Sri Lanka's presidential election

Between a rock and a hard man

Both candidates are ignoring what should be their priority: national reconciliation

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Readers' comments


De Silva

I wonder how the comments would have come if this same article was published in any of the Sri Lankan news papers? Most of you who have reda this are mainly tamil's who are living abroad and must have been funding for the LTTE at some stage in some way.. and the dissapointment is shown out in most of the comments...

On the other hand, this country has a rich heritage of over 2,550 years of written history and alos holds many world heritage cities in the Island.

Any Government who come to power had to cater for the majority of the country! You may ask why? Ask yourselves first "Will USA/UK cater for Muslim Domands? Will Pakistan/Afghanistan/Iraq cater for Christian/Hindu demands?" The answer is a simple "NO or very minor attention".. Therefore, in a country which has more than 80% Singhalese population could only expect to pay more attention for them and remember, they have 2 minors.. namely Tamils and Muslims... so they will be treated in the same manner but Muslims may get some priority as Muslims never demanded for a seperate land withing Sri lanka and came to fight against the Singhalese...They know very well how to mix with the majority and still enjoy the same benefits and run businesses in SL very effectively... So let's think simple...Its all in HUMAN Blood.. whether u r white/black/red headed, you will have your own will and for the majority of Sri Lanka, all what matters is a peaceful country to live and live without any complaints from anyone for seperate lands/asking more freedom etc etc..

Konnapu Bandara

Patriots, we did this while we were fighting a major war against terrorism. Now imagine what we can do with the next term of President Rajapaksa. Do not be led to your doom by that false prophet, Candidate Fonseka.


Sri Lanka has received a major recognition as a middle income country. The International Monetary Fund upgraded Sri Lanka into its Middle Income Emerging Markets in its latest listing on January 11.

Sri Lanka will now be recognised as a country with a ‘Middle Income Emerging Market’ status with The IMF graduating Sri Lanka from the list of Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust eligible countries on. The Central Bank in a news release today said this upgrade would facilitate Sri Lanka to project itself strongly in international financial and capital markets.

Such a graduation is accorded only if it has enjoyed income per capita well above the International Development Association (IDA) threshold for a number of years and has the capacity for durable and substantial access to international financial markets. Another factor is it does not face serious short-term vulnerabilities.

According to the Central Bank, the IMF Executive Board has taken into account several specific factors in considering of Sri Lanka’s graduation. These include the strong economic performance in recent years that has substantially lifted Sri Lanka’s per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to US dollars 2,014 by 2008, the availability of an IMF Stand-by Arrangement facility as approved in July 2009 to cushion the impact of the global crisis and the country’s public external debt being projected to decline gradually over the medium term.

Konnapu Bandara

Sinna Siththar, my good chap, I am sorry to hear that you are ashamed of your birth country. What a self-inflicted tragedy for one to put with day in and out. Twenty two million Sri Lankans (sans few misfits and degenerates) are really proud of their heritage and what they have contributed to the overall human civilization over several millenniums. We Sri Lankans do not care whether the bloodlines of our kings were Sinhalese or Tamil as long as they considered themselves Lankans foremost and worked for the betterment of the people. They did not spend people's wealth on monuments to glorify themselves like the Pharaohs of Egypt did, but spent enormous resources on building irrigation works that benefited the common man, the farmer and the villager. Yes, there were centainly kings who misbehaved, as in any country and civilization, but they overall left a legacy of public works and good governance that resonates to the present day. In our long history of 2500+ years, the insignificant period that Europens dominated our affairs is fading away rapidly. In fact that period is nothing but a footnote in our long illustrious history. I beleive the root cause of your self inflicted self-loathing is that you have let yourself get trapped in that alien philosophy. Take it from me, old boy, you can immerse yourself in another culture and a language without letting it consume your soul.


Sinna Siththar

Konnapu Bandara

My dear old chap, now we are talking.

If what you said was true then where did the Sri Lankan go wrong? I hope you wouldn’t point your finger at Prabaharan as the cause of all the destructions in Sri lanka, including the destruction wrought on by the JVP terrorists.

Premadasa did annihilate the JVP terrorists but I am not so sure whether he was given the same accolade as King Raja (Bakse) is given. Why was Premadasa treated differently than the Raja? Was it because of Caste difference or the Race difference?

When the island was excelling in hydraulic civilisation it was not one country called Sri Lanka but ruled by various kings and chieftains.

Whoever built the hydraulic civilisation it did not start with King Vasabha (AD 67-111). According to recent archaeological evidence hydraulic civilisation existed prior to the advent of Vijaya some 3,500 years ago. I am not so certain whether you are conditioned to believe in one sided history or the whole shared history of the island. Whichever way you chose to learn your history you are free to make up your own mind.

Most of the engineers and skilled workers were brought from either Pandyan Kingdom or Central part of Barrath. Remember when Pandyan sent his daughter to Sri Lanka to get married to Vijaya, the princess was accompanied by 1,000 men and women including several artisans. The hydraulic civilisation in the island did not progress in isolation. It was part of regional development in South Asia.

Have you also considered the amount of unreasonable taxes levied from the poor peasants under duress in order to build these huge projects?

All these heritages are fantastic until you consider the human cost. How many workers did lose their life in the past for you to glorify as if the achievements were yours. Remember, there were no health and safety regulations in operation when these projects were being built. Therefore, glorifying romantic past would be a disservice to the people who scarified their life to the whim of the ruler.

By the way in what language did Kings Vasabha, Mahasens or Dhatusena spoke? Was it Sinhala, Tamil, Pali, Sanskrit, Bengali, Munda, Mundaree or something else?

I am still a layman who is willing to learn from history as you have done so in your life time. Does the illustrious history of the island include the father killing the son for the throne, or the son killing the father? Does it also include a Bikku killing the Prime minister, or the burning down of one of south Asia’s finest librarys by hoodlums supported by the state armed forces?

The upcountry Tamils who built roads, railways and the islands economy for more than 100 years in Sri Lanka were made stateless and non persons over night. Was this part of your heritage? An estimated 130,000 Sinhala youth were either killed or made to disappear in a short period of time. Was this part of your illustrious history, surely not mine?

For you Sri Lanka may have an illustrious past, for most of us irrespective of our race or religion the island is shame and why should the Sinhala and Tamil Speaking people vote in a sham election? What is in it for us? Surely, it is going to be more of the same.

Mahinda Rajapaksa gave money to LTTE - Tiran

Please read the news item above which would help you to enrich your knowledge of Sri Lanka’s illustrious history on liquid asset persuasion.

My dear old chap; if you had not been swayed in any way by this false prophet, Candidate Fonseka, please remember Raja is ready and willing to persuade you with liquid assets as he had already done so successfully and killed off eventually, his benefactor the LTTE.

Long live Liquid asset civilisation in Sri Lanka.

Konnapu Bandara

Sinna Siththar wrote:
"I am a layman who does not understand all these jargons. Could you kindly explain to me as to why the country has had an illustrious history? If anything the country has had repugnant history to put it mildly."

Sinna Siththar, my dear fellow, are you really serious in saying the above? Any person with an elementary knowledge of world history knows that ancient Sri Lankan civilization produced superb works of art, literature, prodigious amounts of beautiful architecture, and a fantastic irrigation network to name a few.

If you want a bit of expounding on the fantastic irrigation system built by ancient Sri Lankans, here are the true facts. Prior to the reign of King Vasabha (AD 67-111) there were numerous small scale irrigation schemes built by prior kings. However the reign of Vasabha was a period of prolific activity and he constructed twelve major reservoirs and canals in the Anuradhapura area. The construction of tanks, canals and channels which this involved exhibited an amazing knowledge trigonometry and the design of the tanks a thorough grasp of hydraulic principles. Sri Lankans were the first inventors of the valve pit (Bisokotuwa) counterpart of the sluice which regulates the flow of water from a modern reservoiror tank. Without the technical breakthrough which the bisokotuwa signified, irrigation works on the scale required to sustain the civilization of ancient Sri Lanka - the construction of artificial lakes of outsize dimensions like Minneriya tank by King Mahasens (AD 274-301) and Kalavana by King Dhatusena (AD 455-73) where vast expanses of water were held by massive dams - would have been all but impossible. Now Mr. Siththar, if I were to get started on irrigation works of the Polonnaruva period, it would take several posts here, just to summarize the outline of the massively complex system.



Sri Lanka ex-president delivers poll blow to Rajapaksa:

It seems that the game is up for the Rajapaksa brothers – unless of course they borrow a leaf from Hamid Karzai on how to win the election!

The fact that voters have to choose between two candidates who are both Sinhalese nationalists (and who openly accuse each other of war crimes) show clearly the mentality of majority of the voters. Moderate Sinhalese politicians have no chance of winning the presidential election.

Sinhala nationalism has long been an obstacle to the resolution of Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict.

In the end, people get the leaders they deserve!


Sinna Sithater

There is no doubt it, Sarath will be equally bad as Rajabaksa or even worse than him. He sounds very much dishonest he back tracked on many issues, and when ever Tamil people’s issues questioned, he is getting very much agitated.

But what can we do the election is imposed on us prematurely, unfortunately we have to make our choices between the given “devils”, It is gamble we have to take.

Let’s hope and pray the IC understands the plight of the Tamils at least this time and Persuade/mediate with the new regime for the Tamil peoples deserved rights,existence and justice in their homeland peacefully.

Sinna Siththar


Why would anyone with their sane mind persuade Tamil Speaking People to vote for either devil or the deep blue sea?

Tamil speaking people don't have to vote for either of the main candidate, they can void their votes in protest which would be recorded in the North East as spoiled vote.

Some of the former LTTE supporters and their media are bent on campaigning for Fonseka seeking retribution against Mahinda. This is what LTTE did to Wickremasinge forcing the people to boycott ending up with Mahinda. Rest is history.

I wonder when will the Tamil Leadership learn to stop self destruction.


Who ever believe Rajabaksa will serve Tamil peoples interests, and others campaigning for Rajabaksa should read Rajbaksas’s solution for Tamil peoples long standing grievances and aspirations are.

“Rice and Curry served with Pappadam”.

He is simply brushing off all the Tamil people’s expectations and he want to please and entertain his main voter’s bank the Sinhala chauvinists, Sinhala fundamentalists and Sinhala nationalists.
Both of the candidates didn’t come up with any manifestos for Tamils, but Rajabaksa is very open and honest about his racial policy.

We didn’t fight for rice and curry for the last 60 years from the Sinhala colonists and simply we can’t expect anything from this guy.

Make your choices wisely. Please read this glorifying king of Sinhala.

Sinna Siththar

Konnapu Bandara wrote:
"one of the most important days in our country's illustrious history"


We only have to look at the 20th & 21st century history, not written by Sinhala/Buddhist but by historians and news papers reporting the current affairs in Sri Lanka, how the country has failed miserably in its duty of care to its own people including Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, Veddas, and other minorities. In the past sixty years of Sinhala/Buddhist rule, the history of Sri Lanka is littered with several pogroms against the minorities, unnecessary wars against its own people including my Sinhala Speaking brothers and sisters, violating human rights is the norm and not the exception, etc. There is a litany of political, economical and social abuses by all sections of the power wielding classes against its own people.

It is too early to glorify the victory over LTTE. This was possible for two reasons, one the man who led the LTTE did not inspire the world nor understood geopolitics, and in fact he was reviled as a Tin Pot dictator. Secondly it was the International Community which decided to get rid the Tin Pot dictator, by facilitating and dictating whole range of political and military strategy. Sri Lanka humbly obliged as it always does. The Sinhala and Tamil Speaking people seem to posses nothing to determine their collective destiny whereas either the International Community or individual countries continue to grope the Sri Lankan state whenever they have the urge to do so. Sri Lankan state obliges irrespective of whoever is in power. This is because the rulers don’t respect their own people but please the International Community in order to retain their power which gives them so much perverted sense of pleasure.

The fundamental issues such as democratising the state and power sharing, etc have been sidelined.

This is what Mahinda said in an interview recently to a question:
"There is a committee to look into Tamil affairs. What’s the progress there?

What do the people of the north want? Political solution, or to live in a decent house? They want to go and l live in a house - - have basics such as water, electricity, to have a job and to live their life. The priority is to resettle these people in a decent environment with basic facilities. There must be democracy first. We have to live in one country under one umbrella".

This statement begs more questions than answers. I assume you are an intelligent man who quotes Roman history knows better than what you have said in your comments. Whenever, LTTE won minor battles its supporters crowed in similar way the right wing Sinhala/Buddhist nationalists are celebrating the war victory. The victory won’t last forever, unless the state democratise itself, and let the people to decide what is good for them rather than what is good for certain section of the people, or certain people.

Further, Sri Lanka is a Republic in name only, but every ruler since independence has made it his or her own fiefdom except Raja (bakse) who wants his own kingdom. The only minor problem he has is his own former general. The elections have become irrelevant in Sri Lanka. Whether the Sinhala Speaking people elect the Raja or the general, it would not make much difference to the very people both candidates have promised to serve. It would be more of the same.

Now tell us why do you thing that Sri Lanka has had an illustrious history.

I don’t think Konnapu Bandara ‘s overt glorification of the war is another war cry against the people.

Hoping that he is smarter than any average Sinhala/Buddhist nationalist, I think he is provoking all of us into a vigorous discussion of future of Sri Lanka and how to make it a true republic of all people.

Konnapu Bandara

My fellow Compatriots and Patriots,
There are only two more days to go before the dawn of one of the most important days in our country's illustrious history. In fact this will be the most important day after that glorious day in last May when we utterly destroyed the entire terrorist leadership lock, stock, and barrel around the muddy lagoon in Naaththikandal.

As a matter of fact, that is one of the main reasons why you should re-elect President Rajapaksa in this election. In ancient Rome, Marcus Porcius Cato, a senator of the Roman Republic uttered the famous quotation 'Ceterum censeo, delenda est Carthago' after Rome had defeated its chief rival, Carthage, but had not destroyed it. It means 'In my opinion, Carthage must be destroyed'. Cato held that Rome could not be secure until Carthage was entirely destroyed-and eventually, it was.

What President Rajapaksa did was not merely defeat our chief rivals, but destroy them entirely. Had any other weak leader been at the helm during this time, setting aside the fact that we would have not been in the position do the necessary, he or she would have merely defeated the terrorist forces and spared the demon leadership of the monsters. In fact you have seen the position taken by Candidate Fonseka on this matter in accusing our gallant army commanders on the ground of 'war crimes' for entirely destroying the daemon leadership.

So my Compatriots and fellow Patriots, if you had been swayed in any way by this false prophet, Candidate Fonseka, please keep the quotation 'Ceterum censeo, delenda est Carthago' in your mind as you pull the lever for our glorious leader, President Rajapaksa.

Long live our glorious Sri Lankan Republic!



I hasten to add that the Tamil population does, of course, have several legitimate grievances. That the LTTE sought to address these however, is doubtful at best.


I wish the Economist would stop talking about the 'independent homeland for which the Tigers were fighting' and start talking about the 'independent homeland for which the Tigers claimed to be fighting.' It's a subtle but ever-so-slightly irritating insinuation that Prabakharan genuinely sought to fight for the rights of Tamils.

We seem to have forgotten that he is responsible not only for the assassination of the Tamil political leadership before the start of this war, but also for scuttling peace negotiations during Ranil Wickremesinghe's administration and for intimidating the Tamil electorate to allow Mr. Rajapakse's election.

The Tigers represented the Tamils like America represents the free world. Saying it just doesn't make it so. Please, let's try to be a bit more accurate in future.

Damian Merciar

Rajapaksa has governed in a high handed manner, and taken for granted winning a new mandate, without anticipating a backlash largely of his own making. As someone who has been requested to advise on the electoral strategy of Fonseka, I confidently predict the end of the status quo. AT the very least there is now a greater awareness of the interdependencies of nation states and the role Sri Lanka has in persuading the rest of the world it is a worthy and stable place, warranting investment. Damian Merciar

never give up

"Tamil demands for equality and for a real devolution of power in the north and east are far from unreasonable"
This is what Tamils were trying to tell every one through LTTE no body listen. what have happened to tamils in Sri Lanka can blamed on sri lanka only 10% the rest lies with International community for sitting idel while sinhales killed tamils cold bloodedly. what has LTTE done wrong that sinhales havn't done to tamils. to put it blundly if tamils ever end up the same circumstances again if things permit they will do the same exact thing again that is create another LTTE as a last line of defence.


It is wonderful to read that your article says presidential election is a cakewalk for the incumbent president because he has won the war and killed Prabhakaran. It is not correct. Winning the war is not created the peace. Educated majority Sinhalese are not thinking that this country is for Sinhalese only. The majority Sinhalese are broad- minded and thinking that Sri Lanka is for everybody, Tamil, Muslim all live peacefully.
Sarath Fonseka has promised that second war is for creating peace and sharing power in one country. All minorities are accepted and helping SF. Therefore it is not a cakewalk for Rajapaksa.

Felipe Coelho

An excelent article. It is incredible the bitterness of this war, with suicide bombers and genocides. Like in many other cases (Basque Country, Catalunya, Northern Cyprus, Abkhazia, Chechnya, Tibet, Sinkiang, Nagorno-Karabak, Palestine, East Ukraine, Kurdistan, Baluchistan, Aceh, Kossovo, Darfur, etc, etc) the solution must be a political one as terrorism, genocide, permanent military occupaton, and ethnic cleansing are now untolerable options. A country diversity can be an asset not a hindrance!



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