Indian PM arrives in Sri Lanka to open a hospital already opened!
Posted on May 12th, 2017
Shenali D Waduge
When it was announced that the Indian PM would arrive to declare open the Vesak celebrations in Sri Lanka, eyebrows were raised by majority Sinhala Buddhists questioning why the Indian PM, a Hindu should be invited. Objections also covered displeasure at India pressuring a weak Sri Lankan Government to turning the island into a virtual Indian colony by way of gifting strategic assets to India. Even professional organizations raised a serious of contentious issues in a letter to the Indian PM. It was later announced that the Indian PM was making a detour to address the Indian Tamil community and open a hospital in Norwood. But, the Dick Oya Base hospital that the Indian PM was coming to open was completed in 2013 and officially opened in 2015. Who gave the Indian PM a dead rope? This is a great embarrassment for India & its PM.
The Dick Oya Base Hospital was originally built by the imperial British in 1885. In 2011 efforts to build a 3 storey hospital commenced and construction was completed in 2013. http://newsfirst.lk/english/tag/dickoya-base-hospital
2011 – Foundation stone for hospital laid by then Minister of Health Maithripala Sirisena & Indian High Commissioner
http://www.businesstoday.lk/article.php?article=3514
Indian High Commission List of Completed Projects
http://www.hcicolombo.org/partner.php?id=209 Cost SLRs.1.2billion project started in 2011 and completed in 2015.
MOU signed between GOSL and GOI on 16 April 2008 to construct the hospital. Work commenced in 4 July 2011. Hospital officially handed over to the GOSL in July 2015. OPD, clinic & blood bank and hospital wards already functioning. It was proposed to call it the Mahatma Gandhi Hospital.
26 April 2013 Farewell call on CP Governor and Chief Minister
http://archives.dailynews.lk/2013/04/26/news21.asp
Indian HC Ashok Kantha assures the 150-bed base hospital at Dick Oya would be handed over by Aug/Sep 2013 when he arrived to pay farewell calls on Central Province Governor Tikiri Kobbekaduwa and Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake,
15 June 2015 – People protest demanding the opening of new building of Kilankalan district Hospital in Dickoya
A mass public protest demanded the new Sri Lankan government open the Dick Oya hospital new unit which had been completed with the assistance of the Indian Government. (photos of the protestors and the slogans are interesting)
24 April 2015 The New Year celebration event in Kilankan Hospital in Dickoya
http://www.tamilcnn.ca/the-new-year-celebration-event-in-kilankan-hospital-in-dickoya.html
18 September 2015 – Dick Oya Base Hospital opened – the opening ceremony by Hospital Director Dr. Anwar Hamthani.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2EoDIqIFBI
What the news reports said
26 April 2017 – PM Modi to open Dick Oya hospital (News.lk)
11 May 2017 – Indian PM to open Dick Oya Glengairan Hospital (Daily News)
Daily Mirror – Modi to address Tamils of Indian Origin
http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Modi-to-address-Tamils-of-Indian-Origin-128156.html
Indian PM to hold discussions with Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPP)
Here’s the unpalatable truth. Yes, Indians were imported by colonials to work as slave labor on Sri Lanka’s plantations. They were granted ‘stateless persons’ citizenship by Sri Lanka after independence. India does not officially recognize Sri Lankan Tamils as Persons of Indian Origin inspite of being originally born in South India. Sri Lankan Tamils are granted asylum under ‘strategic, political & humanitarian grounds’ not because they originated from India. Sri Lankan Tamils are NOT entitled to residence permits. Sri Lankan Tamil refugees CANNOT own land, houses or vehicles in India. Even a request by Tamil Nadu in 2009 to grant Sri Lankan Tamil refugees Indian citizenship was turned down by the Indian Centre.
April 2017 – ITN News – Delegation observing preparations for Indian PM’s visit to Hatton
http://www.itnnews.lk/local-news/delegation-observing-preparations-for-indian-pms-visit-to-hatton/
An Indian delegation already in Hatton to handle preparations. the new building complex constructed with Indian assistance, at the Dickoya Base Hospital premises in Hatton, is due to be declared open under the auspices of the Indian Premier.”
How ‘new’ is this???
So the situation is this.
Minister of Health Maithripala Sirisena and the Indian High Commission lay the foundation stone for a 150bed Dick Oya hospital in 2011 which was to be completed by August/September 2013. In Jude 2015 people began protesting demanding the opening of the new unit. The new unit was officially handed over by the GOI to the GOSL in July 2015. In September 2015, Hospital Director Dr. Anwar Hamthani officially opened the Dick Oya Base Hospital. So the question is why was there such a media hype about opening of a hospital by no one other than the Indian Prime Minister himself which was operational since September 2015 (functioning for over 1 ½ years?)
Was the Indian PM’s office not aware that the Dick Oya Base hospital was officially opened in September 2015?
If an Indian delegation arrived in April 2017 to prepare for the arrival of the Indian PM, shouldn’t they have informed Delhi, that the Indian PM was coming to open an already opened and functioning hospital and raised the issue of the matter becoming an embarrassment to the Indian PM. Indian officials should have brought this fact to the attention of the Indian High Commission and Delhi so that the Indian PM would not be laughed at in going to Dick Oya to open an already opened and functioning hospital. The Indian PM should not have to make a state visit to open just a small wing unless it was to open the entire hospital!
Moreover, the other important issue is that a leader of a sovereign nation does not come to another sovereign nation as a state guest to address only one segment of community. Moreover, the leader of that sovereign country does not even legally recognize the community as being ‘theirs’ officially. So, to whose benefit has this charade been and what is the overall message being delivered by the visit?
Sri Lanka is a small country. But, Sri Lanka is a very proud country. We are an Asian country and proud of it too. We are proud because we are an island nation that has a very rich and long history. We are proud because we have weathered many attempts to invade us and it was only a bunch of traitors who betrayed the nation and we have always had brave patriots to fight for and defend the nation. Our pride has been dented because we have had attempts to destabilize us and these attempts continue. These give us every right to look at those who authored the destabilizing with caution and doubt. We cannot be faulted for that.
As a proud Asian nation, we want to maintain cordial relations with all our neighbors. We recall how past leaders have diplomatically handled countries that have been at loggerheads without jeopardizing the relationship of either. This is how we want future diplomacy to be.
It is a shame that a powerful leader such as the Indian PM has had to be embarrassed in arriving as state guest and not even staying in Colombo but travelling to Nuwara Eliya to open an already opened hospital – we hope the next visit is not to hand over roofing sheets.
Shenali D Waduge
May 12th, 2017 at 3:02 pm
OH !! THE HUNCH BACK OF NOTRE DAME !!! GOODNESS GRACIOUS ME.
May 12th, 2017 at 3:28 pm
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE TO MAKE THE INDIAN PRIME MINISTER A CLOWN ? WHICH TOP GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL IS RESPONSIBLE ? PLEASE, SOMEONE ENLIGHTEN US.
May 12th, 2017 at 7:33 pm
Shenali and others, did you watch Modi the Indian Emperor’s speech to Indian colonists in Norwood? We all can take a direct flight to Varanasi to worship Siva at Siva Temple.
He came here to celebrate Vesak while in India RSS lead reconversions of Buddhists back to Hinduism is on full swing.
Thanks Dr Wasantha Jayasumana. Modi the Emperor came to address his own Indian Colonial Parasites.
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi came there 90 years ago, the world’s most celebrated Indian colonial parasite.
May 13th, 2017 at 12:16 am
I feel sad about MR and WW.
Facebook is full with RIDICULE of them both. This will be REMEMBERED by the community at election time. VERY BAD decision by MR to meet MODIYA.
On the POSITIVE SIDE thanks to WW’s early warning, MODI could NOT sign 13 agreements PLANNED to sign!! He just watched VESAK and went WITHOUT TRINCO!!
This is what our experts have missed.
So thank you WW. You saved SL.
Prevention is better than cure, isn’t it?
May 13th, 2017 at 2:11 am
Lorenzo, don’t feel sad about Mahinda and Weerawansa. May be it was Mahinda, Gota and GL’s meeting before Modi started his official meetings that led to Modi not signing the planned agreements. telling what you need to say before the event is better than, I told you so. We are too ignorant to value the thought process behind Mahinda’s actions. Mahinda has wisdom, he will do anything to save the motherland.
As Saman Ekanayake says “Namo, Namo, Maha Rajavaru Bosath”.
Regarding the plight of the Sri Lankan professionals, Dr Padeniya had to write direct to Modi. What are these braindead elected officials doing? Why are we maintaining them? They could not save the innocent Meethotamulla folk, Salawa blast victims and many more.
May 13th, 2017 at 4:18 am
How do we know whether Modi signed or did not sign any documents, or whether he reviewed and finalised those agreements to be signed later?
I very much doubt that he, a Hindu associated with the RSS, “wasted” his time attending Vesak in Sri Lanka!
May 13th, 2017 at 4:56 am
Modis real visit after Mohandas Karam Chand 90 years ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw4qtHAZlFE
May 13th, 2017 at 5:36 am
I have inside information from president’s office.
NOTHING was signed. Endians were VERY ANGRY fearing a backlash against Endian businesses and Endians in SL after the BLACK FLAG demand. So they decided to QUIETEN it down.
ONLY publicity stunts happened.
WW’s black flags demand SAVED SL!
MR came to know that Modiya will NOT be signing anything. Then he met the dirt. But MR should NOT have met the REGIME CHANGE boss.
We have to PROTECT WW. Endians are after him. Original plan was to KEEP him LOCKED UP until all agreements were signed. It FAILED! MR is very scared of Endia but not WW a true hero.
Thank you WW! IF anything happens to WW we know ENDIA is behind it.
May 13th, 2017 at 5:43 am
Although RUN-NIL is a traitor he released WW on condition he will agitate against Endia. He did just that.
Even RUN-NIL knows how Endian agreements will RUIN businesses of UNPers!!!!
MODIYA had blasted RUN-NIL for his inability to get things done.
Now I’m worried what MR told MODIYA. Did he say he would have signed all the deals if he was the PM instead of INCOMPETENT RUN-NIL?
There were 2 others at the meeting. GR and AJIT DOVAL! Yes the regime change expert who got MR defeated.
May 13th, 2017 at 5:53 am
Mahinda Rajapaksa is not an ordinary politician. He don’t fear none when it comes to any issue concerning our country. You should not compare him to other third class politicians we have in the country today. He met Moda Modi for a reason which no one knows exactly except Gota and GL. He took this two along with him not to approve his visit nor to say thanks but to discuss some important issues related to Sri Lanka and India. We hope they discussed something important to the country because he is a leader who loves this nation and its people. I wish he may have corrected his past mistakes by now and longing to serve the people in this country again. We all waiting anxiously to see the day we are dreaming of and the day this current Yamapalanaya vamooz from the picture for no return.
May 13th, 2017 at 6:39 am
Do NOT trust ANY politician with the safety of MOTHER LANKA. Always be vigilant. Some politicians are GOOD. Make KALAMA SUTRA your guide. You will NOT lose your way.
IF anyone thinks MR is above kalama sutra he should get his head examined.
This happened 7 years ago.
“For India, Sri Lanka is not indispensable, but for Sri Lanka, India is indispensable
An Interview with Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Question: President Mahinda Rajapaksa left for India recently and he is set to show his Indian counterpart a draft of the proposed Constitutional amendments. This is seen by many as a gesture of subjugation and their requests to open a Deputy High Commissioner’s office in Kandy and a consulate office in Hambanthota and their insistence of implementing the 13th Amendment are seen by many as attempts to impose their will on Sri Lanka?
Answer: You use the term ‘many’. Who are these ‘many’ and where are they? I have only seen criticisms voiced by the usual handful of Southern extremists, and some small political parties both in government as well as defeated ones. President Rajapaksa is a patriot and a realist, a pragmatist. The handful of critics may be patriots but they are not realists. When we antagonized India we could not win the war, but when we correctly managed relations with India, we won the war. If India had opposed us or not supported us, we may not have been able to win or withstand the Western moves to stop the war. There is a saying that there is no such thing as a free lunch. Every relationship is reciprocal. Sri Lanka has to reciprocate for India’s support.
We must bear in mind that we still need that support because, though the hot war has been won by us, a cold war continues against us in the global arena.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
If they think we are doing so, they will resist peacefully. If we are seen by the world to crush non-violent Tamil civic resistance, not in the cause of Tamil Eelam or in support of the Tigers, but simply to protect their identity and ancestral homelands, then we will embarrass our friends and we shall have no one to back us. This is when the pro-Tamil Eelam Tamil Diaspora will have its day. Who knows what stand the big powers and the UN will take then? It is far better to have a timely political process and grant a measure of autonomy while the state is still on top.
[Dr Dayan Jayatilleka, formerly Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, is currently a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies of the National University of Singapore. This interview appeared in Lakbima News.These are his personal views and do not reflect the views of the Institute.]”
May 13th, 2017 at 12:45 pm
INDIA will always have some hold on Lanka, as INDIA does not quite trust Lanka re Lanka’s zesty and over done Westward Ho ! tendencies.
The area now called INDIA suffered greatly under Colonisation.
It is best to have some kind of MoU signed up with the UN Security Council that Lanka will not threaten INDIA’s Security Issues in any way, and vice-versa ?
May 15th, 2017 at 9:41 am
Given India’s interferences and machinations in Sri Lankan affairs over many decades now generally towards the negative. I can fully understand the immense frustrations that Sri lankans feel about being India’s next door neighbour and it looks like India will be a problem for Sri lanka going forward into the future as well. Also if not for Indian interference in Sri lankan affairs. The war probably wouldn’t have been as bad and would have probably ended in 1987 under JR rather than in May 2009 under Mahinda Rajapaksha.