Comments on: The Presidential Election: A Diabolical Deception! http://groundviews.org/2009/12/18/the-presidential-election-a-diabolical-deception/ Groundviews is an award winning Sri Lankan citizen journalism initiative Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:35:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: LANKENVICTIMS http://groundviews.org/2009/12/18/the-presidential-election-a-diabolical-deception/#comment-12297 LANKENVICTIMS Mon, 28 Dec 2009 11:01:02 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=2238#comment-12297 By Jayashika Padmasiri As the country commemorated the fifth tsunami anniversary yesterday, Transparency International Sri Lanka (TIS) urged the Sri Lankan government to immediately explain the issue of missing USD 472 million in tsunami funds. TIS were demanding an immediate audit inquiry to be held regarding the utilization of the missing tsunami money. TIS Deputy Executive Director, Rukshana Nanayakkara speaking to LAKBIMAnEWS said, “From the total of tsunami funds Sri Lanka received, the committed (funds promised by donors) are USD 2,126,771,858, disbursed sums which includes the sums handed over to implementing agencies are USD 1,075,375,348 and the expended amounts spent on various projects are USD 603,443,908. From these amounts we observed that, USD 471, 931,440 had gone missing. So we ask the government what happened to these monies,” Nanayakkara said. “When TIS inquired from the relevant authorities about these missing amounts, but most officials did not want to answer while they were also reluctant to reveal any information. However there were some responsible bodies that implied that the funds were utilized by the government for other purposes,'' Nanayakkara said. By Jayashika Padmasiri

As the country commemorated the fifth tsunami anniversary yesterday, Transparency International Sri Lanka (TIS) urged the Sri Lankan government to immediately explain the issue of missing USD 472 million in tsunami funds.
TIS were demanding an immediate audit inquiry to be held regarding the utilization of the missing tsunami money.
TIS Deputy Executive Director, Rukshana Nanayakkara speaking to LAKBIMAnEWS said, “From the total of tsunami funds Sri Lanka received, the committed (funds promised by donors) are USD 2,126,771,858, disbursed sums which includes the sums handed over to implementing agencies are USD 1,075,375,348 and the expended amounts spent on various projects are USD 603,443,908. From these amounts we observed that, USD 471, 931,440 had gone missing. So we ask the government what happened to these monies,” Nanayakkara said.
“When TIS inquired from the relevant authorities about these missing amounts, but most officials did not want to answer while they were also reluctant to reveal any information. However there were some responsible bodies that implied that the funds were utilized by the government for other purposes,” Nanayakkara said.

]]> By: Vichara http://groundviews.org/2009/12/18/the-presidential-election-a-diabolical-deception/#comment-12210 Vichara Fri, 25 Dec 2009 05:34:21 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=2238#comment-12210 The writer has made some strong points in this article. But his lack of professional integrity is demonstrated in distortions and deceptions of 'diabolical'proportions. What are the” irrefutable facts” on which he has built his arguments? On Sinhala supremacy, he depends on two statements ascribed to President Rajapaksa and Sarath Fonseka. He refers to the inaugural Presidential address where he concludes that the President does not recognize the concept of a Tamil nation, nor of a traditional Tamil homeland and therefore rejects the demand for the right of self-determination of the Tamil people cohabiting in the North- East. The relevant section of the official text of the address he refers to is as follows. “Instead of the concepts of traditional homelands and self-determination that allow an ethnic group to breakaway from the Republic of Sri Lanka, steps will be taken to ensure for all communities, including Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Burgher and Malay the freedom to exercise all the rights enshrined in the Constitution - including the right to live in any part of Sri Lanka on the grounds that the entire territory is the homeland of all communities. All citizens will be equal before the law and no citizens will be discriminated on account of ethnicity, caste, religion, sex, political beliefs or place of birth. “ According to Rupasinghe –‘ this stand set the stage for a military solution.' LET THE READERS DECIDE. He concludes ‘that the good general is no better as he asserted, in no uncertain terms, that this country belongs exclusively to the ‘Sinhala-Buddhist' nation and that all others are aliens who have impinged on this country at various times. On this basis, he proclaimed that these aliens should not demand equal rights.' What did General Sarath Fonseka actually say to the National Post of Canada?. According to Stewart Bell of the National Post what SF said was “I strongly believe that this country belongs to the Sinhalese but there are minority communities and we treat them like our people. We are also a strong nation. They can live in this country with us. But they must not try to, under the pretext of being a minority, demand undue things." The emotive terms such as ‘exclusive, aliens, equal rights' are deliberate distortions introduced by Rupasinghe. The most mischievous and cheap twist is the attempt to bring Buddhism to bolster his argument. There has been no mention that SF made a claim that the country belongs to Buddhists. Rupasinghe claims that as of 18 December that “ some 200,000 internally displaced Tamil persons are incarcerated in concentration camps in the North” But according to the Joint Humanitarian Update on 19 November, only136,242 people remain in the camps in the northeast, while 112,209 have been returned to their places of origin and 27,663 have been released to host families or into the care of elders. Is Rupasinghe better informed than the UN Refugee Agency the UNHCR? One is impressed by the revolutionary fervor of Rupasinghe, but he should not let his emotions falsify facts to suit his arguments. MERRY X'MAS!! The writer has made some strong points in this article. But his lack of professional integrity is demonstrated in distortions and deceptions of ‘diabolical’proportions.
What are the” irrefutable facts” on which he has built his arguments?
On Sinhala supremacy, he depends on two statements ascribed to President Rajapaksa and Sarath Fonseka. He refers to the inaugural Presidential address where he concludes that the President does not recognize the concept of a Tamil nation, nor of a traditional Tamil homeland and therefore rejects the demand for the right of self-determination of the Tamil people cohabiting in the North- East.
The relevant section of the official text of the address he refers to is as follows.
“Instead of the concepts of traditional homelands and self-determination that allow an ethnic group to breakaway from the Republic of Sri Lanka, steps will be taken to ensure for all communities, including Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Burgher and Malay the freedom to exercise all the rights enshrined in the Constitution – including the right to live in any part of Sri Lanka on the grounds that the entire territory is the homeland of all communities.
All citizens will be equal before the law and no citizens will be discriminated on account of ethnicity, caste, religion, sex, political beliefs or place of birth. “
According to Rupasinghe –‘ this stand set the stage for a military solution.’ LET THE READERS DECIDE.

He concludes ‘that the good general is no better as he asserted, in no uncertain terms, that this country belongs exclusively to the ‘Sinhala-Buddhist’ nation and that all others are aliens who have impinged on this country at various times. On this basis, he proclaimed that these aliens should not demand equal rights.’
What did General Sarath Fonseka actually say to the National Post of Canada?. According to Stewart Bell of the National Post what SF said was “I strongly believe that this country belongs to the Sinhalese but there are minority communities and we treat them like our people. We are also a strong nation. They can live in this country with us. But they must not try to, under the pretext of being a minority, demand undue things.”
The emotive terms such as ‘exclusive, aliens, equal rights’ are deliberate distortions introduced by Rupasinghe. The most mischievous and cheap twist is the attempt to bring Buddhism to bolster his argument. There has been no mention that SF made a claim that the country belongs to Buddhists.

Rupasinghe claims that as of 18 December that “ some 200,000 internally displaced Tamil persons are incarcerated in concentration camps in the North”
But according to the Joint Humanitarian Update on 19 November, only136,242 people remain in the camps in the northeast, while 112,209 have been returned to their places of origin and 27,663 have been released to host families or into the care of elders. Is Rupasinghe better informed than the UN Refugee Agency the UNHCR?
One is impressed by the revolutionary fervor of Rupasinghe, but he should not let his emotions falsify facts to suit his arguments.

MERRY X’MAS!!

]]> By: London Dole http://groundviews.org/2009/12/18/the-presidential-election-a-diabolical-deception/#comment-12075 London Dole Mon, 21 Dec 2009 04:18:08 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=2238#comment-12075 Pearl Thevanayagam, Pearly, remember how we cheered for Nelson Mandela back in the day? We compared the LTTE to the ANC, didn't we? Remember those discussions? You've suddenly turned back on your friends, so don't ever get our hopes up again with promises of liberation. Pearl Thevanayagam,

Pearly, remember how we cheered for Nelson Mandela back in the day? We compared the LTTE to the ANC, didn’t we? Remember those discussions?

You’ve suddenly turned back on your friends, so don’t ever get our hopes up again with promises of liberation.

]]> By: London Dole http://groundviews.org/2009/12/18/the-presidential-election-a-diabolical-deception/#comment-12074 London Dole Mon, 21 Dec 2009 04:11:25 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=2238#comment-12074 Susantha, Oh, darling, aren't you the perfect foil character for this thread? Anyway, darling Susantha, the LTTE is a gonner. Just enjoy a cup of tea with 'Burning_Issue". Susantha,

Oh, darling, aren’t you the perfect foil character for this thread?

Anyway, darling Susantha, the LTTE is a gonner. Just enjoy a cup of tea with ‘Burning_Issue”.

]]> By: Burning_Issue http://groundviews.org/2009/12/18/the-presidential-election-a-diabolical-deception/#comment-12061 Burning_Issue Sun, 20 Dec 2009 20:26:17 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=2238#comment-12061 Susantha, I am sure that you will sleep better knowing that MR and brothers will honour your wish and in the process, the so called Sinhala Buddhist country will be bankruped! Why are you so inscure? Why do you feel that you need to dominate? Susantha,

I am sure that you will sleep better knowing that MR and brothers will honour your wish and in the process, the so called Sinhala Buddhist country will be bankruped!

Why are you so inscure? Why do you feel that you need to dominate?

]]> By: Susantha http://groundviews.org/2009/12/18/the-presidential-election-a-diabolical-deception/#comment-12048 Susantha Sun, 20 Dec 2009 10:39:29 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=2238#comment-12048 sri lanka is/was and always will be a sinhala buddhist country its the duty of any presedential candidate to protect that. and wow to destroy anything that will oppose sinhala dominance of the sinhala country(Sri lanka) sri lanka is/was and always will be a sinhala buddhist country its the duty of any presedential candidate to protect that. and wow to destroy anything that will oppose sinhala dominance of the sinhala country(Sri lanka)

]]> By: Pearl Thevanayagam http://groundviews.org/2009/12/18/the-presidential-election-a-diabolical-deception/#comment-12036 Pearl Thevanayagam Sun, 20 Dec 2009 02:24:59 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=2238#comment-12036 Let us not fool ourselves and co-opt Tamils in the pawn game the Sinhalese have wielded so far. Granted we had many Tamils who puffed up their coffers aka Kadirgamar, Douglas Devananada, Karuna nd Pillayan. Mannennnai Maheswaran ( killed by Douglas) and many more Tamils co-opted in the judiciary llike Palakidnar ( the appeal court judge who swung the WPC in favour of Chandirka in 1994 and won himslef some prime property in Dehiwela), now Pilayan and Karuna the latter of whch Ranil Wickeremasinge courted despite his notoriety in fleecing Tamils in the East and the Anandasangarees and Siddharthan who never championed the real roo t causes of Tamils in North and East except to win kudos themselves. Tamils can win their righful place in the island only if they have genuine empathy towards their brethren. But the Tamils who are pandering to the majority have nothing more to offer Tamils except their own selfish interests. South Africa only produced self seeking Blacks who genuflected to the Afrikkaners thus puffing up their own selfish intersts. Nelson Maldela genuflected before the Whites and llives a high life while may South Africans are living below poverty line. Read John Pilger's, " Freedom Next Time". Let us not fool ourselves and co-opt Tamils in the pawn game the Sinhalese have wielded so far.
Granted we had many Tamils who puffed up their coffers aka Kadirgamar, Douglas Devananada, Karuna nd Pillayan.
Mannennnai Maheswaran ( killed by Douglas) and many more Tamils co-opted in the judiciary llike Palakidnar ( the appeal court judge who swung the WPC in favour of Chandirka in 1994 and won himslef some prime property in Dehiwela), now Pilayan and Karuna the latter of whch Ranil Wickeremasinge courted despite his notoriety in fleecing Tamils in the East and the Anandasangarees and Siddharthan who never championed the real roo t causes of Tamils in North and East except to win kudos themselves.
Tamils can win their righful place in the island only if they have genuine empathy towards their brethren.
But the Tamils who are pandering to the majority have nothing more to offer Tamils except their own selfish interests.
South Africa only produced self seeking Blacks who genuflected to the Afrikkaners thus puffing up their own selfish intersts. Nelson Maldela genuflected before the Whites and llives a high life while may South Africans are living below poverty line.
Read John Pilger’s, ” Freedom Next Time”.

]]> By: Uthungan http://groundviews.org/2009/12/18/the-presidential-election-a-diabolical-deception/#comment-12032 Uthungan Sat, 19 Dec 2009 22:26:31 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=2238#comment-12032 The ordinary people in Lanka are not told the real facts.They are kept a limbo of atavistic mythology, religious obscurantism and racial bias which is propagated and dinned into them on a routine basis.This is now done with the assistance of Emergency Regulations,the PTA and media control.The previous method was somewhat subtle say from the sixties to the seventies..... Now murderers and gangsters are roped in and given the impunity needed to brazenly attack or even kill anyone who dares to question or object. The case of journalists like Lasantha Wickrematunge, Tissanayagam, Poddala Jayantha,and politicians and human right activists like Ravi Raj, Loganathan Ketheswaran are prime examples. Even ordinary folks doing their jobs like for instance Dr.Murali Vallipuranathan was dismissed from service for having the gumption to defy a request by his pro establishment colleague to sign on the dotted line and compromise his fundamental right to say 'No' had to face the brunt.. The LTTE which was in fact a mafia set up worked in collusion with Sinhala fascism from the 1970's and each relied on the commissions and omissions of each other. Both were in fact opposite sides of the same fascist coin.They goaded and loaded each other and both got enriched. The ordinary people irrespective of whether they were of the majority community or the minority community suffered equally with dwindling living standards,and constantly escalating prices.They were needed only when elections came and were supplicated by politicians who promised all types of guarantees and welfare.Once elections were over the politicians got back to forming unprincipled coalitions and cabals to share the spoils.This is the current tendency and that has been the way of Lankan politics from the latter part of the seventies.Now it has become chronic and it is time that this situation is ended.That is the task of us who call ourselves Lankans. The ordinary people in Lanka are not told the real facts.They are kept a limbo of atavistic mythology, religious obscurantism and racial bias which is propagated and dinned into them on a routine basis.This is now done with the assistance of Emergency Regulations,the PTA and media control.The previous method was somewhat subtle say from the sixties to the seventies…..

Now murderers and gangsters are roped in and given the impunity needed to brazenly attack or even kill anyone who dares to question or object. The case of journalists like Lasantha Wickrematunge, Tissanayagam, Poddala Jayantha,and politicians and human right activists like Ravi Raj, Loganathan Ketheswaran are prime examples. Even ordinary folks doing their jobs like for instance Dr.Murali Vallipuranathan was dismissed from service for having the gumption to defy a request by his pro establishment colleague to sign on the dotted line and compromise his fundamental right to say ‘No’ had to face the brunt..

The LTTE which was in fact a mafia set up worked in collusion with Sinhala fascism from the 1970′s and each relied on the commissions and omissions of each other. Both were in fact opposite sides of the same fascist coin.They goaded and loaded each other and both got enriched. The ordinary people irrespective of whether they were of the majority community or the minority community suffered equally with dwindling living standards,and constantly escalating prices.They were needed only when elections came and were supplicated by politicians who promised all types of guarantees and welfare.Once elections were over the politicians got back to forming unprincipled coalitions and cabals to share the spoils.This is the current tendency and that has been the way of Lankan politics from the latter part of the seventies.Now it has become chronic and it is time that this situation is ended.That is the task of us who call ourselves Lankans.

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