The Incident at Kumbukgate: Reflections on the Attack on Young Artists and Activists

• by Vangeesa Sumanasekara 
• - on 12/30/2014 

The chilling news came in the afternoon – our friends, colleagues and comrades who had been holding a small scale meeting in Kumbukgate, Kurunegala, were under attack, surrounded by a group of goons clad in blue t-shirts of Nil Balakaya. ‘What on earth can we do’ was the question that we both silently shared but were frightened to ask out loud. We could call our friends in the media, of course, and alert them of the horror unfolding there. But all that could only have significance later, after, and if, they come through unscathed.

In the infinite abyss of the present there was nothing we could do.

Except perhaps to hope that they would indeed come through unscathed and to reflect on the terrifying state that our collective existence had come to. To be sure, this is not the first eye-opener we have had apropos the sad predicament of this society, worsening in its condition every single day. This is not the first time we realized that this is a society that does not tolerate dissent, peaceful argument, or even dialogue. It was indeed the president Rajapaksa himself who said, in his widely heard ‘victory speech’, five years ago, that this country would henceforth contain only those who love this country and those who are its enemies. Put differently, those who do not agree with the Rajapaksas and their world-view would become, by default, enemies of this country. An enemy is not someone you can agree to disagree with. It is someone who should be defeated at any cost.

Ironically enough, the Rajapaksas may be right in this regard. In the same vein they think of us as enemies to be wiped off the surface of the earth, we too should confront the hard fact that the figure of the enemy is inevitable in politics, no matter how hard the good-hearted liberals try to convince us otherwise. For we have nothing to converse with the Rajapaksas. Nothing to discourse about. Nothing to communicate. They are simply the enemy and they should be defeated.

Naturally, this does not mean that we endorse murderous violence unleashed on ones enemies. On the contrary, it is precisely because that we do not endorse such violence that we want to defeat those who do – like the Rajapaksas. Unlike them, we believe that every person – even someone one would consider to be an enemy – should be given the right to hold onto his or her own opinion and the right to propagate that opinion. Unlike us, on the other hand, they do not believe in the necessity of the existence of such a terrain of disagreement. That is why our friend and veteran artist Lakshman Wijesekara was assaulted today by a Provincial Council member claiming to represent the Will of the People. That is why stones were thrown at our friend Samanalee Fonseka by a Nil Balakaya claiming to create a better tomorrow for our youth. For those goons were indeed following the rigorous logic of their Master – since neither Lakshman nor Samanalee was with theNil Balakaya they have to be those who do not love this country and, consequently and naturally, enemies of the country.

So this makes everything clear. What confronts us is a choice, not so much a choice between abolishing and withholding the executive presidency or a one between a unitary state and a devolution of legislative power, but rather a one between those who deny the existence of a terrain where political disagreements are a possibility and those who believe that its existence is a fundamental necessity of our collective future. One can even put this in a way that appears to be silly: Rajapaksas should be defeated because they consider us to be their enemies.

The French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre famously remarked that man not only can be free but that he is condemned to be free. By that he meant, given that there are no external guarantors – like God or Karma – to give meanings to our values, whatever we do will necessarily carry with it the burden of freedom. One will always be forced to make a choice of freedom. Even remaining silent is a choice we would choose freely. Our friends chose to defend the right to dissent. Nil Balakaya has chosen to defend the binary logic of the Rajapaksas. What will you choose?

Saumya Liyanage & Vangeesa Sumanasekara

Sri Lanka concerns over attempts to use social media for regime change

Dec 30,2014

COLOMBO, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka on Monday raised concerns over alleged attempts to use social media to push for regime change.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, speaking at an election rally, noted youth are being drawn to believe false propaganda using Facebook in order to push for regime change.

He said that one should question if change should be sought in a country for the good or bad or just for the sake of having change.

The Sri Lankan president is seeking a third term in office at elections set for Jan. 8 and his main battle will be against opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena.

Sirisena is looking to abolish the Executive Presidential System in Sri Lanka if he wins the polls, claiming that the system is being misused by Sri Lankan leaders.

Rajapaksa however said that he used the Executive Presidency to end the war as that is what the people wanted.

He also noted that now there is a push to reduce the army presence in the war affected North of the country and remove the high security zones.

The president said that he will not agree to remove the high security zones in the North as some of them must remain for national security.

Sri Lanka continues to maintain a fairly strong army presence in the North despite the defeat of the Tamil Tiger rebels after 30 years of war in May 2009.

The Sri Lankan government fears there is an attempt by the rebels to regroup using the support network it has overseas.

Presidential Election 2015: Media Communique 8

Posted on December 30, 2014 by Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) in Press Reports, Situation Updates and tagged Presidential Election 2015.

Election violence in Sri Lanka

Download as PDF here.

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On 29th December 2014 at 6.00 pm:

29th December, Attack on ‘Yowun Parapura’ street concert in Gokarella, Kurunegala District

CMEV received information of an attack at Kumbukgete junction in the Gokarella area where a street concert was taking place with an audience of about 150 people. Youth artistes such as Samanalee Fonseka, Jagath Manuwarna, Indrachapa Liyanage, Lakshman Wijesekara and Udaya Dharmawardhana were performing when the attack took place (at about 12 30 p.m.). A group of people headed by UPFA Provincial Councilor Don Kamal Indika were distributing leaflets. Subsequently this group, who were in blue ‘Nil balakaya’ T shirts had started hooting and yelling abuse and throwing rocks at the performers. Two police officers were there at the time, but had done nothing to stop the attack. Samanalee Fonseka and Udaya Dharmawardhana had been stoned while Lakshman Wijesekara had been kicked. No complaint has been filed with the police due to fear of reprisals.

When CMEV spoke to Officer in Charge Dias at the Gokarella police station, he said that they had only been informed of a verbal dispute between the two sides. He further said that two police officers who were regulating traffic at Ibbagamuwa had been sent there and that no complaints were received.

29th December, Mahiyangana, Midahangala junction, Badulla District

It was reported to CMEV that an authorized United National Party (UNP) office at the above location maintained by Provincial Councilor M Surasena had been attacked yesterday (28th) around 10.00 pm. According to him, an unidentified group (about 15 people) had arrived in a red Defender, White Trooper jeep and a Navara cab. Four armed persons had fired shots towards the sky and had attacked six people who had been at the office at the time. One disabled soldier and two boys aged 13 and 15 respectively had also been there.

According to Mr Surasena, five individuals have been injured with one person in a serious condition. Property damage in the above attack includes damages to personal property (a Toyota car (CP/GM/0482), Nissan van (251-1500) and a motorcycle (UP/BAO/1477) the total cost of which is yet to be estimate. Furthermore he suspects the culprits to be supporters of United People Freedom Alliance (UPFA) organizer Mahiyangana Anura Vidanagamage and Badulla District MP Thenuka Widanagamage.

CMEV was unable to reach Mr Vidanagamage via phone to get a statement.

Mr Surasena had gone to hospitalize the victims leaving Lieutenant Chandrasena (Surasena’s brother) and the disabled soldier behind. The culprits returned and attacked them. The disabled soldier’s prosthetic leg was stolen and he was subsequently hospitalized and awaiting procedures.

After Mr Surasena made a complaint at the Mahaiyangana Police station, police surveillance had been deployed to his residence and police investigations have begun.

The Mahiyangana Police Station, when approached by CMEV confirmed that they received an emergency call ( on 119/118) regarding this incident around 10.45pm yesterday (28th) and that they sent a group of police officers to the above location around 11.00pm. Currently police investigations are underway. The police have arrested two suspects who are appearing at Mahiyangana Magistrate court on 29th evening.

Mahaiyanaga Base hospital said that three victims were admitted to ward 08 last night (28th) and some were admitted in the morning. Director of Mahiyangana Base Hospital said that four persons are under medical treatment and one is in serious condition.

When approached by CMEV, United National Party organizer Mahiyangana Upali Senarathne, who is still at the location, says that he suspects this attack was by Anura Vidanagamage.

Putting the provinces, women, and youth at the forefront of policy by the next President in Sri Lanka

The Presidential Election in Sri Lanka is due on 08 January 2015. This article argues the case for three critical policy priorities to steer Sri Lanka into an inclusive new era.

by Muttukrishna Sarvananthan 

- on 12/29/2014 

The Presidential Election in Sri Lanka is due on 08 January 2015. This article argues the case for three critical policy priorities to steer Sri Lanka into an inclusive new era.

Economic Empowerment of the Youths

Putting the Provinces, Women, And Youth at the Forefront of Policy by the Next President in Sri Lanka by Thavam Ratna

Influence of economists

December 30, 2014

An economist is a person, President Ronald Reagan once famously observed, who ponders over why something which works in practice does not work in theory! Notwithstanding this somewhat jaundiced view of the practical approach of the average economist, the academic economist has an inordinate about of influence over public policy.
In the corporate sector, the accent being return on investment and profitability, economic theories are not given much space. On the other hand, in government, research and policy institutes and universities and such statist environments, economists are still very influential. Economists write learned papers, contribute columns to newspapers, advise politicians and policy makers and offer expensive consulting services.
Influence of economists.odt by Thavam Ratna

Regime Is Desperate

| by Helasingha Bandara

( December 30, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Election campaign strategy and tactics of the President seem a desperate attempt to keep the head above water. It is normal that people resort to ineffective tactics in desperate situations not knowing that they always backfire. Rajapaksha campaign shows signs of dying. Masses seem to have resolved to make a change. From the ordinary villager to the sophisticated urbanite, everyone seems to be coming together to restore, peace, democracy, law and order and fairness and justice. Rajapaksha rule has shown scant respect for any of those or for human dignity. This piece attempts to scrutinize some of the ineffective tactics that the current regime is employing to give Mahinda a third term.

Regime Is Desperate.odt by Thavam Ratna

Last days of the Raj?

Encouragingly, Mahinda Rajapaksa faces a real battle to win re-election as president; better still if he loses it

Jan 3rd 2015 

WHEN he called a presidential election for January 8th, two years before he had to, Percy Mahinda Rajapaksa must have been confident of victory. Provincial elections had shown that his once unassailable popularity was waning. But the opposition was fractured, the economy was doing well and incumbency bestows benefits, both legitimate and nefarious. Mr Rajapaksa, who fosters myths that portray him as the reincarnation of a great king from Sri Lanka’s south, seems to have expected re-anointing. Something close to the 57% vote share which saw him re-elected to a second term in 2010 seemed achievable. Now, barring outlandish rigging, it would be a surprise. Mr Rajapaksa may still, just, be the favourite (seearticle). But the contest will be very close-fought.

Mr Rajapaksa’s popularity has rested on his role in ending Sri Lanka’s 26-year civil war, with the rout in 2009 of the Tamil Tigers, a vicious, fascistic group but one that represented the opposition of the largely Hindu Tamil minority to discrimination favouring the ethnic-Sinhalese, Buddhist majority (about 70% of the population). Victory was ruthless and bloody, costing thousands of civilian lives. Charges that the army, like the Tigers, committed war crimes have been dismissed by the government, and have not bothered Sinhalese voters. Indeed, Mr Rajapaksa has bolstered his appeal by portraying himself as a patriot defending his country from foreign sniping.

That divisiveness is one reason for turfing him out, but there are plenty of others. He has done little to contain the spread of an ugly strain of anti-Muslim prejudice. He has stacked the administration with his family (four brothers, a son and a nephew are important politicians). Corruption has worsened. Mr Rajapaksa has used his big parliamentary majority to undermine the independence of the judiciary and to tamper with the constitution—removing the two-term limit on presidential tenures, for example, strengthening an already overpowerful “executive presidency” and failing to do anything to afford Tamils the autonomy the constitution promises them. Probing journalists and social activists have lived in fear. Resentful of the West’s irksome harping on human rights, Mr Rajapaksa has drawn his country closer to China’s orbit, where the flows of aid and credit are not hampered by such concerns.

Keeping them honest, Abe

If Mr Rajapaksa falls it will not be to a popular uprising but because of anger at rising prices, corruption and one-family rule—and murky political manoeuvres. His opponent, Maithripala Sirisena, now compared by the Rajapaksas to Judas, was health minister until November and a leading light in the family’s party. The opposition has rallied around Mr Sirisena as the best hope of ending the drift to a dynastic dictatorship. The government’s Muslim coalition partners, for example, have deserted, along with some of the ruling party.

Mr Sirisena is hardly a beacon of hope for the Tamils: he was acting as defence minister in the nightmarish final fortnight of the war. Yet electing him instead of Mr Rajapaksa is a necessary first step towards curing some of the country’s ethnic ills. Under him it is at least possible to imagine the genuine national reconciliation that Sri Lanka needs if it is to enjoy lasting stability. Just as important, electing Mr Sirisena may also be the only way of saving Sri Lankan democracy, vindicating Abraham Lincoln with the proof that Mr Rajapaksa cannot fool even most of the people all of the time.

Gratitude and the Sri Lankan Presidential Election

• by Sanjit Dias 
• - on 12/30/2014 

The CEO of a leading company is found out to have embezzled a significant quantity of money. This individual, however, has been responsible for bringing the firm through an economic crisis, and thus, in a last ditch effort, appeals to the board to spare punishment out of gratitude for all the services rendered in the past. The board is won over by this plea, and grants the request.

The curious case of the Sri Lankan voter

A similar case for gratitude has been thrown around by the incumbent candidate in the run up to the presidential election. Indeed, it has been one of the key dimensions of his campaign – time and again he has appealed to the masses to vote out of gratitude for all he has done – defeating terrorism (“A Secure Nation”) and rebuilding it thereafter (“A Brighter Future”).

This sort of argument could only work in the political culture of a country like ours. In Sri Lanka, the ‘representatives’ control the people, not vice versa, as it should be. As a society, we are overjoyed to see a politician comforting us after a disaster, and rarely do we express outrage that the disaster was not averted or mitigated better. In a nutshell, a politician paying a visit is a good one, not the norm. While our neighbours from across the Palk Straight are far more conscious of their claims on their politicians, we Sri Lankans are lagging far behind, and it is in this context that an appeal for gratitude holds political water.

A lesson from London

Sir Winston Churchill was one of the prime movers and shakers of the Allied Forces against Nazi Germany – indeed, it is his leadership that is credited with saving Britain and the rest of the world. As an unelected wartime Prime Minister he was without equal – all bold decisions and rousing speeches that helped rally the troops against the common enemy. After the end of the war – a victory that saved the world – his approval rating stood at 83% – and this after never having dipped below 78%. The Conservatives were comfortable in the knowledge that his popularity alone would see them re-elected comfortably.

As it turned out, Churchill and the Conservatives suffered one of their greatest defeats, as Labour took the election in a landslide. While the causes for this defeat are numerous and detailed, one important factor stands out – that during the course of the campaign, it became evident to the British public that while the Kingdom could not have asked for a greater leader than Sir Winston Churchill during the war, he was not their answer in peacetime.

Now Churchill never called on the people to re-elect him out of gratitude for saving them – indeed, saving the world – but it would appear that even had he done so, his plea would have fallen on deaf ears. For all their flaws, the British seemed to know to treat their politicians –as the old joke goes – as they treat their babies’ diapers: they had to be changed from time to time.

An undeserved promotion

In the film Get Smart, the eponymous protagonist Maxwell Smart (Steve Carrell) is a gifted analyst who longs to serve in the field for the secret security organisation that employs him. Having finally qualified for field duty, he is denied promotion by The Chief (Alan Arkin) because his function as an analyst was so crucial to the team. His witty reaction however, gives us something to think about: “So, just to be clear, you’re not promoting me because I am so good at my job?”

Perhaps the Sri Lankan voter needs to take a leaf out of the books of The Chief and the British voters of 1945. The president claims to have fulfilled his mandate to defeat terrorism – and that is exactly what he did – he fulfilled a mandate. He was entrusted with a task which he was able to accomplish, but it does not then follow that he be entrusted with other tasks on the virtue of having accomplished the first. The demands on a post-war government are different to those on a wartime one, but the Sri Lankan public seems to have neglected this.

The Great Protector

The regime seems to have betrayed its hand in the campaign that it has run for this unprecedented third presidential term. Inasmuch as the incumbent candidate has focused on the development drives since the war, it is clear that the regime is not confident in its track record in this department (and with an empty harbor and airport built at almost twice the price, how could it?). This is why the campaign has fallen back on that old friend ‘National Security’, and has cooked up various conspiracy theories, all the while taking the public memory back to a war we are trying to move past. It is clear that –at least in the minds of a vast majority of the Sri Lankan public – national security is one department in which the present regime has shone. Alas, that is no longer the order of the day.

An ungrateful ballot

The story at the start of this article is – and will only ever be – hypothetical, for two reasons. In no other job do we entrust greater responsibilities based on gratitude – it is always based on the employee’s perceived capacity to execute her new tasks. And in no other job do we see completion as anything more than the mere fulfillment of a task assigned. Kala guna salakeema is a worthy virtue by which to live day-to-day, but we should keep it far away from Sri Lankan politics.

At an election rally recently, an analogy was drawn of a doctor who had saved the lives of a mother and child, the argument being that he had no moral claim over them for doing this. What he did was his job, his duty, and while that ought to elicit gratitude and respect from his patients, they are free to live as they choose thereafter.

When the incumbent candidate won the war, he was only doing his job. Even if you are grateful for that, if you are to vote for him a third time, it should only be because you are certain that he is the best candidate to give Sri Lanka what it really needs in its next chapter.

Gratitude should play no part in it.

The voter must decide

• December 31, 2014 
• “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men” – Lord Acton (1834-1902)

Only a few short weeks ago it could have been said of Mahinda Rajapaksa: “Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world like a colossus; and we petty men walk under his huge legs and peep about…” He even despaired the weakness of his Opposition and as it struggled to find a common candidate, Rajapaksa even offered himself in jest

Maithripala Sirisena, the low-key, mild mannered Secretary of his own party, the SLFP, crossed the floor to challenge his Leader. Overnight, this lean smallish man from the ancient land of Polonnaruwa has completely changed the landscape of oppositional politics and thereby the certainties under which the Rajapaksas ruled

It is increasingly obvious that today President Mahinda Rajapaksa is facing the electoral challenge of his life. In a contest turning into a bruising battle, even if he were to squeeze in a win by a nose, that will be won only by an undertaking to cease to be a president.

The voter must decide.odt by Thavam Ratna

CID questions Tissa over ‘forged’ signatures

December 30, 2014

Based on Opposition Leader Ranil Wickramasinghe’s request to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to investigate the forging of his signature in an agreement, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) today recorded a statement from Health Minister Tissa Attanayake.

Police spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana said that CID officers questioned and recorded a statement from the Minister this morning.

The former UNP General Secretary, who recently crossed over to the government, at a press conference last week released a document to the media which he claimed was a secret agreement signed between Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena and the UNP Leader.  

The following day, Wickramasinghe requested an investigation into the agreement from the IGP. He alleged that both his and Sirisena’s signatures have been forged.  

Bollywood Star Salman Khan And Presidential Election In Sri Lanka

| by Rifai

( December 30, 2014, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) Visiting of Bollywood star Salman Khan to Sri Lanka has created some controversies. It is reported that he is visiting Sri Lanka to support MR in his election campaign and yet he claims that he is visiting Sri Lanka for some charitable works. Yet, implications of such controversial visit at this time tell us many things. It means that MR fears that he will be defeated this time by Maithri. All election forecasts and predictions tell us that MS is getting more popularity across the county. Maithri’s support has been dramatically increasing in recent days. Particularly villagers are coming in thousands for Maithiris meetings across the country. Now MR’s psychological fear has dramatically increased. MR is in a dreadful panic today than ever before. He did all dirty tricks to win over some opposition members into his party and yet, all attempts ended in failure except UNP’s general secretary Tissa Attanayake who crossed over to MR’s side. More than 400 politicians crossed over from MR’s side into Maithiri’s side in recent days. This tide of crossover has increased panic of MR and finally Bollywood star Salman Khan comes to Sri Lanka to rescue MR at the last movement in this election. Yet, more than 70 % of people in Sir Lanka have already made up their minds long before. People in Sri Lanka have had enough of MR and his family rules. People know that MR has destroyed the economy of this nation.

People in Sri Lanka would not like this. His visiting will send wrong signals about MRs’ election campaign. People will realise that MR cannot attract more voters, his campaign is falling apart and more and more people are leaving him very day.

All talks of developments are mere eye washes. His development projects did not do any good for poor of Sri Lanka. Literally people are dying out of starvation and hunger today than 20 years ago. Corruption is widespread among the families and friends of MR and co. Sri Lankans are clever enough to make up their minds. We do not need Bollywood star Salman Khan to lecture us on our politics. People know who the best candidates among these two is. Bollywood star Salman Khan’s influence and interference in our politics is unethical and immoral. Why should he come here and appear in MR’s political meetings. It means that MR cannot gather people into his meetings. People do not want to attend to MR’s meetings. Moreover, His visit is very much counterproductive. It has been said that he has been paid millions for his visit. Today poor people are suffering a lot from economic hardship and yet, MR and co could pay millions of public money for Bollywood star Salman Khan’s visit. This will have negative impacts on MR’s campaign. He might have taught that Bollywood star Salman Khan’s visit could get him more support and yet, this would be an utter wrong calculation.

Moreover, People in Sri Lanka would not like this. His visiting will send wrong signals about MRs’ election campaign. People will realise that MR cannot attract more voters, his campaign is falling apart and more and more people are leaving him very day. Because of this, MR has invited Bollywood star Salman Khan to attract more people into his meetings. He is very much desperate to get more people into his meetings. Although he says that he did not have any political motives for his visit and yet, his praise of MR and his appearance with MR family tell us he supports MR in his political campaign. Look how he describes MR without knowing of any of his corruption

“The President is an amazing man and he is one of the most humble people that I have met. I think the president is a man of compassion, a man of will” If he is a man of compassion how could he and his cohorts loot millions from government coffers. If he is a man of compassion how could he does not care about poor people in the country? The president is not a man of compassion rather he is most corrupted president in Sri Lankan history. He made his fortune out of politics and out of public money. No president accumulated such huge amount of money and wealth as this president and his family did in our history. Then how could he be a man of compassion?

Bollywood star Salman Khan will not do any good for MR rather his visit will do some more damage for MR’s campaign. MR has failed to show that he stands for poor and weak in Sri Lanka. Farmers and working class people are struggling to make ends meet. More than 70% of people in Sri Lanka are struggle to make ends meets and yet, MR and family do not care about this. They have been living in luxurious palaces. Therefore, people will overwhelmingly vote for a change this time. No Bollywood star Salman Khan or nobody could stop the landslide victory of Maithiri this time. It is people who decide the fate of our country not these actors or anyone else.

Enemies Of The President’s Promise: Doc 3

By Rajiva Wijesinha -December 30, 2014

Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha MP

Dayan’s point then was that Lalith too was part of the group aroundGotabaya Rajapaksa, that had decided after the 2010 election that the President should not make too many concessions with regard to a political settlement. This did not mean Lalith would set himself up consciously against the President, as even Gotabaya was to do with regard to the issues noted above. When he was ordered to move, he did so, as when he produced swiftly an Action Plan for the LLRC Recommendations, whichMohan had held up, presumably again on Gotabaya’s instructions. But he did not see any need to embark on any initiatives on his own that would take forward the commitments the President had made with regard to devolution or accountability.

And on occasion he went even further than Gotabaya in putting forward a mindset that seemed at odds with the official position of the government. Thus, at the launch of a book called ‘Gota’s War’, which suggested the primary responsibility of the Secretary of Defence for the victory against the Tigers, Lalith launched into a vast attack on India for its part in strengthening the Tigers during the eighties. And just before the UN Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva in 2014, having been sent to lobby in the West, Lalith attacked what he termed the excesses of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in the eighties, and claimed that, were investigations of abuse in Sri Lanka to proceed, the IPKF atrocities too should be gone into.Read More

Under The Temple Tree

By Marlon Dale Ferreira -December 30, 2014

Marlon Dale Ferreira

Uncle Douglas, Aunty Mildred, Sana Boy and Titi Girl were all seated under the temple tree in their garden, enjoying mother nature’s beautiful star lit sky and discussing who to vote for come the 8th of January 2015. As with tradition over the years Uncle Dougie and Aunty Milly as they were fondly called and a whole load of Burghers, have always supported the ‘Greens’ and hence cast their votes in support of the United National Party.

“Aiyo child”, Aunty Mildred started off in true Burgher style. “Tell me Dougie” she continued “what to don’t know do to child, with the casting of the vote, beetle leaf or swan to ‘Kathire’ put? She asked him in a quizzical manner and their conversation then began.

For some of those brilliant Burghers who were left behind, perhaps may be pondering as to whom they could render their supportive votes to this time around with all the ‘hullabaloo’ taking place, This is in the hope of having at least the price of bread reduced by a few bucks, leave aside the reduction of the price of their favourite brew, the cost of their bottle of arrack.

As of now all Burghers will have to take a cue from Titi Girl who made a request to Sana Boy when she said “Sana Boy, mama telling, almyrah top and bottom gotten have for the five cent pieces, banku climb and take”.

Carl Muller the funniest Burgher writer who wrote a hilarious trilogy of books based on the lives of the Burghers such as “Jam Fruit Tree”, “Once Upon a Tender Time” and “Yakada Yaka” and also another good writer Emil Van der poorten, will hail as excellent writers of our era and this writer will self-claim that it will take him yonks to even get close to their fine art of journalism.Read More