By Garvin Karunaratne

Perhaps what I wrote a year ago, if followed tells us the only way ahead. 

Sri Lanka’s economy finds itself in a situation where one wonders whether the government has allowed it to drift. Perhaps, studying how countries have suffered and faced similar crises in the past may offer us some ideas. In 1997 the economies of Asian giants Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, South Korea crashed. In 1995, the World Bank said that Thailand was the world’s fastest growing economy.

Of Thailand, Phongpaichit and Baker says, in 1996, export growth slumped from over 29% to zero. The stock market lost two thirds of its value. The country was battered by speculators into a sharp depreciation – the biggest finance company collapsed. Two thirds of all finance firms were suspended. The IMF was called in to arrange the largest ever bail out”. (Thailand’s Boom and Bust. [1998] Phongpaichit and Baker).

Of all countries whose economies crashed, Malaysia stands out as the one country that emerged victorious. Other countries had to beg for assistance from the World Bank and the IMF. Indonesia was bailed out with a loan of $ 43 billion, South Korea with a bail out of $ 56 billion, and Thailand with a loan package of $ 17 billion. They were all loans that enabled the countries to survive for the moment and pay later. As a result, their foreign debt increased exponentially.

The financial upheaval in Indonesia saw the fall of its leader Suharto. Nicholas Kristof, Jakarta correspondent for The New York Times, wrote of what happened to Suharto, the President of Indonesia: What overthrew Suharto was not a guerrilla insurgency, but a conspiracy of far more subversives – capitalism, markets and globalisation; Suharto’s sleuths never figured how to handcuff them “(Herald International Tribune).

It has to be understood that Sri Lanka today has been held hostage by international capitalism working through its agent, the International Monetary Fund. There was one country that did not go begging for aid—Malaysia. Mahatir Muhammed, the legendary Prime Minister, took charge of the economy, collected all the dollars from all banks. As I have said previously, Mahatir Muhammed declared war with the IMF by doing the exact opposite of the IMF advice. He did not go on bended knees to the IMF. Instead he effectively controlled the economy of his own country. He imposed strict controls on the use of foreign exchange. He did not allow anyone to spend the money on the import of unnecessary goods. He clamped severe restrictions on the use of foreign exchange. This even went to the extreme of stopping foreign exchange for Malaysians studying abroad. There was mayhem in student circles in the UK. Some students took leave of study and went back. Others were compelled to work as waiters and kitchen hands and pay themselves” (How the IMF Ruined Sri Lanka & Alternative Programmes of Success [2006]. Pg 238).

In 1958 Mahatir even stopped foreign investors from taking away money.

In Mahatir Muhammed’s own opinion, Any country at all which says it cannot control its banks and its banking system – they are not fit to be governments and they should either resign or be overthrown” (Daily News. February 1, 1999).

Malaysia was the one and only country to get out of the East Asian Foreign Currency Crisis. Even today the Sri Lankan Government does not collect the dollars that come in. The bulk of the dollars are collected by private and foreign banks and private money changers, who are allowed to fix their own buying and selling rates. The private dealers collect dollars or rupees within minutes, while it takes at least half an hour of form filling and passport checking at State banks. That is how the government went bankrupt. State banks collect only a fraction of the dollars that come into the country.

A funny thing happened on 2 January, 2001, two decades ago. Our two State banks, Bank of Ceylon and People’s Bank, did not have enough dollars to pay a large oil bill, and they went hat in hand to foreign banks in Colombo. Those that had collected dollars raised the price to Rs 106, when the rate had been Rs 85, and the two State Banks were forced to buy at the higher price. The rupee was devalued overnight.

The Central Bank, when questioned, said that it had control over only the domestic rupee (The Island of 17 February 2001).

In other words, the private banks collect dollars that come in, and sell them as they like, even today the banks and private dealers fix their own rates. What all this indicates is that even today our government does not control the foreign exchange that comes in. Naturally, today we are facing the music of not having dollars to pay for essential imports.

Are we yet collecting all the dollars that come in? No. We allow private and foreign banks, and private dealers to collect, fix rates and sell as they like. This, they have done for decades from November 1977, and at least now we have to collect all dollars that come in like what was done before we embraced neoliberalism in 1977. Are we yet being fooled by foreign investors who trade in the local rupee, calculate profits in rupees, but take away profits in US dollars?

Are we not yet being fooled by foreign travel agencies that book hotel stay, get the hotel to collect in local rupees, but get paid by invoices in dollars going out of our reserves? Hotel bookings by foreigners have to be made in dollars.

Before President Jayewardene foolishly submitted to neoliberalism and started living on loans, we had a closed economy. Then, we had two budgets: a local rupee budget that attended to all development work. We had a separate foreign budget with the dollars we collected from imports. Then we spent the dollars we had, first on essentials, and if we had anything left, we gave small allocations to import cars and electrical items. We never dispensed funds for foreign travel unless it was necessary for our country. Nor did we allocate any foreign funds for students to study abroad and for people to go on foreign holidays. Should we not revert to that system?

How we managed our finances from Independence till President Jayewardene started licking the boots of the IMF is of importance. The fundamental fact is that at the end of 1977 Sri Lanka did not have foreign debt.

As much as we have had to restrict imports, let us have a programme to produce locally all what we import. Not long ago we had the Divisional Development Councils Programme (DDCP) of 1970-1977, when we made seafaring fishing boats (at Matara), done within three months, Crayons equal to the Crayola of today (at Matara) also done within three months- all done under my direction as the GA at Matara, The Divisional Sec at Kotmale made  paper  out of waste Paper (at Nuwara-Eliya – Kotmale)- we can do that again in months. We also had  , agricultural farms (in every District) training our youths and also bringing in production and many more, all done with local rupees, all carried out by local staff. We can easily do it again in months. That will also provide incomes and employment to the unemployed. Why are we not yet doing such a programme to create employment and incomes for the people and also make what our country needs.

Perhaps, a rethinking of priorities and a firm resolve to go ahead is what is required today. 

Garvin Karunaratne,former GA Matara

3 rd February 2023

උපුටා ගැන්ම  අරුණ පුවත්

මහජන උපයෝගිතා කොමිසමේ සභාපති ජනක රත්නායකට එරෙහිව කරුණු දහහතරකින් යුක්ත චෝදනා පත්‍රයක් ඉදිරිපත් කිරීමට විදුලිබල හා බලශක්ති අමාත්‍යාංශය සූදානම් වෙයි.

එම චෝදනා පත්‍රය නීති කෙටුම්පත් දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවට පසුගිය සිකුරාදා (03 වැනිදා) යොමු කර තිබුණි.

නීති කෙටුම්පත් දෙපාර්තමේන්තුව චෝදනා පත්‍රය නීතියට අනුව සකස් කර ලබාදීමෙන් පසු විදුලිබල හා බලශක්ති ඇමැති කංචන විජේසේකර එය ලබන අටවැනිදායින් පසු පාර්ලිමේන්තුවට ඉදිරිපත් කිරීමට නියමිතය.

මහජන උපයෝගිතා කොමිෂන් සභාවේ සභාපතිවරයාට අයත් යැයි සැලකෙන ආයතනයක් මගින් විදුලිය තොග වශයෙන් ලබාගෙන පාරිභෝගිකයන්ට අලෙවි කිරිමේ බලපත්‍රයක් ලබාගැනිම ඇතුළු චෝදනා දාහතරක් ඊට ඇතුළත් කර තිබේ.

සභාපතිවරයාට එරෙහිව චෝදනා පත්‍රයක් ඉදිරිපත් කරන බව ඇමැති කංචන විජේසේකර පසුගියදා මාධ්‍ය හමුවක් පවත්වමින් ප්‍රකාශ කළේය. චෝදනා පත්‍රය ලැබෙන තුරු බලා සිටින බව සභාපතිවරයාද ප්‍රකාශ කළ අතර ඔහුගේ ක්‍රියාකලාපය ජනාධිපතිවරයාද පර්ලිමේන්තුවේ දී වී වේචනයට ලක් කළේය.

මේ අතර මහජන උපයෝගිතා කොමිෂන් සභාවේ සාමාජිකයන් ලෙස කටයුතු කළ මොහාන් සමරනායක සහ උදේනි වික්‍රමසිංහද එම තනතුරුවලින් පසුගිය සිකුරාදා (03 වැනිදා) ඉල්ලා අස් වූහ. සිය ඉල්ලා අස්වීමේ ලිපි මුදල් ඇමැතිවරයා වෙත යොමු කර තිබුණි.

මහජන උපයෝගිතා කොමිෂන් සභාව සාමාජිකයින් පස් දෙනකුගෙන් යුත් ආයතනයකි.

මේ අතර මහජන උපයෝගිතා කොමිෂන් සභාවේ සභාපතිවරයාට අයත් යැයි සැලකෙන ​හෝටල් සංකීර්ණයක විදුලි බිල්පත් නොගෙවීමද තවත් චෝදනාවකි.

ඒ අනුව ගෙවිය යුතු සම්පූර්ණ විදුලි බිල රුපියල් 14,76,651කි.

සභාපතිවරයා මෙම මුදලද නොගෙවමින් එම මුදල අඩුකර ගැනීමට ලංකා විදුලි බල මණ්ඩලය සමග සාකච්ඡාවක්ද පවත්වා තිබේ.

– Aruna

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

President Ranil Wickremesinghe said regardless of the obstacles the anarchist political forces seek to create, he will continue the new reform program with the majority of people who love this country.

“We can become a developed country by 2048 if we work and move forward in a united and planned manner envisioning peace and reconciliation. There is the potential to become a developed country which is not begging from any other nation in the world. True freedom can be achieved and it is possible,” he said addressing the nation.

“There are those who want to keep perpetuating this wound forever, though I don‟t wish. Let’s seek to heal this wound though it’s difficult and painful. If we endure the suffering and pain for a short period of time, we can get the wound healed completely. We have no way out of this crisis with short cuts as that some political parties are pointing out,” he said.

The Full Statement:

Most Venerable Maha Sangha and the clergy, my fellow citizens, all Sri Lankans abroad, dear children,

Today, I will not be delivering a traditional Independence Day statement. I am not going to dwell on the freedom we gained. While honouring those who were dedicated and worked hard for the country‟s freedom, including the late Mr. D.S. Senanayake, I will focus on regaining the freedom that we have lost today.

Around 75 years ago, the esteemed “London Times‟ newspaper carried an editorial stating that “It is our desire to see Sri Lanka become a Switzerland in the East, very soon.”

They had not expressed a similar vision for any other country in the East. However, what has happened to us today? Today, we are facing an unprecedented economic crisis, hitherto never experienced. Why have we to face such a situation? Who is responsible for such? Let’s be truthful.

All of us are more or less responsible for this situation. None of us can point fingers and blame each other. We made mistakes from the beginning. Efforts were made to rectify those mistakes, though it was not possible to correct them completely.

The policy followed by the late Mr. D.S. Senanayake in securing the country‟s freedom was to unite all Sri Lankans. He believed that everyone, be it Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim or Burgher, should forge ahead as Sri Lankans.

However, after independence we divided in terms of race, religion and region. We were divided to a point of developing suspicion and animosity against each other.

Various groups exploited this division to gain power and created further rifts among the people. Instead of rejecting such groups, we accorded power to these very same groups. In politics, lies were spread instead of the truth.

Politicians who spoke the truth were rejected by the people. Those who pointed out the real situation of the country and sought related remedies were hardly given a place. Yet, those who satisfied people with their lies gained greater acceptance.

We got trapped in a consensual political culture. Our characteristic was to be depended on borrowed resources and we borrowed even more. We adopted the notion that, The government is a spring of resources”.

Many were of the view that the duty of the rulers was to distribute the various resources obtained from that spring, among the people. Accordingly, job opportunities were provided and various goods and equipment were also distributed. Cash was also made available. In most instances, we did not vote on behalf of the country. Instead we voted for a candidate in order to receive a job, to gain admission to a school for our children and to have a tender passed etc.

We worked for political candidates expecting personal favours in return. Most of us contested not for the country, but for personal power, for greater perks and to earn a little more. We were trapped in promises and endured slogans which finally resulted in the gradual collapse of the country‟s economy.

We borrowed increasingly to fulfil election pledges and proved the slogans shouted at the protests were correct. We borrowed more for consumption rather than for investment. However, according to the Buddhist Philosophy one should take loans for investment purposes and not consumption. While we are talking of Buddhism, our action is not in keeping with the Buddha‟s teachings. Lee Kuan Yew, who visited Sri Lanka to study and formulate a strategy to rebuild Singapore, said after many years, that .

“This situation has arisen in Sri Lanka due to unnecessarily prioritising politics. If Sri Lanka was followed as a role model, even Singapore by today would have perished. In fact, we have reached the point of destruction. There are those who want to keep perpetuating this wound forever, though I don‟t wish.

Let’s seek to heal this wound though it’s difficult and painful. If we endure the suffering and pain for a short period of time, we can get the wound healed completely.

We have no way out of this crisis with short cuts as that some political parties are pointing out. We have only one way to get rid of this situation, if we want to overcome this crisis and achieve real economic and social freedom. Remember, if we miss this path due to misplaced political agendas, we would neither have a future nor a country.

On several occasions, I pointed out the seriousness and danger of the looming economic crisis we are facing today. I have already said that the first six months of this year will be extremely difficult. We have to face this difficult situation in our stride, although unwillingly, for the sake of the country.

Although a large number of people in this country got out of poverty with the free education and expanded the middle class, today the country has turned into a land where it is impossible to fulfil their aspirations. I see the youth who should be working hard in different fields in this country are creating long queues to obtain passports.

We need to change this situation too. To achieve this end we should modernize the economy and open it to the world. The corrupt political factionalism that deceives the people making them dependants and poor for ever should also be changed.

This is the “system change” that the youth of this country have been demanding for over a long period of time. My government therefore has embarked on new path of reform to fulfil the needs of the youth.

Even though those decisions that have to be taken for it are painful, it has to be done in order to overcome. We have to move away from narrow politics in order to be rid of this crisis situation. We must face this challenge together as children of one mother and make our fullest contribution to strengthen the path towards the successful development of this country.

We must all move forward as Sri Lankan nationals leaving aside all differences. Hence the basis and foundation for a strong new economy has already been formulated. We are successfully completing the difficult stage required to get support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

We expect to get their consent without delay. We cannot be satisfied just by strengthening the economy. The entire system needs to be changed.

All areas of this political system, the legislature, parliament, Executive, state machinery, etc. should be modified to suit the modern era. The nation, and we should benefit from this change. More space should be created in the new system, for representation and opinions of young people and women in particular.

For this system modification, we are proposing a number of orders to the Parliament.

Additionally, immediate action needs to be taken in relation to the unique issues that the people in the North and East face. A cabinet subcommittee for this purpose has already been established.

All political parties are informed of its decisions and their implementation dates. Thereby those tasks are carried forward. We have given priority to activities such as release of land and prisoners.

Furthermore, measures are being taken for the maximum division of power in a unitary state. However, we’ll never consent to the division of this nation. I’m not attempting to treat the superficial condition with painkillers. But to treat the root cause of the malaise. It is challenging and difficult, but it’s our only option.

I know that many of the decisions I have been compelled to take since assuming the presidency have been unpopular. However, because of those decisions, today no citizen of this country will die of dehydration in oil queues. You won’t starve without gas. Not curse without fertilizer. Therefore, regardless of the obstacles the anarchist political forces seek to create, I will continue this new reform program with the majority of people who love this country. We can become a developed country by 2048 if we work and move forward in a united and planned manner envisioning peace and reconciliation. There is the potential to become a developed country which is not begging from any other nation in the world. True freedom can be achieved and it is possible It is our collective responsibility to build a new country in which our children can compete with the rest of the world.

Therefore, I urge all parties to come together to overcome this difficult period. Let’s unite! Let’s join hands! With joined hands let‟s embark on a united journey over the next 25 years, as we have planned.

Let’s further nurture those plans in accordance with the views of all parties. Let’s get stronger. Let’s make them more systematic and streamlined. Not only should all of us who live in Sri Lanka join this effort. But the Sri Lankans living in the different countries around the world should also shoulder this journey.

Everyone should be united. Everyone should contribute to the achievement of these goals as much as possible. Let us devote ourselves, unite as children of one mother. Let us make our country one of the most developed in the world by 2048, when we will celebrate 100 years of independence

Courtesy Adaderana

President Rani Wickremesinghe addressed the nation this evening (04 Feb.), in view of Sri Lanka’s 75th Independence Anniversary.

In his speech, the Head of State discussed Sri Lanka’s looming economic crisis, stating that the only way out of it was by making difficult and unpopular decisions. 

Sugarcoated stories by politicians will not resolve this crisis”, Wickremesinghe said, adding that he will continue to move forward with reforms such as those implemented thus far, albeit being severely unpopular and criticized.

Moreover, he noted that under his Government, the ‘system change’ that was demanded by the youth of Sri Lanka over a prolonged period of time will be implemented, with changes being made in all areas of the country’s political system in a manner fitting for a modern era.

Below is the full speech delivered by the President;

Most Venerable Maha Sangha and the clergy, my fellow citizens, all Sri Lankans abroad, dear children,

Today, I will not be delivering a traditional Independence Day statement. I am not going to dwell on the freedom we gained while honouring those who were dedicated and worked hard for the country’s freedom, including the late D. S. Senanayake.

I will focus on regaining the freedom that we have lost today.

Around 75 years ago, the esteemed ‘London Times’ newspaper carried an editorial stating that ‘it is our desire to see SL become a Switzerland in the East very soon’. They had not expressed a similar vision for any other country in the East.

However, what has happened to us today?

Today we are facing an unprecedented economic crisis, hitherto never experienced.

Why have we to face such a situation? Who is responsible for this? Let’s be honest, all of us are more or less responsible for this situation. None of us can point fingers and blame each other.

We made mistakes from the beginning, though efforts were made to rectify those mistakes, it was not possible to rectify them completely.
 
The policy followed by the late D S. Senanayake in securing the country’s freedom was to unite all Sri Lankans.  He believed that everyone, be it Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim or Burgher, should forge ahead as Sri Lankans.

However, after independence, we divided in terms of race, religion and region. We were divided to a point of developing suspicion and animosity against each other. Various groups exploited this division to gain power and created further rifts among the people. 

Instead of rejecting such people, we accorded the power to these very same groups. In politics, lies were spread instead of the truth, and politicians who spoke the truth were rejected by the people. Those who pointed out the real situation of the country and sought related remedies were hardly given a place, yet those who satisfied people with their lies gained greater acceptance. 

We got trapped in a political culture based on promises. We depended on resources that did not belong to us, those which were received on loan facilities, and we borrowed even more loans.

We adapted to the notion that the Government is a ‘spring of resources ‘, after which many were of the view that the duty of the rulers was to distribute the various resource obtained from that ‘spring’, amongst the people of the country. 
Accordingly, job opportunities were provided, various goods and equipment were distributed, cash was also distributed.

In most instances, we did not vote on behalf of the country, instead, we voted for a candidate in order to receive a job, gain admission to a school for our children, and have a tender passed, etc. We worked for political candidates expecting personal favours in return. Most of us contested not for the country, but for personal power, for greater benefits, and to earn a little more. 

We were trapped in promises and endured slogans which finally resulted in the gradual collapse of the country’s economy. 

We borrowed extensively to fulfill the election pledges and to prove that the slogans shouted at the protests were correct, we borrowed more for consumption than for investment.

However, according to Buddhist philosophy, one should take loans for investment purposes and not for consumption. Although we preach about Buddhism, our actions are not in line with the Buddha’s teachings.

Lee Kuan Yew, who visited Sri Lanka after many years to study and formulate a strategy to rebuild Singapore, said that This situation has arisen in your country due to unnecessarily prioritizing politics. If Sri Lanka was taken as an example, Singapore too would have perished by now”. 

In fact, we have now reached a point of destruction. There are those who want to keep prolonging this wound forever, however, I do not like that. Although it may be difficult and painful to do so, let’s aim to heal this wound, because if we endure this pain and suffering for a short while, it is possible for us to heal this wound completely.

There is no shortcut to getting out of this crisis, despite claims made by certain political parties.

We have only way to get rid of this situation if we want to overcome this crisis and achieve real economic and social freedom, there is only one ladder to get out of this ditch. 

Keep in mind that if we place this ladder aside to satisfy political agendas, we have no country, and we have no tomorrow.

On several previous occasions, I pointed out the seriousness and danger of the looming economic crisis we are currently facing, and I have already said that the first six months of this year will be extremely difficult. We have to face this difficult situation, even if we do not like it, for the sake of the country.

Sugarcoated stories by politicians will not resolve this crisis.

Although a large number of people in this country moved away from poverty with free education and expanded the middle class, today the country has turned into a land where it is impossible to fulfill their aspirations.

I see the youth who should be working hard in different fields in this country creating long queues to obtain passports instead, we need to change this.
To achieve this, we should modernize the economy and open it to the world.

The corrupt political factionalism that deceives people, pushing them further into poverty and making them further dependent should also be changed.

This is the ‘system change’ that the youth of this country have been demanding for a long period of time. 

Thus, my government has embarked on a new path of reform to fulfill the needs of the youth.

Even though those decisions that have to be taken for it are unpopular, it has to be done in order to overcome this crisis. We have to move away from narrow politics if we are to get rid of this crisis.

We must face this challenge together as children of one mother, and make our fullest contribution to strengthening the path toward the successful development of this country. We must all move forwards as Sri Lankan nationals leaving aside all differences.

Hence the first steps towards the development of a strong new economy have already been taken.

We are in the final stages of securing certain difficult elements required for the IMF bailout, and we are expecting their approval in this regard soon. We cannot be satisfied just by strengthening the economy, the entire system needs to be changed.

All areas of the political system, the legislature, Parliament, Executive, and State Institutions should be changed in a manner suitable to the modern era. Both the nation and us should benefit from this change.

More space should be created in this new system for the representation and opinions of young people and women in particular.

We are in the process of presenting several proposals to the Parliament in this regard.

Furthermore, immediate action needs to be taken in relation to the specific issues faced by those in the North and East. A cabinet sub-committee has already been appointed for this purpose.

All political parties are informed of the committee’s decisions and the dates these decisions are due to be implemented, after which these tasks are carried forwards based on their ideas.

We have also prioritized certain tasks such as the release of lands and prisoners.

Measures are also underway to create the maximum devolution of powers possible within the premise of a unitary state, however, we will never consent to the division of this nation.

I am not attempting to treat a superficial illness with painkillers, but instead to treat the root cause of this illness – it is challenging, and it is difficult, but this is our only way forward.

I know that many of the decisions I have been compelled to take since assuming the Presidency have been unpopular, however, because of these decisions, today, no citizen of this country is forced to die of dehydration or starve without gas. They do not have shout out curses due to the lack of fertilizer.

Therefore, regardless of the obstacles the anarchist political forces try to create, I will continue these new reforms with the majority of those who love this country. 

We can become a developed country by 2048 if we work and move forward in a united and planned manner envisioning peace and reconciliation. 

We have the potential to become a developed country that need not beg from any other nation in the world, true freedom can be achieved.
It is our collective responsibility to build a new country in which our children can compete with the rest of the world.

Therefore, I urge all parties to come together to overcome this crisis.
Let’s unite! Let’s join hands!

With these joined hands, let’s embark on the journey that we have planned for the next 25 years, together!

Let’s further nurture those plans in accordance with the views of all parties, let’s make them stronger, more systematic and streamlined.

Not only those of us who live in Sri Lanka should make a joint effort towards this, but those Sri Lankans living abroad, across the globe, must also shoulder this journey.

Everyone should contribute to the achievement of these goals to their fullest capacity.

Let us devote ourselves and unite as children of one mother, let us make our country one of the most developed in the world by 2048, when we will celebrate 100 years of independence!

Thank you all

Courtesy Adaderana

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has reinstated the fact that Sri Lanka is not alone in the crisis it is currently facing.

Speaking at the Inaugural Lecture for Geopolitical Cartographers yesterday 903 Feb.), Scotland said, I know that Sri Lanka continues to feel the weight of political and economic pressure. The pressure can be hard to bear. It can be destabilizing, isolating, and frightening, and I am here because I want every Sri Lankan to know that you are not alone. You are part of this special precious Commonwealth family”.

The Geopolitical Cartographer was held on the theme of The role of the Commonwealth in an Era of ‘Polycrisis’ under the patronage of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, yesterday at the Colombo City Centre.

Speaking further, the Secretary-General emphasised that as a family we have responsibility for one another. A duty to each other, a shared love and a shared journey and you are not alone like the challenges you face”, assuring that Sri Lanka wasn’t the only country amidst a crisis right now.

She noted that currently, countries across the globe are facing the social, political and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

You may feel that you are living in a country under pressure, but the reality is that we are all living in a world under pressure. All of us are tightly bound by a tangled knot of crisis-spanning global systems. A world living with the social political and economic consequences of COVID-19,” she said.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who also spoke at the session, explained that Scotland was the first to be invited to commemorate Sri Lanka’s 75th Independence Anniversary not only due to her fruitful ties with Sri Lanka and the Asian and African continents as whole, but also because Sri Lanka was first admitted to the Commonwealth upon the gaining of their independence.

You were there when we got independence and you all are here now. So it is to mark that occasion as she was invited here by the government to take part in the 75th Anniversary of our Independence”, the Head of State said.

Below is the President’s full speech at the event;

It gives me great pleasure to be present here today with Patricia Scotland, the Secretary General of the Commonwealth for the inaugural lecture of the geopolitical cartographer. 

The geopolitical cartography is the outcome of a discussion or firstly, increasing the number of think tanks and research institutes in the country. Secondly, to focus on international affairs, thirdly, not merely to cover the whole range of international affairs, but to focus on the area which was of concern to us where we are located in the Indian Ocean, its geopolitical aspects. Its geo-economic aspects, its environmental aspects fall into either geopolitical or geo-economics.

And it was called the geopolitical cartographer because now the maps are drawn and boundaries are drawn not according to geography, but according to geopolitics. For a long time, we belonged to a region known as the Indian Ocean, and all of a sudden it became the Indo-Pacific. So that is geopolitical cartography. In the same way, Europe has a problem now with where to draw the boundaries between Russia and Ukraine. It keeps changing throughout the world.

Various claims are made, but we have to learn now that cartography depends completely on geopolitics and nothing else. So we called the name geopolitical cartographer but was to discuss how geopolitics and geo-economics were changing the Indian Ocean, the most vital ocean in the world till about the 18th century. This was also the richest.

In time to come, before the end of the century again, you will find first the development of South Asia of Indonesia and Southeast Asia of the Middle East. And finally, the big development explosion in Africa, that’s why the focus is completely on this new emerging region. And the first person to come here and to be invited here is none other than the Secretary General of the Commonwealth. She’s been a good friend of Sri Lanka. She’s been a good friend of Asia and Africa and she represents our thinking. But there’s also another reason for her to be here on behalf of the Commonwealth. 

When we gained independence, we were admitted to the Commonwealth. Our entry to the UN was blocked because the US had blocked some of the Soviet countries and in return, the Soviet Union blocked Sri Lanka. It was only in 1955 that we became a member of the United Nations. But from the beginning, we have been with the Commonwealth.

It was only correct that the Secretary General of the Commonwealth should be here on our 75th Anniversary of Independence. You were there when we got independence and you all are here now. So it is to mark that occasion as she was invited here by the government to take part in the 75th Anniversary of our Independence.

But today you’re not here to listen to me speak. You’ll be here to see and listen to what Patricia has to say. So I would like to invite her to address all of you and the numerous crises that she is going to now explain and layout.

Courtesy Ada Derana

The Supreme Court today (Feb. 03) rejected a request made by the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) to issue an interim order preventing the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) from imposing power cuts during the ongoing 2022 G.C.E. Advanced Level examination.

A petition filed by the human rights group against the CEB and several other parties was taken up for consideration before Supreme Court’s three-judge bench consisting of Gamini Amarasekara, Kumudini Wickramasinghe and Shiran Gunaratne.

During the court proceedings, President’s Counsel Upul Jayasuriya, who appeared on behalf of the HRCSL, requested that the undertaking given by the CEB before the judge bench on Thursday (Feb. 02) that power cuts would not be imposed until today be extended.

However, attorney representing the CEB, President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva raised objections to the said request.

In response to the HRCSL’s request, Justice Gamini Amarasekara noted that the undertaking given by the CEB before the Supreme Court was only effective until the conclusion of the consideration of the petition today.

Accordingly, the request made by the HRCSL for an interim order preventing power cuts during the Advanced Level examination was rejected by the judge bench.

Subsequently, the petition was fixed for further consideration on February 07.

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said today that the Export-Import Bank of China will provide an extension on the debt service to Sri Lanka due in 2022 and 2023, which means Sri Lanka will not have to repay the principal and interest due on the Bank’s loans during the above-mentioned period, so as to help relieve Sri Lanka’s short-term debt repayment pressure.

Meanwhile, she said the Bank would like to have friendly consultations with Sri Lanka regarding medium- and long-term debt treatment in this window period and the Bank will make best efforts to contribute to the debt sustainability of Sri Lanka. 

The Bank also noted that it will support Sri Lanka in its loan application to the IMF. In the meantime, the Bank will continuously call on commercial creditors (including the International Sovereign Bondholders) to provide debt treatment in an equally comparable manner, and encourage multilateral creditors to do their utmost to make corresponding contributions, she said at a regular Press conference.

“As we have said several times, as a friendly neighbor and true friend, China has been providing assistance for Sri Lanka’s economic and social development to the best of our capabilities. The financing support document is aimed at combining an immediate contingency measure” and medium- and long-term debt treatment” to rapidly, effectively and truly resolve Sri Lanka’s debt issue. As far as I have learned, China is the first official bilateral creditor to have taken the initiative to announce debt extension to Sri Lanka. This speaks to China’s sincerity and action to support Sri Lanka’s effort to achieve debt sustainability,’ she said.

Ning further said that China calls on all other creditors of Sri Lanka, especially multilateral creditors, to take synchronized, similar steps and give effective, strong support to Sri Lanka to help the country emerge from its default status at an early date and eventually work out an arrangement for Sri Lanka to achieve medium- and long-term debt sustainability. China also calls on the IMF to take into full consideration the urgency of the situation in Sri Lanka and provide loan support as soon as possible to relieve the country’s liquidity strain.

“Going forward, China will continue to support relevant financial institutions in actively working out the debt treatment. We will work with relevant countries and international financial institutions to jointly play a positive role in helping Sri Lanka navigate the situation, ease its debt burden and achieve sustainable development,” the Spokesperson said.

When asked if there is any communication with the IMF wherein the IMF has confirmed that Chinese assurances to Sri Lanka are credible, sufficient and enough, she said that China hoped the IMF will take into full consideration the situation on the ground in Sri Lanka and provide loan support as soon as possible so as to relieve the country’s liquidity strain.(Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya)

Courtesy Ada Derana

A total of 150 motorcycles, 74 vehicles and 115 pieces of search equipment have been handed over to the Sri Lanka Police by Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Takei Syunsuke.

The automobiles and equipment were handed over under a grant by the Japanese Government at a ceremony held at the Presidential Secretariat a short while ago.

The ceremony was held under the patronage of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, the President’s Media Division (PMD) reported. 

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Two members of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka have handed over their letters of resignation to the Finance Ministry Secretary.

It was reported that Mohan Samaranayake and Udeni Wickremasinghe handed over their resignation letters.

Courtesy Ada Derana

China has hit back at the remarks made by US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Victoria Nuland that the terms extended by China to Sri Lanka to unlock IMF debt relief remain insufficient.

In response to a question raised at a regular press conference on Thursday (Feb. 02), Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the US Under Secretary’s comments do not reflect the truth.

During her recent official visit to Sri Lanka, Nuland told reporters in Colombo that China’s offer on their financial assurances for Sri Lanka is not enough, adding that the IMF needs to see credible and specific assurance that matches the global lender’s standard on debt restructuring prior to moving forward with an agreement.

Sri Lanka is currently awaiting board approval from the IMF pertaining to the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) of USD 2.9 billion.

Speaking further during the press conference, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson went on to note that the Export-Import Bank of China has already provided Sri Lanka with a letter to express support for its debt sustainability. Sri Lanka has responded positively and thanked China for that.”

She called on the United States to show some sincerity and actually do something to help Sri Lanka weather through the current difficulties” rather than jabbing fingers at China’s close cooperation with Sri Lanka.”

As a friendly neighbour and true friend, China has been closely following the difficulties and challenges facing Sri Lanka and providing assistance for the island’s economic and social development to the best of China’s capabilities, Mao continued.

In response to a question on any ongoing conversation or talk between China and the IMF where the global lender has confirmed that China’s assurances are credible and enough for the Fund to disburse the debt relief financial support, the spokesperson said China supports it financial institutions in having consultations with Sri Lanka to seek a proper settlement to its China-related debt issue.

We also stand ready to work with relevant countries and international financial institutions to play a positive role in easing Sri Lanka’s debt burden.”

Shenali D Waduge

13A is not about police or land powers, it is only about power. The question is, power for whom & under what conditions. 13A came subsequent to the signing of the Indo-Lanka Accord in 1987. Both were acts of aggression. India was pro-Russian & a closed economy while Sri Lanka had tilted towards West embracing an open-market economy. It is curious to ascertain whether the West coerced Indira Gandhi into training Tamil youth, tapping her personal anger against Sri Lanka’s JR Jayawardena. In short, did that Indian initial training have an element of indirect foreign involvement, needs to be established. If LTTE & Prabakaran opposed the Accord & 13A – there is no reason for LTTE agents to be promoting it unless it is for other reasons & other persons!

Was India’s training of Tamil militancy part of a western ploy is something that people in India & Sri Lanka should answer. This is important as the LTTE international office was set up in London far before LTTE offices were set up in Chennai (Madras). The involvement of Christian/Catholic priests with LTTE was visible from the outset. Let’s not forget that the Dravida Nadu concept was birthed by Bishop Cadwell. Therefore, when there is a call to establish a separate Cardinal for the North & East, it exposes the bigger plan.

http://slguardian.org/vatican-urges-to-have-separate-cardinal-for-north-east-of-sri-lanka/

Why does only the North need land & police powers to carry out their devolved powers? Doesn’t this look strange when only 1 province out of 9 provinces in Sri Lanka keep on demanding land & police powers without attending to the 36 devolved powers given to them out of the 37 powers devolved to the provinces?

The call exposes the intent & it should dawn upon India that the 13^thamendment if enforced giving land & police powers to the North & East, means the West is targeting a missionary influenced Western satellite autonomous state no different to what was set up in Kosovo & South Sudan. For the natives, it was the opposite of what they expected but there was no going back & they had to suffer the consequences of ignoring advice about West’s real intentions. Tamils are likely to be in for worse times thinking they will not suffer what Okinawians go through on a daily basis from US troop presence. There is little point in warning those that ignore warnings.

It is good for India to wonder if being roped into Quad was also part of a bigger western plan to enable the US greater access to Asia & South Asia via India, using ‘India is our friend’ mantra. Was it all a charade?

Now that inroads have been made & the necessary links have been established, is India no longer needed? Is this why the sudden anti-Modi wave appearing in the West? Did it have to do with India refusing to break ties with Russia or was India a friend” only so long as India could be used for the West to penetrate into Asia & Asian systems.

An analysis of the LTTE terror in Sri Lanka would confirm that it is the Church that has been heavily involved in promoting terror over the years. Count the number of fathers that are direct spokesmen for LTTE & LTTE fronts, then & now. Look at the NGOs, civil society organizations that either directly or indirectly promote objectives of the LTTE & separatist quest using different tactics & nomenclatures but with the same goal. Notice the speakers local & foreign, majority of whom are non-Hindus. Look at the editorials, journalists & other soothsayers promoting reconciliation” but their goal being something else. That something else is politically aligned & for the advantage of the nations that these entities are operating from. Even Tamil Nadu – has the Indian diplomatic establishment looked at the growing influence of the Church on Tamil politicians across Tamil Nadu & how far these players are influencing people in Sri Lanka as well as the Indian Central Govt?

Take the LTTE fronts & LTTE Diaspora – how many of them are operating from India against those that operate from US-Canada-UK-Europe. Western governments claim to ban LTTE but majority of these fronts, established immediately after the demise of Prabakaran are happily holding events promoting separatism & none of the Western governments care to do anything about them. So we must ask, if separatism in Sri Lanka is tied to the geopolitical goals of the West. This was seen immediately after a surprise Easter Sunday suicide bombing that popped the MCC $480m also attempting to grab Sri Lanka’s land by privatizing State land through the World Bank imposed bim saviya” and US-run electronic-land database.

With a surge in evangelical movements in Sri Lanka, penetrating to influence cricket, artists, NGOs, civil society, youth & even politicians – India too knows the inroads it is making in India with entire villages caught to their spell that taps poverty & penetrates the minds of people via handouts, position, money & creating a cult system. These are the footsoldiers that are given the task of penetrating State & Private sector & making the administrative changes to fulfill western agendas. It is not difficult to understand how they are now creating the narrative as per their agenda. Only a handful in Sri Lanka & India understands the manoeverings taking place.

Notice how Western funds are pouring to create gay communities & use them to advance western agenda that includes depopulation, creating physically & mentally traumatized people who are hooked to medicines for life & completely ruining their lives after the honeymoon of enjoyment is over. Then there are the youth, the newest pawns, who are tapped with scholarships, laptops & high tea with envoys. Their complexes and desires are tapped & manipulated to use their inherent rebellious nature for geopolitical designs as was evident in the manner they were manoevered during the aragalaya where the galle face green became a centerpiece for western-indoctrinated creativity that set to tarnish Buddhism & Buddha as Catholic nuns and fathers looked on providing them protection. The legal fraternity too has become a pawn with west even establishing offices inside their own compound & the I know the law” bandwagon do not seem to see any conflict of interest in these actions.

Taken together – India must seriously wonder, where the 13^thamendment with land & police powers given to the provinces will end up for India’s security interest.

India has bullied Sri Lanka beyond measure using the india’s security interest’ mantra but it is no one but India who has invited the enemy to Asian shores, allowed them to spread their tentacles in all directions and watched them as they have even penetrated into the armed forces via training & scholarships as well as green cards.

India’s pet pawn Perumal against India’s wishes declared independence in 1990 March, fast forward, its February 2023 and India’s pet pawns have found other surrogates. Look closer at the players that are demanding police & land powers & their religious allegiance to foretell who is behind these demands. When Perumal declared UDI, thankfully President Premadasa had the pluck to quickly change legislation & impose direct rule. India just watched knowing that Sri Lanka had averted a catastrophe. At that time too, India may have sent IPKF and India’s intel may have thought it was running the show, but in reality Tamil militants were advised and maneuvered from elsewhere.

We now return to that 1990 scenario where land & police powers means a declaration of UDI eventually & this is not to either Sri Lanka’s advantage or to India’s benefit. India must never forget that the balkanization of India is on the cards, it is being openly advocated & it will be launched from Sri Lanka’s North & East & it is precisely for this reason that India should use its powers to prevent police & land powers being implemented.

All of Sri Lanka’s Presidents understood the dangers & opted not to give police & land powers, there is no reason why a President who has no electoral mandate & is only a sitting interim president should especially when the demand is tagged to another Western ploy – the IMF loan conditions.

The sequence of demands against the main & ultimate objective is now quite clear! India cannot sit silent & watch land & police powers fall into West/Church control!

Shenali D Waduge

Prof. Hudson McLean

There is no other way out. We are a country with 22 million people. We have to find markets outside.”

BBC Article Confirms What I Have Said Many Times!

Can Sri Lanka trade its way back to prosperity?

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-64464220

The Survival Of Sri Lanka Depends on Foreign Trade!  Period!!!

Furthermore, based on IMAGINATION. The Spirit of Albert Einstein!

“Legally, Countries cannot become bankrupt whether they pay off their debts or not.”

Walter Wriston, the former CEO of City Bank, believes that sovereigns will always have the ability to meet their debt obligations. He argues that ‘countries don’t go bankrupt since their assets always exceed their liabilities, which is the technical reason for bankruptcy’.

Colombo, Sri LankaCNN — 

Sri Lanka is bankrupt,” Prime Minister, now President Ranil Wickremesinghe said Tuesday, as the country suffers its worst financial crisis in decades, leaving millions struggling to buy food, medicine and fuel.

As the leader of Sri Lanka, the President is destroying the Credibility of the Island.

Ranil Wickremasingha  was a serial Loser to become the President of Sri Lanka several times.  Just by sheer accident he became the President, but not by popular vote!

Long time ago, I met the honourable late father of Ranil Wickremesinghe, Esmond Wickremesingha in his elegant home study in Colombo. During the conversation over a a large Black Label, he was concerned about the intelligence of his son as a politician!

The reason for financial negativity is due to mismanagement of Sri Lanka by the politicians of the governing operational political parties since the independence.

Question: How many politicians who were ordinary citizens made their illegal millions, overseas properties, mansions, luxury vehicles during their political adventures?

It is Pay Back Time Now!

The Politicians & the Public MUST Swallow Their Pride and Place Their Emphasis on the English Language as a Vital Medium of Education.

With Credit to Dhammika Perera, he may decide to Promote English as an Important Medium for the Immediate Primary Exportable Opportunities-;

1: Medical & Healthcare Personnel

EU-USA-UK has tremendous immediate opportunities which will flow Billions of dollars inward through employment.

2: IT / ITC  Personnel

India has set an example in this sector and has made India a Global Powerhouse. 

Sri Lankan leaders  have been, and are asleep! 

Sri Lankans have very similar IQ compared to that of Indians. Let the leader unshackle this latent asset!

3: Sri Lanka Diplomatic Community

The entire Block of Sri Lanka Diplomats should “Earn their Keep” by seeking Revenue Generating Export Products and Proving their Worth annually, with results, to the public.

4: Tourism with a difference

This is a High-Value Product.

Due to Covid-19 Global Tourism suffered. But now the doors are opened.  The Diplomats should have Sales Events to Highlight the High Value Benefits of Sri Lanka to select countries.

Apart from Sun-Sea, there are Cultural Benefits as well as Aryurveda, that may be promoted to specific markets in Germany-Sweden-Finland-USA-UK-China.

There are many Sri Lankan skills which are attractive to the rich pensioners of the West. They have accumulative wealth and time if the Tourist industry exert a little bit more Imagination, to promote.

Sri Lanka grows some of the most important local products which are very important to Diabetics, persons with Heart problems, High Blood pressure. The Sri Lanka Aryurveda specialists could offer both advice and medical products, with the potential applications, under medical supervision.

Local produce such as Pomergranite, Ceylon Cinnamon, Saffron, Turmeric, Ginger, etc may bring benefits as exports, promoted to tourists, while they are in the Island.

Sri Lanka is Not Bankrupt.

The Island is alive but not well taken care of by the governing bodies.

If the Head of State, has no Trust and Belief in the country, how do you expect Doors and potential clients to offer solutions of recovery?

This is Not the End of Story but the Beginning!

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

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

By Rohana R. Wasala

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) spokesman and Jaffna District MP M.A. Sumanthiran says that his party has decided to boycott the independence day celebrations this year, as reported in The Island of January 31, 2023. Instead, they will declare it a Black Day and commence a movement towards achieving what they call true freedom. According to him, Immediately after independence, it was transformed into a majority system under the guise of democracy. That’s why other people living in this country did not get freedom”. What he implies is that the ‘independence’ given was only for the majority Sinhalese, and not for the others (presumably, Tamils, Muslims, Burghers, etc., the minority communities). Sumanthiran thinks that even though the  majority Sinhala Buddhist people had been under the impression that they got freedom for many years, they also now feel that they didn’t get any freedom either. So, when the 75th independence day is celebrated, the TNA will declare it a black day and start a campaign for the country to get its freedom properly”.   

Meanwhile, the Indian news website The Federal reported that the 74th Indian Republic Day was celebrated at the Indian Consulate in Jaffna with a function attended by a large gathering of people including Indians, and  some local Sri Lankans, mainly Tamils, on January 26, 2023. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police took part in the celebration. Consul General, Madurai-born Raakesh Nataraj, mingled with the guests and exchanged greetings. According to The Federal, both Indian Republic Day and Independence day had been regularly observed in Jaffna until the outbreak of the ethnic conflict.

I wondered why our leaders (apparently) never thought of declaring a Sri Lankan Republic Day after the 1972 republican constitution was enacted on May 22nd that year, and the island nation became a republic independent of any links with the British monarchy . 

The truth is that Sumanthiran here, tongue in cheek,is  only hinting at a fresh (a last, hopefully successful, as he probably fancies) attempt at eventually realizing the idea of establishing a separate sovereign state for Tamils (but strategically camouflaged asTamil speaking people to co-opt Muslims into the project) in the (soon to be re-merged?) north and east provinces where respectively Tamils and Muslims form the majority, and the Sinhalese  are now in a thin minority due to ethnic cleansing by the LTTE. Late Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi (1980-84) also talked about solving ‘the problem of the Tamil speaking people’ in these provinces in Sri Lanka, lumping Hindus and Muslims together as Tamil speaking people, in the interest of India’s own traditional expansionist ambitions against its smaller, weaker neighbours.

Sumanthiran is thinking exclusively about freedom for the Tamil minority, whereas the nationalists – the majority Sinhalese and the sensible majority of the Tamil, Muslim and other minority communities – are concerned about freedom for all who make Sri Lanka their home, that is, the Sri Lankan people or nation; they don’t talk about nations based on ethno-cultural identities.  Deliberate disinformation by Eelam lobbyists and parasitic NGOs has turned nationalists into racists, chauvinists, xenophobes, right-wing nationalists, and whatnot in the eyes of the global media. 

Since 1948, all Sinhalese leaders have acted on the basis of the concept of one nation or one country, where the majority Sinhalese, who are the true autochthonous inhabitants of the island, along with the veddahs, were joined by other numerically small groups in the course of history in various contexts, such as trade, war, invasion, travel, and so on. The first prime minister of independent Ceylon D.S. Senanayake, when asked by the Soulbury Commissioners at the end of the 1947 parliamentary elections how many Tamils he wanted in his cabinet, said he didn’t mind even if all the cabinet members were Tamil provided they acted as Ceylonese. No Sinhalese parliamentarian has deviated from this line of thinking. 

On the other hand, Tamil leaders like All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) leader and later founder of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) lawyer G.G. Ponnambalam were different. They adopted an anti-Sinhala racist attitude. They focused on perpetuating the special privileges that the Tamil elite enjoyed under the British. They felt threatened by a system of parliamentary democracy, because they feared that the Sinhalese majority would put an end to their privileged status. It was Ponnambalam who, for years before independence, had been making the absurd 50-50 demand (clamouring for the allocation of 50% of the seats in the  parliament yet to be introduced  for the Sinhalese who were the overwhelming majority of the population, and 50% for all the minority groups). The Soulbury Commissioners rejected that demand with contempt. Another Tamil lawyer who came from Malaysia, S.J.V. Chelvanayagam, founded the Tamil Arasu Kachchi (Tamil State Party/euphemistically in English the Federal Party) in 1949 and the rest is history. Sumanthiran seems to be basically among the latest in this tradition.

 While preparations are being earnestly made by the government for marking an independence that was not granted (a long retired civil servant likens it to a birthday party for a baby that was never born), the 25th anniversary of the devastating LTTE suicide-truck-bomb attack on the Sri Dalada Maligawa (the Temple of the Tooth Relic) in Kandy fell on January 25, without anyone remembering it. It looks as if the government let it pass without any commemorative observances unlike in previous years. Why? (My sincere apologies to everybody concerned, if I am mistaken in this assumption) Was it in the name of so-called ‘reconciliation’, which has been a not so seriously meant, hollow slogan right from the beginning? Or was it in order to avoid spoiling the national mood for ‘consecrating’ some ostensibly momentous event that is going to coincide with the 75th independence day ceremony? The epoch-making event that Ranil Wickremasinghe wants to celebrate thus, as everybody knows now, is the purported settlement of the alleged Tamil ethnic problem through the full implementation of the controversial 13A (forcibly imposed on Sri Lanka by India, without doubt, in the latter’s exclusive national interest, in 1987). Grown-up Sri Lankans remember how thousands of our patriotic youngsters died in opposing Indian intervention in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs, in the second JVP uprising, which occurred in the years 1986-89 during UNP rule. A thirty year civil conflict claimed the lives of thousands of Sri Lanka’s defence forces personnel,  Tamil rebel cadres, and civilians caught in terrorist bomb blasts; the conflict left many more injured. All this was in trying to prevent the certain Balkanization of the country through the 13A. Seven executive presidents from JR Jayawardane to Gotabaya Rajapaksa back-burnered it for a legitimate reason. What are the benefits of a fully implemented 13A that justify such sacrifices of the country’s youth of the previous generation?

Be that as it may, does Ranil Wickremasinghe want to invest this servile surrender to foreign pressure with a sacred quality by having a special Sacred Tooth Relic exposition? It can’t be that he is mocking Sinhalese Buddhist sentiments. True, he was totally rejected by the mainly Buddhist Lankan electorate as a prospective candidate for executive presidency. It could also  be a similar passive-aggressive attack on his part on the pohottuwa alliance (the Sri Lanka Podu Peramuna, the SLPP). He must have been waiting for a chance to take his revenge on the SLPP, which turned itself into his nemesis in the last parliamentary election. But the principal partners of the SLPP, the treacherous Rajapaksas, as it has now become so clear to the betrayed public, were able to do this otherwise commendable thing, by pretending to espouse the popular nationalist cause, merely to hoodwink the masses to win votes. Ranil and the Rajapaksas are partners now. They are not strange bedfellows; they are natural allies. Whatever they are making common cause in achieving, turning the country’s hallowed Sinhala Buddhist cultural heritage into a political football between rival factions of conflicting persuasions is something worse than the Maligawa bombing itself. It does not augur well for the future of our Motherland. It is the last thing that fair-minded patriotic citizens belonging to all communities are likely to take lying down. 

The only thing that people expect Ranil Wicktremasinghe to do at this moment is to focus on rescuing the country from the economic crisis that it is engulfed in, and leave it to the present day youth of the country from all the diverse communities to lawfully, democratically and peacefully usher in the new corruption free Sri Lanka that they want to build. 

When three LTTE suicide cadres drove an explosives laden truck to the Maligawa early on the morning of January 25, 1998, and set it off, it caused massive damage to the building, while killing seventeen innocent worshippers including two two-year old infants and the three suicide bombers. The attack was universally condemned across the civilized world in the sternest terms. It was reported that three times more money was donated by the ordinary people than was necessary for restoring the destroyed parts of the Maligawa, which was completed within two years of the heinous crime. Ranil Wickremasinghe was the leader of the opposition then. Condemning the bombing he said, Not even in the darkest moments of Sri Lanka’s 2000 year history has such an act of destruction been perpetrated against the very symbol of our civilization and history.” He should know (I am sure he does, for he is a very well-read knowledgeable person) that the Tooth Relic has been a symbol of sovereignty over the island since the 4th century CE when it was brought to Anuradhapura from Dantapuri (modern Puri, Odisha) in India. If he insists on having the Mahanayakes agree to hold a Tooth Relic exposition to give some sort of legitimacy to his controversial move, and if his request is granted by them, then he will appear to mock the sanity of Sri Lankans and the sanctity of this national symbol. 

To my shock, however, I hear that the relic exhibition that Ranil Wickremasinghe proposed, is scheduled to start on March 4, a month after the day of disputed independence. If this incredible piece of information is true, then it means that the two Mahanayakes, the guardians of the Maligawa, (no one is above them in this matter) have agreed to bless the ultimate victory of those who wanted to destroy ‘the symbol of our civilization and history’!

Of course, Ranil Wickremasinghe alone cannot be held responsible for what is now almost a certainty. All the leaders (or most of them) and their mostly inarticulate juniors in parliament  reportedly support the president’s decision. They should share responsibility, too, for what is going to happen. Constitutionally, of course, there appears to be no barrier to the full implementation of 13A. But that is only a technical point, beyond morality. The three pillars of parliamentary democracy are said to be the legislature, the executive and the judiciary. The country’s moral values reign over all three. The ethical conduct of the humans who embody the legislative, executive, and judicial powers is imperative for the proper functioning of the democratic system. That is my idea. 

Civil social activist and Vinivida Foundation convener, lawyer Nagananda Kodituwakku argues in a recent video that president Wickremasinghe has no moral right to take that decision, but that it is in accordance with an agreement reached between the Tamil  National Alliance (TNA), the UNP, and the JVP (represented by Anura Dissanayake, now National People’s Power leader) on September 20, 2017. Recently, Anura Dissanayake even appeared on a TNA stage in the north, according to him.

The NPP leaders say that their goal is to bring in a good government that is free from corruption and theft, and that  establishes the rule of law. But that is the main platform on which even UNP’s J.R. Jayawardane fought the 1977 general election, pledging to bring in a Righteous Society (that has to date failed to materialise). The Island newspaper reported (February 2, 2023) that NPP MP Dr Harini Amarasuriya, asked about her party’s stand on Ranil Wickremasinghe’s decision to implement the 13A fully, said she didn’t believe he would do that, because he didn’t do it when he could do it. The NPP also believes that it should be fully implemented, though there was still a debate about this within the party. She told The Island: 

It has been presented as a solution to the national problem. It is already there in the Constitution and we believe that it should be implemented, but we have a debate whether it could be a tenable solution for the national problem. Our standpoint is that a government with genuine intention of addressing the issues of Tamil people must bring about solutions to the national problem, and we have no faith in other parties, but only the NPP could do that.”

It is not clear how the NPP is going to deal with the 13A issue. But if it is hoping to wangle the support of the Sinhala Buddhist masses while horse-trading with the federalists, Anura’s chances of becoming president will evaporate soon. As he has already apparently indicated that his prime minister will be Sumanthiran (I am not sure of this piece of gossip) in case he becomes president, the voters in the south will be even more sceptical about voting for him. Sumanthiran is the exact opposite of Lakshman Kadirgamar, that the Sinhalese universally loved, and honoured above all other politicians.

To return to Nagananda, he blames former elections commissioner Mahinda Desapriya for conniving at the TNA’s treacherous intentions revealed in its constitution. Desapriya had been given only the Tamil version of the TNA’s constitutional proposals, which he apparently couldn’t read and understand. He hadn’t asked for or they hadn’t given him the English version of the document (which means, according to Nagananda, they didn’t want its contents to be accessible to the Sinhala majority). Nagananda claims that he had some significant parts rendered into English: According to him, the TNA constitution (includes) …… the right to self determination, the policy of founding an autochthonous Tamil State, Tamil Aru, and an autochthonous Muslim State, Muslim Aru, and thereby seeing the liberation of the political and economic aspects of the Tamil speaking people…….

Note: An absolute guarantee will be given to the right of religion and language of the minority national races that live in the autochthonous Tamil State that will be set up in the Tamil Motherland……..”.

(Incidentally, I do not agree with Nagananda’s explanation of the concept of the independence of the judiciary in this context.)

Now these autochthonous claims for Tamils and Muslims in Sri Lanka are ludicrous inventions. Authoritative historians (including Professors Karthigesu Indrapala and Kingsley de Silva) have shown that before the 13th century invasion by Magha of Kalinga, there was no Tamil kingdom in the north of Sri Lanka nor a settled Tamil population there. Tamils are the autochthonous inhabitants of Tamil Nadu in the mainland India. As for Muslims in the eastern province, they were settled there by king Senerath of Kandy (1604-1635 CE) as fugitives from Portuguese persecution in the coastal areas that they were occupying. Muslims and Portuguese were rival traders. The Sinhalese king also settled some of these Muslims in the central highlands. Still later the occupying Dutch and British brought Javanese and Malaysian Muslims, thereby adding to the growing Muslim population in Sri Lanka in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The Implications of Nagananda’s revelations for the country need not be elaborated. He emphatically says that the ordinary Tamil people he met in Jaffna do not ask for a separate state. They only want to live in one Sri Lanka peaceably with the other communities.

Nagananda believes that the local government elections that are going to be held will not be of any value and that the Anura Dissanayake-led NPP is unlikely to win such a significant victory at imminent local government election. I personally think that the NPP appears to be the front runner, judging by the size of the crowds that attend its rallies (as reported on online media). But do these people know what the party leaders are really committed to, I wonder? There is no stamp of conviction on most faces, though. Most look sceptical of the leaders

We need statesmen/women, not mere politicians. People are fed up with the latter. Anura is not likely to turn out to be a real statesman, even if he gets the chance to do so one day, if he pursues his proven hypocrisy. However, compared to the leading buffoons of the two traditional parties (the UNP and the SLFP/or their ghostly modern reincarnations), Anura Dissanayake would be someone that the people can look towards as an alternative leader, provided he does not forfeit the trust of the majority Sinhala Buddhists in his attempt to win the loyalty of the traditional minority leaders, who will never ever change their spots, though they may change their hunting grounds.

Ranil Wickremasinghe has got his last chance to prove his statesmanship and retrieve his lost popularity and honour. He should not, as default president, abuse his executive powers to implement the long disputed 13A for the time being, but do whatever he can do to address the economic woes of our suffering masses before the current presidency ends. It is hoped that he will use his constitutional powers to achieve that end. Then let him call presidential elections and fight it himself or get his nominee to fight it on the single issue of the all important 13th Amendment, perhaps against a principal rival like Anura Dissanayake. Whoever it is, the next president must have the support of the active, truly educated youth of the country, not the half-wits now in the limelight.

BY EDWARD THEOPHILUS

President, Ranil Wickremasinghe recently expressed that the proposed 13^th amendment to the constitution should be fully implemented, and the purpose of the amendment would be a supportive action to the reconciliation process. The speech of the president, in fact, was to mislead people during independent celebration time or genuinely implement the constitutional reforms is a question to analysts and many Sri Lankans consider the speech has become a significant question. According to my understanding 90% of population of the country have no understanding of the contents of the 13^th amendment and few groups of Sri Lanka attempt to protest against the amendment which is not clear to people. India and some Sri Lankans expressed that without complete implementation of the 13^th amendment the reconciliation process could not be implemented in the country.

Since beginning of the reconciliation process it was a failure and it has been a talking point to provoke certain people of the country and neither Sinhala nor Tamil nor Muslim or any other people of the country consider that it is an essential requirement for unity between races and the reconciliation does exist in the country and current talks about it just for politics than genuine reconciliation. This situation could be seen in other countries too.

As long as there is a situation that express needs a reconciliation it would be subject to politics and firing to such issue spraying energy further misleading people for politics. As we observe in the country people have already reconciled and no need specific effort to it.

Sarath Wijesinghe President’s Counsel, former Ambassador to UAE and Israel, President of Ambassadors’ Forum, Solicitor in England and Wales

Life is uncertain – yet care is needed before death

Life is uncertain compared to a drop of water on the grass. But the desire of every living being is to live at least a few minutes more before death. The desire of the loved ones around his death bed is to make him alive even for a few minutes. Caregivers are those who have the strength, capacity, and desire, to look after their loved ones called caterers as caregivers are now established profession professional standards and substantial remunerations available worldwide. Caregivers may be voluntary, partially or fully paid by the state or on a personal basis depending on the capacity of the person cared for and loved ones who bear expenses. This profession/practice is well established in the west and on par with the nurses who are differently trained at institutions and universities when caregivers have a different path to qualify which is available in Sri Lanka in private institutions one can locate from the net. Today caregiving is a lucrative profession with a substantial income which is a profession in demand provided they are trained and proficient in languages and manners with proper training. Animals including humans need love and care, cared by those who are competent and desire to help another or rather each other in need of assistance. Puppies are cared for by the mother dog who will provide care until they are able to be independent.  In the human kingdom, caregiving is organized according to a system and based on professional standards in different jurisdictions, unfortunately not in Sri Lanka to the expected standards. Great religions prevalent in Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom moot and encourage caregiving and helping the sick and disabled that need assistance, which is well rooted and recognized the world over. Caregiving is voluntary and/or spontaneous that needs professional experience and kindness. But in the present, busy fast, and committed society even the second generation finds it difficult to find time and facilities to care for their loved parents and the system has thought of modem techniques that are prevalent in the west which is now found in Sri Lanka as professional caregiving establishments, managed by the state as well as private individuals and companies. There are full-time and daycare centers in the west with plans to set up in Sri Lanka too to assist and look after loved ones. It is advisable to plan out the future when you are fit and the duty of the loved ones is to make professional and legal arrangements to proceed to take especially steps nearing death which is an emotional and difficult job. The state has a duty if not at least managing such care homes at least to supervise and monitor the proper functioning of such organizations which unfortunately not happening.   Power of attorney, advanced statements, wills, advanced decisions, and difficult decisions taken by the patient and the loved ones as precautionary measures at or near death that will reach one day by anybody. The monitoring process should be functioned by the ministries of health and social services in Sri Lanka, which do not have a good reputation as efficient unlike the ministries in the UK where these systems are effectively efficient and properly supervised. National Health  Service (NHS) in the UK is one of the most vibrant and successful medical systems in the world with the use of a ‘’ MEGA COMPUTER’’ covering the entire country (UK) and providing a General Physician to every citizen free of charge including treatments medicines and hospital facilities. NHS supervises the private medical system as well as the caregiving sector which is an ideal model for us to follow as other areas we have been imported from the UK. Sri Lankans are unable to follow the system due to a lack of funds to run such a system.

Dementia

 We have chosen dementia as a main topic today when it is spreading fast in UK and Europe despite lot of studies research, precautions, and preventive measures, taken universally applicable including Sri Lanka. Dementia is spreading worldwide fast with not many forms of treatments available. Life to death from the time of the Alzheimer’s is only 4 to 8 years and it is the duty of the caregiver and loved ones to give maximum comfort and happiness to the patients during the sickness. Therefore it is good to organize a proper aftercare system and to organize a proper caring regime at all levels. In Sri Lanka, there are some organized caregiving training centers, and training is not properly organized and monitored. The elderly and retired entitle to a better evening of life and a pleasant life before death they are entitled to the sacrifice made to the community and their dependents. Now that we are now an advanced society with high standards of education and computer literacy (110%) mobile penetration in Sri Lanka in hand and nearly 60% IT literacy which is credible indeed. There is a network of private nursing homes and caregiving centers which are not very cheap to the common man yet those who are covered with insurance and a substantial penton can have access to few such institutions. Readers of this article are advised to browse the net to identify the caregiving institutions and training centers to find caregiving centers and training opportunities for you to be trained as caregivers which is going to be a very lucrative profession abroad if properly trained with language skills. The life span of dementia patients is limited which is prevalent worldwide among rich and poor limiting the life span and expectancy. In Japan, it is 84.3, in Switzerland 84, in South Korea 83.13 Singapore 82and Spain 83.2 whereas in Sri Lanka it is 73.31, yet the number of dementia patients is substantial in developed countries as well. It is Slovenia, Solomon’s Islands, South Arica South Korea, Spain, and Sri Lanka in order of the chart. It is a difficult disease to cure with no proper medication that worries the loved ones looking after the patients.

 Living with dementia

Human life and body are complicated and lives with millions of sickness and conditions. Dementia is one of the conditions the human body is confronted with based on certain conditions unknowingly beyond its control only physicians can diagnose Over 8,50,000  people in the UK currently with dementia. Most are over 65, but it Is also becoming more communing those aged 50 or over. The Alzheimer’s Society estimates that the number of sufferers will rise to over a million by 2025, with one person developing the disease every three minutes. United Kingdom has the most advanced and professional National Health Service offered to every citizen free with a separate GP (general physician) to every citizen giving thought to you the conditions in other parts of the world which indeed is worrying. If one is careful and leads a happy and comfortable life he can conveniently extend the life span. Living happily and music reading and engaging himself is good for the patient to send satisfactory messages to the brain.

What is dementia?

Dementia is a disorder of mental processes caused by brain disease or injury. It is a persistent and progressive condition meaning that it gets worst over time and eventually affects every aspect of a person’s life. The word dementia describes several different conditions affecting the brain including ‘ Alzhemar’s ‘disease ‘frontotemporal’ dementia and vascular dementia. While it is important to remember that everyone’s experience of dementia is different what they have in common are a number of recognized similarities and symptoms followed. It is a disease that cannot be cured yet if the patient is kept happy and friendly he may live the short stay happy. There are drugs on the market but not for a permanent cure.

We have discussed only dementia as it is one of the main diseases at the forefront, especially in the west gradually spreading the world over. It is necessary and appropriate for the Health and Social services ministers and ministries to intervene in regularizing this field that needs regulations and monitoring as in other countries. There are few quality caregiving institutions and mostly mushrooms in Sri Lanka the state has to be careful about. The state must explore the avenues of tanning caregivers for Sri Lanka and abroad that has a growing demand with the availability of the Sri Lankan working population awaiting for foreign employment.

Death

Is one of the most difficult subjects to discuss, but establishing an open and honest dialogue is one of the best ways to help people to come to terms with the impending death of the loved one. Talking about death or a death of a loved one can be painful However with the people we trust it can help enormously. Both practically well as emotionally. It is a relief for the patient to settle the loved ones with his wealth and possessions and power of attorney and a last will be an appropriate proposition. Documentation should be legal and binding for the peace of the patient and the loved ones to make all happy for a happy ending and to be realistic that this is the plight of anybody one day. But when one is conscious that he will die one day anyway is easy for all parties to bear the sorrow, of parting with loved ones.

Carer Caregiving and caregivers /concept and avenues to explore for Sri Lanka and Sri Lankans

This is an excellent concept and an opportunity for Sri Lankan who are educated and willing to explore foreign employment with their knowledge of IT and other skills and it is time for the government to intervene and interfere in this matter to train and find opportunities with the private sector currently awaiting for new ventures and avenues. It is ideal to identify the leaders in the private sector on caregiving and set up joint operations and also to give a bit more life and rejuvenate the employment bureaux not a popular institution modern efficient and honest. The report we receive on the employment bureaux and the political interferences is worrying and it is time to clean it up and modernize the golden hen without allowing natural death.

ALI SUKHANVER

When Burma was ruled by a monarchy in the pre-colonial era, its Army was given the name of ‘Tatmadaw’. In the Burmese language Tatmadaw means Royal Armed Forces. Today the Tatmadaw has lost all its popularity and public support because of its action of deposing the elected government on 1st February 2021. One could understand the public reaction against the Tatmadaw by going through an article of Desmond published in the ‘Irrawaddy’ on 25th May 2022. The writer is of the opinion that the name Tatmadaw must not be used for the present day Myanmar Military because it is not ‘Royal’. The word is too good for Min Aung Hlaing’s army, which is just a group of armed men killing their own people. There is nothing ‘royal’ about the actions of the present-day Myanmar military. Instead of the term ‘Myanmar Military, the most suitable term would be ‘murderous military’, which captures the true nature of Min Aung Hlaing’s army.” According to the Wikipedia, ‘ Min Aung Hlaing is a Burmese politician and army general who has ruled Myanmar as the chairman of the State Administration Council since seizing power in the February 2021 coup d’état. He took the nominally civilian role of prime minister of Myanmar in August 2021 upon the formation of the Provisional Government.’

On 2nd February 2022, the BBC said in a report on Myanmar Army, Since it overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi’s democratically elected government in a coup one year ago, Myanmar’s military – known as the Tatmadaw – has gone on to shock the world by killing hundreds of its own civilians, including dozens of children, in a brutal crackdown on protesters.” The report further narrated, For Myanmar’s citizens, it has been a year of indiscriminate street killings and bloody village raids. In December 2021, a BBC investigation report discovered the Tatmadaw carried out a series of attacks that involved the torture and mass murder of opponents. More than 1,500 people have been killed by security forces since the coup in February 2021.”

Myanmar’s Nobel Peace laureate, Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi had been the civilian leader of Myanmar since her party won election in 2015 but during all that period the Tatmadaw always remained more powerful and authoritative than the civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi. It retained control over the armed forces by appointing key cabinet ministers and its own commander in-chief. Moreover after the National League for Democracy’s landslide in November 2020, Tatmadaw generals refused to accept the outcome, arguing that the results were fraudulent. This stubborn attitude of the Tatmadaw was widely condemned and criticized internationally. Unfortunately, keeping aside all international disliking and criticism, India the ‘biggest democracy’ in the region, gave a warm welcome to the anti-democratic forces in Myanmar.

Between India and the current Myanmar regime, the warm relationship started soon after the coup in February 2021. While the regime was being internationally condemned for its coup, India was careful not to make any direct reference to the military takeover or to condemn it in its statements. Since coup there have been multiple engagements between India and Myanmar Military rulers. At the time when world was distancing itself from Military Junta of Myanmar, India extended invitation to Commander-In-Chief (Navy) Admiral Moe Aung of Myanmar to attend the third edition of Goa Maritime Conclave 2021 in Goa from 7th to 9th November. The Goa Maritime Conclave is hosted by Indian Navy once after every two years. During the visit the Commander-in-Chief had separate one to one meetings with India’s National Security Advisor, Defence Secretary, Foreign Secretary, Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of the Naval Staff. The Commander-in-Chief participated in discussions on topics like active cooperation between Indian Navy and Tatmadaw maritime security and non-traditional security threats in Indian Ocean. On 22ndDecember 2021, India’s Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla paid a two-day official visit to Myanmar. That was country’s first official outreach to the military Junta that seized power in February 2021. Ignoring all its claims of being caretaker of basic human rights, India has been trying its best not to antagonize the Junta which has killed more than 2,000 people for rejecting military rule. Despite international condemnation on the regime, India has been openly cooperating with the military Junta, extending diplomatic support and even assistance in organizing a general election that Min Aung Hlaing plans to hold this year. When world talks about isolating Myanmar military regime, discussion of its few allies tends to focus on Russia and China’s engagement with the Junta and support for it on UN Security Council. One country that has been strangely absent from this conversation, however, is India.

India’s support to the Military rule in Myanmar is in fact an effort of giving tough time to Chinese interests in Myanmar. The Aljazeera pointed out in an analysis that the growing conflict in Myanmar is undermining the investment environment for China. According to an analysis paper by the Institute for Strategy and Policy Myanmar, Chinese investments are facing growing risks as the anti-coup conflicts escalate across the country. Of more than 7,800 clashes recorded nationwide since the coup in February 2021, at least 300 have taken place in areas where major Chinese projects are located or near potential project sites for Chinese investments.” says Aljazeera. By providing support to Myanmar’s military rulers, India is simply discouraging China’s presence in the country. In spite of the fact that India is the major supporter of Myanmar Military regime, the international media remains silent on this pro-dictatorship approach of India. Myanmar is no doubt facing worst situation of human rights violation leading to a very agonizing political chaos. Certainly this is the worst phase of Myanmar’s history, and this all is happening particularly in an era when so-called super powers ever seem determined to discourage all anti-democracy movements. But in case of Myanmar, the world’s self-claimed ‘biggest democracy’ is patronizing the human rights exploiters.

Sri Lankan High Commission in India

Continuing his efforts to enhance dialogue with Heads of Mission of Islamic countries concurrently accredited to Sri Lanka from New Delhi, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India Milinda Moragoda presented copies of the Sinhala translation of the Holy Quran to the Ambassador of Morocco to India Mohamed Maliki.

The impressive Sinhala translation of the Holy Quran, published by the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) of Sri Lanka, was presented to the Moroccan Ambassador at the High Commission of Sri Lanka.

Ambassador Maliki highly appreciated this gesture of goodwill and stated that a copy of the Sinhala translation will be sent to Morocco to be kept in the Quran collection of the University of Al-Qarawiyyin in Fez, one of the leading spiritual and educational centres of the Islamic Golden Age and the oldest continuously operating, degree-granting university in the world.

The High Commission is planning to present copies of this Sinhala translation of the Holy Quran to other Heads of Mission of Islamic countries who are accredited to Colombo from New Delhi as well.

Previously, the High Commission had presented copies of the Sinhala Quran to the Jama Masjid of Delhi and the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (Council of Muslim Theologians of India).

In keeping with the “Integrated Country Strategy for Sri Lanka Diplomatic Missions in India”, the policy roadmap of High Commissioner Moragoda, the High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi has been promoting dialogue with all major religions in India.

අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය මාධ්‍ය අංශය

ඉංග්‍රීසි භාෂාවෙන් Slave Island ලෙස හැදින්වූ  කොම්පඤ්ඤවීදිය සිංහල, දෙමළ, ඉංග්‍රීසි භාෂා ත්‍රිත්වයෙන්ම කොම්පඤ්ඤවීදිය” ලෙස භාවිතා කිරීමට අදාලව නිසි සංශෝධනයන් කිරීමට කඩිනමින් පියවර ගන්නා ලෙස අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය ලේකම් අනුර දිසානායක මහතා රාජ්‍ය පරිපාලන ස්වදේශ කටයුතු, පළාත් සභා හා පළාත් පාලන අමාත්‍යංශ ලේකම්වරයාට උපදෙස් දී ඇත.

අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය දිනේෂ් ගුණවර්ධන මහතාගේ උපදෙස් පරිදි හැත්තෑපස් වෙනි නිදහස් දිනයට සමගාමීව ගෙන ඇති මෙම තීරණය සම්බන්ධයෙන් තැපැල්පතිවරයා හා කොලඹ මහ නගර සහාවේ නාගරික කොමසාරිස්වරයා ද දැනුම්වත් කර තිබේ.

සිංහල හා දෙමළ භාෂාවෙන් කොම්පඤ්ඤ වීදිය ලෙස භාවිතා කළ ද යටත් විජිත සමයේ එම පෙදෙස හැදින්විමට යොදාගත්  Slave Island යන නාමකරණය මේ දක්වා ඉංග්‍රීසි භාෂාවෙන් භාවිතා කෙරේ.

අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය මාධ්‍ය අංශය

“නීතියේ සිංහල නුගමුල” ෆීනික්ස් නීති සාර සංග්‍රහය

මහේස්ත්‍රාත් අධිකරණ, දිසා අධිකරණ, මහාධිකරණ, වාණිජ මහාධිකරණ, සුලු හිමිකම් අධිකරණ මුල් අවස්ථා අධිකරණ ලෙස හැදින්වේ.

රටේ පවතින නඩු වලින් වැඩිම නඩු සංඛ්‍යාවක් කැදවෙන්නේ මෙම අධිකරණවලය. ජනතාව වැඩි වශයෙන් නීතියේ පිළිසරණ පතා එන්නේත්, වැඩි සේවකයන් සංඛ්‍යාවක් ඉන්නේත් මෙම අධිකරණ වලය.

මෙම අධිකරණවල සේවකයන් සමබන්ධ තීරණ ගනු ලබන්නේ ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාව මගින් පිහිටුවා ඇති අධිකරණ සේවා කොමිෂන් සභාව විසිනි.

මෙකී මුල් අවස්ථා අධිකරණ වල සහතික පිටපත් ලබා ගැනීම, ඇප මුදල් තැබීම, ඇප මුදල් ආපසු ගැනීම සම්බන්ධ කටයුතු වලදී නඩු කියන්නන් සහ ඔවුන්ගේ පවුල්වල අය වැඩි වශයෙන් ප්‍රමාදයට, කළකිරීමට, අයුතු මුදල් වැය කිරීමවලට, සම්බන්ධතා නැති අය නොසැලකිල්ලට හසුවන බව නොරහසකි.

අකාර්යක්ෂම ආයතන අතර මුල් අවස්ථා අධිකරණ රෙජිස්ට්‍රාර් කාර්යාල රජයේ වෙනත් සාමාන්‍ය ආයතනයකට දෙවැනි වන්නේ නැත.

මුල් අවස්ථා අධිකරණවල රෙජිස්ට්‍රාර් කාර්යාලවල ප්‍රමාදයන් සහ අයථා ක්‍රියාවන් සිදුවන්නේ අධිකරණ සේවා කොමිෂන් සභාව සුදුසුකම් සහ හැකියාව ඇති අය රෙජිස්ට්‍රාර් කාර්යාලවල සේවයට තෝරා නොගැනීම නිසා වීම එක් හේතුවකි.

කාර්යක්ෂමතාවය ඉහළ පුරවැසියන් අධිකරණ රෙජිස්ට්‍රාර් කාර්යාලවලට තෝරා ගැනීමට අධිකරණ සේවා කොමිෂන් සභාවට නොහැකි වීම රටේම සමාජ ප්‍රශ්නයේ කොටසක් විය හැකිය.

අධිකරණ රෙජිස්ට්‍රාර් කාර්යාලවලට සේවකයන් තෝරාගැනීම් සඳහා අධිකරණ සේවා කොමිෂන් සභාවද සහිත වෙනත් වැඩපිළිවෙලක් ක්‍රියාත්මක කිරීමට පාර්ලිමේන්තුව නීති පැනවිය යුතුය.

පුද්ගලයන් ලියාපදිංචි කිරීමේ දෙපාර්තමේන්තුව, ආගමන විගමන දෙපාර්තමේන්තුව සහ මෝටර් රථවාහන දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවේ පැවති දූෂණ, නාස්තිය,  අකාර්යක්ෂමතාවය සහ සම්බන්ධතා වැළැක්වූ ආකාරයට මුල් අවස්ථා අධිකරණ රෙජිස්ට්‍රාර් කාර්යාලවත් අකාර්යක්‍ෂමතාවය අවම කළ හැකිය.

අධිකරණ සේවා කොමිෂන් සභා ලේකම් කාර්යාලයට පමණක් තනිව එය කළ නොහැකි බව දිගින් දිගටම පෙන්වා දී ඇත.

පළාත්බද සිවිල් අභියාචනා මහාධිකරණවල,
අභියාචනාධිකරණයේ සහ ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණයේ රෙජිස්ට්‍රාර් කාර්යාල ඉහළ මට්ටමකින් කාර්යක්ෂමව, අයුතු ක්‍රියාවන්ගෙන් තොරව පවත්වාගෙන යාම එම අධිකරණ වල සහාය පතා යන අය පිළිගනු ඇත.

අධිකරණ සේවා කොමිෂන් සභාව ඒ සම්බන්ධයෙන්ද  සළකා බැලිය යුතුය.

“නීතියේ සිංහල නුගමුල”
ෆීනික්ස් නීති සාර සංග්‍රහය
(2023.0

Courtesy ANI

Beijing [China], February 2 (ANI): After US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland during her visit to Sri Lanka said that the terms extended by China to Colombo for IMF debt relief are not enough, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has now retaliated saying that rather than commenting upon Beijing’s ties with Sri Lanka, US must show some sincerity and actually do something for the island nation.
In a regular press conference on Thursday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said, “What was said by the US side does not reflect the truth. The Export-Import Bank of China has already provided Sri Lanka with a letter to express support for its debt sustainability. Sri Lanka has responded positively and thanked China for that.”
The Chinese spokesperson warned Washington to stop jabbing fingers at China‘s close cooperation with Sri Lanka and stated that US should also help Sri Lanka overcome difficulties.
“As a friendly neighbour and true friend, China has been closely following the difficulties and challenges facing Sri Lanka and providing assistance for its economic and social development to the best of our capabilities. As to Sri Lanka’s debt to the Chinese side, China supports relevant financial institutions in having consultations with Sri Lanka to seek a proper settlement. China stands ready to work with relevant countries and international financial institutions and continue to play a positive role in helping Sri Lanka navigate the situation, easing its debt burden and helping it achieve sustainable development,” Mao Ning said in the regular press conference.
China‘s offer to Sri Lanka of a two-year moratorium on its debt is not adequate to clear the way for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to allow a funding program, Daily Mirror reported citing diplomatic sources.
Citing sources, the news report said that the IMF needs more assurances from China to secure IMF board approval for the bailout package for Sri Lanka. Earlier, China‘s Foreign Ministry said that the Export-import Bank of China (EXIM) has extended debt to Sri Lanka.
In the early weeks of January, the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka slammed the US after an American diplomat called China a ‘spoiler’ to Sri Lanka’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in a recent interview.
Notably, Julie Chung, the US Ambassador to China took a jibe at Beijing in an interview with UK-based television network, BBC Newsnight and said that the US is hopeful that China would not delay extending support for Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring process, as the island nation does not have time to delay, Colombo Gazette reported.
“For the sake of the Sri Lankan people, we certainly hope China is not a spoiler as they proceed to attain this IMF agreement,” Chung had said further.
In a press release on Tuesday, the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka retaliated at Chung’s remarks and called them as “baseless accusing and lecturing.” It further lashed the US envoy for putting the blame on China for being the “spoiler” to Sri Lanka’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Instead of sowing discord between Sri Lanka and China, China questioned in its release why the US did not take decisive action in the IMF for a more comfortable solution for Sri Lanka. (ANI)

Lanka Lead News

පසුගිය දා රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ ජනාධිපතිවරයා 13 සම්පූර්ණයෙන් බලාත්මක කරන බව පවසා එමගින් රට නොබෙදෙන බව ප්‍රකාශ කළ ද එය සිදුවන්නේ කෙසේදැයි නොපැවසූ බව ආචාර්ය ගුණදාස අමරසේකර මහතා පවසයි.

ලබන 08 වැනිදා ජනාධිපතිවරයා 13 සම්පූර්ණයෙන් බලාත්මක කිරීමේ යෝජනාව පාර්ලිමේන්තුවට ඉදිරිපත් කරන  බව කියා ඇති බවත්, ඔහු මෙයින් විශාල ප්‍රයෝගයක් කිරීමට උත්සාහ දරන බවත් ගුණදාස අමරසේකර මහතා සදහන් කරයි.

ඒ මහතා මේ බව පැවසුවේ ජාතික සංවිධාන එකමුතුව විසින් අද(02) පැවැත්වූ මාධ්‍ය සාකච්ඡාවකට එක්වෙමිනි.

කලකට ඉහත මාක්ස්වාදීන් බොහෝ දෙනෙකු මෙම 13 වැනි සංශෝධනය බලාත්මක කළාට රට බෙදීමක් සිදු නොවන බව හේතු දෙකක් උඩ පළිගත් බව ඔහු සදහන් කරයි. එනම් උතුරට බලතල ලබාදී වෙනම රාජ්‍යක් බවට පත් කළ ද ඔවුන්ට එය පවත්වාගෙන යාම සදහා ආර්ථික ශක්තියක් නොමැති බව හා ඉන්දියාව කිසිසේත්ම උතුරේ වෙනම රාජ්‍යයක් ඇති කිරීමට කැමැත්තක් නොදැක්වීම යන කාරණා දෙක උඩ එකල මාක්ස්වාදීන් මෙම කාරණය නොපිළි ගන්නා ලද බව ඒ මහතා පවසයි.

එහෙත් මෙම මත දෙකම අද වන විට මිත්‍යාවක් බවට පත්වී ඇති බව ඉන්දියාව හැසිරෙන ආකාරයෙන් සනාථ වන බවයි අමරසේකර මහතා පවසන්නේ.

13 සංශෝධනය හරහා බෙදී වෙන්වී ගිය පසුව උතුරේ වෙනම රාජ්‍යයක් පාවත්වාගෙන යාමට අද ඔවුන්ට ආර්ථික ශක්තියක් ඇති බවද, ඉන්දියාව විසින් උතුරේ විවිධ ව්‍යාපෘති මේවන විට ආරම්භකර ඇත්තේ තමන්ට වාසි අත්වන ආකාරයටම බවද ගුණදාස අමරසේකර මහතා සදහන් කරයි.

උතුරේ ඊළාම් ආර්ථිකය ශක්තිමත්කර ගැනීම සදහා කන්කසන්තුරේ හා ත්‍රිකුණාමල වරායන් ඔවුන් මේ සදහා අනිවාර්යයයෙන්ම යොදාගන්නා බවත්, ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ දකුණට සියලු ආර්ථික සම්පත් මේ නිසා අහිමිවන බවත් ඒ මහතා මෙහිදී පෙන්වා දෙයි.

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

-Millions continue to be allocated for past heads of state in 2023 with a bulk of it going towards the maintenance of their state homes and vehicles

-The state has to allocate for 4 past Presidents, namely Chandrika Kumaratunga, Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maithripala Sirisena and Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Hema Premadasa, wife of the late Ranasinghe Premadasa also gets a budget allocation under this category

With 2022 bringing on an economic disaster for Sri Lankan citizens, one would expect the Treasury to reduce its budget allocations for 2023 in almost all areas where it can.

However, according to figures released by the Treasury exposing the budget allocations for 2023, little has been reduced from last year and in some instances the allocations have only increased since 2022.

One such area is the facilities offered to former Presidents. According to official figures, millions continue to be allocated for the past heads of state in 2023 with a bulk of it going towards the maintenance of their state homes and vehicles.

Currently, the state has to allocate for 4 past Presidents, namely Chandrika Kumaratunga, Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maithripala Sirisena and Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Hema Premadasa, wife of the late Ranasinghe Premadasa also gets a budget allocation under this category.

Chandrika Kumaratunga –

Official figures show that for 2023, the Treasury has allocated Rs.1 million 170,000 as retirement benefits for Chandrika Kumaratunga, which is the same figure allocated for 2022. Under an area titled ‘Other’, Kumaratunga has been allocated a further Rs.3 million 500,000 for 2023 which is an increase compared to the Rs.3 million allocated for 2022 and Rs.1.4 million allocated for 2021. Under the capital expenditure, Kumaratunga has been allocated Rs.1 million under ‘Buildings and Structures’ which is the same amount allocated for 2022.

A massive Rs.10 million has been allocated for vehicles in 2023 compared to the Rs.2 million allocated for 2022.

Mahinda Rajapaksa

Official figures show that for 2023, the Treasury has allocated Rs.1 million 170,000 as retirement benefits for Mahinda Rajapaksa, which is the same figure allocated for 2022. Under an area titled ‘Other’, Mahinda Rajapaksa has been allocated a further Rs.11 million for 2023 which is an increase compared to the Rs.10 million allocated for 2022 and Rs.6.8 million allocated for 2021. Under the capital expenditure, Mahinda Rajapaksa has been allocated Rs.1 million under ‘Buildings and Structures’ which is the same amount allocated for 2022.

A massive Rs.10 million has been allocated for vehicles in 2023 compared to the Rs.2 million allocated for 2022.

Mahinda Rajapaksa also recently shifted back to the Wijerama Road Residence in Colombo 7 offered by the state which was repaired at a whopping Rs.800 million, even amidst the economic crisis. The state residence in which he had temporarily shifted into along the Bauddhaloka Mawatha while the Wijerama residence was being uplifted has now been allocated to his brother, former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who was forced to leave office in July 2022 due to his mismanagement. In fact, experts say the economic crisis spiraled further out of control under his presidency with people having to stand for hours in queues for their basics including medicines and food. He now lives in a luxurious state bungalow provided by the state.

In 2022, the Treasury had allocated Rs.70 million for the Office of the Prime Minister when Mahinda Rajapaksa was the Premier under ‘Overtime and Holiday Payments’, a reduction from the Rs.74 million allocated in 2021. For ‘travel expenses both domestic and foreign’, the Treasury allocated Rs.12 million in 2022, a reduction from the Rs.37 million allocated for 2021.

Under ‘maintenance expenditure’ for 2022, Rs.229 million was allocated by the Treasury to maintain the office of the Prime Minister compared to the Rs.213 million allocated for 2021.

Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as the Prime Minister in May 2022 following nationwide protests against Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the government.

Maithripala Sirisena

Official figures show that for 2023, the Treasury has allocated Rs.1 million 170,000 as retirement benefits for Maithripala Sirisena, which is the same figure allocated for 2022. Under an area titled ‘Other’, Sirisena has been allocated a further Rs.11 million for 2023 which is an increase compared to the Rs.10 million allocated for 2022 and Rs.7.9 million allocated for 2021. Under the capital expenditure, Sirisena has been allocated Rs.1 million under ‘Buildings and Structures’ which is the same amount allocated for 2022.

A massive Rs.10 million has been allocated for vehicles in 2023 compared to the Rs.2 million allocated for 2022.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa

Official figures show that for 2023, the Treasury has allocated Rs.1 million 170,000 as retirement benefits for Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Under an area titled ‘Other’, Gotabaya has been allocated a further Rs.10 million for 2023. Under the capital expenditure, Gotabaya has been allocated Rs.1 million under ‘Buildings and Structures’. Rs.2 million has been allocated for vehicles in 2023.

Hema Premadasa

Official figures show that for 2023, the Treasury has allocated Rs.780,000 as retirement benefits for Hema Premadasa, the wife of Ranasinghe Premadasa, which is the same figure allocated for 2022. Under an area titled ‘Other’, Hema has been allocated a further Rs.1 million 500,000 for 2023 which is an increase compared to the Rs.1 million 300,000 allocated for 2022 and Rs.770,000 allocated for 2021. Under the capital expenditure, Hema has been allocated Rs.1 million under ‘Buildings and Structures’ which is the same amount allocated for 2022.

A massive Rs.5 million has been allocated for vehicles in 2023 compared to the Rs.800,000 allocated for 2022.

Courtesy Adaderana

The Chief Prelates of the Three Chapters have accused President Ranil Wickremesinghe of confusing the country following his statement on the implementation of the 13th Amendment.

In a letter addressed to the Head of State today (02 Feb.), the religious leaders deemed the 13th Amendment as a piece of legislation that gives rise to serious concerns pertaining to the country’s national security, territorial integrity and its independence.

They further noted that by implementing the 13th Amendment, police and land powers too, will be devolved to Provincial Councils, and thus asserted that the Amendment should not be enforced at all.

Last month, President Wickremesinghe expressed the Cabinet’s willingness pertaining to the full implementation of the 13th Amendment.

Accordingly, he stated that the 13th Amendment will be implemented, in full, unless it is decided by the Party Leaders as to whether or not the Amendment should be abolished.

Attached below is the relevant letter received by Wickremesinghe from the Chief Prelates;

Courtesy Adaderana

Sri Lanka Police have decided to file an appeal against the recent release of Wasantha Mudalige, convener of the Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF),  from the charges filed against him under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

Accordingly, Police Spokesman Nihal Thalduwa stated that the Police Headquarters today (02 Feb.) requested the Attorney General to submit an appeal, in accordance with all relevant legal provisions, against the recent judgment given by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court.

Meanwhile, Mudalige today held a special press conference, during which he claimed that several high-ranking police officers attempted to kill him while he was in custody, adding that it was all part of a pre-meditated plan.

Mudalige was arrested on 22 August 2022, on charges filed under the PTA, and was released from these charges after being detained for 162 days under the PTA, by Colombo Chief Magistrate Prasanna Alwis, on the grounds that the accused was not found to have committed any offices under the PTA.

Courtesy Adaderana

The Paris Club of creditor nations is ready to provide financing assurances to Sri Lanka, a key step needed to unlock a $2.9 billion International Monetary Fund bailout, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

The group of bilateral lenders is set to soon” announce its support to the crisis-hit nation on a debt overhaul, said one of the people, who asked not to be named because talks are private.

Sri Lanka entered into a staff level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) last September, but needs financing assurances from key bilateral lenders before the fund’s executive board approves the programme.

China and India, both not permanent Paris Club members, are top bilateral lenders to the crisis-hit country.

India previously committed to help ease the debt burden of neighbour Sri Lanka as part of the IMF programme, while China’s Eximbank offered a two-year moratorium in a letter sent to the island nation in January.

While the IMF has not yet provided any guidance on where the lender stands regarding China’s assurances to Sri Lanka, a U.S. official visiting Colombo said on Wednesday that Beijing has not done enough.

What China has offered so far is not enough. We need to see credible and specific assurances that they will meet the IMF standard of debt relief,” U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland told reporters. The U.S. is the largest IMF member.

Source: Reuters

Shenali D Waduge

The Indo-Lanka Accord was signed to end the ethnic conflict”.

The 13^th amendment was to constitutionally end the ethnic conflict”.

Both were failures because the solutions became the problem. The solutions had vested interests & agendas in mind & became political footballs that were never meant to be solved. It is for this reason that both Indian Govt & Sri Lankan Govt must agree to bury the Indo-Lanka Accord & 13A for good. Relations must look at future as scenarios have changed.

Contrary to what is being promoted. The Indo-Lanka Accord does not even mention the word devolution” or even constitutional changes. All that the Indo-Lanka Accord mentions is merging the North & Eastern into one provincial council (NEPC), having an election one later in that merged unit via a referendum to decide if the East wished to remain merged or not. Indo-Lanka Accord does not mention 7 other provinces or even elections in them.

The 13^th amendment was passed in November 1987. It contained 3 lists.

List 1 – Powers to be devolved to the Provinces

List 2 – Powers to be retained by the Centre (Reserved List)

List 3 – Powers to be shared (Concurrent List) but controlled by Parliament.

The 13^thA gave powers to the Centre to control, reduce or even abolish provincial councils.

Given that both Indo-Lanka Accord & 13^th amendment were forced upon Sri Lanka, no one can take offence when the general public demands its removal or non-enactment especially when India failed to fulfill its end of the bargain.  

What is also noteworthy is that the Indo-Lanka Accord & the 13^th amendment was denounced by not only the general public but Prabakaran, the LTTE, pro-LTTE Tamil political parties as well as even the JVP & even MPs of the UNP including R Premadasa who became President a month after passing of the 13^th amendment. It clearly showed, that at the time of implementation only India & pro-Indian lobbies hailed it. Therefore, when initially the majority of the key players denounced the 13^th amendment, why are their stooges demanding its implementation now? JVP even re-launched its terror & carried out an anti-India movement. Even women were forbidden from wearing Indian sarees & Indian products were banned by JVP.

The 13A was passed in November 1987 with an election to be held in the merged NE in 1988. LTTE called for the boycotting of elections, but with Indian-help EPRLF won securing 41 of the 71 seats in the NEPC. Varatharaja Perumal became NEPC’s one & only Chief Minister.

Elections were eventually held 20 years later in 2008 after the East was liberated by Sri Lanka’s Armed Forces.

President Premadasa struck a deal with the LTTE to force IPKF withdrawal in 1990 while the armed forces were tasked to deal with the JVP. LTTE eventually killed off a generation of Tamils while the JVP eliminated a generation of Sinhalese. One of the key reasons for LTTE to object to the 13A and merger of NE was that India had decided to create its own militant force & a group of pro-Indian loyalists. Varatharaja Perumal was the Indian-selected Chief Minister while Dayan Jayatilake was an Indian-selected Minister in the merged NEPC. DayanJ was well aware that the Tamil National Army created under Perumal was funded & trained by RAW to eventually replace LTTE. Perumal, Dayan Jayatilake & other Ministers all fled to India. Dayan J has jumped from EPRLF, UNP, PA, UPFA and now to SJB.

EPRLF was created in 1981 by Pathmanabha, Douglas Devananda, Varathaja Perumal & Suresh Premachandran. LTTE & EPRLF clashed. LTTE has killed over 600 EPRLF members.

Clashes between LTTE & IPKF intensified. By March 1990 President Premadasa requested IPKF to exit Sri Lanka. It is noteworthy that at the time of IPKF being asked to exit, Perumal declared an independent eelam on 1 March 1990.  President Premadasa imposed direct rule on 25 March 1990. Pathmanabha was flown from Trinco to India in an Indian military craft but on 19 June 1990 EPRLF office in Chennai was attacked by LTTE – Pathmanabha & 8 others were killed.

Perumal, Dayan Jayatilake & other Ministers all fled to India. Dayan J has jumped from EPRLF, UNP, PA, UPFA and now to SJB.

President Premadasa will be remembered for 2 key decisions – declaring the British envoy Gladstone persona non grata for interfering in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs & nullifying the UDI by Perumal & taking the NE Province under the control of the Centre. 

Clearly the Indo-Lanka Accord & 13A were influenced by India & promoted by Indian bootlickers. Basically, India held control over the NEPC via Perumal & his key Ministers. Therefore, NEPC was never created for the benefit of the Tamils nor did it ever benefit the Tamils as even the key Members were towing what India wanted. Therefore, if anyone has a grievance over the annulment of the NEPC by the Centre in 1990 it is only India & the Sri Lankans who were members of the NEPC at the time. 

It is poignant that the 45 member Mangala Moonesinghe Committee appointed to look into the 13A & requested public submissions did not have proposals by the UNP, the SLFP or the LTTE. The interim report was released in January 1993 but it was not endorsed by the Tamil parties. 

Noteworthy are the dates that coincided with the proposals & explains eventual outcomes. 

·      August 1994 Peoples Alliance wins General Elections. 

·      October 1994 LTTE-PA talks. UNP Presidential Candidate Gamini Dissanayake assassinated. November 1994 PM Chandrika wins Presidential Election. Talks collapse between LTTE & Eelam War III commences in April 1995. 

·      Devolution proposals in Aug 1995 – keywords plural society” united Sri Lanka” union of regions” spearheaded by GLPieris & Neelan Tiruchelvan. 

·      January 1997 a British legal firm drafted a constitutional model proposed by Tamils on the Thimpu talks. It was clearly an attempt to constitutionally carve out what militarily LTTE was trying to do.

While the UN Charter enshrines sovereignty & territorial integrity of Member States, the UNSC Resolution 1244 of June 1999 reaffirms commitment to sovereignty & territorial integrity of all States. Thus, the Kosovo UDI undermines these 2 key provisions & sets a bad precedent. Ironically, DayanJ who was a Minister under Perumal who called for UDI in NEPC was Sri Lanka’s representative in Geneva at time of Kosovo UDI.

In February 1990 – PM V P Singh informed Indian HC to Colombo Mehrothra to inform Perumal to dissolve the NEPC. Mehrotra passed the task to his deputy S Jaishankar, the First Secretary who met Perumal on 28 Feb 1990. Perumal said India had no business telling him what to do. Perumal & Pathmanabha decided on a UDI of Tamil Eelam.

If Prabakaran knew that India would never allow the formation of a Tamil Eelam as it would run counter to India’s interest, why is the TNA and LTTE fronts insisting on Tamil Eelam?

If India was not interested in a Tamil Eelam why was India spending Rs.2.5m per month to administer Perumal’s NEPC & maintain a Tamil National Army to replace LTTE?

If India created the merged NE & created provincial govt in the NE with its puppet Chief Minister, why did India simply dump Perumal & the EPRLF? The moment that happened, LTTE began taking over areas vacated by IPKF, EPRLF members were slaughtered, pro-LTTE Tamil Nadu Chief Minister exerted power to dissolve the NEPC which Perumal refused & the last straw came with Congress losing elections in India & RAW removing all equipment handed by India, thus leaving Perumal to sort out a problem India had created & dumped on him & departed. 

With India no longer molly-cuddling EPRLF, Perumal & his men were left at the mercy of the LTTE. LTTE had its own convention about the same time that Perumal declared UDI.

Premadasa adverturism, arming LTTE to chase IPKF, Tamil Nadu favoring LTTE & undermining EPRLF, Indian Central Govt initially supporting EPRLF & then leaving it to fend for itself are some of the reasons for the skirmishes that have resulted as all entities ventured into 13A with other agendas & thus it was bound to fail & did fail & should not be revived for the wrong reasons & agendas again. 

Lessons that Sri Lanka must take & not negotiate on are – never to withdraw armed forces in any part of the territory of Sri Lanka, never permit a foreign presence on Sri Lankan soil.

Shenali D Waduge

Dilrook Kannangara

In 1971 there were more than 20,000 ethnic Sinhalas were living in the Jaffna District alone. None of them lived on rent. They had their own properties as with everyone else in Jaffna. However, after the TULF election win in July 1977, Tamils attacked Sinhala people in the north during Black August 1977, evicted them permanently and grabbed their properties which Tamils occupy to this date.

Having robbed Sinhala property, Tamils repeated the same act of robbery against Muslims in August 1990. It is also called Black August 1990. The number of Muslims evicted is estimated to be 100,000. Their movable and immovable property was looted by Tamils. None has been returned still.

Although LTTE was blamed for terrorizing Sinhalas and Muslims, LTTE holds no land. LTTE simply hold no land today! These Sinhala and Muslim land in the north are illegitimately occupied by Tamils today. Not the LTTE.

Before demanding 13A land powers, Tamils must hand back these looted properties to Sinhalas and Muslims from whom they were looted. If not, 13A land powers will reward the looters and make this land robbery permanent.

What’s worse is the same template may be used by Tamils against Sinhalas in Colombo, Nuwara Eliya, Negombo, etc. in time to come.

The government has no mandate to fully implement 13A. It must get a fresh mandate for the purpose. If Tamil tribal demands continue, the day Sinhalas will also demand their own Sinhala Only nation cannot be too far away. What is good for the goose must be good for the gander.

Shenali D Waduge

first published in 2019
A Framework for the Constitution of the Union of Ceylon” prepared in 1994 by a firm of British solicitors (Bates, Wells and Braithwaite) for the Sri Lanka Peace Support Group an entity within the Centre of Policy Alternatives.

Constitution. Illustration: Ratna Sagar Shrestha.THT

What is interesting about this proposal is that it lays out the nuts and bolts of a confederate structure; a concept that many are unfamiliar with but elements which are being peddled through the present constitution giving rise to the reality that this new constitution is certainly not drafted in Sri Lanka by the people whom the government claims to have appointed and none of the proposals that were requested by the public have been taken into consideration. A careful reading of the 1994 proposal compared with the clauses being presently promoted and the slogans used will clearly reveal that these documents have been kept ready until their ‘men’ have been brought into power by regime change. For these reasons and more the citizens of Sri Lanka must reject this new constitution.

The letter sent by the British solicitors to both President Kumaratunga & Prabakaran is enclosed

http://www.sangam.org/FB_HIST_DOCS/UKLetters.htm

Cover letter http://www.sangam.org/FB_HIST_DOCS/UKMessage.htm

The full text of the proposal

http://www.sangam.org/FB_HIST_DOCS/UKProposal.htm

The proposal by the British firm was on the request of an entity known as Sri Lanka Peace Support Group formed within the Centre for Policy Alternatives. Guess who members of this group consisted

• Radhika Coomaraswamy
• Sunila Abeysekera
• Sunil Bastian
• Sunanda Deshapriya
• Rohan Edrisinha
• Kethesh Loganathan
• Jehan Perera
• Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu
• Jeevan  Thiagarajah
• Joe William
• Javed Yusuf

http://www.uthr.org/Peace/PSG_on%20_peace_talks.htm

Their statements from 2000 to 2006 are available on the CPA website – http://www.cpalanka.org/peace-support-group-psg-statements-2000-to-2006/

The Group issued an open letter for the 2001 elections http://www.island.lk/2001/11/04/featur09.html and the proposals they make clearly indicate where their allegiance lies.

In 2002 Daily News featured an article by Centre of Policy Alternatives Director Rohan Edrisinha titled Meeting Tamil aspirations within a united Lanka”. http://archives.dailynews.lk/2002/06/24/fea01.html

Salient points covered in his article is important to understanding who is peddling the new constitution and what the real gameplan is.

Edirsinha makes reference to the banned LTTE front leader of Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam, Rudrakumaran who was also the lawyer for LTTE referring to the need for Tamil self-determination as part of a political solution. Edirisinha agrees to that right.

Interesting is the quote maximum devolution within a united country seemed to be the philosophy behind a proposal submitted to President Kumaratunga and Prabakaran” on 20 December 1995 prepared by a British law firm Bates, Wells & Braithwaite on request of Sri Lanka Peace Support Group.

Don’t know where era Edirisinha was living in as he claims the ‘proposal basically provided for a confederation the Union of Ceylon consisting of two internally autonomous states, one for the Tamil area (north east of the country) and the other for the mainly Sinhalese areas’.

The other areas that the proposal covered were

Apart from foreign affairs, external defence and security monetary policy and currency, maintenance of relations between the states and a few other matters, each state would have the power to adopt its own constitution which would have to endorse certain core principles set out in the Preamble to the Constitution and entrenched clauses on human rights, while setting out its own structure of government, have its own Prime Minister and exercise complete autonomy in all other areas.”

It provided for a Central Council of the Union to exercise power with respect to the reserved subjects and to provide a channel of communication and co-ordination between the two states consisting of an equal number of representatives from the states. The Council would appoint a President and Deputy President of the Union from amongst its members for a specified time with agreed alternation between representatives of each state.”

The citizens of the union would share a common nationality and have the freedom of movement and the right to reside and work in any part of the union.”

The proposal provided for a Constitutional Court consisting of an equal number of judges from each state and a suggestion that one or more non-Ceylonese judges of international repute be included as well. The main function of the Court would be to interpret the Constitution and to ensure state compliance with the provisions of the preamble and the human rights provisions of the Constitution.”

Under a provision titled ‘Referendum & Guarantees’ the proposal provides each state to conduct a referendum to ‘modify the powers of the Union affecting that State’. Is this not another means for UDI?

What is bizarre is that it also included provision in implementing the Constitution and maintenance of peace between the 2 States guaranteed by the United Nations!

This law firm was suggesting to create two independent & sovereign entities confirmed in the Preamble that relations between the 2 States would be governed according to the ‘applicable principles of international law & justice’.

It is shocking that a British law firm would continue to refer to Sri Lanka as ‘Ceylon’ and questions which era they are living in. However, the elements proposed clearly tally with the present elements of the new constitution putting those who come before us as being the persons drafting the constitution to ridicule!

Shenali D Waduge

first published in 2019

RADHIKA DESAI: Hi everyone, and welcome to this Geopolitical Economy Hour. I’m Radhika Desai.

MICHAEL HUDSON: And I’m Michael Hudson.

RADHIKA DESAI: Every fortnight we are going to meet for an hour to discuss major development in the fast-changing geopolitical economy of our 21st-century world.

We’ll discuss international developments. We’ll discuss their roots in individual countries and regions. We will try to uncover the reality beneath the usually distorting representation of these developments in the dominant Western media.

We plan to discuss many subjects: inflation, oil prices, de-dollarization, the outcome of the war over Ukraine which is going to determine so many things, the threats the U.S. is making against China about Taiwan, China’s increasingly prominent role in the world, how China’s Belt and Road Initiative is going to reshape it, how Western alliances and the Western-dominated world that was built over the past couple of centuries is so rapidly fracturing.

We’ll discuss financialization, the West’s productive decline. Many important things. Michael, am I leaving any important things out?

MICHAEL HUDSON: Well we have been talking about this for many decades. Already in 1978 I wrote a book, Global Fracture, about how the world is dividing into two parts. But that time, other countries were trying to break free so they could follow their own developments.

මහජන ආරක්ෂක අමාත්‍යාංශය

ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ නව ප්‍රංශ තානාපති ජොංෆ්‍රැන්සුවා පැක්තෙ මහතා අද(1දා)දින සුහද හමුවක්  සඳහා  මහජන  ආරක්ෂක ඇමති ටිරාන් අලස් මහතා හමුවීමට මහජන ආරක්ෂක අමාත්‍යාංශයට පැමිණියේය.

ප්‍රංශ – ශ්‍රි ලංකා රාජතාන්ත්‍රික සබඳතා පිළිබඳව මෙම හමුවේදී සාකච්ඡා වූ අතර තවදුරටත් එම සම්බන්ධතා ශක්තිමත් කරගැනීම සඳහා සිය පූර්ණ සහය ලබා දෙන බව ප්‍රංශ තානාපති ජොංෆ්‍රැන්සුවා පැක්තෙ මහතා ප්‍රකාශ කළේය.

එහිදී ශ්‍රී ලාංකිකයන් නීති විරෝධී සංක්‍රමණිකයන් ලෙස ප්‍රංශයේ දූපත් වලට ඇතුලුවීම වැලැක්වීම සඳහා ගත හැකි ක්‍රියාමාර්ග පිළිබඳවද මෙහිදී සාකච්ඡා කළේය.

මහජන ආරක්ෂක අමාත්‍ය ටිරාන් අලස් මහතාගේ ඉල්ලීම පරිදි ශ්‍රී ලංකා පොලිස් නිළධාරීන් සඳහා පුහුණු වැඩමුළුවක් සංවිධානය කිරීමට සහයෝගය දැක්වීමට ප්‍රංශ තානාපති ජොංෆ්‍රැන්සුවා පැක්තෙ මහතා මෙහිදී එකඟ විය.