Your definition of multi-ethnic and multi-cultural is different from mine. SL has equal rights for every culture. Hence in front of the law and the constitution all the cultures are similar. But what I mean by true multiculturalism is what you find in Switzerland. All the cultures in Switzerland has helped in developing its identity . But in SL, it’s the Sinhalese-Buddhist identity that shaped culture of SL. The Tamil chauvinists are the main people who are unable to understand it.

Why look at the USA? Look closer to home at India, where the current Prime Minister is a Sikh and the previous President was Muslim (and even in India things are FAR from perfect!).

Mr, Ganesgan, you don’t have the BIGGEST eligibility to be a leader of the country. That is the acceptance of the mainstream culture of the country. Even Barak Obama has to fight out of his skins to show that he is not a Muslim. You may be not knowing (or suffering from selective amnesia) that Tamil Kings did rule SL in the whole of 18th century and early 19th century. They accepted the mainstream culture of Sinhala Buddhists. What you people want is to label this country as multi-ethnic and multi-cultural, which is not. The country has only one main stream culture, and both of us know what it is. No ruler has been succesful in any country if they did not accept the mainstream culture of that country

The eligibility in question is in the hands of trade unionists, third rate lawyers and army commanders, for whom I can summon little or no respect for as suitable leaders for this country. Maybe I’m wrong in hoping for a leader of a country to also be one of its most outstanding intellectuals, but clearly, that’s too great an expectation. Not that I possess the kind of colonized mind which equates having a piece of paper from Oxford to being an intellectual and spits on the local intellectual cream for not possessing the same “sophistication” in aping British mannerisms. But is it really too much to wish for genuine first rate minds displaying some erudition, integrity, capability and understanding of both local and global forces, to present themselves as candidates? Clearly, in MR, we have a leader with capability and an understanding of local/global forces, but no erudition or integrity. And before anyone says that intellectuals don’t have a chance to come to power, let’s be clear that we’ve had plenty of pseudo-intellectual Brown Sahibs in power, but they’ve failed to properly manage local/global forces, and we all know where that’s led us to.

How about the likes of Justice Weeramantri aspiring for presidency, or even Dayan J., who’ve displayed both capability, vision and integrity, over the current set of “aspirants”? Why don’t they give things a go, just for the heck of it, when every other idiot seems to fancy applying for the job? Must we only have these bumbling Brown Sahibs like RW, totally disconnected from the hopes and dreams of the common people of this country, or the nepotistic and self-serving ones, like MR who know how to pander to the masses (frankly, given the current choices, my vote is still with him), or nationalistic freaks like SF or better yet, our latest “qualified” aspirant without a snowball’s chance in hell, Mano Ganesan, to lead us? (sure, looking at the others, Mano Ganesan too, why not?)

Well, that ends my rant and ends me harping on the obvious. Back to reality and back to how best to move forward under this unpleasant reality. And to that end, I have to agree with Mano Ganesan’s following statement:

“But they are complaining on everything on earth. But for decades they failed to change even a single street let alone the country.”

At least he’s shrewed enough to realize that he needs to work “within” the system. Certainly the hallmark of a “good” politician.

WHY ? He is a common candidate from parties that hold diagrammatically OPPOSITE points of view on everything. Eg: JVP, Tamil Parties and UNP.

So A WEAK PRESIDENT RUN BY A MYSTERIOUS HAND. Either Chandrika or Ranil.

Point to remember these people had their chance BUT could NOT defeat terrorist separatist Tamil Militia for a separate state. If it was NOT for Mahinda, Sarath Fonseka and Gotatabhya ALL in one sentence then LTTE will be still alive and well.

Sarath, Mahinda and Gotabhaya MUST realise that it is their TEAM WORK that defeated LTTE not ANY individual.

I hope it is NOT once again TOO late for Sri Lanka.

What we need is STRONG Sinhala-Buddhist unity to fix what is WRONG with the systems that we have in place for the betterment of EVERYONE and every political hues.

Otherwise we are in trouble

Political landscapes / stripes /colors et al change with the sands of time: these days more at the speed of light which may put the likes of Usain Bolt into shame… this is a telling indictment of the stature, acumen, integrity and vision all of which is a pipe dream to our so called politicians of this sad country.

Ironically the topic of “who will the tamil voter support?” was a hot topic debated at the lunch table amongst my colleagues who also included a couple of tamil speaking individuals. Most if not all shared similar views when discussing who and how the tamil minorities will support in a future presidential election.

It’s a choice which puts you between a rock and a hard place as both my tamil colleagues reiterated.

SF and his views of minorities whilst in his military position are well documented.
The incumbent has let down many and his regime of terror and oppression and pilferage (by connected individuals etc) will only exacerbate if voted into power a second time. Also with the IDP issue my view is that the Govt will ensure a vice like stranglehold is maintained (either by not resettling IDP’s or by controlling movement and resettlement) to ensure most of the north and east vote is “coerced” towards the govt.

A third candidate may need atleast 750,000 – 1,000,000 votes to break the votes and create a re-count of sorts. But it will not make material difference as the second preference will always be casted to one of the above which will anyway bring either SF / common candidate or the incumbent back into power.

Hence my view is that the tamil minorities will need to back a common candidate (possibly SF) in an unholy alliance. Else it will be the riches and trimmings associated with ministries and other high posts within the incumbent govt that will make the tamil parties sacrifice their constituencies and put their weight behind the incumbent more with the view towards personal gain rather than making a political change.

The boycott option only alienates the tamils more with in the political process of this country. There will be a material advantage for the incumbent. However, it is unlikely that there will be a material impact in the political landscape. If at all it may work against them.. case in point presidential of 2005.

I have mentioned this in many other forums : SL is not a country where an incumbent president can be defeated at a presidential due to the executive power and the vast state machinery at the incumbents’ disposal to “ensure” victory in any form or manner.

However, to make a political statement or an impact an UNHOLY alliance amongst the UNP / JVP / Tamil & Muslim parties’ et al will need to drive a common candidate with strong southern appeal to even have the ability to challenge the incumbent.

Thank you for your continued engagement with the content on this site. We just wish to point out that your accusation of Mr. Ganesan having supported a separate State in a speech made at Pongu Thamil is wholly incorrect. Groundviews was in fact challenged by some bloggers to prove this, and we did.

Unlike Kusal I don’t see anything wrong with you tying up with the General. After all you had wonderful photo ops with the Tigers in Kilinochchi and had no compunctions at all about sharing the podium with them when they were strong. Nobody forgot your wonderful Pongu Thamil speech supporting a separate state. You never spoke out against LTTE terrorist attacks in Colombo, and no one expects you to now raise any inconvenient points about Fonseka’s strategy to defeat the LTTE.

Now that the LTTE is gone, you’re looking to hitch up with the next winner. You are no different than any other Sri Lankan politician. So why is Kusal singling you out?

wije

PS- how do you feel about being involved with the UNP, which was responsible for the 1983 riots?