https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/degradation-the-concept-of-national-government-to-coalition-government-in-2015-its-repercussions/

published in colombo telegraph on 18th April 2019

Degradation The Concept Of National Government To Coalition Government In 2015 & It’s Repercussions

By Harsha Gunasena –

Harsha Gunasena

Concept of national government was mentioned in the election manifesto of Maithripala Sirisena in 2015 presidential election. “For that purpose a National Unity Alliance Government will be established for a hundred day interim period. This programme will be implemented through a National government comprising the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, the United National Party, Jatika Hela Urumaya and people’s representatives all other political parties that are represented in the present Parliament who are willing to join this programme.” This concept as well as the concept of Liccavi system of governance was first brought in by the Prime Minister. When he was the Opposition Leader during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s second stint as the President UNP brought a concept paper for a new constitution where Liccavi system was discussed. Intention of this was to find out a lasting solution to the ethnic conflict, establish a new constitution and agree on long term policies of the government.

However, the process of constitutional reforms is stalled and no solution was given to the ethnic conflict. The reason for this was that the politicians of this country placed their own political interests ahead of the national interest. The President before and after occupying the post stated that he would bean one term president. It was the expectation of many who voted for him that he would be a non-partisan president. Situation changed gradually after he took over the leadership of the Sri Lanka freedom Party (SLFP).

Rift between the President and the Prime Minister emerged during the 100-day period of the interim government. This affected the balance of the national government and the situation came to the zenith in October 2018. It was declared by the Prime Minister well ahead of the general election the continuity of the national government. Events that happened during the General Election and thereafter, led to the situation in which the leadership of the President to the SLFP would hinder the very purpose of the national government. SLFP considered him a traitor. A vast majority of SLFP voted against him at the presidential election. Therefore, he could not effectively lead the party. Mahinda Rajapaksa gave the leadership to the election campaign of SLFP at the general election. President had given nominations to Rajapaksa since he was compelled to do so. That act was criticized by many who voted in favor of the president at the presidential election. Fractions of the SLFP joined the national governments established before and after the general election. Later some of them, who joined the national government defected. The fraction who did not joined the national government treated President as an opponent. Therefore, from the beginning the national government did not evolve as a national government. MPs of SLFP who were in the national government acted with giving attention to the requirements of their colleagues who were in the opposition. This background degraded the national government to the level of a coalition government since there was a strong opposition, which was a fraction of one of the constituent parties of the government. The main reason for this was the leadership of the President of the SLFP.

President tried to walk a tightrope, but he failed. In his controversial address to the nation just prior to the general election, he said even if SLFP wins he would not give the Prime Minister post to Rajapaksa and at the same speech he said if the parliament was dissolved soon after the presidential election, UNP would have a landslide victory. Hence he prevented it.

Public mandate was by and large for UNP. After the presidential election the exodus of MPs from SLFP to UNP was prevented by the Licchavi system and the acceptance of SLFP leadership by the President. Sri Lanka had minority governments except in two instances after the elections held under the 1978 constitution. UNP accommodated SLFP ministers, some of them were rejected by the voters and appointed through the national list. As a result, voters of the UNP were confused at the electorate level since the power was not transferred yet.

One main reason for not dissolving the parliament soon after the presidential election was that the issue of the pension rights of the MPs. This symbolizes the situation the country is in. If the President was neutral and Mahinda Rajapaksa joined the national government in the capacity of the leader of the opposition then that would have been a real national government and not a coalition government. the functions of that government would have been to establish a new constitution and thereby give a permanent solution to the ethnic problem of the country and formulate long lasting national policies for the country. Thereafter the national government would have been dissolved.

Under these circumstances the court cases against Mahinda Rajapaksa and his family members would have been in the same situation as of now. Therefore, in the national point of view, the nation has paid the price already but not achieved any result. If the price was paid to achieve the said envisaged objectives of the national government, there would have been no issue. However, the price paid has granted petty political gains to the Prime Minister and the President. Split of the SLFP was a gain to the Prime Minister and eventually by combining it President tried to gain politically.

President would have thought of a political base for himself when accepting the leadership of the SLFP. He argued in favor of his decision that if not for him the parliament would have not been able to pass the 19th amendment to the constitution. There was a considerable influence made by him for the process. On the other hand, it was a minority government and the opposition did not want to topple the apple cart. For the opposition if not consented there was a risk of facing a general election and losing more seats. In the long run the neutrality of the President would have been the best to achieve the given objectives of the national government.

Even under the given circumstances Public Representations Committee on Constitutional Reform headed by Lal Wijenayake was established and the report was issued; the Parliament met as a constitutional assembly with the powers of Parliamentary Select Committee to draft the new constitution; Steering Committee of the Constitutional Assembly was appointed with 21 MPs; six sub committees of the Steering Committee were established with the active participation of MPs representing all the political parties of the parliament and those reports were published; based on the steering committee deliberations and reports of the sub committees, an expert panel prepared a report to the steering committee in the form of a draft constitution; and it was presented to the Constitutional Assembly by the Steering Committee.

It may have been the intention of the Prime Minister to take the debate of the constitution to the people with the political leadership of the President. The President as well as the Prime Minister were reluctant to give the political leadership to the process in the circumstances of existing coalition government instead of the expected national government. In fact, the President would have been able to give the political leadership to the process if he intended to serve one term and if he was neutral.

Under the prevailed political situation, when there was a strong political group in the opposition, highest echelons of the Sangha Community of the country expressed views that a new constitution was not necessary for the country. Truth was that election manifestos of Sri Lanka for decades were filled with the promises of abolishing the executive presidency. Although their view was politically motivated and reactionary in essence, the President and the Prime Minister kept mum over the issue.

In this situation it is not possible either to establish a new constitution or to give a solution to the ethnic problem of this country. Ethnocentric elements in the country believe that the ethnic problem of the country was over with the ending of the war. At the end of the war when Prabhakaran and his colleagues were killed, along with the sigh of relief that the war was over the political balance of power was readjusted unfavorably to the Tamils. At the time of the war Sri Lankan leaders were prepared to give a Federal solution to the problem and after ending the war they said that a solution of 13+ can be given which meant most probably a second chamber as proposed by the new draft constitution. After losing the power of the barrel of the gun, Tamils failed to achieve their objectives through the democratic process as happened in previous instances prior to the war l since Sri Lankan democracy means dictatorship of the majority.

In relation to divided ethno-religious groups, Sri Lanka is a country which depends on a limited backward population and which is run by a set of opportunist politicians. Most of the countries in the world are like this. Some powerful leaders of some of the countries openly challenged the backward thinking in relation to ethnocentrism of their respective populations. Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela were prominent examples. Some leaders such as Lee Kuan Yew took the country forward based on their political power. Out of the leaders of this country Mahinda Rajapaksa soon after ending the war and Maithripala Sirisena after coming to power in 2015 got this opportunity to rise to the level of Gandhi, Mandela or Lee but they have selected the dustbin of the history instead of immense prestige, due to greediness to personal and petty political gains.

To place the country in the path of nation building there should be a strong apolitical peoples movement comprising of fair-minded people of all ethnicities and followers of all religions, rather than depending solely on the politicians for that task.

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Latest Comments

Lalith / April 18, 2019

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After passing the 19th amendment unp should have pressed for immediate general election. By giving into slfp demand for delay to get pensions unp lost out. Now slfp is blaming that unp forced dissolution becoz of bond saga. Unp would have got more seats if they went for election earlier.

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- Shamil / April 18, 2019
  
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  This degradation called National govt. was done in the name of (fake) reconciliation, and was promoted by various foreign peace and reconciliation Xperts who were pushing another agenda, a bi-partisan UNP-SLFP corruption racket in the Parliament headed by Bondscam Ranil, while the country was being asset stripped and sold off to interested parties..
  The Bondscam gave the green light for all so called Ministers to loot the country through various foreign fake aid projects, like the Aussie Cattle scam, the Merc and Ford luxury ambulances, unnecessary drugs, unnessary health insurance for school children who are a healthy low risk population , unnecessary TABs for schools, unnecessary disaster prepardeness exercises.. etc
  
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  - nimal fernando / April 19, 2019
    
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    It’s just plain lunacy to try to separate the Lankan pols from the society they were spit out from. Sri Lankan leaders are not aliens that fell from the sky ………they came from our own society and is the essence of who we are ……….. From the religions, to education/schools, to government-service, to judiciary, to law-enforcement agencies, to …………… they represent what we value as morals/ethics/values.
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    They are us. ……….. Each and every one of us.
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    We write up a good “moral/ethics game” here because we are not in their positions ………… but I can guarantee you that 99.99% of Lankans who write here will behave no differently if they are in the other’s place. ………. You don’t have to look so far, just look back a couple of years how Ranil/Sirisena behaved and what they said when the Rajapkses were in power ………… and just look what the Rajapakses are saying and doing now.
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    When out of power they say and do the same things that we write here. ………… talk-up a good ethics-game.
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    And Lanka is only a microcosm of the greater-world out here ………… if you want proof just look what the good ol’ Donald did to the shining beacon/paragon of virtue America ………… would he be able to do that if the society was unwilling? He only gives what the society wants ……….. nothing more. He knows the limits of man’s capacity for corruption. He is not smart in the conventional way but many “professors” can write 1000 theses on his MO and still won’t be able to grasp it ……… because of the mistaken belief that man’s behaviour is steeped in morals/ethics. ………….. That’s why Al Capone was a million times richer than Norm Chomsky …………
    
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  - nimal fernando / April 19, 2019
    
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    continued
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    But Mahinda did it first ………. before Donald. ……….. Then we have had many firsts ……….
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    They say man is 99% animal and 1% human ……….. and it’s the human part that gets him into trouble.
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    I know many of you won’t be still convince and go on hoping/writing that Lanka will change; the world will change ………..
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    Let me assure you …….. that Lanka will still be the same in another 100 years; 1000 years; only worse ……….. and I’m not even half as smart as you guys ……… can’t even spell let alone write.
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    But I see what I see. ………. and it ain’t a pretty picture ……………..
    
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nalmen / April 18, 2019

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a strong peoples political movement
not in this country

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Rarityminds / April 18, 2019

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Dear Writer,
:
QUOTE
Out of the leaders of this country Mahinda Rajapaksa soon after ending the war and Maithripala Sirisena after coming to power in 2015 got this opportunity to rise to the level of Gandhi, Mandela or Lee but they have selected the dustbin of the history instead of immense prestige, due to greediness to personal and petty political gains.
UNQUOTE
–
Our leaders and their mindset is unique to them, no comparable to any other leaders either in Asia or Europe. : Besides, if they would have been honest to their pledges made before each of the elections, they could achieve lot more in the line of sustainable growth in Economy and several other areas. 22 millions are not that stupid as appeared to be. However, the media should also play a big role in order these peoples to be fed with FACTs about the ground realities of lanken politics. Most that are accessed to smart phones, obviously are no different to permanent slaves of former so called regime. They are made to believe the magical powers of Rajapakshes. None of them would turn out to welcome SIRISENA.

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Thappu / April 18, 2019

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Some thinking on correct lines. Is it revolutionary? Is it practical? Is time ripe for such a dramatic view?
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Methinks that we are far from redemption. The masses have been brainwashed – continuously & for so long – that more of the same would be the norm, for quite a long time to come.
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This might appear to be doomsday forecast. but, we are conditioned for it.
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I would be sincerely grateful, if someone could come forward to prove me wrong!

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BP / April 18, 2019

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“At the time of the war Sri Lankan leaders were prepared to give a Federal solution to the problem ………………………………………………………….”
We were not aware of it!

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JD / April 18, 2019

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National govt is another Constitutionalised FRAUD. Just countr how many different kinds of ministers are not functoning just haging around in the parliament. Sri lankan parliament is peaked in parliament. They all get elelcted from the district and is not responsible for an electorate. Then comes totheparliament and the national govt is to enrich and fulfill the corrupt finctioning of the parliament.
Every Writer, writes just theory and they do notsupport any thing of theirs withh the statistics or facts. Why a bankruot country and a country that makes the International community, one particular country is favoured, rich, needs a large govt. It is cheating the voters and so called VIYATHUN are really dishonest or working for special interest groups needs. They hide the real problems.

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paul / April 18, 2019

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How can you have a national Government when the leaders and politicians are not national minded?

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Analyst / April 19, 2019

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Exactly , what national government ?? What’s the meaning of it? National for the majority people ,
the racist , under the skirts of yellow robed mullahs??
So long the song of this nationalism is spoken , firstly find the right meaning for it in this cursed multi national country.
My two cents are worth until the Doomsday of Srilanka nothing will change.
There’s no cure for this cursed illness of Nationalism.
Take my word.
4 years since 2015 had been a waste of national resources. The government the so called never was allowed to build bridges between people nor allowed to devolopements the nation.
The fault was equally by the government with their own greed as well as the toppled opposition the Medamullana and its supporters always ready to SABOTAGE any talk of devolopements or Building bridges with the minority parties.
So the people face the consequences of selfish greed of the politicians playing the tango with the Religious Mahasanghas.
They are another lot with their own selfish agendas continue to destroy our nation and our people.
It’s the Curse.

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- Bubbuladewi / April 19, 2019
  
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  So long Madamulana meeharaka would long for return to power, things would not change palapably in lanken politics, it is all people are totally brainwashed as is the case in NOrth korea.. Best would be to offer him come back and get him caught while being in office. People are made obsequeous to MEDAMULANA musalaya…. by their progaganda units. Even in far poor afro states, leader when becoming old, say good bye to politics since they intend to spend the rest of the life with their lovely ones. But BP Rajapakshe for some hidden reasons make every effort to come back.
  And his loyalists would also support him diehard since they truly know that they will have no other options to escape from numerous charges being levelled at them.
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  Rohitha Abegunawardhana- have been on bail or their cases are not yet investigated.
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  Wimal Buruwansa-have been on bail or their cases are not yet investigated.
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  Gonthadipila -have been on bail or their cases are not yet investigated.
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  Jonsten Fernando-have been on bail or their cases are not yet investigated.
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  Mahinadananadha Aluthgamage have been on bail or their cases are not yet investigated.
  
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JD / April 19, 2019

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National govt is, if you get some lawyer to explain, a strategy to offer minister post to every three wheeler Party leader and buy MPs from other parties and to stabilize the govt. That is why even then when they have politicians from every ethnic or religious group in the party or the govt, they recruit more in order to make the 113. If you remember just before October 26th debacle or coup depenading who you talk to, the govt had about 122 miniters. That incluced some UNSURE seats. On the otherhand, Rishad Bathiuddin eventhough he says he came to Colombo just with a SIlly Silly bag full of stuff, now is a powerful politician all with Arab countries Charity money from Sehieks. So, MR, Ranil and MS are willing to address his grievences.

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K A Sumanasekera / April 19, 2019

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Aappa Sira thought all SLFP MPs willl take the Yahapalana car Permits and that extra LKR 100,000 monthly Bonus from Dr Ranil to sit in Kotte and Tick off Dr Ranil’s Federal Constitution..
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To the utter disappointment of Aappa Sira and his handler SLFP Whiskey Madam’ the majority of the true SLFP supporters proved that they are not Dumb Asses.
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They knew Dr Ranil and his Federal thing is the end of the Sinhala Buddhist Country ,
And they held the Blow Torch to the bellies of the crooked SLFP Mps , who in turn realized that their Asses will be Grass at the next Election.
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How can Dr Ranil and Aappa Sira form a National Government by sending the UNP Special Police to hunt the Leaders of the SLFP , who gave the great majority of inhabitants Security and a better standard of living after defeating the 30 year Tamil Terrorism, which devastated the Nation.
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Can Dr Ranil have a National Government by jailing the Monks who belong to that 70% , who supported the SLFP coalition to defeat Tamil Terrorism.?.
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How can Dr Ranil have a National Government when the Vellala Peoples Party the TNA which is part of the UNP also become the Opposition with the Vellala Leader as the Opposition Leader?..
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Does it make sense ,although one time Proletariat party Boss thought so, after taking LKR 25 Lakhs from Dr Ranil and an old armour plated Limousine from Mr Sambandan.
Or is it in that Dr Ranil’s “Licchavi” thing?..

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Eagle Eye / April 19, 2019

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PATHETIC SITUATION OF SINHALE
———————————————
DURING THE PAST 71 YEARS:
We tried UNP and failed
We tried SLFP and failed
We tried UNP+SLFP and failed
We tried Democracy and failed
We tried semi-Dictatorship and failed
We tried capitalism and failed
We tried socialism and failed
We tried neo-liberalism and failed
———–
One thing that we have not tried is military rule. Let us try that for a change. Sri Lankan Armed Forces is the only institution in this country that has a proven record for achieving the objective.

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- Analyst / April 19, 2019
  
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  Eagle Eye the dumbo wallah wants military governmently. Plainly speaking go for it Dumbo Wallah. Make yourself the most wanted Modaya of the world knowing the track record worldwide of Srilankan Military force.
  Tell me how many known war criminals are there?? Still BS….g !!
  
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  - Eagle Eye / April 19, 2019
    
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    Analyst,
    Do you know that there is a high demand for Sri Lankan Army personnel for UN missions? UN is full of white hypocrites. One arm of the UN talking about war crimes while the other arm recruit SL Army for their missions because they know very well that SL Army is efficient and disciplined.
    Sri Lankan Army does not have war criminals. It is the Indian Peace Keeping Force and LTTE that is full of war criminals. Ironically, UNHRC does not go after them.
    
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Mallaiyuran / April 19, 2019

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Whatever mentioned in the essay is 100% correct or true. Distortion is zero. But essay did not give a full stomach feeling when it was trying to explain why did the original plan derailed. “SLFPyers wanted pension. Leaders lack statesmanship. Biriyani-Arrack voting system is a pain for all MPs whether they are sincere or crook.” Beyond that all, one special thing must be mentioned. That is Ranil was dead determined to save Old King from the very start.

New King was ready to compromise his authority at the start. But Ranil’s stern decision on saving Old King handicapped New King very soon. If Old King was exposed for crimes charges, New King would have comfortable on his seat. But the September 2015 told New king that Old King is a non-wipe-out -able enemy. Further, dishonest Ranil was maneuvering to capture EP by crook methods or even by election. 19A only protected Ranil’s seat in Parliament but not really strengthened the government by balancing the all three branches of the government. This is a game Ranil played. He knowingly left the EP power intact for him to come back and manipulate many things in his favor. Some of the UNP & SLFP heavy weights noticed it and were conscious of the biased amendment.

Communist used this uncertainty to create safe and strong feeling in Old King’s mind to go for rebel. They are the people created Joint Comedy Club for Old King’s escape. A complex situation arose by these and then no one could put through an independent solution to resolve this all out uncertainty. The result was the Trio staged a coup against the West and CBK engineered regime change, in October 2018.

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kali / April 19, 2019

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Harsha Gunasena

1) Concept of national government was mentioned in the election manifesto of Maithripala Sirisena in 2015 presidential election. “For that purpose a National Unity Alliance Government will be established for a hundred day interim period. This programme will be implemented through a National government. . Intention of this was to find out a lasting solution to the ethnic conflict, establish a new constitution and agree on long term policies of the government.

*** This was not to sole the National problem but to get UN off Sri Lnkas back We the Tamils were fooled and still being fooled.

2) However, the process of constitutional reforms is stalled and no solution was given to the ethnic conflict. The reason for this was that the politicians of this country placed their own political interests ahead of the national interest.

*** The politicians dont have the Guts to address the Throny issue of Devolution and only Devolution will soleve the problem. Sinhala Lanka has to first accet that the Island is inhabited by two differnt people Unied we FALL Divided we STAND. We cannot live together. If you can solve the Ethnic issue which has dogged the country for thousands of years you solve Sri Lankas problems.

The Race Card for the Sinhalese Politicians is an Election winning Manthra

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Henry Fernando,Jnr. / April 19, 2019

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RW is distributing funds and perks as if they are his personal money in order to remain in power. He has no idea of how to develop the country. Vote for a new people’s constitution as stated by Nagananda Kodituwakku that will empower the masses and not the politicians who are only interested in feathering their nests.

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Ajith / April 19, 2019

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“Intention of this was to find out a lasting solution to the ethnic conflict, establish a new constitution and agree on long term policies of the government.”

In Srilankan politics, the talk of lasting solution to the ethnic conflict is always a fake propaganda intention to cheat Tamil politicians by Sinhala leadership and their true intention is common for both UNP and SLFP leadership throughout the period of 1948 and now. It will continue as long as Buddhist Fundamentalism is the deciding factor in the so called democracy or dictatorship. In otherwords, Srilanka will never be in peace ever under Buddhist Sinhala Fundamentalism.

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- paul / April 19, 2019
  
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  ‘the talk of lasting solution to the ethnic conflict is always a fake propaganda intention to cheat Tamil politicians by Sinhala leadership’
  
  So how many times are these brainy Tamil leaders going to fall for the same trick? Isn’t it true that they are not in fact falling for it? What they are doing is going along with it, because they too are complicit in this mess. However it suits the LTTE diaspora to blame everything on SWRD and Sinhala Buddhist Fundamentalism.
  
  As if life and politics are that simple.
  
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Harsha Gunasena / April 19, 2019

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Thank you for your comments.
Kali
In this country ethnic problem was not there for 1000 years. I believe it was created during the British period. I invite you to read the following essay if you have time. Birth of ethnocentrism was in the latter part of the 19th century.
http://www.ft.lk/columns/The-clash-of–civilisations/4-642204

Analyst asked the meaning of the word national. National means Sri Lankan, inclusive of all the communities. There is no proper Sinhala word for nationalism. may be ජාතික වාදය. But this is not a word which is used much. May be in Tamil also it would be the same. ජාතිවාදය means ethnocentrism.
Communities in the villages live in harmony, they do not have this feeling. It is a politically motivated concept in all sides.
Yes, there are by products of a national government as JD mentioned but the real purpose of it, is to have a combined leadership to address the ethnic issue and the issue of a constitution since if it is addressed by a single party, other parties would mess it up.

Eagle Eye said we were left to try military rule. If we try, that would be the end, for the reason that they will not go. Mahinda also tried to do that but to his credit he abandoned the idea. After all he is a civilian leader. However we are facing the dilemma of democracy today.

Reconciliation expected by the national government would not have been fake if materialized contrary to what Shamil has said. We can debate about the policies and actions of the governments.

We have to look at the problem/s in national/Sri Lankan perspective, not of the perspectives of different political parties, different ethnicities or different religious groups.

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- kali / April 19, 2019
  
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  Harsha
  
  Just to jog your memory please read the following
  
  Ellalan (Tamil: எல்லாளன், translit. Ellāḷaṉ; Sinhala: එළාර, translit. Eḷāra) was a member of the Tamil Chola dynasty, also known as “Manu Needhi Cholan”, who upon capturing the throne became king of the Anuradhapura Kingdom, in present-day Sri Lanka, from 205 BCE to 161 BCE.[2][3][4]
  
  Ellalan is traditionally presented as being a just king even by the Sinhalese.[5] The Mahavamsa states that he ruled ‘with even justice toward friend and foe, on occasions of disputes at law,[6] and elaborates how he even ordered the execution of his son on the basis of a heinous religious crime.
  
  Ellalan is a peculiar figure in the history of Sri Lanka and one with particular
  
  *** resonance given the past ethnic strife in the country.
  Although he was an invader, he is often regarded as one of Sri Lanka’s wisest and most just monarchs, as highlighted in the ancient Sinhalese Pali chronicle, the Mahavamsa.
  
  According to the chronicle, even Ellalan’s nemesis Dutugamunu had a great respect for him, and ordered a monument be built where Ellalan was cremated after dying in battle.
  *** You are right Ethnic Strife intensified after the British left none during their rule.
  Hope it heps
  
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Douglas / April 19, 2019

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In Sri Lanka the “National Government” is the “Sweet Scented” coating offered to the dumb voter of an “Inner Ingredient” termed “Coalition” that ” COLONIZES ” all the Looters and Criminals of all types who have a common goal to make their lives prosperous.

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punchinilame / April 20, 2019

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“To place the country in the path of nation building there should be a strong apolitical peoples movement comprising of fair-minded people of all ethnicities and followers of all religions, rather than depending solely on the politicians for that task.”

The first step towards this was Prof D.Kumar`s trial – common candidate – which directed SL towards a correct change, despite the very politician showing his real-colours thereafter. Now here is a chance for the Sinhala Buddhist Intelligentsia to
follow up the above quote – if they wish to see a future comparatively liveable
Sri Lanka!

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Harsha Gunasena / April 20, 2019

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Thanks Kali for the information.
There were comments about national government. The point I have raised in the article was that if the country had a national government with one fraction headed be MR it would have been fine and the country would have got the answers to many problems. In the run the country would have given various ‘concessions’ to politicians. That is also fine because there is nothing called free lunch.
Politicians are corrupt but you cannot attack all the issues at the same time. Corruption should be handled after we resolve main national issues I believe.
We all should know that public servants are more corrupt than the politicians. I am not trying to whitewash any body

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- kali / April 21, 2019
  
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  Harsha
  
  I dont want to be too harsh on you but let me give you my take. You will have ethnic strife when a a racist majority imposes its will on the minority with impunity. I have already stated the Sri Lanka had two kingdoms and divided as two seperate entities. and it was the fault of the British leaving Sri Lanka without recognising that fact which led to the Tamil minority being brutaised. Dont forget three race riots and I lost three members of my family and I can never reconcile.. Manhintha can never be part of a National Government with blood on his hand. He along with others should be punished before we can have reconciliation.. I am sorry that I might sound uncompromising but that is how I feel . If the Sinhala politicians werent so narrow minded they could have treated us equally under a Federal Structure and avoided the bloodshed and not lose the sovereignty to India as it is happening.
  
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Harsha Gunasena / April 22, 2019

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Kali You lost your family members and your mind is wounded.I apologize on behalf of the majority community.
Sri Lanka is divided deeply in the lines of ethnicity religion and caste. When I say, Rajapakse should have been taken to the national government his political opponents would have objected for it. Their line of injection is political. Your line of objection is ethnicity and the way he handles the last stages of war.
Thete are several persons mentally wounded in this country and unfortunately there is no healing process. Hardly any one is having inclusive approach to the problem.
I can give you there examples in relation to yesterday’s tragic incidents.
Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith came on TV. He mentioned about two RC churches only. No mention about the evangelist Zion church in battialoa. No mention about the hotels. Attack was aimed st the chrtistians not on RCs. Restaurants of the hotels were attacked becsuse of the Easter feasts.
Second example is MR. In his statement he said that this happened due to intimidation of intelligence personnel in the recent past. That was due to illegal killings initiated by them and he tried to take a political mileage.
PM in his statement said that activity of this kind was known prior to the incident but he and his cabinet were not known it. Probably be was trying to put the blame on the president. AlJazeera picked it up and repetedly announced in their telecasts. They said “government” was aware.
Injustice was done to you and I’m order to rectify it we should have an inclusive approach to the problem.