Buddhist priests converted Asoka to spread the Buddhist philosophy. Arahat Mahinda converted Thevanampiya Tissa to convert the people in Sri Lanka to follow Buddhism. Early Chiristians converted Constantine to spread the faith among the people. If the leading Buddhist priests can be converted to ideas of HR, Federal or confederal solution to the problem, the Sinhala Buddhist people and their leaders will, I think, change. But who is to bell the cat?

Another timely article on the signs of times that sri lankans currently live in. It is indeed good to see your attempts to hold the government and the democratic institutions of the land to a higher standard, a necessity in these troubled times. Something which seems to evade many of the blogpheres commentariat. Having said that, a sharper analysis and harsher words towards our shared nemesis in the north should also be written if we are to understand it’s caustic affects on the timbre of democracy.

As I have mentioned to you in the past, I still feel that the need to translate your articles into singhala and tamil are a necessity. Particularly if one is aiming to spread these memes amongst those whose reasoning and decision making occurs in the languages closer to their hearts.

I too was flabbergasted by that rather baffling interview on Al Jazira and am glad that someone has taken him to task on the shameful display.

On another note, in your articles/essays there are many references to democracy but at the end of each reading I do not get the sense that it refers to liberal democracy. Even in this article it talks of democracy and illiberal democracy but not LD. Is liberal democracy implicit in your use of the term democracy? I only ask because, as you would know, there is a significant difference between “liberal democracy” (irrespective of how implemented by each nation) and other forms of democracy (imagined or practiced).

Thanks for putting a word in for us expats 🙂

I must admit though as an expatriate Sri Lankan, I try to be more sensitive to the opinions and situations of those who actually live in the country and have the courage to speak out about what is happening in the country. I hope other expats will do the same. Some of us in fact have been in situations that have provided us with no choice but to leave, making us even more aware of the problems that are faced by those living there.

With regard to being sensitive I was concerned my previous heartfelt piece of advice might be too inflammatory. Fortunately this is moderated, so I let it through hoping it would be removed if considered to be so.

ps: hope your outspokenness wont get you abducted or bumped off (or both)… by people who want to bring disrepute to Mahinda and his government! Ha! ha! haaa!