By Sivas Premjeyanth –
For decades, Tamil communities in Sri Lanka have witnessed the same cycle: Sinhala leaders making promises only to later retract them. From SWRD Bandaranaike to Ranil Wickremesinghe, numerous leaders have pledged to address Tamil grievances through devolution of power, peace accords, or reconciliation efforts. Yet, time and again, these initiatives have been abandoned due to internal political opposition and resistance from Sinhalese nationalists.
Historically, no Sinhala leader has truly empathized with the plight of the Tamil people. Once a thriving and resilient community, Tamils have been systematically relegated to dependence on handouts and foreign remittances. State policies—racist in nature—have marginalized Tamils in language, education, and development. After enduring decades of broken promises, pogroms, and systemic discrimination, it’s no surprise that Tamils have lost faith in Sinhala leadership.
Tamil lives, economies, and futures were systematically destroyed through years of violence and oppression. Understandably, the Tamil community is reluctant to trust any Sinhala leader, especially those from parties with a history of anti-Tamil rhetoric, like the JVP. However, the time may have come for a change—one that transcends old divisions and opens a path for all communities to work together.
A Chance for Systemic Change
The younger generation in Sri Lanka is thinking differently. They seem to understand that true progress can only come from unity and working collaboratively, particularly with marginalized communities like the Tamils. The wounds of the civil war run deep, but we must recognize that no one truly won. Both Tamils and Sinhalese suffered tremendous losses. While some hardline Sinhala groups may feel victorious, the reality is that while they won the military battle, they lost the economic one.
On the other hand, though Tamils may have lost militarily, they won economically. Look at the Tamil diaspora: in the UK, Australia, Canada, and across the world, their economic prowess is undeniable. Over 200,000 Tamil people in Canada alone wield more economic power than Sri Lanka itself. Imagine the potential for rebuilding Sri Lanka if these communities could be reintegrated into a just and fair system where everyone feels safe and equal.
A Vision for the Future
For Sri Lanka to truly heal and move forward, the country must create conditions where every citizen feels safe, valued, and free from discrimination. No one should face threats or unfair treatment based on their race, religion, or ethnicity. Laws should apply equally to everyone, and justice must be the same for all. To root out corruption and rebuild the country, transparency and fairness must be prioritized. Deeply ingrained racism and discrimination have long poisoned Sri Lanka’s institutions, leading to the country’s current state of economic and social decay.
A starting point for change would be to allow Tamils to return to their homes and engage in agriculture on their own lands—basic human rights that have been denied for far too long. Before even considering the possibility of a Tamil prime minister or president, we must focus on fundamental rights and justice. The question remains: can Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD), as president, deliver this? Only time will tell.
A Fresh Leadership
We have seen countless Sinhala and Tamil leaders, but as Sri Lankans, we have never had a true Sri Lankan leader—someone who treated all citizens equally, without discrimination. Anura Dissanayake, from his speeches and public engagement, is trying to position himself as a leader for all Sri Lankans. He has shown an openness and understanding of every segment of society—not just the Tamils, but also the Muslim community, the Upcountry Tamils, and the impoverished Sinhalese masses.
The Last Chance for Change?
The current Tamil leaders have become outdated and self-serving, lacking the vision to uplift both their own people and the broader Sri Lankan populace. Many in the Tamil community have grown weary of their leadership, but it seems unlikely that a leadership shake-up will happen before the next election.
This upcoming election may be the last chance for all Sri Lankans—Tamil, Sinhalese, and Muslim alike—to try a new form of leadership. The corrupt and racist leaders of the past have failed the country time and again. Anura Dissanayake represents an alternative—one that could potentially bring the system change we so desperately need.
Tamils should give Anura a chance to see if this final opportunity works. It could be the last chance not only for Tamils but for all Sri Lankans—Sinhalese, Tamils, and Muslims alike. We will see if this can lead to a country where all citizens are treated equally, without fear of discrimination or injustice. Let’s use this opportunity to build a nation that is truly united and fair for all its people.
My fellow Tamils, give Anura a chance and vote for him.
Jaffna Man / October 1, 2024
It really is time for us Tamils to give the new President a chance. So far he has kept his promises. That gives me hope.
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Ajith / October 1, 2024
“It really is time for us Tamils to give the new President a chance.”
The election of NPP to the President was an opportunity for NPP to its commitment to implement by the Sinhalese people. It is an unexpected change for not only NPP but also Tamils. So, the Parliament election is an unexpected event for Tamils. No one expected to face another election soon.
The changes so far made by the President are welcomed by many people including Tamils. Tamils in the past selected Tamils in the National Political parties UNP, SLFP which was always Govern the country expecting some ministerial benefits. For example Douglas although contest in hos own Party but always get a minister post an any government. He was a Good friend of Gota and later Good friend of Ranil and he will be a good friend of Anura if Anura give him a ministerial post. Similarly, Tamils voted for SLFP Tamil candidate he also expect a ministerial post. This is the experience of North. In the East, Pilliyan and another MP are hoping for ministerial and other benefits. But this time, in my opinion, Anura’s stand on corruption and bribe that option does not work with the Tamil People. But dealing with the people directly give an opportunity to get the votes of Tamils to elect parliamentary MPs from NPP.
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gurudev / October 3, 2024
This is my first visit and comment to this website. Thank you for the decent and informative nature of the articles as well as the comments.
Please keep up the good work.
Obviously, it is in the interest of us all ordinary Lankans to give a chance to the new president. As far as the Extraordinary Lankans I include most of our past politicians in that category. To quote Dostoevsky “Extraordinary men have a right to commit any crime and to transgress the law in anyway, just because they are extraordinary”.
From what I see up to now, AKD and his cabinet appear to be ordinary and quite educated Lankans. That is a glimmer of hope.
It is time we get rid of rhinic
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Nathan / October 1, 2024
I listened to a speech from Anura AFTER he was elected President.
He understands that the majority voted for him out of self interest. It is their economic hardships that had brought Anura to power.
Had Anura made that speech prior to the election his chances of becoming President would have been nil. And Anura is aware of that.
There was hope for Tamils in his speech.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / October 1, 2024
My recommendation to Tamils is to vote for Tamil candidates in north and east and for NPP in other areas. No political party is going to deliver justice to Tamils, and the settlement has to come from outside. So do not bank much hopes on NPP, but nevertheless vote for it. If SJB alone or combination with UNP comes to power, India will not take any action to get justice to Tamils, as they do not want to rock the boat, similar to 2015 to 2019 period. Tamils must put Srilanka against India and reap the benefits. That golden opportunity is coming again and do not miss it, and by voting for NPP you will create this situation.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / October 1, 2024
If the NPP is honest, they must put forward their proposal to address Tamil demand for justice and get the mandate from Sinhala voters. They have not done so, and to expect them to deliver justice to Tamils is a tall order. Any Tamil who says that by voting for NPP, everything will be rosy for Tamils, is a liar. I will predict that though JVP will eliminate corruption and wastage and please people with goodies, they will fail in economic revival, exacerbate Tamil problem and complicate geopolitics by antagonising India.
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Sisira Weragoda / October 2, 2024
Gnana
AKD calls you all ‘Gothra waadeeyo”
In trust – until mistrust is proven .
Our inherent complexes are exhibited by statements of this nature. The subject discussed is not Anthropology.
” It is not surprising as every Sinhalese has 60% South Indian gene.”
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Rohan25 / October 2, 2024
Yes, as evidenced by your name again pure Tamil derived. Meaning the brave mountain or Hill. Wera Brave from Tamil Veeram. Goda meaning a hillock or hill from old Tamil Koadu or Kundru meaning hill or hillock.
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SJ / October 4, 2024
“Wera Brave from Tamil Veeram”
” Goda meaning a hillock or hill from old Tamil Koadu”
How much more BS do you have on offer?
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Mahila / October 5, 2024
SJ,
As much as the counter BS being spilt herein
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Mahila / October 2, 2024
SW,
“AKD calls you all ‘Gothra Waadeeyo”
TRANSLATED as, “IN TRUST – UNTIL MISTRUST IS PROVEN”!!??
If that’s the case, why doesn’t he agree to implement 13th Amendment in FULL!?? If for any reason, as claimed by detractors to the 13th amendment – specifically Police and Land Powers – which the BOOROWA’S CLAIM WOULD ENABLE THE NE TO SECEDE from SL!!?? 175 K POLICE PERSONNEL, MAKE THE DIFFERENCE TO SECEDE, WHEN THEY HAVE 280+ K MILITARY PERSONNEL FULLY ARMED – better than the PALTRY 40+ K POLICE PERSONNEL under the Chief Minster/s of N&E!!?? A WAR-WINNING ARMY TO BOOT!!?? Only negative is that war winning Secretary Defence and Army Commander Field Marshall are MORE INCLINED TO SEEK VIRTUES IN POLITICS than “MATTERS MILITARY” – SOLACE IN KAILASH!!??
No wonder these apes lost the plot even managing Economy!!?? No Intellect, more so simple Imagination!!??
Let us then TRY OUT – “IN TRUST – UNTIL MISTRUST IS PROVEN”!!??
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Sisira Weragoda / October 5, 2024
Mahila Let us then TRY OUT –“IN TRUST – UNTIL MISTRUST IS PROVEN”!!
Dear AKD of Thambuththegama , (House near the Railway Signal pole towards Colombo,) You are the Human Mario de Andrade was searching for…
MY SOUL IS IN A HURRY I counted my years and discovered that I now have less time left to live than I had lived until now. I feel like the kid who won a pack of candy; He ate the first few with pleasure, but when he realized there were few left, he began to savor them deeply. I don’t have time for endless meetings where we discuss bylaws, rules, procedures and internal regulations, knowing that nothing will happen. I no longer have time to put up with absurd people who, despite their chronological age, have not grown up. My time is short to discuss titles. I want the essential, my soul is in a hurry…
Without many sweets in the package…
I want to live next to human people, very human. Who know how to laugh at their mistakes, who are not vain of their triumphs. People who don’t consider themselves elected before their time, people who don’t try to escape their responsibilities. I am looking for people who defend human dignity, people who only want to walk on the side of truth and honesty. The essential is what makes life worth living.
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Sinhala_Man / October 5, 2024
Dear Nathan,
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For two or three years now I have been following what the NPP has been doing. Very occasionally I have had reservations, but NEVER with what Anura has been doing and saying.
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He was consistently saying that nobody should expect their devotion to the NPP to be rewarded. Whether Anura has heard and understood Immanuel Kant’s “categorical imperative”, I don’t know. However, he has consistently upheld the principle.
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I know from my chats with various NPP supporters that not all of them imagined that AKD meant that pure altruism had to be the practice. To many readers on CT my veneration for Anura had become a joke. To satisfy them, I ought to temper my comments with a few criticisms of Anura.
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But what do I do, if I can’t find faults in him. “Ah,” say some, “Panini Edirisinhe knows how to really flatter people, whilst claiming not to do so.!” No. I will always grant that it is a bit unfortunate that AKD is monolingual, but that isn’t a fault! He clearly understands what is said in both English and Sinhala.
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His sincerity and simplicity is copied by others in his family. nimal fernando had put this story on elsewhere.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6L6EwQr73DI අනුරගේ පුතත් මාට්ටු…!
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Panini Edirisinhe
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Srilankan Boy / October 1, 2024
Before even considering the possibility of a Tamil prime minister or president, we must focus on fundamental rights and justice”. Well said. To start with, will AKD do away with the media-wise and region-based selection for university entrance and revert to merit-based as it used to be when I entered Peradeniya Engineering in 1965?
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old codger / October 1, 2024
SL boy,
“possibility of a Tamil prime minister or president,”
The new Defence Secretary’s name is Thuiyyakontha, which is said to be Tamil.
Some progress?
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SJ / October 1, 2024
oc
People are obsessed with the ethnic identity of an office holder.
What matters is what is delivered.
The US had a Black as President. Did he make Blacks any more equal than they were? He is election itself was symbolic, but no more.
Cuba has not had a Black head of state, but the Black Cuban does not feel left out.
India has had Muslim, female, Dalit, tribal and South Indian Presidents (plus a few South Indian PMs). What changes have these achieved for the said minorities?
Until the majority sheds its chauvinism, who is PM or even President is irrelevant.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / October 1, 2024
Thuiyakontha is a combination of Tamil word Thooya (pure) and Malayala word Konta (bred). It is not surprising as every Sinhalese has 60% South Indian gene.
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Siva Sankaran Sharma / October 2, 2024
Malayalam is a daughter language of middle Tamil and the 70-80% of its vocabulary that is Dravidian is purely derived from Tamil or the old western Chera Tamil dialect, that was called Malayalam. Old Codger is correct Thuiyakontha or Thuiyakonthan is a pure Tamil name meaning the one who is pure or the one with characteristics or traits of a pure person. Every Sinhalese has on an average 70% or more of South Indian DNA. Lots of Sinhalese family names may not sound Tamil but are of pure Tamil origin. Eg. Alagiyawana from Tamil Alagiyavan or Alakiyavan( beautiful or handsome man). Yattawara a place as well a person’s family name. Yatta meaning bottom from the Tamil word Adi/Yadi meaning bottom. Wara meaning boundary from the Tamil word Varai/Varambu meaning the edge or boundary.
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SJ / October 4, 2024
“Malayalam is a daughter language “
Malayalam is no daughter of any language. It had a parallel existence.
It was one among several dialects that existed in a region considerably isolated from other Tamil speaking regions.
The first work of Tamil grammar recognized many Tamil dialects. Which of them is the real Tamil then? “Standard Tamil” is dead as a spoken language.
Tamil stagnated by its inability to deal with new sounds while other Dravidian languages thrived phonetically.
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Svenson / October 2, 2024
If we are all mainly Tamil what are you complaining about? We ‘Tamils’ are the majority.
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What you fail to understand is that it doesn’t matter who has what genetic makeup. Its all irrelevant doctor. What matters is what people see themselves as.
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Ruchira / October 2, 2024
Well said Svenson.
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Rohan25 / October 3, 2024
They why hate Tamils? Marginalize and commit war crimes on them? Why not just Tamil or equal rights since independence? Just Sinhalese Buddhist fascism? Hypocrite.
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Native Vedda / October 3, 2024
old codger
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Dayan wrote on 26 September 2024 in Daily FT under the heading “Comrade President: Dimensions of AKD’s victory and Sajith’s defeat”:
“In August 2020 he had 3 seats and 3% of the vote, and a mere four years later, was sworn in as President with 42% of the vote.”
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Native Vedda / October 3, 2024
old codger
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Dayan wrote on 26 September 2024 in Daily FT under the heading “Comrade President: Dimensions of AKD’s victory and Sajith’s defeat”:
“In August 2020 he had 3 seats and 3% of the vote, and a mere four years later, was sworn in as President with 42% of the vote.”
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Will he now explain as to why Gota’s support of 6.9 Million unadulterated pure Sinhala/Buddhist votes which vaporised over a two year period and AKD’s 42% secular votes will increase from 42% to whatever over the next few weeks, and await for a job offer from AKD…….
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Sinhala_Man / October 5, 2024
The name always intrigued me.
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I asked a first cousin who had been about number 3 in the Air Force. A good enough fellow, but it was impossible for me to make much headway with him.
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He himself had incurred parental wrath (the father’s particularly) by marrying a Malay girl. They get on fine, family reconciled to fait accompli. But my cousin has become extreme right wing; just refused to grant any merit to the NPP.
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He had liked Sampath Thuiyyakontha well enough, not knowing that he had thrown his lot in with the NPP. This is the problem. Many who have done quite well in life just can’t understand the motivation of those who have begun to identify with the “JVP”. I have to keep reminding these people that it is now the NPP.
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And my cousin straightaway stopped respecting Thuiyyakontha, and me!
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Panini Edirisinhe
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Mahila / October 5, 2024
OC,
Do you know or is there any way to confirm the claim!!?? Is Secretary of Defence’s NIC written in both Languages Sinhalese (Official Language) and TAMIL (Mother Tongue of the Holder)!!?? NOWAY!!??
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Sisira Weragoda / October 2, 2024
Social Justice/Injustice has to be weighted into Merit
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SJ / October 4, 2024
SW
Very true
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Oma Yang / October 1, 2024
No Tamil will ever trust any politician be it Sinhalese or Tamil. Tamils have been systematically been shown the proverbial middle finger ever since independence. The SINHALA ONLY Pact by SWRDB, the Government sponsored programs, forcibly occupying lands in the north in the name of archeology and by the military. Changing of roads and areas that historically, had Tamil names to Sinhala names, just to appease the majority and those saffron clad thugs is another prime example. Another example would be OLD NIC, for a Tamil it was written in both Sinhala and Tamil, whereas a Sinhalese person’s NIC was only in Sinhala, why you may ask, so that a Cop or Army person at a checkpoint could easily identity ones race. I remember vividly during the civil war and insurgency how many of my Tamil friends, were given a hard time only because of this NIC. Maybe the younger generation born after 2000’s don’t feel it. But those prior to that definitely literally shuddered each time they saw a check point. It even went down to level where in leading schools like wherein Tamil students were openly called para demala, Kottiya, Demala Pakaya, by students and teachers alike. It’s been 15 years since the war ended, yet the politicians don’t wanna bury the hatchet and reconcile. Speeches are made year on year, but deep down there is a hatred lingering.
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Rohan25 / October 1, 2024
You are correct I studied in a leading private Christian college in Colombo and racism against Tamil students was common, especially if you dared to speak in Tamil. All of them came from so called rich aristocratic and elite Sinhalese families and many of them were also Christian. The teachers were not bad but scratch the surface and if something happens, they were also openly racist and insulting, especially in the lower classes. Once in the 90s one of my cousins from Australia was visiting Sri Lanka as lots of his wife’s relatives were still living in Sri Lanka, they are all Australian citizens, they used to carry a copy of their Australian passport and he personally told me how he used to dread those check points, despite being an Australian citizen, as soon as they realized they were Tamil, they were given a hard time and openly called by various derogative names like Demalu, Australian Kootiyo.
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Ajith / October 1, 2024
Rohan25,
You are right. Until now that is the behaviour of the Sinhalese people, Sinhalese military, Sinhalese police and Sinhalese government. Until now, Sinhalese governments by UNP and SLFP promoted racism and fundamentalism in order to cheat the Sinhalese and to rob the nation. Sinhalese only realised it only after it had finally brought them to streets to beg for their food and medicine. Now it has changed and the new government started with an agenda to reduce the waste of the financial mismanagement of the previous governments.
Unlike in the past there is a possibility for change in the behaviour of all Sinhalese and their institutions (police, military) in the coming months or years and Tamils should strengthen their political position and economic strength. We all know our politics and political culture has deteriorated as Sinhalese political culture in the past. We Tamils also need to change and learn lessons from the past.
It takes time to change from the worst of the past. We have to wait and see whether that happens over time.
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SJ / October 1, 2024
It takes two to tango they say.
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SJ / October 1, 2024
“No Tamil will ever trust any politician be it Sinhalese or Tamil. Tamils have been systematically been shown the proverbial middle finger ever since independence. “
Why on earth have they been consistently voting for the Tamil nationalist leaders?
*
They must be showing their middle fingers to each other.
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Ajith / October 2, 2024
“Why on earth have they been consistently voting for the Tamil nationalist leaders?”
Have you asked the same to Sinhalese and Muslims?
Do you want Tamils to vote for Buddhist Sinhala Nationalistic politics who massacred Tamils since independence? It is now proven undoubtedly that 75 years Buddhist Sinhala nationalistic politics is the main course of the problems. Are you not ashamed to be part of the Buddhist Sinhala Fundamentalism?
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Mahila / October 5, 2024
Ajith,
Absolutely on the Money!!?? Winner!
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Ruchira / October 1, 2024
” Tamils Should Give AKD A Chance In The Upcoming Election “
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Good advice. Because nobody else is going to. He is already caught attemting to bribe the electorate with gertilizer subsidies and other concessions to farmers and foshermen respectively. The election commission has intervened to stop them. So much for system change.
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So called self appointed leaders and representatives usually have the habit of taking Tamil people down the wrong path a d then later blame sonhalese for it.
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The so called sole representative of the Tamils the LTTE when told the Tamils on the North and East not to vote for Ranil, having taken money from Basil, Mahinda came to power, and massacre d the LTTE.
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This time Sumanthiran joined hands with Sajith, he lost.
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Similarly Tamils are ensuring that NPP is not going to win the next general elections with this type of advice given by their leaders.
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TBC
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Fairmindedone / October 1, 2024
It was an astute move by Sumathiran to back Sajith. AKD was an unknown quantity to the North and East until he had swept in to power.
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Yet, Sumanthiran provided an accurate character reference on AKD, when his Jaffna speech was misconstrued by some politicians in the North.
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Sajith and Ranil, that means the UNP, did receive nearly the full marks to get a UNPer elected in the first round itself. Thankfully, their confrontational make up allowed AKD to become the prez for a dynamic change.
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It is imperative for the Tamil linguistic group everywhere in Sri Lanka to give AKD and NPP a chance. Lately, I had listened to AKD’s speech on Malaiyaha people. NOT even one Tamil MP had ever spoken like that on their plight in the past eight decades.
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Hope AKD will be a true social democrat, the correct label, and take NPP with him. Marxism in its form has kept Cubans in bread queue for 70 years.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / October 2, 2024
Sumanthiran has no political acumen to decide. He backed Sajith because India wanted it and not for any other reason. Till the day prior to Indian authority met him in Colombo, he was with Ranil. After that he went on the offensive against Ranil.
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SJ / October 2, 2024
Here goes the man with all the insider details.
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Ruchira / October 2, 2024
“It was an astute move by Sumathiran to back Sajith.” – May be you should see Sankara’s view on the same here and respond. I don’t have anything much to add.
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“AKD was an unknown quantity to the North and East until he had swept in to power.”
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When you play ethnolinguistic and territorial politics that are essentially divisive, leaders of the otherside of the fence are unknown entitues till they make an impact. Only to be expected. Now that he is known an accepted by the majority, the minority just fall in line to see whether he could be pursuaded to give them the piece of the pue they demand.
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“Yet, Sumanthiran provided an accurate character reference on AKD, when his Jaffna speech was misconstrued by some politicians in the North.”
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I guess knowing chances of AKD winning are high and being a politician who wants to remain so, that was the astute thing he did, save face.
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TBC
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Fairmindedone / October 4, 2024
“Only to be expected. Now that he is known an accepted by the majority ….”
…
It is not because he had accepted by the majority; if that’s case then it was the same since 1956. It is because of his position being seen in the bright light, with the backing of the ethnomajority; Good policies with the backing of controlling ethnic group. NPP outlook is not the same as JVP.
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Ruchira / October 2, 2024
“Sajith and Ranil, that means the UNP, did receive nearly the full marks to get a UNPer elected in the first round itself. Thankfully, their confrontational make up allowed AKD to become the prez for a dynamic change.”
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Those were my initial thoughts too. The issue with Presidential elections is that they are a bit of popularity contest too amongst personalities. There appears to be irreconcilable differences between Ranil and Sajith. Neither of them would have conceded. So to begin with chances of the UNP uniting and fielding a common candidate which would have been one out of the two of them was I think remote. There’s no gurantee that such a common UNP candidate would have out performed AKD based on this results either. You may want to look at the electoral division and district results. NPP/AKD not only have won the majority but also 2/3 rds.
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Also check out Rajan Philips most recent piece here. He I thought has made a good analysis there.
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TBC
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Ruchira / October 2, 2024
“It is imperative for the Tamil linguistic group everywhere in Sri Lanka to give AKD and NPP a chance.”
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Now that he has won, I don’t see what oLately, I had listened to AKD’s speech on Malaiyaha people. NOT even one Tamil MP had ever spoken like that on their plight in the past eight decades.
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leelagemalli / October 2, 2024
Hello FairMindDone,
As you and I know very well, there are numerous things that he can easily change in this society, don’t have to wait long, have they made a bold move for it yet? ????? their cyber forces spread lies behind the lies…. for how long ?
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The fuel charge has been reduced by a few rupees, but not appreciably close to 100 rps /litre, why???????? “Bandarawela donkey -buruwa by every means” should leave us a meaningful response to this. Enough is enough ….. grrr.
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Whoever he or she took over, it wasn’t as easy as they thought it would be to conduct the story based on their stage provocations. Mr Wickramsinghe did his best to keep the ball rolling in terms of the economy… however I doubt the current men would be able to continue to keep the head above the water at least to some extent… wait and see…
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… JVP led NPP should know this well. The current few weeks before GE will teach them a lesson, I sincerely hope.
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They are doing more damage to the ailing economy because of the issue based on vehicles giving to state authorities and now it is revealed that all lies are linked to the auto show to attack rival politicians.
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LankaScot / October 2, 2024
Hello Fairmindedone,
“Marxism in its form has kept Cubans in bread queue for 70 years”. Ask a Marxist if Cuba is a Marxist Country. Apart from that it is probably the US that has contributed most to ensuring that the Bread Queues have persisted.
https://www.marxists.org/history/erol/1960-1970/cuba.htm
Best regards
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SJ / October 2, 2024
not-so-fair-minded-one
“Marxism in its form has kept Cubans in bread queue for 70 years.”
That may be why the people are solidly with a government against efforts by the US to salvage them!
*
Have you a clue about Cuban history?
It has the best educational and health systems in the entire Caribbean and Latin America, and most prepared against natural disaster.
It still provides high quality medical and disaster relief support in Latin America and Africa.
Ask any Angolan about Cuba.
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LankaScot / October 3, 2024
Hello SJ,
There is even a highly respected Cuban Hospital in Qatar opened in 2012. I passed it every time I went to Dukhan. Some of the Military Personnel that I knew had been treated there and were full of praise.
Best regards
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SJ / October 3, 2024
Thanks LS for helping sanity prevail in these pages.
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Mahila / October 5, 2024
BS!!??
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nimal fernando / October 1, 2024
Before anyone else ……. Tamils should give themselves a chance.
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Except for a very few …… like SJ …… most Tamils have an ‘all or nothing’ approach/mentality.
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And Tamil pols are as worse as the Sinhalese. …… For once, lets have the frigging courage to face the truth.
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The “conventional” Tamil pols have played-out and deceived their people as much as the Sinhalese pols have deceived and played-out their own. Led their respective people up the garden path.
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Just like the Sinhalese pols, they are just marking time and enjoying their perks, from the cradle to the grave …… and then pass it on to their offspring …. on and on …..
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Agree with him or not …… love him or hate him …… the only genuine leader Tamils had that could give them a solution was Prabakarn ……. who understood the Sinhalese-mindset …….. and used the only method that would work: unspeakable brutality and violence. The only time the Sinhalese came close to handing the Tamils a settlement.
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In the end he too succumbed to the ‘all or nothing’ mentality.
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nimal fernando / October 1, 2024
cont
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Try to understand what is possible …….. in the current situation …….. and try to work out a settlement …… step by step.
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I feel there is a honest “mature” outfit in control now …… with whom, the Tamils living in Lanka, can work out a settlement.
–
The Tamils living outside of Lanka, enjoying the good-life with their children, will always insist for a ‘all or nothing’ settlement. …… What do they care …… one way or the other?
/
Oma Yang / October 1, 2024
@Nimal, as much as I would like to see everyone identify as Sri Lankan, rather than race first, it unfortunate that politicians eventually bow down to the hardliners and Clergy just to earn brownie points. In all fairness, correct me if I am wrong, CBK was the only president who ensure compensation was paid to July 1983 victims. I personally know a few families who got a few rupees as compensation. It was more the gesture than amount. MR and clan ensure hatred taken to another level, previously not seen even during the heights of war. I have been literally chastised for Standing up for another Tamil brethren in front of cops. What people need to realise is that Lives lost, and people who left to live in peace and quiet were our fellow countrymen. Even now I know so many Sri Lankan tamils who yearn to comeback to their motherland, yet shudder when they think of what they went through and decide against it.
/
Native Vedda / October 3, 2024
nimal fernando
–
“Except for a very few …… like SJ …… most Tamils have an ‘all or nothing’ approach/mentality.”
–
Do you think SJ is a Tamil?
He is a Tamil speaking Chinaman in Sri Lanka.
He worships Mao and Sri Mao for different reasons.
–
“And Tamil pols are as worse as the Sinhalese. “
–
You know why?
Both share the same stupid Kallthonie gene from South India.
/
Fairmindedone / October 4, 2024
Federal structure is neither all nor nothing, ideal model of politically developed nations. That was the preferred solution since 1949.
.
Prabhakaran’s presence was an interlude just bring conservative Ceylon Tamils to reality.
/
SJ / October 4, 2024
fmo
The FP’s federal proposal was not a well thought out model.
What is still needed is devolution of power to assure the ethnic groups of their security and preservation of identity from chauvinist threat.
Firstly SWRDB suggested ones for Kandyan and Low country Sinhalese and Tamils. Utterly shallow electoral politically driven idea.
The FP picked from it, but the proposed federal state kept out the entire Hill Country Tamils most Muslims and a good section of the Tamils in the Western Province. (Interestingly, it was the citizenship act that led to the founding of the FP.)
A sensible proposal was from Leonard Woolf taking into account the Hill Country Tamils and Muslims as well. It was not federation, but something like the Swiss cantons.
No country has federated since WWII except Belgium I think.
/
nimal fernando / October 5, 2024
Fairmindedone,
–
Let me answer you with a totally unrelated example …….
–
Ideally, as an ‘all or nothing’ wish I would like to get married to Amber Heard …… and hold on to my wish/desire for end of my days …… sticking to a life of celibacy.
–
Or I can understand the unreality/unattainability of my wish …….. and come up with some practical solutions within my reach …….. that are achievable/reachable …..
/
SebastianSR / October 1, 2024
” After enduring decades of broken promises, pogroms, and systemic discrimination, it’s no surprise that Tamils have lost faith in Sinhala leadership.”
It is always easy to blame the “Sinhala leadership” while our Tamil leaders, and we as Tamils only have positive qualities. The Tamils have been about 12% of the population, of which nearly half were living in the south, among the Sinhalese. So, basically about 6% of the population was pitted against 80% of the population (the Sinhalese and Muslims) in a military declaration that started in Vaddukoddei officially, but that was laid down decades earlier when the ITAK declared that GGPonnambalam was a “traitor (thurogi) to the “cause” and started pushing divisive poltics. Meanwhile the Tamils under the leadership of Thondaman Sr. avoided all that and followed a more astute path wherein he saved his people and also got what his community wanted. The 30-year war saw many leaving the country, but the less fortunate (and many illustrious) were eliminated, not only by state terror, but by various “liberators” of the Tamils – and that includes the IPKF. The author says the Tamils in the Diaspora are very prosperous- indeed they are!
/
Rohan25 / October 1, 2024
Sebastian Sr stop lying 70% of the native Sri Lanakan Tamils live in the north and east and the vast majority of the remaining 30 % live within greater Colombo where they had lived for generations. A very high percentage of the remaining 30% also live along the once Tamil northwest Chilaw Negombo Puttalam coast belt, still maintaining their ancient Tamil identity, whilst many of their close relatives, friends and neighbours have not converted to the Sinhalese identity within the last two generations. Most of the Tamils living amongst the Sinhalese are Indian origin estate Tamils who have always lives amongst them from the very beginning as this where the British settled them 200 years ago to work in the huge coffee, tea and rubber plantations.
/
Rohan25 / October 1, 2024
80% Sinhalese from where did you get that percentage from.? Just decided this for your fake propaganda. The Sinhalese are 74% percentage. This only increased after they chased over a million native Tamil in the last 30 years to the west and made one million Indian origin estate Tamils stateless and forcibly deported most of them to India. Tamils were around 20% before the war in the 1980s and now 15.4%. after the war after the large-scale killings and ethnic cleansing, especially in the Vanni and Trincomalee area. That they are still around 15.4% itself and Tamil still is the mother tongue and first language of 25% of the population on the island, despite all the war crimes, persecution and structural genocide against them is a miracle.
/
Rohan25 / October 1, 2024
Get your facts correct and it does not matter if only 1% or 6% of 12% or 20% of the population live in the north and east, as this is the ancient Tamil homeland from prehistoric times, even long before a people called Sinhalese and the Sinhalese language or identity originated, and they had been continuously living and ruling these areas until European colonization and are still the vast majority in these areas not the recently colonized Sinhalese or the fake Arab South Indian Tamil origin converted Muslims, who only arrived there a few centuries ago, claiming to be Tamil to get refuge but now deny this truth and claim to be Arab. If they are Arabs and not Tamils, they have no claim to ancient Tamil lands as Arabs are foreigners, so if they claim to be of foreign Arab descent how can they claim Tamil lands. If not for the British, the Sinhalese will never have any peep or control of the ancient Eelam Tamil nation or their lands. The Tamils from the northeast were rarely subjects of the Sinhalese or their rulers before 1948. It was mostly the other way around, the Sinhalese were most of the time ruled directly by Tamil kings or Tamil origin kings and aristocracy, many now masquerading as Sinhalese
/
Rohan25 / October 1, 2024
The ancient history place names and the rulers of the north and east, has always been Tamil and Hindu not Sinhalese or Muslim/Arab. GO and check the map of the north and east of the island before independence, every place name, town village, hill, river are all Tamil now many deliberately changed to Sinhalese from the 1950s. Even after the fall of the Jaffna kingdom to the Portuguese, and the east came under the loose supervision of the Kings of Kandy, the rulers were still Tamil under a Tamil origin nominally Sinhalese king. Got it and this was also for a short period, as the Portuguese and Dutch captured the east soon. Scottish are only around 5% of Britain’s population but Scotland makes up 30% of Britian’s land area, but they have self-rule, and their own laws, courts and Parliament as this is their land and no one talks bullshit like you and the rest of the Sinhalese. This is why Britain is a first world nation and Sri Lanka a bankrupt third world racist nation. The North and east is ancient Tamil land and there were no Sinhalese until after independence when they were sent in their thousands to deliberately colonize.
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Rohan25 / October 1, 2024
It is the Tamils and the Tamil speakers who make up 25% of the island’s population who are the majority in every district there. So why no devolution and federalism just Tamil rights and recognition of the ancient Tamil Hindu and Mahayana Buddhist heritage there instead of deliberately trying to destroy it and create a fake Sinhalese Theravada Buddhist history with feeble excuses? You cannot develop and thrive unless you get your basics rights. Justice Law and human rights for everyone with a federal form of government recognizing diversity. Until you get this basic step no development is going to happen. Got it. Sebastian?
/
SJ / October 3, 2024
“It is the Tamils and the Tamil speakers who make up 25% of the island’s population who are the majority in every district there. “
Of the 25% Tamil speakers, hardly 10% consider themselves Tamils of the N&E.
The Muslims do not want any of the Tamil state you have in mind. You detest them and they rightly detest the likes of you.
The Hill Country Tamils have little to with this N&E project of yours.
As for the rest of the Tamils, the voting in the East for the ‘common candidate’ speaks volumes. Even in the North it was a pathetic performance in the Vanni and Mannar. Jaffna showed more votes for SJB than for the common candidate.
Who do you think that you are fooling, but yourself?
/
Rohan25 / October 3, 2024
Listen self-hating Tamil and supporter of Sinhalese Buddhist Fascism and the Bandaranaike family ironically of recent South Indian ancestry on both sides, that did great harm to the island’s Tamils, supporter of China. Yes, it is a fact Tamil speakers are 25% of the island’s population and this irks you and this not what I state go and read the island’s language statistics. Most probably this irks you as you want them to be damned, only for some reason known to you. It is also a fact that out of the 25 districts, the Sinhalese are a minority in 9 and the Tamil speakers are the majority here. 6 have a majority native Eelam Tamil population, 2 have a combined majority of Eelam Tamil and Tamil Muslims and 1 district has a majority of Indian origin Tamils and the city of Colombo is also predominantly Tamil/Tamil speaking. Tamil is the mother tongue of 60% of the population. Now go and take a hike. Always constantly attacking and nit picking in Tamil bloggers and fawning to Sinhalese racists/hardliners and their supporters here, like a Scotsman who is married to local Kandyan Sinhalese woman. No wonder they love you.
/
SJ / October 3, 2024
Do not get so agitated if you cannot face reality.
Benzodiazepines may help I found just now. But avoid the usual alcohol.
A lot of water, and a good long nap. (Do not make it too long).
/
LankaScot / October 4, 2024
Hello Rohan25,
I presume you mean me? Go back through the Archives and look carefully at what I have written about the Civil War and the War Crimes committed by the Sri Lankan Government against Tamil Civilians in the North.
SJ has on occasions thought that I am wasting my time replying to you in particular. Now prove him wrong and provide a civil and well thought out reply.
Best regards
/
Rohan25 / October 4, 2024
We know that pillow talk from your Sinhalese wife influences you a lot and you trying to be polite but an apologist for state sponsored Sinhalese racism
/
Fairmindedone / October 4, 2024
Eelam means Ceylon.
/
LankaScot / October 2, 2024
Hello Rohan25,
Some of my Scottish Ancestors fought against the English (the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion) not to free Scotland but to put a Stewart back on the British Throne. Many impoverished Highlanders joined the cause, and marched down as far as Derby. London was in panic, however a double agent, Dudley Bradstreet, persuaded the Scottish High Command to turn back.
The rest is history, Battle of Culloden Massacre, Charles Edward Stewart (Stuart) exiled to Rome and drank himself to death. The Clan Structure/Society was broken up and many left Scotland forever. The Lands were taken over by Absentee Landlords and sheep replaced the people in the Highlands.
Can you see some similarities to Sri Lankan recent history.
My father stood for Election as a Scottish Nationalist (and failed). I was never a Nationalist and voted Labour aged 18, but the anti-English Sentiment still remains in Scotland, despite nearly 300 years having passed. Scotland has more than 1000 years as a Nation with one King. The Judiciary, Education, Parliament (until 1707), the Church of Scotland and Local Politics have always been separate and independent.
The Industrial Revolution and the Wealth from the Empire led to Britain’s First World Nation status.
Best regards
/
SJ / October 2, 2024
LS
Are you trying to educate a bigot?
It is water on duck’s back.
The last “Tamil kingdom” founded in the 13th Century covered a good part of the Northern Province, but its founder was not a Tamil.
The rest of the Tamils lived under chieftains with loyalty to other rulers.
/
Rohan25 / October 3, 2024
Really, he was Chinese. until the fall of the Tamil Jaffna kingdom the Vanni and the eastern Tamil chieftaincies were under the king of Jaffna and who were most of the so-called Sinhalese kings and aristocracy. You really are a piece of work self-hating anti Tamil racist. constantly supporting Sinhalese Buddhist Fascism and Islamic extremism against your own people, god only knows for what reason.
/
LankaScot / October 4, 2024
Hello SJ,
“Are you trying to educate a bigot?” You were right, I was wrong.
This is his latest reply – “We know that pillow talk from your Sinhalese wife influences you a lot and you trying to be polite but an apologist for state sponsored Sinhalese racism”
It reminds me of a line from The Doors Song “Riders on the Storm” –
“There’s a killer on the road
His brain is squirmin’ like a toad”
As Richard Dawkins explained; there are concepts called “Memes” that, like viruses, get passed from person to person, infecting their brains, behaving like Tapeworms and are very difficult to get rid of.
Best regards
/
Rohan25 / October 3, 2024
Yet Scotland has now its own parliament, laws and can secede if it wants to.
/
SJ / October 3, 2024
But does not seem to want it.
/
LankaScot / October 4, 2024
Hello SJ,
My sister voted for Brexit and now regrets it. She thinks that if the UK does not rejoin the EU then the Scots may look again for a Referendum. Like me she cannot thole (bear or stand) Keir Starmer and voted Green rather than vote Labour or the Scottish Nationalists.
Best regards
/
Rohan25 / October 4, 2024
Yes, because they are now treated with dignity and respect but still have that choice got it or pretending not to get it
/
Mahila / October 6, 2024
The “WANT” secession decreases when DENIAL is NON-EXISTENT to secede from the Union!!?? SOMETHING AKIN TO – DEMAND INCREASES WHEN SUPPLY IS DENIED!!?? Now opportunity is abundant, therefore, less demand!! Somewhat like Logistics!!??
/
Svenson / October 1, 2024
As I have said several times you can’t have an ‘ancient homeland’ as well as equality everywhere else in the country. Decide which you want. If it is the former start a new liberation group and see where that gets you.
.
Your comments on racism are true but it works both ways. I’ve experienced racism from Tamils myself both in SL and abroad. A Sinhalese visiting Jaffna is looked at with hatred and made to feel an outsider in his own country.
/
Ruchira / October 1, 2024
“A Sinhalese visiting Jaffna is looked at with hatred and made to feel an outsider in his own country.”
.
No need to visit jaffna. A visit to Colombo Telegraph comments section is suffice.
/
Mahila / October 3, 2024
Enumerates SOME have “THICK HYDES” – MADE TO FEEL LIKE OUTSIDERS, but THEY STILL COME to Jaffna!!?? How so Nice!!?? Such a Lot of EMPHATHY for NORTHERNERS!!??
/
Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / October 2, 2024
Look at India. Ethnic groups have their own homeland where their language is official and they control the territory with legislative and executive powers in law and order and land allocation. No one can change the demography by force or design. Despite this all ethnic groups have equality elsewhere. Bring an arrangement like that in Srilanka, and except a few rest of Tamils will accept it. State control on Tamils should end and Sinhala writ should not go beyond the boundary. Otherwise Tamils will not be allowed to prosper. In India from independence to 1991, economy was controlled by central government and Northern states prospered and southern states were left poor. After 1991, when economy was opened, Southern states have prospered and northern states bar few are behind. As for Sinhalese visiting Jaffna, if you go with supremacist mindset, you will be shown the way out. However if you go there with humble and friendly manner, you will be welcome.
/
SJ / October 2, 2024
“Ethnic groups have their own homeland where their language is official “
BS.
The number of native languages of India far exceeds a hundred.
How many of them are official languages anywhere?
/
Svenson / October 3, 2024
You want SL to be like India doctor? You want the death penalty for Sedition?
.
‘Despite this all ethnic groups have equality elsewhere.’ Do they? Have you not heard of the Dalits?
.
After Independence most of the the new industrial sites were in the Northern and Eastern provinces, Kankesanthurai cement factory, the Soda Factory, Valaichchenai Paper Mills, Pulmoddai mineral sands, Karainagar boat building etc.
/
Mahila / October 6, 2024
Svenson,
“After Independence most of the new industrial sites were in the Northern and Eastern provinces, Kankesanthurai cement factory, the Soda Factory, Valaichchenai Paper Mills, Pulmoddai mineral sands, “KARAINAGAR BOAT BUILDING” etc.”
The last one mentioned was thanks to the generosity of descendants of the vampire state and not by GOSL funds, because the Norwegians felt sorry as to the Tamils Plight in view, discriminating attitude of the majority during the mid-1960’s with due appreciation too to Madam PM “SIRI MAO”!?
/
Siva Sankaran Sharma / October 2, 2024
I will not blame any Tamil, as you constantly ooze out anti Tamil racism and we Tamils can feel and smell your racism against us. Try changing your attitude and behaviour then you may feel love and acceptance.
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SJ / October 2, 2024
sss
Likewise, there other people who feel and smell your racism against them.
/
Siva Sankaran Sharma / October 3, 2024
Hate so called all-knowing Tamil quislings who support Sinhalese racists and racism against their own people for their own selfish ends. You are good example, and every Tamil here can smell a traitor like you here.
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SJ / October 3, 2024
As I said earlier, benzodiazepine without the booze.
Water and sleep, but not too much.
You should be able to walk to the loo in the morning without tripping on something.
/
Siva Sankaran Sharma / October 4, 2024
Looks like you are drunk and repeating the same thing to me and other bloggers in defence of Sinhalese racists. What a pathetic old man, tripping everywhere and badly wanting to go to the toilet. Why you suffer from incontinence?
/
Ruchira / October 2, 2024
“…start a new liberation group and see where that gets you.”
.
Not necessary. What happened on CT and has been happening since independence or perhaps even before that and continues to happen is enough to continue from where Gota left off…
.
Bunch of losers full of hatred and envy. On top of all if it. Perverts, crooks and criminals….
/
Native Vedda / October 4, 2024
Ruchira
–
“Bunch of losers full of hatred and envy. “
–
Whom are you referring to?
/
Mahila / October 6, 2024
R,
The Sanest and Pure hearted guy is talking!!??
/
Native Vedda / October 4, 2024
Svenson
–
“If it is the former start a new liberation group and see where that gets you.”
–
It depends on how fast the Sinhala/Buddhists learn things from the past, and how Hindians look at your progress, ….. If you are still stuck in the past, Mahawamsa Mindset, sorry it will take many decades of learning, …. Hindians would not mind teaching you and feeding you, ……. as long as necessary.
/
SJ / October 1, 2024
What about the massive diaspora?
/
Mahila / October 6, 2024
BS
/
RBH59 / October 1, 2024
Tamils Should Give AKD A Chance In The Upcoming Election
NPP emphasizes a collective leadership model.
Traditional political parties in Sri Lanka, like the SLPP and UNP, the dominance of family dynasties
History shows the election vote ghatherign was throu religious hatred speech whic made the people emotional not calulation econimical and mde the country bankrupt visibly the health sector exporting of inferior medicine which proved now same with other.
The NPP (National People’s Power) has gained support from various international entities and countries that view it as a potential alternative to the traditional political parties in Sri Lanka. This backing highlights the global interest in seeing political reform and good governance in the country. Despite this, other local parties have dismissed these claims, often stating that such international support is either exaggerated or irrelevant, attempting to downplay the NPP’s growing influence. However, the NPP’s focus on transparency, anti-corruption, and collective leadership continues to attract attention, both domestically and abroad, challenging the status quo of Sri Lankan politics.
/
Mahila / October 2, 2024
(Part I)
RBH 59,
“Tamils Should Give AKD A Chance in The Upcoming Election
NPP emphasizes a collective leadership model.”
Everyone and Everybody needs ‘A CHANCE’ to prove ONES WILL AND INTENT TO ACHIEVE THE PURPOSE OR FINAL STATED OUTCOME!!?? IN TOTAL AGREEMENT WITH YOUR CONCEPT, UNDERSTANDABLE AND VERY PRACTICAL, PURPOSE-MINDED FORTHRIGHT THINKING!!?? FULLY SUPPORT YOU ANDMAKE A CASE TO SUPPORT NPP AND AKD TO ACHIEVE THERI ASPIRATIONS TOO!!??
Whilst agreeing with you to give “AKD/NPP ‘A CHANCE’ to prove ONES WILL AND INTENT TO ACHIEVE THE PURPOSE OR FINAL STATED OUTCOME”, I am sure and wager, that the Tamils as A significant Minority of this country, “REQUEST RECIPROCALLY, THAT THEY BE GIVEN, ‘A CHANCE’, by implementing in FULL 13th Amendment, (the necessary statute is already part of the Constitution of DSR of SL as amendment 13) including the Police and Land Powers of North-East Provinces, without any degradation!!?? We also earnestly suggest, in the first instance, it be for a TRIAL PERIOD of 4½ years from today – 02/10/2024 – with A REVIEW of PROGRESS BY JOINT COMMITTEE OF NPP/AKD AND Sridharan, Sumanthiran combine/TNA, not later than 02/10/2029!!??
One will then have ‘A CHANCE’ to assess, determine,
(TBC)
/
Mahila / October 2, 2024
(Part II)
The veracity of claims made by “all and sundry” of (JRJ) – “YOU GIVE POLICE AND LAND POWERS to NE SL WOULD SEPARATE/SECEDE FROM SL AS SEPERTAE STATE/ENTITY”!!?? BULL s TALK!!?? WHO IN HELL OR HEAVEN could IMAGINE someone WOULD BE ABLE TO SECEDE FROM A SOVEREIGN COUNTRY having “A STANDING ARMY” – WHICH CLAIMED TO WAR VICTORY OF 05/2009, against the MOST TYRANNICAL TERRORIST ORGANISATION OF THE WORLD!!?? Let aside the fact the SL Navy and Airforce “totalling 90+ K boots on the ground”!!?? This is the PERVADING INSANITY of the 225 + 1 (THE SUFFIX 1, most important individual WHO PERMATS THIS IDIOSYNCRACY) OR IN SHORT THE REST ARE, ‘MEE HARAKKAS’ RULING THIS COUNTRY for 75+ years!!??
NO WONDER THEY LOST THE PLOT AND ECONOMICALLY LOST THE COUNTRY TOO!!?? DECLARED, BANKRUPT CONCEPTS OF THE SELF-CONCEIETED, ‘blockhead-on-earth’ AND DEPRAVED VARIETY (if adulatory adjective is applicable and accepted) OF “HUMANS”!!?? IMMORTALISED DYNASTIC IMPLOSION!!?? Instead they chose bankruptcy and blamed 30-year war, which was self-inflicted!!??
Once the trial-period is over the system – “LAND AND POLICE POWERS” WITH FULL 13TH AMENDMENT MAY BE “AGREED UPON AS PERMANENT SOLUTION BEFORE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS OF 09/2029” HOW WELCOME!!??
(TBC)
/
Fairmindedone / October 4, 2024
It is so difficult to read all caps writing.
/
Mahila / October 2, 2024
(Part III)
MUTUAL ACCEPTANCE OF “A CHANCE”, to accept a NEW SYSTEM OF ADMINISTRATION – ‘REFRESHING CHANGE FOR WHOLE COUTRY’ – ‘NORTH, EAST, WEST, SOUTH without exception’, the required “CHANGE – or VENESA”, welcomed by One-and-All without excepton of the DSR of SL!!??
What, “A CHANCE of A CHANGE”, FROM WHICH NONE WOULD VENTURE GOING BACKWARDS TO THE ARCHAIC GOOD (OR BAD) OLD WAYS!!!???
Symbolic progress – Marching ‘FORWARD’ as “ONE COUNTRY AND ONE NATION”!!??
/
Singar A. Velan / October 1, 2024
It is not a question of “we give you a chance, or else”. It is a question of a particular trajectory Tamil nationalist politics took failed miserably at enormous cost. What is in front of us now is an opportunity to build on a real change that has happened. So a more meaningful line of thinking is “Tamils should aim to work with AKD in making their lives better as a side effect of making the lives of everybody in the island better.”
/
Rohan25 / October 1, 2024
Similarly, the AKD and the Sinhalese also should aim to work for justice, equality and making the lives of the Tamils better, meaningful and appreciated in their own homeland and not living under fear and racist Sinhalese military occupation and you will also see the lives of everyone in the island, especially the Sinhalese also improving. It is not a one-way street the onus is more on the Sinhalese than on the Tamils or Tamil speaker Has the marginalization of the island’s Tamils, discriminating them, committing war crimes on them, ethically cleansing them on large scale to reduce their population from 26% at the time of independence to the current 15.4% brought any prosperity for the Sinhalese masses ( other than their corrupt racist opportunistic rulers/elite and Buddhist clergy) or made life better for them. The answer is no. The more they discriminated and marginalized the Tamils the worse their lives became and by now they should realize that development and prosperity does not come with selecting discrimination marginalization and committing war crimes on section of the population but by inclusivity, justice, peace and safeguards for the minority nations. Always the onus is on the Tamils, and they should keep on sacrificing but never the Sinhalese
/
SJ / October 1, 2024
SAV
We as a nationality have a serious attitude problem.
It take times to correct.
/
Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / October 2, 2024
Sivasegaram, you are the typical example of a person with serious attitude problem, due to your egoistic belief that you are the one who knows everything and others are ignoramus.
/
Singar A. Velan / October 2, 2024
Doctor, just trying to understand what precisely you mean. Start with some notation: S– has attitude problem, say quantity X; We as a nationality have an attitude problem, say quantity Y.
Which of the following do you mean:
(a) X > Y
(b) Y = 0
(c) S– is part of “we as a nationality” so going by “one grain of rice is a good sample of a pot of rice”, “we as a nationality” do have an attitude problem; i.e. Y=0 cannot be true.
/
SJ / October 2, 2024
SAV
He was never good at maths.
Logic? I have doubts there too.
/
Fairmindedone / October 4, 2024
Good for a laugh, but mathematics is logic, deductive reasoning.
/
SJ / October 2, 2024
GS
Your inability to deal with the reality is always all too transparent in your abusive comments.
How is your brother? Nice man. Give him my regards.
/
SJ / October 3, 2024
“and others are ignoramus.”
Although I know for sure that you are an absolute ignoramus, I will not call you one and leave it for you to prove it.
/
leelagemalli / October 3, 2024
Dr. G.S.
.
What if Prof SJ always tells truth and facts? I think our people should put aside all the divisions and focus on the facts. Be them tamils, sinhala or muslims, we should all focus on the facts rather than persons… right ? how many more years should we wait to see things right ?
.
Why don’t our people (srilankens) see the truth? All of these are fundamental reasons to remain at the crossroads regarding whatever lies ahead.
/
SJ / October 2, 2024
SAV
“We give you a chance, or else” is a key part of an attitude problem. It has been there all along.
N Sanmugathasan once said, 5 decades ago in connection with the national question, that the Sinhalese tend to look at themselves as a minority while Tamils take a majoritarian attitude.
/
Svenson / October 3, 2024
SJ this is a very accurate comment. The Sinhalese think of the 100m or so South Indians just fifty miles away and feel under threat. The Tamils feel under threat from the Sinhalese.
/
SJ / October 3, 2024
“The Tamils feel under threat from the Sinhalese.”
Not unjustified after a few communal riots and a war.
/
Svenson / October 4, 2024
SJ you are right as usual.
/
Fairmindedone / October 4, 2024
The last I understood is that DNA attributes of Sinhala people and Ceylon Tamil people (aka Jaffna man) are pretty much not that indistinguishable. In any event, they are two linguistically and culturally recrystallised lot but with a similar value system, separate and distinct from that across the pond.
/
Pundit / October 1, 2024
Waiting for the day when all citizens will refer to themselves as Sri Lankans. Not by ethnicity.
/
Rohan25 / October 1, 2024
To do that there should be equality, justice and real recognition of diversity of language ethnicity and religion and a federal structure protecting this diversity, so that people can take pride in their own identity and the nation that recognizes them cherishes them, irrespective ethnicity, language and religion until that happens non-Sinhalese, will never refer all call themselves as Sri Lankans and take pride in it, as now the Sri Lankan flag and identity only portrays and reflects the Sinhalese only, especially the Sinhalese Buddhists and identity. Just look at the national flag the so-called Sinhalese lion with a sword, aggressively facing the so called two stipes that were inserted much later as an afterthought to represent the Tamils and Muslim Tamils or Moors as they love to call themselves and why the Bo leaves? Only representing Buddhism and not the 30% who are not Buddhist?
/
Svenson / October 1, 2024
Which ever way the Lion faced you would still find a fault in it. That’s your hatred looking for any excuse to show itself. You’re better off remaining abroad, the Tamils in Sri Lanka can do without your type.
/
Mahila / October 2, 2024
My dear Svenson,
When is the day of Salvation dawning on this country??? That will be the Golden-Day, we give you a grand send-off!!?? I mean it when are you going to wear the ‘cap’ – being proposed by you to others!!??
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Rohan25 / October 2, 2024
Is that why you also ran to the west? What is your story? For the good life? Tamils to escape marginalization, discrimination and persecution. There may be a glass ceiling for us in the west, which is also now rapidly breaking, and a few openly racist whites, but they are increasingly becoming a minority and afraid openly show their racism, as they will be challenged by the majority and the law. Unlike in Sri Lanka where Tamils were persecuted, killed, ethnically cleansed their lands and belongings especially in the north and east still being openly grabbed and confiscated by various government departments and the armed forces with impunity and still is happening.
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Rohan25 / October 2, 2024
A rabid Sinhalese Buddhist priest, aided and abetted by powerful Sinhalese Buddhist Fascist elite, politicians down south, the so called fake Archeological department, and the Sinhalese Buddhist armed forces and police in the north and east, can go anywhere in the north or east plant a Buddha statue under a Bo tree, on private lands belonging to Tamils and Muslim Tamils or claim an ancient Hindu temple as being once Sinhalese Buddhist and get away with this crime and claim the entire area for the Sinhalese with the help of the Sinhalese government establishment and armed forces. You will never see these sorts of rubbish in the west or most civilized lands.
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Captain Morgan / October 1, 2024
If the NPP/JVP and their allies win the parliamentary elections with a large majority, then the much yearned for “System Change” can be achieved. If they don’t get a strong working majority, then forget about “System Change.” None of the other parties have ever evinced any interest in system change. Therefore, to vote for system change or not, that is the question! Since the result will be in the voters’ hands, they should decide on this matter first, before marching to the polling booth to cast their votes.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / October 2, 2024
NPP is only talking about system change demanded by Sinhalese, but is silent on system change demanded by Tamils since independence.
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Rohan25 / October 2, 2024
Dr. Sankaralingam nothing is going the change. Unlike the Rajapakse’s and the other regimes, the marginalization and persecution of the Tamils, especially in the north and east may largely stop, not because of any conviction that this is wrong but this mainly due to the current economic conditions. This government will be very busy trying to comply with the stringent IMF rules and satisfying Sinhalese economic and expectations and demands. They were elected by the Sinhalese who only wanted a change due to their suffering and not for anything else, like granting just Tamil rights or equality, that is still a big No for many of them, who are brainwashed with the Mahavamsa mentality and fairy tales.
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Rohan25 / October 2, 2024
If any Tamil rights are to be given it not because of any change of heart of conviction about equality and human rights but because most of the Sinhalese are forced to accept it, due to their dire economic conditions. You can see how they were, before 2022, did not care and were supporting and enjoying the marginalization and persecution of the Tamils and later the Muslims, until the good life bubble burst and the Sinhalese Hitler could not deliver the goods that he promised on the back of the persecuted and marginalized Tamils.
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SJ / October 4, 2024
“system change demanded by Tamils since independence”
Even the Tamils (except a few leaders) have forgotten all about it.
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paragon / October 1, 2024
THERE IS NO POINT IN GIVING CHANGES TO THE BUDIST POLITICAL SINGALA LEADERS.SEE THE RESULTS OF GIVEN CHANGES TO SINGALA LEADERS.
BANDA-SELVA
DUDLEY-SELVA
JR-RAJIV GANDI-13TH AMENDMENT
CHANDIRIKA-TAMILS AND HER PROMISE
MAHINDA-BAN KEE MOON-SAMPANTHAN
MY3-RANIL-SAMPANTHAR-SUMANTHIRAN
ALL THE ABOVE LEADERS SURRENDERED TO BALL HEADED YELLOW ROBS AND DENIED EVEN A PART SETTLEMENT TO TAMILS ISSUES.
NOW 1/2 RED AND 1/2 YELLOW ANURA DISSANAYKE-WILL HE ABLE TO CONTROL THE BALL HEADED YELLOW ROBS TO SETTLE THE TAMIL ISSUES.THMUTHEGAMA SAKOTHARAYA IS ONLY CAN TALK MUCH BUT THE END RESULT WILL BE ZERO FROM THE RED HERO TO SINGALAYAS.
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Sinhala_Man / October 2, 2024
Dear Fairmindedone,
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I liked your comment, and gave it a Green Thumbs Up.
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However, the fact remains that Sumanthiran miscalculated badly.
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I’m giving you two links to give substance to what I’m saying, although you can hardly follow up by studying that long play. Hopefully, all have read it!
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https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/king-lear/read/
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and the film:
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPL2ThP2lvs
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This is in modern dress, not yet viewed by me – almost 3 hours. But see what Cordelia says, at 6:44, and what leads up to it: “nothing, my lord“.
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It became three main Presidential candidates; and Lear had three daughters. Goneril and Regan effusively professed love, and we know how horrible they turned out to be.
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In the lead up to 21st September 2024, most of us realised that there were three main contenders. Well, I knew that Anura was our Cordelia, although the play came to my mind only just now.
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Let us hope and pray that this does not end as tragically as the play.
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And let us think of reconciliation and forgiveness, NOT punishment.
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Panini Edirisinhe (NIC 483111444V)
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Naman / October 2, 2024
“ They seem to understand that true progress can only come from unity and working collaboratively,”
Singhalese can understand the above but do they have the will to do is the question. The North and Eastern schools Hospitals universities have had step motherly treatment—being underfunded compared to the rest of the country. No meaningful industrial development was undertaken in the North and East of SL. Sports in these areas too was not developed in order to produce champions in different kinds of sports. Isn’t there racism when SL sports are concerned.
Instead of developing the Hambantota Port and cricket stadium, GoSL could have developed the cricket stadiums in the North and East.
The wounds the Tamils are very deep and to it heal LOTS need to happen in the country. First to come should be a very big apology from both lay and clergy Singhalese people and their leaders
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Naman / October 2, 2024
Has the NPP declared the names of their political candidates contesting the upcoming Parliamentary election.
Are they sincere honest educated untainted people from their electorate?
To enact laws as legislators they should not be drug peddlers/street fighters/ village thugs. They should be ALSO not from CLERGY.
There should be a council for Buddhist clergymen to maintain ethics and standards. They should be empowered to derobe them for spreading hatred and violence.
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Naman / October 2, 2024
Our country is still not out of the woods yet. The “STATUS QUO” gangs of opposition politicians are trying to regroup to get into the next parliament. This should be vehemently resisted by the SL voters. My sincere hope is for the police army navy airforce personnel should not be partial but be FAIR. No more turning blind eyes when evils are being committed
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RBH59 / October 2, 2024
Tamils Should Give AKD A Chance In The Upcoming Election
Sri Lanka’s Political and Economic Journey: A Call for Change NPP say I not a magician anthor way of saying is like if you have head ached and take panadol the head ache will go off. country cannot be done but keep on disscussion in weak point and direction must be better for the country
For the past 76 years, Sri Lanka has experienced various forms of governance, ultimately leading to the economic bankruptcy the country faces today. The National People’s Power (NPP) has only been in power for a month, and while it cannot solve all the problems created by previous governments, it has set a clear direction for the betterment of all Sri Lankans.
The upcoming election on November 21 presents a pivotal moment for the people to give the NPP the power they need to make lasting progress. If this chance is not taken, the people may rise up again, and another wave of “Aragala” (struggle) could emerge. Now is the time for governance “by the people, for the people,” and Sri Lanka’s future depends on the choices made in this election.
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SJ / October 2, 2024
“Tamils Should Give AKD A Chance In The Upcoming Election”
I doubt there being credible Tamil JVP candidates in the North or East.
The choice between Tamil nationalists and the SLFP/UNP/EPDP sorts is no choice at all.
What one can hope for is a slate of relatively secular candidates like one that contested the last local elections, fairly successfully.
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davidthegood / October 3, 2024
SJ, last local elections candidates had their own religious beliefs and were not secular.
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SJ / October 3, 2024
There was a slate that rose above that. Sorry if it is not forecast in the OT.
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davidthegood / October 4, 2024
SJ, even that is wrong. Candidates like others have their own religious beliefs about their gods and respect them, and when clueless suspicious atheists simply don’t seem to understand that state is forecast in the OT
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Svenson / October 2, 2024
S-M what do you think? After winning the GE, the NPP proposes a new Constitution. 13A or anything like it is left out. Its put to the people at a referendum and becomes the constitution of the country.
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Mahila / October 2, 2024
You are absolutely on the MONEY!!?? All the ‘B_____S’ and All their accompaniments of the household are then rightfully destined to MIGRATE – a ‘softer version of modern-day evolution for “Invasion” of Nordic countries – JUSTIFICATION – enjoy European climatic conditions, falsely adducing “discrimination by the “country of Origin” for Refugee status” in host Country!? SWELL!!??
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Thurai_Vinayagalingam / October 2, 2024
It is time for all Sri Lankans to think afresh. The fact that a young man from a humble rural background has been able, through sheer hard work and team felicitation, to win the confidence of the majority of citizens is a triumph for Sri Lankan Democracy. Mistakes have been made by all sides in the past – but lots of good things have also happened since 1947.
Our new President seems to me to be a truely indigenous Buddhist leader who can bring real peace and progress to our country. Let us give him our wholehearted support.
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Buddhist1 / October 2, 2024
The issues with Tamils in the North particularly are due to their politician’s “racist” mentality. They also accept bribes and santhosams from Ranil and Mahinda and follow the foot steps of Prabaharan during the recent Presidential election to remove the Tamils from voting to a majority community candidate. These politicians like Wigneswaran are the TRAITORS to the Tamil community. They will never allow the Northern Tamils to work together with the majority community while allowing their children to marry into majority community. This shows how untrustworthy these Tamil politicians of the north are. Further, they are still talking about “Thamil Thesam” – Tamil Country – separate State. Its time these politicians should be taken under custody and presented before a court of law for promoting a separate state.
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Rohan25 / October 3, 2024
Typical Sinhalese reaction. Victim blaming and not the perpetrators for what they did. The Tamil people their politicians, especially the more vociferous ones demanding just Tamil rights and their adult children who have married Sinhalese, showing your racist bigoted mindset as this is an issue to you but not to these so called Tamil politicians, proving they are not racist but you and most Sinhalese, this is the reason you keep on harping on some of the Sinhalese partners of some of their children.
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Rohan25 / October 3, 2024
However, the Sinhalese people, their racist selfish, swindling politicians, strangely many of them of recent South Indian ancestry but now anti Tamil to the core, and the most un-Buddhist rabid racist Buddhist monks, sitting from their high offices in Kandy and to the ordinary, who created all this and perpetrated all this are not to blame at all but innocents, only the Tamil masses and their politicians are to blame for demanding their just rights in their own land. They should all cooperate with Sinhalese racist and opportunistic politicians and endorse their third-rate status. Buddhist indeed! Shows the level that Buddhism has sunk to. Calling themselves Buddhists and spitting out venom and racism.
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Svenson / October 5, 2024
Read the phrases and adjectives the posters use, rabid, racist, swindling, rapist, the bald heads etc. This dear readers is called Tamil Racism. Don’t ever imagine that they are not as racist as anyone else. The poor victims keep complaining about the very thing that they themselves do. I’ve mentioned two honourable exceptions before. Watch the thumbs down increase.
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davidthegood / October 4, 2024
Buddhist1, this country is too small to be divided into 2 or even 3 separate states. It is difficult to rule the different groups even as one, leave alone two
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Mahila / October 6, 2024
That’s true!!??
Do away with LG elections, Minister of Local Government could do that functions!!??
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Tony / October 2, 2024
Why is Tamil speakers are Sinhalese’s problem or Sri Lanka’s problem?
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Tamils have been victimised by Tamil leaders, Tamil Nadu government, 1ndian government, the Dutch government and Br1tish government.
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30+ years of Tamil terrorism cost Sinhalese $2 trillion. How soon are you Tamils going to pay it back Sinhalese as reparations???
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AKD was elected by Sinhala Buddhist voters (mostly). So AKD doesn’t need Tamils’ chances, Tamils need AKD’s chance.
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Bogus Tamil refugees have achieved their economic prowess by fraud. Tamils shouldn’t think that they successfully fooled their hosts, only they pretend they believed you. If Tamils were genuine refugees, then they should have returned to their MOTHERLAND TAMIL NADU which is about 3 hour boat ride away from Jaffna.
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Anyway Tamils are more than welcome to support Sinhala government but no self determination, no separate state, no autonomy, no power sharing, no police or land power, no bogus accusations like genocides or massacres, etc and remember, the official language is SINHALA.
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Fairmindedone / October 4, 2024
Pretty irrational. Your position notwithstanding, there are a large number of Sinhalese who had sought asylum in the west. Unless one has been determined to be oblivious to the state terror of the past (ruling cliques excepted), we shouldn’t try to whitewash the past .
And you wouldn’t mind going back India as well, one would expect.
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Mahila / October 5, 2024
Tony,
“AKD was elected by Sinhala Buddhist voters (mostly). So AKD doesn’t need Tamils’ chances, Tamils need AKD’s chance.”
So said the other invertebrate post 11/2019 and come 06/2022, he didn’t find direction “HOW AND WHERE TO EXIT”!!?? after a while sojourn of couple of months – came back to Mother Lanka, with his ‘Tail between his Hind Legs’!!?? The tale of the great defender!!??
Hopefully, we don’t want that to be happening to dear AKD!!?? No Way!!??
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Svenson / October 2, 2024
Buddhist1, in India sedition is illegal with severe penalties. See Indian Penal Code 124A. No doubt both you and I will now be called racists. By the way, there is no such thing as a Tamil racist, just ask any Tamil apart from SJ.
https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_5_23_00037_186045_1523266765688&orderno=133#:~:text=%2D%2DWhoever%20by%20words%2C%20either,%5Bimprisonment%20for%20life%5D%2C%20to
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Rohan25 / October 3, 2024
However, India also has federalism and linguistic based states for all major ethic groups in the country, where their identity, language, culture and heritage are preserved, and this has cemented India’s unity other than in Kashmir, where the Kashmiri Muslim majority are instigated by Pakistan to separate in the name of Islam. Funny however the very same Kashmiri Muslims in Pakistan ruled Kashmir, as well as other minorities like the Baluch are all suppressed and their culture and language not allowed to blossom by the Pakistan state, despite being fellow Muslims. Even Muslims who are not Sunni like the Ahamadiyah are persecuted. So much for Islamic unity. Pecking order in Pakistan is Punjabi, Sunni Muslim and then Pathan Sunni Muslim. Of course, all Sinhalese racists and Islamic hardliners love SJ, as he supports their anti-Tamil activities.
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Rohan25 / October 3, 2024
You forgot to mention these too. India is federated and has unity in diversity and has thrived, therefore no need to separate in fact Indians do not want to separate at all.
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Svenson / October 3, 2024
‘in fact Indians do not want to separate at all.’
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What nonsense. The Sikhs want Khalistan. Nagaland, Kashmir etc all have separatist movements.
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Svenson / October 5, 2024
Read the phrases and adjectives the posters use, rabid, racist, swindling, rapist, the bald heads etc. This dear readers is called Tamil Racism. Don’t ever imagine that they are not as racist as anyone else. The poor victims keep complaining about the very thing that they themselves do. I’ve mentioned two honourable exceptions before. Watch the thumbs down increase.
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AYATHURAY RAJASINGAM / October 3, 2024
Anura Kumara Dissnayake’s actions appear to attract the middle-class & the poor people, both Sinhalese and Tamils. The rich & the privileged are in a panic. He says there is a solution for the Tamils. But is he aware that the Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord is still binding and hence he cannot evade the implementation of the 13th Amendment. The issue is whether the new Constitution will incorporate the provisions of the 13th Amendment. It is appreciated he is taking actions to eradicate corruption & malpractices by the former politicians and attracting the common people. But Communism is now replaced with liberal economy. Even the World Bank, IMF, the ADB and most of the Western Democratic countries including India & Japan have discouraged Communism. Is Anura Kumara trying to revive Communism after gaining support by way of reducing prices of essential items, forfeiting the luxury vehicles and stopped the privileges of former ministers, MPs and their relatives from the corrupt officials? Finally he stopped calling himself with honourable titles. The chance to give an opportunity to the NPP depends on whether Anura Kumara is misleading the people with such measures to revive Communism, which has to be cleared.
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SJ / October 3, 2024
“But is he aware that the Indo-Sri Lanka Peace (?) Accord is still binding”
Really the Accord is in a bind now for 3.5 decades.
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AYATHURAY RAJASINGAM / October 3, 2024
SJ,
As a Parliamentarian and now as a President he should be aware the the Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord is still binding, because it was signed by two Heads of Government and cannot be abrogated unilaterally. To date the Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord has not been abrogated unilaterally. It was also placed before the General Assembly of the UN and was applauded by the major democratic countries.
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Mahila / October 5, 2024
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Svenson / October 3, 2024
‘But is he aware that the Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord is still binding and hence he cannot evade the implementation of the 13th Amendment.’
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Oh but he can, just as all other Presidents before him. I bet the Indians never thought that 13A would really be implemented. They probably insisted on it being in the Constitution just to appease their Tamil citizens.
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AYATHURAY RAJASINGAM / October 4, 2024
Svenson,
Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who took office, was shocked when Modi ordered the immediate release of all 37 Mayiladuthurai fishermen. Where will it ultimately end? Will Anura Kumara Dissanayake decide that he doesn’t want Kachaitivu? Also, will Anura Kumara Dissanayake stop taking any action against Adani? I think Anura Kumara Dissanayake will have to abide by India’s policy. Today India is having the 3rd largest Air Force in the world. India will never tolerate a country with its Marxist policies as its neighbour. As such, now Anura Kumara Dissanayake wanted a referandum to solve the Tamils’ issue. This is another way of dragging or refusing the issue. I think there will be pressure to implement the 13th Amendment. Let us wait and watch how Dr.S.Jaisankar approach this issue.
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Svenson / October 4, 2024
AR, I don’t think AKD was shocked, he probably expected it. He will recognise Indias concerns but only to a certain extent. India’s airforce is of no consequence. India could occupy the whole of Sri Lanka in a few hours if it wanted to. In fact that is what Mrs Gandhi was preparing to do before she was shot. 13A will be a red line that AKD will not cross. To implement it would be to hand the next election to the Rajapaksas on a plate. India knows this, and there is also the matter of China.
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AYATHURAY RAJASINGAM / October 5, 2024
Svenson,
When Modi ordered the immediate release of all 37, Mayiladuthurai fishermen, there was a news item to the effect yesterday that the Point-Pedro Magistrate Court had released all those 37 fishermen immediately. They were not sentenced to prison. Sri Lanka will have to abide by India’s decision.
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AYATHURAY RAJASINGAM / October 5, 2024
Svenson,
As expected, Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar has emphasized to President Anura Kumara that the early holding of the elections to the Provincial Councils will help in the full implementation of the 13th Amendment of the Constitution. How will Anura Kumars Dissanayake respond to it? Moreover, he is also been invited to India by Prime Minister Modi.
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Svenson / October 5, 2024
AR, nothing wrong with PC elections (and LG elections that Ranil postponed) but the merger of the N & E will never happen. India cannot demand something that it forced on SL at gunpoint. Besides, it could be argued that since India did not keep to their side of the agreement and disarm the LTTE, the Indo-Lanka Accord, and hence 13A, is no longer valid. There is, as I have said, also the matter of China. We will have to wait and see.
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ramona therese fernando / October 3, 2024
“Over 200,000 Tamil people in Canada alone wield more economic power than Sri Lanka itself.”
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They absconded with the money they forced out of their low-caste workers for the Eelam war, and then burgeoned and boomed the money on the well-established Canadian economic system. Now they
are benevolently trickling some money back.
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They were in the end, trying to copy the Sinhala Elite, and forgot, didn’t realize, or didn’t care, that the Sinhala masses were also suffering abject poverty.
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ADK developing the farming and fishing communities for the Real-Time Domestic Economy (rather than selling our produce to foreign markets for 1% to live Westernized lifestyles in Lankan soil, which includes sending children for Westernized education), will give a good example to Tamils wanting to develop along the same lines. And those Tamils languishing in the Motherland desire nothing but this.
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old codger / October 4, 2024
Ramona,
“They absconded with the money they forced out of their low-caste workers “
What are you yammering about? Do you look at what you write before you post it?
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ramona therese fernando / October 4, 2024
Errr…..well,…..they took the money of the suffering Tamil masses to “invest’ on international markets to build up Eelam, but it never came back, and it never will. (Rajapaksas followed the same technique later on and bankrupted the nation).
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old codger / October 5, 2024
Ramona,
Many of those who fled were running away from bullets, bombs, and starvation. Why don’t you go check the 75000 who still don’t want to come back from refugee camps in India?
Many in Europe had only the clothes on their backs. You claim to support the “oppressed” , but look down on those who suffered. Show some respect.
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Mahila / October 5, 2024
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SebastianSR / October 3, 2024
This 80% is made up of 74 % Sinhalese, plus 8% Muslims, approximately. So, even if we assume that ALL Tamils were favourable to a military approach (not true, Senetor Thiruchlevan for one explicitly opposed itin the 1970s), pitting 12% of the population against 80% is very disatrious military strategy, and this led to the attrition of the Tamil people and the long war gave room for state terror and LTTE to destroy the next generation of young. The older people who believed in democracy and whoever spoke up, got annihilated. Today we are worse off than in the 1970s in every way. The most that our leaders seem agree on is to rush to Indian leaders asking them to intervene. The previous common Tamil candidate GGP Jr got I think 2.7%, while this time, in 2024 the common candidate got only a bit more than half the previous amount. With the rise of the NPP, we have no poltical clout what so ever. That is the reality, and this author Sivas P and many Tamils refuse to accept reality. We need re-thinking, and accepting that the pre-war models of engagement and articulation of “aspirations” are finished.
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Mahila / October 5, 2024
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy. The key to maintaining the website as an inviting space is to focus on intelligent discussion of topics.
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SebastianSR / October 4, 2024
According to the CIA factbook, the demographics of Sri Lanka are “Sinhalese 74.9%, Sri Lankan Tamil 11.2%, Sri Lankan Moors 9.2%, Indian Tamil 4.2%, other 0.5% (2012 est.)”. As for the distribution, we have
Northern Province 987,692, i.e., 43.5% of the total Tamil population (2012 census data) but this is over 97% of the Northern Province population which is now Tamil. Eastern Province 609,584, i.e., 26.8% of the Total Tamil population but here Tamils are a minority among Muslims and Sinhalese. The remainig ~30% (i.e., more than in the Eastern Province) live in the “Sinhalese Provinces”. We have to go back to the policies of GGPonnambalam Sr., and Senator Thiruchelvam and reformualte a new approach by building inter-ethnic trust but the Tamil community, like the Jewish lobby in the US, needs to become economically the dominant group so that it has clout. Tamils had that clout up to the 1960s, but we squandered it in going to war, being nostalgic about the Jaffna Kingdom, moving to more religious and devotional attitudes etc, when we need to be forward-looking to get abreast of commerce and modern technology. We need engineers and scientists taking to politics, instead of arrogant lawyers and “devoute” but uncompromisng men.
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Rohan25 / October 4, 2024
Sri Lankan Tamils are the largest ethnic group in the east 40% approximately and occupy most of the east. The Tamil Muslims are the second largest but are highly concentrated in certain pockets. Mutur in Trincomalee, Kattankudi in Batticaloa and the coastal Amparai belt from Kalmunai South. The Sinhalese who only arrived after independence, thanks to state sponsored colonization and ethnic cleansing the vast majority in the late 1970s are only 23% are all in the deep interior of Trincomalee and Amparai districts as seen by the map. Every district in the east is more than 60% Tamil speaking.
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Rohan25 / October 4, 2024
The Tamils are a more a less a contiguous majority along the strategic eastern coastal belt and their population peaks in the eastern heartland Batticaloa district. People who only arrived due to state aided colonisation and ethnic cleansing activities by the Sinhalese Sri Lankan state within the last 30-50 years cannot start dictating to people who had continuously lived there for more than 2500 years and ruled themselves; Got it this like West Indian and South Asian immigrants who now a majority in many British cities trying to dictate to the original population and claim the land as theirs. At least they did not ethnically cleanse anyone but arrived legally. Using the power of state to ethnically https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lankan_Tamils#:~:text=According%20to%20the%202012%20census%20there%20were%202,270,924%20Sri%20Lankanlly. Sebastian
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Mahila / October 5, 2024
Pot calling the Kettle Black!!?? Non-sense!!
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Svenson / October 4, 2024
I’ve noticed something interesting in this forum. Here the Tamils are the majority and the Sinhalese a minority. It’s a microcosm of the Sri Lankan diaspora. Most Tamils here hate the Sinhalese. The moment a liberal and fair-minded Tamil (like SJ or SebastianSR) posts something critical of the Tamil people he is jumped upon by the others and called a self-hating racist. Let’s hope that all the people of Sri Lanka are wiser than the posters here.
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