By Eric Ellis –
Eric Ellis
Mr Bandula Jayasekara is Sri Lanka’s Consul General in Sydney, or, as he likes to style himself, the island nation’s “Ambassador” in Australia.
Jayasekara is indeed one of his government’s highest-profile officials abroad, as he represents Colombo in a country of importance to Sri Lankans. In the West, only Britain, Canada and France have more Lankans making those nations their refuge than does Australia.
But the delicate dance of manners and language that is international diplomacy seems to have eluded Jayasekara in ambassador training college back home in Colombo.
Little of what this ‘diplomat’ says and does could be regarded as diplomatic. Statesmanlike he is not. Recidivist Twitter troll might seem a closer approximation.
As Sri Lanka’s strongman President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Jayasekara’s boss, has said as he prepares to host the prestigious Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) this week, he regards social media as a “disease”.
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Mikhael / November 14, 2013
Not a great example of independent journalism with your twitter responses CT. What kind of constructive questions were you actually asking Mr Bandula Jayasekara. This government isn’t perfect by any stretch but tell me a government which is. But getting into slinging matches on twitter then retreating as these exiled journalists, how on earth can you be expected to be seen as this balanced news website. I’d understand if it was Mr Eric Ellis who was saying these things on his own twitter account but for it to be said on the CT twitter page it’s almost a publicity stunt to some extent. If this is an opinion as what is stated, why were the tweets made on the CT account?
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Sidney / November 14, 2013
Mr. Ellis, The Commonwealth of Nations is known as the Commonwealth of Clowns among educated Sri Lankans. It is NOT a “prestigious” organization, contrary to what you seem to think. It should be closed down before more funds are wasted on an irrelevant and obsolete outfit.
Better termed the “Common Poverty of Nations” it is a British Colonial relic morphed into a platform for third world dictators that leaves a massive CARBON FOOTPRINT – generates lots of expensive hot air and wastes huge amounts of money.
Indeed, the time has come to hold not only Mahinda Rajapakse, but Kamlesh Sharma and the Commonwealth ACCOUNTABLE for supporting and promoting the erosion of Democracy and the Rule of law and a MILITARY DICTATORSHIP in Sri Lanka.
It is time now to hold Kamlesh Sharma and the British Commonwealth Circus ACCOUNTABLE to the common citizens and peoples its claims to benefit by the CHOGM circus.
We the people of Sri Lanka who will have to foot the bill of the Commonwealth Circus in Sri Lanka in 2013, DEMAND a comprehensive and TRANSPARENT results-based EVALUATION of the organization’s performance in the past 2 decades. There is already a committee on Reform of the Commonwealth. That should recommend the review of Rajapakse’s appointment as Head of the Commonwealth Circus.
We also demand that Mahinda Rajapakse demonstrate progress in restoring the proper Chief Justice, the 17 Amendment to the Constitutions, return of lands and demilitarization of north before being made Head of Commonwealth Circus.
No organization is above MONITORING, EVALUATION and results measurement. Given its track record a TRANSPARENT EVALUATION of RESULTS is required and should be the HIGHEST PRIORITY. If it is proved as it no doubt will be, that this British Colonial old boys club for third world Dictators really promotes the “Common Poverty of Nations” and inequality and leaves a massive CARBON FOOTPRINT with NO measurable benefits to the peoples of these countries with regard to promoting EQUITABLE growth, development and democracy this WHITE ELEPHANT British Colonial Outfit should be SHUT DOWN.
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Spring Koha / November 14, 2013
What a painful diatribe Sidney.
But we’ve been on this for a long time – since the inception of this biennial wheeze by our old colonial masters. We should have graciously desisted the trap.
But the brown sahibs in successive governments (from Sirima to Mahinda)always looked forward to this beanfest that allowed the chosen few an opportunity to splash out on a bit of the taxpayers moolah.
Now the whole caboodle has come to tears.
Re Bandula J: It was only a matter of time before some journalist somewhere latched on to our shit down under who has been a source and embarrasment to this country and to the service ever since he was let out of his sty by his handlers in Colombo. But truth to tell, our ‘diplomatic’ service has been anything but diplomatic in these last few years. Any guesses as to the template that is used?
No wonder that decent people the world-over are beginning to look askance at us Sri Lankans.
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Steve / November 15, 2013
Rambling Irishman makes a return I see…aka padraig colman
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Thiru / November 14, 2013
When is the judgement day for Sri Lanka’s strongman President Mahinda Rajapaksa?
I’m waiting for the day he goes behind bars in the Hague.
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crazyoldmansl / November 14, 2013
Mr.Eric Ellis. Why is it so difficult for you to understand that Sinhala buddhists have their own distinct 2500 year old culture and manners and values?
You may disagree with this sinhala buddhist culture and its values but that is strictly your problem right? If you do not like it then keep your distance. After all the sinhala buddhist culture is not asking you to adopt its values is it?
I suggest that we may all be saved a lot of trouble if you take all those who share your values away with you (there are very few of them anyway, much less than you can stuff in a 747) and settle them in your culture with its values that they share and also please send back all those who share the sinhala buddhist culture and values who are hiding in your country. They are needed here so we will very much appreciate your deporting them here.
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PalmSquirrell / November 14, 2013
Strawman argument, as no one has claimed Sinhala Buddhists should stop being Sinhala Buddhists.
Criticism is directed at GOSL and its behaviour not Sinhalese as a whole.
Re. 2500 years of a distinct culture
No such thing, Sinhalese are simply Bengalis and South Indians . Bengalis are very similar to South Indians because most people in North India are of mostly indegenous SubContinental stock, they just lost their mother language and adopted the language of Barbarian males from the Eurassian steppes.
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I am Sri Lankan Muslim / November 14, 2013
Bandula is an [Edited out] he seems protecting his own country while he is particating againts Muslims and Tamils around teh coutry with BBS, Anyway, MR has lot of clowns around him and he is one of them.
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Ravi Perera / November 14, 2013
thiru,
“When is the judgement day for Sri Lanka’s strongman President Mahinda Rajapaksa?
I’m waiting for the day he goes behind bars in the Hague.”
You will have to wait like you waited for VP to deliver Eelam.
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Safa / November 14, 2013
Bandula is one of many delinquents doing the dirty work for his excellency. Sajin, Mervyn, Duminda, Rajpal, Lucien, Hudson, Lakshman, Keheliya etc. They are arrogant and conceited to the extreme will stoop to any level to attack anyone who dares stand in their path. Pity the people of this country who have such riff raff as leaders.
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sea / November 14, 2013
Total cheap rascal. Shame on Trinity College (Kandy) where this devil is supposed to have been educated. This specimen of idiocy doesn’t even no that ‘ambassadors’ don’t exist between two Commonwealth member states (in which case they are called ‘High Commissioners’).
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Rationalist / November 15, 2013
The High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in Australia is based at the Sri Lanka High Commission in Canberra, not in Sydney.
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Spring Koha / November 14, 2013
But we’ve been on this for a long time – since the inception of this biennial wheeze by our old colonial masters in the early 70’s.
Our brown sahibs in successive governments always looked forward to this beanfest that allowed the chosen few an opportunity to splash out on a bit of the taxpayers moolah and a nice picture with her maj for the yakkoos back home.
Now the whole caboodle has come to tears.
It was only a matter of time before some journalist somewhere latched on to our shit down under who has been a source and embarrasment to this country and to the service ever since he was let out of his sty by his handlers in Colombo. But truth to tell, our ‘diplomatic’ service has been anything but diplomatic in these last few years. Any guesses as to the template that is used?
No wonder that decent people the world-over are beginning to look askance at us Sri Lankans.
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K.A Sumanasekera / November 15, 2013
Bandula must be doing a good job Down Under, to force these LTTE supporters like Ellis to crack the shits !!
When are these Anglo Saxons going to realize that Yes Sir , No Sir to the white man days are well and truly gone past the use by date.
BTW,
Did Ellis get a press pass from at least the Cameron allocation?.
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Piranha / November 15, 2013
Bandula Jayasekera and Shavendra Silva are representatives of the Rajapaksa regime abroad and their words and actions say a lot about the regime they represent. These two are not the people one would want to speak and act on your behalf when you have a lot to defend. They have made the situation worse for their master by their Rottweiler behaviour against the regime’s detractors. They are literally hammering the nails into the coffin of the Rajapaksa regime and that should be welcomed by true patriots of Sri Lanka. CHOGM also has helped to highlight the excesses of the regime to the entire world and it will also help to expedite the regime’s demise.
Rajapaksa was hoping get some kudos and recognition from the world community but alas it has badly backfired on him. That can’t be a bad thing for the long suffering people of Sri Lanka.
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