Dr. Alexandr Dovgan & Dr Ruwan M Jayatunge 

Complex traumatic events are associated with armed conflict (Coventry et al., 2020), and it has a possible impact on mental health. These conflicts can cause physical, psychological, mental, and spiritual consequences for people (Moreno-Chaparro et al., 2022). Armed conflicts extinguish the social fabric and cause economic and cultural repercussions.  Moreno-Chaparro and team report (2022) that a high prevalence of mental disorders has been reported in areas affected by armed conflicts. As indicated by Carpiniello (2023), women and children are the most vulnerable to the outcome of armed conflicts. 

The Ukrainian War began in February 2014.  War in Ukraine has caused drastic negative consequences on physical and mental health with devastating effects at the individual and community level.  People living in war-torn regions of Ukraine are at a mental health risk. Many of them have witnessed deaths, suffered property losses, and some of them have become direct victims of war-related violence such as rape and torture. These events have caused negative outcomes for their mental health and social functioning. The war has become a collective trauma for the Ukrainians.

War-related anxiety, stress, and trauma have become the perilous factors in Ukraine.  A large number of Ukrainians have become refugees across Europe, and one-third of the population has been displaced within Ukraine as internal refugees (Vintilă et al., 2023). According to Kurapov and colleagues (2022), war in Ukraine has caused many mental health problems. People are experiencing multiple traumas and other cumulative stresses on a daily basis.  Osokina and team (2023) point out that war trauma has caused psychological distress in adolescents living in a war-torn region in Ukraine. As described by Fel and team (2022) women living in the war-torn areas in Ukraine are at a higher risk of experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  

People affected by war trauma often show mistrust, social withdrawal, and feelings of emptiness and hopelessness. In some instances, drastic personality changes can be identified. They can experience depression, anxiety, complex posttraumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD), somatic complaints, pain-related problems, panic attacks, insomnia, etc. Some go into negative stress coping methods such as heavy alcohol abuse or substance abuse. War victims who exhibit social isolation, suicidal attempts, rage, agitation, extreme confusion, dissociation, and psychotic symptoms urgently need professional help.

Culturally sensitive mental health care efforts are essential to heal the war trauma in Ukraine.  In this context, an interdisciplinary approach to trauma healing is imperative. Immediate and long-term robust psychosocial interventions should be established with psychosocial interventions. A range of psychotherapeutic interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT), and narrative exposure therapy (NET) can be used to treat the war victims. 

Lazarus and Folkman (1984) indicate the emotion-focused coping strategies to reduce or control negative emotions, such as anxiety. These interventions foster healing and posttraumatic growth. Existential therapy is also an important intervention in war trauma, and it acknowledges the intangible impacts of trauma on meaning, mortality, and identity. The therapists can use mindfulness techniques to improve outcomes after war trauma.

In war situations, creating a sense of safety is highly vital (Hobfoll et al. 2007). Almoshmosh and colleagues (2016) highlight that social connectedness is important to restore normal interaction and well-being. Moreover, community solidarity activities can curb further damage from war trauma (Anjum et al., 2023). Providing hope for the war victims can reduce their emotional suffering, and it enhances self-efficacy, resilience, personal growth, and mental well-being (Snyder, 2002). 

Ukrainian war victims are experiencing psychological distress and emotional suffering.  These psychological scars take a long time to heal. Moreover, trauma can be handed down from generation to generation. Therefore, trauma healing and building resilience are crucial for the Ukrainian war victims.

References

Almoshmosh N. (2016). The role of war trauma survivors in managing their own mental conditions, Syria civil war as an example. Avicenna j. med. 6, 54–59. doi: 10.4103/2231-0770.179554, PMID.

Anjum G, Aziz M, Hamid HK. Life and mental health in limbo of the Ukraine war: How can helpers assist civilians, asylum seekers and refugees affected by the war? Front Psychol. 2023 Feb 17;14:1129299. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1129299. PMID: 36874809; PMCID: PMC9983366.

Carpiniello B. The Mental Health Costs of Armed Conflicts-A Review of Systematic Reviews Conducted on Refugees, Asylum-Seekers and People Living in War Zones. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Feb 6;20(4):2840. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20042840. PMID: 36833537; PMCID: PMC9957523.

Coventry PA, Meader N, Melton H, Temple M, Dale H, Wright K, Cloitre M, Karatzias T, Bisson J, Roberts NP, Brown JVE, Barbui C, Churchill R, Lovell K, McMillan D, Gilbody S. Psychological and pharmacological interventions for posttraumatic stress disorder and comorbid mental health problems following complex traumatic events: Systematic review and component network meta-analysis. PLoS Med. 2020 Aug 19;17(8):e1003262. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003262. PMID: 32813696; PMCID: PMC7446790.

Fel S., Jurek K., Lenart-Kłoś K. (2022). Relationship between socio-demographic factors and posttraumatic stress disorder: a cross sectional study among civilian participants’ hostilities in Ukraine. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 19:2720. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19052720, PMID:

Hobfoll S. E., Watson P., Bell C. C., Bryant R., Brymer M. J., Friedman M. J., et al. (2007). Five essential elements of immediate and mid-term mass trauma intervention: empirical evidence. Psychiatry 70, 283–315. doi: 10.1521/psyc.2007.70.4.283, PMID.

Kurapov A., Pavlenko V., Drozdov A., Bezliudna V., Reznik A., Isralowitz R. (2022). Toward an understanding of the Russian-Ukrainian war impact on university students and personnel. J. Loss Trauma. 28, 167–174. 10.1080/15325024.2022.2084838.

Lazarus R., Folkman S. Stress, Appraisal, and Coping. Springer Publishing Company; New York, NY, USA: 1984.

Moreno-Chaparro J, Piñeros-Ortiz S, Rodríguez-Ramírez L, Urrego-Mendoza Z, Garzón-Orjuela N, Eslava-Schmalbach J. Mental health consequences of armed conflicts in adults: an overview. Actas Esp Psiquiatr. 2022 Mar;50(2):68-91. Epub 2022 Mar 1. PMID: 35312994; PMCID: PMC10803861.

Osokina O, Silwal S, Bohdanova T, Hodes M, Sourander A, Skokauskas N. Impact of the Russian Invasion on Mental Health of Adolescents in Ukraine. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2023 Mar;62(3):335-343. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2022.07.845. Epub 2022 Oct 29. PMID: 36441074.

Snyder C. R. (2002). Hope theory: rainbows in the mind. Psychol. Inq. 13, 249–275. doi: 10.1207/S15327965PLI1304_01.

Vintilă M, Kalaitzaki A, Turliuc MN, Goian C, Tudorel OI. Editorial: The war in Ukraine: impact on mental health on a global level. Front Psychol. 2023 Jul 25;14:1226184. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1226184. PMID: 37564318; PMCID: PMC10409641.

Ministry of Defence  – Media Centre

Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), Admiral Samuel Paparo called on the Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd) Thursday (Mar 20) at the Deputy Minister’s office.

During the meeting, Admiral Paparo and Major General Jayasekara (Retd) engaged in discussions on a range of bilateral defence and security matters. Both parties emphasized the importance of strengthening defence cooperation to promote regional stability.

Admiral Paparo emphasized the enduring security partnership between the U.S. and Sri Lanka while outlining the U.S. vision for promoting regional stability and security in the Indo-Pacific. He reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to supporting Sri Lanka, highlighting the significance of people-to-people ties, providing assistance in maritime domain awareness (MDA) to address non-traditional security threats, offering technical know how and sharing expertise assistance for the development of the Maritime Security Strategy.

Admiral Paparo’s visit underscores the United States’ on-going commitment to enhancing security cooperation with Sri Lanka and addressing shared challenges in the Indo-Pacific.

The Defence Attache at the U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka, Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Nelson, Executive Assistant, Captain Toraason, Political Advisor, Mr. David Ranz and Commander Rama Mutyala also joined the discussion with the Deputy Minister.

Property Show 2025

Industry experts at the Lanka Property Show 2025 expressed confidence in Sri Lanka’s real estate sector, highlighting its potential for growth despite past economic challenges. While factors such as rising interest rates, currency depreciation, and fluctuating taxes previously impacted the market, experts were optimistic that stabilizing interest rates, exchange rates, and tax policies will foster a more predictable and business-friendly environment for investors and homebuyers alike.

Building on this positive outlook, the Lanka Property Show 2025 reinforced the sector’s resilience and promising future. The event featured 25+ premier projects, including highly anticipated new launches, attracting a diverse audience of over 17,000 visitors both in person and virtually. The live stream on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube also garnered an impressive 59,721 views, further cementing the show’s success. The strong turnout and enthusiastic engagement from buyers, investors, and industry professionals underscored the sustained demand for real estate in Sri Lanka.

Now in its 9th edition, the Lanka Property Show (LPS)—the country’s largest property expo—was held on February 15th and 16th at the Kingsbury Hotel. Since its inception in 2017, the event has grown significantly, and in recent years, it has evolved into a hybrid physical and virtual show. This year saw an increase in visitors and exhibitors, reaffirming that buyers are actively returning to the market after the pandemic and economic downturn.

As in past editions, the Lanka Property Show 2025 hosted two engaging panel discussions, offering valuable industry insights. The first session delved into the growth and future of Sri Lanka’s property sector, examining key trends and market projections.

Kicking off the discussion, Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy, former Governor of the Central Bank, shared his perspective on the evolving economic landscape. He noted that, unlike in the past, challenges such as high interest rates, currency depreciation, and tax instability are expected to stabilize. This shift, driven by stricter fiscal policies introduced through the Public Finance Management Act and the Central Bank Act, is set to create a more predictable and investment-friendly environment.

Discussing the current market landscape for developers, Prime Group Chairman, Mr. Premalal Brahmanage, highlighted that Sri Lanka has the highest construction costs in South Asia, making property development more expensive and limiting the supply of affordable housing. He emphasized the financial burden on developers, stating that  from the first bag of cement to the final sale, direct and indirect taxes can account for up to 40% of each property transaction.

With the real estate industry contributing around 7% to the country’s GDP and generating substantial tax revenue, he urged the government to provide greater support to the sector to ensure its sustained growth and affordability for buyers.

To address these challenges, the industry is actively exploring innovative solutions such as cheaper financing options, enhanced supply chains, and advanced construction techniques to improve affordability and sustainability in the market, added Mr. Brahmanage.

In summary of Mr. Brahmanage’s comments, the moderator, Mr. Dhananath Fernando, remarked, it sounds to me like you’re in the business of paying taxes and in the middle of it building some property”.

Addressing the challenges developers face in attracting foreign buyers, Mr. Kishore Reddy, Managing Director of Platinum Realty Investments urged the government to expedite the implementation of investor visas. Despite being gazetted, these visas remain difficult to obtain, posing a barrier to international investment in Sri Lanka’s property market. He highlighted the need to make housing more affordable by addressing import barriers on essential building materials such as tiles, aluminium, and other construction materials. The imposition of cess and high duties on these imports increases construction costs, ultimately impacting both developers and buyers. By reducing such restrictions, the government can facilitate more cost-effective development. He also noted that while the rupee has depreciated against the dollar, property values have risen proportionally, ensuring that investors have not faced losses. This natural market adjustment, he emphasized, reinforces the view that real estate remains a secure and reliable investment option.

The panel discussion, moderated by Dhananath Fernando, (CEO of the Advocata Institute) also featured Nadeem Shums, (Vice President at John Keells Holdings PLC) and Saminda Jayasekara, (Chairman, Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Regulatory Council and Property Law Consultant) providing an in-depth and balanced view of the future trajectory of the market.

Continuing with the theme of real estate and construction, the second panel discussion centered on the affordable construction of individual homes. Moderated by Dr. Prathap Kaluthanthri (MRICS, Head of the Department of Estate Management and Valuation, University of Sri Jayewardenepura), the panel featured Dr. Janaka Fernando (Head of the Department of Business Economics, University of Sri Jayewardenepura), Dr. Yasas Pathiranage (Business Consultant), Plnr. E.A.C. Piyashantha (Deputy Director General, Urban Development Authority), and Chartered Architect Tharangika Ranathungarachchi (Partner, Makevita and Ranathungarachchi Architects). The discussion covered vital themes for those looking to build houses, including passive design, locally sourced materials, adaptive design, green roofs and living walls, all aimed at reducing costs, improving efficiency, and enhancing affordability and sustainability of houses.

Concluding the discussions, Industry experts emphasized the need for policy stability, affordable housing solutions, and streamlined investment processes to drive growth. With strong buyer interest, increased investor confidence, and ongoing discussions on key industry challenges, the event highlighted a promising path forward for the sector. As Sri Lanka’s property market continues to evolve, collaborative efforts between stakeholders and policymakers will be crucial in ensuring sustainable growth and greater accessibility for both local and foreign buyers.

This year’s event truly embodied its theme, “Everything Under One Roof for Property Buyers,” by bringing together a comprehensive range of real estate opportunities and services. Exhibitors showcased a diverse selection of apartments, houses, and land projects across the country, while four leading banks offered home loans starting from 11.5%. Attendees also had access to house builders, solar providers, free legal consultations, and expert advisory services on buying and selling—all conveniently available under one roof throughout the two-day event to fulfil their property buying process in the same location.

It was made possible with the support of its esteemed sponsors and partners. Platinum sponsors included Marina Square, John Keells Properties and Iconic Galaxy, while Gold sponsors included  Baili Investment and Prime Group. The event was further supported by its Banking Partner, Commercial Bank along with the media partnership of Sirasa Media Network, Outdoor Media Partner Storm Media and Communication Partner Textware. For more details on the event, visit www.lankapropertyweb.com/events

by Arundathie Abeysinghe Courtesy PIME AsiaNews

Government action has so far not stabilised markets. Lower production is causing negative effects on inflation and the availability of products in stores. Some rice varieties have been unavailable for months. Signs of growth are visible only in rubber and some export crops.

Colombo (AsiaNews) – Sri Lanka’s agricultural sector is going through a severe crisis, with a significant drop in the production of major crops such as rice, tea and coconut. This is driving up inflation and contributing to higher food prices, worrying consumers and policymakers alike.

According to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), the drop in paddy rice production (the country’s staple crop) has been particularly pronounced, affecting the overall price of rice.

Paddy rice production from September 2024 to March 2025 is estimated at around 2.57 million tonnes, a 5.7 per cent decrease over the previous season, causing a shortage of rice in retail markets. The most popular varieties, like “nadu” and “samba”, have been out of stock in stores for months, while supermarkets are allowing customers to buy only three kilos at a time.

Government control measures on paddy rice and prices have had limited results so far.

The tea sector has also suffered a sharp slowdown. After a temporary rise in December 2024 and January 2025, by 9.6 per cent and 14.6 per cent respectively, production fell by 22 per cent in February, stopping at 15.59 million kilos.

The same goes for coconut production, which saw a decline of 33.1 per cent in December 2024 and 32.2 per cent in January 2025, driving up prices, with households forced to pay between 250 and 300 rupees (between US$ 0.85 and US$ 1.00) per nut.

The situation of the rubber sector is a bit different. In December 2024 production rose by 32.4 per cent, but then declined a month later. In 2023, Sri Lanka earned US$ 930 million from the export of natural rubber and rubber products.

In January this year, market prices of several export crops such as pepper, cocoa, cardamom, nutmeg, coffee, cinnamon, and turmeric went up, while prices of clove and ginger went down,” this according to experts Shirantha Mayadunne and Lakmali Wijesinghe speaking to AsiaNews.

According to the Department of Census and Statistics, the country’s economy recorded 5.4 per cent growth in the fourth quarter of 2024, with an estimated annual growth of around 5 per cent, thanks to lower inflation and exchange rate stability.

However, the CBSL failed to maintain its 5 per cent inflation target, which triggered serial currency crises between 2012 and 2022.

In fact, Sri Lanka is still trying to recover from the severe financial crisis that culminated in the 2022 sovereign debt default, caused by aggressive fiscal and monetary policies.

For now, interest rates are low and private sector credit has expanded.

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

John Keells CG Auto marks a new era in green mobility

In a momentous event for Sri Lanka’s automotive landscape, the first shipment of BYD’s cutting-edge new energy vehicles (NEVs) has arrived at the Hambantota Port. 

This historic milestone, facilitated by John Keells CG Auto (JKCG Auto)—the authorised distributor for the BYD vehicles in Sri Lanka—ushers in a new era of sustainable mobility and innovation. 

The shipment includes a brand-new range of BYD’s most popular global models such as BYD SEALION 6, BYD ATTO 3, BYD DOLPHIN and several other advanced NEVs. These state-of-the-art NEVs have been hotly anticipated by local auto enthusiasts, marking BYD’s re-entry into the Sri Lankan market after over five years of import restrictions, with first deliveries to pre-booking customers commencing over the 

coming weeks.  

Our partnership with BYD highlights our commitment to driving a green mobility revolution that will help to build Sri Lanka’s dream of an empowered, cleaner, more sustainable nation,” JKCG Auto General Manager Charith Panditharatne said. 

We are proud to be the first to bring these brand-new BYDs to Sri Lanka, following the removal of import restrictions. Leveraging on the synergies within the John Keells group, we aim to catalyse a broader evolution in mobility for Sri Lanka, that offers the highest quality vehicles, infrastructure and after-sales services to ensure to sustainably power this critical transition for our nation.”   

JKCG Auto plans to deliver the vehicles to its Sri Lankan customers in the coming weeks, ensuring a seamless introduction of BYD’s innovative technology and superior performance to local roads. With additional shipments underway, the company is poised to meet the expectations of an increasingly eco-conscious customer base and further strengthen its reputation as a leading force in the country’s green mobility revolution.

SHEAIN FERNANDOPULLE  Courtesy The Daily Mirror

 

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• Joint pain lasts at least a month
• The disease is not spread directly from person to person—only through mosquito bites
• Main symptoms include sudden high fever, severe joint pain, muscle aches, headache, nausea, fatigue, and skin rashes
• These mosquitoes are most active during the early morning and late afternoon
• Eliminating mosquito breeding sites is the most effective way to control the outbreak

Colombo, March 21 (Daily Mirror) – Sri Lanka is experiencing a rapid spread of Chikungunya, a mosquito-borne viral disease, with cases reported from various parts of the country.

Speaking to Daily Mirror, Consultant Physician Dr Achala Balasuriya said Chikungunya is spread through the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes, primarily Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. These mosquitoes become infected when they bite a person who already has the virus. After an incubation period of about 4 to 7 days, the infected mosquito can then transmit the virus to other people through bites,”

These mosquitoes are most active during the early morning and late afternoon, and they breed in stagnant water found in containers like flower pots, tires, buckets, and clogged drains. The disease is not spread directly from person to person—only through mosquito bites,”

We have seen a spike in Chikungunya cases these days. What we see different here is that the joint pain lasts at least one month after initial recovery,” she said.

The main symptoms include sudden high fever, severe joint pain, muscle aches, headache, nausea, fatigue, and skin rashes. While most patients recover within a week, joint pain can persist for months or even years in some cases, particularly among older individuals,”

She warned that eliminating mosquito breeding sites is the most effective way to control the outbreak.

Chikungunya symptoms: What to watch forWith the recent surge in Chikungunya cases across Sri Lanka, health experts are urging the public to be aware of its symptoms.According to experts, the disease typically begins with a sudden high fever, followed by severe joint pain that can last for at least a month.Other common symptoms include muscle aches, headaches, nausea, fatigue, and skin rashes.While most patients recover within a week, lingering joint pain can persist for months or even years, particularly among older individuals.The expert emphasizes that eliminating mosquito breeding sites remains the most effective way to control the outbreak.

Shenali D Waduge

South Africa’s Truth & Reconciliation Commission was NOT a tribunal & therefore had no powers to prosecute individuals as there were no judges, no lawyers & no intention to declare who was guilty & who was innocent. It was nothing but Restorative Justice created in 1995 by the Nelson Mandela govt claiming it would heal” the trauma of apartheid. Nothing of the sort happened. We don’t need new healing, restorative justice, reconciliation 16 years after Sri Lanka’s conflict ended. Yes, we need truth – but that truth must name all the individuals (local & foreign) who supported LTTE over the years, all the organizations, officials, governments, NGOs (local & foreign) especially the Church who funded & supported LTTE over the years. If none of these truths are going to be put into the open, there is no point in holding any TRC in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s Armed Forces must not fall for this trap of story-telling & confessions for compensation!

Traditional tribunals punish wrongdoers through trials. The TRC was a crafty means to get people to confess to guilt & be given amnesty for doing so. This is exactly what Sri Lanka’s TRC is aiming to do. With LTTE ground force leaders all dead, the aim is to fool Sri Lanka’s Armed Forces to confess & get amnesty probably holding a carrot that their travel bans etc would be lifted. Sri Lanka’s Armed Forces should not fall for this trap! Sri Lanka does not need ad hoc Christian-based forgiveness” tribunals based on a bogus healing, reconciliation, truth-telling”. Sri Lanka has been pumped reconciliation since 2009 while the LTTE cohorts are happily screaming separate state & eelam! Anyone short of listening to fairytales or horror stories these TRC are ideal!

While pro-LTTE lobbyists claim 40,000 dead they have not produced the names of the dead, there are no dead bodies, no skeletons & no habeas corpus or police complaints by families to claim the dead even lived. Without proving this there is no case against the armed forces for war crimes/genocide.

Nevertheless, entire villages were massacred by LTTE since 1980s over 30 years – are these victims alive to tell their story? What about the hundreds that LTTE gunned down & killed in premeditated murder – these people comprised Sinhalese, Muslims, Tamils & even foreigners. Can compensation bring back these people who were gunned down for no reason? Who in the LTTE will come forward & admit to these crimes today?’

There is nothing to educate the Sri Lankan public, everyone who lived under LTTE rule are well aware of what LTTE did. There is no reason to return to that sordid past simple for storytelling. There are enough of documents of LTTE’s crimes. Moreover, the people have moved on. People have bigger problems than revisiting terrorist’s tales. That terror chapter is now over. People have economic & social issues to deal with. There is no requirement to dig the past because Prabakaran cannot be brought to life to answer to all his crimes.

The people placed trust in the then Govt to end terrorism & liberate the Nation from terrorism. The President as Commander in Chief ordered his troops & they did the needful in 2009 with one flag hoisted across the Nation. This was an occasion where the trust of the people was fulfilled.

What is baffling is why a National Army is being kept in par with an internationally banned terrorist group. Why should terrorists be given any status other than holding them to account for the violation of pre-meditated murder across 30 years. Simply because the terrorist group was defeated & thus defeated those who were indirectly & directly backing the terrorists over the years. Thus, all of these justice” accountability” attempts are nothing but a means of revenge against all those who contributed to the defeat of the LTTE.

Immediately after the conflict ended the 12000 LTTE who surrendered to the National Army were all put through rehabilitation, the 594 LTTE child soldiers were returned to school & were given opportunities to learn. This was the healing given immediately after the conflict. We don’t need new healing, restorative justice, reconciliation 16 years after the conflict ended.

Yes, we need truth – but that truth must name all the individuals (local & foreign) who supported LTTE over the years, all the organizations, officials, governments, NGOs (local & foreign) who funded & supported LTTE over the years.

If none of these truths are going to be put into the open, there is no point in holding any TRC in Sri Lanka.

South Africa’s TRC received testimonies from 21,000 victims in over 70 public hearings. 7112 amnesty applications were received. However, less than 1000 were whites. 849 were given amnesty after they disclosed their involvement in the crimes. If the TRC was not a legal tribunal, how valid were these amnesties.

With no legal ramifications for those who confessed to crimes does this not open more wounds than heal? Moreover, anyone can confess to claim a reparation.

The South African TRC gave $3000 per victim.

How can a loss of life in Sri Lanka be compared to this measly amount & have the case closed after digging up the trauma 16 years after it ended?

How far has racial tensions been solved in South Africa post-TRC? None of the Black South Africans got the lands taken from them back!

Apartheid ended in 1994. But Blacks continue to suffer even in 2025!

Economic Inequality

Wealth Distribution – 2020 report by South African Institute of Race Relations – 70% of whites hold South Africa’s wealth though they make up only 8% of the population.

Unemployment – 2024 – overall unemployment about 33.9%. Unemployment amongst Blacks was higher.

In 2022 Black youth unemployment stood at 46.6% – white unemployment was 10.4%

Land ownership – As per South African Govts Dept of Rural Development & Land Reform about 72% agricultural land is still owned by whites who comprise 8% of the population.

Housing –

13.7m Blacks were still living in poor quality housing as per 2019 report from Statistics South Africa. 56% of South African households still live in poverty.

Education – As per South African Education Department Black South Africans made up 80% of student population with the lowest graduation rates. 77% whites students graduate as against 49% blacks.

Income & Wealth

In 2020 white South Africans had a median income of around R120,000 per year compared to black South Africans whose median income was about R60,000 per year (SAIRR)

World Bank 2019 claims Black South Africans are still 8 times more likely to live in poverty than white South Africans. Poverty rate for blacks was 42% against 5% for whites.

Racial Tensions & Hate Crimes

2020 report of South African Human Sciences Research Council says racial discrimination still exists. 30% blacks report experiencing racial discrimination in public spaces & 12% say they experience racial discrimination in the workplace.

South African police recorded more than 1000 hate crimes in 2019 related to race.

What are the lessons Sri Lanka must take from the South African TRC (1996-2002)

• Amnesty followed Christian principles of forgive & forget without anyone actually meaning it as it came with a carrot of compensation.
• Amnesty was given to individuals who confessed with full disclosure of crimes – people confessed to get amnesty & compensation & because they were told there was no legal ramifications for confessing guilt. This is likely to be a trick to only frame Sri Lankan Armed Forces as LTTE ground force are no more.
• There was no national healing nor reconciliation – only a bogus truth-telling” which meant more than 6000 blacks confessing to less than 1000 whites confessing. Apartheid was about white discrimination against blacks.
• The catch came with the fact that the TRC had no legal power to prosecute but they could recommend prosecution
• Some of those who confessed faced public backlash & criticism from victim families & society.
• However, some of the perpetrators who received amnesty have been held accountable & faced legal action.
• New Truth & Justice Movements were formulated demanding legal action against those who confessed resulting in new issues & forming more controversies. We can see how this will materialize in Sri Lanka via the LTTE Diaspora and the usual hired NGO culprits.
• Though the TRC claims to give amnesty for confessions there is nothing stopping individuals using information revealed in the TRC to file in civil courts against the perpetrators.
• There is a major difference in TRC giving amnesty & immunity. TRC did not grant immunity from civil legal action. A victim / family of victim could use confessions to demand compensation/damages in civil court.

Therefore, Sri Lanka does not require to be copying & pasting what other countries do.

Our situation was different to South Africa’s. South African TRC was nothing but a failure. It only gave a handsome remuneration for the 300 staff who were involved in the TRC.

16 years have passed since the end of Sri Lanka’s conflict. LTTE ground force is no more. Majority of other LTTE have fled to other countries & made a home there. The rehabilitated LTTE have married & LTTE child soldiers are also now adults & getting about their lives. We do not hold grudges as there are no more killings.

If Tamils have a problem that needs to be healed & solved it is none other than their caste issues while the majority Hindu practicing Tamils need to now wonder why the Church was instrumental in always becoming the mouthpiece for Tamils & LTTE. These are questions that are yet to be solved but unlikely to be solved as these truths will never get to any TRUTH table.

What was never admitted in South Africa’s TRC was the role of the Church in apartheid. Dutch Reformed Church (NGK) was the mainline church of white Afrikaners, who played a central role in supporting apartheid. Let us not forget, Desmond Tutu was a signatory in some of the pro-LTTE letters sent to the UNHRC against Sri Lanka. Thus, the TRC’s forgiveness” is plucked from the Church which continues to dictate who is guilty & who is not based on what is advantageous to their political agenda.

It is obvious that not only past governments but this government & all of their advisors are clueless about Sri Lanka & the terrorist conflict we faced alongside the players that were involved directly & indirectly & are happy to play poodle to any proposals that come from those who want to seek revenge against those who ended terrorism.

Sri Lanka’s Armed Forces must not fall for this trap of story-telling & confessions for compensation!

Shenali D Waduge

By Palitha Ariyarathna

The characterization of Theravāda Buddhism, particularly in Sri Lanka, as militant is a distortion of its historical trajectory and core philosophy. Charles Keyes, in his article Political Crisis and Militant Buddhism in Contemporary Thailand (rev 1999), projects a generalized narrative of “militant Buddhism” that fails to account for the unique cultural, ethical, and historical context of Sri Lanka. His misinterpretation of the Mahāvaṃsa undermines the profound commitment of Sri Lankan Buddhists to ahimsa (non-violence), compassion, and coexistence.

Charles Keyes is a well-known scholar who, since the 1960s, has conducted extensive research in Thailand and other Southeast Asian nations. His work has contributed significantly to the understanding of the socio-political and cultural dynamics of the region, with a focus on Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, and southern China. While his scholarship is commendable, his interpretation of “militant Buddhism” fails to contextualize the Sri Lankan case and risks promoting a biased narrative.

Buddhism occupies a central place in Sri Lanka’s constitution, reflecting its historical role as the spiritual foundation of the nation. This protection is not an assertion of dominance but a framework to preserve the ethical and cultural identity of the country. Roles of Upāsaka (lay male followers), Upāsikā (lay female followers), Bhikkhu (monks), and Bhikkhunī (nuns) embody a collective responsibility to uphold peace, harmony, and moral conduct. This constitutional safeguard ensures that Buddhist principles guide society, fostering coexistence and resilience. It aligns Sri Lanka’s governance with the principles of mettā (loving-kindness), karunā (compassion), and upekkhā (equanimity), and stands in stark contrast to the claims of militant intentions.

Buddhism in Sri Lanka is deeply rooted in the teachings of the Buddha, which emphasize non-violence and moral discipline. Historically, Sri Lanka has demonstrated unwavering adherence to practices that serve as the moral backbone of the nation and unequivocally reject violence or militancy as methods for achieving objectives. Central to these practices are mettā (extending loving-kindness to all beings), karunā (showing compassion for the suffering), muditā (rejoicing in others’ happiness), and upekkhā (practicing equanimity in the face of challenges).

Charles Keyes references the Mahāvaṃsa’s portrayal of King Dutugemunu’s campaign against Tamil invaders, suggesting it is “the nearest approximation to a holy war” within Theravāda Buddhism. This interpretation misrepresents the text’s intent and Sri Lanka’s historical circumstances. The Mahāvaṃsa is a literary chronicle that blends history with moral and spiritual teachings, emphasizing the preservation of Buddhism amid external threats. Dutugemunu’s campaign is a narrative of defense—protecting sovereignty and ensuring the survival of the Dharma—not one of conquest or aggression. His profound remorse over the loss of life further highlights adherence to Buddhist ethics, reinforcing that violence is never taken lightly.

According to Buddhist principles, for an action to be sinful, four conditions must be met:

1. Identifying a being – Recognizing a living being confirms the awareness required for the act.
2. Intending harm – Formulating harmful intent introduces a deliberate decision to cause suffering.
3. Making efforts to cause harm – Taking actionable steps signifies the effort made.
4. Successfully harming – Achieving the harmful result completes the unethical act.

Dutugemunu’s actions were driven by duty and necessity, not malice or religious zeal. Viewing these defensive efforts as militant not only misrepresents the historical context but also undermines the ethical foundation of Sri Lankan Buddhism. Keyes misapplies the concept of militant Buddhism by equating defensive strategies with holy wars. He states, “The war that Duṭṭhagāmaṇi waged against the Tamils is portrayed in the Mahāvamsa in terms that make it the nearest approximation to a holy war that can be found anywhere in the literature of Theravāda Buddhism.” This claim overlooks the broader ethical and cultural framework underpinning the Mahāvaṃsa.

Throughout history, many religious traditions have engaged in violent conquests, crusades, and campaigns of forced conversion. For example, the Crusades (1095–1291) resulted in mass violence and the deaths of millions, religious inquisitions forced conversions through persecution, and empires expanded territory by imposing faith through military force. Sri Lanka’s history, by contrast, has no record of initiating religious wars or forcing others into Buddhism. Sri Lankan Buddhists have maintained a steadfast commitment to moral principles, even when faced with existential threats.

During this same period, Sri Lanka was governed by a series of monarchs who upheld Buddhist values and prioritized the well-being of the people. Their efforts stand in stark contrast to the violent campaigns observed elsewhere. The following comparison highlights the rulers of the time and their humanitarian contributions:

Crusade Period	Kingdom	Ruler	Reign	Key Achievements	Humanitarian Aspects
Early Crusades	Polonnaruwa Kingdom	Vijayabahu I	1055–1110	Reunited Sri Lanka after defeating Chola invaders. Restored Buddhist traditions and rebuilt temples.	Focused on healing and uniting a fractured nation, demonstrating justice, compassion, and a commitment to peace.
Middle Crusades	Polonnaruwa Kingdom	Parakramabahu I	1153–1186	Promoted Buddhism, developed massive irrigation projects like Parakrama Samudra, and secured sovereignty.	Known for his focus on sustainability and people’s well-being, with policies benefiting livelihoods and the environment.
Middle Crusades	Polonnaruwa Kingdom	Nissanka Malla	1187–1196	Declared himself the protector of Buddhism, emphasized piety in inscriptions, and supported social order.	Acted as a stabilizing force; however, his focus on grandeur sometimes overshadowed practical humanitarian efforts.
Late Crusades	Dambadeniya Kingdom	Vijayabahu III	1232–1254	Founded the Dambadeniya Kingdom to protect Buddhism; promoted societal harmony during political unrest.	Displayed care for societal stability and preservation of Buddhist values amidst a time of instability.

This comparison illuminates the significant difference between the violent practices of the Crusades and the peaceful, humanitarian approaches of Sri Lanka’s rulers, guided by Buddhist principles. Their focus on compassion, cultural preservation, and societal well-being underscores the deep contrast.

Charles Keyes’ characterization of Buddhism in Sri Lanka as militant is deeply flawed and fails to appreciate the ethical and historical nuances of the tradition. Sri Lanka’s Buddhist philosophy is one of compassion, non-violence, and harmony, reflected in its constitutional framework and cultural ethos. When faced with threats, Sri Lanka has defended its sovereignty and heritage responsibly, without compromising Buddhist principles.

It is essential to challenge these misrepresentations and illuminate the true legacy of Sri Lankan Buddhism—a legacy rooted in peace, resilience, and moral integrity.

“When certain acclaimed individuals distort history by masking the violence of their own religion while misrepresenting the actions of nations defending their lands and territories, they undermine the truth. Furthermore, academic attempts to target Buddhism by unfairly portraying it as a militant religion are not only incorrect but also deeply unjust, violating the principles of fair and honest scholarship.”

By Palitha Ariyarathna

References

• Keyes, Charles F. Political Crisis and Militant Buddhism in Contemporary Thailand (Revised 1999).
• The Mahāvaṃsa. A primary literary and historical source of Sri Lankan Buddhism.
• The Constitution of Sri Lanka. Emphasizing protections for Buddhism within the national framework.
• Theravāda Buddhist Teachings. Ethical principles such as mettā (loving-kindness) and ahimsa (non-violence).
• Deegalle, Mahinda. Buddhism, Conflict and Violence in Modern Sri Lanka

L.K.N. PERERA (LL.B Cey) Attorney at law, Labour Consultant, Ex-Senior Deputy Registrar, Supreme Court, Ex Judicial Officer,Ex-President. Lanka Academic Association, Ex Director Waste Management Authority, Co -Chairman- Seruvila Mangala Maha Chaityawardena Samitiya . Advisory Committee Member of All Ceylon Buddhist Congress. Commissioner of Aragalaya Inquiry Commission

L.K.N. PERERA (LL.B Cey) Attorney at law

1) Appeal to revoke the name change of Estate Tamils as Malayam Tamils

2) Request to treat Rohingia immigrants not as refugees but as illegal immigrants.

3) Request to adopt Boomiputra Policy to protect interests of Sinhala Nation.1) Appeal to revoke the name

                        I take this opportunity to draw your Excellency’ s attention to the following statements

1. Deputy Plantation Minister Sundaralingam Pradeep has said the present Government has renamed Estate Tamils as Malayan (Up Country) Tamils (CWC News)
2. In your Budget Speech too, you have named Estate Tamils as Malayam Tamils without any legal authority.

2) Public statement made by Hon Minister of State Security that One Hundred Thousand Rohingias are schedule to invade Sri Lanka.

( 1 ) Both these topics need special investigations, particularly regarding their consequence. We have had enough problems by the change of the name of Malabar Coolies as Ceylon Tamils in the year 1901. This name change was done by Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam , the first Ceylonese Registrar General, hoodwinking the Sinhalese leaders who were unaware of the grave consequences of this tiny change. You will be surprised to note that last 30 -year- old war was the ultimate result of this tiny name change. It is unfortunate that none of the Bikkhus nor the academics nor the so -called patriotic Sinhalese politicians have voiced their protest against this irrational move which is detrimental particularly to the Upcountry Sinhalese

Probably they may have not seen the hidden danger of this name change.

 1). NAME CHANGE of a community

In the year 1901 Sir Arunachaam Ponnabalam, being the first native Registrar General, abused his powers and changed the name, Malabar” as Ceylon Tamils”. Sinhalese leaders at that time were unaware of the hidden agenda of this name change or the grave consequences of this tiny change.

a) Who is Ponnambalam Arunachalam.

He is a grandson of a Malabar toilet cleaner who rose up to aristocratic level thank s to colonial rulers’ divide and rule policy and missionary education.

Malabar Coolies were brought to Sri Lanka by Dutch rulers (1656-1796) Dutch planted them in Jaffna Peninsula in the North. Throughout the history Sinhalese did not accept them as natives of this country. In the year 1978, I went to Madrass now called Chennai. There I found several Colombo Tamil lawyers at Egmore Station. They were visiting their relatives during court vacation. This is crystal clear proof that descendants of these Malabar coolies still maintain relationship with their relatives. Sir Arunachalam, the pioneer of Eelam Struggle died in the year 1924 in a visit to India to see his poor relatives. This incident too is vital evidence that Malabars have no right to claim an inch of land in this country. Descendants of these Malabar Coolies now claim Tissa Viharaya too as their ancestral property. Next time they will claim Seruvila Temple which has a written history of more than 2500 years too as a Hindu Kovil. Are we to tolerate further.

After this name change the so -called Ceylon Tamils started fighting for a separate autonomous state in the North and East as the first step in formation of Dravidastan or Dravida Empire. Eelam is part of that project. ( 2 ) b) Christian involvement in hiding Jaffna true history.

Eelam was a project of colonial rulers and the Christian clergy. Christian historian such as Dr.G.C,Mendis and Professor K .M.De Silva of Peradeniya University deliberately distorted the true history of Jaffna Kingdom . Legitimate heir to Jaffna Kingdom was Leveke Bandara a three- year- old infant. His custodian was Weerasundara Mudali. (See Portuguese Historian Queros – Spiritual and Temporal Conquest of Ceylon) Queros says that Kotte Tax Officers functioning in Jaffna were arrogant. So, what else you need to prove that Jaffna was under Kotte King. Against all these evidence, Hitler”s Gobbels theory was followed and the whole world was misled. The ultimate result of this Eelam campaign was the last 30 year-old war which was based on mythical concepts of Eelam project. If the Tamils or any other community cannot live peacefully in Sri Lanka, we have no alternative other than deporting them and protect the interests of Sinhalese who are the natives of this small island.

c) Branding Thesawlamai Law as an ancient law is another fabrication that led the Tamils to believe that they too have a long history in this country. Likewise   future generation of these Estate Labourers too will one day claim that Up Country is their Ancestral homeland and their kings ruled Sinhalese. Name change of Malabars as Ceylon Tamils led to several complications. Thesawalamai Enactments still call these Tamils as Malabars. It is because Sir Arunachalam had no power to change the legislative enactments.

Even the judiciary was misled by Eelam propagandists. Judiciary has not made any attempt to ascertain the truth of the history of Thesawalamai law. However their attempt to extend its application to Eastern Province was prevented by British Judges long time ago.

Dr. Suriya Gunasekera while in England has discovered that Thesawalamai law is a reproduction of Jus Mandas a German Tribal law operative in Holland . Otherwise how could be there provisions for Christian marriages in Thesawalamai Law.

                      Honoured Sir,

This name change will make Estate Tamils equal to up country Sinhalese (Kandyans) who are natives of Up country. Thereafter they will say that Sinhalese were ruled by their kings quoting last king Sri Wickram Rajasingher of Kandy.

 ( 3 ) After all, the government has no legal right to change the name of community to the whim and fancies of their leaders. Such attempt should necessarily go before a referendum J.R. Jayawardena as the UNP leader in the 1977 General Election had secretly agreed with late Saumamoorthi Thondaman, the leader of Estate Tamils to grant citizenship rights to Estate Tamils. It was not in his Election Manifesto and Sinhalese were unaware of this Secret agreement. This shows that J.R.Jayawardena hoodwinked the Sinhala masses.. This is how Estate Tamils got citizenship rights. Now they are claiming lands too. These lands are the lands robbed by colonial rulers under Waste Land Ordinance. (From their prescriptive owners -The Kandyana Sinhalese) For the second time the lands belonging to Sinhalese were robbed by Sirima Bandaranayake Government under the cover of Land Reform commission.

Now your government is going to construct houses for these estate labourers. Not only that your government is ready to distribute these lands to them. What a shame. What a pity and what a betrayal?

Poor Sinhalese live in shanties. Some of them live by the side of rail roads. Isn’t It pathetic. This is how Sinhalese are ill-treated by their own politicians, the so-called patriots. Power hungry Sinhalese rulers in the yester years have given unnecessary privileges to the migrant Malabar (Now called Tamil) labourers and Muslims. Muslims too have come to Sri Lanka along with Malabars. Some have come from Egypt, Aden etc. Now they too claim parts of this country as their homelands. This is ridiculous. It is said that Muslims do not allow Sinhalese to run a Shop in Kattankudy.

Possible Consequences of this name change You may be aware that some Estate youth joined Eelam Struggle. Their aim was to have a separate Tamil province for them and to Join Eelam, Eelam Threat still exists. It is unfortunate that our leaders do not understand the gravity of the forthcoming danger.

I cannot understand as to why the Bikkhus, the so-called protectors of Buddhism are silent on these matters.

2) ROHINGIA REFUGEES. The information I have got is that sending Rohingias to Sri Lanka has become a lucrative business in Mienmar. Please hold a census in the        Districts of Mannar, Trincomalee and Batticoloa to find out how many of them have been secretly settled in these Districts.,

I believe Rohingia issue too will be a major problem in the near future. It is your duty to nip it in the bud.

4) Request to adopt Boomiputra Policy to protect Sinhalese. As we all know Sinhala Nation is one of the dying nations. It is said that your government wants to adopt a New Constitution. In that this policy could be included. Follow the example of Malasia.

                                   L.K.N.Perera.

L.K.N. PERERA (LL.B Cey) Attorney at law, Labour Consultant, Ex-Senior Deputy Registrar, Supreme Court, Ex Judicial Officer,Ex-President. Lanka Academic Association, Ex Director Waste Management Authority, Co -Chairman- Seruvila Mangala Maha Chaityawardena Samitiya . Advisory Committee Member of All Ceylon Buddhist Congress. Commissioner of Aragalaya Inquiry Commission

No 22/1, Old Kesbewa Road .
Nugegoda
Tel 2869865, Mob -077- 6096588 Gmail-lknperera@gmail.com

CC 1) Hon Prime Minister.

2) Hon Chief Justice.

3) Hon Attorney General.

5) Indian, Canadian, British, Australian High Commissioners.

6) Hon President All Ceylon Buddhist Congress.

7) Hon Mahanayakes

8) Chief Incumbent

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

1948 සිට 2024 දක්වා ලංකාව පාලනය කළේ රට බ්‍රිතාන්‍ය කිරීටයට අර්ධව යටත්ව සිටි අවධියේ ස්ව චින්තනය නිර්මාණය වූ අගමැතිවරු සහ ජනාධිපවරුය. ඒ ගැන විවාදයක් තිබිය නොහැකිය.

ඒ අතරින් ගරු සිරිමාවෝ බණ්ඩාරනායක මැතිණිය එහි අපගමනයකි. ඒ අපගමනයේ ප්‍රතිඵලය වූයේ එතුමියගේ ප්‍රජා අයිතියද අහිමි කරවීමය. පසුව පාර්ලිමේන්තුව විසින්ම එකී ප්‍රජා අයිතිය අහිමි කිරීම වැරදි බවට යෝජනා කර ගත්තේ ය.

මෑත කාලයේ ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ පාලනය අවධි 4කට වෙන් කළ හැකිය.

1. 1815-1948 සෘජු යටත් විජිත සමය

2. 1948-1972 ඩොමීනියන්/ අර්ධ යටත් විජිත සමය

3. 1972-2024 යටත් විජිත චින්තකයන්ගේ පාලන සමය

4. 2024 නිදහස් චින්තකයන්ගේ පාලනය ආරම්භක සමය

ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ හිටපු ජනාධිපතිවරයෙකු සහ හිටපු අගමැතිවරයෙකු වූ 1949 දී උපත ලැබූ රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ මහතා අල්ජසීරා නාලිකාවේදී ප්‍රකාශ කරන ලද පහත අදහස මෙම ලිපිය මගින් මතු කරන කාරණය තව දුරටත් පැහැදිලි කරයි.
“I had to come. I wanted to come. I was a subject of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the second the queen of Ceylon, the most popular figure that we had…’

“මට එන්න සිද්ධ වුණා. මට එන්න ඕන වුණා. මම ලංකාවේ දෙවන එලිසබෙත් රැජිනගේ යටත් වැසියෙක්ව, අපිට හිටපු ජනප්‍රියම චරිතය…”

අනුර දිසානායක ජනාධිපතිවරයා 1968 ඉපදී ඇති අතර ඔහුගේ ස්ව චින්තනය නිර්මාණය වී ඇත්තේ 1972න් පසු ශ්‍රී ලංකා ජනරජය යටතේය.

එබැවින් 2024 දක්වා ශ්‍රී ලංකාව පාලනය කළ පාලකයන් මෙන් නොව අනුර දිසානායක ජනාධිපතිවරයාගේ ස්ව චින්තනය ගොඩ නැගීමේදී බ්‍රිතාන්‍යය කිරීටයේ බලපෑමෙන් සම්පූර්ණයෙන්ම මිදී තිබිය යුතුය. ඒ අනුව අනුර දිසානායක ජනාධිපතිවරයාත් යටත් විජිත චින්තයේම දිගුවක් ලෙස සැළකිය නොහැකි වුවත් එය ඔහුගේ ජනාධිපති ධූරයේ භූමිකාව ඉටුකරන ආකාරයෙන් කිව හැකිය.

ජනාධිපති ධූරයට පත් වී වසරක්වත් ගෙවී ගොස් නැති හෙයින්
1948 සිට පත් වූ අගමැතිවරුන් සහ ජනාධිපතිවරුන්ගේ ස්ව චින්තන සැළකීමේදී අනුර දිසානායක ජනාධිපතිවරයාත් යටත් විජිත චින්තයේම දිගුවක්ද යන ප්‍රශ්නයට පිළිතුරු සෙවීමට තවම කල් වැඩිය.

http://neethiyalk.blogspot.com/202 දුරකථන 0712063394 (2025.03.19)

By William D. Hartung Courtesy TomDispatch

Alex Karp, the CEO of the controversial military tech firm Palantir, is the coauthor of a new book, The Technological Republic: Hard Power, Soft Belief, and the Future of the West. In it, he calls for a renewed sense of national purpose and even greater cooperation between government and the tech sector. His book is, in fact, not just an account of how to spur technological innovation, but a distinctly ideological tract.

As a start, Karp roundly criticizes Silicon Valley’s focus on consumer-oriented products and events like video-sharing apps, online shopping, and social media platforms, which he dismisses as the narrow and the trivial.” His focus instead is on what he likes to think of as innovative big-tech projects of greater social and political consequence. He argues, in fact, that Americans face a moment of reckoning” in which we must decide what is this country, and for what do we stand?” And in the process, he makes it all too clear just where he stands — in strong support of what can only be considered a new global technological arms race, fueled by close collaboration between government and industry, and designed to preserve America’s fragile geopolitical advantage over our adversaries.”

Karp believes that applying American technological expertise to building next-generation weapons systems is not just a but the genuine path to national salvation, and he advocates a revival of the concept of the West” as foundational for future freedom and collective identity. As Sophie Hurwitz of Mother Jones noted recently, Karp summarized this view in a letter to Palantir shareholders in which he claimed that the rise of the West wasn’t due to the superiority of its ideas or values or religion… but rather by its superiority in applying organized violence.”

Count on one thing: Karp’s approach, if adopted, will yield billions of taxpayer dollars for Palantir and its militarized Silicon Valley cohorts in their search for AI weaponry that they see as the modern equivalent of nuclear weapons and the key to beating China, America’s current great power rival.

Militarism as a Unifying Force

Karp may be right that this country desperately needs a new national purpose, but his proposed solution is, to put it politely, dangerously misguided.

Ominously enough, one of his primary examples of a unifying initiative worth emulating is World War II’s Manhattan Project, which produced the first atomic bombs. He sees the building of those bombs as both a supreme technological achievement and a deep source of national pride, while conveniently ignoring their world-ending potential. And he proposes embarking on a comparable effort in the realm of emerging military technologies:

The United States and its allies abroad should without delay commit to launching a new Manhattan Project in order to retain exclusive control of the most sophisticated forms of AI for the battlefield — the targeting systems and swarms of drones and robots that will become the most powerful weapons of the century.”

And here’s a question he simply skips: How exactly will the United States and its allies retain exclusive control” of whatever sophisticated new military technologies they develop? After all, his call for an American AI buildup echoes the views expressed by opponents of the international control of nuclear technology in the wake of the devastating atomic bombings of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that ended World War II — the futile belief that the United States could maintain a permanent advantage that would cement its role as the world’s dominant military power. Nearly 80 years later, we continue to live with an enormously costly nuclear arms race — nine countries now possess such weaponry — in which a devastating war has been avoided as much thanks to luck as design. Meanwhile, past predictions of permanent American nuclear superiority have proven to be wishful thinking. Similarly, there’s no reason to assume that predictions of permanent superiority in AI-driven weaponry will prove any more accurate or that our world will be any safer.

Technology Will Not Save Us

Karp’s views are in sync with his fellow Silicon Valley militarists, from Palantir founder Peter Thiel to Palmer Luckey of the up-and-coming military tech firm Anduril to America’s virtual co-president, SpaceX’s Elon Musk. All of them are convinced that, at some future moment, by supplanting old-school corporate weapons makers like Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, they will usher in a golden age of American global primacy grounded in ever better technology. They see themselves as superior beings who can save this country and the world, if only the government — and ultimately, democracy itself — would get out of their way. Not surprisingly, their disdain for government does not extend to a refusal to accept billions and billions of dollars in federal contracts. Their anti-government ideology, of course, is part of what’s motivated Musk’s drive to try to dismantle significant parts of the federal government, allegedly in the name of efficiency.”

An actual efficiency drive would involve a careful analysis of what works and what doesn’t, which programs are essential and which aren’t, not an across-the-board, sledgehammer approach of the kind recently used to destroy the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), to the detriment of millions of people around the world who depended on its programs for access to food, clean water, and health care, including measures to prevent the spread of HIV-AIDS. Internal agency memos released to the press earlier this month indicated that, absent USAID assistance, up to 166,000 children could die of malaria, 200,000 could be paralyzed with polio, and a million of them wouldn’t be treated for acute malnutrition. In addition to saving lives, USAID’s programs cast America’s image in the world in a far better light than does a narrow reliance on its sprawling military footprint and undue resort to threats of force as pillars of its foreign policy.

As a military proposition, the idea that swarms of drones and robotic systems will prove to be the new miracle weapons,” ensuring American global dominance, contradicts a long history of such claims. From the electronic battlefield” in Vietnam to President Ronald Reagan’s quest for an impenetrable Star Wars” shield against nuclear missiles to the Gulf War’s Revolution in Military Affairs” (centered on networked warfare and supposedly precision-guided munitions), expressions of faith in advanced technology as the way to win wars and bolster American power globally have been misplaced. Either the technology didn’t work as advertised, adversaries came up with cheap, effective countermeasures, or the wars being fought were decided by factors like morale and knowledge of the local culture and terrain, not technological marvels. And count on this: AI weaponry will fare no better than those past miracles.”

First of all, there is no guarantee that weapons based on immensely complex software won’t suffer catastrophic failure in actual war conditions, with the added risk, as military analyst Michael Klare has pointed out, of starting unnecessary conflicts or causing unintended mass slaughter.

Second, Karp’s dream of exclusive control” of such systems by the U.S. and its allies is just that — a dream. China, for instance, has ample resources and technical talent to join an AI arms race, with uncertain results in terms of the global balance of power or the likelihood of a disastrous U.S.-China conflict.

Third, despite Pentagon pledges that there will always be a human being in the loop” in the use of AI-driven weaponry, the drive to wipe out enemy targets as quickly as possible will create enormous pressure to let the software, not human operators, make the decisions. As Biden administration Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall put it, If you have a human in the loop, you will lose.”

Automated weapons will pose tremendous risks of greater civilian casualties and, because such conflicts could be waged without putting large numbers of military personnel at risk, may only increase the incentive to resort to war, regardless of the consequences for civilian populations.

What Should America Stand For?

Technology is one thing. What it’s used for, and why, is another matter. And Karp’s vision of its role seems deeply immoral. The most damning real-world example of the values Karp seeks to promote can be seen in his unwavering support for Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. Not only were Palantir’s systems used to accelerate the pace of the Israeli Defense Force’s murderous bombing campaign there, but Karp himself has been one of the most vocal supporters of the Israeli war effort. He went so far as to hold a Palantir board meeting in Israel just a few months into the Gaza war in an effort to goad other corporate leaders into publicly supporting Israel’s campaign of mass killing.

Are these really the values Americans want to embrace? And given his stance, is Karp in any position to lecture Americans on values and national priorities, much less how to defend them?

Despite the fact that his company is in the business of enabling devastating conflicts, his own twisted logic leads Karp to believe that Palantir and the military-tech sector are on the side of the angels. In May 2024, at the AI Expo for National Competitiveness,” he said of the student-encampment movement for a ceasefire in Gaza, The peace activists are war activists. We are the peace activists.”

Invasion of the Techno-Optimists

And, of course, Karp is anything but alone in promoting a new tech-driven arms race. Elon Musk, who has been empowered to take a sledgehammer to large parts of the U.S. government and vacuum up sensitive personal information about millions of Americans, is also a major supplier of military technology to the Pentagon. And Vice President J.D. Vance, Silicon Valley’s man in the White House, was employed, mentored, and financed by Palantir founder Peter Thiel before joining the Trump administration.

The grip of the military-tech sector on the Trump administration is virtually unprecedented in the annals of influence-peddling, beginning with Elon Musk’s investment of an unprecedented $277 million in support of electing Donald Trump and Republican candidates for Congress in 2024. His influence then carried over into the presidential transition period, when he was consulted about all manner of budgetary and organizational issues, while emerging tech gurus like Marc Andreessen of the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz became involved in interviewing candidates for sensitive positions at the Pentagon. Today, the figure who is second-in-charge at the Pentagon, Stephen Feinberg of Cerberus Capital, has a long history of investing in military firms, including the emerging tech sector.

But by far the greatest form of influence is Musk’s wielding of the essentially self-created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to determine the fate of federal agencies, programs, and employees, despite the fact that he has neither been elected to any position, nor even confirmed by Congress, and that he now wields more power than all of Trump’s cabinet members combined.

As Alex Karp noted — no surprise here, of course — in a February 2025 call with Palantir investors, he’s a big fan of the DOGE, even if some people get hurt along the way:

We love disruption, and whatever’s good for America will be good for Americans and very good for Palantir. Disruption, at the end of the day, exposes things that aren’t working. There will be ups and downs. There’s a revolution. Some people are going to get their heads cut off. We’re expecting to see really unexpected things and to win.”

Even as Musk disrupts and destroys civilian government agencies, some critics of Pentagon overspending hold out hope that at least he will put his budget-cutting skills to work on that bloated agency. But so far the plan there is simply to shift money within the department, not reduce its near-trillion-dollar top line. And if anything is trimmed, it’s likely to involve reductions in civilian personnel, not lower spending on developing and building weaponry, which is where firms like Palantir make their money. Musk’s harsh critique of existing systems like Lockheed’s F-35 jet fighter — which he described as the worst military value for money in history” — is counterbalanced by his desire to get the Pentagon to spend far more on drones and other systems based on emerging (particularly AI) technologies.

Of course, any ideas about ditching older weapons systems will run up against fierce resistance in Congress, where jobs, revenues, campaign contributions, and armies of well-connected lobbyists create a firewall against reducing spending on existing programs, whether they have a useful role to play or not. And whatever DOGE suggests, Congress will have the last word. Key players like Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) have already revived the Reaganite slogan of peace through strength” to push for an increase of — no, this is not a misprint! — $150 billion in the Pentagon’s already staggering budget over the next four years.

What Should Our National Purpose Be?

Karp and his Silicon Valley colleagues are proposing a world in which government-subsidized military technology restores American global dominance and gives us a sense of renewed national purpose. It is, in fact, a remarkably impoverished vision of what the United States should stand for at this moment in history when non-military challenges like disease, climate change, racial and economic injustice, resurgent authoritarianism, and growing neofascist movements pose greater dangers than traditional military threats.

Technology has its place, but why not put our best technical minds to work creating affordable alternatives to fossil fuels, a public health system focused on the prevention of pandemics and other major outbreaks of disease, and an educational system that prepares students to be engaged citizens, not just cogs in an economic machine?

Reaching such goals would require reforming or even transforming our democracy — or what’s left of it — so that the input of the public actually made far more of a difference, and leadership served the public interest, not its own economic interests. In addition, government policy would no longer be distorted to meet the emotional needs of narcissistic demagogues, or to satisfy the desires of delusional tech moguls.

By all means, let’s unite around a common purpose. But that purpose shouldn’t be a supposedly more efficient way to build killing machines in the service of an outmoded quest for global dominance. Karp’s dream of a technological republic” armed with his AI weaponry would be one long nightmare for the rest of us.

Copyright 2025 William D. Hartung

Featured image: nch_1671_us-troops-train-in-lithuania_145451 by NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 / Flickr

Follow TomDispatch on Twitter and join us on Facebook. Check out the newest Dispatch Books, John Feffer’s new dystopian novel, Songlands (the final one in his Splinterlands series), Beverly Gologorsky’s novel Every Body Has a Story, and Tom Engelhardt’s A Nation Unmade by War, as well as Alfred McCoy’s In the Shadows of the American Century: The Rise and Decline of U.S. Global Power, John Dower’s The Violent American Century: War and Terror Since World War II, and Ann Jones’s They Were Soldiers: How the Wounded Return from America’s Wars: The Untold Story.

William D. Hartung

William D. Hartung, a TomDispatch regular, is a senior research fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, and the author, with Ben Freeman, of The Trillion Dollar War Machine: How Runaway Military Spending Drives America into Foreign Wars and Bankrupts Us at Home (forthcoming from Bold Type Books). 

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By David Herast

20/03/2025

Benjamin Netanyahu’s horrific resumption of the war on Gaza shows that no US-backed ceasefire deal is worth the paper it is printed on

At 2:20am on Tuesday local time in the Gaza Strip, Washington inaugurated a new era in world politics. This was the moment Israel timed its attacks on dozens of targets in the enclave to coincide with suhoor, the predawn meal eaten by Muslims in preparation for a day of fasting.

The timing was designed to inflict maximum civilian casualties, as families across Gaza gathered to eat and pray during the holy month of Ramadan, even if they had little or no food to consume.

The mass simultaneous attacks on 100 separate locations achieved their objective, making it one of the worst acts of wanton butchery by Israeli forces during the 15-month war on Gaza.

More than 400 Palestinians were killed, including more than 170 children, according to Gaza health officials. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought and got a green light from Washington before launching these attacks.

US President Donald Trump thus signalled a new era in global affairs by giving his consent for a wave of attacks that broke every aspect of the ceasefire deal, signed in the presence of international guarantors. In one act, Trump turned the West that his nation claims to lead into the Wild West.

From this moment on, no treaty, ceasefire or international agreement that the US signs is worth the paper it is printed on.

A US president who persuaded the credulous imams of Michigan that he was a man of peace, and even the next potential recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, now uses the label Palestinian” as a political slur against Jewish Democratic politicians.

The president who vowed to stop all wars has launched or permitted air strikes in Yemen, Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria simultaneously, and is promising that all hell will break loose on Iran if it does not submit to his demands.

A US president who told the families of the hostages that he would do everything in his power to get them back alive, has allowed Israel to effectively apply its Hannibal Directive to the two dozen who, before Tuesday morning’s attacks, were believed to be living. If Israel behaves like this, what incentive does it now give Hamas to keep the remaining hostages alive?

‘Army of God’s vengeance’

For Netanyahu, the timing of these attacks was everything, for quite different reasons.

On Tuesday, he was due to appear in court on multiple corruption charges, which as the case progresses, are tightening a noose around his political neck. The renewed war gave him an excuse to tell the court he could not attend.

As Ahmad Tibi, a Knesset member and chairman of the Taal party, writes in Middle East Eye: It is no coincidence that Tuesday’s bombardment comes just before a key budget vote, with ultra-Orthodox lawmakers threatening to topple the government if a law excluding their community from conscription is not passed, and former National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir issuing ultimatums.”

Bezalel Smotrich, Netanyahu’s finance minister and leader of the extremist Religious Zionist Party, was right all along when he assured the world that Netanyahu would resume the war in Gaza.

On Tuesday, Smotrich said the hostage families had been heard too much”, during a clash at the Knesset with Ayala Metzger, the daughter-in-law of slain captive Yoram Metzger. We thought that we were serving in the [Israeli army] and not the army of God’s vengeance,” she said. In these very moments, we are murdering hostages, and there is a deal on the table.”

But for the Religious Zionists, who now form the single most powerful group in Israel, the army of God’s vengeance is exactly what the Gaza campaign is all about.

They have done everything in their power to make a dispute over land into a religious war. For years, they have pushed police to attack worshippers at Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan, directly prompting the Hamas attack of 7 October 2023, which the group dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. Hamas is proscribed as a terrorist group in the UK and other countries.

Even the bitterest of foes can agree to stop fighting during religious festivals. But Israel on Tuesday morning did not just renege on a ceasefire deal it had signed; it specifically targeted worshippers gathered to perform a religious ritual.

If Israel is a small, settler-colonial beachhead in a region entirely surrounded by Muslims, this attempt to turn the conflict into a religious one represents folly of suicidal proportions. The flame it has lit in all Muslim hearts will be hard to extinguish.

It will be equally hard, if not impossible, for the survivors of this attack to consider a common future with Israeli Jews in either two states or one state.

Force of terror

Despite its actions on 7 October 2023, Hamas remains, in the view of most military analysts, a disciplined militia that sticks to the agreements it signs. It is Israel that is acting like an undisciplined force of terror, violating an internationally recognised deal multiple times.

Even before Tuesday’s attack, Israel had killed more than 150 Palestinians in Gaza during the ceasefire. It failed to start talks regarding stage two on the 16th day of stage one, as prescribed in the deal. It failed to fulfil its commitment to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor. It delayed the release of Palestinian prisoners for a week.

Israel has behaved like a mafia, attempting to bully Gaza into a different deal altogether. It formulated a proposal, which it put in the mouth of Steve Witkoff, although there was no word of endorsement from Trump’s envoy, and demanded that Hamas release 11 living hostages and half of the dead in return for a 50-day ceasefire. This would have been a completely different deal from the one negotiated by Qatari and Egyptian mediators over months.

As Maariv reported, Tuesday’s surprise attacks had been long in the planning by the army and Shin Bet. The aim was to target as many members of Hamas as possible in the first strike, much in the same way it had disabled the senior command of Hezbollah at the outset of its war in Lebanon.

Gaza, like much of the Muslim world, had changed its clocks in recent days for Ramadan, which aided the mission, according to Maariv.

The Shin Bet and military intelligence prepared the locations where Hamas members were expected to be present and hold suhoor meals. The Shin Bet and Israeli Air Force’s mission was for dozens of aircraft and combat vehicles in the first wave of attacks to drop hundreds of bombs simultaneously on targets where Hamas members were located in Gaza,” the report noted. At 2:20am, the order was given.”

It is not yet known how many Hamas leaders were killed in the air strikes, but an attack like this is unlikely to work.

Rite of passage

Hamas is not Hezbollah, and has a strong institutional collective identity in which leaders are quickly replaced. Even the attack on Hezbollah’s leadership had no known effect on its ability to resist Israel’s ground invasion, and its ability to peg Israel’s elite forces to within a few kilometres of the border.

Hamas has no known problems with recruitment and can replace fighters quicker than they are killed by the Israeli army. This ability has been acknowledged by Israeli generals themselves. If anything, an attack like this is the biggest recruitment drive Hamas could wish for – so a resumption of the war will not likely represent a killer blow to the organisation as a whole.

Nor will it, on current evidence, change the determination of Palestinians in Gaza to stay on their land.

One young mother woke up to find her children and husband dead. My children died hungry,” she said. I swear by God, my children refused to have suhoor. God is sufficient for me and He is the best disposer of affairs against you, Netanyahu. May God hold you responsible … I am a mother whose heart is burning with grief. May God make your heart burn for your children, Netanyahu. Where are the Arabs? They are just watching us.”

Palestine’s Arab neighbours are not the only ones sitting on their hands.

A Europe and UK so keen to defy Trump’s developing plan to carve up Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin are doing absolutely nothing to stop the slaughter in Gaza.

Indeed, for Keir Starmer, Gaza is emerging as a rite of passage essential for his prime ministerial credentials.

At two major junctures since the 7 October attack, Starmer defied the opinions of his cabinet, as voiced by the soft left – David Lammy, Yvette Cooper and Lisa Nandy – and key members of the Labour right, like Shabana Mahmood and Wes Streeting, who came within a few hundred votes of losing his seat in the last election.

Journalists Patrick Maguire and Gabriel Pogrund chronicle both events in their book Get In, which charts the influence of Morgan McSweeney, Starmer’s Machiavellian Irish-born fixer in the Labour leader’s rise to power.

Double standards

In the first instance, Starmer refused to publicly apologise for his LBC interview with Nick Ferrari, in which he said Israel had the right to withhold water and electricity from Gaza. He eventually issued a clarification, saying he was answering a question about Israel’s right to defend itself.

In the second, Starmer turned against his own kitchen cabinet, including such figures as Philippe Sands and Richard Hermer, both honourable jurists committed to the sanctity of international law. They are also Jewish.

As the destruction in Gaza deepened, Lammy, Cooper, Nandy, Mahmood and Streeting lobbied Starmer to change his tune, according to Maguire and Pogrund.

Mahmood diagnosed in the leader’s office a debilitating case of double standards, suspecting privately that they believed that opposition to Israel’s actions was driven by antisemitism,” the authors write. Starmer’s advisers looked on impassively … McSweeney had always embraced the possibility that Labour might lose millions of voters who had been willing to support the party under [Jeremy] Corbyn.”

Describing the view in Starmer’s office, one unnamed shadow cabinet member told the authors: They see Palestinian activism as a creature of the far left.”

This view persists to this day. On Tuesday, Starmer publicly overruled his foreign secretary after Lammy accused Israel of violating international law through the imposition of a full blockade, which has cut water and electricity to 2.3 million people in Gaza.

British complicity

Had Netanyahu not launched his surprise attack, Starmer would have welcomed Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar to the UK with open arms – even after Israel acted with contempt towards Emily Thornberry, the chair of parliament’s foreign affairs select committee. Israel’s deputy foreign minister, Sharren Haskel, secretly filmed her and posted the footage to Instagram.

Saar was a member of the cabinet that voted to cut water and electricity to Gaza. He is also an avowed opponent of a Palestinian state, saying last November that creating a Palestinian state today would be tantamount to creating a Hamas state”.

Starmer’s Britain is fully complicit in allowing Israel to commit genocide in Gaza. The sanctity of international law no longer means anything to the former barrister who made his name in human rights.

But this is far from the end of the story, nor indeed the end of the story of Starmer’s rise and fall from power. Neither Hamas, nor more importantly the Palestinians of Gaza, will fade away quickly and conveniently.

Gaza could yet prove to be for Starmer what the Iraq War proved to be for his guide and mentor, Tony Blair – the coup de grace of his premiership.

Both Labour leaders used war in a Muslim country as a show of political cojones. Both believed that war-mongering meant automatic entry into the elite club of world leaders. But for Starmer, as for Blair, war will be his undoing.

For whoever picks up the pieces from the rubble left by the Trump era, the West’s role as the moral leader of the world is gone for good. It has wilfully abrogated that role, at the cost of thousands more Palestinian and Muslim lives.

We remind our readers that publication of articles on our site does not mean that we agree with what is written. Our policy is to publish anything which we consider of interest, so as to assist our readers  in forming their opinions. Sometimes we even publish articles with which we totally disagree, since we believe it is important for our readers to be informed on as wide a spectrum of views as possible.

Courtesy Adaderana

The Election Commission has announced that the upcoming Local Government (LG) Elections in Sri Lanka will be held on May 06. 

The acceptance of nominations for the LG Elections concluded at 12.00 noon today (20).

The nomination process for 336 Local Government institutions commenced on March 17, and the election date was confirmed after the conclusion of the nomination period.

Additionally, the deadline for placing deposits for the LG Elections ended yesterday (19).

Earlier, the Election Commission had announced an extension of key deadlines related to the elections, with the official polling date to be set following the completion of the nomination process.

Courtesy Adaderana

The Sri Lanka Police Media Spokesman SSP Buddhika Manatunga has reportedly tendered his resignation from the position.

He has already handed over his letter of resignation to the Acting IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya, according to sources. 

Hiru News

Former IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon has been remanded until April 3 after being produced before the Matara Magistrate’s Court today.

Tennakoon, who had an open warrant issued for his arrest, surrendered to the court yesterday morning accompanied by a group of lawyers after being in hiding for 20 days.

On February 27, the court ordered the arrest of Tennakoon and seven others on charges of conspiring to commit murder in a shooting incident in Weligama on December 31, 2023.

The Court of Appeal recently dismissed Tennakoon’s writ petition seeking to prevent the arrest order’s execution. Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala stated that Tennakoon surrendered when Criminal Investigation Department officers arrived at the court to seek an order to ban his activities.

උපුටා ගැන්ම  ලංකා ලීඩර්

ඇමෙරිකාවේ, එංගලන්තෙවත නැති සංක්‍රින්ති ලිංගිකයන්  සම්බන්ධ විෂයන් අපේ පාසලලේ විෂය නිර්දේශයට ඇතුළත් නොකරන ලෙස ඉල්ලමින් ආචාර්ය අජන්තා පෙරේරා මහත්මිය ඊයේ (18) අධ්‍යාපන අමාත්‍යාංශයේ ලේකම්වරයා වෙත ලිපියක් බාරදීමට කටයුතු කර ඇත. එම ලිපිය බාරදීමෙන් අනතුරුව ඇය මාධ්‍ය වෙත අදහස් දක්වමින්මෙසේ පැවසීය.  

‘‘මේ රටේ දෙමාපියන් තම දරුවන් ඉපදූනාට පස්සේ තේරුම් ගන්නවා. මේ ඉපදිලා ඉන්නේ ගැහැණු දරුවෙක්ද, පිරිමි දරුවෙක්ද කියලා. ඊට පස්සේ ඔවුන් නිසි වයස පැමිණුනාට පස්සේ අධ්‍යාපනය සදහා පාසල් වෙත යොමුකරනවා. ඒ නිසි පරිදි අධ්‍යාපනය ලබාදෙන්න. පාසල තුළ තියෙනවා විෂය නිර්දේශ ඒවා තමයි අපි දරුවන්ට උගන්වන්නේ. හැබැයි මේ මෑතක ඉදලා පාසල් පද්ධතියට ගේන්න උත්සාහ කරනවා පිරිමි ගැහැණු කියන පිරිසට අමතරව නපුංසක කියලා කොටසක් ඉන්නවා කියලා. මේ පුංචි දරුවන්ට මේවා ඉගැන්නුවාම ඔවුන්ගේ මනස විකෘති වෙනවා. යැයි පැවසූ අතර ඇය විසින් මෙහිදී දීර්ඝ පැහැදිලි කිරීමක් සිදුකළේය. එම වීඩියෝප පහතින් 

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon was remanded until tomorrow (20) following his appearance before the Matara Magistrate’s Court this morning (19).

By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Colombo, March 19 (Daily Mirror) – Claiming that the expected paddy harvest this year had diminished by 5 million metric tonnes, Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe said yesterday the government may have to import rice again to meet the demand.

He told Parliament that the estimated paddy harvest this year was 2.9 million metric tonnes and that it has reduced to 2.4 million metric tonnes due to adverse weather conditions and floods.

“If there is a shortage in the rice market, the government will have to import rice to meet the demand. We clearly said the government will not import rice if there was no natural disaster,” he said.

Responding to a question by SLPP MP D.V. Chanaka that rice prices will increase over Rs. 350 if paddy is to be purchased at Rs. 120 a kilo, the Minister said the government will not allow rice prices to exceed the controlled price for any reason.

Courtesy Adaderana

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that the trade union actions by healthcare professionals cannot be justified, considering that the largest salary increase in history granted by a government without any demands or pressure from professional associations has already been implemented.

The President made these remarks during a meeting held today (19) at the Presidential Secretariat with the Public Services United Nurses’ Union (PSUNU), the PMD reported.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake highlighted that despite operating within a constrained economic framework, the government has prioritized increasing the basic salaries of public sector employees in this year’s budget. 

This initiative aims to enhance the efficiency of the public service, attract skilled professionals, and ensure the sustainability of the sector, he said.

The President stated that salaries have been increased under six key categories in the budget. These include a minimum increase of Rs. 15,000 in the basic salary, an increment in overtime and holiday allowances, an 80% increase in salary increments, an upward revision of pension benefits in line with the revised total salary, and an increase in the taxable income threshold.

Officials from the PSUNU expressed their appreciation for the salary increments, highlighting that they have been well received by a significant portion of the public sector workforce. They also brought to the President’s attention the existing challenges within the nursing profession and requested prompt solutions to address these issues, the statement said.

The meeting was attended by the Chancellor of the University of Colombo, Chief Sanganayaka of Western Province, the Chairman of PSUNU Ven. Muruththettuwe Ananda Thera, Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake along with several officials from the PSUNU.

–PMD

Asoka Weerasinghe

Mr.Deepak Anand,  (Conservative) MPP  Mississauga-Malton
7895 Tranmere Drive, Unit 11
Mississauga, On
L5S 1V9

I voted for you but we do not like Bill 104” said Vijitha Bulathsinghala  (March 12, 2025)

This letter is my response to Deepak Anand, Conservative MPP for Mississauga-Malton, to whom Vijitha Bulathsinghala wrote.

2066 Kings Grove Crescent Ottawa, Ontario . K1J 6G1               17 March 2025

Dear Deepak:

 I am Asoka Weerasinghe of Ottawa East, a Sinhalese Buddhist, from Sri Lanka, who has been domiciled in Canada since October 16, 1970  (who arrived in Canada from London, England,  having lived there since December 1956). I did not vote for your party member in Ottawa-Vanier, and I would not have even holding my nose closed and drop my ballot into the box, to keep away from the sickly smell of the lying Canadian politicians who provide oxygen to the separatist Tamils to continue with their diatribe

to hurt my Mother Lanka who nurtured me with affection for the first 19-years of my life.

There is a sense of gratitude in me — I was brought up that way by my Mum and Dad, the Classic WEERA-SINHA’S who you see holding a sword upright in Sri Lanka’s National Flag.

Deepak, I was  a card carrying Conservative many, many moons ago,who packed you all and put away together with the Liberals and NDPers with a commitment to never ever vote for your bunch, who I consider as ‘God damn Liars’, when you all accused my Mother Lanka to have committed “Genocide” on your Constituent  Tamil Friends, the

Tamils who are sympathisers for the Tamil Tiger Terrorists and their separatist  mono-ethnic Eelam cause.

Deepak, what a bloody shame, when you Canadian politicians show your hypocrisy

recognizing others Genocide that you say happened 13,995 km (Toronto to Colombo)  away except your own Genocide 4,007 km (Mississauga to Kamloops) away of Canada’s Indigenous peoples in Kamloops, B.C.

Shish! Deepak, let’s cut out that We are Holier than thou’ attitude as we Canadians are not that Holy, nor are they lily-white.

The Tamil Tigers were serial killers who killed my innocent Sinhalese people, farmers and fisher folk, the pregnant mothers, and infants plucked from their Mother’s breasts, and kids. in the border villages in the North and East of Sri Lanka, which happens to be part of my Homeland the beautiful resplendent island, Sri Lanka.  And Conservative politicians  say that you all got bleeding hearts —what rubbish..what poppycock…what strings of masala wades with a dead curled shrimp fried-stuck in the center hanging at the windows in Curry Huts in Mississauga-Malton.

Deepak, get this right.  It were these Tamil terrorists who were spoiling for a fight,  and not with stones, catapults and bamboo sticks, but with Kalashnikov live bullets, mallets and butcher knives, claymore mines and hand grenades brought in eleven armoury

Warships along the east coast’s Mullaitivu at night’s dark.

They were aided and abetted by Canadian Government’s of Chretian, and Martin letting the Canadian-Tamils collect 2-million dollars a month for 13 years to stuff the Tamil Tiger war chests to buy sophisticated war weapons to kill my people. Nasty…nasty…and that was brutal Canada.  Shame on You politicians and this immigrant-Canadian resents it.

After the Tamil Tiger Terrorist-butts were whipped on May 19, 2009, they started crying and lying like man-babies, and Canadian politicians like you with bleeding hearts sucked in turning your guns at the Government of Sri Lanka saying that they committed Genocide against the Tamils.  It is only the Canadian politicians like you who says so, when even the UN says that there were no such acts of Genocide. 

It was the normal ‘War attrition of life’ when you live by the gun that you die by the gun.  It’s that simple.   As there was no Manual for Dummies prepared by your Canadian Government nor Amnesty International, nor the United Nations to instruct the

Sri Lankan soldiers, how to win a war without killing anyone, Let’s STOP the Tamil vote

hungry fingers pointing wrongly at Sri Lanka, which happened to be my O Sri Lanka my Home and Native Land….from far and wide…O Sri Lanka I will stand on guard for thee…”

Deepak, if I question the Mirror in my washroom, “Mirror….mirror…on the wall, who is the liar of them all,  who accuse my Mother Lanka as a Tamil Genocide Wallah?.; The Mirror will tell me , it’s the Tamil vote hungry Canadian politicians.”    Damn it, I knew it all along…” I would respond

Vijitha told you in his letter of March 12”…I voted for you but we do not like Bill 104”.  Those collective words …but we do not like Bill 104”, includes me, Ottawa’s Asoka

Weerasinghe, too.

To conclude this letter to you I will prove positive that you Tamil vote hungry politicians of all three major Canadian political parties, the Conservatives, the LIberals and the NDPers, lie and exaggerate when talking of Tamil Genocide in Sri Lanka, as I told you earlier as Hogs wash, Cods wallop, poppycock, buckets of capelin washed on the shores of Middle Cove in Newfoundland, and strings of Tamil masala wade,

Here is an exaggerated lie in the Preamble presented on Bill 104  – the Act to proclaim Tamil Genocide Education Week.

Here’s the exaggerated lie in the text of the Preamble of Bill 104.

For example, the Sinhala Only Act of 1956 made Sinhalese the official language of Sri Lanka ignoring the 29 percent of the population whose primary language was Tamil…” 

There were no 29 percent of people who spoke the Tamil language…” I am surprised that the Tamil draftsman had difficulty doing a simple Grade 3 addition of numbers.

According to.the Tamil speaking population Census Stats of  Sri Lanka in 1981 was thus:

Tamils   …. 1,871,535 (12.6%); Indian Tamils 825,233 (5.5%); ?suspect Tamil speaking Moors  1,056,972 (7.1%)

Simple Grade 3 Arithmetic Class would come up with – 12.6%+ 5.5% + ?7.1% =

25.2%   And Holy Cow, that is not the exaggerated number of 29%.

These Tamils certainly knew how to make the Canadian politicians suckers” when they were hungry for the Sinhala blood soaked Tamil votes…

And by the way, Deepak, did any Tamil, not two or three, just one thank the Sri Lankan soldiers for saving 295,873 Tamil refugees who were used as a Human Shield by the Tamil Tigers during the final six months of the Eelam War, from the clutches of the Tamil Tigers.  These refugee were marched under a scorching Jaffna-Killinochchi sun  like a herd of unwashed cattle from the west coast to the east coast,  The 295,873 Tamil, refugees were easy targets to be bumped-off and  would have been a good reason to call it Genocide.  But it didn’t happen.  How and Why, I ask?   And so would you!

If Genocide was the calling  of Sri Lankan soldiers to win the war, but they did not bump off the 295,873 Tamils.  They were not only rescued from the clutches of the Tamil Tigers,  but these God’s sent saviours housed the 295,873 rescued Tamils in a white tent city and sustained them by preparing a million meals, hearty breakfasts, lunches and dinners every day.  You bet, Genocide was never in the Sri Lankan soldier’s victory cards..  It was a Humane War Textbook  Human Rights Classic Act which deserved a nomination for a Nobel Peace Prize..  

But no Canadian wants to talk about it, as it would only diminish the Tamil refugee cause for being considered to be a ‘Convention Refugee’..   Deepak, think about it.  You have certainly shunned the opportunity to prove to be an Honest Canadian politician.   Shucks!   Damn the Tamil lies! C’est la vie!

There are no If’s and But’s Mother Lanka, you bet I will stand on guard for thee in every nook and corner of Canada.   Jayawewa…Jayawewa…Jayawewa

Bless You!

Sincerely,

Asoka Weerasinghe

Mr.Deepak Anand,  (Conservative) MPP  Mississauga-Malton

7895 Tranmere Drive, Unit 11

Mississauga, On

L5S 1V9

I voted for you but we do not like Bill 104” said Vijitha Bulathsinghala  (March 12, 2025)

This letter is my response to Deepak Anand, Conservative MPP for Mississauga-Malton, to whom Vijitha Bulathsinghala wrote.

2066 Kings Grove Crescent Ottawa, Ontario . K1J 6G1               17 March 2025

Dear Deepak:

 I am Asoka Weerasinghe of Ottawa East, a Sinhalese Buddhist, from Sri Lanka, who has been domiciled in Canada since October 16, 1970  (who arrived in Canada from London, England,  having lived there since December 1956). I did not vote for your party member in Ottawa-Vanier, and I would not have even holding my nose closed and drop my ballot into the box, to keep away from the sickly smell of the lying Canadian politicians who provide oxygen to the separatist Tamils to continue with their diatribe

to hurt my Mother Lanka who nurtured me with affection for the first 19-years of my life.

There is a sense of gratitude in me — I was brought up that way by my Mum and Dad, the Classic WEERA-SINHA’S who you see holding a sword upright in Sri Lanka’s National Flag.

Deepak, I was  a card carrying Conservative many, many moons ago,who packed you all and put away together with the Liberals and NDPers with a commitment to never ever vote for your bunch, who I consider as ‘God damn Liars’, when you all accused my Mother Lanka to have committed “Genocide” on your Constituent  Tamil Friends, the

Tamils who are sympathisers for the Tamil Tiger Terrorists and their separatist  mono-ethnic Eelam cause.

Deepak, what a bloody shame, when you Canadian politicians show your hypocrisy

recognizing others Genocide that you say happened 13,995 km (Toronto to Colombo)  away except your own Genocide 4,007 km (Mississauga to Kamloops) away of Canada’s Indigenous peoples in Kamloops, B.C.

Shish! Deepak, let’s cut out that We are Holier than thou’ attitude as we Canadians are not that Holy, nor are they lily-white.

The Tamil Tigers were serial killers who killed my innocent Sinhalese people, farmers and fisher folk, the pregnant mothers, and infants plucked from their Mother’s breasts, and kids. in the border villages in the North and East of Sri Lanka, which happens to be part of my Homeland the beautiful resplendent island, Sri Lanka.  And Conservative politicians  say that you all got bleeding hearts —what rubbish..what poppycock…what strings of masala wades with a dead curled shrimp fried-stuck in the center hanging at the windows in Curry Huts in Mississauga-Malton.

Deepak, get this right.  It were these Tamil terrorists who were spoiling for a fight,  and not with stones, catapults and bamboo sticks, but with Kalashnikov live bullets, mallets and butcher knives, claymore mines and hand grenades brought in eleven armoury

Warships along the east coast’s Mullaitivu at night’s dark.

They were aided and abetted by Canadian Government’s of Chretian, and Martin letting the Canadian-Tamils collect 2-million dollars a month for 13 years to stuff the Tamil Tiger war chests to buy sophisticated war weapons to kill my people. Nasty…nasty…and that was brutal Canada.  Shame on You politicians and this immigrant-Canadian resents it.

After the Tamil Tiger Terrorist-butts were whipped on May 19, 2009, they started crying and lying like man-babies, and Canadian politicians like you with bleeding hearts sucked in turning your guns at the Government of Sri Lanka saying that they committed Genocide against the Tamils.  It is only the Canadian politicians like you who says so, when even the UN says that there were no such acts of Genocide. 

It was the normal ‘War attrition of life’ when you live by the gun that you die by the gun.  It’s that simple.   As there was no Manual for Dummies prepared by your Canadian Government nor Amnesty International, nor the United Nations to instruct the

Sri Lankan soldiers, how to win a war without killing anyone, Let’s STOP the Tamil vote

hungry fingers pointing wrongly at Sri Lanka, which happened to be my O Sri Lanka my Home and Native Land….from far and wide…O Sri Lanka I will stand on guard for thee…”

Deepak, if I question the Mirror in my washroom, “Mirror….mirror…on the wall, who is the liar of them all,  who accuse my Mother Lanka as a Tamil Genocide Wallah?.; The Mirror will tell me , it’s the Tamil vote hungry Canadian politicians.”    Damn it, I knew it all along…” I would respond

Vijitha told you in his letter of March 12”…I voted for you but we do not like Bill 104”.  Those collective words …but we do not like Bill 104”, includes me, Ottawa’s Asoka

Weerasinghe, too.

To conclude this letter to you I will prove positive that you Tamil vote hungry politicians of all three major Canadian political parties, the Conservatives, the LIberals and the NDPers, lie and exaggerate when talking of Tamil Genocide in Sri Lanka, as I told you earlier as Hogs wash, Cods wallop, poppycock, buckets of capelin washed on the shores of Middle Cove in Newfoundland, and strings of Tamil masala wade,

Here is an exaggerated lie in the Preamble presented on Bill 104  – the Act to proclaim Tamil Genocide Education Week.

Here’s the exaggerated lie in the text of the Preamble of Bill 104.

For example, the Sinhala Only Act of 1956 made Sinhalese the official language of Sri Lanka ignoring the 29 percent of the population whose primary language was Tamil…” 

There were no 29 percent of people who spoke the Tamil language…” I am surprised that the Tamil draftsman had difficulty doing a simple Grade 3 addition of numbers.

According to.the Tamil speaking population Census Stats of  Sri Lanka in 1981 was thus:

Tamils   …. 1,871,535 (12.6%); Indian Tamils 825,233 (5.5%); ?suspect Tamil speaking Moors  1,056,972 (7.1%)

Simple Grade 3 Arithmetic Class would come up with – 12.6%+ 5.5% + ?7.1% =

25.2%   And Holy Cow, that is not the exaggerated number of 29%.

These Tamils certainly knew how to make the Canadian politicians suckers” when they were hungry for the Sinhala blood soaked Tamil votes…

And by the way, Deepak, did any Tamil, not two or three, just one thank the Sri Lankan soldiers for saving 295,873 Tamil refugees who were used as a Human Shield by the Tamil Tigers during the final six months of the Eelam War, from the clutches of the Tamil Tigers.  These refugee were marched under a scorching Jaffna-Killinochchi sun  like a herd of unwashed cattle from the west coast to the east coast,  The 295,873 Tamil, refugees were easy targets to be bumped-off and  would have been a good reason to call it Genocide.  But it didn’t happen.  How and Why, I ask?   And so would you!

If Genocide was the calling  of Sri Lankan soldiers to win the war, but they did not bump off the 295,873 Tamils.  They were not only rescued from the clutches of the Tamil Tigers,  but these God’s sent saviours housed the 295,873 rescued Tamils in a white tent city and sustained them by preparing a million meals, hearty breakfasts, lunches and dinners every day.  You bet, Genocide was never in the Sri Lankan soldier’s victory cards..  It was a Humane War Textbook  Human Rights Classic Act which deserved a nomination for a Nobel Peace Prize..  

But no Canadian wants to talk about it, as it would only diminish the Tamil refugee cause for being considered to be a ‘Convention Refugee’..   Deepak, think about it.  You have certainly shunned the opportunity to prove to be an Honest Canadian politician.   Shucks!   Damn the Tamil lies! C’est la vie!

There are no If’s and But’s Mother Lanka, you bet I will stand on guard for thee in every nook and corner of Canada.   Jayawewa…Jayawewa…Jayawewa

Bless You!

Sincerely,

Asoka Weerasinghe

Mr.Deepak Anand,  (Conservative) MPP  Mississauga-Malton

7895 Tranmere Drive, Unit 11

Mississauga, On

L5S 1V9

I voted for you but we do not like Bill 104” said Vijitha Bulathsinghala  (March 12, 2025)

This letter is my response to Deepak Anand, Conservative MPP for Mississauga-Malton, to whom Vijitha Bulathsinghala wrote.

2066 Kings Grove Crescent Ottawa, Ontario . K1J 6G1               17 March 2025

Dear Deepak:

 I am Asoka Weerasinghe of Ottawa East, a Sinhalese Buddhist, from Sri Lanka, who has been domiciled in Canada since October 16, 1970  (who arrived in Canada from London, England,  having lived there since December 1956). I did not vote for your party member in Ottawa-Vanier, and I would not have even holding my nose closed and drop my ballot into the box, to keep away from the sickly smell of the lying Canadian politicians who provide oxygen to the separatist Tamils to continue with their diatribe

to hurt my Mother Lanka who nurtured me with affection for the first 19-years of my life.

There is a sense of gratitude in me — I was brought up that way by my Mum and Dad, the Classic WEERA-SINHA’S who you see holding a sword upright in Sri Lanka’s National Flag.

Deepak, I was  a card carrying Conservative many, many moons ago,who packed you all and put away together with the Liberals and NDPers with a commitment to never ever vote for your bunch, who I consider as ‘God damn Liars’, when you all accused my Mother Lanka to have committed “Genocide” on your Constituent  Tamil Friends, the

Tamils who are sympathisers for the Tamil Tiger Terrorists and their separatist  mono-ethnic Eelam cause.

Deepak, what a bloody shame, when you Canadian politicians show your hypocrisy

recognizing others Genocide that you say happened 13,995 km (Toronto to Colombo)  away except your own Genocide 4,007 km (Mississauga to Kamloops) away of Canada’s Indigenous peoples in Kamloops, B.C.

Shish! Deepak, let’s cut out that We are Holier than thou’ attitude as we Canadians are not that Holy, nor are they lily-white.

The Tamil Tigers were serial killers who killed my innocent Sinhalese people, farmers and fisher folk, the pregnant mothers, and infants plucked from their Mother’s breasts, and kids. in the border villages in the North and East of Sri Lanka, which happens to be part of my Homeland the beautiful resplendent island, Sri Lanka.  And Conservative politicians  say that you all got bleeding hearts —what rubbish..what poppycock…what strings of masala wades with a dead curled shrimp fried-stuck in the center hanging at the windows in Curry Huts in Mississauga-Malton.

Deepak, get this right.  It were these Tamil terrorists who were spoiling for a fight,  and not with stones, catapults and bamboo sticks, but with Kalashnikov live bullets, mallets and butcher knives, claymore mines and hand grenades brought in eleven armoury

Warships along the east coast’s Mullaitivu at night’s dark.

They were aided and abetted by Canadian Government’s of Chretian, and Martin letting the Canadian-Tamils collect 2-million dollars a month for 13 years to stuff the Tamil Tiger war chests to buy sophisticated war weapons to kill my people. Nasty…nasty…and that was brutal Canada.  Shame on You politicians and this immigrant-Canadian resents it.

After the Tamil Tiger Terrorist-butts were whipped on May 19, 2009, they started crying and lying like man-babies, and Canadian politicians like you with bleeding hearts sucked in turning your guns at the Government of Sri Lanka saying that they committed Genocide against the Tamils.  It is only the Canadian politicians like you who says so, when even the UN says that there were no such acts of Genocide. 

It was the normal ‘War attrition of life’ when you live by the gun that you die by the gun.  It’s that simple.   As there was no Manual for Dummies prepared by your Canadian Government nor Amnesty International, nor the United Nations to instruct the

Sri Lankan soldiers, how to win a war without killing anyone, Let’s STOP the Tamil vote

hungry fingers pointing wrongly at Sri Lanka, which happened to be my O Sri Lanka my Home and Native Land….from far and wide…O Sri Lanka I will stand on guard for thee…”

Deepak, if I question the Mirror in my washroom, “Mirror….mirror…on the wall, who is the liar of them all,  who accuse my Mother Lanka as a Tamil Genocide Wallah?.; The Mirror will tell me , it’s the Tamil vote hungry Canadian politicians.”    Damn it, I knew it all along…” I would respond

Vijitha told you in his letter of March 12”…I voted for you but we do not like Bill 104”.  Those collective words …but we do not like Bill 104”, includes me, Ottawa’s Asoka

Weerasinghe, too.

To conclude this letter to you I will prove positive that you Tamil vote hungry politicians of all three major Canadian political parties, the Conservatives, the LIberals and the NDPers, lie and exaggerate when talking of Tamil Genocide in Sri Lanka, as I told you earlier as Hogs wash, Cods wallop, poppycock, buckets of capelin washed on the shores of Middle Cove in Newfoundland, and strings of Tamil masala wade,

Here is an exaggerated lie in the Preamble presented on Bill 104  – the Act to proclaim Tamil Genocide Education Week.

Here’s the exaggerated lie in the text of the Preamble of Bill 104.

For example, the Sinhala Only Act of 1956 made Sinhalese the official language of Sri Lanka ignoring the 29 percent of the population whose primary language was Tamil…” 

There were no 29 percent of people who spoke the Tamil language…” I am surprised that the Tamil draftsman had difficulty doing a simple Grade 3 addition of numbers.

According to.the Tamil speaking population Census Stats of  Sri Lanka in 1981 was thus:

Tamils   …. 1,871,535 (12.6%); Indian Tamils 825,233 (5.5%); ?suspect Tamil speaking Moors  1,056,972 (7.1%)

Simple Grade 3 Arithmetic Class would come up with – 12.6%+ 5.5% + ?7.1% =

25.2%   And Holy Cow, that is not the exaggerated number of 29%.

These Tamils certainly knew how to make the Canadian politicians suckers” when they were hungry for the Sinhala blood soaked Tamil votes…

And by the way, Deepak, did any Tamil, not two or three, just one thank the Sri Lankan soldiers for saving 295,873 Tamil refugees who were used as a Human Shield by the Tamil Tigers during the final six months of the Eelam War, from the clutches of the Tamil Tigers.  These refugee were marched under a scorching Jaffna-Killinochchi sun  like a herd of unwashed cattle from the west coast to the east coast,  The 295,873 Tamil, refugees were easy targets to be bumped-off and  would have been a good reason to call it Genocide.  But it didn’t happen.  How and Why, I ask?   And so would you!

If Genocide was the calling  of Sri Lankan soldiers to win the war, but they did not bump off the 295,873 Tamils.  They were not only rescued from the clutches of the Tamil Tigers,  but these God’s sent saviours housed the 295,873 rescued Tamils in a white tent city and sustained them by preparing a million meals, hearty breakfasts, lunches and dinners every day.  You bet, Genocide was never in the Sri Lankan soldier’s victory cards..  It was a Humane War Textbook  Human Rights Classic Act which deserved a nomination for a Nobel Peace Prize..  

But no Canadian wants to talk about it, as it would only diminish the Tamil refugee cause for being considered to be a ‘Convention Refugee’..   Deepak, think about it.  You have certainly shunned the opportunity to prove to be an Honest Canadian politician.   Shucks!   Damn the Tamil lies! C’est la vie!

There are no If’s and But’s Mother Lanka, you bet I will stand on guard for thee in every nook and corner of Canada.   Jayawewa…Jayawewa…Jayawewa

Bless You!

Sincerely,

Asoka WeerasingheMr.Deepak Anand,  (Conservative) MPP  Mississauga-Malton

7895 Tranmere Drive, Unit 11

Mississauga, On

L5S 1V9

I voted for you but we do not like Bill 104” said Vijitha Bulathsinghala  (March 12, 2025)

This letter is my response to Deepak Anand, Conservative MPP for Mississauga-Malton, to whom Vijitha Bulathsinghala wrote.

2066 Kings Grove Crescent Ottawa, Ontario . K1J 6G1               17 March 2025

Dear Deepak:

 I am Asoka Weerasinghe of Ottawa East, a Sinhalese Buddhist, from Sri Lanka, who has been domiciled in Canada since October 16, 1970  (who arrived in Canada from London, England,  having lived there since December 1956). I did not vote for your party member in Ottawa-Vanier, and I would not have even holding my nose closed and drop my ballot into the box, to keep away from the sickly smell of the lying Canadian politicians who provide oxygen to the separatist Tamils to continue with their diatribe

to hurt my Mother Lanka who nurtured me with affection for the first 19-years of my life.

There is a sense of gratitude in me — I was brought up that way by my Mum and Dad, the Classic WEERA-SINHA’S who you see holding a sword upright in Sri Lanka’s National Flag.

Deepak, I was  a card carrying Conservative many, many moons ago,who packed you all and put away together with the Liberals and NDPers with a commitment to never ever vote for your bunch, who I consider as ‘God damn Liars’, when you all accused my Mother Lanka to have committed “Genocide” on your Constituent  Tamil Friends, the

Tamils who are sympathisers for the Tamil Tiger Terrorists and their separatist  mono-ethnic Eelam cause.

Deepak, what a bloody shame, when you Canadian politicians show your hypocrisy

recognizing others Genocide that you say happened 13,995 km (Toronto to Colombo)  away except your own Genocide 4,007 km (Mississauga to Kamloops) away of Canada’s Indigenous peoples in Kamloops, B.C.

Shish! Deepak, let’s cut out that We are Holier than thou’ attitude as we Canadians are not that Holy, nor are they lily-white.

The Tamil Tigers were serial killers who killed my innocent Sinhalese people, farmers and fisher folk, the pregnant mothers, and infants plucked from their Mother’s breasts, and kids. in the border villages in the North and East of Sri Lanka, which happens to be part of my Homeland the beautiful resplendent island, Sri Lanka.  And Conservative politicians  say that you all got bleeding hearts —what rubbish..what poppycock…what strings of masala wades with a dead curled shrimp fried-stuck in the center hanging at the windows in Curry Huts in Mississauga-Malton.

Deepak, get this right.  It were these Tamil terrorists who were spoiling for a fight,  and not with stones, catapults and bamboo sticks, but with Kalashnikov live bullets, mallets and butcher knives, claymore mines and hand grenades brought in eleven armoury

Warships along the east coast’s Mullaitivu at night’s dark.

They were aided and abetted by Canadian Government’s of Chretian, and Martin letting the Canadian-Tamils collect 2-million dollars a month for 13 years to stuff the Tamil Tiger war chests to buy sophisticated war weapons to kill my people. Nasty…nasty…and that was brutal Canada.  Shame on You politicians and this immigrant-Canadian resents it.

After the Tamil Tiger Terrorist-butts were whipped on May 19, 2009, they started crying and lying like man-babies, and Canadian politicians like you with bleeding hearts sucked in turning your guns at the Government of Sri Lanka saying that they committed Genocide against the Tamils.  It is only the Canadian politicians like you who says so, when even the UN says that there were no such acts of Genocide. 

It was the normal ‘War attrition of life’ when you live by the gun that you die by the gun.  It’s that simple.   As there was no Manual for Dummies prepared by your Canadian Government nor Amnesty International, nor the United Nations to instruct the

Sri Lankan soldiers, how to win a war without killing anyone, Let’s STOP the Tamil vote

hungry fingers pointing wrongly at Sri Lanka, which happened to be my O Sri Lanka my Home and Native Land….from far and wide…O Sri Lanka I will stand on guard for thee…”

Deepak, if I question the Mirror in my washroom, “Mirror….mirror…on the wall, who is the liar of them all,  who accuse my Mother Lanka as a Tamil Genocide Wallah?.; The Mirror will tell me , it’s the Tamil vote hungry Canadian politicians.”    Damn it, I knew it all along…” I would respond

Vijitha told you in his letter of March 12”…I voted for you but we do not like Bill 104”.  Those collective words …but we do not like Bill 104”, includes me, Ottawa’s Asoka

Weerasinghe, too.

To conclude this letter to you I will prove positive that you Tamil vote hungry politicians of all three major Canadian political parties, the Conservatives, the LIberals and the NDPers, lie and exaggerate when talking of Tamil Genocide in Sri Lanka, as I told you earlier as Hogs wash, Cods wallop, poppycock, buckets of capelin washed on the shores of Middle Cove in Newfoundland, and strings of Tamil masala wade,

Here is an exaggerated lie in the Preamble presented on Bill 104  – the Act to proclaim Tamil Genocide Education Week.

Here’s the exaggerated lie in the text of the Preamble of Bill 104.

For example, the Sinhala Only Act of 1956 made Sinhalese the official language of Sri Lanka ignoring the 29 percent of the population whose primary language was Tamil…” 

There were no 29 percent of people who spoke the Tamil language…” I am surprised that the Tamil draftsman had difficulty doing a simple Grade 3 addition of numbers.

According to.the Tamil speaking population Census Stats of  Sri Lanka in 1981 was thus:

Tamils   …. 1,871,535 (12.6%); Indian Tamils 825,233 (5.5%); ?suspect Tamil speaking Moors  1,056,972 (7.1%)

Simple Grade 3 Arithmetic Class would come up with – 12.6%+ 5.5% + ?7.1% =

25.2%   And Holy Cow, that is not the exaggerated number of 29%.

These Tamils certainly knew how to make the Canadian politicians suckers” when they were hungry for the Sinhala blood soaked Tamil votes…

And by the way, Deepak, did any Tamil, not two or three, just one thank the Sri Lankan soldiers for saving 295,873 Tamil refugees who were used as a Human Shield by the Tamil Tigers during the final six months of the Eelam War, from the clutches of the Tamil Tigers.  These refugee were marched under a scorching Jaffna-Killinochchi sun  like a herd of unwashed cattle from the west coast to the east coast,  The 295,873 Tamil, refugees were easy targets to be bumped-off and  would have been a good reason to call it Genocide.  But it didn’t happen.  How and Why, I ask?   And so would you!

If Genocide was the calling  of Sri Lankan soldiers to win the war, but they did not bump off the 295,873 Tamils.  They were not only rescued from the clutches of the Tamil Tigers,  but these God’s sent saviours housed the 295,873 rescued Tamils in a white tent city and sustained them by preparing a million meals, hearty breakfasts, lunches and dinners every day.  You bet, Genocide was never in the Sri Lankan soldier’s victory cards..  It was a Humane War Textbook  Human Rights Classic Act which deserved a nomination for a Nobel Peace Prize..  

But no Canadian wants to talk about it, as it would only diminish the Tamil refugee cause for being considered to be a ‘Convention Refugee’..   Deepak, think about it.  You have certainly shunned the opportunity to prove to be an Honest Canadian politician.   Shucks!   Damn the Tamil lies! C’est la vie!

There are no If’s and But’s Mother Lanka, you bet I will stand on guard for thee in every nook and corner of Canada.   Jayawewa…Jayawewa…Jayawewa

Bless You!

Sincerely,

Asoka Weerasinghe

During AE911Truth’s anniversary event, Swiss historian Daniele Ganser gave an important presentation on the history of false flags and deceptive U.S. narratives that have initiated wars, all the way from Pearl Harbor to 9/11. When interviewed post presentation by AE911Truth’s Andy Steele, Ganser commented on the U.S. government’s use of a PR firm to sell the lie that Iraqi soldiers killed newborns at a Kuwaiti hospital to drum up support in the U.S. for the first Gulf War: People understand that stories are being sold, like the story, ‘You should buy this car’ or ‘You should eat your food in this restaurant … and advertisements are designed to influence people, otherwise you wouldn’t spend millions on advertising. People understand that… But people don’t think this goes to the level of selling wars.” He concluded: It’s not so difficult. Just don’t believe what the president says when he says we have to go to war. That’s really not so difficult, because the president has to move through this very critical door where he says, ‘Now we go to war.’ And there I really urge people to pay attention and say ‘wait… which country? What’s the reason?’ And with 9/11, the attack was on September 11th, and the attack on Afghanistan was on seven of October. So, we don’t even have one month for people to reflect.”

Professor Nishan C. Wijesinha 

I must start off with the captioning of this phrase “that The name Lankawa was a direct imprint by Lord Buddha Himself”; through His doctrinal and philosophical declaration of the Lankawathara Suthraya from the top of Mount Sri Pada.

It should be pointed out here, by me, that, although, through the passages of time vivid changes occurred in the body of Lankawa; yet, it sustained itself as the trader’s paradise of the Indian Ocean; with its remarkable Thearavada Trading Economy”. And the remarkable Thearavada Philosophy; which was conceived to the Sinha Hela Race by, The Lord Buddha Himself; as foreshadowed earlier by me.

This is the reason, which led the Dutch, to incorporate the Dutch East India Trading Company on the 20th of March 1602; and soon afterwards, within a month and ten days; on the 2nd of May 1602, the Dutch Admiral Joris van Spilbergen’ to arrive in Batticaloa, with three ships from the Dutch port of Veere.

From 1602 to 1706, a hundred years later, the corruption builds up, as the reigning Dutch Governor Simons, destroyed the core essence of the Dutch arrival in Lankawa; with the 1706 Dutch Codification of the Tesawalami regulation, giving 

predominance to the Malabar caste of the Tamil people as the indigenous Tamil people, of the Northern Province of Ceylon; which gave them hope of a Tamil Eelam State.

And the embodiments which represented our Thearavada Buddhist nation Lankawa; was smuggled to a hideout in the Nainativu Nagapooshani Amman Kovil, until its custody was miraculous taken back; through my continuous enchanting and perseverance and pursuance to retain it.back to its original ownership.

I would finally close by saying: (“දැන් අමා දොර විවර වී ඇත”),

Courtesy Express News Service

The Indian Railways has not increased fares since 2020, he said, adding that the fares in European countries are more than five times.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw (PTI Photo)

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said Tuesday that rail fares in India are lower as compared to neighbouring countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Replying to the discussion in the Lok Sabha on the Demands for Grants under the control of the Ministry of Railways for 2025-26, Vaishnaw said, If we compare with neighbouring countries, our fares are very less. For a 350-km journey, the fare in India is Rs 121, in Pakistan it is Rs 436, in Bangladesh it is Rs 323 and in Sri Lanka it is Rs 413.”

The Indian Railways has not increased fares since 2020, he said, adding that the fares in European countries are more than five ti

He said railway accidents have come down by 90% in the last 20 years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is focused on railway safety and has brought in new technology and investment, reducing railway accidents, he said.

උපුටා ගැන්ම  ලංකා ලීඩර්

බටලන්ද වාර්තාව මුල් කරගෙන විවිධ පාර්ශවය විසින් එකිනෙකට පරස්පර විවිධ මතවාදී පළ කිරීම් තුළ මෙම ක්‍රියාවලියේ අවසානය කුමක් විය හැකිද යන්න පිළිබඳව ලංකා ලීඩර් ජාතික සංවිධාන වල මතය නැවත වටයකින් විමසන ලදී.  මේ වෛද්‍ය වසන්ත බණ්ඩාර මහතාගේ අදහස ඔහුගේ වචනයෙන්..

අල්ජසීරා මාධ්‍යවේදියා විසින් බටලන්ද බෝම්බය පත්තු කිරීමෙන් පසුව හදිසියේම අර්බුදයට ලක්වූ විවිධ පාර්ශ්ව විසින් හදිසි ප්‍රතිචාර ලෙස විවිධ ක්‍රියාමාර්ගවලට එළඹුණු ආකාරය සහ විවිධ ප්‍රකාශ සිදුකරන ආකාරය දැකගත හැකි විය. ඒ අතර රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ මහතා ප්‍රධාන අපරාධකරුවෙකු ලෙස ඔහුගේ ප්‍රජා අයිතිය අහෝසි කිරීම සහ අපරාධ නීතිය යටතේ  ඔහුට දඬුවම් කිරීමේ උවමනාව විවිධ පාර්ශ්වවලින් ද දැඩි ලෙස අවධාරණය විය. එහෙත් එම හැඟුම්බර ක්‍රියාමාර්ගවලට යම් පාර්ශව අවංකව එළඹුණාවිය හැකි වුවද ඔවුන් ප්‍රශ්නය ගැඹුරින් අධ්‍යයනය කළ බවක් නොපෙනුනි. ඒ පිළිබඳව අප මීට පෙර පැහැදිලි කළා. බටලන්ද කොමිසම පිහිටුවන ලද නීතිය යටතේ ප්‍රජා අයිතිය අහෝසි කළ නොහැකි බව සහ අණදීමේ වගකීමට අදාළව අපරාධ නීතිය ක්‍රියාත්මක කිරීමේ ගැටලු ආදී වශයෙන්.

දැන් බෝම්බයේ දුහුවිලි බිමට පතිත වී ඇති තත්ත්වයක් යටතේ සිහි බුද්ධිය ඇතිව, විවිධ සුවිශේෂී පාර්ශ්ව විසින් අවස්ථාව යොදා ගනිමින් කරනු ලබන ප්‍රකාශ විශ්ලේෂණය කළහොත් සමස්තය සැලසුම් සහගතව දියත් වූ මෙහෙයුමක් බව පැහැදිලි වේ. උදාහරණ ලෙස එක් පැත්තකින් කාදිනල්තුමා පාස්කු ප්‍රහාරය පිළිබඳව අවසාන යුක්තිය ඉල්ලා අවසන් සටනක් ප්‍රකාශයට පත් කර ඇත. ඒ අතර ඩයස්පෝරාවේ සහ බෙදුම්වාදී බලවේගවල ප්‍රධාන නියාචාර්යවරයෙකු සහ ප්‍රකාශකයකු වන ජෙහාන් පෙරේරා සඳහන් කරන්නේ උතුරේ බෙදුම්වාදී ගැටුම්, පාස්කු ප්‍රහාරය වැනි ආගමික අන්තවාදී ගැටුම් සහ  දකුණේ  ආණ්ඩු විරෝධී ගැටුම් ආදී සියලු ගැටුම් වලින් සහ රාජ්‍යය ඊට ප්‍රතිචාර ලෙස ගනු ලැබූ ක්‍රියාමාර්ගවලින් සමාජය තුළ බරපතළ සහ දීර්ඝකාලීන මානසික පීඩාවක් ඇතිවී ඇති බවය.

ඊට පිළිතුරු ලෙස ඔහු ඉදිරිපත් කරන්නේ විජිත හේරත් ඇමතිවරයා ජිනීවා මානව හිමිකම් සමුළුවේදී පොරොන්දු වූ ආකාරයට සත්‍ය සෙවීමේ කොමිසම තවදුරටත් පුළුල් කර ක්‍රියාත්මක කිරීමය. ඊට සමගාමීව යම් විද්වතුන් විසින් පවසන්නේ පළිගැනීම, ප්‍රතිප්‍රහාරදීම, දඩුවම් කිරීම ආදිය වෙනුවට ප්‍රතිසන්ධානය මගින් සමාජය සුවපත් කළ යුතු බවය. ඒ අනුව සමස්තය අවසානයේ ලඝු වන්නේ කොතනටද යන්න පැහැදිලි වේ. එම තත්ත්වය තුළ පාර්ලිමේන්තු විවාද, විවිධ විද්වත් කතිකාවන් සහ විවිධ දේශපාලන බලවේග සහ සුවිශේෂී පුද්ගලයන් විසින් ඇතිකරනු ලබන බලපෑම් මෙන්ම ජාත්‍යන්තර බලපෑම් මගින් ද අවසාන විසඳුම සත්‍ය සෙවීමේ කොමිසම පුළුල් කර බල ගැන්වීම බවට සාධාරණීකරණය කිරීමේ හැකියාව ඇත. ඒ අනුව ආණ්ඩුවටද ගෞරවාන්විතව කුමන්ත්‍රණයට දායක වීමේ ඉඩ ලැබෙන අතර සත්‍ය සෙවීමේ කොමිසමට එරෙහිව පවතින සමාජ විරෝධය සමනය කිරීම හෝ නොසලකා කටයුතු කිරීම සඳහා අවස්ථාව නිර්මාණය වේ.

 ඒ අනුව සත්‍ය සෙවීමේ කොමිසමට 83 ජාතිවාදී ගැටුම් , 88-89 සිවිල් ගැටුම්, බෙදුම්වාදී ගැටුම් සහ පාස්කු ප්‍රහාරය සහ ඊට පෙර ආගමික අන්තවාදී ගැටුම් ආදී සියල්ල ඇතුළත් වනු ඇත. අවසානයේදී බෙදුම්වාදීන්, ජාතිවාදීන්, යම් දේශපාලන පක්ෂවල මැර කණ්ඩායම්, රෝ සංවිධානය සහ ආගමික අන්තවාදීන් සිදුකළ සියලු අපරාධවලින්  ඔවුන් නිදහස් කරමින් ආරක්ෂක හමුදාවලට එරෙහිව චෝදනා එල්ල කිරීමේ සහ  එම ක්‍රියාවලිය මාධ්‍ය මඟින් ප්‍රසිද්ධ කිරීම මගින් ආරක්ෂක හමුදාවල ගෞරවය සහ මානසික ශක්තිය බිඳවැට්ටවීමේ ක්‍රියාවලිය දියත් වනු ඇත. ඔවුන්ගේ අවසාන අරමුණ වන්නේ ආරක්ෂක හමුදාවලට මහා පරිමාණයෙන් දඬුවම් කිරීමට වඩා තෝරා ගත් පිරිසකට දේශීයව  සහ විදේශීය රටවල නඩු පැවරීමට සහ වරෙන්තු නිකුත් කිරීම, පිටුවහල් කිරීමේ නියෝග නිකුත් කිරීම, ආදිය මගින් ආරක්ෂක හමුදා බිඳවැට්ටවීමය.  එය පළාත් සභා මැතිවරණයෙන් පසුව 13 වැනි සංශෝධනය සම්පූර්ණයෙන්ම බලාත්මකකිරීම මගින් ඊළාම් රාජ්‍යය නිර්මාණය කිරීම දක්වා වන  බෙදුම්වාදී මාර්ග සිතියමේ අවසන් සැතපුම ගමන් කිරීම සඳහා පූර්ව කොන්දේසියකි. දැනටමත් ආරක්ෂක හමුදාවල ගෞරවයට හානිකර මාධ්‍ය මෙහෙයුමක් දියත් වී ඇති අතර ඒ සදහා ආණ්හාඩුවේ යම් පාර්ශ්වවල  ආශිර්වාදය ද ලැබී ඇති බවද පෙනී යයි. ඊට අමතරව රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ මහතා ආරම්භ කළ ආරක්ෂක හමුදා පිරිස් බලය අඩු කිරීමේ ක්‍රියාවලියද වර්තමාන රජය යටතේ දියත් වී ඇත. පසුගිය වසරේදී පමණක් 8000ක් හමුදා සාමාජිකයන් දැනුම් දීමෙන් තොරව හමුදාව අතහැර ගොස් ඇති අතර ඒ අතුරින් 150කට වැඩි පිරිසක් ඉහළ නිලධාරීන් වේ. අවසානයේදී 13 වැනි සංශෝධනය සම්පූර්ණයෙන්ම බලාත්මක කිරීමේ ක්‍රියාවලිය තුළ උසිගන්වනු ලබන ඊනියා මහජන ගැටුම් මගින් ආරක්ෂක හමුදාවලට උතුරේ කඳවුරු අතහැර යෑමට සිදුකෙරෙන බලපෑම් වලට යටත්වීම හැර වෙනත් විකල්පයක් නොමැති තත්වයක් ඇති කිරීම ද බෙදුම්වාදී මාර්ග සිතියමේ පූර්ව කොන්දේසියකි. 

උපුටා ගැන්ම  ලංකා ලීඩර්

පාස්කු ප්‍රහාරයටත්, බටලන්දටත් වඩා මහා පරිමාණ ඛණිජ සම්පත් ජාවාරමක භූ විද්‍යා හා පතල් කැණිම් කාර්යංශය නිරතව සිටින බව ලහිරු වීරසේකර මහතා පවසයි. 

ඔහු ඊයේ මාධ්‍ය හමුවකට එක්වෙමින් මේ සම්බන්ධයෙන් අනාවරණයක් සිදුකළේය. 

එහිදි වැඩිදුරටත් අදහස් දැක්වූ ලහිරු වීරසේකර මහතා මෙසේද පැවසීය

‘‘භූ විද්‍යා හා පතල් කැණිම් කාර්යංශයේ ඉහළ නිලධාරීන්ගේ උවමනාව මත මෙරට වටිනා කණිජ සම්පත් කුණු කොල්ලයට හෝ හිතවත්කම් මත විවිධ සමාගම්වලට ලබාදීමට කටයුතු කරලා තියෙනවා. මේවා අපේ රටේ අනාගත පරපුරට උරුම සම්පත්, මේ රටේ සිද්දධ වෙච්ච පාස්කු ප්‍රහාරයටත්, බටලන්ද වැනි අපරාධ වලටත්වඩා අපරාධයක් මේ හරහා සිද්ධ වෙනවා. යැයි පැවසීය.

සම්පූර්ණ අනාවරණය පහතින් 

උපුටා ගැන්ම  ලංකා ලීඩර්

රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ හිටපු ජනාධිපතිවරයා රජයේ වියදමින් කිසිදු පෞද්ගලික සංචාරයක නිරත වී නැතැයි රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ මහතාගේ කාර්යාලය නිවේදනයක් නිකුත් කරමින් පවසයි.

රනිල් ආණ්ඩුවේ මුදලින් පෞද්ගලික සංචාර ගොස් ඇතැයි කෙරුණු සියලු ප්‍රකාශ සාවද්‍ය බව ද එම කාර්යාලය වැඩිදුරටත් සඳහන් කරයි.

එම නිවේදනයේ මෙසේද සඳහන් සඳහන් වේ.

හිටපු ජනාධිපති රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ මහතා සහ මහාචාර්ය මෛත්‍රී වික්‍රමසිංහ මහත්මිය රජයේ මුදල් වැය කරමින් වර්ෂ 2023 දී ලන්ඩනයේ සංචාරයක නිරත වූ බවට කෙරුණු ප්‍රකාශය සම්පූර්ණයෙන් අසත්‍යය. 

 රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ මහතා 2023 වර්ෂයේදී තුන්වරක් ලන්ඩනයේ සංචාරය කරනු ලැබීය. ප්‍රථම සංචාරය 2023 මැයි 09 වැනි දින  කරනු ලැබුවේ iii වැනි චාල්ස් රජතුමාගේ අභිෂේක උත්සවයට සහභාගී වීම සඳහාය.දෙවැනි වර පැරිස් සමුළුවට සහභාගී වන  අතරතුර ජාත්‍යන්තර ප්‍රජාතාන්ත්‍රිකයින්ගේ සංගමයේ (IDU)2023 සැසි වාරයට සඳහා ලන්ඩන් නුවරට ගියේය.

හවානා නුවර පැවැති G 77 සමුළුවට සහභාගි වීමෙන් පසුව නිව්යෝක් නුවරටත්, ඉන් අනතුරුව  ලන්ඩන් නගරයටත් පැමිණීම තුන්වැනි සංචාරයේදී සිදුවිය. 

මෛත්‍රී වික්‍රමසිංහ මහත්මියට වුල්වර් හැම්ප්ටන්(Wolverhampton) විශ්ව විද්‍යාලයෙන් මහාචාර්ය පදවිය ප්‍රදානය කිරීමේ උත්සවය මෙ දින වලදී වුල්වර් හැම්ප්ටන් හි පැවැත්විණි.

රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ මහතා ඊට සහභාගී වූයේ නිව්යෝක් නුවරට ගොස් පැමිණෙන අතර වාරයේදීය. 

පෞද්ගලික සංචාරයක් සඳහා රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ මහතා කිසිදු අවස්ථාවක ලන්ඩන් නුවරට ගොස් නැත.මේ සංචාර වලදී රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ මහතා රාජ්‍ය නායකයින් රැසක් හමුවීම ද සිදුකරනු ලැබීය. 

එසේම ජනපති බිරිඳ ලෙස මහාචාර්ය මෛත්‍රී වික්‍රමසිංහ මහත්මිය ඒ අතරතුර දී ජාත්‍යන්තර මට්ටමින්  සංවිධානය කෙරුණු රැස්වීම් ,මැඩමුළු ආදියට ද සහභාගී වූවාය.

ඒ උත්සවයට රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ මහතාටද ආරාධනා කර තිබිණි. නිව්යෝක් නුවර සිට ඒ උත්සවයට පැමිණ දිවා කාලයෙන් පසුව ලන්ඩන් නගරයෙන් පිටවීමට  කලින් සැලසුම් කර තිබුණද එදින පස්වරුවේ  හමුවීම් කිහිපයක් පැවැති බැවින් එය පසු දිනයට කල් දැමිණි. 

හිටපු ජනාධිපති රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ මහතා සහ නිලධාරීන් සහභාගී වූ ලන්ඩන් සංචාරයක් සඳහා ප්‍රකාශ කෙරුණු ආකාරයේ අධික මුදලක් වැය වූයේ යැයි පැවසීම  අතිශය ගැටලු සහගතය. 

රාජ්‍යතාන්ත්‍රික වශයෙන් කරන සංචාර පිළිබඳ වත්මන් රජයට අවබෝධයක් නැති බව මෙ කරුණු හමුවේදී ද පැහැදිලි වෙයි. 

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Colombo, March 18 (Daily Mirror) – The Supreme Court today ruled that a detention order issued by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2020 under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) was unlawful and violated the fundamental rights of the petitioner.

A three-judge bench comprising Justices S. Thurairaja, A. H. M. D. Nawaz, and Mahinda Samayawardena delivered the verdict, ordering the State to compensate the petitioner with Rs. 100,000.

The ruling was in response to a Fundamental Rights petition filed by Kanchana Priyadarshani Madurapperuma, a resident of Pokunuwita, Henagama. 

The Petitioner was arrested by the Peliyagoda Special Investigation Unit in 2020 for alleged possession of heroin. Her subsequent detention was authorized through two separate Detention Orders, one issued on 30th January 2020 under the Poisons, Opium, and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, No. 17 of 1929, and another on 6th February 2020 under the PTA.

The Court granted leave to proceed based on Articles 12, 13(1), and 13(2) of the Constitution. 

It was revealed that then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had no authority to act as the Minister of Defence at the time material to this application as the 20th Amendment to the Constitution had not yet come into effect. 

As such, the issuance of the Detention Order dated 06th February 2020 by then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is ultra vires the Constitution and therefore devoid of any legal validity.

Courtesy Adaderana

The Sri Lankan economy recorded a strong turnaround registering overall growth of 5% for 2024 amid renewed macroeconomic stability, says the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL).

Meanwhile, the country’s economy grew 5.4% in the fourth quarter of 2024, the Census and Statistics Department said in a statement.

The International Monetary Fund had forecast Sri Lanka’s economy would grow by 4.5% in 2024.

Sri Lanka’s agriculture sector grew 8.3% in 2024 from a year earlier, industrial output expanded by 25.5%, and services grew by 57.5%.

Struck by a severe dollar shortfall, the economy went into freefall in 2022, contracting 7.3% as it grappled with soaring inflation, a sharply weaker currency and a historic foreign debt default.

The economy shrank 2.3% in 2023.

But it made a stronger-than-expected recovery last year as measures implemented under a $2.9 billion four-year bailout from the IMF, secured in March 2023, bore fruit.

Shenali D Waduge

The Cardinal maybe a citizen of Sri Lanka, but he reports to the Vatican not to the Sri Lankan President. Thus, his orders are based on what the Vatican issues. His address relayed by numerous local media channels raises more questions than answers and whether even legal action can be pursued with regard to the open threat made against the State.

Can the Church be used for political regime change – change govts & oust governments?

This is what the media reported.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1371284874053560&rdid=0zyMWAJS7oTE98OU

We accuss foreign elements of intimidating voters/citizens, yet what can be said about clergy influencing citizens & arousing their sentiments against legitimatally elected governments.

A shameful and unprecedented undemocratic situation was created in 2022 when the Church stood guilty with all other co-opted players that rallied people to go against the laws of the land, defying law & order to oust an elected leader.

The Cardinal even called the protestors an inspiration for the country” while urging the leaders to go home”.

https://www.ft.lk/front-page/Cardinal-hails-youth-peaceful-protestors-urges-Govt-to-go-home/44-734623

Mr. Sena Thoradeniya captured the culture of the protestors that Cardinal praised with precision & detail. https://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/09/03/culture-of-galle-face-protesters/

The so-called peaceful protestors eventually left tax payers to pay millions in damages & compensation having burnt houses, precious personal belongings that can never be replaced, vehicles, property and illegally occupied State buildings while stealing, damaging, destroying what belonged to the State. Some of these ancient artefacts were destroyed beyond repair.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=570342061242556 – Cardinal & protestors 2022

The ousted President even accused the Church of having a role in his ouster.

This is why the sitting President should not take the veiled threats by Cardinal lightly.

https://www.ucanews.com/news/sri-lankan-ex-prez-accuses-church-of-having-role-in-his-ouster/104471

The former President Gotabaya Rajapakse in his book The Conspiracy to oust me from the Presidency” claims the Church played a key role in the protests that blamed him for the economic crisis.

Some excerpts from his book,

The most visible presence at the Galle Face protests was that of the Roman Catholic clergy,”.

The Catholic clergy would ‘turn up every morning for the protests’”.

Catholic priests and nuns came out openly onto the streets,”

 On 9 July 2022 when mobs took over the President’s House, Catholic priests and nuns were seen among the intruders,”  

I and my wife would occasionally be invited to dinner with the cardinal.”

The Easter Sunday attacks took place on 21 April 2019. 279 innocent people including 37 foreign nationals were murdered by 8 Islamic suicide bombers who attacked 3 churches & 3 hotels.

Inspite of the perpetrators being 8 Islamic fanatics it was none other than the Cardinal himself who claimed a foreign conspiracy” to destabilize Sri Lanka behind the Easter attacks in July 2019 & that the power struggle between Sirisena & Ranil ignored attention to national security. He went on to say they weakened & demoralized the intelligence services to please their international partners & international NGOs”.

Sri Lanka Cardinal says foreign conspiracy behind Easter attacks

However, INTERPOL even congratuatled former President Sirisena in August 2019

https://www.defence.lk/Article/view_article/480 – 27 Aug 2019

The Cardinal who accused Sirisena-Ranil of demoralizing the intelligence services in July 2019, did a u-turn to accuse the intel & aligning with sensational lies by the infamous C4 channel & even issuing congratulatory messages hours after its release.

Cardinal’s Congratulatory Dispatches to C4

Why is Cardinal not accepting Justice Imam’s report? He must present counter facts & evidence & cannot simply be making loose statements. If he has evidence to produce his claims, he must officially table them. Politcally motivated speeches is upsetting peace & disturbing the peace.

Sri Lanka: Justice Imam Report Declares Channel 4’s allegations a Hoax but Cardinal Congratulated C4

Cardinal also called the mass murderers misguided Muslim youth” & even forgave them. The Cardinal even quoted from a report in Divaina newspaper that the head of the Islamic State group Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi (now dead) was being sheltered by the US (but referring to most powerful country”. The Cardinal did not spare the UN too claiming they were only interested in the welfare of the suspects & not the survivors.

Cardinal used the go home” tag in 2019 too when he referred to Sirisena & Ranil as having no backbone”.

Later the Cardinal changed his tune to infer blame on the Rajapakses’s to which the ouster President in his book replied

What was now being alleged in so many words was that eight Muslim fanatics had launched suicide attacks in order to make me president,”

For anyone to suggest that I had the capacity to organize suicide bombings by Muslim terrorists when I was out of power in order to create the political environment needed to bring me to power, is totally absurd,”

In early 2022 when the cardinal started making the accusation that I had somehow orchestrated the Easter Sunday bombings in order to create the political conditions for me to get elected to power, I instructed Sri Lankan Ambassador Mahinda Samarasinghe in Washington to explore the possibility of obtaining the US government’s Federal Investigation Bureau/ Central Intelligence Agency assistance in the investigations,”

The FBI & many other intel agencies immediately landed in Sri Lanka & did conduct their own investigations. These all constitute the international investigations” the Cardinal demands.

https://www.transparency.gov.au/annual-reports/australian-federal-police/reporting-year/2018-2019-20 – synopsis of Australia’s Police report.

https://www.southasiamonitor.org/sri-lanka/fbi-confirms-sri-lankan-findings-maulavi-naufar-was-mastermind-easter-bombings

In May 2021, the FBI confirmed Maulavi Naufer as mastermind of Easter bombings.

https://www.state.gov/reports/country-reports-on-terrorism-2019/sri-lanka/ The US Country Report on Terrorism in Sri Lanka 2019 states ISIS-inspired terrorists conducted a series of suicide attacks against churches and hotels across Sri Lanka on Easter Day, resulting in hundreds of casualties.  Then ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi publicly praised the attacks”

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/three-foreign-nationals-charged-conspiring-provide-material-support-isis

On 8 January 2021, FBI charged 3 Sri Lankans with conspiring to provide material support to ISIS.

The men were part of a group of ISIS supporters which called itself ISIS in Sri Lanka.”  That group is responsible for the 2019 Easter attacks in the South Asian nation of Sri Lanka, which killed 268 people, including five U.S. citizens”

Two days after the attacks, ISIS claimed credit for the terrorist acts, attributing the murders to Islamic State fighters.”  In late April 2019, the then-leader of ISIS praised the attackers for what he called a retaliation against the West” for defeating ISIS the prior month in Baghuz, Syria”

ISIS’s Easter attacks in Sri Lanka killed 268 people, including five Americans, many while they worshiped,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers.  Today, we charge these defendants with bearing their share of the responsibility for these deaths.”  

While Cardinal accused President Sirisena of being spineless, the former President too brought up the mismanagement of Easter Sunday funds to the tune of Rs.500m. The State had given compensation to all victims of Easter Sunday. But can the Cardinal give account of the distribution of funds given to the victims by the Church (not only to Catholics) Can the Church give a breakdown of the disbursement of funds meant for all victims instead of simply refuting President Sirisena’s claims.

https://www.hirunews.lk/english/373366/easter-sunday-attack-cardinal-refutes-former-president-sirisenas-allegations

The Church claims Rs.460m was distributed only after Sirisena claimed such an amount was received by the Church. Can the victims of he families confirm receiving funds from the Church? Why the self-defense & why wait 5 years for the Church to confirm what Sirisena alleged?

While Cardinal continues to harp on conspiracy theories”, in Oct 2020 the former head of SIS, Senior DIG Nilantha Jayawardena told the Presidential Commission of Inquiry that nearly 15,000 people would have been aware of an attack 10 days before the attacks (i.e. by 11 April 2019)  & this included diplomatic missions & Parliament. How is it that none of the 15,000 who would have known, did not inform the Cardinal or the Church? Or did they? This is something we all have to seriously think about. Did none of the 15,000 inform the Church/Cardinal? Why would they keep such a matter secret knowing that churches were to be targets? Yet, none of the Church fathers were even injured & none of the Parliamentarians attended Easter Sunday mass.  Zaharan had been on the red flag list since 2016, SIS had filed 340 reports to arrest Zaharan. SIS head had also written on 7 April 2019 of a possible attack to the CNI Sisira Mendis. All those who failed in their duties have violated Article 41 (1) (2) (3)

Nearly 15,000 knew of Easter Sunday attacks including HarinF & Diplomatic Missions

How much money has been spent on these Commissions based on Cardinals conspiracy theories? Those who are guilty are not only the suicide bombers but those who knew of an impending attack & did nothing about it. Some of these are back & placed in the same seats. Cardinal is on record asking for them to be put into the same seats!

President AKD : Investigate WHO KNEW there was going to be an attack on Easter Sunday before the attack!

Cardinal is accused of turning the Church into a political gamechanger. His own speeches have given him away. What he stands guilty of is manipulating people to oust a President in 2022, before that he was also party to the 2015 regime change. Then he played a role in bringing the current govt to power and now he wants to remove from power. There is a judiciary to give judgements, there is an executive to rule the Nation, there is a legislative to create the Acts, the Cardinal has no role in any of these. Cardinal must concentrate on his role not interfere in areas not under his control.

Let us also remind the Church & Cardinal that if we are to demand investigations, the first investigation should be the Church links to LTTE terrorism & why the Church did nothing against the Bishops/Fathers/Sisters who not only openly sided with LTTE terrorism & separatism but unabashedly opened LTTE offices (1970s Bishop Rayappu Joseph opening LTTE’s first international office in London), heads of LTTE fronts, Church that ran LTTE orphanges from which child soldiers were created. This constitutes a grave crime & this should be investigated first.

We have also not forgotten the over 500 years of Church crimes during colonial rule, which is being carried forward under neo-colonial banner.

https://www.shenaliwaduge.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Cardinal-campaigning-openly-for-Govt.mp4?_=1

Cardinal’s voice cut is a warning to President – who must now wonder whom Cardinal plans to replace him with. Gotabaya was replaced with the 2^nd in command, PM RW, is history going to be repeated in less than a year? The President should not wait like the ousted President but formulate a plan to deal with the scenario about to unfold.

The Cardinal who reports to Vatican cannot threaten to overthrow Sri Lankan governments

Shenali D Waduge

Courtesy The Island

Top photo: EWIS dispatches the first-ever overseas export of locally manufactured laptops to Zimbabwe. Bottom photo shows the media briefing: (from left) – Nirmal Peiris – Director International Relations & Business Development EWIS, Roseanne Wijayanayaka – Director EWIS, Sanjeewa Wickramanayake – Chairman EWIS, Chamara Sahabandu – General Manager, EWIS.

Company stresses ambition to surpass this milestone

Eyes markets across Africa and beyond

In a groundbreaking achievement for Sri Lanka’s IT and electronics manufacturing industry, EWIS Colombo Ltd, the country’s first and only local computer manufacturer, has successfully exported its first consignment of locally built laptops to Zimbabwe.

This landmark event not only positions Sri Lanka as an emerging force in global IT hardware manufacturing but also highlights EWIS’s commitment to innovation, quality, and excellence on the international stage.

This historic shipment, dispatched from EWIS’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Samajasewapura, Sooriyawewa, underscores the company’s dedication to delivering world-class technology solutions. With over 11 years of expertise in manufacturing and assembly, EWIS Colombo Ltd has played a pivotal role in driving Sri Lanka’s ICT sector forward. As a Board of Investment (BOI) Section 17-approved company, EWIS has established the country’s first and only local computer manufacturing plant, paving the way for the nation’s growth in high-tech exports.

Speaking on this momentous achievement, Sanjeewa Wickramanayake, Chairman of EWIS Colombo Ltd, said: This milestone is not just for EWIS but for Sri Lanka as a whole. It proves that our country has the talent, capability, and ambition to manufacture and export high-quality IT products, competing confidently on the global stage. As we continue expanding beyond local markets, we take immense pride in showcasing Sri Lanka’s excellence in technology and innovation to the world. EWIS’s commitment to world-class quality is reinforced by its ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, CE, FCC, and RoHS certifications, ensuring compliance with international quality, safety, and environmental standards.”

Speaking further he said:

For nearly four decades, EWIS has been a trailblazer in Sri Lanka’s ICT sector, delivering cutting-edge solutions for education, businesses, and government enterprises.

With over 11 years of local manufacturing and assembly expertise, EWIS has continuously refined its capabilities to produce high-quality, internationally competitive IT hardware. The successful export to Zimbabwe represents a bold step toward expanding EWIS’s global footprint, reinforcing Sri Lanka’s potential as a world-class technology and manufacturing hub.”