The Tamil Separatist Movement angrily noted that a process of BUDDHISIZATION and SINHALISATION started in the north and east from the year 2009. Buddhist temples were being constructed in places where no Buddhists reside and outside Sinhala Buddhist people” were being settled in Tamil villages, the Tamil Separatist Movement complained.
The Tamil Separatist Movement vehemently objected to what it calls the Buddhistization” of the north and east. It does not object to Christianization, Islamisation or Hinduisation”, only to Buddhistization”. There is a deep fear of Buddhistization.
The word Buddhistization” has not been used before, as far as I know, either internationally or locally. Buddhistization” should mean conversion to Buddhism, but in this case, it means the construction of Buddha statues and Buddhist temples, with resident bhikkhus and hordes of worshippers arriving thereafter.
The Buddhist temples that have started to sprout in the northeast are of two kinds, brand new temples and restored ancient temples, now got ready for modern worship.
Jude Fernando elaborates on this. He says Buddhistization” includes several strategies. They are: i) the construction of Buddha statues ii) new Buddhist temples in the north and east, iii) the settlement of monks at these temples, iv) organization of Buddhist rituals and festivals v) geo-strategic locations selected for new Buddhist sites vi) renovation of ancient Buddhist sites. Vii) Declaration of ancient Buddhist sites as part of the ancient Sinhala Buddhist civilization.
Sinhala colonies, Buddhist temples, and Buddha statues are being aggressively constructed with military sponsorship with the sole purpose of Sinhala Buddhistization of the North-eastern Tamil homeland, said Tamil Peoples Council in 2016. Buddhist temples are being constructed in places where no Buddhists reside People in the north are worried and suspicious that Sinhalas from outside would invade Tamil villages.
The military’s construction of Buddhist viharas in traditionally Tamil areas with no Buddhist population is a preliminary step to the Sinhala-Buddhist colonization of these areas and a re-assertion of Sinhala Buddhist dominance, said Adaalayam Centre for Policy Research, Jaffna in 2017.
Tamil Separatist Movement fears that it may not be able to stop this Buddhistization, single-handed. They have written to the UK, Canada, and India asking for help. The National Council of Canadian Tamils submitted to the government of Canada in July 2021. They stated inter alia, that the Tamils in the northeast of Sri Lanka are facing state-sponsored colonization, Sinhalization, and Buddhistization:
Buddhist monks with the assistance of police and security forces are trying to replace the Tamil people’s places of worship with Buddhist temples. Religious institutions like Kovils, mosques, and churches are under threat of destruction or forced relocation to make room for Buddhist shrines for the new Sinhala settlers, the National Council of Canadian Tamils said.
There were many objections to the construction of new Buddhist temples, Buddha statues, and shrines in Northern Province. There have been many demands for the removal of these Buddhist statues.
A 67-foot Buddha statue is coming up in front of the Nainai Nagabhooshani Amman Hindu temple, complained the Tamil Separatist Movement. A Buddha statue has come up in Sambaltheevu (Trincomalee) with police protection.
In some areas, such as Vavuniya, Kilinochchi, and Point Pedro, the military has built Buddha statues within or near Hindu temples. Buddha statues have come up in front of the 2500-year-old Thirukoneswara Hindu temple in Trincomalee and the Thiruketheeswaram temple in Mannar.
The Tamil Separatist Movement complained loudly that Buddhist temples were being built where there were no Buddhists. Buddha viharas are coming up in Omanthai, Semmadu, Kanakarayankulam, Kilinochchi, Mankulam, Paranthan, and Pooneryn.
Tamil Separatist Movement made special mention of Mullaitivu. Nine Buddha Viharas are being built in the Mullaitivu district alone, according to the Tamil Separatist Movement. These Buddhist viharas were constructed after the armed conflict ended.
Mullaitivu District has witnessed the military’s construction of Buddhist structures on both state and private Tamil lands. In Kokkali, (Mullaitivu district), a Buddha Vihara is coming up with army support despite a claim to the land by a local Tamil. Security forces arrested this Tamil landowner in 2015 for protesting against the military land grab, said Adaalayam Centre.
Mullaitivu was important because Mullaitivu was both north and east. It was where the Northern Province met the Eastern Province. Mullaitivu has forcefully opposed the construction of Buddhist structures in the area, Adaalayam said.
Tamil Separatist Movement took aggressive action against temples in Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya, and Trincomalee. These have been described earlier in this series. Here is another event.
A protest was carried out at the Wesak celebration of Tissa Vihara at Kankesanturai on May 6. 2023. A video clip showed Tamil leaders, including MPs such as Sumanthiran arriving at the spot by car, looking very concerned. A small group of Tamil residents were seated on the roadway a little away from the temple entrance, holding placards and calling our slogans. They were there till nighttime. One slogan was ape ahasa apita one. Ape idama apita one”. This means that the Tamil Separatist Movement is now claiming, ownership not only of the land but also the sky above.
Tamil Separatist Movement has used many strategies to halt the advance of Buddhistization. One is to argue that there is no historical basis for saying that the northeast is Sinhala and Buddhist. International Crisis Group issued a report in 2008 that documented how arbitrary the process of claiming ancient Siṃhala Buddhist heritage is. This report, which I have not seen, would have tried to show that there is no historical basis for an ancient Sinhala-Buddhist heritage in the north and east.
Tamil Separatist Movement has also put forward the outrageous claim that the ancient Buddhist ruins in the north and east are not genuine ruins. They are false. The ancient Buddhist artifacts were planted there by modern Buddhists.
Tamil Separatist Movement speaks of a detailed well-researched report compiled by the Minority Rights Group International in 2011, which has revealed using eye-witness accounts of those living in Trincomalee that such artifacts were planted by unknown persons. They say people came at night, on motorcycles, with sacks full of items which they planted in the area. It was done by state officials., they said. [1]
Rajiva Wijesinha in his book Triumph and Disaster: the Rajapaksa Years says that he had been told that Ellawela Medhananda had brought artifacts from elsewhere and dumped them in sites he wanted taken over.
These statements are absurd. They can be made only by persons who know nothing about the matter. The evidence for a Sinhala-Buddhist civilization in the north and east is fixed, immovable items as well as heavy items that cannot be easily transported. The first category includes cave inscriptions, visible stupa mounds, flights of steps cut into rock, and rock-cut ponds. The second category includes Buddha statues, pillars, guard stones, and moonstones.
Tamil Separatist Movement has also gone to the opposite extreme and has stated that these Buddhist ruins are Tamil Buddhist ruins not Sinhala Buddhist ruins. Tamil Buddhists were living in the north in ancient times, they said.
A critic responded to this utterance. There is nothing to link ‘Tamil’ to ‘Buddhist’ in the evidence except the fact that these artifacts have been unearthed from areas where Tamils now form the majority. It is like saying that the discovery of a Nestorian cross is evidence of Christians in Anuradhapura. Or saying that there were white people who held Mayan beliefs because some Mayan artifacts have been unearthed in some spot in the Andes where whites now reside.
What is interesting about the statement, continued the critic, is the fact that the TNA has finally understood that it has to back rhetoric with fact. The long years of Eelam posturing were bereft of any reference to ‘Tamil Buddhists’ except Peter Schalk, whose efforts were largely ignored by the Christians in the Tamil Separatist Movement.
This Tamil Buddhist argument has been crushed by other critics too. If indeed there had been Tamil Buddhists in Eelam then the Tamil Separatist Movement would not have destroyed the Buddhist ruins. They would have looked after them and displayed them as evidence, critics said.
The desperate Tamil Separatist Movement also fell on another strategy. Tamil Separatist Movement challenged the orientation of the Department of Archaeology. They argued that Sri Lanka had a Tamil Hindu tradition as well as a Sinhala-Buddhist one and the Department of Archaeology should look at both.
In April 2023, M.A. Sumanthiran speaking in Parliament pointed to the Archaeology Department’s logo and told the House: What does this logo have? It has a dagoba and a dharma chakra. It is like the Ministry of Buddha Sasana. Why does the Department of Archaeology have a logo of one religion? That shows what this Department is protecting, and what it is determined to destroy.”
This got publicity. In June 2023 Lanka Lead News said, ,පුරාවිද්යාදෙපාර්තමේන්තුවසඳහාහඳුන්වාදුන්දාගැබසහිතලාංඡනයඉවත්කිරීමට, වීඩියෝවක්මේදිනවලසමාජමාධ්යවලවේගයෙන්සැරිසරනවා.
Tamil Separatist Movement protested at Luppukulam Junction, Trincomalee in September 2023 objecting to the Buddhist temple that was going to be built there. One protestor held a placard that asked whether the Archaeology Department was only for Buddhist archaeology.
The answer is, that there is no evidence that Hinduism ever took root in Sri Lanka. There are no ancient Hindu temples in the north and east, only Buddhist ones, and there were no Hindu Kovils in the Udarata kingdom either. The Esala Perahera in Kandy consisted initially of Devala Peraheras. The Dalada Perahera was added on later. The Pillaiyar Kovil near the Police station was built in the 20th century during British rule. (Continued)
Colombo, February 28: Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said that Sri Lanka does not want to get involved in great power rivalry in the Indian Ocean Region. He was giving the keynote speech at the Pathfinder Indian Ocean Security Conference – Phase III, here on Wednesday.
Wickremesinghe traced the growth of the Indian Ocean’s importance since the days of decolonization, explained how the countries of the region fashioned plans to meet the emerging issues and challenges and what new challenges they face in the fast changing geopolitical scenario of today.
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He noted that events around Sri Lanka had made it an important geopolitical entity. But such importance has created the possibility of its becoming a theatre of conflicts between big powers. He made it clear that Sri Lanka would not want to become a theatre of great power competition or rivalry in the region.
Wickremesinghe said that India’s independence in 1947 was brought about by the difficulties that Britain was facing in holding on to the Indian Empire. A few months before the British left India, India’s leader Nehru organized an Asian Relations Conference in New Delhi to discuss issues arising from decolonization.
According to information available on the New Delhi conference, the topics discussed at the ARC were: National movements for freedom; Racial Problems; Inter-Asian Migration; Transition from Colonial to National Economy; Agricultural Reconstruction and Industrial Development; Labour Problems and Social Services; Cultural Problems; Status of Women and Women’s Movement.
Significantly, Defence and Security questions” were not discussed.
The next step in collective deliberations was the Colombo Conference in 1954, Wickremesinghe said. This was between Ceylon, India, Pakistan, Burma and Indonesia.
Reports of the time said that the Indo-China question, colonialism and Communism were discussed. But there were clashes between Ceylon’s pro-West stand and India’s tolerance of the Communist bloc. A compromise was effected and number of expressions of hope” about Asian unity were made.
At the insistence of Indonesia, the Bandung conference took place in 1955. This was the next landmark, Wickremesinghe said.
The issues at the Bandung conference were broader such as Human Rights, the UN charter, respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations; recognition of the equality of all nations large and small; abstention from intervention or interference in the internal affairs of another country were discussed.
In order to address the anxieties of the West and the Soviet Bloc, Nehru affirmed that the Bandung conference was not opposed in any way to America or the Soviet Union or any other power or group of powers.”
The Non Aligned Movement came as the next logical step. The canvas was expanded to cover the entire Afro-Asian region.
However, in the last five years, various other developments had taken place, complicating the geopolitical situation in Asia. The inexorable rise of China, the resurrection of the China-Taiwan conflict, China’s expansion as a global economic power through its Belt and Road Initiative, the debt crisis, were new factors shaping the region, Wickremesinghe pointed out.
West Asia emerged as a factor with the rise of Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Iran as independent players. New alliances are being struck with Iran and Saudi Arabia burying the hatchet thanks to China’s mediation, he noted.
Even as China became a factor in West Asia, India entered the fray in that region with connectivity schemes involving Iran.
New groupings like BRICS have come up breaking old barriers. But at the same time new problems are coming up in the region, such as a resurgent Somalian piracy and Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, Wickremesinghe said.
The Bay of Bengal is also set to be an area of contention with China seeking a route to reach it from its mainland through Myanmar.
The former National Security Advisor of India, Shivshankar Menon, said that relations between States in the Indian Ocean region are victims of geopolitical rivalry, made worse by the rise of authoritarian leaders who make compromises harder to arrive at.
Menon also noted that the world does not have a settled order. What we have is an uncertain space between orders, he said. This has given scope of countries to balance opportunities. A notable feature of the situation is that the UN has become ineffective. Global powers will have to work with other powers and take their interests into account.
The US Ambassador Julie Chung said that Sri Lanka occupies a critical place in the Indo-Pacific and can play a key role in ensuring that global supply chains are not disrupted. That is why the US has given US$ 533 million dollars to support the development of a deep-water container terminal in the Port of Colombo, that will provide critical infrastructure for the South Asian region.
To see that Sri Lanka maintains its sovereignty, the US has donated three Coast Guard Cutters and a fourth is on the way, Chung said. She suggested that Sri Lanka realise its centrality in the Indo-Pacific region and take a leadership role in it. However, she spoke approvingly of Sri Lanka’s wish to join the China-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
Dr.Liu Zongyi, Senior Fellow and Director, Centre for South Asia Studies, China, denounced the concept of the Indo-Pacific as a destructive” concept which is mainly aimed at stemming China’s growth and spoiling its relations with other countries.
He faulted India for joining QUAD, an association with the goal of opposing China in the Indo-Pacific region. But advised countries in India’s neighbourhood to have good relations with India while cultivating good relations with China. He cited the case of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh who has been maintaining good relations with both India and China.
Hayashi Makoto, Deputy Director General/Deputy Assistant Minister Southeast and Southwest Asian Affairs Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Japan, explained Japan’s contribution to the origin and growth of the concept of the Indo-Pacific.
Ambassador Bernard Goonetilleke, Chairman of the Pathfinder Foundation, Si Lanka, in his introductory remarks, talked on Maritime Domain Awareness, the need to develop capabilities to safeguard the Exclusive Economic Zones and the importance of finding out what lies in the seabed as these have security implications.
US Ambassador Julie Chung was very busy welcoming Liz Allen, US Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, (on February 17), Afreen Akter, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs (Feb. 21), Lindsey Ford, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and South East Asia (Feb. 22) and Richard Verma, Senior American diplomat, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources (Feb.23). Elizabeth Marie Allen was the first Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy to visit Sri Lanka.
1. Public Diplomacy”
Public Diplomacy”, is an euphemism for espionage, information gathering, psychological warfare, propaganda. Public diplomacy refers to reaching out to targeted sectors of foreign publics using persuasion or soft power”, as opposed to hard power”, coercion; Information and CommunicationTechnologies (ICT), digital infrastucture, scholarships and educational exchanges, establishing and maintaining personal contacts and alliances, diplomatic networks, advocating democracy, freedom, human rights and many more cultural interventions are regarded as weapons of advocacy”.
Julie Chung’s daily meetings with Sri Lankan civil soceity , media, business leaders, young leaders (in Julie’s words changemakers”), digital creators, women, minority groups, marginalized people, alumni of US universities,Business English students and her photo opportunities with them are a few examples for public diplomacy. Young people, mostly nobodies were brought to the table of high politics. Top priority is given to public diplomacy now, which is distinct from working through formal diplomatic channels, improving tools of ideological warfare”. Max Kampelman, a Cold War diplomat and Counsellor of the US State Department under Reagan wrote: We need eloquent, effective, pro-American, pro-democratic spokespeople and organized groups of champions”. Greater social inclusion”, coalition building” are Chung’s beautiful words.
Covincing foreign audiences and garnering support for military campaigns, discrediting other powers (for example China’s Road and Belt Initiative, Chinese Debt Trap”, Chinese spy ships”), pressurizing foreign leaders, encouraging people to revolt against their leaders aiming regime change are some other activities connected to public diplomacy.
Readers are invited to refer to my book Galle Face Protest: Systems Change or Anarchy? (2003), to understand how US public diplomacy” worked prior to and during the so-called Arab Spring” in Egypt (Genesis of Arab Spring”and Drawing Parallels With the Galle Face Protest”). What happened at the Galle Face was a repetition of events in Egypt and other Arabic countries. The article US Footprints at the Galle Face Protest Site” gives a detailed account of US interventions.
Julie Chung and Liz Allen
2. Liz Allen
According to Chung’s X message posted on 17 february 2024, Liz Allen met with government and media representatives, business, civil soceity and climate change (a new type leaders; do they change climate?) leaders, digital content creators (a glorified term for gossipers, rumour-mongers, rabble – rousers), NextGen leaders. Reason: to discuss US – Sri Lanka partnership, safeguarding Sri Lanka’s information and media space. Liz Allen’s visit and the timing of her visit are important. She visited Sri Lanka at a time the debate on Online Safety Bill was still in the agenda of local and foreign NGOs and American tech companies and all Sri Lankan major political parties were getting ready for an election. This is the time of forging new alliances and breaking existing ones. If one party is going ahead of other contenders a strategy to checkmate it should be offered.
On 18 February Chung and Liz Allen met with local journalists, alumni of US USG programme (study abroad programme) and discussed the vital role of media in promoting accountability and transparency ensuring the public has information to make informed decisions”. A robust media and social media space are essential components of any healthy democracy”. So says Chung. What type of information they prefer to disseminate and what are the informed decisions?
On the same day both of them met with US Embassy supported initiative for online influencers, of young content providers” (they are Ideal Hell Creators and Digital Turtles Creators) which fosters open space for freedom of expression and thriving democracy”. Who are these online influencers”? Whom do they influence and for what purpose? What is the open space for freedom of expression”? Do these ladies think that Sri Lanka is under a military regime which has suppressed freedom of expression? In 2022 Digital Turtles Ltd. launched Creator Incubator for content creators; online workshops were conducted in English, Sinhala and Tamil; a grant in US dollars were given to selected creators. Thus US has created a digital army” that can be mobilized at any time for any event.
On 19 February Liz Allen addressed the SLPI Press Club, emphasising the importance of press freedom as a cornerstone of a strong democracy and acknowledging their vital work to keep Sri Lankan citizens informed. In our increasingly digital world press freedom and the free flow of information require perfect freedom. Tech companies agree that a growing economy relies on that freedom too” (Julie’s X message). Do these Americans think that there is no press freedom in Sri Lanka, no free flow of information?
Their aim is cultivating and pollinating here a set of young journalists who write to English dailies and weeklies and so-called digital creators, Youtubers, mobile journalists and mobilize them for the campaign they map out. We saw this during the Galle Face protest. For the forthcoming elections the regime changers need more of them. This is the reason for the influx of distinguished US visitors.
Their efforts bring instant results: we reproduce a post of a nobody whom Liz Allen had praised: Much appreciation for your dedication and thoughtful and uninterrupted service to the Tamil community (our emphasis). We are very proud of you. May god bless you and your family”. It’s a proud moment for me and (name withheld)…. creations (a digital creator in Jaffna), that Elizabeth Allen the United State’s Under Secretary of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs has quoted my name and (name withheld) creations at a creators’ gathering in Colombo”. Liz Allen was able to mention names of nobodies and their name boards”! How smart she was?
3. Afreen Akter
On February 21 Chung had to welcome US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Afreen Akter. She was in Sri Lanka between May 13-16, 2023. In his meeting with Akter the State Minister for Defense in 2023 had told her that Sri Lanka military will be right-sized gradually, afterwards it will be set up for the classic role” responding to steps taken concerning defence reforms. We did not know what this amateur State Minister meant by right-size” and classic role”.
This time she met with government officials, civil soceity representatives, parliamentarins and think tanks”.Why Akhter visiting Sri Lanka at this time? We should not forget that Imran Khanis using social media to try and thwart US fixing the elections in Pakistan and Akhter the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs that includes Pakistan.
4.Lindsey W. Ford
On 22 February, Julie Chung’s high visitor” was US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and South East Asia, Lindsey W. Ford. Her area of responsibility includes bilateral relations with India and all other South Asian countries. She discussed US defense cooperation programme and Sri Lanka’s important role in the Indian Ocean Region”.
Akter’s and her visit coincides with Pakistan’s controversial elections. Imran Khan and his party allege that the national elections held on February 8, were rigged, candidates backed by Khan’s party won the most number of seats. It is no secret that Western powers are behind the alliance of Khan’s rival parties allowing it to form the next government.
5. Richard Rahul Verma
Next comes Richard Rahul Verma, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources on February 23. His visit represents the positive momentum in our US-Sri Lanka friendship as key partners in the Indo-Pacific”, messaged Chung. Their intentions are clear, that they want to make Sri Lanka a partner in their Indo-Pacific” war games. Funny names! Who amalgamated the Indian Ocean with the Pacific Ocean? We thought that the east of the Indian Ocean was bounded by the beaches of Western Australia!
Verma also had discussions with representaives of civil soceity, economic leaders” and Minister of Foreign Affairs. He stressed the vital need to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms including freedom of expression” and explored opportunities to deepen defense and maritime cooperation between US and Sri Lanka”, apparently all these bigwigs warn against Online Safety Bill.
On board SLNS Vijayabahu, one of the three former US Coast Guard cutters he said a fourth cutter would be transferred soon. Why? To increase Sri Lanka’s capability to patrol its Exclusive Economic Zone, monitor its search and rescue area and provide additional security for ships that transit the sea lane of Indian Ocean; Sri Lanka playing the role of the kangani at the command of US Sea Lord.
Verma discussed with Ranil Wickremasinghe, Sri Lanka’s economic recovery and progress of its IMF Programme” including economic and governance reforms aimed at putting Sri Lanka on the path of sustainable economic growth.” We saw in the TV, RW like a subdued school boy presenting his report card to Verma. RW outlined the progress of the dedt restructuring , key economic reforms measures, agricultural modernisation programme. Important part of this discussion was Verma thanking RW for the assistance in the on-going naval operations in the Red Sea, Operation Prosperity Guardian”.
Finally Julie Chung interviewing Verma on 26 February asks us to listen to Verma’s thoughts on Sri Lanka’s role in the Indo-Pacific and the importance of diverse voices in democracy”. Chung begins her interview saying, Sri Lanka at the heart of Indo-Pacific, gem in the region” . They all are trying to bleed this heart” and grab the gem”!
This week’s e-Con e-News (February 24) reported as its headline, US Sends Nordstream Bomber to Sri Lanka”. According to it, Verma a member of President’s Intelligence Advisory Board (PIAB), came to Sri Lanka with unnamed senior officials from the White House National Security Council. PIAD planned the 26 September 2022 US bombing of the Nordstream pipeline.
PIAB provides advice to US President concerning the quality and adequacy of intellegence collection, analysis and estimates of counter intelligence and other intelligence activities. PIAB through its Intelligence Oversight Board (IOB) also advices the President on the legality of foreign intellegence activities.
Verma was appointed to PIAB by Biden in May 2022. Do our digital turtles” , digital frogs”, digital fireflies” and others invited by Chung know whom they are meeting and what work they do in the US and what work they have in Sri Lanka?
Why this influx of high ranking US officials? Because India invited Anura Kumara of NPP to counter RW’s moves is a very simplistic suggestion.
6. New Developments
Some Pohottuwa dissidents including a rollling stone” Professor joining Sajith, Anura Kumara receiving an audience from Indian political and business leaders, campaigning by Lansa Group, reemergence of CBK and Sirisena’s manipulations (recently he was invited to US), Champika Ranawaka’s United Republic Front” meeting RW and Sajith and presenting a document, United Step for the Country”, IUSF meeting JVP, FSP, the breakaway group of JVP alleging China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) obtaining sand from the Port City, another group of Pohottuwa dissidents including another Professor rallying around Roshan Ranasinghe, dividing ex-servicemen on party lines, imminent merger of SJB with RW are not isolated incidents, all orchestrated by hidden hands. These hidden hands will choose the right man at the right time.
7. Silence of Anura Kumara
We remember, Dudley Senanayake’s Government in 1965, establishing Ceylon Hotels Corporation and Hotels School to revitalise tourist industry. Several star-class hotels were opened in the seaside resorts including Bentota, Hikkaduwa, Ahungalla, Hendala. Nandasiri Wijeweera the then JVP leader created a spectre, thathotels in the seaside are being constructed for the use of CIA and MI 5; at any time British and American soldiers can land to these seaside hotels and be used as military bases.
With all these top US officials visiting Sri Lanka we don’t hear any comment from NPP or Anura Kumara although they organise public rallies at every corner of the Island waxing eloquence about their dream government. Already they have appointed their Cabinet of Ministers!
Now slogans such as, Adhirajyawadayata Vinasaya – Janathawata Vimukthiya” (Death to imperialism – Liberation to the masses); Dhanawadayata Vinasaya – Samajawadayata Jayagrahanaya” (Death to capitalism – Victory to Socialism); Anthima adhirajyawadiya anthima dhanapathiyagebadawelin ella marana thuru janathawata vimukthiyak netha,” (until (we) hang the last imperialist by the intestines of the last capitalist there is no liberation to the masses), has no place in the JVP’s political armoury”.
JR Jayawardena released Wijeweera and other JVPers imprisoned by the Criminal Justice Commission (CJC).Wijeweera true to his murky politics started a campaign to vilify the Old Left and SLFP after his release. A series of meetings were conducted with the theme,Gamanaka Avasanaya” (End of the Journey), borrowing the title of a documentary produced on SWRD’s funeral.
At a subsequent Left May Day Rally, a funny slogan chanted reverberates still:
(loosely translated as Wijeweera is a good boy; he’s not a difficult boy; he is a good boy, who does not make any trouble to the UNP government).
The history of wheel of JVP had turned several rounds and now it is the phase of Anura Kumara. Very soon the disillusioned men and women who come to listen to NPP rhetorics and watch antics of its hotheads will chant:
Anura Kumar(a) honda lamaya – Modi –Chung ta honda lamaya”.
‘In acknowledging the role played by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in advancing global peace and security, we are proud to announce that Sri Lanka’s initiative to introduce a new Act and an online Chemical Monitoring and Regulatory System (CM&RS) dedicated to overseeing security-related chemicals’.
Defence Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne made these remarks while taking the stage as the Chief Guest of the Inauguration Ceremony of the OPCW Expert Workshop organized with the collaboration of National Authority for Implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (NACWC), Sri Lanka at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel, Colombo today (Feb 27).
The workshop focusing on Developing Indicative Guidelines on Know Your Customer (KYC) and Due Diligence Best Practices for the Chemical Supply Chain” is to be conducted from February 27 to March 01 with expert participants from the USA, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, China, India, Kenya, Nigeria and Sri Lanka.
The OPCW serves as the executive organization for the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), commonly referred to as the international treaty prohibiting the development, production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons, along with their systematic elimination. The CWC represents a global agreement designed to eliminate specific categories of weapons in a verifiable fashion, concentrating primarily on national initiatives and indirectly addressing the potential threat of chemical terrorism.
To fulfil its commitments under the CWC, Sri Lanka established the NACWC to serve as the national focal point for effective communication with the OPCW and other state parties. Sri Lanka signed the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) on 14th January 1993 and ratified on 19th August 1994. The CWC Act no.58 of 2007 for the implementation of the convention within Sri Lanka was passed by Parliament and it was amended as CWC Amended Act No. 1 of 2019.
Additional Secretary (Defence Services) to the Ministry of Defence Mr. Jayantha Edirisinghe, the Director of the NACWC and the Director General Engineering of Sri Lanka Navy Rear Admiral Ravi Ranasinghe, Senior Consultant in CBRNE Safety & Security Dr. Rohan P. Perera and the OPCW Senior Programme Officer Mr. Taoen Kim were the distinguished members at the Inauguration Ceremony Workshop.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Head of the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim (may Allah be his Helper), conducted the concluding session from the Masroor Hall, Islamabad, UK, for the Annual Convention (Jalsa Salana ) Ghana 2024 on last Saturday.
With the grace of Allah, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Ghana has been holding its Annual Convention (Jalsa Salana) over the past 3 days, and it has now reached its concluding session. This year’s Convention has a special significance as it is being held on the occasion of the centenary of the establishment of the Ghana Ahmadiyya Community .”
The blessed seed planted a century ago in Ghana attesting to the truth of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian – the Promised Messiah, peace be on him, has flourished and borne countless fruits. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is now well-known in every part of Ghana. Every Ghanaian recognises the Ahmadiyya Community and holds it in high regard.
Ahmadiyya Khalifa said:
Where the Jamaat of Ghana is furthering the cause of Islam through preaching ( tabligh), it has also established schools, colleges, hospitals and other vital services, which has long been a means of outstanding service to the people of your nation.” As we move forward, we should also focus on our responsibilities.”, His Holiness added.
It must not be that having reached this milestone, you now sit back and relax; rather, as Ghanian Jamaat enters its second centenary, it is the duty of every Ahmadi to strive earnestly to ensure its continued progress and prosperity.
You must endeavour to convey the message of Islam to every single person of the country, seek to win the hearts and minds of your people through love and compassion. Inform your compatriots, that in this era, in servitude to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) the Messiah and Mahdi who was destined to come has arrived in person of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian.”
His Holiness explained that only by associating ourselves with the Promised Messiah, peace be on him, can we in this era truly understand the teachings of Islam. Only by attaching ourselves to him can we comprehend the rights of Allah and the rights of His creation. Only then can we do justice to these twin principles that lie at the heart of Islamic teachings. Only then can we become the grantors of peace in the world at every level of society. Only then can humanity bring an end to the incessant warfare and disorder that are increasingly plaguing the modern world.
Ahmadiyya Khalifa said that geopolitical conflicts are escalating and hatreds are becoming deeply entrenched both within nations and at the global level. As Ahamdis, we believe that only through the teachings of the Holy Quran, can the hostilities and conflicts destroying the world’s peace and security can be transformed into bonds of mutual love and unity. His Holiness said, So, as Ahmadi Muslims, never forget who you are and what you represent.”
Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa added, that people may ask what distinguishes you from other individuals. They will question whether you yourself reflect those teachings that you call others to accept.
Ahmadiyya Head said, said it is our great fortune that the Promised Messiahhas illuminated the path of the code of conduct in the form of the Conditions ofBai‘at (Oath of Allegiance) We can only progress if we follow these conditions.
Today I wish to present the essence of Islamic teachings by reminding you all of the conditions of the Oath of Allegiance (bai‘at ) which, as I have said must always remain the means of governing all elements of our life.”
If we can achieve this, we will not only safeguard our own future, but save others as well, and they will come under the protective spiritual shade of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
The first condition of bai‘at requires Ahmadis to abstain from shirk. The Founder of the Ahmadiyya Community – Promised Messiahexplains that idols are not only those made of gold, copper, or silver; rather, any entity that is given such reverence that it is only due to God, is an idol. Tawhid (Oneness of God) requires a firm conviction that God Almighty is beholden to no one and is All-Powerful and the Supreme Being.
The second condition of bai‘at requires Ahmadis to keep away from falsehood, cruelty, adultery, dishonesty, disorder, rebellion and every kind of evil.
The Promised Messiahfurther instructed us to avoid all paths that carry even the slightest risk of becoming involved in adultery. It is a very dangerous sin and it takes a person far away from Allah the Almighty.
The Promised Messiahsaid that a person who is unable to marry should curb his urges through other means, for example, by fasting or doing extraneous exercise.
The Promised Messiahsaid:
The prayer of the wicked tyrant is not accepted because he is unmindful of Allah, and thus Allah cares not for him. If a son is unmindful of his obligations to his father, the father does not care about him, because of his disobedience. Why should Allah care for such people?”
The Promised Messiahadvised Ahmadis that, They should perform the five daily prayers regularly, should not utter falsehood and should not hurt anyone by their tongues. They should be guilty of no vice and should not let even a thought of any mischief, wrong, disorderliness, or turmoil pass through their minds.”
The Promised Messiah also instructed his followers to stay away from every form of rebellion against the government. Moreover, they should keep away from all forms of carnal passions and illicit things
Ahmadiyya Khalifa said, In today’s world, new means and technology are constantly developing that are pulling people away from morality and pushing them towards vulgarity and depravity.” For example, the internet, television and media are all proving the gateways to vice and corrupting the old and the young. So, every Ahmadi must recite istighfar (seeking forgiveness ).
The Promised Messiah said:
So all ye people who count yourselves as members of my Jamaat, in heaven you shall be counted members of my following only when you truly begin to advance on the paths of righteousness. Offer your five daily obligatory prayers with such concentration and awe of mind as though you were seeing God in front of you. Observe the days of fasting for the sake of God in full sincerity. All among you who are liable for Zakat should never fail to discharge this important obligation.”
The Promised Messiahalso emphasised invoking blessings on the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Ahmadiyya Khalifa said that another attribute an Ahmadi must inculcate is to praise and show gratitude to Allah the Almighty in all circumstances.
Ahmadiyya Khalifa said that the Promised Messiahinstructed us not to inflict injury on any of Allah’s creatures. We should not cause harm with our hands or words to anyone.
Ahmadiyya Head said:
All of you participating in the Convention should sincerely pray for an end to oppression and injustice and for true peace to prevail in the world.”
As Ahmadi Muslims, we must not permit any type of innovation or corruption of our religion and consider the Holy Quran as our guiding light. Only then can we claim to be true Ahmadi religio, Ahmadiyya Khalifa added.
Ahmadiyya Head said:
Now and before concluding, I also wish to remind you that the Promised Messiah has taken a solemn pledge from us in our bai‘at (Oath of Allegiance ) that, after accepting of Ahmadiyyat, we will remain entirely obedient to him purely for the sake of Allah and will hold our bond of love with him higher than any worldly relationship.
Ahmadiyya Head ssid:
I say to all of you that now is that time to come forward and pledge with absolute determination and resoluteness that you will forever seek to bring about all the pure changes required to fulfil the conditions of the oath you have taken with the Promised Messiahas.” If you do so, you will be a means of conveying the message of Islam to the corners of the world. May it be that by following the teachings of the Islam, you become the people to bring about a moral revolution in the world.
Ahmadiyya Head prayed:
May the world come to look towards Ghana and the African nations as the beacons of justice, truth and morality based, insha-Allah.”
Imagine for a moment that I told you Congress was suddenly teetering at the edge of passing a $95-billion bill to give many more Americans reasonable health care. No, it really doesn’t sound likely, does it? Okay, then, how about Congress teetering at the edge of passing just such a bill to further arm Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan with American weaponry of all sorts? Oh wait, it may be to arm those countries further, but it’s also to fund the giant all-American arms-makers, those key components of the military-industrial-congressional complex, since money for weaponry meant for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan will actually go directly to them, as TomDispatch regular and Pentagon expert William Hartung explains today.
Oh, and just imagine for a moment that, should those arms companies get such near-record funding anytime soon, some of that money — count on it — will be poured into endless cost overruns and distinctly dysfunctional weapons systems. You want an example? Take Boeing, which should be considered the poster child for such a reality right now. If you’ve been watching the nightly news, I’m sure you’ve noticed those Boeing 737 Max 9 commercial jets that were discovered to be missing door bolts after a door plug from one of them fell 16,000 feet into an Oregon backyard.
Colombo, Feb 27 (Daily Mirror) – Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena is reported to have used his decisive vote as the chairman of the Constitutional Council (CC) to affirm the appointment of Mr. Deshabandu Tennakoon as the Inspector General of Police (IGP) permanently.
The other eight members of the CC were divided in a tie on the appointment. An informed source said four members voted for the appointment and two others against . Besides, two others abstained but their decisions were challenged. It was argued that any member should vote for or against rather than abstaining .
Also , abstentions in this instance were considered as votes cast against the appointment. Therefore the members were divided in a tie resulting in the Speaker using his vote in favour of the appointment .
The CC is a ten member body . Seven of them are from Parliament and three others from civil society . The Speaker , the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader are its members by virtue of their office . Besides , there are three other MPs nominated by the President, the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader . The tenth member representing the minor parties has not yet been appointed .
Colombo, Feb 27 (Daily Mirror) – In the wake of reports that President Ranil Wickremesinghe ordering an immediate investigation into the circular asking overstaying Russian and Ukrainian tourists to leave within 14 days, the Russian Embassy in Colombo said it awaits the results of the probe directed by the President.
Asserting that there is no official information as of now, an embassy spokesman said it is an internal affair of Sri Lanka and Russia, unlike other countries, will not interfere in them.
In the meantime, the embassy, in one of its press releases issued earlier, said it requests all its citizens staying in Sri Lanka for tourism or residing permanently to strictly follow Sri Lankan laws and customs.
Earlier, the circular was issued by the Department of Immigration and Emigration saying that Ukrainian and Russian nations living in Sri Lanka for a long term should leave within 14 days.
The circular said that Ukrainians and Russians who were affected by the stoppage of flights to their home countries after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war were allowed to remain in Sri Lanka since February 28, 2022, a full two years, based on free visa extensions and without the imposition of penalties for expired tourist visas.
However, the President ordered to revoke it. He also ordered a probe into it. Sri Lanka currently depends on Russia as one of its source markets for tourism. There are direct flights operating from Russia bringing in tourists.
Colombo, Feb. 27 (Daily Mirror)- The legality of the no confidence motion which is being brought against Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene is questionable, Minister of Justice Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said today.
The opposition claims that the Speaker got the Online Safety Bill enacted violating the constitution. It is not the Speaker who enacts a Bill. It is done by the MPs in Parliament. Speaker is not even allowed to participate in parliamentary debates. Also the Supreme Courts never force the legislature to amend any Bill. It only looks into whether a Bill violates any section of the constitution or not. How can one accuse the Speaker of violating the constitution in such a scenario? Therefore the legality of the no faith motion that is being brought against the Speaker is questionable,” the Minister said.
Ruling party MPs will decide on their stance on the no faith motion on the basis of its legality,” he added.
Minister Rajapakshe also denounced the claim made by the opposition that appointing of Deshabandu Thennekoon as the new IGP by the constitutional council was illegal. If the constitutional council vote to decide on the appointment of IGP is illegal most of the Bills that have been approved by Parliament in the Sri Lankan history become illegal as well. Most of the bills that have been enacted by Parliament by a simple majority out of the number of MPs present during the voting time throughout the history. Some have abstained during few occasions. Is the opposition saying that all legislations passed by Parliament in the past are illegal? The Minister questioned.
He said four members of the constitutional council had voted in favor of Thennekoon while two had voted against while two members abstained. A majority in the constitutional council have clearly approved the appointment of IGP,” he said.
The Indian government is working on operationalizing Rupee investments in Sri Lanka in a move to boost Indian investments in its southern neighbour, two people aware of the matter told Mint.
Rupee investments will ease the way for Indian firms to enter the Sri Lankan markets, the people mentioned above said, speaking under the condition of anonymity.
During FY 2023, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) allowed invoicing and payments for international trade in the Indian Rupee.
This allowed exports and imports to be denominated and invoiced in Indian rupees, with the settlement of trade transactions taking place in the currency.
The RBI’s decision is aimed at promoting the growth of global trade, especially Indian exports, apart from systematically internationalizing the currency. India wants the Indian Rupee to be a hard currency in the future, the second person mentioned above said.
Last year, Sri Lanka notified the Indian Rupee as a designated currency, which enabled trade between the two countries to be settled in the currency and also allowed tourists visiting the island-nation to use the currency for transactions.
India now hopes to work with Sri Lankan to make it easier for Indian firms to invest in the island nation.
At present, Indian investors invest in the country through international currencies like the dollar, which is more cumbersome and involves conversion costs,” said one of the persons cited above.
Rupee investments will ease the way for Indian firms to enter the Sri Lankan markets. The ministry of external affairs (MEA), in particular, is learnt to be pushing for this change,” the person added.
Spokespersons of India’s MEA, finance ministry and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) didn’t respond to emailed queries.
India has built a closer economic relationship with Sri Lanka in recent years.
India is a key partner of Sri Lanka, playing a pivotal role in its recovery from the economic crisis that started in 2019 and threatened to derail the economy of the South Asian nation.
The crisis that peaked in 2022-23 saw spiralling inflation, emptying of foreign exchange reserves, and shortages of basic commodities.
While the IMF extended assistance of $3 billion, India gave an assistance of over $4 billion to Sri Lanka aiding its economic recovery.
India’s financial assistance included credit lines, a currency swap arrangement and deferred import payments.
India and Sri Lanka also unveiled a slew of connectivity initiatives during President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s visit to India last July. These include proposals for a petroleum pipeline, power grid linkages, a land bridge and a comprehensive Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA).
On 19 February, Mint reported that the ETCA deal is expected to be finalized in FY25, with negotiations in advanced stages.
Pushing for rupee investments will also aid Indian firms, which have made high-profile investments in Sri Lanka,” the person mentioned above said.
Major Indian corporate houses have invested in Sri Lanka. For instance, the Adani Group is developing the West Container Terminal in Colombo Port, for which it received $553 million from the US government’s Development Finance Corporation (DFC).
The group is also considering a $750 million initial investment in Sri Lanka’s power sector, according to reports.
There is a vision to make Indian currency into a hard currency in the coming years, which will enable it to become a part of the IMF’s SDR (special drawing rights) basket, and allow it to be held as a foreign exchange reserve, the second person said.
The Cabinet of Ministers has given the go-ahead to a proposal seeking to upgrade the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake and the Colombo Port to be on par with the international practices, recommendations and standards under a grant provided by Japan.
As Sri Lanka’s economy is mainly dependent on the income generated from international tourism and business travel, the government says this requires smooth operation of entry points into the country, building confidence among travellers and arranging cross-border entry points to comply with international health regulations on movement.
Government of Japan has provided a grant of Yen 1.17 billion through the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to further strengthen border-related health preparedness at points of entry, direct contribution to the control of infectious diseases and the overall security of all passengers, staff and staff at points of entry during health emergencies.
Under the grant, the facilities of BIA, Colombo Port and the Maldives International Airport are planned to be upgraded.
As such the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation to implement the relevant project in tandem with the Ministry of Health, Department of Immigration, Airports and Air Services Company and Sri Lanka Port Authority
All political parties will be informed of the Regulation of Election Expenditure Act on Tuesday (27 Feb.) and 06 March, as per a decision made by the Election Commission of Sri Lanka.
Chairman of the Commission R. M. A. L. Ratnayake explained that the discussion will be held in light of the fact the upcoming elections will be the first to be held following the passage of the Regulation of Election Expenditure Act, in a bid to provide all parties and politicians with a proper understanding of the Act.
According to the Regulation of Election Expenditure Act, all expenses incurred for elections and campaigns must be limited, he noted.
As such, Ranjith Maddumabandara, Sisira Jayakody, Uvindu Wijeweera, and other representatives of their relevant parties were seen at today’s discussion.
During a recent meeting held by the president, he mentioned the need for developing more comprehensive vocational Training in Sri Lanka
We need to seriously discuss and implement the following plan
The state of welding training and employment opportunities for welders from Sri Lanka
We are discussing the state of welding training and employment opportunities for welders from Sri Lanka
1. numerous training centers in Sri Lanka offer basic welding instruction to young individuals, typically those under 25 years old with at least a GCE O level education. These centers include the Ceylon German Technical Training Institute, Mahapola Ports and Marine Academy, and many others.
2. The training provided by these institutions is often basic and lacks in-depth theoretical knowledge and communication skills. This can result in graduates being ill-prepared for high-quality welding positions, particularly in international contexts.
3. Sri Lankan welders often seek employment abroad in countries such as South Korea, Romania, Singapore, and various Middle Eastern nations. However, the lack of advanced training can limit their job opportunities to lower-skilled positions.
4. Some Sri Lankan welders with more extensive training and experience, such as those from the Ports Authority and Colombo Dockyard, are able to secure better-paying jobs, particularly in the shipbuilding sector.
5. Recruitment agencies in Sri Lanka play a role in qualifying welders and facilitating their employment abroad. These agencies are accredited by a testing agency recognized by the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment.
6. There is a significant demand for well-trained welders with strong skills, theoretical knowledge, and communication abilities. Such welders could potentially earn much higher salaries abroad – in the range of $4,000 to $6,000 per month, compared to the current range of $800 to $2,000 for those with lower levels of training.
7. To address this demand and improve employment opportunities for Sri Lankan welders, there is a need for more comprehensive training programs that go beyond basic welding skills and include advanced techniques, theoretical knowledge, and language skills.
It’s clear that there is an opportunity for Sri Lanka to improve its vocational training programs to better prepare welders for the global job market. This could significantly enhance their earning potential and contribute to the country’s economy by providing a more skilled workforce for international employment.
Rumanian Ambassador Doamna Steluța Arhire called on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Temple Trees today (February 26).
Prime Minister Gunawardena and Romanian Ambassador held discussions on the long standing bilateral relations between the two countries and the steps to be taken to enter into economic cooperation and investment in new spheres. The Prime Minister urged Romania to consider investments and cooperation in education, agriculture, railways, IT, cyber security and tourism sectors.
Ambassador Arhire, expressing happiness over the four fold growth of bilateral trade to US$ 127 million last year added that her country would sign an agreement with Sri Lanka to avoid double taxation so that trade process could be smoothened. She added that another Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation on education, culture, sports and media could be signed once the draft is approved by both sides.
Romanian Ambassador said 40,000 Sri Lankans are employed in Romania and their contribution to the economy is highly appreciative and they also contribute to Sri Lanka with their remittances. The Prime Minister thanked the government of Romania providing employment to a large number of Sri Lankans in recent years.
The Prime Minister said that he is thankful for Romania’s support to Sri Lanka in the past and made a special mention about the Romanian oil supplies when there was a blockade to Sri Lanka due to nationalization of foreign companies in 1960s and the supply of railway compartments and rails to Sri Lanka.
Minister Vidura Wickremanayake. MP Yadamini Gunawardena and Secretary to the Prime Minister Anura Dissanayake were present on this occasion.
The Sri Lankan government is getting ready to sign ETCA (Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement) with India amidst stiff resistance from the members of the professional groups who consider it as an open invitation to India to exploit the weak Sri Lankan economy as well as the Sri Lankans who are in an unenviable situation.
At a recent discussion on the deliberations on international trade agreements, one professional pointed out that the subject of trade agreements in Sri Lanka was managed only by one senior official of the Sri Lankan government. In all other countries, the subject of international trade agreements is discussed and determined by a group of highly skilled professionals, who look into many aspects such as international trading practices, local imports and exports, the impact on the local population, employment, other local resources, and economic trends. Social mobility of the local population and social aspirations of the population are some areas that should receive clinical evaluation from the professionals who investigate the subject of international trade agreements. Do we conduct such in-depth studies before committing ourselves to vital pacts with powerful nations like India, indefinitely? If so, Sri Lankans would be eager to get feedback from the Sri Lankan government about the feasibility of ETCA.
The CEPA (Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement), which was rejected by many of the professional bodies as well as trade unions, was withdrawn by the then government. It was a step in the right direction. But ETCA, which we expect to be more comprehensive in all aspects and have a bigger impact, is going to be approved and implemented by the present government. When facing India’s rulers and formidable officialdom, Sri Lanka, as a country that has burrowed substantial amounts of money on account of the recent crisis, has little bargaining power.
It is morally wrong for the government to place the country in such a perilous situation. How can a small nation be expected to stand firm and make the right decisions unfavorable to powerful and strong India even regarding matters which will have destructive repercussions on the economy and the people of Sri Lanka?
Sri Lankan government led by President Ranil Wickremasinghe and the SLPP MPs should postpone the signing of the ECTA and open discussions with the professional groups, trade unions, and interested political and social organisations about the details of the ETCA in the month of March and listen and amend the agreement suitably or reject it.
Senior DIG and Acting IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon has been appointed as the 36th Inspector General of Police (IGP) of Sri Lanka.
This appointment, in compliance with the stipulations outlined in Articles 41C.(1) and 61E.(b) of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, has been made pursuant to the authority vested on President Ranil Wickremesinghe, the PMD reported.
Secretary to the President Mr. Saman Ekanayake presented the official appointment letter to Mr. Deshabandu Tennakoon this afternoon (26) at the Presidential Secretariat.
Tennakoon had been appointed as the Acting IGP on November 29, 2023.
Contrary to popular views, China is set to lose a war against USA and its proxies. Despite having the largest arsenal of weapons of war, they are untested in battlefield making them fail in a real war as China has not engaged in any serious war. This is one main reason why USA, UK, France, Russia, Israel constantly engage in war. War gives them an opportunity to learn from it, refine their weapons and tactics. China has not had that opportunity.
The least China can do is to send their weapons to Ukraine to face off against the best weapons NATO has. China must supply its weapons to Russia to be used in Ukraine so that their actual performance (not just lab performance) can be assessed, their weaknesses can be identified and rectified, their strengths can be identified and enhanced and duplicated, the optimum command and control structures in their use can be learnt and their complementarity with other weapons systems can be gauged. None of these benefits come to China without actually sending their weapons to fight against Ukraine. The amount of circumstantial evidence China can gather from desktop research is next to nothing.
If China plays the role of a cowardly ostrich in the Ukraine war fearing US sanctions and revenge, then China is a weak third world army with no chance of defending against Taiwan, USA or any other who regularly challenges China’s territorial claims. And Ukraine will be the last opportunity China gets to test their weapons from a safe distance from harm before it will be dragged into a US-led war close to home.
A senior Sri Lankan expert in the maritime industry has reportedly said that Sri Lanka’s marine and offshore engineering industry can be developed to be on par with global players in shipbuilding, marine engineering and offshore construction.
Dr. Sarath Obeysekera, Chairman of Sri Lanka Export Development Board’s (EDB) Advisory Forum on Marine and Offshore Engineering and CEO of Walkers Colombo Shipyard owned by MTD Walkers has been quoted as saying in the state owned Daily News that this would require collective action and support from the industry stakeholders and the Sri Lankan government and Sri Lankan missions overseas.
Addressing a webinar organised by the EDB under the theme ‘Marine and Offshore Engineering Sector,’ Obeysekera has pointed out the strategic location of Sri Lanka and the absence of a marine hub between Dubai and Singapore as a decisive and enticing factor, the news report stated.
He has further urged that Sri Lanka needs to utilise its unique position to take this emerging, timely business to showcase Sri Lanka as one of the best and reliable Marine and Offshore Engineering Services in the world.
He has noted that Sri Lanka possesses some key criteria to win the lay-up business opportunities from international vessel owners for short, mid and long-term lay-ups as well.
According to Obeysekera, Sri Lankan service providers are equipped with all critical engineering, vessel husbandry, crew management, bunkering, repairs, servicing, inspection and certification, etc to cater all kinds of lay-ups.
Sri Lanka already has 100% Sri Lankan owned companies able to provide all the lay-up services to international marine assets with experience and good track record, he has said.
Sri Lanka is sheltered from open seas such as Trincomalee Port and Inner Anchorage and Hambantota. Moreover, other key criteria to win the lay up businesses are minimal tidal currents, good holding grounds for anchors, easy access to airports for crew change and 5 and 4 star hotel facilities. Sri Lankan lay-up locations such as Trincomalee, Hambantota, etc are located closer to major shipping routes enabling quick reactivation when business commences,” Obeysekera has further observed.
The marine and offshore engineering Industry focuses on catering to the demand for oil rig repair, modifications, maintenance, conversion of tankers and ships to FPSO (Floating Production Storage and Offloading), oil field equipment supply, manufacturing and servicing.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s marine and offshore engineering industry is on a growth path along with the growth recorded by the country’s ports and maritime sectors. Sri Lanka’s geographical positioning in the Indian Ocean and the prominence given to the island in China’s Belt and Road Initiative have helped Sri Lanka reach maritime hub status in the South Asian region. Therefore, the development of the marine and offshore engineering industry would yield definite results to the respective investor. Foreign businesses/investors could confidently explore business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s marine and offshore engineering industry.
In 2018, shortly after U.S. Congress woman, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC), ousted incumbent Democrat Joe Crowley in New York’s 14th Congressional District, her office got an unexpected phone call.
It was the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the powerful pro-Israel lobbying group, offering an unsolicited donation of $100,000.
AOC declined the money and has emerged as one of the few voices in Congress willing to oppose Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Now, AIPAC is spending tens of millions of dollars to target progressives aligned with AOC in Democratic primaries.
This AOC story, first reported by The Intercept’s Ryan Grim in his book The Squad,” illustrates how AIPAC leverages its financial might into U.S. policy.
With the death toll in Gaza now approaching 30,000 and Israel preparing a catastrophic ground attack on the 1.4 million displaced Palestinians huddled in Rafah, The Intercept is doubling down on our efforts to expose the power of the pro-Israel lobby in Congress.
You simply cannot understand U.S. policy toward Israel without understanding the power of AIPAC in Washington.
For years, AIPAC has used its deep pockets to reward its friends and punish those who don’t get behind its demand for unquestioning blank-check support for Israel. Often those punishments come in the form of attack ads that don’t say a word about Israel or Palestine, instead hammering Democrats with dubious attacks on issues like immigration or defund the police.”
In 2022, AIPAC spent $30 million targeting progressive Democrats. This year, it’s the #1 funder behind a major primary challenge to Squad member Jamaal Bowman, while Reps. Summer Lee, Cori Bush, and Ilhan Omar are all facing pro-Israel primary challenges.
The Intercept has been closely tracking AIPAC lobbying activity for years. Now, with 30,000 Palestinians dead and hopes for peaceful settlement more remote than ever, it is vital that the public understands the influence of AIPAC.
The Supreme Court has scrapped the Electoral Bond Scheme that allowed anonymous funding to political parties, stating that it violates the right to information (RTI) and can lead to quid pro quo.
The Supreme Court on February 15 scrapped the Electoral Bond Scheme that allowed anonymous funding to political parties.
Supreme Court’s five-judge CJI DY Chandrachud, and Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, JB Pardiwala, and Manoj Misra pronounced the judgement.
The apex court said that the Scheme violates the right to information (RTI), and can lead to quid pro quo. Electoral bonds scheme is not the only scheme to curb black money. There are other alternatives,” the top court added.
Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on the Electoral Bond Scheme said:
– Financial support via electoral bonds to political parties can lead to a quid pro quo arrangement.
– The electoral bonds scheme is not the only scheme to curb black money. There are other alternatives.
– Infringement to the right to information is not justified by the purpose of curbing black money.
– Not all political contributions are made with the intent to alter public policy. Students, daily wagers etc also contribute. To not grant an umbrella of privacy to political contributions only because some contributions are made for other purposes is not impermissible.
– This court recognised the right to information about social, cultural, political and economic issues, and that it is not limited to state affairs but to further participatory democracy principle.
– There are two opinions, one by myself and another by Justice Sanjiv Khanna. Both arrive at the same conclusion. There is a slight variance in the reasoning.
– Issuing bank shall forthwith stop the issue of electoral bonds. “The State Bank of India shall furnish the details of donations through electoral bonds and the details of the political parties which received the contributions,” CJII added.
Reactions Pour In
Commenting on the SC’s judgement, advocate Prashant Bhushan called the SC’s judgement significant” and likely to have a long-term effect on our electoral democracy”.
“In a very significant judgement which will have a long-term effect on our electoral democracy, the Supreme Court has struck down the Electoral Bond Scheme and all the provisions that were made to bring it into effect in the income tax act, in the Companies Act etc. everything has been struck down. They have held that this violates the fundamental right to information of citizens to know about who is contributing this much money to political parties,” Bhushan told PTI.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also welcomed the Supreme Court’s verdict on the Electoral Bonds Scheme. The Congress leader wrote on the X platform, “The Supreme Court has held the much-touted Electoral Bonds scheme of the Modi Sarkar as violative of both laws passed by Parliament as well as the Constitution of India. The long-awaited verdict is hugely welcome and will reinforce the power of votes over notes”.
Electoral Bonds | Petitioners argue that the Scheme is a vehicle for foreign political funding
The Court heard Mr. Prashant Bhushan and Mr. Raju Ramchandran for the petitioners and Mr. Rakesh Dwivedi for the Election Commission oppose the electoral bonds scheme for promoting anonymous political funding. It also heard the Attorney General defend the scheme for protecting donor privacy, while at the same time reducing the amount of black money in political funding.
Mr. Prashant Bhushan appearing for ADR began arguments. Mr. Bhushan argued that the scheme in its current form stifles all prior efforts to bring transparency to political funding. He sought an immediate stay on the Electoral Bond Scheme on the ground that 95% of purchased bonds have gone to the ruling party.
Next, he argued how the scheme and the corresponding amendments made to various statutes like the RBI Act, the Income Tax Act and the Representation of Peoples Act promote donor anonymity. He submitted that Electoral Bonds do not bear the name nor identity of the donor. Further, he submitted that the political party encashing bonds neither have to disclose the worth of electoral bonds in a Contribution Report to the Election Commission nor in their audit reports. He further said that electoral bonds are primarily meant to benefit corporates, citing that out of 3000 crore donated through bonds, most have been in the denominations of 10 lakhs or 1 crore.
The Bench enquired about the exact relief sought by the petitioner. Expressing their inability to scrap the entire Finance Act, 2017, the Bench asked about the specific amendments which are against the law. Mr. Bhushan submitted that the electoral bonds is a non-transparent instrument for funding political parties and violates the principles of democracy. Secondly, he said that the Electoral Bond Scheme has wrongly been passed as a Money Bill under the Finance Act 2017, emphasising the Scheme has no bearing on the Consolidated Fund of India. Mr. Bhushan urged the Bench to either stay the scheme or issue directions that the name of persons purchasing and political parties receiving the donations are to be disclosed.
Next, Mr. Bhushan tried to establish how Amendments to various statutes – the Companies Act, the Income Tax, the FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act), the RBI Act, the Representation of Peoples Act – have been carried out to protect donors’ identity from scrutiny and hide the amount received through electoral bonds. He referred to the amendment brought to the Income Tax Act through Finance Act 2017, which does not require political parties to disclose donor details for the amount received through electoral bonds , even when they claim the Income Tax Rebates on those contributions.
Similarly, under the Amendment to the Companies Act, any Company can donate through electoral bonds. The Amendment removed an earlier cap which prohibited companies from donating beyond a certain percentage of profits. After the Companies Act Amendment, any company even if it is loss making, can donate through electoral bonds and it does not have to show it in their profit/loss balance account.
Next, Mr. Raju Ramchandran appearing for the petitioner CPI (Marxist) began arguments. He said that the electoral bond scheme is made to favour anonymous corporate funding into elections as mostly, it is the larger denominations of 1o lakh or 1 crore which have been purchased.
Next, Mr. Rakesh Dwivedi spoke on behalf of the Election Commission (EC). On being enquired about the stand of the Election Commission, he submitted that they are not opposed to electoral bonds in general, but rather only in their current form. He submitted that the bonds in their current form promote anonymity and non-transparency. He emphasised that this must be rectified. Mr. Dwivedi added that right to know of a voter is not limited to knowing about political candidates, but also extends to political parties.
Mr. Dwivedi argued that in its current form, electoral bonds can become a vehicle for foreign funding of political parties. Hence, bonds must become more transparent and contributions made through them to political parties should be disclosed to the EC.
Further, Mr. Dwivedi said that the insertion of the Proviso to Section 29C of the Representation of Peoples Act, 1951 (via the Finance Act 2017) must be reviewed. The Proviso exempts disclosure of donations received from electoral bonds to Election Commission. He reiterated that the electoral bond scheme should be reformed to bring transparency in its functioning.
Next, Attorney General KK Venugopal appearing for the Union began arguments in defence of the scheme. He argued that electoral bonds have been introduced so that the privacy of donors is protected and that they are not victimised by other political parties. He argued that making disclosures about names and identities of the donors under electoral bond scheme would be in violation of their right to privacy.
AG KK Venugopal further added that the scheme falls within the realm of economic policy decisions, in which the Court must not ordinarily interfere. He said that in a situation where there is no State funding of elections, protection of a donors identity must be allowed.
The Attorney General resumed his arguments by stating that the scheme will help in eliminating black money from elections. He said that the objective of fighting black money is being achieved without compromising on transparency, as the donors have to adhere to Know Your Customer (KYC) banking norms when purchasing electoral bonds. He stated that a fly-by-person who is not known cannot buy these bonds”.
Further, he said that the bonds are valid only for 15 days after purchase, so it cannot be used for purposes other than political funding. He submitted that though the Bond itself neither has the party’s name nor does it have a donor’s name, but the funded political party may know the identity of the donor by checking with the Bank. He concluded by saying that he will file a separate affidavit tomorrow.
Colombo, Feb 27 (Daily Mirror) – Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena is reported to have used his decisive vote as the chairman of the Constitutional Council (CC) to affirm the appointment of Mr. Deshabandu Tennakoon as the Inspector General of Police (IGP) permanently.
Colombo, Feb. 27 (Daily Mirror)- The legality of the no confidence motion which is being brought against Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene is questionable, Minister of Justice Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said today.