28 March, 2024

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“When Devil Rules …”

By Ameer Ali

Dr. Ameer Ali

Pei aracandal pinam thinnum caththirankal (when devil rules scholarship eats cadavar), wrote the famous Tamil poet Bharathi, in his memorable Panchali Cabatham. He was referring to the silence of the learned at Dhuriyothana’s court, when the ruler’s brother Dhuchchathana dragged Pandavas’ wife Dhrawpatha by her hair to be stripped in front of everyone. It was Lord Krishna who protected her, which eventually became casus belli for the Battle of Dharma in Mahabaratha. 

When one witnesses the callous indifference towards and outright dismissal of scientific truths, recommended by expert virologists and epidemiologists on the permissibility of burying Corona infected dead bodies, by a regime controlled by a cabal of ultra-ethnonationalists, one is amazed at the relevance of Bharathi’s prophetic lines to the current situation in Sri Lanka. All that the Muslim community (and Christians for that matter) demanded, was to allow them to observe their scripturally implied religious and human right to bury their Corona infected victims. The world of science backs their demand, but the President, his Prime Minister and all but one of their ministers, whose positions and power depend on the backing of an anti-Muslim and anti-minorities supremacist cabal, are prepared to dump scientific truths and admit politically manufactured opinions to cremate all infected bodies.    

On the heels of the burial controversy came the destruction of Mullivaikkal student monument. In this regime, it appears that minorities do not even have the right to memorialize their lost ones. As a former Human Rights Commissioner asked, “Why do peoples’ loss, memories, pain, heartbreak & tears frighten you? Is it because you know that pain, tears and heartbreak are more powerful than weapons and force?”. The answer is simple. It is the same forces of ethnic hatred that burnt down the Jaffna library in 1981, which is now preventing Muslims from burying their Corona infected dead kith and kin and has also ordered the destruction of this monument. Knowledge is truth and monuments are reminders of truths. Both should be removed to allow darkness to prevail and the devil to rule.    

President Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa, in spite of proclaiming that he wanted to build a society based on virtuosity and discipline, is, in fact, structuring a society of permanent disunity, discrimination, injustice, fear and oppression. Nandasena’s true frame of mind was exposed when he addressed a crowd in Ampara a few days ago, where he reasserted his readiness to shoot anyone like a dog and drag the body as an exhibit, as he did to Prabakaran in 2009.  Let the grammar of statesmanship pass the final judgement on this president. In the end, that would be his, and along with him the regimes’, Waterloo. One of the ancient epics in Tamil, issues a timeless warning to abusers of power: araciyal pizhaiththorku aram koottakum, meaning dharma or justice would be the angel of death to those who misrule. On a material level, the Ottoman writer Kinalizade, conceptualized the importance of justice and good governance as follows:

“There is no ruler without an army; and there is no army without revenues; and there are no revenues without cultivation; and there is no cultivation without equity and good governance”.

The rosy economic picture presented by a state minster in the parliament, and his braggadocio of project-led economic growth are ignoring the ground realities of an imminent debt default, falling revenue, widening trade deficits, depreciating currency, and punishing cost of living. History has no evidence to show that a disunited society with a discriminatory public administration can ever prosper economically and enjoy peace. Nearly seventy years of communal hatred seems to have reached its climax under the present regime. Covid-19 only added to an already sick Sri Lanka debilitated by the cancerous communal virus.   

How to save this patient and prevent an impending calamity? The first thing to do is for the aggrieved, i.e., the Muslim minority at the moment, not to provide even a miniscule of opportunity to this regime, which is waiting to turn it into an excuse to become even more oppressive. Its aggressive stand against burial and enforcement of cremation, in the name of one-country-one-law, is to provoke an equally aggressive reaction from the Muslims, which would then be utilized to deflect the growing anti-regime discontent away from the rulers and towards Muslims. This is why it is totally irresponsible and dangerous for Muslim parliamentarians to raise their voice and speak emotionally in the legislature, particularly on the burial issue, because such speeches in turn bound to provoke unruly elements resort to extreme measures. The community has already suffered enough because of murderous behavior from such elements.

Some of these parliamentarians, who in the first place were a party to make GR what he is now with unrestricted autocratic powers, may now be trying to show a different face to their respective electorates to absolve themselves from that guilt. However, it is very clear that the government is not going to change its stance, and on the contrary, there may be more Muslim hurting measures under its sleeves, which would come to light soon. The one-country-one-law mantra will particularly hurt Muslims. An unprecedented degree of forbearance is therefore what the Muslim community needs at the moment.

The next step is for the Muslim intelligentsia and activists to join hands with a multi-ethnic and multi-lingual coalition of democratic forces in the country, and become its vanguard to bring about effective changes. Only in a democratic society under a leadership that guarantees equality of status to all communities and citizens, in matters of political, economic and cultural rights, that Muslims, Tamils and Burghers will enjoy peace and prosperity. Such a leadership has to come from the majority Sinhala Buddhists. That community’s historically famous image of tolerance and gregariousness has been hijacked by an intolerant gang of politicians and their hooligans that the country has lost its international reputation for democracy and its attendant liberty and freedom. It is heartening to hear however, numerous voices from this community that dare speaking out publicly and condemn what the current regime is doing in their name. These voices feel betrayed by the present rulers who promised prosperity and splendor but delivering misery and gloom.

To Muslims, the situation requires wholesale rejection of their current Muslim leadership, which sits on the fence, counting the odds of joining winning parties to advance the leaders’ own interests in the name of the community. This had been the sorry tale of Muslim politics since 1980s. Since that time, while the country was moving in one direction, and Muslim community, in the name of religious identity, was moving in another and thereby getting self-alienated, Muslim leadership in the background remained oblivious to these movements focusing singularly on the art of winning elections. That politics cannot continue any more, and that leadership has outlived its purpose. If the community wants a change for the better then it should seek partnership with those progressive forces that are striving to bring about fundamental changes to the constitution and art of government. Ethnicity, language and religion should play no role in choosing that partnership.  There is a growing generation of young and educated Muslims, who are looking out for a new direction just as their counterparts within the Sinhala and Tamil communities. 

Finally, there is an absolute need for behavioral changes among Muslims. The trend towards self-alienation in the name of identity must be reversed and the community should work towards re-integration with the rest of the communities. This does not mean giving up its religious and cultural uniqueness, but making them an integral part of the national mosaic. In other words, the time has come for undertaking serious internal reforms to avoid external threats. The task facing the Muslim intelligentsia today is to explain to Muslim masses the need for such changes and how to instrumentalize them through existing Muslim institutions.   

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Latest comments

  • 46
    5

    What happens in USA will happen in SL in 2024 but possibly with a different outcome. Gota will lose the 2024 election but he will refuse to go. His thugs will attack here and there and he will stick to power. If he leaves power he knows he is gone.

    • 27
      6

      Gatam,

      I dont think that we have to wait that longer. Either DIVINE forces or Thattama’s indispensable powers will release the nation from the clutch.

      No doubt, Thattamala (Sivuru Wearers calling them BUDDHIST MONKS) will I believe take the lead by coming to the streets in the days to come.
      :
      Suppression of MEDAMULANA CRIMINAL nature would not last long. Recent history taught them ENOUGH lessions.

      We know it from 2015. Those leaders who are branded as ” anti srilankens” will have the chance to return to power and see it forward. Right at the moment, if Ranil, Chandrika would have been part of GOVT, Europeans, Americans, Indians would undoubtedly join hand to help the people with vaccines.
      :
      Rajapakshes are only PRO-CHINESE tribal leaders, so no chance that they would get IC support on getting the PEOPLE vaccinated against COVID 19.

      Right at the moment, only wayout would be to relieve the nation from COVID threat. There RAJAPAKSHES have no chance.

      • 13
        3

        Please open your eyes and fight for a better future.
        .
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV19-wDKkfo

      • 3
        0

        Hopefully.

        But when one Rajapaksa goes another comes.

    • 13
      2

      Gatam
      Dept of health ,agri,police etc are slowly taking over by military he already convinced there is no more written circulars only the phone calls.this mad man is 20(20A)beyond Hitler or Gaddafi he has the power and blessings.its only one way street
      Even the monks has to carry bowls but T56 and released,now Vasu Hakkemm slowly when get to the top only realize how the pandemic is but not Kalli pannir nor pirrh nool

    • 18
      2

      GATAM,
      That is why he militarised everything and got every power. A few Foolish and opportunistic Muslims and Tamil politicians gave the two-third majority but now you will not get a chance in 2024.

    • 1
      1

      GATAM,
      Which method you used; Astrology or Anjanam Eliya?

  • 32
    2

    How can this country become a developed country when we have the leader of the Cabinet, the armed forces and the country threatening another MP for a statement made in the Parliament? How can the same AG’s Dept that filed action against MPs withdraw the cases against murderers and at the same time file a case against an MP who made statements in the Parliament and outside that the Judiciary is corrupt (as we all know that’s the truth) and send him to rigorous imprisonment for 4 years? How can the President who built a monument to his dead parents stealing money from the coffers of the Govt destroy a memorial for the dead in Mulaivaikald, an area which was claimed to be a protected zone by the Govt and then bombed by the same Govt? How can the judges who gave “nidos kota nidahas” for the same cases which they themselves gave judgement in the past as crimes? Then there are many more such incidents.
    All in all there is no decency, democracy, social justice, judicial independence, judicial honesty, but plenty of murders, rapes, abuses of power in Sri Lanka. This has become worst since Nandasena/Gotabaya became the President. He even has kicked his own elder brother who paved the way for him to become the President to the side and made him a rubber stamp.

    • 1
      2

      PART A
      .
      A wise article, and a wise comment from you, Buddhist1. We have to unitedly ask for sane and rational governance. It is indeed up to the majority community to ensure that we are not stampeded into supporting what is irrational.
      .
      We must support all those who try to be constructive . Those messages have to be got across to Sinhala only speakers, and I should like to emphasise to all readers here the rationality to be seen in these 12 minutes to which “leelagemali” has already led me.
      .
      I fear that many of us don’t pause long enough to understand that there is good Sinhala media which is consistent.
      .

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV19-wDKkfo

      .
      This may seem a strange thing to be doing, but what I’m doing is only to emphatically approve comments like the above, and links like what has already been provided. Common sense, not originality is the need now.

    • 3
      1

      PART B
      .
      The wisdom in the article lies in the call by Dr. Ameer Ali for Muslims to change certain aspects of their lives voluntarily and from within before communalists start agitations. There can be no doubt that forced cremations are not only unfair, but deliberately provocative. Please look at the overall World situation situation as admirably presented by Prof. Kumar David.
      .
      https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/an-uncharted-global-future-commences-in-2021-how-how-much-will-the-world-change/
      .
      We are one world, and we must not take from it more than what we can legitimately claim from it, and above all else, we must be grateful for what nature has given us, and humble enough to acknowledge that none of us knows everything. So, please try to understand the need for education, the need for limiting population growth by all of us. What is actually emphasised there is for gradual population reduction and for grabbing less of the resources that are to be found on this earth.

  • 26
    4

    Remove this comment if the mods think this is not relevant to the article/discussion; but I still get over the fact that this insecure weak voiced looser who’s trying to cover up what a weak pathetic man he is by acting tough is named ‘nandasena’ !!! Hahahahahaha.
    .
    This fellow sounds like he should be going to shops to buy some milk powder. Let’s see:
    .
    ‘ane somawathi, ara ‘nandasena’ ta mè kadeta gihin anker kiri packet ekak aragena enna kiyanna’
    .
    😂😂😂😂

  • 24
    2

    The DEVIL rules usually by masquerading itself as the saviour of Rata, Jathiya & Agama.

    • 1
      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

    • 6
      2

      The Buddhist monk who killed SWORD-B shouted Rata, Jathiya, Agama when he shot him. A confused lot!

      Buddhism and Buddhist monks set the stage for political assassinations in SL!!!

      Anyone surprised?

      • 3
        8

        GATAM,
        “The Buddhist monk who killed SWORD-B shouted Rata, Jathiya, Agama when he shot him.”
        —-
        Were you there when SWRD Bandaranayake was shot?
        ===
        Assassination of Bandaranayake was the work of Sinhala Catholic ‘Kalu Suddas’ who were losing their privileged status as a result of the policies of Bandaranayake. Some say Oh See Korea was the one who shot Bandaranayake. People have seen him running away from the scene. They tried to get rid of Mrs. Bandaranayake also but failed. These Christians very cleverly used Buddhist monks for their operation.

  • 0
    2

    Dr.Amie Ali . I am sure its a typo #.correction below

    pei arasandal pinam thinnum saaththirangal

    when the devil rules the law and the people will only have dead copse to eat

  • 5
    1

    Consequence of foolish voters bringing a untested candidate to be the president glorified by selected media. A man who was an army officer for 15 years and thereafter an IT tech (night time gas station cashier? ) whose responsibility was limited to maintain computer systems with absolutely no knowledge on other subjects. 69 Mn foolish and so called educated voters think that person with such a background could easily make the country another Singapore. Supporters brag about the beautification of Colombo. Any one can do with a help of good urban planner and with a blank cheque received from the treasury with no proper accountability and without hearing “Kolabata kiri apata kekiri”. The man is now under stress because of his inability perform and the time is running our very fast. What else can he do as he himself doesn’t have the intelligence to understand that he isn’t qualified for the role though he was boasting to the media during the unsuccessful 59 day government that “Api carala pennannam”

  • 2
    0

    This is how the Devil family is ruling:
    create a chaos out of nothing by demolishing a memorial inside Jaffna University campus. give it publicity in the state control media. pump TV coverage 24/7 make sure the 4 letter LTTE is associated. keep momentum on the issue with statements from Shevendra Silva, GLPieries.
    =========

    ========
    Prez make statement on LTTE Prabhakaran killed like to dog – keep the dead tiger alive.
    threaten Harin Fernando
    Namal Rajapakse fears for Harin Fernando’s life. He thinks he will be killed by enemies within SJB who will put the balme on his unlce.
    He appeals for extra police protection to Harin
    ====
    amongst all this The stage is set
    ====
    the case against Pillaiyan dropped —which goes unnoticed and and not news worthy for the state control media
    ====
    Ranjan Ramanayke sent to prisonn
    Harin’s fate – we will know soon
    ======
    Sri Lankan people continue to wags their tail like dogs and obey the Rajafakses
    if not the dogs will be slain and dragged on its four limbs to the nearest
    “nanthi kadal”

    Long live Sri Lankan dogs

  • 5
    14

    Crafty Muslim writers try to mislead readers by giving the impression that burial of dead bodies of Muslims is Allah’s instruction and WHO and experts say burial is ‘SAFE’.
    1. Holy Quran does not say dead bodies of Muslims ‘SHOULD’ be buried.
    2. WHO or other experts have not said burial of Corona infected dead bodies is ‘SAFE’. WHO Guidelines say “People who have died from COVID-19 can be buried or cremated according to local standards and family preferences. National and local regulations may determine how the remains should be handled and disposed.

    If someone says it is ‘SAFE’ his or her brain should be examined because no scientific research have been conducted to give such an undertaking. Health experts are still grappling to understand the behavior of this new virus. Some Sri Lankan experts have said burial is an option under very strict conditions but there is a risk which is minimal. This is also an assumption. I challenge Ameer Ali to show a scientific research that says burial of Corona infected dead bodies is 100% ‘SAFE.
    These dumbos who live in Stone Age insist that people in this country should give up ‘ZERO’ risk option and go for ‘MINIMAL RISK’ option because they demand (Ameer Ali says “All that the Muslim community (and Christians for that matter) demanded,”).

    • 6
      4

      How sad a typical extremist sinhala buddhist rat trying it’s best to lie and mislead people. You’re a liar. It is a clear instruction in all Monotheistic religions (Judeo-Christian and Islam) to bury the dead. It’s only the practice of devil/kaali amma worshippers to burn the body that is the property of God.
      .
      But let’s get to the important part. How can budda be God or devine when he didn’t even have knowledge of what he was eating let alone be ‘all knowing’ when he ate human flesh.
      -how can budda be devine when he couldn’t escape death ?
      – how can the concept of rebirth be true when such concept states that evil people are born as animals; yet over the past centruuies this world has seen mass murder and genocide on an unimaginable scale from the world wars etc but the population of humans has only increased !! Clearly another lie that is ‘rebirth’ that is easy to disprove.
      -there are many other obvious falsities when it comes to buddhism that is so easy for anyone who think to understand that buddhism is not a true religion.
      -what is the point of worshiping and idol that is unable to protect it self ??

  • 0
    3

    ACJU has said, in a reply to Kanapathipillai’s recent parliamentary narration of Koran’s requirement for burial of passed away Muslims, either 5 times prayer or Mecca trip are also not mentioned in Koran. The, at least, do the Muthlak is mentioned in Koran to divorce unwanted women?
    Stupid ACLU!

  • 3
    4

    There is a lot of discrimination going on in Sri Lanka right now.
    While jobless migrant workers are forced to pay for overpriced air tickets, PCR tests and quarantine on return, all politicians in Sri Lanka receive their salaries and perks in full.
    Workers’ pro-rate wages which are currently in place should also be applied to the President, PM, Ministers and MPs too. As politicians do not serve people directly due to the pandemic, it is very unfair for them to get full salaries.
    As the parliamentary sessions can easily be converted to virtual sittings and virtual committee meetings, until the pandemic is over, politicians should only be paid 50% of their salaries, allowances and pensions.
    The proposal by Justice Minister Ali Sabry to appoint 150 “out of work” Muslim lawyers as police inspectors will be another burden on the public coffers. Only a half-baked politician like Ali Sabry can make such ridiculous proposals in a pandemic. I wonder how much bribe he was given by unemployed Muslim lawyers to get a police job.

    • 3
      2

      Hi chimpi,
      .
      “Half baked politician like ali sabry” ?? Lol are you forgetting the half baked potato extremist sinhala buddhist (nandasena) he’s working for ?? XD
      .
      Seems like your problem is that the 150 are Muslims and not extremist sinhala buddhist ?? Yea, I am correctly aren’t I ? Your problem is that it isn’t your extremist sinhala buddhist buddies.

  • 4
    0

    A very good presentation Dr Ali. The name of a commoner as NANDASENA hurts
    him more as he mentally rests in the skies. Little by little he is moving in the direction he envisaged. It is up to Mahinda to step in at the correct time – which
    I hope will be sooner than later, as his health will decide.

  • 2
    0

    Lots educated people voted for him, thinking he will be able to put SL in order, cutting bureaucracy, business friendly and with less wastage of National Wealth. But he could not dissociate with all the corrupt or inappropriate actions of his older brother. Time for him to correct his ways and surround himself with good quality Advisers .
    Please stop activities that promote disharmony among the Sri Lankan.
    Please promote the expatriates to advance their expertises to make the motherland become prosperous

    • 0
      0

      Naman,
      :
      But you need to define it first ” who are educated” in current day srilanka. Is GMOA men are educated ? Are those that self proclaimed to be WIYATH MAGA are educated ? Are the judges educated enough to differentiate poltical revengeful acts from fair verdicts ? If they are educated, as nowhere else, convicted murderers would not have been invited to give oaths as ” people s representatives”. As no times before, srilankens judiciary has fallen to a level, one would not see words to describe their injustifiable actions. Why do they do so ? if they are educated ?
      .
      Wiyathmaga – has done nothing for the benefit of the masses so far. No palatable actions have been taken, even if SRILANKEN graduates are in that clan, self proclaiming that they would achieve lot.
      While entire world including, india, brazil, europe and other countries bury the COVID dead bodies but Wiyathmaga led CURRENT govt racially stand against the last wills of the muslim srilankens. Repeated requests from MUSLIM community are on a rise. Unhappiness about various issues the manner barbaric rulers act cause International community to raise their eyebrows. Mlechchathwaya is standing out day by day as no times in the past. Cleary going beyond the mlechcha levels of Mahinda Rajapkashes if one would take his brutal regime as the scale.

  • 1
    0

    Finally Ali says – “Finally, there is an absolute need for behavioral changes among Muslims. The trend towards self-alienation in the name of identity must be reversed and the community should work towards re-integration with the rest of the communities.””

    1. Change the dress code. (men wearing Afgan troucers and Niqab)
    2. Change MMDA and accept marrage age should be 18 like the rest of Sri Lanka.
    3. Stop Muslim only International schools and intergrade into normal schools.
    4. Let Girls dress normal like with only head scarf and play sports,
    5. Stop ACJU been stacked with Eastern Muslims – have diversity with Malays’ Moors, Sulfi’s and Bhora’s.
    6. Stop Madrassa’s only for childrean and have religious schools only for Sunday.
    7. learn to live co-mingled and don’t patronize only the Muslim establishments.
    8. Stop brining in Saudi, Qatar, Turkish foreigners to preach..

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