By Dayan Jayatilleka –
Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka
Why would a President whose family has been represented in the country’s legislature from 1931, present a Constitutional amendment that devalues Parliament to a level of powerlessness it has never been reduced to before?
Take it from me, the Duma and its Committees in President Putin’s Russia have more importance and influence than the post-20A Sri Lankan Parliament would under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. So where does such an autocratic, President-as-Emperor model derive from? What is the source of influence/inspiration?
Nothing could be more shockingly revelatory than the fact that the draft 20th amendment removes the clause which states that it is the duty of the President to ensure the Constitution is respected and upheld. The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) report observes that:
“…the Rule of Law necessarily requires [that] the President, conferred with wide ranging powers under the Constitution should have the duty to uphold the Constitution…Repealing such a provision is detrimental to the Rule of Law.”
“…new Article 33 which retained the provisions of Article 33(2) of the Constitution without the reference to the duties imposed on the President. The Committee is of the view that deleting the word ‘duties’ is not conducive to the Rule of Law.” (P3)
Does the President, who asserts that whatever he says has the status of a circular (the ignoring of which will be punishable by him), simultaneously think that he has no duties in relation to the Constitution? What could conceivably be more basic a duty of the President than to uphold and ensure respect for the Constitution? What does the President think he is bound to uphold instead? Values which are cherry-picked from the Constitution but not the Constitution as a whole? Values that are extra-constitutional? His 2019 electoral mandate as interpreted by him? Surely upholding an election mandate which derived from an existing situation and is therefore inherently temporary, however important, is subordinate to the upholding of the Constitution? Why would a Constitution be termed the Basic Law?
Is the (President’s) assumption that the President – this President or any successor ex-military President–is above the Constitution and exempt from the duty of respecting and upholding it?
If the President does not have the duty of upholding the Constitution, whose duty is it? Everybody else’s but the President’s?
What would you call a system in which the President, the First Citizen, is the sole exception to the duty of upholding the Basic Law, the foundation and framework of the State; a duty which is binding on all other citizens, including those who elected him to his exalted post—while on the other hand, his verbal edicts are elevated to the status of an official circular, i.e. a formal, written instruction?
Recipe for Revolt
The most drastic of the implications and consequences of the draft 20th amendment have been clearly set out by the BASL Committee’s report in a classically Lockean formulation.
“5.1 The Committee is of the view that no person should be above the law. The President in particular being the repository of substantial powers under the Constitution should be held accountable for the exercise of those powers in accordance with the Constitution. No person is above the law and to grant absolute immunity from suit is contrary to all known principles of the Rule of Law. If the public do not have access to remedy a grievance against the unlawful exercise of powers by all powerful President the only remedy will be to take arms against the State.” (p3)
The original argument of John Locke sets out the conditions in which the people would have no alternative but to legitimately invoke the inalienable right of rebellion and in which rebellion would be legitimate.
The BASL, one of the staidest of civic associations, is correct in stating that the elevation of the ruler above the Rule of Law, shuts off all legal pathways to the citizenry against injustice committed by the ruler. This is a crucial criterion which defines the Gotabaya Presidency as absolutist, going way beyond the authoritarian Jayewardene Presidency, since the citizenry had the Fundamental Right under the 1978 Constitution, to file a case against the executive, as represented by the Attorney-General.
If the ruler is transformed into a despot who is above the law; if the fundamental right of the citizen to appeal to the law against the arbitrary actions of the ruler is abolished, this would activate the fundamental right of revolt, rebellion and revolution, deep-rooted in a thick body of Natural Law/Natural Justice doctrine dating back millennia. Such is the reminder-cum-warning very responsibly given by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka in the Report of its Committee.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is aware of the massive rebellions that arose during the Jayewardene Presidency, since he served as a combat officer against both of those rebellions. He must be aware of the SLFP, co-founded by his father and led by Madam Sirimavo Bandaranaike for decades, agitating, with Mahinda Rajapaksa at her side, against the Presidential Leviathan. He must know that the Presidency in that primitive shape and enormous form, either provoked resistance and rebellion, or served as a tempting target, or at the very least, failed to prevent such rebellions.
The legitimacy of our State must not be confused with the legitimacy derived from the electoral mandate of whoever happens to be the President. If the latter were the sole or superior criteria, then every President should be accompanied by his/her customized Constitution, or declare that what the Executive President says constitutes the Constitution.
Transition to Tyranny
The legitimacy of our State flows in large part from the integrity of our elections and the independence of the judiciary. If the authority that manages elections is not free from the ruler, and the ruler controls all aspects of the appointment of judges, then the legitimacy of the system and processes become questionable within the international community (it has already begun with the Commonwealth Judges Association), and soon enough, the Lankan citizenry – because the even local Fox News “can’t fool all of the people all of the time”.
The BASL Committee Report makes clear just how the draft 20th amendment traduces both the judiciary and the electoral system.
“6.4 …Article 4 of the Constitution provides that the judicial power of the people shall be exercised by Parliament through Courts, Tribunals and Institutions created and established or recognized by the Constitution, or created and established by law. In these circumstances, it is imperative that the executive should not have control over the appointment of Judges or the Judicial Service Commission. Indeed, if there is one arm of Government that should have control it is Parliament and not the President.”
“6.5 The Committee is of the view that as regards the appointment of Judges of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal the President should not have absolute control over the appointments.” (p5)
The hollowing-out of the credibility of the electoral mechanism and process is fundamentally consequential:
“6.7 The Elections Commission is fundamental in ensuring that the inalienable sovereignty of the people is not affected in any way. The Elections Commission is responsible for the conduct of the election of the President. It is inimical to the Rule of Law that the President should have control over the appointment of members of the Elections Commission which conducts its own election.” (p5)
Eyebrows will inevitably rise when one takes into account (pun intended) the changes to Public Finance.
“23.1 The control of public finance by Parliament is fundamental to representative democracy… The Finance Commission and the Auditor-General are necessary and essential to ensure Parliamentary control of finance… The Auditor-General ensures that the funds are utilized according to law. To grant the President control over these appointments would diminish Parliamentary control over finance. It is inimical to the Rule of Law that the President should have control over the appointment of members of the Finance Commission and the Auditor-General.” (p6)
The vesting of the appointment of the Secretary-General of Parliament as well as the Attorney-General in the President, loads the dice further.
“6.11 The Secretary-General of Parliament is the head of the Parliamentary staff. He performs critical functions in support of the legislature. The control of appointment of the Secretary-General by the President is inimical to the Rule of Law…”
“6.12 The Attorney-General is conferred wide ranging powers under the Constitution. It is necessary for the Rule of Law that one organ of Government should not have control over the office of the Attorney-General through the appointment of the Attorney-General…” (p7)
When the Bar Association of Sri Lanka or of any country for that matter, deploys the T-word– “tyranny” — in a studied, scrupulous evaluation of a constitutional change, we have to wonder where the ruler is taking the country and what the consequences will be:
“22. The Committee is of the view that the proposed Article 122 is inimical to the Rule of Law administration of justice and the sovereignty of the people. Particularly in circumstances where judicial review of legislation is not available it would lead the way to tyranny.” (p16)
The BASL Committee report takes exception to the crippling of Clause 40 that brings the state sector, public enterprises and those in which the state holds 50% or more shares, under the scrutiny of the Auditor-General (p 17). It takes a decidedly critical view of the proposed abolition of the Audit Services Commission, the Procurement Commission and the removal of the stipulation that the Auditor-General should be a qualified accountant (p18). How can a regime allegedly committed to professional expertise, justify the removal of a necessary professional qualification for the post of the Auditor-General? Is it to make way for a Major-General as Auditor-General?
Why does the President ignore criticism of the draft 20th amendment coming from unions and associations supportive of the government e.g. the GMOA, the Nurses Union, and the Ceylon Bank Employees Union?
The President’s philosophy of the state was evidenced and encapsulated in his path-breaking, and inimitably emphatic, declaration (Sept 25th, Haldumulla, Haputale, Badulla) widely seen on TV news, that: “…after the President says it, that is the circular! A circular is what the President says! What else is there beyond that? That is what is meant by Executive President! If not [complied with], I shall take stern action against the relevant official.”
A verbal order of President GR is a circular. Universally, however, a circular is an instruction citing codified regulation and rule. The President’s idiosyncratic interpretation takes us back millennia to the age of absolute monarchs, emperors even, before the written formalization of rules and regulations, i.e. stable, institutionalized order. By the logic of his doctrine there would no need for civil service exams as instituted by the Chinese mandarinate in accordance with Confucian doctrine. Max Weber explained that a rules-based framework is the evidence of a rational order, and is the hallmark of “legal-rational authority”.
The 8% growth-rate and the transformational Mahaweli scheme of the early Jayewardene years, the Premadasa economic revival and social upliftment programs, and Mahinda Rajapaksa’s postwar growth rate (second only to China), were administered by public servants working within a formal framework of rules and regulations. President GR displays zero-tolerance for an evolved, written, rules-based domestic order which is hallmark of political evolution, social progress and civilization itself.
How can there be a rapid modernization of Sri Lanka while disemboweling and throwing overboard, a most basic feature of modernity, namely a rational, transparent rules-based state framework and order, replacing archaic absolutism? How can there be a level playing field when the rules can change according to arbitrary Presidential fiat?
De-regulation, the cutting away of red tape, is helpful and necessary for economic development. Arbitrariness and spontaneous verbalization by the ruler are not. The Singapore success is based on a rational, rules-based, transparent, level playing field and a highly-educated public administration, originally inspired by the elite Ceylon Civil Service (which Neville Jayaweera wrote that President Premadasa wished to restore).
Just how would the President’s doctrine, that what he says must be taken as a written circular or else, work AFTER the 20th amendment is passed? Does it mean that whatever he may verbally instruct one of his many appointees across the board—e.g. a Supreme Court judge– should be taken as a written instruction, or else?
20A as microcosm and prototype of the new Constitution, doesn’t look tailor-made for in-house Rajapaksa-succession, but rather for ex-military succession; permanent ‘post-civilian’, pre-democratic rule.
Is the game-plan to provoke revolt, install a Presidential-military junta or outright military dictatorship?
HussainFahmy / October 6, 2020
Short term gain for ong term pain,
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Eagle Eye / October 6, 2020
HussainFahmy
Short term pain for long term gain by getting rid of the pain in the neck of Native Sinhalayo.
—
“Short term gain for ong term pain”
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old codger / October 8, 2020
Eagle,
I fully agree with you for once
Native Sinhalayo are indeed a pain in the neck.
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leelagemalli / October 6, 2020
GR knows exclusively military recipes and therapies. They in that family got in their Genetics. If he had any kind of special abilities, people down their would nt be exposed to Covid infection again. See poor states in africa do their job better with the containment of Covid 19.
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old codger / October 8, 2020
Isn’t Dr.DJ the same guy who questioned the legitimacy of the previous govt. on the grounds that it didn’t have the “majority of the majority” behind it? Well, the Great Leader has it. What’s DJ’s grouse?
In any case, in this country laws (and circulars as Gota says) are only of academic value, good only as arguments in the Human Rights Council. If Sri Lankan laws actually worked, would tens of thousands have been murdered since 1971?
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N. Perera / October 7, 2020
No Game without pain or No Pain without a game. Gota prove that, wipeout LTTE and LTTE leadership as
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Thiru / October 6, 2020
In 1931 there was no choice for the Rajapakses since the ultimate power was with Britain.
After 1948 this power is with the ruling Sinhalese political leaders.
If you scrutinize you will find the successive Sinhalese leaders have been violating the then existing constitutions.
What is now being proposed is a logical conclusion of what has been happening since independence.
Gota realizes from his own experience in making people disappear in the thousands, both Sinhalese and Tamils, that Sinhalese people are ready for a dictator.
“Appe aanduwa” becomes “mage aanduwa” What’s the big fuss about?
Just live under a dictator you wanted!
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GATAM / October 6, 2020
Wrong. Until 1972 they did not violate the Constitution. Any violation would have ended at the Privy Council which was not under dirty SL politicians. Citizenship act, Sinhala Only, etc. were well within the 1947 constitution (otherwise even Britain would be wrong!!). That’s why the clowns made SL a banana republic in 1972.
Wrong again. The 20A dictator will not make Sinhala people disappear because the president (and his clan) do not want to end up like Sirima after 1971 and UNP after 1989.
This doesn’t mean 20A is good. It is damn bad. Your arguments are wrong. The only use of 20A is it helps exterminate Tamil and Muslim terrorists and the doer (and his clan) will sweep election after election thereafter.
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N. Perera / October 7, 2020
Lunatic people will say, Dictator even for Donald Trump. Gota elected by the people of Heladiva (Sri Lanka), not by Dias-poda
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Eratne / October 6, 2020
Best thing here is, a bunch of shameless MPs are eagerly waiting to give their consent to make some laws that would make them dummies.
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whywhy / October 6, 2020
Eratne ,
In a nation of Dummies , MPs are Superior Dummies ! It is in their
blood , scratching each other’s back in return for cents and rupees !
There’s no point we blame ourselves endlessly as nobody in the
country right now is in command to reverse the journey that started
long ago down the hill ! The whole country is saturated in Ego ! The
system of law is what every leader comes to play around with and
no end to this game is , in sight ! This is an endless curse to our
progress ! Making laws to show off arrogance !
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umberto / October 8, 2020
Eratne
Even without without these laws they are dummies. So what difference does it make whether they give their consent or not.
All they care is the financial gain they can make!!
That’s lankan politicos, and Gota knows that very well.
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rj1952 / October 6, 2020
Being not even an O/L qualified mangy moron who has served as a gun-toting war criminal who specialised and is still specialising in the culling – the killing of the innocents he and fellow family mongrels desperately need the 20th amendment to amass more power and illegal wealth.
a.
The best thing that the MP’s can do is to join paws with the weak opposition and help in defeating the dreaded 20th amendment.
b
If this occurs then a military takeover will occur.?
One way or other the entire population of this sad, sorry shitty nation will suffer for generations to come.
The rajapuka’s are leeches; they want to cling onto you and drink your blood.
c.
The current outbreak in one of the Brandix factories has put paid to the myth that coronavirus-19 was abated in this nation.
A few hours ago it was stated that more than 100 innocents have now become afflicted with this pleasure-giving climax.
d.
The only way to prevent a Kalla kallathoni war criminal led military revolution is for all the starving no money for anything peasant masses join hands and throw the rajapuk’s and their fellow criminals/murderers/petty racists into the garbage heaps and then have them culled.
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Eagle Eye / October 6, 2020
rj1952,
The leeches are not Rajapakshes but Malabar Vellala Demalu who suck the blood of low caste Dalit Tamils. Vellala Demalu who make lot of noise about human rights should be ashamed of the way they treat their own people as sub-humans. In 2009, Rajapakshes liberated Native Sinhalayo from LTTE Tamil terrorists. Their next move should be to liberate Dalits from Malabar Vellala Demalu who oppress them. Sinhalayo have given equal status to all Tamils but Vellala Tamils do not give equal status to their own people. First clean your toilet that stink.
—
“The rajapuka’s are leeches; they want to cling onto you and drink your blood”
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rj1952 / October 7, 2020
Punnaku eating puntak
@
You by your writing have confirmed that you by birth are nothing but a low caste untouchable who has a phobia with regard to the so called higher breeds.
@
By being such a big born mangy stinky moron the demala meenachi who sadly has to consort with the likes of you should be getting a noble prize for cohabitation.
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old codger / October 8, 2020
Eagle,
“Vellala Tamils do not give equal status to their own people.”
Why don’t your Native Sinhalayo in the Malwatta faction allow Dalit Sinhalayo like yourself into their tribe?
You should fix that first, no?
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N. Perera / October 7, 2020
Still, lunatic people barking for the unknown and unborn country called PEELAM. Where is PEELAM now? Where are their leaders now? The ex-Tamil leaders already perished and they barked for an unborn country called PEELAM. The 78 million Tamils, no country for them. PEELAM in Canada? PEELAM in Germany? PEELAM in Britain? PEELAM in Australia, PEELAM in Malaysia, PEELAM in Singapore? PEELAM in Sri Lanka (HELADIVA)? PEELAM in Heaven?
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rj1952 / October 7, 2020
Nicker less perera
#
What a lot of crap shit you write you racist coward.
$
Is Lanka a well developed county or is it the biggest shithole in the beggars colony.?
@
Hopefully you will have the brain to honor me with a reply you petty racist.
&
What’s so great about the country that has been ruined by the non religion known only to the lowest of the scumbags as buddhism.
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Champa / October 6, 2020
Excellent article, but I have doubts whether the MPs in Parliament will understand Dayan’s legal arguments against the 20A.
If the Ministers and State Ministers vote in favour of the 20th Amendment to retain their positions, it will be a pipe dream as a dissolution of the Cabinet is imminent once the 20A is passed.
Use your brain guys.
I guess even the Finance portfolio will be in name only.
Will there be new faces to Parliament from Pohottuwa which is headed by Mahinda?
Yes, golden handshakes, intimidation, if not actual deaths will cause vacancies in the government side.
I can even name military officers who will “colour” Parliamentary corridors.
I sent a comment to a Sinhala daily newspaper reminding Sinhalese MPs of the bedtime story of the partridges and the bird catcher and that they should follow the same tactic to save the country from the 20th Amendment. Funny enough, it was not published.
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N. Perera / October 7, 2020
People can write a thousand articles but wise people knows the real truth. The majority of Sri Lankans elected Gotabaya as a President of Heladiva (Sri Lanka) and 151 MPs elected to the Parliament.
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Champa / October 7, 2020
The 20A allows urgent Bills in Parliament to be passed within 24 hours thus preventing them to be challenged in courts. I understand this was not in 1978 or even in the 18A.
I am not a fan of Independent Commissions, the Constitutional Council or its proposed replacement, the Parliamentary Council either, as they all provide a passage for undue political interference.
I strongly believe that all Public and Judicial Service appointments and promotions should be strictly based on “seniority” so as to avoid political interference.
See what happened to Sinhalese.
People wanted a “second best” to Mahinda Rajapaksa, a leader cherished by all. That is why they elected Gotabhaya. It didn’t happen. Instead, Gotabhaya started working according to a personal agenda, replacing experienced civil service officials with ex-military officers. Who knows, the next Auditor General could be from the military too.
The 20A is not for the country, it is personal. That is why it is dangerous.
What the President should understand is that Sri Lanka has changed. Sinhalese are now more aware of their civil and political rights. They want to enjoy democratic freedoms stipulated in (JRJ’s) Constitution in full. They are not ready to be ruled by a military dictator. People want the same freedoms that they enjoyed under the “slave government.” :)
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Champa / October 8, 2020
The President’s personal agenda was apparent when he appointed various Presidential Task Forces, some headed by ex-military officers and one headed by Basil Rajapaksa, totally disregarding the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. The most lucrative institutions such as; Port City, (in the future MCC Compact), Telecom, TLRC, BOI all now under Basil and Gotabhaya, and the reason is obvious.
It is clear that the President taking control of Parliament and the Judiciary via 20A is to strengthen their personal agenda.
We all know the political domination and accumulation of wealth through corruption go hand in hand in Sri Lanka. It is the same story for nearly 3 decades.
It is predicted that Sri Lanka’s economic growth will stand at negative three (-3) by the end of the year.
Moody’s has downgraded Sri Lanka to the “junk grade”.
Two of the most senior financial economists in the Central Bank have taken pre-retirement leave.
I don’t think the President even cares.
Ultimately, it is the people who will suffer due to 201A.
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chiv / October 6, 2020
DJ, you mean to say “there will be another revolution”. Could you also please tell us the readers “under who’s leadership it will be “???? Lankans , never get tired with resurrections and war.
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Eagle Eye / October 7, 2020
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.
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GATAM / October 6, 2020
20A creates a dictator until it is changed which is very unlikely in future. Whoever becomes president will keep it.
The only justification is 20A helps the extermination of Tamil and Muslim terrorists. Other than that 20A is useless.
(It cannot be used against Sinhala terrorists because then what happened to Sirima after 1971 and UNP after 1989 will happen – continious defeats – and the other camp will enjoy all 20A powers.)
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Champa / October 7, 2020
Even without 20A, a number of Facebook community writers and social activists were arrested for sharing their independent opinions about the Covid-19 situation in Sri Lanka. One lady was arrested and remanded for posting an “April Fool’s Day joke” about the President.
The President’s refusal to bring down cash-strapped, stranded Sri Lankans in West Asia at government expense (utilizing the Covid-19 Fund) or, at least on concessionary air tickets, is another proof for his inhumanity.
The 20A will give the President and his Defence Secretary all the powers under the sun to define and interpret “crimes” as they please, arrest people and silence the entire citizenry.
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Champa / October 6, 2020
It is no secret that through the 20A, Gotabhaya is trying to usurp the Parliament.
Only a tyrannical President will try to seize legislative powers.
I don’t think Gotabhaya understands the Constitution. How could he, when he cannot even understand what a “Chakralekhana – government circular” is? It is BasilRajapaksa who is the mastermind behind the 20A.
The Constitution has clearly stipulated the limits of the President.
Needless to say, bypassing the Constitution is a direct threat to people’s freedoms.
The 20A is paving an easy way for the President to seize Legislative+Judiciary Powers.
People say JRJ was a despotic President. But he never tried to usurp the Parliament.
A President who was elected by people trying to create a military dictatorship is unacceptable and also a gross violation of people’s mandate.
Gotabhaya’s military tyranny via 20A will pave the way for an oppressive, self-serving government. Ex-Military Generals will use his dictatorship to achieve absolute domination. Words such as; freedom of expression, deforestation, accumulation of wealth, protection of human rights, etc., will be permanently deleted from the Sinhalese vocabulary.
Will the United Nations come to our help? Nope, cos’ remember, Gotabhaya was elected by “democratic citizens” and “Maha Sangha, who hailed Hitler.” (I want to laugh, but I shouldn’t. This 20A is a national tragedy.)
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punchinilame / October 6, 2020
The Writer is daring a white van visit – he knows. Thank you for trying to Save Sri Lanka with all your
knowledge and heart. Bless you.
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whywhy / October 6, 2020
We should not forget that it is the 18th amendment that necessitated the
arrival of 19th amendment that is blamed to be the cause of 20 ! Is this
to liberate the country or to rob the country ? Can party politics rivalry
escalate to a point where selfish ends are a priority over economy and
other related issues ? Covid-19 experience didn’t fully extend to key
areas of spreading such as garment factories so that now everyone is
preparing to face the music ! But 20th amendment is a heated topic
and a gamble in the country ! Where is the people now ?
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Ad / October 6, 2020
Executive powers are to ensure shielding of inability state to carryout efficient duties bestowed by the constitution. e.g JR/MS. Absolute Executive powers are to ensure that nobody would overthrow while idly enjoying the facilities while sleeping till next election. Lee Kwan Yew was a man with a vision and objective. Ours are not. They are just guttersnipes collective, including those holding responsible position, maybe few exceptions.
Nagananda offered the best solution, which needs more improvements.
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Ajith / October 6, 2020
Dr. Dayan,
It is too late to identify that Gotabaya Rajapakse is the real threat to Srilanka and its people. As a political scientist you should have learned about this threat long before when the 18th amendment was brought by Mahinda Rajapakse to create a family dictatorship. Unfortunately, those who wanted to stop Mahinda Family dictatorship could not find a suitable political institution or political leadership that should have stopped the threat of family dictatorship. Gotabaya dictatorship has the strong backing of the Buddhist community (Fundamentalist influence in ordinary Buddhist Sinhala is very strong). I don’t thing that people have the will and power to rebel against a Sinhala only military which is supported by Buddhist Monk institutions in the near future. It is only possible with the invasion of foreign military.
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Easton Scott / October 6, 2020
How many lives were ruthlessly taken in Matale? How many slaughtered in cold blood in Nandikadal? How many who surrendered with white flags “disappeared”? Where did direct field responsibility or the chain of command rest, in those terrible events?
Why do people think that another rebellion cannot be crushed with the same brutality (did I hear someone say “fiendish delight”?).
Bottom line is, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe has joined the fray too late, the BASL has joined the fray too late (what does one expect when the one led the other and displayed his true colours then?); DJ has joined the fray too later; Wimal B*%^&wansa has joined the fray too late; all of the above being no doubt orchestrated by that master prestidigitator, MaRA, who created, nurtured and nominated this unbalanced Frankenstein who believes that he is God’s gift to mankind and who now realises that his goose is cooked.
Pity Mother Lanka, pity its people, pity the foolish voters who lapped up the spittle of SB chauvinistic BS; pity those disgraceful men in wigs on either side of those hallowed benches where justice descended to a dark and shabby art; pity those intellectuals, academics and corporate oligarchs who see self-gain and $$ over decency in every vile move against our people. They cannot now stop this juggernaut.
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Mallaiyuran / October 6, 2020
Is the game-plan to provoke revolt, install a Presidential-military junta or outright military dictatorship?
Yesterday Ranil was broke in by his past sins in the PCoI and the investigation was postponed. Here Thero has sped through his nose and eyes. He was/is the palanquin carrier of the Royals in the past. His articles about Royals repeatedly questioned the spectators if they would know “What the Aerupetti & Thalanar” of his majesties. But they were uneducated, fishery workers for European rulers from Dutch time. Now Thero is dying hard to prove that something happening in Lankawe that never happened. The history of the proud BASL is, Deal Dasa opposed the Old King from BASL, went to Yahapalanaya, saved Royals there, drafted the 20A with Ali & GLP, now opposing it. Thero is comparing Putin administration with Wildlife Sanctuary Lankawe but he was the big placard carrier of 35,000 women fame Castro. The Pakiri Sinhala Intellectuals didn’t see anything when 150,000 Tamils were murdered in Mullaithivu and 200 Journalist were displaced or murdered. Anybody can convulse in any manner, but the Wildlife Sanctuary SinhaLE, corrupted by the Sinhala Intellectual cannot be fixed locally, unless China, India, or West takes it over. The story of “Sri Lanka” Created by one of the most corrupted dictator, Siri Ma O is over.
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Mallaiyuran / October 6, 2020
As soon as Don Stephen changed the population composition for only the purpose of Sinhala Party UNP’s 2/3, people with common sense would have realized the future of the Lankawe is going to be without a democratic constitution and every future leader would want his/her own authoritarian constitution to establish his/her empire. Solomon West Ridgeway and Siri Ma O wanted to get rid of Independent Judiciary – Privy Council- and went with their own corrupted judicial system; then JR, then Chandrika, Old King, Yahapalanaya and now the King. The uneducated woman, who sat in the senate to become PM, removed it, knowing it was already ineffective after she served there. Lankaweyans are made to believe that Constitution is a memorandum or election manifesto to import arms and shoot those whom government perceives enemies. The economic, educational, welfare, health needs and Law and order are no longer elements in the governments formed by Lankawe constitution(s).
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Mallaiyuran / October 6, 2020
This Government says because there is a line missing in constitution to eventuate the education and experience of AG or CJ, it is feels instead of correcting that faulty line, it wants to remove the line appearing for Auditor General and make them all equal. Remember the logic behind standardization that destroyed Tamils boys’ education to make them equal with southern JVPyers. Now the high end government jobs can be filled by Rapist army back washers of Royals as no education prescribed there.
A constitution for third worlds, who were dropped into civilization, instead of evolve into democracy, has to be woven to remind the actors their obligation and limitation of the power. A small child knows to entertain its father and mother dancing between chairs. But a professional dancer needs decorated, lighted state to show her ability. The stages cannot exchange between them; it will not work. UK, France, US type free constitutions are disastrous to Lankawe like immature country. Lankawe needs a constitution in every line of it needs to remind the officers where their jobs start and where their authority ends. If the constitution had defined strictly that how a president can communicate with his down below, he would not have decided, for a public performance, on the spot, that his verbal talks are virtually orders.
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Simon / October 6, 2020
Dear Readers: This “20A” is making us “Crazy” day by day. To relax a bit, I state here a story for you to take a little relaxing time. Here it is: ” A politician (could be an upstart like GR) was bitten by a dog and a few days later his doctor told him that the lab tests were positive, that the dog had rabies, and that he too was infected. The politician pulled out a notebook and started writing furiously.” Now take it easy” said the doctor ” No need to start writing, you will pull through”.”Will; Hell snapped the politician. “This is a list of the people I am going to bite”. Now recap the “Background” of this “Politician” turned “Army Man”; the “Dog” – the numerous “Court Cases” that were on the line; the “Doctor” – the “Legal Luminaries” he retained to look after him and their “Advice” that he must become a “Politician” and perhaps start “Listing” all that he has to “bite”. The only thing different from the story is, “He” is not going to “Pull Through”. He is already “Infected” and had and will not spare anyone in the “List” including the “Constitution” of the country. The “Doctors” who advised too did not realize, “HE” will “Bite” to this extent. Have a nice day. Cheers.
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Momentous20 / October 7, 2020
The splash of five family names, whether fifty or familial or familiar does not connote any intention of in-house succession. The rule of a single person is on the wall. The last two paras say it all. Presidential – Military junta is a perfect description.
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upali1942 / October 7, 2020
Draconian 20th amendment is tantamount to rule of the jungle. Veddha hunts with a bow and arrow. ”AVIGATTHO AWIYENMA NASEE.”
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Eagle Eye / October 7, 2020
upali1942,
True! That is what happened to LTTE Tamil terrorists who slaughtered Native Sinhalayo for three decades.
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”AVIGATTHO AWIYENMA NASEE.”
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Reconstituted / October 7, 2020
Conspiracy theories like this writer’s unsubstantiated rubbish, “Is the game-plan to provoke revolt, install a Presidential-military junta or outright military dictatorship? ” have been part of those who were ‘rejected’ at the last election. The country and the judiciary knows that they are shedding crocodile tears for a ‘democracy’ of the type they showed country between 2015-2018. People are saying, No thanks.
=
As to a ‘game plan’ to provoke a revolt through 20A, if the president can achieve something the various elements of the ‘revolutionary Left’ (the likes of the writer of this article, Bahu, Deva, David et al) could not for nearly a century, Good luck to Gota!
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Pala / October 7, 2020
20A is backed by China. The communist country is hell bent on discrediting democracy as weak and ineffectual. Sri Lanka is exhibit ‘A’ where they plan to prove this. In order to make this work first they had to pick a greedy man who will do whatever they say for money. They found just the guy in big old F–t. But he went too far and lost the election. His dictatorial 19A was the first experiment to discredit democracy. When that was rolled back they went back to the drawing boards. The knew they got the right family but the wrong man because he was too stupid and also had a soft spot for his people. When you see comments trying to tie Gotler to the USA or to India these are disingenous diversions. In Gotler the Chinese discovered a man with similar traits as his brother but less stupid and much much more arrogant in fact they found their favorite megalomaniac with whom there project could not go wrong. And so 20A was born. Lets see where it leads.
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Rajash / October 7, 2020
Another vote secured for 20A:
Former Tamil National Alliance (TNA) lawmaker Sathasivam Viyalendran yesterday (6) received appointment as
” State Minister of Backward Rural Areas Development and Promotion of Domestic Animal Husbandry and minor Economic Crop Cultivation.”
what the hell is that?
Viyalendran earlier functioned as the
“State Minister of Professional Development of Postal Services and Mass Media.”
natural backward promotion?
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Naman / October 7, 2020
GR is trying to become a Putin of SL. Citizens of SL need to wake up and make sure all the good parts of 19th Amendment—- Independence of National Audits; Supreme Courts; Media ; Central Bank; Constitutional council to check the appointments to Public bodies.;RTI ;
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Naman / October 7, 2020
The above need to be retained and bad ones in the submitted 20th Amendment removed. ie President is above the law— remove;
Crimes of the past present and future should be investigated
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Stanley / October 7, 2020
GR may be above the Constitution but is he above a Pusswedilla show? We urgently need to know.
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soma / October 8, 2020
“Is the game-plan to provoke revolt, install a Presidential-military junta or outright military dictatorship?”
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What for if all what you desire – power, privilege, material comforts, embezzlement, impunity etc can be achieved through democracy?
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Our party leaders are clever than political scientists.
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Soma
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Native Vedda / October 10, 2020
somass
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“Our party leaders are clever than political scientists.”
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For once I agree with you.
There is a plenty of evidence to support your case.
Over 72 years they successfully managed to hoodwink the ordinary people, evade justice, punishment, penalty, fine, …………. for committing war crimes, crimes against humanity, cultural genocide, looting the treasury and people, …… protecting all their b***s carriers, goons, ….. destroying the country, ….
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They must be very clever while those who supported them must be stupid dimwits.
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soma / October 11, 2020
. ..and they achieved all that through Democracy!. So who bothers staging military coups is my point.
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Soma
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