Comments on: Rajapaksrized Chauvinism in Flowery prose: Sri Lankan Diplomat’s outright humiliation of Sri Lankan Tamils

By: eureka

eureka — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 13:40:59 +0000

Kumar Current geopolitics favours the government of Sri
Lanka and Tamils are too unfortunate. Yes, Tamil diaspora will
fight the injustice to their brethren in the Northeast of the
country. The greatest tragedy of this country is, unbelievably,
misinterpretation of Buddhism and Federalism.

By: kUMAR

kUMAR — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 12:40:08 +0000

Freedom is our birthright. We must not beg for it. We must grab it. We may be weak now. We can bring down this regime by the folowing.
1. Boycott all Sri Lankan Products.
2. Boycott Sri Lankan Air Lines.
3. Stop visiting Sri Lanka unnecessarily.
4. Bring the War Criminals to ICC
5. Work hard to unify the TGTE – WTF, BTF & others
6. Write to your parliamentarians about the war crimes and the need of our freedom.
7. Explain the Sri Lankan history to other community. There was Tamil Kingdoms before the British capture Sri Lanka.

As the Tamils are united universaly. It is possible for the Tamils to achieve this noble goal. Let the Sinhalese cry under the brutal regime. they will see the stars once the country go bankrupt.

By: Punitham

Punitham — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 08:14:56 +0000

Maitree I’m ashamed to find that I didn’t thank you for
writing this before starting to comment on others’ comments. Tamils
owe you a great deal. Much more reason to be so after what has been
happening in the last 22/23 months.

By: Max Headroom

Max Headroom — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:32:51 +0000

Is Suren and Maithree still blogging and living in Sri Lanka? I would tell them to hang themselves.

Well, what happened to that Ethiri at UNHRC sessions in Geneva.

The Tamil Diaspora has been taken by the White people to be butlers and servants and they will do anything to be like in that servile state.

There will be no Federal State for anyone in Sri Lanka! As a citizen of Sri Lanka, I do not approve it and if Tamils are unhappy they can jump into the Indian Ocean or become servants across the Palk Strait or to any white man/woman.

Amb. Dayan J. just don’t waste your time with this toothless, barking K9s.

By: punitham

punitham — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 12:54:19 +0000

Thanks, Chami.

By: Ruwan

Ruwan — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 07:23:56 +0000

We dont see any reason to devolution of power. As sri lankan tamil population is only 3.9%. ( Pl takeout Indian tamils from this ) . If mix community in Colombo can live happily why can't north and east. sri lanka tamils never wanted a separate state. It was Tamil Nadu people wanted a separate state for tamils . They failed in India they provked sri lankan tamils to fight. The fact is there are 2 races in the world has no Mother Land. They are palastines and tamils in the world. They are just bugs looking for a carriers. This is the reality. You have to Face the truth even it is bitter.

By: Chami WEERAWARDHANA

Chami WEERAWARDHANA — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 01:03:10 +0000

'You're an eye of wisdom to me, who
Pinpoints my errors,
You're a weapon to me, to
Destroy
Root causes of such errors'

By: Dayan Jayatilleka

Dayan Jayatilleka — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 08:53:59 +0000

Punitham, Punitham, Punitham,

Either you do not know your facts or you think none of us do. One Sunday in 1972, in Londonderry, 13 unarmed Irish Catholic civilians were gunned down by British paratroopers belonging to 1 Para. It happened in broad daylight. the first commission that was appointed was the Widgery Commission which found no wrongdoing by the Paras. The second commission was appointed in 1998, and over ten years later, has not completed its inquiry. Meanwhile not a single soldier involved was even disciplined, while the officers involved were decorated by the Queen.

If you think this sort of thing was isolated, please read the report of the Ombudsman ( actally Ombudsperson) for Northern Ireland who documents collusion between Protestant Paramilitaries which committed murders, and British intelligence and special counterinsurgency units. To this day, officers have refused to answer any questions.

By: G. S. Lincoln

G. S. Lincoln — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 08:51:30 +0000

DJ,
You wrote in your earlier post that 95% of the Sinhalese do/will oppose federalism. Then, do you honestly believe that Ranil or Chandrika would be foolish enough to talk federalism with the Tamils. We all know what happened to Chandrika's earlier proposal for a devolution. Neither UNP nor SLFP could ever propose or accept federalism – it is clear from your "95 percent" argument.

By: punitham

punitham — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 07:16:51 +0000

''Oba mata panasek mai – ma desé dos dakinta
Oba mata aviek mai – é dosé mul siñdinta''
To those who don't know Sinhala?
Please let meknow what it is.

By: punitham

punitham — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 06:14:35 +0000

''degree from a recognised university?'' is not necessary but a head-and-heart action has been wanting for 61 yrs.
Several yrs ago a Sinhala farmer in Gal Oya told an official: ''there are no Sinhala farmers and Tamil farmers, but only FARMERS. Had he been in DS Senanayake's place Sri Lanka would have remained Singapore's idol.

By: punitham

punitham — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 05:42:08 +0000

contd…
Even if the Tamils forget all these what has been happening in the last three years confirm that they cannot have any faith in the Sinhala rulers:
i. Impunity to armed forces for any crimes against the Tamils and thus no investigations/prosecutions generally
ii.2007 May proposal brushing aside that made by APRC
iii.2008January 'tamasha' sending a note to Prof Pathirana prescribing what(13th amendment) to 'present' in front of the camera
iv.preventing journalists from Northeast and carrying out atrocities including implementing Sinhala colonisation
v.the 'able and the articulate' in the Northeast are systematically eradicated that the Tamils in their destitute state may go for 'let-us-save-our-lives-now-for-our-children' or similar.

By: punitham

punitham — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 05:41:23 +0000

''if the IRA representing the Irish Catholics of Northern Ireland can settle for the devolution of power within a unitary state, why are the Tamils of Sri Lanka entitled to more?''
There is a world of difference between the state of Irish Catholics and that of Sri Lankan Tamils.
They didn't have the deadly cumulative effect of
i.ethnic outbidding between the Labour Party and the Conservative Party to increase the opposition of the public to a reasonable settlement
ii.abrogation of conciliatory pacts
iii.series of state-aided pogroms to alienate the Catholics
iv.systematic shredding of their socio-economic-environmental fabric by relentless structural violence of state institutions

By: wijayapala

wijayapala — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 23:17:03 +0000

dayan pointed out that the Sinhalese oppose federalism. What he left out is that they don't support any sort of devolution which creates another level of useless government, as proven by the very low support for the Provincial Councils. The 13th Amendment is remarkable in the sense that neither the Sinhalese nor the Tamils consider it as a solution. The only people who really supported it were the Indians.

By: Dayan Jayatilleka

Dayan Jayatilleka — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:01:04 +0000

Dear Mr Ethirveerasingham,
As far as the record shows it was not the UNP that panicked but Anton Balasingham who resiled from the Oslo understanding with Prof GL Pieris, to explore a federal solution within a united Sri Lanka. When he denied that there was any such undersading, even his pals the Norwegians felt constrained to contradict him and release the relevant minutes. Balasingham later wrote a book in which he reiterated his denial of the understanding on Federalism. If the Tigers really wanted to go the federal route, they would not have sabotaged Ranil's Presidential bid, since Chandrika and he had made it very clear that in the event of victory there would be bipartisan support for federalism ( she would still have been leader of the SLFP).

By: One

One — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 16:24:07 +0000

all this does not explain why you think Sinhalese people will oppose a federal solution? What do they have to loose by it? what do you think they are afraid of or threatened by?

By: punitham

punitham — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:34:53 +0000

What transpires here is that i.the Sinhalese will not agree for federalism which is the minimum of a reasonable offer to the Tamils and ii.the Sinhalese leaders who want power are not at all worried about the total decay of the Tamils.
Ethnic-outbidding Sinhala leaders only created the federalism-opposing mindset of the Sinhala masses.

By: Morning Dew

Morning Dew — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 11:48:13 +0000

It is very educative to read all the above comments made by the intellectuals on the Sri Lankan conflict. I only wish that our politicians, both from the ruling party and the oppositon, would at least read these comments in order that they may drink in what is good and leave out what is bad. It is, to my mind, imperative that the MR administration take all these opinons of the learned poeple of both sides into consderation when chartering the course Sri Lanka should take after the war is over. The government should have the courtesy, at least, to listen to the very valuable, intelligent and considered views of this intelligentsia.

By: Ethirveerasingam

Ethirveerasingam — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 07:36:16 +0000

Amb DJ's claim that the Sinhala majority voters, whatever percent he says it is (80% – 95%), will not vote for federalism is a valid assessment. Chelvanayagam's appeal for federalism and later less were rejected. His last wish was, as quoted by Wilson, was that the Sinhala people will one day grant the Tamils a separate state. Wishfull thinking considering the reality he faced in his long years. I like to share conversations I had with Lalith Athulathmudali and Ranil Wickremasinghe 12 years later.

On Feb 4th 1985, at about 9 pm at his electorate celeberations of the independence day at the Mount Lavinia park I met him by appointment. The last time I him was in 1952 when he and I ran the 120 yds hurdle at the public schools meet. He won, Neville Laduwahetty came second and I third. We discussed about a solution to our political problem. Finally I asked him why not his party with more than two-thirds of majority in parliament propose a federal constitution. He said that SLFP will oppose it. I said that as they have only 7 or 8 MPs their vote will not make any difference, especially with the TULF and CWC votes to add to the UNP. He said proposing a federal constitution, "Will be political suicide." My older brother later said that, a majority of the UNP MPs will not support, let alone the majority Sinhala voters.

On May 13, 1997 at about 7:00PM at his Cambridge Terrace Offrice, after an hour of discussion I asked him why not the UNP propose a federal consittuion. He siad that, "We are a political party. Like any other political party, we will not do anything that will not get us into power, nor would we do anything when we are in power to loose power." A very forthright statement of reality of their electorates by two UNP stalwarts twelve years apart. The late Tyrone Fernando and the present UPFA Minister Mahinda Samarasighe took part in the discussions.

Naturally when Balasingam offered to explore federalism, UNP panicked. It never follewed up on the Oslo proposal as it knew, it would loose power at the general election if they even discus federalism.

Amb DJ's assessment, leaving apart the statistics, is in tune with the UNP and I am sure everyone knows, with that of the UPFA, JVP, and extremist Sinhala parities. Rajapakse administration is doing what the majority of the Sinhala voters want and may have fed on that support to go beyond what a substantial, not necessarily a majority, Sinhala population would approve.

Tamils have did their best since 1933 to 1972 to convince the Sinhala leaders and and the people for federalism. It is now time that the Sinhala people who are for federalism, go on a "Thavalama" to every village in the South with a federal proposal, in Sinhala, and canvas in Sinhala. It is cruel of me to want you to do this. Nor do I would want you to do this "Federal Thavalama" as there will be a bigger, "Anti-Federal Thavalama.that would lead to much violence in the South" Please let the Tamils out of this, as they have been beaten up in pogroms before the armed conflict started and by war since then. I would not even ask you to campaign to stop the war as we all know what will happen to those who lead such campaign. In any case most media and the so called moderates have now concluded the war is at an end. I am not sure whether anyone has guessed that Eelam War V has started. What form it will take and what the reaction of the Rajapakse administration, the Sinhala people and the international community is anybody's guess. I see no light at the end of the tunnel.

By: wijayapala

wijayapala — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 05:10:02 +0000

Believe me I'm no fan of Dayan's pompous name-dropping and banal "look-where-I-graduated-from" crap, but try to look past his fluff to his hidden argument. A separate state is not an option because the LTTE is finished, and neither the Tamils in Sri Lanka nor the IC is interested in starting a new war for separatism. This leaves a number of compromise solutions of which federalism is but one. The argument that Dayan (and I) makes is that there is no popular consensus to implement federalism in Sri Lanka. You cannot force an unpopular solution on a people. However, I believe that the opposition to federalism has less to do with fears of Tamil separatism than some people may believe, and more to do with the evil of creating another layer of government which is even more useless than what we have in Colombo. This has been the experience of the Provincial council system.

If you want federalism, you'll have to convince Sri Lankans that it's in their best interest. Threatening wars or IC intervention for separatism not only will not work, but would be unrealistic- the hidden point that Dayan was not able to bring out.