Everybody Hurts
Not worth the metal.
Everybody I know is broke. Nobody’s got money in their pocket or credit on their phones. I ordered some hot buttered cuttlefish and the portions were noticeably smaller. They skimp on the purippu at the canteen. WTF. Hard times indeed. The people I know that don’t have jobs are entirely broke, which I guess makes sense. Even the people with jobs, though, are spending all of their salary on transport and stuff. The people with good jobs are still broke, their debt just hasn’t publicly bubbled. When the paycheck comes, the money’s spent within a week. When you got money in your pocket, it’s gone by the end of the night. It’s not the global crater, it’s all the local idiocy and inflation. Oil prices are down now. Everyone is still broke. But we’re near Kilinochchi.
I’ve always wondered, if we’re spending like $1.6 billion on this war this year, say $4 billion for Eelam War IV or V or whatever this. If we spending like $4 billion, why don’t we just offer the Tamils cash and a one-way ticket out. Business class if you can prove terrorist connections. With about 1.4 million Tamils let’s say (about 7%, not including up-country) that’s about $3,000 per person. That’s not even a ticket. Let’s just double the number and say not everyone would leave, or it’s by household or something. We could just give $6,000 to everyone in the Wanni and tell them to get the fuck out. Spare us the bombs and them the inconvenience. Only problem I could see is that a lot of Sinhalese would like to get out.
Cause the economy is starting to hit, directly. Everybody’s a little bit lighter, everybody’s eating a bit less. This can only go on so long. I mean, it can go on forever I guess, but it hurts all the way down.
yeah the economy is making me lose weight!
the war is being won at the stake of the economy. sigh
Yep, I am broke too! It is not only in SL, in the US, portions are getting smaller! and you can pump gas with smile. 21 Oz steaks looks like 12 Oz. But I like your theory and I think that will eliminate ethnic rift. Everyone will want to be a Tamil so they can get out! But who will take them?
Hehe..so funny…And BTW indi, I’m a bad terrorist. Psst…don’t tell anyone :D .
When will the people of this country understand that the SLFP/PA/JVP/whatevertheycallthemselves parties can never offer this country a viable economic solution. The longer they stay in power, the poorer we will be.
Romeo, until the corruption that Chandrika firmly installed in the political landscape of Sri Lanka disappears the Paradise Isle will always have problems. We have to find politicians who are NOT in for the money. Hard ask, I know!
The war or fighting it is definitely not the solution. Sometimes misgiven Sinhala Dutugemunu (the real king) bravado makes me burst with pride hearing of our military exploits in the North. And them my heart breaks when I think of all the Paradisians dying for our country.
I don’t profess to have the answer, but I do hope elections will be held in December or early next year, and the OPPOSITION will find enough of a STRONG voice to make sure people go to the polls.
However and whatever vote rigging that may take place, the people must have their voice heard, and VOTE!
In this time’s US elections, 97% of all eligible black candidates voted, and their voices were heard, all over the world. So come elections, Sri Lanka and it’s people must not allow apathy to win.
PEOPLE MUST VOTE!
‘sorry, 97% of all potential Black voters’
Believe me, a general election will change nothing. The current administration will win and that’ll be that.
While it’s cool to think we can just bribe the Tamils to fuck off (even if they took the money, would it be right?), there’s a little problem of the Tigers not allowing them to fuck off. They won’t let ‘em fuck off for free, so why let ‘em fuck off for cash?
Davy
If Ranil did rid himself of his old school tie friends in the calibre of Malika and Charitha and developed himself a pair of grade A balls, Chandrika would have never been able to do what she did to him.
And he would never have lost the presidential election.
So please vote.
But he didn’t. He didn’t do a lot of things he should have. He chose the wrong fights and didn’t fight the ones he should have. There’s a lot of “should haves” and “could haves” in his political career. But the bottom line is that he & the UNP as it exists today, doesn’t have the muscle to win an election.
The sad part is that everyone can see and know very well what’s wrong. No one’s doing anything about it. If I lived in Sri Lanka, would I have? Honestly but unfortunately no I wouldn’t have.
One thing I fail to understand and still staying within relevance of the original post, so we capture Killinochchi, with lots of luck, Prabakaran is captured/executed and the country once again falls under the sovereignty of Sri Lanka.
And then we have solved the prevalent ethnic problem in Sri Lanka and addressed all concerns of all the citizens of Sri Lanka and of the Tamil Diaspora who now live in the rest of the world.
For instance Sri Lankan Tamils work in high posts in Harrow Council, they’ll now be happy and go OK our asses got kicked, our leader is dead, so we’ll stop all support to Tamil Eelam now?
What about most of the schools in London? When students mark their nationality there are different options, and an option exists for ‘Sri Lankan Other’ but not for ‘Sri Lankan’!
And then the TRO, will they be welcome back to Sri Lanka?
These questions are very basic and almost naive but have we thought this completely through?
Thanks indi, through a seemingly jolly and innocent post you have in me raised all kinds of questions that do require urgent answers. :)
OVER TO YOU MSSRS. RANIL WICKRAMASINGHE AND MANGALA SAMARAWEERA… JAYAWEWA!
You have a point. But giving them money and getting them out would be rather a humane option compared to killing them. They never want to risk the Tamils ever coming back, so they would rather spend the billions killing them. Ethnic cleansing is what it is. So sad, and makes me so angry…
Agreed. been thinking of something on the same lines.
It needs to follow a process where the Government helps find overseas jobs for the Tamils and perhaps pays for their passage. They get a bonus if they renounce their citizenship. Open up a passport offices and get a few job agents to operate in Auradhapura/Batticaloa etc so that they can do all the paperwork without coming to Colombo.
Arrange for buses to pick them up and take them straight to the airport.
agreed
whats the cost of liberty again? surely we’d be short changing them with 6000USD and a ticket to nowhere. would you up and leave if the govt. offered you the same deal?
i think we should divide the 4bn among all the political leaders on the condition they get out… i reckon they’d be more willing to settle.
4bn not enough to settle political leaders. They need more and think they can get still more. They never know when to quit when ahead.
Someone I know wanted to tender for a government contract. Apparently the member from the ruling family needed 50m to process the document. This is not to award the tender. This is to make sure it goes in the tender box.