Once the true details emerge, the world will realise that this election is even more shocking than the notorious election held in 1933 under Hitler..!

February 03, 2010
Mangala Samaraweera:World’s First Hi-Tech Election Rigging
THE SUNDAYLEADER...Aravinda De Silva
Govt. Has Successfully Concluded World’s First Hi-Tech Election Rigging Operation — Mangala

By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema

Mangala Samaraweera
SLFP (M) Wing Leader and Co-media Spokesperson for General Sarath Fonseka, Mangala Samaraweera charged that software/paper rigging finally changed an approximately 1.5 million vote victory for General Sarath Fonseka into a 1.8 million majority for President Rajapaksa. He said this “is perhaps the first successfully carried out software/paper rigging in the world.”

Excerpts:

Q: General Sarath Fonseka’s camp has said the polls were rigged. On what basis do you make this allegation?


A: We have many reasons to believe the election was manipulated in the most insidious and subtle manner to distort the true mandate of the people. I would accuse the government of concluding successfully what I would term the world’s first hi-tech election rigging programme. The details of which are beginning to emerge. Before I get into that I would like to highlight some of the more conventional types of election malpractices and irregularities of this scandalous election.

People will realise one day soon that this election was perhaps the most outrageous and insidious election ever held in a country which claims to be democratic. Once the true details emerge, the world will realise that this election is even more shocking than the notorious election held in November 1933 under Adolf Hitler in Germany, which is seen by many historians as one of the most scandalous elections ever. Hitler claimed that 96% of the voters had voted for him and amazed the world by even claiming that 2,100 of the 2,300 inmates at the Dachau concentration camp voted for him.

Q: Yes, but on what basis do you make this allegation?


A: Before I explain this very serious and complex picture of vote rigging, I must say this is not at all a case of sour grapes and to justify the defeat of our candidate. In my 21-year-old political career I have never resorted to justifying our political setbacks before by making allegations against the victor. However, this time there are serious questions now surfacing and these questions need to be answered before we can be convinced with the claims of victory.

I will start off with the mundane. First the mood of the country — Did the people of our country act in a manner they should after giving the President a resounding victory? The majority of the people were shocked and stunned by the announcement, while small pockets of supporters led by a few UPFA PS members took to the streets in intoxication. What was most indicative of what may have happened was the Election Commissioner’s statement on January 27 announcing the final results. I would ask people to read his statement carefully and read between the lines.

To me the statement is more a cry for help from a man held hostage with a gun at his back than an official statement proclaiming the victory of President Rajapaksa. I would like to highlight that at one point he says, “Now on certain occasions we can’t even protect our ballot boxes. This is a big situation. A wrong situation. Because of this I’m sad to say I have had to work in great difficulty.” Leaving aside the other extremely serious allegations, which are emerging, this statement by the Elections Commissioner alone would have been enough to declare the election null and void in any other country which is truly a practicing democracy.

He also talks about the unprecedented misuse and abuse of state properties and resources at this election. The misuse of public funds is well documented in the Transparency International report recently. He also highlights how he was totally helpless in the face of the despicable and totally partisan media onslaught by SLRC, SLBC and other state media. Despite appointing a Competent Authority under powers vested with him, he had to withdraw the Competent Authority in a most shocking manner.

Even on the day of the election, state media was campaigning for Mahinda Rajapaksa with advertisements and other programmes. These allegations in themselves would be enough to disqualify the President in an election petition if we really had a truly free judiciary. Unfortunately, we have to remember the present Chief Justice has also been appointed in total violation of the constitutional requirements.

However, the country cannot wait for the court ruling because what finally changed an approximately 1.5-million-vote victory for General Fonseka into a 1.8 million vote majority for President Rajapaksa in the early hours of the morning is perhaps the first successfully carried out software/paper rigging in the world.

Q: Does the opposition have proof that there was software/paper rigging?


A: We don’t have proof at the moment. As I said earlier details are emerging and there are many questions that require answers. The international election observers who were here have apparently issued a report claiming the polling day was violence-free and extremely peaceful, and concluded that the election was free and fair. These monitors who issued such a report after spending a few days, most of which were spent wining and dining at events organised by the government, had made some senior members of the delegation say this was the best-paid holiday they have received.

The election day was relatively free of violence, although there were government-inspired grenade attacks and artillery firing in the north. In their master plan they did not want the software rigging operation in the north, but were only interested in reducing the majority of Sarath Fonseka in the north and east by keeping the voter turnout low. In their master plan they had already decided to allow Fonseka to gain a victory in the north and east in order to back up their allegation of him only having the support of LTTE sympathizers in the north.

At the beginning of polling it was planned to show Fonseka in the lead in the north while the rest of the country gave a massive endorsement of Mahinda Rajapaksa. We now believe that the results were changed with the connivance of certain senior counting officers in the District Secretariats with whose help the final numbers of the tally sheets were heavily inflated in favour of Mahinda Rajapaksa. We are also receiving information on how these counting officers were handpicked by Basil Rajapaksa before the elections. We are in the process of getting concrete proof about this shocking operation. Until such time as we will have those in hand I will say with responsibility and gravity that this was one of the most sophisticated poll-rigging programmes carried out anywhere in the world.

Q: Are you saying there was no rigging on ground level during the polling period?


A: The traditional, crude forms of rigging never took place where armed hooligans show up in booths and stuff boxes. On the other hand even the polling day was violence-free. Like in the Zimbabwean elections, most violence took place in the run-up to the election. Goon squads operated by Colombo were based in various parts of the country. In Matara alone these squads, handled by the officer-in-charge of the Gemunu Watch along with two relatives of the President, roamed the area in government vehicles with impunity carrying arms.

They threatened opposition supporters with death and several times came near my house and shot in the air. Despite repeated complaints to the police with even their names, they turned a blind eye. Finally, when a police officer arrested a vehicle with armed thugs and remanded them, the thugs were released the following day because of “orders from above.” The respective police officer was questioned by the CID for carrying out his duties. I wrote a letter to the IGP on January 22 with details and names of the culprits, and in response the police raided my house in Matara, searching for weapons.
There were two other forms of rigging at the election. One was the issuing of temporary IDs. The Elections Commissioner ordered the issue of 2.1 million IDs. They were to be issued through the Samurdhi officers, but when the opposition complained it was decided to issue them through the Grama Sevakas. We are now receiving information that apart from the 2.1 million approved ID cards, thousands of false ID cards have been issued to trusted party people. These have been issued in place of dead persons and those who have gone overseas. We believe there might have been 400,000-500,000 votes rigged in this manner. The ID card machine and the laminating machine it is learnt were taken to Temple Trees in the run up to the elections.

Another method that was used, again not at the polling booth but at the counting centers, is to change the bundles. When counting, ballot papers are divided according to symbols and packed into bundles of 50. If a betel leaf ballot paper is placed on top of a swan symbol bundle, that bundle is counted as a betel leaf bundle. This was noticed in certain areas.

Q: In which areas were there malpractices recorded during counting?


A: It happened even in Matara. For example, 20 bundles are a few thousand votes. The coup de grace, however, was the massive operation which was carried out. We will come out with the details. My life is in grave danger, but I am confident that we will be able to come out with the details. There are so many questions that need to be answered:
Why did SLRC send its staff on leave on the 26th and 27th and operate for two days through an OB bus from Temple Trees? The usual practice has always been that before any media institution can give results a copy of the results certified by the Elections Commissioner has to be sent. Why were computer generated results sent this time?

Usually postal results are out by 2 am and the rest of the results start to come in. This time the postal votes took so long that electoral results got delayed; why did the voter turnout, which was announced by the district secretaries in some districts, increase dramatically when the final results were announced? Why did Basil Rajapaksa spend so much time with the Elections Commissioner? According to information, he had been with the Elections Commissioner since 3 pm.

We have reason to believe that the Elections Commissioner was put under duress to release the certified results against his wishes.

Q: The opposition camp has also said polling agents at counting centers were assaulted and chased away. Have those agents made official complaints?


A: I’m not sure that official complaints were made. They were attacked and chased away. They were not in a proper state to make complaints. Most of the representatives in counting centers were chased away at the time the hi-tech conspiracy was taking place.

Q: What action does the opposition plan to take with regard to the alleged poll rigging?


A: The opposition must first keep the people informed. Many are asking why the opposition is not on the streets with the people protesting. We will also take this to the people and try to deal with this great conspiracy at different levels. While protesting with the people, we will file a presidential election petition for what it’s worth. We will keep the international community informed of these developments and will also ensure that such insidious acts against the people’s mandate will not be repeated during the general election. We are trying to get to the bottom of this terrible crime so that we can prove to our people what really happened.

Q: How long would it take for the opposition to gather the necessary proof to take action?


A: We will try to do it in the shortest possible time. It’s going to be a very dangerous investigation because we are dealing with a regime prepared to kill, maim, intimidate or threaten to hang on to power. What is remarkable is that the President is not behaving like a man who has gained such a remarkable victory. Even during a statement made after the results he looked guilty and dared not look at the cameras, which made me realise that he still may have a conscience. The Rajapaksa regime has already started a witch-hunt against their political opponents. Sarath Fonseka is being harassed in the most shameful manner. Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s security is being removed, my house was raided on the 27th and my colleague Upulangani Malagamuwa’s house was stoned by government-sponsored mobs.

Q: What will General Fonseka do now?


A: Fonseka has the ideal qualities needed for a politician. He also has the charisma and personality to attract the people. That is why I feel that while fighting to regain the position he rightfully deserves he must remain in politics and come forward at the next general election on behalf of the millions of people who voted for him.

302 Responses for
“Govt. Has Successfully Concluded World’s First Hi-Tech Election Rigging Operation — Mangala”

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Sena says:
January 31, 2010 at 4:28 pmOf all allegations leveled by Mangala, the most serious and far reaching one relates to the computer-aided ‘most sophisticated poll rigging programme’. According to his own words, there is ‘no concrete proof about this shocking operation…’. Yet, he proceeds to declare that ‘until such time as we have those in hand, I will say with responsibility and gravity that this was one of the most sophisticated poll rigging programme carried out anywhere in the world’.

The enormous gravity and the serious implications of an allegation of this nature are very obvious for anyone to comprehend. Thus, it is absolutely necessary that such an allegation should be based on solid facts. Regrettably, in this instance, although the allegations is already raised, facts are yet to be verified. In other words, the allegation has been made pending collection of evidence or verification of facts and in the meantime, Mangala’s imagination is running riot. The irony is he still wants us to believe that he is acting ‘with responsibility and gravaity’ when, in fact, he is clearly engaged in a process of conjecture. Is it unfair for one to suggest that this is an obvious insult to the intelligence of the readers.

To briefly delve into the electoral process obtaining in Sri Lanka, as everybody knows, it is not one that is fully computerised as in the US. What obtains here in our country is dominantly a manual one upto and inclusive of the stage at which votes cast are counted at the designated counting centres and the total number of votes polled by each individual candidate is ascertained. The computer operations commence only after that stage. What is significant to bear in mind is that manual operations upto the point of counting and determining the votes polled by individual candidates are all performed by the staff of the Commissioner of Elections witnessed by agents accredited by the candidates themselves and their political parties. These WITNESSED operations include, among others, sealing of ballot boxes at the polling stations, transporting them to the respective counting centres accompanied by the representatives of the candidates, verification at the counting centres if the seals on the ballot boxes are intact, opening of sealed ballot boxes, sorting out the votes by candidates, making bundles of them, counting the votes, determining the total votes polled by each cndidate, etc. At any of these stages, the accredited representatives who monitor the activities can lodge objections and also demand repeat of activities. For instance, they can ask for a recount of votes, in case of any doubt. On completion of the counting process, the representatives of the candidates become aware of the total of votes polled by each candidate. In other words, before the results are officially declared, they are unofficially within the knowledge of official representatives of the candidates.

As mentioned earlier, the computer system features in the electoral process only after the votes have been counted at designated counting centres and the total votes polled by respective candidates have been ascertained. The relevant figures are then entered into the central computer system. When all counting centres throughout the country have entered the relevant figures , the system comes with the final and overall figures which the Commissioner of Elections announces.

The critical question that arises in the above context is if there is the possibility at all to carry out any computer-aided poll rigging programme in Sri Lanka. To any person with commonsense, it is almost an impossibility. Some genuine errors and acts of omission apart, such a scenario is a sheer impossibility without immediate and sure detection because, forgetting about the computer genrated figures, any candidate could compile for himself/herself the total number of vortes polled by him/her simply by adding up the figures relating to the final counts at each counting station in consultation with his/her official representives who are already in possession of the statistics involved. It is simply a task of adding up figures.

Any fair minded citizen will feel disturbed whilst reading through what Mangala has stated in relation to the vote counting and results tallying procedures presently in place and carried out by the staff of the Commissioner of Elections. By levelling the allegation, as he did in this instance, of a sophisticated rigging programme, by implication, he clearly calls into question the efficiency, the integrity and the independence of the Commissioner of Elections and his devoted staff . For Mangala to have acted in this manner without providing an iota of evidence of wrong doings on their part is monumentally unfair and irresponsible, to say the least.

The law of the country provides for clear avenues for aggrieved parties to follow to seek redress in circumstances where acts of wrong doing have taken place in the process of conducting elections. Unfortunately, Mangala does not have confidence in our judicial system to do an impartial job. So what is the way out? To engage in irresponsible rhetoric causing damage to the image of the country!

Reply
Paul says:
January 31, 2010 at 6:17 pmJudging by the behaviour and utterences of the losers thus far, I do not believe they have the brains to understand such simple logic even…

Reply
Nadaal says:
February 1, 2010 at 1:31 pmVery funny. They have definitely cheated. They can cheat using state power and assistance from India. But one thing is clear. They cant cheat the natures law. It is a matter of time they be punished by the powers like so many greedy rulers before MR. May God bless this nation and protect it from Tyrants and dictators.

Reply Operator says:
January 31, 2010 at 8:18 pmWith a computer it is a case of “Garbage in, Garbage Out”. Likewise “False Data in, False Result out”

Reply N.C.Wijeratne says:
January 31, 2010 at 9:39 pmMangala is a responsible Politician with a family background that has had a very long history with the affairs of the south.Analysing the different answers he has given to the Leader Newspaper which is very widely read by the educated population of this country, it is quite serious and the issues mentioned therin affects the very basic rights of the citizens of our Country.If those accussations are true then we have a serious threat to our democracy! And if those statements are true further I cannot see how the Rajapakse family will get the blessings of the Buddhist deity and God above to proceed with their plans for the Country. Most of all I dont see how this Family members could sleep peacefully that certain very serious allegations have been made following the election results.
However there are many thousands of men and women who have witnessed the various stages of voting and counting processes that have taken place.And it may be appropriate to initiate a massscale verification to identify the exact areas of such rigging and implications. It may also be neccessary to round up all the Reporters and Journalists who have in and out of these centres and other related Agencies to ascertain the exact nature of the rigging, if it so.
It is also deemed neccessary now to determine on what official document the private radio/tv stations gave out the results.Were all those results announced confirmed as coming from authentic sources.
For those of living abroad but still intersted in the welfare of our country and the protection of democratic rights we may need also a comprehensive report from an Agency like Transparantly International and any other independent source that there are certain doubts about the manner in which this election was conducted.
As for the Judiciary in Sri Lanka, they will be expected to act impartially at all time when it comes to this type of allegations, as this is not merely about somebody wanting to be the President; but the very existence of our sovereignty at stake! And I suppose with very good Buddhist s at the helm of tour judicial system, and moreover now with christians also playing a vital role in the judicial machinery they will have to act according to their conscience and not with the intention of favouring any of the parties, if and when such a case is brought before the courts!
We are watching this situation very clsoely! And if the need arises there are proposals to hold an international forum at a independent centre soon; very much prior to the General Elections in Sri Lanka!

Reply
Sebas says:
January 31, 2010 at 11:55 pmMr. N.C.W…
This family massacred Tamils in thousands, not just using conventional weapons but with weapons that are banned. All the Tamils know that. The international community has evidence too which will surface out soon. It’s a damn shame the Sinhalese are slowly working it out. If they are so buddhist, dont they have a conscience to know that they were responsible in massacring thousands of innocent tamil civilians? I guess they dont, which is why the world must get together and get rid of all the evil that is put upon that land. The world must also delegate an independent state for the Tamils (not divide SL but in an effort to protect the minority). The world must also bring to justice the likes of paramilitaries, the kidnappers, the journalist murderers, the corrupt. Killing Prabaharan (or believing he is dead.. remeber.. it was a plastic face shown and cant believe the SInhalese people even believed that!) was not the answer, because the trouble has shifted down-south. One common enemy was alot cleaner than internal division. My point being, it’s all coming back in a circle. So the SInhalese people should expect to be divided due to their own leaders using ‘nationalism’ to win a so-called war over the Tamils, while all that should have mattered was to not be prejudice and let the Tamil grow and prosper because he wanted to and not ever stop that by using power and creating animosities for no reason. Justice will prevail but at a severe cost to the Sinhalese people, as the Tamils have already paid their share.

Reply
Panduka Dasanayake says:
February 1, 2010 at 5:21 amSebas – thank you for your heartfelt comments here.
1) Please remember that there are many Sinhalese who empathise with your sentiments. We share the pain that you as a community have suffered since independence, and it is in no small measure that we have been aghast at how nationalism was touted from the 1950s to detract the nation’s journey to becoming a modern liberal democracy. We do not even have to go to the end phase of the so-called war that was ended last May.
2) Please bear with us as we have been helpless amidst the pseudo-nationalist element amongst us, and do remember that those who genuinely profess the Buddha Dhamma have no truck with those who demostrate external rituals only and are mere nominal Buddhists with behaviour that is incongruous with its basic tenets. See the allegations made in this column about the falsities one will utter and the lawlessness that one will resort to and defend for the lust of power. Pardon us but this is no different to the late Prabha missing the point about negotiating sincerely with the CFA that the Hon RW offered!
3) If we say the LTTE leadership was intransigent, we humbly say that the manner and extent of maladministration and abuse of state power that we have had to witness for a number of decades now, behoves us to admit that the Sinhalese majority has lost the plot about what a modern liberal democracy was all about.
4) It was in this light that many moderate, decent, Sinhalese and others who make up Lanka held out hope for the victory of the UNF and allied parties that placed themselves with General Fonseka.
5) The hope was that we ultimately have got to a point where we realise that inter-dependence within was the only way forward. A political culture based on consensus seeking, consensus building and mutual respect, was a sine qua non if this land is to face the future, and be counted amongst the liberal democracies of the world that recognise and thrive on inter-dependence amongst all peoples.
6) We do not yet know how the allegations that are reported in this interview column are to be supported with evidence, but we do hope that such evidence will emerge in good time. Either way, we know this from the Dhamma: As all component and conditioned phenomena are transient, this shall also pass.
Think of all the leaders, good and not so-good, sometimes good and sometimes not-so-good, etc from 1948. They have all passed on, and so shall the incumbent President and all around him. We can only hope that in the process, they do not do much more damage than what they’ve already done, to make the collective conscience of the people to suffer ignoble consequences!
May a time come soon that you Sebas and all your loved and near and dear ones can put these sentiments you’ve openly expressed, aside, and think that there was enough remorse and compassion in the Sinhalese to give leadership to a genuine process of reconciliation and to building an equitable state where all communities will enjoy the protection of the law equally.
May we all be blessed with just and fair rule!
May all be safe and well!
safa says:
February 1, 2010 at 7:37 pmI can understand the pain you must be having. You can’t blame all the Buddists. There are chauvinistic and racial people who voted MR solely because he ended the war. they even proudly pronounced that they dont mind the MR family owning half of Lanka. better him than Praba. no point of talking to them till MR really does something to endanger them….
Soorya says:
February 1, 2010 at 2:43 amMr. N.C.W.,
In which World are you living? All of your proposals are only possible if Sri Lanka is a democracy. It is unfortunately run by a family of crooks and criminals. Not only the justice system is free from meddling, the whole governing system is in jeopardy. Either people with conscience are fearing of thier life and leaving the country or people who are bribed in any form keep thier mouth shut.

Reply Sam says:
January 31, 2010 at 11:20 pm“Dayananda subjected to pressure’’
Intimidation at counting centers accuses RanilWhile polling proceeded between 7 am and 4 pm on election day in most places in a peaceful and non-intimidatory atmosphere, the situation was different at several counting centres that night, Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said in a statement issued from his Cambridge Place office on Friday evening.

He alleged that several groups of thugs accompanied by ministers and MPs chased away crowds who had gathered at the counting centres to observe proceedings ad permitted only their own supporters to remain.

The opposition has appointed a special team to gather details of these incidents, the statement said, adding that the Elections Commissioner has stated in his report that such incidents had occurred and even elections officials could not be protected.

This statement had been made by the Commissioner at the time he declared the results. His speech on that occasion was quite different from the speeches he had made on such occasions previously.

Wickremesinghe’s statement said that the Commissioner’s speech suggested that something sinister had happened and the Commissioner himself had indicated that he was subject to some trauma (arthathiyakata). The Commissioner had said that whatever incident occurred, he would have to bear it by himself.

What this statement reveals is that the Commissioner could not fulfill his duties in the manner he had expected. What had actually happened to him? Was he exposed to some harm on election night? Or was he subject to some pressure before that? Did he have to face a threat or fear?

What we see from the speech made in announcing the results the Commissioner had been subject to some harm and this is something which is most dangerous for democracy.

The founding members of the UNF have decided that this is a matter of which they must take notice and also consult with other leaders of constituent parties of the UNF.

Wicremesinghe also said they the UNF must state that there is no foundation in the accusations being made against General Sarath Fonseka who was the common candidate at this election. He should be permitted to do his work without hindrance without being subject to the pressure and harassment he now faces.

It is our position that after any election all sections of the polity must unite and live in harmony. But this has not been possible after this presidential election with acts of thuggery in various parts of the country. These thugs are taking revenge on their political opponents. On election day the police had been able to maintain peace but not thereafter.

Although President Rajapaksa has said that peace must be established after the election and all must cooperate in this effort, such a situation did not prevail in the country.

If the security forces can be deployed to surround Colombo hotels, why can’t ordinary people in the villages be protected is a question I ask, Wickremesinghe said.

At any presidential election one candidate must win and the others will lose. But we cannot allow democracy itself to be defeated or the people deprived of their franchise. Exposing the voters to thuggery is a negation of democracy.

Wickremesinghe therefore asked for the people’s support across political divisions to protect democracy.

At the inception of his statement, Wickremesinghe thanked those who supported Fonseka and also the security forces and other officials who properly performed their functions at the election.

Reply Samuel says:
February 1, 2010 at 5:21 pmhere is more to read about post election behaviours

..ඇතුගල යක්‍ෂා වේෂයෙන්
Thursday, January 28, 2010 Leave a Comment
(January 29, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) ජනාධිපති මැතිවරණ සමයේදී ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණයේ නියෝග පවා නොතකමින් ඒක පාක්‍ෂික ලෙස ජාතික රූපවාහිනිය හැසිර වූ එහි සභාපති ඇතුගල මහතා ඉතා පහත් ලෙස තම විරුද්ධ පාක්‍ෂික සේවකයින්ගෙන් පලිගැනීමට ක‍්‍රියාකරමින් සිටින බව වාර්තා වේ.

දැනට ලැබී ඇති තොරතුරු අනුව ජාතික රූපවාහිනී සංස්ථාවේ රොබට් කුමාර අලගියවන්න මහතා වහාම ක‍්‍රියාත්මක වන පරිදි සේවයෙන් පහකර ඇති අතර සේවයෙන් නෙරපා හරින ලද ලිපිය ඊයේ රැ ඔහුගේ නිවසටම ගොස් භාර දී තිබේ. මීට අමතරව වැඩ සටහන් නිෂ්පාදකවරුන් 6 දෙනෙකුගේ වැඩ තහනම් කිරීමට අදාල ලිපි මේ වන විටත් සකස් කර අවසන් බව එහි අභ්‍යන්තර ආරංචි මාර්ග සඳහන් කරයි. මෙලෙස වැඩ තහනමට නියම වී ඇති සේවකයින් අතර රූපවාහිනී සංස්ථා සේවක සංගමයේ භාණ්ඩාගාරික නිමල් තෙන්නකෝන් සහ ජාතික සේවක සංගමයේ ලේකම් හේම අජිත් යන අයද සිටින බව එම ආරංචි මාර්ග සඳහන් කරයි. කාංචන මාරසිංහ, ගාමිණී පුෂ්පකුමාර, රවි අබේවික‍්‍රම, මහින්ද ගුණතිලක ඊට අමතරව වැඩ තහනමට ලක්වීමට නියමිත වැඩ සටහන් නිෂ්පාදකවරු වෙති.

මැතිවරණ සමයේ යක්‍ෂාවේෂයෙන් හිට්ලර්, ඉඩි අමින් වැනි ඒකාධිපති පාලකයින් ගැන නිතර ප‍්‍රචාරය කරන ලද ජාතික රූපවාහිනී සංස්ථාව සහ එහි සභාපතිවරයා මැතිවරණ ප‍්‍රතිඵල නිකුත්වීමත් සමග මෙලෙස යක්‍ෂාවේෂයෙන් තම විරුද්ධ පාක්‍ෂිකයින්ගෙන් පලිගැනීම පිළිබඳව දැඩි පිළිකුලෙන් යුතුව හෙලා දකින බව එහි සේවකයෝ තවදුරටත් අප හා පැවසූහ.

Reply Crow says:
February 1, 2010 at 9:00 pmMangala … Still your under the madam’s skirt and suddenly wakes up and say things that you day dreamed. Wake up man … it is enough seen your jokes man… sorry sorry not man … boys man…

First let the oppesition apologise from the nationa for been such assholes.. gready for power.. that all you’ll need… you will do anything what west will say.. you do not have your own vision or mission. get real

Reply
kudu says:
February 2, 2010 at 9:55 amhere we have the crow eager to hear his own crowing
caw caw caw

Reply pinky says:
February 2, 2010 at 3:07 pmwhat the crow has to say about interdicting employees belong to SLRC because they supported Sarath Fonseka, is it fair?

Reply pinky says:
February 2, 2010 at 3:09 pmwhat about sending 14 senior army men on compulsory retirement, because they supported sarath fonseka.

Reply Panishkarsinghala says:
January 31, 2010 at 4:40 pmAHMEDINEDJAD WON BY HOW MUCH ????????? THE RESULTS WERE PRONOUNCED EVEN BEFORE COUNTING!!!!! IF THE LANKANS LOVE SLAVERY, LET EM HAVE IT !!!!! THE TALE OF TWO CITIES AND VIOLENCE IS JUST ABOUT TO COMMENCE. I SHALL LAUD THE PRESIDENT, IF HE ARRESTS ALL THE THUGS AND WHITE VAN MURDERERS. THIS IS A POSITIVE STEP !!!

Reply Tharaka says:
January 31, 2010 at 4:53 pmDear All,
Please stop showing our naked to the wold……….
y these people are between two parties & fighting each other…….
what u people will get from those politicians,nothing?????

Think a little & behave your self as a proud sri lankan.

I would like to request from the newspaper editor,Please don’t post all the dirty comments in your web…………..keep some quality of your news paper.

Reply
Ravin says:
February 1, 2010 at 1:08 amTharaka..you dont have the 2 cents worth….so willl not understand what we write hear…so better watch your patchavahini and dr. marvin ayyas bahubutha sindoo. Tharaka MR ayyas royal family robbed 6 million votes..thats the bottomline…

Reply Soorya says:
February 1, 2010 at 4:52 amOh dear little Tharaka,
don´t cry dear, the Sunday Leader is writing such article only to “discredit” our vergin and innocent politicians and it is a disgrace for our mother land Sri Lanka, and all these bad boys and girls -is there any girls- are writing nasty articles and comments, what on earth happend to this people. Tharaka, don´t worry, behave like the ostrich, bury your head in the sand but be careful don´t show your a— someone is going to stick sth. up your’s holy h—.

Reply kasun says:
January 31, 2010 at 6:21 pmMangala,
Your mouth must eat a crokadile at matara river…

Reply
Paul says:
January 31, 2010 at 6:34 pmor vice-versa ? ;<)

Reply Ranawaka says:
January 31, 2010 at 6:29 pmS oory F onseka

Reply
Ravin says:
February 1, 2010 at 1:14 amsorry for the 6 million asses next 6 years for letting MR rob our chande & the economy of sri lanka. hehe now let all of us suffer no gsp+ lets hope IRAN, LIBYA and Chavez ayyas to help us… oo god help srilanka hiks

Reply Bashir says:
January 31, 2010 at 9:46 pmThe worst situation is posibly the lack of an independent judiciary more than the rigging even if true beacuse there is then no remedy to rectify even to entertain a genuine complaint. Today it may be Mr.F, tomorrow it may be poor ME! It is a serious matter.

Reply Sarath Gamage says:
January 31, 2010 at 9:50 pmWe should not bother what an idiot says.

Reply Sen says:
January 31, 2010 at 10:02 pmI think Mangala says about Rigging operation not about a Software or a programme.. Anyway now there are so many news come out relating to this.. Commissioner was under threat to announce such results. he has to do if he likes or not.. from the begining he was fed-up & didn’t make any strong decisions. any way its usual cause of his age & health, also he wants to retire since 2005…. everybody love their life.. specially under this type of ruler…If the King is honest why he wont appoint Election Commission ?. Thats the point has to raise with the Presidential petition at the Supreme courts….

Reply Prem says:
January 31, 2010 at 10:08 pmIt is the begining of demoCRAZY in Sri Lanka. Only the god can save Lanka. good luck.

Reply Sam Costa says:
January 31, 2010 at 10:46 pmIf some of you could not follow what EC was announcing on the 27th. ..

can please go through it here:

this you can read and feel whether what he has to say is correct or not.

this is what EC spoke on the very day

All those who still feel that these PRESIDENTIAL RESULTS ON THE 27th of January 2010 are genuine:

Please read the statement made by EC on the 27th.

“Under the empowerment of the Elections Commissioner as indicated in the 17th Amendment to the Constitution, I issued specific guidelines to the state media that were duly ignored. I then installed a Competent Authority for the state media who was completely disregarded. I then met the heads of state media but to no avail. I realized that this was a hopeless cause and so I had the Competent Authority removed.”

“ I was able to note that during the election, many state institutions operated in a manner not befitting state organisations.”

“Some blamed me saying that my task was to ensure that the ballot boxes were safe and to ensure that the counting was done right. But under the circumstances I faced today, I could not even ensure the safety of even one ballot box. I did my duties during this time under great duress and mental agony.”

I hereby state that the situation has reached a dangerous level that is beyond me. I am also advanced in years and have served in this capacity for eight long years so I only ask that I be released from this thankless duty.”

“It is impossible for me to work in peace under the circumstances – I am constantly under stress and find that I may fall sick and have to face consequences of such an illness.”

“ Regional leaders harassed my team and I in several areas such as Puttalam, Anuradhapura, Matala Districts , they even bothered the counting centres. This is not a good trend. In fact, it reached an uncontrollable level of verbal abuse directed at Presiding Officers and Asst Elections Commissioners. “

“ I have been accused of favouring one party in the process of carrying out my duties. I regret that it is no longer possible for me to suffer such indignity and insult – I am not able to do so physically or psychologically.”

Observers were of the view that the points highlighted by the Elections Commissioner clearly indicated that he has had to announce an election result not in keeping with his conscience, under duress. All we can say is that truth is like a rubber ball in water – it emerges every time you try to suppress it.

Leaving aside the other extremely serious allegations, which are emerging, this statement by the Elections Commissioner alone would have been enough to declare the election null and void in any other country which is truly a practicing democracy

Reply S. A. Wijeratne says:
January 31, 2010 at 11:02 pmIf there was no rigging computer or otherwise why is the government of a president elected with a 60% majority raiding opposition offices and media institutions? What are they looking for? Are they trying to get to the proof before it gets out? Why did they take over the SLRC? Why did they not send out the election results in the normal fashion? Do they think that all the people in the world are dump and uneducated not to see what is happening.

Reply
Soorya says:
February 1, 2010 at 5:02 amHi S.A.W. ,

you mean the USA and India are dump and uneducated not to see what is happening?

Reply
Suria says:
February 1, 2010 at 8:12 amUSA praised the voter turnout, but asked to investigate complaints about vote rigging and other malpractices. Surely USA is not dump or uneducated.

India of course wanted MR to come back to power; he will do what they asked him to do. He has no choice.

Reply Samuel says:
February 1, 2010 at 5:55 amAs any 10 year old could understand it, this should have happened when putting data entries to computer systems. Mr Samaraweera and others have advocated it as a computer data manipulation. As Colombo Uni ´one lecturer made it clear to Sandeshaya today, all the percentages pass through election commissioner before the entries are put into the computer system. As many have now been informed that Basil R is reported to have spent times from 3.a.m of 27th Jan with the commissioner. These were discussed in many articles that were already published. So it is worth to investigate why had Basil R been spending times with EC on his busiest day ? … this could bring truth related evidences to give nearly 50% of lankens who have been waiting to read accurate results even today.

Reply Sam says:
January 31, 2010 at 11:12 pmEU calls on Sri Lanka to probe reports of election irregularitiesBRUSSELS, January 29, 2010 (AFP) – The European Union on Friday urged the Sri Lankan authorities to investigate reports of “irregularities” during the country’s recent election and ensure the safety of his defeated opponent.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse won a bruising re-election battle on Tuesday, but the result was rejected by his main opponent, retired four-star general Sarath Fonseka, who is calling for an annulment.

Europe is ready to work with Rajapaksa, but is concerned about “a significant number of incidents,” EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said in a statement.

The European Union “trusts that the irregularities reported by election observers and the election commission will be duly investigated and that the safety and security of all candidates and campaign workers will be ensured by the authorities,” Ashton added.

Fonseka, who claims the voting was rigged, told reporters in Colombo on Thursday that the government was trying to intimidate him into silence by withdrawing his security and suggesting he was planning a coup.

“They are preparing the ground to take me also into custody and they will try to do that in the next few days,” he said.

Ashton did hail the fact that the vote “took place in an overall peaceful environment” and said the large turnout, 72 percent, demonstrates the wish of the Sri Lankan people “to participate fully in the democratic process.”

This was the first peace-time presidential election for Sri Lanka since the government declared victory in May in its decades-old conflict with the Tamil Tiger rebels.

The United Nations human rights chief has said both sides in the conflict could be guilty of war crimes.

Reply
Leela says:
February 1, 2010 at 10:27 pmGeneral Stupid Fonseka (SF) had reached the end of his ego trip. Those political parties and individuals that jumped in to his soup are already abandoning him. He is on his own now.

Stupid Fonseka (SF) can only blame himself for losing the elections. SF had forgotten that it is President Rajapakse that made him the commander of the army just thirteen days before his retirement. SF had forgotten that that if not for that gracious act, he would have been another retired Major General, today. But Sinhala people remember Rajapakse’s gesture to SF very well. They were sad that SF bit the hand that fed him and joined the LTTE sympathisers that ridiculed him. Now that is only one reason why he lost so badly in the south.

Sinhala people hate the so-called International Community, Norway, NGOs, Evangelists and those that support them. They hate them because they knew that it is they that sponsored LTTE for the last thirty years. RanilW, the leader of opposition had become an ongoing looser for the last fifteen years because he chose to be an ardent supporter of that clique. When that clique cajoled SF to contest against Rajapakse, Sinhalese realised their aim is not to abolish Presidency or promote democracy but to promote LTTE ideals. They were convinced of this when SF was hailed as the liberator of democracy by both TNA and Tamil diaspora. That is another reason why he won the north and lost the south.

The same clique has manipulated the so-called international media to portray that Sinhala nationalist vote is divided, 50-50. And, it is they that inculcated their NGO and INGO parasites to write fairy tales about Fonseka winning the Presidency. Tamil diaspora and born again Christians took it to the internet face book, twitter and what not. Stupid Fonseka took the large volume of comments that were posted in them in his favour as a measure of his popularity. Idiots never knew that vast majority of Sinhalese are not internet savvy.

TNA and Tamil diaspora had communicated to Tamils to vote for SF and help them to get what they couldn’t with LTTE. In so far as the Tamil areas or the North and the East are concerned, internet postings were proved absolutely correct. So much so, SF had won all but one district in the Eelam map of LTTE with as much as 80% of all votes there. SF also won one district in the central hills where Tamils are the majority. Now, NGO parasites and SF readily accept that part of the results but dispute the total results.

For one thing, the government could have stuffed the ballet boxes and won all seats there if they resorted to sham practices. And they could have done it with the strong presence of the army there.

The fact that SF had won everywhere Tamils and Muslims are the majority is a good enough proof for election is fair. Ranil W, Hakeem and some others in the opposition accepted the entire results, but stupid SF and JVP dispute it.

Now that Rajapakse had won the Presidency, his party will win the parliamentary elections as well. The IC, their NGOs and the Christian evangelists will continue hatch new conspiracies against him. But he will overcome all of them and usher Sri Lanka to new heights.

Had General Fonseka become the president of Sri Lanka, our country would be like Idi Amin’s Uganda in the late sixties.

Reply
Crow says:
February 2, 2010 at 10:35 pmWell said sis

Reply Gandi says:
January 31, 2010 at 11:17 pmThis is not the first one , I would term the world’s first hi-tech election rigging programme was the past Indian election where congress Govt agents played the roll .Same game applied again here with their help too ?.
Democracy and humanity were long died in Sri Lanka.

Reply
Ravin says:
February 1, 2010 at 1:19 amGandi is rite..i see simalarity between today news article “India is relieved MR is in power” what a coincidence…hehe

Reply Sen says:
February 1, 2010 at 10:28 amTrue, SL king got help from the same company who did it to Congress in India.. no wonder the out-come ..lol

now we dont have a king – we have a Ali- Baba

Reply Ratnam says:
January 31, 2010 at 11:19 pmThe Island – “Tthe Commissioner’s speech suggested that something sinister had happened and the Commissioner himself had indicated that he was subject to some trauma (arthathiyakata). The Commissioner had said that whatever incident occurred, he would have to bear it by himself.
What this statement reveals is that the Commissioner could not fulfill his duties in the manner he had expected. What had actually happened to him? Was he exposed to some harm on election night? Or was he subject to some pressure before that? Did he have to face a threat or fear?

General feeling of the public: What is remarkable is that the President is not behaving like a man who has gained such a remarkable victory. Even during a statement made after the results he looked guilty and dared not look at the cameras, which made me realise that he still may have a conscience.

Reply Harshe says:
February 1, 2010 at 2:09 amMR = More Robbery

Reply
wimal says:
February 1, 2010 at 10:04 amMR= Might is Right

Reply
asimel says:
February 1, 2010 at 10:11 amMR= Machan Ravatamu

Reply
Nariya says:
February 1, 2010 at 10:30 amMR=Machan Ratakamu
Wasalaya says:
February 2, 2010 at 4:53 pmMamai Raja
John says:
February 1, 2010 at 5:28 pmSF= Salvation Fonseka

Reply
Crow says:
February 1, 2010 at 9:07 pmnot fonseka but ponseka
Siribiris says:
February 2, 2010 at 1:48 amSF= Sel Fish
Siribiris says:
February 2, 2010 at 1:49 amSF= Sell Freedom
saman says:
February 1, 2010 at 2:29 pmMotta Rala

Reply
hinnaya says:
February 1, 2010 at 3:06 pmMR=Moo RajaHorekdha

Reply
siva says:
February 1, 2010 at 4:23 pmMR= Mamma Rajjuruwa
Ravin says:
February 2, 2010 at 12:13 amMR = moda raja
peter says:
February 1, 2010 at 3:08 amthe biggest swindlers in sri lankan history. there were die hard supporters for the worlds worst dictators likehitler, stalin, polpot etc, thug mahinda will also, not be short of blind supporters either in uniform or civiies.

god bless all of us.

Reply
abarang says:
February 1, 2010 at 4:04 ampeter you can’t have the cake and eat it too..this is how democratic systems work my friend.. if 60% of the population is blind, then so be it..they too have votes.

Reply
Suria says:
February 1, 2010 at 8:17 amAuthoritarian system also works the same way: ask Chinese, they would tell you. China also conducts elections. Only one party can contest – the Chinese Communist Party! Here the voting is 100%. You can’t claim they are blind though.

Reply
abarang says:
February 1, 2010 at 9:37 amCan you see SL situation is different from China – we had about 20 candidates contesting from nearly as many political parties, not one party as in China. Furthermore our voter turnout was around 70% – a record for Sri Lanka still well below 100% in China.
wimal says:
February 1, 2010 at 10:09 amTalking about China and elections, I was reminded of Sirimavos China visit in the 60s. She asked Mao how often he had elections and he replied “Every morning”.
Nariya says:
February 1, 2010 at 10:44 amHe,he, what was he thinking…. And what was SHE thinking when she asked him this naughty question?
Paul says:
February 1, 2010 at 2:58 pmQuote: wimal says:
February 1, 2010 at 10:09 amT… She asked Mao how often he had elections and he replied “Every morning”.

You mean “EveLy morning” ;<)
hinnaya says:
February 1, 2010 at 3:16 pmThis woman surely knew that:-
1. In Mao’s China elections were not tolerated.
2. The Chinese mix their Rs and Ls.
So why DID she have to ask this question? Maybe it was her way of getting her kick, knowing that Mao at his age was still capable of having e(L/R) ections …..oh now im getting confused about which letter to use (like the great Confucius).

Reply vssubramaniam says:
February 1, 2010 at 6:04 amRajapakse outclasses Kazai in the much abused presidential elections
The hype after release of Kazai (2009) election results led to an outcry over the electoral abuses for a run-off ballot. A third of Kazai’s votes were invalidated by a ‘U.N. backed Electoral Commission (none in Sri Lanka-SL) based on ‘clear and convincing ‘evidence of fraud’ in the elections.
Unlike Kazai, Rajapakse’s reputed tight iron curtain ensured that ‘evidence of fraud’ was covered up that detection and leaks of information on electoral frauds were impossible. Embedded Sinhala chauvinism in SL did contribute to Rajapakse’s voting strength, but electoral fraud and other mal-practices also played a major part in Rajapakse’s much boasted ‘…mandate’. The US embassy congratulated Rajapakse on his victory and also called for “’a thorough investigation of the (fraud) allegations’. SL’s observance of democratic norms is in such a pitiable state that attempts to seek redress for electoral abuses are exercises in futility.
Yet public interest calls for such blatant electoral rigging are exposed. A 4.17 million valid votes would have delivered Sarath a win in a credible fraud free election. Opinion polls despite their faults allow for a margin of error of +/- 5 per cent not 44 per cent deviation from forecast; excessive statically to require impartial investigation.
In Afghanistan despite the presence of election observers in sufficient strength (unlike in SL) Kazai fraudulently boosted his total votes by over 33 per cent. Rajapakses’ using this tool gained more estimated at 44 per cent. Adjusted for this Sarath would have won by 1.5 million. Extensive ballot stuffing apparently occurred in the news blackout days just preceding the announcement of the official results. One conclusion is certain; Rajapakse’s win was not boosted by normal increases of total votes polled or an increase in voter participation rate.
The Rajapakse rushed the elections to take full advantage of the mechanism he had in place to use ballot rigging to guarantee his victory. Only 18 per cent of the virtually disenfranchised (polling cards not delivered and public transport suspended that those with polling cards do not go to the polling booths) Tamils voted. The climate of fear (white vans, disappearances, arrests) affected both the Tamils and Sinhalese voters and the explosions on the morning of election day despite the heavy presence of the security forces (dotting every few meters in the North) in such strength had only one objective; to frighten away anti-Rajapakse voters. Loyal bureaucrats manned the counting stations that allowed extensive ballot stuffing to go undetected. Vote stuffing on this scale effectively also disenfranchised the Sinhalese themselves.
For the Tamils no longer stake holders in SL, elections or no elections with or without rigging are inconsequential. They only need to nurture a culture of self reliance to safeguard their lives and their life supporting assets.

Reply dutu says:
February 1, 2010 at 6:45 amlast time ltte adjusted tamil voter this time mpr&co

Reply
Suria says:
February 1, 2010 at 8:19 amLast time LTTE did it only after Basil paid 180 million rupees.
This time it was 0 rupees.

Reply Nihal says:
February 1, 2010 at 7:02 amWell, this is the same guy who said SF was not even fit to lead the Salvation Army not so long ago– coming from such a person I don’t think anyone ought to take these charges seriously…

Reply Shantha Jayawardene says:
February 1, 2010 at 7:51 amThere’s a very big number of most senior and experianced government officials who can’t come out with their bitter experiance at this election due to the threat hanging over them says that there was a gimmic on this election. The truth will come out even 100 years after.

Reply
Sen says:
February 1, 2010 at 8:41 amShantha, U are right.. but we have to admit Chandrika is the one who start this mis-using powers.. anyway there is a limited times for one’s life the stars are in high – after that they have to land on earth.. will wait & see.. no one will come out with this type of rule, I read a news today they sacked 13 officers in Army..reason is supporting SF.
King is real Idi Amin now..

Reply Buwa says:
February 1, 2010 at 9:06 amPlease go home Mangala. We had enough with you false aligations.

Reply
safa says:
February 1, 2010 at 7:54 pmAnd let king MR continue lifelong

Reply Hewa says:
February 1, 2010 at 10:54 amThe guy himself admits that he does not have concrete proof of his allegations. Why do not you first confirm your findings and then go public. You have spread lot of rumours during the election campaign without any proof and you are doing the same here. You always try to find fault with somebody or something and express it without any proof.
The expressions of the election commissioner and the president during the official publication of the results are may be due to so many other reasons. You have to first investigate the entire counting process. according to the information available, the results are first published at the counting stations and then entered to the computers. The election commissioner cannot change the results as they are published at the counting stations. Please get the facts right before you fabricate a loose case.
Hewa

Reply Nuwair Hashim says:
February 1, 2010 at 12:45 pmafter killing of thousand tamils civilions most singhalese budhist celebrate the war victory with Kiribath and kaums,,, i have a vast knowladge of bhudism and i was really shoked how mejorities go simply out of their important principle and celebrating a seromony for a death,,,

i feel deeply in my heart to pass this masg that pls we have to protect beautifull bhudism priciplas and velues more than we fight to protect the country,,,,

Reply main place says:
February 1, 2010 at 1:04 pmS F = Sorry Fonny!

Reply
Nariya says:
February 1, 2010 at 1:49 pmSF+ Sure Funny

Reply Sri Lankan says:
February 1, 2010 at 1:35 pmDear All,

Mr. mangala , can you expalian to all , what is the proceure of vote counting?

what SF polling agent did in all counting centers? let all the polling agent come and speak out.

mangal will see the general election PA will lead 2.6Million votes.

Reply
safa says:
February 1, 2010 at 7:55 pmYou mean more……….. rigging

Reply
nimalan says:
February 1, 2010 at 9:46 pmYeah, thats right. MR= More Rigging

Reply Chandra says:
February 1, 2010 at 3:48 pmI quite agree with the submissions made by Sena.
Being a responsible leader, Mr Managala Samaraweera can now get the details of the votes as certified by the Assistant Commissioners of Elections at the counting Centres and tally them with the computerised results released by the Election Commissioner.
This could have been done on 27/01/2010 through General Sarath Fonseka’s accredited Representatives.
This will prove whether or not Govt. Has Successfully Concluded World’s First Hi-Tech Election Rigging Operation as claimed by MR Mangala Samaraweera.
Voters want an answer from Mr Mangala Samaraweera. Will he respond immediately please?

Reply Samuel says:
February 1, 2010 at 5:20 pm..ඇතුගල යක්‍ෂා වේෂයෙන්
Thursday, January 28, 2010 Leave a Comment
(January 29, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) ජනාධිපති මැතිවරණ සමයේදී ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණයේ නියෝග පවා නොතකමින් ඒක පාක්‍ෂික ලෙස ජාතික රූපවාහිනිය හැසිර වූ එහි සභාපති ඇතුගල මහතා ඉතා පහත් ලෙස තම විරුද්ධ පාක්‍ෂික සේවකයින්ගෙන් පලිගැනීමට ක‍්‍රියාකරමින් සිටින බව වාර්තා වේ.

දැනට ලැබී ඇති තොරතුරු අනුව ජාතික රූපවාහිනී සංස්ථාවේ රොබට් කුමාර අලගියවන්න මහතා වහාම ක‍්‍රියාත්මක වන පරිදි සේවයෙන් පහකර ඇති අතර සේවයෙන් නෙරපා හරින ලද ලිපිය ඊයේ රැ ඔහුගේ නිවසටම ගොස් භාර දී තිබේ. මීට අමතරව වැඩ සටහන් නිෂ්පාදකවරුන් 6 දෙනෙකුගේ වැඩ තහනම් කිරීමට අදාල ලිපි මේ වන විටත් සකස් කර අවසන් බව එහි අභ්‍යන්තර ආරංචි මාර්ග සඳහන් කරයි. මෙලෙස වැඩ තහනමට නියම වී ඇති සේවකයින් අතර රූපවාහිනී සංස්ථා සේවක සංගමයේ භාණ්ඩාගාරික නිමල් තෙන්නකෝන් සහ ජාතික සේවක සංගමයේ ලේකම් හේම අජිත් යන අයද සිටින බව එම ආරංචි මාර්ග සඳහන් කරයි. කාංචන මාරසිංහ, ගාමිණී පුෂ්පකුමාර, රවි අබේවික‍්‍රම, මහින්ද ගුණතිලක ඊට අමතරව වැඩ තහනමට ලක්වීමට නියමිත වැඩ සටහන් නිෂ්පාදකවරු වෙති.

මැතිවරණ සමයේ යක්‍ෂාවේෂයෙන් හිට්ලර්, ඉඩි අමින් වැනි ඒකාධිපති පාලකයින් ගැන නිතර ප‍්‍රචාරය කරන ලද ජාතික රූපවාහිනී සංස්ථාව සහ එහි සභාපතිවරයා මැතිවරණ ප‍්‍රතිඵල නිකුත්වීමත් සමග මෙලෙස යක්‍ෂාවේෂයෙන් තම විරුද්ධ පාක්‍ෂිකයින්ගෙන් පලිගැනීම පිළිබඳව දැඩි පිළිකුලෙන් යුතුව හෙලා දකින බව එහි සේවකයෝ තවදුරටත් අප හා පැවසූහ.

Reply John says:
February 1, 2010 at 5:32 pmMangala, you are a shameless tongue twister. How can you face the public and say things like this when you don’t even sure of what comes out your foul mouth?

Reply Shiva says:
February 1, 2010 at 9:05 pmNow it is for the Sinhala people to rally and show their frustration of election rigging and fraud with the help of India.

Reply truth seeker says:
February 1, 2010 at 9:09 pmi am a dual national based in the uk – I received an email today from MR’s camp thanking me for my vote –

I didnt even vote!!! I wonder how many other expats votes have been used like this??!!

Reply
HUD says:
February 1, 2010 at 11:15 pmMore than 1.8 million idiot.

Reply HUD says:
February 1, 2010 at 11:17 pmThey have found your ballot paper in a ballot box (with your name of course), and have sent a thanking note for you.

Reply Chema says:
February 1, 2010 at 11:18 pmOr they may be thanking you ‘cos you were not in Sri Lanka to vote SF

Reply bibbikkan says:
February 1, 2010 at 9:55 pmShut up Mangy boy. Becose most Shingalayas are Modayaas.dont think all Shingalaya are Moodayas. What you did when you Minister? Only making money for your own pocket. an talking nonsens. Now go away an form a boys club if you have nothin more to do. Only get the madams permission before that. ok..

Reply HUD says:
February 1, 2010 at 11:14 pmGovernment has has done many “1st in the world” things. One of them is defeating LTTE, one of the most powerful terrorist groups in the world, with a army leader who was categorized by you as “unsuitable even for the Salvation Army”

Reply Chema says:
February 1, 2010 at 11:21 pmDear Mangala, in the recent history you have revealed lot of things like that and we hope yo keep up your habit. People believe you and the past election result showed it clearly. Keep it up and save the nation.

Reply Manula says:
February 1, 2010 at 11:49 pmDear Mangala, Yes in the recent history you have revelead many things.. got hammerd from Fonseka.. crying for the western money..what shame..now stop stories.. dont make rift between people and work towards the country progress. We requred to build the country and not make bad image about SLworld wide.

Reply N.C.Wijeratne says:
February 1, 2010 at 11:55 pmSUMMON THE ELECTION COMMISSIONER BEFORE AN INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION>THIS TIME WE WANT THTE TRUTH!

Reply
lamiisa says:
February 2, 2010 at 12:16 amSsshhhh…. N.C.Wije ….. Guard your tongue ….otherwise the white van will follow you and no one will know the truth about YOU..

Reply Sena says:
February 2, 2010 at 9:40 amWijeratne, As if the silly stuff Managala came up with is not enough, you now have the impertinence to offer this outrageous sugsestion involving a so called International Commission to seek the truth! Do you honestly think that as a nation, we lack the capacity to add up some sets of figures and ascertain the totals involved ourselves without calling for international intervention? Kindly read comments from Chandra under date 01 February above to enlighten yourself as to the crux of the matter.

Reply Panduka Dasanayake says:
February 2, 2010 at 11:10 amFrom time immemorial people have considered freedom to be their natural state, and when freedom is denied, they have yearned for, fought for, and died for it. In modern democracies, civil, economic, and political freedoms of the people are paramount.
The allegations here are about the government denying to people their political rights. This a violation of the sanctity of fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the democratic constitution of this land.
it is sad when Lankans have to fight for their democratically declared rights and liberties, because a corrupt and ruthless government lusts for power at any cost!
The civilised world has accepted that when freedom is forcibly denied, people have the right to insurrection to regain those rights, even in instances of organised slavery.
When Lanka’s opposition parties take their protest to the public as planned tomorrow, it is hoped that they sufficiently motivate the people to acknowledge that there was indeed an organised pilfering of votes and violation of the electoral process, sufficiently large to justify the gravity of the allegation, and we pray that they be safe from untoward state action.
May this land be blessed with just and fair rule!
May all be safe and well!

Reply Sivaji says:
February 2, 2010 at 1:37 pmSF branded this guy few months before as a person who make ladies underware and does not know anything on war techniques. Now it seems SF is correct. He does not know about computer or under ware both. But he is a born expert to split the unity of political parties and let them vanish off as betrayors.

Reply Randy Mathew says:
February 2, 2010 at 3:45 pmTHE VICTORY WAS HIJACKED IN 2005 & AS EXPECTED IT WAS HIJACKED AGAIN THIS TIME. THE LEVEL TO WHICH SOME PEOPLE WILL STOOP TO OBTAIN POWER & RETAIN IT IS DISGUSTING. ULTIMATLY THE ECONOMY OF SL WILL BE IN TATTERS AND THIS CURSED GROUP WILL BE MULTI MILLIONARES. IT IS SAD THAT POLITICIANS CONTINUE TO THINK THAT SL IS THEIR DOWRY PROPERTY TO DO WHATEVER THEY WANT WITH IT. OH MY GOD, WHERE IS JUSTICE & FAIRPLAY?

Reply Nallasiva says:
February 2, 2010 at 4:08 pmMangala, when you were on the losing side you called this man all dirty names like Salvation army leader,Tin Soldier etc etc. Now you smell WAASI PATTHATA HOYYA and want to lick the crumbs falling from his plate so you are supporting him even tho you know he can turn out to be Asias worst communal minded tinpot dictator. Grow up man. And stop keeping the company of powerful women. That seems to be your problem.

Reply Mahesalingam says:
February 2, 2010 at 4:22 pmJust heard that Namal has renamed his movement THARUNAYATA HILAK……..maybe referring to the BIG hole they have already created in the countrys economy after Poncy Cabraal allowed them to spirit away the stolen funds.

Reply janthu says:
February 2, 2010 at 5:11 pmIf Mahinda is a true hero he has to act like one.

1. Do not use public property/military for politics.
2. Let the police act impartially.
3. Cut down the cabinet.
4. Eliminate corruption.
5. Get rid of supporters who are a disgrace to our society.

Now that he has got such a massive mandate from the people, if he can commit himself to the above, he will truly be our king forever. If he can not, all these accusations against him will be accepted by masses as true.

Reply Paul says:
February 2, 2010 at 5:18 pm“Computer manipulation ‘impossible”

The computer expert who was involved in presenting the final results in the recently concluded presidential polls has categorically rejected the accusations that the count was rigged using the latest technology.
Dr. Ruwan Weerasinghe, Director of the School of Computing, University of Colombo, told BBC Sandeshaya that the results were entered to the computer system after several verifications and cross checking. “There were about 25,000 polling stations in Sri Lanka. The results from these centres are brought to about 880 counting centres,” Dr. Weerasinghe said.

“Hand counted results from these centres are faxed to the commissioner of elections after the polling agents sign the results, the count is supervised and signed off by agents from political parties,” he added.

The Director also said that the results are checked again before they are entered to the computer.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2010/02/100201_computer_fraud.shtml

Reply Kingkong says:
February 2, 2010 at 5:50 pmMangala before you start talking about computer manipulation, I would advise you to learn about computer yourself. You look a real fool when you try to talk about a subject you do not know head or tail about it! You are a No.1 stupid!

Reply VINTAGE VOTER says:
February 3, 2010 at 10:08 amDISCOVERY !!!!!!!!!! FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR ELECTION HISTORY WE
FIND “BURIED MARKED BALLOT PAPERS”. IT HAS BEEN PRODUCED BEFORE “THE MAHANAYAKES” WHO ARE CONSIDERED THE SAVIOURS OF THE NATION IN TIMES OF PERIL. I FEEL THE ELECTIONS COMMISSIONER HAS TO EXPLAIN,AS THE ELECTIONS SECRETARIAT OFFICIALS CONTINUE TO SAY THAT THERE ARE NO COMPLAINTS..ELECTION MONITORS BOTH FOREIGN AND LOCAL ARE A “JOKE”.WE HAVE SEEN IT IN AFGHANISTAN AND
IRAQ..VERY LITTLE WE SRI LANKAN’S CAN DO. !!!

Reply
abarang says:
February 3, 2010 at 11:57 amAnyone with an iota of brain will understand that 64 ballot papers not counted out of 10,000,000+ total is causing less than 0.00064% margin of error in the final outcome hence statistically insignificant.
Furthermore with nearly 4,000,000 Ponseka supportes voting at the election i.e hanging around the ballot boxes, there are that many (i.e 4,000,000 ) chances that any one of them could have engaged in this mischievous act purely to discredit the Elections Commissioner and the winning candidate…
For heavens sake when are you going to put paid to this ongoing deception ?

I have been asked to chose between 2 mass murderers guilty of Genocide of the Tamils, crimes against Humanity and the Violation of International law.!

THE 2010 SRI LANKAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, AND BEYOND

2010-01-26

Brian Senewiratne, MA, MD, FRCP, FRACP, Consultant Physician, Brisbane, Australia

In the scores of talks, interviews, and meetings, that I have been involved in over the past four decades, on the problems facing the Sri Lankan Tamils (and the Plantation Tamils) in Sri Lanka, I have rarely been asked absurd questions. This has changed. I have been bombarded with one question, “Whom should the Tamils vote for in the up-coming Election – the current President Mahinda Rajapaksa or the former Army Commander, Sarath Fonseka?”
That I have been asked to chose between two mass murderers guilty of Genocide of the Tamil people, crimes against Humanity and the Violation of International Law and Sri Lanka’s own Constitution and Laws, is a manifestation of the widespread confusion and despondency among the expatriate Tamil community, which I, as a Sinhalese, find difficult to comprehend. These two men (and their associates) should be on their way to an International Criminal Court, not to the Presidency.

Let us be clear about the choice - not only for the Tamils, but for the majority Sinhalese of my ethnic group. The choice is not between Mahinda Rajapaksa and Sarath Fonseka. It is a choice between the entire Rajapaksa clan (at the last count some 35 members of his family holding positions in Sri Lanka and abroad, for no reason other than that they are relatives of Rajapaksa), and Sarath Fonseka and his military clan. Fonseka does not belong to any political party, and can do as he likes. His entry into politics is a most dangerous development, since it is the first time in the history of Sri Lanka that a military man is trying to take over the country. We know from Pakistan, Burma, Indonesia, Libya, and numerous countries in Africa and South America, that have gone down this path, how dangerous this can be. A ‘democracy’ (or what is left of it), might, yes, it just might, become a ‘militocracy’ if Fonseka becomes President.


This is a detailed analysis of this serious event about to occur in Sri Lanka on 26 January 2010. It has to be discussed in detail. I make no apology for its length. The “tell-me-quickly-in-a-couple-of-words” group should look for some light reading on the subject, elsewhere.

Some six months ago I recorded and released a dvd with this title. It is available with me. It is an important recording since it sets out in detail the evidence on which this duo, and others, can be charged. It was submitted to the PERMANENT PEOPLES' TRIBUNAL ON SRI LANKA in Dublin, Ireland (see later).

© IT Division - Lanka News Web.com

These clashes are not on the basis of class struggle, but merely a struggle of 2 corrupt murderous gps for commns & benefits from global capitalists!

This election is merely the struggle of two corrupt murderous groups

2010-01-19 | Dr VICKRAMABAHU KARUNARATNE Writes

The battle between the so called main candidates Mahinda and Sarath has become a mini civil war. Already several people have died and many have been injured. It is usual for elections to take this form in a country where class struggle developed to a high level with the proletariat challenging the entire capitalist system. Then parliamentary elections will only be a stepping stone for state power. The bourgeois are trying hard to protect the disintegrating bourgeoisie state and the proletariat is preparing to demolish it and instal a system of soviets.

In this country too, in 1970 some people believed that the elections will lead to a mass takeover of power. There were attempts by someLeft politicians to bring about a radical change in state power.

Even the JVP as a plebeian party, in the past thought that the election is a path for a more formidable struggle for state power. But today, the struggle between these two groups stands far away from such a scenario.

Both leaders are from the helm of the bourgeois class and have been involved in the rule of society. Mahinda, who sometime back flirted with the social democratic Left of this country, after assuming the presidency became the darling of the local bourgeois and also global capitalist powers. Of course, he remained the president of the Palestinian solidarity front and other pro third world organisations, but he was very close to Indian and American leaders. In fact, his development scheme was taken directly from the Regaining Sri Lanka policy of Ranil Wickremesinghe. He was given ample support by the World Bank, IMF and the WTO. In the war, India was so close to him that he himself admitted, he conducted the war for the Indians. The rest of the global powers also helped him in every possible way. However, in the recent period, western powers were annoyed with his management policies and looked around for an alternative. They were particularly upset about the way he handled the agitations of workers and other plebeians in the south. That is why they selected general Sarath Fonseka as their champion. Obviously, Sarath Fonseka stands for the same economics and development plan. He will be closely watched by the western game keeper Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Reactionary mobilizations

There is no difference in the way they approached the Tamil national problem either. The TNA leader has not got any agreement from the General about the re- merger of the north and the east, or about the autonomy of the Tamil homeland. Of course, there was no discussion on the right of self -determination of the Tamil nationality. While Mahinda is guarded by the Hela Urumaya and Wimal Weerawansa, the General is guarded by the Jathika Bikku Peramuna of Dambara Amila sadu. The latter is now supported by Gnanasara thero and others of the Hela Urumaya. While these reactionary mobilizations are going on, the struggle is taking a very violent turn. The only conclusion we can come to is, that these clashes are not on the basis of class struggle, but merely the struggle of two corrupt murderous groups for commissions and other benefits coming from the global capitalist agenda.

© IT Division - Lanka News Web.COM

SEE HOW SINHALA DEMOCRACY WORKS FOR MR-REGIME..!!!

Jayalath Jayawardena reveals how Sarath Gunaratne rigged the poll in Negombo

2010-02-02

UNP parliamentarian Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena has revealed how the government ministers created the necessary environment to rig the Presidential poll by chasing away UNP members and organizers from the counting centers on election day.

Dr. Jayawardena says that after experiencing first hand the government terror unleashed at the counting centers he had lodged a complaint at the police post at the Teacher Training College in Paththala Gedara in the early hours of the morning.

He had complained that Deputy Civil Aviation Minister Sarath Gunaratne through his supporters had tried to chase him away from the counting center. In the complaint bearing number RIB 46/142 Dr. Jayawardena has said that when he did not leave the counting center Sarath Gunaratne had got his supporters to throw water bottles and other material at him.

However, Dr. Jayawardena says the government was unable to change the election results in Negombo since he did not leave the counting center and informed the harassment meted out to him by governing party members to Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake, IGP Mahinda Balasuriya and Senior DIG for Negombo Sarath Kumara.

He said that Common Presidential Candidate General Sarath Fonseka managed to win Negombo with a majority of 5,000 votes because he faced the thuggery of Minister Sarath Gunaratne and remained in the counting center.

“Sarath Fonseka had won Negombo by 1 a.m. Sarath Gunaratne came at the time and hugged and congratulated me saying we had won. He even had a cup of tea with me. He then asked me why I was breaking rest, because we have won. He asked me to go home and sleep. He asked me to look after him some day and walked in to the counting center. About one and a half hours later, the Sarath Gunaratne who had a cup of tea with me walked out a changed man. ‘Our President has won by 64%. Chase away all the UNPers in here. Assault them,’ he shouted.

About 100 supporters with Sarath Gunaratne started to attack us. By then I had already walked with the tally sheet that said we had won by 5,000 votes. However, after Sarath Gunaratne walked into the counting center, Sarath Fonseka lost about 3,000 votes in the counting of ballot papers from the remaining centers. If we were not chased away, Sarath Fonseka would have won Negombo by 8,000 votes,” Dr. Jayawardena said.

© IT Division - Lanka News Web.com

Any effort to empower the marginalized Tamil-speaking minority could only anger Sinhalese nationalists..!!!

Sri Lanka's Tamils left to wonder what comes next

2010-02-02 | By Fisnik Abrashi and Krishan Francis

Riding high on his battlefield victory against the Tamil Tiger rebels and his landslide re-election, Sri Lanka's president appears under little pressure to tackle the deep ethnic tensions that fueled a generation of conflict here.
Any effort to empower the marginalized Tamil-speaking minority could only anger Sinhalese nationalists, and many observers fear that an opportunity to bring a real peace to this country will be squandered.

With general elections coming later this year, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has indicated he will wait until the next parliament is in place to deal with Tamil demands for greater rights and self-rule in areas where they form a majority.
Analysts warn that without addressing the minority's fear of domination by the Sinhalese, the conflict will be forced underground from where it could potentially spark renewed violence.

"Now that the (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) is no more, there is no justification of terrorism for the postponement of the political process," said Sakthivel Balakrishnan, an analyst with the research group Center for Development Alternatives.

For more than a quarter-century, this Indian Ocean island nation was consumed by the conflict between the Sinhalese-dominated government and the ethnic Tamil separatists who were fighting for an independent state in the jungles of the north and east.

Last year, the rebels were defeated in a massive government military offensive, bringing peace to the country and glory to Rajapaksa, who last week was re-elected in a landslide victory.

But for those living in former rebel-held areas, the war brought death, destruction and misery. The U.N. says 7,000 people perished in the final months of the fighting. More than a quarter-million Tamil's were interned into government-run camps, where some 100,000 still remain. More than 11,000 are being held on suspicion of rebel links.

The results of last week's presidential election underscored the great ethnic gulf that remains between the country's Sinhalese majority and its Tamil minority. Despite a resounding victory across much of the country, Rajapaksa lost in areas hit hard by war and where Tamil's constitute a majority.

"He should resist the temptation to feel that he was elected by the Sinhala Buddhist majority and can therefore overlook the aspirations of the minorities who did not vote for him," The Island newspaper wrote Saturday.

Suresh Premachandran, an ethnic Tamil lawmaker said that Rajapaksa must understand that the Tamils voting against him was a rejection of his policies.

"The Tamils have said that they are a different people and that they need a political solution," Premachandran said. "They must be prepared to share power with Tamils."

The country's existing constitution has a provision that allows for a level of autonomy for the country's nine provinces, but critics say even those rights in the north and east are stifled by heavy-handedness from the central government.

After his re-election Rajapaksa said he wanted to be the president of all Sri Lankans. He pledged to seek reconciliation, and a find a "homegrown solution" to the Tamil's problems. But that, he says, will have to wait until after the general election, planned for later this year.

However, Rajapaksa's election manifesto suggested an autonomous Tamil-run region was not an option. "A unitary state, not to be divided," was one of the key promises.

The government has indicated it plans to pursue reconciliation as part of a countrywide attempt to spur economic growth through development projects, suggesting it sees the problems afflicting the north and east not as ethnic but economic in nature.

The formerly rebel held areas have suffered disproportionately from the decades of war. The infrastructure is decrepit. Tamil civilians complain that military camps, large and small, have mushroomed, sometimes occupying private land. Their immediate needs, however, remain humanitarian: resettlement in their old home districts, food aid, and basic shelter.

Access for international aid groups to former rebel areas is restricted and even lawmakers must get defense ministry clearance before visiting resettled villages.

To rebuild and prop up this region will take time, government officials said.

But Rajapaksa's public comments since crushing the Tigers "suggest little recognition that there is a serious problem of ethnic justice or power sharing that needs to be solved," according to a report by the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based think tank.

"The Rajapaksa government has shown no interest so far in constitutional or other reforms to address the ethnic tensions that gave rise to and were deepened by nearly 30 years of civil war," the report said.

Whatever the proposed solution may be in the future, Rajapaksa said it must be accepted by all.

Sinhalese nationalists, who form the core of the president's support base, get irked by any notion of additional rights for minorities.

Dharmasiri Rajapakse, a 50-year-old accountant and Rajapaksa supporter, said no additional powers should be granted to Tamils.

"Equal facilities should be provided to all areas so that there is no need to give special powers to north and east," Rajapakse said.

© The Washington Post

© IT Division - Lanka News Web.com

AI : GOSL shd immediately end its crackdown on journalists, political activists and human rights defenders..!!!

Sri Lanka: End post election clampdown on dissent - Amnesty International

2010-02-02

Amnesty International today called on the government of Sri Lanka to immediately end its crackdown on journalists, political activists and human rights defenders after last week’s presidential election.

Opposition supporters and journalists have been arrested, several prominent newspaper editors have received death threats and trade unionists and opposition supporters have been harassed following the election.

The Centre for Monitoring Election Violence reported more than 85 post election incidents, including two murders and several assaults. The CMEV has not released details of these incidents.

Pressure on government critics has been mounting since President Mahinda Rajapaksa was reelected on 26 January, defeating his former Chief of Defense Staff, retired army general Sarath Fonseka.

“Victory against the Tamil Tigers followed by a historic election should have ended political repression in Sri Lanka but instead we have seen a serious clampdown on freedom of expression”, said Madhu Malhotra Amnesty International Regional Deputy Director Asia- Pacific.

Sri Lankan journalists have given Amnesty International a list of 56 of their colleagues who face serious threats, including some working for government-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, as well as Independent Television Network, Lak Hada and the Lake House Group.

“Threats, beatings, and arrests mean that Sri Lankan human rights activists live in fear of the consequences of expressing their political opinions,” said Madhu Malhotra.

Security officials detained thirteen former military officials supporting the defeated Presidential candidate Gen Sarath Fonseka on 29 January during a raid on the candidate’s campaign office. They are being held incommunicado, according to opposition lawyer Shiral Lakthilaka.

The government has accused Fonseka and his supporters of plotting a coup d'etat.

Also on 29 January, police officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) raided the office of newspaper Lanka Irida and arrested chief editor Chandana Sirimalwatte who remains in detention. The newspaper had openly campaigned for opposition candidate Sarath Fonseka during the elections.The office was raided again the following day.

Offices of the popular internet site Lanka E News was sealed off by the authorities and Amnesty International received reports that a number of unidentified gunmen visited the Lanka E news office on at least two occasions during last week.

Sri Lankan journalist and political analyst Prageeth Eknaligoda, a contributor to the site, disappeared on his way home from work two days before the election and is still missing. When his wife reported his disappearance to the Homagama police, she was herself detained for several hours. Eknaligoda had been actively reporting on political events in the run-up to the election and had recently come out in favour of Sarath Fonseka

“President Rajapaksa’s government has to show that it will now try to deal with the human rights violations that have plagued Sri Lanka, instead of using the post election period to launch a new crackdown,” said Madhu Malotra.

Numerous serious assaults by unknown perpetrators against journalists have not been properly investigated or prosecuted. Amnesty International calls on the Sri Lankan authorities to change this pattern and demonstrate their commitment to human rights standards by ensuring the prompt, thorough, independent and impartial investigation of these recent attacks.

© Amnesty International

© IT Division - Lanka News Web.com

Those countries had developed due to the foresight of their leaders. SL can either progress or stagnate.!!!

TNA says nothing short of maximum devolution in N-E acceptable

Our 1978 manifesto rejected separate state conceptby Zacki Jabbar
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), has never advocated a separate state, but has right along been for maximum devolution in the North and East of Sri Lanka, its leader R. Sambandan said yesterday.

He told a press conference in Colombo that a perusal of the TULF’s 1978 manifesto (which was representative of the Tamils) will reveal that they had never wavered from their comitment to a unitary Sri Lankan State.

"I am prepared to meet President Mahinda Rajapaksa to discuss genuine devolution for the Tamils in a merged North and East," Sambandan said. "We realised after participating in the APRC established by the Rajapaksa government, that it was used as a forum to buy time and also fool us in the process. We are willing to talk to President Rajapaksa, only if he is interested in conducting serious negotiations and not the type of bluffing exercise that was enacted over the last four years."

He said that Rajapaksa, in an attempt to counter the Opposition’s Common Presidential Candidate Sarath Fonseka, pledged to remove the High Security Zones in the North. "The time has now come to match his words with action."

Citing examples of power sharing in India, Canada and Australia, Sambandan said that those countries had developed due to the foresight of their leaders. Sri Lanka can
either progress or stagnate. The choice is in the hands of the majority.



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