28 March, 2024

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Was The Presidential Election Free And Fair When Colombo Returning Officer Called Sajith Premadasa The Son Of A Donkey, Asks Prof. Hoole

Colombo Telegraph Interviews Prof. Ratnajeevan Hoole, Member, Election Commission, Sri Lanka: Free and Fair Elections?

Prof. Ratnajeevan Hoole

1. Comment on the just concluded 2019 Presidential Election. Many call it free and fair. Do you? 

It is the freest and fairest I have seen and am proud of the EC staff for that. But there is room for improvement and that space closes when everyone congratulates us despite the shortcomings. We are like the emperor without clothes, blind to our nudity.

Damaso G. Magbual of ANFREL: Election Violence is Normal Propaganda

The result accurately captured the real vote. Our staff is good at ensuring that the technicalities are right – timely opening of the polls, right counting, etc

Our monitors, excepting the European Community mission, assume incorrectly that observing the technicalities qualifies them to pronounce an election free and fair. I described the widespread pre-election violence and intimidation against Muslims to observer Damaso G. Magbual, Chairman of ANFREL, when he congratulated us on holding a free and fair election. He responded “That is not cheating. That is election propaganda.” Observers should not excuse abominable practices.

Elections were marred by a lot of pre-poll cheating. One, Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa‘s (GR’s) lawyer Ali Sabry, in a video with our complaints unit, tells Muslims that GR has practically won the election and Muslims must take ownership of the victory by voting for him, and if not, they will be smashed up. We lack the guts to prosecute the new President’s Counsel.

Two, Karuna Amman is caught on video saying Muslims need to be controlled and put down, GR is the man to do that, and that is why he is working with him. Further, when I passed on this complaint reported to me about this stirring of the communal pot, someone from either the Commission or the Police, told the press that I am the complainant – violating the privacy of complainants and spreading fake news.

Many, therefore, surely did not go to vote out of fear. But now because of the support that GR received from the Sinhalese, I am confident that, despite the atmosphere of fear created, the overall result was correct. That is why, although the elections were neither free nor fair the overall result was trustworthy. That is why I certified the result with my two colleagues.

2. The North-East polled for Mr. Sajith Premadasa in overwhelming numbers. The rest of the country for Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Pre-election, very ethnically divisive statements were made by responsible persons. Your comment.

The results show us to be a divided communalist country. “The intelligentsia in this country has collapsed. No one challenges this collapse. The courts are not standing up as they should,” says my brother Rajan. This is what the public thinks but dares not say.

3. GR’s dual was an issue that is still not resolved. The Election Commissioner said that he did not check national ID or passport of any document of the candidate but only took affidavits. Should the Commission  have shown a greater interest in upholding election laws?

Yes, but first, there is no Election Commissioner, no Head of Commission, no Chief of Commission. We are three members of whom one is Chairman. Calling the Chairman Commissioner undermines the Nineteenth Amendment, which is a good achievement of the outgoing administration.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Ali Sabry

Our Acts tie up our hands in being active. A while ago, I asked at the US embassy about GR’s citizenship and was told they could respond only to an official request from the Commission. I put it to the Commission, where my request was refused saying GR was not yet a candidate.

Subsequently GR, Ali Sabry, and another came uninvited to the Commission. Only the three members were present. Without our asking, GR placed on the desk a letter from the US embassy purporting to say his US citizenship had been relinquished, a cancelled US passport, and a Sri Lankan dual-citizenship certificate. My two fellow members handled the documents but briefly.  I noticed issues with dual citizenship that potentially make GR stateless. The Court of Appeal should have settled that issue.

A lot followed. Press friends said that Deshapriya had communicated to GR’s camp not to worry and that only I am a problem and he could handle it. I was disturbed because I thought he was putting my life in danger. I asked him in Mr. Abeysekere’s presence, and he denied it. Ali Sabry released a subsequent secretly recorded private conversation with Deshapriya. In that my name came up, and Deshapriya seems to confirm that citizenship documents had been given to us. If so, that was at another meeting.

I thought citizenship serious enough to raise on nominations day as an objection from me but was advised by my two colleagues and lawyer friends that others would object, and I should keep myself dissociated from such objections to examine those objections when they are filed. I was assured that typed up objections were circulating. However, no objections were raised.

The affidavit you refer to is a statement in the nomination paper that swears there are no impediments to the nominee’s candidature. That covers citizenship.

4. The chairman tried to punish state TV ITN for what he saw as partiality but claimed to have no authority over private media. Is this true? Can private media or any other institution not be restrained?

I think our guidelines need to be obeyed by all. Otherwise why issue them? I also believe we can ask TRC to withdraw the frequency license of errant broadcasters. We weakened ourselves when Deshapriya signed orders in the name of the Commission without our knowledge. I reliably know that in an interview Deshapriya has accused Mr. Abeysekere and me of leaving all the work to him. He is a workaholic and wants things done instantly even late at night. I do not see the hurry to jump the gun in our absence

I suspect this hurry is what led him to de-accredit the observer group CaFFE and issue orders to the ITN in the name of the Commission without our knowledge. When this came to light, he had to rescind both directives. The long-term damage is that when there is a real directive from the Commission as a whole, those not wishing to be bound by us ask “How do we know it really is from the Commission?” This has been part of the problem with controlling ITN. The private media say if you do not control ITN, do not try it with us.

There are other problems too. The frequencies are of high monetary value but are routinely renewed for a mere annual Rs. 1 lakh. They should be auctioned. Political patronage prevents those responsible from tackling this

5. Muslim voters going from Puttalam to Mannar were attacked and held against their will in Mannar until the evening, and some from Mullaitivu returning from Manna were stoned and were hospitalized with broken teeth. What happened?

Muslim voters going from Puttalam to Mannar were attacked

There was a focused attempt to keep Muslims from the polls. The law allows us to have special polling stations for those under threat, but my request was refused. I warned that Muslims would be attacked. I was ignored. Muslims going to vote were fired on. They persisted in voting. Returning they were held up. I found a few buses near Chettikulam, filled with crying children and scared, hungry passengers. I offered to escort them using my police guard. I was refused saying the police were holding them on the orders of the Chairman and Senior SP. The route I took through Tantrimale is too dangerous and required their escort said the police. I offered to go through Madawachchi. I emphasized they are a free people and could not be held up. They would leave at 5pm when 40 more buses turned up said the police. I said our people are always late. The police agreed to take them in 10 minutes and asked me to proceed. I did and learnt they took hours to leave and went through Madawachchi and were assaulted by Sinhalese mobs. It was punishment for voting.

It is sad we refused them special poll-stations despite the Act allowing us to do that. We promised them STF guard en route to the polls. Fat lot of good it did.

6.  You have spoken publicly of the dangers faced by Muslim voters. Why did the EC not arrange for them to vote in their places of resettlement?

It is the increased racism. Sad we ignored so many warnings and refused special polling stations as provided in law.

7. There has been concern that the EC does not possess the required IT capabilities.. What are the areas of the EC that need to be developed? 

A problem is the government salary-structure. Our scales do not allow the payments required.

But more pressing are our personnel and governance issues. The regional assistant and deputy commissioners have severe issues with the Chairman and had got a commitment from him to leave after the presidential election. He now wants to stay longer. I am told that about 4-5 key staffers from the Head Office will leave soon. What will that do to the General Election?

8. Social media was unrestrained even during the silence period. Should social media be controlled? 

There is a need but not by an outright ban, which would be a ban on free speech. 

We need to be serious first about punishments – practically nothing. So our laws and directives are freely flaunted. Our Government Agent and Returning Officer for Colombo has called Sajith Premadasa the son of a donkey and a lot more in his Facebook posts and we let it pass. When in our other 24 districts voters left out of our registers were often zero and rarely exceeding 5, in Colombo it was 2400 where minorities were deleted. Let’s put right first what we can and then worry about other important things. E.g., there is subtlety in our sending up Karuna Amman  for prosecution but not Sabry or Mahinda Rajapaksa for his atrocious claim on 80% of postal votes.

Colombo District Returning Officer Sunil Kannangara’s Unlawful Facebook Post

9. Can the EC make Sri Lanka more inclusive and respectful of different ethnicities? 

It is our responsibility. There can be no full and free franchise without equality. The Chairman rightly speaks of the need for national empathy for minorities. Yet I hear on Commission premises cruel jokes about Muslims being cheats who will vote again if allowed to return to Puttalam, of a particular Muslim staffer who drinks being a good Muslim, and so called jokes about a Muslim girl Faathima wearing a miniskirt being asked if she has changed her name to Fatima, a double-barreled shot at Christians as well. 

Our country is so racist and at once confident that we are liberal and modern that we need leadership from the top to dig our way out of this morass.

10. Do you wish to add anything? 

This time we computerized processing. It was done free for us by Lanka Software Foundation. While thanking them, I have several questions. We did not see the system with real data till 16.11.2019. LSF ran the system. Unknown people were in the control room. Who will pay for changes? The program is written in Python and we are not capable of taking over and examining if everything is as it should be. The Commission is yet to be informed of the mistakes. This is like our mistake at Wennapuwa from the Local Government Election where the extra candidate who was returned is yet to be removed and the country is yet to be told. 

A police sleuth fled to Switzerland after the elections. One lady on local terms at the Swiss embassy was arrested on Monday and released on Wednesday. 

I have received a message “Prof. Ratnajeevan Hoole, if you ruin my name, I will not be silent.”

Déjà vu? Free and Fair Elections?

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Latest comments

  • 41
    1

    It is apparent that everything is not ‘cut & dry’ at the Election Commission.
    There appear to be procedural flaws.
    Muslim voting appears to have been flawed, but not enough to change the final results.
    It is not clear as to which government entity oversees the Commission.
    But, the overall election result appear to be fairly representative of the national opinion.

    • 14
      14

      Dr. Hoole: Fact of the matter is the minorities, both Tamils and Muslims, and their corrupt and intellectually bankrupt leaders ae being used and manipulated by external parties to Weaponize religious and ethnic divides in Sri Lanka.
      This particularly in Mannar and the northern and Eastern province where the USA wants it military base and servicing hubs for which Lankan minorities are being used as Cat’s paw for the American Cold War / Dirty war in the Indian Ocean.
      Divide, Distract and Rule is the US Special Operations Forces (SOFA) project and that was why the Easter Carnage was staged to WEAPONIZE RELIGIOUS and ETHNIC IDENTITY POLITICS. Eastern Province where Trinco Harbour is of particular interest to the US-Saudi ISIS Caliphate for a US Navel Seals Hub.
      Get with the plot and be careful about feeding the ethnic and religious conflict narrative.

  • 20
    45

    There you go again. Clearly you weren’t around in 1988 when Premedasa unleashed unprecedented violence and so did the JVP. BLOODY rubbish by you. Did it occur to you, that people were sick of there being no compromise by Tamil Nationalists and how a bloody group with only 14 seats was made the opposition group?where were you then? Go read how Premedasa stole the election in 1988. Look at the abysmally low polling rates in the 10% to 20% range. You would have shit in your lunkett /amuday if you dared to speak out then or given the lamppost or tyre necklace treatment by that deranged lowly President who thought he was a King too.

    Sour grapes mate

    • 15
      11

      Were you one of them who unceremoniously mortgaged your beloved kith and kin to the low-class Buddhist monks. ?
      wait for a few moons to pass by, then I can assure you that you will have to indulge in marketing your good rotten self with all your beloved to keep the wolf away from the door.
      what will you do, I will come to your aid.
      cheers, R. J.

    • 35
      6

      Dhoby king,
      You look very civilised and cultured civilian. What an argument: Premadasa did, so Rajapakse did.and you ask what is wrong. Premadasa is a Sinhala Buddhist. Rajapakse is also Sinhala Buddhist. So both Sinhala Buddhist did the same abductions, murders, violence, rape, corruption, lamp posts and many other things that is your civilisation. I know there is long distance to you and the truth.

    • 11
      6

      Your comments portray the Sri lankan character, in a nut shell…
      The pot keeps calling the kettle black, and vice versa…

      As if Sinhala chauvinism didn’t drive the minorities into a corner.

      Sri Lankans suck!

  • 35
    10

    “I have received a message “Prof. Ratnajeevan Hoole, if you ruin my name, I will not be silent.”

    That is a death threat.

    Prof. Hoole,

    You must leave the country. The Whole Rajapakse family are not aware of civilized norms. Further they cannot stand civilized or clever folks. Complex.

    Take your family and leave. Now. The Sri Lanka you knew is no more and will never come back.

    • 15
      36

      Scum,
      “The Whole Rajapakse family are not aware of civilized norms.”

      If that is so why not all ‘Para’ Demalu and ‘Para’ Muslims leave the Land of Native Sinhalayo. Rajapakses will rule this country at least for another 20 years.

      • 23
        6

        Eagle, who the hell on this earth gave you the deeds of this country is for sinhala-buddhist only? Before you lion king landed here with sister who were living here? monkeys of your lion king? what the f..k you always call “Para Demalu”. when Praba was alive you all were shitting in your sarong (not pants). Stop your bull-shit “Para Demalu”.

        • 5
          22

          Before the Lion King arrived here there was Ravana, ie.., Ra j of the Vanni. The word Vanni means forest in Hela-Prakrit. Ravana was a Hela king and he was a a king of the people who lived in the forest area. After the lian king came, Hela became Sinhela.
          There were no Tamils here, or even in India (Bharath) at that time. According to the scholar Iruvathu Mahadevan, the Tamil Language came into being during the sangam period, i.e., from the 1st century BC to about the 3rd century AC. Prior to that there were many tribal Dravidian Languages in South India, then known as Thakkina Desha” as the land areas were south of the Vindya mountains.

          Don’t get fooled by the fake Tamil histories produced by Tamil Nationalists
          . Some of them even claim that Tamil existed even before Sumrian.

          • 4
            3

            Panini,
            Good that u assumed the real name. I do admire your expertise in English grammar but u’r knowledge in Indian history sounds very primitive. To start, I suggest to try with “The Wonder That Was India” by A L Basham (Sinhalese translation: Asirimath India; original English version is better).

            • 3
              2

              That was not by me. Please check gravatar.

              • 1
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                Please note my other gravatar – it is light green.

            • 1
              2

              D. P.,

              From the contents, you should have known that I wouldn’t write such racist drivel.
              .
              In any case, I don’t know Indian History well enough to comment on such matters. I have never heard of “Iruvathu Mahadevan” – a pity because I’m sure that must have been a great scholar. Whoever wrote that comment must be a highly educated guy, and who knows, his name may really be “Panini”. I have avoided falling into the trap of imagining that I’m the only person with that name. However, probably, the guy was trying to cause identity confusion with me.
              .
              I write only about what I know for certain. So, when I say that there is disgusting cheating on the Board of Governors of S. Thomas’, please take me seriously.
              .
              Sri Lankans have selfish concerns only about what concerns that particular individual.

              • 0
                1

                This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.

                For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2

                • 1
                  1

                  This “rajjeeva” guy seems to have said something about me! I can’t be sure, of course.
                  .
                  He’s been forced to keep three comments very short.
                  .
                  Another guy spouting racism? Thanks, CT.

          • 8
            1

            This is your mahavamsa crap that became into light after 1948. This crap twisted all the pre-existing history and became as low-IQ idiots history. Would you cite one of your current leading monks as a scholar other than reading mahavamsa or any other religious history or skilled in any other language. Can you cite one international library that cites this crap as worthy historical document? There is no fakeness in Tamil history. Can you cite one historical evidence, other than your crap, that Tamils were not here before your lion king landed here. Because your lion king was forced to flee his homeland and landed here, so your sinhala-buddhist are also illegals.

          • 0
            1

            This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.

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        • 4
          1

          velu Rasiah

          “Eagle, who the hell on this earth gave you the deeds of this country is for sinhala-buddhist only?”

          It was a massive land grab continued for the past 2000 years and continues to this day.

          • 2
            1

            Native Vedda,
            Who grabbed your lands? It was not by the Native Tamils, it was by the Britishers for the plantation (Tea, rubber etc). What has that go to do with the Native Tamils? After the Britishers left, the Tamil area lands in the East was grabbed by the successive sinhala governments and settled with sinhala criminals in the name of development. This has now going in the north in Mullaitivu, with the help of saffron robed thugs. Are aware of this?

      • 4
        2

        Eagle Blind Eye

        “Native Sinhalayo”

        There is no nativeness about Para Sinhalayo who are the converted descendants of Kallathonie Demelas. Just face it.

        ” Rajapakses will rule this country at least for another 20 years.”

        That is the fear that normal sane people are dreading.
        Do you recon brothers Mahinda and Gota live upto age 94 and 90 years respectively like their fellow tyrants Robert Mugabe (95), ……. ?

    • 10
      2

      Scum – The Rajafucksha mafia is showing its true colours with the appointment of NIMAL LANZA as a Deputy Minister!

    • 2
      0

      Scum,
      The message doesn’t sound like coming from Ra..kse clan; most likely, it is from MACO. This is an interesting development b’cos MACO was acting like the Saint of elections in SL.

    • 0
      0

      This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.

      For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2

    • 7
      1

      i agree with you.Now that the rajapakshes are back hoole is wasting his time here.For the sake of his family he should go to the west.It is not safe here for him.

      • 3
        1

        shankar

        “It is not safe here for him.”

        Can’t you persuade your mate the poster boy David Blacker to provide Hoole with the necessary security? You trusted him didn’t you?

    • 1
      0

      Scum, you are spilling the beans! Watch out.

  • 23
    2

    It appears that the ‘KNOWING PEOPLE’ do not want to speak or write about the Dual Citizenship matter.

    • 1
      24

      K.Anaga,
      We do not know why these ‘Para’ jokers want to keep on pulling this Dual Citizenship issue again and again. Gotabhaya Rajapakse is a son of Sinhale. Period!

      • 10
        1

        Son of an animal Lion!

      • 10
        1

        Eagle BLIND Eye – “Gotabhaya Rajapakse is a Son of Sinhale.” Do you mean SOB?

      • 5
        1

        Eagle, please stop your use of crap “para”. The dual citizenship issue has never been resolved by anyone, other your fake MaRa family, so it is an issue that has not been resolved. Who cares whether he is a son of sinhale or uncle sam. Period.

      • 4
        0

        Eagle Blind Eye

        “Gotabhaya Rajapakse is a son of Sinha le.”

        Then he should be caged in a zoo ot let loose in a jungle.
        Why have you let him roam in a city among the people?
        Is it because he is a tamed lion, tamed by his American ring masters?

      • 4
        0

        Eagle Blind Eye

        “Gotabhaya Rajapakse is a son of Sinha le.”

        Then he should be caged in a zoo ot let loose in a jungle.
        Why have you let him roam in a city among the people?
        Is it because he is a tamed lion, tamed by his American ring masters?

    • 0
      0

      k.anaga

      people made it clear that they are not interested in the dual citizenship.

    • 0
      1

      K. Anaga,
      .
      This is the guy
      who said that, “widespread pre-election violence and intimidation against Muslims is only election propaganda”.

      Damaso G. Magbual (Philippines)
      .
      https://anfrel.org/about-anfrel/board-of-directors/
      .
      Read about him there – quite a write-up and even his email address is there. I don’t think that CT will allow me to put it here, but you can get it from that website and ask him who got him to come here. Mahinda Deshapriya, or Gota himself?
      .
      Please don’t leave it to one or two fellows like Sinhala_Man to do all the ferretting.
      .
      Even as it is, why are the “other” 34 candidates not following up on what Hoole has revealed at great risk to his life.
      .
      I have sent a message to Dr Ajantha Perera. This is despite a leech having attacked me – seems to have dropped off having taken his fill! This is what happens to villagers like me.
      .
      You Colombians have no such problems! Start acting!!
      .
      What a sorry lot of candidates we’ve had. Just imagine, not one had asked, although they should have known why Chamal Rajapaksa was asked to stand by.
      .
      Amarasiri, what’s your estimate of candidate IQ?

  • 12
    3

    As far I am concerned the election was conducted in a truly democratic and peaceful manner.

    The SLPP frightened and cajoled the rotten vandals of the Sinhala Buddhist clan who on the orders of the mongrel clergy even after selling their sons, wives, and daughters cast their precious ballot to these f…….s useless buggers. Who has to be eradicated from this planet.

    They are supposed to revive the deceased economy to one one of surplus which will then be the envy of the world.

    How on earth are they going to offset the losses created by this ad hoc without thinking useless tax relief measures set in motion by uneducated uncouth clowns. ?

    The white vans have started their notorious activities even kidnapping an innocent lady a clerical employee of the peaceful Swiss Embassy. Luckily they through fear have released the hapless damsel.

    The tri forces have been given an open license to cull any mischief-makers and these every same goon who with their pants/panties down to their ankles who voted for their ape minissu should feel the pinch.

    Whom are they going to next plunder, rape and burn the assets of the innocent members of the minority community who unluckily come into their way?

    They this inefficient government, have to create a solid infrastructure plan/s especially regarding the upliftment of the peasants of this sinking cesspit of a bog which will never attain the status of the granary of the east which was till 1956.

    I applaud the American citizen of an illegal president a nothing but pompous kallathoni, he has kept to his word that his convoy will be only 4 vehicles and his car was one of them when he arrived at the airport to hoodwinks the Indian’s like what his elder brother who was a maestro of the bull shitting trade.

    • 3
      0

      Isn’t it a joke, Sri Lanka may be led by an American citizen (until we see proof), and decisions made by him may be at America’s direction? Gota’s supporters who disliked America, and accused it of interfering in our country, may now love it.

    • 3
      0

      rohan anthony

      “As far I am concerned the election was conducted in a truly democratic and peaceful manner.”

      how would you like to be shot at when you go to vote.Peaceful cos didn’t happen to you.

  • 14
    3

    CT,
    This revelation by Hoole is another strong proof that Ranil group of UNP (Wjira, Ravi, etc) did everything possible to destroy Sajith. Appointing independent commissions is an excellent idea but this revelation raises the question whether SL has enough highly professional public officials to make these institutions work according to the noble goals. I think that MACO must resign ASAP!

    • 0
      0

      Yes, I think that we’ve had enough of this clowning:
      .
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biJ5-l2C2IQ
      .
      He’s screwed this country well and truly. He announced his retirement/resignation about four days ago.
      .
      But beware, that was as Chairman of the Elections Commission. The general understanding seems to be that this Commission will get the Parliamentary elections also done, and then disband.

  • 28
    2

    To refer to a Presidential candidate as the son of a Donkey and that too by a Public servant in the capacity of a Returning officer is an index of our public service!
    Has it gone to the dogs or still worse has it allowed itself to be servile to a family with a notorious record?
    I admire Prof: Ratnajeevan for his forthright views.

  • 26
    0

    Be safe Prof.

    • 4
      10

      Sajith the son of a donkey was on 3 legs kicking , screaming and neighing long before the selection of a UNP Presidential candidate. He was adamant to be selected first . As we know there was no discussion among the UNPers , but this man put HIMSELF FOREWARD before even any discussion.
      Then the political wrangling took place whether it was to be the chameleon Ranil who was eager to be selected again and again. Ultimate agreement was made to this bolted donkey from the UNP.
      We witnessed the downfall of this man.Bad choice from the beginning. He himself to be blamed for his nose dive.

      • 4
        0

        What I meant was he should have waited to be chosen unanimously by his party. Instead when a horse had bolted the stable door gets shut. Poor chap.
        Hopes were shattered due to the mishandling of his party colleagues and the leader. There’s always a next time and he’s still young. Wish him the best for his future.
        Hither and Thither had not helped at the end.

        • 0
          1

          Dear Analyst,
          .
          This should not be about Sajith; this is about why you and I are taking all this lying down.
          .
          You speak now to people who have voted. They just say they vote for one person, preferably for the person who seems to be winning.
          .
          Commenters like the notorious Soma will ask me whether I don’t practice democracy. This is the problem: the votes of dolts who don’t bother to find out what the issues are, get the same weight as mine does, after all the trouble I took to find out what was happening. I attended Ajantha Perera’s First meeting and Anura Kumara’s last – in Maharagama.
          .
          I telephoned the local JVP guy – good fellow, it is true. He said that they always knew it was going to be a two-horse race. Don’t human beings have intelligence?
          .

          Not much in evidence!

      • 0
        0

        The Rajapaksas are sons of a monkey, and not only look like one but are up to their monkey tricks too.

    • 13
      0

      Countries are lead by mad people.
      Already , after the election, one Tamil Canadian abducted and murdered in Colombo, one swiss embassy staff abducted.

    • 9
      1

      When I saw almost this identical article online last morning on the “Daily Mirror” this was my first thought as well, Anpu.
      .
      I think that Prof. Hoole understands the risks but he’s taken them on behalf of us. I’ve been up all night doing some other things. I will have more to say after I get myself some sleep. Let that follow the proper sequence.
      .
      Thank you, Professor Hoole.

  • 6
    23

    Some guys are trying to make a big issue using the voting pattern of majority Sinhalayo and minority Demalu and Muslims. They want to show that there is a clear division between the majority Sinhalayo and minorities and that it is a major challenge faced by President Gotabhaya Rajapakse. This is rubbish.
    My view is that this is an artificial situation created by Wellala elite politicians and Muslim extremist politicians for their political survival. These guys knew very well that they are better off with a UNP Government under Sajith. They also thought that, based on past experiences, they can be the King Makers and demand various things from a Government under Sajith. In order to achieve that they created a monster out of Gotabhaya and depicted him as an anti-Demala and anti-Muslim person. As a result of this Gota-Bhaya (Fear) created among Demalu and Muslims, a large majority voted for Sajith. The message conveyed by TNA that they want to defeat Sinhalayo in the South also could have appealed to Demalu who got defeated at Nandikadal.

    In case of Sinhala voters ‘Sinhala Buddhist’ was not the crucial factor. If that was a crucial factor they could have voted for the monk. For Sinhalayo, the crucial factor was security arising from the threat from Demala and Muslim terrorists and convinced that Gotabhaya is a better person to deal with this issue than Sajith. After all, both of them are Sinhala Buddhists.

    • 0
      1

      IN 2015 MR ot 24-25% of the Minority vote. This time MR got 18% of the vote in spite of all the attempt make a Goni-Billa out of him

    • 3
      0

      Eagle Eye: Your ethnic bias is evident as you rarely criticise the Goigama politicians, but always Vellala politicians. What is your hatred against the latter. Because of this your contribution is not convincing.

    • 3
      0

      Eagle, what is your security threat ? The tigers are no more there, your MaRa clan have accepted this, the muslim extremism was fathered by your MaRa clan, what security shit your are talking about? This security threat was imposed on the low-IQ sinhala-buddhist by MaRa clan. If not for the April bombings, that was the brain child of your MaRa clan and the cunning fox Ranil’s selfishness Gota wouldn’t have won the election. Uncle sam also helped in keeping silent about Gota’s US citizenship to keep him in a tight leash.

  • 20
    2

    Elections Commission Deshapriya should be impeached as he has not taken proper action to verify the validity of US Citizenship withdrawal.

    • 2
      1

      A court has already done that, and two NGO types have appealed to the SC. The matter is outside the EC’s mandate.

  • 6
    0

    Here , we are talking about S L P P that formed a government on the 26 Oct
    last year that was judged by the courts in the country as unlawful and the
    act of My3 was illegal ! What was the action from U N P’s good governance ?
    The mileage of chasing away the unlawful government was not successfully
    exploited at the election . The importance of Gota to eliminate Muslim terror
    was allowed to take centre stage instead and Ranil dodged going South to seek
    support for Sajith . His nomination itself was staged as a theatrical drama .
    Within the party , Ranil always staged dramas for survival and this one was
    a blockbuster to his false enemy Rajapaksha ! Ranil , I would say , nothing better
    than a Pettah pavement hawker in politics . I don’t think Sajith is any better
    either . If there’s anyone rejoicing about the plight of both the U N P and S L F P
    and S L P P , it is V P in the grave yard ! He might be rolling of joy in the grave
    about his days in Heaven !

  • 0
    1

    This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.

    For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2

  • 21
    0

    Whatever flaws or shortcomings Prof. Hoole may have, he is true to himself and impressively bold. I pray for his well-being.

  • 9
    3

    This Presidential Election was fixed in style with American help. I believe the Commissioner and most of the staff was paid handsomely for their help for Gota to pull through. Commissioner would have been looked after as he made an open statement that to check Gota’s Citizenship was not his responsibility. Then whose is it? Besides India to announce much before that Gota had won with over a 1.4 mil margin, before it was Officially announced here was the Cart before the Horse situation.

  • 4
    12

    This biased, People voted GR, All of these may amount be few thousands or less. Majority over 1.3m, How you justify buses for people in Puttalam to go to Mannar, Wrong, Voters should be Manar if they registered, Need investigation,
    Lets GR give strength to GR to bring country forward with tackling,

  • 2
    1

    Bottom line for CT , the majority of the “vidvaths” here and Prof R pHoole etc is-
    “Gota won – how come? -It surely is unfair! Only Sinhala Buddhists voted him- the bloody racists!
    How can one win only on Sinhala Buddhist votes? – Its never been done ! UNFAIR!”

    ?

    • 2
      0

      Dear Chethiyasena,
      .
      The President is chosen if he gets sufficient votes from registered citizens. In this country citizens, and only citizens are allowed to vote. They can vote even if they are dual citizens. However, they cannot contest either the Parliamentary Elections or the Presidency if they are either dual citizens or stateless persons.
      .
      Geetha Kumarasinghe was thrown out of Parliament because she was a dual citizen – of Sri Lanka and Switzerland, or was it the case that she was a citizen of Switzerland only? Be that as it may, the story about an employee of the Swiss Embassy being harassed, which appeared after this story, has got more comments by now, than this story which is far more important. The current score is 102 to 88. So, even the readers are barking up the wrong tree. And now you bring in a quite unnecessary angle to this.
      .
      The question is whether this guy who contested and got elected was a citizen of America only, a dual citizen, or was he stateless at the time of nomination?
      .
      Fair or unfair? I’d rather we talked about healthy and unhealthy. Of course it would be healthiest if the candidate who won did so with the genuine, spontaneous and unstinted support of all communities.
      .
      I live in Sri Lanka and I have never considered becoming a citizen of any other country. I’m an old man now, and I know that there is a lot of racism in this country. Let us, therefore, join together and counter all the things that divide one human being from another.
      .

  • 5
    5

    How misleading , I mean the Headline ..!.
    Colombo Inhabitants thrashed Nandasena 7 to 3 in Tennis Parlance which MahaAryawa must be happy about …

    What a fab result for Galleon Ravi and his loyal followers in whole of Colombo, although Galleon initially had doubts about Keselwatta Kid’s OLs…
    Still this Commission Member is not happy..

    Dr Hoole has preempted a beautiful array of bullet proof evidence which Upul and J C Weliyamuna could have used to null this Election.

    Any way my Elders tell me Minister Bathudeen paid for 300 CTB Buses to take those two thousand Muslims from Puttalam to Mannar.
    So how can a Joke about a Faathima wearing a Mini Skirt dent that sort of determination , commitment and power the Bathudeens and Hakeems exercised in this Election to prevent a Sinhala Buddhist becoming the President.

    Then we saw Dentist Rajitha producing the White Van Driver and the LTTE Gold Courier to Colombo Media on the eve of the Election.
    But Dr Hoole hasn’t mentioned it here-

    Then we had Mr Abraham and his mates telling the North East Thamilians not to vote for a Sinhala Buddhist, but only for Keselwatta Kid.
    And the poor Jaffan Universal Franchise holders crossed the EAGLE , because they thought it was same as the SWAN.
    And Dr Hoole hasn’t mentioned even one word here about the Thamil Vote which thrashed Nandasena by 8 to 2..

    Anyway , more interesting is the TV interview I just watched from the OIC Narahenpita,
    Poor Guy was behind Bars for 10 Months because he didn’t Rat on Nandasena under severe interrogation by GID Boss DIG Shani. and two others whose names I can’t remember at the moment.

    Will this Professor who seems to have had a really hard time to protect the interests of the poor Under Dog Keselwatta Kid and his Muslim supporters now resign and lead a Court Battle to oust Nandasena?..

    • 3
      2

      KA Sumane,

      Looks like Dr Hoole is also bias?

      As Citizens we have to work hard and do our best to make a honest living.

      Don’t rely on politicians to take care of us.

      And please don’t refer to Sajith as Keslwatta Kid

      consider – ”the young man from central Colombo”

  • 6
    0

    Whether anyone voted GR or not, the figures are amazing and astonishing. Hats off to whoever did this miracle especially to a non Citizen. I welcome and admire Sri Lanka for its wonderful capabilities.

  • 7
    14

    Here goes Hoole again. Silly as ever.

  • 5
    0

    In spite of minor Violations the election result is clear

    more than 50% voted for Gota

    Now it is the responsibility of Mr G to win the next war

    That is

    Peace, justice and fair play

    respect to all

    respect to the law of the land

    Steer the country out of this shit hole!!!!

  • 7
    0

    Foremost rule while accepting the application for Contesting for President’s post is the verification of Citizenship as per the constituion. It appears EC failed with regard to this checking. When there were so much doubt about Gotabay, EC should have checked with American High Commission stating the constituion. If the reply from the HC is ” it can be given only to the person who applied for relinquishing the Citizenship next question EX should have asked: How long the process takes to approve relinquishing citizenship’? if the reply is more than six months as it has to go through various departments Thi period should be more than months between April and Nomination day that proves the applicant has not completed the process of renunciation. Why EC failed to speak to HC and make sure the process of renunciation was not completed. The cat would have been out of the bag. Gotabya cannot contest during the period the renunciation process was going on. If at one stae if the exact date of renunciation is known thane the President will be deep trouble legaly . Truith will come to light one day and will cause shame yto the country

  • 1
    3

    Don’t worry you have only a little time to wait !

    Under its great leader Ranil , the UNP is analysing and reorganising ! ! !

    • 1
      1

      Is that sarcasm, kolla.?
      .
      Beware it is often missed in this land where intelligence appears to be abysmally low.
      .
      I must put down some other information about how thorough Prof. Hoole was when he was an observer in the Maldives Presidential Elections last year.
      .
      There were only two contestants, compared with our 35. A much better result there, although the most popular politician in that country wasn’t contesting.
      .
      See how things are going there now:
      .
      https://raajje.mv/66853
      .
      Air-conditioned prison cell for former President. But prison it is!

  • 0
    8

    In this world of infinite problems and imperfect solutions what Prof Hoole trying to raise is spec of dust in a galaxy.
    It was a near perfect exercise.
    We want to congratulate him on his good work but the man himself is running away.

    Soma

  • 9
    0

    Dear Eagle Eye,

    I see that you are living the Buddhist values of Karuna, Metta, Ahimsa, etc. Your words are surely a shining example of how a true Buddhist should behave. No doubt when you sit piously and chant “May all beings be well and happy”, in your heart what you mean is “May all Sinhala Buddhists be well and happy”. What a vile, abominable corruption of the values of Buddhism….you are a true disgrace to the religion you profess to follow.

    But never mind, the laws of karma will follow you…I’m sure that by the laws of rebirth, many of your dear loved ones who have passed on are now reborn among the “para demalu” and “para Muslim” so when you spew your racist hate at them that might be your dear Amma or Thaatha or Archchi or Seeya. Adding to your stock of karma, dear Eagle Eye.

    And when your time comes to leave your present life, you can be sure that by the laws of karma you will be reborn among the “para demalu” or the “para Muslim” so that you can experience hate and discrimination for yourself….many more such lives await you in your Sanskrit journey. You will not be reborn a Sinhala Buddhist, that’s for sure!!!

    Fun times ahead, dear Eagle Eye!

    Sending you metta!

    • 0
      0

      Sansaric

    • 1
      1

      Shiron
      They are the victims of their own,they have only two in Common they carry the surnames then elianated Buddhist so called sinhala Buddhist.
      If you are a Christian you are Christian,if you are a hindu,or of ypu are a Muslim then your Relegation is that,they are not by languge wise,but principle are same regardless.
      Here WE are seeing champions of Buddha,
      Just burn down the library,then pasta factory ,
      But WE minorities are capable to Look after our community,who ever comes IT dosent make any difference AT all.
      We have seen how these yellow robes Going in to the Premisses of muslims shpos and tell the shoppers not to buy IT from them!
      Budhu saranai
      White vans are out again,400 police officers were cleared the plastics on the beach from kollupitiya to wellawatta,relief for the CMC workers.
      Given the warning
      Many more gems to comes to Ruwanvellisaya!

    • 0
      0

      Eagle Eye,
      Please read the history of Tamils in Sri Lanka:-

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lankan_Tamils

  • 1
    1

    Can the good professor explain why he went to the US embassy to check GR’s residency status since he is not authorised to do that ?
    US told him to put the request via official channels and he was quiet after that.
    [edited out]

  • 7
    3

    Lord Buddha could not educate the Sinhalese for over 25 centuries, how can Jesus or Prophet Mohamed educate these idiots? These are tailless hanumanns.

  • 6
    0

    “I thought citizenship serious enough to raise on nominations day as an objection from me but was advised by my two colleagues and lawyer friends that others would object, and I should keep myself dissociated from such objections to examine those objections when they are filed. I was assured that typed up objections were circulating. However, no objections were raised.”
    That part sounds pretty naive for someone who knows how things happen in the Elections Commission and elsewhere.
    I do not blame Hoole even if it was not naivete on his part. there is enough to suggest that he felt threatened.

    • 1
      0

      Thanks, SJ.
      .
      This sounds a very sincere comment.
      I’m glad that you’ve been able to put aside your quarrels with Prof. Jeevan Hoole and recognise how much courage he has displayed here – for us!
      .
      Many thanks, you two Jaffna Professors. What you are doing is for the entire country. We all want the system cleaned up.
      .
      I seriously mean this: although there are people in these comments who are staunchly defending Gota, the truth is that most voters were sick of the corruption and voted the way they did, for both Gota and Sajith without giving it much thought.
      .
      If the situation that may now arise is handled intelligently by us – who really want neither Sajith nor Gota (nor Ranil, nor My3) – something may emerge from all this. What I find difficult to pardon is, why not a single Alternative Candidate explored the possibilities held out by Preferential Voting.
      .
      Why didn’t they canvass for votes by telling the “kapuwath nil”, “kapuwath kola” fellows to put their guy at number 2 or 3, and give an Alternative the FIRST Preference?

  • 5
    1

    dear citizens,

    Pro, R. Hoole expressed the reality with evidences(with names too). We must develop the election system much as possible to correctness result and free & fair.
    Please don’t criticized this educated person. He is try to open us unfolded truth..
    We must get the positive manner and make react according.
    I vehemently said”treat must not stop the truth”
    Thanks Prof. Hoole.

  • 3
    1

    This is the really serious comment that I’m making.
    .
    The people who have really let us down are Mahinda Deshapriya and the Foreign Observers.
    .
    This is the report Hoole wrote when he was a Foreign Observer in the Maldives Presidential Elections in September 2018.
    .
    https://www.colombotelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Report-of-the-Sri-Lankan-Observer-Mission-to-the-Maldivian-Presidential-Election-of-23-Sept.-2018.pdf
    .
    The Elections had already been rigged. However, that rigging was rendered unsuccessful – find out how. Hoole seems to have reaped no benefit from the good he had done. Could some other commenter please carefully go through this article, and its comments, and tell me what had happened.
    .
    https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/the-maldivian-parliamentary-elections-2019-where-a-happy-result-can-be-predicted/
    .
    I’ll be back tomorrow.
    .
    Sinhala_Man aka Panini Edirisinhe

  • 3
    0

    I don’t believe the Election Commission is transparent,
    EC did not publish the list
    Of recognized political parties
    Before the date of accepting
    Nominations, as citizen of Sri Lanka
    We did not the know the full list
    Of Recognised parties on the Nomination day??why??
    EC was hiding important documents from public to favour
    Some?? This was open secret?
    Shameful!!

    • 0
      0

      Thanks, Sunjay.
      .
      You have clearly and unambiguously laid the blame in the correct place. Whether we will succeed in correcting this, I don’t know, but we must at least try.
      .
      We must protest at this outrage!

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