The Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe states that an extended bank holiday was declared from June 29 to July 03, 2023, including June 30, in order to obtain necessary time required for the domestic debt optimization strategy of Sri Lanka.
Making a special statement regarding the matter this evening (25), the CBSL chief also assured that no deposit in any bank in the country will be affected in the process of restructuring domestic debt and that interests will not be affected.
The main reason for announcement of bank holiday on (June) 30th was to create a sufficient number of days for domestic debt optimization strategy that has been discussed with the Central Bank and the Ministry of Finance”, he said.
Furthermore, Dr. Weerasinghe emphasized that the strategy has to be announced, implemented and obtain the proper approval process from the Cabinet of Ministers, committees in the parliament and also the parliament debates, adding that the process requires at least around 04 days.
Continuously, during the dates the debt market and the economy market should not function because their information is very market sensitive… If those proposals are discussed in the public, those sensitive markets are not functioning”, he added.
In addition, the CBSL Chief also mentioned that even though June 30th is a bank holiday, all the banking activities that can be done during the period, with banks physically opening or not, can be carried out as usual.
For an example the internet banking, ATM withdrawals and fund transfers on accounts that can be done with banks physically opening or not [can be carried out]”, he said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Weerasinghe ensured that there will be no reduction of bank deposits that people are having in commercial banks and non-banking institutions, and also no reduction will take place in interest rates that they are currently receiving in terms of their contracts with the banks.
If the banks have agreed to provide some interest rates, they will continue to be received by the deposit holders. They will not be affected adversely anyway with the domestic debt optimization strategy”, he asserted.
On June 23, the government declared a special bank holiday on June 30, 2023.
This was announced in a special gazette notification issued by Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena in his capacity as the Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils & Local Government.
The special bank holiday was declared under Section 10(1) of the Holidays Act, No. 29 of 1971.
Dramatic events started to unfold in Russia on Friday, as the Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin launched a mutiny against Russia’s military leadership.
Russian President Vladimir Putin faced the most serious challenge to his long rule on Saturday when the leader of the Wagner mercenary group vowed to topple Moscow’s military leadership.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, 62, released a series of messages from late Friday into Saturday claiming that he and his troops had entered the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and taken control of its military sites.
That sparked a series of extraordinarily fast-moving events, with the private army initially threatening to march on Moscow before Prigozhin suddenly announced a pullback.
Here is what we know so far:
What started the rebellion?
For months, Prigozhin has been locked in a power struggle with the Russian military’s top brass, blaming them for his troops’ deaths in eastern Ukraine.
He has repeatedly accused them of failing to equip his private army adequately and of holding up progress with bureaucracy, while claiming victories won by Wagner as their own.
On Friday, Prigozhin’s anger appeared to boil over as he accused Moscow’s military leadership of ordering strikes on Wagner camps and killing a large number of forces.
He said they had to be stopped and vowed to “go to the end”, and later claimed his forces had downed a Russian military helicopter.
Hours later, Prigozhin said he had military sites in southern Russia’s Rostov-on-Don “under control”.
The private military force reportedly then advanced on, with the governor of the Lipetsk region, whose capital is about 420 kilometres (260 miles) south of Moscow, saying the troops were “moving across” the territory.
But just as suddenly, Prigozhin announced that his troops were turning back to avoid spilling blood.
His fighters also began withdrawing from Rostov-on-Don.
Putin has called the Wagner mutiny a “deadly threat” to Russia and urged the country to unite.
Branding the action by the Wagner mercenaries as “treason”, he vowed “inevitable punishment”.
Security was tightened in Moscow and in several regions such as Rostov and Lipetsk, and travel restrictions were imposed in Kaluga region, south of the capital.
More crucially, he also phoned his ally, Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko, who hours later announced that he had negotiated a deal with Prigozhin to stop the Wagner troop movement and de-escalate tensions.
The private army has been involved in conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, though it has always denied involvement.
Prigozhin last year admitted that he had founded Wagner the group, recruiting the soldiers from Russian prisons in exchange for amnesty.
In eastern Ukraine, the mercenary unit has been spearheading Russia’s costly battles.
It had been at the forefront of the months-long assault for Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, capturing the site for Russia, but at huge losses.
What is next for Wagner?
Under the deal negotiated under the mediation of Lukashenko, the Kremlin said that Prigozhin would leave for Belarus, and that a criminal case against him would be dropped.
Members of Prigozhin’s paramilitary forces who joined what Moscow described as an “armed rebellion” would not be prosecuted, the Kremlin added.
The Wagner rebellion marked the biggest challenge yet to Putin’s long rule and Russia’s most serious security crisis since he came to power in 1999.
It threatened to divert Russian attention and resources away from the battlefields in Ukraine, at a time when Kyiv is in the midst of a counteroffensive to seize back territory.
Amid the dramatic events in Russia, Ukrainian forces launched several new offensives on their eastern front, claiming more ground.
Deputy defence minister Ganna Malyar said Ukrainian forces assaulted Russian lines near the towns of towns of Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Bakhmut, Bo?danivka, Yagidne, Klishchivka and Kurdyumivka, and made “progress in all directions”.
Zelensky has also ramped up his call for Western allies to “provide all the weapons necessary for defence”.
But following the pullback deal with Wagner, the Kremlin said the episode would not affect its military offensive in Ukraine.
The significance of Saturday’s events was also not lost on Ukraine’s allies, with the leaders of the United States, France, Germany and Britain holding talks over the fast-moving developments.
Three thousand elite Chechen troops took up positions in Moscow early on Saturday morning to defend the Russian capital against advancing mutineers from the Wagner mercenary group, the Chechen state broadcaster “Grozny” said on Saturday night.
“The fighters have been at their positions in Moscow since early morning and are ready to carry out any order from Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces Vladimir Putin,” it said on Telegram.
On Saturday afternoon, Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin agreed to call back his armed convoy approaching the capital with the aim of toppling the military leadership, under an agreement brokered by the president of Belarus.
The feud between Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russia’s military top brass had boiled over Saturday, with mercenaries capturing a key army headquarters in southern Russia and then heading north to threaten the capital.
Peskov also said it was “out of the question” that Wagner’s aborted rebellion would impact Russia’s campaign against Kyiv.
The mercenary Wagner group on Saturday began pulling back fighters and equipment from the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, after its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin halted the fighters’ march on Moscow.
An AFP reporter at the scene saw a tank, several cargo trucks and several minivans carrying fighters leave the military headquarters the group had occupied earlier.
Dozens of residents in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don on Saturday were chanting “Wagner! Wagner!” outside the military headquarters that had been captured earlier by the rebel mercenary group.
As night fell, dozens of locals gathered near the military office to express support for Wagner, after its chief Yevgeny Prigozhin had said he would stop the group’s march on Moscow and turn back.
The leader of the Russian mercenary group Wagner has halted a planned offensive on the capital Moscow to “avoid bloodshed”, Belarus’s president has claimed, after an armed uprising by in Ukraine and Rostov-on-Don threw the country into chaos.
Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said Saturday he had negotiated with Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin an end to the movement of Wagner forces inside Russia in order to deescalate the situation.
“Yevgeny Prigozhin has accepted the proposal of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on stopping the movement of armed individuals from the Wagner group on Russian territory and further steps on deescalating tensions,” Lukashenko’s press service said in a statement.
It comes after the group seized a key military base on Saturday, just as Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin’s vowed to defeat the revolt and head off the threat of civil war.
The governor of the Lipetsk region, whose capital is just 420 kilometres (260 miles) south of Moscow, said Wagner’s private military force was “moving across” the territory and urged civilians not to leave their homes.
In the capital, the mayor urged Muscovites to stay indoors and declared Monday a day off work.
Meanwhile, Ukraine said on Saturday that unrest in Russia spurred by an armed mutiny of the private Russian Wagner group presented an opportunity for Kyiv, weeks after announcing a counter-offensive against Russian positions.
Earlier on, President Putin has vowed “decisive actions” early on Saturday as a tense standoff unfolded in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, which Russian authorities previously said was “an armed rebellion” by the outspoken mercenary tycoon Prigozhin.
In a five-minute televised address, Putin called the situation in Rostov-on-Don “a stab in the back of our country and our people”.
Militia leader Yevgeny Prigozhin who turned his Wagner force against the military leadership in Moscow, will leave for Belarus and a criminal case against him will be dropped, the Kremlin said Saturday.
“Avoiding bloodshed, internal confrontation, and clashes with unpredictable results was the highest goal,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Under the agreement, brokered by Belarusian President Aleksander Lukashenko, Wagner fighters will not be prosecuted, Peskov added. “We have always respected their heroic deeds at the front.”
“An agreement has been reached that Wagner would return to its bases,” Peskov said, adding that those fighters who had not participated in the rebellion would be allowed to formally join the Russian army.
Prigozhin called off his troops’ advance toward Moscow on Saturday, pulling Russia back from its most serious security crisis in decades.
According to Belarus news agency, the President of Belarus has informed the President of Russia about the results of negotiations with the leadership of PMC Wagner”.
Vladimir Putin thanked Belarus strongman Alexander Lukashenko after the chief of Wagner announced he was turning around his forces, The Russian president expressed support and thanked the Belarusian counterpart for the work he had done.”
Belarus has in the past been one of the Russia’s main supporters with an active role is Russia’s aggression on Ukraine.
The chief of the rebel Wagner mercenary force threatened to march on Moscow on Saturday before announcing a stunning pull-back, saying he did not want to spill blood.
According to the United Arab Emirates’ news agency, the UAE is following “with great concern” the situation in Russia and calls for de-escalation and self-restraint. The statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed the need to respect the rules and principles of international law.
The UAE has drawn criticism in the past for failing to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Gulf country is one of Russia’s major allies in the middle east.
The slogan of the 2022 aragala activists was against corruption” and the allegation of collapsing the economy”. These chants were parroted by a majority of youth who were cheered by groups of elite personalities at Galle Face Green adding a colorful presence to the media reports transmitted internationally. Little did these youth know that the corporates that were present at the aragala, even encouraging their staff to attend, were actually part of the problem, if not the main cause of the problem.
Mismanagement of Sri Lanka’s economy is to be put to the doorstep of all governments & unplanned open economy commenced in 1977 is one of the key faultlines. Open” was connoted to mean everything foreign and little or no place was given to encouraging innovative entrepreneurship within Sri Lanka except for a handful of lucky one’s who excelled because of the shenanigans of political connections.
Nevertheless, the fault lay in thinking that Sri Lanka’s business could thrive only from foreign investments & investors. How far these investors and investments have actually helped Sri Lanka’s economy or even socio-politically is important to statistically find out against all of the incentives, tax holidays and other handouts given for the upfront investment” shown on paper. Why could same incentives not be offered to local SME’s by successive governments and make them shareholders in Sri Lanka’s development?
Be that as it may, with open economy came the LTTE and those years were periods of bombs, suicide missions and ambulances carrying dead soldiers. It was also a period where JVP were equally running amok and the entire state apparatus was held to ransom from both North & South. Many seem to have forgotten this gruesome period.
We have also forgotten the imbalance in our national profit-loss sheet and presume everything to be attributed to corruption. Ever since 1977 our revenues have been lesser than our expenditure, our imports more than our exports & to bridge this gap, governments have turned to taking loans & people & corporates have always demanded luxury imports to satisfy their needs & any decision to prevent such has always led to companies either sponsoring regime change or not supporting elections. This is the ugly side of politics that get little attention. The role of companies and business tycoons in sponsoring elections & their demands thereafter is little discussed or debated. It is a key reason why political parties can never implement what they present on their manifestos.
Identify the groups that openly supported the maithri-palanaya. It was during this period that for no reason $12.5billion ISBs was taken & no one knows what was done with this money. The Hambantota Port was given for 99 years to China, no one knows what happened to this money. A string of dangerous Acts were passed including the co-sponsorship of the UNHRC resolution unfairly insinuating crimes by our war heros. It was immediately after regime change that the international architect of coloured revolution landed in Sri Lanka who also has stakes in the pharmaceutical companies manufacturing vaccines for covid. It was also in 2017 that the Foreign Exchange Act was changed allowing companies to open foreign accounts and keep their money overseas. All this taken together – with repayment of ISBs falling in 2020, with Sri Lankan companies not bringing back their profits to the tunen of $53billion, the covid & associated losses to state coffers took place. How many are able to understand this larger picture?
People have forgotten – Covid, lockdowns, foreign remittances declining, job losses, govt expense increasing to take care of covid patients buy vaccines and run various covid centres across Sri Lanka. Tourism came to a virtual halt and that meant revenues also came to nought. Ironically, the President who is accused of collapsing the economy came to power in November 2019, in March 2020 the country faced lockdowns, only in September 2021 that everything returned to normal though no one thought to take stock of the situation that led to decline in foreign reserves.
Then gas cylinders started to explode, hiccups in corporate controlled food supplies, medicines & other essentials and even probable sabotage in state apparatus. These are centainly case studies to ascertain whether these incidents were natural or manmade and part of what was to lead to public unrest & public outcry & eventual public protest.
It is a good time to ask if the very companies that parked their profits overseas were the one’s that stalled supplies of essentials to the people to anger them and spur them to protest at the grounds where some of these top personalities were present to cheer the people on.
Much of the money that came to support the aragalaya was via undial & hawala systems made worse by aragala asking expats not to send money home foolishly implying that the govt was stealing money sent to personal accounts. People actually fell for these silly canards & so-called intellecuals and ‘educated’ were seen promoting this notion as well. The arguments and topics that surfaced during the aragalaya seriously questioned the quality of Sri Lanka’s education system & the end-products though some of the main players were all foreign educated!
Somehow the corporate controlled media are not giving emphasis to the fact that $53billion is kept in overseas banks & not brought back to Sri Lanka. Some of these very businessmen were seen holding placards at the protest site demanding Sri Lanka go to IMF for the paltry $2.9billion in tranches with conditions.
We have to wonder where is the patriotism in the companies/businessmen that are keeping their profits overseas to the tune of $53billion if not more and remaining mum & not even coming forward as a group to negotiate to provide what Sri Lanka has begged from the IMF with conditions?
Why hasn’t the elite business community come forward to bail out Sri Lanka, where they have prospered? Why are some of these companies now selling their business units to foreign companies/govts & opening new business units overseas?
Have people looked at the figures?
$2.9billion in tranches from the IMF with conditions
$53billion belonging to elite Sri Lankan companies being kept overseas without depositing in Sri Lanka because of the 2017 Foreign Exchange Act.
The question is why is the Governor Central Bank or the current Govt not making any efforts to nullify the 2017 Act and demand the companies to bring back what they are keeping in overseas bank?
The aragala activists claim to know everything about the political landscape to be pointing fingers at all & sundry but why are they not highlighting this $53billion kept in overseas banks and demanding this money be brought back & even protesting for it to be brought back?
Why are they not protesting against the elite businesses keeping this colossal amount overseas?
Where is the aragalaya against the business community to return the $53billion?
Alas! What conventional wisdom do we see of five men in a boat all a glee for a boat ride costing a million and quarter but ignoring warnings, they’ve gone to their slaughter in a cramped up space as adventurers full of spirit and such wanderers.
The pressure imposed reality beguiles
the depth of many sunken miles
The world is agog over such naivete
as though the proximity of a sunken wreck fraught with danger of a broken deck and floating ballast,did they forget the veritable deathtraps that repose and hardly worth the view up close the frantic rescue efforts now in place will they succeed or sanity displace?
COLOMBO, June 23 (Reuters) – Sri Lanka is set to start bartering tea to Iran next month in lieu of $250 million owed for oil, a Sri Lankan official told Reuters on Friday, as the crisis-hit country tries to lift sales to a key market and protect its forex reserves.
The barter was agreed in 2021 for oil imported in 2012, but the exchange was delayed after Sri Lanka’s unprecedented dollar shortage last year plunged the economy into its worst financial crisis in more than seven decades.
“This is very timely for us because we get access to an important market and both Iran and Sri Lanka can trade without relying on dollars,” Sri Lanka’s Tea Board Chairman Niraj de Mel told Reuters.
“The agreement was to send $5 million worth of tea each month for 48 months but we plan to start with about $2 million per month.”
Globally popular Ceylon Tea is Sri Lanka’s highest foreign exchange-earning crop, brewing $1.25 billion for the cash-strapped country last year, according to government data.
Iran has been one of Sri Lanka’s main tea buyers but exports have fallen steadily from $128 million in 2018 to $70 million last year as U.S. sanctions on Iran hit trade.
A significant share of Sri Lanka’s tea is now shipped to Iran via the United Arab Emirates (UAE), official data shows, with the UAE more than doubling its tea imports from Sri Lanka to $118 million last year from $48 million five years ago.
Under the barter programme, state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corp that bought the oil will give rupees to the Tea Board to ship tea via Sri Lankan exporters.
Iranian tea importers will then pay riyals to the National Iranian Oil Company, de Mel said.
“We are awaiting the final documents and hope to start exports from July,” he added.
Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange reserves grew to $3.5 billion at the end of May – a 14-month high – helped by increased remittances and tourism inflows after securing a $2.9 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund.
(Reporting by Uditha Jayasinghe Editing by Krishna N. Das and Peter Graff)
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Nietzsche, Friedrich. Beyond Good and Evil. Translated by Walter Kaufmann. New York: Vintage Press, 1966.
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June 23 – In a determined push to address Sri Lanka’s debt crisis and foster reconciliation, President Ranil Wickremesinghe outlined plans to finalize the debt restructuring process by September. Collaborating closely with parliament, the President aims to develop a comprehensive strategy for resolving the nation’s financial burdens.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe participated in the 40th anniversary event of the International Democrat Union (IDU) in London on the 19th and the 20th of June and joining the forum with former Canadian Prime Minister (Conservative Party) Chairman of the IDU, Mr Stephen Harper, he explained the circumstances that paved the way for his presidency and the country’s journey towards economic recovery.
While debt restructuring remains a key priority, President Wickremesinghe noted that his primary focus lies in completing vital structural reforms. Aiming to accelerate economic liberalization and attract increased investments, which are intended to bolster Sri Lanka’s financial prospects and drive a more favourable balance of trade in the long term.
Amidst questions regarding the duration of the process, the President expressed confidence that substantial headway will be achieved by 2024. Building on prior initiatives as the former Prime Minister, President Wickremesinghe continues the progress made and engages with members of Parliament representing Tamil areas. Significantly, agreements have been reached on crucial issues, including the establishment of a truth and reconciliation commission, the drafting of legislation, and the presentation of a new anti-terrorist law to Parliament. Resolving the differences between the government and opposition on three major issues, one of them being the definition of terrorism, has been settled by a court ruling.
Furthermore, he said that efforts have been made to address land-related concerns in the North and East regions, with progress being made on settling these disputes. The Missing Persons Office has taken steps towards utilization, and discussions have yielded potential solutions, which have been shared with Tamil parties. President Wickremesinghe said he anticipates presenting a comprehensive process by the end of July, acknowledging the time required for the necessary legislative procedures.
Following are excerpts of the interview;
President Ranil Wickremesinghe;
If I look back to May-June last year, Sri Lanka was on the verge of chaos. No one seemed willing to take charge or show leadership. I found myself in a peculiar position. In the 2019 Presidential Election, our party wanted to adopt a populist approach, so they chose our deputy leader as their candidate. Unfortunately, as I had anticipated, he suffered a significant defeat.
Then the COVID pandemic struck, and in August 2020, we went ahead with the election. Personally, I believed that we should stick with the IMF program. This program, which we had initiated in 2016, required Sri Lanka to commit to a primary surplus and reduce subsidies. We diligently worked towards these goals, and by 2018, we managed to achieve a primary surplus of USD 300 million. While it was a modest amount, it gave us a starting point to build upon.
However, the new government that came into power subsequently decided to cancel the IMF agreement. It was at that point that I advocated for revisiting the IMF and requesting them to reinstate the agreement. Furthermore, I suggested that we explore other options to raise USD 5 billion.
During my tenure as Prime Minister, I had engaged in negotiations with the Japanese, Indians, and other parties for projects worth approximately USD 4 billion. Unfortunately, all those projects were ultimately cancelled. Despite this setback, some members of my own party believed that our approach was too narrow and opted for a populist stance, eventually breaking away from the party.
As a result, for the first time in history, my party was left with just one member in parliament, which happened to be me. Meanwhile, the breakaway faction had gathered 50 members.
On May 9 of the previous year, riots erupted, leading to the burning of the residences of 65 government members of parliament. Consequently, the Prime Minister at the time, Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, was compelled to resign. That night, I engaged in discussions with a government member to explore how I could be of assistance. The following day, the President reached out to the leader of the opposition and the leader of the breakaway faction, asking them to assume the position of Prime Minister. However, the leader of the breakaway faction declined the offer.
During this period, I had been advising the President to seek assistance from the IMF and the World Bank. Subsequently, the government insisted that I should become Prime Minister and nominated me for the position with their support. I expressed my concern about being the only member of the party and questioned the feasibility of having a Prime Minister under such circumstances. However, they reassured me that they would support me and initiated negotiations with the IMF.
In the previous year, our debt services amounted to approximately $8 billion. By April 2022, our financial situation had deteriorated to the point where we had to declare ourselves bankrupt. However, as we began to recover and the government started functioning, a wave of protests emerged. On July 9, a group of organizers managed to gather a significant number of people in Colombo, something unprecedented in scale.
Shockingly, these protesters went on to invade the official residence of the President. Faced with this unexpected threat, the President had to flee to the harbour and board a ship belonging to the Sri Lankan Navy. Later that afternoon, party leaders convened a meeting, during which they demanded the President’s resignation and proposed that I assume the role of acting President. However, the opposition insisted that I should also resign. I stood firm and reminded them that according to the constitution, a person with a majority vote in parliament must be found before I could resign.
Meanwhile, urged by some media outlets, the protesters targeted my house and set it on fire, assuming I would be compelled to leave.
However, I remained steadfast and refused to back down.
The following day, I was asked to resign, while some others advocated for the Speaker to take over. However, both propositions were rejected. I maintained my position and refused to resign.
On Monday, with the cabinet assembled, we held a televised meeting, while the President had already left the country for the Maldives. Meanwhile, the protesters resolved to seize the Prime Minister’s office and take control of Parliament.
Two days later, a fierce battle ensued outside the Prime Minister’s office, lasting approximately six to five hours. Despite the escalating situation, I refrained from ordering the use of firearms. Eventually, the protesters managed to break into the Prime Minister’s office, with the military accompanying them. In the afternoon, they began marching towards Parliament. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, I instructed the Chief of Defence to issue a statement, emphasizing that the protesters must not take over Parliament. The opposition leader supported this stance.
I then directed the army commander, reminding him of his responsibility to protect the parliamentary building. I stressed that we could deploy the best battalion in Sri Lanka, even without arms, to confront the protesters. Remarkably, the unarmed battalion successfully managed to quell the protests, but unfortunately, 24 soldiers were injured in the process.
At that moment, I realized that it was time for me to step in and assume control. The President had already submitted his resignation, yet nobody was willing to allow me to be sworn in as the acting president within any official buildings. I made a conscious decision not to utilize Parliament or the Chief Justice’s residence, nor any of the other buildings occupied by ministers. Instead, I had to resort to a family temple near my house. Early in the morning, I went to the temple, accompanied by the Chief Justice, where I took my oath of office. In order to maintain secrecy, the priest requested that the location of the temple not be disclosed. There was a photograph capturing the moment I was being sworn in, but the temple’s whereabouts remained unknown.
Soon after, we had to proceed with the presidential election. In the meantime, I took necessary steps to restore law and order. I firmly stated that these were not mere protests, but actions intended to overthrow the government and disrupt the Sri Lankan parliament. I had a responsibility to put an end to it.
Although a number of protesters were initially arrested, they were later released, which only served to embolden them further. Even the presidents of the Bar Association stood in solidarity with them. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, I consulted with the Attorney General and realized that the protesters were attempting to attack Parliament. As a result, I issued detention orders and apprehended two or three individuals. It was the only viable approach to address the escalating crisis.
Eventually, the Prime Minister’s office was cleared as the army intervened, followed by the clearance of the President’s office and residence.
When it came time for the election, the circumstances were quite peculiar. On one side, there was the government party led by the Rajapaksa clan, whom we were opposed to, and on the other side, there was the opposition. Surprisingly, I discovered that I had support from both the government party and the opposition, and they urged me to contest the election. Responding to their call, I entered the race and emerged victorious, winning by a margin of 135 votes. Once I assumed the presidency of Sri Lanka, I promptly issued an order prohibiting any form of demonstrations in the country for one week, aiming to restore peace and stability.
As a result of these efforts, we successfully managed to restore order. We reached out to the large number of individuals who were attempting to disrupt peace and sent them a message, urging them to support the government in its endeavour to re-establish law and order. The silent majority, including businesses and individuals in the villages, stood behind this cause, even if they may not have specifically supported me personally. Their support was for the restoration of law and orders itself.
Having achieved stability, I proceeded to take additional measures to address the prevailing economic crisis. One of our key decisions was to initiate negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
I plan to finalize the debt restructuring after September. As I move forward, I will be working on Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring strategy with the parliament. However, my main focus is on completing the necessary structural reforms. I aim to promptly liberalize the economy and attract more investments to Sri Lanka. In the long run, it is crucial to have investments that will improve the balance of trade in our favour. So, why should this process take so much time? Nonetheless, I am confident that by 2024, we will have much greater control over the situation.
Mr Stephan Harper
And ultimately, what you’re conveying is, I believe, a message that applies to all of us. While the economic problems may vary in severity across our countries, challenges still exist. The only viable solution in the long run is a program driven by the private sector.
President Wickremesinghe
A market-oriented, credit-integrated growth strategy is the only available option. I genuinely believe there is no other solution, and this has been the case for thousands of years.
Mr Stephen Harper
Well, Winston Churchill famously remarked that all forms of government are dreadful, except for democracy. We observe that societies often experiment with socialism, protectionism, corporatism and populism until they ultimately realize that conservatism is the only path to economic growth. However, let’s shift gears because a significant portion of our discussion revolves around global affairs and foreign policy. While we represent a diverse group here, it is evident that we predominantly represent the Global North, whereas you hail from the Global South. Considering your geographical position, where do you envision Sri Lanka’s future foreign focus? Which countries serve as its strategic allies, and what risks do you anticipate in the upcoming phase?
President Wickremesinghe
Sri Lanka’s primary strategic allies in Asia are the Southern Asian region. Additionally, we maintain relationships with the Middle East, India, Japan, China, and Australia. Looking westward, we engage with Europe, the United Kingdom, Commonwealth countries, and South Africa.
Mr Stephen Harper
In a world where trade pressures, the on-going COVID pandemic, and especially the conflict in Ukraine, have contributed to a growing polarization or tension between the United States and its allies on one side, and China and its allies on the other, how does a country in your position, in terms of economic growth, position itself? Where do you see Sri Lanka fitting into this scenario, and how do you navigate the complexities that arise from such dynamics?
President Wickremesinghe
Essentially, our stance aligns with the Global South, and we emphasize sharing that perspective. Both the United States and China are crucial partners for us. Their involvements in the Pacific region and the Belt and Road Initiative, along with the ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific, are all compatible. The rise of China has contributed to the rise of Asia, so it is vital for us to ensure China’s continued economic development. However, that alone is insufficient for our region. We also need ASEAN, India, and the Middle East to witness growth over the next 20 to 25 years. While we have managed to strike a balance by leveraging relationships with various countries, we also value our association with the United States. Sri Lanka’s foreign policy has consistently aimed to prevent the militarization of the Indian region, yet we have supported the United States from the very beginning. Currently, we are urging everyone to collaborate with us in Sri Lanka to assume the chairmanship of IORA (Indian Ocean Rim Association) to safeguard freedom of navigation in the Indian Ocean. Simultaneously, we advocate for freedom of navigation in the Pacific. The three main issues need to be addressed collectively rather than one dominating over the other. China must engage in constructive dialogue with African countries to resolve these matters and reduce tensions.
Mr Stephen Harper
I’d like to delve deeper into the China question. It is often emphasized that the United States is essential for our security while China’s support is critical for our economy. We have to navigate both relationships, and undoubtedly, Chinese investments and business have played a significant role in Sri Lanka. However, I’ve noticed substantial issues regarding the debt obligations left by China. Could you provide some insight into this matter?
President Wickremesinghe
China holds the position of being both the largest bilateral creditor and the largest debtor as a private investor. Initially, China was unsure about how to approach the debt restructuring. They took time, while the United States offered assistance, followed by Japan and India with a combined amount of 3.5 billion. We utilized approximately 2.5 billion, and the United States also provided support. This marked the beginning of our progress. We engaged with the Paris Club, excluding India and China initially, but later India joined. Meanwhile, we were engaged in discussions with China, which were complicated due to their party conference in November. Eventually, they decided to stand by us. Then, in Sri Lanka, we proposed the Common Platform and suggested India join the platform while China attended as an observer. They expressed their willingness to engage in bilateral discussions with us, but their primary focus seems to be on bilateral discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The IMF ensures all parties are informed and involved. Currently, we are working on the platform for creditors and engaging with China, but I cannot predict how this will work out with other debtor nations.
Mr Stephen Harper
I have two more questions, but we are running a bit behind schedule. However, I must ask you about an important point of discussion here, considering your unique perspective from the Global South. Your country has significant trade relations with both Ukraine and Russia. Could you elaborate on how you envision the desired outcome in this context?
President Wickremesinghe
When it comes to the majority of the Global South, we have chosen to stay out of this conflict. Some countries within ASEAN have taken positions, with some working actively, while others remain neutral. A few have voted in favour of the revolution. From the beginning, it has been our belief that this issue could have been resolved through peaceful means. Our primary goal is to prevent the conflict from escalating and to ensure a peaceful settlement. As someone mentioned before, history has shown that major wars often originate in Europe. Our commitment lies in supporting a peaceful resolution in Ukraine. The question remains about how we can achieve this and bring Russia to the negotiating table. President Ramaphosa has led a delegation to both Russia and Ukraine in an effort to facilitate dialogue. However, we have yet to witness the conclusion of these negotiations, which will undoubtedly require time. The conflict has had significant repercussions on countries affected by disruptions in fuel and food supplies.
Mr Stephen Harper
Under your predecessor’s regime, you have talked about war, you had civil war in Sri Lanka, and we all know how the predecessor’s regime ended. Given all the challenges, how do you promote reconciliation between the Tamil community and the country as a whole?
President Wickremesinghe
When I was the Prime Minister, I started the process, so I am continuing from where I have ended. I am speaking with the members of Parliament representing the Tamil areas and we have come to agreements on many issues. On the truth and reconciliation commission, the legislation has been drafted. On the new anti-terrorist law has been presented to the Parliament. There were three major issues difference between the government and opposition two of which have been resolved. The third one finally has been resolved by court as to what the definition of terrorism is. They were looking for my views, I said let the court decide and we will go along with whatever the court says. There was a question of lands being inquiring from the Tamils in the North and East. The land issue is been settled and the missing persons office is taking step to resolve the issue. We have gone through half of the issues and come up with the solutions which I have given to the Tamil parties.
The President Ranil Wickremasinghe, recently at an interview boldly made a statement which is of historical significance. He said that Thiriyaya, Muhudu Maha Vihraya and one Aloka Viharya in the south were light houses and the Ven monks who lived in these temples were the light house keepers.
Many Sri Lankan Buddhists believe that Girihandu Seya the shrine in Thiriyaya is the first temple to be constructed in Sri Lanka to pay homage to the Lord Buddha. According to Vinaya pitaka books, Nidhana katha and Maha Vagga, two Indian merchants Tapassu and Balluka who visited Sri Lanka built the temple enshrining a handful of hair relics of the Lord Buddha. This is also etched in an inscription in an 8th century epigraph found in the site stating that a shrine named Girikandicaitiya was built on the hilltop by a company of merchants led by Tapassu and Balluka. Therefore, at least from 8th century the shrine in Thiriyaya was recognized as a Buddhist temple.
The second shrine named by the President as a lighthouse is Muhudu Maha Viharya in Pottuvil district. According to the historical chronicles, the temple was built by King Kavantissa who ruled the Ruhunu kingdom in 205-161 BC to commemorate the arrival point of Princess Vihara Maha Devi, whose boat was swept ashore close to the present day Muhudu Maha Viharya. There are Buddha statues and Bodhi Sattva statues in this viharya and has been identified as a temple built by the king to pay homage to the Lord Buddha
The third temple mentioned by the President cannot be identified as the statement was not clear.
And , the President referred to the resident Ven Monks who were at Girihandu Seya and Muhudu Maha Viharaya as light house keepers.
However, the two temples, Girihanduseya in Thriiyaya and Muhudu Maha Viharya, in Pottuvil were built to pay homage by the Buddhists to the Lord Buddha and to say that these places were light houses deserves the bauble.
But, when one attempts to promote the precarious version of Ven monks as light keepers contrary to the responsible role played by the Maha Sangha in the history of our nation, is indeed irrational is like ringing the bell backwards
Acting Minister of Defence Hon. Premitha Bandara Tennakoon made a visit to the Indian Navy Submarine ‘INS Vagir’ at the Colombo port on Wednesday (Jun 21).
Minister Tennakoon was received by the Commander of the submarine, Commander Divakar S on his arrival at the jetty and later accompanied him to the Submarine.
During the hosted tour of the Submarine, the Minister was given a briefing on the technical and maritime capabilities of the vessel.
Commander of Western Naval Command Rear Admiral Suresh De Silva and Defence Advisor of the Indian High Commission in Colombo Captain Vikas Sood were also present during the tour.
In retrospect, the sad and sudden demise of the OceanGate Titan submersible in the dangerous swells of the Atlantic Ocean off Nova Scotia, Canada has shaken the world and left many wondering after reading the intricate details of preparation and the safety factors which do appear to have been left wanting and unprepared towards an imminent implosion, and for such a dangerous descent into the deepest ocean depths and whether it was worth the $ 250,000 per person and the multi billion dollar search and rescue that resulted all to no avail in the end beyond the folly of it all.
The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva has assured the institution’s commitment towards supporting Sri Lanka’s economic reforms.
Following her meeting with President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Georgieva assured that the IMF is committed to supporting the island nation’s economic reforms, in a bid to improve the living standards of Sri Lankans.
I warmly welcomed the strong ownership by the Sri Lankan government to address current economic challenges. We are committed to support Sri Lanka’s economic reforms to improve living standards for its people,” she said in a Twitter statement.
President Wickremesinghe arrived in Paris on Wednesday (21 June), on the invitation of his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, to address the World Leader’s Summit for a New Global Financing Pact on 22 – 23 June, which endeavours to garner cross-regional consensus among the international community to build a more inclusive, a more equitable international financial architecture with strong deliverables.
Accordingly, Wickremesinghe will speak at the Summit on Sri Lanka’s experience as a middle-income country and the challenges faced in dealing with international financial institutes with a severe economic crisis.
Sri Lanka’s experience is considered to be of particular relevance to the outcome of the Summit, especially in the context of the country’s recent success in debt discussions with the IMF and in progressing on the path to economic stability and recovery.
The other leaders of the round table speaking under this particular theme are President of Tunisia Kaïs Saied, Prime Minister of Rwanda Edouard Ngirente, Managing Director of the IMF Kristalina Georgieva, President of the African Development Bank Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, and the former President of Chad Mahamat Idriss Deby.
Heads of State and Heads of Government of countries across Europe, Asia, Africa and South America are scheduled to participate in the summit, in addition to heads of international organizations, multilateral financial institutions and other key stakeholders.
The French President Emmanuel Macron, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, the President of Brazil Lula da Silva, the Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley, and the President of Kenya William Ruto are among the world leaders scheduled to speak at the summit.
President Wickremesinghe is also due to meet several Heads of Government and Heads of Multilateral Institutions on the side-lines of the Summit to discuss issues of relevance.
The President and the First Lady Prof. Maithree Wickramasinghe will also attend an official dinner hosted by President Macron for Heads of State and Government participating in the Summit, at the Elysee on 22 June.
The First Lady Wickramasinghe is also scheduled to participate in an event hosted by the First Lady of the French Republic Brigitte Macron on 23 of June 2023.
Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera has revealed that the Indian energy company Petronet LNG has presented short-term solutions to meet the Ceylon Electricity Board’s (CEB) requirement for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
Taking to Twitter, Wijesekera revealed that Petronet LNG presented immediate, albeit short-term, solutions for CEB’s LNG requirements this morning (22 June).
Accordingly, options for short-term solutions to reduce the cost of generation in the next 24 months from the 600+ MW of the LNG power plants available will be pursued, while a long-term plan for LNG is being finalised, the Minister said.
Wijesekera thanked the Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay for his efforts in this regard, and for organizing the discussion at which officials of the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka (IHSL), the CEB, Petronet LNG, the Petroleum Development Authority of Sri Lanka (PDASL) and the Ministry were present.
Instructions have been issued to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and other senior police officers to take immediate and stern legal action against violent crimes committed in both the Western and Southern provinces.
The relevant directive was issued by Public Security Minister Tiran Alles, during a special discussion with high-ranking police officers that took place on Wednesday (21 June).
Accordingly, Alles ordered that expedited action be taken against those involved in murders and other violent crimes in the Western and Southern provinces, while highlighting that that no one will be allowed to exert undue influence over such operations, as per the confirmation received by President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Moreover, the Minister also in instructed to grant a grace period until 31 July to surrender all unauthorized and unlicensed firearms.
Upon the expiry of this grace period, however, Minister Alles noted that raids will be conducted by the intelligence units of the police in order to seize such unauthorized and unlicensed firearms.
During the discussion, IGP C. D. Wickramaratne attributed the recent spike in the number of murders and other violent crimes in the Western and Southern provinces to the inefficiency of certain senior police officers and the Officers-In-Charge (OIC) in these areas.
Responding to this, Minister Alles ordered the immediate transfer of the relevant police personnel, and that suitable officers be appointed to those positions.
Public Security Ministry’s Secretary Vyani Gunathilake, IGP C. D. Wickramaratne, Senior Deputy Inspector General (SDIG) of Police Deshabandu Tennakoon, Southern Province SDIG S.C Medawatta and Special Task Force (STF) Commander DIG Varuna Jayasundara were present at the discussion
Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara says that special approval has been received to include the Japanese language into the school curriculum from the primary grades.
Speaking in the parliament today (22), Nanayakkara mentioned that this decision has been taken targeting the future Japanese job market.
Accordingly, necessary arrangements are already being prepared together with the Ministry of Education, in order to begin the process of teaching the Japanese language to school children, the minister emphasized.
The minister further asserted that a program has been launched to create a pool of 5,000 Japanese language trainees targeting the Japanese job market.
Travelers have suddenly become aware of a painful reality that the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean,” also known as Sri Lanka has a sad reputation as a terror haven in the past four decades, a sinister cohort of despots, bloodthirsty separatists known as Tamil tigers, Che Guevarists and crooked and power-drunk politicians who have come and gone while desecrating the Beautifu Island of Sri Lanka appear to be the reason.
And they have tarnished grossly her image, natural geographic beauty and all her embellishments, treasures such sapphires, rubies, topaz – and tea, one of the best crops in the world amongst other things typically and beautifully Sri Lankan by how some of them are given to violence at times over the pettiest of issues as an alarming spate of violence involving firearms and wanton murders as well as carefully orchestrated ones which are threatening to take over what many see as an idyllic getaway and need to be quelled towards posterity and the well being that draws multitudes of tourists before their enthusiasm to visit fades and with it the loss of vast sums of tourist income at a time when Sri Lanka needs it most.
Quoting from recent media reports aligned to the veritable truth”The country’s economic collapse, which has triggered an unprecedented popular movement and led to the flight of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, marks a new stage in a long series of upheavals. It comes just three years after Sri Lanka was stunned by terrorist attacks. On Easter Day 2019, eight members of a suicide commando of Sri Lankan jihadists blew themselves up in Christian minority churches. The attack killed 268 people and injured 500.
Before the civil war (1983-2009) between the Sinhalese majority and the Tamil minority led Sri Lanka down the path of tragedy, this country of 22 million inhabitants was the envy of its South Asian neighbors for its relative prosperity and unspeakable beauty – Sri Lanka was nicknamed “the shining island.” Not to mention a system of parliamentary representation that has, throughout the country’s history since independence (1948), allowed for political alternation and so called real democratic interludes.” end quote
Categorically Sri Lanka has always been a historically turbulent country which has seen three phases of Colonization and uprisings of territory related aggression but remarkably the colonial eras never produced the extent of violence seen in present times and rather curiously the more recent uprisings are probably to blame for the influx of firearms and other weapons that prevail in the violence of today as on a daily basis one reads about the many murders, gang related violence and high crimes and misdemeanors worthy of any American crime hub where guns are out of control such as Chicago, Los Angeles, New York,Compton etc.and alarmingly seems to be on the increase and high time the Present Administration intervened towards quelling if not eradicating the problem which of course is a big ask where despite the many laws preventing weapons ownership, the illegal trade seems to dictate terms where many an ordinary individual as well as some higher ups including politicians and legislators also have easy access towards these weapons.
Hopefully Sri Lanka will not end up being a land of the armed and dangerous where the build up towards a tranquil and violence free Nation is surely the responsibility of the hierarchy with emphasis on the President and the Law Enforcement Agencies.
Sri Lanka inflation, based on National Consumer Price Index (NCPI), for May 2023 was recorded at 22.1%, as measured by the year-on-year change, the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) revealed in its latest report.
This marks a slight drop in comparison to the headline inflation of 33.6% recorded in April 2023.
In comparison to 2022, the reported inflation for the month of May 2023 was mainly due to the higher price levels that prevailed in both food and non-food groups.
On a monthly basis, the year-on-year inflation of the food group dropped to 15.8% in May from 27.1% in April 2023. Meanwhile, the year-on-year inflation of the non-food group decreased to 27.6% in May 2023 from 39.0% in April 2023.
The contributions (year-on-year) to the inflation recorded in May 2023 from the food commodities and the non-food group stood at 7.27% and 14.88%, respectively in comparison to March 2022.
The universes (alamin) that are mentioned in the Quran are discussed below under the following headings: i. Samawaat ii. Jannaat
iii. Different Universes
iv. Super Space and Barzakh
v. Araf, Channels, and Sidratul-Muntaha
vi. Illiyin and Sijjin
vii. Arsh.
Only The Almighty , The All-Wise, The Omniscient Allah knows the real facts of the universes. We may estimate some little facts based on the islamic divine book Al Quran. We may consider some facts from the Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Samawaat
This universe, where we are living now, is called “Samawaat” in the Quran. Samawaat means Skies. The study of the Quran reveals that the space of the universe is shaped into seven spherical waves, one inside another—like the peels of onion. These waves of space are skies. Each sky contains innumerable galaxies. We are in the First (Innermost) Sky. The space though waved is continuous. One does not have to believe the existence of skies blindly. Several recent observations indicate that the skies should exist—though the theories have not been developed to harness the idea in the books of science [The skies are deliberately discussed in Section-7 of Chapter-2].
Jannaat
The Jannaat is a separate universe altogether. The hint of its location is given in the following verses: ―Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your Lord Allah and for a Jannaat whose width is that of the ‗Skies and Lands‘ (this universe), prepared for the righteous…‖ [Al Quran 3:133] ―Race to forgiveness from your Lord and the Jannaat, the width of which is as the width of the ‗Sky and Land‘ (this universe)‖ [Al Quran 57:21] (https://quran.com/57/21?translations=48,84,17,101,20,85,18,41,95,19,22)
According to the above verses, the width of the Jannaat is equal to the width of this universe (Samawaat). If two entities are equal in width, one cannot remain inside another. So, the Jannaat and the Samawaat are two separate universes. Holy Bible gives similar indication: “Because only a few will be saved, God created two universes, instead of only one” – 2 ESDRAS 7:50, Holy Bible (GNB) (https://www.bible.com/bible/69/2ES.7.50.GNTD)
Some say that the Time began at the Big Bang, and that there is nothing beyond the Big Bang, and so on, because they do not know. Allah is ever living, and He has other creations at the outside of this universe.
Separate Universes
The following factors confirm that the Jannaat and the Samawaat are two separate universes: Factor 1: Separate by Origin From the Big Bang, ultimately from the Big Bounce, this universe (Samawaat) has been created, not the Jannaat. ―Do not the unbelievers see that the Skies and the Lands (this universe) were joined together before We clove them asunder‖ [Al Quran 21:30] According to the above verse, there were lands (dusts and asteroids) in the initial universe. So, the universe started from a Big Bounce; and in light of the Quran, we are living in the 2nd Cycle (figure below).
The cycles are described below: Only almighty Allah knows the real facts of the universes. We may just estimate. 1st Cycle: The universe started from the Big Bang-1. It produced hydrogen and helium (smoke) mainly. The space was uniform (single-sky-universe), and the smoke spread evenly throughout the space.. Allah infused gravitational force into the universe / smoke: ―Moreover, infused His force (thumma istawa) into the Sky (ila i-samai) while it had been smoke…‖ [Al Quran 41:11] The gravitational force started contracting the universe. The contracting universe produced reasonable amounts of heavier elements, at least up to silicon. The heavier elements produced dusts and asteroids (lands). 2nd Cycle: Ultimately, the contracting universe had a Big Bounce, and the universe restarted as a seven-sky-universe (Present / 2nd Cycle). “The Big Bounce is a hypothesized cosmological model for the origin of the known universe. It was originally suggested as a phase of the cyclic model or oscillatory universe interpretation of the Big Bang, where the first cosmological event was the result of the collapse of a previous universe…” – WIKIPEDIA, The Free Encyclopedia In the expanding seven-sky-universe, the galaxies could rapidly form. The long lasting stars and planets formed in the galaxies directly from the elements up to silicon (elements heavier than silicon or so formed later in the stars). 3rd Cycle: This universe will collapse again into a Big Crunch and will restart (Big Bang-2) after the Judgment and Salvation: ―On the day when We will roll up the Skies (present universe) like the rolling up of the scroll for writings (Big Crunch); as We originated the first creation (Big Bang-1), We shall reproduce it (Big Bang-2)—a promise on Us; surely We will bring it about.‖ [Al Quran 81:104]. In the third cycle, the sinners will be scattered in the galaxies. The galaxies are objects of hell. [The matter is deliberately discussed in Sections 4 and 10 of Chapter-21.] A Creator is not essential for a cyclic universe. The cycles of expansion and contraction may be going on forever. So, a cyclic universe may be eternal. But, the Quran indicates that the universe is cyclic. However, it clearly mentions that Allah created the universe at the beginning of the previous cycle. So, the Samawaat and the Jannaat are separate creations by origin and evolution.
Only The Almighty , The All-Wise, The Omniscient Allah knows the real facts of the universes. We may estimate based on the islamic divine book Al Quran. We may consider some facts from the Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Factor 2: Different Destiny The Jannaat is everlasting according to the Quran and Hadith. So, the Jannaat cannot exist inside a universe that will collapse by rolling up its Skies: ―On the day when We will roll up the Skies (Samawaat / this universe) like the rolling up of the scroll for writings…‖ [Al Quran 21:104] ―All that on it will perish, but will abide the Face of thy Lord, full of Majesty and Honor.‖ [Al Quran 55: 26–27] The Jannaat cannot be a one-inside-another anti-universe as well, because if the universe collapses, the anti-universe too will collapse. So, the Jannaat is altogether a separate universe, existing beyond this universe (Samawaat). Factor 3: Different Nature We live in a protected planet. So, we do not understand how violent the universe (Samawaat) is! The fluctuating high-pitch sounds we hear while tuning a radio-set originate in gigantic explosions occurring in distant galaxies and quasars. The entire space is showered with harmful radiations. Nothing can remain unchanged. It is a dangerous place indeed. It cannot be a home of peace and eternal salvation. (https://www.alqurantafsir.com/_files/ugd/185ca2_7f5703f8d041449193e0fa01e706ef46.pdf)
The universe (Samawaat) is timed. Here aging and ultimate death / decay are inevitable. But, according to the Quran and Hadith, the Jannaat is evergreen by nature. So, these have to be separate universes. Factor 4: Homes of Jinns and Humans This universe (Samawaat) contains roughly six times more dark matter than matter. So, bulk of the universe is not sensible to us, and only a tiny Earth is useful. It is not our universe; it belongs to the anti-creatures like the jinns, created from anti-matter.
FIGURE 1.2: Matter and Dark Matter The jinns are intelligent anti-creatures. They are living in this universe from their inception. They are created suitable for this universe. They are sometimes called Sons of the Skies (Samawaat / this Universe). This universe (Samawaat) is their home universe. Primarily, Allah settled Adam and Eve in the Jannaat. So, it is obvious that He created them suitable for the Jannaat. The Jannaat is our home universe. There are billions of peaceful planets, full of water. The Believers will be taken back to the Jannaat after the Judgment. The Disbelievers will be live in this universe (Samawaat) full of violent galaxies and fire. Before the creation of this universe (Samawaat), Allah created a huge quantity of water to produce the planets of the Jannaat mainly. [The Jannaat is deliberately discussed in Section 23 of Chapter 3]
Arsh
The Arsh is beyond the Super Space, holding the universes.
Abu Dharr Al Ghifari narrates that the Prophet (pbuh) said, ‗By Him in whose hand is my soul, in comparison to the Kursi, the seven skies and lands (this universe) is nothing but like a ring thrown in a desert, and certainly the hugeness of the Arsh over the Kursi is like the desert over that ring.‘ [Tafsir Ibn Katheer]. There are many angels as well. They are commonly called the Angels of Arsh. The Pen, Disc, and related systems are in the Arsh. The Arsh is the Headquarters of Allah. [Arsh, Kursi, Pen, and Disc are deliberately discussed with references in Section-9 of Chapter-6] 1c-v. Super Space and Barzakh All creations, except the Arsh, are located in the Super Space. The Super Space is divided by a super barrier (Barzakh) into two parts: the Eastern Super Space and the Western Super Space. The Barzakh is a space with different nature where matter cannot survive. However, the light can pass through the Barzakh, as in the Night Journey, Prophet (pbuh) saw some planets of the Jannaat from an object of the Seventh Sky. Due to the Barzakh, one cannot go from one universe to the other except through special channels:
―O ye assembly of jinns and men, if it be ye can pass beyond the boundary of the ‘Skies and Lands’ (this universe), pass ye! Not without authority shall ye be able to pass!‖ [Al Quran 55:33] The Samawaat (this universe) is located in the Eastern Super Space and the Jannaat is located in the Western Super Space. 1c-vi. Araf, Channels, and Sidratul-Muntaha There is a huge land called Araf below the Arsh. ―Araf means ―Elevated Land.
The Araf may be considered as the third universe. It is the preliminary sanctuary of the universal angels. The Araf is divided by a Veil into two parts: the Eastern Araf and the Western Araf. The Eastern Araf is extended into the eastern Super Space, and the Western Araf is extended into the western Super Space. See figure 1.4. [The Araf is deliberately discussed in Section-9 of Chapter-6] https://www.alqurantafsir.com/_files/ugd/185ca2_7f5703f8d041449193e0fa01e706ef46.pdf
FIGURE 1.4: Barzakh and Channel ―Lord of the two Easts and the two Wests. Then which of the favors of your Lord will ye deny?‖ [Al Quran 55:17-18] In above verse, two Easts are the Eastern Araf and the Samawaat that are located in the Eastern Super Space; two Wests are the Western Araf and the Jannaat that are located in the Western Super Space. The Eastern Araf connects the Samawaat (this universe) by a pair of channels, and the Western Araf connects the Jannaat by another pair of channels. In the Night Journey (Miraz), Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) saw these channels. The accompanying angel called the channels as the ―Channel of Light‖ and the ―Channel of Darkness‖. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) moved into the Eastern Araf through one of these channels. [The channels are deliberately discussed in Section-9 of Chapter-6]
(https://www.alqurantafsir.com/_files/ugd/185ca2_7f5703f8d041449193e0fa01e706ef46.pdf) The Sidratul-Muntaha is hanging over the Araf from the Arsh. It looks like an up-side-down plant with two main branches. One branch connects the Eastern Araf, and another branch connects the Western Araf. Thus, the Sidratul-Muntaha works as the communication hub of the universes. It controls the transfer of creatures, matter, and information. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) moved into the Arsh and later into the Jannaat through the Sidratul-Muntaha. The Sidratul-Muntaha does another important job. An angel cannot go out of the universe for which it is created. The instructions coming down from the Arsh are passed to the angels through Sidratul-Muntaha. An angel cannot learn at its own. Sidratul-Muntaha infuses information into the angels, and redesigns them to perform their tasks. The Sidratul-Muntaha is based on divine servers and has related systems to do these. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) saw that the angels were falling on the leaves of Sidratul-Muntaha for being designed and tasked. [The Sidratul-Muntaha is discussed with references in Section-9 of Chapter-6] The Arsh is connecting the universes by Sidratul-Muntaha and Channels. See figure 1.3. 1c-vii. Illiyin and Sijjin The Illiyin and the Sijjin are located inside the Barzakh. See figure 1.3. These are holographic worlds of the dead humans.
The Illiyin is for the people destined to the Jannaat. It is in the high Barzakh closely below the Araf. The Sijjin is in the deep Barzakh. It is for the people destined to the hell. See figure 1.3. A dead human is recreated virtually with his soul (nafs), genome code, and memories that are collected and stored by the angels. The virtual human is then projected into a holographic world (Illiyin or Sijjin) where other dead humans are already living their virtual lives. They will remain in the Illiyin or Sijjin until the Day of Resurrection. The souls (nafses) are corrected and further developed in the virtual life. [The Illiyin and the Sijjin are deliberately discussed in Chapter-83] https://www.alqurantafsir.com/_files/ugd/185ca2_7f5703f8d041449193e0fa01e706ef46.pdf
Fifteen months into the biggest land war in Eurasia since the Second World War, the tables have turned. US and NATO began with a confidence that a proxy war was the only way to roll back Russian influence in Europe. It was aimed to cut Russia down to size and snuff out the incipient multipolar order.
On paper it was an ingenious, if diabolical, strategy. Ukrainian blood and NATO weapons would be more than a match for Russia. At the very least, western policymakers surmised, Russia would be bogged down in another protracted ‘Afghanistan’ or ‘Vietnam’ for years, while America would swoop across the world as a rejuvenated superpower.
The opposite has occurred. On every front in this proxy war – it is more apt to classify the conflict as a limited great power war – US goals have fallen short.
The US’s Weak Hand
The international community has stayed scrupulously away from lining up behind the West. Other than its loyal G-6 states in tow, Washington has witnessed a resounding rejection of NATO’s plan to demonise and contain Russia.
The Global South has instead discovered an opportunity to advance their own interests and embrace a multipolar world order where weaker states can henceforth bargain for better deals with the major players. India’s foreign policy exemplifies this trend that can today be seen in South America, Africa, Middle East and even in parts of East Asia.
Great power geopolitical alignments have also shifted adversely. China – the swing power for the West – has barely budged its position. Since the outbreak of the Ukraine war, Washington has attempted to imagine cleavages between Moscow and Beijing that it could exploit for a new western rapprochement with China.
Senior US policymakers, including the President, along with a flurry of European leaders have attempted to court the Xi Jinping regime in an attempt to nudge China away from Russia. But to little avail. The Chinese seem unwilling to jeopardise their partnership with Russia. With their own potential flashpoint right under their nose in Taiwan, Beijing fears a similar fate for itself in the future.
Unanticipated Economic Blowback
The real trump card in Western hands has always been the economy: the legacy dominance of the US dollar, control over international supply chains, and the ability to arbitrarily impose collective sanctions and isolate a country. These are unique leverages that no other great power can claim to possess as of today. This is where the US truly felt it had the upper hand. It could not only destabilise Russia, perhaps even fatally, but also rewrite a new chapter on globalisation.
Yet shockingly again, and despite dramatically severing European energy and industrial linkages with Russia, the blowback to the West has been more severe than the intended impact on the Russian economy. European economies are reeling from inflation and the spectre of de-industrialisation, fueled by a supply side energy and commodity crisis caused by western sanctions.
Industrial giants like Germany have slumped into a recession. Economists can no longer deny just how critical the Russian commodity and energy link as well as market access was for European prosperity and industrial vitality.
How Russia Escaped, India Too
But how did Russia escape its own economic strangulation? Very simply, the non-western world did not commit hara-kiri. China and India along with several other developing economies quickly replaced western markets, providing not only a lifeline to Russian exports but also drew unusual growth benefits of their own from discounted crude oil.
Flushed with revenues, Moscow has been able to procure industrial components, machinery and consumer goods necessary for its basic economic stability. Trade with China is estimated to touch $200 billion in 2023, emulating a role played by Germany in the past.
As a consequence, Russia defied the double-digit recession forecast for it in 2022 by only contracting by 2.1 percent. Even the IMF projects positive GDP growth for the Russian economy in 2023 and 2024.
The War Theatre: Advantage Russia
Finally, it is in the war theatre itself where events have unfolded calling into question the entire geopolitical gamble of the West. After the initial phase when Russia received a rude shock about the full extent of NATO’s penetration and the systematic buildup of the Ukrainian armed forces since 2014, Moscow shifted to a strategy of attrition.
This meant occupying territory – usually the primary objective of a war – became less important (other than of course the ethnic-Russian dominated Donbass and Crimea) than degrading and destroying the NATO-built force inside Ukraine.
Classical war of manoeuvre with large tanks battles in vast open fields or direct assaults on entrenched Ukrainian positions – scenarios that NATO expected and trained the Ukrainian military for and for which it invested in major defence lines around the Donbass – were replaced by gruelling and bloody struggles for strategic cities and gateway towns.
Russia has prevailed in all these major urban battles that will help it secure eastern Ukraine. At the same time, Russia has used its offensive firepower to freely strike at military, logistic, high value infrastructure, and command and control targets across Ukraine including in Kyiv. Russia adapted to fight an intelligent and relatively low casualty war of its choosing and not the one NATO had planned to bog it down in.
Ukraine-NATO: Outmanned, Underprepared
A few themes are now increasingly clear. The bulk of the Ukrainian military force has been largely destroyed in the past 12 months of the war. The replacement units being inducted after the most recent round of NATO training in the UK and elsewhere cannot restore those massive losses.
The industrial capacity to wage a big and long war has been severely impaired, not just in Ukraine but in NATO. NATO countries have already sent over $70-80 billion worth of military equipment, with the lion’s share coming from the US. The real constraint now is western production capacity because NATO planners never anticipated a war with a peer competitor that might exceed a few weeks of intense combat.
To get a sense of the gap – Russia fires artillery rounds in an afternoon in Ukraine equivalent to at least two months of US production. NATO weapons systems that were fielded to alter the course of the war have come up short. The Russian military seems to be ahead of NATO on at least the following capabilities – air defence, electronic warfare, artillery/counter artillery, and hypersonic missiles.
The much-touted Ukrainian counter-offensive is likely to run into the famous monsoon season before it clashes with any Russian formations. What might follow after that is another gasp of NATO-fueled fighting before Russia inflicts its own counter-offensive.
The blowback in Ukraine is real and the most significant geopolitical trend of the past year.
Zorawar Daulet Singh is an award winning author and strategic affairs expert based in New Delhi. https://zorawardauletsingh.com/
It is required that primary and secondary education in Sri Lanka must be reformed to offer outcome-based education, if there is a problem with lack of resources, cluster schools, 5 to 10 clusters in an electorate should be built to give justice to rural schools and improve the educational quality in regional level. The idea was in education reforms were at the beginning from late 1990s. It was successfully not implemented as the consultants appointed to develop policies were lacking the knowledge of outcome and competency-based education and training. They were trained in the education system that had been effective before 1930s.
Education offering methods for primary and secondary education in all countries in the world has been changed since the 1930s and policymakers agreed with the decision to offer Outcome Based Education, but it was not implemented successfully in Sri Lanka because consultants did not understand the significant of outcomes as well as how to construct outcomes and determine the achievement and certification of the achievement.
The tertiary education at TVET Technical Vocational Education and Training), and university levels need to offer competency-based training (CBT) and Research-Based Education in universities. How to offer a research-based education in universities, when there are conflicts in universities based on insignificant matters. Secondary schools need to offer Certificate 1 and 2 on TVET in accession to the general education. Education reforms in a broader way support training students for demanding skills, knowledge, and values. Sri Lanka’s society stuck with an education which is based on theoretical understanding and in the modern society needs skills and values to perform tasks.
Since its political independence in 1948, Sri Lanka began many education reforms, however, the attitude of people has not changed to get away from missionary education and always attempted to maintain the consistency of reforms to the Western system. Under administration of the State Council, Kannangara reforms came in effective despite the reform objectives, rural schools were not funded enough to give justice to rural community and education consultants who educated in Missionary religious Schools attempted to destroy Kannangara reforms as they were focused to upgrade the quality of rural people.
Major reason for unsuccess of reforms has been the consultants and leaders of reforms who had stuck with irrelevant politics in education policy development and many consultants were lack of understanding the required reforms. Buddhist education in rural level has been making justice, however they were not support to offer education in English medium and this weakness created a gap between education in Missionary and Buddhist Education. In history, Sri Lanka had universities based on Buddhist education.
The inequality in fund allocation in the past has mainspring for creating school clusters and operation of clusters need resources such as methods of teaching and training, assessment of students, transporting teachers and students from schools to principal schools of the cluster. Mobile resources such science labs, libraries and computers are essential and it attracts a large sum of funds.
Recently, the president expressed a vital aspect regarding the education management taking an example from American Education, which is not based on competitive exams, but a demonstration of skills and knowledge. Education reforms in Sri Lanka need consistent methods for educating kids, and the school clusters would solve the lack of resources.
Educating parents on the school clusters needs first, because they are stuck with knowledge-based education, and developing skills and values are vital to become good citizens and go overseas and work. Caste dictions in Sri Lanka have discouraged the achievements of skills in various fields. Skills, knowledge, values and experience in various trade areas would be factors for demanding reasons for people in overseas and educating these facts to parent will be supported to the improvement parent knowledge while effecting education reforms.
School clusters could be improved if the government supports to establish funds and allocate the financial resources to clusters.
India’s efforts in recent years to establish greater energy connectivity with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka have been successful.
India, Nepal and Bangladesh have finalized the draft of the Trilateral Power Trade Agreement. It is Delhi’s efforts to create more energy connectivity with neighboring countries.
The agreement, the first of its kind, has been agreed upon by the three countries and is expected to be signed in the coming months. The agreement is said to fulfill the long-standing demand of Nepal and Bangladesh.
When Nepali Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal visited Delhi in early June, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled India’s plans to export hydropower from Nepal to Bangladesh. It is reported that 50 megawatts of electricity will be the initial generation, with the potential to increase thereafter.
The deal is in line with India’s efforts in recent years to establish greater energy connectivity with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka through power transmission networks and petroleum pipelines.
It also has an unstated objective of reducing its neighbors’ dependence on China. In the past India has shown more interest in power trade with neighboring countries under bilateral agreements.
The final form of new guidelines for cross-border trade in electricity in recent years have served as building blocks for new arrangements.
The project guidelines, developed after consultation with all stakeholders, also allow neighboring countries to participate in these power exchanges.
It enables a country like Nepal to transmit electricity from one region to another through India. The scheme has been drafted in such a way that power from any Chinese-funded power plant in the neighboring country cannot be traded through the Indian link.
In addition to building electricity transmission infrastructure in Nepal and Bangladesh, India has also helped build cross-border pipelines with both countries.
South Asia’s first cross-border petroleum pipeline connects Motihari in Bihar to Amlekunj in Nepal. It was built at a cost of 324 crore rupees. Launched in 2019, the project has provided 2.8 million metric tonnes of diesel to Nepal.
Both sides have also approved the construction of the second phase of the pipeline. Based on this, a second pipeline connecting India to Jappa N region in Nepal is to be constructed.
In March this year, India and Bangladesh launched a Rs 377-crore cross-border petroleum pipeline project.
It is expected to supply one million metric tonnes of diesel annually from Assam’s Numaligar refinery to the northern parts of the neighboring country. The length of this pipeline is 132 km and 127 km in Bangladesh.
During the economic crisis in Sri Lanka, part of India’s support worth $4 billion was seen as a project to help meet Colombo’s fuel and gas needs.
When petrol stations in Sri Lanka went down in June last year, India supplied fuel through Indian petrol stations. Sri Lanka and India have agreed to jointly develop oil-bearing farms amid growing concerns about China’s influence in Trincomalee.
Energy cooperation between Nepal and Bangladesh is one of the most promising areas of cooperation. Plans to make power an exportable good are outlined in Nepal’s 15th Five-Year Development Plan (2019-2024). Nepal plans to grow its 1,250 MW of electricity production to more than 5,000 MW within the next five years, making it an energy-surplus country. The goal of Bangladesh is to invest, produce, and import surplus energy from Nepal. The fact that Bangladesh and India use more electricity during the summer months, which is their busiest time of year, must be emphasized.
A trilateral energy sales and purchase agreement between Bangladesh, Nepal, and India are required for any Dhaka-Kathmandu power transaction to be implemented because Bangladesh and Nepal do not have a direct land link. Both parties have acknowledged that the trilateral agreement’s strategic component is vital; otherwise, electricity exports to Bangladesh would be only on paper.
Being a land-locked country, Nepal’s plan to export its electricity other than to India requires India’s close cooperation and partnership. According to the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) of India, the Indian authority is allowed to do cross-border trade where India is involved. There is a specific provision of a tripartite agreement that allows the Indian authority to sign the framework of bilateral agreements between the government of India and the governments of the respective neighbouring countries. In other words, Bangladesh and Nepal need to sign bilateral agreements for cross-border electricity trade with India.
If India finally allows power corridor to Bangladesh to import electricity from Nepal, it will usher a new era of bilateral energy cooperation. Not only that, through Bangladesh, it can achieve its untapped opportunities of hydropower from the northeastern region. So, both Bangladesh and India should come forward to enhance their energy security based on reciprocity and enhance South Asian regional cooperation.
If the plan materialises, it will be Nepal’s first export of power to a third country other than India. Since November 2021, Nepal has been selling its excess power to the Indian market after the southern neighbour gave regulatory clearance.
In recent years, India has been prioritising regional integration among South Asian countries, excluding Pakistan. As per the joint vision statement on power sector cooperation between Nepal and India issued in April last year, the two countries agreed to expand sub-regional cooperation in the power sector among Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN).
India and Bangladesh are committed to collaborating on regional connectivity projects such as the BBIN Motor Vehicles Agreement and the Kolkata-Silchar-Imphal-Dhaka Bus Service, for mutual benefit.
Bangladesh has set a target of covering 40 percent of its power generation with clean energy by 2041 and to import around 9000MW under regional and sub-regional cooperation. Nepal, which is increasing its generation capacity rapidly lately, stands ready to fulfil the part of clean energy needs of Bangladesh.
By the end of the current fiscal year 2022-23 in mid-July, Nepal’s power generation capacity is expected to reach 2,853MW, 4,507 MW by mid-July 2024 and 5,251MW in mid-July 2025, according to NEA. But domestic consumption is expected to be half of the potential generation by 2025 which forces Nepal to sell electricity abroad, it said.
In July 2018, Nepali government issued a white paper targeting the growth in power generation. As per it, Nepal aimed to generate 15,000MW of power in 10 years and 5000MW will be exported.
Nepal has gross hydropower potential of 72,544 MW from three river basins: Koshi, Gandaki, and Karnali which covers 94 percent of the total gross potential of the country, according to a study carried out by Nepali government in 2019.
According to Nepal’s energy ministry, Nepal and Bangladesh also agreed to make joint efforts to create a high level trilateral administrative mechanism between Nepal, Bangladesh and India to forge partnership in the areas of power trade, building cross border transmission infrastructure and overall cooperation in the power sector.
The Joint Steering Committee meeting also instructed the Joint Technical Team (Transmission) under high level mechanism, to explore options of cross border transmission lines to enable trading of power between Nepal and India and submit a report within six months.
The Joint Technical Team had earlier identified two routes—Anarmari (Nepal)-Panchagarh (Bangladesh), and Anarmari (Nepal) to Thakurgaon (Bangladesh) for dedicated transmission lines.
The total length of the first route is 49km, of which a 24km section falls within the Indian territory. The second route has an 83km length, of which a 33km section falls in Indian territory.
Bhetuwal, who was also a delegation member of Nepal, said that two sides now would explore three options of transmission infrastructure to enable trading of power between the two countries in the short, medium and long run.
They include: using existing India-Bangladesh cross border link, enhancing the capacity of existing Baharampur-Bheramara link between India and Bangladesh and developing Duhabi (Nepal)-Purnia (India) and Barapukuria (Bangladesh) transmission link.
During the meeting, the Bangladeshi side also notified Nepal that the Bangladesh Power Development Board would soon sign power sale agreement with GMR, India to sell 500MW of electricity from 900MW Upper Karnali Hydropower Project based in Nepal, according to Nepal’s energy ministry.
The Indian company is working to generate resources to develop a Nepal-based hydropower project and securing power sale agreement would be important for the company to conclude financial closure.
In early May, the Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court had paved the way for the Indian company to work towards financial closure of the project enabling it to sign power sale agreement with Bangladesh entity after the court vacated earlier interim order against the Indian company.
The two countries also decided that the NEA and BPDB would sign a joint venture agreement within the next six months to develop the 683 MW Sunkoshi 3 hydropower project at the border of Ramachhap and Kavrepalanchowk districts of central Nepal, according to the energy ministry of Nepal.
Earlier, the two countries agreed to develop this project jointly but entities responsible for developing the project were not determined.
