Ceehalé World Heritage Foundation

Ceehalé World Heritage Foundation (CWHF) announces that a formal complaint has been filed with the
United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) concerning the Sri Lanka Accountabilit
Project (SLAP).
The complaint has been submitted in public interest by Venerable Kassapa of Great Britain, the Founder
of CWHF, Anuradha Yahampath, former Governor of the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka, Rear Admiral Dr.
Sarath Weerasekera, former Cabinet Minister and Member of Parliament, and Dharshan Weerasekera,
Attorney-at-Law.
The OIOS is UN’s own watchdog body, created to ensure that the organization complies with its rules
and uses contributions of Member States with integrity and prudence. It functions as an independent
oversight and investigative arm of the UN, with authority to audit projects, review procedures, and
examine possible misuse of resources. By directing their complaint to this specialized unit, the
complainants have ensured that their concerns will be considered by the very body mandated to hold the
UN to account to its own operations and funtions.
The complaint calls for an urgent investigation into the administrative, financial, and procedural conduct
of SLAP, which has cost UN Member States nearly USD 16 million since its establishment in 2021. Despite
the vast sums expended, the project has provided almost no transparency in how funds are used, how
evidence is collected, or how information is shared with foreign governments and courts.
SLAP was created under UN Human Rights Council Resolution 46/1 to gather and preserve evidence of
alleged violations committed during Sri Lanka’s armed conflict. Yet successive reports from the Office of
the High Commissioner for Human Rights have devoted at the end of four years, no more than one or
two pages to the SLAP project. It has failed to to explain the sources of evidence for the SLAP’s
repository, the credibility of those sources, or the procedures for collaboration with external actors. Fouryears on, there have been no prosecutions, no verified evidence disclosed, and no assurance that the
mechanism meets even basic standards of impartiality.
The complainants emphasize that they are not challenging the authority of the Human Rights Council
itself, nor the principle of reconciliation, but instead seek to ensure that UN mechanisms adhere to the
same standards of accountability that the UN expects of its Member States. They argue that without
corrective oversight, SLAP risks becoming a politicized and wasteful exercise that undermines both Sri
Lanka’s sovereignty and the credibility of international human rights work.
With SLAP’s mandate scheduled for renewal, the complaint urges OIOS to conduct a full investigation
before any extension is approved. Ceehalé World Heritage Foundation based in the UK, calls on Sri
Lankans, the Sri Lankan diaspora, and concerned international allies to join in pressing the Human Rights
Council not to extend SLAP’s mandate until transparency and accountability are guaranteed.
After four years and USD 16 million spent, the world deserves answers.
Ceehalé World Heritage Foundation

උපුටා ගැන්ම ලංකා සී නිව්ස්

ඝාතනයට ලක්වූ අරුණු විධානගමගේ හෙවත් කජ්ජාගේ පවුලෙන් ඥාතීන් සමඟ මාධ්‍යවේදී චමුදිත සමරවික්‍රම මහතා සාකච්ඡාවක් සිදුකර තිබේ.

මියගිය කජ්ජාගේ මවත් සහෝදරයන් තිදෙනකුත් සමග මෙම සාකච්ඡාව ඔහු මෙහෙයවයි.

පවුලේ සාමාජිකයන් හත් දෙනෙකු සිටිනා බවත් ඉන් තුන්දෙනෙකු පමණක් එම සාකච්ඡාවට සහභාගී වීමට හැකියාව ලැබූ බවත් ඔවුන් එහිදී සඳහන් කළහ.

ඔවුනට අමතරව කජ්ජාගේ මවද මාධ්‍ය එම සාකච්ඡාවට එක්ව සිටියහ.

අපරාධ පරීක්ෂණ දෙපාර්තමේන්තුව නිලධාරීන් විසින් තාජුඩීන් ඝාතනයට අදාළ සීසීටීවී දර්ශනයේ පින්තූර තමන් සියලු දෙනාටම පෙන්වූ බවත් තමන් සියලු දෙනාම ඒ සිටින්නේ තම සහෝදරයා නොවන බව පැහැදිලිවම පෙන්වා දුන් බවද ඔවුන් එහිදී සඳහන් කළහ.

අදාල පින්තූරවල සිටින පුද්ගලයා හැද සිටින්නේ ටී ෂර්ටයක් බවත් තම සහෝදරයා කිසි දිනෙක ටී ෂර්ට් අදින්නේ නැති බවත් ඔවුහු පැවසූහ.

කජ්ජාගේ බිරිඳ වන අනීෂාත් ඔහුගේ රියදුරු සමග අනියම් සම්බන්ධතාවයක් තිබූ බවත් ඇය කජ්ජා එම දර්ශන හරහා හඳුනා ගත් බව පවසන්නේ අසත්‍ය බවත් ඔවුන් එහිදී කියා සිටියහ.

තම සහෝදරයාගේ ඝාතනයට සම්පූර්ණයෙන්ම වගකිව යුත්තේ ඔහුගේ බිරිඳ බව තම විශ්වාසය බවත් ඒ සඳහා කපිල දිසානායක ද සම්බන්ධ බව විශ්වාස කරන වුවත් පැවසූ ඔවුන් රාජපක්ෂලා ඊට සම්බන්ධතාවයක් ඇත්තේද නැත්තේ ද යන්න තමන් නොදන්නා බවත් තව දුරටත් කියා සිටියහ.

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Reuters – The U.S. Supreme Court is set to wade back into the nation’s culture wars during its new nine-month term that begins on Monday with a series of contentious cases on issues including transgender athletes, gay conversion therapy, guns and race.

The first of these goes before the court on the second day of its term. Arguments are slated for Tuesday over the legality of a Democratic-backed Colorado law banning “conversion therapy” aimed at changing a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Republican President Donald Trump’s administration is supporting the Christian professional counselor who challenged the law.

“Like last year, this term the Supreme Court again will face issues that arise from the culture wars and the Trump presidency that deeply divide our country,” said Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.

The court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, during its last term that ended in June upheld Tennessee’s Republican-backed ban on gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors and let parents keep their children out of classes when storybooks with LGBT characters are read. Acting on an emergency basis, it also allowed Trump’s ban on transgender people in the military.

The Colorado case plaintiff challenged the state’s law as a violation of the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment protections against government abridgment of free speech, saying it unlawfully censors her communications with clients. While lower courts upheld the measure, the First Amendment argument is expected to find a receptive audience in the Supreme Court’s conservative justices.

“I predict a 6-3 vote in favor of the counselor,” Georgetown University law professor Stephanie Barclay said at an event sponsored by the Federalist Society legal group.

Barclay said the case centers on client-led talk therapy, not coercive methods.

“There is no evidence that the state has marshaled that this type of talk therapy, with client-directed goals, would be harmful,” Barclay said. “Colorado might be continuing its losing streak when it comes to these First Amendment cases.”

The Supreme Court in recent years has ruled in favor of Christian plaintiffs who challenged state anti-discrimination measures in Colorado – a website designer who did not want to provide custom web designs for same-sex weddings and a baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple. It backed the website designer on First Amendment free speech grounds and the baker on First Amendment religious freedom grounds.

Colorado’s law subjects mental health professionals to discipline if they perform on children any treatment that “attempts or purports to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity,” even when the client seeks out treatment and desires that change.

Democratic Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said in a court filing that conversion therapy is associated with increased depression and suicide attempts, and “the First Amendment allows states to reasonably regulate professional conduct to protect patients from substandard treatment, even when that regulation incidentally burdens speech.”

Twenty-two other states also have banned conversion therapy.

In another case, Idaho and West Virginia are seeking to enforce Republican-backed state laws banning transgender athletes from female sports teams at public schools. Federal appeals courts ruled against the two states. The Trump administration is supporting the states in the litigation.

“Nothing is more central to the culture wars than transgender athletes participating in sports,” Chemerinsky said.

The litigation implicates the Constitution’s 14th Amendment promise of equal protection, a provision that often has been invoked in combating discrimination based on race, gender and other traits.

U.S. District Judge David Nye ruled that Idaho’s treatment of transgender athletes likely violated the equal protection provision.

The “incredibly small percentage of transgender women athletes in general,” coupled with weak evidence that they actually have physiological advantages, “suggest the act’s categorical exclusion of transgender women athletes has no relationship to ensuring equality and opportunities for female athletes in Idaho,” Nye wrote.

A federal appeals court upheld Nye’s decision.

The Supreme Court seems likely to give states broad leeway to regulate the participation of transgender athletes in school sports, much as it did in its landmark 2022 ruling in the case called Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that returned the authority to regulate or ban abortion to the states, Bradley University law professor Taraleigh Davis said.

“They’re continuing this post-Dobbs federalism framework of returning any type of contested moral social issues back to the democratic process at the state level,” Davis said.

A case from Hawaii gives the conservative justices a chance to further expand gun rights. The court will hear a challenge to a Hawaii law restricting the carrying of handguns on private property that is open to the public such as most businesses. A lower court found that Hawaii’s measure likely complies with the Constitution’s Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.

The issue of race also returns to the court, which in 2023 rejected race-conscious collegiate admissions policies. The justices on October 15 will hear arguments in a dispute over a Louisiana electoral map that raised the number of Black-majority congressional districts in the state from one to two – out of a total of six districts in the state – after a judicial ruling that an earlier map violated the Voting Rights Act.

The case gives the conservative justices an opportunity to gut a key provision of this landmark 1965 law that bars racial discrimination in voting. The plaintiffs in the case are 12 Louisiana voters who identify themselves in court papers as “non-African American.” They claimed the map violated their equal protection rights.

Black people comprise nearly a third of Louisiana’s population.

The case “could very well affect the drawing of districts” when electoral maps around the United States are reconfigured, according to Widener University Commonwealth Law School professor Michael Dimino Sr.

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Colombo, Oct. 5 (Daily Mirror) – Chairman of the Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) Harsha De Silva raised concerns on the new contract for the construction of the Central Expressway, claiming that negotiations with neither the contractor (MCC) on their claims nor with China EXIM Bank on terms and conditions on the reduced USD 500 million facility have been completed. 

He said the CoPF reviewed the Rs. 226 billion Central Expressway project driven by delays and mounting interests. 

He said in a post on X that “Even though President Anura Kumara Dissanayake restarted the project with much fanfare, we learnt at the committee that negotiations with neither the contractor (MCC) on their claims, nor with China EXIM on terms and conditions on the reduced USD 500M facility have been completed.”

The Chair said they were puzzled why the Highways Ministry wants to switch from the current 15 year fixed rate of 2.5% rate to a variable rate with current fixed rate of 2.5% as the floor and 3.5% as the cap. 

“The CoPF urged a fair, symmetric deal where both sides have equal upside in case of movement of the long term Chinese rates,” he said in the post.

Courtesy Hiru News

The Deputy Chief Prelate of the Malwatta Chapter, Venerable Dimbulkumbure Sri Wimaladhamma Thera, stated that economic development achieved by disregarding religion, morality, culture, civilisation, and history is of no use to a country.

The Venerable Thera expressed these views today (October 5) when the leader of the Janasetha Peramuna, Venerable Battaramulle Silarathana Thera, paid a visit to the Malwatta Maha Viharaya.

During the discussion, the Malwatta Chapter Deputy Chief Prelate warned that if laws are introduced that prevent parents or teachers from even hitting a child who has committed a wrong, the country will inevitably be headed for destruction.

Venerable Wimaladhamma Thera further remarked:

“There is talk now that there are attempts to legalise things like homosexual practices and even prostitution to develop tourism. Furthermore, some Members of Parliament are reportedly saying that children should be allowed to do whatever they want after the age of 16. They are trying to amend the laws for children in the Penal Code. There are attempts to bring in laws that prevent parents and teachers from admonishing, advising, or even giving a hit to a child for a mistake. If this continues, this country will definitely be ruined. This also affects our monastic society. A novice monk studying in a Pirivena will not be able to be reprimanded for a mistake. If the teacher-monk does that, they will end up in prison”

The Deputy Chief Prelate questioned whether the legal practices of some European countries, which show no regard for civilisation, culture, or parents, are needed in a developing country like Sri Lanka.

“If a child makes a mistake, you cannot point it out. A child in a school once cracked a teacher’s head after being corrected, hospitalising the teacher. We also hear that a group of children brought alcohol and cannabis-laced food to school to celebrate World Children’s Day. Now, older children are reportedly taunting teachers, telling them not to dare hit, scold, or reprimand them. That is the situation. If this Act is passed in this manner, it will be the destruction of this country”

Venerable Wimaladhamma Thera concluded by reiterating his belief that the President, being a man of the village, would not consent to bringing in laws that are unnecessary for the country.

However, he noted that a group within the government appears to believe these laws are necessary.

He stressed that the Chief Prelates have already issued statements opposing these situations and that the Sangha community is voicing their concerns before the laws are passed.

“A country is pointless, no matter how developed it becomes, if it forgets culture, morality, religion, and history,” he asserted.

Public Statement

His Excellency the President has given solemn assurances to the Maha Nayaka Theros that Sri Lanka’s national heritage, culture, and religious values will be protected and safeguarded in all state policy. He has also publicly praised our heritage as the foundation of tourism and development.

Yet, in complete contradiction, the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) formally endorsed an NGO-led initiative to promote and develop LGBTQIA tourism in Sri Lanka. His letter dated 9th September 2025 grants authority to liaise with hotels, tour operators, training institutes, guides, and drivers to conduct DE&I training and awareness programs, while positioning Sri Lanka as a safe and inclusive” LGBTQIA destination.

This endorsement is not only outside SLTDA’s mandate, but also directly contradicts the assurances made by the President to the Maha Nayaka Theros and is against the moral position taken by the Catholic Cardinal. Both the Sangha and the Church have clearly called on the government not to permit such cultural distortions. 

Moreover, training tourism officials in DEI would force them to cater to LGBTQIA-specific demands — including gender-neutral toilets and facilities (at taxpayer expense), LGBTQIA-focused promotional campaigns, staff pronoun training, sensitivity workshops, certification of hotels as LGBTQIA-friendly, and even coordination of same-sex weddings — all entirely outside SLTDA’s traditional mandate. This amounts to institutional capture of a state body by a private NGO.

The President must therefore:

1.    Instruct the SLTDA Chairman to immediately retract this endorsement issued to EQUAL GROUND on 9 September 2025

2.    Instruct the SLTDA Chairman to re-issue formal letters to all stakeholders named in the letter, withdrawing the LGBTQIA tourism endorsement.

3.    Reaffirm the government’s commitment to protect Sri Lanka’s heritage, culture, and religious values in tourism policy and ensure no Tourism official violate this in future and take necessary actions against officials who do so.

The people of Sri Lanka expect the President to follow through on the demand of the Maha Nayaka Theros and the Cardinal. 

The public will be alert on DEI training & awareness taking place, LGBTQIA promotional material in brochures and inclusivity” branding being pushed into Sri Lanka Tourism by some officials at the cost of eroding our cultural and spiritual foundation inspite of the public assurance given to the Maha Sangha by the President. 

Failure to act will be interpreted as silent approval. It will not only erode public trust, but also violate the President’s constitutional mandate to protect the heritage, culture, and values of Sri Lanka.

චානක බණ්ඩාරගේ

ඉස්සර දැව සංස්ථාවෙන් වනාන්තර අක්කරයක් කපනවා නම් කැලෑ  දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවෙන් ඒ ගමන්ම අක්කර 2ක් වත් කැලේ වවනවා. අද එය එසේ සිදුවන්නේ නැහැ.

අපේ කැලෑ කපා ස්වාභාවික පරිසරය සහ කාලගුණය වෙනස් කරගැනීම සහ වන ජීවී ගහනය අඩු කර ගැනීමට වඩා හොඳයි අපට අවශ්‍ය ලී වැඩි ප්‍රමාණයක් පිටරටින් ගෙන්වීම. මැලේසියාව, ඉන්දුනීසියාව රටවලින් අඩුවට ගන්න පුළුවන්.

සමහර රජයේ කාර්යාල තවමත් වැඩ කරන්නේ අතින් ලියන පොත්/ලෙජර්/ටය්ප් රයිටර් වලින්.  මේවාත් එක්ක දුර යන්න බැහැ – 20 වැනි ශත වර්ෂයේ තාක්ෂණය දැන් හරියන්නේ නැහැ. බොහෝ නිලධාරින් නව තාක්ෂණය දන්නේ නැහැ.

පොලිසියේ පැමිණිලි තවමත් ලියන්නේ අතින්, ලොකු පොතේ.

තවමත් දුම්රිය දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවෙන් නිකුත් කරන්නේ දැනට වසර 100 පමණ සිට ඕලන්දයේ සිට ගෙන්වන දුම්රිය ටිකත් පතයි. අධික මිලක් ගෙවා මේ ටිකට් පත් කඩදාසි ඕලන්දයෙන් ගෙන්වා ගන්නේ. මේ පරිගණක අවධියේ ටිකට්පතක් කොම්පියුටරය මඟින් එවලේම නිකුත් කරන වැඩ පිළිවෙලක් සැකසුවොත් නරකද, මුදල් විශාල ප්‍රමාණයක් (විදේශ විනීමය) මේ රටේ ඉතිරි වෙනවා නේද?

හොඳ පරිගණක දැනුමක් ඇති පාසැල් සිසුවෙක් උනත් අවශ්‍ය සොෆ්ට්වෙයාර් එක නිපදවලා දෙයි, දැන් එච්චර අමාරු නැහැ.

හැබැයි මේ සඳහන් කල වෙනස්කම් ඉතා ප්‍රවේශමෙන් කරන්න ඕන, දැනට කෙරෙන වැඩත් කඩාකප්පල් කර ගන්නේ නැතිව.  

දැන් වසර 40ක් විතර ඉඳලා කියනවා අපේ රටේ කෝච්චි විදුලිබලය මඟින් ක්‍රියා කරන්න හදනවා කියලා. මේ අතින් ඉන්දියාව අපට වඩා බොහෝ දීර්ඝ දුරක්  ගිහින්.

කෝච්චි විදුලි බලයෙන් දුවන්න යෙදෙව්වා නම් ඩීසල් සඳහා යන විශාල වියදම ඉතිරිකර ගන්න ලැබෙනවා  පමණක් නොවෙයි පරිසර දුෂණය අඩු, මීට වඩා බොහෝ වේගයෙන් යන දුම්රිය සේවයක් අපට ලබා ගන්න තිබුනා.

සමහර අය රජයේ විශ්‍රාම වැටුප් දෙකක් ගන්නවා, නැතිවූ ස්වාමියා හෝ බිරිඳගේ එකත් සමඟ. මෙය අසාධාරණයි.

එකවර රජයේ විශ්‍රාම වැටුප් 2,3 ගත්ත ඉතා බලවත් දේශපාලනඥයෝ හිටියලූ.  මෑතකදීත් අරං.

කොහොමද දී ඇති  දේශප්‍රේමී ආදර්ශය.

 ‘මට මගේ ආධාර කරුවන්ට රක්ෂා දෙන්න පුළුවන් ඇමතිකමක් නෙවෙයි හම්බ වූනේ’ කියා එක් පසුගිය රජයක හිටපු ඇමතිවරයෙක් අඩාපාලි කීවවා. මේකෙන් මේ අය කියන්නේ රජයේ රැකියාවක් ලබා ගැනීමට නම් චන්ද කාලයේදී දේශපාලනඥයයෝ  පස්සේ ගිහින් ඒ අයට වැඩ කිරීමයි අවශ්‍ය  යයි කියන එක. උසස් අධ්‍යාපනික සහ වෘත්තිය සුදුසකම් වෙනුවට දේශපාලනඥයට පෝස්ටර් ඇලවුවා නම් ඇති.

සුදුස්සාට සුදුසු තැන්, රජයේ රැකියාවන් දීමේදී දිය යුතුයි. තවමත් (2025) මේ දේ සිද්ධ වෙන්නේ නැහැ හරියට.

රජයේ රැකියා 60,000 ළඟදීම දෙන්න යනවා, බලා ඉඳිමු දෙන හැටි.

උගතුන් කොන් කරනා සමාජයකට අනාගතයක් නොමැත.

රටේ ජනාධිපතිතුමා කොටුවේ ජනාධිපති මන්දිරයේ වාසය කල යුතුයි.  රටේ අගමැතිතුමා අරලියගහ මන්දිරයේ වාසය කල යුතුයි.  රාජ්‍ය ප්‍රධානී නිළ නිවෙස් තමන්ට ඕන ඕන විදියට හිතු මතේ වෙනස් කරන්න ගියොත් රාජ්‍ය යාන්ත්‍රණය පිළිබඳව ජනතාව තුල ඇති විශ්වාසය සහ ගෞරවය පළුදු විය හැකියි. 

දියුණු රටවල මේ දේවල් ව්‍යවස්ථාගත කරලා තියෙන්නේ.

ට්‍රම්ප් වයිට් හවුස් හි නොසිටියොත් දේශාභියෝගයක් ගෙනේවි ඔහුව ජනාධිපති ධුරයෙන් ඉවත් කරන්න.

රටේ ඕනෑම තැනක ඕනෑම කෙනෙකුට ජීවත්වීමේ අයිතිය අපේ ආන්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවෙන් ලබාදී තිබෙනවා.

මේ රටේ මහ ජාතිය හිතන්නේ මේ රටේ පළාත් 7යි කියලා?

උතුරු මැද පලාතෙන් පහළට පමණක් මෙන් මේ මහ ජන කොට්ටාශයේ පදිංචිය සීමා වීම නිසා ඒ  පළාත් 7 අද බොහෝ ජනාකීර්ණ වෙලා.  ඉඩම් හිඟ වීම නිසා අද බොහෝ විට  පවුලකට පර්චස් 7-10 වැනි ඉඩමක සිය නිවස හදා ගන්න වෙලා, ඉස්සර තිබු පර්චස් 25 -30න් නිවසක් සදා ගැනීමේ පුරුද්දට එරෙහිව.   පර්චස් 2න් ගෙයක් කොම්පඥවිදියේත්, පර්චස් 1න් ගෙයක් බම්බලපිටියේත්  හදා ගත් මහත්තයෙක් සහ නෝනා කෙනෙක්ව දන්නවා.

මහා නගර වැසියන්ට නල මඟින් ගැස්, ෆය්බර් ඔප්ටික් තාක්ෂණයෙන් ඉතා අධි වේගී ඉන්ටර්නෙට් පහසුකම් දිය හැකි නම් ඉතා අගෙයි, එහෙත් මේවා කරන්න නම් රට ගොඩාක් පොහොසත් වෙන්න ඕනා.

අප කළින් ලිපියකින් පෙන්වා දුන්නා මහ නගරවලට මළාපවාහන පද්ධතීන් (drainage systems) ඇති කිරීමෙන් වෙන විශාල වාසිය. දැනට මේ පද්ධතීන් ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ තියෙන්නේ කොළඹ සහ යාපනයේ පමණයි.

මේ සෑම අවස්ථාවක්ම ඉදිරියේදී අපට සපල කරගැනීමේ හැකියාව තියෙනවා.

රජයන්ට කාලය, අවකාශය සහ සහයෝගය ලබා දිය යුතුයි.

රට දියුණු වෙනවා දැකීමේ ඊර්ශ්‍යාකාරයෝ (දේශීයව) බොහෝයි.

ගුවන් පථයේ මුල්ලක බොහෝ කාලයක් ගාල් කර තිබු ශ්‍රී ලංකාව නමැති යානය දැන් ටේක් ඕෆ් කරලා,

ඉහලටම ක්‍රමයෙන් නැඟ යන්න තමා තියෙන්නේ; උග්‍ර වායු කම්පන, ඝන සුළි කුණාටු, තද වැසි පරයා.

යානය තුල ගමන් කරන සියළු වැසියන් සීට් බෙල්ට් පැළඳ මේ සත් ක්‍රියාවට සහාය දිය යතුයි.  යානයේ ගමන් කරන්නන් අතර එහි දොර හැර සියළු දෙනා ප්‍රපාතයට ඇද දැමීමට මාන බලන අය සිටින බව සියල්ලෝ වටහා ගත යුතුයි.

බස්නාහිර පළාතේ ඉඩම් වලට නොර්වේ ආධාර මත පරිගණකයෙන් රජයෙන් නව ඉඩම් ඔප්පු නිකුත් කිරීමක් සිදු වුනා. හොඳ වැඩක්.  මෙය නැවත පටන් ගත යුතුයි.

MCC භීතිකාවක් මවලා යහපාලන යුගයේ ඇමරිකාවෙන් රටට හම්බ වෙන්න ගිය ඩොලර් බිලියන ½  මහඟු ත්‍යාගය අපට නැතිව ගියා. ඒ මුදලෙන් වැඩි කොටසක් කොළඹ ට්‍රැෆික් අර්බූදය විසඳන්නයි වෙන් කරලා තිබුනේ.

අපේ ඒ මුදල අරගත් නේපාලය සැහැල්ලු දුම්රිය සේවයක් ආරම්භ කළා.

දැන් බලයේ ඉන්න අයත් මේ බොරු භීතිකාව ඇති කරන්න එදා කටයුතු කළා (පොහොට්ටුවට අමතරව).

ඒ අයට දැන් තේරෙනේවා ඇති මොන තරම් විනාශයක්ද ඔවුන් මේ රටට කලේ, විපක්ෂයේ සිටින කාලයේ සෑම දේටම විරුද්ධ වෙමින්.

නිවාස ප්‍රශ්නය විසඳීමේ වැඩි බර පෞද්ගලික අංශය කරගහන්න ඕන. මේ සඳහා දැනට වඩා අඩු පොලියට නිවාස ණය නිවාස ඉදිකරන අයට ලබාදෙන්න ඕන. සිමෙන්ති, ලි, වානේ කම්බි,  වැනි නිවාස සැදීමට අවශ්‍යම ගොඩනැගිලි ද්‍රව්‍යවල මිල ඉතා අධිකයි, මේවායේ මිල අඩු කල යුතුයි.

ගංගා වැලි දැන් ඉතා මිළ අධිකයි, මිනිසුන්ට දරාගන්න බැහැ. අනෙක ඒවා ගොඩ කිරීමේදී වන පරිසර හානි අති මහත්.

ගංගා වැලි ප්‍රශ්ණය විසඳීමට – මනා පාලනයක් යටතේ විද්‍යාත්මකව, නිත්‍යානුකූලව  රටේ සුදුසු ප්‍රදේශවලින් පමණක් (එවැනි ප්‍රදේශ සීමීතයි) ඉතා ප්‍රවේශමෙන්  මුහුදේ වැලි ලබා ගෙන ඒවා ගොඩනැගිලි ඉදිකිරීමේ කර්මාන්තයට ලබා දිය යුතුයි. සාමාන්‍ය ජලයෙන් සෝදා ගත් පසු මුහුදේ වැලි ගඟේ වැලි වලටත් වඩා හොඳයි.

වැල්ලෙන් වැලි ලබා ගන්නවා නම් ගත යුත්තේ තදින් වැලි මුහුදෙන් වැල්ලට ගොඩ ගහන කාලයට පමණයි. මේවා ගත්තට කමක් නැහැ කියන්නේ ගොඩ ගැසූ මේ විශාල වැලි කඳු රැල්ල සමඟ වාරකන් සමයේදී  ආපසු මුහුදටම ගසා ගෙන යන නිසා. ඊට පෙර අපට ප්‍රයෝජනයට ගත හැකියි.

පෝට් සිටියට යයි කියා උස්වැටකෙයියාව, පමුණුගම, සරක්කුව  පලාත්වල මහ මුහුදෙන් විශාල ලෙස වැලි ගන්නවා නැව් පැමිණ. පුදුමාකාර මුහුදු කෑමක්, පරිසර විනාශයක් ඒ ඉතා ලස්සණ ප්‍රදේශවලට  වෙලා තියෙන්නේ. මේ, කිසිසේත් මුහුදේ වැලි නොගත යුතු ප්‍රදේශවලින් වැලි ගැනීමක්.

මේ රජය රාජ්‍ය උකස් සහ ආයෝජන බැංකුව වහන්න යනවා යයි කියන්නේ ඇත්තක්ද? හේතුව?

සාමාන්‍ය ජනතාවට ගෙයක් හදා ගන්න මොන තරම් සේවයක් කරපු බැංකුවක්ද, වසර ගණනාවක් පැරණි.

විදේශිකයන්ට සින්නක්කර ඉඩම් මිලදී ගැනීමට ඉඩ දුනහොත් ශ්‍රී ලංකාවාසීන්ට කොළඹ, ගාල්ල, මහනුවර, මීගමුව, යාපනය, ත්‍රිකුණාමලය වැනි මහ නගර ප්‍රදේශවලින් ඉඩමක් මිලදී ගන්න තියා ඒ ගැන හිතන්නවත් බැරි වේවි. මේවා ලෝකයේ බොහෝ රටවල නොකරන වැඩ.

කලින් හැදු රජයේ ෆ්ලැට්වල තීන්ත ටිකක් තවරා තමන්ගේ රුව සමඟ ලොකු බෝඩ් ගහගෙන, අළුත් නිවාස සංකීර්ණයක් විවෘත  කළා කියලා පෙන්වීම හුදු ජනතාව රැවටීමක් පමණයි. 2010 – 2015 රජය මෙය බොහෝ සෙයින් කළා.

කළින් රජයන් කාලේ සමහර, නැවත ප්‍රතිසංස්කරණය කල රජයේ ෆ්ලැට් වල එක ෆ්ලැට් එකකට වියදම් කරලා තියෙන්නේ ලක්ෂ 2ක් නැත්නම් 3ක්ලු , ඒත් ලක්ෂ 6 කට විතර  බිල දාලා පෙන්නලා තියෙනවා.

නගර සභා, මහා නගර සභා සහ රජයේ ආයතන උනත් පෝසත්, ධනවත් අය ඉන්න ප්‍රදේශවලට තමා වැඩියෙන් කරන්නේ. ඒවායේ පේමන්ට් ‘පේව්’ කරනවා, දවසකට දෙවරක්  සමහර පැතිවල පාරවල් අතු ගානවා, කැඩිච්ච පාරවල් ඉක්මනට හදනවා, දිනපතා ලොරි වලින් කුණු එකතු කරනවා. දුප්පත් ප්‍රදේශවලට කුඩම්මාගේ සැලකිලි. හැමෝම වරිපනම් බදු ගෙවන්නෝ නොවේම්ද?

ගස් කොළන් බොහෝ සෙයින්  අඩු වුනත්, කොළඹ නගරය දැන් ඉස්සරට (1990/2000 ගණන් වලට) වඩා ලස්සනයි, ඒක බොහොම හොඳ දෙයක්. ඒත් කොළඹ දිළිඳු ප්‍රදේශ – තොටළඟ, මට්ටක්කුලිය, කොටහේන, ග්‍රෑන්ඩ්පාස්, දෙමටගොඩ, වනාතමුල්ල  ගිහින් බලන්න අන්තිමයි. කොළඹින් පිටත ඔබේසේකරපුර, IDH, කොලොන්නාව, වැල්ලම්පිටියත් එහෙමයි.

මේවායේ  සමහර ප්‍රදේශවල  කිසි දියුණුවක් වෙලා නැහැ. කාණු ජරාවලින් පිරිලා, කුණු ගඳ ගහනවා. තැන තැන කුණු ගොඩ ගහලා. කාක්කෝ මේ කුණු අනිත් ප්‍රදේශවලට අරං යනවා. කුණු කන ඌරෝ පවා පාරේ ඉන්න ප්‍රදේශ තියෙනවා.

අද කොළඹ නගරය පිරිසිඳුව තබා ගැනීමට අබාන්ස් සේවකයෝ ඉතා හොඳින් මහන්සිවී තම රාජකාරිය කරනවා. ඒ අයට අපගේ සදා ප්‍රණාමය.

සුවෙන්, සතුටින් සිය පවුල සමඟ ජීවත්වීමට කැමති කවුරුත් බලන්නේ ඉඩ කඩ තිබෙන ඉඩමක ගෙයක් හදා ගෙන, ගස් වැල්, පලතුරු ටිකක් එහි වවාගෙන, බල්ලෙක් පුසෙක් ඇතිකරගෙන, නිහඬ, නිසල, පරිසර හිතකාමී  ජීවතයක් ගෙවීමටයි.  මෙවැනි තත්ත්වයන් උදා කරදීම උදෙසා රාජ්‍ය ආයතන තම ප්‍රතිපත්ති සකස් කර ගත යුතුයි.

තමන්ගේ ජීවිතය පර්චස් 6 වගේ සුළු වපසරියකට කොටු වුනහම ‘පුංචි පවුල රත්තරං’ සංකල්පයත් ඉබේටම ක්‍රියාත්මක වෙලා.

අපේ පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ  දේශපාලනඥයෝ වැඩි කාලයක් යෙදෙව්වේ තමන්ගේ පුද්ගලික අයිතිවාසිකම්/ලැබීම් ගැන,  තම පක්ෂයේ තත්ත්වය නඟා සිටුවා ගැනීම වැනි වැඩ සඳහායි.  පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ  අඳුරු මුළු වල, කොරිඩෝර් වල, ඒ සමහරක් අය දැමු  ඩීල් වලින් රටට නම් කිසිම සෙතක් වුනේ නැහැ; දේශපාලනඥයන්ට බොහෝ වුනා.

අන්තිමට, 2022දී,  මුළු රටම කඩා වැටුනා.

හරියට කලොත් අවුරුදු 30ක් ඇතුලත ශ්‍රී ලංකාව ධනවත් රටක් බවට පත් කරන්න හැකියි – සිංගප්පුරුව, දකුණු කොරියාව, තායිවානය වැනි සම තත්ත්වයේ ධනවත් රටක් (මැලේසියාවට එහා). 

අද රජයේ ඉන්න සමහර ඇමතිවරුන් දිගටම ඒ තනතුරුවල සිටියොත් නම් ඒ දේ කරන්න බැරි වේවි.

වැඩ නොපෙන්වූ ඒ සමහර ඇමතිවරු හොඳ, දක්ෂ අතට වෙනස් වෙන්න පුළුවන් තමන්ගේ වැරදි අවබෝධ කරගෙන.

ජ්‍යෙෂ්ට යයි කියා ගන්නා කට හැකර, වැඩ බැරි, බොරු ‘ෂෝ’ දාන  ඇමතිවරු අයින් කරලා දක්ෂ පසු පෙළ නවකයන් පුළුවන් තරම් ඉදිරියට ගෙන්න ඕන. නැත්නම් ලබන වර මෙම රජය පෙරළෙනවා නිසැකයි.

නැවත, ලබන වාරයේ,  දිනන්න ඕන නම් 75%ක වත් කාර්යක්ෂමතාවයක් රජයට නොනවත්වා පෙන්වන්න වෙනවා.  මේ තියෙන දැඩි විවේචනත් එක්ක.

ජනතාවත් ඉතා ලොකු මිම්මකින් දේශපාලනඥයන්ව දැන් මනින්නේ.

අපි කවදාවත් අහල නැති වුනත් ඉතා දක්ෂ, කැප වීමෙන් වැඩ කරන නවකයෝ මේ රජයේ පසු පෙලේ ඉන්න බව පේනවා.

වයස ප්‍රශ්නයක් නොවෙයි – තරුණ හෝ මුහුකරා ගිය  දෙගොල්ලම උනාට කමක් නැහැ.

අධ්‍යාපන, සෞඛ්‍ය, කෘෂිකර්ම (වනජීවීද ඇතුළු), ප්‍රවාහන/වරාය ආදී අමාත්‍යංශ හොඳ ප්‍රගතියක් පෙන්විය යුතුයි. අවශ්‍යම අධිකරණ ප්‍රතිසංස්කරණ තියෙනවා.

ප්‍රවාහන දැන් පන ඇවිත්, යම් තරමකින් ‘වැඩ’ පෙන්වමින් යනවා.

අද තියෙන කැබිනෙට්ටුවේ සමහරු ඉතා හොඳ බව කිය යුතුයි; ඉතා මහන්සියෙන් දිවා රෑ නොබලා වැඩ කරනවා.

මුදල් ඇමති හොඳින් කලර්ස් දක්වා තිබෙනවා.

නාමල් කරුණාරත්න කෘෂිකර්ම ඇමති ලෙස පත් කල යුතුයි. 

දේශපාලඥයින්ට පමණක් බැනලා වැඩක් නැහැ. නිලධාරීන්, ජනතාවද වෙනස් වෙන්න ඕන.

අපි තවමත්: පරිසරය අපවිත්‍ර කරනවා, පගාව දෙනවා, පාරේ හෝන් ගහනවා, පාරේ බුලත් කෙළ ගසනවා, කාර්යාලයේදී වැඩ කරන්නේ නැහැ. පසුව, හැම දේටම  දේශපාලඥයන්ට බනිනවා.

පරාජය වූ දේශපාලනඥයන් චිට්  ක්‍රමයෙන් නැවත පාර්ලිමේන්තුවට පැමිණ ඇමතිකම්/මන්ත්‍රීකම්  දැරීම ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍ර විරෝධී ක්‍රියාවක්.

ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍ර විරෝධී චිට් මන්ත්‍රි ක්‍රමය මුළුමනින්ම අහෝසි කරලා නොදමන්නේ මන්ද, දැන් 2/3ටත් වඩා බලය තියෙනවානේ එය කරන්න.

එදා සමහර දේශපාලනඥයන් හැමදාම ඇමතිලා වෙලා සිටියා, මොන පක්ෂය බලයට ආවත්. මහ පුදුම සහගත තත්ත්වයක්. යම්තම් ඒ අය දැන් නැහැ.

අලුත් අදහස් ඇති, නැවුම්, තරුණ මාණ්ඩලික රාජ්‍ය නිලධාරින්  ඉන්නවා, ඒ අයට අතිරේක/සහකාර  ලේකම් වැනි උසස් තලයේ දොරවල් විවෘත  කර දිය යුතුයි. වෙනස් වන ලෝකයේ තාක්ෂනය/ගෝලීයකරණය ආදිය පිළිබඳව හොඳින්  දැනුම තිබෙන, නව පරපුරේ සිතුම් පැතුම් හඳුනන, වැඩිහිටියන්ට ගරු කරන, විනයවයත්, අල්ලස්/දුෂණ විරෝධීන් උසස්, වැදගත් තනතුරු සඳහා පත් කල යුතුයි.

සාර්ථක  ආණ්ඩුවක් සඳහා නම්  ආණ්ඩුවේ තනතුරු සඳහා පත් කරන අය ඉස්තරම්ම, වඩාත්ම සුදුසු, උගත් අය විය යුතුයි.

වැඩක් කරන්න හරියට බැරි වුවත් ඒ අයගේ වන්ධිභට්ටකම ප්‍රධාන තේරීම් සාධකය ලෙස පත්වීම් සඳහා සලකයි නම් ඒ රජයේ කටයුතු අසාර්ථක වීම නිසා  අයහපත් ප්‍රතිපල, විපාක විඳින්නේ අහිංසක ජනතාවයි.

නුසුදුස්සන් රජයේ සේවයට පත් කලහොත් (තරඟ විභාග සමත් නොවූ, හුදු දේශපාලනඥයන්ගේ ලැයිස්තුවට/උවමනාවට අනුව), අපට ලැබෙන්නේ අදක්ෂ, අකාර්යක්ෂම, බොහෝ විට දුෂීත, උකටලී රාජ්‍ය සේවයක්.

මේ රජයේත් ඉතාම වැදගත් අමාත්‍යංශ කිහිපයකම ස්ථිර ලේකම්වරු පරිපාලන සේවා විභාග සමත්ව  තම දක්ෂකම් සිවිල් සේවයේ පෙන්වා ඉහලට ආ නිලධාරින් නොවේ. පැරෂූට් කාරයෝ.

දේශපාලනඥයන් තම කාර්ය මණ්ඩලයට පවුලේ අය පත් කරගැනීම, තමන් යටතේ ඇති අමාත්‍යංශවලට එවැනි පත්වීම් කරගැනීම  බොහෝ දුරට 1977 පසු බිහිවූ නව සංකල්පයක්, මෙය ඉතා වැරදි දෙයක්. හොරකමට තෝතැන්නක්.

1970 – 1977 දක්වා රට පාලනය කල මැතිණියගේ කාලයේ තරම් පවුල් වාදය මේ රටේ රජ කල සමයක් තවත් නොතිබුණි. එතුමියගේ පවුලට අයත් විශාල පිරිසක්, කිසිදු ලෙසකින් සුදුසුකම් නොලබා,  රටේ ආණ්ඩුවේ ඉහළම තනතුරුවලට පත් කලා. ‘හත් අවුරුදු සාපය’ පොතෙන් දැක්වුයේ රටේ ගුවන් තොටුපොළ/ජාත්‍යාන්තර සම්මන්ත්‍රණ ශාලාවේ  සිට මහජන වැසිකිලිය/නාන ලිඳ/ගමේ අඩි පාර දක්වා සිය පවුලේ නම දා ගත් බවයි.

සාමාන්‍ය වැසියන්ට තබා ගත හැකි ඉඩම් ප්‍රමාණය අක්කර 50 සීමා කර, ඒ පවුලත් යම් ඉඩම් ප්‍රමාණයක්  අත් හැර දැමුවත්, ‘ෆැමිලි ට්‍රස්ට්ස්’,  ‘චැරිටබල් ට්‍රස්ට්ස්’ නම් කූට නිතී උපායන් සහ වෙනත් දේ මඟින් ඔවුන් සතුව තිබු ඉතාම වටිනා, සශ්‍රීක පොල්, වී සහ වෙනත් ඉඩම් අක්කර ගණනාවක් පවුල තුලම (හොරෙන්) රඳවා ගත් බවට ප්‍රබල චෝදනා එල්ල වුනා.

ඊ.එල්. සේනානායක මතු කල ‘බිංදුමතී’ චෝදනාව මතකද?

එවක රජයේ සිටී ඉඩම් ඇමති – ඉතා නිහතමානි සහ අවංක,  හෙක්ටර් කොබ්බෑකඩුව මහතා ස්වෙච්චාවෙන් සිය පවුල සතු ඉඩම් රජයට පවරා දුන්නා.

චන්දයකට පස්සේ විරුද්ධ පක්ෂයෙන් ‘ගෙම්බෝ’ වාගේ ආණ්ඩු පක්ෂයට පනින නව ප්‍රවනතාවක් ශ්‍රී ලංකා දේශපාලනයේ ඇත. මෙයට  ‘සැලුන් දොර’ කියාද කියත්.

ඒසේ පනින්නේ තමන්ට ආවේනික වූ පැහැදිලි දේශපාලන ප්‍රත්පත්තියක් නොමැති අයයි.  මැති, ඇමති, තානාන්තර බලාගෙන; පුද්ගලික ලාභ ප්‍රයෝජනයට.  තමන්ට චන්ද දීපු චන්දදායකයන්ට ගෞරව නොකිරීමක්.

හැබැයි පනින කෙනා නොයෙක් නිදහසට කාරණා දෙනවා – දෑත් ශක්තිමත් කරන්න පැන්නා  වැනි.

කිතුලට නැග්ග මිනිහටත් නිදහසට කියන්න කරුණක් තිබුනාලූ.

මේ පැනිලි පනින අය පමණක් නොව ඒවාට අනුබල දෙන අයත් වැරදියි.  ජනතාව තුල පක්ෂ දේශපාලනය, දේශපාලනඥයන් පිළිබඳව විශ්වාසය නැතිවී යනවා.

ජාජබ රජයක් යටතේ මේ පැනිලි ක්‍රමය අහෝසි කරනවා කීවා නේද?

ශක්තිමත් ආණ්ඩුවක් තිබීම හොඳයි; නමුත්, ඒකට, සුළු බහුතරයක් තිබ්බත් ඇති.  20 – 30 ගණන් මන්ත්‍රීවරු ‘බා ගන්න’ ඕන නැහැ.  ආණ්ඩුවක් කරන්න 2/3 බලය අවශ්‍යම නැහැ.

නාගරිකව ජීවත්වෙන දුප්පත් මිනිසුන්ගේ ගෙවල්, කඩ කඩලා මිනිස්සුන්ව ගහලා පන්නලා නව ව්‍යාපෘති කරනවා නම් ඒ මිනිස්සුන්ට ඒ නගරය තුලින්ම සාධාරණ වාසස්ථාන, කඩ කාමර ආදිය ලබා දිය යුතුයි.  2014දී බැස්ටියන් පාරේ මිනිස්සුන්ගේ කඩ කඩලා එලවපු හැටි දැක්කාහම දුක හිතුනා, සමහර මිනිස්සු අවුරුදු 20ට වැඩිය එක ස්ථානයේ හිටපු අය.  සමහර මිනිස්සු පාර මැද ඉඳලා ඒ තීරණ ගත් අයට සාප කළා.

චීනය නමැති කූඩයට පමණක් සියලු බිජු (බිත්තර) දමාගෙන රට දියුණු කිරීමට තැත් කිරීම අනුවන කමක්. චීනය ඓතිහාසිකව අපට සිටින ඉතාම හොඳ කළණ මිතුරෙක්.  අද ලෝක බලවතා, සමහරවිට ඇමරිකාවටත් වැඩිය.

චීනය ඉදිරියේදීත් අපේ හොඳම මිතුරෙක්.  එහි කිසි සැකයක් නැහැ.

නමුත්, සෑම රටකින්ම උපරිම සහය ගන්න ඕන, අඩුම තරමින් අමනාපකම් ඇති නොකර සිටීමට තරම් ප්‍රවේශම් වෙන්න ඕන. පසුගිය කාලවල එවැන්නක් (අමනාපකම්) නම් සිදු වුනේ නැහැ.

ඉන්දියාවේ ඉන්න බිලියන 1.4 ජනගහනයට භාණ්ඩ සහ සේවා සපයලාම  අපට ධනවත් රටක් වෙන්න පුළුවන්; මේක ඉන්දියාවට අප රට පාවාදීමක් හෝ අවනත වීමක්  නොවේ, අපේ රට පෝසත් කරන බුද්ධිමත් ආර්ථික වැඩපිලිවලේ කොටසක්. මේකට කියන්නේ ‘ලංකාව ඉන්දියාවේ හොංකොං’ විය යුතුයි කියලයි. ඉන්දියාව පාවිච්චි කරලා අපි පෝසත් වෙනවා, හරියට චීනය පාවිච්චි කරලා හොංකොං පෝසත් උනා වගේ. එහි කිසි වරදක් නැහැ.

ඉන්දියාවේ බිලියන 1.4  ජනගහනයක් ඉන්නවා. මේ අය තදින්ම තේ බොන අය. ඒ වගේම, අපේ රටේ වගේ නොවේ,  ඉන්දියාවේ හොඳ, විශිෂ්ට තත්ත්වයේ තේ නිෂ්පාදනය වෙන්නේ නැහැ. හරියට කථා කරලා ඉන්දියාවට අපේ රටෙන් තේ සපයන්න අවස්ථා උදා කරගත්තොත් එය ඩොලර් මිලියන් ගණනක ව්‍යාපාරයක්  ඇති කරගන්න පුළුවන්.

ඉන්දියාව අපේ රට  තුල ඒ අයගේ භාණ්ඩ වලින් ‘ෆ්ලඩ් කරාවි, ඒක නතර කරන්න අමාරුයි. දැනටමත් ඒ දේ වෙනවා. අපිත් අපට පුළුවන් භාණ්ඩ වලින් ඉන්දියාව ‘ෆ්ලඩ්’ කරන්න ඕන. අපට අපනයන භාණ්ඩ වර්ග නැතිකමයි/අඩුකමයි  තියෙන ලොකුම ප්‍රශ්නය. අපෙන් ඉන්දියාවට යවන අපනයන භාණ්ඩ වැඩි කරගන්න ඕන. දැනට යවන ප්‍රධාන භාණ්ඩය ප්‍රති අපනයන කල ඉන්දුනීසියා පුවක් නේද?

ඉන්දීය සේවකයන් මෙහි ගෙනැවිත් ඔවුනට රැකියා ලබා දීම, විශේෂයෙන්ම කම්කරු රැකියා,  අප රටේ අයට රැකියා අවස්ථා අහිමි වීමක්.

දකුණු ඉන්දියාවෙන් මෙහි එන අය ආපසු නොයාමේ සිරිත අවුරුදු සිය දහස් ගණනක් තිස්සේ සිදු වෙන්නක්.

ඉතා කදිම කොස්ගම අවි ගබඩාව වත් රැක ගන්න අපට බැරි වුනා. අපේ නොසලිකිල්මත් බව නිසා වටිනා අවි ගබඩාව, එහි ගබඩා කර තිබු  වටිනා අවි සමඟ අළු දුවිලි බවට පත් වුනා.

සාලාව ගින්නෙන් විනාශවුනු උණ්‌ඩ හා පතරොම් වල වටිනාකම රුපියල් බිලියන 18 කට අධික බව  කියනවා. කිසි උසස් නිලධාරියෙක් ඉල්ලා අස් වුනෙත් නැහැ.

පසුගිය වසර කිහිපයක සිට වෙසක් දන්සැල් ලියාපදිංචි කල යුතුයි කියා රජයෙන් නීතියක් පනවා තිබෙනවා. මෙයින් වෙසක්/පොසොන් සමයේ දන්සැල් සංඛ්‍යාව අඩු වෙනවා.

ආහාරවල පිරිසිඳුබව සහ සෞඛ්‍යසම්පන්න භාවය වැදගත් තමයි, නමුත්, වෙසක්/පොසොන් දන්සැල් කරන අය ඒ වැඩ කරන්නේ ඉතාම සද්භාවයන්, ආහාර/පාන වල පිරිසිඳු බව සහ සෞඛ්‍යායාරක්ෂිත භාවය පිලිබඳව ඒ අය කැප වෙලා වැඩ කරන්නේ.

බොහෝ දන්සැල් කරන්නේ පාසැල්/දහම් පාසැල්  සිසුන්, වෙනත් ගැටවරයන්, ත්‍රීවිල් රියදුරන් ආදීන්. මේ අයට රජයේ නිලධාරින් හමුවී දන්සැල් ලියාපදිංචි කරන්න අවශ්‍ය යයි කීවිට, ඒ  අදහස අත්හැරලා දානවා. ඇරත් කවුද කැමති සද්භාවයෙන් කරන වැඩක් උනත් ගිහින් දඩ කන්න, දන්සැල ලියාපදිංචි කලේ නැහැ කියලා.

බොහෝ දෙනෙක් දන්සැල් දමන තීරණය ගන්නේ අනිතිම මොහොතේ. එවිට ලියාපදිංචියට වටේ දුවන්න කාලයක් නැහැ.

වෙසක්/පොසොන් දන්සැල් අපේ සංස්කෘතියේ වැදගත් අංගයක්. මේවාට තද නීති දාලා හානි කරන්න/නැති කරලා දාන්න ඉඩ දෙන්න බැහැ.

කරන්න තියෙන්නේ නව ලය්සන් ක්‍රමයක් හඳුන්වා දීම නොවෙයි,  දන්සැල් සඳහා අදාළ නීති රීති (සාධාරණ) පැහැදිලිව හඳුන්වා දුන් පත්‍රිකා ග්‍රාම සේවක කාර්යාල වල ප්‍රදර්ශනය කිරීමයි. පසුව මහජන සෞඛ්‍ය පරීක්ෂකවරු ලවා දන්සැල් අහඹු ලෙස  පරීක්‍ෂාවට යොමු කරවීමයි.

දැන් වෙසක් තොරණ හදන එකත් බෙහෙවින්ම අඩු වෙලා. පන්සල් වල පෙරහැර වලට අලි, ඇතුන්  නැහැ. ඥානාන්විතව මේ ප්‍රශ්න දෙස බලා රජයන් අපේ මේ මගඟු සංස්කෘතිකමය දායාද රැක ගැනීමට ඉදිරියට ආ යුතුයි, විශේෂයෙන්ම, වෙසක්/පොසොන් තොරන්, දන්සැල්, බෞද්ධ පෙරහැරවල්.

චන්දයට කළින් මේ අය අපට ප්‍රබලව හැගෙව්වේ – අපි වමේ සහ දක්ෂිණාංශික ලිබරල්; සම්ප්‍රදාය, සභ්‍යත්වය, සංස්කෘතිය, චාරිත්‍ර වාරිත්‍ර, සාරධර්ම, ඉතිහාසය, ආගම  මේ රටට වැඩක් නැහැ, ඒවා යල් පැන ගිය ඒවා. මෙවැනි භයානයක  ප්‍රකාශ ඔවුන් කළා.  අදත් එවැනි මතයන් දරනවානම්,  – එවැනි රජයකට මේ ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ වැඩි පැවැත්මක් නොමැති බව ඔවුන් වටහා ගැනීම වටී.

උග්‍ර  වාමවාදී සහ කොමියුනිස්ට්, සාම්ප්‍රදා විරෝධීන් වූ ස්ටාලින්, මාඕ, පොල් පොට්, කිම් ඉල් සුං, කැස්ත්‍රෝ වැන්නන් සහ ඔවුන් නිසා එම රටවල සිදුවූ මහා ජන/ආගම් සංහාර මතක් වෙනවා.

මෙහි ඒවා සිදු නොවේවා!

වසර දහස් ගණනක් පැරණි සිංහළ අවුරුද්ද වගේමයි,  වෙසක් උත්සවයත්.  සිංහළ, බෞද්ධ සංස්කෘතිය, අපේ උරුමය ඉහලින්ම විද්‍යාමාන කරන එකක්.

රොබර්ට් නොක්ස්ගේ පොත කියවන්න (ඕලන්ද/ඉංග්‍රීසී  කාලයෙහි වූ  ශ්‍රී ලංකාව ගැන). එහි අපේ උසස්, උතුම් සිංහල අළුත් අවුරුදු චාරිත්‍ර ගැන කියනවා. ඒවා ඔහු මහ ඉහළින් වර්ණනා කරනවා.

ඒ කාලේ, සිංහල සහ හින්දු අවුරුද්දක් කියා එකක් තිබි නැහැ.  

මෑතකදී, සිංහල සහ හින්දු අවුරුද්ද, සිංහල සහ දෙමළ අළුත් අවුරුද්ද වශයෙන් නම වෙනස් වුනා.

දෙමළ තෛය්පොන්ගල් උත්සවය ලංකාවෙත් (ද්‍රවිඩ), තමිල්නාඩුවෙත්, කේරලයේත්  මහ ඉහළින් ජනවාරි මාසයේ පැවැත්වෙනවා. සිංහල අවුරද්ද හා සමානයි; කිරිබත් උයනවා.

තමිල්නාඩුවේ/කේරලයේ අප්‍රේල් මාසේ අළුත් අවුරුද්දක් ගන්නේ නැහැ.

සිංහල අවුරුදු චාරිත්‍ර/වාරිත්‍ර, කෑම/කැවිලි, ක්‍රීඩා/උත්සව ඉතා උසස් ගණයේ. 1වෙනි ලෝකයේ දියුණු රටවල් වලවත් නැහැ. ඒ සමහර අයට ඊර්ශ්‍යායි අපත් සමඟ. මනුෂ්‍යත්වයේ උච්චතම බව නිරූපණය කරන මහා උළෙලක් එය.

පහුගිය සමහර වසරවල මහා බ්‍රිතාන්‍යයේ, කැනඩාවේ අගමැති වරු ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ අප්‍රේල් අවුරුද්දට සුභ පතන විට එය සිංහල අයගෙත් අවුරුද්ද බව කියන්න බැරි වුනා. දෙමළ අයට පමණයි සුභ පැතුවේ.

මේ අතපසු වීම් ගැන, එතකොට කැනඩාවේ පසුගියදා බිහිකළ දෙමළ සංහාර    ස්මාරක ගැන, ඒ රටවල සිටින අපේ සිංහල අය කිසිම විරෝධයක් දැක්වුයේ නැහැ. ලක්ෂ සංඛ්‍යාත සිංහලයෝ ඒ රටවල ඉන්නවා. මික් කියන්නේ නැතුව ගෙවල් තුලට වී  සිටියා.  

සිය දහස් ගණනින් පාරට බහින්න ඕන දැවැන්ත අසාධාරණයි ඒ.

පන්සලේ බෞද්ධ වැඩක් නම් දහස් ගණනින් එනවා; සිංහල අයිතීන් ගැන රැස්වීමක් නම් අතේ ඇඟිලි ගණනට තමා එන්නේ. ඕස්ත්‍රේලියාවෙත් තියෙන්නේ ඔය තත්ත්වයමයි.

අනගාරික ධර්මපාල තුමා සිය සටන ගෙන ගියේ තට්ට තනියමයි. ඔහුව පාවා දුන්නේ අපේම අයයි.

ලෝක දෙමළ ඩයස්පෝරාවේ කොටසක් ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ වාර්ගික ප්‍රශ්ණය පිළිබඳව බොහෝ බොරු ප්‍රචාරණ කරනවා. නමුත්, ඔවුන් එය ඉතා හොඳින්, කැප වීමෙන් කරන නිසා සැම විටම වගේ ජය ගන්නවා.

එක මවකගේ දරුවන් මෙන් තම ඊලාම් සිහිනය සාක්ෂාත් කර ගැනීම වෙනුවෙන් දිවි හිමියෙන් ඔවුන් කැපවී වැඩ කරනවා (ලෝක දෙමළ ඩයස්පෝරාවේ කොටසක්). යහමින් මුදල් පරිත්‍යාග කරනවා.

මෙහෙන් ගිය බටහිර රටවල සිටින සිංහලයෝ මර නින්දේය.  ඔවුන් බොහෝමයකට  අවශ්‍ය  තමන්ගේ සහ තම පවුලේ දියුණුව පමණයි. සෑම විටම උපරිමව සතුටුව සිටීමට බලත්. නිවසේ සතිපතා වැනි  වූ ඩිනර් පාර්ටි, මාසික ෆූඩ් ෆෙයාර්, නිරන්තර සංගීත සංධර්ෂණ/සාද, ඩිනර් ඩාන්ස්, බය්ලා සැන්දෑ, බිග් මැච් පාර්ටි, 31^st night dance; ඕවා තමයි.

ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ තම  දුක්විඳින සිංහල සගයන් ගැන, අපේ සිංහල උරුමය, සභ්‍යත්වය, බෞද්ධත්වය රැක ගැනීම, සිංහලයාට  මෙහි පළාත් 2ක වාසය බොහෝ සෙයින් අහිමිව තිබීම, උතුරු පළාතේ 2වෙනි පන්තියේ පුරවැසියන් මෙන් වෙසෙන අපේ සිංහලයෝ – මෙවැනි දේ ගැන ඒ බොහෝ අයට  වගේ වගක් නැත.

හැකිතරම් බටහිරකරණය වීම  තමා අපේ  බොහෝ අයගේ  ආසව – තරුණයෝ පමණක් නොව වැඩිහිටියෝද.

ඒ රටවල සිටින අපේ හින්දූන්, මුස්ලිමානුවන්, ලක්ෂණට ඔවුන්ගේ සංස්කෘතිය, සභ්‍යත්වය ආවේනිකත්වය  රැකගෙන ඉන්නවා.

අද වෙසක් දවසේට ඉස්සරින්දා කූඩු ටිකක් කඩෙන් අරං කඩදාසි අලවලා එල්ලනවා.  ඒ කූඩුත් බොහෝ විට ඇවිත් තියෙන්නේ චීනයෙන්. එදා  වෙසක් කූඩු හැදුවේ ගෙවල් වල. 

වෙසක් කුඩු හදන්න පටන් ගන්නේ වෙසක් එකට මාසයකට විතර කලින් ඉඳන්. මුළු පවුලම සහභාගි  වෙනවා. පුදුම ආදරයක්, සෙනෙහසක්, බැම්මක්  වෙසක් කූඩු හැදීම තුලින් ඇතිවුනා; පවුලේ සෑම සියලු දෙනාම  එකතු වෙලා ‘පැටවූ 6/8/10  අට පට්ටම් කුඩුවක් හදන වැඩෙන්; ලස්සණ තාරකා කූඩු. 

සමහර පැතිවල  අහල පහල නිවෙස් සමඟ මිත්‍රශීලී තරගෙට වෙසක් කූඩු හදනවා.

අරුම පුදුම කූඩු පුද්ගලයන් අතින් නිර්මාණය වුනා. සමහරක් ඒවායේ නිර්මානශිලී භාවය, යොදා ගත් තාක්ෂණ හිතාගන්නවත් බැරි තරමට ඉහලයි.

අද වගේ වෙසක් කළාපවල ප්‍රදර්ශණය කරන එකම  වාගේ, යන්ත්‍රානුසාරයෙන් හැදු, විශාල අඳුරු කූඩු එදා තිබුනේ නැහැ.

එදා මුළු මැයි මාසයම හැමෝගෙම වගේ  ජිවිත වෙසක් කාඩ් වලින් වෙලා ගත්තා. වෙසක් කාඩ් එකක් ඇරිය කෙනෙක් නොමැති තරම්.  පාරවල පෙව්මන්ට් වෙසක් කාඩ් අලෙවි කරන තාවකාලික කඩ මඩු වලින් වැසී යනවා.  ඒ තරමට වෙසක් කාඩ් ජනප්‍රියයි. අද වෙසක් කාඩ් එකක් යවපු හෝ ලැබිච්ච කෙනෙක් ‘බෙහෙතකටවත්’ හොයා ගන්න අමාරුයි.  වෙසක් කාඩ් සංස්කෘතිය මුලුමනින්ම වාගේ ‘මැරී’ ගොස්. 

අද ඊමේල්, ‘ෆේස් බූක්’, ‘ඉන්ස්ටර්ග්‍රෑම්’ වලට වහල් වූ, තදින්ම  ‘යාන්ත්‍රිකරණය’ වූ සමාජයක මෙවැන්නක් බලාපොරොත්තු වෙන්න අමාරුයි. 

වෙසක් කූඩු, වෙසක් කාඩ්, වෙසක් භක්ති ගී  සම්ප්‍රදායන් නැති/අඩු වීම තුලින් අප  නැති කරගන්නේ ඒ දේවල්  පමණක් නොවෙයි, අපේ අධ්‍යාත්මයයි, ගුණගරුක කමයි. අපේ වටිනා ගති සිරිත් සහ අප විශ්වාස කරන හෝ අදහන දේයි.

වෙසක් තොරන්, දන්සැල්, වෙසක් භක්ති ගී අපේ ජිවිත කාලය තුලම ක්‍රම ක්‍රමයෙන් අභාවයට යනවා අපට ඉදිරියේදී දක්නට ලැබේවි.

දැන් වෙසක් පමණක් නොව සියළු පොහෝ දින සිල් ඇත්තන් ඉස්සරට වඩා ඉතා අඩුයි.

අද තැන තැන තියෙන වෙසක් කළාප හොඳ සංකල්පයක් වෙන්නත් පුළුවන්. හැබැයි, එදා මුළු කොළඹ නගරයම එකම වෙසක් කළාපයක්.  වෙනත් ප්‍රධාන නගරද එසේම වුනා.

කොළඹට වෙසක් බලන්න එන  අය අද තිබෙන  වෙසක් කළාප කිහිපය (5 හෝ 6 ) නරඹලා ගෙදර යනවා. නමුත් කළින් කීවාක් මෙන්,  එදා, වෙසක් කළාපය යනු  මුළු නගරයමයි. කොළඹ නම් මුළු කොළඹම 1 – 15 දක්වා.

එදා වෙසක් සිරියෙන් නගර උතුරා ගියා.  

අද වෙසක් කළාප කරන්නේ මහ ජනතාව නොවෙයි. හමුදාව (යුධ, ගුවන්, නාවික), පොලිසිය, සිවිල් ආරක්ෂක, විශාල කොම්පැනි, TV ආයතන ආදියයි.

හමුදාවේ වෙසක් කටයුතු සඳහා වියදම් කරන්නේ රජයේ මුදල්. මෙයින් ජනතාවට ලැබෙන බුද්ධාලම්භන ප්‍රීතිය අඩුයි. කොම්පැනි සිය අලෙවි ව්‍යාප්ත කටයුතුද ඒ තුලින් කර ගන්නවා.

එදා ගෙවල්වල  පොඩිම පොඩි  කූඩු, ලොකු ඉතාම නිර්මාණශීලී කුඩු,  එළිය පෙට්ටි හැදුවා, අද නැහැ හෝ ඉතා අඩුයි.

ඔලු බක්කෝ,  තහනම් කිරීම මෝඩ, අනවශ්‍ය දෙයක්. යම් හෙයකින් සමාජ විරෝධී ඒවා නම්, පොලිසියට නියාමනය කරන්න පුළුවන්.

මහා සැණකෙළියක් වූ වෙසක් දිනවල රෑ වෙසක් සිරි නරඹන්නන් විවිධ ආකරයෙන්, අහිංසක ලෙස සතුට, විනෝදය ලබා ගත්තා. එහි වරදක් නැහැ.

ගොඩාක් අය වෙසක් කියා මධ්‍යම රාත්‍රී චිත්‍රපට නැරඹුවා, සර්කර්ස් බැලුවා. මුළු කොළඹම ෂඩ් වර්ණයෙන් බැබැලුනා, ශබ්ධ විකාශන යන්ත්‍ර වලින් බුදු ගුණ රැව් පිලිරෙව් වුනා.

වෙසක් දවස්වල රෑ නගරවල විදී අළුයම පහන් වනතුරු  වෙසක් සිරි නරඹන ජනයාගෙන් පිරි ඉතිරී තිබිය යුතුයි. අවාසනාවකට අද එහෙම නැහැ.

දැන් ගොඩක් දුරට තියෙන්නේ‘හේදිලා ගිය’ වෙසක් සහ පොසොන් උත්සව. තොරන් ඉතාම අඩුයි. ගෙවල්වල සරසිළි ඇත්තෙම නැහැ වගේ, වැඩිම උනොත් බෞද්ධ කොඩියක්. 2026 කෙසේ වේවිද?

සමහර දන්සැල් වලට හිඟන්නන්ව  ගන්නේ නැතිලු, ඔවුන් ළඟ ගඳයි කියා.

දන්සැලක ප්‍රධානතම පරමාර්ථය කුමක්ද – දානය. කුසගින්න නිවීම.

අද බෙන්ස්/BMW කාරයේ ඇතුලේ සිටම අයිස්ක්‍රීම් ඉලල්ලා, කාලා, සමහරවිට එක්කෙනා 10 විතර   කාලා යනවා.

දන්සැල් පවත්වන්නේ ඇයි, එහි ශික්ෂණය කුමක්ද යන්න දන්සැල් කරන්නන් දැන ගත යුතුයි.

අපේ හෙළ කළාව, හෙළ බස, හෙළ දැය, හෙළ සමය අපි නොරැක්කොත් ඒවා වැනසී යනවාමයි.

ඒවා රැක ගන්න ජනයාට තනිව බැහැ, රජය උදව් කල යුතුයි, මැදිහත් විය යුතුයි.

‘අපි රජය, අපිට ඕවා කරන්න/රකින්න බැහැ, ජනතාව ඕන නම් කරගන්න’ කියා රජයට ඕන වුනත් කියන්න බැහැ. ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 9වෙනි වගන්තියෙන් රජය බැඳී සිටිනවා බුදු සසුනට ප්‍රමුඛත්වය දීමට සහ පෝෂණය කිරීමට.

අපේ දේශීය සංස්කෘතියේ උසස් කළා නිධානයක් වන පහත රට නැටුම අද අභාවයටම වගේ ගිහිං.

මෙයට මූළික හේතුවක් සියළු රාජ්‍ය  සහ පුද්ගලික අංශයේ සැළකිලි අප දේශීය කළාවේ මුදුන් මල්කඩ සේ සලකන උඩරට නැටුම් උදෙසා පමණක් වෙන් කිරීම.  

පෙරහැරවල අන් සියළු නැටුම් අභිභවා අද කාවඩි නැටුම් පෙරමුණ අරං. සමහර පෙරහැරවල කාවඩි කණ්ඩායම් 2, 3.

කාවඩි නැටුම් පසු කාලයේ කන්ද උඩ රට වඩුග රජුන්ගේ ආභාෂය නිසා නුවර පෙරහැරට එක්වූ අංගයක් විය හැකියි, පිරිසිඳු සිංහල බෞද්ධ සංස්කෘතික අංගයක් නොවේ.

මිනිසුන් බීගෙන නටන බවක්ද පෙනෙන්න තිබෙනවා සමහර කාවඩි පෙරහැර නැටුම් වල – විවිධ බයිලා තාල වලට.

ඉදින්, එසේ සිදුවන පෙරහර වල, එම පෙරහරේ  මුළින් පවත්වාගෙන ගිය වැදගත්, ශිෂ්ටසම්පන්න භාවයට එය අභියෝගයක්/තර්ජනයක්.

අද පාරට බැස්සහම පෙනෙනවා අපේ රටේ මොනතරම් ආබාධිතයින් සංඛ්‍යාවක් ඉන්නවද කියලා.  යුද්ධයට අමතරව හදිසි අනතුරු (වැඩියෙන්ම රිය අනතුරු) වලින් පිඩා විඳින අබාධිතයින් බොහෝයි. ඉඩක් ලැබුනොත් ඔවුනට කථා කරන්න, ඔවුන්ගේ කථා ශ්‍රවනය කරන්න.

අද කාලයේ ගෙදරින් එලියට බැස ගමනක් යන්න බය හිතෙනවා; ආපසු අනතුරක් නොවී ගෙදර එන්න ලැබේවීද කියා. ඔබ හෝ මම සදාකල් අබාධිතයෙකු වී දුක් විඳීමේ සම්භාවිතාව, දියුණු රටවල් හා සැසදීමේදී අපේ රටේ වැඩියි.

ශ්‍රමදාන කොච්චර හොඳ දෙයක්ද. ලංකාව ශ්‍රමදාන ලොවට හඳුවන්වා දුන් රටක්. මොන තරම් වැඩ කොටසක් ශ්‍රමදානෙන් කරන්න පුලුවන්ද. සෑම මසකම පලවෙනි හෝ අන්තිම ඉරිදා එම ගමේ/ නගරයේ ‘ශ්‍රමදාන ඉරිදා’ කරගන්න පුලුවන් නම්.

සූනාමි ඇවිත් විනාශ වෙච්ච බස්නැවතුම් පොළවල්, කෝච්චි පාරවල්, ගෙවල් දොරවල් එහෙම අපි  පොදුවේ වැඩ කරලා ඉතා ඉක්මනින් සෑහෙන දුරට  යථා තත්වයට පත්කර ගත්තා. ඉතාම හොඳ කර්තව්‍යයක්.  එදා ජවිපෙ සහෝදරවරු ඉදිරියෙන්ම සිටියා.

සුනාමි අවධියේ පුදුමාකාර ජවයකින්, රටට ආදරයකින් මුළු රටේම වගේ අය කටයුතු කලේ – උතුරේ ප්‍රභාකරන් පවා.

සුනාමියෙන් මුළු රටේ සියළු ජාතීන්ට අයත් ජනතාව එකසේ මිය ගියා. සුනාමි උපයෝගී කරගෙන  සියළු ජාතින් එක් සේසත් කරන්න එදා හිටපු රටේ පාලකයින්ට බැරි වුනා; යුද්ධය නැවත පටන් ගත්තා.

කෙනෙක්, එකතු වෙච්ච සුනාමි ආධාර පවා ගසා කෑවා.

1994 – 2005 කාලය තුල තමා වැඩිම ගණනක් රණ විරුවෝ LTTE නිසා මැරුනේ. සමහර එක් සටනකින් ඔවුන් 1,000කට වඩා ජිවිතක්ෂයට පත් වුනා. 750 – 800 එකවර මැරුණු අවස්ථා අපට මතකයි. ඉතා මෝඩ තීරණ ගත් අකාර්යක්ෂම, අධූරධර්ශි  පාලනාධිකාරිය ඒ ඛේධනීය මරණ වලට ඍජුව හෝ වක්‍රව වගකිව යුතුයි.

දේශපාලනයට අති ප්‍රසිද්ධ, කීර්තිමත්  නළුවෝ, ක්‍රීඩකයෝ, ගායකයෝ වැනි අයව  ගේනවා. මේවා දේශපාලනඥයන් චන්ද දිනන්න කරන වැඩ.

ඒ දේශපාලනඥයෝ රටට ආදරේ නැති ආත්මාර්ථකාමීන්.

ඒ අහිංසක මිනිස්සු දේශපාලනයෙන් සමුගන්නේ තමා ගොඩ නගාගත් හොඳ  නම පළුදු කරගෙන.

ඒ ඒ අංශ වලට දක්ෂ අය ඒවයින් ඉවත් වුනාට පසුවත් ඒ අංශම දියුණු කරන වැඩවල දිගටම යෙදෙන්න ඕන. ඒ ගොල්ලන්ට ඒ සඳහා දෙන්න පුළුවන් සහාය අති විශාලයි.  පුහු දේශපාලනයම බදා ගන්න ඕන නැහැ.

චියාන් කයි ෂෙක් තායිවානයට 1949 යනකොට ඒ රට පැල්පත් ගුහාවක්. අද තාය්වානය?

ඒ කාලේ කොල්ලුපිටියේ ලිබර්ටි හෝල්  එක පිටිපස්සේ පැල්පත් වත්තට කිවුවේ ‘කොරියාව’ කියලා. අද (දකුණු) කොරියාව කොහොමද? අපි ලක්ෂ ගණනින් එහේ වැඩට යනවා.

‘ආ ඒ ඕස්ත්‍රේලියාව, සිංගප්පුරුව නැත්නම් කොරියාව, අපි  ඒ රටවල් තරම් දියුණු නැතත්, දකුණු ආසියාවේ සහ අප්‍රිකාවේ ගොඩක් රටවල් වලට වැඩිය අපි ගොඩක් හොඳයි’ කියලා කොයි දේටත් නිදහසට කරුණු ඉදිරිපත් කරන අය ඉන්නවා.’   මේවා මෝඩ නිදහසට කරුණු.

අපට ඕස්ත්‍රේලියාව, සිංගප්පුරුව, කොරියාවටත් වඩා දියුණු වෙන්න බැරි මන්දැයි කියා හිතන්න/අහන්න පුළුවන් පිට කොන්දක් හදා ගන්න ඕන.

සිංගප්පුරුව, අපි වගේ නොවේ, කිසිම ස්වාභාවික් සම්පතක් නැති රටක්. දියුණු වීමට ප්‍රධාන හේතු: හොඳ නායකත්වය, දුෂණ/වංචා නොමැති වීම, රාජ්‍ය පාලනයට දේශපාලන ඇඟිලිගැසීම් නොමැතිවීම, හොඳ අධ්‍යාපන ක්‍රමය, සුදුස්සාට සුදුසු තැන් ලැබීම, මනා ආදායම් බදු ක්‍රමයක් තිබීම, වෙහෙස මහන්සි වී වැඩකරන මිනිසුන් සිටීම සහ රටේ පිරිසිඳු කම.

අපි සිංගප්පුරුව තරමට දියුණු වෙන්න ඉස්සෙල්ලා, මලයාසියාව තරමටවත් දියුණු වෙන්න ඕන. ඉනිමගේ ඉහලටම නගින්නේ පල්ලෙහා පඩි පසු කරලා. 

දත් 32 මැද දිව වගේ තමා ඊශ්‍රායලය තිබෙන්නේ. කිසිම ස්වභාවික සම්පතක් නැහැ, තෙල් ඇතුළුව. අද 1වෙනි ලෝකයේ ධනවත්ම රටක්.  මේ තරම් දියුණු වුනේ ඒ ජනතාවගේ ආත්ම ධෛර්යය, කැපවීම අධිෂ්ටානය සහ නොපසුබස්නා වීර්යය නිසා.

ඔවුන්ගේ වර්ගවාදී, ගෝත්‍රවාදී ආකල්ප අප ඉතා පිළිකුලෙන් බැහැර කල යුතුයි.

ඉඩම් නඩුවක් නම් අවසානයේ තීන්දුව එනකොට නඩුව දාපු කෙනා සමහරවිට මියගිහින්.

තව ඉතා සිමීත කාලයක් ඇතුලත එහි චන්දයක් පවත්වෙනවා යන්න දැන දැන, විශාල මහජන මුදලක් වියදම් කර,  මහත් ප්‍රසිද්ධියක් දී ජනාධිපතිතුමාට ජපානයට යාම සුදුසු යයි කියා උපදෙස් දුන්නේ කවුද?

ගිය සතියේ ජනාධිපතිවරයාව මහ ඉහළින් පිළිගත් ජපන් අගමැතිතුමා දැන් නැහැ. ළඟදීම එහි අළුත් ආණ්ඩුවක්, නව අගමැතිවරියක්.

ආයි යන්න වේවිද?

සමහර පුද්ගලික සහ ලංගම බස් කොන්දොස්තරවරු ඉන්නවා උවමනාවෙන්ම මගීන්ගෙන් සල්ලි ගන්නේ නැහැ. මේ  අය කාටවත්ම වැඩක් නැති කොටසක්.

1/10/25 සිට ක්‍රියාත්මක වන අළුත් බස් ටිකට් නිතීය යටතේ මේ අයට වැඩ වරදීවි.

ඇතැම් රූට් වල, ප්‍රය්වෙට් බස් වල මඟින් උතුරා යාමටත්, ලංගම බස් වල බොහෝ විට එසේ නොවීමටත් හේතුවක් තියෙන්න ඕන.

141 රූට් එකේ ලංගම බසයක් යනවා, ප්‍රය්වෙට් බස් වලට පිටුපස්සෙන්මයි යන්නේ, ඕවර්ටේක් කරලා යන්නේ නැහැ.  ලංගම බස් එකේ සෙනග නැහැ, ඊට ඉදිරියෙන් යන ප්‍රය්වෙට් බස් එකේ උතුරන්න සෙනග, තවත් සෙනග පටවා ගන්නවා.

ප්‍රය්වෙට් බස් එකේ ‘කොන්දා’ ලංගම බස් එකට අතින් මොනවද සඥ්යා කරනවා දැක්කා කියලා කියපු මල්ලියෙක් ඉන්නවා. ඇත්තද දන්නේ නැහැ.

ඔය දේශපාලන වැඩ වලට, මැයි දිනේ ද ඇතුළුව, බස් වෙන්කරනවානම් මහජන ගමනාගමනය කඩාකප්පල් නොවෙන අයුරින් එය සිදු කල යුතුයි.

මිනිස්සු පිරෙන්න ඉන්නවනම් පමණක් බසයක්  ධාවනය විය යුතුය යන සංකල්පයෙන් සිටින බස් මුදලාලිලා අතට මගී ප්‍රවාහන යාන්ත්‍රනය  භාර දී, ඔවුනට ඕන විදියට කාල සටහන් හදා, බස් ධාවනයට ඉඩ දීම නිසා පසුගිය කාලයේ බස් මගීන් වැටුනේ කබලෙන් ලිපටය.

පුද්ගලික බස් අයිතිකාරයන්ගෙන් බස් සේවය යනු ලාභ ලබන නොව මහජන සේවයක් බව බලාපොරොත්තුවීම කළු ගලෙන් වතුර ලබා ගන්නවා වැනි වූ නිෂ්පල වැඩක්. ඒ අයට බැනලා වැඩක් නැහැ, රජය බලවත් විය යුතුයි. ප්‍රධානම දෙයක් ලංගම ශක්තිමත් කිරීම.

රෑ 7න් පස්සේ කොල්ලුපිටියේ ඉඳලා බොරැල්ලට කෙළින්ම යන්න බස් එකක් නැහැ, ආයි රෑ  9ට කොල්ලුපිටිය දුම්රිය පොළ ලඟින් තියෙන 177 ලංගම බස් එක හැර. ඉතා ශෝචනීය තත්ත්වයක්.

රැ 7න් පස්සේත් ඉතා කාර්යබහුලව දිගටම තිබිය යුතු පිටකොටුව, නුගේගොඩ, බොරැල්ල, මහරගම, පිළියන්දල  ටවුන් ඉතා ඉක්මනින් ජන ශූන්‍ය බවට පත් වෙනවා. මන්ද, ඉන් පසු, මගී ප්‍රවාහන සේවයක් නැතිම තරම් නිසා; ත්‍රී වීල් හැර.

රෑට කොළඹ සහ සෙසු මහ නගරවල ප්‍රධාන අභ්‍යන්තර රූට් වල රැ 12 වෙන තුරු  පැයෙන් පැයට වත් බස් ධාවනය කල යුතුයි, සෙනග අඩුකම වෙනම ප්‍රශ්නයක්.

මෙසේ දුවන්නේ නැති ප්‍රයිවෙට් බස් ධාවකයන්ට කිසියම් දඬුවම් ක්‍රමයක් ලබා දිය යුතුයි.

එදා, 1979 JRගේ ප්‍රයිවෙට් බස් එන්න ඉස්සර,  මිනිස්සු රැ 930 චිත්‍රපටය බලලා, එය ඉවර වෙලා ගෙදර ගියේ ලංගම  බස් එකෙන්; එතකොට් රැ 12ත් පැනලා.

මීගමුව බස් ස්ටෑන්ඩ් එක ඉතා හොඳට හදා තියෙනවා. කොපමන කලක් අද තියෙන පිරිසිඳු කම රැකේද?

දුර ඉඳන් කොළඹ යන බොහෝ බස් මිගමුව බස් ස්ටෑන්ඩ් එකට නොපැමිණ තෙල්වත්ත හන්දියේ නවත්වා යනවා. මේ නිසා මීගමුව බස් ස්ටෑන්ඩ් එකේ අගය පහල වැටෙනවා; මීගමුවේ මගීන්ට ඒ බස් ‘මිස්’ වෙනවා. සමහර අර්ධ-සීග්‍රගාමි බස්වත්  මිගමුව බස් ස්ටෑන්ඩ් එක හරහා ගියොත් මගීන්ට හොඳයි.

කුරුනෑගල, නුවර බෝගම්බර, අක්කරෙයිපත්තු, ත්‍රීකුනාමළය, මන්නාරම බස් ස්ටෑන්ඩ් ඉතා හොඳයි.

මඩකලපුව, කැකිරාව, අනුරාධපුරය (දිගු ගමන්), යාපනය බස් ස්ටෑන්ඩ් හොඳ මදි; පිරිසිඳු කමින් බාලයි.

බස් රියදුරු මහත්තුරු තේ බොන්න බස්‌ එක නවත්තන්නේ එයාලාට ‘සම්තිං’ එකක්‌ දෙන, ‘ගතම්’ එකක්‌ ගෙවන හෝටලයක්‌ ගාව විතරයි.  එතන කෑම කොහොමද, ටොයිලට් කොහොමද කියල එයාලට අදාල නැහැ.  එයාලාගේ ගාන දෙනවනං ඒ ඇති. 

සමහර බස්‌ කොන්දොස්‌තරවරුන් සහ රියදුරන්ට දහසින් බැඳි පියලි හෙවත් මුදල් තෑගි ලැබෙනවා. තවත් අයට ඇති වෙන්න කෑම බීම සමග රැගෙන යන්නටද කෑම මුලක්‌ ලැබෙයි.  තවත් තැන් වල සන්තෝසම බයිට්‌ පාර්සලයක්‌ සමග අරක්‌කු බාගයක්‌ හෝ බෝතලයකි.

බස් මගින් සඳහා වූ හෝටලයක  වැසිකිලයට යාමට එලියට බැස්‌සවිට එම හෝටලයේ  පිටුපැත්තේ වැසිකිලි පේලි දෙකක් තිබුනා. ඉන් දෙකක්‌ කාන්තාවන් සඳහා වන අතර ඉතිරි දෙක පිරිමින් සඳහාය. දිනකට සිය/දහස්‌ ගනනක්‌ පරිහරණය කරන නිසා ඒවායෙන් හමන දුර්ගන්දය ගැන කතා කරන්නට වචන නැත.

එම බස් මගීන් සඳහා වූ හෝටල් වල ප්‍රශ්න විසදන්න පුළුවන් අදාළ වූ රජයේ ආයතනවලට පමණයි. නමුත්, එවැන්නක් නොකෙරෙන්නේ බොහෝ අදාළ දේශපාලනඥයන්/උසස් නිලධාරින් බස් වල ගමන් නොගන්නා නිසාත්, මෙවන් ප්‍රශ්ණ තිබෙන බවක් ඔවුන් නොදන්නා විය හැකි නිසාත්ය.

කොළඹ සිට හිඟුරක්ගොඩ දක්වා නව නවීන මහජන වැසිකිලි පද්ධතියක් සාදන බව රජය පසුගිය දා ප්‍රකාශ කළා. හොඳ වැඩක්. හැබැයි කිමි 5න් 5ට අවශ්‍ය නැහැ. කිමි 40න් 40 වාගේ, ප්‍රධාන නගරවල  තිබුනා නම් ඇති.

එතකොට අනිත් පළාත්වලට?

පොලිසිය විසින් තදින් විමර්ශනය කරමින් යන, තවමත් නඩුව අසා අවසන් වී නැති, රටේ නමගිය අපරාධ පිළිබඳව ඇතැම් යු ටියුබ් කරුවන් හුදු විව්ස් ගැනීමේ හෝ වෙනයම් සදාචාර විරෝධී අරමුණින් යු ටියුබ් වැඩසටහන් කර මහජන ප්‍රදර්ශනයට දානවා. සමහරවිට අපරාධ චූදිතයන්, අපරාධයට සම්බන්ධ සාක්ෂිකරුවන් පවා මේ යු ටියුබ් කරුවන් බිය, සැක නැතුව ප්‍රසිද්ධියේ ස්වකීය වැඩසටහන් තුලින් ප්‍රශ්ණ කරනවා. මෙය සිදු කරගෙන යන  පොලිස් අපරාධ විමර්ශනයට බලවත් හානියක්, බාධා කිරීමක්.

ඇත්තටම, පොලිසියට ඉස්සෙල්ලා යු ටියුබ් කරුවා  විසින් අපරාධය ප්‍රසිද්ධියේ විමර්ශනය කරනවා පමණක් නොවෙයි අපරාධය පිළිබඳව නොමඟ යවන ප්‍රකාශ පවා ඔවුන්  කරනවා. ජනතාව  තුල ත්‍රාසය, කුතුහලය අවුස්සා ඔවුන් තම යු ටියුබ් ගිණුම් මාර්ගයෙන් උපරිම ලෙස මුදල් හම්බ කරගන්නවා.

දියුණු රටවල මෙසේ කරන අයව අපරාධ නිතීය යටතේ අත් අඩංගුවට ගෙන වසර ගණනාවකට සිර ගෙදර යවනවා.

මෙම ලිපිය ලියන ලියුම්කරු මෙවැනි වූ චූදිතයෙක් හට විදේශයකදී නීතිඥ සහාය ලබා දී තිබෙනවා (ඒ තැනැත්තා යු ටියුබ් කරුවෙක් නොවීය). මෙම බලවත් අපරාධයට ඇමරිකාව, එංගලන්තය, ඕස්ත්‍රේලියාව වැනි රටවල  හඳුන්වන්නේ ‘perverting the course of justice’ යන දරුණු අපරාධ චෝදනාවෙන්.  

කොළඹ සහ තදාසන්න ප්‍රදේශවල තියෙන මේ තරම් අමාරු, දුෂ්කර, අවහිර බාධා සහිත මාර්ගවල, අනතුරු වළක්වමින් රිය පදවන අපේ රියැදුරෝ, විශේෂයෙන්ම බස්, බර වාහන රියැදුරෝ ලෝකයේ  ඉන්න හොඳම  රියැදුරෝ ගොඩට වැටෙනවා.

මගී ප්‍රවාහන අධිකාරියෙන්, පළාත් අනුව (TV නාළිකා හවුල් කර ගෙන),  මගී ජනතා චන්දයෙන්  හොඳම බස් ඩ්‍රයිවර්, හොඳම කොන්දොස්තර,  හොඳම  බස් සේවය, හොඳම ටිකට් පරීක්ෂකවරු  තෝරන වැඩ සටහන් ඇති කරන්න ඕන. ඒ දිනන සෑම අයට තෑගි/සහතික  දෙන්න ඕන.

සෑම මාර්ගයකම අපේ දුම්රිය සේවය උපරිම කාර්යක්ෂමතාවයෙන් වැඩ කෙරෙන්නේ නැහැ. උදා:

ඉතාමත් ජනාකීර්ණ වෙලාවල පවා (උදේ වැඩට පැමිණෙන සහ සවස වැඩ අරුණු)  දුම්රියයන්  අදාළ මාර්ගවල ධාවනය කරන්නේ පැය ½ට  එකක් වගේ. ඉතිං, උදේට වැඩට එන සහ වැඩ  ඇරිලා ගෙදර යන මිනිස්සු යන්නේ බාගෙට මැරිලා.

විනාඩි 5 හෝ 10 වරක් වත් එවැනි දුම්රියක් ධාවනය කරන්න බැරි ඇයි, දහස් ගණනක් මගීන් මේ මාර්ග භාවිතා කරන කාර්යබහුල වෙලාවල?

කොළඹ කොටුව සිට:

පොල්ගහවෙල/රඹුක්කන සහ මුහුදුබඩ (පානදුර/කළුතර සහ මීගමුව/හලාවත) සහ කැළණිවැලි

මාර්ගවල දුම්රිය කාළ සටහන් අරං බලන්න; මොන තරම් අඩු දුම්රිය ප්‍රමාණයක්ද දිනකට ධාවනය කරන්නේ කියා, උපරිමව මගීන් සිටින වෙලාවන්වල පවා. විනාඩි 25 – 30 මිනිස්සු සිය ගණන්, දුම්රිය වේදිකා වලට වී බලා සිටිනවා අදාළ දුම්රිය එනතුරු. ඉන්පසු, පසුව මිරිකිලා, තෙරපිලා යනවා.

නැවතත්, ඇයි විනාඩි 5න් 10ට මේවායේ දුම්රියන් ධාවනය නොකරන්නේ?

මිනිසුන් දුම්රිය භාවිතා කිරීම අවම කිරීමටද? සැප පහසුව, ලස්සණට මිනිසුන් හිඳ ගෙන යනවා දැකීමට දුම්රිය බලධාරීන්ගේ අසතුටුද?

කරන්න පුළුවන් දෙයක්:

දුම්රිය සේවයට අවශ්‍ය නම් ඉතා පහසුවෙන්, ධාවනය කරන දුම්රිය සංඛ්‍යාව වැඩි කරන්න පුළුවන් පවත්නා කාළසටහන් සංශෝධනය කරලා; හැබැයි කරන්නේ නැහැ. මගීන්ගේ දුක ඔවුන්ට වැඩක් නැහැ.

ඉතා ජනාකීර්ණ වෙලාවට සිඩ්නි, මෙල්බර්න් මෙට්‍රෝ සෑම විනාඩි 5ට වරක් වත් දුම්රියක් එහි සෑම   ජනාකීර්ණ මාර්ගයක ධාවනය කරනවා.  සියළු මගීන් ඉතා සතුටින් හිඳ ගෙන යනවා.

පැරිස්, ලන්ඩන්, නිව් යෝර්ක්, ටෝකියෝ  ඉතා ජනාකීර්ණ වෙලාවල මිනිත්තු 2න් 2ට වත් දුම්රියක් අධි ජානාකීර්ණ මාර්ගවල ධාවනය කරවනවා මගී තෙරපුම අවම කිරීමට.

නව දිල්ලිය, මුම්බායි දැන් දුම්රිය සේවා ඉතා හොඳයි. කාන්තාවන්ට වෙනම මැදිරි සලසා තියෙනවා. ඔවුන් හිඳ ගෙන යනවා.

කිසිදා අපට හොඳ ප්‍රවාහන ඇමති කෙනෙක් ලැබුනේ නැහැ, ඩලස් තරමක් හොඳයි.

දැන් ඉන්න කෙනා ගැන තව බලන්න ඕන. පසුව වාර්ථා කරමු.

 ත්‍රී රෝද රථ රියදුරු මහතුන් ඉතා දක්ෂ ලෙස අස්සෙන් රිංගා කොහොම හරි ගමන ඉදිරියටම  යනවා, මගියාව ඉක්මනට ගෙන යනවා.

අස්සෙන් රිංගා යාම නිසා සිදුවිය හැකි වාහන අනතුරුද බහුලයි. ඒ  අය හිතන්නේ ඉස්සරහ රෝදේ කොහොමහරි දාගත්තම, පිටිපස්සේ රෝද දෙකත් එම ඉඩෙන්ම  දාගන්න පුළුවන් කියලා.

සැමවිටම මීටර් ත්‍රීවිල් ටැක්සියක්ම පාවිච්චි කරන්න.

දුෂිත ත්‍රීවිල් රියදුරන් ඉන්නවා මීටරය තිබිද්දී එය නොදා පදවන්න බලන අය.

රෑට මීටර් නැතුව එලවන බොහෝ ත්‍රිවිල් රියදුරන් ඉන්නවා. ඇහුවහම බොරුවට කියනවා මීටරය කැඩිලා කියලා.

පොලිසියට හෝ අදාළ අධිකාරියට මේ වගේ අයව කෙලින්ම පැමිණිලි කල හැකි ක්‍රමයක් සැකසිය යුතුයි – එවලේම ගත හැකි හොට් ලයින් නොම්බරයක් වැනි.

නිර්මානශිලී නව අදහස් නොමැතිව මෙය දියුණු, පොහොසත් රටක් කල නොහැකියි (ජාජබ අභිලාශය මෙයනේ).

ත්‍රීවිල් ලියාපදිංචි කර රියදුරාගේ විස්තර ත්‍රිවිලයේ යන මගියාට දකින්නට පුළුවන් ලෙස සකස් කරන වැඩපිළිවෙලක් අවශ්‍යයි. ත්‍රීවිල් මිටරත් නිතර නිතර පරීක්ෂණයට ලක් කල යුතුයි, විශේෂයෙන්ම තමන්ගේම මීටර යොදා ගන්න අයගේ.

ලින්ක් මීටරය හොඳයි.

ඉදිරියේදී ත්‍රීවිල් ක්‍රමානුකුලව පාරවලින් ඉවත් කර නැනෝ, ඇල්ටෝ වැනි පොඩි කාර් ඒ වෙනුවට යෙදවිය හැකියි. දෙකේම ගාස්තුව බොහෝවිට එකයි. ත්‍රීවිල් හොඳ සේවයක් කළා, නමුත් දැන් යන්න කාලය ඇවිත්?

ත්‍රිවිල් නිසා පරිසර දුෂණය වැඩියි.  සමහරවිට ලොකු බස්/ට්‍රක්  වලින් පිටවෙන කාබන් මොනොක්සයිඩ් වායුව මගියාගේ/රියදුරාගේ පෙනහළුවලට කෙලින්ම යන්න පුළුවන්.

මේවා තදබල පිළිකා කාරක. අනතුරක් සිදු වූ විට වෙන ආපදාවේ  තරමත් වැඩියි. . අනික රටේ  දුප්පත් භාවයක් නිරුපනය කර පෙන්වනවා. 

ජපානයේ නිපදවන ඉලෙක්ට්‍රික් ත්‍රී වීල් එහි ප්‍රදර්ශනාගාර වල තිබෙනවා; හරිම පිරිසිඳුයි, පරිසර හිතකාමියි. නමුත්, බොහෝ ගණන්.

මේ මෑතක් වනතුරුම අපට වඩා ‘පහලින්’ සිටි,  මලයාසියාවේ අදත් ත්‍රීවිල් නැහැ, කවදාවත් හඳුන්වා දෙන්නේ  නැහැයි කියා ඒ අය  කියනවා. සිංගප්පුරුවේ ටැක්සි හැටියට දුවන්න පුළුවන් සැප වාහන පමණයි.

මතු සම්බන්ධයි …….

Sri Lanka and Iran solidarity

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has appealed to his Sri Lankan counterpart, Vijitha Herath, for solidarity following the United Nations’ reimposition of sweeping economic and military sanctions on Tehran, foreign media reports said yesterday.

A report published by REGTECHTIMES said: Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, has sent urgent messages to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, urging both nations to oppose sanctions imposed by the United States and its Western allies. According to Iran’s Ambassador in Colombo, Alireza Delkhosh, the letters highlighted concerns that these sanctions could weaken international law and set a dangerous precedent for other countries.

Araghchi’s messages emphasised that the issue is not only about Iran. They stated that today it is Iran facing restrictions, but tomorrow it could be other countries, including those in South Asia and Africa. The letters suggested that allowing sanctions to continue without resistance could make international rules appear fragile and ineffective.

The letters described the sanctions as a challenge to the credibility of global law. Araghchi called on Sri Lanka and the Maldives to resist pressure from Western countries and defend the dignity of international Law. He warned that treating international law as a political tool is dangerous and could have long-term consequences for countries around the world.

Recent Sanctions and International Response

The letters come after the United Nations reimposed sanctions on Iran through a mechanism called snapback.” The process was triggered by Britain, France, and Germany, who argued that Iran had failed to meet its commitments under the 2015 nuclear agreement. These sanctions targeted Iran’s nuclear and ballistic programmes and included measures that had previously been lifted, such as bans on oil exports, banking, transport, and energy trade.

Following the UN actions, the European Union reinstated strict sanctions. The EU said that Iran had breached the terms of the nuclear deal and that its stockpile of enriched uranium had exceeded agreed limits. These measures are intended to prevent Iran from advancing its nuclear and missile programmes.

EU unleashes historic crypto crackdown—digital currency ban hits Russia’s war chest

Meanwhile, the United States also increased pressure by imposing sanctions on 38 individuals and companies in Iran and China. According to the US Treasury Department, these groups supplied Iran’s military with missiles, helicopter parts, and other technologies. The US described these sanctions as a way to enforce international restrictions and stop Iran from acquiring advanced military technologies.

Iran has strongly rejected the return of UN sanctions. The country described these measures as illegal and said they carry no obligations for other nations. According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry, any attempt to reapply old resolutions that ended in 2015 is invalid and has no legal effect.

Iran’s Call to Other Nations

In the letters, Araghchi stressed that the situation is a test for global law and the fairness of international rules. He urged Sri Lanka and the Maldives to resist pressure from Western powers and take a stand. Araghchi warned that ignoring this moment could make international rules appear weak and allow stronger countries to impose restrictions without accountability.

Iran nuclear deal crisis deepens as UN Security Council blocks sanctions relief extension

According to Ambassador Alireza Delkhosh, supporting Iran’s position is not only about helping one nation but also about protecting the credibility of international law. The letters suggested that smaller countries could play an important role in defending global fairness and preventing powerful countries from acting without consequences.

The messages were delivered as part of Iran’s broader diplomatic efforts to rally international support against what it calls unjust sanctions.” By reaching out to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Iran is seeking to show that its opposition has global backing and is not Limited to just a few nations.

The situation highlights ongoing tensions between Iran and Western countries over nuclear programmes, sanctions, and international rules. It also highlights the role that smaller nations can play in influencing global decisions and defending international Law.

Senaka Weeraratna 

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) as a governing body registered under the Ministry of Sports is tasked with upholding the country’s cricketing heritage and promoting the sport from the grassroots to the international level. They also have responsibilities related to protecting the integrity of Sri Lankan cricket through disciplinary protocols and ensuring fair play.  The question of recognizing the DRS as a Sri Lankan innovation is a matter that falls squarely under their mandate to serve the nation and potentially contribute to national pride and the recognition of Sri Lankan ingenuity in world cricket. SLC as a state instrument of a sovereign nation has a fundamental duty to formally acknowledge Senaka Weeraratna’s contribution and not wait for ICC approval.

SLC must show solidarity with Sri Lanka first and not shamefully behave like a lackey of the ICC acting against the best interests of Sri Lanka with respect to DRS. 

by A. Abdul Aziz.

Lajna Imaillah (Ahmadiyya Muslim Women Association) Sri Lanka held its Annual Gathering (Ijtima) on 20^th and 21^st of September at Fazl Mosque premises, Negombo. The event was chaired by the President of the Association.

 The event started with flag hoisting by the President of the Association followed by silent prayer. The main event began with the recitation of Holy Quran followed the Association pledge was read out and the audience repeated.

The two days gathering (Ijtema) was enriched with a variety of spiritual, academic, and engaging activities:

Annual Ijtima of Nasirath (Ahmadi girls between 7 years to 15) was also held on the previous day (20 September 2025) at the same premises.

A special session by Ahmadiyya Montessori students to highlight their talents was also part of the event and the yearly publication of the magazine AN NISA (the woman) was launched at the event.

Academic Competitions such as Holy Qurán recitation, Urdu Poem (nazm), quiz, and speech competition were held and prizes with certificates distributed to all the winners. Educational Excellence Awards were presented to students who achieved outstanding results in their academic studies.

An inspirational discussion programme was held on the topic of Obedience to Khilafat (Spiritual Leadership), strengthening the bond of members with the blessed institution of Khilafat.

In conclusion, President, Ahmadiyya Muslim Women Association, Sri Lanka addressed:

As the ladies who have accepted the Imam of the age, the Promised Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (peace be on him,) we should live our lives according to the true teachings of Islam and to spread them far and wide. Promised messiah (peace be on him) said that Allah desires for the Jamaat of Promised Messiah to be an example to all others, and says that, to be a example means that when others see or hear you, they are influenced and seek to imitate what they have witnessed; Promised Messiah (peace be on him) has said that every Ahmadi should read his book kishti e nuh (Ark of Noah) repeatedly as this book contains a lot of guidance for Ahmadi women, because Promised Messiah (peace be on him) has written about the qualities and virtues that woman should seek and how they should live their lives.

President Sri Lanka Ahmadiyya Women Association continued to say, it is the mother who is responsible for the moral training of the children. If the mothers are religiously educated, they will raise the children with spiritual inclination.

Ahmadi girls and ladies from all the Chapters of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in the country attended.

Lajna Ima’illah – (committee for the maids of Allah) is the women’s auxiliary organization of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. It is for women above the age of 15. The organization was established in 1922 by Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood Ahmad, the Second Khalifa (Caliph) of the Community to give women a voice in the administrative affairs of the Community and a degree of independence. It is the largest of the auxiliary organizations within the Community.

Motto

No nation can progress without educating their women.

 Aims and Objectives

This Axillary organization places a particular emphasis upon education and the moral upbringing of children. Among its aims are:

• To improve and enhance knowledge, whilst being focused on achieving high morals and spirituality.
• To serve the Community using pre-existing skills, including fundraising for local charities.
• To focus on upbringing of children, training and preparing them to spend their lives in accordance with the teachings of Islam.
• To promote unity and work together with patience and forbearance, overlooking each other’s shortcomings.
• To strive hard in the face of difficulties and challenges with fortitude and bravery.
• To plan to help the poor in a practical manner.

 Source: President, Ahmadiyya Muslim Women Association, Sri Lanka.

Udaya Gammanpila

උපුටා ගැන්ම ලංකා සී නිව්ස්

බස්නාහිර පලාත් පෙරපාසල් ඒ්කකය කිසි දිනක ඉතිහාසයේ මෙතරම් දේශපාලනීකරණය වී නොමැති බව පෙර පාසල් ගුරු වෘත්තිකයන්ගේ සංගමයේ සභාපති අසංක ශ‍්‍රීනාත් මහතා පවසයි.

වර්තමාන අධ්‍යක්ෂකවරිය පුටුවේ වාඩි කරවන්නේ පාර්ලිමේන්තුව නියෝජනය කරන මන්ත‍්‍රීවරියක්, එනම් ආණ්ඩු පක්ෂයේ සංවිධායකතුමාගේ නෝනා බව හෙතෙම පෙන්වා දෙයි.

එමෙන්ම, මන්ත‍්‍රීවරිය මහරගමට, කොළඹට හෝ හෝමාගමට පැමිණ පෙර පාසල් ගුරුවරුන්ට දේශන පවත්වන බවට තමා මෑත දිනවල දුටු බව ද සභාපතිවරයා සඳහන් කළේය.

වර්තමානයේ දී මෙම මන්ත‍්‍රීවරියක් විසින් බස්සාර පළාතේ වැඩසටහන් කරගෙන යන බවත්, ඇය විසින්ම වැඩසටහන් දාන බවත් ශ‍්‍රීනාත් මහතා වැඩිදුරටත් චෝදනා කරයි.

බස්සාර පළාතේ වැඩසටහන දැන් අධ්‍යක්ෂක වෙලා තියෙන්නේ පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී සමන්මලී ගුණසිංහ බව හෙතෙම කියා සිටියේය.

කෙසේ වෙතත්, අද ආණ්ඩුව කරනු ලබන්නේ සමාජය ඉල්ලූ දේවල් නොව, ඉල්ලා නැති දේවල් බව ද අසංක ශ‍්‍රීනාත් මහතා අවධාරණය කළේය.

by Melani Manel Perera, Courtesy PIME Asia News

Faced with 22,000 deaths a year linked to alcohol consumption, the Sri Lankan government has made a symbolic gesture on World Temperance Day. Former alcoholic entrepreneurs tell AsiaNews: “A scourge that leaves the poorest defenceless. Politicians must choose whether they want the revenue from excise duties or these victims.”

Colombo (AsiaNews) – Sri Lanka also celebrated World Temperance Day yesterday, 3 October, established by the World Health Organisation in 1988 to focus attention on the effects of alcohol on health and society. Every year, there are still around 22,000 deaths in the country linked to alcohol consumption.

This anniversary is always an opportunity for a series of nationwide programmes to educate communities about the risks associated with this social scourge.

According to Dr Ananda Ratnayake, chairman of the National Tobacco and Alcohol Authority, 21% of Sri Lanka’s population consumes alcohol, a percentage that continues to be a major public health concern.

For this reason, the Sri Lankan Excise Department has decided to close all wine and spirits shops from the evening of 2 October until the morning of 4 October to mark World Temperance Day. However, many believe that limiting alcohol consumption requires more than just one awareness day a year.

‘Under good government supervision, there should be a concrete state programme to keep liquor lovers away from liquor stores,’ say some citizens.

People like Methsiri Cooray, Kanchan Silva and Roxy Rowel, former entrepreneurs addicted to alcohol, told AsiaNews that ‘you cannot achieve both temperance in consumption and increased tax revenue from alcohol sales.’

‘The government should take the initiative to close all liquor stores to save the lives of the poor,’ they add. ‘Because rich people know how to drink without damaging their lives. But middle-class people don’t, and they’re not even rich enough to afford more expensive alcohol. We need a new path,’ conclude Methsiri Coray and Roxy Royal, ‘to ensure that neither the rich nor the poor will pursue alcohol anymore, and that their lives will be safe.’

MOHAMED AYUB  Courtesy The Daily Mirror

---

The proposed promotion of LGBTQIA tourism as well as abolishing the caning of children has stirred fierce debate 

---

The LGBTQ issue has been a controversy following a letter sent by Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam to Equal Ground Executive Director Ms. Rosanna Flamer-Caldera, commending an initiative to promote and develop LGBTIQ tourism in the country

It is not clear whether it is due to a mix up of priorities or ideological obsession of certain ministers,  or genuine intentions,  that the government has created controversies on the so-called LGBTQ tourism and the action against corporal punishment of children, at this stage.

Already the government has presented a Bill seeking to amend the Penal Code of Sri Lanka to prohibit corporal punishment for children in all spheres, including homes, schools, and other care settings,  and the Bill has been debated over a day during the last week of last month. 

The LGBTQ issue has been a controversy following a letter sent by Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam to Equal Ground Executive Director Ms. Rosanna Flamer-Caldera, commending an initiative to promote and develop LGBTIQ tourism in the country. 

Hewawasam in his letter had recognised the potential of LGBTQ tourism to diversify tourism markets and position Sri Lanka as a safe, inclusive, and welcoming destination for all travellers.” Equal Ground is an advocacy organisation based in Colombo, that campaigns for political, social and civilian rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) individuals.

The letter opened a can of worms for the government with nationalist groups protesting and religious leaders such as the Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith and the Mahanayakes of main Buddhist chapters in the country criticising the move. Cardinal said a strange culture” is emerging in Sri Lanka, not as a result of government policy but through the actions of certain institutions. 

 He questioned if they realise our children, our greatest resource which must be protected, are being influenced in this way,  stressing that people born homosexual should be respected and their rights safeguarded, Cardinal Ranjith cautioned against normalising homosexuality as a lifestyle.

The Mahanayaka Theras of the Malwathu, Asgiriya, Amarapura, and Ramanna Chapters on their part had written to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressing strong opposition to what they described as efforts to promote LGBTQ lifestyles and amend the Penal Code to outlaw corporal punishment.

In the letter, the chief prelates  said certain groups were attempting to normalise homosexual conduct and related practices and warned that such moves undermine Sinhala Buddhist cultural values. They  argue that despite these actions being portrayed as human rights initiatives, they threaten to erode the ethical foundation of Sri Lankan society. The prelates stated that promoting and legalising homosexual behaviour under the pretext of modern rights and freedoms, especially in a predominantly Buddhist country, will cause irreversible social harm.

Responding to the apprehensions of the religious leaders, the Tourism Ministry had issued a statement denying the purported moves to run a specific tourism promotion campaign targetting LGBTQ+ foreign tourists. The statement said that although Sri Lanka is a country that respects all genders and communities, along with their individual identities, this respect should not be misinterpreted as an endorsement or promotion of any particular type of sexual behaviour or activities.

It is true that the government or the Tourism Development Authority has not decided to run a specific tourism promotion campaign targeting overseas LGBTQ communities. Yet, the Tourism Authority endorsing such a promotion campaign is no different. In fact, what does LGBTQ tourism mean? It cannot be something other than persuading members of the overseas LGBTQ communities, especially the homosexuals,  to visit Sri Lanka showing that the country has ample opportunity to enjoy their rights. Respecting the members of such communities, locals or visitors, and not engaging in humiliation of them is one thing while promoting their activities is another. 

There is a growing trend in the world to recognise the LGBTQ communities and their rights,  while there is also an increasing number of NGOs in many countries, working in this field. Same sex marriage has been legalised in some countries. The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has recognised LGBT rights as human rights. It is against this backdrop that proposals are being made to conduct tourism promotion campaigns targeting LGBTQ communities.

Although the National People’s Power (NPP) government enjoys over a two thirds power in Parliament, its vote base is too vulnerable as a majority of people voted for the party at the last Presidential and Parliamentary elections out of impulsive emotion created by the 2021/2022 economic crisis,  and not out of political literacy. It was evident during the last local government elections;  and hence the government’s backtracking or denial of moves to LGBTQ tourism is comprehensible.

Similarly, the government has incensed certain sections of the society by bringing in the ban on corporal punishment of children without a proper awareness programme, despite however much good faith being attached to the move. The protests and apprehensions of the teachers who are one of the major stakeholders of this issue is a manifestation of it. The ban is to be introduced by an amendment to the Penal Code.

The Bill on the amendment cites several examples to explain the offences under it. A father who hits his child with a belt for not obeying his advice to study, a caregiver in a children’s home who delays a child’s food for several hours for bullying another child, and a school prefect who slaps a student for wearing a dress which violates the school dresscode would be offenders under this law, in spite of those actions deemed punishments for misconduct. 

Similarly, a teacher or principal who summons a student to the stage at a school assembly and introduce that child as a thief,  and humiliates him as he believes that the child had committed theft of another child’s property would also face the same fate, though his action does not cause any physical pain to the child.

Those who commit such offences could be sentenced to imprisonment for up to six months or fined an amount up to Rs. 100,000,  or both sentences could be imposed on the offender. The authorities have not answered the question raised by the teachers as to how they could discipline an erring child without landing in jail, if every action they would possibly take to that end is deemed to be an offence under the new law.

Unlike a whip or a slap, however much it is deplorable, a breadwinner father ending up in jail might ruin the entire life of a child. Hence, those genuine concerns must be addressed through a healthy dialogue with  teachers and other stakeholders before the Bill is passed in Parliament.

by Canishka G Witharana ATTORNEY-AT-LAW Courtesy The Island

On 9 September 2025, the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) and the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) formally endorsed a project spearheaded by EQUAL GROUND (apparently an NGO) to promote and develop LGBTIQ tourism in Sri Lanka. In this letter, titled Endorsement of the Project on Promoting and Developing LGBTIQ Tourism in Sri Lanka, the Chairman not only recognised this initiative, but also granted authority to coordinate with the tourism industry of the country.

This endorsement reflects the first state-backed initiative explicitly positioning Sri Lanka as an LGBTIQ-inclusive destination. It sends a strong signal to both domestic and international stakeholders that Sri Lanka is seeking to capture the global Pink Tourism” market.

Commitments

In his letter, the Chairman endorsed the initiative of EQUAL GROUND and acknowledged the purported value of promoting LGBTQ tourism through Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) programs.

He granted authority to coordinate with tour operators, hotels, training institutes, guides, and drivers to implement the proposed training and awareness programmes. The Chairman further recognised the project as having the potential to diversify Sri Lanka’s tourism markets and to contribute to the expansion of the country’s global tourism footprint.

He has expressed willingness to facilitate and present the programme to the President, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Minister of Tourism and Foreign Employment in order to ensure state-level recognition.

Government Policy

This letter cannot be viewed in isolation. It is a policy pronouncement of the Government, since the SLTDA and SLTPB are state entities under the Ministry of Tourism and Foreign Employment. By empowering EQUAL GROUND to lead on LGBTIQ tourism engagement, the letter reflects an official policy stance that LGBTIQ recognition and promotion are part of Sri Lanka’s tourism development strategy.

The Constitutional Barrier

However, this policy shift and the endorsement of an LGBTIQ initiative is unconstitutional and therefore unlawful. This constitutional inconsistency was proclaimed by the Supreme Court (comprising P. Padman Surasena J (CJ), Yasantha Kodagoda PC J, and Kumudini Wickremasinghe J) in the Special Determination on the Gender Equality Bill (2024). In that case, the Court explicitly held that the Constitution recognises equality only on the basis of sex” (male and female), and not on gender” or gender identity.”

Supreme Court Determination

The Bill titled Gender Equality Act, No. of 2024” was gazetted on 10 April 2024 and placed on the Order Paper of Parliament on 7 May 2024. Two petitions were filed under Article 120 read with 121 of the Constitution challenging the Bill’s constitutionality.

Intervenient Petitioners (activists and NGOs) later sought to support the Bill, but their petition was dismissed as time-barred.

Key Constitutional Issues Considered Article 12 – Equality:

The Court distinguished between sex” (biological male/female) and gender identity” (socially constructed roles/identities). The following passages are cited from the judgment, which illustrate the reasons for the decision:

In the course of the hearing, it was common ground between the learned President’s Counsel for the Petitioners and the learned Deputy Solicitor General that the word ‘sex’ appearing in Article 12(2) of the Constitution and the word ‘gender’ appearing in many places in the Bill are not the same. Mr. Canishka Witharana, appearing for the Petitioners in SC SD 55/2024, relied on the definitions of those two words contained in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary and Thesaurus to show this difference. It is worthwhile reproducing those definitions from the said source. The definition for ‘sex’ is given below.

Sex

– either of the two major forms of individuals that occur in many species and that are distinguished respectively as female or male, especially on the basis of their reproductive organs and structures.

The learned Deputy Solicitor General similarly cited a definition for ‘sex’ from Black’s Law Dictionary (2nd Edn):

Sex

– ‘The distinction between male and female; or the property or character by which an animal is male or female.’

Thus, the above definitions provided by both the Petitioners as well as the learned Deputy Solicitor General convince us that any person’s sex has to be either male or female and not any other. Moreover, since the definition refers to the reproductive organs and structures as a basis of distinction, I am also convinced that this categorisation of persons is based upon a biological criterion.

On the other hand, the phrase gender identity, according to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, refers to a person’s internal sense of being male, female, some combination of male and female, or neither male nor female. The same source has expressed the view that gender expression refers to the physical and behavioral manifestations of one’s gender identity.”

The Court also held:

Therefore, I am also convinced that the phrase gender identity is a category different from the categories of male or female. Therefore, I am also convinced that there can be only two components under the term ‘sex’. Those components are firstly the category of male and secondly the category of female. I, therefore, hold that gender identity is a phrase that denotes a distinct standalone category that is different to the category identified as sex in Article 12(2) of the Constitution.”

Gender identity – a new category:

Gender or gender identity denotes persons who identify with categories other than male or female. Such categories are commonly represented under the acronym LGBTQ+, referring to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, and other related identities. However, under the Constitution, no recognition can be accorded to these categories beyond the constitutionally recognised classifications of persons as either male or female.

Gender equality:

The Chairman’s letter was very specific in supporting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I)” programs. Taken literally, such programs may be structured to promote and assure gender equality.” Clause 3 of the Gender Equality Bill stated that every person shall have the right to gender equality and no person shall be denied such right.”

However, the Court held that:

…our Constitution does not recognize the presence of gender equality. The Constitution only recognizes that no person can be discriminated against on the basis of sex. The framers of the Constitution, in their wisdom, deliberately left out recognizing gender equality.”

National Policy:

The Bill referred to a National Policy on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment. The Court held that, without incorporating it into the Bill or specifying its content, the policy remained uncertain and external. Such policies cannot be given the force of law, and reliance on them amounts to arbitrariness. In this light, the Chairman’s letter appears to have created a similar unlawful policy framework, which cannot be validly implemented.

Buddhism – Religion:

Tourism in the country must be promoted without tarnishing traditions, culture, and religious practices and beliefs. State and state officials are bound to adhere to Article 9 of the Constitution, which requires the protection and fostering of the Buddha Sasana.

The Court held that a Gender Equality law would compel religious institutions such as Pirivenas, Buddhist Universities, Churches, Mosques, and Convents to admit persons regardless of sex/gender identity. Promoting LGBTQ practices would also undermine Buddhism’s foremost place and the freedom of religion and practice (Articles 10 and 14(1)(e)).

Same-Sex Marriages and Cultural Impact:

The Court warned that giving recognition to gender equality could open the door for same-sex marriage claims, which are contrary to existing marriage laws (Marriage Registration Ordinance, Kandyan Marriage & Divorce Act, Muslim Marriages Act, Tesawalamai), Sri Lanka’s culture, and Penal Code provisions criminalising homosexual acts (Sections 365 and 365A).

Legitimacy Questionable

Every state official, including the Chairman of the SLTDA, assumes office under an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of Sri Lanka. This oath imposes both a legal and moral duty to ensure that all actions, policies, and endorsements remain within constitutional boundaries. When an official acts in contravention of the Constitution, it raises serious questions of accountability and constitutes a potential breach of constitutional duty. By formally endorsing LGBTQ tourism and granting authority for its promotion, the Chairman has acted in deliberate violation of those constitutional limits. Consequently, the legitimacy of the Chairman’s official acts from the moment of such breach of oath becomes open to serious doubt.

Legal Requirements for LGBTQ Recognition

No policy, law, or regulation promoting LGBTQ rights or recognition can be made under the current Constitution without first amending it. Intended laws need a two-thirds majority in Parliament plus approval by the people at a referendum to become valid and enforceable.

by CaniShka
G Witharana
ATToRneY-AT-LAw

N. A. de S. Amaratunga  Courtesy The Island

The IMF claims success in helping poor countries to recover from economic crises.  This may be true to some extent in terms of economic parameters like GDP, interest rates, revenue, debt/GDP ratio, etc. But it has, by and large, failed to bring about a positive change in the lives of poor people, particularly in Asian and African countries. For example, Sri Lanka faced an acute economic collapse and the IMF helped it to recover from the immediate contingency,

but the poor people have not benefited. Whether they would ever recover is uncertain, going by what has happened and is happening in the world. Poverty rate which was 14% before the crisis is 24.5% now and although the World Bank is all praise about the economic upturn there is no improvement in the poverty statistics or the perceptible living standards of the poor. In the world the rich are getting richer while the poor are left behind, despite the IMF.

IMF was formed in 1945 at the Bretton Wood conference and has a membership of 191 countries. The US is the biggest donor to the IMF and therefore holds the whip hand which it uses to further its own interests and also to maintain the status quo with regard to the global economic system which is in the grip of neoliberalism. The IMF cannot deviate from these neo-liberal policies which disallow government intervention and welfarism. Leading economists like Joseph Stiglitz, who was once the head of the World Bank, had severely criticized these policies.

The economic situation in African countries bears witness to the ineffectiveness of the IMF to lift the people out of poverty. The continent has suffered from neoliberal economic policies that have undermined development. The IMF continues to advocate for austerity despite mounting evidence that it has stifled economic development and human development across Africa. IMF’s insistence that countries prioritise debt repayments, rather than seeking a systemic solution to debt, is a major obstacle to spending on health, education and climate action. Globally, six billion people are now facing austerity, largely owing to the IMF’s reluctance to accept that its economic model has failed.

Even governments with a powerful democratic mandate find themselves with no other choice but to follow the IMF’s outdated advice – pursuing narrow measures of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and austerity policies. According to the IMF’s own debt data, 19 of the region’s 35 low-income countries are already in debt distress or facing high risk of debt distress. UNCTAD recently found that the amount African governments are forced to spend on interest payments on debt is often higher than spending on either education or health (Roos Saalbrink David Archer, Rick Rowden, 2023).

Another research report says that ” Of 763 programmes between 1980 and 2015, 512 were interrupted, of which 291 did not resume – as our data from the IMF Monitor Database shows.” (Bernhard Reinsberg, et. al. 2023). The researchers say this high failure rate is due to the fact that the programmes are  unimplementable by design.

What has happened in Asia is no better. Sri Lanka went bankrupt due to debt and even in India, with a very impressive GDP, 30 million have gone below the poverty line in the last 15 years. Pakistan has had 23 IMF programmes and despite all that 11 million have gone below poverty line in the recent past.

While this was going on the billionaires of the world have doubled their wealth. The new wealth produced by the world since 2020 has been USD 42 trillion. Two thirds of this huge amount of wealth has gone into the pockets of 1% of  the world population which comprises the billionaires of the world. The whole of the rest of the world population, i.e. 99%, will have to do with one third of this wealth, which was largely produced by them (Andrea Barolini 28 Jun 2018).

To illustrate the inherent contradiction in IMF policies, we could consider the IMF dictum for all Third World countries ‘live within your means’ which is good advice, yet IMF’s own conditions preclude the implementation of this policy. The IMF does not allow control of imports and advocates that the free market must decide on imports. Invariably  all developing countries import more than they export forcing them into ever increasing debt. If its intentions are genuine, why cannot the IMF be more flexible and allow the highly qualified economists in these countries to decide on such matters?

Another aspect of the problem is the government’s inability to regulate the dollar. For instance, if the rupee value of the dollar rises by 10%, debt obligations also would rise by 10%. Could Sri Lanka cope with such a situation? Debt servicing, starting in 2028, would entail a significant increase in exports and paradoxically imports, which also would have gone up in price, also will have to be increased to supply the necessary inputs for export production. This situation would lead to more borrowing and a vicious cycle.

In the Global South, several groups and organisations have come together reflecting the dire need to break away from the tethering neo-liberalist global economic system. They have realized that the dollar has been turned into an exploitative instrument and almost weaponised. BRICS, SCO, ASEAN, AU are fledgling and floundering as yet.  They have to find common ground and iron out their differences if they are to survive. China seems to be very keen to develop an alternate currency to the dollar but India is not, however it has announced its willingness to trade in Indian rupees which virtually is a challenge to the dollar. Why cannot other countries emulate India and set up systems of exchange between each other.

The export-led economy cannot work for the benefit of the poor. It is designed to serve the interests of the rich. Free market, manipulable trade and aid, dollar dominance, export orientation, and debt are the components of the present global economic system and the IMF is its main instrument.

The Global South has no choice but to develop together, help each other, and try and create a new world order. What it must do is leave aside vexed issues, and help each other to achieve self sufficiency in essential requirements of food, medicine, textile, and renewable energy. By this means more than 75% of the battle would be won. These countries must gradually move away from an export-led economy and move towards self-sufficiency. They must realise that time is running out for them. Self-reliance of the Global South is the alternative to IMF.

N. A. de S. Amaratunga 

Courtesy Hiru News

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Member of Parliament, Mujibur Rahman, has announced that a resolution requesting a Parliamentary Select Committee to investigate the transfer and promotion of judicial officers will be handed over to Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne during the next parliamentary sitting week.

Rahman stated that the proposal, signed by representatives of all parties in the Joint Opposition, will seek the establishment of the Select Committee to look into numerous complaints received by the Opposition regarding the promotion and transfer of judges over the past period.

He noted that the issue has also generated significant discussion within the judicial sector.

The MP explained that the Opposition decided to request the Select Committee to thoroughly investigate these matters, given the severity of the situation.

He further stated that such a scenario within the judiciary could affect public confidence in the judicial system and called on the Judicial Service Commission to pay close attention to the issue.

Rahman concluded that a Parliamentary Select Committee would be able to conduct a comprehensive and accurate study of all related concerns.

Courtesy Hru News

The withdrawal of all state-provided vehicles for former President, the fifth Executive President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, and his security detail has created a serious security concern, according to his media spokesperson, Manoj Gamage.

Gamage stated that the bulletproof vehicle provided by the government to Rajapaksa was handed back to the state yesterday (3 October).

He added that all vehicles allocated for the security personnel have also been recalled, leaving the guards with no transport.

Gamage pointed out that the security personnel, who are armed, cannot travel in private vehicles.

 This situation, he claimed, places Rajapaksa’s life in a dangerous position.

He noted that large numbers of people visit Rajapaksa at his Carlton Residence in Tangalle, and he frequently receives invitations to various public events.

Considering these factors, Gamage emphasised the importance of security authorities paying strict attention to Rajapaksa’s safety.

Gamage described it as “very regrettable” that a former President who led the defeat of the world’s most brutal terrorism faces such a predicament, stressing that ensuring his security is the duty and responsibility of everyone.

He raised a question: “Whose agenda is being fulfilled by reducing Mahinda Rajapaksa’s security in this manner?”

Gamage confirmed that they plan to discuss the matter with security authorities and will formally inform the Inspector-General of Police and the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security in writing next week.

By Rohana R. Wasala

Continued from October 1, 2025

Bhante Missaka (Mihintale) Kamalasiri, a Sri Lankan scholar monk well known as a guided meditation teacher working in association with the Buddhist retreat centres of  the Star of the North and the Metta Meditation Center, Minnesota, USA, made some important revelations about the elusive Ariyamagga character in an authoritative 15-minute presentation in Sinhala, which I viewed on a YouTube video uploaded in November 2021. It reveals Ariyamagga as a former LTTE Tamil who, having fled from Sri Lanka and arrived in Norway as a refugee, now poses as a Sinhalese Buddhist monk, embarked on a mission to destroy the Sinhalese Buddhist history and cultural heritage of the country.

 ‘This mysterious Sinhalese Buddhist monk’ had travelled to Myanmar, UK, etc from Norway, but he has never revealed himself publicly in Sri Lanka. There is no evidence of his having left the country either, if he ever did, Bhante Kamalasiri says. But he claims that he has videos of Ariyamagga having discussions with the Shiv Sena organization of India, where the latter declares that Buddha Gaya does not belong to Buddhists, and that the Isipathana stupa at Sarnath, Benares (Varanasi), is a Shiva lingam.

The erudite thera further revealed that Ariyamagga (by that time/2021) had about twenty groups in Sri Lanka working for him including those under (bhikkhu impersonators) Waharaka Abayalankara and Meewanapalane Dharmalankara. Ariyamagga had convinced even Suriya Gunasekera (an acknowledged champion of traditional knowledge) to accept his fake ideology and co-opted him into his campaign of propagating the heresy.

The Eelamists were pursuing four goals:1) to try to validate the false Jambudipa concept by re-introducing certain carefully chosen ancient sacred places as central to a related fictitious history, 2) to bring in an allegedly authentic Tripitaka (different from what is traditionally accepted as the Theravada Tripitaka that was committed to writing at Aluvihare, Matale, in the first century BCE and introducing a new mode of scriptural interpretation, 3) to establish the power of the deluded supporters of the Hela Jambudipa idea within the Malwatte Chapter, and 4) to create a minority with a distincly different identity within the broader Sinhalese Buddhist society.

In his presentation, the venerable monk (Kamalasiri) pointed out that the masterminds of this disinformation project believe that the monks of the Malwatte Chapter are deficient in their knowledge of the Dhamma. That is their view, not his. Anyway, Bhante Kamalasiri said that there were already more than one hundred and fifty monks of the Malwatte Chapter who had embraced the erroneous ideology, and that some of them happen to be  relatives of the MahanayakeTheras. This means that there is an emerging, deeply alarming prospect of the most vitally important historic Buddhist shrines such as the iconic Atamasthanayas and the Solosmahasthanayas (the Eight and Sixteen Great Places of Worship, respectively) being in the future headed by Ariyamagga followers!    

Believers in the ‘Buddha was born in Sri Lanka’ myth might be induced to sever even their sentimental links with places that they have to date correctly believed to be historic Buddhist places of worship in Sri Lanka and in India, some of them later built over by non-Buddhists. The misguided adherents of the fiction will forget the Sacred Buddha Gaya/Bodh Gaya in India, which our indefatigable Anagarika Dharmapala did much to reclaim for the world Buddhists.  Dharmapala believed that it was his historic responsibility as a Buddhist of Sinhale/Sihele/Ceylon to do so. This was because he knew that, about two centuries after the missionary Mahinda Thera introduced Theravada Buddhism to Sri Lanka, its scriptures that had been until then transmitted orally were committed to writing in the island in the 1st century BCE and were preserved for posterity, making the it the undisputed repository of Theravada Buddhism. 

By the end of the 19th century CE, Buddhism had almost entirely disappeared from India due to Muslim invasions as well as the dominance of Hinduism. Dharmapala met only with limited success, no doubt, but it was a great achievement, even an epoch-making one, considering his smallness when pitted against the powerful opponents he had to face in that Hindu dominated religious environment during the British Raj at the turn of the 20th century. Anagarika Dharmapala, in association with activists like journalist and poet Sir Edwin Arnold from the British intelligentsia, laid the foundation for the modern Buddhist revival in India. Today India is rediscovering and restoring its lost Buddhist heritage, for example in the form of rebuilding the ancient Buddhist monastic University of Nalanda (427-1197 CE) burned down by Muslim invaders in the 12th century. This made it possible for Prime Minister Modi to shout out to the world not long ago: “India gave to the world the Buddha, not yuddha (war)”. India honoured Anagarika Dharmapala by issuing a postage stamp commemorating him in 2014.  

I came across a 400-page book written in Sinhala about this ‘Buddha was born in Sri Lanka’ argument, probably first advanced by a local Sinhalese Buddhist nationalist zealot. It probably got communicated to some highly motivated Eelamist intellectuals, and they must be working behind Ariyamagga, who is not an educated man. The title of the book translates as Evidence to prove that the land of the Buddhas is none other than this ‘Heladiva’ or Sri Lanka: Debunking myths” (2018) by a writer named S. Ariyaratne. It is full of information misquoted and garbled by him through misinterpretation. The book  contains a lot of interesting but scientifically unauthenticated details both about the dhamma and Sri Lanka’s history without any serious supporting evidence or rational elucidation.

In some instances, Ariyaratne quotes from the Mahavansa, which he seems to modify in his own interpretation to suit his thesis that the Buddha was born, lived, and died in Sri Lanka. One example is the following, where he mistranslates the final verse of Chapter VI of the Mahavansa. Here I use Mudaliyar L.C. Wijesinghe’s translation (1889) of the Mahavansa.  The last verse of Chapter VI is: This prince named Vijaya, who had then attained the wisdom of experience, landed in the division Tambapanni of this land Lanka, on the day that the successor (of former Buddhas) reclined in the arbour of the two delightful sal trees, to attain nibbana”. (Incidentally, Wijesinghe, being probably a non-Buddhist ignorant of Buddhism, erroneously substitutes ‘nibbana’ for ‘parinibbana’ found in the original Pali Mahavansa text. But the error has no significance for us in this context.) The verse means that the Buddha’s passing happened in Kushinagar in modern northern India the same day that Vijaya landed in Tambapanni or Lanka. But Ariyaratne mistranslates the same Pali verse into Sinhala. His version can be rendered into English thus: Prince Vijaya of steady wisdom arrived the day that the Tathagata, in Lanka or Tamrapanni, lay down to attain parinibbana (in the shade) between two sal trees whose branches were intertwined” (Page 210 of Ariyaratne’s book). 

Between pages 112-132, Ariyaratne looks at Anagarika Dharmapala’s work in India from his own uninformed biased point of view. His unconvincing, idiosyncratic argument is that the Lankan Buddhist  missionary, misled by the Suddas (Whites/Europeans), mistakenly identified  Bodh Gaya in India as the birthplace of the Buddha, but  that towards the end of his life, he showed signs that he realized his mistake. It need hardly be said that this is only an erroneous assumption on Ariyaratne’s part. He further asserts that the Bodhi tree found there is not the Bodhi tree under which ascetic Gotama attained enlightenment. He thinks that Alexander Cunningham (the pioneer of what later became the Archaeological Survey of India)  planted the extant Bodhi tree  in 1870!

Regarding this, Ariyarathne mentions ‘Relighting the Lamp’ by Australian monk Bhante S. Dhammika (who, by the way, is no stranger to Sri Lankans, especially, to readers of English language newspapers and books. The Island newspaper of October 1, 2025 announced that Bhante Dhammika had recently arrived in Sri Lanka on a visit; the paper also published an interview with the visiting monk). But Ariyaratne doesn’t seem to have carefully read what he makes reference to. Actually, ‘Relighting the Lamp’ is only the last (or 4th) section of that monk’s 241 page book ‘The Navel of the Earth: The History and Significance of Bodh Gaya’ (BPS, Kandy, 1996)’ between pp. 119-171. In that part of the book, Bhante Dhammika  has included a fairly detailed account of Dharmapala’s legitimate and heroic struggle to acquire the sacred place for Buddhists. Dharmapala played a key role in ‘relighting the lamp’ in India. 

Bhante Shravasti Dhammika outlines the historical importance of Bodh Gaya in his preface to ‘The Navel of the Earth…..’:

…..Bodh Gayā’s historical significance is due to it having a longer and more complete history than almost any other place in the subcontinent, a history supplemented by epigraphical and literary sources from China and Tibet, Burma, Thailand and Sri Lanka. Nor is this history merely an outline of events or a list of doubtful dates, as so often encountered in the study of India’s past. Rather, it includes detailed descriptions of Bodh Gayā’s now vanished temples and shrines, accounts of the elaborate ceremonies and doctrinal disputes that once took place there, and even details of how time was kept in its monasteries. This history is also made more interesting by the participation of some of Asia’s greatest personalities, from Asoka to Curzon, from Xuanzang to Anāgārika Dharmapāla…..” 

The book also supplies information about the conspicuous presence of Buddhist monks from Simhale (Sri Lanka) and the construction of religious buildings in Jambudipa including Bodh Gaya under Sinhalese royal patronage. In the 4th century, Sinhalese king Meghavanne (304-332 CE) built a special monastery at the place of Buddha’s Enlightenment – the Bodh Gaya Monastery. It survived there for a millennium, functioning as a major monastic university complex. It operated along with two other Buddhist universities, the famous  Nalanda and Vikramashila monastic universities, which came into existence later. 

The author of The Navel of the Earth…” is an extremely more reliable authority on the history of the Buddha’s birthplace than Ariyaratne. In fact, the erudite Bhante S. Dhammika, who is additionally an alumnus of the Postgraduate Institute of Pali and Buddhist Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, has devoted many years of his life for researching the subject, even traveling on foot where Buddha walked across that part of north India to and fro, preaching his message. He has written and published over a dozen books. A book by Bhante Dhammika published in 2022 is ‘Lumbini’, which gives a short history of Lumbini, the first of the four major holy places of Buddhism, being where the person who was born to become Buddha was born”.

The truth is that, in my opinion, Ariyaratne is not at all worthy of comparison with Bhante Dhammika in this context. He has had no worthwhile academic training in either Buddhism or the history of Buddhism, not to speak about anything else that is ancillary such as the secular history of Sri Lanka and India. What may be taken as an autobiographical note on pp. 12-14 of Ariyaratne’s book mentioned above says that he was born in a small impoverished village in Nivitigala in 1972. At age 14, he was admitted to the Sangha order as a novice. He studied at a pirivena in Ratnapura, where he became a kind of loner allegedly trying to learn the dhamma in an unorthodox way, which meant  that he read material outside the prescribed syllabuses. Disgusted with the Sangha order at age 19 (i.e., before higher ordination), he disrobed, and became a layman again, reverting to his birth name Ariyaratne. But he claims that he continued his search in which he followed in the footsteps of such ‘Arya utuman’ (Arhants) as the infamous and totally ignorant  Waharaka (Abhayarathanalankara) and Meewanapalane (Siri Dhammalankara)!! 

Meewanapalane has been officially excommunicated by the Malwatte Nikaya, but he continues to preach to a dwindled audience. Waharaka died in 2017 and his death was described as his ‘Parinibbana’!, a term used only in the case of the passing away of an Arhant, most usually in referring to the death of the Buddha. It is an abomination to use that terminology to refer to the death of a sinful fake Arhant. (There is a great possibility, nay probability, that these are plants intended to destroy the Buddha Sasanaya, which is the breath and being of our over 2500 year old Lankan/Heladiva civilization. Those who bristle at this, please listen to the advice of the Buddha in the Kalama Sutta, and independently find out  their hollowness by studying samples of their preachings.) 

Ariyamagga who is the main motivator of the ‘We Rectify Our History’ project as well as  the leader of the so-called Ariya Kammattahna Organization may belong to the same group of rogues in robes. (I googled the name Ariyamagga Thero, but failed to find any monk by that name or an organization he heads, except the name in Sinhala characters ‘Pujya K. Ariyamagga’.) The theme ‘We Rectify Our History’ probably comes from Ariyaratne’s book, p. 116, where the author writes “Let’s rectify mistakes in our history by ourselves”. Isn’t it possible that some eccentric uneducated zealots have also been recruited or are simply being used like some feral donkeys by the prime movers of a global conspiracy against the Sinhalese and their Buddhist culture? 

It is true that the British stole many archaeological treasures including ola leaf manuscripts of inestimable value from Sri Lanka. At least some of them are being preserved in British libraries and museums. They are waiting to be reclaimed by us through proper channels. This is not the time to get them, as we can understand, given the debilitating economic and political difficulties Sri Lanka is experiencing. This task should actually be left to present and future young generations.

The more urgent need of the hour is to reclaim the nationalist success of 2009 against all odds.

Concluded

Balana Kapolla – බලන කපොල්ල

Wimal Weerawansa

By Nishel Fernando  Courtesy The Daily Mirror

---

Peter Hill

Sri Lanka could see the launch of a scheduled domestic airline service using 50-70-seater aircraft within the next six months, a move that could solve a long-standing barrier to tourism growth, according to aviation veteran and former SriLankan Airlines CEO Peter Hill.

Hill made these remarks during a panel discussion at International Tourism Leaders Summit 2025, held on Thursday, at the BMICH, in Colombo. 

The event, organised by Sri Lanka Tourism in collaboration with the Alumni Association of Tourism Economics and Hospitality Management, University of Colombo, focused on the theme of ‘Tourism Innovation and Connectivity for the Future of Sri Lanka Tourism’.

Addressing a key bottleneck for tourism dispersal—long and arduous land travel times—Hill revealed his active involvement in a project to establish an affordable domestic flight operation. 

This lack of swift internal connectivity has historically hampered efforts to spread tourism revenue to the developing regions. 

It still takes an awful long time to get to places like Jaffna and the East Coast,” he noted.

He envisions an airline that moves beyond the expensive, low-capacity air taxis and helicopters currently available, which cater to a select few.

The solution, he argued, lies in using the right equipment. 

The right equipment is aircraft that can seat maybe 50 to 70 people and carry their luggage with them in comfort,” Hill stated, emphasising that such aircraft are readily available on the global market.

Highlighting the dramatic time savings, he pointed out that the Colombo-Jaffna route, which takes nine to 10 hours by road, is a mere 50-minute flight. 

People are prepared to pay for that time, especially our tourists,” he added.

While optimistic, Hill confirmed he is actively working to convince investors and noted that the initiative requires support from the authorities to streamline the significant regulatory transition from charter operations to a scheduled airline.  Let’s say that maybe within six months we’ll have an operation going. So, watch this space,” he concluded.

by Arundathie Abeysinghe, Courtesy PIME Asia News

Computer literacy remains low in the South Asian country, while the region reported overall progress. In 2024, 64.1 per cent of the population did not know how to use a computer, and only 19.1 per cent of households owned one, according to new data from the Department of Census and Statistics. Literacy is higher among young people and those with higher education, with rates dropping in rural areas.

Colombo (AsiaNews) – According to Sri Lanka’s Department of Census and Statistics, only two people in five have computer skills in the country, while 64.1 per cent of the population was unable to use a computer in 2024.

Although overall South Asian countries have seen improvements in computer literacy rates over the past five years, Sri Lanka has seen a decline, setting back its efforts to improve digital skills.

The computer literacy rate has remained incredibly low, with survey results indicating a 3.1 per cent decline in 2023 and 2024.

The gap in computer and digital literacy suggests difficulties in acquiring basic skills and accessing IT devices and infrastructure, as well as internet connectivity.

In 2024, only 19.1 per cent of households owned a computer. Urban areas have the highest computer literacy rate, at 47.3 per cent, while rural areas and plantations have significantly lower rates, at 18.8 per cent and 4.7 per cent, respectively.

The highest rate is in Western Province, the country’s most populous, at 34.1 per cent, while the lowest is in Uva Province, at 9.3 per cent.

Between 2021 and 2023, the availability of desktop or laptop computers in households varied between 20 per cent and 24 per cent.

Senior officials from the Department of Census and Statistics told AsiaNews that “a person between the ages of 5 and 69 is considered computer literate if they can use a computer independently. Even a 5-year-old child who knows how to play a video game is considered computer literate.”

A recent survey found that “young people between the ages of 15 and 19 show the highest computer literacy rate (80.1 per cent) among all other age groups.”

These results also reveal that the higher the level of education, the greater the computer literacy.

The group with an education level equal to or above the GCE Advanced Level shows the highest computer literacy rate (80.6 per cent), while those with knowledge of the English language have a computer literacy rate of 85.4 per cent,” the study noted.

Computer literacy among the employed population stood at approximately 72.2 per cent in 2023. Among senior professionals, including corporate executives, the rate was between 90 and 93 per cent, while among technicians and associate professionals, it was approximately 85 per cent,” said computer scientists Sampath Dissanayaka and Pradeepa Tennakoon.

“Among unemployed youth aged 25 to 29, in particular, those living in urban areas reported the highest percentage of computer literacy, at 86 per cent, and three in ten people were computer literate in the 40 to 69 age group in Colombo and Kandy.”

The lowest percentage of computer literacy was reported among people living in rural areas, without access to computers, and those employed in the primary sector, such as farmers and fishermen, the two note. Most housewives in urban areas also lack computer skills,” they add.  

Although many South Asian countries have seen progress in computer literacy over the past five years, Sri Lanka has seen a drop, a setback in efforts to improve digital skills, placing Sri Lanka dead last place in terms of IT skills in South Asia.

Courtesy Adaderana

The Tangalle Magistrate’s Court has granted permission for police to detain and interrogate Sanath Weerasinghe, also known as ‘Beliatta Sanaa,’ who was arrested in connection with the large haul of narcotics recently seized in Seenimodara, Tangalle.

Accordingly, Additional Magistrate Vidura Weerakoon permitted police to detain and interrogate the suspect until October 9, police said.

The suspect was arrested on October 1 by the Tangalle Divisional Crime Investigation Unit.

Shenali D Waduge

Sri Lanka has long been a nation rooted in law, culture, and tradition. Today, this foundation faces direct assault from foreign-funded DEI and LGBTQIA campaigns, imposed through corporations, NGOs, and even diplomatic channels — in open defiance of our laws, Constitution, and civilizational ethos.

Under Penal Code Sections 365 & 365A, homosexuality is illegal. Gender recognition is strictly male or female, making attempts to normalize LGBTQIA identities through corporate or NGO policies a direct violation of sovereignty and legality. The Supreme Court’s ruling on the Gender Equity Bill 2024 reconfirms that foreign-inspired identity politics cannot override the sovereign will of the Sri Lankan people.

Despite this, U.S., UK, European, and Canadian-linked multinationals, along with local companies, are imposing DEI and LGBTQIA policies on Sri Lankan employees. NGOs are influencing agencies like the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) to promote LGBTQIA tourism agendas as national policy. This occurs even as the Trump administration has rolled back DEI mandates in the United States, yet many U.S.-linked companies continue exporting these policies abroad.

Corporate Imposition vs Sri Lankan Law

International and local companies — including Dialog Axiata, Fortude, MAS Holdings, Nestlé, John Keells Group, Sysco LABS Sri Lanka, Godrej Sri Lanka, HNB Assurance (in collaboration with Diversity Collective Lanka), ECCSL, and Brandix — have publicly posted DEI policies, which in some cases include LGBTQIA-focused elements.

Many corporates claim DEI is neutral or focused solely on gender equality, but globally, DEI explicitly includes sexual orientation and gender identity. In Sri Lanka, HR manuals, workshops, and NGO partnerships make this clear: every DEI initiative is inseparably linked to LGBTQIA policies, regardless of local disclaimers.

It is notable that HR teams, which implemented these programs, did not provide comprehensive workforce data to the CEOs or boards prior to rollout. With accurate statistics on LGBTQIA representation and potential impact researching on global reversals, corporate leadership could have made better informed decisions — or adjusted the scope of these initiatives — thereby avoiding undue pressure on the broader workforce.

Publicly available links to company policies:

John Keels Group (22,250 permanent & non-permanent)

• https://echelon.lk/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-at-john-keells-group/

Sysco Labs (831employees)

• https://syscolabs.lk/d-e-i

Fortude (642 in Sri Lanka)

• https://fortude.co/diversity-at-fortude/

HNB Assurance (1500 employees)

• https://ceylontoday.lk/2025/04/08/hnb-assurance-launches-in-together-dei-initiative-in-collaboration-with-diversity-collective/

Dialog Axiata (3200 employees)

• https://www.dialog.lk/news/dialog-wins-national-award-for-dei-leadership-in-corporate-sector

MAS Holdings (90,040 employees)

• https://unglobalcompact.org/academy/case-library/advancing-gender-equality-mas-holdings

Brandix (43,000 employees)

• https://brandix.com/brandix-strengthens-gender-equality-focus-with-support-from-unfpa/

Nestle (822 employees)

• https://www.nestle.lk/jobs/diversity-equity-inclusion

Godrej Sri Lanka (150 employees)

• https://www.godrejcp.com/sustainability/diversity-equity-and-inclusion

European Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka

• https://eccsl.lk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Unlocking-the-Power-of-DEI.pdf

These programs often include elements such as:

• LGBTQIA awareness and sensitivity training
• Anti-discrimination rules providing additional protections for LGBTQIA employees
• Workplace accommodations related to sexual orientation or gender identity

Sri Lankan citizens deserve transparency:

• how many employees identify as LGBTQIA?
• Where is the evidence of discrimination that justifies these sweeping policies?
• No independent audit or study has been presented.

Limited Numbers, Overstated Impact

Even LGBTQIA-promoting surveys show the actual workforce impact is minimal.

Equal Ground (2021) surveyed 193 LGBTQIA employees and 45 employers; only 38% of organizations had reporting procedures.

https://www.equal-ground.org/wp-content/uploads/DAP-REPORT-FINAL.pdf

The exaggeration of these NGO figures was such that a Kantar/Equal Ground study (2021) estimated 12% nationally – the Hindu population itself is 12.6% while the Muslim population is just over 10%.

In reality, fewer than 70,000 employees openly identify as LGBTQIA.

Yet DEI policies impose sweeping changes that affect over 99% of non-LGBTQIA staff, causing psychological pressure and career coercion.

Even the Equal Ground survey (2021), which is often cited to justify LGBTQIA workplace policies, surveyed only 193 LGBTQIA employees and 45 employers.

By comparison, just eight major Sri Lankan companies — John Keells, Sysco LABS, Fortude, HNB Assurance, Dialog Axiata, MAS Holdings, Brandix, and Nestlé Lanka — collectively employ over 162,000 staff.

This means the LGBTQIA employees captured by the survey account for less than 0.12% of the workforce of these eight companies. Put differently, the survey sample is roughly 840 times smaller than the combined staff of these employers.

To illustrate further: for every 1,000 employees in these companies, only about 1 person was included in the survey.

Even when extrapolated to the entire Sri Lankan workforce of 8.41 million, the survey represents a mere 0.0023% — an infinitesimal fraction, far too small a base to justify nationwide DEI mandates.

Thus, imported DEI and LGBTQIA policies are being crafted around a tiny fraction of employees, while placing disproportionate psychological and career pressure on the overwhelming 99% majority of non-LGBTQIA staff.

Companies should reassess their policies in proportion to actual workforce needs.

Shouldn’t Sri Lanka’s Labor Ministry protect these non-LGBTQIA employee rights?

These programs put staff in an impossible position: comply with corporate mandates that contradict national law, or risk job loss, denied promotion, or reassignment. By creating selective ‘protected classes,’ companies effectively punish the majority forcing compliance with foreign agendas over the nation’s laws and culture.

Some non-LGBTQIA staff may experience psychological pressure or feel compelled to participate in awareness programs.

In some cases, employees may perceive career advancement as linked to identity-related participation rather than merit.

Likely negative impact of Pro-LGBTQIA DEI Policies on Non-LGBTQIA Staff

Psychological Strain & Workplace Pressure

• Mandatory participation in LGBTQIA awareness workshops forces non-LGBTQIA staff to engage in programs they may not agree with.
• Subtle coercion occurs where employees feel pressured to affirm or adopt LGBTQIA identities to avoid being seen as non-inclusive.
• In U.S. and European companies, non-LGBTQIA employees have reported compliance fatigue” and anxiety due to constant mandatory identity-based training.

Career & Promotion Coercion

• Employees may feel compelled to claim LGBTQIA status to access promotions, senior roles, or perks.
• Career advancement becomes linked to identity affirmation rather than merit.
• Workers outside these groups report that they risk being sidelined if they don’t openly display support for LGBTQIA initiatives.

Silencing Freedom of Expression

• Non-LGBTQIA staff risk speaking openly about their opinions, religious beliefs, or cultural norms for fear of being labeled discriminatory.
• Creates an environment of self-censorship, inhibiting honest dialogue.
• Corporate case studies in the U.S. show employees avoiding discussions on personal values due to fear of HR repercussions.

Unequal Workplace Dynamics

• Selective protected classes” grant certain employees advantages, inadvertently penalizing the majority and sexual bullying.
• Creates resentment, lowered morale, and feelings of injustice among non-LGBTQIA staff.

Psychosocial & Cultural Conflicts

• Employees from conservative cultural backgrounds experience conflict between personal beliefs and corporate mandates.
• Risk of alienation and decreased engagement in the workplace.

Legal & Compliance Ambiguity

• Policies may inadvertently push employees to act against national laws (as in Sri Lanka under Penal Code Sections 365 & 365A).
• Non-LGBTQIA staff face uncertainty about what is permissible, adding stress and potential legal risk.

Impact on Core Productivity

• Focus shifts from core work and merit-based evaluation to identity-based initiatives.
• Studies in U.S. firms have shown productivity dips during extensive DEI program rollouts when employees are diverted into workshops unrelated to job functions.

Cultural Engineering & Social Pressure

• Encourages younger staff to experiment with identity labels or social behaviors for perceived benefits, affecting personal development.
• Reports from Western educational and corporate settings note that identity-affirmation policies sometimes accelerate experimental behavior among youth/employees – ones that cause irreversible psychological & physical damage throughout life.

Corporate Priorities vs True Equity

If equity were genuine, HR policies would address Sri Lanka’s real inequalities- rural-urban divides, caste barriers, poverty, language discrimination, and youth unemployment. But none of these are prioritized. Instead, foreign-funded NGOs dictate that only LGBTQIA identity deserves privileged protection.

Instead, only LGBTQIA identity receives priority, reflecting a foreign-funded ideological agenda. Local companies, NGOs like Equal Ground, Equité Sri Lanka, and Bridge2Equality, and unnamed conglomerates are also implementing similar policies, now trying to sneak into national tourism and corporate strategies.

Urgent Questions for Corporates and NGOs

• How many LGBTQIA employees existed prior to DEI rollout, and was discrimination verified?
• Why are other discriminated groups — class, caste, rural, or language minorities — ignored?
• Are overseas-mandated policies incentivizing self-identification to gain privileges, thereby manipulating legal and cultural loopholes?

Cultural, Social, and Psychological Implications

Historically, same-sex attraction and gender dysphoria were private and rare.

Today, social media, school curricula, NGO campaigns, and corporate DEI programs actively encourage identification with LGBTQIA labels, sometimes resulting in irreversible medical interventions.

These policies can create situations where a micro-minority receives additional protections, while the majority may feel pressure to comply with new awareness programs, potentially affecting freedom of expression and cultural norms.

What is presented as inclusivity” is, in effect, coercion. This is clearly seen in the manner DEI policies are causing psychological strain, career development limitations imposed on non-LGBTQIA employees.

SLTDA and NGO Influence in Tourism

SLTDA’s promotion of LGBTQIA tourism, in collaboration with NGOs, raises questions about alignment with existing policies, laws and national priorities.

Sri Lanka’s tourism advantage lies in tradition, family, and authenticity — not adopting Western social experiments that even their own societies reject.

Global Hypocrisy

Many U.S.-linked corporations promote DEI/LGBTQIA abroad even after scaling back at home due to public backlash. This exposes a double standard: controversial social agendas exported to foreign markets that are no longer endorsed domestically.

Call for Legal and Public Action

• Respect Sri Lankan law: no citizen should be required to act against Penal Code Sections 365 & 365A.
• Corporate accountability: align HR policies with Sri Lankan law, not imported ideology.
• Public scrutiny: NGOs and corporate entities should not dictate national policy.
• Merit-based equality: focus on competence, not sexual identity labels.

Sri Lanka is at a crossroads. DEI and LGBTQIA impositions are not neutral inclusivity; they are a foreign agenda, legally incompatible and culturally invasive. If tolerance means freedom, compulsion violates it. If equality means opportunity, supra-rights for a few violate it for the majority.

It is time for institutions, courts, and the People to assert sovereignty, protect our laws, and ensure that merit, culture, and national identity are not sacrificed to global corporate and NGO experiments.

The true victims are the silent majority of workers who cannot speak out — parents with families to support, employees fearful of HR penalties, and youth pressured to conform for survival. Their rights, dignity, and mental wellbeing deserve protection just as much as any minority claim.

Sri Lanka belongs to its people — not foreign boards, activist NGOs, or ideologies rejected even in the West. Sovereignty is not negotiable.

Shenali D Waduge

Dr. Sudath Gunasekara Ex secretary to Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranayake and President of The Sri Lanka Administrative Service Association (SASA) 1991-94. Mahanuwara. (Kandy) 

A Gateway to a Happy, and peaceful 26th century world of Unity within Diversity and distinct identity of each nation, free from the ugly Colonialism of The Euro-Atlantic civilization, where each nation respects the other on equal terms irrespective of its size.

This is an introduction to my Proposal to set up a Memorial Museum of Patriotic Wars of Kandyan Sinhalese (MMPKS) 1505-1848 and an Institute of Colonial Crimes Studies in Sri Lanka and the Non-Aligned Nations ((ICCSSL & NAM countries)” at the old Bogambara Prison site Mahanuwara. (Kandy) given to the Governor CP to advice the President to implement this proposal and reject the Star Hotel Project.

Bogambara Prison was an ugly vestige of an uncivilized, repressive, inhuman and brutal British torcher Bastille of Sri Lanka, from 1818 to 1948, where the bones of the patriotic native Sinhalese victims buried under this ground will bear witness to that huma tragedy.  The first two patriotic national leaders to be beheaded here, were, the two heroes Keppetipola Disava and Madugalla Disava on 25th November 1818, for leading the historic Uva Wellassa rebellion, the first freedom struggle by the patriotic Sinhalese against the British invaders, to retrieve the motherland.  This was followed by the most uncivilized and barbarous incident that took place here, the murder of Kudapola Thera, by shooting in his robes on 26th August in 1848, under orders by Torrington, the savage white murderer, in spite of strong objections by his own legal adviser, the then Attorney General H.G. Selby, violating all civilized norms of human justice. Both Brownrigg (1818) and Torrington (1848) followed the same uncivilized and brutal practices on this spot, in all murders between 1818 to 1850. All these public executions were carried out here in the open air, as there was no prison at that time to terrorize the native Sinhalese.

It is to be noted here that the charge against all these patriots was treason against the British Crown, whereas all those who were either shot or beheaded, were executed only for rising against the atrocities of the invader, to protect their mother land, where their ancestors had lived and jealously protected for millennia from the inception of history first, against the South Indian Invaders ( 2^nd  Century BC-13^th AD)  and second, the three Western colonial invaders from (1505-1850). Therefore, by what criterion they called it treason? Was it another synonym used by the British for patriotism?

Bogambara prison built in 1877.

This Prison was built on this ground in 1877. Ever since this Bastille of the British was built on the most Sacred and spiritual heart of the Kandyan Kingdom it had been used as a torcher house by the British colonial government that had carried out their carnage and imprisonment sprees until 1948, to satisfy their own savages’ killings with no justice for the native Sinhalese or their heritage, until they left the shores of this country. Even after they left the shores of the Island in 1948 after handing over the country to their local black white proxy’s, who continued hanging and imprisonment on behalf of their British masters, at the same place. They also continued to have Bogambara Prison at this place, until rising public agitation against its continuance in front of the Sri Daladaa Maligava, compelled them to shift it to Pallekele in 2014.  (Incidentally, it was I who first started that agitation by writing an article to the Daily News 29th August 1977, demanding that it should be immediately shifted to Pallekele). In spite of all these oppositions the governments of the so-called independent Sri Lanka (In reality a carbon copy of the Westminster system) continued hanging and imprisonment here, even after declaring it a Republic in 1972, until it was stopped temporally in 1977. But the prison remained at the same place until it was finally transferred to Pallekele in 2014 at last, as I had suggested in 1977.

In this historical backdrop we all know that the site on which Bogambara prison stands was a place immortalized by the remains of our patriotic ancestors who sacrificed their lives on our behalf to save the motherland from the invaders for posterity. In my opinion, it is therefore a historic place where all Sinhalese should assemble in tens of thousands annually, to pay their homage to their dead, who died to protected this country for 443 long years from the enemies, confining three powerful invaders with enormous gunpower to a narrow coastal belt of this Island for 310 years (1505-1815).

The uncivilized British murderers, having openly and unilaterally violated the Kandyan Convention of 1815 by Royal Proclamation made on 21^st of Nov 1818, converted this sacred city to a grave yard, where the remains of thousands of our patriotic freedom fighters including Buddhist Monks were brutally executed by beheading, hanging or shooting in public even without trial.  As such Bogambara, in my opinion should be protected as a site of annual moaning of the Sinhala nation and a national memorial museum of the murdered Sinhalese patriots dedicated to their names” rather than making it a fool’s merry making paradise as the UDA has suggested , by converting it to a 7-star Hilton, Marriot or Oberoi, making room for the agents of the same colonial powers to syphon the income generated from it to their own countries making us still poorer,  making the dead to rise from their graves in protest.

Therefore, obviously this place should never be converted to a 7-star hotel for merry making or night life as our politicians and some pliant public officials, who have no vision or a mission at all in their heads for nation building and indulge in promoting crazy tourism have suggested. Such a project will definitely be a veritable canker to our economy and culture, as it has already been proved particularly in the Southern and the Eastern parts of the Island, where Israelites, Indians, Chinese and even Russians have already taken over the trade in to their hands, syphoning all the income to their countries and thereby depriving this country of its much-craved US $.

Therefore, I strongly advice the government to go ahead with this proposal instead of indulging in the mad idea of a tourist hotel that is definitely going to be economically and culturally devastative and elusive, as it will only further erode our economy and destroy our valued native culture.

These negative economic effects of tourism are in addition to the soring cultural and social ills that spill down our society, that will one day completely erode the 2566-year-old pristine Sinhala Buddhist civilization from the surface of this Island. Therefore, I call upon all unpatriotic and self-serving politicians and officials of the same ilk in this country, who are still suffering from this night mare tourist syndrome, to read Dr Asoka Bandarage’s article Sri Lanka: The Beautiful, Besieged Island” in the Lanka web (3.9.2025.) if they are interested in knowing what I mean here.

It is in this sad and appalling backdrop and the crying need to stand up with a clarion call against both colonialism and neo-colonialism, and to do something meaningful, that I propose to setup a Memorial Museum of Patriotic wars of Kandyan Sinhalese (1505-1948) and an Institute of Research and studies on colonial crimes in Sri Lanka prompting all other ex-colonial countries also to start their own colonial Crime Research institutes.

First, to educate our politicians and bureaucrats and the whole world on the centuries of colonial crimes, atrocities and plundering committed directly by them from (the 16th century to the mid-20^th century) and what they are continuing  even at present, under their neo-colonial agenda, through their own so-called  International, financial and legal and administrative arms like the World Bank, IMF, Asian Bank, the UN and many other arms of the Western ex-colonial block such as the UNCHR, ILO, that have ceased to be international any more.

second, to work out a strategy to assert the political economic and social freedom, and Independence of the ex-colonial-nations from the persistent colonial intimidation and exploitation and,

 finally, to call upon all victim nations to jointly stand on our own feet as strong independent and sovereign nations to fight against exploitation, oppression and interference in our domestic affairs.  This will bring justice, peace and salvation to our nations. That will also put an end to nearly 6 centuries of colonial exploitation and suppression of our motherlands and also relieve 88% of the total world population living in the Afro-Asian and Latin American countries of continued oppression, suppression and exploitation by the West and put them on a new track of independence, freedom, development, prosperity and happiness.

I give below the reasons for selecting Sri Lanka for this proposed International Institute

1.Sri Lanka is located at the centre of the world map in the Indian Ocean.

2.It is easily accessible to all countries, both by sea and air.

3.It is also one of the leading and active members of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) right from its beginning in 1956 at Bandung.

4.During Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranayakaya’s time (1970-1977), in 1971, she got the UN to declare the Indian Ocean as a Peace Zone by United Nations General Assembly resolution at the Cairo Summit. (A/RES/2832(XXVI 1971). It was proposed by Mrs Bandaranayaka and seconded by Julius Nierere of Tanganyika. This declaration called for great powers to eliminate military bases and weapons from the Indian Ocean and for all states to respect it as a zone, free from military rivalries and weapons of mass destruction. (But sadly, it had been violated by UK and subsequently by US by opening up a military base in Diago Garcia, right at the center of the Indian Ocean, with B-2 bombers capable of carrying 30,000-pound bunker buster bombs with a 10,000 km range.US used this base in their recent attack on Iran).

 I am lost to understand as to why India, a major participant at the Cairo Summit, and also as the biggest democracy in the South East Asian region is keeping silent on the breach of that very important and historic UN resolution by UK and USA.  All members of the NAM should condemn it and strongly protest against this breach of the UN resolution by UK and USA and call upon them to immediately withdraw their military bases from Diago Garcia, aimed at maintaining their military supremacy in the Indian Ocean and to contain China, and India primarily, and all the peripheral States around the Indian Ocean by violating the Cairo resolution.

Again, Mrs Bandarnayaka during her tenure as Chairman of the NAM, 1970/76, had the NAM Summit in Colombo where 85 NAM leaders had grazed the occasion making it one of the most colorful events in the annals of the NAM.

5.Furthermore, Sri Lanka was the only country in the world, where British invaders could not conquer by war. (Instead, they annexed it in 1815 by a mutually agreed friendly” Convention called the Kandyan Convention between two equal Kingdoms by intrigue and deception on their part, cleverly hatched jointly by Doily and Brownrigg.

(The Kandyan Convention was blatantly and illegally violated by British, on Nov 21^st  1818 as preplanned, by an illegal colonial Royal Proclamation, by which the British annihilated all Kandyan’s and consolidated their arbitrary power and the iron rule, as if they had captured this country by defeating the Sinhalese in war, completely ignoring the Kandyan Convention which is legally valid even today, as an international Agreement inked between the Sinhale and the United Kingdom. Thereafter, Brownrigg, in connivance with Doily, resorted to the most inhuman and uncivilized methods human massacre, by ordering all above 16 years to be killed, which, Davy in 1821 had described in the following words). 

The history of British rule in Sri Lanka after the 1818 rebellion cannot be related without shame. None of the members of the leading families in the Kandyan country have survived. Smallpox and privations have destroyed those spared by the gun and the sword.” (Davy was the Army surgeon and personal physician on Robert Brownwrigg during the years between 1817 and 1818). In fact, it was under this type of unilateral and criminal violations of the 1815 Convention, Brownrigg issued the 1818 Nov 21^st notorious, and infamous Royal Proclamation.

What is even more deplorable and repressive was that they also ruled this country thereafter up to 1948, under the iron boot with the same type of dictatorial, deplorable and barbarous enactments made under enactments at their discretion.

Thus, the suppression of Kandyans by the British has gone down in world history as one of the most savages and barbaric operations ever known to man on earth.

It is time for some legal luminary to file a case against Britan on two counts  

First, for violating the Kandyan Convention ex-parte and

Second, for ruling this country under military law illegally thereafter, for 130 years,

suing the British government for compensation and reparation of the wealth they had robbed from this country and other crimes like importing millions of Malaba laborers and settling them in the North and east first and the central hill country in the late 18^th century giving the special privileges to them to alter the demography of this country while discriminating against the native Sinhalese.

 6.Finally, and most importantly, this country was the only country in the world that was not conquered in war by the British, but only by deception and intrigue. Even to get that done, three powerful colonial invaders, the Portuguese, Dutch and the British had to struggle for 310 years from 1505- 1815, where the Sinhalese successfully kept the invaders at bay, by keeping them confined to a narrow coastal belt all that time. This indeed was a unique achievement on the part of the Sinhalese in world history.

Thus, Sri Lanka has a unique claim to have this institution on its soil.

In this backdrop, I have no doubt that all NAM countries will readily welcome this idea. Such an institution will form a formidable forum for all NAM countries to voice their objections to the persistent neo-colonial agenda of the colonial Atlantic civilizations as if the destructions done and the crimes they have committed against these countries are not yet enough.

The proposed Institute will also open the gates for the whole world to know, how these colonial invaders had destroyed this country in particular and almost all countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East as well, for centuries, to enrich their treasuries at home and build up their crazy Empires, where the sun never set, as they boast.

This chain of subjugation of NAM countries by war was followed by the creation of a network of global vasal colonial dependencies all over the world by these powers, to enrich their empires by the plundered wealth. They used these colonies as sources, of raw materials for their industries and lucrative markets for their products  in order to consolidate their dominance and exploitation over the so called Third World”, while calling themselves first world,  they  had created by exploitation of others wealth, almost for 6 centuries by subjugation, repression,  exploitation,  subordination and murder, in the colonies to perpetuate and tighten their colonial dependency trap at the expense of the so-called Third World or the Global South,  as they sometimes call them, a diabolical creation of the Euro-Atlantic Civilization of Sea Pirate nations during this period of colonial expansion.

I am confident the setting up of an International Research Institute on Colonial crimes as proposed in my previous paper) will open the gates for a new independent and free world, irrespective of their sizes.where all nations will be treated as equals with no conquerors and victims any more,

 I am also confident, that once we initiate this project, it could be expanded to attract the interest of all the so-called Global South countries, who had been the victims of colonialism for centuries and continue to be so even at present. The proposed Institution could be developed as the Headquarters of an International Institute of Research on colonial crimes in the entire Global South.

 As a first step in this mission, I suggest we first address a letter to the SAARC General Secretary and convince him on the advantages of this proposal, not only to expose colonial misdoings but also to keep all major powers led by the Atlantic civilization cartel at bay, by asserting the joint power of the NAM. Sri Lanka could function as the hub in this pursuit in the Indo Pacific region by uniting the Global South (who are the victims of colonialism, under the banner of the Non Aling Movement.

Our next step should be to summon a joint meeting of the SAARC countries to work out the inter-governmental commitment and modalities.  Sri Lanka should take the lead in this mission.

After uniting the SAARC under this banner, the next step should be to summon a meeting of the NAM to build up a joint NAM forum under the NAM banner throwing the name Global South” dubbed by the colonial invaders, in to the dustbin of history. A strong NAM could definitely be a challenge to the Atlantic civilization cartel. It should be organized as the formidable challenge to the Atlantic colonial world with a broader agenda for demanding reparation including damages and compensation for centuries of exploitations, repression and the crimes they have committed nearly for 7 centuries in these countries. Because it was these so-called North countries who have put all the NAM countries in to this poverty-stricken status through their exploitations and regimented rule for 7 centuries.

Sri Lanka could be the NAM epicenter of this new Global Movement, that will give a new lease of life to NAM with a distinct identity and make it the most Powerful International Organization, putting an end to the rat race of building big powers fighting for world domination.  Thereafter, all international organizations, like the UNO and all its affiliated arms should be brought under the control and the banner of the NAM.  With this arrangement in place, domination by the Atlantic Cartel or any other power block will end and the dawn of a new world order with completely free and sovereign nations of a Happy New World Free from the ugly Colonialism of the 26th century; A world of Unity within Diversity and distinct identity, where each nation respects the other on equal terms.”  will emerge.

Thereafter, as Shenali Waduge has brilliantly asserted (Lanakweb 8. 9.2025.)  

Such a strategy could even turn Sri Lanka in to a diplomatic, economic, moral hub of the 21st century with its strategic location right at the center of the Indian ocean on the world’s busiest oceanic and air traffic moves where nearly 8o% of world trade takes place with its enormous physical and human resources stands as the best place even to have the Head Quarters of the NAM movement. In view of its central location Sri Lanka’s role as a neutral hub of dialogue in the Indo-Pacific could be developed. If Sri Lanka takes the lead, it will no longer be a pawn shuffled by others, but the square on which the next game of geopolitics is reset.

” Since my proposal was made few days before September 7th, 2025, it is emboldening to read what Shenali Waduge had written to Lankaweb, high lighting the Sri Lanka’s Hidden Opportunities the pivotal role Sri Lanka can play in the near future under the changing geopolitical map in the Indian Ocean a gist of which I have given below. (Pl read Sri Lanka at the crossroads of a US–India stands)

(Lanka web Posted on September 7th, 2025 Shenali for details)

She goes on to say, Sri Lanka’s Hidden Opportunity

Yet within this storm lies an opportunity for Sri Lanka:

India’s ambitions of Akhand Bharat have alienated its neighbors — Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives, and Bhutan are wary of New Delhi’s dominance. Even Sri Lankan people hold the same view although the present government has played in to the Indias hands.

    As India loses credibility in the region, Sri Lanka can position itself as a hub of neutrality, building ties across blocs while resisting absorption into any one camp. Sri Lanka must rejuvenate the non-aligned status & demand the Indian Ocean Region return to its original charter Zone of Peace – Sri Lanka must champion this as a NAM Initiative. Sri Lanka once championed the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace in 1971. Reviving this initiative as part of a Global South narrative would give Colombo both moral and diplomatic leverage

    By exposing India’s record of destabilization — from backing the LTTE to meddling in domestic politics — Colombo can push back against New Delhi’s narrative and reclaim diplomatic leverage.

So, we must ask:

    Will we continue as a pawn in someone else’s endgame, or finally reclaim our sovereignty in the Indian Ocean?

Given the rising anti-India currents in the West and the erosion of trust in New Delhi’s regional role, among the SAARC countries has opened the gates for a dominant role for Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean

That move must be bold and historic: Sri Lanka should convene a new Non-Aligned Zone of Peace” Summit in Colombo. Just as we once championed the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace in 1971, we can revive that call under a Global South framework.

Such a summit would:

Reassert Sri Lanka’s role as a neutral hub of dialogue in the Indo-Pacific.

Rally neighbors wary of both Indian hegemony and Western militarization and will

position Colombo as the moral and diplomatic center for a 21st-century Non-Aligned revival.

If Sri Lanka takes the lead, it will no longer be a pawn shuffled by others, but the square on which the next game of geopolitics is reset.”

Shenali D Waduge”

Postscript Read I ttomorow morning

 It is in this Sri Lanka favorable new scenario that I present the Proposal to set up a Memorial Museum of Patriotic Wars of Kandyan Sinhalese (1505-1848) and the Institute of Colonial Crimes Studies in Sri Lanka and the Non-Aligned Nations (ICCSSL& NAN)” at the old Bogambara Prison site with room for expansion at Pallekele or Haragama in future.

 In my view the root cause of all these problems in the present-day world is Euro-Atlantic colonialism. Because it was, they who wanted to impose their language, the political system, religion and culture on all the countries in the whole world by force. To realize this goal they used the sword, the gun and the Bible. In addition, they also used the colour. According to them, white people are a superior over the Black or Brown. This should be stopped within a one world concept

Unfortunately, the Euro-Atlantic colonial powers have not yet realized that all these differences are a direct product of the geographical environment in which they live and it is not their choice either or it is not the wish of an invisible and imaginary God. In short, all these differences are a direct result of the environment. I am not talking about environmental determinism here. But overall, that is the stark fact. Each environment by nature has determined its own fauna and flora, the color of humans and their food, clothing and culture. As such isn’t it a foolish mistake for some nations to try to impose their own system by force on all others living in different environments

 Although human migration and invasions starting within and outside Africa have occurred even10.000 years before BC.  But they were sporadic and of limited in scale.  Then there were the regional migrations in the Mediterranean and Indo-Asian region during the great period of intellectual renaissance of Greece, Rome, Egypt, India and China between the 6^th -5^th centuries BC. Those migrations were limited to Asia minor and Southeast Asia. Alexander and Mogul invasions were aimed at expansion of territory and they came up to North India only. The Asokan Buddhist missionary of the 5^th century BC covering most parts of minor Asia, East and South East Asia including our own country Sri Lanka, was the only event recorded in world history that did not involve any territorial expansion for political or economic power. It is purely a religious mission to spread Buddhism and it did not conquer any country or kill a sigla human being either. He called it Dhamma Vijaya and not Dhikvijaya.

On the other hand, the migrations that began in the 15th century (1418) during the age of discovery and thought and lasted through the 19^th century, starting in Europe (Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, UK and Italy) were the most widespread ever on this earth. It covered the whole globe and it was also the one that had the biggest impact on all nations, spreading the European civilization all over the world led by Great Britain. With the first circumnavigation set sail by Magellan in 1519 and Juwan Sebastian Elcano returning to Spain in 1522 completed circumnavigation of the globe for the first time in history.  With Captain Cook discovering Australia and New Zealand in 1770 the British control of the globe was almost complete.

Thereafter the European invaders divided all the continents and Islands among them, the lions share going to Britain, setting up an Empire where the sun never set.  These invaders completely wiped-out native civilizations in most countries such as North and South America, Australia and New Zealand, except in few places like India and Sri Lanka. Even in these countries they introduced their own culture including their religion, language, the system of government, their legal systems, and replaced the native cultures with European civilization, although fortunately they could not completely destroy their native cultures. Some countries like America, Australia and New Zealand they gave new names to those countries conquered and renamed them with their own names. The English Language, their dress, political and legal and administrative systems of education, names of places, people and even food are the direct legacies left behind by them. It was this colonial legacy almost all NAM countries, who became victims of that disaster, have inherited from these invasions that created the modern world, with English as the international language, perhaps with one global culture. having destroyed the cultural diversity in this world.

The vision and the mission of the NAM, I think should be the recreation of this lost world of freedom and happiness for everyone, within a peaceful world of unity within diversity and distinct identity for all, free from the ugly Colonialism of the Euro-Atlantic civilization, where each nation respects the other on equal terms.  Iin 1956 it started with 29 members at the first Bandung and today it has a total membership of 121. Isn’t it a formidable force to recon with when UNO has only 194. If the NAM could adopt a better agenda, it can definitely be the world forum where all members enjoy equal rights, unlike the UNO,   which is dominated and controlled by the Security Council of the Western powers.

Dr Ruwan M Jayatunge M.D. PhD 

Professor Gananatha Obeyesekere was a distinguished scholar from Sri Lanka, and his writings stand out for their originality and depth, offering profound scholarly insights. His influence extended far beyond the confines of the small island where he originated, allowing him to disseminate his knowledge on a global scale. Through his extensive body of work, which includes numerous books and research papers, he has become a pivotal figure in academia. Institutions of higher learning across various continents frequently reference his contributions, integrating his insights into their curricula and research initiatives.

I had the distinct honor of participating in an intellectual dialogue with Professor Obeyesekere via email, which provided me with valuable insights into his scholarly contributions. In 2017, I further explored his work during an extensive conversation with Dr. Eric Smadja, a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who is also one of Professor Obeyesekere’s academic associates, while I was in Paris. Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to meet Professor Obeyesekere face-to-face, a regret that lingers in my mind as I consider the depth of knowledge and perspective he could have shared in person.

Professor Gananatha Obeyesekere has made a profound impact throughout his academic journey by consistently questioning and critiquing established anecdotal beliefs. His work often includes innovative interpretations that not only challenge conservative opinion but also ignite substantial intellectual debates within the scholarly community. By examining cultural narratives and their implications through a critical lens, he has positioned himself as a transformative thinker, reshaping the discourse surrounding the intersection of culture, religion, and science. His ability to provoke thought and inspire dialogue marks him as a revolutionary figure in contemporary thought, encouraging others to reconsider and reevaluate long-held assumptions.

In his seminal work, “The Work of Culture: Symbolic Transformation in Psychoanalysis and Anthropology,” he provides an in-depth analysis of the Sinhabahu myth, drawing intriguing parallels between it and the Freudian Oedipus complex, while also exploring themes of patricide and incest within the narrative. Additionally, he elucidates how the lion emerged as a totemic figure and ultimately became a national symbol for Sri Lanka. 

In “Dutthagamani and the Buddhist Conscience,” he delves into the complexities surrounding the historical figure of Dutthagamani (Dutugemunu), a king of ancient Sri Lanka, examining the moral and ethical challenges he faced. Furthermore, in “The Doomed King: A Requiem for Sri Vikrama Rajasinha,” Obeyesekere critically assesses the life and legacy of Sri Vikrama Rajasinha, the last king of Sri Lanka, highlighting the myths that depict him as a tyrant and revealing how British colonial forces employed psychological tactics and propaganda to tarnish his reputation. The legacy of such psychological warfare continues to shape historical narratives and public opinion, illustrating the profound impact of colonial propaganda on the collective memory of a nation. As a result, the echoes of these tactics can still be felt today. 

In his insightful work, Medusa’s Hair: An Essay on Personal Symbols and Religious Experience, Gananath Obeyesekere discusses significant anthropological and psychological themes. He intricately examines the connection between religious symbolism and the diverse psychopathologies that influence individual behaviour and societal interactions. He discusses the interplay between traumatic experiences within Sri Lankan society and the emergence of dissociative disorders. The book explores how these mental health issues are often interpreted through a spiritual lens, with cultural factors framing them as manifestations of divine blessings. Obeysekare’s analysis stands out in the field, as no other psychiatrist or psychologist in Sri Lanka has examined the psychological, anthropological, sociological, and cultural dimensions of this phenomenon with such depth and rigour. His insights shed light on the intricate ways in which societal trauma is processed and understood, revealing the profound impact of cultural narratives on individual psychological experiences.

In his notable publication, Karma and Rebirth: A Cross-Cultural Study, Obeyesekere presents a comprehensive sociological and anthropological examination of the concept of rebirth as it is expressed in diverse cultural contexts. His investigation into reincarnation is particularly noteworthy, as he approaches the subject from a neutral standpoint, avoiding the biases of specific religious frameworks. This impartial analysis reveals that numerous human societies share fundamental beliefs regarding the cycle of rebirth. Obeyesekere challenges the notion that rebirth is a singularly Indian idea, suggesting instead that similar beliefs in cycles of life, death, and renewal have emerged in diverse contexts. By examining how different civilizations interpret the notion of rebirth, Obeyesekere highlights the universality of this theme, indicating that it resonates with fundamental human experiences and existential questions.

In his 2005 book, Cannibal Talk: The Man-Eating Myth and Human Sacrifice in the South Seas, Obeyesekere critically addresses the Western European narrative surrounding cannibalism. He challenges the prevailing depiction of the white man as a civilizing force, emphasizing that his critique is not rooted in anti-Western sentiment. Instead, Obeyesekere’s work reflects a sophisticated understanding of cultural dynamics, engaging thoughtfully with Western narratives to explore the complexities of cultural identity and colonial history. His analysis scrutinizes the racial hierarchies, pseudo-scientific ideologies, cultural assimilation, and the degradation of indigenous knowledge that characterized the colonial era, alongside the legal and economic exploitation that accompanied it.

In his influential work, The Cult of the Goddess Pattini (1984), Gananath Obeyesekere explores multifaceted dimensions of the Pattini cult in Sri Lanka, offering a comprehensive analysis that encompasses historical, sociological, and psychological perspectives. He scrutinizes the syncretic characteristics of the goddess, challenging traditional interpretations of South Asian religious practices. Obeyesekere’s exploration extends to the psychological underpinnings of the myths surrounding Pattini, as well as the rituals associated with her worship. He emphasizes the interplay between psychological factors and the cult’s syncretic nature, examining how these elements relate to broader sociocultural transformations and the process of Sanskritization. Furthermore, he addresses the intricate gender dynamics embedded within the Pattini myth, revealing how these aspects contribute to the cult’s significance in contemporary society. 

Professor Ganatha Obeyesekere stands as a distinguished figure in the field of anthropology, celebrated not only in Sri Lanka but also on the global stage. His contributions to the discipline have established him as the foremost anthropologist that Sri Lanka has ever produced, a fact that is widely acknowledged and accepted without contention.  He is one of the foremost scholars of his era, possessing an extensive breadth of knowledge that spans sociology, anthropology, psychology, history, and various other disciplines. His unique ability to integrate diverse fields of study allows him to distill complex ideas into their essence, making his contributions invaluable to the academic community.

Ministry of Defence  – Media Centre

The Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), paid an official visit to the Air Force Headquarters at the DHQC in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte Yesterday (01 October).

The Deputy Minister was warmly received upon arrival by the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Bandu Edirisinghe, and was accorded a ceremonial welcome. There, he held discussions with the Air Force Commander and was introduced to the Air Force Board of Management, during which key operational and administrative matters were deliberated.

Major General Jayasekara (Retd), addressing a gathering of senior Officers of the Air Force and staff, appreciated the Air Force’s crucial role in national development projects and their prompt and effective response during disaster management operations and stressed the importance of maintaining strict accountability on all aspects.

While reiterating the government’s focus on nation-building, he urged them to dedicate their fullest potential to the country’s development. He called for close involvement and supervision of personnel engaged in national projects, ensuring all such activities adhere to the highest standards of professionalism and discipline in every sphere. He urged them to take command responsibility and display versatility in their approach to evolving national security and development challenges.

He also lauded the Air Force’s contribution to usher in an era of peace and continuous commitment towards national development initiatives.

Wimal Weerawansa

Wimal Weerawansa