19 March, 2024

Blog

Your Slip Is Showing Mr. President

By Kumar David

Prof. Kumar David

An apocryphal youth inquired from the President “why a referendum couldn’t be conducted to ascertain whether the electorate (would approve) extending his term by two years”, says the front page of the Island of Monday 10 January. Presidents don’t float kites like this unless they have intrigue up their sleeve. Soon you will hear a chorus of Ministers and government MPs cheering “Hallelujah! Gotabaya for ever, two years, five years whatever!” Those who decried JR’s referendum to postpone elections in 1982 loudest, will be the cheerleaders this time; I am itching to hear the phonies of the Dead-Left. The point is that this is no casual remark. Gotabaya and his cronies are testing the waters and unless society drowns it pronto, cronies will push the plans forward. A Presidential Media Division does not issue statements confirming the story and patting the mythical brat on the back with the remark that the President quipped “he should be appointed an advisor to the President” unless desperation is driving him to the brink.

Deceptions

Former president Sirisena has declared his support for SLFP ex General Secretary Susil Premjayanth who was unceremoniously fired from his State Ministership for calling a spade a spade (Ministers Bandula Gunawardane and Mahindananda Aluthgamage he said were incompetent nincompoops; this is not news). Ministers Vasudeva, Wimal Weerawansa and Gamanpila have gone to court against Cabinet decisions but shamelessly remain glued to their perks. State Minister Vidura Wickremanayake and MP Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe have castigated Cabinet and regime leaders as a bunch of crooks. A flustered GL Peiris in the meantime is trying his darndest to keep the sinking ship afloat. It is in these stormy seas that the Gotabaya presidency is fighting to stay afloat. I find it difficult to understand how the government keeps afloat, how it gets anything done and whether the “new constitution” is going to be dead before birth.

In the meantime there has been other comments about regime’s existential crisis. Why for example would a pro-Gota website distort an Anura Kumara (AKD) interview, or why is falsified economic data splashed by the Central Bank? APF Fact-Check reported a falsified posting on YouTube in a Sinhala pro-Gota channel with a large following which declared that JVP leader AKD had recommended that Sri Lanka produce Spiderman movies as a foreign exchange earner to overcome its disastrous foreign exchange crunch. “How the dollar problem is solved under Anura Kumara’s government”.

The report, a fabrication, is one of many such canards in circulation. A learned professor remarked in an email to me “Perhaps it is a sign that the NPP is such a danger to the regime that it has no option but to falsify”. The statement attributed to AKD is of course untrue. AKD’s interview in Sinhala is below:

Exodus

Hitler issued the first anti-Jewish proclamation in April 1933 and stripped all non-Aryan academics of their posts; more than 100 physicists lost their jobs. The fear of fascism and anti-Semitism led to mass migration of physicists, mainly but not only Jews from Eastern, Central and Southern Europe from before 1930; Einstein (NL, German, J), Niels Bohr (NL, Dane), John von Neumann (Hungarian, J), Michael Polanyi (Pole, J), Enrico Fermi (Italian, J-wife), Edward Teller (Hungarian, J), Eugene Wigner (NL, Hungarian, J), Theodor von Karman (Hungarian, J) and Max Born (NL, German, J). [NL stands for Nobel Laureate, the nationality is at birth and J stands for Jewish or part Jewish]. It is arguable whether Hitler lost the war because he opened a second-front by invading the USSR in June 1941, or was it the loss of the finest of Europe’s physicists? There was no truly world class physics lab outside America by mid-1930s except New Zealander Ernst Rutherford’s Cavendish in Cambridge. When one of “Rutherford’s boys” John Chadwick isolated the neutron all hell broke loose since fission of the U235 nucleus by neutron bombardment became possible. The race for the Atom Bomb was on and Hitler lost despite Werner Heisenberg (NL), Otto Han, Walther Bothe and other brilliant theoreticians in Nazi Germany. Unlike the Manhattan Project the Germans could not get the theoretical and experimental sides to merge seamlessly, and organisation, industrial support and carte blanche political backing was inadequate.

There is a reason for this short diversion. This country has suffered from a terrible exodus of talent since 1983. The first deluge was Tamils but able Sinhalese intellectuals too saw and grasped the opportunity. It was not confined to science related disciplines; talented scholars in the humanities and sharp witted business and financial minds too moved because they had lost hope. This was followed by a second exodus, this time skilled craftsmen to the Middle-East, again not only because of greener pastures but also since a stagnant economy had little use for their talents. In the last two years we see the third wave. Tens of thousands of young people queuing for passports and emigrant visas because “the country is going to the dogs”. A simple change of government alone will not address the issue. A much deeper transformation of mind-set and economic direction is needed.

A fork in the road

The outside world didn’t realise that a volcano was smouldering in Kazakhstan. Long standing legitimate grievances were accumulating and a spark set off an explosion. To that extent the background is like Sri Lanka today. Prices have been rising for three years, the income gap had been widening and the population in poorer Eastern Kazakhstan was as badly-off as the majority here. Another similarity is that corruption was running out of control. The spark that ignites an inferno is always unforeseeable and in Kazakhstan it was in the oil rich western part of the country that an uprising broke out first. Large crowds then took over the centre of Almaty the country’s biggest city, occupied the airport and brought governance to a halt. The President, a dictatorial lout panicked, dismissed the Cabinet and sent out the troops.

The lower levels of the military did not mutiny though every soldier knew how worthless the government was (Anura Kumara please note); the army shot the people. Any Marxist worth his salt knows that the principal purpose of a military is to oppress the grassroots in the interests of ruling classes and corrupt regimes. Armies are trained, drilled and brainwashed over decades to obey orders like robots. It is rarely that an army mutinies and passes over to the side of the people as in October-November 1917. A lesson of today’s international conjuncture that the JVP needs to assimilate is the conduct of the military, including rank-and-file soldiers in Burma, Sudan, many African theatres in 2020-21, and now Kazakhstan. One would have thought the JVP would have learnt this lesson from its experiences in 1971 and 1989.

It is important to analyse events overseas and distil lessons for SL. Furthermore a critical issue in Sri Lanka is that the military is largely a creation of the Rajapaksa-Sinhala-Buddhist nationalist ethos. Its response to dissent against the GR Regime needs to be foreseen in that context.

But one still hears some JVPers remark “Isn’t the first principle of a defensive alliance that it is not set up in public?!!!” This is a throwback to the pre-1971 conspiratorial mind-set where the party acted in secrecy hidden from the masses in thoroughly un-Leninist fashion. The JVP it was said would accomplish the revolution and present the finished product to a grateful people!!

Kazakhstan proves that when conditions go beyond a tipping point a spark can set off widespread instability. Likewise with a rout staring him in the face moves by the beleaguered Sri Lankan President to postpone presidential elections, if attempted, could well be that spark. My big concern is that a power grab or coup should be PREVENTED BEFORE IT HAPPENS. For this an open, formidable and coordinated show of force by all opposition entities is essential. After a power grab turning back will take years of anarchy, conflict and even civil war; vide Burma, Sudan and Mali. This is a repeated lesson of history. I have driven myself hoarse repeating it, but it has fallen on stone-deaf ears. “None are so blind as those who have eyes but cannot see”.

A commentator responding to my mid-week Colombo Telegraph mini-column on Wednesday remarked “The summary of Prof Kum’s dissertation is. (1) Where there are shortages of essentials such as food, public unrest can occur. (2) When the military is called upon to quell unrest it will execute the task mercilessly. (3) Prof K expects Anura K & Co (JVP) to make note of (2) in Kazakhstan. The third point is interesting because there are stories afloat that the JVP will work with the military for a takeover and there was a newspaper articles saying this” – Good Sense.

This last observation is most alarming. Even those who cannot accept the rumour reported by Good Sense will have to concede that the JVP itself is to blame. When you, the party that is rocketing up in popularity, refuse to take the lead in mobilising the people against potential coups and election postponements you are sowing the seeds of doubt against yourself.

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Latest comments

  • 46
    8

    I am skeptical about JVP too.

    Recently I came across a report saying to the effect that a JVP leader has suggested getting the support of the Mahanayakes to reverse the agreement with India on the Trincomalee oil tanks.

    If it is true, JVP is not going to do any good the the country by seeking the patronage of the Sinhalese-Budhhist racist hierarchy if they get the power by some means.

    I find none of the existing Sinhalese Buddhist leaders is willing to take a secular impartial stand in governance. They all take the opium of Sinhalese Buddhist majoritarian racism.

    • 11
      1

      Otto Hahn (NL)

      Prof KD you denied a “NL” to Otto Hahn!

      Was the omission an oversight …… or …… was it intentional?

      Perhaps you correctly figured out, Lise Meitner should’ve been the rightful recipient.

      • 3
        0

        Prof Fernando,
        I got a bit confused because the Nobel Prize website says-
        “Otto Hahn received his Nobel Prize one year later, in 1945. During the selection process in 1944, the Nobel Committee for Chemistry decided that none of the year’s nominations met the criteria as outlined in the will of Alfred Nobel. According to the Nobel Foundation’s statutes, the Nobel Prize can in such a case be reserved until the following year, and this statute was then applied. Otto Hahn therefore received his Nobel Prize for 1944 one year later, in 1945”. Sincere apologies to the great chemist.

        But yes I do consider Lise Meitner the greater thinker of the two. She saw things that Otto did not and before him.

      • 4
        5

        The Pandemic of Rajapassa Corruption and the weaponization of the Sinhala Buddhist AUKUS – US, UK, Aussie Diaspora with the use of the Covid mask, Digital Colonialism, and Pfizer fake vaccines is indeed evident and the Jarapaksa Slip is showing.
        The dual US citizens Rajapassa brothers, who are FM and Prez of Banana Republic, are throwing around billions of dollars for unnecessary Covid vaccines, cancer drug and claiming that they need 4 billion to keep electicity and fuel supply in Lanka!

        Seems this Debt trap development of highways without petrol for cars, is so they can get a special deal from the IMF as the US dollar is about to crash with all the American Debt generated by money printing 9 trillion USD in the last 2 years of Covid “Bailouts”?
        The Lankan -American brothers, along with the Weaponized Sinhala Buddhist Diaspora that works for the US Deepstate are desperately anxious for a Pfizer “Vaccine Victory” in Sri Lanka – while helping American Big Pharma earn ever bigger profits.. !
        And never mind Vaccine Adverse Event and Pfizer induced Deaths for global de-population..

      • 7
        1

        This guy here, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFHnmlx5UQo 1:50 gives a very clever idea (which I missed!)

        In a normal situation – if the government didn’t have other ulterior motives – the government/CBSL themselves could’ve bought back their own bonds in the secondary-market for $250 million in November without waiting till they matured on the 18th to pay back $500 million!

        His interpretation of suppliers and consumers is good too ……… the gist of what he is saying is …….. suppliers stand to gain more profit when the supply/demand situation is in turmoil …………

        • 4
          0

          Nimal,
          “CBSL themselves could’ve bought back their own bonds in the secondary-market for $250 million”
          Fascinating!
          But on the other hand, they could have saved $500 million by not issuing the bonds in the first place.

      • 2
        0

        nimal,
        .
        Kumar is in serious mood.
        .
        Not according Otto Hahn an extra honour is a trivial oversight.

        • 5
          1

          Sinhala_Man,

          “Kumar is in serious mood.”

          He can be as serious as he wants to be. No one is stopping him.

          “a trivial oversight.”

          Perhaps, to you, an English teacher ………. but not to most of the scientific community.


          The denial of the Nobel Prize to Lise Meitner for her work …… and the mistreatment of her because she was a Jewish woman in a predominantly male dominated scientific community is no trivial matter.


          “Otto Hahn an extra honour”

          It’s not extra …….. he did win the Nobel Prize. ……… If Kumar was “serious” enough to signal out the Nobel laureates and denote what “NL” meant …… then it’s a serious omission.

          Why don’t you take off your school teacher cap and get rid of your urge to oversee everything people write in the forum? People write whatever they want: it only has to pass the muster of the moderators.

          I certainly would and what I’ve written has passed the scrutiny of the moderators.

          So, why don’t you take up kite-flying as a pastime? :))

          • 6
            0

            Sorry Sinhala_Man ……. you butting in unleashed my nasty streak.

            Kumar has answered and explained his omission.

            He, calling a vagabond like me, “prof” ………. shows he is not as serious as you want him to be.

          • 5
            0

            nimal, nimal, Please!
            We adore you for your penetrating humour. You could have said the same thing in your characteristic style.

            • 3
              0

              True!

              Nathan,

              I should have held back my pen/tongue/typing ……… for that, I apologise to Sinhala_Man unreservedly ………….. it would’ve come off as if I don’t appreciate his yeoman service with kids in the outstations ………

              Like I’ve said many times before …….. whatever our differences, I appreciate and respect the work/service of people who could’ve easily left with their education/qualifications/skills but chose to remain behind: it would be churlish of me not to.

              I will get EE dressed up as Palki Sharma and visit him with a bouquet of roses to bury the hatchet ……. when I’m next in Bindunuwewa ……… that should sort him out!

    • 17
      3

      This anti India protest by JVP is nothing but the continuation of their anti Tamil hatred that they used openly peddle in the eighties and then when they were in alliance with the SLFP when MR was in the saddle. Seeking the support of the Sanga in this effort of theirs, only proves that they are nothing but another party of racists using the emblem of hammer and sickle as a convenient cover.

      • 19
        2

        JVP are still viewing Sri Lanka through a highly myopic viewpoint. Even in the nineties their ideology was dated, not to talk of in 2022. The world has moved on in leaps and bounds, global commerce, agriculture, transport, production, synergy etc. have evolved tremendously.
        Our poor Handunnetti and co are still stuck in the past thanks to their limited exposure like frogs in a well.
        At this point they are seeking the support of the Yellow pets to top it all.
        This means that their racist and ultraconservative ideals have not changed.
        JVP are like the CID. They can investigate and checkmate others, but if they are given the task of leadership, they have no clue.
        Disgusting….

        • 10
          0

          HT/

          What if entire society is no different to a garbage dump beyond cure/ any new govt would nt be easy to make wonders?.
          .
          I believe without rebuilding the society/ not even NPP/JVP would be able to make any palpable changes in sl.
          .
          They could start rebuilding the society immediately after may 2009. Germans and even Erithrians did it prior their giant R & D projects taking huge loans.Now it may be ver late since the debt burden is more than appeared to be 🐕🐃🤔🐕🐃🤔🐕🐃🤔

          • 9
            0

            LM
            .
            You are absolutely spot on.
            In this age of Artificial Intelligence, our people are beginning to look prehistoric.
            .
            Greed/Thannhawa beyond imagination I believe is the cause of much of our issues.
            .
            We have replaced progressive human thinking with the primal animalistic instinct of greed for our survival.
            .
            According to the Buddha, greed is the primary cause of suffering.
            .
            These idiots are stewing in greed and hoping they can find emancipation. What a laugh.
            .
            I am going to elaborate on this with time.

          • 3
            0

            Why cant we see yet no new faces emerging similar to that of Dr HAmarasooriya in order to improve the awareness of the the people.
            – I dont think mammoth task would be easy to achieve if Prof. Dewasiri or the like woul d not join. How many more days would it take them to wake u from their long slumber ?
            .
            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW-iXmgj-S4

        • 5
          1

          Dear Human Touch,
          .
          I’ve been thinking about this after our long chat last night.
          .
          I’m not happy with any old religious nuts being invited to add their two cents’ worth.
          .
          However, please consider where the overwhelming majority of CT commenters live. In rich Western countries. Economic migrants.
          .
          Nathan and even oc wanted English teachers imported from Kerala, paying more. Result, more money down the drain; more guys wanting to emigrate. Won’t do!
          .
          Today I listened to a 52 minute video of a Handunetti talk yesterday. He’s not a racist. He’s firmly in Lanka. So am I. You’ve been educating your kids in Lanka.
          .
          Only those who display some commitment to local living have a right to object so strongly to the Handunetti line.
          .
          Please think this out.
          .
          Nathan, pardon me if I have somewhat simplified your views.

        • 7
          0

          No doubt, JVP has to change a lot. I hope they will.
          Learn a lot as well. I hope NPP will shape them accoridngly. Their speeches should be formulated as simple as they can if they really want to win the hearts and minds of the grass root level of srilankens.
          .
          The enormous power/place given to a SO CALLED BUDDHA PUTHRAYA/anyone wearing a sanga robe in SL society yet today is the biggest problem to everyone s eye. That is not to be underestimated. They can use any wording in their public speeches, nothing can work on them, in the prevaling law and order in the country.

          Just looking at the manner a monk made it very clear about the mlechcha politics being practised by Rajapkashes at the moment, I thought the cancerous situation in the country is perhaps beyond cure as of today. That can take another decade or so, in order to get them to track.

    • 13
      0

      Gota-baya is proving that he has fully forgotten that he is not standing before a millitary gathering.

      Man would have been the best fit to be the hang man, if gallows were reimposed, but as the president ?
      .
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfD279O0oXw
      .
      These men are controlled by GHANAKKA and Thirupathi… so how can we ever think of rest 3 yrs would be better ?
      .
      Pigs might fly- those who gathered here, should be PUNNAKKU eaters knowing that a man who cant handle a simple issue of ” DOMESTIC GAS CYLINDER ISSUE ” to make miracles ?
      .

      • 11
        0

        Hi LM
        For your Information, the Kandy Highway commissioning with all that publicity is a scam.
        Only a very short stretch shown in on TV is working.
        My wife and children wanted to access it from Mihirigama and it was not in operation as of this evening.
        How much longer do we have to contend with these blatant falsehoods?
        The government has relegated the public to the level of buffalos.
        Hope the 69 lacks are enjoying the victory.

        • 6
          0

          HT,

          People dont care about blant falsehoods. They would continue watchin their series of teledrams, no matter even if the prices of daily essentials would go beyond sky rocketting levels. That is very typical to our race – though their singing tone would be ” 2500- years inheritage”
          .
          Gota-baya s hiter like speech to the gathering yesterday ” I will fulfill all what I pledged for the nation within the next 3 years” – the manner BP louded at the grass eaters dominated gathering said it all or no t?
          .
          Who do they think they are to continue fooling the very same audience with lot more portions in the society – struggling for their domestic safety…… the bugger et al promised what they would not be able to do – but today, they have been caught by the all the mess…
          .
          I think PEOPLE should come to protest on the very first day of reopening o fthe parliament (18th Jan) – to protest these bitch sons ….. so long people would stay mum, MaRa woudl be travelling to DALADA MALIGAWA to ABAYARAMA and back and forther cheating the YELLOW PETs… on and on…. more yellow pets would be seen on TV screens -……. buddhagama intoxicated men and women would not utter a single word against….. however, this would not LAST long…. for sure.. that I am sure..
          Most cunniest POLICIAN of the day is MARA – his GRAVE would not find any peace even after the bugger would have to kick the bucket soon.

      • 4
        0

        Dear “leelagemalli”,
        .
        Thanks for the link to the Gota speech. Listened to the guy for less than a minute. You’re right. He thinks that he’s addressing his troops.
        .
        I have made a scathing comment on YouTube. See if it’s there on your displays.
        .
        Panini Edirisinhe

        • 3
          0

          Sinhala_Man, surprised you commented in English.
          Wish someone would translate the whole speech. Pity there are never any English captions to these Sinhala videos.

          • 2
            0

            Dear Manel,
            .
            I will keep you informed about the videos with any English captions.
            .
            Unfortunatley, most of sinhala videos (though they are TV news) are not provided with English subtitles.

          • 1
            0

            Dear Manel,
            .
            I later did listen to the entirety of Gota’s 17-minute harangue; there was nothing of significance that he said – or so I feel.
            .
            Translation is very difficult work. I know that on many an occasion you have taken on chores that nobody else would, and done such things, but I feel that some things are just not wort doing. This speech of Gota’s falls into that category.
            .
            I assure you that if there is something significant that I feel has to be conveyed to you, I will email you. We have to know just how much we can handle, and Gota’s speeches are just not bothering with. Since they are his videos, let him provide the English captions.
            .
            I’m sorry if this isn’t an adequate response, but I thought it best to say something.

          • 1
            0

            Manel,
            .
            I have some notion of what you’d like to monitor. This is the NPP’s trilingual website:
            .
            https://www.npp.lk/en/
            .
            I know that you’ve asked for something, and I’ve provided something quite different! It may seem rather a patronising way of doing so; if it appears so to you, I apologise in advance.

    • 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

  • 24
    3

    When you are hungry you can not feed or fill your belly with BUDDASASANA OR WAR VICTORY.

    • 28
      2

      I thought this was going to be about the RDA Chairman worshipping Emperor Nandasena after handing him a free ticket to the Kurunegala expressway. What will such slavish nincompoops do for people who actually pay? Roll over on the highway with their tongues hanging out?

    • 10
      1

      But this is helping the govt to practice at least one thing from Buddhism:

      Walk from country to country with a begging bowl.

      :)

    • 2
      15

      Paragon,
      “When you are hungry you can not feed or fill your belly with BUDDASASANA OR WAR VICTORY.”
      —-
      Who said BUDDASASANA OR WAR VICTORY can fill the belly? Please use your brain before using the key board.

      • 10
        2

        Eagle ‘clown’ Eye, use the brain?

        You are telling others to use their brain? That’s a hoot. Do you ever use that oea sized brain of yours? Idiot!

        • 6
          0

          TTN,
          .
          Please dont bother about his COMMENTs. Srilanka will have to make an open apology to have produced such human beings.
          .
          Eagle Eye has proved that his is not even similar to a bird s brain..
          :
          Let the bugger sink in his pool filled with ” ultra racism” against srilanken minorities”: In Germany, NPD was silent after the war was declared to be over within that soil – but our idiots to behave as EE would continue – says it all that SINHALA race ( I am ashamed to be sinhlaaya) would take another few decades to relinquish their hatreds…….. not even jews would act against the palastnians the manner some in our country behave yet today.

          I have no doubt, his vicinity in Australia or Canada would behave like the ones did it in front of the protagonist of ” silent lamb”

          • 1
            0

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          • 6
            1

            leelagemalli, I am not sure why this fool always talks on ethnic lines. Yes I am a Tamil from the north, but first and foremost I am a human who wants to co-exist with all irrespective of their ethnicity. This Eagle Blind Eye bugger is so disgustingly racist, it makes me puke thinking there are vile garbage like him still in present times. Disgusting filth that he is. But unfortunately we have similar buggers in the north too. I have had the displeasure of meeting some useless fellows from the north with whom I have had heated arguments about this whole thing. I am ashamed as a human, we have filth like this in this world that are still wasting oxygen.

    • 1
      1

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  • 10
    1

    What a disaster!

    Sri Lanka’s roads to hell 9.

    • 2
      12

      GATAM,
      “What a disaster!”
      —-
      Disaster brought to Sinhale/Sri Lanka by Tamil terrorists over a period of three decades, Muslim terrorists in one day and Royal Family of ‘Yahapalana’ Government over a period of four and half years.

      • 11
        1

        Eagle Eye,
        Disaster brought to Sri Lanka is by you, out of your belief that,
        * Sri Lanka, in its entirety, is Sinhale!
        * Numerical superiority is sufficient to suppress minority rights.
        * Burning and looting their properties will make minorities surrender.
        * Your killing spree will never get noticed by the outside world.

        • 6
          0

          Why are we still thinking in terms of Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim etc? Will this get us anywhere in the current situation?

          • 4
            0

            Siri/
            .
            As CBK once proposed they should start teaching /history/ srilankeness as a subject to the syllabus of the secondary school.
            .
            Those who may tend to spread racism should be punished at bud level/ .
            .
            Sinhala Buddhist monks should be taught to behave respecting inclusivity.
            .
            True values of buddhism could be the guide if good monks at proper positions 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔☹🤔🤔🐃🐕

    • 7
      1

      Hi LM
      For your Information, the Kandy Highway commissioning with all that publicity is a scam.
      Only a very short stretch shown in on TV is working.
      My wife and children wanted to access it from Mihirigama and it was not in operation as of this evening.
      How much longer do we have to contend with these blatant falsehoods?
      The government has relegated the public to the level of buffalos.
      Hope the 69 lacks are enjoying the victory.

  • 17
    1

    Prof. Kumar David
    .
    When we talk about the impending situation, should we only look at the tragic side of how peoples revolts have ended?
    .
    Why not also recall Tunisia 2011 where the army didn’t act against the masses. Then Egypt 2011 where Ḥosnī Mubārak conceded power, Yemen 2012 Alī ʿAbd Allāh Ṣaliḥ relinquished power in 2012.
    In Libya, demonstrations against the government of Muammar al-Qaddafi quickly escalated into an armed revolt. Whereby Qaddafi was captured and killed by rebels in October 2011.
    April 2019, Abdelaziz Bouteflika — who was in power for 20 years in Algeria , resigned after a month of unprecedented protests against his run for a fifth term.
    South Africa ‘s first Zulu president, Jacob Zuma who was sworn in May 2009 and made to resign, 14 February 2018 — under the threat of impeachment and pressure from his political party, the African National Congress (ANC).
    In Zimbabwe , Robert Mugabe, abandoned by his supporters and the army after 37 years in office, resigned 21 November 2017.
    Blaise Compaoré, in Burkina Faso , who was in power for 27 years, resigned, 31 October 2014, due to public pressure — before then eventually going into exile.

  • 7
    1

    The author may have good reason not to remember how a dishonest 2-year extension of the lawful term of the UF government was enabled by the new constitution of 1972.

    • 2
      2

      “The author may have good reason not to remember how a dishonest 2-year extension of the lawful term of the UF government was enabled by the new constitution of 1972.” and dishonestly not comparing and contrasting it with taking off CBK’s one year term or refusing support for Constitution 2000 because she asked a “one year extension”. or passing the 18A and conducting election 2 years early or waiting and watching if the coup would will, but not contesting in SC or even as soon as SLFP lost the EP election UNP parliament giving up the government one year early to Slap party.

      The enlightened “good reason” is alluring the Biryani – Arrack hunting wild Hyenas to their baited hunt,which is the Stalin’s Communism and Anagarigam Fame Don David’s Sinhala Buddhist fascism, “

  • 4
    3

    “Former president Sirisena has declared his support for SLFP ex General Secretary Susil Premjayanth who was unceremoniously fired from his State Ministership for calling a spade a spade (Ministers Bandula Gunawardane and Mahindananda Aluthgamage he said were incompetent nincompoops; this is not news).”
    *
    Did modesty prevent him from adding his name to the list of “incompetent nincompoops”
    *
    Let us be careful: we may unwittingly making angels of the likes of MS, WR et al. because they make noises that are music to our ears.

  • 4
    3

    “The race for the Atom Bomb was on and Hitler lost despite Werner Heisenberg (NL), Otto Han, Walther Bothe and other brilliant theoreticians in Nazi Germany. etc….”
    *
    Was it the American possession of the nuclear bomb that decided the outcome of WWII?
    It was used after Japan was defeated for still not fully known motives.

    • 3
      2

      ” It was used after Japan was defeated for still not fully known motives “
      That is new for me! It was know for everybody as to deter USSR in its effort change Japan into the first North Korea. That needed not equal matching, the usual war engagement maxim, but quick , stunt blow to make the Royal Japan military’s Brick-heads to surrender. Had Japan gone under USSR, now world would be the hell on the earth fighting atomic powers. Thank God, if Japan had been was turned to the first North Korea, that talented people might have created & concluded by another two Wold Wars.

  • 11
    1

    Wow, a man, appearing to be wearing a suit, practically kneeling in worship. What adoration for a great leader. I thought such things happen only in North Korea.

    In our Eastern culture, in particular, bowing humbly (as the Japs) is a mark of respect but, us, Buddhists, go further when it comes to worshipping monks, a sign of deep respect for the faith, but this takes the biscuit. Are we a nation of grovelling bum suckers?

  • 3
    2

    Rajapaksas should honorably resign. They tried the Libertarian free-market economy of the political elite for the Motherland. It failed. They lack the sophistication of creating the complex global structure that successful countries subscribe to. Sri Lanka needs greater clarity. It is time our citizens usher in a new phase for the prosperity and sustenance of the Motherland. JVP-NPP will be that fresh new start.

    • 4
      0

      RTF,
      .
      Rajapakshes would not relinguish their greed to their power intoxications. He has for sure – MUGABE genes in his genome.
      .
      Look how MaRa moves A to B these days but more to TEMPLEs ……. THirupathi, Tooth temple, ….. other vairous kind of Temples….. no matter state funds would have been added to the wastful sums……
      .
      If the bugger would ever be PEOPLE s loving as his SONGS would depict….. he could better hold onl to austerity plans, at least at this critical juncture of srilanken economy.

      • 3
        0

        They the rulers and leadership play with human lifes on broad day light.
        .
        This is the evidence.

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlwd9rtwDss
        .
        for the last 3 months, srilanken LPG consumers are left to be in a lurch. Innocient mothers were caught by burnts and killed by kitchen explosions. This is becoming a n alarming issue to many across the country.
        .
        The LPG company chairman, Thisara Jayasinghe is a henchman appointed by PRESIDENT Gota
        .
        Predecessor of Thesara was a man close to incumbent MINISTER of Finance, President’s most cunning brother Basil Rajapakshe.

        These two parties have been on a power struggle, on the LIVEs of the people.

        In the same time, BOTH brothers and the most abusive MARA are on a trip to BUDDHIST TEMPLES twising the mind set of the NAIVE and gullible people. More of the kind of RELIGIOUS worships or the like are to divert the TRUTHs from the vulnerable people. But not single word is being added by President yet, about how he would RESOLVE the most timely alarming – anxities of each and every households where LPG gas consumption cant be without.

  • 2
    0

    Thanks to Kumar for explaining the scenario in relation to a future military take over or similar attempt and highlighting the need for parties like the JVP to take heed. However, my question is:

    Is this the main priority of opposition parties at this time?

    Shouldnt they try to strengthen their organisational capacity by using the ‘democratic space’ available?

    No harm in thinking about this scenario and making plans to counter such an effort -if it eventuates. But my view is that the opposition parties need to prepare for a broad struggle to protect the democratic freedoms of people (hard won) in the next 10-30 years. This cannot be accomplished if we still argue from the point of view of Sinhalee, tamil,Muslim and Christian perspectives. While the grievances of each ethnic community can be significant, we need to. ove as a collective/mass movement to protect citizenship rights against any elements of society,especially ruling elites, that want to move the country toward authoritarianism denying people’s rights

  • 1
    0

    I’m wondering when we will stop asking questions which cannot be answered. Anyway, this morning, at 8.04, I rang Sunil Handunnetti, and spoke to him for almost 5 minutes. I told him that some guys are making strangely adverse comments, on Colombo Telegraph, on this speech of his:
    .

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OnTAH0Ds2c&t=629s
    .
    I felt a bit foolish, because I don’t have a major problem with it myself. Somebody has to look carefully at the details of any “agreements” that are entered into by these Rajapaksas. Obviously, if you, who are reading this don’t understand spoken Sinhala, you will necessarily have to accept what fellows like me, who try hard not to mislead anybody.
    .
    Anyway, at the end of that exercise, I have his mobile number, as well as his email address. Now I have saved those, but I mustn’t take up any more of his time (which could be spent more constructively).
    .
    Panini Edirisinhe

    • 2
      1

      S.M,
      I have no problem with Sinhala, except that I find typing too complicated.
      This speech still contains the rabble-rousing 80’s chauvinism of the old JVP (which AKD doesn’t indulge in). As SJ says, these aren’t real Marxists.
      Note too the obsequious and frequent references to “ape hamuduruwane” . “Hamuduruwo” means “master”. Why is an alleged egalitarian doing this? Isn’t this a major part of the problem, a quai-feudal conferment of political influence on an un-elected and un-qualified clique? Furthermore, he goes along with the nonsensical myth that whoever controls Trinco or our airports controls Asia. The Japanese proved that idea wrong in 1942 with devastating consequences.
      We should expect our potential leaders to have much higher standards.

      • 1
        0

        Dear oc,
        .
        I understand your argument, which is that even if Handunnetti and his like are honest and sincere, their thinking is limited by their background.
        .
        I realise myself that the value of Trincomalee as a place where a huge fleet could be hidden has disappeared owing to radar, and similar innovations (not all of which I’m familiar with).
        .
        I’ve had a long WhatsApp chat with “Human Touch” who also feels that way about Handunnetti. He wouldn’t mind my telling you that because he’s made some comments, above this, on the same lines.
        .
        I’ve ploughed through this article by Dr Siri Gamage:
        .
        https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/voter-the-politician-how-do-they-relate-to-each-other-what-matters/
        .
        So, I guess that you’d say that many of those sociological views mus be taken into account. A bit depressing, because what it implies is that there will be no miraculous change.

        .

  • 0
    0

    Who is this AH worshiping appe Sir at the toll gate. I am sure it has to be the ar..e licker and most stupid modaya Blind Eagle alias HLD. No one else at present do such a low level thing. It is true that Sinhalese are mostly stupid and ignorant and o ability to think but yet not like the goon HLD. Shame on you. Forget the past two years and wait for the next years so that Blind Eagle modaya in amude begging along Galle Road if he is deported from Australia for fraud.

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