By Jayantha Gunasekera –
My attention has been drawn to a convoluted analysis of my article which appeared in the Daily News of 13.8.2013.. This analysis has been placed on the website by one Dayan Jayatillake.
Jayantha is no pseudonym. I am available in flesh and blood if Dayan wants to meet me. To introduce myself, I am a President’s Counsel appointed by the J R Jayawardene Govt, 25 years ago (in 1988), and a former elected Secretary of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka. I received my primary and secondary education at Royal College, Colombo and have as my classmates many Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and Burghers. Two of my Tamils classmates are Chelvanayagam Vasiharan a maths prodigy ( son of S J V Chelvanayagam the TULF leader) and Kumar Ponnambalam (son of G G Ponnambalam QC the Leader of the Tamil Congress). We are a very close knit group of friends.
A Tamil boy stripped naked and later beaten to death by Sinhala youth in Boralla bustation |pic by Chandraguptha Amarasingha
I have not entertained communal feelings nor do I expect others to act on communal lines. I am only against the LTTE and the LTTE Diaspora who have made our lives a misery for 30 years.
No right thinking Sri Lankan will sympathise with the LTTE Diaspora who have done and continue to do much harm to our country. They extracted money from innocent Tamils and supplied weapons to Prabha’s “boys”, to kill innocent Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims. They set the economy back by at least 25 years and all Sri Lankans are suffering the consequences. They continue to extract money from the Tamils.
At the drop of a hat, the TNA runs to the Western countries for instructions from the Tamil Diaspora. According to the Former Army Commander they are right now in Canada where the LTTE is very active and the PM is blindly siding them against the Sri Lanka Govt. They would also meet US State Dept officials.
No Sri Lankan has any regard for sympathizers of the LTTE Diaspora. They, according to the US Country Report 2011/2012, are in the process of procuring weapons. These weapons are procured not to have as toys, but to restart violence here.
I have by my article attempted to convey that it would be dangerous to have another set of people categorized as the Provincial Police Force, over whose conduct the Central Govt may not have control. Eventually this will lead to a division of the country, which we are all trying to prevent. The State will be duty bound to respond to such an uprising.
The purpose of my article is to prevent some communities from electioneering on communal lines, and fall a prey to LTTE Diaspora machinations. Electioneering on communal lines may harden the attitude of other communities. At least 4 years after the war, we must learn to live as Sri Lankans.
I do not entertain any ill feelings towards Dayan. I have never set eyes on him.
I still maintain that the whole country should be consulted by a REFERENDUM before granting Police and Land Powers to Provincial Councils.
A regime change cannot be achieved by personal attacks on authors of articles, who express views against the LTTE Diaspora. Each one is entitled to express one’s point of view.
Sammy / August 16, 2013
Be that as it may, the fact remains that all these issues had cropped up because of the callous neglect of the issues of the Tamils and other minorities by successive governments since Independence due to lack of foresight. However, the acts of such terrorists groups as the LTTE is to be condemned forthright.
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Deshapriya / August 16, 2013
“one Dayan Jayatillake”????
Ayyo! As a President’s Counsel, as an informed citizen of Sri Lanka, shouldn’t you know who Dayan Jayatilleka is? after all he was our representative to the UN and he did mastermind some crucial diplomatic campaigns that saved our hides when we were fighting the LTTE you so hate. As the master editor of the regime rag you really should know these people.
I am sorry sir but your pathetic response completely misses the point. First, neither you nor your article are in a position to “prevent some communities from electioneering on communal lines”. As a journalist you can inform and debate but no prevent. Second, how do you propose to do this? Dayan Jayatilleka, in his article, postulates that you are doing so by implicitly threatening violence against the Colombo Tamil community, holding them hostage against the actions of the TNA. You fail to provide any evidence to the contrary.
Yes I agree that the LTTE is an abomination and the Diaspora is hell bent on separatism, so you threaten the only group of Tamils mostly on our side with death?
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Lankan Firdy / August 18, 2013
I thought Royalists had some ‘calibre’ !!!
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aratai / August 16, 2013
.
Since 1948-1976, Srilanka had problems and was going downwards. There was no LTTE during this time.
From 1976-2009, during LTTE period, Srilanka went further downwards.
No one to blame but people like you who were against any devolution of power.
If you look at any developed country, they have states, regions, provinces governments and policing is under municipal government.
Please wake up, otherwise we will continue our downfall.
:-)
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Thiru / August 16, 2013
aratai,
Well said, but will it get into thick skins and frozen heads?
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Vidura S / August 16, 2013
Must be some grumpy old guy wanting some attention. Sounds one of those old school racist. Dude just because you were in the same class as some Tamils that doesn’t make you some blue eyed liberal. Get a life. Go to a temple and meditate or think of the afterlife. The likes of you have ruined this country for generations. Dayan Jayathilake is no saint but that guy could at least formulate an argument.
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Thiru / August 16, 2013
This is stereotype majoritarian thinking: He doesn’t say why or how LTTE came into existence. He ignores all the atrocities, discrimination and injustices that were heaped on Tamils before 2003. LTTE was the result of the cumulative undemocratic actions of the Sinhala Buddhist state.
Simply putting the blame on the LTTE and the Diaspora is a cunning way of twisting history. One doesn’t have to go to the Royal College to disseminate distorted propaganda.
Communal anti-Tamil politics was started by the Sinhala ruling elite from the word go at independence.
He doesn’t say a word about the anti-minority activities going on now aided and abetted by the rulers.
He is simply echoing the regime’s thinking, nothing else.
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K.A Sumanasekera / August 16, 2013
The great majority of the inhabitant population have the same feeling and the same fear that you have about the TNA and the Diaspora.
These inhabitants will never throw out this Govt in an Election.if the current peace and harmony conrtinue hand in hand with the rapid Infrastructure and Economic deveopment.
Desperate and pathetic Opposition knows it.
That is why they are hell bent on creating chaos,
Inciting inhabitants againt other religions has become more rampant now, with the aim of getting the Diaspora IC involved,
UNP which is supposed to be the premium party , wants their White mates on the ground in the North to help the TNA win the Election as well to investigate Weliveriya.
And the scumbags among the Uni Staff and in the BASL are behind the UNP big time.
Never mind the LTTE proxy Sambandan visiting his Diaspora mates in Canada with his Colombo Deputy.
What about the four Dons out of the 12 invitees going to meet British Tiger Reverand Emmanuel at the invitation of the TGTE affiliate the BTF?.
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Peace Lover / August 16, 2013
ado Leela you say “These inhabitants will never throw out this Govt in an Election.if the current peace and harmony conrtinue hand in hand with the rapid Infrastructure and Economic deveopment”
so weliweriya and grandpass are peace and harmony in your mind huh…..well if thats the case the sinhala buddhist wont ned ousiders to destroy themselves as they are doing the job themselves and bloody good at that too hahahahah!
enjoy the weekend leela of lee potter scam alias k a sumansekera and keep fantasising about your wild theories ;-)
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RajasH / August 16, 2013
Your opinion piece in the Daily News is perhaps used by Sinhala hardliners to propagate racial hatred and even a repeat of July 1983.
Now if you say that you have been misinterpreted then you have failed to articulate your points clearly. This is a dangerous game. Similar to Ministers and GoSL not condemning the recent attacks all over the Island on Hindu. Moslem and Christian places of worship.
I read your opinion piece and got the same impression as every one else that the piece is aimed as a threat to the Tamils.
You are again here making statements like LTTE diaspora are on arms buying spree and you are implying that the TNA is there n Canada to ensure the shipments of these to the NE
In my opinion you are either a racist or a poor writer.
Having high flying Tamils as your friends or having served for JR does not qualify you for anything.
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Anpu / August 16, 2013
Mr Gunasekara – LTTE did that… LTTE Diaspora is doing…
What Mahinda Rajpakse family DOING NOW and the past PM and Presidents did to the TAMILS?
LTTE and Tamil diaspora came into existence because of the Sinhalease LEADERS.
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Anpu / August 16, 2013
Mr Gunasekara – What is the current situation Sri Lanka?
According to
http://www.fluechtlingshilfe.ch/sri-lanka-current-situation-update
“In 2012, the Sri Lankan government made a determined effort to give the impression of a return to normality following decades of civil war. In order to do this, it announced in particular the closure of the largest camp for displaced persons, as well as their resettlement. At a dazzling pace vast areas were declared demined. Among those retained in rehabilitation camps, a very large number has been released. In the North, reconstruction is progressing rapidly. Work is especially focused on infrastructure. The A9 road crossing the Vanni region to Jaffna is completed; other roads are being repaired or are under construction.
However the conflict and its causes have not been analysed in depth. The authorities deny any involvement of the army in war crimes. A reconciliation commission assembled by President Mahinda Rajapaksa has indeed adopted recommendations in a comprehensive report. However these recommendations are only implemented to the extent at which they do not challenge current power relations, or the government’s point of view.
The president has made sure that his family occupy key positions in the government.1 On the other hand, the rights of the population are more and more constrained, in particular in the North of the country. Tamils, the opposition, journalists and human rights activists are subjected to surveillance and threats from the government.
Justice is not independent and criminals remain unpunished. Government
security forces and paramilitary groups associated with them kidnap, arrest and torture presumed enemies of the State.
This update is a follow-up on the previous 2010 update and the 2011 special report. Alongside publicly accessible sources, it is based on research carried out in the field by the Swiss Refugee Council during the autumn 2012 fact finding mission.2″
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RajasH / August 16, 2013
K.A.Sumanasekara – the more you post on these forums the more you make your self an idiot
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Peace Lover / August 16, 2013
some people have a fetish to be put down and laughed at by others and some people like to get hit and have pain its a psychological and psychiatric contdition and K A Sumanasekera ( Leela of Lee potter) fits that bill!
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Anpu / August 16, 2013
Mr Gunasekara
In case you have not noticed
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/blackmailing-the-tamils-rejoinder-to-jayantha-gunasekara-pc/
Thanks DJ.
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Fathima Furzana / August 16, 2013
When another Black July happens all Tamil businesses, schools, houses, shops, etc. in Colombo will go to Muslims and Sinhalese free of charge and wipe out Tamils from Colombo.
For that reason we should avoid that. :)
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Senguttuvan / August 16, 2013
As someone neutral in this tiff between M/s. Jayatilake and Gunasekera – and more so as a Tamil – if the latter intended or not, there is sufficient room in his article to believe this is a veiled threat to Tamils of a repeat of 7/83 in the event of a TNA victory in the upcoming polls in the North Sept 21. What Mr G does, in other words, is try to unduly use pressure the Tamil voters from voting the TNA in. This may have been inspired by sources close to the regime upon Mr G or on his own volition. It may prove to be intended as badly needed ammunition for the new extreme rabid racialists like the BBS and the various new Senas and Ravayas that the Tamils, their businesses and properties are due for another “picking” soon.
The liberal democracies in the West place much emphasis in the right of Free Speech and Expression. While they did take action to ban the LTTE on certain issues it may be remembered those sources alleged to be identified with some aspects of LTTE doctrine in the USA, Britian and the EU continue to function in those countries even today – and,
arguably, have increasing sympathy now of these governments to the plight of the Tamil Nation in Sri Lanka – whose demand of many years remain virtually ignored by the Rajapakses (in a way there is no government in the country now. It is only a family running “the business”) despite the counselling of these countries to be fair by the Tamils. If the Rajapakses and Mangala Samaraweera and friends can surreptitiously hobbknob with Prabakaran, Balasingham and the LTTE at the height of “the War” what is wrong in the TNA men, now visiting the US, talking to the TGTE openly? Of course, they can be harassed and
questioned by our infamous intelligence agencies on their return but this will be at the expense of both local and international condemnation – a step Mr Kamlesh Sharma, said to be a special friend of the regime, might describe as conforming to “high Commonwealth Principles”
Senguttuvan
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Jim softy / August 16, 2013
“Dr Dayan Jayatilleka was Chairperson/Rapporteur of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Effective Implementation of the United Nations’ Durban Declaration & Programme of Action against Racism, Racial Intolerance, Xenophobia and Related Forms of Intolerance.”
The problem is Dr Dayan Jayathilake sees himself as a Saviour to tamils. In his life he had some luck because of that he got this concept in his mind.
So, he is trying to bully Sri Lanka. He is simply propagating western concepts (see above his introduction) to protect the western system at the expense of regional minorities. People behind these are crusade warriors, former colonial masters and neo-colonial masters. Dayan Jayathilake thinks he is the chosen saviour.
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