There are reports successful business interests in the Tamil diaspora in the USA, Canada, Britain/the EU, Malaysia, Australia are lining up high investment sources in their countries to come here with export-oriented and infra-structure development projects and services. Even State-bodies in these countries are said to be gearing up for the same purpose. JVPs Somawansa Amarasinghe who concluded a visit to the EU recently delcared he has assurances the GSP+ in full will be restored soon if Sri Lanka can establish good governance and proper economic management. We seem to have yet another chance to make it, if we get our act together this time around. Let not that statement of that great Israeli Foreign Minister the late Abba Eban "the Arabs never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity" be applied to us in the coming months.

ISS

Fonseka has become a great Politician. At least he is a Fast Learner, you have to hand him that... Just like SERIAL LOSER RANIL, and TAMIL TERRORIST PRABHAKARAN and all the DONK,... eerr ooops I meant DEMAGOGUE Politicians of Tamil Nadu, the good General has learned that all you have to do is LIE to IGNORANT TAMIL MASSES to get their votes.

It works every time.

Tamils have been listening to their Leaders and Politicians deliver EMPTY PROMISES for Decades now and yet they do nothing... They don't learn. Even with Prabhakaran and the LTTE... these FOOLS stood by for 25 years and watched their own FREEDOM FIGHTER TERRORISTS lose and lose time and time again but never held them accountable nor stop believing the Steaming Piles of BS they were served on a daily basis.

Looks like the Good General has taken a page out of the play book of Tamil Nadu Politics.

"Tamil Politicians Talk like IDIOTS, because they are talking TO Idiots..."

There is nothing wrong in former Sri Lankans who are now Citizens of other Nations wanting to help Sri Lanka. Deep in the hearts of those born in Sri Lanka... the commitments lies ... "Once a Sri Lankan always a Sri Lankan". Most of them have moved out of the country, not for economic benefits, but only to educate their children and to provide a stable environment. Even those children who left Sri Lanka when they were just toddlers or under 10 years age, who are now highly educated want to contribute to the development of a country where citizens consider themselves as "Sri Lankans" and not as Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims or Burghers or Buddhist, Hindu, Christians or Govigama, Vellala or Karawa...
It’s time for the future Political Leaders ..... I say future .. it can even be President Rajapakse, to change.
Future Political leaders should consider the following:
1. Who ever wins the Presidential Election should form a National Government.
2. National Govt., should make constitutional amendments necessary to identify any Sri Lankan, irrespective of the Religion or Race or Party Affiliation to be identified only as “ Sri Lankan”. Any other identification should be a crime.
3. Amend the constitution that minimum qualification for any political candidate (even from village councils to Parliamentary candidates) to have minimum educational qualification which should a Degree from a recognized University.
4. Any person even with a civil conviction in the lowest court should not be able to contest as a political candidate at any level. As most of the Sri Lankans do not have even a civil conviction. Why shoud our political leaders be convicts?
5. All candidates at any level of Govt., should declare their assets each year. This would ensure that the general public know that their politicians are not up to mischief
6. The Chief Justice should be appointed by the Parliament and should be independent and responsible to the Parliament. There should be a Parliamentary committee that should have open publicly televised investigation before confirming this position.
7. Chief of Army, Air Force, Navy, Civil Defence, and Police should be appointed by the Parliament and be responsible to the Parliament. There should be a Parliamentary committee that should have open publicly televised investigation before confirming this position.
8. All the Chiefs in 7 above should be also monitored by an Independent body which should consist of common people who are elected by Municipalities.
9. A concept same as OCI ( Overseas Citizens of India) should be implemented by the Sri Lankan Govt., to give Sri Lankan origin people Overseas Citizens of Sri Lanka (OCS) cards, which would ensure Sri Lankans who have moved to other countries to come back to Sri Lanka, invest and work for the development of Sri Lanka.

I am glad to hear that SF is going to remove all barricade in Jaffna on peoples behalf.The writer has forgot the current situation in Jaffna and the LTTE free era.Dont try to point your finger at history when someone trying to do good for what ever reason.

The situation now is quite different so such promises are in order. The Rajapkse regime has chosen to restrict such development except under the close supervision of his sibling Basil. This is quite uncalled for and is not a progressive approach. The promise by the Genral to remove all such obstacles and hindrances is a step in the right direction.

I wonder whether he will retract these promises just like he disclaimed his interview with sunday leader.The issue is He only has military experience where orders are only carried out with no questions asked.he has fli flopped on many statements He made.Six months ago he only had praises for Gotabhaya now look at the 360 degree turn.this man is not fit to be the head of a state.

The General turned Santa Claus.
The biggest ? mark will be if the General wins, HOW LONG will he take to restore a Civil Administration. This is democracy and there are many with smacking lips to get a grab waiting like hyneas.

ISS.. Your Tamil Diaspora may be waiting with smacking lips to push the Western Agenda through Ranil in order to fulfill the Foreign Relations Committee report of John kerry AND to establish an indirect Eelaam with total Tamil Police Officers manning the Police in the North. " These are tongue in cheek thoughts"

Do not forget, Mangala to be the architect if the General wins & his obligations tilt towards the JVP who have filled their ranks with many trained deserters. Further, Mangala is the behind the scene Campaign manager with a foot to the JVP who is hiding his face.
Then, there is Karuna factor and his pro- Karuna Diaspora.

When did the EU ever recognise this joker Somawansa? EU only recognised Ranil their stooge & the Catholic Church and nobody else.
In case of an eventuality, do not attempt a N & E merger or exploit Trincomalee.
Also be mindful of the Central Govt of India. they do not want a strong hand for the Tamils in SL due to de-stabilisation of their South.

Any future Govt with the General wi9ll be JVP savy.
Its time the Diaspora and the West began infilterating into the JVP.

Dear Tamil friends,do not miss this opportunity. You all can still see how the Rajapakse regime is treating the internally displaced people. All the aid given by India,UK,USA,Australia have been squandered. No houses have been built for these people to go and settle down.It is only General Fonseka that will sincerely look after all the tamils and other minority communities and treat them as equals in Sri Lanka. So like the Arabs please do not miss this opportunity to drive corrupt band of politicians and complee the restoration of peace in Sri Lanka.VOTE FOR GENERAL SARATH FONSEKA FOR PEACE AND PROSPERITY IN THE NEW YEAR 2010 onwards.

Dear friends you are being duped big time by Fonseka and Somawansa.

Only person who will give the Tamils their demands is Ranil. He wasn't even there in the photo taken in Jaffna where Fopnsaka and Somawansa are attired in full Brahamin gear.For a moment I thought these two are" poosarees".

Somawansa is the one who pulled the plug on Ranil when he wrote one third of the country in Prabakaran's name as the Prime Minister.

Fonseka openly defied Ranil's orders to withdraw the forces from the few areas which were under the Government.

You think these two will give your demands if they come to power?

Dream on my friends.

Sarath or Ranil or their second rung leaders may adopt the following lines of attack in the latter stages of their campaign to woo both Sinhalese and Tamils.
1. They would publicly proclaim that Karuna would be charged in court for murdering the surrendered policemen in the East, if Sarath were be elected President. They may leave out Pillayan to keep the Tamils in the East with them to the possible extent. Charging Karuna would make Muslims and Sinhalese in the East to vote for Sarath almost enblock. They may draw parallel between Karuna's murdering of surrendered policemen and the murdering of LTTE top rung leaders with white flag. The first will go well with the Sinhalese and the Muslims and the second will go well with the Tamils.
2. UNP second rung leaders may openly adopt anti Indian stand on the advice of first rung leaders and this may pay divident from both Sinhalese and Tamils. Sinhalese have always been suspicious of India and that suspicion made them suspect Sri Lankan Tamils. Sri Lankan Tamils now hate India. They would say that India created the division between both Sinhalese and Sri Lankan Tamils. India has already instructed Thondaman to toe the line of Mahinda and therefore Sarath/Ranil would not spend/waste their time with him. They could say that Tamils were well treated in Sri Lanka than in India. They can cite two examples. One is that Tamil refugees in India are held in Camps for more than 20 to 30years and it is a real fact. The other one is that the elected Tamil Members of Parliament in India cannot speak in their own language, Tamil, in their Parliament whereas Tamil Members of Parliament in Sri Lanka always speak in Tamil in Sri lanka Parliament. They can cite one glaring example that the son of Tamil Naadu Chief Minister, he himself a Minister in the Indian Parliament does not go to Cabinet meetings as he was not allowed to speak in Tamil Language. They may point out the fact the Hindi speakers in India are about 50% only whereas the percentage of Sinhalese is more than 75%. Comparision is quite obvious and it would expose Indian's crocodile tears.
3.JVP will be happy with this line and may whole heartedly support UNP/Ranil/Sarath.
4.They may point out that their election would ensure GSP Plus concession from European community as our garments go there not to India or other Mahinda's friendly countries. This will go well with quite a lot of struggling garment workers.
5. Ranil/Sarath may propose to speak to Tamils direct without intermediaries.
This is what I gather from my friends back home.
Easwaran

Kukul-kakul Charlie:

Not only they will pay Poosaris but will even be ready to play Lebbe and then even Archbishops to get a few more votes (Remember Clint Eastwood "For a few dollars more?") I don't know if they had gone through the Kattatidiya and Anjanam Eliya phase - all sure winners for suckers in the larger voting bank. Our boys have far more imagination than that Billy Shakes from Stratford on the Avon river who wrote that great piece "The 7 ages of Man." By the way, even if you, dear KKC, enter Nallur Kandasamy Temple entry is subject to bare-bodied males only. Let no guy with imagination in the South try to break this rule playing about with the 17th amendment -if it every sees the day.

ISS

How can the Srilankan Tamils ask for equal rights when the same people deny equal rights to their own Mothers and Sisters and Wives??

Thanks ISS for enlightening me on another facet of our Nation.

I will definitely visit Jaffna in the near future and I will add this place to my itinerary although I am a bit reluctant to expose my beer belly in the public.

The news is out - the TNA is going to support Fonseka. It's interesting to see Tamils falling head over heals over a Sinhalese War Hero. Yesterday they wanted him tried for war crimes, today they want him as president. Once again, the Sinhalese have outsmarted the Tamils even though the Tamils derive much joy in calling the Sinhalese modayas.

Kukul Charlie:

You and any Sinhala cousins are always welcome in Jaffna. Many have joined me in recent times. More so now - that fascism is not in the fore. Don't worry too much about the Raa-bada. Our guys will match yours anytime...Your comments about our womenfolk is puzzling. Did you read some Taliban stuff at the sametime and are confused? Our women are equal and free as ever. Look at the MPs, the Mayor, GAs. Brother, there's more to come.

Take care and keep writing. Pluralism is the answer to many of our ills.

ISS

Aiyo Ilaya Seran!

As a wise mature man do not jump into conclusions that SF diliver your dream of quasi ealam.JVP is behind SF.Those who support SF will turn against him the moment he trries to change the constitution.TNA support who still stand for Ealam will raise serious doubts among sinhalese.

Also do not expect SF will give a solution based on Thimpu principles.

"Nallur Kandasamy Temple entry is subject to bare-bodied males only."

These are your words ISS.This is the confusion.

I know there are many Tamil women in good positions and I am proud of that as a Srilankan. Srilanka gave women equal rights long before anyone else including the ones who try to preach to us.

I think Sinhala women got more than equal rights and I have a few friends who are shit scared of their wives.

The Mayor you are referring to is ace.Don't you think Raja Bada deserves some credit there?.Anyway she is one of the few, who did not fall for the spin of Fonnie and Ronnie.

My rating in the stupidity stakes is Taliban.Pro Tigers and the Sinhalese who travel behind Fonnie, Ronnie & Shortie in that order.