Talk:Exile of Gotabaya Rajapaksa

About the word "exile"

@Kishore Editing: I agree that Gotabaya Rajapaksa is in a self-exile but can't agree on exile. Do the media also refer to it as an exile? I only could find most of them using word "flee"? BBC The Washington Post The Guardian 🔮Plpm2021💬 14:33, 15 July 2022 (UTC)

@Plpm2021 I believe the use of the word "exile" is most appropriate for Rajapaksa's predicament. Although the use of the word "flee" in connection with Rajapaksa's escape is widespread, I don't believe it is good to use it on Wikipedia, in a formal tone. Frankly speaking, he's fled Sri Lanka, but I don't believe that he's out of Sri Lankan politics. Basically, a politician who takes refuge in a foreign country due to internal political turmoil at home basically counts as exile, regardless of which if it is enforced or self-imposed. Several reports have stated that Rajapaksa is actively seeking political asylum in a foreign country, which can be attributed to the use of the word "exile".

Honestly speaking, "Exile of Rajapaksa" is better than "Fleeing of Rajapaksa". Kishore Editing (talk) 15:49, 15 July 2022 (UTC)

Understood your point. 🔮Plpm2021💬 17:08, 15 July 2022 (UTC)

Requested move 20 July 2022

The following is a closed discussion of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. Editors desiring to contest the closing decision should consider a move review after discussing it on the closer's talk page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

The result of the move request was: not moved. Discussion here makes it clear that the original proposed title is a non-starter, and consensus is not forming for any alternate options. (closed by non-admin page mover) — Ceso femmuin mbolgaig mbung, mellohi! (投稿) 04:22, 27 July 2022 (UTC)

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Exile of Gotabaya Rajapaksa → Flight and resignation of Gotabaya Rajapaksa – Exile implies a long duration, that has already in progressed or one that is to be expected. So far its only been a week with more developments yet to happen in the coming weeks (His Singapore Visa will run out etc.). The article deals with the inital moments of leaving Sri Lanka and ariving in Singapore and his resignation directly afterwards, therefore we should change the article name to "Flight and Resignation of Gotabaya Rajapaksa". If years go by and he has still not returned to Sri Lanka then we can rename or make an article on his exile. Blackknight12 (talk) 03:16, 20 July 2022 (UTC)

• Opposition to Blackknight12 request : I do not believe that "Flight and Resignation of Gotabaya Rajapaksa" is appropriate for this article. Accordingly, Rajapaksa's travels to foreign countries and subsequent resignation were not two separate events; they occurred in a consecutive fashion during his escape from the country. At this moment, there is no indication that Rajapaksa may return to Sri Lanka, given his now tarnished record among the Sri Lankan people. Essentially, Rajapaksa is a political figure who went into self-exile because of internal political upheaval - which suits the use of the word exile, as it unites both the actions of his "escape" and "resignation" under one umbrella. Rather than denoting two actions in a single title, it is better to use a unifying word that can be associative. Kishore Editing (talk) 07:59, 20 July 2022 (UTC)

Disagree. "Flight and Resignation of Gotabaya Rajapaksa" is not the correct title for the article. "Fleeing of Gotabaya Rajapaksa" would be more appropriate if the word "exile" is too controversial for this. Jaglak123 (talk) — Preceding undated comment added 02:03, 21 July 2022 (UTC)

• Opposition to Jaglak123 comment : I further disagree on the use of the word "fleeing".

First, it is not grammatically correct - as "fleeing" is articulated is not the correct word in past tense; Rajapaksa had already fled the country over a week ago, and using the word "fleeing" would not be correct, as the action had already happened. Simultaneously, the article is not meant to articulate merely about Rajapaksa's strategy of escaping, but to later articulate about his actions in the years post his resignation.

Secondly, the use of the word "exile" is not controversial; you have not specified how the use of the word would be such. Essentially, "exile" is more apt, if one considers Rajapaksa's predicament - he is a politician who is forced to find refuge in a foreign country following his own removal from office, due to mounting public pressure. It is certain for now that Rajapaksa may not seek to return to Sri Lanka, given his corroded reputation amongst the country's people. Rajapaksa's actions in the last week of the presidency mirrors the acts of many politicians in the past, who have escaped their home country to seek refuge in a foreign nation. Rajapaksa is now, in a basic sense, in a self-imposed exile, given the nation's sour mood against him.

I believe the use of the word "exile" is to be preserved as the title for the article. Kishore Editing (talk) 02:32, 21 July 2022 (UTC)

I'm a bit against the term exile primarily for the reason that exile is commonly something imposed by an authority on a person. As of date, Sri Lanka has not officially charged him with anything nor imposed any punishment on him, so calling it exile is not quite correct, he can return at any time legally. Flight and resignation would be more accurate in describing what happened, or changing "exile" to "self imposed exile" would make it clearer that the action was voluntary and not an order by the Sri Lankan government. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 220.255.62.83 (talk) 09:01, 21 July 2022 (UTC)

• Comment. I'm not sure I disagree with the current title. But an alternative would be Departure of Gotabaya Rajapaksa from Sri Lanka. -- Necrothesp (talk) 09:29, 21 July 2022 (UTC)

• Opposition to Necrothesp comment: I disagree with the title "Flight and resignation of Gotabaya Rajapaksa". Here, this title refers to two separate actions that Rajapaksa had taken; mentioning two separate actions within a single topics within a single title for an article is inappropriate, as the article of a subject must have a title that unifies all the sub-topics that have occurred under it. A title must refer to only one reference as its subject, not two. Rajapaksa's escape and subsequent resignation, although connected - cannot be mentioned together within a single title. Instead, it is better to have a word that acts as a common connection for both topics - which is Rajapaksa's "self-exile"

Yes, Sri Lanka has not charged Rajapaksa with any criminal accusations, yet Rajapaksa's story as an unpopular politician fleeing to another country to due to hated reputation at home comes within the bounds of using the word "exile".

If many still disagree, perhaps we can agree on the use of the word "Self-exile". Kishore Editing (talk) 01:42, 22 July 2022 (UTC)

• Comment. I believe word "exile" is debatable but definitely don't agree with "Flight and resignation" either because I think it doesn't properly depict the current content of this article. In "self-exile", I see no problem, because Self-exile of Gotabaya Rajapaksa is less controversial and better.🔮Plpm2021💬 02:47, 22 July 2022 (UTC)
• Oppose move: The current title is entirely adequate, and the suggested title is not concise. The resignation doesn't seem like a significant event that warrants separate mention in the article title. As pointed out above, it was a consequence of his flight, not a feature of it. "Flight of Gotabaya Rajapaksa" would be an acceptable article title, but it's not really an improvement over the current title, so I see no reason for a move. The article covers more than just his flight from Sri Lanka to the Maldives - it covers all of his movements in exile up to the present day and will continue to include any actions he takes in the near future (such as, perhaps, leaving Singapore, as reliable news outlets have suggested). Finally, as the nominator themself pointed out, the current title has greater longevity. TLDR: For the time being, the current title is correct and concise. Toadspike (talk) 15:03, 22 July 2022 (UTC)
• Oppose. Merriam-Webster shows two meanings of exile, the first forced, the second voluntary. The second definition already equates to "self-exile", so that change seems unnecessary. Further, the definition does not indicate that the duration be long for something to be considered exile. Napoleon was on Elba for less than a year. On Voltaire, Britannica notes that he left France briefly in 1736 because "an exile of a few weeks became advisable after the circulation of a short, daringly epicurean poem called 'Le Mondain'". I think we can stick with this title for now. Dekimasuよ! 03:16, 27 July 2022 (UTC)

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.