By D.B.S.Jeyaraj
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress is once again in the eye of a minor political storm after the decision reached by its Apex body to vote with the Government headed by President Mahinda Rajapakse in supporting the forthcoming 18th Amendment to the Constitution while remaining with the opposition led by Ranil Wickremasinghe.
On Friday August 27th the “Athi Uyar Peedam” or High Command of the SLMC met at the party headquarters “Darussalam” in Colombo. After much debate and discussion the 24 members of the SLMC high command arrived at what was described as a unanimous decision.
Rauf Hakeem the 50 year old “thalaiver” or leader of the SLMC addressed the media after the High Command meeting and announced that the party would be supporting the proposed Constitutional amendments along with the Government but would continue to remain in the opposition.
The decision reached by the premier political party of Sri Lankan Muslims aroused predictable resentment within opposition ranks. The SLMC was a co-founder of the United National Front(UNF) and vibrant constituent partner of that opposition formation.
It was only on April 8th this year that the SLMC contested the Parliamentary polls on the UNF ticket and won six seats in the Kandy,Wanni, Amparai, Batticaloa and Trincomalee districts. Opposition leader Ranil Wickremasinghe also allocated two seats on the national list to the SLMC thereby increasing its tally to eight.
There was much resentment within UNF circles over the SLMC decision. It was perceived as a political betrayal particularly by its chief constituent the United National Party (UNP).
Earlier there had been much heartburn within UNP circles about slots being allocated to the SLMC in candidate lists. The UNP’s Muslim veteran from Kandy district Abdul Cader had strongly objected to Rauf Hakeem contesting in the Kandy district. The UNP leadership’s refusal to pay heed had caused Abdul Cader to pursue an “independent” path after elections and is strongly tipped to cross over formally to govt ranks shortly.
There was also a lot of disagreement within UNF ranks over allocation of seats on the national list after polls concluded. The UNP hierarchy was besieged by a flurry of requests for national list seats but could not satisfy all. Much misunderstanding was caused as a result. Despite the pressure Ranil Wickremasinghe had delivered on pledges made to the SLMC and given two national list seats to that party.
Decision
Now the very same Muslim Congress had seemingly struck out alone and taken a solo decision to support the Government on what is regarded as an extremely controversial Constitutional amendment with deep political implications. The UNP deputy-leader Karu Jayasuriya pointed out that the SLMC should have consulted the UNF before taking such a decision unilaterally.
The SLMC decision to lend support will help the govt obtain the two-thirds majority necessary to pass Constitutional amendments. The party is also very likely to support the govt in matters like these in the future too. However the SLMC will not be getting cabinet or ministerial posts as quid pro quo for this support.
In short the SLMC will continue to remain in the opposition while supporting the govt. One does not know what the future holds but as for now the position seems to be that of the SLMC hunting with the hounds and running with the rabbits.
The scenario seems to be that of a political windfall for President Rajapakse. In one stroke he has been able to muster the two-thirds necessary for amending the Constitution through SLMC support without having to accommodate the party in his govt.
Against this backdrop it may seem to appear that the SLMC has given into the Government on a fundamental issue without extracting anything in return politically. What then has led to this situation where at face value a one-sided bargain seems to have been struck?
There is however more to the situation than which meets the eye. Though Rauf Hakeem is at the receiving end of criticism for the recent SLMC decision the reality is that he faces a tricky predicament and has been trying to keep the party boat afloat in choppy political waters.
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress under its illustrious co-founder MHM Ashraff and his successor Rauf Hakeem had a knack of backing the victor in Parliamentary and Presidential polls in the past.
MHM Ashraff
From the time when MHM Ashraff shifted allegiance to Ranasinghe Premadasa from Sirima Bandaranaike in 1988 to Rauf Hakeem adroitly pulling out of the Chandrika Kumaratunge govt and throwing in his lot with Ranil Wickremasinghe in 2001, the SLMC has been on the winning side previously.
This winning streak however has faded in more recent times after Hakeem hitched his wagon to the Wickremasinghe star. The SLMC was with the UNP in the 2004 polls and was relegated to the opposition. The Muslim Congress was opposed to Mahinda Rajapakse during the presidential polls of 2005 and 2010 backing Ranil Wickremasinghe and Sarath Fonseka respectively. The 2010 Parliamentary hustings also saw the SLMC being in the opposition again.
Ironically the SLMC did perform creditably in these elections. In both Presidential polls the party was able to deliver a hefty chunk of the Muslim vote to Wickremasinghe and Fonseka.Likewise the party proved in the 2004 and 2010 parliamentary elections that the SLMC remained the single most popular party of the Muslims.
The preponderant support extended to President Rajapakse and his party by the Sinhala electorate as opposed to the overwhelming support provided to the opposition by the Tamil and Muslim electorate has created a dangerous climate of ethnic polarisation. It has also given rise to a school of thought that espouses an abolition of all ethnic –oriented political parties.
If this situation is an unsavoury consequence of current political dynamics there is also the continuing phenomenon of political infidelity prevalent in SLMC politics.
Division
A noteworthy feature of recent Muslim politics has been the consistent steadfastness of Muslim Congress supporters on the one hand and the fickleness of those elected from the party on the other. The people remain loyal to the party but some of those elected are disloyal to the leadership and by extension to the party.Division and fragmentation has been the bane of SLMC.
This tendency began even during the time of MHM Ashraff. In 2000 when Parliament was at its tail end of tenure five of the seven SLMC parliamentarians were at loggerheads with Ashraff. Only Hakeem was not estranged with the leader at that time.
After Ashraff’s demise on September 16th 2000, Rauf Hakeem took over party reins. In the October 10th 2000 Parliamentary polls the SLMC obtained eleven elected and appointed MP’s. There was a split between Ashraff’s widow Ferial and Hakeem. Seven MP’s crossed over to the opposition with Hakeem while the other four remained with the Chandrika Kumaratunge regime. The Ferial faction took over the National Unity Alliance(NUA) in opposition to the SLMC
In 2001 the SLMC contesting with the UNP got twelve MP seats.Once again there was inner-party division. Party chairman Dr.Hazarath led a revolt of sorts when Hakeem was away from the country participating at the peace talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE). Hakeem returned in a hurry to cope with the crisis.
Subsequently when elections were announced in 2004 the SLMC dozen had been halved. Six MP’s including Athaulla,Anwer Ismail, Haris and Azeez were out of the SLMC. Athaulla formed the Muslim National Congress to compete with the SLMC
Fragmentation
Despite the Ferial Ashraff and Athaulla factors the SLMC under Rauf Hakeem once again fared best among Muslim parties at the 2004 polls. The party had ten seats. Alas! fragmentation began again. A group of four led by Riyaz Badiutheen broke away and joined the govt of Chandrika Kumaratunga. The group inclided Najeeb A Majeed and Ameer Ali. The All Ceylon Muslim Congress was formed by this group.
There was a second split among the remaining six after Mahinda Rajapakse became President. Three of the six namely Faisal Cassim, Nijamudeen and KA Baiz wanted to break away and join the govt. In a bid to prevent the party breaking up again, the SLMC took a policy decision and joined the government together as a party.
“Making a point to Bashir Segu Dawood” – pic: http://www.rauffhakeem.org [file pic – May 2008
However the party found itself constrained under the Rajapakse regime. There was also a groundswell of opinion at the party grassroots that the SLMC should return to the opposition. When the party did so Nijamudin and Baiz refused to return. So there was a split again and only Hakeem, Hassan Ali, Segu Dawood and Faisal Cassim came back
This sordid track record of MP’s getting elected on the Muslim Congress ticket and then crossing over to the govt has been the curse plaguing Rauf Hakeem’s leadership in the recent past. With this Damoclean sword of party break-up hanging overhead the Muslim Congress leader has been severely curtailed in exercising a powerful leadership role.
This crucial factor is at the heart of the current crisis also. Rauf Hakeem is once again facing potential desertion of party MP’s to treasury benches. It is in a desperate bid to avert party break –up and maintain the facade of unity that the SLMC leader has been compelled to adopt the controversial position of voting with the govt from opposition ranks.
The genesis of the current crisis was reportedly during the election campaign itself. The Muslim grapevine was then humming that some of those given nomination on the SLMC ticket would cross over to the government side soon after winning.
Phenomenon
In a bid to avoid the break –up phenomenon Rauf Hakeem had obtained written guarantees from prospective candidates that they would not leave the party. Some Islamic religious leaders had also driven the point home. It was also said that some candidates had sworn oaths to such effect in Mosques. One had reportedly pledged eternal party loyalty in Mecca.
Despite all this the rumour mills worked overtime that a party split was imminent after elections. Given the SLMC track record few would have argued against that as break-ups had been regular practice in the past.
There was however one aspect to the current rumour that made it sound unlikely. It was said that party chairman Basheer Segu Dawood from Batticaloa district would lead the SLMC defectors this time.
This possibility seemed rather remote as Basheer Segu Dawood had proved time and again that he was a Rauf Hakeem loyalist and ardent party man. Segu Dawood had been elected to Parliament first on an Independent list filed by the Eelam Revolutionary Organization (EROS) in 1989. He filled the vacancy caused by Alagu Gunaseelan who forfeited his parliamentary seat by keeping away continuously.
Segu Dawood
Subsequently Segu Dawood joined the SLMC and soon became Hakeem’s devout disciple. There was much grumbling against Hakeem because of the prominence given to Segu Dawood but the SLMC Leader did not relent to intra-party pressure.
Basheer Segu Dawood of Eravur in Batticaloa district and SM Hassan Ali of Ninthavur in Amparai district are regarded as the right and left hands of Rauf Hakeem. While Hakeem is leader of the party, Segu Dawood is chairman and Hassan Ali the secretary.
All three resigned their MP seats and contested the Eastern provincial council elections.While Hakeem and Hassan Ali returned to Parliament as national list MP’s, Segu Dawood remained provincial council opposition leader until the 2010 election.
In that context of his perceived closeness to Hakeem ,the possibility of Segu Dawood engineering a defection seemed highly unlikely but as events unfolded the unexpected happened. It soon became an “open secret” that a SLMC trio was in clandestine consultations with the “master negotiator” of the Rajapakse government.
The SLMC had got six elected MP’s and two national list MP’s. Those elected were Rauf Hakeem from Kandy, Noordeen Mashoor from Wanni, SM Thowfeek from Trincomalee, Basheer Segu Dawood from Batticaloa and HMM Haris and Faisal Cassim from Amparai district. Hassan Ali and SM Aslam from Kalutara district were nominated on the national list.
Eight MP’s
Of these eight MP’s the trio comprising Basheer Segu Dawood,Noordeen Mashoor and Faisal Cassim had reportedly engaged in talks with the Rajapakse govt negotiator and were ready to break ranks with the SLMC.
There was however a hitch as president Rajapakse was in no hurry to entice the SLMC trio as the govt had 144 MP’s and needed no additional support to bolster it. There was also the problem of allocating portfolios.
On the other hand the SLMC Parliamentarians had also been signatories to documents pledging permanent allegiance to the party. In the event of SLMC parliamentarians splitting from the party formally and crossing over the question was dicey as to how the courts would view that. Although the courts had not ruled against any “cross over” in recent times there could be no ruling out of a future adverse ruling.
While the anticipated split was in limbo pressure was mounting on Muslim Congress MP’s to join govt ranks. The main reason for this was the internal crisis of the UNP. The petty squabbling and byzantine intrigues within the grand old party made it obvious that the UNP was destined to be in a state of permanent opposition for many,many years. The SLMC too was doomed to be without any taste of power as long as it was aligned to the UNF
In such a situation two other MP’s HMM Haris and SM Thowfeek also felt the urge to merge with the govt. Minority community representatives from relatively less developed regions need to have some political power to satisfy the needs of their voters and preserve the vote base.
However both Haris and Thowfeek wanted the SLMC as a party to join the government. They were reluctant to break away from the party to join. In this the duo differed from the trio that was ready to break from the party if necessary.
Things were now boiling down to a situation where five of eight MP”s wanted to join the govt. Three were ready to break away and do so as a splinter group if required while two wanted to join the govt as a party. It appeared that only Hekeem, Hassan Ali and Aslam wanted to be in the opposition.
Speculation
Meanwhile SLMC chief Rauf Hakeem received some negative publicity when he spoke a workshop conducted at the Bakeer Markar center on the theme “Seeking people’s support to have a people oriented constitution”, Hakeem had apparently made references to the judiciary that were given full publicity by the state television. Speculation was rife that moves were on to charge Hakeem for alleged contempt of court.
Rauf Hakeem was also invited by the President for a meeting along with Ranil Wickremasinghe. But Hakeem had previously arranged to be in Kalmunai for the ceremonial opening of a new market. But Hakeem while speaking at Kalmunai referred to this and said the President would understand the reasons for his inability to attend.
The tenth death anniversary (sep 16th) of departed SLMC leader MHM Ashraff was approaching. The Muslim Congress was planning to observe it on a grand scale. When President Rajapakse came to Parliament to chair a meeting, Rauf Hakeem met him personally and extended an invitation to be chief guest. The President did so willingly thereby fuelling speculation that the SLMC was edging closer to the seat of power.
Meanwhile events began overtaking. President Rajapakse had earlier been exploring the possibility of reaching a consensus with opposition parties and substituting the executive presidency with an executive premiership.
Suddenly the President abandoned the search for a political consensus and reverted to his original idea of extending the terms of office a President could hold. He also had other Constitutional changes in mind.
This change of plan necessitated a two-thirds majority in Parliament. The Govt already had 144 plus the votes of dissident MP’s like Abdul Cader, P, Digambaram and Praba Ganesan.
Speculation was also rife that at least five Sinhala MP’s from the UNP were ready to break away from the party and vote with the government. It was also rumoured that a few from the Muslim Congress would also vote with the govt.
Old Left
Trouble was brewing for the President’s plans from unexpected quarters. The old left within the government comprising three Sama samajists and two communists was opposed to the extension of Presidential terms of office. The two parties indicated that they would not support the proposed amendment. At best they would abstain from voting. At worst they would vote against.
This left opposition necessitated a change in the President’s political priorities. With a question mark looming over the votes of five leftist MP”s the President had to look elsewhere to counterbalance it. The prospect of wooing the SLMC became an alluring temptation.
The President acted fast. The SLMC leader Rauf Hakeem was urgently summoned to Kandy where the President was attending the Esala perahera celebrations. An urgent one to one meeting was held at President’s house between the head of state and the SLMC leader.
The consummate politician that he is, President Rajapakse laid his cards on the table. He needed votes to garner a two-thirds majority. The SLMC had the votes. Would Rauf Hakeem’s party oblige?
Hakeem too is no fool. He recognized political reality. If the SLMC did not oblige as a party the president would have no choice other than to break the SLMC and get his votes. From three to five MP’s could break ranks with the SLMC.
Opportunity
On the other hand the SLMC leader could accept the inevitable and possibly turn adversity into an opportunity. What the President needed was two-thirds votes in Parliament for the Constitutional amendment. He did not require votes for each and every bll needing only a simple majority. There was also no necessity to draw SLMC parliamentarians into govt and give them portfolios.
Thus it was clear that President Rajapakse’s objective was not to break up the SLMC and entice breakaway MP’s into govt by giving them portfolios. Besides it was quite cumbersome to give away ministerial posts given the tremendous demand for it. What the President needed was votes to muster a two-thirds majority. If he could get them from opposition ranks without having to fragment a party that would be fine.
It was possible therefore that the SLMC need not break up if the party on the whole decided to support the govt from opposition ranks when the Constitutional amendment was presented in Parliament. The proposed amendment by itself did not affect the interests of the Muslims in particular or minorities in general. As such the SLMC would have no valid reason to oppose it.
The SLMC supporting President Rajapakse’s constitutional endeavours also had a hidden benefit. The recent erounds of elections had created a communal chasm. The Muslim vote being cast against the Rajapakse regime in large numbers had led to a situation of ethnic polarisation.
The SLMC supporting the Govt in the constitutional amendment voting could pave the way for a better understanding between both sides and lead to an improvement in majority-minority relations.
Allocation
Another advantage that could accrue to the SLMC by extending support to the President would be in allocation of resources and funds for development. The arrangement in the cases of P. Digambarm and Praba Ganesan is that some funds would be provided to them to cater to the needs of constituents and constituency. No ministerial portfolios were promised.
The same arrangement could be made in the case of the SLMC too. Instead of splitting the party and offering portfolios the govt could provide funds ranging from 30 to 50 million rupes each annually to the SLMC Parliamentarians for development projects in their electorates. This would give them the opportunity to undertake development projects even while remaining in the opposition. The need to join government to acquire adequate funds would be done away with.
The one to one meeting ended on a positive note. Rauf Hakeem returned to Colombo and after consulting party stalwarts and well-wishers convened the meeting of the supreme hierarchical body known as the High command.
There was much discussion and debate according to informed sources. Finally the High Command resolved unanimously that the party would support the proposed amendment from opposition ranks.
There have been reports in sections of the media that Rauf Hakeem had asked for one cabinet ministership and three other portfolios but was rebuffed by the President on the grounds that other Muslim ministers like Athaullah, Riyaz Bathiutheen and Hizbullah would not allow the President to accommodate Rauf.
Emphasised
Hakeem vehemently denied such reports and told party members that he had not made any such request to the president to be rebuffed. Later in media interviews the SLMC categorically denied such reports and emphasised that President Rajapakse would bear witness to that fact.
The SLMC has also ruled out the need to join the govt at this point of time. Party seniors are of the iew that if such an opportunity should rise in the future the SLMC should forge a memorandum of understanding before doing so. Adhoc arrangements for joining have been ruled out.
The crisis seems to have ended for now as a win win situation for govt and SLMC. President Rajapakse is sure of eight more votes to muster the necessary majority to pass a Constitutional amendment without having to allocate ministerial portfolios. The SLMC will keep its MP’s, retain its party unity and also procure funds for specific development projects while being in the opposition.
Deep differences however could develop between the Muslim Congress and the UNP over this arrangement in the future. Likewise the emerging understanding on Tamil- Muslim issues with the Tamil National Alliance could also be under strain.
Things may also change in the future if the govt revises its current strategy and enacts moves to break up opposition parties or introduce legislation affecting the minority communities
The previous parliament saw the SLMC joining the Rajapakse government to avoid the party splitting. This time the decision to support the govt while being in the opposition is another move to avert the party splitting again.
Only time will tell whether Rauf Hakeem has ensured SLMC unity through this deft manoeuvre or has simply obtained a brief respite.
DBS Jeyaraj can be reached at dbsjeyaraj2005@yahoo.com
Excellent write-up. I was thinking that Hakeem had betrayed Ranil Wickremasinghe until I read this article. So Mahinda Raja has outsmarted the Muslim Congress. I feel sorry for the opposition
DBS, till I read this I was annoyed with Rauff Hakeem. I thought that he was an opportunist turncoat by moving close to govt. But after reading your article only I got the true picture. Now I feel very sorry for Hakeem and the Muslim Congress
Thank you Mr.Jeyaraj for a brilliant article. You have set in sequence the recent events leading to the decision by the Muslim Congress. As one of Thalaiver Ashraff’s “poraligal” from the eighties I am saddened by the plight of SLMC. When elected MP’s are betraying the party what can brother Hakeem do?
One thing is clear from this article by DBS. The Rajapakse government wont allow minority community parties to function independently.
You wrote as we requested Jeyaraj. Many, many thanks
Aney DBS. After reading the KP marathon interview this article was at times boring. But I did understand Muslim congress politics better.
What a great article. You’ve explained all the details. Thank you DBS for agreeing to my request and writing about this
When our Tamil people are suffering so badly why is DBS wasting his time by writing about SLMC?
Whatever you say DBS the bottom line is that the SLMC is acting shamelessly or is it shamefully?
Interesting article. Was able to appreciate and understand nuances of Muslim congress inside politics
Great work as usual DBS. My gratitude to you for writing in depth about our neglected Muslim politics
Muslims must stop saying they are not Tamil speaking people. Like in India they must identify as Tamils but retain separate religious culture
Mahinda has proved that he is the shrewdest politician for ever in Sri Lanka. With SLMC support he will be permanent president
Thanks DBS for an informative article.Learnt much from it about Muslim politics
Good article DBS. No room under Rajapakse govt for independent politics by minority communities. Must understand that
I want to congratulate Mr. Jeyaraj for this wonderful article. There has been a lot written about this issue in Colombo newspapers but no one has written with such depth. Thank you.
Excellent article brother Jeyaraj. Thanks for writing
All these days DBS was explaining Tamil politics to the world. Now he is explaining Muslim politics. Good show Jayaraj
In Tamil there is a word “thoppipiratti.” It has degrading connotations but does it not perfectly describe the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress?
NO. Your comment exposes your prejudice I think………DBSJ
Every politician has his price.
Muslim politicians appear to be the cheapest in the political market.
They appear prepared to sell the future of not only their community,but of all for a pittance.
They maybe the latest lot of political scum.
It is high time that Sri Lankans learn that time for communal politics is past. Parties like TNA, TULF and SLMC should not have any place in Sri Lanka’s political landscape. These were the root causes of the ethnic problems in the past. I wish the country could have multi-ethnic parties so that every ethnic group’s concerns could be dealt within a mainstream party.
Nice article, but what’s missing is your thoughts on the underlying reasons for the continued dissent within SLMC. Is it due to lack of Hakeems’ leadership qualities or is it an inherent nature of muslim politicians?
what do you think?
Muslims like to bite the hand of to whom feeds them rice
DBSJ RESPONDS:
If readers persist in posting comments vilifying the Muslim community they will be edited out. This will be the last of comments derogatory of Muslims I hope
For some inexplicable reason I have a great dislike towards this particular individual.
I don’t understand what is so bad about removing this two term limit. Any president, still has to be elected by the people. If the people want to elect a person, does it matter how many times he has been elected before?
# 21. Ranjan, Toronto
Its not these “ethnic” parties that polarize Sri Lanka. This claim again is a top down stuff down the throat approach of certain chauvinists. I hope well intending Sri Lankans of the majority ethnic community carefully looks at the role of “ethnic” parties.
How does Sri Lankan state and the Buddhist clergy view “diversity and tolerance”…? I mean in practice..
In many instances there is only an artificial inclusion and intrusion in the name of “diversity and tolerance” by Sri Lankan state that weakens the traditional heritage of the said minority ethnic communities by this rationale against “ethnic” parties.
Please check out recent article by Lydia Polgreen in NYTimes.com..Is this what Sri Lanka state embodies…?
“A Sikh Temple Where All May Eat, and Pitch In – few places in India demonstrate so clearly the country’s genius for diversity and tolerance, the twin reasons that India — despite its fractures and fissures — has remained one nation.”
http://nyti.ms/bm8zhH
One thing for sure is that the Muslim Politicians seem to some how look after their electorates.
Going by what Jeyaraj says , if Hakeem can get 50 to 60 Mil for each of his comrades to spend in their electorates it will earn the SLMC Mps a lot of Bownie points.
This is better than languishing in the no hoper camp of Ranil Wickremasinghe.
Besidesf the current signals from the UNP camp indicate that the President can get the shortfall of the two thirds from the UNP itself.
The same malaise that afflicts the UNP also afflicts the SLMC ie weak leadership. At the moment the opposition is in disarray and this step taken by Hakeem to keep his party intact is understandable. Also this decision was not only his but arrived at after much debate. The absence of any windfall for supporting the govt indicates that it was done purely to preserve the integrity of the party.
The opposition needs to take stock of the situation and turn the mud they are in into gold. Leaders like RW who have failed should step down and allow young talent to surface. If not the future of Sri Lanka is likely to be dominated by the Rajapakse family for the next decade or so.
Hi! Navin ,( comment #25)
its pretty good logic but the problem is do we have fair elections or fair results or fair election campaigns in Sri Lanka?
Sit back and think about the way government media was misused to slander opposition in the recent elections.The Sri Lankan psychy is nicely portrait by your naive comment though, thanks a lot for that.
regards,
Ajith Boralugoda
Is anybody know content of the 18th amendment?
DBSJ RESPONDS:
You can read the full text in my website – link here: transcurrents.com
This is an excellent article.
Whatever the reasons for SLMC to take this decision, TNA also should revise their strategy.
Their negative policies from the time of the Federal Party have not assisted Tamils in any significant way.
Why not change your strategy, not for any posts or perks but for a noble cause- the wellbeing of your own community!
Get rid of your past slogans- Traitors!
You lifelong tactics of not accepting any posts in the government is counterproductive!
You may be able to gather votes in the short run and parade as saints but how it has benefited the community?
Don’t misunderstand! Aiming for posts and positions are not intrinsically wrong!
All humans aspire for economic advancement and for self actualization!
Being a minister is not a sellout. They are not traitors. The Tamils also have a right to hold cabinet posts.
Yes! vote for the 18 Amendment and see the outcome!
MR is the master of all politicians in SL. He bought the naïve LTTE with money (by sending his secretary as the emissary to Praba) to beat Ranil in the election and then destroyed the LTTE to now dominate Sinhala racist sentiments to his advantage.
Now, he will use the SLMC to his advantage to get the 2/3 majority. After everything is done, he will not need SLMC and SLMC will be spared like the LTTE.
If SLMC want to exercise any power in the future, they will stick with the opposition to defeat the 18th amendment to maintain their “wanted” status in the future.
I hope the power loving muslim brothers will exercise their power cautiously by using their brain to retain their power and not be so naive as the LTTE who gave the “stick” to MR to get completely destroyed by it.
Good luck SLMC, think hard before falling prey to the next maneuver of the master rogue (MR) politician.
Excellent article! I think you have narrated Hakeem’s dilemma and MR’s manipulation very well. Though it looks like MR got the better part of the deal “for himself to remain in power”, I think SLMC got the better deal for Islamic voters who sent them to Parliament. Will Douglas, Karuna and the others learn?
You got me interested in the 18th Amendment and what I found saddened and surprised me. The whole amendment looks like Sri Lanka is moving towards dictatorship. Maybe this is a grave MR is digging for himself, for everyone knows that, there is only one way to remove a dictator from power.
VP dug his grave by Rajiv’s assassination and MR by 18th amendment!
I wish you would analyze the 18th Amendment and its impact on Democracy in Sri Lanka? Please…..
I agree with navin #25. After all he is being elected. The restriction of 2 terms is unnecessary.JR put that clause in because the selfish bastard was too old anyway for 3 terms.
however i’am wondering whether a executive primeminister would have been better for the country. Have the people given too much of power to the president and is all that power really necessary to run the country effectively?This is the question we have to ask ourselves.
I agree with comment #21 from Ranjan in Toronto wholeheartedly. I have long felt that all race and religion based political parties and factions of parties must be banned by law in SL. Yes, that includes not only the minority parties, but Sinhala parties like Sihala Urumaya as well. Not even factions of mainstream parties should be allowed. e.g. Muslim faction of the UNP etc. How can we become a single nation if we are divided into groups and bargaining and plotting as such? We say we want one end result but unless our actions and systems are aligned with that result, we are not going to get it. Divided, we get divided results. If we want united results and equality, well, gotta play like that.
The laws of the country should be updated and should supersede any religion. There should be one law for the whole country. One marriage law for Muslims, one marriage law for others. Here’s an interesting fact. What happens when a Burger, Tamil or Sinhala woman marries a Muslim man? Oh, guess what, her rights under the law don’t count cos only the men count in Sri Lanka. So the Muslim man is still allowed to marry other women. What happned to the woman’s rights? Everyone should be able to buy land and live anywhere in SL. The minorities are so hell bent on preserving their ‘traditional homelands’. Which is a fallacy in itself because if the measure of how long a race has been in an area is to be applied, then the many Buddhist and Sinhala ruins in the North East would establish an even more ancient ‘traditional homeland’ for the Sinhala people in the North East. So really, this traditional homeland theory is a stupid and counter productive to harmony. All these propaganda stuff that used to work back in the day when the LTTE were masters at propaganda and the GOSL were ignorant of how propaganda worked in the West don’t work anymore. Time to quit. The Sinhala people didn’t buy it then and don’t buy it now. Can’t have the cake and eat it. Want equality and want to live all over the country. Great. But it has to be a two way street. I am Sinhala and I have no problem having everyone be completely equal. But I’m no pushover. I demand equality too. But my question is this, anyone can see that all races live in most harmony and with most understanding in Colombo compared to any other city. Because it is a mixed race place. Duh, why wouldn’t you want that in the whole country?
Time to bring SL to the modern age. Start with the laws. Start treating the most discriminated minority–women–equally. Have you seen the rape laws, the marriage laws, the immigration laws? And what’s up with the way we decide race in SL? A mixed race child is the father’s race?? Honestly so many Moors, Tamils, Burgers, Sinhalese are all mixed race down the line somewhere, if you look at the DNA. They just get told by law that they are the father’s race. That’s pretty stupid and inaccurate in the face of what we know of modern science.
Time to treat everyone equal. That is not just Tamils, but other races, woman, the GLBT community. All of them. For example if anyone is asking for example say rights for Muslims or Tamils but disagree with rights for women or GLBT then, that is hypocrisy right there. We can never do true equality without making religions secondary to the law. We need equal rights for women, yes, even Muslim women, equal marriage rights for gay/lesbian, rights for trans gendered people to change their sex, abortions rights so on.. If anyone disagrees with these and only want rights for their race or religion, then they are hypocrites. I say this as a Sinhala Buddhist straight person, and not as a minority.
Rauf hakeem! Politics itself is Dawry for him! There is a true truth about money making drama by this idiot! Thanks DBS
I agree with Navin and Shanker. What is the fuss about the number of terms when they have to be elected by the people. It is the luck of the people in our country that we have an efficient very clever person with a clear vision, leading the country, without bowing down to the giants in the world. These people claiming ‘…but the problem is do we have fair elections or fair results or fair election campaigns in Sri Lanka’, are looking for excuses for not supporting the governments efforts.
24 Perera
Sorry, Mr Perera you did not say clearly who the person you dislike for no reason. Is it D B S Jeyaraj ?. or who is it ?.
Whoever it is, Mr Perera, if you dislike someone, it is your problem. Live and let live Mr Perera.
Cheers.
Good work again by DBS.Pl keep on writing.It is very unfortunate that some commens are written insulting our muslim community.Switching loyalty to another ruling party is not a sin.Great leader Thondaman did this and the upcountry tamils immensely benefitted.On the other hand the traditional tamil leaders adopted a provacative and communal politics with their eloquent talents always telling lies to the Tamil people let down the tamil people.Muslim leaders from the east who supported tamil parties in 60s and 70s realized the true nature of the tamil leaders and started to think differently.See the social and educational developments in the east now.Dont insult our muslim brothers.
Dear Mr. Hakeem,
You must always support the goverment who ever- either UNP or SLFP to get our rights in each term. we always observer CWC- they do the same. did you get any benefit while sitting in opposition?, UNP is just using you and the party for thier interest. we muslims voted for your party to get our rights thorugh you also our area developements by the Goverment. so you decision is absolutly right.
33. ATL
Past democratic rulers did not do much in SL. People might have thought it may be worth a try to have a semi-dictator rule.
For #25 & #34:
The reason why getting rid of the term limits is so bad is that it is very difficult to defeat a sitting president who runs for re-election. Why is that? Because he has the use of all the state’s resources to help him get re-elected.
If you put that together with the rest of the things in this amendment (reducing powers of Elections Commisioner, letting President appoint members of all the “independent” commissions, etc.), you can see that what little restrictions that there are currently on using state resources during elections will not even exist. Do you think that anybody will defeat him then? Not likely.
If you look around the world, all of the countries that have an Executive President have term limits, except for those that are either a) dictatorships, or b) single-party governments (like Singapore).
#25 Navin & # 34. shankar
Agree.
There is nothing catastrophic if people elect some one to rule for a longer period.
# 29. Ajith Boralugoda
Single party rule has helped countries like Malaysia and singapore where it is near impossible for opposition to win and form a government . China is ruled by single party (communists) and doing pretty well past two decades.
SL may follow suit. If single party rule does good for SL, why deny it?
Parties like the SLMC, JHU, TNA should be banned in Sri Lanka. They are nothing but communal parties hell bent on using the ethnic card to get votes. Rauff Hakeem is no different to his predecessor Ashraff – an opportunistic communalist. The type of politics practiced by individuals such as these has been the reason for so much conflict in the country. Muslim communalism is just as bad as Singhalese and Tamil communalism.
good . very well analysed. now we know why SLMC supports 18th amendement.
i’m not sure how this will affect the future of our country.
There is lot more room for muslim voices from north west and the east.
i have personally experienced the difficulties the north western province(chilaw & puttlam) people undergo. no one is ever giving an ear or hand to uplift these hardworking poor folk from these areas.
Please do write about each peovince/district and its short commings and people’s desires and needs.
Its time to focus on the country as whole.
Two things. It is said that the constitutional amendments will not affect Muslims so their opposition to it is meaningless. Not so because it will pave way for dictatorship and once the amendment is passed, SMLC’s date of expiry would be reached. MR would be less receptive to their demands because his job is done!
Navin at 25 says” I don’t understand what is so bad about removing this two term limit. Any president still has to be elected by the people. If the people want to elect a person, does it matter how many times he has been elected before?”
MR can rig the elections hereafter so that his reign will continue. At the end of 2 terms if he has to go, he will have to rig the elections of his nominee for the next term and this nominee may or may not work to MR’s satisfaction once elected. It is like Karuna falling out with Prabakaren. It is a great risk. Who ever who supports MR’s constitutional change is putting the future of SL into great jeopardy. Very similar to what Hitler did in Germany to come into power and set fire to the Parliament I think. First step when he became a dictator. Flip side of this is SL can never prosper without some sort of dictatorship. Drug dealers need to be shot and are getting shot. However the biggest drug dealer is a ruling party politician and his son. They won’t be shot and that means there is selective shooting which means the drug dealing politicians will capture dead fellows share of the market and the amount of drugs in circulation will not reduce!!
Islam is growing faster in Sri Lanka. It will take over whole of Sri Lanka .
hi,
how many time mahinda cheated world by telling that he is going to address the ethinic issue 1) after war over 2) after president election over 3) after parlimentry election.
now he change his position. development first and then ethinic issue.
see how he is cheating the world and tamil. how is his integrity in ethinic issue.
Along with my previous contribution, readers are
Kindly advised to read two articles in transcurrents, one by by Prof. Rohan Samarajiva & other by P.Saravanamuttu on the dangers of constitutional reforms.
29. Ajith Boralugoda | September 3rd, 2010 at 11:25 pmHi! Navin ,( comment #25)its pretty good logic but the problem is do we have fair elections or fair results or fair election campaigns in Sri Lanka?
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I think the 18th amendment should have gone hand in hand with the 17th amendment. One without the other is like bread without butter.
#31
You may be right, only way for minorities to to survive & prosper is to support Gov., today’s sense King MR/his dynasty in several decades to come. I do not blame minority parties and they have to do what is best for the their people which is always relative.It is unfortunate that it is going to be a dictatorship, again people deserve their leader & Gov. People who have the choice will be lining up to get out of the country to enjoy the freedom.
One of my friend who just returned from SL told me ” Now I realize why Canada & Australia worried about boat people,
What if 20 million people decided to leave”
I suspect that there will be two parties in SL in the future, ruling party & JVP ( if it is allowed to be a legal one), UNP has gone with the wind.
Do SLMC have a choice?
why write such a long article? just mention the amount of money paid…. sri lanka is a nation blinded by party politics… this state of mind of the stupid people of the country is more dangerous than LTTE and SLMC put together…
Fickle Muslim congress MP”s have put Rauf Hakeem in weak situation. Feel very sorry for him.
Nicely written article DBS
With Hakims support or not, the MR was getting things done his way for the past so many years. It is sad to see how our spineless parliamentarians in both sides support to institutionalize these corrupt practices.
Unfortunately, a wedding outside SL was more important for our pathetic opposition leader, than the crisis at home. I doubt he understands the gravity of it.
But, fortunatley or not, after having dubiously supported this “Maya rathna”, Ravaya editor Mr. Victor Ivon seems to be understanding the gravity of the path Sri Lanka is heading. Likewise, I hope DBS and others in the civil society, in all ethnic groups, regardless of what our opportunistic MPs do, would raise some voices, before long they put the last nail in the coffin of our already sick democracy.
DBS it is better you use your powerful pen to address important issues than write about impotent people. It serves the whole humanity than trying to give and get sympathy for few persons. We need 18 to address the problems we all Sinhalaeses, Tamils and Muslims and others face, not to prolong ones political life.
SL elections are far from been perfect but they are not totally ineffective as often claimed by the looses.
Malpractices can change the numbers, the margins and who becomes parliamentarians but not which party forms the government or who gets elected as president unless people do not deliver a clear verdict.
When someone gets elected as president through a small margin as in 2005, it may matter to the two candidates, hell, it might even change the future of the country but as far as the people are concerned, they have not voted for or against either candidate and that is _fact_ and is the _real_ result not the individual vote counts which is merely a tie breaker.
The two term limit is important for the UNP, not because it prevents dictatorship but because they have no candidate who can challenge MR and win with a clear majority at an election.
Using the two term limit on MR is like MR not accepting SF’s resignation thus disqualifying him from contesting. At least he was man enough to not do that. Can we say the same about present UNP or Ranil? At first they hide behind SF and now they are trying to hide behind the two term limit. If this is their approach, then what good are they anyway?
I’m with UNP on matters relating to scrapping of 17th amendment and executive premiership are concerned but not the 2 term limit.
Extension of the term of Executive Presidency by buying over MPs from other parties is immoral on the part of this “Master Rogue” ( aptly described in a comment above).
In his Chinthanaya, and in his election campaign he promised to abolish the Executive Presidancy.
Even if he wants to make this amendment, he should get the approval of the voters, by a referendum.
He is afraid that he will not get the required voted and so resorted to this illegal method.
49. kumar :
MR has no mandate or AUTHORIZED to give anything ‘special’ to Tamils or Muslims or Gays or Lesbians or whatever. In the true spirit of democracy they all already live side by side with the majority.
In addition, in the eyes of law, everyone is treated equally. What else you want? Tamil Self-determination?
You are talking about some promises seem to have been given by MR. HUH! What do you expect the GOSL to do when getting blows from the Tamil terrorists left and right? Tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
Never heard the word “tact”, when dealing difficult people?
Did you wholeheartedly believe the Tamil terrorist propaganda?
It is hardly likely the GOSL will ever allow again any room for anyone to play the ethnic card and score points. This message seems to have gone clearly to India and a few other fat vultures who always designed doom for Sri Lankans, and pocketed in $$$$.
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaga Machaaaaaaaaaaan….. Wannaga………
We love all SriLankan Muslims.
Thi is so funny.
A single Muslim screwed UNP once( M.H. Mohomed)
After Ten years another Muslim screwing us,( Hakeem)
DBSJ RESPONDS:
Muslim screwed up UNP?
How about the other Sinhala MP’s of the UNP ?They didn’t screw you up? Only a “Muslim” (MHM) screwed you up?
How about all these Sinhala and Tamil MP’s elected on the UNP ticket who have crossed over to the govt all these years? Even now what about Lakshman Seneviratne & Earl Gunasekera etc?
Only a “MUslim” (Rauf) has screweed you up?
I think its you who is screwed up?
# 49. kumar
I dont think, MR is naive enough to give politicalsolution to SL Tamils now. He will prolong the issue few more years, until SL tamils give up the hope for a political solution and ready to accept anything offered..
(#57-Navin
I’m with UNP on matters relating to scrapping of 17th amendment and executive premiership are concerned but not the 2 term limit)
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I thought the UNP was for the 17th amendment because it brings more transparency and fairness to vital areas of the public service. Why are you for scrapping it?Also why do you want the executive primeministership scrapped. It is frightening when JR described the president as able to do anything except change a man to a woman and vise versa. Do we really need such powers to economically develop this country. Singapore was developed by Lee Kuan Yew who was just a prime minister and same for mahathir Mohamed.
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#59-bunker rat(This message seems to have gone clearly to India and a few other fat vultures )
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Yes, i agree that India is fat, but a vulture???
While you are busily sending messages to India to properly put it in its place, India may lose its supposedly infinite patience with you and send some messages back to put the brat in its place.
Just because we are over and over again beating India at cricket and humiliating it, we should not think that we can extend that trend into the economic muscle and world politics sphere of influence.
And just because we have China on our side we should not think we can take on India. The 2 asian giants will just come to an backroom agreement to share the spoils without engaging in damaging war, with India having the predominantly hindu north and east and china taking the predominantly bhuddhist rest of the country.
Stubborn people like you who do not want to give any political rights to the tamils will be the ultimate cause for this.
The tamils will sigh with relief that they are now a part of India with the maximum possible political rights, without having to be a part of stingy Srilanka.
The sinhalese will sigh with relief that they don’t have to go with the begging bowl to the rest of the world anymore. They have to only make an annual pilgrimage to beijing.
#60 Perera,
I think you better shut up.
A your language is unacceptable, B you are making racist comments.
#42 Critical thinker.
I dont think re-election of a president should be cause for concern. It would be any body’s right to be elected if the people want them. Your argument about people in power have a advantage is true but limited. many in power in Sri Lanka has got voted out. The concern here is that the Constitutional Council is also meddled with.
I wish DBSJ would write about the constitutional council and the fear of having it.
It involves appointments to Police, and other public service organisations sans political meddling.
I am not the expert on this but appreciate if any could elaborate.
# 21 Ranjan, Toronto.
Sorry, you are dead wrong.
Minority parties didn’t create the ethnic problems it’s the other way around.
1956 SLFP leader Bandaranaike introduced the Sinhala only act and when he tried to correct himself the UNP’s J.R. Jayawardene, started his Kandy yatra.
Year 1956 was the first nationwide pogrom against the Tamils and continue until………??????
Take care.
# 62. shankar
The 2 asian giants will just come to an backroom agreement to share the spoils without engaging in damaging war
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This can happen if SL try to act smart with both the nations and irritate them at some times or other.
India would not mind attaching north and china will be more than happy to have South & East.
SL Hindus & Budhists also may be happier to be part of a one nation, one India or one China. :- )
62. shankar
Lee Kuan Yew and mahathir Mohamed, are both who used “democratic” methods to hold on to power in their respective countries. They ruled with iron fists and they and their families made millions many times over while developing their countries.
Now MR and the family seems to hell bent on doing the same thing in Sri Lanka. I don’t condone what is happening, but if you look at all the Asian Tigers that developed in the last 30-40 years, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia and Korea, it is the same story. The countries developed, but at the same time the ruling family and those around them got wealthy. Will that story repeat in Sri Lanka? Who knows.
This 18th amendment is a two edged sword for MR. At the moment he enjoys immense popularity, but if he does not deliver economically, his third term will not be a very pleasant one. I have been listening to what is coming from Sri Lanka, even his most ardent supporters are a bit uneasy about it. But if he plays his cards right and delivers good government, he and his family will be unshakable for the foreseen future.
62. shankar:
What I meant was I agree with UNP on proposed executive premiership and on its stance against scrapping of 17 amendment.
It’s sad that Rauf Hakeem is only interested in trying to be a political gamesman when there is a far bigger problem that is affecting Sri Lanka’s Muslims – Islamic fundamentalism. Instead of addressing the rising tide of Islamic extremism and violence that is sweeping over the Muslim community in Sri Lanka, Rauf Hakeem and the rest of his lackeys in the SLMC are only interested in consolidating their political power. Never mind that Muslims have killed each other over sectarian differences or that mosques have been attacked and counter-attacked by different Muslim groups…
#65s.joseph
India would not mind attaching north and china will be more than happy to have South & East
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India will definitely want the east too because of Trincomalee harbour, for its naval fleet to be stationed there permanently. This will be necessary because the chinese will be getting the colombo and hambantota harbours for their military and commercial cargo ships.
As for irritating india or china, i wonder whether that is really necessary. A new world order is probably going to emerge where the large countries are going to have backroom agreements where without going to war they will partition the world to their advantage. They will only need a excuse to intervene. That is why smaller countries have to sort out their problems within themselves in a mature manner and have a united population. A divided population is inviting trouble.
Already there are 3 power blocs in the world, namely EU, US and china and other countries are being forced to slot into one of their spere of influence in order to survive. This is only going to be made worse in the future as they tighten the noose little by little. They will not fall into that age old trap of going to war with each other to expand their ‘colonies’. This time they will be smart and learn to share because there is plenty for all three. There will not be a third world war, because of the nuclear weapons at their disposal, but that will not stop the age old traditions from time immemorial of wanting more and more ‘colonies’. This time the ‘colonies’ will be sovereign countries, but in name only, because if they want to put even a fart they will have to consult the ‘boss’.
The problem of elected Muslim MPs going to ruling coalitions is not unique to Ashraff or Hakim. Federal Party also had many such desertions earlier.
25, 29, 34, 37, 42,43,51 ..so far
This realy attracts wide attention.
The current article is so connected to the proposed 18th amendment, particularly the two term linit of the President and more has to be discussed over that,
JR’s Constitutional chapters on Executive Prsident was based mostly on US and French Constitutions.
The 22nd amendment to the US Constitution which was ratified in 1951 brought the two term limit after it was felt that Franklin D. Roosevelt ran for the fourth term concealing his failing health which was affecting his judgement. It was also thought that Roosevelt felt like he owned the presidency and he was loosing touch with the people. Moreover their(US) one term is only four years so one can only have a maximum of eight years in Office.
For us Executive Premier would be ideal as it has the checks and balances of the Parliament. As Sivasithamparam pointed out to JR, what’s the guarantee that an unsuitable person won’t take over the Office which has unrestrictive powers(now without time limit as proposed), in the future.
Correction to earlier Post.
The US president cannot serve more than 10 years or two consecutive terms in office. The elections are held at the end of fourth year on a fixed date.
FDR is the only President to serve more than two terms.
Grover Cleveland is the only President to serve two non-consecutive terms.
# 66. Ranjan, Toronto
Now MR and the family seems to hell bent on doing the same thing in Sri Lanka..
But if he plays his cards right and delivers good government, he and his family will be unshakable for the foreseen future
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SL is heading to be at the hands of MR and family for next few generations and MR & Gota ensures that the their family rule is not shaken by any one.
Democracy may be sacrified, while economy takes priority.
Shanker:Shanker:
[Yes, i agree that India is fat, but a vulture???
While you are busily sending messages to India to properly put it in its place, India may lose its supposedly infinite patience with you and send some messages back to put the brat in its place.]
Yes… the truth is bitter… But’s let’s not hide it. And dare tell it to the face. Didn’t we get bitten by India, very badly for 25+ years? Didn’t they look the other side, when we were getting butchered?
Thanks to MR and his team, we made spectacular diplomatic and military moves against ALL ODDS, to come out winning… and boy…. wasn’t that a head-turner!
Let’s not forget… HOW HELPLESS WE WERE, IN FRONT OF THE WORLD CLASS TERRORISTS… AND HOW HARD WAS IT TO DECIMATE THE TAMIL TERRORISTS…
When we asked help when the Terrorists had cornered 40,000 troops in Jaffna, we know the answer we got, from the big bro and the popular hit song at that time was… ‘there’s no milicherry solution’, right, buddy?
Do you want us to be in that situation again?
The peace we now have is priceless! What else you want?
hi DBS J
Thank you for this article on SLMC.
I did not see such detailed information about SLMC in Lanka media including Tamil media
I sincerely request you to write more articles about Muslim affairs in future too
If the constitutional amendments had come in to solve the ethnic problem it would have been wise and should be welcomed.
I sincerely thought that some constitutional amendments would address the Tamil problem once and for all and they would live there in a United Sri lanka.
This amendment comes to give the President unlimited opportunity to contest the elections doing away with the two term limit imposed on him.
Nothing apparently wrong as long as he is elected by the people.
Will this solve the Tamil problem? A BIG NO, to my limited knowledge.
May be what LKY said in respect of Sri Lanka would come true.
I shudder to think of it.
If the ethnic problem is not solved and the terrorism raises its ugly head then the Sinhalese have none to blame other than themselves.
Then the world will talk about Prabhakaran as a freedom fighter and will give all kinds of encouragement to the struggle.
Then the world will think that may be Prabhakaran knew the nature of the Sinhalese people and the govt, that he vehemently refused to believe their words.
THIS IS A HISTORIC OPPURTUNITY COME IN THE WAY OF SINHALESE AND THE SRI LANKAN GOVT. IF THEY FAIL TO USE THIS THEN THEY ARE THE ONES TO BE BLAMED FOR .
I WISH BETTER SENSE PREVAILS ON THEM TO WIN PEACE, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.
Until this article I thought you have deep knowledge only about Tamils and Tamil Politics. But you proved you are a national writer not a mere Tamil Writer.
But, Still I have doubt about the agreed development fund which MR promised. However, as a national government It should spend money in developing the whole country not only the South. May be they are allocating a small amount through Hakeem.
If someone is blaming the 18th amendment and MR they should realize that UNP is responsible for all this mess. The are the one who initially brought this constitution to stay in the power for a long time.
To Ranjan-Toronto (comment # 21)
Thanks for expressing your communual minded and narrow minded views in this column?
How dare you say parties like TNA, TULF and SLMC should not have any place in Sri Lankan politics? then what about SIHALA URUMAYA? The name of the party itself is communual minded? As you these parties were not the root cause of the ethnic problems in the past. In fact these parties were the by product of ethnic descrimination by all major Sinhalese Governments? Tamils and Muslims have in Sri Lanka over several hundred years. But the need for their identity emerged only due to ethnic descriminations. for you kind informations. these parties were formed only after the ethnic problems. so they were not the root cause of communual problems.
Good decision
# 59 BunkerRat
MR has no mandate or AUTHORIZED to give anything ’special’ to Tamils or Muslims or Gays or Lesbians or whatever\
You are talking about some promises seem to have been given by MR. HUH!
The problem is further compounded by the fact that certain assurances were given by the Rajapakse regime at various levels that a mutually satisfactory settlement would be on the cards after the war against the LTTE was concluded.
72. sjoseph
Democracy may be sacrified, while economy takes priority.
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The sad fact of life is that economy will take priority over democracy. That has been the case in many parts of the world in the last few decades. None of the Asian countries that are doing really well now were not even close to being democratic while their economies expanded.
However, removing term limits on the presidency is not a guarantee that MR and the Rajapaksha family will be able to hold on to the power. People who are moaning that once the term limits are removed the government will use its vast resources to keep an individual or a family in power ignores the fact that same thing can happen in under an executive prime minister as well. The key is having a strong opposition and that is what is lacking in Sri Lanka and that what is people should be more worried about.
dear jey,
yet another informative article on srilankan political scene.just becoz mps are going to desert the party should not be the reason why rauf hakeem should support rajapakshes quest for 18th amendment .unfortunately srilankan society reflects south asian society and as a result politics also reflects only the societywhere elected members of parliament sold their soul for money this happened in july 2008 in india now it is happening in srilanka.while the article dealt with muslim congress politics i would like to comment on the perils of 3rd term for any srilankan politician as a president.power corrupts absolute power corrupts like wise in a country like srilanka with ill developed institutions like judiciary,media a person having untrammelled power does not augur well for the country.in america presidents term is restricted to two terms despite the fact that institutions like judiciary,media,senate and congress playing a vigilant role.the reason behind restricting the term is to see that one individual does not dominate the political scene and give a chance to others also to come up in the political scene after politicians are individuals some may be dynamic others may be lacklustre or they maylose their lustre after some time.like wise in srilanka media and judiciary should perform their vigilant role unfortunately for media if they perform it credibly van with while colour will come to pick up the journalists and judiciary hardly has any backbone judges very well know what will be in store for them after retirement hence they dont pass any critical judgements.i would like to ask one question what is the hurry for rajapakshe to pass this amendment when his 2nd term is yet to begin?i guess like his counterpart in pakistan who tried to do it (nawaz sharif) rajapakshe wants to crown himself as king of srilanka.
Great article.
I think there is a pending subject to be written by you. that is “Who killed Ashraff?”
People were that time talking about 3 reasons
1. Killed by LTTE.
2. Killed by Ratwatte
3. Accident
When can we expect a clarification?
# 59 BunkerRat
You should read what DBSJ wrote in his article : The ” Intermestic ” Tamil issue in Indo-Lanka Relations under the heading ” Irritants “.
” The problem is further compounded by the fact that certain assurances were given by the Rajapakse regime at various levels that a mutually satisfactory settlement would be on the cards after the war against the LTTE was concluded.”
#64
History is written by the “winner”, I mean Orwellian-history of SL, but the archived records will be there if anyone willing to rifle thru to learn the real one.
#48 “Islam is growing faster in Sri Lanka. It will take over whole of Sri Lanka”
It is alright, as along as the whole country is one religion, perhaps one language, we only need a little tweak in the constitution.
Its amusing to read about the various conspiracy theories floating about on India and its covert operations. Only people in Sri Lanka (going by the comments in this blog) think RAW is a force to reckon with.
Why would India want to meddle in Sri Lankan affairs after the bad experience which culminated in to assasination of Rajiv Gandhi. India may have helped the Sri Lankan army in some small way in the fight against the LTTE. The pro LTTE lobby gets some solace in claiming that they lost the war to India rather than the Sri Lankan Army.
As to the conspiracy theories about India wanting to annex Sri Lanka!! (Like the cliched Vadivelu dialogue goes”room pottu yosipangalo?”) , India is much better off without the north or south of Sri Lanka. Can you imagine a country with just 2 crore people,many times more prosperous than India, so badly divided on ethicity, religion and region perinially fighting among themselves? no thank you.. India is a “paradise” in comparision. 120 Crore people living as one nation, but for Kashmir and some left loonies amongst the Adivasis.
“Another advantage that could accrue to the SLMC by extending support to the President would be in allocation of resources and funds for development. The arrangement in the cases of P. Digambarm and Praba Ganesan is that some funds would be provided to them to cater to the needs of constituents and constituency. No ministerial portfolios were promised.”
Dream Dream come to me
It is said that Islam has no idea what is Democracy from Prophet Monamed, it is always some sort of dictatorship ( which is true by looking at the islamic countries).
If a party cannot function on general principle, then it is not a party it a business. SLMC should rename as SLMCInc.
#71
US President is limited to two 4 year term.
Dear BunkerRat
“Yes… the truth is bitter… But’s let’s not hide it. And dare tell it to the face. Didn’t we get bitten by India, very badly for 25+ years? Didn’t they look the other side, when we were getting butchered?”
And didn’t the same MR team build a monument to the Indian Peacekeeping Force and openly declare that Sri Lanka is India’s “little sister?” How does that make you feel?
Dear Ranjan & J
“Parties like TNA, TULF and SLMC should not have any place in Sri Lanka’s political landscape.”
Does this include the JHU as well?
Before criticizing the ethnic parties we need to ask ourselves how/why they came up in the first place. Clearly if the UNP or SLFP was able to address the needs of minorities then much fewer of them would support the ethnic parties, no?
Look at India. Congress Party is competitive in most states because it has some regional leaders who can get the mass support. It is only in places where it lacks such leaders (i.e. Tamil Nadu) that ethnic/regional parties rule the roost.
DBS J pointed out that politics are extremely ethnically polarized right now with SLFP being a “Sinhala” regime while the minority parties are in opposition. This is a dangerous development. Now that war is over, it is up to MR to find ways to reach out to minorities (who demonstrated their extreme dislike of MR by voting for “SL is a Sinhala country” Sarath Fonseka!!). Learning to speak Tamil is good but not enough.
#73 BunkerRat
[The peace we now have is priceless! What else you want?]
“Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice.”
Now is Sri Lanka there is an absence of war! Not Peace! We are a long way to go to achieve peace in Sri Lanka!
The 18th amendment is not the way to peace! We are taking the wrong path again. The Sinhala politicians took the wrong path in1956 with “Sinhala only act”.
#66 Ranjan, Toronto.
[………..even his most ardent supporters are a bit uneasy about it. ….]
Meaning of my first comment was, what if in the future someone addresses Sri Lankan people as follows;
“Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.
Had you rather Caesar were living and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead to live all freemen?
As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honor him; but as he was ambitious, I slew him.
There is tears for his love, joy for his fortune, honor for his valor, and death for his ambition.
Who is here so base that would be a bondman? If any, speak, for him have I offended.
Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If any, speak, for him have I offended.
Who is here so vile that will not love his country? If any, speak, for him have I offended.
I pause for a reply.”
Of course there is a” press censorship” and we will not be heard.
well yes they will vote for the 18th Amendment and we will have Rajapakse raj for ever.
Sri Lanka is sleep walking in to dictatorship.
# 73 Bunker Rat.
Cool it pal.
Be grateful to India!
If it wasn’t for India, Sri-Lanka would have been in to two countries by now.
When the LTTE was decimating the SL Army against all odds in 2002 it was your “enemy ” India that gave “second life” to your armed forces by sending “feelers” to LTTE to back off from the Jaffna Peninsula!
Pakistan’s aid came only after LTTE withdrew their heavy guns and their fighters from the southern Jaffna Peninsula.
What did your Gen. Sarath Fonseca and late Maj. Janaka Perera did with Pakistan’s MBRL, used it “Lavishly” on Town of Chavakacheri and destroyed it completely for no apparent reason.
Perhaps, this is what copied by other Generals when they used “Scorch earth” policy on Tamil areas during the war in 2008 and 2009. Look at the Tamil areas in Wanni now, what a pathetic sight.
Look at the history and tell me which garrison with 15,000 troops had to be abandoned like the “Elephant Pass” due to onslaugt by a guerilla group?
Who helped the Sri-Lankan armed forces with over 300,000 members to beat back a 20,000 guerilla group. Again it’s your enemy, India with Naval and Aerial surveilence sharing. So, please thank her not bash her.
Enough said about India’s contribution to the decimation of the LTTE.
Had LTTE remained focus on it’s goal, it could have achieved major victory but they showed utter arrogance when they had the upper hand which brought them to their demise.
Have a geat day and be nice to your neighbours.
91. wije
Does this include the JHU as well?
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Of course it does. a party with a name “Hela Urumaya” has no place in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious Sri Lanka in my opinion.
94. Mohotti | September 5th, 2010 at 1:40 pm
well yes they will vote for the 18th Amendment and we will have Rajapakse raj for ever.
Sri Lanka is sleep walking in to dictatorship.
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great post ,I agree wholeheartedly
“Parties like TNA, TULF and SLMC should not have any place in Sri Lanka’s political landscape.”
UNP, SLFP by default a majority community party & also spit out communalism/racism for their advantage all the time.
We can argue that they should be banned first.
People who were born after 1983, need some homework.
# 80. Ranjan, Toronto
The key is having a strong opposition and that is what is lacking in Sri Lanka and that what is people should be more worried about
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Strong Opposition may not be a major concern, if the ruling party governs well.
In fact opposition to a good government will be a setback.
Arul Sittampalam (#64 #95) Good comments.
The history and truth is sections of Sinhala supremacism in the Post 1972 period were looking for a way to cripple the nascent Tamil struggle that was responding to growing Sinhala hegemony. Colvin’s 1972 Constitution – which the Tamils ignored – and Mrs.B’s known dis-inclination towards the Tamils widened the gulf. Recognising their shortcomings are bound to ricochet – and Tamil resistance will grow stronger with global support in sympathy – were conspiring to weaken it. Till then our Muslim friends identified with FP politics – with some of them contributing handsomely in Parliament. The others went either with the UNP or the SLFP. Came the 90s and the crafty and ambitious Ashraff fell prey to their machinations. He quickly switched to the UNP under Premadasa, who willingly jettisoned the
affable A.R.M. Mansoor who was to say “Ashraff’s SLMC will divide and harm the Muslim community in the long run” The Ashraf name is now in the wilderness and
Rauf Hakeem from Kandy-Colombo is now leading a much divided EP Muslim community – where the equation can change anytime. Debonair Rauf has been here, there and everywhere. Yes! He’s not alone in our new political culture where Pole-vaulting is so notoriously frequent that attracted that super athlete
the Russian Sergei Bubka to make a personal visit here to see if our people have extra-ordinary talent in an area in which Bubka will remain in the eyes of the Sports world for a long time as the greatest ever Pole Vaulter.
The Tamil-speaking people are weakened but they will, in the long run, regain their unity. Muslims in the EP and even in the North – where they have a significant presence – have seen their farms, home and businesses changing hands. There is little dispute – in the national scene – the SLMC has divided the once united Muslims of Sri Lanka and fell to the designs of those whose goals was nothing but to prevent Tamils gaining what is there due in their ancient and Traditional Homeland. Eelam has no place here.
ISS
#86-suds
(Why would India want to meddle in Sri Lankan affairs after the bad experience which culminated in to assasination of Rajiv Gandhi)
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The question you shoul ask is why did Indira and rajiv meddle in srilankan affairs in the first place. Because they really have no choice. Instead of being in India’s backyard if we were in south america they coundn’t care less. So in future without asking why india should meddle in our affairs, it would be more appropriate if you ask the question why india should not be concerned of developments in Srilanka that is inimical to its interest.
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(India may have helped the Sri Lankan army in some small way in the fight against the LTTE)
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Your previous question itself has the answer. If after Rajiv is killed, the indian government has forgotten and forgiven that, then those who believe it should shave their heads and become tibetan monks, because the real world is not for them. The LTTE going against india culminating in Rajiv’s death was a monumental mistake by them which can have only one ending for them, kaput.
It remains to be seen whether mahinda will make the same mistake and take on india. He feels he has china on his side, while the LTTE thought they had the western powers on theirs.
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(As to the conspiracy theories about India wanting to annex Sri Lanka!! (Like the cliched Vadivelu dialogue goes”room pottu yosipangalo?”) , India is much better off without the north or south of Sri Lanka)
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That was before the advent of an agressive china into the indian ocean and south asian region, which was traditionally India’s spere of influence. Now the gloves are off and china is telling India, i don’t care a damn for you, i’am the sole power in asia and i call the shots here.
So India has no choice but to try to get a piece of the action in srilanka. The buttocks would suffice with a docile Indian supporting predominantly hindu population of the north and east. You are right when you say they don’t want the rest of the country, because the last thing they will want is to rule a rebellious 15 million sinhalese.
India will go flat out to win the hearts and minds of the tamils in the north and east with money for development etc, but will not go flat out for a political solution. At one time a political solution coincided with its interests, but tamil sinhala unity is no longer in its longterm interest with the recent development of the china factor.
Hi! Arul,
Now you have done the analysis of Military strategy etc may be its time for IDIOTS like you to go get a life!!!!!.
Thanks to scoundrels like you in DISAPORA the misery is poring in on the innocent Tamils and it was too on sinhalese not any more though! thanks to Gen. Sarath Fonseka and the valiant efforts of the soldiers of the rural sinhala folks not the Maharaja Rajapaksha and the Crooks clan.
The Irony of things is that one soundrel is down( Pirbaharan) but new scoundrels are on.So infact its no better than the previous one only difference is less death and destruction I will reserve my comments certain things can be glazed in development and the ransacking can go on.This is the order of the day in Sri Lanka
.So the tamil breatheren is no better than the Sinhales in this the rest of the communities they all are HEADLESS chicken running around until the death.
case in point look at the way the government flashing the 18th amendment and say it will strengthen the people’s rights, oh my foot!!!!
regards,
-ajith
#88 Alex
“It is said that Islam has no idea what is Democracy from Prophet Monamed, it is always some sort of dictatorship ( which is true by looking at the islamic countries)”
Thank you for expressing your ignorance. Which islamic country you refer Saudi, Makaysia or Dubai? However, don’t look at current islamic countries to understand the democracy in Islam.
“If a party cannot function on general principle, then it is not a party it a business. SLMC should rename as SLMCInc.”
If you still cannot understand the reason behind the SLMC support after this lengthy article, I feel sorry for you. Anyway, I think big parties should take the lead in renaming, UNPinc, SLFPinc.
#97. romesh , #94. Mohotti
“they will vote for the 18th Amendment and we will have Rajapakse raj for ever.”
Thanks for using the word “they”. This will include some UNP mps, and whole SLFP as well, I hope.
# 89. both correct
Amendment 22 – US Presidential Term Limits
1. No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once.
This means that no single person can serve more than 10 years as President. In other words, if a President can no longer serve in office, the Vice President could serve-out up to 2 years of the President’s term and then go on to be elected to 2 full, 4-year terms — 10 years.
…………
With regard to French Presidents:
In 2000, a referendum shortened the presidential term from seven years to five years.
A maximum of two consecutive terms was imposed after the 2008 constitutional reform.
…
” Look at the Tamil areas in Wanni now, what a pathetic sight.”
Don’t blame anyone else except Tamil fascism and extremism for the “pathetic sight” of the Vanni. If you and your Tamil people had not supported a violent terrorist outfight and waged war against the Sri Lankan state, none of this would have happened. It’s the typical Tamil mentality to blame everybody else without looking within. Your campaign to create a Tamil-only state out of Sri Lankan territory failed miserably and your people are paying the price for their racism and bigotry. Learn from history or you will be condemned to repeat it.
I think Sri Lanka will turn into a country like Malaysia in next few year. Mahther Mohomad was a good dictator. Mahinda will be good too. Hope everybody in sri Lanka will have decent future. God bless all of us.
Hei DBS,
As always you proved your self. Very good. My request to you is, why don’t you write a detailed article about the NEGATIVE impact of not limiting the presidents term to just two!!!!!! My worry is, is Srilanka a fertile soil for making dictators and the Despots? Thank you.
comment 8
“Muslims must stop saying they are not Tamil speaking people. Like in India they must identify as Tamils but retain separate religious culture”
How to identify themselves as tamizhs when the Jaffna tamizhs ethinically cleansed 500,000 muslims from Jaffna….still they are languishing in refugee camps. When Velu P and the Jaffna tamizhs ethnically cleansed the muslims did a single diaspora tamizh speak up for them?
For the muslims to identify themselves as tamizhs would be like the Jews identifying themselves as Nazis.
Why the Muslim Congress will vote with the government
What else you can expect ?
“India is a “paradise” in comparision”
is this the paradise you boast of:
No respite in Kashmir
http://news.rediff.com/report/2010/sep/06/one-killed-in-police-protestor-clash-in-valley.htm
“India is a “paradise” in comparision”
Most recent Newsweek ranking of countries have Sri Lanka at 66th out of 100, well ahead of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
http://www.newsweek.com/content/newsweek/2010/08/15/interactive-infographic-of-the-worlds-best-countries.html
That may be small comfort to the downtrodden and the people of NE living a disaster, it still is food for thought. Sri Lanka, just recovering from a 30 year civil war still ranks ahead of India.
[“India is a “paradise” in comparision”Most recent Newsweek ranking of countries have Sri Lanka at 66th out of 100, well ahead of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.]
With that happy thought, I’ll leave everyone to deduce where Sri Lanka would be today on that scale, if the Tamil terrorists were not planted in Sri Lanka by the Indians.
Bitter facts… but hey… let’s say Cheers!
“India is a “paradise” in comparision”
Is it really?
Let’s have a little look shall we?
I think it is necessary to do this because of your comments.
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More of world’s poor live in India than in all sub-Saharan Africa, says study
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/14/poverty-india-africa-oxford
India has the largest number of people infected with HIV
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10023963
India has the highest rate of open defecation: WHO
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/india-has-the-highest-rate-of-open-defecatio/337666/
Infant mortality rate highest in India: Report
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/infant-mortality-rate-highest-in-india-report/102751-3.html
Maternal Mortality Rate Higest in India
Despite the country’s growing economy and an ambitious rural health initiative, over 100,000 women die from pregnancy-related causes each year, more than anywhere else in the world.
http://reproductiverights.org/en/feature/maternal-mortality-in-india-a-human-rights-crisis
The oppression of ‘untouchables’ is modern India’s shame
http://www.heraldscotland.com/the-oppression-of-untouchables-is-modern-india-s-shame-1.836075
North Eastern Indian Women face Racism in their Own Country
http://blog.abhinav.com/north-eastern-indian-women-face-racism-in-their-own-country/
Child labour – India’s ‘cheap commodity’
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/5059106.stm
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THE LIST JUST GOES ON AND ON
DEAR SUDS, IT IS SRI LANKA THAT IS A PARADISE IN COMPARISON TO INDIA.
Don’t let your silly Indian media fool you.
A new wet dream has been added to the the tamil trabalist wish list
1. Indicment of Sri Lanka for war crimes by UNHRC in 2009 followed by creation of eezham (Kosovo model0 = Epic fail
2. Denial of IMF loan leading to complete economic collapse and birth tamizh eezham overnihgt (USSR model) = Epic fail
3. Creation of government in exile to gain UN recognition leading to tamizh eelam (Palestinian model) = This will never get 97 votes in the General Assembly and never make it to the security council (Even if it does will be shot down by a double veto)
And the new one (Added by one of our beloved closet eezhamsits)
4. India and China splitting Sri Lanka between themselves in a backroom deal..LOL
a. China (which has achieved ethnic harmonization of all its regions through Han settlements) is working towards the USSR-type break up of India on ethnic lines (Why bother making backroom deals with a rival which you can defeat without bloodshed)
b. Even if this comes true will China (the superior of the two) just cede the East to India..China intends to invest heavily in the proposed industrial zone in Somapura/ Sampur..
c. If the wet dream is to come true, India has to invade within the next 10 years (Maybe even 5)..Because after 5-10 years the PLA Navy will have full blue water capability and be able to defend all of Sri Lanka (why settle for half when you can have it all)..Also after 5-10 years the whole of Sri Lanka will also be ethnically harmonized with no mono-ethnic Bantustans..So India will find rebellious Sinhalese in the North as well..
# proudly srilankan
(It’s the typical Tamil mentality to blame everybody else without looking within.)
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I thought that was a universal human trait. That’s why jesus said let those who have not sinned cast the first stone. Think back over your life and honestly tell us whether you have never blamed someone else for your own mistakes. All the murderors go to the gallows saying society or their parents or the victim was to blame. They never say, yes iam solely to blame for the death.
Let us wait patiently till this cloning starts on a commercial scale. The we can get rid of all the bad genes and insert good genes and get the perfect humans. Nobody will be there to clean the toilets ot work in the abbotair or the gallows because they will say they are too perfect for that. nobody will read the newspapers, magazines or internet or TV news, because who is interested in perfect people doing perfect things.
Oh when the saints, oh when the saints, oh when the saints go marching on…………..
#115. Diyasena
Paradise is a “state of mind”. Contentment is vital factor for being happy.
Do you know Nigeria Tops the happiest country in the world?
USA/Austrlia shares #7, India, Japan, France are at world ranking #24.
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/lif_hap_lev_ver_hap-lifestyle-happiness-level-very-happy
115. Diyasena
Nice to see your post. you are saying that China will act as a counter to india.
Do you mean by that Sri Lanka will sit on the shoulders of the China and torment India.
This shows your mentality. Inferiority complex.
A small country like Isreal or Japan boldly stand up to whole world and they progress.
This kind of seeking refuge in the shadow of China shows your inferiority complex.
May be this inferriority complex on the part of the Sinhalese led to the civil war (says so subramaniam Swamy)..
I wish you beat India. Beat India on your own strength, if you have any inherent stuff in you.
After all Japs have defeated Russia in 1905. Try to do it rather than shelling the civilians.
Ranjan,
May be the Newsweek didn’t have to oppurtunity to interview people in the North and East. Then they would have come out with a HELL ranking for the Sri Lanka.
117. sjoseph |Paradise is a “state of mind”. Contentment is vital factor for being happy.
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Buddah said “Happiness is a state of mind” which is very true. Riches do not bring permanent happiness. Therefore Buddha said “cultivate your mind” To achieve this end, Buddha defined 52 states of mind.
Buddha also said, “Lust creates sorrow and fools are lustful” Meaning of lust in this context being greed for materialist things.
# 119. Don & #115. Diyasena
Perhaps Diyasena is not a Buddhist, as he has no clue about Paradise.
Most of the human ills Diyasena indicate in India are highest in Bihar, the land where Buddha meditated under Bodi tree.
Well Mahesh, I’m glad Newsweek didn’t go to Tamil Nadu. Wonder what the rating would have been with things like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnmtKLQRh6g
Hell? Or worse than hell?
What do you think?
Re: 118. Mahesh
Would the snake on Shivji’s neck stand a chance against vultures if it was on its own?? Anyway you got it wrong my phsycho-analyst friend..That is not what I meant at all..
a. Israel does not take on the world on its own. It knows whatever it does Uncle Sam has it’s back. If not the Arab nations would have wiped it out long time ago..
b. Japan’s population ratio to Sri Lanka is 6:1.
I do not espouse Sri Lanka becoming China’s Israel. Nor do I predict it becoming a world power akin to pre-WWII Japan. Our hope is to be the Switzerland of Asia..
I believe SL can remain neutral in a Sino-Indian cold war.. In fact SL would try to resolve it as they tried with the 1962 war..
Sri Lanka does not bear any ill-will toward India and in the future will not render its territory for any anti-Indian activities..But India too must reciprocate and not treat SL as a the USSR treated the Eastern bloc..It must be a partnership of mutual respect between two sovereign nations (Australia and New Zealand could be the closest example)..
However this does not mean we will not have close ties with China..The Sino-Lankan friendship goes back almost as far as the Indo-Lankan one..Plus China has come to SLs aid in it’s time of need in recent times. Also China has a veto in the security council..So until the Eelam dream becomes irrelevant as the Khalistani one (which I feel will take at least another 5-10 years), SL needs China’s backing..
Sri Lanka will remain a friend of both India and China..Similar to the way Australia remains a good friend of both USA and China
Another interesting fact comparing India and Sri Lanka that I just came across while looking up Sri Lankan news:
“…Despite these advantages, India with its large geographical area has very low pipe penetration levels at 32% as compared to global average of 79% in oil and gas transport. Sanitation levels are also lower at 33% as compared to 91% in Sri Lanka and 100% in developed countries like France.”
http://www.myiris.com/newsCentre/storyShow.php?fileR=20100907155828200&dir=2010/09/07&secID=livenews
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When the IPKF came into Jaffna they were wondering what the SL Tamils were fighting for when their quality of life was far higher than that in India.
Hi DBSJ
Thank you for excellent article explaining predicament facing Rauff Hakeem. I think all minority community parties are facing difficult situation under brothers Rajapaksa
31 Sri
‘You lifelong tactics of not accepting any posts in the government is counterproductive! ”
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Federal party once accepted Government minister post. If you don’t know the history please read it first
An Eelam citizen
118. Mahesh
“May be the Newsweek didn’t have to oppurtunity to interview people in the North and East. Then they would have come out with a HELL ranking for the Sri Lanka”
The news-week rankings were not based on interviewing people.Have a read how it was compiled before shooting from the hip.
http://www.newsweek.com/content/newsweek/2010/08/15/interactive-infographic-of-the-worlds-best-countries.html
I like the way you say people of the North & EAST..Muslims and Sinhalese make up 60-65% of the East (It will likely turn out more in the 2011 census)..And I bet you 99.999% are extremely happy as it is..Even the Eastern Tamils (who are far less tribal) are satisfied to a certain degree..For instance in the 2010 polls TNA only got 36% in Batticaloa district (they beat the government by 4,000 votes), where tamils make up around 70% of the population.
126. Diyasena
They have painted using a big brush. They have taken the overall National data for these figures. Yet the figures for the North and East they could not have been obtained because the GOvt was not in control of the places during the said period. Of course they could have got a broad picture. Yet the picture in ground would differ much, I believe.
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Israel does not take on the world on its own. It knows whatever it does Uncle Sam has it’s back. If not the Arab nations would have wiped it out long time ago..
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Though Isreal has the backing of the US it is a bold Nation, demonstrated by many of its acts. We have to learn a lot from them.
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Our hope is to be the Switzerland of Asia..
I believe SL can remain neutral in a Sino-Indian cold war.. In fact SL would try to resolve it as they tried with the 1962 war..
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I also wish you to be the Switzerland of Asia. I also wish you to try and resolve the differences between India and China even as you are trying to resolve the Tamil problem by political means.
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Also China has a veto in the security council…….
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China also had veto power in 1971…for your information.
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123. PalkStrait
When the IPKF came into Jaffna they were wondering what the SL Tamils were fighting for when their quality of life was far higher than that in India.
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In Jaffna they were fighting for their political rights.
The Punjabis are a very industrious and successful people.Their earnings are very high compared to the average Indian earnings. yet they fought for their political rights.
114. PalkStrait:
All what you say may be true but please don’t forget that we in paradise island still import everything from three-wheelers to viking buses to railway locomotives to even plain saline from India and the list goes on and on…
114. PalkStrait:
.
… and we do so on loans and grants provided by people of India…
Are we fighting which one is worst hell ( India& SL), hell is a hell. Different degree of third degree burns, may be.
But India is showing all the signs of coming out of hell, good for Indians, Unless China……..
118. Mahesh
A small country like Isreal or Japan boldly stand up to whole world and they progress.
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Come on.. who are you trying to fool? Israel boldy stands up to the whole world because they know that what ever they do, US and the Israel lobby in US will protect them. In fact they bombed the hell out of the civilians in Lebanon and the Gaza, and not peep from the Western Human Rights bunch who are hell bent on bringing Sri Lanka to justice. Talk about hypocracy.
Japan can stand up to the world because it is an economic super power.
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May be the Newsweek didn’t have to oppurtunity to interview people in the North and East. Then they would have come out with a HELL ranking for the Sri Lanka.
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I did not rank the country but Newsweek did. I am sure they are aware of what went on and what is going in Sri Lanka than most of others. What is interesting here is that when somebody totally independent and without any agenda looks at what is going on, they come to rather startling conclusions. Should be food for thought for lot of people.
Gobi Ganesh #23
[Muslims like to bite the hand of to whom feeds them rice
DBSJ RESPONDS:
If readers persist in posting comments vilifying the Muslim community they will be edited out. This will be the last of comments derogatory of Muslims I hope]
Bravo, DBSJ for enforcing decency!
Broad-based attacks on ENTIRE communities, Tamil, Sinhala, or Muslim should be condemned. That only leads to further communal strife.
We should ALWAYS narrowly specify the groups, or individuals, who are at fault when we criticize them for their actions.
Mahesh,
“The Punjabis are a very industrious and successful people.Their earnings are very high compared to the average Indian earnings. yet they fought for their political rights.”
Are you a Khalistan supporter?
123. PalkStrait | Sanitation levels are also lower at 33% in India as compared to 91% in Sri Lanka and 100% in developed count…..When the IPKF came into Jaffna they were wondering what the SL Tamils were fighting for when their quality of life was far higher than that in India.
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Your last sentence is very true because many of my Tamil friends in Jaffna about the time IPKF was there told me that the some Jawan’s had never seen a proper toilet and a bathing well which almost every family in Jaffna at that time more or less had. The Jaffna Tamil also thought the Jawan’s were low cast fellows and used to consider them something similar to estate coolies during British Times. But IPKF also raped many many Tamil women and I have not got such similar reports from Tamil people regarding the SL forces. Couple of these women who were raped finally ended up at our house in Colombo and stayed with us for a month.
# 134. Don
You compare Jawans to estate Coolies and low caste people.
What is wrong with coolies and low caste people?
115. Diyasena | September 6th, 2010 at 9:21 pm
(A new wet dream has been added to the the tamil trabalist wish list
c. If the wet dream is to come true, India has to invade within the next 10 years )
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Your obsession with wet dreams are an obvious indicator of a person starved of sex. I suggest you visit a brothel quickly to calm your mind or if short of cash rush to a morgue as the next best alternative.
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(And the new one (Added by one of our beloved closet eezhamsits)
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Don’t bring out the eelam bogeyman over and over again to cover up for the fact that you are too cussard and miserly to give a political solution for the tamils. Whipping a dead horse will not fool the world anymore. If you had left a little bit of the LTTE to take some pot shots at the army, then you can hide yourself as usual behind the great threat of eelam, but now that you have done the job so well, the world as well as India to whom you promised political solution is waiting with bated breath.
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( China which has achieved ethnic harmonization of all its regions through Han settlements) is working towards the USSR-type break up of India on ethnic lines (Why bother making backroom deals with a rival which you can defeat without bloodshed)
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Shows what an idiot you are. China’s settlement policies have created a lot of ethnic tensions and even riots in tibet and with the muslim uigurs and other ethnic groups. At least india has not followed suit in kashmir with settlement policies like that which would have exarberated the problems further.
As for china trying to break up India, only a halfwit like you would even think that they will waste their time and effort in this regard. Unlike you the chinese i have met are very intelligent fellows and know that this will never happen and so they are trying to encircle india instead. For the last 60 years interested parties have been salivating at the prospect of a breakup india little realising the power of federalism to unify diverse people and cultures. When i was a teen i remember westerners telling me that india would break up.
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( b. Even if this comes true will China (the superior of the two) just cede the East to India)
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Superior in what way? If China can destroy india 10 times over, India can destroy china twice over. The net result is both are gone. So how does that make china superior? Anyway india will ally itself with the US and The EU and japan.Indonesia and Australia too might join in to counter china.
AS for economic power at the moment india is 40 percent of china’s GDP on a purchasing power parity basis. China is a fully export oriented economy while India is a domestically oriented one. India’s exports are only 13.5 % of china’s exports, yet it is 40 percent of china’s GDP, which shows that india’s strategy to concentrate on the local market instead of foreign is a better one in the long term. As long as the developed world is doing well china will grow, but now that that era is over china’s growth will come down and in a couple of years india will have a higher GDP growth than china.
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(So India will find rebellious Sinhalese in the North as well.)
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No problem.India is a vast country and they are free to settle anywhere according to the federal model. In the same vein millions of indians from all the states in India are free to come and settle in the north and east. A few million sinhalese are a drop in the ocean among 1200 million.
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(c. If the wet dream is to come true, India has to invade within the next 10 years (Maybe even 5)..Because after 5-10 years the PLA Navy will have full blue water capability and be able to defend all of Sri Lanka (why settle for half when you can have it all)
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So just for the north and east of srilanka, china is going to risk all it has achieved by going to war with india and the west. Hurry up and stop wanking, button up your trousers and make a run for the morgue.
Shaker comments,
“Singapore was developed by Lee Kwan Yew who was just a prime minister..”
Singapore is a young nation of migrants as same as Australia.
Migrants in the past were robust , hard working people who took great risks to travel to foreign lands.
These migrants were more focused on getting ahead than the native people who are used to a lackadaisical life style.
This is the main reason for the rapid advancement of Singapore.
Lee Kwan was the most autocratic leader in our part of the world.It certainly helped to keep the rabble in check.
He was a master of using monetary penalties coupled with severe jail terms for even civil offences to crush any opposition including the onetime Opposition Leader.
On the other hand we in Srilanka could do jack shit even with a supposed to be a strong Presidency.
Our Oppositions were good at opposing anything and everything regardless of whether it is National Security, Border Protection. Territorial Integrity or Economic development.
Some of our Opposition even supported an insurgency still receiving all the perks as Government MPs.
So that is where the difference is.
Hopefully today will turn a new page in the governance of Srilanka.
These changes will sett the country on a firm path to its deserving destiny of peace, prosperity and stability until all its citizens can enjoy a peaceful life.
135. sjoseph | Don, You compare Jawans to estate Coolies and low caste people.What is wrong with coolies and low caste people?
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I am trying to compare SL Tamils and their Indian liberators because that is what Parkstraight was doing. This was the mentality of the Jaffna Tamils but I am not saying it is right or wrong. Personally for me, there is nothing called caste or race. We are all the same. Buddah said we become a high cast or low caste depending on our actions and not by an accident at birth.
# 138. Don
I am trying to compare SL Tamils and their Indian liberators
Oh.. I see..
May i know how you compare SL Tamils and their liberators the Sinhalese Jawans.
# 123 Palkstraight
Professor Balasundarampillai (former Jaffna VC) Suggested that Palkstraight should be rightly renamed as Thamiz Kalvai (Tamil canal) because both side of canal are historical settlement of Tamils
Annil
DBSJ RESPONDS:
I am glad to hear that.
I personally have made that request to both the Sri Lankan Govt, Indian govt and Jaffna DDC decades ago in the eighties. I have also written about this in the seventies
I wanted Palk Straits to be re-named Tamil Straits.
DBSJ,
Once again thanks for throwing the covers off another dim darkly dangerous Sri Lankan snakepit. The tone of your article had a sobriety to it.
For me it is hard to escape the feeling that this vote is to be as monumental as JR 1978 constitution itself, and as the passage of time underscored over the next 10 years , how utterly destructive and corrupting unbridled power is, no matter how much enlightened prosperity the idea of centralised leadership could promise at the time.
It is beyond belief to me that what is left of the opposition is willing to sign over whatever few checks and balances are left on the Executive, that has proven to be an order of magnitude more corrupt and murderous than its predecessors, no matter how much “development” money is showered on them.
Am I missing something in making this criticism?
I am watching events with grim distaste. What are your thoughts?
Yes Wicks.The “day of light is gone.we are in for dark”…….DBSJ
131. Ranjan,Toronto
Come on.. who are you trying to fool? Israel boldy stands up to the whole world because they know that what ever they do, US and the Israel lobby in US will protect the………………
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You can also lobby in US like Isreal. US is a very open democratic country.
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In fact they bombed the hell out of the civilians in Lebanon and the Gaza, and not peep from the Western Human Rights bunch who are hell bent on bringing Sri Lanka to justice. Talk about hypocracy.
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Human rights groups are taking note of what is happening in Isreal.
When I said that we have to learn lessons from Isreal I meant the Raid on the Entebbe, Bombing the Osirak, Six days war, etc etc.
Also they many a times have used only rubber bullets against the demonstrators.
I am not saying they are angels. Far from that. To the best of my knowledge they don’t bomb indiscriminately against the civilians with Artillery shells and chemical weapons etc.
Yes they do violate human rights. i don’t defend them.
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Japan can stand up to the world because it is an economic super power.
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During the 1905 Russo Japanese war I don’t think that Japan was a developed country. It defeated the Russian troops in the land and also it defeated the Russian Navy in the Sea of Japan, if I am right.
During the WWII the Japan took America, by attacking Pearl harbor. They had the guts to do that. That shows the character of the people and by that the character of the Nation.
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What is interesting here is that when somebody totally independent and without any agenda looks at what is going on, they come to rather startling conclusions. Should be food for thought for lot of people.
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You had in a previous posting of yours said many things in defence of the SL Govt. like you have not used food and medicine as weapons of war. You have paid the salaries of people in the Jaffna University etc….
I also have credible information that the food and the medicine were used as weapons of war, if not for the entire duration of the war atleast for a considerable duration of time. That is when Op POOmalai happened.
Again the medicines were in short supply during the final war has been well documented.
Electricity was cut off from the Jaffna and the people had to use the cycle dynamo to charge their batteries, and to hear the radios, etc.
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133. wije
Are you a Khalistan supporter?
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How and why should I be a Khalistan supporter. I was only telling a piece of history.
Again the Indian Govt entered into agreements with the propagandists of the Khalistan and fulfilled its words.
Our Govt didn’t scrap the deal as it was done in our neighbourhood.
# 102 Ajith Boralugoda.
When I read your comment, wasn’t sure how to respond to a man with so low decency. Nevertheless, let me reply to you and add further info.
I am not a military analyst but gather what I write through reading. Mostly, from newspapers, magazines and also from the website listed below.
http://www.uthr.org/
The Military broke every major rule in the war by shelling hospitals as detailed below by the HRW.
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/05/08/sri-lanka-repeated-shelling-hospitals-evidence-war-crimes
As for India’s involvement it was absolute clear that they were aligned with the GOSL in providing Naval and Aerial intelligence sharing.
The Pakistani Air Force pilots also had a role in taking down the LTTE’s targets, as evidenced in the article below.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/pak-played-key-role-in-lankas-victory-over-tamil-tigers/467482/1
Yes, I am part of the diaspora but not against my country of birth rather, against the “War Criminals” and the extremist elements, preventing an amicable and lasting solution to the ethnic issue. It’s a utter myth that diaspora is currently working against Sri-Lanka, may be few but not the vast majority.
I urge you to read the article, which is two articles below this one and written by Dr. Rajan Hoole, titled,
“Sampoor, supremacist ideology and abuse of International Law”
This war was won at an enormous Tamil civilian cost and Tamil property destruction, breaking all the rules of the civilized world. Major players were India, China, Pakistan, US and of course SL armed forces but not themselves alone as you’d liked to believe.
Based on your comment, I believe that you are one of those people who have no clue as to what kind of atrocities perpertrated by the Sri-Lankan armed forces against Tamils and firmly believe the “Googly” master Military spokesperson Brig. Udaya Nanayakkare’s famous “Thala guli – Zero civilian casualty”!
142. Mahesh
Again the Indian Govt entered into agreements with the propagandists of the Khalistan and fulfilled its words.
Our Govt didn’t scrap the deal as it was done in our neighbourhood.
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What deal are you talking about? are you saying that the Indian government entered into a deal with Khalistan separatists?
You talk endlessly about how India keep its promises. What about Kashmir? What happened to the promise of a free plebiscite?
Can you care to explain why the Kashmiri people are demonstrating even now and why are they being fired on? I thought India was this shining beacon of democracy where every ethnic group lives in happy harmony with the others.
SL entered a pitch dark tunnel, different than before and it was a threat then but really happened now.
A lot of people were thinking that it was a light at the end of the tunnel after the military victory over LTTE.
But the light that flashes is actually oncoming train, the same one ran Tamils over.
144. Ranjan, Toronto
What deal are you talking about? are you saying that the Indian government entered into a deal with Khalistan separatists?
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Rajiv Longowal accord was entered to, to cater to the major demands as propounded by the Khalistani separatists.
India stood by its accord.
You like to talk endlessly about the Kashmir.
I have already explained to you in many of my previous postings about the Plebiscite in Kashmir. For the plebiscite to be held in Kashmir the troops of both the India and Pakistan should be withdrawn from there and those Kashmiris displaced from there have to go there and cast their vote.
Only if these two conditions are met plebiscite can be held in Kashmir.
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Can you care to explain why the Kashmiri people are demonstrating even now and why are they being fired on?
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Yes Kashmiris are demonstrating and they are being fired upon.
The maintaining of the law and order belongs the primary duty of the Govt and when the demonstrations go beyond the accepted democratic limit and turns violent they have to be curbed.
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I thought India was this shining beacon of democracy where every ethnic group lives in happy harmony with the others.
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Yes India is a shining beacon of democracy where every ethnic group lives in happy harmony with the others.
We are 1200 million people with 800 different languages and different cultures. There are negroes, jews, christians, parsees, gypsies, tribals, hindus, christians, muslims, budhists, jains, sikhs etc etc are living here.
With just two languages in your country and mainly two or three ethnic groups in your country with a population of just 20 million you people are fighting fighting and fighting.
Even if you do not fight there are monkey monks in your country who see to it that the fire of racial supremacy is kept burning.
There are politicians who will, to garner some votes promulgate acts like sinhala only.
Your people will kill those kept in the custody of the govt., burn library do all sorts of atrocities…..
Certainly these kind of people cannot appreciate spirit of India.
Naturally you people want India to be uncivilized and cannibalistic like you.
Annil #140, DBSJ:
[I wanted Palk Straits to be re-named Tamil Straits.]
Let us rescue the Palk Strait from this Strait Jacket, by naming it more appropriately.
Here are some suggestions, in order of my preference.
1. “Sri Lanka Channel” is similar to the “English Channel” that ignores the presence of France and Europe across sea, despite the historical existence of English territory in France. Similarly, Sri Lanka had some territories in India under its control in the past, but there is no use digging that up now. India, on the other hand, already has sufficient “recognition” in the “Indian Ocean” that includes the Palk Strait.
2. “Sri Lanka – India Strait” gives recognition to both countries on the two sides of the Strait, and is equitable to both nations.
3. “IndoLanka Strait” is easier to remember, and gives a stake to both nations.
Calling the Palk Strait the “Tamil Strait” is, in my view, quite inappropriate because it ignores the following important features
1. that the nation of Sri Lanka lies on one side of the Strait,
2. that the North and the Northwest of Sri Lanka was primarily populated by Sinhala people through most of its recorded history, and
3. that in the FUTURE National Integration will also drive the population statistics of these areas towards the national average, with Sinhala people present in SIGNIFICANT, numbers.
4. Aggravates the non-Tamil population in Sri Lanka further exacerbating the ethnic divide. Renaming the Palk Strait with racial overtones is the wrong direction to take in the future .. for example “Sinhala Strait” would be quite inappropriate.
Naming it the Sri Lanka Channel, or Sri Lanka – India Strait overcomes creating yet another unnecessary self-inflicted wound.
#136 Shankar,
“Your obsession with wet dreams are an obvious indicator of a person starved of sex”
“Hurry up and stop wanking”
According to your great prowess of phsycho-analysis you would also have an excessive masturbation problem, no?
“I suggest you visit a brothel quickly to calm your mind or if short of cash rush to a morgue as the next best alternative.”
Oh my poor necrophiliac Shankar..One can always go to a club and pick up chicks too..I guess you didn’t know that. Well for lesser mortals like you I guess a brothel or morgue would do..
A political solution will evolve at its own pace in SL…But it will not be the mono-ethnic Bantustan of your dreams..
“China’s settlement policies have created a lot of ethnic tensions and even riots in tibet and with the muslim uigurs and other ethnic groups”
Ethnic tensions prevail everywhere from Manhattan to Mooladuva/ Mullaithivu..But non of the Chinese riots have escalated to full blown insurgencies like India..India is not held together by Federalism as you espouse, it is held together by the strength of it’s army..But as we have seen in the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia once ethnic regions are institutionalized through federalism, eventually the breakup happens despite the army..So the best option for SL is not race- based federalism (which institutionalizes the means for secession) but equitable distribution of crown land through Muslim and Sinhala resettlement..
“China can destroy india 10 times over, India can destroy china twice over”
Hmm..I will refrain from using terms like halfwit and idiot, but it seems you based this statement on the number of warheads each side possesses. Bear in mind,
a. All India’s nuclear warheads are tactical but China possesses around two dozen strategic nukes.
b. India’s Prithvi missile can only has a range of 250km (The Agni which was touted to go 2500km has been a flop thus far)..So even if you launch from the Easternmost tip of India you will only reach into the three Chinese provinces nearest to India.. India’s fighter jets too can reach only into the provinces just beyond the nearest three (provided any of them survive the S-400 batteries). On the other hand Chinese ICBMs can reach any part of India
SO India lacks both the firepower (yield of Nuclear weapons) and the delivery capability (range of missiles) to destroy China..China on the other hand can lay waste from Kargil to Kanya Kumari within a matter of minutes..
I will not bother comparing conventional forces here..However if one took the time to do so the conclusion would be the same. If war breaks out across the Mcmohan line, the PLA would hand the fauj an ass whooping several times the magnitude of 1962..
So the question is not will “China risk a full blown war with India over its interests in SL?” but ” Will India risk a full blown war with China to placate its racist hotheads?”‘ The logical answer is NO..Which means the present status quo will remain..SO Shankar the only place you can achieve a second Tamil-only Bantustan is Ontario..
#137 Balu Albert
(These migrants were more focused on getting ahead than the native people who are used to a lackadaisical life style.
This is the main reason for the rapid advancement of Singapore)
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I asked a singaporean what was the main reason for singapore’s sucess story, and his answer was the government. He said the government was always concerned and working for the people. He had a high praise for Lee Kuan Yew and subsequent governments. He said that when Lee Kuan Yew took over there was widespread corruption in the former british civil service, and he got rid of the corruption.
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[Hopefully today will turn a new page in the governance of Srilanka.
These changes will sett the country on a firm path to its deserving destiny of peace, prosperity and stability until all its citizens can enjoy a peaceful life.]
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Can you tell us how the 18th amendment is going to get rid of corruption especially when the rajapakshes are now known as Jarapakshes.
Gota i think is better than the others and has some qualities of Lee Kuan yew, but he is not the one running the country, it is the dirty politicians. Can you ever imagine them ever in Srilanka being concerned and working for the people. From the very first day in office they are working for themselves.
You are clutching at straws with your 18th amendment. Anyway they say hope springs eternal in the human breast and hopefully our people especially the housemaids will not have to go abroad and suffer one day.
#142 Mahesh
“Again the Indian Govt entered into agreements with the propagandists of the Khalistan and fulfilled its words.”
That’s news to me!!
1. Did India placate Khalistanis by handing over Himachal and Haryana to the them as the Eeezamists demand the Eastern province in which they are not a majority?
2. Were not Tanks and artillery used in operation Bluestar (I know you love to preach about using heavy weapons against its own citizens)
3. Have the main points in the Rajiv-Longowal pact been implemented???
“Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye but fail to notice the beam in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3)
Dear DBSJ,
Podiappuhami Piyasena (TNA, Digamadulla district) has voted with the government on 18th Amendment. If possible can you write up a article with the behind-the-scenes story. Thanks.
123. PalkStrait | September 7th, 2010 at 7:07 am
—
When the IPKF came into Jaffna they were wondering what the SL Tamils were fighting for when their quality of life was far higher than that in India
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If your analogy is correct , then SL Tamils will not fight if their life quality is inferior.
Perhaps GOSL achieved that goal in Srilanka.
UNP is No more (I mean virtually dead)
The back boneless old bustard Ranil Wickramasinghe was thinking the he is brave enough to do anything.
He was once successful by bringing peace process (preplanned drama in association with NORWAY) and breaking the strength of LTTE. That was the main reason for this sad end of my dear brothers and sisters and to the eelam struggle.
UNP was broken into bits and pieces. It will be no more. This stupid Ranil will regret for his life time and UNP will regret until it exist as a registered party in Sri Lanka.
God is Great.
Thanks
Déjà vu…
# 147. Ananda-USA
Tamil allergic.. Tamil allergic
# 148. Diyasena
Oh my poor necrophiliac Shankar..One can always go to a club and pick up chicks too
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Oh yea..
Shankar is correct in predicting your urge
# 148. Diyasena
India is not held together by Federalism as you espouse, it is held together by the strength of it’s army
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I used to wonder why SL Tamils rate some sinhalese “brainless”.
I prefer the park strait be called indo lanka strait.
I prefer eelam to be called singhalam.
I prefer srilanka to be called sino lanka.
I prefer rajapakshes to be called jarapakshes.
I prefer tamilnadu to be called senilenadu.
Comment 149 Shanker,
I thought the anti Rajapaksa elements have thrown away the well worn CD of “corruption” after the thrashing they received at both elections.
Apparently not so ,going by some comments here.
“One day a chap fronted up to Rajapkasa Sr and asked how come he has so many houses in the South?
Rajapaksa said to him if you know these addresses please go and occupy them with your families and friends.If you have any problems tell them that Rajapaksa gave you the OK and call me back.”
The resounding endorsement of the 18 Amendment from the MPs including the members from the UNP and even the TNA, , is proof that a greater majority of Srilankans now want the mega development phase thatt Rajapaksa put in placecovering all four corners of the Land , to continue unhindered by the ant Government, anti Srilankan elements within and outside.
158 Shanker,
It is Palk Straight.
159 Shanker,
It is PALK STRAIT
#157 sjoseph
//I used to wonder why SL Tamils rate some sinhalese “brainless” //
Well tell me oh most brainy one from the superior race,
1. Would Kashmir, Punjab or the Eastern tribal areas have remained part of India if it had a weak army?
2. Would Goa or Sikkhim have joined the Indian union had it not a strong army?
Isn’t it funny how a brainless bunch of ‘moda bandas’ and ‘chena boys’ were able to annihilate the mighty Sooriya thevan and warriors of the superior race..
# 161. Kalu Albert
“PA(L)K STRAIT”??
India may take note Srilanka’s secret alliance with Pakistan.
161. Kalu Albert | September 9th, 2010 at 2:19 am159 Shanker,It is PALK STRAIT
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What does it matter whether it is park, palk or pork. We have decided to change it anyway. So it is more important to concentrate on the new name than the old one.
139. sjoseph | 138. Don:-May i know how you compare SL Tamils and their liberators the Sinhalese Jawans
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I don’t compare SL Tamils and Sinhala jawans. I was only showing the state of mind of the Jaffna Tamils which for me this is understandable. Because as Buddha said our opinions are formed due to Lobha, Moha and thanha. Simple terms our desires, what we perceive and our greed.
shankar #149
Agree with you. The stable, no nonsense, nearly dictatorial, development-before-democrazy government instituted by Lee Kuan Yew was the reason Singapore was able to surge ahead of many other developing nations.
One of the most important things he did was to ruthlessly suppress communal parties and communal divisionms, in his very long tenure at the helm of Singapore.
Therefore, I find your criticism of the 18th Amendment and admiration of Lee Kuan Yew’s policies in Singapore CONTRADICTORY.
The 18th Amendment removes term limits on the Presidency, allowing President Mahinda Rajapaksa to seek re-election to maintain a stable government, instill discipline in both politics and governance, and continue to develop the nation rapidly AS NEVER BEFORE . The 18th Amendment only removes the term limit, but the people of Sri Lanka still have the freedom to either re-elect him or elect another leader .. that has not been denied them.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has so far had only one full term of office to confront a terrorist conflict and their international backers, defeat the terrorists, diversify and develop new alliances for Sri Lanka, and REUNIFY the nation.
ALREADY he has developed Sri Lanka to a level we could not have imagined only four years ago, even as he was fighting the war. Everywhere you go in Sri Lanka today … there is new infrastructure … power plants, highways, bridges, flyovers, airports, harbors .. the list is ENDLESS.
In the meantime, the economy of Sri Lanka is booming as never before. The cost of living and interest rates are down, Govt credit balance is at an all time high, balance of payments is strongly positive, the stock market is zooming up, and foreign investors and tourists are streaming in.
He never had the political strength in Parliament to address political corruption before; he now has that strength. I believe that, just like Lee Kuan Yew, he will eradicate corruption in Sri Lanka as he eradicated terrorism. Give him the time to do that, and recognize that .. just as Lee Kuan Yew did .. he will be forced to discipline those who try to exploit the freedoms afforded by democracy itself to undermine the Sri Lankan democracy. Both Sarath Fonseka and Mervyn Silva did not understand that those days of anarchy in Sri Lanka have come to an end, and a new era has dawned.
This is ONLY THE BEGINNING .. just wait till the end of his second term to see how the country has been changed forever. That will assure his Govt a third term to declare the creation of the New Wonder of Asia as a Mission Accomplished.
Now, what were your reasons for criticizing Mahinda Rajapaksa when you love Lee Kuan Yew’s performance?
143. Arul Sittampalam | This war was won at an enormous Tamil civilian cost and Tamil property destruction, breaking all the rules of the civilized world. Major players were India, China, Pakistan, US and of course SL armed forces but not themselves alone as you’d liked to believe.Based on your comment, I believe that you are one of those people who have no clue as to what kind of atrocities perpertrated by the Sri-Lankan armed forces against Tamils.
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I only wish you read about WW2. In any war, civilians get killed. In the first gulf war, the ratio of civilian casualties to combatants was 1:200. This is the standard ratio. I am not trying to defend GOSL. Tamil Civilians were there at their own seeking in the combat zone. There is ample evidence that LTTE used them as civilian shields and LTTE is responsible for their deaths. WW2, USA killed or maimed nearly 2 million civilians who were no where near a combat zone. WW2 both Germany and UK killed millions of civilians in carpet bombing. Aren’t their leader’s war criminals? Tamils took the GOSL to war and both parties ended up murdering each other. So why point the finger at one party? But eventually it was the USA which built up Japan and Germany to be prosperous nations!
sjoseph #157
[I used to wonder why SL Tamils rate some sinhalese “brainless”.]
Wonder no MORE: The Superior Highly Intelligent Sun God worshipping Eelamists always called us Sinhalayas “Modayas”.
The worst of those Sun God worshippers are now pushing up daisies along the banks of the Nanthikandal lagoon from six feet underground … Yup, the “Modayas” put them there!
On the other hand, the poor confused Indian Jawans who fought them could not hack it; they advanced to the rear .. right out of Sri Lanka .. back to India. I suppose they too have a thing or two to learn from us Sinhala “Modayas.”
# 148. Diyasena
” Will India risk a full blown war with China to placate its racist hotheads?”‘
The logical answer is NO
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If the next question is: ”
Will India risk a full blown war with Srilanka?”‘
The logical anwser is:
In all probablity.. Yes..If it is necessary for India’s safety.
If India had a war to divide Pakistan, a war to divide Srilanka is always possible.
146. Mahesh
I have already explained to you in many of my previous postings about the Plebiscite in Kashmir. For the plebiscite to be held in Kashmir the troops of both the India and Pakistan should be withdrawn from there and those Kashmiris displaced from there have to go there and cast their vote.
Only if these two conditions are met plebiscite can be held in Kashmir.
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You are making stories up. So Indan government has said that they will hold the plebicite if all the original inhabitants can go back and vote? When and where?
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Yes Kashmiris are demonstrating and they are being fired upon.
The maintaining of the law and order belongs the primary duty of the Govt and when the demonstrations go beyond the accepted democratic limit and turns violent they have to be curbed.
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Nice try mate. That line won’t fly. so when SL takes action against militants that is not acceptable but when Indian police forces fires on civilians and brutalize them that is just law and order? Hypocray with a capital H.
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Even if you do not fight there are monkey monks in your country who see to it that the fire of racial supremacy is kept burning.
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You call ours moneky monks. what do you call your BJP and Shiv Sena who are all for wiping out every vistage of Islam from you country and raze every mosque to ground and build Hindu temples on thise sites? Mad cows?
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As for your 800 different languages, care to list how many are being used as official media of communication?
Good old days are gone. I just wanted to earn some money
& get back to my loving country. My dream is gone.
#169 sjoseph
“Will India risk a full blown war with Srilanka?”‘
Not with Chinese investments all over the country…
The only possibility of an external threat will come from an Independent Tamilnadu..But SL has enough capability to counter such a contingency..
143 Arul
I tend to agree with 167 Don.
This was a fully blown out war. The LTTE purchased arms had bomb making factories had ships even an airforce and navy. Thye had courts policemen ect. All these were funded by someone. whether it was the Diaspora or Norway or whoever it was a known fact that this was a war fought with conventional weapons.
I regret fully the loss of tamil lives. I really do. But the fact of the matter is that its over.
If you ask me whether I would have wanted all those lives saved and go back to the 80′s and 90′s no I dont.
I also do not want any innocent civilians to die.
If there was a better way to have ended all this yes there was. Plenty of opportunity to end with negotiations peace talks ect. Someone walked out didnt they? Someone supported the LTTE didnt they.
So dont point the finger only at the GOSL.
Norway, Denmark India China, Australia Canada USa are all responsible for this. And the diaspora too.
The present Govt was voted in with a mandate for removing the curse of war. How they did it can be debated. Can you also then justify hacking of the innocent and the bombs that destroyed so many civilians.
No they dont. Nobody can justify violence whoever the perpetrators are.
I dont believe that only the GOSL is responsible for the civilian casualties. All of you and those who supported the LTTE are also to blame.
150. Diyasena
1. Did India placate Khalistanis by handing over Himachal and Haryana to the them as the Eeezamists demand the Eastern province in which they are not a majority?
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A plebiscite was promised and it was held and its outcome was adhered to. Himachal was not in the agenda of the Khalistanis.
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2. Were not Tanks and artillery used in operation Bluestar (I know you love to preach about using heavy weapons against its own citizens)
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Yes. Tanks were used. Artillery was not used. They were used after weaning away the people stranded there. Every possible attempt was done to minimize the civilian loss.
Again Sikhs Generals were involved and the Sikh soldiers were involved in this whole Operation.
Tell me how many Tamil Officers and men were involved in your country.
In the next phase of Operation black thunder a Sikh officer KPS Gill was the leader.
Tell me any such instance in your country.
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3. Have the main points in the Rajiv-Longowal pact been implemented???
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Tell me which point has not been implemented.
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“Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye but fail to notice the beam in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3)
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Treat your neighbour as you would yourself. Again it is from Bible.
Please don’t say about me that I am the Devil quoting from the Bible.
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1. Would Kashmir, Punjab or the Eastern tribal areas have remained part of India if it had a weak army?
2. Would Goa or Sikkhim have joined the Indian union had it not a strong army?
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One should have both Brain and Brawn. Only one of it will not suffice.
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170. Ranjan,Toronto
You are making stories up. So Indan government has said that they will hold the plebicite if all the original inhabitants can go back and vote? When and where?
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The condition for the plebiscite was listed by me. You can test the sincerity of the Indian govt when you can convince the Pakistani govt to pull back troops and ask for a plebiscite under the auspices of the UN.
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The maintaining of the law and order belongs the primary duty of the Govt and when the demonstrations go beyond the accepted democratic limit and turns violent they have to be curbed.
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Nice try mate. That line won’t fly. so when SL takes action against militants that is not acceptable but when Indian police forces fires on civilians and brutalize them that is just law and order? Hypocray with a capital H.
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A govt’s duty is to see to it that the citizens get rations, medicines and also to maintain law and order. In the process of maintaining law and order any govt will use force in proportion to the situation.
In the case of SL govt also that is acceptable.
Our police fired upon the civilians is true. Also we never used food and medicine as weapons of war, that is also true.
We never denied them space in the military or the civil services. There is J&K Rifles to draw the Kashmiri youth. There is Dogra Regiment also catering to the J&K region.
Even now we provide food and medicine under heavy subsidy.
Tell me how many tamils are there in your armed forces and also in the police. Tell me their numbers in the civil services.
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Even if you do not fight there are monkey monks in your country who see to it that the fire of racial supremacy is kept burning.
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You call ours moneky monks. what do you call your BJP and Shiv Sena who are all for wiping out every vistage of Islam from you country and raze every mosque to ground and build Hindu temples on thise sites? Mad cows?
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Yes many, I am afraid a substantial number of them are monkey monks in your country.
A monks primary duty is to contemplate on the real and the unreal and to treat all human beings as equals.
Instead your monks are fanning communal disharmony.
They don’t have any moral right to float a political party.
In our country no monk heads political party. Neither they have started one.
BJP, Shiv Sena are political parties having right wing ideology. They are not headed by any monks.
May be they are influenced by RSS. Again RSS is not headed by any monk.
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As for your 800 different languages, care to list how many are being used as official media of communication?
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Officially we have many of them as National languages.
We do respect all the 800 languages of our country. No discrimination in our country.
It already started!
I saw this news “Printer of “Dictator” poster arrested despite its responsibilty taken by UNP”
“…………..The Chief of UNP Media Unit Mangala Samaraweera had got the Printer called Jayampathi Bulathsinhala to print the poster. However the police arrested all family members of Mr. Jayampathi Bulathsinhala . Later, when Mr. Bulathsinhala appeared at the police with a lawyer the police took measures to release his family members.
In the meantime the owner of Sarala Graphic printing press in Nugegoda and some of his employees who were also responsible for printing the same poster were arrested by Mirihana police and the printing press has been sealed……”
Hail Mahinda!
Hail Gotabhaya!
Hail Basil!
Hail Chamal!
Hail Namal!
Hail if I have left anyone else in the family!
Don #167
Well said!
However, we don’t have to go as far back as WWII to look for massive civilian casualties in war. Just look at the civilian casualties … excuse me, the collateral damage …in IRAQ!
Iraq was invaded on the pretext of getting rid of WMD to gain a foothold in the Persian Gulf.
That invasion and controlling the subsequent insurgency killed between 200,000 to 1,000,000 Iraqi civilians.
The higher estimate of 1,000,000 killed in Iraq was made by a team of doctors who had served in Iraq, and analysts, associated with a British Medical Journal, but the 200,000 killed is a good minimum.
Thank you mr.Jayaraj for this illuminating article. When I read Rauff Hakeem’s prliament speech when voting for 18th amendment in the backdrop of your detailed article about what really happened I could not but feel sorry for the plight of the Muslim Congress and our Muslim people
#153 Gopi
UNP is No more (I mean virtually dead
===========
what an understatement. All aspiring and current politicians are dead.So is the country
Longlive Mahinda chinatanaya
#170, Ranjan, Toronto
“You are making stories up. So Indan government has said that they will hold the plebicite if all the original inhabitants can go back and vote? When and where?”
Ranjan, this is indeed true. In fact, the UN resolution on Kashmir brought in 1948 lists these as preconditions to be fulfilled for holding a plebiscite. The resolution could not be enforced as Pakistan refused to move its forces from Gilgit and Baltistan and also refused to pull back those tribes that it brought from NFWP (North West Frontier Province) to invade J&K (these tribes were not original inhabitants of J &K). At that time, no UN permanent member was interested in making any armed intervention for a largely barren land. India said it would withdraw its forces only as a simultaneous action when Pakistan withdrew its forces. Of course, that never happened. Today, since these conditions can no longer be met, a plebiscite today is a non-starter. That’s precisely why the UN keeps quiet on this. In other words, the UN resolution is as good as dead. I am afraid, you are not well informed on the Kashmir imbroglio. Well, I am otherwise not in favor of Mahesh’s broken record statements of Singhala chavunism.
159
..endorsement of the 18 Amendment from the MPs including the members from the UNP and even the TNA.
The Rajapakshes could have attained the two third without the single vote of Piyasena, but their egos chose to do it(by whatever means).
They have unnecessarily rocked the boat and damaged the very narrow bridge seen between the communities. It is a stupid move for which we are going to regret it in the future.
#162 Diyasena,
I had an opportunity to talk to a Sri Lankan Tamil politician in the eighties.
When I asked, did Gandhi get the independence of India? Or was it not India was not sustainable and profitable for the British and they left?
He said “it would not have been India, but a lot of countries within India. Gandhi united India, if supported he would have made Pakistan and Bangladesh as one India.”
Another question of mine was “why we Sri Lankan Tamils have to fight for separatism and Indian Tamils do not?”He said
“Indian leaders in power knew what is to be oppressed and the contribution of each minority. We don’t, we were just given our independence without a sweat or blood, and all we had to think about was coming to power.”
I saw this during the IPKF times in India; the TN Tamils were first Indians and then only Tamils. My Indian Tamil roommate was very angry at the death of the Indian soldier than Tamil rights………….
Will we Sri Lankans learn? It has nothing to do with the size of the army!
Comment 175 ATL
Poster campaigns ( Kala Patthara”) should have no place in the new era.
The bitter memories of the damage done to the Sinhala poor in the rural areas by the JVP on two occasions with these ” posters” is still fresh in the memory of most Srilankans.
Western countries which we are constantly advised to listen to and emulate do not have poster campaigns.
Singapore the country that we are advised to adopt as the role model does not even allow defamatory statements against Government leaders let alone allow defamatory Poster Campaigns.
UNP , the Guardian Angel of all good practices of Democracy have” progressed”to a new level with the able guidance of the new” whizz kid”on the block- Mangala Samaraweera.
According to the latest, the Whizz Kid was using the JVP supporters to print and distribute these Defamatory Posters.
Very smart move. I think there is obviously value for money there for Ranil .
The trouble is, the irate Mr Handunnetti is not that impressed with the outcome now that both have to front up to the “sleuths.”
There is too much to lose for the whole country If these dirty tactics are allowed to propagate.
This is a good example why Srilanaka needed the 18 amendment.
#173
Yes it is over for LTTE, But it is not over for Sri lanka and it is only a beginning, emerging from the past sins. Will we continue to justify? Yes it happens all over the world. Reality ?
Good article DBS. Explains the reasons behind Muslim Congress decision clearly and well
When you read this article by DBSJ and then read statement by Hakeem in parliament you realise how pathetic the Muslim congress situation really is
We Muslims owe a great deal to Mr. DB Jayaraj for this brilliant article giving the true background to the recent Muslim Congress decision to support govt
I sympathise with Mr. Hakeem’s difficult situation. I was very annoyed with him till I read this article
Poor Hakeem really had no choice
Comment 180,
The need of the hour is Economic Development,
Economic salvation and liberation is what the majority is craving for in the new era..
This is particularly the case with the the internally displaced people in the North and the East.
KP realized it and took steps to help them.
Now the TNA MP took a similar course of action ,knowing well that the amendment will ensure the Economic Development with minimal hindrance.
This is in fact is going to widen the bridge and narrow the gap rather than narrowing the former., unless the commentator is privy to other information.
# 176 Ananda-USA
Is your unidentified British medical journal ” Lancet ” !
The mortality rate of Iraq war has been studied by many reputed organizations which involved household surveys. There was no attempt by your host country USA to hide or suppress the facts.
Whoever wanted to visit Iraq were granted visas. USA never stood in the way of fact finding missions going to Iraq to expose civilian casualty.
Will Kingdom of Sri Lanka ( KSL) practice similar Open door policy !
Could you please give me an estimate of Iraqi civilian casualty sans inflation attributable to the action of Coalition forces.
By the way read everything you need to read about the “Lancet” report..
174 Mahesh
Yes. Tanks were used. Artillery was not used. They were used after weaning away the people stranded there. Every possible attempt was done to minimize the civilian loss.
Again Sikhs Generals were involved and the Sikh soldiers were involved in this whole Operation.
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Soooo… Tanks are OK but artillery is not? And according to you it is OK to use force after every possible attempt is done to minimize casualties?
How many times do you think GOSL tried to resolve this conflict without all out war? Do you know that twice during the 30 years, GOSL practically gave a separate state to the LTTE but VP wanted a military victory? During the run up to the final battles, how many time do you think LTTE violated the cease fire? Do read the official reports of the Scandinavian cease fire observers you will find out.
Do you think that if Khalistan separatists were holding civilians hostage at Golden Temple, Indian forces would have not attacked? The so called IPKF did not have any qualms about conducting attacks in Jaffna just because there were civilians. As anyone living in Jaffna during IPKF would tell you, Jaffna probably recorded the highest number of women raped not during when SL solders were there, but when Indian solders were in control.
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Tell me how many Tamil Officers and men were involved in your country.
Ranjan Kadirgamar – Chief of SL Navy – that is high enough for you?
Laksman Kadirgamar – the distinguished foreign minister of Sri Lanka, who led the fight against the international arm of the LTTE – that is high enough for you?
You may not know this, but during the early stages in the 80s, the fight against then mainly disorganized bands of Tamil separatists were led by a number of Tamil police and intelligence officers. Unfortunately due to then governments’ incompetence and not taking the situation serious enough, these were gradually killed off. One case that I remember very well happened in the late 70s. Four Tamil CID officers who were investigating these were lured into an ambush and killed.
Then, take for instance, SL Army’s Deep Penetration Units, which were very effective in taking out LTTE leaders deep inside LTTE territory. In the initial stages, these units were mostly staffed by Tamil solders. So don’t think that SL Army is 100% Sinhala Buddhist. The reality is that it is a mix of Sinhala, Muslim, Burger, Buddhist, and Christian.
#180 Kalu Albert,
I am fine with the first part of 18th amendment, which extends the presidential term, the second part which gives the rights to President to appoint High court judges to etc…. and the Parliamentary committee to only voice their observations and the Electoral committee not to interfere in the use of state media and funds is my concern!
As you can see it is an amendment for lifetime presidency and nobody can challenge and win!
188. Nostradamus:
The thing is Mr. Nostradamus USA can allow “all leading fact finding personnel” in the world to visit where ever they want to go because no body finds the facts even if they happen to be right in front of them when the facts are not in favor of uncle SAM!!!:D
When channel 4 video came up everybody started calling GOSL war criminals even before the video was authenticated (which they still haven’t) and now we even have a UN panel probing us.
Yet, from Blackwaters murdering 17 Iraq civilians to leaked video on murder of 2 Reuters reporters including an Iraqi child to murder of 100 plus Afghani civilians in just one air attack alone to recent Wikileaks Afghan war diaries… no body seem to see any war crimes on part of USA or the need for independent inquiries!!! Not AI, not HRW, …
172. Diyasena | September 9th, 2010 at 12:12 pm
#169 sjoseph
“Will India risk a full blown war with Srilanka?”‘
Not with Chinese investments all over the country…
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India wont give a damn to Chinese investments in Srilanka, while India’s security is threatened.
Anyway Chinese investment in India is multi fold higher than tiny Srilanka.
only hope for Srilanka is to become part of greater china..:-)
#181. ATL
I saw this during the IPKF times in India; the TN Tamils were first Indians and then only Tamils. My Indian Tamil roommate was very angry at the death of the Indian soldier than Tamil rights
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It is true that Indian Tamils are loyal to India.
However while IPKF fought LTTE, majority in Tamilnadu were angry with IPKF. Karunanidhi, TN chief minister even protestested against IPKF forces.
The turning point for TN people is LTTE’s assasination of Rajiv Gandhi.
89. Ranjan, Toronto
Soooo… Tanks are OK but artillery is not? And according to you it is OK to use force after every possible attempt is done to minimize casualties?
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We also didn’t use MBRL’s, Air Force to bomb the civilian places. There is no allegation of using Phosphorus powders. We didn’t hire SAS to combat the insurgents like LTTE. I can go on and on.
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Laksman Kadirgamar – the distinguished foreign minister of Sri Lanka, who led the fight against the international arm of the LTTE – that is high enough for you?
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LK was a tamil, no doubt about it. But he didn’t identify himself with tamils or rather I would say that the Tamils didn’t identify themselves with him.
One should come to the succor of one’s brothers when they are in trouble. He never came to their rescue. He never identified himself with them.
I am not saying he should have identified himself with the LTTE or EELAM.
In one occasion I heard that one Tamil was complaining about the boisterous behaviour of the Sinhalese (I don’t exactly remember the context).
For that he said this is normal because the Sinhalese are majority here.
What kind of a man one should be to talk like this.
Sondha sahodarargal thunbathil saadal kandum sindhai irangaradi, kiliye, semmai marandharadi. (What kind of man is he O!Parrot who will not wink at the suffering and death of his own brothers -Bharathiyar)
You also talk about Ranjan Kadirgamar. May be he was the brother of Lakshman.
Tell me honestly how many Tamil soldiers were there in your army in your battle at Mullivaikal.
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Then, take for instance, SL Army’s Deep Penetration Units, which were very effective in taking out LTTE leaders deep inside LTTE territory. In the initial stages, these units were mostly staffed by Tamil solders
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Deep Penetration Units were guided to their places by the anti LTTE people. They were not staffs or soldiers in your army to the best of my knowledge.
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So don’t think that SL Army is 100% Sinhala Buddhist. The reality is that it is a mix of Sinhala, Muslim, Burger, Buddhist, and Christian.
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Tell me whether having few hundred Tamil soldiers in your army adequately represent them in your armed forces.
To the best of my knowledge you don’t have more than 300 Tamils in your army.
174 Mahesh
Tell me how many tamils are there in your armed forces and also in the police. Tell me their numbers in the civil services.
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I don’t have the numbers of Tamils in the civil service nor in Armed Forces or in Police. May be some one can post those. But just a 15 minute search on the web brought up an interesting list. Here is a very small list of Tamils who had very important positions in Sri Lankan government service (past and current). This list is NOT by any means comprehensive, but I still wanted to put it up.
R. Paskaralingam – advisor to President Premadasa, Secretary to Ministry of Finance
C. Kumarasuriyar – Minister of Telecommunications
L. Kadirgarma – Foreign Minister
R. Kadirgarma – Commodore – Sri Lanka Navy
W. Rasaputram – Governor, Central Bank
T.E Anandaraja – Inspector general of Police
R. Rajasingham – Inspector General of Police, Ambassador to Indonesia
K.C. Logeswaran – Ambassador to Republic of Korea
R. Johnpulle – Ambassador to Soviet Union
C. Rajadurai – Ambassador to Malaysia
V. Kumaran – Ambassador to Sweden
Earnest Corea – Ambassador to USA and Canada
Mrs. T. Kunanayakam – Ambassador to Cuba
Mrs. G. Asiriwatham – Ambassador to Netherlands
For your information, there are many Tamils who occupy very prominent positions in the government service and private sector.
194. Mahesh:
The attackers in your case also did not get on light aircraft to carry our suicide attacks against capital city nor did they destroy half the fleet of national carrier shaking the vary foundation of the whole economy… hence if we extrapolate the situation I’m pretty sure you will find not just MBRL fire and white prosperous (which GOSL didn’t use, though LTTE did) but lot more lethal weapons been used by Indian forces. You are beyond a Hypocrite with a big H.
194. Mahesh
Why would Sri Lankan army who was fighting against a deadly Tamil force have a large number of Tamil solders? The other point is, Sri Lankan army is not conscripted and is totally volunteer. The Tamils living in the Sinhala areas are generally well off so there is no incentive for them to join the army in large numbers. Even if it wanted to, the army would have no chance to recruit in the Tamil areas as those were controlled by the LTTE. So how in the world would one expect a large number of Tamil solders in the Army?
Americans never allowed Japanese-Americans to fight against Japanese forces during the WWII. They were all deployed in Europe. Same with the Canadians.
You very well know what happened to your Lady Prime Minister who trusted her Sikh bodyguards.
# 191 Navin
My questions to Ananda-USA are clear, direct and pointed. You have volunteered to rescue the gentleman in distress.
This is not about Channel 4 or Blackwater or Afghanistan. Read my comment again and try to respond without blabbering.
#195-Ranjan,Toronto
[don’t have the numbers of Tamils in the civil service nor in Armed Forces or in Police]
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I think that is the point here. There is merit in afew guys holding some executive positions, when the vast majority of tamils are denied access to these services. the reason why the GOSL won’t publish the percentages is because it would be very embarrasing to it, because such a small number of tamils are employed. The ambassodors you mention here maybe guys who got posts after kathirgamer became foreighn minister. He gave appointments to career diplomats and political appointees were put on the backburner. During his time he achieved a lot in the fight against the LTTE in the international arena, but after he was killed the rot started again with political appointees.
195. Ranjan, Toronto
Tell me their numbers in the army and the police.
Ambassadors list are good. It again means they were either foreign service cadres or political appointees.
If foreign service cadres what is the level of recruitment of Tamils at present.
To become an Ambassador they must have been in the service for a considerable number of years.
What is the representation of the TAmils now, both in the civil service and the military service.
Try to post them if you can.
195 Ranjan, Toronto:
So Ranjan, you yourself know what is the power of “A” Thamilian then? The Internet helped you to figure-out who are Thamilians? Shame on you man. Being in Toronto don’t you know who/what are the capable of Thamilians?, Why are you against Mahesh? The war is over, and why cannot us live together in peace? People such as you are always against the peace process, and then you are talking about “PEACE” and all-out war? I’m following your comments on this site for a-while. However your comments are very racist. Try to mingle with other communities, in that way your brain will be purified.
A former Torontonian,
-Ganesh.
195. Ranjan, Toronto |
In 60 years of independent rule, this is pathetic. Nothing to boast, as it is not even 1 % representation for Tamils.
Do you prove the claims of pro Eelam supporters
198. Nostradamus:
I’m not trying to rescue some gentlemen in distress. You can carry on your chat with Ananda-USA between the two of you.
This isn’t the first time you have preached us the righteousness of USA. Hence I have only analyzed how the “open door policy” of USA works. Kindly respond to my argument, “clearly”, “pointedly” and “directly” _without_ “blabbering” if you can.
197. Ranjan, Toronto
Why would Sri Lankan army who was fighting against a deadly Tamil force have a large number of Tamil solders? The other point is, Sri Lankan army is not conscripted and is totally volunteer. The Tamils living in the Sinhala areas are generally well off so there is no incentive for them to join the army in large numbers. Even if it wanted to, the army would have no chance to recruit in the Tamil areas as those were controlled by the LTTE. So how in the world would one expect a large number of Tamil solders in the Army?
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Did you try to recruit them. The Sikhs are also very affluent people in India. Yet they join the Services in large numbers.
We used the Sikhs to fight Sikhs here. Like using fire to fight fire.
You didn’t try that in your country, because of your own reasons.
Again you used Air power to demolish the civilian targets much before the LTTE acquired the air power or the sea power capability.
167. Don
Tamil Civilians were there at their own seeking in the combat zone. There is ample evidence that LTTE used them as civilian shields and LTTE is responsible for their deaths.
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USA didn’t declare NFZ and then bomb those very same places.
#195
You missed out Sir Pon Ramanathan & a tamil soldier served under Prince Vijaya.
201 and 202
The post was NOT to prove that there was/is no discrimination against Tamils. Mahesh had asked for the numbers of Tamils in the Forces/Police/Civil Service. I don’t have those and I started looking on the web and these name poped up. That list is NOT comprehensive and it is not intended to prove anything but to show that there are and were Tamilians in very important positions in GOSL. does that mean that there was no discrimination? NO.
I am not against Mahesh or anyone. But when someone keeps on posting same stuff on how India is a paradise of ethnic and race relations, I can not but respond. We in Sri Lanka have many problems with regards to majority-minority relations, but I don’t think India has much to show us in that regard.
Ganesh, I live and work in Toronto. you don’t have to tell me about living and mingling with other communities. If as you say, have followed my posts, and if you don’t get what I am trying to say, too bad.
I
202. sjoseph | In 60 years of independent rule, this is pathetic. Nothing to boast, as it is not even 1 % representation for Tamils. Do you prove the claims of pro Eelam supporters.
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Mate what tamils need is not 1% representation in a BS parliament. My best friends are Tamil although I am Singhalese. I have lived in all the Tamil areas of SL & I don’t ever forget their hospitality. I can tell you that most Tamils are very well off when you compare them to Singhalese. This is even true in the west. Tamils are better off than Singhalese. You don’t need representation if you are well off. Who cares a toss about representation? 65% of Tamils in SL live in area’s outside their traditional home lands and why? Because they are well off living with the other races. The problem is Tamils are quite fond of money and some how they amass wealth! Or else how can they come in the boat paying US $20-40,000 per person otherwise? And these are refugees!!!!
Now the big parties are over, we need to hear your version on demise of former ministers Ranjan W, L. Athulathmdali and Gamini D too. Few links if you have already done justice would Ok, but better write in one piece isn’t it? Many thanks & appreciations anyway for excellent work.
@193 sjoseph
//However while IPKF fought LTTE, majority in Tamilnadu were angry with IPKF. Karunanidhi, TN chief minister even protestested against IPKF forces//
Thats a load of bull.The noise then also was created by the regular suspects like Nedumaran & Co.In the General elections conducted in 1989,when the IPKF was still in Srilanka,Rajiv’s Congress swept through the polls in TamilNadu.They ,with their allies, won 40 out of 40.
I dont know how much more one needs to emphazize this.For Indian tamils,India always comes first
Understand this,the major chunk of IPKF was from the Madras Regiment.Check out who won the PVC,India’s heighest military honor,during the IPKF days.
I cannot understand what the TNA hopes to gain for the tamils by opposing the 18th amendment. Even the UNP boycotted, but the TNA wants to show that they care more for the country than the UNP. These were the fellows who wanted a divided country, now they are showing more interest in the constitution than the sinhalese themselves. TNA’s sumanthiran was making a grand speech opposing the amendment, and the GOSL members were shouting ‘kotiya’ ‘kotiya’. He said that if they continue to shout like this karuna will run into the chamber.
This reminds me of that idiot amirthalingam supporting Sirimavo after the 1977 elections and earning the wrath of JR. Here too sampanthan is unnecessarily provoking mahinda, first with his alliance with fonseka and now only TNA and JVP opposing the 18th amendment.
197. Ranjan, Toronto
According to you and GOSL Tamils cant be trusted.
According to LTTE & some SL tamils too the think ing is same: Sinhalese cant be trusted
Ranjan (#195) Your list requires comment.
W. Rasaputram, former Governor/CBSL, is Sinhalese and at the latter stages wished to be known as Rasaputra (dropping the “n”) in view of the times and the confusion. V. Kumaran went as Dr. Valsan (of the Nippon Hotel family) and does not speak Tamil well – as he is of Keralite (Malayalee) origin.Dr. Johnpulle from A’pura too although a Tamil name identified more with the Sinhalese. Rajan Kadirgamara, the Navy man, as was the vogue at that time, spoke/wrote little or no Tamil although both brothers came from a distinguished Jaffna family from Manipay. I don’t know about journalist Ernest Corea and doubt if he identified himself as one. Most Coreas do not -although there are Coreas from the Bharatha (Paravar) community who speak Tamil. Your list omits the distinguished C “Charlie” Mahendran former Ambassador to China, Japan and Korea (?) who speaks, reads and writes Tamils well. He is proud to identify himself as a Tamil from Jaffna.The UNP leadership made a mistake in overlooking him for other lesser able men for the top slot for a Tamil in the party. Charlie is a long and faithful UNPer, since he left State service – and very popular with all communities.
ISS
WOW! Sri Lanka dominated by “Sinhala Barbarians” of make the TOP 10 countries in CHARITABLE GIVING! No other developing country makes the list.
…………….
Australia and New Zealand top World Giving Index
By Emily Buchanan
BBC.com
September 08, 2010
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11220564
The survey – conducted by the UK’s Charities Aid Foundation – suggests that well-being is a more reliable indicator of philanthropy than wealth.
The survey took place in 153 countries, covering 95% of the world’s population.
WORLD GIVING INDEX – TOP 10
1. Australia, New Zealand
3. Canada, Ireland
5. Switzerland, USA
7. Netherlands
8. United Kingdom, Sri Lanka
10. Austria
Source: Charities Aid Foundation
198 Nostradamus
Sorry, I was away planting onions in my garden, and totally missed your “pointed & direct” questions! However, I am hastening to answer them right now .. yes, siree!
Yes, I do think it was the British medical journal was the “Lancet”.
[There was no attempt by your host country USA to hide or suppress the facts.]
First, let me clear a misunderstanding here .. I DO LOVE the USA and have no wish to criticize it at every turn. But, sometimes, there are really important things that need to be criticized in the interest of arriving at a more perfect Union. So here goes ..
Actually, during the Iraq invasion itself, the media coverage of Iraq was carefully controlled by the US Forces, to the extent of allowing only “embeded reporters” with the units while excluding all independent reporters.
The point was, if you are confronting an enemy, there is no point in giving the enemy all the tools to defeat you. After all, unrestricted media coverage by all the bleeding hearts demonized and demolished the US effort in the Vietnam war. Note that I am not defending the US policy in getting involved in that war, but I am saying that the US shot itself in the foot by allowing unrestricted coverage. They learned the lesson and applied it in Iraq.
[Whoever wanted to visit Iraq were granted visas. USA never stood in the way of fact finding missions going to Iraq to expose civilian casualty.]
Not quite .. access to Iraq was, and is, carefully controlled. The Lancet report was an anomaly that slipped through the cracks .. perhaps because some of the doctors were already serving in Iraq, and UK was the principal ally of the US .. it caused a lot of heartburn in the US officialdom.
[Will Kingdom of Sri Lanka ( KSL) practice similar Open door policy !]
NO .. And I pray they will not, simply because Sri Lanka is a vulnerable small nation everyone wants to whip .. including its “friends” .. while no one dare criticize the US .. excepts its avowed … largely impotent .. enemies.
Democrazy as preached by others, but not practiced by them is not for Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka needs to be aware of these double standards, surround itself with a wide array of powerful allies, and adopt a its own Democratic path consistent with national survival.
That does not include giving its external and internal enemies the media tools to destroy it.
As 203. Navin said
[no body seem to see any war crimes on part of USA or the need for independent inquiries!!! Not AI, not HRW,]
Absolutely correct! The USA can get away with bloody murder, torture in prisons, national policies that condone torture, and double standards galore in its national interest and go its merry way, but Sri Lanka cannot.
Sri Lanka needs to carefully balance these totally unreasonable foreign powers who want to meddle in our affairs as if they had a right to do so, and tread very very carefully … even to defend our own country against terrorists financed from abroad!
[Could you please give me an estimate of Iraqi civilian casualty sans inflation attributable to the action of Coalition forces. ]
No. I don’t have those figures handy, but I will do some research on that and post them if I find reliable estimates.
208. Don:
Don’t forget the “Maslow’s hierarchy of needs”. When people have sufficient money they feel they need more than money.
Hik Hik,
I am back! Looks like people are talking about Taymoli speaker representation among the “MOD aya” lately.
Hmmmm…
Very interesting that KTR recently recommended two regiments of Taymoli speaking “MOD aya”.
Even more interesting to consider that KTR was the guy who wrote a series “Sri Lanka, the untold story” about the time of the BIA attack and leading up to the CFA. In it he was promoting “Tamil supremacy” quite freely. It seems like “MOD aya” managed to cultivate both KTR and KP in the meantme. Both are mouth pieces.
By contrast DBSJ is not owned by any body (not that I think KP is either). DBSJ is very careful and one has to read between the lines.
The “intelligent Tamils” here appear to have got the message recently. The deepest messages will not be understood by the “MOD aya” who are freely posting here (yes both Siyabasa and Taymoli speakers belong to this destructive group; the difference being that Siyabasa speak of everyone getting along and the Tamils should just “pull their heads in” while the Taymoli MOD aya are just plain virulent).
The plain fact is that when you take away the 80% sheep any where in the World it just leaves a minority who can barely glimpse the truth. The truth that has evaded the Taymoli speakers in particular is that Siyabasa are not the enemy. Enemy is found among both groups and can be broadly defined by my euphemism “MOD aya”.
The intelligent Taymoli and Siyabasa speakers have to just understand that as long as you say “Yassa Massa” and keep your head down the “MOD aya”just won’t notice. You need to find a common “nudge, nudge , wink , wink” language to speak to each other. Remember, who the common enemy is. Here I’ll spell it out, “MOD aya”. The Taymoli MOD aya are quiet only because they are down and out. Given the opportunity they will be just as bad as the siyabasa MOD aya. Of course, they will dress it up in “liberation” language. Ask the people in Vanni.
The message to come and help your brothers and sisters (both Taymoli and Siyabasa) is truly from the heart (in DBSJ’s heart any way, I think). But you’ve got to know who your brothers and sisters are, eh! (nudge, nudge, wink).
So my Taymoli and Siyabasa bros and sissies (: )), let’s just start reading between the lines shall we?
BTW Ananda-USA, it makes me proud to see Sri Lanka in the top ten. Go, ANZ!
OTOH, did you embarass yourself earlier by putting Gen. Fonseka and Merv in the same category. You were a little too early , methinks. Heh Heh heh.
Be careful about categorising a National Hero in that way. You may also risk being categorised.
Mahesh OTOH is a clear “MOD aya” member who is almost certainly of “Taymoli” speaking background (probably cannot speak Taymoli) and pretending to be Bharatiya. The fact is the Bharatiya just cannot be bothered with petty sqabbles of “MOD aya” of SL. He is just trying to sow seeds of resentment about Sri Lanka’s great neighbour.
The “MOD aya” way. heh heh heh.
195. Ranjan, Toronto
List of Prominent Tamils
—–
212. sjoseph
Tamils cant be trusted
——
Tamils cannot be trusted even by fellow Tamils
individual Tamils are doing very well all over the world but the sad thing isTamils are collectively a failure.
205. Mahesh:- USA didn’t declare NFZ and then bomb those very same places.
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For me what is significant is not the way people are killed but that they are killed. USA killed civilians during the war just as much GOSL did under different circumstances. During WW2 there were no NFZ or there may have been but I don’t know. The logic is both parties killed. Just because USA did not do what GOSL did, it does not mean the former is holier than latter. The USA toll of civilian killing from 1939 up to today is probably 1000 times more than GOSL but it does not mean GOSL is holier than USA. Bottom line for me is all the buggers including LTTE are murderers.
Next issue is in wars civilian deaths are inevitable. Why Germany and Japan prospered after the war was they moved on. Many in the west have the same mentality while we Asians don’t forgive or forget it until death or even after! Classic example is soldiers who returned to UK after the WW2 found that their wife’s or girl friends have slept with others, some had kids from others etc but most of these soldiers accepted what happened and moved along with those women. Those women in turn, very grateful for the magnanimous gesture looked after these men for the rest of their lives.
213. Ilaya Seran Senguttuvan
Thanks for your clarification. My list is not anywhere near to being comprehensive. It was the result of just a “spur of the moment” search of the web. I wish others who have the information would post the many other names that were left out. As you and I know, there were many other distinguished Tamils who served in the GOSL, in the police force and in the civil service and in the judiciary. I hope that time will come back.
I hope someone would find and post the percentages of minorities in various government and professional services through out the years. I am sure those will make very interesting statistics. I expect the percentages to be high up to the early 80s and then drop as the situation went out of control in early 80s
212. sjoseph
In those circumstances government would have been foolish to trust anyone when it came to security. It does not mean that you brand every Tamil you see as a Tiger. You know what happened to Indira Gandhi. You know how General Fonseka was attacked.
# 218. Kalu Albert
You have taken part of the comments and taking it out of context.
Are you “Lollu” Albert?
# 210. Jey
I would be happier to hear what you said, if they are true.
207 Ranjan,Toronto:
Ranjan, I don’t mind where you works and lives and that is totally irrelevant to this post. My point is that about our view towards Sinhalese Vs. Thamil communities. Your message is very unclear and very difficult to understand. Now, our question is how to settle those Thamil IDP’s with Sinhalese in SL. I migrated to Canada way back before you landed in Canada (I guess, and which also irrelevant to this post). And I helped so much of my Sinhala friends to settle down in Canada, being a Thamilian I did what I can do the best for them, and they are well settled now. And what did your part in helping Thamilians on your side? NONE! Brother, try to understand what is our life. Follow what Gudama Buddha said. God bless you.
-Ganesh.
# 208. Don
look for a shrink..
Great work Mr.Jeyaraj. Gives wonderful insight into Muslim congress situation.Please write more about Muslim community situation.Very few do that and do that well
220. Ranjan, Toronto
In those circumstances government would have been foolish to trust anyone when it came to security. It does not mean that you brand every Tamil you see as a Tiger. You know what happened to Indira Gandhi. You know how General Fonseka was attacked.
————
There are many asssasinations in the world, not every one is done by security guards.
in SL too, though Tamils were not in Armed forces, they were able to kill/ injure many leaders.
Its a lame excuse and lack of trust of SL Tamils.
if you dont trust another, do you expect them to trust you ?
208. Don:
You don’t need representation if you are well off. Who cares a toss about representation? 65% of Tamils in SL live in area’s outside their traditional home lands and why?
——————
Do you acknowledge traditional Tamil home land in Srilanka?
May i know which area are the traditional Tamil home land?
#174 Mahesh
“Tell me how many Tamil Officers and men were involved in your country”
Ranjan gave you just a snippet of a long list of Tamil military personnel and civil service officers, who served in the 1948-1983 era when the Sinhala-only state was denying Tamils opportunities thereby leading to the 125% rightful armed struggle..
Now how about during the Genocidal war by the Sinhala-only army against 150% innocent tamil freedom figthers
Major General Y. Balarathneraja – Chief of Staff of the Genocidal Sinhala army killing Tamil civilians between 1992-1993
Major General C Thurairajah- Director of the SL Army Medical corps (early-mid 1990s), healing wounded Sinhala soldiers so they can go slaughter many more Tamils..
Air Vice Marshal A. Kumaresan- Director of Planning SL Airforce
Air Vice Marshal R Arunthavanthan (2007-2008)- Deputy Chief of Staff of the SL airforce, which developed precision guided bombs which can kill only Tamil civilians whilst avoiding all LTTE fighters
Rear Admiral Terence Sundaram (1999-2000) Commander Eastern Naval Area
Commodore Travis Cinniah (still in active service)- Deputy Director of Operations SL Navy, whose only job is killing Tamil fisherman in SL and Tamilnadu
Apart from the above there were/ are several other mid junior level officers as well as soldiers..
Membership in Sri Lanka’s armed forces is purely voluntary. The HIGH POSITIONS of the above gentleman show that their is NO RACIAL GLASS CEILING in SLs armed services for members of minorities who are WILLING to serve their country..IF a law abiding Tamils wishes to join there is nothing stopping him from progressing..
So it is highly unfair to put the onus of tamil representation in the military on the government..Tell me, how many Arabs citizens serve in (your bold) Israeli Defense Force, despite the fact that 20% of Israeli citizens (Excluding those in Palestinian territory) are Arabs??
223. Ganesh
I have done what I think I should and could do to help the IDPs, in fact I am still helping through Doctors Without Borders. So don’t assume anything.
I have been in Canada for the last 30 years. I probably was here in Toronto before any of you were. I have seen the Sri Lankan community (both Tamil and Sinhala) grow from a few hundred in 1980 to many hundreds of thousands that is today. As for interacting with Tamils here, we (me and my family) associate very closely with two families. One is Tamil and the other is a Sinhala-Tamil mix. We treat each other like brothers and sisters. That does not mean that we can not state our positions. When we meet, which is very frequent, we argue like crazy. But also we do lot of things together. They like my Sinhala bila music and I like their AR Rahaman. They have educated me so much about Tamil culture and hopefully they have learned about Sinhalese from me and my family.
You say that you find it very difficult to understand what I say. That is unfortunate, because what I have tried to do is to counter arguments of people who see this world in black and white, where Sinhalese are the bad guys and the Tamils are the victims. There are lots of shades of grey in this story.
For the IDPs, I think we are on the same page. Just as you wish, I want them settled, their lives returned to normal to the extent that is possible, and their dignity, that has been taken from them, both by the LTTE and the GOSL given back to them.
As for Sri Lanka, what I wish for is the country to be a multi-ethnic, multi-religious place where each and everyone has the same rights. Nothing more or nothing less.
World Giving Index Report can be found at:
http://www.cafonline.org/PDF/World_Giving_Index_2010_A4.pdf
The north and east is ina thundering mess and the TNA is spending time in parliament opposing the 18th amendment. Their people haven’t a proper roof above their heads, their breadwinners are dead, no proper food or sanitation and education ina mess. Do you think they care a fig about the 18th amendment. TNA must first look into their constituents needs without going in their own direction. Tamil politicians from the north and east have still not learnt a lesson and want to indulge in confrontational politics unnecesarilly.As usual they are more interested in showing off, than in getting results for their people. I’am glad the sinhalese TNA guy broke ranks and voted with the government. At least one fellow had some common sense in him.
215 Ananda-USA
…………………….As 203. Navin said
[no body seem to see any war crimes on part of USA or the need for independent inquiries!!! Not AI, not HRW,]
Absolutely correct! The USA can get away with bloody murder, torture in prisons, national policies that condone torture, and double standards galore in its national interest and go its merry way, but Sri Lanka cannot………………..
Bloody murder, torture in prisons and double standards galore in national interest ! Why are you then living in USA.
Why don’t you MOVE your ASS to your sweet land of of Sri Lanka ?
228. Diyasena
I wanted to know whether the Tamils are adequately represented in your civil and military service, exact percentage.
228. Diyasena
So it is highly unfair to put the onus of tamil representation in the military on the government..Tell me, how many Arabs citizens serve in (your bold) Israeli Defense Force, despite the fact that 20% of Israeli citizens (Excluding those in Palestinian territory) are Arabs??
——————————————-
Friend, there are Arabs in the Israeli army. I read an article to that effect. It is true.
I am also giving a link to it …. please see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Defense_Forces#Minorities_in_the_IDF
232. Nostradamus
Many reasons, but perhaps the best is that I can help destroy Eelamists better from the USA.
COMMENTS 218 and 221
Sorry guys. Real KALU ALBERT did not post comment 218.
sjoseph,
You canl give any prefix as long as it is Abert..
229. Ranjan, Toronto
Many of us who blog here understand and appreciate your patriotic viewpoint with perfect clarity. There is NO AMBIGUITY in your posts.
Eelamists will ALWAYS be critical of, and try to undermine, Sri Lanka and its patriotic sons and daughters in the vanished quest of the impossible dream.
Don’t expect them to change their stripes in a hurry .. let the battle continue for however long it takes. We are ready for that.
Jayawewa!
#213 ISS,
Thank you for the addendum…Charlie Mahendran (SL ambassador to China, USSR, South Korea and many more) is one amazing individual I have had the honour to meet.. Pity he didn’t end up running from the UNP..Him along with Chief Justice Thambiah are (in my view) the two greatest Sri Lankan patriots from Jaffna.
Whilst being proud Tamils, they were always Sri Lankan first. Neither of them were delusional about having a Tamil-only Bantustan (independent or autonomous homeland) in the N & E…Chief Justice Thambiah (may he rest in peace) was learnt enough to know that Sinhalese lived in the North even in ancient times..Apparently his father-in-law had Dutch era records showing significant Sinhalese presence in Jaffna (There are probably copies in Dutch archives, GOSL should try and retrieve them)
227. sjoseph | Do you acknowledge traditional Tamil home land in Srilanka?May i know which area are the traditional Tamil home land?
———————————————————————
Mate, does it matter whether I acknowledge traditional Tamil home land or not? I was shown a map with areas in Jaffna and east marked out and I believed what my Tamil friends said. End of story. But you are diverting your self from the real issues.
228. Diyasena :- You have missed many others I think like Brigadier Thevanayagam who was the commandant of the volunteer force and a gentleman with a great reputation and who was later killed by his own son after a drug run. Then there was Captain Daya Nadarajasingham, the shooter who represented SriLanka at commonwealth games and many Police ASP’s and DIG’s like R.Sundaralingham and the two Mahendra’s who served the Police with distinction. They were all Tamils but greatly respected by their Sinhala work mates.
#192 S Joseph
Then whatever his other misgivings (which are many indeed) Sarath Fonseka was right in calling for the Army to be expanded to 500,000…
Sri Lankan military planners should make contingencies to counter an Indian invasion (or one from an independent Tamilnadu)…We should never let our guard down..
1. In an Indo-SL war we could never match India on air power..But having good air defence systems such as S-400s can help balance things out..
2. India’s large battleships and submarines can’t play a huge role in SL’s shallow waters..Our battle hardened small boat Navy can give their Indian shallow water counterparts a run for their money..SL Navy should be expanded further (especially lagoon and river fighting units) to hamper any amphibious landing of an invading force..
3. On top of the 500,000 Army it must be made compulsory for every able bodied male between 18 and 45 to undergo weapons training and serve 3 years in the civil defence force (which should have 1 million members at any given time)..
India’s army is 1 million regular and 1.5 million reserves..But they cannot commit all of them to a war with Sri Lanka..We must (and in coming years we can) bring our armed forces to such a number, that India cannot invade SL without the threat of losing Kashmir to Pakistan or Arunchal to China
#210 Jey,
The IPKF had only a single batallion from the Madras Regiment..And the lone recipient of the Param Vir Chakra (though a Tamil..Dunno if from Tamilnadu) was from the Mahar regiment not from the Madras one..
# 229 Ranjan[For the IDPs, I think we are on the same page. Just as you wish, I want them settled, their lives returned to normal to the extent that is possible, and their dignity, that has been taken from them, both by the LTTE and the GOSL given back to them.
As for Sri Lanka, what I wish for is the country to be a multi-ethnic, multi-religious place where each and everyone has the same rights. Nothing more or nothing less.]
—————————————————————————
I am 100% with you and I hope it is from your heart!
If and only if the People in power can think that way………..
Though I understand it will take some time, that is the best anyone could do for a peacefull future Sri Lanka!!
231. shankar
I fully accept your view, that the tna should work with the govt to benefit the people of the North and the East ravaged by the war.
They should not come to India quite often and beg for some crumbs from our politicians like Karunanidhi when their people themselves are suffering in Vanni and other places.
What can and will Karunanidhi do other than to write letter and to go on fasting for two hours.
If it had been a cabinet berth he would have flied to New Delhi. If it is a family problem he would have gone to Delhi.
It is the problem involving Eelam Tamils and it doesn’t affect him personally and why should he be disturbed at his old age.
Let him play with his grand and great grand children and dole out some ministerial crumbs to them. You people do not disturb the old man.
This is not the time to score brownie points.
First rebuild now gather strength and then you can talk about for the political rights.
Just because you do not talk about it now or if you talk about it in a muted way now is not going to weaken your case because there are people who are talking already.
Your duty as a legislator is to help people now. That only you can do.
What we need always and particularly now is Atma Sudhi, or clear conscience of our priority.
They should have registered their protest in some democratic way and then asked the govt to help in their people.
They could have decided to abstain from voting and then asked the govt to help them.
This is the mistake on their part.
I am happy that at least Piyasena did that. it is useless talking ill about him.
He did his duty to his people. I am happy at it.
Also the govt should think that all are its people and should work impartially in helping the people, whether the MP’s work with them or not.
Of course it helps when the MP’s also co-operate.
Is it too much to expect from a govt?
If the Govt does not do this now then it may have to grapple with a far more severe problem later.
237. Ananda-USA
Eelamists will ALWAYS be critical of, and try to undermine, Sri Lanka and its patriotic sons and daughters in the vanished quest of the impossible dream.
—————————
Don’t brand everybody as EELAMISTS. They can also be HUMANISTS.
——————–
242. Diyasena
The IPKF had only a single batallion from the Madras Regiment..And the lone recipient of the Param Vir Chakra (though a Tamil..Dunno if from Tamilnadu) was from the Mahar regiment not from the Madras one..
————————————
The IPKF was an all India Force.
I know many people served in the IPKF as part of the IAF also.
The PVC winner was a Tamilian though he was part of the Mahar Regiment.
That does not bother. Any Jawan or for that matter any ordinary citizen of India will identify himself first as an Indian and second as a Tamilian.
That gentleman who lost his life did die to preserve the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka.
241. Diyasena
India’s army is 1 million regular and 1.5 million reserves..But they cannot commit all of them to a war with Sri Lanka..We must (and in coming years we can) bring our armed forces to such a number, that India cannot invade SL without the threat of losing Kashmir to Pakistan or Arunchal to China
——————————
Friend. When push comes to shove we always have the N – Button.
191. Navin
When channel 4 video came up everybody started calling GOSL war criminals even before the video was authenticated (which they still haven’t) and now we even have a UN panel probing us.
———————
Channel 4 video has been authenticated by many independent people.
I give a link to it.
http://www.tamilsagainstgenocide.org/Docs/DublinTribunal/TAG-PPT-Extra-judicial%20Executions.pdf
Modern Day Slavery in Tamil Nadu: Bonded Labourers!
26 bonded labourers rescued in Kanchi
Dennis Selvan/C Shivkumar
September 10, 2010
http://expressbuzz.com/states/tamilnadu/26-bonded-labourers-rescued-in-kanchi/205495.html
246. Mahesh
[Friend. When push comes to shove we always have the N – Button.]
Right! Might makes Right! And the PLUME of Radioactives will waft North in the wind to Mother India!
BTW, don’t you think this kind of DISPARITY between sovereign nations is DISCRIMINATORY? Not democratic at all!
The right to N-arm bears .. err, bear N-arms that is .. should not be infringed .. in the TRUE democrazies.
To every man and woman a Personal N-weapon, Equal rights are Paramount, to hell with SURVIVAL of ALL, I say!
While it is great that SL is in the top 10 of the World Giving Index (and the only non-Western and 8 equal with UK), what is shocking are the figures for other South Asian Nations:
India 134 equal (with Georgia and Turkey)
Pakistan 142 equal (with Romania, Rwanda! and Cambodia)
Bangladesh 146 (just ahead of China, the nation with most millionaires!)
Nepal 100 equal
BTW, the favorite of the MOD aya, Singapore 91% (Go Lee Kwan Yu, Oh! to be equal with Zimbabwe must have been his life long passion)
Coming back to South Asia (Maldives does not appear), the figures are quite shocking. At first one might think that it is because of the social inequity (such as the caste system in India which make people heartless) but what about Muslim Pakistan and Bnagla? What about communist China (147) or Zen Buddhsit Japan (119)?
Well, Japan has no excuses but the other countries (except for India) are characterised by massive poverty and totalitarian regimes. Singapore is a good example of one which started with massive poerty and totalitarianism and has become wealthy but has left the heart behind. I am surprised at Japan. Japanese IMHO are the most gracious people on Earth.
Any way there is lot to be proud of the Sri Lankan people.
What it represents is (a whopping 68% will give money cf 70% Oz and 50% will help a stranger cf ~75% in ANZ).
No doubt the latter is a cultural character of the Sri Lankans. The former is at first puzzling until you consider that Sri Lankas have had all the diseases of the West and a comparable literacy and health system to the developed nations. This shows the resourcefulness of the Sri Lankan people who have collectively done almost as much with 1/50th of income of Oz. I am not a Sri Lankan but of SL origin, and I think you guys rock! I am very proud of you.
Now for the bad news….
These feats have been achieved by Sri Lankans despite the greedy bunch of MOD aya who are basically the scum that floats to the surface.
But guess what! The MOD aya have been watching Lee Kwn Yu of all people! The man who has made his people equal to Zimbabwe (heh heh heh). When I was very young I watched a very incompetent journo try and confront Lee directly about his atrocities. Lee just ran rings around him. However, as young as I was I knew Lee was a monster. BTW I hear that Lee groomed some one to take his position temporarily until his son could take over (which has now happened). Also, to my Taymoli speaking bros, he also called MR a rascist in a recent interview, and proceeded to wax lyrical about hoe Tamils (like the Chinese) are resourceful and the Sinhalas are lazy (heeee heee heee)
Firstly, MR (unlike Lee) is not racist but he does have all the other characteristics of Lee (megalomania, one-party policy, greed…)
Secondly, the warning I have for my sweet Sri Lankans is, watch out! You are going to turned from a Paradise on Earth to a concrete jungle like Singapore!
Are you going to let it happen?
Yes you are!
Just make sure that the Jarapakse’s don’t steal your heart along with your wallet. To be heartless (Singapore recently legislated to make people look after their elderly parents) is tragedy. Why? Because, once you loose it you will never want it back!!
#241 Diyasena
[#192 S Joseph
Then whatever his other misgivings (which are many indeed) Sarath Fonseka was right in calling for the Army to be expanded to 500,000…]
Are you a MOD aya?
: )
Further thoughts about figures for South Asia. Sri Lanka also heads the list (although not as dramatically as giving) in the combined scores for factors such as health, education, economic dynamism, political landscape..
When you break it down, India outstrips Sri Lanka by a huge margin in two areas.. Guess what; they are economic dynamism and politics,
Superficially, this suggests that there is a correlation. Add to this the fact that Sri Lanka makes up its relatively high rating based on its past investments (i.e education and health and judging by how this might be extrapolated with the current political trends one has to be concerned about the potential for the future.
BTW, the World Giving Index is based on a surver of about a 1000 people in urban areas and on three questions about charitable activities (giving money or time to an organisation or helping a stranger). Interestingly giving money or time to political organisations also counted as charity (heh heh heh- what countries have had the most political activity lately).
Based on these impressions I would make some bold predictions:
1) While the MOD aya of the Banana Kingdom extract much of the future wealth (possibly the World’s first trillionaire may be a Jarapakse) the rest of the population will become relatively more wealthy, and with this will emerge greed. As there will not be any elections next year, Sri Lanka’s position on the World Giving Index Gallup poll next year will plummet. Besides, if the Jarapakses with assistance of MOD aya rip the hearts out of the Sri Lankans, they will be a nation of Zombies any way while the Indians dance on the streets.
2) With its huge economic dynamism and liberal federal politics fueling each other India will, in the next 10 years demonstrate a rapid spiral of growth, and enter the development stratosphere far above poor Sri Lanka. If Sri Lanka does not take this into account and fall into line woe betide Sri Lanka.
3) India is full of smart people who are given incentives for being smart (Did you see how smart the Indian General looked during his visit next to our Fat Bastard?). Given this, and the fact that they have irrevocably got rid of the Gandhis, there will not be any foolish pointing of arms by Indians. They will just wait to be invited in. Ummmm… wait a minute they have already been invited in. Jarapakse’s and their greed had no choice. CHECK MATE!
Just a piece of advise to Bros and sissies. Give your wallet not your hearts (nudge, nudge, wink, wink)
# 241. Diyasena
Day dreams.
252. Shiva:- Dear friend, thanks for your comment. Interestingly you say MR is not a racist. I think you are on the money. However for other comments, especially for poor fellows like me with low IQ and lesser English understanding, it may be better if you write the facts straight rather than in a rambling way with some sarcasm. I do appreciate your comment but I also want others to understand where you are coming from. Thirdly, development is always goes with the loosing of the heart. Neither you or I can prevent that because people in the midst of glitter and pomp has forgotten what the world’s greatest philosopher said…Lust creates sorrow and foolish are lustful. Herein, lust means many things inclusive of greed.
252. Shiva
Given this, and the fact that they have irrevocably got rid of the Gandhis, there will not be any foolish pointing of arms by Indians.
————————————————
You think that Indians have got rid of Gandhis? Dream on mate. Rahul Gandhi will be the next Gandhi to be the PM.
Diyasena (#238) Charlie Mahendran, if you will allow me, is not the type that runs around for positions. They are people of integrity. You might know his son is the well known banker in Singapore Arjuna – married to Park Nadesan’s daughter. Park was Sir John’s P/Secy in the 50. That’s sold UNP background.
I don’t know if Dr. Tambiah was CJ. He may have been acting CJ. But our friend Sharvananda was CJ during JR’s time after Neville Samarakoon, if I recall correctly.
Don (#240) the Nadarasingham brothers – whose mother was Sinhalese – went as Sinhalese. There is absolutely nothing wrong there. I know of Tamils whose mothers were Sinhalese and went as Tamils.
ISS
#252-Shiva
[and the fact that they have irrevocably got rid of the Gandhis,]
—————————————
Now you are the MOD aya. What are Sonia and rahul doing there, peeling onions? The daughter, who is the spitting image of ‘indira is india’ is also waiting in the wings.
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#250-Shiva
[I am surprised at Japan. Japanese IMHO are the most gracious people on Earth]
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One big flaw in this survey is they do not take into consideration the grants and aid that governments give to other countries. After all this is the taxpayers money that is used to help poor countries, and japan does it a lot. The japanese people have given that responsibility and task to their government, so naturally they do not exert themselves in this regard because they may be feeling it is a duplication of efforts. In contrast the western nations don’t give much aid or grants and instead the people give lavishly to charitable organisations.
There is another aspect to helping the needy where countries open up their markets, so that jobs are created in other nations while their populace also gets the benefit of cheaper goods. The US is the best in this regard while many of the western nations and india, srilanka follow suit these open economic policies. China is the worst in this regard with massive current account surpluses, while japan and germany are also big culprits in this regard. So i believe the survey is structurally flawed and the point you highlighted that help given to political parties is considered while these other important aspects are not, makes it a huge joke. This is the first time this survey has been brought out and i won’t be surprised that the NGO’s and others are the main ones behind it.
On another note this does give a good image to Srilanka. I remember when a polish guy was cutting my hair he was praising srilanka , because chandrika had given money to the US to help the katrina hurricane victims.
249. Ananda-USA
First of all you remove the disparity in your country. You talk about the equality of sovereign nations. What about the equality of the citizens of your own country.
Nuclear weapons could act as a deterrence against the Nuclear powers like Pakistan and China.
Why should we use the Nuclear weapon against a country like sri lanka as long as it is in friendly terms with us.
If we want to bleed the sri lanka we can always use some militant group to achieve our ends, because you are not going to solve the Tamil problem politically.
As long as it is not given a political solution we have good reason to interfere in your country overtly and covertly.
When JRJ went against India…you know what happened.
When LTTE went against India ….you know what happened.
One who doesn’t learn from history is condemned to repeat it.
“That gentleman who lost his life did die to preserve the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka.”
The gentleman and countless others for the next 23 years (Including Rajiv Gandhi), need not have died if India had not interfered with Sri Lanka’s sovereign right to defend her territorial integrity in 1987..
He died not for SL’s territorial integrity but for India’s petty interests of keeping her small neighbour a weak subservient nation
#234 Mahesh,
Thanks for the link friend, but if you cared to read the article before posting the link you would see it supports what I was saying in my post..
Here is an excerpt ,
“From among non-Bedouin Arab citizens, the number of volunteers for military service—some Christian Arabs and even a few Muslim Arabs—is minute, and the government makes no special effort to increase it”
The minorities in the IDF are mainly Druze, Bedouins (and some Kurds which the article missed) who are ethnic groups/sub-groups which have been misrtreated by the Arabs for many years..(Similar to Muslim presence in SLDF)….There have been few non-Bedou Arabs in the IDF, let alone Generals, Admirals and Air Marshals like Tamils in SLDF..
Ref comment 37, 18 UNP MPs voted with the Government.
So Hakkem.s judgment makes sense.
UNP leader in his latest statement in LankaeNews says the President won’t enjoy a third term because he is going to beat him.
His reasons are the President is” Selfish, pathologically ?? ambitious, and anti Democratic ”
Is it that bad for being selfish and ambitious? Does the UNP leader expect Rajapaksa to share the Presidency with him?
If the President is ant Democratic , there won;t be a Presidential election.So how can Ranil beat him.
What happened to the mega millions, the Rajapaksas horded the Mansions ,sorry the Places and even the Inter Continental they acquired?
Is this the best the UNP can come up with to dint this President who enjoys unparalleled popularity.
No wonder the SLMC jumped ship.
t
# 246. Mahesh
“Friend. When push comes to shove we always have the N – Button”
WOW what a brilliant thought my friend (Heard this one from Diaspora Tamils as well towards the tail end of the war)..The radioactive fall out will render uninhabitable not only the proposed Tamil-only Bantustan of in N & E but parts of Tamilnadu as well..Very similar thought process to Muslims who want to Nuke Israel to save the Palestinians…LOL..
That aside how will the
1. ‘Shining beacon of democracy and tolerance’ (blah blah),
2. a non-signatory of the non-proliferation treaty
3. A country which regularly preaches a no- first strike policy
look internationally when it uses a nuclear strike against
1. a small neighbour with no-WMDs (and a signatory of the NPT)
2. whose conventional forces India could not overcome during a war of aggression/ invasion
Reading your thoughts, I think everyone should be thankful that Malayalis are the only South Indians with any influence on policy making in New Delhi
# 253 sjoseph
“But, capturing Kilinochchi is just a day dream of Rajapakse.”
-Your Lord the Sun God
on 2008/10/24
#254 Don
Thirdly, development is always goes with the loosing of the heart.
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How then do you explain the fact that people in developed western nations are the ones that give the most to charities. Also i notice whenever any part of the world has a big disaster or abject poverty westerners are the ones roughing it out in those areas and helping the people. You never see the colour of asians.
I think what you mention might apply to asians. I remember when i was a child in Srilanka collecting money for charities. When you go to poor and middleclass homes the people always give something. When you see a big house you think you will get a lot but a servant boy will be sent asking you to piss off.
#262-diyasena-you are talking a lot of rubbish.Any fool can see that what sjoseph meant bya nuclear button is as a deterrent against nuclear powers such as china and pakistan, that could as you correctly mentioned, attack india if it had a war with srilanka. Obviously India would not use nuclear weapons against srilanka because of the points you made.
Sometimes,though not always, you seem to get intoxicated by your own exuberence and verbosity and discard the fundamental rudiments of etiquette, which requires logical analysis of issues, without travelling to far out space.
#140
DBSJ
I heard about this proposal very recently. I appreciate your wisdom, if that had happened rest of the history might be blossoming not terribly sad.
Not too late I beg all the like minded people to protect this light of wisdom and I also pray the respective legislative bodies for the implementation of this renaming to build better South Asia
Annil
#263. Diyasena
If India had supported LTTE , even your day dream would have ended long back.
258. Mahesh:
You are pathetic.
Read what you wrote again.
Ranjan and Shankar,
Yes I know about Sonia and Rahul. Metaphorically, India did get rid of the Gandhis. Rahul and Sonia will not dare try the arrogant tricks of the father/husband and grandma/mil.
#241 Diyasena,
Then whatever his other misgivings (which are many indeed) Sarath Fonseka was right in calling for the Army to be expanded to 500,000…
Please enlighten us on the “many misgivings” of the 4 star General Sir Gaedihewa Sarath Fonseka, the liberator of 300 000 of our People, National Hero and bane of the Jarapakses.
BTW, the moment to do what he suggested is long past. It is far too late for SL to be engaged in Machiavellian games now.
Don,
Heh Heh. All in good time mate. I just want some MOD aya to start bagging the national hero with specific examples before I start. If they don’t, it’s a sign that they know that they are neck deep in it. (BTW do you know the joke about Premadasa, Athulathmudali and Disanayake in hell and two neck deep in a cesspit and one chest deep; and where JRJ was? I don’t remember the details but it was funny. Well in the near future we may be telling the same joke about MR, BR, GR and GLP- methinks GR will = JRJ in the joke although in reality GR=Wijeratne)
WRT MR, he is definitely not racist in my opinion, and I mention it because his enemies (and the country’s?) tried to paint him as such by showing a video in which he is found to be saying “Ow, Api Sinhala, Mamath Sinhala, dan ahagena innawa Demalath….” and turned it into “Ow Api Sinhala, Ratath sinhala, Dan aha gena innawa Demala..”
The audio that was posted did sound like it and I was petrified and furious that the President of Sri Lanka would say such a thing. But somehow I knew instinctively that Rajapakse would never do something so stupid. Watching the video made it apparent that it was a big show. He probably had some of his goons at an election rally in the Vanni, shouting “Api Sinhala…”. MR’s response above was probably well scripted to win the hearts of the Taymoli speakers.
Yes, he is a cynical SOB, but don’t falsely accuse the President of the Mother Land of being racist and insult her as well. There are many more things which are true about him and his coterie which will come out … in time.
214 Ananda- USA
That is because By Emily Buchanan BBC.com has counted all Eelam Philanthropists with Srilankans.
Gotta baya Knows this data well before so he formed the NGO called NERDO with the help of captured tiger leader K.P, Oops.. You missed a Chance
An Eelam citizen
267. Navin
One who doesn’t learn from history is condemned to repeat it.
Read what you wrote again.
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I stand by what I said.
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259. Diyasena
We cannot remain mute spectators to the happenings around us.
If it was the intention of the India to break up Sri Lanka, we would have done it long back.
LTTE itself would say that the training that the Indians gave them was third rate.and they arranged for their own training.
The establishment was biased against the LTTE from the start.
No need to keep you weak. You cannot challenge us at any point of time. Why should we strive to keep you weak which you are any way.
#264. Shankar
My comment #262 was directed at Mahesh not sjoseph..Maybe you are a bit intoxicated too (though not on exuberance and verbosity)
258 Mahesh,
[Nuclear weapons could act as a deterrence against the Nuclear powers like Pakistan and China.
Why should we use the Nuclear weapon against a country like sri lanka as long as it is in friendly terms with us.]
Absolutely agree with you!
But, wasn’t it you who said that India can use the N-Button against Sri Lanka?
Now, you are back to being rational .. very confusing indeed .. can you stick to being irrational?
Here is a secret that you, and every other Indian, should know about us Sri Lankans.
Sri Lankans, consider Indians to be our near and dear relatives. We inherited our culture, our traditions, our religions, our languages, our genetic makeup … everything that matters … from India. The founders of our country came from India. We rarely complain .. or try to correct others .. when we are mistakenly identified as Indians by foreigners .. that is OK with us .. we are so similar.
The Sinhala people of Sri Lanka, in particular, whether we are Buddhist or Christian now, value our historical relationship with the the Golden Age of India under the Great Emperor Dharmasoka, who gave us the inestimable gift of Buddhism that has molded our very sense of justice and compassion. In short, we feel good about this kinship with Indians and celebrate every accomplishment of India as if it were our very own.
India & Sri Lanka gained independence within an year of each other, with our leaders acting together as brothers in arms in the struggle for freedom from colonial bondage.
As such, India today has no greater friend than Sri Lanka among her neighbors. We are committed to defending India’s essential interests. But, in return we ask, nay demand, that India respect our sovereignty and always acts as a good neighbor, irrespective of the desire of various ethnic groups, and their leaders in India and elsewhere, to interfere in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka for political gain. Sri Lanka’s politics is the business of Sri Lankans; and of no one else.
In the last 30 years, India forgot this requirement of good neighborliness, and Sri Lanka paid the price with the blood of over 100,000 of its dead citizens, loss of vast national treasure, and the opportunity to transform ourselves into a bastion of peace and prosperity. Since our weakness in the military, economic and international alliances made that interference by India possible, we Sri Lankans are dedicated, in our national intererest, to rectifying those weaknesses, to protect Sri Lanka irrespective of the direction of the wind blowing in New Delhi. We cannot depend on good common sense about Sri Lanka always prevailing in India. Whatever adverse decisions India makes, Sri Lanka must immunize itself to it. India need not fear these moves; it is for DEFENSIVE DETERRENCE not for OFFENSIVE AGGRESSION against India, because otherwise when India sneezes, we can die from pneumonia.
We Sri Lankans clearly see now that India has recognized its past mistakes, and has moved, and is moving under President Manmohan Singh’s sure hand, to a much more helpful and friendly stance towards Sri Lanka, perhaps in part as an act of redemption.
Also, this is happening as over 850 million people of India are affected by terrorism that India experiences first hand the pain it inflicted on Sri Lanka. In effect, the shoe of terrorism has shifted from Sri Lanka’s foot to India’s. Manmohan Singh knows well that the much heralded economic resurgence of India will come to nought, if security for all people and all businesses in India is not restored. If India fails to do so, all hopes of India’s long suffering people for deliverance from poverty will be dashed yet again.
We Sri Lankans wish our cousins in India the very best, and stand committed to defending the Southern Border of India against its enemies with all our might, and to cooperating and collaborating in the joint revival of our fortunes. We Sri Lankans only ask that India reciprocate our love and friendship, AT ALL TIMES, and respect the decisions our people make through our elected leaders, as we do India’s.
264. shankar
|254 Don:- development always goes with the loosing of one’s heart
.Shanker:- How then do you explain the fact that people in developed western nations are the ones that give the most to charities. Also i notice whenever any part of the world has a big disaster or abject poverty westerners are the ones roughing it out in those areas and helping the people. You never see the colour of asians.
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In the west, first people make money like crazy. They kick other people off if they are not productive, there is no sympathy and once they got lots of money either they are too old to enjoy or they think of god and their life. Then they think its time to do something good.
See bill gates. Today a great philanthropist but once a corrupt man who ruined the cheaper computer systems like DOS to get windows which gobble up thousands of megs for him to make mega bucks.
McDonalds does this very well. They screw up the lives of young people and old via junk food and then put a great campaign to distribute less than 1% of this ill gotten wealth as a great charitable cause. Of course our little corner shop does not contribute to charity with fun fare but they don’t act unethically.
Look at the Swiss. The most stable country and Geneva is the seat of world power. During WW2, Jews deposited billions of their money and gold in Swiss vaults fearing the Germans would get at them. They wanted to collect this after the war. The Swiss on the other hand laundered the gold of the German Nazi’s and gave them hard cash to advance their war effort and in the process Nazi’s exterminated the Jews!! Today Switzerland gives to charity but there is no Jew living to claim the wealth they lost!! The greedy Swiss got all free of charge.
The western financial model gives rise to ruthless exploitation of people and for people to get rich they have to be heartless. The rich gets richer while the poor gets poorer. Some people make so much under this system that they don’t know what to do with it. They have exploited the others and deprived others of opportunities to achieve this. It is sad and unethical. That is why in USA, the wealthiest country in the world, a person cannot walk into a hospital and get medical attention. How sad. Yes there is economic development but the people have become hard hearted and lost their heart.
Recently one of my good friends, a medical doctor in the west told me how her parents were not in need but did not want to pay for her education to be a doctor. So she left school, became a cleaner in a hospital. While cleaning, she studied and passed out as a nurse and then while nursing she studied for doctors exam!! In a poor country like SL, a parent who has a promising daughter would slave to give that girl an education. That is the difference. My doctor friends’ parents have lost their heart while acquiring the riches!!
260. Diyasena
The minorities in the IDF are mainly Druze, Bedouins (and some Kurds which the article missed) who are ethnic groups/sub-groups which have been misrtreated by the Arabs for many years..(Similar to Muslim presence in SLDF)….There have been few non-Bedou Arabs in the IDF, let alone Generals, Admirals and Air Marshals like Tamils in SLDF..
——————————-
Right now peace talks are being conducted between Israel and Palestine officials. It may succeed now or a few decades later.
whenever it succeeds then the Israelis will have to recognize the Palestine and also the Palestinians will have to recognize Israel.
Then they will both live as peaceful neighbors.
They both will be two different Nations living side by side.
Israel is recruiting cadres for its army from among those kind of people.
Is it not bold.
But you want to co exist with the Tamils in your island. But you will have to trust them and also win their trust.
If not …it doesn’t do well for your country.
# 258. Mahesh
“If we want to bleed the sri lanka we can always use some militant group to achieve our ends, because you are not going to solve the Tamil problem politically”
If all that effort went into dealing with the Naxals, Indians would bleed a lot less.
After losing a prime minister and 1000+ Jawans the bureaucracy in Delhi will need be more careful of the Frankenstein monsters they try to create..
As you said,
“One who doesn’t learn from history is condemned to repeat it.”
#270 Mahesh
“If it was the intention of the India to break up Sri Lanka, we would have done it long back.”
In the same token why hasn’t India been more forceful in forcing SL to concede the Tamil-only Bantustan via federalism?? Maybe they (the real Delhi bureaucracy no the ‘We’ that you claim to be part of) have changed their views (Maybe there waiting for the commonwealth games to conclude eh?)? Or is it despite all the hype and bravado you secretly fear confronting Beijing?
Sri Lanka will always will be for cordial relations with India but we will NEVER cede exclusive power over any piece of land to a single ethnic group…Equal rights to all citizens but no mono-ethnic bantustans in pseudo-homelands..I am sure the sane and political astute individuals of the REAL Indian establishment will chose a friendly ally on it’s Southern flank as against having it’s own Cuba or Taiwan
# 269 An Eelam Citizen,
Where is this eelam you are a citizen of? Just looked at newest edition of the Times atlas and couldn’t find this eelam…Is it somewhere in Britain or Canada? I recommend you get off the weed..
268. Shiva | September 12th, 2010 at 2:58 am
Ranjan and Shankar,
Yes I know about Sonia and Rahul. Metaphorically, India did get rid of the Gandhis.
——————————————
metaphorically and irrevocably are 2 opposite meanings. Before you slander other people with your stupid Mod aya nonsense, learn the english language properly.
@259 Diyasena
// for India’s petty interests of keeping her small neighbour a weak subservient nation//
Really.Can you replenish your memory and enlighten us on who allowed the refueling of Pakistani planes in Colombo airport when the very same airport was being protected by the Indian forces reacting to the SOS,or lets say,Save my Ass,plead given by your then incumbent President
India and Pakistan were fighting a bitter war then.And the friendly neighbourhood small nation whilst enjoying our protection goes against our very own interest.
What a costly refueling it turned out to be – 3+ decades
258 Mahesh
If we want to bleed the sri lanka we can always use some militant group to achieve our ends, because you are not going to solve the Tamil problem politically.
As long as it is not given a political solution we have good reason to interfere in your country overtly and covertly.
—————————————————————
You are displaying unmitigated arrogance. One would hope that the Indian government and most of the people has learned the hard way the price of interfering in another country’s affairs. The wasted blood of thousands of IPKF solders and the life of Rajive Gandhi have not taught you any lessons still?
Mark my words, in the coming years, interfering in Sri Lanka’s affairs to please and gather the support of a bunch of corrupt Tamil Nadu political jokers will be the least of your worries. Western counties are getting tired of Afghanistan and in the next few years they will pull out abandoning that country to Taliban and its Pakistani masters. Canadian forces are pulling out in 2011 leaving US and UK the only countries with any major presence there. Pakistan is already partially unmanageable. Heven forbid, If those countries fall under Islamic mullahs, which appears only a matter of time, your situation now in Kashmir will look like a Sunday picnic compared to what it will be.
You already have huge problems in NE tribal areas. Your government and big businesses though that they can simply walk into these areas, evict the local indigenous populations and walk out with all the natural resources. You thought that they will turn over and play dead. Wrong. At the moment your government has only nominal control of these areas. Government forces move freely only during the daylight.
Your next ethnic explosion is coming. It is doing a slow burn now in West Bengal where thousands of Hindu villagers in the border areas with Bangladesh are being driven out by Muslim Bangladeshis who are illegally migrating to West Bengal to get on the Indian economy. That is being done with the support of the local Indian Muslims who want to increase their numbers. I am sure you know that there have been clashes between the Hindus and Muslims, although the mainstream Indian media have been very reluctant to identify the nature of the clashes. If you are not aware of these, search for the word “Deganga” on the web and you will find out.
So what are you going to do with your N-weapons that you so proud about when these places descend into chaos? Nuke Srinagar or a Muslim suburb of Kolkota? Or vaporize Karachi? Remember Pakistan has these weapons too. Imagine what you could be facing. A very radical Islamic Pakistan itching to hit India at the slightest whim.
You think that your booming economy will overcome all these problems. Remember that the economic boom has touched only about 100 million of you in very specific places. That leaves another 800-900 millions who at the moment have no hope at all. Also remember that your problems mostly stem from a clash of religious ideologies that want to impose one faith on the other. That can not be resolved by making people wealthy.
So my fried, forget about finding good reasons to interfere in Sri Lanka. First put out the smoldering ambers in the corners of your own house before starting to play with fire.
We muslims know what is right and wrong, this is all un necessary
Canadian sleuths identify six “hard-core refugees” as LTTE captains!
Wonders will never cease!
href=”http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2010/09/12/sec01.asp
By Manjula FERNANDO
SundayObserver.lk
September 12, 2010
Canadian investigators have identified six LTTE captains among the illegal immigrants who arrived on board the Ocean Lady in October 2009 and MV Sun Sea last month.
#277 Shanker (: ) )
metaphorically and irrevocably are 2 opposite meanings. Before you slander other people with your stupid Mod aya nonsense, learn the english language properly.
Yassa Massa (heh heh heh).
272. Ananda-USA
Sri Lankans, consider Indians to be our near and dear relatives
——-
Not true.
#277 Shanker,
Sorry for the short reply; but a modaya like me has to have a shower occasionally! (I think you meant modaya and not MOD aya as I am definitely not one of them. That’s more your department).
I must acknowledge that English is my second language even though I have lived among these lovely Anglo-Celtics for greater part of my life. Please forgive any grammatical and spelling errors by this modaya (heh heh). Anyway, like every good modaya, when admonished by a master I have gone and studied my error/s. Could please tell me if the following sentence gives the correct meaning to the words of contention?
“The dream of metaphoric Eelam Kingdom is irrevocably lost”
BTW,
I did more research and found that “Eelam” is a Taymoli corruption of “Seehalam” just like Ceialo, Ceylom, Ceylan and Ceylon were European corruption of Seehalam or Seehale.
Allso were our ancestors not all citizens of Sinhale at the time the Kingdom was taken from Sri Wickrama the terrible?
Why is it that Taymoli speakers have to be marginalised on the Sri Lankan flag? I say to my Taymoli background bros and sisters that the regal lion flag and the whole country belong to all of us not just those who shout “Hela Hela”. Don’t ever agree to be confined one part of the island like the racist, Taymoli MOD aya did (nudge nudge wink).
When I look back on history, I can see that Sri Lankan Governments did not discriminate against Taymoli speakers but they did discriminate in favour of their supporters. It was a big big mistake to play the “race-card”. It has only resulted in the “Tamils” being ostracized throughout the World.
Finally Shanker my friend ( : ) ),
I think I made another mistake that you may not have noticed- I did inadvertently slander the very good name of Mahatma Gandhi. In fact I should have attacked the Nehru dynasty.
If you only knew how Nehru wrote to little Indira from his cell and what he said about the South Indians and Sri Lankans, perhaps you would be on my side too!
your very good student and modaya,
Shiva
275. Diyasena
Delhi also has to be careful about the Frankenstein monster they come to support in the Sri lankan politics be it Tamil or the Sinhalese politicians.
——————–
As you said,
“One who doesn’t learn from history is condemned to repeat it.
————————–
The Subramaniam Swamy would say that the Indo Sri lanka agreement in 1987 was right but when we send troops again to Sri Lanka two divisions of those should be stationed at Colombo apart from the troops that we send to the North and East.
Indian establishment didn’t anticipate the spin that the Sinhalese politicians were capable of. Indians were taken by surprise at the capacity of the Sinhalese to hurt themselves.
May be India would learn from its past mistakes and it will send troops, if at all it has to send them to both the Tamil areas in the North and the East and also to the Colombo.
————-
In the same token why hasn’t India been more forceful in forcing SL to concede the Tamil-only Bantustan via federalism?? Maybe they (the real Delhi bureaucracy no the ‘We’ that you claim to be part of) have changed their views (Maybe there waiting for the commonwealth games to conclude eh?)? Or is it despite all the hype and bravado you secretly fear confronting Beijing?
——————-
The India which stood by the territorial integrity and sovreignity of the Sri Lanka also wants that the Tamils be given equal rights in United Sri Lanka.
Nirupama Rao has said that political solution has to be taken forward.
India wants politcal solution for this problem.
————————–
I am sure the sane and political astute individuals of the REAL Indian establishment will chose a friendly ally on it’s Southern flank as against having it’s own Cuba or Taiwan
————————–
So you want to become Cuba for India. Try it friend….. and you will know its consequences.
————————-
279. Ranjan, Toronto
Don’t try to scare us. We know our problems and we are confident of solving our problems. Talk about your problems only.
To fight the Maoists even now our govt is planning to raise a Tribal regiment. This is what i say fighting fire with fire.
Make them part of the establishment. Make them your allies win them over with roses.
They want to dry the source of recruitment to the maoists by taking in a substantial number of youth in the tribal regiment.
They are also planning to give some sort of stake in the development activity of those regions.
These are some of the initiatives by the govt.
The Indian govt has no option but to interfere in the sri lanka as it has signed the 1987 agreement and scores of other agreements with sri lanka.
If you live happily with your tamil minorities giving them equal rights then no problem. If you have problem in doing that then India also has got problems with you.
—————————-
272. Ananda-USA
I didn’t start this. When Diyasena said that Sri Lanka should raise 500000 troops to counter India and in a war with India India should be forced to cede Kashmir or Arunachal to either Pakistan or China. I said these things.
I stand for the good nehighbourly relations between India and the Sri lanka.
But I also believe that this good neighborly relations shouldn’t come at the cost of the suffering Tamils there.
We have a responsibility towards that end.
Don’t try to scare us using Rajiv Gandhi and the losses of the IPKf.
Rajiv gandhi could also have been killed by your naval rating there. then the history would have taken a nasty turn for you.
================
We Sri Lankans only ask that India reciprocate our love and friendship, AT ALL TIMES, and respect the decisions our people make through our elected leaders, as we do India’s.
============
For that yours should be a functional democracy and not a mobocracy. Democracy does not mean simply the will of the majority. It has also to consider the sensitivities of the minorities.
If yours is a true democracy then not only India everybody including LKY would also respect you.
Ranjan friend,
Ignore Mahesh. He is not Indian. He is just trying to create dissent hoping it will spark a N-War.That is his deepest fantasy. This will never happen. India will never sow trouble in Sri Lankan again. Unlike Mahesh, Indians are capable of learning.
Sri Lanka is far too valuable for 21st century Indians to destabilise it. Sri Lanka OTOH will inevitably join the Greater Bharata/South Asian Union one day.
286. Shiva
I am all for a Greater Bharata/South Asian Union as long as we get to keep our cricket team. The idea of having to cheer for an Indian dominated Greater Bharata team is enough to dive me to watch baseball.
285. Mahesh
I am not trying to scare you. When you started talking about your right as a country to mess around in Sri Lanka, I just wanted to remind you that in the next 10-20 years, India has far bigger troubles than messing up Sri Lanka to worry about.
Looking at your governments track record of doing things, don’t be too confident that the mandarins in Delhi knows what they are doing. We all know how your government reacted to the Mumbai attacks, when they dispatched ill-trained and ill-equipped police against heavily armed and fortified terrorists.
Forget about solving regional politics, lets wait and see if they can run the Commonwealth Games that are just around the corner properly.
# 286. Shiva
Why bother about Mahesh.
Are you an Indian?
#287 Ranjan,
re: Cricket:
I am definitely there with you bro. When we have Ranatungas, Muralitharans and Sangakkaras it is best to follow the rule, “small is beautiful”.
I don’t want to defend Suresh Kalmadi.
288. Ranjan, Toronto
I don’t want to defend Suresh Kalmadi. But what is the connection between the holding of the commonwealth games and India’s foreign relations?
#286-Shiva
India will never sow trouble in Sri Lankan again.
—————————————————
If you look at how India got involved with Srilanka in a negative vein, it started with the 1983 riots. Tamilnadu was in turmoil. An arrogant JR who thought that he had the backing of the US,was treating Indira contemptously and deliberately allowing the riots to continue. this kind of attitude by the head of state created a feeling in India that tamils needed there own protection from an armed group since the police and army was in fact aiding and abetting the rioters. So can you say India only sowed trouble in Srilanka, or was it the Srilankan government at that time, that reaped what it sowed?
With regard to Rajiv, he tried to do something for Srilanka’s benefit, which backfired on him. After what happenned to him you are right that India will be more cautious about helping srilankans to solve their problems, because they would have had a bellyfull of us, but the fact remains that they got involved in the first place because we were creating too much of problems in there backyard and seemed incapable of sorting it out among ourselves. We certainly needed a external hand to help us out, but we bit the hand instead.
269. An Eelam citizen
[That is because By Emily Buchanan BBC.com has counted all Eelam Philanthropists with Srilankans.]
An “Eelam Philanthrophist” is an oxymoron.
There is no such thing. These guys only take .. particularly from SL .. and give nothing back .. except hurl bombs and distribute death.
They will not get that opportunity to run amuck again in Sri Lanka.
285. Mahesh
[I didn’t start this. When Diyasena said that Sri Lanka should raise 500000 troops to counter India and in a war with India India should be forced to cede Kashmir or Arunachal to either Pakistan or China. I said these things.]
Well, getting egged on to say things you don’t believe in is not very smart … is it?
BTW, Diyasena’s take on 500,000 strong Sri Lanka Defence Force is something I share, and have been advocating for over 20 years .. from the very beginning of organized militant terrorism in Sri Lanka! Patriot Diyasena was doing such a great job advancing that view, he didn’t need my two scents in support.
Not only that, I advocate the creation of a 3,000,000 man National Guard comprising every male and female citizen of Sri Lanka able to bear arms to support the SLDF, and creating redoubts with hidden arms and food supplies at strategic locations everywhere in Sri Lanka .. as Switzerland does in its defence.
The purpose is to transform the country into a Fortress Lanka with a MEANINGFUL and CREDIBLE DETERRENCE against ANY and ALL of Sri Lanka’s future enemies .. whoever they may be. A related goal is to inculcate and continuously foster a spirit of patriotism in the population as a whole .. as in Israel.
A spirit of patriotism and committment that will give pause to the mightiest enemies Sri Lanka may face in the future. We may not win an all out war in the long term, but the cost will be SO HIGH AS TO BE UNBEARABLE to any enemy .. so he will not even contemplate striking Sri Lanka. The name of the game is DEFENSIVE DETERRENCE.
We don’t want to offend anybody .. particularly India who, as I said, we consider to be our near and dear relatives …. and wish to be friends of all who desire it. However, we will not leave our country defenceless as in the past. We will be prepared to confront any and all enemies of Sri Lanka in the future, in every way we can.
WEAKNESS begets AGGRESSION .. we have learned that the HARDWAY.
293. shankar
I think the problems with India started before 83. They started in 77 when the newly elected UNP government did away with “socialism” and opened the economy. This did not do down well with Indira Gandhi who still believed in a government controlled economy. In addition, SL moved away from the “non-aligned” foreign policies to a pro-Western stance. I think the last straw (and the biggest mistake) by SL government was to allow VOA transmitting stations in SL, which Indira/India took as a direct threat against India. All of this had made India very much annoyed at SL and then came the 83 riots. That gave the Indians the reason to start meddling in SL. I think there was also personal issues between JR and Indira. They did not like each other at all.
I would think that main reason was that there was very clearly a lack of understanding by then SL government of the regional sensitivities. However, on the other hand, the Indian reaction to the annoying “little brother” Sri Lanka was also over the top. Instead of warning the SL government that they are clearly stepping on the big brothers toes, and that they don’t like it, India struck back like a big bully.
some people have speculated that the Indian reaction was driven by the big-wig mandarins of the Indian foreign service and the RAW, who saw a chance for them to play the role of a regional super-power and took that chance. Is that true? I don’t know.
285. Mahesh
[But I also believe that this good neighborly relations shouldn’t come at the cost of the suffering Tamils there.
We have a responsibility towards that end.]
NOTHING could be further from the TRUTH. Tamils of Sri Lanka are Sri Lankan citizens; India has NO RESPONSIBILITY for them.
India has only a responsibility to Sri Lanka as a whole, acting through the elected Govt of Sri Lanka, to make AMENDS for the DEATH and DESTRUCTION it wrought in Sri Lanka.
The MOST IMPORTANT thing India should do is to DIVEST ITSELF of the NOTION that it has FORMAL RESPONSIBILITY towards the citizens of another country .. irrespective of the fact that they are related to an ethnic group within its own borders. FAILURE to recognize this PRINCIPLE and dissuade the Tamil Nadu leaders from using it as a LEVER to BLACKMAIL the Govt of Indiia, will result in repetition of past errors. It has serious implications for both Sri Lanka & India as I explain below.
This attitude that some countries “have responsibilities” towards communities in other countries .. is the CRUX of problem that has bedevilled the world for centuries.
Very often it is a PRETEXT for advancing the agenda of that country which “assumes” it has a responsibility.
In India’s case, that PRETEXT was motivated by two factors: 1. the need to pander to and curry political favor with the incurably racist leaders of Tamil Nadu. This will be a CONSTANT feature of Indian politics that Sri Lanka needs to confront by military and economic strength, and by strong alliances with other countries. 2. the annoyance of the Indira Gandhi govt, socialist in idealogy and allied with the USSR for defence against Pakistan, that Sri Lanka, trying to alleviate the poverty of its people through freemarket policies, was moving towards its “enemis” the capitalist West, principally the US.
This drove the Imperial Indira Gandhi to punish and “teach a lesson” to puny Sri Lanka, in the same way she had punished Pakistan by prying Bangladesh loose. She set the Tamil terrorist program in motion, with training, funds, delivery into Sri Lanka, and pressure on Sri Lanka as the “white knight” defending minority rights. BOLONEY! She was ALSO DEAD WRONG in her assessment that Sri Lanka’s posture was anti-India .. and not driven by Sri Lanka’s conclusion that socialist practices of dividing a fixed pie to an ever increasing population will not work to meets the needs of her people, and growing the pie by freemarket policies should be the way forward. But, who can sway the minds arrogant regional powers confident in their own beliefs. It quite odd, that India today is adopting the same freemarket policies that Sri Lanka spearheaded during Indira Gandhi’s time in South Asia .. to Sri Lanka utter destruction because of India’s mistaken foreign policy.
Returning to the pretextual assumption of “responsibility” for ethnic communities in other countries, we have several classic examples. Hitler’s Germany assumed “responsibility” for all Germanic people in adjoining countries. On that basis Hitler precipitated the “Sudeten Question” to demand that Cezchkoslovakia cede the Sudetenland to Germany, and moved on later to swallow all of that country. Austrian Germans integrated into the Reich with barely a wimper. The Germans in Poland of course needed to be incorporated by considerable force into the Reich .. his list of Germans needing rescue was endless.
In South Asia, we could say that the J&K conflict with Pakistan today arises from Pakistan assuming “responsibility” for the Muslims of that region. China is moving to assert that all Tibetans, as part of the “Chinese family”, need to be protected and is laying claim to the Arunachal Pradesh and Askai Chin regions of India.
My plea to India is, GIVE UP THE NOTION that India has ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR SRI LANKAN TAMILS .. only the Elected Govt of Sri Lanka has that responsibility. If you assert such a responsibility, that principle may come to hant India as other countries invoke the same prionciple against India.
GIVE IT UP, I say!
Regarding the charge that Mahesh makes against the quality of Sri Lanka’s democracy, I say that those who live in glasshouses should not throw stones.
India’s democracy is not so hot, and is an indisciplined disaster in the making. This feederal system government has presided over India while the country dissolved into a indiscplined patchwork of states led by self-serving leaders filling their own coffers. The he nation is beset by separatist and terrorist movements across vast areas populated by the great majority of its people. Yet, the federal govt and states are fighting with one another as to how to confront this anarchy and who is empowered to do it. Meanwhile, govt benefits are doled out to people on the basis of their caste and other communal attributes instead of just poverty and need irrespective of community affiliations. Just the other day, the inestimable demagogues of Tamil Nadu were demanding that caste be included in the census to further perpetuate the slicing and dicing of India’s people into ever smaller segments.
When India has assured equal rights in reality to all of its people, educated them, provided for their healthcare, and a reasonable livelihood .. I would happy to acknowledge that right of India, and Indians, to preach demcrazy to Sri Lanka. Till then, please focus on your own problems .. we are doing quite well given the wars that were inflicted upon us for 30 years .. thank you very much.
#289 sjoseph
No mate, I am not Indian; not a Sri Lankan either; very fond of Sri Lankans and Indians. Matter of fact I am involved in training a whole batch of them where I am.
I wish both Sri Lanka and India the best of luck. And I just love Siyabasa and Taymoli speakers.
I hate most politicians and all terror merchants (that might give you a clue as to where my home is).
295. Ananda-USA
GOOD LUCK!
# 295. Ananda-USA
Even an Army with 5 million wont help, if SL acts smart with either China or India.
SL is caught between two giants and need to please both nations for its survival.
# 260 Diyasena
………………The minorities in the IDF are mainly Druze, Bedouins (and some Kurds which the article missed) who are ethnic groups/sub-groups which have been misrtreated by the Arabs for many years…………………….
The article did not miss anything as you think. The Kurds in IDF are Kurdish jews.
# 293. shankar
Your analysis is true.
One way, delayed political settlement may help SL tamils for a better bargain power in future. Their silent suffering would revive support for them in Tamilnadu & Indian government.
A change in Govt would bring a major policy change in India. Of late JJ (Vaiko’s alliance partner) is getting more popular in Tamilnadu.
#302 sjoseph, shankar,
I wish you guys would think a bit more outside the box. Have you read the KP articles?
(nudge nudge wink wink)
296. Ranjan, Toronto
There you are.
It is clear in 70s and early 80s how the relations got strained between the two countries.
Even in this decade, a Pro China attitude & unresolved Tamils issue will strain the relations further.
# 297. Ananda-USA
Tamils of Sri Lanka are Sri Lankan citizens; India has NO RESPONSIBILITY for them.
————
You are wrong.
Tamils as well as sinhales are both persons of origin from India.
India has a responsibility to interfere if any one community is suppressed by the other.
Especially suppression of minority SL Tamils, will bring turmoil among Tamil speaking Indian Tamils in Tamilnadu.
276. Diyasena | September 12th, 2010 at 6:23 am# 269 An Eelam Citizen,Eelam is in the North East part of Ceylon Island demarcated as north and east provinces border except Ampara electorate (We are philanthropists) by Indo –Lanka agreement. You know the Eelam is declared Independent nation by NEPC .now IT is consciously waiting for the UN approval. I try to explain it another way, if war crime over GOSL by IC is proofed then the Eelam will remain as a de-facto state. Until GOSL failed to cooperate with UN advisory panel on war crime Eelam is a De-Jury State. This is paradoxical but true ( I am standing my head is up, a man in Canada also saying that he is Standing and his head is up Both are not wrong because the Globe is so huge) The heartfelt IC repeatedly advised us that there is no military solution to this conflictWe made a great mistake.Now we are Happy Eelam citizens. You are happy Srilankans, please Mark it in the map.Thank you
An Eelam citizen
302. sjoseph
[A change in Govt would bring a major policy change in India. Of late JJ (Vaiko’s alliance partner) is getting more popular in Tamilnadu.]
The above cooment of yours illustrates my point; Sri Lanka cannot afford to remain defenceless, poor and friendless, because India’s Sri Lanka policy is fickle and may change with the weather!
Sri Lanka has maybe a decade of time to become the New Wonder of Asia, and become largely immune to external blackmail and threats.
The PEOPLE of Sri Lanka KNOW THIS VERY WELL. That is why they voted overwhelmingly, OVER & OVER AGAIN since the end of the eelam War, for a STABLE, STRONG and PATRIOTIC government that has the will, and the vision to get us there.
Naysayers, like those who predicted that Kilinochchi will become the Stalingrad of the Sri Lanka DEfence Forces, can stamp their feet in frustration and wail inconsolably in the scuppers, but the Patriotic People of Sri Lanka will back their Government to the HILT until it is DONE.
And ALL OF US Sri Lankans, Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Budhhist, Hindu, Christian, Moslem, Male, Female, Poor and Rich will benefit mightily and share EQUALLY in the peace & prosperity that this decade of achievement will bring.
Jayawewa, Sri Lanka!
Me Apey Ratna Deepa Janma Bhoomiyayi!
# 303. Shiva
KP has criminal records, as for as iam concerned.
If he got GOSL to trust him him, it is ok as long as it serves the interest of people too.
305 sjoseph
{Tamils as well as sinhales are both persons of origin from India.]
So? Does that mean India has the “responsibility to interfere” in any country where people of Indian origin live?
God! Every country in the world should be aware of this newly enunciated principle, the inalienable right of India to “protect” people of Indian origin .. irrespective of where they are or when they left India … say 10 years ago, 100 years ago, 1000 years ago, or during the migration of the early homo-sapiens from africa though India onwards!
RIDICULOUS! US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc etc .. are you listening?
India has a responsibility and a right ONLY to protect her own citizens .. NO OTHERS!
[Especially suppression of minority SL Tamils, will bring turmoil among Tamil speaking Indian Tamils in Tamilnadu.]
Sri Lanka will not suppress minority SL Tamils; they will have EQUAL rights, and the EQUAL RESPONSIBILITY to love and protect Sri Lanka, as all other Sri Lankan citizens. NOT ONE IOTA LESS, NOT ONE IOTA MORE.
That is not because anyone else is forcing us to do so, but because of our own ethics, morals and principles.
But, Sri Lanka cannot accommodate more rights for SL Tamils than for other citizens, nor an aparthied Tamil-only Bantustan for their exclusive enjoyment, nor a definition of democrazy crafted by foreigners, nor any system of government that others would like to impose on Sri Lanka. WE WILL ACCEPT NONE OF THESE THINGS.
If that DISSATIFIES the eternal racist demagogues of Tamil Nadu, who slice and dice their own people by and are eternally jockeying for caste based government benefits, ignoring the needs of their own people while crying about Sri Lanka Tamils .. TOO BAD .. they are going to have to LUMP IT.
The Govt of India is going to have to TELL THE the incurable communalists of Tamil Nadu TO STUFF IT, and to attend to their own problems in their own state.
India has no right whatsoever to dictate ANYTHING to Sri Lanka.
# 308 sjoseph
There are criminals in Parliament. My Indian friends tell me the situation is exactly the same in India.
The question is how do we help our people while taking this into account. It will take a lot of careful thinking and planning. But, ultimately if the 10-15% non-sheep non-MOD aya can work together in the interest of our people (both Taymoli and Siyabasa) keeping in mind that 50% of the sheep are genuine philanthropists, we may have a chance of success.
No point in even thinking about helping the non-philanthropists. Just use them ( ; ) )
You do have to give up unrealistic dreams in order to realise the real dream. Do you see that the Taymoli and Siyabasa have to work together in this?
# 309. Ananda-USA
SL is part of greater India ( As Taiwan is part of China)
You have no other choice
# 309. Ananda-USA
Sri Lanka will not suppress minority SL Tamils; they will have EQUAL rights, and the EQUAL RESPONSIBILITY to love and protect Sri Lanka, as all other Sri Lankan citizens. NOT ONE IOTA LESS, NOT ONE IOTA MORE
————–
Vaaichol veerar.
(Nearest equivalent in english: humbug)
#306 An eelam citizen
“Eelam is in the North East part of Ceylon Island demarcated as north and east provinces border except Ampara electorate (We are philanthropists) by Indo –Lanka agreement”
1. The Indo-Lanka agreement refers to ‘Areas of historical habitation’ NOT ‘Exclusive National Homeland’ (It does not make any reference to your Vadukkodai/ Vadugoda nonsense)..
2. You can add Trincomalee district , in which Tamils are a minority to that list of philanthrophy too…Next 5-10 years the Vanni too will be multicultural..
‘You know the Eelam is declared Independent nation by NEPC .now IT is consciously waiting for the UN approval. I try to explain it another way, if war crime over GOSL by IC is proofed then the Eelam will remain as a de-facto state. Until GOSL failed to cooperate with UN advisory panel on war crime Eelam is a De-Jury State. This is paradoxical but true’
1. The Unilateral Declaration of Independence by Perumal was in violation of both the Indo-Lanka accord
and Sri Lanka’s constitution which Perumal swore to uphold when he was elected Chief Minister
2. No referendum was held in the Eastern Province in 1988, as stipulated in the Indo-Lanka accord. the UDI came in 1990, so the merged North-East province was already illegal..The supreme court of SL has since ruled that the fundamental rights of Sri Lankan citizens in the Eastern Province has been violated by this action.
3. Over the last 20 (1990-2010) None of the 192 member countries of the UN has recognized your so called declared separate state in the UN (Not even your IC friends)…You seem have little understanding on the process of how a new state is recognized..The Security council has to approve it (de jure) and at least half the nations in the general assembly have to recognise it (de-facto)..This will NEVER happen..
4 .You seem to be confused with the mandate of the expert’s panel. The members itself have repeatedly said it is an advisory one not an investigative one..The power to convene a War Crimes Tribunal lies witth the Security Council (As SL has not signed the Rome Statute the International Criminal Court has no jurisdiction over us)..Such a proposal will never even reach the agenda of the Security Council let alone be approved by it..So Eelam is not a de jure (that’s the word not de jury..Your Latin is as bad as your knowledge of International law) state.
5. The Northern province nor the Eastern province is a UN mandate like Kosovo or Timor Leste were…The demographics and the administrative structure of the two provinces do not warrant them De-facto statehood under the Montevideo Convention either (If you people were smart enough to elect Ranil Wickremasinghe president you might have got your wish this way)..So Eelam is not a de facto state either..
“please Mark it in the map.Thank you”
You can mark it on any map you like, but still doesn’t change the fact that it does not exist. That’s why it is not even marked as disputed territory in any internationally accepted Atlases (Like Palestine and Western Sahara are in some)
“Now we are Happy Eelam citizens”
Whatever floats your boat, mate..But your disassociation with reality indicates Schizophrenia or serious substance abuse..Do take care..
Ananda- USA,
Thank you kindly. My knowledge and experience is but a drop in the ocean compared to yours, so any help is always appreciated
With trigger happy individuals such as Mahesh, nothing short of strategic nuclear weapons will make SL safe..The newly formed Gillard government should be worried too, as according to sjospeh doctorine of international affairs, India will soon invade Melbourne to protect the rights of Indian students who are subject to racial attacks
Therefore we must be thankful that neither is a Delhi-wallah..
May I respectfully add that in-order to safeguard our hardwon freedom we need to renew ties with our historical allies in Kerala, Bengal and Orissa..
273. Don:- Shankar, do you agree , disagree with my comment or is it a wet dream?
286. Shiva | Sri Lanka is far too valuable for 21st century Indians to destabilise it. CORRECT
305. sjoseph | India has a responsibility to interfere if any one SL community is suppressed by the other. NO THEY WILL NOT DO THIS BECAUSE IT WILL BE AGAINST THEIR GREATER INTEREST
Paradise in India?
12 killed, 70 injured in fresh violence in Kashmir
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/12-killed-70-injured-in-fresh-violence-in-Kashmir/articleshow/6546917.cms
India troops ‘tortured’ villagers
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11280110
—-
The Indians who visit this blog need a serious reality check.
309. Ananda-USA
India has no right whatsoever to dictate ANYTHING to Sri Lanka.
———————————————–
The Indian Govt views it has responsibility towards both the Sinhalese as well as Tamils in your Island.
Dr. Subramaniam Swamy would say that the Sinhalas are none other then Sinha’s of the Bihar and UP.
Though the Sinhalese have lost most of their roots except for the Budhism and a language which is a mixture of Prakrit and Sanskrit or so…
Tamils have retained their roots and their language is very much similar to that spoken by the people in Tamil Nadu.
That is the reason they evoke strong passions in the tamil Nadu.
Therefore he would say that the Sri Lankan problem is the problem of the people of Indian origin.
Many of your politicians have also said that we have come from India. Our roots are in India.
Indira Gandhi wanted to break up the country. When she asked her planners about the possibility of that they said ‘the Bangladesh is different and sri Lanka is different’.
By splitting Bangladesh we weakened the Pakistan. By splitting Sri Lanka we will be making sinhala country an eternal enemy of India, though the Tamils will be happy and loyal to India..
JRJ said ‘may be you will be able to carve out eelam. then what will happen to your country please think of it’.
If you have any doubt refer to the http://www.sangam.org and read Sabanayagam’s work on Pirabaharan
Then their will be a demand for a separate tamil state. Then there will be a demand for a separate Telugu state, then gujarati state etc.
That is the reason that India during the ceasefire negotiations said that any solution should be within the United Sri Lanka.
This is not interference. This is concern.
If India didn’t do this now then the world powers may be forced to find a Kosova type of solution in the future.
Do you think this is interference. I don’t consider it to be like that.
Forget, people are of Indian origin or not. Any country has a moral responsibility in that case. That is the reason they give asylum in Australia, Canada, Uk etc.
314. Diyasena
With trigger happy individuals such as Mahesh, nothing short of strategic nuclear weapons will make SL safe..
————————————-
My posting came in response to your posting stating that you need to increase your army so that in any future war with India, Sri Lanka alongwith either Pakistan or China could be able to take away Kashmir or Arunachal from India.
If it had not been for those words I would have never opened the N-Button topic.
You call me trigger happy for that. But I will not call you a war monger.
If you want to acquire Nuclear weapons then no better place than to go to China.
The Muslim political leaders are working hard to gain as much as possible on the expense of the Tamils. It doesn’t matter they are with the govt. or not. Someway or the other it is happening.
The Tsunami reliefs to the east has not reached the Tamils enough while the Muslim coasts are blossoming with new hoses, shops, libraries, schools, beaches and entertainments.
The Kalmunai MC seats are divided in a manipulated way so that Tamils don’t get elected. Pandiruppu is the biggest Tamil populated part in Kalmunai. But Pandiruppu is not given a council seat as a whole. It has been divided and put into two or three vaddaarams so that the Tamils don’t get elected.
There are so many things going on in the east by the Muslim politicians to make sure the Tamils don’t get anything substantial..
India…
- Kashmirirs fighting for freedom from Indian rule and being killed in the process by Indian security forces
- North eastern states fighting for freedom from Indian rule
- Maoists controlling 25% of India’s land area, fighting to topple the government
- Oppression of millions upon millions of “low cast” Dalits
- Muslims stereotyped, humiliated and made into second class citizens
- Commonwealth Games preparations in a total mess
- Threat of terror attacks anywhere in the country
- Capital of child labour, AIDS, prostitution
- Rampant female infanticide
- Burning of old women for being “witches”
- One of the most miserly population in the world (as rated by the World Giving Index)
- North Indians beaten up in Maharashtra
- Inter-state fights over water and other resources
- A hostile Pakistan in the west, China in the north, Bangladesh + illegal immigration in the East
Yes Jai Hind indeed!
In contrast, Sri Lanka is a STABLE, PEACEFUL country which offers her citizens one of the the highest quality of life in South Asia and which maintains cordial and close relations with ALL her neighbours.
Jaya Sri!
How Sri Lankans compare to Indians… all explained in a little graphic:
http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/8589/giving3.jpg
#309 Ananda-USA
Sri Lanka will not suppress minority SL Tamils; they will have EQUAL rights, and the EQUAL RESPONSIBILITY to love and protect Sri Lanka, as all other Sri Lankan citizens. NOT ONE IOTA LESS, NOT ONE IOTA MORE.
It’s more than a year since the Great General completed the first phase of liberation.
How long is needed to enact strong anti-discrimination and anti-Racial Vilification laws?
How long will it take before, minorities can have confidence in an Independent Judiciary. NOT ANY MORE, I suspect. There will never be a MABO case seeing the light of justice in Sri Lanka.
316 Surat said
[The Indians who visit this blog need a serious reality check.]
Very well put! Could not have said it better myself!
:)
# 316. Surat
If people from Kashmir (not militants from pakistan or afghanistan), demonstrate for independent kashmir, India has to reconsider the options.
Killing the civilians would not the solve the problem.
Some Old Eelamists NEVER DIE, they just Reform, Integrate & Prosper!
…………
Thaya Master now heads pro-Lanka TV station
http://expressbuzz.com/world/thaya-master-now-heads-pro-lanka-tv-station/206279.html
COLOMBO Thaya Master, once known as the media coordinator of the LTTE, is today the director of news at a pro-government TV station in Point Pedro near Jaffna.
………
………
His wife, however, continued to be a government school teacher in Kilinochchi right through the war. She is now teaching at a Point Pedro government school and is reportedly hoping to be its principal, using her husband’s new-found clout with the Rajapaksa regime.
# 319. Je
Dont be jealous on muslim leaders
They are getting what is justly due for them.
#322-Shiva
It’s more than a year since the Great General completed the first phase of liberation.
————————————————–
I thought it was the final phase of liberation
——————————————
#320-Surat
In contrast, Sri Lanka is a STABLE, PEACEFUL country which offers her citizens one of the the highest quality of life in South Asia and which maintains cordial and close relations with ALL her neighbours
—————————————————–
You mean stable and peaceful from june 2009?
Srilanka’s percapita income is 50 per cent more than india’s. Nothing great to rejoice about unless you are comparing beggers and seeing who has a bit more. As for quality of life why don’t you go to srilanka and see how an average person lives. Why do you think house maids are suffering in the middle east?
As for cordial and close relations with neighbours, The UNP government from 1977 to 1995 did not have that with India. They thought they were close to the US and can tell India to go fly a kite. Subsequent SLFP governments have tried to bring the relations back on track and have been somewhat sucessful, but the lack of a political solution that will permanantly get rid of the tamil sinhalese ethnic divide, continues to be a thorny issue between the 2 countries.
# 320. Surat
Poor Indians.
Have a peaceful life with power sharing with SL Tamils.
Is this the land of Gandhi?
Puffed up Indians, preaching about the “unity” of their country and giving gratuitous advice to Sri Lanka?
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Indian troops use brute force against Kashmiris
http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Politics/14-Sep-2010/Indian-troops-use-brute-force-against-Kashmiris
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Kashmiris urge UN to step in as worst HR abuses surface
Kashmiris and a London-based human rights watchdog have urged the UN to step in immediately as Indian military has crossed all the limits in the Indian-held Kashmir (IHK) as was evident from the shameful footage of Kashmiri teenagers being stripped and paraded naked at gunpoint.
http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Politics/14-Sep-2010/Kashmiris-urge-UN-to-step-in-as-worst-HR-abuses-surface
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Probe urged into Kashmir video
Amnesty International, the London-based human-rights organisation, has urged Indian authorities to carry out an investigation into a video clip that appears to show detainees in Kashmir being stripped and humiliated by security forces.
Donna Guest, deputy director of AI’s Asia-Pacific programme, said on Monday that the behaviour in the video was “in clear violation of the universal and absolute right to freedom from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2010/09/201091313526522389.html
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Thousands of people, young and old, men and women, boys and girls, are defying curfews and out on the streets protesting against India’s rule and the occupation forces’ reign of terror to silence the people’s movement demanding an end to India’s occupation.
More than 60 protesters, mainly young boys, have been killed and hundreds have been wounded, in less than two months, in pitched street battles between anti-occupation protesters attacking the troops with stones and chanting: “Go India, go back. We want freedom,” and the Indian occupation troops are using brute force against defenceless Kashmiris, e.g., live ammunition, crackdowns, surprised night raids, random arrests, severe beatings, humiliation of women, and other tactics to terrorise the population.
Since October 1989, the 700,000 strong Indian forces have killed more than 100,000 Kashmiris – many more scarred and wounded, to silence the people’s demand for justice, respect for human rights, freedom and the right of self-determination. They continue to carry out arbitrary detention, summary executions, custodial killings, extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, rape, sexual exploitation, torture and fake encounters.
Generations of Kashmiris have grown up under the shadow of the gun; not a single family is unaffected; property worth hundreds of millions of dollars has been destroyed and the suffering and devastation continues unabated that has inflicted loss of life and destruction on an unprecedented scale, sadly drawing no significant attention from the international community.
http://www.aljazeerah.info/Opinion%20Editorials/2010/September/13%20o/Kashmir%20Struggling%20for%20Peace%20By%20Mushtaq%20A.htm
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And some Indians have the gall to preach to Sri Lanka. And this is just Kashmir. What is happening to the poor tribals is a similar story.
Should India be even hosting the Commonwealth Games when it is oppressing its own people like this?
“Srilanka’s percapita income is 50 per cent more than india’s. Nothing great to rejoice about unless you are comparing beggers ”
It does matter when Sri Lankans have a better literary rate, better health care, longer life expectancy, better access to clean water, free education, free healthcare, lower infant mortality rate etc etc
Even today in 2010 Indians defecate out in the open on their roadsides.
nuff said.
# 330. Surat & 331. Surat
Ha ha ha.
Srilanka is the only country which is Begging from so called Beggers (Indians).
# 330. Surat
Bad company corrupts.
One can see the influence of sinhalese on Indians now..:-(
..
330. Surat
Even now we allow all journalists to visit Kashmir and report. This the Pakistan does not do in its administered Kashmir.
why go that far. How about Sri Lanka? It does not allow any journo to visit NE sri lanka. It is out of bounds to the journo and HR people.
Even if it allows it is almost a guided tour with careful selection of the persons.
There are NGO’s operating in Kashmir. do any ngo operate in NE.
In India any body can go there HR AI Journo anybody can go there and find the facts for themselves. Again we may shoot at people after trying all other alternatives like warning, shooting in the sky, shooting below the knees etc…but we do not shell them using our artillery, we do not use MBRL’s, we do not use our Air force, we do not use phosphorus powders, we do not use food and essential commodities as weapons of war. We do not discriminate against them. One of the Kashmiri youth has recently got admitted with top ranks in Civil services etc etc. We do take them in our army under J&K rifles, Dogra regiment etc.
With all negative things that you said about my country still ‘Mera Bharat Mahan’.
Lovely to see the Indian posters on this blog seeing red when their country’s glaring flaws are put out in the open
Many Indians love to live in a cocoon, thinking their country is the best in the world, totally perfect with everyone living in absolute peace and harmony. Of course the truth is the opposite. Preaching Indians should look at their own country before pointing fingers at anyone else.
“Even now we allow all journalists to visit Kashmir and report.”
Really? Foreign journalists don’t have to register with the Indian government? Pakistani journalists are allowed free access to all parts of India?
“In India any body can go there HR AI Journo anybody can go there and find the facts for themselves. ”
Seriously cut the crap. Is that why India has been denying access by human rights groups and the UN to visit the area? When Christians were massacred in Orissa the Indian government refused to let international human rights groups enter to access the situation.
#331-Surat
Even today in 2010 Indians defecate out in the open on their roadsides.
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mahesh and sjoseph, i hope you are not doing this while typing these comments on your laptop.
i know that the wafting smells are amply diluted by the abundance of spices being cooked, but yet environmental pollution is prohibited according to the law, i suppose in India. Those not aware that Surat is filming with hidden camera are going to get a shock.
Ah, how nice to squat with the morning paper in a wide open space, with a cigarette in the mouth, with the breeze gently ticking your bum, makes my day for me, anytime. I think to be really happy we have to retrace our steps back to where our ancestors were living a simple and uncomplicated life. They would never have suffered from depression and all these modern ailments.
If Surat had taken this complaint to mahatma Ghandhi, he would have just smiled and said what you are inside is more important than what is coming outside from you.Indians are known as some of the most gentle, good natured and good humoured and tolerant people in the world. That is i think more than enough, than how they defecate.
Surat does not defecate. He disposes excess matter in refined manner.
“Even now we allow all journalists to visit Kashmir and report.”
Really? Foreign journalists don’t have to register with the Indian government? Pakistani journalists are allowed free access to all parts of India?
“In India any body can go there HR AI Journo anybody can go there and find the facts for themselves. ”
Seriously cut the crap. Is that why India has been denying access by human rights groups and the UN to visit the area? When Christians were massacred in Orissa the Indian government refused to let international human rights groups enter to access the situation.
Why has India banned SMS in Kashmir? Afraid the truth will get out? Why did India just BAN the Iranian news agency Press TV? Freedom of the media?
“‘Mera Bharat Mahan”
I think you mean “Bharat Mata Ki Gaand Mein Aag Hai”
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Media gag in occupied Kashmir
In Occupied Kashmir, working on a two-pronged strategy, India has been trying to suppress the freedom movement by unleashing death and destruction and at the same time making every effort to hide the truth from the world.
http://alethonews.wordpress.com/2010/08/08/media-gag-in-occupied-kashmir/
Curfew extended to all major towns of Kashmir Valley
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/Curfew-extended-to-all-major-towns-of-Kashmir-Valley/articleshow/6551273.cms
Flights to Kashmir suspended
http://www.hindu.com/2010/09/14/stories/2010091453110100.htm
If India is such an outstanding democracy why doesn’t it hold a plebiscite and let the people of Kashmir decide their future.
Media freedom Indian ISHTYLE…
I just have to laugh at you Mahesh… is it comfortable in your little cocoon? Come out and smell the roses
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Curbs on media in Kashmir Valley
After seeking the Army’s help to restore law and order, the Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday virtually banned the media in the Valley by imposing severe restrictions on journalists.
Authorities cancelled curfew passes issued to journalists and instructed the police and the CRPF not to allow any mediaperson to move around. Consequently, a number of journalists working for local, national and international organisations were not allowed to reach their offices.
PTI bureau chief in Srinagar A.M. Sofi was stopped by the CRPF in the Natipora area and asked to return home. “They told me that they had instructions from the top not to allow any journalist,” he said.
This reporter was not allowed to cross the Hyderpora bypass.
The police also clamped restrictions on the Press Enclave at Pratap Park, where most of the newspaper offices are located, asking the employees to stay indoors.
The cameras of some TV channels were seized. Cameras of NDTV and ANI were confiscated by the police on M.A. Road and newsmen of other channels were asked not to move out of their offices. “It is like marshal law,” one journalist said.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article504178.ece
MEANWHILE in another part of the stable, peaceful and perfect republic of Bhindia…..
Just in the last 24 hours……
7 killed on day 1 of Naxal bandh
http://www.hindustantimes.com/7-killed-on-day-1-of-Naxal-bandh/Article1-599803.aspx
Maoists blow up railway track in Bihar
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/6551255.cms
Loss from Maoist attacks at over Rs 1k cr: Railways
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Loss-from-Maoist-attacks-at-over-Rs-1k-cr–Railways/681144/
Maoists butcher 5 in front of family
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata-/Maoists-butcher-5-in-front-of-family/articleshow/6550681.cms
Maoists kill two cops in Chattisgarh
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Politics/Nation/articleshow/6544882.cms
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Wow, India looks so peaceful and stable and a “paradise” in comparison to Sri Lanka no?
Wonder what’s happening with the Dalits over the last ?? Hmm, let’s have a brief look:
Chitradurga villagers flee rape, bondage
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata-/Chitradurga-villagers-flee-rape-bondage/articleshow/6436517.cms
Dalit woman tortured, accused of witchcraft in Tonk
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Dalit-woman-tortured-accused-of-witchcraft-in-Tonk/articleshow/6458265.cms
Kandhamal violence triggered by Hindu fanatics: Report
Varied depositions by the violence victims 15 jury panel having expertise in the field of housing, law, media, culture and administration made it clear that anti-Christian violence in Kandhamal was an orchestrated attempt by Hindu fanatics.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/Kandhamal-violence-triggered-by-Hindu-fanatics-Report/articleshow/6435048.cms
322. Shiva
[How long is needed to enact strong anti-discrimination and anti-Racial Vilification laws?]
Tamils in Sri Lanka had equal rights 30 years ago, and have equal rights now.
What Tamils wanted in Sri Lanka was the perpetuation of the greater rights they had under colonial rule, working with the British while the majority Sinhala community was suppressed. After independence, especially after the SWRD SLFP Govt came to power, the doors to equal opportunity was thrown open to all people .. especially the rural poor .. and not just to the elite who thrived under colonial rule. As a result, the poorer rural people who were denied equal opportunities in the land … from all communities … Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim … began to benefit and get ahead. Since the majority of those people were from the previously suppressed Sinhala community .. they got ahead in proportion to their presence among the poor.
The Tamil elite who began to see that their economic advantage and disproportionate share of power in the country was slipping from their grasp under one-man one-vote rule, began to demand a Tamil-only Aparthieid state in Sri Lanka to preserve their gains. They cloaked it under the cover of racial and linguistic discrimination .. but it was never discrimination against them by others, but the reverse of trying to hang on to their special privileges and unwillingness to compete on a level ground.
Sri Lanka’s very high literacy (>95%) compared to India (50%) , presence of racial, religious and gender minorities in every sphere of governance and professional occupation to an extent greater than their statistical proportion in the population, labor laws acknowledged to be a model for developing nations, electricity in most rural homes, affordable bus and rail transportation even in rural areas, free basic healthcare for all, longevity approaching that of developed nations, infant mortality that is among the lowest in developing nations, near absence of caste distinctions, these are among the achievements made since independence.
These are attributes of a caring society that placed human considerations before all others.
I repeat again: poorer previously disenfranchised segments of the Tamil population benefited as much as the poorer disenfranchised segments of other communities. At the dawn of independence, Indian Tamil estate laborers were indentured slaves subsisting on starvation wages. If you visit the upcountry areas of Sri Lanka today you will see that their standard of living is often equal to or better than that of other rural folk in Sri Lanka. If you compare their lot today with the economic deprivation, and systematic humiliation experienced by dalits in Tamil Nadu, and elsewhere in India, you will begin to appreciate what has been achieved in Sri Lanka under successive Sinhala dominated governments.
What is perhaps more startling is that these gains were preserved and extended even as the country was subjected to a debilitating 30 year conflict that siphoned away funds from human development to security activities.
Sri Lanka is not yet the paradise it can be, but it will become a paradise for all of its citizens a few decades from now, when we succeed in implementing the development plans that are now underway. Everywhere in Sri Lanka today there is endless optimism, infrastructure development and growth .. go and see for yourself the highways, bridges, flyovers, railways; wind, coal and hydroelectric power plants; airports, harbours, new land recovered from the sea, new sports stadiums, old canal way resurrected, new apartment complexes, shanties removed and people relocated to better housing, factories being built, locals investing their savings in ventures and foreign investors streaming in. These are the benefits of peace and the will and determination of a visionary can-do government to hold naysayers at bay, and develop the nation full speed ahead.
Anti-discrimination and equal rights are already part and parcel of the laws of Sri Lanka … no additional legislation is necessary. Laws against disruptive communal activities .. including racial vilification .. are just around the corner. The latter .. in my view .. should include the banning of all political parties with communal separatist party names and agendas. Parties with “Tamil”, “Hela”, “Muslim” , “Sinhala” , “Eelam”, “Liberation” etc should be banned forthwith.
Remember, we eradicated a malevolent separatist terrorist movement only in May, 2009 … just an year ago. Sri Lanka is still struggling to rehabilitate the IDPs, restore their livelihoods, protect them and the nation from resurgence of terrorism, while coping with all of the disruptive, divisive activities of anti-national local and foreign elements. No country has done so much, for so many in such a short time.
After ending the war, the first priority was to create a stable and strong government that can protect the achievements of the recent past, and realize the hopes for the future. The overwhelming mandate from the people received in the Presidential and General elections, and the Constitutional amendments have laid the basis for that. Now development of the nation can proceed with the confidence that no enemies of Sri Lanka can prevent our reaching our national goals.
Yet, Sri Lanka’s enemies keep ignoring her stupendous accomplishments while impatiently criticizing the progressive plans that are underway. ALL of that criticism is designed to undermine the Govt and prevent the stabilization of the country, because in a stable and strong country they cannot achieve their anti-national objectives.
Tamil Eelamists want to gain in peace what they failed to win in war: an apartheid Tamil-only nation carved out from Sri Lanka. That will NEVER be allowed to happen. Tamil people should settle for EQUAL RIGHTS as citizens in ONE Indivisible Nation, as ONE Indivisible People, sharing ONE Indivisible National Destiny, and bear EQUAL RESPONSIBILITY to love and protect this Resplendent Isle. If they do so willingly, their place as honoured citizens in a peaceful and prosperous Sri Lanka is assured.
No country can offer more than that to its citizens.
335. Surat
Many Indians love to live in a cocoon, thinking their country is the best in the world, totally perfect with everyone living in absolute peace and harmony. Of course the truth is the opposite. Preaching Indians should look at their own country before pointing fingers at anyone else.
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Many Sri Lankans love to live in a cocoon, thinking their country is the best in the world, totally perfect with everyone living in absolute peace and harmony. Of course the truth is the opposite. Sri Lankans should look at their own country before pointing fingers at anyone else.
Guy called Mahesh has succeeded in getting some MOD aya modayas to sling mud at a friendly neighbor when it’s not necessary.
OTOH the guy Surat could be a disaffected Khalistani/Kashmiri (in which case I can understand his sentiments- however misplaced).
But the reality is probably that these two are merely Taymoli and Siyabasa MOD aya and Mahesh guy has just achieved his goal.
Regarding lack of justification from those who have seen fit to sling mud at the Great General Fonseka, I will have to now start asking some questions for which some answers may come.
I may take the liberty of making some assertions which may be not strictly accurate in asking these questions. Since I am a modaya/podiyen, I am happy to have clarifications from some Masters.
I think I’ll start at 1919 when Eelam was declared. Around about this time Sir Ponnnambalam Ramanathan was set to be the Father of Modern Democratic Sri Lanka. Everybody loved him. Then some thing awful happened. He actually visited the British GG who managed to poison his mind and turned him to be suspicious of the Siyabasa buggers. Despite this he did take young DS in hand and provide him with some guidance. It is sad that such great man died bitter and sparked the Jaffna Taymoli speakers to be at first elitist and then racist (under GGP and SJV). It was the race card that killed Tamil aspirations in SL more than anything else.
DS I believe was a great leader despite the MOD aya penchant for painting him as the cause of Tamil disaffection (perhaps to divert attention from Banda).
Banda himself was not a racist (I believe) but used the language issue to cynically come to power. In this wave he had for the first time many thugs who supported him. Rajapakse’s of Hambanthota was one such local thug family.
If Banda had his way he would have probably appeased the Taymoli speakers and permitted their children to use Siyabasa to rise places of prominence. Unfortunately, this did not happen and he was assasinated by the MOD aya reps. His wife perhaps did the greatest damage which started the rot in the Democratic processes in SL.
In the meantime GG who was in the Dudley Government did the unthinkable and forced segregation of Taymoli and Siyabasa speakers. This was the greatest tragedy for Taymoli speakers who were held up as examples of great Sri Lankan citizens in the mid-60′s. This act was to deny Taymoli speakers the opportunity to do better than the Siyabasa in their own language.
If Banda had not died and Taymoli were educated in Siyabasa, according to Indian policy of Linguistic states, Sri Lanka could have been ready to be a state of India by 1980.
Then Mrs Banda came to power to commit her cardinal sin against Mother Lanka. By this time the thug culture was well established in politics and a young thug had entered parliament from Hambanthota. At about the same time a young officer cadet had entered training with the Army having topped his group in academic scores.
The thug was MR and had little education being used to bullying his school mates (having probably practiced on his younger brother earlier). None of his former school mates care much for him. Not even those sycophantic enough to genuflect to him now. The thug, having entered the Parliament got opportunity to go to Law School and qualify as a Proctor. This is not a tertiary degree but was later touted as such by some sycophants. Ofcourse the Proctor is now an (Hon) Doctor.
The officer cadet was SF. As far as his qualifications are concerned, one does not have to say anything. It is evident even on his body. One can say though that he was the commanding officer of his school master some time later in Ampara. Even then he showed his old school master respect. The same pattern of heroism and respect for old masters below him has been shown by none other than the only other World Famous National Hero, Arjuna Rantunge (I will take the mixture of pride and anguish ( I felt for Arjuna when he fell on his sword for his comrade, Murali) to my grave).
To be Continued
Questions about SF and MR (continued):
I believe what I have related above is mostly factual although, someone with better historical knowledge may correct me. What is to follow is mainly speculation in the form of a story which are really questions.
In the following passages I will have few facts I know but will mostly speculate on what has really happened.
I know from some one close to me that JRJ was a straight and honorable man in the 1950′s, but that there were events which probably changed because of the “Hora-Votes” which were engineered by the leftists. He may not have been that innocent but certainly by the 1970′s he was cunning monster. He like Bandas had his own set of thugs by then. The gentleman Dudley was no longer there. One of these thugs who had his own designs was Preme Ayya.
Amithralingam (let’s not dwell on the “unfirendly” nature of his name) also had his goons and thugs. The most famous of them was Prabhakaran. Mayor Durraippah was perhaps one of the first people to die in the hands of Political thugs. But things much more sinister was to await the innocent Taymoli citizens of Colombo.
JRJ, with or without his goons had dark designs for Sri Lanka. The way for his actions were already facilitated by Mrs B who with her despicable leftists and goons had already subverted the judiciary and Public Service. JRJ merely strengthened what she had commenced and had designs to change a man to a woman or vice versa (but could not quite achieve it).
When JRJ’s intrigue caused significant rioting even well before 1983, there was little redress legally. The abominable 1983 black July which can never be forgiven occurred in the backdrop of an Army and Police which stood by and carried out allegedly by goons with electoral lists which could only be issued by Government.
JRJ had lost control and went into hiding. It took nearly a week for the PM (Premadasa) to publicly express his revulsion about what had been done to the law abiding Taymoli speakers of Colombo.
CBK formally apologised about a decade later. But no racial villification laws have ever been enacted by the Sri Lankan Parliament. No perpetrators have ever been brought to justice….
What the Taymoli needed was not a bloody language laws, repealing of standardisation (a just law for the poor) or a 13th bloddy amendment!
They needed to be respected for being EQUAL CITIZENS who had the same claim for Sri Lankan heritage as Siyabasa speakers. They did not need to be heckled and harassed every time one of their stupid racist MP’s made another outrageous claim. This had to be in spirit not just through legislation. Thus, an example had to be given by leaders.
But what about the leadership of Sri Lanka. Do they have any respect for any citizen. It seems that their utter contempt is not just towards Taymoli citizens but to everybody. Otherwise why would a female leader whose mother was the “Mother of the Nation” permit a goon who stripped a woman naked and paraded her in the village go scot free (this is just one stark example).
Most importantly and frighteningly, JRJ’s goons had begun a a path towards very dark arts by the med 1980′s (well before CBK and her goons)….
to be continued
335. Surat | Congratulations!! You have stirred the pot and made this blog very interesting. Poor Mahesh must be thinking from where the hell did this devil come from! You are appreciated. I have learnt some things from your comments!
But I must say I was talking to some well known Indian doctors in the west. They have been to Srilanka. And all of them said, in India doctors working in the government cannot do private practice like in SL and many other things which I cannot remember after a couple of shots but they were full of praise of the SL medical system. I just could not believe what I was hearing because I thought SL system was nothing to be proud of. I was wrong.
#322 Shiva,
“How long is needed to enact strong anti-discrimination and anti-Racial Vilification laws?”
Though I am vehemently against race based devolution I agree with the need to strengthen minority representation in the centre..Discrimination laws should not only be on race, but religion, caste and sex as well..
Apart from that I would like to see a quota system to be trialled next 10 years to strengthen minority representation in government institutions (Public services, Police, Military etc..)
38% – Sinhalese
7% – Tamil (I am against sub-dividing as Indian origin Tamils..All Tamils born on this Island are Sri Lankan Tamils)
4%- Moor
0.5% Burgher ) 0.25%- Malay 0.25%- Vedda
Each ethnic group’s quota should be further subdivided to include at least 40% women (20% of the Total jobs that is)
Selection of other 50% should be merit based…The system should be revised every 10 years until such time we feel that minority participation in administration is adequate to warrent 100% merit based selection..
Furthermore I would like to propose some changes to the national symbols..
1. The country should be renamed Ceylon internationally, whilst locally being known as Heladiva / Eelathivu (Similar to India internationally and Hindustan/ Bharat locally)..
2. Hela Jathika Abhimane should replace Sri Lanka Matha as the national anthem..A portion of the anthem should be sung in Tamil..
3. The two stripes delineating minorities should be scrapped from the national flag and the Lion flag of Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe (The Last King of Sinhaley, A Tamil) should represent all communities..
#346 Don
I think a couple shots made a judgement error, you should talk to a sinhalese doctor in the west who will give you a correct picture of doctors who do private prctice while drawing salary from Gov. to treat patients in Gov. hospital.
It is unethical, corruption, stealing etc. in bibilical proportion. Neglecting the patiens in Gov hospital completely, leaving them in the hands of interns & junior registars ,practically butchering poor patients.
You may bash me for saying this, but I have to tell you as I knew this first hand & got disgusted.
By being proud of SL medical system, we will not be doing any good to our people or patients.
( I am sure SL system is great for physicians who want to make money thru unethical way – if it is the goal the Indina doctor was correct)
These are only a few, list is long but I will stop here.
I hope SL people demand what they deserve.
337. shankar
I have not tried the Open University type. I would like to do that now after reading your comment.
Defecating in the open is very hygienic, so said Mahatma Gandhi, may be if I remember it in Surat itself.
When Surat was plagued with plague he went on to inspect the toilets of the rich and as well as the poor. He found that the toilets of the rich were unhygienic and the poor as they did those chorus in the open were hygienic.
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336. Surat
Pakistani journalists are allowed free access to all parts of India?
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Pakistani journalists also will be allowed free access into Kashmir if they visited the POK and report things honestly.
Let the Pakistan do that first then we will allow access to them also.
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When Christians were massacred in Orissa the Indian government refused to let international human rights groups enter to access the situation.
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The person accused of murdering Graham Staines has been sentenced to death, in India.
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Why has India banned SMS in Kashmir? Afraid the truth will get out? Why did India just BAN the Iranian news agency Press TV? Freedom of the media?
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Cellphone is allowed isn’t it. Then how do you say we are throttling the freedom of expression?
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I think you mean “Bharat Mata Ki Gaand Mein Aag Hai”
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I really mean and emphasize what I mean ‘MERA BHARAT MAHAN’.
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If India is such an outstanding democracy why doesn’t it hold a plebiscite and let the people of Kashmir decide their future.
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This plebiscite question has been answered very many times. Please refer to the previous postings.
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339. Surat
This banning of the reporters and the channels itself means that they are active in the valley, isn’t it? Freedom doesn’t mean unrestricted freedom. Freedom comes with responsibilities.
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340. Surat
Why you didn’t add to this elopement of a woman with her lover abandoning her husband.
Husband killed by the wife and her lover..these kind of stories have also happened over the past 24 hours. You better scout for those kind of stories also and also find all the despicable stories in the media about India and post it here.
WHATEVER YOU MAY SAY. ‘MERA BHARAT MAHAN’.
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343. Shiva
Thanks.
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346. Don
And all of them said, in India doctors working in the government cannot do private practice like in SL and many other things which I cannot remember after a couple of shots but they were full of praise of the SL medical system
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In India doctors working in the Government hospitals are also allowed to do private practice.
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#330-surat
I agree with Shiva you may be a kashmiri, from the voluminous stuff you unload to us on kashmir. Unlike the tamils of the north east who have got nothing from the GOSL, the indian government has given the maximum devolution under the federal model for the kashmiris.Yet, the pot is being constantly stirred by pakistan, which after taking half of kashmir, wants the other half too. What do you think the indian government to do, just hand over kashmir to pakistan. kashmir is ancient hindu land and will always will be part of India. Those who invaded india unceasingly from central asia, afghanistan and iran, can put that in their pipe and smoke it.
347. Diyasena
You are trying to incorporate the 50% quota and the 50% merit of the Indian reservation system.
But you have actually ended up with Proportional representation system based on ethnicity.
This could be more divisive than what is currently seen.
Reservation gives to those castes or groups an advantage, some points to get represented in the govt.
In your system that advantage is lost. In other words the spirit of reservation is lost and the letter is preserved.
In other words you can say that 25-30% of the seats to be reserved for the minorities and the rest is open to all in the competition.
Though I say that 25-30% reserved to the minorities the Indian system doesn’t recognize religion or the ethnic back ground to be the eligibility criteria for reservation.
In the Indian context some Muslims and Christians are also treated as Backward castes and they could get the benefit as backward castes and not on the basis of religion or ethnicity.
It is a ticklish issue and it has to be studied well before implementing.
343 Shiva
[OTOH the guy Surat could be a disaffected Khalistani/Kashmiri (in which case I can understand his sentiments- however misplaced)]
Equally well, Mahesh could be a dear old homegrown Sri Lankan Tamil Eelamist trying to stir up trouble for Sri Lanka by pitting Sri Lankans and Indians against each other. He could be exploiting the schoolboy’s “I am not afraid to fight!” face-saving reaction to generate clouds of hurled mud.
I could be wrong now .. but I have seen it happen many times before!
#346
Access to prventive care & education on breast feeding is better in SL, compare to other third world nations, thanks to the network of out reach clinics/hard woking low level staff but not the private prcticing Docs and also contributed by UN help.
(excluding North & East)
I hope it will get better now as the president convinced Dr Mervyn de Silva to tie the mosquito’s to trees rather than health care workers.
# 346 Don
Just wondering why Apollo hospital came in and why and how Apollo exited ?
346. Don
From what I have heard, most specialists that are allowed to do private practice in SL do so at the expense of their patients in the govt. hospitals. The concept is sound, but I don’t believe that in practice it works well.
I know one or two doctors who on moral principles will not do private practice. However, majority of them are the opposite.
#352-Ananda-USA
Equally well, Mahesh could be a dear old homegrown Sri Lankan Tamil
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mahesh is definitely a indian. His knowledge of India is too vast to be a srilankan. For example don said indian doctors told no private practice in india yesterday, and mahesh says today it is allowed. Don, are you sure it was only 2 shots?Srilankans have the highest per capita alchohol consumption in the world and you are letting them down with your 2 shots fibs. Probably you might have overheard something when you had nearly passed out.
As for Surat, on second thoughts i don’t think he is a kashmiri, but a indian muslim gujarati, living in surat. I know there is a large amount of muslims in northern surat, who settled in Gujarat from Arabia as traders. Alqueda has all kinds dormant cells all over the world and he may be a member of a cell in India. He has too much of anti india propaganda at his fingertips, and Alqueda thrives today because it utilises the internet to the maximum.
# 352. Ananda-USA
I have been following the blog past few months.
There are many in this blog who criticize, condemn and personally attack Mahesh. Please listen !
Mahesh has stated he is an Indian and hails from Maharastra ( Not a Tamil) .
Though Mahesh need not have any concern on SL Tamils issue, he has expressed his open views. Truth is some times bitter to hear from others.
Please go thro his comments and note there are hardly any specific attack of an individual.
I respect Mahesh for his views on SL Tamil conflict.
# 356. shankar
As for Surat, on second thoughts i don’t think he is a kashmiri, but a indian muslim gujarati, living in surat
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I think Surat is an Anti Indian sinhalese.. .(pseudoname is Surat)
The reasons:
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#316 Surat
The Indians who visit this blog need a serious reality check.
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#320 Surat
In contrast, Sri Lanka is a STABLE, PEACEFUL country which offers her citizens one of the the highest quality of life in South Asia and which maintains cordial and close relations with ALL her neighbours.
Jaya Sri!
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# 321. Surat | September 13th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
How Sri Lankans compare to Indians… all explained in a little graphic:
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# 335 Surat
Lovely to see the Indian posters on this blog seeing red when their country’s glaring flaws are put out in the open
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You may note there are many Sinhalese who get excited when India faces some problems. Those people may have some reasons anyway..
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# 346. Don
335. Surat | Congratulations!! You have stirred the pot and made this blog very interesting
# 323 Ananda-USA
316 Surat said
[The Indians who visit this blog need a serious reality check.]
Very well put! Could not have said it better myself!
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#347 Diyasena,
I agree with everything you say except renaming Sri Lanka. Nobody calls it Ceylon anymore other than some ancient people of Sinhale. We should not be looking backwards but need to move forward. Flag idea is a good one. I don’t know about “Hela Jathika…” either. Too linked with “JHU”.
#341 Anada-USA
I take your point about anti-discrimination laws. But my experience in reading of cases and the news as well as visiting Sri Lanka is that discrimination is very much alive and well, unfettered. Mostly, in favour of the ruling Head of State. There is no point in passing laws if you are not prepared to implement them. Credibility is a very important aspect of Law (more on this later).
Now to my continuing set of questions in the form of a story. From now on my story might seem a little incredible. I was unbelievable to me as well when was hearing and reading snippets of it and getting glimpses of it. Some of what I assert from now may be untrue but I have put together an explanatory hypothesis based on what I have read and heard first or second hand.
Development of the White Van Technology:
In the 1980′s the Sri Lankan Army was merely ceremonial and ineffective. The police force was continuing with their traditional method of torture as the best way of gathering information. Goons were very much in cahoots with Government reps. Some of the information sources I have include former officers of Armed Forces and JVP supporters.
JRJ committed Sri Lanka towards being an atrocious nation by subverting democracy further (e.g. the infamous referendum) particularly by blaming the JVP for the 1983 riots. This, despite the fact the Wijeweera had many times extended the hand of camaraderie to Northern people, on one occasion tolerating stones being thrown at him by LTTE supporters. JVP once again made the cardinal mistake of arming themselves as a form of self defense. In general they deny the general charges atrocities attributed to them. Given their philosophically stance, I tend to believe them before the MOD aya.
Meanwhile, Sarath Fonseka and the younger brother of the thug (yes GR, the one I postulate must have been bullied when younger) were in operations under the former Great General Kobbekaduwa. The famous Indian intervention occurred when LTTE was about to be vanquished in the late 1980′s under men like these. The rest is history as India learned a lesson never to forgotten when JRJ, the old fox tied them up in the Indo-Lanka Accord. What IPKF suffered in Sri Lanks could be called “bitch-slapping”.
Sri Lanka Army must have been quite demoralised by all this and many of their ranks were involved in helping and training the JVP cadres. The JVP opposed what was considered an Indian occupation from outset (they weren’t wrong IMHO).
Indian Army fell for typical LTTE tactics even though they should have (as a regional army as they aspired) learned from the mistake of the SLDF. The trap was the repeated LTTE tactic of firing missiles from within civilian groups. As the Sri Lanka Defence Force before them the Indian Army retaliated to these semi-conventional attacks in a like manner, leading to civilian casualties. It seemed that the LTTE had an unbeatable strategy. The IPKF committed other atrocities which included wide spread raping.
The SL Army was not innocent in that particular atrocity, from what I hear from some JVP supporters. They know how the Sri Lankan Army used rape as a weapon down south. They are prepared to believe that the same must have happened up north. There is a difference (culturally) between raping a traditional Taymoli female as opposed to a Siyabasa female. The latter is supported and nurtured while the former is shunned. This is illustrated starkly by a recent article (Sri Lanka Guardian) by Pearl Thevanayagam who displays shame and outrage at the assertion of a UK judge about “forced arranged marriages” in South Asia in which a Taymoli woman was defending against child-access to her ex-husband who had stabbed her lover and his friend. Ms. Thevanayagam, shamelessly defends the Jaffna culture which subjugates and alienates the beautiful Taymoli girls in terms of expressing their sexuality as free women. To her credit she indicates that the energy spent on separatism should instead be spent in integrating Taymoli to their host-cultures.
Coming back to the rape by various armies, my JVP informer tells me that it is no wonder that the Taymoli women were willing to be suicide cadres after what was done to them. The LTTE must have realised this fact early on and according to some sources they built this into an art form by systematically raping young female recruits so that all they had left was suicide. There is independent individual reports which I have read in news items which confirms this.
I don’t know the exact details of how the JVP got embroiled in an armed struggle against the JRJ Government but one anecdote indicates that they had not been shy of killing a well known thug who came down south firing his machine gun. As far as many instances of killing and robbing are concerned, I believe the JVP which says that criminal gangs and Government Agents posed as them on numerous occasions.
Nevertheless, the JVP must have caused significant alarm in the GOSL circles when they demonstrated their ability to hide from and withstand torture by MOD aya forces. Furthermore, the agitations organised by the JVP was threatening to bring the country to a stand still.
Enter, Ranjan Wijeratne, black cast and the like. These guys followed up on the open firing on peaceful demonstrations by constructing a new technology of terror mixed with torture.
Firstly, they sent widespread letters to soldiers threatening to kill their family members, allegedly by the JVP. I cannot understand why the JVP which was already getting training by soldiers would turn against them. An anecdote is that a group of soldiers in a vehicle turned a blind eye on a group of JVP cadres under a bridge. Why would the JVP turn on their friends in the Army?
I met one of these officers who showed me this letter when he came seeking asylum but returned to Sri Lanka under orders from his commanding officer. While this officer did not commit atrocities, many officers in the army and the police now began a progrom against JVP boys and gals. Examples of evidence given in the subsequent Presidential Commission were published by an old clerk of the commission recently. I have heard evidence on an emotional moment by a former officer in the SLDF who described visiting an Army torture camp set up for JVP prisoners. He vividly described tending to the wounds of a prisoner who had the bones of the back of his hand exposed during torture. He had respect for this prisoner who stood with a stiff upper lip. After this and seeing other numerous act which he could not bear this officer migrated to a Western country. He (a Siyabasa) recalls how he could not even bear to hear a Sinhala song in those tortured early years of escape from hell. The sound used to send shivers through his body. This man expressed little emotion now.
The burning of bodies in tires as a warning to populace is well known. There was a famous gay journalist Richard Soyza who was arrested, tortured and the body thrown in the deep sea but washed up ashore, exposing the intention of these Black, Faceless Men of the Police and Armed Forces to make Sri Lanka unsafe for anyone one who opposed their reign of terror.
Supporting these acts through propaganda of their own were two so-called left journalists Victor Ivan and CJ Chandraprema were involved this propaganda and have been exposed recently by the editor of Lankaenews in relation to the disappearance of Prageeth Ekneligoda. The JVP members hate both of these from the times of the 1980′s for what they did to them. Chandraprema is alleged to have founded an infamous organisation called PRA of which I have not yet investigated further.
There is no love lost between the JVP and another very important figure in the recently concluded (S)ee(ha)lam war which should be mentioned. This is the famous Dr. Dayan Jayathileke who did yeomen service for Sri Lanka in Geneva during a time when the untrustworthy Western Alliance was making moved in the UN.
Dayan Jayathileke appears to have as much irrational hate of the JVP as the JVP has a quiet dislike for him. I have not got the whole story on this yet but it appears that he interrupted an important postgraduate course (obtained under a scholarship) in the US to come to Colombo during the infamous 1980′s to commence campaign against the JVP. He had founded a student movement against the JVP. I cannot quite understand why Jayathileke, who alleges that he loves Cuba and Che Guevara (the latter being an icon for the JVP) would hate the JVP so much. His claim of JVP being chauvinist appears just plain ridiculous and does not stand up to scruitiny. Just because the great Dr. Jayathileke keeps repeating this does not mean that people like I would swallow it. The JVP claims that he is a CIA mole who was recruited when he went to the USA on a Fullbright Scholarship.
There are some paradoxes associated with Jaythileke who has changed alliances several times, has been a minister in the infamous Vardharaja Perumal Government and has even changed his name which makes it worth watching him carefully. This is especially so when he is now residing in Singapore, controlled by the Totalitarian regime of the racist monster Lee Kwan Yu.
C