The former president of the Federation of University Teachers’ Association has strongly criticised the unethical behavior of the Dialog Axiata PLC board member and the key co-signatory of the Friday Forum and the former Under Secretary General United Nations, Jayantha Dhanapala for his continued lying over Colombo Telegraph blockade.
Dr. Nirmal
Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri urges Dhanapala to be “equally outspoken when business interests are cooperating with the anti-democratic regime.”
“This is a serious allegation. As a key public figure who is in the frontline in defending democratic rights in recent times, he has a duty to defend himself against this allegation. While acknowledging his role in raising his voice against the growing authoritarian tendency in Sri Lanka, I would like him to be equally outspoken when business interests are cooperating with the anti-democratic regime. Perhaps business interests are more damaging for freedom of expression and right to information than the state repression because the former is more subtle. I think, therefore, that The Colombo Telegraph has every right to ask Dr. Dhanapala for a clarification on this serious matter, and we the readers of the Colombo Telegraph too should do the same.” he said.
Related posts;
Jayantha Dhanapala Is A Liar; Caught Lying Over Silence On Colombo Telegraph Blocking
Jayaratne Says Dhanapala Will Stand By Best Practices, Dhanapala Pussyfoots On Illegal Web Blocking
R. Jeyhan / March 18, 2014
Why not clean your own backyard before pointing finger to others. See Sri Lankan Universities and professors and their qualifications. It is a family business. Without PhD from good ranking University and without 20 publications in Indexed and IF factor journal no professors are appointed. But Sri Lankan Universities are…..
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Palmsquirrell / March 18, 2014
Why do you apologists for GOSL and those who go along with them always want to deflect attention away by bringin up issues in other areas. It doesn’t change the fact that Dhanapala lied or that GOSL blocks CT.
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Davidson Panabokke / March 18, 2014
Jeyhan
The author is hounded by the government that sees that the academics agree to the politicisaton of university administration.
Dr Ranjith
Hope you’ve noticed that the Chief Guest’s keynote address is not posted here but the academics’ speeches that are like the president’s election propoganda meetings are posted:
http://www.ugc.ac.lk/en/news-and-events/1299-national-conference-on-qpost-war-socio-economic-development-and-reconciliation-of-people-in-the-northern-and-eastern-provinces-of-sri-lanka-.html
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Davidson Panabokke / March 18, 2014
Dr Ranjith
Is the following getting any attention among the academics in the South:
Jaffna: Open Season For Academic Suicide, 16 March 2014,https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/vc-election-in-jaffna-an-open-season-for-academic-suicide/
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Davidson Panabokke / March 18, 2014
Dr Ranjith
Academics in the South taking note of the following??
Jaffna: Open Season For Academic Suicide, 16 March 2014,https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/vc-election-in-jaffna-an-open-season-for-academic-suicide/
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Amarasiri / March 18, 2014
Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri
“The former president of the Federation of University Teachers’ Association has strongly criticised the unethical behavior of the Dialog Axiata PLC board member and the key co-signatory of the Friday Forum and the former Under Secretary General United Nations, Jayantha Dhanapala for his continued lying over Colombo Telegraph blockade.”
“Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri urges Dhanapala to be “equally outspoken when business interests are cooperating with the anti-democratic regime.”
Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri, shills have no conflicts of Interest and Ethics. What kind of Morality do you expect from Whores? They will service all those who pay.
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Dr Laksiri Fernando / March 18, 2014
This is my first response on the issue. I agree with Nirmal. He has raised the crucial issue of business corporations succumbing to the pressures of an authoritarian regime. Dr Jayantha Dhanapala as a public figure should speak up and clear his name. There has been an apparent conflict of interest. I also request the CT to use restraint. Dhanapala however should speak sooner than later. The CT should go primarily against the Dialog Axiata PLC and even consider legal action and/or suitable public protest/boycott.
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SUN / March 18, 2014
Dear Laksiri,
why is that we dont see Dr. Dhanapala even adds any views in terms of today´s context – not even few days to go with the 3rd UN resolution is about to be passed against the country ? All records of Dhanapala prove that he would never allow any anti-human rights groups, but to stay thus further is really a puzzle.
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Dr Laksiri Fernando / March 19, 2014
Dear SUN,
I still maintain that Dr Dhanapala should speak up and clear his name on the CT blocking issue because he is in the Director board.
However, on your question: why he doesn’t even add any views in terms of today’s context? Well, I don’t know the answer. But at the same time I would not raise such a question. He is a public figure but not a politician. I don’t think we should expect the same commitment from everyone on all issues. It is idealistic and also not reasonable.
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Davidson Panabokke / March 18, 2014
Fully agree.
Also: Pl note this urgently:
”The increasing short-termism of modern politics needs to be overcome with serious and urgent reform to address key challenges facing humanity. …. The Commission analyses the issues, examines the lessons from past successes and failures, proposes a set of principles to overcome deep political and cultural divides, and provides practical recommendations for action on critical challenges” – NOW FOR THE LONG TERM – The report of the Oxford Martin Commission for Future Generations, October 2013, http://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/downloads/commission/Oxford_Martin_Now_for_the_Long_Term.pdf
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gamini / March 18, 2014
In hind sight I am not surprised that his school mate Lakshman Kadirgamar scuttled the chances of JD wanting to become UN Sec Gen. He possibly would have known him better. Not that JD who is now a proven Humbug was any good before. Lakshman Kadirgamar was even a bigger Humbug who compromised with Corrupt CBK for his personal benefit, praising the JVP to get him promoted as the PM, his moral charachter in question marrying the second time someone younger than his own daughter kicking a side his family and his Financial integrity questioned over the purchase of John Bostock’s house revealed by his Lawyer/ Class mate Mahinda Ellepola.
I am not surprised that these individuals, are willing to compromise with the corrupt but not put their weight truly behind HONEST people as Ranil Wickremasinghe to resurrect this country. The dilemma faced by all of us is that we are unable to find a 226 Honest members to represent us in a Parliament of a Population of over 20 million people, who profess to be Honest but are far from it.
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Gaje / March 18, 2014
Dear me!
‘Subtle’ business interests is the order of the day! The RRRR Regime and the rrr sibs do business with Dhammika, Ajith, Page bros, Hasanga S or Dilith J in front! This is more subtle than JD…… he is blatantly naive with direct dealings. Good work Dr Devasiri…. keep it up…. expose each and every one!,
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Jim softy / March 18, 2014
Nimal Ranjith Devasiri:
Just like you, Dhanapala is also another hypocrite.
So, he is protecting himself.
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gamini / March 18, 2014
A case of the Pot calling the kettle black. Is there a worse Hypocrite than this Buddhist Kiss Jim Sereppu Supa?
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Palmsquirrell / March 18, 2014
You can try and deflect the argument to what Ranjith has done or hasn’t done, but it doesn’t change the fact that Dhanapala lied and is going along with GOSL’s blocking of CT.
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Nimal / March 18, 2014
Dhanapala has been on the board of Dialog throughout his membership in the Friday Forum. Dialog has benefited immensely from its close relationship with the Rajapaksa regime via Sunimal Fernando, adviser to the the Presidnet who is the father in law of Hans Wijesuriya, the CEO/ Dialog. Dialog enjoys the most favored status with the Rejapaksa regime among the telecom companies in Sri Lanka this dictating terms to the telecom industry. So, what Dhanpala has been doing being in the FF is to publicly appear to be a crusader of human rights and democracy in the face of atrocities committed by the Rajapaksa regime while having a finger in the pie offered to him by the Dialog generated by the profits made in collusion with the regime.How would you name such behaviour?
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Crazyoldmansl / March 18, 2014
Dhanapala as a good sinhalese fully supports the governments blocking of Colombo Telegraph which after all is an american imperialist tool and threat to Sri lankan culture which will be exposed for the uncouth and murderous set of behaviors that it is if there is anything like an investigation of its conduct since independence.
Liker all good Sinhalese and Tamils Dhanapala also does not subscribe to the doctrine of human rights which both Sinhalee and Tamils think is a damn nuisance that prevents them from imposing their ‘discipline’ on those around them. I think that this Dhapala learned this ‘discipline’ from his parents and teachers and professors at Peradeniya as well and he has also probably swallowed the history that they taught him especially the K.M. De Silva type of history that forms the foundation of the Sinhala Buddhist Nationalist ideology as well as the south east asia directed foreign policy. The Tamils call them ‘Cheena Kaarangal’which means people whose name begins with the letter ‘si’ and also means chinese people.
May they live long! and may we watch them dancing to the tunes of the two great DJs for many years to come. Lets change the Friday forum to the full moon forum and invite the medical superintendent of the mental asylum at mulleriyawa to take the chair. Then lets get them live on TV and let the cameras roll on the worlds most macabre tragi-comedy of post modern times.
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Dev / March 18, 2014
Where is the rest of the “Friday Comedy Club”? Why stay silent?
Professor Savitri Goonesekere, Ms. Suriya Wickremasinghe, Dr. Jayampathy Wickramaratne, Rt. Reverend Duleep de Chickera, Mr. Tissa Jayatilaka, Mr. Ahilan Kadirgamar, Dr. Deepika Udagama, Professor Arjuna Aluwihare, Ms. Sithie Tiruchelvam, Rev. Dr. Jayasiri Peiris, Ms. Anne Abayasekara Ms. Manouri Muttetuwegama, Mr. J.C. Weliamuna, Mr. Javid Yusuf, Dr. A. C. Visvalingam, Mr. Lanka Nesiah, Professor. Camena Gunaratne, Ms, Damaris Wickramasekera, Dr. Selvy Thiruchandran, Dr. Devanesan Nesiah, Ms. Shanthi Dias, Mr. Danesh Casie Chetty, Mr.Prashan de Visser, Mr. D. Wijayanandana, Mr. Mahen Dayananda, Professor. Ranjini Obeyesekere, Mr. Chandra Jayaratne.
They have two options
1) Resign from the Friday Comedy Club
2) Kick out Jayantha
Which will it be?
Thanks CT, keep hounding them….if they don’t do one of the two above options, then they are no different to the regime that tolerates the likes of Mervyn in the South and Douglas in the North !!!
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Nimal / March 19, 2014
“Senior Professor” Siri Hettige is also a member of the FF.
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Crazyoldmansl / March 19, 2014
They cannot kick out a DJ. How can they after dancing to his tunes for so long? Will there be a Friday forum without this DJ? Of course the other DJ would probably like to take over this ones role but then he is a bit too brash and all that what ho no? And also he has a beard. Cannot have a Captain Haddock on the Friday Forum no?
I see a few names on the list that belong to people who have consistently displayed integrity. They would have nothing to do with the other DJ and I am watching how they respond now that this DJ has also shown himself to be of the same type.
I see a few other names on this list that belong to people who would love to be in this DJs shoes. The words ‘millions of rupees’ sets their juices running.
I see others much more sinister as well. I shall remain silent about them. They will soon take their places in hell.
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Priya Raymond / March 24, 2014
I cannot believe that some of the comments here defend Jayantha Dhanapala and his treacherous connivance with a tyrranical government. We are losing Democracy fast. It wont be long before the very Buddhist Sinhala community which supports this government will become the next victims of our pseudo democracy.
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