Comments on: The pathetic capitulation of the organised Left in Sri Lanka (Updated with statement from Leftist leaders)

By: Groundviews

Groundviews — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 01:15:34 +0000

“The timeline… reflects both the genesis of the heinous 18th Amendment and also the occasions mainstream press reported that the President attended / “visited” Parliament.

It was no easy task to compile this. Only a handful ordinary citizens would have the expertise to search for this information online, or elsewhere. There is no easy record retrieval of the President’s attendance in Parliament on its official website. But what is immediately obvious when the scattered media reports are taken as a whole is that the 18th Amendment has in no way at all contributed to a more accountable Executive. ”

Excerpt from ‘Months after the 18th Amendment: Is the Executive really more accountable to Parliament?’, http://groundviews.org/2011/06/11/months-after-the-18th-amendment-is-the-executive-really-more-accountable-to-parliament/

By: Groundviews

Groundviews — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 02:07:25 +0000

LSSP statement on the 18th Amendment to the Constitution by Tissa Vitarana – http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2010/09/priority-to-win-economic-war-to.html

By: Groundviews

Groundviews — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 02:18:11 +0000

“And what about my good friend Honourable Vasudeva Nanayakkara? For a brief moment we deluded ourselves into thinking that perhaps the leftists had some conscience left in them. But, alas, they too have gone the way of their departed leader Dr Colvin R de Silva, who having prophesied in 1956 that a single language policy will lead to separatism in this country, was the very person who drafted the 1972 Constitution that gave to Sinhala the status as the only official language for the first time in the Constitution, and as if that was not enough, gave to Buddhism the foremost place to the exception of all other religions. It is perverse to say that we are opposed to this in principle but will vote for it! Principles don’t matter to many people in this country any more. If not will we see this sad spectacle of so many back-stabbings and defections from the UNP? Surely the consideration for this mass movement cannot be principles.”

From address by Tamil National Alliance Parliamentarian M. A. Sumanthiran on September 8th 2010 during Parliamentary debate on the 18th amendment to the Constitution, http://transcurrents.com/tc/2010/09/18th_constitutional_amendmenth.html

By: Thileepan

Thileepan — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:33:24 +0000

“They know very well what they are doing. But, they are still doing it”. This is the dominant ideology in the neo-liberal capitalism, according to Slavoj Zizek. The “Old Leftist leaders” in Sri Lanka are now saying that they are against the content of the 18th amendment but they are still supporting it!! They have already left the Left my friends!!!

By: Lalith

Lalith — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 05:16:59 +0000

Why we continue to call the “Left “parties? It seems that they have left the “Left” parties long ago. As I always called them, they are “Radical SLFPers”. Better that they go and be with the SLFP. They can then â€˜do’ some work â€˜for the people’, as they usually say. It is good for them also, as they have no extra tensions or extra explanations or discussions on these kinds of matters.

So, to be clear, at least in the future, do not call them â€˜Left’ parties. They are something else, which only they understand, but nobody else.

Lalith Abeysinghe

By: Gummla

Gummla — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 04:22:15 +0000

Hello Groundviews,
Congratulations on your posting “The pathetic capitulation of the organised Left in Sri Lanka”, though I would qualify it by saying that it should have been ‘some of the organised left in Sri Lanka’ . As a keen follower of the political and social events of Sri Lanka, I have a mild grouse against Groundviews in omitting the name of Siritunga Jayasuriya of United Socialist Party who is consistently unequivocal in his views on the National Question and on the issue of the abolition of the Presidency in Sri Lanka.
I hope I am not intruding into your private realm of left politics in Sri Lanka.
I think the genuine left and democratic forces in Sri Lanka will rally round unitedly for a long drawn battle to restore genuine democracy and participatory justice to all the nationalities of the Island country.
Wishing you all -With Solidarity & fraternal greetings,
Gummla
New Socialist Alternative
[email protected]

By: Sonal

Sonal — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 01:22:47 +0000

Well done Left! I hope more political groups support the 18th amendment. I’m confident it will see the light of day.

By: Travelling Academic

Travelling Academic — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 17:48:29 +0000

The last time I had a chance to vote in Sri Lanka was the 1982 Presidential elections. If I remember right, VN contesting against JRJ scored his highest, about 2000, in the Jaffna district. He spoke rather sensible things in SL politics. I guess my 1999 fellow Jaffnese will also hang their heads in shame like I am doing right now. Pathetic indeed!