The Opposite Camp on the other hand were with a bunch of separatists-fundamentalists, politicians and political parties we thought everyone was fed up with.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n We thought people would not listen to\nthem for Tamils & Muslims themselves publicly denounced their leaders. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n So our guess was that they would give GR\na CHANCE because he was only speaking of a Vision & Policy. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When his opponents on top of their\nstages were slinging mud, threatening to hang the Rajapakse\u2019s from windows,\nspeaking in abusive and derogatory terms, GR and his team only spoke about the\nfuture plans and policy. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The GR Team had minority representatives who also appealed to give GR a chance. They campaigned among their people to appeal to them to change their thinking. They were also sure that their people would give GR a chance. When people spoke about development, cleanliness and good management \u2013 GR was the only person who came to mind who had proven via actions what people claimed to want. But, were these sincere thoughts or were they just hiding what they felt?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Everyone was optimistic that they would be\nthinking of the Future & not the Past. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The results have not really surprised us because if our established conclusion of minority thinking was correct that was how they would have voted whatever laurels of peace we offered but our hearts wanted to prove us wrong but eventually the minority vote result proved otherwise. It was virtually identical to how they voted in January and August 2015.<\/strong> What is it that the majority have done wrong to them? What is it that they want? What is it that they don’t have that the poor rural Sinhala voters enjoy?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, as damage control, the guilt is being hidden by quickly attempting to transfer blame on the majority. It has always been to point at the majority and blame them for all ills. The fact that an opportunity for them to be inclusive was rejected by them with no valid reasons is being quickly swept under the carpet and there are some trying to showcase that they need to be more \u2018reconciliation\u2019. <\/strong>It takes two to tango. Sinhalese have done their part. What have the minorities done in return?<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the poorest of villages \u2013 where people suffer to have a meal a day, the Sinhalese went and voted realizing that national security & protecting Sri Lanka required their voice and vote. They knew this election was far more than just bringing Gotabaya Rajapakse to power. If these people could go & vote without complaining about what they don\u2019t have \u2013 we see no basis for complaints by others. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n However a handful of Tamils & Muslims did vote for GR – they campaigned much for him too… <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, we do realize that separatist and fundamentalist thinking elders & their politicians are doing great injustice to their children, the future of Sri Lanka by dragging them to continue the hatred and vengeance that they live with day in and day out. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This is not good for the Youth or the\nFuture. Therefore, we certainly need to integrate all Youth and make them\nstakeholders for the future. These programs will certainly be rolled out and we\nhope these separatist and fundamentalist elders will leave the Youth alone to\ndecide for themselves instead of dragging them to live with hate and vengeance.\n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, we appeal to the elders to rethink how they have voted and be the FIRST to reach out to integrate as that is where the Change should start. <\/strong>Will they is left for them to think about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Demands without Duty is unacceptable <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Reconciliation without Reciprocity is\nunacceptable too.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Nothing works only on paper \u2013 these terms imported from West are just words used to diplomatically & politically exert pressures on nations. The countries preaching the terms do not practice a word they promote and force upon nations to enforce. <\/strong>Now they are tying aid and grants to such terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All citizens must learn to love the\nNation & be proud of the Nation & acknowledge its proud history &\nheritage and not try to infuse false history & change it for political\nadvantage. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Minorities in particular have always\nfound it easier to complain of what they have not got or what the majority has\nnot done for them but what have the minorities done in return to make such\ndemands?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember \u2013 LTTE was brutalizing both Tamils & Muslims. Areas of North & East were not developed for 30 years not because the government did not want to but because the LTTE was in control over these areas. However, immediately after eliminating the LTTE, the GOSL embarked upon development programs that included providing electricity to areas that were living in darkness. The then govt did much to uplift the lives of these people. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Why should they still shower hatred even after giving them what LTTE did not? Can someone please answer this? Didn\u2019t the then govt remove the fear of living they experienced under LTTE? Could they not freely travel to any part of Sri Lanka because LTTE was no more? Have they forgotten how life was before LTTE was eliminated and how life change after LTTE was no more?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n From all of the minority parties and\nminority political leaders we like to ask \u2013 what have your party done for the\nbetterment of the country & the citizens not only for your people? Enjoying\ntax payers money (70% of which is contributed by the majority) \u2013 what have minorities\nreturned to the Nation?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Its time everyone started doing a\nSERVICE TO THE NATION without ONLY COMPLAINING ABOUT what the NATION hasn’t\ngiven them…. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n ASK YOURSELF THIS QUESTION FIRST \u2013 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n WHAT HAVE YOU GIVEN THE NATION to DEMAND from the NATION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Shenali D Waduge<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When SLPP began its campaign \u2013 Gotabaya Rajapakse’s message was clear \u2013 One Nation \u2013 One Law. It was an inclusive motto. There was no segregation. There was no discrimination. It was something simple for all to relate to. The Opposite Camp on the other hand were with a bunch of separatists-fundamentalists, politicians and political […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1498,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-95326","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-shenali-waduge"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95326","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1498"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=95326"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95326\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=95326"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=95326"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=95326"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Screen-Shot-2019-11-18-at-9.44.20-AM-1007x1024.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n