developed societies, royals and state leaders like Charles and Boris (for example) bravely underwent the covid-19 infection and are perhaps seen as heroes compared to the cowards in SL who will soil their pants if they whiff even a remote sneeze or cough.
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Mallaiyuran / May 2, 2020
All societies, West/East or rich/poor or Left/Right all are facing four problems, (1)Covid-19 and Covid-19 induced (2) job loss and (3)food shortage (4) heart aching lock down. As (5) one, Lankawe politicians are bothering the mass with their election commotion. Sadly North is stuck with its (6): The Rapist Army and police brutality. Yesterday Rapist police attempted to hijack vehicle parked at home falsely claiming it was used for Sand theft. But the actual sand thieves are EPDP acolytes. They work with rapist police as paramilitary troops. If the Rapist Police had not caught the vehicle red-handed they need a Judge order to posses the vehicle. The women at the home resisted police removing the vehicle. Rapist police beat them and threatened that they would plant drug in their house and mass arrest all of them. Then is the late night Rapist police went to the house again beat up the women and now the women are in hospital and one young is in comma too. Another two were taking lunch for one of them in the hospital. Rapist police arrest them, no reason.
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