Priyantha Hettige

The source for the collection of ideas and practices called ‘fascism’ (an Italian word) is to be found in the Holy Bible – the word of God. The Popes are fully fascist and rule through the power of God. Their rules are to be imposed on all of humanity without question or answer-back.

Fascism is a Christian political theory which states that a God-believing Head of State, deriving his legitimacy from the representative of God on earth – the Pope, must impose his power and authority over all his people including non believers.

It rejects “… ideas of individual liberty and equality, emphasizing national or racial superiority and concentrates authority on a dictatorial cult figure.” *

Fascism first arose and was first practiced by in Europe by the dictators General Franco of Spain, Dr. Salazar of Portugal, Hitler, Mussolini of Italy and Ante Pavlic of Croatia. All these men were Roman Catholic Christians. They blindly believed in God, the infallibility of the Pope and in their own infallibility. This movement culminated in the Second World War (1940- 1945CE) against Hitler, Mussolini and Pavlic. By simple common sense and sanity other European governments had to put an end to this “Bible-inspired” madness which resulted in 58 million people dead in World War II.

But even now, Roman Catholics continue to work quietly to make their fascist ideas of “One God, One Religion; One Pope, one (Christian) World” come to reality.

Other Christian groups, although in fierce competition even conflict with each other, do all agree to, and will collaborate to achieve the common goal of one world of Christians with one God reigning supreme which leads to “order” (and control) by the ruling elites.

All Christian sects work quietly to get their ideas accepted by the general population, using the press and friendly reporters, unsuspecting government agencies, etc.

They are busy now, targeting ex-Communist China and Vietnam and most Buddhist countries which they would like to slowly convert to Christianity over time.

You can see how Buddhist society in Sri Lanka has been corrupted by Christian ideas due to Christian colonization and its churches. Christian society has a good control of newspapers, news making and entertainment. They use these for their own propaganda purposes.

This is totally bad because Sri Lanka is the last place on earth that has a large society of free and independent thinkers who are able to openly criticize Christianity and its terrible history and insane beliefs.

* The Macmillan Encyclopedia 1983                        Adjutorium. August 2006

Prime Minister’s Media Division

Eid Milad-Un-Nabi Message

When Muslims all over the world celebrate the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammed who dedicated himself to peace, love, mercy and goodness and wellbeing of the world, let us recommit ourselves to creating harmony in the society as it is the most appropriate way to respect him.
It is a timely requirement to apply the humanitarian philosophy of the Prophet, who gifted a perfect way of life that brings prosperity, emancipation, peace and happiness towards social welfare of the people.
I offer Eid Milad-Un-Nabi Mubarak to the Sri Lankan Islamic devotees and their brethren across the world who respect the universal message of harmony professed by Prophet Muhammed.
 

කාදිනල් හිමි සම්පුර්ණ බොරු කරන්නේ | රාජ්‍ය නොවන සංවිධාන වලින් සල්ලි එකතු කරනවා | මිහින්තලේ හිමිගෙන් කාදිනල් හිමිට චෝදනා පත්‍රයක්

Courtesy Aljazeera

Global lender says it did not reach a staff-level agreement with Sri Lanka in its first review under a $2.9bn bailout package.

The International Monetary Fund did not reach a staff-level agreement with Sri Lanka in its first review under a $2.9bn bailout package, due to a potential shortfall in government revenue generation, says the lender.

Speaking after a two-week visit to the country, IMF delegation head Peter Breuer on Wednesday said a second tranche of about $330m under a lending programme would only be released after the IMF reaches a staff-level agreement, and there was no fixed timeline on when that would take place.

Sri Lanka has made commendable progress in implementing difficult but much-needed reforms. These efforts are bearing fruit as the economy is showing tentative signs of stabilisation,” the IMF said in a statement.

The team will continue its discussions in the context of the First Review with the goal of reaching a staff-level agreement in the near term.”

Video Duration 02 minutes 28 seconds02:28IMF reviews Sri Lanka’s progress: One year since economic collapse

The IMF delegation said despite early signs of stabilisation, full economic recovery is not yet assured and growth momentum remains subdued.

In the last six months, Sri Lanka has seen its runaway inflation drop to 1.3 percent in September, its currency appreciate by about 12 percent and foreign exchange reserves improve.

But the island has struggled to improve its revenue with additional measures likely to be taken in the upcoming budget in mid-November.

Despite revenue mobilisation having improved relative to last year, the IMF said revenue was expected to fall short of initial projections by nearly 15 percent by year end.

While partially due to economic factors, the onus of fiscal adjustment would fall on public expenditure if there were no efforts to recoup this shortfall. This could weaken the government’s ability to provide essential public services and undermine the path to debt sustainability,” said the statement.

https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.592.0_en.html#goog_1299905892Play Video

Video Duration 02 minutes 32 seconds02:32Sri Lanka drought: Government to compensate struggling farmers

Sri Lanka’s international bonds were unmoved by the news, trading slightly higher on Wednesday. The bonds are still in deeply distressed territory, trading between 46-48 cents to the dollar, Tradeweb data showed.

The global lender said Sri Lanka would need to strengthen tax administration, remove tax exemptions and actively eliminate tax evasion to increase revenues and signal better governance.

Sri Lanka accepted offers to exchange about $10bn worth of defaulted local debt for new bonds, taking it a step towards meeting debt restructuring requirements ahead of the IMF review.

Sri Lanka has also held multiple rounds of talks with bondholders and bilateral creditors including Japan, China and India to reach an agreement to rework its foreign debt after suspending repayments in May last year.

The island’s debt restructuring is also being discussed at a meeting of the Institute of International Finance and Paris Club scheduled for later in the day, according to the agenda seen by Reuters news agency.

Bloomberg News

COLOMBO, Sept 27 —Some members on the committee of Sri Lanka’s official creditors are pushing to reach a deal to restructure the nation’s debt without the participation of China, Bloomberg News reported today citing people familiar with the matter.

The members want the group of major creditors, including the US, Japan and India, to sign a memorandum of understanding with Sri Lanka around the time of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings scheduled for next month in Morocco, the report added. — Reuters

Courtesy NekkeiAsia

Fund says crisis-hit economy needs tax reforms to boost coffers

A vendor waits for customers at a marketplace in Colombo on Sept. 27. “The people of Sri Lanka have shown remarkable resilience and the authorities have made significant progress on important reforms,” the IMF said in a statement.   © AP

MUNZA MUSHTAQ, Contributing writerSeptember 27, 2023 19:13 JSTUpdated on September 27, 2023 22:50 JST

COLOMBO — Crisis-hit Sri Lanka suffered another setback on Wednesday, after it failed to clinch a staff-level agreement on the next stage of its bailout from the International Monetary Fund, which did not give a timeline for disbursing a second $330 million aid tranche.

In its first official review since agreeing to the $2.9 billion assistance package in March, the IMF said that while there were encouraging signs of stabilization in Sri Lanka, a full economic recovery was not yet in sight.

“The people of Sri Lanka have shown remarkable resilience and the authorities have made significant progress on important reforms,” the IMF said in a statement at the conclusion of a two-week visit. “Discussions will continue towards reaching a staff-level agreement in the near term that will maintain the reform momentum needed to allow Sri Lanka to emerge from its deep economic crisis.”

Peter Breuer, the IMF’s senior mission chief for Sri Lanka, told media that the release of the second tranche will depend on whether the government could sustain reforms and make progress on paying down debt.

The IMF expects revenue mobilization gains to fall short of initial projections by nearly 15% this year and wants the government to find ways to boost its coffers. “To increase revenues and signal better governance, it is important to strengthen tax administration, remove tax exemptions, and actively eliminate tax evasion,” Breuer said in the statement.

Dhananath Fernando, CEO of Sri Lanka-based economic policy think tank Advocata, agreed that Sri Lanka needed to streamline and improve its taxation system by following international standards of transparency.

“If we stick to those principles, we can achieve the revenue targets,” Fernando said. “Also, tax holidays provided on a selective basis based on political affiliations need to be reversed to improve the tax revenue. When a tax system is simple, stable and neutral, many people fall into the tax base.”

Chayu Damsinghe, head of macroeconomic risk advisory at Colombo-based Frontier Research, also said that Sri Lanka needed taxation reforms.

“It’s worth noting that such reforms may take a year or two to yield results, but they are a crucial part of the solution,” he said. “Additionally, even Sri Lanka’s middle class must acknowledge that sustaining their consumption and lifestyle requires a fair contribution through taxes.”

But critics of the IMF said that taxes alone will not be enough and that the body should have enforced cost-cutting measures on the government to begin with.

“Had the policy program been designed as a blended approach at the origin, both IMF and the government would not have faced this embarrassing situation,” said W. A. Wijewardena, a former central bank deputy governor. “Since curtailing expenditure will not take place, the IMF expects the government to increase taxes further. It seems that the professionals who went before the IMF team for relief have been given a harsh treatment.”

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe addresses the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Sept. 21. He is expected to visit China in October.   © Reuters

Colombo-based economist Talal Rafi said the main issue was Sri Lanka’s external debt. “The government has made progress with new laws and gains on important fronts like primary balance targets. The elephant in the room is the external debt restructuring. Hopefully, President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s visit to China can make progress on this,” he said.

Wickremesinghe is expected to visit China in October and to encourage more investments in Sri Lanka.

Rafi added that the IMF setback may even be a positive development for Sri Lanka, as it will force the government to work harder on structural reforms, including in the state-owned enterprises sector and governance-related matters. “As elections approach next year, it is easy for the government to turn more populist,” he said.

The IMF did point to some positive developments in its statement — inflation has come down to below 2% in September from a peak of 70% a year ago, while gross international reserves increased by $1.5 billion during the March to June period, and shortages of essentials have eased.

Much of the public remains skeptical of the country’s direction. A survey by Verite Research revealed that around 45% of Sri Lankans believe the IMF’s bailout package will make things worse in the future, while only 28% were of the opinion that the ongoing program will lead to a better outcome for Sri Lanka’s economy.

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission team concluding its visit to Sri Lanka said that despite early signs of stabilization, full economic recovery is not yet assured.

The team led by Peter Breuer and Ms. Katsiaryna Svirydzenka said Sri Lanka has made commendable progress in implementing difficult but much-needed reforms.

The people of Sri Lanka have shown remarkable resilience in the face of enormous challenges. Sri Lanka has made commendable progress in implementing difficult but much-needed reforms. These efforts are bearing fruit as the economy is showing tentative signs of stabilization. Inflation is down from a peak of 70 percent in September 2022 to below 2 percent in September 2023, gross international reserves increased by $1.5 billion during March-June this year, and shortages of essentials have eased. Despite early signs of stabilization, full economic recovery is not yet assured. Growth momentum remains subdued, with Q2 real GDP contracting by 3.1 percent on a year-on-year basis and high-frequency economic indicators continuing to provide mixed signals. Reserve accumulation has slowed in recent months.

The statement issued by the IMF team said it is important to strengthen tax administration, remove tax exemptions, and actively eliminate tax evasion.

Full Statement:

The people of Sri Lanka have shown remarkable resilience in the face of enormous challenges. Sri Lanka has made commendable progress in implementing difficult but much-needed reforms. These efforts are bearing fruit as the economy is showing tentative signs of stabilization. Inflation is down from a peak of 70 percent in September 2022 to below 2 percent in September 2023, gross international reserves increased by $1.5 billion during March-June this year, and shortages of essentials have eased. Despite early signs of stabilization, full economic recovery is not yet assured. Growth momentum remains subdued, with Q2 real GDP contracting by 3.1 percent on a year-on-year basis and high-frequency economic indicators continuing to provide mixed signals. Reserve accumulation has slowed in recent months.

Sustaining the reform momentum is critical to put the economy on a path towards lasting recovery and stable and inclusive economic growth. The authorities have met the program’s primary balance targets and remain committed to this important pillar of the program so as to support their efforts to restore debt sustainability. However, revenue mobilization gains–while improved relative to last year–are expected to fall short of initial projections by nearly 15 percent by year end. While partially due to economic factors, the onus of fiscal adjustment would fall on public expenditure if there were no efforts to recoup this shortfall. This could weaken the government’s ability to provide essential public services; and undermine the path to debt sustainability. To increase revenues and signal better governance, it is important to strengthen tax administration, remove tax exemptions, and actively eliminate tax evasion.

Against continued uncertainty, it also remains important to rebuild external buffers by strong reserves accumulation. Building on the Central Bank of Sri Lanka’s success in controlling inflation, refraining from monetary financing will help keep inflation in check. Other challenges include maintaining cost recovery of electricity pricing.

The government has made steady progress on structural reforms. Key legislations passed in Parliament, including the new Central Bank Act and the Anti-Corruption Act, could improve governance if implemented effectively. The IMF Governance Diagnostic report would inform future reform measures to strengthen governance when published. A new welfare benefit payment scheme was enacted with new eligibility criteria that aims to improve targeting, adequacy, and coverage of social safety nets. To ensure financial stability, steps were taken on conducting bank diagnostics, developing a roadmap for addressing banking system capital and liquidity shortfalls, and improving the bank resolution framework.

The authorities have also made headway on regaining debt sustainability through the execution of the domestic debt restructuring and advancing discussions with external creditors. As Sri Lanka is restructuring its public debt which is in arrears, Executive Board approval of the first program review requires the completion of financing assurances reviews. These financing assurances reviews will focus on whether adequate progress has been made with debt restructuring to give confidence that it will be concluded in a timely manner and in line with the program’s debt targets.

Discussions are on-going, and the authorities are continuing to make progress on their plans for revenue mobilization targets, anti-corruption efforts, and other important structural reforms.

The IMF team held meetings with President and Finance Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Central Bank of Sri Lanka Governor Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, State Minister Mr. Shehan Semasinghe, Chief of Staff to the President Mr. Sagala Ratnayaka, Secretary to the Treasury Mr. K M Mahinda Siriwardana, and other senior government and CBSL officials. The IMF team also met with Parliamentarians, representatives from the private sector, civil society organizations, and development partners.

We would like to thank the authorities for the excellent collaboration during the mission. The team will continue its discussions in the context of the First Review with the goal of reaching a staff-level agreement in the near term. We reaffirm our commitment to support Sri Lanka at this difficult time.”

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Five fishermen who trafficked 151.341 kilos of heroin on 2nd November 2019 were sentenced to death on three charges by the Colombo High Court today.

The suspects were sentenced to death after a long trial by Colombo High Court Judge Namal Ballale, observing that the prosecution case against the five accused were proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

The five convicts Chaminda Rohana Fernando, Anton Susantha Fernando, Dulag Ravindra Perera,Liyanadurage Surange and Tharindu Jayamal Fernando who were residents of Kattuwa Negombo were sentenced to death by High Court Judge Namal Ballale.

They were sentenced to death on three charges of conspiracy, trafficking and peddling 151 .341kilos of heroin in the southern High seas of Sri Lanka on 2nd November 2019 by a Multi-Day Trawler.

The detection was made by the Sri Lanka Navy during their patrol duty in the southern High Seas of Sri Lanka and following the arrest of the suspects with contraband and were handed over to the Police Narcotic Bureau for further investigations.

The Bureau on concluding their investigations the Attorney General indicted the convicts in the Colombo High Court.

During the hearing State Counsel Oswald Lakmina Perera prosecuted while Senior Counsel Jagath Abeynayake defended the 1st accused, Senior Counsel Ranjan Silva defended the 2, 4 and 5th accused. Counsel Pradeepa Kaluarachchi defended the 3rd accused.(T .Farook Thajudeen)

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

A future National Peoples’ Power (NPP) government will never hesitate to work with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other institutions, former NPP MP Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said today. 

He told reporters that the NPP will deal with the IMF while respecting the people’s mandate and will be committed to implementing the proposals agreed to by the mandate.

He alleged that the present government is only trying to postpone the economic crisis by hiding behind the IMF proposals rather than genuinely intervening to resolve the true crisis.

Dr. Jayatissa said the government was forced to adhere to whatever conditions set by the IMF as the government had failed to seek assistance at the right time.

When asked whether the NPP government would continue the IMF programme agreed upon by the present government, he said governments in the past had not completed the IMF programme all the time and that only eight times out of the 17 occasions, Sri Lanka had completed the IMF programme.

“We will review the IMF programme agreed upon by the present government. We will discuss with the IMF and implement only the proposals to suit our mandate. Any institution will honour the mandate of a government,” he said.

He said this following a special discussion with representatives of the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) and the National Peoples’ Power (NPP) at the JVP headquarters where they discussed issues faced by the health sector. (Ajith Siriwardana)

By Sena Thoradeniya

(Contd. From 17 September 2023)

1. Land Claims of Chieftains

In 1875 a vast quantity of valuable forest land was claimed by Chiefs and Headmen what were known as British Grants” conferred upon them soon after the Kandyan War of Independence in 1817-1818 for the services rendered by them to the British Crown in quelling the uprising. In many cases the extent of field held by virtue of the deed was far in excess of what was specified. This was the observation made by A.R. Dawson, Assistant Government Agent of Sabaragamuwa on land claimed by Kandyan chiefs. At this time Sabaragamuwa was a part of Western Province.

How Kandyan Chieftains claimed Crown” land, their extents and administrative work with regard to land claims and dilemmas faced by British Civil Servants will be discussed in a separate article after the conclusion of this series which shows the unquenchable greed, avarice of Chieftains for land.  

2.Village Committee Elections and Casteism

In Kandy District caste played a major role in the elections held in 1927 to elect members to Village Committees (VC) under the Ordinance No. 9 of 1924. For the 35 Village Committees, five Chief Headmen of upper” caste (for 31 VCs), three of depressed” castes and one Tamil were elected as Chairmen. It was a peculiar situation where Rate Mahattayas contesting all Korales in his division and getting elected as Chairmen of all Korales in most cases by virtue of the high office they held in the division with full blessings of the British Government Agent of the Province.

2.1.  Udunuwara:  T. B. Nugawela, Rate Mahattaya of Udunuwara was elected as Chairman of Gangapalatha Korale, Medapalatha Korale and Kandupalatha Korale (all 3 korales in the division).

2. 2.  Yatinuwara:  T. B. Mampitiya, Rate Mahattaya of Yatinuwara was elected to Gangawata Korale and Gangapalatha Korale as Chairman (2 korales in the division); S. Sundarasekera (of a depressed caste”) was elected Chairman of Kandupalatha Korale.

2.3. Harispattuwa:  H. Nugawela, Rate Mahattaya of Harispattuwa was elected as Chairman of all 5 Korales in the division.

2.4.  Patha Dumbara:  T.B. Ratwatte, Rate Mahattaya of Patha Dumbara for Pallegampaha Korale, Palispattuwa East Korale, Palispattuwa West Korale and Wendaruwa Korale (Chairman of 4 Korales); A. N. Seneviratne (a commoner” as Chairman of Uda Gampaha Korale.

2.5. Uda Dumbara:  H.B. Rambukwella, Rate Mahattaya of Uda Dumbara as Chairman for 6 Koralas out of 7. Ran Banda Korala (a commoner”) was elected Chairman to Gampaha Korale West.

2.6. Tumpane:  W. Madawela, Rate Mahattaya of Tumpane as Chairman of 2 Korales; for the other two Korales in the division another Rate Mahattaya and a Basnayake Nilame were elected as Chairmen respectively.  

2.7. Patha Hewaheta:  J. A. Rambukpotha, Rate Mahattaya of Patha Hewaheta   as Chairman of all 3 Korales in the division.

2.8. Uda Palatha: H. D. Keppetipola, Rate Mahattaya of Uda Palatha as Chairman for 2 Korales; M. B. Panabokke as chairman of Ganga Pahala Korale; S. M. Mudalihami (a commoner”) as Chairman of Ganga Ihala Korale.

2.9. Uda Bulathgama:  J. Marambe, Rate Mahattaya to Ambagamuwa Korale and C. Kanagasabai (a Tamil) to Pasbage Korale as Chairmen.

In Kandyan Provinces the same type of office-seekers contested at the elections held to elect members to State Council and later Parliament. Several former Rate Mahattayas and Dissaves were elected as State councilors and Members of Parliament. 

Comments made by Kindersley, Government Agent of Central Province are important: There has been a great political awakening during the year among the Kandyan masses. The first cause was chiefly the Village Committee elections under the new Ordinance No. 9 of 1924. The visit to the hill capital of the Royal Commission on the Constitution of Ceylon added no small degree to this awakening.” (Kindersley was referring to the Donoughmore Commission).

He adds: The results of these elections have been to intensify caste feeling and to produce considerable bitterness. Caste played a great part in these elections. In the Kandupalatha of Yatinuwara the Chairman and committee members of the Village Committee belong wholly to one caste. This is a great pity, as any accentuation of caste differences is likely to prolong the existence of caste distinctions, which were tending slowly to evaporate. It is to be hoped that suchinstances will be rare in the future and that the swing of the pendulum will in time result in the abolition of many, if not of all caste distinctions.”

Why did Kindersley lament like this? The Rate Mahattaya, a govigama high strata” man was not able to win Yatinuwara Kandupalatha Korale was the reason. For him it was a great pity”. But he should have been happy that a non-govigama candidate winning that Korale, if he wanted to see elimination of caste distinctions, which he thought were tending slowly to evaporate” without prolonging their existence. At the same time, he did not realise that the said Korale was dominated by non-govigama people, who were determined to elect their own people as members and Chairman.  A single high caste” person winning all or the majority of Korales of a division was not a problem to Kindersley. He had disregarded three commoners” and a Tamil getting elected.

In 1933 something contrary to earlier election happened. Kandy District should have 37 Village Committees, one each to each Korale of a division. But inhabitants of Kandapahala Korale in Uda Dumbara and Wendaruwa Korale in Patha Dumbara refused to elect committees when it was explained to them that they could not have Rate Mahattayas elected as Chairmen. The Government Agent personally held the abortive election at Wendaruwa Korale and tried to persuade the people to elect a Committee, but the people declined to do so.  Government Agent Hodson had the solution for this predicament. He thought of attaching these two Korales to neighbouring divisions for Village Committee purposes.

It was very clear that the villagers were incited by the Rate Mahattayas as they (Rate Mahattayas) thought that Chairmanship of Village Committees as another feather in their caps. 1927 experience shows how Rate Mahattayas grabbed all or almost all Korales in their divisions. It is sheer madness if some theorist theorises what happened in 1933 as defying Colonial authority by the Kandyan office holders.

Village Committees maintained village roads (known as gansabha roads), bridges, edandas, wells, ambalams and water spouts (peeli).

Our Village Committee Chairmen began to pilfer public funds from the very inception of Village Committees. One Village Committee Chairman was prosecuted for drawing money from Kandy Kachcheri for work which had not been performed.

3.Elephant Kraals Organised by Chieftains

Robert Knox (1681) was the first English writer to write about the way of catching elephants” in Ceylon. According to Knox, elephants were caught when the King commanded to do so and only tuskers were caught.  She-elephants were brought to lure the tuskers; they were caught sometimes by snares or driving them into a kind of Pound”. If the King did not like the animal, he commanded its release into the woods. This description shows that there was no indiscriminate capture of elephants; after two or three years the captured elephants were sent back into the woods.

John D’oyly’ gives a detailed account of the Kuruwe or elephant department, the way elephants were caught and the famous Etgale in Patha Dumbara.  It was John Davy (1821) who described a journey along Etgala Para. Etgala fort ofthe Britishers was attacked by Patha Dumbara freedom fighters in 1818.

For the British Royalty, Governors and provincial administrators and their spouses, attending elephant kraals was a pastime full of pleasure and amusement. For the Kandyan chieftains, organising elephant kraals was an occasion to show their allegiance to British Crown, that they were providing pleasurable experiences to their Masters, their individual power and skill and the influence they have over the village folk.

In 1889 when Herbert Wace was the Acting Government Agent, Governor visited the newly created Sabaragamuwa province and proceeded to an elephant kraal at Panamure in the Kolonna Korale. Wace wrote in his Diary on June 30, 1889, that he discussed with Maduwanwela Rate Mahattaya  (hero of some columnists who think that Maduwanwala defied British colonial administrators as he had tiled his manorial house with tiles portraying Queen Victoria: we have stated earlier that the British tile manufacturer was more anti-colonial than Maduwanwala) about the kraal which was organised by him and Ellawela Rate Mahattaya. Four herds said to be in the neighborhood” he wrote.

On August 8 Wace planned with the Rate Mahattaya the sites of bungalows and accommodation for visitors to kraal. As there was a shortage of roofing material-no talipot or cadjan– roofing material had to be brought from Maduwanwela village.

His Imperial Highness the Cesarewitch visited the elephant kraal at Wewilla on 18 and 19 February in 1890. Nine elephants were captured and the Chiefs of the District presented the smallest bull-elephant to Imperial Highness and was taken to Russia.

An elephant kraal was organised by Iddamalgoda Rambukpotha Kumarihamy and Delwela Rate Mahattaya at Niriella in January 1894 at which Governor was present. Only seven elephants were captured.

Later a large kraal was held at Panamure in the Kolonna Korale by Ellawela and Maduwanwela Rate Mahattayas; 42 elephants were captured, a record capture” for Ceylon at that time.

Maduwanwela Rate Mahattaya had another kraal in 1900 resulting in capturing 19 elephants. For this he was highly praised by Evan M. Byrde, Government Agent of Sabaragamuwa Province. 

A kraal was held in February, 1902 on the banks of Mee Oya in Wanni Hatpattuwa. No less than 102 elephants were driven into the kraal, this being the largest number on records. Between 40-50 elephants were noosed which was also a record; remainder broke through the stockade and escaped.  Governor was present. Government Agent of North Western Province H. L. Crawford wrote, Hulugalle Rate Mahattaya of the Division was indefatigable in his efforts to make the kraal a success and was ably supported by the other chiefs of the Hath Korale.

Maduwanwala even after his retirement to show his allegiance to the Crown organised an elephant kraal in 1907 at Panamure attended by Commodore Sir George Warrender. Thirty-nine elephants were captured.

 In 1912 September he held a kraal at Panamure resulting in capturing 33 elephants.

Two more kraals were organised by him in September for the pleasure of Acting Governor Stubbs. Only 8 elephants were captured. At the second kraal held three weeks later 24 elephants were driven in. The kraal in 1914 organised by J.W. Maduwanwala was not a success according to Government Agent of Sabaragamuwa R.N. Thaine as only one elephant was captured.

 A successful kraal was held in 1920 in Wanni Hatpattuwa; 39 elephants were noosed and removed from the kraal.

An elephant kraal was held on the borders of Demala Hathpattuwa and Puttalampattuwa in September-October 1913. None was brought within the reach of the stockade wrote John Scott Assistant Government Agent of Puttalam-Chilaw.

A successful kraal was held in August 1920 in Wanni Hathpattuwa. 39 elephants were kraaled” of which 33 were noosed. Acting Governor Sir Graeme Thomson was in attendance.  

In 1921 an elephant kraal was held at Malwalakelle, Kukulu Korale in Sabaragamuwa organised by J. H. Meedeniya Adigar and P. B. Muttetuwegama and F. Marambe Rate Mahattayas. Governor was in attendance. Fourteen elephants were captured and 2 died.

The last kraal was held in 1950 at Panamure, organised by Dissava Samuel Alexander Iddamalgoda Elapatha better known as Sam Elapatha, grandson of Iddamalgoda Kumarihamy. The famous Panamure eth raja” wholater immortalised by a Sinhala vocalist died inside the stockade. Sabaragamuwa elephant lovers do not agree with the lyricist of the above song as the elephant killed in the stampede was not a tusker and it cannot be called an eth raja”. 

4. Visits of Royalty

When Duke of Edinburgh visited Kandy in 1870 all Kandyan Chiefs attended with their retainers. Diyawadana Nilame and Rate Mahattayas gave all the aid in their power towards the work of offering a fitting reception to their illustrious guest”, wrote Russell, Government Agent of Central Province. A levee was held at the pavilion. He was taken for an elk hunt at Bopaththalawa. Men worked for five weeks cutting roads and erecting encampments for the hunting party under the supervision of Headmen. 

In part I of this series we have discussed how Dullewa Adigar made preparations for the visit of His Imperial and Royal Highness, the Arch Duke of Austria in 1892 exactly for 48 days and his search for a somana cloth fancied by the Duke. The Rate Mahattaya of Kalagam Palata, Ratwatte Banda, had to facilitate the Duke’s sports” (read as hunting) at Kalawewa.  

When Royal dignitaries visited Kandy (for example, Duke and Duchess of Connaught and Princess Patricia in 1890 March) Kandyan chiefs from all parts of the Island held a reception at the Audience Hall, decorated in Kandyan style”.

In 1904 Princess Louise Augusta of Schleswig- Holstein visited Ceylon. Accompanied by Governor Blake and his wife she was warmly received by the Chiefs of Anuradhapura.

In 1910 Crown Prince and Princes of Germany visited Central Province including Nuwara Eliya; an elk hunt was arranged in Kantalai.

For the visit of Prince of Wales to Kandy in 1922 preparations were made months ahead with the help of an Advisory Committee. He came to Kandy in a special train. Addresses were read at the station. Kandyan chiefs and Chief prelates of Malwatta and Asgiriya Chapters were in attendance. In the evening a durbar of Kandyan chiefs were held at 9.30 p.m. followed by a Raja Perahera at 10 p.m.

In Nuwara Eliya District unveiling of photogravures of the Prince in all schools was the main item of celebrations attended by headmen. A procession of school children was held in addition to sports events and fireworks in the night. The school children were made to salute the Union Jack.

On the day Prince of Wales passing Rabukkana station, Kandyan chieftains dressed in traditional Kandyan dress assembled on the platform. There were gaily dressed school children”, elephants and dancers along the road bordering the railway line who amply demonstrated the loyalty of the masses to the Throne” wrote G. S. Wodeman, Assistant Government Agent of Kegalle. The Prince descended on to the platform and was greeted with loud and prolonged cheers”. The chief headmen had the honour of being presented to the Prince” by the Governor.” Great enthusiasm prevailed and the loyal welcome given by Rambukkana and Kegalle Districts to the Prince has been depicted in the illuminated London papers”.

Similar celebrations were held at Anuradhapura organised by the chiefs.

In 1921 Crown Prince of Japan visited Kandy (a special perahera was held in his honour); in 1926 Chieftains were privileged to host Their Royal Highness Crown Prince and Princess of Sweden when they arrived in Kandy on December 4. His Majesty King Alphonso of Spain also visited Kandy in 1921. 

To mark the funeral of King George V on January 28, 1936 religious services were held also in Buddhist temples in North Western Province and alms were distributed to people under the guidance and supervision of chieftains and chief prelates. 

5. Governor’s Visits 

It was customary for a new Governor visiting every district and also as a farewell at the time he was leaving; in addition, the Governor visited districts on special occasions and for inspections. He was received by the Colonial administrators and chieftains befitting an uncrowned King. 

In 1888 Sept 13, the Governor visited Sabaragamuwa and he was taken in a perahera. In 1889 August he visited the newly created Sabaragamuwa Province. On September 25, 1890 Arthur Elibank Havelock visited Sabaragamuwa and accepted the Address presented by Ekneligoda Dissava and the other Chiefs and Headmen of the Province of Sabaragamuwa. 

When the Governor visited Nuwara Eliya in1896 he was escorted from Nanuoya to Queen’s Cottage with a perahera consisting of Kandyan Chiefs, Headmen, elephants and native music”.

In 1903 after opening the Kelani Valley Railway at Yatiyantota, Governor’s party was rowed down the Kelani river in a decorated barge as far as Ruanwella. The Old Fort was decorated in Kandyan fashion. In the evening a perahera with 40 elephants was held followed by a durbar next day. Meedeniya Adigar was made a Justice of Peace.

When the Governor and wife arrived in Kandy and Matale and other provincial towns peraheras and receptions were organised by Kandyan chiefs. 127 elephants took part in the perahera that was held in Kegalle in 1907.

On September 11, 1907 Sir Henry and lady McCallum arrived at Kandy. Following day, a perahera was held and a reception by Chiefs of Central Province at the Pavilion. In November the Governor made his first visit to Matale. He was received with a perahera of Kandyan Chiefs.

In 1919 when the Governor visited Talduwa (a part of Kegalle District), the headmen provided” a perahera.

On March 8, 1913, Acting Governor visited Kandy. From Kandy railway station he was taken in a perahera by Kandyan Chiefs to the Pavilion where the Chiefs were introduced to the Governor.  

When Robert Charmers visited Kandy in 1913 Kandyan Chiefs arranged a Guard of Honour at the Miller’s Corner and from there escorted him in a perahera to King’s Pavilion.  

The Governor visited Kurunegala in1926 and attended an At Home” at Maligawa.

In 1927 Kandyan chiefs in Kandy held a perahera in honour of Sir Hugh Clifford who was leaving the Island.

W. Ormsby Gore, Under Secretary of State for Colonies visited Kandy in 1928; a perahera was organised by the chiefs in his honour. 

When Governor and Lady Stanley visited Kurunegala a perahera was held. He received 4 Addresses from the native chiefs. A Levee and Durbar of Kandyan chiefs were held at King’s Pavilion, Kandy. When he inspected Batalagoda tank and anicut Madahapola Rate Mahattaya of Hiriyala Pattuwa held a reception. 

The Governor visited Kandy in May 1931. His visit displayed the ethnic divide prevalent at Kandy. How it happened should be investigated correctly, whether it happened by design by Government Agent T.A. Hodson or not. Four pandals were erected to greet him. Ward street pandal was erected by the Tamil community opposite National Bank and the leader of the Tamil community was introduced to the Governor. Next halt of the Governor was at the pandal erected by the Kandyan Chiefs and two Adigars, Diyawadana Nilame and Mampitiye Rate Mahattaya were introduced to him. Perahera to the King’s Pavilion commenced from the pandal erected by the Muslims. One side of the Pavilion was decorated by minor headmen and the other side by Girls’ Guides and Boys’ Scouts. When the HE entered the Dining Room Mahanayakes of Malwatte and Asgiriya chapters with ten other attendant Bhikkhus recited four verses of Jayamanagala Gatha. 

It should be noted that Mampitiya was made a Dissava in 1933, another peculiar promotion made by the Colonial administrators.

6. Presentation of Addresses

Presentation of Addresses” (on ola leaves) was a common practice adopted by Kandyan chiefs at the ceremonies associated with welcoming foreign dignitaries and Governors and retirement of Civil servants. Address presented by Ekneligoda and other Sabaragamuwa chiefs welcoming Arthur Elibank Havelock in 1890 was a fine example to show the servility and slavishness of Kandyan chieftains.

It goes like this: To His Excellency Sir Arthur Elibank Havelock, KCMG, CC. We the Chiefs and Headmen of the Province of Sabaragamuwa, desire most respectively and cordially to welcome Your Excellency on this your first public visit to Sabaragamuwa and to assure you of our loyalty  to the throne and person of her most gracious Majesty Queen Victoria and to Your Excellency as her representative in the Island”.

That Your Excellency and family may long live in the enjoyment of all possible happiness is the prayer of Your Excellency’s faithful servants”.

The contents of this Address” or in Sinhala the Sthuthi Pathraya need no interpretation which assures loyalty to the throne and prayers for Governor’s happiness.

In 1913 Address to Robert Charmers was read and presented by Dunuwila Dissava: all chieftains attended the ceremony.

In 1913 such Presentations were made to L. W. Booth on his retirement by Kandyan Chiefs. 

On 24, January ,1914 Governor Sir Henry McCallum paid a visit to Kandy before his departure from the Island. On behalf of Kandyan Chiefs S. N. W. Hulugalla Adigar of North Western Province presented an Address.,

When Ekanayake Mudiyanselage Kiri Banda arachchi of Gallella, a village in Harispattuwa was presented a sannas for his long service at his retirement in 1914 he requested the permission of Government Agent of Central Province G. S. Saxton to speak for only five minutes. Kiri Banda made a Presentation to Saxton in prose and verse reminiscing a work of classical Sinhala literature, no doubt a creation of an erudite monk or a lay person well-versed in Sanskrit, Pali and elu, full of panegyrics, eulogizing the King, Governor, the Agent and other Radala chiefs. In one verse Banda compares Saxton to Lord Buddha who vanquished maras at the time of His Enlightenment.

Saxton had got the verse and prose renditions translated into English. I have included Banda’s eulogy in my novel Handunmal Kadulla” which deals with Kandyan Chiefs and peasantry in Dumbara, Mataleand Nuwara Kalaviya respectively published in 2016.

7. Governor Attending Weddings and Some Other Matters

Governor attending a wedding of a chieftain’s scions was a highly sought honour and privilege much to the envy of fellow chieftains.

In 1911 Governor Hugh Clifford attended the wedding of Mahawelatenna Rate Mahattaya’s daughter to Ratwatte at Mahawelatenna. On the same day the Governor attended the wedding of Meedeniya Rate Mahattaya’s daughter to Molamure at Ruwanwella.

Rivalry of Kandyan Chiefs was manifested even in seating order at receptions. In 1931 Diyawadana Nilame P. B. Nugawela Dissava met the Government Agent of Central Province and said that his seniority should be recognized as next to Meedeniya Adigar and above Ratwatta Adigar at the HE’s dinner.  The Government Agent disagreed with Nugawela and Nugawela said that he was meditating” not to attend the reception. But unfortunately, Nugawela was in a hopeless position as he had accepted the invitation under protocol below Ratwatte and had to eat humble pie attending the dinner according to the protocol.

In 1911 the Government Agent of North Central Province writes in his Diary that the daughter of Bulankulama Rate Mahattaya had married the son of Hurulla Rate Mahattaya, an important event for the GA to record in his official diary.

In 1911 Government Agent of North Central Province reports the death of D.B. Ratwatte ex-Rate Mahattaya of Kalagam Palatha, depressed at losing the appeal case about his new walawwa and his enforced retirement.” Certain villagers had sued him for ejecting them from the land he build a new walawwa. Later the Government Agent visited his widow, who had two sons attending Trinity and a daughter. A few months later Ratwatte Kumarihamy met the Government Agent requesting jobs to her sons. 

In 1912 the Government Agent of North Central Province sees as a bad luck” a Kandyan boy of good family Mahadiwulwewa” going to a school in Jaffna as he could not get into Trinity”.  But it was a practice of well-to-do people in North Central Province to send their sons to schools in Jaffna.

END OF PART VI

Next: Government Agent’s and Assistant Agent’s Circuits; Passive Resistance of Peasantry

by Sarah Raymundo

Increasing numbers of activists around the world are turning to Vincent Bevins’s The Jakarta Method: Washington’s Anticommunist Crusade and the Mass Murder Program That Shaped Our World to learn more about the horrific atrocities committed by the United States against peoples’ struggles for the right to self-determination in the so-called postcolonial era. In particular, the book describes how imperialist expansion destroyed revolutionary struggles in the third world.

Citing Kwame Nkrumah’s blunt description of the new way of the world” from his 1965 book Neocolonialism: The Last State of Imperialism, Bevins posits that neocolonialism has been significantly marked by U.S. counterinsurgency via the Jakarta method” throughout the long 1960s across the world, from Indonesia and Brazil to Guatemala and Chile. The Jakarta method was a combination of imperialist economic plunder and grave human rights violations, ranging from political vilification, kidnapping, and disappearances of dissenters to assassinations and massacres of villages by organized forces. As Nkrumah asserted, foreign capital is used for the exploitation, rather than for the development of the less developed parts of the world and that imperial powers no longer even had to admit what they were doing—not even to themselves.”¹

Neoliberalism and the Third World”

Over half a century after the birth of the Jakarta Method, a new generation of left activists are inspired and mobilized by anti-imperialist movements that trace themselves back to revolutionary anticolonial movements. How does that period in our collective history of struggle inform our shared experience of the global neoliberal offensive that has partly shaped the conduct of progressive and revolutionary movements in the last forty years? How does this shared experience allow us to imagine new ways of organizing South-to-South anti-imperialist solidarity movements—adding to what we have learned from past historical intersections and the different discursive and practical routes they took over the years?

Bevins tracks the intellectual, political, and romantic journey of two Indonesians, Francisca and Zain, who are among other important figures in the massive slaughter backed by the United States in Indonesia and Latin America. They left the country to study in Holland after Sukarno claimed independence in 1945. The waves of anti-imperialist struggle that shaped the minds and actions of a generation of radical intellectuals like this couple were inseparable from the struggles for national liberation and toward socialism:

[The couple] began dating in earnest in the late 1940s, [when] colonial independence struggle was intimately tied to left-wing politics. So she, a wholehearted supporter of Indonesian freedom, fell naturally into socialist circles, as the two struggles had long been married together. In the 1930s and 1940s, practically no Europeans supported colonial independence except the leftists. The Indonesian Communist Party, the Partai Komunis Indonesia, was founded in 1914 as the Indies Social Democratic Association with the help of Dutch leftists, worked alongside Sukarno and pro-independence Muslim groups in the 1920s, and then engaged in active antifascist work during the Japanese occupation.²

With the decline of socialism in the 1980s and throughout the ’90s, and the ascendancy of neoliberal globalization, the link between national liberation struggles and socialism that once targeted Euro-U.S. imperialism had taken on obscurantist versions of conflict. The so-called failure of socialism was equated with the end of history under capitalism and representations of the world fracturing only along cultural or civilizational divides. This new constellation purportedly ended the three worlds,” the history of which, as Bevins narrates, began in the postwar period after the United States demonstrated its superior military strength and the apocalyptic damage it could unfurl from the air when it dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.”³ This reminder sheds light on our present moment in all its patterns, origins, continuities, as well as its ruptures from the past and the potentials it generates for the future.

The first world consisted of the U.S.-led rich countries in North America, Western Europe, Australia, and Japan, all of which had gotten wealthy while engaging in colonialism.” The second world were the socialist states of the Soviet Union and European territories that aligned with the Red Army. In contrast to the first world, the USSR of the second world had publicly aligned itself with the global anti-colonial struggle and had not engaged in overseas imperialism.”⁴ The third world was not just unaligned, Bevins insists, but also, more significantly, formed a liberatory horizon for the oppressed majority.

The term was coined in the early 1950s, and originally, all of its connotations were positive. When the leaders of these new nation-states took up the term, they spoke it with pride; it contained a dream of a better future in which the world’s downtrodden and enslaved masses would take control of their own destiny. The term was used in the sense of the Third Estate” during the French Revolution, the revolutionary common people who would overthrow the First and Second Estates of the monarchy and the clergy. Third” did not mean third-rate, but something more like the third and final act: the first group of rich white countries had their crack at creating the world, as did the second, and this was the new movement, full of energy and potential, just waiting to be unleashed. For much of the planet, the Third World was not just a category; it was a movement.⁵

Third world, in this definition, bears the specter of popular and revolutionary struggles in the semi-colonies, helping explain the cruel methods of U.S. counterinsurgency, even in the age of so-called free markets and elections. The Jakarta Method provides a comprehensive account of the period in which struggles for national independence against imperialism worldwide were brutally overthrown. The steady rise of U.S.-led capitalism in the postwar period and its Cold War with its socialist rivals also meant a deeper integration and consolidation of third world nations into the global capitalist system through covert and overt methods of untold brutality.

This history continues to impact the present. One of the neoliberal world’s most vicious tyrants, Philippine president Rodrigo Roa Duterte, resorts to this tried and tested method of suppressing political dissent through counterinsurgency. Taking heed of Suharto’s dark legacy, Duterte ordered the armed forces of the Philippines to replicate Suharto’s campaign against the communists in Indonesia: Do not fight them, destroy them…kill them.” This command came shortly after he signed an executive order in December 2018 that established the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, a national framework of a localized approach to counterinsurgency. For the last three years, this has meant pitting local government servants against red-tagged civilians in the Philippines’ rural areas, strategic hamletization of Indigenous communities, the deployment of fake rebel surrenderees,” and mass killings of peasant communities.⁶

Duterte’s command was an expression of the historical lessons taken from the U.S. colonial war waged against the Filipino people, from the Spanish-American War to the CIA-sponsored destruction of the Hukbalahap Rebellion, as Bevins thoughtfully notes throughout the book. Bevins points to something else, too: the moment’s potential for solidarity and internationalism. No other revolutionaries in the world reported on the CIA counterinsurgency operations in the Philippines, for example, as the Indonesians did. The People’s Daily, maintained by radical Indonesian journalists like The Jakarta Method‘s Francesca and Zain, reported on Washington’s counterinsurgency operations in Iran and the Philippines.

U.S. covert operations, including methods of psychological warfare and torture, were first tested in the Philippines and subsequently applied to Indonesia and Vietnam (but failed in the latter). Bevins illuminates this often-forgotten period in Philippine history—a period that has been effectively revised as the process of democratization,” led by U.S. counterinsurgency agent-turned-Philippine president Ramon Magsaysay and U.S. military advisor Edward Landsdale.

This U.S. counterinsurgency operation in the Philippines targeted the left-wing Hukbalahap Rebellion during the Japanese occupation. After the Japanese left the Philippines, the Huk opposed the U.S.-sponsored Magsaysay regime. Magsaysay was handpicked by Landsdale to implement a counterinsurgency operation involving the use of military artillery including napalm and psychological warfare operations that utilized intelligence reports on Philippine folk beliefs. As Bevins notes, CIA agents spread the rumor that an aswang, a bloodsucking ghoul of Filipino legend, was on the loose and destroying men with evil in their hearts. They then took a Huk rebel they had killed, poked two holes in his neck, drained him of his blood, and left him lying in the road.”⁷

At the time, the communist insurgency in the Philippines had been well underway since the 1930s. But unlike in Indonesia, the Philippines never had a president who embraced the aspirations of national liberation and shared it with other third world leaders like Sukarno did. No government critical of the West and no people’s movement can be spared from U.S. empire’s anticommunist fervor, which has destroyed countless lives and economies.

As Bevins explains, though in a fragmented fashion, U.S. counterinsurgency melds economic policy and statecraft seamlessly to reinforce a foreign policy based on the U.S. imperialist commitment to so-called national security. This is based on a

growing consensus within the United States that the military should be given more power and influence in the Third World, even if it meant undermining democracy. In the 1950s, an academic field of study called Modernization Theory began to gain influence in Washington. In its basic approach, Modernization Theory replicated the Marxist formulation that societies progress through stages; but it did so in a way that was highly influenced by the anticommunist, liberal American milieu in which it emerged. The social scientists who pioneered the field put forward that traditional,” primitive societies would advance through a specific set of stages, ideally arriving at a version of modern” society that looked a whole lot like the United States.⁸

Modernization theory is the equivalent of counterinsurgency in the realm of economic theory, which Bevins discusses in relation to the U.S. Mass Murder Program.” The International Monetary Fund and World Bank call this variant of tough love structural adjustment,” but this is simply code for a program that effectively debilitates people’s movements aimed at third world economic self-reliance and self-determination.

What of the Bandung Spirit?

Though the spirit of the Bandung Conference, or simply Bandung, was born in France in 1951…it really only came into its own in 1955, in Indonesia.” As Sukarno recognized in his opening speech, it was the first intercontinental conference of colored peoples in the history of mankind,” and aimed to address the ruthlessness of colonialism. Bandung helped establish the conditions for subsequent historic gatherings of third world peoples, including the 1958 first Asian-African Conference on Women in Colombo, the 1961 Cairo Women’s Conference, and the 1961 founding of the global Non-Aligned Movement in Belgrade, among others.⁹

The communist horizon in the anticolonial struggle represented by Bandung did not escape the architects of U.S. expansionism. As Bevins importantly discerns, there was a difference between the nationalism of (Western) Europe and that of Bandung:

For leaders like Sukarno and [Jawaharlal] Nehru, the idea of the nation” was not based on race or language—it indeed could not be in territories as diverse as theirs—but is constructed by the anticolonial struggle and the drive for social justice. With Bandung, the Third World could be united by its own common purposes, such as antiracism and economic sovereignty, Sukarno believed. They could also come together and organize collectively for better terms within the global economic system, forcing rich countries to lower their tariffs on Third World goods, while the newly independent countries could use tariffs to foster their own development.¹⁰

In other words, the struggle for a nation means, as Samir Amin proposed, a delinking from the imperialist world system. This is a program for genuine and serious reformers whose stakes on prosperity, peace, and social justice align with the revolutionary socialist program. Yet, for the longest time, imperialist thinking has consistently reinforced a false binary between reform and revolution, akin to the colonial and imperialist divide-and-rule method.

The Jakarta Method, while sharply critical of U.S. counterinsurgency and the mass targeting of entire populations in the name of anticommunism, seems to conflate the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin, China under Mao Zedong, and Vietnam under Ho Chi Minh.¹¹ This is an interesting dynamic given that the very framework of lumping together all socialist experiments (especially third world ones) has been central to U.S. Cold War strategy.

Bevins’s Jakarta Method does not end on a conciliatory note. It concludes, instead, with the author’s real-life encounter with an Indonesian named Winarso, who asserted that the Cold War was a conflict between socialism and capitalism, and capitalism won.”¹² How did we win?,” Bevins asked. And Winarso answered: You killed us.”

Bevins provides a wide-ranging, necessary historical account of the global entanglements of people’s uprisings and U.S. counterinsurgency, and concludes that third world struggles ended with the limited prospects of that period: It was safe to say that the Third World movement was in disarray, if not destroyed.”¹³ He has a point.

Nevertheless, revolutionary imperialist movements did not end with the 1960s. The longest-running communist insurgency in Asia and the world is that of the Communist Party of the Philippines, reestablished in 1968.¹⁴ Jose Maria Sison, its founding chairperson, openly talks about his stint in Indonesia as a scholar of Indonesian language and its radical mass movement.¹⁵ This is the communist movement that President Duterte has sworn to slaughter and wipe out, Suharto style. No U.S.-backed Filipino president in the post-Ferdinand Marcos (the Philippines’ Suharto) era has rejected U.S.-imposed counterinsurgency programs.

As the people’s protracted war for national liberation and socialism rages in the form of armed struggle in the countryside and an unarmed mass movement in the cities, the legacy of the Marcos dictatorship reemerged with his son Ferdinand Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who is leading in the polls of the next presidential election. The relevance of Bevins’s Jakarta Method in the Filipino people’s contemporary struggle against historical revisionism, massive disinformation, plunder, and impunity cannot be overstated. We must not forget, we must say never again” to what they did to the Indonesian people. Bevins’s moving and harrowing exchange with Winarso, who rightly refers to U.S. counterinsurgency as genocide, takes inspiration from an interview conducted by U.S. historian David Sturtevant, author of the 1976 book Popular Uprisings in the Philippines, 1840–1940.

Sturtevant examined U.S. interrogation reports of alleged Sakdalistas of the 1935 Sakdal (peasant) uprising in the Philippines. Suspects’ names were listed in one column and their responses to the interrogation in another column. Were you involved in the uprising?” No.” The papers followed this pattern for pages until Sturtevant saw the name of a woman—Salud Algabre—and her corresponding affirmative response when asked if she had taken part in the uprising. Sturtevant traveled to the Philippines and met Algabre, by then already 72 years old. He asked her why the uprising had failed and Algabre responded: No uprising fails, each is a step in the right direction.”¹⁶

Notes

1. ↩ Vincent Bevins, The Jakarta Method (New York: Public Affairs, 2020), 227.
2. ↩ Bevins, The Jakarta Method, 53.
3. ↩ Bevins, The Jakarta Method, 24.
4. ↩ Bevins, The Jakarta Method, 24.
5. ↩ Bevins, The Jakarta Method, 25.
6. ↩ See Dahlia Simangan and Jess Melvin, Destroy and Kill ‘the Left’”: Duterte on Communist Insurgency in the Philippines with a Reflection on the Case of Suharto’s Indonesia,” Journal of Genocide Research 21, no. 2 (2019): 214–26. Under the Philippine Republic Act 11188, also called An Act Providing for the Special Protection of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict and Providing Penalties for Violations Thereof,” strategic hamletization refers to an armed conflict strategy used by one party…that isolates a community of importance to the other party which is inhabited by children, including relocating a community away from crucial zones and could be used to control the activities of the people in said areas.” Republic Act No. 11188,” The LawPhil Project, accessed April 20, 2022. In practice, strategic hamletization is exclusive to the practice of state forces, amounting to a clearing strategy through military bombardment. During the Vietnam War, this strategy was used by the U.S.-backed South Vietnamese army to fight communist infiltration. See Spencer Tucker, The Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History (Oxford: ABC-CLIO, 2011), 1070.
7. ↩ Bevins, The Jakarta Method, 61.
8. ↩ Bevins, The Jakarta Method, 111.
9. ↩ Bevins, The Jakarta Method, 85.
10. ↩ Bevins, The Jakarta Method, 81.
11. ↩ See Bevins, The Jakarta Method, 23, 31–34.
12. ↩ Bevins, The Jakarta Method, 309.
13. ↩ Bevins, The Jakarta Method, 227.
14. ↩ On December 26, 1968, Jose Maria Sison founded the Maoist Communist Party of the Philippines, which broke away from the old Jose Lava-led Communist Party. The re-established party criticized and repudiated the old party for its subjectivist and opportunist errors, as resulting from its modern revisionism. See Armando Liwanag, Stand for Socialism Against Modern Revisionism (Utrecht: Foreign Languages Press, 2017).
15. ↩ See Ramon Guillermo, Blood-Brothers: The Communist Party of the Philippines and the Partai Komunis Indonesia,” Southeast Asian Studies 7, no. 1 (2018): 13–38.
16. ↩ See Malou Camagay, Salud Algabre: A Forgotten Member of the Philippine Sakdal,” in Women in Southeast Asian Nationalist Movement, ed. S. Blackburn and H. Ting (Singapore: NUS Press, 2013), 125–45. For Sturtevant’s interview with Algabre, quoted by Camagay, see David Sturtevant, Popular Uprisings (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1976), 298. The author credits Judy Taguiwalo, Francis Gealogo, and E. San Juan for their indispensable insights on Salud Algabre and the body of work on her life.

The author, Sarah Raymundo is assistant professor at the Center for International Studies, University of the Philippines. She is the international liaison officer of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (New Patriotic Alliance) and chairperson of the Philippines-Bolivarian Venezuela Friendship Association. She is a columnist for Bulatlat, an alternative online news publication in the Philippines.

Vincent Bevins, The Jakarta Method (New York: Public Affairs, 2020), 429 pages, $28, paperback.

Shenali D Waduge

An article by Ron Nixon written to the New York Times in April 2011 highlighted the following

• US democracy-building campaigns played a big role in fomenting protests
• Key leaders of the movements were trained in campaigning organizing through new media tools & monitoring elections by US.
• Those directly involved in the revolt on 6 April Youth Movement in Egypt, the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights & activists like Entsar Qadini (youth leader in Yemen) were trained by the International Republican Institute, National Democratic Institute & Freedom House

IRI Sri Lanka supports 

• election observation
• Emerging Leaders Academy (ELA) was formed in 2019 – convenes youth community leaders, ages 21 to 35, from different sectors across Sri Lanka
• March 2021, IRI launched its Women’s Campaign Academy (WCA) to support and equip grassroots-level women
• Since 2019, IRI has also supported approximately 400 political party actors from six major political parties with communications trainings
• Egyptian youth leaders attended a 2008 technology meeting in New York & were taught to use social networking, mobile technologies to promote democracy – the meeting was sponsored by Facebook, Google, MTV, Colombia Law School & US State Dept.

IRI receives funding from US State Dept, USAID, NED

https://www.iri.org/iri-around-the-world/asia-pacific/sri-lanka/

The National Endowment for Democracy created in 1983 received $100m annually from Congress.

Egypt’s protests & strikes began on 25 January 2011 – the National Police Day. Protests lasted 18 days.

Like in Sri Lanka, the protestors claimed not to have a leader and all solutions were to be offered later”. In Egypt the protest site was Tahrir Square, in Sri Lanka it was Galle Face Green.

In Egypt the death of Khaled Said triggered the trained media campaign We are all Khaled Said” – it is interesting why a similar campaign did not take shape following the Rambukkana shooting incident in Sri Lanka. It could have been that in Egypts case the modus operandi was to go against the police, while in Sri Lanka, protestors had been lured to get the police & armed forces onto their side, though some youth were seen verbally attacking the armed forces in very vulgar & inappropriate language & none of their elder mentors seem to be bothered to correct them! It showcased a complete disregard for elders, for law & order – all signs of walking into a state of statelessness, where everyone was encouraged to take the law into their own hands. This was perversely encouraged by the immature and unprofessional behavior of the legal fraternity, brought to ridiculous heights in the manner some 100 lawyers were seen even clapping as the arrested were given bail. Their offers to provide free legal assistance made matters worse. We have to wonder why these lawyers made such a spectacle of themselves & to please whom?

Social media has a power of its own & has the ability to turn an insignificant incident into a mega drama. The training given to youth and journalists is part of this larger effort to choreograph any incident into a largescale movement. Governments need to address this area without compromising on people’s freedoms and rights by addressing people’s duties and responsibilities.

US uses & dumps

Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak was a long standing friend of the US since 1981. US however used a people’s revolt to depose him in 2011, he was imprisoned and died in 2020. Mubarak was no ‘dictator’ so long as he supported US/West. Mubarak’s ouster resulted in Islamist groups coming forward as political parties. Eventually Muslim Brotherhoods Muhammad Morsi was elected President in June 2012. That elected leader was overthrown by the military a year later (2013). Did this overthrow have footprints of the US? It sure did and this should keep post-aragala leaders in Sri Lanka warned that it is too early to be celebrating Christmas.

UC Berkeley’s Investigative Reporting shows US channeled funds through US State Dept to the Middle East to support activists & politicians that resulted in February 2011 ouster of Mubarak. We have every right to wonder if a similar funding was disbursed to Sri Lanka given the active role of the US ambassador in Colombo.

The US funding went to an exiled Egyptian police officer (Omar Afifi Soliman) who plotted the violent overthrow of the Morsi Govt in 2013 – information from Freedom of Information Act (there are several Sri Lankan police officers in exile appearing even on notorious C4 documentaries)

US regulations ban use of American taxpayers money to fund foreign politicians or finance subversive activities that target democratically elected governments – however USAID, NED, NDI, Freedom House and associate entities are doing just that!

Journalist Emad Mekay of UC Berkeley has shown NED funding for the above exiled police officer from 2008-2011 to incite violence in his native country Egypt. Soliman is living as a refugee in US after NED offered a human rights fellowship.  NED has removed public access to its Egyptian grant recipients, according to Emad.

All those who took part in the aragalaya storming of Presidents House, Presidents Secretariat, Prime Ministers Office & Residence as well as attempt to storm Parliament in 2022 may like to also know that US-funded exiled Egyptian police officer took credit for a failed attempt to storm the Egyptian Presidential palace with handguns & Molotov cocktails to oust Morsi in 2013. The US was funding Soliman since 2008. Therefore, the copy cat attempts certainly has parallels.

Emad also highlights a 34 year old woman – ‘longtime grantee’ of NED funding who called for people to lay siege of mosques & drag Muslim preachers & religious figures out. US federal records show her NGO received funding from NED, MEPI & NDI. In 2011 from NED alone she had received $75,000. This aligns with the ugly posters against the Buddhist clergy displayed by the aragala protestors.

Another comparison with Egypt is the manner US taxpayer money has been sent to some of Egypt’s richest anti-Morse protestors where even TV channels went anti-Morsi as a result of US-funding. Can we notice similarities with Sri Lanka, here as well?

One such Egyptian organization was founded by opposition figures among who was Egypt’s richest man a Coptic Christian billionaire and a top US oil company partner and a politician with close ties to the US embassy in Cairo. Don’t we see similarities in Sri Lanka too? Though these organizations deny receiving US funding, the US govt documents are exposing them.

Egyptian soldiers & police killed over 50 Morsi supporters, luckily in Sri Lanka supporters only landed in the Beira. There was also use of women & children as shields in Egypt – no different to the same tactic used in Sri Lanka. An audit of US funding to entities & individuals in Sri Lanka will reveal much.

Egypt took action against 43 local & foreign NGO workers on charges of illegally using foreign funds to stir unrest in Egypt. Do we have similar provisions in Sri Lanka?

US got rid of US-friend Mubarak in 2011 and ousted elected Morsi in 2013 by military coup & installed dictator Gen. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi who suspended the 2012 constitution. Egypt produced 3 constitutions 2012, 2013, & in 2014. This was democracy in action in Egypt. Gen El-Sisi contested elections in 2014 & won & US even congratulated him. El-Sisi is responsible for 2017 blockades against Qatar, supporting Khalifa Haftar in Libya and brutal suppression in Egypt itself. Egypt like Sri Lanka is geopolitically located & the West wishes to prevent both from turning towards Russia or China.

It would be good for Sri Lanka’s Galle Face protestors to look at the colored revolutions that have taken place while others should look for the funding that choreographed these revolutions”

Shenali D Waduge

Press Release by the Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment and ILO Sri Lanka

September 4-7, 2023: Spearheaded by Mr. R.P.A. Wimalaweera, Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment, a distinguished Sri Lankan delegation embarked on a four-day study tour to Indonesia. Their primary objective was to draw insights from Indonesia’s exemplary journey in establishing a holistic social security framework, placing specific emphasis on their acclaimed unemployment insurance mechanism.

This immersive experience granted the delegation the privilege to meticulously understand the nuances of Indonesia’s social welfare blueprint. Through in-depth dialogues, collaborative knowledge exchange, and observational studies, the team garnered invaluable insights. These lessons promise to profoundly influence and shape the evolution of Sri Lanka’s own social security system.

One of the landmark outcomes from this educational voyage is Sri Lanka’s prospective launch of a comprehensive national social security model. A noteworthy feature of this initiative is the introduction of an unprecedented unemployment insurance scheme. The goal is clear: to fortify a more robust, just, and secure employment landscape for Sri Lankans across both formal and informal sectors.

Hon. Manusha Nanayakkara, Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment, expressed his gratitude to the International Labour Organization (ILO) for orchestrating such an enriching learning experience in Indonesia. He further emphasized the Sri Lankan government’s staunch commitment to mirroring similar successes in their homeland.

Post the tour, a debriefing session ensued, resulting in the identification of pivotal action points:

1.Disseminating the knowledge acquired from the Indonesian visit amongst top-tier governmental Secretaries.
2.Drafting a comprehensive Cabinet Note that encapsulates the fundamental design facets of the envisioned social security program, which encompasses financial, legal, and operational dimensions.
3.Elevating the design outline and proposal for the scrutiny of the Presidential Social Protection Committee.
4. Launching an expansive awareness drive, aiming to enlighten the citizenry about the impending transformative social welfare changes.

Ms. Simrin Singh, ILO’s Country Director for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, extended her commendations to the Sri Lankan government, employers’ associations, and trade unions. She celebrated their unanimous and prompt endeavor in architecting a robust social security infrastructure for the nation.

To encapsulate, these strategic initiatives reflect Sri Lanka’s holistic vision for labor and foreign employment sector reformation, centralizing on social welfare. The approach underscores not just administrative leadership but also accentuates the importance of public engagement and multi-stakeholder participation – ingredients pivotal to the fruition of such landmark ventures.

Courtesy NewsIn.Asia

Colombo, Sept 26 (DailyMirror) – Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC)  has expressed its desire to host all Afghanistan’s home series in Sri Lanka. It also wants to host all the India-Pakistan matches in Sri Lanka. 

These suggestions have come from Prof. Arjuna De Silva, the chairman of the medical panel of the SLC. 

Speaking exclusively over the telephone from Colombo on Monday morning, he said, with the Asia Cup finishing, we would love to invite Pakistan and Afghanistan to make Sri Lanka their cricketing home. Our fans have an excellent relationship with the players of these countries”. 

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) did recently play against Pakistan and the bilateral matches were organised by the SLC on behalf of the ACB. 

In the past, the PCB made the UAE as its home” because the international teams were refusing to travel to Pakistan for security reasons and also, in the absence of facilities in Afghanistan, the ACB made UAE and India their home” for a few series. 

India and Pakistan are not playing each other in their own countries, so at least both teams can play together in our country”, Professor added. 

In the recent Asia Cup, both India and Pak. teams played matches in Sri Lanka. 

Actually the SLC president is likely to have requested to both boards to consider this proposal and if not, will write to them”, Prof. Arjuna signed off. 

උපුටාගැණීම අද දෙරණ

Courtesy Adaderana

The makers of British television network Channel 4’s documentary on the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks in Sri Lanka have admitted that they do not have credible evidence to support the claims made by Azad Maulana, the ‘whistleblower’ who made serious allegations about the complicity of state officials.

This came to light during a recent event in Geneva, attended by the documentary’s Director Thom Walker and Executive Producer Ben de Pear.

On September 06, Channel 4 aired a controversial documentary containing startling accusations relating to the bombings on Easter Sunday 2019 which targeted several Catholic churches and luxury hotels in Sri Lanka. The carnage claimed the lives of more than 260 people and left hundreds of others wounded.

Channel 4’s latest ‘Dispatches’ investigation titled ‘Sri Lanka’s Easter Bombings’ is a nearly 50-minute-long videos with serious, yet straightforward allegations about the attacks. It was based on the testimonies of high-placed whistleblowers who alleged that senior governmental officials were complicit in this heinous act.

The main whistleblower Hanzeer Azad Maulana was a spokesman for LTTE’s breakaway group Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pullikal (TMVP) led by current State Minister of Rural Road Development Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan.

According to the documentary, Maulana, who has sought asylum overseas, had witnessed a meeting in Puttalam in 2018, between the suicide bombers and a top Sri Lankan intelligence officer, which was aimed at hatching a plot to create insecurity in the country to pave the way for former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa to win the presidential election later in 2019.

However, the founder of UK-based documentary production company Basement Films, Thom Walker has said he does not have any evidence of a prior meeting between Zahran Hashim and Suresh Sallay.

When asked about Azad Maulana’s intentions of making such claims, he said he did not know if Maulana had direct contact with Zahran. I cannot give a clear answer as to why Azad Maulana joined in coordinating the meeting. Frankly, I have no evidence of any such prior meeting between Zahran and Sallay,” Walker said adding that the two could have known each other for years. Walker also mentioned that he did not know if Sallay had necessarily attended the said meeting.

Courtesy Adaderana

Sri Lanka’s merchandise exports increased by 6.98% to USD 1,091.6 million in August 2023 compared to July 2023, the Export Development Board (EDB) said today (Sept. 26).

Citing the provisional data released by Sri Lanka Customs, the EDB said it is, however, a 10.91 % decrease when compared to the value recorded in August 2022.

The decline in merchandise exports is due to decreased demand for export products, particularly in sectors such as apparel and textiles, rubber and rubber-based products, and coconut and coconut-based products.

The EDB further mentioned that for the period of January to August 2023, overall merchandise exports have decreased by 10.42% to USD 7,983.13 million compared to the corresponding period of 2022.

Meanwhile, out of the top 10 export markets, India, Italy, the UAE and France have shown strong performance during the month of August 2023 and the period of January-August 2023 compared to the corresponding period in the previous year.

Exports to the USA, Sri Lanka’s single largest export destination, have meanwhile decreased 21.29% to USD 252.13 million in August 2023 compared to August 2022.

Further, exports to the USA decreased by 18.89% to USD 1,872.7 million in the period of January-August 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.

Courtesy Pravda

The “world government” is not friends with the head, so its main persons are drug users. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is also under suspicion.

Photo: PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY Official website

Trudeau accused of drug addiction

Indian diplomat and former Indian ambassador to Sudan Deepak Vohra said that when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrived in India for the G20 summit, “his plane was full of cocaine.” According to Vohra, he did not leave his room for two days, and missed the presidential dinner, because “he was out of his mind because of drug use.”

“So seeing that, you can’t say anything about what’s going on in his head,” Vohra said on a TV program on Zee News.

“He’s definitely crazy. He has become lonely, and he tries to show that he is a Canadian Rambo. India did the right thing by suspending visa services in Canada,” the diplomat added.

India-Canada conflict expands

On September 18, Trudeau personally accused the Indian intelligence services of involvement in the murder of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijar. On September 19, Ottawa expelled a senior Indian diplomat who allegedly headed the legal residency of India’s foreign intelligence. In response, New Delhi also expelled a Canadian diplomat and called on Canada to “take prompt and effective legal action against all anti-Indian elements operating on its territory.”

Sikh separatists have been trying for more than half a century to achieve their independent state of Khalistan in northeastern India and parts of Pakistan. Currently, the Sikh diaspora in Canada has at least 700 thousand people.

Assumptions about Trudeau’s inadequacy are caused by the fact that the West is tempting India to become a counterweight to China’s influence, and no one now dares to go against the opinion of New Delhi. India is considered a “democratic country” and is practically a member of the QUAD military bloc (Australia, India, the United States and Japan). Partners in the bloc did not support Canada in its diplomatic war with India.

Cocaine presidents want to own the world

If Trudeau really uses drugs, then the invitation of the SS Galicia punisher to parliament to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is understandable. Trudeau, indeed, is not friends with his head, otherwise why would he run into universal condemnation. Being in the power of a drug addict can lead Canada to serious consequences.

“Zelensky is also known as a cocaine addict and as a friend of Trudeau. It turns out that the foundations of the friendship between Trudeau and Zelensky are hatred of Russia, love for the Nazis, Bandera and cocaine. Maybe they use it together?” – this is how political scientist Sergei Markov commented on the news on Telegram.

Here we can recall that in July they found a package of cocaine in the White House, which belonged to a person from the entourage of the family of US President Joe Biden. This was written by the New York Post.

US presidential candidate Donald Trump said that “coke was found in front of the Situation Room – this is the most important room on the whole planet, where decisions are made about wars, about nuclear weapons and all that.”

Tucker Carlson’s interview with a man who claims to have snorted cocaine with former US President Barack Obama and had an intimate relationship with him also flew around the world. There is no reason to doubt its veracity.

The purpose of the NWO is to remove drug addicts from power

The West has long been actively legalizing marijuana, and Colombia has proposed legalizing cocaine. In Canada, marijuana has been legalized since 2018. The legislation limits personal ownership to 30 grams and four plants per family. In the United States, 19 states, including California, New York and Oregon, have legalized the “private recreational” use of marijuana.

This is the question of what kind of cadres the “world government” consists of, which imposes its rules on the world. And its goal is obvious in this aspect – to make the whole world drug addicts in order to achieve total controllability. That is why the NWO of the Russian Federation in Ukraine must be brought to its logical end.

Also read: Canada is on the verge of declaring war on Russia

Western media disperse rumors about a possible romance between Macron and Trudeau

Kyodo: Canada proposed to the United States to create a new format of struggle with Russia and China

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Courtesy Adaderana

The International Monetary Fund is concerned about a shortfall in revenue collection by Sri Lanka’s government this year, though that is unlikely to derail a $2.9 billion loan programme for the crisis-hit country, two Sri Lankan sources told Reuters.

A delegation from the IMF met with Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is also the finance minister, and its central bank governor, earlier on Tuesday as part of the first review of the four-year loan deal agreed in March.

Such reviews are necessary to continue the programme, which is critical for the country that is slowly recovering from its worst economic crisis in at least seven decades.

Sri Lanka has met most of the requirements needed to fulfil the first review. This includes progress on domestic debt restructuring,” said one of the sources, who are both government officials and declined to be named.

But there were concerns on Sri Lanka’s revenue shortfall for this year. They are likely to conduct further deliberations with Washington and then see how to move forward.”

Sri Lanka’s junior finance minister, Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, told reporters last week that the shortfall could be about 100 billion rupees (about $312 million). The target for the government was to increase revenue to 11.3% of gross domestic product in 2023 from 8.3% last year.

The IMF, Sri Lanka’s central bank and finance ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The team from the global lender will hold a press conference in Colombo on Wednesday afternoon at the end of its two-week visit to the island nation of 22 million.

Sri Lanka accepted offers to exchange about $10 billion worth of defaulted local debt for new bonds, taking it a step towards meeting debt restructuring requirements ahead of the IMF review.

Sri Lanka has also held multiple rounds of talks with bondholders and bilateral creditors including Japan, China and India to reach an agreement to rework its foreign debt after suspending repayments in May last year.

Source: Reuters
-Agencies

Courtesy Adaderana

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry on Monday, reacting to the India-Canada diplomatic row, said terrorists have found safe haven in Canada and their Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came out with the outrageous allegations without any proof.

Speaking exclusively to ANI, Mr Sabry said he is not surprised” by his remarks since Trudeau keeps making outrageous and substantiated allegations.”

Some of the terrorists have found safe haven in Canada. The Canadian PM has this way of just coming out with some outrageous allegations without any supporting proof. The same thing they did for Sri Lanka, a terrible, total lie about saying that Sri Lanka had a genocide. Everybody knows there was no genocide in our country,” he said.

India-Canada ties hit a new low after Justin Trudeau on September 18 alleged India’s involvement in the fatal shooting of Khalistan Tiger Force chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. Nijjar, a designated terrorist in India, was killed outside a gurdwara in Canada’s Surrey on June 18.

India had rejected the allegations as absurd and motivated”.

Taking a dig at Trudeau for honouring a former Nazi soldier in Canada’s parliament, he said, I saw yesterday he had gone and given a rousing welcome to somebody who has associated with the Nazis in the past during the Second World War. So, this is questionable and we have dealt with it in the past. I am not surprised that sometimes PM Trudeau comes out with outrageous and substantiated allegations.”

Last Friday, during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s speech in the Canadian Parliament, 98-year-old Ukrainian Yaroslav Hunka, who served in the first Ukrainian division, also known as the SS division Galicia” during World War II, was honoured by the Speaker of Canada’s House of Commons.

Mr Sabry said Trudeau’s genocide” comment had affected Sri Lanka- Canada ties.

That has actually affected our relationship. The Foreign Ministry has a different take on that. Ministry of Global Affairs has very clearly said that Sri Lanka did not go through a genocide, whereas PM Trudeau as a politician stands up and says that genocide had taken place. That itself is contradictory to each other. That doesn’t help,” said Mr Sabry.

He also advised the Canadian PM not to interfere in the internal matters of a sovereign country.

I don’t think anyone should poke their nose into other countries and tell as to how we should govern our country. We love our country more than anyone else. That’s why we are in our country. We are not very happy about that statement at all. Indian Ocean identity is very important and we need to strengthen the regional architecture. We have to look after our region. We need to work together. That’s how we can create a peaceful environment. We should not be dictated by anyone else as to how we should conduct our affairs,” he added.

Sri Lanka had earlier rejected Trudeau’s statement containing outrageous claims” of genocide relating to the past conflict in Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan foreign ministry said such irresponsible and polarizing pronouncements by the leader of a nation breeds disharmony and hatred both in Canada and Sri Lanka, instead of promoting peace and reconciliation.

Source – Asian News International
–Agencies

Courtesy The Independent

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has responded to outrage over the standing ovation he participated in for a war veteran who served in the Nazi Waffen-SS, calling it a mistake” and deeply embarrassing” to the country’s Parliament.

During Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit on Friday, Canada’s House of Commons gave a rousing standing ovation to Yaroslav Hunka, a 98-year-old Ukrainian veteran who fought in the Second World War – unaware he had served in a Nazi SS unit.

Leaders – including Mr Trudeau and Mr Zelensky – were left red-faced when House Speaker Anthony Rota subsequently apologised after it emerged that Hunka served in the 14th Waffen-SS Grenadier Division, a voluntary unit made up mostly of ethnic Ukrainians under Nazi command.

Mr Trudeau issued a statement on Monday condemning Mr Rota for introducing the controversial guest for applause.

Obviously it is extremely upsetting that this happened. The speaker has acknowledged his mistake,” Mr Trudeau said to the press after the veteran’s past was been pointed out by various Jewish and Holocaust education organisations. “But this is something that is deeply embarrassing to the Parliament of Canada and by extension to all Canadians.”

Mr Trudeau said he was think[ing] particularly” of Canadian Jewish MPs and citizens who were commemorating Yom Kippur.

He ended his statement with reassurance that Canada is still committed to supporting Ukraine against the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

I think it’s gonna be really important that all of us push back against Russian propaganda, Russian disinformation, and continue our steadfast and unequivocal support for Ukraine as we did last week with announcing further measures to stand with Ukraine in Russia’s illegal war against it,” he concluded.

Hunka was sitting in the gallery when he was described as a Ukrainian hero” and a Canadian hero” to applause from Mr Trudeau, Mr Zelensky and others present.

The Canadian Jewish group CIJA said it was deeply troubled” that a Nazi veteran had been celebrated, and said proper vetting is imperative to ensure such an unacceptable incident does not occur again”.

In a statement, Mr Rota said that on 22 September in my remarks following the address of the president of Ukraine, I recognised an individual in the gallery.

I have subsequently become aware of more information which causes me to regret my decision to do so.”

Mr Rota said that no one, including fellow parliamentarians and the Ukraine delegation, was aware of my intention or of my remarks before I delivered them. This initiative was entirely my own, the individual in question being from my riding [district] and having been brought to my attention.”

I particularly want to extend my deepest apologies to Jewish communities in Canada and around

the world. I accept full responsibility for my actions,” the speaker added.

The remarks came shortly after Mr Zelensky delivered a passionate speech to the Canadian parliament to bolster support from his Western allies.

Mr Rota then hailed Hunka as a Ukrainian Canadian war veteran from the Second World War who fought for Ukrainian independence against the Russians” and a Ukrainian hero and a Canadian hero”.

Following the address, Mr Zelensky, who is Jewish and lost family members during the Holocaust, raised his fist in acknowledgement as the veteran saluted.

Hunka’s Nazi unit are accused of killing Polish and Jewish civilians, and were visited by SS leader Heinrich Himmler in 1944 who said his men would be eager” to liquidate the Poles”.

The Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre said Mr Rota’s remarks ignore the horrific fact that Hunka served in the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, a Nazi military unit whose crimes against humanity during the Holocaust are well-documented”.

In a statement, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said, Canada’s Jewish community stands firmly with #Ukraine in its war against Russian aggression. But we can’t stay silent when crimes committed by Ukrainians during the Holocaust are whitewashed.”

Since his invasion in February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly made unsubstantiated claims that Ukraine harbours neo-Nazis”.

From news to politics, travel to sport, culture to climate – The Independent has a host of free newsletters to suit your interests. To find the stories you want to read, and more, in your inbox, click here.

By P.K.Balachandran/The Citizen

Colombo, September 25: On the surface, the killing of the Canadian- Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar is a matter between Canada and India. But it has become an India-US affair following reports that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s accusations against India were based on intelligence provided by the Five Eyes” group of White nations in which the US is the key player.

This has put a question mark on the visit of US President Joe Biden to India as the chief guest at the Republic Day parade in New Delhi on January 26, 2024.

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While US Ambassador Eric Garcetti said that the US was considering” Prime Minister Modi’s invitation to President Biden extended during the G20 summit, the Spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs Arindam Bagchi said a day later, that decisions on such matters are taken at the appropriate time” and that he would not crystal gaze.”   

Given the fact that both India and the US are embroiled in the India-Canada spat, it is indeed doubtful if Biden will come, even in the unlikely event of being invited.  

To India’s disappointment and discomfiture, the US has accepted Canada’s allegation against India.  Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in New York: We have been consulting throughout very closely with our Canadian colleagues – and not just consulting, coordinating with them – on this issue. And, from our perspective, it is critical that the Canadian investigations proceed, and it would be important that India work with the Canadians on this investigation. We want to see accountability, and it’s important that the investigation run its course and lead to that result.”

India’s new-found strategic ally has put it in a fix. Working with Canada” involves India’s opening its confidential records to the Canadians and submitting itself to cross-examination. Doing so will seriously compromise India’s security and sovereignty and damage Prime Minister Modi’s electoral prospects.  

Modi cannot be seen to be bullied by the US on the Khalistan issue involving its sovereignty, security and international standing. He cannot allow Indians to unfavourably compare him with Congress icon Indira Gandhi, who had valiantly defied the US Seventh Fleet during the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war.  

The theory that the US will eventually intervene to bring about a rapprochement to save its anti-China alliance with India is popular in the media. But the prospects of US mediation are none too good given that Canada and India have good domestic reasons to stick to their guns.

However, there is a ray of hope emerging from the complicated history of India-US relations. The relationship has seen both highs and lows in its 75-year history. Political and geopolitical changes have brought about both improvements and deteriorations in the relationship.

Those sanguine about good Indo-US ties expect propitious changes in the geopolitical environment for them to improve. 

Ups and Downs

In 1947, India-US ties were expected to be good because the US had nudged Britain to grant independence to India. But while the US wanted India to side with it in its rivalry with the USSR, India chose non-alignment. The US then formed a military alliance with India’s rival, Pakistan.

But, as the 1950s wore on, US-India relations improved on the economic development front. The Indian Institutes of Technology Kanpur was set up with US help. The relationship acquired a military dimension when India sought US aid in the aftermath of the Chinese aggression in 1962. Significantly, the US did not support Pakistan during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war.  

The 1960s also saw US-India economic cooperation in agriculture. The Green Revolution made India self-sufficient in food in a decade.

But come the 1971 Bangladesh war, Indo-US relations went into a tailspin with the US sending its 7^th.,Fleet to the Bay of Bengal in support of Pakistan. By then the US had made up with China with the help of Pakistan to form a US-China-Pakistan alliance against both India and the USSR.  

The US was very annoyed when India tested an atomic bomb in 1974. In 1978, India refused to sign the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty which called inspection of nuclear facilities. The US promptly ended all nuclear assistance to India.

However, matters improved in 1991 when India launched liberal economic reforms. But in 1998, the US again got annoyed when India conducted a nuclear test disturbing the balance of forces with US ally Pakistan. The US Ambassador to India was recalled and sanctions were imposed.

Nevertheless, in 1999, the US supported India during its war in Kargil against Pakistan. In 2001, President George W. Bush lifted all US nuclear policy-linked sanctions imposed on India.

In 2005, the US and India signed the New Framework for the U.S.-India Defence Relationship which set priorities for defence cooperation in maritime security and counterterrorism. In October, the two countries conducted joint military exercises.

India and the US inked the Civil Nuclear Cooperation Initiative, a framework that lifted a three-decade US moratorium on nuclear energy trade with India. India agreed to separate its civil and military nuclear facilities and place all its civil resources under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards. In exchange, the US agreed to work towards full civil nuclear cooperation and got Congressional approval for that in 2008.

The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), an inter-governmental body that sets guidelines for nuclear exports, permitted India to engage in nuclear trade for the first time in three decades.

In 2010, the US and India convened the first Strategic Dialogue. India was termed an indispensable partner.” President Obama announced a US$ 14.9 billion in trade deal and supported India’s bid to get a seat as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

In 2011, US and India inked a MOU to promote closer cybersecurity cooperation. The US provided up to US$ 1 billion to help India develop low-carbon energy alternatives.

In 2015, U.S. Secretary of Defence Ashton Carter and India’s defence minister, Manohar Parrikar, signed documents to renew the ten-year U.S.-India Defence Framework Agreement. In 2016, the US elevated India to the status of a major defence partner”, which became law in August 2018.  

In 2018, at a Two-plus-Two” dialogue in New Delhi, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defence Jim Mattis signed an agreement with Indian Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman called the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement” (COMCASA) to give India access to advanced communication technology. It also allowed real-time information sharing.  

However, in 2019 President Trump ended India’s preferential trade status that allowed products from developing countries to enter the US market duty-free. Trump accused India of not providing equitable and reasonable access” to its market. India in turn slapped tariffs on 28 US products.

But the two countries made up when India agreed to purchase US$ 3 billion worth of US military equipment. The Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) was also signed. BECA allowed the sharing of sensitive geospatial data to boost the accuracy of Indian drones and cruise missiles.

In 2023, US and Indian officials announced the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET)”, an agreement that aimed to expand bilateral technology and defence cooperation. The initiative included provisions for weapons, artificial intelligence, and semiconductors. This was followed by the launch of the US-India Strategic Trade Dialogue, which aimed to implement iCET.

However, as part of the deal, U.S. officials sought to reduce India’s purchase of Russian arms. India cooperated because Russia was not in a position to meet India’s needs.

New Gaps Develop

However, notwithstanding the plethora of agreements, there were political impediments to the relationship developing. India had refused to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and bought Russian oil at a 30 % discount courting US displeasure.

India does not want to take on China militarily, preferring to go for talks. India is also constantly talking of multi-alliances and organizing  the Global South against the North. These aims run counter to the US aim which is to build a solid and united anti-Russia and anti-China front under its leadership.

In the India-Canada spat, America’s sympathy will lie with Canada, because Canada is its natural ally. It is White and a G7 and NATO member. India is none of these.

Nevertheless, things may change if there is a propitious turn of events in the geopolitical environment, as indeed they have in the past.

Source: China Daily

The reason why the United States sees China as an ever-bigger threat is not just because of its status as the world’s second-largest economy. It is primarily because China presents an alternative development model distinct from that advocated by the US and its western allies, Tamara Kunanayakam, former permanent representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Office in Geneva, told China Daily.

The US has been promoting the neoliberal model to shift the decision-making power out of other countries into their hands, contributing to rising inequality and conflicts, which is being now challenged and questioned all around”, Kunanayakam said.

She said that numerous countries, including Sri Lanka, are exploring alternatives to the US-led model. They are intrigued by how China, despite being a developing nation, has successfully pursued its unique path, particularly in eradicating extreme poverty.

Unlike other countries that trigger confrontation and war, China prioritizes cooperation and sharing, which brings well-being to the people, the former representative said.

It’s an example of what can be done, and that is a threat to the US,” she said.

Source: China Daily

Courtesy Daily Express

Jewish advocacy groups have reacted with fury after Volodymyr Zelensky and Justin Trudeau were among those who gave a veteran who fought for a Nazi unit during the Second World War a standing ovation.

Yaroslav Hunka fought for the First Ukrainian Division – also known as the Waffen-SS Galicia Division, or the SS 14th Waffen Division – a voluntary unit that was under the command of the Nazis and fought against Russia. Hunka, now 98, was welcomed to Canada’s House of Commons during Zelensky’s visit to

He was invited by House Speaker Anthony Rota – who has since apologised for the blunder. It’s thought that Trudeau and Zelensky were both unaware of Hunka’s past. Trudeau’s office said the “Speaker of the House has apologized and accepted full responsibility for issuing the invitation”.

Introducing Hunka to the House, Speaker Rota said Hunka was a “Ukrainian hero, a Canadian hero” adding “we thank him for all his service”.

Zelensky raised his fist in acknowledgement as Hunka saluted from the gallery during two separate standing ovations. The incident has been condemned by Several Jewish advocacy organizations, reported Canada’s largest privately owned television network, CTV

The Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies claimed that Hunka’s unit “was responsible for the mass murder of innocent civilians with a level of brutality and malice that is unimaginable”.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the group said: “An apology is owed to every Holocaust survivor and veteran of the Second World War who fought the Nazis, and an explanation must be provided as to how this individual entered the hallowed halls of Canadian Parliament and received recognition from the Speaker of the House and a standing ovation.”

Rota swiftly apologised. He said: “I have subsequently become aware of more information which causes me to regret my decision to [honour Hunka]. I wish to make clear that no one, including fellow parliamentarians and the Ukraine delegation, was aware of my intention or of my remarks before I delivered them.

“I particularly want to extend my deepest apologies to Jewish communities in Canada and around the world.” Rota said he accepted “full responsibility” for his actions.

In a statement, the Canadian Prime Minister’s Office said: “The independent Speaker of the House has apologized and accepted full responsibility for issuing the invitation and for the recognition in Parliament. This was the right thing to do.”

Zelensky has not yet commented on the revelation.

Dan Panneton, a director with the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre, told CBC News: “The fact that this individual, and by proxy the organization he was a member of, was given a standing ovation in the House of Commons is deeply troubling.

“I think association with this unit makes you a Nazi collaborator. To be part of this unit, you swore allegiance to Hitler and you were involved with the massacre of civilians. So it doesn’t matter if you try and claim that you were defending against communism, you were still involved with the Nazi war machine. That makes you complicit.”

Michael Mostyn, CEO of B’nai Brith Canada, told CTV it was “beyond outrageous that Parliament honoured a former member of a Nazi unit”. He said that saying Ukrainian “ultra-nationalist ideologues” who volunteered for the Galicia Division “dreamed of an ethnically homogenous Ukrainian state and endorsed the idea of ethnic cleansing”.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said it was deeply troubled by the incident. In a statement published on Sunday on X, formerly known as Twitter, it said: “Canada’s Jewish community stands firmly with Ukraine in its war against Russian aggression. But we can’t stay silent when crimes committed by Ukrainians during the Holocaust are whitewashed.”

Canada’s Conservative leader Pierre Poilievr blamed Trudeau for the incident. In a written statement he said: “No parliamentarians (other than Justin Trudeau) had the opportunity to vet this individual’s past before he was introduced and honoured on the floor of the House of Commons.

“Without warning or context, it was impossible for any parliamentarian in the room (other than Mr. Trudeau) to know of this dark past.”

In response, the Prime Minister’s Office repeated Rota’s assertion that he alone invited Hunka.

Nazi ovation© Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies

Shenali D Waduge

Sri Lanka’s governments always apply ‘don’t look a gifthorse in the mouth’ logic and then lands up putting the country in trouble. We seem to be euthanized to think that countries that carry out regime change, colored revolutions, election fraud, funding youth unrest & even carrying out political assassinations in other countries, will not be done in Sri Lanka. We are ignorant to not look at all of its misadventures in other parts of the world. USAID has suddenly increased its activities across Sri Lanka. Are Sri Lanka’s policy makers bothered to know the real reason & connect with all of USAID’s involvements in other countries?

Undeniably USAID created in 1961 is a key US Govt foreign policy pusher. That policy is pushed using mediums that go undetected & using development” initiatives as camouflage (thus the agriculture/poverty alleviation/public administration improvement/civil society engagement/youth building initiatives) The foreign policy has a target audience & USAID uses funds to penetrate to that audience to influence them. Is it so difficult to understand? Why would Russia order USAID to leave? USAID was accused of paying opposition groups to back anti-Putin protests. Eritrea, Ecuador, Venezuela, Cuba & Bolivia have also expelled USAID.

USAID offers humanitarian assistance but it is also accused of funneling money to overthrow governments. Funds & programs provide a great cover. Target audience are also euthanized and the programs are artfully coordinated to achieve the objective unnoticed even by the participants.

When USAID says : human rights, democracy, transparency, peace programs, disaster programs, what USAID really intends to do is to export wars, colored revolutions, foment extremist ideologies, promot economic instability. By taking the key players to their side using their initiatives, they automatically silence any forms of opposition. Programs targeting legal fraternity with funds disbursed to them automatically silences anyone in the fraternity raising doubts over their larger plan.

• Jan 2023, Congressman Michael McCaul informs USAID head Samantha Power to investigate USAID grantee HELPING HAND FOR RELIEF & DEVELOPMENT,having received ‘credible allegations’ that HHRD has ties with a designate terrorist organization & Congressman had informed USAID in 2022 re this but no action was taken. The terrorist organization is Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation in Pakistan which has connections to Jamat-e-Islami (South Asian based organization)
• 40% of USAID funding in Afghanistan went to big contractors with connections with USAID and these entities charge 40% of the total fund for their corporate fees & consultancy. USAID makes deals with those tasked with NGOs set up for reconstruction.
• In 2003 Bechtel revealed USAID was indulging in irregularities in Iraq’s reconstruction
• In 2000s USAID is accused of funding civil societies in Venezuelia & Boliviato advance US strategic interest by funding opposition to topple existing governments.
• 2012 – Bolivia expelled USAID for meddling in internal affairs
• 2013 USAID is alleged to have used its fund to promote normalization of Israel’ under Partners for Peace Program” to get civil societies in Palestine & Israel to cooperate but the condition to the Palestinians was that they had to renounce terrorism However Palestine objected to USAID political manipulation.USAID left Palestine in Jan2019 following new Anti-Terrorism Law.
• 2014 – Cuba: USAID had been hiring anti-Cuban govt South American activists through a company called Creative Associates International. One activist was sent on mission to create a network of volunteers for social transformation – he set up a AIDS-HIV prevention workshop as a perfect excuse (similar to the CIA’s vaccination ruse in 2011 to get information on whereabouts of Osama bin Laden) as a result Taliban in Pakistan has banned polio vaccinations.
• USAID & Peru – declassified records of how USAID has been involved in Peruhttps://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PDABJ683.pdf
• 2019 – USAID & Venezuela – USAID & NED works on Transition Initiatives’ (code name for regime change) USAID’s Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, Humanitarian Assistance oversees the Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) which support local partners for ‘political change’. According to Wikileaks a Nov2006 cable revealed the US embassy in Venezuela was coordinating anti-Chavez campaign using a 5-point strategy. 1. Strengthening democratic institutions 2. Penetrating Chavez political base 3. Dividing Chavismo 4. Protecting vitale US business 5. Isolating Chavez internationally. In 2006 USAID/OTI increased funding to create ‘youth movement’ using new technologies (twitter, facebook) against President Chavez. From 2006-2010 more than 34% of USAID budget ($15m annual) was to fund university programs to turn youth against President Chavez.
• In 2009 USAID through DAI (operational in Sri Lanka) paid $600,000 to install military-grade internet in Cuba for the Jewish community

USAID involved colored revolutions – wars without guns & implanting American values

Georgia Rose Revolution” 2003 – forced President Eduard Shvardandze to resign claiming vote fraud” & supported opposition leader Mikhail Saakashvili to become President & a pawn of US. Years before Rose Revolution Western states had funded NGOs & Opposition parties in Georgia. USAID spent $1.5m to computerize Gerogia’s voter rolls.

Ukraine Orange Revolution” 2004 – another ‘fraud’ scandal created using youth to take to streets to support Opposition Leader Viktor Yushenko to become President & pawn of US.

Kyrgyzstan Tulip Revolution” 2005 – opposition funded to protest parliamentary elections turning into riots & ended with the President abandoning power & fleeing.

Arab Spring” in Asia & Africa in 2011

Egypt Lotus Revolution” 2011 – – youth were heavily influenced by social media (facebook/twitter) & misled & brainwashed by promises of democracy & freedom” and promoted to protest. The youth were made to think they were helping bring the country to a better position but reality was that they were being used by US & political forces to destabalize their country. A leader of Egypts April 6 Youth Movement was invited to New York & underwent internship” & taught how to cope with the police.

Sri Lanka’s aragala” protestors in hindsight must study colored revolutions” that took place & seriously wonder if they were also used as pawns. 

Present day protests are not improptu – they are all orchestrated & started by an individual or group as a deliberate political act – it is coordinated by planners, trainers, funders, instigators, troublemakers, followers & where needed violent & hired mercenaries. All these are kept ready & unleashed by those handling them.

1. Planners select target
2. Psychological war launched
3. Political activists & groups organized & given information & financial support to raise sentiment to the masses
4. Masses are mobilized to initiate protests – media & NGOs are used to further spur emotions / newest is the use of social media to organize protests, spread misinformation/disinformation & fake news while funding entities called FACT CHECKERS” to accuse others of telling fake news & then banning them.
5. Chain of protests brought to level of intensity to achieve the target.
6. Today colored revolutions are following a textbook From Dictatorship to Democracy” by Gene Sharp (Albert Einstein Institution founded by Sharp is said to be funded by NED) – OTPUR used this in Ukraine.

US has a pattern before ousting a leader they do not like or a leader who they feel cannot deliver as per their wishes.

US & Allies promotes notion that their target is a dictator” is undemocratic” violates human rights” etc.

Citizens must think that becoming pawns of revolutions funded by foreigners is only putting their country, their people & their resources under foreign control. Is this what people want?

https://www.heritage.org/global-politics/report/congress-must-stop-bidens-misuse-us-foreign-aid-impose-his-radical-social

Why would US want to send so money to other countries to develop them instead of using that money for the same initiatives in America? 

• USAID funds poverty alleviation in other countries but 9 million Americans in poverty.
• USAID funds agriculture/food projects in other countries but 34million Americans are in hunger. 42million are using food stamps.
• USAID funds housing programs in other countries but almost 500,000 Americans are living on the streets.
• USAID funds law & order programs in other countries but annually there are at least 15,000 murders in USA. There have been 386 school shootings since 1999.
• USAID funds good governance programs in other countries but 57% black Americans claim discrimination at work, while 51% black Americans claim to experience racial slurs at work, 31% all women claim discrimination at work, 60% of women (18-29 years) claim to be sexually harassed at work, 35% Asian Americans reported insensitive & racial comments against them.

Sri Lankans must wonder why countries would give people of another country when they should be first giving their own. Sri Lankans must also wonder with what objectives they wish to initiate projects that enable them to view the interior systems of Sri Lanka’s governance/administrative systems. If only Sri Lankans put their thinking caps – they would not be going behind trojan horses thinking them to be gift horses.

While American values are in decline, US foreign policy players are importing those declining values elsewhere which are being foolishly embraced by those unaware of realities and daydreaming about democracy”!

Shenali D Waduge

Asutosh Mishra^* Department of Anthropology, IGNOU University, Cuttack, India,

Abstract

The island country, Sri Lanka, famously known as the pearl of the Indian Ocean and the soul of India that is Odisha otherwise known as the temple city of India had a very ancient connection. History has been saying that the founder of the Sinhalese race was an Odia (Kalinga) as mentioned in Mahavamsa, the greatest literature of Sri Lanka. Recent genetic studies have confirmed that the ancestors of Sri Lankans were from Odisha. Kalinga, the ancient Odisha, had a strong relationship with Ceylon (Sri Lanka) that flourished for 1700 years. Matrimonial tie was the main reason for this relationship to sustain so long. It was Kalinga that had popularised Buddhism in the island. It had even introduced Vajrayana Buddhism to the people of the island. The famous Abhayagiri monastery of Sri Lanka has a deep connection with Kalinga. Both of them used to share an identical culture that most of the scholars hasn’t pointed out. Kalinga had influenced Sri Lanka in many ways and it can be seen through the similarities they both still carry.

Keywords

Odisha Sri Lanka relation; History of Kalinga ceylon ties; Anthropological view on Kalinga Sri Lanka affairs

Introduction

Both Odisha and Sri Lanka had a famed ancient history. Kalinga (Odisha) had one of the strongest kinships with Ceylon (Sri Lanka). It was not only the maritime relationship but also the bloodline that both of them had shared. From 500 B.C.E. to 1200 C.E., this relationship was sustained. Both had seen political turmoil, chaos, anarchy in their respective lands. Yet, the brotherhood had never torn apart. Kalinga even supported Ceylon against its countrymen. It was the central part of Sri Lanka’s history. It was Kalinga that had created the Sinhalese race, shaped their culture, and been its greatest ally. This paper is an attempt to eulogize that relationship and draw attention to the homogeneity in history. There is much more to this relationship than what meets the eye [1].

Mahavamsa and Dipavamsa, the greatest chronicles of Sri Lanka, give the record of the introductory history of the land. These Pali chronicles talk about the first-ever king of the country, Vijay. According to Mahavamsa, Indian prince Vijay with his 700 followers inhabited Sri Lanka in the sixth century B.C.E. and founded the Sinhalese race. The original homeland of Vijay is known to be Simhapura. It further states that the Simhapura was set up by king Simhabahu and the Sinhala race was derived from his name by his son, Vijay. The same place has its reference in Manimekhalai, a Tamil literary work, which is considered as one among the top 5 greatest Tamil epics. It has described Simhapura as the capital of Kalinga. The mention of Simhapura is also found in Kalinga history. It was ruled by the great Matharas from the 5^th to 6^th century C.E. Epigraphical sources show that Simhapura was the capital of Kalinga during their rule [2].

Mahavamsa further states that before the arrival of Vijay there were 4 indigenous clans of Ceylon: yaksha, naga, deva, raksha. Vijay became the king only after defeating the native tribe yaksha who was believed to be the inhabitants of the mountain. In India, we do have the same categories. Yakshas are commonly known as Gandharvas. Almost in every temple, one will find sculptures of yaksha, yakshini. In Odisha, they are one of the major features of decorative motifs which are belonged to one of the two categories of temple sculptures of Odisha. All famous temples of Odisha are flanked by yaksha sculptures and motifs [3]. In the case of tribes, it is inevitable to find indigenous Gods and Goddesses. Tribes of Odisha also have such tutelary gods of forests, mountains, and villages. Gadaba, the oldest tribe of the state, considers ‘Bana Debata’ (forest god) as their supreme deity. This forest deity is nothing but a yaksha. Kondh, the largest tribe of Odisha, doesn’t follow Hinduism. They are nature worshippers. They believe that forests, mountains, rivers all have presiding deities and their prime God is ‘Dharani Deota’, who is a spirit god [4].

Since early times, the naga cult has been existing in Odisha. Two life-size anthropomorphic images of naga, though in broken condition, are kept in Odisha state museum which might have preceded Kharavela time. More such anthropomorphic images were found in the vicinity of Bhubaneswar indicating the presence of a large naga cult. Odisha even had ‘Nagabansi rulers’ whose Ista devata (family god) were the nagas. The proof of the dynastic worship of naga is found from the asanpat inscription of the naga king Satrubhanja, in the keonjhar region who roughly belonged to the 4^th century C.E. [5].

The kanasa copper plate grant of the king Lokabigraha dated 600 C.E. refers to the worship of Maninaga. Apart from Satrubhanja, there existed another naga dynasty from Mayurbhanj. This dynasty is known as the Vairata Bhujanga dynasty that used to worship the naga as their tutelary deity. They had carved Kinchaka naga on the patamundi hill which shows how strongly they were associated with naga cult [6].

Aside from east and north Odisha, western Odisha was also involved in the naga cult. A beautiful naga icon is found from maraguda valley in the Kalahandi district. The naga kings of the district claim their origin from the mythical naga Pandarika. There is even evidence which reveals that the mighty Somavansis were also intimately bound to the naga cult [7].

The continuity of this cult hasn’t broken till now. In Bargarh, western Odisha, The Nagabacha Ceremony” is performed every year in the month of September-October. The purpose of it is to initiate a ‘nagbacha’ (serpent kid) that is similar to the concept of baptism in Christianity [8].

The Deva-Rakhyasa theme had induced many Gods, Goddesses in Hinduism. It is written in Vedas and Puranas that in ancient times there were two clans Sura-Asura that later became Devata-rakhyasa. Devata has been portrayed as the good clan and rakhyasa as the evil one. Every Hindu temple in India is all about the depiction of the victory of good over evil in various forms [9]. In Odisha, we even have places named upon rakhyasa. Asurgarh is one such place that literally means ‘fort of the demon’. Though there are several such forts been found in different parts of Odisha, recently in 2019 archaeologists’ excavated artifacts belonging to pre-Mauryan era from Asurgarh in the Kalahandi district. Those artifacts dated back to the 4th century B.C.E. and the land indicates that the inhabitants of it belonged to a sophisticated society. Hence, it won’t be wrong to say, people of that place were much older than that and they were either from the asura clan or worshippers of demons (asura). It is a fact that animism came first and religion later. This stands true even for Kalinga. It had the same 4 clans that Mahavamsa talks about in Ceylon before the arrival of Vijay [10].

Odisha has not only created the Sinhalese race but also has built a legacy. Even after the demise of Vijay and his successors, the cultural ties between Odisha and Sri Lanka carried on. Frequent visits to each other’s land were one of the reasons other than having a common religion. But what stand out for them was cross country marriages. The matrimonial relationship between Sinhalese and Kalinga royal families has a long history [11]. In the 10^th century C.E., king Mahinda IV, though of Sinhalese origin, had chosen a Kalingan princess as his chief wife. King Vijaybahu I, founder of Polonnaruwa kingdom, also had a Kalingan princess named Trilokasundari as his chief wife. After the death of Parakramabahu Sri Lanka couldn’t keep up with the political turmoil. At that time Nissanka Malla who was a pure Kalingan bloodline took over the throne and brought peace to the nation. His chief wife was also a Kalingan named Subadra Devi. He was one of the greatest kings of Sri Lanka and was a great Buddhist patron. It was he who repaired the ancient city of Anuradhapura. He had installed 78 gold-gilded Buddha statues at the Dambulla cave monastery and gave it the name Rangiri Dambulla Vihara (Manatunga, 2009). This place is now a world heritage site [12].

Unlike in other cases the origin and works of Nissanka Malla have their mention in the inscription at Gal pota, the stone book, besides in Mahavamsa. His bloodline ruled Sri Lanka for some time and few scholars refer to that phase as Kalinga Era [13].

As we move from the history of Sinhalese to their religion, it was and it is Buddhism which has been dominant since the advent of Mahendra, son of Ashoka, to the island. Buddhism spread throughout Northern India only because of the personal endorsement of king Ashoka. He also actively proselytized outside his kingdom to foreign lands by sending missions, often monks as envoys. According to Dipavamsa, the 2nd greatest literature of Sinhalese, Ashoka sent his son Mahendra to Sri Lanka for spreading Buddhism during the reign of Devanampiya Tissa. Later the bond grew stronger when Ashoka sent his daughter Sanghamitra with saplings of a Bodhi tree to the island. ‘Samantapasadika’ reveals that she was escorted by 8 families of Kalinga in her journey. There she established the order of the nuns” with the support of Anula, the chief queen of Tissa. It seems natural that few Kalingan women of those 8 families must be Buddhists who were members of that order and might have led it for its smooth run [14].

There is another tale that speaks eloquently of the friendship between the two nations of that era. Dathavamsa, a Buddhist work from 3^rd century C.E., discloses that king Guhasiva of Kalinga and king Mahadisena of Sri Lanka had strong friendly relations with each other. Citing one example it says when Guhasiva felt there was a threat to his throne due to invasions, he secretly sent his daughter Hemamala with his son-in-law Dantakumara to Ceylon with his most precious item. It was the sacred tooth relic of Buddha which he and his people used to worship in his capital Dantapura. Mahadisena took the responsibility of protecting and preserving it. He made a shrine for it thereby introducing a whole new chapter to their culture. This incident was the watershed moment in Sri Lankan history. The next few centuries were followed by the construction of Buddhist viharas, stupas, and chaityas. 4^th and 5th century C.E. saw not only architectural marvels but also the creation of great literature. It was during this period many valuable works on Buddhist religion and philosophy were produced in the country. The greatest chronicles, Mahavamsa and Dipavamsa, of Sinhalese literature were also composed in this period; 350 C.E. and 475 C.E. respectively. Therefore, it was Kalinga that had popularised Buddhism in Sri Lanka by giving away its most precious asset, Buddha’s tooth relic [15].

In the 7^th century C.E., Kalinga had gone through a paradigm shift. This period had witnessed the rise of Vajrayana Buddhism which is also known as Tantric Buddhism. With time, it replaced Mahayana Buddhism and by the 8th century C.E. became the dominant religion of the country. This was a landmark event for entire Southeast Asia as it caused a ripple across the Indian subcontinent and China. Suddenly all those nations who followed Buddhism started to shift from Mahayana to Vajrayana. In the 8th century, Sri Lanka also saw this trend. The main God of this sect of Buddhists is ‘Tara’.

But there is confusion around the name since Hindus also worship him alongside another Goddess Tarini. There is a reason behind it that might offer an answer. According to some historians, Tara was a Buddhist god whereas Tarini was a Hindu deity (Behera, 2019). As the two religions coexisted for a long time, the assimilation made the goddess Tarini to be worshipped as Tara Tarini” by Hindus.

Her name has also been mentioned in Mahayana Buddhism. Buddha was against Idol Worship. So, Buddhism in its infancy stage refrained from idolatry. But change is the first law that nature obeys and so does any religion. By the 1^st century C.E., Buddhism got a taste of it and accepted idol worship as a new addition to their cult.

This is been confirmed from Buddhist Tantric texts that worship Tara Tarini as a tantric deity Buddha Tara”. Whether it was Hindus or Buddhists that worshipped Tara first is a subject of debate but one thing is certain that Kalinga was the originator and epicenter of Vajrayana Buddhism or Tantric Buddhism. Every God, Goddess related to Vajrayana has its figure and images at the Diamond Triangle of Odisha; Ratnagiri, Udayagiri, and Lalitagiri.

As stated earlier, Vajrayana Buddhism spread in Sri Lanka in the 8^th century C.E. Inscriptions at Abhayagiri Vihara testifies that. It was the major monastery site of Mahayana, Theravada, and Vajrayana Buddhism that was situated in Anuradhapura, the ancient capital of Ceylon (Sri Lanka). A fascinating thing is written on that inscription which states Buddha transforms into a female goddess Dharanis”. According to Vajrayana, Tara was considered a female Buddha who was originated from the tears of Boddhisattwa Avolokiteswara. It implies Dharani and Tara aren’t different but one entity. Ashoka Edict highlighted that the Tara Tarini temple was a famous Buddhist site. Putting two and two together we conclude that Kalinga was the first one to worship Tara as the female form of Buddha. From here it had spread to Tibet, China, and Southeast Asia which includes Sri Lanka. Hence, a change in the religious belief in Sri Lanka was also brought by Kalinga.

Mishra (2015) in his article ‘Abhayagiri in Anuradhapura, Buddhist Diamond Triangle of Odisha and Java: Art and Epigraphic evidence of Triadic Linkage of Esoteric Buddhism in Maritime Asia’ argues that the high resemblance between dharanis found from Odisha and Abhayagiri, indicates towards the transmission of it from Odisha to Sri Lanka. There are two points that strengthen his argument. The first one is the three famous Indian Buddhist monks (Amoghavajra, Vajrabodhi, and Subhakarasimha) who had spread esoteric Buddhism in Southeast Asia, Tibet, and China, studied at Ratnagiri, Odisha. Sarvatathagatatattwasamgraha (STTS) and Mahavairocana sutra are the two Buddhist tantric texts which form the basis of the mandala stupa. These three monks took the two texts with them and went to Abhayagiri first. From there to Java and finally to China. Excavations at Abhayagiri led to the findings of the mandala and a few lines from these texts validate the theory of transmission of dharanis from Odisha to Sri Lanka, particularly from Ratnagiri. The second point is the earliest reference of the Mahavairocana sutra, which is the first true Buddhist tantra, which was found from the back slab of the Vairocana image from Lalitagiri, Odisha. Numerous dharanis in clay seals are found from Ratnagiri. These are very much alike to that of Abhayagiri.

There are several stupas in Odisha that were and are filled with dharanis inside it. Some dharanis have been found in terracotta and stone plaques inside a stupa indicating they must be inserted during the consecration of stupas. Odisha state museum has an inscription on Bodhigarbhalankaralaksa Dharani” which specifically advocates in favour of putting dharanis inside a stupa during the consecration.

In Abhayagiri, Sri Lanka one finds similar dharanis being inserted inside a stupa. This shows the concept of placing Dharanis inside a stupa in Abhayagiri Vihara was taken from Kalinga by Sinhalese. There are even similarities between Buddha images from Cuttack hills (Diamond Triangle) with Abhayagiri. In all likelihood, the artists of Kalinga or its monks taught Sinhalese about all these that we see and find in Abhayagiri.

The art and craft speak volumes about the heritage of a country. In the case of Odisha and Sri Lanka, there is much uniformity between them. Their cultural vibes are akin to each other.

The history of the pottery of Odisha is at least 4000 years old as evident from a recent excavation conducted at the Durgadevi village of Balasore. A variety of potteries and terracotta have been found at numerous sites in Odisha different periods. This shows the long continuity of pottery and terracotta in the state.

Terracotta work of Odisha is considered national heritage and in the current decade even has got international fame. When we look at Sri Lanka in this context, we find a direct link to Odisha as per their historical records. Mahavamsa has thrown some light on it. According to it, when Vijay landed on the shores of the island, his entourage had included potters. There is another instance that tells us that potters of Kalinga went to Sri Lanka and might have influenced their culture. As recorded in Mahavamsa, Sanghamitra, daughter of Ashoka, arrived in the country in 288 B.C.E. She was accompanied by artisans from 18 trades and one of them was potters.

Puppetry, lacquer work, drum making, wood carving, jewellery making, and handlooms are the rest categories that are popular and similar in both cultures. The famous Kandyan dance of Sri Lanka and Kandhei Nacha of Odisha both reflect upon the same narrative. Both depict the story of Ramayan, the great Hindu Mahakabya, in their performances.

Though it is evident from linguistic evidence that the Sinhalese language belongs to the family of Indo-Aryan language, yet, there is a controversy regarding its origin. Some scholars believe it was based on a western dialect of India while others argue for its eastern dialect. Famous Sri Lankan historian Siddhartha (1935) in his article titled the Indian Languages and their Relation with the Sinhalese Language” advocates for the eastern origin of the Sinhalese language.

He further argues that if one would study the Odia language and compare it with the Sinhalese, will find that the later language is nothing but a modified form of the Odia. Shahidulla (1962), the renowned Bengali linguist, philologist, educationalist, and writer, has shown philological facts to prove that the ancestors of the Sinhalese people had migrated from Eastern India [14].

Apart from linguistic and philological evidences, early Sinhala inscriptions also points out to its Eastern origin. In his introduction to ‘The Phonology of the Sinhalese Inscriptions up to the End of Tenth Century A.D.’, P.B.F. Wijeratne (1945, p.8) states that the early language must have originally belonged to Eastern tract of India”. Another Sri Lankan scholar D. J. Wijeratne (1956) has taken the same stance on this subject. In his article ‘History of Sinhalese noun’ he suggests that there is clinching evidence which indicates that the earliest Sinhalese as recorded in the inscriptions of the 3rd century B.C. was a middle Indian Dialect and have strong affinities with the Eastern group of middle India.

Whether it was about putting the first step on the island or creating the Sinhalese race, Kalinga is the name that Sri Lankan history has recorded as the founder. It has even popularised Buddhism in the country which is the dominant religion of the island. It is in the bucket list of every Buddhists around the world to visit the temple of sacred tooth relic at Kandy, Sri Lanka. The relic inside this world heritage site was a gift from Kalinga. There is another gift to the island by a king of pure Kalingan bloodline, Nissanka Malla. Rangiri Vihara, a world heritage site, was constructed by Malla. Genetic studies also confirm that Sri Lankans have their ancestors from Odisha. Whether it was the maritime trade or matrilineal relationship, Kalinga was the first choice of Sri Lanka. Both of them have stood for each other in the time of need, in the time of chaos [16].

Conclusion

Kalinga has an inalienable part in the history and culture of Sri Lanka. On the surface, ethnological study of the Sinhalese race tells that there is more South Indian flavour in Sri Lankan culture. But from the anthropological perspective, Odisha and Sri Lanka are two brothers from different mothers. They share almost the same cultural identity. The rituals, the beliefs that are rooted in the villages of Lanka are identical to the villages of Odisha. I hope in the near future, Odisha and Sri Lanka will reset their relationship which had a glorious past. In ancient times, the two cultures had inspired Southeast Asia for many centuries. They can do so even today. If it happens, it will strengthen India Sri Lanka relation also which has weakened a little bit.

References

1. Acri A. Esoteric Buddhism in mediaeval maritime Asia: Networks of masters, texts, icons. ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. 2016.
2. Behera KS. Maritime contacts of Orissa: literary and archaeological evidence. Utkal Hist Res J. 1994;5:55-70.
3. Charvát P. Excavations at Abhayagiri Vihara (Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka) in 1984. Archív Orientální. 1985; 53:226-58.
4. Donaldson TE. Iconography of the Buddhist Sculpture of Orissa: Text. Abhinav Pub. 2001.
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7. Mukherjee P. Lalitagiri, Udayagiri and Ratnagiri. Government of Orissa, Bhubaneswar. 1957.
8. Panigrahi KC. History of Orissa: Hindu Period. Cuttack: Kitab Mahal. 1981.
9. Paranavitana S. Glimpses of Ceylon’s past. Lake House Investments. 1972.
10. Patel K. Maritime Relation of Kalinga with Srilanka. The Orissa Hist Res J. 2004:125-31.
11. Pradhan B. The History Of Naga Cult And Naga Festivals In Orissa. In Proceedings of the Ind Hist Cong 2001;62:149-159.
12. Rath SP, Mahaliyanaarachchi RP, Rath R. Kalinga (Odisha) & Sri Lanka kinship and cultural relationship-A retrospection and future hopes. Splint Int J Prof. 2016; 3:54.
13. De Silva KM, de Silva KM. A history of Sri Lanka. Univ of California Press 1981.
14. Tripathy S. Inscriptions of Orissa: Circa 5th-8th Centuries AD. Motilal Banarsidass Publ 1997.

Author Info

Asutosh Mishra^*

Department of Anthropology, IGNOU University, Cuttack, India

Citation: Mishra A (2021) Anthropological Study on Kalinga Sri Lanka Relationship. Anthropology 9:263.doi10.35248/2332- 0915.21.9.263

Received: 09-Nov-2021 Accepted: 24-Nov-2021 Published: 01-Dec-2021

Prof. Hudson McLean

As an avid reader of LankaWeb for the past 45 years or so, I am surprised that the historically old writers and even the new are still battling history “Inside the Box”. without getting out into the world!

Yes. Sri Lanka had the British Colonial hang-over, and still has!. 

Then after the Brits left the Tamil Tigers tried their best to take over.

Thanks to the Rajapaksa family and to Basil Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka was saved from Tamil Terrorism.

That was history which every Sinhala should remember!

But now Sri Lanka should move forward into the New World with the likes of Patriot Philanthropist Entrepreneur Dhammika Perera (whom I have never met).

Sri Lanka is a Natural Paradise, with immense Natural Wealth.  The Intelligent Sinhala human wealth. But lazy!

So many opportunities Sri Lanka has swept under the carpet.

There are many revenue-generating opportunities both Domestic & Export!

I suggest that starting from President  Ranil Wickramasinhe right down to the minions in the Government, start following one quotation by my Mentor – Albert Einstein-;

“Imagination is more Important than Knowledge.
Knowledge is Limited.
Imagination Encircles the world” – Albert Einstein

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by A. Abdul Aziz

U.K. based International Human Rights Committee (IHRC) has reported several times that a wave of bigotry against Ahmadiyya Muslims has intensified since the start of 2023. In an extremely worrying sign of growing crisis in Pakistan, thirty-one (31) Ahmadiyya Mosques have been desecrated in 2023. Another disturbing news is coming in from Daska, Sialkot where the far right party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) is planning to gather a mob to demolish a historic Ahmadiyya Muslim Mosque.

The Mosque was built by the first Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Sir Zafrullah Khan in his family town Daska, Sialkot. The world-renowned jurist and lawyer served as the President of the UN General Assembly in the 1960s and the President of the International Court of Justice in the 70s.

Yet the media and politicians of the country he served his whole life are enabling religious extremists to desecrate holy places of worship which he built and prayed in. If this demolition is allowed to take place, it will be the 32nd Ahmadi Muslim Mosque desecrated in Pakistan this year. The Lahore High Court has previously held that Ahmadi Muslim places of worship built before 1984 cannot be destroyed by the state.

Recently, the Prime Minister of Pakistan said that the State will protect the places of worship of all citizens. Yet as seen in the past, higher authorities have failed to intervene when the Police, instead of providing protection, have been acting as an aide to acts by extremist elements.

It has become impossible for Ahmadis to practice their faith while ruthlessly hunted by fundamentalist gangs. The latest desecration act of the Mosques desecration carried out by the locals and Police is open proof of the fact there is no sign of improvement in the law-and-order situation for the Ahmadis in Pakistan.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan’s judgement (PLD 2014 SC 699), authored by the then Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, guarantees the protection of all places of worship and instructs the police to protect places of worship. Destroying minarets is also a violation of Article 20 and the same Supreme Court verdict of 2014 (PLD 2014 SC 699).

The same Supreme Court judgement of 2014 (PLD 2014 SC 699) had asked the Government of Pakistan to form a special task force for the protection of worship places of minorities. On the contrary, an extremist agenda sponsored by the state is being pursued against the Ahmadiyya community with authorities encouraging this type of violent behaviour which defies this Supreme Court judgement of 2014 (PLD 2014 SC 699) and all norms of religious sanctimony.

Human rights groups have repeatedly expressed their deep concern over the lack of attention to the serious human rights violations perpetrated against the Ahmadiyya community and called on the international community to step up efforts in bringing an end to the ongoing persecution of Ahmadis. It is repeatedly urged the international community to pressure the Government of Pakistan to honor its responsibility to provide protection to all its citizens, ensure freedom of religious practice to Ahmadis, and bring perpetrators of such vicious attacks to justice.

Sri Lankan High Commission in India  Media Release 2023.09.24

Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India Milinda Moragoda inspected the progress of the ongoing renovation work at the Sri Lanka Buddhist Pilgrims Rest (SLBPR) in New Delhi.

The Pilgrims’ Rest which is located very close to the New Delhi main Railway Station functions under the High Commission of Sri Lanka in India. With a view to offering a better service to a large number of Sri Lankan and foreign pilgrims visiting India to pay homage to sacred Buddhist sites, the High Commission initiated the much-needed renovation work to the existing SLBPR infrastructure facilitiesin June this year.

High Commissioner Moragoda, during the inspection tour met with the technical officials and the team involved in the renovation work and extended his appreciation for their hard work and dedication. He also emphasized the importance of completing the renovation work by the first week of November as planned.

The High Commissioner was accompanied by the senior officials of the High Commission on this inspection tour.

රජිත් කීර්ති තෙන්නකෝන්

සෞඛ්‍ය කේෂ්ත්‍ර යේ අද පවත්නා ලොකුම ප්‍රශ්නය වෛද්‍ය නිලධාරීන් (MO) විදේශගතවීම නොව, විශේෂඥ වෛද්‍යවරුන්ගේ හිඟය යි.  ජාතික රෝහල් දෙක ට, ශික්ෂණ රෝහල් 20 ට තවමත් එහි පීඩණය දැනී නොමැති නමුත්, පලාත් මුලික හා දිස්ත්‍රික් රෝහල්වල දැවැන්තම අර්බුදය මෙයයි. 

මෙරට අනුමත විශේෂඥ වෛද්‍යවරුන්ගේ සංඛ්‍යාව 2,851 කි.  සෞඛ්‍ය අමාත්‍යාංශයට අනුව අද 2,574 ක් සේවයේ නිරතය.  නමුත් සැබෑ ලෙසම රෝහල්වල රෝගීන් බලන්නේ 2,039 කි.   විශ්‍රාම වයස දැනට ගැසට් කර ඇති පරිදි 2024 දෙසැම්බර් 31 අවු. 63 වන්නේ නම්, දැනට සිටින වෛද්‍යවරුන් සංඛ්‍යාවෙන් 70  – 75 ක් පමණක් විශ්‍රාම ගනී. විශේෂඥ වෛද්‍යවරුන්ගේ විශ්‍රාම වයස 2024 දෙසැම්බර් 31 දිනට අවු. 60 බවට පත් වන්නේ නම්, එදිනට දැනට සේවයේ නිරත පිරිසෙන් 310 ක් (15%) එදින විශ්‍රාම ගනී. සැබෑ ප්‍රශ්නය ඇත්තේ එතැනය!    

විශේඥ වෛද්‍යවරුන් විශ්‍රාම ලබන විට, එයට සමාන වෛද්‍යවරුන් සංඛ්‍යාවක් අලුතෙන් සෞඛ්‍ය සේවයට පැමිණියේය.  අද වන විට මෙම චක්‍රය බිඳී ඇත.  විදේශගතවීම, සේවයෙන් ඉවත්වී වෛද්‍ය විද්‍යාල හා පුද්ගලික අංශයේ රෝහල් හා එකතුවීම එයට හේතුවයි. 

විශේෂඥ වෛද්‍ය ඛාණ්ඩ අනුව ප්‍රශ්නය ගැටළුව විමසා බැලිය යුතුය. නිර්වින්ද වෛද්‍යවරුන්ගේ හිඟය බියකරු සිහිනයකි. අනුමත සේවක සංඛ්‍යාව  180 ක් වන විට  දැනට සේවයේ නිරතවන්නේ 120 ක් පමණී.  2023 සැප්. 22 දිනට හිඟය  60 කි. පසුගිය වසර දෙක තුල විදේශ පුහුණුව නිම කළ  20 න්, 9 ක් අද වන විට රට හැර විදේශයන් හිර රැකියා ලබා හෝ වෙනත් හේතුවකට රෝහල් වෙත පැමිණ නැත. දෙදෙනෙකු (2) මෙරට විශ්වවිද්‍යාලයන්ට එක්වී ඇත.  ඒ අනුව, 60 ක හිඟයෙන් පුරවා ගත හැකි වන්නේ 9 ක් පමණී.  මේ වසර අවසන් වන්නේ, නිර්වින්දන වෛද්‍යවරුන් 51 ක හිඟයක් සහිතවය.

මේ හිඟය පියවීමට අමාත්‍යාංශය වෛද්‍යවරුන් 25 ක ලැයිස්තුවක් සකස් කොට ඇත. එම ලැයිස්තුවේ නම සඳහන් 6 ක් දැනටම විදේශගතවී ඇත. තවත් දෙදෙනෙකු (2) ලැයිස්තුවේ නම ඇතත් ලංකාවට පැමිණ නැත.  තවත් දෙදෙනෙකු (2) ලැයිස්තුවේ නම ඇතත් ඔවුන්ගේ පුහුණුව සම්පූර්ණ කර නැත. ඒ අනුව, පියවීමේ ලැයිස්තුව (රීප්ලේස්මන්ට් ලිස්ට්) එකේ න් ප්‍රයෝගිකව පිරවිය හැක්කේ 11 ක් හෝ එයට මදක් වැඩි සංඛ්‍යාවකි.  දළ වශයෙන් 40 ක පිරවිය නොහැකි හිඟයක් එවිට ඉතිරි වන්නේ ය. එහි අර්ථය, බී ශ්‍රේණියේ කිසිදු මුලික රෝහලකට වෛද්‍යවරුන් නොලැබීම ය. (එනම් වෙනත් වෛද්‍යවරයෙකු වැඩ ආවරණය කිරීම හෙවත් ඔවුන්ගේ වැඩ වැඩිවීමය)

විශේෂඥ වෛද්‍ය හිඟය නිසා වැඩිම පීඩාවට පත්වන්නේ රට අභ්‍යන්තරයේ හා උතුරු නැගෙනහිර රෝහල් ය. උදාහරණ ලෙස අම්පාර රෝහලට විශේඥ වෛද්‍ය ඛාණ්ඩ 20 ක් අවශ්‍ය ය. මෙයින් ඛාණ්ඩ 15 ක් ම දැනටමත් පුරප්පාඩු ය. 2024 සඳහා අයඳුම්කර  ඇත්තේ ඛාණ්ඩ 5 කට පමණී.  අම්පාරේ පහසුකම් නැති නම් මඩකලපුව, ත්‍රිකුණාමලය, හම්බන්තොට හෝ මොණරාගලට පැමිණීමට රෝගීන්ට සිදු වේ.  ත්‍රිකුණාමය මහ රෝහලේ සිටින්නේ සීමිත විශේෂඥ වෛද්‍යවරුන් සංඛ්‍යාවක් පමණී.  ඔවුන්ට කන්තලේ, කින්නියා හා මුතුර් මුලික රෝහල්වල රෝගීන් ආවරණය කිරීමට සිදුවේ. කල්මුණේ, නින්දවූර්, පොතුවිල්, සමන්තුරේ රෝගීන් කල්මුනේ වෙත යොමු වන අතර එම රෝහලට දැරිය නොහැකි පීඩණයක් පවතී. ඌව හා මධ්‍යම පළාත් තත්වය ශෝචනීය වේ.  මේ පීඩාව දරා සේවයේ නිරත පිරිසට රටම කෘතඥ විය යුතුය.

දෙවනුව, නාරි හා ප්‍රසව විශේෂඥ තනතුරු 168 ක් ස්ථාපිත ය. මේ  වන විට සේවයේ නිරතව සංඛ්‍යාව 130 කි. එයින් 7 දෙනෙකු මෑතක දී ඉවත් වී හෝ විශ්‍රාම ලබා හෝ ඇත. රට හැර ගිය සංඛ්‍යාව 8 කි. සේවයේ නිරත සංඛ්‍යාව 115 කි.  2023 වසර අතිරේක ලේඛනයේ නම් 17 න්, දෙදෙනෙකු (2) දැන් සේවයට වාර්තා කරන්නේ නැත. තවත් තිදෙනෙකු (3) ඉදිරි මාස දෙකක් තුල රජයේ සේවයෙන් ඉවත්වීමට සුදානම්ය. එවිට අලුතෙන් සේවයට අතුලත් වන්නේ 12 කි. නාරි හා ප්‍රසව විශේෂඥයින් 18 ක් හිඟ ය.  විශ්‍රාම වයස 60 වන්නේ නම්, 2024 අවසානයේ 21 ක් විශ්‍රාම යන්නේය. (විශ්‍රාම වයස 63 ක් වන්නේ නම් 8 කි. කාසල්, ද සොයිසා රෝහල්වල ජ්‍යෙෂ්ඨ සියල්ලම ද, කළුතර විශේෂඥයින් 3 න් 2 ක් ඒ අතර වෙති.  අවසන් වශයෙන් පුරප්පාඩු 18 කි.

තෙවනුව, හර්ද ශල්‍ය වෛද්‍ය විශේඥයින් (Cardiothoracic surgeons) ජාතික රෝහල, මහනුවර, කරාපිටිය, ළමා රෝහල, හා යාපනයේ ඒකක 5 ක සේවයේ නිරත වේ.    ලංකාවේ මිලියන 22 ට රජයේ රෝහල්වල සිටින්නේ හෟර්ද ශල්‍ය වෛද්‍යවරු 16 කි. වසර 60 විශ්‍රාම නීතිය ක්‍රියාත්මක වන්නේ නම්, එයින් 6 ක් (කොළඹ ජාතික රෝහලේ 5 දෙනා ම හා මහනුවර සේවයේ නිරත 4 දෙනාගෙන් එක් අයෙකු) විශ්‍රාම යා යුතුය. දැනටම එක් වෛද්‍යවරයෙකු විදේශගතවී ඇති අතර තවත් අයෙකු ඉතා නුදුරේ විදේශගත වේ. එවිට  ඉතිරි වන්නේ 10 කි. පුහුණු අවසන් කළ කිසිදු විශේෂඥ හර්ද ශල්‍ය වෛද්‍යවරයෙකු 2024 ට ලංකාවට පැමිණීමට නැත. දැනට විදේශ පුහුණුවට නිවාඩු ලබා ඇති එක් අයෙකු මෙරට පැමිණ විදේශගත විය. ඉතිරි තිදෙනා ද පෙරළා නොපැමිණීමට ඇති ඉඩ විශාල ය.  හෟර්ද ශල්‍ය ඒකක කිහිපයක් වසා දැමීම ට සිදුවීම මෙහි අනිවාර්ය ප්‍රථිඑලය යි.  වසර දෙකක වඩා දික් ගැසුණු ශල්‍යකර්ම ලැයිස්තුවක සිටින රෝගීන්ගෙන් 10% ක් පමණ මිය යති. වැඩ අවසන් කර ඇති අනුරාධපුර ද, යෝජිත  කුරුනෑගල සහ මඩකලපුව ඒකක ද, ඇරඹීමට විශේෂඥයින් නැත.

සිව්වෙනුව, අනුමත පටක ව්‍යාධිවේද විශේෂඥ වෛද්‍ය (Histopathologists) තනතුරු 75 කි. අද දිනට සේවයේ නිරත වන්නේ 48 ක් පමණී.  දළ වශයෙන් පුරප්පාඩු 23 ක් (හෝ 25) කි.  රෝගීන් ගේ රෝග විනිශ්චය කරන මේ වෛද්‍ය ඛාණ්ඩයේ 10 ක් දැනටමත් විදේශගත ය. දෙදෙනෙකු (2) මෑතක විශ්‍රාම ලබා ඇත. 2024 දෙසැම්බර් 31 වයස 60 විශ්‍රාම නීතිය ක්‍රියාත්මක වන්නේ නම්, තවත් 10 ක් රාජ්‍ය සේවයෙන් ඉවත් වේ.   ජාතික රෝහලේ ව්‍යෛවරුන් තිදෙනා (3) 2022 වසරේ විවිධ රෝග සම්බන්ධ පරීක්ෂණ 40,000 ක් සිදු කර ඇත. පිළිකා ඇතුළු රෝග විනිශ්චය සිදු කරන මෙම විශේෂඥයින් හිඟය සෞඛ්‍ය සේවය දැරිය හැක්කක් නොවේ.  උතුරු පලාතේ බර අදින්නේ වැඩබලන නිලධාරියෙකි.  අම්පාරේ බර දරන්නේ වැඩ බලන නිලධාරිනියක හා සහායකයෙකි. දැනටමත් සේවක හිඟයක් සහිත රසායනාගාර කාර්මිකයින් වෙත ද මෙහි පීඩනය දැනටමත් එල්ල වී ඇත.

 විශේෂඥ වෛද්‍ය සේවයේ අක්ෂි වෛද්‍ය, ළමා හෟර්ද රෝග, ස්නායු ශල්‍ය, හදිසි වෛද්‍ය (Emergency  medicine), දැඩි සත්කාර ඒකක, ශල්‍ය වෛද්‍ය, උගුර කන නාස, මනෝ වෛද්‍ය වැනි අංශ ගණනාවක පවතින්නේ ද මෙවැනිම තත්වයකි.    

ඉහත උදාහරණ හතර මගින් ද, තවත් උදාහරණ 20 කට ආසන්නව ද තහවුරු වන කරණ නම්, සැබෑ වෛද්‍ය හිඟය පවතින්නේ විශේෂඥ වෛද්‍ය සේවයේ මිස,  වෘත්තීය සමිති උළුප්පා දක්වන  සාමාන්‍ය වෛද්‍ය සේවයේ නොවන බව ය.  සෞඛ්‍ය අමාත්‍යාංශය ද රජයට මුහුණ දී ඇති අභියෝගය මෙයයි.

දැනට අවු. 60 ට යෝජිත විශේෂඥ වෛද්‍යවරුන්ගේ විශ්‍රාම ගැන්වීම වයස 63 දක්වා පවත්වා ගැනීම හැර වෙනත් විකල්පයක් රජයට නොමැත.  එමගින් විශ්‍රාම ගන්නා විශේෂඥ වෛද්‍යවරුන්ගේ සංඛ්‍යාව 300 සිට 60 දක්වා 1/5 කින් අඩු කර ගත හැකිය. රජය මෙම විසඳුමට ප්‍රවිශ්ඨ වන විට වෛද්‍යවරුන් ද, හෙදියන් ද, රසායනාගාර කාර්මිකයින් ඔවුන්ට ද එලෙසම විශ්‍රාම වයස දීර්ඝ කරන ලෙස ඉල්ලා සිටිති. සෞඛ්‍ය කේෂ්ත්‍ර යේ කල්ලි, කණ්ඩායම්, කුල අතර පවත්නා ගැටුම දැන් දශක 4 ක් පුරා දිග්ගැසෙමින් ඇත.

විශේෂඥ වෛද්‍යවරුන් ඇසුරේ පුහුණුව සඳහා නවක වෛද්‍යවරුන් ආකර්ෂණය කර ගැනීම (පර්යන්ත සේවාව) වහා ආරක්ෂණීය පැකේජයක් හදුන්වාදීමේ අවශ්‍යතාව මතුව ඇත. කොළඹ හා තදාසන්නයේ නොව ග්‍රාමීය හා දුෂ්කර සේවයේ නිරතවන විශේෂඥයින්ට ආර්ථික වාසි හෝ වෙනත් වරප්‍රසාද සැලසීම අවශ්‍ය ය.

විශේෂඥ වෛද්‍ය කාණ්ඩ 61 කින් 43 ක් පමණ මෙලෙසම අර්බුදයට ලක්ව ඇත.  වෛද්‍ය පරිපාලන, අධිකරණ වෛද්‍ය, ප්‍රජා සෞඛ්‍ය, ආහාර හා පෝෂණ වැනි කේෂ්ත්‍ර හැර අන් සියළු අංශ ක්‍රමිකව නමුත් ස්ථිර ලෙස මේ අර්බුදයේ ගිලෙමින් ඇත.

විශේෂඥ වෛද්‍යවරුන් විශාල ප්‍රමාණයක් එක වර විශ්‍රාම ලැබීම නිසා සිදුවන දැවැන්තම විනාශය දෙවන පෙළක් (දෙවන මහත්තයා/දෙවැනි නෝනා) පුහුණු කිරීමට කිසිවෙකු ඉතිරි නොවීම යි. එහි ප්‍රතිඑලය ලැබෙනු ඇත්තේ වසර ගණනාවකින් පසුව ය. විශේෂඥ වෛද්‍යවරුන්ගේ විශ්‍රාම වයස දීර්ඝ කිරීම අත්‍යවශ්‍ය ය. 

විශ්‍රාම ගිය විශේෂඥයින් නැවත සේවයට කැඳවා ඇති නමුත් ඔවුන්ට මාස 3 කින් පඩි ගෙවා ගැනීමට නොහැකිව ඇත්තේ රාජ්‍ය සේවා කොමිෂන් සභාව මේ දක්වා එයට අනුමැතිය ලබා දී නොමැති නිසාය.  මෙරට රාජ්‍ය සේවයේ සෑම අංශයක්ම සෞඛ්‍ය අර්බුදයේ කොටස්කරුවන්ය.

මෙයට පිළිතුරක් ලෙස 14/2022 චක්‍ර ලේඛනය මගින් රාජ්‍ය සේවකයින්ට විදේශගතවීමට ලබාදී ඇති අවස්ථාව වෛද්‍යවරුන්ගෙන් උදුරා ගැනීමට යෝජනා වී ඇත.  එවැන්නක් කිරීම වෘත්තිකයින්ගේ පැත්තෙන් ශිෂ්ඨ වන්නේ නැත.  පුරවැසියන් විදේශගතවීම වැලැක්වීමට අප රට කියුබාව හෝ උතුරු කොරියාව වැනි බලහත්කාරයේ රාජ්‍යයක් නොවේ! 

විවිධ හේතු මත (දේශීය හා විදේශීයව) සේවය හැර යන වෛද්‍යවරුන් ගේ ප්‍රමාණය පාලනයට ගත හැකි අවම ක්‍රියාමාර්ග හෝ සෞඛ්‍ය අමාත්‍යාංශය මගින් මේ දක්වාම ගෙන ඇති බවක් නොපෙනේ. වෛද්‍යවරුන්ගේ සේවා ගිවිසුම් දීගු කාලයකින් යාවත්කාලීන වී නැත.  සෞඛ්‍ය අමාත්‍යාංශයේ මානව සම්පත් කලමනාකරණය අතිශයින්ම ප්‍රාථමික මට්ටමකට වැටී ඇත.  අවම වශයෙන් විධිමත් දත්ත පද්ධතියක් හෝ නැත.  විශේෂඥ වෛද්‍යවරුන් ස්ථාන ගත කිරීමේ දී සිදුවන නොතකා හැරීම් විශේෂඥ වෛද්‍යවරුන් පීඩාවට පත් කොට ඇත.   පුහුණුවේ දී ලැබූ දැනුම ක්‍රියාවෙහි යෙදවීමට අවශ්‍ය නවීණ උපකරණ නැත.  අලුත්වැඩියා කිරීම් සහ උපාංග ගෙන්වීමේ ප්‍රමාදයන් ඇදහිය නොහැකිය.

ඉල්ලුමක් සහිත සමහර කේෂ්ත්‍රයන් හි දී විදේශ රටක  මාසයක් හෝ දෙකකින් උපයා ගත හැකි වැටුප ගෙවා සේවයෙන් ඉවත්වීමට (සෞඛ්‍ය අමාත්‍යාංශයේ වත්මන් කාර්ය පටිපාටිය තුල) වෛද්‍යවරුන්ට ඇත. දුර්වල ප්‍රතිපත්ති හා කළමනාකරණ උපාය මාර්ග විශේෂඥ වෛද්‍යවරුන්ට රට හැර යාමට හා පුද්ගලික සේවයට එක්වීමට ඉණිමඟ පහසුව සපයයි.   

14/2022 චක්‍ර ලේඛනය අනුව වෛද්‍යවරුන් විදේශ නිවාඩු ලබන විට එය ‘වෛද්‍යවරුන් රටට අහිමිවීම‘ ක් ලෙස ලේබල් කෙරේ.  අනෙකුත් රාජ්‍ය සේවකයින් නිවාඩු ලබා ‘රට විරුවන්‘ ලේබලය ලබති.  වෛද්‍යවරුන්ගේ බුද්ධි ගලනය ඉතිහාසය පුරා සිදුව ඇත. අද පවතින්නේ කළමනාකරණ ගැටළුවකි. පරිපාලනයේ අසමත් බවකි.

2023 විශේෂඥ වෛද්‍යවරුන්ගේ ලැයිස්තුව මාස 10 ක් පුරා සකස් කර ගැනීමට නොහැකි වී ඇති අතර,  2024 යෝජිත ලැයිස්තුව කවදා එළිදක්වන්නේ ද යන උගතෝකෝඨිකය වහා විසඳා ගත යුතුය.   

සෞඛ්‍ය තාක්ෂණ සේවාව  සහ විශේෂඥ වෛද්‍ය සේවයේ බිඳවැටීම තුල සියළු පිඩනයන් අවසානයේ රෝගීන් හා ඔවුන්ගේ පවුල් වෙත (පුරවැසියන්ට) වෙත එල්ල වී ඇත.   වෛද්‍යවරුන්ගේ වෘත්තීය සමිති මෙම සත්‍යය දැන දැනම සමස්ත සෞඛ්‍ය අර්බුදයම සිය වෘත්තීය ජයග්‍රහණයන් ලබා ගැනීම සඳහා බලහත්කාරයක් බවට පත් කොට ගැනීම අවසනාවකි.

රජිත් කීර්ති තෙන්නකෝන්