A few weeks back jugglery committed by a supermarket with the slogan ගෙදර යන ගමන් was exposed
Supermarket was scrupulously charging higher prices at the cashier than the price marked on the product claiming that notices are placed everywhere that prices can be changed any time
A few days back another supermarket along the same road owned by a Foreign entity that boasts that you can spar (e) money for something else did the same thing
Today they charged for four loaves of bread when the purchased quantity was two
Of course, cashier makes mistakes according to management 🥱
People should help local groceries by buying locally and boycotting supermarkets
The Foreign Secretary said he was supporting Sri Lanka over Beijing-funded development
Screen grab taken from Parliament TV of Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron speaking at the Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday (Photo: Parliament TV/PA Wire)
Lord Cameron has said he has no regrets about backing a Beijing-funded development last autumn and dismissed concerns about his role as a senior figure in a mooted UK-China investment fund.
The Foreign Secretary has faced criticism over his links to China since being appointed to the role by Rishi Sunak, given the UK now regards the Asian giant as an epoch-defining and systemic challenge” – a far cry from the golden era” of relations with Beijing pursued by Lord Cameron as prime minister in the 2010s.
The peer has faced questions in particular about speeches he gave as recently as October in the United Arab Emirates in praise of the £16bn Port City Colombo business hub project in Sri Lanka, which counts as its main developer the state-owned China Communications Construction Company.
Critics, including Conservative MPs, have said that the peer’s promotion of the project amounted to support of China’s controversial Belt and Road investment initiative, which China-sceptics see as a project Beijing uses to gain control in developing nations.
But appearing at the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday, Lord Cameron insisted he spoke only in support of Sri Lanka and that it was solely his decision – rather than that of the Chinese – to speak at the event.
Put to him that he was a friend of China until very recently”, the Foreign Secretary told MPs he did it [the speeches] as a friend of Sri Lanka” after being approached by the Washington Speakers’ Bureau, which offered the ex-PM’s services on the global VIP speaker circuit.
Lord Cameron also said he was supporting Sri Lanka’s former president Ranil Wickremesinghe, who believed the project was a good idea and who the peer had met earlier in 2023 while on holiday” in Sri Lanka.
Asked if he had any regrets about the speech, Lord Cameron told MPs: No.”
Lord Cameron also dismissed concerns raised by Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) over his past role as vice-president of a new £1bn China-UK investment fund.
The ISC said last year it was possible” that Lord Cameron’s appointment had been in some part engineered by the Chinese state”.
Asked whether he agreed with the committee, which has access to highly classified information, Lord Cameron said: I might if it had ever happened but there was no fund – it never got going, it never started and it never happened.
So this is a bit like the blind man in the dark room looking for the black cat that isn’t there.”
A Sri Lankan navy spokesman says the debt-ridden country’s navy is preparing to join a U.S.-led operation to protect merchant vessels in the Red Sea against attacks by Houthi rebels
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Debt-ridden Sri Lanka ’s navy is preparing to join a U.S.-led operation to protect merchant vessels sailing in the Red Sea against attacks by Houthi rebels, a Sri Lankan navy spokesman said on Tuesday.
The attacks by Houthi rebels have targeted commercial shipping vessels transiting through the critical Bab el-Mandeb Strait that links markets in Asia and Europe following the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas and Israel’s subsequent war against the militant group in Gaza.
The U.S. and its allies launched Operation Prosperity Guardian to protect ship traffic, and warships from the U.S., France, and the U.K. are patrolling the area.
No date has been set for sending the Sri Lankan ships and the area they will patrol has not been finalized, said navy spokesman Capt. Gayan Wickramasuriya.
The decision to send the ships drew criticism from opposition lawmakers in the island nation. Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa blamed the government for spending LKR 250 million ($777,000) to send ships to fight Houthi rebels in the Red Sea when Sri Lankans are experiencing severe economic hardships at home.
State Minister of Defense Pramitha Tennakoon defended the move, saying the government wants to fulfill its global responsibilities” and noting that Sri Lanka is against any form of terrorism.”
He added that Sri Lanka would incur no additional costs by joining the operations, as the country’s ships are already patrolling its vast maritime area in the Indian Ocean.
Sri Lanka is struggling to get through the worst economic crisis in its history. The country declared bankruptcy in April 2022 with more than $83 billion in debt — more than half of it to foreign creditors. Its economy was plunged into crisis, with severe shortages of food, fuel and other necessities.
Strident public protests led to the ouster of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The IMF agreed in March last year to a $2.9-billion bailout package.
Sri Lanka hopes to restructure $17 billion of its tens of billions of outstanding debt.
Over the past year, severe shortages of essentials like food, fuel and medicine have largely abated, and authorities have restored power supplies. But public dissatisfaction has grown over the government’s efforts to increase revenues by raising electricity bills and imposing heavy new income taxes on professionals and businesses.
Last week, the government increased the rate of the valued added tax and extended it to cover many essential items, including cooking gas, fuel, medicine and others.
The Office for National Unity and Reconciliation Bill debated in Parliament today (Jan. 09) has been passed by a majority vote.
The debate on the Second Reading of the Bill was held from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and at the end of the debate, MP G. G. Ponnambalam of Ahila Ilankai Thamil Congress (AITC) called for a division for the said Bill.
In the voting held, 48 votes had been cast in favour of the Bill while only 7 votes were cast against. Accordingly, the Second Reading of the Bill was passed by a majority of 41 votes.
Amendments were added to the Bill during the Committee and accordingly the Bill was passed with amendments.
Meanwhile, the National Hydrographic Bill, which was debated today, was also passed with amendments and without a vote.
The Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval for the establishment of new investment zones with the necessary technical assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Since the need to develop a joint mechanism between the public and private sectors to build an export-oriented economy has been emphasized in the 2022 budget, the government says it has identified the appropriateness of developing new investment zones.
Accordingly, a proposal was submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers seeking approval to establish new Investment Zones in the Northern, Eastern, Northwestern and Southern Provinces; in Mankulam, Paranthan Chemicals Company Premises and Kankesanturai Cement Corporation Premises; and in Iranawila and Trincomalee areas, while expanding Bingiriya and Hambantota Investment Zones.
Thus, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe in his capacity as the Minister of Investment Promotion to develop those investment zones based on an appropriate public-private partnership model.
According to internal political sources, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has made a decision to hold the Presidential Election in September 2024.
In a surprising move, he has also declared his intention to contest the election as an independent candidate.
Additionally, the President has outlined plans for Parliamentary elections scheduled for January 2025 and Provincial Council Elections in March 2025.
This strategic timeline is expected to shape the political landscape in the coming months.
Meanwhile,former minister Ravi Karunanayake, Colombo district leader of the United National Party, attending a press conference held today (09), stated that it has been decided to hold the presidential election in another 9 months and the president is going to contest as a non-partisan candidate
The fundamental duty of all people living in Sri Lanka is to live in harmony with each other, particularly in harmony with the predominant religious culture and beliefs, and not hurt the moral sensitivities of the ethnic majority, which has made the biggest contribution throughout history to the building of the country and to the civilization that sustains the national ethos. It is an unequal contribution.
This requirement prevails in all Countries influenced by Abrahamic religions, especially in Islamic countries.
There is greater stability in Islamic countries because they do not compromise on fundamental values nor encourage diversity, which undermines social cohesion.
This situation also prevailed in Sri Lanka before 1505.
‘When in Rome do as the Romans do’ is a wise way to avoid conflict between communities.
Thisis a proverb attributed to Saint Augustine. The phrase means that it is advisable to follow the conventions of the area in which you are residing or visiting.
It is said that Saint Monica and her son, Saint Augustine had found out that Saturday was observed as a fast day in Rome, which they had planned to visit. However, it was not a fast day when they lived in Milan They consulted Saint Ambrose who had then said “When I am here (in Milan) I do not fast on Saturday, when in Rome I do fast on Saturday.” That reply is said to have led to the saying “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”
The Romans are no more in existence neither are we in Sri Lanka related to the ancient Romans.
Nevertheless, this saying looms large in a country that is grappling with trying to find a solution to a seemingly intractable problem of who should prevail or which community should have the final word or say in recommending standards of conduct for the rest of the country.
In ancient Rome, the majority view prevailed as it should be in any democracy.
It was accompanied by the presumption that the minority and any foreigner or visitor would heed the conventions of the area or the country in which they are living or visiting and not challenge them or try to replace them, which would invariably develop into a conflict.
The Easter Sunday attack and the underlying reasons shown in the attempt to blow up the Buddha statues in Mawanella demonstrate the threat to the entire community when one group smaller in number (a minority) tries to override the belief system of the group greater in number (the majority).
This type of conduct has to be prevented or avoided at all costs.
That is when the proverb ‘ When in Rome, do as the Romans do’ becomes doubly applicable.
There is no other better way.
This requirement of not trying to displace the prevailing ethos by a later introduced system of religious beliefs under the flag of ‘ multiculturalism’ needs to be stressed to the public by the State in Schools, Media, and Public Relations, and be made part of public policy.
We, in Sri Lanka, can no longer afford to take chances with failed models and so-called ‘Human Rights’ experiments, not of our own making.
Europeans these days are horrified by latecomers, migrants, and asylum seekers taking control of the streets of major cities of Europe in unceasing demonstrations relating to extraterritorial matters.
The increasing rejection of Multiculturalism in leading European countries such as England, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Norway, and Austria, shows that peace and harmony cannot be readily achieved in a society if religious values are incompatible and cultural practices are vastly different between the constituent groups of a country.
Without peace and stability, the fate of a country ‘hangs in the balance’.
FSP questions feasibility of bankrupt country joining US military project
The Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) yesterday (07) urged political parties in Parliament to oppose the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government’s decision to join a US-led multinational coalition to protect commercial shipping in the Red Sea against continuing attacks by Yemen’s Houthi group.
Senior FSP spokesperson Pubudu Jagoda said that the move, announced by President Ranil Wickremesinghe on January 03 at an event at the BMICH, had taken all political parties by surprise.
The former JVPer questioned the rationale behind bankrupt Sri Lanka joining a costly operation. He pointed out that the US recently launched ‘Operation Prosperity Guardian’ in response to Houthi attacks.
The Houthis have declared that attacks on Red Sea commercial shipping were in response to the current Israeli military campaign against Palestinians in Gaza.
The breakaway JVP group said that President Wickremesinghe’s declaration should have been publicly opposed immediately by all political parties represented in Parliament. Unfortunately, they remained conveniently silent, Jagoda said, urging Parliament to take up this issue without delay.
Jagoda
The US recently asked Sri Lanka to contribute to the Red Sea mission. The Foreign Ministry didn’t respond to The Island query in this regard.
How can the President, in spite of being the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces and the Defence Minister, make such a declaration without consulting the Parliament?” Jagoda said. We would like to know whether the Cabinet of Ministers discussed the issue at hand or the National Security Council took it up.”
Jagoda pointed out that Sri Lanka couldn’t under any circumstances join a controversial Western military operation at a time the global community, including some of its members, were hesitant due to growing global public opinion against indiscriminate Israeli attacks. Don’t forget a year ago this government indefinitely put off Local Government polls claiming it didn’t have sufficient funds,” Jagoda said.
Gaza health authorities have placed the number of people killed in the besieged territory at 22,722 up to January 06, 2024, since the cross border Hamas attacks on Israel on Oct 07, 2023.
Former Navy Chief of Staff Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera said that he intended to inquire about the proposed deployment from the Navy and the Ministry of Defence.
The former Public Security Minister said so when The Island sought his opinion as the Chairman of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security.
MP Weerasekera said that joining a special naval operation such as ‘Operation Prosperity Guardian’ at a flashpoint was quite a foreign policy challenge. We should also be concerned of our capacity and capability to deploy a vessel fully-equipped to meet the challenging task,” the former minister said.
Houthis launched operations against Red Sea commercial shipping on 19 Nov., 2023. In spite of repeated warnings, Houthis aligned with Iran have mounted a spate of attacks. Last week, they deployed an armed unmanned surface vessel though it failed to reach the intended target. Houthis launched the attack just hours after the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom issued what the international media called a final warning.
Authoritative sources told The Island that at the moment the Navy didn’t have a vessel equipped to meet the US-led coalition in the Red Sea. In case, the government wanted to go ahead with the mission, regardless of the consequences, one of the Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), formerly of the US Coast Guard, would have to be equipped with proper weapons systems which Sri Lanka didn’t have nor the wherewithal to acquire.
Obviously, we are in a dilemma. The truth is even if we have no other issue to be concerned with, the SLN didn’t have a suitable vessel. American OPVs with SLN and Advanced OPVs acquired from India are not equipped to fight drones and unmanned surface vessels,” a source familiar with SLN capabilities said. Responding to another query, the source explained ideally a country that undertook such a mission should have at least one other vessel with similar capabilities and strong support base.
Sarath Wijesinghe President’s Counsel (LLM International Law (UCL)), former Ambassador to UAE and Israel, President of the Lanka Ambassador’s Forum – United Kingdom, Former Chairman of The Consumer Affairs Authority, Solicitor in England and Wales.
It is a commendable concept and a remarkable operation against drugs, the underworld, and criminal activities which appear to be undermining and underestimating the rule of law and the peace of the country, bringing the peaceful life of the peace-loving citizens to its knees. The duration of its effectiveness remains uncertain, and the movement’s ability to withstand opposition from various quarters, where support is minimal and encouragement is lacking, raises concerns.
The rule of Law has been disregarded, paving the way for anarchy fueled by indifference, inefficiency, bribery, and corruption. Justice, which entails treating individuals impartially and equally, and preventing illegal and immoral acts by anti-social elements, seems to have been compromised. The Youkthiya’s campaign, having collected 850 million rupees and seized properties worth billions from drug dealers, has questioned 20,000 individuals suspected of criminal and drug-related activities. Investigations are ongoing, focusing on items such as Hush Hush, Pills, Cannabis, as well as significant amounts of currency and properties whose ownership and sources of income remain elusive.
The collaboration between drug dealers, the underworld, and criminals exacerbates the challenges, with the primary victims often being the youth. Unfortunately, there is a lack of proper vision or direction to curb, if not completely eradicate, this pressing issue. Identifying the responsible parties and determining where to initiate corrective measures are crucial concerns, leaving the average citizen in disarray with no apparent solution. Drug dealers thrive due to a strong network, locally and internationally, supported by drug lords and an affluent drug mafia. The organized nature of their operations, involving well-paid trained groups infiltrating schools, workplaces, and villages across the country, makes it difficult to pinpoint the main leaders, who likely enjoy political patronage. The elusive nature of these leaders remains a significant obstacle. It is imperative that social media, civil society, and citizens unite in the fight for peace and the rule of law, which are rapidly eroding due to the lack of participation and intervention from these groups. Safety is compromised everywhere – at home, on the roads, and in the workplace – creating a nationwide predicament. The urgency of finding a solution is heightened by the fear of being mugged or having belongings stolen in broad daylight by organized thieves, drug peddlers, and addicts. While the initiation and motivation behind the operation are not our concern, as long as it addresses a long-felt need, it is crucial to support and guide the efforts of the line minister and the head of the police department. Public support is essential, as active participation can contribute significantly to the success of the operation. According to recent statistics, there are approximately 45,000 regular drug users, while the number of other users might be around 600,000. This alarming situation has rapidly encroached upon our neighborhoods, garnering media headlines and plunging citizens into agony. The United States leads globally in drug misuse, encompassing manufacturing as a lucrative business. Drug use is subsequently prevalent in countries plagued by drug addiction, crime, and connections to the underworld. Despite extensive anti-drug campaigns, it is estimated that there are approximately 2.5 billion drug addicts worldwide, with a staggering 5.75% increase, even in countries with stringent rules and severe punishments such as the Philippines and Sri Lanka. The peril of drugs has significantly impacted the youth and students, who are vulnerable targets for ruthless drug peddlers. Shockingly, 42% of girls and 43% of boys approached by drug peddlers have tried drugs, and addicted youth are often employed as agents to recruit new victims. Disturbing incidents, like those involving an 11-year-old student, are widely circulated on social media, highlighting the ease with which the young are ensnared in the drug trade under the false pretense of enhancing memory and enjoyment. The news of Youkthiya’s raids, with recoveries amounting to billions, underscores the magnitude of the issue. It seems that drug lords are capitalizing on the breakdown of law and order, facilitated by bribery, corruption, and inefficiency within the system. Despite large sums being readily available, the security forces, influenced by political patronage, have struggled to make a breakthrough. Drug crimes and the underworld are intricately connected, with the same entities engaging in various illegal projects. The underworld wields significant wealth and political power, often with suggestions that politicians are either involved or providing protection to the culprits. While Youkthiya remains active, operations continue with the community’s direct approval, as parents of young victims bear the brunt. The group is subjected to thefts, robberies, and the destruction of public and private property during daylight, leading to a burden on public funds and an increase in the cost of living. Despite ongoing justice operations, the underworld persists, and drug dealers operate alongside other illegal trades at a reduced pace. The intensified pressure through arrests, raids, and anti-drug efforts faces resistance from various quarters. Notable incidents, such as the alleged unauthorized construction belonging to a Dubai-based drug lord being destroyed in Dehiwala, gain media attention. The anticipated outcome is the curtailment or eradication of the drug and underworld menace, seen as a curse to society. We hope for the continued success of the operation, with leaders and public officers facing risks, dedication, and danger, all supported by average citizens living in fear but with high hopes for success.
What is Yemen’s so-called “Houthi” movement, officially known as Ansarallah? Why are they blocking Israel-bound ships from entering the Red Sea? Ben Norton explains. || Geopolitical Economy Report ||
This week the government will be taking up the ONUR bill for debate after which it will be enacted as law. The bill proposes to establish an Office for National Unity and Reconciliation in order to assure to every citizen equal opportunities in the economic, social, cultural and political spheres. At the same time, the new institution will have the purpose of safeguarding identity and building an inclusive society in which diversity will be respected and all communities will coexist in harmony and unity.
The commendable objectives outlined in the ONUR bill, such as promoting national unity and peaceful coexistence, require dialogue and negotiation among representatives of diverse communities in Sri Lanka, both in civil and political societies. Unfortunately, the potential importance of this new institution appears to be under-estimated by the government, its policymakers and the law’s drafters as there has been little or no effort to engage in public discussion on it or to educate the general public about the need for it.
We, the undersigned, have three major concerns which we outline. First, we believe that the composition of the decision making board of ONUR will be crucial to the success of the institution and its work. We note that Appointments to the ONUR Board would be appointments by the Minister under whose purview the institution comes. The minister is empowered to recommend the appointment of 11 members who will have terms of 3 years, while the chairperson has no time limit, which is inadvisable. We urge a more multi-partisan method of appointments to ensure that those appointed represent the diversity of ethnic and religious groups and socio-cultural interests.
Second, as ONUR is expected to play a central role in the national reconciliation process that brings together all the independent reconciliation mechanisms we propose that appointments to the ONUR board should include ex-officio representatives from the Office of Missing Persons, Office of Reparations, NGO Secretariat and the Truth, Unity and Reconciliation Commission which is soon to be established. This will ensure that all the reconciliation institutions share a common vision and are informed of the work that is being done by each of them. There is also a need to ensure representation from civil society to ensure that the perspectives of affected communities and victims are considered and acted upon.
Third, we are concerned about the role given to ONUR to be prescriptive vis a vis civil society by virtue of the power to guide and facilitate peace and reconciliation programmes conducted by local organisations including community based organisations.” This authority to monitor and review the work of civil society raises concerns about the prospect of government heavy-handedness in the context of the possible politicization for narrow and partisan purposes of national reconciliation policy and actions. The new law needs to be clear that the government will not direct civil society to follow its guidelines, but can assist and facilitate” them to do so.
National reconciliation cannot be enforced from the top down. It needs to be a voluntary process involving all ethnic and religious communities. There is a need to draw civil society and elected political representatives into the discussion about the new institution. Prior to the passage of the new law, we urge the government to engage with opposition political parties, particularly those representing minority ethnic and religious communities, as well as civil society, to establish a multi-partisan consensus, encompassing pluralistic values on the path to make this a true reconciliation process for national unity.
Signatories
Ihsaan A. Hameed, National President, All Ceylon YMMA Conference
D M Nimal Dissanayake, Coordinator, Anuradhapura District Citizen Committee
Sachitha N Hewage, Chairman, ASIA LANKA Social Development Co-operation (ALSDC)
Visaka Dharmadasa, Chairperson, Association of War Affected Women (AWAW)
Dr Joe William, Director, Centre for Communication Training (CCT)
Mohamed Buhary, Executive Director, Eastern Social Development Foundation (ESDF)
Chaminda Piyasekara, Executive Director, Environment and Community Development Information Centre (ECDIC)
Amar Gunatilleke, Executive Vice Chairman, Marga Institute
G V D Tilakasiri, President, Free Trade Union Development Center (FTUDC)
Anthony Vinoth, Executive Director, Human Rights Hub
Fr Nandana Manatunga, Director, Human Rights Office (HRO)
Dr Rajni Gamage, Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore
Sakunthala Kadirgamar, Executive Director, Law & Society Trust (LST)
B.W.Gunasekara, National Ethnic Unity Foundation (NEUF)
Dr Jehan Perera, Executive Director, National Peace Council (NPC)
Harindra B Dassanayake, Head of Research, One-Text Initiative.
Michael Joachim, Executive Director, Plantation Rural Education Development Organisation (PREDO)
Philip Dissanayake, Executive Director, Right to Life (R2L)
Niroshan Ekanayaka, Executive Director, SAMADANA
Nawaz Mohammed, Country Director, Search for Common Ground (SFCG)
Aashiq Alabdeen, Chief Executive Officer, Serving Humanity Foundation
Nadishani Perera, Executive Director, Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL)
Dr. A.M. Navaratna Bandara, Former Professor, University of Peradeniya
Nadesan Suresh, Executive Director, Uva Shakthi Foundation (USF)
Pressure from India and the U.S. on the docking of Chinese research vessels at its ports appears to have prompted Sri Lanka to impose a one-year moratorium on visits by foreign research vessels.
In recent months, Sri Lanka has found itself at the center of an escalating geopolitical storm, which seems to have prompted it to impose a one-year moratorium on foreign research vessels. Behind this seemingly local decision looms the intensifying tensions between China and the Quad, an alliance comprising the United States, India, Japan, and Australia.
The decision is expected to affect Chinese ships the most.
The Indian Ocean has been an arena of great power competition and conflict for centuries. In recent years, it has become a theater for strategic maneuvering, where China’s expanding influence is being countered by the Quad.
A coalition formed in response to China’s growing regional and global reach, the Quad seeks to curb Chinese initiatives, notably the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and assert its dominance in the Indo-Pacific region. This power struggle manifests in various forms, including increased scrutiny of Chinese activities in vital maritime routes.
For Sri Lanka, a nation that is strategically positioned in the heart of the Indian Ocean, this geopolitical tug-of-war poses significant challenges. The island nation has historically enjoyed relationships with multiple global powers, leveraging these ties for economic development and infrastructure projects. However, the recent decision to impose restrictions on foreign research vessels, largely impacting Chinese ships, underscores the complexities of maintaining this delicate balance amid mounting pressures.
It is evident that Sri Lanka’s decision to impose a one-year moratorium on foreign research vessels has come in response to relentless pressure from India and the United States to halt the growing frequency of Chinese research vessels docking at Sri Lankan ports.
Announcing the moratorium, Foreign Minister Ali Sabry claimed that Sri Lanka will spend the next year preparing guidelines on procedures to follow when a foreign research vessel arrives in the country. Sri Lanka currently lacks a comprehensive policy concerning these vessels, leading to a situation where various government institutions issue conflicting statements regarding the intentions and parameters of recent Chinese research vessels’ arrivals. This lack of coherence has significantly contributed to the confusion among all involved parties.
Uditha Devapriya, lead researcher for the Colombo-based international relations think tank, Factum, said two Chinese research vessels docked in Sri Lanka in 2022 and 2023, and this caused a lot of diplomatic tension for Sri Lanka. The Chinese have also asked permission for the research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 3 to dock in Sri Lanka in January 2024.
The proposed arrival could have sparked another significant diplomatic dispute for Sri Lanka,” Devapriya explained, pointing to likely objections from India and the U.S. With parliamentary and presidential elections scheduled for 2024, the influence of China, India, and the U.S. could impact the election’s outcome. Clearly, President Ranil Wickremesinghe aims to steer clear of controversies in this crucial electoral year.”
Research vessels have been arriving in Sri Lanka for decades. The recent hyperbolic scrutiny of these ships by a section of the media, however, is new. The scrutiny for the most part comes from the Indian media. India is a close ally of the United States in its containment efforts of China.
China has developed rapidly in the last five decades and is on the verge of becoming a regional hegemon. International relations scholars of the realist school have insisted that this is not a development the United States, the only current regional hegemon, would readily accept. Once China becomes the undisputed power in Asia, it can intervene in other theaters, a privilege only the U.S. currently enjoys.
Sri Lankan attorney-at-law and expert in international security Indika Perera said that announcing a moratorium provides Sri Lanka temporary relief from Indian and American pressure.
Perera said that Sri Lanka has not clearly communicated the fact that it has banned research vessels from all countries. The prevailing impression in China is that Sri Lanka has prohibited only Chinese research vessels, while keeping its ports open for research vessels from other nations, Perera, who was in China recently, said.
My impression was that the Chinese media too had picked up on Indian reporting. A lot of people asked me why Sri Lanka has targeted Chinese vessels alone. They had not seen the official statement by our foreign minister,” Perera said. This is a major problem Sri Lanka is facing. It does not communicate its policies and its thoughts. If we clearly articulated our positions through the media and conveyed our stance through diplomatic channels, we could avoid a lot of confusion.”
Perera said that across Asia, the Quad has been trying to counter BRI initiatives and there is intense pressure on the smaller nations to pick a side. With the absence of a movement similar to the Non-Aligned Movement, which once allowed smaller nations to navigate international power politics without firmly aligning with one camp or the other, smaller Asian countries will be compelled to choose between China and the Quad.
Sri Lanka faces the daunting task of safeguarding its sovereignty and interests, while balancing relationships with major global players. It finds itself walking a tightrope, striving to avoid becoming collateral damage in the escalating Cold War tensions.
The scrutiny faced by Chinese research vessels in Sri Lanka serves as a poignant reminder of the intricate dance smaller nations must perform in a world dominated by geopolitical rivalries. As the storm clouds of this Cold War continue to gather, Sri Lanka stands as a testament to the complex realities faced by nations seeking to carve their path in a world overshadowed by power struggles.
INDIAN OCEAN (June 26, 2021) Sri Lanka Navy Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel SLNS Gajabahu (P-626), right, and SLNS Sayurala (P-623) exercise divisional tactics alongside Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18), June 26. In its 27th year, the CARAT series is comprised of multinational exercises, designed to enhance U.S. and partner navies’ abilities to operate together in response to traditional and non-traditional maritime security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Adam Butler)
In the Red Sea, Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG) is witnessing a gradual increase in naval strength. Led by the United States, OPG warships from different nations are trickling into the Red Sea to counter maritime attacks from Yemen’s Houthi rebels. In the past few days United Kingdom, Greece, and Sri Lanka have all announced the addition of warships to this coalition. Additionally, India and Pakistan have increased their warship commitments, but not as part of OPG.
iNews UK reports that the Royal Navy is deploying a third ship, the HMS Richmond, to join ongoing efforts in the Red Sea. This decision showcases the UK’s commitment to the American coalition. Departing from Plymouth, the HMS Richmond will rendezvous with the HMS Diamond, a destroyer, and the HMS Lancaster, a frigate, both already stationed in the region.
While the HMS Lancaster has significant missile capabilities with its 32 Vertical Launch Cells for anti-air missiles, they are not as extensive as those of larger destroyers like the USS Carney, which can hold 90 missiles. The USS Carney recently demonstrated the effectiveness of its VLS system by shooting down 14 drones before returning to the US naval base in Bahrain for resupply.
Today, following the diplomatic efforts of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Turkey and Greece, the Greek Navy has decided to contribute a Hydra-class frigate equipped with 32 Vertical Launch System (VLS) missile cells to OPG. Greece says this strategic decision aims to strengthen the protection of merchant vessels sailing in the turbulent waters of the Red Sea.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is taking steps to join the coalition, as reported by Barrons. President Ranil Wickremesinghe of Sri Lanka has expressed concerns about the rising freight costs and the negative impact on the country’s major exports, such as garments and tea, due to Houthi attacks on shipping. To address these challenges, Sri Lanka plans to deploy a 100-man warship, potentially an offshore patrol ship like the SLNS Sindurala, equipped with anti-air guns but lacking VLS cells. Wickramasuriya emphasized that a crew of over 100 personnel will be deployed.
Ten days ago Denmark announced plans to send a frigate to OPG but it’s not clear when that ship will arrive.
Non-Coalition Warships
While several nations are strengthening the OPG others, like France, are joining the OPG but prioritizing ships owned by their nations without submitting to US command. Some nations, such as India and Pakistan, are committed to protecting ships outside the OPG structure altogether.
Following India’s announcement, the Pakistan Navy declared via a YouTube video their intention to send 2-3 ships to the Red Sea, signifying a notable increase in naval presence in these strategic waters.
The purpose is to protect Pakistan-bound and international shipping traversing through our area. In this regard, 2-3 ships are always patrolling the areas on which Pakistan-bound and international merchant ships are plying,” a spokesman said. In addition, extensive air surveillance is also being undertaken to ensure the safety of international sea lines of communications passing through our maritime area.”
Joint Statement
Amidst these developments, the United States, along with eleven other countries, recently issued a joint statement calling for an end to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. This underscores the international community’s growing concern over maritime security in this vital region. Operation Prosperity Guardian continues to gain momentum, but progress appears to be slow and gradual.
Japan restated the importance for early completion of signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Sri Lanka and creditor nations on debt restructuring, after an agreement was reached in principle late last year.
It also emphasised the need to ensure transparency and comparability in agreements with creditors outside the Official Creditor Committee (OCC), according to a statement dated Friday.
Japan, along with France and India, co-chair the committee of 15 creditor nations.
Battling its worst financial crisis since independence in 1948, the South Asian island nation is trying to restructure deals with creditors after soaring inflation, currency depreciation and low foreign reserves sent its economy into free fall, forcing it to default on foreign debt in May 2022.
Sri Lanka and its creditors said in November they reached an agreement in principle on debt restructuring that would cover approximately $5.9 billion of outstanding public debt and consisted of a mix of long-term maturity extension and reduction in interest rates.
China, Sri Lanka’s largest bilateral creditor, has struck its own deal with the island nation, but has not joined OCC as a formal member.
Sri Lanka’s total external debt is estimated at $36.4 billion, which includes $10.81 billion of bilateral debt, according to data released by its finance ministry in September.
Sri Lanka needs to secure debt restructuring agreements with both bilateral creditors and bondholders, possibly by March, to complete the second review of a $2.9 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund.
Vidura Wickramanayake, Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs of Sri Lanka, has announced that the Cabinet has formed a committee to investigate individuals leading movements that distort religious beliefs and contribute to societal discord.
The government aims to enact new legislation to curb and eliminate activities that misrepresent religious teachings, potentially leading to social tensions.
The minister highlighted the need for preventive measures following incidents where individuals distorted religious facts, resulting in tragic consequences such as suicides among their followers. The government is committed to creating an environment that allows everyone to practice their religion within the legal framework of the country
The newly appointed committee is expected to conduct thorough investigations into instances of religious distortion and recommend appropriate measures to address the issue
President Ranil Wickremesinghe is set to travel to Switzerland this week to participate in the economic summit scheduled to begin in Davos on the 13th, as confirmed by the President’s Media Division.
Following the summit in Switzerland, the President will proceed to Uganda, in response to an official invitation from the country. The visit is expected to involve the participation of several ministers accompanying President Wickremesinghe
‘Before you study the economics, study the economists!’
e-Con e-News 31 December 2023 – 06 January 2024
The President, in his imported New Year blue suit with fading blue tie, announces deploying a Sri Lankan Navy ship into the roiling Red Sea at a cost of Rs250million per fortnight. He hopes to thwart depreciation of the Rupee in case shipping companies hike their prices claiming diversion around the Cape of Tempests of South Africa (which last week took Israel – tho not their bloodier sponsors, the USA – to the International Court of Justice for genocide).
The President’s announcement was reported first in his family newspapers – mouthpieces & mirrors for the embassy whites & their white-Blacks – to signal support for the US genocide in West Asia. Almost immediately, the SLNavy clarifies they are doing a ‘feasibility’ study on the matter.
The President, desperately seeking allies outside of his fading blue alliance (hence the paling tie), announces this, just as the chair of Exxon-Rockefeller International – whose ‘Foundation’ plays godfather to all US NGOs behind the Aragalaya, also funding fake reconciliations – lands in the country to demand further opening up of labor laws, midst a lot of diabetic sugar coating about how wonderful Sri Lanka’s other prospects are.
Astute observers note the public jettisoning of so-called nonalignment – let alone the open media-celebrated arrival of an oily Rockefeller agent – as further evidence of the extent of US infiltration of an ostensibly independent Sri Lankan state.
The US wars in West Asia have aimed to cut off if not control South & East Asia’s access to energy sources. If Africa decides to intercept such ships, as they surely will one day, what will the President, & all his import-export-loving corporate sponsors, economists & other yipping poodles, do?
The President bared his Red Sea revelation at the end of a speech at the National Handicrafts Exhibition, and at the BMICH, of all places! Handicrafts are a very quaint epitome of our colonial underdevelopment & stultification, as we are prevented from advancing to modern machine industry. The BMICH – an enduring construct of SL-China Friendship!
A day later on 4 January, Air Force Commander Air Marshall Udeni Rajapksa is beckoned to meet US Ambassador & lost-Korean kurumitta Julie Chung, to discuss ‘Security Cooperation’ & ‘Maritime Security’. On 5 January, US-installed former President M Sirisena is also come-hithered to discuss ‘the political & economic landscape in the year to come.’ with Chung (seeee Sovereignty, ‘Helplessness & Confusion’ in the Coming Year – Thoradeniya).
Imperialism plays all sides, so no matter who wins, they always have a friend. Of course, they actually have no friends – they only have interests. They aim to use the imminent turmoil they have provoked to prepare for the US military’s entrance to set up their new 8th Fleet Basein Sri Lanka – joining their other ‘unsinkable aircraft carriers’: US-occupied Palestine (aka Israel), Bahrain (US Navy Central Command), & Hawaii (US Pacific Command base). – see ee Random Notes, 8th Fleet
A ‘Galle Concerto 2024’ is offering European literary & musical flatulence within Sri Lanka’s Ruhuna heartland, as soothing overtures to disaster. Let us recall that the post-1814 military-diplomatic ‘Concert of Europe’ was set up to unite the whites against the rest of the world, as well as undermine the Ottoman Empire (of which Israel is a white settler legatee). The 1815 soft-coup against the last redoubt of Sinhale (in the highlands) was their first prize (with the 1818 genocide soon after). This new ‘Concert of Europe’ (including all its settler states) awards prizes to literature as long as they sing the whites’ anti-Sinhala-Buddhist & anti-China baila.
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‘Do an unelected group of bureaucrats
staffing the Central Bank of a country
know better than the elected representatives
of the people and what is in their best interests?’
– Bram & Howard Nicholas (see ee Focus)
• Not Corruption But Capitalism!– Former USAID employee Dushni Weerakoon currently an Appointed Member of the Monetary Policy Board of the Central Bank & a Director of the Board of Investment (BOI), has joined the Cargills board as an Independent, Non-Executive Director. This is apparently not a conflict of interest or corruption. After all, recall that former Supreme Court Chief Justice K Siripavan joined the board of US World Bank-IFC-controlled Commercial Bank, ostensibly owned by John Keells Holdings (JKH). Weerakoon is also a director of this American Express-linked Nations Trust Bank (NTB) owned by JKH, Canada’s Fairfax’s HWIC Asia Fund, and Central Finance. She is also Executive Director of the Institute of Policy Studies of SL (IPS), whose studies are now thakata-thei with US thinktank Advocata (financed by US Atlas International, see ee Focus).
Weerakoon accompanies Ganesan Ampalavanar, who was also made a Non-Independent, Non-Executive Director. A Malaysian citizen, Ganesan served Nestle Group, 3 times as CEO (Nestle Indonesia, Nestle Vietnam, Nestle SL). – see ee Finance, Cargills appoints Dushni & Ganesan to board
The mushrooming of numerous Cargills Food City & Keells supermarkets (sometimes in the same vicinity) is causing the shuttering down of numerous neighbouring smaller kadays across the country. Not only shops, the government has provided these corporates with tons of import licenses and control over marketing & transport of goods. Switzerland’s Nestles is the dominant monopoly in dairy in Sri Lanka, behind the subversion & privatization of the National Milk Board.
Retail companies like Keells & Cargills Food City, fronted by such Parsi-capitalists as Rusi & Soli Captain, and Chettiar capitalists like the Pages, guided by US Rockefeller’s Citibank, promote rotten Kentucky Fried Chicken, etc. They have made massive profits in Sri Lanka in the last few years, often outpacing the rate of inflation. These profits are sparking further inflation, mainly due to market concentration. The Annual Reports of these companies also provide fascinating reading (literature not highlighted at arts festivals!). The US government’s USAID is also financing Cargills electric vehicle charging stations. Cargills & Keells have also extended their tenacles into leasing, while pushing impoverished people into leasing only.
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The US government’s demand for a new Central Bank Act has been fulfilled. This will bring Sri Lanka’s economy under further US control, just as all of Europe was first brought under US-military-occupied Germany’s Bundesbank, with Germany itself now under the Wall-Street-run US Federal Reserve. This is being blamed for the abandonment of all pretenses about Europe’s yearning for social democracy, which turns out to be the old muse for rising fascism (see ee Focus).
It is therefore fitting that we look at the Communist Party of Sri Lanka’sAlternative Program for Finance & Banking &Digital Transformation. The CPSL notes that the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) supervises the 32 banks that own the majority of the assets in the financial sector of Sri Lanka; and how the People’s Bank & Bank of Ceylon meant to fulfil citizens’ investment needs have been hijacked to operate more like commercial banks, undermining those engaged in productive activities who need financial support.
As for so-called corruption in high places, the US has inspired India’s Supreme Court to absolve the Indian PM Modi-Linked Adani Corporation recently charged for stock manipulation. The USA’s International Development Finance Corporation has stamped their approval of the Adani Colombo port project, to apparently counterbalance ‘Chinese investment’, in Hambantota, etc. The blocking of Hambantota port as a hub for southern industrialization has also been at their behest. The Financial Times in October reviewed customs records to show how the Adani Group, which is India’s largest coal importer, used offshore middlemen in Taiwan, Singapore & Dubai, to import coal at highly inflated prices – at more than double the prevailing market rate.’
Meanwhile, India is gaming the US-Russia divide, after Russia promised to support their initiative to ‘manufacture combat hardware under the Made in India program’.
This ee News includes an interview with Russia’s Central Banker & ‘Anti-Sanctions Tsarina’, who should be contrasted to Sri Lanka’s central banker who has been exposed as a US agent. Elvira Nabiullina is seen as an example of a citizen who defends her country. She explains how Russia games several scenarios in order to protect its workers from monetary devaluation, etc.
Meanwhile the US, facing defeat in the Ukraine as well as West Asia, wants the Group of 7 (G7) major industrialized nations to explore ways to confiscate $300billion worth of the assets they have frozen. Like other central banks, Russia’s Central Bank placed some of its gold & foreign exchange reserves in liquid assets, eg major currencies, gold, & government bonds. About half of those reserves were held in the white West. Central Bank Governor Nabiullina was criticized by nationalists for allowing such a large chunk of the bank’s reserves to be frozen… But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says ‘If something is confiscated from us, we will look at what we will confiscate,’ adding. ‘We will do this immediately.’ (see ee Economists)
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• Media reported the Colombo Tea Auction was suspended because ‘they have no idea as to how VAT would affect their operations’. There were rumors however that both Dilmah’s and Akbar’s tea offices were raided for tax-related fraud. Their imports (tea, packaging &other value addition inputs) are all VAT-deferred, cos importation is done under the premise of full re-export. But they only re-export a portion of it. Some of their goods are instead sold here. Some say we should thank the IMF for such housecleaning, but both companies were set to boycott the tea auction on Thursday, which could have temporarily crashed the tea market. Some suggest this may just drive up the price? But it’s the opposite. These 2 are the biggest buyers. So the tea could well sit in factories and rot. The factories won’t be able to sell their tea. Perhaps the President is trying to ensure his corporate vote bank does not stray, so let’s see how all this pans out. The bets are on: elections being postponed through some sort of extra-parliamentary jilmart… (see ee Agriculture, VAT impacts start of Colombo Tea Auction) Capitalist elections are the best democracy that dollars can buy, haha…
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All of the references in our introduction are backed up by our teeming ee News Compendium below. Please remember to note monopolistic agencies are usually behind any repetitive news….
Read the Comment on the Double Standards of the International Cricket Council (ICC) when it comes to matters involving non-European cricketers and inventors. The Decision Review System (DRS) is another example where the ICC has failed to ‘play cricket’ in the true spirit of the game. ICC has a moral obligation to the Cricket world to explain how it acquired the idea of DRS. Both Wikipedia and Google identify Senaka Weeraratna, a lawyer from Sri Lanka, as the inventor of DRS based on his letter to the Editor of the ‘ Australian ‘ newspaper dated March 25, 1997, where he advocated a system called’ Player Referral ‘ to resolve mistakes made by ground umpires in combination with Video Replay technology. The fundamental elements of ‘ Player Referral ‘ and the DRS are the same. There is no other claimant for this invention. The ICC must give due recognition to Senaka Weeraratna as the inventor of the Decision Review System in Cricket. That is ‘playing cricket’ in the true spirit of the game.
The shame of suppressing the name of the true inventor of DRS falls not only on the ICC but also on the scandal-ridden and corrupt Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Board and the new ‘avatar’ on the scene the ‘Minister of Sports’. The latter has yet to acknowledge that there is an issue that can if resolved fairly, bring both inestimable laurels and much-needed money to the cash-strapped economy of Sri Lanka. It is time that these two institutions rise above their petty jealousy and envy to deliver their best for their country, Sri Lanka.
Israeli historian Ilan Pappé reframes ‘the only democracy in the Middle East’ as a colonizing force that is inherently undemocratic due to its necessary subjugation of Palestinians.
Israel’s status as a bona fide democracy is often taken to be a self-evident truth, but a more critical look at the history and reality of Zionism calls this into question. After all, how can a democracy exist in a country constitutionally defined as an ethnostate that can only exist through the suppression and gradual elimination of its Others? Israeli historian Ilan Pappé joins The Chris Hedges Report for a discussion on Israel as an inherently colonial, and therefore anti-democratic, project.
Ilan Pappé is a professor with the College of Social Sciences and International Studies at the University of Exeter in the UK, where he directs the European Centre for Palestine Studies, and co-directs the Exeter Centre for Ethno-Political Studies. Prior to coming to the UK, Pappé was a historian and politician in Israel. He is the author of several books, including The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine.
Studio Production: Cameron Granadino, Adam Coley Post-Production: David Hebden
This book offers in-depth insights into the struggles implementing the rule of law in nineteenth-century Ceylon, introduced into the colonies by the British as their “greatest gift.” The book argues that resistance can be understood as a form of negotiation to lessen oppressive colonial conditions and that the cumulative impact caused continual adjustments to the criminal justice system, weighing it down and distorting it.
The tactical use of the rule of law is explored within the three bureaucracies: the police, the courts, and the prisons. Policing was often “governed at a distance” due to fiscal constraints and economic priorities and the enforcement of law was often delegated to underpaid Ceylonese. Spaces of resistance opened up as Ceylon was largely left to manage its affairs. Villagers, minor officials, as well as senior British government officials, alternately used or subverted the rule of law to achieve their own goals. In the courts, the imported system lacked political legitimacy and consequently, the Ceylonese undermined it by embracing it with false cases and information, in the interests of achieving justice as they saw it. In the prisons, administrators developed numerous biopolitical techniques and medical experiments to punish prisoners’ bodies to their absolute lawful limit. This limit was one that prison officials, prisoners, and doctors negotiated continuously over the decades.
The book argues that the struggles around the rule of law can best be understood not in terms of a dualism of bureaucrats versus the public, but rather as a set of shifting alliances across permeable bureaucratic boundaries. It offers innovative perspectives, comparing the Ceylonese experiences to those of Britain and India, and where appropriate to other European colonies. This book will appeal to those interested in law, history, postcolonial studies, cultural studies, and cultural and political geography.
James S. Duncan was a Reader in Cultural Geography, at the University of Cambridge until his retirement. He is now an Emeritus Fellow of Emmanuel College. His research interests are cultural and historical geography, South Asian history, and the history of law.
Colombo, Jan. 06 (Daily Mirror)- The Health Ministry has introduced a hotline number for people to contact on matters related to the prevention and control of the dengue epidemic.
Director of the National Dengue Control Unit Dr. Sudath Samaraweera said members of the public can contact the hotline number 011-7966 366 set up at the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division of the Health Ministry from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm from today (6) to inquire about dengue fever or inform of mosquito breeding places.
The hotline is open all seven days including on Sundays and Public Holidays.
Colombo, Jan 06 (Daily Mirror) – The government is in the process of evolving fresh legislation to curb or eliminate the distortion of core religious teachings by some individuals creating social tension, Buddhasasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs Minister Vidura Wickramanayake said.
The Minister made these remarks in response to a query about the controversial preacher who provoked some of his followers to commit suicide in his sermons.
Wickramanayake said the Cabinet appointed a committee to look into such religious cults led by various individuals.
We want to create an environment in which everybody can practice his or her religious within the legal framework of the country,” he told Daily Mirror.
Ministry Secretary Somaratne Vidanapathirane said he instructed the committee members to expedite work on the report to be submitted as early as possible. We are planning to work out the legal framework based on it,” he said.
Colombo, Jan 06 (Daily Mirror) – The Health Ministry today commenced the Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) Supplementary Immunization Activity across all immunization clinic centres in nine high-risk health districts.
The targeted areas include Colombo (including the CMC area), Gampaha, Kalutara, Galle, Matara, Kandy, Jaffna, Kurunegala, and Kalmunai.
Running from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., this vaccination programme, led by the Epidemiology Unit, focuses on children born between April 7, 2023, and July 5, 2023.
The decision to administer an additional vaccination dose against measles to infants aged 6 to 9 months comes in response to a surge in cases over the past year.
The second phase of the MMR vaccination drive is scheduled to commence on January 20, extending to other age groups nationwide.
The health authorities emphasize that the MMR vaccination is considered an additional dose, and routine MMR vaccination should be administered to all children who have received the SIA-MMR vaccination upon completion of 9 months and 3 years of age.
Colombo, Jan 06 (Daily Mirror) – The Health Ministry today commenced the Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) Supplementary Immunization Activity across all immunization clinic centres in nine high-risk health districts.