What a terribly stupid man Rajapaksa is--as are all cultural chauvinists. He says the war was won by the commitment of the Sri Lankan army. Yet, when asked what was the Tigers' biggest mistake, he says assassinating Rajiv Gandhi! Isn't he implying here that support from India was crucial to Sri Lanka's winning the war against LTTE? Mr. Rajapaksa, if you must tell lies, at least try to exercise your brain to tell some convincing lies.

It is easy to make hindsight comments, yet my view is Prabaharan's biggest mistake was his inability to compromise at the Oslo talks, by understanding global scenario that the Bush Administration's war on terror ( all lumped together ) is on, which was fully supported by China too in addition to the US allys.

How can a president of SL at this point in time,catogorically say to Gupta of NDTV, Prabaharan wanted the whole country ? Has Prabaharan mentioned that in any of his annual speeches ? Or is it on record on any of their published materials or web sites ? On contrary to these, his brother and Sarath Fonseka and others are on record claiming that whole of Srilanka belongs to the Sinhalese Buddhist and the minorities should not ask too much or something to that effect.

It is on record on Phil Rees video that when JR invited the IPKF, Mahinda together with JVP were worried that the 100 thousand IPKF will march south and occupy the whole of South too.

Former Australian deputy highcommisioner to Srilanka is on record that the US and the West helped Mahinda to reorganise their army, gave training and materials to wage the war against LTTE. GOSL got help from West, East and India and former LTTE cadres ( because of UNP's Ranil ) is a fact. Sadly the Tamil suffering continues without any meaningful solution in sight.

How ever did this man manage to become the president of this country? The interviewer has to both ask the questions and them answer them as well! I found it painfull watching him fumbling around for the simplest of words.

And what incisive analysis by HE! -- Sri Lanka was two states 18 months ago. The LTTE held the North and East. But due to the commitment of the forces Madu was taken after 8 months of fighting. It was a cake walk after that. Prabakaran's mistake was to underestimate the power of the South! And killing RG backfired on him. ...!!

I think the interviewer's remark that hubris was the downfall of Prabakaran was an oblique reference to Rajapakse's own hubris. Just look at the man. 300,000 of his countrymen are in refugee camps. Countless thousands dead. But he grins from ear to ear with his chin held high, basking in the glory of victory. Not a single word on reconciliation or sympathy for the thousands refugees and bereaved on either side.

And thats not to even talk about the simplistic and inaccurate answers he gives to the largely deferential questions.

...And this just the opinion of a Sinhalese!

On prompting for the Federal solution to the country as opposed to Unitary State, The President would appear to conceding something like that at last. He has said he is for equality. His analysis of Mr Prabaharan wanting the control of the whole country is entirely false and as what was expected was a two-nation one island with international order of the day for such difficult countires like Sri Lanka where One Nationalism (Sinhala) failed for decades to accommodate the SubNationalism (Thamil Eelam)by a democratic processes like a referendum comparable to the Vaddukotail Declaration of 1977. New elections promised Jaffna and Vavunia gives a fresh chance for new leadership in the Northern Province subject to closure of all camps and general amnesty for LTTE fighters who will return to democratic process after silencing their guns.
Chandran Chandrasingham

I thought M-R was a knowledgeable person.It seems Karuna knows much better than M-R.

Whole country eh???? Man this guys drunk or dont have any common sence. There is a song in Tamil Paramasivan Kaluththi eruntu Pampu Keddathu Karada Soukiyama???? I guess like that this is his time eh?????

So who wanted control of the whole island?

And who is now boasting that he has control of the whole island?

And I guess the mention of Rajiv Gandhi as Prabaharan's biggest mistake is a kind of Freudian slip that acknowledges the massive role India played.

Somehow I don't think the Indians wanted that broadcast so publicly!

India/Congress/RAW thought Mahinda Rajapakse could be controlled by them post-LTTE - and you can see from the interview why it was so easy to believe so!

But now India has been 'check-mated' by China.

The President does tremendous harm to himself when he dares the global media in 1-to-1 interviews trying to speak in his own level of English. Several readers in this blog express surprise about the man’s fumbling, inability to express himself and lack of the subject at hand. If he would speak in Sinhalese and gets this translated, he will do himself and the country a world of good. Many Asian leaders do this (China, Japan, Korea) with great finesse and acceptance. After all, he went in a Palayakat sarong and short-sleeved shirt to Tony Blair’s “Chequers” like he was coming after a “Well-bath” He succeeded in fooling only the gullible Sinhala masses on that occasion. The President of Sudan Al-Bashir, who can speak reasonable English, granted his interview of Zenab Abadawi of the BBC in Arabic. Angela Merkel of Germany, who too is good in English, usually speaks to the world press in German to be sure she gets the nuances right. Often Benjamin Netanyahu, brilliant in English, speaks to the global media in Hebrew. I am sure the President would have cut a good picture with Shekar Gupta of the NDTV that has a large following in India keen on the Lankan issue, if he spoke in Sinhala. Now the whole of India is once more reminded of the man’s lack of a decent education. This is nothing new because India – and much of the world - is aware the level of English and IQ of all four Rajapakse brothers can be written behind a “five cents postage stamp” – to borrow a phrase from Will Rogers. What more, although we have flawless English speakers like Prof GL Peiris, Dr. Sarath Amunugama, Mahinda Samarasinghe, Prof Tissa Vitharna those chosen to speak to the local and foreign media are virtual beginners in English – men perhaps from the Sakvithi School of English. That man chosen for the very purpose, inter alia, Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama lets the entire country down when he comes before the World media. When Stephen Sachur interviewed him about an year ago Bogollagama tried to defend the Govt by stating “the LTTE are CAPTIVATING and SUBJUGATING” the Lankan Tamils of the North East (I was at Dinner with some friends in Bangalore and grateful to the man for brightening up the evening with his Singlish). What he wanted to convey was that the LTTE is holding the Tamils as captives and helpless subjects. And that is an English-educated front man in this Govt? The President would do better taking advantage of the proximity of his advisor the quiet, Oxford-educated Sunil Fernando, who is well versed in the art of rapid learning of English. I hope my comments may be received in perspective for I speak in defence of the declining few in the country who speak in competent English – credit for which must go to those “education experts” of the post-1956 period who tried to radically change
our level of English education that remained one of the highest in the region before.

Ilaya Seran Senguttuvan

we don't understand what the sri lankan president speek, only moda minisudda vitharai therunawa. Prabhakaran never ask the whole lanka. I don't know whether he can understand singhala. Anduve inna serama minusu ooowage poraval,mangithenne!

harima thuppathminiya jarawa miniya

podi seeya