Rohana R. Wasala

Lesson 2: Renewal begins with  children

Timothy Snyder (55) maintained interaction with his two children (ten year old son and the younger daughter) while he was in a Florida hospital at the beginning of 2020.  No doubt, his wife Marci Shore (53), also teaching history  at Yale University then, helped this loving interaction between the father and his children.The children told him about their school work and inquired about his progress towards recovery. Snyder remembers how he kept thinking about his children even in his sickest moments. and finds fault with America for falling short of the standards reached by countries like Austria in infant and child health.

Of course, in fairness to America today (2025), it must be said that children, parents, and their health and welfare, and the family institution are receiving the highest recognition in the country, irrespective of untenable extremes of neoliberalism ideologies like wokeism and related lgbtqa+ and transgender sex change surgery issues, etc., as evident at least in the American domestic political domain. Elon Musk (53), Senior Advisor to US President Donald Trump (78), is often seen with his youngest son having a piggyback ride on his busy father’s shoulders even on state occasions; President Trump sometimes proudly shows off his nineteen year old son Barron accompanying him on the stage, the fresh young man stealing the show at his old father’s expense, especially among young voters. The youngish US Vice President J.D. Vance (40) and Usha Vance (39), his wife of Indian origin, were on a four day visit (beginning April 21) to resurgent India recently with their three little children who, innocently unaware of and unconcerned about what was going on around them, endeared Americans to Indians, thereby greatly enhancing the efficacy of their parents’ diplomatic endeavour to strengthen bilateral bonds and economic and security cooperation between the two powerful nations. Musk and Trump are businessmen turned politicians, while the Vances have been lawyers. But all four are normal parents. Cynics might cavil at such ‘childish displays’ as advertising gimmicks for promoting the pro binary sex ideology perspective, where children are insensitively exploited as mascots for their propaganda. But a more sober judgement would be to view such high profile demonstrations as indicating an emergent trend in America towards a return to healthy normalcy in its sex culture where parents with their own children form close knit stable family units that coalesce into a vibrant society.

Snyder recounts how well he and his wife Marci were treated as first-time parents in a public hospital in Vienna in Austria, where their son was born in 2009. They had to pay hardly anything by way of hospital fees. The Snyders ‘experienced a sense of what good health care felt like from inside: intimate and inexpensive’.  Marci was given a ‘mother-child passport’, which was recognized at health facilities throughout Austria. When she entered any hospital or doctor’s office, she was asked to show the ‘passport’. The doctor or the nurse didn’t look at a screen to identify the mother and her child.

In Austria, according to Snyder, pregnant mothers close to delivery time are asked to come to the maternity hospital at water breaking (i.e., when the amniotic sac covering the foetus breaks) or when contractions occur at 20 minute intervals. In America, they are asked to wait longer until the contractions are only three or four minutes apart. So in America, deliveries sometimes happen in the back seat of a car, putting both the babies and the mothers in danger. In Austria, again, the mother and the baby have to stay in hospital for 96 hours (4 days) after delivery, allowing time for the baby to have a good start, and for the mother to learn to breastfeed. The difference between America and Austria in this respect, Snyder says, is one between a logic of profit and a logic of life. 

Even the general public in Austria are helpful towards parents with children. The institutions that helped the Snyders (as first-time parents) ‘from the public hospital to the public kindergarten to the public transport were an infrastructure of solidarity that helped people together, making them feel that at the end of the day they were not alone’, whereas in America, ‘birth is where our story about freedom dies. We never talk about how bringing new life into the world makes heroic individualism impossible’. (That is, doing everything alone, with little outside help, preserving one’s autonomy, is not possible in the real world)

This applies to children in their formative years, as well. A piece of wisdom Snyder offers is that ‘to be free involves having a sense of one’s own interests and of what one needs to fulfill them. Thinking about the constraints of life under pressure requires an ability to experience, name and regulate emotions’. But this freedom cannot be gained without help. That is the paradox of freedom as Snyder calls it; no one is free without help

Snyder distils into his critique of the unsatisfactoriness of the American healthcare system an important insight in respect of early childhood care: it is that ‘how children are treated when they are very young profoundly affects how they will live the rest of their lives. That is perhaps the most important thing that scientists have to teach us about health and freedom today’. Speech, thought and will emerge as infants and toddlers interact with other people. ‘We learn as very small children, if we ever learn, to recover from disappointment and to delay pleasure. …what  allows these capacities to develop are relationships, play and choices’.

Snyder points out that providing good healthcare facilities for children leads eventually to a lower crime rate, functional democracy, and efficiency in decision making. He feels that emotional regulation is overlooked in America. There is no sufficient focus on the relationship between parents and children. The regrettable lapses in American health care affects children more negatively than for adults. Parents need to relate to their children in ways that promote their optimal physical, mental and ethical development is part of a good healthcare system. Healthy interaction between parents and children is of vital importance for the education of children. Probably, the situation in Sri Lanka may not be better than in America in view of, among other things, the economic hardships that parents inevitably have to face.

Children and young adults, particularly in suburban and rural areas, are a threatened species. Apart from the economic difficulties that their parents experience, restricting their ability to meet the cost of augmenting the education that the state provides free of charge, non-urban Sri Lankan children often suffer due to a lack of basic infrastructure facilities like good transport, proper school buildings, modern libraries and adequately equipped labs, internet facilities and easy accessibility to local and foreign online sources of learning and research.

Lesson 3: The truth will set us free

After a procedure done on his liver in the emergency room of an American hospital on December 29, 2019, Timothy Snyder was admitted to a room, where he spent the last days of the year and the first days of the next ‘raging and contemplating’. He had to share that room with a Chinese man with a number of afflictions. The Chinese didn’t know any English. So, a lot of ‘personal and medical information was communicated loudly, slowly and repeatedly’. The Chinese was senior to Snyder by fourteen years; he was in withdrawal from nicotine smoking and alcohol drinking after five decades of daily consumption of the two intoxicants. The two became mutually accommodating friends.

But Snyder suffered a lung infection due to close contact with the Chinese, who had himself succumbed to illness caused by a parasite ingested while eating raw fish on a previous visit to China, but got well later. However, Snyder recovered and left the hospital, after exchanging farewell messages with the friendly Chinese, who had to stay on further in hospital.

The latter, Snyder says, is an example of two ways that medicine can get to the truth: thinking along with the patient, focusing on their story, and searching for information through tests. His conclusion is that in early 2020, the federal government failed Americans in both ways. There was no sensible discussion of the history of pandemics, and no procedure to test for the new coronavirus. The sections of the National Security Council and the Department of Homeland Security meant to deal with epidemics, as well as a special unit in the Agency for International Development meant to predict epidemics had been disbanded. American health experts had been called back from the rest of the world. The last officer of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention assigned to China had been recalled to the US in July 2019, a few months before the epidemic broke out.

President Trump had overseen budget cuts for institutions looking after public health. The US surgeon general sang in a tweet on February 1, 2020: ‘Roses are red/Violets are blue/Risk is low for #coronavirus/But high for the flu’. Nero was fiddling while Rome was burning! As the year began, Americans were denied the basic knowledge necessary for making independent decisions of their own. President showed little anxiety about the steadily growing threat of the coronavirus. ‘It is going to disappear…like a miracle’. In effect they were creating a ‘news desert’. The media kept silent about the spreading pollution. Google and FB don’t carry news. They only raked in advertising revenues as usual.

But the disease was transmitted rapidly across the counties . The Covid death toll rose in leaps and bounds. ‘The seven American counties with the most Covid deaths would now rank among the top twenty countries. These are simple facts’. Snyder observes: ‘Since the truth sets you free, the people who oppress you resist the truth’. Historian Snyder refers to why British people have unkind memories of prime minister Neville Chamberlain because he tried to please the public in 1938 by falsely asserting that there was no need to go to war against Hitler. Winston Churchill earned their love and honour for having told them the unpleasant truth that they had to make war on the Nazi leader to stop him. 

Snyder remembers reading (J.R.R. Tolkien’s) The Lord of the Rings to his son and daughter before he became ill. In that story Gandalf the wizard is a noble character with great power. He tells truths that people don’t want to hear. He is usually disliked as a bearer of bad news, and his advice is ignored. Although Gandalf is powerful, he cannot save the world by himself. He needs to build up a coalition by convincing others of the reality of a threat; but they won’t listen to him. Instead, out of ignorance, they look for an excuse for submission.That is human nature, but no way to be free. In frustration, Gandalf finally retorts that without knowledge, freedom has no chance.

Lesson 4: Doctors should be in charge 

Snyder’s unexpected midnight admission to a hospital in Florida and two days stay there coincided with his mother’s birthday that year. So, he was unable to be with her on the occasion. The attention he got from the doctors was hurried and seemingly perfunctory, and it was hardly face-to-face. The longest time of fifteen minutes he saw a doctor was over Skype with a neurologist. Snyder thinks that the problem is not that doctors do not want to work with patients. They do work really hard, as people saw during the pandemic, risking their own health and even their lives in order to save others’ lives. The problem, according to Snyder, is that they have no say in what happens around them, but waste their time and energy pacifying greater powers. In America, doctors no longer have the authority that patients expect and need from them. 

Readers, please remember that this was five years ago. The situation in America may have improved since, especially after the coronavirus pandemic took its toll and departed. The alleged mercenary bias of the American healthcare system largely caused by the profiteering Big Pharma, the insensitivity of the colluding political authorities, and the misinformation  pedalled by the media (particularly digital)  that Snyder sharply criticizes in this book may have eased, too. 

However, a little reflection will convince the intelligent readers that Timothy Snyder’s Four Lessons have great relevance to certain aspects of the deplorable situation in Sri Lanka today. This ad hoc review of mine of Snyder’s book, if read with a ‘comparative research’ oriented mind, will make the book look like a mirror held up to the prevailing reality there.

N.B.: I have used a paperback edition of the book in my possession, issued by The Bodley Head, London, in 2020, in which year Snyder’s book containing his cogent case and powerful appeal for redress was first published.

Concluded

නීතීඥ අරුණ ලක්සිරි උණවටුන B.Sc(Col), PGDC(Col), සමායෝජක, වෛද්‍ය තිලක පද්මා සුබසිංහ අනුස්මරණ නීති අධ්‍යයන වැඩසටහන.

නවක වදය පාලනයට ඇති නීති සහ රටේ මූලික නීතිය පිළිබද විෂය අනිවාර්ය විෂයක් ලෙස උසස් පෙළට ඉගැන්වීමට අධ්‍යාපන ඇමතිනිය හරිනි අමරසූරිය වෙත ඉල්ලීම් කිරීම නිදහස් අධ්‍යාපනය ලබන හෝ ලබා ඇති සැමගේ යුතුකමකි….!

නවක වදය යනු ඉංග්‍රීසි අධ්‍යාපන ඒකාධිකාරය පවත්වා ගැනීමට ගම්වලින් විශ්ව විද්‍යාල වෙත එන සිසුන් කීකරු කර ගැනීමට ගමෙන්ම ආ සිසුන් යොදා ගන්නා විද්‍යාත්මක ක්‍රියාවලියේ පළමු අවස්ථාව බවට කිහිප දෙනෙකු පමණක් එකඟ විය හැකි කරුණක් වුවද තත්ත්වය එයයි. ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ රාජ්‍ය භාෂාව, අධ්‍යාපන භාෂාව සහ අධිකරණ භාෂාව සම්බන්ධයෙන් දක්වා ඇති විධිවිධාන නිවැරදිව ක්‍රියාත්මක කරන්නේ නම් විශ්ව විද්‍යාල වැඩි පාඨමාලා සංඛ්‍යාවක් සිංහල සහ දෙමළ මාධ්‍යයෙන්ද පැවැත්විය යුතුය. විශ්ව විද්‍යාල තුළදී සිංහල සහ දෙමළ මාධ්‍යයෙන් අධ්‍යාපන ලබා දීම වැළක්වීම බලධාරීන්ගේ අවශ්‍යතාවයකි.

ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ අධිකරණ භාෂාව ලෙස සිංහල සහ දෙමළ භාෂා දක්වා තිබුණද ශ්‍රී ලංකා නීති විද්‍යාලයේ අධිකරණ භාෂාවෙන් නීති අධ්‍යාපනය ලබා දෙන ලද්දේ 2009 දක්වා පමණි.
සරසවිවල සමානත්මතාවය හෝ හුරුකරවීම සිදුවීම නවක වදයේ මානුෂික මුහුණවර ලෙස දක්වන්නේ නම් සරසවි සිසුන්ගේම දිවි අවසන් කිරීම තෙක් එය ව්‍යාප්ත වීම අන්තනෝමතික, කෲර, අන්තවාදී ක්‍රියාකාරකමකි.

කණ්ඩායම් ගැසුන කිහිප දෙනෙකු මාර්ගයෙන් දක්ෂ සිසුන් අනුකාරකයන් කරවන නවක වදය රට දුර්වල කරවීමේ ප්‍රධාන මාර්ගයක් ලෙසද, දක්ෂ සිසුන්ගෙන් රටට සේවයක් නොවන තැනට පත් කිරීමද එම ක්‍රියාවලියේ අතරමැදි අවස්ථාව වන අතර විදෙස් රටවලට සේවය කරවීමට සමත්, මව්බිමට ආදරය නොකරන උපාධිධාරින් බිහිකර ගැනීම එහි අවසන් අවස්ථාවක් බවටද කතිකාවක් ඇත.

විශ්ව විද්‍යාල මහාචාර්ය, ආචාර්යවරු, අධ්‍යාපන ඇමති, විනය බලධාරීන්  නවක වදය නතර නොකරවන්නේ ඇයි කියන ප්‍රශ්නයට පිළිතුරු නොසොයා රටේ ප්‍රශ්න වලට පිළිතුරු සෙවීමටත් නොහැකිය.

නවක වදය නතර කිරීම නීති පැනවීමෙන් පමණක් කළ නොහැකිය. ඒ නීති ගැන සිසුන්, ගුරුවරුන්, දෙමාපියන් දැන සිටිය යුතුය. නීතිය පිළිබඳ මූලික අධ්‍යාපනය ලබා දීමට මෙරට පාසල් අධ්‍යාපනයේ ඇත්තේ අවම අවස්ථාවකි. ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාව, අපරාධ නීතිය, සිවිල් නීතිය, සාක්ෂි නීතිය, මත්ද්‍රව්‍ය සම්බන්ධයෙන් නීතිය ඉගෙනීමට නිදහස් අධ්‍යාපනය ලබන සිසුන්ට ඇත්තේ අවම අවස්‍ථාවකි.

සරසවි ඇතුලු අධ්‍යාපන ආයතන තුළ සිදුකරන නවක වදය අවසන් කිරීමට පාර්ලිමේන්තුව 1994 අංක 22 දරන වධ දීමට සහ අනිකුත් කෲර අමානුෂික හෝ නින්දිත සැලකීමට හෝ දඩුවම්වලට එරෙහි වූ සම්මුති පනත පනවනු ලැබීය. ඒ අතර තවත් නීති පැනවී ඇත. එම නීති පිළිබඳව ජනතාව අවබෝධයෙන් දුරස්ථය.

1994 අංක 22 දරන වධ දීමට සහ අනිකුත් කෲර අමානුෂික හෝ නින්දිත සැලකීමට හෝ දඩුවම්වලට එරෙහි වූ සම්මුති පනත සහ මූලික නීතිය පිළිබඳ ප්‍රශ්න පත්‍රයකට 40% කට වඩා ලකුණු ගැනීම උසස් පෙළට අනිවාර්ය කිරීමෙන් නෛතික බලවන්ත සරසවි සිසු සිසුවියන් පමණක් නොව අනාගත පරම්පරාවක්ම බිහිකර ගත හැකිය.

නීතිය නොදැනීම සමාවට කරුණක් නොවේ. (Ignorantia juris non excusat) එසේ වුවත් නීතිය දැන ගැනීමට පාසල් අධ්‍යාපනයේදී ඇති අවස්ථාව ඉතා අඩුය. ඒ අඩුව පිරවීම රටේ සිදුවන අපරාධ අඩු කිරීමටද හේතු වෙයි.රටේ සංවර්ධනයටද දූෂණය, නාස්තිය සහ අක්‍රමිකතා අවම කිරීමටද හේතු වෙයි.

නවක වදය සම්බන්ධයෙන් සහ රටේ මූලික නීතිය පිළිබද විෂය අනිවාර්ය විෂයක් ලෙස උසස් පෙළට ඉගැන්වීමට
අධ්‍යාපන ඇමතිනිය හරිනි අමරසූරිය වෙත මේ සම්බන්ධයෙන් ඉල්ලීම් කිරීම නිදහස් අධ්‍යාපනය ලබන හෝ ලබා ඇති සැමගේ යුතුකමකි.
http://neethiyalk.blogspot.com/2025/04/blog-post_30.html?m=1

නීතීඥ අරුණ ලක්සිරි උණවටුන B.Sc(Col), PGDC(Col), සමායෝජක, වෛද්‍ය තිලක පද්මා සුබසිංහ අනුස්මරණ නීති අධ්‍යයන වැඩසටහන.

Sasanka De Silva, Pannipitiya

Many people shy away from discussing politics. It’s seen as messy, divisive, or even dangerous. But whether we like it or not, nearly everything in life — our pensions, healthcare, cost of living, security, and dignity — eventually boils down to politics.

And politics, when stripped of its rhetoric and drama, is just a numbers game. Whoever holds the larger number wins. That’s how decisions are made. That’s who calls the shots.

We seniors often feel powerless, sidelined, or ignored. But here’s the overlooked truth: we have the numbers too. The real question is, how do we harness this strength for our common good?

Protest Isn’t the Only Way

Street protests, rallies, and sit-ins are one way to show dissatisfaction. But let’s be realistic —they’re not ideal for us.

Age brings not just wisdom but also physical limitations. Harsh weather, the threat of unruly mobs, or politically motivated police crackdowns — none of these are risks we should be taking. It’s simply not worth it.

Yet, there is a more effective and far safer way to make our voices heard — one that can send a louder message than any street protest.

The Power of the Ballot—Make It Count

The upcoming mini-election is our moment. Use your vote — not to support a party, but to oppose the current rulers and their affiliated groups. Cast it strategically, not emotionally.

Encourage your children to do the same — for your sake, if not for theirs. If your grandchildren are of voting age, educate them on how this simple act can shift the ground beneath the political landscape.

Don’t sit this one out. Don’t let your vote go to waste. Every vote against the status quo becomes part of a message too loud to ignore.

When the results are analysed—and they will be — the ruling party and the opposition alike will start noticing us. That’s when real conversations begin. That’s when real power shifts.

Let’s be part of that change. Quietly. Strategically. Collectively.

Sasanka De Silva,

Pannipitiya.

RANJITH SOYSA 

The tense situation taking shape in the Indian sub-continent will have adverse

repercussions in the region unless India and Pakistan can consider reaching a peaceful solution to the issues arising from the massacre of 26 mostly Indian tourists in Kashmir by a group of armed men said to have a link to Pakistan. Pakistan rejects the claim. Both India and Pakistan meantime have taken a series of actions against each other enhancing the fears of a full-scale war in the sub-continent.

Both countries have suspended diplomatic relations with each other and have ordered the return of their citizens to the country of origin. India issued a statement that it would suspend participation in the Simla agreement in the critical Indus water treaty with Pakistan. Pakistan reacted promptly and warned India that any disruption of water supply would be considered an act of war” and it will take required steps to respond with full force.

Both countries are proceeding ahead in an aggressive manner which can lead to a bigger conflict creating issues for the sub-continent as a whole and the neighbouring countries including Sri Lanka,

As we have signed secret defence agreements with India some are speculating that Sri Lanka too will have to play a role in helping India in this conflict. The Sri Lankan government is continuing to ignore the fair request made by responsible citizens to publish the contents of the agreements so that people can voice their democratic views and. also if necessary seek legal redress against the contents in the agreements, if the sovereign rights of the country and the people are violated.

As the country will be dragged into a conflict between two of our friendly neighbours. Sri Lankan President should now disclose to the public the contents of the agreements and take steps to inform the PM of India that Sri Lanka does not want to be a party to a tussle between two friendly countries but can act as a mediator to settle the issue peacefully.

Let us re-tread the path followed by our former Prime Minister Mrs Sirimavo Bandaranayake in helping India and Pakistan to mend the fence peacefully without shedding blood.

RANJITH SOYSA 

Courtesy Al Hakam

The passing of Pope Francis means two Christian denominations are without a leader right now – the Anglicans, where Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, resigned some months ago, and the Roman Catholics, who lost their pontiff earlier today. (Statement from the Archbishop of Canterbury”, www.archbishopofcanterbury.org, 12 November 2024)

At a time when leadership crisis is one of, if not the most, concerning issues facing the world, this is undoubtedly a challenging time for the Vatican. Realising how vital the matter of religious leadership is, we hope they will be able to successfully navigate through the procedures and protocols of choosing their leader.

Through the example of its leaders, the Ahmadiyya community knows that, despite religious differences, one can still wish well for people of other faiths on a humanitarian plane. Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad^aa, the head of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, wrote a letter to Pope Francis when he assumed the office of papacy back in 2013. In a detailed letter, he wrote:

I hope and pray that in the forthcoming era the Pope uses his influence to develop peace and harmony in the world. There is a great need to join together upon our common teachings and particularly upon the Unity of God.” (World Muslim Leader congratulates Pope Francis and Catholic Church”, www.pressahmadiyya.com, 14 March 2013)

This is in line with the Quranic teaching of calling the ahl al-Kitab (People of the Book) to common grounds to resolve mutual conflicts and misunderstandings. (Surah Aal-e-`Imran, Ch.3: V.65)

In the same letter, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad^aa referred to what he had written to Pope Francis’ predecessor:

In my letter to [Pope Benedict XVI] I also requested him to use his great influence to bring the people of the world together towards peace, reconciliation and mutual understanding and to strive to prevent the world from destruction. I send the same message to the new Pope as well.” (World Muslim Leader congratulates Pope Francis and Catholic Church”, www.pressahmadiyya.com, 14 March 2013)

In the autumn of 2022, two Ahmadi missionaries had a private audience with Pope Francis. One of them, Marwan Gill, wrote in his report for Al Hakam:

After giving [the Pope] a detailed background of our Jamaat, we introduced to him the magnificent work of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V^aa as a worldwide ambassador of peace. We presented the Pope with an Italian translation of the book World Crisis and the Pathway to Peace. We also presented him with the letter that Hazrat Khaliftul Masih V^aa had specifically written for this audience. The Pope received the letter with great respect and acknowledged gratitude for this gesture of Huzoor^aa.” (Ahmadi Muslim missionaries meet Pope Francis, who pays homage to Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad”, www.alhakam.org, 4 November 2022)

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad^aa had previously written a special message for Pope Benedict XVI, delivered to him personally by Mohammad Sharif Odeh, the president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in the Holy Land. Part of the message read:

It is with regret that if we now observe the current circumstances of the world closely, we find that the foundation for another world war has already been laid. As a consequence of so many countries having nuclear weapons, grudges and enmities are increasing and the world sits on the precipice of destruction.
I believe it is essential, that we urgently increase our efforts to save the world from this destruction. There is an urgent need for mankind to recognise its Creator as this is the only guarantor for the survival of humanity.” (World Muslim leader sends Message of Peace to Pope Benedict”, www.ahmadiyyauk.org, 1 January 2012)

In the messages above, we see that Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad^aa, introducing the emphasis on societal peace, invited the Pope, leader of around one billion people around the world, to play his role in global peacebuilding through the common grounds of major world faiths. 

Going just over a hundred years back in history, we see that such efforts by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community remained an integral part of its peacebuilding campaign, highlighting a rich legacy for interfaith harmony in the light of Islamic teachings. 

En route to England in 1924, the second head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad^ra stopped over in Rome. While there, he expressed his desire to meet Pope Pius XI. The request was declined, stating that, owing to the refurbishment of the papal offices underway, such a meeting was not possible. 

Press reporters, by the likes of La Tribuna, interviewed Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad^ra and asked about what he had intended to do during the meeting, had it taken place. He replied by saying that since the Pope is a noble man, he would have offered the Pope a gift befitting his status and position – the gift of an invitation to Islamic teachings.

This meeting, however, could not take place, but the message must have reached the Pope through the press.

Going even further back, the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad^as of Qadian, had invited Queen Victoria, the then head of the Church of England, to the message of Islam. He urged her to organise a conference of world religions in London, the heart of the British Empire, where all faiths could present their teachings in their true form – a dire need at a time when interfaith conflicts had left all religions mystified through the fog of propaganda, slander, and misinformation.

The conference could not happen before 1924 when the then head of the Ahmadiyya community, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad^aa travelled all the way from India to London with the message of Ahmadiyyat, the true Islam”.

Similarly, Justin Welby, the (now former) Archbishop of Canterbury, visited Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad^aa at the London secretariat of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V^aa in October 2017.

We wish that the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church around the world are able to choose a leader who can lead them through the most challenging times – challenging not only for both the denominations but the world at large.

We end this piece with a hope and prayer that world faiths can soon come together under one banner and strive for global peace and harmony – a call made by Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih V^aa.

Lanka Leader

පසුගිය දා ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට පැමැණි ඉන්දීය අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය නරේන්ද්‍ර මෝදි ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ජනාධිපති අනුර කුමාර මහතාව වැළඳ ගනිමින් සිදුකළ ජවනිකාව නිවැරදිව වටහාගත යුතු බවත්, ඉන්දියානු සටකපට ව්‍යාපෘතිය හඳුනා ගැනීමට නොහැකි තරම් බුද්ධි හීනයන් නොවිය යුතු බවත් මහාචාර්ය පූජ්‍ය මැදගොඩ අභයතිස්ස හිමියන් පවසති.

පැරණි සංස්කෘතික ක්ෂලෝකයක සඳහන් කර ඇති පරිදි තරුණ බැමිණියක් විසින් මහළු බමුණකු කෙස් වැටියෙන් අල්ලා සිප වැළඳ ගන්නේ හේතුවක් ඇතිව බවත්, නරේන්ද්‍ර මෝදි විසින් අනුර දිසානායක වැලඳ ගනිමින් සිදුකළ ජවනිකාව හේතුවක් මත සිදුවූ නාටකයක් බවත් උන්වහන්සේ පවසති.

ඉන්දියාව ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ජනපති අනුර දිසානායකගේ අත අඹරවා අත්සන් කරන ලද ගිවිසුම් සම්බන්ධයෙන් විරෝධය පළ කරමින් පැපිලියාන සුනේත්‍රාදේවි මහා පිරිවෙනේදී ජාත්‍යන්තර පෙත්සමකට අත්සන් තබීමේ අවස්ථාවට එක්වෙමින් උන්වහන්සේ මේ බව සඳහන් කළහ.

ලංකාව ගිවිසුම් 7ක් මගින් යටත් කර ඉන්දියානු ව්‍යාප්තවාදයේ ගොදුරක් බවට පත් කිරීමේ මෙහෙයුම ඉන්දියාව විසින් දියත් කර ඇති මේ මොහොතේ මෙම ක්‍රියාවලිය නිවැරදිව වටහාගත යුතු බවත්, නව ආණ්ඩුවක් පත්වී ඇති මොහොත යොදා ගනිමින් ඔවුන් විසින් මෙම සූක්ෂම මෙහෙයුම දියත් කර ඇති බවත් උන්වහන්සේ මෙහිදී පැවසීය. 

සවිස්තරාත්මක වීඩියෝව පහළින්..

Courtesy Daily Mirror

Colombo, May 2 (Daily Mirror) – China is among the countries which are ready to help Sri Lanka join the BRICS coalition in the future, a bloc with economies which account for an estimated 37.3% of global gross domestic product based on purchasing power parity, Daily Mirror learns.

Sri Lanka, at the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, in October, last year, placed on record its request to join the bloc. However, Sri Lanka’s application will be considered later since BRICS has no plan for expansion at the moment

On October 2024 the BRICS which is the acronym for its five original members —Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—welcomed into their bloc Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In January 2025, Indonesia became the bloc’s tenth member.

Brazil is the current chair of BRICS. The goals of BRICS under Brazilian presidency are facilitating trade and investment: promoting economic integration through the development of efficient payment systems, regulating artificial intelligence: promoting inclusive and responsible AI governance for development purposes, tackling climate change: improving financing mechanisms to support global efforts in coordination with the COP30 climate summit (also taking place in Brazil in November), cooperation in the field of public health: strengthening cooperation projects between member countries with a focus on improving public health systems: institutional development.

Earlier, Russia expressed support for Sri Lanka to join BRICS in the future. After that, India also announced that it will consider support for Sri Lanka when new members are welcomed into the bloc.

However, under the current global developments, BRICS is in fresh conflict with the United States since President Donald Trump has warned that BRICS countries attempting to replace the dollar as a trading currency would face 100 percent tariffs on their trade with his country. The threat comes in the wake of attempts by the countries in the bloc to replace the US currency. Sri Lanka is now in negotiation with the US to get redress from the reciprocal tariffs.

Courtesy Adaderana

Two senior police officers visited the residence of suspended IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon in Hokandara yesterday (May 1), informing him that he may be the target of death threats allegedly issued by underworld gang members, including notorious criminal figure Kanjipani Imran”.

The officers have stated that intelligence reports indicate Kanjipani Imran”—currently believed to be in hiding overseas—has instructed his associates to assassinate Tennakoon. 

Sources also revealed that a classified intelligence report has detailed growing concerns over threats to Tennakoon’s life, particularly in light of the removal of his official security detail after the suspension.

In addition to threats from Kanjipani Imran”, authorities believe Tennakoon may be under threat from other underworld gangs, reportedly in retaliation for his crackdown on organized crime and drug trafficking via ‘Yukthiya’ operation during his tenure. His leadership in high-profile anti-narcotics and underworld suppression operations has been cited as a possible motive behind the threats.

Courtesy Hiru News

Security forces have reportedly uncovered a plot to assassinate Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon.

Security officials have informed IGP Tennakoon about the threat, with initial reports suggesting that the assassination plot is being orchestrated by an organised crime figure and international drug trafficker Kanjipani Imran.

During his tenure as IGP, Deshabandu Tennakoon spearheaded a special program aimed at eradicating drug trafficking in Sri Lanka.

However, due to ongoing legal proceedings, he is currently suspended from his duties as the IGP.

Tennakoon was previously held in remand prison for nearly a month in connection with a shooting incident near a Weligama hotel, but was released on bail by the court on April 10.

SepalAmarasinghe

Dasatha News

වෛද්‍ය ගාමිනී විතාන 

වෛද්‍ය වෘත්තිය යනු උත්තම වෘත්තියකි. අතීතයේ රජකම නැත්ත්නම් වෙදකම කියා කීවේ එම නිසාය. වෛද්‍ය වෘත්තිය සලකන ලද්දේ මානුෂික මෙන්ම දයාව පතුරවන රැකියාවක් ලෙසටය. එය මුදලට යට නොකරනු ලැබීය. සේනක බිබිලේ වැනි උත්තම යුග පුරුෂයන් බිහි වන්නේ එවැනි ලෝකයකය. ඔවුන් මුදල් පසුපස හඹා ගියේ නැත. ඔවුන්ට වැදගත් වූයේ රෝගීන්ට සෙත සෑදීමය. එහෙත් සේනක බිබිලේ යුගයෙන් පසුව එළැඹියේ රීරි පිසාචයන් ගේ යුගයකි. එම යුගයේදී මිනිස් වටිනාකම් වෙනුවට පෙරට ආවේ මුදල් සහ සමාජ බලයයි. සල්ලි වෙනුවෙන් උතුම් වෛද්‍ය වෘත්තිය පවා කෙලසීමට මෙම පිසාචයන්ට හැකි විය. මුදල් සහ බලය තිබේ නම් ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ඕනම අපරාධයක් කොට නිරුපද්‍රිතව සිටිය හැකි බව නොරහසකි. කෙහෙළියලා බාල බෙහෙත් සහ වියාජ ඖෂධ ගෙන්වා අති විශාල් ධනස්කන්ධයක් උපයා ගනු ලැබීය. මිනිස් ජීවිත පිලිබඳ වගවීමක් ඔවුනට නොවීය. මිනිසුන් මිය ගියද ඔවුන් ගේ ප්‍රධාන අවශ්‍යතාව වූයේ සල්ලි උපයා ගැනීමටය. එසේම නීති විරෝධී වකුගඩු ජාවාරමද පුරා දශකයකටත් අධික කාලයක් සෞඛ්‍ය බලධාරීන් ගේ ඇස් ඉදිරි පිටදීම කිසිදු බාධාවකින් තොරව සිදු කරගෙන යනු ලැබේ.

නීති විරෝධී වකුගඩු ජාවාරම ලංකාවේ බොහෝ සෙයින් පැතිරී තිබේ. ඉන්දියානු  පොලිසිය විසින් ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ වෛද්‍යවරු පිරිසක් නීති විරෝධී මිනිස් අවයව ජාවාරමේ යෙදෙන බවට තොරතුරු එවනු ලැබීය. මේ සම්බන්ධයෙන් සෞඛ්‍යය අමාත්‍යාංශය විසින් කමිටුවක් පත් කොට මෙකී ජාවාරම පිලිබඳ විමර්ශනය කරනු ලැබීය. ජයසුන්දර කමිටුව ලෙස හැඳින්වූ  වෛද්‍ය ජයසුන්දර බණ්ඩාරගේ මූලිකත්වයෙන් යුත් එම  කමිටුව මගින් වකුගඩු ජාවාරමේ නිරත වූ රංග මිගාර වීරක්කොඩි , හබිබා සහීබ්,  චමිලා, නිරෝශනී   , මොනික් අඹේපිටිය  යන වෛද්‍යවරුන් හඳුනා ගනු ලැබීය. මෙම කමිටු වාර්තාව  එවකට සෞඛ්‍ය අමාත්‍යවරයා වූ වෛද්‍ය රාජිත සේනාරත්න මහතාට සහ සෞඛ්‍ය සේවා අධ්‍යක්‍ෂ ජනරාල් විශේෂඥ වෛද්‍ය පාලිත මහීපාල මහතාට බාර දෙන ලදි. නමුත් මේ වන විට  ජයසුන්දර කමිටු වාර්තාව වකුගඩු මාෆියාව විසින් විශාල මුදලක් ගෙවා අතුරුදහන් කොට තිබේ.

 වෛද්‍ය රංග මිගාර වීරක්කොඩි විසින් යාපනය ශික්‍ෂණ රෝහලේ රහසිගතව පවත්වාගෙන ගිය වකුගඩු ජාවාරම මුලින්ම හෙලි කරන ලද්දේ රාවය පුවත් පතේ කතෘවරයා වූ වික්ටර් අයිවන් මහතා විසිනි. මානව හිමිකම් ක්‍රියාධරයෙකු වන සැමුවෙල් චඳ්‍රහසන් විසින් පෙන්වා දුන් පරිදි ද්‍රවිඩ තරුණයන් 500 ආසන්න පිරිසක් ඕස්ටේ්‍රලියාවට පැමිණ තම වකුගඩු රහසේ ධනවත් දායකයන්ට මුදලට විකුණා තිබේ. මෙම තරුණයන් බහුතරය පරික්‍ෂා කොට නිරෝගී වකුගඩු දායකයන් බවට සහතික කොට තිබෙන්නේ යාපනය රෝහලේ වකුගඩු පිළිබඳ හිටපු විශේෂඥ වෛද්‍යවරයා වූ වෛද්‍ය රංග මිගාර වීරක්කොඩි විසිනි.  යාපනය ශික්‍ෂණ රෝහලේ වකුගඩු ජාවාරම් පිලිබඳව කිසිදු පරීක්‍ෂණයක් සිදු වූයේ නැත.  සෞඛ්‍ය අමාත්‍යාංශයේ සහකාර ලේකම් (- හදිසි වැටලීම් ) ඩී.එම් .සී.කේ දිසානායක මහතා විසින් වෛද්‍ය රංග මිගාර වීරක්කොඩි පිලිබඳව නාමික විමර්ශණයක් සිදු කල නමුදු එය හොරාගේ අම්මා ගෙන් පේන ඇසීමක් බඳු විය. වකුගඩු මාෆියාවේ අල්ලස් හමුවේ බලධාරීන් නිහඞ වූහ. 

දඹුල්ල ප්‍රාදේශීය මාධ්‍යවේදියෙකු වූ කාංචන කුමාර ආරියදාස මහතා මධ්‍යම පළාතේ වතු ආශ්‍රිත ප්‍රදේශ වල තැරැව්කරුවන් යොදවා කරන ලද විශාල වකුගඩු ජාවාරමක් පිලිබඳ තොරතුරු අණාවරනය කරනු ලැබීය. වතුකරයේ තරුණයන් බොහෝ දෙනෙකු රුපියල් ලක්‍ෂ 1-2 අතර මුදලකට තමන් ගේ වකුගඩු විකුනා තිබේ. මෙලෙස මිලදී ගන්නා වකුගඩුවක් ධනවත් දායකයෙකුට ලබා දෙන්නේ රුපියල් මිලියන 60 -80 අතර මුදලකටය. ඕ නෙගටිව් වකුගඩුවක් නම් එය මිලියන 90 බව කියවේ.

මෑතකදී ලංකාදීප පුවත් පතේ මාධ්‍යවේදියෙකුට දෙල්තොට ප්‍රදේශයේ තේ වත්තක ජීවත් වන  තම වකුගඩුවක් විකිනූ 32 හැවිරිදි ද්‍රවිඩ තරුණයෙකු හමු විය. එම ද්‍රවිඩ තරුණයා කියූ පරිදි බාසික් නම් තැරැවකරුවෙකුගේ මාර්ගයෙන් ඔහු වෛද්‍ය රංග වීරක්කොඩි හමුවී ඇත. මූලික වෛද්‍ය පරීක්‍ෂණ වලින් පසු වකුගඩුව ගලවා ගැනීම සඳහා වෛද්‍ය රංග වීරක්කොඩි ඔහුව බොරැල්ල ප්‍රදේශයේ පුද්ගලික රෝහලකට යොමු කොට ඇත. වකුගඩුව සඳහා පොරොන්දු වී ඇති මුදල රුපියල් ලක්‍ෂ දෙකකි. එහෙත් ඔහුට ගෙවා ඇත්තේ රුපියල් ලක්‍ෂයකි.  වකුගඩුව ලබා දීමෙන් පසු කිසිම සෞඛ්‍ය ගැටළුවක් ඇති නොවන බව වෛද්‍ය රංග වීරක්කොඩි ඔහුට සහතික කොට කියූවද මේ වන විට ඔහු දැඩි කායික දුර්වළතාවයෙන් පෙළයි. වකුගඩු ජාවාරම්කරුවන්ට විරුද්ධව සාක්‍ෂි සැපයීමට කැමති නම් ඔහුව අදාල බලධාරීන්ට යොමු කල හැකි බව මාධ්‍යවේදියා මෙහිදී පවසා තිබේ. එහෙත් වකුගඩු වින්දිත ද්‍රවිඩ තරුණයා ප්‍රකාශ කොට ඇත්තේ වකුගඩුව ගලවා ගෙන මුදල් ලබා දීමෙන් පසු ඔහුට අවධාරණය කොට තිබෙන්නේ යම් ලෙසකින් ඔහු මේ පිලිබඳව පොලිසියට පැමිණිල්ලක් කලේ නම් වකුගඩුව විකිනීමේ වරදට ඔහුට සිර දඞුවම් ලැබෙන බවයි. මේ නිසා තමන් වකුගඩු ජාවාරම්කරුවන්ට එරෙහිව පැමිණිලි කිරීම ප්‍රතික්ශේප කරන ලදි. 

අස්‌ගිරි මහා විහාරීය කාරක සංඝ සභික ගරු අනුශාසක පූජ්‍ය මැදගම ධම්මානන්ද හිමි පෙන්වා දෙන ආකාරයට වකුගඩු දන්දෙන පිරිස අතර වැඩියනේම සිටින්නේ භික්‌ෂූන් ය. වකුගඩු මාෆියාව බෞද්ධ භික්‍ෂූන්වද රවටා ගෙන ඔවුන් ගේ වකුගඩු ලබා ගැනීමට කටයුතු කරමින් සිටියි. මේ වන විට  වකුගඩු මාෆියාව විසින් බෞද්ධ භික්‍ෂූන් සිය ගනනක් රවටා ඔවුන් ගේ වකුගඩු ලබා ගෙන ධනවත් දායකයන්ට විකුණා ඇත. තවද වර්තමානයේ කරාපිටිය ශික්‍ෂණ රෝහල වකුගඩු ජාවාරමේ මූලස්ථානයක් බවට පත්වී තිබේ. එහෙත් බලධාරීන් නිහඞය. මෙම සාපරාධී මනුෂ්‍ය අවයව ජාවාරම ලංකාවේ සෞඛ්‍ය ක්‍ෂේත්‍රයට මහත් වූ කළු පැල්ලමකි.  මිනිස් අවයව වෙළෙඳ භාණ්ඩ බවට පත් කරන ලද සමාජයක ජීවත් වීම පවා භයානකය. සේනක බිබිලේ වැනි මානුෂික හිතවාදී වෛද්‍යවරු නොමැති ලෝකයක රංග වීරක්කොඩිලා බිහි වීමද යුගයේ සරදමකි.

වෛද්‍ය ගාමිනී විතාන 

විශේසඥ වෛද්‍ය චමල් සංජීව හෙළි කරන වකුගඩු ජාවාරම ට සවන් දෙන්න 

(As published in The Island today)

One of the well-known benefits of reading is that you can get enormous fun from what you read. Many great writers have written funny or entertaining or even stimulating pieces of great literature. But you will have to be introduced to famous works as, although you are students of English, no-one will trouble themselves to explains show or bring these works to your attention. So read on..

Charles Dickens lived in Victorian London. He has written many amusing pieces in his Pickwick Papers.” He describes the adventures of Mr Pickwick, and describes Mr Pecksniff and even the snuff and drinking habits of dear old Sairy Gamp who attends to the recently dead and prepares them for sending to the mortuary. These are just two of the many characters found in Pickwick Papers” (The amazing adventures of the Pickwick Club.) These Pickwick Papers were very popular only a generation or two ago. His colourful descriptions allow our imaginations to conjure up vivid Victorian London scenes. Life in the villages of England was very difficult and everyone thought London was a paradise for work, food and good beer! Everyone eagerly bought Pickwick Papers to learn more of the Pickwick Club and events in London, that dream destination for all English villagers.

No-one will introduce you to Longfellow’s The Pied Piper of Hamlyn.” This poem is based on an old legend. It was said that a plague of rats was running wild in a small town in Germany about 800 years ago. The Pied Piper came and rid the town of rats. He did this for a fee, a good reward, but then was denied payment by the Mayor who had commissioned him to remove the rats. The revenge of the Pied Piper on the town is quite shocking. Longfellow’s powerful descriptions on the several scenes of dramatic action make this poem a charming piece of English literature.

William Wordsworth’s Daffodils” is a most powerfully evocative poem with words carefully chosen to describe what he saw. The writing is when he viewed thousands of bright yellow daffodils dancing in the breeze (gentle wind) creating a great vista for his viewing, which remained with him and brought pleasure to him on quiet moments. This is the English language waiting for all students to explore.

There are plenty of dismal, turgid writings about historical injustice and brutality by colonizers to countless oppressed people around the world – such writers have a valid message but here we want to introduce pleasant reading matter that elevates the reader to gain pleasant satisfaction and new good ideas from what he reads. There are many wonderful stories and great writers waiting for the reader to discover many beautiful writings that will make him or her happy.

William Henry Davis, a Welshman and vagrant wanderer, wrote a most charming, beautiful poem: What is this Life if Full of Care?” He writes about how he regrets that we humans are always in a hurry, too busy to notice or see the delights of nature, and scenes of natural beauty, e.g., a young woman’s smile as she passes by; we have no time to make friends and even kiss her. Regrets!

This is the real English to be tasted and then swigged at lustily in pleasure and satisfaction, not some writing airing historical grievances for children to study!

 lanka C news

ජාත්‍යන්තර මූල්‍ය අරමුදල මෙරටට ලබා දී ඇති අරමුදල් වැඩසටහනේ ප්‍රගතිය මැන බැලීම සඳහා සිදුකළ සිව්වැනි සමාලෝචනයට විධායක කමිටු අනුමැතිය ලැබී එය සම්පූර්ණවීමට අවම වශයෙන් මාස කීපයක් ගතවනු ඇතැයි එම අරමුදලේ ශ්‍රී ලංකා දූත මණ්ඩල ප්‍රධානී එවන් පැපජෝජියෝ මහතා මාධ්‍ය හමුවකදී ප්‍රකාශ කළේය.

කාර්ය මණ්ඩල එකඟතාවකට එළැඹීම මුල් පියවර පමණක් බවත් ඉන් පසුව ප්‍රතිපත්තිමය එකඟතාවකට පැමිණීම මෙන්ම පෙර එකඟ වූ ක්‍රියාකාරකම් ශ්‍රී ලංකාව ක්‍රියාත්මක කළ යුතු බවත් පැපජෝර්ජියෝ මහතා පැවැසුවේය.

සිවුවැනි සමාලෝචනයට විධායක කමිටු අනුමැතිය ලැබීමට නම් පියවර දෙකක් සම්පූර්ණ කළ යුතු බවද පැපජෝර්ජියෝ මහතා ප්‍රකාශ කළේය.

එහි පළමු පියවර වන්නේ විදුලිය උත්පාදනය කිරීමට වැයවන මුදලට සරිලන විදුලිය ගාස්තුවක් හඳුන්වා දීමට සහ ස්වයංක්‍රීය විදුලි මිල ගැළපුම් යාන්ත්‍රණයේ නිසි ක්‍රියාකාරිත්වය සහතික කිරීමට පෙර එකඟ වූ ක්‍රියාමාර්ග ක්‍රියාත්මක කිරීම බවත් දෙවැනි පියවර වන්නේ බහුපාර්ශ්වික හවුල්කරුවන්ගේ කැප වූ මූල්‍ය දයකත්වයන් සහ සිය ණය ප්‍රතිව්‍යුහගතකිරීමෙහිලා ප්‍රමාණවත් ප්‍රගතියක් ලබාගෙන ඇති බව තහවුරු කෙරෙන මූල්‍ය සහතික සමාලෝචනය සම්පූර්ණ කිරීම බවත් ඔහු පැවැසුවේය.

ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට විදුලිය ගාස්තුව වැඩි කළ යුතු බවට නිශ්චිත දිනයක් ජාත්‍යන්තර මූල්‍ය අරමුදල ලබාදී නැතත් හැකි ඉක්මනින් විදුලිය ගාස්තුව පිරිවැයට සරිලන ලෙස ඉහළ දමන ලෙස මෙරට රජයට කීප වතාවක් දැනුම් දී තිබෙන බවත් එය බොහොම හොඳින් රජය තේරුම් ගත් බවත් ජාත්‍යන්තර මූල්‍ය අරමුදලේ ශ්‍රී ලංකා දූත මණ්ඩල ප්‍රධානි එවන් පැපජෝර්ජියෝ මහතා ප්‍රකාශ කළේය.

දැන් පවතින විදුලිය ගාස්තුවෙන් කිසිසේත් විදුලිය උත්පාදනය කිරීමට යන වියදම ආවරණය නොවන බවද ඔහු පැවැසුවේය. නැවත වරක් ලංකා විදුලිබල මණ්ඩලය රජයට බරක් නොවිය යුතු බව ද ඔහු ප්‍රකාශ කළේය.

විදුලි උත්පාදනයට වැයවන මුදලට සරිලන ගාස්තු ක්‍රමයක් හඳුන්වා දීමේ ව්‍යුහාත්මක කඩ ඉම ශ්‍රී ලංකාව තවමත් පසුකර නොමැති බවත් ඒ හැර අප්‍රේල් මස අවසන් වන විට පසු කළ යුතු ව්‍යුහාත්මක කඩ ඉම් සියල්ල පසුකර හෝ ප්‍රමාදයක් සහිතව ක්‍රියාත්මක කර තිබෙන බවත් ජාත්‍යන්තර මූල්‍ය අරමුදල ප්‍රකාශ කළේය.

ශ්‍රී ලංකා මහජන උපයෝගීතා කොමිසම අප්‍රේල් මාසයේදී සිදු කළ යුතු විදුලිය ගාස්තු සංශෝධනය ද ප්‍රමාද වී තිබෙන බව ද පැපජෝර්ජියෝ මහතා පැවැසුවේය.

සිව්වැනි සමාලෝචනය පිළිබඳව මාධ්‍යවේදීන් දැනුවත් කිරීම සඳහා මාර්ගගතව මාධ්‍ය හමුව පැවැත්විණි.

ඉහත පියවරයන් සම්පූර්ණ කිරීමෙන් පසු කාර්ය මණ්ඩල එකඟතාවට විධායක කමිටු අනුමැතිය ලැබෙනු ඇති බවත් එවිට පස්වැනි වාරිකය ලෙස ඇමෙරිකානු ඩොලර් මිලියන 344 ක මුදලක් ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට මුදා හැරෙනු ඇති බවත් ජාත්‍යන්තර මූල්‍ය අරමුදල ප්‍රකාශ කළේය. ඒ සමග ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට මුදා හැර ඇති මුළු මුදල ඇමෙරිකානු ඩොලර් මිලියන 1722 ක්වනු ඇතැයි ද එවන් පැපජෝර්ජියෝ මහතා ප්‍රකාශ කළේය.

විමුක්ති එස්. රුද්‍රිගු

Shenali D Waduge

It is shocking that Sri Lanka’s stature in the global arena & among the diplomatic community has stooped to an all-time low. When a proud Sri Lanka proposed in 1971 the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace, a resolution was passed in the UNGA 2832 (XXVI). Today, successive leaders & their policy stooges have ignored the vision of that Resolution & has over the years diminished Sri Lanka’s sovereignty to a level where our leaders are even agreeing to divest critical national security assets for foreign companies to manufacture warships. The citizens of Sri Lanka, must unite to object to Sri Lanka’s geographic location becoming prostituted for geopolitical goals of others while make the lives of Sri Lanka’s vulnerable. The proposal for a Zone of Peace was by one of Sri Lanka’s greatest leaders Madam Sirimavo Bandaranaike whose proposal was greatly supported by China in 1971. It is a pity Sri Lanka has no farsighted leaders with pragmatic vision.

A_RES_2832(XXVI)-EN

Historical importance of the Indian Ocean

The 3^rd largest ocean in the world, it plays a pivotal role in global trade, geopolitics & ecology.

The Indian Ocean covers about 20% of the Earths water surface & borders West & East Africa, North & South Asia, East & South East Asia, Australia, South Ocean near Antarctica.

About 38 countries (littoral & hinterland) of which 25 directly bordering the Indian Ocean (10 states in African East Coast), 4 states in Middle East & West Asia, 6 states in South Asia, 5 states in South East Asia & Australia.

13 countries however are strategically engaged in hinterland or with littoral states through port agreements, naval bases or other geopolitical interests. This countries include France, UK, US, China, Japan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, Qatar, Israel, Turkey & South Korea.

There are also important chokepoints –

Strait of Hormuz  – strategically important energy transit point (Between Oman & Iran) 21m barrels of oil daily passed through Indian Ocean in 2023 (20% of global oil consumption)

Strait of Malacca (between Malaysia & Indonesia) – is the shortest route between Indian & Pacific Oceans. 100,000 vessels transit annually carrying 25% of global trade. This lane is vulnerable to piracy & congestion.

Bab el-Mandeb (between Yemen & Djibouti) – connecting Indian Ocean to the Red Sea & Suez Canal. 62m barrels of oil pass daily (large container traffic)

as well as strategically important islands in the Indian ocean – Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Diego Garcia.

The Indian Ocean is home to around 2.7billion people spanning 3 continents.

The Indian Ocean hosts the major shipping lanes, energy routes & is of significant geopolitical interest to all major powers.

80% of the world’s maritime oil trade passes through the Indian Ocean

40% of global trade by volume moves through the Indian Ocean

1/3 of worlds bulk cargo & half of container traffic moves across the Indian Ocean sea lanes.

Servicing these are critical Ports in Chennai, Mumbai, Kochi in India, Durban in South Africa, Mombasa in Kenya, Port Klang, Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia, Singapore, Dubai & Sallalh in Oman & Port of Colombo, in Sri Lanka.

One has to wonder if the sudden pirate” issue emerging in early 2010s was a justification to militarize & increase surveillance for the superpowers using the Indian Ocean for strategic goals.

The Indian Ocean is the artery of global trade especially energy. Control over its lanes, controls global economic stability.

Historic importance of the Indian Ocean

Since 3000 BCE the Indian Ocean has been an ancient maritime trade hub connecting Africa, Middle East, South Asia & South East Asia.

It was the Silk Road of the sea for spices, textiles, gold, & an exchange between ancient civilizations.

Buddhism spread to South East Asia, Islam reached Indonesia & East Africa & Hinduism influences regions through the oceans.

Controlling the seas was key to empire building -thus the Portuguese, Dutch, British & French fought naval battles to dominate trade routes & colonize coastal terrain.

Eventually the British Empire controlled major choke points – Aden, the Maldives, Mauritius & Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

Presently, the Indian Ocean is claimed by QUAD (US-India-Japan-Australia) while they claim China is building its String of Pearls.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, Sri Lanka is at the centre of the Indian Ocean. Close to the major east-west shipping routes (Colombo & Hambantota Port are pivotal for global maritime logistics) and the geographic value of Sri Lanka is a prize for geopolitical rivalries competing to secure Sri Lanka for its own geopolitical & trade goals.

Sri Lanka’s call in 1971 for the Indian Ocean to become a Zone of Peace” is important in taking to account how important Indian Ocean is & the militarization of the Indian Ocean that is now unfolding.

Key aspects of the UN Resolution 2832 (XXVI) – Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace (1971)

1. Demilitarization – urging global powers, especially nuclear states to refrain from military build-ups & to dismantle existing military bases in the Indian Ocean region.

• Geopolitical Neutrality – to shield the Indian Ocean from rivalries, maintaining it as a neutral space to avoid tension among superpowers.

• Protect Sovereignty – respecting sovereignty & independence of all littoral & hinterland states in the Indian Ocean region.

• Freedom of Navigation – unimpeded maritime movement ensuring Indian Ocean remains open to peaceful use by all nations.

• Dialogue & Cooperation – regional & international consultations involving Security Councils permanent members & major maritime users to formulate the regions peaceful status.

How relevant is Sri Lanka’s Zone of Peace Resolution now?

Indian Ocean is the new theatre of activity which makes promotion of the Zone of Peace essential.

Increased naval exercises by global powers, increased strategic agreements & defense pacts are all leading to increased tensions & making citizens of littoral & hinterland states apprehensive.

While Sri Lanka’s leaders were pragmatic & forward thinking enough to foresee the scenario in the Indian Ocean way back in 1971 to promote the Zone of Peace, Sri Lanka’s present leaders lack foresight or vision.

Sri Lanka’s leaders instead of taking advantage of Sri Lanka’s geopolitical location to Sri Lanka’s advantage have doled out Sri Lanka to the advantage of rival nations competition with each other & now using Sri Lanka as a political football.

Sri Lanka has found itself caught between rivalries for lack of ability to stand up against power players and negotiating deals not from the bearer of a beggar’s bowl. That Sri Lanka’s leaders have made Sri Lanka vulnerable & dependent on foreign investment, economic reliance & trapped into divesting all that is precious to Sri Lanka is tragic.

The argument that Sri Lanka has to divest in order to repay debt is not a solution. If Sri Lanka’s leaders & policy makers divest all that Sri Lanka holds dear & how is Sri Lanka to survive with nothing to make income from & perhaps more loans to repay?

While Sri Lanka’s leaders have signed secret agreements with India’s PM, it has been revealed that one of these agreements is to divest Sri Lanka’s Colombo Dockyard to an Indian company. This action is a direct violation of Sri Lanka’s own Zone of Peace” resolution. Handing over a critical maritime asset to a major regional power undermines Sri Lanka’s own vision & Sri Lanka will only be opening the door to geopolitical leverage & military industrial entanglement in Sri Lanka’s own waters.

Sri Lanka’s leaders cannot be ignorant of India’s regional history especially when India secretly trained & armed guerilla warfare in Sri Lanka while also sending Indian troops who committed mass crimes. India’s economic blockade on Nepal in 2015, cutting electricity to Bangladesh in 2024 & the recent military tensions between India & Pakistan while also forcing Sri Lanka to cancel military exercises with Pakistan are signs Sri Lanka’s leaders are signing off Sri Lanka’s sovereignty, betraying the citizens of Sri Lanka. A strategic shipyard under foreign control reduces maritime autonomy & poses a national security risk, surrendering Sri Lanka’s infrastructure diminishes long-term self-reliance & economic independence especially when Sri Lanka has talented people working at the dockyard. We were a nation that took orders to build mighty ships for foreign kings.

The spirit of Sri Lanka’s 1971 Zone of Peace UN Resolution is lost when alongside the buildup of militarization of ports & sea lanes, proxy naval competition via infrastructure deals, nuclear competitions & undermining & bullying of smaller nations to which is added Sri Lanka divesting its assets for warship manufacture to foreign company. This proposed handover is far more than a commercial deal – it’s a strategic realignment with deep implications for Sri Lanka’s future & it diminishes the proud historical past of Sri Lanka and will diplomatically places Sri Lanka as a vassal state.

How shortsighted & foolish can Sri Lanka’s leaders be?

Shenali D Waduge

KAMALIKA PIERIS

UNESCO recently announced that it has accepted for its Memory of the World Register 2025, the Trilingual inscription” found in Sri Lanka. The tablet   containing the inscription was brought to Sri Lanka from China by Chinese Admiral Cheng Ho.  The item was therefore submitted to UNESCO jointly by Sri Lanka and China.

UNESCO described the Trilingual Inscription as a stone tablet with Chinese, Persian and Tamil inscriptions, praising Buddha, Vishnu and Allah. [1] It is the only trilingual inscription having texts in Chinese, Tamil and Persian, said UNESCO.

UNESCO has uncritically parroted the popular account attached to this tablet, regardless of the fact that it is partially incorrect. This shows that UNESCO has not done any independent examination of this trilingual tablet, neither it appears, has China.

UNESCO’s recognition of this trilingual tablet has aroused fresh interest in the tablet. This tablet is seen as a unique one specially prepared for Sri Lanka. Observers want to know, therefore, why did the tablet not contain a statement in Sinhala if it was intended for Sri Lanka.

Can someone enlighten me on why the Sinhala language was not used in this plaque, asked retired Navy Admiral Ravindra C Wijegunaratne, when the UNESCO recognition was announced.[2]

From 1405 to 1433 Chinese admiral Cheng Ho directed seven ocean expeditions for the Ming emperor Zhu Di. They are considered to be unmatched in world history. The first expedition was to Champa (central Vietnam), Siam (Thailand), Java to   Cochin and the kingdom of Calicut in Kerala. The second expedition (1407-1409) took 68 ships to the court of Calicut to attend the inauguration of a new king.

The third voyage (1409-1411) with 48 large ships and 30,000 troops, visited many of the same places as on the first voyage but also went to Malacca. The fourth voyage (1413-15) in addition to visiting many of the earlier sites, Zheng He went onto Hormuz on the Persian Gulf. The fifth voyage (1417-1419) went to Aden, and then on to the east coast of Africa, stopping at the city states of Mogadishu and Brawa (in today’s Somalia), and Malindi (in present day Kenya).

The sixth expedition (1421-1422) of 41 ships sailed to many of the previously visited Southeast Asian and Indian courts and stops in the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, and the coast of Africa, the fleet was then sent on to pursue several separate itineraries, with some ships going perhaps as far south as Sofala in present day Mozambique.

The seventh and final voyage (1431-33) had more than one hundred large ships and over 27,000 men, and it visited all the important ports in the South China Sea and Indian Ocean as well as Aden and Hormuz. One auxiliary voyage traveled up the Red Sea to Jidda, only a few hundred miles from the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

Records show that on this journey, the ships left for Sri Lanka from Banda Atjeh, in Indonesia, reached Sri Lanka on October 10, 1432 and   arrived at Calicut in Kerala  on December 10.

 Zheng He’s voyages would have required many independent fleets to be simultaneously at sea, said one analyst. Dates for out bound and returning voyages make it clear that different fleets departed and returned under different commanders, often years apart. [3] Chinese records indicate that more than 2,700 ships were built during this time.

The distances travelled and places reached in these seven voyages are not   disputed. Historians agree that Zheng sailed the Indian Ocean as far as East Africa and the Red Sea.[4] They also agree that China had the capacity to undertake such voyages.

The Chinese fleet visited Sri Lanka on the first voyage and probably on all subsequent voyages too, as Sri Lanka was a useful port of call. On the third voyage, Zheng Ho brought a tablet to be erected in Sri Lanka. The tabletwas prepared in Nanking, dated 15^th February 1409. It was set up in Galle in 1411.

The slab said that We (i.e. China) have dispatched missions to announce our mandates to foreign nations”. It spoke of the Buddhist temples in the mountainous isle of Sri Lanka, and listed the   generous gifts the group had made to a Buddhist temple in the mountain of Ceylon, presumably Sri Pada. This inscription appears to be intended for Sri Lanka alone.

The other two inscriptions in the Trilingual slab made similar statements. One gave praise to Allah and the   other praised the god Tenavarai-Nayanar.  To each god the Chinese offered similar lavish tributes. However, there is no definitive translation of the full text and it is not possible to say anything more about the text.

The local researchers easily identified two of the three scripts as Chinese and Persian. The choice of Persian for Islam probably indicates that Persian would have been the common language in Islamic countries at the time.

Paranavitana thought the third script was Tamil. However, Tamil historians in Sri Lanka had great difficulty in reading this so-called Tamil inscription.  ‘This inscription is of a unique kind. There is no similar record in the whole range of Tamil inscriptions,’ they said. The language and orthography show characteristics which are not found in any other Tamil inscription.   The word ‘Manittar’ found in the inscription is not found in Tamil, they added. (Tamil inscriptions in the Colombo National Museum p 53, 56)

Gavin Menzies in his book 1421: The Year China Discovered the World”, gives the third language in the inscription as Malayalam, the language of Kerala. it appears that the Galle tablet is not the only one with Malayalam.  Menzies says Matadi Fallsinscription was also in Malayalam. Presumably the two slabs in Kerala were in Malayalam too, which makes a total of four slab inscriptions using Malayalam. (Menziesp 120, 134-136).

 Menzies views on the Cheng Ho voyages have been heavily disputed but as far as I know, the identification of Malayalam  as the third language in the stele (slabs) has not been contested.

The choice of Malayalam for the Hindu inscription suggests that the one location Cheng Ho visited regularly in the Indian peninsula was Kerala, the other Indian stops would have been brief ones. Cheng Ho’s voyages included regular visits to Kerala. It was the next stop after Galle. 

The first and second voyages ended at Kerala.  The second voyage was to attend a coronation there. The sixth expedition saw three units of the fleet go   to Kerala and   separate at Kerala. The Chinese fleet probably touched Kerala on the other three visits too. 

Gavin Menzies in his book 1421: The Year China Discovered the World”, suggests that the Galle slab inscription is one of a series of trilingual slabs prepared in China, and deposited in various foreign ports visited by the Chinese fleet of Cheng He.  Similar tablets have been found elsewhere.

 Menzies says that slab inscriptions were   found in Cochin and Calicut in Kerala, at Ribiera de Janela in Cape Verde and Matadi Falls in Congo. The Janela one is rejected by critics. There is no such tablet at Janela, they said. The other inscriptions were not rejected but critics point out that Menzies has not supported his statement with photos of the other tablets.[5]

The argument that the Galle Trilingual tablet proves that Sri Lanka had three religions which ranked equally, cannot be accepted. It is also difficult to believe that China specifically sent to Sri Lanka a tablet written in Persian and Malayalam.

 One possible explanation is that these tablets were designed to suit several countries at one go. Three inscriptions in three languages for three religions all carved on one tablet ensured that each country would find an inscription that would suit them. This eliminated the need to carve different tablets for different countries, also the problem of getting   the right ship into the right port to deliver the right tablet to the right country.

Sri Lanka ‘s Trilingual slab was discovered in 1911, by the British engineer H.F. Tomalin, who was told of a carved stone covering a culvert near Cripps Road in Galle. There is no record of a any other inscription in Sri Lanka getting tossed about in this manner. This shows that the Sinhala king was not interested in this tablet, otherwise it would have been carefully preserved.

One possible reason for this indifference is that Cheng He meddled in the internal politics of the host country. On his first voyage, he put down a pirate uprising in Sumatra, bringing the pirate chief, an overseas Chinese, back to Nanjing for punishment. On his third visit he had clashed with the authorities in Sri Lanka and had taken some persons to China. They were treated well and were returned to Sri Lanka.

 Amateur historians have woven a story around this event. But professional historians, such as W.I Siriweera   have told me that the available information is insufficient to form any opinion about the event. It is agreed, however, that the Sinhala king was not captured and taken to China and that Sri Lanka did not pay tribute to China. There is no evidence of either.

It is argued that Cheng He’s visits to Sri Lanka were a great honor for Sri Lanka. That is the attitude displayed in the museum in Galle Fort when I visited some years ago. There was a huge picture of Cheng Ho and an emphasis on every possible foreign ruler and visitor who had come to Galle, little or nothing on indigenous culture.

Cheng He was engaged in ocean exploration and was using Sri Lanka as a stopover. Sri Lanka was a much-patronized port of call for foreign ships. In addition to its strategic location, It had bays and harbors that could accommodate visiting ship and foreign  ships had been making use of this facility for centuries.

Sri Lanka ports were more than a mere stop over. Sri Lanka provided ship repair services as well. Sri Lanka coir rope was much valued for ships.  Sri Lanka would have provided good service to Cheng He and that may be why Sri Lanka was gifted one of the trilingual tablets with special reference to its Buddhist temples.

The ‘Tamil inscription’ in the Trilingual slab, (which local Tamil scholars have said is not Tamil) has been greeted with great joy by the Tamil Separatist Movement, saying that it shows the importance of the Tamil language in international relations and international trade. They triumphantly point out that there is no Sinhala inscription on the slab.

Nirmala Chandrahasan says, we have seen from the Galle Inscription that China gave the Tamil language pride of place in Sri Lanka at a certain point of time, and similar inscriptions have also been left by them in other south Asian countries.  We learn that the Tamil community in Sri Lanka was a powerful and respected one, hence the inscriptions in Mandarin along with Tamil and Persian.  She adds that at that time Tamil was a language of commerce and trade in the Indian Ocean region. Tamil Buddhist monks from Kancheepuram brought Buddhism to China. [6]

This is a load of nonsense. Buddhism would have gone to China directly from North India via the land route, not from Kancheepuram in far away south India. It is also most unlikely that Buddhism was introduced to China by Tamil Buddhists. Tamilnadu was never a strong, Buddhist state. In the 7th century the Bhakthi school of Hinduism replaced Buddhism in Tamilnadu.

Tamil merchants could not have led international trade, as Nirmala says, because the Tamil kingdom was not even on the international trade route, to start with. The main East-west international trade route went along the north-west and south-west of the Indian peninsula. Tamilnadu is on the south-east, far away from the international trade route.  Tamilnadu lost its proximity to the east-west trade route when Kerala broke away and became independent. 

 Further, the Tamil kingdom had lost its sovereignty before the Cheng He voyages had even started. Tamil kingdom was conquered by the Vijayanagara kingdom of Karnataka in 1378.  The kingdom was thereafter administered in Telegu. Tamil language was suppressed. Therefore, the Tamil language could not have been a language of commerce and trade in the Indian Ocean region in the time of Cheng He.

Tamil language lost vitality thereafter and did not recover for a long time. The following account shows the low standing of Tamil writing. In 1816, Rasmus Rask left Denmark to collect Asian manuscripts for the University of Copenhagen library. Rask returned to Copenhagen in May 1823, bringing manuscripts in Persian, Middle Persian (Zend), Pali and Sinhala languages.  He had   travelled through Madras and Jaffna, to get to   Colombo, but showed no interest in acquiring Tamil manuscripts.   (concluded)

[1] https://www.unesco.org/en/memory-world/register2025

[2] https://island.lk/why-sinhala-omitted-in-famous-stone-inscription-by-ancient-chinese-admiral/

[3] https://archive.org/stream/1434theyearamagnificentchinesefleetsailedtoitalyandignitedtherenaissancebymenziesgavin/.

[4] https://www.historynewsnetwork.org/article/is-gavin-menzies-right-or-wrong

[5]https://nabataea.net/explore/travel_and_trade/book-review-1421-the-year-china-discovered-the-world/

[6]  https://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2021/06/13/chinese-admiral-zheng-he-and-the-tamils-of-sri-lanka/

Sasanka De Silva Pannipitiya

Sri Lanka stands at a critical economic crossroads.

After weathering a historic financial crisis, the country is showing robust signs of recovery, with GDP growth outpacing expectations and a rebound driven by strong performances in industry and services. Yet, beneath this recovery lies a persistent challenge: a significant portion of the population-especially the youth-remains vulnerable, with poverty rates still alarmingly high and household incomes lagging behind pre-crisis levels.

The Promise of the Stock Market in a Low-Interest, High-Inflation Environment

With benchmark interest rates at 8% and inflation recently turning negative due to energy price cuts but expected to rise again, traditional savings offer limited protection against the eroding power of inflation. For young Sri Lankans seeking to build wealth and secure their financial futures, the stock market presents a compelling alternative. By investing in regular dividend-paying and growth-oriented shares, individuals can potentially outpace inflation and benefit from the country’s economic resurgence.

A vibrant stock market does not just benefit individual investors. Increased participation boosts market liquidity, supports business growth, and, crucially, channels more revenue into government coffers through taxes on capital gains, dividends, and broker transactions. This creates a virtuous cycle, reinforcing fiscal stability and funding essential public services.

Barriers to Entry: Broker Houses and the Cost of Exclusion

Despite these clear benefits, many aspiring investors-particularly novices and young people-face daunting barriers to entry. Leading broker houses often impose high minimum deposit requirements to open trading accounts, a practice that effectively excludes those without significant upfront capital. This not only stifles individual ambition but also undermines the broader goal of democratizing wealth creation and deepening the capital market.

Globally, best practices show that zero or low minimum deposit requirements, as offered by platforms like Easy Equities and XTB, can dramatically expand access and foster a more inclusive investment culture. In contrast, restrictive policies in Sri Lanka risk keeping the market shallow and less dynamic, ultimately reducing potential tax revenue and stunting economic growth.

The Economic Imperative for Reform

Research consistently shows that well-functioning capital markets are essential for economic development. High liquidity, efficient trading, and broad participation are all linked to stronger GDP growth and improved living standards. When broker houses set arbitrary barriers, they not only limit their revenue potential but also deprive the government and the nation of the full benefits of a thriving stock market.

The value of businesses and the stock market size determine the economic growth of the country. The Sri Lankan government needs to maintain a peaceful, conducive environment for investors and ensure secure functionality of capital markets that will help implement socio-economic policies to promote better living standards in the country.”

• Thehani Egodawatte, Research on Capital Markets and Economic Growth in Sri Lanka

The Role of the Colombo Stock Exchange and Regulatory Authorities

The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) has a pivotal role to play. Without assertive oversight and a clear mandate to promote accessibility, the CSE risks becoming, as critics put it, a tiger without teeth”-unable to drive the reforms necessary for national progress. Regulatory authorities must intervene to establish investor-friendly policies, standardize reasonable account-opening requirements, and ensure that broker houses align their practices with the broader interests of the country.

A Call to Action

Sri Lanka’s economic recovery is fragile, and the path to sustained prosperity requires bold, inclusive policies. Lowering barriers to stock market entry is not just a matter of fairness; it is an economic imperative. By empowering young people and first-time investors, Sri Lanka can unlock new sources of growth, boost government revenue, and build a more resilient, equitable society.

It is time for the authorities to act. By bringing broker houses in line with the needs of the people and the nation, Sri Lanka can transform its stock market from an exclusive club into a true engine of national development.

Sasanka De Silva

Pannipitiya.

 lanka C news

කැබිනට් ප්‍රකාශක අමාත්‍ය නලින්ද ජයතිස්ස මහතා කළ ප්‍රකාශයක් සම්බන්ධයෙන් හිටපු ජනාධිපති රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ මහතාගේ මාධ්‍ය ඒකකය විසින් නිකුත් කළ නිවේදනයක් මෙහි දැක්වෙයි.

හිටපු ජනාධිපති රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ මහතා අල්ලස් කොමිසමට කැඳවීමේ සිද්ධිය සම්බන්ධයෙන් කැබිනට් ප්‍රකාශක අමාත්‍ය නලින්ද ජයතිස්ස මහතා අද(29) කැබිනට් මාධ්‍ය හමුවේදී සදහන් කළ කරුණු අසත්‍යය.

එම මාධ්‍ය හමුවේ දී අමාත්‍යවරයා කියා සිටියේ රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ මහතා අල්ලස් කොමිසමට කැඳවීමෙන් පසුව අප්‍රේල් 11 දා ඔහු තමන්ගේ සමාජ මාධ්‍ය වල 11 වැනි දා එන්න විදියක් නැ යනුවෙන් සඳහන් කර තිබූ බවයි.

11 වැනිදා එන්න විදියක් නැති බවත් 17 වෙනිදා කොමිසමට එන බවත් රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ මහතා ප්‍රකාශ කළැයි නලින්ද ජයතිස්ස මහතා කැබිනට් මාධ්‍ය හමුවේදී සඳහන් කර තිබිණි.

කෙසේ වෙතත් අප්‍රේල් 12 වැනිදා මඩකලපුවේ පැවති රැස්වීමකදී ජනාධිපති අනුර කුමාර දිසානයක මහතා ” ලියුමක් දුටු බව සඳහන් කර කියා සිටියේ හිටපු ජනාධිපතිවරයා 17 එන්න විදිහක් නැ අවුරුදු කනවලු” සදහන් කරමින්.

නමුත් හිටපු ජනාධිපති රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ මහතා කිසිම අවස්ථාවක අල්ලස් හෝ දුෂණ චෝදනා විමර්ෂණ කොමිසම වෙත ලිපියක් මගින් දැනුම් දීමක් කර නොමැත. කොමිසම වෙත පැමිණිමේ දිනය කල් දමන ලෙස ඉල්ලා ලිපියක් යොමු කළේ ජනාධිපති නීතිඥ රොනල්ඩ් පෙරේරා මහතා විසිනි. ඒ් මහතා එහිදි ඉල්ලා සිටියේ අප්‍රෙල් 17 වන දා දිනය වෙනුවට අප්‍රෙල් 28 වනදා යින් පසු දිනයක ලබා දෙන ලෙසයි.

ජනාධිපති අනුර කුමාර දිසානායක මහතාගේ ප්‍රකාශයෙන් අනතුරුව අප්‍රෙල් 11 වනදා ලිපිය ට අනුව සාක්කි දිමට පැමිණන ලෙස සදහන් කලත් අප්‍රේල් 21 වැනිදා අල්ලස් කොමිසම මගින් හිටපු ජනාධිපතිවරයා වෙත යොමු කළ ලිපිය මගින් 2023 අංක 09 දරණ දුෂණ විරෝධී පනතේ ප්‍රකාරව චෝදනාවක් ද එල්ල කර තිබිණි.

ඉන් පසුව අප්‍රේල් 25 වැනිදා අල්ලස් කොමිසමෙන් එවා තිබූ ලිපියේ තවදුරටත් සදහන් කර තිබුණේ හිටපු ජනාධිපතිවරයා අනවශ්‍ය ලෙස මැදිහත් වීමක් කර ඇති බවයි.

මීට අමතරව හිටපු ජනාධිපති රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ මහතා වෙත අප්‍රේල් 11 වැනිදා ලිපිය යොමු කර තිබුණෙ අල්ලස් කොමිසමේ නියෝජ්‍ය අධ්‍යක්ෂ ජනරාල් අසිත ඇන්තනි මහතා වන අතර ඉන් පසුව ලැබුණු ලිපි දෙකම යොමු කර තිබුනේ කොමිසමේ අධ්‍යක්ෂ ජනරාල් අර්.එස්. ඒ. දිසානායක මහතා වීම ද විශේෂත්වයකි.

Courtesy Daily Mirror

Colombo, April 29 (Daily Mirror) – Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe asked yesterday how President Anura Kumara Dissanayake was aware of his correspondence with the Bribery Commission on negotiating a date for him to testify before it.

“I was asked to come to the Bribery Commission on April 15. The Commission said that it had to question me with regard to the statement which I released to the media on April 10, 2025. I said I could not do it as I was out of Colombo during the New Year holiday. Then I was asked to come on April 25. I said I could not come as my lawyer was out of the country. I insisted that I must have my lawyer with me as I am named a suspect. However, President Dissanayake made a remark in Batticaloa stating that I had informed the Bribery Commission that I could not come on April 15 as I was going to celebrate the New Year. I wonder how President Dissanayake became aware of my correspondence with the Bribery Commission,” he said.

The former President also said that the Bribery Commission initially refused to allow a lawyer to accompany him.

Former President, who made a three-hour statement to the Bribery Commission said withdrawing funds of the Uva Provincial Council from the bank and spending them for recurrent or capital expenditure is not a crime.

Mr. Wickremesinghe was summoned before the Bribery Commission yesterday in relation to the withdrawal of Uva Provincial Council funds from a bank by former Chief Minister of Uva Province Chamara Sampath Dassanayake, during the previous regime. “I made a statement to the Bribery Commission and explained my point, and thereby I said keeping funds in a bank account is the real crime,” Mr. Wickremesinghe told the media.

Funds allocated to Provincial Councils by the central government have to be spent on various purposes. Funds have to be spent on recurrent and capital expenditures. The economy becomes active when money is circulated. Spending funds for recurrent and capital expenditures will keep the economy going. If you deposit your money in a bank, it will not circulate in the economy. You cannot gain economic growth by depositing your funds in a bank. Depositing funds in a bank without spending it on day-to-day expenses is a real crime. I explained this point to the Bribery Commission. I told the Commission that the Public Financial Management Act of 2024 clearly defines this point and provides provisos for legitimate spending,” he said.

I told the Commission that there are instances in the past where the state funds, which were deposited in a bank at a high interest, were withdrawn and deposited in another bank at a lower interest. This took place in 2008. Our government in 2002 allowed state funds to be deposited in banks which offered higher interest,” he also said.

Courtesy Adaderana

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya should have sought a meeting with the Vice President of the United States, J.D. Vance, who was in India recently to discuss the reciprocal tariffs announced by President Donald Trump, former President Ranil Wickremesinghe has asserted.

According to Wickremesinghe, Prime Minister Amarasuriya should have sought the intervention of the Indian government to set up at least a one-hour meeting with Vice President Vance while in India.

Speaking during an event in Colombo today (29), the former President said the latest tariffs imposed by US President Trump will have a major bearing on local companies and therefore the government should take all possible steps to minimise the adverse impact.

The former President said, according to certain claims, India and Sri Lanka are the only countries to have presented proposals to the US Special Trade Representative regarding the new US tariffs.

Former President Wickremesinghe noted that there is a distinct difference between Sri Lanka and India, as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was able to bring US Vice President Vance down to his country for a four-day visit to offer a set of proposals regarding the revision of new tariffs.

The former President highlighted that Indian Prime Minister Modi had previously indicated that he is willing to support Sri Lanka and local companies, and therefore the government should act proactively in the matter.

Wickremesinghe, while recalling how US President Donald Trump contacted him and offered help following the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, said through diplomatic channels, the present government should be able to minimise the impact the new tariffs will have on local companies.

Courtesy Adaderana

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Sri Lanka Mission Chief Evan Papageorgiou says Sri Lanka should restore cost-recovery electricity pricing as soon as possible to minimise fiscal risk and is essential to complete the fourth review of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program.

He stated this in response to a question raised during a virtual press conference on Tuesday (29).

He said the staff-level agreement is subject to IMF Executive Board approval, contingent on the implementation of prior actions relating to restoring electricity cost-recovery pricing and ensuring proper function of the automatic electricity price adjustment mechanism and the completion of financing assurances review, which will focus on confirming multilateral partners’ committed financing contributions and adequate debt restructuring progress.

Upon completion of the Executive Board review, Sri Lanka would have access to SDR254 million (about US$344 million), bringing the total IMF financial support disbursed under the arrangement to SDR1,270 million (about US$1,722 million).

Darini Rajasingham-Senanayake

The Easter Attacks, Mossad’s Foot Prints and Britain’s Keenie Meenie Mercenaries in Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province, and Ill Winds across the Indian Ocean

Leaders of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka have called again for a new investigation into the Easter attacks staged six years ago. Meanwhile, a local political blame-game, starring Pillayan, to conceal the foreign finger prints and geopolitical motives of the attacks has ramped up.

The Easter suicide attacks claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which had no previous history in Buddhist and Hindu majority Sri Lanka, were a complex multi-sited logistics operation that was clearly remote controlled and coordinated. Mysteriously, the Islamist bombers targeted fellow minority Christians, rather than the Buddhist majority in the country despite claims that some nationalist Buddhist groups had harassed Muslims.

The attacks were designed by the Mastermind to target both the Economy and Society of the geostrategic island at the center of the Indian Ocean that sits on some of the most important energy, trade and Submarine or Undersea Data Cable (UDC), Routes in the world.  This by Weaponizing Religion/s

Subsequent, cover up investigations and copious Disinformation in the corporate and social media echo chamber, as well as, from national security think tanks, captured by foreign funders and experts have all but buried the external interests evident in the design and targets of the Islamic State (ISIS), claimed Easter crime that killed hundreds at Easter in 2019.

Earlier this year a smokescreen ‘investigation’ headed by the redoubtable sleuth Shani Aberysekere, of the Criminal Investigation Division was launched. This, seemingly to quiet Church leaders and public outcry that justice be served for the victims; and the Mastermind (Mahamolakaru), revealed. The Cover story about Pillayan once again masked the role of foreign intelligence agencies, both in the Easter crime and subsequent investigations. 

Yet despite and perhaps because of endless disinformation by local and foreign intelligence networks, such as the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) which removed the cell phones of the Easter suicide bombers, the Mastermind’s networks have become increasingly visible. This, given new information and geopolitical developments in the Indian Ocean region.

ISIS targets a Chinese Research Vessel: Local-Global Networks

The Suicide bombers targeted a curious mix of four sea-side luxury hotels and three churches, signifying a hybrid attack on the tourism-dependent economy. Simultaneously, religion was weaponized to stage a distracting Cascade of violence”. Both the west and east coast of the country were hit in an operation calculated to conceal other Geopolitical targets.

Four Chinese marine scientists who were part of a research program with Sri Lanka’s National Aquatic Research Agency (NARA) were killed in the attacks at Kingsbury Hotel which overlooks South Asia’s busiest Port on Easter Sunday, 2019.

Remarkably the religiously motivated ISIS-inspired Easter bombers had targeted a Chinese Marine research mission whose ship the Shi Yan-3, was berthed in the Colombo Port, as well as, Chinese owned Shangri La hotel. Indeed, the lead suicide bomber Zaharan exploded his bomb at Shangi La Hotel, along with another bomber, and NOT at any religious establishment.

War religion used as a smoke screen, a false flag, by the Mastermind of the Easter carnage to distract from its Geopolitical Motives and Message?

Both the US and lately India had expressed grave concern about any Chinese research ships that may visit the island. As more than 8 foreign intelligence agencies, including Australia’s ASIO and India’s RAW arrived in the country to investigate the Easter crime, it was revealed that while both India and Saudi Arabia had advance information about the attacks, only the Indian authorities had shared the information with the Sri Lankan authorities.

Wisdom of Hindsight: New Geopolitical Economic Developments

New developments, such as the statement of the nominee for the post of US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Elizabeth K. Horst, at Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearings last year throw light on the geopolitical dimensions and international networks behind the Easter attacks in Sri Lanka. 

Speaking of Chinese marine research vessels Horst had stated: we have huge concerns and have asked for a moratorium. We think it is in Sri Lanka’s best interests”. After the Easter attack that killed the Chinese scientists, the research mission was aborted and the Shi-Yan 3 ship left the Colombo Port to return to China.

Was it an accident, coincidence or conspiracy that ISIS inspired suicide bombers killed four Chinese scientists and aborted a research mission, given US concerns about Chinese research vessels in the Seas of Sri Lanka? This happened just as a new hybrid economic Cold War led by the United States ramped up across the Indian Ocean targeting Chinese assets and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) for global connectivity.

Geopolitical economic developments in Sri Lanka also throw retrospective light on the hybrid Easter crime.

The 2019 ISIS-claimed Easter attacks were a body blow to Sri Lanka’s tourism-dependent economy. This was followed by two years of Covid-19 Lockdowns in 2020-21. These Exogenous Economic Shocks to Make the Economy Scream” set the groundwork to stage Sri Lanka’s first ever Sovereign Default amid Lawfare by the shadowy off-shore Hamilton Reserve Bank in 2022, precipitated Sri Lanka into the waiting arms of the Washington Twins (IMF and World Bank). At this time, the Eurobond debt neocolonized country has lost economic sovereignty and policy autonomy to the IMF and bond holders of Odious debt, the largest being BlackRock.

From ISIS to I2U2: Mossad’s Foot Prints in the Eastern Province

Other geopolitical developments such as the emergence of the I2U2, comprising India, Israel, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and United States, also known as the QUAD targeting China in the highly militarized western Indian Ocean are relevant to understand how religion was weaponized at Easter Sunday 2019.

There is a long history of Israel’s Mossad operating in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka where the lead Suicide Bomber hailed from and the mysterious Zion Church mushroomed.

Mossad and British SAS officers of Keenie Meenie KMS mercenaries arrived in the early 80s in Sri Lanka on the invitation of the Washington-backed J.R Jayawardena regime purportedly to help train Sri Lanka forces fight the Liberation Tigers (LTTE). The LTTE was backed by India, then closely allied to the Communist Block/Soviet Union/ Russia.

What unfolded then was a Cold War Proxy War between western allies keen to establish a military base near the strategic deep sea Trinocomalee harbour. This Cold War proxy war in Sri Lanka was glossed and masked as an internal ‘ethnic conflict’” in the geostrategic island amid population resettlement and social engineering under the Mahaweli Development Scheme.

July 1983: Onset of Cold War Proxy War in Sri Lanka

While India’s Role in the Cold War proxy war which structured conflict in in Sri Lanka is relatively well known the role of Western allies and their intelligence agencies and covert operation has remains relatively hidden.

After the staging of the July 1983 Pogrom/riots, camps for Mossad and KMS mercenaries to train Special Forces were set up in the Eastern Province while the Mahaweli scheme was ongoing.  Israeli Agricultural ‘experts’ entered Sri Lanka while Mossad’s training of Special paramilitary groups were under Ravi Jayawardena and later when the Indian Peace Keeping Forces (IPKF) occupied the northeast of Sri Lanka in 1987, these moved south including to Batalanda under the purview of Ranil Wickramasinghe, nephew of JR. Jayawardena.

Batalandaa has been in the media after the Al Jazeera interview with ex-President Ranil Wickramasinghe who was implicated in the Batalanda Commission Report. However, ‘Operation Colombo’ in Santiago de Chile which resonates with the Dirty war Disinformation remains unknown in Sri Lanka.

Some of the Special Forces and paramilitary groups trained by Mossad and British Special Air Service (SAS) officers of the Keenie Meenie (KMS) mercenaries in the Eastern Province in the mid-1980s were later implicated in war crimes and in the Batalanda terror and torture house networks and disappearances by Paramilitaries. South American Dirty War style killings and disappearances happened in Southern Sri Lanka in 1988-1990 after the STF moved south following the Indian Peace Keeping Forces (IPKF), moving into the northeast in August 1987.

Weaponizing Religion? Zionist Christians, Muslims and Chabad Houses in Sri Lanka

The staging of the Kattankudi mosque massacre and subsequent inter- and intra-community violence let to the LTTE expelling Muslims who were increasingly perceived as a ‘security threat’ from Jaffna in 1990. The same playbook had been used in Palestine to divide and colonize the various ethno-religious communities (Muslims, Christians), there in the guise of counter-terrorism.

Mossad has a great deal of Cold War expertise and experience weaponizing Islam in Palestine and other multi-religious countries, in partnership with Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, etc which have huge US military base.  Indeed, the Arab Muslim dominated Middel East and North Africa Region is the most violent region on the planet because of the link to Zionist Christian networks and the US-led NATO military business industrial complex. Indeed, Muslims have been used as its Cat’s paw and handmaiden with the Wahabi-Salfi- Islamist-ISIS global terror project.

Mossad trained and worked with Sri Lanka counter-terrorism” special forces, subsequently the Special Task Force (STF) to target and sunder long standing ties and trust between Muslims and Tamils in the Eastern Province

The UAE and India are now set to build a Liquid Natural Gas power plant in strategic Trincomallee Harbor according to a MOU inked between Sri Lanka President Anura Dissanayaka and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the latter’s recent visit to Sri Lanka.

Does I2U2 signal another vicious Arab Muslim-Zionist partnership for the New World Order across the multi-religious Indian Ocean world, or the onset of evangelical Christianity’s (a.ka. Christian Zionist), biblical ‘End Times’ for Palestine? Are these the same thing—now that the Saudis have graduated to being peace brokers” with the US war on Yemen ramping up, ironically after running the Wahabi-Salafi-Islamist/ ISIS weaponizaiton of religion project across the MENA and the Indian Ocean World for decades?

While I2U2 is said to be about economic corporation and soft power, it is also about normalizing the Abraham Accords and ethnic cleansing Gaza. In the context, the question arises at this time: Is India taking Sri Lanka for a ride with various defense agreements and energy MOUs, while being also taken for a Petrodollar fueled ride by the U2 (UAE and USA), as Zionists and Arab Muslims (Israel and UAE) become proxy partners in weaponizing religion/s, staging Clashes of Civilizations and other crimes across the Indian Ocean world and Afghanistan?

Moreover, recently Zionist Chabad houses have popped up in Arugam Bay, where the US Ambassador Julie Chung predicted a terror attack last year and issued travel warnings—to again crash Sri Lanka’s tourist dependent economy.

Revisiting the Evidence: Foreign Penetration of Investigative Agencies and Justice System

In the context of the clear geopolitical dimensions of the Easter attack, would it not be appropriate for the redoubtable Mr. Shani Abersekere to invite the former Attorney General Mr. Dappula De Livera who stated that there was a Conspiracy behind the Easter attacks? De Livera was harassed by the previous regime for saying so, but perhaps he should be given a chance to reveal what he had gleaned during his investigations.

So too, it would be appropriate to summon then head of the Institute for National Security Studies (INSSSL), Asanga Abeygoonesekere, who clearly told this writer that several foreign experts from Germany and Bangladesh had informed him that a leader of such a group as Zaharan’s National Thawheed Jamat would never kill himself in the first operation. In other words, the conspirators and mastermind were at large and did not die in Suicide attack despite FBI claims to the contrary.

A related question is: Do Petrodollars and/or Political Correctness play a role in the impunity and immunity of promiscuous Muslim Politicians like MLAM Hizbullah of Kattankudi, in the Eastern Province, where the lead bomber Zaharan hailed from? Hizbullah who was building a Sharia University had passed Saudi fund to Zaharan, and switched sides among all major political parties during his political career. Apprehending the no doubt dubious Tamil Pillayan instead of Hizbullah seems like a decoy especially since many of the bombers were Muslims from Kattankudy.

It is increasingly clear that the greater the penetration of national institutions by Western intelligence, security agencies, aid and experts, the greater the crises and never ending investigations. The US backed, (neo) liberal democracy of J.R. Jayawardena  (JR was nick named Yankie Dickie), saw the worst violence in Sri Lanka’s post-independence history, instrumentalizing and weaponizing linguistic and religious identity politics.. There were simultaneous Dirty wars ongoing when Mossad, British mercenaries and the Indian Peace Keeping Forces were in the north and south 1987-1993. While India’s Role in Sri Lanka’s conflict is relatively well known the role of Western allies remains hidden. The ISIS attacks were staged when Ranil Wickramasinghe was Prime Minisery.

Finally, the Pillayan story sold in lieu of the long promised genuine investigation into the Easter crime seems to have let the new President Anura Dissanayaka who appointed Shani Abeysekera to the top investigator job off the hook. Shani was parachuted in from retirement despite many questions about the adequacy of investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department which he headed. So too, there are new questions as to how and why Mossad-linked, Zionist Chabad houses have mushroomed across the country and enjoy Sri Lanka military and the President’s protection at this time?

TO BE CONTINUED:

A History of Cover up Investigations and the Weaponization of Religion

PHIL MILLER

18 November 2020

A British mercenary kept working at Sri Lanka’s military headquarters in the late 1980s during a bloody crackdown on left-wing activists from the country’s Sinhalese majority, new evidence obtained by Declassified UK reveals.

Young people were disappeared or killed by Sri Lankan security forces during the second JVP uprising in the late 1980s (Photo: Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka)

• New revelations come as UK Metropolitan Police launch an unprecedented war crimes investigation into allegations British mercenaries were involved in atrocities against Sri Lanka’s Tamil minority in mid-1980s
• The new evidence was kept in a ‘cupboard’ at British High Commission in Sri Lanka for over three decades and not given to National Archives
• Foreign Office claims to UN ‘we do not believe they add anything of substance’ to the allegations against British mercenary firm Keenie Meenie Services
• Crackdown on leftists from 1988-89 used the ‘Jakarta Method’ of exterminating Marxist sympathisers, killing around 60,000 people

British mercenaries were active in Sri Lanka for up to a year longer than previously thought, Declassified has found.

The company for which they worked, Keenie Meenie Services (KMS), kept an intelligence officer stationed at Sri Lankan military operations headquarters during the brutal suppression of one of the country’s left-wing organisations in 1988–89.

Around 60,000 people, mostly students, are alleged to have been killed by Sri Lanka’s security forces during a crackdown on the People’s Liberation Front (Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP), a controversial leftist movement drawn from the majority Sinhalese ethnic group.

Shenali D Waduge

It is shocking that Sri Lanka’s stature in the global arena & among the diplomatic community has stooped to an all-time low. When a proud Sri Lanka proposed in 1971 the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace, a resolution was passed in the UNGA 2832 (XXVI). Today, successive leaders & their policy stooges have ignored the vision of that Resolution & has over the years diminished Sri Lanka’s sovereignty to a level where our leaders are even agreeing to divest critical national security assets for foreign companies to manufacture warships. The citizens of Sri Lanka, must unite to object to Sri Lanka’s geographic location becoming prostituted for geopolitical goals of others while make the lives of Sri Lanka’s vulnerable. The proposal for a Zone of Peace was by one of Sri Lanka’s greatest leaders Madam Sirimavo Bandaranaike whose proposal was greatly supported by China in 1971. It is a pity Sri Lanka has no farsighted leaders with pragmatic vision.

A_RES_2832(XXVI)-EN

Historical importance of the Indian Ocean

The 3^rd largest ocean in the world, it plays a pivotal role in global trade, geopolitics & ecology.

The Indian Ocean covers about 20% of the Earths water surface & borders West & East Africa, North & South Asia, East & South East Asia, Australia, South Ocean near Antarctica.

About 38 countries (littoral & hinterland) of which 25 directly bordering the Indian Ocean (10 states in African East Coast), 4 states in Middle East & West Asia, 6 states in South Asia, 5 states in South East Asia & Australia.

13 countries however are strategically engaged in hinterland or with littoral states through port agreements, naval bases or other geopolitical interests. This countries include France, UK, US, China, Japan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, Qatar, Israel, Turkey & South Korea.

There are also important chokepoints –

Strait of Hormuz  – strategically important energy transit point (Between Oman & Iran) 21m barrels of oil daily passed through Indian Ocean in 2023 (20% of global oil consumption)

Strait of Malacca (between Malaysia & Indonesia) – is the shortest route between Indian & Pacific Oceans. 100,000 vessels transit annually carrying 25% of global trade. This lane is vulnerable to piracy & congestion.

Bab el-Mandeb (between Yemen & Djibouti) – connecting Indian Ocean to the Red Sea & Suez Canal. 62m barrels of oil pass daily (large container traffic)

as well as strategically important islands in the Indian ocean – Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Diego Garcia.

The Indian Ocean is home to around 2.7billion people spanning 3 continents.

The Indian Ocean hosts the major shipping lanes, energy routes & is of significant geopolitical interest to all major powers.

80% of the world’s maritime oil trade passes through the Indian Ocean

40% of global trade by volume moves through the Indian Ocean

1/3 of worlds bulk cargo & half of container traffic moves across the Indian Ocean sea lanes.

Servicing these are critical Ports in Chennai, Mumbai, Kochi in India, Durban in South Africa, Mombasa in Kenya, Port Klang, Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia, Singapore, Dubai & Sallalh in Oman & Port of Colombo, in Sri Lanka.

One has to wonder if the sudden pirate” issue emerging in early 2010s was a justification to militarize & increase surveillance for the superpowers using the Indian Ocean for strategic goals.

The Indian Ocean is the artery of global trade especially energy. Control over its lanes, controls global economic stability.

Historic importance of the Indian Ocean

Since 3000 BCE the Indian Ocean has been an ancient maritime trade hub connecting Africa, Middle East, South Asia & South East Asia.

It was the Silk Road of the sea for spices, textiles, gold, & an exchange between ancient civilizations.

Buddhism spread to South East Asia, Islam reached Indonesia & East Africa & Hinduism influences regions through the oceans.

Controlling the seas was key to empire building -thus the Portuguese, Dutch, British & French fought naval battles to dominate trade routes & colonize coastal terrain.

Eventually the British Empire controlled major choke points – Aden, the Maldives, Mauritius & Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

Presently, the Indian Ocean is claimed by QUAD (US-India-Japan-Australia) while they claim China is building its String of Pearls.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, Sri Lanka is at the centre of the Indian Ocean. Close to the major east-west shipping routes (Colombo & Hambantota Port are pivotal for global maritime logistics) and the geographic value of Sri Lanka is a prize for geopolitical rivalries competing to secure Sri Lanka for its own geopolitical & trade goals.

Sri Lanka’s call in 1971 for the Indian Ocean to become a Zone of Peace” is important in taking to account how important Indian Ocean is & the militarization of the Indian Ocean that is now unfolding.

Key aspects of the UN Resolution 2832 (XXVI) – Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace (1971)

1. Demilitarization – urging global powers, especially nuclear states to refrain from military build-ups & to dismantle existing military bases in the Indian Ocean region.

• Geopolitical Neutrality – to shield the Indian Ocean from rivalries, maintaining it as a neutral space to avoid tension among superpowers.

• Protect Sovereignty – respecting sovereignty & independence of all littoral & hinterland states in the Indian Ocean region.

• Freedom of Navigation – unimpeded maritime movement ensuring Indian Ocean remains open to peaceful use by all nations.

• Dialogue & Cooperation – regional & international consultations involving Security Councils permanent members & major maritime users to formulate the regions peaceful status.

How relevant is Sri Lanka’s Zone of Peace Resolution now?

Indian Ocean is the new theatre of activity which makes promotion of the Zone of Peace essential.

Increased naval exercises by global powers, increased strategic agreements & defense pacts are all leading to increased tensions & making citizens of littoral & hinterland states apprehensive.

While Sri Lanka’s leaders were pragmatic & forward thinking enough to foresee the scenario in the Indian Ocean way back in 1971 to promote the Zone of Peace, Sri Lanka’s present leaders lack foresight or vision.

Sri Lanka’s leaders instead of taking advantage of Sri Lanka’s geopolitical location to Sri Lanka’s advantage have doled out Sri Lanka to the advantage of rival nations competition with each other & now using Sri Lanka as a political football.

Sri Lanka has found itself caught between rivalries for lack of ability to stand up against power players and negotiating deals not from the bearer of a beggar’s bowl. That Sri Lanka’s leaders have made Sri Lanka vulnerable & dependent on foreign investment, economic reliance & trapped into divesting all that is precious to Sri Lanka is tragic.

The argument that Sri Lanka has to divest in order to repay debt is not a solution. If Sri Lanka’s leaders & policy makers divest all that Sri Lanka holds dear & how is Sri Lanka to survive with nothing to make income from & perhaps more loans to repay?

While Sri Lanka’s leaders have signed secret agreements with India’s PM, it has been revealed that one of these agreements is to divest Sri Lanka’s Colombo Dockyard to an Indian company. This action is a direct violation of Sri Lanka’s own Zone of Peace” resolution. Handing over a critical maritime asset to a major regional power undermines Sri Lanka’s own vision & Sri Lanka will only be opening the door to geopolitical leverage & military industrial entanglement in Sri Lanka’s own waters.

Sri Lanka’s leaders cannot be ignorant of India’s regional history especially when India secretly trained & armed guerilla warfare in Sri Lanka while also sending Indian troops who committed mass crimes. India’s economic blockade on Nepal in 2015, cutting electricity to Bangladesh in 2024 & the recent military tensions between India & Pakistan while also forcing Sri Lanka to cancel military exercises with Pakistan are signs Sri Lanka’s leaders are signing off Sri Lanka’s sovereignty, betraying the citizens of Sri Lanka. A strategic shipyard under foreign control reduces maritime autonomy & poses a national security risk, surrendering Sri Lanka’s infrastructure diminishes long-term self-reliance & economic independence especially when Sri Lanka has talented people working at the dockyard. We were a nation that took orders to build mighty ships for foreign kings.

The spirit of Sri Lanka’s 1971 Zone of Peace UN Resolution is lost when alongside the buildup of militarization of ports & sea lanes, proxy naval competition via infrastructure deals, nuclear competitions & undermining & bullying of smaller nations to which is added Sri Lanka divesting its assets for warship manufacture to foreign company. This proposed handover is far more than a commercial deal – it’s a strategic realignment with deep implications for Sri Lanka’s future & it diminishes the proud historical past of Sri Lanka and will diplomatically places Sri Lanka as a vassal state.

How shortsighted & foolish can Sri Lanka’s leaders be?

Shenali D Waduge

ආචාර්‍ය සුදත් ගුණසේකර. මහනුවර 27.4/25.

(Indo-Lanka energy agreements revealed (by Udaya Gammanpila)

2025.Apr 27 ™

මෝඩි-අනුර ගිවිසුම් ඉන්ග්‍රීසි, හින්දි සහ අරාබි භාෂාවලින් පමණක් සකස්කොට ඇති බවද සින්හල භාෂාවෙන් එය නැති බවද  ගම්මන්පිල මහතා පවසා ඇති බැවින් අදාල ගිවිසුම් වල ඇති නීත්‍යානුකූල භාවය පිළිබඳවද බරපතල නීතිමය ගැටළුවක්ද ඇත.ගිවිසුමේ ප්‍රධාන පාර්ෂවකරු වන මේ රටේ රාජ්‍ය භාෂාව වූ සින්හල භාෂාවෙන් එය නොතිබීම නීති ගැටළුවක් වීමට අමතරව එය හිතා මතාම මේ රටේ අයිතිකරුවන් වන සින්හලයින්ට කරණ ලද බරපතල අවමානයක් සහ නින්දාවක් ද බව කිව යුතුය.

එමනිසා මේ රටේ පරමාධිපත්‍ය ඇති සමස්ත ජනතාව, පාර්ලිමෙන්තුව මෙන්ම නීතිපතිවරයාගේද එසේම නීති විසාරධයින්ගේද  දැඩි හා ක්ශනික අවධානය මෙයට යොමුවිය යුතුයයි මම සිතමි.

By Palitha Ariyarathna 

The recent exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic was a monumental event that demonstrated the profound spiritual devotion of Sri Lankans. Held from April 18 to April 27, 2025, it marked the first public display of the relic in 16 years. The event drew over 500,000 devotees to the Dalada Maligawa in Kandy, a testament to the sacred relic’s importance in Buddhist culture. However, while spiritually uplifting, the event revealed significant challenges in managing such a large gathering.

The Dalada Maligawa is one of Sri Lanka’s most revered religious sites, serving as the spiritual heart of the nation. Housing the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha, this temple is a beacon of Buddhist culture and tradition. The relic, believed to be the left canine tooth of the Enlightened One, holds an extraordinary place in Sri Lanka’s history. It was brought to the island in the 4th century AD by Prince Danta and Princess Hemamali during the reign of King Kirti Sri Meghavarna. For centuries, the relic has symbolized the sovereignty of rulers, safeguarded as a divine testament to their legitimacy and spiritual connection to the Dhamma. Today, the Dalada Maligawa continues to attract millions of pilgrims each year, serving as a place for devotees to seek blessings and deepen their faith. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kandy represents the cultural and spiritual legacy of Sri Lanka.

This year’s exposition allowed devotees to visit within a fixed time frame, typically between 11:00 AM and 5:30 PM daily. During peak days, over 120,000 devotees venerated the Sacred Tooth Relic, underscoring the logistical challenges posed by such massive crowds. Across the 10-day period, total attendance numbers were expected to exceed two million. The event’s scale highlighted the urgent need for better crowd management strategies and infrastructure planning.

While this year’s exposition was a profoundly significant event, it also highlighted logistical challenges that need to be addressed. The massive influx of devotees, coupled with unseasonal heat, led to severe health emergencies. Over 420 individuals required medical assistance within a single day, and tragically, three deaths were reported during the event. The streets surrounding the temple were left strewn with litter, as the lack of adequate waste disposal facilities failed to accommodate the crowds. Traffic congestion further exacerbated frustrations, with queues stretching up to 10 kilometers. Additionally, the introduction of a separate VIP queue caused unrest, sparking protests among ordinary devotees who felt neglected after waiting in extreme conditions.

Moving forward, it is essential to adopt a more structured and comprehensive approach to crowd management for future events. A pre-registration system could be implemented to control the number of visitors each day. This system could be organized by district to ensure equitable access across the country. Each district could be allocated a fixed number of attendance slots, helping to distribute crowd density more evenly. Local temples and government offices could assist those without internet access in registering, ensuring that no devotee is excluded. To further streamline the experience, visitors could be assigned specific time slots for entering the venue. Additionally, incorporating real-time monitoring through surveillance systems would allow authorities to track crowd movement and respond promptly to any issues.

Creating temporary resting and assistance zones in large empty spaces such as stadiums or grounds near the Dalada Maligawa could provide significant relief for attendees. These zones could include shaded areas, hydration points, medical aid stations, and overnight stay facilities for those traveling long distances. Organizing scheduled relocations from these zones to the main queues could further alleviate congestion and reduce physical strain on devotees, especially the elderly and children.

Upgrading public facilities in and around the temple is another key consideration. Increasing the availability of sanitation facilities and shaded waiting areas is essential for maintaining comfort and dignity during events of this scale. Dansals, or free food distribution points, could be expanded to meet the needs of larger crowds.

Traffic management strategies also require attention. Designated parking areas and shuttle services to transport devotees into Kandy could help ease congestion. Collaborating with transportation authorities to implement temporary road closures and controlled diversions would further streamline vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

Security must also be a priority. Deploying specialized security teams trained in crowd management, installing access control systems, and using surveillance tools such as thermal imaging can enhance safety. Emergency response teams should be on standby to address unforeseen incidents, and clear communication protocols should be established to guide attendees in case of emergencies.

I bore witness to the full spectrum of human experiences—pain, grief, joy, and camaraderie—all woven into the fabric of this extraordinary event. While some viewed the ceremony through lenses of jealousy—political, religious, cultural, and business rivalries—the community spirit flourished nonetheless. As a native of Mahanuwara, I felt a deep connection to the collective effort displayed by the people of the region. Many devotees expressed gratitude, saying, We had enough food and everything we needed from your area. Thank you so much.” This statement is a powerful testament to the unity and generosity born from shared spiritual devotion, reminding us that compassion and gratitude are the true essence of such gatherings.

Maha Nuwara – Kandy’s unique geographic location as a hill city brings both charm and challenges. The limited availability of land and resources imposes constraints on large-scale infrastructure expansion. To overcome these barriers, it is essential for authorities to adopt innovative and strategic approaches to urban planning.

One possible solution involves utilizing nearby towns or areas outside Kandy as satellite hubs for event-related facilities. Temporary shelters, parking lots, and waste disposal systems can be established in these satellite locations, with shuttle services transporting devotees to the Dalada Maligawa. This decentralized approach reduces the strain on Kandy’s infrastructure while maintaining accessibility.

Additionally, leveraging technology to manage crowds and traffic virtually can be transformative. Pre-registration systems, AI-driven crowd monitoring, and real-time updates on queue lengths and parking availability could optimize resource utilization without requiring physical expansions.

Waste management systems need specific attention. Building advanced recycling facilities or collaborating with nearby regions to process waste could address the environmental impact of events. Portable waste disposal units and public education campaigns focused on reducing litter can also help maintain Kandy’s scenic beauty.

These strategies take into account Kandy’s geographic limitations while addressing the needs of large-scale gatherings. Implementing such measures would preserve the city’s heritage and infrastructure for future generations.

The government holds a significant responsibility in addressing the challenges posed by high-attendance events like the Sacred Tooth Relic exposition. Proper planning, infrastructure development, and systematic management are essential to ensure the safety and comfort of devotees while preserving the sanctity of such gatherings.

One of the most crucial steps is gathering comprehensive data from recent events. Detailed records of health emergencies, crowd density patterns, environmental impact, traffic congestion, and overall logistics should be compiled into a robust report. This evidence-based approach will allow authorities to identify gaps in infrastructure and operations, as well as design effective solutions for future events. Such a report should become a blueprint for strategic improvements, not only in Kandy but across the country.

Infrastructure development is fundamental. Building larger, more accessible roads, increasing parking facilities, enhancing public amenities, and creating dedicated waste management systems are long-term investments that would benefit not only religious gatherings but also the city’s overall functionality. Improved waste management, in particular, should be a priority, as the litter and environmental strain from the recent event underline the need for sustainable systems. Setting up more waste disposal points, recycling programs, and educating the public on responsible waste management could be transformative.

Furthermore, having structured policies for crowd management and event planning ensures accountability and consistency. The government should allocate budgets for conducting studies, implementing recommendations, and collaborating with local authorities and stakeholders to ensure inclusive participation.

The exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic is much more than a public gathering; it is a profound reflection of Sri Lanka’s Buddhist values. True VIPs in Buddhism are not recognized by their worldly privileges or status but by their spiritual achievements. By cultivating Sīla (morality), Samādhi (concentration), and Paññā (wisdom), devotees can aspire to embody the principles of Sotāpanna, Sakadāgāmi, Anāgāmi, or Arahant. These qualities, rather than material distinctions, truly honor the teachings of the Buddha and serve as an inspiration for building harmony and compassion in society.

“I have witnessed those who disregarded the Buddha’s teachings in every aspect of life—politically, culturally, and irreligiously—come forward during the Sacred Tooth Relic exposition to venerate Sri Danthadanu Hamuduruwo. Let this sacred act serve as a reminder: if you are truly a person of integrity and morality, not just a bearer of a ‘good name,’ then worshipping the Buddha must be more than tradition—it must be a heartfelt gratitude. This gratitude should extend to those who have tirelessly fought to protect the true existence of Sri Dalada Whansa, for they embody the essence of a true Sinhala Buddhist.”

By Palitha Ariyarathna 

(As of 27 April 2025, 5:30 PM)

Analyst of Buddhist Affairs, Desha Abhimani Surya Vansa Ratna Vibhushan President of TCFBI PEC (Unethical Conversion of Buddhist) International Co-ordinator, TCFBI Convenor, President, and Founder of Sinhala Buddhist Policy Centre Secretary, Hela Abhimani National Foundation Author, Publisher, and Journalist from Senkadagala Sinha Dwaraya

JICA Volunteer Team Member and Secretary for the Commercial Grid, Specialist in Large-Scale Project Management, with Hands-On Leadership in Beach Projects and Coastal Development  Oversaw safety protocols achieving zero casualties—both on land and water—for over one million participants in mass events.

Reference:

The exposition drew over 500,000 devotees over nine days, with significant waste management challenges and protests over VIP queues.

Schools in Kandy were temporarily closed to accommodate security personnel during the event.

The event concluded as scheduled after discussions with the President and religious leaders.

Daily attendance exceeded 120,000 devotees during peak days, with health emergencies and crowd management measures implemented.

The Kandy Municipal Council provided extensive support, including food distribution, public lavatories, and drinking water facilities.

Dr. Ruwan M Jayatunge M.D PhD 

In his book Medusa’s Hair: An Essay on Personal Symbols and Religious Experience, Gananath Obeyesekere – Professor of anthropology at Princeton University, discusses profound anthropological and psychological themes. He uses religious symbolism to explain psychopathologies that impact people and their outer society. He applies his knowledge of anthropology to analyze human behavior, human biology, culture, and society. He scrutinizes social life, social change, and the social causes, presenting a number of case studies.

It’s an in-depth discussion about psychodrama and the relationship between public and private symbols. It’s a cultural, anthropological, and psychological analysis. It is one of the ethnographic studies, and he uses the symbol of Medusa’s hair to describe and appraise his case studies.

Medusa’s head is an apotropaic symbol. Medusa represents trauma. It signifies misogyny, sexism, and the extreme misrepresentation of women. The myth of Medusa has been viewed through two distinct lenses over time: the male gaze and that of early feminism. Ultimately, Medusa became a symbol of female empowerment.

In ancient mythology, Medusa is a symbol of protection and best known for having hair made of snakes. The story of Medusa comes from the Roman poet Ovid. Medusa was a beautiful woman with long, flowing hair, and she was cursed by Athena. After the horrific curse, she turned into a monster. Her ability to turn anyone she looked at to stone symbolizes a transformative force.  

Medusa represents a complex interplay between good and evil and having an astounding legacy. Medusa was killed by the Greek hero Perseus. Instead of looking directly at Medusa, Perseus used a reflective surface of the polished shield to see her without becoming Medusa’s victim.

Although Medusa was destroyed, Medusa will remain destined to be misunderstood. Medusa’s story carries significant symbolism pertaining to guardianship and protection.   Freud’s 1923 essay The infantile genital organization” explains the concept of infantile sexuality in relation to the sexual life of adults. His short essay Das Medusenhaupt—TheMedusa’s Head (1922)—stated that Medusa’s head depicts a terror of castration, aka a reflection of the castration complex. To Freud, the female castration complex” refers to the belief that women have an envy for the penis.” Freud suggested that Medusa’s serpent hair is a metaphor for the hair surrounding a woman’s genital area (Sakulwattana, 2013).  Hence Freud viewed Medusa as the castration threat.

Carl Jung interpreted Medusa as the figure of the Great Mother. Jung viewed Medusa as Athena’s shadow, an archetype that personifies the unconscious as a figure of the same gender. Medusa may be understood as a psychological archetype of a young and beautiful woman being abused by a powerful man. God Poseidon represents a lustful man who is abusing his position of power.

The attachment theory uses the Medusa Complex to refer to a self-destructive early state of inwardly directed aggression produced by a disruption of the mother/child mutual gaze. A Canadian analytical psychologist, Marion Woodman, saw the Medusa complex as a dissociated state produced by paralysis of the fight-or-flight response in a state of petrified fear.

Medusa is a symbol of female rage. Medusa is a large part of a symbolic system. Symbolic systems play a crucial role in anthropology by helping to describe and understand how different cultures interpret the world around them. Symbolic systems in anthropology are studied through ethnographic methods, examining cultural symbols, rituals, languages, and artifacts. People use language, art, and rituals to communicate, represent, and make sense of their social realities.

Medusa stands for the archetype of the so-called monstrous feminine, an exposé of patriarchal narratives that transform non-subservient women into monsters (Fremi, 2022). The Eastern European psychoanalyst Veronika Berkutova highlights that the Medusa myth unites psychoanalytic conceptions of castration anxiety with a feminist reflection on the topic of the female.

Professor Obeyesekere narrates the psychology of Medusa via real-life stories of the abused woman archetype. It’s mainly the victim archetype. A person with a strong victim archetype lives in fear. Fear that things are going to be taken away from them. Fear that people are going to take advantage of them. They have fear that they cannot survive. It’s not only the physical survival but the survival of their identity, their hopes and dreams, or their sense of self. They are forced to give up their own sense of independence and empowerment. 

Professor Obeyesekere explains, like Medusa, how an Indian woman with matted hair obtains her particular status in a society brimming with mythological images and tales very much pervading daily life. He indicates the conventional distinction between personal and cultural symbols is inadequate and naïve. He presents a number of women who lived through immense psychological trauma, later transformed, and then created a noxious safety net around them. Like Medusa, they reflected fear and angst. For Obeyesekere Medusa was an ongoing painful life experience of heavyhearted people who had no voice in their society. He was their anguish in an anthropological lens. 

In his book, the author analyzes the symbolism of guilt, the adaptational and integrative significance of belief in spirits, and a host of related issues concerning possession states and religiosity. He places an emphasis on the traditional anthropological and psychoanalytic theories of symbolism.  

Professor Obeyesekere provides exceptional case studies of a number of women who endured physical and sexual trauma. Most of the women reacted to their initial traumas with shock, fear, anxiety, confusion, and withdrawal. Most of them experienced depression, PTSD, and dissociation. They were transformed following their trauma. Professor Obeyesekere elucidates, like Medusa, that these women projected their anger onto society.

Medusa was sent to a faraway island and was cursed so that no man would want her.  She was roughened by Poseidon, and he rapes Medusa in Athena’s temple. Finally, Perseus kills her. Even after Medusa’s death, the course did not end. Perseus used her head as a weapon to eliminate his enemies. At the end, Perseus buried it in the marketplace of Argos. Medusa faced multiple victimizations.  

The story of Medusa is about sexual abuse and suffering. Snakes in her hair represent the knots of negative emotions and thoughts formed as a consequence of sexual abuse. Medusa is an image of evil to repel evil. The Medusa effect is a phenomenon in which people judge a person to be more mindful when they appear as a picture than as a picture within a picture.  

Professor Obeyesekere narrates about the Hindu goddess Kali. Kali is the ultimate expression of nature, both destructive and benevolent, and the principal deity of the Tantric cult. Kali is the personification of sin and represents death and destruction, sexuality, violence, and doomsday. A fierce deity who destroys all the redundant and wasteful beings and matters for cleansing the society, paving the way for new creation, is adored by the strong and the great (Mukhopadhyay, 2022).  Although there is no significant evidence that directly links the mythological figure of Medusa and the Hindu goddess Kali, we can find some thematic and symbolic parallels. Both Medusa and Kali symbolize feminine rage with embodied aspects of power and fear. 

Professor Obeyesekere discusses the symbolic integration of personality. An integrated personality is the sum total of harmonious expression of physical, mental, intellectual, energetic, and blissful self. It is a process through which all mental qualities come together to form a person. Carl Jung considered individuation to be the central process of human development. Jung believed that the human psyche had three parts: the ego, personal unconscious, and collective unconscious. By enduring psychological trauma, symbolic integration of personality could be damaged.

Obeyesekere indicates the symbolization of guilt in his case studies. Guilt is a complex emotion. Guilt represents the emotional burden stemming from sin and past actions, impacting individuals across generations. The phenomenon of guilt contains certain elements of shame, aggression, and vagueness. Guilt may interact with dissociative tendencies to specifically predispose individuals to acute dissociative states. Dissociation is evident in victims who suffered long-term physical, sexual, or emotional abuse during childhood.

We see numerous dissociative reactions in Obeyesekere ’s case studies. The impact of shame and guilt also contributes to dissociation. Moreover, Obsekara writes about possession states, especially spirit possession. Possession is defined as an episode of alteration in the state of consciousness with the replacement of the customary sense of personal identity by a new identity, identified by the patient or his entourage as the spirit of an animal, a deceased individual, a deity, or a power. The affected individuals have delusions of control in which there is a false belief that one’s thoughts, feelings, actions, or impulses are controlled or ‘made’ by an external agency. According to van Duijl and team (2010), the impact of potentially traumatizing events related to war, poverty, and societal disruption on the occurrence of dissociative and possessive trance disorders in developing countries.

Obeyesekere describes ghosts and demons. A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. A ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or non-human animal that is believed by some people to be able to appear to the living. Although their existence is impossible to falsify, Obeyesekere‘s narrative has clinical significance in order to understand how these beliefs affect people and society.

Obeyesekere elegantly dealt with psychoanalysis and anthropology and indicated how personal symbolism is related to religious experience, symbolic meanings, personal mythology constructs, and psychological trauma and its transformation. The symbolic representation of mental images can be seen in traumatized individuals.  The symbolic function is central both to the fracturing of selfhood due to early trauma and to its resolution (Spermon et al., 2009). We can easily identify symbolic representation of mental images that were described in his case studies.

The distinction between symbolism and symbolization is important. A symbol might be an object, a mark, an image, a character, a name, or a place, whereas symbolism is a literary device that uses symbols to imbue meaning in a story. Symbols can be transformative.

Symbols are mediators between the pleasure principle and the reality principle (Bonomi, 2004). Trauma operates as a symbol; on the other hand, trauma destroys the capacity of symbolization. The ability to symbolize memories is of paramount importance during the process of coping with trauma (Na’ama et al., 2015).

As Wirtz (2009) specifies, the symbolic attitude is most essential for traumatized individuals because it reconnects the person with something beyond; it re-establishes a broken connection and facilitates a shift of attitude, a metanoia. We can find these features in the case studies that were presented in Professor Obeyesekere’s book. Furthermore, he provides a dichotomy between the symbolic and anti-symbolic reading of the traumatic experience that these people endured.

In phenomenological terms, trauma is an injury and manifestation of the lived body. Professor Obeyesekere highlights trauma reenactment or repetition compulsion, describing some of the case narratives.  We can easily identify reenacting relationships in his case studies. Most of them are trapped in the Karpman triangle. We see a lot of empathy in his writings, and indeed he viewed these victims with a compassionate eye.  

References

Bonomi, C. (2004). Trauma and the symbolic function of the mind. International Forum of Psychoanalysis, 13(1–2), 45–50. https://doi.org/10.1080/08037060410031052.  

Fremi S. Medusa, trauma-informed. Lancet Psychiatry. 2022 Jun;9(6):433-434. doi: 10.1016/S2215-0366(22)00143-2. PMID: 35569501.

Mukhopadhyay, A. (2022). Immortal Mahakali and Her Mortal Critics. International Journal online of Humanities 8(1):1-20 DOI:10.24113/ijohmn. v8i5.265.

Na’ama Eisenbach, Sharon Snir, Dafna Regev, Identification and characterization of symbols emanating from the spontaneous artwork of survivors of childhood trauma, The Arts in Psychotherapy, Volume 44, 2015, Pages 45-56, ISSN 0197-4556, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2014.12.002.

Obeyesekere , G (1984).Medusa’s Hair: An Essay on Personal Symbols and Religious Experience. University of Chicago Press.

Spermon D, Gibney P, Darlington Y. Complex trauma, dissociation, and the use of symbolism in therapy. J Trauma Dissociation. 2009;10(4):436-50. doi: 10.1080/15299730903179083. PMID: 19821178.

Sakulwattana, J. (2013). Medusa Myth: Reflecting Human Collective Experiences of the Femaleness. JSEL.

van Duijl M, Nijenhuis E, Komproe IH, Gernaat HB, de Jong JT. Dissociative symptoms and reported trauma among patients with spirit possession and matched healthy controls in Uganda. Cult Med Psychiatry. 2010 Jun;34(2):380-400. doi: 10.1007/s11013-010-9171-1. PMID: 20401630; PMCID: PMC2878595.

Wirtz, U. (2009). The Symbolic Dimension of Trauma therapy. Published in: Symbolic Life, Spring Journal vol.82, p.31-52.

e-Con e-News

Posted byee ink.April 26, 2025Posted inUncategorizedTags:China, economy, India, politics, tariffs

blog: eesrilanka.wordpress.com

‘Before you study the economics, study the economists!’

e-Con e-News 20-26 April 2025

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India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar’s son Druva Jaishankar has joined a US War Department-linked thinktank to advise US President Donald Trump on their plans for war on China, while pushing Europe to also fight Russia. The younger Jaishankar is the Quad personified: half-Toyota, half-Tata & Totally Disoriental. The Marathon Initiative thinktank is a brainchild of Trump’s earlier Assistant Secretary of State for European & Eurasian Affairs, A Wess Mitchell. Mitchell has teamed up with former CIA director William Colby’s grandson Elbridge Colby, now the third-ranking official at the Pentagon, as Trump’s Undersecretary of Defense for Policy.

     Colby wishes to fabricate a ‘counter-hegemonic coalition’ in Asia, against China. Both Mitchell and Colby are considered anti-China hawks. They spend their time ‘sequencing’ world wars – which countries should the US attack first, second, and third, or all at once: Iran, Russia and/or China. The Marathon thinktank is expected to stuff dollars in their potted bellies as fast as the US Treasury print them, and the Pentagon finds ways to burn them in forever wars. The Jaishankars appear overjoyed to stage such wars (see ee Quotes, Marathon). They wish the NPP government to tag along, tail wagging.

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‘International media reported that the US has shown a willingness

to use trade concessions to isolate China – potentially by lowering

tariffs for third countries, like Sri Lanka, in exchange for those

countries preventing China from shipping goods through their territory.’

– ee Economists, Lankan Delegation to Meet US Trade Chief on Tuesday

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Last week, the NPP apparently refused entry to a Pakistani naval vessel. They then entertained a US-colonized-Korean junk, armed to the teeth. Pakistan, like China, Russia & Iran, has always stood with Sri Lanka, through thick and thin, while the US & India, England and Europe, have waged war, covert & overt, against the country.

     Veteran Communist leader DEW Gunasekera suggested last week, the NPP government is bent on creating chaos: Not only the government but the opposition too, all feigning a studied ignorance about the larger world foaming and frothing around us. This week, CPSL leader G Weerasinghe declared, that having made Sri Lanka totally dependent on the USA, the ruling merchants wish to abase ourselves even further to the war-mongering imperialist camp (see ee Random Notes, CPSL).

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Comments by US Vice-President JD Vance in India suggests that the US deeply seeks to massage Indian conflict with China, proclaiming India’s supposed economic power and provoking border conflicts, to threaten the routes through which China takes its oil from West Asia across the Indian Ocean to China.

     The US is also using Europe to threaten the northern route, the Russians have developed to carry oil from Russia to China. They want to use India to begin to assert control over the Indian Ocean potentially against Chinese movement of oil to China. Vance’s recent statements in India indicate the belief that the US can manipulate India into an even more hostile posture towards China. It regards the Quad as an anti-Chinese alliance. Indian may not fully see it that way, but this is the plan of the Australian Japanese and US point of view.

     Having replaced England and France as the top colonial power in West Asia, the US government wants to cement its domination of West Asia and constrain or limit China’s access to the fossil fuel resources of the region. This is why West Asia is crucial to international trade routes. The US foreign policy elite decades ago decide to destroy 7 West Asian states, first the secular and then the religious, to cement their control of the resources and trade. (see ee Sovereignty, Trump’s ’Grand Protection Racket’)

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Vance, playing angel of death, met with Pope Francis, who then died one day later. Vance & his Indian visa-wife then waddled to India, where US allies in India & Pakistan staged a massacre in India-held Kashmir. The last massacre in Kashmir was when US President B Clinton (‘Killington’ as Sri Lankans evocatively elocute him) came to visit. Wearing eyeliner made in China, the Yale-educated & PayPal-funded hillybillly Vance, also took time off to call the Chinese, ‘peasants’. ‘Peasant’, to the meth-brained faux hillbilly, is a bad word. Yet the synonyms for a peasant – goviya, paisan, fella, are words for cultivators, beloved around the world, for they provide us food. Pity the over-skooled kraka!

     Meanwhile, a lot of ink was spilled groaning about the failure to name the ‘mastermind’ behind the April 2019 terror, with the US and India providing their ‘evidence.’ In the classic Japanese movie Rashomon, there are as many versions as there are witnesses to one murder, yet here everybody is being implicated. From the assassination of SWRD Bandaranaike to the mass sackings of July 1980 to the pogroms of July 1983 and the horror of the late1980s onward, all our great intellects can only offer their doubts, and like social scientists submitting a grant proposal keep stating ‘This matter needs further investigation’…

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A foreigner who has acquired a US dollar in 1982 by sacrificing

a dollar’s worth of a real good or service has been condemned

to hold a worthless piece of paper today. Therefore, by having

a trade deficit with other countries, it is the US citizens who

have looted from the citizens of those countries. Hence, instead

of punishing them, Trump administration should compensate them.’

– WA Wijewardena (see ee Economists, Trump(dis)order:

Harsh tariffs rates – wrong philosophy & wrong formula)

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Meanwhile, a Sri Lankan delegation met with the IMF’s masters in Washington, who then divulged the terms under which Trump’s tariffs are being weaponized to buy temporary friends and destroy their permanent enemies. The NPP visit is being touted as a win-win, for Sri Lanka has passed yet another ‘review’. These ‘reviews’ appear to be as excruciating and never-ending as their human-rights versions. Another EU delegation is expected, which is threatening to get their citizens not to wear our underwear threaded fully with foreign imports, unless we remove our prevention of terrorism act!

     Indeed, as Henry Kissinger reminded us: it is dangerous to be their enemy, and absolutely fatal to be their friend. Kissinger perhaps stole his aphorism from Karl Marx, who noted that the English treated their Indian allies like the Romans did theirs: fattening them before they were worth devouring (see ee Quotes). The question is when the USA will decide to gobble Sri Lanka’s bribed classes whole, who have been fattened so well by the import-export plantation farce. The US also wishes to, among other demands, put Sri Lanka’s relatively lean populace on a high-fat diet!

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Not only do we not have the capacity to fatten more chickens with the USA’s (genetically engineered) soy, which is our biggest agricultural import from the US, Rathindra Kuruwita records (see ee Focus) that the poultry industry here is overproducing right now. Increasing US imports would be neither ‘economically viable nor strategically sound’, without first bolstering domestic production through state-led industrialization. Trump’s tariffs are gifting us a grand opportunity to re-imagine our economic policies, but we should not be rushed into ‘making hasty bilateral concessions without a strategic long-term vision’.

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Meanwhile, our mollycoddled, thoroughly fake, ‘manufacturers’ are threatening to ‘Walk the Palk’ to India, ‘where export access to the US’ will be significantly cheaper. But this export bull, beloved by our economists, has to cease. Sri Lanka’s best hope lies ‘not in bilateral deals but in collective bargaining’ with other ‘recovering’ colonies, facing similar disabilities,  a structural rethinking of Sri Lanka’s trade & industrial policies. The current US tariff game is being sold as ‘a short-term diplomatic problem’, but it has exposed ‘the long-standing weaknesses in Sri Lanka’s economic model. We have lost decades, marooned in low-skill manufacturing which is fully addicted to imports.’ ‘This is the moment to rethink everything, from how we produce to what we consume, & whom we trade with’. Meanwhile, there is no shortage of those promoting a servant… oops… service economy and destroying the remnants of any manufacturing, primitive as they may be – and by ‘primitive’ we mean the pre-industrial methods of production.

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Shiran Illanperuma (see ee Focus) explains, why is manufacturing ‘so special’? – He points to the ‘transformative nature of manufacturing and its unique ability to drive economic growth, generate technical innovation, and provide positive spillovers to other sectors. Manufacturing profits provide the basis on which modern services thrive.’ However, thanks to our merchants, ‘Sri Lanka exhibits the telltale signs of ‘premature de-industrialization’, which has become a trend in underdeveloped countries. The importance of modern industry is exhibited in the ‘US ruling class’s panic over China’s rapid industrialization, which has shifted the centre of gravity of the world economy towards Asia and threatens their ‘unipolar’ dominance.

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‘What we are dealing with is a legacy of China

having never properly transitioned from its

Soviet-era Material Product System (MPS)

system of national accounts to the UN System

of National Accounts standard. MPS accounting

is only concerned with material production. Services

are considered costs of production & excluded by design.’

– Han Feizi (ee Economists, Consumption in China: Is it really that bad?)

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• With yet another election around the corner, the PM Harini ‘the Harried’ Amarasuriya, has called municipal administrations: the ‘nursery’ of corruption. The oh-so-spotless US & their Europeons are also ever ready to give us yet another lecture on corruption. This ee recalls the role of that ‘most ingenious and most pretentious’ of yankee political influence peddlers in the USA: The late 18-20^th-century tale of the ‘Tammany Hall’ machinery that controlled New York, using ingenious methods that were soon spread by their missionaries of vendable democracy across the world. The ‘American’ style of ‘democracy’ – a particular subspecies of capitalist politics, is evident in our take on Gustave Myers’ 1917 History of Tammany Hall.  We thought of Tammany, after hearing the earnest and ubiquitous US Professor Jeffrey Sachs (who helped dismantle the former USSR and now repents). At a meal organized by the Exxon-Rockefeller-funded Asia Society in Hong Kong, Sachs claimed that the current state of US politics had to do with the increasing capture of the political process by moneyed interests, which has become more evident in the last 30 years. The Tammany Hall story, which involves the origins of the Chase-Manhattan bank and the JP Morgan fortunes, tells us how organized plunder & corruption is a great and long English & US tradition, where only the suckers who do not rob enough, get crucified in full display.

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Contents:

Shenali D Waduge

Indo-Pak tensions, African civil wars, Middle Eastern border crises all share a root cause – these are all artificial borders created by colonial invaders as part of their Divide & rule policy. While former colonial powers tell the former colonies to forgive & forget” move on” & close the chapter of colonial crimes, no former colonies can move forward because every issue they currently face are all legacies planted during colonial rule. Artificial borders they drew still bleed, conflicts & communal divisions they engineered still burn, systems they imposed still oppress. The past is not past when its consequences still continue to define our present. However, the current scenario unraveling between India & Pakistan is of concern. We do not wish to see any more bloodshed. Sri Lanka must take a leaf from Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike’s diplomacy & launch a mini Non-Aligned Peace Dialogue to help reduce the tensions as well as pledge all member nations to reiterate Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace. Terrorists have no caste, religion, ethnicity or nationality. They are hired freedom fighters”. Terrorists have no allegiance. They will even turn against those that created them. Therefore, terrorists should be shunned globally. 

The present Indo-Pak conflict is another colonial legacy. Religious divisions between Hindus & Muslims became a political tool & that hatred continues. When Britain partitioned India the Radcliffe Line was drawn in just 5 weeks with no understanding of the region, splitting villages, communities & rivers – it resulted in over 1million deaths, largest forced migration.

Kashmir unresolved border is a colonial legacy that led to the first Indo-Pak war. British failed to define outcome of princely states” like Jammu & Kashmir. Technically they were free to join either India or Pakistan. Kashmir had a Muslim-majority population but a Hindu ruler Maharaja Hari Singh. In 1947 he signed the instrument of accession to India” which led to eventual division of Kashmir but not a legal international border. Britain is responsible for fostering separate religious electorates conceptualizing religious identity as a political tool. Unnatural boundaries & religious politics make a lethal combination, a scenario applicable not only to Kashmir.

Mini-NAM Peace Initiative – People to People Initiatives 

Inviting all Non-Aligned Member Nations as well as neutral global powers & launch an Indo-Pak Peace Fellowship for youth & scholars.

Sri Lanka has played a pivotal & historic role as a founding member in the non-aligned movement & has the credibility to lead such an initiative having ended 30 years of terrorism.

The framework for the Summit is to renew trust & reduce tensions, to de-escalate a brewing conflict and facilitate dialogue.

Sri Lanka must reach out through informal diplomatic channels to friendly third parties of both Pakistan & India & key NAM allies to support the effort, not forgetting the global south powers. Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry must play a strategic role in dispatching confidential exploratory notes, expressing intent & inviting informal feedback. A steering committee comprising senior diplomats, conflict resolution experts, former NAM officials & youth representatives must be part of this initiative.  

The Summit can be titled Island of Dialogue: Sri Lanka’s Call for Peace in the Subcontinent” with hashtag #PeaceFromOurIsland. Film makers/documentary makers must be encouraged to come up with a short film on shared Indo-Pak heritage & good times shared. The Summit can perhaps end with a Colombo Peace Charter.

The Indian Ocean must be reclaimed as a Zone of Peace, not a playground for global powers. 

For centuries, this ocean was a bridge for trade, culture, and migration — connecting East Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Today, it risks becoming a theater for military competition and proxy conflicts. 

For centuries our ancestors have used the Indian Ocean to carry ships not submarines, trade not tensions, unity not war. In this new developed 21^st century that Non-Aligned aspiration for an Indian Ocean Zone of Peace cannot become a theatre of war. 

Superpowers cannot be allowed to play chess with our sovereignty. We are not pawns to bleed to satisfy geopolitical goals. 

By refusing to sign foreign defense pacts, the nations of the Indian Ocean region can reject the militarization of their waters and assert their right to sovereignty & peace. 

This also requires Sri Lanka to relook at all agreements / MOUs signed compromising Sri Lanka’s territory & Indian Ocean peace.

Sri Lanka must not sign any defense pacts or withdraw any pacts signed that militarizes the Indian Ocean & divides into spheres of influence.

The Indian Ocean belongs to its littoral states — not to distant empires, foreign navies, or military blocs. To honor the legacy of the Non-Aligned Movement, and to secure true independence, we must demand demilitarization, promote regional cooperation, and restore the Indian Ocean as a shared space of peace, not power.

The Peace Summit must call upon all coastal nations from Africa to South Asia to South East Asia to reject defense pacts that create foreign conflicts. There should be no foreign military bases in littoral states, no military alliances that lead to regional tensions, environmental protection of our shared waters & respect for sovereignty. 

UN General Assembly Resolution 2832 (XXVI) 1971 adopted on 16 December declared the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace. It called for the prohibition of great power military presence, elimination of foreign bases & promotion of peace & cooperation among coastal states.

Though UN General Assembly resolutions are non-binding, it carries a moral & political importance & will become significant if the people of these littoral states unitedly demand all nations honor the resolution.

An Ad Hoc Committee on the Indian Ocean was established by the UN to develop legal & political measures to implement the Zone of Peace, especially its relations to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea that does not prohibit military use.

What is now required is for the Indian Ocean Zone of Peace is to be made into a legally binding law formulated along the lines of the Treaty of Tlatelolco (declaraing Latin America as a nuclear free zone).

It is now time to revive the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace given the current political scenario. Sri Lanka holding a non-aligned peace summit can take the lead in this regard.

Sri Lanka may be a small island nation sitting at the heart of the Indian Ocean. We were & continue to be the centre for trade, shared cultures & Buddhist diplomacy that once united the East & West.

While many nations seek dominance through weapons & wars, Sri Lanka is offering Buddhist diplomacy as a founding member of the non-aligned movement, Sri Lanka is a friend to all & an enemy to none. 

The world has seen too many wars & mini-conflicts, too much of bloodshed & tears. Global supremacy, regional supremacy at the cost of lives & tears is meaningless.

The waters of the Indian Ocean must spell peace not turn the ocean & nations into pieces.

Shenali D Waduge