Sri Lanka’s National Security Concerns
Posted on June 23rd, 2013
By Hon. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary, Sri Lanka Defence.lk,
June 13, 2013
I welcome you to this lecture under the National Interest Module of the inaugural MPhil/PhD Programme of the Kotelawala Defence University. The topic of this lecture is “Sri Lanka’s National Security Concerns”. As we all know, Sri Lanka is one of the most peaceful and stable countries in the world today. Our citizens are enjoying the benefits of peace and have complete freedom and countless opportunities to build better futures for themselves. At the same time, it must be understood that as with any other sovereign nation, Sri Lanka faces potential threats from various sources. Guarding against these threats and ensuring the safety of the nation is the first duty of the Government, because National Security is the foundation of our freedom and our prosperity. As such, the Government needs to be fully aware of all the issues that impact the country in areas such as Defence, Foreign Policy, Economic Affairs and internal Law & Order. It must formulate a comprehensive National Security strategy to deal with them.
A viable National Security strategy must constantly align ends with means, goals with resources, and objectives with the tools required to accomplish them. The strategy needs to be aligned with the aspirations of the people, and it must have public support. Ideally, if comprehensive security is to be ensured, it requires the achievement of national cohesion, political and economic stability, the elimination of terrorism, the countering of extremism, and the formulation of effective responses to external challenges. The Government must make every effort to keep aware of a continually changing situation and take appropriate action in response to new developments and challenges. It is only then that the safety of the nation can be assured.
In the course of this lecture on Sri Lanka’s National Security Concerns, I will examine the following areas:
- Sri Lanka’s overall National Security context
- The primary threats to our National Security at present; and,
- The strategies that are being formulated in response to these threats.
The Context of National Security in Sri Lanka
In the first several years after the achievement of Independence, National Security did not need to be a primary concern of the Government of Ceylon. As an independent Dominion of Great Britain, and as a non-aligned nation with excellent relationships within and outside the region, there were few pressing threats that the Government had to deal with. As a result, the attention given to National Security was minimal, as was the emphasis placed on the country’s Defence apparatus. The military was largely ceremonial. It only had to assist the Government on occasions when there were issues such as public sector work stoppages or riots. The need to strengthen law enforcement and the Armed Forces to protect the nation against internal or external threats was not seen as a pressing concern. The attempted coup d’ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…‚¡tat in 1962 further reduced the attention given to the Defence apparatus by the Government. Due to fears that a strong military would be a threat to democracy, as had been the case in some neighbouring countries during this period, funding for the Armed Forces was drastically reduced and recruitments curtailed.
As a result of the weakening of the military, the country was not in the best position to deal with the first major threat to its National Security when it erupted in 1971. This was the first JVP Insurrection. Although investigations into JVP activities had been going on for some time, cutbacks to intelligence services, including the closure of the Special Branch of the Police in 1970, had left the Government largely unaware of the scale of the insurrection it was facing. The nation’s military was overstretched. In response to the Government’s appeals for help, India and Pakistan sent in troops to secure critical installations while essential equipment and ammunition was provided by Britain and the Soviet Union. Although the insurrection was successfully suppressed within a short time, it had many consequences. One of the most crucial from a historical perspective was that National Security became a much greater concern both for the Government and for the general public. As Ceylon became Sri Lanka in 1972, upholding National Security was one of its foremost priorities.
In the late 1970s, Sri Lanka saw the emergence of the greatest ever threat to its sovereignty in the form of the terrorism of the Tamil separatist groups in the North and East. As the conflict worsened in the early 1980s, particularly after the riots of 1983, the threat of terrorism loomed large not only in the North and East but effectively all over the country. The rise of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), and the likelihood of its attacks in public places fostered a deep insecurity amongst the people. There was significant loss of life, loss of property, and countless lost opportunities to achieve economic development. The law and order situation deteriorated as arms and ammunition started to flow to criminal elements in the underworld. By the late 1980s, the second JVP insurrection caused the further deterioration of the security situation throughout Sri Lanka. As a result of the increasing instability and violence, people began to lose some of their freedoms as more and more intensive measures had to be taken by the state in trying to uphold public security.
As the terrorism situation worsened, there was also an increasing involvement of foreign powers and the international community in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs. During the early stages of the terrorist conflict, India trained LTTE cadres in training bases established in Tamil Nadu. Many of the leaders of other separatist groups also frequented that state. It is also important to note that several international Non Governmental Organisations that were based in the North and East first started to cooperate with the terrorist groups active in those areas during this period. In 1985, India facilitated talks between the Government of Sri Lanka and the separatist groups in Thimpu, Bhutan. The talks collapsed due to the unrealistic demands made by the separatists. These demands would have gravely affected Sri Lanka’s sovereignty if granted, and the Government had no choice but to refuse them. Fighting soon resumed. By this time, the conflict transformed into one between the state and the LTTE, which had used the ceasefire granted for the Thimpu talks to destroy rival separatist groups.
As the fighting gained momentum, the emphasis given to National Security by the Government also increased. For the first time, the appointment of a Minister of National Security was seen as necessary. The strength of the military was also significantly enhanced, with larger recruitment drives, the acquisition of better assets, and improved training to counter the growing threats. With its improved capabilities, the military was able to make more and more progress in fighting the terrorism of the LTTE. For the first time, we also saw changes within the structure of the military. The need for a coordinated effort to combat terrorism led to the establishment of a Joint Operation Command to coordinate the three Armed Services, Police and Intelligence Services in counter terrorism operations. The military used battle formations for the first time, and the requirement for a National Intelligence Bureau to coordinate the intelligence services at a national level was also understood and subsequently brought into being.
In 1987, the very successful Vadamarachchi Operation enabled the Government to regain control of much of the North, leaving the LTTE on the brink of defeat. At this point, India intervened directly in the conflict by air dropping humanitarian relief supplies over Jaffna. This led to the abandonment of the Vadamarachchi operation, and the Indo-Lanka Accord was signed in July of that year. This led to the induction of the Indian Peacekeeping Force (IPKF) to the North of Sri Lanka, where it got embroiled in conflict with the LTTE. After more than two years of fighting, the IPKF withdrew from Sri Lanka in October 1990, and fighting resumed between the LTTE and Government Forces.
Although there were several periodic attempts at peace talks, the intensity of the war grew during the 1990s and in the early 2000s, with several major battles being fought and much hardship suffered throughout the country. The military was strengthened significantly to deal with this threat. Specialised units such as the Commando Regiment and the Special Forces Regiment of the Army, as well as the Special Boat Squadron of the Navy were developed to deal with the increasing military challenge posed by the LTTE in the North and East. However, in addition to its battles with the military, the LTTE also frequently carried out attacks against civilians in the rest of the country. Large bombings took place in public locations in Colombo, killing thousands. Hundreds more were massacred in vulnerable villages near LTTE dominated territory. Critical installations and economic targets such as the International Airport, Central Bank and the Kolonnawa Oil Refinery were also ruthlessly attacked. In order to contain this very serious threat to national security, precautionary measures had to be greatly increased throughout the country. This led to the visible presence of soldiers on the streets, the widespread use of checkpoints, frequent cordon and search operations, and the constant upholding of the Emergency Regulations, which gave wide-ranging powers to the military and law enforcement agencies. The entire country was effectively on a war footing.
In 2002, the next major development in the conflict was the signing of the Ceasefire Agreement with the LTTE under mediation of Norway. This event can also be viewed as the next major phase in the internationalisation of Sri Lankan affairs as a result of the conflict. The Peace Process that was entered into by the Government of the time was facilitated by Norway, with the support of the representatives of major donor countries, namely the European Union, the United States of America and Japan. Together with Norway, they comprised the four Co-Chairs of the Sri Lankan Peace Process. A Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission was also established, comprising members from Nordic countries, to supervise the implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement. Despite their presence, the LTTE continued to create instability in the country; assassinating its key opponents including Hon. Lakshman Kadirgamar, the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, and carrying out occasional attacks against civilians.
In 2006, increasing provocations by the LTTE culminated in its threatening of a humanitarian crisis by closing the vital Maavilaru Sluice Gate. This was a crisis that affected the right to water of thousands of households, and even affected national food security by preventing the flow of water to many thousands of acres of agricultural land. The Government intervened with a limited operation to reopen the sluice gate, but was met with large-scale attacks by the LTTE on several fronts. This led to the widening of the military campaign into the Humanitarian Operation that ultimately freed Sri Lanka from terrorism.
The Humanitarian Operation required significant strengthening of the military to enable its success. During the ceasefire period, the LTTE had managed to strengthen its offensive capabilities significantly. It had approximately 30,000 cadres in its ranks and a vast arsenal of weapons and equipment that included heavy artillery, mortar, missiles, rocket propelled grenades, and light aircraft. Combating such an enemy that employed guerrilla tactics required the Sri Lankan Armed Forces to grow significantly. Between the end of 2005 and the end of 2009, the number of Army personnel grew from 120,000 to over 200,000; its 9 Divisions were increased to 20; its 44 Brigades expanded to 71; and its 149 Battalions increased to 284. The Navy and the Air Force were also expanded significantly, and given tasks beyond their classic role. The upholding of security throughout the country also required the Police and Special Task Force to be strengthened, and the Civil Defence Force was revamped and significantly expanded.
Because of the internationalisation of the Sri Lankan situation during the previous decades, there was a great deal of foreign scrutiny on the progress of the Humanitarian Operation. By keeping the Indian leaders constantly informed about what was happening on ground, and by skilfully managing our relationships with other nations, it was possible for the war effort to continue unimpeded. Nevertheless, towards the end of the war in 2009, the Foreign Ministers of France and the United Kingdom arrived in Sri Lanka and attempted to intervene in the military campaign, although they did not succeed. Efforts by such parties to end the Humanitarian Operation reflect the tremendous influence that the LTTE’s international network had on foreign capitals. Many in the international community wilfully ignored the fact that the Government of Sri Lanka was duty-bound to protect its citizens from the aggression of the LTTE terrorists. Even after the war ended and peace dawned in 2009, this bias against the Government led to Sri Lanka being taken up at the United Nations Human Rights Council. Although the initial Resolution against Sri Lanka was defeated that year, two more were sponsored by the United States in 2012 and 2013, and successfully passed.
Today, Sri Lanka is a country enjoying the full benefits of peace, and it is engaged in a concerted push to accelerate its economic development and bring prosperity to its citizens. The country has much to catch up on. Three decades of conflict lost us countless opportunities for growth: foreign and local investment suffered due to fears about the war; tourists did not visit the country, and many of our best and brightest went overseas to build better futures for themselves. Countries such as Singapore, which were in a similar economic position to Sri Lanka when we reached Independence in 1948, developed at a tremendous rate during this period. This is because they did not have a major conflict to contend with. Sri Lanka’s prospects on the other hand were greatly curtailed as a result of the war. This is why the biggest responsibility of the Government of Sri Lanka even today, in the post war situation, is to ensure the continued security of the country. Without security and stability, there will be no economic development. The maintenance of National Security is therefore of the utmost importance.
The National Security of Sri Lanka needs to be addressed in context of the history of this country and the realities of its present situation, and most critically from the perspective of several responsibilities of the state. The state must ensure that the Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity of the nation is maintained, and that there are no threats to the safety of our population. Ensuring economic growth so that the people of the country can uplift their standard of living is also critical in order to prevent internal problems recurring in the future. Creating a favourable environment for Sri Lanka internationally is similarly of the utmost importance in keeping adverse external influence at bay. Securing the safety of our physical assets and safeguarding the nation’s democracy are also critical. Considering this overall context, it is clear that National Security must be understood within a unified, single framework that integrates the nation’s Defence, Law and Order, Foreign Policy and Economic Policy. These four areas need to come together in the creation of a comprehensive National Security Strategy. This is essential if Sri Lanka is to consolidate its present peace and stability and fulfil its potential.
Present National Security Concerns
There are several potential threats in today’s context that Sri Lanka needs to be concerned about. These include:
- The possible re-emergence of terrorism
- The emergence of other extremist groups
- The creation of ethnic divisions and communal violence
- The challenges of maritime security and border control
- The growth of organised crime
- Foreign interference in domestic affairs
- Non-traditional threats through technology driven new media, including social media.
In discussing terrorism, it is first of all important to appreciate the sheer scale of the problem that the Government of Sri Lanka was confronted with as a result of the LTTE over the past three decades. Since the 1970s, the LTTE grew from a small organisation of armed individuals to a large, sophisticated terrorist outfit with very advanced combat capabilities. At its height, the LTTE had more than 30,000 battle-hardened cadres; access to large stockpiles of modern armaments, ammunition and equipment; a sophisticated naval wing and a fledgling air wing. For a considerable period of the conflict, the LTTE was able to maintain the illusion of a functional state apparatus in the territories it dominated. It also had significant influence in foreign capitals as a result of its extensive international network. Defeating the LTTE required a concerted effort on the part of the Sri Lankan Government. As a result of the unwavering leadership of His Excellency the President Mahinda Rajapaksa, this task was achieved in May of 2009.
In the immediate aftermath of the war, there were a number of issues that needed to be dealt with. First was the problem of nearly 300,000 internally displaced people who had been used as the LTTE’s human shield during the last phases of the war. Then there was the need to demine the North and East so that those areas would be safe for human habitation. This resulted in the recovery of hundreds of thousands of mines and improvised explosive devices laid by the LTTE during its retreat. Infrastructure development and reconstruction of those areas after years of neglect under the LTTE’s dominance was another significant issue that had to be dealt with, after which it was possible to resettle the IDPs in their places of origin. One of the most important issues was dealing with the nearly twelve thousand surrendered LTTE cadres and four thousand detained cadres. The Government took the bold step of rehabilitating nearly all of them so that they could become productive citizens in future. The vast majority of them have already been reintegrated with society.
Amongst other post war achievements has been the disarming of other armed groups that used to operate in the North and East, and the encouragement these groups have been given to contribute to society through democratic processes. The restrictions that used to be in force on movement, fishing, high security zones etc., have all been removed. Democracy has been completely restored, with free and fair elections taking place. Economic growth in the North and East has been truly remarkable in the recent past, and it is clear beyond doubt that normalcy has been restored to the people.
Despite all of these very positive developments, however, the threat of terrorism re-emerging still persists. One of the main reasons for the LTTE’s success during its heyday was its extensive international network, which has been in operation for many decades. Following the ambush and massacre of 13 soldiers in the North by the LTTE in 1983, there was a major communal backlash against the Tamils in the rest of the country. As a result of the July 1983 riots, a large number of Tamil people left Sri Lanka and travelled to countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, Malaysia and parts of Europe. These countries granted asylum to these immigrants, and later granted them citizenship. As such, there is a large population of immigrant Sri Lankan Tamils in other countries. A small minority of this population supports the LTTE even to this day. Extremist elements within this community, together with LTTE agents and operatives, including trained terrorists who fled Sri Lanka at various times during the war, comprise the LTTE’s international network.
After the demise of Prabhakaran, the LTTE’s former procurement chief Kumaran Pathmanadan, better known as KP, took control over this network and indicated that it would continue to work for the separatist cause through peaceful means. However, a breakaway faction emerged almost immediately, led by Nediyawan, who wanted to continue Prabhakaran’s ideology of violence. Nediyawan’s group, was previously known as The Tamil Eelam People’s Assembly or the Tamil National Council and is now known as the Tamil Coordinating Committee, Based in Norway, this group has been working with other international groups to promote the LTTE’s separatist cause in many parts of the world. The Tamil Coordinating Committee has control over most of the assets of the LTTE’s international organisation, including its media networks such as Tamil Net.
Following the arrest of KP in August 2009, Rudrakumaran took over the leadership of the main network and began working towards establishing a “Government in Exile”. This group now fashions itself as The Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam. In the guise of fighting for Tamil rights, its primary objective is to lobby foreign Governments for the establishment of a separate state in the North and East of Sri Lanka. The so-called “Transnational Government” has about twenty “Ministers” and “Deputy Ministers”, and was formed with assistance of an advisory committee comprising prominent pro LTTE activists, including foreigners who have been helping the LTTE for many years. There has recently been a revolt within the TGTE, where one third of its members loyal to Nediyawan, went against the leadership of Rudrakumaran because they wished to engage in more radical action.
Another prominent LTTE-linked group emerged out of the British Tamils Association, which was active since 2001 in supporting the terrorism of the LTTE in Sri Lanka. In 2006, the leader of the BTA, Arunachalam Krishanthakumar, alias Shanthan, was investigated on suspicion of supporting terrorist activities. As a result of these suspicions about the BTA, the British Tamils Forum was formed in 2006 to carry on the same activities in a new guise. The BTF acted as an umbrella organisation that mustered support from the immigrant Tamil community and local British politicians for dividing Sri Lanka. With Shanthan’s arrest by British authorities in June 2007 for providing material support to terrorism and his conviction in April 2009, as well as the defeat of the LTTE in May 2009, the role played by the BTF needed to be changed to suit the post-war environment.
As a result of this, the Global Tamils Forum emerged in February 2010, with many of the same members as the BTF. The head of the GTF is the so-called Father Emmanuel, a Priest who was once hailed by Prabhakaran as “a freedom fighter who has given leadership to a movement committed to setting up the homeland to Tamil Eelam”. Father Emmanuel has been engaged in a propaganda campaign against Sri Lanka for many years, targeting Tamil expatriates, Foreign Governments and International Organisations. He is known to have visited LTTE strongholds in Sri Lanka in mid-2000 to conduct training for selected youth who were earmarked to take up overseas appointments for fundraising and propaganda for the LTTE.
Under Father Emmanuel’s guidance, the GTF has successfully influenced a number of politicians from various political parties in European countries as well as the United States, Australia, Canada, and India to support the separatist cause. In addition, the GTF has courted officials within international organisations such as the United Nations, the European Union and various international non-governmental organisations to obtain their support. Part of the success of the GTF in these activities can be attributed to the involvement of influential pro-LTTE foreigners in it. These include Mrs. Joan Ryan, a former British Parliamentarian who has become the Head of the GTF’s Secretariat.
Yet another group that is active internationally in supporting the separatist cause is the LTTE Headquarter Group, which is based in France and headed by Vinayagam, a senior intelligence cadre who managed to escape during the final stages of the war in Sri Lanka. This is a group that is known to engage in Human Smuggling, with some of its past operations including the sending of the “Sun Sea” and “Ocean Lady” vessels from South East Asia to Canada in 2009 and 2010. The members of this group generally maintain a low profile and their movements are kept to a minimum as most of them have been issued Red Notices by Interpol for their involvement in criminal activities. They also keep their distance from both Nediyawan’s and Rudrakumaran’s groups, but maintain links with the GTF.
All of the LTTE-linked groups are coordinated by the GTF and united by one overarching objective. Their unwavering intent is the division of Sri Lanka and the establishment of a separate state for Tamil Eelam. There are several strategies through which they will try to achieve their objective. These include:
The winning of international opinion for the separatist cause,
- Increasing international pressure on Sri Lanka in various areas; including pushing for international investigations into war crimes and claims of genocide, and by encouraging international monitoring of the national reconciliation process,
- Undermining all efforts of the democratically elected Government of Sri Lanka to create a better future for its citizens through reconciliation and economic development, and
- Continuing to push for the resumption of conflict through reorganizing local pro-LTTE elements within Sri Lanka.
Some of the efforts of these LTTE-linked groups have been successful to a certain extent in that despite the war having ended four years ago, the internal affairs of Sri Lanka have been kept at the forefront of the UNHRC’s Sessions as well as at the top of the agenda of several prominent international NGOs even in the recent past. It has to be noted that many of those who create this pressure by claiming to be human rights activists and victims of state repression are actually trained LTTE cadres and operatives who are now fully engaged in propaganda activities. It is very important to understand that their attempts to put pressure on the Government through international bodies such as the UNHRC and non state actors such as international NGOs is designed to strengthen those who work against Sri Lanka’s interests.
In this context it is important to realise that there are groups even within the democratic mainstream in Sri Lanka that obtain funding from the LTTE’s international network and pro-LTTE elements overseas, which more or less openly talk about achieving the very same objectives that the LTTE had. Though they appear to have a democratic face, their actions and remarks clearly show that the extremist separatist ideology has not yet disappeared. Their ultimate objective is achieving the division of Sri Lanka. As a result of their actions and statements, it is very much a possibility that certain radical elements will feel empowered to once again attempt to take up arms in the name of separation. This is a major National Security threat that needs to be taken with the utmost seriousness.
In addition to the threat of terrorism, Sri Lanka also faces a potential threat from other extremist groups. These are the remnants of the radical groups that were involved in previous insurgencies. Some of these groups are trying to reorganise within Sri Lanka and mobilise people to once again take up their extreme left wing causes. There is information that some of these groups have started to link up with the LTTE-linked groups to create further problems in Sri Lanka. Some of their activities include radicalising students and encouraging them to take to the streets in various protests. Though such activities are still in their early stages, they pose another serious National Security concern that we need to be vigilant of.
Another growing concern in the post-war environment is the increasing communalism amongst ethnic groups, which if left unaddressed, could result in the rise of ethnic tensions in the future. During the period of the war, it was not only the Sinhalese and Tamil communities that were affected by the terrorist separatism of the LTTE, but also the Muslims. After the LTTE started engaging in ethnic cleansing in the North in the early 1980s, it expelled the Sinhalese community from Jaffna and soon after turned its attention to the Muslims. Several massacres were carried out at Mosques in the East, and in October 1990, the LTTE expelled more than 75,000 Muslim residents from the North. This was followed by further brutal attacks on Muslims in vulnerable villages near the territory dominated by the LTTE. In this environment, the Muslims also started to organise themselves for their own protection against the LTTE. After the LTTE’s defeat, some of these groups have begun to engage in activities that stem far beyond self-protection. There is some information that some of these groups have even tried to link up with the global Islamic terrorist movement. This is a situation that requires careful monitoring.
On a broader scale, it also has to be acknowledged that one of the consequences of the terrorist conflict Sri Lanka endured for thirty years has been the increased insularity of ethnic groups. Rather than identifying themselves on the basis of nationality, the communities of Sri Lanka have begun to identify themselves on the basis of their ethnicity or their religion. Instead of calling themselves Sri Lankan, they identify themselves as Sinhalese or Tamils or Muslims or Buddhists or Christians. This fragmentation of the Sri Lankan identity is most unfortunate, because activists within these communal groups seek minority rights or ethnic rights rather than working within the framework of a common national identity.
The cross-border links that can arise as a result of such insular ethnic or religious identification is also very troublesome. It is clear that there are some in the Tamil community who identify themselves more with the Tamil community of Tamil Nadu than with their fellow Sri Lankans. This has been encouraged by some parties overseas who wish to promote the idea of a greater Tamil Nation. Similarly, it has been observed that there are some foreign groups that wish to encourage Sri Lankan Muslims to identify themselves more with the global Muslim community, thereby reducing their integration within Sri Lanka. This trend has been particularly prevalent in the post September 11 world, in which there has been a tendency among certain groups to try and influence the global Muslim community towards religious extremism has become visible.
The increasing insularity and cohesion amongst minority ethnic groups has also led to the emergence of hard line groups from the majority community: the popularity of certain political groups and movements can be viewed as being largely a response to this trend. In turn, the emergence of hard line groups in the majority community causes further tensions amongst other communities, which leads to a vicious cycle of greater fragmentation of the Sri Lankan identity. Sri Lanka had enough divisions in the past that ultimately led to conflict; we must learn the lessons from our past and ensure that history is not repeated. This is therefore a very serious National Security concern at the present moment.
The maintenance of maritime security is another serious National Security Concern that the Government needs to be vigilant about. As an island, Sri Lanka does not have land borders to worry about, but maintaining maritime security is a serious challenge. In the past, the only maritime security issues that had to be dealt with was the illegal movement of Indians into Sri Lanka and the smuggling that took place between Sri Lanka and South India. Preventing these threats was one of the foremost duties of the military in the 1950s and the 1960s. However, with the development of the LTTE and other terrorist groups in the 1970s and beyond, maritime security became a major concern to Sri Lanka.
For example, it is a well-known fact that the LTTE acquired a vast arsenal of weapons and equipment including artillery, missiles, mortars, armoured vehicles and even light aircraft. None of these items were produced in Sri Lanka, but were brought into Sri Lanka through the sea. In addition to military supplies, the LTTE’s cadres were initially trained at bases in Tamil Nadu. Given the recent activities of LTTE-linked organisations outside Sri Lanka and particularly in Tamil Nadu, this is very much a current threat even today.
The organised trafficking of persons or human smuggling is another significant maritime security issue. Organised groups, some of which are connected to LTTE-linked organisations, have lured many people seeking better economic prospects into this lucrative illegal operation. During this year alone, more than 440 such people have attempted to leave Sri Lanka illegally. Having sold their properties and handed over all their wealth to the operators of these schemes, the victims of human trafficking find themselves trapped on board unsafe vessels along with hundreds of others, travelling to countries that will most often refuse them entry. In order to make a compelling case for their acceptance by border control authorities abroad, such economic refugees often concoct stories about being persecuted in Sri Lanka, thereby damaging the country’s reputation. Furthermore, the mechanisms of human trafficking have enabled trained terrorists to escape justice in Sri Lanka and flee abroad to safe havens, from which they may once again attempt to cause problems to the country through other means.
A further consideration with regard to maritime security is the protection of our maritime assets. One of the problems Sri Lanka has faced in the maritime domain after the defeat of the LTTE has been the increasing incidence of pirate fishing in Sri Lankan waters by South Indian fishermen. These fishermen use illegal practices such as bottom trawling to maximise their catch. This causes serious damage to the healthy fish stocks in Sri Lankan waters, and also adversely affects the livelihoods of our own fishermen. These fishing boats that enter Sri Lankan waters illegally have also been known to engage in other criminal activities including drug smuggling. Protecting our waters from these fishermen, as well as from others who might seek to exploit our other oceanic resources including oil and gas, will be one of the key maritime security challenges for Sri Lanka in the future.
Somewhat farther afield, the threat of international piracy is also a concern for Sri Lanka’s maritime security. Many of the world’s most important Sea Lanes of Communications are located in close proximity to Sri Lanka, and both the newly built Hambantota Port as well as the Colombo port are ideally situated to service the hundreds of vessels that cross these lanes on a daily basis. The reach and sophistication of the pirates originating mostly from East Africa has been increasing in recent years. This factor undermines the security of these Sea Lanes and could pose a serious problem to shipping in the region in the future. This will have an impact on the country’s economic security as well, and is therefore another challenge that needs to be monitored.
With regard to border security, one of the concerns Sri Lanka has is the possibility of the country being used as a transit point for transnational crime. The arrest of certain elements connected with extremist regional terrorist groups in India and Pakistan have shown that they have used Sri Lanka as a transit point from which to coordinate their activities. Some who are known to have been temporarily sheltered in Sri Lanka by an International Organisation after claiming refugee status in the west, are known criminals who engaged in illegal activities such as credit card fraud, drug smuggling and counterfeit currency printing abroad.
Organised crime in Sri Lanka is another issue that needs to be addressed. As a result of the rise of terrorism and the insurrections Sri Lanka experienced over the last forty years, and the response required from the state, a considerable amount of arms and ammunition inadvertently fell into the hands of criminals. This led to the rise of the underworld, which is now engaged in a number of organised criminal activities including drugs, armed robberies, kidnappings for ransom and financial frauds. There are also groups that engage in seizing land illegally. Tackling the challenges posed by organised criminal groups is another priority for the state.
In today’s environment, the possibility of foreign interference in our internal affairs remains a significant National Security concern. With the involvement of countries like India, Norway, and the United States of America in Sri Lanka as a result of the terrorist conflict, matters relating to this country’s internal affairs have gained increased visibility within the international community. India in particular is very sensitive to what is going on in Sri Lanka because of the large Tamil population in its influential southern state of Tamil Nadu. Especially during the elections cycle, Sri Lanka figures large in its power politics. In the recent past, we have seen even the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu attempting to pressurise the central government into opposing Sri Lanka internationally. This is a serious threat to Sri Lanka’s security, and perhaps even its sovereignty.
Furthermore, as a result of the rapid economic and military development of countries like India and China in recent decades, the entire Asian region has become increasingly important in global affairs. Because of Sri Lanka’s important geostrategic position within the Indian Ocean region, a great deal of attention is therefore placed upon it in the present era. There is a possibility that some western powers wish to have a Sri Lankan Government that is closely aligned with their interests, and will seek to influence Sri Lanka’s destiny so that it cannot pursue the independent course it is following at present.
A third factor that has led to Sri Lanka’s increasing importance in the international arena involves regional power politics. The issues between India and Pakistan, and the issues between India and China are particularly sensitive in this regard. With the rise of China as a world economic leader, there is a widespread belief that India feels insecure and is seeking to align itself with the other powers that seem similarly threatened by China’s ascendancy. The likelihood of the United States showing more interest in the region and aligning more with India is a factor that may affect Sri Lanka. Further, its establishment of a base in the Maldives is also changing the complexion of the region. These are developments that need to be monitored from the point of view of Sri Lanka’s national security.
The final threat to Sri Lanka’s National Security that I will highlight during this lecture is the emergence of technology driven new media including social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and other websites on the Internet. We have seen the potential of this new media to destabilise nations and affect serious change in the case of countries like Tunisia, Libya, Egypt etc. Although the likelihood of events such as the Arab spring transpiring in Sri Lanka is minimal as a result of it being a democratic nation with an extremely popular political leadership that enjoys a very large electoral majority, this is yet another threat that needs to be monitored. Particularly due to increasing Internet penetration and computer literacy in Sri Lanka, many of our youth are familiar with social media and use it as a tool to gather information as well as propagate ideas. Those with vested interests can exploit social media to cause problems in Sri Lanka by propagating certain ideologies online and mobilising and organising people. This can be done with a minimal physical presence, and therefore forms a threat that is difficult to contain through the traditional tools of national defence.
National Security Response
Considering the foregoing threat assessment, it is clear that despite Sri Lanka being in a post-war situation in which most people are only concerned about economic development, National Security remains very much a core concern for the Government. In addressing the challenges discussed above and developing a comprehensive National Security Strategy, it is important for the Government to take a holistic view and incorporate many of its elements into a single policy framework.
In terms of internal security, the best response to most of the threats that we face is the development of the Intelligence Services. Sri Lanka has two primary intelligence arms: the State Intelligence Service and the Defence Intelligence, which comprises the Directorate of Military Intelligence, Directorate of Naval Intelligence, and Air Intelligence. In addition, the Police maintains the Special Branch, while the Special Task Force also has its own Intelligence Division. Furthermore, the Terrorist Investigation Department and Criminal Investigation Department of the Police also work closely with the other Intelligence agencies on matters relating to National Security.
In the past, the lack of strength and coordination amongst these various intelligence services used to be a serious issue. It is essential that they work together under a unified command structure in order to improve coordination and enhance capabilities. Towards this effect, one of the efforts undertaken by the present Government has been to bring these intelligence services under the Chief of National Intelligence, who reports directly to the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence. This has streamlined coordination and improved cooperation amongst the intelligence agencies.
Another important development in this regard has been the augmenting of resources allocated for the Intelligence function. After the war, the number of military intelligence units have been increased and each Security Force Head quarters now has its own Intelligence Unit. The Intelligence personnel are being afforded more and more training in order to enhance their capabilities and capacities, and as Sri Lanka moves forward, it is hoped that the Intelligence agencies will be able to keep track of and contain domestic National Security concerns.
Furthermore, although the requirement for offensive military operations no longer exists in Sri Lanka, it is of the utmost importance that our security measures are not relaxed. Although the military is not engaged in law enforcement activities, and although their visible presence has been greatly reduced, it is essential for the military to be placed in strategic locations throughout Sri Lanka. Particularly in the North and East, where we know that there are still potential threats to National Security, it is essential to have a significant though unobtrusive military presence. Some recent efforts of international elements to reorganise pro-LTTE elements in the North underscores the need for this. For example, the recent arrest of some youth in Jaffna and Chennai who had been recruited by a Chennai based LTTE-linked group funded by the LTTE’s Europe based network, shows the utmost need to remain vigilant in this regard.
It must also be underscored that as a Sovereign nation, Sri Lanka has every right to place its security elements in any part of the country it so chooses. While some in the international community talk about the so-called militarisation of the North and East, and some political parties in Sri Lanka decry the presence of the military in these areas, it must also be understood that the people of the North and East mostly have a very cordial relationship with the military. Since the end of the war, the military has been involved in a great deal of reconstruction work, and they have also supported the people of the area to resume their livelihoods. They have provided equipment and material for agriculture, fishing and various types of assistance for small business development. The increased attention given to Civic-Military affairs also helps National Security because it helps the Armed Forces to win the hearts and minds of the people in the former conflict areas.
With regard to the work of the Defence services in the post-war environment, it is also essential to expand the responsibilities of the Navy and the Coast Guard. The protection of Sri Lanka’s maritime borders is of the utmost importance, and there is a great deal of responsibility on these two institutions to safeguard our seas. The Exclusive Economic Zone Sri Lanka enjoys needs to be protected, as it is a vital economic asset. The Navy needs to get more naval assets so that it has the ability to patrol or dominate the blue seas. It is also important to improve the Navy’s surveillance capabilities through augmenting its Radars and adding a new air surveillance capability. The Air Force, too, needs to improve it capabilities with regard to surveillance operations.
Another aspect of internal security that needs to be mentioned is the rectification of weaknesses that we used to have with regard to the national identity system. Because it was a manual, paper-based system, criminal and terrorist elements could very easily obtain forged identity cards. This enabled the terrorists to operate throughout Sri Lanka under various names and aliases; this is why the threat of suicide bombings and other attacks in the rest of Sri Lanka was such a pressing problem during the period of the war. To address this critical weakness, the Registrar of Persons Department was brought under the Ministry of Defence & Urban Development, and a new identity card system that uses biometric information will be introduced shortly. Similarly, the problem of people coming into Sri Lanka and staying here illegally under false pretences will be addressed through the introduction of a proper border control system in which biometric information will be incorporated into the passport and international standards used for identity verification.
From the point of view of domestic security, perhaps the most critical aspect will be the achievement of national reconciliation and the forging of a common Sri Lankan identity. Economic development is an absolute necessity in this regard. The fact remains that unless people enjoy a reasonable standard of living, peace and reconciliation are very difficult to achieve. This is why the Government has spared no expense or effort to develop infrastructure and build up the North and East to a high standard. This will enable the benefits of peace to flow down to the people of those areas. When people know that they have the opportunity to achieve a better future for themselves, it is highly unlikely that they will waste their time on violent ideologies. The achievement of economic development and national reconciliation are therefore two of the key areas of focus of the Government in the present national context.
Finally, with regard to external threats, it is of the utmost importance that Sri Lanka maintains cordial relationships with its allies. Despite the present pressure from Tamil Nadu, it is essential to maintain a strong and healthy relationship with India. Relations with the many countries that helped us in the past, both in economic terms and through political support, should be strengthened further through skilful diplomacy and further development of mutual ties. It essential to further strengthen the existing cordial relationships with powerful nations such as China and Russia, which have permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council and can influence any international action on Sri Lanka more significantly than other nations. In this overall context, it is very important that the foreign policy of Sri Lanka needs to be realistic. It is essential for Sri Lanka to have close ties with certain powerful nations in the international community in order to safeguard its National Security interests.
During the course of this lecture I have outlined the overall context of Sri Lanka’s National Security concerns; identified our most pressing threats and discussed the broad outlines of the Government’s strategy to deal with all these issues. Ultimately, the best way to ensure that Sri Lanka remains safe and strong in the future is for all of us to put aside the differences of the past; unite as Sri Lankans, and work towards a better future for ourselves and for each other.
Thank you.
June 23rd, 2013 at 6:03 pm
An excellent analysis of national security issues.
Thank G~d for Gota.
June 23rd, 2013 at 6:52 pm
this is the man for the job from now on – who takes a stance boldly, irrespective of his brothers convictions or lack of conviction. or knowing mahinda very well, is he getting the work done by gota?
we need to declare Anuradhapura the capital of heladeepa, at least symbolically, which will give an impetus and to bring back the pride to sinha+hela people, of the glorious past, which was destroyed by dravidians and the western invaders and now obviously by wahaabis. also the northern and eastern threats can be easily tackled politically and if needed militarily, as the need to protect the capital arises. let the cattle shed – the parliament be in the administrative district of jayawardenapura.
the tamil tiger sakkily outfit systematically eliminated the Sinhala political leaders and that was a grans plan and now we are left with leftovers, who lack the capacity and are unable to tackle foreigners, even at mere media interviews. command of the ungulates English language is not apparent now. people of the caliber of swrd, lalth, kadir are no more. a so called one intellectual is all what is left, who can speak English, and who is a dj in a the Colombo club.
by the way where are these wahaabis who inundated this forum with writings – mun okkoma waha beelada?
June 23rd, 2013 at 6:56 pm
The most PREPOSTEROUS thing is that Sri Lanka is STILL paying heed to India, which initiated, trained, funded, and orchestrated Tamil Separatist Terrorism in Sri Lanka, allowing India even to modify our Nation’s Constitution.
The 13th Amendment was rammed down Sri Lanka’s throat at GUNPOINT; it is Sri Lanka’s PATRIOTIC duty to get rid of this FOREIGN IMPOSED BALL & CHAIN shackling Mother Lanka.
The 13th Amendment is designed to divide Sri Lanka into a Patchwork Quilt of Racist Apartheid Communal Fiefdoms, and will enable Tamil Nadu politicians in collaboration with the TNA to create an Eelam in Sri Lanka as a part of a Greater Tamil Nadu, and will allow India to continue its INTERFERENCE in the internal affairs of our Sovereign Motherland.
When India has DEVOLVED Autonomy to Muslim Kashmir Separatists, please let us know! Until then, BUTT OUT of our country!
…………………………..
Amendment of 13A: Menon to meet Rajapaksa in July
By P K Balachandran – COLOMBO
NewIndianExpress.com
June 21, 2013
India’s National Security Advisor (NSA) Shivshankar Menon is expected to meet Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa here in July and convey New Delhi’s grave misgivings over moves to dilute, or even to do away with, the India-inspired 13th Amendment (13A) of the country’s constitution which devolves powers to the Provincial Councils.
Menon had revealed this to the six-member delegation of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) which met him in New Delhi earlier this week, Selvam Adaikalanathan, a member of the delegation, told Express. Adaikalanathan said that Menon would be here in mid-July.
Official Version
Indian official sources said that Menon would be in Colombo to participate in the trilateral talks on maritime security between India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives and that it was customary for visiting Indian NSAs to meet Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and other top leaders of the government and the opposition. According to Adaikalanathan, Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid had also said that he would visit Lanka, though at a later date.
‘Broke Promise’
Meanwhile, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa had told The Island daily that it was India, and not Sri Lanka, which had failed to keep a promise. “India had promised to throw its weight behind Sri Lanka on the US-sponsored resolution at the UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva, but it went back on its word. India let us down in Geneva very badly,” he said.
NPC Polls
The ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party said on Wednesday that elections to the Northern Provincial Council would be held as promised in September this year, whether the proposed Parliamentary Select Committee on pruning the 13A completes its work or not. The PSC is yet to be appointed because the opposition parties have asked for time to consider the matter, said SLFP spokesman, Nimal Sripala de Silva. He, however, said the government would form a PSC with political parties willing to take part.
June 23rd, 2013 at 9:54 pm
mahinda should be applauded for bringing in legislation to ban sale of land to foreigners, which was long overdue.
the anglo saxon ungulate got involved with locals to buy land and develop, the thing they know best (encroaching!) and the land prices and units prices shot up, valued at dollar terms for reaping maximum profits.
however, people with dual citizenship is exempted.
June 24th, 2013 at 7:04 am
Statement re ‘broken promises by India ‘ :
” ‘Broke Promise’
Meanwhile, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa had told The Island daily that it was India, and not Sri Lanka, which had failed to keep a promise. “India had promised to throw its weight behind Sri Lanka on the US-sponsored resolution at the UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva, but it went back on its word. India let us down in Geneva very badly,” he said”.
There are many broken promises by India, it seems. I was surprised to learn that India had promised to removed the ltte in
72 hrs. This was according to the Indo-Lanka Pact 1987 ! (see Mahinda Gunasekera’s article re the 13-A in the current set of articles). How can we ever trust India ? India lets herself be wagged by all and sundry. We can imagine India being wagged during the Cold War times, but why even now ?
Sri Lanka has to go her own way and not depend on India so much.
Also, why is south Indian Tamil Nadu state not attracting investments ? See article below :
* India should consider consequences before making decisions on Sri Lanka – union minister
Mon, Jun 24, 2013, 11:43 am SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
June 24, Chennai: An Indian Union Minister has said that India, before making decisions on Sri Lanka, should consider the far-reaching consequences of those decisions on the strategic relationship between the two countries and the interests of the Sri Lankan Tamils.
Speaking to the Indian newspaper The Hindu on Sunday Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry E.M. Sudarsana Natchiappan has said that any decision against Sri Lankan government would have a direct bearing on the Tamils in Sri Lanka and Tamil refugees living in India.
Commenting on the opposition shown in Tamil Nadu for providing training to Sri Lankan military personnel in Indian military facilities, the Union Minister has said that if India refuses assistances to Sri Lanka, the island’s government can approach China and that will not be good for the relations with a neighbor.
“You should not forget that they have the option of approaching China if India turned its back on them. It will not augur well for India, a close neighbor of Sri Lanka,” Mr. Natchiappan told The Hindu.
The Union Minister has pointed out that India already had problems along the borders it shared with Pakistan and it could not afford to create a similar situation that would disturb peace along the Palk Straits.
Noting that despite existence of adequate infrastructure, growth of industries in the Southern districts of Tamil Nadu had an adverse impact in the past due to the war conditions in Sri Lanka, the Indian minister has pointed out that a peaceful neighborhood was necessary for industrial development.
“Fear prevented industrialists from making investments in the southern districts. There is a harbour in Tuticorin, an international airport in Madurai and another airport in Tuticorin. Still we cannot attract investment,” the Minister has remarked.
June 24th, 2013 at 8:34 am
With great deference Dear Defence Secretary, your review of the National Security concerns, sends a very clear and articulate message to all Sri Lankans, who are in a state of anxiety over our Motherland, that we are not alone, and has a patriotic and formidable Bulwark, that is YOU. Sri Lanka has many enemies, more than we envisaged. Annhilation is the name of the game.
It is my point of view, which I believe is symbolic of others, is that the Government must enforce the exsisting Laws of Treason, and bring all those who breach the law under its radar. If the laws are weak, please enact ammendments to make it extremely severe. Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims hopping to Foreign Countries in search of the proverbial, SUDU MUGATIYA to fight on their behalf, must be stopped at once. Please introduce it as TREASON #ONE. Chief of National Intelligence must immediately get cracking.
Talking of the under-world and the heinous crimes they commit, I would like to make the following suggestions, to cover some of them amongst others.
Any Vehicle/s or Boat/s, used by an individual or by a group of persons to commit the under-mentioned crimes, should be confiscated in toto, and auctioned or passed onto the Tri Forces or Police, for their use, after court convictions, of all participating in such acts.
a~~~Transporting cattle illegally for Slaughter
b~~~Transporting illicitly felled timber along with all mechanized and un mechanized implements.
c~~~Transporting Ordnance, and other inflammable material, Spirits, alchohol.
d~~~Transporting Females to Motels and Houses of ill fame
e~~~Transporting stolen or illegally acquired Merchandise
f~~~Transporting abducted individual/s, children
g~~~Transporting Groups to create mayhem in any part of the country
h~~~Transporting Groups to ILLEGALLY IMMIGRATE
i~~~Any other offence which has not come into my mind.
I wish to re-iterate that any Vehicle or Boat used for any act of crime should be immediately impounded and confiscated in toto, and utilized as aforesaid mentioned, or Auctioned for additional source of GOVERNMENT REVENUE.
If there is no legal provision in the Constitution, for the above mentioned remedies, would suggest Parlament enact legislation immediately.
When owners of Vehicles / Boats know that they will lose them, forever, they will never give it knowingly for illegal activities.
Over to you, Honourable Defence Secretary.
June 24th, 2013 at 10:41 am
The way I see it is to learn from past lessons. Negotiations with future terrorists never work. Only the complete obliteration of them works. Make Sri Lanka an official Buddhist nation that gives freedoms for other faiths to function but not to convert Buddhists to their faith but allows Buddhists to convert others to Buddhism. Use the principals of Buddhism in the new Constitution which means the primitive savage and inhuman practice of the Caste system among the Hindu Tamils is punishable by imprisonment and penalties. If it persists more drastic action such as confiscating the Temple will take place. All faiths follow their own doctrines but also follow the rules formulated by the ethics of Buddhism. No party or organization can seek the help of a foreign entity without facing charges of treason and it’s dismantling. All political parties should put the integrity of the nation above all else. powers are to be centralized and the Buddhist Sanga given a greater role in politics and social affairs.
June 24th, 2013 at 1:22 pm
The proposed constitutional Amendment will ONLY DELETE the power of the President to MERGE Provinces, and FALLS FAR SHORT OF WHAT IS NEEDED: the TOTAL REPEAL of the 13th Amendment.
Meanwhile, the GOSL continues to FIDDLE with the PSC process and further amendments to the 13th Amendment WHILE Sri Lanka BURNS!
One piece of happy news though: the Tiger Nominated Agents (TNA) will not be attending the PSC. Thank God; just like the LTTE mandated boycott by the TNA of the Election of Mahinda Rajapaksa as President, this will boomerang on the TNA …. and the 13th Amendment can be gutted more strongly.
Let us RID ourselves of the 13th Amendment and the Provincial Council System …. this DESPICABLE INDIAN BALL & CHAIN Shackling Mother Lanka!
………………………………..
Sri Lanka parliament to present draft constitutional amendment to Supreme Court
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
June 24, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s Chief Government Whip and Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said the constitutional amendments proposed to amend the powers granted to the Provincial Councils under the 13th Amendment to the Constitution would be sent to the Supreme Court for advice.
He said the Constitution also provides for the consultation of the Supreme Court and the draft amendment will be sent for the interpretation of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ruling will be sent to the Speaker and the President, the Minister noted.
Sri Lanka’s cabinet of ministers granted approval for amending the 13th Amendment regarding the power vested in the President to merge provincial councils to form a united Provincial Council.
The Cabinet approved the deletion of the provision in the 13th Amendment that gives power to the president to merge two provinces as it was done in July 1987with the Northern and Eastern provinces which remained merged until the Supreme Court de-merged them in October 2006.
The amendment that repeals the clause that empowers the President to merge two provinces will be brought as an urgent bill in parliament.
The Cabinet advised subjecting the other changes proposed to the 13th Amendment to the review of a parliamentary select committee as there were divergent views on the drafted changes within the government.
The Speaker of Sri Lanka parliament accordingly appointed 19 members from the ruling United People’s freedom Alliance (UPFA) to the proposed parliamentary select committee (PSC) to study the issue of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
The major political parties are yet to name their representatives to the PSC. Government coalition partner Sri Lanka Muslim Congress said it will name their representatives on June 29.
Meanwhile, the main opposition United National Party said its leader has presented a set of conditions to the President and only if the government agrees to those conditions they will name their representative.
The main Tamil party of the country Tamil National Alliance has expressed strong opposition to any changes to the 13th Amendment and hence they said they would boycott the PSC.
June 24th, 2013 at 1:38 pm
What a joke!
Just put the damn 13 amendment to a referendum. Problem solved. PSC does NOT work.
June 24th, 2013 at 1:54 pm
Mr. Bernard Wijeyasingha,
While I applaud the rest of your comment, I disagree with the following: “not to convert Buddhists to their faith but allows Buddhists to convert others to Buddhism.”
I STRONGLY agree with BANNING FOREIGN MISSIONARIES from entering Sri Lanka and funding religious conversions in Sri Lanka. We have ENOUGH of OUR OWN priests and religious activists to fill a CONTINENT; we do not need rich foreigners exploiting our needy and attempting to remake our people, and our society at large, in their own image. So, OUT with the Evangelical Christian and Wahhabi Muslim Missionaries: Foreign Missionaries do not qualify for the RIGHTS of Sri Lankan citizens.
However, religion is a PERSONAL CHOICE, and RELIGIOUS FREEDOM is an INALIENABLE RIGHT. Therefore, we must allow that choice to be made freely by individuals without compulsion or undue exploitative external input of any kind.
Accordingly, a Buddhist must have the RIGHT to join another religion, and a non-Buddhist must have EXACTLY THE SAME RIGHT to become a Buddhist, voluntarily, without compulsion or inducements/benefit of any kind.
To me, this is a CORE ASPECT of the exercise of EQUAL RIGHTS that are guaranteed by the Constitution, and indeed by Buddhism itelf.
We are trying to build a Sri Lanka without Special Privileges, resting on race, religion, language or caste, for ANYONE. We cannot decry the caste discrimination among Hindu Tamils while erecting a ONE-WAY barrier to religious conversion of Buddhists.
The basic precept should be: What is GOOD for the GOOSE, should be GOOD for the GANDER as well.
June 24th, 2013 at 2:19 pm
The GOSL should IMMEDIATELY arrange to send these Officers for TRAINING in China!
DO IT NOW … Let the MESSAGE be CLEAR!
………………………..
Sri Lanka defense officers leave Tamil Nadu due to pressure from state
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
June 24, Colombo: Two Sri Lankan defense officers receiving training at the Defence Service Staff College (DSSC) in Wellington in the Tamil Nadu state of India have left the state today due to protests from Pro-Eelam Tamil outfits and Tamil Nadu Government.
Indian media reported that Sri Lankan officers Wing Commander M. S. Bandara Dissanayaka and Major C. S. Harischandra Hettiarachchige, who were undergoing a one-year training course in the DSSC from May 27, have left with their families amid heavy security.
Military personnel in 10 military trucks, with armed guards had taken the officers to Coimbatore City Airport. The officers will leave to Mumbai from there, Indian media reported.
In the wake of protests involving pro-LTTE Tamil parties, including the MDMK, outside the Defence Services Staff College demanding the center government to send back the Sri Lankan officers, India has proposed to move them to the Military Institute of Technology in Pune.
However, Sri Lanka’s Secretary of Defense Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has objected to the move saying that the Sri Lankan government wouldn’t accept the transfer of military officers, The Island newspaper reported.
The Defense Secretary has stressed that Sri Lanka will not agree to the proposed transfer of officers to another institute. He has said that Sri Lanka would probably recall the officers if they cannot receive training from the DSSC in wellington.
Protests by the pro-Eelam supporters reached a peak yesterday when over 200 people of Naam Tamilzhar Katchi stormed onto the campus of Madras Regiment Centre, housing the College and raised slogans against the Government and Sri Lanka and tore Congress and Lankan Flags.
The Tamil Nadu government vehemently opposes providing training to Sri Lankan officers in the state and the Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa has written to the Indian Prime Minister several times asking the PM not to provide training.
In the wake of the opposition from Tamil Nadu government of India to the training of Sri Lankan defence personnel in India, Pakistan and China have stepped in to provide the military training to Sri Lankan defense personnel.
June 24th, 2013 at 2:25 pm
Here is a REVELATION to those who would depend on Daya Master to counter the TNA: He too supports the 13th Amendment also?
The moment he smells a little power and GOSL weakness, he reverts to the LTTE blackguard he was before. So what is NEW? NOTHING changes the stripes of the Tiger except skinning it alive!
……………………
Former LTTE spokesman says he was invited to contest election by the government
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
June 24, Colombo: Former spokesman of Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger terrorist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Velayutham Dayanithi alias Daya Master said that he was invited to contest the election for the Northern Provincial Council by higher authorities of the government.
Speaking to BBC Tamil service, Daya Master said that the Tamil people are concerned of the efforts to curtail the powers of the Provincial Councils.
Daya Master said the “extremely racist campaign” against the Tamil people should be stopped by parties like Jathika Hela Urumaya and National Freedom Front.
He urged the “Sinhala extremist parties” to join hands with the Tamil people.
Daya Master also highlighted the need of resettling all the IDPs and providing land to them.
June 24th, 2013 at 2:35 pm
Daya Master DOES NOT SAY “The Tamil People should not be concerned with curtailing the powers of the provincial councils; in fact they should DEMAND REPEAL of the 13th Amendment, without alienating themselves from other Sri Lankans by supporting the 13th Amendment and PERPETUATING the Racial Politics that has isolated them in Sri Lanka”.
He should be saying: Tamil people should DEMAND the REPEAL of the 13th Amendment, and COMMIT THEMSELVES to living as EQUAL CITIZENS without asking for Special Privileges. That is the way to REINTEGRATE themselves into the fabric of the larger Sri Lankan society. Demanding exclusive rights unavailable to other citizens would guarantee their identification and isolation as a FIFTH Column INIMICAL to the survival of Sri Lanka as a Unitary Sovereign Nation of ONE Inseparable People.
Unfortunately, I know of no Tamil Politicians who are WISE & COMPASSIONATE ENOUGH towards their own people willing to lead them in that direction. ABSOLUTELY NONE!
June 24th, 2013 at 2:43 pm
What BOGGLES my mind is that India is AHEAD of Sri Lanka. India … beset by active insurgencies affecting 850 million of its people … with ENDEMIC INSTITUTIONALIZED caste and religious discrimination … should be FAR FAR BELOW Sri Lanka. Such is the FREE RIDE goven by the jaundiced West to the “favorite democracy” India.
It is like endowing Barack Obama with the Nobel Peace Prize to co-opt him into the “huma rights” camp well before he has ACCOMPLISHED ANYTHING to deserve that Nobel Peace Prize! Bloody Hypocrites!
……………………….
Sri Lanka slightly declines in Failed States Index this year
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
June 24, Colombo: Sri Lanka has shown slow and steady improvement in state building this year according to the 2013 Failed States Index (FSI), a globally accepted ranking of the world’s countries based on the pressures they experience.
The 9th Failed States Index for 2013 prepared by Washington, D.C.-based think tank, Fund for Peace, ranks Sri Lanka, out of 178 countries, at the 28th place in the ‘warning’ category with a total score of 92.9.
Sri Lanka scored 92.2 points last year and was placed at the 29th position while in 2011 Sri Lanka totaled 93.1 points and ranked at 29th after improving from the 25th position in 2010.
The Fund for Peace obtains data on countries from various sources and tabulates them based on 12 major indicators which are given a score from 0-10 adding up to a total of 120. The countries are ranked according to the total score they receive with the highest score being the most failed state.
The four categories in the Social Indicators include Mounting Demographic Pressures, Massive Movement of Refugees or Internally Displaced Persons, Legacy of Vengeance-Seeking Group Grievance or Group Paranoia and Chronic and Sustained Human Flight.
In the Economic Indicators category a country’s performance is measured in Uneven Economic Development along Group Lines and Sharp and/or Severe Economic Decline.
Political and Military Indicators include Criminalization and/or Delegitimization of the State, Progressive Deterioration of Public Services, Suspension or Arbitrary Application of the Rule of Law and Widespread Human Rights Abuse, Security Apparatus Operates as a “State Within a State”, Rise of Factionalized Elites, and Intervention of Other States or External Political Actors.
Sri Lanka’s scored 9.0 out of 10 for violation of Human rights and rule of law and Vengeance-Seeking Group Grievance indicator was the highest with a score of 9.5 out of 10.
This year Somalia is the most failed state and the top 10 and the least failed state is Finland.
Among Sri Lanka’s South Asian neighbors only Pakistan fared worse than Sri Lanka at the 13th place while Bangladesh followed Sri Lanka one notch down and Nepal at 30th place. India was ranked at the 79th place with a total score of 77.5 and Maldives ranked at the 88th place. Since 2005, the index has been published annually by the Fund for Peace and the magazine Foreign Policy.
The list has been cited by journalists and academics in making broad comparative points about countries or region.
June 24th, 2013 at 4:14 pm
ANANDA !! Everybody knows that Daya Master supports the 13th Amendment. Ninety Nine per cent Tamils support 13th Amendment. It is not a revelation. If he reverts to sommersault and be a LTTE blackguard, he will find that Nandikal is too far, and would end up with his goons at Elephant Pass lagoon. He took 50 of his goons to the SLFP Office. They will not want to be lonely at Elephant Pass. If Daya Master is successful in his mission to contest, TNA is OUT.
June 24th, 2013 at 4:18 pm
Unfortunately, I know of no Tamil Politicians who are WISE & COMPASSIONATE ENOUGH towards their own people willing to lead them in that direction.
How true!
People like Arun Thambimuttu are NOT elected and will NEVER be elected!!!
ONLY few we had – LK and JF were killed by Tamils and now there is NONE.
SL should see the OPPORTUNITY in this sad situation for Tamilians.
Daya Master the terrorist earlier tried to get noinations from UNP but was rejected.
It is DAMN FOOLISH have this terrorist contest from UPFA.
SUICIDE.
June 24th, 2013 at 4:21 pm
SW,
“If Daya Master is successful in his mission to contest, TNA is OUT.”
Not quite. Tamils vote for the MOST RACIST. TNA, TNPF and TULF are more racist than DM. So they will vote for them. Only a few MODERATE Tamils (still racist) will vote for DM.
We can’t expect more from Tamilians than that.
June 24th, 2013 at 4:26 pm
TNA agitates for Tamil Elam and Tamil people love it.
……….l
………\/
They will not get it.
……….l
………\/
Frustration builds.
……….l
………\/
Frustration turns to anger.
……….l
………\/
Endia and Tamil Madu give weapons to them.
……….l
………\/
War.
The same cycle.
June 24th, 2013 at 4:37 pm
NONE of these steps can be prevented.
TNA agitates for Tamil Elam and Tamil people love it.
They will not get it.
Frustration builds.
Endia and Tamil Madu give weapons to them.
War.
The ONLY step that can be CHANGED is.
Frustration turns to anger.
Instead we should turn their frustration to HOPELESSNESS.
Then Tamils give up or LEAVE SL. Many boat services should be arranged to transport Tamils out of SL. Don’t worry they PAY for it too!!
Look at the numbers.
2,200,000 SL Tamils. If 70% are adults, adults = 1,540,000
If 50% are men, men = 770,000
If population growth rate is 1.5%, number of Tamil boys reaching 18 every year = 11,550
Of which 2,000 migrate OUT of SL by legal means. That remains 9,550 left.
If we can dispatch 184 of them every week, Tamil population growth STALLS. After that WOMEN follow men to get married. They will have children OUTSIDE SL. Some will perish in the journey. We can increase this casualty percentage.
This is the peaceful solution.
They came by boats ILLEGALLY in the last century, they GO by boats illegally this century.
White boats must replace white vans. No one will ever know. No human rights joker will ever know.
June 24th, 2013 at 4:56 pm
Ananda, Lorenzo, I respect the logic.
June 24th, 2013 at 5:23 pm
Re Daya Master : “Daya Master also highlighted the need of resettling all the IDPs and providing land to them”. Who are these IDPs who are landless ? Were they part of P’karan’s imported illegal entrants into Sri Lanka from Tamil Nadu, who may have been promised land in return for fighting with the ltte ?
How is it, if they are genuine Sri Lankans, that they did not have some kind of ‘home’ before the war with the ltte ?
I am merely asking some questions. If anyone knows the truth of this matter, do please let us know.
June 24th, 2013 at 6:31 pm
while our tamils have found a refuge in tamilnadu, tamils from there is living in sri lanka? what sought of logic is that? get the pussy jayalalitha answer that.
June 24th, 2013 at 7:15 pm
Fran Diaz,
Please KEEP ASKING these questions, they are important.
In response to Kanthar Balanathan’s recent article citing demographic statistics, I also asked a question on the number of Sri Lankan Tamils in the recent 2012 census, which is DOUBLE what I expected with up to 1.5 million Sri Lankan Tamils having fled abroad as fake refugees!
Lorenzo, thank you for the response, but your answer is FRIGHTENING, because it says while the LTTE EXPORTED Sri Lankan Tamils as FAKE REFUGEES to Western countries to form a CAPTIVE TAX BASE for their Eelam war, they MORE THAN REPLACED THEM with ILLEGAL Indian Tamil IMMIGRANTS, who are ow being treated as Sri Lankan citizens in the census!
Furthermore, there are at least another 50,000 PRESUMABLY Sri Lankan Tamils in Indian refugee camps, possibly with Tamil Nadu spouses, and children sired by them, waiting to be drop shipped to Sri Lanka!
This HIGHLIGHTS what would happen to the DEMOGRAPHICS of Sri Lanka if the TNA takes CONTROL of the Northern PC with Land & Police Powers:
1. They will CONTINUE TO IMPORT illegal Indian Tamils from Tamil Nadu, as they did while the LTTE controlled those areas, and will hide them by falsifying registration records, and birth and death records.
2. As Sri Lankan citizens, they will now have the right to infiltrate into any part of Sri LLanka and settle there. So, there will be an unending stream of ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS into Sri Lanka, changing the DEMOGRAPHICS off Sri Lanka.
We can SAY GOODBYE to the Sinhala Majority that is the FOUNDATION for our VISION of a Sovereign Sri Lanka if this is allowed to continue.
An Eelamist Tamil Majority led by the Tiger Nominated Agents (TNA) won’t be as forgiving of the Sinhalese, as we were of them, as the murder and mayhem the LTTE unleashed on the Sinhalese in the recent past demonstrates.
The current situation in the US with an unending stream of illegal Mexicans coming into the US, finding safe haven and cover among the Hispanic American Population in the US, and increasingly demanding rights reserved only to US citizens, is an example of what could happen in Sri Lanka.
Hispanics in the US have now grown in numbers to become a powerful unassimilated community voting block, pushing both the Democrats and the Republicans to abandon US Laws against illegal immigration and to give AMNESTY and CITIZENSHIP to nearly 20 million illegals who have entered the country since the last amnesty which naturalized nearly 6 million illegals. All of this, while legal applicants for immigration to the US languish in the IMMIGRATION QUEUE for decades!
In effect, illegal immigration has changed the demographics of the US to the point that there is no longer any political will to enforce border security or to deport illegal immigrants, from politicians who want to get re-elected despite the obvious harm ignoring the Law will do to the future of the United States.
One outcome of this is that there is now an increasing cry for Spanish to be adopted as an official language in border states. Will the cry for secession of the Hispanic majority states be far behind, and will the Government of the USA be able to summon the will, the determination and the popular support to fight another Civil War to hold the country together as President Abraham Lincoln did? The cry for a separate “Republica De Norte” has already been raised; please do a Google search for your own edification for example at en.wikipedia.org.
At the ROOT of all of this the the FAILURE of the Federal Government of the USA to enforce border control, and enforce its Immigration Laws over many decades., and to admit immigrants legally in numbers that can be assimilated and integrated into the American mindset as ONE Inseparable People.
This SAME scenario awaits Sri Lanka if we FAIL to SECURE and MAINTAIN CONTROL over the entire coastline, and PREVENT SEPARATISTS from acquiring control of Provincial Councils.
I thank Lorenzo for his QUICK response to my query, and URGE ALL OTHER PATRIOTS to INVESTIGATE THIS THREAT and RAISE ALARM in the hearts of PATRIOTS and the GOSL!
……………………………
Ananda-USA Says:
June 23rd, 2013 at 6:11 pm
Something is NOT RIGHT in the 2012 census figures quoted above.
After 1.0 to 1.5 million Sri Lankan Tamils fled abroad as FAKE REFUGEES, how come there are STILL 2,270,924 (11.21%) Sri Lankan Tamils left in Sri Lanka?
I was expecting there would be only about HALF of that Number, about 1.1 million or 6% of the population oof Sri Lanka. Is the census including the Sri Lankan Tamils in the Diaspora abroad as well?
Sri Lankan Tamils abroad WILL NEVER RETURN to Sri Lanka …. so it is about time we started to address the issue of CITIZENSHIP of ALL Diaspora Sri Lankans, and enforcing a periodic visit requirement to maintain Sri Lankan citizenship, and give DUAL-CITIZENSHIP on a case-by-case basis only to those who have not acted against Sri Lanka.
……………………………
Lorenzo Says:
June 23rd, 2013 at 6:29 pm
Ananda,
Those numbers are CORRECT.
The reasons are,
1 Many Indian Tamils became SL Tamils
2 VERY LARGE illegal migration from Tamil Madu to SL during LTTE rule of Vanni
3 VERY HIGH Tamil population growth comapred to Sinhalese
4 DUAL CITIZENSHIP
Had Tamils not left SL in millions, there would be 3,270,924 SL Tamils or APPROX 15.4% of the population which is 2.5% higher than 1981 which was only 12.8%!!!!
Thank G~d they LEFT SL and that is what should be encouraged.
LESS population means LESS election power and LESS TNA power.
June 24th, 2013 at 8:13 pm
My Comment at ColomboTelegraph.com article entitled “Closed Door Meeting: Rajapaksa To Dissolve Eastern Provincial Council Before It Passes A Resolution”
…………………
REPEAL the 13th Amendment, DISSOLVE ALL Provincial Councils, GET RID of this Indian BALL & CHAIN shackling Mother Lanka!
What are you WAITING FOR, dear President Mahind Rajapaksa? The VAST MAJORITY of Sri Lankans who returned you to the Presidency by a LANDSLIDE are with you ALL THE WAY!
If the Legislature is HOGTIED, call for a NATIONWIDE REFERENDUM and LET ALL of the Sovereign People of Sri Lanka decide.
DEMOLISH the Provincial Council System designed to divide Sri Lanka into a Patchwork of Racist Aparheid Communal Fiefdoms NOW.
Rather than DISINTEGRATING Sri Lanka into Communal Provincial Council Fiefdoms, INTEGRATE Sri Lanka into ONE Indivisible Nation, of ONE Inseparable People, sharing ONE Indomitable National Destiny with Equal Rights for all, irrespective of race, religion, language or caste.
One VOTE for each adult citizen to usher in one’s candidate to the National Parliament is SUFFICIENT FRANCHISE for any Law-Abiding citizen. Only Racist SEPARATISTS plotting to overthrow our Unitary Sovereign Motherland, and Corrupt Provincial Council Bureaucrats hanging onto their Captive Tax-Payer supported JOBS want Provincial Councils!
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER DEVOLVE POWER to the Tiger Nominated Agents of the TNA, salivating at the prospect of WINNING through TREASON & THREATS in Provincial Council Elections, what they FAILED to CAPTURE in murderous Separatist War!
June 24th, 2013 at 8:32 pm
Fran and others:
I quote this from an expert on the subject.
[Quote] When I joined the Sri Lanka Army volunteer force as a young officer way back in 1968, it was to perform duties with the Task Force for Illicit Immigrants that I was first mobilized. The operations conducted by this Task Force of the Sri Lanka Army firstly made it almost impossible for illicit immigrants to freely arrive in northern parts of this island from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and secondly curtailed smuggling operations to and from Sri Lanka to Tamil Nadu. With the increase of separatist activity by the LTTE the government gradually lost control of the Northern Province. With the war against LTTE terrorism requiring all available troops in the Sri Lanka Army the Task Force for Illicit Immigration ceased to operate. When LTTE commenced to control the beach frontage in the northern parts of Sri Lanka travelling across the Palk Strait between Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu by boat intensified.
Several Tamil Nadu politicians had crossed the Palk Strait and entered this country using this illegal rout to address meetings organized by the LTTE. Therefore it is a fact that there was much illegal movement of Tamil people between Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu during the period the LTTE was active in the north and east. If seventy five thousand citizens of Sri Lanka had travelled across the Palk Strait to refugee camps in Tamil Nadu would it not have been possible for an influx of Tamil Nadu illicit immigrants in the opposite direction? Let me prove to the readers of this article that this did actually happen during the period that the LTTE was making an effort to establish a Tamil Eelam in the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka.
Soon after the LTTE had been defeated and Tamil people were being resettled in the Vanni their medical needs had to be addressed. A team of doctors from Success Colombo travelled to the Vanni to assist the Sri Lanka Army in this endeavour by conducting medical camps. I too joined this team of doctors as a member of Success Colombo. Most doctors in this team were not conversant in Tamil. Therefore interpreters who knew both Tamil and Sinhalese were found to help the doctors. One interpreter named Subramanium who assisted the doctors at the Kanagarayankulam medical camp greatly impressed me due to his fluency in both Tamil and Sinhalese. I therefore spoke to him after the medical camp in the presence of Brig. Raj Ranawake the then Brigade Commander of Kanagarayankulam.
Subramanium informed us that he is an Indian Tamil who had been born in Deniyaya. When he was of age he had settled in Galle to do business. During the 1979 ethnic problem he had been among the Tamils rounded up by the Sri Lanka Army for their own safety and transported by train to Kilinochchi. I am aware that he was speaking the truth because I as a Captain in the 2nd Battalion of the Gemunu Watch was in charge of that train on its journey from Galle to Colombo. At the Fort Railway station I handed this train over to another officer who was detailed to take it to Kilinochchi.
Subramanium who thus arrived in Kilinochchi in 1979 commenced a small business in the town and subsequently got married and raised a family. His three sons joined the LTTE and two of them were killed while fighting for the LTTE. He said that he has not been able to trace the whereabouts of his third son who joined the LTTE in the latter stages of the war. When his first two sons got killed fighting for the LTTE his family was recognized as a Mahaveera family and provided with ten acres of land in Kanagarayankulam. Since he was an Indian Tamil the LTTE had requested him to establish contact with his relations in Tamil Nadu and to persuade them to migrate and settle in Kanagarayankulam to cultivate the ten acres of land that had been given to him. Since he had lost contact with his relations in Tamil Nadu he was unable to do so. However he said that many other Indian Tamils who had been given land by the LTTE as Mahaveera families that had relations in Tamil Nadu had persuaded their relations to migrate to Sri Lanka as illegal immigrants to cultivate the allotted lands. He said that the Grama Niladharies who were either former members or supporters of the LTTE or due to bribery and corruption have provided these illegal immigrants with affidavits stating they were citizens of the area who had been displaced by the war. These GS affidavits will ultimately enable the Illegal immigrants to obtain a new national identity card and settle in the area. I provided this information that I had gathered to the Secretary of Defence and he gave immediate instructions to investigate this possibility.
I have no reason to disbelieve the information that Subramanium provided with regard to illicit immigrants from Tamil Nadu settling in the Vanni with impunity. If this is so what would happen once the Northern Provincial Council is established under the present 13th Amendment to the Constitution with police and land powers? If the newly established Northern Provincial Council to which land and police powers are devolved decides to support the Eelam ideology the central government will be unable to prevent illegal immigrants from Tamil Nadu colonizing the Northern Province. If the government allows this to happen a military strategy that defeated separatism and ushered in peace to protect and preserve the unity and territorial integrity of our nation for posterity will be once more reserved by a political strategy that will destabilize and divide the country. Indian effort to force the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution has to be understood in this context to realize its potential future danger to the unity and territorial integrity of our nation.
Indian invitation recently to Tamil National Alliance politicians for discussions amounts to interfering in the internal affairs of this country. Political leaders of the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka should endeavour to integrate with the Sinhalese majority to achieve future peace and prosperity for the nation without discussing internal affairs of this country with Indian politicians. Such discussions will only center on how to apply pressure on the government of Sri Lanka to fully implement the 13th Amendment, which is an Indian trap to destabilize and divide Sri Lanka in the future. The Tamil minority in Sri Lanka must also understand that the separatist terrorists who were trained armed and equipped by India that caused so much death and destruction during a three decade war have been convincingly defeated and that the Security Forces of this country will never allow them to raise their heads again.
What Sri Lanka requires in the future is peace and prosperity through the strengthening of its unitary Constitution and not death and destruction by diluting the Constitution through the implementation of the 13th Amendment that would create avenues for separatists to work towards destabilizing and dividing the country. Therefore since in Sri Lanka the sovereignty is in the people and is inalienable the President should listen to the voice of the people and make use of Article 86 in the Constitution for a referendum to repeal the 13th Amendment as this is now a matter of national importance to prevent Indian surreptitious efforts to support separatism in Sri Lanka.
Lt Col (Rtd.) A. S. Amarasekera.
17th June 2013. [Unquote]
June 24th, 2013 at 8:42 pm
Fears expressed by Fran and Ananda-USA are valid. Illegal immigration of Tamils continues to this date unchecked. It is a grave threat to the very existence of Sinhala natives (only natives in the island sharing the status with Veddas). Census data don’t help either as it proves the gravity of the problem.
To make matters worse, there are estimated 1,000 abortions taking place everyday mostly by native women. This poses an additional risk to population growth as abortions affect the ability to conceive later. In addition, 1.2 million mostly native women work abroad which also restrict population growth.
According to estimates close to 10,000 Tamils illegally migrate to the island every year looking for work. LTTE was manned mostly by Indian Tamils who were allowed to settle in Vanni without being deported to India. Misplaced sympathy on the part of locals is responsible for this tragedy.
Unless these issues are addressed and resolved quickly the severity of the problem may lead to violence.
June 24th, 2013 at 9:06 pm
My Comment at the ColomboTelegraph.com article “British Tamil Forum Whistling In The Dark” by Kumar David.
……………………..
Actually, I think I attained much happiness, perhaps equivalent to the Sakrudagami stage of enlightenment, on May 19, 2009, when Sri Lanka was finally liberated from Eelamist Tamil terrorism; something I had prayed everyday for 30 long years.
If Sri Lanka gets RID of the 13th Amendment this year, and shakes it self free of that Indian Ball & Chain, and resumes her journey on a stable path to communal peace and harmony as ONE Nation, I think I will attain happiness at an even higher level, perhaps equivalent to the Anagami stage of enlightenment.
My concern for the survival of ALL of our People in Sri Lanka, no matter what race, reliogion, language, or caste, compels me to write the TRUTH as I see it, with justice and fairness towards the DESERVING, but none at all for the WICKED. Perhaps that separates me from those Buddhists who listen to our enemies and wait passively to be ANNIHILATED practicing their “Panchaseela” rigorously to the very end.
This essential difference, I suppose, will prevent me from attaining further happiness at the Arahat level, and Nirvana upon my passing. No matter what multivarious theories of happiness predict, I think love of others motivating the desire to defend and protect, must somewhere trump the self-serving love of oneself.
I will strive with the assistance of the Noble Triple Gem, the all knowing Lord Buddha, his immortal message of The Dhamma, with the aid and advice of The Clergy, to end my life on an even happier note having tried my very best to help the living in Sri Lanka.
Thank you ever so much for your concern about my happiness. May you attain Nibbana!
June 24th, 2013 at 9:17 pm
At the height of terrorist problem, JRJ declared “if we do not occupy the borders the borders will occupy us”. That is what the ancient rulers did until we lost control in the north for about 400 years due to the advent of the Dutch and the British. We had a brief control from independence until late 60s as indicated by the retired Lt. Col. ASA in the above analysis. The same sentiment expressed by JRJ is being expressed by Hon. Gatabhaya now. I am 100% sure he knows what he is talking about and all Sinhalese irrespective of party differences should listen to him and take his advice or else the country will be divided for ever or there will be another war, this time with open support of India and the west. So, it appears to me, the best thing GOSL can do now is to go for a referendum. If it is necessary let CHOGM come to Sri Lanka another time. Our national security and continued peaceful existence as a unitary state is more important.
June 24th, 2013 at 9:21 pm
Dilrook,
Thank you very much for republishing Lt. Col. Amarasekara’s letter on the subject of Illegal Indian Tamil immigration into Sri Lanka.
This is why the TNA wants Army camps to be removed, and Police and Land powers be given to them: They want to RESTART the ILLEGAL KALLATHONI migration into Sri Lanka …. ALL OVER AGAIN hidden away from the view of the Government and non-Eelamists!
THIS MUST NEVER BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN!
June 24th, 2013 at 9:28 pm
Patriots,
Please keep an eye on the support building for the GOPetition to REPEAL the 13th Referendum at :
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/an-appeal-for-the-abolition-of-the-thirteenth-amendment/signatures.html
Please sign the petition if you have not already, and help to publicize it!
June 24th, 2013 at 9:29 pm
Patriots,
Please keep an eye on the support building for the GOPetition to REPEAL the 13th Referendum at :
gopetition.com/petitions/an-appeal-for-the-abolition-of-the-thirteenth-amendment/signatures.html
Please sign the petition if you have not already, and help to publicize it!
June 24th, 2013 at 9:35 pm
A big-money LTTE supporter bites the dust: Raj Rajaratnam imprisoned until 2021, but the PENALTY is miniscule in comparison to his assets!
…………………………
NY court upholds ex-billionaire’s conviction
AP/ June 24, 2013, 1:38 PM
NEW YORK The conviction of a onetime Sri Lankan billionaire on insider-trading charges was upheld Monday by a federal appeals court that concluded the government did not cheat to obtain permission to make its most extensive use of wiretaps ever in such a case.
Lawyers for 56-year-old Raj Rajaratnam had argued on appeal that the government improperly persuaded a judge in 2008 to permit a wiretap to be placed on Rajaratnam’s cell phone. The wiretap was used to record 2,200 private conversations by Rajaratnam, the founder of the Galleon Group of 14 hedge funds. Several dozen of those conversations were played for the jury that convicted him in 2011 of multiple counts of securities fraud and conspiracy to commit securities fraud.
“Rajaratnam’s arguments are not persuasive,” the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals wrote in a unanimous ruling by a three-judge panel in Manhattan.
The court said the wiretaps were properly obtained, despite a lower-court judge’s finding that information about a probe of Rajaratnam by the Securities and Exchange Commission was “clearly critical” and that the government acted with “reckless disregard for the truth” in omitting certain information about the investigation in its requests for wiretaps.
The appeals court said it could not conclude that the government acted recklessly in its wiretap requests when fully disclosing the details of the SEC investigation would only have strengthened its argument for wiretaps.
Chronologies of the SEC’s probe strongly suggested that Rajaratnam had been careful to exchange nearly all of his inside information by telephone, the appeals court noted. And it recounted statements by a government lawyer and an FBI agent who said they never thought about including information about the SEC probe in its wiretap application. The appeals panel said the lower-court judge had erred in failing to consider the states of mind of the wiretap applicants.
The Sri Lanka-born Rajaratnam, arrested in 2009, is serving an 11-year prison sentence at a Massachusetts prison after the government said he made $75 million illegally. He did not appeal the legality of his sentence, which was substantially less than the 19 1/2 to 24 1/2 years prison term sought by the government.
He is scheduled to be released in 2021. In his criminal case, he was fined $10 million and was ordered to forfeit $53.8 million. He also was ordered to pay a record $92.8 million civil penalty to the SEC.
Prosecutors obtained more than two dozen convictions in a case they once called the biggest insider-trading prosecution in history.
His lawyers declined to comment Monday.
June 25th, 2013 at 12:43 am
Lorenzo is so right: Thank God for Gota.
How different this son of the soil is, from some gutless wonders of the past!
What a comprehensive analysis; the Defence Secretary has simply nailed it.
All that’s left to do now, in the name of national resurgence, is to drive the final nails in —
and create truly Sri Lankan areas, in which all ethnic groups live in dignity all over the island….
And show the door to most NGOs. As some clever fellow had remarked, they should be
named for what they are: No Good Outsiders!
June 25th, 2013 at 5:45 am
Ananda USA,
We must first thank you for your dedicated work toward bringing truth & justice for all peaceful people in Sri Lanka. It is a long and hard road. I have always said that in order to practice any religion, we have to first survive. So, let us first put Laws in place to ensure that survival first, and also carry out these Laws to secure the land and give a sense of security to, as you say, all peace loving people of Lanka. Let us Survive first and next practice our Buddhism to the best of our ability.
We wish you all that is best. May you carry on this work for a long time to ensure that all is well for all peace loving people in Lanka. We must take heart that the Indian flag says “Satyameva Jayate” which means “Truth wins”. We hope that India stands by her wonderful motto.
—————-
Illegal Migration is the subject that has to be studied well, at government level, and acted upon. India must agree that illegal migrants be sent back. India must live up the high ideals stated on her flag “Satyameva Jayate” or this wonderful and high placed motto may sound hollow. Also, India should include the Sinhela people as People of Indian Origin (PIO) too. At present, the Sinhela people are not PIOs ! How and why is that ?
If we have hundreds of thousands of Tamil illegal migrants (and some from places likes the Maldives too and these people may be of Indian origin too), then we ought to identify and DEPORT them. As Dilrook surmises, about 10,000 illegal Tamil migrants have been coming into Lanka per year. For long has this gone on ? At least 30 yrs ? That is about 3000,000 Tamil illegal migrants. The Army intel people thought that P’karan’s Human Shield was about 100,000 people because that was the possibility in the sparsely populated North. But this Human Shield turned out to be over 300,000 Tamils ! How did this happen, if not for illegal migrants.
America has identified for deportation some 7 Million Mexicans illegal entrants. America is going to have a massive drive to stop illegal migrants coming in from borders, particularly from the hot spot Mexico. America is huge country compared to Sri Lanka and yet illegal migrants are being deported. America must understand that Sri Lanka needs to do the same.
America has undertaken to help the so called Sri Lanka Tamil refugees in Tamil Nadu camps. There are supposedly some 60,000 refugees there. This number does not vary however many thousands of Tamils return to Sri Lanka ! How are we to know the genuine refugee ? Are TN camps a sort of permanent camp site for illegal migrants to legally enter Sri Lanka ? This matter should be sorted out, the faster the better. The longer it festers, the more trouble for Lanka & GoSL. Sri Lankan Buddhists must drop their ‘aney pauw’ attitude and get down to the business of governing their country. The Singapore model is a good one to follow.
GoSL must ignore the small stuff going on to distract us all. Get to the heart of the problems – 13-A must go via a Referendum and also clear up the illegal migrant issue, once and for all.
June 25th, 2013 at 5:49 am
correcting an error : about 300,000 Tamil illegal migrants.
June 25th, 2013 at 11:45 am
Tied up with the illegal migrant Labor problem, we need to address Labor Needs in Lanka.
Why do Tamil Illegal Migrants come to Lanka ? Is it in the hope to find work and that alone ? No. They hope to find/acquire ownership of land, houses, get citizenship with free education & health care, etc. This is natural. But once the stream of Tamil people start to come in illegally, there is no stopping it. They bring with them the entire baggage of caste/poverty background of thousands of years from those areas and the attendant psychological problems. Can Sri Lanka handle these problems ? We doubt it. Even the Tamil leaders here cannot handle it. The only bone they can throw is that the “GoSL & Sinhala people are enemies” and Tamil Only Eelam – like a sort of Utopian dream, a Valhalla, Heaven, Nirvana, you name it. This is all eye wash. They will eventually be used by Tamil leaders, god knows for what nefarious purposes ! To prevent this type of tragedy happening, it is up to all Sri Lankans to take responsibility for the Security of this Nation, along with GoSL & Gota’s Plan.
We have to take responsibility for the Labor Needs of Lanka by Mechanising & Modernising the Labor sector so that existing Local Labor can cope pleasantly with the work that has to be done, without dependency on any imported labor (unless they come and go under supervision, with foreign projects). A massive & challenging task indeed. Mechanising the tea sector would be a start. China, India, Africa all use tea plucking machines. Why don’t we ? Then anyone can use these simple machines (somewhat like a dust buster machine used in homes to remove dust) to pluck tea leaves. China produces most of these machines. They are not that costly either. There are different models, single person or two people operations. Pictures and prices can be viewed on the net.
Similarly, other sectors in the plantations industry will have to semi-mechanise. A safer (preventing CKD), pleasanter way to work in the rice fields and rubber plantations by wearing comfortable plastic boots & gloves, head covers, should be made known. As for coconut plucking we have yet to see some gadget that would ease the climbing of a coconut tree.
Also Needs of Laborer families must be met – assured basic salary, basic needs (food, clothing, shelter), along with access to amenities, schools for children, transport, etc.
Let us make ‘lemon aide out of lemons’ handed to us.
If Local Labor is made to feel special with their Needs met, there is no need to import labor from anywhere.
June 25th, 2013 at 1:15 pm
Dilrook,
Thanks for your information & article by Col.Anil Amarasekera re illegal migrants. This first hand account is an eye opener and confirms much of what we only suspected earlier.
June 25th, 2013 at 1:23 pm
Dear Dr. Manmohan Singh,
I recommend FULL DEVOLUTION OF POWER to the Muslim Kashmiri Militants to exercise their “INALIENABLE” “Democratic Right” to SECEDE from India and join Pakistan, just as you recommend for Sri Lanka to do with the Eelamist Sri Lankan Tamils agitating for a Separate State in the North of Sri Lanka.
Tamil Nadu/India plays the same role on the Eelam issue, as Pakistan does on the Jammu/Kashmir issue …. undermining and fomenting separatism in India. How does it feel … now that India is holding the short end of the stick?
Butt what does it matter, eh? Principles are Principles … the SAME Principles apply to the Indian GOOSE as they do to the Sri Lankan GANDER, do they not?
Or, is India going to come to a SUDDEN REALIZATION that the DOUBLE STANDARDS it applies to Sri Lanka are coming home to Roost in KASHMIR, and India should CEASE & DESIST? We Sri Lankans who suffer mightily at India’s hands, FERVENTLY HOPE SO!
Countries that Live in Glasshouses SHOULD NOT Throw Stones at Neighbors!
……………………….
Indian PM on rare Kashmir trip after deadly attack
By Parvaiz Bukhari (AFP) – 8 hours ago
June 24, 2013
SRINAGAR, India — Prime Minister Manmohan Singh faced protests as he arrived for a rare visit to Indian Kashmir on Tuesday, a day after militants killed eight soldiers in the deadliest attack in the region for five years.
Singh said India was united in the fight against terrorism after landing in the southern town of Kishtwar as part of the two-day trip, his first to the region for three years.
“India is firmly united against terrorism. (We) Won’t let them succeed in their nefarious designs,” the premier told Indian media in Kishtwar, where he laid a foundation stone for a hydro-power plant.
Singh stressed in a speech that violence “had shown a sharp decline and was the lowest in last two decades,” the Press Trust of India news agency reported.
Singh was accompanied by Sonia Gandhi, the president of the ruling Congress party, for the visit in which he will inspect major infrastructure projects and inaugurate part of a railway line to connect north and south Kashmir.
It is the first time the premier has visited the Indian-controlled part of the divided Himalayan territory — which has been the scene of two wars with Pakistan — since June 2010 and comes less than a year before India goes to the polls.
Police and paramilitary forces have been deployed in strength across the region for the visit, including in the main city of Srinagar where the premier is expected later Tuesday.
Shops and other businesses, along with schools, banks and offices were closed throughout the city after the three main separatist groups called a strike to protest Singh’s visit.
Government forces were enforcing curfew-like restrictions in the volatile and congested old town in Srinagar.
“We are confined to our homes whenever a politician from Delhi visits our Kashmir,” a resident of the area said by phone, adding that he was not able to leave his neighbourhood for work.
Despite the high security, a group of militants staged an attack on Monday on a troop convoy on the outskirts of Srinagar, killing eight soldiers and wounding 13 others.
Hizbul Mujahideen, a local pro-Pakistan militant, group claimed responsibility for the attack, the deadliest on Indian security forces since July 2008 when a landmine killed nine soldiers on a bus on the outskirts of Srinagar.
More than a dozen armed rebel groups have been fighting Indian forces since 1989 for the region’s independence or its merger with Pakistan and tens of thousands of people, mostly civilians have died in the fighting.
Armed violence had been declining steadily since the early 2000s but the region has been tense following the execution in February of a local man over a deadly 2001 attack on the national parliament in New Delhi.
Mohammed Afzal Guru’s execution, carried out in a New Delhi prison without first informing his family, triggered widespread protests in Kashmir where many doubted his guilt.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was among those who condemned Monday’s attack, saying it was “aimed at restoring the shattered morale of the militants”.
Abdullah is an ally of Singh but has criticised the Delhi government for showing what he regards as a lack of political will to resolve the underlying tensions in what is India’s only Muslim-majority state.
“The Kashmir issue needs to be addressed politically. Economic packages are not a solution to the issue nor can it be found on the point of a gun,” Abdullah said recently.
June 25th, 2013 at 7:21 pm
The best example closest to Sri Lanka (SRI) is Israel (ISR).
ISR has its own unique language, religion, culture, etc. just like SRI. Both in hostile neighborhoods infected with medieval era Sharia Low and South Indian Caste Law. These uncivilised practices drive their people out of Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Tamil Nadu, Andra Pradesh, Kerala and into ISR and SRI.
Today 25% of ISR are Arabs and 25% of SRI are Arabs and South Indians. Only 75% of ISR are Jews and only 75% of Sri Lanka are Sinhalese.
Unwanted migrants in both countries are growing despite restrictions, alleged discrimination, genocide, war crimes, colonization, alleged rubbish blaming on Judaism and Buddhism and other baseless blame. The fact that their population growth is similar to Medieval period suggest they are wrong in their allegations. In addition, they have an extremely high reproduction rate. Average children in an Arab (falsely called “Palestinians” but their language, culture and religion are Arabic) family is 4. Average children in an Elam Tamil (falsely called “Elam Tamils” but their language, culture and religion are South Indian) and Muslim family is 4. Jewish and Sinhala families have an average of only 1.5 children.
It is obvious what happens in future. Imported minorities will outnumber the unique peoples of both ISR and SRI. Then something dirtier happens.
In order to save the Hebrew-Judeo identity in the world, Israel WILL HAVE TO agree to a 2-state-solution. Otherwise the new majority (Arabs) will rule over the Jews and turn the beautiful land of the Morning Star into another disgusting junkyard of medieval barbarity.
In order to save the Sinhala-Buddhist identity in the world, Sri Lanka WILL HAVE TO agree to a 2-state-solution. Otherwise the new majority (Arabs and South Indians) will rule over the Sinhalese and turn the beautiful land of the Pearl of the Indian Ocean into another disgusting junkyard of medieval barbarity.
The so called “international community” has been harping on the 2-state-solution since independence (1948). Now the Americans are running with it.
Something must be done to prevent today’s minority from becoming tomorrow’s majority in both countries. These minorities have their own nations where extreme barbarity chases them away.
First thing is border protection. Second thing is to have only one official language that deters illegal immigrants (they don’t know Hebrew or Sinhala). If every state function happens in these languages respectively, they will not come in such large numbers. If Arabic and Tamil remain official languages, they will come in drones. Thirdly deport all illegal immigrants. Tell the police to turn a blind eye to crimes committed upon illegal immigrants.
Fourthly, SRI should import Bangladeshi Buddhists and settle them in the north. 1.5 million Bengali Buddhists are persecuted by Islamic fundamentalists. They will soon vanish into nothingness. The responsibility to protect Theravada Buddhism in the South Asian region rests with SRI. Israel imported millions of Jews persecuted in Soviet Union, Germany , etc. and settled them in colonization schemes called Kibutz (Chena in Sinhala).
Fifthly, divide minority enclaves by state sponsored colonization schemes that cut through them. That was how West Bank and Gaza were separated. That was how Vanni and Batticaloa were separated. And that was how Trincomalee and Ampara were separated.
The world has only 15 million Jews and Sinhalese each. If they disappear, the whole world loses them. There are a billion Hindus and a billion Muslims. They need not be protected in SRI and ISR. The rest of the world has enough of them.
June 26th, 2013 at 2:33 pm
By DECIDING NOT TO REPEAL the 13th Amendment COMPLETELY, the UPFA “Ruling Party” FORCES Sri Lanka to REMAIN a COLONY of India, NOT a Sovereign Nation, and SOWS the SEEDS of ANOTHER Communal WAR in the Future! SHAME!
WHERE IS the PATRIOTIC Government that FREED the Nation from Eelamist Tamil Terrorism AGAINST ALL ODDS?
In a BLUE FUNK, with its TAIL BETWEEN its LEGS?
………………………
Main constituent of Sri Lanka ruling alliance supports changes to 13th Amendment
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
June 26, Colombo: The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), the main coalition party of Sri Lanka ruling alliance has decided to support the 13th Amendment to the Constitution with the introduction of suitable revisions to the provincial council system established under the Amendment.
Following a meeting of the SLFP parliamentary group held at the Temple Trees today under the patronage of the party leader President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Treasurer of the party Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said that it is the stance of the party to revise the 13th Amendment to address the irregularities in the legislature to further strengthen the unitary status of the country.
Speaking to the state-run radio SLBC, Minister Alahapperuma explained that the 13th Amendment to the Constitution was introduced in an irregular manner under an emergency situation.
The Minister said the SLFP parliamentary group has agreed to introduce the amendment to prevent the merger of several provincial councils.
The party however, will take the most correct approach after considering all the ideas to address other important issues including the devolution of police and land powers to the provincial councils which has become a major topic.
Minister Alahapperuma said the SLFP parliamentary group has decided to wait for the decision of the parliamentary select committee (PSC) appointed to discuss the revisions to the 13th Amendment.
Several members of the party have opposed any changes to 13th Amendment calling for full implementation of the amendment.
The party has also decided that it is necessary to hold elections for the Northern Provincial Council as scheduled.
June 26th, 2013 at 3:09 pm
Thamilini should have been PROSECUTED, CONVICTED and EXECUTED for her role in training, brainwashing and orchestrating the yoking of women and children to a murderous cause.
She collaborated with that other criminal Adele Balasingham lolling in the lap of luxury in jolly old England.
When we release LEADING CRIMINALS of the LTTE like this without ANY PUNISHMENT, it encourages FUTURE criminals to take up arms against the people of Sri Lanka, without fear of RETRIBUTION!?
NO DETERRENCE folks, none whatever!
…………………..
Sri Lanka releases former LTTE Women’s Wing leader Thamalini
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
June 26, Colombo: Sri Lankan authorities today released the former female political wing leader of the terrorist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Subramaniam Sivathai alias Thamalini after undergoing a one-year rehabilitation program.
The Commissioner General of Rehabilitation Brigadier Dharshana Hettiarachchi said that Thamalini was handed over to her parents today at the Poonthottam Rehabilitation Centre in Vavuniya.
Thamalini, a resident of Kilinochchi joined LTTE in 1991 and became the head of LTTE Women’s Wing. She was arrested by Lankan army in May 2009 at an Army welfare center for refugees and taken to Colombo for investigations.
She was charged with training LTTE cadres and establishing connections with LTTE members overseas.
After being detained at the Welikada prison for many months she consented to be rehabilitated and was transferred to the Vavuniya Rehabilitation center to undergo the rehabilitation programme in order to re-integrate her into the society.
According to the rehabilitation officials, Thamalini received vocational training at the camp and had followed a training course in bridal dressing.
June 26th, 2013 at 3:10 pm
At the risk of repeating for the upteempth, MR & GOSL will not repeal the 13th. Period!
As i have repeated time and again, the best he can do is to dilute the 13th.
MR should have and could have repealed the 13th back in 2009.
The difference between a Statesman and a Politician is vast!
June 26th, 2013 at 3:13 pm
MORE TREASONOUS Birds of a Feather, Flocking Together!
……………………..
Sri Lanka Tamil party to meet leftist coalition parties to discuss 13th Amendment
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
June 26, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s major Tamil party, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) plans to meet leftist coalition partners of the ruling alliance to discuss the proposed revisions to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
TNA parliamentarian Mavai Senathirajah has told local media that the leftist parties have requested a meeting with the Tamil party and the alliance is considering the request.
The party is planning to schedule a date for the meeting, the Tamil MP said.
The leftist parties of the government coalition strongly oppose the government’s proposal to make constitutional changes to the Amendment and say they will vote against any move to dilute it.
June 26th, 2013 at 3:16 pm
The MORE the UPFA government demonstrates INDECISION on the 13th Amendment, the MORE the Anti-National elements within and without the ranks of the UPFA are ENCOURAGED to work against the Government and the Nation.
Rise Up …. O Patriots of Mother Lanka ……Rise Up the REPEAL the 13th Amendment and DEMOLISH the Provincial Councils …. Your Motherland and Your People need you NOW!
June 26th, 2013 at 3:33 pm
Ananda-
I agree with you.
A terrorist is a terrorist!
Thamilini, Karuna, KP,Weerawansa, Soma were all part of terrorist organisations at one time or another.
There should be no distinguishing between “rehab” or “safe house”
June 26th, 2013 at 4:26 pm
Thamilini should have been killed.
Now she will get a hero’s welcome in her village. LTTE RUMP will help her. She will become rich and SET AND EXAMPLE to poor Vanni people how to get rich.
Thereafter she will LEAVE SL and go to UK. Tell stories of war crimes against SL and earn more.
The whole rehabilitation was a FOOLISH MOVE.
Our new army commander was the rehab expert.
June 27th, 2013 at 6:16 am
So long as the 13-A exists (with or without Amendments) the Unitary Status that the SLFP cherishes, is in jeopardy. We say this because : just take a look at the number of Amendments made to ensure the Unitary Status of Lanka, and yet the Tamil leaders of the unregistered political party, the TNA, runs to India and elsewhere advocating Separatism. All this is done while the TNA MPs are paid via taxpayers of Lanka, their pay, perks & pensions etc. are all paid for by the taxpayers (not the other MPs), and therefore the SLFP & the Parliament ought to harken to the call of the People to remove the 13-A, not make Amendments. Tamil leaders do not respect the Unitary Status of Lanka. They respect the Unitary Status of Tamil Nadu only.
The Security Needs of the Sinhala people are neglected in the process of placating Caste/poverty issues of Tamil Nadu & various vested interests.
Re the new stand on the 13-A, to keep it with Amendments – that we are disappointed with the SLFP is an understatement.
June 27th, 2013 at 6:19 am
We agree with May 17 2009, that Israel & Sri Lanka have a number of common problems. But Sri Lanka is an island, with clearly defined borders. Is there a real need to compromise Security in our country to placate various others ?
June 27th, 2013 at 2:28 pm
Now that is a START, on KEEPING OUT these Communal Agitators AWAY from Sri Lanka!
MUCH MORE NEEDS to be done to get these Foreign Agents OUT OF Sri Lanka. They come here to ORCHESTRATE communal divisions in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lankan Defence Officers were HOUNDED OUT from Tamil Nadu; Let us RETURN THAT FAVOR … Big TIME!
INVESTIGATE ALL EMPLOYEES of Communal Activist NGOs. If they are FOREIGN …. deport them irrespective of Visa status! MANTAIN a blacklist of such INDIVIDUALS … NEVER let them set foot in Sri Lanka AGAIN.
…………………….
No tourist visas for NGO activists; South Indian activist deported
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Island.lk
June 26, 2013, 9:46 pm
A Non-Governmental Organization headquartered in Colombo, is under investigation for inviting South Indian women activists for projects in the northern and eastern districts as well as Puttalam.
Security sources told The Island yesterday that on the invitation of an NGO called Viluthu, several activists, including Sharifa Khanam and Ester Devakumari had conducted programmes here in the recent past. Responding to a query, a senior official said that Devakumari had been deported as she had been engaged with an NGO after having arrived here on a tourist visa.
The official said: “Devakumari arrived here on June 19. She conducted a workshop for a group of northern widows at the Nedunkerni Divisional Secretariat on June 23. Having arrested her at the Omanthai police checkpoint, Devakumari was brought to Colombo and deported the following day. She was sent back to Chennai.”
Viluthu focuses its activities in Trincomalee, Jaffna, Puttalam and Batticaloa.
Sources said that a group of Viluthu activists was believed to have visited Tamil Nadu in December 2011.
The official said that NGO activists wouldn’t be allowed to use tourist visas.
Sources said that Viluthu had received funding from several Western and American donors and was one of the most active organizations in the post-war era.
June 27th, 2013 at 2:47 pm
The same DENIAL of TRADE PREFERENCES wielded by the US against Sri Lanka, is now swung against Ecuador … in this case WITH DUE CAUSE for Ecuador is assisting a US Citizen sought by the US Law Enforcement for the CRIME of DISCLOSING Classified Secret Data belonging to the National Security Administration.
What gives the Ecuadorian Government such STRENGTH & CONFIDENCE to confront the US on a such small peripheral issue as asylum for US citizen Edward Snowden, when Sri Lanka TREMBLES IN FEAR when the US threatens its very survival by pressuring for Devolution of Power to Defeated Separatists and Political Proxies of the Murderous LTTE?
What gives Ecuador SUCH COURAGE?
…………………..
Ecuador breaks US trade pact to thwart ‘blackmail’ over Snowden asylum
Government renounces Andean Trade Preference Act even as Snowden’s prospects of reaching Ecuador from Moscow dimmed
BY Rory Carroll in Quito
guardian.co.uk
June 27, 2013
Ecuador’s Foreign Minister Patino talks to reporters before a function at a hotel in Singapore
Ecuador’s foreign minister Ricardo Patino (center left). Snowden’s asylum request has yet to be processed. Photograph: Edgar Su/Reuters
Ecuador has ramped up its defiance of the US over Edward Snowden by waiving preferential trade rights with Washington even as the whistleblower’s prospect of reaching Quito dimmed.
President Rafael Correa’s government said on Thursday it was renouncing the Andean Trade Preference Act to thwart US “blackmail” of Ecuador in the former NSA contractor’s asylum request.
Officials, speaking at an early morning press conference, also offered a $23m donation for human rights training in the US, a brash riposte to recent US criticism of Ecuador’s own human rights record.
Betty Tola, the minister of political coordination, said the asylum request had not been processed because Snowden, who is believed to be at Moscow airport, was neither in Ecuador nor at an Ecuadorean embassy or consulate. “The petitioner is not in Ecuadorean territory as the law requires.”
Tola also said Ecuador had not supplied any travel document or diplomatic letter to Snowden, who is reportedly marooned in Moscow airport’s transit lounge because his US passport has been invalidated.
A document leaked to Univision on Wednesday showed that someone at Ecuador’s consulate in London did issue a safe conduct pass for the fugitive on June 22, as he prepared to leave Hong Kong. The name of the consul general, Fidel Narvaez, was printed but not signed.
Tola said it was unauthorised: “Any document of this type has no validity and is the exclusive responsibility of the person who issued it.”
The renunciation underlined divisions within Ecuador’s government between leftists who have embraced Snowden as an anti-imperialist symbol and centrists who fear diplomatic and economic damage.
Some in the government are believed to be annoyed that Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder who has sheltered at Ecuador’s London embassy to avoid extradition, has seized the limelight in the Snowden saga. Assange caught Quito by surprise last week when he announced Snowden had been given a safe conduct pass. Quito replaced its ambassador to London earlier this month in hope of better managing its famous guest.
The waiving of preferential trade rights followed threats from members of the US congress to drop the ATPA in July, when it is due for renewal, unless Ecuador toed the line on Snowden.
“Ecuador does not accept pressure or threats from anyone, nor does it trade with principles or submit them to mercantile interests, however important those may be,” said Fernando Alvarado, the communications secretary.
“Ecuador gives up, unilaterally and irrevocably, the said customs benefits.”
The announcement will enhance President Correa’s reputation as a bold leader unafraid to defy the US, just like the late Venezuelan president, Hugo Chávez.
Tactical calculation lay behind the decision. Even before the Snowden affair Quito feared losing the trade preferences, largely because of Republican antipathy to Ecuador’s outspoken socialist leader.
“The Ecuadorans got word that renewal of ATPDEA was a long shot in any case, so instead of waiting for rejection, they took the initiative and the high road,” said Michael Shifter, of the Inter-American Dialogue.
Correa loved a fight and was responding to perceived US hypocrisy and heavy-handedness, said Shifter. But the president had showed caution in refraining, so far, from granting Snowden asylum. “He appears to be weighing the political and public relations benefits against the real consequences for Ecuador’s economy, should he grant the asylum request.”
Juan Carlos Calderon, the editorial of Vanguardia, a weekly which has had its offices raided and staff threatened in disputes with the president, said Correa’s firebrand image masked shrewd, pragmatic calculation.
Even before the Snowden affair the president tried to soothe Ecuadoreans that losing the trade preferences, which exclude thousands of products such as roses, tuna and broccoli from export duty, would have a small impact.
Not all are convinced. “This will have serious consequence for Ecuadorean producers,” said Ramiro Crespo, director general of Analytica Investments, a Quito-based consultancy.
“These products which are exported to the United States have become major industries in Ecuador. If commerce is restricted there’s going to be unemployment … This does not penalise the government, it penalises the people.”
Additional reporting by Dan Collyns
June 27th, 2013 at 3:03 pm
JAYAWEWA! But, thousands of Buddhist Monks Rallying against the 13th Amendment is NOT ENOUGH!
Where are the TENS of MILLIONS of Sri Lankan PATRIOTS!
I URGE THE PATRIOTS to gather 10 MILLION SIGNATURES on a Petition DEMANDING the REPEAL of the 13th Amendment and DISSOLUTION of ALL Provincial Councils!
Wimal Weerawansa gathered 1 MILLION SIGNATURES in support of his Petition against the Devolution of Land & Police Powers under the 13th Amendment.
GOOD … BUT NOT GOOD ENOUGH! Stop FIDDLING and THINK BIG! THINK VICTORY!
Wimal … get together with the SLFP, the JHU, the MEP and ALL other PATRIOTS and DELIVER a PETITION with 10 MILLION SIGNATURES.
Rise Up ……. O Patriots of Mother Lanka …. Rise Up to WAGE EELAM WAR V confronting us, NOW! REPEAL the 13th Amendment, DEMOLISH the Provincial Council System, and RESTORE to Sri Lanka, our sceptered Isle, her hallowed Sovereign CROWN!
………………………….
Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka to rally against the 13th Amendment on July 2nd
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
June 27, Colombo: Thousands of Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka will hold a rally in Colombo on July 2nd calling for the abolition of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
The rally, organized by the National Movement for the Abolition of Provincial Councils (NMAPC), will be held in Maharagama.
The NMAPC has stated that 3,000-4,000 monks from all over the country would participate in the rally.
A member of the organizing committee Ven. Rajawatte Vappa Thera has openly invited the Chief Prelate of the Asgiriya Chapter of the Siam Nikaya and members of the Maha Sangha to take to the streets on July 2nd.
Ven. Vappa Thero has said the 13th Amendment should be abolished before the Northern Provincial Council election.
He has observed that it was the actions of the bhikkus that have saved the country whenever there was any disaster and the politicians.
According to Ven. Vappa Thero, some elements were trying to use the 13th Amendment to separate the country.
June 27th, 2013 at 3:19 pm
CAPCS demands abolishing of PCs ahead of Northern poll
By Thushari Kalubowila
Island.lk
June 26, 2013
Picture Caption: General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena Ven Galagodatte Gnanasara thera addressing yesterday’s press conference. Also in the picture are Ven Hadigalle Wimalasara Thera, Ven Rajawatte Vappa Thera, Jagath Sumathipala of the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress, Prof Pandula Andagama of Hela Deya Wadanno organization, Bandula Chandrasekera of the National Intellectuals’ Council and representatives of other member organizations of the Collective for the Abolition of the Provincial Councils System.
Pic by Nimal Dayaratne
The Collective for the Abolition of the Provincial Councils System (CAPCS) is demanding that the provincial councils system be done away with prior to the proposed election to the Northern Provincial Council.
“What is needed is the devolution of administrative powers and not the devolution of political power. The provincial council system has failed to address this issue and as a result the entire country has been made to pay for this,” Ven Galagodatte Gnanasara, General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena, a member organization of the CAPCS, told a media briefing at the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress conference hall yesterday.
Gnanasara Thera said although it had been four years since the LTTE was militarily defeated the country had failed to win the trust of the Tamil people.
“The Tamil people are least bothered about the provincial council system and only want to live happily in their areas,” the monk claimed.
Gnanasara Thera said that the 13A and the provincial councils entered the country’s statutes in 1987 as part of the Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord, which had been forced upon Sri Lanka by India.
“If the government cannot repeal the 13th Amendment to the Constitution at this juncture, then it should take urgent action to amend five clauses in the Constitution which gives undue powers to the Provincial councils. We demand that the government either repeal the 13th Amendment or amend clauses that gives police powers, land powers, powers of provincial councils to merge and the so-called concurrent list.
The government should amend the Article 154A (3) – that allowed the merger of the provinces, which could lead to the North merging with the East to create a new state, ‘North-Eastern Sri Lanka’ – encompassing 1/3 of Sri Lanka’s land mass and 2/3 of the coast, he said.
It was imperative that the Article 154G (3) be done away with. The Article reads that any Bill in regard to matters in the Provincial Council List shall become law only if they are passed by every Provincial Council.
The removal of the Land and Police powers from the concurrent list (9th Schedule) would eliminate the threat to the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, Gnanasara thera said.
The Thera also said that the CAPCS would hold a national rally in Maharagama on July 02 demanding the abolition of the 13th Amendment.
Ven. Rajawatte Vappa thera of the National Sangha Council, Prof Pandula Andagama of Hela Deya Wadanno organization, Jagath Sumathipala of the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress, Bandula Chandrasekera of the National Intellectuals’ Council and representatives of other member organizations of the CAPCS attended the media conference.
June 27th, 2013 at 3:50 pm
My Comment at ColomboTelegraph.com on “To Be Or Not To Be: Strategic Control Of The Northern Province”
…………………………
J.Muthu,
I echo Sach in querying: Where were you when the Evil Murderers of the LTTE sliced and diced entire villages of people, shot, bombed, hanged, tortured, and brainwashed men, women and children in their hundreds of thousands? Where were you? Cheering from the sidelines, collecting funds to support the Murderous terrorists of the LTTE, levelling fake charges of discrimination at Sri Lanka to acquire a refugee visa, and fasting on McDonalds Hamburgers in front of the Parliament in London, UK … perhaps? Anything rings a bell? Anything?
We will NEVER ALLOW UNREPENTANT SEPARATISTS and Political Proxies of the Late Unlamented Murderous SunGod to hold sway in the Northern Province levelling yet another a dagger at the heart of our Motherland and its People! 150,000 dead Sri Lankans are ENOUGH Dead!
ONE Indivisible Nation, of ONE Inseparable People, sharing ONE Indomitable Destiny, with Equal Rights for ALL is our VISION of Sri Lanka’s future, not a Patchwork Quilt of Racist Apartheid Communal Bantustans PERPETUALLY at WAR with one another.
ONE person, ONE vote to elect a representative to the National Parliament is FRANCHISE ENOUGH for any Law-Abiding citizen. Only incurable Separatists weeping Crocodile Tears at their Failure to Dismantle Sri Lanka, and PC Bureaucracts anxious to hold onto their Tax-Payer supported jobs doing NOTHING but harassing citizens, want want Provincial Councils.
NEVER AGAIN! Watch Closely and Find Out what the PATRIOTS of our Motherland will Accomplish THIS YEAR!
No TNA, No NGOs, No Foreign Powers plying hegemonistic agendas, No Eelamist Tamil Diaspora, will be able to FRUSTRATE the PATRIOTS of Mother Lanka, in their TENS OF MILIIONS!
June 28th, 2013 at 12:05 pm
UVA Provincial Council votes to REPEAL 13-A articles
…………………….
‘Repeal 13 A articles’
By CHAMIKARA WEERASINGHE
DailyNews.lk
June 28, 2013
A motion to prevent the merger of two or more Provincial Councils and to enable Parliament to formulate Bills in respect of subjects pertaining to Provincial Councils by obtaining the approval of the majority of Provincial Councils, was adopted by the Uva Provincial Council yesterday.
The motion to repeal two articles in the 13th Amendment, article 154 A (3) to merge two or more Provincial Councils, and to change article 154 (G) that “No Bill in respect of any matter set out in the Provincial Council Lists shall become law” unless approval of every Provincial Council is obtained, with the provision to approve such legislation with the approval of a majority of Provincial Councils, was adopted by a majority vote at the monthly meeting of the Uva Provincial Council, said Uva Provincial Council Governor C. Nanda Mathew. He said the UNP councillors of Uva Province were not present when the motion was discussed at the Council.
“The only JVP councillor of the Uva Provincial Council, Sudath Balagalla abstained from voting,” Governor Mathew said.
The motion was approved with a majority of 19 votes by UPFA councillors.
“Uva Province Youth Affairs and State Infrastructure Minister Senthil Thondaman of the Ceylon Workers Congress did not participate as he is abroad. Councillor Aravinda Kumar of Kandurata Permuna was not present,” the Governor said.
The motion was moved by Uva Provincial Councillor Wimal Galagamaarachchi.
Uva Province Agriculture Minister Anura Vidanagamage, Chamara Samapath Dassanayaka (UPFA), Sudath Balagalla (JVP) and Acting Uvwa Provice Chief Minister M Buddhadasa expressed their views at the Council.
June 28th, 2013 at 12:07 pm
Central Province Provincial Council Votes to Amend 13-A
…………………………
Central province wants 13 A amended
DailyMirrror.lk
June 28, 2013
The Central Provincial Council today voted in favour of the proposed amendments to the 13th amendment by a majority of 30 votes inclusive of 2 UNPers and an SLMCer.
The other opposition councilors abstained from voting.
June 28th, 2013 at 12:13 pm
JAYAWEWA! SPLIT within SLMC on 13th Amendment!
There will be CONSEQUENCES for the SLMC for opposing REPEAL of the 13th Amendment. The SLMC should REHABILITATE ITSELF now before it is PERMANENTLY TARRED & FEATHERED by PATRIOTS as Communal TRAITORS!
………………………
SLMC members suspended for backing move to dilute 13-A
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Island.lk
June 28, 2013
A simmering dispute between the SLFP and the SLMC over the move to dilute the 13th Amendment to the Constitution has taken a new turn with the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) suspending two members of the North Western Provincial Council (NWPC) for throwing their weight behind the government.
SLMC sources told The Island that Rizvi Javaharsha and Abdeen Eheiya, who represented the Kurunegala and Puttalam Districts, respectively, had voted for doing away with two key provisions in the 13th Amendment.
The NWPC voted for scrapping the provision which enabled two or more provinces to merge to form a single unit. The government also proposed rescinding the requirement that the consent of all Provincial Councils is necessary for the passage of legislation coming under their purview.
Sources said that SLMC members wouldn’t be allowed to work against the interests of their party.
SLMC General Secretary M. T. Hassen Ali has informed the two councillors of the party decision. The party leader would give them an opportunity to explain their position, though they would have to face the consequences of their decision to act against specific instructions from the party.
Sources said that another SLMC member of the NWPC Mohamed Thassleem had been present at the time of voting.
June 28th, 2013 at 12:18 pm
JAYAWEWA! MEP joins the EFFORT to REPEAL the 13th Amendment!
…………………
Mahajana Eksath Peramuna to support changes to Sri Lanka Constitution
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
June 27, Colombo: Leader of the government coalition party Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP), Minister of Water Supply and Drainage Dinesh Gunawardena said his party will support the government to bring changes to existing provincial council system.
Addressing a press briefing held in Colombo today, the Minister said the he and his party will unite with other forces to struggle against the 13th Amendment to the Constitution both within the parliament and out of it.
The Chief Government Whip said the 13th amendment of the constitution had become a threat to the defense, integrity and existence of the nation. He added that the Provincial Councils are a waste of public money and had become a total failure.
“The 13th Amendment was approved illegally during its time and that the speaker of parliament who signed it had immediately requested the Supreme Court to abolish it,” Minister Gunawardena said. However, the Supreme Court rejected the Speaker’s request at that time, he recalled.
The provincial council system has created problems in implementing programs in free education, free health and other areas, he noted.
The Minister further stated that even 25 years after the implementation of the Provincial Councils, the base of development of the country is still the district.
He pointed out that the development programs in the country will not be impacted by abolishing the provincial councils since the programs are usually implemented through parliamentarians representing Districts and Government Agents and not by the Provincial Councils.
Minister Gunawardena suggested adopting a method to provide more powers to the local government institutions of the lower level.
The Minister said his party will extend support to the government measures to remove certain clauses in the Constitution regarding the provincial councils. He said it is the expectation of the Sri Lankan people to see a change in the system.
June 28th, 2013 at 12:24 pm
Meanwhile …. the Quislings of the TREACHEROUS UNP and the JVP still GROPING OTHERS for support to KEEP the 13th Amendment alive …. while the Tiger Nominated Agents of the TNA rub their hands in glee and salivate at the prospect of WINNING by BLACKMAILING in PEACE the Racist Eelam they FAILED to WIN by Murderous War!
…………
Sri Lankan movement expresses concern over issues faced by the Tamil people in the North
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
June 28, Colombo: People’s Wall of Comradeship (PWC), a movement backed by Sri Lanka’s Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), says that issues faced by the Tamil people in the North have not been solved.
Co-convener of PWC, Sunil Handunnetti said that while many are discussing about the 13th Amendment, little or nothing has been done to solve the long standing issues faced by the Tamil people in the North.
He observed that some people are demanding for more powers under the 13th Amendment while the others are opposing it, and those who support the Police and Land powers issue in the 13th Amendment only want to control northern people just as the rest without solving their problems.
“There are more serious problems in the North that need to be addressed rather than the 13th Amendment,” Handunnetti said.
He accused the government of constructing military camps in the Northern Province and focusing on militarization instead of establishing democracy in the region.
………….
Sri Lankan movement expresses concern over issues faced by the Tamil people in the North
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
June 28, Colombo: People’s Wall of Comradeship (PWC), a movement backed by Sri Lanka’s Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), says that issues faced by the Tamil people in the North have not been solved.
Co-convener of PWC, Sunil Handunnetti said that while many are discussing about the 13th Amendment, little or nothing has been done to solve the long standing issues faced by the Tamil people in the North.
He observed that some people are demanding for more powers under the 13th Amendment while the others are opposing it, and those who support the Police and Land powers issue in the 13th Amendment only want to control northern people just as the rest without solving their problems.
“There are more serious problems in the North that need to be addressed rather than the 13th Amendment,” Handunnetti said.
He accused the government of constructing military camps in the Northern Province and focusing on militarization instead of establishing democracy in the region.
June 28th, 2013 at 4:26 pm
“Sri Lankan movement expresses concern over issues faced by the Tamil people in the North”
Tell them to go to HELL.
Govt. wasted enough on them. NO MORE.
June 29th, 2013 at 1:19 pm
India FALLS FAR BEHIND Sri Lanka in child welfare and mortality rate.
This is why India …. with its “Federal System” and “Largest Democracy” ….. PRAISED TO HIGH HEAVEN by Western Neo-Colonialists plying their own agendas, has NO Moral Authority or Experience in developing an EQUITABLE SOCIETY to PREACH Governance to Sri Lanka.
Why should Sri Lanka INFECT itself with the SAME COMMUNAL DISEASES afflicting India? Why?
NO 13th Amendment & NO Provincial Councils designed to convert Sri Lanka into a Patchwork Nation of Racist Communal Bantustans beyond the CONTROL of the National Government, so EVERY Foreign & Local Anti-National entity can RESUME its WATUSI dance.
Do Not INFLICT MORE BUREAUCRACY upon Sri Lanka. INTEGRATE Sri Lanka instead of DISINTEGRATING Sri Lanka.
Rise Up …. O Patriots of Mother Lanka …. Rise Up to REPEAL this Foreign BALL & CHAIN Shackling Mother Lanka, and RESTORE its SOVEREIGN CROWN to our hallowed sceptered resplendent Isle!
…………………………….
‘India lags in reducing infant mortality rate’
By Express News Service – CHENNAI
June 29, 2013
The likes of Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have overtaken India in reducing the rate of mortality among children under the age of five (U5MR), according to a report released by UNICEF in Chennai on Friday. The ‘State of the World’s Children 2013’ ranks India at 49th place out of 195 countries in U5MR, which is a crucial indicator of health and well-being of children.
This year’s report, which is based on data from 2011, puts U5MR in India at 61 deaths out of 1,000 live births.
The U5MR for boys was 59 per 1,000 while the corresponding figure for girls was 64. The infant mortality rate, which measures mortality among children below 1 year was 47 per 1,000 live births.
The report also assessed other issues including education and marriage among children.
In terms of education among youth (15-24 years), the report points out that 88 per cent young men and 74 per cent of young women are literate.
Interestingly, net attendance ratio in secondary schools in India was as low as 59 per cent in males and 49 per cent in females in 2007-11.
At primary school level, net attendance ratio was significantly higher at 85 per cent in males and 81 in females, thus pointing at increasing school absenteeism and dropout rates at secondary level.
As per data from 2002-2011, about 12 per cent of children in India are child labourers while 18 per cent are married by the age of 15. By the age of 18, 47 per cent of India’s youth are married.
Five per cent of adolescents (aged 10-19) males and 30 per cent of adolescent females are married or in union. Out of this, 57 percentage of adolescent males justified wife beating.
Meanwhile, birth registration in India was as low as 41 per cent in 2005-11. This accounts to 59 percentage of registration in urban areas and 35 percent in rural areas.
June 29th, 2013 at 1:43 pm
The SLMC EMBRACES the Tiger Nominated Agents of the TNA, the MURDERERS of Muslims in the RECENT PAST!
The Greed for Personal Power in a Provincial Council Fiefdom in the Eastern Province drives these Communal SLMC Politicians to FORGET who killed Muslims by entire Villages in the dead of the night, slicing and dicing men, women and children in their beds, while the Defence Forces of Sri Lanka died by the thousands defending them.
The SLMC MIMICS Jayalalitha in Tamil Nadu, FORGETTING the LTTE Death Sentence against her and EMBRACING the Tamil Eelamist cause, now that the hard work eradicating the LTTE has been done by the Sri Lanka Defence Forces.
Let us MARK THEM with an INDELIBLE LABEL OF TRAITORS on their FOREHEADS and NEVER FORGET where they stood on defending and protecting our Resplendent Motherland! NEVER FORGET!
Let the GOSL recognize that this kind of Anti-National activity will INCREASE A HUNDREDFOLD if Power is Devolved to Provincial Councils under the 13th Amendment … just as India wants to advance her own hegemony
Rise Up …. O Patriots of Mother Lanka …. Rise Up to REPEAL this Foreign BALL & CHAIN Shackling Mother Lanka, and RESTORE its SOVEREIGN CROWN to our hallowed sceptered resplendent Isle!
………………………
TNA, SLMC map counter measures, As govt moves to curtail powers of PCs
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Island.lk
June 28, 2013
UPFA constituent, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) are in the process of building a common front to thwart government move to curtail the powers of the provincial councils ahead of the first northern provincial council election scheduled for September.
SLMC General Secretary Hassen Ali (National List MP) and TNA National List MP M. A. Sumanthiran said that their objective was to build a coalition against those bent on diluting the 13th Amendment. They were speaking to The Island after having bilateral talks at SLMC headquarters, ‘Darussalam’ on Thursday night to decide on counter-measures.
MP Sumanthiran emphasised that the government couldn’t go back on its pledge to fully implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. “Since the conclusion of the conflict in May 2009, the government had promised to implement the 13th Amendment on several occasions. In fact, the government promised not only to fully implement the 13th Amendment but go beyond the provisions to pave the way for meaningful devolution.”
The TNA would speak to the likeminded political parties, civil society organisations as well as individuals to explore ways and means of countering the government move, he said.
MP Hassen Ali urged the government not to alienate minorities, but take tangible measures to win the confidence of people of all ethnicities. An irate Ali alleged that doing away with key provisions in the 13th Amendment meant that they could no longer expect the legislation to meet the aspirations of the minorities.
Asked whether the SLMC would also take up the issue with UPFA constituent, the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), MP Ali said that EPDP leader Douglas Devananda, too, was strongly opposed to doing away with the 13th Amendment. The SLMC was confident of forming broadest possible front against the anti-devolution forces, the MP said, adding that the high command of the party would meet on Saturday to discuss current political developments. “We are really concerned about the rapidly deteriorating situation. The government is not sensitive to concerns of the minorities.”
MP Ali said that before meeting a TNA delegation led by R. Sampanthan, the SLMC had held talks with a UNP delegation to discuss recently unveiled UNP’s draft Constitution.
Meanwhile, recent visit by a high level South African delegation fueled speculation that the SA administration was seeking a mediatory role to facilitate a dialogue between the government and the TNA.
Deputy SA Minister of International Relations and Co operation Ibrahim Ibrahim recently called on External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris to discuss current developments and preparations for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which will be held in Colombo in November.
The delegation also paid a courtesy call on Secretary Defence and Urban Development Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The Deputy Minister was accompanied by Roelf Meyer, Professor Ivor Jenkins, and Ahmed Seedat.
Well informed sources speculated that the SA was believed to be interested in helping the Sri Lankan government and the TNA to reach a consensus on post-war national reconciliation process. Sources pointed out that the TNA and the UK-based Global Tamil Forum (GTF) had visited SA several months back to seek assistance to kick start talks with the government.
June 29th, 2013 at 2:06 pm
The MORE the GOSL Vacillates & Oscillates on REPEEALING the 13th Amendment, the MORE CONFIDENT & ARROGANT the SEPARATISTS become. We saw that in Velupillai Prabhakaran, we are seeing that NOW in the TNA.
If the TNA, the JVP and possibly the UNP won’t attend the PSC, go ahead with it, but let the PSC DECIDE to call a NATIONWIDE REFERENDUM to REPEAL the 13th Amendment, NOW!
That is the kind of DECISIVE ACTION we need to PROTECT THE NATION from these Anti-National TRAITORS!
……………………….
Sri Lanka’s Tamil alliance decides to boycott parliamentary select committee on ethnic problem
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
June 29, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s major Tamil party, Tamil National Alliance (TNA), has decided not to participate in the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) appointed to find solutions to the national issue.
The TNA took this decision when the Representatives of the party met in Colombo today (29) to discuss their participation in the PSC proposed by the government.
Representatives of the main constituent political parties of the TNA, Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK), People’s Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) and the Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) attended the meeting.
The Speaker of parliament appointed 19 members to the PSC chaired by the Leader of the House, Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva.
Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has also decided not to participate in the PSC and the main opposition United National Party is awaiting the response from the President to a letter sent by the party leader setting party’s conditions.
June 30th, 2013 at 2:34 pm
Not only Sri Lanka is being SPIED UPON, Gota’s Phone is tapped, he says!
Can we GUESS which “Group/Country” is doing the tapping? Stay tuned to this!
……………………
Foreign spy agency tapping Gota’s phone
SundayTimes.lk
June 30, 2013
Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has complained to his mobile phone service provider that his phone is being tapped by an organised team with the intention of gathering national security secrets, according to a newspaper report.
A special investigation that looked into this complaint has revealed that those behind it were linked to a foreign mission in Colombo as well as a powerful foreign spy agency, our sister newspaper Irida Lankadeepa reports today in its lead story.
The report adds:
In addition to tapping the phone of the Defence Secretary, the phones of several other VIPs were being tapped by the same group, which possesses sophisticated phone-tapping equipment, the investigations have revealed.
The mobile-telecom service provider has also begun a probe to ascertain if national security was being compromised and if there is an attempt to tamper with the telecommunication system of the country by those engaged in wiretapping.
June 30th, 2013 at 2:50 pm
We PATRIOTS of Sri Lanka AGREE that the 13th Amendment should be ABOLISHED … NOW Mr. Ravi Karunanayake, but NOT for YOUR REASONS!
Your MOTIVATION is to SOMEWAY, SOMEHOW BRING DOWN the Patriotic UPFA Government that stands between Sri Lanka and her ENEMIES INTENT on DESTROYING her. We are well AWARE that you have consulted, collaborated and plotted with ALL Anti-National Elements in Sri Lanka to that end.
If you are so CONCERNED about Sri Lanka’s Security …. why don’t you marshal together and offer the UNP’s FULL SUPPORT for ABOLISHING the 13th Amendment to the UPFA Government. Country should COME FIRST before Political Party or Personal Self!
BUT, NO! You will stand on the sidelines ACTIVELY PLOTTING with Sri Lanka’s ENEMIES to deliver her to her ENEMIES, BOUND HAND & FOOT with the 13th Amendment!
BEGONE FOOL!
……………………..
UNP challenges Govt. to abolish 13-A using two thirds majority
Don’t let tense situation develop into a catastrophe
by Zacki Jabbar
Island.lk
June 29, 2013
The UNP yesterday challenged the government to use its two thirds majority in parliament and amend or abolish the 13th Amendment without threatening to do it while allowing the tense situation to develop into a catastrophe.
Senior UNPer Ravi Karunanayake said that if the Rajapaksa regime was convinced that the 13th Amendment was redundant in the post war era, the required two thirds majority was available, even though obtained against the peoples will and in the most unethical manner, to rectify what it has termed as an historical injustice.
“If, the government is really committed as it says to diluting or scrapping devolution, do it now without looking for scapegoats and adopting time wasting exercises such as Parliamentary Select Committees. The ethnic conflict has been discussed for decades and all the issues and solutions have been identified,’’ he said.
“The only thing left to do is implementation which is not forthcoming obviously due to the lack of guts in matching words with action.’’
Karunanayake said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa, by allowing the extremist forces within his ranks to run wild, had allowed a dangerous situation to develop which could lead to a tragic loss of life and property.Having pledged 13-A Plus to India, Rajapaksa had taken Sri Lankans for a ride, by saying that the Provincial Councils would be stripped of most of their key features including the right to merge with other PCs and land and police powers, he noted.
“All we are saying is go ahead and do what you believe in, without continuing the circus until the Northern Provincial Council Election is over”, Karunanayake said. He warned that such a course of action could lead to disastrous consequences.
He noted that while contradictory statements emanated from senior ministers on a daily basis, the minority and left parties in the ruling UPFA were up in arms over the proposed amendments which had shaken the very foundation of the ruling alliance.
As for the UNP, the MP said that a new constitutional formulation pledging meaningful devolution had been unveiled. This means they opposed the dilution of the 13th Amendment.
June 30th, 2013 at 6:39 pm
Well said Ravi Karunanayake!
I’m the LAST PERSON to praise or NOT SPEAK ILL of Ravi Karunanayake (aka PAMANKADAYA aka the Tamil word for illegal boat person starting from K aka the Tamil word for a VERY LOW caste person starting with S). His conduct has been such.
BUT he has said the right thing BOLDLY. We must all PRAISE him for that.
We need MORE people like him to say this.
“If, the government is really committed as it says to diluting or scrapping devolution, do it now without looking for scapegoats and adopting time wasting exercises such as Parliamentary Select Committees. The ethnic conflict has been discussed for decades and all the issues and solutions have been identified”.
WELL SAID!
“The only thing left to do is implementation which is not forthcoming obviously due to the lack of guts in matching words with action.”
VERY WELL SAID!
“All we are saying is go ahead and do what you believe in, without continuing the circus until the Northern Provincial Council Election is over”, Karunanayake said. He warned that such a course of action could lead to disastrous consequences.”
ABSOLUTELY!
We are NOT the FANCLUB of MR, BR, GR, etc. ANYONE who does and talks for what is BEST for the country MUST get our support.
One thing I ADMIRE in VP is his UNWAVERING commitment to TAMIL ELAM.
NO LONG TERM FRIENDS.
NO LONG TERM ENEMIES.
Even if his enemies supported TE, dirty VP was with them.
Even if his friends opposed TE, dirty VP was against them.
This is how we should be towards SL.
July 1st, 2013 at 2:04 pm
There NO ISSUE that is MORE IMPORTANT for Sri Lanka’s SECURITY & SURVIVAL as a Sovereign Nation than the REPEAL of the 13th Amendent and ABOLISHING the Provincial Council System.
If Vasudeva Nanayakkara CANNOT SUPPORT REPEALING 13-A … LET HIM RESIGN NOW!
ALL HIDDEN TRAITORS should LEAVE NOW. Let the People of Sri Lanka KNOW WHO THEY ARE!
BEGONE, SNAKE!
……………..
Sri Lankan Minister will quit government if provincial councils abolished
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
July 01, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s veteran leftist Minister of State Languages and National Integration Vasudeva Nanayakkara announced today that he would leave the government if it takes steps to abolish the powers of the provincial council system.
He said that he could agree to the abolition of powers of the provincial councils to merge, but the proposed amendment to make the nationally important laws approved only by the general majority of the councils needed to be taken up at the parliamentary select committee to amend the Constitution, he said.
Addressing a press briefing held in Colombo today, MP Nanayakkara slammed the idea circulated by some other members of the government that provincial councils are a “white elephant”.
He argued that the cabinet of 95 ministers was more a white elephant than provincial councils.
He said that mere 7% of the cost of provincial councils is spent for maintaining them. The majority of the expenses of the provincial councils are for sectors like education and health which the government will have to bear in case the provincial councils are abolished.
July 1st, 2013 at 2:30 pm
Actually … it is TOO LATE for “correcting” India’s Policy.
India should BUTT OUT, and STAY OUT, of ALL of Sri Lanka’s Internal Matters …. NOW!
And Sri Lanka should ROLL BACK the WELCOME Carpet for India …. in Sri Lanka’s National Interest!
………………………
It is time India corrects its Sri Lanka policy
By M.R. Narayan Swamy | IANS India
June 1, 2013
It is impossible to believe that the forced withdrawal of two Sri Lankan army officers from the Defence Service Staff College in Wellington in Tamil Nadu will not affect ties between New Delhi and Colombo.
No self respecting nation likes it when its military officers sent for routine training are told to go home – due to the host country’s domestic politics. Knowing the animosity in Tamil Nadu to the Sri Lankan military, New Delhi should have either not invited the two officers to Wellington or, having done so, should have stood by them until the training got over.
Yes, in a federal set up, the central government should listen to even conflicting issues from states. But no government can endlessly allow itself to be blackmailed into submission just because Tamil Nadu politicians who failed to drive sense into the LTTE when it was alive and kicking have now decided to avenge its defeat with a sweeping I-hate-Sri-Lanka policy.
The anti-Colombo sentiments in Tamil Nadu, fuelled by both the ruling and opposition parties, have led to attacks on innocent Sri Lankans who cannot be blamed for that country’s military or foreign policy. This has fuelled anti-India feelings in Sri Lanka. If the situation continues without check, the time is not far when Indian interests in Sri Lanka could seriously get hurt.
The only winner in such an ugly situation will be the pro-LTTE political forces in Tamil Nadu and elsewhere who still cannot get over the fact that a militant group they thought could never lose has been vanquished.
There is no doubt that innumerable innocent Tamils got killed in the final stages of the war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. But the LTTE was primarily to blame for forcing thousands of Tamil civilians to move into the battle zone – in the hope that their presence would prevent its own doom.
Having crushed the LTTE in 2009, the Sri Lankan leadership must have gracefully admitted to the death of innocents and announced a generous compensation and rehabilitation policy. But having claimed that no innocents were targeted, Colombo has got caged in a situation from where there is no easy escape, leading to repeated unpleasant international censures.
But that is only one aspect of a larger – and complex – story.
On their part, Tamil Nadu leaders, who otherwise preside over the destiny of millions, made no effort to inject sense into the LTTE leadership to call off the war when there was time. In any case, the LTTE didn’t care two hoots for Tamil Nadu politicians – except if they contributed to its war efforts. Forget sound advice, some in Tamil Nadu urged Velupillai Prabhakaran to fight on till the Congress gets ousted by the BJP in the 2009 Lok Sabha election. That didn’t happen, and the LTTE crashed.
While the war was on, India turned down Sri Lankan requests to build the Palaly air base in Jaffna (by attaching conditions Colombo couldn’t meet) and a port at Hambantota because the Congress-led government was wary of rubbing Tamil Nadu the wrong way. Now Sri Lankan military officers invited to Wellington have been told to leave – and not just once.
It is time Prime Minister Manmohan Singh takes a re-look at India’s Sri Lanka policy. India can’t have the cake and eat it too. If India wants to advice Sri Lanka on its ethnic policy, then basic courtesies will have to be extended to Colombo. India cannot view Sri Lanka solely from the Tamil Nadu prism.
If attacking innocent Sri Lankans or asking their military officers to go home is right because of what happened in the war, then India should be ready to face similar music when its military officers go abroad. After all, have there been no rights violations in places like Kashmir?
(M.R. Narayan Swamy is a long time Sri Lankan watcher. The views expressed here are personal. He can be contacted at narayan.swamy@ians.in)
July 1st, 2013 at 3:00 pm
Kevin Rudd, Australia’s ex-Prime MInister, has replaced Julia Gillard as Labor Party Leader, and therefore, returned as Australia’s Prime Minister.
As the architect of Australia’s STRONG POSITION against fake illegal refugees, in particular Sri Lankan Tamils, he has IMPROVED RELATIONS with Sri Lanka’s UPFA government by working to PREVENT illegal immigration by boat people.
How will his return as Australia’s Prime Minister affect relations with Sri Lanka in the future? Will they CONTINUE TO IMPROVE or will he fall under the witches spell of Australian Eelamists?
The GOSL should REACH OUT MORE to Kevin Rudd and the Government and People of Australia, and PROTECT Sri Lanka’s National Interests by doing so!
July 1st, 2013 at 3:08 pm
“Modern international relations are marred by the self-interest of states and their struggle for power. We feel that the very colonialism that we had fought and freed ourselves from a few decades ago is making a comeback in a different from in today’s global scenario”. ABSOLUTELY, Mr. President! Despite the Fig Leaves of “Human Rights, “Democracy” and “Global Terror” covering their NAKEDNESS … the ENEMY REMAINS the SAME as in the PAST … COLONIALISM! …. in an INCREASINGLY RESOURCE LIMITED world.
……………………………
Sri Lankan President emphasizes Asia-Africa cooperation against threat of colonialism
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
July 01, Victoria, Seychelles: Small nations like Sri Lanka and Seychelles which fought of colonialism years ago are under threat from emerging power blocks and the cooperation between Asia and Africa to prevent attempts by interested parties intervening in the internal affairs of developing nations is needed more than ever, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.
“Modern international relations are marred by the self-interest of states and their struggle for power. We feel that the very colonialism that we had fought and freed ourselves from a few decades ago is making a comeback in a different from in today’s global scenario,” the President said addressing the Seychelles’ National Assembly at an Extraordinary Sitting on June 30th.
President Rajapaksa, who is on a two day state visit to Seychelles, noted that the threats to small nations from the intervention of powerful states are harmful for the development and those countries need to get together to fight the challenges.
“I emphasize the need for cooperation between Asia and Africa to prevent attempts by interested parties to intervene the internal affairs of developing nations,” the President said.
Speaking of Sri Lanka’s development after the end of the war, the President said Sri Lanka has embarked upon massive infrastructure development projects that would give the people of Sri Lanka the dividends of peace amid obstacles from outside forces.
“While we are trying to bring about national reconciliation and economic development, we are not without post-conflict challenges. Interested parties endeavor to undermine our victory over terrorism and humiliate us in the international scene,” he noted.
Sri Lanka counts on the valuable and continued support and understanding of friendly nations like the Seychelles, the Sri Lankan President said.
He said the best assistance that the international community could afford Sri Lanka at this point of time in its reconciliation process is to provide the required time, space and encouragement to the government.
Reiterating Sri Lankan government’s strong commitment to greater cooperation between the two countries, the President said Seychelles and Sri Lanka, both island nations in the Indian Ocean, could work together to promote regional economic integration and connectivity and to evolve an open, balanced and rule-based architecture.
July 1st, 2013 at 5:14 pm
“It is time India corrects its Sri Lanka policy”
We should use this opportunity to BARGAIN with Endia.
Tell Endia it is OK to have sent our 2 officers home but we want to SCRAP 13 amendment. Deal?
July 2nd, 2013 at 2:19 pm
Daya Master is STILL SPOUTING Eelamist rhetoric, and the GOSL is trying to field him as an SLFP CAndidate in the PC Elections.
To be PALATABLE to Northern PC residents …. he has to support Eelamist goals (See my last post on Daya Master).
To be PALATABLE to the SLFP …. he has to WEAR an SLFP sheepskin.
If he gets elected, which man will emerge? Another Douglas Devananda? The Eelamist or the SLFP-er? These are FUNDAMENTALLY INCOMPATIBLE positions.
This UNDERSCORES AGAIN the FLAWS and DANGERS posed by the 13th Amendment and the Provincial Council System to survival of Sri Lanka as a UNITARY Sovereign Nation.
If there were no PCs, the SLFP would not have to compromise its PRINCIPLES to field a PC candidate palatable to EELAMISTS! What IDIOCY is this? I am afraid, there is NO CURE FOR STUPIDITY!
Rise Up …. O Patriots of Mother Lanka …. Rise Up to Defend & Protect your Motherland … the Barbarians are AGAIN at the Gates!
………………..
Former LTTE spokesperson to prepare Sri Lanka ruling party manifesto for Northern PC poll
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
July 02, Colombo: The former LTTE Spokesperson Velayutham Dayanthi alias Daya Master will prepare Sri Lanka governing party’s manifesto for the Northern Provincial Council election.
Dayanithi plans to contest under the governing United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) for the Northern Provincial Council election.
He has told the media that candidates who are to contest under the UPFA including him have identified the issues faced by the Tamil people and the solutions to these issues would be included in the party’s election manifesto.
According to Dayanithi, Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) Leader, Minister Douglas Devananda and other governing party members representing all communities are in the process of preparing the manifesto along with him.
July 2nd, 2013 at 2:33 pm
NOW the Broader Strategy is REVEALED: Thamilini was released from Custody to run in the PC Elections as an SLFP Candidate!
ONCE MORE, this UNDERSCORES the FLAWS and DANGERS posed by the 13th Amendment and the Provincial Council System to survival of Sri Lanka as a UNITARY Sovereign Nation. We are creating problems for ourselves in the future …. a Tiger’s stripes can NEVER be wiped away!
If there were no PCs, the SLFP would not have to compromise its PRINCIPLES to field a PC candidate palatable to EELAMISTS! What IDIOCY is this? I am afraid, there is NO CURE FOR STUPIDITY!
Rise Up …. O Patriots of Mother Lanka …. Rise Up to Defend & Protect your Motherland … the Barbarians are AGAIN at the Gates!
…………………..
Former LTTE Women’s Political Wing leader to get membership in Sri Lanka Freedom Party
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
July 02, Colombo: The former Women’s Political Wing leader of the terrorist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Subramaniam Shivathavi alias Thamalini is to get the membership in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), political sources say.
Sources also say that Thamalini will contest as a candidate of the SLFP to the upcoming Northern Provincial Council election.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is the leader of the SLFP is expected to approve Thamilini’s membership after his return to country.
Thamalini was arrested by state military when she was with the civilians in a refugee camp following the defeat of the LTTE. She was detained for a long time and released recently after a rehabilitation programme in Poonthottam Rehabilitation Camp in Vavuniya.
July 2nd, 2013 at 2:47 pm
This UNDERSCORES Gota’s security concerns: Why did this LTTE intelligence Leader in custody, fail to disclose this buried bomb until now? Why?
Hoping to put it to good use in the future if the Eelam violence is resurrected by the Tiger Nominated Agents of the TNA?
…………………..
LTTE intelligence leader divulged about one ton bomb buried in Avissawella
By Siranjani Kumari
DailyNews.lk
July 2, 2013
The Colombo Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) yesterday informed the Court that an LTTE intelligence leader divulged that a high explosive bomb weighing one ton that had been brought by the LTTE to blast Colombo is still buried in Avissawella.
A resident of Vavunia Rajendra Kumar has revealed that this high explosive was brought under the instructions of LTTE inteligence head Pottu Amman and hidden. Magistrate Nirosha Fernando ordered the Commissioner General of Prisons to handover the suspect to the TID Colombo for three days. It is also revealed that nineteen firearms, 3,500 T-56 ammunition, three LMG weapons, Rs 10 million in cash and chocolates worth of Rs 8 million were hidden with the one ton bomb. The suspect is in remand custody in connection with four cases being heard before the Gampaha and Attanagalla courts.
The suspect was an active LTTE intelligence leader. He voluntarily revealed the information. Following a complaint made by the prison authorities to the TID Colombo, investigations had commenced. The suspect had later been taken to the TID on last 6th and the TID informed Court that the investigation could not be completed. The TID requested court to allow the suspect to be retained for a period of another three or four days.
The Magistrate ordered that the LTTE suspects Rajendra Kumar and Yogarajah Niroshan be handed over to the TID. The court also allowed the suspects to be taken to Avissawella under prison protection.
July 2nd, 2013 at 2:53 pm
Is this not RATHER PRECIPITOUS action by the Tiger Nominated Agents (TNA)?
After all, they did threaten to BOYCOTT the PC elections if the 13th Amendment is modified to EXCLUDE Land and Police Powers!
OK, here is the $64,000 question: What does the TNA know that we don’t?… ANYONE care to prognosticate?
………………..
Sri Lanka Tamil party names chief ministerial candidate for Northern Provincial Council
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
July 02, Colombo: The Jaffna Branch of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK), the main constituent party of Tamil National Alliance (TNA), has unanimously nominated Jaffna District Parliamentarian and the general secretary of ITAK Mavai Senathirajah as the Chief Ministerial candidate to the Northern Province.
Local media reported that former Jaffna Municipal Councilor, C.V.K. Sivagnanam, had announced that Mavai Senathiraja’s name for the candidature at a press briefing held in Jaffna yesterday.
However, the final decision on the nomination will be taken in consultation with all the constituent parties in the alliance, TNA sources have said,
July 2nd, 2013 at 4:13 pm
UPFA has to become TAMIL RACIST to have ANY CHANCE of winning SOME seats in the north PC.
As I have said a million times MOST Tamils vote for the comparatively MOST TAMIL RACIST group.
July 2nd, 2013 at 9:55 pm
That is RIDICULOUS! How is it POSSIBLE that we can RUN OUT OF Ministerships?
Ministers are so OMNIPRESENT that people are ALREADY saying “Amathithuma … Meheta Waren”!
Let us Create MORE Portfolios … until EVERY MP is a GODDAMN MINISTER!
………………..
Three MPs of Sri Lanka opposition wish to join the government – Minister
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
July 03, Colombo: Three opposition parliamentarians have expressed desire to join the government, according to the Minister of Media and Information Keheliya Rambukwella.
Minister Rambukwella has told The Divaina newspaper that a decision has not been taken yet since there was no position in the government to offer them although their joining was essential for the government.
The Minister has added that although the MPs have not joined the government, their support could be obtained for the government at any moment.
A large number of MPs elected from major opposition United National Party (UNP) have already joined the government. The government offered the early joined MPs ministerial positions but lacked positions for the late comers.