By Walter Jayawardhana

 The former arms procurer of the LTTE blamed Prabhakaran’s political friends Vaiko and Nedumaran for not accepting his death and Prabhakaran’s blood relatives for not coming forward to receive his mortal remains. 

 Speaking from an undisclosed country in Europe Selvarasa Pathmanathan  alias KP  blamed the Indian supporters of the late LTTE leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran like Vaiko and Nedumaran  for not accepting the reality of the former LTTE leader’s  death .

 He also blamed the blood relatives of Prabhakaran for not coming forward to receive his mortal remains when he tried to obtain them.

 KP, the former arms procurer for the terrorist group, earlier thought to be hiding in South East Asia is believed to have the support of an European country to lead the terrorist group from there.In fact, some blame KP for giving false hopes for Prabhakaran that some European powers would come and rescue him before the last phase of his war with the Sri Lankan army.

 KP is not accepted as the universal leader of the LTTE by the expatriate members of the terrorist group. 

 “Just days after crowning himself the LTTE leader post-Prabhakaran, Selvarasa Pathmanathan alias KP expressed confidence that India would help Eelam Tamils achieve their aspirations for a separate homeland”, the Decan Chronicle said.

 The Decan Chronicle said MDMK general secretary Vaiko and Sri Lankan Tamil Protection Movement convenor P. Nedumaran were unwilling to accept the fact that Prabhakaran was dead. Other reports said that they did not also support KP as the LTTE leader.

 KP told the newspaper despite the beliefs of Vaiko and Nedumarana his leader Prabhakaran attained martyrdom along with other cadres in the last phase of war at Mullivaikkal.

 He further told the newspaper he tried to get the mortal remains of the slain LTTE chief. “However, our leader’s blood relatives did not come forward to receive his body,” he said.

  “At present, we have constituted a working committee that will explore the idea of forming a transnational Tamil Eelam government. The committee is drafting an action plan to achieve Tamil Eelam which has been the dream of our people for over half-a-century,” he said.

Written by Sellakapu S Upasiri de Silva.

I had a very healthy appetite to read letters and articles written by the TULF Leader Mr. Ananda Sangaree and I never missed any of his writing, as his writing indicated that he is a moderate Tamil leader trying to settle the terror war created by Prabakaran, the Leader of the LTTE. He wrote many open letters to the former leader of the LTTE, advising him to give up his arms struggle and to settle the ethnic problem in a peaceful manner, using the Constitutional provisions of the Amendment 13. He also wrote to Prabakaran about various other subjects when Prabakaran declared that he was the only representative of the Tamil people.  All these open letters and articles were given wide publicity by the press, as the articles were very moderate and without any bias and most papers copied them and published them to give a hero’s status to TULF Leader Mr. Ananda Sangaree.

 But after the former LTTE Leader, Prabakaran, and his entire Army of terrorists were disposed by the Armed Forces, and the threats to his life was eliminated and he felt free, Ananda Sangaree changed his writing style and start accusing the Sri Lankan Government of (many) atrocities, not committed by the government. Mainly about the way IDP camps are managed by the GOSL. The interviews he gave to BBC and other TV programmes created sensational news items for the Tamil Diaspora and the International Community waiting to castigate GOSL for the annihilation of the LTTE Leadership.  In most of his interviews he directly accused the GOSL about non-existing but fabricated ill-treatments of IDP’s and doing so, he gave ammunition to those Diaspora Tamils to find faults with the Government and to say that IDP’s are ill-treated by the Army. The way IDP camps are situated  Ananda Sangaree knew very well that it was impossible to overcome some of the shortcomings he was shouting at, due to various technical, financial  and logistic problems and the time factor.

 By analysing all his former articles and the interviews he gave to papers I was forced to form my own unfavourable opinion about him and came to the conclusion that he is not the moderate Tamil Leader he portrayed.  I suspected many years back that he is a sheep in tiger cloths and played a different tune while LTTE terror gangs were in power to save his life from the LTTE murder squads. Those days he tried his best to show the Rajapakse Government that he is supporting them to settle the Tamil issue as a moderate Tamil leader and got Police protection to save his life from the LTTE. Now this moderate Tamil leader has shed his sheep skin and trying to wear the Tiger skin to portrait his real image.

 Why he change his style

 After reading an interview he gave to Mr. Lasantha Weerakulasooriya of the Sunday Lakbima (Sinhala) published on 5^th July 2009, I was forced to change my mind about Mr. Ananda Sangaree, the moderate Tamil Leader I thought he was. Now he is trying to create the Tamil Eelam Prabakaran failed to establish after fighting with the Sri Lankan government Armed Forces for 32 years. If any one analyse this interview it will prove that Mr. Ananda Sangaree the TULF Leader is now trying to whare the shoes left by Prabakaran when he was cremated. Unfortunately the shoes left by Prabakaran is too big for Ananda Sangaree, and the Sinhala and Tamil people are aware that his concerns about the Tamil grievances and aspirations are nothing more than to create trouble among Sinhalese and Tamils for his political aspirations.

 The interview – Fear Psychology

 Ananda Sangaree carefully chooses a widely circulating Sinhala paper to give his interview, knowing that most people who read the Sunday Lakbima Sinhala edition are Sinhala people. In this interview he uses the FEAR psychology to create  fear among the rural Sinhala folks that Tamil Nadu Tamils and other terrorist groups may take arms if things go against the implementation of A13, and to meet the Tamil aspirations.

 Tamil grievances   

 Most Tamil leaders including Ananda Sangaree as well as some of our Sinhala politicians supporting a division in the country talk about Tamil grievances but up until today no one has submit a list of  grievances of Tamil people other than to clamour for the implementation of the A 13. This group includes our famous Ambassador in Geneva Dr. Dayan Jayathilake and Ministers Douglas Devananda, Rajitha Senaratne, Prof. Vitharana and the latest to join into this group is Dr. Kohona the Foreign Secretary. According to the Sri Lankan Constitution Chapter 1 Article 3 none of these people have a right to discuss about the implementation of Amendment 13 without the authority or the permission of the people or citizens of Sri Lanka.

  What are Tamil grievances?

 As none of these Tamil Leaders or others complaining about Tamil grievances has put forward the Tamil Grievances for the citizens of Sri Lanka to understand why Tamils are deprived of those facilities. I like to discuss about some of the facilities they got from the central government without implementing the Amendment 13. At present the GOSL has implemented the “UTHURU WASANTHAYA” and all the activities connected with this programme will benefit the Tamil citizens in the North and the East. The government is trying to re-establish the rail links to Kankasanthurai, and the bus services for the people to facilitate their transport problems. Tamil citizens of Sri Lanka have got the second largest University -The Jaffna University- in the country only second to Peradeniya University by one unit of teaching and the best High Schools for secondary education. The Jaffna University is only for Tamils as; Tamil students will not allow any other students, Sinhalese or Muslim to study in that University.

 Other than this if we check the statistics Tamil citizens are well off than most our rural Sinhala citizens from every other aspect. Parliament is for every Sri Lankans and there are Tamil & Muslim  Ministers, Tamil and Muslim MP’s and Sinhala Ministers and MP’s supporting the Tamil causes. Equal share of private and public sector jobs according to the population distribution and in the Private sector Tamils citizens have more opportunities than the Sinhala citizens to get a job, because of their ability to work in English.

 Before they discuss about the “Tamil Grievances” these leaders should publish a list of grievances for those Sinhala citizens to understand what these grievances are and if they are grievances which can only be solved by implementing the Amendment 13 or 13+plus then to extend their support to implement it.  Without placing before the Sinhala citizen of the South the grievances and aspirations of Tamil citizens, which are not met by the GOSL, the Sinhala people who oppose the implementation of the Amendment 13 is not able to understand how they can be benefited by implementing the Amendment 13 to solve their grievances.

 Tamil Nadu influence

 Mr. Ananda Sangaree was very careful to explained to Mr. Weerakulasooriya, that he was not forced by India to ask for these Amendment 13, but after seeing how Tamil Nadu, where 60 million Tamils are living is coping in a Federal Model without any trouble, he is now requesting a Federal (Indian) model over the A 13 or A 13+plus. Then he adds to his explanation what Tamil Nadu Tamils did during the Terror war by the Armed Forces against  the LTTE. He says they set fire to themselves, distrupted the train services and participated in strikes and many other things. He further said that if the government of Sri Lanka promised to give a Federal (Indian Model) to the North and the East following the Indian Model they will keep silent and will not create any trouble. What a threatening statement Mr. Ananda Sangaree? 

 Mr. Ananda Sangaree, your friends in Tamil Nadu did every thing to stop the annihilation of the LTTE, but our brave government as well as the Armed Forces never took them into consideration to stop the final fight with the LTTE.

If so why should we worry about Tamil Nadu Tamils or India to apply our own political solution to this problem? Tamil citizens in the North and the East are our brothers and sisters and not aliens or South Indian Tamils.

 Amendment 13 or the Federal solution imposed on us by the Indian Government under duress was one off the cuff solution when the LTTE was in power and terrorising the country. Now we have annihilated the entire LTTE and the others are behind bars or in rehabilitation camps other than few like KP and others living in overseas countries. India was to stop the LTTE operating in the Indian soil and support to annihilate the LTTE according to the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord of 1987, but they failed to do this and created fundamental breaches in that Accord and as well they restricted us getting Arms and other facilities, till they were sure of the total annihilation of the LTTE. Your statement that India helps us is not true up to a certain extent.

 Amendment 13

 Amendment 13 will divide this country as explained in my article “Implementation of the 13 Amendment” and if implemented it will be very easy for people like Ananda Sangaree, Dayan Jayathilake and Douglas Devananda and others to establish the Eelam LTTE was fighting for so long. That is why most patriotic people are against this implementation of A 13. What President J.R. Jayawardena promised to do under “duress” at a time when this country was facing a threat from Indian invasion and the LTTE was trying to divide the country, is not applicable now as our brave soldiers of the Armed Forces has annihilated that threat.

 Another LTTE?

 Your assumption that Tamil people will take arms if the Amendment 13 or a Federal Model is not implemented is your own imagination Mr. Ananda Sangaree. The Tamil people are not power hungry like you and Minister Douglas Devananda and they need to live happily now and they will never support another uprising by Tamils like the LTTE leader Prabakaran did again in this country. If any thing like that happened again our Armed Forces are ready for such eventuality.

 At present GOSL is doing every thing possible to create a new environment for the people in the North to live happily once the areas infested with land mines are secured.  I am sure under Mahinda Chinthanaya,  the little grievances Tamil citizens are having now will be eliminated and the Uthuru Wasanthaya will bring them what other Sri Lankans in the South waiting to achieve.

Gomin Dayasri Courtesy The Daily Mirror

The 13th Amendment has been in existence for over 20 years and it has brought no relief to Sri Lanka. Nobody has a word of praise for it except the few politicians who have obtained office under its dispensation and enjoy the perks associated with such office. None see it as a possible cure for the problems affecting the country. The deficiencies are overwhelming; the expenses are devastating; benefits are not forthcoming.

One thing is for sure, it yields power and position to elected politicians to the detriment of the electors. Besides exercising the franchise, the electors have received no return during its lifetime. We cannot escape being locked by the requirement of a 2/3 parliamentary majority that is unattainable, to have it jettisoned. We are destined to live with the 13th Amendment in the statute book; salvation is not to give it more strength.

It was passed by a 2/3 majority in a parliament where the members were not elected by the people but whose term of office was extended by a referendum; at a time when the voters were denied the right to elect their parliamentarians since J.R.Jayewardane suspended General Elections to safeguard his 2/3 majority obtained under a different Constitution which had a single constituency system instead of proportionate representation. The sordid referendum was the instrument to keep alive his 2/3 parliamentary majority. It was under such a scam that the 13th Amendment was passed as legislation. Those who voted in favour of a 2/3 majority were not members of Parliament elected by the People at a General Election. Worse, those who voted were elected by the people under a different defunct Constitution.

In the search for a solution, 13th plus or minus will offer no benefits for the Tamils but plenty for Tamil politicians. Governments have found it convenient and comfortable to pamper minority politicians to retain their parliamentary majority than attending to the grievances of the minorities; more a grind and a work mill. The living monument is the CWC, the only party of the minorities to have been in every Cabinet continuously from 1977, hinging to all governments, but the Indian Tamils grievances remain untouched while the Thondaman family have enjoyed the best of all worlds. Same will happen to other minorities, especially if the track records of Tamil politicians are assessed, if power is passed, to their politicians.

It will be enlarging the power bases of Tamil politicians with no tangible benefit flowing   to their constituents. There is live experience of the 13th Amendment being functional in eight provinces which has led to the proliferation of politicians and an enlarged administration being a drain on the finances but has failed to address the issues of the people or provided an iota of support to the national issue.

Tamil people are not asking for Eelam or devolution or separatism or federalism? That remains the cry of the Tamil politicians and their acolytes. The minorities are seeking remedies for their grievances-just or unjust. The answer is to identify and evaluate the legitimate grievances and provided remedies acceptable to achieve a just and fair society.

The identifiable grievances are (1) the right to live a life of honour in peace in their own homes (2) life of safety and security for children with future expectations mindful of the travails undergone (3) security concerns (4) development and welfare in the home areas (5) employment opportunities (6) reasonable use of Tamil language (7) land water and forests cover on a equitable basis especially for agricultural purposes and alienation (8) Compensation and where possible return of lands acquired for High Security Zones (9) multi ethnic Security Forces for comfort (10)  enhancement of  indigenous culture of the provinces.

These appear to be reasonable demands with achievable objectives executable under the present Constitution with a simple majority by parliamentary legislation, Presidential executive fiat, administrative regulations and financial provisions. It requires no tinkering of the Constitution and the need for an artificial majority vote in parliament.

Most of these so called grievances are beyond the powers of peripheral authority-it needs the power and the weight of the central government to be remedied. These can be marketed and sold to the country by the centre through the President and the political parties than by provincial politicians whose reach is narrow and limited.

The 13th Amendment was an Indian midsummer nights dream conceived in haste shrouded in secrecy to dent the LTTE thrust at a time when the Tigers freely roamed the North and East and our relationship with India were not cordial. It was an effort to absorb the LTTE into the political and administrative structure just as in the case of the post tsunami structure proposed by the Chandrika government. LTTE and the 13th Amendment were to walk hand in hand along the aisle; in the absence of the walking partner the 13th Amendment stands like a bride without the groom.

13th Amendment was a lukewarm effort for government in the south to work in tandem with the terrorist organisation in the north and east within a democratic framework but it did not satisfy the autocratic Prabhakaran to whom Eelam was an all or nothing excercise.  It was an ill conceived effort to bring the terrorist organisation in to the mainstream democratic process but without understanding that Prabhakaran could not survive in that climate. North and East were merged as a sweetener to provide an enlarged arena for the LTTE to operate.

The backdrop of events after 5/19 has made the LTTE irrelevant and the accommodation of a non existing LTTE, redundant. With the disappearance of the LTTE the 13th Amendment passes into oblivion.  The 13th Amendment now lives isolated in a lost valley and a rescue operation of it is a lost cause.

More interesting is to identify those who desire to restart the engine of the 13th Amendment to re launch it and their hidden motivation. It is the emerging combination consisting of the former cheer leaders of the LTTE still in business and those in the government column who hated the Tigers but instead mooted federal structures as the alternative. Those sleeping federalists in the government column had their wake up call with the disappearance of the LTTE.

 These two competing groups have now coalesced to push the 13th Amendment to the forefront realising that the 13th Amendment will not satisfy the prevailing expectations of the Tamil people and their grievances will continue unattended and to fester; ideally, for another terrorist outfit to be reincarnated thereby enhancing opportunities of reviving federalism as an alternative which is as dead as the LTTE presently. Bottom line is, atmospheric conditions are unfavourable to usher federalism at the present juncture, so keep it alive with the 13th Amendment which will not settle the outstanding problems.

Those seeking refuge under the banner of the 13th Amendment know well it will not appease the North and the East. They do not want to witness a content society- the problems of the minorities must not recede but the Tamil politicians must prosper with whom they will before long establish linkage to attain their goals. 

The 13th Amendment is an Indian import and still touted by foreign elements within and outside the country owing allegiance to white western powers, sycophants of Varatharaja Perumal establishment which unilaterally declared an independent state, NGO elements, Tamil Diaspora, neo liberal conservatives sporting the colours of neo liberal leftists with Western orientations and pseudo Cuban immitations, the Colombian seminar circuit and travelling academics of fame and fortune. They will soon be joined by the LTTE rump in disguise. Irrespective of whether they supported the LTTE or otherwise they hailed from the federal school of thought which is a stepping stone to a separate state. Now they come out to the open displaying in their true colours with the LTTE buried. They always yearned for federalism without a LTTE.

Those desirous of ushering a federal structure in the future will opt for the enhancement of the 13th Amendment. They will be press for further devolution seeking enhancement of powers under the 13th amendment as a launching pad for a secessionist movement which will initially take a democratic pathway before commencing on an agitation campaign.

They will emphasise that we must move with the 13th Amendment to please India. Had we waited to please other nations we would not have seen the end of terrorism? India genuinely wants the problems of the Tamils settled amicably and would take a realistic approach if the grievances are assuaged. They would well understand that the 13th Amendment belonged to a generation that had to co-exist with the LTTE and where the LTTE were made to feel good, they were providers of relief to their people- the art work behind this legislation. That landscape has disappeared from the scene and it is the Central Government that must find the answers to the legitimate grievances of the minorities.

The government has to safeguard itself more from those within, than those from outside. Initiation of the next generation of terrorists will originate from the ranks of those in camouflaged dress within the government.    

Piyal Samarakone

 Waste – Corruption – Malpractice

Repetition of above will prove once more amount is only mere figures when they land on hands of political swindlers.

Over the years Sri Lanka as being developed or under developed country fell on mercy lap of developed rich world and enjoyed periodic loans & aids enough and more. We became badly behaved economic patient in South East Asia leaving most of the other similar states far behind in terms of the biggest fund receiver.

Unarguably decade of conflict may be the culprit of economic stagnation but the triangle of waste, corruption and malpractice credited to the same account without greed.

We, fortunate enough to get the biggest ever loan in the history at the eleventh hour, not only showing our desperate face in front the world but playing diplomatic roulette by showing the China Card in a very smart fashion. However significant feature this time or the clear signal to Sri Lanka by stake holders showing their utter reluctance to press the green button means “certainly not again” at least for the foreseeable future.

Staggering 2.6b US dollars is no piece of cake and prior to this loan people of Sri Lanka already owe Rs. 1,300,000mn to outside world according to the figures in mid 2008 and the domestic loans too hit sky high currently stands well over Rs. 2,000,000mn. The startling news is all these figures hovering on mere 20mn people of Sri Lanka and economy is nothing more than a bubble when debts become unbearable.

No war, no famine, no natural disasters with grace of god, its zero tolerance for the big guns at this time not to let them land on Economic Bermuda Triangle once again. Knowing generations in eternal debt by accepting something even more than expected, “handle with utmost care” should be the spoken motto.

Maintaining a mammoth sized cabinet with more than half a dozen nation builders around, a mechanism which based on accountability and transparency a must. People of Sri Lanka not please to see the nation builders vying to cut the ribbon en mass just to open a bridge. Feeding the bureaucratic white elephants and already proved futile projects or ventures must not be pampered at the expense of future generation’s rights, rights to live as decent citizens.

Through out the history politicians more keen on getting aids or loans than trying to find home grown solutions, as they come easy and easy to manipulate.

Economic first aid can be handy if we take the advantage in a positive and meaningful manner without seeing it as a must from well wishers.

The common secret is majority of these funds which vanished without a trace to unknown destinations over the years and later surface in different forms of individual assets. The worst scenario is those swindlers’ constant access to the funds once more is something unacceptable and unimaginable. Unsurprisingly, for the common man who deserves a better life cannot be convinced and find hard to conceive a change of ethics.

We as a nation struggling to come out of the economical stagnation and the great opportunity knocking our door today is more than precious and considering the fact that developed-labeled countries going through their worst economic down turn in world’s history therefore expecting any monetary push in future would be unwise.

The aid which entangled with conditions and implementation of them always brought negative results in general neither they pleased people nor they boost the economy in the long run. Getting out of the aids-umbrella and looking after our own business with a good economic strategy which benefit local products & service the best alternative to become a decent state without falling too deep in the debt trap, otherwise we will end up in a state where handful of swindlers who hold sway at the expense of future generations.

Embassy of Sri Lanka Washington DC

Members of the International Club of DC were hosted by Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya and Mrs. Wickramasuriya at their elegant Embassy Row Residence on Saturday, July 25, 2009.

The well attended event was filled with enthusiasts from a range of countries, who were treated to sights, sounds and tastes of Sri Lanka.

Guests were able to witness the beauty of Sri Lanka on a large projection screen while live traditional Sri Lankan music was performed by a group of talented Sri Lankans from the Greater Washington D.C. area. A group of young dancers then mesmerized the guests with a graceful performance of traditional and modern Sri Lankan dance.

A sumptuous Sri Lankan dinner which included traditional items of food was followed by a demonstration of “how to brew the perfect cup of Ceylon tea”.

Speaking at the event, Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya presented a brief history about Sri Lanka, and its long-standing relationship with the United States. Ambassador Wickramasuriya invited the guests to visit Sri Lanka, stating, “I was there last month and I can tell you that it is a happy place, full of new freedom and excitement for a future of peace, happiness and prosperity. We would love to share that experience with you”. At the end of the event, many of the attendees signed up to take part in a tour to Sri Lanka, which is to be organized by the Sri Lankan Embassy shortly.

International Club of DC, with a membership base of over 35,000 is Washington’s premiere organization for internationally-minded professionals who enjoy international cultural experiences as well as social, educational, and outdoor events while helping the community. Addressing the gathering at Saturday’s event, Sanjaya Hettihewa, President of the Club explained that this event is especially significant for him as Sri Lanka was the country he grew up in before moving to the United States, and that the organization will be looking forward to working closely with the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington DC on several more projects.

By Garvin Karunaratne, Ph.D. formerly of the Srilanka Administrative Service

The IMF voting on 24 th June 2009  granted the loan applied for by Sri Lanka. However this incident was marred by Western Superpowers- the USA, Britain and France abstaining from voting.  It is well known that these Superpowers led by France and Britain  were persuading the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to stop battling the terrorists.  The Superpowers wanted to see that terrorism  was not wiped out! The terrorist LTTE had earned for itself the title of being the most ruthless terrorist out fit in the world and yet the Superpowers were dictating to the Sri Lankan President to stop battling them!.  Abstaining from vot ing at the IMF  was their method of punishing Sri Lanka for ignoring their dictate to stop battling terrorism.

In the meantime the USA supported ably by Britain is battling Alkaida in Afghanistan to catch Osama Bin Laden whom they think masterminded the 9/11 atrocities.  Osama was once  trained by the USA. Both these Superpowers are also yet searching for the Weapons of Mass Destruction held by Sadaam Hussein of Iraq. That effort, now, years in action saw no weapons of mass destruction belonging to Sadaam Hussein. Instead the world beheld weapons of mass destruction belonging to the USA being unleashed on innocents in Iraq!.  It is said and I too am of the opinion that the invasion of Iraq was purely to ensure that the Superpowers do control the oil wealth of Iraq and also to ensure that Iraq would not be of military might to be a threat to Israel.   The invasion of Iraq has seen thousands of innocents being made homeless and daily people are dying and living in want and the Western Superpowers who are so vociferous about the Human Rights situation in Sri Lanka and Dafur are silent because it is they themselves who have created this human misery in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Sri Lanka was battling the LTTE in its own territory within the boundaries of its own small island and not in lands far away- 5000 miles or more away.  If the  Western Superpowers are sincere about wiping terrorism off the earth, why were they trying their best to stop Sri Lanka from  wiping out the military might of the LTTE. Therein lies  the truth of the Superpowers’  attempts to wipe out terrorism. That is not their concern. In the case of Iraq it was OIL and Israel. In the case of Afghanistan it is different. It is not well known that Afghanistan has a vast amount of mineral wealth, especially vast deposits of uranium and beryllium.. California  based  geologist Bonita Chamberlin states that   Afghanistan could rule the World in mineral wealth.

The Colonial Period

During the Colonial days there is blood on the hands of every Superpower. Take any problem that besets the World today and a historian can trace it to some action of a Superpower during the last four centuries. It goes back to the days when the Pope ruled that  Spain  should conquer the West and Portugal should conquer the East, Then these were the two Superpowers in the World. Portugal, the Dutch, France and Britain went to the East and plundered the wealth of the coloni es. Spain went to the West and plundered the New World. Mexico a glorious country was totrally subjugated and its wealth- mainly in gold ended up in Spain. Britain conquered North America and its colonialist suppression made the USA fight it out and declare independence.  The USA of all countries should realize the ill effects of colonial domination.

Then there is slavery where a mass of easily over 13 million men were taken at gun point from their hearth and home in African countries, taken incarcerated in ships across the Atlantic in extreme inhuman conditions- packed like sardines in a tin!. Half of them died in the seas.  The Portuguese had a monopoly over slavery  and took away as much as 4.5 million, while Britain, the Superpower that preaches human rights to the world at large today in the cloak of a saint took away at least 2.5 million slaves. The economies of the African continent  suffered due to the fact that this work force was taken away. It was wealth and riches for the European nations. Slavery enabled the USA to have a  cheap work force- a work force that slaved to bring about production, cvaused the economic miracle of the country but did not even have citizenship rights till     . What a great human rights record!

Take Sri Lanka.

The Portuguese first came to trade and established a store to keep their goods. Later the store became a fortress and they waged wars. and forcibly occupied the coastal belt. Their rule was scarred by incessant wars and  massacres of innocents.  Then came the Dutch who not only aggrandized more land but even brought in indentured labour from India to plant tobacco. Later the Dutch territories were handed over to the British who conquered the entire island in 1815. President Rajapaksa has recently highlighted the Human Rights record of the  British in the 1818 rebellion- where  in the two Districts of Moneragala and Badulla every male above the age of 12 was hunted and killed, every fruit bearing tree was cut down and every reservoir was  breached. Recently the Jatika Hela Urumaya made a demand that $ 50 billion should be paid for the damage which persists to this day.

Little is known of the fact that the East India Company of Great Britain compelled farmers in Bengal at the point of the gun, to cultivate opium and thereafter trafficated opium to destabilize China. China in its turn imposed the death penalty for trafficking in opium. 

During  the colonial period , the Superpowers entirely changed the self reliant economic structure of the colonies, took over land en masse from community control and  commenced plantations for products like rubber, coffee, tea and coconut which the Superpowers required for their industries.  The peasants in all colonies suffer from this  plundering of land. The only Third World leader stand and  fight on this cause was President Mugabe of Zimbabwe. Sri Lanka’s Srimavo took over the estates in the early Seventies.but was forced to pay compensation in foreign exchange to foreign owners. Many Sri Lankans have forgotten that the poverty caused in 1971 to 1977 was due to this fact.. In Zimbabwe at the Lancaster House Agreement Britain agreed to pay  £630 million        to finance foreign owners of estates when their lands are taken over by the Zimbabwe Government.  But sad to say that when the estates were taken over Prime Minister Tony Blair reneged and refused to pay what Britain had agreed to pay at the Lancaster House Agreement.  Instead of holding Tony Blair as the culprit the Superpowers including their IMF held Mugabe responsibe, imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe, no loans in the first instance till Zimbabwe’s economy broke down with inflation  annualized at 89.7 sextrillion percent as of November 2008 , a currency devalued a trillion times,  poverty and destitution.   The Zimbabwen dollar was devalued  in February 2009 to the extent of 1 trillion- one New Zimbabwean dollar is worth  one trillion of the previous Zimbabwean dollars.

Africa’s problems were entirely created by the Superpowers who colonised. In the process of conquering the African continent the Superpowers started fighting among themselves till Bismark the Chancellor of Germany in 1885 called The Berlin Conference where Africa was parcelled between the European Superpowers, breaking up tribes, countries and natural boundaries in the process. Indentured Labour : What a Human  Rights Record The Dutch and thereafter the British moved thousands of people from India to their colonies as indentured labour. That was a good human rights record to move human beings as indentured labour tied to serve their masters till they repaid the cost of bringing them- that was almost for life. Fiji is worst hit due to this where the Indians are almost 50% of the population forcing the Fijians to take control through a dictatorship.  The ethnic problem in Sri Lanka  was created by Britain by its bringing in indentured labour to Sri Lanka. There is a similar problem in Malaysia too. Britain cannot ever shi rk their responsibility.

The USA & How they treated the Native American Indians with Dignity

Take the Superpower USA. Its entire  early history is scarred with the wars waged with the American Indians who ruled the Americas. History  is full of agreements that were reneged by force of arms when new natural assets were found. Finally the original inhabitants of the USA were incarcerated into Indian homeland territories. In my travels across the USA twice by road it was very easy to spot the  Indian Reservations. If one can find destitute wasteland, an area where there is no water and no vegetation, then that is the homelands that were left for the original American Indians!  The American Indians homes are shanties; they have no employment avenues and suffer in agony all in a land of affluence and luxury.  Unemployment levels are very high. Let me quote from ‘A People in Peril- Native Americans face unemployment and poverty’, From Current Events Feb24, 2007  

The Sioux …along with the more than one million Native Americans living in Reservations have suffered huge cutbacks in government aid, in everything from home repair to education. Because government aid for home repair has dropped  by one third since 199520many homes on the Standing Rock Reservation have holes in their walls…… Unemployment on the Standing Rock Reservation is now at 75%, compared with 1.9% for North Dakota as a whole. On the Pine Ridge Reservation  in South Dakota the unemployment rate is at a startling 85%… According to the 1990 Census  31% almost one third of all Native Americans earn incomes below the poverty line. 

On Health, Let me quote from The New England Journal of Medicine, (Vol.353. pages 1881-1883 of 3-11-2005) where Dr Yvette Roubideaus states of an Indian reservation in rural Arizona- a community of 10,000.   the unemployment rate hovered around 80% and alcoholism,  substance abuse, injuries, accidents were common….the outdated  understaffed hospital in this community had only four beds, a busy outpatient clinic… although the hospital was built to be staffed by 12 physicians, only 3 others worked there when I arrived. Although the Federal Government has a trust responsibility to provide health care for the American Indians and Alaska natives the Indian Health Service is  substantially underfunded and understaffed.

It is important to note that over 1000 nuclear trial explosions were done on Native American Shoshone areas – a great human rights record to talk of.

Schwartz the Assistant Secretary of State who is currently in Sri Lanka on a fact finding mission has said that he is concerned over the facilities provided for the thousands who are held in camps in Northern Sri Lanka. In his words, the Government of the USA believes the focus now must be on the prompt return of the displaced in safety and dignity.  These camps house the people who were liberated from the ruthless clutches of the LTTE only a few months ago. Our President has vouched to re settle them within a few years and this will be done. Compare this with the services the USA has  provided for the American Indians who have not been provided with basic services like health care  and education. Why have their been cutbacks. in services.  This is the dignity with which the USA Administration  has treated its own people not for the past two years( the time given for Sri Lanka) but for two centuries!.  It was only in 1924 that Native Americans were given citizenship.            

 The USA and its brilliant, articulate and vociferous  Senators and able Administrators should first address this mass of m isery that is within their territory. Please treat them with the dignity they do deserve. I had some American Indian colleagues studying with me at Michigan State University.  They had hardly any food to eat, hardly any proper clothes to wear and they could ill afford the University fees. 

The USA could learn from Sri Lanka to allow free education to University Studies for all American citizens  I am myself a product of our free education system.   I have met many talented Americans who are destined to be holding third grade jobs and be relegated to poverty for life purely because they cannot find the money to pay exorbitant University fees. . It would behove of the leadership in the USA, now that it claims to be benevolent and enlightened since the advent of  President Obama , to make a human gesture and offer full free University education to all American Indian students in the first instance and secondly to offer full free education to the poor- to those that cannot afford to pay fees.  The USA has to put its record straight before it preaches to others.

The Exploitation of the Third World

Let me quote from a world authority,  Rene Dumont, an enlightened  French Minister, from his book: Stranglehold on Africa. We are first and foremost  exploitors of the poor, because of an economic system based on dominance  that has been cunningly devised by and for the rich nations.

We export our inflation and pollution  and take advantage of cheap Asian labour.

The Multinationals transfer to the poor countries  technologies that have already been written off  in the rich countries

Because the European countries have largely exhausted their own sources of raw materials they feel the need to appropriate  new sources, by force of arms if needs be, though preferably by recourse to the standard economic ploys.

 The Role of the IMF in its Structural Adjustment Programme

Rene Dumont wrote before the days of the Structural Adjustment Programme of the IMF. British Financial Secretary to the Treasury Steph en Timms said this month  that Sri Lanka  suffered from a damaging balance of payments crises. Let me put him right by stating that the balance of payments crisis that holds all the Third World countries in a stranglehold today was brought about by no other than the International Monetary Fund itself in the early Seventies when they came up with the Structural Adjustment Programme and forced the Third World countries to relax the spending of foreign exchange and provided easy credit to bridge the gap. It was this relaxation of terms of loans- by allowing loans for consumption purposes that led to the present deficit budgeting that is a crisis today. The IMF told the countries to spend as much foreign exchange as they liked because then it helped the Western Superpowers to sell their goods to the Third World and also enabled the rich in the Third World countries to spend for luxury travel, luxury education for their children- all money went to the countries of the Superpowers.  In comes John Perkins in his book:Confessions of an Economic Hitman,  where he admits that as a chief executive of a multinational he had to fabricate reports to countries giving them funds, in a manner that the funds found their way back to the donor countries  for services provided, with profits.  This is how the Third World was made indebted.

As I have pointed out in my book:How the IMF  Ruined Sri Lanka & Alternative Programmes of Success,(Godages, Colombo,2006)  the World Bank and the IMF instituted market reforms are beneficial to the rich and the affluent of the world  in  the place of development planning for the benefit of the people of the particular country. It is even documented that the  World Bank and the IMF gave the countries the wrong  advice leading to their present predicament of demise and downfall

The net result of all these machinations by the World Bank and the IMF has been to bring poverty  and destitution to the entire world.

Let me support these ideas with statements from world authorities. Professor Joseph Stigtitz , noble laureate states the World Bank and the IMF chose the models that led to wrong predictions, wrong policies and really negative consequences.(The Hospital that makes you sicker, New Internationalist, March 2003) 

 Professor Jeffery Sachs,  has made a scathing attack in his book:The End of Poverty. Western Governments enforced draconian budget policies in Africa during the 1980s and 1990s. The IMF and the World Bank virtually ran the economic policies  of the debt written continent recommending regimens of budgetary belt tightening known technically as Structural Adjustment Programms. Thse Programs  had little scientific merit and produced even fewer results. By the start of the 21 st century Africa was poorer than in the late 1960s when the IMF had first arrived on the scene.

It must be pointed out that the Structural Adjustment Programme which holds the entire Third World today in a firm stranglehold, with teeming poverty and debt is also the result of the Superpowers machinations to rule the world through neo colonialism..

It is up to the enlightened leadership of President Obama to reform the  IMF, to bring an end to the poverty suffered by the American Indians and the poor in the United States of America. I plead of him to force  IMF to come up with a strategy for growth, instead of its present strategy that causes debt, poverty and  destitution in the Third World and also send wealth from the Third World to the First World Superpowers.   

 Is it not strange that  I, an outsider fro m the Third World,  though a product of Michigan State University, should be arguing the case for  Human Rights to the Native American Indians of the USA. 

  We have seen President Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka  in action defeating the military might of the ruthless LTTE which was said by some Superpowers to be invincible. It will not be long  for the world to  also  see  him in action again to get rid of poverty and deprivation in Sri Lanka. There are indications that this is on track. That will be a beacon to the world. 

 Garvin Karunaratne, Ph.D.Michigan State University,29 th July 2009 

By Walter Jayawardhana

Bahrain, has agreed with Sri Lanka to pump in huge amount of investments into the South Asian country to boost up its economy  by launching economic and trade ventures by government and private sectors alike.

The Prime Minister of Bahrain who was on a three day state visit to the Indian Ocean island told President Mahinda Rajapaksa that he would encourage Baharaini businessmen to launch ventures in Sri Lanka mainly in jewellery, gems, textiles, ceramics and agricultural domains.”

During the Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa’s talks with President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo both sides also agreed to increase trade exchange and boost cooperation in economic , investment and tourism areas.

The two leaders agreed to increase cooperation of oil  industries and enable Sri Lanka to avail of Bahrain’s big energy potentials as well as the possibility for both sides to use the other’s territories to reach out to Asian and Middle East markets .

The Prime Minister and the President also agreed that Sri Lanka avail of Bahrain’s capabilities in the financial and banking fields through intensive exchange of experts and know-how in activation of previous and current agreements.

During the discussion  the Prime Minister of Bahrain congratulated President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the country’s success in curbing terrorism and strengthening security and stability also opening new opportunities to invest.

Before that the Sri Lankan President briefed the gulf leader how the terrorists and separatists were defeated. Rajapaksa said that the Prime Minister’s visit had come within a short period of the end of security problems. He also briefed  Sri Lanka’s efforts aimed at supporting security and stability throughout the country after the defeat of the terrorists.

President Rajapaksa also did not forget to thank the Bahrain leader for  looking after about 25,000 Sri Lanka expatriate workers who are working in the oil rich gulf nation.

The Prime Minister said he wanted to invigorate both the private and public sectors to have economic and trade ventures with Sri Lanka.

In the presence of the Bahrain Prime Minister and President Rajapaksa memos of understanding that cover cooperation in economic , trade and technical fields as well as on cooperation between the two foreign ministers were signed.

The foreign ministers mou was signed by Deputy Prime Minister Shikh Mohamed Bin Mubarak Al Khalifa and Sri Lanka Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama.

Shaikh Mohamed also signed an agreement with Sri Lanka’s tourism minister Nandana Gunatihilaka to bolster bilateral cooperation and exchange tourist groups.

Ben Silva

The tremendous contribution made by DJ in defending Sri Lanka has to be acknowledged and several have already done so.

There is a flaw in the logic of those who support the 13^th amendment. DJ and Prof Witharana have flawed thinking, as they assume that the world consist of ideal humans. It is important to be ale to train the brain to think critically, analyse situations looking at evidence, rather than hang on to beliefs and dogmas. The 13^th amendment was forced on us by India, that invaded Sri Lanka,  to satisfy Indian needs, after an illegal and immoral agreement. Even part of the agreement, ie to disarm the LTTE was not carried out by  India. Even the Indians may have not known all the facts. Ie the Indians may have not known that the Global Tamils were using their wealth   and power to carve out a part of Sri Lanka, for a racist Tamil state. We should  take into account the wealth and power of global Tamils, when we take decisions on devolution. Now, there is no need to implement the terms of  the illegal and immoral agreement that will lead to the extinction of  the Sinhalese in Sri Lanka. In my view it would be complete madness to implement the 13^th amendment. Remember India armed and trained LTTE terrorists, causing death and destruction in Sri Lanka. We need to tell the world that  this whole episode of Terrorism in Sri Lanka was originated by the Indian Secret Service during Indira Ghandi’s time. Many have mentioned on many occasions the need to have a communication team to tell the truth to the world: The Sinhalese are trying to survive and the Tamls are trying to create empires.

 I would support justice and fair play for all Sri Lankans, irrespective of the ethnicity and would strongly oppose the racial division of the country. Not only Tamils, all Sri Lankans have aspirations and all should have rights too!, including Sinhala peasants. Some Sinhala peasants such as those in the NCP, do not have even clean drinking water. They do not have proper meals and shelter and are dying in thousands due to kidney disease. They too should at least have basic human rights!, at least equal to that of IDPs. Number of Academics have published the plight of the poor in NCP, but no one seems to care , as if they have no human rights !.

  DJ has done a lot for Sri Lanka and I  have supported DJ strongly in the past. If  DJ  want to regain respect, then he has to engage his brain and think critically, rather than depend on beliefs. DJ has to move away from being an idealist and be aware of the real nasty world, where you get wiped out if you are not strong!. In reality, if we give opportunity for people to divide the country, they will do just that This is evident from the action of Varatharaja who declared UDI. Just as if we give foreigners  opportunity to invade the country by being weak, they will invade the country. Milliband and co tried to bully us and fortunately Prez. MR did not yield to bullying. If he yielded, we would still be under terrorist threat.  Those that support the 13^th amendment believe (mind you  they believe, without evidence ) that appeasing Tamil racists  will avoid trouble. Their belief is the same as that of the fool RW who thought that appeasing LTTE would bring peace. I wonder if there are many in Sri Lanka, who do not realise that RW is a fool on a grand scale.  As we now find, LTTE used the peace time to rearm, regroup and prepare for war. In the same manner, any devolution of power will be used to create mini Ealams. We need to promote justice and fair play to all Sri Lankans, irrespective of the race, without creating racist enclaves

 If we give opportunity to foreigners to steal from us by being weak, they will steal from us. This is human nature, and history  has plenty of evidence of the above statement. The law of nature is survival of the fittest.

The Sinhalese have already lost most of their home  country to invaders. They have to be strong to prevent invasions rather than appease people who want to divide the country. It is time the Sinalese woke up!  I have to clearly state that I do not support racism by any group and I am merely resisting Tamil racism.

In my opinion all Sri Lankans should be treated as members of the same family, rather than treating people differently depending on the race. We have however seriously note the threats  made by TN politicians. We should spend our energy and time on working out  how to minimise danger due to external and internal threats rather than appease racists or facilitate the division of the country.

 It is now evident that LTTE used Tamil Nadu as a supply line for their  weapons  Ref:  ‘Tigers received explosives, aviation gasoline from India’ http://www.island.lk/2009/07/29/news16.html. If we devolve power, then racists will  abuse their power to bring in weapons from Tamil Nadu. It will be a very expensive affair to prevent  Tamil Nadu weapons coming to Lanka and prevent annexation.

Public Communications Division Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama during a courtesy call on His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al-Khalifa, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain on 28th July 2009 stated that the Government of Sri Lanka was appreciative of the support rendered by the Kingdom of Bahrain which proved to be ‘a good friend’ during Sri Lanka’s fight against terrorism.

 Responding, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain congratulated the Government of Sri Lanka for eliminating terrorism and assured the support of the Kingdom of Bahrain to “help rebuild” Sri Lanka. He also expressed the hope that such help would be forthcoming from other Gulf countries as well.

 During the discussion, Foreign Minister Bogollagama also elucidated the’ resolve’ of H. E President Rajapaksa in the fight against terrorism which had heralded a ‘terror free Sri Lanka’ and further explained the priorities of the Government in terms of resettling the Internally Displaced Sri Lankans, the inclusive policy being adopted by the Government where the local political establishments and the international community too have been given a role and the need to sustain the recent achievements. Explaining further, Foreign Minister Bogollagama also stated that Sri Lanka already had the experience and expertise in resettling some of its population following the tsunami devastation in 2004 and the successful resettlement efforts in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka two years ago. He also stated that the Government of Sri Lanka which had set a target of 180 days to resettle the nearly 280,000 Internally Displaced Sri Lankans was confident of being able to achieve this goal with the support of the international community. He further stated that H. E the President was also keen to ensure the expeditious resettlement of the displaced and take peace forward.

 The Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain while reiterating the support of his country, stated that it was important for Sri Lanka to hold on to the achievements so far and rebuild the country with the assistance of “friends”. During the discussions, His Highness also recalled the contribution made by Sri Lankan nationals in Bahrain and described the expatriate workers as being “hard working” and “trustworthy”.

 Acknowledging the generosity of the rulers and the people of the Kingdom of Bahrain for providing employment opportunities for expatriate Sri Lankan workers, Foreign Minister Bogollagama also explained the contribution to the economy by this section of workers and pointed out that despite the many challenges encountered by Sri Lanka during the past years, the economy of the country had continued to be resilient and had also sustained its growth. In addition, he also described the various roles played in the international arena by Sri Lanka with special reference to the SAARC, Commonwealth, UN and other Asian regional bodies and stated that Sri Lanka would continue to engage with the international community. He also placed on record his appreciation to the support rendered by the Kingdom of Bahrain during a crucial vote in Geneva during the UN Human Rights Council recently.

 The Foreign Minister also outlined Sri Lanka’s plans to reinvigorate the tourism industry in the aftermath of the defeat of terrorism and showcase Sri Lanka as a hub for connectivity and sought the support of the Kingdom of Bahrain in this connection.

 In response to the Minister’s request, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al-Khalifa, stated that despite his current visit being brief, he was pleased with the welcome accorded and recalled his previous visit which was private in nature almost ten years ago and pointed out that his current visit was a result of the encouragement of the H. E the President. He added that the Kingdom of Bahrain had “stood for the rights of Sri Lanka” and reiterated his commitment to support the development of Sri Lanka.

 Foreign Minister Bogollagama while thanking His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al-Khalifa for his support rendered to Sri Lanka so far, also requested the Prime Minister to consider opening a permanent Mission for Bahrain in Sri Lanka which will help further strengthen the warm and cordial bilateral relations between the two countries. The Prime Minister, recalling the role played by Sri Lanka’s Honorary Consul in Bahrain for over 30 years for the welfare of the Sri Lankan expatriates, assured the continuous support of his country to Sri Lanka.

 Senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Kingdom of Bahrain were present during the discussions.

 Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Colombo

ASOKA S