48 southern guy:
“I have been employed in many diplomatic environements”

What on earth are you trying to say?
I sincerely hope you were not employed in a diplomatic mission- if that be the case, I would assume you got it through a political connection, given your ability – rather the lack of it – to use the language properly. Out of the many reasons that I admire Mr Kadiragama, he tried to make the diplomatic missions more professional. I doubt you would have made the cut. Sad.

As a Sinhala I am generally a fan of your writing on the LTTE and Tamil dynamics. Along with the UTHR, your writings are far more credible than what I come across in the Sinhala and pro-LTTE media. Having said that, you don’t appear to have a strong grasp on Sinhala political dynamics and mentality (although you know more on that topic than what most Sinhalese know about Tamil issues).

Contrary to what you claim, the greatest hatred for Ranil comes not from the SLFP leadership but from ordinary Sinhalese who believe in a viable two-party/coalition system and especially in a credible opposition. Many of us are fed up with Rajapaksa nepotism and corruption. The country is going bankrupt. Yet with all that, we have no alternative because we could never stomach such an ineffective leader like Ranil. We know that Ranil lacks the ability to bring us out of this current mess, and therefore he is simply not worth supporting.

Things might have been different if Maj. Gen. Janaka Perera had ascended to the UNP leadership. Janaka had probably a better military record than Lt. Gen. Fonseka, but much unlike Fonseka he had a greater appreciation for the political nuances of this conflict and specifically the Tamils’ fears/concerns. Janaka’s greatest quality in our view was that the LTTE despised him. We would not fear Janaka selling out the country in coming to power. He represented a true opposition.

Perhaps that is why both Ranil and the Rajapaksas were immensely threatened by Janaka and most likely celebrated his death by LTTE suicide bomber.

The hardcore Rajapaksa supporters have absolutely no fear of Ranil. In public they heap scorn on Ranil primarily to demoralize the already-demoralized UNP and to appeal to our disdain of Ranil. In private the Rajapaksa supporters will tell you that they will never lose an election as long as Ranil leads the UNP. They don’t want anyone else in charge of the opposition.

You talk about the UNP’s discipline problems without acknowledging that no party can have internal discipline without internal democracy. Ranil, much like N. Korean leader Kim Jong Il is the “Supreme Leader” and by UNP constitution can never be removed. I have never heard of any other party like the UNP which had gone through such a losing streak and still retained the same leadership. Have you???

Finally, as a number of others here have pointed out, Ranil played an active role in the 1983 violence against the Tamils. Do you need a reminder of how badly the Tamils had been hit in Kelaniya???? It is a travesty that those Tamils who follow Ranil around like lackeys, namely Mano Ganesan, have “forgiven and forgotten” the UNP/Wijewardene clan’s disgusting racist history. What kind of message do you think these lackeys are giving to us Sinhalese???

Happy reading!

He would have become President had Prabakharian not blocked voting in LTTE held territories, but the main reason for that was that many did not trust Rajapakse, not that they were enamored of Ranil.

He has been responsible for the further descent into gangsterism of the UNP (admittedly a long process started by Jayawardene in 1956) by insisting that UNP candidates pay for their own campaigns.

As an orator lacklustre doesn’t come near to describing him. A friend of mine complained about how bad a speaker he was in Sinhala; “you want to hear him in English” I replied. “So all he can speak is Burgher” was the astonished reply, but the problem is not what languages he speaks, it is the total lack of passion or convincingness when he does.

In 2005 he was looked on as an alternative. This is no longer true; he is looked on now as a joke. And the party may yet go with him. Karu and crew blew it when they did their little cross-bench shuffle. It not only weakened their power base in the LTTE , it destroyed their credibility with the electorate. Sajith has the advantage of name recognition and the fact that nobody really knows what his policies are, if any, but the most important quality of any leader of the UNP now is that he is not Ranil.

There is still much opposition to the present government, and there will be more so with the coming economic downturn/collapse, but there is no political party to channel it. All, except the SLFP, have committed hari-kiri in full public view.

DBSJ RESPONDS:

Your haste to accuse me and hatred towards UNP is quite visible. But you shouldn?t comment like an ignoramus.

First my grandfather a personal friend of Sir John Kotelawela died in 1938. The UNP was formed 8 years later.

Second My father was a supporter of the LSSP from his teens till it joined up with Mrs. B in 1964. His affinity towards UNP stalwarts in Kurunegala was on a personal level. The only time he identified with the UNP was in 1988 and 1989 when the JVP threat was high and the UNP needed people with guts to be polling and counting agents.He was never even a member of the UNP let alone a stalwart as you put it.

Therefore I have no need to praise the UNP on account of a grandfather I never saw and my non – UNP father. In my 32 years of journalism how many times do you think I would have criticised the UNP? Then what are you blabbering about you numbskull? It was the UNP regime which arrested me in 1987 you blooming idiot!

About independence and all that.

Go read history!

Yes we got independence because Britain quit India and there was no reason to hang on to Ceylon. But The leaders who negotiated with British seeking gradual self – rule were the ones who formed the UNP. In 1947 we got only dominion status and UNP was elected to power. Then The left criticised the UNP saying this was not full independence. But in February 1948 we had full independence and it was the UNP that obtained it.

Moreover what I wrote was that the founding fathers of the UNP had a united and national vision for the country and urged the present UNP to recapture it. I said the UNP ushered in freedom from colonial bondage. Did I say it WON independence from British through a freedom struggle?

Fellows like you dont understand even basic English but rush like fools to criticise and condemn rashly. You are a damn fool. This is harsh and rude but I am not sorry to reiterate that you are a damn,damn fool”

– I apologize if I touched a nerve by making incorrect assumptions on your ancestry. However, I note you do admit to associations your father and grandfather had with UNP including Sir John. I admit I did not know that the UNP jailed you. No need to insult me as no insult was intended from my part. I apologize for my wrong assumptions.

For your information, I do hate the UNP. I hate them because they are part of the duopoly of sinhalese majority parties who have perpetrated ethnic violence onto us Tamils and who mastered the art of using the majority’s ethnic and religious aspirations as political tools to acquire power.

You seem to think that a Ranil, just because he singed the CFA [whilst at the same time dismantling LTTE by entreaties towards that turncoat Karuna], really wants the Tamils in Sri lanka to prosper. You also conveniently forget that it is under Jayewardene’s UNP that the 1983 riots took place. Do I need to quote racist statements made by UNP politicians such as JRJ, dissanayake and athulathmudali? Do not forget that Ranil is related [nephew] to JRJ. O.K., one should not prejudice that kin will act as like but it is emotionally difficult to think this is not the case.

Us gullible Tamils have foolishly thouth in each election, that the opposition will do right by us. We have a 100% track record of being wrong on that. Even now, there are UNP politicians egging on the armed forces.

If a strong Sri lankan president solves the ethnic problem politically, then we all will be happy.

I ask you, is it your sincere belief that such an animal exists?

DBSJ RESPONDS: You are simply making incorrect assumptions. Please dont waste my time and your time