Courtesy Adaderana

The total number of people, who died of COVID-19 infection in Sri Lanka, moved up as 14 more fatalities were confirmed by the Director-General of Health Services on Monday (October 26).

The new development has pushed the official death toll from the virus outbreak in the country to 13,654.

The latest victims include 09 males and 05 females, the Department of Government Information said.

According to official data, 11 deaths were reported among elderly people aged above 60 years. In addition, 02 people aged between 30-59 years and one male below the age of 30 have also succumbed to the virus infection.

Courtesy Adaderana

The daily count of COVID-19 cases confirmed in Sri Lanka moved to 556 today (October 26) as 116 more people were tested positive for the virus, says the Epidemiology Unit.

Two returnees from overseas are also among the newly-confirmed cases.

This brings the total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus reported in the country to 537,201.

As many as 504,003 recoveries and 13,654 deaths have been confirmed in Sri Lanka since the outbreak of the pandemic.

More than 19,500 active cases in total are currently under medical care, official figures showed.

Courtesy Adaderana

Amidst the row over an allegedly contaminated fertilizer consignment shipped to Sri Lanka, the China-based Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group Co., Ltd. today (October 26) issued a media statement urging that a top third-party testing organization should re-sampling whether the samples contain Erwinia.

The supplier strongly requests both parties to entrust the world’s most authoritative and the top third-party testing organization (Swiss SGS group) to re-sampling as soon as possible to test whether the samples are contaminated by Erwinia.”

In her statement, the Director of the Chinese firm, Song Hai Mei, went on the stress that both parties, the supplier and the buyer, should unconditionally accept the test results of the third party.

If Erwinia contamination is confirmed, the supplier shall unconditionally transport the goods back to China, if there is no Erwinia contamination, the buyer shall unconditionally accept the goods and arrange payment,” the statement noted.

The Seawin Biotech further stated that the supplier reserves the right to investigate the legal responsibility of relevant parties for the untrue” or even slander” reports and comments made by some media which caused damages to the image of the Chinese enterprise and the Chinese government

In its statement, the Chinese company clarified that the shipping arrangement was requested by Sri Lanka side. Following the awarding of the tender, the firm said it signed contracts with the buyers through local bidding agent in Sri Lanka and that it strictly fulfilled the contract. After the buyer issued Letter of Credit (L/C), Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group shipped the organic fertilizer which comply with the quality requirements on September 23rd according to the time schedule required by L/C (before September 25th).”

According to Seawin Biotech, the Ceylon Fertilizer Company (CFC), while the goods were on its way via sea routes, had informed them that the import permit had not been obtained and that the consignment would be rejected. However, according to international trade practices, it is the buyer’s obligation to obtain the import permit. The failure to obtain the import permit is caused by the buyer’s mistakes and negative inaction.”

Courtesy Hiru News

Representatives of 41 farmers’ organizations in the Bakamuna area in Polonnaruwa have commenced a continuous fast for the third consecutive day today (26) demanding fertilizer.

Meanwhile, water was released from Maduruoya and Pimburaththewa reservoirs to the Mahaweli B zone for the Maha season this year.

However, there is strong opposition from farmers in the Mahaweli B zone regarding the release of water.

Meanwhile, 33-year-old M.M. Subasinghe, a resident of Galaha Udadelthota area has successfully started producing organic fertilizer.

Speaking to Hiru News team he stated that he is currently producing about 1000 kilograms of organic fertilizer per month and there is a good demand for it from the farmers in the area.

Courtesy Hiru News

A discussion was held this afternoon between the government’s partners and the Ports, Oil, and Electricity Trade Union Alliance against the sale of local resources regarding the agreement to hand over a part of the Yugadanavi power plant to an American company.

The discussion was held at the Communist Party headquarters in Sri Lanka.

Wimal Weerawansa, Leader of the Jathika Nidahas Peramuna, Udaya Gammanpila, Leader of the Pivithuru Hella Urumaya, Dayasiri Jayasekara, State Minister and Secretary-General of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, Prof. Tissa Vitarana, Secretary of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party and Member of Parliament Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera were also present at the discussion.

Meanwhile, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) also filed a writ petition in the Court of Appeal today seeking the issuance of a writ order nullifying the agreement which is said to have been signed a 40 percent stake in the Kerawalapitiya Yugadanavi power plant to an American company.

The Cabinet of Ministers has named 43 parties including the Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission as respondents in the petition.

Children_Learning_Reading

Their reading system is called Children Learning Reading, and it is nothing like the infomercials you see on TV, showing babies appearing to read, but who have only learned to memorize a few word shapes. This is a program that will teach your child to effectively decode and read phonetically. It will give your child a big head start, and allow you to teach your child to read and help your child develop reading skills years ahead of similar aged children.

This is not a quick fix solution where you put your child in front of the TV or computer for hours and hope that your child learns to “read”… somehow…

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Reading is one of the most important skills one must master to succeed in life. It helps your child succeed in school, helps them build self-confidence, and helps to motivate your child. Being able to read will help your child learn more about the world, understand directions on signs and warnings on labels, allow them to discover reading as an entertainment, and help them gather information.

Learning to read is very different from learning to speak, and it does not happen all at once. There is a steady progression in the development of reading ability over time. The best time for children to start learning to read is at a young age – even before they enter pre-school. Once a child is able to speak, they can begin developing basic reading skills. Very young children have a natural curiosity to learn about everything. They are naturally intrigued by the printed texts they see, and are eager to learn about the sounds made by those letters. You will likely notice that your young child likes to look at books and thoroughly enjoys being read to. They will even pretend to behave like a reader by holding books and pretend to read them.

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KAMALIKA PIERIS

Revised 25.10.21

Tamil Separatist Movement got a new lease of life under Yahapalana rule of 2015 – 2018. Tamil Youth Organization and Canadian Tamil Congress hoisted Eelam flag and homage to Prabhakaran on internet in 2015.

 ‘Tamils for Obama’ and ‘American Tamil Forum’, asked Washington to arrest Gotabaya Rajapaksa who is visiting the USA.  They say he was responsible for large scale killing of Tamils and rape of Tamil women. He is a war criminal.  They allege that around 70,000 Tamils were killed in the six months of 2009. This could amount to Genocide.

In 2016 a delegation of Sri Lanka’s Yahapalana ministers met the UK Tamil Diaspora in a public forum and responded to their concerns. The meeting was organized by the Nonresident Tamils of Sri Lanka. Harsha de Silva and Rosie Senanayake participated.  Rosie made a public apology for the 1983 riots.

After Yahapalana took power, the Northern Provincial Council became bold.  It passed a resolution demanding the UN Human Rights Council to establish a special court in Sri Lanka to probe allegations of war crimes and human right violations in the North at the last stage of war.

In April 2016 Northern Provincial Council unanimously adopted a resolution for setting up two states in the island merging North and East in one state. . The resolution also proposed a separate state parliament for the north and east  as well as an autonomous state for the estate Tamils. Muslim majority districts would be considered as autonomous provinces within the state. There was a petition in Supreme Court against this resolution.

Yahapalana puppet government cleared 267 persons of terrorism charges. In 2016 the media reported that Yahapalana government had cleared more than 400 people with links to LTTE. Yahapalana released 32 terrorists held under the PTA, a further 32 will also be released reported the media in 2015. Top sea Tigress, Pakeerathy   was discharged. She had fled to France in 2000.

Critics complained that Yahapalana was pardoning and releasing hardcore LTTE cadres. Dangerous LTTE cadres who were deemed by the previous government to be impossible to rehabilitate, were released without trial by the present government, observed Chandraprema.

Yahapalana  government removed the proscriptions on 8 banned pro LTTE  organizations,  British Tamil Forum, Canadian Tamil Congress,  Australian Tamil congress, Global Tamil forum, National council of Eelam Tamils, Tamil National council, Tamil Youth Organization , and World Tamil Coordinating committee. The National War Heroes Front in Sri Lanka strongly criticized the lifting of the ban.

Yahapalana period  saw the creation of several new separatist  organizations in Jaffna namely  Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF), Tamil Civil society Forum (TCSF) and Tamil Peoples Council . The members are largely from Jaffna urban professional class of lawyers, doctors, Christian clergy, university lecturers and journalists.  Not rural Jaffna and Vanni district.  They have one foot in the Tamil Diaspora and their children consider emigration, said Ahilan Kadirgamar.

There were open expressions of support for Eelam during Yahapalana time. In 2015 university of Jaffna had black flags and posters deifying Prabhakaran and a calling for Eelam. Hartals and hunger strikes were organized in the north. The NPC ordered schools to be closed.  In 2016 The Tamil undergrads of University of Jaffna celebrated the dead LTTE before an Eelam map at the University.

 ‘Maaveerar Naal’ celebrations in the north continued. The north annually celebrated Mahaviru Day on November 27, at decorated tombs where LTTE cadres had been buried.  In 2017 at least 40 events were held across the province.

Most of those who took part in the celebrations in 2017 were very young people from 18 to 25, who were too young to remember the war and terrorism and the atrocities that were perpetrated. Now martyrdom, terrorism and suicide bombers are being glorified and the state has allowed that, observed Arun Tambimuttu.

There were a lot of protest marches in Jaffna in Yahapalana time. In October 2016, the Tamil People’s Council (TPC) staged a protest march and rally called the Eluga Thamil. ‘Eluga Tamil’ means ‘Rise Up Tamil’. They wanted a federal constitution, and the merger of North and East into one large Tamil controlled province. This was a very successful   protest march and rally. The rally is estimated to have drawn the largest crowd after the war. An estimated 10,000 to 15000 had attended. The rally was supported by the university of Jaffna and the civil society groups.

This rally demand that the occupying forces immediately leave the north and east and a civilian administration be provided for north and east. The land remained militarized and the security forces continue to intervene in the day to day civilian administration of the north and east. The social fabric of the Tamil nation is eroded by heavy militarization and deep surveillance of the north and east, the rally said.

After viewing the videos of the speeches of major players, I believe that the campaign had dual objectives of raising the socio-political issues the Tamil people face in the Northern Province and kindling Tamil nationalism, said an analyst. (I think it is Keethaponcalan)

the direction of the Tamil politics under Wigneswaran is clear. It is taking a solid turn towards radical politics, which could, in the long run, turn to violent politics of the past. the analyst continued. Speakers of the rally called for Tamil people to get on the streets and protest, because, according to them, sending representatives to legislative bodies has no meaning and it will not win Tamil rights. Wigneswaran also to a certain extent reflected this sentiment. If and when these events turn violent, Vigneswaran and his lieutenants will not be able to   control them, he concluded.

Tamil Makkal Peravai Organisation held a hartal in 2017, demanding the merger of the North and East, dismantling of security forces camps in the area and the right to information about their missing persons. The event was organized by Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran. Districts observed a shutdown. Offices, businesses, schools and public transport came to a halt. There was a mass rally in Jaffna. Stones were thrown at a Vavuniya bound bus carrying army personnel.

In 2018 students of Jaffna University observed Independence Day on February 4 2018 as a Black Day.  Black day was also observed in 2019.  The media reported that led by the Students Union of Jaffna University, large numbers of men and women in several major towns wore black armbands or headscarves and demonstrated in public places demanding the release of lands occupied by the Sri Lankan army, information about the whereabouts of their missing kin, and justice to Tamils who were subjected to war crimes” by the Security Forces during the last phase of the war. Posters called upon the army to leave the Tamil lands.

Jaffna University students also had a major protest on March 2019, to coincide with UNHRC session in Geneva.  They demanded a hybrid court to investigate war crimes allegations against Sri Lanka. Several vehicles carrying the replicas of ‘war memorial’ built at the Jaffna University in memory of LTTE cadres paraded the streets.

Tamil Separatist Movement succeeded in getting the support of foreign agencies too. Pasumai Thaayagam is an Indian NGO that promotes nature conservation. It has special consultative status with the United Nations. In 2017 Pasumai Thaayagam strongly recommended that the UNHRC must immediately refer Sri Lanka to the General Assembly and the International Criminal Court (ICC). It is high time the UNHRC and the International Community respects the right of the Tamils to exercise the right to self determination and find a lasting solution through a referendum, it said.  

Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran was very active on behalf of Eelam during Yahapalana rule. He said that when water from Moragahakanda is diverted to the Northern Province, some form of ownership of the project should be granted to the NPC.

In February 2018,  Wigneswaran called for an “international legal framework” for the Tamil Question, at a seminar in Jaffna and pledged to have this raised at the upcoming March session of the UNHRC in Geneva .

Wigneswaran wanted to see greater collaboration between the Government of India and his administration in development projects in the province. We would like to be brought in as an active stakeholder, in projects being carried out in the Northern Province. At present, they are mostly done unilaterally by the Colombo government.

He met Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Taranjit Singh Sandhu and discussed possible development of the Palaly airport into a regional airport, and the revival of ferry services between Dhanushkodi and Talaimannar.

Wigneswaran, when visiting Canada, wanted to sign a sister city” agreement between Vavuniya and the City of Brampton in Ontario. However, the members of the Brampton Council were opposed to the move.  Wigneswaran was also scheduled to sign another Friendship Agreement” between the city of Markham, Ontario and Mullaitivu. Wigneswaran said these agreements are not for any economic assistance or regional co-operation but to coordinate the Tamil identity globally.” The city of Markham is home for 30,000 Tamils of Sri Lankan origin while the Brampton’s Tamil community numbers around 20,000.

In 2019 five Tamil political parties from the north put forward 13 demands. These demands mark a watershed in northern Tamil politics.

The five political parties involved in the process were the Ilangei Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO), Peoples Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) ), the Eelam Peoples’ Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) faction led by Suresh Premachandran and the Thamil Makkal Koottani led by C.V.Vigneswaran. A sixth political party, the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) led by Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam participated in the process but did not sign the final document.

These political parties represent the majority of the Tamil voters of the north and east and this list of demands can be said to mark a turning point in the Tamil politics of the north.

With the hope and expectation that a final solution to the continuing problems faced by the Tamils consequent to the effects of the concluded war and yet continuing effects of such war, could be found, we the members of Political Parties that represent the Tamil People do hereby submit hereunder to the Presidential Candidates representing major Political Parties and to their respective Party Leadership the following requests:

1. A solution to the Sri Lankan Tamil issue must be found by setting up a new federal constitution rejecting the heretofore unitary constitution accepting the nationhood of the Sri Lankan Tamils and recognizing its sovereignty and also accepting that Tamils under the provisions of International Law are entitled to the right of self determination.

2. Full fledged independent impartial International mechanisms through the International Criminal Court /International Arbitration Tribunal must be set up to inquire into the War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity and Genocide committed during the final stages of the war.

3. The Prevention of Terrorism Act must be withdrawn.

4. (Consequently) All Tamil Political Prisoners must be freed unconditionally.

5. Justice must be found for those affected by the enforced disappearance of persons through appropriate International mechanisms.

6. The Governmental Forces occupying private and state lands / buildings in the Northern and Eastern Province which were occupied by Tamils before the war must be withdrawn, the lands released and resettlement process must be immediately set in motion.

7. Sinhalisation, Buddhistization and Sinhala Colonization taking place in the Northern and Eastern Provinces presently with State assistance must be stopped immediately.

8. Since the Mahaweli Development Authority is engaged in planned Sinhala Colonization in the Northern Province under the pretext of redirecting the Mahaweli River to the North, the jurisdiction of the said Authority in the Northern Province must forthwith be terminated. Also the planned Sinhala Colonization taking place in the Eastern Province under the Mahaweli Development Scheme must also be terminated.

9. The Moragaskande Irrigation Scheme recently introduced is indulging in planned Sinhala Colonization in the Vanni Region. All such Sinhala Colonisation must forthwith be terminated.

10. The expropriation of lands and areas of religious worship by Government Departments including Archaeology Department, Wild Life Department, Forests’ Department must forthwith be stopped. Those lands and places of worship already expropriated through these Departments must be freed from the effect of the Gazette Notifications which so expropriated them.

11.Those affected in the Northern and Eastern Provinces by the War, wanting to economically improve themselves or youth wanting to enhance their job opportunities receiving direct investments from our Diaspora and elsewhere must have all legal obstacles faced removed so that handling lands and finances here would be easy and quick.

12. Priority must be given to those belonging to the Northern and Eastern Provinces in Governmental and Private Sector job opportunities in the said two Provinces.

13. An independent mechanism must be set up under the supervision of Elected Representatives of the people of the Northern and Eastern Provinces to handle all finances for Development in the said two Provinces, after proclaiming the Northern and Eastern Provinces as areas affected by the War.

the Maha Sangha commented on the 13 points of the Tamil Separatist Movement. Panamure Tilakawansa of Arsirimale aranya spoke. This must be rejected in toto he said. At Palaly they didn’t play the national anthem in Sinhala said Ven. Munhene Mettananda, chief priest Seruwila Raja Maha vihara.

In 2020 the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils of the House of Commons, UK has requested the government to designate former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, Army Commander Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva  and some others in terms of the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulation, 2020.

All-Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils wrote to Dominic Raab MP Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.  We welcome the introduction of the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020 which reiterates the United Kingdom’s commitment to the rule of law. We are writing to you to kindly request you to consider applying the new regime in respect of Sri Lanka, they said.

As a first step to doing this, we would urge you to designate former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva and Staff Sergeant Sunil Ratnayake under the new Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime for their role in perpetrating atrocity crimes that violate the right to life.

 Kumaratunga served as president of Sri Lanka and Commander-in-Chief of the military forces from 1994 to 2005. A period marked by human rights abuses and mass bombings, including the bombing of Navaly Church that resulted in 140 civilian deaths and Nagarkovil School that resulted in 71 civilian deaths including 25 school children. Despite the atrocity crimes she committed whilst in power, Kumaratunga regularly visits the United Kingdom. For many torture victims of her regime who sought asylum and currently reside in the United Kingdom, her visits instill fear and acts as reminder of the impunity Sri Lankan war criminals enjoy at home and abroad.

Fonseka was the commander of the Sri Lankan Army from 2005 until the end of the armed conflict in May 2009. Sri Lankan forces under his command have been implicated in numerous instances of unlawful shelling of civilians and hospitals, rape and other sexual violence, and the summary execution of prisoners.

Shavendra Silva was head of the 58th Division of the Sri Lankan army during the last phase of the war, which is named in the OISL report as having committed the most egregious crimes. Instead of holding Silva accountable, the Sri Lankan government promoted Silva to Head of the Army in August 2019, demonstrating their unwillingness to hold those accused of even the most heinous atrocity crimes accountable.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa is also mentioned. During Rajapaksa’s tenure as Secretary of Defence, both during and after the armed conflict, he is alleged to have overseen the abduction, torture and disappearance of several primarily Tamil journalists and human rights defenders.

Kumaratunga, Fonseka, Silva and Ratnayake are only four of a long list of individuals from the Sri Lankan military against whom there is credible evidence of grave human rights violations,  but their designation will have the symbolic effect of sending a strong message to the Sri Lankan government that the UK will not let go of the need for accountability for war crimes and thereby contribute towards preventing further atrocity crimes. Accordingly, we ask respectfully that you consider our request to designate Kumaratunga, Fonseka, Silva and Ratnayake under the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulation 2020.  (continued)

ආචාර්ය වරුණ චන්ද්‍රකීර්ති

ධම්මපදයේ සුඛ වග්ගයේ එන ආරෝග්‍යා පරමා ලාභා” යනාදි වශයෙන් වන ගාථාව අපි සැවොම දනිමු. මෙය පසේනදී කොසොල් රජතුමා අරභයා අප මහ බුදුරජාණන්වහන්සේ විසින් කළ දේශනාවකි. මිනිසුන්ට වැළැඳිය හැකි රෝග වර්ග දෙකක් ගැන අංගුත්තර නිකායේ චතුක්ක නිපාතයේ ඇති රෝග සූත්‍රයෙහි සඳහන් වෙයි. ඒ, කායික රෝග සහ චෛතසික රෝග යනුවෙනි.

අප විසින් අනුභවකරනු ලබන ආහාර ද කායික සහ මානසික නිරෝගීභාවය උදෙසා තීරණාත්මක කාර්යයක් ඉටුකරයි. බටහිර වෛද්‍ය ශාස්ත්‍රයෙහි පියා වශයෙන් සළකනු ලබන හිපොක්‍රටීස් ද මෙම කරුණ අවධාරණය තිබේ. ආහාරය ම ඖෂධ වේ” යන්න ඔහුගේ අදහස විය. පමණ දැන, සිහිකල්පනාවෙන් යුතුව ආහාර අනුභව කළ යුතු බැව් ද බුදුරජාණන්වහන්සේ විසින් දේශනා කර තිබේ.

ආහාර පිළියෙළකිරීමේ දී අවධානය යොමුකළ යුත්තේ රසය සහ වර්ණය කෙරෙහි පමණක් නොවේ. විෂ සහ විෂබීජවලින් තොර ගුණවත් බවින් ඉහළ ආහාර පිළියෙල කරගැනීමට ද අපි සැළකිළිමත් විය යුතු වෙමු. ආහාර පිළියෙළකිරීමට සහ අනුභවකිරීමට ගන්නා භාජන ආදිය ද පිරිසිදුව තබාගත යුතු වෙයි. ඉතා සරල කරුණු ලෙසින් පෙනුන ද ජීවිත පුරුදුවලට ඇතුළත් කර නොගතහොත් එදිනෙදා භාවිතයේ දී මේවා මගහැරී යා හැකි ය.

ආහාරයේ ස්වභාවය සහ ප්‍රමාණය තීරණයකිරීමේ දී වයස, වෘත්තිය වැනි කරුණු ද සළකා බැලිය යුත්තේ ය. ඇඟ වෙහෙසා වැඩ කරන කෙනකු සහ එසේ නො කරන කෙනකු අනුභව කළ යුතු ආහාරයේ ස්වභාවය සහ ප්‍රමාණය සමාන නොවේ. මෙහි දී වේල් ගණන ගැන පවා සළකා බැලිය යුත්තේ ය. මජ්ඣිම නිකායේ භික්ඛු වර්ගයේ එන කීටාගිරි සූත්‍රයේ බුදුරජාණන්වහන්සේ මෙ සේ දේශනා කර ඇත්තේ ය.

මහණෙනි, මම් වූ කලි රාත්‍රි භෝජනය හැරපියා මැ වළඳමි. මහණෙනි, රාත්‍රි භෝජනය හැරපියා වළඳන මම නීරෝග බව ද ශරීරයාගේ සැහැල්ලු පැවැත්ම ද කාය බලය ද සුඛ විහරණය ද දනිමි. එව, තෙපිදු මහණෙනි, රාත්‍රි භෝජනය හැරපියා මැ වළදවු. මහණෙනි, තෙපිදු රාත්‍රි භෝජනය හැරපියා වළඳන්නහු නීරෝග බව ද නිදුක් බව ද සැහැල්ලු පැවැත්ම ද කාය බලය ද සුඛ විහරණය ද දැනගන්නවු යැ.”

ආහාරයෙන් ශරීර සෞඛ්‍යය සලසාගත හැකි බව මේ සියලු කරුණුවලින් පැහැදිළි වෙයි. මෙම කරුණු සියල්ල ම අපි සැවොම දනිමු. එනමුදු ඒවා භාවිතයට ගැනීම අප අතින් සිදුවන්නේ ඉතා කලාතුරකිනි. අදාළ දැනුම හුදු දේශන ආකාරයෙන් සන්නිවේදනයකිරීම මෙම ගැටලුවට හේතුවයි. පාසල් අධ්‍යාපනය තුළ ඉගැන්වෙන ආහාර පිළිබඳ පාඩම් පොත්වලට සීමා වී තිබේ. ආහාර පිළිබඳ මෙම පාඩම්වලට අදාළ පරීක්‍ෂාව විය යුත්තේ නිරෝගීකම රැකගැනීමට කරනු ලබන කටයුතු ඇගැයීම විනා ලිඛිත විභාගයක දී ඉහළ ලකුණු ලබාගැනීම නොවේ.

දරුවන්ට අවශ්‍ය පෝෂණීය ආහාර ලබාදීම ද හැකියාව තිබිය දී දරුවන් විසින් එවැනි ආහාර අනුභවකරන්නේ ද යන්න විමර්ශනය ද අධ්‍යාපන කාර්යය භාර සැමගේ වගකීමකි. දිළිඳු දරුවන්ට පෝෂණීය ආහාර ලබාදීම ජනරජයේ වගකීමකි. ඒ අරභයා අදාළ සම්පත් යෙදවීමේ වගකීම බිම් මට්ටම (ගම් සභා සහ නාගරික සභා), ප්‍රාදේශීය මට්ටම (කෝරළ සභා) සහ ජාතික මට්ටම යන සෑම අංශයකට ම පැවැරිය යුතුවෙයි.

ආහාර සහ සෞඛ්‍ය පුරුදු අනුව දරුවන් ඇගැයීමේ ක්‍රමයක් ද හඳුන්වාදිය හැකි ය. හැකියාව තිබිය දී පෝෂණීය ආහාර නිසි පමණ අනුභව නො කර ඒ වෙනුවට කෙටිකෑම” වැනි දෑ අනුභවයට යම් දරුවකු යොමුවන්නේ නම් ඔහුට හෝ ඇයට ලබාදිය යුත්තේ අඩු ලකුණු ප්‍රමාණයකි. දිළිඳු දරුවන් හට නිසි පෝෂණය සැපැයීමේ වගකීම අදාළ ආයතන විසින් ඉටුකරන බැව් සහතිකකිරීම සඳහා ඒවාට අදාළ ඇගැයීම් ක්‍රමයක් ද හඳුන්වාදිය හැක්කේ ය.

වැරැදි ආහාර පුරුදු වැළැක්වීමේ වැඩපිළිවෙළක් ද ජනරජය විසින් ක්‍රියාත්මක කළ යුත්තේ ය. ඒ සඳහා අවශ්‍ය විධිමත් සහ අවිධිමත් අධ්‍යාපනික වැඩපිළිවෙළ, දැනුම්වත්කිරීමේ වැඩපිළිවෙළ සම්පාදනයේ සහ ක්‍රියාත්මකකිරීමේ වගකීම අදාළ ආයතන වෙත පැවැරිය යුත්තේ ය. මෙම කාර්යයට බාධාකරන ආහාර පාන වර්ග වෙළෙඳපොළෙන් ඉවත්කිරීම ද කළ හැක්කේ ය. ඒ සඳහා අවශ්‍ය නීති සම්පාදනය ජනරජයේ වගකීමකි.

මෙයට පෙර ලිපියෙන් අවධාරණය කළ පරිදි දියුණු රස ශාස්ත්‍රයක් වර්ධනය කරගැනීම ද මෙම කාර්යයට අදාළ වෙයි. අදාළ සම්පත් නාස්තිවන්නේ සහ වැරැදි ආහාර අනුභවයට මිනිසුන් පෙළැඹෙනුයේ ප්‍රමාණවත් අයුරින් වර්ධනය කළ රස ශාස්ත්‍රයක් නොමැති විට ය. ජනරජයේ සමාජ සංවර්ධනයට අදාළ සෞඛ්‍යය දර්ශක විසින් ප්‍රකාශකළ යුත්තේ ළමා මරණ අනුපාත, මාතෘ මරණ, ආයු අපේක්‍ෂාව වැනි කරුණු පමණක් නොවේ. දියවැඩියාව වැනි බෝ නොවන රෝග පාලනයට අදාළ කරුණු ද, මත්ද්‍රව්‍ය භාවිතයට අදාළ කරුණු ද ඒ තුළින් ප්‍රකටව ප්‍රකාශවිය යුත්තේ ය.

ආචාර්ය වරුණ චන්ද්‍රකීර්ති

තිසර සමල් – එප්පාවල

කොම්පෝස්ට් කියන්නේ දැන් ජනප්‍රිය වචනයක් විතරයි.වගාවට උත්තරයක් නෙමෙයි.අනුරාධපුර දිස්ත්‍රික්කයේ බඩඉරඟු අක්කර එක් ලක්ෂ විසි පන් දහසක් විතර වගා කරනවා, හැබැයි මේ පාර අක්කර විසි පන්දහසක්වත් වගා කරයි කියලා මම හිතන්නේ නෑ, පොහොර පිළිබඳව තියෙන අවිනිශ්චිතතාවය නිසා මිනිස්සු වගා කරන්නේ නෑ යැයි රාජ්‍යය අමාත්‍යය දුමින්ද දිසානායක මහතා පැවසීය.

ඒ මහතා මේ බව ප්‍රකාශ කර සිටියේ, ඉපලෝගම ප්‍රාදේශීය සම්බන්ධීකරණ කමිටුවේදීය.ඉපලෝගම ප්‍රාදේශීය සම්බන්ධීකරණ කමිටු රැස්වීම ඉපලෝගම ප්‍රාදේශීය ලේකම් කාර්යාල ශ්‍රවණාගාරයේදී පැවැත්වුණේ එහි සභාපති සූර්ය බල, සුලං හා ජල විදුලි ජනන සංවර්ධන රාජ්‍යය අමාත්‍යය දුමින්ද දිසානායක මහතාගේ ප්‍රධානත්වයෙනි.ඒ සඳහා සමගි ජන බලවේගය නියෝජනය කරන පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී රෝහණ බංඩාර, ශ්‍රී ලංකා පොදු ජන පෙරමුණ නියෝජනය කරමින් හිටපු උතුරු මැද පළාත් ප්‍රධාන අමාත්‍යය එස්.එම් රංජිත් සමරකෝන් හා ඉපලෝගම ප්‍රාදේශීය සභා සභාපති නිහාල් තිලකවර්ධන යන මහත්වරුන් ඇතුළු පක්ෂ විපක්ෂ ප්‍රාදේශීය දේශපාලඥයින් හා ඉපලෝගම ප්‍රාදේශීය ලේකම්තුමන් ඇතුළු රාජ්‍යය නිළධාරීන් සහභාගී වී සිටියහ.

එහිදී ප්‍රදේශයේ සංවර්ධන කටයුතු හා සිදු කරන ව්‍යාපෘතීන්හී ප්‍රගතිය මෙන්ම ඉදිරි කටයුතු සම්බන්ධයෙන් සාකච්ජා කෙරිණි.විශේෂ කරුණක් ලෙස පවතින පොහොර ගැටලුව සම්බන්ධයෙන්ද සාකච්ජා කෙරිණි.

එහිදී අදහස් දැක්වූ රාජ්‍යය අමාත්‍යය දුමින්ද දිසානායක මහතා,

ඉදිරි වර්ෂයේ සංවර්ධන කටයුතු වෙනුවෙන් හිටපු පළාත් සභා මන්ත්‍රීවරයකු සඳහා රුපියල් මිලියන 20 කුත්, පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රීවරයකු සඳහා රුපියල් මිලිනය 100 බැගින් සංවර්ධන යෝජනා ලබා ගෙන ග්‍රාමීය ජනතාවගේ ආර්ථිකය නගා සිටුවීමත්, ජනතාවට අවශ්‍යය පහසුකම් නගා සිටුවීමත් යන පදනමෙන් සංවර්ධන යෝජනා ලබා ගනිමින් යනවා.එහිදී ග්‍රාමීය කමිටුව කැඳවලා පවතින නිර්නායක යටතේ සංවර්ධන යෝජනා ලබා ගත යුතු වෙනවා.එතනදී ගමේ යම්කිසි දෙයක් කරනවා නම් ග්‍රාමීය කමිටුවේ නිර්දේශ මත සිදු විය යුතුයි. බඩු බෙදද්දී වෙන්න පුලුවන්, ප්‍රථිලාභීන් තෝරා ගැනීමේදී වෙන්න පුලුවන්, සංවර්ධන යෝජනාවක් ලබා ගැනීමේදී හැමදාම කියන්න ඕනකමක් නෑ ග්‍රාමීය කමිටුවේ අනුමතැයි ගන්න කියලා.ග්‍රාමීය කමිටුව කියන එක දැන් මේ ආණ්ඩුවේ ක්‍රමවේදය.මේ ආණ්ඩුවේ සියලුම වැඩසටහන් වලදී, බොහෝම විවෘතව කරන දෙයක්නේ,දේශපාලන අධිකාරියේ ආණ්ඩු පක්ෂයේ සියලුම අය ඉන්නවා,රජයේ නිළධාරීන් ඉන්නවා, ඒ නිසා බොහෝම විනිවිද භාවයක් ඇතිව මේ ටික කරන්න පුලුවන්කම තියෙනවා.ගම්මාන වලට ගිහින් දේශපාලන අධිකාරියේ නායකත්වයත්, රාජ්‍යය නිළධාරීන්ගේ සහභාගීත්වයත්, ග්‍රාමීය කමිටුව නියෝජනය කරන ස්වෙච්ඡා සංවිධාන හා ගමේ ප්‍රභූන් මේ සියලු දෙනා එක්ක සාකච්ජා කරලා අපි පවතින නිර්නායකයන් යටතේ යෝජනා ටික ලබා ගෙන ලබන වර්ෂයේ සිට මෙම යෝජනාවන් ක්‍රියාත්මක කරලා, ජනතාවගේ ජන ජීවිතය ශක්තිත් කරමින් ප්‍රාදේශීය සංවර්ධන කටයුතු සිදු කරමු.

අනුරාධපුර දිස්ත්‍රික්කයේ බඩඉරඟු අක්කර එක් ලක්ෂ විසි පන් දහසක් විතර වගා කරනවා, හැබැයි මේ පාර අක්කර විසි පන්දහසක්වත් වගා කරයි කියලා මම හිතන්නේ නෑ, පොහොර පිළිබඳව තියෙන අවිනිශ්චිතතාවය නිසා මිනිස්සු වගා කරන්නේ නෑ, හැබැයි කොළඹ කාර්යාල වල තියෙන ලිපි ලේඛණ වල තියෙන්නේ නිළධාරීන් කියන සංඛ්‍යාලේඛන ටික.ඔයගොල්ල කියනවා අමතර භෝග මෙච්චරක් වගා කරනවා කියලා.හැබැයි ඇත්තම කථාව ගොවි බිම් වල ජනතාව මේකට සූදානම් නෑ,ඒ නිසා මම නිළධාරීන්ට යෝජනා කරන්නේ, කොළඹට මේ තොරතුරු දෙන ගමන්ම අපි වගා කරන ගොවි මහත්වරුන්ගේ වගා බිම් ප්‍රමාණය හරියට බලලා, ආණ්ඩුව කාබනික පොහොර ප්‍රචලිත කරනවා වගේම ,අවශයය කාබනික පොහොර ටිකත් අනුරාධපුරයට ගේනවා නේ, ඒවා වැඩි ප්‍රමාණයක් අනුරාධපුරයට ගෙනාවොත් තමයි අපේ ගොවීන්ගේ ප්‍රශ්නයට උත්තරයක් වෙන්නේ, එහෙම නැතිව අපි ගණන් හදාගෙන පොහොර ගෙන්වා ගත්තේ නැත්නම් අපි අමාරුවේ වැටෙනවා.මේ දවස් වල කාබනික පොහොර බොහෝම ජනප්‍රියව හදාගෙන යනවා.මේ හදන ප්‍රමාණය අපිටවත් මදිනේ,මේක හැදුවා කියලා කිව්වට අවශ්‍යය ප්‍රමාණය නැත්නම් ඒක බලපාන්නේ අස්වැන්නටනේ, ඒ නිසා නිළධාරීන් මේ තොරතුරු අනුරාධපුර කාර්යාලයට, කොළඹට දෙනකොට හරියටම ඒ තොරතුරු ටික දෙන්න, එදා ඉඳන් එන සංඛ්‍යා ලේඛණ ටික නැතිව,තිරප්පනේදීත් කිව්වේ නිළධාරීන් බඩ ඉරඟු වලට ඉඩම් ටික සුද්ධ කරනවා කියලා.හැබැයි ඇත්ත කථාව ඒක නෙමෙයි ඒක බොරුවක්නේ.සමහරු සුද්ධ කරනවා ඇති හැබැයි සමස්ථය මේකට බැහැලා නෑ.ඒ ගැන නිළධාරීන්ට විතරක් තීන්දු තීරණ ගන්න බෑ, දේශපාලන අධිකාරිය හා ආණ්ඩුව මැදිහත් වෙලා කරන්න ඕන දෙයක්.හැබැයි ඒ සඳහා මේ තොරතුරු ටික හරියටම දෙන්න ඕන.

මොකද දැන් හදන කොම්පෝස්ට් වලත්, දැන් කොම්පෝස්ට් එකේ තියෙන්නේ 1% ක් විතර තමයි නයිට්‍රජන් තියෙන්නේ, සමහර තැන් වල 1% ක්වත් නෑ, කොම්පෝස්ට් කියන්නේ දැන් ජනප්‍රිය වචනයක් විතරයි.වගාවට උත්තරයක් නෙමෙයි.හැබැයි අපි මේක කොහොම හරි ගොඩ දාන්නත් එපැයි.මේක ගොඩ දාන්න නම් මේ තියන ප්‍රශ්න මැද්දේම යන්න වෙනවා.දැන් ආපහු හැරෙන්න බෑ.ඒ නිසා අපි බඩඉරඟු අක්කර ලක්ෂයකට ලෑස්ති වෙනවා නම් පොහොර තියෙන්න ඕන, නයිට්‍රජන් ඕන, ඒ නිසා අපි දැන් ලෑස්ති වෙන්න ඕන අමතර භෝග වලට අවශ්‍යය පළමුවැනි පොහොර මුරයට ගහන්න නයිට්‍රජන් ටික ගෙන්වා ගන්න, ඒක කොච්චර ප්‍රමාණයක්ද කියලා තීරණය කරන්න ඕන, නිළධාරීන් ප්‍රමිතියක් දන්නේ නැතිව ප්‍රමාණයක් හදා ගන්න දන්නෙත් නෑනේ.රටින් ගෙන්වන එවායේ ප්‍රමිතිය, ප්‍රථිශතය සම්බන්ධයෙන් ප්‍රශ්න තියෙනවා.ඒ ප්‍රථිශත නොදැන නිර්නායක දෙන්න බෑ, හැබැයි මේ හැම දේම කරන්න තියෙන්නේ මේ කෙටි කාළය විතරයි.මේ කාළයේ නිළධාරීන්ගේ පැත්තෙන් මේ දත්ත ටික, ගම්වල තියෙන ප්‍රශ්න ටික ගොවිජනතාව මේවා අවිශ්වාස කරලා වගාව අතාරියි, ඒකට මොකද අපි කරන්නේ කියලා ඉහලට විස්තර දෙන්න.

අපේ පැත්තෙන් අපේ සාකච්ජාවේදී මේ විස්තර කිව්වම .නිලධාරීන් එවපු තොරතුරු විදිහට ඇමතිවරුන්ගේ ෆයිල් වල තියෙන්නේ හැමදාම යවන තොරතුරු ටික තියෙන්නේ.යථාර්තය නෙමෙයි.නිළධාරීන් පහළ ඉඳන් ඉහළට යවන අංක ටික තමයි තියෙන්නේ, අක්කර මෙච්චරක් හදනවා, අච්චරක් හදනවා.බෝංචි මෙච්චරයි, වට්ටක්කා මෙච්චරයි කිව්වට එක ගොවියෙක්වත් ඒ වැඩේ නෑනේ.

ඉදිරියටත් අපිට මේ අභියෝගාත්මක ගමන යන්න සියලු දෙනාගේම සහය දෙන්න, ඒ වගේම මම සතුටු වෙනවා මෙම කමිටුව සඳහා පක්ෂ විපක්ෂ මන්ත්‍රීවරු සියලු දෙනාම සහභාගී වී සිටිම සම්බන්ධයෙන්.දේශපාලන පක්ෂ 03-04 හිම අය මේ වගේ එකතු වෙලා, රට මේ වගේ ව්‍යසනයකට මුහුණ දෙන වෙලාවේ පක්ෂ විපක්ෂ සියලු දෙනාම එකම මේසයක වාඩි වෙලා, එකට එකතු වෙලා තීන්දු තීරණ ගන්න පුලුවන් නම් ඒක තමයි රටේ ජයග්‍රහණය, ඒක දේශපාලන පක්ෂ වල ජයග්‍රහණයක් නෙමෙයි, රටේ ජයග්‍රහණයක් මේක හොඳ ආදර්ශයක්.අපි හැමෝම මේ වගේ එකතු වෙලා වැඩ කරමු.ලොක්කෝ ලොක්කෝ හැමදාම යාලුයි පල්ලෙහා තමයි බෙදිලා ඉන්නේ, ඒ නිසා අපිත් හැමෝම එකතු වෙලා මේ ගමන යන්න පුලුවන් නම්, මේ රට තියෙන තැනින් බේරා ගන්න අපිට පුලුවන් වෙයි.ඒ නිසා මම හිතන්නේ ඉදිරියටත් අපි හැමෝම එකතු වෙලා, අපේ ජනතාවගේ ප්‍රශ්න හා ප්‍රදේශයේ සංවර්ධනය වෙනුවෙන් අපි එකට වැඩ කරමු යැයි පැවසීය.

සංවර්ධන නිළධාරීන්ගේ සංගමය.

ගරු. ෂෙහාන් සේමසිංහ අමාත්‍යතුමා,
රාජ්‍ය අමාත්‍ය.
සමෘද්ධි, ගෘහ ආර්ථික,ක්ෂද්‍ර මූල්‍ය, ස්වයං රැකියා රාජ්‍ය අමාත්‍යාංශය.

#Covid -19 රෝගය වැලදුන නිවෙස් නිරෝධායනය කරන ලද සමෘද්ධි සහනාධාරලාභීන් හට සමෘද්ධි සමාජ ආරක්ෂණ ප්‍රතිලාභ ගෙවීමේදී සිදුව ඇති අසාධාරණය සම්බන්දව.

#Covid -19 වැලදුන සමෘද්ධිලාභී පවුල් වෙත සමෘද්ධි සමාජ ආරක්ෂණ අරමුදල මගීන් දිනකට රු.350/ බැගින් වර්ෂයකට උපරිම දින 30 යටත්ව එක් ප්‍රතිලාභී පවුලක් වෙත රු.10500/ උපරිම මුදලක් ගෙවීමට ප්‍රමාදවීමෙන් පසුව වුවද ගන්නා ලද තීරණය සමස්ත සමෘද්ධිලාභීන් වෙනුවෙන්ම අප අගය කර සිටින්නෙමු.

එහෙත් සමෘද්ධි සංවර්ධන දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවේ අධ්‍යක්ෂ ජනරාල් විසින් දිවයිනේ සියලුම ප්‍රාදේශීය ලේකම්වරුන් වෙත එවන ලද 2021.08.25 දිනැති DSD/HO/5/14/16/01 යන සමෘද්ධි සමාජ ආරක්ෂණ වැඩසටහන ක්‍රියාත්මක කිරීම යන ලිපියට අනුව 2021.08.25 දිනෙන් පසුව #Covid -19 රෝගය වැලදුන සමෘද්ධිලාභීන් හට පමණක් ඉහත හිමිකම් ගෙවීමට ප්‍රාදේශීය ලේකම්වරු කටයුතු කිරීමේදී ඊට ප්‍රථම රෝගය වැලදුන සමෘද්ධිලාභී ජනතාව හට බලවත් අසාධාරණ මතුව ඇති බව අප මෙයින් පෙන්නා දෙන්නෙමු.

02. #Covid -19 රෝගය වැලදුන සමෘද්ධි සංවර්ධන දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවට අනුයුක්ත සේවකයින් හට රු.10000/ භාණ්ඩ මල්ලක් ලබා දීමේදී අනුගමනය කරන ලද ක්‍රියාපටිපාටිය කෙරෙහි ඔබගේ අවධානය අප මෙයින් යොමු කරවන අතර මාසිකව සිය සමෘද්ධි සහනාධාරයෙන් රු.100/ මුදලක දායකත්වය ලබා දෙමින් රු.176,292,200/ කින් සමෘද්ධි සමාජ ආරක්ෂණ අරමුදල පෝෂණය කරන සමෘද්ධිලාභීන් හටද ඒ ආකාරයෙන්ම කටයුතු කරන මෙන් අප සංගමය මෙයින් ඉල්ලා සිටින්නෙමු.

03. උක්ත අප විසින් පෙන්නා දෙන කරුණු කෙරෙහි ඔබගේ විශේෂ අවධානය යොමු කර #Covid -19 රෝගයට වැලදුන නිවෙස් නිරෝධායනයට ලක් කරන ලද සමස්ත සමෘද්ධිලාභීන් හටම මෙම සමාජ ආරක්ෂණ ප්‍රතිලාභ හිමිකම් ලබා දීමට කටයුතු කරන මෙන් මෙයින් ඉල්ලා සිටින අතර ඊට අදාල ලිඛිත දැනුවත් කිරීම ප්‍රාදේශීය ලේකම්වරු වෙත ලබා දෙන මෙන් මෙයින් ඉල්ලා සිටිමු.

ස්තූතියි.

මෙයට,
චාමර මද්දුමකලුගේ

ප්‍රධාන ලේකම්සමෘද්ධි සංවර්ධන නිළධාරීන්ගේ සංගමය.

Palitha Mapatuna

Watching recently a particular news channel, it seemed obvious that the reporting on the opening of schools was calculated to show the authorities in a bad light; the schools in which the attendance was low were focussed upon, whereas the others were almost entirely ignored.

It seems that this type of reporting is not only unethical but abusive of the rights of the public to be provided with an impartial view on matters of vital concern to them.   

However, it seems that, for some reason or other, partiality in reporting is not rare in the country.

R Hariharan Courtesy Firstpost

Sri Lanka dumps Chinese fertilizer and imports Nano Nitrogen liquid fertilizer from India,” screamed a Colombo media headline a few days back reflecting the growing exasperation with China’s increasingly high-handed conduct in the island nation.

The news item referred to the soured deal of organic fertilizer imported from China last August, from Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group which had signed a contract for the supply of 96,000 tonnes of organic fertilizer and 3,000 tonnes of powdered form of organic fertilizer. When the Department of Agriculture tested the imported cargo, it was found to contain several harmful bacterial species.

Another sample provided by the company was also found to be contaminated. Following this, the Department banned all imports of fertilizers from China, and the agriculture ministry suspended the $63 million contract awarded to the Chinese company.

As Sri Lanka was facing a severe shortage of fertilizers after the import of chemical fertilizers was banned, India stepped in to speed up the supply of nano fertilizer to Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka went ahead with the import of 3.1 million litres of nano liquid fertilizer from India, which were tested and found to be free of contamination.

The whole episode has irritated China. The Chinese embassy in Colombo condemned the test carried out by Sri Lanka’s National Plant Quarantine Service, which found the presence of Erwinia and other harmful pathogens in the Chinese organic fertilizer samples. Sri Lanka state minister Dayasiri Jayasekara, said that as now we can’t import fertilizer from China, we resorted to getting it from India. China is questioning us as to why we are not purchasing the fertilizer from them,” he said.

The organic fertilizer episode lays bare the seamier side of Sri Lanka’s close relationship with China. Of course, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, addressing the Communist Party of China (CPC) and World Political Parties summit on 8 July 2021, complimented China for never trying to impose its own political views on the world” and never feeling the need to manipulate the affairs of other countries.”

But the real-world behaviour of China with smaller countries has been manipulative and intrusive. A recent Sri Lanka news report in this context headlined

Canadian Energy Enterprise Accuses China of Hijacking Major Project in Sri Lanka” gives the seamier story of China’s state owned firms’ conduct in compromising confidentiality agreements which forbade the use of the work products and proprietary information, to their advantage.

Close on the heels of India’s supply of nano nitrogen organic fertilizer to ward off fertilizer crisis, comes the report of Sri Lanka seeking a $500 million credit line from India to pay for its crude oil purchases. It comes in the midst of the severe foreign exchange crunch Sri Lanka is facing. The state-owned oil entity already owes $3 billion to two state-owned banks. In all likelihood, India will accommodate Sri Lanka’s request as oil shortage will have a crippling effect on Sri Lanka’s economy, already reeling under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, Sri Lanka is likely to finalise India’s long-standing offer to develop the oil tank farms for strategic energy reserves in Trincomalee. This issue came up when India’s Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla called upon the President during his three-day visit to Colombo in the first week of October.

Both India and Sri Lanka seem to be keen to ratchet up their relations which had taken some beating in recent times. India’s real time help in the wake of the container ship X-Press Pearl, carrying 25 tons of nitric acid, catching fire off Colombo port on 19 May, must have come as a moment of truth to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on firming up friendly relations with India. He probably had a rethink on the way India was sidelined in his policy priorities. First came the course correction he applied to the forgettable episode of discarding trilateral agreement with India and Japan on joint development of the Colombo Eastern Container Terminal. India’s port infrastructure giant Adani Group has obtained 51 percent stake in a deal signed with Sri Lanka’s John Keells Holdings and Sri Lanka Port Authority to jointly develop the West Container Terminal at the Colombo Port.

Then came the Integrated Country Strategy paper of the newly appointed Sri Lanka High Commissioner to India which had the President’s blessing. It speaks of elevating bilateral relationships to a strategic level, bolstering foreign investments, boosting connectivity and expanding strategic cooperation in defence and Indian Ocean security.

Many of the points in the strategy paper resonate with what Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla had discussed with the President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister during his Colombo visit. In his meetings, he had underscored the importance India attaches to expeditiously taking forward mutually beneficial projects, including proposals to enhance air and sea connectivity between India and Sri Lanka. He also reiterated India’s position on complete implementation of the provisions under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, including devolution of powers and holding of provincial elections at the earliest. His visit to Jaffna is a strong reminder of India’s continued interest in the welfare of the Tamil minority.

The Foreign Secretary’s visit was followed a week later by the visit of India’s Army Chief General MM Naravane. He met the top leadership to underscore the importance India attaches to expeditiously taking forward mutually beneficial projects. During his meeting with the President, General Naravane said that India highly expects” the stability of neighbouring countries for regional security. Already, over 1,000 Sri Lanka army officers are trained every year in India. According to the Presidential Media Division, a specially designed training course for 50 Army officers will be provided to Sri Lanka in the near future at the request of the Chief of Defence Staff and the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army. It is interesting to note India-Sri Lanka joint army training exercise Mitra Shakthi was being held during his visit.

In April 2020, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had said the Quad meets India’s aspiration of becoming a stabilising power”. He called India’s present foreign policy as India Way” to bring the country’s capacities for global good to provide security and connectivity and firmly dealing with global challenges. India would be a decider or a shaper” than abstainer” on issues like climate change and connectivity. To be a stabilising power, India needs to upgrade its relations with Sri Lanka to the strategic level. The moot point is can India do it, in the face of aggressive promotion of Chinese interests, backed by economic and military muscle? India has to, because it has no other option.

Colonel R Hariharan, former MI specialist on South Asia and terrorism, served as the head of intelligence with the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka 1987-90. Views expressed are personal.

By Hank Campbell Courtesy Science 20

It’s great for alternative energy groups to tout how much more solar and wind there is than 10 years ago, and how if some cosmic curve of installations continues indefinitely, fossil fuels and nuclear power will go extinct – but in the real world, where California has to jettison emissions standards and Germany has to go under the control of Russia to prevent blackouts, a world where everyone pays a fortune to get rationed energy is bleak.

A bleak world is what Sri Lanka recently had, because they believe alternative science activists about how organic food was viable and affordable and ready. The country went along with western environmental propaganda and paid the price. After declaring they would be ‘all organic’ in May, they had yields in the cellar by August. Costs skyrocketed, people hoarded food, and the government began raiding homes so people could not sell food on the black markets.

Now they have abandoned the fiasco. Not because people were starving but because exports had plummeted, and the wealthy elites who wanted to emulate the west realized that the people touting organic are paid to promote it, not grow it. The desperate government had even violated its own ban, importing modern chemicals via Lithuania and hoping no one would notice if they had  organic fertiliser” labels places on the 30,000 tons.

Whole Foods shoppers are fooled by labels, but few others.

Now the government has stated they are going to un-ban chemicals that work until they know organic is really “ready”, not when lawyers in other countries claim it is ready.

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

It has been more than six weeks since that epic moment when a ruling party politico who happened to be the state minister of prison reforms stormed the Anuradhapura Prison, and forced a group of Tamil inmates on their knees, threatening them at gunpoint.

What happened since then was path defining.  It was the Prison Commissioner who broke the news to the public and ordered an investigation. A sycophantic pet poodle might have claimed ignorance and might even have defended the errant minister’s nightly visits.

The Minister had a clean slate in the past did not matter. Surely the courts and even the party seniors might have been tougher if the errant politico had a history of violence, and had surprisingly gotten away with the alleged murder of an expat Rugby players and mass murder in the hill country

The president who was visiting New York for the UN General Assembly woke up to the news that the police had arrested the minister of prison for endangering the lives of prison inmates. The Attorney General charged the errant minister with a series of criminal charges, which if found guilty would land him in jail for a long time. 
In any Third World Banana Republic, the police have awaited the green light from the political leadership. The Attorney General would have cared more about saving his grace than charging politicos of thuggery, even if the alleged behaviour amounted to attempted murder.  But, not in Sri Lanka, where independent institutions stood tall and are not a captive of anyone’s- even the president’s – whims and fancies.

The President, so to speak had a hectic schedule in New York; after a string of meeting with G8 leaders and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and a much sought-after interview with the CNN, a reception fit to his larger than life persona at home. His counterparts from forsaken places might go sightseeing and do a bit of babysitting. But, not here. The public money was at work to the optimum return.

By the time his brother, the Prime Minister also on a major international engagement on the invitation of the Prime Minister of Spain – who threw his Sri Lankan counterparts a state banquet, and the duo watched a bullfight- checked up with the party secretary back in Colombo, the Party seniors have already launched the process to sack the Minister from the party.

That the Minister had a clean slate in the past did not matter. Surely the courts and even the party seniors might have been tougher if the errant politico had a history of violence, and had surprisingly gotten away with the alleged murder of an expat Rugby players and mass murder in the hill country.

The country’s independent institutions were at their best. The independent Human Rights Commission launched an investigation and called on immediate legal action and sacking of the errant minister. The President and the government heard it loud and clear.  

 For Sri Lanka’s illustrious bureaucracy, competent legal service and independent-minded judges, these are probably the best of the times to serve the nation, according to their conscience. The fall out of Ratwatte’s drunken prison escapade is proof that nothing and no one is above the rule of law.

In the following day, despite a hangover, the state minister was humble enough to take responsibility for his actions and to admit that he had one too many shots. But, before he resigned, the president had sacked him of all positions, not just from one portfolio, which would have reeked hypocrisy. 

It was the naysayers of the Gotabaya Rajapaksa government, who claim it is a familial cabal of corruption and rights abuses – and that the president himself has skeletons in the closet- that got egg on their faces.
The UN Human Rights Commissioner had all that in her pre-written speech before she sucked up the words, seeing how Sri Lanka’s straight-shooting institutions and officials launched themselves against the politically powerful miscreant.

President’s much-avowed promise for one country – one law was out there in full force. 

Even the critics, some of the bitterest were pleasantly surprised. Sri Lanka seemed to have come a long way, from the dark days when prison inmates were picked, allegedly according to a list of names authorized by high officials and were killed, and their killers got away, they confided in private.

For Sri Lanka’s illustrious bureaucracy, competent legal service and independent-minded judges, these are probably the best of the times to serve the nation, according to their conscience. The fall out of Ratwatte’s drunken prison escapade is proof that nothing and no one is above the rule of law.

Really? Probably this is how things would have unfolded in any civilized nation. Now you should know, why every other local with a sense of fair play, the international community, NGO captains, media have a low opinion of the current administration, and by extension, sadly though, of the country it represents. Do not blame them for that, blame those who have made it happen and who keep reinforcing that law of the jungle. 

Follow @RangaJayasuriya on Twitter 

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

A gem mining pit at Laggala

• Politicians attached to several parties and those wielding power are operating several gem mines in state and reserve lands by misusing the license obtained through the present system
• Villagers of Kiri Oya said that Minister Amunugama’s secretary had removed illegal gravels as the gravels in his licensed land were no longer producing
• Laggala Divisional Secretary and Munamalpe confirmed that the state minister’s secretary was fined 100,000 rupees for the offense

The truth is now being uncovered regarding an illegal mining racket in state lands under the Moragahakanda – Kalu Ganga Development Project (MKDP) which is a Mahaveli project in the Matale district. Influential politicians in the Government, Opposition party MPs, higher state officials and doctors are engaged in locating state lands containing gems in the area. Some of them operate mines with licenses and some obtain one license and misuse it to operate illegal mines in state lands and lands coming under the purrview of the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC). 

Politicians and bigshots are not directly involved in gem mining and are engaging their henchmen to operate illegal mines. However they are managing operations from behind the scenes. They purchase state lands and lands of permit-holders either by obtaining ownership or on lease for a relatively higher price. Then they proceed to mine gems illegally using political influence and by using the services of thugs. Politicians and those wielding power are also attempting to obtain ownership of unused lands out of the lands allocated for the construction of Moragahakanda and Kalu Ganga Reservoir. There is higher demand for lands with gem deposits. Such legal transfer of lands or transfer of lands with deeds belonging to other people is taking place in Laggala these days. 
The recommendation of the Divisional Secretary was required earlier to issue licenses for gem mines. If such land is a paddy land, archaeological site, state land, or a land under the DWC, the miner should obtain recommendations from the relevant institutes prior to obtaining permission to operate a gem mine. The National Gem and Jewelry Authority (NGJA) then issues a license based on the recommendation of the said institutes and the Divisional Secretary. Even while possessing a license, recommendations are issued on how to operate a mine. A mine is operated under the supervision of the NGJA and the Divisional Secretary and therefore miners tend to commit less offenses. If an offense is committed the law will be enforced which will result in the license being cancelled. 

Earlier there was a procedure of inspecting state lands before issuing licenses and when this procedure was followed there were no problems. Divisional Secretaries have no power under the new scheme and therefore cannot practise the law regarding environmental destruction and illegal gem mining

Laggala Divisional Secretary S. Vijayakumar

This procedure changed with effect from November 2020 with the commencement of ‘One Stop Shop’ scheme which catered to the objective of providing all services under one roof. It is true that the Government receives a better income under this programme based on a concept by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. But politicians attached to several parties and those wielding power are operating several gem mines in state and reserve lands by misusing the license obtained through the above system. Even though gem mining is unregulated it is operated openly at present. The reasons why authorities delay enforcing the law on these ‘bigshots’ is evident when reviewing the statements made regarding the matter. 

Wasgamuwa National Park

With the commencement of the ‘One Stop Shop’ scheme the recommendation that had to be obtained from the Divisional Secretary prior to a license being issued for gem mines was no longer needed. According to the new procedure the NGJA directly issues licenses for mines after the relevant institutes have issued their recommendations. Laggala Divisional Secretary S. Vijayakumar said that licenses are haphazardly issued for gem mines in the area under Laggala Divisional Secretariat. Earlier there was a procedure of inspecting state lands before issuing licenses and when this procedure was followed there were no problems. Divisional Secretaries have no power under the new scheme and therefore cannot practise the law regarding environmental destruction and illegal gem mining. A copy of the license issued by the NGJA for a gem mine should be sent to me, but I have so far received only a few. 181 licenses were issued between January and November 2020 with the recommendation of the Divisional Secretary. However the number of licensed mines operating have doubled or tripled. I am not aware whether those mines are operated with licenses. Grama Niladhari Officers inform me about many illegal activities in many places. In such cases I inform the Assistant Director of the NGJA Na-Ula Regional Office Sanjeewa Munamalpe and Laggala Police Officer-in-Charge in writing to enforce the law,” said Vijayakumar. 
It is learned that one of the Secretaries serving State Minister Dilum Amunugama is also engaged in illegal mining. This secretary, identified as R.B Keerthisinghe, has obtained a license to operate a mine in Kalu Ganga GN division, but it is alleged that he is transporting unregulated gem bearing gravels obtained from state and reserve lands to wash them in the licensed land using his license obtained for mechanical operations. Speaking regarding this issue Kalu Ganga GN officer, D. M. D. K. Dissanayake said that the Secretary of Minister Amunugama has removed gem bearing gravels illegally from a state land next to his licensed land and has also transported gem gravel obtained from reserve boundaries to his licensed land for washing. Measures were taken regarding this issue after the Laggala DS was informed, he added. Villagers of Kiri Oya said that Minister Amunugama’s secretary had removed illegal gravels as the gravels in his licensed land were no longer producing. They affirm that he was engaged in illegal mining wielding the political power of Minister Amunugama. These accusations seem to be true when one studies the letter sent by Laggala Divisional Seceretary on August 23 to Assistant Director of the NGJA Na-Ula regional office Sanjeewa Munamalpe; because these facts are clearly stated in the document. Copies of that letter have been sent to Laggala Police OIC and Kalu Ganga GN Officer. Laggala Divisional Secretary and Munamalpe confirmed that the state minister’s secretary was fined 100,000 rupees for the offense of washing illegal gravels in a land with the license he possesses. 

There are also illegal mining activities taking place and they are dealt with according to the law as soon as we receive information. We come across several obstacles when taking legal measures on illegal mines and some obstacles come in the form of influencing

Sanjeewa Munamalpe Assistant Director of the NGJA Na-Ula Regional Office

The state minister’s secretary denied the claims made by Munamaple and Laggala Divisional Secretary. I applied for a mechanical license to operate a gem mine in a two acre land and abandoned the mine after the license expired. I never appeared as a secretary of this state minister,” said Keerthisinghe. The gem license no GML 1000549 has been issued under A. G. Piyadasa. The license was issued for a period from 19-05-2021 to 18-08-2021. I operated a gem mine in Laggala area with permission and have not committed any offense. I haven’t paid any fine in my name,” he added. It is the duty of the authorities to find who is telling the truth. Did three responsible state officials fine Keerthisinghe on false allegations? Or did Keerthisinghe try to muzzle the state officials using political influence?

Law not enforced

State Minister Amunugama said that Keerthisinghe served him in the capacity of a secretary. I gave secretary positions to those who helped me during the election to work for the district and Keerthisinghe was one such person. I knew he was operating a regulated mine in Laggala with a license, but I did not know that he was engaged in illegal activities. I do not have a gem mine irrespective of whether it is legal or not. If this person committed an offense appearing as my secretary then the authorities should take necessary actions.” Amunugama added. 

Kiri Oya villagers said that the law is not enforced on those who engage in illegal gem mining. We have been working in gem mines since birth, but by now we are unable to engage in this trade. When we try to reach gravels with mamoties in hand along Kalu Ganga and in Kumara Ella the NGJA or wildlife officers take us into custody and fine us with Rs 35,000 for illegal mining. We have no income. If we try to scoop up and wash gravel in areas coming under the purview of the Wildlife Conservation Department its officials will enforce the law on us. They demand their share as these lands come under their purview. We engage in mining in a secretive manner in forests ensuring that the enviorment isn’t damaged. But people wielding power are engaged in mining using backoes and destroying the environment. The law is enforced on us and not on them. Wildlife Conservation Department officials raid our mines only after we have reached gravels. They will then seize the gravels and wash them secretly.” these villagers added. Similar issues are taking place in Elahera, Laggala, Bakamuna areas as well, they added.

I gave secretary positions to those who helped me during the election to work for the district and Keerthisinghe was one such person. I knew he was operating a regulated mine in Laggala with a license, but I did not know that he was engaged in illegal activities”

Dilum Amunugama State Minister

They also said that another person wielding power was operating an illegal gem mine in the guise of carrying out development activities in a state land. It is not a secret to villagers in the Laggala, Kirioya, and Pol Athuwadiya areas that he had removed soil to reach gem gravels on the pretext of building a swimming pool, villagers point out. The boundaries of this person’s land fall along the Kalu Ganga. Entry to that area is prohibited and villagers are barred from activities like fishing or bathing in this location. But the owner is using the river area close to his land, the villagers complained. His henchmen are engaged in illegal mining activities in that area. Munamalpe, speaking about this person, said that the said person has legally obtained a state land and there is an ongoing development project.Munamalpe affirmed that this person was not engaged in illegal gem mining activities as alleged.  

Laggala Pradesha Sabha Chairman Nalin Kumara said that there are illegal gem mines operating in a massive scale from Laggala area to Elahara and Bakamuna. We informed the authorities to take action against illegal mines. But the law was not enforced. Wildlife officials raid mines of the less affluent people. Those who obtain licenses for two acres operate mines illegally in 20 acre pots of land. Mines are operated in paddy lands and gravels are transported for washing all under one license. They do not fill those pits. Environmental issues have increased. I informed the Assistant Director of the NGJA Na-Ula regional office, but no legal action was taken. Several individuals from Kurunegala, Ratnapura and Kandy are involved in this questionable venture. We have no involvement. I have informed everyone including the president and the Commission to Investigate Bribery or Corruption in writing. Bakamuna and Laggala border both Matale and Polonnaruwa districts. The sanctuary zone spanning about 33 acres in Polonnaruwa has been destroyed due to illegal mining. I informed the wildlife officials to file a case, but that hasn’t been done. The law is enforced only when a less affluent person engages in mining using mamoties and steel rods. The authorities are silent when powerful people are engaged in mining using two to three backoes and investing much money. The Department of Wildlife and Conservation, which opposed the organic fertilizer project, has not objected to mining activities in the forests. These activities have been continuing for seven years,” added Kumara.

Earth being removed at a mine using a backhoe 

Polonnaruwa District Wildlife Assistant Director W.M.K.S Chandrarathna who oversees the area said that he has instructed the officials to enforce the law against those who operate mines ilegally in the wildlife zone regardless their status. There are no gem mines in the wildlife zone and if there are any the Laggala PS Chairman can show us those locations, so that we could take legal action. He has not informed us verbally or in writing that illegal mines operate in the area. It is not true that our officials are demanding their share. Such false stories are spread as some people are not allowed to operate illegal gem mines. Those who make accusations that there are illegal gem mines within the wildlife zones are not aware of wildlife boundaries. We do not conduct raids only after mines have been located. Our officials are always patrolling and conducting raids in the area,” he added.
Responding to accusations on obtaining Mahaweli lands to operate mines the former MP Ranjith Aluwihare said that he had requested for a land not to operate mines, but for cultivation. The Mahaweli Authority acquired one of my lands I have been cultivating on for years. It was taken for the Moragahakanda – Kalu Ganga Development Project. I have applied for compensation,” said  Aluwihare.  Vijayakumar, commenting on this issue, said that action will be taken in the future based on the investigations conducted as per Sub section 1(a) of Section 46 of the Land Acquisition Act, regarding land acquisition for the development of the left bank of the Kalu Ganga under Moragahakanda – Kalu Ganga Development Project as per Gazette 2073/44 dated 01-06-2018, confirmation of land ownership, issuance of lands and compensation. 

The Mahaweli Authority acquired one of my lands I have been cultivating on for years. It was taken for the Moragahakanda – Kalu Ganga Development Project. I have applied for compensation”

Ranjith Aluwihare former MP

It was discovered that lot no 337 and 689 belonging to Ranjith Aluwihare had been acquired for the Moragahakanda – Kalu Ganga Project. Interestingly the same land is to be released to him when the authorities pay compensation and offer alternate land to Aluwihare; in return for the land acquired. Villagers are wondering  whether the same land is released to him because it is not required for the Moragahakanda – Kalu Ganga Development Project or because it contains gem bearing gravels. Aluwihare said that the Mahaweli Authority and the District Secretary are releasing the land again and there are gem gravels in the land. He added that a license should be applied for to operate mines in this land.

An official of the Moragahakanda – Kalu Ganga Project of the Mahaweli Authority said that it was the duty of the Divisional Secretary to acquire and release lands. The Mahaweli Authority assists those functions based on his recommendations. There are mines operating on Mahaweli Authority lands and I am unaware whether they are legal. There is an issue regarding gem gravels and the Mahaweli Authority has requested the NGJA to auction these deposits to buyers.” he added.

Speaking on reasons as to why the law is not enforced on illegal mining activities Munamalpe said that the NGJA officials are supervising mining activities starting the time gem licenses have been issued till the mining activities conclude. Those who engage in the gem industry can obtain licenses through the One Stop Shop scheme. The Government also earns much income through this procedure. There are also illegal mining activities taking place and they are dealt with according to the law as soon as we receive information. We come across several obstacles when taking legal measures on illegal mines and some obstacles come in the form of influencing. During such situations we cannot solve issues and we take necessary actions after informing the senior management.” he added.

National Gem and Jewelry Authority Chairman Thilak Weerasinghe said that NGJA officials are supervising mining activities after licenses have been issued. I learned that there were illegal mining operations in Laggala and the miners are influencing the officials using thuggery and political power. As a solution I will inspect the area and take necessary legal action. The gem lands will be auctioned to buyers and steps will be taken to solve the matter.” he added.

Pix by Samantha Perera

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Sri Lanka’s decision to transform into a fully organic nation was applauded by many nations advocating for organic agriculture but many experts also warned that this decision needs a scientific and gradual approach. Overnight, the importation of chemical fertilisers including pesticides and weedicides was halted, throwing farmers into a dilemma. Even though the government assured that there are ample fertiliser stocks to be distributed till September and that farmers would receive organic fertiliser by the beginning of the Maha season, the assurance remained to be another unfulfilled promise. A month and several days have elapsed since the beginning of the Maha season and farmers have now taken to the streets demanding the government to give them fertiliser as promised. Initially, the government planned to import a consignment of organic fertiliser from China but the process had to be halted when standards institutions detected harmful pathogens in these samples. However, it seems that the Company hasn’t given up their attempts to send this consignment to Sri Lanka as yet. 

“Organic fertiliser samples previously received from the above company have been tested and found infected with harmful organisms to Sri Lankan agriculture. Therefore, NPQS did not issue any import permit particularly for this company for bulk quantities – Dr. Ajantha de Silva“

A false alarm to test waters? 

‘Hippo Spirit’, a bulk carrier registered in Panama, has commenced its voyage from Qingdao Port during the early hours of September 22 and is currently spotted near Malacca (last updated on October 14). It has been berthed at this location for about nine days. However, a letter addressed to Agriculture Department Head, the Chinese fertiliser company Qindao Seawin Biotech Group Co. Ltd states that the vessel would arrive at the Colombo Port on October 22. 

The letter sheds light on the tender process and how a third party – Schutter Group drew samples from the loading port and confirmed that the samples are qualified. After Plant Quarantine from China Customs we shipped our products to Sri Lanka on September 23,” the letter read. 

Further claiming that the products were up to the required standards, the letter mentioned that the products underwent a sterilization process at 600°C using raw materials such as seaweed, amino acid and humid acid. It has been tested as qualified by Schutter Group, China Customs, Technical Centre of Qingdao Customs and test results have proven that the products are free from Erwinia spp,” the letter further read while mentioning that the samples would be resent for testing to confirm if the contents were contaminated with the said pathogen while requesting Sri Lankan authorities to test samples again with a third party to eliminate any misunderstanding. 
In his response Department of Agriculture Director General Dr. Ajantha De Silva explains why the cargo cannot be accepted as the importation of plant commodities including organic fertilisers requires import permits issued by the National Plant Quarantine Service (NPQS) as per the legislative provision given in the Plant Quarantine Act No. 35 of 1999. 

Organic fertiliser samples previously received from the above company have been tested and found infected with harmful organisms to Sri Lankan agriculture. Therefore, NPQS did not issue any import permit particularly for this company for bulk quantities,” the letter read while informing authorities to prevent berthing of the vessel as it has violated the international and national phytosanitary legislations, pushing Sri Lanka into a high bio-security risk. Copies of the letter were sent to the Agriculture Minister and State Minister, Presidential Secretariat, Agriculture Ministry Secretary, State Secretary of the State Ministry of Production and Supply of Fertiliser, Chairmen of Ceylon Fertiliser Company Ltd., and Colombo Commercial Fertilisers Company Ltd., Colombo Port Harbour Master and NPQS Additional Director.

“The so-called ship never arrived. Prior to arrival the agent has to notify the Ports Authority and get clearance for Dangerous Cargo, ISPS, Advance Payment and Health – Colombo Port’s Harbour Master Capt. Nirmal P. Silva“

Ship gone missing, stern directives to reject cargo : Harbour Master 

Even though speculation was rife that the said vessel has reached the Colombo Port on October 22, Colombo Port’s Harbour Master Captain Nirmal P. Silva denied allegations. As per the latest update as at October 24, he confirmed that the ship cannot be detected on vessel tracking sites.

The so-called ship never arrived. Prior to arrival the agent has to notify the Ports Authority and get clearance for Dangerous Cargo, International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS), Advance Payment and Health. In the case of this particular vessel, they have to obtain the Phytosanitary certificate as well since it contains plant commodities.”

However, Dr. Ajantha De Silva has in a written request informed several authorities about the contents of the vessel and to prevent berthing of the vessel. Since the samples contained harmful bacteria we have been instructed to refrain from accepting cargo,” he added.

“We are not opposed to going organic. His manifesto states that it would take around 10 years to make this transformation. It should be a gradual process. But this ignorant decision should be revoked. We request him to think about the livelihoods of farmers and reconsider this decision – JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake“

Opposition parties raise alarm bells 

In a recent media briefing, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake urged President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to think about the livelihoods of farmers and reconsider his decision on transforming Sri Lanka into a fully organic nation. We are not opposed to going organic. His manifesto states that it would take around 10 years to make this transformation. It should be a gradual process. But this ignorant decision should be revoked. The gazette initially stopped pesticides and weedicides. But later they allowed the importation of these chemical substitutes. Nano urea too is a chemical component. The President is now revoking his decisions and various ministers are announcing these decisions. But we request him to think about the livelihoods of farmers and reconsider this decision.”

“There are quality standards for inorganic fertilisers to determine the composition of urea, potassium chloride and other chemical components. But the problem with organic fertilisers is that although we can estimate the presence and species of microorganisms, we do not know the chemical structure of these fertilisers. Sri Lanka hasn’t developed such standards for organic fertilisers – Prof. Nalika Ranathunge“

Lack of standards and quality assurance 

Expressing her concerns on the potential risks of harmful organic fertilisers, Prof. Nalika Ranathunge Senior Lecturer at the Department of Agricultural Biology, Faculty of Agriculture at the Ruhuna University said that the Erwinia bacteria causes soft rot in various plant species. There are quality standards for inorganic fertilisers to determine the composition of urea, potassium chloride and other chemical components. But the problem with organic fertilisers is that although we can estimate the presence and species of microorganisms, we do not know the chemical structure of these fertilisers. Sri Lanka hasn’t developed such standards for organic fertilisers.” 

Sri Lanka’s Plant Protection Act prevents harmful organisms from entering the country and the prevailing situation has provided a good opportunity for such organisms to enter into the country. But the consequences could be manifold. One of them is that these organisms could spread faster on a foreign soil as they do not have natural enemies. The Erwinia bacteria is a well-known plant pathogen that causes soft rot in various plant species and vegetables such as potatoes, cabbages and carrots. Certain plant pathogens will act unexpectedly on a foreign soil and will cause threats to biodiversity as well.”

She further said that there is no positive impact of importing organic fertilisers into the country although the government now has to provide organic fertilisers for cultivation purposes. As per the Act, no living material could be imported to the country unless for research. However, due to the new policy decisions taken by the government the SLSI introduced No. 1704 standard for the importation of organic fertilisers. As per the standard the organic fertilisers should be sterile and therefore cannot contain any living organisms. In this case the entire stock has to be sterile. But there are two concerns here. One is that in order to be an organic fertiliser it should contain a certain amount of favourable organisms that would help in plant growth etc., in order to achieve the expected outcomes. But that has been violated here. On the other hand, we do not know whether the fertilisers have been sterilized to the expected standards. The 20,000 metric tons of fertilisers is said to be sterilized at 600°C but we do not know if the entire stock has been sterilized this way.”

Prof. Ranathunge further explained that sterility is not only about the temperature but the duration as well. We need to ensure that each particle has been equally sterilized. On the other hand, when sampling is done, how do we assure that the sampling is proper? Microorganisms aren’t equally distributed as they may prefer colder temperatures etc.,” she said while warning that Sri Lanka may have to face a food scarcity and a food shortage in the coming months as producing organic fertiliser locally too is a time-consuming task that has to be implemented after proper lab research and field trials in different ecological regions. 

“We have enough organic material in the country to produce fertiliser but a coordinated programme of actions was lacking. We still haven’t identified the sources of organic fertiliser. Many organic fertilisers are equated to compost but organic fertilisers could contain human and animal matter as well – Dr. Jagath Gunawardena“

A lacuna in the law 

When asked if Sri Lanka has bio-security laws in place Attorney-at-Law Dr. Jagath Gunawardena replied in the negative. But we do not know if these fertilisers included plant material only. Media reports confirmed that the previous consignment included E. Coli bacteria and, in that case, they have to get clearance from health authorities as per the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance. If it contained animal matter, they have to get clearance from the Department of Animal Production and Health as per the Animal Diseases Act.”
Speaking further he said that the dialogue on bio-security was initiated about a decade ago but the biosafety of Genetically Modified Organisms took precedent. We therefore have a lacuna in the law when dealing with microorganisms.”

He further said that the whole concept of importing organic fertiliser is controversial and shortsighted from an agronomist’s point of view. We have enough organic material in the country to produce fertiliser but a coordinated programme of actions was lacking. We still haven’t identified the sources of organic fertiliser. Many organic fertilisers are equated to compost but organic fertilisers could contain human and animal matter as well. We can safely presume that organic fertilisers contain carbon. Therefore, there could be synthetic organic fertilisers as well. As such even organic matter are composed of chemicals.”
Dr. Gunawardena further said that shortsighted decisions would lead to a bigger crisis and warned of impending changes to agriculture, biodiversity, human and animal health. 

“Until we get proper stocks, we will not do the payment and already the Colombo Fertiliser Company has secured an interim order to suspend payments to the Chinese company – Mahindananda Aluthgamage“

Interim order to suspend payments 

When contacted Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said that according to the Letter of Credit the money will be transferred but because the samples contained pathogens the Company has to send us proper contents. Until we get proper stocks, we will not do the payment and already the Colombo Fertiliser Company has secured an interim order  from  Colombo District Court to suspend payments to the Chinese company.”
He further said that the supplier has placed a bond of US$ 5 million but that Sri Lanka will not pay a single penny as they have violated the specifications in the tender.

  Tested and rejected  

Sri Lanka’s plan to import 99,000 metric tons of organic fertilisers at a cost of US$ 63 million from her close ally China didn’t succeed when authorities raised concerns over the presence of pathogens including E. coli and Erwinia in samples. The testing was done on a shipment specifically assigned to Sri Lanka by the German lab Schutter Global Inspection & Survey Co. Ltd. This stock was supposed to arrive at the end of September to be distributed among paddy farmers for the Maha season. 
Plant pathogens belonging to the genus Erwinia causes diseases in several economically important plants. Strains of Erwinia are perhaps the most important bacterial agents responsible for the spoilage of fresh vegetables post-harvest. The main type of spoilage by these bacteria is soft rots caused by pectic enzymes that break down pectins, resulting in a mushy appearance which is sometimes accompanied by a bad odor and water-soaked appearance. 

  Chinese Embassy clarifies  

Following reports about the presence of E. coli and Erwinia pathogens in samples, the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka defended the Chinese firm in a statement dated October 8, 2021 stating that recent reports have harmed the reputation of the Company. 
The letter stated that the Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group Co. Ltd is a high-tech enterprise focusing on producing a new type of seaweed fertiliser and that its products have passed many organic certifications including the EU ECOCERT organic certification. 
The Company has undertaken obligations strictly in accordance with the signed contract. In the process of enforcing the contract, however, the National Plant Quarantine Service claimed that the sample received contained harmful bacteria including Erwinia after only three days of test and analysis. It is noted that according to the International Plant Protection Convention it would take at least six days to detect Erwinia. The hasty conclusion made by NPQS lacks scientific basis,” the Embassy clarified.

Farmers are engaged in a protest march demanding the government to revoke the fertiliser import ban

By R.S. Dharmakeerthi Professor in Soil Fertility and Nutrient management
University of Peradeniya

Safeguarding the food security is a prerequisite for ensuring national security. We can produce enough food or generate enough foreign exchange to purchase food to achieve food security. If we fail to secure these two, we will have to abide by the conditions set forth by other countries. Under the current global geopolitical battle to secure safe spaces, the super powers will always look for opportunities that they can capitalise in countries that are strategically important such as Sri Lanka. The current fertiliser crisis in the agriculture sector of Sri Lanka is making us even more vulnerable.

Organic Agriculture Mania

On 27 April, the Cabinet took a bold decision to ban the use of agrochemicals, almost overnight, to provide the nation with safe and healthy food. Recently, Senior Professor Udith Jayasinghe Mudalige, the Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, has gone on record admitting that the sudden 100% organic agriculture was based on the wrong advice. If someone can mislead a government on a matter related to national security, then there must be something terribly wrong. The authorities now say a phase-out transition to 100% organic agriculture within a period of 3-5 years could have been the best policy. One could see the determination of the government to go for 100% organic agriculture. There are enough scientific publications that insist that crop yield will be reduced by 20-25% on average in organic agriculture leading to food insecurity of a country. Therefore, not the transition period, but the concept of 100% organic agriculture itself is a threat to national security.

Chemical fertilizer is not poisonous

The government still believes that chemical fertilisers are poisonous and have led to a number of non-communicable diseases including the chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu). Those who have a knowledge on soil science reiterate the fact that at rates of fertiliser applied in Sri Lanka, there is only a very low risk on health. For example, a final report of a government-funded research project on CKDu, led by Senior Professor Rohana Chandrajith of the University of Peradeniya can be considered a case in point. According to that report, causes for CKDu have been narrowed down to three reasons; namely fluoride content and magnesium content in drinking water, and low water intake by farmers. None of these causes are related to agrochemicals used in those areas. Even for other health issues highlighted by 100% organic supporters, a cause-effect relationship has not been established by scientific investigations.

Deficit of organic fertiliser

If the governments strive for 100% organic agriculture, they first wanted to produce the required quantities of organic fertilisers within the country and within 3-4 months before the next cropping season (i.e. this Maha season) starts. They failed to achieve this target and farmers are demanding fertilisers. Then without listening to the outcry of scientists not to import organic fertilisers, as it is a threat to our bio-diversity, plant and animal health, the government decided to import an organic nitrogen fertiliser” from a Chinese Company. At least two sets of randomly drawn samples from these organic fertiliser stocks were found to be contaminated by pathogens and micro-organisms. Later, the government announced that they will not allow this seaweed and manure-based nitrogen fertiliser to enter the country. The Chinese government then issued a press release saying that our test reports were not accurate. Despite all this the ship carrying the fertiliser lot is still sailing, and we will have to wait and see how the Sri Lankan government will handle the pressure from the Chinese government to accept that fertiliser lot.

Produce from agricultural lands is the lifeline and only income source of the farming community. They are in dire need of fertilisers. Some farmer societies have even decided not to accept water from the irrigation tanks until there is an assurance from the government on fertilisers. If fertilisers are not provided on time to farmers, this could lead to another crisis; management of water in irrigation tanks.

Nano-Urea: An illusion

The government has decided to purchase an alternative fertiliser called Nano-N” from India. Part of this fertiliser was airlifted as the cultivation has already started in some parts of the country and received on 20t October. Again, Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture was on record saying it was a highly efficient organic” liquid nitrogen fertilser. One hectare of paddy land requires only 2.5 liters of this Nano-N. This time someone has given the wrong advice to the Ministry of Agriculture and the government.

The patent right for Nano-N” fertiliser is owned by Indian Farmer Fertiliser Corporations Ltd. (IFFCO) and is produced in a factory owned by IFFCO in Gujarat. They invented this technology in 2019 and released for commercial purposes in June 2021. This suggests that even in India there is a limited experience on the use of this fertiliser. To the best of my knowledge there is no experimental evidence on the use of this product under Sri Lankan conditions. There are some important aspects of this Nano-N that farmers and general public must be aware.

If this is a organic” fertiliser, as the Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture states, this must be imported into the country according to the conditions set forth in the Plant Protection Act following proper protocols to avoid another fiasco like the Chinese organic fertiliser issue. But what authorities is hiding from the public is that this Nano-N” is actually a synthetic fertiliser that cannot be used in organic agriculture. According to the web site of IFFCO, this product is actually called Nano-Urea” and hence cannot be organic.

This Nano-Urea” contains only 4% nitrogen as against 46% nitrogen in urea granules. If only 2.5 litres of Nano-Urea” is applied per hectare, rice plants will receive only 100 grams of nitrogen. This is assuming 100% efficiency which we will never achieve in nature. The most important point here is that to produce five tons of paddy harvest from one hectare, plant needs 105 kg of nitrogen of which 50 kilos of nitrogen are in grains. Therefore, anybody can calculate how many liters of Nano-Urea” is required to produce the expected yield. That is 1,250 liters of Nano-Urea” per hectare to provide at least the nitrogen that is removed from paddylands with harvest (i.e. 50kg N). Because of this, the limited available Indian research indicates that Nano-Urea” cannot be applied as the only source of nitrogen but must be used together with at least 50% of nitrogen from other organic and chemical sources. By giving farmers only 2.5 liters of Nano-Urea”, farmers will definitely reduce productivity. Our research evidence suggests that paddy yield loss due to lack of nitrogen fertilisers could be around 16-60% depending on the site characteristics. Therefore, Nano-Urea” will endanger our national security as we will have to depend on other countries for our staple food.

According to the IFFCO website, 500ml bottle of Nano-Urea” costs about Rs.640 (Indian Rs.240). Even if airfreight and other costs are ignored, the cost of one kilo of nitrogen in Nano-Urea” is Rs.31,000, where as one kilo of nitrogen in granular urea is only Rs.130. No wonder why the government has decided to provide only 2.5 liters of Nano-Urea” per hectare. What this writer cannot understand is that a much cheaper synthetic fertiliser like urea has been banned in their quest for 100% organic agriculture and then import another type of synthetic urea fertiliser at a price of 240 times higher. The government has ordered 3.1million liters of Nano-Urea” from IFFCO at a cost of Rs.4,000,000,000 (Rs. four billion according to the figures given above). If farmers need to obtain their expected yields, the government has to provide farmers with additional sources of nitrogen. But the country has not produced enough organic or bio fertilisers to provide at least one-third of nitrogen required by different crop sectors.

The government is creating an illusion that the Nano-Urea” is a wonder product that can replace 50kg of urea bag with just half a liter of this liquid nano-fertiliser. Of course, they are relying on the information provided by the IFFCO. According to IFFCO, because urea is in Nano” size particles, plants can absorb nitrogen from this product easily and utilize efficiently. What they probably not aware or hide from the public is that urea is 100% water soluble and they dissolve almost instantaneously disintegrating urea granule into urea molecules. The size of a urea molecule is much smaller (approximately 0.3 to 0.5 Angstrom in different dimensions) than that of a nano-urea” particle (200 to 500 Angtrom). If the size determines the absorption efficiency, then dissolved urea must get absorbed faster. Therefore, the question is why Nano-Urea” needs to be produced in the first place. According to the limited literature on Nano-Urea” this writer reviewed, the IFFCO conducted field experiments do not have a liquid urea only treatment to compare with Nano-Urea” treatment. This raises some concerns, at least in this writer’s opinion, on the significance of this wonder product.

Nano products are new to the environment and not enough research has been conducted on the long-term effects of nano particles on human health and environment. Therefore, in many organic agriculture certification systems nano fertilisers are not allowed. Therefore, before such new products are introduced, adequate research must be conducted in a given environment to ensure environmental sustainability that is expected from organic agricultural systems.

Finally, if the government is not taking evidence-based advices from their advisors”, we can only wait and see what will become of our food security and hence the national security vis-à-vis the interests of world powers.

The writer can be reached at dharmakeerthirs@gmail.com or +94-77 264 0505

Ajith Siriwardana Courtesy The Daily Mirror

The consignment of nano nitrogen fertilizer had been imported from India against the Cabinet Paper submitted by the Agricultural Minister, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) said today.

Former JVP MP Sunil Handunnetti told a news conference that the Subject Minister sought the Cabinet approval to import the said fertilizer through Colombo Commercial Fertilizers Ltd.

He said however, the fertilizer had been imported through a private company which is said to be an agent of the Indian fertilizer company, contrary to the Cabinet approval.

“People of this country should know how the decision that was taken at the Cabinet meeting changed later on. The Government should also clarify to the country how this Indian Company was chosen,” he said.  

He said the Treasury had released US$ 1.257 million to a private Company and questioned as to how state funds were directly transferred to a private company’s account. 

“Under whose instructions this transaction took place and who granted approval to it? People should know these facts,” he said and added that there should be a transparent procedure when transactions of such huge amounts change hands. 

Courtesy Adaderana

The Director-General of Health Services has announced revised guidelines for activities in public and work settings with effect from midnight today.

Accordingly, the travel restrictions which were effective between 11.00 p.m. and 4.00 a.m. were removed by the Health Ministry.

In addition, weddings will be permitted with a maximum 1/3 of the usual capacity of the hall, not exceeding 100 persons. Meanwhile, 150 persons will be allowed for outdoor functions. The guidelines however noted that liquor cannot be served in weddings.

With regard to dining in at restaurants, Dr. Asela Gunawardena stated that permission will be given to accommodate 1/3 of the usual capacity not exceeding 75 persons. For outdoor arrangements, 100 persons will be allowed.

In the meantime, physical official meetings and events have been given the nod with a maximum 1/3 of the usual capacity not exceeding 150 persons.

Courtesy Adaderana

The Health Ministry reports that another 149 persons have tested positive for Covid-19 today, pushing the daily count of new cases to 561.

This increases the tally of confirmed cases of the virus in the country to 536,645 thus far. 

19,302 infected patients are currently being treated across the island while total recoveries have risen to 503,703.

Meanwhile the death toll in the country climbed to 13,640 today. 

Courtesy Adaderana

The Director General of Health Services has confirmed another 29 coronavirus related deaths for October 24, increasing the country’s death toll due to the virus to 13,640.

According to the figures released by the Govt. Information Department, the Covid-19 deaths confirmed today include 12 males and 17 females. 

One of the victims is below the age of 30 while six are between 30 – 59 years. The remaining 22 patients are in the age group of 60 and above. 

Courtesy Adaderana

Director of the State Intelligence Service (SIS), Major General Suresh Sallay has filed a complaint with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) regarding the allegations made by Father Cyril Gamini and several others pertaining to the Easter Sunday attacks. 

The complaint refers to the statements made by Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando, who is a member of the National Catholic Committee for Justice to Easter Sunday Attack Victims, during an online forum held on Saturday (23) with regard to the attacks. 

Father Cyril Gamini had claimed that the country’s intelligence units had provided financial and other assistance to Zahran Hashim, the leader of the National Thowheed Jamaath (NTJ) who was behind the suicide bombings.

He had further alleged that the then Brigadier Suresh Sallay had played an active role in nurturing Zahran Hashim and his followers.

In his complaint, Major General  Sallay strongly denies the allegations leveled by Father Cyril Gamini  and the others while also stressing that these allegations made with the intention of discrediting him” are completely false.

The complaint further states that the allegations are intended not only to mislead the public but also to deliberately tarnish his reputation and that it put his life as well as the lives of his family in danger. 

Major General Sallay emphasizes that under no circumstances has he had any sort of communication with either Zahran Hashim or any of his followers. 
 
In his complaint, he therefore requests the CID to initiate legal action against Father Cyril Gamini and the other individuals who participated in the forum. 

Courtesy Adaderana

The nationwide rollout campaign of ‘LANKAQR’ – an integrated payment system developed by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, was launched today by Minister Namal Rajapaksa. 

LANKAQR is a project initiative from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka to ensure all QR codes and QR based transactions in Sri Lanka are standardized and interoperable.

LankaClear has been entrusted by CBSL to implement and operate LANAKQR. 

LankaPay – Common EF Switch (CEFTS) and JustPay payment platforms will be used by LANKAQR members to ensure interoperability.

The Nationwide Rollout campaign of LANKAQR was held at the Central Bank headquarters in Colombo this morning (25) with State Minister of Digital Technology and Enterprise Development, Namal Rajapaksa attending the event as Chief Guest.

Courtesy Adaderana

The Colombo High Court today (October 25) served indictments on former Western Province Governor Azath Salley over the controversial statement he had made during a media briefing early this year.

When the case was called before High Court Judge Amal Ranaraja this morning, the incarcerated leader of the National Unity Front (NUF) who was on a wheelchair was produced to the court.

Subsequently, the indictments filed by the Attorney General was served on Azath Salley.

The judge who scheduled further hearing of the case for November 02, also issued summons on the witnesses in the case to appear before the court on that day. 

On March 16, Azath Salley was arrested by the CID and was detained under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism (PTA). The arrest was made over several controversial remarks Salley had made at a press conference, inciting strife among religious groups.

තෙරැවන්සරනයි අපේ පිංවත් ස්වාමින් වහන්සේට නිදුක් න්රෝගි සුවපත්බව ලැබේවා. ඉතාම කාලෝචිත දේසනාවක් මෙම දේසනාව අපේ ජනපතිතුමාටත් අගමැතිතුමාටත් අහන්න ලැබේවා අපේ ස්වාමින් වහන්සේට විශ්වයේ බලවත්ශක්තින්ගේ ආරක්සාව රැකවරනලැබේවා

Charaka Eranda Gamage Courtesy FB

මෙරට කෘෂිකර්මාන්තයේ වර්තමාන අර්බුධයට ප්‍රධානම හේතුව මෙරට කෘෂිකර්මාන්තය ගැන මෙළෝ දෙයක් නොදන්නා, ජීවිත කාලය තුළ කුඹුරකට හේනකට ගොස් නැති, වගා කරන්නේ පොහොර භාජනයක යැයි සිතා සිටින, කෘෂි රසායනික වගාවට යොදන්නේ ව්‍යංජනයකට පොල් කිරි දමන ආකාරයෙන් යැයි සිතා සිටින, යළ මහ කන්නයන් ගැන නොදන්නා , බොහෝ විට ගෙදර ප්ලාස්ටික් පෝච්චියක මිරිස් පැළයක් බටු පැළයක් සිටුවා ගෙදර දොරේ දිරා යන අපද්‍රව්‍ය සියල්ල එයට දමමින් එය තමා කාබනික කෘෂිකර්මය යැයි සිතා ඒ ගැන නන් දොඩවන , නඟුල වියගහ නොදන්නා, AC කාමර වල සිටිමින් පෑනෙන් හාන, ඉංග්‍රීසි භාෂාව හැසිරිය හැකි නිසා තමන් සියල්ල දන්නේ යැයි සිතා සිටින, ගැටළු ප්‍රශ්න නිරාකරණය කළ යුත්තේ මහදැන මුත්තා මුට්ටියේ ඔලුව හිරකරගත් එළුවාගේ ප්‍රශ්නය විසදූ ආකාරයට යැයි සිතා සිටින පිරිසක් මැදිහත් වීම සහ රජයට උපදෙස් ලබා දෙමින් සිටීමය.

අප රටට වඩා ආර්ථික සංවර්ධනයක් ලබා ගෙන ඇති, රටටත් ජනතාවටත් හෙණ ගැහුවත් තමන්ගේ ගාන ලැබේ නම් ඕනම ගොන් තකතීරු වැඩක් කරන අපේ රටේ වැනි දේශපාලකයන් නොව සැබෑවටම රටට ජනතාවට ආදරය කරන දේශපාලන නායකත්වයන් සහිත, ජනතාවගෙ සෞඛ්‍ය , සමාජ සංවර්ධනය ගැන අප රටට වඩා දහස් වාරයක් ප්‍රයෝගිකව සිතන කිසිදු රටක් 100% කාබනික වගාවක් සදහා නින්දෙන් අවදි වූ සැනින් යාමට තීරණ නොගන්නේ ඇයිද යන්නට හේතු, අබ ඇටයක් තරම් වත් මොළයක් තිබෙන ඕනෑම කෙනෙකුට තේරැම් ගත හැකිය.

වර්තමානයේ අප රට කාර්මික දෝශයකට ලක්ව ගුවනේ ගමන් කරන ගුවන් යානයක් වැනිය. අප සියල්ල එහි මගීන් ය. දිගටම ගමන් නොකර සුදුසු තැනකට ගොඩ බා කාර්මික දෝෂය නිවැරදි කර නැවත ගමන් ආරම්භ කීරීමට මේ වන විට ඕනෑ තරම් අවස්ථාවන් ඇත. නමුත් ටික කළකින් එම අවස්ථාවන් සියල්ල අහිමිව යානය කඩා වැටී යනු ඇත. ගුවන් නියමුවන් හිතුවක්කාර නොවී යානය සුදුසු තැනක ගොඩ බා නිවැරදි ප්‍රතිසංස්කරණයන්ගෙන් අනතුරැව නැවත ගමන ආරම්භ කළ යුතුය. ගුවන් නියමුවන් සහ ඔවුන්ගේ පවුල් වල අය සතුව සතුව පැරෂුට් ඇත. අනෙකුත් ජීව්තාරක්ෂක උපකරණ ඇත. යානය කඩා වැටීමට පෙර ඔවුන් යානයෙන් පිටතට පැන දිවි ගලවාගනු ඇත. සාමාන්‍ය ජනතාව වන අපට එසේ නැත. අපේ අහිංසක දුවා දරැවන්ගේ අනාගතය වෙනුවෙන් යානය ප්‍රතිසංස්කරණය කළ යුතුමය.

Sunil J. Wimalawansa

Abstract and Figures

Chronic kidney disease of multifactorial origin (CKDmfo), also known as CKD of uncertain origin (CKDu), is a tubulointerstitial disease. CKDmfo is an environmentally induced, preventable occupational disease that predominantly affects male farmers in tropical countries. Several causative factors have been proposed, including agrochemicals, heavy metals, medications, microbial/cyanobacterial toxins, illicit alcohol, microbes, dehydration, and fluoride. Properly conducted scientific data collections and analyses are lacking in relation to any of the postulated nephrotoxins, dehydration, genetics, or malnutrition as the genesis of CKDmfo. However, the disease can be experimentally induced in animals with chronic exposure to high-dose hard water containing fluoride or in combination with other nephrotoxins. Water fluoride levels in CKDmfo-affected regions vary, from less than 0.4 mg/L (0.4 ppm) in shallow wells to more than 1.5 mg/L in most tube wells, which are the two most-common sources of drinking water in the regions. Surface water from natural springs, reservoirs, and canals contains much lower concentrations of fluoride and hardness and those drinking such water have a significantly lower incidence of CKDmfo. Several animal studies reported that fluoride exacerbates the renal tubular oxidative stress that contributes to cell damage. This systematic review covers the mechanisms of fluoride-induced renal tubular cell damage, chemical interactions, and oxidative stress in persons with CKDmfo/CKDu. Although the disease is initiated by nanomineral formation in renal tubules together with chronic renal ischemia, fluoride can augment the nephrotoxicity. Renal tubular toxicity caused by CaPO4 nanocrystals and nanotubes is exacerbated by fluoride and other nephrotoxins, malnutrition, micronutrients and antioxidant deficiency, and conditions that increase oxidative stress. These data indicate key targets and modes of action that could be used to prevent this deadly disease. Although fluoride likely contributes, it is unlikely to be the sole cause of the tubulointerstitial renal damage of CKDmfo. Graphic abstract

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338128993_Molecular_and_cellular_toxicity_of_fluoride_in_mystery_tubulointerstitial_chronic_kidney_disease_a_systematic_review

Oliver Ileperuma,1 Stanley Weeraratne,2 Sunil J Wimalawansa

We read with interest the article titled above on the chronic kidney disease (CKD).1 We agree with authors’ conclu-sions that the available data and the mortality pattern presented suggest addi-tional factors beyond those hypothe-sised, including heat stress–dehydration as possible causation of chronic kidney disease of unknown aetiology (CKDu).2

Almost all data to date point towards (1) multifactorial aetiology of CKDu that encompasses broader environmental and occupational components3 and (2) water as the vehicle for disseminating this disease. However, more research is needed before making conclusions on what causes this deadly disease that affect those who live in economically poor, tropical countries. However, we disagree with the researchers’ conclusion that the CKDu is confined to agricultural communities.

The use of unproven and unvalidated termi-nology, ‘Chronic Interstitial Nephritis of Agricultural Communities’ (CINAC), will also misdirect funding organisations and mislead the public and scientific commu-nity.

These will have a detrimental effect on the focus of the research, thus, finding cause(s) and solutions to eliminate it. In addition, ‘CINAC’ does not necessarily mean ‘Chronic Interstitial Nephritis of Agricultural Communities’.

There are multiple utilities and definitions of CINAC that have been used going back many years (eg, internet), none of which are related to CKD. Examples include but not limited to
https://www. edge. org/ response- detail/ 11257;
https:// acronyms. thefreed-ictionary. com/ CINAC;
http:// noisesociety. com/ nicklaslundblad. se/? p= 888.

Several research teams have pointed out before, the inappropriateness of the term CINAC,4–6 which is neither a proven nor an appropriate term for CKDu. While the proposed name indirectly implies that CKDu is caused by agrochemicals, this is not the case.2 7

There are no cred-ible scientific data worldwide that CKDu is caused by agrochemicals. Moreover, CKDu has affected a significant number of people who do not live in agricultural communities or have worked in agricul-ture or ever exposed to agrochemicals. In fact, in some regions, CKDu is present predominantly in non-agricultural areas which contradicts the use of CINAC, a false terminology.

Moreover, approximately a third of CKD conditions affecting those who live in agricultural communities have other forms of CKDu (eg, secondary to diabetes, hypertension, snake bites and so on). While many of the affected people may live in agricultural communities or work in agribusiness, it does not even exceed 75% of the affected, in many communities.8 Therefore, labelling CKDu as a disease of ‘agricultural community’ or ‘agrochemical nephropathy’ is clearly misleading and levy unwarranted stigma on those poor communities who are already suffering.

While there could be an association between the CKDu in those who live in agricultural communities, there is no scientific evidence that engagement in agriculture causes CKDu.

Many scien-tists and analysts have pointed out that, ‘correlations or associations, are not causation’. We agree with the authors that there are many commonalities of CKDu affecting countries, particularly those located in periequatorial regions,7 including Meso-american Nephropathy (MeN; CKDu).

Similarities and differences between MeN and CKDu have been reported previously.8 CINAC, if used, fails to capture thousands of people who suffer from CKDu but do not live in agricultural communities or do not engage in agriculture; thus, it is erro-neous and an injustice to them. This is also applicable to Sri Lanka and other affected tropical countries, where many persons with CKDu (a lesser degree than in MeN) do not engage in agricultural practices or even live in agricultural areas.8 10

In addition, the term CINAC does neither explain the disease or its pathology11 nor the cause.4–8 The use of it introduces a misleading concept to the public and the legislators. In fact, such false propaganda has led to making wrongful policies, as in the case of banning of glyphosate in Sri Lanka in absence of valid, reproducible scientific data.3 7 8 In the case of Sri Lanka, the harm is already done and continuing.

This inappropriate ban of glyphosate imposed in 2016 has no effect at all in reducing the incidence of CKDu. Instead, it has negatively affected the income and the livelihood of thousands of farmers in various agricultural sectors (conse-quently, increased the suicidal rate) and owners of small-scale tea estates across the country. Each year since this short-sighted banning, the country is losing more than 18 billion rupees and the loss is escalating.12 This is a classic example of imposing a politically motivated policy, causing major negative economic consequences in a country.

Evidence suggests that CKDu is caused by multiple factors with the consump-tion of water serving as the carrier; these factors are common to all CKDu affected countries. Based on the data available to date, a more accurate terminology for both research concepts and for practical purposes is ‘CKD of multifactorial origin’ (CKDmfo).3 7 8 Such multiple factors that are contributing to the genesis of CKDu include poverty and micronutrient-mal-nutrition, environmental pollution, geogenic factors, unhealthy behaviour and others3 7 8 (https://www. youtube. com/ watch? v= xMn0-_ xS6JA& t= 1s).

Therefore, we assert that for the benefit of research and the dignity of those who suffer from CKDu, and the economy of the country, the misleading term CINAC or analogue terms should not be used. It will do further harm by delaying identification of real cause(s) of CKDu and adopting and implementing effective preventa-tive measures, thereby prolonging the suffering of the affected and their families. To date, there is no convincing scientific data to support that CKDu is caused by agrochemicals or it is confined to agri-cultural workers. Attempts to change the current, globally accepted term CKDu with inappropriate terms such as CINAC, ACN, KDUCAL or NUCAL and so on4–6 is erroneous and misleading.

Oliver Ileperuma, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka 1 Stanley Weeraratne Soils and water resources, University of Rajarata, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka ,2 Sunil J Wimalawansa Chemistry, 23Medicine, North Brunswick, New Jersey, USA

Correspondence to Professor Oliver Ileperuma, Chemistry, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka; oliveri@pdn.ac.lk

Contributors All three authors contributed equally tothe Letter to the Editor.Competing interests None declared.Patient consent Not required.Provenance and peer review internally peer reviewed.© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2018. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.To cite: IleperumaO, WeeraratneS, WimalawansaSJ.J. Epidemiol Community Health 2018;72:967–968.Received 29 April 2018PostScript on 11 September 2018 by guest. Protected by copyright.http://jech.bmj.com/J Epidemiol Community Health: first published as 10.1136/jech-2018-210959 on 17 July 2018.

BY EDWARD THEOPHILUS

Organic farming is the best method that should apply in agriculture, but immediately changing the current practices may create problems for farmers in Sri Lanka. In history, there were no inorganic fertilisers and agrochemicals. Since the late 1950s, farmers have been used chemical fertiliser and agrochemicals with supports of government advisors and private companies promotion. There were certain positive results from the use of inorganic fertilisers and chemicals. The major results were pest control and an increase in productivity. However, many harmful results could have emerged from the chemicals that did not consider, and later the truth about the use of chemicals was revealed. The harmful results were cancer and kidney problems. The president of Sri Lanka wants to change the situation and go back to organic farming. It is a moral decision, however, the decision implementation was not educating farmers, and the government’s attempts have provoked farmers. It shows some political parties and private companies have joined with the protesters.

The members of parliament and in councils should come forward without political differences and the process of changing the forming should go ahead.

The following points need to consider in the transformation process.

• What is the difference between inorganic and organic forming should educate the community.
• The change of farming would have negative results for farmers and compensation should pay farmers.
• For organic products should pay high prices and organic farmers should be paid an encouraging allowance.
• Educating farmers should be in small groups at the village level, and the media needs to take part.
• Implementing the use for organic farming should be on small samples, and politics on this matter should be avoided.   

 The best method that the government to give publicity is conducting a referendum islandwide and getting approval from the public.

KAMALIKA PIERIS

Revised 25.10.21

The Tamil Separatist Movement is very much in existence today, in the Pohottu period. The webinar Sri Lanka: Quest for Justice, Rule of Law and Democratic Rights”, co-hosted by the Global Tamil Forum (GTF), Centre for Human Rights and Global Justice – New York University, Sri Lanka Campaign for Peace and Justice and the Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC), was held in February 2021. It attracted more than 3,000 live viewers.

At this webinar, M.A. Sumanthiran, stated that on its own, Sri Lanka will not deliver on accountability or justice. Sri Lanka is incapable and unwilling to deliver justice through domestic mechanisms, and there has to be international pressure. This is the time for strong international involvement to prevent future violent conflict.

The webinar welcomed the OHCHR report. Participants called for a strong resolution in the upcoming UNHRC session, which should incorporate the High Commissioner’s recommendations including a strong reporting function for OHCHR on human rights, a dedicated facility to collect and preserve evidence and the application of universal jurisdiction, targeted sanctions, asset freezes and travel bans. It was argued that international pressure, including economic leverage selectively applied, could be effective.  Both enlightened local leadership and strong international involvement were crucial.

The People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL) said in 2021 that decisive international action is the only way to achieve justice and a sustainable peace in Sri Lanka. PEARL referred to the UNHRC resolution of 2021.The resolution mandates the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to collect and preserve evidence of serious violations of international law that occurred in Sri Lanka and report on opportunities for accountability for these crimes. Though the resolution falls short of the robust demands made by Tamil civil society, this is a positive step that has the potential to lead to an international accountability mechanism, which Tamils have long demanded.

We welcome the Core Group’s leadership and their engagement with Tamil groups throughout the process,” PEARL said. The limitations of the Human Rights Council have once again become apparent. The Council is limited, by its scope and its inherently political nature, to act decisively, particularly when dealing with intransigent states.” As a result, the resolution falls short of the joint demands made by Tamil political parties and civil society groups,  that the UN should seek alternative avenues for justice such as through universal jurisdiction or the International Criminal Court (ICC).

PEARL believes that member states of the UN must pursue decisive action beyond the Council. As highlighted in the High Commissioner’s report, member states should utilize the full breadth of tools and sanctions under international law to support justice and accountability for Sri Lanka. PEARL continues to encourage countries to pursue accountability for Sri Lanka’s mass atrocities in venues such as the International Court of Justice, the ICC, or through the establishment of a special ad hoc tribunal.

PEARL also encourages countries to leverage the evidence gathered through the OHCHR to work with Tamil victim-survivor communities to initiate investigations and prosecutions in countries’ own domestic courts. Sri Lanka’s response today, like its actions over the years, shows that decisive international action is the only way to achieve justice and a sustainable peace on the island.”

Eleven Tamil political parties and civil society organizations wrote a joint letter dated January 15, 2021 to 47 member-countries of the UN Human Rights Council, making   requests that went beyond the UNHRC, said critics.

This group asked that

• Other organs of the United Nations including the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly take up the matter and send Sri Lanka to International Criminal Court or any other international court that will inquire into genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
• The President of the UNHRC refer the matter  of Sri Lanka war crimes back to UN Secretary General  for this purpose
• Member States to mandate the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to open an OHCHR field office in the country.
• Take steps to establish an evidence gathering mechanism similar to the International Independent Investigatory Mechanism for Syria. This must be established as a subsidiary body of the UN General Assembly with a strict time frame of twelve months duration.

The signatories to the letter are: R. Sampanthan, Leader, Tamil National Alliance (TNA), G.G. Ponnambalam, Leader, Tamil National People’s Front, Justice C.V. Wigneswaran, Leader, Tamil Makkal Tesiya Kootani, Rev. Fr. Leo Armstrong, Tamil Heritage Forum, Mullaitivu, Sabharathinam Sivayhoyanathan, Eastern Province Civil Society Forum, Rasalingam Vikneswaran, Amparai Civil Society Forum, Amarasingham Gajenthiran, Tamil Civil Society Forum, Yogarasa Kanagaranjini, Association of Relatives of the Enforced Disappearances North and East, Subramaniam Sivaharan, Tamil Thesiya Vaalvurimai Iyakkam, Velan Swamikal, Sivaguru Aatheenam and Rt. Rev. Dr C. Noel Emmanuel, Bishop of Trincomalee.

Marches and demonstrations continue. In 2021 Tamil political parties launched a protest march at Nallur Jaffna, demoing justice for those who had suffered under the military operations during the war. They urged the UNHRC to refer Sri Lanka to the ICC without further delay.

To disrupt Sri Lanka’s 73rd Independence Day celebration in 2021, a handful of Tamil activists and politicians organized a protest march from Ampara to Jaffna from February 3 to 6, 2021, said Rohan Gunaratne.  The face of the march was the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) that had suffered electoral defeat. To revive, the TNA highlighted among others, investigations into disappearances and called for the release of imprisoned LTTE terrorists. To enlist Muslim support, the TNA also raised the burial issue and to enlist plantation workers’ support, they demanded for them a Rs. 1,000 salary increase.

Commonly known as P2P, the march originated in Potuvil and ended in Polikandy. After the protesters left the east, the march was heavily infiltrated by LTTE supporters and sympathizers. A hundred red and yellow flags without the Tiger emblem were paraded. The rally ended with protesters saluting Millar, the first LTTE suicide terrorist and Thileepan, an LTTE leader.

 In parallel, the LTTE international network staged their P2P march in the UK on February 7, 2021. The march was disrupted when the British police stopped the LTTE motorcade in Harrow, Middlesex and noted their vehicle numbers for investigation.

There were attempts to stage P2P marches in Canada, Switzerland, and Australia where LTTE flags were flown, cutouts of Velupillai Prabhakaran paraded, decorated lamps were lit, LTTE slogans sung and other LTTE memorabilia displayed. Police investigations revealed that the LTTE headquarters group and other LTTE entities partly funded the protest.

 The P2P protests witnessed Tamil children carrying LTTE flags including the son of Pulavar alias Thumpan, the deputy leader of the LTTE headquarters group in the UK. An arms trafficker from North Korea, Pulavar was based in Indonesia moving weapons to Sri Lanka. Like most LTTE functionaries that engaged in terrorist support activity, Pulavar masquerades as a human rights activist continued Rohan Gunaratne. In addition to the HQ group, known as World Tamil Historical Society, the P2P has been funded by the Tamil Coordinating Committee, another LTTE front led by Nediyawan.

The current strategy by the separatists is to masquerade as human rights activists and provoke Government overreaction. The LTTE is working both on the political and terrorist fronts. In addition to plotting intermittent attacks, the LTTE network overseas is building a support infrastructure in the north and the east.

The extent to which Tamil and Muslim groups have come together in adversity over this issue is demonstrated by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) sponsored march from the south eastern coastal town of Pottuvil to Polykandy in the north in February 2021, said the media. As they proceeded along the Muslim towns of Kalmunai and Kattankudi, Muslim hoteliers and others stopped the march and vied with each other to serve participants with free refreshments, said the media.

GFT issues statements at every opportunity to keep a high profile. In 2021 Suren Surendiran   issued a statement on behalf of the GTF to mark the 12th anniversary of the final battle in Mullivaikkal The GTF joins Tamils worldwide in commemorating the 12th anniversary of the end of the civil war in Sri Lanka. The final phase of the war is one of the most brutal in recent history and mass atrocity crimes were systematically committed against the Tamil people. It is estimated that 40,000 to 70,000 Tamil civilians were killed in the final months alone, and this constitutes only a fraction of the total deaths, destruction and displacement suffered by the Tamil community during its 70-year political struggle for equality and justice in Sri Lanka.”

The LTTE is remembered and kept alive. C.V. Wigneswaran, elected to Pohottu parliament, first visited the LTTE memorial at Mullivaikkal before taking oaths in Parliament. He vowed before the LTTE memorial at Mullivaikkal that he would fulfill the aspirations of the Tamil people.  He said he wanted to make a commitment at Mulliwaikkal before taking oaths as a member of parliament on August 20. Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, another Tamil politician elected to Parliament, also visited the location with his supporters.

But it is not all smooth sailing for the Tamil Separatist Movement . In March 2021 the British government received a   petition with over 13,500 signatures, calling on the British government to refer Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court. The UK said that this was not possible, citing insufficient UN Security Council support”. Sri Lanka is not a signatory to the Rome Statute  and it could only be referred to the Court through the UN Security Council, whose members may veto such a referral. What  UK  did not say was that even  if Sri Lanka was referred to the ICC, it had to get past the ICC Prosecutor first, before it goes before the ICC.

The Ministry of Defence issued a Gazette notification  In March 2021, proscribed seven overseas Tamil organizations and  424 individuals living in different parts of the world for terrorism”. However, the media noted, that  these persons and  organizations are located overseas whatever actions they are engaged in,  will continue. LTTE continues to be active even in the in the countries where  it  is banned. So why the proscription?

In March 2021,The Criminal Investigations Department (CID)  filed a B report in Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court against MP C.V. Wigneswaran for allegedly making statements to the media in a manner of inciting racial or religious hatred among ethnic communities. This was based on a complaint made by Attorney Dharshana Weraduwage. Weraduwage had lodged a police complaint urging to take legal action against Parliamentarian C.V. Wigneswaran regarding his offensive remarks.

In his complaint, Weraduwage alleged that Wigneswaran had made offensive remarks through prime time news aired by two private television channels on August 30, 2020.The complainant alleged that Wigneswaran had stated that the  LTTE organization is not a terrorist organization. The complainant further alleged that Wigneswaran had leveled unfounded allegations against the Sri Lanka Army  and that Buddha Statues are being installed in the Northern Province in an arbitrary manner.

The complainant alleged that Wigneswaran had committed punishable offences  under Section 3(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act No. 56 of 2007, section 2(1)(h) of the Prevention of Terrorism Act and section 120 and 290 (b) of the Penal Code. The complainant urged the police to commence an investigation against Wigneswaran immediately and take steps to impound his passport. This interview can be  seen  in Derana  6.55  news  on   30.8.20. The URL is  https://youtu.be/t0YG9OU1XC4 at 26.12.

 in 2020 Following a Defence Ministry directive, the Northern Provincial Council’s Education Department has written to all schools in the north not to allow school activities that would reflect or inspire” the ideologies of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

In March 2021 Terrorism Investigation Division conducted a raid at an office situated at Navalar Street, Jaffna and arrested two persons for maintaining a website and YouTube channel  promoting LTTE terrorist propaganda. It promoted the LTTE ideology, it carried speeches of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabakaran and the symbols of the LTTE terrorist organization. The channel and a website  had been operating for months.  ( Continued)