Comments on: Credibility of Batticaloa Local Authority Polls Amidst Culture of Fear

By: Jack Ranasinghe

Jack Ranasinghe — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:32:59 +0000

DBS – Perhaps its time your readers learn something about PLOTE. The PLOTE of the 80s is well known but the current mob are a different bunch and whilst Douglas, Karuna and Pillaiyan have earned more than their share of column inches, the PLOTE involvement in the war is understated.

By: JPDP

JPDP — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:16:03 +0000

Let us say SL was divided and two countries are created.
Would everything be peaceful after that ? Would the killings stop ? Possibly a UN Peace Keeping force will be guarding the so called border areas and no mans lands. Intermittent clashes,,, sometimes UN forces will be accused of various cultural insensitive activates from both the new countries,,, sometimes people will agitate too,,,,, and when Ealam does something to upset the rest of the Sri Lanka, maybe the GOSL will close a slice gate stopping water flowing to some of the cultivation areas in Ealam,,,, (Mavil Aru flavour)…. Complaints to UN,,,, whatever remaining minorities ie Singhlaese in Ealam and Tamils in the rest of the Sri Lanka will be at the receiving end,,,,,, so the cycle will continue,,,,, !!!
Do we want a separate country ? Do we need a totally united country ? do we want to put and end to the killings ? What good is it if you have a separate country but your own in Ealam or in rest of the SL is dying because of various confrontations or are at the receiving end ? What good is it if you have a United SL but your people are dying in the war ? Everyday of continuation of these killings takes us away from what we want to treasure our culture and people. Instead we are increasingly shunning each of our cultures and embracing a gun culture a culture of terror.
We need to think fresh. Look at the current situation not at the history, Tamils and Singhalese can look at the history and be proud of it but should not make that a tombstone tied to our necks.
And do not be too harsh on Mahavamsa it is not 100% accurate and also it is not 100% wrong. If we think Mahawamsa is all fiction, then you need to be fairly harsh on lot of chronicles from the past including some of the religious text. And in Mahavamsa, it also states
“In the city he caused the drum to be beaten, and when he had summoned the people from a yojana around he celebrated the funeral rites for king Elara. On the spot where his body had fallen he burned it with the catafalque, and there did he build a monument and ordain worship. And even to this day the princes of Lanka, when they draw near to this place, are wont to silence their music because of this worship.”
Here �he� means Dutugamunu. This extract from Mahavamsa, shows that DutuGamunu honored King Elara as fellow warrior and most probably it was just a battle for him which he fought and won to capture the areas which were under Elara but respected Elara for what he was. He did not win the war and disrespect King Elara.

By: Gayan

Gayan — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:03:42 +0000

P.S

Remember JVP in 1971 and 1989 uprising ? remember the bloodshed? over 60000 southern youth slaughted and JVP down for the count.

Where is JVP now? they are the most powerful southen political party interms of its ability to dictate the path of the country headed good or bad .

Thats the power of the ballot .Others should take a que.Terrorism is not going to solve anyone’s problems

By: Gayan

Gayan — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 07:46:19 +0000

Democracy is often painful and slow. Specially when 25 years of bloodshed not achived anything otherthan for VP’s familiy to enjoy peaceful life in UK while the comman tamil suffer in SL .

By: Deshamanya

Deshamanya — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:37:14 +0000

I meant ” 99% Sinhalese army in Tamil majority traditional areas”…are the because cause of friction because of the deep ethinic polarization between the 2 communities from the time of Elaran & Dutugenu…

By: Deshamanya

Deshamanya — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:27:58 +0000

Seelan,
Who decides that Srilanka should not be demarcated upon race like the rest of the countries in the world ?.. Mexico -USA, Pakistan- India, Italy-france (even though most of them a common religion or language. The tamils and the sinhalese have a very different language and religion and culture.. The 99% in sinhalese in tamil areas or serial state sponsored ethnic riots since the British left are more than ample reasons to separate.. Also how can you a sinhaese (southern majority) rule a another majority in the northeast – the tamils ??
Srilanka never excisted 50 years ago and it was formed on pure Mhavamsa hate filled myths against the tamils…

By: Seelan

Seelan — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:17:21 +0000

Deshmana,

The purpose of demarcating geographic localities should be for devolution of powers to the people living in those localities to manage their activities. It should not be done on racial lines.

The demand for race based demarcation is the source of continued conflict.

Whole of Sri Lanka belongs to all people who consider them as Sri Lankan.

By: Thangesh

Thangesh — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:57:34 +0000

Thousands of easterners shed blood looking for a’ morning star’. TVMP is trying to satisfy them with a ‘minminippoochy’. People of Baticalo never gonna accept it.

By: Subra S.Massey

Subra S.Massey — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:52:55 +0000

Ladies and gentleman,

We have tried vainly with the sucessive governments from 1958 till even last week in March 2008. They are not interested in talking peace.Why are you people wasting you time? Finally we have decided that building a strong Tamil economy is the key to getting what we need and deserve. Please go, make money invest and become finacially powerful.

By: surya

surya — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 20:55:56 +0000

Just curious! If India merged North-East can be de-merged into North and East, why the British merged Eelam & Lanka cannot be de-merged into Elam and Lanka? May be need to be file a case in UN Supreme Court? Will UN SC be quick & fair as Sri Lankan SC?