The Rajapaksa regime’s apathetic attitude towards the masses has been summed up perfectly in a speech made by UNP MP Dr. Harsha De Silva in the parliament, where has has highlighted the plight of farmers in backwoods villages who are struggling to make a living while the regime stages grand merriment in Colombo.
Dr. Harsha de Silva MP
In his speech in the parliament on July 22, Dr. Harsha has remarked while the government has spent millions on renovating and the grand opening of the latest shopping mall in Colombo – the Independence Arcade – complete with fireworks, the flailing economic situation of the farmers in the Mahaweli zone has driven them to suicide.
“While Colombo’s rich enjoy hoppers priced at Rs. 200 each and designer goods that are for sale in this new mall, the poor farmers unable to deal with their debts due to damaged crops have consumed poison to escape the rising economic burdens,” MP Harsha told the parliament.
Quoting an article published in the Sunday Lankadeepa paper on June 20, he has quoted farmers who have complained about their crops being destroyed by floods as well as the lack of water following droughts during the past four kannayas (cultivating seasons).
He expressed concern over the water in irrigation tanks being channeled to large-scale agricultural ventures carried out by multinational companies to whom extensive plots of land have been handed over, which has left the farmers helpless without any water to nourish their crops.
He also spoke very critically of the lack of action by the government to face the challenges posed by changing weather patterns, despite several warnings given by government Ministers such as Champika Ranawaka themselves.
anonymous / July 24, 2014
Excellent Harsha!
‘Sukee Hothu, Dheerga Aayou’
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Leelagemalli / July 24, 2014
Dear Dr. Silva,
this has been his nature from the day one.
We criticise about the failures of the common while the man with EXECUTIVE powers the one who either keep silence or directly appoint or allow things that are seen ” not appropriate to lanken context”. See the issue related to holding NIGHT CAR RACES in the premises of SACRED city Kandy – that make unbearable decibles of louds so that no any calm and quiet ones agree with – breaking all civil right of the people, did not he let that go even if the most sacred mahanayake begged him not to hold them.
wHAT ABOUT the races that have been the case in clomobo vicinities.
Is that not please his own offsprings or few thousands… of the nation… is srilanka a country to even think of night car races looking at the manner, how poverty levels increase.. leaving the mal nutrition levels of the poor of the poor wideninng..
On one hand continuing so , he the president cuddle any infant or teeny children to get attracted to the media. This nation is made fools not being able to get it right today.
Dear Harsha, you the new UNP faces are the future of this country. I really dont think even GLP would have the brain to argue like you and the few of the new UNP activities like you.
We the academics will surely support you for a change in this country.
Not only UNPrs but also JVPers are the very poweful at the moment, but you both opposition parties should change the myths and falshE VIEWS of the people – by introducing them facts and figuress based info flow without any fears.
Rajapakshes will not survive… long, that will be the reality. CBK should also support you both to topple this brutal regime for a better future.
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Sama / July 24, 2014
I wnne to see this Dr. becoming our future finance minister.
The new bunch of Unp candidates are highly educated. Their arguments are the best. I really love to listen to them. Sure, they do politics by heart. I recently listend to that Ajith B Perera, every word he uttered was filled with truths.
Who are the educated fraction of the UPFA. No body ..
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Dude / July 25, 2014
Harsha, the Rajapaksa party in Colombo is called the KINGSBURY LIFESTYLE – la dolce Vita – fiddling while Rome burns…
Queensbury is on the way, the more farmers that die, the merrier!
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Sumith / July 24, 2014
Dr Harsha is talking directly to the point.
Nobody could say he is playing politics.
We need people like him ruling the country instead of thugs, drug dealers, rapists.
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Sama / July 25, 2014
Yes, from Parliament to anywhere he is going to be, he raises the issue. It is all because he has got the education outside of the country. This kind of educated candidates can work hard for the future of the nation and country. No doubt about that.
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Dodo / July 24, 2014
Indeed the Independence Square arcade is a joke with its hideous sculpture of lions in the middle of it to celebrate the LION RACE?!
The independence sq arcade is part of the military business plan of the Rajapaksa crony capiltalist and is full of Rajapaksa crony’s businesses and should be BOYCOTTED by all patriotic Sri Lankans, who wish to save democracy and roll back the militarization and rajapakse crony capitalism that is the mode of so called ‘development” in this Miracle of Sinhala Modayas!
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Dinuk / July 24, 2014
Please publish all this in Sinhala Language to educate the Sinhala Modayas.
Subway the Sandwich chain that has just opened in Lanka makes bread with an ingredients called azodicarbonamide which is carcinogenic..
There was a campaign against it last month in the United State.
The Jarapassa idea of development is American Fast food and mega advertizing to fool Sinhala Modayas who are already suffering from diabetes and stroke and malnutrition due to poor nutrition and fast food consumption of high carbohydate and oily junk food .. Macdonalds, pizzahut, TGI Fridays, burger king..
Voter education and nutrition education of Sinhala Modayas is necessary.
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Navin / July 24, 2014
Harsha: You have raised a valid point. I’m afraid the solution is to handover the ministry of agriculture and water resources management also to GR! If that gets the job done, then so be it. After years of neglect and mismanagement by UNP led municipal councils something is finally happening in Colombo under GR. Some progress is better than no (or backward) progress right?
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Thrishantha / July 24, 2014
It is good to raise these issues. But both UNP and UPFA have done enough politics on these poor farmers. As Harsha correctlt posed, the question is to ask “what we can do together as the Govt and the opposition?”. It is very encouraging to see this development.
At the core of the problem is the economic viability of small scale farmers given the inherent uncertainty of farming. Are there proper insurance policies and regulatory mechanisms to avoid abuse? What can the agricultural research in universities do to reduce cost? Is there a long term research plan like that? What can the interested organizations do to educate small scale farmers to use cost effective techniques, and to reduce risk?
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Lapatiya / July 24, 2014
Ai…. Aiyo……Dr. Harsha…You still don’t know this little thing. You know Dr. we make things just to celebrate only no. We won the war and every year we are celebrating spending more and more money. We make Highways and carpet roads just to celebrate only. Some time cost of celebration is more than the project cost. Hambantota Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksha International port has celebrated more times than ships came to the Port. Mattala Mahinda Rajapaksha International Airport had more opening ceremonies than the Flights landed in the Airport. You want some more Dr.
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R.Dias / July 24, 2014
The Givernment has converted Sri Lanka a nation of ..” BORU SHOW..”
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Afzal / July 24, 2014
Well done Dr. Harsha, at least there is few who talk sense with heart. Most Sri Lankan rulers are heartless, selfish savages.
They don’t give a shit about the poor mans plight, or for the father who got waked in police custody or the child who was raped repeatedly. These are acts of totalitarian rulers who’s only objective is absolute power.
This country has reached the extreme low on lack of proper governance. If we continue like this for bit more we will flip. This rule must end now. Time is now. Don’t be fooled by invented communal violence, don’t be a fool.
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Pakshe / July 24, 2014
In the good old days the waterways that fed water to the paddy fields were maintained by the local authorities. This was done not only to irrigation fed fields but rain water fed fields. As time went these water ways got clogged up with silt. No proper maintenance was done. Yields dropped while the costs increased. Quality seed was unavailable. Most often seed paddy was taken from the previous crop. Eventually most of the rain fed fields that were worked by my father a pentioner were given up and abandoned as they were a dead loss. Gone are the lush paddy fields that greeted us as we traveled to my father’s home town. Most of it is fallow. Climate change is the other culprit that has caused this disaster. Eventually the entire planet is going to face a global food shortage. As that day draws nearer our moron leaders can keep on partying.
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K.A Sumanasekera / July 24, 2014
Thousands of farmers and their loved ones would have starved or died of thirst, even if they didn’t commit suicide, if Mr Prabakaran was allowed to keep the two Sluice Gates to the Sinhala Villages shut, while pumping merrily to his peoples’ villages.
Over one hundred young men sacrificed their lives to restore water to these poor farmers.
There is no Hansard Records of the current UNP Christian Faction Leader or his inner circle making any comments about the plight of those farmers or the brave soldiers.
Then again may be they the UNPCF thought Maravil Aru Anicut was in Matara.
And it was a Rajapaksa gimmick like the one where Alimankada was liberated while the brave Army was camped in Pamankada.
Dr Harsha has to do a lot more than this speech if he wants to protect the Sinhala Buddhist farmers from Elnino and also stop Flooding their fields.
He is supposed to be the chief architect of the Economic Development when the UNP Christian Faction Leader becomes the President.
Election is only months away.
Sinhala Buddhists in the villages don’t vote nowadays for promises of Bracelets or even I Phones.
Shouldn’t Dr Harsha be putting out Policy Papers for discussion rather than telling the poor Sinhala Buddhist inhabitants how the Colombo Elite fork out LKR 200 for a Hopper.
At least an Egg Hopper or a Panny Appam would sound better Isn’t it
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Justice / July 24, 2014
Colombo Consumers are being taken on a right royal ride by Rajapakse loyalists with Bright lights and dazzling illuminations. Today the loyalists like Treasury Secretary and Central Bank Governor are misleading the people with manipulated statistics and fantasy economic jargon. These new show cases are built to cater to the friends, relations and business associates of the regime who have recently become rich with corrupt deals. Colombo elite and make believers who wish to rub shoulders with anybody in the lime light are the other crowds frequenting these places. Watching this carnival from bus tops, Television Channels and passing by vehicles the public assumes that the people in the country are filthy rich due to the economic policies of this regime. Unfortunately if they open their eyes and minds and look for any body they know personally who had climbed the ladder to the top they will be disappointed to find out they have no friends among this new rich. Sadly they are minds are too clouded to admit this newly created paradise with lambhorginis, hublots, designer wear , international chains are only for an affordable few close to the regime while the masses will be pathetically paying through their noses for the few luxuries within their reach.
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