With the help of Vostro account in local currency, Sri Lanka will be able to seamlessly import from neighbouring India without worrying about its depleting dollar supply.
New Delhi: Economic crisis-hit Sri Lanka has been keen to trade in the Indian rupee and to speed up the process, an Indian public sector bank – Indian Bank – has received a regulatory approval to hold special Vostro accounts of three banks from the South Asian island nation.
Notably, Indian Bank, headquartered in southern India’s Chennai, has had a long presence in Sri Lanka. The financial institution is expected to activate the special accounts in about a week.
A report by Economic Times quoted a person aware of the clearance saying, RBI (Reserve Bank of India – the country’s central bank) has given permission for three vostros…. The accounts are expected to be functional any day now.”
With the help of Vostro account in local currency, Sri Lanka will be able to seamlessly import from neighbouring India without worrying about its depleting dollar supply.
The Vostro accounts would also aid Sri Lanka utilise rupee lines extended by India and would contribute towards stabilising the economy of Colombo.
Last month, Sri Lanka agreed to used Indian rupee (INR) for international trade.
What is rupee trade settlement mechanism?
Last year in July, the RBI opened up rupee trade. It came at a time when the dollar was appreciating at a very fast rate. Also, a lot of sanctions were imposed on Russia.
To mitigate both the issues, the central bank of India – RBI – came up rupee trade mechanism.
How does it work?
Rupee trade settlement mechanism is a method of using INR instead of dollars and other big currencies for international transactions.
Now, trade transactions are done in US dollar since it is the globally accepted payment benchmark.
With the rupee trade mechanism, the exporter can receive or pay remittances in rupee.
For the unversed, dealing and payments of most of imports, including crude oil and several overseas transactions by India have to be paid in US dollar.
India has to sell INR to buy dollars to pay OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) for its oil imports.
Also, INR is not fully convertible and, therefore, it is often difficult to get buyers for it. On the other hand, USD has higher demand as compared to INR and its supply is controlled by the Fed.
If the trade is done in rupees, RBI will not be required to look for buyers for INR to sell dollars in return.
For example, if a buyer in India enters into a transaction with a seller from Spain, he/she first has to convert rupee into dollars to make payment of the purchase.
After receiving those dollars, the seller will have to get the amount converted into euro. Both the parties involved will incur the conversion expenses and also face the risk of foreign exchange rate fluctuations.
India has been reportedly looking to bring countries that are short of dollars into the rupee trade settlement mechanism.
A Vostro account will enable countries to get the invoice of the goods and services made in Indian rupees if the counterparty has a Rupee Vostro account. They will no longer have to pay or receive dollars.
What are Vostro accounts?
Vostro is an inter-bank, inter-country accounts.
For example, a bank in India does not have a branch in other country, say Denmark. So, this bank opens an account in another bank in Denmark, which is already present in the european country. This is called as Authorised Dealer (AD) for which it takes the AD permission from the RBI.
Rupee Vostro accounts keep a foreign entity’s holdings in the Indian bank in INR. When an Indian buyer wants to make transaction in rupees with a foreign trader, the amount will be credited to this Vostro account. When the Indian exporter needs to be paid for goods supplied, this Vostro account will be deducted, and the amount will be credited to the exporter’s account.
For example, a bank of Denmark may approach an AD bank in India for the opening of Special Rupee Vostro account. After which, the AD bank will seek approval from RBI with details of the arrangement and post the approval granted by the India’s central bank, the Special Rupee Vostro account in the Indian AD bank by a Denmark bank will get operational.
The trade settlement between the two parties can then start in INR. Also, the exchange rate between the currencies of the two trading nations may be market determined.
Giving greater flexibility to Vostro facility, the Indian central bank last November clarified that the rupee balances lying in the accounts can be hedged so that foreign companies can minimise their losses from foreign exchange fluctuations.
Also, the RBI has given its approval to transfer balance in one special rupee Vostro account to a similar account of another bank from the same country.
Last month, Russia became the first country to begin settlement of foreign trade in rupee, giving up dollar and euro all together.
About 35 nations have expressed interest in better understanding the rupee trade mechanism. They include neighbours such as Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar which have been grappling with a shortage of dollar reserves.
As per reports, Tajikistan, Cuba, Luxembourg and Sudan have also been talking to India about using the mechanism.
On Friday, RBI governor Shaktikanta Das said rupee settlement for cross-border trade has huge potential. He added that the central bank has initiated talks with some nations in South Asia to facilitate such trade.
We are already in discussions with some of the countries in this region to facilitate rupee settlement of cross-border trade in the South Asian region. So, that can be another area which has a very big potential in the years to come,” he said.
Author: Editorial Board, ANU Courtesy East Asia Forum
If you think your New Year hangover was bad, spare a thought for Sri Lanka. In 2022 what was once a dynamic economy on its way to high middle-income status became a cautionary tale of how rotten politics, and the bad policy it produces, can trump otherwise promising economic prospects.
As Dushni Weerakoon writes in this week’s lead article, a continuation of our Year in Review series on the major developments of the year across the region, Sri Lanka has set out on a hard road to recovery in a political environment not conducive to the structural reforms the country needs to achieve its potential.
Further bad news, Weerakoon says, is that ‘the standard IMF policy prescription that demands stringent financial discipline means that adjustment costs will be front-loaded, preventing the government from spending its way out of recession. Accordingly, taxes are being hiked and expenditures are being cut’ to get the Fund’s money in the door.
From the IMF’s perspective, this is a feature of the Extended Fund Facility, rather than a bug. The IMF program is intended to help Sri Lanka restore macroeconomic stability and implement necessary reforms, including anti-corruption reforms, to address medium-term balance of payments challenges — rather than subsidising the government’s day-to-day expenses. ‘Even if everything goes according to plan, it will be another two or three years before the Sri Lankan public feels any real improvement in economic conditions.’
That timeframe could be of great importance. As Weerakoon notes, ‘[w]ith all the uncertainties, next year will be crucial for Sri Lanka as it gears up for the all-important presidential elections in 2024.’ Until then President Ranil Wickremasinghe — an ally of the ousted Rajapaksa brothers who was installed by parliament after they fled the country in July 2022 — will navigate both the international debt restructuring negotiations and the domestic policies they entail without any electoral mandate.
For this reason, as Weerakoon says, ‘[a]n economic crisis can sometimes be the catalyst of a major economic overhaul, but in the absence of political stability the downside risks are significant. Governments have far fewer resources in hand to compensate those who are bound to lose out from reforms.’
The Sri Lanka situation occurs against the backdrop of the need for new modes of global debt governance as the international landscape of sovereign creditors becomes more diverse, with China, the Gulf states and India, and private and state-owned creditors based in these countries, all claiming larger roles as development financiers abroad.
As the role of non-traditional creditors grows, governance frameworks for global debt need to change. Recent controversies over the role that Chinese lenders have played in the debt crises afflicting Tonga and Tanzania haven’t substantiated the ‘debt trap’ narrative — nor has China’s role in Sri Lanka’s current problems. Rather, they’ve obscured a more mundane but equally concerning reality: that Chinese lenders got out over their skis in extending loans abroad, driven by a complex mixture of domestic commercial and bureaucratic interests. It’s in everybody’s interest, including China’s, that its overseas lending practices are guided by more clearly-articulated policy principles and are executed with more transparency that has been the case so far.
The impulse to make the developing-world’s debt problem the object of geopolitical rivalry shouldn’t distract from a more worthwhile goal: to fold China, as well as the other emerging non-traditional leaders into fit-for-the times coordination — and, if necessary, adapting those frameworks to the reality that business as usual is increasingly an anachronism. As the World Bank’s chief economist warned in a recent interview, ‘we are applying a restructuring model that was devised for another time’, when Western governments or multilateral lenders were dominant. The Paris Club creditors’ coordination group no longer reflects the creditor mix in emerging economies.
Change is in the interests of all the stakeholders in this mix. The need for multilateral economic coordination through bodies like the G20 couldn’t be clearer. The beleaguered G20 Common Framework for Debt Treatments beyond the DSSI has had only one country achieve debt restructuring in two years. One significant improvement could be expanding eligibility to middle-income countries: until its December ‘reverse graduation’ under the World Bank, Sri Lanka was ineligible — as alluded to in the 2022 Bali G20 Leaders Declaration which noted that members were ‘concerned about the deteriorating debt situation in some vulnerable middle-income countries’.
Sri Lanka will likely face economic pressures for much of the decade ahead, but it would do well to take inspiration from the experience of the region in moving past the Asian Financial Crisis. Indonesia was forced to ‘reverse graduate’ in 1999 in order to access concessional finance but proceeded to graduate again in 2008 and is now a powerhouse economy in the region, whose sustained run of sound macroeconomic management can in no small part be put down to the memories of the traumas of the crisis and its aftermath.
If there’s a silver lining to the hard years ahead for Sri Lanka, it is to be found in the hope that its elites will never allow a repeat of the abysmal policymaking that its people are now paying for with their economic livelihoods.
The EAF Editorial Board is located in the Crawford School of Public Policy, College of Asia and the Pacific, The Australian National University.
Wildlife officials have been advised by their director general to arrest people who feed wild elephants and those cause harm to them, after increasing incidents have been reported.
Director General of Wildlife Department, Chandana Suriyabandara said that incidents were reported not only on the Buttala-Kataragama road, but also in other places like Udawalawa, Habarana, etc.
The attention of the ministry in this regard had been focused on the news published in the media as well as on social media, showing cases of accidents to vehicles due to attacks by wild elephants on the Buttala-Kataragama road, he said.
Accordingly, the damage caused by wild elephants has increased due to people traveling in vehicles on those roads, feed the pachyderms, he said.
They said the animals used to get food from the vehicles, and some passengers and drivers tried to harm the wild elephants by driving them away with thorns.
Minister Mahinda Amaraweera advised the Wildlife Director General to initiate a short-term program immediately to minimize such incidents.
As a result, officers and vehicles from the Yala Forest Site Office were deployed over the last four days, from 5:00 am to midnight and mobile vehicles were used to drive away the wild elephants that were straying on the Buttala-Kataragama road, to prevent vehicle accidents.
The wildlife department says that during the past four days, due to the deployment of mobile vehicles on the Buttala-Kataragama road, wild elephants have stopped coming towards the road, and incidents of damage to vehicles have not been reported during that period.
Wild Life Director General Chandana Suriyabandara said that the wildlife department has decided to continue to apply this program from now on. (Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama)
Kanchana Wijesekera, Minister of Power and Energy stated that cabinet approval has been granted to amend the general policy guidelines for the electricity industry and to implement a cost-effective electricity tariff beginning from January 2023.
The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) today said that they cannot accept the proposed electricity tariff hike and said the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is not incurring a huge loss over the past few years.
While accepting the public petition signed by 6.9 million electricity consumers at his office, PUCSL Chairman Janaka Rathnayaka said today that at least Rs. 35 billion goes out of the CEB indirectly and the CEB does not incur losses.
The prime reason for the loss was due to the inability to accurately manage Rs. 35 billion. The ordinary tax policy of the country had been violated when taking the decision to increase the electricity tariff.
When valuing one metric ton of coal, there is a US$90 price difference. “There is an error in this calculation,” he said.
As a result, the PUCSL has full authority to reject the cabinet decision and announce that the electricity tariff hike based on incorrect values. “The proposal for the electricity rate revision is an illegal decision taken by the ministry,” Rathnayaka added. (Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama)
Currently there is an ongoing tussle between the Power & Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera (KW) in one corner and Janaka Ratnayake (JR), the Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), in the other. As a result, the Minister is on his own, whilst JR is supported by the CEB Engineers Union, CEB Trade Union Alliance, Electricity Consumers Association and pretty much the rest of the country!
It is over the proposed electricity tariff increase effective January 2023. The Minister is on record that if the country is to enjoy an uninterrupted power supply in the forthcoming year, then a significant rate increase is required. That the increase in tariff is being proposed just a few months after a substantial rise, along with an increase in direct and indirect taxes and hyperinflation, is a justifiable cause for concern.
However, what is being forgotten is that there was no tariff increase between 2014 and August 2022 despite the rise in costs. The two-state banks have funded those losses placing a great deal of stress on those banks vis-a-vis their depositors. I have also read that the Independent Power Suppliers have not been paid around Rs. 150 billion for power supplied.
None of those criticizing the proposed tariff increase today demanded a cost-reflective charge in the intervening years. Those who were members of the PUCSL during the period 2014 and August 2022 stand guilty of dereliction of their duty. I believe the Act requires the PUCSL to adjust the tariff yearly according to the cost incurred by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB). No doubt, they succumbed to political pressure exerted by those in power and did not discharge their duties as an independent regulator.
To the credit of the minister, he is championing a cause that will not make him popular. Quite a contrast from those who have previously held that portfolio.
A quote that sums up our predicament Electricity is something that people cannot live without in the modern day. Without it, life will be so much more difficult and slow. Therefore, people need to learn how to value electricity and learn how to produce it from renewable sources (Carolyn Anderson). See Table 1
Yes, we have all gotten used to flicking a switch, and getting our electricity. At least, that was the case in Sri Lanka until the beginning of 2022. Even poorer households are used to having electricity on demand, whether to light a bulb in the evening or watch television for entertainment. But, of course, any power interruption angers people. Those who govern us and are responsible for making challenging and, at times, unpopular decisions pandered to our wishes to keep us happy. So whenever hydro-power was insufficient, the CEB was asked to provide uninterrupted power using expensive fossil fuel. But, unfortunately, the incremental cost of such generation was not recovered from the consumers. So as consumers ( domestic and commercial), we got used to bad habits.
Now that the chickens have come home to roost due to the economic Armageddon we are in and the need to introduce a cost-reflective power charge is causing significant heartburn. I am not underestimating the financial challenges that a tariff increase will cause for most domestic and commercial consumers. However, we also need to sit back and reflect on whether, as citizens of an impoverished nation, we have a right to demand uninterrupted power at below cost.
There is a trust deficit in the government, or should I say there is absolutely no trust! For example, the minister has said that a unit of electricity will cost Rs. 56.90 if the CEB is to supply uninterrupted power in 2023. However, projected cost invariably involves various assumptions. For example, if CEB assumes that rainfall will be less than what we have been blessed with in the last two years, it is a fair assumption.
However, the minister must be blamed for not sharing the assumptions made by the CEB in a public document. Had he done so, it would have enabled various independent power experts like Dr Tilak Siyambalapitiya and others to confirm that the projected tariff accurately reflects the cost. Suppose the revised tariff is proven excessive at the end of the year, there can be a refund made to the consumers, or the following year’s increase can be reduced, or indeed the surplus is used to settle the bank loans and the independent power supplier dues. Ultimately CEB customers should not expect the state bank depositors to bear the loss.
I have reproduced the CEB bill that has analyzed the charge levied to my residence based on the consumption of 299 units in a particular month. According to the CEB, I have been charged Rs. 7,391.17 over the cost. But, unlike certain parliamentarians, I settle my bills in full.
I now realize that in addition to paying a significant amount as income tax every year, paying for private health and educating children privately, I am also being asked to subsidize many customers of the CEB.
Whilst I subscribe to the view that the better-off need to pay taxes to support the less well-off, this responsibility appears to be overburdening some of us. I, therefore, support the statement made by the minister that all consumers, including places of worship, are charged a uniform rate of RS. 56.90 per unit, and the government makes a cash transfer to those entitled to a subsidy due to their lower income. However, I am sure many will not be entitled to the cash transfer and will still need to pay the higher rate. It is certainly not an easy discussion, but ultimately we can no longer continue to operate state enterprises at a loss. See Table II
I cannot understand why Buddhist temples and Christian churches have demanded a lower rate. Driving around, you observe many temples and churches that are excessively illuminated, contributing to the wastage of electricity. Similarly, hotels badly impacted by the revision of tariffs are also significant electricity users. Unfortunately, architects and owners of hotels have not designed their properties with energy conservation as an essential operational requirement.
What of the actions of the Chairman of the PUCSL? Is it his duty to consider the fairness of the tariff as applicable to religious institutions and the poorer segment of the population as opposed to ensuring that the tariff is in line with the cost of supplying electricity by the CEB?
There is no doubt in my mind that JR thrives on publicity through the media. Last year in the period leading up to the lengthy power cuts, there was confusion concerning the duration of power cuts, as pronounced by the CEB Engineers and the Chairman of the PUCSL.
When the Chairman of the PUCSL publicly contradicted the CEB engineers, the consumers were confused and unable to plan their activities, not knowing the exact length of the power interruption. However, after a few days, the CEBEU pronouncement proved to be correct, and there was a lingering doubt about whether the confusion was a result of the protocol as to who was authorized to announce the duration of the cuts as opposed to the actual duration of the power cut.
On a lighter note, many a joke is being made of the attire of JR, which includes a waistcoat which is now pretty uncommon even in countries where it originated. Is it part of his everyday attire, or only for media conferences?
As an independent regulator, I believe that the PUCSL needs to deal with facts concerning the cost of electricity generation and not indulge in political rhetoric.
The Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers Union (CEBEU) and The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) United Trade Union Alliance have also been at the forefront of criticizing the revision of rates. However, their actions can be deemed to be hypocritical.
The CEB Engineers have been criticized for lengthy delays in approving the connection to the grid of solar-generating power panels for both commercial and residential customers. Given the low-cost option of generating solar power, there is no justifiable reason for such delays.
The recent disclosure and publication of the monthly wage bill of the CEB should be an eye-opener as to how consumers are being made to pay for a wage bill that seems outrageously excessive. In addition, some of the costs need an explanation. For example, despite the CEB being significantly overstaffed, the monthly overtime bill is approximate Rs. 660 million, and the monthly reimbursement of loan interest is around Rs. 180 million. What it represents is anybody’s guess. See Table III
As is the case in most problematic issues bedevilling our country, there is no simple or logical explanation. Yet, when trying to identify the culprits, the politicians head the list for lacking in vision and not taking difficult and unpopular decisions to ensure that electricity is priced on a cost-reflective basis and investments for increased generating capacity on the least cost basis are made timely.
Former President Sirisena canceled the setting up of a coal power plant which had been in the planning stage for five years with no apparent alternative. The decision was as wrong as banning the use of chemical fertilizer. We are paying dearly for both mistakes.
We, the electorate, are to blame for continuously electing incompetent politicians lacking in visionary leadership. The trade unions, particularly the CEBEU, are to blame for holding the country to ransom by the threat of industrial action and preventing much-needed reforms.
As I write this article, there is a news item stating that the President has asked for a report from the Chairman of Sri Lankan Airlines and the Chairman of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation as to why bonuses were paid despite both organizations posting significant losses. The sad irony is that the taxpayers of this country ultimately bear these costs. Unfortunately, it seems that being profligate with others’ money for personal popularity is the norm in our country.
Once the FIFA World Cup started in Qatar, some of my virtue-signaling white friends went on an overdrive. Captains of a few European football teams had insisted on wearing the ‘One Love’ armband, ostensibly to express solidarity with homosexuals, whom Qatari laws persecute. The Qataris knew how to deal with this neo-aggression. They ordered FIFA to issue a yellow card to anybody who wears the ‘One Love’ armband. The aggressors submitted meekly. The armband was aborted in full-term.
The homophobic laws of Qatar didn’t arise in a void. Those are directly derived from the teachings of Islam, which derived those from the Bible. Both Christianity and Islam are viciously homophobic. You cannot accommodate Christianity or Islam in any form and simultaneously claim to express solidarity with homosexuals. It’s the western leftists who are at the forefront of whitewashing the crimes of Christianity and Islam. It’s they who facilitate the imposition of these two homophobic ideologies on the rest of the non-Abrahamic world under the guise of religious freedom.
War is the very opposite of love. Which is the #1 terrorist organization in the world? It’s NATO, which has waged one relentless war after another on defenseless nations for decades. NATO has committed the genocides of millions of innocent peoples so that the West could control the resources of the world and usher in the most virulent form of neo-colonialism. It’s also the prime mechanism by which the War Inc. of the West siphons off taxpayer money. NATO and its terrorist overtures are at the very core of the dollar-based trade that forces the poorest people on the earth to service American, and European, debt and profligacy. You cannot simultaneously continue with the NATO-based world order of neo-colonial terrorism and also express solidarity with homosexuals.
Whites should first show a modicum of scruples and overtly reject NATO, Christianity, and Islam wholesale before they yield to any compulsive urge to signal virtue on any topic. Coming to homosexuality, Hinduism and non-Abrahamic traditions are the only ones which have embraced homosexuals. The Kamasutra designates homosexuals as tritiya prakrti, i.e., the third nature – male and female being the other two. The Arthasastra prescribes punishments for anyone who harasses homosexuals. This is as enlightened and welcoming as a tradition gets.
Why should the obsessions of wealthy, unscrupulous westerners become the priority of the rest of the world? The persecution of homosexuals is terrible. However, given that homosexuals are only a small percentage of any population, it’s only reasonable that societies prioritize other issues which really matter to the overwhelming majority. Third World countries have many such priorities: ending Abrahamic religious predations, driving economic growth, infrastructure development, healthcare, poverty, education, environmental conservation, etc. Homosexuality hardly warrants any attention from a vast majority of the world population.
These aren’t harmless protests. These are also organized efforts to impose a pseudo-scientific worldview on the population to exercise totalitarian control. This is hardly different from the historical imposition of the Abrahamic worldviews. Take the notion of ‘trans-gender’ for example. Trans-gender is not even a scientific term. Gender is firmly rooted in biology and genes. However, a very tiny fraction of persons, i.e., 1 in 11,000, suffer from a condition known as gender dysphoria. In this condition, which is neurological by nature, the person is ambivalent about his/her sexual identity. Such persons deserve to be treated humanely and as equals as Hindu traditions have always advocated. However, we needn’t submit to totalitarian terror by accepting such pseudo-scientific terms as trans-gender.
It’s also not necessary to assume that homosexuality or gender dysphoria are entirely natural or biological even though Hindu wisdom considered them as such. For example, recent scientific studies indicate that homosexuality is at the most 12-15% rooted in genes. The rest, it seems, is acquired behavior. Studies of female inmates in prisons inform us that many choose the lesbian lifestyle in prison although they had been heterosexual prior to that. Likewise, there’s a huge gap between the number of those who are really gender-dysphoric and those who self-identify as gender-dysphoric. The actual count is a minuscule 1 in 11,000. However, 1.5% of those between 30 and 45 who were surveyed self-identified as gender-dysphoric. For those between 18 and 30, this number rose to 5%. Now, genes don’t change so much over a generation that gender dysphoria increases three-fold. This is clear indication that impressionable children are made to feel ambivalent about their sex through ruthless propaganda run by a few diseased minds. This is a horrendous form of child abuse.
Masculine and feminine traits start manifesting from very early childhood. There are well-attested biological evolution benefits in nurturing those traits which we naturally inherit. We cannot allow woke activists with a totalitarian mindset to impose their pseudo-scientific worldviews on others. It’s also neo-racism. How come those issues which matter to virtually all Third World population is ignored by these westerners but we’re required to join their bandwagon every time they take fancy to some ideological belief?
So, my dear westerners, you need to first wear ‘Say no to Islam,’ ‘Say no to Christianity,’ and ‘NATO is the #1 terrorist organization’ armbands for a few years before you may contemplate wearing a ‘One Love’ armband!
Deepa Bhaskaran had introduced me to the works of Rob Henderson on luxury beliefs. In the past, the elite displayed their wealth ostensibly. That’s no longer fashionable. Now, this advertising has taken a new shape in the form of luxury beliefs that enables westerners to signal virtue. It’s luxury beliefs that the westerners are displaying whenever they express outrage on any topic. There’s an insistence that we either join the bandwagon and become part of the in-group or get branded as belonging to the undesirable out-group. The division of society into in- and out-groups is fundamental to Christianity and Islam, and now to all woke aggressions.
In my school carrier from Kindergarten (1945)-to University Entrance 1958) I had always been the first in all classes, except twice that is 1950 at Udispattuwa Junior School econd term, after my mother’s untimely death and 1955 first term after I change college to Galahitiyawa Central from Teldeniya Senior. But even in those two occasions I have bounced back to be the first in style in the next term. I also had been the class Monitor in all classes except at Glahiti[yava Central first term in 1955. Finally at Veyangoda Central College I had the distinction of holding all the following post, UE Class Monitor, President College Buddhist Brotherhood. Vice-Captain Parakarama House, President College Sinhala Literary Association, President College Geographical Association and Deputy Leader College English Debating Team
All the jobs I did in Public Service from 1962-1997 I have always done better than all my predecessors in those places and none of my successors have been able to even maintain the level to which I had brought them up, in discipline and all round performance. Throughout my carrier I have never canvased any post and never gone after politicians. All three posts of Secretaries to Health, Education and Prime Minister Mrs B were offered over the telephone to me by President Premadasa, President Wijetunga and finally Mrs Bandaranayaka respectively, the last was offered to me after having called me Home.
Colleges Attended Glahitiyava Central College & Veyangoda Central (Primary Education Meemures School)
University Education University of Peradeniya 1958-62.B.A.(Hons) Passed out in 62 with Second class Hours in Geography
Post Graduate Diploma in Land Management University of Cambridge;
PhD Agriculture University of Peradeniya (Incidentally I am the oldest man to get a PhD by Thesis from Peradeniya)
Professional: Teacher and Educational Administrator as Principle of College.3 years 1962-65 June
Sri Lanka Administrative Service 35 years 1965-1997
Visiting Lecturer Univ: Peradeniya
Consultant Public Administration Rural Development Agriculture, Settlement Development, Infrastructure Development, Watershed Management, Small industries Development and Education
As a Public Servant 1965- 1997
1 Principal Sanghabodhi MahaVidyalaya Minipe (1962 may-1965 June 15th)
First Appointment after University. When I took mover it was a typical Minipe village school I converted it to be the best College all aspects in the Kandy District outside the city with minimum facilities within 3 years.
1962 may 1965 may
Students 265 965
Staff 7 38 with 6 Graduates
Exames results: 1963 Dec O/L produced 11 passes out of 12 for the first time in its history. We won the First place, in Kandy District that year. Within this short period of 3 years the College was brought up as the best in discipline and academic attainments in the region. After 1963 O/Results a large number of children of the colonists who were in other schools in the neighboring areas and even faraway places were brought back and admitted to this college. That was the reason for the remarkable increase in student population during this period. With the success in 1963 O/L results and extracurricular activities I proved that it is not the location of a school what matters but the dedication and commitment on the part of the teaching staff headed by a dynamic and visionary teacher what really matters in the success of a school.
Buildings 2 3
By end of 1963 I got a pipe born water supply installed, a new school building 20X200 and a science building with science teachers by end of 1964
This was my best job in life where job satisfaction was the highest All three parties teachers, students and parents worked with dedication and commitment as a team.
2 DRO Yatikinda Badulla (Head Quarters DRO) (June 2nd –May 2nd) 1966 .This was my first CAS appointment after entering the first CAS batch of 1965 as a cadet
Badulla GA gave me this station as a special appointment to clean up an Augean mess that was there for 15 years without a permanent DRO. I reorganized the Office with daily job targets for all Officers, brought back strict discipline and work productivity within 2 weeks by activating an old dormant circular that made it compulsory for each officer to complete a given quantum of every day. Discipline among Grama sevakas was my next target as they formed the live, wire of a DRO’S Division and also the entire machinery of governance at the grass root level administration in the country. I travelled the whole Division extending up to Mahaweli ganga in the North from Haliela in the South, twice with the GA, first trip after a Division day in Pitamaruwa a remote village, climbed Madolsima ranges 3rd highest and second tripe climbed Naranagala, the second highest in the Division. This was done to get to know the area, its people and work I have to do as a public servant, taking a clue from a farewell lecture by our Professor Geography who said one has to learn these 3 things to be a good public servant. But by end of the month I was recalled by Kandy GA under whom I was trained as a cadet to complete an assignment on Kandyan Peasantry Rehabilitation he had given to me and posted me as DRO Udadumbara as the duty station, my home area to my delight. Although I was there only for 1 month all the VC Chairmen of the Division protested against my transfer.
3 DRO Udadumbara
This was the biggest DRO Division in the District. Access to most villages was mostly on foot and they had to walk long distances often more that 12 miles to the nearest road the total distance to the DRO Office was more than 25 miles The circuit Magistrate courts was also close to my Office.Within the first few moths my 1 months experience here I introduced a new innovation called the Gamvesiyan Pasdenage Sabhava for each GS Division under the Chairmanship of the Village Priest to keep peace and settle minor disputes in the village without going to courts or coming to my office. The other 4 Members were the GS, Head Master of the village school. Vedamahatataya and another villager of standing selected by the 4. They were given letters of appointment by me for a specific term of office. The arrangement was for them to attend to disputes the GS is unable to settle. Those disputes the GPS cannot settle had to be referred to me. The GS functioned as the Secretary. Instructions were issued by my Office as to how problems are to be handled. The results were surprising. Not eve 2% cases were referred to me. Going to courts almost became zero Goodwill and togetherness in villages thrived. Money and time wasted were all saved.
Beside attending to my usual Official duties as a DRO I also introduced a new way of Commemorating Independence Day by engaging in some development activity in place of the usual Avurudu utsavaya..
On Feb 4th 1970 the first of that series the construction of the famous Uduwaaheena –Ududaha 5 mile 20 ft wide road with only two bends avoiding the notorious 18 bends on the famous Kandy-Mahiyangana Road was started by shramadana. Jungle clearing of the entire stretch of 20 ft wide 5 miles was done in one day by shramadana, except the section of thick jungle called Roti Ela mukalana where we had to get permission from the forest Dept. 4½ miles on either ends were made jeepable within 3 months. Before the middle section was completed I was transferred to Kandy Kachcheri. It is 2020 now, 50 years gone after I left. But it is a tragedy the road construction is still where I stopped, in spite of the fact there had been 3 Deputy Ministers in Parliament and a Chief Minister from 1987 – 2018.
1971 Feb 4th started the Ratnella Ela Irrigation scheme to settle 500 farmer families that gave birth to the Hasalaka Gem mining
The philosophy I emulated here was to engage in some development activity or at least a tree planting ceremony or construction of a road instead of indulging in usual merry making by way of Avurudu sanakeli where you indulge in things like climbing the grease pole. Selection of Avuurudu kamari/Kumaraya etc.
1967 Meemure Pusse Ela settlement scheme under Mahaoya–Heenganga Scheme was inaugurated .
1978 Started the Cardamom planting in Meemure and Kaikaval benefiting more than 100 families. Both these works were in my village Meemure
4 1971-75 Assistant Director Small industries Kandy
A district that was badly neglected and mismanaged was re-organized to be the First place in Handloom production in the Island for all 5 years consecutively from 1971-1975 and resurrected the District Textile Coop Union that was running with an overdraft 150 000 in 1971 to 1.25 m net profit, making coop, by end of 1972 and also opened up a Textile Shop in Colombo St Kandy City for the first time.
Completed stage 2 of Nattarmpota Handicraft colony with 40 new cottages for 40 Craftsmen families with a design Centre and work shop and also got Laksala to decentralize purchasing in Kandy being the most important district in Handicrafts production and renamed it as Sri Veera Parakrama Narendrasingha Kalapuraya to give it a historical importance..
1974 Organized the first Air trip from Katunayaka to Batticalloa for the Instructors who won the first 10 places in Production as a part of a motivational programme.
Opened up 5 Art line Textile Centers at Wegiriya, Menikdivela, Polgolla, .Meegammana and Uda Dumbara the last to revive the only traditional Sinhala weaving pit loom Talagune Rata.
DRO renamed as d/AGAA
Meanwhile in 1972 Minister Ilangaratna accepted a proposal made by me and re–designated DROO (Divisional Revenue Officers) as Divisional Assistant Government Agents and Grama Sevakas as Grama Seva Niladharis on a proposal made by me and published in the Nov issue of the Journal of the Sri Lanka Institute of public Administratio..
5 Deputy Director Small Industries (Handicrafts) Head Office 1975 July to-end of 1977
1976 Organized the best Handicraft Exhibition for the Non Align Summit Conference which Mrs B used to call the best H /C exhibition she has ever seen in her life, until she died. Negotiated the annual Handicraft Design Survey Scholarship Tour of BENELUX countries for 5 craftsmen in collaboration with the Dept of Commerce which, I think is still operative.
6 1977-1979 Very bad time
Shifted from place to place as a political victim. 1 Deputy Commissioner Rehabilitation. 2 Addl GA Batticalloa 3. Deputy Director Rural Development as a political victim
But I made it a blessing in disguise by engaging on Religious and Social Service as
1 Secretary to Asgiirya Dayaka Sabha and that illustrious Mahanayaka Thera ever, and
2 As President Mahanuwara Jatika Kalamandalaya an association of all artists industrial and performing. Among important achievements
1 Improving the income of both groups of artists in Kandy and Matale Districts
2 Stopped the construction of Perahera seats in the Mahamaluwa that was a big fraud
3. Also stopped a Dalada Perahera Diva Nilame and Minister of Education Nissanka Wijeratna was planning to parade the Streets after the Annual Perahera was over to show the Commonwealth Education Ministers who were in the country for a seminar, violating the Age old Tradition by pursuading the Mahanayaka Thero to refuse to give his key of the Dalada Casket for the Dalada Exhibition if he violate the tradition. It was my plan that worked.
7. 1979-1985 Victoria Project Kandy
My role in constructing the 60 odd miles network as the chief Coordinating Officer in charge of new roads and Towns by negotiating with land owners who were protesting against it and having them ready before inundation date of the reservoir prior to formal acquisition was complete.
Completing Tennekumbura Moragahmula Damtop road nearly 24 miles within1 year
Getting Teldeniya –Udispattuwa-Moragahamula Loop (7 miles) opened up for heavy traffic within 3 weeks, ( a new proposal by me as a deviation for Kandy-Mahiyangala traffic between Teldeniya and Moragahamula as the construction of the Teldeniya –Moragahamu section of the new road above the old road would have been never possible.
Location of the New Teldeniya Town at Karalliyadda and preparing the ground plan for the new Town
B.L.Panditaratna the Chairman of the Mahaweli Auhtority at the end of the Project once said ‘Sudath If not for you we would have to swim the Victoria to the other side” This sums up the role I had played in getting the road network completed in time.
In fact by mid 1983 when I returned from Cambridge the entire construction work of roads and bridges was at a standstill, the constraints being as engineers said were inadequate machinery, men and material. Immediately after I returned I Suggested to Panditharatna to summon a meeting of all stake holder and it was at that meeting I proposed to withdraw machine material and even men from Maduru oya and Uda walawe projects which were considered of less priority compared with Victoria and start three shifts instead of one and make it a 24 hr operational activity. Also I suggested having two-weekly progress evaluating meetings under his Chairmanship to thrash out the problems on the spot. At these meetings 2 weekly targets were given to all, the completion of which was a must. Also I suggested paying an incentive payment to all workers to motivate them. So it was around the clock 24 hr operation. After that not only workers but even engineers were on the road through out more or less day and night. It worked like magic and the work was completed even before the target date.
II was at the last progress evaluating meeting that Panditahratna made the afore said comment ‘Sudath If not for you we would have to swim Victoria tot the other side”
The funniest thing in this episode is immediately after the work was over Gamini Disanayaka un-ceremonially Transferred me to the pool on representations made by M.B, Adikaram, the Manager, against me perhaps saying that I will be a political threat to the UNP.
From Oct 10. 1985 I was appointed as Director Private Sector Ministry of Industries. This was again a very bad time in my life. Even before I had undergone such situations .For example I was appointed GA Matale thrice from 1977 consecutively. But the local UNP stalwarts in Matale blocked that, Meanwhile my name was also suggested to Kandy as GA. The then President blocked that too having said ‘He is an excellent worker but politically he will be a dead weight round our necks” I also got two Commonwealth Assignments as Advisor in Handicrafts in Papua New Guinea and Sierra Lyon. But I dint go for personal reasons. Meanwhile they advertised the post of Registrar Peradeniya University. I applied and was selected first, but again another person low down in the mark list was selected for political convenience.
8 1986-1992 NADSA Project now called HADABIMA Project
It was at that time the opening at NADSA came up in April 1985.. After I mentioned it to Mahanayaka Thera of Asgiriya he took me to the Minister Gamani Jayasuriya next day. After looking at my Bio=data the Minister said , this Project is to be closed down by end of year and since I was a very senior office he offered the Additional Secretary post in his Ministry. But since I wanted to be in Kandy on personal reasons, he said OK you can come here in next January and appointed me to NADSA. That is how I came to NADSA. But next day Chief Minister Disanayaka CP as usual has protested. When inquiries were made I was told that Disanayaka had asked Weragoda the then Secretary Agriculture to tell the Minister not to send me this side of the Kadugannava as they all will lose even their deposits if I come and work there. When I told this to the Mahanayaka Thera he spoke to the Minister again and mentioned this problem. Then the Minister asked for me and over the phone he said Sudath I am the Minister of Agriculture and I have appointed you. You go there immediately and assume duties and come and see me in few days if there is a problem.
When I met the Minister the week after, in his office and told him that, conceptually NADSA is one of the best development Projects, if not the best, that have ever being conceived in the post Independent era in this country and therefore it should never be closed down until its programme of the threefold development is complete. Even if you forget settlement development and Agricultural Diversification and concentrate only on watershed management it still remains the no 1 development concept. The Minister looked at my face hard and said ‘Sudath you are the only man who says this. All the other fellows just say the opposite. Either you are mad or all others are mad. But having listened to you, I think there is a slot of truth in what you. OK let us have a run and we see”.
This is how I came to NADSA. Thereafter the Minister accepted my proposal to continue the NADSA that was to be closed down by end of that year and it is still there as HADABIMA Authority of Sri Lanka under the name I gave, for which I got 12.5 m US$ Food aid package from FAO/WFP for 6 years in 1991 and resurrected and expanded its area of operation to cover the entire Central, Sabaragaamuwa and Uva Provinces also in 1991.
My relatioship with Lalith Atulathmudali as Minister of Agriculture
Lalith in 1991 at his first meeting with Heads of Departments at the Agrarian Services Dept Conference Hall who said Gentlemen you know the best example in the whole World where the poor is made poorer is NADSA”. Probably he also had my name in his pav potha. Again when he came up with a similar remark next month too I raised my hand and said I beg to disagree with you Sir. Why? He asked me with an Oxford accent? If you give me permission I will explain, I said. Go ahead he retorted. After repeating what I had told Minister Jayasuriya I also said, Sir unfortunately none of the politician or the Officialswho had beenincharge of this Project had understood the value of this Project. Had they at least understood the and at least carried out objective one, Watershed management, and carried that out to its logical conclusion, the story of NADSA would have been something entirely different I said. ‘Sudath you meet me after the meeting I want to fix up a date to visit your project. Within a weeks’ time In he visited the Project and at a meeting held at the PGRI Auditorium this is what he said.
The same year WFP rated it as the best Small Farmer Project in South Asia. I made two 35 minutes documentaries 1) The Harita Danavva/Green Habitat (Won an award in 1991 Czec International Film Festival on Environment), 2) The Miracle Basket narrating the wonder, the Food Basket had done to show the progress to the second evaluation Mission.
Minister Lalith also dropped a proposal made by some agricultural Scientists to grow Girkin in the DZ paddy fields on my advice not to accept that dead rope as the paddy cultivators form the back bone of our society and also the danger of depending on imports for the staple diet of the nation. He also joined hands with Gamini forgetting the differences they had, on my advice to fight their common adversary Premadasa and formed the new Party LPP. The day after I told him that, early morning he rang me up from Colombo and thanked me profusely and said Sudath I told each and every word you told me yesterday to Gamini and we have joined hands to form a new Political Party and both of us have decided to appoint you as the Chief Organizer for the entire Central Province” Had they lived, I would have been a Cabinet Minister in their first Cabinet.
9 During President Premadasa’s time as President SASA (1991-94) I rescued the SLAS from its demise.
In 1992 there was a proposal to amalgamate the Divisional Secretaries Offices with the Divisional Councils and appoint DSS as Secretaries to Divisional Council Chairmen and also appoint outsiders as Div Secretaries. As the then President of the SASA I summoned an emergency meeting at the BMICH and invited President Premadasa as the chief guest. It was attended by all Ministry Secretaries and over 2000 SLAS Officers working at National, District and Divisional levels all over the Island including the Sec to the President Mr Wijedasa. In addition I also invited few reputed retired Secretaries like Bradmon Weerakoon, Leel Gunasekara and DBIPS Siriwardana. Incidentally that was the first SASA meeting held at the BMICH
In my welcome address explaining the purpose of the meeting I pointed out the dangers of the proposal before the Cabinet in detail and lodge our strong protest against it as the members of SLAS who form the steel frame of the machinery of governance at all levels who carry out the policies and Programmes of the government. I also told him that it will lead to a complete collapse of governance in the country and if this proposal is accepted there will utter chaos and confusion and no Governance either at the center or in the periphery and therefore requested him to withdraw the Cabinet paper. I also pointed out to him that this in my opinion is a big coupd’tat to destabilize and send the Government Home. As I came back and sat down President Premadasa turned towards me and said Sudath my congratulations you made an excellent speech” I said thank you Sir. The President made a short speech thanking me and our Association for pointing out that danger about which he had no idea and he concluded his speech granting all four demands I made. The next day morning I got a call from Secretary to the President appointing me as State Secretary to the Ministry of Health straight away from the pool.
Had I not taken that bold decision that day and made that historic but risky speech on that day on behalf of my Service SLAS ,definitely that would have marked the end of SLAS in this country. I am proud that I could
10 Mrs Bandaranayaka acceptedmy proposal on 23rd Nov,made at Rosemead Place in the presence of Getambe Loku Hamuduruvo and Visva Warnapala to get down Chandrika in 1993 from UK to reorganize the Party in place of Anura and they won all subsequent elections and got elected twice as President of this country.
11 It was my secret plan as Secretary to Mrs B that worked on 10th Sept 1994 that appointed Mrs B as the 12th Prime Minister in this country.
12 Finally it was my plan and strategy that compelled Chandrika to Appoint Mrs B as PM in Sept 1994 in place of Chandrika’s favourite Anuruddhda Ratwatte which might have led to the collapse of the Government as there were five contenders. I still remember Mrs B calling me home on Sept 10th from Office and how she showed me the letter signed by all 5 contenders with trembling hands and tears in her eyes saying Sudath now look at this letter all these fellows who wanted to be Prime Minister are now asking me to be the PM” and at 11.30 next day she was sworn in as PM. She didn’t know how it happened and who the architect was behind that miracle that bore results within a matter of 24 hours.
It was my strategy and I who prepared that letter together with another addressed to Chandrika to be signed by all 5 aspirants asking Chandrika to appoint Mrs B as Pm and none other, and the other to Mrs B requesting her, to ask Chandrika to appoint her as PM to avoid the imminent collapse of the Government for 6 reasons I have highlighted in that letter. In both letters I wanted Mavellage to get Anuruddhas Signature as the first, as he was Chandrika’s favorite, so that it will have an impact on others as lessor beings. The messenger was Keerthi Mavellage that dynamic young Private Secretary to Mrs. B from Galle. I also wanted him to get the signatures of the 5 men on the 10th afternoon and hand over the letter to Chandrika at 10 AM next day and to Mrs B at 10.30 AM the same day. At 10.30 Am next day I think it was 11th of Sept Mrs B was sworn in as the 12th Prime Minister of the Republic of Sri Lanka against the wishes of Chandrika, dispelling all frustrations of that Great Lady and misconceptions of Sunetra, her elder daughter. Meanwhile Chandrika replaced me with her chum Hemasiri Fernando as the Prime minister’s Secretary. That is how this ungrateful woman treated the man who brought her in to politics in Dec1993 and paved the way for her to be the President of this country for 11 years.
Even on the 8th of Sept evening when I asked Mrs B Madam now who is going to be the Pm, this was what she said ‘Sudath Chandrika will never appoint me as the PM. She will appoint someone whom she wants. Then she paused for a while and said with a drawn face probably Anuruddha”.
When I asked the same question from Sunethra the same evening this is what she said. Sudath do you think this woman who had snatched my husband also, will ever appoint Ammi as PM” When I said no, Sunethra, somehow or the other we have to get her appointed as the PM. If that happens the Sun will rise from the other side she said. By that time I had my plan ready.
The matter was discussed thereafter confidentially under locked doors at Rosmead with the Atulkattale attended by Mrs B’s loyals, including Keerti Mawellage Private Sec , Girty Dunuvila, Mrs Lanerole, Yatawara, that loyal office aid of Mrs B and Atukorala another Mrs B’s confidante. They all were thoroughly disappointed and disgusted about what is going to happen. But they all were clueless. I told them I have a plan Keerthi you see me in office tomorrow morning. I did not divulge the details. But I got one assurance from all who were there, that is not to divulge anything to anybody on this subject until 12 o’clock next day. When Keerthi met me next morning I gave him two letters. One addressed to the President and the other to Mrs B. Letter to be given to Chandrika was a request made by the 5 Aspirant PMM requesting her to appoint Mrs B as PM for the reasons outlined in that letter to be signed by them The second letter was addressed to Mrs B requesting her to demand Chandrika that she should appointed her as the PM for the reasons outlined in that letter. I presume even before Mrs B made up her mind what to do next she got a call from Chandrika that she has decided to appoint her as the Prime Minister. That is how a bona fide secret coup d’etat hatched in good faith in the name of the country made that Great Lady once again the12th Prime Minister in this country on Sept 11th 1994 and by good luck she could have a State funeral as the PM.
Jennifer Smith, Justice of the Peace and retired London solicitor who has had a long association with Sri Lanka, presented a set of watercolours by the Irish artist, Andrew Nicoll (1804-86) to the Pathfinder Collection. The paintings were recently handed over to Milinda Moragoda, Founder of MMBL-Pathfinder.The Pathfinder Collection was established in 2018, and contains a range of Sri Lankan artefacts, including prints, maps, books, paintings, coins, stamps, seashells, and other items of historical value.
About the artist and paintings:
Andrew Nicoll spent a brief period in colonial Ceylon during which he taught drawing and landscape painting at the Colombo Academy. He also made a five-week long journey through the jungles of Ceylon during which he painted several subjects including ruined temples, tanks, and dagabas, some of which were used to illustrate Ceylon: an Account of the Island,
Physical Historical and Topographical, etc, the classic 2-volume work on the island written by then Colonial Secretary, Sir Emerson Tennant. Of this jungle sojourn Nicoll remarked that:
‘…it was the most interesting I ever had in my life…and will ever be considered by me the most delightful of all my sketching excursions, either at home or in distant lands.’
The watercolours of Nicoll, who was a prolific artist, can be found in the painting collections of the Colombo National Museum, the British Museum, and the Victoria &Albert Museum. In addition, fifty six of his watercolours of Ceylon plants and trees were presented to Dublin’s Royal Hibernian Academy by his daughter in 1889 in memory of her father.
Mehjabin Bhanu – a Bangladeshi teacher, columnist and writer.
In recent times, the USA is very interested in further strengthening bilateral relations. Bangladesh also intends to deepen and enhance its ties with the US. Analysts say that the US wants a holistic relationship with Bangladesh beyond bilateral ties. US President Joe Biden expressed optimism about deepening relations with Bangladesh. Bangladesh’s ambassador to the United States. The United States is one of Bangladesh’s friendliest states and development partners. Political, economic, and trade relations between the two countries have strengthened, especially since the current government took power in 2009. In addition, the United States is one of the most important countries considering Bangladesh’s diplomatic interests. The United States’ contribution to Bangladesh’s socio-economic development and investment, as well as its security cooperation, is particularly significant.
Significance of Rear Admiral Eileen Laubacher’s Bangladesh visit
Rear Admiral Eileen Laubacher with a high-level US defense delegation, one of the advisers (special assistants) to US President Joe Biden and senior director for South Asia affairs of the White House’s National Security Council, arrived on Saturday afternoon in Dhaka as part of a series of political visits. Various issues of bilateral cooperation will be discussed during their visit. Among which the strengthening of defense cooperation and lifting of sanctions on RAB, Rohingya repatriation will be of particular importance in the discussion. The official visit of the US delegation has begun from Sunday.
Rear Admiral Eileen Laubacher recently had a meeting with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam at the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, D.C. when she was Special Assistant to the US President.
Donald Lu’s upcoming BD visit
Meanwhile, Donald Lu who became Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs on September 15, 2021, is likely to begin his Bangladesh visit on January 15.
Regarding the Bangladesh visit of US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu, Momen said it is very good news that he is coming. “He is like a policymaker in this area. We welcome him.” “We have a very good relationship with the US. We have multifaceted engagements with the US. There will be talks on different issues when he (Donald Lu) comes.” He also hoped Donald Lu’s visit will help strengthen the good relationship between the two countries. Replying to a question from the reporters on the US sanctions on RAB, the minister said bilateral relation is not determined by a single issue. “The US is our biggest consumer and our biggest investor. With engagements in many areas, we don’t have to worry about just one issue. We both have common values and principles.” He said the US wants a democratic system and Bangladesh also wants a democratic system. “The US wants to uphold human rights. We want to, too. Three million people of Bangladesh have sacrificed their lives for human rights, justice and democracy,” he added. “We will talk about many things. It is open. Many issues will be discussed.”
Biden’s desire for working with Bangladesh
United States president Joe Biden has said recently that his country acknowledges their enduring partnership with Dhaka and termed Bangladesh’s economic growth in the past 50 years as a ‘remarkable story’. ‘I hope our nations will continue to work on democratic governance, climate change, refugees, and maritime security. We are invested in your success and support the ability of all Bangladeshis to freely participate in and contribute to their country’s development,’ he said. The US president made the remarks while accepting the credentials of the newly-appointed Bangladesh ambassador to the United States Muhammad Imran at the White House.
‘As 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of US-Bangladesh relations, I would like to acknowledge our enduring partnership with Bangladesh,’ Biden mentioned in his written remarks. Welcoming the new Bangladesh envoy in the United States, Biden said his administration looked forward to working with the ambassador to expand bilateral relations between the two countries. Biden also assured the Bangladesh ambassador of extending all sorts of cooperation during his tenure in the United States.
Bangladesh had emerged as an important partner on international trade and investment, climate change, humanitarian, refugee, United Nations Peacekeeping, and counterterrorism, maritime and other security issues, he continued. Biden said Bangladesh had expanded its largely agrarian-based economy to a regional economic power poised to become a major participant in global supply chains.
Appreciating Bangladesh’s generosity in hosting nearly one million Rohingyas, the US president said that they would continue to support Bangladesh in assisting these refugees and their host communities, and protecting their rights. ‘The United States is committed to finding sustainable and durable solutions to this humanitarian crisis,’ he said. On the Covid-19 pandemic, the US president mentioned that the United States was proud to partner with Bangladesh to address the global pandemic under the Covid-19 Global Action Plan. ‘We are committed to expanding our growing partnership in the months and years ahead,’ he remarked.
The new beginning of Bangladesh’s apparel export in US
American orders for apparel made in Bangladesh are growing faster than U.S. imports from clothes manufacturing giant China, according to data compiled by the United States Department of Commerce through the first 10 months of 2022.
From January to October last year, the United States imported apparel from Bangladesh valued at about $8.5 billion – representing a 49% jump from imports of Bangladeshi-made garments during the same period in 2021, according to the Office of Textiles and Apparels (OTEXA) at the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Bangladesh’s apparel shipment to US, the country’s single largest export destination, increased by about 51 percent compared to last year. In the first 9 months of this year, the country has exported a record of more than 7.5 billion US dollars in clothing. Noteworthy, Bangladeshi apparel makers are getting a strong foothold in the United States of America market as exports posted robust growth in recent times. Despite the global recession, the export of Bangladeshi-made garments to the United States has increased at a significant rate.
The U.S. Embassy in Dhaka acknowledged Bangladesh’s role as a trade partner
US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas said ‘he is looking forward to continuing the Bangladesh-US partnership in the new year (2023)’ The United States is Bangladesh’s largest export destination, and U.S. garment sector companies increasingly identify Bangladesh among their most important trade and investment partners,” the Embassy said recently.
We value our commercial relationship with Bangladesh, the world’s eighth most populated country in the world, and its place in U.S. commercial imports illustrates the competitive quality of Bangladesh-made products.”
Recent US Rohingya rehabilitation announcement is appreciable
The United States has contributed the most to the Rohingya crisis so far. At this year’s UN General Assembly, the US Secretary of State announced $170 million in additional humanitarian aid. Since 2017, the country has contributed more than 190 million dollars to the Rohingya crisis.
United States wants to resettle Rohingya from Bangladesh. Julieta Valls Noyes, Assistant Secretary for Population, Refugees and Immigration of the US Department of State came Bangladesh for this purpose last month. It would be appreciated if the US administration works with Bangladesh government. It will reflect better mutual understanding between both administrations. The west and well-wishers of the promotors of humanitarian issues can follow the US footprint.
Looking ahead at the next 50 years
However, Bangladesh is an important regional partner of USA on economic, climate, humanitarian, and security priorities. As 2022 marked the 50th anniversary of U.S.-Bangladesh relations, the United States and Bangladesh held multiple high-level engagements and strategic discussions in Dhaka and Washington D.C. to deepen bilateral, economic, commercial, and security collaboration. As an increasingly self-confident and prosperous Bangladesh moves away from a sense of obligatory dependency that defined its relationship with the US in the last 50 years, it is in the US’ interest to promote a sense of growing interdependence with Bangladesh, looking ahead at the next 50 years.
Sufian Siddique Independent researcher and freelance columnist, Dhaka
The United States of America (USA) is popularly known as the ‘Champion of Democracy and Human Rights’. But since the last two decades, in its journey towards a multicultural society, the USA is facing a lot of human rights issues domestically such as hate crimes, structural racism, and extrajudicial killings at the hands of law enforcement agencies. Several statistics show that gun-related violence including hate crimes and extrajudicial killings is taking place at an alarming rate and there exists systemic exploitation of human rights. Every day, US society is facing hate crimes, extrajudicial killings and police violence. Moreover, the government is also failing to introduce or initiate effective policies. Furthermore, in the case of extrajudicial killings, a culture of impunity is also at large. It seems the champion is failing at home lately.
This is not the first time that gunmen swooped in the United States. A young man from an expatriate Bangladeshi community in the US has been gunned down by police at the city of Cambridge in Massachusetts.
The Bangladesh Association of New England organised protests outside Cambridge City Hall on Thursday, condemning the brutal killing” of 20-year-old Sayed Faisal, a student of the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
They described the death of Faisal, the only child of his family, as a racist incident by white police officers”. This is not acceptable in any meaning,” the association said in a Facebook post.
It said that members of the association would meet with Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqi to look for an explanation.We need to bring justice for this young brother. Police brutality needs to stop,” the post added.
It said members of the association would meet with Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqi to look for an explanation. We need to bring justice for this young brother. Police brutality needs to stop.”
In this tragic turn of events, a young Bangladeshi-American student was shot to death by police at the city of Cambridge in Massachusetts on Wednesday. This has stirred protests and angered the Bangladeshi community living in the US state.
Accordinmg to media reports, the victim is 20-year-old Arif Sayed Faisal, a student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Even though he was born in the US, his parents hail from Chittagong’s Fatikchhari upazila, said his uncle Selim Jahangir.
Citing police, CBS News reported that Faisal was carrying a large knife – an allegation boldly denied by Jahangir, who is a Massachusetts resident. According to media reports, they were given no videos showing Faisal carrying a sharp weapon.
Jahangir claimed that Faisal was calm in nature. We don’t understand why police shot at him?” he questioned. He also demanded fair probe of the incident and punishment of the police officer who opened fire.
Police killings of unarmed people have drawn significant attention in recent years and spurred mass protests. Fatal police shootings remain a persistent and contentious issue in the US, prompting protests and ongoing calls for serious reforms to policing.
Meanwhile, referring to the killing, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on Friday said Bangladesh does not want any hate crime anywhere in the world. Referring to the killing of a Bangladeshi in the US, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on Friday said Bangladesh does not want any hate crime anywhere in the world.
The Bangladeshi community there (US) are alleging it to be a hate crime,” Momen told reporters about the death of a Bangladeshi expatriate after being shot by the police at Cambridge in Massachusetts of the US on Thursday. We want to stop racism, communal violence and establish peace in the world,” Momen said.
On Tuesday, May 24, 2022, blood was shed on the campus of the United States again. A young man named Salvador Ramos killed 19 children and two teachers one by one with a firearm he got as a gift on his 18th birthday. The gunman, Ramos, attacked Rob Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, a small town about an hour’s drive from the Mexican border. Members of the Border Patrol rushed to the scene and shot the young man to death. In other words, another extrajudicial killing took place in the United States.
Such incidents took place many times. Just days before the Tuesday shooting incident, 10 people were killed in a gun attack on a super shop in Buffalo, New York, according to the BBC and AFP. A 2012-gun attack at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut killed 20 children and six others. There have been 26 such incidents in the United States last year. Gun-related attacks are the leading cause of death for children and adolescents in 2020, surpassing road accidents.
A gunman has been shot dead by police near a school in Toronto, Canada, shortly after gunfire erupted at an elementary school in Texas.
These are the example of the extrajudicial killings in the United States and Canada, which are known as the countries of advanced human rights.
The U.S. Department of Human Rights has highlighted the issue of extrajudicial killings in Bangladesh. Highlighting a number of statistics, it has been said that the law enforcement agencies of Bangladesh are involved in these extrajudicial killings.
Let’s take a look at extrajudicial killings by law enforcement in the United States. Turkish media outlet TRT World has provided vital information about the United States being at the top of extrajudicial killings by law enforcement. According to a report published on June 1, 2020, a total of 7,666 people were killed in police shootings in the United States in the seven years from 2013 to 2019. Of these, 1,106 were shot by police in 2013, 1,050 in 2014, 1,103 in 2015, 1,071 in 2016, 1,095 in 2017, 1,143 in 2018 and 1,098 in 2019. Of these, the year 2018 saw the highest number of deaths by police shooting – 1,143. The average number of people killed every year between 2013 and 2019 is around 1,100. The reports also said that more than 1,200 Black people were killed in police shooting in 2015. These statistics did not include the deaths in police custody or other means of killing.
At the same time, 13 per cent of Black in the United States have been killed or injured in police shootings, at least three times as many as Whites.
A report published by the Washington Post on February 12, 2019, states that the number of people killed in police shootings in the United States has been close to one thousand for four consecutive years. According to the report, 996 people were killed in police firing in 2018 while the number was 987 in 2017, 963 in 2016, and 995 in 2015.
The Associated Press-AP, USA Today and a joint survey of researchers from North-Eastern University found that the United States had the highest number of mass killings in any year in 2019.
In 2020, there were 996 extrajudicial killings in the United States. Ninety-six per cent of homicides occurred in police shootings. Of the deceased, 27 per cent are African-Americans, although they constitute 13 per cent of the total population. According to the Human Rights Report, no action has been taken against the police in 98.8 per cent of the cases. However, the United States brought charges against Bangladesh on the pretext of human rights violations.
Any extrajudicial killing is bad. Such extrajudicial killings are taking place in many countries. But the United States will not have the courage to take such a step there. Expressing concern, he said: The United States does not take such action on its own.
In the backdrops of recent events, it is right to say that countries like the United States or Canada should now look at themselves in the mirror. It is high time to change the spectacles they wear for analyzing the human rights situation in Bangladesh.
Apart from international laws and norms, extrajudicial killing is also an act of ” violations of basic human rights,” and it overrides due legal process and “right to justice.”
It seems in the national sphere, the U.S. itself has questionable actions that go against human rights and has a tendency to bypass the existing international laws and norms when it comes to its own interests. Therefore, the U.S. itself is a violator, and it is currently not in a position to “lecture” others about human rights. To be the “actual” champion of human rights, the U.S. must give up its violations, duality, and “immoral” aspects of its policy that raise questions against it.
Why, by interweaving our destiny with that of any part of Europe,
entangle our peace & prosperity in the toils of European ambition,
rivalship, interest, humor or caprice?
– George Washington, Farewell Address, 17 September 1796
Under no circumstances, from here to eternity,
will we ever let any critical sphere of our country
or our people’s lives depend on Western investment or technology.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, 4 June 2022
‘Some people are threatening action against
those who say we must go to the IMF,
but then what is the alternate plan?’
– SJB MP Harsha de Silva, 18 August 2022
‘We are grateful to India, which encouraged us to go to the IMF.
Finance Minister (Nirmala) Sitharaman & External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar
played a role in that. India was the only country, the only partner,
which stepped up without us having any kind of program.’
– Sri Lanka High Commissioner to India Milinda Moragoda, 3 Sept 2022
‘There is no sight of the said IMF package.
The Government has no plan or program with its creditors’
– SJB MP Harsha de Silva, 2 January 2023
‘The public must not fall victim to extremist elements & Marxist slogans
that have continuously worked towards the downfall of this country…
…No country has developed by heeding Marxist slogans,
there must instead be a proper vision & plan.’
– SJB National-list MP Imtiaz Bakeer Markar, 2 Jan 2023
ee does not know if it’s due to their Marxism, that the US & the IMF are demanding that the Sri Lankan government un-employ 10,000s of soldiers with ‘skills in wielding weapons’. However, if the military were to announce fresh recruitment drives instead, as this ee Focus records, 10,000s would rush to line up and join the forces – the author sees no irrationality in their options.
Between one man carrying a gun & another carrying a tool,
the more important of the two is the man with the tool.
We’ve taken up arms to defeat the Portuguese,
but the whole point of driving out the Portuguese
is to defend the man with the tool.
– Amilcar Cabral of Guinea-Bissau
ee Focus’ story on the IMF cutting the forces alternatively recommends redeployment in various vital military-civilian functions like drug-wars, disaster-management & peace-keeping, etc. ee finds a more resonant resolve, however, in continuing the story of The Humble Origins of Modern Japan’s Machine Industry. This history recalls the origins of Toyota and Suzuki, Nissan and Daihatsu, etc, in the artisans who learned from making weapons to promote development of machine-making workshops.
Machine tools have been described as the ‘machines nobody knows,’ and for good reason…
Lathes & milling, drilling, or grinding machines – all of which are machine tools –
are ungainly slabs of steel & iron that cut metal using brute force.
But they vary… ‘as much in power, size & complexity in the field of metal cutting
as do elephants & earthworms in the animal kingdom.
Machine tools are in fact the mother or master machines,
the machines that make all machines.
Every manufactured product is made either by a machine tool
As part of its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, India has extended multi-pronged assistance to Sri Lanka.
Colombo:
India has handed 75 passenger buses to Sri Lanka as part of its assistance towards strengthening public transport infrastructure in the cash-strapped country.
As part of its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, India has extended multi-pronged assistance to Sri Lanka to help the country tide over its worst economic and humanitarian crisis since its independence from Great Britain in 1948.
“Supporting mobility and accessibility in Sri Lanka, High Commissioner handed over 75 buses for use by Transport Board. 500 buses are being supplied to Sri Lanka through Indian assistance towards strengthening public transport infrastructure,” the Indian High Commission here said in a statement.
In a similar move, India handed 125 SUVs to the Sri Lanka Police under a line of credit in December to support the island nation and help it address the serious mobility restriction issues faced by the police, due to the non-availability of vehicles.
The Sri Lankan government in May last year declared a debt default on over USD 51 billion in the foreign loan – a first in the country’s history.
Extending a much-needed lifeline to a neighbour in need, India gave financial assistance of nearly USD 4 billion to Colombo during the year.
In January, India announced a USD 900 million loan to Sri Lanka to build up its depleted foreign reserves as the financial crisis began to unfold.
Later, it offered a USD 500 million credit line to Sri Lanka to fund the country’s fuel purchases. The credit line was later expanded to USD 700 million due to the sheer gravity of the situation.
he Indian credit lines since early 2022 have been in use to import essentials and fuel after street protests erupted due to severe shortages of essentials.
Image caption,Thousands gathered at the former protest site to ring in the New Year
Long gone are the throngs of protesters who occupied an area around the president’s office for months during Sri Lanka’s worst economic crisis since independence.
Instead a slew of carollers sang to the public from across the heavily-guarded fences of the Presidential Secretariat. Next to the building rose an 80 ft (24m) Christmas tree, the signature piece in a landscape dotted with décor, food stalls and musical shows. And as fireworks ushered in the new year, a massive crowd flocked to the oceanfront promenade known as Galle Face Green.
It was all part of a festive zone planned by the government as a year-end tourist attraction in the central business district of Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital.
But for many locals, who used the site as their “ground zero” for Occupy-style protests from April to August and demanded their leaders resign, there is little to celebrate.
“It’s disgusting,” says Swasthika Arulingam. “It’s an indecent display of wealth that this country does not have, and of resources this country is denying to the weakest sectors of our population.”
The carnival lighting is particularly galling, she adds, given that the state-run electricity board has incurred a loss of 150bn Sri Lankan rupees (£344m) this year.
The prospect of extended daily blackouts looms again. Food staples, transport fees and children’s school supplies are increasingly unaffordable. And the new year brings with it steep tax hikes that will only compound the misery.
There is “a kind of pseudo-stability” right now, Ms Arulingam says, but residents are under tremendous stress as it grows harder to make a living.
Image caption,Christmas carollers sing on the steps of the president’s office, which was occupied by protesters in July
Through much of last year, Sri Lankans faced acute shortages of food, fuel and other basic supplies after a slew of government policies followed by the pandemic had depleted foreign reserves and left the country teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. Lengthy fuel queues and power outages sparked months of mass unrest, culminating in the storming and occupation of then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s official workplace and residence in July, forcing him to flee the country.
Six months on, with more pain on the horizon, there have been calls for early elections. Mr Rajapaksa’s parliament-appointed replacement, Ranil Wickremesinghe, has largely demurred, but local government elections are expected to take place next month after a one-year delay.
Mr Wickremesinghe has also cracked down on the anti-government protest movement and its leaders, after vowing that he will not allow “fascists” to “tear up our constitution”.
“Any form of protest is controlled in Sri Lanka right now,” says Shreen Saroor, a local human rights campaigner. “He has kept his powers well intact to do what he needs to do and in case he needs to call on the military to control the country.”
Ms Saroor points to how Mr Wickremesing has retained the powers of executive presidency – he can deploy security forces, and issue detention orders under what is known as the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).
Critics say the system, which heavily centralises power in the hands of the president, was bolstered by the Rajapaksas during their two decades in power, and lacks the appropriate checks and balances. Calls for abolishing it and reforming the constitution were a key demand in last year’s protests.
Father Jeewantha Peiris, a Catholic clergyman, is among the protest leaders who have been charged with various criminal offences, including assault and unlawful assembly, under PTA. He is fighting back in court against what he calls “baseless accusations”.
Image caption,The 2022 protests were a freedom struggle that united all Sri Lankans, says Father Jeewantha Peiris
Parliament “totally betrayed” the people when they voted in Mr Wickremesinghe as president, he says, referring to the former six-time prime minister as “another culprit who had been engaged with the corrupt system”.
“Apparently the crisis is now solved but, underneath, its real causes have not been treated,” he says. “Corruption is still taking place. Real issues like malnutrition and medicine shortages exist. Downtrodden people cannot face this inflation.”
The state is intimidating citizens like him, he alleged, but “unless they bring to account those who have committed economic injustices and violated human rights, this crisis will not be solved”.
Father Peiris is the parish priest to mostly Tamil-minority rubber estate workers in the village of Doloswala in the south-central Ratnapura district. He says successive governments have neglected Sri Lanka’s poorest and most vulnerable.
When the pandemic arrived, he claims, villagers fell ill in droves with no ability to socially distance inside their homes and no access to vaccines – and with schools shut, their children suffered with no prospect of remote learning.
“Mothers would come to my cottage and cry for their starving children,” he says. “As a priest working among them, I could not wait around and watch them in their daily misery.”
With his black locks and pristine white cassock, the parishioner was at the Galle Face Green protests every day. His message: the country needs a national movement for structural change.
He describes it as the first time Sri Lankans united, in a struggle for the greater good, irrespective of race, religion or ideology: “We had no divisions among us and we all felt we were victims.”
Image caption,Protesters broke into the president’s office on 9 July
Beginning on 9 April, daily demonstrations quickly grew into “GotaGoGama” – a word that combines the Sinhalese word for “village” with protesters’ demand for Mr Rajapaksa to step down as president.
Camped opposite the Presidential Secretariat, the little community spawned rallies, candlelight vigils, stage dramas and a huge library of donated books, all focused on broadening political literacy.
It commemorated atrocities from Sri Lanka’s past, held open forums about minority divisions and, when government-aligned thugs brutally laid siege to the site, grew even stronger.
But by July, as protesters grew increasingly restive over Mr Rajapaksa’s refusal to leave office, the crowds had grown larger and more uncontrollable.
In the days after the president’s home and office were stormed, as Mr Rajapaksa fled to the Maldives and finally resigned, security forces under the orders of his successor reclaimed the two buildings and raided the GotaGoGama protest camp, arresting demonstrators and dismantling their tents.
With many of its key figures now behind bars, facing legal action or under regular surveillance, the so-called “aragalaya” – or people’s struggle in Sinhala – has largely gone silent.
“It was a national movement, a vision of what Sri Lanka could be,” says Dr Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, founder of the Centre for Policy Alternatives, but “the middle class has deserted it, the ordinary community groups have all deserted it”.
“[Mr Wickremesinghe] successfully changed the narrative to show there’s a good aragalaya and a bad aragalaya, and what we’re now lumped with is the bad aragalaya,” he says.
Image caption,Queues for fuel snaked along Colombo’s streets at the peak of the shortage in July
Dr Saravanamuttu argues that sections of the population, particularly older Sri Lankans, view Mr Wickremesinghe as the best possible option to salvage the cash-strapped economy, but he must adhere to a reasonable timetable for elections at the local and presidential level.
“The sooner we have some legitimacy, the better,” he adds. “But from Ranil’s point of view, he wants to be elected president of this country, so he’s not going to do anything that will register a huge rebuke against any government that he is heading.”
As Sri Lanka waits on a US$2.9bn (£2.4bn) IMF bailout and financing assurances from China and other bilateral creditors, its people will struggle for a while longer. Dr Saravanamuttu warns a fresh outbreak of mass protests is on the cards in the near future, particularly in areas outside of Colombo where people are poorer and will be hit harder by rising food costs and fuel shortages.
“People will come out, not because they want constitutional reform or they want impunity checked, but because they can’t survive,” he says. “And that might be more dangerous, because it will be spontaneous and it will have a them-versus-us dimension.”
For Buwanaka Perera, a 27-year old social media activist who helped organise the GotaGoGama protests, whatever comes next, the protest movement of 2022 has left a permanent mark.
“People stood up against monsters and gave them the finger,” he says.
“We managed to send Gotabaya home. If people could send him fleeing, and hiding in [army] camps and on islands, there’s no stepping back from that.”
In 2022 Sri Lanka faced its deepest ever economic and political crisis. The country’s descent into chaos accelerated from March, sweeping away high-level bureaucrats and political leaders held culpable for implementing the misguided economic policies at the heart of the country’s problems. The political casualties failed to allay public disaffection with prolonged power outages, queues and shortages of essential commodities.
The primary target of public unrest was Sri Lanka’s elected president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa. His ouster in July was achieved amid outbreaks of violence and the occupation of key government buildings by protesters. For a while, there were real concerns that Sri Lanka would descend into a state of anarchy. The fact that it was averted — with a transfer of power to a new president elected by a majority of votes in parliament — speaks not only to the country’s tradition of democracy but also a desire to avoid repeating past experience of violent upheavals.
The parliament’s appointment of Ranil Wickremasinghe as Sri Lanka’s eighth president was not without controversy. Wickremasinghe, the nominated candidate of the departing Rajapaksas, and his party had also been roundly defeated at the parliamentary polls in August 2020. Yet he was still seen as the safest pair of hands to carry Sri Lanka through what promises to be its toughest economic setback since independence. Complex negotiations with creditors on debt restructuring following a sovereign foreign debt default in April, and an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout program, demanded a sound grasp of global economic forces and geopolitical relations. A seasoned politician who has held the post of prime minister on numerous occasions, this was territory familiar to the new president.
Wickremasinghe lacks an assured parliamentary majority to carry through painful reforms — as well as the legitimacy of having been elected by the people to do so. These could prove serious drawbacks as Sri Lanka struggles to regain its footing in 2023 and beyond.
A cost-of-living squeeze — that placed Sri Lanka in the top five countries with the highest food price inflation for much of 2022 — tipped many vulnerable Sri Lankans into poverty. Poverty is set to swell, even as job and income losses signal the country’s plunge into a prolonged recession. In 2022, GDP is expected contract by close to 9 per cent and the latest estimates suggest that the economy will contract by 3–4 per cent in 2023.
With few policy choices, Sri Lanka is banking on an IMF bailout to facilitate access to bilateral and multilateral financial support to get the economy back on track. The IMF’s four-year US$2.9 billion program provides limited provision of liquidity. What matters is the program’s ability to catalyse other official lenders, private investors and creditors confidence in coming to the party. But the standard IMF policy prescription that demands stringent financial discipline means that adjustment costs will be front-loaded, preventing the government from spending its way out of recession. Accordingly, taxes are being hiked and expenditures are being cut.
Even at the best of times — with a strong and stable government at the start of an electoral cycle — this kind of reform agenda is politically fraught. An economic crisis can sometimes be the catalyst of a major economic overhaul, but in the absence of political stability the downside risks are significant. Governments have far fewer resources in hand to compensate those who are bound to lose out from reforms. The loss of faith in political leaders and institutions, with the Sri Lankan public having clearly demonstrated its readiness to punish those who have failed to deliver, amplifies the perils.
The best hope for Sri Lanka is a swift conclusion to the debt restructuring negotiations. The evidence is sobering in today’s complex creditor landscape. For Sri Lanka, having China, India and Japan as its largest bilateral creditors alongside primarily US-based private bond holders adds a layer of complexity in working out treatment that is comparable and acceptable to all. China has been unwilling so far to take a cut in principal repayments, preferring to refinance payments with fresh loans. Sri Lanka will have to call on all its diplomatic skills to persuade creditors to arrive at a mutually agreeable formula in 2023.
Even if everything goes according to plan, it will be another two or three years before the Sri Lankan public feels any real improvement in economic conditions. The erosion of real wages and the introduction of higher taxes are squeezing disposable incomes, prompting exit by many to seek better living standards overseas.
With Sri Lanka’s economic progress set back by years by the debt crisis, the government can only hope that people will have enough patience to wait until painful austerity-inducing reforms start to work. With all the uncertainties, next year will be crucial for Sri Lanka as it gears up for the all-important presidential elections in 2024. Meanwhile, containing public disaffection amid calls for early elections — while ensuring that political uncertainty does not delay economic decision-making — is set to test the skills of even the most hardened and experienced political leader.
Dr Dushni Weerakoon is Executive Director and Head of Macroeconomic Policy Research at the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka.
(Bloomberg) — Sri Lanka’s bondholders aren’t living up to their obligations and should cancel debt to allow the country to get out of its economic crisis, a group of international academics said in a letter.
Private creditors own almost 40% of the country’s external debt, mostly in the form of International Sovereign Bonds, but higher interest rates mean they receive more than half of debt payments, the group said in the letter, which was signed by more than 180 professors from around the world.
Such lenders charged a premium to lend to Sri Lanka to cover their risks, which accrued them massive profits and contributed to Sri Lanka’s first ever default in April 2022,” said the group, which includes University of Massachusetts professor Jayati Ghosh as well as Thomas Piketty of the Paris School of Economics. Lenders who benefited from higher returns because of the ‘risk premium’ must be willing to take the consequences of that risk.”
The island nation fell into default in May, the first sovereign debt default by the country since it gained independence from Britain in 1948. The government last month held a third round of talks with creditors as it seeks a deal that’s key to unlocking a $2.9 billion International Monetary Fund bailout and other financing to bolster reserves that have been languishing below $2 billion.
The nation’s commercial creditors favor recasting both foreign- and local-currency liabilities to achieve debt sustainability and foster economic growth. The talks are at a crucial stage, the academics said, and all lenders should share in the burden of restructuring” with the assurance of additional near-term financing.
Sri Lanka on its own cannot ensure this; it requires much greater international support,” the group said. Instead of geopolitical manoeuvring, all of Sri Lanka’s creditors must ensure debt cancellation sufficient to provide a way out of the current crisis.”
Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe says that strong, independent institutions are the foundation for sustainable, inclusive and steady growth for a long period.
Speaking during a panel discussion on the topic ‘South Asia’s path to resilient growth’ organised by the International Monetary fund (IMF), Dr. Weerasinghe said that Sri Lanka has moved backwards in all its social indicators due to the lack of strong institutions in the country.
In response to a question raised by Krishna Srinivasan, the Director of IMF’s Asia & Pacific Department on how Sri Lanka can avoid getting trapped by fragmentation, Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe emphasized that the countries like Sri Lanka are affected the most due to fragmentation.
The CBSL chief, who mentioned that the only refinery in the country is operated from Iranian oil further added that Sri Lanka had to stop operations following the sanctions on Iran by the U.S.
Sri Lanka was affected due to the inability to do trade settlement, he added, expressing that the country pays high prices for fuel due to the inability to make direct purchases from Russia, owing to the Russia-Ukraine war.
Measures are underway to introduce a law similar to the Social Media Regulation Act of Singapore to regulate social media, such as YouTube and Facebook, in Sri Lanka, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Friday (06).
According to Hiru News, President Wickremesinghe pointed out that Sri Lanka has laws pertaining to newspaper and broadcasting media, but does not contain laws pertaining to social media.
The President further said that thereby, he has received a copy of Singapore’s Social Media Regulation Act and will enforce a similar bill consisting of laws suitable for Sri Lanka in the near future.
He made the remarks during a meeting with the heads of various media platforms yesterday.
The Global Research article titled Historical analysis of the Global Elites: ransacking the world economy until you’ll own nothing” by Robert I Burrowes is not only worth reading but worth thinking about too.
Robert Burrowes lays out the Great Reset outlined by the World Economic Forum in 2016.
Their plan – to ensure we owned nothing by 2030 (just 7 years) & redistribute global wealth into global elite ownership.
Their plan – initiated in Jan 2020 via depopulation agenda (Covid-20 vaccinations)
From Neolithic Revolution to the emergency of civilizations some 5000 years ago, to societies, to emergence of elites (pharaohs, emperors, kings, Popes, economic elites) the people have been divided as rich & poor with unequal distribution of wealth & resources. These have not been natural but manmade control of systems. If man has created rich-poor, he is equally able to remove poverty by re-distributing the wealth that is unfairly in the hands of global elite who pass it down to their generations having ensured their families inter-marry to continue the legacy.
The article enables us to understand that we may elect governments, we may think sovereignty is in the hands of the people, we may think we delegate our powers to an elected government but in reality even the governments have no power & are controlled by a group of elite families who own every global decision making apparatus & every influencer the world has.
Citizens of the world must finally understand & accept his reality.
The global elite have claimed control of global economy incrementally & hold the world’s wealth in their power.
The process of power has shifted from local elites to national elites to international elites & now global elites control the world while people are happily blaming governments. It is these elite who gather key players from politicians to global personalities & dictate to them their role at the annual World Economic Forums
Who are the Global Elite & its agents?
They are a group of families that have provided the framework for other ultra rich to emerge. Their agents are a network of corporations, institutions, other families & individuals who are controlled by them.
What is money?
Money is that which is created & given as loans & condition that the money loaned has to be repaid with interest.
Bank of England became the world’s first privately owned bank (with anonymous investors) issuing money that they didn’t have at interest. The interest became their money. The bank gave British politicians any sum they asked so long as debt was paid by direct taxation of the British public. This is what continues to happen.
The IMF & World Bank follows this same function & are nothing but Global Poli Mudalilis.
The govt needs money – they go to the bank which issues the money with interest & that is taxed to the people. Thus, the banks control a nation’s economy not a government. Bankers create the money not the government. This means in reality, bankers control the world leaving nations & people in debt. Debt is a form of slavery. Money is used to enslave people & nations. The IMF is nothing but an enslavement system – creating inflation to grab people’s savings.
Govts should issue money. Govts can create money debt-free & interest-free as was done & no one was taxed on income.
History of Banking
Began in 18th century with Mayer Amschel extending credit to clients which with time, divested to state, merchant banking both local & international. The policy was to take profit from interest as well as seek trade concessions using political ties, salaried agents in financial markets & increase clientele with parallel booking keeping with one for official purposes. Amschel’s 5 sons replicated this & thus the Rothschild dynasty model was established in Europe. Smuggling became a key component during the Napoleonic wars that led to hoarding of gold coins through France to England. Thus when Napoleon was defeated in Waterloo in 1815 the Rothschilds profited.
The truth about wars – bankers loan both sides to go to wars
While wars financially ruin nations the banks that provide the loans profit. This is the hard truth. Where some lose – some gain. However, the issue here is that wars are created with explicit intent for gain.
The US in reality is governed not by the US Congress but by a privately-owned central bank. The American Revolution came after the unfair taxing of the US colonies by privately-owned British Central Bank – the Bank of England (1694) Though US Govt wished to control US money, eventually privately owned US Federal Reserve System & Bank was created in 1913 having the powers to issue money. These private money changers controlled issuing of money in both England & US & also owned the media & made sure people read & heard what they wanted them to read & hear.
Is it a surprise to hear President Thomas Jefferson, ‘I sincerely believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people to whom it properly belongs.’
Banks have always funded both sides of wars.
They do so because war begets debt – both sides need money & both sides end up in debt.
The elite & manipulating governments into wars
The British Govt was manipulated into Boer War 1899-1902 by Cecil Rhodes’s secret society in which Rothschild was a member. The British public was fooled using the media claiming the war was needed to defend & consolidate goldmining interests which fell into their hands after 32,000 deaths in concentration camps of whom 26,000 were women & children, 22000 British troops killed & 23,000 British troops injured, 32,000 Boer deaths and 14,000 Africans killed just to secure the gold into the hands of the rich. Post 2000 wars all had the people manipulated by media.
Role of Bonds in Wars
Rothschild began selling British government bonds signaling to investors that Napoleon had won. Investors too began selling their bonds & Rothschild began secretly buying the bonds using agents for pittance & that was how they built their initial fortune & how they ventured into international bonds.
Bankers Elite Clients
Elite clients were royals, aristocrats, rich individuals who were offered personal banking services (large personal loans, private postal service (Queen Victoria)
Bankers investments
Bank of England’s biggest export became money. The centre was the City of London Corporation which was a square mile in London from which the London Stock Exchange, Lloyds of London & Bank of England emerged. This area is said to not be part of the British nation & have their own laws, rules & taxing. These offshore havens are not necessarily for the British as in the case of people living in Cayman islands. The havens are for the wealthy where their laws are above democratic societies.
British govts have taken loans from City in exchange for privileges & freedoms that do not apply to the British. The City has also raised funds for foreign govts & companies.
More wealthy families emerged with time – Rockefellers, Carnegies, Morgans, Vanderbilts. They all knew each other. They created their own secret groups. Rothschilds was also associated with the creation of the Royal Dutch Shell, their Paribas Bank controlled news agency Havas which owned advertising agency in France.
By late 19th century Rothschilds invested in armament companies & related industries.
The elite & their manipulation of people
The elite influence people in positions – either to place them in position or influencing people who have reached positions.
The Royal Family’s Balmoral & Sandringham estate was paid for by the Rothschilds. These gifts” are never called bribes”.
Banks dominating US
2008 saw the banking crisis resulting in 4 giant banks dominating US economy – JP Morgan Chase, Citigroup, Bank of America & Wells Fargo.
These along with Deutsche Bank, Banque Paribas, Barclays & other European cartels own the 4 oil giants & are the top 10 holders of every Fortune 500 corporation. This gives them control over the global economy.
The Banks are owned by the major families Rothschilds, Morgans, Rockefellers Warburgs – together 13 families. They control the New York City banks which hold the controlling stock of the Federal Reserve Bank.
In 1857 US bank Peabody Morgan & Company was in trouble but was saved by intervention of Bank of England via influence of Rothschild. When Peabody retired in 1864, Junius Morgan father of J P Morgan took over.
Rothschild-Barings Bank
Nathaniel Rothschild who headed Bank of England committee rescued Barings Bank in 1890. Rothschild also saved Kuhn Loeb, MM Warburg Bank.
The Rothschild, Rockefellers & other elite families agree to disagree but agree to remain elite rulers of the world & their intermarriages seal the unity. The kept the façade of disunity to keep public from discovering their objectives.
The families agreed on 5 objectives:
Stop competition from nation’s new banks
Obtain franchise to create money out of nothing to lend
Control reserves of all banks so reckless ones would not be exposed
Get taxpayers to pick up their inevitable losses
Convince Congress their purpose was to protect public
They promoted the need for bankers to become partners with politicians using the Central Bank to issue money.
Clearly the bankers expected the govt to pass its losses on the taxpayers. This is exactly what we see happening. The manner that Govts have bailed out banks & companies heaping the burden of the bail out on the taxpayers shows the objective at play.
Prof Anthony Sutton detailed the links between Wall Street & US President Roosevelts family.
U.S. Congressman Louis Thomas McFadden, chairman of the House Committee on Banking and Currency, in 1932:
‘When the Federal Reserve Act was passed, the people of the United States did not perceive that… this country was to supply financial power to an international superstate – a superstate controlled by international bankers and international industrialists acting together to enslave the world for their own pleasure.’
The handful who created the Federal Reserve also ignited the Boer War in South Africa & the 2 Great Wars. World War 1 lost 20million lives & World War 2 lost 75million lives.
US Federal Reserve Bank
This private bank governs banking in the US.
7 men who represented Wall Street met in 1910 at the private resort of J P Morgan to create the Federal Reserve Act of 1913. These 7 men held ¼ of total wealth of the entire world.
Nelson W Aldrich (Republican Whip / Chair of National Monetary Commission & father in law of John Rockefeller Jr
Henry P Davison (Senior Partner J P Morgan)
Charled D Norton (President of 1st National Bank of New York)
Piatt Andrew (Assistant Secretary of the Treasury
Frank A Vanderlip (President National City Bank of New York representing William Rockefeller)
Benjamin Strong (head of J P Morgan’s Bankers Trust Company)
Paul M Warburg (partner in Kuhn, Loeb & Company representing Rothschild & Warburgs in Europe)
US Federal Reserve is owned by Goldman Sachs, Rockefellers, Lehmans, Kuhn Loebs of New York, Rothschilds of Paris & London, Warburgs of Hamburg, Lazards of Paris, Israel Moses Seifs of Rome (Dean Henderson 2010)
Bank for International Settlements
The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) located in Basel, Switzerland, became the Central Bank of the Central Banks in 1930where financial control of the world financial system was put into private hands. These hands controlled the political system of every country & every economy. This meant these few who controlled the BIS ruled the world.
The Bank of International Settlements was mooted by Montagu Norman (Bank of England) & Benjamin Strong (Federal Reserve Bank) – they deemed that international finance would be dictated by central banks without interference from governments.
Bank of International Settlements is a private bank owned & controlled by the world’s chief central banks which are private corporations.
They controlled the Treasury of every govt – the loans govts take, they manipulated foreign exchange, they influenced economic activity of every nation, they influenced politicians by rewards in the business world (as seen by the manner politicians join international corporates upon retirement)
These investment bankers conversant in flows of credit & investment funds in own countries & across the world knew how to dominate the financial & industrial systems in their countries as they knew how to influence flow of current funds through bank loans, discount rate & re-discounting of commercial debts. Thus, they help create financial coups in their own nations. They do so on behalf of their masters who are not accountable to anyone. The BIS Agreement afford a range of privileges & immunities & BIS Board & their representatives in Central Banks are also immune from arrest or imprisonment (Swiss Federal Council & Bank for International Settlements legal status in Switzerland)
This means the BIS & its members are immune from any form of legal action by governments, international agencies & rule of law.
They keep politicians, academics & others in line by either rewards or penalties.
US Major General Smedly Butler describes his role in his 1935 book
‘War is a racket. It always has been. It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious…. It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives…. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few, at the expense of the very many. Out of war a few people make huge fortunes.’
World War 2
Prof Anthony Sutton claims Wall Street banks & US businesses supported Hitlers rise to power by financing & trading with Nazi Germany. This meant the War profited financial insiders – J P Morgan, T W Lamont, Rockefellers, General Electric, Standard Oil & National City, Chase & Manhattan banks, Kuhn Loeb & Co, General Motors, Ford Motor & others (Wall Street & the rise of Hitler)
US business collaboration with Nazis is revealed in I G Farben (German chemical complex out of 6 German companies) banker Max Warburg (brother of Paul of US Federal Reserve) was created by the Wall Street financier Hermann Schmitz a prominent Nazi who used I G Farben to fund Hitler in 1933. Though I G Farben was critical of Nazi war it was producing 95% of the gas used to exterminate people.
Oil Cartel
Dean Henderson revealed that the world’s oil cartel was in the hands of not 7 but 4 horsemen – Exxon Mobil, Chevron Texaco, BP Amoco & Royal Dutch/Shell. He highlighted how oil was the main source of capital for international mega banks. The Gulf Cooperation Council sheiks are given 30 year treasury bonds at 5% interest, they loan the sheiks oil money out of Third World Govts & western consumers at 15-20% interest & use debt to leverage consolidating control of the global economy.
Transfer of powers from Nation State Elites to Transnational Elites
Prof Peter Philips in his 2018 Giants: The Global Power Elite shows transfer of power from nation state elites to transnational elites to control the global capital around the world. The Global Power Elite function as a NGO network.
Philipps identifies worlds top 17 asset management firms including – BlackRock, J P Morgan Chase that manage more than $50trillion in self-invested network of interlocking capital
Philipps identifies 199 individual directors of 17 global financial giants & their role in transnational institutions like World Bank, IMF, G20, G7, WTO, WEF, Trilateral Commission (55 members), Bilderberg Group. Bank for International Settlements, Council of Foreign Relations, the Group of Thirty (32 members)
How does the global elite defend its power, its profits & its privileges against rebellion by ‘unruly exploited masses” (Philipps)
NATO
US military empire
Concentration of wealth & the greed to keep control of it has resulted in
Poverty
Wars
Starvation
Mass alienation
Media lies
Environmental hazards
Solution:
Redistribution of wealth from the Global Elite to the Global Masses
Take the world’s largest corporations/industries – note how the corporate ownership is interlocked & owned by the same small group of giant asset management corporations – Vanguard, BlackRock & State Street. Behind all of these asset management firms, corporations, private funds & nonprofit organizations are the same families that rule the world. The inclusion of Chinese & Russian oligarchs/elites are also listed
Ironically, the data used by the Chinese govt are controlled by IT corporations that report to billionaires (through Israel & US) which bypass the Chinese govt.
Covid in China is driven by elite intelligence & finance corporations no different to the Opium War
Prof Sutton claims the Trilateral Commission (Zbigniew] Brzezinski) orchestrated transfer of technology to China making it a technocracy.
Russia’s post-covid economic restructuring embraced WEF’s 4thindustrial revolution in Oct 2021. Russia has agreed to allow corporations & institutions to deploy Artificial Intelligence & robots into the economy without red tape. Russia’s central bank is ready to test-run a digital ruble that can restrict purchases. Russia’s external management is by Big Tech, social global platforms & Big Pharma through WHO.
Elite & Tax Havens
The elite, its agents, organizations & those in China & Russia hold their wealth in tax globally located havens. Others also enjoying tax haven privileges include wealthy individuals, criminals, terrorists, govt agencies, banks, corporations, hedge funds, Vatican, crime syndicates that include cash, gold, artworks, racehorses etc – how much is this wealth accumulated?
They are protected by government legislation & legal systems. They have elite agents (accountants, auditors, bankers, business people, lawyers & politicians) to protect their interest. This wealth has been acquired from sex trafficiking, gun running, endangered species trafficking, conflict diamonds, drug trafficking)
If you have money – the law does not exist.
The power of the banking families over Global Economy is shrouded in secrecy
Their corporate media quick to discredit anyone or any information exposing them or their powers as conspiracy theories”.
People presenting valid views & arguments are branded as insane” or conspiracy theorists” & excluded from public debate.
(Eight Families & their Global Intelligence)
Prof Sutton says
the political power of the US is not in the US constitution but in New Yorks financial establishment, the private international bankers & financial houses of J P Morgan, Rockefeller-controlled Chase Manhattan Bank & the Warburgs.
The US Congress has no control over the Federal Reserve System or the Federal Reserve Bank
US Federal Reserve is unaudited
US Federal Reserve has powers to print money & create credit at will
US Federal Reserve has monopoly over the US economy.
Council of Foreign Relations determines US foreign policy
Robert I Burrowes claims post World War 2 aims to
Transforms World Order
Destroy the World Economy
Capture all wealth into the hands of the Global Elite
How does he claim the aims are to be achieved
Using institutions such as UN, World Bank, IMF, US Sustainable Development Goals (imposing global governance on global population), global financial governance system. Note none of UN’s sustainable goals have taken any nation out of debt except continue debt imperialism.
World Economic Forum’s RESET using Covid-19 pandemic meant to impact political, economic, technological measures on nations.
How will they achieve these aims?
World Bank & IMF to use debt to force countries to adopt policies that redistribute wealth via banks, corporations institutions (to the elite)
Corporations to use own ‘economic hit men’ to do same thing
Persuading leaders not to develop nations by using false economic projections & bribes to even military threats & assassinations.
Persuade leaders to accept enormous ‘development loans’ for projects which are contracted to western corporations – this makes countries trapped in debt
Once countries are trapped in debt – get govts to implement unpopular austerity measures, deregulate financial markets & privatize state assets (aim to erode national sovereignty) – Read New Confessions of an Economic Hit Man – John Perkins.
Global Public-Private Partnership (presented by Klaus Schwab & Peter Vanham) on behalf of WEF (Stakeholder Capitalism – capitalists & their partners: the BIS, Central Banks, Global Corporations including media, philanthropic organizations, foundations of multibillionaires, policy think tanks, govts & their agencies, key NGOs & global charities, selected academic institutions, labor unions & their thought leaders” – this is the network identified by Iain Davis & Whitney Webb. This network controls world economy & global finance by setting world, national & local policy & promotes them using their media channels. Their policy is distributed through IMF, WB, WHO, WTO & govts are used to transform the Global PPP into hard policy legislation & law at national level. This way using GPPP nations are controlled without changes to national legislation & escapes legal challenges difficult too. People already notice the global governance overriding national sovereignty of states – national govts are quickly creating Global PPPs by taxing people & increasing govt borrowing – debt.
Global PPP is to determine future state of global relations & national economies & management of global people. People have no participatory role. Global Governance system will order elected govts to do as they wish, govts have no choice but to follow not the people’s wishes but the global governors.
New but same tactic – COP26 launched Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero which is UN-convened alliance of private banking/financial institutions claiming to overhaul global/regional financial institutions (WB/IMF) – but it will use multilateral development banks include WB, IBDB, ADB, African Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction & Development to facilitate climate & environmental friendly investments. It comprises Net Zero Asset Managers/ Alliance & Bank Alliance & include CEOs of BlackRock, Citi, Bank of American, Banco Santander & HSBC, CEO of LSEG & Chair of Rockefeller Fund. Whitney Webb claims the new initiative sets to use multilateral development banks to impose deregulation on developing nations using decarbonization drive (using ‘saving the planet rhetoric)
Elite taking control of Nature – Sept 2021 launched a new asset class developed by Intrinsic Exchange Group & Rockefeller Foundation for Natural Asset Companies. Claiming sustainable enterprises hold rights to ecosystem services, that natural asset owners can convert nature’s value into financial capital. They are including life supporting services – food, water, timber, genetic resources, regulating services for climate, floods, disease, water quality, cultural services that provide aesthetic, spiritual benefit & supporting services such as soil formation, photosynethesis & nutrient cycling. WEB’s Global Future Council on Nature-Based Solutions urged investors, corporations & govts to create market-based mechanisms to value nature. This clearly shows the transfer of natural habitat into corporate hands.
The new asset class is to be put on the NYSE for investments in nature to finance sustainable development for communities, companies & countries.
Corporations are involved in land & resource grab – this enables Elite to own the ecosystem – waterfalls, lagoons, lakes, rivers, caves, wetland, coral reefs, fresh water, food, medicines, biodiversity, nature, fauna, flora – it will also means the indigenous will be displaced. Whatever commonly” used by commoners” will be in hands of Elite corporates. Nature will be reduced to a profit-making commodity. Who will watch Mother Nature’s Ecosystem be monetized & in control of only a handful. These are the very companies who have destroyed natural environments by exploiting fossil fuels, minerals, rainforest products & forcing indigenous people off their land.
We must appreciate the work of Robert J Burrowes for awakening people to realities of who rules the world
Diocesan priests promise to be celibate, preach the truth, and obey the bishop Picture koheda Aleteia.org
Evidence of tactful proselytizing activity goes through marriage life in Sri Lanka, where Buddhist secretly convert to become slaves of another religion. When we screen through actual incidents in our society, we can clearly find out that church propagandists plant early seeds in their community to convince another religious partner to convert to God-based religion. In general, Buddhists and Hindus never demand that a couple must belong to the same religion before a marriage can be solemnized, but many others tend to take advantage of this tolerance as a weakness of our culture. Also, them and all, specially church gores victim Buddhist partner and church helped their church member for unethically convert beloved partner to Christianity. (Keep in heart Islamics people also doing the same. In short we can say all Abrahamic Religious authority’s practice the same) Contrary to what many romantic novels say, marriage does not mean the total and absolute merging of two people or that either person will lose or extend his or her own identity. When a religion (especially the God doctrine) demands that both partners have the same religious label, (Be a baptize or Go to hell). As per the intelligence community, it denies the basic human right of an individual to believe what he or she wants. We Buddhists maintain the freedom of the individual to choose. We never asked our partner or friends to convert to the Buddhist way. That’s a civilized way of living. So then, this principle should be respected by all. When young people are in love, they are prepared to make many sacrifices as long as they can get married. So this faithfulness is victimized by God Religious people are a shame. And they are insane.
Key points for the Christian community :
Please look around your church and count the number of new priests. How many of them are direct descendants of Buddhist families? Why do bishops and pastors give them the Chris Crown” (master preacher position) rather than giving it to a humble, 500-year-old traditional Christian family? What they hunt for is that a hidden dollar? Or they’re are the one whose choosed by God to be in the heaven not you? Or is This a New world order?
Think twice…be intelligence…be wise…
Don’t be fooled by a covert Ajenda…
Triple Gem bless you always!
Analyst of Buddhist affairs, Desha Abhimani Surya Vansa Ratna Vibhushan Palitha Ariyarathna from Senkadagala Sinha Dwara… TCFBI PEC President Unethical Conversion of Buddhist TCFBI International Co-ordinator JBB Convenor and President Author Publisher and Journalist
A Youtube video (uploaded December 27, 2022) with the alarmist caption බුදුන් ඉපදුණු මේ ලංකාවට සිදු වු අපරාදෙ අපිත් දැන ගනිමුද
(Let’s be aware of the enormity of the injustice perpetrated on Sri Lanka where the Buddha was born) captured my attention this morning (January 1, 2023), both because of the sensationalism of the title and its association with the popular youtuber Harindra Jayalal who presents its content as an important news bulletin from a so-called ‘We Rectify Our History’ organization (presumably based in the UK). Five days after uploading, the video has got about 8,500 views, and only 301 subscribers. Though Harindra Jayalal presents it as a newsflash under ‘Breaking News’, the maker of the video is someone who chooses to obscure their identity by describing it as a DANAPALA VIDEO. While watching the video, though, I felt that Harindra himself made this video as a strong believer in the controversial new hypothesis that the Buddha was born in Sri Lanka. But again, I thought ‘could a person like Harindra subscribe to such an improbable concoction’? In terms of my experience, Harindra is far too rational, educated, cultured and knowledgeable to embrace such a harebrained ideology. I believe that he is too honest to prostitute his journalism for mercenary ends.
Lucidity, idiomaticity, and precision of expression characterize Harindra Jayalal’s Sinhala. Such linguistic elegance is not common among ordinary Sinhala language Youtubers. His professionalism and sophistication as a journalist are hard to match. However, the emphatic positive tone of voice that he adopts right through to the end of the presentation cannot be due to any real personal commitment to the authenticity of the ‘Buddha was born in Sri Lanka’ claim. Instead, by lending his patronage to this video, he may be helping out a struggling new youtuber through his own established fame. Yet, Harindra seems to be here overdoing his generosity because, his apparent espousal of that extremely anti-national heresy, might only provide some justification for the insidious process of cultural genocide that is being carried out, unknown to most ordinary Sri Lankans of diverse ethnicities, against the country’s innocent Sinhala Buddhist majority, something that has been going for decades now.
Be that as it may, according to this ’news flash’, …. The Ariya Kammattahna Sanvidhanaya/Ariya Kammattahna Organization led by a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk named Ariyamagga, resident in Europe, is going to sue the British government. He has taken steps to institute legal action against government officials who served during British colonial times. He charges that Britain has distorted historical information relating to the subcontinent of India and that his fundamental rights are being violated by officials serving today in their place by intentionally failing to rectify those distortions. ……. The case names the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth affairs, the State Secretary for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports, Secretary of State for Tourism Zones and National Heritage, and the Secretary of State for Education as respondents……the court action will go ahead as the violations are continuing……”. (This is from the opening of the spoken text of the video as roughly translated by me from Sinhala as other relevant parts of the same spoken script found in the rest of this essay; details such as names of ministries may not exactly tally with the real ones. – RRW)
The ‘We Rectify Our History’ organization argues that Britain has violated provisions of various legal statutes that it cites such as Britain’s 1998 Human Rights Act, the 1988 Copyrights, Designs, and Patents Act, and the 1907 Hague Convention. It demands that at least certified photocopies of the ancient ola leaf books stashed away in British libraries and museums be made available (to it on behalf of Sri Lankans) free of charge without reserving copyrights and that steps be taken to provide funds for new archaeological excavations needed to correct those (deliberately introduced) errors in our country’s history.
The plaintiff organization pleads that (the British government) acknowledge that the school education system established under the colonial administration disseminated for public consumption false information without any foundation in Sri Lankans’ (collective) national and religious identity, and also that (the British government) tender an apology to the general public of the world for the crimes committed.
In Sri Lanka’s ancient chronicles, Buddhist literature and even in colloquial parlance in Buddhist religious contexts today the name Jambudipa (Pali) or Dambadiva (Sinhala) refers to the subcontinent of India. But according to the ‘Buddha was born in Sri Lanka’ theorists, Jambudeepa was in the eastern part of Sri Lanka (if we imagine the map of the country as vertically divided with a line into east and west). A central claim made in the aforementioned plea for justice is that the true location of the Jambudipa where the founder of Theravada Buddhism, Gotama Samana, was born and lived and the locations of its cities and Buddhist holy sites were conspiratorially concealed from the world and that these venues were substituted by those in India by deliberately altering the maps of Sri Lanka and India. This is alleged to have misled the Theravada Buddhist adherents and deprived them of their right to know the truth about their spiritual master. (By ‘Theravada Buddhists’ the petitioner ‘We Rectify Our History’ organization means Sinhalese Buddhists.) What does it aim to achieve for them by asserting the following harmful falsehood?
Having been misled (by false information) as explained above, the Buddhists of today mistake Hindu and Jain holy places to be Buddhist ones and go to worship at them. This is a tragic state of affairs” according to the plaint. But we know it is not. What is there tragic about it, even if the alleged fraudulent deed actually happened? On the contrary, it would be a happy state of affairs. Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists have much in common (tolerance, nonviolence, compassion, humility, mind culture, inner search for truth, etc.) and have no problem visiting each other’s shrines without being challenged as impure infidels or non-believers. Community of basics makes for intercommunal peace and peaceful coexistence, as has always been the case in Sri Lanka between Hindus and Buddhists. However, this ludicrous complaint lets the cat out of the bag.
The ‘Buddha was born in Sri Lanka’ idea is obviously a piece of fiction carefully thought up by some evil minded individual or group to confuse the credulous unsophisticated, grievously ill informed (embarrassingly large) section of the Sinhalese Buddhist community about their religion as well as their history for some political and/or religious advantage. Those who stand to gain by this may be having a field day at present. They must be laughing their heads off in private at the silliness of those Buddhists who have swallowed this and other similar fabrications (such as the mythical Ravana being their progenitor) hook line and sinker.
Believers in the ‘Buddha was born in Sri Lanka’ myth might be induced to sever even their sentimental links with places that they correctly believed to be historic Buddhist places of worship in Sri Lanka later built over by invaders. The misguided adherents of the fiction will forget the Sacred Buddha Gaya/Bodh Gaya in India, which our indefatigable Anagarika Dharmapala did much to reclaim for the world Buddhists as he knew it was his historic responsibility as a ‘Sinhale’ Buddhist to do so. (This is because after the missionary Mahinda Thera introduced Theravada Buddhism to Sri Lanka, its scriptures that had been until then transmitted orally was committed to writing there in the 1st century BCE and was preserved for posterity, making the island the repository of Theravada Buddhism. By the end of the 19th century CE, Buddhism had almost entirely disappeared from India due to Muslim invasions and anti-Buddhism Hinduist influence.) Dharmapala met with limited success, no doubt, but it was a great achievement, even an epoch making one, considering his smallness when pitted against the powerful opponents he had to face in that Hindu dominated religious environment during the British Raj at the turn of the 20th century. Anagarika Dharmapala, in association with activists like journalist and poet Sir Edwin Arnold from the British intelligentsia, laid the foundation for the current Buddhist revival in India. Today India is rediscovering and restoring its lost Buddhist heritage, for example in the form of rebuilding the ancient Buddhist monastic University of Nalanda (427-1197 CE) burned down by Muslim invaders in the 12th century. This made it possible for Prime Minister Modi to shout out to the world not long ago: India gave to the world the Buddha, not yuddha (war)”. India honoured Anagarika Dharmapala by issuing a postage stamp commemorating him in 2014.
I came across a book written in Sinhala about this ‘Buddha was born in Sri Lanka’ argument. Its title translates as Evidence to prove that the land of the Buddhas is none other than this ‘Heladiva’ or Sri Lanka: Debunking myths” (2018) by a writer named S. Ariyaratne. It is full of information drawn from authentic sources, but garbled by him through misinterpretation. The book contains a lot of interesting but, scientifically unauthenticated details both about the dhamma and history, but without any serious supporting evidence or rational elucidation. In some instances Ariyaratne quotes from the Mahavansa, which he seems to modify in his interpretation to suit his thesis that the Buddha was born, lived, and died in Sri Lanka. One example: in Mudaliyar L.C. Wijesinghe’s translation (1889) of the Mahavansa the last verse of Chapter VI is as follows: This prince named Vijaya, who had then attained the wisdom of experience, landed in the division Tambapanni of this land Lanka, on the day that the successor (of former Buddhas) reclined in the arbour of the two delightful sal trees, to attain nibbana”. Ariyaratne interprets the same Pali verse in Sinhala; his version can be rendered into English thus: Prince Vijaya of steady wisdom arrived the day that the Tathagata lay down to attain nibbana (in the shade) between two sal trees in Lanka or Tamraparni whose branches were intertwined” (Page 210 of Ariyaratne’s book).
Between pages 112-132, Ariyaratne looks at Anagarika Dharmapala’s work in India from his own uninformed jaundiced point of view. His unconvincing, idiosyncratic argument is that the Lankan Buddhist missionary, misled by the suddas (Whites/Europeans), mistakenly identified Bodh Gaya in India as the birthplace of the Buddha, but that towards the end of his life, he showed signs that he realized his mistake. But it is only an unsubstantiated assumption on Ariyaratne’s part. He points out that the Bodhi tree found there is not the Bodhi tree under which ascetic Gotama attained enlightenment, which should true for the original probably disappeared during foreign invasions. He thinks Alexander Cunningham (the pioneer of what later became the Archaeological Survey of India) planted the extant Bodhi tree in 1870. Concerning this he mentions ‘Relighting the Lamp’ by Australian monk Bhante S. Dhammika (no stranger to English language newspaper readers in Sri Lanka). But Ariyaratne doesn’t seem to have carefully read what he makes reference to. Actually, ‘Relighting the Lamp’ is only the last (or 4th) section of that monk’s 241 page book ‘The Navel of the Earth: The History and Significance of Bodh Gaya’ (BPS, Kandy, 1996)’ between pp. 119-171. In that part of the book, Bhante Dhammika has included a fairly detailed account of Dharmapala’s legitimate heroic struggle to acquire the sacred place for Buddhists. Dharmapala played a key role in ‘relighting the lamp’ in India.
Bhante Shravasti Dhammika outlines the historical importance of Bodh Gaya in his preface to ‘The Navel of the Earth…..’:
…..Bodh Gayā’s historical significance is due to it having a longer and more complete history than almost any other place in the subcontinent, a history supplemented by epigraphical and literary sources from China and Tibet, Burma, Thailand and Sri Lanka. Nor is this history merely an outline of events or a list of doubtful dates, as so often encountered in the study of India’s past. Rather, it includes detailed descriptions of Bodh Gayā’s now vanished temples and shrines, accounts of the elaborate ceremonies and doctrinal disputes that once took place there, and even details of how time was kept in its monasteries. This history is also made more interesting by the participation of some of Asia’s greatest personalities, from Asoka to Curzon, from Xuanzang to Anāgārika Dharmapāla…..”
The book also supplies information about the conspicuous presence of Buddhist monks from Simhale (Sri Lanka) and the construction of religious buildings in Jambudipa including Bodh Gaya under Sinhalese royal patronage. In the 4th century, Sinhalese king Meghavanne (304-332 CE) built a special monastery at the place of Buddha’s Enlightenment – the Bodh Gaya Monastery. It survived there for a millennium, functioning as a major monastic university complex. It operated along with two other Buddhist universities,the famous Nalanda and Vikramashila monastic universities, which came into existence later.
The author of The Navel of the Earth…” is an extremely more reliable authority on the history of the Buddha’s birthplace than Ariyaratne. In fact, the erudite Bhante S. Dhammika, who is additionally an alumnus of the Postgraduate Institute of Pali and Buddhist Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, has devoted many years of his life for researching the subject, even traveling on foot where Buddha walked across that part of north India to and fro, preaching his message. He has written and published over a dozen books. A book by Bhante Dhammika published last year (2022) is ‘Lumbini’, which gives a short history of Lumbini the first of the four major holy places of Buddhism, being where the person who was born to become Buddha was born”.
The truth is that, in my opinion, Ariyaratne is not at all worthy of comparison with Bhante Dhammika in this context. He has had no worthwhile academic training in either Buddhism or the history of Buddhism, not to speak about anything else that is ancillary such as the secular history of Sri Lanka and India. What may be taken as an autobiographical note on pp. 12-14 of Ariyaratne’s book mentioned above says that he was born in a small impoverished village in Nivitigala in 1972. At age 14, he was admitted to the Sangha order as a novice. He studied at a pirivena in Ratnapura, where he became a kind of loner allegedly trying to learn the dhamma in an unorthodox way, which meant that he read material outside the prescribed syllabuses. Disgusted with the Sangha order at age 19 (i.e., before higher ordination), he disrobed, and became a layman again, reverting to his birth name Ariyaratne. But he claims that he continued his search in which he followed in the footsteps of such ‘Arya utuman’ (Arhants) as the infamous and totally ignorant Waharaka (Abhayarathanalankara) and Meewanapalane (Siri Dhammalankara)!! Meewanapalane has been officially excommunicated by the Malwatte Nikaya, but he continues to preach to a dwindled audience. Waharaka died in 2017 and his death was described as ‘Parinibbana’!, a term used only in the case of the passing away of an Arhant, most usually in referring to the death of the Buddha. It is an abomination to abuse that terminology to apply to the death of a sinful fake Arhant. (There is a great possibility, nay probability, that these are plants intended to destroy the Buddha Sasanaya, which is the breath and being of our over 2500 year old Lankan/Heladiva civilization. Those who bristle at this, please listen to the advice of the Buddha in the Kalama Sutta, and independently find out their hollowness by studying samples of their preachings.)
Ariyamagga Thera who is the main motivator of the ‘We Rectify Our History’ project as well as the leader of the so-called Ariya Kammattahna Organization may belong to the same group of rogues in robes. (I googled the name Ariyamagga Thero, but failed to find any monk by that name or an organization he heads, except the name in Sinhala characters ‘Pujya K. Ariyamagga’.) The theme ‘We Rectify Our History’ probably comes from Ariyaratne’s book, p. 116, where the author writes Let’s rectify mistakes in our history by ourselves”. Isn’t it possible that some eccentric uneducated zealots have also been recruited or are simply being used as ownerless donkeys by the prime movers of a global conspiracy against the Sinhalese and their Buddhist culture?
It is true that the British stole many archaeological treasures including ola leaf manuscripts of inestimable value from Sri Lanka. At least some of them are being preserved in British libraries and museums. They are waiting to be reclaimed by us through proper channels. This is not the time to get them, as we can understand, given the debilitating economic and political difficulties Sri Lanka is experiencing. This task should actually be left to present and future young generations. Ariyamagga’s silly move could be a preemptive strike meant to foil such an attempt being made by young Sri Lankans even before it is initiated.
Harindra’s video ends with a glowing eulogy to Ariyamagga: The intrepid step that this monk has taken, daring Britain’s ‘White Crown’ is a courageous and heroic move made against the British Empire by a citizen of Sihale ever since the defeat of the (armed) liberation struggle of Uva Wellassa of 1818”. I hear the chuckle of the conspirators behind this mock tribute to Pujya K. Ariyamagga. (END)
Postscript:
Although I searched the internet for some information about this so-called Ariyamagga Thero before I started writing this article, I couldn’t find any. This was probably because the search terms I used were incorrect or because the robed rogue might have been careful to leave no trace of his presence in cyberspace. Then this morning (6/1/23) quite by fluke I found a You Tube video already over one year old that reveals Ariyamagga as a former LTTE Tamil who, having left Sri Lanka as a refugee, now poses as a Sinhalese Buddhist monk, embarked on a mission to destroy the Sinhalese Buddhist history and cultural heritage of the country: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07GJwztSDD0&t=252s Interested readers may check this out.
Sarath Wijesinghe President’s Counsel Former Ambassador to UAE and Israel. [1]Chairman Consumer Affairs Authority, President Ambassador’s forum
Domestic Workers
Domestic workers are those employed in households or personal level of private individuals or families, prevalent worldwide. Rules for domestic workers are not properly regularized in Sri Lanka or in many countries though attempts have been made to prepare international conventions and legal systems in some parts of the world. 100th sessions of ILO on 16th June 2011 agreed and ratified the domestic workers convention which is only on paper as it is only an international convention not properly effective in all the countries in the world family. The convention is not enforceable and effective as a nonstarter. Domestic servant’s ordinance 28 of 1871 is one of the oldest acts passed on this subject which has not taken forward for implementation. It defines domestic servants are those hired by the employer on payment of wages and generally they are given accommodation and duties are given by the employer at his/her discretion. Above definition can be considered as universal in the absence of any other by any activist groups on employment or human rights groups.
Local and International Legal structure
Article c 180 of ILO is the most frequently used Convention on domestic employees which is also a nonstarter and an ineffective international instrument. Domestic workers are fully under the control of the employer at his mercy somewhat akin to slavery where the workers from villages (in Asian and African countries) are at the mercy of the employer with no legal or procedural safeguards as in developed countries where domestic servants are scarce and expensive except migrant workers. Domestic servants are maids, gardeners, Chaffers, gardeners, or providing general assistance for the household and/or their trade and vocation. In Pakistan and India ‘Samindaers’ (richest rich and landlords/landowners ) take families in lifetime impressment/ransom for labor due to their poverty and landlessness which is well known and in Sri Lanka domestics are mainly taken from vulnerable groups opt to be domestics due to poverty which is fortunately despairing today due to the advancement of the attitudes, education life style and existence of laws ( though not effective) such as Child protection, Protection for Women, Labor laws which are not properly and powerfully enforced.
Legislation in Sri Lanka
Shop and office ordinance on employment of 19/54 gives some guidelines for good government servants and the judiciary to act fairly with sympathy on given opportunities. Wages Ordinance 43/1941 and provident fund ordinance 15/58 workmen compansation19/43 47/56 young person’s payment of gratuity establishment of labor department and labor tribunals and active participation of Policy and the legal structure are good signs on the right direction. In the United Kingdom domestic workers enjoy some freedom and a reasonable pay and protection. It is only rich families who can afford to employ domestic workers and rich and aristocratic families ‘’Butlers’’ are well paid and enjoys some kind of freedom. Historical domestics employed in highest strata of the society rose up to high positions in UK as even slaves during dark era/ages rose up to leading positions. In the west the lifestyle is different to be self-sufficient and able to attend to personal affairs by themselves without domestics and can be satisfied with part-time workers for cleaning and such assistance only without fulltime domestic servants who are expensive and difficult to find. Article 1 of C189 defines the term domestic worker as work performed on or for a household or households.
Domestic workers oversees
Currently majority of domestic workers worldwide are females. Most Sri Lankan female domestic workers are employed in the Middle East as domestic workers, namely housemaids in vulnerable and unfortunate situations with no safety protection and control or supervision of third party to look after them though the Embassies and the representatives of Bureau of Labor is expected to protect them. The treatment to the domestic labor in Middle East and such countries are pathetic and sad as they are subjected to ill-treatment and even torture by the employer and agents. Local International media and social media is full of such news on horrific incidents apparently with no solutions in the sight. Domestic workers are under to control of the agents/employers[Ma1] who are supposed to be protected by the Embassies and the representatives of the Employment bureau, generally known to be inefficient and ineffective. Middle East is a new oil rich country who can afford domestic labor supplied by Asian and African countries through job agents.
Caregivers a category of domestic workers?
Caregivers are employed world over looking after the sick and elderly in many countries with a substantial salary expected to stay indoors. Caregivers are trained para medics trained to look after elderly and sick mainly in economically advanced countries. Israel and Japan with long life expectancy and has a demand for foreign caregivers who too are somewhat domestic workers of high salaries and protection followed by many countries. Sri Lanka is in need of foreign exchange and the best way is to send labor to countries where they can afford to domestic and other workers at a high cost of losing mothers for children and labor force for the development of the nation. Domestic workers in Sri Lanka are not properly looked after or covered by the labor laws of the said countries. The organization that supervises the interest for the Sri Lankan labor overseas labor in Sri Lanka is Sri Lanka Bureau of Labor which is established for the betterment for labor in Sri Lanka and abroad. Employers seeking employment overseas are bound to obtain permission approval and guidance from this institution. Apparently. Not functioning as expected, thereby those employed in foreign countries especially in the Middle East are not protected, thus exposed. Respective embassies in those countries are expected to work together with foreign employment bureau, but the response from those countries is sad, pathetic and unfortunate. In the Middle East, one in every three are domestic workers are females. Domestic workers are highly vulnerable in destination countries. Training and education play a major role in this context. In the Philippines 30% of the population depends on foreign employment and to their advantage they are trained by the state foreign employment for the job as public policy and their knowledge of English is comparably high. Therefore, they are successful in their respective trades and employment over many other foreign labor in the Middle East and world over. For an instance in world and western countries Philippines are employed in technical domestic and other fields that brings revenue to their country.
Encourage and improve Sri Lankan domestic labor to be professional and international
Though Sri Lankans are supposed to be educational, foreign languages are limited thereby the exposure is also limited. These are areas either the state or private enterprises must take over training English and other languages for respective jobs. Therefore, it is the time for the governance for the private sector to train Sri Lankans locally for skills languages to be exported to countries as skilled employees. There should be a transparent public policy and schemes to compete with Philippines and other successful countries to train Sri Lankan labor to lift from unskilled to skilled. In the domestic field too, the government and private sector must take steps to train languages to uplift themselves which will bring foreign exchange and enhance the development of the country. The news we receive from the countries where Sri Lankan labor is employed is pathetic and there are no signs proper steps are being taken, either by the government or Employment Bureau which is unfortunately connected to and influences by politics and politicians, thus bribery and corruption that is available like air. We presume this summary of this essay will be an eye opener for the government, labor organizations and non-government organizations agitating consistently for up liftmen of less privileged. Sarath Wijesinghe sarath7@hotmail.co.uk
Replacing provincial councils with District councils worsens the problems of separatism, corruption and waste. It must never be attempted. If provincial councils are bad, the system must be retracted. Replacing it with a worse system is unwise (Mahadenamutta could not have done it better in the case of palm sugar cubes).
There are 9 provincial councils each with ministers for devolved subjects, a place to meet, staff for the same functions (repeated 9 times) and provincial tax is collected by 9 different groups. If district councils are to be established, there will be 25 instead of 9! That will triple running costs doing the same thing 25 times instead of 9 and triple corruption than now.
District councils will fuel new separatism never seen before. Nuwara Eliya district council with devolved power will officially declare Malaya Nadu. All northern districts will be Tamil majority and so will be Batticaloa district. So there is nothing to be gained from there. Trincomalee and Ampara districts will spin off as Safistan and Nazarstan as declared in 2001 by the most senior Muslim MP in parliament. Puttlam district will also move towards separatism as the Christian population is significant and a definite vote winner in the district council. At the moment these moves are not possible as these districts are part and parcel of a wider provincial council system that balances out ethnic divergence.
Another reason is the utter irrelevance of the district as a devolution unit because the district is already consulted (except Vanni where election districts are different to administrative districts) for the election of parliamentarians! Why elect a second set of politicians from the same unit for the same unit? It is complete insanity and a mockery of democracy.
Further, it will be an impossible task to implement government policy as it has to be consulted with 25 different and divergent district councils! Nothing will get done.
A small island like Sri Lanka does not need any of these. A centralized unitary structure without any district or provincial council can save money, lessen the governance distance between the parliament and the people, reduce layers of corruption and the savings can go into better education and healthcare.
Instead of wasting time on pondering how to chop the island into smaller chops, it is worth the while to think of how to unify the island through unity and not division. Only unity can unite a nation; division begets division.
By Dr Tilak S. Fernando – Ceylon Today, January 6– 2023.
Chiromancy or palmistry is a skill of evaluating a person’s character or future by reading” the palm of an individual’s hand. The heart line, head line, lifeline, etc., and the mounds immediately appearing under the base of each finger suggest elucidations by their relative sizes, qualities, and intersections. Some palm readers observe the characteristics of the fingers, fingernails, fingerprints, skin patterns, skin texture and colour, the palm’s shape and the hand’s flexibility.
Basic palmistry is entrenched in Greek mythology, where every area of the palm is related to a god or goddess. Those who dabble in palmistry without proper knowledge of the subject tend to accuse the entire Science. Different schools of thought indicate that the right hand predicts the future, whilst the left is considered the one which is inborn with, or what karma gives.
Highly developed Science
Palmistry is a highly developed science which has caught up in the Western world to such an extent that many people have begun to read their ‘stars column’ in the newspapers, akin to some belief in Rahu Kalaya in the orient.
Various theories among palmists differ in diverse forms. Some consider the right-hand dominant because it is believed to be the most frequently used hand by the average person. It represents the conscious mind, as opposed to the other hand relating to a past life or karmic conditions. Some palmists read men’s right hand, while others read the left, especially females.
The writer became enthusiastic about learning to read palms from a good old friend, a former Captain of the Army whom his friends called ‘Captain Fonseka’ in London. Despite ‘Captain’ possessing a good flock of silvery white hair, his interest in reading palms, especially on young females, at residential parties had been a flirtatious ploy.
He was pretty accurate in reading some individuals’ palms, which made the writer wonder whether he had any psychic influence other than the fundamental knowledge of palmistry! To the writer’s amazement, he accurately predicted the death of a young man in Sri Lanka when his mother approached him (Captain) in London.
Once, at a house party, the writer noticed Captain’s eyes becoming wide and his silky white hair standing on end as he was holding the soft hand of a beautiful young Indian girl in London. That made the writer delve into an area to ask him later about the secret behind such excitement. His answer came back swiftly like a bolt from the blue: He said it’s simple, my dear! Never forget that love life between men and women is a common factor.”
Royal Palms
Many years ago, the world-renowned Palmist Ernie James did a public reading of five Royal palms and published them in the Sunday Magazine of ‘News of the World newspaper in the UK, exposing what was hidden in the Royal hands in 1988. Ernie James exposed Prince Charles’s (then) marriage to Princess Diana in 1988 was not as strong as many would have imagined. Referring to the (present King– Charles III), his ‘thick palm’ revealed that the Prince could have been an excellent farmer. His curved little finger indicated his deep frustrations. The rounded fingertips told that he could be secretive and intelligent.’ Earnie James revealed how an unexpected factor was going to affect Prince Charles’s (then) private life. He elaborated to the Prince: I am not sure if it is with another government, but if it were to come out, then it would be dynamite”! The newspaper revealed that he had an affair with Camilla Parker Bowles, which led to a Royal scandal but later, the Prince was able to marry her. Prince was said to be very possessive in character with an inventive brain and could be a ‘great flirt’ – both with women and ideas.
Princess Diana
Referring to the late Princess Diana’s hand, Ernie James had to say about her split personality. Timid character and full of self-doubt.’ She was identified as a workaholic but would not find true happiness for at least two years” (till 1990). Her head ruled her heart! ‘ She could have been a flirt than on a physical level, and she certainly had not the courage to follow it through”.
Her love life was not as good as she would have imagined. Consequently, she was lonely and used to weep immediately. Princess Diana’s intuition was second to none because her previous life experiences carried forward to this birth. Ernie James predicted that her life would change when she was about 35. In 1989, ‘Princess Diana’ was warned about some problems ahead. She had much energy to burn off and was warned of a second marriage, and becoming pregnant was possible! However, on 31 August 1997, Princess Diana met with a severe motor car accident at the Pont de l’Alma road tunnel in Paris when she was being driven to her hotel with Dodi Fayed, 41, the son of Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed. Both lives were extinguished in the motor car accident amidst rumours and speculations that she would marry millionaire Dodi once they got back to London. Since their deaths, Al-Fayed maintained in 1998 that MI6 orchestrated the accident on the instructions of the late Prince Philip, the late queen Elizabeth II’s husband (prince Philip), because the Royal family could not tolerate Princess Diana marrying a Muslim!
In 2001, during an interview with UK Daily Express,’ Al-Fayed claimed that ‘the Princess had been pregnant at the time of the accident!’However, all his claims (175 in number) were dismissed by a Metropolitan Police enquiry in 2006. The jury verdict, given on 7 April 2008, was that Diana and Dodi had been unlawfully killed” through the grossly negligent driving of the chauffeur, who was intoxicated.
Duke of York
Prince Andrew’s square hand was a tell-tale sign, and he had to be the best in whatever he took part in. Referring to his bent first finger, Ernie James was much shrewder than the public thought. The third straight finger showed how he could not control his ego! He was the type to overpower with superior strength and frightened his wife. James stated that he and Fergie ‘might have a fiery marriage ‘, but it will never be boring. On his birthday in 1988, Ernie predicted the Duchess of York to be pregnant according to her planetary formation.
Many Gaps between the bases of all Fergie’s ( Duchess of York) hands meant she could get through her money as if money didn’t exist. She was compassionate and a psychic – though she doubted her powers”! Underneath, she is empathetic and easily hurt, but she was born with a vile tongue that helped her cover up anything by losing her temper and swearing. From an early age, she learnt how to manipulate other people. James declared, I will be surprised if Andrew doesn’t want to wring her neck at some time”!
She was a chatterbox with incredible energy enough to keep several men happy. She wouldn’t hesitate to go out and get whatever she fancied.’ Her broken line between the fourth finger and little finger showed she was destined to be robust and in a high position.”
Prince Edward
A deep dot at the Centre of Prince Edward’s palm meant he would be wealthy indeed, not because he is a Royal, but Ernie James put it boldly by saying, even if he was my son, he could not lose on a financial level, not with that hand”. His love life will be a bit of a letdown. He is more sensitive and psychic than the rest of them put together. He needs to get away from his mother’s influence. His headline shows he has much courage.
Earnie James finally declared that the lines in palms change might change every six months, so whatever was predicted during a particular reading was not going to be as bad as it sounded.
Image: The disputed structure in Srinagar Photographs: Umar Ganai
Look at the picture carefully. This nondescript Muslim shrine in Kashmir has shot into the international limelight after many believers claimed it was where Jesus Christ was laid to rest. Inquisitive visitors– mostly Westerners–have started flocking to the shrine, forcing the caretakers to close down the religious structure. Rediff.com‘s Mukhtar Ahmad travels to Khanyar in Srinagar, in search of some spiritual answers.
Where did Jesus spend his last days? Had he been to India? Had he been buried in Kashmir?
There are several versions on Jesus’ India sojourn. Some books argue Jesus did spend as many as 16 years in India, becoming a disciple of Buddhism. But many dispute the entire version, saying there has never been conclusive evidence on Jesus’ visit to India.
The old debate or controversy resurfaced after Rozabal shrine of Sufi saint Yuz Asaf at Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir banned visitors and believers alike from entering the sanctum sanctorum. It was at the Rozabal shrine, many believe, Jesus was laid to rest. However, there has not been any conclusive proof to substantiate the claim.
The shrine’s move comes after some believers wanted to exhume the remains to obtain carbon dating and get a DNA done.
“Some Christians claim it is the grave of Jesus and they had approached us with a request to exhume the remains for DNA testing. But, we refused,” Mohammad Amin Ringshawl, the shrine’s caretaker, told rediff.com.
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No entry now to the shrine
Image: What is embossed on the wall Photographs: Umar Ganai
As always in such cases, the ban has had a domino effect. The shrine had a mention in The Lonely Planet, a worldwide guide for travellers. As the word spread, inquisitive visitors started flocking the shrine.
Angered by the sudden “interest” being shown by foreigners in the shrine, the authorities banned people from entering the shrine.
Incidentally, the man — Aziz Kashmiri, senior journalist– who first wrote that Jesus was buried in Kashmir– passed away recently, rekindling memories of the controversy and interest associated with the grave in the Khanyar locality.
Aziz Kashmiri, the editor of a local Urdu daily Roshini, was the first to advance the theory in his book Christ In Kashmir published in 1973.
The shrine shot into limelight following the publication of the book underpinning the theory “that Jesus survived crucifixion and migrated to Kashmir’.
‘It hurt Muslims’ sentiments’
Image: The book’s cover. Inset: Aziz Kashmiri, the author Photographs: Umar Ganai
The claim is strongly contested by local Muslims who say the Rozabal shrine is the final resting place of two famous Muslim saints, Youza Asaf and Syed Naseer-ud-Din, who came here centuries ago.
Ringshawl says the controversy started in 2002 when an American researcher, Suzzane Marie, had met him and other members of the shrine committee and wanted to carry out the digging to exhume the remains for DNA testing.
“It is un-Islamic. Further the Holy Quran clearly mentions that Jesus did not die on the cross, but was lifted to heavens by Allah.”
“Following our strong protests, the American lady had to leave the valley and we even filed a complaint against her in the local police station.”
Ringshawl said following this episode ‘the entry of tourists in the shrine was banned by committee’. “We have locked the shrine and we don’t even allow any photography even from outside it. They were hurting the feelings of the local Muslims.”
‘The tomb predates Islam’
Image: Another view of the shrine Photographs: Umar Ganai
The graves of saints are covered with green cloth embroidered with verses from the Holy Quran and local Muslims often stop at the shrine to say prayers.
In his book, Aziz Kashmiri writes, “Kashmiri history books tell us that Yus Asaf came from abroad. He was a prophet and a messenger. He came from Israel. He came to spread his teachings. He lived and died here. Yus Asaf was Issa. He was Jesus.”
“The meaning of Yus Asaf is, The Healer. Another meaning is The Shepherd the one who teaches others. Our history confirms that Issa was known as Yus Assaf, here in Kashmir.”
“The footprints were carved as a sign. The scars are clearly visible, sustained as he was nailed to the cross. They show that this is the same person who came here from Israel.
“And that he lived and died here. You won’t find any footprints like these anywhere else in Kashmir.”
Meanwhile, in an interview to Times of India recently, Suzanne refuted allegations that she had attempted to remove anything from the tomb, or dig it up.
“I can’t imagine who started those rumours or why,” she said and maintained that the belief that there is a Muslim saint in the same tomb is untrue. “The tomb predates Islam and could never be a Muslim tomb,”she was quoted as saying.
