DID SANGAKKARA UNINTENTIONALLY PROVIDE AMMUNITIONS TO SHOOT SRI LANKA? CHARLES HAVILAND SHOULD MIND HIS OWN BUSINESS!
Posted on July 7th, 2011
By M D P DISSANAYAKE
Subsequent to the lop-sided public outbursts by Kumar Sangakkara at Lords, some international media personalities are now sharpening their old knives to attack and bring down the government of Sri Lanka.. Charles Haviland of BBC is well known for his adverse comments against Sri Lanka for a long time. He seems to write more about Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s social and economic ills, instead of writing about the on going disastrous economic and financial crisis in England and rest of the Europe.
Using the ammunitions provided by the Old Boy of Trinity College of Kandy, Charles Haviland has reported that ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-it could spell the end of the current government if they ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-touchedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ SangakkaraƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ (BBC Sinhala Service on July 6 at 19.00 hrs as reported by Soraj Pathirana). As we all know, this writer was a pro-LTTE advocate, pro Norwegian Cease Fire Agreement with Tamil Tigers and a pro Sarath Fonseka advocate during the last Presidential Election. This journalist was once denied entry into Jaffna by the Ministry of Defence for security reasons. Is he leading an international conspiracy against the Government of Sri Lanka? When will his passport be chopped ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-never to return to Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚?
In regard to Channel 4 war footage, the Sri Lankan Government has undertaken an extensive investigation and technical assessment of the video. Charles Havilland once again has criticized this initiative as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-a part of a broad government campaign to discredit the Channel 4 documentary, broadcast last monthƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ (.BBC news 4 July at 14.11 hrs.).
The Trinity College of Kandy has consistently maintained highest standards of discipline producing illustrious students and it is a tragedy if the old boys and girls of any such colleges act in a manner disrespectful and detrimental to the mother nation for short term gains. If there are any issues in your organization with which you are not comfortable, then the most appropriate course of action is to follow the chain of command, one step at a time.
Sri Lankan Cricket Board is a duly Incorporated legal body in Sri Lanka. . It is vested with wide range of responsibilities, inter-alia:
Identifying and selection of cricketing talents
Cricketers Image boosting campaigns
Media Handling in event of major developments
Safeguarding of legal interests of Sri Lanka Cricket
Any employee or a contractor who is on the Pay Roll of the Institution has no legal right to criticize and discredit the same Institution in public forums with media attendance. This rule applies not only to professional cricketers, but also to skilled, unskilled workers, clerical staff, supervisors, managers, CEOƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s, as well. If an employee or a contractor commits such an act in any Company in any country, then the employee has committed a grave error, leading to dismissal, termination of contract and possible legal action.
Has Sangakkara shot himself in his foot?
July 7th, 2011 at 1:51 pm
I feel that Kumar Sangakkara has spoken out of place and OUT OF TURN BY TRYING TO REDICULE SRI LANKA POLITICS as HE THINKS THAT HE IS TOO BIG FOR HIS SHOES.
At the moment Sri Lanka is facing many criticism by the white skinned pundits WHO ARE JEALOUS OF MR GOVT FOR HAVING DEFEATED LTTE TAMIL TERRORISM THAT KILLED SCORES OF SINHALESE, MUSLIMS AND MODERATE TAMILS OVER THELAST 3 DECADES. So this became a good subject for those against Sri Lanka to criticise Sri Lankan Govt.
There may have been wrong doings by SL Govt with respect to Cricket,but it was no venue this FOOL TO HAVE REDICULED SL GOVT.
Yes M D P DISSANAYAKE, this fool has shot himself in his foot!!!
July 7th, 2011 at 2:53 pm
Yes ! Sanga SHOT to fame no doubt. Then he SHOT himself again, in his foot. This is a critical injury to his fame. SHAME.
MORAL:- NEVER LOOK UP AND SPIT.
July 7th, 2011 at 3:11 pm
Susantha, I think he is not spitting upwards, he is peeing while standing on his head!!
July 7th, 2011 at 5:10 pm
But ,speaking from his BACKSIDE!!!
July 7th, 2011 at 5:48 pm
I support the government of Mahinda Rajapaksa for saving the country from terrorism and standing up to western interference and undertaking all those development projects. Thai is what the government was elected and rewarded with a second term.That does not mean one has to support them for every stupid thing they do.They were elected to run the country, not the cricket board.
If we are still a democratic country every citizen has the right to freedom of speech. Any one who has played a team sport will understand about unity in a team and team work.How can a team perform when there is political interference? We all saw the body language of the players at the world cup finals. There is a time when one feels enough is enough.
July 7th, 2011 at 6:36 pm
As for all Sri Lankans, no doubt Sanga too has the right to speak his mind and I believe others should have listened to him as well. To what extent cricketers are restricted in expressing their individual opinion by their contractual obligations, I do not know.
But I can say this much for sure. Most of those ‘my lords’ that gave Sanga the standing ovation are not lovers of today’s Sri Lanka. They are the lovers of yesteryear Sri Lanka. Indeed, they are ardent neo colonists that backed LTTE to divide Sri Lanka. They know, only through separatists they can have their bases etc back in this blessed land. And for that, they look forward to the fall of this government. If that is the case, we should read comments by LTTE rump and foreigners to see whether Sanga shot in the foot or pee down his foot.
I have read Tamil Diaspora writings prophesying on the eventual outcome of Sanga’s statement: They think it will act as a catalyst to start discord among Sinhalese and bring about street demonstrations and the government to its knees.
We should not get divided and fall pray.
Leela
July 7th, 2011 at 8:32 pm
Even the Badminton Association of Sri Lanka is presently having some of the bad effects of what Sangakkar spoke about in the context of Cricket.
Do not try to kill the messenger but accept criticism in positive sense and see what can be done to eradicate such influences in future.
July 7th, 2011 at 9:02 pm
Dissa Aiyya,
I think you are wrong here. I think most of you commented here are wrong.
What is wrong in his speech ? , I would like to ask. He said the truth, as it was and he dramatised a bit to make it beautiful and presentable.
He also sspoke very diplomatically insisting “LTTE terrorist” and gave a good account of what happened. Many stories he told were directed at saying LTTE terrorism is over and with so much honour to our soldiers. This is timely as C4 ( even though it was a total bluff) is saping mother lanka right now.
He has reminded the basic fact that LTTE cruely is over.
About cricket, what he said is perfectly correct. Why is that fool, greedy idiot Jayasuriya went to England ? Why is Pandamby is selected to ruin the game ?
Sangakkara spoke for me . He is my hero.
July 8th, 2011 at 3:45 am
One has tobe rational here.
Sanga delivered a well written long essay recalling the many milestones in the journey of Sri Lanka’s Cricket and otherbackground facts like the environment of JVP terror.
It was full of highs and lows – very pinnacle of 96 was followed by disasters in the very next round.
He impressed that today we are in a more stable position where cricketers can play without fear. Having said that Cricket too has to the struggle to win government patronage by showing that players do have the commitment for the ideals of a democratic age- no more the preseve of SSC and NCC. I must say performance of some of the youngsters or even the senior players showed that all is not well. Perhaps the youngsters like Prasanna and Thisara did not have the training or words of wisdom required, from the coach and the senior players for example at the crucial hour on the last day of the .first test
With my observations of Cricket, contrary to Nanda, I feel Kandamby has talent to offer. Perhaps he can do well as No 2 in place of Dilshan in the batting order and face the swing from England seamers. THen Dilshan can face the ball as No 3, when it is softer if the game tomorrow is under dark sky. Chandimal can moveto No 5. I have seen Kandamby hit the ball very hard against Pakistan two years ago – that is the type of shotmaking that will take the shine off the ball.
July 8th, 2011 at 6:45 am
Haviland and the likes of Peter Roebuck of cricinfo sound very much like those British politicians who just got paid by the Tamil tigers, ‘issuing’ statements to please the terrorists. These losers don’t have the vision to understand the threat that these tigers in sheeps’ clothing are going to being to their countries in a decade or so.
These tigers will eventually feel “discriminated” by the very people who helped them to stay as ‘refugees’, and will start clamoring for ‘separately-governed townships’, states…. and there will be no end to it.
Thank God, Sri Lanka is safe once-and-for-all, from these inferiority-ridden megalomaniacs. UK, Australia, Canada will have to deal with the results their actions will bring them, soon.
July 8th, 2011 at 7:20 am
If all the negative comments about Kumar Sangakkara were rolled into one it would merely portray how ludicrous they are collectively contributing to a media circus. If the Cricket Administration somehow dared to incarcerate him for his outspokenness and honesty it would probably be to their detriment as the world would become more aware of the realities involved.The anti – Sangakkara commentators seem so mixed up dragging in Tamil Tiger intonations and the white supremist cliches needlessly hardly realising the truths about what Sangakkara exposed from a first hand standpoint whereas you pundits who have chosen to criticise him sound myopic and far removed from reality babbling on incoherently about some self styled patriotism which is indeed tha banes of Sri Lanka today.There is no patriotism needed to speak the truth in an assertive manner beyond the metaphor where the patriotism is portrayed in the person who has chosen to do so in defence of the well being of cricket in his motherland which is arguably corrupt, rife with political interference and shameful!
July 8th, 2011 at 8:45 am
Why was his speech at England. Looks like he has some different agenda.
July 9th, 2011 at 1:46 am
This writer cannot afford to criticise Sanga. His anti -catholic posts creates division amongst the Sinhalese – something we need like the proverbial “hole in the Head’. Whats ironic is that he does so from the sanctuary of his home – the white man’s
Christian world. Need I say more?
July 9th, 2011 at 3:34 am
Looks like the writer did not listen the full speech. Sanga has fantastically explained the situation in Sri Lankan amidst of lots of criticism in global media against Sri Lanka.
Many has forgotten the way Sanga has explained how Sri Lankan suffered during the war and how peaceful the country after the war. It definitely has contributed to downgrade the LTTE propaganda. Defense ministry should thanks Sanga on his speech explaining LTTE terrorist activities. It was a good platform for Sri Lankan to explain what has happened in SL and Sanga did it extremely well. It was a much needed job in this hour. I’m sure people who listen to his peach have second thought on LTTE propaganda.
He did not point the finger towards the present govt., but those who are responsible. He explained how SL cricket was affected with the mismanagement and the political interference. It is a public secret that the politicos in SL taking charge of SL sports not only SL cricket activities those they are not specialized.
If, the facts about administration were taken out of his speech, it’d have de-graded the subject he has selected to talk about and tasted like a curry without salt.
Yes, Sport minister (one of the most corrupted person in SL politics-) is showing his foolishness by going against Sanga’s speech instead of acting against the corruption in SL cricket and correcting the policies we’ve in Sri Lanka in the sport ministry. (Of course, a corrupted minister can’t stop corruption in his ministry)
Those who feel sorry about the corrupted ministry of sport or the SL cricket may feel angry on his speech. Forget about the comments on administration/politics, collectively the speech has up lifted the Sri Lankan image.
Hat off to Sanga!!
July 9th, 2011 at 4:15 pm
I too agree with sam1 here, expect that the corruption of sport minister which I am not ready to make such a sweeping statement.
Sanga also explained the importance of getting rid of the LTTE terrorism.
The writer is obsessed with Jayasuriaya , the greediest of the cricketers – reading form his past writings.
But what happened yesterday reflects all in cricket.
Panam sekara ,not only Pandamby is the main culprit among current cricketers.
How dare Dilshan, the other one who wants to keep captaincy, sacrificial a game giving Pandamsekara bowling and batting while depriving Dhammika a chance to bowl in the last stages. Dhammika was the best yesterday who stopped the flow of rus started by Pandamsekara and Malinga, yet only bowled 6 overs. This is ridiculous.
July 10th, 2011 at 12:12 am
If Charles Havilland of the BBC is “well known for his adverse comments against Sri Lanka for a long time” it’s a fair bet he will continue to write in that fashion. I would not, however, get too excited over his reported comment that “it could spell the end of the current government if they “touched” Sangakkara”. Havilland is a journalist. And, like others of his profession, is given to sensationalism and exaggeration. No sane person will take his statement seriously. For that matter, nor do I think would anyone take seriously, MDPD’s question whether Havilland is “leading an international conspiracy against the Government of Sri Lanka”. Clearly, MDPD is over-reacting here.
By the way, I am also beginning to find this “international conspiracy” thing getting to be a bit stale.
To suggest, in regard to Sangakkara’s ‘grievances’, that he should have followed “the chain of command, one step at a time” is excellent in theory but practically makes no sense. Firstly, you know, from experience, that it gets you nowhere – a procedure is only as good as it is effective. Secondly, the matter of following this process is only of academic interest when you consider that Sangakkara has not said anything that was new. What he has alluded to about the administration of Sri Lankan cricket is only too well known. Not so long ago, we had no less a person than the previous Minister of Sport, KB Ratnayake, himself, declaring bravely (and unwisely for him, as it since turned out!) that Sri Lanka Cricket was one the three most corrupt organizations in Sri Lanka. And we have seen press reports in the last couple of days noting that “(COPE) has blamed the recently dismissed members of the Interim Committee (IC) for plunging SLC into a financial crisis. In spite of its financial woes, some 133 employees of Sri Lanka Cricket had shared a staggering Rs. 14,965,000 among themselves as bonuses for World Cup 2011.”
Press reports in the last couple of days have also noted how leading lawyer Gomin Dayasiri and Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapakse have pointed out the many positives about SL, including the role of the armed forces in eradicating the menace of the Tigers, that Sangakkara had stated in the course of his lecture.
Sangakkara’s detractors on the other hand have chosen to concentrate on a small part of his lecture and attack him for stating what is after all the bleeding, if uncomfortable, truth.
All this talk of Sangakara’s old school and about maintaining noble traditions and all that is irrelevant and will only serve to take attention away from the real matter at issue – the fact that Sri Lankan Cricket is IN A TERRIBLE MESS. That is what really matters. That is what needs fixing. Going into denial does no good. Nor does it help to say ‘let’s not wash our dirty linen in public’ and continue to go on accumulating ‘dirty linen’ as before.
We simply have to put our cricketing house in order. Indeed, there is no better or more effective way of silencing the likes of Charles Havilland than to deny them cause to “sharpen their old knives”.
July 10th, 2011 at 1:32 am
Now the Defence Secretary and Gomin Dayasiri have come out openly supporting Sanga’s speech, it is clear he did the right thing overall. They are not politicians but people who achieved great things for the country. Both of them keep out of politics for this reason. Without the defence ministry coordinating anything with him, he did a good job for Sri Lanka. He is definitely of the category of people who love Sri Lanka and we should love him in return. He has his shortcomings in cricket which we should take up separately.
July 10th, 2011 at 10:37 am
Get a life you arrogant and full of yourselves with chips on your shoulders regarding the Brit Colonial era you Sri Lankans Leave Sangakarra alone who was only speaking in defence of the game of cricket which he values more highly than the pride filled colonial hang up opinions of you morons.
July 11th, 2011 at 1:16 am
In the face of possible mummification, Sanga, I’m pleased you summed up the courage to speak out against the powers that be!
After listening to Sanga’s speech in it’s entirety, I thought he had substance in what he spoke of and managed to hit the nail on its head, even though it felt a bit long winded at times and the words a bit too “flowery.” Cricket is no longer played for the love of the sport itself. It has become an entirely different ball game which is a huge “money spinner” for most associated with it. Corruption in Cricket in not peculiar to Sri Lanka but rife in most, if not all, Cricket playing nations. We as Sri Lankans should be proud that Sanga had the courage to voice his opinion for the betterment of the Game, when no other cricketer has had the gumption to do what he did, whilst being a professional player.
Where is the discredit in speaking out against a corrupt Board of Governance? The SLCB may be a duly incorporated Body, but the issue is not with it’s “incorporation” rather with the “corruption” of those that are in control of it. When the hierarchy within is corrupt, how is one expected to follow the “proper course” of recourse in the attainment of a fair outcome to a bona fide grievance?
While Members of the SLCB are bound by it’s Rules, they are in no way gagged by these Rules which are also subordinate to those of the ICC. The statements made by Sanga was at a meeting convened by the ICC and therefore, has perfect locus standi, as they were made in the exercise of his right to free speech, to voice his opinions against a corrupt Board which came under the purview of the ICC.
Sanga glorified Sri Lanka and our heritage but spoke out only against corruption in the administration of Sri Lanka Cricket. There was nothing unpatriotic about his speech that was detrimental to the image of Sri Lanka per se. Patriotism should be upheld no doubt, but what you speak of Mr Dissanayake, is upholding cowardice in the guise of patriotism, which is something else all together! Why would/should his alma mater feel anything other than proud admiration for him, for standing up to what he personally believes? By asking the ICC, Cricket’s ultimate authority to look into and put an end to corruption in Boards for the control of Cricket around the world, has he not lived up to his College motto – respice finem: look to the end; consider the outcome?!
July 11th, 2011 at 4:24 pm
Sorry for my above comment. But I get upset when great cricketer and nice guy like Kumar Sangakkara gets criticism. When he did nothing wrong. Except give a fine lecture. Its very heartening to see the Sri Lankan govt come out in support of Sangakkara, I think the defence minister and others have seen the wisdom in his speech. My respect for the Rajapaksha government has grown as a result. I will always respect the Rajapaksha govt for destroying the vile LTTE from this Earth. Thank you Mahinda Rajapaksha. Gothabaya Rajapaksha and defence ministers. Some have commented here why he chose Lord’s, and some of his critics brought up why he is giving a lecture in the Capital of the former British Empire. That is London. Yes all Sri Lankans are fully aware of the Evils of the Genocidal British Empire and their divide and rule policy in Sri lanka during the colonaial period. Which only now Sri Lanka is begininning to extricate itself from. .Who do you think the Hitler and the Nazis got all their ideas from? While I understand why this would upset some people, Lord’s you must understand is the home of cricket. While great civilised values are there in the Spirit of Cricket. I think we can all agree that when the British were ruling their empire. They behaved in the world totally opposit to the values enshrined in their great sport.
So that is why I get upset when people bring up criticisms like well oh Sangakkara is bowing down to white man or all people listening to the lecture are against Sri Lanka etc etc. It is unfair on Sangakkara this type of criticism. Also it is also very upsetting for him to hear things like that when he is very patriotic Sri Lankan guy. I am sure he had good reasons to choose that platform to heir the greivances. Personally I would like to seen him heir them in Sri Lanka, because it is always better to sought dirty laundry at home. I hope this speech will have a positive impact and steer Sri Lankan cricket in a positive direction. Judging by the support he is getting from the current govt I think it has. Kumar Sangakkara is a great cricketer, great Sri Lankan and great individual. I doff my cap off to you Sir!