Asoka Weerasinghe, Ottawa . Ontario . K1J 6. Canada

16 June 2025

OPEN LETTER to
Mr. Volker Turk
UN High Commissioner for Human Right (UNHRC)
Palais Wilson
52 Rue des Paquis
CH 1201, Geneva
Switzerland.

Dear Mr. Turk; 

Did you figure out what you had done to be so lucky to receive a warm WELCOME TO SRI LANKA as the UNs High Commissioner for  Human Rights (June 10)?

Especially, when you are following the footsteps of the previous High Commissioners who represented the UNHRC which was described by US’s Nikki Haley as a cesspool of political bias, and a self serving body that makes a mockery of human rights.”  Under  my breath I said. Good for you Nikki.  Hallelujah!”.   

There is so much that bothered me with you all in Geneva. Like when I read in January 2021, that the UN Rights Boss calls for sanctions on some Sri Lanka’exmilitary.?  And then this Boss, Madame Michelle Bachelet, called on States to impose targeted sanctions on former Sri Lankan military commanders, implicated in alleged war crimes during the final years of a 26 year civil war that ended in 2009.”

 So your Madame Michelle Bachelet took on herself with arrogant pomp to decipher and penalize the Sri Lankan soldiers for gifting back to their 21 million peoples with their paramount human-right, their right-to lifewhich had been hijacked for 30 blood-spilling years by the Sri Lankan Tamil Tiger terrorists. 

 What insolent uncaring rubbish!  It’s such stupidity by you lot is why Nikki Haley announced that UNHCR is a self serving cesspool of political bias. Ha! How true…how true! 

These Sri Lankans soldiers command formal  dignity …nothing more and nothing less from all of you in Geneva’s UNHRC who were and are still involved in Sri Lanka’s Eelam War file  If NOT…tell me and the whole World, why not?

Mr. Turk, you are coming into an island where the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa on 19 May 2009, after annihilating the most ruthless and dangerous terrorists in the world, the Tamil Tigers said, We were not ready to let the nation be divided. We had to make a choice: to surrender to terror or to end it, once and for all.  I chose the harder path.” 

It was his choice for his people, not yours as Sri Lanka was not a colony of the UNHRC.  I hope you understand me, and it was no business of your UNHRC to poke your fingers into the internal affairs of that sovereign, democratic island nation, Sri Lanka, which also happened to be my Motherland.:   That was clear to me as Big Ben’s noon 12 o’clock chime.

Mr. Turk, I may  have been living in Canada for the past 67-years, but I still carry Sri Lanka in my heart, and my Mission is that no one…absolutely no one hurts my Motherland unfairly.  And that includes the UNHRC that you represent.

So that you know, I picked up my Mother Lanka from the bloodied-ground in Ottawa, bloodied, spat at, bludgeoned and kicked for eight consecutive days on August 4th, 1983, in every print media, and audio-visual news items, by the Separatist Tamil Snow-Tigers in Ottawa.

Together with a young Sinhalese-Sri Lankan-Canadian,  Asoka Yapa, a young gutsy, bright shining like a silver button on a Churchillian World War II tunic, who was brilliant in his clinical observations of the Sri Lankan riots then, picked our Mother Lanka  when seven other senior Sinhalese Sri Lankan-Canadians had refused to speak on camera for the TV, to tell our side of the story of the Eelam War. The TV reporters wanted to know about the men and women of the Sri Lankan army who marched in military boots on its kabook earth to save Sri Lanka from being dissected by Indira Gandhi’s India trained Sri Lankan Tamil terrorists in 32 of their military camps.   Asoka Yapa and I were the first Sri Lankan-Canadian-Sinhalese who told Canada on the 6 o’clock TV news on August  4, 1983, what the  Eelam war was all about, and of the riots of July 1983.  These riots were a God’s send that opened the floodgates of Canada, which brought thousands of Sri Lankan-Tamils into Canada as refugees.  The fact was if these refugees wanted to immigrate on the point system, 80% of them would  not have had a Snowball chance in Hell to come here.  And that is a FACT. and they all know it.

The Tamil Tiger terrorists in the thousands after graduating in 32 Indian army camps in warfare were sent back to Sri Lanka in army khaki fatigues and jackboots carrying Kalashnikovs like babies in their arms with festoons of live  bullets around their necks to destabilize Sri Lanka.  So they killed and maimed scores of hundreds of my unarmed Sinhalese border villagers in the north east living in adobe huts.  And these Tamil Tiger terrorists did  just that- assassinated with suicide bodypacks, hand grenades, claymore mines, bullets shot from Kalashnikovs, Truck bombs, and butchered on Indian-ink black nights unarmed sleeping innocent farming and fisher families,  like in an abattoir with swords and machettes for 30 bloody years,

So if you hear my angry voice like the sounds of the seven swinging bells in your Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Linz,  as did by your former colleagues at UNHRC Ban Ki-Moon, Navi Pillay and  Madam Bachetlet who heard my angry voice loud and clearly like the London’s Big Ben chiming 12 times at noon and at midnight, that is why.

I am angry  because you all failed to acknowledge the brave khaki and air-force blue serge, and snowy-white navy uniformed men kicked the butts of the Tamil Tigers, and annihilated them on 19 May 2009.  I know you at UNHRC didn’t like it.  How you all failed to acknowledge the humanitarian contexts of the classic WarText book examples of humanitarian acts by the Sri Lankan Army.   How You failed me…how you failed us the Sinhalese communities in Sri Lanka and abroad, how you all failed the world, and that is why Nikki Haley said that the UNHRC,  your present employer is a cesspool of political bias, and a self serving body that makes a mockery of human rights.”

My simple question to UNHRC is, whose side are You on?  Where is your neutrality?

And  when the Sri Lankan Armed forces annihilated the Tamil Tigers the last to be killed was their leader Velupillai Prabhakaran with a  bullet piercing his forehead on the sands of the Nandikadal lagoon in the east, the Armed Forces, gave back to every Sinhalese mother of a school going child, a break at 2 o’clock  school day afternoons from standing like a sentinel at the front door of their homes, with unblinking eyes looking far out at the road, hoping to see their children come home alive and not in a plywood box as a decimated puzzle of a head, limbs, exposed heart, and clotted blood having been blasted by a Tamil Tiger claymore mine at a road junction. 

And you guys have the gall,and temerity to penalize these Sri Lankan soldiers.   That is bullish… as Nikki Haley said that your UNHRC is a cesspool of political bias, and a self serving body that makes a mockery of human rights.  You may want to penalize those Sri Lankan soldiers, but what matters to each one of them is the recognition by each Sinhalese Mother that every soldier was an Angel in khaki or blue-serge without wings for guarding their children.   That sentiment must blow your minds at UNHRC who wants to disregard  and disgrace those amazing men and women , dead and alive in Khaki and blue-serge fatigues.  I say to you  Mr.Volker Turk….” It’sTough Tiddy!”

Tell me….tell me whose side are you on?   Where is your neutrality?

In my eyes Mr. Turk you guys in Geneva are guilty for not having a War Manual for Dummies to guide my soldiers how to win a war without killing anyone.

Not even a War Manual that tells the Sri Lankan soldiers how to shoot Tamil Tigers with rubber bullets dipped in Canadian Maple syrup and release colonies of Soldier Ants that would bite the Tamil Tiger terrorists  so that they would get hurt  enough, to roll on the ground in pain and surrender, and not get killed.   Those were  the options that you at UNHRC had.  And those were the options that the Tamil Tiger Diaspora supporters had who would have metamorphosed into Tamil Men-  and Tamil Women-babies who are crying now calling that all this was ….  lying Tamil Genocide”.

My anger is visceral and spitting cartwheels of dragon breath at you  UNHRC guys and gals  for not recognizing the Si Lankan soldiers rescuing 295,873 Tamils who were used as a Human shield for six-months and marching them from the west coast of Sri Lanka’s to it’s east coast like unwashed cattle under a Jaffna-Killinochchi scorching sun, and saved from the clutches of death of the Tamil Tigers.   The 295,873 Tamils were not only saved…and not bumped off so that you lot could shout as it’s Tamil genocide”. They were housed in a White tent city and fed a million meals a day of nourishing breakfasts, lunches and dinners for months and months and months until the Tamil terrorists planted landmines around their houses were demined, got roofs back on their houses  with bullet holes in walls filled and rehabilitated.   You all know it, but did not want to accept all those Humanitarian class acts done by the Army soldiers in khaki.  Shish!  Mr. Turk, what a bunch of UNHRC’s disingenuous roguish,  yo…yo’s!

And you guys and gals in Geneva have the crass-gall and temerity to penalize the Sri Lankan men and women army soldiers  for their amazing act of Humanitarianism for doing just that War Text Book classic act, of rescuing of 295,873 Tamil lives from death bumped off by the Tamil Tigers for not complying with theTamil leader Prabhakaran’s orders.

My simple question to You all at UNHRC is, on whose side are You on this Tamil Eelam Saga.  Is it on the 75% Sinhalese Majority who were once upon a time the ‘wronged majority’ during 131-years of colonial history, or on the side of the once upon a time the 10% privileged minority” Tamils during 131 Colonial years and days.  Where does your neutrality stand?”

Little wonder why I agree with Nikki Haley that the UNHRC represents a cesspool of political bias, and a self serving body that makes a mockery of human rights.”

I live in Hope that the Austrian lawyer  Mr.Volker Turk is a better, honest, classy God fearing, and a loving human being, that I am prepared to break bread with.

I ask you to do me that favour. – to be an honest human being and be neutral on your assignment on your report of Post War Sri Lanka, in this Tamil Separatist Saga,  God loving, kind, honest and generous than your colleagues Ban Ki- Moon  and Navi Pillay

Your former Secretary General of UNHRC, Ban Ki-Moon appointed Steven Ratner as a member of the International panel to observe proceedings on Sri Lanka.   This Steven Ratner had once written that the Tamils represented by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (aka Tamil Tigers) as an oppressed minority.

That statement  should have disqualified Steven Ratner.  But, Oh, No.   Ban Ki-Moon clearly exceeded his powers  prescribed in Chapter XV of the UN Charter where his role as Chief Administrative Officer and the limits of his authority were detailed clearly in Articles 97 and 98.    But he had the audacity to turn around and Moon Sri Lanka one more time as he wished to give her a hard time.   He was a disingenuous fool!   I questioned his motives. I resented his double-standards..

UN High Commissioner Turk, your colleague the former UNHRC  Head Navi Pillay is another story.   A lawyer and a Tamil, like the Tamil Tiger leader Prabhakaran, a Tamil,who went down on 19 May 2009, killed from a bullet the same way that he serial-killed” unarmed Innocent Sinhalese in the border villages in the North and East of Sri Lanka.   He was a Velupillai Prabhakaran.  I am not certain whether the Name –Pillay” made a difference in Navi Pillay’s judgments.  That I do not  know.  .But what I do know was that Navi Pillay on 20 May 2020 read out a script she authored as the former Head of United Nations Human Rights Council which had positive proof that she showed her biases. Like she plucked the figure saying close to 146,000 Tamils lost their lives during the 6 decades, which she never stated that number when she was Heading the UNHRC,   Where the Hell did she pluck that number from, I wondered.   Hmmmmmmm…interesting I thought,

Navi Pillay speaks proudly about the UN investigation against Sri Lanka of which her role was to frame bogus charges to find avenues to frame humbug charges against the Government of Sri Lanka that annihilated the LTTE (Tamil Tigers) and her military commanders that did it.   These were the military commanders who gave back to 21 million people their paramount human right, their Right-to-Life which was hijacked from them for 30 bloody years by the Tamil Tiger terrorists. Navi Pillay and the UNHRC would want to hide this FACT, but will find it difficult to erase this amazing WarText Book Classic example of Human Rights act of valour worthy of a Nobel Peace prize.

High Commissioner Turk, Navi Pillay says we honour the Tamil victims”.  I now understand why she did not wish to see a single Sinhalese victim and honour them too!  Her bias is staring at my eyes…then she is a Tamil, like the Tamil Tiger leader Prabhakaran.  It is more than clear why she did not even acknowledge the details of the 5000 Missing in Action letters sent to her office by families of Sri Lankan soldiers.  Sweet Mother of Jesus, now you understand why Nikki Haley described Navi Pillay’s UNHRC as a cesspool of political bias, and a self serving body that makes a mockery of human rights.”  Hallelujah!

UN High Commissioner Volker Turk I rest my case, as I don’t want to live the rest of my life as an angry man watching my Mother Lanka getting hurt by UN’s cesspools of political bias.  She nurtured me for the first 19 years of my life…and I live in gratitude,  still nursing the scars of threats of anonymous  phone calls in Tamil accents …we will blow you head off”...and threats to blow  the Centennial  Building, a 15 storey building at 200 Kent Street in Ottawa, because I worked on the 14th floor for a Federal Government Minister in Communications, and nurse the scars of Sinhalese poison darts shot at me  at weekend dinner parties for standing tall for my Mother Lanka in Ottawa.

High Commissioner Volker Turk

Sri Lanka is my Motherland,

My Home and Native Land.

The land of ancient people

who happen to be my ancestors.

And of elephants and court jesters,’

lotuses, moonstones and sapphires,

green tea-gardens and waterfalls.

It is a magical country and nice

often called ‘The Island of Paradise.’

And I love her to the Moon and back.

Mr. Volker Turk:  This is where my respect for you all ended and realized that it was a den of nasty rats trying to laugh and bite their poison into the valiant soldiers in Sri Lanka, who gave back to 21 million Sri Lankan peoples their paramount Human Right , their right-to-life when they annihilated the most ruthless terrorist outfit in the world, the Tamil Tigers on 19 May 2009.

I rest my case Mr. Volker Turk,

to You, The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights of UNHRC. And you know where I am coming from spitting out my cartwheeling dragon breath at those who want to destroy and cull the dignity of the Sri Lankan khaki clad soldiers, my

surrogate brothers and sisters, who gave back to 21 million of their peoples, their Right-to-Life , on 19 May 2009, that had been hijacked by Tamil Tiger terrorists for 30 bloody years.  Amen!

Sincerely

Asoka (Weerasinghe, Mr.)
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Cc:  Sri Lanka Army Commander, Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo RSP
Hon. Vijitha Herath, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs

Source: Xinhua

BEIJING, June 17 (Xinhua) — Liu Jianchao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met with a delegation of senior cadres from Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna of Sri Lanka, led by its General Secretary Tilvin Silva, in Beijing on Tuesday.

They also co-chaired a political dialogue between the two parties.

The two sides stressed the need to jointly implement the important common understandings between the heads of state of both countries, enhance exchanges, strengthen cooperation, and contribute to building a China-Sri Lanka community with a shared future.

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Colombo, June 17 (Daily Mirror) – Patients were forced to pay between Rs. 120,000 and Rs. 250,000 for a medical item labelled EVD, used in surgeries at a government hospital in 2022 that had been officially procured and supplied to a government hospital at just Rs. 17,500 (its current market value being around Rs. 46,500), the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) revealed yesterday.

A specialist neurosurgeon and a clerk attached to the Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital along with a third individual, who worked in a private firm owned by the specialist neurosurgeon, have been arrested by the Bribery Commission over allegations of selling drugs at higher prices through a third party, the Commission said.

Despite the hospital having the capacity to supply these items through its official supply division, the accused are alleged to have misled patients into purchasing them from external private parties. This has reportedly resulted in financial losses for the patients and undue gains for the suspects and affiliated external suppliers, the commission said.

According to the Commission, the arrested specialist neurosurgeon is accused of abusing her authority by directing patients to obtain these items from outside vendors, bypassing hospital supplies, thereby causing significant financial damage to the institution and patients alike, which constitutes a serious act of corruption.

It has been revealed that approximately 300 patients underwent surgical procedures using the said items, with statements recorded from 77 of them. Investigations have further uncovered that a number of these patients later died, raising serious concerns. The financial loss incurred by the affected patients is estimated to be around Rs. 300 million.

Shenali D Waduge

We notice an alarming pattern directed at sovereign nations who are being pressured both directly & indirectly to amend long-standing legal, moral & social frameworks to accommodate liberal ideologies & redefine gender, marriage, family that directly opposes & conflicts with their constitution, culture, religion & societal foundations. These demands are not grounded in any treaty language or ratified by member states but brought forward as obligations with no discussion. These are nothing but soft law instruments, non-binding resolutions, re-interpretations by advisory bodies & special mandate holders operating beyond the scope of their original mandate. This clearly undermines principles of sovereignty, and legality of treaty law. Ideologically driven norms cannot be imposed without consent or legal mandate especially when the aim is to dismantle time-tested social structures, weaken morality of communities & erode the identity & dignity of the individual that the UN was legally tasked to protect by member states. It is time to return to ratified treaty law. Respect for sovereign constitutions, culture & religions of States are non-negotiable while national jurisdiction is inviolable in matters concerning public morality, family & child protection.

It is clear that entities within Sri Lanka’s administrative system are being lobbied & subject to soft-law instruments that feverishly seek to amend or repeal existing law to accommodate non-binding, unratified ideological driven re-interpretations by UN bodies like OHCHR, UNHRC/UPR.

Therefore, the entities like the Justice Ministry, AG’s Dept, Legal Draftsman Dept & associated entities are kindly requested to peruse the following:

Treaty-Based Foundations of International Obligations

Multiple ratified treaties, to which Sri Lanka and many states remain parties, clearly outline fundamental principles:

• UN Charter – Article 2(7)
States retain full authority over domestic affairs, free from external interference.

• Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) – Article 16(1–3)
Birthright marriage between men and women; recognition of the family as a natural, fundamental social unit deserving protection.

• ICCPR (1966) – Article 23(1–3)
Explicit guarantee: men and women of marriageable age” may marry and found families, with free and full spousal consent.

• ICESCR (1966) – Article 10(1)
States must provide maximum support and protection for families, especially regarding child welfare.

• Convention on Consent to Marriage & Registration (1962/1964)
Marriage requires free and full consent, within the context of male–female unions.

• Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) – Preamble & Article 18
Reaffirms the family as the natural environment essential to childhood development and care.

• Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (1969) – Article 28
Treaties cannot be applied retroactively, nor can they be reinterpreted beyond the expressed and ratified text.

Clearly, these legal instruments form the solid foundation upon which Member States have legally bound themselves—regarding marriage, family, rights interpretation, sovereignty, and cultural respect.

Nevertheless, since 2011 UN bodies have seen fit to re-interpret & introduce new norms & coerce countries to adopt them.

Recent actions by bodies such as OHCHR, UNHRC, UPR mechanisms, and UN Special Procedures are evident of drastic changes that conflict with the original ratified mandates:

• Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI)

• HRC Resolutions 17/19 (2011)
• 27/32 (2014) and Independent Experts instituted via non-binding resolutions.
•  UPR Recommendations
  Pressuring governments to amend domestic laws involving gender identity, family structures, and sexuality—without treaty basis.

These are policy positions, not legally binding extensions of rights agreed upon by sovereign states. They risk usurping state prerogatives and compelling nations to act contrary to their constitutional, cultural, or democratic processes.

Sri Lanka’s Justice Ministry, AG’s Dept & associate entities must know that UN bodies like OHCHR, UNHRC Resolutions & UPR recommendations are only policy positions – they are not legally binding obligations. Their interpretations do not constitute treaty law. They cannot force sovereign nations to legal commitments or legal amendments of national laws. National laws need to be only amended if Sri Lanka or other UN Member states ratify through proper constitutional & parliamentary procedures.

No sovereign government is legally bound to amend its domestic legislation to accommodate interpretations that fall outside the scope of ratified treaty obligations. Such attempts constitute the usurping legitimate state prerogatives by compelling countries to adopt positions that conflict with their own cultural values, religious beliefs, public morality provisions & child protection frameworks. The Ministry of Justice, the Attorney General’s Department, and relevant policymakers must be clearly aware of this legal distinction.

What Sri Lanka’s legal pillar needs to understand is that in international law only State Parties can create binding obligations through ratifications – not entities like UNHRC/OHCHR. Non-binding resolutions & recommendations are at the discretion of sovereign states.

Domestic constitutional supremacy prevails & must prevail & Sri Lanka’s legal pillar is bound by that specially to protect public morality, family law, and legal definitions of sex and marriage. The SC determination on the Gender Equity Bill makes this clear.

This means the following demands directed at Sri Lanka calling to decriminalize homosexuality is non-binding.

April 2023 – UN Committee on the Rights of the Child

In reviewing Sri Lanka’s 5th & 6th periodic reports, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child urged the government to:

• Repeal Sections 365/365Aof the Penal Code (that criminalized homosexual acts)
• Combat discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation
• Ensure perpetrators of violence against LGBT individuals are brought to justice

Sri Lanka reportedly accepted these recommendations, pledging legal reform to align with international standards” (Sri Lanka should have known that it was legally not bound to accept the recommendations)

February 2023 – Universal Periodic Review (UPR)

At the 42nd UPR session, Norway and other states recommended Sri Lanka:

• Repeal Sections 365/365A
• Decriminalize consensual same-sex relations and amend the Vagrants Ordinance

January 2022 – OHCHR & Human Rights Watch

• OHCHRflagged Sri Lanka’s continued criminalization of homosexuality as inconsistent with its human rights obligations.
• Human Rights Watchechoed the call for decriminalization and removal of discriminatory policing practices.

Mid‑2010s – UPR and HRC Involvement

Earlier UPR cycles (2012, 2017), Sri Lanka received—and reportedly rejected—recommendations to:

• Decriminalize homosexuality under Sections 365/365A

However, in 2016, Sri Lanka voted in favor of creating the UN’s Independent Expert on SOGI, aligning with broader SOGI rights advocacy at the UNHRC
 

Date	UN Body / Mechanism	Demand to Sri Lanka
2012	UPR (first cycle)	Recommendation to decriminalize homosexual acts
2016	UPR (subsequent review)	Repeat decriminalization recommendation
2016	UNHRC vote	Support for establishing SOGI Independent Expert
Jan 2022	OHCHR & HRW Reports	Highlight law violations; call for reform
Feb 2023	UPR 42nd Session (Norway)	Strong call to repeal Sections 365/365A
Apr 2023	UN Child Rights Committee	Formal call to repeal, protect LGBT children

What Sri Lanka & in particular every arm of the Judicial pillar from Justice Ministry to AG’s dept need to first realize is that these recommendations to legalize LGBTQIA are NON-BINDING.

Sri Lanka’s Govt may accept, reject or note them.

The 2024 Gender Equity Bill ruling by Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court clearly states Sri Lanka’s legal, social, religious & moral position. This does not need to be reversed.

The Ministry of Justice, Attorney General’s Dept or even Sri Lanka’s Parliament are NOT LEGALLY OBLIGATED to legislate on issues based solely on UN recommendations unless they pass procedural formalities & are legally ratified.

There is NO INTERNATIONAL LEGAL COMMITMENT to legalize homosexuality.

Shenali D Waduge

by Dave DeCamp

Call the White House Campaign by US citizens to Wake Up, and to tell them you do not want any part of this disastrous war

Sources familiar with the matter have told Antiwar.com Editorial Director Scott Horton that the Trump administration is poised to enter Israel’s aggressive war against Iran directly. US airstrikes on Iran could begin as soon as Monday.

Please contact the White House by calling (202-456-7041) or sending an email. Tell them that you do not want the US to enter this disastrous war, which could lead to heavy American casualties at US bases across the Middle East.

The US has supported the war by reportedly providing Israel with intelligence and helping intercept Iranian missiles and drones, but so far, there have been no direct US attacks on Iran. Iranian officials have warned that Tehran would hit US bases in the region in response to any US strikes.

Axios reported on Saturday that Israel is urging the US to join the war since Israel lacks the bunker-busting bombs necessary to do serious damage to Iran’s Fordow plant, which is buried deep underground. An Israeli official told Axios that President Trump had previously suggested the US could strike Fordow.

Trump himself said on Sunday that it was possible” that the US would get directly involved in the war, which Israel launched early Friday morning with airstrikes across Iran.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu started the war under the pretext of preventing Iran from building a nuclear weapon. But it was the consensus of the US intelligence community that there was no evidence Iran was working toward a nuclear weapon, and Tehran made clear they were ready to make a deal with the US that would significantly lower uranium enrichment levels and increase oversight of its nuclear program in exchange for US sanctions relief.

Read also:

Gunter Grass was right

Ali Larijani, an aide to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has previously said that the one thing that would make Tehran reconsider its prohibition on the development of nuclear weapons would be a US or Israeli attack.

We are not moving towards (nuclear) weapons, but if you do something wrong in the Iranian nuclear issue, you will force Iran to move towards that because it has to defend itself,” Larijani said on April 1.

Iran does not want to do this, but … (it) will have no choice,” he added. If at some point you (the US) move towards bombing by yourself or through Israel, you will force Iran to make a different decision.”

Sources: US Will Enter Israel’s War With Iran

by Medea Benjamin and Nicolas J. S. Davies 

09/06/2025
June 06, 2025

After twenty months of horror in Gaza, political rhetoric in Western countries is finally starting to shift – but will words translate into action? And what exactly can other countries do when the United States still shields Israel from efforts to enforce international law, as it did at the UN Security Council on June 5th?

On May 30th, Tom Fletcher, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, accused Israel of committing a war crime by using starvation as a weapon against the people of Gaza. In a searing interview with the BBC, Fletcher explained how Israel’s policy of forced starvation fits into its larger strategy of ethnic cleansing.

We’re seeing food set on the borders and not being allowed in, when there is a population on the other side of the border that is starving,” Fletcher said. And we’re hearing Israeli ministers say that is to put pressure on the population of Gaza.”

He was referring to statements like the one from Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who openly admitted that the starvation policy is meant to leave Palestinians totally despairing, understanding that there’s no hope and nothing to look for,” so that they will submit to ethnic cleansing from Gaza and a new life in other places.”

Fletcher called on Prime Minister Netanyahu to stop this campaign of forced displacement, and insisted, we would expect governments all over the world to stand for international humanitarian law. The international community is very, very clear on that.”

Palestinians might wish that were true. If the so-called international community were really very, very clear on that,” the United States and Israel would not be able to wage a campaign of genocide for more than 600 days while the world looks on in horror.

Some Western governments have finally started using stronger language to condemn Israel’s actions. But the question is: Will they act? Or is this just more political theater to appease public outrage while the machinery of destruction grinds on?

This moment should force a reckoning: How is it possible that the U.S. and Israel can perpetrate such crimes with impunity? What would it take for U.S. allies to ignore pressure from Washington and enforce international law?

If impoverished, war-ravaged Yemen can single-handedly deny Israel access to the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, and drive the Israeli port of Eilat into bankruptcy, more powerful countries can surely isolate Israel diplomatically and economically, protect the Palestinians and end the genocide. But they haven’t even tried.

Some are now making tentative moves. On May 19th, the U.K., France, and Canada jointly condemned Israel’s actions as intolerable,” unacceptable,” abhorrent,” wholly disproportionate” and egregious.” The U.K. suspended trade talks with Israel, and they promised further concrete actions,” including targeted sanctions, if Israel does not end its offensive in Gaza and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid.

Read also:

CNN, MSNBC Guest Who Blasted Israeli ‘Ethnic Cleansing’ Forced Out of Home

The three countries publicly committed to the Arab Plan for the reconstruction of Gaza, and to building an international consensus for it at the UN’s High-Level Two-State Solution Conference in New York on June 17th-20th, which is to be co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia.

They also committed to recognizing Palestinian statehood. Of the UN’s 193 member states, 147 already recognize Palestine as a sovereign nation, including ten more since Israel launched its genocide in Gaza. President Macron, under pressure from the leftist La France Insoumise party, says France may officially recognize Palestine at the UN conference in June.

Canada’s new prime minister, Mark Carney, claimed during his election campaign that Canada already had an arms embargo against Israel, but was swiftly challenged on that. Canada has suspended a small number of export licenses, but it’s still supplying parts for Israel’s 39 F-35s, and for 36 more that Israel has ordered from Lockheed Martin.

A General Dynamics factory in Quebec is the sole supplier of artillery propellant for deadly 155 mm artillery shells used in Gaza, and it took an emergency campaign by human rights groups in August 2024 to force Canada to scrap a new contract for that same factory to supply Israel with 50,000 high-explosive mortar shells.

The U.K. is just as compromised. The new Labour government elected in July 2024 quickly restored funding to UNRWA, as Canada has. In September, it suspended 30 out of 350 arms export licenses to Israel, mostly for parts used in warplanes, helicopters, drones and targeting. But, like Canada, the U.K. still supplies many other parts that end up in Israeli F-35s bombing Gaza.

Declassified UK published a report on the F-35 program that revealed how it compromises the sovereignty of partner countries. While the U.K. produces 15% of the parts that go into every F-35, the U.S. military takes immediate ownership of the British-made parts, stores them on British air force bases, and then orders the U.K. to ship them to Texas for use in new planes or to Israel and other countries as spare parts for planes already in use.

Shipping these planes and parts to Israel is in clear violation of U.S., U.K. and other countries’ arms export laws. British campaigners argue that if the U.K. is serious about halting genocide, it must stop all shipments of F-35 parts sent to Israel – directly or indirectly. With huge marches in London drawing hundreds of thousands of people, and protests on June 17th at three factories that make F-35 parts, activists will keep applying more pressure until they result in the concrete actions” the British government has promised.

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Biden, Harris and their families are making Jewish history on Inauguration Day

Denmark is facing a similar conflict. Amnesty International, Oxfam, Action Aid and Al-Haq are in court suing the Danish government and largest weapons company, Terma, to stop them sending Israel critical bomb release mechanisms and other F-35 parts.

These disputes over Canadian artillery propellant, Danish bomb-release mechanisms and the multinational nature of the F-35 program highlight how any country that provides even small but critical parts or materials for deadly weapons systems must ensure they are not used to commit war crimes.

So all steps to cut off Israel’s weapons supplies can help to save Palestinian lives, and the full arms embargo that the UN General Assembly voted for in September 2024 can be instrumental in ending the genocide if more countries will join it. As Sam Perlo-Freeman of Campaign Against the Arms Trade said of the U.K.’s legal obligation to stop shipping F-35 parts,

These spare parts are essential to keep Israel’s F-35s flying, and therefore stopping them will reduce the number of bombings and killings of civilians Israel can commit. It is as simple as that.”

Germany was responsible for 30% of Israel’s arms imports between 2019 and 2023, largely through two large warship deals. Four German-built Saar 6 corvettes, Israel’s largest warships, are already bombarding Gaza, while ThyssenKrupp is building three new submarines for Israel in Kiel.

But no country has provided a greater share of the tools of genocide in Gaza than the United States, including nearly all the warplanes, helicopters, bombs and air-to-ground missiles that are destroying Gaza and killing Palestinians. The U.S. government has a legal responsibility to stop sending all these weapons, which Israel uses mainly to commit industrial-scale war crimes, up to and including genocide, against the people of Palestine, as well as to attack its other neighbors.

Trump’s military and political support for Israel’s genocide stands in stark contradiction to the image he promotes of himself as a peacemaker – and which his most loyal followers believe in.

Yet there are signs that Trump is beginning to assert some independence from Netanyahu and from the war hawks in his own party and inner circle. He refused to visit Israel on his recent Middle East tour, he’s negotiating with Iran despite Israeli opposition, and he removed Mike Waltz as National Security Advisor for engaging in unauthorized warmongering against Iran with Netanyahu. His decisions to end the Yemen bombing campaign and lift sanctions on Syria suggest an unpredictable but real departure from the neocon playbook, as do his negotiations with Russia and Iran.

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Has Netanyahu finally overplayed his hand? His campaign of ethnic cleansing, territorial expansion in pursuit of a biblical Greater Israel,” the deliberate starvation of Gaza, and his efforts to entangle the U.S. in a war with Iran have pushed Israel’s longtime allies to the edge. The emerging rift between Trump and Netanyahu could mark the beginning of the end of the decades-long blanket of impunity the U.S. has wrapped around Israel. It could also give other governments the political space to respond to Israeli war crimes without fear of U.S. retaliation.

The huge and consistent protests throughout Europe are putting pressure on Western governments to take action. A new survey conducted in Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy and Spain shows that very few Europeans–between 6% and 16% in each country – find Israel’s assault on Gaza proportionate or justified.

For now, however, the Western governments remain deeply complicit in Israel’s atrocities and violations of international law. The rhetoric is shifting – but history will judge this moment not by what governments say, but by what they do.

 Medea Benjamin and Nicolas J. S. Davies are the authors of War in Ukraine: Making Sense of a Senseless Conflict, published by OR Books, with a revised edition due out this summer.

Medea Benjamin is the cofounder of CODEPINK for Peace, and the author of several books, including Inside Iran: The Real History and Politics of the Islamic Republic of Iran. 

Nicolas J. S. Davies is an independent journalist, a researcher for CODEPINK and the author of Blood on Our Hands: The American Invasion and Destruction of Iraq.

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

National Development Bank PLC

Continuing its commitment to empowering dreams of vehicle ownership across Sri Lanka, NDB Leasing successfully concluded yet another exciting edition of the NDB Auto Carnival”, this time in Negombo. The event offered customers a unique opportunity to drive away in their dream vehicles with unmatched ease, convenience, and financial flexibility.

Held in partnership with a host of leading vehicle dealers including United Motors, Perodua, DIMO, LAL, Unimo, and several others, the NDB Auto Carnival in Negombo brought together a diverse range of commercial and personal vehicles under one roof, creating a one-stop destination for aspiring vehicle owners.

Customers attending the carnival benefited from a variety of exclusive leasing advantages such as tailor-made repayment plans, special interest rates, and access to refinancing facilities. With zero guarantor requirements and minimal down payments, NDB Leasing ensured that affordability remained at the heart of the promotion. Thanks to the Bank’s streamlined processes, many customers were even able to drive away with their newly leased vehicles on the very same day, eliminating the hassle of extended waiting periods.

Adding further excitement, exclusive offers were made available on selected vehicle models during the event, making it even more rewarding for customers to lease with NDB. Attendees also had the opportunity to engage directly with NDB’s team of leasing and finance experts, who were present on-site to provide personalized advisory services and guide clients in selecting the best solutions to meet their unique financial needs.

Building on the momentum of its success in Negombo, NDB Leasing is gearing up to take the Auto Carnival experience across the island, with upcoming events planned in Anuradhapura, Katugastota, Rathnapura, Nittambuwa, Malabe, and several other key locations.

NDB Leasing remains one of Sri Lanka’s most trusted names in the vehicle finance space, championing its identity as the Number One Leasing Solution for Any Number.” With every Auto Carnival, the Bank further reaffirms its pledge to deliver financial empowerment through superior service, innovative offerings, and the unmatched strength of NDB’s legacy.

As NDB continues to expand its footprint across the nation, initiatives like the Auto Carnival showcase the Bank’s broader mission to support Sri Lankans in every stage of their financial journey.

For more information on NDB Leasing and upcoming Auto Carnivals, customers are encouraged to visit the nearest NDB branch or visit https://www.ndbbank.com/leasing

Aruna Laksiri Unawatuna B.Sc(Col), PGDC(Col), AAL, Coordinator, Dr. Thilaka Padma Subasinghe Memorial Legal Education Program.

There is a discussion among scholars as to whether the “Malima” government, which has a majority of more than 2/3 of the members of Parliament,  enforcing  the law against those in power who have committed wrongdoings regardless of rank can enforce the law against former Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya for misinterpreting the Constitution and that it is not correct to interpret the Constitution as a 5-year term of office for the presidency before 18.07.2024, while confirming that the 22nd Constitutional Amendment Bill published in the Gazette on 18.07.2024.

The law should be enforced not only against the retired presidents for illegal acts committed during their terms of office. It should apply to all 3 branches of state: the executive, the legislature  and the judiciary.

In Article 3 of the Constitution, sovereignty is in the People in the Republic of Sri Lanka and it is inalienable and sovereignty includes the ecxecutive, the legislative,  the judicial powers and also fundamental rights and the franchise as enshrined in the constitution indicates the extent of the professional accountability, responsibility and duty of office holders.

This article discusses whether the government, with a parliamentary majority of more than 2/3, can be able to enforce the law against former Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya for not correctly interpreting the Constitution, while the 22nd Amendment of the constitution Bill published in the Gazette on 18.07.2024 confirms that the incorrectly interpreted Constitution as a 5-year presidential term similarly to the law implemented against Commissioner General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya and former President of the Court of Appeal Judge Bandula Karunaratne.

The 22nd Amendment of the Constitution Bill has been published in the Gazette issued on 18.07.2024 with the approval of the Attorney General, amending Article 83(b) of the Constitution and amending the matters related to the term of office of the President from six years/6 to five years/5. The 22nd Amendment of the Constitution Bill has been published in the Gazette under Article 78 of the Constitution.

(There are differences between the Sinhala and English texts of this bill. This is because there are also differences between the Sinhala and English texts of the original constitution. It should be discussed at length with reference to Articles 3 and 23 of the Constitution. It has not been discussed in this article.)


The introduction of the 22nd Constitutional Amendment Bill makes it clear that the Constitution has not been amended in relation to the presidential term for 5 years. A President had publicly stated at a ceremony attended by heads of the judiciary and legal sector that it was an oversight by a certain legal scholar and that he would apologize to the people for it.

It is also clear that former Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya has misinterpreted the Constitution and interpreted the presidential term as 5 years.

His future hopes cannot be said solely from his receiving the post of Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations upon retirement.

It is also an irony of fate that former Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, who was interpreted the Constitution wrongly regarding the presidential term has been revealed due to the 22nd Amendment Bill and has also received the appointment as Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations after his retirement.

If former Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya had interpreted the Constitution correctly in the cases which were brought before him regarding the presidential term, there would have been no need to gazette the 22nd Amendment of the constitution Bill to amend the the matters related to the term of office of the presidential term to 5 years on 18.07.2024 under Article 78 of the Constitution.

The author of this article and another person who went to the Supreme Court to point out the constitutional errors regarding the presidential term were ordered to pay millions in court fees.

On an earlier occasion, former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva had apologized to the public for a decision he had given.

The 22nd Amendment of the Constitution Bill published in the Gazette issued on 18.07.2024 with the approval of the Attorney General which amends Article 83(b) of the Constitution and amends the matters related to term of office of the President from 6 years to 5 years, confirming that the interpretation of the term of office of the President in the Constitution by former Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya as 5 years is incorrect.

The Constitution is the supreme law of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and has been adopted in accordance with the mandate of the people to establish Sri Lanka as a democratic socialist republic state as guaranteeing freedom, equality, justice, fundamental human rights and independence of the judiciary of all the people.

The executive, legislature and judiciary must act within the limits of the Constitution and interpreting the Constitution based on one’s own personal future aspirations is a violation of the affirmation/oath to uphold and defend the Constitution.

It is still too early to say whether the “Malima” government will succeed in enforcing the law against former Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, who misinterpreted the Constitution and led to the introduction of the 22nd Amendment of the Constitution Bill, just as the law was enforced  against Commissioner General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya and former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Bandula Karunaratne or whether it is only imposed against those who have committed wrongdoing for some other selected purpose or purposes.

Scholars should also discuss why the Article 83 of the Sinhala Constitution states that, among the provisions of the Constitution relating to the executive presidency, that is, Articles 30 to 41 of Chapter VII of the Constitution, only amendments relating to the presidential term, that is, Article 30.2 of the Constitution, must be approved by the people through a referendum.

Article 83 of the Constitution does not state that it is necessary to obtain the approval of the people through a referendum to amend or repeal any other article relating to the Presidency other than Article 30.2 of the Constitution. That is, the only article related to the presidency included in Article 83 of the Constitution is Article 30.2.

Article 3 of the Constitution, which refers to the sovereignty of the people, refers to the existence of the executive as a governing body, but not to the presidency. Although Article 4.b. of the Constitution mentions the president is elected by the people, that sub article is also not included in Article 83 of the Constitution.

That is, Article 83 of the Constitution does not directly indicate that the approval of the people must be obtained through a referendum to amend the constitution other than Article 30.2 relating to the presidency.
(This article does not intend to discuss this matter.)

The third edition of the 11th  law book which published by the author of this article  is also being printed in a limited number of copies, so readers can request a copy of ” ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 70වන ව්‍යවස්ථාව සංශෝධනයට 2002 ජනමතවිචාරණයක් අවශ්‍ය වීම, 2015 ජනමතවිචාරණයක් අවශ්‍ය නොවීම, සර්ව සාධාරණත්වයේ අයිතිවාසිකම සහ අධිකරණ තීරණ අනුගම්‍ය පූර්වාදර්ශය” ” A referendum being required  to amend Article 70 of the Constitution in 2002, a referendum not being required in 2015, right to equality and judicial precedent”
ISBN 978-955-38965-6-8 which consists of 10 chapters including the judicial precedent, how the presidential election will be held in 6 years if “22” which was gazetted on 18.07.2024 after the Supreme Court orders imposed millions of rupees as court fees to amend Article 83 of the Constitution does not become a law and according to which language of the Sinhala and English Constitutions, the Supreme Court should interpret the Constitution according to  the sovereignty of the Republic of Sri Lanka.

Also, a legal education program discussing about how the presidential election will be held in 6 years if  “22” which was gazetted  to correct the errors in the constitution after the Supreme Court orders that imposed millions of rupees as court fees does not become a law  and “Who made the mistake in the Constitution that led to the Gazetting of “22”, will be held on Saturday, 21 June 2025 from 9.00 am – 3.00 pm at the Dr. Thilaka Padma Subasinghe Memorial Legal Education Program Lecture Hall, No 09, Colombo Road, Handapangoda, and the opportunity to reserve seats in advance has also been made available.

* Translation of the article
තරාතිරම නොබලා බලවතුන්ට එරෙහිවද නීතිය ක්‍රියාත්මක වෙද්දී ගැසට් කළ  “22” නිසා තහවුරු වන හිටපු අගවිනිසුරුවරයෙකුවන ජයන්ත ජයසූරිය මහතා විසින් කළ ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථා අර්ථනිරූපණ වැරදි සම්බන්ධයෙන්ද නීතිය ක්‍රියාත්මක වෙයිද?
http://neethiyalk.blogspot.com/2025/06/22_13.html?m=1

http://neethiyalk.blogspot.com/2025/06/will-law-also-be-enforced-against.html?m=1

Aruna Laksiri Unawatuna
B.Sc(Col), PGDC(Col), AAL,
Coordinator,
Dr. Thilaka Padma Subasinghe Memorial Legal Education Program.
Tel. 0712063394
09.06.2025

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Colombo, June 16 (Daily Mirror) – The Attorney General’s Department today informed the Supreme Court that it expects to file objections to two Fundamental Rights petitions filed challenging the legality of the recently signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) between Sri Lanka and India.

When the matter was called before the Supreme Court, a three-judge bench comprising Justices S. Thurairaja, Priyantha Fernando and Menaka Wijesundara, the Attorney General sought further time to obtain instructions from the Cabinet of Ministers.

Deputy Solicitor General Nirmalan Wigneshwaran, appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, informed the Supreme Court that they expect to file objections to the petitions within two weeks. 

The Court granted permission for the Attorney General to file objections and directed the petitioners to file counter-objections, if necessary. Accordingly, the Court fixed the two petitions for support on August 4.

Seven MoUs between India and Sri Lanka, including defence cooperation, sharing successful digital solutions and MoU on Multi-sectoral Grant Assistance for the Eastern Province, were exchanged on April 5 at the Presidential Secretariat in the presence of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A group of petitioners, including President of the Patriotic National Movement Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekara, filed this petition, naming Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, members of the Cabinet of Ministers, the Attorney General and several others as respondents.

The petitioners alleged that the recently signed MoUs are contrary to the Constitution of Sri Lanka as well as international laws. They further stated that the public has not yet been informed of the contents of these MoUs, which constitutes a violation of the people’s constitutional rights. The petitioners claimed that the agreements undermine Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and that the government’s decision to sign them without presenting them to Parliament is unlawful.

The petitioners are requesting the Supreme Court to rule that their fundamental rights have been violated and to issue an interim order preventing the implementation of the said agreements.

The petitioners alleged that the respondents acted in collusion and violating their constitutional commitments by the people of Sri Lanka by suppressing and concealing the contents of the said Memoranda of Understanding from the people of Sri Lanka and their representatives in Parliament by not presenting them to Parliament. 

They further stated that under Article 14A of the Constitution, the People are constitutionally entitled to have access to information and to know of the contents of the said Memoranda of Understanding both before and after the signing of the same. 

Senior Counsel Canishka Witharana appeared for the petitioners.

Courtesy Daily Mirror

Colombo, June 16 (Daily Mirror) – Sri Lanka aims to make the ongoing Extended Fund Facility of the International Fund Facility (IMF) the final programme undertaken with the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said today.

While delivering the keynote address at the international conference ‘Sri Lanka’s Road to Recovery: Debt and Governance’ in Colombo today, he said Sri Lanka aspires to build a stable economy with sufficient growth to service the country’s debt independently by 2028.

 “As I have previously stated, it is our aim to make this the final programme undertaken with the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility. We are hopeful of achieving this goal. By 2028, we aspire to build a stable economy with sufficient growth to service our debt independently. A state cannot maintain sovereignty where the economy has collapsed. A nation cannot retain independence when its economy is in ruins. Whether we like it or not, we have already lost a degree of our sovereignty and independence. Therefore, the ultimate outcome must be the restoration of our national sovereignty and self-reliance. This requires a strenuous and unwavering effort. It is not a task we can abandon. There is a clear mission to accomplish, and in pursuing that, I expect the commitment of the political leadership, the responsibility of public officials and the cooperation of the people.”

“We must be deeply grateful for the support extended by the International Monetary Fund in implementing this programme, as well as for the patience and endurance shown by our citizens, especially if they felt unfairly affected during this process,” he said.

Courtesy Hiru News

Sri Lanka’s economy recorded a positive Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate of 4.8% in the first quarter of 2025.

This marks the seventh consecutive quarter of positive growth for the nation, beginning from the third quarter of 2023.

The Department of Census and Statistics announced this, noting that the GDP at constant prices increased to Rs. 3.477 trillion from Rs. 3.318 trillion in the first quarter of 2024.

At current prices, the GDP for the first quarter of 2025 rose to 8,274,915 million rupees, a 4.5% increase from the same quarter in 2024.

 Industrial activities expanded by 9.7%.

This was significantly boosted by increases in the Construction industry, which increased by 10.7% and the Mining industry, which increased by 12.6%, benefiting from increased imports of investment goods and reduced input prices.

 The overall manufacturing industry also showed a remarkable 9.6% increase.

Services activities grew by 2.8%. This sector’s growth was driven by strong performances in Insurance of 17.4% and Financial services of 14.6%.

The DCS attributes this growth to factors such as a relatively stable exchange rate and low interest rates, which have facilitated an increase in domestic credit and imports of investment and intermediate goods.

For more detailed information, the DCS has published the full GDP estimates for the first quarter of 2025 on their website.

e-Con e-News

blog: eesrilanka.wordpress.com

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

On 7 Years after the Passing of SBD de Silva

e-Con e-News 08-14 June 2025

*

‘They think Singapore has developed because of zero state-interference.

They don’t understand that 90% of the land in Singapore is owned

by the government still. They don’t understand that 25-30% of GDP

in its economy comes from state-owned enterprises;

most of the growth in the ’80-70s was from SoEs.

It transitioned into a high-tech manufacturing economy &

brought in a service sector. So now Lankans & everybody around

the world looks at Singapore and says ‘Oh it’s a service economy.’

No! It grew & developed into a 1^st-world country & then took on more

& more services. But it was always an entrepot economy that developed

into an industrialized economy. So if you give them this example they say

‘Oh, Singapore is unique.’ Then you have to give them a different example:

Taiwan, South Korea. No! We have an excuse for everything…’

– Kusum Wijetilleke (see ee Economists)

*

An accidental, inadvertent tribute to SBD de Silva was broadcast in the mass media this week, by the latest of Mr Maharajah’s (or it’s actually Unilever’s) MTV news programs. Rather auspicious & suspicious, we surmised. For here comes SBD de Silva’s 7^th death anniversary on June 15.

     Of course, the mass media still never mentions his name. Could SBD be brought back to life, if only because the times demand such a voice, if only in the ghostly dialectical spit of afterlife? The mercantile media would certainly dare not make the mistake again – they can’t force-multiply SB’s message about the need for modern (machine-making) industrialization, through daily, hourly saturation – but at least we got to hear of it once or twice (see below). This ee Focus reproduces and updates Krisantha Sri Bhaggiyadatta’s 2018 tribute to his ‘guru’. ee has for almost 7 years been a continuing tribute to SBD de Silva, but it’s unclear if ee has strayed beyond SB’s focus, into areas he noted (eg, the domination of the economy by ‘minority agents’ of multinational corporations or MNCs) but perhaps feared to tread. This ee Focus therefore reproduces SBD’s fascinating analysis of Burma, another colonized Buddhist country, but that chose to break early from the English ‘Commonwealth’, with crucial lessons for Sri Lanka.

*

So, why does the English media absolutely despise Myanmar (Burma) so? What is the role Indians have played in controlling Myanmar during the English colonial rule? Is it because it is one of the last Theravada Buddhist states in the world? In this ee, SBD de Silva provides startling insight into Burma as another possible ‘stark exception’ (like the Congo & Indo-China) in his thesis on the differences between the economies of non-settler colonial states such as ours in Sri Lanka. Here expatriate interests, ‘invisible but pervasive’, operating through multinational corporations, have easily subverted any attempt at economic independence. In Sri Lanka, within 3 months of a promise by a ‘socialist’ finance minister, to nationalize the economy in 1970, English bankers declared, We shall go on!” (see ee Focus).

     Whereas, in the ‘white dominions’ (USA, Canada, Australia etc) as well as ‘settler colonies’ (South Africa, Kenya, Algeria etc), modern industrialization was pursued despite vehement opposition from Europe’s capitals. In fact, does this explain why the English in London & the French in Paris, etc, have preferred so-called ‘native’ (petty merchant, usurer & landlord) rule, versus white settler (industrial) rule, which competed with them?

     SBD de Silva detailed how, post-‘independence’, Myanmar moved swiftly to dispossess foreign domination of its economy, where Indians had become ‘the visible symbol of the whole system of control & domination of Burma by foreigners’. However, ‘while reflecting a socialist ideology… to some extent merely nationalist in fervour’, it is unclear if Myanmar, besieged by imperialist subversion, has pursued modern industrialization (see ee Focus). Such nationalist writers as Kamalika Pieris have referred to the separatist demand for ‘Tamil Eelam’ as part of a longer-term ‘Indian settler colonial’ project in Sri Lanka. However, there have been no moves to modernize (industrialize) their ‘settlers’ in Sri Lanka, and Tamil plantation workers remain in bondage to a precapitalist (import-export plantation) economy.   

*

While excoriating the rampant ‘corruption’ inside the country, SBD de Silva saw this problem as a product of the English colonial system and the continuing domination of the country by merchants & moneylenders. He always asked, ‘What if there was no corruption? Would the economy be alright then?’ With the wrangling over municipal office still going on long after local elections, ee Focus continues Gustavus Myers’ History of Tammany Hall, about that infamous New York ‘charity’ aka political machine, in a USA tumbling toward ‘civil war’. Myers showed how integral the role played by municipal corruption is, in maintaining the capitalist system. We see the early formations that went on to become the USA’s 2-party system, which is really one capitalist party.  This episode also describes the ‘private organization’ within the board of municipal representatives, formed to ‘receive & distribute bribes’, as in the procurement of ‘licenses’ to operate & profit from slum housing, policing, railroads, ferries, marketplaces, brothels & electricity.  

*

• With debate being raged by the media about whether AI automatically throws people out of work, Indian economist Prabhat Patnaik argues that capitalist economists are recycling old arguments to justify unemployment. For instance, some claim that the introduction of machinery does not give rise to unemployment, as workers have long argued. However, as Marx pointed out at the beginning of Chapter 15 on a very interesting examination of machinery in Capital Volume 1, such unemployment is a tactic of capitalist practice. Patnaik also makes interesting links between the rampant joblessness created by the new machinery of the 19^th century, and how England used settler colonialism in the Americas & Pacific to ameliorate the effects of unemployment. Patnaik also traces efforts by Indian planners such as PC Mahalanobis, and China’s efforts to ‘walk on 2 legs’ to ensure that industrialization does not result in mass unemployment (see ee Focus).

*

So, SBD’s ideas about industrialization surfaced on MTV News1^st’s ‘Face-to-Face’ program fronted by that slack & trying-hard-to-be-easygoing Niresh Eliatamby, interviewing a coifed Kusum Wijetiileke. This episode was at a relatively higher level than most talkshows in Sri Lanka, and we recommend people watch and encourage such endeavors – but with a critical eye and nose. SB certainly was acid and derisive about the ability of – or need for – the merchant media in Sri Lanka to turn this vital, fully suppressed conversation into a priority for the nation. Unfortunately, as even Confucius says, we must first name things correctly. And tabloidal MTV, and the rest of the merchant media gang, cannot afford such incisive superstars.

     As the show unfolded it became clearer that the program should have been named ‘Mask-to-Mask’ or ‘Euphemism-to-Euphemism’ – another photocopy of those one-on-one pseudo interrogations (minus the waterboarding!) on massively broadcast tv, modeled on BBCs gnawing Hard Talk, though this was more sotto-sotto talk, exhumed to some degree by Wijetilleke’s passionate demurrals at Eliatamby’s oral egurgitations.

     Eliatamby calls Sri Lankans (read: Sinhala) ‘lazy‘, which Wijetilleke diplomatically rejects by placing such calumny in a more historical perspective. SBD certainly did more cogently, locating such colonial fabrications in their American plantation birthplaces. Eliatamby begins by referring to the existing world, of wars & riots, invoking rather lamely that ‘unfortunate situation in Gaza’. Unfortunate? Then again, funded as the media are by the import lobby, they cannot bite the hand of their multinational sponsors by naming all these wars as ‘English wars’ or US wars or NATOs wars or Trump’s riots.

     Eliathamby quickly goes on about the business at hand, the business of which is business, petty trade: Tariffs. Wijetilleke is clear that the USA’s moves are predicated on undermining China’s rise. He does try to explain that all the East Asian miracles, from Japan to Singapore, were fueled by state policy & national enterprises. Wijetilleke does try to effect well that performance called articulate, but he too also cannot be precise. In contrast to sitting President Donald Trump, he calls US President Ronald Reagan ‘diplomatic‘ in his method of imposing the 1982 Plaza Accords, which sought to rein in and hobble Japan’s economy. Reagan’s ‘diplomacy’ was however US-as-usual, accompanied by physical attacks on Japanese vehicles and East Asian people in the Americas more generally. Yet Wijetilleke is by far more relevant and ‘based’ than most of the faces & suits that greet us on these imported screens. He calls for a rigorous & ‘advanced’ National Industrial Policy. But the problem remains, though much more informed about the subject, he lacks the intricacies of an SBD, for such is the juvenile nature of business concourse in Sri Lanka. These petty importers & their media cannot call a spade a spade or a machine tool a machine tool. No ‘face’ is allowed to address the fact that imperialism and their local merchants has not and won’t allow rival industrial economies to grow, certainly not in non-settler colonies dominated by the expatriate quicky-take on an ancient national polity, they prefer to call an island. As SBD always reminded, it’s not because they are selfish, but because it is one of the laws of capitalism, to concentrate & monopolize. SB was, and is, not the only advocate of industrialization, but he’s certainly the only one whose arguments scoured the earth to detail the advances and roadblocks to modern machine-making industrialization, that verboten subject in a non-settler colony such as ours. (see ee Economists, Trump Tariffs – the Clock is Ticking, Kusum Wijetilleke on Face-to-Face)

*

• The Sri Lankan President is in Germany, greeted we are told, by a military salute, just as an English naval ‘strike force’ enters Colombo in his absence! Seig Heil! Germany, just last week, returned 19 decapitated African skulls to New Orleans. A US hospital in that ‘city of jazz’ had sent the crania there in 1872, for the study of African phrenology aka the white supremacist study of physiognomy. Perhaps the Germans wish to appear moral before Sri Lanka’s current President? That is, before they launch into yet another sermon about GSP+ etc – on why their markets are so precious & pure that they wish us to change our laws to suit their current fancies & fashions.

     Yet, they keep refusing to pay reparations to Africa’s Namibia, where they practiced their nascent Nazism – in what became the 20^th century’s first genocide (Hitler’s Minister of War Hermann Goering’s father was Imperial Commissioner in Namibia 1885-90). And their current leader Friedrich Merz, an unreconstructed Nazi, keeps sending their latest weapons to kill Russian civilians and soldiers. President Dissanayake will have to present his most concerned ves muhuna to all those Hun sermons. The Nazis always acknowledged ‘white settlers’ as their mentors & older brothers.

     Morality & truth are for slaves, said their infamous German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (whose sister failed to colonize Venezuela) – and Europe, with its genocidal (US, Canada, Australia) & settler-colonial satellites (South Africa, Israel, etc) around the world, has to keep reminding us that this is indeed so – by their ‘postmodern art’ exhibition of naked televised horror in West Asia, midst sermonizing about rule of law! The media, in Sri Lanka in particular, also get paid off by the various German NGOs (German Agency for International Cooperation ­– GIZ) & foundations (Friedrich Ebert Stiftung – FES, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung – KAS, Heinrich Böll Stiftung – HBS, etc. The media remain unadulterated agents of MNCs and, more precisely, of the biggest US NGO called NATO! It becomes clear when this media refuse to state clearly that the wars on us, on Palestine & Russia, are nothing but white wars – ‘postcolonial’ academic production notwithstanding – meant to maintain good old imperialism.

*

They are not content to be a cork in the gushing waters

of their time but would ride the crest of the wave &

attempt to direct its course, giving it greater thrust by

whipping up the social forces which constitute

the underlying current… – SBD de Silva,

The Political Economy of Underdevelopment, 1982

15June 2025 witnesses the 7^th anniversary of the transition of our very own great economist SBD de Silva. He would have shuddered at being called an ‘economist’. And yet he saw it vital to listen carefully and learn how to challenge the everyday mutterances of those economists, also known as capitalism’s ‘hired prize fighters’.  Nevertheless, he observed, ‘If you wish to really know about the economy, take a walk along the pavement, see what is being sold, where & how it is made.’

*

In place of disinterested inquirers, there were hired prize fighters;

in place of genuine scientific research, the bad conscience

& the evil intent of the apologetic.’ – Karl Marx, Capital

*

SBD de Silva strongly felt one has to situate oneself, within the country, to studiously train a point-of-view, dedicating everything one has and can, towards the transformation of the economy. Sri Lanka has no written economic history, he’d lament. Why? Millions of words are printed on tons of imported paper exhibiting our private neuroses & endless shortcomings, our primordial fractiousness, to the world. But our own composite, complex & challenging, yet profound history over, in, on & under this beautiful terrain remains an unexamined enigma. Sri Lanka has, for instance, a preponderance of cultivators, of paddy in particular, farming in different agricultural systems, involving different relationships between people, with different outcomes. Hambantota, Moneragala, Ampara, Batticaloa, Jaffna, Rajarata. Highlands, Dry Zone, Wet Zone. Yet, most are impoverished, with their wealth sucked up by Colombo loansharks & importers, who ‘live on the village, but not in the village’. These merchants & usurers are preventing rural industrialization, which could provide employment during the seasonal gaps in rice cultivation.

     A country refers to millions of living workers who reproduce the country & the world every day. SBD thought, those who call the country an ‘island’, exude a colonial redolence, a perspective pushed by the colonial expatriate & mercenary, the absentee investor, who spent/spends brief sojourns in the country, seeing it though porthole & fort bastion, plantation portico & hotel window, making their fortunes & fleeing: with no long-term commitment to the country & its people…

     SBD de Silva’s 1982 classic The Political Economy of Underdevelopment (PEU) remains a brilliant, awe-inspiring (tho he would despise such adjectives), textual monument to dedicated scholarship, worthy of emulation by scholars everywhere. His introductory chapter examines the state of science & of scientists, the empiricists & the generalizers, the fearless & the frauds, the ‘economists & economizers’ – as once headlined an essay by his also dedicated contemporary GVS de Silva, who challenged economists who claimed to represent only the view from the kitchen.

      For SBD, science developed through ‘a process of interchange’ & challenge: ‘Do you see what I see?’ A person’s work had to be ‘adjusted to already existing work and also pave the way for others’. There was no culture of the university canteen or café brimming with people criticizing & defending the latest scientific theories. Publication has become an isolated act of narcissism to see one’s name attached to ‘ideas in print’; rather, ‘it was supposed to be an expression of one’s social involvement’. He believed humans had a natural urge to relate to society: ‘The social scientist cannot endure loneliness; for him communion is life.’

     Scientific research into society is being bought & sold on the stock market. Ask the World Bank! Publication is a requisite for university teachers to pad a CV, qualify for professorship, assure tenure, give a gloss to their university’s real-estate brand. NGOs arose to help fill that need for diversion, printing out publications en masse, which SB likened to ‘calenderr gahanava vagay’ – calendars being a sure-fire bestseller at new year!

     Corporate publishers bribe professors to demand their books on their syllabi, flooding their overpriced unreadable tomes via the restricted budgets of state (university, public) libraries. The publications end up in basements, in boxes, staring down & daring white ants to indulge their ultra-critical appetites. The universities are supposed to cradle new ideas, but by the 1980s they had become a wasteland for SB. Students only wished a scroll of paper, which declared their possible qualification for a job & tenure, and he thought such seekers could get such papyrus from any academic salesmen with lots of letters behind their names.

     That awful word, imbrication, which has filled so many unreadable postmodern PhD theses of the 21^st century, yet perhaps seems the best fit for SBD de Silva’s style of writing: Layered like bricks or tiles, one edge over the other, his carefully honed arguments are layered, tightly fitting to fashion a monument to modern scholarship, a blueprint for a foundation, fortifications, above ground & below, with a roof to build a solid country!

     SBD could spend days on constructing a sentence – one sentence! Choosing, rejecting, savoring & balancing each word. Lean manufacture? Streamlined? Each word was carefully selected so he could then arrange its sound & sense in the correct syntactic order to bring out, sustain, maximize & propel his larger argument. He did the opposite of trying to fill space to impress. He would compare long academic quotations to musical dance sequences thrown in to fill up time or keep an audience awake during a formulaic Hollywood or Bollywood movie – added to pad the requisite number of pages, to qualify as an essay or a thesis. He wondered how intellectual productivity would be commodified, how it could be deemed productive?

     To begin a chapter, SB would declare what he had tried to do so far, and what he was going to try & accomplish next. It was the same with each paragraph, the lead sentence then being explicated in the rest of lines, and woven into his next premise & paragraph. And at the end, he would conclude whether he had accomplished his objective, or failed. He was not afraid to list its shortcomings or the exceptions to his theses. He quipped, that social scientists who live off eternal funding, always ended their tomes with the sentence: ‘More investigation needs to be done…’

     Perhaps such severe prerequisites ensured he would not publish much at all. His only book is what we have bequeathed in words, along with a few articles, secret tape recordings (for he hated to be recorded, saying, ‘But what if I change my mind?’ He also despised the media’s studied superficiality: ‘Let me interview them, what do they know of the economy? Be careful of their cameras!’). So, all we have left to rely on are random notes quickly & unreliably taken & tapped down by an un-stenographic hand on a computer. And he did not give listeners much of a chance. He was old, had only so much time to live… It was like: If you want to know, don’t waste my time. Here it is. One had to listen & listen again. Ask questions, in trepidation, hoping it was the right one. Especially those of us who were not grown to be academics, let alone economists, have had to rely on common sense, which is not that common. Yet, he was always hungry for evidence of & insight into the state of the society, and wished to hear from cultivators, from workers – though he did not believe everything he heard or read. It had to be tested, comparing analysis to the police’s reconstructions of suspects faces through combing memories of facial composition .

     SBD de Silva’s incisive classic PEU scours almost the entire planet, in order to ferret out the deep roots & parasitic florescence of Sri Lanka’s distress. He unearths the different policies imposed on non-settler colonies such as Sri Lanka, compared to those in the imperialist & genocidal & settler-colonial states. We have always said, if we ever got to title a biography of this gentleman who was no gentleman, it would be from one of his favorite utterances, ‘One Thing Leads to Another’. And indeed, this is the very definition of an advancing country – the cascading production of one commodity leading to several new commodities. What the fraudsters who run the plantation, garment, tourism, etc – all non–industries – simply refuse to do, to invest more in capital accumulation, more in our people…

*

Contents:

Myanmar vs Sri Lanka: Tamil Eelam as an Indian Settler-Colonial Project?

Shenali D Waduge

The Moment that Changed a Nation

There comes a moment in every nation’s history when destiny demands a decision. In Sri Lanka, that moment came in 2006. For three decades, the country had endured unimaginable suffering under the LTTE’s reign of terror — a group that pioneered the suicide vest, abducted children for war, assassinated leaders, and massacred civilians without remorse. A generation had grown up with the constant fear of bombs, bullets, and breaking news of death. For too long, the world stood by even though 32 nations had banned LTTE — even worse, many powerful nations and NGOs enabled the violence by their silent support.  Mahinda Rajapakse was defending the Buddha Sasana that was & is the civilizational foundation & future of this sacred island & for that he cannot be found guilty.

This is specifically & covering his service to the Nation & his role as Commander in Chief of Sri Lanka’s Armed Forces.

A leader emerged in 2005. When five Presidents before him hesitated, Mahinda Rajapaksa made a bold choice but not before extending the opportunity for peace talks with LTTE-which failed. He chose to end the bloodshed. He did so under the glare of international scrutiny & relentless diplomatic pressure. And in doing so, he not only made history — he gave a nation its future back. But it cost him their wrath & hatred & impetus for revenge.

A Nation under siege — The Reality before 2006

From mid 1970s to 2006, Sri Lanka saw:

• Over100,000 lives lost to terrorism.
• Multiple suicide bombingsacross every district & province of Sri Lanka.
• Assassinations of Presidents, Ministers, unarmed civilians and even moderate Tamil leaders not to mention killing a foreign Prime Minister on foreign soil.
• Child soldiersabducted from Tamil families and forced into war. A group claiming to represent their own, kidnapped their own & turned them into killers.
• Churches and NGOs used to convert & as covert logistics hubsfor separatist propaganda.
• Foreign-funded human rights” groups kept silent on LTTE atrocities but jumped to condemn the Armed Forces.

All their hypocrisies should now be exposed.

Families feared letting children go to school. Commuters feared boarding buses. Parents took separate buses so if anything, untoward happened at least one would be alive. Every ambulance siren was followed by heartbreak. The UN, diplomats, and Western governments watched — some even harbored LTTE fundraisers under the pretext of asylum. These are the people who have the audacity to speak on human rights today.

Mahinda Rajapaksa’s turning point: when peace was weaponized

When Mahinda Rajapaksa assumed presidency in November 2005, he inherited a country caught in a false peace brokered by Norway with India’s nod of approval and signed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the LTTE.— a Ceasefire Agreement signed in 2002 that LTTE abused to rearm and regroup was a farce. Even as talks were underway, the LTTE assassinated army officials, kidnapped civilians, and fortified its territories. A much-loved Tamil foreign minister Mr. Lakshman Kadiragamar was gunned down inside his own home.

By July 2006, the LTTE’s closure of the Mavil Aru sluice gates, cutting water to over 35,000 Sinhalese and Muslim families, marked the final straw. Water was used as a weapon. The government’s attempt to restore it was met with full-scale attacks.

That was the turning point.

The end of LTTE was precipitated by their own actions.

President Rajapaksa declared:

We gave peace every chance. But the LTTE wanted only war.”

The Leadership Decision: Building the Iron Team

Faced with this growing betrayal, President Rajapaksa made a decision that none before him dared to take. He made it knowing the scale of the consequences.

This is why that decision cannot be forgotten or demeaned using a host of other reasons.

To win a war against an enemy like the LTTE with foreign-backing & support, Mahinda Rajapaksa knew leadership alone was not enough—strategy, unity, and resolve were essential.

He built an unshakeable command structure & rallied the nationalists:

His key strategic appointments:

• Gotabaya Rajapaksa– Defense Secretary, whose reforms created a war-ready, intelligence-driven military apparatus. Coordinating the war effort with Commanders who did not see eye to eye.
• General Sarath Fonseka– Army Commander, a battle-hardened soldier who brutally led the armed forces having himself become a victim of a LTTE suicide bomber. He was badly injured in Operation Yaldevi having being shot through the lung.
• Air Chief Marshal Roshan Goonetileke– Leader of the air force that neutralized LTTE supply routes.
• Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda– Architect of naval operations that decimated the Sea Tigers & their ability to provide reinforcements to fight via sea.
• Admiral Sarath Weerasekera – who led the Civil Defense Forces that protected the villages.

This team transformed a fractured security apparatus into a cohesive, disciplined, and victorious force.

He united the tri-forces and police under a single command structure, streamlined logistics, improved troop morale, and launched a humanitarian-focused military campaign. Let us also not forget the countries China, Pakistan, Israel, Russia that provided the military hardware to defeat LTTE when the nations bullying Sri Lanka today refused to do so. High level delegations were regularly sent to India to brief the of the military-humanitarian situation.

Timeline to Victory (2005–2009): Mahinda’s Strategic Steps

2006 – Ceasefire Ends

• Mavil Aru marks thefirst major government offensive.
• LTTE exposed as aggressors; government regains initiative.

2007 – Eastern Province Liberated

• Thoppigala fallsin July.
• Civil administration and elections begin in the East (democracy returned after decades)

2008 – Ceasefire Agreement Abrogated

• OnJanuary 2, 2008, the government formally exits the CFA.
• Launch of fullNorthern offensive into Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu.

2009 – Total Defeat of the LTTE

• January 2: Kilinochchi captured.
• May 16–18: Final battle in Mullaitivu; LTTE leaders eliminated.
• May 19: President Rajapaksa declares victory in Parliament.

Today we have liberated the whole country from LTTE terrorism.”

Fighting Two Wars: Military Offence & the Diplomatic Siege

As the Sri Lankan forces advanced into LTTE-held territory, the world reacted — not in support, but in sabotage.

Even as the military advanced, another battle was raging—an international campaign to stop the final assault.

Western actors and organizations demanded:

• Ceasefires that would’ve allowed the LTTE terrorists to regroup.
• Halts on heavy weapons” even as soldiers were under fire.
• Humanitarian corridors, which the LTTE turned into cover.

United Nations

Ban Ki‑moon, then UN Secretary‑General (12 April 2009), welcomed a 48‑hour pause in hostilities and urged the Sri Lankan government to uphold humanitarian standards:

I call on the Government forces to adhere scrupulously to the commitments of the Government about non‑use of heavy weapons… This is a terrible conflict that must be ended as soon as possible.”

Rosemary DiCarlo, US Envoy to the UN (27 March 2009), criticized Sri Lankan military shelling in civilian areas:

We are very concerned that the government of Sri Lanka continues its shelling in areas where there are large numbers of civilians… we understand quite a number of civilians have perished because of these attacks.”

Walter Kaelin, UN Special Representative on internally displaced persons (7 April 2009), warned:

…we’ll end up with a bloodbath… this must by all means be avoided.”

European Union

EU Foreign Ministers (24 February 2009) jointly called for an immediate ceasefire:

The EU calls for an immediate ceasefire thereby providing for the establishment of full and unrestricted access…to allow aid to reach… and enable traumatized civilians to leave.”

US, UK, Japan & Norway (co‑chairs)

Diplomats including Hillary Clinton and David Miliband (early April 2009) urged both warring sides to pause:

Clinton and Miliband called for a ‘temporary no fire period’ in the Sri Lanka conflict.” 

Additionally, Hillary Clinton stated publicly:

the entire world is very disappointed… it is causing such untold suffering.”

But President Rajapaksa refused to bow:

I will not betray the soldiers who gave their lives.

Nor the people still trapped under the LTTE.”

International Interference:

• TheUnited Nations, the EU, and Western embassies continuously demanded ceasefires — even when the LTTE used these to regroup. We can recall the landing of the foreign secretaries from UK & France. They were packed off disappointed.
• Faith-based NGOs, who never condemned the LTTE’s recruitment of child soldiers, accused the government of genocide” terms they toyed with to generate a propaganda of lies to build a front to rally against the war effort.
• Western media ran one-sided narratives, ignoring the300,000 Tamil civilians rescued by the army or any of the humanitarian efforts taken by the armed forces.

President Rajapaksa refused to be dictated to. He knew that this war was not just physical, but moral and diplomatic. The enemy had even parked a ship to rescue the terrorist leader.

His refusal to stop the final advance in May 2009, despite direct foreign threats, was a testament to his resolve:

I will not betray the soldiers who gave their lives. 

Nor the people still trapped under the LTTE.”

These statements no Sri Lankan leader would dare utter. But Mahinda Rajapakse did.

When even after 16years elected leaders are shy to praise the War Heroes as Ranaviruwo but soldiers” to appease to political correctness & funding partners, what more is there to say.

Victory — But No Applause, Only Accusations

On May 19, 2009, Mahinda Rajapaksa addressed the nation. Sri Lanka had achieved what no nation in the world had done — it defeated a terrorist group militarily while rescuing civilians simultaneously. The country had peace for the first time in 30 years. People who hid under beds in fear of LTTE have the freedom to mock President Rajapakse. It only displays their caliber.

The Aftermath: Rewarded with Accusations

But instead of recognition & accolades, the West unleashed the UNHRC.

• They demanded accountability” via legally questionable resolutions without acknowledging LTTE crimes.
• They imposedsanctions on war heroes – they promoted retributive justice against the war heroes that ended terrorism & restorative justice for the terrorists.
• They fundedTamil diaspora networks to reignite separatism & now even permit terrorist monuments for a separate State that terrorists fought for.

Not a single Western leader was prosecuted for the bloodshed in Iraq, Libya, or Afghanistan—yet Sri Lanka, which defeated a terrorist group and saved civilians, was singled out.

The Darusman Report, commissioned by the UNSG, was not a UN-sanctioned inquiry but a biased opinion with zero legal basis, leaked & became the basis for legally questionable resolutions—used to falsely reframe Sri Lanka’s victory as a crime.

The same nations that destroyed Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya with false intelligence and bombed hospitals with drones had the audacity to judge Sri Lanka.

The UNSG never commissioned a Panel of Experts for Western illegal invasions. But for Sri Lanka — a victory against terrorism — he did. It was an ugly precedent created only for Sri Lanka. The first such created after a conflict ended. A conflict that UN/UNSG /UNHRC had done nothing to stop. Statements never ended terrorism. The hypocrisy was deafening.

Warning: The Milosevic Trap — and why Sri Lanka must never repeat it

Slobodan Milošević was falsely accused of genocide, jailed, and died mysteriously in prison. 14 years later, he was exonerated — but it was too late. He was not alive to be told he did not commit war crimes. This was the punishment the West gave him. Ironically, Serbia was also accused of killing 40,000 which ended up being less than 2000.

They are trying to do the same with Mahinda Rajapaksa. His reputation was targeted. His popularity demonized. His victory reframed as a crime. But the people saw through it. He lives. And he must be honored while alive — not mourned in regret.

The Legacy of a National Liberator

History is written by the powerful. But truth is written by the people. 

The People of Sri Lanka must do their duty by a leader that has outshone all post-independent elected leaders. 

Mahinda Rajapaksa:

• Freed a nation from 30 years of terrorism,
• Rescued hundreds of thousands of Tamil civilians,
• Resisted international pressure with dignity and courage,
• Showed the people of the North & East development that they had never seen under LTTE rule.
• And proved thatSri Lanka does not need to be lectured by colonizers, but led by patriots.

He is not a war criminal.
He is not a dictator.
He is the liberator of Sri Lanka.
And it’s time we tell the world the real story. The one’s that spread lies to tarnish his image are those either hired, full of hatred, envy & jealousy as they can never match up to him.

Let the Record Show:

If Sri Lanka breathes peace today, it is because one man made the hardest decision of all on behalf of the entire Nation.
Mahinda Rajapaksa deserves not accusations, but admiration. Not sanctions, but salutes.

What can the Nation do to show their appreciation:

• Build a Defender of the Nation” national monument – commemorating Mahinda Rajapaksa, the tri-forces, and the rescued Tamil civilians — side by side with inscription:

A nation united, a terror defeated — under one flag, one leader, one army.”

• Publish a People’s Declaration of Gratitude – signature campaign to defend his legacy against false war crimes accusations, acknowledge the peace he restored, thank his for the development North & East saw thereafter.

• His political leadership must become a lesson in school textbooks alongside the leadership efforts that led to the War Victory.

• A documentary film The Man who decided to end Terror” – covering LTTE terror, betrayal by international actors, heroism & humanitarianism of the armed forces and the change North & East saw after LTTE was defeated.

• A Rajapakse Doctrine” for Global South Sovereignty – a policy & research platform that promotes national unity, sovereign decision-making, resistance to foreign interference, Sri Lanka’s counter terrorism model in patriotic think tanks & He will share with leaders like Nkrumah Sankara, Putin – everyone who resisted imperial agendas.

The West has assassinated or overthrown countless leaders who stood up to them — from Lumumba to Gaddafi, Saddam to Allende, Sankara to Milošević.
But Mahinda Rajapaksa survived, succeeded, and stood firm.

That alone demands not just respect, but a national duty to protect his legacy.

He is the only living President in the world who defeated terrorism militarily — and gave his people peace. That legacy is not his alone. It belongs to the people. Let us defend it, honor it, and carry it forward.

Shenali D Waduge

by A. Abdul Aziz,

Source: MTA International.

At this time the possibility of war is expanding, with Israel having attacked Iran and the global situation growing increasingly dire. Muslim countries remain asleep and Muslims are neglecting the power of prayer. May Allah grant them wisdom. It is imperative that Muslims unite, develop a strong identity and focus on prayer. All nations face threats, and only through unity and devotion can Muslims overcome these challenges.

(Friday Sermon, 13 th June 2025)

By Philippa Bassett

A fund-raising initiative inspired by Sri Lankan Sujith Weerasinghe, Specsavers North West London Regional Relationship Manager, has resulted in a primary and secondary school being supplied with laptops, iPads, textbooks, school bags and a SMART classroom.

Donations were raised by store partners from the North West London region who wanted to support the ‘My Hope UK Lanka Foundation’ charity founded by Sujith in 2012.

The primary aim of the charity is to provide practical assistance to underprivileged Sri Lankan communities and children who lack access to key healthcare and essential items such as sight tests and in the case of local children, shoes, school books and stationery.

Commenting on the Specsavers regional support Sujith said: ‘I was approached by the North West London regional chair and vice chair, Lyndon Matroos and Raj Kukadia, who wanted to make a difference and support the Foundation and build on the support garnered by the previous chair, Tejal Sheth.

‘The funds raised were used to donate a SMART interactive digital classroom to a secondary school in Polonnaruwa, North Central Province, and a primary school in Kandy, North Central Province, where the district educational director cut the ribbon to re-launch the state-of-the-art classroom.’

In April, over 50 children in Polonnaruwa received a pair of new school shoes and text books. Musical instruments were supplied to both schools and there are on-going plans by the charity to support further education for children in the region, including the supply of musical instruments for those with particular talents. The charity continues to provide practical assistance and hope to those children most in need.

Commenting on the achievements to date, Sujith said: ‘These donations are life changing, as they give hope to the children. Plus, more importantly it builds on their personal skills, developing their confidence, self-worth and self-esteem.

‘As a team and organisation, we remain committed to on-going projects to provide support to remote village schools in Sri Lanka.’

Mazin Qumsiyeh

Jun 13, 2025

Yesterday I told staff that there will be an attack on Iran and to stock on food. It started few hours later. It does not take a genius to figure these things out as all the signs were clear. Trump (Epstein/Mossad videos holding him by the balls) told Iran to surrender to his (Israeli) demands within 60 days. Attack happened on day 61 and only a few days after Iran released secret documents proving that the International Atomic Energy Agency (which is allowing Israel” to have many nuclear bombs) is infiltrated by the Mossad. Is anyone surprised at the turn of events? It maybe worth repeating elemental facts:

1) Zionism is a global racist political movement of which Israel” as a state is merely a stage and a sub-project (the goal is global domination).

2) This project is predicated and built on the largest mass grave and concentration camps in modern history. Liquidating Palestinians and Palestine is a prerequisite for expansion of the project. Conversely Palestinian resistance/steadfastness is also key to ending humanity’s nightmare (see http://qumsiyeh.org/popularresistanceinpalestine/ )

3) Half a million Palestinians have been massacred since 1948

4) Now 8.5 million Palestinians are refugees/displaced people.

5) The Gaza Strip is now the largest (and only) extermination camp on earth.

6) Israel cut off the internet access to the Gaza strip so the extermination/ genocide will stop being broadcast

7) International law was discarded (US veto and spineless politicians arund the world).

8) Zionism runs the US and both engage in war crimes and crimes against humanity.

9) Both empires are run by megalomaniacs not very different than Hitler, maybe only less intelligent and timed when a global war will have no winners.

10) Leaders of the vassal states helping Israel (Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, the new government of Syria, etc.) are also clueless about the shifting quick sands under their feet. They will soon be discarded by their masters.

11) the concomittant genocide and ecocide is bad for ALL: those who condone it, support it, or neutral to it. No one will be immune from the carnage.

We are living in a period of transition and the old empires are decaying. This is the time of monsters.. Empires start wars, stretch themselves too thin, then collapse. Meanwhile

weapons manufacturers propser, people die, gold and oil prices will continue to go up. So will national debts of states like the USA. Common people get poorer while the rich get richer. Many will have insouciance and denial about the grim fate they help create to others and to themselves. But the global uprising seems to be growing. We live in predictable and interesting times. You can either be active and shape your future or let the evil forces shape the future for you (and they will come for you after they finish with people in our region). No Kings” (US regime gone too far):Find a protest near you. https://www.nokings.org/ Jeffrey Sachs potent analysis https://www.youtube.com/live/iAi0uFQY_r8 Petition: Stop the genocide https://forms.gle/p8MkZSW2527RKZSj7 Toxic trash in West Bank https://www.tamirkalifa.com/ewaste

Palestinian Civil Society Call to Action Ahead of June NYC and Paris Conferences https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdYnOD8IiU7F-dsty_Un8lcWgo1IK-K-TuUq2tKztCjKV6-hQ/viewform

Israel raised $5bn in bond sales to US investors as Gaza genocide strained economy: Israel has spent some $67bn to carpet bomb Gaza and slaughter tens of thousands of Palestinians https://thecradle.co/articles/israel-raises-record-5-billion-through-bond-sales-to-fund-gaza-genocide

The genocide and ecocide continues unabated. Actions speak louder than words. Time is critical. We in Bethlehem are now under siege. All the gates to our ghetto are closed. Gaza continues to be decimated. Silence is deafening.

Stay tuned, stay humane, ACT to keep hope alive

Mazin Qumsiyeh

A bedouin in cyberspace, a villager at home Professor, Founder, and (volunteer) Director Palestine Museum of Natural History Palestine Institute of Biodiversity and Sustainability Bethlehem University Occupied Palestine http://qumsiyeh.org http://palestinenature.org

facebook pages Personal

https://www.facebook.com/mazin.qumsiyeh.9 Institute https://www.facebook.com/PIBS.PMNH

Prof. Hudson McLean

I have met several Sri Lankan Immigrants come to Finland.

As a Sri Lankan in Finland for almost fifty (50) years, most of the Sri Lankans have not learned the Facts-of-Life in Finland, The Happiest Country in the World for eight (8) years consequetive years.

These are the world’s happiest countries in 2025

These are the world’s happiest countries in 2025New Zealand has been ranked 12, while Finland holds on to the top spot.

The most important aspect in Finland is, Punctuality and Time Management, which Sri Lankans lack!

Why Finland Prefer Philippino, Indian, Vietnamese?

Finland prioritizes recruitment from the Philippines, India, and Vietnam due to their strong talent pools, particularly in sectors like technology, industry, and healthcare, and their established processes for exporting talent. These countries also represent a significant portion of work-based permit applicants in Finland. 

What are the most demanding skills in Finland? In 2025, Finland’s most demanding skills include AI and machine learning, Cybersecurity, Data Analysis, and Healthcare expertise, especially Nursing.

The average salary Finland is €4032 (approximately USD 4183) per month.

The bad news first: finding a job in Finland can be tough for non-Finnish-speakers. 

It is most likely, most of the Sri Lankan immigrants to Finland may be deported!

Express Your Opinion – Read What Others Say!
The Independent Interactive Voice of Sri Lanka on the Internet.

Please visit -: http://www.lankaweb.com/

Dasatha News

Dr Gamini Withana

The problem of child abuse is considerable in Sri Lanka and there is an urgent need to strengthen the services offered to the victims. Urgent steps are needed to safeguard these children who are affected by the abuse. There are many triggers and factors that place children at risk for abuse and neglect. Sri Lanka continues to battle the problem of child abuse. There has been an increase in the number of reported cases of child abuse in the country over the past few years. It was recently reported that 5,891 of child abuse cases were reported in the country from 2012 to 2020. There have been 54 cases of child abuse reported within the first 15 days of this year.  However, there is no national database on child abuse in Sri Lanka. This is a piece of distressing news. 

According to the experts, child abuse and neglect are the most common types of child maltreatment that impact child well-being.  Child sexual abuse, neglect, and corporal punishment are the most commonly prevailing child protection issues in the country.  In 1995, the penal code was amended to require that sexual acts with minors under the age of consent, 16, be tried under the offense of statutory rape, or under Article 365 of the penal code, which defines unnatural sexual acts and grave abuse. But delays in legal proceedings, lack of witness protection, and lack of assistance to victims are discouraging families and victims from reporting cases or seeking help. The ultimate responsibility to protect its nation’s children lies with the Government. The protection of children requires the combined and closely coordinated involvement of key players, with national governments giving the most important lead. The problem of child abuse is considerable in Sri Lanka and there is an urgent need to strengthen the services offered to the victims.

The WHO Definition of Child Abuse 

 The World Health Organization (WHO) defines Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) as the involvement of a child in sexual activity that he or she does not fully comprehend, is unable to give informed consent to, or for which the child is not developmentally prepared and cannot give consent, or that violates the laws or social taboos of society. Child Sexual Abuse Is a serious problem of considerable magnitude and it has profound consequences for the child. It is known to interfere with growth and development and has also been linked to numerous maladaptive health behaviors, and poor social, mental, and physical health outcomes throughout the lifespan. According to a survey, 90% of people sexually exploiting children are known to the children or are people whom the children trust.

Child Abuse -Sri Lanka’s Situation 

Sri Lanka is facing a nationwide crisis of child abuse. The reports on child abuse, neglect, and exploitation are increasing in Sri Lanka as well. Most child sexual abuse victims never disclose and do not receive needed treatment.  According to the figures tabled in the Sri Lankan Parliament in April 2013, there are about 15,000 legal trials pending Nationwide and more than 4,000 (27%) involve some form of violence towards a child. Parents of sexually abused children are scared to tell anyone due to fear of being shamed in society. A recent Audit Report by the National Audit Office said that 42,073 complaints (53%) had not been resolved. The report further said that cases had not been filed for 55 percent of the complaints submitted to the Attorney General within the previous 10 years. In Sri Lanka, there is also a big need for appropriately trained human resources and adequate child protection budgets. Several well-developed countries of the world have well-developed child protection systems, primarily focused on mandatory reporting, identification, and investigations of affected children, and often taking coercive action. However, Sri Lanka is not having such facilities. A lack of resources and weak political will have made it difficult for Sri Lanka to implement past legislation for protecting children.

Child Sexual Abuse  

Sexual abuse of children can be defined as contacts or interaction between a child and an older or more knowledgeable child or adult (a stranger, sibling, or person in a position of authority, such as a parent or caretaker) when the child is being used as an object of gratification for an older child’s or adult’s sexual needs. These contacts or interactions are carried out against the child using force, trickery, bribery, threats, or pressure. The studies have found a high rate of sexual abuse of both boys and girls within the family and in the community. Local newspapers, in recent times, have been carrying a disturbing number of reports on child rape and sexual harassment. A child is abused once every two hours while at least four women are raped a day in Sri Lanka, according to a top police officer.

Sex between a child and an adult is abusive because of the difference in age, use of force, and lack of understanding between them. Even, child sexual abuse never is the victim’s fault. All children and young people under the age of 18 have a right to be safe and should be protected from harm in any circumstances. One of the common factors that are found in child sexual abuse cases is that the abuse is done in return for something beneficial for the victim or perpetrator.

Some Child Sexual Abuse Perpetrators walk free

Often the complaints and cases stuck with no progress and the investigations show that very few of those cases are resolved through prosecutions. Many child abuse perpetrators walk free without facing charges. For instance, recently  Nirantha Edirisinghe and Upul Hewa were involved in serious child abuse and trading in child pornographic material. Nirantha Edirisinghe, was arrested by the Kollupitiya Police following a tip-off that underage boys were being sexually abused. It is alleged that video footage was sold to clients in foreign countries with the help of Upul Hewa who is residing in Australia. The Police seized 135 CDs containing footages of child abuse, a pen drive, hard disk, memory card, camera, and mobile phone from the suspect’s house. Many photographs of children being sexually abused were discovered in the possession of the suspect and Police say footage saved on storage devices such as CDs recovered will be sent to the Government Analyst and Experts in IT, for a full report. The police report indicates that over 20 boys within 10-12 years of age were sexually abused by Nirantha Edirisinghe.  Although this is a serious crime the suspects seem to be manipulating the investigations and obstructing justice. Recently the key investigator Mrs. Waruni Bogahawaththa had been removed from the investigation. Mrs. Waruni Bogahawaththa is a very efficient and experienced woman police officer who handled many child abuse cases successfully. Due to strange circumstances, Mrs. Waruni Bogahawaththa no longer handles this case. According to some reports the suspects have influenced the investigation by various methods. The suspects have spent a lot of money to conceal the crime. Ironically the National Newspapers maintain silence without reporting this child abuse case. We know that corruption remains part and parcel of daily life in Sri Lanka and it is a sad reality.

Nationwide Crisis

Sri Lanka is facing a nationwide crisis of child abuse. The reports on child abuse, neglect, and exploitation are increasing in Sri Lanka as well. According to the figures tabled in the Sri Lankan Parliament in April 2013, there are about 15,000 legal trials pending Nationwide and more than 4,000 (27%) involve some form of violence towards a child. Parents of sexually abused children are scared to tell anyone due to fear of being shamed in society.   Victims and perpetrators of child abuse do not typically self-report to child protection services, therefore the responsibility of detection and reporting falls on the others.

A recent Audit Report by the National Audit Office said that 42,073 complaints (53%) had not been resolved. The report further said that cases had not been filed for 55 percent of the complaints submitted to the Attorney General within the previous 10 years. In Sri Lanka, there is also a big need for appropriately trained human resources and adequate child protection budgets. Several well-developed countries of the world have well-developed child protection systems, primarily focused on mandatory reporting, identification, and investigations of affected children, and often taking coercive action. However, Sri Lanka does not have such facilities. A lack of resources and weak political will have made it difficult for Sri Lanka to implement past legislation for protecting children. Unfortunately, Sri Lanka has a long way to go to achieve globally accepted child protection standards.

Dr Gamini Withana 

National Development Bank PLC

Demonstrating its continued commitment to empowering Sri Lankans through financial solutions tailored to real-life aspirations, NDB recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ACH Education, a leading international education consultancy firm. This strategic collaboration aims to streamline the overseas education journey for Sri Lankan students, offering them comprehensive financial and advisory support, making overseas education seameless.

The official signing ceremony took place with the presence of senior representatives from both institutions. Mr. Gihan Punchihewa, Assistant Vice President – Privilege Banking, signed on behalf of NDB Bank, while Ms. Chanaka Palihakkara, Managing Director of ACH Education, represented the consultancy.

With nearly a decade of experience in the international education sector, ACH Education has successfully guided thousands of Sri Lankan students in pursuing their academic dreams in countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Canada, and across Europe. Through expert counselling, admissions assistance, and end-to-end visa support, ACH has earned a strong reputation as a trusted partner in overseas education.

Through this partnership, NDB Bank will play a pivotal role in enhancing the overseas education experience by providing seamless banking solutions including education loans, foreign remittances, and other support services vital to studying abroad. By combining NDB’s financial expertise with ACH’s global education consultancy services, students and their families can expect a more integrated and stress-free approach to planning and funding international education.

Speaking on the collaboration, Mr. Gihan Punchihewa remarked, We understand that pursuing international education is both a major milestone and a significant investment. At NDB, we are proud to stand beside students and their families, offering solutions that simplify the financial aspects of this journey. Partnering with ACH Education allows us to provide a truly end-to-end experience that supports both ambition and achievement.”

As part of this broader initiative, NDB in partnership with ACH Education recently conducted a webinar themed Step into the world of learning without borders.” Attended by over 50 participants of the Bank’s affluent clientele, the session was led by Ms. Chanaka Palihakkara, Founder and Managing Director of ACH Education. The webinar served as a valuable platform to raise awareness on global education opportunities while also highlighting NDB’s Student File offering, a comprehensive solution that caters to the financial needs of students pursuing education overseas.

NDB Bank continues to expand its network of partnerships to deliver value-added services that go beyond traditional banking, aligning with its mission of being a bank for all the moments that matter. The partnership with ACH Education exemplifies this commitment, empowering the next generation of Sri Lankans to dream beyond borders by making overseas education seamless

NDB Bank is the fourth-largest listed commercial bank in Sri Lanka. NDB was named Sri Lanka’s Best Bank for Corporates at Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2024 and was awarded Domestic Retail Bank of the Year – Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka Domestic Project Finance Bank of the Year by Asian Banking and Finance Magazine (Singapore) Awards 2024. NDB is the parent company of the NDB Group, comprising capital market subsidiary companies, together forming a unique banking and capital market services group. The Bank is committed to empowering the nation and its people through meaningful financial and advisory services powered by digital banking solutions.

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

2/3ට වැඩි පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී බලයක් ඇති මාළිමා ආණ්ඩුව විසින්
තරාතිරම නොබලා වැරදි කළ බලවතුන්ට එරෙහිව නීතිය ක්‍රියාත්මක කරන බවත්, 2024.07.18 දිනට පෙර ජනාධිපති ධූර කාලය වසර 5ක් ලෙස ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාව අර්ථනිරූපණය කිරීම නිවැරදි නොවන බව 2024.07.18 දින නිකුත් කළ  ගසට් පත්‍රයේ පළවූ 22වන ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථා සංශෝධන පනත් කෙටුම්පත නිසා තහවුරු වෙද්දී හිටපු අගවිනිසුරුවරයෙකුවන ජයන්ත ජයසූරිය මහතාට එරෙහිවත් ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාව වැරදි ලෙස අර්ථනිරූපණය කිරීම සම්බන්ධයෙන් නීතිය ක්‍රියාත්මක වෙයිද යන්න පිළිබ‍ඳ විද්වතුන් අතර සාකච්ඡාවක් පවතී.

සිය ධූර කාලය තුළදී කරන ලද නීති විරෝධී ක්‍රියාවන්ට එරෙහිව විශ්‍රාම යාමෙන් පසු නීතිය ක්‍රියාත්මක විය යුත්තේ ජනාධිපතිවරුන්ට එරෙහිව පමණක් නොවේ. එය විධායක, ව්‍යවස්ථාදායක සහ අධිකරණ යන පාලන ආයතන 3ටම අදාල විය යුතුය.

ශ්‍රී ලංකා ජනරජයේ පරමාධිපත්‍යය ජනතාව කෙරෙහි පිහිටා තිබීමත්, පරමාධිපත්‍යය අත්හළ නොහැකි බවද, පරමාධිපත්‍යයට විධායක, ව්‍යවස්ථාදායක, අධිකරණ බලය පමණක් නොව මූලික අයිතිවාසිකම් සහ ඡන්ද බලයද ඇතුළත් කර ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 3වන ව්‍යවස්ථාව දක්වා තිබීම ධූර දරන්නන්ගේ වෘත්තීය වගවීම,වගකීම, යුතුකම ව්‍යාප්තියේ තරම දක්වයි.  

බන්ධනාගාර කොමසාරිස් ජනරාල් තුෂාර උපුල්දෙණිය මහතාට, හිටපු අභියාචනාධිකරණ සභාපති විනිසුරු බන්දුල කරුණාරත්න මහතාට එරෙහිව ක්‍රියාත්මක වූ නීතිය, ජනාධිපති ධූර කාලය වසර 5ක් ලෙස ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාව වැරදි ලෙස අර්ථනිරූපණය කළ බව 2024.07.18 දින නිකුත් කළ ගසට් පත්‍රයේ පළ කරන ලද 22වන ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථා සංශෝධන පනත් කෙටුම්පත නිසා තහවුරු වෙද්දී හිටපු අගවිනිසුරුයෙකුවන ජයන්ත ජයසූරිය මහතාට එරෙහිවත් ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාව නිවැරදිව අර්ථනිරූපණය නොකිරීම සම්බන්ධයෙන් නීතිය  ක්‍රියාත්මක කිරීමට 2/3 වඩා වැඩි පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී බලයක් සහිත මාළිමාව ආණ්ඩුවට හැකි වෙයිද යන්න මෙම ලිපියෙන් සාකච්ඡා කරයි.

22වන ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථා සංශෝධන පනත් කෙටුම්පත නීතිපතිගේ අනුමැතියෙන් 2024.07.18 දින නිකුත් කළ ගැසට් පත්‍රයේ පළ කරමින් ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 83වන ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ ආ. ඡේදය සංශෝධනය කර ජනාධිපති ධූර කාලය සම්බන්ධව ඇති සාවුරුද්ද/6 යන්න පස් අවුරුද්ද/5 ලෙස සංශෝධනය කිරීමට ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 78වන ව්‍යවස්ථාව යටතේ 22වන ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථා සංශෝධන පනත් කෙටුම්පත ගැසට් පත්‍රයේ පළ කර ඇත. 

(මෙම පනත් කෙටුම්පතේ සිංහල සහ ඉංග්‍රීසි පාඨ අතර වෙනස්කම් ඇත. ඒ මුල් ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ සිංහල සහ ඉංග්‍රීසි පාඨ අතර වෙනස්කම්ද පවතින හෙයිනි. ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 3 සහ 23වන ව්‍යවස්ථා ඇසුරෙන් එකී භාෂා වෙනස්කම් දීර්ඝව සාකච්ඡා කළ යුතු වේ. මෙම ලිපියෙන් ඒ ගැන සාකච්ඡා කර නැත.)

22වන ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථා සංශෝධන පනත් කෙටුම්පත ගෙන ඒමෙන් පැහැදිලි වන්නේ ජනාධිපති ධූරකාලය අදාලව වසර 5යන්න ලෙස මේ දක්වා ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ සංශෝධනය වී නැති බවයි. එය එක්තරා නීති විශාරදයෙකුගේ අතපසු වීමක් බවත් ඒ සම්බන්ධයෙන් ජනතාවගෙන් සමාව ගන්නා බවත් ජනාධිපතිවරයෙකු අධිකරණ සහ නීති ක්ෂේත්‍රයේ ප්‍රධානීන් සහභාගී වූ උත්සවයක්දී ප්‍රසිද්ධියේ ප්‍රකාශ කර තිබුණි.

ඉන් තවත්  පැහැදිලි වන්නේ ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාව වැරදි ලෙස අර්ථනිරූපණය කරමින් ජනාධිපති ධූරකාලය අදාලව වසර 5ක් ලෙස හිටපු අගවිනිසුරුයෙකුවන ජයන්ත ජයසූරිය මහතා විසින් අර්ථනිරූපණය කර ඇති බවයි. ඒ කවර අනාගත බලාපොරොත්තු සහගතවද යන්න විශ්‍රාම යාමත් සමඟ  එක්සත් ජාතීන්ගේ ශ්‍රී ලාංකාවේ නිත්‍ය නියෝජිත ධූරය 2025.05.07 දින ඔහු ලබා ගැනීමෙන් පමණක් පැවසිය නොහැකිය.

ජනාධිපති ධූර කාලය සම්බන්ධයෙන් අර්ථනිරූපණය කිරීමේදී අණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාමය වැරදි කර ඇති බව 22වන ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථා සංශෝධන පනත් කෙටුම්පත හේතුවෙන් කරුණු එළිදරව්වන හිටපු අගවිනිසුරුයෙකුවන ජයන්ත ජයසූරිය මහතා විශ්‍රාම යාමෙන් පසු එක්සත් ජාතීන්ගේ සංවිධානයේ ශ්‍රී ලංකා නිත්‍ය නියෝජිත ලෙස පත් වීම ලබා ගෙන තිබීමද දෛවයේ සරදමකි.

හිටපු අගවිනිසුරුයෙකුවන ජයන්ත ජයසූරිය මහතා තමන් ඉදිරියට ගෙනා ජනාධිපති ධූර කාලය සම්බන්ධ නඩු වලදී ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාව නිවැරදිව අර්ථනිරූපණය කළානම් ජනාධිපති ධූරකාලය සම්බන්ධයෙන් වසර 5ක් ලෙස සංශෝධනය කිරීමට 22වන ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථා සංශෝධන කෙටුම්පත 2024.07.18 දින ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 78වන ව්‍යවස්ථාව යටතේ ගැසට් කිරීමට උවමණා වන්නේ නැත.

ජනාධිපති ධූර කාලය සම්බන්ධයෙන් වරදක් ඇති බවට වූ ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ වැරැද්ද ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණයට පෙන්වා දීමට ගිය මෙම ලිපියේ කර්තෘට සහ තවත් අයෙකුට  ලක්ෂ ගණනින් නඩු ගාස්තු නියම විය.

මීට ඉහත අවස්ථාවකදී සරත් එන්. සිල්වා හිටපු අගවිනිසුරු විසින් තමන් ලබා දුන් තීන්දුවක් සම්බන්ධයෙන් විශ්‍රාම යාමෙන් පසු ජනතාවගෙන් සමාව ගෙන තිබුණි.

22වන ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථා සංශෝධන පනත් කෙටුම්පත නීතිපතිගේ අනුමැතියෙන් 2024.07.18 දින නිකුත් කළ ගැසට් පත්‍රයේ පළ කරමින් ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 83වන ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ ආ. ඡේදය සංශෝධනය කර ජනාධිපති ධූර කාලය සම්බන්ධව ඇති සාවුරුද්ද/6 යන්න පස් අවුරුද්ද/5 ලෙස සංශෝධනය කිරීමට යාමෙන් හිටපු අගවිනිසුරුවයෙකුවන ජයන්ත ජයසූරිය මහතා විසින් ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ ජනාධිපති ධූර කාලය වසර 5ක් බවට අර්ථනිරූපණය කිරීම නිවැරදි නොවන බව තහවුරු වෙයි.

ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාව ශ්‍රී ලංකා ප්‍රජාතාන්‍ත්‍රික සමාජවාදී ජනරජයේ උත්තරීතර නීතිය වන අතර, නිදහස, සමානත්මතාවය, යුක්තිය, මූලික මානව අයිතිවාසිකම් හා අධිකරණයේ ස්වාධීනත්වය සකල ජනතාවට සහතික කරමින් ප්‍රජාතාන්ත්‍රික සමාජවාදී ජනරජයක් බවට ශ්‍රී ලංකාව පත්කිරීම සඳහා ජනතාවගේ වරම අනුව එය සම්මත කර ඇති අතර, 

විධායකය, ව්‍යවස්ථාදායකය සහ අධිකරණය ක්‍රියා කළ යුත්තේ ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ සීමා නියම අනුවය. තමන්ගේ අනාගත පෞද්ගලික බලාපොරොත්තු මත ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාව අර්ථනිරූපණය කිරීමට යාම ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාව ආරක්ෂාකර අනුගමනය කිරීමේ ප්‍රතිඥාවද / දිව්රුම් දීමද කඩ කිරීමකි.

බන්ධනාගාර කොමසාරිස් ජනරාල් තුෂාර උපුල්දෙණිය මහතාට එරෙහිව නීතිය ක්‍රියාත්මක කළා මෙන්, හිටපු අභියාචනාධිකරණ සභාපති විනිසුරු බන්දුල කරුණාරත්න මහතාට එරෙහිව නීතිය ක්‍රියාත්මක කළා මෙන් 22වන ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථා සංශෝධන පනත් කෙටුම්පත ගෙන ඒමට හේතු වූ ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාව වැරදි ලෙස අර්ථනිරූපණය කළ හිටපු අගවිනිසුරුයෙකු වන ජයන්ත ජයසූරිය මහතාට එරෙහිව නීතිය ක්‍රියාත්මක කිරීමට මාළිමා ආණ්ඩුව සමත් වෙයිද නොඑසේ නම් වැරදි කළ අයට එරෙහිව නීතිය ක්‍රියාත්මක වන්නේ වෙනත් තෝරාගන්නා අරමුණක් හෝ අරමුණු වෙනුවෙන්ද යන්න පැවසීමට තවම කල් වැඩිය.

විධායක ජනාධිපති ධූරය සම්බන්ධ ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ විධිවිධාන අතරින් එනම් ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ VIi වන පරිච්ඡේදයේ 30වන ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ සිට 41වන ව්‍යවස්ථාව දක්වා ඇති ව්‍යවස්ථා අතරින් ජනාධිපති ධූරකාලයට අදාල එනම් ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 30.2 අනුව්‍යවස්ථාවට අදාල සංශෝධන පමණක් ජනමතවිචාරණයක් මගින් ජනතාව අනුමත කළ යුතු බව සිංහල ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 83වන ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ දක්වා ඇත්තේ ඇයි? යන්න පිළිබඳවද විද්වතුන් සාකච්ඡා කළ යුතුය.

විධායක ජනාධිපති ධූරය සම්බන්ධයෙන් ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ ඇති 30.2 අනුව්‍යවස්ථාව හැර ජනාධිපති ධූරයට අදාල වෙනත් ව්‍යවස්ථාවක් සංශෝධනය කිරීමට හෝ ඉවත් කිරීමට ජනමතවිචාරණයක් මගින් ජනතාවගේ අනුමැතිය ලබා ගැනීම අවශ්‍ය බව ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 83වන ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ දක්වා නැත. එනම් ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 83වන ව්‍යවස්ථාවට ඇතුළත් වී ඇති ජනාධිපති ධූරයට අදාල එකම ව්‍යවස්ථාව වන්නේ 30.2 අනුව්‍යවස්ථාව ය.

ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ ජනතාවගේ පරමාධිපත්‍යය දැක්වෙන 3වන ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ දැක්වෙන්නේ පාලන ආයතනයක් ලෙස විධායකය පැවතීම මිස ජනාධිපති ධූරය සම්බන්ධයෙන් එහි දැක්වෙන්නේ නැත. ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 4. ආ අනුව්‍යවස්ථාවේ ජනතාව විසින් තෝරා පත්කරගන්නා ජනාධිපති ගැන සඳහන් වුවද එම ව්‍යවස්ථාව ද ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 83වන ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ ඇතුළත් කර නැත.

එනම් ජනාධිපති ධූරයට අදාල 30.2 අනුව්‍යවස්ථාව හැර ජනාධිපති ධූරයට අදාල අනෙක් ව්‍යවස්ථා සංශෝධනය කිරීමට ජනමතවිචාරණයක් මගින් ජනතාවගේ අනුමැතිය ලබා ගත යුතු බව එක එල්ලේම ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 83වන ව්‍යවස්ථාව දක්වන්නේ නැත.

මේ සම්බන්ධයෙන්ද මෙම ලිපියෙන් සාකච්ඡා කිරීමට අදහස් නොකරයි.

ලක්ෂ ගණනින් නඩු ගාස්තු නියම කළ ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණ නියෝගවලින් පසු ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 83වන ව්‍යවස්ථාව සංශෝධනය කිරීමට 2024.07.18 දින ගැසට් කළ “22” නීතියක් නොකළොත් ජනාධිපතිවරණය වසර 6කින් වන ආකාරය, ශ්‍රී ලංකා ජනරජයේ පරමාධිපත්‍යය අනුව ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණය විසින් ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාව අර්ථනිරූපණය කළ යුත්තේ සිංහල සහ ඉංග්‍රීසි ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවලින් කුමන භාෂාවෙන් ඇති ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාව අනුවද , අධිකරණ තීරණ අනුගම්‍ය පූර්වාදර්ශය ඇතුළු පරිච්ඡේද 10කින් යුත් මෙම ලිපියේ කර්තෘ විසින් සංග්‍රහ කර ඇති 11වන නීති කෘතිය වන “ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 70 ව්‍යවස්ථාව සංශෝධනයට 2002 ජනමතවිචාරණයක් අවශ්‍ය වීම, 2015 දී ජනමතවිචාරණයක් අවශ්‍ය නොවීම, සර්ව සාධාරණත්වයේ අයිතිවාසිකම සහ අධිකරණ තීරණ අනගම්‍ය පූර්වාදර්ශය” ISBN 978-955-38965-6-8

නීති කෘතියේ තෙවන මුද්‍රණයද සීමිත පිටපත් සංඛ්‍යාවක් මුද්‍රණය කරන හෙයින් පිටපතක් ලබා ගැනීමට පාඨකයන්ට ඉල්ලුම් කළ හැකිය.

එමෙන්ම ලක්ෂ ගණනින් නඩු ගාස්තු නියම කළ ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණ නියෝගවලින් පසු ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 83වන ව්‍යවස්ථාව සංශෝධනය කිරීමට 2024.07.18 දින ගැසට් කළ “22” නීතියක් නොකළොත් ජනාධිපතිවරණය වසර 6කින් වන ආකාරය සහ “22” ගැසට් කිරීමට හේතු වූ ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ වැරැද්ද කළේ කවුද මැයෙන් නීති අධ්‍යාපන වැඩසටහනක් 2025 ජූනි 21 සෙනසුරාදා පෙ.ව. 9.00 – ප.ව. 3.00 දක්වා 09, කොළඹ පාර, හඳපාන්ගොඩ වෛද්‍ය තිලක පද්මා සුබසිංහ අනුස්මරණ නීති අධ්‍යාපන වැඩසටහන් දේශන ශාලාවේදී පැවත්වීමට කටයුතු යොදා ඇති අතර ආසන කලින් වෙන්කර ගැනීමටද අවස්ථාව සළසා ඇත.

http://neethiyalk.blogspot.com/2025/06/22_13.html?m=1

නීතීඥ අරුණ ලක්සිරි උණවටුන
B.Sc(Col), PGDC(Col) සමායෝජක,
වෛද්‍ය තිලක පද්මා සුබසිංහ අනුස්මරණ  නීති අධ්‍යාපන වැඩසටහන.
දුරකථන 0712063394
2024.06.09

Courtesy Daily Mirror

Colombo, June 12 (Daily Mirror) – The new government which recalled all 16 Sri Lankan heads of mission in December, last year is yet to fill up eight of them despite the lapse of half of the year now, the Daily Mirror learns.

Out of these 16 missions, the government took measures to fill vacancies only at eight missions, and seven of them were with political appointees in stark contrast to its pre-election rhetoric that Sri Lanka’s Foreign Service would not be politicized. The ruling National People’s Power (NPP) was a major critic of the previous governments for politicization of the Foreign Service.

However, it has now made political appointments to the Sri Lankan missions in key countries such as the United Kingdom, Japan, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Cuba and Pakistan are the other two countries where appointments have been made from outside the service. Former Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya has been appointed Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.

The government recalled all the political appointments made by the previous government but not Sri Lankan Ambassador in Washington DC Mahinda Samarasinghe. It triggered concerns among career diplomats.

The past governments used to make political appointments at will, and most of the time relatives of politicians- sons, daughters, daughters’ in law, and siblings – were chosen. However, the new government has not picked relatives of ruling party politicians for diplomatic posts.

Yet, it has failed to make appointments to eight missions even after six months. At the moment, Sri Lankan missions in Malaysia, Kenya, Oman, Nepal, the Seychelles, Iran, Oman and Indonesia operate without heads of missions.

The government is also hamstrung in finding enough diplomats to run all the missions and various divisions in the Foreign Ministry because of lack of recruitments to the Foreign Service. There was a batch recruited last year. Before that, the last recruitment was made in 2018 after a gap of three years.

Courtesy Daily Mirror

Colombo, June 13 (Daily Mirror) – Highlighting the new investment opportunities emerging in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake extended an open invitation to German investors to explore and participate in tourism-related ventures in the country.

The President, currently on an official visit to the Federal Republic of Germany, met with representatives from the German Tourism and Travel Industry Associations and Outbound Tour Operators this morning (13) at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Berlin. The discussions focused on fostering stronger partnerships between the two countries in the tourism sector.

During the meeting, President Dissanayake outlined the Sri Lankan government’s progressive initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable tourism. He emphasized ongoing infrastructure improvements, global promotional campaigns, and strengthened safety protocols designed to position Sri Lanka as a premier travel destination built on responsible and sustainable practices.

The President also drew attention to key areas of focus, including human resource development within the tourism industry, the promotion of cultural and eco-tourism, and the introduction of environmental protection initiatives. These efforts, he noted, form part of a broader strategy to enhance the tourism sector while safeguarding the island’s natural landscapes and rich cultural heritage.

By Bhagya Silva Courtesy Daily Mirror

Colombo, June 13 (Daily Mirror) – The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) informed the Colombo Magistrate’s Court today that the Attorney General has concluded that no criminal offense had occurred in the process of reducing the special commodity levy on imported sugar from Rs. 50 to 25 cents per kilogram, a decision made four years ago. 

Further investigations has been recommended to determine if any party or individual had gained undue benefit or committed acts of bribery or corruption in connection with the tax cut.

This information was presented before Additional Magistrate Keminda Perera during the proceedings related to the ongoing investigations into whether the benefit from the sugar tax reduction, which came into effect at midnight on October 13, 2020, was passed on to the public or wrongfully accrued by certain individuals or groups.

The CID, citing the Attorney General’s opinion, stated that although no criminal wrong doing has been identified in the decision-making process of the tax reduction itself, the Attorney General has advised further inquiries to ascertain whether anyone received an illegal benefit, bribe or had engaged in corrupt transactions in relation to the policy decision.

After reviewing the Attorney General’s guidance and related documents submitted by the CID, the Additional Magistrate instructed the CID to hand over all relevant reports, files and evidence to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC). The Magistrate emphasised that CIABOC should continue the probe to identify whether any public officials or private individuals had committed offenses involving bribery or illicit gains as a result of the sugar tax reduction.

The case arises from a complaint lodged by Mahinda Siriwardena, former Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilisation and National Policies, prompting the CID to launch an investigation. At the time, numerous parties alleged that the government incurred a loss exceeding Rs. 160 billion as a result of the tax cut and that the expected benefits were not passed on to the public, sparking claims of a large-scale sugar tax fraud.

Shenali D Waduge

Sri Lanka is a nation proud of its rich culture, deep religious traditions, and warm hospitality. Tourists from around the world come here to experience our heritage, natural beauty, and vibrant society. Yet, with this privilege comes responsibility — every visitor must respect and abide by Sri Lanka’s laws, customs, and visa regulations. Unfortunately, violations of these rules—whether through ignorance or willful disregard—are increasingly common, threatening our social fabric, security, and international reputation.

The rule of law is the cornerstone of a sovereign nation. It guarantees that every individual—citizen or visitor—is held accountable to the same legal standards, protecting national security, social harmony, and justice without exception. It is imperative that all relevant Sri Lankan authorities — including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department of Immigration and Emigration, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Sri Lanka Police, and Ministry of Tourism — act decisively and uniformly to enforce laws and visa conditions against all tourists without exception.

Sri Lankans traveling abroad abide by strict rules and regulations governing their conduct. Our citizens face limitations on carrying religious artifacts, bringing traditional foods, and undergo rigorous security screenings that may intrude on personal privacy. They respect foreign laws prohibiting working, preaching, or conducting business on tourist visas.

If Sri Lankans must respect such laws abroad, the same standards must unquestionably apply to all foreign visitors entering Sri Lanka. No exceptions. The law is universal and reciprocal — those who come to our shores on tourist visas must strictly abide by Sri Lankan laws and visa conditions, including the prohibition on unauthorized work, business activities, religious preaching, or any economic activity.

Tourists must respect Sri Lanka’s cultural and religious norms

Foreign tourists on tourist visas must adhere to the legal framework governing their stay. However, reports and observations reveal numerous violations occurring under the guise of tourism — activities that threaten our economy, culture, and sovereignty:

• Working without proper permits or engaging in business activities on tourist visas, which is illegal.
• Operating as tour guides or running transport services such as tri-shaws
• Renting or leasing properties with the intent to sublease for commercial gain, violating visa conditions.
• Establishing or funding unauthorized religious activities, prayer centers, or proselytizing on tourist visas.

Sri Lanka’s Buddhist heritage and religious customs command profound respect. Yet many visitors violate these norms by:

• Disrespecting Buddha images, such as posing disrespectfully or wearing tattoos and clothing featuring Buddha’s image.
• Ignoring dress codes and protocols at temples (not removing shoes, wearing inappropriate attire).
• Taking unauthorized photographs in sacred spaces.
• Exhibiting public displays of affection or boisterous behavior frowned upon in conservative society.

Such behavior undermines Sri Lanka’s cultural dignity. Visitors must be educated and, if necessary, penalized to prevent these offenses.

These violations are not minor oversights; they undermine the integrity of our immigration system and the rule of law. Allowing such breaches sends a dangerous message that some are above the law — an intolerable precedent for a nation committed to justice and fairness.

Ministries and Authorities must Act — Now

Responsibility for enforcing these laws falls squarely on key government bodies, including:

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Department of Immigration and Emigration
• Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority
• Ministry of Tourism
• Sri Lanka Police/Tourist Police and law enforcement agencies

These agencies must urgently review existing laws and enforcement mechanisms to:

• Close loopholes enabling abuse of tourist visa conditions.
• Strengthen monitoring systems for foreign visitors’ activities including overstay
• Enforce penalties against individuals and businesses violating visa and immigration laws, regardless of nationality or status.
• Equip and mandate frontline officers at ports of entry and within the country to detect and prevent illegal tourism-related activities.
• Collaborate to maintain Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and uphold international commitments.
• Take action against locals partnering with tourists for profit from illegal activities.
• Establish a public hotline for reporting violations by tourists.
• Launch proactive public awareness campaigns and provide clear multilingual information about visa rules and cultural expectations to educate tourists before and during their visit.

No exception, No Excuse — The Law Is Equal for All

The rule of law must be applied impartially and consistently. Whether the violator is from America, Europe, India, China, Israel, or elsewhere, they must be held accountable. Selective enforcement or inaction erodes public trust and compromises national security.

Moreover, law enforcement officials and government personnel who neglect or deliberately ignore violations must themselves face consequences. Impunity breeds contempt for law and invites further disorder.

We also urge foreign diplomatic missions to cooperate with Sri Lankan authorities by advising their citizens on the importance of respecting local laws and visa conditions, fostering mutual understanding and lawful travel.

Preserving Sri Lanka’s Sovereignty, Integrity, and Social Harmony

Sri Lanka must demonstrate zero tolerance for tourist visa abuses and illegal activities under any pretext. Respect for the law strengthens our country’s image, safeguards our people, and secures the benefits of responsible tourism.

Protecting our local communities from exploitation linked to illegal commercial or religious activities by tourists is essential to preserving social harmony and community well-being.

Unchecked violations risk damaging Sri Lanka’s hard-earned reputation as a safe, respectful, and culturally rich destination, directly impacting tourism revenue and local livelihoods, as well as giving a bad name to the countries of origin of these tourists.

We call upon the government and all relevant agencies to enforce justice without delay or bias. The time to act decisively is now.

Timely and consistent action against individual tourist violations is essential. Failure to address these breaches promptly fosters unnecessary negative public sentiment not just against the individual offender but unfairly against the entire country of origin. This breeds unwarranted generalizations and prejudices toward nations with which Sri Lanka shares long-standing historical, diplomatic, cultural, and economic ties. Protecting these valued relationships depends on upholding justice swiftly and fairly, ensuring that one person’s misconduct does not tarnish the reputation of entire communities or countries.

Most of all, Sri Lanka must prevent jungle law & kangaroo courts taking place when people take the law into their hands because the Government & officials looked the other way or neglected their duty.

Preventing Jungle Law, Vigilantism, and Radicalization

Most of all, Sri Lanka must prevent jungle law and kangaroo courts from taking place when people take the law into their own hands because the Government and officials looked the other way or neglected their duty. Inaction must also not leave room for radicals to exploit the situation and justify violent reactions. We must carefully consider every angle and possibility that could be manipulated to create mischief or unrest within Sri Lanka, as the motive to destabilize our nation remains alive and persistent.

Unchecked, these gaps in enforcement can be weaponized by malicious actors — both local and foreign — who seek to destabilize our nation under the guise of grievance or activism. Every Sri Lankan citizen must keep this possibility in mind and be vigilant. We must not allow ourselves to be fooled, provoked, or manipulated into joining any divisive or destructive action that would push Sri Lanka into deeper turmoil.

Timely, visible enforcement of the law — especially in the case of tourist visa violations — is not merely an administrative or Governmental duty. It is a strategic national imperative that protects our social cohesion, international relations, and internal peace, and requires the vigilance of all Sri Lankan citizens for the good of the nation.

Shenali D Waduge

National Development Bank PLC

In keeping with its commitment to empowering women through meaningful financial solutions, NDB proudly introduces exciting gifts from NDB Araliya, to women who empower the nation”. Running from 1st June to 31st July 2025, this exclusive campaign rewards both new and existing NDB Araliya account holders with special gifts for qualifying deposits made during the promotional period.

NDB Araliya is a dedicated women’s savings account that encourages financial independence, resilience, and long-term planning. This promotion offers women across Sri Lanka the chance to benefit from their savings habits in more ways than one. Customers who deposit Rs.15,000 or above during the campaign period will receive exciting gifts . These gifts serve as thoughtful tokens of appreciation for the trust and loyalty shown by Araliya account holders, and as a further incentive for women to strengthen their financial footing.

Open to both new and existing customers, the campaign reflects NDB’s belief that every woman should be rewarded for taking proactive steps toward securing her future. Whether opening a new account or topping up an existing one, eligible customers can enjoy exclusive benefits during the promotion period.

Beyond the campaign, the NDB Araliya account offers a range of unparalleled benefits designed with women’s financial well-being in mind. These include a free life protection cover of up to Rs.1,000,000 for the account holder and her immediate family, as well as a free hospitalization cover for both the account holder and her loved ones. Additionally the Bank offers a free NDB Shilpa Children’s savings account with a maximum deposit of Rs. 25,000 during child birth as well. In recognition of long-term saving discipline, Araliya customers maintaining a monthly average balance above Rs.25,000 are also entitled to a special gift voucher on their 21st birthday. Additionally, account holders receive a personalized Araliya-branded ATM debit card and many more exclusive benefits.

NDB provides special loan facilities tailored for female entrepreneurs and salaried women, supporting their dreams of launching or growing a business, or simply managing life’s daily needs with greater confidence.

With the Araliya Women’s Savings Account, NDB continues to make strides in creating financial tools that resonate with the evolving needs of women. This promotion is yet another initiative that reaffirms the Bank’s unwavering dedication to recognizing and uplifting the role of women in the economic and social fabric of the nation.

This commitment is also reflected in NDB’s continued efforts through Vanithabhimana, the flagship initiative that honours and celebrates Sri Lankan women who have made remarkable contributions across sectors, driving progress within their communities and beyond.

Customers are encouraged to visit their nearest NDB branch or visit https://www.ndbbank.com/personal-banking/accounts/araliya-women-savings-account learn more about the NDB Araliya account and participate in this limited-time promotion.

George Galloway

Pepe Escobar. That which does not kill us makes us stronger. In heaven, all the interesting people are missing. Not so on earth

ජර්මානු වෛද්‍ය විද්‍යාලයේ මහාචාර්ය නිශාන් සී විජේසිංහ

බිතාන්‍ය යටත් විජිත සමයේ මෙරටට හඳුන්වාඳුක් නත්තසූරිය ශාකය (Mexican sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia); ඉතා පුලූල් පාරිසරික සහ දේශගුනික තත්වයන් තුල ව්‍යාප්තවේ.

මෙහි බීජ සුලඟින් මෙන්ම ජලයෙනුත් ව්‍යාප්ත වේ.

එහි කඳන් ද පහසුවෙන් සිටුවා වගා කළ හැක.

එහි පරාගනය මී මැස්සන් විසින් ද පැතිරෙයි.

එය කෘෂිකාර්මික වැටවල් ලෙසද භාවිතා කරන ලදී.

ශාක පත්‍ර කාබනික ගොවිතැන සඳහා සහ ශාකසාර ඖෂධයක් ලෙස භාවිතා කරන ලදී.

එහි මල් මී මැස්සන් ආකර්ෂණය කරයි, එබැවින් වල් මී පැණි නිෂ්පාදනය වැඩි කරයි.

ආහාරයට ගත හැකි පිසින තෙල් නිෂ්පාදනය සඳහා ශාකයේ බීජ භාවිතා කරන ලදී.

දුම්කොළ ආක්‍රමණයට පෙර සිගරට් සෑදීම සඳහා එහි විජලනය වූ මල් භාවිතා කරන ලදී.

මගේ මගපෙන්වීම යටතේ; ගමින් ගම, මෙම ශාකය නැවත වගා කිරීම සහ එයින් සකස් කළ හැකි නිෂ්පාදන සැකසීම හරහා ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ පිරිසිදු ආර්ථිකයකට සහ නැගී එන සමාජයකට නායකත්වය දිය හැකිය.

Udaya Gammanpila