By Suranimala Umagiliya –
Keith Noyahr, the journalist from the now defunct Nation newspaper was abducted, tortured and assaulted on the 22nd of May 2008, when former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was in office. It is now evident through reports to Court and the media that Keith was released by his abductors after then Minister in Rajapaksha government Karu Jayasuriya telephoned President Mahinda Rajapaksa around 11.30pm on that fateful day, having heard from Lalith Allahakkoon, Editor of the Nation newspaper of the abduction. Strike one for former President Mahinda Rajapaksa for initiating the release of Keith Noyahr, who may well have been murdered.
But that is not how events should have unfolded. The sordid drama that is best served with a prosecution and conviction is being turned in to a joke by the former President. Readers will recall that the Criminal Investigation Department revived the dormant investigations in to the multitude of attacks on journalists that even escalated leading to the murder of Lasantha Wickrematunge, the Editor of The Sunday Leader. The revival of the dormant investigations took place only after the Rajapaksa regime was defeated. There was not a hum from the Rajapaksha camp till evidence was being unearthed. Lo and behold the oldest excuse in the book in the form of “Political Victimisation” is now being used by Mahinda.
The government and the investigating arms must be rapped for the shoddy and tardy manner in which the revived investigations have been handled. Perhaps the Yahapalanaya big wigs felt it was enough to defeat the Rajapaksa juggernaut with nary a thought given to the families of victims and the impact such criminal acts had on the island nation. With the results of the last local government elections, the Yahapalanaya set with their political futures in mind have set the ball rolling at speed to bring the Rajapaksa clan to book. Twisting Law, Order, and committing Murder,Plunder et al, by an individual or group is low life criminal activity. When it is committed by politicians in power,it becomes a bigger crime. Any self respecting Nation owes it to the people, that her rulers uphold the law. A lackadaisical attitude towards rulers getting away murder, abduction has brought upon degradation and a negative impact on the collective psyche of the Nation. Do they want the Rajapaksa’s back in power ? Shame on those who do.
Mahinda was questioned by the CID at his Official Residence. Why? He has to be equal before the law. Somapala and Sriyalatha, would have been summoned to the 4th floor. Let us not fool ourselves that some are treated more equal than others. Even worse was to witness the carnival like atmosphere with every Tom, Dick and Dirty Harry, gathering at the official residence in support. The newsmen gathered outside were not better than a subservient mob. Mahinda was questioned on the evidence given by present Speaker of the House Karu Jayasuriya. Karu Jayasuriya said on record that he called Mahinda around 11.30pm to protest strongly over the abduction of Keith Noyahr and that he would have to consider continuing in Government if anything untoward was to happen to Keith. Evidence with the CID sleuths show that Mahinda called two minutes after Karu Jayasuriya’s call to Gotabaya who in turn called Intelligence Chief Hendawitharane who called Maj General Amal Karunatilleke. Maj Gen Karunatilleke called Major Bulathwatte who answered the call at a site in Dompe ( now known to be the site that held Keith Noyahr) and thereby Keith was set free.
Mahinda has been afflicted with the same sickness of Duminda Silva, Ravi Karunanayake and Daisy Archchi. “I cannot remember Karu Jayasuriya’s call”, said Mahinda to the CID. Does any sane Sri Lankan believe him? One of his Senior Ministers call him almost at midnight to complain that a prominent journalist has been abducted and unless he is set free the Minister would leave Government, and Mahinda cannot remember such call? That he called his brother who at the time was Secretary Defence, near midnight to follow up and that too cannot be remembered?
That on the following day all newspapers and electronic media in banner headlines addressed the Abduction, torture, assault and the release of Keith Noyahr, and Mahinda cannot recall the mid night call of Karu J and his call to his brother Gotabaya? Is he really fit to be a member of Parliament ? He has amnesia or he is an out and out LIAR. Either way he seeks to dodge the truth which should render him unfit to hold any public office.
The journalists who gathered at his office failed miserably too. They simply thrust the microphones at Mahinda and asked him to sing hymns. Surely there should have been at least one professional journalist around? Why did they not question Mahinda along the following lines,
1. Do you take credit for having saved Keith Noyahr’s life?
2. How many calls do you get at midnight from a Minister threatening to resign?
3. Do you think Karu Jayasuriya, is lying? If the answer is “Yes”, Why?
4. What action did you take after Keith Noyahr was released? Did you call a press conference?
5. Can you remember if Keith Noyahr was abducted? If “yes”, how did you get to know of it?
6. Do you not record all telephone conversations that are initiated/received?
7. Who released recorded conversations between you and murdered Editor Lasantha to the media?
8. Was it before or after Lasantha was murdered that the recordings were made public?
9. Can you remember any of the above?
Sri Lankans should dig deep, unearth and face the bitter truth if she is to move towards creating an enlightened society which allows equal opportunity to all it’s citizen.
Failure to do so would render it to be the basket case of Asia.
chiv / August 20, 2018
After the point test Dr. Padeniya can decide on doing a Folstein Mini Mental Status(if he knows what it is) on this individual / accused?????/ MR to r/o organic pathology/ advanced dementia/ malingering /factitious/ Munchausen syndrome. Doctor which one it???/
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Amarasiri / August 24, 2018
Suranimala Umagiliya ,
RE: Mahinda Like Duminda And Ravi – Cannot Remember
” Editor of the Nation newspaper of the abduction. Strike one for former President Mahinda Rajapaksa for initiating the release of Keith Noyahr, who may well have been murdered.”
“But that is not how events should have unfolded. The sordid drama that is best served with a prosecution and conviction is being turned in to a joke by the former President.”
They all think that the populace, mean IQ 79, are jokers, and can’t put together a few things. Unfortunately for them, still many left with common sense, who have not been killed yet.
The Sri Lankan Airlines has lost US $2.0 billion after 2008, after Mara’s brother in Law was appointed. The IMF, wants the airlines to be diversified or sold, and be a burden on the Govt finances.
Sri Lanka, illegally occupied btythe Paras, a Land like No Other!
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The Spy / August 20, 2018
Varied views are being expressed on this subject. I am no fan of
Rajapaksas but a believer in the truth, the whole truth and
nothing but the truth.
Why did MR say he cannot remember when he knows full well?
He did NOT want to give the CID the dots to connect the case
to Gotabaya Rajapaksa. There is NO NO gainsaying that Keith
Noyahr is living now in Australia only because MR intervened.
Yet, he cannot do anything to implicate GR. He also knows that
GR did not do this dastardly crime.
Now to the most important issue – The man behind the Keith
Noyhr abduction and torture is laughing all the way. It is not GR
although he may have known it. It is someone who is now under
the protective umbrella of Dr Ranil Wickremesinghe, the learned
Prime Minister.
The planning meetings to fix GR was done at the Colombo Hilton by a group
of CID men together with top supporters and strategists of the
government. MR knows this. To me it is a travesty of justice when
the wrong person is fixed.
Of course GR was NO angel. There is plenty of blood in his hand for
killing, injuring and maiming many persons including journalists.
He will do it again. He is not a politician but a serial killer. He used the
state machinery for it. But the other partner is laughing away.
Remember – ditta damma vedaneeya khamma – Dr RW should take note.
Protecting the real culprits, despite getting all the benefits from them when
they (Keith and Lasantha Wickremetunga ) were alive is only part of the “condom”
principles of the disgraceful UNP leader. There are people who know it. No
cover up will work!! The truth will come out one day.
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Mallaiyuran / August 20, 2018
” Why did MR say he cannot remember when he knows full well? He did NOT want to give the CID the dots to connect the case to Gotabaya Rajapaksa. There is NO NO gainsaying that Keith Noyahr is living now in Australia only because MR intervened.
Yet, he cannot do anything to implicate GR. He also knows that GR did not do this dastardly crime. “
This is nothing but a planted story. If there was a legal ground for Old King not to go to 4th floor, there is no need to invite them to home. He invited 4th floor call girls to house and throw a party with a new idea. Many stories like this can be expected mush room to confuse IC Modayas, so they won’t interfere in the internal games. Ranil is cancelling IMF’s funding contracts while dollar is 162 rupees. Where is the money for operations going to come from? China said to have bought lands in Jaffna town -shore to do excavation. Probably that earth and sand would be used in Colombo Pong Cing.
We did know how Ponny murdered Lasantha and it made Janze Fredrika to run to America. In this case Karu directly called Old King. That means many people in cabinet did know at least part of the story. Death to “Nation” was submitted in Cabinet and the Cabinet Paper was approved before start of the operation, it seems. There is a chance Ponny too know many party of this story. But if Ponny’s direct hand was there, this might have earned him another prison term before January 2015.
These all are related to war crime. IC has to watch these dramas. Every Colombo diplomat should read these news of how these are manipulated and ask why Yahapalanaya still receiving American GSP, EU GSP MCC Fund and many international humanitarian based monies while purposefully killing the justice.
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Ajay / August 22, 2018
The Spy?
“It is someone who is now under
the protective umbrella of Dr Ranil Wickremesinghe, the learned
Prime Minister.”
.
Why don’t you name him? You are using the safety of online anonymity to expose the truth about what happened to Keith Noyahr. You have named the PM for protecting the culprit. Your civic sense must be applauded. You’ve overlooked a minor detail though. You forgot to name that culprit. You must be a novice to the spy trade. You are not afraid to name the PM, but you want us to believe you are afraid of the culprit. What you’re trying to do is so glaringly obvious, you look like a spy from the realm of Bugs Bunny. Thank you for the entertainment, and please keep more coming.
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shankar / August 20, 2018
the spy
fonseka cannot do it without gota’s approval.Those guys in the intelligence will not take his orders to do this kind of things unless gota says ok,because then they know that they are protected by the rajapakshes.All killings would have had the approval of gota,even thajudeen’s though namal and yositha would have wanted to do it.The intelligence guys are used to taking direct orders from gota as per fonseka’s statement and gota has not disputed this i believe nor have the intelligence heads.
This would have been a quid quo pro favour one would have done for the other.Fonseka would have wanted keith killed and gota would have helped him and gota would have wanted lasantha dead due to the fact that he going to courts the next day to give evidence,and fonseka would have helped him.
For these two military men killing is nothing.After all the bloodshed they have witnessed it is natural for them to eliminate people with the bullet and not the ballot.their waterloo is when they try to win through the ballot.Fonseka failed miserably and gota will too because people especially females don’t like this kind of killings and will always wonder what if it happens to them too one day.That is why mahinda lost.He can thank gota for the number of sinhalese who deserted him.
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Pissu Hutan / August 20, 2018
Why no RANIL ???????
–
He can’t remember Arjun Mahendran.
He also can’t remember batalanda. He is a LIAR.
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K.Pillai / August 20, 2018
In his left hand is a pure gold (??) chain/trinket or something. Is it from the huge haul he has at home? Or was it given by a Godman?
Cannot remember!
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Rajash / August 21, 2018
Mahinda cant remember how many innocent Tamils were carpet bombed in No Fire Zone.
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Pissu Hutan / August 21, 2018
You meant tamil terrorists ?? They deserved public hanging…… Bombing was too polite for those wild animals.
You don’t remember the deaths of 160 Muslims in the kattankudy mosque ? Do you ? Soooo much for innocent tamil terrorist !!!
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Rajash / August 22, 2018
Pissu Hutan ; You don’t remember the deaths of 160 Muslims in the kattankudy mosque ? ….no I don’t… but…. I was not the President of the country at the time….please ask Mara if he remembers…
..Mara cant remember if Karuna Amman, who was the master mind and who led the Kattankudy attack, was at one time leader of the LTTE armed unit.
…
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Pissu Hutan / August 22, 2018
Huh !! Now it’s Karuna’s fault ??? ….prabakaran didn’t know that ?…….. OMG !!! Was Karuna the leader of LTTE ? BTW Karuna was with prabakaran until 2004.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / August 23, 2018
Rajash here are some of the atrocities committed by the Muslim Home guards in the east Sammanthurai – Kali Amman Temple destroyed by the Muslism
in 1990.Karaitivu – Kannaki Amman Temple damaged by the Muslism
who accompanied the armed forces.Addaipallam – Meenachchi Amman Temple damaged by theMuslims during the same period. Karavalu – A village in close proximity to Kalmunai – An ancient Kali Kovil completely destroyed by Muslims. Atpresent, a Mosque stands at that place. Meen Odai Kaddu – Pillaiyar Temple completely destroyed by Muslims. Muslim community settled at that site. Odamavadi – Batticaloa District – Pillaiyar Temple taken
over forcibly by Muslim. A Beef Stall stands there now.The Tamils of Amparai are deeply grieved over the several nstances of the destructions caused to their places of worship as well as other horrendous acts of violence caused to their kith and kin. Here is an unforgettable incident: In 1990, Nintavur village was rounded up by thesecurity forces and Muslim Home Guards; 64 youths males
and females were taken to the Nintavur Murugan Temple. They were slain and shot. Those killed and the groaning lot were set on fire along with the temple. The strange thing is that there is no trace of the existence of a temple at that site which was once a recognised place ofworship. This area, is now one where no Tamils can go into it and it is now a Muslim region.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / August 23, 2018
Contd: Tiraikerui – An incident of aggression by Muslim hooligans in 1990. Muslim Hooligans armed with swords andnives entered the village and terrified the villagers. They sought refuge in their village Pillaiyar Temple. The hooligans after damaging the temple entrance doorattacked the helpless victims using their destructiveweapons and after they were killed set the temple on fire.
Veeramunai – During the same time, refugees who were accommodated in the Pillaiyar Temple; they were rounded up by the Security forces and the Muslim Home Guards. They selected the educated and the well-built youths
numbering 85, took them inside the temple premises; they were slain and Shot by the Muslim Home Guards. This particular incident took place in the presence of the relatives of those killed – When the security forces were simply watching While the Muslim Home Guards performed these horrible murders. Amparai Tamils oftentell such similar stories through their experiences. The Tamils of these regions did not have the courage and the strength to fight the politically strong Muslim leadership who gave all the help and assistance to the Muslim, Home Guards and the hooligans to carry out their plans to destroy the Tamils, the reason being that the remaining Tamils were economically bad as they were
victims in every sense; and more so because their children were drawn into the liberation struggle which compelled them to remain silent spectators. The fact is,
the prevailing situation at that time made them a complete helpless lot unable to voice their sentiments.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / August 23, 2018
contd: There is yet another situation. There were cries for ‘separate Muslim region ‘and ‘Maritime Muslim District’ from the strong Muslim political Leadership. They were not only participant in a Government; but also held positions to make or unmake governments. With that strength, they were able to voice their sentiments and make loud their slogans to receive the active support of the government of the day. The Tamils of the region were politically bankrupt with no representation; hence their grievances could not be spotlighted. The Rights of the Tamils were not only denied but also prevented for the very same reasons. We hear of various slogans like: Kattankudi Massacre. ‘ Muslims of the North should be re-settled traditional, lands taken by force to be handed over to the owners ‘ – are often heard from both Muslim leadership and reasonable Tamil leaderships. In that context, it becomes imperative that the cause of
the Amparai District Tamils too should be spotlighted on a similar footing. With the on-going war situation over a length of time, the Amparai Tamils who were subjected to all sorts of inhumane and atrocious activities have suffered Immense hardships. Their traditional lands too were secured either by force or malicious means by Muslims. Such lands too should be handed over to these
who occupied them.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / August 23, 2018
Do you also remember the thousands of Tamils killed raped and ethnically cleansed by Muslim home guards in the east? The amount of Hindu temples destroyed by them and in many places mosques have been built on these destroyed Hindu temple premises. So far none of these Tamils have been allowed to return to their homes , lands and villages. These 100% Tamil Hindu villages have now become 100% Muslim and some cases Sinhalese villages. Especially in the Amparai and Trincomallee districts. I can give you details of all these atrocities if you want to and it will make what happened at the Kattankudy mosque look like a child’s picnic. Even many Sinhalese army officers were shocked at the brutality of these Muslim home guards against the Tamil Hindus. The eastern province is the land of the Tamils and Tamillised Vedddah not the Muslims who only arrived as refugees a few centuries ago or the Sinhalese who were only settled on ethnically cleansed Tamil lands in the last 60 years b y the Sri Lankan state.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / August 23, 2018
contd: Kattankudy mosque is a hot bed for Islamic extremism. This is why they have made Kattankudi look like some part of Saudi Arabia and not in Tamil eastern Sri Lanka. This mosque was the headquarters and arms depot for the Muslim home guards who located in the area. They used to come to pray in this mosque, to receive Allah’s blessing and to collect their weapons ,before attacking the surrounding Tamil Hindu villages. This was the reason Karuna who was the head of the LTTE in the east planned this attack. I wonder how many of these people praying at the time were really innocent, as portrayed by the press, as these Muslim home guards were heavily armed and supported by the Sri Lankan armed forces. Long before this attack, in 1985 Muslims were urged to chase away all Tamils away from the Kattankudi area and this was announced through the mosques of Kattankudi. The Muslims heeded to this sacred call the ethnically cleanse the indigenous Hindu Tamils from their lands and together with the help of their allies the Sinhalese armed forces and police chased away all the Tamils from their homes and lands from the Kattankudi area and made this a 100% Muslim area. This ethnic cleaning happened long before the LTTE chased away the northern Muslims.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / August 23, 2018
contd: What happened in the east to the Tamil population at the hands of these brutal Muslim home guards who were heavily armed the Sri Lankan Special Task Forces , their large scale killing in thousands not just 160 , destruction of their lands properties , Hindu temples, and ethnic cleaning , was the main factor for the LTTE chasing away the Muslims from the north, especially after they were caught spying for the Sinhalese armed forces and storing arms again in their mosques. The LTTE did not want a repeat of what happened to the eastern Tamils to happen in the north. Especially in the Mannar and parts of the Vanni. Whilst highlighting and making a big issue of the Kattankudi mosque incident and the expulsion of the northern Muslims. The Sri Lankan government and press and even certain foreign media and press supressed the brutal killing raping looting and ethnic cleansing of thousands of Hindu Tamils , and the destruction of many Hindu temples by these Muslim Home guards in the east, who were heavily armed by the Sri Lankan state to terrorise the eastern Tamils. Especially in the Amparai and Trincomalee districts. As stated I can give you all the gory details of what happened. It is a disgrace when Sinhalese racists and Muslim opportunists keep on harping about Kattankudi Mosque and the northern Muslims and their return but keep quiet about the killing raping looting ethnic cleansing of thousands of Hindu Tamils and the destruction of many Hindu temples , starting from the Kattankudi area in 1985 and then spreading to other areas in the east. These Tamils who are languishing in refugee camps in Indian and in the island should also be allowed to return to their lands homes and the Muslims and Sinhalese now illegally occupying their lands homes and villages , told to leave. You cannot have selective justice and amnesia for others.
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chiv / August 21, 2018
Hilarious. Even after this a lot of Lankans want to bring back MR including the great DJ not knowing the memory and cognition will progress to decline further in such individual to a extent one day MR will not know who Shiranthi is???? Imagine how terrible that will be. Poor soul. The end result is usually periods of confusion and disorientation. In simple terms the individual not knowing either Time Place or Person, usually a combination of all.The retarded Lankans dont even recognize the fact he will not even recognize or know who is Ball carriers are( in NV language). Of course a bunch of morons picking a demented leader will be a true miracle
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Buramphisincho / August 22, 2018
DJ s was unique to him. As is the case with a child who is even more mischievous to be provided with a toy he like most – was provided few weeks ago. That was his position to be a diplomat again. We perfectly knwo DJ by his nature has been no consistent whatever he brought as his articles.
Not just now already few months ago, he made efforts to approach Mr Sirisena but it took that long, since Mr Siirsena did not want to close to him. I thnk what his real behavours and the behavours he sends out through his article has a greater difference. in other words, DJ is the most abusive – selfish man in lanken spot light ( I mean among the other diplomats).
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The Spy / August 21, 2018
Shankar
You are dead right. He was undoubtedly aware. But remember one thing.
There were things he became aware only after the event. So don’t mix
the two. The confidence levels between the duo were so high no permission
was sought nor given. All you have to do is look at the motive – both had their
own reasons and felt ‘action’ was necessary.The animosity with the other man
was more whether KN was concerned. He had frequently slaughtered him in
print. GR naturally was unhappy that the partner was facing it. Also bear in
mind that one day all this will come out.
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Priyantha Cooray / August 21, 2018
Chiv – Its not hilarious but serious and precarious. All
this is happening only because Dr Ranil Wickremesinghe
stopped all inquiries against Rajapaksas. He has now come
on top. RW’s cronies have made money. They want to win
the presidential by buying over voters. RW will not allow
anyone to emerge as UNP candidate.People can cry until
cows come home about Rajapaksa. What is the use? Who
has acted against their corruption?
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K.Pillai / August 21, 2018
How did this “Cannot Remember” thingy come about?
Following the ‘Gun fight at Mulleriyawa coral’, Duminda was flown to Singapore for treatment at taxpayers expense. There were daily bulletins, gory picture of blown up skull and so on. It took quite a while. The Duminda reconstruct was perfect except for the inability to recall anything about the ‘fight’.
This “Cannot Remember” has gotten into the books with the condition attached that it be used only by the ‘Elites’.
Hope this answers Suranimala Umagiliya’s question.
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chiv / August 22, 2018
Sorry Priyantha, it was just a sarcastic comment, I am totally with you. As long Lankan politics is concerned, it is “you watch my back and I will cover for you”. Regardless of parties and individuals this crap has gone way too long and the irony is the apathetic and self centered public has readily accepted this as the norm. Today the news in US is the private attorney/fixer of Trump and the chief party/campaign leader are found guilty of financial/election frauds and can serve more than 50 years behind bars, Still trump may try to pull one by way of pardon (the same ploy of MS with Ganasara) but that again will put him in deep shit with his own hearing. The moral of the story is come what may The Law and order/justice system keeps moving slowly but surely, may not be up to speed for some. But in Lanka these kind of corrections in the ethical/moral course, will be of true miracle.
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Mallaiyuran / August 22, 2018
Kerala is under flood; epic proportion. Entire India is talking about it.
Notorious Subramaniam, who was thrown with eggs by American Students for his Anti-Muslim speech, is partying with Old King in Funeral House, instead helping those suffering in Kerala. Old King said he remembers that Radical Subramaniam always talked & worked against LTTE.
I was wondering if he had forgotten his War Crime at Mullivaikkal and his Electric Chair at UN. But he is not. He remembers that very well together with Subramaniam.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / August 24, 2018
Mallaiyuran are you aware that in Kerala the strong solidarity that was shown between the Malayali Hindus and Muslims during the current floods. Hindu temples opened their halls and allowed them to be used as places of worship for flood affected Kerala Muslims for Eid prayers, whose mosques were destroyed during the floods. Many mosques in Muslim predomination areas in Kerala opened their places of worship, as refuge for thousands of Hindu families and provided them food and shelter. In Kerala you will find Christian schools singing songs praising Katheeja prophet Mohammed wife. They are a very secular people to whom their Malayali identity and ethnicity comes first and religion is secondary. The Mappila Muslims of Kerala have the most amount of Arab in their genetic contribution amongst all the South Asian Muslim groups. However even here the Arab contribution to the Kerala Muslim genetic makeup is only 15% . However these people do not consider themselves as Arabs but Malayalis. Only these Indian origin Dravidian Tamil Muslims from Sri Lanka , whose ancestors migrated from Tamil Nadu deny that they are Tamils and keep on highlighting the miniscule amount of Arab, that only a few hundred families have, out of a population of almost 2 million to justify this and join Sinhalese racists to create havoc.
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K.Pillai / August 23, 2018
It is tennis – the aristocrat’s game.
Duminda strong serve with “Cannot Remember” ball.
Ravi’s weak return – line call
MR’s serve this time. Ace? Ball-tampering?
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