The Merits of the Sangakkara Address At Lords As Depicted By The Defence Secretary By Far Overides The Negativities Portrayed By Some Of His Critics.
Posted on July 11th, 2011
LankaWeb Weekly EditorialƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
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While opinions are divided about Kumar Sangakkara’s “Cowdrey Speech” at Lords recently, some in favour of and others harshly critical, it has been acolladed by a significantly noteworthy source and none other thanƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary the Hon.Mr.Gotabhaya RajapaksaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ himself who has praised national cricketer Kumar Sangakkara for solidly backing the countryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s successful war effort against the LTTE at a time a section of the international community is targeting the Sri Lankan military over accountability issuesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and part of his speech may have done much to contradict it in a very convincingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ manner and is inded a feather in the illustruous former Lankan Skipper’s cap,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the first everƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lankan cricketer and active player invitedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to deliver the Spirit of Cricket lecture at LordƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s which he appears to have done admirably albeit without reservations.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
While there are many critics who seem to think the Sangakkara speech was detrimental to the Nation’s cricketing image and that he has spoken out of turn there are others who believe that the speech was done in a very patriotic sense with a love for Motherland where glaring corrupt practises by the Cricket Board needed to be exposed and perhaps justifiably so given all the facts and figures surrounding the activities of the Board and some of its past members deemably contentious and highly irregular,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ who have since either relinquished their posts voluntarily or have been booted out of office!
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In conjunction with Sangakkara’s scathing attacks on what he termedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the malpractises of the Cricket BoardƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ there is also the importance ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the former national cricket captain having taken advantage of the 2011 Sir Colin Cowdrey Lecture he delivered at LordƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s last week,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ touch on the 1983 July riots, the JVP-led insurgency, LTTE terrorism and the heavy price paid by theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Armed ForcesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to defeat the LTTE which was noted by the Defence Minister as praiseworthyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and of significant importance to the Nation’s image given all the flack being thrown at Sri Lanka by a large global lobby backed by LTTEƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ supportives, the Tamil diaspora and enemies of the State where some audible foreign sources continue to harp on the theme of war crimes based on arguably doctored videos and falsified evidence which many credibleƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ analysts have all but trashed as ludicrous and visibly falsified albeit with expert graphics alterations and false records to make them seem convincing.
There was a poignantly touchingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ reference made by the Defence Secretary Rajapaksa aboutƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ how Sangakkara a gifted speaker and an accomplishedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ oratorƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ went to the extent of sharing a conversation he had with a soldier manning a checkpoint in Colombo shortly after the Sri Lankan team came under attack in Lahore in 2009, where Sangakkara conveyed to his LordƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s audience howƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the soldier had said in no uncertain terms thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ he was ready to die in battle, though Sri Lanka couldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t afford to lose a cricketing hero like Sangakkara and Mr. Rajapaksha emphasizing furtherƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ has said that he coud notƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ recall any sporting personality under similar circumstances throwing his or her weight behind the military before such an audienceƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ of some 1500 invitees, who in turn gave him a standing ovationƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ as a very significant response which needs to be noted in order to overide any negative impact that is needlessly envisioned by Kumar Sangakkara’s critics.
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In fact SangakkaraƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s statementƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ has come at a time when pressure for a war crimes investigation against Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is mountingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ over the controversial ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Darusman reportƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Killing Fields” documentary produced by UK-based Channel 4 News and perhaps fortuitous from a Sri Lankan standpoint towards changing global opinion towards greater accuracies and awarenesses towards the truthƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ which could exonerate the Sri Lankan Administration and the Armed ForcesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ from the false accusations being levelled at them.
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Prominent legal experts have been quoted as saying that ” for those trying to depict Sri Lankan soldiers as war criminals engaged in rape and extra-judicial killings, SangakkaraƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s forthright speech would be a serous setback. Sangakkara hasƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in all probabilities paved the wayƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ inƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ an outstanding manner for the Government of Sri Lanka andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the Armed ForcesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to stand up to all critics by proudly appreciating the sacrifices made by the military to restore peace in the country”ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a point noted by Defense Secretary Rajapaksa who has further emphasized thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ certain controversial remarks attributed to Sangakkara’s speechƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ regarding local cricket administration shouldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t be a reason to reject him based on the greater impact he may have had towards the well being of his Motherland ~ Sri Lanka! and means to restore greater credibility towards the future of cricket in Sri Lanka in the overall scheme of things.
July 11th, 2011 at 3:19 pm
The Defence Secretary’s statement, one of class and magnanimity, has essentially nullified another of the ltte-based media’s effort to discredit Sri Lanka. Thanks also to all those who fought for it throughout the world.
July 11th, 2011 at 4:44 pm
Personally I found not one single word given by Sangakarra in his speech out of place. Everything was well thought out well layed out and designed to have an impact. He showed his great love for the game of cricket and for his country Sri Lanka. To me there was nothing controversial, in fact one can argue the speech was a masterpiece. One of the best speeches given by a sportsman in defence of the sport and his country I have ever heard. Coming from a highly intelligent well accomplished and very couragous person. He fully deserved the standing ovation.
July 11th, 2011 at 8:59 pm
Dear editor,
Thank you for your timely editorial.
I was sadened by hearing a lot of people, (without proper foresight) critizising him. His speech was benificail, in the contrary.
Another issue is we are not here to say “yes” to everything MR and ministers do. Regardless of the timing we cannot hide truth. Truth will prevail in long-term.
July 11th, 2011 at 9:35 pm
Sangakkara did us proud. Only a fool will get up on a podium and say that everything is honky dory in Sri Lanka and that all is well at all levels- that’s why we have a whole compendium of fools appointed to the Foreign representative points to disgrace Sri Lanka with their unashamed singing hasannas for their supper. Sanga’s speech was credible, respectable, exemplary and went a long way to drown the Ch4 mudslingers. Political interference in cricket is a problem in a lot of countries including Australia. We really have nothing to hide- only something to set right.
I am happy that even belatedly the Government (Gotabhaya R) realised the folly of trying to persecute Sanga and came on board to damage control after the Sports Minister started a ‘probe’ which must have come from the orders at the top in the first place.
July 12th, 2011 at 2:07 am
Two days a go I submitted a suggested (EML) to the Hon Minister Defence thro the Editor of Defence Web , that
Kumar Sangakkara be appointed to a Diplomatic Post in the UN. He will be a formidable force against those that have
joined the – ‘SL bashing band waggon’.