Bibhudatta Pradhan and Eric Martin, Bloomberg News

(Bloomberg) — The International Monetary Fund said it will hold discussions with senior Sri Lankan policymakers in the coming days and weeks” about a possible support program to help the island nation overcome an economic crisis that’s spiraled into political turmoil and daily street protests. 

We received a request for an IMF-supported program from the authorities, and have started technical-level engagement with teams at the ministry of finance and the central bank,” Masahiro Nozaki, the IMF’s mission chief for Sri Lanka, said in a statement. We commit to assisting Sri Lanka consistent with our policies.”

The South Asian island has appointed an advisory panel to provide guidance on how the nation deals with its current crisis and engages with outside lenders, including the IMF. Sri Lanka is facing a balance of payments crisis, struggling to pay for imports and service debt as its foreign exchange holdings dwindle. 

The IMF is very concerned about the current economic crisis in Sri Lanka and hardships suffered by the people, especially the poor and vulnerable,” Nozaki said in the statement. We are monitoring the political and economic developments very closely,” he said.

Newly appointed central bank Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said on Friday that Sri Lanka would seek virtual talks with the IMF before officials visit Washington for the lender’s spring meetings later this month. Authorities have also called for proposals for a financial adviser and legal consultant to help with recasting the nation’s debt, which stands at $8.6 billion for this year, including a $1 billion sovereign bond payment in July.

Sri Lanka is seeking about $3 billion in bridge financing in the next six months to pay for fuel, medicine and other essentials, to help it manage the crisis, Finance Minister Ali Sabry told Reuters in an interview Saturday.  

The nation’s central bank on Friday raised borrowing costs by an unprecedented 700 basis points to cool inflation that’s the fastest in Asia, preserve dollars needed to import food and fuel and lend support to the local currency that has dropped more than 57% since being devalued.

Resignation Demands

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, left with a minority in parliament, has been struggling to form an interim government after his cabinet resigned last week. On Sunday night, he will meet with the over 40 lawmakers who left his ruling coalition to discuss their proposals for an interim government, local media reported, citing a senior member of parliament. 

The proposals put forward include limiting his executive powers as president and appointing a national executive council comprising of leaders from all the political parties in parliament to make policy decisions and appoint a new prime minister. 

The talks come as thousands of people converged in Colombo’s business district over the weekend, waving flags and holding placards demanding that Rajapaksa, a former military officer, submits his resignation. Rajapaksa has yet to address the country over the economic and political turmoil since his cabinet resigned. 

Several protesters waited near the president’s office and said they would not leave until he quits, according to videos posted on social media and news reports. The demonstrations are expected to continue well into Sunday in Colombo and across several smaller cities and towns.

By Yeshi Seli Express News Service Courtesy The New Indian Express

NEW DELHI: Amid the severe economic crisis, extreme shortage of essentials, and street protests, the Sri Lankan Parliament is likely to reconvene between April 19 to 22 in a bid to bring about a no-confidence motion against President Gotabaya Rajapaksha.

“We have called a meeting with all opposition leaders and will take a day a final decision soon,’’ said Sri Lankan opposition leader, Sajith Premadasa.

Meanwhile, India has sent a consignment of food and vegetables to Sri Lanka today, in its bid to continue assisting the Island nation.

“I think India has helped the most, even in non-financial ways so we are thankful. No Chinese investments have been done yet, the only discussions going on with China are regarding the repayment of loans,’’ said former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Wickremesinghe said during their rule there was a surplus on the primary budget and money to pay debts. The present government is responsible for the economic crisis.

India has already supplied over 270,000 MT of fuels to Sri Lanka till now and granted $2.5 billion line of credit. Sri Lanka needs an additional $3 billion in funds to keep it afloat.

ALSO READ | Learn from the decline of Sri Lanka

Meanwhile, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi had assured Sri Lankan Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksha (who visited India twice in recent months) that India would stand with Sri Lanka as it occupies a central role in New Delhi’s `neighbourhood first policy.’

Sri Lanka is also facing a foreign exchange shortage which has limited its imports of essentials and they are now dependent on assistance from neighbours like India.

In February the country was left with only $2.31 billion in its reserves but faces debt payments of $4 billion in 2022 – this includes a $1 billion International Sovereign Bond (ISB) maturing in July. ISB makes up the largest share of  Sri Lanka’s $12.55 billion foreign debt.

IMF is expected to initiate a loan to Sri Lanka during the course of this week.

Meanwhile, there is a trickle of refugees too coming into India. Around 40 refugees have already come to Tamil Nadu. In addition, there are over 1 lakh Sri Lankan Tamils who live in India.

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

All paediatricians and neonatologists in the country are in dilemma due to the absence of Endotracheal (ETT) Tubes for the ventilation of new-born babies, infants and children, Castle Street Teaching Hospital Consultant Neonatologist Dr. L.P.C. Saman Kumara said.

He said it will be very soon all hospitals will run out of all their stocks of ETTs, and the hospitals have come to the situation where they are re-using the endotracheal tubes for ventilating new born babies, which is totally unacceptable.

Due to the economic and political crisis in the country, medical supplies have run out in the hospital network, the doctor said. 

Therefore, the hospital doctors are forced to change their norms of using re-usable ventilator circuits in the country. 

“With the current perilous  situation in the country, Dr. Kumara sends an appeal to the people living overseas to find a way to send some Neonatal ETTs which are in 4mm, 3.5mm, 3mm, 2.5mm, and 2mm in sizes. But we mostly need size 3 mm and 3.5 mm, “he said.

We need a national requirement of 3,500 Neonatal ETTs in sizes 3 mm and 3.5 mm, as well as 500 in size 4 mm, on an annual basis. 2,500 from 2.5mm and 500 from 2mm, the doctor added. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

The Director General of Health Services Dr Asela Gunawardena has appointed an official coordinator to maintain uninterrupted healthcare services and facilitate medicinal and equipment donations to Sri Lanka.

Accordingly, Director Medical Technology Services at Health Ministry Dr. Anver Hamdani has been appointed as the coordinating officer on behalf of Ministry of Health to coordinate, facilitate and liaise with relevant stakeholders.

The relevant official is expected to coordinate within relevant ministries and the private sector organizations, donor agencies, provincial and regional health authorities and professional colleges to maintain uninterrupted service provision during the present challenging period.

Dr Hamdani can be reached via 077 1214131 (Official), Fax 011 2669491 and moh.covid.coordinator@gmail.com

The step has been taken in the wake of the looming shortage of drugs in the country which has compelled some hospitals to suspend certain surgeries. (Sheain Fernandopulle)

Appointed members of the Monetary Board of the Central Bank President’s Counsel Sanjeewa Jayawardena and Dr. Ranee Jayamaha have agreed to continue to serve in their positions.

New Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe stated this in a statement issued today (April 10).

As the newly incumbent Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), I am delighted that Mr. Sanjeeva Jayawardena, President’s Counsel and Dr. (Mrs.) Ranee Jayamaha, appointed members of the Monetary Board, have acceded to continue to serve on the Monetary Board.”

He also stated that Sanjeewa Jayawardena, PC and Dr. Jayamaha have always acted very independently, impartially, professionally and diligently, and have very positively contributed to all endeavours of the CBSL, while serving as members of the Monetary Board in the past.

As I have the fullest faith and confidence in their complete professionalism, I look forward to receiving their continuing contribution and valuable guidance to the Nation, the Monetary Board and to me, as the Governor,” Dr. Weerasinghe said further in his statement.

Sarath Wijesinghe President’s Counsel, former Ambassador to UAE and Israel, President Ambassador’s Forum and, a former General Secretary to Bar Association of Sri Lanka- Currently in the United Kingdom

New Procedure with small claim courts

It is indeed to the credit to then Minister of Justice and the committee appointed to draft laws headed by an Appeal Court Judge and the learned and efficient committee members that they have prepared the draft to be forwarded to the Law Commission and the Legal Draftsman Department for final touches in such a short space of time. Law commissions in other countries are pioneers on law reforms and changes. In Sri Lanka it is rarely heard of. Small claim courts with less complexities are prevalent in many commonwealth countries and in USA serving the community is speedy resolution of cases with the shortest possible time helping laws delays and easy access to justice.  The    new procedure scheduled to be introduced to Sri Lanka in order to solve the main issues on laws delays – a long overdue problem faced by the Sri Lankan litigants entangled with issues on laws delays and complications of the legal system in resolving the cases that has arisen in day to day life. This process will be successful in finding easy solutions for litigants to resolve money claims easily and speedily. ‘Laws delays is justice delayed’ which is a violation of human rights and breach of  civic duty by the governance , contrary to the contract entered into between the governance and the citizen. In addition to preventing laws delays, efficient legal system will transform the governance to be a more efficient and a safe mode for the citizen to handle and manage litigation, easily with or without the assistance of lawyers with the small claim courts. Therefore it is the duty of the governance in power to pave the way for expeditious disposition of the cases speedily and with the minimum expenditure preferably subject to legal aid which is currently practiced in the United Kingdom well providing legal aid to the needy litigants who are entitle to be based on merits and income tests conducted by the Legal Aid Commission which requires reforms to provide legal aid to the needy in Sri Lanka who are entitled to, but sadly denied! This system of small claims courts, prevails and successfully in operation in many parts of the world such as Australia, Canada, England and Wales, Hong Kong, Israel, New Zeeland, Philippine, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa and USA mostly in countries prating adversarial  systems of legal system. What prompted the then Minister of Justice to forward the proposal to the Cabinet is to prevent laws delays and speedy disposition of some cases with less complications which is praiseworthy. The carefully picked group who has researched and proposed on the backlog of cases accumulated unresolved as follows at an alarming rate, is an excellent move but it is a good idea to reduce the membership of the committee to the minimum for quick and more productive outcome.  Members appear to be of good standing and they may help the process from periphery sphere to meet at the end of the deliberations during fine tuning. It is a good idea for the committee to communicate with the ASSLUK the Sri Lankan Lawyers in UK who are a powerful and dedicated Lawyers group with top experienced professionals in practice in process ever prepared to help Sri Lanka and the professionals in this process in order to harness their knowledge and experiences in the exercise. ‘Doing Business’ rate in  Sri Lanka is on the 64^th position which is a drawback and discouragement of the proposed investors, including the Port City that has pumped Sri Lanka the highest ever Foreign Direct investment – a main turning point and a game changer on the economy in Sri Lanka to be on the upward trend. Figures shown as cases stagnating are frightening as follows, 8000,000 cases pending generally,, 535000 in Magistrates Courts, 3486 in Supreme Court, 4817 in Court of Appeal 5880 in Civil appellate court, 16811 in High Court Criminal, 167945 in District Courts, 17513 in ‘’Quati Courts’’, 200,000 referred to mediation boards which is worrying and acts as a bottle neck on the system of court administration which has a direct effect on the economy.

Judicator Act to be amended

After the cabinet approval the judicator act 2 of 1978 to be amended to accommodate the new process and it is a good idea to follow the procedure adopted in the United Kingdom for us to grasp the finer points of the functioning of the system which is available online to be operated by the litigants with less expenditure, complications and quicker. It is a good idea to strengthen the mediation board functioning with no legal representation in settlements which is functioning with 40% success and making the preliminary attempt at the mediation boards before seeking the Small Claim Court is ideal to implement. Though the Small Claim Courts are mainly meant for recovery expanding the area in the SCC jurisdiction may ease the congestion giving the litigants access to justice more conveniently and the drafters may leave room for future expansions if necessary. Small time businessmen, and villagers are finding difficulties due to the cost of litigation and non-availability of legal aid due to financial constraints easing the process will reduce the crime rate as many crimes and serious disputes are based on small claims become more serious disputes.

Please refer to ‘’Laws delays lawyer’s delays or system delays 3/1/2021’’ (article Ceylon Observer Sarath Wijesinghe)

Who are responsible for laws delays? Is it lawyers, judges, or the system is a frequently asked questions with no proper answers. Definitely some lawyers are a part of the issue to a certain extent for not being professional and honest in dealings which is a gross mistake in their own interest. If the legal system is fast and expeditious lawyers too will be benefited with the litigants, as then only the litigant will have a trust on the system now has dwindled to the extend to take law unto their hands. Lawyers should be well disciplined as in the United Kingdom and the complaints against them should be dealt with properly and promptly like in the UK. Judges must be trained properly and given opportunity to enhance the knowledge with modern developments on case law and practice which is doubtful to be in practice to the best of the expected standards. Judges should be giver research assistance as in UK and many counters and they must be encouraged and assisted in improving It literacy on them. Dwindling and  deteriorate the standards is due to the fault of all including the governance and litigants and it is in the hands of all to get together on reforms for their own benefits as this is a problem faced by many countries in the world. Judges, lawyers, Law College, and AG’s department consists of lawyers who understand the ‘legal language’ and sense and it is with the joint efforts of all that we can bring about changes to the legal system which is a dire necessity today to maintain law and order, economic stability, and a smooth system of governance which is unfortunately lacking today. Laws delays is common to many parts of the world looking for solutions. We are not the worst. In India 22 million cases are pending. Famous ‘’Vinode’s’’ case of 1994 took 20 years with 36 witnesses with no results with the not found and promoted. 94 year old mother died in awaiting for justice. India spends 2% for the justice Ministry in 2016 have 13 judges for one million. This is only an example that we are not alone in the needs of justice, and a joint efforts are needed with the Ministry of Justice, legal apparatus, and the citizen to work together for solution to give benefits to the needy suffering citizens. If the system is intact and update the delay will be minimized ; for example the reports from various institutions and the communication system is to be organized and updated such as the submission of the fiscals reports and the communication of documents by post instead of fax and email as in the UK is more appropriate. It is good news Supreme Court is gradually adopting the new communication techniques in some instances which are on the right directions. All in all the compartments must run smoothly for a smooth functioning of the system in operation. We invite you to browse the net and read the above article for further details. Laws delays is a world scenario with many systems looking for solutions and a matter that has been discussed by many in various forums. ‘’William Gladstone’’ four times Prime Minister in the UK (1868/1874/1880/1885/1886) said the famous quotation used again and again that ‘’Justice Delayed is Justice denied’’ which Sri Lankans Indian and citizens in many part of the world experiencing with little or no solution. Small claims courts if set up will help to bring about some relief to bring the backlog down to a certain extent by taking the pressure from District courts which is going to be bit above the proposed courts with simplified procedure in making applications online and implementation with less complications, which will assist the business community pressurized due to the complexity of the system and denial of access due to the expensive commitments, in litigation. Legal aid is a complicated system with the merits and income tests which is a need to the needy citizen freely available in the United Kingdom, and it is questionable whether the legal Aid commission in Sri Lanka is living up to the expected standards, and we wish the Bar Association and Legal Aid Chairman will read this article.  Access to Justice, legal aid, and denial of justice to the poor and not so educated is a serious matter that has to be considered by the legal profession and the judiciary, in the delivery of justice. Lenard Woolf’s book on BADDAGAGMA gives a sad and important story on the poor man ‘’Sinudu’’ in ‘’Walasmulla’’ area the miscarriage of justice meted by him due to the way the village headman conducted inquiry and the translator of the court house misinterpreted the case resulting denial of justice to ‘’Sinudu’’ imprisoning and losing the only wealth and possessions left for him and his disabled daughter. Similar things have happened and thereafter and there is no grantee that it is not happening today. Therefore we with the Hon Minister will read this article and make overall changes in the legal system including legal aid, and creating atmosphere to access to justice to all along with the proposed changes on small claims courts.

Mediation and small claims

Mediation is a concept historically proven successful and currently with a success rate of 40% in effect. In fact this is to be regularized without the intervention of the politicos appointed by the Ministry of justice as the Justices of Peace appointed on political connections at times with people of bad repute and criminal faiths, to indicate the erroneous system in practice. Given the opportunity by appointing honest and dedicated members not poisoned on political ideologies and practices the prospective litigants will settle matters out of courts leaving the complicated cases for litigation on straight tries in small claims and district courts as practices in India and many Asian countries successfully. Mediation boards can be extended to settlements on consumer affairs to prevent the consumer in exploitation and provide the consumer settling disputes with the help of the regulator consumer affairs authority.

‘’Dhammapada’’, UN, EU, on justice and laws delays in relation to the concept of small claims court

‘’By passing arbitrary judgements does a man become wise? Wise man is one who investigates both sides for right and wrong’’ is an extract of Dhammapada a handbook on Buddhism on conflicts and judgments of judges in litigation. It is a requirement for the governance to appoint impartial fearless independent and learned judges giving them freedom to hear cases freely with no influence and hindrance to them in any way at any stage. Obviously good judges should be appointed giving all the facilities in the new court structure, as stated and provided by the UN and EU in their public documents and the Constitution of Sri Lanka the supreme law of the nation. The new court system established will be next to District courts online and as a medium to settle issues easier with simpler procedure with or without the assistance of lawyers to make the process simple. The directions of the European Commission one court is bound to be efficient as required by the European Commission on efficiency (CEPE), and ECHR and ICCPR international covenant on civil and political rights where 168 countries have ratified that excessive delay declaring that delay in litigation is an offence under Article 6, and that delays are hateful. On the other hand the Sri Lankan Constitution provides safeguards for the independence of the judiciary under Articles 4 (c), 12(1), 13(5). Are our judges are learned, properly trained, and persons with judicial temperament are matters that superior court judges, and the citizen are capable of commenting without getting into difficulties.

Good Attempt it is – Someone should ‘Bell the Cat’

Definitely it is a good attempt and more avenues are to be thought of to ease the congestion on laws delays, to help the citizen and also to raise standard of the country in the doing business standard/world status from 64 to above upwards, which is a need to promote our business and to attract the investors. It may help ease the problem only to a slight extent as the real remedy is somewhere else. Main bottleneck to smooth and speedy resolution of cases is the complexity of the legal system inherited as a pickle of the type of legal system including, Roman Dutch law, English Law with age old acts and legislature such as Penal Code, Civil Procedure Code and many more going up to 1800s imported and used as a part of the legal system with personal laws on different communities connected to case laws worldwide used as precedents by jurists, judges and lawyers. There is a political slogan one country one law by those who does not understand the actual situation behind. But in the business and commercial fields mainly the English law takes the precedence which is advantages in international business. Legal system has to be taught and overhauled by restructuring the court system by drastic changes to the Judicature act in reshaping the court structure. Judicature act was amended hap hazily with no proper vision or a long plan of action. Judges are to be trained to keep pace with the modern trends. In the West Judges use laptops when in Sri Lanka they still seek the services of the stenographers which is a dying inefficient breed. Emails, what’s app, and modern techniques are used in Sri Lanka which is a good trend but still there are court housed without even basic needs. It is a sorry state but true to state some lawyers are not living up to the expected sundered on studying the brief and update on the knowledge as in other countries.

Port City is meant for a different business community dealt with by the regulations by the Commission itself with by laws, and also subjected to the normal legal structure generally based on law on commerce and trade. As the amount dealt with is small this changes may have to direct effect on the port city dealings. But when time to come this may have a beneficial influence as it mainly deals with tread end business.

Way out for delivery of affordable and proper justice/legal system

It is definitely a timely and brave move by the Minister’s initiative on the matter, and we expect it will have desired results, and we are of the view that this will lead to many changes from time to time based on the outcome of the results. It is a good idea to learn from the mistakes made by the originators, for us to learn at their expenses, by swimming in the day light when they swam in the dark in the learning process. Legal aid will have to play a pivot role in formulation the applicability to the common man for the process to be handy and affordable with less intervention with the lawyers, who will be in advisory capacity for a fee. Many other propositions are lined up based on the success of the SCC, such as Consumer Courts, Less complicated arbitration tribunals on a lower level to that of the arbitrations set up formulated under the Port City structure. This may be extended to other areas such as family, and property as it is an area that needs serious attention, as once the process is in action it is easy to adopt it and extend to other areas in the process of simplifying the law and to make law access to the citizen. While legal aid commission playing a pivot role, the concept of CAB citizen advice bureaux, and Law Centres could be introduced as SCC which are novel but productive to the system gaining the experience in UK for us. Citizen Advice bureaux and law centres are managed by the local authorities and social organization which are funding as an important appendages of the system in the delivery of legal system to the citizen. In any event the success of SCC depends on how the legal profession, judiciary, BASL and the community understands the concept and make use of for their benefits and the nation as a whole in managing it in the right directions. Author can be contacted on sarath28dw@gmai.com or Sarath 281@outlook.com. (Whats app 0094777880166 active in UK)

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) .