ලලිත් ගුණවර්ධන ජාතික ලේඛනාරක්‌ෂක දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවේ සහකාර අධ්‍යක්‍ෂ

1796 දී මෙරට මුහුදුබඩ පළාත් ලන්දේසීන්ගෙන් අල්ලාගත් ඉංග්‍රීසිහු උඩරටට ඇතුළුව 1815 පෙබරවාරි 18 වැනි දින ශ්‍රී වික්‍රම රාජසිංහ රජු අල්ලා ගැනීමත් සමග සමස්‌ත දිවයිනේම ස්‌වාමීත්වයට පත්වූහ. 1796 සිට 1815 දක්‌වා ලංකාවේ මුහුදුබඩ පළාත් පාලනයට ඔවුන්ට ගිවිසුම් හෝ සම්මුතීන් අවශ්‍ය නොවූවත් 1815 දී උඩරට යටත් කිරීමත් සමග මෙවැනි ගිවිසුමක්‌ අවශ්‍ය වූයේ එවකට බලවත්ව සිටි උඩරට සිංහල ප්‍රධානීන් අවනතව තබා ගැනීමට අවශ්‍ය වූ හෙයිනි. සිංහල ප්‍රධානීන් වටා ජනතාවද, ආගමද, සිංහල සිරිත් විරිත්ද, සම්ප්‍රදායන්ද ඇඳී බැඳී තිබුණ හෙයින් දෙපාර්ශ්වීය ගිවිසුමක අවශ්‍යතාව ඉංග්‍රීසිහු වටහාගෙන සිටියහ.

ශ්‍රී වික්‍රම රාජසිංහ රජු අත්අඩංගුවට ගෙන සති දෙකක්‌ යැමට පෙර උඩරට ගිවිසුම සිංහල ප්‍රධානීන් ඉදිරියේ කියවීමෙන් මේ සඳහා වූ ඉංග්‍රීසින්ට වූ හදිසිය කැපී පෙනේ. මෙම ගිවිසුම සකස්‌ කිරීමට සිංහල පාර්ශ්වය වෙනුවෙන් ඇහැලේපොල, කපුවත්තේ (පිළිමතලව්වේ), මොල්ලිගොඩ හා මිල්ලෑව දිසාවද සහභාගි වී අති බවක්‌ ඉංග්‍රීසි පාර්ශ්වය වෙනුවෙන් සිංහල භාෂාව පිළිබඳ මනා පරිචයක්‌ ලබා සිටි ඉංග්‍රීසි ආණ්‌ඩුවේ ප්‍රධාන භාෂා පරිවර්තක ජෝන් ඩොයිලි මහතාත් ආණ්‌ඩුවේ නියෝජ්‍ය ලේකම් වූ ඡේම්ස්‌ සදර්ලන්ඩ් මහතාත් ක්‍රියාකර ඇති බව පෙනේ.

උඩරට ගිවිසුම ආරම්භ වන්නේ “ක්‍රිස්‌තු වර්ෂ එක්‌වා දහස්‌ අටසිය පහළොහක්‌ වූ මාර්තු මස දෙවැනි දින නොහොත් සිංහල වර්ෂ ප්‍රමාණයෙන් ශක වර්ෂ එක්‌වා දහස්‌ සත්සිය තිස්‌හයට පැමිණි අවුරුද්දේ නවම් මස අවසනවක්‌ තීර්ථය ලත් ගුරු දින…” යනුවෙන් සඳහන් කරමිනි. මෙයට උඩරට මහජනතාව වෙනුවෙන් ඇහැලේපොල මහ නිලමේ, මහ අදිකාරම් හා සත් කෝරළේ දිසාව වූ මොල්ලිගොඩ, දෙවන අදිකාරම් හා සබරගමුවේ දිසාව වූ පිළිමතලව්වේ (කපුවත්තේ) සතර කෝරළේ දිසාව වූ පිළිමතලව්වේ (කනිෂ්ඨ) ඌවේ දිසාව වූ මොණරවිල, මාතලේ දිසාව වූ රත්වත්තේ, තුන් කෝරළේ දිසාව වූ මොල්ලිගොඩ (කනිෂ්ඨ), වලපනේ දිසාව වූ දූල්ලෑවේ, වෙල්ලස්‌සේ හා බින්තැන්නේ දිසාව වූ මිල්ලෑව, තමන්කඩුවේ දිසාව වූ ගලගම, නුවර කලාවියේ දිසාව වූ ගලගොඩ අත්සන් කළ බව සඳහන් වේ. මෙයට එංගලන්තයේ මහ රජු වෙනුවෙන් රොබර්ට්‌ බ්‍රවුන්රිග් ආණ්‌ඩුකරු අත්සන් තැබූ බවත්, එම අත්සන් සහතික කරමින් ඉංග්‍රීසි ආණ්‌ඩුවේ ප්‍රධාන භාෂා පරිවර්තක ජෝන් ඩොයිලි හා ඉංගී්‍රසි ආණ්‌ඩුවේ නියෝජ්‍ය ලේකම් ඡේම්ස්‌ සදර්ලන්ඩ් අත්සන් තැබූ බවත් සඳහන් වේ.

1815 මාර්තු දෙවන දින සිදු වූයේ උඩරට ගිවිසුමේ වගන්ති කියවීම පමණක්‌ බවත් අත්සන් කරන ලද්දේ පසුව බවත් ඇතැම්හු පෙන්වා දෙති. මෙම ගිවිසුමට අත්සන් කළ මිල්ලව කරුණාධාර ඒකනායක ධර්මකීර්ති හෙවත් පණ්‌ඩිත මුදියන්සේ හෙවත් මිල්ලව දිසාව එම තනතුරට පත්කරන ලද්දේ 1815 මාර්තු පස්‌වන දිනයේය. අනෙක්‌ උඩරට ප්‍රධානීන් එම තනතුරුවලට පත්කරන ලද්දේ 1815 මාර්තු තුන්වන දින ගැසට්‌ පත්‍රයෙනි. ඒ අනුව ඔවුන් එකී නිලතලවලට පත්වීමට පෙරාතුව එම නිලතල නාම යොදා අත්සන් තබන ලද්දේ යයි පිළිගැනීමට හැකියාවක්‌ නැත. 1815 මාර්තු 15 දින නිකුත්වූ රජයේ නිල ප්‍රකාශනයට අනුව උඩරට ගිවිසුමට අත්සන් තබන ලද්දේ 1815 මාර්තු මස 10 වන දින බව පෙනේ.

උඩරට ගිවිසුම අත්සන් පිටපත් කරමින් පිටපත් ගණනාවක්‌ නිකුත්වූ අතර සැබෑ පිටපත හෙවත් මුල් පිටපත සොයා ගන්නා තෙක්‌ මෙම ගිවිසුමේ අත්සන් ගැන නිගමනයක්‌ දීම දුෂ්කර වී තිබුණි. 1984 වර්ෂයේ හිටපු ජාතික ලේඛනාගාර අධ්‍යක්‌ෂ ආචාර්ය හරිස්‌චන්ද්‍ර ද සිල්වා මහතා විසින් මෙම මුල් පිටපත සොයා ගන්නා ලදී. එම පිටපත අනුසාරයෙන් හා වෙනත් පිටපතක්‌ අනුසාරයෙන් පිටපත් දෙකක්‌ නිකුත් වී ඇති බව පෙනේ. මහාචාර්ය තෙන්නකෝන් විමලානන්ද මහතා උඩරට මහ කැරැල්ල තුන්වැනි කාණ්‌ඩයට ඇතුළත් කළ පිටපතත් ජාතික ලේඛනාගාරයේ ඇති මුල් පිටපතත් සසඳන විට පැහැදිලි වෙනසක්‌ හතර කෝරළේ දිසාව වූ පිලිමතලව්වේගේ අත්සන සම්බන්ධයෙන් පෙනේ. මහාචාර්ය තෙන්නකෝන් විමලානන්ද මහතාගේ ග්‍රන්ථයේ හතර කෝරළේ දිසාවේ වශයෙන් ඇති පිළිමතලව්වේ (කනිෂ්ඨ) අත්සන හුදකලාව ඇති අතර ජාතික ලේඛනාගාරයේ ඇති මුල් පිටපතේ මෙය වටා පොල් ගෙඩියක මෙන් පෙනුම ඇත. මෙයින් පෙනී යන්නේ මෙම ගිවිසුමේ පිටපත් දෙකක්‌ දෙයාකාරයෙන් පිටපත් වී ඇති බවයි.

මෙම ගිවිසුමේ වම් පසින් ඇති බ්‍රිතාන්‍ය ආණ්‌ඩුකරු වූ රොබර්ට්‌ බ්‍රවුන්රිග් ගේ අත්සන සමකාලීන ලේඛනවල ඇති ඔහුගේ අත්සන් හා සැසඳීමේදී සමාන බව පෙනේ. දකුණු පසින් ඇති ඇහැලේපොල මහ නිලමේගේ අත්සන ඔහුගේ පුරුදු අත්සනට වඩා හාත්පසින් වෙනස්‌ බව පෙනේ. ඇහැලේපොල මහ නිලමේ 1811-1819 වර්ෂ අනතුර සබරගමුව මහ දිසාව වශයෙන් කටයුතු කරන අවධියේ නිකුත් කළ සන්නස්‌ ගණනාවක ඇති ඒකාකාරී අත්සන් හා මෙම අත්සන් අතර බරපතල වෙනස්‌කම් ඇත. මෙම සන්නස්‌වල ඇහැලේපොලගේ නම සඳහන් වූයේ සබරගමු දිසාව ඇතුළුව මහනුවර මහ අධිකරණ නිලමේ කරවන ඇහැලේපොල විජයසුන්දර වික්‍රමසිංහ චන්ද්‍රසේකර සෙනෙවිරත්න අමරකෝන් වාසල පණ්‌ඩිත මුදියන්සේ රාළහාමි නමිනි.

ඒ අනුව මෙම ගිවිසුමේ ඇති ඇහැලේපොලගේ අත්සන ව්‍යාජ අත්සනක්‌ බව පෙනේ. උඩරට ගිවිසුම කෙටුම්පත් කළ පුරෝගාමියා වූ ජෝන් ඩොයිලිගේ දිනපොත අනුව ඇහැලේපොල මහ නිලමේ 1815 මාර්තු 03 සිට 11 දක්‌වා අසනීපව සිටි අතර ඔහු සුවපත් වන 11 වන දින බ්‍රවුන්රිග් ආණ්‌ඩුකරු අසනීප වී ඇත. මාර්තු 18 වන දින ආණ්‌ඩුකරු පුද්ගලිකව මුණගැසුන විට ඇහැලේපොල එම අත්සන යෙදූ බව සඳහන් වේ.

සබරගමුවේ සන්නස්‌ හා සීaට්‌ටුවල ඇති අත්සන් හඳුනාගැනීම සඳහා බ්‍රිතාන්‍ය සිවිල් සේවාවේ නිලධාරියෙක්‌ වශයෙන් රෙජිස්‌ට්‍රාර් ජෙනරාල් තනතුර දැරූ එච්. ඩබ්ලිව්. කොඩ්රින්ටන් මහතා දේශීය ප්‍රධානීන්ගේ සහාය ඇතිව විශේෂ ලිපි ගොනුවක්‌ සකසන ලදී. පුරාණ ලංකාවේ ඉඩම් භුක්‌තිය, පුරාණ ලංකාවේ කාසි හා සංක්‍ෂිප්ත ලංකා ඉතිහාසය යන ග්‍රන්ථ රචනා කරමින් රාජකීය ලංකා ආසියාතික සමිති කලාපයන්ට ශාස්‌ත්‍රීය ලිපි සැපයූ විද්වතෙකු වූ මොහු විසින් පිළියෙළ කරන ලද මෙම ලිපිගොනුව මෙහිලා සුවිශේෂ මූලාශ්‍රයක්‌ වේ.

කොඩ්රින්ටන් මහතාගේ ලිපිගොනුව අනුව සබරගමු සන්නස්‌වල වම්පසින් ඒකාකාරීව දකින්නට ඇති ඇහැලේපොලගේ අත්සන නිවැරැදිය. අහැලේපොලගේ අත්සනට උඩින් රවුමට නැවී ඇති අර්ධ කවය හා එය දෙපැත්තේම ඇති කෙටි හා දිගු කොකුවලින් සංකේතවත් වන්නේ සබරගමු දිසාවේ තනතුරට අයත් නිල ලාංඡනයයි. මෙම තනතුර දැරූ වෙනත් පුද්ගලයන්ගේ නම් වටාද මෙම නිල ලාංඡනය දක්‌නට ඇත. මෙම අර්ධ කවයට පහළින් ඇති පූර්ණ කවය තුළ ඇති ඇහැලේපොලගේ අත්සන හා උඩරට ගිවිසුමේ ඇති ඇහැලේපොලගේ අත්සන හා කිසිදු සමාන කමක්‌ නොමැතිවීමෙන් පෙනී යනුයේ උඩරට ගිවිසුමේ ඇති ඇහැලේපොලගේ අත්සන ව්‍යාජ එකක්‌ බවයි. උඩරට රාජධානියේ 1 වන අදිකාරම් හා 2 වන අදිකාරම් ධුරය දැරූවන්ගේ අත්සන් වටා පූර්ණ කවයක්‌ ඇත. ඒ කවය වටා සබරගමු දිසවේ තනතුරට අදාළ නිල ලාංඡනය ඇහැලේපොල විසින් නිකුත් කරන ලද හැම සන්නසකම ඇත.

මෙම වකවානුවේ ව්‍යාජ අත්සන් යෙදීම බහුලව පැවති බවට සාක්‌ෂියක්‌ මහාචාර්ය තෙන්නකෝන් විමලානන්ද මහතාගේ උඩරට මහ කැරැල්ල ග්‍රන්ථයේ 3 වැනි කාණ්‌ඩයේ 383 පිටුවේ දැක්‌වේ. මොල්ලිගොඩ මහ නිලමේ විසින් ඇහලේපොලත් රජුත් භේද කිරීම සඳහා රජුට ආක්‍රොෂ පරිභව කරන ලද හසුනකට ඇහලේපොලගේ ව්‍යාජ අත්සන යෙදූ බවත් ඒ නිසා ඒ දෙදෙනා භේද වූ බවත් සඳහන් වේ. උඩරට ගිවිසුම සකස්‌ කිරීමට දායකත්වය දැක්‌වූ අයකු වන මොල්ලිගොඩ මහ නිලමේට උඩරට ගිවිසුම සම්බන්ධයෙන්ද මෙවැන්නක්‌ කිරීම අපහසු නොවන බව ඔහුගේ චරිතාපදානය සාක්‌ෂි දරයි.

උඩරට ගිවිසුමට ඇහැලේපොල අත්සන් තැබී නම් ඔහුට උසස්‌ තනතුරක්‌ පිරිනමා ගෞරවනීය තත්ත්වයක තැබීමට ඉංග්‍රීසින් ක්‍රියා කරනු නිසැකය. එහෙත් එවැන්නක්‌ සිදු නොවීය. උඩරට ගිවිසුම් අත්සන් කර වසර 3 ක්‌ පිරුණු 1818 මාර්තු 02 වන දින සිට සිර අඩස්‌සියට පත් අහැලේපොල 1825 දක්‌වා කොළඹ සිරකර පසුව මුරිසි දිවයිනේ සිර කඳවුරට යවන ලදුව එහිදී කාලක්‍රියා කළේය. උඩරට ගිවිසුමට අත්සන් නොකළ කන්ද උඩරට ෙද්‍රdaහියාට ඉංග්‍රීසින් සැලකුවේ එසේය.

සබරගමු සන්නස්‌ වෙළුමේ ඇති උඩරට ප්‍රධානීන්ගේ අත්සන් අඩංගු මුල් සන්නස්‌ විවිධ ඉඩකඩම් නඩු සඳහා දිසා අධිකරණයන්ට ඉදිරිපත් වූ අවස්‌ථාවලදී ඒවා හඳුනාගෙන සාක්‌ෂි දීමට අවස්‌ථා ගණනාවකදීම මට සිදුවිය. කරකොල නමින් හඳුන්වන පදම් නොකළ තල්කොළවල වම්පස මුදුනේ අදාළ නිල දරුවන් විසින් අත්සන් තබන ලද්දේ පන්හිඳක ආධාරයෙනි. අඟල් 12 ක්‌ පමණ දිගින් යුතු පන්හිඳක ආධාරයෙන් අත්සන් තබන විට කරකොළ හෑරී යයි. ඇතැම් වචන ගැඹුරට හෑරී ඇතැම් වචන මතුපිටට හෑරී ඇත. සමහර අත්සන් හෑරී ඇත්තේ අනෙක්‌ පසින් මතු වන පරිදිය. සන්නස ලියන ලද පුද්ගලයා එය ලියන්නේ කරකොළයේ දෙපැත්තම පාවිච්චියට ගත හැකි පරිදි ඒකාකාර සමාන්තර මට්‌ටමකට අකුරු හෑරීමෙනි. එහෙත් අත්සන්වල එවැනි ස්‌වරූපයක්‌ නැත. ඒවා ගැඹුරට සිනිඳුවට හා රළුවට වැදී ඇත්තේ අදාළ ප්‍රධානීන් විසින් අත්සන් තැබීමේ හේතුවෙනි.

උඩරට ගිවිසුමේ දෙවනුවට අත්සන් කර ඇතතේ මොල්ලිගොඩ අදිකාරම්ය. ඔහු පළමුවන අදිකාරම් හා සත් කෝරළේ දිසාව වශයෙන් මෙයට අත්සන් තබා ඇත.

සබරගමු සන්නස්‌ වෙළුමේ මොල්ලිගොඩගේ නම සඳහන්ව ඇත්තේ මොල්ලිගොඩ රාජකරුණා සෙනෙවිරත්න අභයකෝන් හේරත් වාසල මුදියන්සේ වශයෙනි.

කොඩ්රින්ටන් ගොනුවේ මෙම නම යටතේ ඇති මොල්ලිගොඩගේ අත්සනත්, සබරගමුව සන්නස්‌ වෙළුමේ ඇති මොල්ලිගොඩගේ අත්සන් ගණනාවද එක හා සමානය. ඉහතින් දකුණු පසින් දක්‌වා ඇත්තේ උඩරට ගිවිසුමට පසු 1816 වර්ෂයේදී මොල්ලිගොඩ විසින් නිකුත් කළ සන්නසක අත්සනකි. ඒ අනුව මේ අත්සන් පරස්‌පරය.

උඩරට ගිවිසුමේ තෙවනුවට ඇති පිළිමතලව්වේගේ අත්සනද ගැටලු සහගතය. මොහු හඳුන්වා අත්තේ දෙවැනි අදිකාරම හා සබරගමු දිසාවේ හැටියටය. මොහුගේ නම සඳහන් කර ඇත්තේ පිළිමතලව්වේ විජයසුන්දර රාජකරුණා සෙනෙවිරත්න වාසල අභයකෝන් පණ්‌ඩිත මුදියන්සේ හැටියටය.

ශ්‍රී වික්‍රම රාජසිංහ රජු අතින් හිස්‌ ගැසුම් කෑ පිළිමතල්වේගේ සහෝදරයෙක්‌ වන මොහු කපුවත්තේ අදිකාරම්ගේ දියණිය විවාහ කර ගැනීම නිසා කපුවත්තේ යන නමද භාවිතා කළේය. උඩරට ගිවිසුමේ ඇති ඔහුගේ අත්සනත් සබරගමු සන්නස්‌ වෙළුමේ ඇති ඔහුගේ අත්සනත් අතර පරස්‌පරතා ගණනාවකි.

උඩරට ගිවිසුමේ සිව්වෙනුවට ඇත්තේ කනිෂ්ඨ පිළිමතලව්වේගේ අත්සනයි. මොහු 1812 දී හිස්‌ගැසුම් කෑ පිළිමතල්වේ මහ අදිකාරම්ගේ පුත්‍රයාය. මොහු මෙම වකවානුවේ සතර කෝරළේ දිසාපති පදවිය දැරූ බව සඳහන් වුවත් කපිල පතිරණ විමලධර්ම මහතා විසින් රචිත උඩරට ප්‍රධානීන්ගේ තනතුරු දැරූවන්ගේ නාමලේඛනයට අනුව මෙම වකවානුවේ සතර කෝරළේ දිසාව පදවියත්, සත් කෝරළේ දිසාව පදවියත් යන පදවි දෙකම ජ්‍යෙෂ්ඨ මොල්ලිගොඩ විසින් දරා ඇත. උඩරට ගිවිසුමේ මොහුගේ අත්සන වට කොට ඇති පොල් ගෙඩියක ස්‌වරූපය ගත් සලකුණ සතර කෝරළේ දිසාවගේ නිල ලාංඡනය වේ.

මෙම නිල ලාංඡනය තුළ ඇත්තේ ඔහුගේ අත්සන නොව සබරගමුව දිසාව වශයෙන් කටයුතු කළ පිළිමතලව්වේ මහ අදිකාරම්ගේ අත්සනයි. ඒ අනුව සබරගමු දිසාවගේ නමට කෙලින් ඇත්තේ කනිෂ්ඨ පිළිමතලව්වගේ අත්සනයි. ඒ අනුව මෙම අත්සන් උඩ යට මාරුවී ඇති බව පෙනේ. කනිෂ්ඨ පිළිමතලව්වගේ අත්සන සමකාලීන වෙනත් පැරැණි ලේඛනයකින් මෙතෙක්‌ හමු නොවූ නිසා ඒ ගැන කරුණු දැක්‌විය නොහැකිය.

උඩරට ගිවිසුමේ පස්‌ වෙනුවට ඇත්තේ මොනරවිල හෙවත් කැප්පෙටිපොල දිසාවගේ අත්සනයි. මොනරවිල කැප්පෙටිපොල රාජපක්‌ෂ වික්‍රමසේකර බණ්‌ඩාරනායක නමින් හැඳින්වූ ඔහු ඌවේ දිසාව වශයෙන් මෙයට අත්සන් කර ඇත. උඩරට ගිවිසුමට සිංහලෙන් අත්සන් කළ තිදෙනාගෙන් කෙනෙක්‌ හැටියට මොහු හඳුන්වයි.

කැප්පෙටිපොල 1803 මාතලේ දිසාව වශයෙන් කයටුතු කරන අවධියේ නිකුත් කරන ලද සන්නසක ඇති ඉහත අත්සනත් උඩරට ගිවිසුමේ අත්සනත් වෙනස්‌ය.

උඩරට ගිවිසුමේ සය වෙනුවට ඇත්තේ මාතලේ දිසාව කරවන රත්වත්තේගේ අත්සනය. රත්වත්තේ පණ්‌ඩිත මුදියන්සේ රාළහාමි වශයෙන් හැඳින්වූ මොහු මාතලේ දිසාවේ පදවිය දැරූ 1767-73 අතර කාලයේ නිකුත් කළ නඩු තීන්දු දෙකක ඇති සමාන රූපී අත්සනත් උඩරට ගිවිසුමේ අත්සනත් අතර පරස්‌පරතා ඇත.

මෙම අත්සන් සමස්‌තයක්‌ වශයෙන් ගෙන බලන විට සිංහල හා දෙමළ අක්‌ෂරවලින් මිශ්‍රව ඇති බව පෙනේ. රත්වත්තේ දිසාවගේ අත්සන තනිකරම දෙමළ භාෂාවෙනි. මේ අත්සන් තුළ හඳුනා නොගත් අක්‌ෂරද දක්‌නට ඇත.

උඩරට ගිවිසුම අත්සන් කළ සෙසු ප්‍රධානීන් සතර දෙනාවූ දූල්ලෑව, මිල්ලව, ගලගම හා ගලගොඩ දිසාවවරුන්ගේ අත්සන් දැක්‌වෙන ලේඛන ඉදිරියේදී සොයාගෙන කරුණු දැක්‌වීමට බලාපොරොත්තු වෙමි.

උඩරට ගිවිසුම අත්සන් කර 3 වසරක්‌ ගිය තැන ඉංග්‍රීසින්ට එරෙහිව ඇති වූ 1818 කැරැල්ලේ නායකත්වය ගත්තේ මෙම ගිවිසුමට අත්සන් කළ මොනරවිල කැප්පෙටිපොලය. පිළිමතලව්වේ, මිල්ලව ඇතුළු තවත් නායකයන් ගණනාවක්‌ මෙම කැරැල්ලට නායකත්වය දුන් නිසා ඉංග්‍රීසින්ගේ අත්අඩංගුවට පත්ව සමහරක්‌ මැරුම් කෑහ. සමහරු රටින් පිටිවහල් කරන ලදී. සමහරු සිරකරුවන් බවට පත්වූහ.

උඩරැටියනුත්, රටත් රැවටූ උඩරට ගිවිසුමට අත්සන් කළ නායකයෝම තමන් රැවටූ ඉංග්‍රීසින්ට එරෙහිව 1818 දී අවි අමෝරා ගත්තද එවකට ශක්‌තිමත්ව තිබූ ඉංග්‍රිසි බලය ඉදිරියේ පරාජය වීමට ඔවුනට සිදුවිය.

ලලිත් ගුණවර්ධන
ජාතික ලේඛනාරක්‌ෂක දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවේ
සහකාර අධ්‍යක්‍ෂ

Sri Lanka news

Admiral Sarath Weerasekera, after successful completion of his duties as the Director General of the Sri Lanka Civil Defence Force has decided to enter politics and will contest for the parliament seat from Digamadulla district.

Admiral Weerasekera served our country for 35 years as a Naval officer and acted as the chief of staff before retiring from the navy.

Rear Admiral Weerasekera effected many changes in the Civil Defence Force (CDF) after he was appointed as the Director General of the Civil Defence Force by defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse. He took the challenge of converting the CDF as a respected and viable Defence Force in the country by introducing various programs.

CDF played a major role in defeating the LTTE and uniting the country. Admiral’s decision to enter the election fray in April follows a request from President Mahinda Rajapakse.

 Admiral Weerasekera’s official website has been launched recently and we welcome you to visit the site and help Admiral Weerasekera’s campaign in any way you can.

http://www.sarathweerasekara.com

By Shelton A. Gunaratne c 2010

In New Zealand, the West (in the sense of Horace Greeley’s “Go West, young man”) refers to the West Coast of the South Island—the area to the west of the Alpine range that you can penetrate through the Haast Pass on Highway 6, Arthur’s Pass on Highway 73, or Lewis Pass on Highway 7. The 600 km coastal strip between Kahurangi Point in the north and Awarua Point in the south encompassing an area of 23,336 square km is called the West Coast. With only 32,800 people, it is the most sparsely populated region of New Zealand.

Our West Coast tour of the Tiki Tour guided by our “steerologist” Merv Papakura terminated when we crossed the Haast Pass to the Otago region. Now, Papakura was guiding us through what I call the East of the South Island (meaning, all other regions except the West Coast).

Thursday (17 Dec.) morning, with a pleasant sunshine greeting us, Papakura transported us to see a few more attractions in Queenstown’s vicinity: the Cattledrome; the Coronet Peak Ski Grounds; and Arrowtown (20 km northeast), where Yoke-Sim purchased a sheepskin for $279.  We returned to Queenstown for lunch. I ate pancakes on the mall while Yoke-Sim shared a soup with Junius.

Heading for Milford Sound

In the afternoon, Papakura took us off to our next destination, Te Anau (population 2,000) in the Southland region, 171 km southwest of Queenstown. We drove south on Highway 5 along the eastern bank of Lake Wakatipu to its southern tip at Kingston, where we crossed from Otago to Southland region.

We continued going south up to Five Rivers, where we turned into Highway 97, a shortcut route going southwest to Mossburn. After stopping there for refreshments, we proceeded northwest on Highway 94 all the way to Te Anau, located on the southeastern tip of the 65 km long Lake Te Anau, the second largest lake in New Zealand after Lake Taupo. Te Anau serves as the gateway to the Fjordland National Park, the eastern boundary of which includes Lake Te Anau. 

We checked in to the Vacation Hotel for two nights. After dinner, Yoke-Sim and Junius joined me for a walking tour of the town. Back in the hotel, I was thinking of the next day’s visit to Milford Sound when Junius interrupted my reverie by accidentally smashing my eyeglasses.

In the morning, we drove 117 km northwest on Highway 94 to visit the Milford Sound, located almost on the northern boundary of Fjordland National Park. Here we were not too far (as the crow flies) from the northern tip of Lake Wakatipu, just across the Alpine barrier.

Milford Sound (fjord) is considered one of the world’s topmost tourist attractions with about 1,500 people visiting it every day. (Wikipedia explains that sound or seaway is a large sea or ocean inlet larger than a bay, deeper than a bight, wider than a fjord, or it may identify a narrow sea or ocean channel between two bodies of land called a strait).

We rested for a while at the Milford Hotel before boarding the boat Mitre Peak 2 for the two-hour Milford Sound experience along the fjord’s 15 km run inland from the Tasman Sea. I lay snugly on the boat relishing a chicken and Champaign lunch as I observed

 sheer rock faces that rose 1,200 meters (3,900 ft) or more surrounding the inlet on each side. I saw the peak The Elephant at 1,517 meters (4,980 ft), resembling an elephant’s head; and the peak Lion Mountain, 1,302 meters (4,270 ft), resembling a crouching lion. I saw the lush rain forests clinging precariously to these cliffs, while seals, penguins and dolphins danced and pranced in the waters. An occasional whale too might have appeared.

 (Post-tour note: On 8 Feb. 2004 a spill of 13,000 liters of diesel fuel was discovered, resulting in a 2-km oil spill, which closed the sound for two days.)

We returned to our hotel in Te Anau late afternoon. After dinner, Junius, Yoke-Sim and I took a boat ride to the Glow-Worm Caves, 14 km away on the western shore. Junius, whom I was carrying strapped on to my back, cuddled on to me and closed his eyes as we explored the dark grotto. The chorus of the American popular song of the 1950s crossed my mind:

Shine, little glow-worm, glimmer,

Shine little glow-worm, glimmer!

Lead us lest too far we wander.

Love’s sweet voice is calling yonder!

Dinner in Dunedin

Saturday (19 Dec.) morning, we left Te Anau on the 290 km trip to Dunedin (population 115,700), the administrative center of the Otago region. Papakura’s plan was to drive on a southeast direction on Highway 94 up to Gore and then drive northeast to Dunedin on Highway 1. We crossed back to Otago region from Southland at Arthurton on Highway 1.

On the way, we stopped at Lumsden to visit the 700-acre Timbertop Sheep Farm. The farmer-in-charge gave us a talk on sheep farming and also provided a demonstration of sheep sheering. Junius had the distinct privilege of bottle-feeding a baby sheep that a farm girl introduced while we all helped ourselves to refreshments. (See picture)

Our lunch stop was Peggydale, three km south of Balclutha. We had a chat with Bill, Peg, Mervyn and Alison Jones, who operated the Peggydale Tourist Center. Yoke-Sim bought a cardigan here. Peg gave Junius a souvenir and told me about a Sri Lankan living in the area. (Google maps have wiped out Peggydale although the place still exists.)

In Dunedin, we stopped to see the glory of Overton House, an old home built by an idealist from Bristol in the inner suburb of City Rise, which is notable for its grand townhouses dating back to late 19^th century. 

We checked in at the Southern Cross Hotel (118 High St.), where our tour group had their first formal dinner. Thereafter, I walked alone to Belleknowes Parkland (now converted to a golf course) via York Place and returned via Russell Street.

Mt. Cook Overnight

Sunday  (20 Dec.) morning, we moved from Otago back to Canterbury region, where we set forth on this long excursion nine days ago. Papakura’s directions were to take his Tiki Tour group to enjoy their final night on the South Island at the Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, situated near the town of Twizel some 220 km to the northwest of Dunedin. Accordingly, we left the Southern Cross after breakfast heading north on Highway 1 passing through some of the city’s landmarks—like the Dunedin Hospital, the University of Otago campus, and the Botanic Gardens. We stopped for tea at Oamaru (population 13,000), 113 km north of Dunedin. It is the largest town in north Otago, and is the eastern gateway to the Mackenzie Basin, via the Waitaki Valley. We went to a hilltop to get a good view of Oamaru and the Pacific coast below.

Then we headed northwest to the Waitaki Valley and crossed over to Canterbury region about 40 km away, near Duntroon. After Kurow, we went past a succession of lakes—Waitaki, Aviemore, and Benmore—until we reached Omarama, our lunch stop.

This is where highways 8 and 83 merge to climb up to the foot of Lake Pukaki, where they separate again, one (Mt. Cook Road 80) going north to the Mount Cook Village (where we were heading), the other (Tekapo-Twizel Road 8) going east.

We continued our climb past Clearburn to the town of Twizel, where we stopped at the Information Center to watch a film on the hydro-electric scheme combining four lakes in the area. Thereafter, we climbed up the road going north alone the western shore of Lake Pukaki and crossed Birch Hill to reach the Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, of which the Mount Cook Village is a part. We checked in at the Glencoe Lodge, now a wing of The Hermitage.

 The A/MCNP comprises an area of more than 700 square km.  Glaciers make up 40 percent of the park area, notably the Tasman Glacier on the slopes of Aoraki/Mt Cook. All of New Zealand’s 20 peaks higher than 3,000 meters, except Mount Aspiring, lie in this national park, which bears the name of New Zealand’s highest mountain, Aoraki/Mt Cook (3,753 meters).

The Mount Cook Village lies 12 km south of Aoraki/Mount Cook’s summit. The Hermitage is the village’s easiest locator. In fact, we were now not too far from the glacier region of the West Coast. As a satellite map would show, the Haast Pass was incredibly close to where we were.

Unfortunately, rain spoilt our evening. Rain made everything surrounding us virtually invisible.  With many activities canceled, the only thing I could do was to eat our dinner, and walk to the Visitors Center on Bowen Drive and The Hermitage on Terrace Road. But there was a happy event too:  Yoke-Sim and I noticed that Junius could get out of the cot by himself!

On Monday (Dec. 21) early morning, Yoke-Sim and I (with Junius strapped on my shoulders) climbed up to The Hermitage and took photos with New Zealand’s highest peak in the background.

However, the drizzle, the rain, and the mist prevailed most of the day as Papakura took us on the 333 km journey from the Mount Cook Village back to Christchurch. At the foot of Lake Pukaki, we turned east on Highway 8 and stopped at the dog-shaped Lake Tekapo for refreshments. Our lunch stop was Geraldine, where I had the time to make a quick trip to the public library.

We arrived in Christchurch just after 3 p.m. We thanked our “steerologist” Merv Papakura for his tireless service over the last nine days. Having thus terminated the South Island Tiki Tour, Papakura took the tour group members continuing on the North Island leg of the tour to the Christchurch Airport to fly to Wellington.

 Next: Tiki Touring the North Island

(The writer is a professor of mass communications emeritus, Minnesota State University Moorhead.)

Figure 1: The route of our South Island Tiki Tour of New Zealand: A/I= Christchurch; B=Greymouth; C=Franz Josef; D=Queenstown; E=Te Anau; F=Milford Sound; G=Dunedin; H=Mt. Cook National Park.We covered more than 2,111 km.

Picture 1: At the Timbertop Sheep Farm in Lumsden, Otago, on Saturday, 19 Dec. 1981: The writer helps himself to mid-morning tea while his son Junius and wife Yoke-Sim try to bottle-feed a baby sheep introduced by a farm girl 

Yoke-Sim and I (with Junius  on my arms) climbed up to The Hermitage in the Mount Cook Village early morning on Monday 21 Dec. 1981. They were just 12 km from the highest peak in New Zealand, Aoraki/Mount Cook (3,753 meters), in the background.

චන්ද්‍රසේන පණ්ඩිතගේ විසිනි

මෙම කෙටි සටහන මා ලේඛණ ගත කලේ මීට වසර 32 කට පෙරය. එනම් ජේ. ආර් ජයවර්ධන මහතා 1977 දී බලය ලබාගෙන, සෑම පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රීවරයකුගෙන්ම දිනයක් නොදැමූ අත්සන් කල මන්ත්‍රී කමෙන් ඉල්ලා අස්වීමේ ලිපියක් ලබා ගැනීම හේතුවෙණි. මේ වනවිට රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ මහතාද එවැනිම ක්‍රියාමාර්ගයක් අනුගමනය කර ඇතැයි පැවසේ, එදා මා ලේඛණගත කල ලිපිය මෙදා පෙරට ආවේ එම හේතුවෙණි. ඒ මෙසේය.

අහිකුණ්ඨකයාගේ ආර්ථික ප්‍රතිපත්තිය සිගා කෑමය. හිගා කෑමට අමතරව නයෙක් හෝ රිලවෙක් නටවා කීයක් හරි හම්භ කර ගැනීමද කරයි. නයාව පං කූඩයේ දමාගෙන ගියද, රිලවා කුඩා ලණුවකින් හෝ දම්වැලකින් ගැටගසාගෙන යාම අහිකුණ්ඨක සංස්කෘතියයි. අහිකුණඨකයාට රිලවා මහා අනර්ග වස්තුවකි. රිලවා පෙන්නා කීයක් හරි හම්භ කර ගැනීම; රිලවා නටවා කීයක් හරි උපයා ගැනීම ඔහුගේ අභිප්‍රායයි. මේ නිසා රිලවාට පලා යාමට කොහෙත්ම ඉඩ ලබාදිය නොහැක. කුමන උපක්‍රමයකින් හෝ ඌව ගැටගසා තබා ගතයුතුමය. අහිකුණ්ඨක සංස්කෘතිය අනුගමනය නිරීමට එම ගුබ්බෑයමක ජීවත් වීම අවශ්‍යම නොවේ. කුරුදුවත්තේ ජීවත්වුවද, මනස තුල එම සංස්කෘතික ලක්ෂණ පිහිටිය හැක. එවන් මනසක් සතු දේශපාලඥයා “අහිකුණ්ඨක දේශපාලඥයකු” ලෙස හැදුන්වුවද වරදක් නැත. එම සංස්කෘතියට අනුව යමින්, මේ වන විට වර්තමාන අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය ජේ. ආර්. ජයවර්ධන මහතා මහජන වරමින් බලයට පත් පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රීතුමන්ලාගෙන්, දිනයක් රහිත ඉල්ලා අස්වීමේ ලිපියක් ලබාගෙන ඇත. මේ ලිපිය අත්සන් කර භාරදීමත් සමගම, මහජන වරමින් පාර්ලිමේන්තුවට පත්වූ ගරු මන්ත්‍රීතුමන්ලා, නිකම්ම නිකම් මන්ත්‍රී රිලා මොටාලා බවට පත්ව ඇත. ඒ අනුව ජේ. ආර්. ජයවර්ධන නූල අදින විට මේ මන්ත්‍රී රිලා මොටාලා සිය ගනනකගේ අත් රිද්මයානුකූලව ඉහලට එසවෙනු ඇත. මේ හරහා මෙතෙක් කල් පැවති පාර්ලිමේන්තුව වෙනුවට, එක්සත් ජාතික පක්ෂයේ නායකතුමා පා-රිලාමේන්තුවක් මෙ රටට බිහිකර ඇත.

ඒ එදාය. එදා ඉල්ලා අස්වීමේ ලියුම් ලබාගත්තේ මැතිවරණයට පසු බලය ලැබුන විටය. අද එසේ නොවේ, මැතිවරණයට පෙරම තමන්ගේ කථා කිරීමේ, සිතීමේ, හා ලිවීමේ නිදහස රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ මහතාට භාරදී චන්ද අපේක්ෂකත්වය ලබාගෙන ඇත.
ඒ අනුව ඔවුනට එක්සත් ජාතික පෙරමුණේ මන්ත්‍රී අපේක්ෂකත්වය හිමිව ඇත. ඒ සමගම නිදහස්ව කථා කිරීමේ, සිතීමේ හා ලිවීමේ අයිතිය අහිමි කරගෙන ඇත.

එදා මේ කාර්යය කලේ බලයට පත් මහජන මන්ත්‍රීවරු කණ්ඩායමක්,  මහා පෞර්ශවයක් ආරූඩ කරගත් දේශපාලන චරිතයක් සමගය. නමුත් මෙදා එම කාර්යයම කරන්නේ නිකම් මිනිසුන් ටිකක් තවත් මනුස්සයකු ඉදිරියේය.

 ජනතාව 1977 සිට රිලා නැටුම් හරහා අපූරු කොටි රංගනයන්ද දුටහ. අවසානයේදී සිංහ රැගුම් දැක කුල්මත්වී සිටින ජන මනස, රිලා නැටුම් වෙත යලි නැඹුරු කරවීම කල නොහැකි වනු ඇත.

by hela puwath

U.S. Government takes Sri Lankan officials on land study tour to Timor-Leste    http://srilanka.usembassy.gov/pr-25feb10.html   

Feb 26, Colombo: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is taking 13 government officials from central and provincial ministries on a 7-day study tour to learn how land ownership issues are being resolved in Timor-Leste (also known as East Timor), a country recovering from conflict.

USAID, the development agency of the U.S. Embassy, supports efforts to address land ownership issues in areas of Sri Lanka affected by the conflict.

• Why don’t Madam Ambassador Butenis and USAID send these Tamil officials to America to study how the land ownership issues of the NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES have being resolved in America – past 300 years?

Why is the American embassy (USAID) taking Sri Lankan provincial governments (East & North) to East Timor, “to learn how to resolve land ownership issues”?

Are responsible officials in our cabinet aware of details of this 7-day “study tour”? 

Is this “study tour” any different from the “study tour” of LTTE and government officials that took them to some European countries including Norway during Ranil Wickremasinghe’s “Peace Deal” -  to study Federalism? In other words, “how to divide Sri Lanka between Velupillai  Prabakaren and Ranil Wickremasinghe?”

What relevance has East Timor to Sri Lanka’s land issues?

BACKGROUND – EAST TIMOR

Portuguese and Dutch traders made the first western contact with East Timor in the early 16th century.

Timor, an Indonesian island, like Goa in India, was occupied by Portugal until 1975 when Indonesia re-established its sovereignty over the island.  However, 2,500 regular Portugues troops and another 17,000 who had some military training went underground and started the terrorist movement known as FALINTIL. In 1988 FALINTIL was unified with various other terrorist groups to form (CNRM), the National Council of Maubere Resistance; exactly the way various Tamil terrorist factions formed the LTTE. 

In April 1998 during the National Convention of East Timorese Living Abroad, held in Portugal, the National Council of Timorese Resistance (CNRT), was formed, replacing CNRM, (Similar to Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran’s Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam [TGTE] replacing LTTE, formed in the USA – with the blessing of Robert O’Blake,).

Until 1975 US, UK and Australia overtly backed Indonesia’s military regime because of their free access to Indonesia’s vast mineral resources, and supported Indonesia’s re-establishment of sovereignty over Timor, but however, covertly backed Portuguese CNRT. 

Throughout the Portuguese occupation – just like in Ceylon then – the indigenous populations of Timor were converted to Roman Catholicism by means of “discrimination” “ethnic cleansing” and “genocide”. 

There is evidence that the West through USAID was heavily involved in supporting CNRT in the terrorist campaign against the Indonesian military, and non-catholic Timor population.  It is note worthy that, before East Timor declared independence (2002), in 1996 Norway gave the Nobel Peace Price to the former rebel fighter, José Ramos-Horta.  Horta later became president in 2006. And ever since 2002 when East Timor declared independence there has been nothing but chaos in East Timor:

1. In 1999, (i.e., after the formation of CNRT) it has been reported, that as many as 300,000 people were forcibly relocated to West Timor as refugees.  The current population of East Timor is around 1 million.
2. In 2006 there was fighting between the police and the army that toppled the government; the police is said to be pro-Indonesian while the army is pro-Portuguese.
3. In 2006 130,000 fled their homes to West Timor because of violence.
4. Then, as recently as February 2008, President Jose Ramos-Horta was nearly killed by rebel ambush.
5. Also in later 2008, in an attempted coup the Prime Minister Gusmão’s motorcade was attacked.
6. An Australian parliamentary study group says, land issues in East Timor has a significant potential for political and economic instability.

That being the case why is the US embassy in Colombo (USAID) trying to “educate” Tamil officials in the East and North about land disputes in East Timor. Unlike in East Timor where government institutions, and legal professions are virtually nonexistent, Sri Lanka has a stable government with a robust administrative establishment, and a strong independent judiciary.

What relevance is East Timor’s land disputes to Sri Lanka? 

The irony is, that it is the Anglo-Saxon land grabbers, Crusaders and Vikings who were responsible for “Genocide” the world-over; it the Anglo Saxon land-grabbers, Crusaders and Vikings who were responsible for “Ethnic cleansing” half the world’s original indigenous populations from their rightful lands; it is they who are now, again, invading the world, robbing the world’s resources while pretending to right the world of “Crimes against humanity” that is of their own making. 

How dare, the Anglo Saxons, ( British, American, Australian, Newzelander, and Canadian); the Crusading Conquistadors (Portuguese and Spanish); and the Viking Norwegians, now go round the world proclaiming that they are the saviors of the world?

Why don’t Madam Ambassador Butenis and USAID send these Tamil officials to America to study how the land ownership issues of the NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES have being resolved in America,  -  past 300 years?

Sunil Vijayapala Oxley, Australia

1.         Create a separate Ministry for Development of North and East to show his commitment and seriousness to Tamils and Muslims.  Appoint joint Ministers from minorities to head a team of experts from all fields.  

2.         Our greatest enemy for the last two hundred years was Britain.  Sever all diplomatic connections with this country and close down the British High Commission.  This will once and for all settle the issue of English myth propagated by them and by the seeds they sew in Sri Lanka, the Christians and to a certain degree the Catholics and end the enormous amount of money pouring into England through so called ‘recognised’ London Exams which is just another myth.

3.         Quit the Commonwealth before they kick us out which will be a reality at the rate the Anglos are inclining themselves with the Tamil Diaspora.  Further, convince all Asian governments in the Commonwealth to follow suit as this institution is just a subtle power show of Britain which they lost through the Empire.  It will be a shameful day the day we host CHOGM in Sri Lanka in 2012.

4.         Instigate investigations into war crimes at UN level by both the Americans and British on recent war fronts and invasions, especially during the Panama and Iraq invasions.

5.         Develop strong relationships with India, Pakistan and all neighbouring countries to keep our economy floating as sanctions will be a reality in the near future as was the case when we nationalised the oil companies few decades ago.  Built strong relationships and cooperation militarily with Russia and China in anticipation of a conflict with Britain and US on movement of our ships engaged in export as they will impose an embargo.

 6.         Expose the US involvement in the attempt to evacuate Prabahkaran and his company from Sri Lankan shores while they branded them as terrorists.  Seek maximum support of non-aligned countries to corner Britain and US at UN level and to oppose these two countries at every forum. In fact if the whole world begins to impose trade sanctions with these two countries, economically they will be devastated and could be brought down on their knees.

7.         If US and Britain pursues on the latest War Crimes issue, instigated by several of our enemies, extend the severing of diplomatic connections with US too and expel the Ambassador.  We will confront a grave situation in the near future and must be ready for the Anglo Saxon game which they play with all countries.   

ALI SUKHANVER

The war against Pakistan’s nuclear program seems more vibrant and more violent and certainly more popular than the international war against terrorism. These two wars are being headed by two different countries separately; one is the super power of today and the other is aspiring to be the super power of tomorrow. The most interesting fact is that both these countries, the USA and India are apparently fighting on different fronts but inwardly they have the same target; same aim and the same object; the one and the only Pakistan.

 It is a very common feeling in Pakistan that the US policies and the Indian conspiracies have joined hands together, simply to weaken Pakistan. On one hand USA is showing its concern over the safety of Pakistan’s nuclear assets and on the other hand India is encouraging and strengthening the extremist elements in Pakistan to proceed towards these assets.

Ironically India has completely ignored the safety of its own nuclear program in its heat and haste and this nuclear program has become a security threat not only to all her neighbors but to the total peace in the South Asia. Neglecting the safety of its already existing nuclear arsenals, India is trying to add more to its nuclear strength by doing more pacts and by starting new nuclear plans.

According to the media reports, on December 7, 2009.an agreement was reached in Moscow between India and Russia, under which India would get four more nuclear reactors from Russia. At the same time, in New Delhi, a US Commercial Nuclear Mission told the media that, under the US-India nuclear deal, a minimum of 12 plants would be set up, with the work on them starting in 2010-2011.

Some other nuclear agreements of the same type were also reported by the media; most important of them were between India and France, Kazakhstan, Namibia, Mongolia and Canada. According to many impartial analysts, it would have been much better if India had concentrated upon the safety of its already existing nuclear assets instead of doing new agreements in this respect. The Kaiga incident is the worst example of unsafe and insecure nuclear program of India. The Kaiga Nuclear plant is located near one of the biggest Indian naval bases, Project Seabird.

As per details provided by the Indian newspapers, a few months back , the authorities hit the alarm button when the staff and workers at the Kaiga nuclear plant began to show above normal radiation levels. The investigators began to urgently comb the Kaiga nuclear complex for any signs of a radiation leak that could have exposed the staff to radioactivity.

After the detailed examination of urine samples of more than 50 workers at the plant, they came to the conclusion that all the workers had used a particular water cooler. Surprisingly the cooler was locked and sealed and almost unapproachable to a common man. So the investigation team pointed out the hidden presence of someone who injected heavy water into the machine by using a pump. On the other hand, J .P Gupta, the director of the plant, denied there was any security lapse and said the effect of the contaminated water was minimal. Among those affected were contract laborers who are hired out locally. The statement of Mr.Gupta seems showing that the lives of ‘locally hired out’ labourers are not important and it is nothing to be worried about if such labourers are affected by the contaminated water. There is another part of his statement which has added more irony to the situation. He said, “Whoever did it perhaps knew doping the water cooler would not kill those who drank the water. It could have been intended to disrupt the plant’s functioning.”

The situation is not as simple as portrayed by JP Gupta. The addition of heavy water into the drinking water cooler means the addition of tritium-contaminated water to a drinking water cooler .Tritium is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen also known as hydrogen-3.It can be used as a booster in the making of fission bombs as well as thermonuclear weapons or hydrogen bombs. Tritium emits beta rays which, if ingested, can cause death, cancer and mutations. A one gram vial of tritium costs up to $100,000. How is it possible for a common man to get hold of such a precious element? There must be someone having a full command, authority and approach in the supervisory or administrative crew of the plant. Unfortunately, the government of India tried to put a cover on the incident instead of bringing the inquiry report to the surface.

The present incident at The Kaiga nuclear plant is nothing new and novel; this plant has always been very mysterious with reference to different unexplainable happenings during the last many years. The death of an Indian Nuclear Scientist Lokanathan Mahalingam on June 12, 2009 is still one of such mysteries. Mahalingam was training young scientists and working in the simulator training division of the plant which is in fact the replica of the original plant. He had been working in the atomic plant for the last eight years. Reportedly, he was in possession of highly sensitive information.

 According to the Times of India one morning Mahalingam went for jogging and could never return. After a week’s search, his body was found in the nearby Kali River and cremated before the results of the DNA test were brought to light. The mysterious end of the scientist was reported on India’s television channels on June 13. The channels asserted that the death of the nuclear scientist was nothing but a successful suicide attempt but the police could never find any suicide note. The Kaiga-staff is still of the opinion that the murder of Mahalingam was the artistic work of different Indian Intelligence agencies that were searching for the culprits involved in the past Uranium theft cases. Mahalingam might be one of the accused ones.

In such a horrible situation when radioactive elements are easily approachable , when even the nuclear scientists are involved in theft-crime of uranium and when the lives of the workers serving at nuclear plants are at stake , how can the nuclear arsenals in India can be safe. In this horrifying situation it is highly objectionable if the countries like the USA provide more support and help to the incredible nuclear states like India. It is simply a paradox on the part of the US policy makers that they are all time worried about the nuclear programs of Islamic countries like Iraq , Iran and Pakistan but intentionally ignoring the underhand gimmicks going on in the nuclear programs of India.

President Obama and many of the other democratic leaders are often found stressing the need and importance of peace and prosperity of the world. It is their responsibility to keep a strict eye on the nuclear program of India if they are sincere in their desire for peace and prosperity particularly in the South Asian region. This world is looking towards them with dependent eyes for a bright future and a happy present. It would be certainly very disappointing if these peace-makers do not come up to the expectations of the world revolving around them.

The writer is a Pakistan based bilingual analyst on national and international strategic and defense affairs.

Press Release Media Secretary

Lawyers from the Jaffna Bar Association met with Justice and Law Reform Minister Milinda Moragoda on Monday to discuss issues connected with the implementation of justice in Jaffna. This dialogue was part of the Northern Justice Initiative launched by the Ministry to address issues connected to the justice system in the post-conflict period. The initiative is supervised by a committee chaired by Supreme Court Justice K. Sirpavan and supported by the UNDP.  The Asian Development Bank has also extended a sum of US$7 million (rs 800 million) to build new courthouses in the Jaffna peninsula.

Minister Moragoda outlined the challenges faced by the Ministry for the smooth functioning of the justice system in the North. These included the recruitment of qualified personnel with the qualifications and skills to handle court work and ensuring the ready availability of legislation and other legal materials in Tamil translation.

Mrs. Shantha Abemannasingam PC headed the delegation of lawyers who met with the Minister. Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Justice and Law Reforms Mrs. Kamilini De Silva and Senior Assistant Secretary W. A. Senaeratna also participated in the discussion.

Vajiragnana Warnakulasuriya, Melbourne, 98088763

 Dateline
To the Attention of George Negus

 This refers to the War Stories on Sri Lanka on the attach link

http://www.sbs.com.au/dateline/story/about/id/600331/n/War-Stories

And Afghanistan’s Bagram’s Creature Comforts video clips of 28/02/10.

http://www.sbs.com.au/dateline/story/watch/id/600341/n/Bagram-s-Creature-Comforts

 I believe Jinny Stien was sent to Sri Lanka, after Mr.George Negus inquired late last year from the Sri Lankan High Commissioner Mr.Welgampaya in Canberra, whether visa could be obtained

 If so, one would assume that the report would be on post War Sri Lanka. Lo and behold, it was a rerun of archived footage of the War with a note that, images may disturb some viewers! Only the Government soldiers shooting and then the lined up dead bodies at various sites were shown, obviously with the intention of grabbing the wrath of the Aussie viewers. Was it really necessary to send a team of “journalists” for this purpose? There were no reporting’s of Tigers assault on the forces, so the independent cameraman could only film government forces firing at Tigers!  Except a shot on Nadesan and Puleedevan stuffing possibly “Toblerone” chocolates into the rifles to despatch to the soldiers on the government side.

 A lot of Sri Lankan eminent Parliamentarians both Sinhalese & Tamil were blasted off, two presidents, one being Mr.Rajive Ghandi of India, thousands of innocent Sinhalese and Tamils too were killed. Such was the brutality of late LTTE, yet the entire West has accepted this mob is the goodies and the democratically elected Government as the real Terrorist.  Why? LTTE are not terrorists, because they are not a threat to the Westerners!

In fact Hillary Clinton categorised them as “good terrorists”. Well they don’t kill any of us, except handsomely contribute to our party. One wonders as to what length these people go to help them, America is now amending its Laws to make accommodations to support them morally without contravening Constitution!  Well Norwegians did this under CFA, only some heavy artillery too landed in the North & East of Sri Lanka maybe they mistook Sri Lanka for some other country who bought this war weaponry!

 Besides, all the Parliamentarians in the West, and anyone connected with media and the so called intellectuals too are continuously paid for their support to “Paint” LTTE & it’s supporters as a God fearing lot.

 It’s time Sri Lankan Government too redefine the definition of “Terrorist” and also create laws somehow to penalize sham INGO’s who are sheltered by the foreign diplomatic missions and special laws even to lose the immunity of Diplomats if they contravene laws of the country that is detrimental to the Government.

 PHILIP ALSTON, UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR who should have an open mind, having watched the video ON alleged EXTRAJUDICIAL EXECUTIONS in Sri Lanka, is already convinced beyond any doubt, that Sri Lankan government is determined to simply wipe out as many people as possible and not to follow the rules of international humanitarian law. My good man there’s no proof that the victims are Sinhalese or Tamil, or for that matter this event ever took place in Sri Lanka! Sri Lanka has sort expert advice from those who are qualified on this area and proved confidently that the video is a fabrication, but Alston was not satisfied, he used “some” experts and their findings were “inconclusive”, UN did not accept it, now again he engaged, obviously “better experts” than the earlier batch of “experts” just to bring the “pre concluded” verdict, yes video is genuine and they are “Sri Lankans” in the video.

These “experts” have to possess some trace of “Divinity” to declare those beings in the video are definitely Sri Lankans and its Tamils that’s been executed!

Then the eye witness “Ambalan” says “We have to just move from that area in order to save us from the shelling and firing, and we stayed in that place with the intention that it will be over in one or two days, or within one week. But it continued. So we have to move constantly in order to save our lives”, does he imply that he believed the forces will finish off the LTTE? Shelling will not be over until one of the sides are defeated, certainly not the government forces, at the rate they were capturing the LTTE area, he knows that, as he has been running with LTTE as the human shield. He doesn’t say who does the shelling and firing, it’s only GOBI KRISHNA, the Australian a volunteer with a Tamil (charity a) front organisation for the Tamil Tigers who confirms these assaults are by the defence forces, naturally, if those who have never been at sites can tell lies, he is with the LTTE, he wouldn’t say anything different!

Ambalan found his wife been killed while attempting to escape by a vessel, It’s the LTTE who fired, bombed those who tried to escape from the human shield; government forces welcomed the escapees and extended protection. Today the ungrateful Ambalan lives because of the compassionate soldiers even to tell a lie, I am sure now his conscience must be feeling the hurt for having lied.

DR PAIKIASOTHY SARAVANAMUTTU, CENTRE FOR POLICY ALTERNATIVES says “More than 30 journalists fled the country during the war’s final months; others have been abducted or jailed”. CENTRE FOR POLICY ALTERNATIVES is a NGO organization, paid by the pro LTTE expatriates through a sham World body to churn out reports that denigrate the good name of the country. The other prominent spokesperson who falls in line with him is Jehan Perera. These are the two that the West media approaches when they want an update on the conflict issue.

These scavengers will even sell their mothers if one dangles a fistful of green dollars in front of their eyes. These journalists may have fled because that’s the trade off for writing or uttering what those who employed them in the first place wanted. Their reports are not worth the paper those articles are written. He talks of 30 journalists, just because someone writes or talk on a subject, I cannot believe that person can be called a journalist, then I am also a journalist! I “no naathing” as in Faulty Towers. I am sure it’s an insult to real journalists who have studied journalism and possess a very wide knowledge on almost all subjects and armed with facts at finger tips, so to say, so that they can grill anyone out of wits. 

Then the story of an army assault on a hospital in a designated no-fire zone. The government says there was no “Hospital” even the Doctors who gave bogus reports confirmed that was a house where injured LTTE cadres were treated, these were said after these Doctors came over to the government side.

 Immediately after denying the existence of this “Hospital”, government showed an Ariel photo of the Hospital buildings intact.

What right have you got to say that this is an edited video released a few days later showing the hospital was untouched. You mean the roofs were painted with crosses? Or the video clip was edited adding crosses on the roof of the buildings which are not hospitals? So, Army was painting the roofs just to deny the bombing of this building nursing LTTE cadres? Look, the government need not go to that extent of wasting paint to  convince someone that there was no bombing on hospitals, they could have just said, “that was an accident” that’s what the Americans in Afghanistan and Iraq says, does anyone give a toss after that?

You used an archived footage of this site, why didn’t you go and see for yourself whether that was the case. You accept the LTTE agent from Australia, GOBI KRISHNA’s lie that he was five minutes late when the hospital was bombed.

 GOBI KRISHNA says there was no food for these people, that’s true, for God’s sake these innocent people were herded along from place to place as human shields starting from Killinochchi, and they carried what ever they could carry in addition to bundles of U$ dollars which they later used to aboard a vessel to find their freedom either in Australia or Canada! Payments ranging from U$15,000 ~ U$45,000 according to escapees! Besides the food supplied by the Government right through out the conflict for 27 years were denied to people, but robbed forcibly to feed the LTTE cadres, as later discovered by the soldiers stored in stacks in the bunkers in the jungle.

 GORDON WEISS, FORMER UN SPOKESMAN, looks like he was employed in dual capacity by the UN as a delivery man of humanitarian aid and a spokesperson inside the siege zone and according to him, he has been consistently stonewalled at various levels, by the Government? So he is loved by the LTTE? Ah! Yes our man has pulled wool over the UN officials to appear as an independent person willing to work for the good of the helpless innocent civilians in the conflict areas.

But he overstepped the guide lines of his portfolio, Sri Lanka brought this to the attention of his UN employers, they saw the compelling evidence and determined to terminate his engagement en bloc. But his version is as the work visa expired, he decided not just to leave, but to quit the UN. He has been on assignments with UN in other countries before posted to Sri Lanka, knowing the lucrativeness of the employment no sane person would quit UN. There may be gullible to swallow this line!

 Dr.PALITHA KOHONA says, if that number died, I do not know where they were buried, because to bury 40,000 you would have had to have an army of people working day and night, digging graves and putting them in. That certainly did not happen.  Aussies viewers who are on the LTTE payroll will gulp it without any fuss, but I believe majority are thinking people.

 Then the incident of Nadesan and Puleedevan, where a so called independent journalist, who had contacts with the LTTE Marie Colvin says there was a deal, and it involved the highest levels of government. She says the UN Secretary-General’s Chief of Staff, Vijay Nambia, told her that he’d been: “assured by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse that Nadesan and Puleedevan would be safe in surrendering.” All they had to do was “hoist a white flag high”. There was no deal at that stage; however the President offered an amnesty long before things got worse for the LTTE, but they didn’t accept his sympathy, continued with the assault believing the Western leaders will apply pressure on the President as done in the past to save them.  Milliband and Boucher’s attempt failed.

The eliminations of the Sri Lankan Parliamentarians and Mr. Rajive Ghandhi President of India, was carried out by the least suspected suicide bombers, so, even if these two had carried a “white flag” and when the rest were heavily armed and advancing slowly behind them to carry out the offensive at the opportune moment, soldiers were no fools to fall into that trap to end up being killed. Americans or for that matter any allied force in Afghanistan or Iraq would do the same, if any Al-Qaida leader was ignorant enough to walk like that! Being brown in colour, Sri Lankan soldiers are no less intelligent than the Western counter part under the same situation. The motto “action first, questions later” is good enough even for the Sri Lankan soldiers!

 MANIK FARM REFUGEE, a mother described how his son was snatched away from her by the Tigers and later heard over the radio his tragic fate. Other eye witnesses who had been sheltering at a church, claim the Tigers marched away 600 young people, and that other civilians were used as human shields. They too would have ended with a similar fate!

 As usual SBS’s Dateline and ABC’s Foreign Correspondent successfully portray the Sri Lankan governments “cruelty” to the LTTE the GOOD TERRORISTS.

Strange enough on the next segment by Bagram’s “Creature Comforts” on Afghanistan showed the happy American soldiers who spend a cushy life eating hamburgers, donuts (doughnuts) and shopping in the Mall for bargains served by Russian, Indian & Pakistani servants! American mothers must send their sons here to spend a safe comfortable life. All seemed to be rosy as per the video in this part of the World, perhaps it’s only the reports done by those 30 journalist defected from Sri Lanka spreading the unkind news to the World that we see daily on TV channels!!!

This is Australia media’s impartiality in presenting the news as it happens in the World!

 You must be elated Mr.Negus on this presentation! Happy Sri Lanka BASHING!!!

 Vajiragnana Warnakulasuriya,
Melbourne, 98088763

By Dr. Levins T.C.Rajaratnam

Nation saved

I take it as my duty as a Patriotic Citizen of Sri Lanka to defend Dr.Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Secretary of Defence during these turbulent times.

What had to be done was done. Justice will prevail.

Sri Lanka enjoys freedom today because of Dr.Gotabaya Rajapakse! The Nation was  saved, Sri Lanka’s territorial integrity and sovereignty was protected by him.

USA

The United States Secretary of Defense (SecDef) is the head of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), concerned with the armed services and military matters. This position roughly corresponds to Minister of defense in other countries. The role of the Secretary of Defense is to be the principal defense policy advisor to the President and is responsible for the formulation of general defense policy related to all matters of direct and primary concern to the DoD, and for the execution of approved policy. The Secretary is appointed by the President with the approval of the Senate, and is a member of the Cabinet. In the U.S. Armed Forces, the Secretary of Defense is often referred to as SecDef or SD. The Secretary of Defense and the President together constitute the National Command Authorities (NCA), which has sole authority to launch strategic nuclear weapons. All nuclear weapons are governed by this dual-authority – both must concur before a strategic nuclear strike may be ordered.

The Secretary’s staff element is called the Office of the Secretary of Defense and is composed of a Deputy Secretary of Defense and five Under Secretaries of Defense in the fields of Acquisition, Technology & Logistics; Controller/Chief Financial Officer; Intelligence; Personnel & Readiness; and Policy.

The Secretary of Defense by statute also exercises authority, direction and control over the three Secretaries of the Military Departments (Secretary of the Army, Secretary of the Navy & Secretary of the Air Force), the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army Chief of Staff, Commandant of the Marine Corps, Chief of Naval Operations & Air Force Chief of Staff), the Combatant Commanders of the Unified Combatant Commands, the Directors of the Defense Agencies (for example the Director of the National Security Agency) and of the DoD Field Activities. All of these high-ranking positions require Senate confirmation.

Along with the Secretary of State, the Attorney General and the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Defense is generally regarded as one of the Big Four important cabinet officials.

UK

Responsibilities

The Secretary of State for Defence is the Cabinet Minister charged with making and executing Defence policy, and with providing the means by which it is executed, the Armed Forces. He is Chairman of the Defence Council and of its three Boards, (the Admiralty Board, the Army Board and the Air Force Board).

Although responsible ultimately for all elements of Defence, the Secretary of State is supported by five Ministers: the Minister of State for the Armed Forces; the Minister of State for Strategic Defence Acquisition Reform; the Minister for Defence Equipment and Support; the Minister for International Defence and Security; and the Under Secretary of State for Defence and Minister for Veterans. The Secretary of State assigns responsibility to them for specific aspects of the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence’s business. However, the following are specifically his responsibility:

• Defence Policy and Planning & Budget issues
• Operations in Afghanistan
• Nuclear issues including Ballistic Missile Defence
• Bilateral Defence Relations with North America, Western Europe
and the Middle East
• NATO and EU issues
• Media and Communications

Sri Lanka

The media must cease to criticize Dr.Gotabhaya Rajapaksa without understanding the intricate duties of the office he holds. The entire country’s defence system is his responsibility.

Legend of our times

As all human beings, we have short memories. More so, for patriotism. People tend to forget the most important factors which have historical value. The most memorable historical factor was winning the war. The joint effort of the Armed Forces under the able directives of the Defence Secretary Dr.Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa was able to rescue the Nation from the evils of Terrorism.

We now have freedom of movement, development and more Tourists coming into this beautiful isle. Citizens of Sri Lanka and the citizens of other countries whose citizenship of origin was Sri Lanka are coming into Sri Lanka after several years owing to the peaceful situation created by our Defence Secretary and President Mahinda Rajapaksa. We as citizens of this country must remember that if not for Dr.Gotabhaya Rajapaksa this country will be in disaster.

Dr.Gotabhaya Rajapaksa

He assumed duties as Secretary, Ministry of Defense, Public Security, Law & Order on 25th November 2005.

He joined the Sri Lanka Army in 1971, spent twenty years in service, and held the appointment of Deputy Commandant of Sir John Kotelawala Defence University in 1991 and, as a Lieutenant Colonel was Coordinating Officer of Welioya area from 1990 to 1991. Prior to that, he was the Coordinating Officer of Matale District and the Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion, Gajaba Regiment from 1989 to 1990. He has also held numerous other positions in the Sri Lanka Army such as Instructor, Adjutant, and Staff officer to the Operations Officer commanding contingents.

During his military career, he has been awarded the President’s Commendation letter by former President J R Jayewardene and medals for valour in combat such as Rana Wickrama Padakkama (RWP) Rana Sura Padakkama (RSP) – by former Presidents R Premadasa and D B Wijetunga. He has also received a commendation from the Commander of the Army for his bravery in action.

He has commanded many anti-terrorist operations in the North and East in different capacities. Among them was his Command of the 1st Battalion of the Gajaba Regiment in the important Vadamarachhci Operation in 1987 and Operation Thrividabalaya in 1990 respectively, to rescue Jaffna peninsula and the Jaffna Fort from terrorist control.

He completed his basic officer cadet training at prestigious Military Academy at Diyatalawa, and proceeded to Pakistan to complete the Young Officers’ Course at Rawalpindi and later the mid-carrier course at Quetta. He had advanced training in Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare at Assam, India. Later in his career,he graduated in advanced Infantry Training from Infantry School Fort Benning, USA.

As a staff officer, he completed his Staff Course at the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, India in1983. He obtained his Masters degree in Defence Studies from the University of Madras in 1983. He has also obtained a Postgraduate degree in Information Technology from the University of Colombo in 1992.

He is a revered figure in Sri Lanka for leading the military operation which drove out the opponents from the entire Eastern Province of the country.

He was the grundnorm for the victory of the 2009 war against the LTTE. In recognition to the services rendered to the Nation The University of Colombo conferred a Doctorate to him.

Every citizen owes the duty of loyalty to the state where he is a Citizen. Allegiance is owed both to the Sovereign as a natural person and to the Sovereign in his or her political capacity. Loyalty requires affection also to the office of the sovereign.

Nature & Religion

As nature and religion teach moral obligations and prescribe to children dutiful conduct towards the parents, so nature and religion imposes on citizens certain obligations towards their country and its rulers. These obligations may be interpreted as patriotism and obedience. Patriotism requires that the citizen would have a reasonable esteem and love for his country. He should have a reasonable esteem and love for his country.

Victory at War

Our Air force Pilots have returned to base. The air strikes have halted. The Naval boats have slowed their speed. The Army has slowed its pace. Aggression against  innocent people by the LTTE and the Terrorists have been halted. When the President ordered our armed forces into combat as the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, he had three clear goals: to enable the Tamil people, the victims of some of the most vicious atrocities in the North due to terrorists and militant groups, to return to their homes with safety; to destroy the LTTE; and to deploy our armed Forces to protect all the people of the North. Those goals were achieved. Unnecessary conflict has been brought to a just and honorable conclusion.

 Tolerance & Freedom

Our Government represents tolerance and freedom, not repression and terror. As such every individual or group which transgresses these ideals should be dealt with by the Laws of the land.

Duty towards Nation

We have sent a message of determination and hope to the entire world. Think of all the millions of innocent people who died in this bloody century because democracies reacted too late to evil and aggression. Because, the duty of the Defense Secretary was well performed, the past is gone not with helpless indignation, but with a hopeful affirmation of human dignity and human rights for the 2010. In a world too divided by fear among people of different racial, ethnic and religious groups, he has given confidence to the friends of freedom and pause to those who would exploit human difference for inhuman purposes.

Challenges

Sri Lanka still faces great challenges in this world, but the Defence Secretary will meet them. He can successfully maintain the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka now that we have re-elected President Mahinda Rajapaksa . We must stand united as Patriots of Sri Lanka. The Defence Secretary should be allowed to perform his duties. Criticism can serve nothing. We owe our appreciation to a great Patriot and the Defender of the Nation.

 (The writer is the author of “Selected Essays of President Mahinda Rajapaksa” Sarvodaya Vishwa Lekha Publication. ISBN 978-955-51312-2-3.)

Press Release – Media Sec. for Minister Milinda Moragoda

Women could play a vital role in bringing about a positive change in the political culture which prevails in Sri Lanka. However, unfortunately the number of women entering politics remains abysmally low. This was one of the views expressed by Leader of the Sri Lanka National Congress and UPFA candidate for Colombo Distract, Milinda Moragoda, at a neighborhood meeting with a group of residents from Kirulapona recently.

 He emphasised that in order to get more women involved in the political process, special legislative measures should be put into place as has been done in many progressive countries. Paradoxically, Sri Lanka sadly lags behind in women representatives, in spite of the fact that women are at the forefront of many other fields and professions and are a major economic force.

 He noted that women political leaders by providing an alternative outlook, might help to change the political agenda, and return the focus to policy and substance. As outlined in the SLNC Agenda, Milinda Moragoda stated that as a first step towards correcting this serious gender imbalance, he as Leader of the Sri Lankan National Congress will advocate to the government that it brings in the necessary legislative framework to allocate 25% of the seats at every level to women over a predetermined period of time.

Ajit Randeniya

While the Sri Lankan government leaders, politicians and the general population are looking away, busily engaged in implementing the democratic right of our people to vote, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) operatives and programs appear to be busily at work, at grass roots levels, in the northern and eastern regions of the country.

 The never-ending stream of news items on Ms Rachel Coh(e)n suggests she is so busy that she manages to drop the ‘e’ in her surname! In fact, USAID in Sri Lanka has included, amongst President Obama’s budget request for foreign operations next year, 19 new positions to expand presence of Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. We might be blessed with more!

 Ms Cohen (we shall correct the obvious spelling mistake in the name) appears to be on a rigorous work schedule on ‘community projects’ ranging from opening up of new libraries to papaya cultivations, exclusively in the north and east, raising the question as to whether the US has already eliminated poverty and related issues in all other regions of Sri Lanka!

 What is also noteworthy is that the USAID ‘projects’, mostly involves trifling amounts of US dollars that almost pales into insignificant when compared with the 525,000 spent on the Fonseka project. They also appear to, almost always, bypass the Colombo government and are done through deals at ‘mayor’ level.

 The latest news is that USAID is taking 13 government officials from central and provincial ministries on a seven day study tour to Timor-Leste (East Timor) to learn ‘how land ownership issues are being resolved’ in that US and Australian colony.

 To understand the purpose of these subtle conspiracies, one needs to gain familiarity with all the affairs that are going on in the universe, and may be even outside the orbit of our Sun. But this writer humbly accepts the challenge!

 East Timor is a desolate strip of land (of 15,410 km²) with a deplorable colonial past, located about 640 km (400 mi) northwest of Darwin, Australia. East Timor was colonised by Portugal in the 16th century, until the revolution in 1975 in that country led to Timor’s decolonisation. In late 1975, when Paul Wolfowitz was US ambassador to Indonesia, late President Suharto, reasserted Indonesia’s traditional ownership of the region and declared Timor Indonesia’s 27th province.

 For 25 years, the West, more appropriately its neocon hijacker gang led by Henry Kissinger, lulled Suharto to complacency in the belief that they are fully behind the Indonesian sovereignty over Timor: then they staged the so-called 1996 Asian Economic Crisis that brought the Suharto regime undone, and the interim appointment of Hassan Habibi as President between 1998 and 1999.

 Habibi who had spent some time in Germany had been sufficiently ‘enlightened’ by the western mind control system to declare a referendum on Timorese independence. The unbelievable ‘generosity’ of the move took even seasoned conspirators like the former Australian Prime Minister John Howard by surprise!

 Then the UN cover was used effectively by the vested interests to ‘sponsor’ the act of self-determination, appointing the former Head of Amnesty International, Ian Martin, a known intelligence agent, giving him immense powers to prepare the electoral role and to conduct the election. The rest is modern history of East Timor!

 Following the successful deception of the predominantly illiterate Timorese public, the West committed several further acts that symbolised the restoration of imperialistic control: they appointed Sergio Viera de Mello, the Portuguese Brazilian UN functionary who shares the Jewish name that is synonymous with Portuguese colonialism; and they made Portuguese the official language of Timor. (Sergio deMello was later killed in the Canal Hotel Bombing in Iraq in 2003).

 The UN faced criticism from the Timorese pro-independence movement of failing to include them in the new administration, describing their exclusion as a new form of colonialism. But in this era of ‘unipolar power illusion’, the neocons had no regard for claims of national sovereignty and Sergio de Mello who was a particular favourite of the Bush regime and of Kofi Annan was the ideal front man for new “ethical imperialism.”

 He had previously proved his loyalty credentials to the Zionist cause and atrocities when he was assigned in 1981-83 to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), established in 1978 to supervise the withdrawal of the Israeli troops that had invaded southern Lebanon. When the Israeli army reinvaded Beirut and unleashed a brutal massacre of 2,000 Palestinians in the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatilla in 1982, he functioned as the intermediary between the Israeli army, its fascistic militia allies and a hostile population.

 He also used UN cover to force the rival Cambodian factions into agreeing to hand power to a UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) to supervise a power-sharing arrangement and future elections. In 1993, he was sent to Bosnia Herzegovina as the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for the former Yugoslavia to provide the overarching framework for the intervention of NATO (US and European) troops to complete the breakup of Yugoslavia by recognising Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia Herzegovina, exploiting the ethnic violence the neocons had helped to instigate.

In 2000 the Timorese National Cabinet, a body established to advise UN Transitional Administrator not to proceed with plans to establish a land claims commission due to the absence of a democratic mandate from the East Timorese people.

 East Timor became the first new sovereign state of the 21st century on May 20, 2002. Sergio de Mello had served the desires of his masters in leaving behind a tiny state completely dependent politically, economically and militarily on the major powers. The Australian-dominated military force still remains in Dili, the capital, and Australia has managed to bludgeon the Timorese government into ceding control over the lion’s share of the Timor Gap gas reserves to Australia.

East Timor currently has an unrepresentative regime installed by the major powers with scant regard for the democratic rights of the East Timorese people who are largely unemployed with limited access to social services that were available under Indonesian rule.

 What USAID is doing here is implementing the agenda outlined in their 2002 ‘National Security Strategy’ ,announced by George Bush following September 11, 2001, while Ground Zero was still smouldering. The so-called “third pillar” of US foreign policy that USAID represents was painted in that document against a bleak global outlook of ‘fragile’ states’ (of governments collapsing, criminal and terrorist networks, humanitarian crises, and grinding poverty), and a ‘strategy’ to more effectively respond to such states.

 The USAID strategies mentioned are based primarily on plans for ‘regime change’ in developing countries, based on the recommendations of some USAID contracted ‘research experts’ including Jack Goldstone of the George Mason University and Robert Bates of Harvard who had suggested that the instability associated with fragile states is ‘the product of ineffective and illegitimate governance’.

 Based on this premise, USAID declared its intention to ‘engage strategically’ in countries important to U.S. foreign policy to address ‘effectiveness deficits’. According to the policy, once USAID is engaged in a fragile state, assistance must be strategic in terms of sequencing and program mix. The primary strategy was strong donor coordination (read ‘ganging up’ of western agents). The strategy also has a focus on underlying sources of fragility, the governing arrangements that ‘lack effectiveness and legitimacy’ and issues such as ethnic and religious tensions.

 This policy was preceded by several initiatives at the international level to prepare ‘Template strategies’: one of the key inputs to this process was the ‘Report of the Panel on UN Peace Operations’, widely referred to as the ‘Brahimi Report’, commissioned to consider UN peacekeeping and ‘related field operations’. The Brahimi Report called for development of “peace-building strategies” to assist future UN peacekeeping missions. Included among such peace-building strategies was a policy for land policy in post-conflict circumstances.

 A Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) headed by Scott Leckie, a well known international human rights activist was created in 2003 to ensure that “the housing, land, or property spoils of war so commonly accepted in the past are no longer bargaining chips around a negotiating table, but rather rights that should not and cannot be sacrificed for a larger peace”.

 The important question is as to what USAID thinks has Sri Lanka got to learn from East Timor?

 The USAID press release said that: “During the tour the Sri Lankan officials will meet with Timorese government authorities, ‘development workers’ and community leaders, and will participate in site visits to local areas to gain many perspectives on the issue.)

 Land disputes in Timor have its origins in the traditional practice of establishing rights to untitled land at both individual and lineage levels by agricultural use such as planting tree crops or bamboo and constructing bunds for irrigated rice fields, or setting stone markers.

 The dispute resolution mechanisms in East Timor are also different to Sri Lanka due to the lack of an established legal system in that country: disputes are dealt with primarily by traditional leaders and village-level government and central government authorities only come in to the picture when these mechanisms fail. 

 In other words, East Timor is a totally ‘different kettle of fish’ to Sri Lanka in that it is a country with land ownership issues involving underlying custom with no titles, current occupation, and titles issued in both the Portuguese and Indonesian eras.

 Cynics can see straight away that what USAID is trying to achieve here is to ‘teach’ the local administrators in the east and the north to develop mechanisms of settling land disputes based on local agreements, bypassing the certainty of titles issued by the Sri Lankan government.

 A system such as East Timor’s will create chaos in Sri Lanka where both the fiat of an established title system as well as well established legal mechanisms to resolve any disputes exist. A system based on anything less than the Colombo issued land titles is likely to allowing USAID to realize its sinister strategy of creating chaos by, for example, raising questions about the resettlements of southern farmers and estate Tamils.

 In addition, USAID and the INGOs will benefit by way of freeer access to land in these regions, free from any say by Colombo authorities. This has been a particular motivation for INGOs who prefer to deal with their paid cronies.

It has come to a point now the government may have to consider establishing an authority dedicated to assess, approve and monitor the so-called ‘aid projects so that any ‘aid’ is channeled through appropriate channels to regions in most-need and projects that are the priority of the people concerned.

 Allowing USAID to ‘run riot’ in this fashion will have long term security implications.  

Dr.P.A.Samaraweera, Australia

The Global Tamil Forum (GTF) had its inaugural meeting last week. The GTF is the defunct LTTE resuscitated in a different format,’old wine in new bottles’ !.  It is the current LTTE network and their goal is to set up a separate state.
 
The British PM’s attendance and David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary’s speech had lent credibility to an organisation carved by former LTTE activists who were the fund-raisers of the West for a separate agenda. The British elections are to be held within the next few months and therefore, the involvement of the Labour Party is not unusual. Obviously, they depend on the Tamil diaspora votes and funds. Further, according to anti-terror experts the GTF is holding assets worth more than US$ 5 billion inherited from the LTTE.
 
The head of the GTF is Fr. S.J.Emmanuel, a Catholic priest. Previously, he had worked with late Balasingham and other LTTE leaders.
 
In the past, with regard to the role of the Church, perspective observers have publicly accused the Christian Church of being the invisible hand behind the LTTE’s violent campaign to destroy the unitary state of Sri Lanka and establish another sovereign state called “Eelam”.
 
It is a matter of public knowledge that Christian Clerics from western countries have come to Sri Lanka for short visits, to study the ground situation and then have written adverse reports heavily tilted in favour of the LTTE  and damaging the image of the country. Much of the blame in their reports  was on the alleged human rights abuses by the security forces with hardly any mention of the planned and pre-meditated acts  of inhumanity by the LTTE.
 
One such case was Sister Elizabeth Mackie from New Zealand who visited Sri Lanka in May 1986 and went around New Zealand holding meetings to raise funds for the LTTE. It was this policy of blatant one sidedness of pointing the finger only at the Sri Lankan army and painting the LTTE as “freedom fighters” that had eroded the credibility of the Christian Church as neutral bystanders of this conflict.
 
The position taken by the Church was confirmed by Mr.S.N.Dixit, the former High Commissioner for India, who stated in his book, (Assignment Colombo, P. 228) that, “…what was fascinating was that the Tamil Catholic Clergy kept arguing in favour of the LTTE throughout my tenure in Sri Lanka…”
 
During the elections in 1999, it was reported that the Catholic Bishop of Jaffna had requested all Tamil political parties to cease functioning so that the LTTE could act as the sole representative of the Tamil people.
 
Then in an article to the Asia Week of 21 Nov. 1997, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Jaffna had said, “…The Tamils have fought for the right to be equal citizens. And the LTTE has been in the forefront of this…”
 
The LTTE had never attacked the Christian Church but always targetted Buddhists and Buddhist institutions eg., Sri Maha Bodhiya, Dalada Maligawa and so on. The LTTE pinned the Buddhists to gain sympathy and support of the Church.
 
During the last three decades, whenever the LTTE hit with mass murders of civilians the Church never condemned them openly but was quick to show lapses of the army. The Church never supported the war against the terrorists and towards the end of the war, along with International organisations and the west backed for a cease fire. The Church very well knew that the cease-fires by the LTTE were bogus and hailed negotiations everytime the terrorists were nailed by the army.
 
Finally, with the west,  the  Church as well downplayed the victory of the government over the terrorists. So hindsight, it is no surprise that Fr. Emmanuel from the Catholic Church has taken over the defunct LTTE.

Geethanjana Kudaligamage

After reading H.L. D Mahindapal’s article “Ranil Concedes Defeat on April 8” I thought of adding some of my observations to the forum.

None of the contenders of the presidency in the opposition camp including Rtd. Gen. Fonseka or Mr. Wickramasinghe could offer the type of charisma and leadership that the nation was demanding at this historical moment. Had Ranil contested, he may have gone into the abyss of the history for making a record of the worst looser hard to break for another one hundred years in Sri Lankan political history.

 At this juncture in our history, when Sri Lankan national politics has been expanded into regional and global politics, the nation’s aspirations and demand has been put forward in loud and clear terms. One good thing that LTTE had done to the nation was the awakening this sleeping clever Lilliput of the Indian subcontinent from its long sleep since the sixteenth century. Sixteenth century marked the rise of Europe and the decline of Asia. Our decline began in 1505 when Portuguese landed our shores.

However, unwittingly LTTE has taken us to the infinity of global affairs. We must pray for Prabhakaran for enlightening this one time “Kawun” eating stupid. In the way of reaction to harassments of all our adversaries, we have learned the fine art of survival in the sophisticated, cunning and ugly politics of global affairs. Suddenly we have realized, or they have forced us to realize that we are much important than we thought. And by reactions, we have demonstrated in no uncertain terms to our antagonists that we are much smarter than we look. Nevertheless, for their surprise, we also have proved them that they are stupid than they look.     

If we stop and see, the whole region of South Asia is under an arc of political turmoil and unrest; if not, under the clutches of the increasing virus of INGO influence or both: like in Nepal. Take India, it is under the menace of terrorism and more or less threatened to be disintegrated and weaken. Pakistan is overwhelmed by internal terror and external assaults. Afghanistan is besieged by internal and external attacks. Bangladesh doesn’t seem to have any peace in the horizon either. The worst of all was Sri Lanka; it was besieged by terrorism for three decades. All these situations appeared to be originating from one single nucleolus of destabilizing the region according to a master plan. But a main link of the destabilization chain has been broken right here in Sri Lanka. The LTTE has bee routed. We have brought the regional security under control that even India was unable to fulfill.    

 Now Sri Lanka has began to think of its own national interests, national as well as regional security concerns, short and long term economical and political Strategies. Current president Rajapakse has pulled Sri Lanka out of the archaic post colonial boxed mentality of servility that confined the nation for too long by the colonized lumpen bourgeoisies of Colombo. New Sri Lanka thinks globally. It sees the big picture. Sri Lanka plans its strategies according to its global position geographically as well as economically and not to mention, according to its geo political realities. Now we know that we can play a greater role influencing in the affairs of the subcontinent; because, it is our natural habitat. Indian Ocean is not a property of external forces, but it also is our natural territory. So we have much to say about it than anybody else. Now Sri Lanka must think large, to extract the benefit of the large ocean surrounding to it. We need a gigantic corporation for fisheries industry. Such corporation must be a part of the security of the Indian ocean region without inflicting any extra cost for the SL Navy. We also must establish a research facility in Hambantota to conduct researches in the south of the Indian Ocean, a treasure that extents up to Antarctica.

 Sri Lanka now thinks anew. Now it has begun to uphold the interests of our natural friends. In the last presidential poll, nation was given an opportunity to decide the fate of the nation in terms of its leadership to manure the nation within this newly emerged situation. Who can fulfill the aspirations of the nation, Rajapakse, Ranil or Fonseka? So country has selected president Rajapakse. Nation needed a charismatic leader at this moment, but not a person acting like a boy in the barbershop or an “Odokku Kukka” (lap dog).  

 The boy in the Barbershop

Our childhood memories of the barber tell us something symbolic to current political predispositions in Sri Lanka, especially when it comes to the politics of Ranil.  The barber of our childhood enjoyed unwarranted dominance over our lives like the international community behaves in relation to Sri Lankan affaires. It seemed he (barber) never believed that both our survival and success was depending on our mutual friendship and goodwill. He acted like we needed him more than he needed us, and he taught us to think that way. He excreted power of decision making behalf of us even without consulting us. He decided in what way that our hair should be, in what angle that we need to be seated. Where we must look at, (obviously it was always to the west) and where we must not, and always blind spot was the east. And if we moved, he punished us by bumping in the head. Not only that, he threatened to sever the ears one by one, if not followed the rules like the IC threatened us over GSP+ and Commonwealth membership. Even we were children, we didn’t like it. But there were some boys among us followed the orders of the barber exactly to the last word. Barber called them good boys. At times, as perks, he gave them lollypops too. Alas! Ranil was behaving exactly like the good boy in the barbershop when he confronted with international community over our national issues. His head was under the custody of the cunning barber Erik Solheim like an exotic dead bird in the hands of a bully boy. Ranil followed every word and acted according to the whims and fancies of the international community like the good boy in the barbershop.

 Do we need a “boy in the barbershop” to run our country? The people of Sri Lanka have decided otherwise. In that sense, ordinary masses of Sri Lanka have acted much wiser than some of our intellectuals.    

 Actor and the politician,

The other thing is when I think of Gen. Fonseka, for some reason his name always signifies to me with that of Gamini Fonseka, the celluloid warrior in Sinhala cinema. However the reason for me to bring his name here is to point out a similarity between silver screen and the political arena. In silver screen in Sri Lanka, Gamini, was the “Sakwithi” (the emperor)

 I do not know anything about Mr. Gamini Fonseka out side the silver screen. No doubt, he must be a good person. But I remember that he had excessively inflated egocentric attitude with a gigantic halo around his head that was stiffer than celluloid, which made it harder for him to adapt into characters defined by many screen plays he was given to perform. The actor must be able to transform into the character of a script subverting their own personal characteristics of their individual lives. That aspect is equally valid to politics as well. Every actor has his/her own personal characteristics. But good actor is the one who can step out of his/her own personality and get into the soul of the role of the script. In other words, actor must get into the shoe of the character of the role he/she plays, rather than altering the role of the script to fit into their own personality. Ruler and his role in the history of a given time is also similar to this fundamental condition.

 In politics, when the script of the given political period  has been clearly defined its plot, when the nature of the conflict has been unambiguously unfolded and also all other player’s and their roles are clearly revealed, the role of the ruler must be played according to the plot. Who ever the actor that performs this role of the ruler does not have any right what so ever to alter it into their own personalities and agendas. Leadership of a nation in a given time is a historical role to play accordingly and responsibly.

     Except for few occasions, most of the time Gamini did not realize this aspect of acting as well as Ranil did not realize his role in the national political arena. 

In that sense, Gamini Fonseka becomes the worst actor in the history of our cinema and Joe Abewickrama becomes the best. In politics Gen. Fonseka and Ranil become the worst when Rajapakse becomes the best. Because when we see Gamini Fonseka in a movie we see dominant Gamini overpowering and destroying a role, like Gen. Fonseka and Ranil collectively destroyed the role of the ruler in politics. Gamini assassinated characters he was given, thus to make them subordinate to his personality; where as Ranil castrated the role of the leadership that he was given to play with strength and honor. In other words, he destroys the role of the leadership of the nation into a mere submissive and obsequious character of the “boy in the barbershop.”

 The political role of our time has been defined in crystal clear terms. If actors cannot grasp the script, then they can never perform it right. Therefore the greatest service they can do to the nation is to quit politics acknowledging the fact that this is not their time. Ranil has proven his inability in no uncertain terms. People of Sri Lanka have followed a well known American saying… “Never fix it when it works fine.” Why should people must take a risk of having Fonseka, when Rajapakse does it fine? Why nation needs to experiment unknown leadership at this juncture when we have an acid tested leader already in the driving seat?       

 The failure of Ranil is entirely due to Ranil’s inability of grasping the contemporary politics of Sri Lanka. Or else, he must be having different agendas of not performing the historical role of the leadership of the country for obvious reasons. The quality of the leadership the nation is demanding at this time of crisis is the exact opposite of Ranil’s model and Fonseka’s model. Ranil has been tested by the nation once before. He was acting exactly like an “Odokku Kukka” if I use Gamini Fonseka’s term again to describe Ranil phenomena in our national politics.

H. L. D. Mahindapala

Even before the nominations closed on Friday for the next parliamentary elections to be held on April 8, 2009 Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Leader of the United National Front, has admitted that he cannot win. His aim, as declared by him, is not to win the election but to prevent the ruling UPFA from getting a two thirds majority. This may even be a Freudian slip but it reflects realistically the current political situation of the opposition which is in total disarray.

 Till the last minute he was hoping to keep the make-shift coalition with the JVP and Sarath Fonseka going under his leadership and the elephant symbol. He even offered Fonseka the deputy leadership. But Mrs. Fonseka came back with the news that Fonseka will stick with the JVP. This makes the path of the coming election quite clear: the joint opposition which failed to beat President Mahinda Rajapakse with all their forces put together cannot win the parliamentary elections when it is fragmented like a broken pappadam.

 In short, this means that this election is not about who is going to win – that is a foregone conclusion — but it is about the size of the majority. Mahinda Rajapakse will have two chances to win this two thirds majority. His presidency will last nearly for another seven years and within that period there will be another parliamentary election (in addition to the one held on April 8) which can be won if President Rajapakse plays the right cards. In the meantime, he certainly needs the two thirds to introduce the necessary changes to address the systemic failures, including the transfer of total power now vested in the presidency to parliament.

 Above all, he needs a stable parliament to implement his mandate to deliver his promises of (a) containing corruption, (b) minimizing the jumbo cabinet, (c) pushing through legislation for any changes to the constitution, (d) adjusting the 13^th amendment to fulfill the aspirations of all communities — not just of one community and (e) generally enforcing civic discipline to make peace more meaningful to all communities. He has already delivered his promise on the war. The next step is equally critical. And the responsibility lies entirely on his shoulders because he will be the indispensable man for almost the next decade.

 All this means that Wickremesinghe will be marginalized and he will continue to live up to his reputation of being a born loser. Last year he conceded that he can’t win the presidential election and got his surrogate Fonseka to contest. Both lost. Wickremesinghe would have lost in any case even if Fonseka won because the latter was not going to dance to his tune. Fonseka was more attuned to the drum beat of the JVP. Ideologically, Fonseka is more in line with the JVP’s anti-Vadukoddai Resolution strategy though he duped the TNA into believing that he was willing to go beyond the 13^th Amendment. Fonseka’s refusal to go along with Wickremesinghe in the parliamentary elections is further proof that he is with the JVP than with Wickremesinghe.

 This hidden agenda of Fonseka exposes the TNA who backed him. As usual, the asinine Tamil leadership, which like Wickremesinghe could never read the trend of the times, fell for Fonseka’s fake promises and ended up getting nothing in return. It is incredible that the TNA which rode to parliament on the back Velupillai Prabhakaran should also try to ride on the back of Fonseka – the antithesis of all the political objectives of Prabhakaran. It proves that the Tamil leadership is willing to polish and lick anybody’s boots as long as they can get into parliament. Tamil politics could not sink any lower than this.

 They betrayed their people by falling at the feet of Prabhakaran. And after Nandikadal they betrayed the Tamils by backing the man whom they accused of killing the Tamils. This reminds me of the story written by J. L. Fernando, the political correspondent of the Daily News, that G. G. Ponnambalam worshipped D. S. Senanayake when he was offered a portfolio in the first post-independence Cabinet. The Federal Party went to town hammering this story to beat Ponnambalam in their election campaigns. S. J. V. Chelvanayakam also branded Ponnambalam as “a thief”(p.72)  and an “implacable foe and an opportunist”.(p.46) (A J. Wilson, S. J. V. Chelvanayakam and the Crisis of Sri Lankan Tamil Nationalism, a Political Biography , Lake House).

 As for Wickremesinghe, one can always depend on him to make the wrong move at the wrong time unerringly. He went for Fonseka trusting him to be his ticket to become the prime minister. But Fonseka had plotted with the JVP to make Sarath Silva his prime minister. So the defeat of Fonseka was a victory for Wickremesinghe, though it was a pyrrhic one.  Of course, both were trying to outsmart each other. Wickremesinghe was playing his own games to undercut Fonseka.

For instance, when Wickremesinghe went to campaign for Fonseka in Jaffna he revealed his hidden thoughts which were not picked up by the local media. He said: “The opposition intends to use Sarath Fonseka only as a tool (my emphasis) to eliminate Mahinda Rajapakse from the presidential post; people should not be afraid of him because he was an army commander,” Ranil Wicremasinghe, (sic) the leader of the opposition said Saturday night in Jaffna at a press meet held in ‘Yaa’lpaadi’ guest house, sources in Jaffna said. (TamilNet, Sunday, 13 December 2009, 08:18 GMT]). Of course, he was trying to allay the fears of the Jaffna Tamils who had faced the brunt of the Vadukoddai War. But once again the phrasing indicates more than a slip of the tongue. It indicates the hidden agenda stuck in his brain which was to make Fonseka his tool while Fonseka’s agenda was to use Wickremesinghe as his tool. So both were trying to undercut each other and both got undercut by the people.

This demonstrates Wickremesinghe’s folly and his desperate politics. He is his worst enemy. Not only does he excel in making the wrong move at the wrong time he is also adept in saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Take, for instance, the example of how Mahinda Rajapakse and Wickremesinghe used the Tamil language to deliver messages to the Tamils. Rajapakse made history when he became the first delegate of any country to dignify the Tamil language by addressing the UN in Tamil. There were several Tamil leaders, from G. G. Ponnambalam to Lakshman Kadirgamar who addressed the UN. But it was Rajapakse who raised, for the first time, the voice of Tamils at the UN. Whatever spin the critics may give to his bold act, it was a genuine attempt to affirm the dignity of Tamils as respected citizens of Sri Lanka. It was a symbolic gesture, no doubt, but that symbolism in the current context has a deep meaning to Sri Lanka’s multi-ethnic, multi-cultural harmony. It means that the Tamils are an integral and respected part of the nation. It means that they belong to this nation

 Now consider how Wickremesinghe used the Tamil language for his political purposes. His first Tamil words to convince the Tamils of Vanni that he too can do better than what Rajapakse did at the UN were to say: “Po da Mahinda Rajapakse! Po da Basil Rajapakse! Po da Gotabaya Rajapakse!” Resorting to this kind of cheap vulgarities has not helped him to enhance his image or win votes. As for his other gaffe in Kandy, UNP insiders say that some kattadiya (voodoo man)  had whispered in his ear to publicly curse President Rajapakse seven times to swing the votes. So he cursed President Rajapakse seven times at the big rally in Kandy where the red flags of the JVP outnumbered the green flags.

 The curse boomeranged on him. Now he has confirmed that he has no chance of beating his opponent, Mahinda Rajapakse. So he has fallen back on his only available option of preventing Rajapakse from winning a two-thirds majority. He also knows that Rajapakse is capable of sweeping the polls once again and winning a total that would at least come near the requisite two-thirds. So he is trying to do a “JR” by getting affidavits from the candidates swearing that they would not abandon him and cross over to strengthen the hands of Mahinda Rajapakse in case he fails to get two thirds. He might as well try to hold water in a sieve. Whichever way you look at him the fate of Wickremesinghe is sealed.

 I’ve said this before and I am saying it again: Wickremesinghe has been and continues to be a curse to the nation. He is the leader of all the anti-national forces struggling to put the clock back. He neither has a solution nor will he allow others to work out a solution. When Chandrika Kumaratunga produced a formula with the advice and consent of Neelan Tiruchelvam he and his UNP MPs burnt the draft in parliament. And then he went on to produce his own formula in the form of the ill-fated Ceasefire Agreement which he signed, it is said, with the pen gifted by Prabhakaran and delivered to him by Erik Solheim, the Norwegian messenger boy who brought the CFA post-haste from Vanni to Cambridge Place. He signed that without informing the President, parliament, his own party or the people. This is the traitor who now talks of transparency, accountability, democracy and rule of law.

 After so many failures the least he could do is to mend his ways. He will not do that either. So he lurches from disaster to disaster making a vain bid to convince the people that the answer to their problem is to chew gum and to put farmers in jeans carrying laptops. His idiocy knows no limits.  He is kind of leader who imports advertising gurus from UK when the best advertising professional is in his own Working Committee: Irvin Weerackody, head of Phoenix Advertising linked to Ogilvy.

 When I was last in Sri Lanka, somewhere in June 2009, some leading UNPers were seriously discussing whether Wickremesinghe should not be impeached by the party on charges of sheer lunacy. For instance, one day he ridicules the Army and its Commander, Sarath Fonseka, and the next day he puts him up on his platform as the saviour of the nation! Isn’t he stark raving mad? The collated list cited was serious and long enough to lock him up for good in Angoda.

 His obsequious obsession to lick the boots of his Western masters (he is a “yes-sir-no-sir- three-bags-full-sir-member” of the IDU, a club of right-wing Western leaders like Bush and John Howard of Australia) and his anti-national agenda has alienated himself and his party from mainstream politics. The fundamental question that the UNPers have to answer is: why haven’t all his defeats opened his eyes? Are the UNPers some kind of political masochists enjoying the beatings they get from the public each time they go to the polls? While President Mahinda Rajapakse is on top of the world, crowned with his victories, Wickremesinghe also feels that he is on top of the world by sitting at the bottom of the pile, hanging on to his defeats!

 Wickremesinghe has also shown an extraordinary magnetic power of dragging all those who join him into the bottom of his pit.  For proof just look at the list of no-hopers who are holding his soththi hand  like Mangala Samaraweera, Rauf Hakeem, Mano Ganesan. Like Wickremesinghe they tied themselves to the shoe laces of Fonseka and now they are leaderless. Even Fonseka is without a leader. He was brilliant when he was marching in step with the Rajapakse leadership. After his alliance with Wickremesinghe he finds that he has lost all the laces of his boots. What is worse, he does not know in which direction to march now.

 Take also the case of Mangala Samaraweera. He stands out as the nearest thing to a queer, closet cucumber. He has nothing to offer the people except some hot air. Mangala, the tailor from Matara specializing in designing underwear for boys and men, has announced that he has now on his list of candidates three women out of seven. That, indeed, is a change for a tailor who doesn’t design dresses for women! However, the people are supposed to applaud him for discovering the existence of a new gender. Wow!

 The latest victims of Wickremesinghe are the JVPers. They were rubbing shoulders with the UNPers on Fonseka’s platform as if they are a new breed of revolutionary Maoists hanging on to Margaret Thatcher’s skirts. But once Fonseka’s platform collapsed, exposing the JVPers as a bunch of Soma-hansas with no water to swim in, they have pulled their knives out to stab the UNPers in the back.

 Amidst all this “ha-ho in Maho” (as they say in the vernacular) Mahinda Rajapakse is sitting pretty knowing that the way is clear for him. He has nothing to worry except the size of his majority.

He is confident because “The Force” (the power anointed in the liturgy of Star Wars) is with him.  And “The Force” comes from the Sinhala electorates. He has tapped into the root and branch of this formidable Force and he can’t lose as long as “The Force” is with him.

 However, after April 8 he also has work to do and miles to go before he can rest.

 Miles to go before he can sleep!

චන්ද්‍රසේන පණ්ඩිතගේ විසිනි.

හොරකම. වංචාව හා දූෂණය, කාලාන්තරයක් පුරා මෙරට සියලු වේදිකා දෙදරවූ මාතෘකාවන් විය. හොරකමට විරුද්ධව වේදිකා දෙදරවූ පල් හොරුන්ද, එම පල් හොරුන්ට එරෙහිව උස් හඩින් කථා කල හොරුන්ද මෙරට සුලබව දක්නට ලැබිණ. මෙරට සිටින සියළු තරාතිරම් වල ජන කොට්ඨාශයන් තුල සිටින හොරුන්ගේ සංඛ්‍යාත්මක අගය එසේ නොවන්නන්ගේ අගයට වඩා අති විශාල අගයක් ගනී. එය ප්‍රතිශතයක් වශයෙන් ගත් කල 90% වඩා ඉහල අගයකි. මෙවන් සමාජයක් තුල අප හොරකම. වංචාව හා දූෂණයට එරෙහිව කථා කිරීම සැබෑ ලෙසම ප්‍රායෝගික ක්‍රියාවලියක් නොවේ. එසේ නම් අප කල යුත්තේ කුමක්ද? ඒ සම්බන්ධව අපි විමසා බලමු.

මෙම මිනිස් සමාජය, ජාත්‍යන්තරව හා ජාතිකව සොරකම්, දූෂණයන් හා වංචාවන් ගෙන් සමන්විත යාන්ත්‍රණයක් හා බද්ධව කටයුතු කරයි. මේ හේතුවෙන් මෙරට ජනතාවගෙන් විශාල සංඛ්‍යාවක් කුමන ආකාරයක හෝ හොරකමකට දූෂණයකට වංචාවකට බද්ධව ක්‍රියා කිරීමට සිදුව තිබේ. තමන් කැමති වුවද, අකමැති වුවද. මෙය අනිවාර්යෙන්ම ඔවුන් කලයුතුවේ. මෙය මුලු සමාජයම සසල කරවන ප්‍රකාශයකි. නමුත් සත්‍යය එයයි.

මිනිසා නිපදවන දෑට වඩා සොරකම් කරන දෑ අති විශාලය. මිනිසාගේ උපතේදීම තම මෙලොව පැවැත්ම සදහා පලමුව ලබාගන්නේ ඔක්සිජන් වායුවයි. අප අවට වාතයේ නිදහස්ව ඕනෑම ජීවියකුට ලබාගත හැකි ආකාරයකට මෙම වායුව නිදහස්ව විසිරී, පැතිරී පවතී. මෙම වායුව කිසිවෙකුගේවත් පෞද්ගලික බූදලයක් නොවේ. නමුත් මෙය අද තමන්ගේ පෞද්ගලික බූදලයක් කරගත් මහා ව්‍යාපාරයක් ලෝකය පුරාම පවතී. ඔක්සිජන් නිශ්පාදන ක්‍රියාවලිය මනාව විග්‍රහ කර බලන්න. මේ ලෝකයේ ඔක්සිජන් නිශ්පාදනය කරන සැබෑ යාන්ත්‍රණය ගොඩනැංවීමට හැක්කේ ස්වභාව ධර්මයට පමණි. එම ස්වාභාවික කර්මාන්ත ප්‍රජාව නම් හරිත ශාක ප්‍රජාවයි. මෙම ප්‍රජාවන් ඔක්සිජන් නිශ්පාදනය කරනුයේ, ඔක්සිජන් සිලින්ඩර් ගත කරන කර්මාන්ත ශාලා හිමියා සදහා නොවේ. නමුත් ලෝකයේ ජීවීන්ගේ පැවත්ම උදෙසා ඔබේ, මගේ හා අන් ජන කොටස් වලට අයත් හරිත ශාක ප්‍රජාවන් නිපදවන අපට නොපෙනෙන ඒ ඔක්සිජන් වායුව, කර්මාන්ත ශාලා හිමියා එකතු කර සිලින්ඩර් ගත කිරීම අප, වාණිජමය වශයෙන් ඔක්සිජන් නිශ්පාදනය කිරීම වශයෙන් නම් කරමු. මෙම කර්මාන්ත ශාලාව නිපදවන ඔක්සිජන් වායුවක් නැත. ලෝකයේ කොතනක කලද, ඔවුන් කරනුයේ, අප උදෙසා ශාක ප්‍රජාව නිශ්පාදනය කරන ඔක්සිජන් සොරා ගැනීමයි. සමාජය මෙය සොරකමක් සේ දැකීමට මැලිකමක් දක්වයි. කිසිදු පරිසරවේදී සංවිධානයක් මෙම ක්‍රියාවලිය මහා පරිසර දූෂණයක්සේද නොදකියි.

උපත ලද බිළිදා දෙවනු‍ව යන්නේ ඔහුට උරුම වූ මව් කිරි ලබාගැනීම සදහායි. මේ බිළිදා මව් කුස පිලිසිද ගත්දා සිටම ස්වභාවය, මවගේ ශරීරය බිළිදාට අවශ්‍ය ආහාර සම්පාදනය කිරීම සදහා සකසයි. ඔහුට උරුම ආහාර වේල වන මව් කිරි ලබා ගැනීමට තරම්, වාසනාවන්ත වන්නේ මෙරට දරුවන් කීදෙනෙක්ද? විශේෂයෙන් බිළිදාගේ උපතේ සිට මව් කිරි ලබාදීම සදහා මවට නිවාඩු ලබා දෙන රටක, එම රට අපේක්ෂා කරන ආකාරයට එම බිළිදාට මව්කිරි සැපයීමට, එම බිළිදාගේ මව සියලුම සමාජ සාරධර්ම වලට අනුව බැදී සිටී. නමුත් මේ වනවිට මෙම සමාජ සාරධර්ම අමු අමුවේ උල්ලංඝණය කරන මවුවරුන් බුරුතු පිටින් මෙම සමාජය තුල ජීවත්වේ. එසේ එම දරුවාට හිමි මව්කිරි නොදීම හරහා එම මෑණියන්; පලමුව තම කුසින් උපන් බිළිදාට මහත් අසාධාරණයක් සිදු කරයි. දෙවනුව නිවාඩුව ලබාදීමේ අරමුණ ඉටු නොකිරීම හරහා තම සේවාධායකයාට වංචාවක් සිදු කරයි. තෙවනුව ළදරුවාගේ ආහාර සදහා කිරිපිටි මිලදී ගැනීම හරහා රට ආර්ථික වශයෙන් අයහපත් දිසාවකට තල්ලු කරයි. තවද මෙම මිල ගනන් තමන්ට දරා ගැනීමට යම් අපහසු තත්වයක පවතී නම් තමන්ගේ ආර්ථිකයටද හානිකර තත්වයක් උදා කරවයි.

ඊට පසු “කිරි පිටි මිල අඩු කරව්” යන විධික් ක්‍රියාවෙන් පවතින රජයට එරෙහිව තම මතය වා තලයට මුදා හරී. තමන්ගේ ජීවන ගමනේ මේ ලක්ෂය හරහා ගමන් කරන සෑම මවක්ම තම මාතෘත්වයේ වගකීම නිසි ආකාරයට ඉටු කිරීම හරහා, ළදරු කිරි ගෙන්වීමට වැය කරන විදේශ විනිමය අති විශාල ප්‍රමාණයක් මේ රටට ඉතිරි කරදී, ඒවා තම දරුවන්ගේ අනාගත අභිවෘර්ධියට යොදවන ලෙස රජයට බල කල හැක.

නමුත් ළදරු කිරිපිටි ගෙන්වීමට වැය කරන අති විශාල විදේශ විනිමය ප්‍රමාණය අපට හෙළිකරනුයේ සිය දරුවා වෙනුවෙන් මාතෘත්වයේ නිසි වගකීම ඉටු නොකරන මව් පරපුරේ සංඛ්‍යාත්මක අගයයි. තවද අසනීප හේතුවෙන් තම බිළිදාට තම කිරි දීමට නොහැකි මව් වරුන් මේ සංඛ්‍යාත්මක අගයට අයත් නොවන බවද සලකන්න.

මේ ලෝකයේ, අප දන්නා සත්ව පරපුර අතර, තම බිළිදුන් මරා කන සත්ව කොට්ඨාශ කීපයක්ම වාසය කරයි. උපත ලද තම බිළිදා විකුණන් කෑමට සූදානම් මව් වරුද මේ මිනිස් යයි නම් ලත් බුද්ධිමත්ම සත්වයා අතර ජීවත් වේ. විදේශිකයින්ට හෝ ස්වදේශිකයින්ට තම දරුවා විකුණන මේ ක්‍රියාවලිය එම කාර්යය කරන මිනිසුන්ගේ සමාජමය පරිහානිය ලොවට කියාපායි.

මෙම අවධිය පසුකර ගමන් කරන බිළිදා, පසුව දරුවකු බවට පත්ව තම අධ්‍යාපන කටයුතු වලට සුදුසු පාසලකට එම දරුවාව ඇතුලත් කර ගැනීමේ කඩඉමක් කරා ලගාවේ. මෙම කඩඉම අපූරු රංගනයන් ගෙන් යුක්තය. බොරුව සත්‍යය සේ පෙන්වීමට සූදානම්වන දෙමව් පිය පරපුර හා එම අවශ්‍යතාවය මනාව කලමණාකරණය කර තම මඩිය පුරවා ගැනීමට වෙර දරණ විදුහල්පති පරපුර, මෙම සමාජය සිල් රෙදි පොරවා ගත් පාදඩයින්ගේම බව අපට පෙන්වා දෙයි.

පාසලට ඇතුලත් වූ දරුවාට පාසල තුලදී ප්‍රමුකත්වයක් ලබා ගැනීම උදෙසා දෙමව් පිය පරපුර, පන්තිය භාර ගුරුතුමාට හෝ ගුරුතුමියට ලගාවන්නේ විවිධ භාණ්ඩ අල්ලස් වශයෙන් ලබාදීමෙනි. එසේ අල්ලස් ලබාගත් ගුරුවරයා, නිසි ලෙස තම සමාජ වගකීම ඉටු නොකර අමතර පංති මගින් එම දරුවන්වම ගසා කන සමාජයක් අපට උරුමව තිබේ. මෙවන් මිනිසුන්ගෙන් පිරුණ සමාජයක් තුල මහා තරගයක් කර විභාගයට ඉදිරිපත් වන දරුවාගේ ඒ විභාග උත්තර පත්‍රය ඇපයට තබාගෙන, ඒවා පරීක්ෂා කිරීමට නම් අපගේ මේ මේ ඉල්ලීම් ලබාදිය යුතුයයි මොර දෙන ගුරු පරපුරක් වසන හා එසේ කිරීම සාධාරණයයි දකින මින්සුන් කොට්ඨාශයක්ද වාසය කරන සමාජයක් මේ අසරණ දරුවන්ට මේ වනවිට උරුමව ඇත. විභාගය සමත් වන දරුවාට, මීලගට මුහුණ දෙන්නට වන්නේ අති ප්‍රබල ගැටලු රැසකටය.

මේ සෑම අභියෝගයකටම මුහුණ දී විභාග සමත් වී හෝ නොවී රැකියා ලබා ගන්නා හෝ දේශපාලඥයින් බවට පත්වෙන තරුණයා හෝ තරුණිය දකින්නේ තමා ආ මග දිගටම තමාව තලා පෙලා සූරා කෑ සමාජයක් මිස, තමාව ආදරයෙන් සුරැකි සමාජයක් නම් නොවේ. උපතේ සිට මේ දක්වා තමාගෙන් සැම දෙයක්ම සොරා ගත් මේ සමාජයෙන් තමන්ට හැකියාව ලැබී ඇති මේ මොහොතේ ගත හැකි සෑම දෙයක්ම සොරා ගැනීමට ඉටා ගනී. එහි ප්‍රතිඵලයක් වශයෙන්, ඔහු හෝ ඇය එම අරමුණ ඉලක්ක කරගෙන එම කාර්යයන් කිරීමට උචිත ආකාරයට සිය ශරීරයට ආරූඩයන් කා වද්දා ගනී. ඒ අනුව ඔහු සමාජයේ විවිධ ස්තරවල විවිධ තරාතිරම් වලින් ස්ථාන ගතවේ.

ඒ අනුව, අතිගරු ජනාධිපතිතුමා හෝ ජනාධිපතිතුමිය, ගරු අග්‍රාමාත්‍යතුමා හෝ අග්‍රාමාත්‍යතුමිය, ගරු ඇමතිතුමා හෝ ගරු ඇමතිතුමිය, ස්ථිර ලේඛම් තුමා හෝ තුමිය, ආයතන ප්‍රධානියා , ලිපිකරුවා ගුරුවරයා කම්කරුවා ආදී වශයෙන් සමාජයේ විවිධ වේශයන්ගෙන් සමාජය තුල ස්ථාන ගතවී තමන්ගේ ඉලක්කයන් හඹා යයි.

මේ අනුව, අතිගරු ජනාධිපතිතුමා හෝ ජනාධිපතිතුමිය, රජයේ දේපල විදේශිකයින්ට හා ස්වදේශීය ඥාතීන්ට හිමි කරවමින් මුදල් උපයන අතර, ත්‍රස්තවාදය හා රාජ්‍යපාලනය එක මවකගේ දරුවන්සේ කටයුතු කරවමින්ද මුදල් උපයයි. ත්‍රස්තවාදය ව්‍යාපාරයක් බවට පත්කර, මුදල් අවශ්‍ය විට මුදලුත් ආයුධ අවශ්‍ය විට ආයුධත් ක්‍රමානුකූලව සපයමින් පවත්වා ගෙන යයි.

හමුදා ප්‍රධානීන් බුද්ධි තොරතුරු ත්‍රස්තවාදීන්ට සපයා මුදල් උපයන අතරම කොළඹ නවාතැන්ද සපයමින් ත්‍රස්තවාදය රැක බලා ගනී.

මැති ඇමතිවරු පොහොර සහනාධාරයෙන්, ගොවි ආපදා වන්දි වලින්, රටට හිමි සහල් තමා සතු කර සගවා විකිණීමෙන්ද, ඩෙංගු මදුරුවා නිරුපද්‍රිතව රැක බලා ගැනීමෙන් (මේ වන විටත් ඩෙංගු මදුරුවා විනාශ කරන කීඨයාව කියුබාවෙන් ගෙන්වා ගැනීමට එරෙහිව ක්‍රියාකරන මදුරු නාශක විකුණන සමාගම් වලට මෙරට සෞඛ්‍ය බලධාරීන්ව මුදලට ගැනීමට හැකිව ඇති බව සලකන්න.) මුදල් උපයයි. කොටින්ම කිවහොත් රට කරවන අය රට විකුණනයි. දේශපාලන පක්ෂ මෙහෙයවන අය සිය පක්ෂ විකිණීමද කරයි. සමාජ යාන්ත්‍රණයේ සෑම අංගයක්ම කුමන හෝ දූෂණයකට බද්ධව මුදල් උපයයි. පහලම කොටස් බොරු ඕවර් ටයිම් වලින් හෝ මේ වංචාවට සම්බන්ධ වේ. තමන් දිනපතා යන එන මාර්ගය සෑදීම සදහා පාරට ගෙනත් දමන කලු ගල් කැබලි හවසට සොරා ගෙන තම වත්තට ඇදගන්නා තරමට, හොරකම ජරා ජීර්ණ වූ සමාජයක; හොරකම, දූෂණය හා වංචාවට එරෙහිව සටන් කිරීමට සිදුව තිබේ. තවද අරුමය වන්නේ සිය දෛයිනික ජීවිතයේදී මෙම යාන්ත්‍රණයට බද්ධව කටයුතු කරන පරපුරක්ම මැති ඇමති වරු පමණක් ඉලක්ක කරගෙන මේ හඩ නැංවීමයි.

මේ වනවිට මෙරට මැති ඇමති වරු සොරකම් කරන්නේ අවශ්‍යතාවයන් සපුරා ගැනීමට නොව, පුරුද්දටය. රාජ්‍යයේ ප්‍රතම වතාවට යුද්ධය ජාවාරමක් කර නොගත් ජනාධිපතිවරයකු බිහිවීම හරහා මෙම යාන්ත්‍රණය තුල දෙදුරුම් කෑමක් හට ගෙන ඇත. යුද්ධය නම් වූ මහා දූෂිත යාන්ත්‍රණය විනාශවීමත් සමග රට තුල නව සංස්කෘතියකට මග විවර වුවද, මිනිසුන් තවම එම මගට අවතීර්ණව නැත. දෙගිඩියාව මිනිසුන් තුල ලැගුම් ගෙන ඇත. හැම අයෙක් දෙසම මිනිසුන් බලන්නේ ඉමහත් සැකයකිණි.

සොරකමට ස්වරූප දෙකක් පවතී. අපට ඒ සදහා විවිධ අර්ථකතනයන් දිය හැක. ඉතාම සරල විදියට කිවහොත් හොද හොරකම හා නරක හොරකම ලෙස දැක්විය හැක. තවත් විදියකින් ප්‍රකාශකරනවා නම් දේශප්‍රේමී හොරකම හා දේශ ද්‍රෝහී හොරකම වශයෙන්ද නම් කල හැක. අප හැම විටකම හොද හොරකම අගය කරන්නෙමු. තවද අප දේශප්‍රේමී හොරකම අගය කරන්නන්ද වෙමු.

මෙය වටහා ගැනීමට මෑත ඉතිහාසයට ගමන් කරමු. දේශප්‍රේමය ගැන කථා කරන විට, ඒ සදහා හොදම තෝතැන්න බටහිර ජාතීන් පැලපදියම් කල කොටි ත්‍රස්තවාදය හා බැදුන යුද්ධයයි. මෙම යුද්ධය සදහා බටහිර හාම්පුතුන් සැපයූ මහා ධනස්කන්ධය, මුදාහල ස්ථානයේ සිට එය ලැබිය යුත්තා දක්වා ගලා එන යාන්ත්‍රණයේ සෑම තැනකම සිටින්නේ පල් හොරුන්ය. ඔවුන් සිටින ස්ථානය පසුකර මුදල් ගලා යන සෑම අවස්ථාවකදීම තමන්ට ඩැහැගත හැකි උපරිමය ඔවුන් විසින් ගිල ගනී. එනම් සොරකම් කරයි. අප නිතරම කථා කරන එරික් සෝල්හයිම්ලා හා රොබොටෝ බ්ලේක්ලාගෙන් බොහෝවිට ගිලිහී එන්නේ රොඩ්ඩය. එම මුදල් මෙරට තුලදී තවත් විකණ්ඩනයට භාජනය වී ඉලක්කයට යමක් ලැබේ. මෙම ක්‍රියාන්විතයේදී සිදුවන හොරකම අපට සාපේක්ෂව හොද හොර කමකි. මෙරට දේශප්‍රේමීන්ට උදව් උපකාර කරන හොර කමකි. මෙවැනි ඉතා හොද වර්ගයේ ක්‍රියාවන් මෙරට සිටි NGO නඩය ඉටු කරන ලදී. විදේශ රටවල සිටින ද්‍රවිඩ ප්‍රජාව අතර මෙවැනි හොරුන් අති බහුලය.

අප රට තුලද මේ දෙආකාරයේ සොරකම් හරහා මුදල් රැස්කර ගත්තවුන් රාශියක් සිටී. මෙම මුදල් යලි මෙරට තුල ආයෝජනය කර මුදාගත් ප්‍රදේශවල ‍ගොවිබිම්, කර්මාන්තශාලා ආදිය ගොඩනංවා මෙරට ජනතාවට වැඩදායී විදියට කටයුතු කිරීම හරහා එම හොරකම් වලට යම් සමාජමය අගයක් ලබාදිය හැකි වාතාවරණයක් මෙරට තුල පවතී. ඒ සමගම ජනතාව මත මේ රට මහා වගකීමක් පවරා ඇත. ඒ, කිසිම දූෂිතයකුව පාර්ලිමේන්තුව තුලට නොඑවීමේ භාරදූර කර්තව්‍යයයි. එම වගකීම නිසි ලෙස ඉටු කිරීම හරහා ත්‍රස්තවාදයෙන් රට මුදවා ගත් ජනාධිපති මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ මහතාට, එතුමා ඉල්ලා සිටින පරිදි හොරකමින්, දූෂණයෙන් තොර රටක් ගොඩනැංවීමට දරන ප්‍රථම උත්සහය නම් වූ පුණ්‍යකර්මයට දායක වෙමු.

චන්ද්‍රසිරි විජයවික්‍රම

 ඔවුන් එකට කැමරාව ඉදිරි පිට සිටින විට අනෝමා ෆොන්සේකා ගේ සඳමෙන් රවුම් මූණටත්, එහි පෙනෙන මොනා ලීසා ගේ මෙන් එහි සැඟවුනු දුකටත්, වඩා මේ දිනවල පෙනෙන්නේ සෝමවංශ ගේත්, ටිල්වින් ගේත්, විජිත හේරත් ගේත් අර්ශස්ගායෙන් පෙලෙන්නන්ගේ වැනි වූ දියාරු වුන මුහුණුය. මා තුල ජේ.වී.පී. කාරයින් ගැන හැම විටම එක්තරා කනගාටුවක් තිබුනේය.  කලකට පෙර මේ ගැන ලිපි කිහිපයක්ම ද අයිලන්ඩ් පත්තරයට ද මම ලිව්වෙමි. නමුත් ලංකාවේ දේශපාලයෙන් මේ අයව ලාදුරු රෝගයෙන් පෙලෙන අයව මෙන් ඉවත් කර දැමීමේ කාලය දැන් පැමින ඈත. අප්‍රියෙල් චන්දය ඔවුන්ගේ මිනීවල කිරීමට මහින්ද රාජපක්‍ෂ ජනාධිපතිට කල හැකි දේ වල් කීපයක්ම ඈත.

  1971 දෙසැම්බර් මාසයේදී අල්ලාගත් හා භාරවූ ජේ.වී.පී තරුනයින් ගේ විස්තර සටහන් කිරීමට රජය යොදවාගත් නිලධාරීන් 200 දෙනාගෙන් ලා බාලම නිලධාරියා වූයේ මා ය. එවිට මගේ වයස අවුරුදු 25 ක් විය. අනිත් අය අවුරුදු හතලිහ පනහ පැනපු අය විය. වැලිකඩ හා අනුරාධපුර හිර ගෙවල් වලදී මට දැන ගැනීමට ලැබුනේ බොහෝ විට නායකයින් ඈඟ බේරා ගත් ආකාරයත්, විශේෂයෙන්ම සටන් කටයුතු භාරව සිටි විශ්ව විද්‍යාල  ශිෂ්‍යයින් සටන් මග හැර යාමත් වැනි කතාය.

අවංකවම ව්‍යාපාරයට බැඳුන තරුනයින් බොහෝ දෙනෙක් නිකරුනේ මිය ගියේය. ජේ.වී.පී. කාරයින් ලංකාව විනාශ කලේය. 1971 වන විට සිටි දේශපාලකයින් 90% ක් පමනම අද වගේම බොරු කාර හොරු විය. යූ. එන්.පී කාරයින්  සී. පී. සෙනෙවිරත්න යටතේ 1966 දී පමන ලෑන්ඩ් ආමි එකක් හැදූ විට ඒ ගැන බයවූ ලෙස්ලි ගුනවර්ධන වැනි සමසමාජ කාරයින් හා ස්ටැන්ලි තිලකරත්න වැනි  ශ්‍රී ලංකා නිදහස් කාරයින් කලේ වහෙන් හොරෝ ක්‍රමයට තරුන පිරිස් සංවිධානය කිරීමය. 1970 බලයට ඒමෙන් පසු මේ දේශපාලන හොරු තරුනයින්ට දුන් බොරු බලාපොරොත්තු (උදාහරනයක් වශයෙන් පලාතේ ඈති සල්ලිකාරයින්ගේ හිස් ඉඩම් කඩා දුප්පත් මිනිසුන්ට බෙදා දෙන බව කිව්වත් පානදුරේ එසේ කල තරුනයින්ව ලෙස්ලි ගුනවර්ධන පොලිසිය යොදවා ඉවත් කලේය.) සුන් කලේය. මේ තරුනයින් බුරුතු පිටින් විජේ වීරගේ ගොන් ව්‍යාපාරයට බැඳීම පුදුමයක් නොවීය.

 කළු සුද්දන් 1948 ට පෙර හා ඊට පසුවත් කරන ලද බොරු පාලන ක්‍රම නිසා ලංකාව ක්‍රමයෙන් ප්‍රපාතය කරා ගියේය. බංගවේවා, පාර්ලිමේන්තුව-කථා සාප්පුව වැනි ස්ලෝගන් කම්කරුවාට කියා දෙමින්, ඉංග්‍රීසි බදා ගෙන විස්කි බිබී, බල්ලන් සුරතල් කරමින් කාලය ගෙවු ඩොරික් ද සූසා, එන්. එම්., කොල්වින්, ලෙස්ලි ලාද කළු සුද්දන් මිස ලංකාවේ හෝචිමින් ලා නොවීය. මොවුන්ගේ රැවටිලි වලට විරුද්ධව ඈතිවූ අසහනය 1971 කැරැල්ලෙන් පෙනී ගියේය. නමුත් විජේවීර 1971 දීත් 1988-89 දීත් ඉතාමත් ගොන් විධියට ක්‍රියාකලේය.

 ප්‍රේමදාසට පසු චන්ද්‍රිකාගේ කාල වනවිට රට බල්ලට යෑම තව තවත් ඉක්මන් විය. මේ කාලයේදී ජේ.වී.පී. කාරයින් රටට වැදගත් සේවයක් කලහැකි කොටසක් බව පෙනීගිය බව අප පිලිගත යුතුය. යූ.ඈන්.පී හා ශ්‍රී ලංකා කාරයින් මහජනයා අතර අවලංගු කාසි බවට පත්වී ඈතැයි රනිල් කිව්වේ ද මේ කාලයේමය. සෝම හාමුදුරුවන්ගේ ඝාතනයෙන් පසු ඔහුගේ දෑවැද්ද ට උරුම කීමට ජේ.වී.පී, කාරයින්ද උත්සුක විය. චන්ද්‍රිකා කලේ සෝම හාමුදුරුවන්ගේ අම්මා සමඟ පොටෝ එකක් ගැනීමය. අනිත් අතට එකල චන්ද්‍රිකාගේ එක් අගසවු කෙනෙක් වූ මංගල සමරවීර (අනිත් අගසව්වා වුනේ එස්. බී. දිසානායකය) සිංහල කොමිසම් වාර්තාව කුනු කූඩයට දාන්නත්, යුද්ධය නවත්වන්නත් සුදු නෙලුම් ගෙනියන කාලයේ, පෙලපාලි යන ජේ.වී.පී. කාරයින්ට පිරිත් නූල් බඳින්නට අහිංසක, හිත හොඳ හමුදුරුවරු මග බලා සිටියේද මේ වකවානු වලමය.

 විමල් වීරවංශ ගේ කඩා ගෙන යෑමෙන් පෙනී ගියේ යම් හොඳ දෙයක් කරමින් සිටි ජේ.වී.පී එක ඈතුලේ ඉන්දියන් රෝ හෝ වෙන විදේශ චරපුරුෂ කොටස් රිංගා ගෙන සිටින බවය. දැන් දැන් පැහැදිලිවන්නේ සෝමවංශ අමරසිංහ නියම ඔත්තුකාරයෙක් බවය. ඔහු කථාකරන ආකාරය බැලුවහම බල්ලෝ බත් කන්නේවත් නැති තරම් සවුත්තුය. මේ හැසිරීම අන්ත පරාදයේ, විනාශයට යෑමේ පෙර නිමිතිය.

  වැලේ වැල් නැතිව ගිය කොටස් දෙකක් දැන් කොළඹ සිංහල බෞද්ධ නොවන් චන්ද වලින් පන නල රැක ගැනීමට මරනීය උත්සාහයක යෙදෙන බව සරත් ෆොන්සේකා ඉස්සරහට දමා ගෙන සෝමවංශලා කරන මගඩියෙන් පෙනේ. සරත් ෆොන්සේකාට යලි ලංකාවේ චන්දයකට ඒමට හෝ මහජනයා ඉදිරියට ඒමට ඉඩක් නැත. ඔහු දැන් ඉතාමත් සවුත්තු වුන පුද්ගලයෙකි. හොරෙකි, වංචා කාරයෙකි. මුරුගයෙක් වැනි චරිතයක් ඈති මිනිස් වෙසින් සිටින සතෙක් වැනිය.  බ්ලේක්ලාට දැන් ඔහුගෙන් වැඩක් නැත.

 ජේ.වී.පී කාරයින් වගේ කොටසකට ලංකාවේ ඉඩකඩ තිබෙන්නේ දරිද්‍රතාවයෙන් පෙලෙන, නොසලකා හරින ලද ජන කොටස් හැමතැනම සිටින නිසාය. 1978 න් පසු සල්ලි හොයා ගත් බොහෝ අය සිටියත් සෑහෙන් ජන කොටසක් දුක් විඳිමින් සිටින බව පැහැදිලිය. මේ කොටස් වලට මෙම අප්‍රියෙල් චන්දයේදී විශවාසයක් දී හරවා ගැනීමට ජනාධිපති ට කලහැකි බොහෝ දේ ඉතිරිව ඈත. ඔහු නොයෙක් දේවල් ගැන එහෙන් මෙහෙන් කියයි-කරයි. නමුත් කෙලින්ම පැහැදිලිව කිසිවක් නොකරයි- නොකියයි.  මෙවැනි කාරනාවල ලැයිස්තුවක් මෙසේය.

 1. චන්දයට සෑහෙන තරුන පිරිසක් ඉදිරිපත් කර ඈත.  පවතින හොර ක්‍රමය යටතේ ජනාධිපතිට කඩාගෙන බිඳගෙන ඉදිරියට යා නොහැක. නමුත් මේ තරුන පිරිස කරන්න යන්නේ කුමක්ද කියා දැන්මම එලියට දැමිය යුතුය. ගමේ ජේ.වී.පී. කාරයින්ව පැරදිය හැක්කේ එසේය.
2. තුනෙන් දෙකේ චන්දය ලබාගෙන කරන දේ ගැන පැහදිලිව ගම් වල ජනයාට කිව යුතුය. මහින්ද චින්තනය ඉදිරි දැක්ම පොතේ මෙය පැහැදිලි කර නැත.
3. දූෂන නැතිකරනවා කිව්වාට මදිය. එය කරන්නේ කෙසේද කියා මහජනයාට කිව යුතුය.
4. රජයේ සේවයෙන් දේශපාලන ය අයින් කලයුතුය.
5. රජයේ සේවය කාර්‍යක්‍ෂම කිරීමට සේවය තක්සේරු කිරීමේ විධි හඳුන්වා දිය යුතුය.
6. ග්‍රාම සේවක මට්ටමින් දත්ත රැස් කලයුතුය
7. ඈමති මන්ඩලය අඩුකරනවා කිව්වාට පමනක් මදිය. තනතුරු බලාගෙන් ඉන්නා මන්ත්‍රීලාට කරන්නේ කුමක්ද කියා ජනතාව දැනුවත් කල යුතුය.

මේ කාරනා විකාර කතා කියා යමෙක් සිතන්නට පුලුවන. නමුත් ලංකාවේ ගැමි චන්දදායකයා මෝඩයෙක් නොවේ. ජේ.වී.පී කාරයින් ගමෙන් පැන්නීමට නම් පොතක ඈති වාක්‍ය වලට වඩා ඉදිරියට ගොස් සත්‍යය ඔවුන්ට කියා කරන දේ ඔවුන්ට තේරුම් ගත හැකි භාෂාවෙන් කිව යුතුය.

 
සිංහලෙන් ලියන්න පහසුම විදිහ:

Susantha Wijesinghe

Six million children of Mother Lanka voted for the Father of the nation, while 4 million children of the same MOTHER Lanka, voted for a GODFATHER, on the 26th of January 2010. Nevertheless, the Father of the Nation, came out with flying colours. He loves the children of MOTHER Lanka. Yet, he is non plussed, at the attitude of this 4 million children, when all are registered as legal children of MOTHER Lanka. May be these children are still immature in their way of thinking. They are foolish, not to go forward in life. May be, they will get out of their wishful thinking, drop their fanciful dreams of a world of their own, the fairy world of Eelaam.

 The FATHER of the nation saved this 4 million too, from the ruthless misery of Tamil Tiger Terrorism, yet they were misled to vote for a GODFATHER, who had a vision of leading them up the garden path. Ultimately, they ended up in the best loser category. They gained nothing, no happiness, but a livid feeling of despair. The GODFATHER’S true nature has been exposed, and is now leading a life of pestilence. Do this 4 million children still depend on this GODFATHER for their elusive Eelaam ? NO, definitely not. They are now wise enough to realize that it was a mirage that was promised. The correct answer will be known on 8th APRIL 2010, to know whether their present decision is very wise, or inherently foolish.

 In the film industry, the GODFATHER is showcased as a ruthless mafia leader, who does not hesitate to annhilate his opponents, through his motley coterie. He is in a world of his own, and plan to collect wealth illegally, through his relations, in-laws etc. He has no scruples when it comes to deception. At parties with other mafia members, he is reflected as a great philanthropist. Yet, he loves the company of mass murderers. In his right hand is a fella, always a loser, and hence always green, and in his left hand is a Red fella, with his Trophy for destruction, and mass murder, of the young and ignorant.

 Now, this 4 million children know very well that GODFATHERS, and the new breed, GODMOTHERS, are trying to round them up with Bull Defecating visions of more mirages. They are more mature now. They are more wise now. They will never fall for it.

 Development of MOTHER LANKA is progressing at a rapid pace. This 4 million children of MOTHER LANKA will join the other six million, on the 8th April 2010, and make this PLEDGE to THE FATHER OF THE NATION, PLEASE, GIVE US PEACE AND PROSPERITY FOR EVER, WE TRULY LOVE YOU. PLEASE BE OUR SHINING LIGHT. WE ARE ALL YOUR CHILDREN AINT WE ? WE LOVE OUR MOTHER LANKA. LET US DEVELOP OUR HOMES AND VILLAGES, HAND IN HAND WITH YOU.

 Alerting all Sri Lankan children, of THE FATHER OF THE NATION, in Jaffna, Vanni, Baticaloa, Trincomalee, Digamadulla, and Nuwara Eliya, Let us go together on the 8th APRIL 2010, and make the above pledge IN ONE VOICE. and hand over our most valuable asset, THE VOTE. From then, the Gods you worship wil be your guiding light,

 My personal wish is to bless the 6 million and 4 million children and any other children left out, with the blessings of the Triple Gem, in all their happiness. Be Loyal to THE FATHER OF THE NATION, who will ensure happiness to all.

 Watch the Miracle happen

Susantha Wijesinghe

By Shelton A. Gunaratne  c 2010

 My son Junius was barely 2 years old when my wife Yoke-Sim and I took him on a two-week-long tour of New Zealand. We landed in Christchurch, the big city of the South Island, on a Saturday (12 Dec. 1981) at 4.30 p.m. although we left Brisbane, Qld. (Australia), at 10.30 a.m. and the Qantas flight itself took only three hours. But the New Zealand time zone was also ahead of Queensland by three hours. 

Our intention was to introduce Junius to the joys and sorrows of foreign travel from a very early age. Therefore, I arranged the Tiki Tour of New Zealand to celebrate his second birthday on 19 Jan. We left Auckland (New Zealand) back to Brisbane on 1 Jan. 1982. I suspect that because of the 18-day time gap between the two events Junius did not associate the tour with his birthday at all.

Tiki Tours, the company that organized the tour of our choice, had no objection to a 2-year-old joining the long excursion. And we had confidence that Junius had the mettle to withstand the strains of a two-week coach tour.

At the Christchurch Airport, we reported to the Tiki Tours Center, where a Mr. McIlwraith took us in a coach to Shirley Lodge on Marshlands Road, Shirley, northeast of the city, where we checked in. Our room had excellent facilities and we enjoyed a sumptuous dinner as well. Our first impression of New Zealand was very positive.

I laid back and read The Star newspaper. The quality and depth of its political analyses impressed and surprised me.

(The Shirley Lodge is still in operation and so are the Tiki Tours.)

Crossing Arthur’s Pass

Mt. Cook Coachlines’ “steerologist” (coach captain/driver) Merv Papakura commenced our Tiki Tour of the South Island Sunday morning.

First, Papakura gave us a short tour of Christchurch (current population 386,100), the second largest urban area of New Zealand, after Auckland. The estimated population of the entire country is 4.4 million (78 percent European/Other; 15 percent Maori; 9 Percent Asian; 7 percent Pacific Islander).

Among the points of interest in Christchurch are its Cathedral Square, which accommodates a speakers’ corner (an obvious replication of London’s Hyde Park Corner); the pedestrian-only urban mall along Cashel Street; and the Cultural Precinct that promotes arts, cultural and heritage attractions.

After a stop at Cathedral Square, Papakura gave us a panoramic view of the city by driving south on Colombo Street (next to Madras Street) from Hagley Park through Sydenham and Cashmere to the Sign of the Takahe and beyond to the scenic northern Summit Road at the southwestern edge of Victoria Park overlooking the bay. My diary entry doesn’t record how he got to Highway 73 for our 242-km ride northwest across the island’s mountainous middle to Greymouth (population 10,000) on the West Coast.

Our tea stop was at Springfield, the center of a farming and sheep-raising district, 64 km from Christchurch. The plains ended and the mountains took over from there. Less than   16 km ahead was Porters Pass (elevation 939 meters), close to Lake Lyndon, reaching which required a steep climb. The highway zigzagged uphill across the steep cliffs for almost 65 km when we reached Arthur’s Pass (elevation 922 km), where we tarried to eat lunch at a quaint Alpine restaurant. (In addition to Arthur’s Pass, two other passes—Haast and Lewis—enable motorists to cross the Alpine Mountains of the South Island).  Rainy weather greeted us here. Papakura steered the coach uphill with meticulous skill for another 15 km to Otira, wherefrom he focused on the gradual descent to the West Coast’s Kumara Junction, 63 km further to the west. Then he headed north (on Highway 6) some 15 km to Greymouth, located on the mouth of the River Grey. Ashley Motor Inn, where we checked in, was 2.5 km south of the town center. This motel is still in operation.

(Since our journey three decades ago, the New Zealand government has stabilized and improved the condition of Highway 73. For example, in 1999, the government completed the Otira Viaduct spanning 440 meters of unstable terrain at a cost of $45 million.)

After dinner, I walked north to explore the town. My walk got longer when I got lost north of Victoria Park. Back in the motel after the walking exercise, I relaxed reading The Weekend Star and the Saturday edition of the Greymouth Evening Star.

Franz Josef Glacier

We left Greymouth at 9 a.m. in rainy weather. Our first stop was the township of Hokitika (population 3,000), 38 km southwest of Greymouth on Highway 6. Founded in 1864 as a gold-mining center, Hokitika became the capital of the short-lived Westland Province from 1874-1876.  In the ‘80s, the township was heavily dependent on dairying and sawmilling. We visited a glass-blowing factory and a greenstone-carving factory in the town.

Continuing our journey in the rain, we passed Lake Ianthe and stopped briefly at Hari Hari to see the La Fontaine Swamp where the Australian aviator Guy Menzies (1909-1940) crash-landed on 7 Jan. 1931when he flew the first solo trans-Tasman flight from Sydney to the West Coast of New Zealand.

The purpose of the day’s trip was to experience the Franz Josef Glacier, a major tourist attraction that draws in some 2,700 visitors a day. Therefore, on arrival in Franz Josef (population 330), 134 km from Hokitika, we checked in at the Westland Motor Inn.

The 12-km long glacier is located in the Westland National Park. To cite the Wikipedia:

Together with the Fox Glacier 20 km to the south, it [Franz Josef Glacier] is unique in descending from the Southern Alps to less than 300 meters above sea level, amidst the greenery and lushness of a temperate rainforest.

The area surrounding the two glaciers is part of Te Wahipounamu, a World Heritage Site park. The river emerging from the glacier terminal of Franz Josef is known as the Waiho River.

Yoke-Sim and I decided that having traveled this far in the world, it was sheer folly for us not to experience the actual glacier. So we spent an extra $35 per head for a Heli-Hike tour of the glacier.   We had to put on boots and Alpine stock before we got on the helicopter to land on Luncheon Rock, about 800 meters above sea level. A guide helped us to walk on the glacier ice. It was an awesome experience for all three of us.

After dinner, we visited the Westland National Park Visitor Center to learn more about glaciers.

On the Way to Queenstown

Tuesday morning, Papakura transported us from Franz Josef to Queenstown for a two-night stay.

Although the distance between these two places was only 354 km on Highway 6, our detours along the way increased the day’s traveled distance by an extra 60 km. After leaving the motor inn heading south on Highway 6, we stopped briefly at the foot of the Franz Josef Glacier to pay our respects and acknowledge its majesty. However, by failing to spare even a moment to acknowledge its collaborative role to enhance our understanding of the glacial life cycle, we silently but arrogantly miffed Fox Glacier.

We stopped for rest at Lake Paringa and Knights Point, where we saw the plaque marking the opening of the Haast Pass by Prime Minister Keith Holyoake in November 1965. Highway 6, which is the main drag from one end of the South Island (Invercargill) to the other (Nelson) on the western side of the Alpine Range, takes on different names at different points. The stretch between Fox Glacier and Makarora bears the name Haast in three variations. At Haast Pass, Highway 6 crosses the Alpines.

At Haast Beach on West Coast, Highway 6 takes a sharp turn east in the vicinity of the Haast township, where we stopped at the restaurant for tea. The restaurateur served us complimentary scones to celebrate our crossing the border from Westland to Otago through the Gates of Haast and the steep Haast Pass (562 meters above sea level), where the highway would turn southward to Makarora at the northern end of the enchanting Lake Wanaka.

Our lunch stop was Wanaka, further to the south. The scenery of this lake region was breathtaking. On the stretch from Wanaka to Queenstown, we stopped at Nevis Bluff and Kawarau Bridge. In Queenstown (population 10,500), we checked in at the (now defunct) Mountaineer Establishment Hotel.

Queenstown is an international resort built around the Queenstown Bay, an inlet of Lake Wakatipu “that is shaped like a staggered lightning bolt” (Wikipedia). It has earned a reputation for adventure tourism (bungy jumping, whitewater rafting, mountain biking) and snow sports (skiing, skateboarding). TSS Earnslaw, a century-old coal-fired steamship, provided tours of the lake.

On our first night in Queenstown, we (Junius, Yoke-Sim and I) did a post-prandial walk in the town to see the jetty, the marine parade, the mall, Camp Street, Isle Street, etc. On our second night, we walked to the Queenstown Gardens, a patch of greenery that juts into the lake, where Junius had a lot of fun chasing after the ducks and other birds. Both evenings, I relaxed reading the excellent local newspaper, The Otago Daily Times.

Although our second day in Queenstown turned out to be cloudy and drizzly, we took a boat ride (on “Moana”) across Lake Wakatipu to the Walter Peak sheep and cattle station, where we had tea and short eats ($2 per person). On this three-hour excursion, we watched wool-spinning and sheep dog trials at the homestead. Costs have dramatically escalated since our 1981 trip as evident from the following cotemporary account of a visitor:

You can just ride the ship across the lake and back for NZ$40 (adult), you can ride across and get off at the Walter Peak Farm (a working sheep farm) to get a tour and sheep-shearing show for NZ$60 (adult) or with lunch included for NZ$82 (adult), you can also get a more historical tour of the farm for NZ$70, or you can do what we did, which was to ride across the lake and get off at Walter Peak Farm for a horseback ride for NZ$99 (adult) 

Back in town, we ate lunch on the mall, where a very amiable female barber gave me a $6 haircut. Later, we took a 445-meter Skyline Gondola ride ($3.50 per person) to the chalet overlooking the town. But the clouds marred our view of the vicinity. (Again, I have mentioned these 1981 prices only as a historical record.)

Next: Exploring the east of South Island

(The writer is professor of mass communications emeritus, Minnesota State University Moorhead.)

 Picture 1:  The writer, with his almost 2-year-old son Junius strapped onto his back, landed on Franz Josef Glacier by helicopter on Monday, 14 Dec. 1981.

Picture 2:  Yoke-Sim and Junius  on a visit to Shantytown, a replica of a   “Gold Rush” town located south of Greymouth, on Sunday (13 Dec. 1981).

Figure 1: Crossing the Alpine Range on Highway 73 via Arthur’s Pass: G=Christchurch; F=Springfield; E=Porters Pass; D=Arthur’s Pass; C=Otira; B=Kumara Junction; A=Greymouth

Orpheus Perera

I present this web address to the readers, so that they can get first hand information about the American Interest in the third world. They are talking about human rights, democracy and of war crimes. American Ambassador to Colombo Robert Blake openly supported the Sri Lankan Terrorist. Why?
They are concerned about the Retired General Fonseka’s arrest.

These are the stories most of the people, other than the people from South America did not know. They employ different techniques and reasons to invade different countries. Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan  were invaded directly using their State of the Art War Technology. Other countries, especially ex British colonies and the Latin American countries they employ different techniques.

Britain is controlling the price of Diamond in the world (Stored in London). They never had diamond mines. But they exploited countries like Sierra Leone while the silly Africans were fighting among themselves. There is famine and starvation among children in Sierra Leone, but they have diamonds.

Only  a very few people in Sri Lanka, who has associated people from respective countries knew these stories. I found even the well educated and qualified Sri Lankans were not aware of these conspiracies.
At a latter date I will show you why Mrs. Thatcher went to war with Argentina for a small island(deserted), near Argentina 30 years ago.

Chilie

CIA paid some one to organize the middle class to protest against the President Alande.

When the middle class realised things got worse after few years,the general came to the power,, they protested again(without any gratification from CIA). Then they were brutally suppressed.

West still thinks all the natural resources in the world is given to them by god and nobody else deserves it. I can remember reading a news item in an American journal about two years ago. It said “Petroleum in Sri Lanka?”, “Do they deserve it?”.

Please click on and read and pass the information to many who don’t have computers or cannot read  letters written in English language. This could have happened to Sri Lanka during SWRD, Mrs. B or HE President Mahinda Rajapakse.
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/COLDchile.htm

Orpheus Perera

Daya Wijesinghe   Hony. President – De Dham Rakno

Just as a large number of patriotic organizations, we too endeavoured, within the limits of our resources, for the victory of Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa. Just as they, we too are happy to congratulate him on his victory.

If somebody or some organization promotes a candidate at an election and if that person wins, there is a responsibility to the voters, on the part of those who recommended that person, to ensure that he or she meets the expectations of the people. We have been motivated to write this letter to the media, as we too have a share, however small, of that responsibility to the public.

One could get a clear understanding of what the electorate expected of Mr. Rajapaksa by delving into the manner in which the election campaign progressed and by examining the election results. Subsequent to defeating the LTTE, Mr. Rajapaksa had a very high poularity rating in the country. Even traditional UNPrs voted for him at the provincial council elections. The opposition political parties, which were desperate, made a shrewd move in the political chess game by getting Gen. Sarath Fonseka to contest for the presidency. As a result it was possible to direct a part of the hosannas of the people for crushing terrorism, away from Mr. Rajapaksa. Besides, at the beginning, the focus of Mr. Fonseka’s campaign was the promise of good governance and rule of law, sans corruption and thuggery. Further, Mr. Fonseka was connecting the high cost of living as a result of which people were suffering, to corruption in the government. This made room for the resentment of the people over corruption and thuggery that was submerged under a wave of patriotism, to rise again.

At the initial stage of the campaign it was apparent that Mr. Fonseka’s popularity could even surpass that of Mr. Rajapaksa. It is no secret that even the governing parties were rather disturbed by this trend. Yet this trend later began to change. The causes were; the arising of doubts about the patriotism of Mr. Fonseka (the main reasons being the white flag story and not rejecting outright the demands of the TNA, like Mr. Rajapaksa), doubts concerning his honesty and sincerity (Hi Corp deal and making promises that are impossible to keep, such as increasing the salary of government servants by Rs.10,000/-) and his showing of characteristics of a dictator rather than the affable qualities that should be the hallmarks of a democratic leader.

The other matter that is evident from this presidential election is that if the public belief in Mr. Fonseka as an honest person and a patriot grew without wavering, his popularity would have continued to rise and he would have most probably been elected as the president. We could therefore surmise that while the people despise corruption and thuggery, they considered the protection of the unitary state to be more important. They were wise enough to consider the high cost of living, under which they are suffering so much, to be of lesser priority than the future of the nation.

When analysing the election results, it is clear that the people who thus decided to vote for Mr. Rajapaksa are those close to the national ethos, found in greater numbers among the rural masses. It is they who have the potential to create a righteous society based on the values of our ancient and unique civilization. Their political ideas are considered as primitive and tribal by most of those in Sri Lanka who value western concepts. One such learned professor wrote to an English daily newspaper, attributing views against separatism of a bright young national minded journalist, who had studied in a prestigious American university also, to “village idiocy”. He further stated that the political thoughts of this journalist are “so tribal in spirit and so insular”, that he felt that this journalist is not fit to visit the particular university even as a tourist, leave alone studying there. What we have to understand is that this is not an instance of a person swollen with pride insulting another as one of inferior intellect. Rather, this is generally the manner in which those who have been influenced by Western thinking, look down upon those nurtured in the national ethos. Still, it is now clear that even the likes of him could live without fear today, only because the masses who grew in the national ethos were not only brave enough to sacrifice their lives for the country, but also have the ability to see through the local and foreign conspiracies against our nation.

It is therefore vital that the national ethos is protected and nourished for the well being of our nation. For this purpose it is essential to protect the mother tongue and Buddhism. The mother tongue is under serious threat not only from the FM services that are popularizing singlish but also from the Education and Higher Education Ministries. We feel that the respective ministers are responsible for this more than the higher officers of the two ministries. Instead of having the medium of instruction as the mother tongue, and teaching English well as the second language to raise its standard among the students, they are following the disastrous policy of making English the medium of instruction. As a result, new words will not be created to meet the demands of commerce, science, technology, law, etc. Then it would be difficult to discuss matters relating to those fields without mixing English words. Corruption of the language and the decline of it’s use would be inevitable. In international schools too steps should be taken to improve the standards and use of Sinhala and Tamil, as well as making students appreciate the nation’s history and cultural heritage. Furthermore, effective legislation should be brought to stop conversion of Buddhists to other religions through unethical means, not only for the purpose of protecting Buddhism but also to safeguard the national ethos that protects the country.

Another important aspect of the Presidential election results that deserves our attention is that the vast majority of the Tamils who voted, cast their votes for Mr. Fonseka at the behest of the TNA. It’s leaders were hoping to have Mr. Fonseka elected and through him to have further powers devolved to a combined Northern and Eastern Province, thereby creating the necessary political space for making further demands towards achieving the goals of the Vaddukoddai resolution. In the event of Mr. Fonseka not acceding to their demands after being elected, they could work towards the rejuvenation of a militarist separatist campaign here and abroad, claiming that it is not possible to win their political rights through peaceful negotiations with the Sinhalese as in the instances of Bandaranaike/Chelvanayagam and Dudley/Chelvanayagam pacts. What they do not admit is, just as in this instance those previous agreements too are private agreements between the signatories, achieved through political manipulation and arm twisting. Hence the people cannot be expected to honour those.

We should clearly understand the reality of the Tamil separatist problem. The root cause of this problem is the fact that the Tamils in the world, amounting to around 80 million, do not have a sovereign and independent country of their own. Hence, they hope to establish Eelam in the Northern and Eastern provinces, and thereafter with the help of the Tamils all over the world, to bring the whole country under their control, just as Jews were able to drive away the Palestinians and establish Israel.

Separatist politicians try to show that their struggle is an attempt to overcome the injustices they are being subjected to by the Sinhalese. But their true intentions are quite apparent from the false history of the country given in the Tamil separatist websites. According to those, the original residents of Sri Lanka are Tamils. With the arrival of Prince Wijaya in the 6th century BC, the invading Sinhalese have chased the Tamils away to the Northern and Eastern parts of the country and the former have established kingdoms in the rest of the country. Though this story is utterly inconsistent with archeological findings, rock inscriptions and the writings in chronicles, it was taught to Tamil youth even prior to the rise of the terrorist movement. We have reason to believe that this false history is still being spread among Tamil students by those teachers who were collaborating with the LTTE during it’s heydays.

It is not surprising for the Tamils who are mentally affected by the fact that they do not have a sovereign country of their own, to support separatism, or their youth to sacrifice their lives for same, as long as they believe that they have a right as well as the ability and opportunity to create that country in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. It is also not surprising that however much the government develop and devolve power to those areas, with a view to winning them over, the moment they find an opportunity to trek the path towards the creation of a separate state, for them to turn their backs on the government. This is amply evident from the way they voted this time.

Our Tamil brethren could be weaned away from this separatist mentality only through a committed long term effort having clear cut objectives. The first should be, clearly impressing upon their minds that there is absolutely no possibility for the creation of an Eelam or a self governing unit which could be strengthened through ever more devolution until it metamorphoses to the state of Eelam in the future. It is important to understand the many strategies adopted by the Tamil separatist politicians. From the beginning they resorted to the practice of bargaining for political powers to the Tamil majority areas with the two main political parties by showing the strength of the decisive block vote of the Tamils in the context of the Sinhala votes being equally divided among the two main parties. The other strategy was to promote separatist terrorism while depicting the ensuing bloodshed as resulting from an ethnic war and to prevail on the governmentd through Western states to initially grant self governance to the Northern and Eastern provinces. With the ending of Tiger terrorism at the Nanthikadal lagoon, and since it is no longer possible to create conflicts among the ordinary Sinhala and Tamil people, they are fast loosing the ability to prevail on the government through Western states to forward solutions based on devolution of power, claiming Tamils are being killed. Therefore the option available for the Tamil separatist politicians, is to bargain with the two main political parties as before, for devolution of power by offering the Tamil block vote.

It is this old strategy that the Tamil National Alliance followed in supporting the candidature of Mr. Fonseka. However, it did not succeed this time. That is because Mr. Rajapaksa received the great majority of the Sinhala votes. If Sinhala votes are to remain undivided in future elections as well, for separatist demands to be unsuccessful, it is imperative that the main drawbacks of the Rajapaksa administration, viz. corruption and lawlessness, end. Until such time the UNP extricates itself from the Western clutches and mindset, people of all races and religions who value the protection of the unitary state, durable peace and prosperity, have no other option but to strive to uplift the country by enabling the SLFP and other parties associated with it to govern. It is indeed a pity, that the JVP, because of the short sighted and opportunistic policies of it’s leaders, have denied themselves the invaluable role it could have played as an effective opposition party. We believe that the loss to the nation resulting therefrom is much greater for the nation than for it’s cadres.

The second item in the weaning away of Tamils from separatism is teaching them the true history of the country, which should be done through school curriculum as well as the media.

Thirdly, rather than strengthening divisive ethnic identities by bestowing special rights to a particular race in a province, where that race is in the majority, the common Sri Lankan identity should be strengthened by ensuring equal rights and opportunities to all citizens throughout the country, irrespective of race and creed. The fact that about 20% of those Tamils who voted, favoured Mr. Rajapaksa is an indication that already a considerable number of Tamils have rejected separatism and that they would be happy to join hands with the majority in the journey towards a prosperous future. Mr. Rajapaksa was able to get a majority of the Christian vote, because over a period of time many of them gradually migrated towards the national ethos, in spite of the efforts of some leading Christian clerics, especially those who favour the separatist cause, to keep their faithful within a closed Anglo-Christian culture. Hence it should not be a difficult task for Mr. Rajapaksa to win over a majority of the Tamils and the Moslems in the future.

Still, he would not be able to do it through Tamil and Moslem politicians who are so used to corruption and thuggery. Again, the all pervading issue of good governance enters the picture. When injustices that happen to all the people in general, by an administration under the whims and fancies of politicians and their henchmen, happen to members of a minority community, it would be interpreted as one caused in view of their minority status. This is the mentality of minorities even in the so called Western five star democracies.

The proportionate representation system has made it difficult up to now for a single party to get a clear majority in the parliament. Further, powerful Western countries have been conspiring to topple the government. Hence, Mr. Rajapaksa had no option but to give ministerial appointments even to corrupt MPs and turn a blind eye to their dishonourable conduct. But the fact that Mr. Rajapaksa gave a ministerial post to a person who was appointed as an MP by President Chandrika Bandaranaike when that person lost the election, and the fact that the police remained inactive against his acts of thuggery, is a clear indication that Mr. Rajapaksa cannot be expected to ensure good governance out of his own free will.

However, the people should be careful not to join hands with power hungry politicians and foreign funded NGOs in the hope of achieving good governance. It is with the Lankan patriotic movements here and abroad that are not associated with political parties, the maha sangha and such clerics of other religions, that the people should work with for that end. Patriotic movements should also no longer restrict themselves to defeating separatism, but should give leadership to the people in prevailing on the country’s political leadership to rid the society of corruption, thuggery and to ensure the rule of law, as well. President Mahinda Rajapaksa is quite sensitive to the wishes of patriots, unlike to those of political parties with ulterior motives. That is not only because his popularity is bound with the patriotism of the people, but also because he is a person who truly enjoys acceptance by the people.

Nevertheless, if Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa ensures that the coming parliamentary election is conducted free of thuggery as well as abuse of political power and privileges, it would be an indication that he is really going to keep his word on good governance during his second term.

SUSANTHA WIJESINGHE

The EUs decision to withdraw the GSP+ facility, I believe is centered, on a few Individuals, who in consensus, took that cacophonous and audacious step,not realising that they themselves, are committing, BLATANT HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, by depriving thousands and thousands of the much less priviledged Human Workforce, of Beautiful Sri Lanka, from putting FOOD on the table for their children and family. Has this decision arrived at, by each individual using his own conscience and sanity, or just one individual making a motion, and asking the rest, ” those who agree say Ayee ” It is my point of view, that either way, the decision is sadistic, and reflects no compassion, and is in bad faith.

The very fundemental principles of Human Rights, which the EU profess to uphold, is blindly shattered by an underlying act of vengeance. How come, that all these individuals from different countries comprising of the EU, harp on the SAME SUBJECT, vis-a-vis Human Rights Violations ?. Is it not evident that the EU clan are obligated to listen to the “evil renditions of the Tamil Tiger Terrorists Sympathisers, on their National Anthem, ” OH HUMAN RIGHTS.” The whole world knows that Tamil Tiger Terrorists Sympathisers have alledgedly bribed, and attempted to bribe worlds top leaders. Many have fallen hook, line, and sinker, to the lavish dollar handouts. So let it be a matter for conjecture about the EU Clan.

 Instead of having Compassion on low income workforce, and lending a hand to alleviate existing poverty, The EU by a sinister decision is trying to tail twist the Democratically Elected Government of Sri Lanka. A very disgraceful attempt. Perhaps a futile attempt. When OIL WELLS of SRI LANKA spit oil sky high, GSP+ will be history. Then Sri Lanka will appoint a TAIL TWISTER TO ITS LION CLAN.

 I like to equate this decision, to TWO PARENTS, acting like morons, and starving all the children in the family, as a punishment for one childs mischief. Sadistic isnt it ?.

 It is time that EU thinks very far, retract on the slippery steps of its immoral decision, try to be nice to a Democratic Sri Lanka, try to befriend its Democratically Elected Rulers, and stay away from Tamil Tiger Terrorists Sympathisers. If money is the root of all Evil, THEN SO BE IT.

MS

The LTTE, categorised by the FBI as the “the most ruthless terrorist organization in the world”, has another supporter in the European Union Parliament.

Step forward Jean Lambert, Green Party MEP (Member of European Parliament) for London and a member of the its Human Rights Sub-Committee and Delegation to South Asia (SAARC).

Jean petitioned for a ceasefire during the final battles in Northern Sri Lanka as the LTTE held 100,000+ civilians hostage as protection against the advancing Sri Lanka Army. She was unaware that the LTTE had not released any civilians during previous ceasefires, initiated by the Sri Lanka Army to let civilians escape the combat zone.

On Saturday 2nd May 2009, she spoke movingly at the Sivan Kovil Temple in a meeting organized by the British Tamils Forum (BTF). The meeting supported calls for a ceasefire in Northern Sri Lanka and highlighted the desperate situation of the Tamil civilians in the war-zone. Neither the petition nor the meeting made any mention of the LTTE’s culpability in holding civilians against their wishes in the combat zone.

Jean Lambert has offices and staff in London and Brussels. Despite having these resources at her command, she missed certain basic facts about the Sivan Kovil or the BTF.

The Sivan Kovil Temple is an LTTE controlled Hindu temple. In May 2008, the temple’s pro-LTTE trustees cancelled a memorial event for Mrs Maheswary Velutham (an adviser to an anti-LTTE political party) murdered by the LTTE in Jaffna, Sri Lanka in May 2008.

The BTF is the LTTE’s front organization in the UK. In July 2008, The BTF organized a tribute (Pongu Thamil) to the Black Tigers – the LTTE’s elite corp of suicide bombers – in London.

Despite reams of allegations of human rights abuses against the Sri Lankan government, 5,000 miles away, Jean Lambert practices an ‘ask me no questions and I’ll you no lies’ policy about LTTE’s activities and sympathisers in London.

‘Both sides are to blame’ is Jean’s preferred response to the question of whom to support in Sri Lanka’s war against separatist terrorism.

Savour these fine sentiments from Jean Lambert:

“We must not lose sight of the fact that eternal vigilance is indeed the price of liberty. At a time when human rights and democratic development hang in the balance in so many countries, the media, politicians and citizens have a duty to recognise that we owe our security and democracy in large part to those fighting for and defending freedom of the press.”

She failed note that most implacable enemy of human rights and democratic development is not the imperfect Government of Sri Lanka, but the perfectly formed racist terrorists, the LTTE.

Whilst the Sri Lankan government may be culpable in misdeeds against the press in Sri Lanka, the LTTE’s treatment of its’ press critics miraculously escape Jean’s censure. DBS Jeyraj, a well-respected Tamil journalist living in exile in Canada, had his legs broken by LTTE thugs for daring to criticize the terror group. Sinna Bala, a Tamil journalist critical of the LTTE, was murdered in Colombo by the LTTE. No words of condemnation issued from Jean about these LTTE-inspired attacks on journalists and press freedom.

 In 2004, the EU arrested Hans-Martin Tillack, a German journalist who dared to publish details of corrupt practices in the EU’s own anti-fraud organization. They also demanded Tillack’s list of contacts. This shocking attack on press freedom in the heart of civilized Europe, from whom Sri Lanka has so much to learn, appears to have escaped Jean Lambert’s penetrating gaze.

Until the SAARC’s membership is amended to remove pro-LTTE partisans like Jean Lambert, their pronouncements on the human rights situation in Sri Lanka must be treated with the contempt they deserve.

References:

Jean Lambert speaks at LTTE-controlled Hindu temple
http://tinyurl.com/ch33e6

UK Green Party & British Tamils Forum petitioning for ceasefire in Sri Lanka
http://tinyurl.com/c7vasj

British Tamils Forum – a Tribute to LTTE & Black Tigers
http://www.asiantribune.com/?q=node/12131

Sivan Temple, LTTE controlled front
http://tinyurl.com/r66oqb

British Tamils Organisation as LTTE front
http://tinyurl.com/nhvlb5

Murder of Sinna Balla
http://www.tamilweek.com/sinna_bala.html

EU arrest German journalist:
http://www.openeurope.org.uk/media-centre/article.aspx?newsid=124

By Noor Nizam, Sri Lankan Peace Activist, Freelance Journalist and Political Communication Researcher – Hamilton, Canada, Feb.27th., 2010.

It was interesting to read an article datelined Saturday, February 27, 2010 appearing in the Sri Lankan Guardian internet newspaper where certain allegations have been made against Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. According to the damming article it refers to the allegations made in a report from University Teachers for Human Rights – Jaffna, that it is Defence Secretary not Army Commander that was responsible for waves of killings that took place in Colombo.

The deception of this journalistic adventure by Sri Lanka Guardian to discredit Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the humble defence secretary he is, and the civil servant who dares not to hold back to tell the international press, what he things about the conspiracies of the international forces that are attempting to dislodge the good image of Sri Lanka, is only a smear campaign. The would be proxies of the types of bankrupt politicians of the like of (Mr) Gordon Brown and David Miliband of the UK (who will loose the next UK general elections ), Deputy Leader of the Foreign Affairs Committee at the Norwegian Parliament, of the ruling Labour Party (AP), Marit Nybakk, Erick Solhiem, Minister of the Environment and International Development, Norway, US assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian affairs, Robert Blake and their likes have nothing else to do other than talking about the sovereign state of Sri Lanka.

 When the Bush administration launched the killings of thousands of innocent people in Iraq and Afghanistan using the “evil of axis theory”, when the US is killing innocent civilians in Pakistan and the so called allied forces are killing many thousands around the world under the pretext of defending democracy, what was the international press doing? Where was Srilankaguardian.com? So what is all this about now that is worrying these so called angels of humanitarian needs to harp on a Nation that is one of the oldest democracies in the world and is still governed by a democratically elected President and government by it’s own citizens.

 To the Western world, these personalities may look court jesters of international relations, but to us from the South of the hemisphere it goes by as the saying – “The barber who has no work (client) tends to catch a cat and shave it.”

Helping to tell the world about the deceptive journalistic stories of the international political barbers are media institutions like the Sri Lankan Guardian that publish false reports and deceptive news datelines. They follow no International code of conduct for journalist or the rules laid down for “good journalism’ as accepted in the profession. Sri Lankan will still hear echoes of international conspiracies in public forums. Powerful nations that make up the UN Security Council will use issues like human rights, genocide, ethnic cleansing etc as a tool to justify their actions upon less powerful countries. Iraq, East Timor, Serbia, Afghanistan are a few examples. But Sri Lanka too has friends in the UN, countries like China, India and Russia. Terrorists like the beaten LTTE feel comfortable in attracting foreign nations to intervene on behalf of them using these same issues to force the Government to halt any offensives against their outfit nationally, though defeated, but not completely and now trying to revive internationally through other ruses. However, if the argument that we are seeing a new neocolonialism taking place is true, then Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa is definitely the enemy of all these international conspirators. These conspirators will pay or hire all the deceptive journalist all over the world to launch similar smear campaigns against a TRUE PATRIOT of Mother Sri Lanka.

 The deceptive journalism adopted by Sri Lankan Guardian in this smear campaign against Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa is very clear when you take a few moments to analyze the falsified metaphors created in the article. The heading to the article draws attention to the “present” where it refers to a report by the UTHR (www.srilankaguardian.org) and says in the heading “Gotabhaya Rajapakse not Sarath Fonseka responsible for killing of journalists and politicians says UTHR reports”

 But reading down the lines, one realizes the deceptive journalism used to hide the facts and falsify the reference (information), trying to give credence to the article that the UTHR has stated the above statement in their report. The journalist with no ethical conduct of journalism unknowingly admits that it is a report of the UTHR released in 2008, nearly 2 years ago. It has not relevance to the present and has said nothing about what the headline is all about. The Srilankanguardian.org article is a “dam lie”.

 These are the journalistic proxies of the international forces that are pursuing a course of action since HE. Mahinda Rajapaks launched the humanitarian “Operation Watershed” war against terrorism from Marvil Aru in the eastern province where the security forces took full control of the area on August 10^th., 2006 and accomplished the final victory over terrorism on May the 17^th., 2009 at the Nandikadal lagoon in the North (Wanni). The humanitarian war has brought PEACE to Sri Lankan. But it has not brought peace to the international conspirators of Sri Lanka. For them there is still an enemy in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan Patriots living in Sri Lankan and those domiciled abroad will stand to defend our patriotic son of our “MATHRUBOOMIYA – “Mawa Lanka”, the Secretary of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa. No smear campaign should deter Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa in his defence of our Nation and Motherland. Let this be a clear message to the international conspirators against Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka News

Sri Lankan and Canadian flags were taken by Prathap Perera to Vancouver, BC with the hope that family and friends back in Toronto, ON would be able to easily spot him if seen on television. However this turned out to be something much more and the following is a brief recap of several events which led to a great idea.  When Prathap carried the Sri Lankan flag to the Olympic Winter Games many tourists and onlookers were very curios as to where this beautiful flag originated from.

Some locals and foreigners were quickly able to recognize the Sri Lankan flag with much disappointment because there was no team present in Vancouver for 2010 Olympic Winter Games.  So due to this reason Prathap was motivated to showcase the Sri Lankan flag both in Vancouver, BC (During Russia Vs. Slovakia Game – Sat Feb, 20 2010) and also in Whistler, BC (Medal Presentation – Sun Feb, 23 2010).  The Flag was carried by Prathap Perera (ON), Suramya Nugawila (BC) Kumarini Nugawila (BC), Emmi/Sharuni Nugawila (BC) & Kasum Perera (BC). 

This was the first time ever in Olympic Winter Games history that the Sri Lankan flag was shown live on Canadian and international television.  This inspired Prathap to start a campaign with the hope of getting a Sri Lankan team ready in time for the XXII Olympic Winter Games to be held at Sochi, Krasnodar Krai, Russia in 2014. 

The Jamaicans did it back in 1988 Olympics Winter Games in Calgary, Alberta and we can too. Together we can make this dream a reality, the count down has already begun.  Wishing Sri Lanka peace and prosperity for the future, let’s put Sri Lanka on the Olympic Winter Games map.  This gesture was carried out for Sri Lanka and nothing more.

In Hindsight By Sunny

Feb.25th 2010

Dr.P.A.Samaraweera, Australia

Despite protests by the Sri Lankan government, David Miliband, British Foreign Secretary, had addressed the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) creating sour relations between the two countries.
 
The Sri Lankan govt has expressed displeasure because the GTF is the current LTTE network in the west and their agenda is to set up a separate state called the ‘Trans-National Govt of Tamil Eelam’. This would be a direct threat to the sovereignity of Sri Lanka. Therefore, David Miliband by addressing the GTF had become a supporting pillar of the LTTE lending credibility to an organisation which propogates separatist policy.
 
The GTF is an LTTE front organisation and its leaders were the fund raisers for the LTTE which in turn funded various political parties and politicians in western countries.
 
In his speech, he has said that he strongly supports and advocates non-violence and that peace is not found in weapons and warfare. However, he did not say this when the LTTE was creating mayhem in Sri Lanka and then during the war against the terrorists he was trying to lecture the  President how to run the war. Now he is preaching how the Sri Lankan govt should run its affairs. Miliband still thinks that Sri Lanka is a British colony. He should use his time to sort out terrorism in the Uk and Northern Ireland.
 
He has also said that, “…LTTE , a terrorist organisation, which committed countless atrocities itself, which refused to tolerate dissent, which forcibly recruited  children as soldiers and which again refused to allow Tamil civilians to escape from fighting…” But at the time while Sri Lanka was fighting terrorism,  he turned a blind eye to these atrocities and entertained LTTE supporters and spoke on their behalf.
 
A question that has been asked by neutral observers is how much was he paid by the LTTE  for addressing the Global Tamil Forum? Because the fund raising LTTE Net Work is a Multinational Corporation, budgeting more than US$300 million per year.

David Miliband has failed to realise that the end of the terrorist war brought peace not only to Sri Lanka but also to its neighbouring countries and South Asia in general. 

RANJIT WICKREMERATNE

Dear voters of my homeland, think wisely irrespective of party politics and cast your valuable vote without fail this time as we are facing the most important General elections after defeating the most ruthless terrorists organization in the world L.T.T.E. This is the first time in thirty years we go to the polls as a free nation. Because of L.T.T.E terror North and East population never had the freedom to cast their vote in any elections freely. Now the time has come to do our duty as free citizens of Motherland thanks to our Commadering chief and to our gallant war heros who liberated our land from Dondra to Point Pedro from the evil terrorists L.T.T.E.
 
In the last Presidential elections some gave their valuable vote to the current President of Sri Lanka and some gave to the opposition candidate Sarath Fonseka and other parties as they think the best. Now everybody saw what happend and who won the battle.The President won it very confortably as he was the man who liberated our Motherland from L.T.T.E. terror after thirty bloody years. People of my homeland showed their gratitude to the President by casting their vote and gave him another chance to govern our country for another six years. Next battle is to find a good allround team for him to take our Motherland to the twenty first century. For him to take some radical changes and to take our country forward he needs to have two third majority therefore my dear voters let’s go to the polls and give him what he is asking for and see how he will keep his promises. We have to trust him as he is the only leader we have at this moment who can and will do miracles to uplift the standard of our peoples. He is a hard working and a religious man with a beautiful family.We know for the last five years how he took our country forward and how he faced worst kind of situations related to our homeland not only the war front but several fronts with a broad smile on his face all the time.
 
My dear voter you use your vote to select a representative to represent you in the house of democracy that means the Parliament where all the representatives of the country get together and deliberate the country’s issues so we have to select the best who can do something for all the people irrespective of race,colour or religion. So forget the party politics for the time being and select the best out of all who represent your electorate. We need not send thugs,criminals or corrupt people to the parliament to talk issues on behalf of us. We need representatives who actually do some honest work who can bring prosperity to our electorate. We need to have jobs,housing,factories and a clean governace therfore our representative should be an inteligent,educated,decent person who can take care of the people. We had great politicians in the past like Bandaranayaka,Dudly Senanayaka,W.Dahanayake,Philip,Gunawardena,Dr.N.M.Perea,Lalith Athulathmudali,Gamini Dissanayaka and many more but lately we dont see such greats representing us in the parliament but still we have few who loves the Motherland and do something honestly our President is one of them.
 
When you vote dont just go blindly and cast your vote.You have to vote for a purpose,think of your future and your children’s future,listen to what they offer to you or promise your electorate whether you are satisfied with what he offer to you as a voter.Every vote is valuable to them so you too is valuable player in this game.We cannot send traitors who did immense damage to our country with the calloboration of our enemies to be our representatives at all.   
You have to see the reality of the situation in the country.There are enemies of the country all around us waiting to destroy our freedom and peace. The western evil empires are watching our elections and pouring millions of dollars to their agents in our country to grab your vote for money.Dont be misled or greedy for those green bucks at any time,if you vote for those traitors that’s means you too is a traitor to our Motherland. They dont have any useful subjdect to talk or give any new ideas to the masses except throwing mud at the President and his family.You saw in front of your eyes what the opposition candidate promised during the Presidential elections and what he did on the election night with all his Achcharu friends. They were like a bunch of prostitutes paid by the white masters of theirs.You saw how much dollars and rupees taken out from their bank lockers recently given or send by the conspirators in the west.So think wisely my dear voters why we go back to the dark era again with wars and instability in our country.Now is the time to march forward with the President who has given us light to our Motherland.Our paradise island will be a bright shiny light for all Asia in the future under the guidence of our great hero His excellency MAHINDA RAJAPAKSA.
 
Select the right person and reject the bad guy if you need a peaceful lanka for you and for your children.Go around the country and see for yourself the progress we have achieved during the Presidents tenture after 2005. There are so many good things you can learn by going to see those places of importance.See the beauty of our country which was denied by L.T.T.E terror for the last thirty years.Instead of throwing away your valuable vote use it it for a better tomorrow.The Opposition parties though they promise things which they or nobody can give like 10,000 rupees for every public servant and one piece of land each person in the country they cannot give anything except misery to our peoples.From 1977 to 2005 we saw how they govern the country. They were a bunch of coward and traitors who always listen to their white masters in the west.They always go to them for advise and money and did things according to their wishes.They couldnt end the war for the last thirty years  because if they stop the war they will lose their monthly payment in dollars by L.T.T.E. and other world organizations which were supporting the L.T.T.E. Those countries who supported the war and the L.T.T.E. was not doing any good for our country except they wanted to divide our paradise island in to pieces and rob our rich resources from our land.This very moment too they are planning their evil acts against our country therfore we should be on alert and help our President to overcome all those difficulties, if not our Sinhala & Tamil traitors like Ranil,Avamangal,Somahansa,Mano,Hakeem and the clowns will try by hook or crook to take over the country with the help of all those evil countries like Norway,America,England,Australia and some other western countries in the europe.Thre are so many friendly countries who supports our President and our country in good times and in bad times.They always stood by us and supports our sovereignty and freedom.They help us to build our nation with money and deed and stood by our nation in world forums like UN,Human rights watch etc. The enemies of our land like of Blakes,Pillay’s,Milibans,Kruchner’s,karunanidhis.Solhimes,Sarath Fonsekas and many more local and foreign agents are waiting anxiously with their eyes open to see our President party lose this elections.They dont want us to live in peace and they dont like a President who wears Sarong and shirt and a native from a village. They want somebody with tie and coat to stand in front same as them and say “YES,NO” the puppets of their choice.
 
So my dear voter think of all those and vote wisely to have a peaceful lanka with a powerful parliament and a powerful Presidency to fight terror and all the evils who are waiting impatiently to destroy our beautiful Motherland. Our friends inside and outside are there to help us in everyway they can to bring prosperity to our homeland.China,Russia,Iran,India,Pakistan,Malaysia,Vietnam and so many friendly countries will help us to build our homeland for a better tomorrow.
 
Let’s get together and give our valuable vote to the President and to his party to win this elections with a overwhelming majority. Two thirds majority will help him to do many changes in the constitution which we need at this hour and for a better governace. We all can expect something good for the country I am sure under the leadership of the current President Mahinda Rajapaksa without any doubt. So my dear voters be ready to reject all the traitors of our Motherland on April 8th and give a new mandate to our new team to govern for another six years with the blessings of Lord Buddha.
 
We need a peaceful and righteousness society and a country, not a country with war. We need our leaders to be peoples leaders not to be rich and famous and forget the innocent voter till next elections. We want progress in every village and town and in cities from Point pedro to Dondra as we are all children of Motherlanka.Think of your country of birth first,second and third and help President to save our Motherland from all evils on earth. I hope and pray that Maha Sanga and other laeders of all faiths irrespective of party,colour or race will help our Goverment and the President to make our country a just society for the benefit of all citizens.Let’s live like a big one family in this small beautiful paradise island of SRI LANKA.          
 
THERUWAN SARANAI
 
RANJIT WICKREMERATNE

Warna Hettiarachchi Ontario, Canada

To The Honourable World Leaders and Media Controllers,

 The previously inconspicuous island nation Sri Lanka has become the center of attention for all of you since December 2009. Over the past 30 years all you heard on this small country was a suicide bomber blasting its citizens to bits and smithereens.

 The whole problem for you is that Sri Lanka used its own laws, constitution, local strategies and grass-root-level thinking to wipe out an internationally-fed and supported brutal terrorism. Yes, that is correct – the Tamil Tiger terrorism, funded and coordinated with YOUR political,

financial, Western-based liberal backing and support, has nearly destroyed this for Portuguese, Dutch and British colony with 30-years of killings, bombings, destruction and economic drain.

 Every country in the world has its own government, constitution, rules and laws, traditions and cultures. Those are the VERY reasons for them being separately governed by their democratically elected or Communist governments. The constitutions and laws adopted and tabulated in every country have been chosen by its own people, for its own people based on their ethical standards, traditions, heritage, local style of governance and penal code, level of discipline and people’s thinking & governing structure.

 Western Liberal laws and Human Rights do not work for Sri Lanka, any more than they are ignored and renders useless for Middle-Eastern countries where Islamic Laws are the local norm and standard. World media and journalists, here is a challenge for you: Write about the penal codes and deterrent punishment schemes applied in Arab nations, including beheading, stoning-to-death, chopping off fingers and limbs for criminal activities as being viewed by Western nations and society as “barbaric”, “Inhuman” and “against human-rights”. Then you should carry out a 10-year campaign to convince those nations to change their laws to become more “forgiving” and “crime-friendly” as yours. Oh wait, that will never happen – as the Arab nations are oil and financially RICH and they have loads of money to buy you, your hand and your pen off. Aljazeera, BBC, CNN, Guardian, Times and other electronic and print media organizations, please note… Am I not correct?

You Western & Oil rich-countries-funded media organizations want to control the world’s political, energy and financial resources to their own monetary and controlling advantages.

 The same ethics and worldwide-rules together with Mass Media Corporations have also FAILED to highlight the CHILDREN being dragged away by LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists to be brainwashed and trained as Suicide Bombers and LTTE front-line brigade? The UN and the world KNEW about LTTE using Child soldiers as young as 13 years!! Where were the Western Nations, particularly the Liberal Canadian PM Paul Martin, Jean Chrétien, Gordon Brown, David Miliband, Eric Solheim, Hillary Clinton, John Kerry and the EU, etc??

 The same Human rights laws, worldwide-governing rules self-imposed by the Western nations have FAILED to prevent former British PM Tony Blair invading Iraq to kill Saddam Hussain with the claim of the elusive “Weapons of Mass Destruction”. Why didn’t all you world leaders subject yourselves to shame when your forces (including the US Marines) raped young teenage girls while their helpless families looked on and then killed them all calling them “SAND NIGGERS”? How many innocents died during your raids and attacks of Iraq and Afghanistan? You are aware of the figures. You call them “Collateral Damage”.

 The Western Allied Forces with the world’s most sophisticated and advanced reconnaissance and weapons hardware and software, with precision-guided missiles, satellite technology that reads the number of hair follicles on a face could not catch the prime suspect of all your problems, Osama Bin Laden. But little Sri LANKA equipped with its own intelligence, limited technology weapons hardware, and their determination, focus, sacrifice by the local military, and its valiant soldiers braving thick jungle, lagoons and swamps fought the world’s most ruthless terror outfit LTTE. These terrorists had a ground attacking force, a suicide squad, an air force, a naval operation and an underwater submarine unit. No other military in the world EVER could to fight an outfit as such in such hostile battle environment and WIN! Fighting in the middle east is easy – open desert, sand dunes and rough sand/limestone terrain. Last time the US fought a war in similar conditions as Sri Lanka, they lost big – Remember Vietnam war?

 So you destabilize countries that DO NOT adhere to YOU slave masters’ wishes or whoever will not help them get wealthier, more powerful and more in control.

Your Divide-and-rule style already destroyed Sri Lanka for over 500 years of colonization, stole all of its riches and heritage and ruined its cultures and peasantry, its environment-friendly farming and irrigation systems developed over 2500 years. It is continuing to this day through the disguise of international media campaigns driving pre-fabricated lies and rumours channelled in to unsuspecting Sri Lankans, who would believe that the sky was falling on their heads, if published in the papers.

You have dragged the Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka to spray the poison of division to weaken this nation through allegiance with its opposition to topple the democratically-elected government and get one of your henchmen to be the President of this nation. Ranil Wickramasinghe and Sarath Fonseka were your choices for marionettes.

 Fortunately for Sri Lanka, its people are much smarter than the smartest and the most cunning intelligence officers you ever had. After more than 500 years of torture, crusades, looting, killings, brainwashing, threats, conversions while subject to colonization under several crowns of the Europe, Sri Lanka’s cultural heritage and its majority Sinhalese and minority Tamils coexist harmoniously with common places of worship between Buddhists and Hindus. Descendents and converts from the colonial crusaders (today’s Christian Sri Lankans) also live in peace together with all other religious and ethnic types including Muslim population. Sri Lanka has had cross-religious and cross-cultural contributions to its national unity and harmony over the centuries past.

 Sri Lanka was bullied, intimidated and outcast from the Commonwealth – This was the best thing that could have happen to Sri Lankan in its history: to finally remove themselves from the Common Looters or Stolen Wealth (where is the wealth that is common?) , as the Portuguese, the Dutch and the Britons looted the country’s wealth, leaving little else for peoples of the land. The loot was neither returned to Sri Lanka, nor was there an International public apology from the former Colonial Masters upon them realizing of their “Inhuman”, “Barbaric”, and “Unethical” massacres of the Island’s inhabitants during their invasions and Crusades. Millions of local peasants were brutally murdered to drive “Fear” into their heads and be loyal to invaders and their crowns. The very invaders destroyed the forests and killed tens of thousands of animals to extinction. (refer to documented proof of a British Colonialist who killed 10,000+ elephants in the Horton Plains of Sri Lanka and drove the highland species to extinction). Lately, whereupon you leaders have come to your Liberal senses or civilized senses, do you contend and concur that was justice served to Sri Lanka and its people, fauna and flora? Patriotic Sri Lankans of all its ethnic myriads will collect more than ONE MILLION SIGNATURES from worldwide to demand an International Public Apology from the Colonial masters and the Dutch and the British governments and Crowns.

 Mr. Gordon Brown, your bullish attitudes and intimidation of your co-workers and staff were exposed yesterday in London news items. Obviously, the British do not welcome bullish behaviour and certainly disapprove intimidation, hence you were worried about British public image ahead of mid-2010 elections and denied all that, while your spouse defended your “bullish personality”. However that may be in Britain, Sri Lanka WILL NOT tolerate your bullying and intimidation of this island nation, its leader and its people, one bit.

 Mr. Brown, you and your colleague David Miliband insulted attempted to compromise the sovereignty and honour of Sri Lankan multi-ethnic society and government today with the attendance addressing of the global Tamil Forum in SUPPORT of separatist Tamil militancy for self-ruled separate state in Sri Lanka. How would British parliament react if Sri Lankan President or its Cabinet Minister pledges support for Osama Bin Laden and his terror in public? What would have been the situation if the incumbent leader of Sri Lanka supported IRA and Jerry Adams in early 1980’s against British imperialism?

 Mr. Brown, you and your bastardized Foreign Secretary Miliband can give half of Britain to World Tamil militants/Diaspora and grant them self-determination from British rule, as that will NEVER happen in Sri Lanka. Then you can recognize them under independent “Tamil Homeland” label and offer GSP+ concessions to them on a platter. It’s about time you practised Divide-and-Rule on British soil, and with what other people than Tamil Tiger proxies!!!

 Let’s make it very clear, Mr. Brown: Your and Miliband’s greed and bullishness to stay in power with liberal and minority votes in the UK as much as in Canada and elsewhere will not determine or compromise Sri Lanka’s territorial integrity, its tight to security, its future, its constitution, its right to self-rule and govern, its fabric of democracy and its INDEPENDENCE from your country’s colonial masters, AKA glorified former slave-runners. Remember, Sri Lanka destroyed and eliminated 30-years of Terrorism and brought peace and harmony to its people.

 Your right-eye views and opinions about Sri Lanka is through media tabloids run by political parasites who have hardly seen the true reality of this country. Your left-eye gets the view from Tamil Tiger sympathisers that talk about an atrocious and fantasy land where their leader was using child soldiers for suicide missions and for their de facto ground fighting outfit. Were YOU and your unwise bloke Miliband not aware of that? Did you not read the UN reports? Also remember that the Tamil Diaspora asking for a separate state and militancy through fund-raising in your country are YOUR problem now. Yes, yours for keepsake. Let them run credit card scams and gas station debit scams to rob hard-working English folks. Same Diaspora took London streets to ransom around this time last year at a tremendous cost to your country, running it to near bankruptcy. This same Diaspora WILL help you drain British economy through welfare and handout benefit dependence.

 Racist segregation and upheavals/uprisings among ethnic factions in a multi-cultural society is unavoidable and the Western world has come to terms with such acts. Heard of White Supremacists, Ku Klux Klan aka KKK, Skin Heads, Hell’s Angels, Neo-Nazi’s, pro-Nazi’s that are increasing in membership? Lately, Black and Asian racial groups fighting in European and North American countries, due to mismanagement and allowing polarized, mono-communities to crop up in neighbourhoods, instead of spreading a mixture of ethnicities in dwellings. Why don’t you work on them and leave Sri Lanka’s problems to be tackled by themselves. All of you World’s Leaders should stop policing little Sri Lanka and start cleaning up your own acts, be responsible and accountable for your actions and contributions to our world’s problems and chaos. Your parasitic contacts at Newsmedia can “sweeten” the actual facts and incidents to cover up your act and twist blame on others.

 On Feb 21st 2010 Canada witnessed results of harbouring LTTE terrorists and their proxies(“freedom fighters” in another land) when they attacked the office that publishes a Tamil newspaper Uthayan in predominantly Tamil-populated (polarized mono-cultural community) Toronto East, AKA Scarborough. Reason: because the editor went to Sri Lanka to meet with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse and pledged support of peaceful Canadian Tamils to rebuild the war-torn North-East areas to help settle internally displaced people. Bob Rae and Jim Karrygiannis of Toronto East ridings will surely know the names and whereabouts of the “unknown” and “unseen” Canadian-Home grown-Tamil-Tiger-Terrorists who did not leave any evidence or witnesses identical to two previous attacks on a Buddhist Temple not far from the newspaper office. Yet Canada let out 76 Tamil Tiger asylum seekers who sailed to Vancouver in a Tiger-owned ship that was used to transport RDX and PETN, proven by three different sample readings inside the ship’s hold. None of the refugees had identity documents. Interpol and an internationally acclaimed terror expert Prof. Rohan Gunaratne warned Canada of the internationally wanted terrorists among the crew. But Canada’s Common Loot attitude gave the middle finger to Sri Lanka and terror experts and accommodated these mass-murderers at taxpayers’ expense to be integrated in to Canadian society. Well done Canada! How did you establish/verify their actual names, dates and places birth, background checks, etc?

 Those countries which harboured LTTE terrorists and their proxies will suffer from reprisals by Tamil Militia who found refuge there, during the anniversary marking of the end of LTTE and its barbaric leaders. In Canada, National Security is being alerted (today’s National Post) while the Brussels-based International Crisis Group (whose President and CEO is Louise Arbour, the former Supreme Court of Canada justice, and a Board member is former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan) has warned in its report on Feb 24th 2010 that Tamil Diaspora sympathetic towards LTTE will likely resort to local violence in host countries. This happened three times in Canada – Tamils set fire to a Sri Lankan Restaurant and a Buddhist temple (twice) in Toronto, while they have damaged the Sri Lankan High Commission building in Ottawa. They did no less in Britain. That was just the beginning. Hatred against Sri Lanka was injected to the younger generations by LTTE operatives in your countries to brainwash these children who has never set foot in Sri Lanka, just the same way they have brainwashed and fooled you.

 The irony of Western World was further established and consolidated yesterday Feb 23rd 2010 when a NATO attack in southern Afghanistan killed 27 innocent civilians. When Sri Lanka was at the war and if any civilians got killed in counter attacks by its military, it was a far outcry of inhuman manslaughter, violation of human rights – that Western World’s ad hoc military tribunals in Ireland has already declared Sri Lankan Military and the government have committed war crimes. Must I remind you all about the US military’s inhumane treatment of Iraqi POW’s in Abu Gharib prison, where the victims were stripped naked and tortured/abused verbally, sexually and physically?

Despite efforts by all your Western allied forces and nations (read NATO), their training & installing West-friendly “governments” in Afghanistan and Iraq, have you succeeded in achieving lasting peace in either countries? Has not the war against terror spread to Pakistan and several other countries by now, with the crackdown on Al-Qaida hideouts?

 Mr. George Bush said “The United States will not negotiate with terrorists”. But, Sri Lanka tried negotiate with terrorists Four times – All failed; all four times due to unilateral dishonouring of ceasefire agreements by the LTTE terrorists which used it to fortify forces, stockpile weapons and replenish ammunition while YOU and your cohorts/agents watched.

 Perhaps, ALL YOU HONORABLE SIR’s AND MADAMS ought to stop the crusade against Sri Lanka and try ONCE to learn from its own experience of existence and win over terrorism – the worst kind according to your own measures. I repeat, Sri Lanka finally DEFEATED, DECIMATED, ANNIHILATED Terrorists that you fed, upheld, sponsored, supported and depended on for Diaspora votes. We WON against terrorism with basic Military strategy – as talks and lots of it – failed… yes, YOUR style of negotiation DID NOT work for Sri Lanka. People in Sri Lanka NOW live without worrying about being blown to smithereens and to be sure to go home to their families and children after a hard day’s work. That was an accomplishment NONE of you could achieve in the “modern” world after the Second World War. Sri Lanka DEFEATED TERRORISM their way. Again, YOUR methods FAILED to work in Sri Lanka.

 All you World Leaders, please take note: Sri Lanka will rise from its dark ages, as the local country boy Mahinda Rajapakse knows what is best for his country and his people. After all, the majority of the country placed him right back at the helm for the second time. Corruptions will happen irrespective of the country or government like the Watergate, Blackwater & Halliburton scandals in the US, Health, Lottery & Sponsorship scandals in Canada, IOC bribed by the US in Los Angelis for favourable US win decisions during 1984 Olympics, and thousands more.

 For Ptolemy, this island famous for its spices and thick forests was Taprobane, for European invaders it was Ceylan, Ceylon, and for most of inhabitants it was Heladiva, Sri Lanka and Illankai. It belongs to Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim, Burghers, Malays, Borah’s, Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, Catholic and all other religions that exist there. These people elected a leader, a President Mahinda Rajapakse that brought peace back to this island. North and the East part of Sri Lanka will be developed at their own pace, with help from the good friends Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Iran, etc. They will build up their nation with their hands and sweat. They will become a strategic country with developed-nation status using their methods, their governments, their style and their people. There is no other country between India and Antarctica in the Indian Ocean than the pretty shaped Island Sri Lanka. Keep your dirty hands off of its affairs. If you must see the true reality, try visiting as a tourist and experience the real true warm smile, hospitality, beauty and harmony of its beautiful and peace-loving people working together hand-in-hand to make things better. For it is truly the ONLY PARADISE ON EARTH!

By Dr.Levins T C Rajaratnam

On the Jaffna Political platforms Mrs.Maheswaran the leading candidate for the UNP Jaffna District may pose a few questions as to who killed her husband? Gajan Ponnambalam may pose the question as to who killed his father who was my good friend ?  I will ask the question as to why I was threatened by a political bandit during the Western Provincial council elections, my campaign office attacked and my mothers residence attacked. So many residents of Jaffna whose husbands and sons are abducted for ransom will ask why should we vote, So many investors in Jaffna are being harassed by militants for “Kappang”.  Inspite of all these, nomination was given to a controversial man accused of atrocities and is heavy laden with misdeeds. Will the Jaffna people vote for that National Party ? The biggest blunder !

 It is the greatest insult and disgrace to the Tamil people of Jaffna that this man has been nominated to contest. A man who has terrorized the Tamil people and the people tremble by the sound of his name. Was this the intention of the Party to nominate him to continue his games of terror? This Soft spoken escapee from the Prison has yet again been brought to the forefront probably to face a tremendous defeat. The wrath of the people shall not enable a victory. All the efforts of the Government to develop the North  cannot receive an acknowledgement from the people because the wrong man is at the wrong place.

 Who is this man ? Who are these militants who have been licensed to do whatever they want. No right thinking person would vote for him or his choice of men.

 With so many parties contesting in the North the votes would be scattered. Almost every party or group will have a claim. This time the Tamils will have to decide with their conscience.

 The sorrow experienced by the people and the tears shed by them was for patriotism. We know the pain, the anguish and we too shudder to think of the darkest hours in our history in the process of destroying the LTTE. We appreciate the countries, the local People  who by sending generous assistance to the refugees and for opening their hearts and  homes to the innocent victims made the task of settling the IDP’s easier.

The Terrorists were the cause for Men of all ages separated from their loved ones killed and forced to join the Terrorists, children made to watch their parents die; a whole people forced to abandon in hours communities their families had spent generations building.

For these atrocities, the Tamil militants too  are responsible with the LTTE and their allies whether they were in the past or not whether they have reformed or not all of them are collectively responsible for the disasters and killings. We should be cautious not to align them but to treat them and rehabilitate them.

Recent history has proved that Terrorists in whatever garb will try to revive their traits in some form or the other and would never be loyal to a democratically elected Leader or the Government.

The President met with the IDP’s. Some of them could barely talk about what they had been through. All they had left was hope that the world would not turn its back. The President was deeply moved by them. The President has settled a large number of IDP’s he has provided housing, shelter, healthcare, education and sustenance. Moreover, by his personal visit he has touched their hearts and in turn they have touched his by their appreciation.

When our diplomatic efforts to avert this horror with the LTTE were rebuffed, and the violence mounted, the President took affirmative action. Now the people are free, the roads that were closed for years have opened, the people have been liberated.

Finally, we have averted the wider war this conflict might well have sparked.  Now, we’re entering a new phase – building that peace – and there are formidable challenges, the foremost amongst them is the stability of Leadership and the Government.

We must get the refugees home safely. Minefields will have to be cleared. Homes destroyed by the war will have to be rebuilt. Homeless people in need of food and medicine will have been assisted and day in and day out they are gradually settled. The fate of the missing will have to be determined. We in the peacekeeping force will have to ensure that Sri Lanka is a safe place to live for all its citizens. But this next phase also will be dangerous. Bitter memories will still be fresh, we have to prevent vested interests from exploiting the situation by mud slinging campaigns perpetrated by the opposition and its allies whilst still be cautious of those amongst us who may betray especially the Terrorists groups whose survival was dependant on the survival of the LTTE. In this regard it was best for President Mahinda Rajapaksa to have visited the North without the assistance of militant groups and their political parties.

 The Tamils in the North would have voted for the UPFA . But now with thw wrong man at the wrong place, matters would not be the same.

All the Tamil groups and parties with blood in their hands cannot convince the Tamil people. The Tamil people have now learnt by their mistakes and misunderstanding that the democratically elected President Mahinda Rajapaksa is their only salvation. The Tamils will have to approach the President through independent groups or other parties. But no choice, No right thinking Tamil will ever vote for present UPFA nominee and his clan.

We must pave a path to a prosperous shared future, a unifying magnet more powerful than the pull of hatred and destruction that has threatened to tear us apart.

As long as any form of Terrorism remains and terrorists of bygone eras are allies, as long as we give prominence to criminals and terror groups the journey for development will be far sighted.

As such every individual or group which transgresses these ideals should be dealt with by the Laws of the land. The people are tired of the few unruly elements.

We have sent a message of determination and hope to all the world. Think of all the millions of innocent people who died in this bloody century because democracies reacted too late to evil and aggression.

Because of our resolve, the New Year has dawned, not with helpless indignation, but with a hopeful affirmation of human dignity and human rights for the 2010. In a world too divided by fear among people of different racial, ethnic and religious groups, we have given confidence to the friends of freedom and pause to those who would exploit human difference for inhuman purposes.

 I have been a victim of Douglas. I know he is dangerous, but he will try to play dirty by placing car bombs and arranging snipers to assassinate me. His track record is listed in the US State Department Reports.