Courtesy Hiru News

The Governor of the Central Bank Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe stated that One of the ways to overcome the current crisis situation is to allow the Central Bank to function independently.

He was speaking at a special media briefing on ‘Economic Crisis Emergency’ held last night (08).

He also stated that it does not want unnecessary political interference in any way to curb inflation.

The Governor of the Central Bank Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe stated the following during the discussion.

“I want to make decisions without any political influence. The Central Bank hopes for the blessings of the government, the opposition and the people for the future economic progress of the country. Recovering a collapsing economy cannot be done all at once, it will have to go on like this for a while. In two weeks we will send a good message to the international market that we are coming out of this crisis…. ”

He also spoke about the International Monetary Fund and the technical assistance that Sri Lanka hopes to receive from it.

”Debt restructuring and negotiations with the International Monetary Fund will begin. Everyone now understands that procrastination and irresponsibility can no longer be the norm in this country. The only reason I accepted this responsibility is because people are suffering, not because of any political party decision. Political stability and social stability are needed to recover quickly. “

Weerasinghe said he would hold an online discussion with the IMF on the 11th, adding that the resignation of Ali Sabry’s, the finance minister, had not been accepted by the President.

The Governor of the Central Bank also expressed his views as follows.

” Any central bank must print money. But if you print large amounts there is a problem. Unnecessarily reducing taxes has exacerbated  the crisis. Raising interest rates is one of the main steps we will take. Do not expect inflation to ease tomorrow, inflation for the next three months has already been decided. Inflation could cross 25% in the next month or two. There is no need to restructure domestic debt.”

He also said that foreign exchange could not be brought in through gazettes and legislation, adding that he was requesting the expatriate Sri Lankans to send as much money as possible through the banking system.

The Governor of the Central Bank further stated that the Sri Lankan economy has now become a vehicle that is going downhill uncontrollably.

Finally, the Governor of the Central Bank made a special reminder to the people on the streets stating that people should exert pressure on politicians to help solve the country’s economic crisis. 

Meanwhile, the conversation also focused on the foreign exchange deficit and the dollar crisis.

Duminda Hulangamuwa, Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka stated that he believed that the country could be without power by June if this is not resolved now.

Courtesy Hiru News

Sri Lanka’s central bank doubled its key interest rates on Friday, raising each by an unprecedented 700 basis points to tame inflation that has soared due to crippling shortages of basic goods driven by a devastating economic crisis.

“The rate hike will give a strong signal to investors and markets that we are coming out of this as soon as possible,” governor P. Nandalal Weerasinghe said at a post-policy decision briefing.

Weerasinghe said that he wanted to run the central bank independently without any external influence and that he had been given the authority to do so by the president and has been asked to expedite measures to get the country out of the current crisis.

“I want to be very clear that my message is not one of blind positivity. Things are challenging and we need to take decisive action. Things will get worse before they get better, but we need to apply the breaks to this vehicle before it crashes,” he added.

The new Governor of the Central Bank Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe stated that the release of foreign currency for any import should be considered on a case by case basis as a matter of priority including the imports of vehicles.

He was speaking at a media briefing at the Central Bank of Sri Lanka yesterday (08).

He said that in allocating money for such imports would be after the overall impact on the majority of the population is taken into consideration.

Courtesy Hiru News

Finance Minister Ali Sabry says he and a delegation including the Central Bank Governor and the Finance Minister Secretary along a team of technical experts will leave for Washington on the 18th to hold talks with the International Monetary Fund.

The Minister said that the selection of financial and legal consultants for the government’s international debt restructuring program is expected to be completed within the next 21 days.

Ali Sabry said that fuel prices and taxes would be increased in the next six months and that reforms related to loss-making state enterprises would be expected to be implemented.

The Minister of Finance said that although these decisions were not popular, they should be made reluctantly to overcome the current economic crisis.

Ali Sabry revealed that another $ 500 million loan facility is expected from India to obtain fuel.

In addition, another $ 1.5 billion loan facility and a $ 1 billion loan from China are expected, the Finance Minister said.

It was revealed that another $ 3 billion in foreign aid is needed to purchase essential food, fuel and medicine.

The Minister of Finance Ali Sabry stated that the main objective was to restore the supply of fuel, gas and medicines.

Courtesy Hiru News

Sri Lanka will need about $3 billion in external assistance in the next six months to help restore supplies of essential items including fuel and medicine, according to finance minister as reported by Reuters on Saturday.

The nation has been hard hit by prolonged power cuts and shortages which have drawn protesters out on to the streets.

“It’s a Herculean task,” Finance Minister Ali Sabry said in his first interview since taking office this week, referring to finding $3 billion in bridge financing as the country readies for negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) this month.

The country will look to restructure international sovereign bonds and seek a moratorium on payments, and is confident it can negotiate with bondholders over a $1 billion payment due in July.

“The entire effort is not to go for a hard default,” Sabry said. “We understand the consequences of a hard default.”

Analysts estimated that Sri Lanka’s gross debt servicing would amount to $7 billion this year, with a current account deficit of around $3 billion.

The country has $12.55 billion in outstanding international sovereign bonds, central bank data showed, and foreign reserves of $1.93 billion at the end of March.

“The first priority is to see that we get back to the normal supply channel in terms of fuel, gas, drugs… and thereby electricity so that the people’s uprising can be addressed,” Sabry said.

“We respect your right to protest, but no violence, because it is counterproductive,” Sabry said.

“Our tourism, which was beautifully coming back in February with 140,000 tourists coming in, has been severely affected ever since the demonstrations.”

On Sunday thousands of protesters gathered near the president’s office in Colombo, making it one of the biggest shows of public outrage in recent days. The protesters included Muslims who sat in the middle of a blockaded road to break their Ramadan fast”.

Sabry said he will lead a delegation of Sri Lankan officials to Washington to start talks with the IMF on April 18 and that financial and legal advisers would be selected within 21 days to help the government restructure its international debt.

“Once we go to them, first thing is there is a sense of confidence in the entire international monetary community that we are serious,” he said. “We are transparent, we are willing to engage.”

On Friday, a new central bank governor raised interest rates by an unprecedented 700 basis points in a bid to tame rocketing inflation and stabilise the economy.

Sri Lankan authorities will also reach out to rating agencies, Sabry said, as the country looks to regain access to international financial markets after being locked out due to multiple ratings downgrades since 2020.

Sabry said the government will raise taxes and fuel prices within six months and seek to reform loss-making state-owned enterprises.

These measures were among key recommendations in an IMF review of Sri Lanka’s economy released in early March.

“These are very unpopular measures, but these are things we need to do for the country to come out of this,” Sabry said. “The choice is do you do that or do you go down the drain permanently?”

Sri Lanka will also seek another $500 million credit line from India for fuel, which would suffice for about five weeks, Sabry said.

The government would also look for support from the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and bilateral partners including China, the United States, Britain and countries in the Middle East.

“We know where we are, and the only thing is to fight back,” Sabry said, “We have no choice.”

Discussions are ongoing with China on a $1.5 billion credit line, a syndicated loan of up to $1 billion and a request from Sri Lanka’s president in January to restructure some debt.

“Hopefully we will be able to get some relief which would help …until larger infusions come in,” Sabry said.

In recent weeks, as the economic crisis deepened, Sri Lanka has leaned heavily on assistance from India.

Source/compiled: Foreign News Reports

Courtesy Adaderana

The Sri Lanka government, through the Finance Ministry, has published Request for Proposals (RfPs) from interested parties or agencies for the appointment of financial advisors and legal consultants for managing its external debt sustainability.

The scope of work of financial advisors includes evaluation of the debt stock in the background of maintaining sound macroeconomic fundamentals, advising the government on the strategies in consultation with relevant stakeholders, evaluating the current fiscal position of the government and highlighting key areas to be focused on in negotiations.

They will also be designing a mechanism and processes to achieve the said economic and policy objectives in pursuing the said debt management and reform.

Among other things, they are also tasked with designing a mechanism to engage with IMF to best achieve the required discal targets of the government.

Meanwhile, the scope of work of legal consultants will advise the government on the strategies to be taken in managing its debt and facilitating the execution of such strategies in consulting with relevant stakeholders.

Reviewing legal and regulatory issues on debt management while underlining the key areas to be focused on in negotiations, preparing relevant documents to give effect to the debt management strategies, negotiating and representing the government’s interests in meeting with creditors, recommending strategies to engage with the official development agencies in relation to possible development assistance during the process of discussing and reaching consensus with private creditors and bilateral official creditors on possible reprofiling of the public debt are among tasks assigned to legal consultants.

The Finance Ministry said two or more bidders are allowed to submit a joint bid. The ministry may consider appointing more than one bidder to carry out the transactions.

In the event more than one bidder is appointed by the Finance Ministry, all such appointed bidders will be expected to cooperate and work together, the statement read further.

Courtesy Adaderana

The Legal Officers’ Association of the Attorney General’s Department has condemned what it called the unprofessional and unethical” conduct of a group of attorneys-at-law who recently staged a protest.

A large group of lawyers staged a protest in front of the Attorney General’s Department on April 05, taking issue with the Attorney General’s move to withdraw certain lawsuits and the soaring prices of commodities that have gravely affected the day-to-day lives of the general public.

In a statement issued on Friday (April 08), the association said it is gravely concerned by the conduct of these lawyers.

It categorically denied the baseless and unfounded allegations” made in respect of the Attorney General and the department.

The Association reiterates its grave concern regarding the unprofessional and unethical conduct of the group of Attorneys-at-Law and of the statements published through electronic, print and social media, without any basis and without recourse to proper procedure, to clarify any matters that were of concern.”

The legal officers at the AG’s Department further expressed their solidarity with the Attorney General. The Membership will meet any challenge, as members of the Official Bar, who have always acted in accordance with the law and the Constitution without any fear of favour in discharging their official duties.

JAMILA HUSAIN Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Ajith Nivard Cabraal, former Central Bank Governor who resigned from his post earlier this week, said he will not leave Sri Lanka and will instead answer all allegations leveled at him by various parties. 

Following rumors that Cabraal had left the country soon after he resigned as the CBSL Governor, Cabraal told Daily Mirror that, unlike certain other Governors, he will not leave.

“Further as everyone in this country knows, I have always dealt with malicious and hateful allegations in a calm, dignified and professional manner, and I will do that in this instance as well,” Cabraal said. 

The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s court this week issued an order preventing Cabraal from leaving the country until April 18.

The Additional Magistrate also issued notices ordering the former Central Bank Governor to appear in court on April 18. 

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

• CB says substantial policy response is imperative” to address inflationary pressures and stabilise exchange rate
• CB’s SDFR and SLFR now stand at 13.50% and 14.50%, respectively
• However, analysts fear policy rate move could result in mass-scale defaults and even push economy towards a recession

The Monetary Board of the Central Bank under the newly-appointed Governor Dr. Nanadalal Weerasinghe yesterday delivered a whopping 700 basis point policy rate hike, though many expected a milder hike in the range of 200 to 300 basis points.

Dr. Nanadalal Weerasinghe

The Monetary Board of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, at its meeting held on April 8, 2022, decided to increase the Standing Deposit Facility Rate (SDFR) and Standing Lending Facility Rate (SLFR) of the Central Bank by 700 basis points to 13.50 percent and 14.50 percent, respectively, effective from the close of business on April 8, 2022,” a brief press release issued by the Central Bank said.

Citing the reasons for such a drastic policy rate action, the Central Bank said the Monetary Board’s decision was largely driven by the inflationary pressures that could further exacerbate in the period ahead.

The Board, having noted the inflationary pressures that could further intensify in the period ahead, driven by the build-up of aggregate demand, domestic supply disruptions, exchange rate depreciation and the elevated prices of commodities globally, was of the view that a substantial policy response is imperative to arrest the buildup of added demand-driven inflationary pressures in the economy and pre-empt the escalation of adverse inflationary expectations, to provide the required impetus to stabilise the exchange rate and also to correct anomalies observed in the market interest rate structure,” the press release stated.

The Central Bank said a detailed press release would be issued in due course.

First Capital Research this week successfully forecasted the Central Bank’s policy rate direction when it said the Monetary Board was likely to raise policy rates by 500-750 basis points, while many other bet on a maximum 300 basis point hike.

Although the aggressive monetary policy could tame the demand-driven inflationary pressures by cutting into aggregate demand largely by reducing imports and thereby stabilising the exchange rate, such a move could send ripple effects through financial markets by way of mass-scale defaults and even push the economy towards a recession.

The massive increase in policy rates could also send banks’ lending rates through the roof, inflicting massive pain on borrowers, who are already struggling with two years of the pandemic and economic slowdown that followed.

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Several supporters of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa are presently conducting a rally in Kollupitiya carrying slogans “We want Gota” against the “Go Home Gota” protests which are presently underway in several areas.

The protestors are making their way towards the Presidential Secretariat in Kollupitiya carrying the national flag and calling out “We want Gota”.

Security has been heightened in the area.

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

In response to reports about the offer of the Finance Ministry portfolio, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB)  MP Dr. Harsha de Silva said no offer had come from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa but from a number of senior ministers and various interlocutors on his behalf.

He said he is ready to take on the responsibility but people across the country wants the President to step down .

We are ready to take on the responsibility and get this country out of this mess. We certainly can do it. But people across this nation want the President to step down and the government to resign,” he said. 

He said ,”The President and government have lost all confidence so it is not possible to work with this group. They have no real legitimacy. Therefore we need a new government outside the 20th amendment that concentrates power with the executive president. We are ready to negotiate a way out if the government is willing to work with the opposition on a mechanism to transfer power back to Parliament along the 19th amendment given the constitutional limitations of removing the executive president at this moment. However we can certainly work on a transitional arrangement for an interim government along these lines with an agreement on a minimum programme for nine months or so and to go in for an election to obtain a mandate to abolish the executive Presidency,” Harsha said. (Kelum Bandara)

Prof. Hudson McLean

Returning after a long absence, so sad to see the current state of Sri Lanka.

Living on borrowed funds from China to fast-track, the development of the lovely island is now facing monumental repercussions of payback.

What happened to the development of agriculture for domestic consumption?

Why have the exports dwindled? 

Where are the salesmen gone?

After over 50 years, Sri Lanka has not provided professional salesmanship!

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

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

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Hiru News

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

I was compelled to revoke my resignation as the Finance Minister as no one was willing to take over the ministry, Minister Ali Sabry told Parliament today.

No one was willing to take over the ministry as everyone is feared to face the criticism given the current precarious situation. I am willing to remain as the Minister of Finance and do the needful in order to save the country’s economy no matter what challenges I might have to face,” he said.

I am aware that I am on my last days in politics but I will do what has to be done,” he said.

What is needed today is to introduce ways and means to ensure an increased dollar revenue. I am grateful to SLPP MPs who remain with the ruling party and are trying to safeguard the government,” he also said.

Minister Sabry said the Sri Lankan government should have re-examined the tax revisions which were introduced during December 2019 when the pandemic hit the nation in early 2020s.

Sri Lanka has no time to waste unlike Pakistan whose foreign reserves are stable. I would not like to mention about Sri Lanka’s foreign reserves level. One should not create unrest while peaceful protests are harmful. If you can show a majority in the House we are willing to sit in the opposition and hand over the reins to you,” he also said.

He was hopeful of getting debt moratoria and said Sri Lanka can no longer go for sovereign bonds given the debt situation. (Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana)

Courtesy Adaderana

One of the ways to overcome the current crisis situation is to allow the Central Bank to function independently, the newly-appointed governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe says.

The CBSL Governor stated this addressing the media for the first time this evening after assuming duties in his new position.

He also pledged to work with transparency and truthfulness.

Speaking further, Dr. Weerasinghe said the Monetary Board of the Central Bank has decided to increase the policy interest rates by 700 basis points in order to offset the imbalance in the country’s financial system. He added that this is the highest ever increase in the policy interest rates and the tightest monetary policy action by the Central Bank so far.

The CBSL Governor assured to use his experience including exposure to multilateral partners such as the International Monetary Fund to serve the people, noting that he is not serving any politician.

Courtesy Hiru News

Monetary Policy Review: No. 03 &ndash; April 2022<br />The Central Bank of Sri Lanka Significantly Tightens its Monetary Policy&nbsp;Stance to Stabilise the Economy

The Monetary Board of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, at its meeting held on 08 April 2022, decided&nbsp;to increase the Standing Deposit Facility Rate (SDFR) and the Standing Lending Facility Rate&nbsp;(SLFR) of the Central Bank by 700 basis points to 13.50 per cent and 14.50 per cent, respectively,&nbsp;effective from the close of business on 08 April 2022. The Board, having noted the inflationary&nbsp;pressures that could further intensify in the period ahead, driven by the build-up of aggregate&nbsp;demand, domestic supply disruptions, exchange rate depreciation and the elevated prices of&nbsp;commodities globally, was of the view that a substantial policy response is imperative to arrest the&nbsp;buildup of added demand driven inflationary pressures in the economy and preempt the escalation&nbsp;of adverse inflationary expectations, to provide the required impetus to stabilise the exchange rate&nbsp;and also to correct anomalies observed in the market interest rate structure.

Courtesy Hiru News

The Governor of the Central Bank Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe says that technical discussions have been initiated with the International Monetary Fund and steps have been taken to expedite its process from tonight (08).

A virtual meeting has been requested for 11th April with IMF. The meeting can be held even without the Finance Minister since a Governor and a Secretary to the Finance Ministry has been appointed. Letter of Intent to IMF is to be presented, it will follow the technical process.

He further stated that stability and confidence in the market is expected with the strengthening of the rates, the highest ever increase. The rates were increased by 700 points today.&nbsp;

The governor said the economy was like a car that is headed towards a crash and his first job is to make sure the car is brought to a halt from the path of destruction. This has to be followed by steps that would reverse the vehicle back.

This a long term process and he said that the situation could get worse before it becomes better.

The CBSL has to be an independent institution without political influence and the governor sais that he will be transparent and provide information truthfully.

“I took this position with the firm belief that I could lead a process to stop the vehicle (economy) crashing and reverse it back. However this requires the support and cooperation of several stakeholders to ensure recover in the shortest possible time.&nbsp;Market confidence through a strong policy framework, political stability and social stability is required.”

Gazettes and regulations are not as effective in a free market economy. Root causes need to be addressed including the reduction of the balance of payment deficit.&nbsp;

CBSL Governor in response to Vehicle imports restriction noted that the decisions to release foreign currency will have to be made on a case by case basis depending on priority and the overall impact on a larger portion of the population.

Courtesy Hiru News

The new Governor of the Central Bank, Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe says that he believes that the Central Bank of Sri Lanka has the potential and the strength to steer the country’s economy in the correct direction.

It may sound crazy, but it’s based on science.

KATERYNA KOVARZHGETTY IMAGES

• A molecular geneticist at the University of Surrey says the human “mind” is electromagnetic.
• Mind-body dualism is one of philosophy’s oldest questions, boosted this time by science.
• Is the answer as simple as our brains forming an electromagnetic “cloud” during our lives?

Could the thorny question of human consciousness be answered by simple electromagnetic waves? One improbably dualist scientist believes so, and he suggests the human mind is a combination of physical matter and electromagnetic field. This is a big question, and the proposed answer here is controversial.

The University of Surrey’s Johnjoe McFadden posits that consciousness is in fact the brain’s energy field,” the university says in a statement, making McFadden’s dualism a question of matter and energy, the institution says—not the classic body and mind” distinction. Throughout history, philosophers around the world have tried to account for the special-seeming nature of human beings within the world or even, some fear, the entire universe.

From where does our robust self-awareness and sentience arise? People who believe everything is physically present and caused are called materialists, meaning there’s nothing extra that can’t be measured—what you see and touch is what humans are. Dualists instead believe there’s something extra.This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

The mind, dualists say, is separate in some way. That could mean a separate, immeasurable, living soul that lives after death, or it could be as simple” as the hotly contested idea of qualia: the hint at an extra color humans can’t see, for example, as that relates back to consciousness.

The idea of a scientific lampshade on mind-body dualism certainly isn’t new, but McFadden’s research, published in the journal Neuroscience of Consciousness, is the latest to try to marry the fields. Deep breath:

I argue here that nearly all examples of so-called ‘integrated information’, including neuronal information processing and conventional computing, are only temporally integrated in the sense that outputs are correlated with multiple inputs: the information integration is implemented in time, rather than space, and thereby cannot correspond to physically integrated information. I point out that only energy fields are capable of integrating information in space.”

Basically, McFadden is saying he doesn’t believe the physical structures inside the brain account for how information extends through our minds” and form integrated ideas. That, he says, must be happening within the added medium of the brain’s electromagnetic field.

And all of this, McFadden claims, is supported by experiments on the nature of brain activity. This sounds wild—it genuinely is wild—but McFadden is a molecular geneticist and is following a centuries-old tradition of introducing the absolute latest knowledge into a new theory of what makes us human.

From the study: (a) Illustration of how the single bit output of an AND logic gate integrates the two bits of information encoded in its two inputs to output a single bit that represents an integration of the gate’s inputs. In reality, the integration is causal in the sense that the state of the output bit at time t2 is dependent on both input bits at time t1. (b) Illustration of how dynamic EM field information can integrate information and function as a logic gate. An AND gate is shown with two inputs and a single output, each encoded either a zero or one all at time t1. The inputs are dipoles that act as electromagnetic field (EMF) transmitters that oscillate between two states either firing (oscillating corresponding to input = 1) or non-firing (not oscillating, input = 0) states. The output is then an EMF receiver that implements the AND rule to output a signal.

JOHNJOE MCFADDEN/NEUROSCIENCE OF CONSCIOUSNESSYOU’LL LOVE THISUh, About That Black Hole at the Center of Earth

That means as long as the human brain is alive, McFadden says, it generates an electrical glow in which the real nitty-gritty human stuff is happening. And the best part is that his theory is testable in the laboratory.

There are of course many unanswered questions, such as degree and extent of synchrony required to encode conscious thoughts, the influence of drugs or anaesthetics on the cemi field or whether cemi fields are causally active in animal brains,” he explains in the paper. Yet the cemi theory provides a new paradigm in which consciousness is rooted in an entirely physical, measurable and artificially malleable physical structure and is amenable to experimental testing.”

Ven Dr Omalpe Sobhitha Thero President Justice for Animals and Nature

Minister-in-Charge,
Department of National Zoological Gardens,
Anagarika Dharmapala Mawatha,
Dehiwala
Hon Minister,

SHUTDOWN THE ZOOS IN SRI LANKA – GIVE FREEDOM TO CAGED ANIMALS

Animals are made to serve a life sentence in miserable conditions in zoos without having
committed a single crime. Had any human being been placed in that situation he or she would
become a cause célèbre around the world. We price the freedom of fellow humans and
disregard the claims for freedom of other sentient beings.

Animals are sentient beings and like humans they too would like to have their freedom to
roam in the fields, jungles etc. without restrictions. Zoos deny them this freedom.

It is man’s inhumanity and insensitivity towards other living beings that makes some people
perpetrate abusive conduct and the rest of us (with exceptions) to look the other side without
sticking their neck out to help save the life of another living being e.g. animal.

Today anyone can watch any animal anywhere in the world including some even at the
bottom of the sea and their natural behaviour with the latest technology. With the availability
of such modern technology it is morally indefensible to incarcerate animals for life in a zoo.
What joy can anyone get by seeing the sad sullen faces of caged animals staring into empty
space. They live in small enclosures. They are all mental wrecks. Many of these animals suffer
trauma and are pathologically mentally unsound being deprived of their freedom and scope
for natural behaviour.

What moral lessons can visitors especially children learn from seeing animals in captivity
pleading in silence for someone to rescue them. This scenario is human cruelty at one of its
worst. Compassion to animals is one of the great lessons of humanity. But this is hardly visible
inside a Zoo.

Wrongful imprisonment of humans is a crime under the Penal Code. It is unequivocally a
manifestation of an injustice. Likewise the imprisonment of animals in cages in Zoos is equally
wrong. A travesty of Justice. The Rule of Law must extend also to the protection of animals.
The Human Rights Discourse is being viewed cynically not only because the pedlars of HR are
people with soiled hands dishing out HR with self serving agendas but because of their lack of
empathy for the cause of animals. When it comes to pain and suffering, both humans and
animals are in the same boat. Animals do not exist for human abuse or human entertainment.
They are entitled to our respect as we are all united, from a Buddhistic point of view, of being
fellow travellers in the Sansaric journey.

Under these circumstances, we urge the Govt. of Sri Lanka, to consider taking the following
steps, without delay:
1) Relocate all Zoo animals in Dehiwala to open parks in Rideegama and Pinnawela, thereby
giving them greater freedom of movement.
2) Allow the uncaged free roaming birds that visit the Dehiwala Zoo regularly to fly in and fly
out as in the past, without hinderance.
3) Convert the Dehiwala Zoo land to a small urban jungle by transplanting indigenous plants
that will grow into large shady trees. This will add into an ‘urban lung’ thereby enabling the
dense population of Colombo and adjacent outstation areas to breath in the Oxygen
produced by these Trees and in turn for the Trees to absorb the Carbon di Oxide (CO2).
4) Establish a modern centre for the study of Plants (Botany) and Pharmacology, among
others.
5) Discard the ill informed decision to establish another similar type of Zoo in Kahapola,
Piliyandala. Instead follow the example of Buddhist Bhutan which have closed down all Zoos
except one or two kept open for the specific purpose of preserving and looking after the
welfare of endangered animals that have their roots in Bhutan.
6) Refrain from exchanging local born animals specific to Sri Lanka with foreign countries.
Animals born in Sri Lanka have a right to exist in this country until the end of their natural life.
They should not be forcefully seized and exchanged as gifts or chattels with foreign zoos,
particularly those that are located in temperate climates. Harsh cold climates are totally
unsuited for animals such as Elephants that require a tropical climate for healthy living. Place
the interest of the animal as paramount in any deals with foreign zoos.

We must reconnect ourselves with our pre – colonial heritage which conceded greater respect
for animals than the post – colonial generations. There is no record of Zoos being established
to keep caged animals as a matter of public policy by our former Kings except in one or two
instances.

This is a unique historical achievement and cause for pride for Sri Lanka even in the
international arena. It is time that Sri Lanka reverts back to the ancient practice of giving
freedom to animals respecting their sentience and caring for them rather than imprisoning
them in Zoos, a practice which we have uncritically acquired from our former colonial masters
and now find ourselves incapable of decolonizing our minds and lifestyles as a prelude to
giving freedom to innocent animals imprisoned in Concentration Camps deceptively called
Zoos.

With Metta,
Ven Dr Omalpe Sobhitha Thero
President
Copy : Director General, Dept of National Zoological Gardens

Daisy Hernandez Courtesy msn.com

• For the very first time, scientists have recorded the brain waves of a dying person.
• The recordings indicate that there could be some truth to the statement my life flashed before my eyes” when someone has a near-death experience.
• The findings, which have been published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, are not comprehensive because the patient had also suffered brain injuries.

For the first time ever, we’ve caught a glimpse of what human brain waves look like in a dying person.https://www.dianomi.com/smartads.epl?id=3533

After a fall, an 87-year-old male went to the emergency room and rapidly deteriorated while hooked up to an electroencephalograph (EEG) machine that captured his brain waves as he passed from a heart attack. This is not the first time we’ve seen the brain activity in a dying person—some patients who have been pulled off of life support have had simplified EEG recordings taken, though they’ve been limited to frontal cortex signals. This, however, is the first case of detailed recordings that may be able to shed some light on what we experience when we die.

For decades now, people have reported episodes of paradoxical lucidity and heightened consciousness in relation to death. This is intriguing as this seems to be occurring in brain areas that are shutting down in relation to death,” says Dr. Sam Parnia, director of critical care and resuscitation research at NYU Langone.

Although, in the past, it had been assumed that these may simply be anecdotes, population surveys have indicated that this phenomenon occurs in around 10 percent of the population [suggesting] that around 800 million people are living with this,” Parnia tells Popular Mechanics.

The team working with the patient was able to capture about 900 seconds of brain activity and focused most of its analysis on the first 30 seconds before and after the patient’s heart stopped beating.

Immediately following cardiac arrest, they noticed changes in the brain waves involved in higher-order cognitive functions, including information processing, concentrating, memory retrieval, conscious perception, and the different stages of dreaming, possibly indicating the brain was actively engaging in memory recall.

What is most intriguing is that this seems to be occurring when the brain is shutting down at the end of life. This study supports these descriptions and certainly raises the possibility that a marker of lucidity at the end of life may have been discovered,” says Parnia.

Still, the team who worked with the patient can’t be certain that his life was flashing before his eyes because his health was already in decline at the time of death—he had suffered brain injuries that included bleeding, swelling, and seizures. Additionally, he had been taking anti-seizure drugs which further complicate what the data looked like as well as the interpretation of that data. Further, the team didn’t have healthy scans of the patient’s brain to compare against the more recent scans in which the patient was already in decline.

In their paper, the team who worked with this patient theorized that because cross-coupling” between the alpha and gamma waves indicates memory recall in healthy patients, this particular patient could have been experiencing a recall of life,” or what is often referred to as someone’s life flashing before their eyes. Alpha brain waves are produced when we’re alert but calm and help us with activities like learning and coordination. Gamma waves are the fastest and are associated with high-level alertness, cognition, memory, and focus.

According to Parnia, while the brain is in the process of shutting down and dying, there is disinhibition of parts of the brain (i.e. emergence of functions) that are ordinarily depressed by our usual brain activity,” such as those we use to get through our day-to-day tasks. Because of this, we’re granted access to what Parnia refers to as aspects of reality at death that we would ordinarily not have access to,” including the depths of our consciousness.

To learn more about what happens within our brains during death is essentially impossible, though, because scientists would need to observe the neural activity of healthy subjects.

We do not anticipate death in healthy subjects and therefore could not obtain recordings in the near-death phase in anything other than from circumstances involving pathological conditions in acute care hospital settings,” the paper’s authors note. That the team was able to capture the 87-year-old patient’s brain waves as he died occurred entirely by happenstance, after all.

Anjalika Silva – USA

I.                  Purpose: 

To examine all avenues available to find appropriate avenues to address the current foreign reserves crisis with the help of a ready resource of foreign earners as expats for a long-term relationship beneficial to the country and individuals who are a strength that has not been tapped while many possibilities have been overlooked or not explored.

II.              Problem to address:

The current situation with foreign reserves of Sri Lanka is in dire straits. There are options that can be considered beyond borrowing with long term burden on Sri Lanka.  Borrowings for immediate relief with further plans for long term solutions is a need that must be considered for long term.

With the large expatriate population living and earning foreign currency income overseas in professions and even at middle level in stable employment overseas enjoying disposable income that can be rewarded will benefit Sri Lanka if the right approach is taken.  Access to their participation under the appropriate checks and balances to win the confidence of expats will be of immense benefit to the country.  However, there are many factors to consider between countries, international regulations, and permissions.  The most critical condition is the confidence provided to investors with transparent, corruption free security of funds.

Sri Lanka’s decision makers need to acquaint themselves with systems and processes in other countries beyond country-to-country macroeconomic solutions.  The Government must have links to various well-informed representatives of developed countries who can acquaint the government with systems in place that can factor into solutions for Sri Lanka.  Sri Lankan expat groups can provide sources to help the government.  They do not encourage rules and regulations put into effect with lack of subject matter knowledge.

This document is written with respect to possibilities in the USA.  However, a modification of the recommendations made can be explored for other developed nations where Sri Lankan earners can be reached.

III.           Participants:

Participants can be retirees earning foreign currency pensions living overseas with or without dual citizenship and in addition it can consider younger citizens of Sri Lankan birth to park part of their savings in secure foreign currency accounts in Sri Lanka.

Offering benefits to younger Sri Lankan expats will benefit the country with a pool of qualified intellectuals among them who will be encouraged to contribute to informed decision making that is seriously lacking in Sri Lanka.  There is a perception that knowledge is not given importance and proper fact finding, data collection of this population does not take place.

It must be remembered that in the USA as is the case in most developed countries that do not experience shortfall in foreign reserves, the encouragement for savings accounts earning interest is very low.  For example, in the USA, it is 1% or less return on savings investment.

This may be attributed to the larger interest and dependence on investing in stock trading and in the case of employer offered retirement plans referred to as 401K plans that are incentives to reduce and defer lumpsum taxes paid on earnings by contributing to tax deferred plans for later years.

Also, all employees contribute to Social Security and Medicare that are mandated by government throughout their working life.  At the end of 40 quarters or ten years of employment paying this tax, at age 62 or 65 any qualified employee gets a guaranteed pension that can be subsidized with employer retirement plans or other tax deferred tools available.  That part of tax deferred income that does not sit parked in savings can be worked out by the Government exploring international banks that can be permitted to park foreign currency of expat Sri Lankan Born account holders with other conditions as stipulated.

Current Status:  It must also be noted that currently, among foreign nationals of Sri Lankan origin, only those with dual citizenship can open NRFC accounts as it requires an NIC number after obtaining dual citizenship. Dual citizenship takes too long. The NIC card is not an automatic inclusion in the Dual Citizenship process, and it takes a further time interval extending longer than a year as reported by those who have tried.

 A very small population of Sri Lankans who had NIC prior to immigration and taking a foreign citizenship retained their bank credentials using their NIC number prior to converting to a foreign nationality.  For example, in the USA, a permanent resident of US status is retained for 5 years with a Sri Lanka Passport that could provide an NIC for holder prior to completion of 5 years as a PR and gaining US citizenship.  The need to have Dual citizenship for those who accepted US Citizenship cuts out a large portion of the immigrants from opening Non-Resident Foreign Currency Accounts (NRFC).  In such cases requiring dual citizenship acts as a deterrent that also serves no purpose without the NIC.  The large fee is also a deterrent that serves the country no purpose in a rupee fee.

IV.          Foreign Citizens and their Fears:

With the dual citizenship requirement to park foreign earnings in Sri Lanka, there is a remote possibility that prosperous countries may at some point ask for a single citizenship.  This has been expressed as a reluctance to take dual citizenship with Sri Lanka. An open Non-Resident Foreign National type of status with unlimited stay, spending foreign income pensions or transferring savings accounts parked in Sri Lanka is far more feasible.  Expats have many fears even donating to causes due to their inability to assume transparency.

However, pensions earned through Social Security at retirement in the USA, provides an advantage to recipients to enjoy a better standard of life overseas, as in this case in Sri Lanka. It is however insufficient to meet costs in the USA unless qualified concessions can be obtained or other investments/assets are available.   The Social Security pension is a contributory pension that the US Government cannot restrict regardless of where the Sri Lankan born citizen with a US citizenship decides to live. This pension is owned by the citizen as it is a contributory pension.  This was confirmed by informed US authorities.  Even with direct deposit to US bank accounts, they can make electronic transfers from any location if Sri Lanka provides foreign currency accounts that are freely accessible.

It is now established that Sri Lankan immigrants to the US count four generations beyond the first-generation immigrants.  This keeps growing and not all generations will be Sri Lankan born but they can be provided some concessions if they have interest in parking savings in Sri Lanka.  This is a decision to be cleared by the government.

Expanding the above to non-Sri Lankan born foreign citizens with careful thought: 

Exploring the privilege of investing private foreign currency for non-SriLankan will also be worthy of exploration

V.              Conditions to be met:

The Government of Sri Lanka needs to visit these possibilities. Provide for a category of Sri Lankan born foreign citizens to choose to return under a different category while retaining foreign nationality with unlimited time to live in Sri Lanka using foreign currency income.    

The long processing and cumbersome dual citizenship may not be attractive to most people.  Those who try are frustrated by the process and it may not bring a return on their investment.   If they can retain their foreign nationality if they abide by the financial requirements of Sri Lanka and do not engage in money laundering or misuse of their privileges another category will certainly be of benefit all round. Savings income in Sri Lanka will be attractive for retirees to return.   

Such a category should be permitted to stay for indefinite periods if they are not dual citizens.  In the current situation, those without dual citizenship, born in Sri Lanka or of Sri Lankan Heritage can live only 6 months at a time using a 5-year multiple visas.  Those who wish to live longer periods in retirement should be given the choice to do so.

VI.          Government Intervention Required:

The role of the government should be to investigate possibilities, collect data and evaluate the interest among expat Sri Lankans to seek their ideas.  It must however be completely under the control of the account holder and the government assurances must be watertight before people part with their hard-earned savings in full or part for a higher interest rate if parked in Sri Lanka.  These are US Taxpayers, and the Government can negotiate taxation terms to avoid double taxation of foreign nationals who are liable for taxes in their foreign national countries.

The Government must create a well thought out category that is different to the stringent long-drawn-out process of dual citizenship that takes too long for people who need to bring their foreign earnings back to Sri Lanka. If relocating to Sri Lanka, expats cannot wait for delays.  The process should be speedy with no undue hardship for participants trying to help the country.  Appreciation is key.

The Government must also study the use of secured technologies adopted in the USA to provide autonomy to account holders. This is easily done if those who make decisions understand and follow the global trends today.

There is a considerable transfer of funds direct from US$ to rupees in donations and to families and this can be taken into consideration and encompassed in the system to count as legitimate foreign currency coming into the country.   The possibility for large scale money laundering must be plugged and addressed accordingly with close monitoring.

VII.       Participant Expectations:

As referred to above, accounts must be secure, accessible online from global locations, ownership secured with appropriate security and clearly defined taxation implications because US citizens are mandated to file annual tax returns.

It will be an avenue for tax accountants between the two countries to tie up a practice to facilitate tax payments on interest earned and reporting structure set up so that double taxation is prevented. In any case, Sri Lankan banks require foreign passport holders to report funds in rupee accounts in Sri Lanka.

VIII.   Engaging Pre-retired Foreign Currency Earners Overseas:

If the above category is permitted for retirees to park foreign currency accounts and earn higher interest in Sri Lanka, this can be extrapolated to provide the same opportunity for others who are pre-retirement, and their savings will serve to benefit Sri Lanka and the higher interest will help those who are building their resources.

IX.          A transparent system of transfer to dependents in Sri Lanka:

Many Sri Lankans living overseas provide charitable donations to Sri Lanka and help with financial support for family members.  All these transactions can be provided through a system that is quick and convenient for the donor and recipients. Electronic transfers, cyber security for accounts and all the services at the highest level should be available to users.

X.              Encouraging Retirees to Return with foreign Pensions:

The Government must make a close study of the locked foreign assets potential of Sri Lankan born retirees living in the USA and other countries and provide an easy method for them to return with assets in exchange for contributing to foreign reserves.

They should be given the right assurances by making sure their input and expectations are listened to and fulfilled.  This is better for the country than paying for loans and interest at taxpayer’s expense.  These are time sensitive and if the government is serious, they need to work on a plan right away and provide a project plan to those who are entrusted with implementation.  This cannot take on the face of the long drawn-out dual citizenship that discourages most Sri Lankans from applying with long waits and the package of the NIC is another operation that impedes opening accounts with foreign currency.  This is a totally unproductive practice that is not at all beneficial to the country or the account holders.

With time, the benefits to individuals will be guaranteed with growing interest by depositors.  The key is an efficient, well-planned operation that is a lot to expect but a dire need.

XI.          Concessions to Patriotic Citizens helping Sri Lanka

As a note of appreciation for patriotic Sri Lankans of Foreign citizenship, a simplistic identification card provided by the government with their identity will be widely accepted. This is particularly as a courtesy card when those who visit Sri Lanka are treated with some courtesy that is lacking now.

Such a tool should be made known to immigration officers and front-line greeters of patriots who can report shabby treatment on entry to Sri Lanka.  Personal stories reveal experiences that have offended returning immigrants with their first encounters on entry.  With a card to distinguish those who help the country, this can be overcome.

Very little is done for those who live decades away from Sri Lanka but continue to serve their home country without reservations or rewards.  This has been ignored for decades and is a loss for the country. The opportunity to engage expats in productive ways that benefit them too will be appropriate to investigate.

Some concessions to live indefinite periods with foreign citizenship, enjoy the higher percentage interest on foreign currency savings accounts that can be opened on proving birth right is a simplistic beginning to an expanded advantage to Sri Lanka.

This is presented on behalf of the Executive Committee of the Sri Lankan American Action Coalition (SLAAC)

Viewpoint by Darini Rajasingham-Senanayake

The writer, Dr Darini Rajasingham-Senanayake, is a Sociocultural and Medical Anthropologist based in Colombo. Her latest publication is ‘Multi-religiosity on Contemporary Sri Lanka: Innovation, Shared Spaces, Contestation”. (Routledge 2022)

South Asia’s Arab Spring is here, amid global Cold War tensions and slow tectonic shifts in power and wealth east, to Asia and the Indian Ocean Region, hastened and heightened by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. 

As Foreign Minister of Russia, Sergey Lavrov, met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 1, western pressure mounted with almost simultaneous visits from various British, European and US emissaries who cautioned and questioned Delhi’s historic and close ties with Moscow. 

Simultaneously, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, who had visited Russia on a pre-planned trip a few weeks earlier, was subject to a “no confidence” motion which was later deflected with the dissolution of Parliament. Khan pointed the finger at the United States as the foreign power behind events in Islamabad and a Regime Change operation by buying politicians and political parties. 

Prime Minister Khan showed material evidence of the ‘foreign conspiracy’ and named Assistant Secretary of State for south and central Asian affairs Donald Lu. A letter from Washington dated one day before the No Confidence was stated, “Pakistan would be forgiven if Imran Khan lost the No Confidence motion!” Washington had foreknowledge of events in Islamabad.

Ironically, Prime Minister Khan, who saved Pakistan’s economy from the economic destruction that almost two years of WHO-recommended Covid-19 lockdowns caused in Sri Lanka and India and protected the Pakistani people and economy by refusing to lockdown Pakistanis, stating that the resulting poverty would kill more people than the lab-made virus, has been accused of economic miss-management even though he was proved right.

The World Bank has lauded Prime Minister Khan’s handling of the Covid’ Panicdemic’ in Pakistan. Imran Khan’s friendship with China and the recent visit to Moscow and Mr Putin, he noted, had irked Washington and was the reason that Pakistan was targeted. Washington, however, has been much softer on its Indian Quadrilateral Group QUAD partner’s friendship with Russia. This time, India and Pakistan seemed to be on the same page vis-à-vis Russia! Indeed, there may be a new Asian confluence with China, India and Pakistan all refusing to follow NATO condemnation of Moscow following the NATO debacle in Afghanistan last year.

Staged dollar crisis and protests in Sri Lanka

The same week that Pakistan’s Imran Khan faced a No-Confidence motion, Sri Lanka saw an Arab Spring style’ colour revolution’ unfold with protests against former US citizen President Gotabaya and the Rajapaksa brothers’ regime, given the soaring cost of living, fuel and food shortages due to a much-hyped dollar shortage in the country and downgrades by rating agencies. 

A few weeks earlier, the Sri Lankan rupee was crashed, having lost 70 per cent of its value in a year—a precursor to an International Monitory Fund (IMF), “bailout” or is it “bail-in” negotiations in Washington DC? Although Sri Lanka is one of South Asia’s wealthier countries with high social and Human development indicators in REAL TERMS, a fuel and electricity crisis materialized after the rupee crash. There were long queues at petrol sheds and gas shops.

But the strategic island’s crisis may be more about Geopolitics and less about Economics. Since 2019 staged Easter Sunday attacks on Tourist hotels and the economy using religion as a smokescreen and the island’s rejection of America’s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact, this strategically located island in the Indian Ocean Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOC), appears to have been subject to a form of hybrid ECONOMIC WARFARE. For the past four years, there have been Lockdowns in March and April on some pretext and Cyber and Maritime trade disruption with the burning and sinking ships MV Pearl and Diamond last year. 

Former US Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia, Alice G. Wells, once referred to Sri Lanka as a “valuable piece of real estate” and the island appears to be vital for maintaining America’s “Free and Open Indo Pacific”.

So too, the Sinhala Diaspora seems to have been Weaponized: Basil Rajapaksa, brother of the President and Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Disaster in Sri Lanka, is a US Citizen. Governance in Sri Lanka for the past three years has been a family affair of the hybrid American-Sri Lankan Rajapaksa family. Basil Rajapaksa was set to fly to Washington to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after a staged parliamentary debate on April 8.

IMF as Deus ex Machina

Remarkably the Sri Lanka Government, many in the Opposition and some protestors see the IMF as a sort of ‘Deus ex machina” Solution to the crisis triggered by an apparent dollar shortage after rating agencies downgraded the island in concert last year, making it difficult for the government to roll over the 7 billion debts to be paid this year owed primarily to Sovereign Bond traders.

Sri Lanka’s Creditors are mostly based in the USA” as noted by senior economist Dr. Dushni Weerakoon of the Institute for Policy studies. The island’s debt to GDP ratio is around 110 per cent, partly due to economic mismanagement and the Covid policy debacle of the past two years. But then Japan’s Debt to GDP ratio is over 200 per cent! Compared to America’s 20 trillion debt, Sri Lanka’s debt is around 67 billion.

Is Sri Lanka’s currency steeply depreciated as a precursor to IMF negotiation in March because of an apparent dollar shortage to clear goods and fuel from the targeted port? The saucy island dared to refuse the US Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact and Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) in 2019. The economic crisis has escalated to default, and an IMF bailout now appears inevitable.

The island was repeatedly downgraded by Rating agencies and could not roll over its debt. The Euro-American Financial system comprises rating agencies, sovereign bond traders and, of course, the Washington Consensus and OECD or Paris Club. 

To be fair the IMF has never pretended that it cares about poor people or inequality but instead prefers to impose austerity measures on the ordinary people which should be imposed on luxury-living politicians and business elites with, for and by which the IMF works. Is the IMF a Fake Solution offered by ALL—who are bought for a unity r National Government yet to be formed?!

Unlike Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, known for his courage and integrity on and off the cricket field, the hybrid American-Sri Lanka Rajapaksa Regime would not point the finger at the external factors behind Sri Lanka’s 2019 Easter attacks, the blow to the tourism-dependent economy followed by lockdowns and travel warning and the compounding economic debacle of the past three years.

Four years of Hybrid Economic War

Retrospectively, the mysterious ISIS claimed Easter Sunday attacks on coastal Hotels and the Tourism dependent economy in 2019, ten years after the defeat of the LTTE and the dawn of peace in Sri Lanka, may be seen to herald the onset of hybrid Economic War in Sri Lanka. The attacks used religion as a cover to hit China’s Shangri La Hotel, where the leader Zaharan and another suicide bomber perished, signaling this was the most crucial target.

The hybrid war style Easter 2019 attacks were followed by two years of Covid-19 bio war and fear narratives and economically destructive Lockdowns in 2020, 2021. There was massive health sector expenditure (almost 38 per cent of the budget) and 16 million useless and expensive Pfizer booster injections by Basil Rajapaksa, Head of the Covid Task Force. In 2022, there were no funds to purchase essential drugs. All health institutions were also captured through Digital Colonialism by external actors promoting the Covid narrative and LOCKDOWNS (Great Reset after Event 201).

The crisis was compounded during Covid lockdowns in 2021 by Agriculture and Energy policies that appeared to follow the UN climate catastrophe” narrative. Farmers were instructed to switch overnight to organic fertilizer without a transition plan. The result was fertilizer shortages, harvest failure and farmer’s livelihoods decimated. But President Rajapakse was awarded a prize at the UN for his ‘organic fertilizer’ policy!

So too the island’s Energy security was compromised during Covid lockdowns in 2020-21 following the UN climate catastrophe narrative although Sri Lanka’s per capita carbon emissions are minute comparted to most countries in the world. There was a rush to convert power plants to LNG and focus on renewables, without a phased transition plan, also given high levels of corruption in energy sector and oversight institutions like the Sri Lanka Electricity Board and Public Utilities Commission PUCSL. Meanwhile, while the power plants at Kerawelapitiya was sold to an American company!

For the past four years, a pattern has emerged: Every March-April, a new round of destabilization starts and since 2019, Sri Lankan citizens have been routinely put in LOCKDOWNS and CURFEWS. Meanwhile, foreign navies stage war games off the island’s coasts of this strategic island, as was the case with the Malabar War games that beached and killed pilot whales while Lankans were in lockdown in 2020.

Has the island been systematically targeted because it sits on the Indian Ocean Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOC), vital to securing America’s “Free and Open Indo Pacific” after refusing the MCC compact and SOFA? Geography is history in this strategic island in the Indian Ocean. Similarly, Pakistan was targeted for regime change after Imran Khan’s visit to Russia.

Lawfare: Solutions when conspiracy theories come true

We live in a post-Covid world when conspiracy theories increasingly seem to come true. Protests may be useless without creative alternatives to the proffered IMF “solution” requiring foreign legal firms to take over the island’s economic negotiations. 

Strategic Sri Lanka may need to look to Asia for help and development at this time of national humiliation and develop a strategy to de-dollarize and trade in a basket of currencies. It may consider an independent Economic, Trade, Energy and Foreign Policy and source its oil, gas, and other energy needs from Russia at discount prices like India is doing.

Going to the IMF and its aid conditionalities means that Sri Lanka loses policy autonomy and sovereignty and is rendered unable to have an INDEPENDENT FOREIGN, ECONOMIC, TRADE or ENERGY policy that serves the interest of her citizens.

At this time, Sri Lanka seems to be subject also to the phenomenon of lawfare and a Full Spectrum Dominance (FSD) remote Over the Horizon (OTH) operation. As documented in the regime change operation against Brazil’s leftist President Lula by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), lawfare has been identified as the process whereby a country’s legal system is subverted and weaponized against justice. 

There is a pattern of fundamental rights cases against government actions being dismissed while the people are distracted with food and fuel shortages and or Covid-19 lockdowns. Petitions that have been refused leave to proceed sometime by five-judge benches include challenges to the sale of the Kerawelapitiya Yugadhanavi Power plant at this time of Energy Crisis to a US company name New Fortress in a midnight deal by the President, the Central Bank Bond scam cases, the cases challenging the Covid-19 mass injections Gazette of 2022 which would impose digital vaccine certificates and discriminate those who are not injected from public places under a Fake Health Emergency etc. that would also enable surveillance, stop crowds and protest, stymie democracy and promote digital colonialism and control of citizens.

Is as Imran Khan said of Pakistan, Sri Lanka also being targeted in an Over the Horizon (OTH) Full Spectrum Dominance (FSD) operation as Cold War returns to South Asia with America’s ominous “Pivot to Asia” and disengagement from Afghanistan? [IDN-InDepthNews – 04 April 2022]

Photo: A Sri Lanka protestor. Source: DAWN

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චානක බණ්ඩාරගේ

‘ඉවසලා ඉවසලා බැරිම තැන එතනයි ඉවසිය යුතුම තැන’ – සිංහල වහරේ එන මෙම කදිම උවදෙස පුටින් නොදැන සිටියා විය හැකියි. නැත්නම්, 24 පෙබරවාරි 2022 දා යුක්රේනයට විරුද්ධව යුධ ප්‍රකාශ කිරීමට තරම් ඔහු අමන නොවනු ඇත.

තමන්ට දිනන්න බැරි යුද්ධයකට ප්‍රවේශ වන්නේ මෝඩයෙකි. 

සාමාන්‍යයෙන් දක්ෂයෙක් වන පුටින් මේ අවස්ථාවේ ඉතා මෝඩ තීරණයක් ගත්තේය. පුටින්ට හරි දේ කියා දෙන්න උපදේශකවරයෙක් සිටියේ නැත. ‘උඩින්ම ඉන්න නායකයා හැමදාම තනියි’ යන පඬි වදනක් ඇත.

1962 නේරු මෝඩයෙක් ලෙස චීනයට විරුද්ධව යුධ ප්‍රකාශ කර අන්ත පරාජයක් අත් පත් කර ගත්තේය. එම යුද්ධයෙන් ඉන්දියානු භටයන් 1500 නිකරුනේ මිය ගිය අතර චීන භටයන් මිය ගියේ 700 ක් පමණ පමණි. 1965දි පකිස්ථානයේ අයුබ් ඛාන් ඉන්දියාවට විරුද්ධව යුධ ප්‍රකාශ කර ඉන්දියාවෙන් හොඳටම හොඳටම ‘ඉල්ලං කෑවේය’.  ඔහුගේ භටයන් 6000 මැරෙන විට ඉන්දියාවේ මරුනේ භටයන් 3000ට අඩු ගණනකි.

පුටින් වසර 8ක් ඉවසුවේය. රුසියාවේ යුක්රේන දේශ සීමාවේ දස දහස් ගණන්  යුධ භටයෝ ගොඩ ගසා මහා යුධ ප්‍රාකාර සැදීය.  ඒවා හරි වැඩය.

නමුත් (දිනන්න බැරි) යුද්ධයක් පටන් ගැනීමෙන් තමන්ගේ වල තමන් කපා නොගන්නේදැයි යන්න වටහා ගැනීමට තරම් පුටින්  ඥානවන්ත නොවීය.

(ඇමරිකාව වියට්නාමයෙන් පරාජය ලැබිය; රුසියාව ඇෆ්ගනිස්තානයේදී පරාජය විය. ඉන්දියාව – IPKF, LTTE අතින් හොඳටම බැට කෑවේය).

2021 බෙලාරුස්හි මහජන විප්ලවය මැඬලන්න පුටින් ඍජුව මැදිහත්ව වැඩ කළේය. දැන් ල්හුකෂෙන්කෝ ඉතා ශක්තිමත්ය. ඔහුව වට්ටන්න බැරිය. ඒ රුසියාවේ ආධාර ලැබෙන නිසාය. එදා 2014 පෙබරවාරි මස පුටින් හිතවාදී යුක්රේනයේ යනුකොවිච්ට විරුද්ධව මිනිසුන් කැරළි ගසන විට පුටින් නිහඬව බලා සිටියේය. ඒ කාලයේම පැවතී මොස්කව් winter olympics උළෙල ආරක්ෂා කර ගැනීම ඔහුට වඩා වැදගත් වූ වා සේය. එදා ඔහු යුක්රේන විප්ලවය අකර්මන්‍ය කරන්න කටයුතු කළා නම් බටහිර රටවල් එම olympic උළෙල වර්ජනය කර ආපසු ගෙදර යනු ඇත. පුටින්ට මේ දේ සිදු නොවීමට අවශ්‍ය විය.

පසුව පුටින් ගොස් ක්‍රයිමියාව අල්ලා ගත්තේය. නමුත් මුළු යුක්රේනයම නැති කරගත්තේය. බලෙන්ම ජාත්‍යාන්තර සම්භාධක දා ගත්තේය.

එදා 2014දී යුක්රේනයේ තමන්ට හිතැති පාලනය රැක ගනිමට පුටින් ඉදිරිපත් නොවීම පුටින්ගේ බලවත් දුර්වල කමක් ලෙසයි මෙම ලියුම්කරු දකින්නේ. (මේ හා සමානව – 2013 CHOGM මඟුලක් පැවැත්වීමේ ඉමහත් ආශාවෙන් පසු වූ අපේ රජය ඒ අවස්ථාවේ (2012, 2013) ජනමත විචාරණයක් පවත්වා 13 ව්‍යවස්ථා සංශෝධනය අහෝසී කර බෙදුම්වාදී සංකල්පයට මරු පහරක් ගැසීමේ අවස්ථාව උවමනාවෙන්ම නැති කර ගත්තේය. පොදු රාජ්‍ය මණ්ඩලයේ පියා – බ්‍රිතාන්‍ය තරහ වේ යයි රජය බිය විය. විග්නේස්වරන් යන උග්‍ර  ජාතිවාදියා/බෙදුම්වාදියා උතුරේ තැබීමට යන ප්‍රථම පළාත් සභා මැතිවරණයට මහ ඇමති අපේක්ෂකයා ලෙස ඉදිරිපත් වෙන බව දැනුම් දුන්නේ 2012 මුල පමණය; ඔහු බොරු කියා 80%කට එහා ජන්ද ප්‍රමාණයක් ගන්නා බවද සැවොම දැන සිටි කරුණකි. මේ පළාත් සභා යම් දිනක මේ රට දෙකට කඩනු නිසැකය.

1987දී  ඉන්දියාව ශ්‍රී ලංකාව මත බලහත්කාරයෙන් පැටවූ පළාත් සභා ක්‍රමය ඉන්දියාව වැනි විශාල රටකට ඔබින නමුත් ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට උසුලාගත නොහැකි අමතර බරක් බව සිංහල ජනතාව පමණක් නොව ද්‍රවිඩ කථා කරන සාධාරණ ජනතාවද පිළිගන්නා සත්‍යයකි. ලක්ෂ 5ට අඩු ජන්දදායකයන් වෙසෙන වයඹ, සබරගමුවට, ඌවට වෙනම ආණ්ඩු, වෙනම නීති? මේ පළාත් සභා නඩත්තුවට  මොනතරම් අනවශ්‍ය බදු බරක් මෙරට වාසින් දරන්නේද?  රටේ උද්ධමනය අහස උසට ඉහල යාම අරුමයක් නොවේ).

පුටින් කල යුතුව තිබුනේ ජර්මනිය, හංගේරියාව, පෝලන්තය වැනි තම මිත්‍ර රටවල් මාර්ගයෙන් කෙසේ හෝ යුක්රේන ප්‍රශ්නය විසඳා ගැනීමය. එය කළ හැකිව තිබුණි. ප්‍රංශයේ මැක්රෝන්ද යම් තරමකට පුටින් හිතවාදීව සිටියේය.

ඔබාමා ක්‍රයිමියා සිද්ධිය සම්බන්ධයෙන් පුටින්ට විරුද්ධව සම්භාධක දැම්මත්, ට්‍රම්ප් පුටින්ට  හොඳින් සැලකීය. ට්‍රම්ප්ගේ වසර 4 කාලය තුල පුටින් ඉතා දක්ෂ ලෙස තම රට පාලනය කර එය යලි ධනවත් රටක් බවට පත් කර ගත්තේය. ඉතා බලගතු ලෝක නායකයෙකු ලෙස ඔහු මතුවෙන්න පටන් ගති.  2020 දී බලයට පෑමිණි බයිඩ්න් තුල රුසියාව, පුටින් ගැන ඇත්තේ වෙනත් ආකල්පයකි. ඔහු රුසියාව දෙස පැරණි යැංකි/ගතානුගතික මානසිකත්වයෙන් බලයි. රුසියාව ගැන බයිඩන් තුල ඇත්තේ රේගන් තුල වූ වැනි ‘එය විනාශ කර දැමිය යුතුය’ වැනි මානසිකත්වයකි.

බයිඩන්ට අවශ්‍ය වුයේ හැකිතරම් පුටින්ව ‘කළු ගල් තාප්පයට’ හිර කිරීමටය. Nato වෙත ඇමරිකන් ආධාර ගලා එව්වේය. Natoවට උපදෙස් දුන්නේ යුක්රේනය Natoවට බඳවා ගන්නා මං සොයා බලන ලෙසයි. යුක්රේනය යුරෝපා සංගමයට බඳවා ගන්නා ලෙසට බයිඩන් යටින් කටයුතු කළේය. තමාව සැමදා බලාගත්  සැමියාව හැරදමා, ඔහුට  පෙනී පෙනී වෙනත් මිනිසුන් සමඟ අනාචාරයේ යන  බිරිඳක් මෙන්, 2014න් පසු යුක්රේන නායකයෝ රුසියාව හැර දමා යුරෝපා හවුල, Nato වෙතම යොමු වුහ. 1917දි බිහිවූ යුක්රේන ළදරුවා කිරිපොවා ලොකු මහත් කර ඉමහත් ආදරයෙන් බලා හදා ගත්තේ සෝවියට් දේශයයි (1991 වන තෙක්). ඉන්පසු 2014 වන තෙක් රුසියාවයි.  

යුක්රේනයේ ඊසාන කොටසේ වෙසෙන රුසියන් කථා කරන ජනයා වෙසෙන ඩොන්බාස් ප්‍රදේශයට (ඩොනෙස්ක්  සහ ලුහාන්ස්ක් ප්‍රාන්ත) කුඩම්මාගේ සංග්‍රහයට  2014න් පසු ආ යුක්රේන රජයන් නිරන්තරයෙන් ලක් කරවිය. මෙම අවුරුදු 8 තුල මෙම ප්‍රදේශ තුල රුසියන් කථා කරන යුක්රේන වැසියන් 14,000ට වඩා සිවිල් යුද්ධය නිසා මරුමුවට පත් විය.

බයිඩන් සහ Nato දැන දැන රුසියාව ප්‍රකෝප කළහ. පුටින්ට යුද්ධය ආරම්භ කිරීමට උවමනාවක් තිබුනේ නැත.  හමුදාව ගොඩ ගැසුවා පමණි. නමුත් ‘රුසියාව අද ගහයි, හෙට ගහයි’ යයි පවසින් රාජ්‍ය දෙපාර්තමේන්තුව හැකි තරම් රුසියාව උසි ගැන්වීය.

ලෝක නායකයෙකු වශයෙන් බයිඩන් මේ දේ නොකළ යුතුව තිබුණි. ඔහු මීට වඩා වගකීමේන් කටයුතු කල යුතුව තිබුණි. බයිඩන් පුටින්ට සැලකුවේ 2වෙනි පන්තියෙනි.

යුක්රේනය යනු රුසියාවේ ඉදිරිපිට ගෙවත්තයි; රුසියාව යුරෝපයට යන්නේ මෙය පසු කරයි.  

යුක්රේනය Nato හා බැඳුනොත් මේ ගෙවත්තේ රුසියාවට ඉල්ලක්ක වූ න්‍යෂ්ටික අවි සවි කිරීමට පවා ඉඩ ලැබෙන  බව  පුටින් දනී (එවන්නකට යාමට තරම් නම් ඇමරිකාව දරුණු/අමනෝඥ නොවන බව මෙම ලියුම්කරුගේ පිළිගැනීමයි). යම් හෙයකින් එවැන්නක් සිදු වුවහොත් (යුක්රේනය තුල න්‍යෂ්ටික අවි Nato විසින් රහසිගතව සවි කලහොත්), එය රුසියාවේ අවසානය පමණක් නොව මුළු යුරෝපයේම ද අවසානය වේ. සමහරවිට, ඇමෙරිකාවට, ආසියාවටද දැඩි න්‍යෂ්ටික අවි බලපෑම් ඇතිවනු ඇත.

යුක්රේනය සමඟ වන යුද්ධයක් ඊට එහායින් ගිය ඇමරිකාවේ සහ යුරෝපයේ ප්‍රොක්සි යුද්ධයක් වන බව පුටින් වටහා නොගත්තේ ඇයි? අද යුක්රේනයට අති නවීන ඇමරිකන්, යුරෝපා අවි ගලා ඒ. රුසියාවට සමහරක් මේ නවීනතම තාක්ෂණ නැත. මේ යුද්ධය පටන් ගැනීමට රුසියාවට වඩා රහසිගත උවමනාවක් ඇමරිකාවට, Natoට, යුක්රේනයට තිබු බව පුටින්ට නොවැටහුනේ ඇයි?

වසර 8ක් ඉවසූ පුටින් අන්තිමට බයිඩන්, Nato, සෙළේන්ස්කි ගැටයට අසු විය.

පුටින්ට බොහෝ වංචා චෝදනා ඇත. අපරාධ චෝදනාද ඇත.  කෙසේ වෙතත් තුන්වෙනි ලෝකයේ බොහෝ රටවල් පුටින්ව හොඳ පුද්ගලයෙක් ලෙසට පිළි ගනී. ලොව නැඟී එන ඇමරිකන්, යුරෝපා ආධිපත්‍යය යටතේ පුටින් 3වෙනි ලෝකයට නැතිවම බැරි පුද්ගලයෙක් ලෙස සැලකේ. ඔහු ලොව විශාලතම රටේ නායකයාය.  මනුෂ්‍යත්වයෙන් පිරිණු මුහුණක් පුටින්ට ඇත. ඉතාම හොඳ ක්‍රීඩකයෙකි. ඔහු ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේද හොඳ මිත්‍රයෙකි.

ජෝර්ජියා, චෙච්නියා, සිරියා, අසර්බයිජාන්/ආර්මිනියා ප්‍රශ්ණ වලදී පුටින් අති දක්ෂ නායකත්වයක් පෙන්වීය.

නමුත්, නැවතත්, ඔහු බයිඩන්, Nato ගැටයට අවාසනාවන්ත ලෙස අසු විය. පුටින්ට මුළු ලොවම රජ කරන්න පුළුවන් තත්වයක් ගොඩ නගා ගත හැකිව තිබුණි.

දක්ෂයෙක් නිසාත්, රුසියානුවන් වැඩි දෙනෙක් තවමත් ඔහුට ආදරය කරන නිසාත්, යම් තරමට යුද්ධය ඉක්මනින් නිමා කර (යුක්රේනය සමඟ රුසියාවට වැඩදායි සාම ගිවුසුමක් අත්සන් කර) පුටින්ට නැවත ජාත්‍යාන්තර තලයට පැමිණීමේ අවකාශ ඇත. ‘හිඟන්නාගේ තුවාලය මෙන් යුද්ධය දික් ගස්සමින් ගියහොත් පුටින් හිර ගෙදරකින් නතර නොවුනහොත් එයද පුදුමයකට කරුණක් නොවනු ඇත. එය එසේ නොවේවා යයි උදක්ම පතමු.

නමුත්, නැවතත්, පුටින්ට උඩටම යලි ඒම සිතන තරම් ලෙහෙසි කටයුත්තක් නොවනු ඇත; එය අති දුෂ්කර කාර්යයකි. ඇමරිකන්, කැනඩා, යුරෝපා, ඕස්ත්‍රේලියන් සම්භාදක නිසා රුසියාව ආර්ථික වශයෙන් පහලටම කඩා වැටෙනු ඇත. ශ්‍රී ලංකාව බේරා ගැනීමට දැන් ඉදිරිපත් වී ඇත්තේ චීනය සහ ඉන්දියාවයි. රුසියාව බේරා ගැනීමට සිදු වනු ඇත්තේද මේ දෙරටටයි. බ්‍රසීලය, නයිජීරියාව, ඉරානයද රුසියාවේ සහයට එනු ඇත.

(මෙම ලියුම්කරු ජාත්‍යාන්තර නීතිඥවරයෙකි. ඕස්ත්‍රේලියාවේ බැරිස්ටර්වරයෙකු ලෙස බොහෝ කලක් සේවය කර ඇත) (ethos8@bigpond.com) .

Press release

The 2022 Marcus Wallenberg Prize is awarded to Professor Ilkka Kilpeläinen and Professor Herbert Sixta for the development and use of novel ionic liquids to process wood biomass into high-performance textile fibres.

The future demand for textile fibres is growing due to global population growth. Production of cotton, the predominantly used cellulose fibre for textiles, is not expected to keep up with the demand. Therefore, man-made cellulose fibres would be an excellent complement for cotton as these fibres have similar properties. The main processes to produce man-made cellulose textile fibres are the viscose process, where cellulose is solubilized using alkali and carbon disulphide and the Lyocell process, where N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO) is used to dissolve cellulose. The viscose process has, however, become environmentally controversial due to the use of toxic carbon disulphide as the main reagent. The Lyocell process on the other hand is hampered by the instability of the NMMO. These challenges have led to extensive research on different solvent systems for cellulose to produce regenerated cellulose fibres. Ionic liquids have gained interest as green alternatives for organic solvents in different processes. Ionic liquids are salts that can be melted below 100^oC and have unique properties including low vapour pressure, high thermal stability, and high dissolving capability of different organic and inorganic substances. Man-made cellulose fibres from wood with high technical quality have been developed by two research teams in Finland, at the University of Helsinki and at the Aalto University. In this concept, the design and use of novel superbase ionic liquids to process wood pulp into high-performance textile fibres was developed and currently tested for scaling-up. The team led by Prof. Kilpeläinen at the University of Helsinki developed superbase ionic liquid solvents for dissolution of wood biomass e.g. bleached or unbleached pulp or recycled cellulose pulp. Prof. Sixta and his team, at the Aalto University, developed the ionic liquid-based fibre shaping process based on dry-jet wet spinning. This unique collaboration has resulted in novel sustainable concept of textile fibre production from wood. The innovation is expected to result in a large range of new product and business opportunities for the forest industry”, says Johanna Buchert, Chairperson of the Marcus Wallenberg Prize Selection Committee. The Marcus Wallenberg Prize 2022 will be presented by HM the King of Sweden to Professor Ilkka Kilpeläinen and Professor Herbert Sixta at a ceremony in Stockholm in October this year.
Key facts about the Prize winnersProfessor Ilkka Kilpeläinen, was born in 1963 in Finland. He received his PhD in Organic Chemistry in 1993 at the University of Helsinki. In 1995 he was appointed docent degree in organic chemistry at the University of Helsinki and in 2003 in structural chemistry at the University of Oulu in Finland. Kilpeläinen was professor in chemistry at the University of Oulu, Finland, during the period between 2001 and 2003. Since 2003 he has been professor of organic chemistry at the University of Helsinki. Kilpeläinen is also Chairman of the board for Liuotin Group Oy, a development spin-off dedicated to scale-up ionic liquid production. Professor Herbert Sixta, was born in 1954 in Austria. He has a PhD in Physical Chemistry from the University of Innsbruck in 1982 and Habilitation at Graz University of Technology in 1995 in Wood, Pulp and Fiber technology. He has been professor at the Aalto University since 2007 and was the head of the Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems. Sixta has had a long industrial career at Lenzing AG Austria, focused on the development of industrial regenerated cellulose fibres and their processing.

Caption: From left Mikael Hannus, Marcus Wallenberg Foundation, Herbert Sixta, Aalto university, Ilkka Kilpeläinen, University of Helsinki and Johanna Buchert, Marcus Wallenberg Foundation.

Photo: Aalto University/Mikko Raskinen
For more information:
Mikael Hannus, Executive Secretary, The Marcus Wallenberg Foundation, mikael.hannus@mwp.org
+46(0)70-3775702 Sara Kvarfordh, Communication Manager, The Marcus Wallenberg Foundation, sara.kvarfordh@mwp.org
+46(0)70-2344590

The Marcus Wallenberg Prize is an international prize with the purpose of recognizing, encouraging and stimulating pathbreaking scientific achievements, which contribute significantly to broadening knowledge and to technical development within the fields of importance to forestry and forest industries.

Senaka Weeraratna

Close down the Dehiwala Zoo – wrongful imprisonment of innocent animals for life who have done no wrong and away from their natural habitat, is a blot on our moral conscience. 

Animals cannot speak for themselves.

We have to give Voice for the Voiceless. That is the test of our humanity and moral strength. 

As much as we humans love freedom and liberty. So do animals. They are sentient beings. Let us all work together to break their chains.

Join us in this great revolution to give freedom to captive Animals incarcerated in an Animal Prison euphemistically called a ‘Zoo’.

Justice for Animals and Nature

හිටපු ආණ්ඩුකාර රජිත් කීර්ති තෙන්නකෝන් විධායක අධ්‍යක්ෂ/ශ්‍රී ලංකා මානව හිමිකම් කේන්ද්‍රය

මුදල් ඇමති, මුදල් ලේකම්, මහ බැංකු අධිපති නැති රටේ අච්චු ගැසිල්ල දිගටම

හිටපු ආණ්ඩුකාර කීර්ති තෙන්නකෝන් කියයි

2022 අප්‍රේල් 6 (ඊයේ දිනයේ) පමණක් ශ්‍රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුව රු. බිලියන 119.08 ක මුදලක් අච්චු ගසා ඇත.

කැබිනට් බලතල සහිත මහ බැංකු අධිපති ධූරයක් ස්ථාපනය කර එයට අජිත් නිවාඩ් කබ්රාල් පත් කිරීමෙන් පසුව අච්චු ගැසූ මුදල රු. ලක්ෂ 4,434,700  (රු.බිලියන 443.47) කි.  

මුදල් ඇමති, මුදල් ලේකම්, මහ බැංකු අධිපති අතුළු රාජ්‍ය මුදල් සම්බන්ධයෙන් සියලුම නිලධාරීන් නොමැති වුවත් රජය අඛණ්ඩව මුදල් අච්චු ගැසීම සිදු කරයි.

වත්මන් රජය බලයට පත්වීමෙන් පසුව 2020 ජනවාරි 1 දින සිට මේ දක්වා රු. බිලියන 1,774.77 ක් අච්චු ගසා ඇත.  (රු. මිලියන දාහත් ලක්ෂ හැත්තෑ හතර දහස් හත්සිය හැත්තෑවක්)  

ඉන්දියන් රජයේ ණය යටතේ සති 4 කට අවශ්‍ය ඉන්ධන හා සීමිත ඖෂධ ලැබී ඇති නමුත්, ඉදිරි සතිය තුල ජාත්‍යන්තර මුල්‍ය අරමුදල සමඟ මුලික එකඟතා ඇති කර ගත නොහැකිවන්නේ නම් රටේ ඉන්ධන හෝ විදුලිය නොමැති තත්වයකට පත්වීම අනිවාර්යයෙන්ම සිදුවනු ඇත.

වත්මන් දේශපාලන වියවුල සමනය කිරීමට අවශ්‍ය කිසිදු සාධනීය පියවරක් ගැනීමට රජය මේ දක්වා අසමත්වී ඇත. විපක්ෂය ද රාජ්‍ය බලය ලබාගැනීමට හෝ විකල්ප හෝ භාරකාර රජයක් පත් කර ගැනීමට කිසිදු උත්සහයක් දරන්නේ නැත.  අද දින රජයට විශ්වාස භංගයක් හෝ දෝෂාභියෝගයක් ඉදිරිපත් කිරීමට විපක්ෂය කටයුතු නොකරන්නේ නම්, හෙටින් පසුව දින 11 කට නැවත පාර්ලිමේන්තුව රැස්වන්නේ නැත.

මුදල් අච්චු ගසමින් වැටුප් ගෙවීමෙන් අද පවත්නා ආහාර, විදුලිය, ගෑස් හිඟයට පිළියමක් ලැබෙන්නේ නැත.  ආර්ථික අර්බුදය විසඳීමට නම් රටේ විධිමත් ආණ්ඩුවක් ස්ථාපනය කර දේශපාලන ස්ථාවරත්වය මුලින්ම ඇති කර ගත යුතුව ඇත.

හිටපු ආණ්ඩුකාර රජිත් කීර්ති තෙන්නකෝන්
විධායක අධ්‍යක්ෂ/ශ්‍රී ලංකා මානව හිමිකම් කේන්ද්‍රය 

Nebojsa Malic

Supporters of NATO’s war on Yugoslavia have no right to talk about law, sovereignty or borders

Nebojsa Malic is a Serbian-American journalist, blogger and translator, who wrote a regular column for Antiwar.com from 2000 to 2015, and is now senior writer at RT. 

@NebojsaMalic@TheNebulator

The remains of a building that was bombed by NATO in 1999 in Belgrade, Serbia. © Pierre Crom / Getty Images

Pretty much everyone who has spent the past month moralizing about the sanctity of borders, sovereignty of countries, and how unacceptable it was for great powers to bully” smaller neighbors – thinking of Russia and Ukraine – paused on Thursday to sing praises to a woman that championed all of those things back in 1999. Except since it was NATO doing them to Yugoslavia, Madeleine Albright was a hero and an icon, obviously.

On March 24, 1999, NATO launched an air war against Serbia and Montenegro, then known as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The publicly stated aim of Operation Allied Force was to compel Belgrade to accept the ultimatum given at the French chateau of Rambouillet the month before: Hand the province of Kosovo over to NATO peacekeepers” and allow ethnic Albanian separatists to declare independence. 

When the bombers failed to achieve that within a couple of weeks, the narrative changed to NATO acting to stop a genocide” of Albanians its cheerleader press claimed was taking place. That narrative also credited the first-ever female US secretary of state for the humanitarian” bombing, calling it Madeleine’s War.” 

In the end, it took 78 days and a negotiated armistice for NATO troops to enter Kosovo wearing the fig leaf of a UN peacekeeping mission. They promptly turned the province over to the Kosovo Liberation Army” terrorists, who proceeded to burn, loot, murder and expel over 200,000 non-Albanians. A real campaign of terror, intimidation, ethnic cleansing and pogroms began – and the very same media that covered for NATO by making up atrocities during the bombing now turned a blind eye, for the same reason.

READ MORE: NATO’s bombing of Serbia: A tragedy in three acts

Whatever its outcome, however, it was an evil little war, launched because the US felt it could. Because Washington wanted to get rid of the restraints posed by the UN to its new global hegemony, articulated just a few years earlier by Bill Kristol and Victoria Nuland’s husband Robert Kagan. Because the rising American Empire wanted to send a message to Eastern Europe that no dissent would be tolerated, and to Russia that it was no longer a great power worth respecting. 

A legalistic mind might point out that the attack violated Articles 2, 53 and 103 of the UN Charter, NATO’s own charter – the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949 (articles 1 and 7) – as well as the Helsinki Final Act of 1975 (violating the territorial integrity of a signatory state) and the 1980 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, for using coercion to compel a state to sign a treaty. 

Ah, but being a world empire means making its own rules-based order” to supplant inconvenient laws. So an independent commission” of cheerleaders was put together to declare the operation illegal but legitimate,” arguing it was justified because it liberated” the Kosovo Albanians from Serb oppression.”

The actual oppression of non-Albanians as NATO troops stood idly by – including during the vicious pogrom of March 2004 – doesn’t count, obviously. The important thing is that Bill and Hillary Clinton, Madeleine Albright, and British PM Tony Blair got monuments, streets, and even children named after them.

The independent” Kosovo – proclaimed in 2008, in a move about as legal as the 1999 war – can’t actually do anything without the permission of the US ambassador. A great triumph of human rights, law and order, and democracy, everyone!

READ MORE: Kosovo: A decade of dependence

NATO never cared about saving Albanian lives. If it did, it wouldn’t have partnered with the KLA, which made a point of murdering ethnic Albanians who wanted peace with the Serbs. It wouldn’t have repeatedly bombed refugee columns, then declaring it was really the Serbs’ fault somehow and that pilots dropped their bombs in good faith” – literally something NATO spokesman Jamie Shea said on one occasion. 

Twenty years on and nothing has changed. Having obliterated a family in Kabul by a drone strike last August, the US offered blood money, but refused to so much as reprimand anyone involved. Being an empire means never having to say you’re sorry. This mindset propelled the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Meanwhile, failure to overthrow the government in Belgrade through war led to a color revolution” in Serbia instead. It was then exported to other places – including Ukraine, twice. That 2014 coup in Kiev literally started the conflict in eastern Ukraine, of which the current events are but the latest phase.

In March 1999, I was a student in the American Midwest, and had been (almost) successfully brainwashed into believing the platitudes about freedom, democracy, tolerance, objectivity, rules and laws, and how the US was a force for good” in the world. Then, overnight, people I thought had been my friends called me a monster and believed every single bit of propaganda that came off the TV screens and newspaper pages. 

READ MORE: Experts warned for decades that NATO expansion would lead to war: Why did nobody listen to them?

I’ve made justice and remembrance something of my life mission since then, seeking to explain that rather than a good, noble and humanitarian war, Kosovo represented everything wrong about the modern world: A monument to the power of lies, the successful murder of law, and the triumph of might over justice,” as I wrote in 2005, and repeated every year since.

The twist this year is that the people shrieking about human rights, international law and the sanctity of borders – when it comes to their client regime in Ukraine, that is – were all cheering for NATO back in 1999. Even now, they won’t apologize for it, much less disavow. So it seems it’s not really about what is being done, only who is doing it to whom. While I understand their anger as the world their lies propped up comes crashing down, they hardly have standing to complain.

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.

NICK GRIFFIN Courtesy UNZ Review

The Bucha Massacre” has now become the driving force for the propaganda push for even more NATO involvement in the conflict in Ukraine.

Yet the claim that this is a Russian war crime is so patently false that a rational observer can only be left astounded by the combination of bare-faced nerve and slapdash incompetence displayed by the media outlets and politicians pushing this disgusting smear.

The latest effort of the Western media to deny Russian rebuttals is the claim that satellite photos show the bodies were there for weeks. Far from ‘proving’ the case against Russian troops, however, this new assertion in fact raises yet more questions which undermine the Western story.

The satellite photos certainly appear to show bodies, but they also show no sign at all of the burnt out cars which are such a prominent feature of the ground photos and videos. Are we supposed to believe that these vehicles were carefully driven in and positioned between the corpses after the shooting spree?

A similar suspension of belief is required when considering the dates involved. The ‘Bucha Massacre’ entry in Wiki (accessed 09.25 on 5th April 2022) reads as follows:

‘On 4 April, satellite images were provided to The New York Times by Maxar Technologies. The Times compared images to video evidence and concluded: many of the civilians were killed more than three weeks ago, when Russia’s military was in control of the town.” The images of Yablonska Street show at least 11 dark objects of similar size to a human body” appearing between 9 March and 11 March”.’

Wiki also tells us that Ukrainian troops re-entered Bucha on April 1st, following the redeployment of the Russian force to south eastern Ukraine.

Maxar Technologies, as a major contractor for NASA, is of course an integral part of the NATO military-industrial complex. As such its assertions with regards to the conduct of the conflict in Ukraine have to be regarded with caution. That said, Maxar’s dates of 9th– 11th March seem to be causing some concern in mainstream media outlets promoting the Russian massacre claim.

The Maxar dates should indeed raise eyebrows. The idea that bodies could lie in the open air for three whole weeks without undergoing massive decay is only remotely credible because the average Westerner thinks that Ukraine is in some kind of winter weather deep-freeze in late March.

Yet a look at the weather data for Kiev for March 2022 reveals that there has not been one single day in the city (of which Bucha is a suburb) with temperatures below freezing since March 11th. The average daily temperature in the last few days of the month was 6 degrees centigrade – the same as the English city of Leeds. That average in turn of course includes highs in the spring sunshine. The weather graph for Kiev for the last week in March shows the situation very clearly, with temperatures up to 15 and 17 degrees:

March weather in Kiev

Anyone who has walked past an animal killed and left on the road for a few days under such conditions will be able to imagine the appalling stench which would come from so many human bodies left in the spring sunshine for three weeks, yet not one of the Ukrainian soldiers or police shown examine the bodies can be seen wearing a mask, making any expression of revulsion or mentioning the smell.

As more graphic images have emerged of the victims, the evident freshness of the corpses seems to have prompted a revision of the dates of the alleged ‘Russian massacre’. By 5th April, for example, the UK Daily Mail’s lead story was claiming that the satellite photos showing the bodies on the road were taken on 19th March. No explanation was given for the ten-day change.

But even accepting the revised time-line, there is still the problem that none of the bodies shown in videos or photos has any sign of decay or damage from carrion-eaters. In order to believe the accounts and videos put out by Kiev and the Western media, it is also necessary to believe that Ukraine has no stray dogs, no rats and not one single crow or other carnivorous bird.

Look again at the video footage of the Ukrainian troops driving along the corpse-lined road. Do you see any carrion-eating birds flying up from any of the bodies?

For that matter, why were some of the bodies not crushed by the Russian tanks which withdrew from and through the town? Do you really believe that soldiers brutal enough to slaughter dozens of defenceless civilians would then be considerate enough to slow down their withdrawal from the area by carefully weaving their heavy armour around each corpse?

Returning to the weather, there was of course rain during the three weeks the bodies are supposed to have laid (not) rotting in the road. Looking at the cardboard of the green boxes of the food aid packages lying near some of the (clearly fresh) corpses, it is clear that they have not been subjected to bad weather. The presence of those packages is also, of course, another important pointer as to the truth in this matter – for they are Russian.

Screenshot © Photo : Twitter

Thus, in order to believe the Western propaganda narrative, we must swallow yet another ridiculous tall tale: The ‘analysts’ have spent the last month repeatedly telling us that the Russian army cannot even supply its own troops with fuel or food; but now they would have us believe that the Russians went to all the trouble of taking vast quantities of emergency food parcels to the occupied suburbs of Kiev, handed them out to civilians – and then promptly shot them.

Food parcels © Photo

On top of all this, there are four key facts which have already received considerable attention on Telegram (the last uncensored social media platform of any size in the West), though which have predictably enough been routinely ignored by the warmongering mainstream media.

The first of these is the video of the Mayor of Bucha speaking about how the Russian troops have left and that a ‘clean-up’ is now underway. As a non-Russian speaker I cannot judge for myself, but the comments by Russian-speakers accompanying this video on Telegram say that he does not mention the bodies of civilians.

The second fact, closely related to this, is the video which shows a detachment of the paramilitary Ukrainian National Police clearing the roads of burnt out and abandoned vehicles. Again, there is no sign of the bodies which appeared on the streets the following day.

Third, and perhaps most devastating of all, are the white armbands on a number of the bodies. These are clearly shown in the main video of Ukrainian troops driving along the corpse-strewn road, and they are also visible on several of the bodies of victims of torture and murder in cellars in Bucha.

The fact that Ukrainian forces wear blue armbands, while Russian troops wear white ones, is universally accepted. A number of videos from various parts of the conflict zone also show civilians wearing white armbands, as a sign either of sympathy with the Russians or at least neutrality.

Situation in Ukraine
Video: Kiev Territorial Defence in Bucha Given Green Light to Shoot Those Not Wearing Blue Armband 3 April, 16:38 GMT

Thus the appearance of white armbands on the victims of ‘the Bucha Massacre’ is overwhelming evidence that the victims were ethnic Russians. They were murdered not by Russian troops – who were of course sent in with a key aim of stopping the persecution of Russian-speakers by racist neo-Nazis – but by Ukrainians.

This should come as no surprise, for the whole history of Ukrainian nationalism is based on the mass murder of ‘unclean’ and ‘sub-human’ civilians from other ethnic groups, most notably the Poles of Wolyn and Eastern Galicia, Jews, Hungarians, Romanians and, of course, Russians.

Finally, we come to the video clip from the streets of Bucha, which was posted and then removed from the social media account of the known Ukrainian neo-Nazi ‘Botman’: There are guys without blue armbands. Can we shoot them?” F**k, yeah!”

The truth of the massacre is so clear that we can see why Western leaders such as Boris Johnson are so adamant that there should not be a proper international investigation into the crime.

Instead, they are using the most blatant fake news to justify imposing another round of sanctions pain on their own people, and to excuse the sending of billions of pounds, dollars and euros worth of high-tech weapons in order to prolong the war. One has to wonder about the scale of the kick-backs these real war criminals are getting from their military-industrial complex cronies!

Courtesy ANI

Colombo (Sri Lanka), Apr 08 (ANI): As Sri Lanka is reeling under an economic crisis, Indian businessman in the island nation is taking initiatives under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to help the people cope with the current situation.Sanjay Baid, Managing Director at a diamond cutting unit in Sri Lanka, said that he is confident that the country will bounce back with a renewed vigour. Baid, who came to Sri Lanka in 1999 and founded a diamond cutting unit, said that he had seen many ups and down in the country.”I have seen war and economic crisis in the country. Our CSR activity is always community focused irrespective of the nature of the crisis the country is going through.”Baid said that his organisation has prepared 1,500 rations packets for their employees and people affiliated with their villages. This amounts to around 20 tonnes of ration that aims to ensure that these people celebrate the new year.