Alternately, I could start recruiting for my army at PowerWorld?

You need to wait till the unwashed masses realise that their hero is not going to bring them glory and booty from conquest.

Otherwise, you’ll just get kicked in the head…

While it’s true that you can’t change things without some sacrifices, it is similarly true that a revolution needs support at a grass roots level. You don’t need everyone to be an activist but they at least have to agree with what you are trying to achieve.

I don’t think Sri Lanka is there yet. Not while the war machine ‘successfully’ rolls on…

blogging is good but you only get to share your opinions with people who 1) have computers and access to the internet and 2) are inclined to check kottu and/or your blog. but these people probably share your views. what happened to the good old fashioned revolutionary methods of mass communication of pamphlet writing and radio?

What can one DO about it? Rum question, mate.

Forget the UNP, how much luck has Morgan Tsvangirai had trying to change his country?

Foreign intervention perhaps? The notorious R2P that so incenses the supporters of the ruling camp? Given that the events in Zimbabwe and Sudan failed to bring any meaningful intervention, not a hope unless India takes unilateral action.

A coup ? Perhaps that might just work.

My dad has a more detailed and legal discussion of this issue in the Daily Mirror.

I have often stated that we are a parochial society evolving from a feudal setup and the establishment is based around that. The rule of law only applies when somebody deems it should apply i.e. FR cases in the Supreme Court.

Your analogy to dealing with traffic here and the rules of society is absolutely spot on. When they decided to change the way traffic should flow around the city look at how they want about it. It was done with very little thought as to how it should be communicated and implemented. Personally I actually think it is a superior system but the change management was wholeheartedly lacking. However should idiot politicos decide that they need to travel at rush hour than all 5,000 vehicles on every road need to stop. Can you imagine how that feeds the ego and the parochial society?

I have wasted countless time and key strokes arguing the fact that Sri Lankans (specially minorities – ethnic or otherwise) only have freedom if they stay under the radar of the powers that be. You can say, write or do what you want as long as you don’t contradict the status quo or if no one really notices.

Which kind of defeats the purpose of articulating any dissenting opinions in the first place.