The Punjab Forensic Science Agency has conducted a photogrammetric test of 34 prime suspects arrested for lynching Sri Lankan national Priyantha Kumara over alleged blasphemy in Sialkot on December 3.
So far, 139 people have been arrested by the police. The anti-terrorism court on Wednesday remanded the accused into police custody for 15 days.
According to the police, the 34 prime suspects were brought to the Punjab Forensic Science Agency for the photogrammetric test. The forensic examination was conducted of the suspects’ faces from the videos obtained from the attack.
The photogrammetric test is a forensic technique that is useful to have an accurate 3D reconstruction of a crime scene, especially in cases where position, distance and perspective are important. It extracts measurements from photographs.
The authorities said that results will be available within a few days and will be used in investigations and challan (police investigation report).
Priyantha was attacked by a mob that beat up, murdered, and then burnt his body on the Wazirabad Road.
The Sialkot District Police Officer (DPO) said that Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar is overseeing the case and investigations himself.
‘No more misuse of religion’
On Tuesday, a ceremony was held in the Prime Minister Office to express solidarity with the family of Priyantha Kumara and to appreciate the courage of Malik Adnan who tried to shield Priyantha by putting his own life on the line.
Addressing the ceremony, the premier said, I have decided that from now on if anyone uses the religion, especially in the name of Rehmatul-lil-Alameen Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to commit injustice, we will not spare them.”
People from all walks of life have condemned the incident and demanded strict punishment for the culprits.
Sri Lanka-Pakistan ties
On December 6, Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Pakistan Vice Admiral Mohan Wijewickrama condemned the incident and said that he was satisfied with Pakistan’s response to the killing. The incident won’t affect friendly ties between the two countries.”
We are very sure that the incident itself was not targeting our country, our religion, or our race. It was an incident in isolation.”
Sialkot chamber
On the other hand, the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry has raised $100,000 for the family of Priyantha Kumara.
The incident has shaken us and we can’t condemn it enough,” said Qasim Malik, president of the chamber, in an exclusive interview to SAMAA TV.
Priyantha Kumara Diyawadana is a name that will be remembered in Pakistan for a long time. Or will it? Our short-term memory is just that, short! Lest we forget, only recently the Sri Lankan was dispatched to hell (Urdu vernacular: jahanam raseed kar diya) by a mob of steadfast faith (pukhta emaan). Social media is rife with disgusting images and videos of this episode, accompanied by these gems of Urdu phrases! Will this bother us for long? Of course not! After all, we are a resilient nation, which can bounce back from any mishap-as long as it has not happened to us-with the elegance and aplomb of a graceful ballerina!
We may not be self-sufficient in oil and gas, we may not be self-sufficient in valuable metals, we may not be self-sufficient in alternative energy but we are definitely self-sufficient in being shocked and outraged! If it were to become a competitive sport, I am sure we would bag a gold medal in the next Olympics! We need to make sure that we export any spare shock and outrage so that the trade deficit can be narrowed. Take that Imran Khan! In one fell swoop, I have given you the recipe to brighten up the economic outlook in the country. Where are your precious economic czars now? Other things, you ask that can help with the current account deficit? How about the expression of sadness? This time around it was the Punjab Chief Minister’s turn to articulate his. Fitting really, he seems rather sad any day of the week and twice on Sundays! Ordering of an inquiry is another thing we have in spades. It just seems that the investigating agencies are just waiting for an inquiry to be ordered before they will kick into action. One can picture the law enforcement machinery standing at the ready, wait for it, wait for it, wait for it. There! We have a tweet ordering an inquiry. Let’s get to it! Go, go, go!”. Tweets, messages, press conferences – templates at the ready and utilised so quickly and efficiently that one marvels at the speed at which the functionaries work, alas only in such cases and not when it comes to truly uplifting the poor masses of this country. With all these templates flying around, the only caution that needs to be taken is to avoid ‘copy and paste’ errors. One doesn’t want to look foolish condemning an incident that happened last year! Being a copycat also needs brains (nakal ke liye bhi aqal ki zaroorat hoti hai).
We need to make sure that we export any spare shock and outrage so that the trade deficit can be narrowed.
Also in abundance is the art of condemnation from the celebrity-sphere: religious, drama, film, entertainment and talk-show hosts. In-between their megaevents they get time to express their grief and lament the state of affairs in this country. Before jet setting to their next exotic destination to mingle with their ilk. I am reminded of a Bollywood film in which Kadar Khan – the great Indian dialogue writer and comedian – portrays a rich industrialist and poses for a photograph with a poor kid while offering him grapes. Once the picture is taken, he takes the grapes back and says, you are done, now go” (tera hogaya, ab chal).
Finger-pointing is another one of our plentiful hallmarks and something that is a dime a dozen in the land of the pure! Cue random leaders accusing everyone and everything from international conspiracy (berooni saazish) to hidden hands (khufiya haath) to governmental weakness (hukumati kamzoori). One wonders about the last one when walls upon walls in Pakistan display remedies for all sorts of ‘kamzoori’!
Another copious element is journalists and OpEd writers – including yours truly – falling over each other to fill up the nation’s dailies with hard-hitting articles on what went wrong What should/could/would be done Who to blame.Who said self-mockery was dead!
Why should higher officials of government and law enforcement agencies be left behind This quarter also displays a cacophony of noise with phrases such as no one will be spared (kisi ko nahin chorhein ge) and things will be taken to their logical end (mantaqi anjaam tak pahunchayein ge). Failing that, a lot of transfers will be afoot and anticipated recipients of such orders will already be telling their families to pack up and be ready to move at a moment’s notice!
With so much surplus, export-grade commodities, I fail to understand our widening trade deficit and ever ballooning current account deficit. Maybe I am missing something because I am only a mere mortal while those running our country deities of the highest order. Amidst all this, I was asking myself, who will be responsible for all this carnage? Then the answer dawned upon me, NO ONE because that which belongs to everyone, belongs to no one!
The writer is Director Programmes for an international ICT organization based in the UK and writes on corporate strategy, socio-economic and geopolitical issues
Brigadier (Retd) Atif Shafique Courtesy The Daily Times (Pakistan)
Much has been written, reported, said and talked about the horrendous incident in which a Sri Lankan national working in a factory in Sialkot was brutally killed and his body was burnt in the middle of Wazirabad road. Police arrested a number of accused offenders and authorities made solemn pledges to dispense justice. All said and done, people have serious doubts about any positive results and the furor will peter out with time as has happened in the past in many gruesome incidents. Only hollow statements, some rubble rousing rallies, perfunctory resolutions in the National and provincial assemblies, some more soft worded condemnations by religious scholars and routine babbling by inter-faith harmony committees, will stir a storm in the teacup and that is all. Then there would be a criminal silence till another such incident awakes us, though temporarily, from our deep slumber.
The incident needs deep soul-searching because the malady of radicalisation and extremism is deep-seated in society. This propensity has been pampered by influential quarters for the last many decades. Resultantly, the myopic mindset has become acceptable to a large segment of the public. Axiomatically, these monsters have grown bigger and bolder with each passing day. The example of the incident of 14th August at Minar-e-Pakistan and many more such acts on the night of 13th / 14th August are indicators of how low the morality of the society has gone down.
It is no rocket science to find out the root causes of this widespread frustration, intolerance and inhumane behaviour. One major factor which stands out is that the public is starved and deprived of all kinds of positive opportunities to vent out their energies nor there is any quality entertainment. In the late 70’s the increased role of religious pandits and then in the ’80s during Zia’s regime this present-day extremist, intolerant and fanatic religious cult was created and over time it kept growing and now it has almost become a Frankenstein monster. Lynching is nothing new in the name of religion in Pakistan, it is only that we have short-lived memories. Between 2012 to date over 10 to 12 different incidents of this brutal kind occurred and nothing happened to those involved after initial arrest etc. They were let off subsequently as the legal procedure allowed them an easy exit.
Lynching is nothing new in the name of religion in Pakistan. It is only that we have short-lived memories.
Follow up of the recent incident also shows a similar trend where the victim is considered to be a defaulter and the aggressors are being treated as heroes at the local level. The statements given by our various politico-religion leaders also indicate this same mindset.
The youth is rudderless and uncontrolled due to lack of opportunities, may it be vocational, entertainment, educational or cultural development. Our political, as well as religious leaders, is hell-bent to increase violence and agitation in the country to suit their goals and desires, At the same time, media houses have also joined this stream. The issue instead of being mellowed down is being highlighted to an extent where even if one wants to put off the anger and retaliation on hold is rather being incited by repeated discussions on various media modes. PEMRA is not taking notice of this toxic trend.
No religious leader or scholar has come upon air to talk about the need to be patient and tolerant the stance is quite perturbing. The reports of the accused being treated as heroes by the local community is also a point to ponder. The unsolved earlier cases of lynching may be the reason which encourages people to repeat such unethical acts.
The state in my opinion has failed to create the desired awareness amongst the masses. The so-called change in the name of the creation of Riasat-e-Madina appears to be no more than a slogan as no practical action/step can be seen on the ground. Even if there is no visible change on the political front due to the claimed negative role of the oppositions, where are the steps to create balance, tolerance, equality and provision of Justice??? Why do we only blame the previous governments? Three and half years or so have elapsed, why no step has been taken to improve upon the above-cited issues.
To blame only the government is also not correct, we all are included in this. It is very easy to sit down, criticize the system and point out the mistakes but in actual fact how many of us actually get out of our cosy homes and drawing rooms and initiate practical steps, may be only a few odd, but that doesn’t work. I feel that we all as individuals must seriously see and act in the fields where we can influence regardless of our political liking and disliking, we must try to bring awareness to people around us in our immediate circles. The need of the time to develop a sincere understanding / creating a sense of tolerance towards all and try to follow the law. Our educational institutions of all kinds must launch an immediate program to soften up the mindset of our future generation and clarify that to punish the criminal is the responsibility of the state. The punishing of the accused by public and mob is forbidden legally,m, socially religiously as well as ethically. We must not resort to taking the law in own hands (of course this has to be augmented by judicial reforms at the earliest). We must ensure that the religion is not made a tool to gain personal/collective/political aims. The true sprite of Islam must be highlighted.
The need of the hour is to launch a massive drive at public level to create awareness, opportunities, and provide options for all the public to get out of the tense environment and get busy in healthy and constructive activities or else we will continue to see the incidents where in matter of minutes already socially, culturally and economically deprived masses turn into a mob on just one slogan and within minutes the situation gets out of control, where anything can happen. We all must act now if we want to see change or else incidents like Minar-e-Pakistan and Sialkot will keep happening in days to come unfortunately.
Priyantha Kumara, the Sri Lankan national who was lynched by a mob in Pakistan’s Punjab province on December 3 over allegations of blasphemy, was buried according to Buddhist and Catholic rites at Ganemulla, a suburb north of Colombo, on Wednesday, December 8.
Please click on the images to view Priyantha Kumara’s final journey.
IMAGE: Nilushi, Priyantha Kumar’s wife, with her sons, aged 14 and 9, at the funeral. Nilushi has appealed to the Pakistan government for justice and compensation for her husband’s killing. All Photographs: Dinuka Liyanawatte/ReutersSponsoredMore from around the webRecommended by
IMAGE: Priyantha Kumara’s mother weeps at her son’s casket during the funeral. Kumara had gone to Pakistan in 2011 after he got a job as a mechanical engineer at an apparel factory in Faisalabad. After a year, he joined Sialkot’s Rajco Industries as its general manager and was the only Sri Lankan national working in the factory.
IMAGE: The Sri Lankan cabinet on Tuesday approved Sri Lankan Rs 2.5 million (about Rs 935,000) as compensation to Nilushi and her family.
IMAGE: Priyantha Kumara was brutally lynched before his body was set on fire. The murder by Islamic radicals has shocked the world.
IMAGE: The Sri Lankan parliament, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa have condemned the brutal killing and expressed hope that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government would bring the guilty to justice.
IMAGE: Ruling and Opposition MPs in the Sri Lankan parliament have demanded an apology from Pakistan’s Defence Minister Pervez Khattak for his insensitive remarks on the lynching. Khattak on Monday said the ghastly lynching by a mob in Sialkot should not be linked to the Pakistan government’s recent decision to lift the ban on the extremist Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakista, saying ‘murders take place’ when young people get emotional. Shocking!
Recently the surgeon Dr. Athula Withanage translated into Sinhala for the first time, ‘Evgeni Onegin’ a Russian romantic novel written in verse and a masterpiece of the great Russian poet Alexander Pushkin. Simultaneously, he translated it into English, making it the 46th English translation. This achievement by
Dr. Athula Withanage can be hailed as a historical event as it was declared impossible to achieve by many authors in the past including the great translator, Oruwala Bandu. This was because of cultural differences and the era (1880) when it was written, as well as the different meaning Alexander Pushkin gave his own poetic words. Dr. Withanage escaped the shackles of rhyming by producing the masterpiece in Sinhala using the unique form of ‘Nisandas Kavi’. The books were presented to the First Secretary of the Russian Embassy in Sri Lanka and the Director of the Russian Centre, Anastasia Khokhlova at the Russian Centre Book Festival on 27 October 2021. This commendable literary mission was hailed as a historical event.The State Russian Language Institute in Moscow was named after Alexander Pushkin.
Dr. Withanage is currently working as a Senior Surgeon at the Malabe Neville Fernando Hospital. He worked in Wales (UK) for over thirty-one years, attached to the UK’s National Health Service. On his retirement, he visited Sri Lanka on a holiday and met with the late Dr Neville Fernando, who invited him to deliver a lecture at the Neville Fernando Auditorium. Later,
Dr Neville Fernando invited Dr Withanage to help his team to write the curriculum for the surgical faculty and for some guidance in perfecting the state of the art new theatre complex. With his knowledge and experience in the UK, Dr Withanage was able to do so.(At the construction stages of the Hospital). Although he accepted a temporary position because of his commitments in the UK for teaching at the RCS (Surgical Membership in England) and WIMAT( The leading Centre for the Welsh Endoscopy Training and Laparoscopic Colorectal Training Scheme) of Cardiff University. Later, he decided to stay in Sri Lanka because of the plight of the SAITM students faced at that time.The Sri Lanka Government took over the Management of the Hospital, at the request of the late Dr. Neville Fernando, to help the poor and the needy. At that time the Hospital was operated as a private teaching hospital. Anyone visiting the Neville Fernando hospital can see how methodically wards are assigned and the overall layout of the hospital.
Latent Talents
Dr. Athula Withanage did his medical degree in Russia on a Sri Lankan Government Scholarship. He had to first learn Russian before he commenced his medical studies. After graduating from Russia, he achieved FRCS recognition from England, Scotland, and Ireland. He holds the record as the only Sri Lankan to take part in a stage play in Ireland ( ‘Citi’), where he wrote down the dialogue in Sinhala as he could not speak a word of Irish. Dr. Athula Withanage is a versatile character committed to the Sinhala Culture like his brother, the late Bandula Withanage, an actor, writer, author, and drama producer.
Dr. Athula Withanage is exceedingly talented. After spending many hours in the hospital theatre attached to the NHS UK, he started writing books for relaxation and to keep his mind away from the stresses of surgical life. After one of the operations of a senior citizen, which ‘everyone thought he would certainly fail,’ the patient miraculously survived somehow. After a full recovery, the patient came to see Dr. Athula Withanage with a gift of a massive wall clock. After presenting the gift to the doctor, the old gentleman said: Thank you, doctor, you gave me life and time on this earth, and I am symbolically giving you the time!”
Dr. Athula Withanage has published many books in Sinhala and English. His first medical novel Living Capsule” was published by the Regency Press in London and New York. ‘Living Capsule’ dealt with a clinical problem any surgeon had to battle. In Sri Lanka, he published an educational book for doctors in every field of medicine called Wound Care and Management,” which sold out among the medical fraternity like hotcakes, at the book festival at BMICH year 2020!
Latest Novel
The plot of his latest novel ‘The Pond, Butterflies, and the Rainbow’ wraps around a doctor who oversees the COVID-19 ward during the pandemic. The author goes into graphic details about the intricacy of surgery on COVID-19 patients and the universal precautions one must take. He reflects the deadliest nature of the virus and the agony the staff go through, and how it affects their own lives. He must have acquired knowledge on
COVID-19 after being apportioned to the ward, as a surgical consultant, in the Neville Fernando Hospital unit, the country’s second-largest unit at the height of the third cluster.
The book presents a rich and heart-warming portrait of an exceptional single parent doctor-father and his love for his seven-year-old daughter. In his vision, the father relates his Peradeniya University experiences and comes across an orphaned girl in the university library, who had been unsuccessful in her examination twice? Out of sympathy, he offers her help, but seemingly it leads to a romantic encounter. Out of the blue, the girl becomes pregnant while both are under-graduates. The boy’s father becomes irritated on hearing his youngest son’s romantic pranks, and finally, the son gets ostracised from the family, but tragedy strikes later on the happy-go romantic capsule. The young infant becomes his primary responsibility and later he becomes overprotective of his daughter.
While working in the COVID-19 ward at the hospital, a scuffle breaks out with a patient there, who was fully infected and who tries to enter a geriatric ward. In trying to save the elderly and vulnerable in the ward, the doctor, too, gets contaminated by the wound caused by the assailant during the scuffle and quarantined. Fortunately, he spends fourteen days in the same hospital. During his quarantine period, a young nurse comes to his rescue to look after his young daughter voluntarily. The daughter and the nurse become good pals to the extent she calls the nurse ‘mum’ at the end. Seemingly, the doctor being a bachelor for four years becomes involved romantically with the young nurse. He once explains to his daughter, when she urged him not to go to work, that he had taken an oath (Hippocratic Oath) when he qualified as a doctor, and he must maintain that promise. Therefore, he was committed to after the sick and was unable to abandon patients for any reason.
Meanwhile, at the hospital, in a suicidal attempt a patient jumps out of the third floor of the hospital. The doctor without thinking and due to instant reflex action takes the risk and goes down on a drainpipe to save her. Unfortunately, the pipe collapses, and the doctor falls in a dramatic rescue attempt, while so many watch, and some curse him for taking unnecessary risks.Many bystanders urge him not to take a risk.
Medical Experience
Being a medical man with experience, the author writes graphic accounts in his unique style of the dangers of the COVID-19, and how some of the general public’s behaviour. He points out how the Media and newspapers blame doctors and health workers for not recognising the risk everyone takes in dealing with COVID-19 affected patients. He also criticises the Media for insulting and blaming the doctors at the slightest mistake when a doctor or health workers commit mistakes and how the Media attack and criticise. In his personal experience he says Media, or the public never appreciate the dedicated service done by the health authorities or the departmental staff while they save many patients daily.
The author displays his literal genius by his rich and heart-warming portrait of a medical man and a loving father. He makes the reader at various stages, laugh, cry with the sentiment, and sympathise with emotion-filled with warmth. Finally, the author opens his heart to the reader how the doctor becomes triumphant.
Dr. Athula Withanage is an excellent surgeon who spends more time with patients in listening to patients, a habit he learned in England. He never cares for money and most of the operations he undertakes are free of charge from poor and the helpless. When he concentrates on writing novels, he understands how to bring heroic visions to life. ‘The Pond, Butterflies, and Rainbow’ is a beautiful inspiring romantic story. The author has brought the beautiful heart-warming narration to a climax with subtle elegance.
The writer is confident that
Dr. Athula Withanage’s latest English novel”The Pond, Butterflies, and Rainbow, based on the Sinhala story ‘Ran Dola” will become one of the most up to date novels for book lovers in this era of the COVID-19 pandemic, and create a new form of COVID-19 literature.
SLPP MP Gevindu Cumaratunga says a section of the ruling coalition is pursuing political strategies contrary to the mandate received by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna at the 2019 presidential and 2020 parliamentary elections.
MP Cumaratunga also strongly criticised the conduct of the Parliament as the highest institution in the country on the basis of continuing manipulation of the National List to accommodate those who had been rejected by the electorate and appointed outside the respective National Lists of political parties. The parliament consists of 196 elected and 29 appointed members.
The MP explained how the UNP schemed in the late 80s to manipulate the entire process to introduce the National List. Reference was made to the appointment of defeated candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe on the UNP National List and Basil Rajapaksa on the SLPP National List.
SLPP National List MP Cumaratunga who is also the President of the Yuthukama civil society group questioned rationale in pushing for the holding of the much delayed Provincial Council polls as quickly as possible.
The MP summoned a media briefing after he was denied the time to address the Parliament during the debate on the Justice Ministry vote. The lawmaker found fault with the government for its failure to unveil the Draft Constitution before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa completed two years in office. Cumaratunga is one of the MPs who had pledged his support to the battle against the highly questionable deal on the Yugadanavi Power Station that is now before the Supreme Court.
The civil society activist emphasized that Provincial Council polls shouldn’t be held under any circumstances until the introduction of the new Constitution. Lawmaker Cumaratunga said that the country received an assurance from Justice Minister Ali Sabry, PC that the draft Constitution would be presented within two years. Therefore, the delay couldn’t be accepted though the global epidemic Covid-19 caused immense problems.
MP Cumaratunga emphasized that he didn’t want to discuss other matters as the media briefing was especially called to address some specific issues namely the new Constitution and some matters related to the Justice Ministry.
Alleging that the Provincial Councils system in its present form violated the unitary status of the country, MP Cumaratunga said that in line with the mandates received at two national elections, the proposed new Constitution should do away with all those Amendments introduced in the wake of the Indo-Lanka Accord of July 1987 meant to appease separatist sentiments.
Responding to media queries, lawmaker Cumaratunga said that those who voted for the SLPP at the 2019 presidential and 2020 parliamentary elections expected President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to fulfill the pledges given.
Commenting on the enactment of the 20th Amendment in Oct 2020 with an overwhelming 2/3 majority, MP Cumaratunga said that the country expected a new Constitution. Acknowledging the need for what he called an interim constitutional measure in the wake of 2019 presidential election victory, MP Cumaratunga said that he expected the proposed draft Constitution to include the valuable provision to prevent dual citizens with divided loyalties entering Parliament. Cumaratunga said that particular provision introduced trough the 19th Amendment had been neutralized by the 20th Amendment. Therefore, that provision should be brought back.
The post-war Sri Lanka needed a Constitution that reflected Sri Lanka’s triumph over terrorism. Similarly, elections reforms were required to abolish the current Proportional Representation system that encouraged, promoted and strengthened corruption at every level, he said.
Lawmaker Cumaratunga questioned the appointment of Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara as the head of Presidential Task Force (PTF) appointed to promote ‘One Country, One Law Concept.’ The civil society activist said that though he appreciated the concept the appointment of Ven. Gnanasara undermined the very concept President Gotabaya Rajapaksa promoted.
Towards the end of the briefing, Cumaratunga discussed how the incumbent government violated the Constitution by creating ministries in excess of the constitutional stipulation that restricted the number of cabinet ministers to 30 and State Ministers and Deputies to 40. The MP expressed appreciation to engineer Kapila Renuka Perera for seeking the Supreme Court intervention in that regard. Lawmaker Cumaratunga said that the 19th Amendment brought in restrictions on the number of ministers at a time the public agitated against top heavy government.
The outspoken MP fiercely criticized those within the government who believed in a so-called national government to overcome constitutional restrictions imposed on the number of ministers. The Yuthukama Chief warned such measures would cause rapid deterioration of the government and erode public confidence on the SLPP administration.
Alleging that former Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem had stopped conduct of classes for law students in Sinhala, MP Cumaratunga said that incumbent minister Sabry stopped conducting of Law College examinations in Sinhala. The MP said that the government should be ashamed of the situation. The MP also pointed out that Supreme Court judgments were delivered only In English and even the Parliament was deprived of a Sinhala copy in respect of major issues such as the ruling on the Colombo Port Commission Bill.
There are 1,374 waste disposal sites in the Kelani River area from Seethawaka to Peliyagoda, Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said.
The Minister expressed these views while participating in an inspection tour of the Kelani River today to inspect the places where the Kelani River is polluted.
The observation tour was organized in collaboration with the SL Navy, the Central Environmental Authority and a number of other agencies.
The Central Environmental Authority (CEA) has conducted an island-wide survey covering the entire river network of our country. According to the results of that survey, the Kelani River is the most polluted river in the whole country, and more than 80% of the population of Gampaha and Colombo meet their drinking water needs from this river. The Minister stressed.
“There are 103 rivers in our country. According to the island wide survey conducted by the CEA, 10,733 places are found to be polluted the entire river network. The Kelani River is the most polluted river of them all. The Minister said the Kelani River collects pollutants at 1374 places, including 797 polluting sites in the Colombo city area and 577 places in the Gampaha district. Therefore, I suggested that steps need be taken to give priority to the second largest River next year under the Surakimu Ganga programme, he said.
“We also give priority to the conservation of the Menik and the Walawe Rivers. Accordingly, out of the funds allocated for the year 2021, this year, we have allocated funds for financial projects in all 24 districts. However, we will be executing a number of projects that will involve the purification of the Kelani River by 2022. That is why this observation tour is being conducted today,” said the Minister.
Pakistani national Malik Adnan, who received the highest bravery award from his Prime Minister Imran Khan for shielding Priyantha Kumara from the unruly mob in Sialkot last Friday, revealed yesterday that Priyantha was unaware of what was written in the posters pasted on the factory walls as it was in the Urdu language and discarded it unknowingly.
Hours after he received the award from Imran Khan, Adnan told Daily Mirror from Sialkot that he was in shock at what had happened last Friday and was unable to accept that Priyantha had been killed in such an inhumane manner.
He said he dedicated his award to Priyantha’s children and the Sri Lankan public and urged the people of both nations not to let this hamper the relations between Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Adnan said Priyantha Kumara was employed as the General Manager at the Rajco factory and he was hardworking, dedicated and honest and mentored many of those who worked under him.
Recalling the horrific incidents last Friday, Adnan said that when Priyantha arrived at the factory premises he saw the posters on the wall and removed it as he always maintained that there should not be anything pasted on the factory premises. After discarding the posters in the bin, he went into his office. Some of the factory workers immediately began an agitation within the premises saying the posters bore religious significance and some of the workers started gathering people from outside.
Seeing the chaos, Adnan said he rushed outside and attempted to reconcile with the group, by stating that if Priyantha had committed a sin he would be dealt with by the authorities and no one should take the law into their own hands. However, the mob started getting bigger at which point, Adnan prevented them from heading towards Priyantha’s office. Amidst the chaos, he informed Priyantha to seek refuge on the roof of the factory.
However, as the mob kept increasing and after receiving serious injuries, Adnan said some of the perpetrators rushed to the roof after which Priyantha was beaten up. Adnan could not explain what happened thereafter since he too had sustained injuries after being severely beaten up by the mob. I tried my best to protect him. But soon as the mob kept increasing it went beyond my control. I was very badly injured,” he said.
I am still in shock and am unable to accept that Priyantha is no more. We lost a good man and a good mentor,” Adnan said. Adnan returned back to work yesterday and said there was a silence that surrounded the factory. Workers were unable to work due to being in shock and Priyantha’s loss had left a dull ache among the team members.
Upon receiving the bravery award from Prime Minister Khan in Islamabad on Tuesday, he was informed by the Prime Minister that Adnan was a role model to all Pakistani citizens as he had put his own life at risk to protect a foreign national. He said while Priyantha’s murder was felt among all Pakistani citizens, he urged the Sri Lankan people not to let this hamper the bilateral relations between the two countries and said several of those involved had been arrested. In the face of some evil, there are good Pakistani’s as well,” he concluded. (JAMILA HUSAIN)
Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa says the importation of vehicles and recruitment of public sector employees will not be carried out in 2022.
Addressing an event, the lawmaker stressed that the government will have to impose restrictions on the aforementioned. Accordingly, new vehicles will not be imported and approval will not be given for recruitment to the public sector next year, he added.
Minister Rajapaksa urged the public sector authorities not to ask for new staff members. He stated that there is not enough workspace at some divisional secretariats for the employees.
Increasing the number of staff members will not improve the efficiency, he added.
Speaking further, the finance minister said an increase in foreign reserves was observed last year, but it drastically dropped this year due to the decrease in remittances sent by the migrant workers.
The country annually sends about 230,000 migrant workers overseas, but this figure shrunk to 53,000 last year, he added. However, more than 100,000 migrant workers are sent abroad now, Minister Rajapaksa continued, adding that the government’s target is to increase this number to 300,000 next year.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa says there is a mismatch between the education generally on offer in Sri Lanka and what is necessary for the country to develop in the 21st century.
This is why I have constantly called for educational reforms, especially in our tertiary education system,’’ said President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, addressing the General Convocation of Sir John Kotelawala Defence University at the BMICH today (09).
I strongly believe that no matter the degree programme followed by university students, they must all graduate having gained at least some proficiency in information technology. They should also receive exposure to other skills necessary for success in today’s world, including critical thinking, entrepreneurship, and English language skills,” the President further said.
I am pleased to note that several of these reforms have already been implemented by our universities, and that more are to be introduced next year. One of the early accomplishments of my administration was increasing the number of places for students in universities throughout Sri Lanka by ten thousand,” President Rajapaksa added.
Even with this increase, however, there will still be thousands of students who cannot access university education in Sri Lanka despite passing their Advanced Level examinations. This is because there just isn’t enough capacity within the state university system to accommodate all qualifying students. We need to create more opportunities for our young people to study at universities in Sri Lanka.”
There is absolutely no reason why these universities should only be state universities. Almost all the best universities in the world are not state universities. Most are structured as independent self-governing entities, charitable institutions, or nonprofit organizations focused on education,” the President said.
The old objection about higher education institutions outside the state universities being education shops that sell degrees is nonsensical,” the President further said.
The 32nd General Convocation of Sir John Kotelawala Defence University was held today. One PhD Graduand, 227 Master’s Graduands and Postgraduate Diploma holders from the Faculty of Graduate Studies, and 1,180 Bachelor’s Degree holders from different faculties of KDU were among the 1,408 graduands who received parchments at this year’s convocation.
President Rajapaksa presented special awards to Cadet Officer S.H. Rodrigo as the Best Army Officer, Lieutenant S.D Karunasena as the Best Naval Officer, Fg Off S.K.S. Rukshan as the Best Air Force Officer. The sword of Honour for the Best All-Round Performance of Intake 34 was awarded to Lt L.D.I. Liyanaarachchi.
Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, Ambassadors and High Commissioners, Defence Secretary and Secretaries of other ministries, Chief of Defence Staff and Commanders of the Armed Forces, the Inspector General of Police, Director General of the Civil Defence Force and other Heads of the Security Sector, Chancellor of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University General Gerard de Silva, Vice Chancellor Major General Milinda Peiris and the members of the academic and non-academic staff were also present.
The writ application filed by former PM Ranil Wickremesinghe against the recommendations of the Presidential Commission to Investigate into Political Victimization has been fixed for consideration on January 28, 2022.
The petition was taken up before the Appeals Court bench consisting of Judges Nishshanka Bandula Karunaratne, Devika Abeyratne and D.M. Samarakoon today (Dec. 09).
In his petition, the UNP leader and parliamentarian requested the court to issue a writ order quashing the panel’s recommendations against him and also sought an interim order preventing the implementation of the recommendations until the hearing of the petition is concluded.
Mr. Wickremesinghe stated that information had been reported that the respondents had carried out an investigation into the Anti-Corruption Committee Secretariat which was established during the period of the Good Governance Government and that subsequently, the media had reported on several recommendations presented by the commission that would also have an effect on him.
He pointed out that the commission has not presented any charge sheet against him and that it had also not adequately inquired for explanations from him either. The former Prime Minister also noted that the Anti-Corruption Committee Secretariat was established based on a decision taken by the then Cabinet of Ministers and that all of its expenses had been incurred in accordance with the law.
Mr. Wickremesinghe accused the Presidential Commission of Inquiry of conducting investigations in an unlawful manner and in violation of the legal principal of natural justice while also stating that its recommendations are severely prejudicial towards him.
The booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine will be administered to people aged above 30 years from tomorrow (December 09) within the city of Colombo.
The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) said SMS alerts would be sent to all eligible vaccine recipients.
The Health Ministry reported that another 236 persons have tested positive for the novel coronavirus today, pushing the daily count of new cases to 744.
The new cases of Covid-19 reported today includes one returnee from overseas.
Meanwhile the tally of Covid-19 cases confirmed in the country increase to 570,672 while approximately 12,294 infected patients are undergoing treatment currently.
The Director-General of Health Services has confirmed 22 more novel coronavirus-related deaths for December 08, increasing the death toll in the country due to the virus pandemic to 14,555.
According to the figures released by the Govt. Information Department, the deaths reported today include 13 males and 09 females.
Six of the patients are between the ages 30-59 years while the remaining 16 are in the age group of 60 years and above.
China’s medical regulator has approved Brii Biosciences’ antibody combination Covid-19 treatment for adults and adolescents, making it the first therapy of this kind given the green light in the country.
The BRII-196/BRII-198 combination is intended to treat mild Covid-19 and common types” of the disease in patients with high risk of developing severe illness, the National Medical Products Administration said in a statement.
The neutralizing antibody cocktail was approved for both adults and minors aged between 12 and 17 years.
Brii Biosciences claimed the recent Phase 3 trial of the BRII-196/BRII-198 cocktail has demonstrated a statistically significant reduction” of 78% to hospitalization or death in non-hospitalized clinically vulnerable patients.
The company, which has two offices in China and two in the US, recently applied to the US Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization for the antibody treatment. Similar cocktails from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly are already approved in the US.
“Ensuring as many people as possible are fully vaccinated with the first two dose series and a booster remains the best course of action to prevent the spread of Covid-19,” he said.
However, Pfizer and BioNTech noted that the results were preliminary and said they would continue to collect data and “evaluate real-world effectiveness”.
They added that they were developing an Omicron-specific vaccine which would be ready for delivery within 100 days, pending regulatory approval.
Both the Pfizer/BioNTech research and a new South African study – not yet peer-reviewed – found that the vaccine might result in far fewer neutralising antibodies against Omicron than against the original Covid strain.
Pfizer/BioNTech, however, said a third dose boosted those antibodies by a factor of 25, making the level of protection comparable to that of two doses against other variants.
More than just antibodies
Multiple studies have now shown Omicron is better than other variants at evading part of the immune system.
But what does this mean?
The studies have focused on neutralising antibodies that stick to the virus and stop it infecting our body’s cells.
If these are less effective then it could increase the chances of you catching Covid, but it is far too soon to quantify how likely that is to happen.
There are also signs that a third dose or a mix of past infection and vaccines would minimise the risk.
The vaccines are still highly likely to protect most people against severe disease because they train far more of the immune system than just neutralising antibodies.
T-cells, which kick in once an infection is under way, are better at dealing with variants as they can attack different parts of the virus.
However, a large and sudden wave of Omicron could still cause problems even if it is mild for most people.
If the few who will get severe Covid all get infected with Omicron around the same time, then it could put pressure on hospitals again.
There is no significant data yet on how the Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and other jabs hold up against the new variant.
The WHO’s emergencies director Mike Ryan earlier said there was no sign Omicron would be better at evading vaccines than other variants.
“We have highly effective vaccines that have proved effective against all the variants so far, in terms of severe disease and hospitalisation, and there’s no reason to expect that it wouldn’t be so” for Omicron, Dr Ryan told AFP news agency.
Omicron was first identified in South Africa, where there is now a surge in the number of people catching Covid multiple times.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesman said early signs suggested Omicron could be more transmissible than the current Delta strain.
But Omicron’s ability to cause severe disease is not yet clear.
The WHO’s Dr Ryan said initial data suggested Omicron did not make people sicker than the Delta and other strains, but instead pointed towards it being less severe.
Dr Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious diseases expert, said early evidence suggests Omicron could be more transmissible but less severe.
There have been more than 267 million cases of coronavirus and more than five million deaths around the world since the pandemic began, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
It is Bangladesh that paved the way
to build a peaceful North East India. As a regional state, Assam is benefitting
from that. Bangladesh has played a vital role in curbing terrorism for the
region. Bangladesh’s handing over Alpha militants to India has freed Assam from
separatism and extremism. Bangladesh wants Peace and harmony with its
neighbors. Bangladesh doesn’t believe in anarchy, chaos. So, North East India should
always be grateful to Bangladesh for this. Bangladesh doesn’t like any internal
or external conflicts across the world. For ensuring this, Bangladesh signed
the ‘Chittagong Hill Tract Peace Accord’ with the insurgents in the CHT in
1997. It also repatriated a number of Chakma refugees in its own land earlier.
Bangladesh has already responded to
major security issues that have long been of concern to India. Bangladesh has
handed over a large part of India’s northeastern rebels to India. These rebels
were carrying out anti-India operations from the soil of Bangladesh. Major Anup
Chetia, a member of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) rebel group,
was a major headache for the Indian security authorities. Bangladesh also
handed him over to India. The activities of this foreign-backed terrorist and
insurgent groups were banned strictly by Bangladesh. Bangladesh is a true
well-wisher of North East India. All North-East Indian provinces especially
Assam should realize this.
However, Bangladesh and India are
bordering countries. Bangladesh and India have a warm, deep and diverse
relationship. Both countries are celebrating the 50th anniversary of bilateral
relations. Assam is also a partner in this relationship. Bangladesh shares its
borders with five Indian provinces including Assam. As the largest state in the
Northeast Region (NER) of India, Assam shares nearly 263 kilometers of the
border (land and riverine) with Bangladesh. Given the size, population, and
location, Assam’s participation in trade and commerce with Bangladesh is
important for the Indian government. Thus, Assam is an important factor for
Bangladesh.
Most of the Bangladesh-India border
is with West Bengal. This Bengali-speaking region of India is also predominant
in terms of commercial activities. Although the other three Indian states share
borders with Meghalaya, Assam and Tripura, Bangladesh does not have good trade
or economic relations with them. But North-Eastern states of India including
Assam should focus the strength and potentials of bilateral trade ties between
Bangladesh and North East India. Assam should realize this with special
attention. Bangladesh is going to a south Asian economic miracle. It is
true. So, it would be beneficial for Assam to bolster the trade ties with Bangladesh.
Assam should utilize the all potentials between Bangladesh and Assam.
Bangladesh could benefit from growing trade and connectivity ties. Assam can be
a partner with Bangladesh in this connection. Assam can benefit from
Bangladesh’s economic rise. Connectivity between Assam and Bangladesh can
provide benefits for Nepal, Bhutan to some extent Myanmar, Thailand, Laos.
(Bangladesh-India-Myanmar-Thailand connectivity potential)
Transit through Bangladesh is very
important as it is isolated from the northeastern part of India. That is why it
has to build cooperation in the development of Bangladesh. The full use of
Chittagong and Mongla ports will open the door to Southeast Asia. Connectivity
through railway, riverway and air would boost up the region.
Both parties should set up ‘Border
Huts’ on the Bangladesh border— where people on both sides of the border will
be able to sell a variety of goods in their own currency. People from both
parties would be beneficiaries ultimately. Both the governments think that this
kind of border hut will be very popular among them. India and Bangladesh can
set up a border hut in Dhubri Lowers Assam’s Dhubri district along the
international border. Ultimately the people of Sylhet and Assam can benefit
from using this.
Bangladesh and Assam can set up more
land tariff stations along the border. This will encourage international trade
by land and increase trade volume. Sheola, Balla, Bholaganj land tariff
stations could boost up and accelerate the transborder trade.
Tourist exchange between Bangladesh
and Assam can be a potential sector. Bangladeshi tourists can visit Assam
through their borders. Assam should strengthen the past ties between the people
of Assam and the people of greater Sylhet on the border. Both parties should
strengthen connectivity between the two countries by re-opening long-suspended
rail, road and waterway connections. Famous for having an international trade
center, Sutarkandi is the international border of India and Bangladesh. Through
this space, the export of fruits, silicon and coal is done. The place is
situated in the district of Karimganj, Assam. On the other hand, Malini Chara
tea garden, Bichana Kandi, Ratargul Swamp Forest, Jaflong, Shaha Jalal Dargah,
Sri Mangal, etc. can be tourist spots for Assamese.
Inaugurating
the Bangladesh-India ‘Friendship Bridge’ jointly with Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on March 9, 2021, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina remarked that
regional connectivity not only strengthens the friendship between Bangladesh
and India but also builds strong trade ties. The Prime Minister of India
expressed the view that such a link between Bangladesh and India would be very
important for the trade of North East India including Assam and Bangladesh as
well. For Bangladesh, the bridge will not only facilitate trade with India but
also with Bhutan and Nepal through India’s Northeast region. Bangladesh’s
increasing trade relations with Bhutan and Bangladesh through Maitree Setu is
going to make ICP Sabroom as well as ICP Agartala commercial and logistic hubs
of international trade in South and Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, a new
cross-border rail link between Dhaka and Siliguri was opened by Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi during the latter’s
visit to Dhaka on March 26. Passengers from Dhaka can travel up to the
northeastern states of India easily when the train service begins. Now,
Bangladesh-Assam-Tripura can open such kinds of railway links to boost up the
connectivity.
Bangladesh and India have signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the construction of a high-speed diesel
pipeline from Numaligarh in Assam to Parbatipur in Bangladesh, a joint venture
between Numaligarh Refinery Limited and Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation. As an
indication of goodwill, an initial consignment of 2,200 tonnes of diesel has
already been transported from Siliguri in West Bengal to Parbatipur in 50
wagons by the Indian Railways. The decision to build the pipeline was taken
during Modi’s last visit.
There might have some problems (NRC)
between Assam and Bangladesh. But these problems should be addressed and
resolved diplomatically and politically. Bangladesh and Assam should reap the
benefits from strengthening trade and connectivity ties. There are huge
potentials an increase in exports of goods from Sylhet and Bangladesh in the
northeastern Indian state of Assam and vice versa. Assam can put its
contributions to Bangladesh. Assam can make the Indian central government
understand and urge to stop border killings along the India-Bangladesh border,
sign the Teesta water-sharing deal as soon as possible, support Bangladesh in
case of Rohingya crisis solution.
The ports in Bangladesh need to be
linked with Assam through Brahmaputra-Barak-Padma-Meghna riverine waterways to
facilitate the economic growth of the region and restore rail connectivity
between North East and Bangladesh.
Sylhet has a long relationship with Assam. Bangladesh’s bilateral
relations with the seven sister states, including the northeastern Indian states
of Assam and Meghalaya, need to be maintained as in the past. Only then will
there be an expansion of trade and commerce of Bangladesh including Sylhet with
the seven sister states including Assam. Assam and Bangladesh can work together
in the garment, health tourism, IT and education sectors. Bangladesh and Assam
can also work together in the sector of counter-terrorism approach, human
tariffing, illegal narcotics business, etc.
According to influential Hindustan Times, In the future, with
coordination between MEA and the Assam government, the state can push for
greater connectivity with Bangladesh via rail, road and air along with a focus
on organic food, silk, crude oil, fisheries, tourism and work-permits for
skilled youth. Along with Bhutan and Myanmar, Bangladesh forms a key triangle
around Assam. The Union government must encourage and help Assam take advantage
of its geographical proximity with these three countries.
Basically, there are huge potentials in the sector of trade,
connectivity, people-to-people contact, cultural diplomacy between Assam and
Bangladesh. Bangladesh and Assam should reap the potentials. Now it’s time for
Bangladesh and Assam to be beneficiaries. As Bangladesh paved the way peace
process in North East India including Assam, now North East India should pave
the way in serving the demand of Bangladesh.
By P.K.Balachandran/Daily Mirror Courtesy NewsIn.Asia
Princeton University Social Anthropologist Prof. Gananath Obeysekere has said that Theosophists led by Col. Henry Steel Olcott introduced a protestant” and purified” form of Buddhism in Ceylon when Buddhists in the island were demoralized” by the disestablishment” of their religion by the British rulers. But Obeysekere’s view is challenged by Peradeniya University historian Prof. P.V.J. Jeyasekera.
In his book: Confrontations with Colonialism:Resistance, Revivalism and Reform Under British Rule in Sri Lanka 1796-1920 Vol. 1, Jayasekera fully acknowledges that the Theosophists played a stellar role in the Buddhist liberation movement against the Colonial regime, especially in the field of education. And as Whites, they were a very useful interface between the Sinhala Buddhists and the White Colonial regime both in Colombo and London. But he points out that their attempts to reshape the doctrinal aspects of Buddhism were not successful due to opposition from Buddhists.
The Ceylonese Buddhists would not allow any amendment of their notion of Buddhist doctrines. In fact, at one stage, a leading Buddhist monk, Migettuwatte Gunananda, even questioned Olcott’s understanding of Buddhism and challenged him to come for a debate. Olcott is said to have fled to India the night before the debate.
What the Ceylonese Buddhists were seeking was religious independence and protection, as per the Kandyan Convention of 1815 which the British had signed with the Kandyan chiefs. The Buddhists wanted an end to discrimination, marginalization, and the hegemony of State-backed Christianity. The Buddhists did not want political power. All they wanted was a fair share of State funds for their development. Their grievance was that while the regime was collecting taxes from the Buddhist majority, spending was mostly on the minority Christian religious and temporal institutions.
Almost throughout the 19 th., Century, the British Colonial administration and Christian missions were in collusion to keep the Buddhists down through discriminatory laws and regulations. Jayasekera points out that, unlike in India, Christian goals were part and parcel of the policy of British Colonial governance in Ceylon.
The Buddhists could not even hold Peraheras in areas with a strong concentration of Christians. When the Kotehena Buddhist-Catholic riots took place in 1883, Governor James Longden knew that they were instigated by the Catholics, but the government report blamed the Buddhists without a fair investigation. The British tried to take away control of endowed lands from the temples through the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance of 1889. This aroused the ire of the Siam Nikaya and conservative Buddhists.
In the 1870s, the Buddhists started boycotting government and missionary-run schools as they were allegedly foisting Christianity on Buddhist students. Even Governor Longden admitted that the instruction in the State and aided schools indirectly helped the Christian missionaries.”
Dr. Jayasekera says that at least till 1858, a Ceylonese had to be at least a nominal Christian” to secure government employment from the highest to the village level. Government schools were theoretically secular, but even they were, in many cases, run by Christian missionaries. In missionary-run schools, students were told that Buddhism was nothing but dark superstition”. The accent was on ‘moral advancement’ (through Christianity) rather than secular advancement. The Buddhists tried to open their own schools, but the rules were such that it was a very difficult task for an economically deprived community.
It was in this scenario that Olcott and his colleague Helena Blavatsky arrived in the island in May 1880 with the intention to boost the prospects of Buddhism, which, to them, was the panacea for the troubled world. Theosophists, whose founders were Whites from Europe and America, had been pressing fellow Whites to give attention to the Eastern peoples’ religions and metaphysical speculations. The Theosophists’ motto Universal Brotherhood” was breaking national, ethnic and religious barriers.
In Ceylon they were welcomed enthusiastically. Olcott and Blavatsky impressed all by becoming Buddhists soon after their arrival. The Buddhists found it very useful to have a White champion of Buddhism who had an understanding of Western ways and a conception as to how Buddhism could move towards modernity,” Obeysekere said of Olcott. The Theosophists roused the Buddhists to practical action,” he added.
Olcott was very hard on Christianity, describing it as a demoralizing theology” and a blight in Asia”. But such a characterization of Christianity did not find favor with Ceylonese Buddhists as they had already established the excellence of Buddhism in the Great Debates” in the 1860s and 1870s. The Buddhists were more concerned about the structure of subordination imposed on their faith by colonialism” and needed some help to end it, Jayasekera points out. Hikkaduwe Sumangala Thera and Migettuwatte Gunananda Thera successfully diverted the Theosophists attention from doctrinal matters or religious eclecticism to issues of colonial discrimination on religious grounds, Jayasekera adds.
The Theosophists were meant to open schools. Ananda College in Colombo was one among many they opened, and the well-known Theosophist C.W.Leadbeater was its first Principal. According to the Buddhist Theosophical Society, Col. Olcott attracted a large circle of able and enthusiastic workers. He indicated the steps that were necessary to transform the new found enthusiasm into practical action. He would not allow any obstacle to stand in his way. Antagonist propaganda only strengthened his resolve.
He believed indigenous solutions to problems and believed in taking people along with him. When he worked on the Buddhist Catechism for school students, he consulted leading monks. He suggested having a Buddhist flag and assisted in selecting a design. He urged Buddhists to seek a public holiday for Vesak. Realizing the need for propaganda he established a newspaper, Sarasavi Sandaresa.
An Interface
Olcott was an intermediary between the Ceylonese Buddhists and the Colonial Secretary in London. The six demands he put to the Colonial Secretary were: 1) Catholics accused of instigating the 1883 Kotehena riots be brought to trial; 2) Buddhists be guaranteed the right to observe their religion freely; 3) Vesak —the full moon day on which the Sinhalese commemorate the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and death—be declared a public holiday; 4) All restrictions against the use of tom-toms and other musical instruments in religious processions be removed; 5) Buddhist registrars be appointed; 6) The question of control over Buddhist temporalities be resolved.
Olcott was able to win several concessions: The Catholics riot instigators were to be brought to trial and there would be a Proclamation of Religious Neutrality. Vesak was declared a public holiday on April 28, 1885, and officials promised to allow the use of musical instruments in religious processions.
Bane of Casteism
The Theosophists were for education for all” as part of their creed of Universal Brotherhood”. Olcott was dismayed that caste considerations were inhibiting the development of the Karavas, Salagamas and Durawas, though enthusiasm for Buddhist resurgence was higher in these castes than among the Kandyan Goyigamas.
Inspired by Theosophists, the Buddhist Defense Committee, the Buddhist Theosophical Society and the Young Men’s Buddhist Association accommodated people from all castes. Even in conservative Kandy, Karava businessmen from the south, dominated bodies organized by Theosophists, Jayasekera says.
However, a section of Buddhists feared conversion to ‘occultism’ which was a foundational creed in Theosophy. But one of its leaders, Annie Besant, assured that Theosophy did not believe in conversion and C.W. Leadbeater, Principal of Ananda College explained that the Theosophists were essentially interpreters of the East to the West.
Olcott and Anagarika Dharmapala, who were close collaborators, eventually broke up on the Buddha Gaya issue. Olcott left the Maha Bodhi Society and Dharmapala described Theosophy as jugglery of words.” In the end, Olcott described the Siam Nikaya as reactionary”. Olcott was dismayed that his Buddhist Catechism, which he had formulated after consultation with all including the Siam Nikaya, ceased to be used. The clergy felt that it was both superfluous and beyond the mandate for the Theosophists.
THE attackers were all young. Many of those who watched the gruesome spectacle were teenagers. No one showed any sense of shock at the bestiality that was taking place. Several were busy filming the ghastly scene rather approvingly. There was not even a feeble voice of protest when the attackers set on fire the body of the dead Sri Lankan factory manager.
What happened in Sialkot last week demonstrates the radicalisation of a society that condones violence in the name of faith. The crowd that had gathered seemed immune to the grisly nature of the crime. The fury of the attackers was frightening. Some of them might be punished but it is the impunity for rising religiously inspired violent extremism that will keep producing tragedies like Sialkot.
It may have been a most horrific incident but the country has been increasingly witnessing killings in the name of faith. The issue of blasphemy comes in handy for zealots and criminals. The state’s policy of appeasement and in some cases using religion out of political expediency has contributed hugely to the rise of violent extremism.
It’s the weaponisation of faith that has been the main reason for the spread of such brutality in society. The attackers and the mob in Sialkot were not driven by their youthfulness and emotions, as our defence minister wants us to believe. Pervez Khattak’s appalling remarks show the mindset that dominates our political culture. He may have sounded extremely crude but that is how many in government and outside rationalise criminality in the name of faith.
What happened in Sialkot was just a trailer of the horror that awaits us.
Our youth has been growing up watching murderers like Mumtaz Qadri being hailed as a great Muslim hero. His larger-than-life portraits are seen in marketplaces. Lawyers and even a retired high court judge were among those supporting him during his trial. Hundreds of thousands of people attended his funeral and his grave in Islamabad’s suburbs has been turned into a shrine.
How can one forget a PTI provincial minister visiting Qadri’s grave? The video of him paying homage to the man who killed the Punjab governor went viral on social media. There appears to have been no questioning of this act by the party leadership. The defence minister’s comments represent the same mindset. There may be many others in the ruling party ranks with the same views on such violent incidents.
A few years ago, the country had witnessed the gruesome murder of a young university student by his classmates on campus. Falsely accused of blasphemy, Mashal Khan was beaten and shot to death because of his views. Even some university administration members were accused of inciting the students.
The courts freed many of the suspects. Their release was celebrated. The shock over the grisly incident soon vanished. Meanwhile, there is hardly any talk about how a Christian couple was thrown alive into a furnace on baseless charges of blasphemy.
This year, a temple was vandalised after allegations of a seminary being desecrated by a Hindu child. Just a few days before the Sialkot lynching, a mob set on fire a police station in Charsadda for sheltering a mentally disturbed man suspected of committing blasphemy. The mob wanted to burn him alive. Many other cases of violence against the Ahmadi community go unreported.
This culture of violence and rising religious intolerance cannot be attributed to emotions running high among young people. Religious extremism is entrenched so deeply that it threatens to rip apart the entire social fabric. Downplaying the seriousness of this societal disease will lead to greater disaster.
The Sialkot incident took place soon after the government surrendered to an extremist group that justifies violence in the name of faith. The capitulation happened after the TLP destroyed public property and allegedly killed policemen. Shockingly, a senior PTI leader went to greet the TLP leader after his release from detention. This shows the confusion within the ranks of the ruling party over the issue of how to deal with extremist groups.
Such a weak-kneed approach by the government towards extremism allows incidents like the Sialkot tragedy to happen. Apparently, some among the attackers were inspired by the extremist group. Reportedly, there were also chants of TLP slogans after the lynching. It’s a frightening situation indeed.
Now with the mainstreaming of the group, the danger of youth, particularly those less educated and coming from marginalised ranks, turning to extremism is growing. A weak state, unable to stop the spread of a retrogressive mindset has turned the country into a breeding ground for violent extremism. What happened in Sialkot was just a trailer of the horror that awaits us.
Notwithstanding its pledge to punish the perpetrators of the crime, the government doesn’t seem willing to address the main issue of radicalisation that results in incidents like the Sialkot tragedy. While he tweeted his condemnation of the incident the prime minister has not said much about the threat of religious extremism. One expected the prime minister and other senior government leaders to take the issue more seriously.
The prime minister claims to lead the global campaign against Islamophobia in the West. But he has failed to learn from the response of the prime ministers of Canada and New Zealand to the attacks on Muslims in their countries. Many more Muslims and non-Muslims become victim to retrogressive interpretations of faith that give rise to intolerance in this country.
It would be better if the prime minister focused on fighting extremism at home rather than taking the cause outside. The prime minister who is so fond of addressing the nation on every issue is not very vocal on the most serious threat to national cohesion and security. His own increasing emphasis on religiosity is disturbing. It has added to the problem. There is an urgent need to build a national narrative on fighting this menace before it is too late. The country will have to pay a huge cost for more Sialkot-type violence.
The writer is the author of No-Win War — The Paradox of US-Pakistan Relations in Afghanistan’s Shadow.
RAWALPINDI – Taking note of the heinous lynching of a Sri Lankan citizen at Sialkot, the Corps Commanders Conference unequivocally affirmed zero tolerance for such elements so as to eradicate extremism & terrorism from the country.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa chaired the meeting where global, regional and domestic security milieu were discussed, said ISPR in a statement.
Expressing satisfaction over security measures along the borders, COAS emphasised on maintaining high vigil to guard against any threat.
Referring to the brewing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, COAS said continuous support and timely international humanitarian assistance is imperative for not only peace Afghanistan but also for stability of the region at large.
Expressing satisfaction over ongoing training activities in the Army, COAS said objective evaluation of doctrine & training is necessary to evolve & meet emerging challenges in a technology driven future battlefield.
By Kunwar Khuldune Shahid, a Pakistan-based journalist and a correspondent for The Diplomat. Courtesy foreignpolicy.com
If Imran Khan cares about foreign investment and economic growth, he must abolish the country’s blasphemy law.
A member of the Human Rights Council of Pakistan places an earthen oil lamp to pay tribute to late Sri Lankan factory manager Priyantha Kumara in Karachi, Pakistan, on Dec. 5. RIZWAN TABASSUM/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
Priyantha Kumara, the Sri Lankan general manager of a garment factory in Pakistan’s eastern city of Sialkot, was bludgeoned to death by an Islamist mob on Friday. The crowds that gathered to carry out the murder then burned Kumara’s corpse on a main road, with graphic videos going viral on the same day. The police personnel were either bystanders, or arrived too late, before eventually arresting members of the mob, who proudly owned their act, which they claimed was a tribute to the Prophet Muhammad.
Kumara was lynched over allegations of blasphemy, after reportedly removing posters that had sections from the Quran written on them. Many people, including the president of the local chamber of commerce, maintain that Kumara was targeted by his factory’s workers over a personal vendetta and hadn’t actually done anything blasphemous. However, legal requirements notwithstanding, probing whether a victim of murder committed an intangible, victimless crime, inevitably bolsters the barbaric idea that sacrilege merits death.
This homicidal idea, which is at the core of Kumara’s ghastly murder, is codified in Pakistan’s penal code, which punishes blasphemy against Islam by death. Therefore, this law, that is often accused of being misused” when mobs take it upon themselves to enforce it, is in fact regularly used to send individuals to the gallows for ideas that some people deem offensive, and to silence free thinkers and skeptics of Islam through murderous intimidation.
Even so, while Pakistan has never come close to approaching the blasphemy law from the free speech perspective, Kumara’s horrific murder might reopen the debate.
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Pakistan is one of 12 Muslim-majority countries that allows capital punishment for blasphemy against Islam. However, while overt theocracies such as Saudi Arabia and Iran regularly top the lists for supposedly religiously mandated executions, Pakistan hasn’t judicially sentenced anyone to death for blasphemy. This is largely owing to its claims of being a democracy and its reliance on Western aid conditioned on human rights commitments; indeed, this encouraged Pakistan’s death penalty moratorium between 2008 and 2015.
But upholding capital punishment for blasphemy while refraining from state-sanctioned executions has emboldened mobs to carry out vigilante justice in Pakistan. A similar trend can also be witnessed in Nigeria, another flailing democracy struggling to rein in mob violence, which upholds capital punishment for blasphemy. (Since 1999, the state has executed only one person convicted of a death sentence by its Sharia courts.)
While Imran Khan might lack the self-awareness to connect his narrative or politics with Islamist radicalism, he might be able to see the diplomatic cost.
It is no coincidence that some of the goriest mob lynching incidents in Pakistan overlapped with the country’s moratorium on the death penalty, and the initiation of its longest sustained period as an official democracy 13 years ago. In 2009, a Christian locality was torched and six people burned alive in the city of Gojra; the minority community was similarly targeted in Lahore’s Joseph Colony four years later.
Mobs have regularly vandalized churches, temples, and even mosques belonging to the Ahmadiyya sect. Ahmadi Muslims, constitutionally excommunicated in Pakistan, are deemed sacrilegious by virtue of their existence, and are hence frequent targets of mob attacks, with even the government-affiliated Council of Islamic Ideology pushing for the community’s elimination.
At least 260 Ahmadis and 78 people accused of blasphemy have been killed extrajudicially since 1984; hundreds have also been arrested over accusations of sacrilege against Islam. This was a natural corollary of Pakistan Islamizing its penal code under military dictator Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq in the 1980s.
That meant that the blasphemy law (sections 295 and 295-A of the Pakistan Penal Code, rooted in the Indian Penal Code of 1860), which had hitherto been equally applicable to all religions, saw the insertion of Islam-specific clauses 295-B and C, in 1982 and 1986 respectively. These two clauses imposed harsher penalties for desecration of the Quran and defiling the name of the Prophet Muhammad; for the latter, death is an option.
The causal relation between Islamization of the penal code and persecution of minorities can be seen in the jump in blasphemy accusations. Seven blasphemy cases had been registered in the country between 1927 and 1986, whereas at least 1,855 people have been accused of sacrilege since then.
But even as students are being lynched, acclaimed academics sentenced to death, and Nobel laureates disowned as a direct result of the state’s endorsement of murder for supposed sacrilege against Islam, even those ostensibly seeking solutions to Islamist mob violence have preferred to circumvent the actual problem: the Islam-specific clauses of the blasphemy law and the capital punishment associated with them. The reluctance to address this cause is rooted in fear that criticism of the blasphemy law itself could be deemed blasphemous in Pakistan.
When Punjab governor Salman Taseer dared to confront Pakistan’s blasphemy law head-on, dubbing it a black law,” he was gunned down by his bodyguard in 2011; he remains the law’s most high-profile victim. Taseer’s murderer, hanged on terrorism charges in 2016, now has a shrine devoted to him in Islamabad and has motivated the rise of the latest in a long line of radical Islamist groups to hold the country hostage: the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).
Formed as a pressure group against the execution of Taseer’s killer, the TLP has equipped itself with the already weaponized blasphemy law, frequently choking off the capital with massive crowds or instigating mob violence in the name of love for Prophet Muhammad.”
Over the past four years, the TLP has forced the government to retract bills, remove an economic advisor, ban an award-winning film, and has even claimed credit for the cancellation of a cartoon contest in the Netherlands—the latter expanding the TLP’s global ambitions. And so, when French satirical publication Charlie Hebdo republished its caricatures of Muhammad in September 2020, a TLP-inspired immigrant launched a terrorist attack in Paris, while the group itself demanded the Pakistani government drop a nuclear bomb on France.
Over the past 15 months, France has been at the heart of the TLP’s tussle with the Pakistani government, which agreed, among other things, to consider the expulsion of the French ambassador last year. When the TLP’s violent protests resurfaced in April, the group was proscribed as a terror organization, but the ban was revoked last month. The volte-face was hardly surprising given Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vocal ideological support for the outfit that his government had denounced for terrorism.
Following the TLP’s banning, Khan reassured the group that he shared their goals. Instead of addressing the blasphemy laws in his own country, Khan maintained he wanted to export them globally, saying days after banning the TLP that he wanted people in the West to be scared of blaspheming against our prophet.” Khan has similarly looked to woo the Ahle Sunnat, or Barelvi, Islamic sect by setting up spiritual science” centers and announcing extravagant celebrations for festivities associated with the sect. Barelvi Islam, of which the TLP is a radical manifestation, is followed by a majority of Muslims across South Asia.
Even so, Kumara’s murder prompted a strong reaction from Khan, who called it a day of shame for Pakistan,” a term he hasn’t used when discussing any of the country’s own victims of Islamist mob violence. While Khan might lack the self-awareness to connect his narrative or politics with Islamist radicalism, he might be able to see the diplomatic cost.
The Taliban takeover has pushed many Afghans over the border and into another kind of limbo.
In April, days after Khan had expressed hope to intimidate the West into embracing Islamic blasphemy laws, the European Union passed a joint motion asking Pakistan to repeal certain sections of its blasphemy law to continue to benefit from the Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP+) status. The GSP+ status gives Pakistan tax relief and a cost advantage by allowing the country to sell its goods with lower tariffs.
EU parliamentarians have since continued to criticize Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, with many demanding the removal of Pakistan’s GSP+ status, in one instance citing 47 then-current cases of people held on blasphemy charges in the country. The case of Shagufta Kausar and Shafqat Emmanuel, the Christian couple on death row for sending blasphemous texts,” became the focus of the EU parliament’s motion, and the couple was duly released a month after the resolution was passed.
Khan and his government may have initially hoped that they could stoke hatred against France and still receive over 500 million euros in aid from Paris, and hundreds of millions more from the EU, as they have managed to do with the United States. But whereas the European Union’s resolution might have given Islamabad financial jitters, especially amid the country’s growing economic crisis, Kumara’s killing could lead to a graver reality check.
Not only is Sri Lanka one of the few countries in the region with which Islamabad enjoys warm ties (meaning the murder’s consequences may be felt more deeply), the killing of a foreign national over blasphemy could significantly harm Pakistan’s investment climate, which had only recently begun to recover from decades of terrorism-inflicted economic crises. Although terrorist attacks had been ravaging the country for years, it was the jihadist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in 2009 that isolated Pakistan in sport, entertainment, tourism, and most forms of people-to-people exchanges for over a decade.
If the Sialkot murder doesn’t enlighten Pakistan’s rulers, a call to action from China likely will.
If the Sialkot murder doesn’t enlighten Pakistan’s rulers, a call to action from China likely will. Beijing is already concerned about a wide array of militants targeting its investments and workers in Pakistan, with attacks on the Chinese ambassador and a fatal bus explosion killing a group of Chinese engineers occuring this year. Jihadists angered by China’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims, and Baloch militants who see Beijing as the latest colonial master in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, are now targeting China.
The number of Chinese workers in Pakistan is expected to reach 5 million by 2025, largely in connection with bilateral projects between the two countries spearheaded by the $62 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Beijing’s highest ever overseas investment and Islamabad’s self-touted lifeline.”
While Pakistan can crack down on individual Uyghurs on China’s orders, it would need a more comprehensive strategy to rein in Islamist mobs. It was in anticipation of the CPEC’s inauguration that Pakistan launched its Zarb-e-Azb military operation in 2014, significantly reducing jihadist terror attacks in the country.
The Pakistani military, the effective ruler of the country, also has much at stake. With the erstwhile guaranteed billions from Washington no longer available following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the military now needs a domestic economy strong enough to generate resources to be appropriated.
The military also controls the Islamist groups, sustaining them as tools to exercise domestic and regional clout, and can hence regulate radical backlash to unpopular moves. (Potential moves already in the pipeline include establishing diplomatic ties with Israel and formally incorporating the Pakistan-administered section of the disputed Kashmir region, thereby effectively abandoning Pakistan’s formal claim to the Indian-controlled parts.)
On the blasphemy front, although it might not necessarily mean repealing the law itself, some legal reform coupled with the already mulled-over clampdown on vigilantism might provide some cover to halt Islamist mobs, even if temporarily. However, jihadist ideology and the radical Islamism it has spawned is unlikely to be uprooted altogether—for it is the sole source of domestic and regional leverage for Pakistan’s rulers.
A ship loaded with 20,000 tons of fertilizer from Shandong-based producer Seawin Biotech meant for export to Sri Lanka is on its way back after failing to reach any constructive agreement with Sri Lanka, despite relentless efforts to solve the dispute, sources close to the matter told the Chinese Global Times on Tuesday.
The ship is to arrive in Singapore, where the company has launched an international arbitration procedure to settle a growing dispute over fertilizer export contract to Sri Lanka, according to the sources. The dispute, which started in early November, centers on Sri Lankan officials’ rejection of the Chinese fertilizers, citing what Chinese sources call shady claims of quality issues. Another arbitration procedure will soon take place in Colombo, Sri Lanka, which together with the contract to be arbitrated in Singapore, is totally worth $49.7 million.
New information obtained by the Global Times and interviews with sources and officials showed that Sri Lankan officials backtracked on the deals and lacked any sincerity in solving the issues, even after the Chinese company sought third-party certificates to prove the quality of its products, which resulted in the launching by the company of the arbitration procedure in Singapore.
“A notice of arbitration has been issued to Sri Lanka about the international arbitration in Singapore, and the arbitration procedure has been initiated,” a source close to the company told the Global Times on Tuesday.
In a statement to the Global Times, the company stated that the bidding involving the dispute over imported fertilizer from China was dubious and shady, and it involved breaking business rules and hiding the truth from the public.
The Economic and Commercial Office of the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka said in a statement to the Global Times on Tuesday that it attached great importance to this trade dispute, given that Sri Lanka’s imports of organic fertilizers this time are a government procurement project, and the amount is relatively large.
“The Sri Lankan Ministry of Agriculture has backtracked and has no sincerity in solving the problem, therefore, enterprises can only use judicial and arbitration channels,” the Embassy said, extending its hope that the matter can be resolved satisfactorily as soon as possible.
Despite the embassy’s joint efforts to promote the settlement of the dispute by guiding and assisting enterprises to deal with the issue, as well as communicating and coordinating with the senior levels of the government of Sri Lanka, including the Ministry of Trade, the Ministry of Agriculture and other relevant departments, the issue remains unsolved, according to the embassy.
The Sri Lankan Embassy in China did not respond to the Global Times request for comment as of press time on Tuesday.
Sri Lanka barred the Chinese ship carrying desperately needed organic fertilizer, saying that “harmful bacteria – Erwinia” had been found in the batch, according to media reports.
But in the statement, Seawin Biotech strongly denied. In response to the allegation, the Shandong-based company has been very cooperative with the Sri Lankan side, including sending the same batch of samples to the China Customs Testing Center and the internationally renowned Swiss third-party testing institute SGS for retesting.
The China National Plant Quarantine Service investigated Seawin’s products according to the International Plant Protection Convention agreement, and it confirmed that the products do not contain Erwinia, according to the company.
According to the bidding documents and the contract, the product quality shall be tested and confirmed by a third-party testing institute designated by the Sri Lanka Standards Institute (SLSI) before sailing.
SLSI appointed the German testing institute Schutter Group. Schutter audited Seawin’s production line and took samples from the production line and warehouse.
Although the products did not contain Salmonella and Coliform when they were tested, the test report of the National Plant Quarantine Service of Sri Lanka still claimed that Erwinia was found in the product, according to Seawin Biotech.
Moreover, several meetings were held under the active coordination of the Chinese company and the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka in a cooperative and dispute-solving manner with the Sri Lankan side, but no substantive progress was made.
In bidding for the fertilizer import, the People’s Bank of Sri Lanka issued an irrevocable letter of credit to Seawin, the Shandong company said, indicating the irrational move by the bank has made the situation difficult.
Seawin Biotech suggested several conditions, such as having the Sri Lankan side pay 70 percent of the claim, alongside Seawin Biotech’s demand for the Sri Lankan agriculture ministry to issue a statement that the shipment was rejected because of an import permit dispute and not because of the quality of the fertilizer. But none of the conditions have been met by the Sri Lankan side so far.
“Because no discussed conditions have been met, we decided to take our ship back from Sri Lanka and head to Singapore for a lawsuit,” the person with the Shandong company told the Global Times on Tuesday.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin also commented to the media over the issue previously.
“China attaches great importance to the quality of exports…the fertilizer concerned had passed tests of third-party agencies assigned by the Sri Lankan side before shipping,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on November 2.
Sri Lanka’s economy is dominated by agriculture. Of its approximately 22 million people, more than 70 percent depend directly or indirectly on agriculture, according to media reports.
According to Deutsche Presse-Agentur, the Sri Lankan government previously promised to provide farmers with organic fertilizers and other chemical fertilizer substitutes, but it failed to materialize.
Due to insufficient fertilizers and pesticides, large tracts of farmland in Sri Lanka were left unused.
China is a big fertilizer consumer, but at the same time it is also exporting a large amount of fertilizer to the main grain-producing areas of the world, including regional countries such as India.
Industry insiders fear that the recent trade dispute with the Chinese company is setting a very bad example for Sri Lanka’s future trade with China, not just in terms of fertilizers but beyond.
The daily count of COVID-19 cases confirmed in Sri Lanka moved to 757 today (December 08) as 185 more people were tested positive for the virus, the Epidemiology Unit said.
This brings the total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus reported in the country to 569,928.
As many as 543,467 recoveries and 14,533 deaths have been confirmed in Sri Lanka since the COVID-19 outbreak.
More than 11,900 active cases in total are currently under medical care, official figures showed.
The Director-General of Health Services has confirmed 28 more coronavirus-related deaths for December 07.
The new development has pushed the death toll in the country due to the virus pandemic to 14,533.
n December 3, members of Pakistan’s hardline Islamist party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan attacked a garment factory in Sialkot in Punjab and brutally lynched a Sri Lankan national — one report said all the bones in his body were broken — before burning his body.
His alleged offence: Alleged blasphemy, a misdemeanour which Pakistani fundamentalists have used again and again to murder anyone accused of disrespecting Islam.
Priyantha Kumara, in his 40s, was working as the general manager of the factory in Sialkot district, some 100 km from Lahore.Sponsored
As pressure mounted on Imran Khan’s government to bring the guilty to quick justice, over 800 people have been booked under terrorism charges. 13 prime suspects are among 118 arrested so far in the horrific lynching.
Please click on the images to view how members of Pakistani civil society apologised to Sri Lanka and its people for Mr Kumara’s horrific murder.
IMAGE: A girl carries a sign condemning the lynching during a protest in Lahore, December 4, 2021. Photograph: Mohsin Raza/Reuters
IMAGE: People light oil lamps next to laid roses before a portrait of Priyantha Kumara to express their condolences to Mr Kumara’s family and the people of Sri Lanka in Karachi, December 5, 2021. Photograph: Akhtar Soomro/Reuters
IMAGE: A protest against the lynching in Lahore, December 4, 2021. Photograph: Mohsin Raza/Reuters
IMAGE: People carry signs condemning the lynching in Karachi, December 4, 2021. Photograph: Akhtar Soomro/Reuters
IMAGE: Members of the Association of Patriotic Scholars Group protest outside the Pakistan high commission in Colombo, December 6, 2021, against Priyantha Kumara’s brutal death. Photograph: Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters
At a time when millions worldwide are consumed with anger and despair over the barbaric lynching of a Sri Lankan national in Sialkot, Federal Minister Pervez Khattak has uttered words which can only be interpreted as a pathetic justification for murder.
Speaking to reporters, the defence minister, when asked to comment on the ghastly crime, said the killing was simply a result of young people being high on emotion and passion.
Indignant at the idea that the government is somehow responsible for creating an environment where such a horrific crime can happen, Mr Khattak downplayed the incident in words that can only be described as ignorant and dangerous.
Not only was he adamant that people refrain from characterising the Sialkot lynching as an incident that shows how society is headed towards destruction, he also appeared to believe that young people, when high on emotion, can kill in the name of religion.
He went so far as to indicate that he himself in his youth was emotional and ready to do anything, and that fights and even murders are a result of such a mentality.
Such a statement from a federal minister should come as a shock, but unfortunately, we are accustomed to our public officials being in denial about the realities of extremism and violence in the country. Mr Khattak’s remarks are deeply problematic.
They create an impression that such killings are somehow a ‘normal’ part of growing up in a country where religion can be used to justify crime.
Instead of asking the journalist who was quizzing him to change this mob mentality, it would have served the minister better to have recalled that, in fact, he is a member of government who actually has the power to influence large sections of the population.
It may be an alien idea to Mr Khattak, but he should have roundly condemned this incident and reflected on why our society has become so brutalised, instead of ascribing this heinous crime to youthful passions.
To read what Minister Pervez Khattak has said, refer to:https://ceylontoday.lk/news/diyawadana-murder-pakistan-defence-minister-lays-blame-elsewhere
An Extraordinary Gazette notification has been issued allowing the imports of organic and inorganic compounds, and phosphorous derivatives of fertilizers.
In addition, this communiqué has banned the import of Glyphosate.
The daily count of COVID-19 cases confirmed in Sri Lanka moved to 748 today (December 07) as 222 more people were tested positive for the virus, the Epidemiology Unit said.
This brings the total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus reported in the country to 569,171.
As many as 543,111 recoveries and 14,505 deaths have been confirmed in Sri Lanka since the COVID-19 outbreak.
More than 11,500 active cases in total are currently under medical care, official figures showed.
The Director-General of Health Services has confirmed 21 more coronavirus-related deaths for December 06, increasing the death toll in the country due to the virus pandemic to 14,505.
According to the figures released by the Govt. Information Department, the deaths reported today include 11 males and 10 females.
Five of the patients are between the ages 30-59 years while the remaining 16 are in the age group of 60 years and above.
A complex masterpiece of irrigation engineering design, Sigiriya’s artfully designed water gardens required structural planning way ahead of its time.
Orange sand particles twinkled in the sun as a lone motorbike kicked up dust in its wake. It was 09:30 on a bright Monday morning and the temperature was already creeping past 30C. A family of toque macaque monkeys swung from verdant tree branches and rolled playfully in the hot sand in front of us. But we barely took notice; we couldn’t take our eyes off the 200m-high monolith in the distance.
Sigiriya, an ancient rock fortress and former royal palace, is one of Sri Lanka’s most visited and best-known sights, attracting just more than one million visitors in 2019. But on this sunny day in May 2021, my partner and I were the only two people there.
Dating back to 477 AD, Sigiriya is considered one of South Asia’s best-preserved examples of urban planning and one of its most important archaeological sites. The elaborate palace and its towering construction on top of the rock, as well as its risqué artwork, resulted in its 1982 listing as a Unesco World Heritage Site. However, its ingenious garden and water systems at the foot of the rock are what make it a national treasure.
The gardens at Sigiriya are not only the best-preserved water gardens in South Asia but some of the oldest landscaped gardens in the world. Important guests in the 5th Century would have walked a path with the impressively designed water gardens on either side, serving as a grand entrance to the more than 1,200 steps leading up to the palace.
In his essay Sigiriya: City, Palace and Royal Gardens, Senake Bandaranayake, founding director of archaeology at Sigiriya, explained that the site is a brilliant combination of deliberate symmetry and asymmetry playing on both natural and geometric forms. “The gardens at Sigiriya consist of three distinct but interlinked sections: the symmetrical or geometrically planned water gardens; the asymmetrical or organic cave and boulder garden; the stepped or terraced garden circling the rock, the (miniature) water garden and the palace gardens on the summit of the rock,” he wrote.
The 5th-Century palace was built to resemble a lion, with the paws flanking the main entrance (Credit: Boy_Anupong/Getty Images)
Within the gardens were artfully designed pools, fountains, streams and platforms that once held pavilions and performers. “For comparison, it would have looked similar to a modern luxury resort with beautiful gardens and swimming pools,” said Sumedha Chandradasa, a tour guide lecturer in Sri Lanka for more than 24 years.
Surprisingly, the detailed design of these gardens is not what’s most impressive; rather it’s how they work. These water systems are considered an engineering marvel due to the use of hydraulic power, underground tunnel systems and gravitational force that creates a visually spectacular system of pools and fountains still functioning almost 1,500 years later.
Some Sri Lankans still believe in ancient folklore that says all the water that fills the garden’s streams flows down from the pond at the top of the rock. In reality, the palatial complex’s water is sourced from a nearby reservoir, known locally as “tanks”. A series of underground conduit terracotta pipes use gravitational force and hydraulic pressure to send water from the Sigiriya tank (with a slightly higher elevation than the gardens) into the different pools, fountains and streams throughout the impeccably organised gardens.
However, some of the garden water does come from the top of Sigiriya. The pools at the top of the rock are filled with rainwater, and a series of drains cut into the rock connect to a large cistern, which feeds into the underground conduit system to help supply the gardens with water. “The total conception involves the knitting together of a number of hydraulic structures of varied scale and character in a single intricate network – a complex masterpiece of irrigation engineering design,” wrote Bandaranayake.
Bandaranayake also notes in his essay that during excavation, water conduits were found at different depths, likely to achieve varying water levels; something that required a masterful knowledge of physics and engineering.
Although the complex’s origins date to the 5th Century, the story of how it came to be seems more like a modern-day soap opera. Before Sigiriya, Sri Lanka’s royal capital was located in Anuradhapura, more than 70km to the north-west. A coup, led by King Dhatesena’s son from a non-royal consort, led to his bloody death and the scheming son, King Kasyapa, taking the throne.
Sigiriya is considered one of South Asia’s best-preserved examples of urban planning (Credit: Dmitry Malov/Getty Images)
Kasyapa moved the royal capital to Sigiriya, or “Simha-giri” which means “Lion Mountain”, and built a new palace on top of the rock. When approaching the stairs that lead to the top of the rock and the palace complex above, you see why. “The theory is, according to The Ancient Chronicles [Sri Lanka’s historical chronicles], that he built the palace to look like a squatting lion,” explained Jagath Weerasinghe, emeritus professor at the Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology and Sigiriya’s director of archaeology. “The lion paws are the main entrance that will take you to the top of the mountain.”
King Kasyapa ruled from there until 495 AD, when he abandoned it and the site became a Buddhist monastery.
A welcome effect of visiting during the pandemic meant my partner and I had the entire complex to ourselves for several hours. While the once-plastered-and polished finishings of the water gardens have disappeared with time, we could still see the brick foundation outlines of the pools, fountains and streams that fill with water during the rainy season.
One area, known as the “miniature water gardens” (not-so miniature; measuring 30m wide and 90m long), was split into five sections with several unique features including a snake-shaped stream that required structural planning way ahead of its time. “A striking feature is the use of these water-surrounds with pebbled or marbled floors, covered by shallow, slowly moving water. These, no doubt, served as a cooling device and at the same time had great aesthetic appeal, creating interesting visual and sound effects,” wrote Bandaranayake.
According to Weerasinghe, these miniature water gardens would have been best experienced at night, under the moonlight’s reflection on the shallow pools. “There are very romantic aspects to the royal precinct of Sigiriya,” he told me. While the miniature water gardens are no longer as spectacular as they would have been in the late 400s, the low water levels and platforms in the pond have led archaeologists to believe that they were used for musical performances – an incredibly thoughtful design feature for that period.
We kept walking along the grounds in front of the rock, through the miniature water gardens to its snake-shaped stream, which holds Sigiriya’s signature water fountains. They are made of limestone plates with symmetrical holes, and even after 1,500 years, still work during the yearly monsoon rains. “Below the fountain is a small chamber where the water pressurises, forcing the water to bubble up into the fountain about four or five inches when the water level is high,” Chandradasa explained.
Stone steps leading into the pools indicate that they would have been used for swimming (Credit: Pavel_klimenko/Getty Images)
Theorised to have been used by the royal family and Kasyapa’s consort of women, these fountains and pools, especially the large pond on top of Sigiriya, were designed as swimming pools to give relief from the hot South Asian sun, complete with stone steps leading down into the water.
But beyond their beauty and practicality, the water gardens had another purpose. “Kasyapa wanted to present water in a particular way,” said Weerasinghe. As well as being used for pleasure, they also sent a strong message of his power and ingenuity to anyone who doubted King Kasyapa, especially Mahavihara monks, who made up the most powerful monastery in Anuradhapura and were in favour of his father.
As well as being used for pleasure, they also sent a strong message of his power and ingenuity to anyone who doubted King Kasyapa
“When you look at this elaborate and very intriguing way of using water at the royal precinct of Sigiriya, he’s telling something to these people about his power,” Weerasinghe added.
Past the massive stone lion paws, at the end of more than 1,200 precarious steps up Sigiriya, our clothes were soaked with sweat and I struggled to catch my breath. We walked the ruins of the central palace and stumbled upon the summit’s large pool. A dip in it like the ancient royals once did would have been tempting, but no rain in weeks and no royal servants to maintain it meant murky bacteria lurked on the surface.
From high above, the water garden system below was clear, perfectly centred and impressively aligned. The views of the lush green jungle melding with the blue horizon seemed endless. It was an ideal place for a palace with gardens worthy of the powerful king who built it.
“Just imagine during the rainy season, there are clouds sitting on this hill,” said Weerasinghe. “Then, you are walking through this garden and you see this big pond with these water waves coming down and the fountains gushing water. Just imagine what kind of an experience that would be.”
Designed to impress, the long path to the palace was flanked with pools and fountains (Credit: Tuul & Bruno Morandi/Getty Images)
Ancient Engineering Marvels is a BBC Travel series that takes inspiration from unique architectural ideas or ingenious constructions built by past civilisations and cultures across the planet.
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Bangladesh is a Southeast Asian
country geographically but South Asian culturally. Myanmar-Bangladesh is a
bordering country. On the other hand, Thailand and Myanmar are neighboring
countries. There is close historical-geographical proximity among Myanmar,
Thailand, and Bangladesh. Trilateral relations amongst these countries were
good. The three states could benefit hugely from Myanmar-Bangladesh
Ties.
But a little problem between
Bangladesh-Myanmar has become an obstacle. Seven and a half lakh Rohingya Muslims
have come to Bangladesh to take shelter to save their lives from the atrocities
of the Myanmar army in 2017. Bangladesh is trying to repatriate them to
Myanmar. But Myanmar doesn’t want to take back them.
Then four years have passed. After
that, the initiative was taken to return the Rohingyas but it did not happen.
The initial initiative failed. This Rohingya refugee problem has created a long
distance between Bangladesh and Myanmar. As a result, the distance between
South Asia and Southeast Asia has increased. But if this problem is resolved
diplomatically, the whole southeast Asian countries including Thailand and
South Asian countries would benefit economically, socially, and culturally.
Bangladesh wants Thailand’s
cooperation in Rohingya extradition. Bangladesh wants to speed up the plan
after the process was suspended due to a coronavirus infection. As a
neighboring and friendly country of Myanmar, Thailand can and should mediate
the problem for ensuring the greater interest of the region. If the problem is
solved, then greater regional interest would ensure.
Thailand would be able to connect
itself by road with the BCIM (Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar) corridor. The
BCIM corridor will be connected with the east-west corridor and the north-south
corridor of Thailand. This will establish direct communication between
Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Thailand. Again, using this medium, Bangladesh will be
able to go directly to Malaysia, Laos, and Vietnam. On the other hand, Thailand
and Myanmar will be able to enter into South Asia, Central Asia.
Thailand wants to establish trade relations with
Bangladesh. Connecting Thailand with the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar
Economic Corridor or the BCIM Economic Road Corridor will increase trade
between the two countries. Myanmar-Bangladesh good relations is very needed for
ensuring this.
As the Rohingya crisis has become a
regional and international issue, Thailand as a regional state can play a
significant role in the peaceful repatriation of Rohingya citizens who have
been forcibly displaced by Myanmar and taken refuge in Bangladesh. If the
Rohingya problem is not resolved soon, it could be an obstacle to peace and
progress in the region. The longer the Rohingya crisis cannot be resolved, the
more likely it is that the issue could become a breeding ground for
fundamentalism, exploited and manipulated by terrorists.
For decades, Myanmar has gone
through extreme cruelty to the Rohingya. Never cared about the law. The
Rohingya problem is not new to Bangladesh. This problem, which started in 1978,
became apparent in August 2017. More than 1 million Rohingyas fled to
Bangladesh to save their lives when the Myanmar army launched a brutal
operation against the Rohingya ethnic group. Bangladesh is seeking the
intervention of the United States, the European Union, and the United Nations
as well as the regional alliance ASEAN for a lasting and acceptable solution to
the Rohingya problem. On the other hand, there are also some Rohingyas who are
living in Thailand. There is no data on the total number
of Rohingyas
in Thailand, but unconfirmed reports suggest there could be between 3,000 and
20,000.
However, Bangladesh is now facing serious
problems for this artificial crisis committed by Myanmar. Some
socio-economic threats are rising in Bangladesh. Bangladesh has given shelter to
Rohingyas for humanitarian reasons. But because of this humanity, the country
is now at risk. As a result, there is a danger of Rohingyas spreading all over
the country, there are also many challenges
The forest is being uprooted, they
are cutting down the mountains and destroying them. There are also long-term
economic risks Socio-economic and political problems may also be evident, and
security risks may increase. Illegal narcotics trade, human trafficking,
prostitution, terrorism in Rohingya camps are increasing in camps.
Source: Internet
Bangladesh and Myanmar signed an
agreement to repatriate the Rohingya to Myanmar within two years in 2017 and
2019 respectively. The Myanmar authority did not take back the Rohingyas
according to the agreement. It is true that they don’t want to repatriate
Rohingyas in Myanmar. Bangladesh raised the issue in every international forum.
Many countries have supported Bangladesh. But Myanmar has no respect the
international law and norms. Some mighty powers may have been behind the scene.
Bangladesh Prime Minister has raised
the issue at UNGA on September 25, 2021, to draw attention to solving the
Rohingya crisis. She has focused especially on the engagement of ASEAN leaders.
It is ASEAN that can solve the Rohingya refugee problem easily.
As an active member of ASEAN,
Thailand can help to resolve it. Thailand can be an honest mediator in this
regard. Thailand has very warm relations with both Myanmar and Bangladesh. Various countries and international
organizations have taken various measures to solve the Rohingya problem. Former
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has criticized Myanmar authorities for being
lax in repatriating displaced Rohingya. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
has expressed deep concern over the ongoing Rohingya crisis. Yang Lee, the UN special
envoy for human rights in Myanmar, said all major countries in the world had a
responsibility to resolve the Rohingya crisis.
In this regard, Thailand can and
should play a very significant role to solve the crisis such ways:
1) Thailand can support Bangladesh at
every international forum such as at UNGA, regional conferences. They can vote
in favor of Bangladesh. They can raise the issue in BIMSTEC and ASEAN
platforms.
2) Thailand can negotiate with Myanmar
diplomatically and bilaterally. It has good bilateral relations with Myanmar
3) Thailand can engage with other
regional states to resolve the crisis.
4) Thailand’s Buddhist society can play
an effective role in this regard. The relations of Buddhists between Myanmar
and Thailand are well established. Thai Buddhists can do it very easily.
Buddhism is more related to the establishment of Peace and non-violence. Thai
Buddhists can play a significant role in this regard. They can exercise the
path shown by the founder of Buddhism, Gautama Buddha. Buddhists will be
recognized as the Avatar of human rights if the Buddhist community plays a role
in resolving the Rohingya crisis. It will ensure regional to some extent world
peace and communal harmony.
5) Thai businessmen can engage to some
extent. Because stability in the region (for both South Asia and Southeast
Asia) is very needed for investment.
Why
Thailand should Play role in resolving the regional problem?
1) This issue is a humanitarian issue.
Rohingyas are the son of Land in Rakhine in Myanmar. They have birthrights to
reside in Myanmar.
2) It is an issue of
Justice. According to Luther king, Junior “Injustice anywhere is a threat
to justice everywhere.” Myanmar authorities committed genocide. The perpetrators
should be under international legal jurisdiction.
3) It is the issue of the
region. The whole of South Asia and South East Asia may be volatile for this
issue. As a South Asian state, Thailand has some responsibilities.
4) Thailand has very good relations
with both Myanmar and Bangladesh.
5) Enhancing bilateral relations could contribute to the growth
of trade and investment relations with ASEAN and SAARC countries. This will
create an opportunity to serve greater regional interests.
6) Re-establishing
the Himalayan-South Asian connectivity can occur if political and diplomatic
solutions of Bangladesh-Myanmar strained ties can be found.
7) Bangladesh has been supporting Thailand at every
international forum. Now it is time and duty for Sri Lanka to stand in favor of
Bangladesh in her crisis moment. Thailand-Bangladesh
relations have the potential to further strengthen ties for regional and global
peace, progress, and prosperity.
8) For greater regional connectivity such as implementation of
BCIM, Asian High way project.
9) To create opportunities for Thai investors to access the
South Asian markets easily.
10) Rohingya
refugee crisis and internal crisis in Myanmar can be regional crises. Thailand
can be a sufferer. Terrorism, insurgent movement, illegal narcotics trade,
human trafficking are some concerning issues.
11) To
strengthen trilateral ties amongst Thailand, Myanmar, and Bangladesh for the
interest of the people.
However, Thailand is a
close friend of Bangladesh. Bangladesh has a long history of trade and cultural
ties with Thailand. Thailand has been cooperating with Bangladesh since
independence in 1971 under the leadership of the Father of the Nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Thailand should consider these issues. Thailand should do
some things in favor of Bangladesh regarding Rohingya refugee repatriation to
Myanmar. Thailand can make Myanmar understand and agree in this regard.
Thailand can play a very significant
role in this regard. Thailand can mediate to bolster the strained relations
between Bangladesh-Myanmar. Thailand can play to repatriate the Rohingyas in
Rakhine in Myanmar. Thailand can easily resolve the problem because it has very
good relations with Myanmar.
However, as a well-wisher friend and
partner in the development process and trade, Bangladesh can expect cooperation
and support from Thailand regarding the repatriation of Rohingya refugees to
Myanmar. Bangladesh deserves it. So, Thailand should help, support
Bangladesh and mediate in resolving the crisis as soon as possible.
