By Brian Senewiratne –
Dr. Brian Senewiratne
It has been erroneously claimed that there has been an ‘ethnic conflict’ in Sri Lanka. There has been no ethnic conflict since 1915, and that was between the Sinhalese and the Muslims. What there has been for six decades, are a series of increasingly virulent pogroms against the Tamil people by a succession of Sinhalese-dominated government, assisted by Sinhalese political opportunists and ethno-religious chauvinists, and conducted by the Sinhalese Armed Forces (99% Sinhalese), with a degeneracy of Sinhala society and its rapid descent to barbarism. These anti-Tamil pogroms have been to crush the Tamil people into submission to accept Sri Lanka as a Sinhala-Buddhist nation.
I have maintained that unless/until the Sinhalese apologise to the Tamils for what has been done to them, there can neither be peace nor normalcy, and certainly no reconciliation.
The only Sinhalese ever to apologise to the Tamils was the late Bishop Lakshman Wickremesinghe.
In his final Pastoral Letter (15 November 1983), deeply disturbed by the 1983 massacre of Tamils he wrote:-
“Shame and apology
The massive retaliation mainly by Sinhalese against defenceless Tamils in July 1983 cannot be justified on moral grounds. We must admit this and acknowledge our shame. We must be ashamed because what took place was a moral crime. We are ashamed as Sinhalese for the moral crime which other Sinhalese committed. We must not only acknowledge our shame, we must also make our apology to those Tamils who were unjustified victims of this massive retaliation.”
He goes on to state why this should be done.
“When a section of the Sinhalese does what is morally wrong or bad, we share in it. As members of the whole group we share in the evil they have done. It is a mark of moral maturity to acknowledge a moral crime on behalf of those closely knit to us who do not realize that they have done this and an apology on their behalf.
It is only by an apology of this kind that we shall recover our proper moral and religious values. Then we can begin the process of what went wrong with our relationship with the Tamils. The true basis of reconciliation is admission of wrong and an appeal for forgiveness”
Late Bishop of Kurunegala, Revd. Lakshman Wickremesinghe
That was written after the murder of some 3,000 Tamils just before his untimely death. I am not sure what he would have written today after the murder of some 70,000 Tamils.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu whom I met in Cape Town two years ago, should know all about reconciliation. He chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in post-apartheid South Africa, at a time when there was an absolute need for reconciliation. He will testify that it is mandatory to have an open, honest and transparent process to deal with the past if there is to be national reconciliation.
Not to have such a process is to throw away any possibility of moving forward. Unfortunately, the Sinhalese people, much less their politicians, are unable or unwilling to appreciate this. As such, the window of opportunity will close, if it has not done so already.
I, a Sinhalese, did not slit any Tamil throats, but I have a sense of collective responsibility for the insensitive and barbaric behaviour of my people the Sinhalese, in military uniform and not in uniform.
If to be critical of what is going on in Sri Lanka, makes me a traitor, so be it. I will not let my patriotism to Sri Lanka to be defined by how close I stand to the Sri Lankan flag, drenched with the blood and tears of hundreds of thousands of Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims – all of them my people.
At one of the anniversaries of the 1983 Tamil massacre in Colombo, Chandrika Kumaratunga, then the President, was asked about an apology to the Tamils. She said, “We should all apologise to each other”. I could not figure this out. Why should the Tamils apologise to the Sinhalese? For what? For the crime they have committed being born Tamil so that the Sinhalese could murder them?
As for the Rajapaksa regime that followed Kumaratunga, let alone an apology, there was obscene rejoicing at the dreadful mass slaughter of people whose only crime was that they were born Tamil, and had a right to be where they were, the North and East of the island.
The triumphalist tone and tenor of Rajapaksa’s speech made no allowance for the collective human and material losses of the Tamil people, their present abysmal existence and their future uncertainties and fears.
Sirisena’s address on Independence Day was no different – in fact, worse.
President Sirisena’s The ‘Independence Day address – 4 February 2015
President Sirisena’s Independence Day address was, from the Tamil point of view, one of the most traumatic addresses ever given by any Sri Lankan ‘leader’.
Given that Sirisena is the President entirely due to the mass electoral support he got from the Tamil people in the North and East, one would have expected at least a word of sympathy for the terrible violence – crimes against humanity and even Genocide – unleashed on them. There was not a word of sympathy, indeed the opposite. Here is what he said:
“As we celebrate the gaining of Independence, today, we recognize our bounden duty to give all honour and respect to the members of the Security Forces who made great sacrifices to protect our sovereignty and territorial integrity in the battle against terrorism”.
The ‘honour and respect’ is for people who committed acts which the High Commissioner for Human Rights has been asked to conduct an Inquiry.
Just before praising the barbaric Armed Forces whose cruelty has no parallel in Sri Lanka, he praised the previous Government in which he was a senior member for nearly a decade:
“The light of freedom, which remained covered under the shadow of terrorism, began to shine again after the eradication of the brutality of terrorism by the Government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the Year 2009”.
He ended this dreadful address with:
“On this commemoration of independence, let us make a joint commitment to provide a truly good, ethical, virtuous, wise and fair service to all, living in brotherhood and reconciliation, and thus raise our country and State to one that is second to none other in this world.”
To talk of ‘national reconciliation’ from these rabid anti-Tamil Sinhala chauvinists, is a joke.
Sri Lankan politicians
Four days before the 2010 General Election, an editorial in the Sunday Leader, set out the options facing Sri Lankan voters. In one of the most accurate descriptions of the vast majority of Sri Lankan politicians, the editorial was blunt:-
“None of the individual contenders, political parties or opportunistic coalitions are worthy of our respect or our vote. Together they comprise the most mind-boggling array of crooks, thugs, conmen, hypocrites, unprincipled racists, rapists, drug dealers, money launderers, and general all-round scum that is without parallel elsewhere in the world. Other nations have their share of such undesirables, no doubt, but among them are a handful of honest, sincere, principled folk who have distanced themselves from the corrupt majority. Not so in miserable Sri Lanka.”
The Sinhalese people
Of concern to me is whether the Sinhalese people in the South know what has gone on in the North and East, and what is still going on under the military regime that runs the area. I suspect that they do not have the necessary information.
On 21 July2017, I wrote an article “What the majority of Sinhalese must know”. It is in the Colombo Telegraph:
I have just published the 2nd Edition of my book: Sri Lanka: Sexual Violence of Tamils by the Armed Forces”. With the Sri Lankan government allow this book to be translated into Sinhalese and distributed in Sri Lanka? I doubt it.
Lakshan Dias
The recent experience of Lakshan Dias, an outstanding Sinhalese lawyer, is proof positive that nothing has changed. The outspoken lawyer was threatened by President Sirisena’s Justice Minister, after stating in a TV forum that over a 190 incidents of violence, harassment and intimidation against Christians and Christian places of worship have occurred in Sri Lanka in the past two years since the election of President Sirisena on January 8th 2015.
Justice and Buddha Sasana Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe threatened to remove Mr. Dias from practicing law unless he apologises to the nation within 24 hours.
A Justice Minister is not empowered to debar a lawyer. Furthermore at a time when there is a world-wide negative opinion about the Sri Lankan judiciary and the legal profession, Rajapakshe’s threat has damaged the image of Sri Lanka further.
The criticism of Mr Dias came not only from the arrogant Justice Minister but also from the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and President Sirisena.
The National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL) issued a statement setting the record straight about the comments made by Mr. Dias and the context within which they were stated. The NCEASL statement released on June 19th 2017 calling for the safety of Mr. Dias was endorsed by 180 individuals and 20 organizations from different ethnicities and religions.
Apart from the NCEASL several other organizations such as the Human Rights Watch, National Christian Council and Free Media Movement issued statements critical of the Justice Minister.
Despite widespread criticism, the Justice Minister was adamant in his determination to “Take action” against Lakshan Dias. Those concerned about his safety, advised him to leave the country, which he sensibly did.
In order to appreciate the loss of Lakshan Dias, it is important to appreciate that he is no ordinary lawyer. I will let LAWASIA to describe him. LAWASIA is the Law Association for Asia and the Pacific. It is the peak bodies representing lawyers in the Asia and Pacific region, and individual members of the legal community from around the world. Through its linkage to over 40 member organisations, LAWASIA has exposure to a collective membership of over 1 million lawyers across the world.
Here is what LAWASIA said:
“Mr. G S Lakshan J S Dias – Attorney At Law, is a member of Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN ) and served as Chair and Deputy Chair of the South Asian Working Group and served as a Steering Committee of APRRN for many years. He is also known as a leading refugee Lawyer in Sri Lanka and internationally known for his role for refugees. He has provided his services as an expert in many international refugee cases and internationally strong critique against arbitrary deportation, and arbitrary refoulement and advocate on Non-refoulement. He is also an Award winning Human Rights Defender in Sri Lanka who also played an active role in Lawyers Collective of Sri Lanka which is an advocacy body for the rule of Law.
Mr Lakshan Dias is currant chairperson of the Transparency International- Sri Lankan Chapter, Chairperson of SANRIM (a network for Refugees and Migrants), Chairperson of Rights Now Collective for Democracy, Bureau Member for South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR ). He is also the former peace coordinator for the National Council of Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL), Programme Manager for Centre for Human Rights and Development (CHRD), National General Secretary/CEO of The National Council of the YMCAs of Sri Lanka and executive secretary for the Asia Pacific Alliance of YMCAs based in Hong Kong.
Mr. Dias also known for his role in civil society on Torture prevention and victims’ rights, campaigner against land grabbing, forceful eviction and land rights, gender rights, rights for sexual minorities and commercial sex workers, migrant workers’ rights, religious liberties/violence against minority religions in Sri Lanka specially Christians and Muslims, rights of the tourism small holders, conflict transformation and transitional Justice, rights of the ethnic minorities.
Mr. Dias in his voluntary capacity also played different roles in Student Christian Movement of Sri Lanka and Norway, National Christian Council of Sri Lanka (NCCSL), Scouts movement, Hong Kong refugee aid centre in the past. However, Mr. Dias is happy to introduce himself as a humble but passionate anti-war supporter, peace and human rights activist.
Sri Lanka: Hiding the elephant. Documenting Genocide, War Crimes and Crimes aginst Humanity
Professor Ramu Manivannan, Professor & Chair of the Department of Politics and Public Administration, School of Politics and International Studies, University of Madras, published this massive 960-page book in March 2014. The Prologue (15 pages) should be translated into Sinhalese and circulated in Sri Lanka.
There is no point in those with the Mahavamsa mind-set reading this book. Their mind-set will not change nor will they change their diabolical lies. The best (of many) of these is (the then) President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s address to his troops on the 2011 “Victory parade” “I will recall what I said in the past that our troops went to the battlefront carrying a gun in one hand, the Human Rights Charter in the other, food for the innocent displaced on their shoulders and love of their children in their hearts. They did not target any communities or religions, and did not march ahead with hatred towards anyone”.
Today they are not marching anywhere. They are having a whale of a time in the Tamil North and East, plundering Tamil lands, preventing Tamil people from existing, terrorising the Tamil and Muslim people and raping Tamil women and girls.
Sri Lanka’s future
What Sri Lanka needs is another Bishop Lakshman Wickremesinghe. Unfortunately there is not one, even in the distant horizon.
The result is that the extent of moral debasement and criminal violence demonstrated by the Sri Lankan government and its troops, be it under Rajapaksa or Sirisena, is serious. They have converted the entire country, in the name of chauvinistic nationalism that excused all forms of excess, into a domain of lies, thus forcing the Sinhala polity and civil society to defend something indefensible and unspeakable. This is the moral crisis that will ultimately emerge as the political justification for the need to address the problems faced by the Tamil people, as well as seek reconciliation with justice as an ultimate realty of the ethnic situation in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka has failed to look after its people. As such, it is a Failed State.
The people (Tamils and Muslims) in the North and East are not under the Sri Lankan government but under the Sri Lankan military and police who can do what they want with no accountability. The main problems facing the people in this area is fear, the loss of hope and the inability to live. They can only exist.
The Sinhalese and the Muslims in the rest of the country are going the same way as evidenced by what has happened to Lakshan Dias. Extremist Buddhist monks from the BBS (Bodu Bala Sena- Buddhist Power Force) have recently targeted the Muslims. The Sri Lankan government has taken no action.
The politically active Buddhist monks, the curse of Sri Lanka for years, have adopted a virulent anti-Tamil stance. One of them even assassinated a Prime Minister, S.W.R.D.Bandaranaike in 1958. Just this year (2017) the Chief Priests of the three major Buddhist sects decided to throw out the recently drafted Constitution which they claim has given too much the Tamils and not enough for Sinhala Buddhists.. They claim that Sri Lanka is a Sinhala-Buddhist country and that is all there is to it. With thousands of these very powerful monks, the outlook for human rights for non-Sinhalese and non-Buddhists is poor.
The international community must understand this reality.
Jim Softy / July 22, 2017
The reason we have ethnic problem still in Sri Lanka is that we did not finish off entire Tamils when we won the war. Finders keepers. Sinahle is only for Sinhalahese and Budhists and no place for everyone else .
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Bunjappu / July 22, 2017
Jim Softy,
you should be arrested immediately alone for the above statements.
That proves the war crimes have led to finish them, but according to you failed to do so.
And the fact current Germany also fight with their former men- that only intended to loud that Germany belongs only to Germans. Fortunately, they the AFD or NSD party sympathisers remained the tiny minorities.
Likewise, you the sinhale within our sinhala community are not that much- you buggers should be jailed for ever to betray us sensible sinhalaya in this country. We never wanted us to be called ” sinhala buddhists” but buddhists.
[Edited out] Rajaakshe planted all seeds you the rascals to live your fantasies wihch never refelect the thoughts and minds of sinahal majority.
Besides, buddhas teachings have never insisted minorities to be hurt the way you the stupid men have been upto.
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Raj / July 22, 2017
Well said Bunjappu
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Bunjappu / July 23, 2017
I am no partial to anyone but as a buddhist if I see anyone would abuse buddhism for their purposes, there I would do anything and everything to call a spade a spade.
These men calling themselves SO CALLED SINHALA BUDDHISTS have been a pain to us the real buddhist in this country.
I really dont know why many of us are made to be passive letting these extremists to abuse buddhism for their gains.
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Bdb / July 23, 2017
We the buddhists of this country should stand up to protect us from not being betrayed by SO CALLED SINHALA BUDDHISTS.
Buddhas teachings as Bunjappau articulated, has nothing to do with hurting anyone, not even an ant.
Rajapkashes have manipulated the masses throug h their media units, as nothing can help easily to get them back.
With elemination of terror within lanken bounderies, this became even more convinced to the masses- that are the prey of greedy politicians such as Rajaakshe, Gonthadipila, Buruwanse et al.
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Jim Softy / July 23, 2017
Arresting someone for freedom of expression is not a Buddhist philosophy
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sama / July 24, 2017
Buddhist philosophy has nothing to do with your kind of hatreds and their spreads.
You havearticulated it the focus was to destroy the minorities. That is more than enough even if your racists leaders would behave to protect them. I wish Rajapakshe to be jailed for all the harm done by his lead murdering thousands of tamil civlians in the last phase.
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Eusense / July 24, 2017
sama,
Though I condemn Jim Softy for his flawed and extreme Buddhist/Sinhalese stand I do not agree with your statement. No Sinhalese wants to destroy Tamils or any other minority because they are a minority. But as a human I do want to destroy terrorism whether it comes from Tamils, Muslims or Sinhalese. It is wrong for you to call a leader who ended 30 years of terrorism a “racist”. Race has nothing to do with it. Do you think if a Sinhalese group was engaged in terrorism that our leaders will look aside and tolerate? What kind of a imbecile are you? What Rajapakse did was destroy terrorism which happened to be by Tamils. Tamils here pretend not to understand that and call it racism. Did you want Tamil terrorism to continue and more people dead? Let me see your answer.
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Punchiburampi / July 24, 2017
It is high time GOVT to introduce some terms to be legally banned since that can ONLY hurt the minorities or vice versa. Mouth pieces of the idiots of JIM softy nature can leave all the efforts as it is the wounds of a beggar. Besides, if not now, when would the kind of idiots learn to behave.
These terms ON THE OTHER hand have a higher impact. If a tamil would attack a sinhalese by sharp words should also have the same consequence. A country who fought a war for 30 long years, the authorities should be more sensitive than ever have been. There are mechanisms, that can help both sides, if the cultural minister led affairs would work properly. If they have no ideas, the exchanges with Germany and other countries can help them further. Words can turn out to be sharper than weapons, if would not be subjected to a ban.
Anti-Tamil sentiment or Anti sinhala sentiments (or Tamilphobia or sinhalaphobia respectively) are defined as an opposition to or fear of Srilanken tamils or Srilanka sinhalese, their culture and the tamil/sinhala language.Its opposite is Tamilphilia or sinhalaphilia.
As a political phenomenon, anti-tamil/sinhala sentiment should become significant especially after the war.
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Radical Ideas / July 22, 2017
So, Brian…. How do the general population figure out what’s power behind these criminal elites???? People are looking in the wrong direction for answers. Just imagine how these RULING ELITES behaving so inhumanely and arrogantly MASS MURDERING the TAX PAYERS and then getting away from punishment….. No Prosecution, No Punishment and Lo and behold, they’re ruling again and again……. They are even accepted by those criminal countries controlled by the JEWS (US/UK/EU and all the Zionist backed countries) and rewarded for the crimes committed. The British Empire was one big Jewish Operation that went about destroying the countries it invaded and then destroyed its original true BRUTAL RULING ELITES and brought about the CRYPTO JEWISH set of people to rule on their behalf. The Senanayake, Jayawardene, Ratwatte, Bandaranayake, Rajapakses and their minions Premadasa, Sirisenas are all belong to the Crypto Jewish category. The Jews infiltrate first to destroy a nation…..
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Raj / July 22, 2017
Wow, Radical Ideas, you seem to be a true disciple of Hitler & a firm believer of conspiracy theories. The Jewish lobby in USA maybe powerful but the conspiracy theory of world domination by Jews died a long time ago with Hitler. The average German today is ashamed of Hitler & for supporting his ideology, which is, perhaps, the reason Germany welcomed so many Syrian refugees on humanitarian grounds. Today, German children are taken on field trips to German concentration camps & taught about the holocaust so that the atrocities committed will never be forgotten & will never be repeated in the future.
You are living in fantasy world mate.
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Radical Ideas / July 22, 2017
My dear Raj, It is not I that living in a fantasy world. Its you. Hitler has a Jewish lineage and the World Wars 1 & 2 were Jewish wars. It was designed to destroy the Christian world to bring about the present day Godless society with LGBT agenda.
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Uthungan / July 23, 2017
Radical Ideas
Is not a fact your inspirational ideas originate from a region where your Pharisee cousins come from ?
Then would it be correct to assume that you replicate the same methods they use to suit your purposes in other parts of the world that you infest in?
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Radical Ideas / July 24, 2017
Yo UTHUNGAN,
The main problem with the world today is that the “Information” and the so-called popularly known “TRUTH” is originating from the Mainstream Media which is controlled by the Jews as almost every other thing which are under their direct or indirect control, has corrupted the REAL TRUTHFUL infos and have created a confusion among the GENTILES RACES( the Non-Jews).
Whatever the knowledge that we might have gained through the modern education system that you and I have undergone were all BRITISH imposed garbage. Everything from Medicine to Science and technology are being corrupted by them after stealing the knowledge of the GENTILES by the DECEITFUL BLOODY JEWS then came up with their own propagandized and awarded/rewarded fake SCIENTISTS and the so called world known Nobel Prized famous inventors and famous people.
Still, the world has not totally woken up to knowledge of the HORRORS that these JEWS who are in control of everything in the world today including the SUBVERTED United Nation Organization which was originally set up by the Rockefeller (Jew) foundation for the purpose of their secret Agenda of the WORLD DOMINATION.
To know the criminality of these lots I would suggest you, UTHUNGAN to watch the following video that speaks volumes of these criminals evils including the FAKERY OF THE EINSTEIN’S Theory of Relativity and its intended purpose of imposing Zionist agenda on the WORLD POPULATION.
WATCH: Christopher Jon Bjerknes ~ E=mc2 and the Jewish Agenda
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=christopher+jon+bjerknes+-+E%3Dmc2+and+the+Jewish+Agenda
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Rajash / July 22, 2017
Jim Softy >>>>The reason we have ethnic problem still in Sri Lanka is that we did not finish off entire Tamils when we won the war>>>>so “you” haven’t won the war ? you are contradicting yourself. You will never win the war against the Tamils. “the war” is the The ethnic problem
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Estate Labourer / July 22, 2017
You have confirmed the truth of every word Dr. Brian Senewiratne has written here.
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AVB / July 22, 2017
Why Jim Softy –( with a family name like Aponsu, DeSilva, Fernando, Ruberu…….) hate Lankan Tamils and Lankan Muslims? Here is the reason…… Dutch, Protégées were in NorthEast from year 1500 as well, but still there is NO single “Pereras, DeMels, Kalderas” in those Tamil/Muslim communities… On the other hand, in so called Sinhalese communities, there are hundred thousands of Kawalams like Jim DeMEls, Pereras…. SL Cricket team has at least 50% of those names… Never seen a single player in Indian team . This Jim Perera says Lanka is “Perera’s or DeMel’s” country… and NOT belongs to “Prabakarans” , “Sivasegarams”, South EAst Asian Aborigines to my knowledge….. All Lies… Lies… Those Jim Fernando’s are jealous of relatively pure Tamil and Muslims ethnicities in Sinhale..
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Jim softy / July 23, 2017
AVB: Rayyapu, Matheu, Aruppar, Emanuel, Joseph, maatha, paalan (jesus), Palavinthirar, are all what names ?. This is a short list. Ask hoole for a complete list
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ramona therese fernando / July 23, 2017
AVB,
Europeans were proud to marry Sinhalese daughters. Hence the names, and pride of those names. Tamil’s on the other hand, 92% were low-caste, so marriages did not happen.
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Native Vedda / July 23, 2017
ramona grandma therese fernando the scatter brain
“Europeans were proud to marry Sinhalese daughters. Hence the names, and pride of those names.”
Did the Europens stay married to the Sinhalese daughters?
——Wasn’t it the case of one night stand resulting in absentee fatherhood,…………. the female off springs/children are the easy picking of rich kids and local mudalalis
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ramona therese fernando / July 23, 2017
NV: No, they left plenty of money, privilege and pride to their offspring!
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Native Vedda / July 23, 2017
ramona grandma therese fernando the scatter brain
“they left plenty of money, privilege and pride to their offspring!”
The Parangi Hatana doesn’t confirm any of your bogus claims.
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ramona therese fernando / July 24, 2017
Riotous living. Hence, money was lost in a generation or two for some
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Jim Softy / July 23, 2017
Have you heard the expression?soeaking out of their a@s? If you didn’t, just go back and read your comment again. Majority of Sri Lankan Tamils are high caste like Sinhalese. Where the f**k you got 92% statistics?
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ramona therese fernando / July 23, 2017
JS: From “A Sociological Study on Vellalas and Pallas in Sri Lanka ” (Karampon – A Racist Village in Sri Lanka) : The descendents of this Pallankaipillai Vellalas are the original Vellalars, but not all the people who are pretending to be Vellalas. They are imposters. It is mentioned that the Vellalas were Agricultural Coollies. (Boake: (1888): 19) Many Scholars conclude that these coolly Vellalas(Pallas) began to claim for themselves a higher rank during 19th Century.” Hence the 92%**************For Sinhalese on the other hand, being of Buddhist egalitarianism, all clans had pride in themselves.
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Jim Softy / July 24, 2017
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/
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Somapala Appuhamy / July 24, 2017
RTF
“Europeans were proud to marry Sinhalese daughters.”
The Europeans do not know anything about caste. The Sinhalese shared their women folk with the Europeans in exchange for a bottle of wine and a piece of bread. The Tamil culture did not let that happen.
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ramona therese fernando / July 24, 2017
Somapala Appuhamy,
When everybody is egalitarian, families protect their daughters. When there is caste, lower ones get thrown to the dogs.
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Somapala Appuhamy / July 25, 2017
RTF
Egalitarian families were only interested in a bottle of wine, not their daughters. Today the same Egalitarian families are sending their women folk to the Arabs for a few pennies and raping their own daughters. Are you also a slave in the Arab country or a slave in the white man’s land?
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ramona therese fernando / July 25, 2017
Egalitarian in a White man’s land.******Lankan egalitarian families are yet better off in the Arab places than living in caste system Hindu places where infant girls get raped and killed off
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ramona therese fernando / July 25, 2017
I mean, 92% Tamils are/were placed in low-caste status by their own people.
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Eds / July 24, 2017
No portuguese last names in Tamils?
No portuguese last names in India?
He he he …… do us all a favour and go back to school will ya!
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donald / July 23, 2017
Dr. Brian Senewiratne, down under please take note and don’t bring in southern kurunegala talk to colombo: colombo was hit and is by villages of, south in 83.
Australia on 23 June 1999.
At the “Tamil Capital of Australia Sydney”! The Christian Bishop of Colombo:
The Bishop’s reply was amusing. According to him
It is the Tamils abroad who clamour for militancy, violence and Eelam.
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Ajith / July 23, 2017
What about Sinhale Christian Dr. Dayan Jeyatilake, Percy Mahinda & american Gota?
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littlesimonfrom Berlin / July 23, 2017
Now looking back the manner, you guys killed over 50 k youth in 89/90 insurgency, I have no doubt, that you really focused on TAMIL minorities to hollocuast as Hitor did it with Jews right ?
So what more talks we need about YOUR repreesentatives Rajapakshes ?
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paul / July 24, 2017
This is not Jim Softy but some person trying to stir up hatred. Look at Jim Softy’s avatar picture, its is completely different.
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Native Vedda / July 24, 2017
Paul
Come on Assuming Green Jimsofty avatar is the original one and the blue one is the impostor would that make much difference given that both type extreme bigoted views.
Why do you care just one of them?
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paul / July 25, 2017
The original is prettier, why else?
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Sellam / July 22, 2017
Dr.Brian Senevaratne
How about the Sinhala Tamil riots of 1958, then in 1983. These two major riots instigated by the Sinhala politicians damaged and ruined the Tamil society in the South. There were brutal killings in Colombo and the suburbs. I witnessed the riots of 1958. A Brahmin priest was thrown into a well alive. Tamils were massacred with swords and machetes . Shops were looted and then burnt. No action was taken for three days to stop the riots, purposely. Yet the Tamils , many of them who were shipped to the North, returned to Colombo to carry on with their livelihood. There are good people within the Sinhala community but it is shameful to call themselves humans and Buddhists. When the Buddhist monks like the BBS group take to politics with the support of some Sinhala nationalists and encourages the annihilation of the Tamils in Sri lanka, how could there be unity, harmony and reconciliation.
Dr.Brian, apology is just a word which does not come from the bottom of the heart. Reconciliation is another word used to satisfy the International community. The reciprocal for the crimes committed by the Sinhala Community towards the Tamils should come into action by granting what the Tamils are asking for and treating them as equals .
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Sinhala_Man / July 22, 2017
Dear Sellam,
You have made a very valid point about the need for tangible reconcilliation, rather than superficial apologies.
I have no doubt about Dr. Brian Senewiratne’s sincerity, but he’s been trumpeting these truths for too long.
I don’t think that punishment will ever be meted out to any Sinhalese. My personal feeling is that there must have been “war crimes”. I think that the victorious Sinhalese must now take the lead in bringing about at least the changes that will make reconcilliation possible. We have just not done that – eight years after our military success. Our record is one that cannot be pardoned.
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Eusense / July 24, 2017
Sinhal Man
All of a sudden, from where did this term “reconciliation” come from ? It became a popular term only after Tamil terrorism was wiped out in 2009. Why was reconciliation not pursued prior to undertaking Tamil terrorism in the eighties?
Have you ever written or requested reconciliation while the terror war was at its full swing? Like to hear your input.
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Thassim / July 22, 2017
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Raj / July 22, 2017
Mr Brian Senewiratne,
I admire your guts for speaking out in what you believe to an audience largely made up of ‘nationalistic’ Sinhala Buddhists who have accepted the Mahawansa as the undisputed truth, & in the process, confusing the Sinhala race & Buddhism as inseparable. They fail to realize that Buddhism is universal & to most non Sri Lankans, it is the Dalai Lama who is considered the current spiritual leader of International Buddhism, with others, such as, the Ven. Ajan Chan & Ven Sumedo (of UK) who, with a global audience & adhering to the lifestyle described by the Buddha, are the actual ambassadors of Buddhism. These monks have a better understanding of Buddhism than most SL monks who have interpreted Buddhism to suit their needs & capitalized by Politicians since SWRD, the biggest hypocrite.
The bigots in SL live in denial & in their eyes, you are a traitor, perhaps, with your own agenda but whatever your reasons, reminds me of Frank Sinatra’s song, ‘I did it my way” (…. for what is a man, what has he got, if not him self, to say his piece, he truly feels, unlike the words, of he who kneels….)
You did it your way & I am in agreement.
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ranjith / July 23, 2017
`Frank Sinatra’s song`, – sounds of confirmed mafia art and the catholic church.
you gave it away.!!
Like any other troll on CT who work as teams he is a top paid for consultant of the tamil tigers. He won’t deny it because he said he has to leave his surgery in the hands of another doctor to travel and represent. So what is the difference with those appointed with lankan government funds for them to cover their murderous ass??
Its sort of freeloader solicitors who live off human rights law- big money in the western world. – turning black to white calls for knack.
Listen to the rain
Here it comes again
Hear it in the rain
Feel the touch of tears that fall
They won’t fall forever
In the way the day will flow
All things come, all things go
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kettikaran / July 22, 2017
Dr. Brian Seneviratne
I have read for long your passionate plea on behalf of the Lankan Tamil people. Like most Tamils I am grateful to you for this. I know and appreciate the risks you have taken – one of which is that your safety cannot be guaranteed, in a land now more than ever full of racial bigots, if you ever wish to return to your homeland. Though small in number I am sure there are many Sinhalese – Buddhist and Christian – who share your spirited views but fear to express them in one that has slowly but surely become a fascist-religious State. Most dangerous is the coming together of Sinhala Buddhist extremists and their hidden counterparts in the armed forces. I don’t have to tell you we have acquired that status of that disintegrating State of Pakistan where the armed forces are a powerful political force, capable of undermining the lawfully constituted government.
With all respect, may I ask you to structure your future appeals on behalf of the Tamils in an effective manner that does not alienate the large number of liberals among the Sinhala people. This can be done. I know there is a growing and substantial section of the Sinhala people there who may share your thoughts. I am sure you are capable of doing this – given your unabating humanism, learning and capacity for splendid writing. It is my sincere hope the time will dawn soon when the Tamil Nation can welcome and host you and others sharing your views in
a peaceful environment and welcome political pluralism
I wish you long good health.
Kettikaran
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K.Pillai / July 22, 2017
Kettikaran: “…………may I ask you to structure your future appeals on behalf of the Tamils in an effective manner that does not alienate the large number of liberals among the Sinhala people……”
Do you have “liberals” of the ilk of Gnanasaro (May his Mr Universe muscles increase) in mind?
Brian is addressing on behalf of the welfare of all Lankans.
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SJ / July 23, 2017
KP
Many of us cannot free ourselves of an identity mindset which not only forces us to talk in terms of what are perceived as ‘our’ interests but also persuades us to label any other view based on an imagined identity or as traitor if the identity is recognised as one’s own.
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Mudiyanselage / July 23, 2017
“”It is my sincere hope the time will dawn soon when the Tamil Nation can welcome and host you and others sharing your views in””
That will be the day village terrorist!! you are not fit to discuss the capital your pop or mom do not own the island . July 83 kotiya police Nadesan of kiliraponne issued 100’s of police certificates to demala tigers hiding in chummeries in the surrounding and wellawatte. next came smuggling of heroine from lahore-new delhi – bombay – 2 -3 stops in europe and picked up by mafia connected demalas at italy, germany.- FBI
There are a lot of bones to be picked in the west- its law now at EU to confiscate all assets of laundered wealth.
Stupid villager playing from the book- stick to book cricket kallathoni even Nadu vaiko would be rounded up.
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K.Pillai / July 22, 2017
Brian has consistently pointed out the injustice inflicted on a section of Lankans. He was able to see the karmic effect (if I may use this term) of perpetuating the injustice is for political gains. We have stagnated for the past seventy years.
Some of us remember the 1981 burning of the Jaffna Library and have suffered the 1983 pogrom. Unfortunately pointing such blots in our history is now considered treasonable.
Thank you Brian for your sagacity. Jesus rebelled against the rich. Buddha eschewed the riches when he saw the social injustices (and superstition) prevailing at that time. Brian is close to Buddha.
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dinesh patel / July 23, 2017
Dr. Brian Senewiratne,
“”I have maintained that unless/until the Sinhalese apologise to the Tamils for what has been done to them, there can neither be peace nor normalcy, and certainly no reconciliation.””
your son a psychiatrist a tiger hunter does not believe you because you are concealing the cause and addressing the symptoms. The two of you by practice are `prescription dispensers` not medico-scientist to order the manufacture of medicine.
With the receipt of independence the sinhalese, tamils and muslims joined hands to expedite expel the estate worker tamils who had lived there like you for 200 years- the european-asians who grew the tea brought from Darjiling know it better than servitude labour portuguese – 1498 1970-do.
[Edited out]
/
K A Sumanasekera / July 23, 2017
“Srilanka has failed to look after its people” says Dr Brian…..He goes even further ….” Srilanka is a failed State.” ……. Totally agree mate…. That is if you are talking about our real Mahavamsa Inhabitants……. BTW way , Yahapalana PM is the Son of that only Sinhalese who apologized to Tamils…….Correct…….Those riots were instigated and carried out by one JR and Sirisena Cooray who were UNP stalwarts then…..That is what my Elders say……..Shouldn’t Brian put in a word to Dr Ranil at least through Bishop Two Two… to renew that Apology…… Just like renewing the marriage vows in the Anglican Church….
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Native Vedda / July 23, 2017
KASmaalam K A Sumanasekera
“Those riots were instigated and carried out by one JR and Sirisena Cooray who were UNP stalwarts then”
Are you expecting another riots as another Cooray is in charge of the North?
By the way, if you are invited to burn down the beautifully refurbished/constructed Jaffna library again, will you catch the first train to Jaffna? Don’t forget to send us trophy photographs.
In the front, croatens are nicely kept. Don’t forget to destroy them. Make sure you don’t let other members of your patriotic gang bring back any books. You are hired to destroy them not hired to protect them.
——-Burn them all and come back alone.
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Brian Senewiratne / July 23, 2017
i normally do not read comments about my articles and most certainly do not respond to them.. However, i have looked at some of these and have been moved. Thank you so much.
As for the person who lamented that I cannot go back to Sri Lanka, i might say that I can. There is no problem going there, the problem is to get out. i can go vertical and return horizental in a casket
My greatest concern that by not being able to reurn to SL, i have been denoed the chance of meeting some of the fine Sinhalese like Dr Vickremabahu, Siritunga Jayasuriya, Wije Dias and many more – who are well worth meeting. That there are many Sinhalese who have the same mind-set as me, i have never doubted. My Marxist uncle, the late Edmund Samarakkody, for one, gave his entire political life in the defence of the Tamil people.
The late Adrian Wijemanne, a Sinhalese like me, gave his whole life in the defence of the Tamil people. Before he died he called me and said “I will be gone in a few days. i will leave it to you to continue”. This i can try to do, but i simply do not have the knowledge or ability of Adrian. I am only a doctor of Medicine. Adrian was an outstanding man with a vision. Where can you read about this extraordinary man? Well, you cannot because all his writing were sent to me with a note “publish these”. Shamefully, i have not, because of the lack of time. but that is only an excuse, Time will have to be found..
I worry about the Tamils, for sure, but I also worry about the Sinhalese, especially like Lakshan Dias and many more. My recent major concerns are about the Muslims at the hands of the Bodu Bala Sena (my mother was a devout Buddhist – not that it matters).. Some action will have to be taken about the activities of the BBS. If ever there was a time for the revival of Buddhism, it is NOW. The teachings of one of the greatest teachers the world has known, Gautama Buddha, is being dragged in the mud by the likes of the BBS.
Getting back to the Tamils, they are not going to get anywhere with the likes of the Tamil National Alliace (TNA), who seem to be part of the Government, After the death of S.J.V.Chelvanayagam, the Tamils have not had a leader..That is part of the problem, and a major part.
Brian Senewiratne
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Nathan / July 23, 2017
Dear Sir, Kindly accept my unreserved apology to want to look at your view differently. SJV, to you, was a leader. He was to us, as well. Tamils gave him the honour to lead us. He did not. He had no vision. He was just better among Tamil politicians of his time. However, he failed to leave a path for Tamils to follow; for Tamils to deliver themselves. He left it all to God! Sampanthan is a more suited to lead. If not for him Sinhalese would have enslaved Tamils by now. Why a better leader RS is unable to deliver? The answer is manifold. Unlike during SJV’s time, there is heavy scrutiny of every word that comes out of RS’s mouth, both within SL and outside. Unlike during SJV’s time, there are very many voices within and outside SL claiming to lead Tamils. Juggling all the various positions espoused by the many different factions is a burden SJV didn’t have to bear. Further, the Sinhalese are even more virulent today than during the days of SJV. SJV had the opportunity to take our struggle direct to the Sinhalese people, rather than peddling it to their politicians. That opportunity is lost to RS. Suffice for now. Thank you for the opportunity, Sir.
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dinesh patel / July 23, 2017
“”Sampanthan is a more suited to lead.”” sponge cake!!
So at St Patrick’s he learnt to be a tough nut and like a sponge head he slammed his head in the vestibule of parliament and became the joker of the house. How he played the game during the reign of fatso vp has left an indelible spot at New delhi and that spot is permanent- he is out dated coup from trinco clinging for more fame.
Chandra H lived with his intelligent sinhala secretary because father was a left wing hegel thickhead.
Brian Senewiratne’s words of wisdom “”Getting back to the Tamils, they are not going to get anywhere with the likes of the Tamil National Alliace (TNA), “”
Sinhalese and Tamils are like Yang and Yin like in Tao or Ardhanarishvara (ShivShakhti) you can not stand alone because of your many weaknesses even at Singapore LKY is clear In the west you are ruled so you get away.
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ramona therese fernando / July 23, 2017
Brian Senewiratne : You will never know about the sufferings of the Sinhalese masses, will you? You will never realize the Tamil source of extraneous financial and other confidence, from brethren in Tamil Nadu. Sinhala masses never had that extraneous source of power to survive. Whilst Tamil brethren were building up thosai stalls and selling garlands all over the island, Sinhala masses were living in dire beggar-dom. From a rich man’s point of view, you Sinhalese can only live the glorious life of condemnation. Indeed, you would have loved your life of Tamil servants sweeping your streets, cleaning your home and cooking your food – Sinhalese servants being rather on the impertinent side, demanded a decent day’s wage. You would have loved the burgeoning Tamil business, that took care of your day to day grocery and departmental store needs. Whilst these Tamil business made money from you, you side-lined the Sinhala masses who demanded a proper days wage, and subscribed to the low-caste Tamil worker pay-scale. Thus Rich Sinhalese like you become even richer. Then you sent your children to the West to study, and you finally retired in the West. Shame on you sir!
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Native Vedda / July 23, 2017
ramona grandma therese fernando
“Thus Rich Sinhalese like you become even richer. “
And the Sinhala/Buddhist bigots like you became stupider.
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Tamil from the north / July 23, 2017
NV, this fool Ramona grandma is not rich. She lives somewhere in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, works in some low level job and hangs out at Buddhist temples. She is a complete mutt. Ask her the difference between $19,000 and $19 billion and she will tell you they are both the same. It is not even worth the salt arguing with this old fool.
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ramona therese fernando / July 23, 2017
You Tamils really look down on the jobs of the masses, don’t you, Tamil from the North. Pride of being involved in a hard day’s work is an honorable thing. You must change your attitudes, and evolve!
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Emanuel / July 23, 2017
“”Pride of being involved in a hard day’s work is an honorable thing.””
1/2 bottom burger hidden and illegal at america.
professional to beg borrow and steal is hard enough dishonourable when you envy the innovators who let you have an easy life.
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ramona therese fernando / July 24, 2017
Not me.
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Emanuel / July 24, 2017
“Not me” please sing it like the sex starved golliwog.
altruist sociopaths have no idea of the fundamentals of `I`
but just lotus eating parasites from the school of acrobats.
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Tamil from the north / July 24, 2017
Ramona therese fernando, you are one to talk about evolving. What sort of evolving have you done? You have revolved around racist attitudes and made a bloody fool out of yourself.
Before you tell others to evolve, you need to evolve. You are one racist fool who has time to write rubbish.
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ramona therese fernando / July 24, 2017
Me racist?! I was only responding to yours and others racist comments. But I would wish the 8% Tamiil hierarchy would gain awareness of how they oppressed their people, and stop blaming the poor Sinhalese.
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Jimsofty / July 24, 2017
Ramona: Forget this dumb native vedda and the Kenedian Refugee floated inside a rusty container and saved by the coast gurad. Their writing style shows that they are in the state of “katussa’s kare Rathran benda wage”. Just forget these loud barking animals. All these animals who got petrol on their buts. – just forget them. that is their style. They don’t even know how their beloved colonial master treated women with dignity and politeness. Because they are dalits from Tamilnadu. They just treat women just the way how indians and saudi arabians treat their women.
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ramona therese fernando / July 25, 2017
Hey thanks! You must be the real Jimsofty! Other people are using your name.
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Somapala Appuhamy / July 24, 2017
“She lives somewhere in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, works in some low level job”
I thought she was a house maid in Kuwait…
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ramona therese fernando / July 25, 2017
S.A. : The house maids in Kuwait are the money earners that bring in the money that the country revolves round. We have to respect them, not scorn them. Their hard earned money is not put to good purpose, but used by elites who drive up inflation.
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Somapala Appuhamy / July 25, 2017
RTF
“Their hard earned money is not put to good purpose,”
The Egalitarian husbands in Sri Lanka send their Egalitarian wives as slaves to the Arab countries. With their few hard earned pennies, the Egalitarian husbands drink Kassipu (illicit liquor) and then rape their own Egalitarian daughters.
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ramona therese fernando / July 25, 2017
S.A.: That’s because the country does not have proper facilities for these families e.g. day-care and work-programs for the men (actually many of the men suffer debilitating hardship in the construction industries of the ME and other places). The country money is used on things like building up the city-structure for the elite, and fiat aspirations of speculation for the Indian-alliance at this time.
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Eusense / July 24, 2017
Brian,
I was disappointing to learn that you don’t read comments to your articles. I guess you are the same Brian S. from Peradeniya campus while I was in my early student days. As any teacher would agree, you learn a lot from your students. Why not consider reading these comments the same?
Ill treating minorities are a universal problem facing many countries. It is not confined to Tamils or to Sri Lanka. Even today, the US is struggling to cope up with racism.
What you describe as happened to the Tamils during the last century is minuscule compared to Blacks in the US went through several decades ago. They had no rights to congregate, for education, owning land, voting or even using the same bathroom/restaurants with the whites. When they protested they were treated as criminals and many were killed. The important lesson here is that the Blacks did not resort to terrorism. In spite of that they have now won most of their rights. Are they totally free of being subjected to racism? NO! That will never happen. Unfortunately, those are facts of life.
Appreciate your efforts to bring the “brutality” of past Sinhalese to life again. But do you really think highlighting such helps develop harmony between the two races and bring reconciliation?
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SJ / July 25, 2017
Brian
It was SJVC who took the FP into a UNP-led rgime.
He by his silence effectively endorsed the first political killing in the North.
Worst of all, he sleep walked the Tamils into the demand for secession.
It was the Marxist Leninist left that stood up to the FP, but overtaken by events in the South.
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Billa / July 23, 2017
Thank you dinesh patel. ..Yes. Packing those poor people was unbearable.. It was a mistake, a blunder and a regrettable thing done by our Tamil & Sinhala politicians. Very inhumane and unjustified and a horrible decision. May be that’s another curse of those poor Indians who worked hard for this country for many years in those unbearable conditions, who were just chased out to a completely strange and unfriendly place. They were never welcomed by the Indians there and sent to some tea growing estate areas, where they suffered the most & still going through hardships.. Karma is a bitch…and Tamils are suffering for this too ! We have to reap what we sow, regrettably .
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Brian Senewiratne / July 23, 2017
just a reply to K.A.Sumanasekera
Ranil Wickremasinghe is NOT the son of Bishop Lakshman Wickremasinghe. he is the nephew of Bp Lakshman. Ranil’s father is the millionaire businessman who ran Lake House.
Re Bishop Desmond Tutu, unfortunately he is dying of prostate cancer and not in a position to do anything. i was, in fact, going to South Africa (mainly to see Yasmin Sooka and also to see Bp Tutu but his office told me that he was barely alive. Pity.
Yasmin Sooka is about as powerful as Bp Tutu. May be worth going to see her but at the age of 85, going to South frica is a big deal
Brian Senewiratne
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dinesh patel / July 23, 2017
Brian Senewiratne,
BoJo has his business cut to size. Remember it was Maggie who opened the doors not a Marxist.
98% of GDP debt no one in their right mind wants even another Gordon Brown to borrow. So arms will be sold at a rate while May is trying to bring industry to the anger of Commie Corbyn the loud mouths of human rights law.
Lanka which refused to back either India or UK on the matter of Diego Garcia will be the deciding factor. So the final state of Lanka would be between India, UK and Mauritius.
It’s the fight of village jackals in their elements just like the Palestinians they support. The day Rajiv was made into diced meat their fate was sealed and signed with FBI reports and the grand final was Nandikadal. Deepak Obhrai worked hard on behalf of much loved heart patient Bob Rae the deported to prove to the Sinhalese too who rules so the vote was 1 short of overall.
The village Tamils are still playing the media game like Marcos family so Durante can kill at will. All that will possibly happen is Lanka will keep on selling itself to India till they are swallowed. Ronald Reagan was the mediocre. LKY &Choo with first merit first at Cambridge could straight drive over the heads of both UK and USA with a police state and Franco gained too but his people lost their freedom till his demise. Lankan leaders were just butlers and kussi ammas compared to these great players of geopolitics but they keep howling and bark the barking since all they know is the game of sticks and stones which they are poor now because its run by father to son bookmakers.
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Jim softy / July 23, 2017
Billa: I also know Tamils are suffering. It is the politicians and the tribalists who support the system who are at fault. Sinhala people now understand it and know the solution too. Most of those Dalit Tamils are former Sinhala people, past govts were blind and negligent, so those people became Tamil. People need to understand that get these Tamils to the main stream back and make them at least content in some way. They are suffering a lot.
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Native Vedda / July 23, 2017
Jim softy
During 1983 riots, which part of the Colombo city was under your control, Pettah? How much did you earn on the night? How many shops did you burn down?
Do you know the name of the saffron clad thug who lead the mobs?
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dayal / July 23, 2017
this article is a brillient attempt to expose what really happened in 1983. very unfortunate that tamils have to support the unp inspite of some its leaders like JRJ and cyril mathew behaved in the utmost despicable manner.
-Dayal
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jehan / July 23, 2017
Gnansaraya the pig is not in jail for aluthgama, the asgiriya monkeys are supporting the pig.
ranil and siri talking nonsense, garbage pile champa the chimp wanting commissions. wijedasa the dumb protector of the killer gnansaraya. no justice no peace. story of siri lanka.
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LEELAGEMALLI / July 23, 2017
I really dont want to insult pigs but Ghansaras acts were beyond all bearing.
But to see some people in this country to back him further is the pain we have today.
Ghansara btw made possible that Wirathu to enter OUR country. remember ?
World looked at the manner, Balligeputha govt rejected, Canadian diplomats, but let terror monks get in… how come Rajaakshes became so idiots ?
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Hexar / July 23, 2017
Does anyone have a link to where I can buy the book mentioned in the article (sri lanka: hiding the elephant)?
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Brian Senewiratne / July 23, 2017
Dear Nathan
You do not need to tender your apology for disagreeing with me. I think I know who you are. If I am correct, then you are one of the most competent and knowledgeable people on this issue I have ever come across.
Your comment about SJV Chelvanyagam might well be right and I could well be wrong. My contact with him was superficial, to say the least. I went with my father-in-law to Amaparai to to see what was going on, and SJVC came with us and was shocked at the Sinhalisation that was going on even at that time.(in the 1950s)
..
I met him a few more times because one of his sons was a classmate of mine and I spent a few weekends in his home.
You, Nathan, probably know much more about him that I will ever know. I only said what i said because SJV is even called ‘Thanthi Chelva’ by a huge number of Tamils. i was also impressed by his total commitment to the Tamil struggle and his absolute commitment to non-violence.
May I thank you, Nathan, for drawing my attention to a different view
kind regards
Brian Senewiratne
.
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dinesh patel / July 23, 2017
the naked fakir was the master of non violence but he had a dark side so the english kept him and nehru had a crush over lady mountbatten- See Viceroy’s House movie if you don’t have time to read. there you find many hindi words enter the cambridge dict.(bangles)
of course it’s edited by punjabi producer of fame to suit the audience.
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Punchi Point / July 23, 2017
Mr. Brian Seneviratne wrote: Today they are not marching anywhere. They are having a whale of a time in the Tamil North and East, plundering Tamil lands, preventing Tamil people from existing, terrorising the Tamil and Muslim people and raping Tamil women and girls.
So, the Sinhalese army is terrorizing Tamil and Muslim people but only raping Tamil women? Seriously!?
You forgot that Colombo and most of the Udarata (Hill country) is also Tamil now, and there’s a new ethnic group called Hill country Tamils.
Genocide is a very serious crime and accusations of genocide should not be thrown freely about as the Tamils have been doing for decades now, nor should it be taken lightly. I am wondering whether there is a criminal penalty for knowingly falsely leveling such allegations? The Non-Estate Tamils (i.e the NE Tamils or Ceylon Tamils or whatever you want to call them) have ca. 25% (counting 1.2 million in the Tamil asylum diaspora) higher growth rate than the Sinhalese who are supposed to have been committing genocide against the NE-Tamils since independence. Maybe the dumb Sinhalese are just too dumb and bad at committing genocide, like they are about everything else??
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Punchi Point / July 23, 2017
The VERBAL POGROMS unleashed on the innocent Sinhalese people by the likes of Brian Seneviratna has hindered us in finding lasting solutions. These people take away the focus from the actual political problems and focus on how good or bad one community is contra the other.
Isolated incidents of military abuses are presented as if the whole Sinhalese population has done those crimes, quite forgetting that Sinhalese also have suffered the same regimes.
Just because some Sinhalese killed some Tamils, nobody can hold the whole of the Sinhalese population responsible. Its nothing but calling for collective punishment of the whole Sinhalese nation / people. Most of the people responsible for the 1983 anti-Tamil RIOTS, are dead and gone. They should have been held responsible for their crimes when they were alive. Not too late to hunt down the remaining of the perpetrators, but without doing that, people like Brian Seneviratne has made a career out of bad mouthing the Sinhalese people, maybe he thinks pulling these appalling stunts are political solutions?
Tamil politicians have totally twisted the real political issues any country would face into an ethnic issue – all the policies from university admission to road building has been turned into ethnic circus by the Tamil leadership, sabotaging and hijacking the whole political scene. In the shadow of this environment a nasty political system has been cultivated, and today we stand as a highly polarized country, unable to solve anything. Its only getting worse by the day, while people like BrianSeneviratne is beating the same drum from pre-independence days. His writings are tendentious, without any substance other than gross exaggerations and unsubstantiated accusations against a WHOLE PEOPLE, therefore they are nothing but propaganda and does not add any value to discussion nor aid in finding lasting political solutions.
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Jayasingha / July 23, 2017
Don’t blame the Singhalese in general for the black July 1983 happenings. It was JR’s govt in power at that time and Ranil was a minister. Govt ministers at that time organised and aided their hooligans to attack tamils and their properties while JR did nothing to stop this violence for 1 week. There were lot of Singhala people who protected the tamils from these govt sponsored hooligans.It was not a spontaneous reaction from the singhala people for what happened to the 14 army soldiers in Jaffna, but an organised violence as a reaction by govt supported thugs against innocent tamils. If not for the govt’s action or inaction at that time this horror would not have happened. Don’t blame the Sinhala people but blame JR and his racist govt at that time.
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kurakkan? / July 23, 2017
“”Don’t blame the Sinhala people but blame JR and his racist govt at that time.”
the terror unit in the north had it well planned out – police certificates were instantly issued by the hundreds and and the tamil travel agents arranged the rest- then the drugs were regularly smuggled to the west and ships were purchased to transport these drugs- business as usual- gotabaya learnt the inside workings of it from KP, Daya master and started his own `arms for sale in the ocean` a $$ billion business given the legal rights. All one needs is power!! Lanka is now the hub for KUDDU so the net is closing in react to the west and it would end up like Libya- the doors of the west are closed but not africa mugabe.
The Americans are there 22/7/2017
The F/A-18 super hornet fighter jets line up along the 4.5-acre flight deck of the 98,000-tonne displacement US navy aircraft carrier USS Nimitz in the Bay of Bengal.
The ship is sailing about a hundred nautical miles off the coast of Chennai. One after the other, a dozen aircraft are catapulted into the sky in under two minutes each. The aim is to dominate the skies as the P-8 A and P 8 I Poseidon aircraft of the US and Indian navies carry out long-range maritime reconnaissance and antisubmarine warfare operations to dominate the seas. 21 ships, including two submarines and over 100 aircraft and helicopters of the US, Japan and Indian navies are currently carrying out the most complex naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal in an aim to hunt down enemy submarines.
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Native Vedda / July 23, 2017
Jayasingha
“Don’t blame the Singhalese in general for the black July 1983 happenings.”———————————-As much as I respect your opinion I also have a duty or owe it to myself to question your conclusion. Look if the Sinhalese in general are blameless how come they continue to elect the same crooks and thugs again and again? —————————————————-
How did they allow the same politicians to kill their own people 1971 and between 1987/1990 and over 25 years in the North East. Without the consent of the general public the killings could not have continued nor carried out. ………………………………………………………………………………………. the writing was on the wall. This was not the first time a riot had taken place, only the scale is different in 1983. ————Once again preparation for another riot is being carried out in some quarters. In 25 years are you going to tell us “Don’t blame the Singhalese in general”?
The majority Sinhalese need to own up their failure to uphold moral responsibility for what had been happening on the island since 1948 for they elect their president, prime minister, appoint their ministers, run mainly the Sinhala/Buddhist racist state.
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brian Senewiratne / July 24, 2017
dear Hexar
i am responding to your request about buying “Hiding the Elephant’
I am not sure..However, i know the author, Professor Mannivanan.
i can contact him (if he is still in the University of Madras) and ask him.
It is a massive 1000 page book
If money is a problem i can always purchase it and post it to you. You do not need to pay me. i can afford to do that.
Contact me via bsenewiratne@gmail.com and I will see what i can do to get you a copy.
i will, of course, need your postal address.
Rather than have Prof Mannivannan send the book to me and then having to post it to you, i can get him to post you a book and I will pay him for the book and the postage. That s not a problem.
My concerns are where you live because if it is Sri Lanka, there is not a hope in hell that the book will reach you. If it is anywhere else, I am sure I can get a copy to you. It is well worth getting
i have one more concern.. I gather that action was taken against Professor Manivannan for writing the book. If that is true, i will have to contact Madras University and see where I can contact him. This I will do.
regards
Brian Senewiratne.
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Gomez / July 24, 2017
All pogroms/conflicts between Tamil and Sinhala citizens have always been due to provocation by the greedy and arrogant Tamil politocoes. They should be made to bear the brunt of castigation. They should be taken to task for treason for the way they are slavishly leaning on foreign forces to further their own covert goals.
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Raw / July 24, 2017
Brian the bog ! Where are you writing from idiot? How about the 30 years of brutal killings of innocent men women and children by the savage Tamils? Wasn’t the Tamil politician Amirthalingam (Leader of the Opposition in SL Parliament, no less) responsible for inciting violence against the Sinhalese saying he would’t sleep until the last Sinhalese man was skinned alive? And Chelvanayakam who came from Malaysia started agitating for Eelam for no reason at all? What eelam ? What for ? All they were asking was for more privileges !!! Greed and avarice. Rot in hell for all the provocations that caused all the suffering to innocent citizens. Go boil your racist head Brian the goat !!!!!!!!!
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Dushan / July 24, 2017
“Murder of 70000 innocent Tamils” ? I wonder where this old Singhalese-hating NGO vulture pulled that figure out from!
Not even worth to comment on the rest of this monster’s comments. Period.
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Rtd. Lt. Reginald Shamal Perera / July 24, 2017
When I think of the poor Tamil people in Sri Lanka, I think July 83 was completely unwarranted. But when I think of the Colombo 7 Tamils and Jaffna vellala AHs, I think July 83 is completely justified.
Poor Tamils people are quite harmless, easily misled and foolish. They are also more forgiving and prepared to move on from the past.
But the Jaffna vellalar so-called high caste (but still low caste to us LOL), are a different type altogether who needed a bloody good whacking to remind them whose the boss in the island. Just because these low caste vallayas gave their behinds to the British does not mean they gained ownership of the Island. Most of them are now gone from the island and residing overseas. Thank god, we can now attend a party or two in Colombo and don’t have to see those Ugly pottu faces.
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Maharaju Walagemba / July 24, 2017
“Thank god, we can now attend a party or two in Colombo and don’t have to see those Ugly pottu faces.”
Even Gautama Buddha’s mother Maya Devi and his wife Yasodhara were wearing pottu on their foreheads.
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Mudiyanselage / July 25, 2017
?””When I think of the poor Tamil people in Sri Lanka, I think July 83 was completely unwarranted. But when I think of the Colombo 7 Tamils and Jaffna vellala AHs, I think July 83 is completely justified.””?
Yakooo pin padde mottaya is that the reason Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy Mahawatta was named Nelum Pokuna mahawatta? Do you know the appreciation he is still held at European universities??
?Budai : The Laughing Buddha ?
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Native Vedda / July 25, 2017
Rtd. Lt. Reginald sniffing Shamal Perera,
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho
hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee
hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah
heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh
hih hoh hih hoh hih hoh hih hoh hih hoh hih hoh hih hoh
huha huha huha huha huha huha huha huha huha huha
I am sorry I remembered an old joke. Never mind what were you saying?
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Dr Romesh Senewiratne-Alagaratnam / July 25, 2017
The Sri Lankan Tamil name for Sri Lanka is Sri Ilankai. When the name of Lanka was changed from Ceylon to Sri Lanka in 1972, the Tamils could have added the honorific ‘Sri’ as well. Instead they fought for an exorbitant land claim including three quarters of the valuable coastline under the Indian name of Eelam. They also adopted the Chola emblem of the tiger, rather than the Jaffna Tamil royal symbol of the bull.
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Anpu / July 25, 2017
Dr RSA,
“Indian name of Eelam.” where did you get this from?
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timbuttu / July 26, 2017
In today’s world a Spider at the mercy of the WASP with Peelam trying to break away.
The earliest known inhabitant/ owner
The Psittacula krameri or Rose – ringed Parakeet –
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Anpu / July 25, 2017
Dr RSA,
“Indian name of Eelam”
Buddhism came from India. Most of the sinhalease originated in India.
What about this account https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eelam
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DeepCut / July 25, 2017
Buccaneering Prescription Dispenser
Unfortunately you and your family never owned land there to draw lines in the sand.The english always do the right things and give it the wrong name and it all runs in the english language- Why is it that doctors (pop & son) call what they do ‘practice’?
The land was always owned by the tamil people – refer the voting registrar, lands registrar.
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SJ / July 25, 2017
It was not the change of name. The official Tamil name has been Ilangai, and that was no issue.
It was a series of events especially in the early 1970’s that encouraged separatism.
*
The LTTE logo had little to do with the Cholas. I suspect that the name Tiger itself came from an acronym. The chola flag had a whole lateral view of a leaping tiger. The head of the tiger was not a Chola emblem.
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Somapala Appuhamy / July 25, 2017
“They also adopted the Chola emblem of the tiger”
What about the Sinhalese, they not only adopted Emperor Asoka’s Buddhism but also his emblem of the Indian Lion (there were no Lions in Sri Lanka).
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Punchi Point / July 27, 2017
Professor Ramu Manivannan, was sacked from the university of Madras, because the university authorities claimed that he was involved in some irregularities and corruption. I donot know how true the charges against him are, although to me personally it looks like he has been framed as revenge for trying to get to the bottom of corruption in the university of Madras administration. Whatever that case is, he was not sacked because of the book he has written about SriLanka, as Brian Seneviratne is claiming. Really, I think Brian Seneviratna is off his nut. Hope he realizes that SriLanka is not some big super power, but a poor little third world country and also that the Sinhalese people, although a majourity in the island are essentially an insignificant poor pathetic little minority in the region and the world. They are not in a postition to give or take anything as they wish. Close to a million of Sinhalese women work as house-maids in the middle east, so that people like Brian Seneviratne can rob this country of the value they produce and get a free education and then run off to a foreign country.
Brian Seneviratne should stop spreading rumours and falsehoods. You are not doing the Tamil people any favours by your verbal pogroms against the Sinhalese. Please do not poison the innocent young Tamils by your vicious lies and lay the ground for more Tamil blood to spill, while you are safely living in your comfy alternative reality where you are the hero and saviour. ****You are not*******. There’s nothing more disgusting than people like this, who think they are on a mission to save the world, while all they do is talk about themselves and how good they are, while destroying everything around them, with their venoum.
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Punchi Point / July 27, 2017
‘What about this account https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eelam‘
Eelam is the word ancient Tamils used to denote this island, which meant the country of the Sinhalese. Whatever the theories about the etymology is, Eelam means the country of the Sinhalese. Articles and books have been written about the words Eelam and Sinhala, trying to explain away the real meaning of the word. But none of them have been successful in convincing anyone, as such a long and proven history can never be erased, and it remains that the word Eelam denotes the Sinhalese country.
ஈழம் = சிங்கள தேசம்
Eelam = Cinkala Thesam (Sinhala country)
https://tinyurl.com/y878vcch
Tamils can put the word Tamil in front of it, and make a joke of themselves, but the fact remains that the Eelam means Sinhalese country as much as the reality that this island will for ever be the island of the Sinhalese.
/