22 June, 2026

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Who Is Misleading Muttiah Muralitharan?

By S. Sivathasan

S.Sivathasan

S.Sivathasan

The interview given by Muralidaran to Channel 4, has rustled many a feather. Words apart, is the ease with which he has fallen a victim to the orchestration of the powers that be. Without remorse a whole community has been slandered as being without sense or any sensibility. This has earned him the wrath of everyone, severely affected by the government onslaught, not for days or months or years but for decades.

Having accompanied the UK Prime Minister and being in Jaffna for a few hours, he ventures to set aside all the considered representations of the most responsible spokesmen of the Tamil Community. Who were they? The Chief Minister and political leaders. In one sweep he trashes the agonizing words of the grief stricken mothers and says “these people also can mislead things”. What does Miller say? “Women pleading about the whereabouts of their loved ones, who are still missing”. Miller sees “The distress of these women crying. The unresolved disappearance of their loved ones”. Murali queries nonchalantly “Because of 20 0r 30 mothers crying to me, that means that is the truth”?

So much has he got tethered to the government, he treats the British Prime Minister as trifle. Tell him anything and he will believe. Muralidaran was telling reporters so, says Miller. When pressed he says yes, he was misled. Can a credulous charlatan ever go near Downing Street? He also suggests “anything could happen. So we also doesn’t know the answers”. If it is unknowable, why talk?

The following is a transcript of excerpts from an interview that Jon Snow of Channel 4 had with Muthiah Muralidaran.

Prelude

Prime Minister David Cameron visits the Colombo Cricket Club. After a few doosras by Murali, Cameron, Miller and Murali walk into a group of boys and girls, purported to be players. Miller says, these young cricketers are drawn from across Sri Lanka. Then he identifies one row seated in pre- arranged order by ethnicity and religion. What we have here – Tamil, Sinhala, Sinhala, Tamil, Sinhala, Muslim (a girl), Tamil, Tamil! Murali affirms

Interview

Jon Snow ( JS) Muralidaran had a few things to say about current issues. He was telling reporters that Mr. Cameron was being misled about the condition of Tamils living in the North. …..

JS  He (Muralidaran) says that David Cameron is being misled. I went to talk to him further. Muralidaran was in Jaffna with Mr. Cameron. We were besieged by women with letters, pleading about the whereabouts of their loved ones, who are still missing. You think Mr. Cameron was misled?

MM  War is a two side battle. Anything could happen. So we also doesn’t know the answers for that. Something nobody will find out. Mothers they coming and crying to you.

JS  You think he was misled?

MM  What do you mean he was misled?

JS that is what you felt

MM  YES IT IS MISLED. (MM’s emphasis by raising his eyebrows and tone)

MM  He never came to Jaffna. He never came to Sri Lanka. I don’t know because whether he has come in his younger days. He never came to. He is being told by other people what is happening and what is happening and that is why he wants to go and see Jaffna. Because of twenty thirty mothers coming crying to me, that means that is the truth? You don’t know. Because these people also can mislead things. So it is the truth, very difficult to find. ….

In conclusion Muralidaran said why should we think of the past. Let us talk about the future. He alluded to the loss he suffered in 1977 and how he was able to rebuild.

This statement too has caused ripples. One person’s loss can never match a community’s. A day’s suffering and decades old are not comparable. Collective memory is not erased with the same ease as that of an individual.

Farmers and Cricketers

DS Senanayake, the first Prime Minister of Ceylon was known for his cunning ways. In the late forties he wanted to take Lord Soulbury, the Governor General for a right royal ride. He wanted to impress upon him, how learned even the country’s farmers were. So he took the GG for a drive from Colombo to Kandy, in the same vehicle. At Kegalle as per prior arrangement, the car stopped at the appointed spot. DS clapped his hands and beckoned a farmer tilling his field and clothed in mud to come. He came and DS said GG would like to speak to you. You can speak in Sinhala and I will translate. The farmer said he knew English and spoke to him in fluent English about his genealogy and relatives. GG was greatly impressed. The ‘farmer’ was Sir Edwin Wijeyaratne.

For a nation nurtured in such a culture, composing a purpose built, multi ethnic cricket team comes all too naturally.

Latest comments

  • 0
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    In a “war” there are two sides. In this war one side was the Sri Lankan military forces. The other side were the terrorists. When a Sri Lankan soldier is killed in action and the body is unable to be recovered, he/she is listed as “missing in action”.

    On the terrorists side when a so called “freedom fighter” is killed and the body is unable to be recovered, he/she has “disappeared”.

    The soldiers ‘missing in action” have mothers – they are resigned to the fact that their sons/daughters gave their life to protect their country. The terrorists also have mothers. They parade the streets saying their sons/daughters have disappeared!

  • 0
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    Murali has more dignity than Tamils who coming begging with white flags.

    Shameless junk. Just desserts!!

    • 0
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      Fathima Fukushima the scum has spoken again.

    • 0
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      More dignity? Perhaps more than Kamalesh Sharma and Uncle Jayasuriya.
      Or more than Gotabaya and Basil.
      Certainly not more than the Real Tamils.
      Tamils wont betray their sould for money.
      Murali, Aswar, Gandasara all are same. Degrading and Damaging their own kind.
      Shame on you chucker!
      After all you lying thru your teeth.

    • 0
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      Perhaps , Whites’ flags too….

      • 0
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        K.A Sumanasekera

        “Perhaps , Whites’ flags too….”

        Were you carrying one when MR signed the Terms and conditions of surrender, becoming a white British colony?

    • 0
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      True. Not only that no LTTE moron used the cynide capsule.

      Later the same Tamils voted to gen.Fonseka who crushed the LTTE and openly said Tamils are second class.

      These tamils have no moral rights to bark at murali!

    • 0
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      fathima but murali is a tamil, so is karuna

    • 0
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      Fathima Fukushima,
      Were you not ashamed of yourself when innocent Rizana was beheaded. Why didn’t you raise your voice for the helpless girl.

    • 0
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      Fukushima , when are you and your fellow Sinhala going to remove all Tamil influence, genes and Dravidian linguistic contribution to Sinhala culture. You lot are hypocrits for continuing to retain Dravidian and Tamil culture. Why don’t you create your own original culture.

  • 0
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    Knowing well about his brothers fine of 15 million for importing alcohol without a permit, one should not expect him to talk the truth. In Sri Lanka, they would squeeze his gut out from both end. Poor Murali’s plight is well known to us.

  • 0
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    What the hell is Murali crying about???
    45 min compressed to 3 min!

    That means C4 Bowls doosra on Murali…LOL

  • 0
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    Spare a thought for the chap, he is in the same dilemma the TNA was under the LTTE.

    As the Chinese saying goes ” This is not the time to judge our friends “.

  • 0
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    MM must have not seen Jaffna before the war. I have and been worked as a Govt. Servant. People of Jaffna very nice people we were treated well.

  • 0
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    MM must not have been to Jaffna before the conflict erupted. I have been to Jaffna as a Govt.,servant we were treated very well, Very hospitable people.

  • 0
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    Quote “Who Is Misleading Muthiah Muralidaran?”

    probably the young ethnic mix of players who train at his centre in the North.

    Quote “Murali is always branded as some sort of lower person by the Dispora LTTE criminals and dollar collectors.”

    Quote ” oh my gash..Murali is a better and responsible person than Prabhakaran or other LTTE criminals or any member of the opportunistic TNA members.”

    Quote: Aiyoooooooo he never tells why all the Tamil parties huddled with the same UNP in 1965 and later or why Sambandhan is holding the Lion Flag with Ranil who was in the UNP cabinet when the Jaffna library was burnt to ashes.”

    Opppsssss … Cameron & Jon Snow forgot to meet Karu Amman and find out how the LTTE butchered Sinhala Villagers, the 600 policemen and from whom the orders came, whether the Diaspora or the TNA proxies objected and a load of similar things….A sloppy job by CH4 & Cameron.

    WHY DID NOT CAMERON & SNOW CARE TO VISIT THONDAMANARU, WE WOULD HAVE PROVIDED THEM A BETTER INSIGHT.
    ALSO ABOUT THE LOOT KEEPERS OF LTTE AND CREATING MARTYRS OF INNOCENT SUICIDE CARDRES.
    Had the ltte able to gain eelam, S.J.Emmanuel would have constructed many chappells in the name of these martyrs.

    • 0
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      ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME MURALI WHO IN EARLY EIGHTIES SAID I QUOTE ” THE TAMILS IN THE SOUTH ARE SAFE BECAUSE OF LTTE” WHICH LED TO LOT OF BACKLASH FROM THE SINHALESE IN THE SOUTH.

      • 0
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        That means he’s not stuck in 80’s. He has moved along and he must be having a brain big enough to understand the value of peace.

  • 0
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    What Can you expect From Muraleetharan who told the Indian Tamil Weekly at an interview that he was not fluent enough to give the interview in Tamil. That was the time He was playing Cricket and he did not want to spoil his place in the Team.

    He must have not forgotten the day he was stoned at Kotahena by his fans hen he uttered that he regretted that he cannot speak to them in Tamil as he was not fluent.

    This tells everything.

    .

    • 0
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      Idiot! he was studying in Tamil medium. The papers in TN are real craps.

      • 0
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        M.Sivananthan

        Sure He was studying in the Tail medium. Because he happened to be born to a Tamil Woman and said father was a Tamil.

        But for personal gains he said ut

    • 0
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      TAMILL LANGUAGE HAS many DIALECTS, INDIAN TAMIL IS SO DIFFERENT TO sl TAMIL….THAT TOO IS DIFFERENT BY THE CITIES… jaffna dialect is different to Batticalo Tamil to Nuwara Eliya Tamil.. not many can juggle around with all the dialects…

      • 0
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        You are right. When I talked Tamil in Tamil nadu. the guys asked me “are you coming from Keralaa, saaar?”

        • 0
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          confirmed the `nan-than” muttal porikki passan is kallathoni!

  • 0
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    Mr.SS,forget about MM and DC.Didnt you mislead the tamil people when you were enjoying honey moon with Varatharajaperumal during IPKF time?Were you not responsible for the killings during the IPKF time?Had the opportunity been used wisely thousands of lives could have been saved.Hundreds of disappearances could have been avoided.So you cant simply escape from this.You also should take responsibility for the disappearances .Like Khieu Samphan and others were on trial you also should be taken to the ICC.

  • 0
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    Murali should learn to maintain his dignity by not venturing into unfamiliar terrain and making a mess of himself. Just stick to what you are good at, Murali. You were a great bowler and now you are showing your humanitarian qualities. You maybe right or you maybe wrong in your opinions but do not let your achievements on the cricket field be tarnished by venturing into the murky world of political opinions, at least not in public.

  • 0
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    Cameron is not a True Christian, create hatred divisions among the communities instead love and compassion.

    • 0
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      Camoron is a Tory poshboy who has a missing top upper lip.

  • 0
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    If Murali supported the Tamils how can he face his former team mates like Arjuna, Sanath Jayasuriya.

    How can he Face presidents son Namal, he must safeguard his fathers business & his social status as he mingles with more Singhalese than Tamils.

    Definitely he betrayed his community, let us see how he will face Tamilnadu in the future.

  • 0
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    As the writer of the article recalls, “Muralidaran said why should we think of the past. Let us talk about the future. He alluded to the loss he suffered in 1977 and how he was able to rebuild.”

    I think that Murali displays practical wisdom and a generous spirit. Murali is a simple man in the way he thinks and I would imagine that he is not unlike so many others who think the same way. It is the politicians and the sophisticates who think otherwise and actually stand in the way of the common man getting on with his life, in peace and amity with others.

    Unfortunately for the likes of the writer of this article and other Tamils who think like him, they are not prepared to be as sensible as Murali. It seems they prefer to wallow in their self pity and enjoy the role of the helpless victim, instead of accepting that it has not all been one sided. If you want to get on in life and be happy you need to be able to learn from the past but put the past behind you and move on. The alternative is to remain forever thinking of yourself as a victim and go through life with a miserable mindset.

    We can all of us put the past behind us, in a spirit of magnanimity and forbearance and lead happy lives or we can keep on harping on the injustices we have suffered and go on being miserable.

    I know which option I choose

    • 0
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      FRED YOU ARE MISSING THE POINT COMPLETELY. ONE IMPORTANT ISSUE HERE IS MISSING PERSONS; SONS, FATHERS, BROTHERS. THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF WOMEN ANDCHILDREN CRYING HOLDING PHOTOS OF THEIR BELOVED ONES AND MURALI SAYS THEY ARE NOT GENUINE AND WHEN MR CAMEROON RAISED THE ISSUE WITH THE PRESIDENT, MURALI SAYS CAMEROON WAS MISLED. IT IS NOT JUST THE PAST IT IS THE PRESENT.

      • 0
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        My point is that Murali shows practical good sense – let’s put the past behind and move on. The alternative is to keep wallowing in our misery and torture ourselves with negative thinking. You cannot hope for healing unless you want to put the past behind you.

    • 0
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      VERY well put… thumbs up…

  • 0
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    WE all can remember at the end of this war, doctors served inside the no fire zone were arrested and few months after had a news conference and they told us that they were forced by LTTE to say lies. One of them has escaped now to US and listen what he says now:

    Dr. Thurairajah Varatharajah, currently in exile in the U.S, says in video documentary aired in India’s NewsX TV station that Colombo, after keeping him and four other doctors in prison at the end of the war, forced the doctors to lie to foreign media and to the Organizations accusing Sri Lanka of allegations of committing war-crimes to neutralize the allegations. Dr Varatharajah said that living under such conditions had become unbearable that he had to seek ways to get out of Sri Lanka with his family. The doctors were accused by Colombo of giving false accounts of civilian deaths during the war, and were forced to recant the figures in a well publicized news conference. Dr Varatharajah, said he is talking voluntarily to set the record straight now that he does not have to fear for his life.

    • 0
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      Once a Liar is always a liar, A doctor WITHOUT ethics is no better than any other. He may possess paper CERTIFICATION, but he twisted stories just so he could escape, I understand his situation BUT he has to play this ” victim of circumstance” CARD to pursue his PAPERWORK.. IN THE US… AS AN ASYLUM SEEKER…

      hE LIED TO THE TIGERS, HE LIED TO THE SL GOV AND HE MASSES, THE WORLD AS A WHOLE AND NOW TO INDIAN/US NEWS OUTLETS… now he can claim a fear to return to SL..claiming he would be killed and persue his case to asylum….

      He in my eyes is an economic refugee… IF he was so scared of being killed, why travel to US and not to neighboring India, where he WILL have the BEST protection in a Nadu made ONLY for Tamils….

  • 0
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    If MM did not mean what is purported to have said, a quick and straight
    forward apology should end the matter – but will he do it??

  • 0
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    Murali has done nothing to his community though he is from an influential caste in Thamilnadu the Kaundars.As mentioned in the comments he should stick himself to what he knows well.I am hundred percent sure he knows nothing about Jaffna or the Jaffna Thamils.

  • 0
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    This man was cheat in 1995 in the boxing day test and will be cheat in the rest of his life.

    • 0
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      Darrel Hair has been a racist.

      • 0
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        Banda

        Have you done your home work on irrigation history?

      • 0
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        HE IS NO MORE A RACIST

        • 0
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          NO MORE? once a racist will Always be a racist…they may pretend that they made a mistake…BUT the fact remains he is still a racist…

    • 0
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      Hair? Hare…..below the belt, dear boy.

    • 0
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      I second that motion. He chucked it right in front of my eyes.

      • 0
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        There is suspicion about his chucking.

      • 0
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        u tried to cause Commotion but ended up a loser.. so ur motion is hereby dismissed…. racism doesnt have a place in current society…

  • 0
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    As mentioned by Cameron, Murali is the person who is doing most to ensure that the younger generation is reconciled and not lured in to the money trap of LTTE sympathizers. Judging from your insinuations, you are also in the pay of Tamil Tiger sympathizers who funded the bloody war and create obstacles to peace and reconciliation.

  • 0
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    Reading much of the comments made on this posting, one gets the impression that people always write from a partisan perspective where he is either for or against the government and his stance about anything and anyone (Murali, Cameron, Weiss, McRae)is determined by his partisan loyalty.

    I believe that in a decent debate, we don’t attack people, but the points they raise and argue the merits and demerits of them honestly and fairly. Otherwise it becomes a mud-slinging match and quite repulsive to read.

  • 0
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    MM now says CH4 has edited his interview!!. This is similar to govt accusation with regards to No Fire Zone and Killing Fields. This is in Tamil – http://athirvu.com/target_news.php?getnews=news&action=fullnews&showcomments=1&id=5989

  • 0
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    Guys,

    Right to speak

    Those who gain political asylum in UK and so forth thanks Sinhalese idiots has no say to about Sri lanka
    1) You left Sri Lanka
    2) You are not no longer Sri Lankan
    Vote for Brits, enjoy your luxury

    Those who attack Murali telling about his masters.
    Rajapaksas may beb wrong, Murali may be wrong either.
    Cameron didnt go to south to see the mothers who lost their sons for the country ( for LTTE it is paid murderers). No one in south of Sri Lanka is contributing to 300k London alone votes

    So Cameron is getting political points just put him to same bundle as the political asylum seekers. You neither have no say about Sri Lanka

    Yes Murali was grown up in Kandy. Even though his blood is Tamil, he seen his side of story, 30 years, there was no guarantee any one will come back in one piece. So Dont blaim Murali, he is like a Sinhalese in South. LTTE never want to work together to the Tamil Race
    3-4 times peace summits every where, always ended up in a massive bomb
    Go to Kebithigollawa ask how they feel about 2006 LTTE attack

    so tigers offshore
    You dont have nothing to say about war crimes, all crimes were done by your reps whome you funded from London, Paris and US

    There was no Human right watch No British Politicicans no one when we had the non stop counter of deaths from educated people like Mr Luxman Kadiragamar and so many others we killed by walking bombs..
    What ever MR did, he stop the killing field NOT Channel four

    If you dont investigate what happen to that country since 1979 even before that, dont open up Human right record, its more important to talk about British and American Human right record in middle east
    than talking about a country whome only they didnt help to win a terrorist group destroying another generation

    All out siders of Sri Lanka, dont preach Sri Lanka how to do and what to do. For terrorism there is no human rights
    for humans there is human rights

    if I am wrong, Why dont we release all terror suspects in UK and Gontanamo bay why cant we do that :)

    • 0
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      Andrew Fernando

      “Cameron didnt go to south to see the mothers who lost their sons for the country”

      It was a grave mistake that Cameron didn’t go to see mothers who lost their children who were mercilessly butchered by both Army and JVP terrorists. Nor did he visit Matale pits.

      It is a shame on Cameron.

    • 0
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      Well said Andrew! Murali mentioned in his Daily Mirror interview that in 1983 their house as well as the business premises were burned. Yet, he did not runaway to be an English spin bowler!!

      Majority of the ant-Murali writers in these comments are frustrated aliens who funded terrorism, who enjoy the good life in western nations and want to destabilize Sri Lanka. Murali is a true blooded Sri Lankan loved by all the people of Sri Lanka. Like Sangakkara and Mahela, he is an independent patriot who has done more to bring all the young people together than any one else.The link to his Daily Mirror interview is given below.

      http://www.dailymirror.lk/opinion/172-opinion/39056-the-controversial-interview-murali-bowls-at-channel-4-.html

  • 0
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    Muralidaran has earlier said that “Prabhakaran is the only Tamil leader who had given ‘dignity to tamils'”

    http://archives.dailymirror.lk/2005/29/sports/7.asp

    Was he right then?

    • 0
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      They have removed the page. doesnt suprise its the gov.

  • 0
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    This article is simply TAMILS destroying Tamils.

    • 0
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      JimSofty

      “This article is simply TAMILS destroying Tamils.”

      Isn’t that what you want?

  • 0
    0

    This fellow has shamed his entire community by lying openly. Poor chap, he allowed himself to be dragged into this ugly situation through greed for power and money. He could have easily told John Snow that war is an evil thing which brings misery all around and thus evaded being roped in. Poor silly fool with lots of cricketing talent but very little brains.

  • 0
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    Muralidaran spoke as a true bridge builder,and not like the bigoted Sivathasan who is trying to find his old age wisdom that seems to be escaping him due to age related issues.

    No, certainly not; Murali has not attracted the wrath of every one in the community. Sivathasan is trying to orchestrate it.

    Murali does not need to be bought over by MR; he has mde his millions long before MR or Basil started making millions. May I point out its Sivathasan’s shun goat Prabha who got bought over by MR and betrayed his entire strategy.

    I repeat, if we have 10-wise tamil politicians with the mindset of Murali, the entire tamil community would benefit tremendously. The curse of tamil community is the mindset of people like sivathasan.

    • 0
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      unfortunately none of the Sinhala politicians have the mindset of Murali either

  • 0
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    “he ventures to set aside all the considered representations of the most responsible spokesmen of the Tamil Community. Who were they? The Chief Minister and political leaders”

    Oh my…,

    In S. Sivathasan we have another man who thinks we were all born yesterday– “responsible spokesmen of Tamil Community”? Pooh!

    Where was this responsibility when Mr. Sampanthan said LTTE was the sole representative of the Tamil community? As far as I know he never took that statement back. Someone should ask him whether LTTE is still the sole representative of the Tamil community.

    Where was this responsibility when the CM declared LTTE leader was a great hero? Was it his heroic deeds that got his organization banned in so many countries? Do you want me to provide you with some links to youtube videos of his heroic deeds?


    This is what Gota says about missing persons.

    “There were suicide cadres. One committed suicide before the Hilton Hotel. We traced his identity with much difficulty. He was a resident of Trincomalee. He had come to Colombo on a motorcycle with another person posing as a Muslim. A day before he left for Colombo, his mother lodged a complaint that her son had disappeared. This was the reality.”

    Guess who lead this protest about missing people: Mrs. Ananthy Sasitharan! The only problems is her missing husband was Trincomalee District’s Political Wing Leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam!

    You ask “Can a credulous charlatan ever go near Downing Street?” Last I time I checked the BTF had a field day in UK house of representatives. Do terrorist supporters count as charlatans? The point is even the devil can go near Downing Street if he pays the right amount of money.
    Does LTTE “political” wing leader Tamil Chelvam count as a charlatan to you? The UK house of commons wanted to bring him in to UK to ask about the plight of Wanni civilians you know? This is while LTTE was banned in UK. Guess terrorists don’t count as a charlatans or charlatans can go to UK house of commons but not to Downing Street.

    What nonsense. It is quite evident that that unique unconquerable genetic trait of Sri Lankan Tamils S. Sivathasan mentioned during election time has gone into overdrive in him. Tamils with the trait resent Tamils that do not. That’s the take home message from S. Sivathasan article. Its either their way or highway!

  • 0
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    Poor baby Murali played Cricket…
    Became popular because he took wickets..
    He bowled doosra 
    batsmen played like booze star..

    He earned a lot of money..
    Suddenly for him it was sunny..
    his brother fought for 30 years..for living
    He earned millions for 20 years..singing

    With the new suit he was wearing..
    He has completely lost his bearings..
    Indulging in his new found freedom..
    He forgot there were others fighting for freedom.

    This bowler and the batsman…
    Is now a political spokesman..
    Like cleaning the leather ball with his spit
    He is cleaning the politicians thriving in shit

    Power of Ethanol….hik..hik..hik…!!!

  • 0
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    No wonder these eelamists killed every Tamil who were not prepared to toe their line. Look at the hate comments!

    • 0
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      ..and those who dont toe Rajapakse’s line are getting white van treatment…
      poor Murali also force to toe Rajakase line

  • 0
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    Mr. Sivathasan:
    Please write how the Jaffna Tamils were mislead to believe the EELAM will be achieved under the uneducated VVT smugglers.

    Jaffna people think smugglers and local tamil criminals bring a political solution or Eelam.

    I think Sambandan imported C V Wigneswaran from Colombo to handle the uneducated jaffna morons.

    • 0
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      and Mahinda is using uneducated Murali ?

    • 0
      0

      How much is Dogless Devananda paying you to lick his Arse?

      • 0
        0

        Arse licking is your business. Now you do it to the Brits!

        • 0
          0

          So you come from an Arse licking family???

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