By Sharmini Serasinghe –
Sharmini Serasinghe
“United we stand, divided we fall“- Aesop
I am sick, tired and bloody fed up of reading and listening to pessimistic tales of woe on the unprecedented crisis we and our country are facing at this dark moment in time. I am also fed up to the back teeth with reading and listening to lamentations of what should have and could have been done. This in my opinion is sheer stupidity, a waste of time and energy. What has been done has been done dusted and finished. We cannot return to the past and undo it. Period!
Instead, look at what needs to be done and can be done, NOW. We the voting public are collectively responsible for the state our country is in today. Why? Because we all foolishly placed our trust in the dregs in politics to represent us and administer our country!
They have all collectively or not, irrespective of political parties, kicked us all in our faces and let our country down in the most degrading and deplorable ways possible. So stop pointing fingers at the follies you voted for and point it at yourself instead. They did this to our country because we let them. We have looked up and spat on our own faces.
Where are all those closet patriots who stand tall and proud for our national anthem and flag? Where are all those ‘patriotic’ thugs who in recent times were proudly shouting themselves hoarse claiming to be decedents of a lion with ‘Sinha Le’ running through their veins? Have they all returned to the wilderness with their tails between the legs? Where are those ‘nationalists’ in saffron robes and their cohorts, who ran amok to ‘protect’ our motherland from the Other? Where are our apathetic and freeloading Mahanayakes? Have they all swallowed their tongues? Where are those who claim, “I’m proud to call myself a Sri Lankan”? Where is your patriotic “pride” now?
I’m tempted to tell you all where exactly you can take your hypocritical claims and shove it!
We Sri Lankans shamelessly stand naked in the eyes of the world today with our stark lack of patriotism and cowardliness displayed for all to see, through our collective inaction in the face of a crisis our country has never known before and is facing today. We have proved to the world that we are nothing but a selfish nation of weak-minded, spineless and witless weaklings- an utter disgrace to our so called 2500 year-old history. Shame on you Sri Lankans! Is this how you want your future generations to remember you? Is this the legacy you want to leave for your country?
Today, our country stands as a Democracy in name only- an epitome of a tragic failed state – making a mockery of Democracy and all what it upholds. The need of the hour is to reclaim our self-respect as Sri Lankans, show the world what we are made of by showing the door to all those politicians responsible for plunging our country into this disgraceful, repugnant and pathetic hole. This is the only way possible to save our country because the responsibility lies with us and us alone. The status quo is an indictment on us the citizens of Sri Lanka, not the political leaders we elected because they represent us. Hence we must do it ourselves!
What our country so desperately needs right now is for all its people to rise collectively but peacefully, put their shoulders to the wheel and support the few civic minded amongst us who still believe in our country and the freedom of its people. We are few and far between. Our solitary battle on behalf of our country and her people has left us tired and worn out but, we will not give up on our motherland until our last breath leaves us. But, we cannot do it alone anymore. We need you Sri Lankans to stand with us en masse for a common cause- to save our Sri Lanka. Do you Sri Lankans got what it takes to do it?
Dear Mahanayakes of all the nikayas in Sri Lanka, the time has come for you to rise from your slumber, get out of your comfort zones, take to the streets and mobilise the masses peacefully to save our country or else, you will go down in history as cowards and traitors of Sri Lanka you so proudly regard as “Buddhist Sri Lanka”. It’s your call NOW!
Taraki / November 12, 2018
Paragraph four she is critical – ‘Where are our apathetic and freeloading Mahanayakes?……..I’m tempted to tell you all where exactly you can take your hypocritical claims and shove it!’
Paragraph eight she is respectful – ‘Dear Mahanayakes of all the nikayas in Sri Lanka, the time has come for you to rise from your slumber..’
Make up your mind. Do you want monks involved in Politics or don’t you, or only when it suits you?
In any case there will never be public mobilisation. Why? Because there is nothing new here. The public have been through all these political machinations many times before, when Mrs B illegally extended her power by two years, when the UNP cancelled a General Election so that they could win a corrupt referendum etc etc
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Native Vedda / November 13, 2018
Taraki
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“In any case there will never be public mobilisation. Why? Because there is nothing new here. “
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There has always been a time lag between what is happening elsewhere in rest of the world and this stupid land. –
Things could change overnight.
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Hamlet / November 13, 2018
When One listens to the Dhamma Desana at most Sri Lankan Temples, One is left Wondering what happened to the Buddha’s Teaching, the Dhamma?
I believe that Hamuduruvos are trying to keep Dayakas Happy, by performing the Rituals that bring the Benefits, that Other Religions Promise. It does not matter if One does not understand the Suttas, as long as they are chanted in the Sinhala Way. The Chanting is what brings the Greatest Benefit.
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kali / November 12, 2018
I wanted to expalin everything in the same comment but have to do it in two stages. because of CTs 300 word limit.
I am amazed at the level of ignorance by many including the so called intellectuals. Laksri the Pretender wasted his energy by writing about Sepeartion of Powers and he may be he wanted to tell everyone what he knows about Seperation Of Powers and the samething with the LSSP learder who talked about foreign cospiracy. Frankly there is none and only Indian Conspiracy.
Let me expalin as to what I mean by India owning the Freehold.
1) India is surrounded by China from Pakistan Nepal to Bangladesh and China has a policy of bribing Nations to take a foothold. There is not much India can do in those countries .
2) But Sri Lanka is different for a number of reasons. a) Indias armament Industry is in the South , Tank Factory in Avadi Tamil Nadu, Aeronautics in Bamgalore. If China gains foothold in Sri Lanka she can threaten those vital industries or eavesdrop and this is what China wants to do. If that happens India might as well surrender to China and wave the Soldeiers in through Bangladesh Pakistan and Nepal why wait. untill China installs Missiles in Sri Lanka next to MRs mansion.
3) China saw MR as a useful ally because of his Greed for money and lust for Power and MR was rewarded with billions.
4) So the question is how did the Freehold Ownership fall into tne hands of India . It is by what I call ADVERSE Possession thhought her PROXIMITY , SECURITY CONCERNS threatening her SURVIVAL
Dont forget India has total Jurisdiction. RW can work with India and you cant blame him for being a stooge but does Sri Lanka have any other chioce.
MR at the helm will be a total DISASTER.
God save Sri Lanka.
In Shaminis words RISE up to REALITY.
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / November 13, 2018
Dear Kali
I accept your analysis with regard to Indian insecurity issue. But we can not allow any Nations involvement in our internal matters is what we have learned through the miserable war? Per se Sri Lankan insecurity issues can not become nor can we make that to be an Indian problems can we?
We can not normalise the fact whoever armed our children (including the armed forces) and made us all fight each other is an acceptable behaviour and this is nothing but a State Sponsored Terrorism. We have not had peace time for the past 70 years to even draft a reasonable ‘Foreign Policy’ as India’s said behaviour above was intially due to JR’s foreign policy shift then (1977 but the TN politiians started the game since 1970??) towards the West (as India was in the USSR block then) now is due to MR foreign policy towards China which itself because of the 40 years of war and bankrupt. Our people are not well versed with geo political blunders/games by the super powers during the cold wars earlier and now with the emerging new powers too. When you work this out you will realise none of which are accidents and are all by design and deception and we should know better in the future??
For a starter we should never allow TN politics anywhere close to our doors ever again (this is not a remark against the people of TN as they too are victims to the same gutter politics)? In fact Indian Government should move the said facilities and the TN politics up north will be a great service to all of us thank you and they can all deal with their insecurities amongst themselves well away from our shores as they please.
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / November 14, 2018
Dear Kali
One big point is being missed here with regard to Indian involvement is that the Central Government of India did not know how to manage the TN gutter politics historically. Our previous President MR analysed this long before any of us get to do this but we paid very little attention as always. It is us who did not get it. Since Thalivar Amir project has invariably played into the hands of the gutter politics of TN and imported the same to our Nation. Remember the TN played a part to keeping the Indian Congress in power then and now in SL too ITAK/TULF/TNA did the same at the expense of our children and continue to do the same to date?. Only difference is Indian society and the Indian law enforcement were strong enough not to allow their children to destroy their Nation instead the Nation building was done at our expense or rather India escaped the horrors of what to come for India from TN at our expense by showing all the modaya’s in TN the dire consequence of such actions even the Bollywood could not cook up such horrors on a screen.
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / November 14, 2018
We as a Nation struggling with JVP kids running around in 1970’s with screwed up revolutionary thoughts then the Indian government was kind enough to help us out because of the good relations/understanding both the head of states Mrs SWRD and Mrs Gandhi had then. Then we had the disaster of an election in 1977 where the final nail was placed in our coffin as a Nation. At this juncture in 1981 is when my Father completed his thesis ‘Sri lanka and Asian Economic Cooperation – A conceptual and Institutional Framework for Accelerated Development” after observing the state of our children and at the same time the government SL came up with the Development Council Elections in the history of the Country to give monetary autonomy for development work regionally. Please read the speech our Late Honourable PM made at my home paying last respect to my Father who was assassinated bu our own children misguided by the same TNA politics during the election campaign in 1981. Why you kill someone if you believe in democracy and let the people vote?? because you know your game is up correct or you think the voting public is stupid? well try telling the Tamils you are stupid you know what I mean?. It was the same earlier for Thalivar Amir who lost his seat in Vaddukottai to my Father in 1970.
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Ramzadeen / November 12, 2018
Alright, the present politicians are bad and dirty according to the view of the writer of the above article, yes she is true all in all they are politically mongrel breed, dirty and ugly humans, even the educated lot in Sri Lanka politics looks pretty megalomaniacs and hero worshipers, in lieu of taking the place of patriotism they propagate looting and their cowardice acts got the better out of them.
In the last presidential election, the people kicked out the bad-men and assuming, imagining, visualizing Mr. Pallewatte Gamaralalage Maithripala Yapa Sirisena as an ideal candidate for the highest Chair to lead our country to bring peace, happiness, prosperity and more to our Island nation. But it was a flop he made every Sri Lankan a laughing stock to the world. The world is laughing at us while we are crying for our greatest mistaken done, there was never the history of Sri Lanka such a mindboggling situation arise to the people of Sri Lanka after electing a president with their choice.
The writer emphasizes to mobilize, people to rise collectively, protest and make a change to our future and the country… that’s a good suggestion. But, is there is an innocent creature than Mithripal on this Island nation whom we can trust and bring to that chief of government position? If there is one, would he be honest or would he be another crippled Mithri? My question is, how to chose where to find in this foggy environment, even collectively. Not feasible.
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K.Pillai / November 12, 2018
Thank you Humanist Sharmini Serasinghe for this article. It is timely, fearless, forthright, calls a spade a spade. Occasionally it is emotive but a Humanist will be.
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We, lay-Lankans, have got out of the mindset “Violence works”. Restrain of anger and/or joy was shown over the RW sack, more of it over the MR appointment. Violence was expected and Parliament was dissolved. The anger and/or joy did not spill all over. Lay-Lankans showing sterling quality when needed most. What Sharmni means by “Rise Sri Lankans” is, “Let us speak at the election”.
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Sharmini says ~ “……What has been done has been done dusted and finished. We cannot return to the past and undo it…..Instead, look at what needs to be done and can be done…..”. Rational thought.
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Note that a great many comments were disallowed by the CT Editor. These are from the thickskulled bigots who are really harmless. Cloak-and-dagger bigots are dangerous. They may try to delay the election and provoke violence. Should this happen, we must not fall for it.
“Our Country Needs You NOW!”
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S Siva / November 12, 2018
Dear Sharmini Serasinghe,
Please note that there was no Sri Lanka federation before the British colonial rulers merged Kingdoms in 1815; Tamils had their own nation/kingdoms prior to Western colonialism.
Successive Sinhala leaders only led this federation suffer due to their chauvinistic, Buddhist Apartheid, corrupt and hatred policies and that’s why Tamils started their struggle to get their sovereignty back that will help them to prosper, live in pace and harmony.
Eelam Tamils who went to Singapore are a classic example of their discipline, determination, mindset, pluralism, respect to rule of Law, accountability and Justice and Good Governance.
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John / November 14, 2018
Idiot Siva,
There weren’t any so called Tamils until 20th century.
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S Siva / November 12, 2018
Thanks Sharmini.
Will the Sinhala masses wake up and come to good senses or follow the corrupt and criminal Sinhala leaders, Monks to destroy Sri Lanka?
Sinhala Leaders, armed forces, Government officials failed to uphold Democratic values but they are selfish to accumulate wealth, attack and kill dissidents, Human Rights defenders and Journalists. Unless there is Sinhala uprising and demand democratically to win their rights and struggle to end corruption, crimes, demand for accountability and Justice or International community interfere militarily, investigate war crimes and bring the perpetrators to accountability, Sri Lanka will continue to bleed human blood and sufferings as Sinhala leaders DNA is full of corruption, war crimes. oppression, torture, rape, lawlessness, chauvinism, abuse of power and barbarianism. Also, Indian federation must be isolated as it is the number one evil in SE Asia.
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Spring Koha / November 12, 2018
Sharmini S is not alone in her exasperation. Once again Sri Lanka walks through the valley of darkness. Our devious politicians are playing pandu with our institutions as the bewildered nation looks on, helpless.
The truth is democracy is not for us; at least not yet. Democracy works best where there is a degree of homogeneity in the population. The huge gap between the ‘middle-classes’ and the village folk leaves millions that can be (and are) exploited by our devious politicians. These millions, under-educated and under-privileged, are swayed by vague promises of jam tomorrow. They are born into an underclass, under-educated and without hope, and are ripe for exploitation. A packet of rice, a tot of arrack and a promise never meant to be kept secures their vote.
Decent, capable, citizens think twice about going into politics, fearful that they will lose face when confronted by the many scheming, dishonest, devious numbers that now inhabit our political milieu. Until party leaders clean up their parties and only recruit and nominate the honest, capable and the competent, we are doomed to simply carry on as now, and the main parties will take turns in playing WE the People out.
As for the Mahanayakes (and all other clergy), it would be better if they tended their flocks, giving them guidance’ in their faith. Better to stay impartial and not descend to the murky depths of politics.
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S Siva / November 13, 2018
Thanks for your perfect statement – “The truth is democracy is not for us”.
Democracy is not for many nations including Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar due to failed, selfish, corrupt and greedy politicians. There should be “capital punishment for political corruption” and “no holding of public office or contest in elections” for those who received gifts, funds from foreign governments, companies, etc; UK Media recently exposed list of corrupted leaders paid trips by oppressive governments that is certainly to cover up undemocratic activities and protect from accountability.
Sri Lanka was at an advantageous position and economically strong at the time of British declaring independence but ruined by Sinhala leaders and Buddhist Monks!
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / November 13, 2018
In the 70 years of history we have never worked together (politicians/with them we all fell back into our own comfort zones/boxes to create our own ghettos (where killing spree and all other crimes went on unabated/unchallenged) the moment the first challenge came our way for a united country/vision and mission statement requirements) and then how can we say we failed?
This election is a great opportunity for all the race/religious/language parties to drop there names and to try something new……….revolution SL style because we get it and we want others to get it too. Join the major pareties in numbers will liberate the land like no other. No one have to negotiate anything with anyone except to do Nation Building activities just simple as that?
There can be only one national policy and this can not be drafted/discussed nor implemented under the current climate and the known historical facts will unfortunately will always affect the outcome. This will always be tempered by outside forces in every opportunity possible too.
Ideal is to have a 2-3 main parties with the similar western themes (not policies) that captures the Conservative /Liberal and Socialist mindset if more we shall entertain later in our journey. We already have UNP/SLFP etc. We are a small Nation of people we do not need to worry so much about the party politics so much initially as the ground work we need to do to catch with other Nations are immense and they have no party lines…….so let us start a different journey without discussing who should TNA/Muslim/Indian Workers parties should support as this itself is a defeatist standpoint leading to chicken and egg situation………I am also certain no other combination left untried as all other avenues are already exhausted ?? One also should note the other avenues we had tried too were not the best of choices either that has let the Nations Bleeding??
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / November 13, 2018
(1) Mother Lanka Phase 1: Took us 70 years to get here
(1.1) Pre Colonial Time
(1.2) Post Colonial time 1948-1970
(1.3) Period 1970 – 1977
(1.4) 1977 to 2009
(1.5) 2009 – 2018.
Hopefully we learned something at the expense our Children’s life. Hope we know who we are and our capability, Who the neighbours are and What the greater world is realy like too. In the same period or much lesser time successful Asian Nations with even greater problems layed a foundation and started building their Nation and shaping a sustainable future for them due diligently.
(2) Mother Lanka Phase 2; End of war should have meant a collective future. Instead we focused on the last few days of the war for the war crimes but not the entire 40 years for Truth since 1977? To make matters worse we embarked on a constitutional assembly muddying waters further with Phase 1. Lost 10 more valuable years to pay tribute to all those who perished and respect those who saved us literally by our actions we allowed the opposite bringing all the wrong outside forces to meddle in international matters once more. Forget all the trumped up whatever of all the past frauds and constitutional technicalities, the consequence is the dissolution of the parliament and the fresh elections.
(3) Mother Lanka Phase 3; Hopefully we have a national election based on 2-3 National parties with no divisional race/religion/language allowed for a brighter future. Hope our children through their sacrifice humbled us the living enough to reason with each other. Only National question left is if we do have the respective expertise left within us to take us through the development phases. By pooling ourself within 2-3 parties we have a greater opportunity statistically to pick the required calibre for the governance.
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / November 13, 2018
I very much hope when we elect the next goervment they do not select Ministers based on their ‘pleasing the constituents’ based politics Tamil/Sinhala/Muslim/Indian and hope it will be a merit based. About time we challenge our subliminally enshrined minds looking for some one of this and that racial divide but look for a Sri Lankan to serve us all period. We need to take us all out of this racist mentality(this is not limited to any one community) and look at each other as Sri Lankans from now on. Only think I will expect the next government to do is to provide a well trained police force who speaks/write respective languages at a legal level to the people whom they are serving at local level please. A balanced police force to protect people so the justice is delivered and a National security issues addressed at the same time to the highest of standards. Police have a serious part to play in Nation Building taking a huge work load away from Government.
I hope the media will spent time educating the public on law and order issues affecting daily life of all, how to evaluate a candidate who want to be elected to public services, some investigative journalism/articles on administrative setups in other countries and how they engage with public, social issues (anything other than Tamil/Sinhala/Muslim/Indian/Buddhist…but on the needy Sri Lankans, A ‘focus group’ formed within the Media entity and initiate ‘One Mother Lanka’ theme discussions/adverts/celebrations reflecting her diversity. We need a program taking Northern tamils to southern villages and meet all the soldiers families too and vis a vis. We need to connect village to village from North to South and East to West.
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Thiagarajah Venugopal / November 14, 2018
Ever since then someone trying to kill my Father while Thalivar Amir erected statues for the gun trotting kids up north in 70’s? which they succedded eventually along with so many of our national leaders After all this misery of loosing the life’s of our children for the past 40 years and the recent dissolved parliament the TNA leader wants the Tamils to unit as one once more??????? The entire TNA was saved from extermination by the SL armed forces and the Indian government and now they sit in the government offices just as JVP does down south and talk the same???????? I ask the Tamil people to vote for the main stream parties please and give them the mandate/opportunity to take care of you and your children please……you will get your wish in no time…..please trust me. This is a 70 years old delayed justice for all and we all deserve something better than this for our future.
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Plato. / November 14, 2018
In a victorious mood, I missed out on your essay earlier.
Sharmini,the fact remains that the Buddhist Monks,including the Mahanayakas are divided on party lines.
There was this case recently of one Prelate who wished a Hitler type of Governance; He was clearly for Gota.
The crusade of the Buddhist Monks began in 1956,with Buddharakkita and other monks campaigning on a house to house basis to defeat Sir:John and the UNP. Just yesterday we saw the Mahanayake of the Amarapura tying the Pirith nool on the wrist of MaRa minutes before the Supreme Court stay order!
The only thing that remains to-day sans Political leanings are Paddy fields! who knows there could be a time in the foreseeable future,when they too would be referred to as UNP paddy fields and SLFP paddyfields etc etc.
Buddhist clergy to take to the streets to fight for Justice? Well on behalf of whom and for which party?
In that sense JRJ was wise: He kept them at arms length!
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John / November 14, 2018
Same old nonsense by shamini.
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Joe Paiva / November 14, 2018
Ms Serasinge, I read your article in the Colombo Telegraph. 11 Nov 2018
The article hereunder will of interest to you & the people of Sri Lanka. It appeared in Aust today 14 Nov. am
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/13/world/australia/victoria-china-scott-morrison.html
Joe Paiva
,Australia
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Joe Paiva / November 14, 2018
I made my comments on 13 Nov 2018.
But it does not appear above.
Joe Paiva
Australia ( I was born& educated in Colombo until I migrated)
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Ratnatunga / November 21, 2018
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2
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