I understand how they are circumventing the 17th Amendment, I don’t understand how they are getting round this one.

Can someone please explain?

We need 109 ministers because they are offered the perks of a cabinet MP (ordinary MP’s get a lot less) so that they rubber-stamp anything that comes up for approval. Once in a way, they ask for more, and in order to get whatthey want they vote against a bill or two.

Is this for REAL? A minister’s “fuel allowance” increased to PREVENT cross-overs? Is this like how these guys pad their salaries? A Minister’s pay is disclosed to be what Rs 50,000 odd? And then on top of that they get another “fuel allowance” to the tune of Rs 300,000 ??!!

What is this ‘alleged’ family corruption you harp on about? And is it like your job to slander Indi and his family rather than concentrating on commenting on the actual post?

Indi,

Yeah I share your sentiments on the matter. Whats the point in voting for someone if they can (and will) choose to drop their policies and take up the policies of the power side? For the sake of…?

So you continue to eat the punnakku freely provided by the buffalo? Don’t you? Typical Sinhalese racist JVP. Libertarian, my foot!

Ok, now to your questions.

i (as you say subjectively) consider ltte to be a terrorist group. but do you think ltte is a group of “freedom fighters”?

Me, No.

do you think tamils support them?

Depends. LTTE gets little support from Colombo Tamils (may be less than 10% even) But in N&E they have a support of about 65-70%. It is easy to argue from here, but the continuous harassment the Tamils of N&E undergoes is so severe that they will treat LTTE or even Al Qaeda compared to the SLA. Ask any Tamil from N&E.

do you think poverty (or discrimination, grievances, ‘83, etc etc) justify ltte actions? NO. But of course the discriminations fully justify the non violent actions of SJV and GGP.

do you support handing over common ppl in north and east provinces to ltte in the name of ‘peace’? NO. Who said so? Are you stiing on your tail?

do you think ltte is ready for “peace”and democracy as it is and don’t need to be defeated or its leaders killed ?

Man, listen, LTTE will never come to the democratic main stream willingly and on their own. That is why GOSL need to force them to the negotiations. That should be done not by the use of guns but by opening doors and ensure normalcy in N&E. Ranil was exactly doing that when the buffalo decided to provoke the JHU/JVP racist elements to grab power.

Ok, now I answer your questions, let me ask some questions from you.

1. Do you seriously believe he ethnic issue in Sri Lanka will be solved by war?
2. If it can be solved militarily how many human lives will be lost before that? 10k? 50k? 100k? 200k? 1M?
3. what will be the economic cost? (in terms of % GDP)? 5%? 10%? 25%? 50%?
4. How many years in your opinion will such an ultimate war will take the country backward? 10 years? 20 years? 30 years?

I have answers to those questions, so let us see how realistic you are.

“I thiink it is far more likely that we could move progressively towards a dictatorship rather than have one set up via coup d’etat. The population could be gradually coerced to give up it’s rights simply because the middle class is so weak, and the rural masses can be convinced of the necessity of maintaining the status quo until the defeat of the LTTE.”

I think you hit the nail on the head here.

To add to what you’ve said above, the rate at which the middle class is migrating means that vocal opposition will dwindle quite fast. The Island newspaper holds a view that all rights must be suspended in order to ‘win the war’.

The degree of paranoia, evinced by the posters that came up before and after the budget vote is something I find very disturbing. The vote was-in my opinion, a walk over that the government was in no danger of losing – if they are this worried about a comparatively easy vote, then only god knows how they will react when under real threat.

Certain individuals in the military aiding, abetting and actively carrying out abductions and the like is certainly not proof of a conspiracy, but unless there is a proper investigation carried out to the end there will always be the suspicion that the military colluded with the Karuna/TMVP/ Pillayan (or whatever they are now) in these abductions. What’s happening to investigation now? Do we hear anything about it?

Your blind faith in this government is traitorous because by not questioning the various rackets going on (the MIG and other arms purchases), the blatant rape of the country’s assets etc, you have failed in your duty as a citizen of this country. Do you think it’s patriotism to buy de-commissioned equipment/planes, bullet proof jackets that aren’t really bullet proof etc? Some comfort for the poor troops to hold on to when their planes go down or their guns don’t fire or their jackets don’t keep the bullets out.

My dear boy, patriotism doesn’t mean blindly following any idiot that spouts nationalistic buzzwords. I don;t know how you can think you’re patriotic when you support a regime that is sending the country up a creek without a paddle. You must be incredibly naive.

I don’t think it is only this govt that has failed the troops and the nation. The UNP has done the same… the Athurigiriya fiasco that outed the LRRPs is a good example..

in my ( purely personal )opinion nothing of this stuff speculated here by these ppl is going to happen, we are going to have comparatively peaceful ( and credibly contested as long as ranil is not there) elections in due time ( perhaps parliamentary elections a little early ) and a more peaceful country with ltte terrorist power much reduced ( though not eliminated ). economy for all the doomsday scenarios of these ppl will be fine( though not spectacular ). political corruption will be the same as usual.

and finally indi.padashow will be working for buffalo bros bc his family has finally given up on other side in their pursuit of next political appointment :-)

i am sorry if my language was not clear when i said “there are criminal abductions but there is no proof that military or gosl has a project to abduct ppl ”
i will make it clear; certain individuals criminals in armed forces (several of whom has been arrested and face justice as they should along with others ) is not equivalent to the military. may be you with all your intelligence think they are equivalent?

to say that few individual cases of indiscipline and criminality (inevitable considering the numbers involved) is typical of thousands in armed forces, is like saying deserters and runaways ( let the hat fit on those who want to pick it up here) are typical of others who don’t desert and ran away. imo to say so is slanderous. you are free to think me stupid for saying so . :-)

btw please do explain why my challenging false slander against military (as the military itself is doing ) is traitorous and will help ltte to win? and where have i called anyone a traitor “for merely not agreeing with the GOSL”? i am sure you based those statements on logic and evidence that you can reveal for our enlightenment.
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is the country really “going down the pallam” ? for some ppl yes, but for most ppl no ( and that is a subjective statement, same as yours).

anyway no wonder you going in a new direction sidestepping the issues raised in my last comment in reply to your first, .
i will remind them before moving on to your new comment, just so that you don’t forget them.
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i (as you say subjectively) consider ltte to be a terrorist group. but do you think ltte is a group of “freedom fighters”?
do you think tamils support them?
do you think poverty (or discrimination, grievances, ‘83, etc etc) justify ltte actions?
do you support handing over common ppl in north and east provinces to ltte in the name of ‘peace’?
do you think ltte is ready for “peace”and democracy as it is and don’t need to be defeated or its leaders killed ?

i have answered those questions and i have drawn the logical conclusions. why don’t you answer them and show that my answers and conclusions are wrong? no body will prevent you if you are not in a ltte controlled area.
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anyway to come to your new comment.
in the first place ltte and its leaders have been convicted through proper legal process. may be you think they never hurt a fly and that courts were biased ? if so please say so.

“If people in N&E do not recognise Sinhala government what legitimacy it has in N&E?”
how do you know that, sri lankan government (consisting of all the major democratically elected minority parties) is not recognized by ppl in north and east provinces? in fact the best way to know that is to hold elections. and imo that can only be done without an armed ltte. ( may be you think differently? and think tna was elected fairly with 90+% vote and presi.election boycott was free will of ppl ? ).

“The security forces of any country can fight against anti-govt elements but there is an acceptable way of doing that. ”
care to point out with evidence where and how security forces have transgressed “acceptable way” intentionally and as a matter of policy?
or are you saying that accidents do not happen and that bad apples never exist whether in police actions or war elsewhere when “acceptable way” is implemented?

“Also forces have no licenses to abduct people at its will and kill them, as and when they like.”
again do prove this, instead of parroting ltte propaganda.
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as i said you are free to believe what you will. even ltte propaganda

As I’ve said before, the biggest argument against a coup is not whether it’s right or wrong, but simply that there is no way to unify the regimental system of the Army once state authority over it has been removed.

Also, many lawyers have been toying with the idea of a Kelsonian revolution where you completely change the existing constitutional system, dispensing of the need for niceties such as 2/3rd majority etc. Basically all you need is a pliant populace who won’t take to the streets, and VOILA…we’ll have a new Constitution overnight. Really exciting.

What is more likely or probable is that the administration could act in a way that is legally unclear. The way Chandrika acted when she disolved the UNP parliament. In such a situ, if it is unclear how legal the move is and open to debate, the military is likely to follow orders from the MoD. In such an event there will be no chance of the military acting on behalf of justice either; simply for the same reasons outlined in my first para.

The SL military will always remain a tool of the state, and will follow the orders of what it sees as the legitimate authority.

I thiink it is far more likely that we could move progressively towards a dictatorship rather than have one set up via coup d’etat. The population could be gradually coerced to give up it’s rights simply because the middle class is so weak, and the rural masses can be convinced of the necessity of maintaining the status quo until the defeat of the LTTE. Since the masses don’t necessarily connect rising COL and inflation to the war (thanks to the JVP and JHU), but to paranoid notions of western imperialism, they are open to it. Same as in Pakistan, where all the protests are by the middle class.

Conversely, Musharraf’s very existence as president is illegal anyway, so it doesn’t matter what he does. I’m not too sure the SL population would give into a referendum aagain after what JR pulled off.

One man rule, repression of opponents and enough window dressing to convince a few to treat the frace as ‘domocratic rule’.

The problem was, as far as RW was concerned was that there would be no possibility of cming back – because others in the UNP would have blocked it.

Either way, he is now a spent force. MR will have another 10 years anyway, after which it will be interesting to see who gets it – Basil, Namal, Chamal or Gota.

Ifthings turn really sour and MR is unlikely to win in 2010, there is a possibility is that he will extend the life of parliament (similar to what Sirima did, extending it from 1975 to 1977) or do a Musharraf.

Remember that SL has only a handful of True Friends, Pakistan, Burma and Thailand. The Generals see eye to eye on a lot of matters, and I feel there is real camaraderie between them. It will be interesting to see what lessons will be drawn by ‘our boys’.

For further enlightenment, read Neville de Silva’s “Thoughts from London” column in the Sunday Times .

see;

http://www.sundaytimes.lk/071118/Columns/thoughts.html

http://www.sundaytimes.lk/071111/Columns/thoughts.html

The problem in SL is that there is too much money in the system, and cross overs happen due to money and not principle. A good example is the CWC – they have been in EVERY government since 1994 – crossing over to the winning side in return for whatever they pay.

The system is now broken beyond repair, I can’t even imagine how things can ever be put right – it will take decades under enlightened leadership – something that is almost completely absent from the system.

In both cases, neither MP fully realized the prominance they sought in crossing over. In both cases the hit their integrity took when they crossed was a major reason for this.

Either way, this occurred in Canada, a mature, stable democracy. There is an argument to be made that this type of crossing over is more harmful in an immature, less stable democracy like Sri Lanka.