Media Blues
Posted on November 25th, 2016
Editorial The Island
November 24, 2016, 9:18 pm
President Maithripala Sirisena is reported to have lamented that it is depressing to read newspapers these days; they should adopt a positive outlook, help instill patriotism in people and develop the country, he has said.
We thought we would be left without anything negative to write about after last year’s regime change. But, alas, no sooner had the Rajapaksa government been dislodged than one half of the rogues responsible for its downfall pole-vaulted to the new administration while the other half chose to remain in the Opposition. Those who had been in the political wilderness for about 11 years without any opportunity to line their pockets at the expense of the public sprang into action like a colony of hibernating leeches after a drizzle. They joined forces with the thieves of the previous regime for political expediency.
The ‘yahapalana’ rule kicked off with a bang; the Central Bank was robbed of Treasury bonds to the tune of billions of rupees in broad daylight; fleets of super luxury vehicles were fraudulently released through the Customs at the behest of the new rulers and the molestation of Justitia did not stop. The wheels of justice were programmed to grind to a halt whenever the ruling politicians and their kith and kin happened to be on the wrong side of the law. When we report on such things it is only natural that newspapers look negative. The messenger should not be blamed for the unpalatable message.
One cannot but agree with President Sirisena that newspapers are full of depressing news. A case in point is yesterday’s front page picture of former STF Commandant, ex-DIG K. L. M. Sarachchandra, being taken to a paddy wagon. Having spent the best part of his life, serving the country in the face of risks to his life and limb, at this age the former DIG should be able to enjoy his retirement. The battle-hardened combatant led the elite police commandos during the war and ensured that they would make a tremendous contribution to defeating terrorism.
Former DIG Sarachchandra has been arrested and remanded for allegedly causing a loss of about Rs. 140,000 to the public purse by misusing a state-owned vehicle while those involved in bond scams which have cost the public billions of rupees have not only gone scot free but also are given VIP treatment. Many MPs have sold their duty free vehicle permits thus committing a financial fraud with impunity. Minister of Agriculture Duminda Dissanayake, a trusted lieutenant of President Sirisena, stands accused of wasting public funds to the tune of Rs. 23.5 mn a month as rent on an unused building.
Military and police personnel disabled in terrorist attacks during war unfortunately suffer injuries at the hands of the riot police when they protest, demanding their dues in peacetime. We thought the harassment of the ex-military commanders would end with the cashiering and incarceration of former war winning Army Commander Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka under the Rajapaksa government. But, the practice continues.
We don’t enjoy being bearers of negative tidings. Let the President and other government grandees be kindly requested to rid the country of corruption, political witch hunts, near lawlessness and the blatant abuse of power besides ensuring that the people are given adequate relief and one million job opportunities created in keeping with the present administration’s election pledges. Once they get their act together, we will be left with no alternative but to write sunshine stories much to the liking of the President.
Meanwhile, all is not lost for the government worthies troubled by media induced blues as it were. They can always turn to the kept media for escapist entertainment such as journalistic cabarets, cancan and pole dancing if they want to cheer themselves up. That way they will also be able to lull themselves into thinking that everything is copacetic and there is no need to worry.
November 25th, 2016 at 3:36 am
Our media should adopts a positive look and tell the world the facts as they are. That is we are a colony of the Indian Empire.
Sirisena is just a puppet of India.
November 25th, 2016 at 5:10 am
The proposed federal or Eelam constitution should be rejected totally by all patriotic Sri Lankans. We should do all we can to reject the proposed federal or Eelam constitution in total.
However treacherous Ranil and the treacherous UNP government will try to create some kind of rift or conflict between the Sinhala Buddhists and the Sinhala Catholics, Malays, Muslims, Indian Tamils, Burghers etc. in order to create problems so that it will then be easy to pass this treacherous federal or Eelam constitution without much problems. This is what the treacherous Ranil, the treacherous UNP, CBK, Mangala etc. did before 8th January 2015 so that the 40-50% moderate Sinhala Catholics, Malays, Muslims, Indian Tamils, Burghers etc. vote was reduced and Mahinda Rajapakshe did not win as a result. Please do not fall for this cheap trick again and again is my plea to Sinhala people. My plea to Sinhala people is please use your brains at least once and not fall for such cheap tricks like this. Small problems can be resolved and is a million times less dangerous than a treacherous Ranil/Sirisena SLFP/JVP/Pacha Ranawaka/TNA government which will now bring on a federal or Eelam constitution.
This is what the US,EU,UK, Canada, Norway, Sweden, India has told treacherous Ranil, CBK, Sirisena and Mangala to do i.e. create some kind of rift between the Sinhala Buddhists and the Sinhala Catholics, Malays, Muslims, Indian Tamils, Burghers etc. so that they can then pass the federal or Eelam constitution with ease. So my plea is do not fall for this cheap trick again and again if Sinhala people have an ounce of sense.
We should reject the federal or Eelam constitution in total and work with all patriotic Sri Lankans whoever they are and who are to reject the federal or Eelam constitution in total and work for a unitary state with only limited powers to provincial councils.
November 25th, 2016 at 5:11 am
The new constitution is nothing but a federal state or even worse Eelam. The treacherous Ranil, CBK, Mangala and Sirisena and the godfather of the federal or Eelam constitution Dr. Jayampathy Wickramaratne are going to abolish the concurrent list. Even India and Pakistan which are huge countries and which have federal constitutions have a concurrent list. Even South Africa which is huge country but is a unitary state has a concurrent list. However tiny, little Sri Lanka is going to get rid of its concurrent list as per the wishes of the TNA, other separatists, the US, EU, UK, Canada, Norway, Sweden etc.
The godfather of the new federal or Eelam constitution the treacherous Dr. Jayampathy Wickramaratne is going to set up a constitutional court which is above the supreme court to deal with constitutional issues which arise which will be manned by foreign funded NGO lackeys. Not only that, the Governor of a Province who is the executive at the provincial level, his powers will be given over to the Chief Minister of the Province.
Not only that, land and police powers will be given to the provincial councils which means there will be nine different police forces in the country. Vigneshwaran will then use his police force to ethnically cleanse the North of Sinhala people. Giving land powers to Vigneshwaran means he will ethnically cleanse the entire North of Sinhala people using his Eelam police force. Giving land powers to provincial councils in equivalent to handing over Eelam.
Not only this, the subject national planning is to be handed over to the provincial councils. This is similar to handing over an Eelam if the provinces can draw up their own national plans. The public service commission will be turned into nine public service commissions with each province having their own public service. There will be nine different police forces in the country with each police force being under the chief minister of each province. Even worse, certain fiscal powers will also be handed over to the provincial councils. Therefore the provincial councils will be able to raise funding via taxes etc. This is highly dangerous since this is yet another move paving the way towards Eelam or a separate state. All fiscal powers should be with the central government not the provincial councils.
Worst is that at present sovereignty lies with the people with the executive being the presidency, the legislative the parliament and the judiciary being the judiciary that is there at present. This will be converted to sovereignty lies with the people with the executive being the presidency but the legislative being not just the parliament but the provincial councils and the local councils as well. This is extremely dangerous and can be used in a court of law to argue for a separate state in the North.
This new constitution is highly dangerous and equivalent to handing over an Eelam. It should be rejected in total by the Sinhala people and all patriotic Sri Lankans if they have even an ounce of sense. Let us keep what is there at present which is more than sufficient as per the centre periphery relations
November 25th, 2016 at 5:33 am
By the way the US State Department itself admitted that it gave NGOs US $ 585 million to bring about regime change in Burma, Nigeria, Sri Lanka and other countries. Also the US State Department has given Sri Lanka NGOs half a million US dollars to campaign for the federal constitution since November 2016.
This money not only went to the pockets of foreign funded NGOs but also Ranil/Sirisena/CBK/Mangala/Rajitha/Pacha Ranawaka/Wijedasa Rajapakshe/ Sirisena SLFP/UNP/JVP/TNA/TULF/ ITAK/All other separatists/SLMC/ ACMC/ NSSP/ FLSP Wickramabahu/Pakiasothy/Jayadeva Uyangoda/ Ravaya Editor/Victor Ivan even probably all other writers and commotion mongers to bring on the federal constitution and partition Sri Lanka and create an Eelam as per the plan of the US,UK,EU,Canada,Sweden, Norway etc.
Those writers pretending to be patriotic but trying to create rifts between Sinhala Buddhists and Sinhala Catholics, Sinhala Christians, Muslims, Malays, Burghers, Indian Tamils etc. and even the Budu Bala Sena may also have gotten some of this US Dollars too to smoothen the process of passing the treacherous federal constitution by creating a huge commotion between the Sinhala Buddhists and Sinhala Catholics, Sinhala Christians, Muslims, Malays, Burghers, Indian Tamils etc..
All I can say is Sri Lanka is in deep trouble for sure with only the Joint Opposition and some patriotic Sri Lankans out there to save her from impending partition.
November 25th, 2016 at 3:01 pm
Brave Editor of The Island. thank you for talking the truth. This traitor of Mother Lanka spread foul smell all around the country…
However we are sadly disappointed with the Editor of Divaina, the Sinhala medium news paper of the same group who is always taking the side of Maru Sira despite his foolish acts and declarations.
Are they under control of the Yamapalanaya regime? Are they only showing that they are faithful to Sirisena in the Sinhala daily which he must be reading, while showing the group’s true feeling through the English daily??
One good thing we can get from this is, these English editorials carries a message to the West and Endians who did the Regime change project in SL that we are screwed as a nation due to their Noble act!!! Let them be happy and contect for a while until we wake up and come back to life again.
November 26th, 2016 at 5:00 am
Fidel Castro has passed away aged 90. Fidel you showed those US imperialists a thing or two and the CIA tried to assassinate you fifty times and you overcame all those attempts. Rest in peace Fidel or as a Buddhist, may you attain nirvana.
November 27th, 2016 at 1:37 am
A big thank you to the editor of The Island. The politicians are in the business of white washing and eye washing. Yahapalanaya is yet to build a single road to the benefit of the masses. Actually, we should not expect any road construction from this mentally retarded lot. They cannot even sweep and clean the roads. Development of a Country is a big ask.