The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) may very well fail to celebrate May Day this year due to the current crisis in the party, according to sources close to President Maithripala Sirisena, who is also the leader of the SLFP.
President Sirisena – Leader of the SLFP
The party is currently in a state of disarray with Sirisena losing further control after 16 MPs including several ministers voting in favor of a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
The party is yet to take a stand on whether or not to remain in the Government with Sirisena appointing a special committee to study options after the entire Parliamentary Group decided that the unity agreement with the UNP should end.
As of now, the SLFP MPs who left the Government have warned that they would boycott the party’s May Day rally unless the several key office bearers are removed.
It is unlikely that the SLFP has the capacity to organize a May Day rally that is even close what it had last year, sources added. Last year, the SLFP’s May Day ‘show’ paled in comparison to that organized by the JO at Galle Face Green.
Meanwhile May Day is to be celebrated by the UNP on May 6 at Sugathadasa Stadium while the Joint Opposition (JO) is to hold its rally in Galle on May 7 after it was announced that this year May Day will not be celebrated on the first of the month because it coincided with Vesak celebrations. Some trade unions, however, are determined to celebrate May Day on May 1, as usual.
Burt / April 24, 2018
May Day Origin:
“On May 1, 1886, more than 300,000 workers in 13,000 businesses across the United States walked off their jobs in the first May Day celebration in history.”
Labor Day:
“Labor day is celebrated on the first Monday in September in the United States. “
So if USA where it all began change it: why not Sri Lanka.
We know Vesak falls during this period, so why not change to a day that it is not in conflict with any other key days and stick to it.
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Ben Hurling / April 24, 2018
Sir,
SLFP, UNP & JO celebrating May Day? WHAT A BLOODY FARCE! Using Labour Day to promote corrupt, political and personal agendas of these corrupt clowns. People who attend those idiots. GIVE IT A MISS EVERYONE! Please, not just this years, but every single year. NOBODY will miss JO Mahinda Raja’s God-Father like Gold Framed Gucci Sunglasses on stage at Galle Face Green. Same goes for all other CROOKS from SLFP proper and UNP. Who will drive their super-luxury JEEPS to the May Day Rally? Financed by Sri Lanka’s mentally-handicapped voters.
STUPID!
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Burt / April 24, 2018
Just allow UNP to form government and the president should not hold any other ministry other than Defense.
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Jim softy / April 24, 2018
BURTY: HOw about another committee to pass the Orumiththa Nadu constitution,. Even then you Tamil Catholics lose. IT will be Evangelist Tamils.
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Burt / April 25, 2018
“Even then you Tamil Catholics lose.”
Does not matter. We are Catholics we will sacrifice for the grater good.
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K A Sumanasekera / April 24, 2018
Poor Sira…
Who can he take to Campbell Place to address the Blue Proletariat?..
Dr Ranil, Ms Whisky Madam and Venerable Damila ?……
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Rajash / April 24, 2018
“SLFP Could Be Forced To Give May Day A Miss”
just SLFP.? every Sri Lankan worker is forced to Give May Day A Miss…thanks to the Mahanaykes.
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Hela / April 24, 2018
How should we write the obituary of SLFP (for the benefit of future generations)? CBK succeeded in a matter of couple of years what the UNP and the elitist/capitalist class failed to achive for decades.
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Native Vedda / April 24, 2018
Helass
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“CBK succeeded in a matter of couple of years what the UNP and the elitist/capitalist class failed to achive for decades.”
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When did SLFP become the champion of working class? It united all the lumpen public into an active nasty political force and built a dependent society, unleashing a torrent of racism, bigotry, rent a mob, anti people, anti democratic forces………………………
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First go put the racist Sinhala/Buddhist genie back in the bottle. Since 1950s it was competitive racism among the majoritarian parties which led their own destruction as well as the country.
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You should consider going back to your ancestral homeland in South India.
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Jim softy / April 24, 2018
Why there should be different MAy day Rallies. IT is importantfor UNP and for SLPP who are fighting. Other than that why there should be different celebrations for workers. Do they have different interests other than their own workers’ rights. or special interests. MY3 is in the right track if he can destroy many different trade unions.
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clean slate / April 24, 2018
May day should have been given a miss always by these political parties. MD is meant to be commemorated by workers’ organizations. Capitalist governments ‘celebrating’ MD is like ‘running with the hare and hunting with the hounds’. Now that Marxism is consigned to the dustbin of history let’s not bother about MD.
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Buddhi Perera / April 24, 2018
If we can done away with all MD rallies. it would be good for the country. MS is getting what he deserves due to his deals with Rajapakses and other unscrupulous crowd
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Robin Hood / April 24, 2018
If village boy Sirisena really wants to see a smooth and proper government running the country, he should give way for the UNP to form a government. He has nothing more, except that he is the president with some executive powers. But, those are not enough to run a country; he neither has the support of his own party MPs nor from the opposition members. The only way is allow UNP to form a government so that the country’s development work should continue rather than all the political obstruction.
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Upali / April 24, 2018
May day May day May day for SLFP the party which ruined the country with its nationalist and so called socialist policies.
SWRD created the ethnic problem with his Sinhala in 24 hours policy.
Then came nationalisation.
First they took over the locally owned bus services. A colossal blunder Chandrika gave them back.Estates were taken over and ruined and then given back. Insurance taken over and given back.
There are over 200 state owned enterprises loss making or run inefficiently. These are not national assets they are liabilities and sooner we sell them the better.
The two major parties have ruled the country for over 30 years each. Except for the roads what else have the SLFP done. The country is surviving on the Mahaveli free trade zones housing programme and garment factories done by the UNP.
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Vimalawathi / April 24, 2018
What May Day? Sillisena became Sorrysena within no time. He was supposed to say SIR to RW according to Sunday Times 22/4; up until his death. I could remember somewhere in Nov 2014 it was published again in the ST that he will say Sir to RW and Madam to CBK even though he becomes the President. With this inferiority Complex and thanks to Advisers Shiral L, Maithree G, SAK Kili Maharaja, SBD etc now he’s in a pathetic state of affairs. Please join MR and go 6′ under as he himself predicted
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Chamuditha Senanayaka / April 24, 2018
Vimalawathi yes very true. Not only six feet MR and Co will hang the entire polonnaruwa village idiots.
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Bren Sosa / April 24, 2018
Whilst Politicians are running helter skelter like headless chickens all development activity which in any event was at snails pace has come to a grinding halt. we the public can only watch in disgust. Instead of wasting any more time the UNP must take immediate decisive action and go it alone and try to make up lost ground.
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Percy / April 24, 2018
The selfishness of one man has fatal repercussions on his own party. Talk about kicking the ladder that took a person to the top! This is a classic case. A man totally unequipped to lead a nation, his background and upbringing seems to be the force that drives him, and that force is so devoid of humility, goodness,and concern for the country. The sooner he is wiped out the better for this miserable country.
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MR / April 24, 2018
Northern province Governor has told in his speach two days ago that President Sirisena’s wife is a Tamil.
Anyone knows more about her ancestors, please reveal.
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Jim softy / April 24, 2018
I heard Ranil Wiockramasinghe in his privious life had been born a Tamil and had muslim relatives., in another life he could not be assigned to any ethnic group and Ranil still has those qualities in this life.
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Vimalawathi / April 25, 2018
Soft spoken, Jack of all trades; Mr JIM SOFTY, did you also check your previous birth.
Your father would have been MR, Mother Siriliya, Wife Viagra, brothers Gota, Vimal , 100 Gommanpila and your adviser HE.SAK Kili Maharaja.
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Lapatiya / April 24, 2018
May be Native Wadda knows something about new revelation, but there was a new revelation about Gamarala. Prior to Local election Doctors had a full body checkup on Gamarala as he was barking at every gathering about corruption, bond scam, Sword, Madu Walige etc. Upon checking Doctors found that Gamarala doesn’t have a back bone at all. His recent behaviors are further proofs about new revelation.
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MR / April 25, 2018
I listened Governor’s speech just now and learnt it was late Maithiripala Senanayake’ wife a Tamil and not President’s wife. Sorry for the error.
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Plato. / April 24, 2018
I am no Trade-Unionist; But I WILL CELEBRATE, in my own way this International day in honour of workers worldwide!
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Kumaran / April 24, 2018
Mr. President, what a mess you have got into, and also all of us who had so much hope for the nation!! In time, your name will be remembered at a level less than we remember the late JRJ.
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Jim softy / April 24, 2018
MAithripala Sirisena was hired as the prospective PResidential Candidate by the 2015 Common Candidate project, because they had a plan. RaVI karunanayake, Ranil, CBK, Mangala plan are still celebrating Bhikku Maduluwawe Sobhitha becuse it is the NEw kind of colour revolurion. when those things are discussed, I thin Aboyt whether the bhikku sobhita;s death had soe connection. That cnnot be a mathematical relationship. It says, Mahinda Rajapakse gave the clue to Ranil to Break open the banks. but, Ranil screwed it up by taking over it under his name. He di dnot know that there were moles. Atjun Aloesius had so many girl friends. He was prepared even to build house, for aDancing teacher, in Kande UDarata. Matirhipala sirisena een to date is avoding bullets from Mahinda Rajapakse and for some time he knew he had to avoid bullets from Ranil too. Anyway, this kind of articles are important as there is unbelievable destruction of the country both by EVANGELISTS<, ANGLICANS, CATHOLCIS, RAW Agents, then our own establishment. who has the constitutional proection of the previous minister's or the previous ministry's work are not cualpable homicide when he comes to this new ministery. Becuse of this some politicians are thinking about Retirement. Adaikala nathan, Sumathipala are some. Some others want to come bak to the stage. Becuse, what ever happened happened in the past. Every thing else is just political accusations. So they can start a new chapter of stealing (not stealing donations and using the loops in the rule book.
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Jim softy / April 24, 2018
New batch of politicians include the children of former and exsiting politicians and even former beaurucrats.
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Jim softy / April 24, 2018
Sri lanka is run by teams of MAfia. SO, it is not secret that sou agencies love to associate with MAfia ORganizations. MAfias Love killers, thieves adn criminals.. o, the Sri lanka palrliament is god game. I heard evenMAvaiSenthiraja is asking only a Nationalist Post and the PETROL Ration which manhy MPs sell and earn a buck. He says even the petrol ration he can live. there are so many stories like that If I can write.
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Mallaiyuran / April 24, 2018
Now it is well recognized the rabbit that had the early start has lost the race to tortoise in South East Asia. Lankawe has the slowest growth rate in hemisphere from 1948. The dream of Don Stephen has been achieved. Beyond the Economy’s achievement, the Asian Miracle is keep breaking records recently in, Human rights and International Humanitarian Law violation, and international racketeering and crimes too.
Yesterday the Customs officials who confiscated the gold in KIA said that for sure the Colombo has become the Gold Smuggling hub in that area. Last week, when Mangala said in CGOGM Finance ministers meeting that it was LTTE doing money laundering before 2009-but now it is cleaned, we listed here how the Money Laundering is legalized in Lankawe. We sighted LTTE was raising and paying for its purchases outside, but not rolling though Colombo. The lie Mangala released was a respond to the other Finance Minsters’ concern of this year Lankawe blacklisted as one of the 18 countries, where out of control Laundering taking place place. Mangala was tipped by well-known foreign country of an $18B illegal transaction. Mangala’s government passed the 2017’s foreign Exchange Bill to grant Amnesty for this type of illegal laundering and protecting their property from international confiscations. Jaffna and Colombo are now seen as hubs of dugs trafficking in South East Asia.
Lankawe’s fastest growing industry has become sex industry. It is the one in 22 counties who use the rape as weapon. It was only 174th in 179 countries in Media safety. By allowing visiting Aswin Wirathu Thero, Lankawe listed itself into TIME Magazine’s “The Face of Buddhist Terror”. Rapist Amy is facing problems of being thrown out of serving UN by refusing to comply with UN’s request of vetting its troops before sending to UN. With many others, the latest record is the index of Passport Power 94. Only three more levels behind Lankawe in acceptability of their passports, internationally.
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Jim softy / April 24, 2018
MAlleyurin: Ravi KArunanayake was against increasing the gold Tax. why. Some one has to stop the gold smugling business.
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Mallaiyuran / April 25, 2018
America tipped Lanakwe that a contraband ship was coming from Pakistan. Lankawe informed the ship that its berth in Colombo Port may not go well. (Unfortunately they did not have this nice arrangement like in Hambantota. Colombo is a commercial Port. So, Lankawe didn’t risk any American Confrontation in Colombo Port. So advised the ship to go away.) Now, the Foreign Exchange Fraud Amnesty Act is there. If somebody ask Mangala what happened to $18B, he is going to ask back “what is that?, I never heard of it.!” Its told 2000 Kilo Thali Kodi Gold was sold to Japan by secret deal. Further I heard no more melted Tali Kodies are stuck in Peacock Place swimming pool. No more need for sand to fill the pool and no need to Rapist Army Guard the pood. (I heard of only one country in the world filled up a swimming pool with sand and put Army guards to watch it.) I understand, now the Gold Smuggling has to be stopped. In that condition, I think good people to stop Gold Smuggling is only UN Peacekeepers. They have to come and separate the North-East from Lankawe. Then the Lanakwe Appe Aanduwa will start to focus on not on Gold Smuggling, even on the Kerala Ganja trade too.
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Mallaiyuran / April 24, 2018
Those countries are Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. 2500 years of proud Buddhist culture could not be counted any better on the world’s acceptability Index better than an unknown country called Eretria.
Reuter News Agency quoted from a Financial Analyst Called Shailesh Kumar how Lankawe is falling into the spiraling trap of Chinese loan debs. It is not simply lowest growth, corruption and crimes are dragging down Lankawe, the clutched control of China will force it to go lame for long future. So far in none of the countries China entered have experienced Japan, Korea, German, Taiwan like sturdy growth. Recently, again, the Nuraicholai Project One’s generator was halted for malfunction and emitting heavy environmentally harmful fumes. They need electricity; this machine generate 1/3 (300MW) of the entire project’s electricity; it can’t afford to stay shut down. So, sooner or later, the machine will be restarted, irrelevant of damage to people’s health. An average factory Generators can go up to 10 years. In that rate, a power station’s generator should be able to go well over 25-30 years. This one is less than 5 years (But said to be from a condemned power plant of China). It was running less than half of the duration (2 1/2 Years). Its New Machine was quoted $250M but this old one was bought for $540M. All that said, still Nuraicholai is the only Non-white elephant commercial project, in addition to the fact it is a needed one. It not simply the loan burden and White Elephant nature, the useless and redundant nature of the Harbor and Air Port are stirring international resentment over theses’ ownership issues, unlike the Sport Stadium, another White Elephant. The bitch unleash-able by owner is exploding frenzied fights within dogs on the road. That is why Ranil had to sell that Harbor back to China.
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Mallaiyuran / April 24, 2018
Ranil added loose clauses (Another 19A) hoping to use those to black mail India, Japan and America to milk more. Other than Japan, none of the others are likely to dip their finger to bailout Lankawe from the trap it dug on this, knowing well Lankawe’s duplicity nature and Ranil’s cunningness. They are well aware that Lankawe will milk them first and then use the loose clauses to sell the harbor and take money from China too. They may like to come around by different ways to stop Lankawe to allow China using it for military purpose, but not dump money on that. So far, none of the foreign media has suggested that America or India should or would throw money on this. Further, China’s intolerance on these talks and its stealth-ness to talk about how it plans to make it into commercially profitable project is arousing further suspicions on the lease. Harbor is not the only project causing problem. Mattala Mahinda Bachan Naked International Air Port deal couldn’t go forward with India. (Probable cause could be China’s strong objection. Last year, after visiting to China, Tilak expressed concern about China allowing India to use the Airport). Recent trial landing of Antonov -225 Mriya has been suspected by Colombo media. Not just the mammoth size of Mriya, even the Russian built engines are not favored to land in urban air ports. When the Cold war was over, Western and Russian businessmen were exploring ways to develop engines by Roll Royce or Pratt and Whitney to make Mriya a commercially viable carrier. It did not work out. Russia did not build anymore Mriya though fuselage is technically possible, but engines did not work out for commercial projects. Lonely places like Mahinda Bachan Naked international Air Port still offering accommodation for its fright overhaul.
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Jim softy / April 25, 2018
It is Stupid to hand over MAttala to India when IT i sknown that BIA is saturated and there is a need for a second international airport.
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Mallaiyuran / April 25, 2018
You are right. Today Rs 7.2 Million worth of foreign currencies was caught at Trichy customs, while it was on its way to Colombo. Practically this is weekly news, these days. While Sonia was on the seat, it was said a large quantity of Indian counterfeit currencies were printed in Pakistan and sent to her through Colombo. Lankawe thrives on this good service. But if India gets into Matala, by this Free Trade alone, India will go bankrupt. In China captures the Mahinda Bachan Naked International Airport, sure there will be some counter measured by West. That is why the New Initiation with Russia. Russia, by holding the Tartus, is very effectively balancing Western actions there. Anyway, anything Lankawe wants to do, it has to do before it send an ambassador to America. Otherwise it is going to end up as Lankawe will have to send a third when America stops the second one also from flying.
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Mallaiyuran / April 24, 2018
. Rear Admiral Chinnaiah was dismissed, with one month in service, for objecting buying another Russian Nuraicholai, the junk yard warship. Russia faces further economic sanctions with its Western partners. It is exploring new trade deals further away from its Western neighborhood. So would be interested in conscripting Lankawe into that, especially for the Mahinda Bachan Naked International Airport.
Last few years of Free fall of rupee value is indicating the market confidence on Lankawe government. This is aggravating more on loan liability and coast burden for exporters. They are getting back much less dollars than they spent in rupees to produce products. Instead fixing it, Ranil hopes to hire Lumumba trained Vijeweera class economists and put blame on IMF and World Bank for Rupees’ nightmare. Ranil is hoping these Vijeweera class economists will be able to do the same trick, what Mangala and Thero De Silva did in UNHRC. But the Finance market is too wide and deep to achieve the Geneva’s success in a short while.
The confidence level further going to be damaged by the New King’s greed to consolidate the parliament ‘s power to him seeking second time, extending the term to 6 years, directly attempting to fire Ranil and then sponsoring a NCM. This altered the market the volatility of the National Unity Government. This guy has absolutely no external view, but IC blind. With this record he went to CHOGM. Theresa May did not give him a private meeting. He was not entertained by Modi when he went to India about a month ago. Colombo Media reported that his expectation to meet Mr. Modi at London also did not go well. This is exact replica of Old Kings, 2014, UN meeting at New York and his Entertainment Party at Waldorf Astoria New York Hotel.
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Jim softy / April 25, 2018
Malleyurin: I say Ranil is in the correct path. He is recovering from the BS he heard when he becme the PM. what I heard with respect to MY3 is far different from what you want to Assume.
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Mallaiyuran / April 24, 2018
Ranil refused to take a bold decision on ETCA. But cunningly hoping to put together his last year’s successes and extract a GSP+ from India. So it is stalled, now. The EU’s GSP+ plus is still limping. The slipped American GSP+ came back. It is good to go even if the review comes very soon. But Lankawe relationship with America is seems to be hidden, not open. After Kariyawasam, no Ambassador listed to America. Recently Congress wanted to know what kind of assurances the State Department has from Lankawe on implementing the resolution 30/1. This could cause future delays in donations and handouts. Unlike India, it throws its own freebee to Lankawe, almost all the money America spend on Lankawe is well watched by its auditors and it is on only Humanitarian training to Military and human right and the government’s development in political process. Though the Peace Cops agreement is signed with Lankawe, it is not sure how Congress will be funding this.
Sampanthar’s 100 Days Solution and Secret Solution are gone through the hole in the roof. JVP wants to introduce a private bill, 20A for Constitutional Amendment. i.e. removing the EP. This requires a massive change in the constitution. JVP is trying to do it with a private bill, which is used only to take care of some isolated groups’ interest in the parliament. While the whole parliament is functioning as Constitutional Committee to fulfil the National Unity government’s formation purpose, JVP wants to defeat the Constitutional Committee’s object by amending the constitution thought a private bill.
If the National Unity government formed again anew, then the question is what will be the status of failed constitutional committee, failed Economic programs, Failed Law and Order restoration and the failed Resolution 30/1 Implementation? Yahapalanaya may not want to fool the Modayas that it is extending the National Unity government because to continue on its enormous success.
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Jim softy / April 25, 2018
Relating to what Malleyurin writes, I heard Ranil is praying, these days to Gods very often. If he happens to go to the Church he would pray for a god called Sabarimala but actually that is a goddess and is related to the seven goddesses of Paththini. When he goes to Thirupathi or Dalada Palace, He would pray to the god Vishnu (Or Easwar in the case of Thirupathi). In reality, I heard, That god and goddess always visit as a fmaily.
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Burt / April 25, 2018
The caption should have read:
SLFP to see “BLUE” on RED MAY DAY.
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Mallaiyuran / April 25, 2018
What the game behind setting up all these is not sure.
1. Why a week for Vesak?: If the Purnima can be extended to one week then why one has to observe a Purnima? In Tamil, to stress the importance of those days, there is saying “Aiyar Varum Varai Amavasai Kaatrukkuma?”(Brahmin has to their in time for New Moon, but not the other way).There is a story said about how Pandava win the war. Krishna blocked the Sun in the daytime. So Gaurava thought it was New Moon eclipse and carried out their sacrifice. But Pandava did on the right day, (that was next day to the Gaurava’s sacrifice). So they won. What these are telling is auspicious time has importance only on that particular time. So extending for shirking is not going to affect the real time. The Buddhist mythology insists it has to be Purnima to good thing to happen to Buddhists. Buddha’s enlightenment auspicious time cannot be extended. So extending it one week has no Buddhist value but only an effort to straightening the sagging political power of SLFP by religious extremism.
2. Vesak is Vaikasi Visakam: That can come only in Vaikasi. Visakam need not to fall on full moon day. But the Buddhist’s Vesak is only comes out of it. Chithirai full moon day is for Mothers days. Those who lost Mothers would fast and pray for mothers on Chithirai Powruam(Full moon day). Apparently this year, Vesak has been set on the wrong date.
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Mallaiyuran / April 25, 2018
3. The Ramadan: It is said Muslim influential politicians worked this with New King to keep not to clash with their Ramadan. They need beef on those days. That is the most realistic explanation, considering the Yahapalanaya corrupted activities.
4. My suspicion is, SLFP guys used all kind of excuses to fool the Modayas so that they can escape the May Day. Last year, SLFP said to be had the 4th largest crowd for May Day, even behind to JVP. So these SLFP guys wanted to evade the May Day this year. So, this year, after very bad loos of LG, they dragged Vesak through all these juggleries to cheat of having the May Day Rally. They are just tricky, but really empty people.
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K.Pillai / April 25, 2018
May Day has reached the use by date. It is no longer used as a platform to improve working conditions of workers.
It is the market place version of showing which leader of a political party has the bigger………
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