let y = Fonseka
and z = Ranil
hypothetically if SF wins, then after the elections,
y = x – 1
z = 1
y = x – z
x = y + z
where, y >> z
this is SF’s abolition of exec presidency for dummys!
]]>Sri Lanka is fast desecending into a tinpot dictatorship (if it had not already done so) that we need to get rid of the Rajapakses.
Yes people, Sri Lanka has once again redefined an English word. And this time it’s the word dictatorship. Yes, Oxford dictionary (if you’re reading this) you may want to revise that! Dictator is some that can be got rid of through elections!
Oh Peral, now that you know Fonnie has that agreement with TNA, of course he is your ideal candidate 
It’s perfectly FINE! but why be so coy about it? At least be open like us “Rajapksa apologists”!
January 19, 2010 @ 9:51 am
@Caesar – the question is – haven’t we already reached the end of democracy in Sri Lanka? Look around. I think you wouldn’t have to look far to see the answer is yes.
Then Gypsy why vote if there is no functioning democracy? If there is no functioning democracy then what we have is autocracy. “Fake” elections cannot make a difference. Stop wasting your time and stay home on election day.
TBH the way our feisty, do anything, “even devil’s my friend if I can win” attitude politicians conduct them selves, I’d argue that Sri Lanka has one of the most ferocious & competitive democracies in the world! You’re going to laugh at this, but just ponder on it for a bit and you’d fall off the chair as I did. Why would they try so hard if they thought there was no effin way? haha
This is not by any means a promotion of SF or his politics
Not all of us were born yesterday too! Otherwise I have to say indecisive advocacy is hollow!
niranjan,
“Is he really going to abolish the executive presidency?”
Well FYI he is already on record that he won’t be doing that after all. All future presidential hopefuls…. breathe easy!
]]>You say “We finally have the lack of war. But do we have peace? – No.”- I say we have peace precisely because there is no war.
“Do we have democracy? – No.”- I agree. But did we ever have democracy?
“Do the minorities feel safe? – No.”- I say No minority has ever felt safe in this country. This is nothing new. Sarath Fonseka made a statement to the Canadian National Post in 2008 on the lines that Sri Lanka belonged to the majority. So do you think that in the event SF is elected to office he is going to make the minorities feel safe?
“Despite the defeat of terrorism, do we lack terror in our lives? -No.” – I say that the terror that we face now is due to the elections. Once the major elections are over things will calm down. Even in the past terror was always there. Terror is synonymous with Sri Lanka.
]]> If you visit the rural areas and speak to the people you will realise that the end of the war means a lot to them more so than those in Colombo. The end of the war means that their sons and daughters can have a life even if they are in the army. They do not have to worry about getting killed. I was in Pottuvil over the weekend and the people I spoke to were all happy that the war is over and they gave credit to MR. Pottuvil is a Muslim majority area. In addition road building is going on apace for example the Moneragala-Pottuvil road is been carpeted and that means travel facilities will be made easier for the people who live there. There is hardly a poster of SF in those areas whereas Mahinda’s posters are to be seen.
The rural voter especially the Sinhalese are happy with MR. The only way that SF will be elected to office is if he can persuade the Sinhala rural voter to vote for him. SF’s campaign is lacklustre and his promises are airy and unconvincing. Is he really going to abolish the executive presidency? Can he ? Only Parliament can do that. At least we know that MR will never abolish the Presidency.
I am certainly not saying SF is the answer. But knowing (at least to some extent) the alternative, I can’t see how voting in the incumbent for a second term is going to help. Sure, he ended the war. Kudos. We finally have the lack of war. But do we have peace? – No. Do we have democracy? – No. Do the minorities feel safe? – No. Despite the defeat of terrorism, do we lack terror in our lives? -No.
It is not enough to have won the war. The real victory will be when we can stop hearing about a new death every day in the run up to an election.
This is not by any means a promotion of SF or his politics – we simply don’t know what he will do or how he will handle his presidency, should he win. We know how the incumbent handled his. We must act according to what we know.
Voting for SF could mean jumping from the frying pan into the fire. We simply have to hope it is not. I have given up trying to predict the future and trying to visualize every worst-case scenario. Instead, I am hoping against hope for change.
]]>We have indeed reached the end of democracy in this country or in the alternative are getting there. MR is bad enough but do you think SF is going to be any better? A retired army man in the post of executive President? Sri Lanka and India have had civilian rule since independance and we need to keep it that way.
The bottomline is that both MR and SF are unsuitable for the post of President.
Therefore the voter has choices. Either vote for one of the two or any of the others or else do not vote at all. The moral voter may well decide not to vote.
Few questions;
- Are people ready to vote for un tested Devil, Contemporary Idi Amin/Bokaassa, Pol Pot or Zia Ul Haq?
- The man who’s most favorite meal is Hunted meat ?
- Are people ready to risk their ballot to become subjected to iron fist rule of a dictator , to loose the democracy for ever?
- Are people ready for a rule by Gun and Boot?
If SF is voted to the heighest seat of the country, keep in mind that is the end of Democracy in Sri Lanka. If the people make that mistake, it will cost hundreds of thousands of livfes to get the democracy, guaranteed and will even cost decades.
]]>It’s a counundrum.You justly say that desisting from voting would be tantamount to disenfranchising ourselves and getting the same person who fleeced the whole voting populace and who has placed his whole clan in the corridors of power.
Fonnie is not my ideal choice but we have no option but to try.
Sri Lanka is fast desecending into a tinpot dictatorship (if it had not already done so) that we need to get rid of the Rajapakses.
Tamils have not found a suitable candidate yet.
But Tamils should exercise their vote to anyone but Mahinda.
At least we could get rid of white van abductions and Mervyn Silvas gun culture.
Prof. Peiris who could have remained a respected academic is hanging onto any powers that would co-opt him so that he could amass wealth like he did as politician.
We need to get rid of these vermins.
]]>Before: “I will abolish executive presidency right after January 26th!!!!!”
Now: “I have to keep the presidency and will appoint 5 ministers.” They are
Sampanthan, Somawansa, Hakim, Mangala and Ranil.
Before: Sept 23, 2008 National post interview- “Sri Lanka belongs to
only Sinhalese people, and minorities should stop unfair demands.”
Never denied his stupid comments for the last 1 ½ years.
Now: “National Post reporter Stewart Bell wrongly interpreted what I said in
that press interview”
Before: “We have to keep IDP’s for very long period, since LTTE members are in that group. We have to expand army by another 100,000 and keep in a high security zone”
Now: “It’s unfair and cruel that present government keep the IDP’s indefinitely, and after Jan 26th, I will remove high security zone and release all LTTE carders without any pre conditions”
Before: “What JVP and UNP were doing is criticizing and de-moral our brave soldiers. Some unpatriotic people criticizing even me, and tell I am unfit to command even a salvation army”
Now: “I don’t keep anger and take revenges. People who talk at that time are very good friends of mine now, and they are real patriotic.”
Before: During the Tamil Nadu election time: “We are strongly against the north and east de- merger. These Tamil Nadu politicians are real JOKERS and under payroll of LTTE and proxy groups.”
Now: “I have an agreement w/ TNA to merge north and east back, and release all LTTE innocent people from the current State custody”
(Remember…armed forces sacrifice about 28,000 lives to liberate our country from ruthless LTTE)
Now fellow Sri Lanakans! Think for a moment. How come we trust this guy with dementia and offer the hot seat to steer our beautiful country to hell after January 26th?? Every citizen have to act wisely on 26th and send this guy back to Oklahoma, so he could spend the rest of his time in a mental hospital from the money he raised from unethical arm deals.
We shouldn’t select a leader just based on rumors and hearsays. Corruption happened in the past under every leadership (from Sirima’s period..) and still happening, not only Sri Lanka and also other places. Leaderships in some other countries also corrupt just as our politicians. So, why people make a big deal especially in the last 3 months about this matter? Then why news papers or electronic media (everybody has access to U-tube) did not complain about the corruption until now or did do any investigative journalism??? Do not listen to rumors and politicians and do what you think best to the country in the future! Since, international LTTE network is still intact, and try to come in different faces, what we need at this time is continue the strong leadership like MR that who never afraid or kiss butts of foreign forces, and take the country to a place where every citizen could enjoy best economy and the peace with the unity. Let’s give our president another chance to develop the country, and hopefully meantime opposition parties could find a patriotic candidate for the next presidency in the future!
Jaya Wawa Mr. President!
Before: Eliminated Terrorism after 30 years!!
Now: Unite the country with prospers economy with your 40 yrs political experience!!
I remember how we used to search the bus just after getting in, to see if there are hidden bombs.
i remember how my parent pleaded me not to go to office coz there might be bombs somewhere.
i remember me going to office oneday to see residuals of a man caught in a bomb explosion.
i remember how we avoided all those exhibitions we wanted to go because v were afraid of bombs.
now there is one man who finished this all. now the war is not there, people have found so many other things to talk about. and above all a CHANGE.
It is all crap.
it’s true that we would not see any change in terms of democratic rights corruption, etc, under both these candidates.
but just refusing to vote will not solve anything. and we HAVE to elect someone, and i say the only choice we have is MR. but he should not win with a huge majority. in that way, everybody would learn a lesson.
well, you didn’t have to care about the 2005 election. why should you have bothered, a son of a rich family? well I think I am of the same age as you but I DID bother about it at that time. based on the current situation there i DID vote for MR. I do not regret that decision now, since at least we are free from the terror of bombs. this time also i would vote for MR, and even if he won’t do anything good, and steal everything from the country, I would not regret, coz i am trying to what i see would be the best for my country. ]]>
Sarath Fonseka will not be elected because a large percentage of Sinhala rural Sri Lanka is going to vote for the President. I have just returned from Pottuvil a Muslim majority area and the mood there is lets vote for the uncumbent as he has won the war.
]]>