4 October, 2024

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This Is Our President

By Tisaranee Gunasekara

“If under aged girls are statutorily raped and the sexual act was however with consent, it may be good to have legislation that allows the perpetrator to marry the ‘victim’ with her consent.” – President Mahinda Rajapaksa[i]

President Rajapaksa says no one is above the law.

Either the President is psychologically challenged, incapable of unravelling reality from imagination; or he is a consummate liar.

In the last fortnight, Eraj Fernando, Galagoda-Atte Gnanasara Thero and the BBS broke the law, as blatantly and as publicly as Mervyn Silva ever did. Their criminal conduct was witnessed by innumerable eyes and captured by innumerable cameras. Yet they remain untouched by the law.

Mahinda RAnd the President tells us that in his country no one is above the law.

Which country would that be?

When asked what action will be taken about last week’s invasion of a state institution by BBS monks, the President said that “he would meet the warring parties separately”[ii]. There are no warring parties. There is just one warring party – the BBS, which is attacking religious-minorities and Buddhist monks. The BBS hordes broke the law publicly and blatantly at least twice in the last fortnight. Are they going to be rewarded with an audience with the Head of State?

When the US equivalent of Galagoda-Atte Gnanasara Thero, fundamentalist pastor Terry Jones, threatened to burn a Koran, he was not invited to the White House. He was arrested[iii].  When Pope Francis included Muslims and women in the Holy Thursday ritual, he sent a powerful message of inclusivity, solidarity and tolerance[iv]. Gestures can be of critical importance, especially in times of crises. When President Rajapaksa invites the BBS monks in his official capacity, when the media shows the President worshipping and conversing with Galagoda-Atte Gnanasara Thero, a very powerful signal is transmitted nationally. Next time any monk is caught attacking a church/mosque, the police will do nothing. After all, the culprit might receive an invitation from the president for a public powwow, ere long.

In Sri Lanka impunity is the exclusive privilege of Rajapaksas, their pawns and favourites. For instance, the army is going to the schools in Mannar collecting details about teachers and students, according to the Deputy Director of Education of Madu. Some students have even being photographed. The CTU claims that the military had acted in a similar manner in Killinochchi[v]. The army can break the law, because it is a key Rajapaksa pawn. Its impunity is sourced not in weapons but in the Rajapaksas.

The impunity enjoyed by the BBS too is a function of Rajapaksa patronage. The day that patronage ends, the police will treat the BBS the same way they treat normal law breakers. So long as the purveyors of religious strife enjoy Rajapaksa patronage, there is no point in having a special police unit to prevent religious disharmony. In the current context, such a religious police is likely to assist the BBS rather than impede it. According to the CEO of the BBS, the BBS asked the President to form a religious police in January 2013: “Though the President was keen about this idea…the move was not implemented due to inefficiency of officials….. The BBS General Secretary urges all Buddhists and Buddhist monks to make use of this opportunity and complain on any harmful activities against Buddhism and Buddha Sasana…”[vi]

While stating that no one is above the law, ad nauseam, the President continues to justify the Hambantota attack: “However these politicians provoked the crowds by saying the Hambantota harbour would be made a swimming pool and making similar uncalled for statements”[vii]. After such presidential remarks, can one blame the police for their inaction? The police would know that like the BBS monks, the Hambantota thugs are protected-species, pawns doing the bidding of their political masters.

The President also blames the media for depicting the Hambantota attackers in an unsympathetic light. “The President pointed out that the recent ‘attacks’ on Minister Jeevan Kumaratunga and MP Duminda Silva at Moratuwa and Borella respectively had been presented in a different way. In both instances, the parliamentarians had received negative media coverage whereas the reporting on the Hambantota District incident was different.”[viii] The Borella and Moratuwa incidents were not planned and implemented by the Opposition; they were desperate responses by desperate people. When law becomes the plaything of the powerful, ordinary people, without power or money, respond with the only weapon they have – the weapon of numbers. Mob-violence at the bottom is the inevitable response to illegality at the top. And there is nothing felicitous about people being forced to take law into their own hands. That road leads not to liberation but to anarchy.

The Proud Father

Last November a soldier was arrested for sexually abusing an eight year old girl.

The girl, the daughter of an ASP, was waiting in an anteroom in the CMC while her father was at a discussion about the Commonwealth Summit. The soldier was the bodyguard of a colonel who was at the same discussion. The girl revealed what was done to her by the ‘Army Uncle’ (“using words according to her knowledge”) only after she went home[ix].

Any reasonable person would know why that child did not scream during the abuse, why she remained mute until she was safe at home. Her silence and inaction were functions of terror and ignorance. But if Lanka enacts the proposed Rape Marriage Law, the soldier might be able to argue that he abused the child with her consent. After all, she did not protest, did she? Or tell her father when he came in? And the President himself thinks that children can ‘consent’ to rape: “If under aged girls are statutorily raped and the sexual act was however with consent, it may be good to have legislation that allows the perpetrator to marry the ‘victim’ with her consent.” [x]

A Lankan must be over 18 to vote, to drive, to smoke and to drink. Such limits are imposed globally because until a certain age is reached, a human being lacks the capacity to make mature and informed choices about important matters. Statutory rape provisions too belong in same category. Their main purpose is to prevent adults from exploiting the ignorance, the trust, the inexperience and the terror of children.

President Rajapaksa thinks otherwise. He says children can ‘consent’ to a sexual act. So when a male adult rapes a female child and claims that he did so with her consent and she is too confused or scared or shocked to prove otherwise, he can escape punishment, by promising to marry her when she is 18.

Currently statutory rape laws apply to children under 16. How old does the President think a female-child has to be, in order to ‘consent’ to a ‘sexual act’? Fourteen? Twelve? Younger?

The above-mentioned incident indicates, again, how vulnerable North-Eastern children must be, under de facto military occupation. It also proves that child abuse/rape is a problem for all Lankan parents and children. But what hope is there when the Presidential father thinks that children can ‘consent’ to rape, and that rapists should be allowed to marry their victims?


[vi] BBS welcomes ‘religious police’ – Sri Lanka Mirror – 26.4.2014

[vii] http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=local/no-one-can-take-law-their-hands-no-casinos-president

[viii] Ibid

Latest comments

  • 31
    3

    .
    There must be a better reason for this law.
    Until this is known, be careful sending small children to temple trees.
    :-)

    • 24
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      This water buffloe, does not know even what it means

      ” NO one is above the law “.

      if this is the case

      a) Why Baratha murder case was burried under the carpet with direct mediation of him ?

      b) Why the british murder case taking over 2 years while indian counterpart did it in such a case in which a swiss woman was raped by a gang were able to convict to hard punishments within 4-6 months ?

      c) Why Gommanpila – western province PC candidate to allow stage with most known public servant – MR´s brother GR ? if law is equal to everyone, those who have gone wrong should be given due punishments in complianc with the law prevailing in the country ?

      d) Why did he NOT react adequately, at the time his goons openly, publicly attacked the UNP MPs in Hambantota lately ?

      As North koreans in general are trained to obey their leader´s rules, our leader of the day has been doing the same job, people in rural areas are made to believe something totally differnt from the reality. Latter is perhaps the general feeling of common HINDi film watching poorest of the poor living in Indian subcontinent (it is said over 70% of Indian populace are reported to be living under povery line, as no other nations in the world, but they are all loving their hindi films because only that way they could spend at least few hours of being close to their dreams – for a better life). For europeans, hindi films in general are very childish kind. I know this from German, Swiss, UK and other tv senders very well.
      That

      • 15
        0

        Law is above anyone. Then how about Mervyn tied a man on to a tree, Mervyn set fire to Sirasa, Mervyn attacked Poddala Jayantha etc? MR is speaking from his ass?

        • 11
          0

          This what I have been saying.

          This folks – majoirity of them are fools. Born fools.

          President goes on wasting state funds, opening every toilet from a to b, and then continue them following day…

          per day his costs for his transport/security/maintenance all cost if my memory is right – 23 mio/day.

          so, if this man is that hearted – that heart breaking man towards the poor, he could better use Ministers for opening those events rather than sending more of state funds by his own mediation, ….

          if he would save these funds for a 10 day short period…

          He could save 230 mios and make use of them for the uplifting of the poorest of the poor..

          Northin koreans, Zimbabwians, and several other folks that are said to be poor of the poor in this world are caught by these kind leaders.

      • 5
        0

        here is today´s trend

        ————————————————
        70% of ministers, MPs favour abolishing Executive Presidency – Vasu

        0 April 28, 2014 2:04 am

        By Gihan Nicholas

        Leader of the Democratic Left Front and Minister of National Languages and Social Integration, Vasudewa Nanayakkara, said more than 70% of the government ministers and MPs in Parliament were in favour of abolishing the Executive Presidency.

        What the country requires is a major constitutional amendment which will do away with the Executive Presidency system, he said.
        He added if the Executive presidency is abolished by the President as well as those who exercise pivotal power, the image of the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government would be subjected to renewal there by earning it more public appeal.

        “Should the President, as well as those who exercise the pivotal powers of the government, decide to abolish the Executive Presidency it would give the UPFA government… …a renewed image as well as an edge over all other political Parties since the greater opinion of the public is to see the system abolished. However, at present whether they would do it or not remains a question” he said.
        “Since 1978 we have been having this system which is of no avail. If this system is abolished there would be a greater democratization of the country as well as Parliament’s decision making process.

        Under the system we would only have a ceremonial President, whereas the Prime Minister would have a greater say.
        Members of Parliament would have more say in issues of national concern. Moreover where elections are concerned the mix system should be implemented since the current system is very prohibitive for individuals who are willing to contest and are unable to do so due to financial constraints. Change of the electoral system will pave the way for more suitable candidates to contest during elections” Minister Nanayakkara added.

    • 12
      0

      what are the qualifications of “The mayor of Hambantota”, and “Srilanken Ambassador to Washington (Jaliya Wickramsooriya”.

      Both personalities are either relatives or close ones to Rajapakshe family.

      So called president – and his administration saying that

      “noone is above the law”,

      but what I read in today´s news :

      “Hambantota Mayor Eraj Ravindra Fernando – who is at the centre of controversy over the Mattala Airport fiasco where five United National Party (UNP) MPs were attacked – said he had left Hambantota to evade police questioning.
      Claiming his innocence over the incident, the Mayor said he was not in Hambantota or Colombo these days. “I have even switched off my mobile phone,” he added. – See more at: http://www.nation.lk/edition/news-online/item/28554-mayor-eraj-leaves-h%E2%80%99tota-to-evade-police-questioning.html#sthash.Dkq4rTJR.dpuf

    • 9
      0

      This is what honorable Sumanthiran makes it very clear
      the danger of Casino being introduced the country

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNO15C6M6_M

    • 0
      7

      You are asking the right question aaaaaa2aratai” or whatever. [Edited out]
      Long live President Rajapakse.

    • 8
      0

      Hey guys, today, South korean leader resigned himself from being PM for that country,

      http://www.ceylontoday.lk/16-62611-news-detail-south-korean-pm-chung-hong-won-offers-resignation-over-ferry.html

      what happened to our premier even after the Heroin deal was declared by investigators ?

      This ballige putha-MR is in power nothing would become normal in this country. I am fed up now.

      Enouch is enough.

    • 3
      0

      hey people please read the following.

      ——————

      South Korean PM Chung Hong-won offers resignation over ferry

      South Korean PM Chung Hong-won offers resignation over ferry

      0 April 27, 2014 9:15 am

      South Korean Prime Minister Chung Hong-won has offered his resignation amid criticism of the government’s handling of the sinking of a passenger ferry.

      In a statement, a sombre Mr Chung said the “cries of the families of those missing still keep me up at night”.
      The Sewol ferry with 476 people on board – most of them students and teachers – sank off South Korea on 16 April.
      Divers have recovered 183 bodies, but scores are missing presumed drowned.
      Furious relatives have repeatedly criticised what they see as the slowness of the recovery operation.
      “The right thing for me to do is to take responsibility and resign as a person who is in charge of the cabinet,” Mr Chung said in a brief televised statement.

      “On behalf of the government, I apologise for many problems from the prevention of the accident to the early handling of the disaster.”
      He added: “There have been so many varieties of irregularities that have continued in every corner of our society and practices that have gone wrong. I hope these deep-rooted evils get corrected this time and this kind of accident never happens again.”

      There was no immediate word from President Park Geun-hye about whether she would accept Mr Chung’s resignation.
      An opposition party spokesman described it as “thoroughly irresponsible” and a “cowardly evasion” of responsibility.
      The day after the disaster, Mr Chung was booed and someone threw a water bottle at him when he visited grieving parents.
      Divers were battling atrocious weather conditions on Sunday as they tried to retrieve more bodies trapped in the sunken ferry.

      A coastguard spokesman said heavy seas whipped up by strong winds were badly complicating recovery efforts.
      “The situation is very difficult due to the weather, but we are continuing search efforts, using the occasional calmer periods,” the spokesman said, adding that 93 divers would take part in Sunday’s operation.
      All 15 crew members involved in the navigation of the ferry are now in custody, facing criminal negligence charges.

      Reasons unclear

      On Friday, divers found 48 bodies of students wearing lifejackets in a single room on the vessel meant to accommodate just over 30 people.
      The group was crammed into a dormitory and all were wearing lifejackets, a South Korean Navy officer said.
      The presence of so many victims in the cabin suggested many had run into the room when the ship tilted, correspondents said.

      The reason for the disaster is still unclear.
      But prosecutors are said to be investigating whether modifications made to the ferry made it more unstable.
      Factors under consideration include a turn made at about the time the ship began to list, as well as wind, ocean currents and the freight it was carrying.
      Reports have emerged indicating that the ship’s sleeping cabins were refitted some time between 2012 and 2013, which experts say may have inadvertently affected the balance of the vessel. (BBC)

    • 4
      0

      Hi Tisaranee Gunasekara – RE: CHILD ABUSERS AND THEIR REWARDS

      “If under aged girls are statutorily raped and the sexual act was however with consent, it may be good to have legislation that allows the perpetrator to marry the ‘victim’ with her consent.” – President Mahinda Rajapaksa[i]

      “President Rajapaksa says no one is above the law.”

      ….Except the Sinhala Buddhist Monks, and non-Sinhala Buddhist Monks, Religious Myth Holders, Priests and other molesters.

      Then we have liars, like our president, following “Buddha Dhamma”. What a farce by the paras, the Para-Sinhala and Para-Tamils, and the Para-Muslims are NOT excluded,

      We have Child abuse by the Abuser, by the Parents, by the Abuser with the Assistance of the parents, and then there is the law.

      The Sinhala Buddhist Monks, and non-Sinhala Buddhist Monks, Religious Myth Holders, Priests and other molesters then escape, citing their RELIGION, SCRIPTURES and TRADITIONS.

      Wold you allow a child to be married to a Monk or Priest? A Samanera pt Alter Boy to a Monk? The boys do not get pregnant, but the girls and women may.

      Examples:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNSC93mPs4I

      1. Child Abuse by a Monk in Habaraduwa

      Uploaded on May 29, 2010
      She sent her grandson to school with the idea of providing him with proper education to make him a good person. The Buddhist monk in charge of the temple asked her to send the child to the temple and she sent him there because they were poor. There was no possibility for them to pay the money for tuition fees. That was the reason why they sent the boy to the temple school.When the child began to refuse going to the temple school so adamantly, grandmother had to look for the reason. It was then only that she discovered that the child who was sent to learn good behavior, ethics and Buddha’s Dharma from the monk had in fact been abused by the monk.

      2. Child sexual abuse by Catholic priests in the United States.In “Hand

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zc52Coepgg

      Uploaded on Jun 23, 2009
      In recent decades, more than 10,000 children were reportedly sexually abused by Catholic priests in the United States. In “Hand of God,” filmmaker Joe Cultrera explores just one of those cases, that of his own brother Paul.

      Paul Cultrera was molested in the 1960s by Father Joseph Birmingham, who allegedly abused nearly 100 other children. “Hand of God” tells the story of faith betrayed, and how Paul and the rest of the Cultrera family fought back against a scandal that continues to afflict scores of churches across the country.

      3. Sexual Abuse by Tibetan Monks and Buddhist cukture

      Buddhism The Great Evil — Part 1

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNOfTGSADdY

      Buddhism The Great Evil — Part 2

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clcs2PSze0I

      4. Child Abuse by Buddha – Rahula.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C4%81hula

      Rāhula (born c. 534 BC) was the only son of Siddhartha Gautama (Pāli Siddhattha Gotama), later known as the Buddha, and his wife Princess Yasodharā.

      Accounts of his life differ in certain points. The following is that given in the Pāli Canon.

      Rāhula was raised by his mother and grandfather, King Suddhodana. When he was seven years old, Rahula requested his father, missing him dearly; the Buddha returned to his home city of Kapilavatthu. On the seventh day of his return, Yasodharā took Rāhula to see his father, the Buddha. She told Rāhula that since his father had renounced the palace life and as he was the next royal prince in line, he should ask his father for his inheritance of crown and treasure for his future sake when his grandfather would no longer rule the kingdom.

      After the meal, Rāhula followed the Buddha, saying “Give me my inheritance.” Nobody tried to stop him, nor did the Buddha prevent him from following him. He then looked at his father and said, “Lord, even your shadow is pleasing to me.”

      Reaching the Park of Nigrodha, where the Buddha was staying, the Buddha thought to himself: “He desires his father’s inheritance, but it is wrought with troubles. I shall give him the benefit of my spiritual Enlightenment and make him an owner of a transcendental inheritance.”

      The Buddha called Venerable Sariputta and asked him to ordain little Rāhula who became the first Sāmanera (novice monk).

      “The King, discovering that now his grandson and a number of young men in the royal family had requested ordination, asked the Buddha only to ordain a minor with the consent of his parents or guardian. The Buddha assented. This rule was expanded to include the spouses of those intending to join the Order of monks and nuns.[5]

      Shortly after Rāhula’s ordination the Buddha taught him the importance of telling the truth. This discourse is known as the Rahulovada Sutta.[6] The Buddha placed truth as the highest of all virtues. The seekers of Truth, (those who have as their goal Nibbana) should not break the precept of Truth.

    • 7
      0

      Srilanka´s not president but MAIN ACTOR in the Film called ” FOOLING OWN NATION”.

    • 3
      0

      aratai

      “There must be a better reason for this law. Until this is known, be careful sending small children to temple trees.”

      Not only to Temple Trees, Temples and Churches as well.

      They mayresult in getting a Monk as a Son in Law or a priest as Son in Law.

      Anyway, people ultimately die, even this President. So, how should he be taken care of later?

      Neil deGrasse Tyson stops a religious troll (w/captions)

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afGkv0IT4dU

      Uploaded on Sep 28, 2010

      At the end of the Q&A period after Tyson and Dawkins’ magnificent presentation “The Poetry of Science”, this douchebag troll (who refused to sit and insisted on getting his “question” out) tries to bait Dawkins/Tyson into a religious discussion with the mildly retarded question about what they would do when they’re about to die with nothing to console themselves but their knowledge of science (implying that they’re incomplete without the source of origin:god). Dawkins passed the opportunity for retort to Tyson, who answers in a fantastically poetic way.

      • 0
        0

        MR is in favor of the recent promulgation by an indian politician
        that : The rape is a mistake that the boys make “
        IDIOtic statement

    • 0
      0

      Rajapaksa [Edited out]

    • 1
      0

      Dear Tisaranee Gunasekara –

      “If under aged girls are statutorily raped and the sexual act was however with consent, it may be good to have legislation that allows the perpetrator to marry the ‘victim’ with her consent.” – President Mahinda Rajapaksa[i]

      See how they do in Tribal Yemen due to Poverty.

      Listen to Nowoood Age 10 and Divorced. See the movie Water.

      Why Yemen Is Incapable Of Banning Child Marriage and Rape

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6U2nrRJ4HU

      Published on Oct 14, 2013
      The Youngest Bride: Renewed calls to end to Yemen’s child brides

      For downloads and more information visit: http://www.journeyman.tv/65997/short-

      The story of Nujood Ali, a young girl married off at 8 then raped and beaten by her husband, shocked the international community recently. But child marriage remains a legal and common practise in Yemen.

      “He sexually assaulted me on the wedding night. His mother was holding me,” remembers Nujood. Traumatised, she sought refuge from her relatives but was turned away for fear of shaming the family. With no one to rely on but herself, she took a taxi to court where a judge, outraged by her story, granted her a divorce. But Nujood was lucky in a country which does not recognise marital rape as a crime and has no minimum marriage age. A reform to introduce it was blocked last year by Yemen’s Muslim Brotherhood. “Islam doesn’t specify an age for marriage. Why make a problem out of nothing?” asks one member of Yemen’s parliament. Nujood is set on fighting child marriage in Yemen when she grows up; but with an estimated half of all brides aged below 18 and many families hoping to alleviate poverty with dowries, she faces a bitter struggle.

      SBS Dateline: Ref-5951

      Journeyman Pictures is your independent source for the world’s most powerful films, exploring the burning issues of today. We represent stories from the world’s top producers, with brand new content coming in all the time. On our channel you’ll find outstanding and controversial journalism covering any global subject you can imagine wanting to know about.

    • 0
      0

      Rape to begin with is not consensual sex. Rape is forcible sex to satisfy the lust of the aggressor. In most instances, rape is committed on unsuspecting young by adult males, mostly by those who are married and having children. It is very rarely a young boy who is accused of rape, where the victim can consent to marriage when both reach adulthood. This piece of legislature has no bearing when old buggers rape young girls. Possibly if Namal, Yoshitha or Rohitha rape some girl, then they could marry their victim with the wedding present on the way.Bloody Goon this Bus Conductor of a Tsunamipathi.

  • 18
    1

    This means that Mahinda the Master of Evil (All Time Evil) has a new project to unleash his Army of thugs to rape the Minority kids.

    DO SINHALA people have any heart to feel about this?
    DO SINHALA people have any mind to see through this the many dangers?
    DO SINHALA People eat RICE (BATH) or COW-DUNG (GOMA)?
    DO SINHALA people are actually LION’s blood?
    if so WHY can’t they roar and come out in the open to protest?

    ARE SINHALA people humans at all???? Just want to know what’s happening?

    • 8
      0

      The day when locals and IC people are well aware of the fact- i mean the facts of srilanken people –
      there, we the nation will have the chance to make the first step of peace building.

      A man who has just abused 2/3 parliamentary mandate to get passed a HOTEL + CASINO complex in the parliament, is now in searching mode to see who voted against the bill – may be to punish them… how can he ? and why those parliamentarians behave as subhumans ? why dont they have their voice being independent ? all these I raise as I write this comment.

    • 4
      1

      Ghost of Past – Sinhala people do eat rice but our Nande Master (a.k.a. GOATa) eats pig shit by his own admission??

  • 8
    1

    Lanka is a very small stage and it’s Cheap Ruler is the main Bollywood Actor and his family and minsters are mere clowns. The sheepish serfs are the audience and they are quite passive with the crumbs thrown at them.

    • 5
      0

      Shakespeare puts it better:-
      “All the world’s a stage,
      And all the men and women merely players;
      They have their exits and their entrances,
      And one man in his time plays many parts,…”

      The only problem is that there are no ‘Exits’ but repeated ‘Entrances’ with this lot of Andare’s who think that they own the Stage!

  • 14
    0

    It’s quite frightening even to read such comments by a the head of state. Wonder who is advising the president ? some African Countries which allowed such practice as their ancient culture are lobbying hard to have those draconian law’s overturned.

    This is the state of governance in Sri Lanka law is what the head of state states. This is quite evident in actions of the government. The judiciary dare utter anything which would not fall in line with the ruling party.

    It is also alarming that no one is taking much notice about this ? I think this is the 2nd article by T. Gunasekara on this subject on CT.

    These are dangerous precedence, there maybe a time in Sri Lanka where grandfather marrying grand daughter, father marring the daughter what a pathetic situation.

    Did any one bothered to investigate why a father threw his 2 daughters to a river and took his own life ? What propelled him to do such thing ?
    This is not the 1st time this has happen.

    What is driving parents to do such unthinkable cruelty towards their children ? or is it mercy in the eyes of the parent towards his/her children ?

    When will this end ? when will we realize that this regime is dragging the country to a pit hole which we would not be able to come out of? It will only take few factors to change the current economic growth to topple. We are living on the edge. Change is needed now.

    The minorities alone cannot do it without the help of majority. Courage is what is lacking !

    • 5
      0

      This morning I happened to watch President Obama and Malaysian Premier´s press brief on OBAMA´s current trip to Malaysia. It was also announced that Obama will be heading to Philiphines before returning to wahington expecting Dr Merkel (Germany´s Chancellor)at the end of the week in the states.
      As our leaders boast these days about their achievements in terms of economy and other issues and bla bla, if all these are the truth, why Obama or Europe´s powerful leaders like Dr Merkel would not even pay a visit to the country yet ?

      Malaysia´s population is also near to that of hour 23 million. All the social indicators in that country is comparable to those of lankens though their economy is far develped than that of srilankens. However, totally islam dominated Malaysia and buddhist dominated srilanka have much in common.
      Malaysia´s leader is highly educated person, as I undrestood in that CNN interview, he could get on with OBAMA neck and neck while our leader is not even worth to get on with educated leaders, masses in the country but only with Hambantota goons or poor folks across the country. If the man has a heart for the folks, he would not have been silent when own people are assulted by his goons or any others. This man is aboslutely from all norms, that is what I realized having studied all these.

    • 2
      1

      “If under aged girls are statutorily raped and the sexual act was however with consent, it may be good to have legislation that allows the perpetrator to marry the ‘victim’ with her consent.” – President Mahinda Rajapaksa

      By amending the law to suit the current trend in inebriated social behaviours the ruling seems perfectly alright as an antidote.

      I think Rajapakse’s sagacity heads in the right path for the restrainment of the society’s underlying putrid notions, vice and the seize-preying tendency among the youth.

      See the living world and it’s rulings in the following links:

      ————
      http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25855025
      ————
      http://www.xojane.com/it-happened-to-me/daleen-berry-married-rape
      ————
      http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2011/12/jailed-afghan-rape-victim-wins-pardon-after-agreeing-to-marry-attacker.html
      ————
      http://middleeast.about.com/u/ua/afghanistan/me090415a.htm
      ————
      Deuteronomy 22:28-29
      ————
      http://islam.about.com/od/crime/f/rape.htm

  • 7
    0

    President Mahinda is telling the truth. No one in Sri Lanka is above the law. But what he refers is about the jungle law he is practicing in this country. He is the powerful man in the law of Sri Lanka according to the constitution. According to his law:
    Brutality, Threat, Bribe, Corruption, Rape, Buddhist Violence etc. are legal.

    • 6
      0

      How many more days, weeks, months, years will he be able to fool the gaping nation BY his kind of ” popular rhetorics”.

      Rememeber, him saying that we are all srilankens, and I am the president of not only sinhalese but also everyone.

      Remember, him saying that we have to put dot to the drugs ” mathata thitha”, but what is the reality of his agenda – he personally support drug traffickers like ” Lancer”. This was once telecasted by local TV senders how his helicopter landed on the door steps of Lancer´s at the time police was about to take the alleged multi million drug trafficker -Lancer, UPFTA party politician.

      Remember, few days ago, MR saying ” These are just hotel complex – being built by Australian Parker company”, while Dr. Harsha De Silva clearly pointed out of those hotels and the annual income of them – having studied the statistics from the already available crown hotels in S pore, malaysia, Macau and other places, are mainly connected with Gambling but not with any normal kind of hotel accormadations. And Parker had mentioned the word gampbling and the related in his written statement, but our so called nation´s president goes on saying….
      no this is not related to casinos…. whom are they fooling ?

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      Could you ever expect from a man – who is said to be grown up by not giving proper nurture/education – to be good/healthy/clean/uncorrupted/ethical ?

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    ” “If under aged girls are statutorily raped and the sexual act was however with consent, it may be good to have legislation that allows the perpetrator to marry the ‘victim’ with her consent.” – President Mahinda Rajapaksa”

    When Mahinda says ” statutory rape “, is talking about both parties being underage or just the women being underage ? If it is only the woman, then Mahinda is taking a page out of the Islamist handbook from Pakistan, Afghanistan and North Africa.

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    Rajapaksa is a clown not by choice but because he cannot help it: the only clown to be a Head of state and government. Unprecedented! Sri Lankans must hide their faces in shame. Bensen

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    The Rule of Law and MR are contradictions in terms. When the head of State says “Apey Miniha nisa shape karanda haduwa” referring to former NSB chairman-it says it all.

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    Does this mean there are pending cases against people known to him? In the RP era too we heard horrendous stories about underage girls (virgins) used in various dola pideni rituals. We just brushed them aside as rumors. This move makes my hair sit straight.

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      Those horrendous stories heard in RP era I believe were just rumours.

      Today, the world is turned violent by self made efforts by president and his adminsitration. Here lack of seriousness in terms of enforsment of law and order as necessary – and very many things in terms of that are playing a greater role.
      Very same president who can get passed pacts and amds using his EXCUTIVE POWERS and PARLIAMENTARY MANDATES fail to go against impunity related issues is, nobody would easily be comprehensible.

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    This is the English translation. Many things are lost and even given new meaning if the translator is an idiot.

    It can be re-phrased as follows,

    If two young adults under the age of 18 have consensual sex and have a child together, regarding it as ‘rape’ is draconian. They may be encouraged to marry for the sake of the child.

    Barking lunatic Tissaranee gets it wrong the 786’th time.

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      TG looks like senile.

      Starts with pre- marital sex and talk mostly about BBS. then the next rape case is about a soldier raping a young girl.

      How about the Catholic/christian Priests in Jaffna getting caught regularly for the same kind of acts. Most recently, the Jaffna diocese had told it would cooperate with the govt.

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        JimSofty and Para-Avatars

        “How about the Catholic/christian Priests in Jaffna getting caught regularly for the same kind of acts.”

        They are following their compatriots, all over the world, just like the Sinhala “Buddhist” monks do in Lanka, the Land of the Native Veddah. This is another Proof that they are Paras, beyond the DNA in their bodies.

        1. Child sexual abuse by Catholic priests in the United States.In “Hand

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zc52Coepgg

        Uploaded on Jun 23, 2009 In recent decades, more than 10,000 children were reportedly sexually abused by Catholic priests in the United States. In “Hand of God,” filmmaker Joe Cultrera explores just one of those cases, that of his own brother Paul. Paul Cultrera was molested in the 1960s by Father Joseph Birmingham, who allegedly abused nearly 100 other children. “Hand of God” tells the story of faith betrayed, and how Paul and the rest of the Cultrera family fought back against a scandal that continues to afflict scores of churches across the country.

        2. Examples:

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNSC93mPs4I

        2. Child Abuse by a Monk in Habaraduwa Uploaded on May 29, 2010

        She sent her grandson to school with the idea of providing him with proper education to make him a good person. The Buddhist monk in charge of the temple asked her to send the child to the temple and she sent him there because they were poor. There was no possibility for them to pay the money for tuition fees. That was the reason why they sent the boy to the temple school.When the child began to refuse going to the temple school so adamantly, grandmother had to look for the reason. It was then only that she discovered that the child who was sent to learn good behavior, ethics and Buddha’s Dharma from the monk had in fact been abused by the monk.

        3. Sexual Abuse by Tibetan Monks and Buddhist culture

        Buddhism The Great Evil — Part 1

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNOfTGSADdY

        Buddhism The Great Evil — Part 2

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clcs2PSze0I

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        Jim Softly, Tissaranee’s piece applies to everybody. This is a serious issue. Do not attempt to side track it. Sri Lanka’s future depends on it.

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        Hi Softy
        This is not about christen church they are been maligned and exposed even in the western media daily of their short comings and involvement in crimes. This is about epitome of Buddhism Venerable followers of of Lord Buddha’s likes of Ven Gnanasara Thero of Bodu Bala Sena who will not even utter a dissenting derogatory word to describe a mortal enemy and in fact will embrace them in love. Who preach other mortals not to harm even a fly and never to drink and drive without holding a licence (one may get caught)to give up on hedonistic pleasures to reach the higher state of life. So are you now suggesting some followers of Christianity and their clergies involvement in some unspeakable crimes piece loving Buddhist likes of Ven Gnanasara Thero some how been corrupted by their influence so he should be given a pass to act like bad mouthing drunken thug?

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      Vibushana
      The law says under age sex is a crime.
      If two under age “children” have consensual sex they have both comitted a crime.
      If it is consensual sex surely they would have taken precaution to avoid prenancy
      However if the under aged girl become pregnant then there is greater rpurcussion that just geting married may not resolve

      Now if and adult male rape or have even consnesual sex with an under aged girl he cant get away scot free by offering to marry the girl and then divorce her after a year so

      Nothing is lost in the translation. This law is an escape route to protect the soldiers in the North

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      Vibushana,
      What is your translation — “young adults under the age of 18”. means. Young adult below 18??.. Your love and attachment to your ruling R family make you dumb… Basics of Buddhism/Hinduism says “Attachment leads to delutions.. ‘

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      rajash, avb

      Any sex under 18 is considered ‘statutory rape’ under the archaic penal code. The changes proposed is keeping up with present day realities.

      If a young couple under 18 had a child then they have already consummated an adult partnership. What do you want to do? Pretend there is no baby? Under the current penal code the male can be prosecuted for rape. Surely you are not that dumb to see the problem.

      In USA some under 18s are considered ‘adult enough’ to face adult penal code. Similarly even though they are under 18, given its too late to prevent child birth anyway next best is getting them legally partnered for the sake of the child.

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        Vibushana
        to be blunt this law is to protect the army in the North who rape Tamil women and girls.

        The rest is eyewash

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          So this is another of those “home grown” solutions for the next
          edition of M.Chintanaya?

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      Vibushana, I am interested in your remark. What is your translation?

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      This raises an interesting issue. What happens in the case of male rape? Will same sex marriage be permitted?

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    How can rape be committed with consent? Then it is not rape but consensual sex..
    This is an illogical statement coming from the President of the country.
    What a pathetic state of affairs.

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      Rajapakshes can do even assaults/missings/killings be considered as rights of them.

      Most known example is what we got to see in Hambantota – group of decent kind of UNP MPs were attacked as no other would have done so. Following day itself, President himself defended the incident saying, …. the victimized are the wrong ones in that regard, because their statments had contained things to upset the feelings of the people in that areas. They were not the people of the areas, but the common faces as SF reiterated, had been known to many.

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    There is no point in writing and writing comments about this article. Please do something practical. every one of you should convince at least 10 voters not to vote for the present regime. The message should reach the common man in the South. The whole island should get together and achieve this.

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    I wonder that HE, President of Presidents; Ruler of Rulers, can make such a comment. Is he trying to device a set of laws differently from the more currently universally ones aka the Western society law? Good if he can, as some of the Western society law is just too depraved. However,I find HE rather …….pusillanimous…… , in this case, to begin right with the most vulnerable of society, i.e. young girls.

    But if he has a good reason, he better come out with it, quick. For example, there are a few underage girls who really give consent, but parents make a hue of cry of things to safeguard their reputation and to ensure the brilliant marriage prospects for the girl in future when she reaches legal age, over the reputation and incarceration of a possible innocent man- egocentric culture norms over humanitarian and universal values.

    Such then is for the courts to decide. HE should have left it to the legal system to challenge and apply the laws instead of coming out with such a statement with little context over the vast possibilities of human innocence or guilt.

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    This is why Democracy does not work.

    President should be a king. Consual sex if it is within the legal age, man should marry the girl.

    If it is under age, he should get a definite Jail term.

    TG is talking about BBS. but, never wrote about the Kasippu Joseph who was a LTTE terrorist, was holding bank loot, for LTTE, behind the altar, there were many catholic priests who were caught transporting suicide jackets.

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    “Nobody is above law”, except the Maha Raja who deceived every body to pass 18th Amendment and his Coolie Buffalo Gang.

    Nobody will be able to come into power until this Draconian 18th Amendment in place, while Raja exploiting it to the fullest.

    According to educated idiot GLP’s calculations, UPFA lost the casino bill.In one of the counts UPFA got only 112 For the bill, and 43 against and 70 abstained.President wants a report on those UPFA absentees and those voted against it.

    Packer say’s GOSL has to include “Casino” in the contract or he will withdraw from the project.

    British Tourist sent back Just because she had a Lord Buddha Tattoo on her arm. She vsted twice without any problems and claim that Police wanted money from her.The new breed BBS Gnanasara openly vandalise other Religions Churches and Mosques and 20% of Samaneras are below 18 years and are vulnerable.

    This is the country ruled by One man Joker and his family with a bunch of Buffalos. It’s a comedy country.

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    The trouble is that El Presidente and his son like to do it with pretty young ones. Not only that but most of their keep also loves to indulge in this activity. So they have come up with a clever plan in case they get caught. This way all those pesky internationals can be told to SOD off with their accusations in this regard.

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    Please allow me to add weight to the strident and patriotic efforts of Tisaranee to help Sri Lanka to rise to her due glory and normalcy.

    I was just reading former Congress Party stalwart and close friend of the Nehru family M.J. Akbar, who had done the incredible thinking in crossing over to the BJP. I believe this is more a patriotic move than parochial.

    He refers to Narendra Modi addressing both the Hindus and Muslims
    “He asked those 2 great communities to chose – they could fight each other or together they could confront that shaming curse called poverty” There is an urgent lesson for all Lankans here.

    Referring to the necessity of the Public Services remaining neutral and free of political interference Modi said “the religion of the Public service is the Constitution of India”

    Sri Lanka pretends to be secular but verily not. Here’s what Modi has to say “the essence of secularism is that all religions are equal before the law”

    Akbar adds, referring to their legal system – “The Supreme Court, which is above politics and (political) parties is our independent guardian of the law and the Constitution” As far as Sri Lanka is concerned this aspect has been destroyed beyond recognition. It started with CBK and Sarath Silva; continued at a vengeance by MR, Shiranee Bandaranayake and Mohan Peiris and their colleagues to an extent it will take another generation to repair the damage done to our once respected and independent legal system.

    India has the men, the brains, great resources and the influences in the world to repair whatever damage has been done to them. Akbar, a major Muslim figure, joining Modi and the BJP is symbolic Muslims have faith in India and the Courts.

    R. Varathan

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      Congress is a party of pseudo-secularists, they go to any extent to appease the minorities and played a massive role in ethnic cleansing/genocide of Tamils in SL, 60 years of Congress rule has weekend India both internally and externally. BJP/Modi doesn’t have magic wand but I’m sure will be better.

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    President Mahinda is telling the truth. No one in Sri Lanka is above the law………………

    Why can’t he act on the truth is the million $$$ question?????
    Why ???????

    Why can’t he put his foot down and do a clean up of that happens around the country??
    Has got his foot stuck in his mouth??

    Is he postphoning the clean up for his thrid term??
    Then lets hold the PE right now for the sake of the law & order & clean up of the country or will the Country be owned by the R clan with it.
    Whatever it is we need a quick clean up of the country, where justice is done and that of State Service & down sizing of it.
    Get the Judiciary cleaned up and the Police will automatically will get cleaned.

    It was a disgusting sight to see Rajapakshe junkie the Mayor of H’tota brandishing a weapon running arounf like a common criminal.
    IS THIS THE KIND OF MAYOR OUR COUNTRY HAS TODAY ?????????????
    IS THIS THE LEVEL OF A LORDSHIP MAYOR?
    Why give such guys Duty Free vehicles instead of Bullock carts or hackeries??

    Rajapakshes can not be so dumb as not to know the crime happening in the country & WHO OWNS THE BAKE HOUSE???

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    Is the President psychologically challenged? May be. But he is certainly intellectually and morally challenged. Somewhat dumb isn’t he? Is it the talisman in his palm that is affecting him, or is he giving the talisman a hard time?

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    TG

    King Mahintha is a liar. But what he means when he says no one is above the Law is except the Law maker. He makes the Law and his subjects enforce it and if proof is needed as to who these subjects are it is people like the Gun wielding mayor of Hambanthota. The Hambanthota thugs have now spread their wing all over the Country but their days are numbered in weeks not months.

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    [Either the President is psychologically challenged]

    I strongly object to calling President psychologically challenged.Not only this is utterly demeans the good folks who are Psychologically challenged they are been denigrate immensely by this comparison for the simple reason they are more capable of understanding reality than President ever be able too any given day or night.

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    [Edited out]

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    If nobody is above the law why was that `yakada horaa` Sudharman Radaliyagoda with an open warrant was never arrested?

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    In rajapaksaland, if you are one of them, have influence with the regime, or grease a palm, you are above the law. What this disgusting man said was in no way how an educated leader of a country reacts to situations regarding women. No wonder his son and heir is ignorant about being politically correct when he tweets about a woman.

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