When Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country in 2022 – amidst mass protests and an economic crisis– parliament elected veteran politician and six-time Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. As President, Wickremesinghe negotiated the country’s biggest bail-out, but his critics say he is part of an establishment that turned a blind eye to war crimes and corruption and hindered the fundamental changes protesters demanded. Mehdi Hasan goes head to head with Wickremesinghe on his violent response to protestors, his handling of the 2019 Easter bombings, and whether he did enough to hold the powerful Rajapaksa family accountable.
Joining the discussion are:
Frances Harrison – former BBC Sri Lanka correspondent, author of ‘Still Counting the Dead’ and Director, International Truth and Justice Project
Nirj Deva – former UK and EU MP and presidential envoy to Wickremesinghe
Madura Rasaratnam – Executive Director, PEARL and Senior Lecturer at City, University of London.
© Al Jazeera
Jit / March 7, 2025
The stories I have heard during his long years in the opposition is that he never spend a Rupee on foreign trips and somebody like a businessman funds it all the time obviously expecting favours ‘if and when’ he become the PM or President. Now in the last few months since he was ousted, he has been globetrotting like a bar-tailed godwig, clearly with a mission and I’m wondering who has opened the wallet this time and why?
/
old codger / March 7, 2025
Jit,
Don’t forget that he and his family are big shareholders in Lake House Bookshop and affiliates.
I read somewhere (not sure) that they were compensated handsomely for Lake House.
/
Jit / March 7, 2025
OC, LHB doesn’t produce that much profits, but Vijaya publications is a money spinner where he hold shares. And Varna and affiliated companies where his brothers are owner Directors. Yet RW never spend his money to tour – as narrated to me by one of my very good friends who worked for him until 2012.
/
Douglas / March 8, 2025
jit: He has a secret agenda and that is to secure a top job in an agency of the UN. All these foreign trips are designed to get there. Recently in some of these visits, he was accommodated as an “Invitee” to address distinguished gatherings and met the Heads of State of many countries.
There are plenty of “Financiers” and “Lobbyists” to arrange all such trips and meetings again with their own agenda. That is another “Big Game” in International Politics.
/
Jit / March 8, 2025
Douglas, correction – Who is going to give a job to a corrupt, failed, old crock in the UN? Even a small NGO would reject his application. Particularly after his Porsche got head-on smashed right on the Al Jazeera train! Its not rocket science to understand that the forces behind him now are the same evil forces the masses rejected in the last two elections for bleeding the country to the last drop of blood! Pathetic but hilarious too!! :)
/
Douglas / March 8, 2025
Jit: Please study a bit more on how the international politics works. Do you remember how a former UN Secretary General was found engaged in a corruption scandal? I know of a Prime Minister of a wealthy country (one of the G7) got involved in a bribery scandal (proved accepting solid cash in a bag) for approving the purchase of “Airbus” to that country’s Air Force. He lost his seat at the Parliamentary election (like Ranil W), but now a top executive and “Lobbyist” for a large conglomerate. There are many such I can name and shame.
We hasten to blame Sri Lankan politics and politicians, but without knowing or on ignorance of what is happening outside.
/
SJ / March 8, 2025
J
I can name quite a few.
It is mostly a matter of who knows who.
/
SJ / March 7, 2025
oc
The LH had since 1964 separated the publishing part of the business from the LH investments in anticipation of a take over.
I too remember hearing that the LH was compensated under JR for the take over of its material possessions.
Even without it, they are stinking rich. But being rich is no assurance that one will not be greedy for whatever one could grab.
/
deepthi silva / March 8, 2025
OC, if you go to the Big match Ranil may be there in very dark glasses, clapping and singing.
You may have the joy of even dancing with him, you being a little more manly, may have to lead him !
/
Native Vedda / March 8, 2025
deepthi desperate silva
–
“You may have the joy of even dancing with him, you being a little more manly, may have to lead him !”
–
Please leave them alone, nimal fernando with appropriate tools is around looking for Gender Reassignment opportunities . In case you are also unsure about your own gender and identity, please let him know. He will do the needful.
/
Native Vedda / March 9, 2025
old codger
–
I understand Tamil Diaspora is REJOICING Mehdi’s victory over Ranil Wickremasinghe whose subdued response were taken as Tamils have won the arguments in the public domain.
–
After watching the interview I thought Mehdi hasn’t done his home work on Sri Lankan contemporary history nor has diaspora briefed him adequately.
–
Mehdi shouldn’t have focused only on Batalanda camp however should have demanded explanation on why successive UNP governments did not investigate, charge, punish, …. those perpetrators who in 1981 burned down Jaffna Library with 95000 books and ola manuscripts and the 1983 pogrom during which over 3000 innocent people were killed and many properties were destroyed.
–
It is almost 45 years why doesn’t Ranil Wickremasinghe take these systematic violation of a people’s democratic rights seriously when the call for action to charge Sri Lanka for perpetrating genocide against the people is being internationalised?
–
He has had the chance to take appropriate actions because he was proud of his
(6 + 1 ) call to duty, even this time about his successful handling of bankruptcy of the state, (he should be reminded of the crucial role played by two Indian Tamils namely Nirmala Seetharaman and S Jaishankar in this regard).
–
Does Ranil feel good about himself and his idea and practice of diplomacy?
/
Ajith / March 7, 2025
“I have heard during his long years in the opposition is that he never spend a Rupee on foreign trips and somebody like a businessman funds it all the time obviously expecting favours ‘if and when’ he become the PM or President.”
If I can correct, During the period of Aragalaya he told us that How can Aragalaya people get funds when I have only less than 1000 dollars. He is now travelling more than President AKD. Has anyone tell how much he claimed after some one put fire on his house to burn some of the books during Aragalaya? He is a mastermind.
/
SJ / March 7, 2025
“Has anyone tell how much he claimed….”
Have not lists been published of compensation paid?
/
whywhy / March 8, 2025
Jit ,
” I am wondering who has opened the wallet this time and why ? “
Make Hay While Sun Shines . Any Nursery kid will tell us who
our leaders are . Wait and See , the biggest challenge the Red Bros
have is not managing the economy , Catching The Thieves And
Murderers They Promised On Their Every Platform . Just watch the
speed thieves are going inside and coming out after a Holy Bath at
High Walled Premises .
/
Jit / March 8, 2025
W, you probably need a quantum nanometer to count the speed of catching thieves within 100 days, who dominated this land for the past 50 years???
/
whywhy / March 8, 2025
Jit ,
Why do you think Hans Wijesooriya is hired ? His job is to digitalise
Thieves catching as well . Don’t worry , past 50 years , who dominated
Strikes , murders , burnings , vandalising and then also promoting the
ruling dynasties ? Are they not still trumpeting of being ministers of
those dominating elements ? Let us be honest to ourselves . Everyone
has played his role in the game of more than 50 years . Check it out for
yourself .
/
nimal fernando / March 7, 2025
Unfortunately Ranil can’t speak good English ……. he is not very articulate …… he speaks typical Singlish that can dazzle some gullible in Lanka.
–
He may be a Lankan man’s idea of a good English speaker ……. but pathetic on the world stage.
–
He is only marginally better than Basil.
–
I believe Ranil is the single most responsible person for the woeful state of the country in recent times, especially for the moral decay, even more than the Rajapakses. His duplicity is plainly visible.
–
A man should have some principles and stand for them: principles are not expendable at every turn.
–
AKD has more class and better breading in the tip of his little finger than Ranil could ever dream of.
–
Mercifully Ranil is history: not worth wasting time on him.
–
I’m not a Ranil hater …… I once even said Ranil is the best president we never had. :)))
–
Different times …… different situations ….. but it’s now …… gotta be in the present.
–
JVP/NPP are doing what Ranil should have done: what people expected of him to do as “Mr CLean.” Not play duplicitous games.
/
nimal fernando / March 7, 2025
breeding
/
ramona therese fernando / March 7, 2025
Felt sorry for Ranil actually. The interviewer was particularly harsh on him and didn’t give him much chance to explain himself. Of course even if Ranil did, it would not redeem him. Why did he take on this interview I can’t understand. Has he no conscience? He really feels that what he has done for the country is good and proper…..even Batalanda. But there are so many Lankans propping him up, who feel exactly like him. I know: He deliberately took on this interview so the Tamil diaspora would attack him. Then he put on the pitiful bullied look and made claim to his Buddhist base. He’s a crook!
/
old codger / March 7, 2025
Ramona,
“Why did he take on this interview I can’t understand. “
Publicity, Ramona, publicity. Even bad publicity is useful.
The question you should ask is why MR or Gota didn’t take on this interview.
/
Jit / March 7, 2025
“….The question you should ask is why MR or Gota didn’t take on this interview…..”
–
People do not question when Ali Baba robs because that is what he does for a living!
/
SJ / March 7, 2025
J
For purpose of record, according to the story, Ali Baba was neither thief nor partner of the 40 thieves.
Did he not bump them all off?
/
Mallaiyuran / March 8, 2025
Did he not bump them all off?
What be your honorary certification to the thieves Ganemulla Sanjeewa out off.
What is your take on Hirunika fight on her father’s murder?
How about Deva’s murders?
Is that your conclusion, every judge who hand down a capital Punishment is a thief?
“Every thief killed by another is an honorary thief”
If that you sit on the sky like Evil Emperor did and deliver your verdicts to the earthly persons, “means that you too are class of Evil Emperor though your masters SLFP-SLIP royals?”
/
Human Touch / March 9, 2025
JIT
I hope you understand that these interviews are not compulsory. While the news agency may extend an invitation to you, you are not obligated to attend. Keep in mind that RW would have participated of his own accord.
/
ramona therese fernando / March 7, 2025
Oc……you didn’t read my last sentence. “I know: He deliberately took on this interview so the Tamil diaspora would attack him. Then he [could] put on the pitiful bullied look and [make] claim to his Buddhist base. He’s a crook!
/
Human Touch / March 9, 2025
RTF
You are very stupid to say this. Did you see the Tamil Diaspora attacking RW during the interview? I thought the diaspora were quite reasonable. One thing I saw was that the majority of the people accepted the explanations that RW offered.
/
chiv / March 8, 2025
Agree with OC in that no current politician ( excluding AKD / Harini, too early to assess performance) will dare to take up on such hard hitting interview. Politicians from this part of the world, are like school kids, prepped up, well in advance for pre-fixed local media, not the ones like this. Sajith would have tried one-upmanship, failing miserably left halfway, crying. Mahinda with such famous quotes “who do you think I’m “, would have not even considered, taking up such challenge , Gotha of Pre – Aragalaya times, would have got into a shouting match, and left halfway screaming you s—, F—, pig, I will fix you, —
My opinion is that Ranil should retire avoiding such embarrassment, unless he still wants negative publicity, limelight and return to power.
/
chiv / March 9, 2025
Lets be honest, apart from being lifelong Ranil or UNP supporters, rest are offended by the ” exposure of SHAM Lanka” in a world forum. Until few years ago Lanka managed to put up a fake show with the help of Rupavahini / ITN propaganda, independent media suppression, killing and disappearance of journalists (more than 40 , didn’t people remember Lasantha and Richard last week , short memory??? )
Thugs like DOCTOR Mervyn attacking press , one leading press in North alone was attacked countless times, many journalist leaving country for survival, Lankas ‘s fake media owned or financed by our very own corrupt politicians ………. Times have changed, so get use to it. No one forced Ranil to take up on this.
It’s about Lanka, not Ranil or Mehdi.
/
chiv / March 9, 2025
I’m sure CT owner
Uvindu. K in exile has plenty to share about Lanka’s so called free / independent media.
/
LankaScot / March 7, 2025
Hello Ramona,
Did you see his German one on DW https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLTE5Db7L60
This Interviewer was much softer than Mehdi Hasan, but Ranil still managed a completely Mental Response. He even accused the Interviewer of Racism.
The Al Jazeera Interview was NOT a harsh one. Have a look at his Interview with Republican Joe Walsh on Gaza https://zeteo.com/p/israel-gaza-mehdi-joe-walsh-genocide-icc
Best regards
/
Jit / March 7, 2025
LS, that interview was utter crap and disgusting. He behaved just like a street thug in Grandpass or Modara.
/
Mallaiyuran / March 8, 2025
Jit,
Did you watch it completely, after it appeared pretty bad at some point, though?
At which point are you got enlightened by the interviewer that he is “Utter carp and disgusting.
Which way your opinion is going now, you’re a stupid to have wasted your time?
Or did it help you make a solid opinion on that by hanging around on it?
Whether watching the interview helped you to make a better decision or not, you badly missed the most important lesson you should have learned from it. “Though Evil performed very badly in the German TV DM, he’s sheepishly having him defeated himself actually helped him to gain the help of Paris Club and America, so that he debilitated the poor EPF contributors and helped the ISB holders by gracing them with only a 20% haircut. Having got a concession that is very badly damaging the country’s future, he got his pocket for his international sightseeing. Somebody wrote his achievement as 20 foreign trips within 24 months. Bravo! But, for some reason, Mehdi Hasan did not belonged a compendium or collection of Evil’s entertainment of holy pilgrimages of Evil.
/
Jit / March 8, 2025
Sorry, what do you really want to say M?? 🤔🤔🤔
/
Mallaiyuran / March 8, 2025
Remember, maybe he is poor, he is a genius, this is only Mehdi Hasan’s one interview by watching the circus of the few kings of the ring masters in the Wildlife Sanctuary, Sinhala Lanka, from an international country. Whether we are excellent database servers and collected the pot full of juices or let all leak though our inherited holes in the construction as soon they came to our eyes and ears, yet some of us lived in Langkang and personally endured the Sinhala Buddhism of the Evil Emperor. But for the Evil Emperor, this is his lifetime collection of treasures and 40 years of criminal rampage without witnesses (or witnesses suppresses).
The war was declared “War without Witness” because it designated by international community that Old Rowdy King and Evil Emperor wrote the law in parliament that only they designated acolytes can become the witnesses of tier war. Even though in the eyes of the international community, we are not gradable for witnessing, still we witnessed the war in which Rowdy Royals and Evil Emperor sacrifice hundreds of thousands of Tamils the altar of the Wildlife Witness.
/
Mallaiyuran / March 8, 2025
In this all what Evil did offered his to be stripped to the sheet to be taken covered Old Rowdy’s open nudity. Evil thinking it is his weight of gold being offed for the god.
/
ramona therese fernando / March 7, 2025
Ls…..thanks for the Joe Walsh interview. Yes, Mehdi Hasan is really good.
/
Native Vedda / March 8, 2025
LankaScot
–
“The Al Jazeera Interview was NOT a harsh one.”
–
You are right, unusually Mehdi was not his usual self, not top of his form, not well prepared, not intrusive, ….. Ranil was lucky, got away with it, …
–
nimal fernando may think Mehdi has done a favour to Ranil.
–
Mehdi should have pressed Ranil on two major historical wrong, namely the burning of Jaffna Library 1st June 1981 and state sponsored pogrom in July 1983. The people need to know those who organised both and those who actually committed both crimes, should be considered part of genocide.
–
People are not interested in punishing the perpetrators however they should be named and shamed, if we could unearth truth.
/
Nathan / March 8, 2025
Hello
LankaScot,
Ranil is at disease with penetrating questions, from whoever!
/
whywhy / March 8, 2025
ramona ,
” He really feels that what he has done for the country is good and
proper……even Batalanda . ” This is the sign of every stupid man .
As nimal said , no point wasting time on him . The Bitter Truth Is ,
You Won’t Hire A Good English Speaker For The Money You Have .
They Are Better Off Elsewhere . Even You Manage To Hire One , None
Will Understand His English . That Is What You See In Mehdi Hassan .
/
Sinhala_Man / March 8, 2025
Dear nimal,
.
I find you comment on Ranil’s English absurd. I’d say – “compare with nimal’s” but then you want to remain anonymous. Nor is it any problem where he found money to go abroad🌍 (in England now, missing the Royal-Thomian🏏❓)
.
https://www.thepapare.com/146th-battle-of-the-blues-2025-day-2-match-report-english/
.
This was a spirited interview. Ranil🥵 fails to convince us because the FACTS are against him.
.
Why doesn’t this man retire from politics❓
.
Panini Edirisinhe
/
whywhy / March 8, 2025
S M ,
” Ranil fails to convince us because the FACTS are against him . “
Absolutely . And adding to that , Who else will have facts in his
or her support in our country ? Let us go to the next my dear S M .
” Why doesn’t this man retire from politics ? ” The same reason
why you are here my dear . Majority of Srilankans don’t know the
Taste of Life . So Obsessed with some or other Greed . As for Ranil’s
English , as nimal rightly said , it is Singlish . To speak good native
English , it takes about fifteen years living and working in English
environment , meaning , mixing with real English culture .
/
nimal fernando / March 8, 2025
Sinhala_Man
–
I’m not renowned for my English (or Sinhala.) …………. Except for bad language.
–
–
I’m not on the world stage: Ranil is.
–
You are an English teacher ……. who has assessed thousands of students.
–
Just one simple straightforward question.
–
Did Ranil speak good English?
–
An intelligible honest straight answer please.
–
–
If I say anything more, it’ll sidetrack the issue ……. so for now, I’ll hold my fire.
–
–
PS I asked the simple question. If not AKD who else? ………. Only Harsha Gunasaena when pinned down gave an answer.
–
Don’t try to wiggle out of this. :))
–
The ball is in your court.
/
Jit / March 9, 2025
SM, You have long been an English guru, so I don’t have to remind you of these five most important rules of speaking ANY language:
–
1. Pronouncing words accurately
2. Speaking smoothly and effortlessly
3. Using correct sentence structures
4. Being a good listener to understand and respond
5. Speaking with confidence
–
Now, could you please tell us whether Ranil passed the test? Did he demonstrate the interview skills of a competent political leader, particularly the calibre of a ‘world-class leader’ as claimed by his close associates and believed by most middle class people?
–
There is no point in comparing Ranil with NF because, as he says, he is just a layman. Similarly, you should not compare me either, as I am a layman too plus English is only my second language. I believe I handle my native language much better than Ranil does!
/
whywhy / March 9, 2025
Jit ,
Can I add one more item to your list . I myself am not an expert but
it is in my knowledge that the English in public speech and writing
has to be as simple as possible so that the listener and reader finds it
less complicated to understand you . That goes with any language .
/
Lester / March 9, 2025
Sinhala_Man,
“Why doesn’t this man retire from politics?”
Given his level of English and demeanor, he should never have been in politics, period. With that said, it is surprising that someone of his stature did not receive professional training in public speaking and interviewing.
/
whywhy / March 9, 2025
If Lalith and Gamini were not killed , there’s no Ranil in leadership
in the first place . And , if Ranil was not the leader of U N P , it would
not have been made a zero member party in parliament . The same
way other U N P turncoats jumped to MARA Govt for perks and
privileges , the main man , U N P Leader , None Other Than This Same
Ranil Jumped To S L P P at the Right Time . That Was The Most
Traitorous Moment For A Grand Party Leader to Show Off His Real
Himself which he kept on trying to label as ‘ Patriotic ‘ and which the
public continued to reject as Rubbish . People took a decision and that is
what Mehdi questioned when he asked about Ranil’s going to MARA
Birthday Party . What Mehdi Dug up was Ranil’s game with public trust .
His games are now over and if any single person is still left on this planet
to believe that Such a Chameleon revived the economy , He Should
immediately start going Kindergarten . A K D is already proving even a
Zero International Can Run This Economy and his Six Month Is Equal To
Ranil and Mara whole life doings .
/
nimal fernando / March 11, 2025
yoo-hoo Sinhala_Man ……… where are you hiding?
–
Please understand …… you didn’t bring anything to the discussion about Ranil’s skills of communication …….. other than your own insecurities ……… unexamined lifelong hang-ups
–
So you have to run and hide.
–
That’s why I said, a very long time ago …….. I know what your minds are going to think, even before you know it yourselves. Even before the thoughts enter your minds.
–
Although, they are invisible to you …… your insecurities are plainly visible to a perceptive few.
–
The unfortunate situation of the Lankan “elite” ……… the main reason why the country is in this rut.
–
Now, here’s the rub, I see very little daylight between your and Ranil’s insecurities! :)))
/
old codger / March 11, 2025
Nihal,
S.M isn’t hiding. He’s too busy looking for coconuts.
/
nimal fernando / March 12, 2025
“He’s too busy looking for coconuts.”
–
–
If he bends down and look …… he will find his two small ones ……. to have enough balls to pluck some courage ………. to come out and face the music! :)))
/
deepthi silva / March 7, 2025
NF ,Don’t say bad things about Ranil’s English , Singlish is the only English Leela knows!
OC of course will say Ranil speaks better English than MR and Gota !
This is how pathetic the country has become !
The most worrying factor is this Ranil guy justifying everything .The country is so bad, he tries to explain away everything. He is morally so bankrupt, using his imaginary high class status and the stupidity of the people for his huge ego trip .
Look at that Viranga Aditya guy who has fooled the Conservative party and the accommodating British people for so long that he is a regular gentleman.
Ranil appointed this “British Gentleman” to the Srilankan Board. Aditya abused that position and ensured First class travel on the airline for him and family and even other airlines for which Srilankan paid. ( please refer the benefits the Board members decided for themselves!)
Needless to say the Srilankan kept going down, even faster.
/
old codger / March 7, 2025
Deepthi,
You have trashed Nirj Deva. So you support Madura Rasaratnam?
/
Native Vedda / March 8, 2025
old codger
–
“You have trashed Nirj Deva. So you support Madura Rasaratnam?”
–
Well, are you following Bush, “you are either with us, or against us”?
/
nimal fernando / March 8, 2025
Nirj Deva is a smooth talking crook ……. Harry Jayawardena used him to grab DCSL from its original owners/partners ………. the main guy was named Dr Vithana or some name like that and another Muslim gent and one or two more owners/partners ……
/
old codger / March 8, 2025
Nimal,
Dirty Harry’s partner was V.P. Vittachi.
/
Native Vedda / March 8, 2025
desperate deepthi silva
–
“Needless to say the Srilankan kept going down, even faster.”
–
Well Srilankan kept going down since February 1948, on geometric sequence,
Use the following to identify the speed at which it was going down=
nth term = a r. Sum of n terms = a (1 – rn) / (1 – r)
–
If you find it difficult to work this out please contact Wimal Weerawansa or Lester.
/
deepthi silva / March 8, 2025
Gosh Vedda, very impressive maths ! You must be South Indian !
Professor Vedda showing off in this small forum !
What about your social/personal standards ? Ear full of hair and spitting all over ! Integrity ?
Are you sponsoring your entire village to USA ?
/
Lester / March 9, 2025
DS,
He is perhaps going back to school after many years to complete 8th standard, which is finally available at Wilpattu. We should encourage him (although the formula is incorrect). Maybe the “Stoic One” in Kandy can teach him how to program a VCR and save 1.44 MB to a floppy disk.
/
old codger / March 9, 2025
“going back to school after many years to complete 8th standard, which is finally available at Wilpattu.”
Is the school in Wilpattu next to the shack where you massage Indian tourists?
/
chiv / March 10, 2025
The guy who completed upto 8 th gave plenty up- votes , just in case readers have difficulty believing him .
/
leelagemalli / March 8, 2025
“If you find it difficult to work this out please contact Wimal Weerawansa or Lester.”
–
Ich danke Dir vielmals meine Liebe, This is fantastic my dear NATIVE… she can also contact Bimal Rathanayaka (the clown of the current Parliament).
–
Our cultured Dr. Deepthi Silva aka DS (HNWI) will be a little resentful but she will manage to get rid of her main hobby sooner or later (she fidgets in her comments to look like she has “more green thumbs”)..
/
Douglas / March 7, 2025
In this interview, Ranil W said two lies – (1) There is no Batalanda Commission Report and he was never mentioned as an accomplice. (2) He was not accused of anything in any of the cases filed regarding the Easter Sunday attack. I think he took cover under the non-presentation of the Batalanda Report to Parliament.
That Batalanda Report is a Government publication and it is available in the Internet. That was the Presidential Commission Report made by the eminent Judges. In that report it is clearly stated that Ranil Wickramasinghe must be questioned on matters relating to what happened in that “Torture House” and proper legal action must be taken against him.
In totality he cut a very sorry figure and I pity him.
/
Nathan / March 7, 2025
… and I pity him.
!!???
/
Douglas / March 7, 2025
Natha: Yes. I pity him. Ranil W is a SIX times PM and ONE time President. An experienced (his assessment when he told that to the interviewer “I was in politics before you were born”) should have had the presence of mind and patience to assess the interviewer, the panel, and the audience and settle down to answer the questions in a more gentlemanly manner. He showed his arrogance and attitude as usual – “Who are you to question me?”. Look at the hilarious response from the audience to some of his answers and responses. Listen to his antagonistic and crude responses to questions relating to the EU and Human Rights Watch institutions.
That is why I said he failed and tarnished the image of our country. He lost a good opportunity to explain what happened to this country over decades.
/
Svenson / March 8, 2025
You are right Douglas. He never mentioned the atrocities committed by the Tamils, the suicide attacks, the massacres. When Mehdi Hassan said that Shavendra Silva had been condemned by the USA, he could have asked whether this was the same USA that used chemical weapons on Vietnam, overthrew a commonwealth Government and tied to assassinate King Hussein of Jordan. He could have asked whether the opinion of such a country mattered. He could have countered the ‘genocide’ comments of the audience. But his pride and fury got the better of him.
/
SJ / March 8, 2025
S
Mentioning atrocities by the other party would not have been adequate defence of one’s failures.
I wonder why his cynical wrecking of the piece of legislation by CBK to resolve the national question never came up.
/
whywhy / March 11, 2025
Douglas ,
” I was in politics before you were born . ” This one statement shows
what a dingy style he chose to exhibit to the world viewers who watch
the program to learn from an experienced man . His whole aim at
taking this opportunity was to win his Gallery Back here at home . He
addressed his Gallery here from London . At one point when he
threatened to quit , Mehdi asked him ” Only eight minutes have passed
and is it for this You Flew All the Way To London ? ” Imagine , can such
a man claim he revived the economy in two years ? There were many
questions of embarrassment to Ranil .
On the recommendation of Rasika Jayakody fron Asian Mirror live
Sunday show , I watched Sashi Tharoor of India interviewed by Mehdi .
One must watch it to learn how a Gentleman takes questions from a
tough journalist .
/
Jit / March 7, 2025
“…..In that report it is clearly stated that Ranil Wickramasinghe must be questioned on matters relating to what happened in that “Torture House” and proper legal action must be taken against him…..”
–
But his friend CBK did not proceed with that. That is when I learnt how thick their friendship based on their social class irrespective of the bullshit they showed to the masses in election times. Mangala included!!
/
Douglas / March 7, 2025
Jit: “Un Okkama Yaluvo” – All of them are friends.
/
chiv / March 10, 2025
Douglas, all of them are friends are inter related by marriages. Rest are more and more of —- excuses, denials, repetitions, stereotyping, normalizing ——- the typical SHAM. So and so did , why not me ??? so and so did why not us ???? Only we are bankrupt, failed , dysfunctional nation.
/
SJ / March 8, 2025
J
CBK took RW for a ride on more than one occasion and RW did the dirty on her in parliament. That besides.
Even if RW was guilty of the charges against him, there is no concrete evidence yet to pin him down. I doubt if it is simply a matter of CBK protecting him.
/
Jit / March 9, 2025
SJ agree, but yes CBK protected him relentlessly as the leader of the opposition because then she knew she was very much safer politically ;)
/
SJ / March 9, 2025
J
Protect him relentlessly from whom?
He was pretty secure in the UNP until much later.
She could not have pinned him down as there was no proof of guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
/
Jit / March 10, 2025
“….Protect him relentlessly from whom?….”
–
From the legal system or in other words, the law and order of the country. She liked weak Ranil as the opposition leader because then she had least threat from the UNP. Gaining access to all powerful Presidency in 1994 after 17 continuous UNP rule and not far from 88-90 killing fields by both sides, CBK could have easily pursued law on the killings by both UNP goon gangs and DJV -the killing arm of the JVP. She did not because she was also breaking the law using the thugs like Nawala Nihal, Baddagane Sanjeewa etc., in her politics. CBK made a big show with Pavitra at Suriyakanda before elections. What happened to so many inquiries and commission reports on those unofficial killings? Who got life sentence or went to the jail? None!
/
Lester / March 7, 2025
A bizarre interview. Joker Ranil interviewed on Liezeera (which is hardly unbiased) while the guests included obvious pro-LTTE supporters. Joker should have asked why the LTTE didn’t surrender as soon as MaRa became President (even though they knew the game was over from that moment on).
/
Lester / March 7, 2025
Ranil could have won this interview with a few simple questions:
(1) If Aragalaya was a peaceful protest, why did they burn down homes and cars?
(2) Why would a decorated military guy such as Gothabaya connive with Islamic terrorists to blow up churches?
(3) The first thing he should have asked Madura Rasaratnam, “do you agree that the LTTE is a proscribed terrorist outfit?” She contributed to the 61 page report put out by Pearl: “Justice for Genocide: Sri Lanka’s Responsibility for Genocide against the Tamil People in 2009.” But this report does not make any mention of the LTTE as a banned terrorist outfit. Although it contains numerous references to “Tamil Guardian” in the footnotes. It is no secret that “Tamil Guardian” is sympathetic to the LTTE.
4) Rajapakses control the most powerful party in the country. They have their relatives in various civil service positions. So they do not need to make deals with terrorists just to get the Presidency.
/
LankaScot / March 7, 2025
Hello Lester,
The US (Trump’s envoy) is currently negotiating directly with Hamas (a proscribed terrorist outfit) in Doha. I think it is a ruse to get the American Hostages freed before Netanyahu starts again. I hope I am wrong and the Ceasefire continues to Stage 2 and 3.
You have never heard of “False Flag Operations”? Gotabaya is adept at such things.
Who was arrested, Charged and Convicted for this obvious Conspiracy to burn the Homes of Politicians? Who authorised the inflated Compensation Claims?
“Rajapakses control the most powerful party in the country” So why did they lose the 2015 Election?
By the way where is Tennakoon hiding? Is he still alive or in Dubai now?
Best regards
/
leelagemalli / March 8, 2025
Dear Mr LS,
.
The world should be really upside today. They are dying to know how many tear gas canisters were used by the Ranil #S government forces to control the violent protesters after the ARAGALAYA movement in July 2022.
–
Back then, Sri Lanka was on the brink of anarchy while at the same time the whole world, led by the western media, is making all efforts to ignore today’s deliberate killings of Palestinians (inlcuding little children) in Gaza. …..I think my dear Manel or someone like her will be a true supporter of this brutal behavior of the West and should speak out loudly against it.
–
While controlling the youth protesters after Aragalaya, not a single death occurred, however, the JVP mobs deliberately destroyed the properties of all pro-Rajapkashes (in their opinion) and caused incalculable damage to the government as the government had to facilitate them to repair their own households as it did after the tsunami.?
/
Lester / March 8, 2025
Scot,
There was no false flag operation here. These attacks follow the standard pattern: (I) construction of radical mosque, (II) radicalization of unemployed youth in overpopulated areas, (III) terror attack. It is happening all over the world. By your logic, all such attacks must be flag-flag operations. Including the one in Manchester and the failed one in Vienna: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1k37dm9e0eo. These are the ones we know about. There are many more that are prevented by the intelligence agencies.
You will disagree and point to some circumstantial evidence. But your claims have already been rubbished by the failed Arugam Bay attacks. It shows that Islamic radicalization/extremism was the primary driver, just as Bodu Bala Sena warned.
/
Lester / March 8, 2025
It may be that Europe & North America are finally waking up to the same reality Israel faces. The Yanks got tired of the pro-gay, low IQ immigration, high inflation policies of Biden, and elected a conservative. The UK exited the EU due to Merkel’s immigration madness. The French tried to throw out Macron. The Italians have a hardliner in Maloni. The Germans are on the verge of electing AfD. A few more bomb attacks and we may see a new type of nationalism take over Europe in conjunction with the dissolution of the EU and Trump refusing to subsidize NATO.
Yes, Hamas are terrorists by Western standards. But on Al Jazeera, they are referred to as “martyrs.” If Ranil was clever, he would have raised this point with Medhi Hasan. “You claim war crimes were committed in 2009, but your organization serves as a media front for a terrorist group that has carried out mass civilian atrocities.” For Trump, the real goal is not Hamas, but Iran. If he can break the alliance between Iran and Russia, that will be the point where the US/Israel finally attacks Iran.
/
old codger / March 9, 2025
What is the credibility of one who writes:
““The flaw is not in the AI, but lack of imprecision in human language”- Lester
“But poor interpretation of a simple sentence proves my other point about the imprecision of human language.”- also Lester but 10 minutes later..
/
Native Vedda / March 8, 2025
Lester
–
“1) If Aragalaya was a peaceful protest, why did they burn down homes and cars?”
–
Could you support your assertion with evidence. Many in the country believe it was a section of the armed forces/police who had the resources and cover with which they burned down houses.
–
By the way the victims of the arson attach were amply compensated by the state.
–
“(2) Why would a decorated military guy such as Gothabaya connive with Islamic terrorists to blow up churches?”
–
You will have to ask Gota……………………….
–
“(3) The first thing he should have asked Madura Rasaratnam, “do you agree that the LTTE is a proscribed terrorist outfit?”
–
Tamils in the audience should have asked Ranil, why hadn’t he charge Mahinda for aiding and abetting LTTE, financing a terrorist outfit in 2005 when Mahinda bought Prabaharan’s services?
/
Jit / March 8, 2025
NV, well replied to shitty questions!!
/
Lester / March 9, 2025
Funny how “Jit” rhymes with a certain 4 letter word. Family legacy?
/
old codger / March 9, 2025
Jit,
I see you are the latest to be subjected to Lester’s “shitty” bile. But he complains when he gets the same treatment and wants Mama CT to save him.
Still, what is the credibility of one who writes:
““The flaw is not in the AI, but lack of imprecision in human language”- Lester
“But poor interpretation of a simple sentence proves my other point about the imprecision of human language.”- also Lester 10 minutes later.
/
Jit / March 9, 2025
OC thanks!! 😊 I knew that I wouldn’t be spared and one day the Montessori kid will be after me too but decided to ignore as I don’t deal with kindie class babies.
/
chiv / March 10, 2025
Jit , did you say you’re an Engineer ??? This jesting Montessori kid claims he is a real Engineer. Do Engineers usually give tens of up-votes( very funny usually the comment is typed with 20 to 30 up-votes ) to prove their qualification, credibility, knowledge ??? People use abbreviation as titles, here up-voted are used as titles.
/
old codger / March 9, 2025
“Funny how “Jit” rhymes with a certain 4 letter word. “
But it’s even more hilarious how a certain Liar used his machine to give a dozen upvotes to Jit’s first comment. 🤣🤣
/
davidthegood / March 9, 2025
old codger, disgusting mind is evident.
/
old codger / March 9, 2025
DTG,
Are you more afraid of Lester than of God?
/
davidthegood / March 10, 2025
old codger, I love to obey my Father God who gives me all I need. I fear no human in league with the devil like you who obey demonic Dagon or Allah. Hope your eyes open to truth before it is too late.
/
old codger / March 11, 2025
DTG,
But you’re afraid to say anything against the Pope. Are you afraid he’s in league with Dagon or Allah?
/
leelagemalli / March 9, 2025
DTG,
.
did you visit Anuradhapura lately ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVZ0vtg3Ctg
–
/
LankaScot / March 9, 2025
Hello Lester,
My friend in the UK named Jit rhymes with Fleet.
Best regards
/
Lester / March 9, 2025
Scot,
So are you willing to admit the Qatari government funds both Hamas and Al Jazeera? I wouldn’t say it’s a coincidence. Al-Jazeera Arabic is openly pro-Hamas, with detailed segments about Hamas military operations. Meanwhile, Hamas leaders have enjoyed free residence in Doha for quite a while. The Laird of Lewis is working to amend this situation. The point being, Al-Jazeera and its boss have no problem colluding with (proscribed) terrorists.
/
old codger / March 9, 2025
“The point being, Al-Jazeera and its boss have no problem colluding with (proscribed) terrorists”
I would take that seriously, except for the fact that the author has previously stated:
“Remember the Wanni years under Hon. Velu? To be fair, Velu was resourceful”
Isn’t that praise of a terrorist?
/
LankaScot / March 9, 2025
Hello Lester,
If the World were to be given an Enema, it would be applied via the Laird of Lewis. You forget how much he is hated by the Scots in the North East.
Hamas was elected in Gaza many years ago. It was supported, and the funding facilitated, by the Israelis to split the Palestinians. Do You Agree?
If you don’t read the Israeli Press https://www.timesofisrael.com/for-years-netanyahu-propped-up-hamas-now-its-blown-up-in-our-faces/
Al Jazeera is the only News Agency reporting from Inside Gaza, Israel does not allow International Media into Gaza. 128 Journalists have been killed in one Year by the Israelis. Despite Israeli claims Al Jazeera is not colluding with Hamas, it is reporting on the Israeli War Crimes. It is not Hamas fighters that Israel is killing in Gaza, it is in the main (70%) Women and Children. That’s why it is Genocide.
Best regards
/
Lester / March 10, 2025
Scot,
Looks like Trump has an unexpected fan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9KyimpGXIk.
Israel is not perfect, but it it is still a democracy at the end of the day. It is also progressive. Therefore, the Palestinians should give up the notion of a two-state solution and settle for a confederation, similar to the UK. They can elect their own representatives, but should give up all arms and any military aspirations. These latter are not needed, as the security of Israel is guaranteed by the US, which no country can match (relative to strength) for the foreseeable future. Israel in turn should agree to give up certain settlements and lift the economic embargo on Gaza.
/
davidthegood / March 10, 2025
LankaScot, is what Velu did in Sri Lanka also called Genocide. If so, Velu helped Mulana murderers. Why not start here before going to Gaza.
/
SJ / March 10, 2025
“It was supported, and the funding facilitated, by the Israelis to split the Palestinians. “
Not entirely true. Palestinians were very by then much split in their opinion about the discredited PLO.
That Israel likes a strong Hamas is one thing, but Hamas grew in popularity mainly as the corrupt Fatah was fast losing credibility. It had some respect because of the respect for Arafat, who himself had started to compromise in his later years.
/
Lester / March 9, 2025
Scot,
Looks like your Sunni mates in Syria have begun massacring the Shia and Christians: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgL-WyZk4bM. You supported the deposing of Assad, did you not? Syria is now a training ground for jihadis.
/
LankaScot / March 9, 2025
Hello Lester,
Wrong again, ex Assad Supporters attacked Government Troops. Many people sought Shelter in the Russian Military Base. Extra Troops are on the way. I would wait until the situation becomes clearer. There are claims that Civilians have been killed in revenge attacks.
Yes I supported the removal of Assad long before the Arab Spring.
You are what is called a Gemba in Sri Lanka, you jump about, supporting Shia and then condemning them.
Unless you are suffering a Joe Biden moment, try to remember I am not a Muslim.
Best regards
/
Nathan / March 7, 2025
Lester,
Usually, I keep watching how every other responds to your comments.
What the heck! Let me respond this time.
You speak of the Game.You started the game?
Once you oblige, my comment would begin in earnest.
/
Nathan / March 7, 2025
Sorry: Who started the game? (not, You started the game?)
/
LankaScot / March 7, 2025
Hello Lester,
Mehdi Hasan is good at his job. Read his book, you could learn a few lessons.
Best regards
/
Lester / March 7, 2025
Scot,
He just asked loaded questions from a script. Much of the script was based on conspiracy theories or unsubstantiated info. Not objective at all, when compared to something like “HardTalk.”
/
LankaScot / March 8, 2025
Hello Lester,
You have obviously never watched Mehdi in Debates, is it your hatred of Muslims that stops you? I didn’t know you were a Ranil Apologist.
Best regards
/
Lester / March 8, 2025
Scot,
I support neither Mehdi nor Ranil. It would have been far better to interview the likes of Dayan Jayatillake: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1qDQIbhxgs. He won at Geneva, defeating the resolution of pro-LTTE Tamil Diaspora who campaigned for sanctions.
/
leelagemalli / March 9, 2025
DJ ?
.
Apart from a few sessions in Geneva, self-procliamed pseudo interllectual, DJ has been unable to defend Sri Lanka. Those discussions cannot be compared to serious discussions. However, in the heyday of Rajapaksa’s dictatorship, the DJ in Sri Lanka was polarizing: It is sad that all other leaders have to correct what the MEDAMULANA beasts deliberately did to this nation.
.
This man, Lester, may be comparing apples and oranges. I never expected anything better from the individuals like Lester.
/
Human Touch / March 9, 2025
LS
I think you should take a more realistic stand knowing the reality on ground here in SL.
Lester is not always wrong.
Take note.
Thanks
and kind regards.
/
Lester / March 9, 2025
Human Touch,
These guys cannot get away from their conspiracy theories. Scot says both the Easter Attacks and 7th Oct (Gaza) were false-flag operations. There is no evidence to point in that direction. Point this out and they naturally get frustrated, e.g. launch personal attacks.
/
LankaScot / March 9, 2025
Hello Lester,
Stop telling “Porky Pies”, since when have I claimed that 7th October was a False Flag Operation? Hamas definitely attacked Israel and committed War Crimes against Civilians. So show me the Evidence where I called it a False Flag Operation?
There is no doubt that the National Thowheeth Jama’ath (NTJ) carried out the Easter Bombings. My questions about this are to do with the Intelligence Services prior knowledge of the Attacks and why they did nothing to stop them. The Indian Government warned them many times.
Many people in Sri Lanka have warned the Current President to be careful about his Personal Safety regarding investigating the Easter Bombings. Why?
Best regards
/
old codger / March 9, 2025
LS,
“since when have I claimed that 7th October was a False Flag Operation?”
What else would you expect from someone who claims that all Muslims, even Turks and Bosnians, are Arabs?
/
Lester / March 9, 2025
Scot,
I see you are backtracking now, or is it a case of sobriety? I distinctly recall your claim that Israel deliberately ignored intelligence warnings.
“My questions about this are to do with the Intelligence Services prior knowledge of the Attacks and why they did nothing to stop them. The Indian Government warned them many times.”
They were monitoring the terrorists, but precise information was lacking. If you watch the movie “Cleanskin”, you will understand the difficulty involved. It’s akin to chasing a shadow. You have a picture of the network, but the main actors are always one step ahead. To carry out the attack, the terrorist has to be lucky just once. To prevent that attack, however, requires Herculean effort.
“Many people in Sri Lanka have warned the Current President to be careful about his Personal Safety regarding investigating the Easter Bombings.”
There is little to investigate. It was an ISIS operation.
/
LankaScot / March 10, 2025
Hello Lester,
“It was an ISIS operation.” then prove it. Nobody except you (and your kith) believes this.
Typical Troll trick from you trying to conflate what I said about 7th October and the Easter Bombings, so no backtracking involved.
I will repeat, now listen carefully. Both the Israelis and the Sri Lankan Intelligence Organisations ignored warnings about potential attacks. OK so far?
Hamas attacked across the Fence and killed many Civilians and Soldiers, taking Hostages. The Israelis enacted the Hannibal Directive killing some of their own Civilians and soldiers in the process. It was such that they even included a few hundred Hamas in the amount of their own Casualties.
The Sri Lankans were also warned many times by the Indian Security Services. Even Sri Lankan Civilians knew not to go to the Services. How many Politicians went to the Services where the Bombs went off?
The question is not who carried out the Bombings, but who Master-minded and Organised them. You know who it was and so does Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera.
Best regards
/
Lester / March 11, 2025
Scot,
You said the Easter Attacks were a false-flag operation. Your “evidence” is that some politicians did not a church service. That is not good enough. Furthermore, the intelligence officials did not ignore the warnings. They were monitoring the terrorists, one of whom had even been arrested months prior. The intelligence officials did not know bombs were being manufactured inside Colombo, in a factory owned by a wealthy Muslim. Some of these bombers were wealthy , they were not typical terrorists and flew under the radar. This is also the first time Muslims carried out a terror attack of this kind in Sri Lanka.
Lastly, ISIS would not collaborate with Gothabaya Rajapakse or Buddhists or any apostates. That is not how ISIS operates. ISIS does not take bribes from kufir. ISIS are brainwashed, hardcore terrorists. The bombings were master-minded by ISIS. The terrorists communicated with ISIS, this is well-documented.
You also claimed 7th Oct was a false-flag, regardless of how much you backtrack.
/
davidthegood / March 10, 2025
Lester, Easter bombing paid and used Zaharan by Mulanas to bring Gotha as President to solve issues here, but he ran away. Not capable though now come back and receiving full pension and all other extra benefits.
/
Lester / March 12, 2025
davidthegood,
You cannot bribe people to carry out suicide attacks. The suicide attacker gains nothing. There are no suicide bombers in the Underworld. This guy Scot is looking for conspiracy theories, but he refuses to acknowledge the motivation behind the attacks. I don’t think you can convince these Israel-haters, they are deluded.
https://www.khou.com/article/news/crime/teen-charged-terrorism-mass-shooting-explosives/285-2506cc37-f3be-45c2-a167-d11930d469ba
If you read the article carefully, you will see many parallels to the Easter Attacks. Recruit on social media, use of explosives, brainwashing, disillusioned youth. But some idiot will come along and say Israel or Trump was trying to recruit that teenager.
/
SJ / March 10, 2025
Can you be more specific about where LS has got it wrong about the situation here? (And also when Lester was right in that context)
/
old codger / March 7, 2025
LS,
““do you agree that the LTTE is a proscribed terrorist outfit?”
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
How Lester-like.
/
old codger / March 8, 2025
It seems that the Liar of Eluvankulam has found the money to restart his thumb machine. How transparently childish.
/
chiv / March 9, 2025
OC , it was tactically delayed, never stopped,. Now back to being transparenly . AUTISTIC.
Childish, lonely, living in fantasy, imaginary friends, impulsive, intellectual disability, lack of social skills, fixated and concrete thoughts, emotional and mental apathy, delayed milestones/ development, personality issues ( split/ dissociative), comorbid conduct problems, dysfunctional childhood
( carving in church , memories of puddling, friend who wrote anonymous dirty letter to teacher and now partner of XXX investigator
—— Poor Prognosis. Even Ranil cannot save this one.
/
LankaScot / March 8, 2025
Hello OC,
He sounds like a combination of Julia Hartley-Brewer, Piers Morgan and most of the Western Media (BBC, Fox, CNN etc) with a bit of James Whale thrown in.
I remember an Interview that started “Do you Condemn Hamas?” Answer – Yes. “But do you condemn Hamas” Answer – I already said I did. Piers Morgan would always open with that same question.
Best regards
/
Jit / March 8, 2025
LS, how do you put BBC with Fox in the same basket??? 🤔🤔🤔
/
LankaScot / March 9, 2025
Hello Jit,
Because they both have the same policy of presenting the Israeli side. The BBC has lost the ability to be either Impartial or Objective.
Way back in the late 1970s, a friend of mine provided Sound and Lighting Systems for some shows in an Aberdeen Night Club. I helped him set-up some of these Events (Clodagh Rodgers, Bruce Forsyth etc.). During our set-ups I met some BBC personnel. Over a Coffee Break we got to speaking about Top of the Pops Presenters. A couple of the Roadies started talking about Jimmy Savile and his known abuses of Children. It was obvious that the BBC at a high Level knew of his Crimes – https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-19921658
Ask any woman from that era and they will tell you that they believed Savile was a Pervert, and his “Charity Work” was a cover.
That is the BBC I am talking about.
Best regards
/
Jit / March 10, 2025
LS, I know BBC is not perfect but apart from remote incidents that has damaged their reputation, BBC at least try to be in the centre. But Fox represents the ruthless greed in capitalism and is spreading diabolical lies and conspiracy theories on people and politicians who work towards achieving social justice. That is poles apart from what BBC is doing.
/
chiv / March 8, 2025
LS , please do not compare a dumb fellow with such people. They are just doing their job , may be not the right way. This fool has nothing to show otherthan grossly using his thumb machine to upvote his own idiotic comments.
/
Lester / March 8, 2025
Mehdi is trying to play both sides. I don’t necessarily fault him for that. The media is not as free as you think. There is a paid agenda. Both Al Jazeera and Hamas are funded by the Qatari government. So one cannot reasonably expect Mehdi to deviate too far from the pro-Hamas narrative of his employer. The tradeoff is objectivity. Listening to Mehdi, if not Jazeera in general, is like watching a CCP newscast. Predictable talking points. You can guess the key words in advance: “genocide”, “mass killings”, “radical”, “extremist”, blah blah. Meanwhile, the Hamas fighters they show off are carrying a charter in their pockets that calls for the destruction of Israel, while yelling “Allahu Akbar” before firing off another round.
/
old codger / March 9, 2025
What is the credibility of one who writes:
““The flaw is not in the AI, but lack of imprecision in human language”- Lester
“But poor interpretation of a simple sentence proves my other point about the imprecision of human language.”- also Lester but 10 minutes later.
Excuse the slum-dweller sarcasm.
/
LankaScot / March 9, 2025
Hello Lester,
Mehdi has many times condemned Hamas for the 7th October Attacks. Unfortunately “the truth will not set you free” from your Zionist Support of the Israeli Genocide
What do you call the deliberate blocking of all Humanitarian Aid into Gaza?
Best regards
/
Lester / March 9, 2025
Scot,
Mehdi just earns his cut by playing both sides. There is nothing neutral about Liezeera. As Leonard pointed out, it is up to the Palestinian people to remove Hamas. Once that is accomplished, some kind of peace agreement can be made with Israel. I support a two-state solution. However, if support for Hamas continues, the only rational choice will be a no-state solution.
“”To yield is grievous, but the obstinate soul that fights with Fate, is smitten grievously.”
/
LankaScot / March 9, 2025
Hello Lester,
You never answer a question. How much do you get paid for your “Astroturfing”? I asked you a straight question “What do you call the deliberate blocking of all Humanitarian Aid into Gaza?” They have also cut off the Electricity
By the way Israel is currently organising for the complete removal of all the Palestinians in Gaza. Read the Times of Israel for the latest news. (Link too long)
It also looks like I was right about the US Hamas negotiations. Trump’s man was purely focused on the American Hostage release.
“I support a two-state solution”, so what, the Israelis don’t it is now their Law.
Fate doesn’t exist except to the Religiously Smitten, even Sophocles can be wrong. You should read on and learn the result of Creon’s stubbornness. After forgiving Antigone and his son Haemon (betrothed to Antigone) he hurries to Antigone’s Prison Chamber and finds them both dead, by Suicide. He comes back to the Palace and finds his Queen also dead. On hearing of her son’s death she also committed Suicide.
You never learn Lester, try to understand the context of your quotes before you use them.
Best regards
/
Lester / March 11, 2025
Scot,
I have answered your question below. The blocking of all humanitarian aid into Gaza is temporary.
Now you are claiming fate doesn’t exist. Fate does indeed exist. Everyone is born and dies at exactly one instant. That is just one example. The quote I gave is correct: “”To yield is grievous, but the obstinate soul that fights with Fate, is smitten grievously.” Surrendering may not be easy, but continuing to fight will lead to far worse consequences. Sinwar, Deif, Nasrallah – they brought death upon themselves (by refusing to surrender) and thousands of others. Which part of this don’t you understand? I know you are intellectually dishonest and refuse to admit your mistakes. For example, you said elsewhere that Alawites are not Shia, which is nonsense.
/
old codger / March 11, 2025
“Everyone is born and dies at exactly one instant.”
Wow!!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
/
SJ / March 11, 2025
oc
That is a gem you found in a heap of rubbish!
/
LankaScot / March 11, 2025
Hello Lester,
Do you know what “Fate” means? “the development of events outside a person’s control, regarded as predetermined by a supernatural power”.
As for “Everyone is born and dies at exactly one instant”. For my first Daughter’s birth I spent 24 hours in the Hospital. I even assisted the Midwife with the Birth. You obviously have never done this. Birth is not in an Instant. Try telling a Mother it only takes an instant.
You don’t understand Sophocles, try reading some more, or better, look at some of what the Scholars say about his books.
Alawites distinguish themselves from Shia “Alawites view Ali as a divine incarnation of God, a concept that differs from mainstream Shia and Sunni interpretations of Islam”. They also have elements of Christianity in their Faith. Sufis, Ahmadiyya, and Quranists are also Muslims, but different from mainstream Sunnis and Shias.
Best regards
/
Lester / March 12, 2025
Slum dwellers cannot understand high-level philosophy. Run along and find a tourist. Yessir!
/
Human Touch / March 9, 2025
LS
If you can remember, I brought up the same subject a few months ago, with the likes of Rohan25 regarding the situation in Gaza with respect to the situation of Tamils in the north. Rohan25 and co were busy supporting the Israelis forgetting that they were faced with a similar situation in Sri Lanka, yet the Tamils of Sri Lanka were supporting the Israeli oppressors, how Ironic was that?
People like Rohan made such a big song and dance after that calling me a racist, but I was on point…
If you feel cheated by the Sinhalese, why didn’t they feel the same for the palestenians?
Sadly most Sri Lankans are not rational thinkers. We are so emotional in our thoughts. That is what is killing us and has been killing us for the past 2,500 years without any serious progress, Tamils and Sinhalese alike…
/
Rohan25 / March 9, 2025
In Human touch sorry I have, or most Tamils have never supported Israel anywhere so stop lying. Noticed recently you and the rest of the Sinhalese fake Arab South Indian origin Sri Lankan Islamic hardcore have started to subtly bring my name into everything claiming I posted all sorts of things to deliberately smear mud against me, to subtly discredit me and what I post. I openly supported Israel, I stated Rohan is Tamil name, Tamil is 7000 years old and everything. There are one or two Tamils here like many Sinhalese here who openly support what Israel is doing, definitely it was not me, so stop lying and deliberately and subtly misinforming to discredit me.
/
Rohan25 / March 9, 2025
Me like most Tamils here only highlighted the duplicity of most of the Sinhalese and Muslims here, shedding crocodile tears about the plight of the Palestinian Arabs, as it is fashionable to do so but were condoning and celebrating the Sinhalese state sponsored war crimes and genocide of the island’s Tamils. I also highlighted Hamaz and later Hezbollah both Islamic extremist groups that are backed by Iran, as greatly contributed to what happened now and to the misery of the Palestinian people and in southern Lebanon, as they have a different agenda by creating chaos and deliberately played into the Jewish hardliners and rightwing and still are doing it at the expense of their own people as they want chaos to remain in power and this is a fact. They knew what will happen by killing and taking all those innocent civilian hostages and how the Jewish state will react and deliberately did so to create this chaos and destruction and are still doing it and who suffers the Palestinians and the southern Lebanese.
/
Rohan25 / March 9, 2025
Lastly it is ironic the Palestinian state or authority in the UN and other Muslims nations, largely aided and abetted by the fake Arab immigrant South Indian Tamil so called Sri Lankan Moors, praised and voted for the then Rajapakse government for what it did to the Tamils including you and 99.99% of the Sinhalese, stating it was a great achievement and defended the large scale war crimes and the genocide done on the island’s Tamils and the mass displacement and killings and praised the Rajapakse’s and the Sri Lankan state at the UN. Karma is a bitch and how ironic the Jewish and Israeli right wing and hardliners have used the same Rajapakse method and tactics that was used against the island’s Tamils now against the Palestinian Arabs and even quoted it. The Palestinian authority many Arab and Muslim nations praised these tactics being used against the Island’s Tamils and stated it was wonderful and commendable and now crying and howling unfair, just like hypocritical you. and then deliberately cunningly trying to involve me and bring my name into all this
/
Rohan25 / March 9, 2025
I now remember you in Human Touch. The Sinhalese racist from Central province pretending to be someone liberal and advocating human rights, cunningly calling him or herself as Human Touch to deceive and lull others, whilst you subtly impart your Sinhalese Buddhist racism and anti-Tamil venom. I remember you very well In Human. You ran away and hid for some time once I outed you and now back again. No wonder you have a grudge against me. Remember you stating Tamis should not demand too much and should learn to accept the status quo.
/
chiv / March 11, 2025
To be fair, I do not agree with Rohan 25, on many things. But has he ever addressed any person or religion, the way HT did, ” F—, S—, Sunni Muslims, Indian, slap — ???
/
Human Touch / March 9, 2025
Rohan25
First of all let me remind you that I have not been on CT for quite a while till now. So when you say you have noticed something recently about my comments along with those of other Sinhalese is bull.
What does that make you?
/
Jit / March 10, 2025
HT, don’t worry about him. He uses excessive doses of ganja daily so the item between the two years is a bit wonky ;) The very reason why you see he writes novels to answer a simple question – the ganja effect!!
/
Rohan25 / March 10, 2025
Sorry it is not bull it is a fact. Have a very strong suspicion that you are a Sinhalese Buddhist hardliner, who supports the UNP and the Sinhalese led state’s hardline Sinhalese Buddhist ethnocentric politics against the island’s Tamil speakers and want this to remain, with some minor concessions to the island’s native Tamils but do not want self-rule, decentralization, or police and land powers to the two Tamil/ Tamil speaking provinces or even to the predominantly Tamil Nuwara Eliya district or large parts of the North West coast that is still Tamil, which the Tamils demand as a safeguard to protect what remains of their ancient lands and their ancient history, heritage, language and culture on the island. A reasonable demand.
/
Rohan25 / March 10, 2025
You want the whole island converted to a failed bankrupt Sinhalese Buddhist ghetto, not into a thriving multi ethic, multi linguistic and multi religious island that it really was and still is. You made this abundantly clear, and it is still oozing out of all your comments, defending racist Lester who has now has opportunistically run away to the UK for the good life and from there advocating racism, and the UNP that has also contributed a lot what happened in the island and the genocide and war crimes that were committed against the island’s Tamils. Not just the SLFP or the Rajapaksas. Starting from DS Senanayake, to the JR. Cyril Matthew, Athulathmudali, Gamini Dissanayake regime. Ranil Wickremesinghe is no better he part of all this and the ruling Sinhalese establishment that created all this mess and is still protecting them. You are cunningly using the pseudonym ” Human Touch” as if you are some very caring compassionate Human Rights advocate, who wants justice and equality for all but in reality, supporting the current racist ethnocentric Sinhalese Buddhist only policies, only favouring the majority Sinhalese, especially the Buddhists, at the expense of everyone else, especially the island’s Tamils, who had suffered immensely and still suffering, due to the racist policies of all Sinhalese led governments and the betrayal of their own politicians.
/
Rohan25 / March 10, 2025
You want the whole island converted to a failed bankrupt Sinhalese Buddhist ghetto, not into a thriving multi ethic, multi linguistic and multi religious island that it really was and still is. You made this abundantly clear, and it is still oozing out of all your comments, defending racist Lester who has now has opportunistically run away to the UK for the good life and from there advocating racism, and the UNP that has also contributed a lot what happened in the island and the genocide and war crimes that were committed against the island’s Tamils. Not just the SLFP or the Rajapaksas. Starting from DS Senanayake, to the JR. Cyril Matthew, Athulathmudali, Gamini Dissanayake regime. Ranil Wickremesinghe is no better he part of all this and the ruling Sinhalese establishment that created all this mess and is still protecting them.
/
Rohan25 / March 10, 2025
You are cunningly using the pseudonym ” Human Touch” as if you are some very caring compassionate Human Rights advocate, who wants justice and equality for all but in reality, supporting the current racist ethnocentric Sinhalese Buddhist only policies, only favouring the majority Sinhalese, especially the Buddhists, at the expense of everyone else, especially the island’s Tamils, who had suffered immensely and still suffering, due to the racist policies of all Sinhalese led governments and the betrayal of their own politicians.
/
Rohan25 / March 10, 2025
You unnecessarily dragged me into this, by deliberately mentioning my name, together with the rest of the island’s Tamils with the unfounded statement the island’s Tamils despite being victims of state sponsored war crimes, structural genocide and marginalisation, that is still continuing, support the genocide and war crimes committed on the Palestinian Arabs, whilst the Sinhalese do not, but supporters of the Palestinian Arabs and their just rights and the human rights of every other people on the planet. (sic).
/
Rohan25 / March 10, 2025
Is this some joke commit genocide and war crimes on their own Tamil population and largely rejoice but support just Palestinian rights and come cry about this? This is like a wife beater, going around canvassing against domestic violence. You deliberately did this to slander the defame the island’s Tamils as you did not like what the interviewer implied and what the panelist stated against your precious Ranil and the Sri Lankan state.
/
SJ / March 10, 2025
HT
Re your question to R25:
“What does that make you?”
Exactly what he is.
/
Human Touch / March 10, 2025
LankaScot,
I respectfully disagree.
A meticulous review of RW’s interview reveals that Mehdi Hasan had not adequately prepared. His first misstep was questioning RW about the events of 2009, under the assumption that RW was part of Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government at the time—a fundamental error.
Additionally, Hasan attempted to corner RW on the Batalanda issue, a futile effort akin to flogging a dead horse. The Batalanda Commission never produced concrete evidence against RW, making this line of questioning both ill-conceived and poorly researched.
To clarify some essential facts regarding the Batalanda affair: At the time, the President and Commander-in-Chief was Ranasinghe Premadasa, a leader widely known for human rights abuses and extrajudicial killings, particularly targeting JVP members and political opponents. RW, in contrast, held the portfolio of Minister of Youth Affairs—a position far removed from counterterrorism operations. Despite this clear distinction, certain individuals persist in disregarding the actual chain of command and instead attempt to implicate RW, who has no historical record of involvement in extrajudicial actions.
The real issue at hand is the lack of critical thinking in analyzing such matters. Too often, conclusions are driven by emotional bias rather than objective reasoning. Regrettably, it seems that this tendency has influenced you as well, likely as a result of prolonged exposure to such narratives.
/
Native Vedda / March 8, 2025
Lester
–
“(even though they knew the game was over from that moment on).”
–
It was Thiruvengadam Vellupillai Prabaharan who decided when to win the war for Mahinda, and won it for the clan with huge support from Hindians.
/
SJ / March 8, 2025
“Liezeera”
Bias or not, unlike the BBC and NYT, Al Jazeera has not been caught lying.
It has a better record of objective reporting than leading Western media.
/
Human Touch / March 9, 2025
Dear Sir SJ
I respect you in every way, yet I have to differ in this instance, the way that asshole Mehidi Hassan addressed RW is unacceptable.
He will not dare do that with any arab leader, I can bet you.
If I were RW, I would have slapped him then and there.
/
LankaScot / March 9, 2025
Hello Human Touch,
Here is Mehdi Hasan interviewing an Arab Leader, Dr Saeb Erekat, Chief Negotiator, in 2016. Mehdi asks him many difficult questions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7xo121TzKU
Watch it all the way through. In my opinion “it is the duty of journalists to hold power to account”. Very few Sri Lankan Journalists do this, possibly because in the past they ended up dead. Look at this recent case of Chamuditha Samarawickrama now under Police Protection https://www.newswire.lk/2025/02/22/police-protection-for-journalist-chamuditha-samarawickrama/
Compare Mehdi’s Interview of Ranil with his Interview of Republican Joe Walsh. Ranil got off very lightly. Also have a look at the German DW Interview of Ranil. If I was the DW Interviewer I would have practised a bit of “Defenestration” and not the metaphorical kind.
Best regards
/
Human Touch / March 10, 2025
Dear LS,
.
I fully acknowledge that journalists have a duty to ask difficult questions of leaders—this is an essential part of their role. However, what I find objectionable is when a journalist aggressively bulldozes a guest, posing questions only to dismiss the responses and swiftly move on to another topic. This behavior suggests that the journalist was never genuinely interested in the answers but rather aimed to corner and humiliate the guest.
.
Such an approach goes beyond journalistic integrity and instead reflects a disregard for professionalism, decorum, and basic courtesy. In this case, Mehdi Hasan’s conduct was not about seeking the truth but about creating a hostile environment for the guest. Notably, as I previously mentioned, it is highly unlikely that he would display such behavior toward an Arab leader or another leader of a powerful nation.
/
Jit / March 9, 2025
“….If I were RW, I would have slapped him then and there….”
–
HT, I have known you as a person who always seek solace in true Buddhism and dhamma. Do meththa, muditha, karuna ring a bell? And tolerance, patience….??
/
Human Touch / March 10, 2025
Jit,
.
I must be honest—when I witnessed the sheer arrogance and insolence with which Mehdi Hasan treated RW after having invited him for an interview, I couldn’t help but feel infuriated. After all, I am only human.
.
Hasan’s body language was entirely inappropriate—hostile, dismissive, and lacking in basic civility. Such conduct was unbecoming of a professional journalist and reflected a clear disregard for respectful discourse.
/
SJ / March 9, 2025
HT
My comment concerned Al Jazeera which someone referred to as ‘Liezeera’.
It has for decades been far more truthful than any of the leading Western media.
I hope that you will not disagree.
/
old codger / March 9, 2025
HT,
Mehdi Hasan addresses everyone the same way. Ranil knew this, and said so during the interview. I give him credit for accepting the invitation, though I find his complaint later of the panel being biased rather puerile. Nirj Deva was enough to counterbalance the other two. But I can’t understand why RW chose to defend the Rajapaksas.
/
Human Touch / March 10, 2025
Dear OC,
.
In my view, RW is a leader who adheres to the system, which is why I don’t believe he would be inclined to bypass due process or point fingers at individuals who have not been legally convicted.
.
Let me illustrate this with a question: Has the NPP succeeded in imprisoning the Rajapaksas and delivering the justice they promised as part of their election campaign? Promises are easy to make, but execution is far more complex, with far-reaching implications that must be carefully navigated.
/
chiv / March 10, 2025
NPP took some concrete steps within months of coming to power, which Ranil or any other politician failed in their own lives. If some one is not planning to execute , then why give empty promises. May be they can defend them self one day, like how Ranil did. I prosecuted Mahinda, Gotha , Basil, Namal, but they all were back in power, except for me ( lost party and seat ). Then Aragalaya got rid of them, and I used Aragalaya to return back to power. Next please.
/
chiv / March 10, 2025
If I was Ranil, I would have slapped Mehdi, Sounds inhuman to me. Mehdi, is a journalist, not your typical SHAM politicians, you mean make him disappear ? What is Lankan reality, more excuses, scratching each other’s back, denial —— seems more concerned about maintaining 75 years of BS ( torture chambers, war killings, violence against minority ——–) than reality. Buddy realistic stand and Lankan reality are more of BS, which we have heard and seen enough.
/
Mahila / March 10, 2025
NO WONDER!!?? Wasteful attempt at Glory!!?? Debate must be confined within limits!! “NOT ADI PUDI”
That’s why you cannot Rise up in Stature to that of Ranil W!!?? So, be content!!?? NO Chance Of that becoming reality – only dreams!!?? That’s why as the famous Tamil saying, “God didn’t provide HORNS to the Donkey, knowing well its (Donkeys’ brains) limitations on knowledge and capacity to think and of course it’s stupidity”??!!
What for the Telling NO??!! SILLY DEBATE!!??
/
deepthi silva / March 7, 2025
Ranil in his stupid way claimed he was a Buddhist and that Buddha said if someone abused you and you refused to accept it , the abuse belonged to the abuser.
If I call Pol-Pot a mass murderer and he refuses to accept it, I become a mass murderer !
/
a14455 / March 8, 2025
huh ?
/
SJ / March 8, 2025
It is the abuse not the accusation.
The difference is more than subtle.
/
deepthi silva / March 8, 2025
SJ with the subtle mind, Karma will decide what is abuse and what is an accusation ?
/
LankaScot / March 9, 2025
Hello Deepthi,
Karma doesn’t exist no matter how often you wish it were enacted.
Best regards
/
SJ / March 9, 2025
LS
Karma as the Buddha understood is something simpler than the Hindu influenced theory of Karma as something that sticks on to ones soul, and made a substitute for soul by some.
Karma refers to action and its ceaseless chain of consequences. It does not belong to any.
/
davidthegood / March 10, 2025
SJ, you can’t get rid of your karma by this type of flawed thinking. When your last breath is working, you will find the truth too late. Karma belongs to each sinner.
/
SJ / March 10, 2025
“Karma belongs to each sinner.”
If that is how you understand Karma you must be overflowing with it.
/
SJ / March 9, 2025
Whatever Karma may decide, they are different matters and I assume that you are clever enough to know which is which.
/
leelagemalli / March 8, 2025
DS,
What is wrong with saying he is a Buddhist? If Mara (Beast of Medamulana) says so (while instigating next hidden crime on his rivals), will you ignore it? You are really stupid DS. What a stupid argument? Even though I am more of an atheist, I sometimes say, I was born a Buddhist, what is wrong with that?. We inherited it from our parents.
Are you like the stupid thinkers who protect the Rajapaksas but point fingers at Ranil?
Why is that? Without the Rajapaksas, this country would not be in this situation today. The entire nation hates the DA Rajapaksas for producing these bastards who repeatedly abuse “stupid people” for political masturbation. Therefore, I believe that we should be empowered by a multi-party commission to control these “stupid ruling masses”.
/
Lester / March 10, 2025
“Without the Rajapaksas, this country would not be in this situation today.”
What is this rubbish? Rajapakse came in 2005. The war began in 1983.
/
Human Touch / March 9, 2025
deepthi silva
First learn to write your name correctly and than we can talk.
/
leelagemalli / March 9, 2025
HT,
We should treat her with some love, because that woman is very sick with mental illness.
Moreover, the large amount of her daily medication must have caused her to react so spitefully throughout the day. I wonder if the rich woman has someone to serve her with “Padikkama”.. May she recover soon!
/
Human Touch / March 10, 2025
deepthi silva,
.
Calling Pol Pot a mass murderer is not an insult—it is a fact. Facts remain unchanged, regardless of whether they are accepted or rejected. An insult, on the other hand, is subjective and open to interpretation. The distinction between the two is crucial.
.
I think if you knew Buddhism you would have known the difference and not made a fool of yourself by comparing an insult to a fact…
/
hanchopancha / March 7, 2025
I wonder these people are rewarded for taking a hard battering by appearing in programs like “Head to Head”. Mr. Ranil Wickremesinge has the greatest unique ingenuity for personifying Dr. Jakyl and Mr. Hyde at the same time
/
chiv / March 8, 2025
Hancho ,.
” I wonder these people are rewarded for hard battering ” .
Nimal. F mentioned about SillyLankan’s masochism.
/
Lester / March 10, 2025
hanchopancho,
“Mr. Ranil Wickremesinge has the greatest unique ingenuity for personifying Dr. Jakyl and Mr. Hyde at the same time”
India has fake “doctors”, Sri Lanka has pseudo politicians. The “Grand Old Party” died after JR.
https://www.businesstoday.in/india/story/surats-fake-doctor-scam-police-arrests-individuals-operating-on-people-without-any-medical-degree-458479-2024-12-25
/
chiv / March 10, 2025
ST, that settles the nagging doubt, I had all this while. Now with the monkey touch, in the form of Jester ( exploiting ) we are in for, more fun. In one sentence, hate for
Arabs, Indians, Shia Muslims —- well exposed.
/
old codger / March 10, 2025
Chiv,
I don’t think you need to be told who wrote this in 2019:
“Hopefully, With the next elections and Gota winning, Sri Lanka will revert back to its proper ethos and identity. The last bastion of the Buddhist ethos, where all are equal.
The ethos of Buddhist Lanka where all were equal has been eroded since the days of Parakramabahu I. “
🤣🤣🤣
/
Lester / March 10, 2025
The fake doctors are quick to identify themselves. See above. Crisis of conscience?
/
Rajash / March 7, 2025
it was an awful interview. Ranil thought he can handle Mehdi Hasan like he handle Daily Error / local TV journalists. He came across as a joker.
Mehdi Hasan is a tough journalist.
As usual and like other Sinhala Sri Lankan leaders Ranil , in his post interview analysis took refuge in “…they are LTTE sympathisers…”
/
a14455 / March 8, 2025
What is achieved from interviews like this? Mehdi Hassan is a clown like that fool Chamudita quotes nonsense and talks over his subjects.
Ranil is not very eloquent in any language, which is not anything that we did not know. but other than that he said what we all know he believes. I am sure he did not change any minds but these interviews are good for reinforcing whatever you believe in.
No new ground was broken here and I wonder why he would agree to a public humiliation if he was not interested in contesting again. The more important thing is what the new aragalaya govt achieves.
/
deepthi silva / March 8, 2025
SL leaders develop huge egos because of their worshipping/corrupt followers.
Then these small sprats begin to think they are something big and should be Secretary General of UN or get Nobel prizes ( wait , ranil is writing a book , Nobel on the way !)
Remember the embarrassing interview of Chandrika on CNN when she displayed her mental emptiness and blunt character .
Also recall Mahinda’s comic attempt to address the Oxford Union, which ended in him having to run for his life from UK ?
Who do these corrupt devious rascals from a little failed country think they are !
They want to be taken serious !
Come on, your race and genes will not allow it !
/
chiv / March 8, 2025
DS, fully agree with Silly, Stupid, Sorry entertainment by Lankan leaders.. Chandrika’s BBC interview, Mahinda s Oxford union speech
Gotha’s interview with Jansz
( you pig , F…, I will teach you)
and soon we will have a self financed biopic film on
:Mahinda the Mother of all Minas
Coming soon. To certain degree like Donald’s MARGA circus 🎪
but utterly ameturish
” Art of getting screwed” .
/
chiv / March 11, 2025
DS, didn’t Mehdi address Mahinda and Gotha as convicted criminals. May be listening to Jester, Mahinda should try sitting with Mehdi, so that Mehdi can start questioning from Aragalaya and take Mahinda back to Tsunami fund diversion or his SHAM role as human right activist in Geneva. For sure at the end of the interview Ranil will start feeling much better.
/
Lester / March 11, 2025
Deepthi Silva,
Actually, Mahinda gave two interviews to Al-Jazeera. Here is one of them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKPXiaoubj0. Mahinda was very articulate (though you may not agree with him). The interviewer was not overtly hostile, although he came with the usual pro-LTTE talking points. One problem with Mehdi’s interview was that he kept cutting off Ranil. Notice in this interview, Mahinda was given sufficient time to answer in detail.
/
SJ / March 8, 2025
Where was the clowning by Hassan?
/
LankaScot / March 8, 2025
Hello a14455,
Here is an Interview with Ranil on DW that had a different style of Interviewer. Same result, so the problem is not the style of Interviewer but the man being interviewed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jDOyImbUu8
Best regards
/
a14455 / March 8, 2025
yes agree the issue is that Ranil gets combative instead of answering the question. but these are all the same questions from the LTTE playbook. and their talking points.
to be honest what does Ranil have to do with Rajapakse things ? other than a JVP creation of Ranil-Rajapakse.
Where has Shevendra Silva been convicted of anything other than by American political establishment
Can we all agree that the fake Cardinal (the second in command of some God) is fishing for the criminals he believes rather than what the investigation shows.
Ranils language is not the issue but his temperament but who else would have done better ? Mahinda ? Gota ? AKD ? CBK ? of that lot CBK probably would most likely do best . but then again she is known in her own right to be snide.
/
a14455 / March 9, 2025
may be you dont understand Sinhalese. but Listen to the words of wisdom that should have been obvious to Ukraine
https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=607907568707817
/
Jit / March 9, 2025
“……the problem is not the style of Interviewer but the man being interviewed….”
🤣🤣🤣
/
Jit / March 8, 2025
a, The ‘new aragalaya’ government is only 100 days old. Ranil has had 50 years in SL politics and government. Who is more accountable today for this chaos?? Who should face more questions for the mess we have inherited as at TODAY??
/
a14455 / March 8, 2025
lets see how good and great it becomes when the full time passes. if the first 100 is garbage we can extrapolate to the next few years cant we?
/
Jit / March 8, 2025
“….Mehdi Hassan is a clown like that fool Chamudita….”
–
If you put Hassan in the same basket with Chamuditha, then you need to book an appointment with your …… asap!
/
a14455 / March 8, 2025
same style. they have made talking over their guests their calling card
/
LankaScot / March 10, 2025
Hello a14455,
Never heard the expression “Let the Buyer beware”? or “If you can’t stand the heat get out of the Kitchen”. I have watched Medhi interviewing many people, he tailors his responses to suit the Interviwers replies. He absolutely flabbergasted Richard Dawkins when he asked Medhi “Do you really believe that Mohamed flew on a Winged Horse to Mecca, Jerusalem and Heaven”? To which Mehdi replied that, as he believed in Miracles the answer was yes. I paraphrase a little. Dawkins was very Naive in asking a Muslim that question. It’s a bit like asking a Christian whether they believe in the Resurrection.
Best regards
/
chiv / March 8, 2025
a14455, not so simple. Are you trying to side step the huge Jumbo in the room. It’s not all about Ranil or his failures. Worldwide viewers also get to know about
1) How Stupid, Silly and Sorry, our Sham Lanka is
2) Our low and Odor , constipation, parliamentary system and commissions, designed to protect those corrupt, criminal leaders
3) The questions addressed are from Batalanda to Aragalaya days. ( in between pogroms and war killings mentioned ) . Pretty much the history of a dysfunctional failed nation,
4) To know what is achieved, one has to note the expression and emotions of those who attended.
5) The more important thing for any govt is to know reasons for bankruptcy, dysfunctionality, failures to achieve progress.
/
a14455 / March 9, 2025
Other than the cheap thrill of seeing Ranil squirm I don’t think anything was achieved.
/
SJ / March 10, 2025
a14455
Do you then say that Ranil was squirming?
Does that not say anything?
Even many of his admirers agree that it was poor performance.
/
LankaScot / March 8, 2025
Hello a14455,
“What is achieved from interviews like this?”. Not a lot of Westerners know anything about Batalanda or even less on Ranil’s Role. Coverage of the Civil War in the UK Mainstream Media was pretty sparse. Channel 4 however made Documentaries hated by the Ralapaksas and their Supporters.
This is a redacted US Embassy Post on the lies that were told about Casualties – https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/221996
Like Israel, Sri Lanka has restricted the entry of Journalists, even after the War had ended – https://www.bbc.com/sinhala/news/story/2011/07/110706_north_journalists
It is probably just as well that Sri Lankan Politicians shy away from Western Media Interviews, if the Rajapaksas are typical examples.
This is Gotabaya’s version of Whataboutism on TV 2009 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vtm54Y9USEg
And here is James Bayes with Mahinda on Al Jazeera. Totally different from Mehdi Hasan – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKPXiaoubj0
Most people in the UK will look at these Interviews without any Bias, however they can easily tell who’s telling lies etc.
Best regards
/
a14455 / March 9, 2025
LS do you think any westerner is more educated about the Batalanda Commision after that sham interview ? I doubt it. they would not know who or what it is other than another name.
As for the press being banned during the war it was done on purpose knowing how well the LTTE press machine worked with the NGOs . Infact that was a masterstroke of Gotas. and I say bravo. In his case he did that so that it was possible to keep the morale up of the govt forces and make sure the army could be grown to sufficient numbers.
Look at how the BBC the Telegraph and the UK press is covering the Ukraine war. Everyone knows they are lying about the casualties of the Ukrainians and exaggerating the losses by the Russians.
I was listening to a Piers Morgan interview (I hate that petulant idiot) but one person who is on Trumps staff said that President Trump actually was briefed of the Ukranian losses and that caused him to talk to Zelensky about him not having any cards. So everything that we have been fed by the western press over the last 3 years is a lie. What makes you think those same channels would have told the truth to the rest of the world about Sri Lanka. We all saw Channel 4 didn’t we?
/
LankaScot / March 9, 2025
Hello a14455,
Since when have you ever seen a US President take the side of a Russian (or Soviet) President against the President of an Occupied Country?
Putin probably has something on Trump. Whether it is from his 1978 Visit or from his Jeffery Epstein activities, is anybody’s guess.
“So everything that we have been fed by the western press over the last 3 years is a lie” Do none of you read John Mearsheimer or Jeffrey Sachs on the Ukraine War. They often feature in the Western Press.
So did Putin Annex Crimea in 2014?. Did Putin invade Ukraine in 2022? Did a Russian Buk Missile kill 298 people onboard Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, on 17 July 2014? Did the Ukrainians sink the Moskva the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet?
All of this was reported by the Western Press, were these lies?
Best regards
/
a14455 / March 9, 2025
BS . this could have been easily avoided if Ukraine was told it will never join NATO. period.
As for aligning with Russians without the Russians you all in Europe would now be speaking German. It was the blood of the Russians that helped you win that war.
This whole Russofobia is just simply beyond me.
/
LankaScot / March 10, 2025
Hello a14455,
Pointing out Putin’s Crimes is not Russophobic, I have nothing against Russian people. In Qatar we shared a floor with Gazprom in the City Centre and laughed and joked with their Russian Staff. Of course they were very guarded in conversations about Politics and even admitted so. They have a good sense of Humour and their English was excellent.
Best regards
/
leelagemalli / March 8, 2025
a14455 / 2025 Mar 8
–
Thank you. Read the comments in this forum and some other comments in other YouTube videos broadcast by our people.
. How many of them got the message in that interview? Our people are misinterpreting it in favor of the anti-Ranil forces. I think they should think twice, the moderator SRILNAKEN was organized in their favor by the Tamil DIASPORA. The people who informed Mr. RW are also not the panelists. That is, the interview should not have been held as announced. However, Aljaseeraa or similar biased TV whore houses create new types of conflicts in the countries such as ours to stay dominated with their western thinking.
In addition, they have edited the actual discussion (2 hours) with Mr. RW in their favor and it took 3 weeks or more to air it. They must have been struggling to air it, because Mr. Wickremesinghe boldly stated his stance against the EU and other countries while also exposing the politics of the Christian Church. The Sri Lankan cardinal has become like the “crocodile that swallowed Kirimati” by supporting former rebels, or JVP members, to quickly find solutions to the “Easter Sunday disaster” and seize power.
/
Human Touch / March 9, 2025
a14455
For once I agree with you.
Mehdi Hassan is a piece of shit…
Could that bastard talk to Trump like that? or even talk to a middle eastern leader the way he spoke to RW?
I will not stand by and watch such a scumbag berate our former president in that manner.
Fuck that arab ass licking indian shia shithole.
If I see that bastard Mehidi Hassan face to face I know what I will do to him.
/
a14455 / March 9, 2025
lol I doubt he will try that in the US. They would ship him to Syria or somewhere even nicer like Ukraine
/
LankaScot / March 9, 2025
Hello Human Touch, a14455,
First of all Mehdi Hasan lives in the USA, he is a Hazara Shia Muslim. He was born in Swindon to Indian Muslim Parents from Hyderabad. He has dual Nationality US and UK. Here are his thoughts on how bad the Taliban are https://x.com/mehdirhasan/status/1426350189372137472?lang=en
He does interview US and Western Politicians. If you missed his Interview with Republican Joe Walsh here it is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG7JyVmpaOo
“Fuck that arab ass licking indian shia shithole”. is not the sort of language that you should use in a Newspaper Column. I think that would count as an “ad hominem” attack. Do either of you justify Physical Attacks (or worse) on Journalists for what they say? “If I see that bastard Mehidi Hassan face to face I know what I will do to him”.
Best regards
/
Human Touch / March 10, 2025
LS,
.
A journalist who crosses the line to needlessly attack a prominent Sri Lankan leader—one who played a pivotal role in steering the country out of crisis—deserves a lot respect. Any journalist who fails to do their due diligence and instead resorts to aggressive, uninformed questioning is, in my view, acting against the interests of the state.
.
One only needs to observe, his facial expressions and his body language needless to mention his dismissive attitude, to grasp the full extent of his intent.
.
I would consider Mehidi Hassan an enemy of Sri Lanka.
/
LankaScot / March 11, 2025
Hello Human Touch,
Well the Batalanda Commission Report will now be presented to Parliament thanks to Mehdi Hasan. The British Public will soon hear of the abominable Tortures and Murders that took place with Ranil’s knowledge and possible Collusion.
I have read the Report and I am pretty much convinced that Ranil was well aware of what went on. I also think there is enough evidence to connect him to quite a number of killings. The problem might be finding enough living witnesses to give evidence. Speaking of which, where is Tennakoon, Dubai or dead? Even if his Legal Team have filed a Petition at the Court of Appeal, he may not be in the Country.
Doesn’t the recent killings, in Court and other places, of Underworld Criminals make you wonder if there is an underlying reason?
Best regards
/
SJ / March 10, 2025
“Fuck that arab ass licking indian shia shithole.”
HT this racist utterance is much unlike you.
/
davidthegood / March 10, 2025
HT, mind your language when writing to decent folk in CT
/
SJ / March 11, 2025
Not all are decent folk, and that is no justification for foul language.
/
Lester / March 11, 2025
Touch,
“I will not stand by and watch such a scumbag berate our former president in that manner.”
Unfortunately, slum dwellers (Old Trashbin) and LTTE supporters are anti Sri Lankan. They want it to fail. I have made fun of Ranil in the past, yes, but Mehdi Hassan was attacking not just Ranil, but Sri Lanka in general. He was trying to pass off the blame for the Easter Attacks to GOSL instead of Muslim terrorists. Al Jazeera will never assign the blame for terror attacks to Sunni Muslims. Additionally, he made no mention of LTTE terrorism and its victims. We should not let him get away with it. He should not be allowed to enter Sri Lanka, ever.
/
old codger / March 11, 2025
I wonder who wrote this?
“Hopefully, With the next elections and Gota winning, Sri Lanka will revert back to its proper ethos and identity. The last bastion of the Buddhist ethos, where all are equal. “
We all know how that went.
Just a hint. It was a Tamil living in Wanni, in 2019.
“Al Jazeera will never assign the blame for terror attacks to Sunni Muslims.”It did, yesterday. The Nutless One spoke too soon. Pants down again.
https://youtu.be/F3EVrr1xc80?si=v4K5eROhUoWPJuTs
/
chiv / March 11, 2025
HT, you’re in for a nasty surprise, “a bad Monkey Touch”‘ that too a exploiting prying one.
Ask your self this, did Mehdi or anyone here, use a thumb machine, to convince others, about their own education / qualification/ credibility – – – – –
/
Rajash / March 8, 2025
First half of the interview Ranil was acting like as though he is being interviewed by Jamila Husain of Daily Error. He was acting like a child threatening to walk out. After the break he was different and the interviewer was also calmed down.
The producer may have had word with them.
/
Leonard Jayawardena / March 8, 2025
Having listened to about 75% of the interview, which was painful and embarrassing to watch, my assessment is that
(1) Ranil does not have either the temperament or even adequate preparation to properly face media interviews, though I have observed he tends to perform better with regard to at least the temperament part in local interviews in Sinhalese. He is clearly uncomfortable when facing interviews, which makes one wonder why he agreed to this interview at all.
(2) Mehdi Hassan is not a fair interviewer. He is basically in the game of what Ranil called “cornering” and cut off Ranil when he was giving good answers. I have observed Mehdi doing the same in other interviews. This guy has made a career out of playing gotcha.
/
Leonard Jayawardena / March 8, 2025
Also, according to Ranil, the interview had lasted far longer than the edited version, so, as he claims, an injustice may have been done to him by the edited version.
/
Ajith / March 8, 2025
Whether it is Ranil or Rajapaksa or Anura cannot continue to deny the truth for long.
/
chiv / March 8, 2025
Does it look like Ranil would have lasted one more hour .???
Fellow was threatening to leave by half time.
/
leelagemalli / March 8, 2025
LJ,
If you had said something against RW’s responses in that interview, our CT commenters might have been happy. In this forum full of Sri Lankan PISSO of various natures, all that is said to be unbaised (Wahrheit) is not accepted.
/
Jit / March 9, 2025
LJ, One point Ranil stressed at his residence yesterday was the LTTE factor. He said the AJ panel was changed last moment and LTTE supporters were brought in to ‘attack’ him! Needless to mention that this is an old trick most SL politicians always use when they are in precarious situations, particularly when they are overseas. The irony is, Ranil conveniently hid the fact that he appointed Tiran Alles ** the man who gave the cash bag to Prabhakaran in 2005 on behalf of MR to stop Tamils voting** as his most powerful cabinet minister in 2022!! Disgusting!!
/
Native Vedda / March 9, 2025
Leonard Jayawardena
–
“….. as he claims, an injustice may have been done to him by the edited version”
–
What does he want a hefty compensation?
Why doesn’t he look at dastardly actions, injustices, …… which have been committed against innocent people by his party men and ministers in 1981 and 1983, not to mention some saffron clad thugs and silence maintained by their bosses?
–
He did not take action against those who perpetrated human rights violations although he had (6 + 1 ) 7 times.
/
Rajash / March 10, 2025
Mehdi Hassan parted with MSBNC because he refused to tone down his criticism of Israel. H2H is one hour duration. The interviewer’s objective is to get through all his/her questions at the same time give enough time for the interviewee to answer and challenge the answer back.
if the interviewee tries to evade or dodge the question and goes on a tangent the interviewer of curse would steer the interview back on course , even if that means cutting off and moving to his next question. This is all agree and signed off before the interview.
Unfortunately Ranil cant send a white van to kidnap Mehdi. That is an assumption.
/
LankaScot / March 10, 2025
Hello Leonard,
I am not a great fan of Piers Morgan, however he is a Competent Host of his “Uncensored” program. Watch the two of them having a debate in Mehdi Hasan’s Zeteo Studios. They may take up different positions on Israel, but both will have done their homework. Bear in mind that Piers is a known friend of Donald Trump – https://zeteo.com/p/exclusive-mehdi-interviews-piers
I agreed with Piers Morgan many years ago when he opposed the Invasion of Iraq. I like him considered that the Weapons of Mass Destruction and the Dodgy Dossier were Fabrications. I had inside knowledge that they didn’t exist and any that they had were destroyed; maybe Piers had the same knowledge.
Best regards
/
Svenson / March 8, 2025
Ranil’s arrogance and ego got him to accept taking part in this disastrous interview. What else did he expect from an aggressive interviewer, local ‘experts’ and a hostile audience? The man’s a fool. Here is a link to the article that Mehdi Hassan referred to https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/380113
/
Native Vedda / March 9, 2025
Svenson
–
“Here is a link to the article that Mehdi Hassan referred to …..”
–
What the hell are you talking about?
It is not the first time drawing members of armed group to a particular area and butchering them (including civilians) taken place, but before and after. It is not Rajapaksa Plan. The same barbarous strategy was first deployed in 1984 Golden Temple massacre with the international consent and later against ISIS, ….. Gaza.
–
It’s earlier version was played out in Jallianwala Bagh massacre 1919.
–
Without international collusion these massacres won’t take place.
Please don’t tell us it was Mahinda’s brain child.
/
Roxie de Abrew / March 8, 2025
Ranil Wickremasinghe is a brilliant politician. He is a Statesman, not only locally but internationally.
As ex-President, he is trotting the World due to overwhelming demand for his knowledge on world affairs.
Several governments, including India and World Agencies of international repute, are relying on RW as a resistance against the bipolar leadership in the so-called leader nation of the World.
RW has never been wanted by the ‘illiterate’ voters of our Island Nation, but his knowledge of the world’s history and its evolution, as well as his knowledge and grasp of social economic systems, is admirable.
/
Leonard Jayawardena / March 8, 2025
Are you joking? I think Ranil’s knowledge and intellect are highly overrated. Above all, he lacks the maturity and wisdom to be a good statesman.
/
Jit / March 8, 2025
I am not surprised but ants get drowned in a tea spoonful of water. For them it is an ocean. You are just one of them! But don’t worry, you have heck lot of colleagues in this tiny island.
/
LankaScot / March 8, 2025
Hello Roxie de Abrew,
I read your comment as good Satire, until it slowly dawned on me that you were serious. Please tell me you were joking.
Best regards
/
chiv / March 8, 2025
Yes Ranil. W is a brilliant politician with a EGO, bigger than his senile brain. Saw how pathetic and embarrassing he was at the end , almost like a fully naked man . Watch the expression of audience to know how brilliant he was ? Even brilliant people look pathetic when they deny the obvious, side step the real issue , being tangential, circumstantial and keep confabulating, finding excuses and keep repeating , use a broken and dysfunctional system for his own defense including parliament, low and odor, commission report , corrupt judiciary, which even Lankans don’t trust anymore.
/
leelagemalli / March 8, 2025
Dear RDA,
.
“RW was never accepted by the ‘illiterate’ voters of our island nation, but his knowledge of world history and its development, as well as his knowledge and understanding of socio-economic systems, are commendable.”
–
It is high time the world decided that democracy should also apply to the “illiterate”. This is why the colonial rulers were skeptical about Sri Lanka being ruled by their own people. This country has more people with a sense of guilt than the average country, for example in Indonesia or booming Vietnam.
.
RW did not abuse his lips against his people, he did everything to save the nation from July 2022 until the “honey badger” government came to power in Thambuttegama. At that time, his own house was burnt down by the mob and he took the risk to restore democracy by July 2022.
–
If the small cabinet under RW had not laid the foundations of a Sri Lankan economy, ships carrying everyday goods would be flocking at Colombo port today, reminiscent of the scenes in July 2022..
/
old codger / March 8, 2025
Roxie,
“As ex-President, he is trotting the World due to overwhelming demand for his knowledge on world affairs.”
Why am I reminded of Professor Ass, who carries out the same function for AKD?
/
SJ / March 8, 2025
“As ex-President, he is trotting the World due to overwhelming demand for his knowledge on world affairs.”
When will Trump require his services? Is he way down on the waiting list for failing to book in time?
/
Svenson / March 8, 2025
Roxie, find any polyps up there?
/
a14455 / March 8, 2025
I would not go so far as to call him a brilliant politician but he tells the truth as he sees it . and that makes him very unpopular.
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SJ / March 9, 2025
“he tells the truth as he sees it .”
Which politician does not?
What they see as truth is a momentary matter. It is an ever changing truth.
/
leelagemalli / March 9, 2025
Roxie,
They should listen to his response before they make their own.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLb1_tyTAhc
I think all our commenters should better stop their misinterpretations. This is not pro-RANIL or Pro-Rajapakshes, but for the sake of SRILANKA as a country.
Former President RW has made it clear that the media is playing games and that he knows RW very well. These are not all stupid statements, they spread like wid fire. Instead of counting the number of tear gas canisters used against the protesters shortly after the end of the struggle, the media should focus on the number of shells and missiles fired at the innocent Palestinian people there.
/
Human Touch / March 10, 2025
Dear LM,
.
You are absolutely right. When RW pointed out to Hasan that certain destructive factions within the Aragalaya were funded by some EU NGOs—while later, after RW took office and stabilized the situation, most EU governments congratulated him—Hassan immediately twisted the narrative to suggest that RW harbors animosity toward the EU.
.
If that is considered journalism, then we have truly lost sight of what real journalism stands for. We should not celebrate a tout in the name of journalism especially at the cost of our reputation, remember that.
/
Native Vedda / March 9, 2025
Ranil Wickremasinghe (Roxie de Abrew)
–
“RW has never been wanted by the ‘illiterate’ voters of our Island Nation, …..”
–
The estimated Literacy rate of this island is about 92.64%.
–
Man we know you are a self seeking, opinionated, self serving, supercilious, …… failed politician.
/
Ajith / March 8, 2025
Sri Lanka:Who broke the country?
This island was named as Ceylon until 1972. It became Sri Lanka with the new constitution without the agreement of all communities. The Buddhism gets a new special status in the constitution. In 1978, the constitution was changed but the special status of Buddhism regains more power. The strengthening of Buddhism in politics changed the politics and it helped the power to oppress the Tamil speaking people through violence from 1956. In 1972, it put its hands in the education system to bring language based standardisation and then burning of Jaffna library and July 1983 violence against Tamils around the country. This lead to the armed struggled and political corruption spread all the sections of politics and institutions including judiciary. Tamils are chased away from the country. When the war ended in 2009, there was no barrier for open corruption and misuse of power become the rule of governance which finally brought the country to the status of broken.
This gave an opportunity to change the governance in the name of system change. unfortunately, still the NPP are reluctant to tell the truth about what caused the broken country which is special status of buddhism. Once you keep the special status to Buddhism, it kills itself the equality principle. It allows Buddhism to violate the rule of law.
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old codger / March 9, 2025
Ajith,
“still the NPP are reluctant to tell the truth about what caused the broken country which is special status of buddhism. “
Since you told us to vote for them, maybe you can explain why AKD has arranged a “Tooth relic exposition”?
/
davidthegood / March 9, 2025
oldcodger, what is the special status of Buddhism to keep it above other belief systems. Except that they are the majority by percent in this land.
/
old codger / March 9, 2025
DTG,
“Except that they are the majority by percent in this land.”
Exactly. Even in Israel, Judaism is the official religion, unless you claim otherwise.
/
Ajith / March 9, 2025
OC,
I did not ask you to vote to NPP. I wanted Sinhalese to vote for a change from traditional robbers and murderers who destroyed this country, particularly (SLFP_SLPP, UNP). I still believe NPP is still better than those two who governs for decades. I do not agree with NPP’s continued policy of “Special status to Buddhism” which was the disaster to the country.
/
SJ / March 10, 2025
“oc, I did not ask you to vote to NPP. I wanted Sinhalese to vote for a change”
Does it affirm that oc is a Muslim three wheeler as someone claimed here?
/
Human Touch / March 10, 2025
Ajith
Please get over this lousy age old narrative of what had happened in the past as an excuse to continue holding on to your rigid belief that everything should remain exactly as it was at some point in history.
It is just an excuse to continue to hate the Sinhalese people and keep justifying all the stupid stuff your people also may have done to fuel some of the issues.
If everyone were to hold on to everything like you guys do then we will still be having England, Germany, France and the rest as enemies, there would be no European union, USA and UK would be enemies and so on, you get my point I hope.
Let us move forward without crying about the past like losers.
It should interest you to know that after Ranils 2 years of leadership, the divide and rule policy has been thrown in the bin and there is very good understanding between the different ethnic and religious groups presently.
/
deepthi silva / March 8, 2025
De Abrew, You must be an extra-terrestrial life form !
Ranil recently went to India to lecture. He said in 2050 India will be the world’s largest economy.
There must be more than one million top economists and study groups in India who are far more educated in such studies than this lawyer Ranil from Sri Lanka . His stupidity is such he says all kinds of things which others listen to because of politeness and he thinks he is a philosopher. Only guys like Hassan can bring him down. Sri Lankan media like Sunday Times are just promoting him ( family owned newspaper )
De Abrew you will make an ideal Editor for the Daily Mirror. Wijewardena will like it because they dont pay their staff well and you can be paid with space miles. Your account will be maintained by Mahendran the Singapore Banking giant !
/
Human Touch / March 10, 2025
deepthi silva
In case you don’t know, there was a popular theory by Hans Rosling was a Swedish physician, professor, and public speaker known for revolutionizing the way data is presented. He co-founded Gapminder, a foundation that developed the Trendalyzer software, which animated global statistics to show trends in health, wealth, and development over time.
In a very famous TED Talk he predicts that India would emerge as the number one economy of the world as per the past trends.
I think you should learn to open your brain and look at the world in a wider view.
Please check that TED talk.
/
deepthi silva / March 10, 2025
Human soft touch, You miss my point ! Even some one like you know that India will be number one economy in the world (When?)
Why get this great Statesman Ranil all the way to Delhi to hear that when Mr.Soft Touch would have easily said this on the Colombo Telegraph forum !
Has Ranil started dumping US dollars and buying Indian Rupees ? May be the great economist Mahendran is also doing it !
By the way there are many equally intelligent analyst saying India will never be an economic sper power
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deepthi silva / March 10, 2025
Super power .
And also that India can never take over China.
The Indian personality is not designed to be a super power.
Like OC, they can only be proud of their English, study at Oxford, play Cricket, get a Schengen Visa ( Leela) , use foul language ( Vedda,Touch Man) or become a CEO of an American company
/
SJ / March 10, 2025
“India can never take over China”
Was there any such plan?
/
deepthi silva / March 11, 2025
SJ, the master of small things ! I meant “over take ” !
Taking over China will be the end of Indians !
/
SJ / March 11, 2025
ds
Good that you realised at last what you has in mind.
It was not a typo for certain. It is poor language.
If you are not upset about it, why bother to analyse something which was not even suggested?
You can be pathetic without effort.
/
old codger / March 10, 2025
Deepthi,
“Has Ranil started dumping US dollars and buying Indian Rupees”
You are no great economist, so you wouldn’t know that the INR has appreciated 700% against the LKR since 1980. Check it out.
/
deepthi silva / March 11, 2025
OC the great economist !
You are going so low ! Comparing huge India to pathetic Sri Lanka to show off your economic knowledge !
Why not compare it with US dollars or Yuan ?
My point is if Ranil thinks India will be number one economy soon, will he not start hoarding Indian Rupees now ?
The conman knows it will never happen.
Ranil is no prophet , just like OC will never be a good economist , only a mediocrity among utter fools like Leela & SJ !
/
old codger / March 11, 2025
Deepthi,
“Comparing huge India to pathetic Sri Lanka to show off your economic knowledge !”
Will you please stop embarrassing yourself?
How come tiny Singapore has a stronger currency than Sri Lanka then?
“will he not start hoarding Indian Rupees now ?”
If you had hoarded Indian rupees in 2021, you would have a 80% gain today.
/
SJ / March 11, 2025
oc
She may start now and curse you because the IR is taking a downward slide right now.
/
SJ / March 11, 2025
ds
If mediocrities and fools effortlessly make an absolute ass of someone, that person cannot be bright by any standard.
/
whywhy / March 8, 2025
Ranil in that interview proved to the world that he is a comedian and
not a respectable and accountable politician to the country or to the
world . At one point Hasan had to remind him ‘ it is not funny.’ This man
Ranil was trying to make the whole show his Typical parliament drama .
Hasan punched him left and right , giving him no chance of escape route .
As usual Ranil played best arrogant man role . All credits go to Hasan .
Ranil was almost humiliated with questions regarding his traitorous
cooperation with Rajapakshas for his selfish ends . Aljazeera stood tall .
/
Human Touch / March 8, 2025
Dear Readers
I watched the entire interview with growing dismay, noting how Mehdi Hassan showed clear disrespect toward RW, to the extent that it bordered on outright insolence.
Nearly everyone in the audience seemed opposed to RW in some way, yet he skillfully avoided implicating himself and even managed to corner Mehdi Hassan at times. During these moments, Mehdi Hassan revealed his immaturity by reacting emotionally.
RW’s mission was complex and multifaceted, as he had to protect the nation while also defending the actions of our past leaders, ensuring that no vulnerabilities were exposed that could be exploited by the international community in the future.
This is a game RW has mastered, skillfully juggling and balancing multiple sides at once with remarkable finesse. RW leveraged this expertise to pull Sri Lanka out of its crisis within just two years, significantly reviving the economy in the process.
I doubt anyone else would have had the courage to face such a high-pressure interview and emerge unscathed as RW did. In the end, he went on to express his hope that future interviews would be conducted with greater professionalism and courtesy by the media.
And he was absolutely right…
/
old codger / March 9, 2025
HT.
“doubt anyone else would have had the courage to face such a high-pressure interview and emerge unscathed as RW did”
I agree with the first part of your statement. None of the cardboard heroes on our local scene would have gone near Mehdi Hasan, let alone be aware of who he was. But RW didn’t emerge unscathed, and had to take refuge in legalities like “that report wasn’t tabled in Parliament “.
/
Human Touch / March 9, 2025
OC
Yes I agree with your view, yes he hid behind the only thing he could hide behind. What else could he do?
For those who may not be familiar with what had happened in Batalanda I guess Ranils answer would suffice.
.
I must be honest, till date I have not been able to find any concrete evidence that RW was directly involved with the events at Batalanda except for the fact that he was a minister at that time.
.
Key Points from the Batalanda Commission Report:
Allegations of Involvement: The report suggested that Wickremesinghe, as a senior minister, may have had knowledge of or responsibility for the activities at Batalanda. However, there was no direct evidence proving his personal involvement in the abuses.
.
Criticism of Leadership: The commission criticized Wickremesinghe for failing to take action to prevent or stop the human rights violations that occurred under his watch. It highlighted a lack of oversight and accountability.
.
Political Context: The late 1980s were a turbulent period in Sri Lanka, marked by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) insurrection. The government at the time was accused of using extreme measures, including torture and extrajudicial killings, to suppress the rebellion.
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old codger / March 9, 2025
HT,
“The commission criticized Wickremesinghe for failing to take action to prevent or stop the human rights violations that occurred under his watch. “
I find that statement strange. RW was only a Minister. D.B. Wijetunga was the PM, and R. Premadasa was the President.
/
LankaScot / March 10, 2025
Hello Human Touch,
I am in the middle of reading the Batalanda Commision Report. I knew previously that Douglas Peiris was effectively the man in charge of Police Operations in Batalanda.
Here is part of his sworn Affadavit – “On or about 6th of June 1996, after having had discussions with Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, I was instructed to go abroad for an about 3 years on a forged passport prepared in the name of T. V. K. Wimalasena. This trip was arranged by one Gamini Abeyratne on the instructions of Dr. Rajitha Senaratne”
And after “Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe who had received the news of my intending return to Sri Lanka had summoned my son to the Office of the Leader of the Opposition and had informed him that arrangements are being made to send me for a job in Dubai.”. – https://archives.dailynews.lk/2004/03/25/new25.html
TBC
/
LankaScot / March 10, 2025
Continued
“Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe after having had discussions with my son had caused the preparation of a forged passport in the name of Don Victor Amarasinghe through Bodhi Ranasinghe, Milinda Moragoda and the UNP Organizer of Colombo Central Mahroof and caused the delivery of the said passport to me in Madras through one Hameed. I received instructions from Mr. Hameed to proceed to Dubai to obtain a job from Don Davood Ibrahim of Bombay who is a present resident in Dubai.”
“He revealed facts inter-alia the murder of the undermentioned committed by a group led by one Thadi Priyantha under the direction of Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe during the period 1989/90”.
The above was regarding the murder of R. Liyanage of Kelaniya.
Ranil’s innocence is beginning to look very suspect.
I will finish reading the Report and try to ascertain why Ranil (or whoever) didn’t want it presented to Parliament.
Best regards
/
old codger / March 11, 2025
LS,
Thadi Priyantha, aka C.A.Chandraaprema the journalist, was our representative at theUN in Geneva under Gota.
/
leelagemalli / March 9, 2025
Big thanks for comeback 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
/
leelagemalli / March 9, 2025
HT,
.
Welcome back to the CT forum, which is now filled with more AKD supporters and Anti-RW supporters. . HT, as always, you are absolutely right about RW’s interview.
.
What matters is not the pronunciation or anything else, but the message he wanted to convey to the world in his controversial 2-hour interview with Mehdi Hassan, who is known to be impatient in his usual interviews.
Also correct to say, he would not treat arabic counterparts in that same manner. This man is chosen to balance oil-rich stupid men dancing on the tune of them. Morgen would have been much better, if he invited Mr RW.
.
. As usual, RW handled it well (in fact, his earlier interview with DW was a big mistake on his part). He did not go around blaming the Rajapaksas or the Western world. Nor did he side with the pro-LTTE audience.
–
Tbd
/
leelagemalli / March 9, 2025
cont.
.
RW knows, as a few of us do, that the Sri Lankan idiots support the Rajapaksas even if they disagree with them. He knows that the Rajapaksas destroyed the UNP for their political masturbation, even though some are pointing fingers at him for being “set” to support the Rajapaksas.
–
Now again, it is paving the way, for the Rajapaksas’ next comeback these days. MaRa’s rude son is polishing the “Satakaya-Red Band” around his neck just like his father did.This is the trick of them pretending that they love Sinhala-buddhist dominated country.
–
In rural corners the island, foolish people are again seen bending down to lick Namal’s feet. Experts believe, if AKD would not be able to fulfil his pledges like a magical manner, Aragalaya-II would not be inevitable.
.
This is good old Sri Lanka where garbage eaters are in the majority. Like Garbage dumbs and its existence in Wanathamulla, people’s psyche would not evolve. That is in their genetics for some reasons.
–
Tbd
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leelagemalli / March 9, 2025
cont.
–
Nelson Mandela, Jaishankar and LKR had their own accents. However, their own people were not as critical as RW. That itself proves the abuse and false behavior of our own nation.
If asked to look at the moon, they will try to show you the deformity of the messenger’s fingers.
If you compare a large number YouTube videos (in English and Sinhala), most of them misinterpret the controversial interview RW had with Mehdi Hassan, without thinking broadly. That is unique nature of our TOTALLY STUPID people (irrespective of their race and religion).
.
In the limited time given, RW managed it completely and proved to the world, that Al Jazeera is creating new problems in countries like ours.
–
I have watched the video several times with great respect.Period !
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deepthi silva / March 9, 2025
Human Touch, you are so out of touch, even Leela man will not like your touch !
This Ranil your leader, did not win a single seat in parliament and came last in the Presidential elections( having become President with MR votes )
How did he become your leader ?
Why shouldn’t Sri Lankan leaders be subjected to ridicule when their performance has been so abysmal ?
Do you think these interviews are to fool the public or outwit the Hassan the presenter ? Ranil thinks so.
The people want the truth –Balalanda, Bond scam, UNP debacle, UNP Losing even Colombo, corruption, so called elite rule of old Royalists, one of the smallest economies of Asia , weakest passport etc from a man who has been at the top of the country hierarchy from 1977!
You have no touch and no right to claim a human touch.
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leelagemalli / March 9, 2025
HT, for God’s sake, please don’t take this crazy old lady (80years) seriously, she is an attention seeker as usual. She is always trying to be above (another mental patient similar to Ruchira).
–
I don’t really know what education she obtained, maybe we should pay attention. Her only hobby is something we know, which is “whipping her own ideas on CT to make her own comments stand out”. It seems like she is a good patient to Mulleriyawa or some other mental psychiatric from her behaviour. She dares to attack me, OC, LS, NV and all others for no good reasons. Perhaps not being able to join us with proper arguements. All we can do is to wish her a sooner recovery !
.
She recently came to us saying herself as an HNWI (High Net Wroth Individual). To save her soul, she had to do it. It is all about her fake-ego issue. Her archives of comments will guide you further.
–
This stupid woman thinks we are stupid to buy into everything she plays on CT. That is for sure valid for Rajapaksa’s fools including Lester, but not for us. This woman should better refrain from commenting if she does not possess the knowledge in some subjects. I believe, she has not returned to SL for ages. So how can she know srilanken issues/updates ?
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paragon / March 8, 2025
THIS AL-JAZEERA INTERVIEW IS NOT GOING TO MAKE ANY POLITICAL GOOD OR BAD FOR RANIL AS THIS INTERVIEW IS IN ENGLISH AS ONLY ABOUT 35 TO 40% IN SRILANAKA CAN UNDERSTAND INTERVIEWS IN ENGLISH.EVEN IF YOU RELEASE THE SINGALA TRANSLATION IT WILL NOT REFLECT THE CORRECT POSITION OF THE INTERVIEW TO ORDINARY RURAL SINGALA PUBLIC.
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leelagemalli / March 9, 2025
Paragon,
You may be right, but I think it’s not just language issue but also with class.
–
Ex: 1
Ramona has been living in the USA for ages, loving the current clown president, but she doesn’t have a language issue, look at how she judges the controversial interview
.
Ex: 2
Sinhala _man – a former English teacher, please read his notes on anything. He is like a brainwashed person by the NPP forever. It doesn’t matter what the NPP clowns do one by one. Imagine how he evaluates the interview.
–
Ex: 3
A man named Douglas, born in Unawatuna, where the JVP guys killed a large number (hotspot) of young people in 89-92, has the courage to expose the Batalanada, but not a single word against the daylight brutality of the Jamal Khashoggi style JVP guys.
–
This is how their mentality works. These people are really a shame to the Homo Sapiens species. That is why we are hanging from the “Tantalus torture” regarding our developments (human and other) in this country. Please see how that person rated the interview. ::::: This list does not stop…. This is good old Sri Lanka..
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Ajith / March 10, 2025
“THIS AL-JAZEERA INTERVIEW IS NOT GOING TO MAKE ANY POLITICAL GOOD OR BAD FOR RANIL”
This interview is not about about Ranil or Rajapaksa Family. The interview is about the Buddhist Sinhala governance since 1948 by both UNP and SLFP(SLPP). DSS, SWRD, JRJ, Rajapakasa, Ranil are the agents of Buddhist Sinhala Terrorism.
This island was fully never ruled by Buddhist Sinhalese until 1948. Unfortunately, they mislead the Sinhalese with racism and religious terrorism when they had the opportunity to govern this island as a whole.
Why they killed in 1958 armless innocents lived in the capital? When the people were killed Political and Religious leaders encouraged it. In other words, that brought the country to fail, not Ranil, It is Buddhist Sinhala failed. Since then they continued the same over the 77 years.
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SJ / March 10, 2025
This one sees only what he decides to see.
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Douglas / March 8, 2025
Please listen to the following link. This presentation is in Sinhala and presented to the audience in Sri Lanka.
https://youtu.be/Sp7iSe-lHMw?si=xy0g5wVDLMcbbC0s
I said in my comments, Ranil W unwittingly exposed the dirty politics and its systems that are operating in Sri Lanka. That was a bad lead down by an experienced (not in my opinion) politician.
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Ajith / March 10, 2025
“I said in my comments, Ranil W unwittingly exposed the dirty politics and its systems that are operating in Sri Lanka. That was a bad lead down by an experienced (not in my opinion) politician.”
Why it is bad lead down? Isn’t it a truth?
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chiv / March 11, 2025
Douglas, I feel exactly the same. Except for few many are upset that SHAM Lanka’s
dirty politics and it’s system are now thoroughly exposed. I believe Mehdi , did a good job, by taking Ranil back on time and then connecting the dots. If it was Mahinda he would have questioned from Aragalaya to all the way , diverting Tsunami funds or Mara’s SHAM role as human rights activist in Geneva. By this, the typical stereotype excuses provided by these fellows, become meaningless.
(LTTE, War, Covid, Bankruptcy ——-blah ——— blah)
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leelagemalli / March 9, 2025
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy. The key to maintaining the website as an inviting space is to focus on intelligent discussion of topics.
For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2
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leelagemalli / March 9, 2025
cont.
:
RW completed his work within 2.5 years and handed it over to AKD and their men whose experience and expertise are being loudly questioned today; lagging behind breaking all hopes of the peoples today.
–
Remember, AKD led murderers (there are enough reports about their 89-92 extra juidicial killings) came and boasted of their network of experts from all over the world but they have not taken a single step to implement the reforms needed to bring the country back on the right track.
Thanks to Mr RW, AKD and Prime Minister HA are today trying to hide their nakedness.
–
RW was very successful in his interview whatever our commentators and KADAMANDIYA style people would say against him. It is all about Sri Lankans and in front of an international forum.
He has once again defended Sri Lanka and the nation while all those who committed serious crimes should be investigated under the SO CALLED pure government of AKD. However, looking at their ridiculous performance over the last five months, if AKD will be successful at anything, it will be like “pigs might fly”… period.
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Guththila / March 9, 2025
A government minister who maintained his regular working office in the house next to the torture chambers could not possibly claim that he had no idea what was going in the next door building. After all this man was the minister responsible for youth affairs, and he could observe and sense that police and para military vehicles transporting young people to the building frequently. To deny that, he must be the biggest liar and crooked man that has ever held such an important office. Characters of Himmler & Goebbels integrated into this man’s personality, he along with Ravi Jayawardana must be the policy makers and chief executives of the program to liquidate so many innocent young people illegally. He must be taken to the courts to account for his actions, which he now claims as operations to protect the infamous UNP regime at the time.
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davidthegood / March 10, 2025
LankaScot, is what Velu did in Sri Lanka also called Genocide. If so, Velu helped Mulana murderers. Why not start here before going to Gaza.
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LankaScot / March 10, 2025
Hello DTG,
There is a difference between War Crimes and Genocide. Read the Convention
https://legal.un.org/avl/pdf/ha/cppcg/cppcg_ph_e.pdf
Genocide includes “acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group”
Your question is called “whataboutism”, a typical cop-out to evade answering a question, or evading an issue.
I ask the same question that I asked Lester. What do you call the current blockade of Humanitarian Aid into Gaza, by Israel and the complete cutting off of the Electrical Supply? Even Christians can express compassion for a suffering Population that includes non-combatant, Men, Women, Children and the Elderly. If the Pope can do it why can’t you?
Best regards
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SJ / March 10, 2025
LS
I said it before and I repeat it.
He is not a Christian at heart.
/
Lester / March 10, 2025
Scot,
“What do you call the current blockade of Humanitarian Aid into Gaza”
Here is one from the BBC: “Aid agencies have managed to store supplies, which means there is no immediate danger to the civilian population.”
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c70e6rye9nxo
It’s a smart move, actually. Let the aid in, halt the aid, let the aid in again, halt… eventually the Palestinians may decide aid is better than Hamas. Since Hamas is the only barrier to permanent aid, get rid of Hamas.
There is no genocide in Gaza. As your definition implies, intent/motivation must be there. Something along the sides of the former Yugoslavia, where young men and boys were herded to open pits and shot (on the basis of their ethnicity/religion). The large number of civilian casualties in Gaza falls under the category of “collateral damage.”
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Lester / March 10, 2025
*along the lines
/
Lester / March 10, 2025
Scot,
I predicted on this forum that the jihadis in Syria would massacre the Alawites and Christians, if Assad was removed. That is exactly what is happening now. But the important point is, Liezeera will not report on this massacre. They are hypocrites. Even you said you are glad Assad was removed. You fell for Al Jazeera’s propaganda, which covered the downfall of Assad in extensive detail. And the grand finale: Where is that bugger Mehdi Hassan and his condemnation of the ISIS government in Damascus?
I am not the one who “hates” Muslims, but you and your Sunni comrades are always silent when Shia are killed. The only exception is when Israel defends itself from terror attacks, then your kind starts doing somersaults.
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old codger / March 11, 2025
“But the important point is, Liezeera will not report on this massacre.”
I couldn’t find Liezeera for some reason , but this is from Al Jazeera:
https://youtu.be/F3EVrr1xc80?si=v4K5eROhUoWPJuTs
Here is Al Jazeera on an earlier massacre of Shias:
https://youtu.be/RmkNwZbZ-Ow?si=ALj5cQivDEI1Gyza
Pants down again.
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Lester / March 11, 2025
It seems Scot has no answer. Liezeera’s failure to call out the massacre of Shia & Christians proves my point. Liezeera is just playing both sides and lacks any credibility, not unlike Scot himself.
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old codger / March 11, 2025
Apparently the Nutless Liar of Eluvankulam cannot read.🤣🤣🤣
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LankaScot / March 11, 2025
Hello Lester,
Mehdi Hasan is a Shia Muslim, just in case you missed this from March 9th same topic “First of all Mehdi Hasan lives in the USA, he is a Hazara Shia Muslim. He was born in Swindon to Indian Muslim Parents from Hyderabad. He has dual Nationality US and UK. Here are his thoughts on how bad the Taliban are https://x.com/mehdirhasan/status/1426350189372137472?lang=en “
My next door neighbour in Doha al Jadeeda was a Shia Muslim (Iranian) as was my Landlord. There are many Shia in Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Eastern Province and the Emirates. Hezbollah is in the main Shia, perhaps you have forgotten? The Israelis assassinated their Leader Nasrallah, did you condemn this, no.
Now stop frothing at the mouth and calm down.
Best regards
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Lester / March 11, 2025
Scot,
You are asleep at the wheel, as usual.
“In May, when the prominent Doha-based Egyptian cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi issued his now-infamous condemnation of Shias as heretics and called on Muslims to join in holy war against them in Syria, Qatar’s own Shiite community also felt targeted.”
“In the troubled kingdom of Bahrain, where protests against the government occur with weekly regularity beyond the eye of most reporting, Saudi Arabia
has intervened militarily to protect the minority Sunnite kingdom against the grievances of a Shiite majority.”
https://ecfr.eu/archive/page/-/ECFR91_GULF_ANALYSIS_AW.pdf
Iraq is the best example. ISIS was created by the Sunnis after the Shiite’s took control of the government. Then there is Syria. The Arabs armed the various Sunni insurgent groups in a bid to overthrow Assad.
Your answer to all this is probably along the lines of “my neighbor next door was a Shia. He was never persecuted. Therefore, Sunni & Shia are the best of friends.”
Mehdi Hassan is a clown and a conman. As you can see in this thread, even your associate “Leela” was able to see through the *haze* long enough to condemn him. Al Jazeera is strongly biased against Sri Lanka, who knows why.
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LankaScot / March 11, 2025
Hello Lester,
I have never expressed support for the Current Syrian Government and I condemn all killing of Civilians or non-Combatants.
Speaking of which, do you condemn the Torture and Murders that occurred in Batalanda?
I have read the Report and I am pretty sure that Ranil not only knew about the Killings, but he also colluded in helping the Main Perpetrator in evading Justice. There is good Evidence of his involvement in a number of the Killings. Do you think this is significant? “Vincent Fernando, who served as Wickremesinghe’s bungalow caretaker, mysteriously died a few days before Wickremesinghe was to testify before the commission”. He had previously testified to the Commission.
I am sure more will come out when the Report is presented to Parliament, if it eventually happens.
Best regards
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Lester / March 11, 2025
I have not read the ” Batalanda Commision Report.” Unlike you, I cannot “condemn” something without actual investigation. The JVP were anarchists and terrorists operating in the shadows. Successful counterinsurgency requires extrajudicial measures. It’s a dirty business, but terrorists don’t care. Either you kill them first or they kill you.
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LankaScot / March 11, 2025
Hello Lester,
Some in CT have addressed you as “Lester the Jester”. I know you are not a believer in Human Rights and you think that you have the right to kill anyone you disagree with. However “The State has the obligation to promote and protect the right to life, and to prosecute the perpetrators” [of unlawful killings]
Extrajudicial executions are a violation of this right, designating the deliberate killing of an individual by a State agent (or with their consent) without a previous judgment.
The Vikings had a particular type of Soldier that would run amok killing everyone. They were called Berserkers.
So I would like to re-christen you “Lester the Berserker”.
Best regards
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Lester / March 12, 2025
” I condemn all killing of Civilians or non-Combatants.”
At the end of the day, you can’t be neutral when it comes to war. War is not about “human rights”, it is a historical phenomenon that is as old as human history. Those who claim to be “neutral” are deluding themselves. These days, there is an ongoing war against Sunni (Islamic) terrorism that every Westerner must be cognizant of. Asia and Africa are not entirely immune either.
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