Comments on: Colombo: Under Siege? https://groundviews.org/2007/02/12/colombo-under-siege/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=colombo-under-siege Journalism for Citizens Tue, 20 Feb 2007 21:01:24 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.1 By: Dhammika Dharmawardhane https://groundviews.org/2007/02/12/colombo-under-siege/#comment-621 Tue, 20 Feb 2007 21:01:24 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/2007/02/12/colombo-under-siege/#comment-621 What worries me more is the pure fact that after living in war footing conditions for the past two decades we/the country has become totally violent in the way we live our lives. Life is not worth much in Sri Lanka anymore. And the truth of the matter is that private armies, thuggery, and violence are common place. The ethinic violence quite honestly will not cease soon, that is us, Sri Lankans. But the way we live and the fact that we accept it, must stop. What are we going to do about the fact that we have over 100,000 fully trained ex-military personnel now looking for employment in Colombo, who hires them. Why do we openly accept that the way we live is acceptable. David is a good friend of mine and I agree with him on his views of the LTTE, but the issue I see I think is far more important as this some thing that we can change and we must change. Or we very carry the risk of becoming for the want of a better word, a banna republic. Why do people not want to hear this aspect of living in Colombo. Recently I discussed this with some friends, Sri Lankans, I was appalled when they said that it happens all over the world, accept it. I remember Sri Lanka 20 years ago, we did not live like we live now then. The LTTE is a long term problem, it always will be. I actually have complete confidence in the present government and the policymakers to respond approproately to this threat. As I also know some of these figures in the SLGOV personally, my fear is that they will accept the way we live in Sri Lanka now as acceptable.

]]> By: David Blacker https://groundviews.org/2007/02/12/colombo-under-siege/#comment-620 Thu, 15 Feb 2007 08:50:05 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/2007/02/12/colombo-under-siege/#comment-620 ve won the war and the LTTE are babes and sucklings looking for the maternal warmth that only Mahinda and his government can provide?" Nope. What I meant was that in the mid- to late-'90s, the LTTE was very successful in its attacks on Colombo, unlike it's been in the last year. A successful and efficient terror organisation creates a level of fear far in excess of an unsuccessful and seemingly incompetent one. The LTTE has in no way been defeated yet, but public perception is that they've been given an unprecedented arse-kicking and that we're doing much better than we've done in years. Nothing succeeds like success (except a budgie without teeth, of course).]]> “Do you mean to say that we’ve won the war and the LTTE are babes and sucklings looking for the maternal warmth that only Mahinda and his government can provide?”

Nope. What I meant was that in the mid- to late-’90s, the LTTE was very successful in its attacks on Colombo, unlike it’s been in the last year. A successful and efficient terror organisation creates a level of fear far in excess of an unsuccessful and seemingly incompetent one. The LTTE has in no way been defeated yet, but public perception is that they’ve been given an unprecedented arse-kicking and that we’re doing much better than we’ve done in years. Nothing succeeds like success (except a budgie without teeth, of course).

]]> By: Sabrina https://groundviews.org/2007/02/12/colombo-under-siege/#comment-619 Thu, 15 Feb 2007 02:19:43 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/2007/02/12/colombo-under-siege/#comment-619 t the fear of a highly successful terror group." - care to explain that? Do you mean to say that we've won the war and the LTTE are babes and sucklings looking for the maternal warmth that only Mahinda and his government can provide? Not saying that this wretched garrison mentality should continue, but it's inevitable I feel in light of the situation in the country, and the barricades can and will only go away when there's a political solution brought about to the situation in the N & E.]]> David,

“…there isn’t the fear of a highly successful terror group.” – care to explain that?

Do you mean to say that we’ve won the war and the LTTE are babes and sucklings looking for the maternal warmth that only Mahinda and his government can provide? Not saying that this wretched garrison mentality should continue, but it’s inevitable I feel in light of the situation in the country, and the barricades can and will only go away when there’s a political solution brought about to the situation in the N & E.

]]> By: N https://groundviews.org/2007/02/12/colombo-under-siege/#comment-618 Tue, 13 Feb 2007 16:28:31 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/2007/02/12/colombo-under-siege/#comment-618 Peter_S – I’m talking about the time after the insurrection…like David mentioned Central Bank, JOC bombings time. What is the LTTE now, underly militant? And we have a terrorist organization to deal with as opposed to an insurrection.

]]> By: David Blacker https://groundviews.org/2007/02/12/colombo-under-siege/#comment-617 Tue, 13 Feb 2007 09:08:36 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/2007/02/12/colombo-under-siege/#comment-617 As N says, and I agree, the Colombo atmosphere is way better than it was in the ’90s, with train bombings, the Central Bank and Kolonnawa destroyed, and VIPs assassinated. Right now, while people are edgy and wary, there isn’t the fear of a highly successful terror group.

]]> By: Peter_S https://groundviews.org/2007/02/12/colombo-under-siege/#comment-616 Tue, 13 Feb 2007 05:50:54 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/2007/02/12/colombo-under-siege/#comment-616 N,

Agree, from what I remember in those formative years. But “back in the day” you had an overtly militant JVP and a bloody insurrection to deal with too.

]]> By: N https://groundviews.org/2007/02/12/colombo-under-siege/#comment-615 Tue, 13 Feb 2007 05:30:25 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/2007/02/12/colombo-under-siege/#comment-615 where were you during the nineties? The atmosphere was pretty much the same…there was ‘normal’ civilian life for what 3-4 years…this is nothing new…though I must say this time around I found the army guys a lot more pleasant…and much less scary than back in the day…

]]> By: Sonique https://groundviews.org/2007/02/12/colombo-under-siege/#comment-614 Tue, 13 Feb 2007 05:04:01 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/2007/02/12/colombo-under-siege/#comment-614 Hi M,

National security is one thing, human security another. I’m surprised that your article weaves in national security without examining how it is perceived. For many in the South, national security is now a blanket phrase that as Malinda Seneviratne points to in today’s Daily Mirror, is very convenient for the Government to also cover up double digit inflation & the rising cost of living.

Also, there was a young group of activists last year that I heard about who went around Colombo (don’t know if they did this elsewhere as well) with leaflets of the rights of citizens at checkpoints, that were issued by the Government itself last year.

A related post on Ravana’s blog here – http://ravana.wordpress.com/2006/07/14/checkpoints-in-sri-lanka-know-your-rights/ – the original directives on the President’s website – http://www.presidentsl.org/data/html/news/200607/20060704news2.htm

]]> By: Che https://groundviews.org/2007/02/12/colombo-under-siege/#comment-613 Mon, 12 Feb 2007 18:16:50 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/2007/02/12/colombo-under-siege/#comment-613 And what about those who are NOT fluent Sinhala speakers, and who are NOT a ‘threat to national security’?

In a nutshell, isn’t this what Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict is all about?

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