By Sena Thoradeniya

Three days have passed since Trump’s declaration of tariff hike; but Julie Chung once busy pampering NPP poodles while preaching economic reforms and growth goals”,” Sri Lanka’s recovery”, Sri Lanka’s economic future” remains silent.

Trump wanted to Make America Great Again (MAGA). Chung emphasized shared goals”, shared priorities”, shared prosperity”, shared commitment” to NPP poodles, positioning them as pawns in the strategic Indo-Pacific chess board; building upon Chung’s groundwork, Trump continues to advance America’s geopolitical interests, pressing  Sri Lanka into a situation where the NPP government will be forced to agree to any agreement that primarily benefit the US. This marks the ultimate triumph of Julie Chung!

From today we begin a 3-part essay to elucidate how the Korean-American US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung, overstepped her diplomatic boundaries acting as the unofficial Viceroy of Sri Lanka. This essay contains a synopsis of our earlier essays and presented as a requiem to the outgoing Ambassador.

1. Introduction

Julie Chung, the then US Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs met with the Haitian President Jovenal Moise, just before his assassination, nearly one year before the almost murder of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. She presented her credentials to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on 25 February 2022, just 34 days before the Mirihana Incident. Thus, Julie Chung was posted from that Caribbean crime scene to a new meeting place of witches and warlocks here in Sri Lanka.

Prior to the eruption of protests Chung had met with almost all Ministers, leading politicians affiliated  to all registered political parties, high ranking military officers including Commanders, religious dignitaries (of all denominations), custodians of temples and churches, NGO bosses, so-called civil society activists, media personnel, business captains, professionals, academics, scientists, marine biologists, those graduated from US universities, LGBTQ activists, visual artists, youth leaders, women leaders, war affected and displaced persons, differently abled persons, some of them more than on one occasion. Many of these men and women played a vital role in the Galle Face Protest and ousting Gotabaya Rajapaksa, her first victory was achieved in Sri Lanka.

We have documented howJulie Chung began her work as the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka,  the people she met with before 31 March 2022 and after the ouster of Gotabaya Rajapaksa, her role in the disgraceful regime change in 2022 and how she interfered with the internal affairs of Sri Lanka in our book, Galle Face Protest: Systems Change or Anarchy?” (July, 2023) and her Viceroy role thereafter in our Lanka Web News articles respectively.

On 21 March 2024, the former Speaker revealed for the first time in the Parliament foreign powers, some local politicians, a prominent Buddhist priest and a Catholic religious leader have pressured him to take over the Presidencyduring the Galle Face Protest.  Although he had not mentioned who were the foreign powers behind the coup, it was obvious that he was referring to Julie Chung and Co. He disclosed that the objective of those was to make Sri Lanka another Libya or an Afghanistan (see our article: Speaker’s Statement: Julie Chung and Her Fellow Conspirators in the Dock Again”, posted on March 27, 2024). But the former Speaker maintained an apologetic silence about the alleged visit of the unanticipated visitor Chung to his official residence.

Former Speaker not acceding to her request marked a temporary setback to Chung’s grand conspiracy. But in 2024 she made amends to the temporary setback bringing forth NPP government and crowning Harini Amarasuriya, the glorified representative of LGBTQ community as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.

Julie Chung continued her sinister activities vigorously after theregime change in 2022. We have documented this phasein the Afterword to Second Printing” of Galle Face Protest: Systems Change or Anarchy?” (August, 2023) under the title, Continuity or Change?” and in our subsequent articles that appeared inLanka Web News (Julie Chung Commemorates Black July”, on 26, July 2023;  Julie Chung Re-writes History of Mannar”, on 26, August 2023; A Sri Lankan  Buddhist Priest as a Chaplain in US Defence Establishment”, on January 12,2024; Julie Chung Opposes Online Safety Bill”, on January 26, 2024; In the Name of Public Diplomacy”: Glory Days of Julie Chung”,  on February 28, 2024).

Our articles posted after the NPP government came into power, (Have the Tamil Voters in the North and East Rejected Separatism, Racism? Or Is it the Final Triumph of Julie Chung?” on November 30, 2024; Were NPP Ministers and Parliamentarians in the Pocket of Viceroy Julie Chung”, on February 14, 2025; Unrepentant Julie Chung Carrying on Regardless”, on February 21, 2025),elucidate explicitly how Julie Chung persisted in her nefarious activities more forcefully without facing any obstacle or scrutiny.

It should be noted that the number of SriLankans she met with and their types were shocking. From the top politicians of the country she wormed her way toreach nobodies and minions at the grassroot level. Mostly nobodies were brought to the table of high politics. Greater social inclusion”, coalition building” were her beautiful words!

Under Gotabaya Rajapaksa, as a newlywed, her actions bordering on defiance that eroded the authority of the spouse.  Under Ranil Wickremasinghe she was asserting her place and establishing her own domain within the marital home. Under Anura Kumara she seized full control wielding the reins as a formidable   ancient queen dowager! 

It is significant to note that after the ascension of Malimawa government Julie Chung had changed her role from REGIME CHANGER” TO REGIME SUPPORTER”, metaphorically a PATCHWORKER”.

2. Chung’s Role as REGIME SUPPORTER”

 In this part we document her role after the ouster of Gotabhaya and under the new dispensation; the sheer number of guests on her list led to some overlap in documenting her encounters, making it unavoidable. Chung continued to meet withsame types of people and was pleased to have photo opportunities with all of them. She resumed her usual work with renewed vigor following theestablishmentof the Malimawa government.

In our Lanka Web News  articles we have given a detailed account of her meetings with the new President (several times), Prime Minister(several times), Cabinet Ministers (some more than once), Deputy Ministers, NPP parliamentarians, tri-forces commanders and new Chief Justice (discussed on commitment to rule of law, transparency and inclusive governance).  

She met with 21 Cabinet Ministers, 4 Deputy Ministers, 2 Speakers of Parliament (one disgraced), 4 NPP MPs, 4 key Secretaries, 3 NPP appointed Governors, a countless number of top officials appointed by Malimawa governmentand in summary, that slippery political eel, JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva.

Governors of Central Bank (many times), High State Officers including Ministry Secretaries, Heads of Corporations, Statutory Bodies and state banks and senior  Government officials, tri–forces commanders and top officers in regional commands (some more than once); politicians and top officials leaving for the US; (for example meeting with the then State Minister Shehan Semasinghe ahead of his visit to Washington for the IMF Spring Meeting;top government officers before their departure on International Visitors’ Leadership Programmes;Secretary of Ports, Shipping and Aviation and Chairman of SLPA and a group of Operations Managers, engineers and other specialists (in May 2024) before their departure to the US for ports-focused study tour; Sri Lankan national cricket team as they prepare to leave for the US to participate in the ICC T20 world Cup in June 2024. (for Chung it was a fantastic moment for Sports Diplomacy”).It was like paying homage to Chung before their departure;

Business leaders; Professionals and academics; Sri Lankanalumni of US universitiesincluding Fulbright alumni; Sri Lankan students heading to US onscholarship, including thosegoing to US on Fulbright Scholarships; exchange participants” who were heading to the US on a programme empowering women in STEM; 

Representatives of Administrative and professional Secretaries; regional government leaders; Climate change leaders” (a new type of leaders!); with Acting Secretary of State for Oceans, International Environmental & Scientific Affairs Jennifer Littlejohn she met with environmental activists; wild lifephotographers; so-called thinktanks” (for example American and Indian Agent Pathfinder Foundation); so-called Civil Society” representatives;

Media representatives, journalists, female journalists, social media activists, online influencers”, digital content creators and providers, mobile journalists (who played a prominent role in the Galle Face Protest);graphic design graduates,tech companies, SLPI Press Club (emphasized the importance of press freedom and free flow of information);

Youth, NextGen leaders, young leaders, Business English students;

Women groups; female police officers/ female police investigators;

Minority groups, marginalized people.

She was seen at EV Charging Stations (Charge while you shop) too.

3. Chung’s Work in the Political Front/ Meeting Politicians

Chung met with Presidents (three), ex-Presidents (Sirisena), Speakers of Parliament (three, two from NPP), Prime Ministers, Governors, Cabinet Ministers, Leader of the Opposition (several times), party leaders, parliamentarians belonging to government and opposition parties and of minority groups. Presidential Advisors, Parliamentarians who visited the US; Sri Lankan WomenParliamentary Caucus (twice) – before and after their study tour to New Zealand funded by USAID and National Democratic Institute (NDI).  

TNA members and Muslim parliamentarians (discussing minority rights”, economic recovery” and political landscape in the Central and Eastern Provinces”; Sarath Fonseka ahead of 2024 presidential election.Discussed with Cabinet Ministers about the rule of law and legislative issues”.

In Greek mythology the Goddess Circe, one of the strong and powerful or deadliest woman or Femme Fatale, lured men to her island and transformed them into animals, most famously pigs.

On 27 March 2025 the Chung visited Sirikotha, UNP headquarters to meet with UNP General Secretary and Chairman.

Julie Chung met with Namal Rajapaksa and some other SLPPers on different occasions.  It is wrong if SLPP supporters say that Julie Chung met with Namal Rajapaksa first on 14 February 2025. Previously they met on 11 May, 2024 when NR was appointed as the SLPP National Organizer. Chung messaged: As part of our outreach across the range of Sri Lankan parties met with Namal Rajapaksa in his new role as SLPP National Organizer to hear about political engagement including issues affecting youth and exchange views on strengthening US-Sri Lanka relations”. As part of our outreach” was the same phrase Chung used after her second meeting with NR on 14 February 2025.

On 18, June 2024 Chung met with SLPP State Minister Anupa Pasqual and members of Parliament’s Disability Caucus and civil society”, for sharing insights” on advancing disability access and inclusion in Sri Lanka”.  SLPP MP Madhura Vithanage and SLPP dissident Dulles Alahapperuma were in attendance. 

On 27, June 2024 Chung celebrated 248^th anniversary of US Independence with Sri Lankan officials and friends and partners”. The prominent figures in attendance were the then Foreign Minister Ali Sabry holding aloft Chung’s hand and Minister Hareen Fernando cutting a cake.

4. Meeting Tamil Politicians

Chung cultivated and maintained unique relationships with Tamil politicians before and after the regime change. She has a penchantto meet TNA/ITAK members and also when a politician is being appointed to a new post in the party (for example meeting Sumanthiran in his new role as the General Secretary of the ITAK, on March 13,2025, although she had met with him several times earlier); she continued to meet with TNA/ITAK members for the umpteenth time in January 2025 as if fate insists! Again, the discussion revolved around accountability, justice and reconciliation, her mantra when meeting with minority groups.

The other politicians who were invited by Chung veryoften – persons who were essential elements in her carefully crafted menu were Mano Ganeshan ofTPA and Bathiuddin of All Ceylon Makkal Congress.She met with Ganeshan again on 24 March 2025 to hear TPA priorities” and Bathiuddin on 26 March 2025 respectively. Priorities”, shared commitment to democracy”, have become her key words while meeting with every Tom Dick and Harry. As part of our cross-party outreach” is the term she uses meeting with political leaders.

In  July-mid August 2023 also,Chung continued to meet with Tamil politicians, the late Sampanthan to discuss issues facing Tamils and other minority communities”; Abraham Sumanthiran, Vigneshvaram, Siddharthan et al to discuss about the way forward”, questions around national identity, reforms and the (Tamil) community’s demands for accountability and justice”, importance of devolution, land returns and finding answers for families of missing persons including investigations into mass graves as Sri Lanka still strives for truth, reconciliation and lasting peace”. This meeting took place just ahead of RW’s visit to India.

5. Chung’s Dealings with TRI-Forces

On 19 February 2025Chung met with new Tri-Services Commanders to discuss US-Sri Lanka security partnership including maritime and disaster response, focusing on ensuring the Indo-Pacific remains secure with open maritime routes and a free flow of commerce in the Indian Ocean”.

Air Force Commander (Udeni Rajapaksa) was called to the US Embassy on 4 January 2024.

In March 2024 the US Department of Defense (DOD)provided the SLAF with training on carrying out Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) flight demonstrations with the emphasis on enhancing SLAF’s capabilities in Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA). SLAF Commander, Navy Commander, SLAF’s Chief of Staff and Director General Planning, Sagala Ratnayaka and Chung participated at the inauguration of this programme. 

Chung joined the commemoration of the 56^th anniversary of Sri Lanka’s Navy and Maritime Academy and visited the Diving Unit at the Naval Dockyard Trincomalee and Malima Diving Club. She met with instructors, cadres and midshipmen and discussed the importance of Sri Lanka’s maritime operations and bilateral security cooperation”.

We believe that only the Commander-in-Chief of Sri Lankan armed forces or the Navy Commander can do such things, not a diplomat crossing herdiplomatic boundaries!

Chung congratulated Sri Lanka Coast Guard Service members on completion of maritime law enforcement skill training with US Coast Guard at Mirissa. 

She visited Navy Commander. While visiting Jaffna she met with Northern Naval Commander in May 2024, to discuss US supporting Sri Lanka’s maritime sovereignty”; (can a naval officer discuss maritime sovereignty” with a foreign envoy?)

She visited advanced offshore patrol vessels of Sri Lanka Navy, discussed Sri Lanka navy’s capabilities on asymmetric naval warfare at sea, amphibious and land operations, global security threats and illicit maritime trafficking, 

She attended CARAT 2004 (Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training) concluding ceremony, largest military exercise between the US Navy US Seventh Fleet and Sri Lanka Navy.

She joined Air Force Disaster Management Centre, firefighters with PACAF (Pacific Air Force) Montana National Guard.

She was at the handing over of the Beachcraft KingAir to Air Force with US Pacific Fleet Admiral Kohler. Chung stressed the importance of tackling maritime challenge together enhancing collective effort for regional stability in the Indo-Pacific.  This has taken place in October 2024 soon after the ascension of Anura Kumara.

Chung was happy and saw it as an historic milestone to secure global maritime security, Sri Lanka Navy assuming Command of Combined Task Force (CTF) 154.

Chung met with 54 newly-trained Scene of the Crime Officers (SOCO) from the Sri Lanka Police Criminal Records Division,trained withthe support of US State INL (Idaho National Laboratory) and the Justice Department; Chung was confident that Sri Lanka police now have stronger tools to recover evidence at complex crime scenes, crack cases and  deliver justice to citizens”. The validity of her statement should be tested with the recent surge in crimes and hunt for Sevvandi!

6. Visit of INDOPAC Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo

Chung’s most significant meeting with the President Anura Kumara was with INDOPAC Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo on 21 March 2025, to commend Sri Lanka’s leadership in advancing regional security initiatives such as commanding Combined Maritime Force’s Combined Task Force 154, CMF-Bahrain.” Chung added: The US proudly supports Sri Lanka’s role as a security provider in the Indian Ocean Region”. Foreign Minister, Lt. Col. Nelson of US Army, and David Ranz, Senior Foreign Policy Advisor to INDOPAC command participated in this discussion.

On the same day both Paparo and Chung met with the Foreign Minister and discussed shared priorities, economic security” and maritime cooperation”, Sri Lanka contributing to a more stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific”.

Before their meeting, welcoming Paparo, Chung messaged on 20 March 2025, that INDOPAC Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo (arrived) to reaffirm our bilateral defense partnership with Sri Lanka and share our vision and security across the Indo -Pacific. The Commander’s visit underscores US’s commitment to the diplomatic and defense investments”.

Paparo acknowledged Sri Lanka’s continued support in ensuring the security of the Indian Ocean Region and maintaining a peaceful maritime environment. 

It is questionable whether the President and the Foreign Minister are aware of what Chung was talking about – the ACSA (Acquisition & Cross Servicing Act) extended by Sirisena in 2017 without exit clause or duration, ensuring any future government from abrogating it. (GR in 2007 signed it for 10 years). The way the winds blow tells us that Malima government would sign the SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement) which Sirisena did not sign. In its Presidential and Parliamentary election campaigns ACSA and SOFA were never discussed by the NPP whether for or against them.  

Anura Kumara is trapped by previous agreements and Ranil Wickremasinghe’s commitment to take up commanding Combined Maritime Force’s Combined Task Force 154, CMF-Bahrain. A pathetic situation was encountered by the leader of a political party which paid lip service to anti-imperialism, who collectively vouched to hang the last imperialist with the intestines of the last capitalist” (anthima adhirajayawadiya anthima dhanapathiyage bada welin ella marana thuru janathawata vimukthiyak netha”).

On the same day Chung joinedINDOPAC Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo and Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy aboard the SLN Vijayabahu, a symbol of (our) partnership with Sri Lanka Navy”. 

Posting a video on 27 March 2025 Chung glorifies Paparo’s visit as a testament to the strength of the US-Sri Lanka security partnership. Maritime and economic security are closely linked”.

Anura Kumara’s Malima government is effortlessly entrapped by Sister Julie, no need of a testament”. 

In 2023 Chung graced the occasion of the inauguration of Indo-Pacific Environment Security Forum (IPESP) 2003, co-hosted by the US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) at the Shangri-La Colombo. 

7. Chung Addressing Faculty and Students of the National Defence College

The most treacherous act the Sri Lankan defence authorities did was allowing Chung to address faculty and students of the National Defence College on 27 March 2025 at Diners Club, Colombo. She messaged: I spoke about the connection between economic security & national security and how both the United States & Sri Lanka share a common stake in maintaining an open, free & peaceful Indo-Pacific”. The Indian Ocean Region and the broader Indo-Pacific Region has never been important to global commerce & region’s stability…… Our fellow Indo-Pacific nations should be free to choose, free to prosper & free to charter their own course”.

In her lecture Chung stated that Sri Lanka needs to train its citizens not only for the jobs of the future, but also for the military of the future to ensure it can maintain peace through strength.  Attacking China innuendo, she said that during the 2022 economic crisis some nations pressured Sri Lanka for political concessions. US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth boasted, peace through strength”; Chung was parroting what he had stated. She conveyed only a fraction of what warmongers mean to say: Peace at any cost or peace through war!

Her words ( E)conomic vulnerability can give foreign powers leverage over national decisions impacting not just on the economy, but the very fabric of national security”, should be assessed in the context of Trump’s Liberation Day” reciprocal tariff of 44% imposed on Sri Lankan exports.

She further stated that As an island maritime nation, Sri Lanka’s economic security and national security are directly tied to the maritime domain. Because of this we all have a stake in keeping an open, free and peaceful Indo-Pacific”. 

Lecturing so Chung indoctrinates Sri Lankan military that Sri Lanka’s defence lies on the US-Sri Lanka security partnership, that Sri Lanka shares a common stake with the US in economic security and national security and Sri Lanka is free to choose the US at any future confrontation in the Indian Ocean Region and the broader Indo-Pacific Region.

They want to make Sri Lanka a partner in their Indo-Pacific” war games. Who amalgamated the Indian Ocean with the Pacific Ocean? East of the Indian Ocean was bounded by the beaches of Western Australia was the Geography we knew!

An inexperienced government consisting of 1988-1989 gonibillas, novices, street demonstrators, platform speakers and village-level tough-guys does not understand the nuances of Chung’s sermon. 

When Richard Rahul Verma, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources visited Sri Lanka in February 2024, he explored opportunities to deepen defense and maritime cooperation between US and Sri Lanka”. Verma was appointed to President’s Intelligence Advisory Board (PIAB) by Biden. PIAB planned the 26 September 2022 US bombing of the Nordsstream pipeline.

Chung interviewing Verma on 26, February 2024 discussed about security cooperation, maritime security and freedom of navigation, Sri Lanka’s role in the Indo-Pacific. She said that, Sri Lanka at the heart of the Indo-Pacific, gem in the region”.

 8. Defence Agreement with India

During Indian Prime Minister Modi’s April visit to Sri Lanka, India is going to sign a defence agreement with Anura Kumara’s government without giving any details, undermining Sri Lanka’s national security. While Sri Lankan Foreign Minister and Foreign Secretary are in a deep slumber, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, the MOU on defence cooperation is set to signal a major upward trajectory in Indo-Sri Lanka defence.

This major upward trajectory” is none other than Sri Lanka becoming a vassal state of US and India, India being a QUAD member with the US. Vikram Misri’s words commitment to ensure a free, open, safe and secure Indian Ocean Region” resonance the words expressed by Julie Chung in her X messages. We should examine these developments taking into consideration India’s much touted Neighbourhood First” policy, Act-East” policy and SAGAR” (Security and Growth for All in the Region) Vision and Akhund Bharat that asserts India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Bhutan, Nepal and Tibet are one nation.

9. Other Strategic Issues

On an earlier occasion Chung visited Colombo West Container Terminal (CWIT) at Colombo Port. She witnessed US-funded Port of Colombo capacity building programme. On 28 March, 2025 she celebrated 20+ years of Energy Partnership with Sri Lanka on the Megaports Initiative that protects the world’s shipping networks from dangerous cargo and nuclear threats”. She attended the CWIT Radiation Portal Monitor Commissioning Ceremony, commissioning new US procured equipment for detecting radioactive cargo at the Colombo West Container Terminal to combat nuclear smuggling.

This Energy Partnership makes Sri Lanka vulnerable to any attack and forces her to accept American Energy Dominance” and become a partner in catching dangerous materials enter America’s ports. 

Diving at historic Godawaya shipwreck off Hambantota, the oldest known shipwreck in the Asia-Pacific Region, Chung was elated teaming up with the Sri Lanka’s Maritime Archeology Unit of the Central Cultural Fund, (US helping Sri Lanka to study and safeguard maritime resources). This is very much useful to US as it geopolitically is concentrating on an Asia-Pacific Region programme.

Discussing with Sri Lankan officials and Anand Ramaswamy, US Department of Justice (DOJ) ICHIP expert (International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property) on combating cybercrimes, Chung said that the aim is to bring together legal experts and prosecutors to strengthen cross-border collaboration including stolen asset recovery”. 

Good news to new government and its Minister of Public Security who himself pretends as a person devoted to stolen asset recovery. Chung on 20 December 2024 met with this Minister and discussed with him on collaboration to combat trafficking, counter crime, cybersecurity and anti-corruption and rule of law.    

NEXT: PART II: 

How Chung Interfered in Sri Lanka’s Economic Sphere; With Women; With Youth; Art and Literary Workers; Meddling with Sri Lankan Politics, Policy Matters and Internal Affairs; Visiting Trafficking Victims; Visiting Provinces and Places of Worship; Meeting with Religious Dignitaries; Elections; Malaiyaha Tamils, creating another contentious issue.

Courtesy Adaderana

China on Friday announced a slew of additional tariffs and restrictions against U.S. goods as a countermeasure to sweeping tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

The Finance Ministry said it would impose additional tariffs of 34% on all U.S. goods from April 10.

Beijing also announced controls on exports of medium and heavy rare-earths, including samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium and yttrium to the United States, effective April 4.

The purpose of the Chinese government’s implementation of export controls on relevant items in accordance with the law is to better safeguard national security and interests, and to fulfill international obligations such as non-proliferation,” the Commerce Ministry said in a statement.

It also added 11 entities to the unreliable entity” list, which allows Beijing to take punitive actions against foreign entities.

Source: Reuters

–Agencies

Courtesy Adaderana

The National Police Commission has cancelled the transfer of the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Bingiriya Police Station by the Acting IGP, with immediate effect. 

The commission says the transfer has been ordered by the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Priyantha Weerasuriya without the approval of the National Police Commission and the Elections Commission. 

Courtesy Adaderana

The Government of Sri Lanka says it stands ready to engage with the US administration at the earliest opportunity to explore ways to manage the trade balance in a fair manner and that it is committed to substantially reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers that hinder trade and investment.

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump announced a sweeping set of reciprocal tariffs, imposing a baseline 10 per cent tax on all imports and significantly higher rates on dozens of countries with which the US runs trade deficits. 

Sri Lanka is facing one of the steepest tariffs among countries amounting 44 per cent. 

The Government of Sri Lanka said it recognizes the evolving trade landscape with the United States looking to address trade imbalances through reciprocal tariffs. 

This tariff is set at 44% which is significant as Sri Lanka exports USD 3 billion to the US,” Sri Lanka’s Finance Ministry said, issuing a statement to clarify the government’s stance on the tariffs. 

The Government reaffirmed its strong commitment to deepening economic ties with the US, a longstanding friend and trusted trading partner. 

Sri Lanka is engaged in an IMF Extended Fund Facility since March 2023 as part of its recovery from the unprecedented economic crisis and successfully completed the Third review of the programme. 

In this context, Sri Lanka said it appreciates the steadfast support extended by the US in supporting Sri Lanka’s economic recovery, in particular the support in the external debt restructuring efforts. 

We have now stabilized our economy and on a steady growth path of 5% in 2024. Considering our export exposure and potential slowdown in global demand, we are concerned that our recovery path could be constrained,” the statement said. 

The Government stands ready to engage with the US administration at the earliest opportunity to explore ways to manage the trade balance in a fair manner.”

We are committed to substantially reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers that hinder trade and investment,” the Finance Ministry said. 

Improving the ease of doing business remains a top priority of the Government, as we strive to create an environment that encourages innovation, fosters commercial partnerships, and unlocks opportunities for both nations. In conclusion, by working together, our countries have the opportunity to usher in a new era of growth, and shared prosperity for both our nations.”

By William J. Astore Courtesy Tomdispatch

I read the news today, oh boy. About a lucky man named Elon Musk. But he lost out on one thing: he didn’t get a top secret briefing on Pentagon war plans for China. And the news people breathed a sigh of relief.

With apologies to John Lennon and The Beatles, a day in the life is getting increasingly tough to take here in the land of the free. I’m meant to be reassured that Musk didn’t get to see America’s top-secret plans for — yes! — going to war with China, even as I’m meant to ignore the constant drumbeat of propaganda, the incessant military marches that form America’s background music, conveying the message that America must have war plans for China, that indeed war in or around China is possible, even probable, in the next decade. Maybe in 2027?

My fellow Americans, we should be far more alarmed by such secret U.S. war plans, along with those pivots” to Asia and the Indo-Pacific, and the military base-building efforts in the Philippines, than reassured by the good news” that Comrade Billionaire Musk was denied access to the war room, meaning (for Dr. Strangelove fans) he didn’t get to see the big board.”

It’s war, war, everywhere in America. We do indeed have a strange love for it. I’ve been writing for TomDispatch for 18 years now — this is my 111th essay (the other 110 are in a new book of mine) — most of them focusing on militarism in this country, as well as our disastrous wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, the ruinous weapons systems we continue to fund (including new apocalyptic nuclear weapons), and the war song that seems to remain ever the same.

A few recent examples of what I mean: President Trump has already bombed Yemen more than once. He’s already threatening Iran. He’s sending Israel all the explosives, all the weaponry it needs to annihilate the Palestinians in Gaza (so too, of course, did Joe Biden). He’s boasting of building new weapons systems like the Air Force’s much-hyped F-47 fighter jet, the 47” designation being an apparent homage by its builder, Boeing, to Trump himself, the 47th president. He and his defense” secretary, Pete Hegseth, continually boast of peace through strength,” an Orwellian construction that differs little from war is peace.” And I could, of course, go on and on and on and on…

Occasionally, Trump sounds a different note. When Tulsi Gabbard became the director of national intelligence, he sang a dissonant note about a warmongering military-industrial complex.” And however haphazardly, he does seem to be working for some form of peace with respect to the Russia-Ukraine War. He also talks about his fear of a cataclysmic nuclear war. Yet, if you judge him by deeds rather than words, he’s just another U.S. commander-in-chief enamored of the military and military force (whatever the cost, human or financial).

Consider here the much-hyped Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by that lucky man Elon Musk. Even as it dismantles various government agencies like the Department of Education and USAID, it has — no surprise here! — barely touched the Pentagon and its vast, nearly trillion-dollar budget. In fact, if a Republican-controlled Congress has any say in the matter, the Pentagon budget will likely be boosted significantly for Fiscal Year 2026 and thereafter. As inefficient as the Pentagon may be (and we really don’t know just how inefficient it is, since the bean counters there keep failing audit after audit, seven years running), targeted DOGE Pentagon cuts have been tiny. That means there’s little incentive for the generals to change, streamline their operations, or even rethink in any significant fashion. It’s just spend, spend, spend until the money runs out, which I suppose it will eventually, as the national debt soars toward $37 trillion and climbing.

Even grimmer than that, possibly, is America’s state of mind, our collective zeitgeist, the spirit of this country. That spirit is one in which a constant state of war (and preparations for more of the same) is accepted as normal. War, to put it bluntly, is our default state. It’s been that way since 9/11, if not before then. As a military historian, I’m well aware that the United States is, in a sense, a country made by war. It’s just that today we seem even more accepting of that reality, or resigned to it, than we’ve ever been. What gives?

Remember when, in 1963, Alabama Governor George Wallace said, Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, and segregation forever”? Fortunately, after much struggle and bloodshed, he was proven wrong. So, can we change the essential American refrain of war now, war tomorrow, and war forever? Can we render that obsolete? Or is that too much to hope for or ask of America’s exceptional” democracy?

Taking on the MICIMATT(SH)

Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern did America a great service when he came up with the acronym MICIMATT, or the Military-Industrial-Congressional-Intelligence-Media-Academia-Think-Tank complex, an extension of President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s military-industrial complex, or MIC (from his farewell speech in 1961). Along with the military and industry (weapons makers like Boeing and Lockheed Martin), the MICIMATT adds Congress (which Eisenhower had in his original draft speech but deleted in the interest of comity), the intelligence community” (18 different agencies), the media (generally highly supportive of wars and weapons spending), academia (which profits greatly from federal contracts, especially research and development efforts for yet more destructive weaponry), and think tanks (which happily lap up Pentagon dollars to tell us the smart” position is always to prepare for yet more war).

You’ll note, however, that I’ve added a parenthetical SH to McGovern’s telling acronym. The S is for America’s sporting world, which eternally gushes about how it supports and honors America’s military, and Hollywood, which happily sells war as entertainment (perhaps the best known and most recent film being Tom Cruise’s Top Gun: Maverick, in which an unnamed country that everyone knows is Iran gets its nuclear ambitions spanked by a plucky team of U.S. Naval pilots). A macho catchphrase from the original Top Gun was I feel the need — the need for speed!” It may as well have been: I feel the need — the need for pro-war propaganda!

Yes, MICIMATT(SH) is an awkward acronym, yet it has the virtue of capturing some of the still-growing power, reach, and cultural penetration of Ike’s old MIC. It should remind us that it’s not just the military and the weapons-makers who are deeply invested in war and — yes! — militarism. It’s Congress; the CIA; related intel community” members; the mainstream media (which often relies on retired generals and admirals for unbiased” pro-war commentary); academia (consider how quickly institutions like Columbia University have bent the knee to Trump); and think tanks — in fact, all those best and brightest” who advocate for war with China, the never-ending war on terror, war everywhere.

But perhaps the soft power” of the sporting world and Hollywood is even more effective at selling war than the hard power of bombs and bullets. National Football League coaches patrol the sidelines wearing camouflage, allegedly to salute the troops. Military flyovers at games celebrate America’s latest death-dealing machinery. Hollywood movies are made with U.S. military cooperation and that military often has veto power over scripts. To cite only one example, the war movie 12 Strong (2018) turned the disastrous Afghan War that lasted two horrendous decades into a stunningly quick American victory, all too literally won by U.S. troops riding horses. (If only the famed cowboy actor John Wayne had still been alive to star in it!)

The MICIMATT(SH), employing millions of Americans, consuming trillions of dollars, and churning through tens of thousands of body bags for U.S. troops over the years, while killing millions of people abroad, is an almost irresistible force. And right now, it seems like there’s no unmovable object to blunt it.

Believe me, I’ve tried. I’ve written dozens of Tomgrams” suggesting steps America could take to reverse militarism and warmongering. As I look over those essays, I see what still seem to me sensible ideas, but they die quick deaths in the face of, if not withering fire from the MICIMATT(SH), then being completely ignored by those who matter.

And while this country has a department of war (disguised as a department of defense), it has no department of peace. There’s no budget anywhere for making peace, either. We do have a colossal Pentagon that houses 30,000 workers, feverishly making war plans they won’t let Elon Musk (or any of us) see.  It’s for their eyes only, not yours, though they may well ask you or your kids to serve in the military, because the best-laid plans of those war-men do need lots of warm bodies, even if those very plans almost invariably (Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, etc.) go astray.

So, to repeat myself, how do you take on the MICIMATT(SH)? The short answer: It’s not easy, but I know of a few people who had some inspirational ideas.

On Listening to Ike, JFK, MLK, and, Yes, Madison, Too

Militarism isn’t exactly a new problem in America. Consider Randolph Bourne’s 1918 critique of war as the health of the state,” or General Smedley Butler’s confession in the 1930s that war is a racket” run by the gangsters of capitalism.” In fact, many Americans have, over the years, spoken out eloquently against war and militarism. Many beautiful and moving songs have asked us to smile on your brother and love one another right now.” War, as Edwin Starr sang so powerfully once upon a time, is good for absolutely nothin’,” though obviously a lot of people disagree and indeed are making a living by killing and preparing for yet more of it.

And that is indeed the problem. Too many people are making too much money off of war. As Smedley Butler wrote so long ago: Capital won’t permit the taking of the profit out of war until the people — those who do the suffering and still pay the price — make up their minds that those they elect to office shall do their bidding, and not that of the profiteers.” Pretty simple, right? Until you realize that those whom we elect are largely obedient to the moneyed class because the highest court in our land has declared that money is speech. Again, I didn’t say it was going to be easy. Nor did Butler.

As a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force, I want to end my 111th piece at TomDispatch by focusing on the words of Ike, John F. Kennedy (JFK), Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK), and James Madison. And I want to redefine what words like duty, honor, country, and patriotism should mean. Those powerful words and sentiments should be centered on peace, on the preservation and enrichment of life, on tapping the better angels of our nature,” as Abraham Lincoln wrote so long ago in his First Inaugural Address.

Why do we serve? What does our oath of office really mean? For it’s not just military members who take that oath but also members of Congress and indeed the president himself. We raise our right hands and swear to support and defend the U.S. Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, to bear true faith and allegiance to the same.

There’s nothing in that oath about warriors and warfighters, but there is a compelling call for all of us, as citizens, to be supporters and defenders of representative democracy, while promoting the general welfare (not warfare), and all the noble sentiments contained in that Constitution. If we’re not seeking a better and more peaceful future, one in which freedom may expand and thrive, we’re betraying our oath.

If so, we have met the enemy — and he is us.

Ike told us in 1953 that constant warfare is no way of life at all, that it is (as he put it), humanity crucifying itself on a cross of iron. In 1961, he told us democracy was threatened by an emerging military-industrial complex and that we, as citizens, had to be both alert and knowledgeable enough to bring it to heel. Two years later, JFK told us that peace — even at the height of the Cold War — was possible, not just peace in our time, but peace for all time. However, it would, he assured us, require sacrifice, wisdom, and commitment.

How, in fact, can I improve on these words that JFK uttered in 1963, just a few months before he was assassinated?

What kind of peace do we seek? Not a Pax Americana enforced on the world by American weapons of war. Not the peace of the grave or the security of the slave. I am talking about genuine peace, the kind of peace that makes life on earth worth living…

I speak of peace because of the new face of war. Total war makes no sense in an age… when the deadly poisons produced by a nuclear exchange would be carried by wind and water and soil and seed to the far corners of the globe and to generations yet unborn… surely the acquisition of such idle [nuclear] stockpiles — which can only destroy and never create — is not the only, much less the most efficient, means of assuring peace.

I speak of peace, therefore, as the necessary rational end of rational men. I realize that the pursuit of peace is not as dramatic as the pursuit of war — and frequently the words of the pursuer fall on deaf ears. But we have no more urgent task.

Are we ready to be urgently rational, America? Are we ready to be blessed as peacemakers? Or are we going to continue to suffer from what MLK described in 1967 as our very own spiritual death” due to the embrace of militarism, war, empire, and racism?

Of course, MLK wasn’t perfect, nor for that matter was JFK, who was far too enamored of the Green Berets and too wedded to a new strategy of flexible response” to make a clean break in Vietnam before he was killed. Yet those men bravely and outspokenly promoted peace, something uncommonly rare in their time — and even more so in ours.

More than 200 years ago, James Madison warned us that continual warfare is the single most corrosive force to the integrity of representative democracy. No other practice, no other societal force is more favorable to the rise of authoritarianism and the rule of tyrants than pernicious war. Wage war long and it’s likely you can kiss your democracy, your rights, and just maybe your ass goodbye.

America, from visionaries and prophets like MLK, we have our marching orders. They are not to invest yet more in preparations for war, whether with China or any other country. Rather, they are to gather in the streets and otherwise raise our voices against the scourge of war. If we are ever to beat our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks and make war no more, something must be done.

Let’s put an end to militarism in America. Let’s be urgently rational. To cite John Lennon yet again: You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. Together, let’s imagine and create a better world.

Copyright 2025 William J. Astore

Featured image: nch_1671_us-troops-train-in-lithuania_145451 by NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 / Flickr

Follow TomDispatch on Twitter and join us on Facebook. Check out the newest Dispatch Books, John Feffer’s new dystopian novel, Songlands (the final one in his Splinterlands series), Beverly Gologorsky’s novel Every Body Has a Story, and Tom Engelhardt’s A Nation Unmade by War, as well as Alfred McCoy’s In the Shadows of the American Century: The Rise and Decline of U.S. Global Power, John Dower’s The Violent American Century: War and Terror Since World War II, and Ann Jones’s They Were Soldiers: How the Wounded Return from America’s Wars: The Untold Story.

William J. Astore

William J. Astore, a retired lieutenant colonel (USAF) and professor of history, is a TomDispatch regular and a senior fellow at the Eisenhower Media Network (EMN), an organization of critical veteran military and national security professionals. His personal substack is Bracing Views. His video testimony for the Merchants of Death Tribunal is available at this link. His new book, made up of the 110 pieces he wrote for TomDispatch, is American Militarism on Steroids: The Military-Industrial Complex, Unbounded, Uncontained, and Undemocratic.

MOD  Media Centre

‘Sri Lanka, due to its strategic location in the Indian Ocean, plays a critical role in regional maritime security. The maritime security strategy is considered the most important aspect in the National Security and Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) is given the highest priority’.

Highlighting this crucial aspect, Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), underscored Sri Lanka’s commitment to maritime security during his visit to the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) Mine Sweeper Tender JS Bungo at the Port of Colombo on Wednesday (Apr 2).

The visit coincided with the arrival of two JMSDF vessels, JS Bungo and JS Etajima, as part of the Indo-Pacific and Middle East Deployment 2025.

In his speech, Deputy Minister emphasized Japan’s role as a longstanding and steadfast partner to Sri Lanka across a multitude of sectors. This partnership has manifested in significant support through financial assistance, technological collaboration, development project implementation, humanitarian aid provision, capacity building initiatives, peacekeeping contributions, defence cooperation, maritime security enhancements and knowledge sharing.

Addressing the gathering, the Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka His Excellency Akio Isomata highlighted the deep-rooted bilateral relations between two countries and he emphasized Sri Lanka’s commitment to the regional stability as a cornerstone in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

The event featured the traditional ‘Kagami Biraki’ ceremony, involving the breaking of sake barrels and a demonstration of ‘Kendo,’ a modern Japanese martial art derived from the classical swordsmanship of the samurai.

The event was attended by numerous high-ranking officials and dignitaries, including the Commanders of Sri Lanka Army and Navy, Additional Secretary (Defence) of the Ministry of Defence, members of the diplomatic corps and senior JMSDF officers. Notably present were Captain Amano Shinsuke, Commander of the 3rd Minesweeper Division, as well as the respective Commanding Officers of the ships, Commander Tanaka Koji and Commander Oda Takayuki. 

Further, this visit and interactions underscored the strong defence and maritime cooperation between Sri Lanka and Japan, reinforcing their shared commitment to regional security and stability.

MOD  Media Centre

‘In an era defined by rapid technological shifts, evolving threats and complex global challenges, adaptability is not just an option; it is a necessity.’ Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), underscored this very sentiment while addressing the distinguished gathering at the Corps of Sri Lanka Engineers Symposium held at Grand Maitland, Colombo today (Apr 3).

The Deputy Minister was warmly received by the Colonel Commandant of the Corps of Sri Lanka Engineers, Major General Lanka Amarapala, on his arrival at the venue. The symposium revolved around the critical theme of “Adapting for the Future: Strategic Approaches of the Corps of Sri Lanka Engineers Blueprint for the Evolving Geostrategic Landscape.”

In his address, the Deputy Minister emphasized the indispensable role of the Corps of Engineers in nation-building. He highlighted the government’s flagship initiative, ‘Clean Sri Lanka,’ which extends beyond environmental concerns to a broader vision of societal transformation. Engineers, he noted, are uniquely positioned to leverage their expertise in national infrastructure development and the promotion of sustainable practices.

He further addressed the growing demand for Sri Lankan military expertise in international peacekeeping and humanitarian operations. Accordingly, the Corps of Engineers is set to play a pivotal role in UN peace support missions, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief (HADR) operations and demining efforts.

Concluding his speech, Major General Jayasekara (Retd) reaffirmed the Corps’ crucial contribution to Sri Lanka’s security landscape. He underscored that the Corps of Sri Lanka Engineers is not just a combat unit but a transformative force, ready to adapt, innovate and lead in both military and civil domains.

The opening ceremony of the symposium was also attended by the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo, Chief of Staff Major General Chandana Wickramasinghe and senior officers from the Tri-Forces.

Wimal Weerawansa

Nava Thakuria

Guwahati: London-based global outfit dedicated for indigenous and tribal peoples’ rights, Survival International (SI) expressed relief that a foreigner was arrested after landing on North Sentinel Island in the Indian Ocean to make contact with the uncontacted Sentinelese people. Terming the news as deeply disturbing, the Sl  director Caroline Pearce commented on 2 April 2025 commented that the concerned Ukrainian-American national (identified as Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov) reached the restricted island.

It beggars belief that someone could be that reckless and idiotic. This person’s actions not only endangered his own life, they put the lives of the entire Sentinelese tribe at risk. It’s very well known by now that uncontacted peoples have no immunity to common outside diseases like flu or measles, which could completely wipe them out,” said SI director Pearce, adding that the Indian authorities have a legal responsibility to ensure that the Sentinelese are safe from missionaries, social media influencers, people fishing illegally in their waters.

Local media reports reveal that Polyakov (24) was arrested for illegally entering the North Sentinel shore under the greater Andaman and Nicobar Islands on 31 March. According to the concerned police authority, the young tourist arrived in Port Blair on 26 March and the accused (S/o Victor Polyakov, Arizona 85251, USA)  intentionally ventured to reach North Sentinel island from Kurma Dera beach in the early morning hours of 29 March with a single-seat boat.

He reached the island’s north-eastern shore by 10 am and looked for the isolated inhabitants but reportedly saw none. Even though he waited for  an hour and blew a whistle to attract the attention of the Sentinelese in vain. Later he landed briefly for five minutes and left some offerings (a coconut and a can of soda) for the inaccessible inhabitants. The Kurma Dera beach fishermen spotted him in the evening hours along with a GPS equipment and a video camera capturing footage on his visit.

The police are investigating his actual intention to visit the restricted tribal area. It’s revealed that  Polyakov tried to reach the location  in October 2023 too, but he was prevented by the Port Blair hotel staff. Later in January 2024, he arrived in Baratang islands and allegedly filmed the indigenous Jarawa tribe. A police complaint was already registered against Polyakov under the Foreigners Act 1946, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Protection of Aboriginal Tribes) Amendment Regulation 2012. Currently Polyakov is under police custody as the probe continues.

It may be mentioned that the Sentinelese, who wish to avoid outsiders, are classified as a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) and their hostilities towards outside elements are well recorded. Nearly seven years back, they killed an American missionary (John Allen Chau) in 2018 for reaching their remote island with an aim to convert the tribes into  Christianity. The self-styled adventurer Chau was buried in isolation and the SI appealed to the authorities not to try to bring back his mortal remains so that the Sentinelese could be protected from any disease transmission.

Uncontacted Indigenous peoples around the world are experiencing the invasion of their lands on a shocking scale. Countless uncontacted peoples in the Amazon are being invaded by loggers and gold-miners,” said SI director Pearce, adding that the un-contacted Shompen of Great Nicobar Island, not far from North Sentinel, will be wiped out if New Delhi goes ahead with its plan to transform their island into the Hong Kong of India.  The common factor in all these cases is governments’ refusal to abide by international law and recognize & protect uncontacted peoples’ territories,” she concluded.

Gospa News

Russia’s deputy foreign minister has warned the United States that any military attack on Iran’s nuclear sites would have catastrophic” consequences for the entire region.

Sergei Ryabkov made the remarks during an interview with the International Affairs journal on Tuesday, after US President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Iran if it fails to come to an agreement with Washington over its nuclear program.

Threats are indeed being heard, ultimatums are also being heard,” Ryabkov said, noting that The consequences of this, especially if the strikes are on nuclear infrastructure, could be catastrophic for the entire region.”

APOCALYPSE’s New NIGHTMARES in Middle East: RUSSIAN Govt WARNS on Catastrophic Effects” of any US ATTACK ON IRAN – gospanews.net (EN)

නීතීඥ අරුණ ලක්සිරි උණවටුන B.Sc(Col), PGDC(Col) සමායෝජක, වෛද්‍ය තිලක පද්මා සුබසිංහ අනුස්මරණ නීති අධ්‍යයන වැඩසටහන

1. චෝදනාව කරන අයටම හෝ තමා යටතේ ඉන්නා අයෙක් මගින් චෝදනව ඉදිරිපත් කරවා චූදිතව රක්ෂිත බන්ධනාගාරගත කළ හැකි බව,

2. චෝදනාව කරන අය සාක්ෂියට කැදවීමට ඉඩ නොදෙන බව,

3. දඬුවමේ සීමාවක් නැති බව,

4. වසර 2කට වඩා චූදිතව/ සැකකරුව රක්ෂිත බන්ධනාගාරගත කර රඳවා තබා ගත හැකි බව සහ 1997 අංක 30 ඇප පනත අදාල නොවන බව,

5. ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණය විසින් දඬුවම් නියම කළහොත් අභියාචනා අවස්ථාවක් නැති බව, (සාමාන්‍යයෙන් දඬුවමකට එරෙහිව අභියාචනා අවස්ථා 2ක් ඇත)

6. නීතීඥවරුන්ගේ විනය පාලනය සහ රීති නිකුත් කිරීම ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණයට වඩා පහළින් ඇති අධිකරණ, විනිශ්චය අධිකාර සහ ආයතන වලටත් පවරා ඇති බව,

7. අධිකරණයේදි නීතිය පෙන්වා දෙන, නඩු පවරන නීතීඥවරයාට නැවත නිවසට ඒමට නොලැබිය හැකි බව

8. විනිසුරුට එරෙහිව නඩු පැවරූ විට ඒ විනිසුරුටම නඩු පවරන්නාව රිමාන්ඩ් කළ හැකි බව

9. ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථා හැර අන් සියලු නීති අභිබවා ක්‍රියාත්මක වන බව

10. විනිසුරුවරුන්ගේ අනාගත සහ පෞද්ගලික අරමුණු ඉටුකර ගැනීම වෙනුවෙන්ද ක්‍රියාත්මක විය හැකි බව

http://neethiyalk.blogspot.com/2025/04/2024-8-10.html?m=1

නීතීඥ අරුණ ලක්සිරි උණවටුන B.Sc(Col), PGDC(Col) සමායෝජක, වෛද්‍ය තිලක පද්මා සුබසිංහ අනුස්මරණ නීති අධ්‍යයන වැඩසටහන. දුරකථන 0712063394 (2025.03.31)

Courtesy Adaderana

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) today expresses deep concern over the imposition of a 44% tariff on Sri Lankan exports to the United States.

US President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs yesterday on major trade partners, including China and the European Union.

With the US accounting for approximately USD 3 billion in exports and 25% of Sri Lanka’s total merchandise export, this development poses a significant challenge to the country’s trade and economic stability,” the chamber said in a statement. 

Additionally, broader global trade disruptions could slow economic growth, affecting overall demand in key export markets such as the US and the EU, it warned. 

The CCC said it appreciates the President of Sri Lanka setting up a committee to evaluate the impact of the US tariffs and provide solutions to mitigate potential risks to the export sector. 

Since we are halfway through the IMF Extended Fund Facility programme and navigating a tight fiscal space, it is vital that Sri Lanka is able to negotiate down from the high tariff band.” 

The Ceylon Chamber said it is an opportune moment for the Government to relook at its tariff structure and implement measures that will improve trade facilitation and improve the ease of doing business.  

The Ceylon Chamber said it remains committed to working closely with the Government to develop a coordinated and strategic response to mitigate the potential economic impact of these tariffs. 

We urge all stakeholders to collaborate in ensuring that Sri Lanka’s trade interests are safeguarded, while actively pursuing diplomatic and policy-driven solutions to sustain and strengthen its export sector,” the statement added.

Courtesy Adaderana

Sri Lankan animal rights activists marched on Thursday to protest the round-up of stray dogs a day ahead of a visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

Authorities in Colombo and the Buddhist pilgrim city of Anuradhapura have reportedly deployed dog catchers to impound hounds ahead of Modi’s visit, which begins on Friday.

Many of Colombo’s strays are beloved by their adopted neighbourhoods despite lacking formal owners — and are dubbed community” canines rather than street dogs.

Around a dozen protesters from the Rally for Animal Rights and Environment (RARE) waved placards outside President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s office in Colombo after submitting a petition to India’s high commission. 

Stop the cruel removal of our community dogs,” one placard read.

Protesters said that many of the dogs in public parks had been vaccinated and neutered and were cared for by locals and animal welfare groups.

How can Sri Lanka promote tourism when we are a country known for animal cruelty?” another placard read.

Protesters urged New Delhi’s intervention to prevent the cruel and unnecessary removal of these dogs”, saying that the round-up of dogs would create displacement, suffering, and potential harm”.

Modi is set to receive an official welcome at Colombo’s Independence Square, where dog catchers are reported to have been busy in this week.

He is also set to visit Anuradhapura to pay homage to the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Tree, a sacred bo tree grown from a cutting brought from the holy Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India.

Source: AFP

–Agencies 

Madyawediya

Iraj Show

Harsha de Silva

Shenali D Waduge

Are Sri Lanka’s govts, policy advisors & close coterie living in a delusional world thinking that a takeover of a country only happens via invasions as took place under Portuguese, Dutch, British ruling Sri Lanka from 1505-1972? Have they not noticed or kept track of the manner India is building its stronghold over Sri Lanka diplomatically/politically, economically, strategically, culturally and aligned to a new Arkhand Bharath – unified subcontinent including Sri Lanka under India?

Sri Lanka’s relations with India has both positive & negative aspects. Though Buddha was not born in India but in present Nepal, it was King Ashoka who sent his son who became Mihindu thero to propagate Buddhism in Sri Lanka while his daughter Sangamitta Therani brought the sacred Bo Sapling placed in Sri Maha Bodhiya, Anuradhapura.

The Sinhale kings held diplomatic/trade relations with Indian rulers though Sri Lanka suffered 17 invasions from South India. The present tensions arise from the settlements of these invasions, the colonial settler schemes by Portuguese, Dutch & British.

Sri Lanka’s distrust with India primarily follows the secret training of Sri Lankan Tamil militants on Indian soil that resulted in a 30 year bloodshed, while India used the militancy to force Sri Lanka to sign the Indo-Lanka Pact in 1987, amend Sri Lanka’s Constitution & insert clauses with historical falsehoods not in the interest of Tamils but to use the Tamil card & fortify Indian interests in Sri Lanka’s North & East.

The dispatch of Indian Peace Keepers was part of the plan though they were unceremoniously sent back by then President Premadasa who met his waterloo 3 years after IPKF was sent back.

The majority of Sri Lankans continue to blame India for the 30 year terrorism in particular their memories of how India prevented the capture of Prabakaran & whisked him off to safety in Delhi in 1987 by Indian helicopters. Sri Lankans hold India accountable for every death LTTE committed since 1987.

Another thorn is the fishing issue where internationally banned bottom trawlers are coming in their thousands from South India to illegally fish on Sri Lanka’s territorial waters & also systematically ruining the marine bed/ecosystem which will sooner than later deprive Sri Lankan fishermen in coastal areas a means of livelihood.

Majority of Sri Lankans also hold India accountable for using the concern for Tamils” to justify interfering in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs, even influencing how Tamils cast their vote. The manner India is exerting undue pressure is even beginning to annoy Tamils in the North as well.

Sri Lankans are also angered with India given its lack of support at the UNHRC resolutions against Sri Lanka, given India’s initial role in fostering & harboring terrorism on Indian soil. This angst is further strengthened by the realization that the Islamic suicide bombers were also frequent visitors to India prior to carrying out their mass suicide.

Another area where Sri Lankans fault India is the bullying it exerts diplomatically preventing Sri Lanka building relations with its historical friends like China, Cuba, Russia, Pakistan. Though they may be strategic rivals of India, they have never used Sri Lanka against India. Ironically, while India plots to overthrow Sri Lankan governments for building closer relations with China, India is increasing its investments & business relations with China.

The sincerity with which Emperor Ashoka functioned can never be compared or achieved by post-independent Indian leaders. On the contrary, Buddhism is being craftily used as a soft power foreign policy tool while at the same time forcing Sri Lanka to create a pro-Hindu bogus & solely mythical Ramayana Trail officially to attract Indians to Sri Lanka with real intents kept hidden.

Unfortunately, Sri Lanka’s politicians concentrating only on securing and enjoying power, devoid of Statesmanship are ignoring the manner that India is subtly devoring Sri Lanka into its sphere of influence, initially as a counterbalance to China but in reality to fortify its global importance across the Indian Ocean region. India is doing so economically, via imports/exports, investments, strategic support, credit lines & aid, infrastructure projects, religious/cultural collaborations, stakes in airports/ports/harbors that hold the key to an island nation, humanitarian aid, defense & energy pacts.

How has India been exerting its influence over Sri Lanka since defeat of LTTE in May 2009?

At all times, the trick is to realize that over dependency is hara kiri for Sri Lanka.

How India will wrest control over Sri Lanka –

Economically – India’s economic influence is a key soft power strategic tool

Sri Lanka’s dependency on trade with India Indian imports/exports /transshipment trade – petroleum, textiles, machinery, chemicals, food, cement.

India being a critical provider to Sri Lanka’s energy security means any disruption will impact Sri Lanka. Imagine if India STOPS sending petroleum, textiles, machinery, chemicals, foodstuff etc if Sri Lanka does not comply to India’s demands, what will Sri Lanka do?

Indian investments & credit lines means Sri Lanka is bound by conditions imposed by India where the money given has to be spent on buying goods from India thus inking Sri Lanka’s dependency further.

The loans India has given Sri Lanka can be used as political leverage against Sri Lanka demanding Sri Lanka makes foreign policy decisions to India’s advantage or settle loans.

Manipulation of trade agreements in favor of India as well as influencing clauses beneficial to India is no secret. India could also adjust” or revoke” terms of the trade agreements with India which will impact Sri Lankan businesses relying on Indian markets & causing turmoil internally.

Debt leverage should also be a concern & Sri Lanka’s politicians should not forget how India cut off electricity to Bangladesh due to non payment. Sri Lanka is signing an MOU with India to share electricity grid – will the scenario that happened to Bangladesh not occur to Sri Lanka, in such a scenario what do Sri Lanka’s politicians propose to do?

With India’s insistence to sign ECTA the service agreement that enables Indians to work, live & reside in Sri Lanka as well as employ members of Indian families to work in Indian companies operating in Sri Lanka is clearly a means of flooding Sri Lanka with millions of Indians who are unemployed & would result in a demographic catastrophe as well as place Sri Lanka’s resources (land, water, food etc) in a significantly vulnerable state.

Though Sri Lanka’s leaders have failed to realize Sri Lanka’s importance as an island in the Indian Ocean is due to its location & to self-protect & strengthen that advantage, Sri Lanka has been happily giving away the keys to Sri Lanka to entities that can use the airports/ports/harbors to even block anything entering or leaving Sri Lanka. In such a scenario how vulnerable will Sri Lanka & its citizens be?

The economic leverage India holds over Sri Lanka should be a serious concern in view of India’s action against Nepal during the 2015 economic embargo closing all entry/exit points to food, petrol, medical needs of Nepal that goes through India. This took place for several months resulting in China having to drop essentials via plane. The reason for the Indian embargo was Nepals refusal to include provisions in Nepals new constitution that India demanded. This scenario has very close links to Sri Lanka & politicians cannot ignore this possibility happening to Sri Lanka as well. India as supplier can easily decide to reduce” or delay shipments” of essential goods (food, fuel, medicines, electricity supply etc) to Sri Lanka if Sri Lanka refuses to do as India says or adopts policies India does not like.

Cultural/Religious influence & Soft Power diplomacy: while profaning reverence to Buddhism it is no secret that hundreds of Siva Lingams have arrived to replace the ancient Buddhist structures in the North & East. Vaddamana Pabbatha vihara demolition & erection of a siva lingam is a perfect example with the remaining Buddhist theros under tremendous pressure & harassment by hired racists while the calls to close army camps in the North & remove the military is to subtly remove the Sinhala Buddhist presence from the North & East leaving India to dictate how the 2 provinces are run. Part of PM Modi’s itinerary is a meditation session in Trincomalee’s Gokanna Temple which is being presented as a hindu kovil. There can be no cultural & religious collaboration if beneath the façade, attempts are foot to erase the Buddhist identity of Sri Lanka.

Defense/military/counter terrorism cooperation: Hereto it must not be forgotten how India clandestinely trained Tamil militancy against the Sri Lankan Govt that resulted in 30 years of bloodshed. Not stopping there the recent Islamic mass suicide bombers were also frequent visitors to South India before carrying out their suicide attacks. When Indo-Lanka Accord required Indian Naval to stop terrorism, LTTE was openly travelling to Tamil Nadu & using it as a logistics hub while Indian Navy looked on. Innumerable illegal smuggling is taking place via Kerala to Sri Lanka. While India is also demanding Kachchetivu island ignoring all the official documents that clearly places it under Sri Lanka’s territory. These are no actions of a friend”.

India’s heavy investments in infrastructure/ports/airports/roads/rail etc means India has the power to exert tremendous influence over Sri Lanka at every level. Sri Lanka’s politicians and advisors & the foreign ministry as well as secretaries & senior public officials are to be held accountable from not looking into the interests of Sri Lanka’s sovereignty & territorial integrity when finalizing agreements.

Thus, in short India’s control over Sri Lanka is taking place under these themes & the following choke points.

1. Trade Leverage – reducing supply to SL of essential goods (fuel, food, medicines) / revoke trade benefits under trade agreements
2. Financial Assistance/Credit lines – cut credit lines / cut financial aid & destabilize Sri Lanka’s economy / without debt relief/loans
3. Debt leverage – withhold debt restructuring / block favorable loan terms
4. Infrastructure control – delay/withdraw investments in infrastructure projects / limit involvement in strategic projects like ports/airports/harbors
5. Energy leverage – limit or cut off fuel & energy supplies & create economic crisis / cut energy supply as done to Bangladesh
6. Labor market leverage – restrict Indian labor to impact industries relying on foreign workers
7. Link aid to policy – demand Sri Lanka favor ethno-religious groups favorable to India
8. Economic sanctions/trade barriers – impose tariffs / trade restrictions on SL exports to India / revoke trade preferences to destroy Sri Lankan industries.
9. Humanitarian Air – withhold humanitarian aid during crisis / limit cultural & educational collaborations
10. Influence world financial institutions – pressure IMF/WB to withhold support for Sri Lanka unless it aligns to India’s interests.
11. Influence its military presence – increasing Indian defense collaborations & influence Sri Lanka’s defense policies
12. Indian Ocean Shipping lanes – results in India limiting Sri Lanka’s access to critical maritime routes/prevent foreign military access
13. Defense pacts – India can force dependency via defense aid”
14. Manipulate Sri Lanka’s foreign policy – India can pressure Sri Lanka to limit its military and economic ties with China,

India cannot dictate who Sri Lanka has economic relations with. Sri Lanka must clearly state that Sri Lanka will decide what is advantageous to Sri Lanka. When the question of European sanctions against Russia arose, India chose not to join & instead bought fuel at a cheap rate & sold it at higher rate to Europe! Though India was threatened with sanctions, India’s External Affairs was very clear about India’s policy. If India holds carrots for investments & trade, Sri Lanka must pursue & sign the free trade agreement with China. Sri Lanka must also expand its trade partners and not rely solely on India. The main fault line has been Sri Lanka’s dependency on imports & lethargy for domestic production & self-sufficiency. Such will automatically reduce dependency on imports & threats from India.

What is stopping Sri Lanka from voicing policy as clearly as Mrs. Bandaranaike who continues to be mentioned with respect for her ability to mean what she says & say what she means. Sri Lanka’s leaders have failed to follow her policy of non-alignment which won her friends from all corners of the world & she continues to be spoken highly unlike any of Sri Lanka’s leaders. Another key pillar Sri Lanka has failed & needs to leverage is the domestic governance vis a vis policy in handling domestic matters without allowing foreign interventions/influence & appeasing to foreign dictates. Sri Lanka must also learn to place its foot down on the cultural colonialism that is taking place alongside the digital colonialism wherein Sri Lanka’s identity is being subtly erased without a whimper.

Are Sri Lanka’s corporates, professionals, Trade Unions, 3 main pillars governing Sri Lanka, Public Servants, not worried or concerned about these scenarios or have they already been compromised to the enemy?

Sri Lanka’s politicians, policy advisors cannot be ignorant of these ground realities. If so what have they done to avert any national catastrophe as a result of over dependence on India instead of signing more agreements sealing Sri Lanka’s fate? How can Sri Lanka overcome Indian pressure & assert more independence in its foreign & domestic policies?

Shenali D Waduge

By Raj Gonsalkorale

Considering the instances where proliferation of waste dumping is increasing, and the ongoing deaths and injuries  due to maniacal driving by bus drivers, and others, one cannot but feel that the much-publicized Clean Sri Lanka concept has not yet got off ground as desired.  The government needs to lift their game or refrain from giving people hope in anticipation of action that follows words

The following are a few illustrative examples of what should not be happening now. They demonstrate how some people do not care for others, and they question the impact so far of Clean Sri Lanka within the society.

Mirihana marshlands being filled by organised groups – https://www.dailymirror.lk/recomended-news/Mirihana-marshlands-being-filled-by-organised-groups/277-305756

Illustrative waste dump in residential area at Ratnajothi Mawatha, Nawala

Bus Crash in Warakapola: 40 Injured, 1 in Critical Condition https://www.newsfirst.lk/2025/03/22/bus-crash-in-warakapola-40-injured-1-in-critical-condition

Bus falls down precipice: seven dead, 20 injured

Seven passengers were killed and 20 were injured when a bus skidded off the road and fell down a precipice at 13th mile post on the Moneragala-Badulla Road at Passara this morning, said the Police https://archives1.dailynews.lk/tags/bus-accident

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Five people have died in separate road accidents reported across the country within the past 24 hours.

Two people, aged 53 and 46, died while two others sustained injuries following a collision between a three-wheeler and a car in Edaduwawa, Peradeniya. Meanwhile, a couple from Paragahakotuwa, died in a motorcycle accident along the Kuliyapitiya-Hettipola road in Kadawalagedara.

In a separate incident, a 58-year-old pottery vendor from Thimbiriwewa, Wariyapola, was fatally struck by a bus in Bambaragammana along the Wariyapola-Puttalam road.  The bus driver has been taken into custody.

https://www.newsfirst.lk/2025/03/31/five-killed-in-road-accidents-within-24-hours

In two previous articles titled, Clean Sri Lanka – cleansing the soul of the country”  (https://www.ft.lk/columns/ Clean-Sri-Lanka-cleansing-the-soul-of-the-country/4-772164), and Buses do not kill; bus drivers do: One dies every 3 hours in road accidents” https://www.ft.lk/columns/Buses-do-not-kill-bus-drivers-do–One-dies-every-3-hours-in-road-accidents/4-773051), the writer drew the attention of readers to the broader concept on Clean Sri Lanka as outlined by President Dissanayake when he stated This endeavour goes beyond merely cleaning up the environment. It aspires to restore the deeply eroded and deteriorated social and environmental fabric of our motherland. We aim to create cleanliness and rejuvenation across all sectors of society” unveiling the Clean Sri Lanka initiative on 1 January 2025

The President mentioned a three-step plan which he stated is much more than a physical cleanliness of the country. It is in fact cleansing the soul of the country and restoring the lost values of society and the country. The Presidents full speech has been reported widely (https://www.ft.lk/top-story/President-promises-new-economic-policy-framework/26-771307https://www.ft.lk/top-story/President-promises-new-economic-policy-framework/26-771307.

The President of the country cannot single handedly lead and manage a huge initiative such as the Clean Sri Lanka project which requires a substantial cultural shift in how people think, and their value system. It is a project that involves or should involve the entire country. While the Clean Sri Lanka website alludes to this, it is not clear as to how this is to be achieved. Tasks and responsibilities should be devolved through discussion and agreement, not just to the political establishment and the government sector but even to the non-government sector including religious institutions. It is important however not to raise expectations too high in the short-term knowing the enormity of challenges that requires a major mindset change that is needed to think differently about what Clean Sri Lanka really means. Raising peoples hopes and aspirations too high in the short term and promising a mountain and delivering a mole hill is inadvisable from a context broader than this project for the President and the government as scepticism about promises could become widespread and undermine good intent.

Unsafe roads and mounting deaths and injuries from road accidents

The article titled Buses do not kill; bus drivers do: One dies every 3 hours in road accidents https://www.ft.lk/columns/Buses-do-not-kill – bus-drivers-do– One-dies-every-3-hours-in-road-accidents/4-773051, highlighted the high road crash fatality and injury rates on Sri Lanka’s roads and how they were  undermining the economic growth of the country.  Better driving and respecting others on the road including pedestrians needs to be seen from the context of what values people hold as they are what will lead to respect and kindness to others. Reckless driving is the opposite of that.

It was pointed out that the estimated annual road crash deaths per capita in Sri Lanka was twice the average rate in high-income countries and five times that of the best performing countries in the world. Available data indicated an average of 38,000 crashes annually which result in around 3,000 fatalities and 8,000 serious injuries.

Sri Lanka has the worst road fatality rate among its immediate neighbours in the South Asia region as reported by the World Bank (Delivering Road Safety in Sri Lanka Leadership Priorities and Initiatives to 2030-International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank 2020 -https://openknowledge. worldbank.org /server/api/core/bitstreams/562748cf-426a-5645-95a2-d1dc2fe0f6d9/content)

Errant drivers, both bus drivers, truck drivers, three-wheel drivers and private vehicle drivers, have made driving and being passengers in vehicles unsafe for them and others on the road. A recent incident where such a driver speeding at more than 160 KM killed a father and mother travelling in the vehicle, leaving three children orphaned illustrates how the mind of some people works and how distant they are from kindness and concern for the safety of others. While the police appear to be checking driving licences, revenue documents and insurance papers, it is not clear whether speeding and errant driving is within the radar of the Police judging by the performance of some drivers of buses, trucks, cars, three wheelers and motor bikes. The question now perhaps is whether the community cares about these, whether officials care about these, whether the Police care about these and whether politicians really care about these pressing issues.

If errant and irresponsible driving continues unabated and the law enforcement officials do not take action to punish such drivers, it may not be long before the patience of a frustrated public who are at the receiving end of such inhuman behaviour wears thin and they take matters into their own hands. Another Aragalaya might be brewing unless firm action is taken to arrest the decline in road safety arising from reckless driving.

Courtesy Adaderana

The Government of Sri Lanka has pledged USD 1 million in humanitarian aid to assist ongoing relief and recovery efforts in Myanmar, in the aftermath of devastating earthquake. 

In addition, preparations are underway to deploy medical teams and provide health sector assistance to support those affected on the ground, said Arun Hemachandra, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.

People of Myanmar has confronted immense hardships due to the devastating earthquake which occurred on March 28, 2025 and according to international media reports of the death toll has exceeded 2,700. 

Furthermore, it has been reported that a large number of individuals are missing while, a large number of individuals who experienced accidents due to the devastation are being hospitalized and treated. 

Accordingly, the Cabinet Spokesperson said today that considering the long term close relationship between the two nations as two Buddhist states, the Cabinet of Ministers has decided to render contribution of Sri Lankan people as follows for providing relief to the Myanmar people: 

• Providing financial assistance of USD One Million 
• The dry rations collected with the guidance of Buddhist Theros to be transported immediately to the Myanmar people with the mediation of the Government. 
• A group of relief services comprised of medical officers and other members of health staff to be stationed on alert for immediate departure to Myanmar at any time.

Courtesy Adaderana

The Cabinet of Ministers has decided to appoint a committee comprised of ministers to submit a report with recommendations to the Cabinet of Ministers related to the decisions taken by the United Kingdom to impose sanctions on 4 Sri Lankan individuals including General Shavendra Silva recently.

Cabinet Spokesman Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said the attention of the Cabinet of Ministers have been drawn on the decisions taken by the UK government to impose sanctions on 4 Sri Lankan individuals recently.

He stated that therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers has decided to appoint a committee comprised of ministers to submit a report with recommendations to the Cabinet of Ministers on the further measures to be taken after studying the facts in the regard and to empower the committee to obtain service of any officer/intellect deemed to have subject expertise in the relevant field and considered essential.

The committee is comprised of ministers with the following composition:

• Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath

• Minister of Justice and National Integrity, Harshana Nanayakkara 

• Deputy Minister of Defence, Aruna Jayasekara 

Colombo Today

Aruna Laksiri Unawatuna B.Sc(Col), PGDC(Col), AAL, Coordinator, Dr. Thilaka Padma Subasinghe Memorial Legal Education Program

Some people have forgotten that a President said at the opening of the New Court Complex in Galle that there is an error in the 19th Amendment to the Constitution brought in 2015 regarding  the presidential and parliamentary terms of office and that it was due to an oversight by a certain legal expert and that he would apologize to the people for it.

Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe, other judges and government officials were seated in that audience.

Also, the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution Bill has been gazetted and published on 18th of July  2024
under Article 78 of the Constitution with the approval of the Attorney General to correct the error in the Constitution.

The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution Bill seeks to correct the error in Article 83 of the Constitution as follows.

“Article 83 of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is hereby amended in paragraph (b)
thereof, by the substitution for the words “to over six years,”, of the words “to over five years,”

Accordingly, it is clear that the term of office of President Anura Dissanayake and the Malima Parliament is 6 years and has not been correctly amended to 5 years.

Because when a Constitution Amendment Bill was gazetted under Article 78 of the Constitution, it (Bill) was also the opinion of the Attorney General.

Accordingly, the position of the Attorney General is that there is an error in Article 83 of the current Constitution and it should be corrected.

The Attorney General noticed the error in Article 83 of the Constitution after several citizens filed cases in the Supreme Court about this error and paid lakhs of ruppess as court fees for it.

Translation of the Article
19වන ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථා සංශෝධනයේ වරදක් නිවැරදි කිරීමට ගැසට් කළ 22 ජනතාවගෙන් සඟවන්නේ අනුර ජනාධිපතිගේ සහ “මාළිමා” පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ ධූර කාල වසර 6ක් වන නිසාද?

http://neethiyalk.blogspot.com/2025/04/19-22-6.html?m=1

http://neethiyalk.blogspot.com/2025/04/is-gazetted-22-to-correct-error-in-19th.html?m=1

Aruna Laksiri Unawatuna B.Sc(Col), PGDC(Col), AAL, Coordinator, Dr. Thilaka Padma Subasinghe Memorial Legal Education Program. (2025.03.31)

නීතීඥ අරුණ ලක්සිරි උණවටුන B.Sc(Col), PGDC(Col) සමායෝජක, වෛද්‍ය තිලක පද්මා සුබසිංහ අනුස්මරණ නීති අධ්‍යයන වැඩසටහන.

19වන ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථා සංශෝධනයේ වරදක් නිවැරදි කිරීමට ගැසට් කළ “22” ජනතාවගෙන් සඟවන්නේ අනුර ජනාධිපතිගේ සහ “මාළිමා” පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ ධූර කාල වසර 6ක් වන නිසාද?

2015 දී ගෙනා 19වන ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථා සංශෝධනයේ ජනාධිපති සහ පාර්ලිමේන්තු ධූරකාලයේ දෝෂයක් පවතින හෙයින් එය එක්තරා නීති විශාරදයකුගේ අතපසුවීමක් බවත් එයට ජනතාවගෙන් සමාව ගන්නා බවත් ගාල්ල අලුත් අධිකරණ සංකීර්ණය විවෘත කරන අවස්ථාවේ ජනාධිපතිවරයෙකු පැවසුවා සමහරුන්ට අමතක වී ඇත.

ඒ වේදිකාවේ ජයන්ත ජයසූරිය අගවිනිසුරුද, පාරින්ද රණසිංහ නීතිපතිද, තවත් විනිසුරුවරුන්ද, රාජ්‍ය නිලධාරීන්ද අසුන්ගෙන සිටියේය.

එසේම ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ පවතින ඒ වැරැද්ද නිවැරදි කිරීමට නීතිපතිගේ අනුමැතියෙන් ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 78 වන ව්‍යවස්ථාව යටතේ 22වන ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථා සංශෝධන පනත් කෙටුම්පතද මේ වන විට 2024.07.18 දින නිකුත් කළ ගැසට් පත්‍රයේ පළ කර ඇත.

22වන ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථා සංශෝධන පනත් කෙටුම්පත මගින් ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 83 වන ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ පවතින වැරැද්ද නිවැරදි කිරීමට ක්‍රියා ඇත්තේ මෙසේය.

ශ්‍රී ලංකා ප්‍රජාතාන්ත්‍රික සමාජවාදී ජනරජයේ ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 83 වන ව්‍යවස්ථාව, ඒ ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ (ආ) ඡේදයේ” ධූර කාලය සාවුරුද්දක් ඉක්මවා දීර්ඝ කරන්නා වූ නැතහොත් පාර්ලිමේන්තුව පවත්නා කාලය සාවුරුද්දක් ඉක්මවා” යන වචන වෙනුවට “ධූර කාලය පස් අවුරුද්දක් ඉක්මවා දීර්ඝ කරන්නා වූ නැතහොත් පාර්ලිමේන්තුව පවත්නා කාලය පස් අවුරුද්දක් ඉක්මවා” යන වචන ආදේශ කිරීමෙන් මෙයින් සංශෝධනය කරනු ලැබේ.

ඒ අනුව පැහැදිලි වන්නේ අනුර දිසානායක ජනාධිපතිගේ සහ මාළිමා පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ ධූර කාලය වසර 6ක් බවත් එය නිවැරදිව වසර 5ක් වී නැති බවයි.

මන්ද යත් ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 78වන ව්‍යවස්ථාව යටතේ ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථා සංශෝධන පනත් කෙටුම්පතක් ගැසට් කළ අවස්ථාවක එය නීතිපතිගේ මතයද වේ.

ඒ අනුව වත්මන් ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 83වන ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ දෝෂයක් පවතින බවත් එය නිවැරදි විය යුතුය යන්න නීතිපතිගේ ස්ථාවරයයි.

ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ පවතින 83වන ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ වැරැද්ද නීතිපතිට පෙනුනේ මේ වැරැද්ද ගැන පුරවැසියන් කිහිප දෙනෙකු ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨාධිකරණයේ නඩු පවරා ඒ වෙනුවෙන් ලකෂ ගණනින් නඩු ගාස්තු ගෙවීමෙන් පසුය.

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නීතීඥ අරුණ ලක්සිරි උණවටුන B.Sc(Col), PGDC(Col) සමායෝජක, වෛද්‍ය තිලක පද්මා සුබසිංහ අනුස්මරණ නීති අධ්‍යයන වැඩසටහන. දුරකථන 0712063394 (2025.03.31)

by A. Abdul Aziz Sri Lanka Correspondent, Al Hakam, London.

(Given below is an excerpt of the Eid-ul-Fitr Sermon delivered at Mubarak Mosque, Islamabad, Tilford, UK, by Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Supreme Head of the world-wide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Islam, on 31 March, 2025, gave a discourse on True Eid lies in continuing good deeds and sustaining Ramadan’s virtues:

A large gathering of Ahmadis – men, women, and children – assembled in Islamabad to offer Eid-ul-Fitr 2025 prayer behind their beloved Imam, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (Khalifatul Masih V) and to listen to his sermon.  

Following the Eid prayer, Ahmadiyya Khalifa recited first Arabic part of the Sermon and First Chapter of Holy Quran and said:

After Ramadan concluded we are celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr – a day of joy. This joy stems from the good deeds we performed during Ramadan and the commitments we made and renewed to continue on the path of righteousness.    

However, Eid is not merely a day of celebration; it is also a day of reaffirming our pledge to uphold and sustain the virtuous practices we observed throughout Ramadan. Only then will this truly be an Eid in its fullest and most meaningful sense.”

Ahmadiyya Khalifa (may Allah be his Helper) explained that a true believer is the one whom the Promised Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, peace be upon him, described as someone who remains steadfast in righteousness, resolving to continue performing good deeds and abstaining from evil. Merely refraining from wrongdoing is not true piety; rather, the essence of righteousness lies in the consistent practice of virtue. Hence, on this blessed day of Eid, we reaffirm our commitment to uphold the lessons we learned during Ramadan. We pledge to continue fulfilling the obligations of serving humanity (huquq-ul-ibad) just as we did throughout the month of fasting. And it is in the joy of making this solemn commitment that we celebrate this day of Eid.

Ahmadiyya Khalifa said, This Eid thus serves as an opportunity to remind us of our commitments.” He said therefore, we should not spend this day merely in play, amusement, and wearing new clothes. Rather, we must reflect on the lesson that Eid brings for us – that we must continue practicing righteousness. We must fulfil both our duties to Allah the Almighty and our obligations towards His creation.

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

Today, we must make this pledge, for it is this very commitment that has brought us together here on the day of Eid. We have gathered to reaffirm our dedication, just as we do every Eid. The steps we took towards righteousness during Ramadan must now continue to advance even further. It is in this spirit that we are assembled here today – both to pray and to rejoice.

Wearing new clothes or enjoying good food is not the true essence of joy. Rather, real happiness lies in renewing our resolve to uphold the good deeds that Allah the Almighty enabled us to perform. Our joy will only be genuine if we remain steadfast in this commitment. Our true Eid will be when we sustain these virtues, continuously progressing forward in righteousness, in accordance with our abilities.”

His Holiness continued to say, if we fail to uphold this commitment, then the joy we experience today on Eid will be merely fleeting, leaving no lasting impact on our spiritual lives. Eating, drinking, and simply going through life hold no real significance – for even worldly people live in the same manner, and even animals fulfill these basic needs. Such things are not worthy of mention; true significance lies in sustaining the righteousness we cultivated during Ramadan.

A believer – and a true Ahmadi – benefits only when they undergo a pure transformation within themselves and firmly resolve to make these righteous changes a permanent part of their lives. Otherwise, there will be no difference between an Ahmadi and a non-Ahmadi, Ahmadiyya Khalifa added.

Ahmadiyya Founder Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad The Promised Messiahstated: 

If no transformation is taking place within you, then what distinguishes you from others? In such a case, you are committing a double sin: first, the sin of breaking your pledge, and second, the sin of failing to reform yourself.”

Therefore, on this day, we must reflect on whether we truly find ourselves prepared to fulfill this commitment. Are we sincerely striving to uphold the promises we have made to Allah the Almighty?    

Ahmadiyya Khalifa explained in detail on this topic and continued to say, that, If we have truly gained something from this experience [of Ramadan], then it should lead us to develop a deep connection with God. The real expression of celebrating Eid with true joy lies in the recognition that we have indeed attained this nearness to Him.” 

The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said that Allah the Almighty experiences immense joy when His servants walk on the path of righteousness. He gave the example of a man who loses his laden camel in the desert. After tirelessly searching for it, he finally gives up, exhausted, and lies down to rest. In this state of despair, he falls asleep. Upon waking, he finds his camel standing right before him. The happiness he feels in that moment is immense. Yet, Allah the Almighty experiences even greater joy when His servant turns back to Him in repentance and strives to attain His nearness.    

Similarly, the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, also stated that just as a mother rejoices upon finding her lost child, Allah the Almighty is overjoyed when a person returns to Him.    

Ahmadiyya Supreme Head highlighted that during Ramadan, those among us who sincerely strove to please Allah and sought to attain Him will continue to receive His grace and blessings, as He has promised.    

Thus, our celebration of Eid should be accompanied by the reflection that during Ramadan, we abstained from many evils and adopted virtues, humbling ourselves in complete devotion to Allah. The true Eid for us was the day we sought refuge in Him. 

His Holiness said that today, in accordance with His command, we are celebrating this joy collectively. However, if a spark of divine love is ignited in a person’s heart through sincere repentance, it will expand into a radiant light, illuminating the heart and protecting one from sin. Gradually, all of their actions and deeds will be carried out solely for the pleasure of Allah. When a person reaches this state, their surroundings are also positively affected – their spouse, children, and those around them benefit. This, in turn, fosters a peaceful and spiritually uplifting environment. And this is precisely the purpose of human creation as defined by Allah the Almighty.    

May Allah enable us to fulfil this purpose. May we become those who establish prayer with sincerity.

Let us continue to pray for all Ahmadis, that Allah may envelop them in His grace. There are many Ahmadis across the world who are suffering unjust persecution, such as in Pakistan, where they are deprived even of their right to offer Eid prayers freely. May Allah grant them the opportunity to experience true Eid, allowing them both to develop a closer relationship with Him and to celebrate outwardly in peace. May He enable them to worship freely and fulfil the rights of others. May they continue to attract His blessings. Many Ahmadis, out of fear, were forced to change their prayer locations and schedules for Eid today. In some places, such as Karachi, Ahmadis were even prevented from offering prayers. Rather than stopping the aggressors, authorities instead locked our mosques. May Allah swiftly hold such opponents accountable.    

Let us pray for the children of martyrs, that Allah may strengthen their faith and continue granting them the blessings earned by their forebears’ sacrifices.    

Ahmadiyya Supreme Head also drew Ahmadis attention to remember the wider Muslim Ummah (community) in our prayers. They are currently facing great hardships, as the forces of falsehood are exerting all their power to harm them. However, many Muslims themselves are weak in faith. May Allah strengthen their faith so they may escape these forces of Dajjal. The only true solution for them is to turn towards Allah. May He grant them the wisdom to recognise and accept the Promised Messiah, peace be on him, whom He has sent in this era, so that they may attain true happiness.

Towards the end, Ahmadiyya Khalifa led the congregation in silent prayer, then conveyed ‘Eid Mubarak’ to Ahmadis across the world.

Manuka Wijesinghe.

It has been said that the great emperor Ashoka, seeing the immense bloodshed he had caused in the battle of Kalinga, filled with great remorse had introduced a new public policy; Ahimsa; ‘do no harm to living beings.’

Ahimsa was inspired by the idea that all living beings, possessing the spark of divine energy should not be harmed. Ahimsa is the seed that gave birth to the Jainism. On the other hand, we have been taught that the emperor Ashoka, filled with compassion after Kalinga, had converted to Buddhism and sent missionaries to surrounding kingdoms in order to spread the idea of ahimsa; non-violence.

It is immaterial if Ashoka was a Jain or a Buddhist, for ‘Ahimsa’ is noble and the foundation upon which the greatest pacifist religious philosophies of Jainism and Buddhism were built.

Yet, let us consider another angle. What if emperor Ashoka had adopted the policy of non-violence, not due to compassion but so as to make passive the neighboring kingdoms, so none would take revenge upon him? Or wage war against him?

Despite reason of motivation, Ahimsa was a noble decree. If not; history’s noblest. For two thousand years Ahimsa had been our Asian moral code. Even the many satyagrahas or passive resistance, with which Gandhi resisted the British empire were guided by the principle of Ahimsa.

Ahimsa is the first of Buddhism’s five precepts and it was the codex of the non-aligned movement, which was built upon the idea of Pancasila; the five precepts of Buddhism. These precepts, applied to geo-politics was understood as – Mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, Mutual non-aggression, Mutual non-interference in domestic affairs, Equality and mutual benefit and Peaceful co-existence.

These were the five cardinal features of the non-aligned movement founded in Bandung, Indonesia, by the Muslim head of the Indonesian state, President Sukarno, who insisted that ‘ahimsa’ should be the binding that held the non-aligned nations together.

The non-aligned movement was born, not immediately after the great war, but during the Cold War when it was evident that the west, unlike emperor Ashoka, was filled neither with remorse nor compassion, but continued to proliferate their military industrial complex; killing machines, in a new and imagined state of Cold War. And, into its black hole of Soviet bashing, idealism killing, lies, hate, propaganda and avarice, the third world was expected to gravitate.

The non-aligned movement was the grid that prevented this gravitational pull.

Unlike Asia and other third world nations, Europe has been a slaughter house for most of history. The United States has been a slaughter house, even in pre-history. But, after the second world war, when Europe was broke, its youth killed and crippled and Britain and its western alliances had won the war, not for their moral goodness, but for the superiority of their weapons and the sacrifice of human pawns, conscripted from the colonies and slaughtered in millions, for a war that had been caused by the most enlightened and industrialized of western nations; Germany, belatedly satiating its desire for colonial expansion, Lebensraum; living space, only then, when the Germans began moving east did Allies declare a war. Not because Hitler did anything extraordinary, for what he did was what the British, Belgians, French and Dutch had been doing in the colonies for most of modern history, but he was a contender in the colonial gambit. He had to be stopped before he conquered the vast terrain of natural resources in the Soviet homelands. He was stopped, not by the Allies but by the ten million Soviets who laid down their lives for Allied victory.   

When the second world war ended the colonies had come of age. Furthermore, the colonial powers had reached their financial limits and could no longer execute direct influence in the colonies. Then, upon an idea of the US president, the United Nations (UN) was established for the purpose of preventing future wars. The UN charter required that member states maintain international peace and security, uphold international law, achieve higher standards of living for citizens and maintain human rights and fundamental freedom for all without distinction.

The member states had long realized that the achievement of higher living standards for citizens could be won, only with decolonization. Hence, in 1960, the UN general assembly passed Resolution 1514(XV), declaring the granting of Independence to colonial countries and people. Former subjects were about to get the same rights as their masters. ‘Equal rights and the self determination of people’ was the modern world’s Ahimsa.

But, was its intent the same?

It was not. Deceiving the recently independent nations with democratic and equal rights rhetoric, the west continued to do what they always did; siphon the wealth of nations though privately owned foreign companies and corrupt native elites. Along with it, their modus operandi, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) began the weaponization of religion.

The United Nations had a noble charter, but even its General Secretary’s hands were tied by its western veto powers. While the first general director paid lip service to the charter, its second general director, Dag Hammarskjöld, opposing the will of the imperial powers attempted to ensure the correct and just decolonization procedure so that new nations would have the fiscal reserves to survive.

In the bitter battle that erupted in Congo, when former imperialists sabotaged a legitimate election, refused to cede the most lucrative copper and cobalt mines and had its elected leader, Patrice Lumumba kidnapped and killed, Dag Hammarskjöld did everything contained in the UN charter to enable the peaceful birth of the new republic of Congo. For that, he was killed. (1)

Dag Hammarskjöld’s murder was the proof that the colonial game, despite the United Nations had not ended. The western veto powers were stronger than the united voice of the third world nations. And their fine words, Democracy, human rights and equality to all races; mere sophistry.

Is the west inherently evil?   

By 1977, with the beginning of our neo-liberal adventure, many of the founders of the non- aligned movement had been deposed by militaries funded and trained by the CIA. And our own mother of non-alignement, Sirimavo, was about to be removed of her civic rights.

Yet, had Ceylon been spared?

Five years after the first non-aligned summit in Bandung, Indonesia, in 1959, we lost a Prime Minister to an assassin’s bullet. This Prime Minister, in contrast to his predecessors was a Socialist. Coincidentally, it was the fear of Communism and its milder version of Socialism against which the United States built its military industrial complex, under the pretext of the Cold War, began the funding of clandestine CIA operations such as the USAID, the Asia Foundation and many more. Their intention was that social equality, which is enshrined in Communist theory, should never prevail. And the best weapon to oppose it was the weaponization of religion.

In this context, let us consider, if Ven. Talduwa Somarama, the monk who assassinated the Prime Ministers. Had truly abandoned Ahimsa or had he merely been weaponized, as Buddhist monks had been, in South East Asia, during the Cold War? (2) 

Would a Buddhist monk have abandoned ahimsa, merely because the Prime Minister wanted to give parity of language to the Tamil regions?   In 1959, had language been a reason to kill? And if, who would have manipulated a monk’s mind that he would desecrate the very foundation upon which the Buddha’s dharma had been constructed? The order into which he had been ordained since the young age of fourteen. Would such a man kill a man at the age of 46? Would he so desecrate Buddhism, when the foundation of his very existence was Ahimsa? Or had he been indoctrinated and instigated in the cold war weaponization of Buddhism?

The famous Buddha Jayanthi of 1956, which manifested a birthdate for the Buddha, did not manifest from astrologers or soothsayers born in India or Ceylon. That birthdate was concocted by the CIA funded Asia foundation. (3) CIA and its operations were aimed at undermining traditional society. Its weaponization of religion frayed people and faiths which had coexisted amicably in mutual respect and reverence. The Buddha Jayanti created racial disharmony and a belligerent monkhood to whom chauvinistic nationalism was of greater importance than ahimsa.

Or, was Talduwa Somarama indoctrinated through his close association to Ven. Buddharakhita, the chief incumbent of the Kelaniya temple, whose main functionaries were pro American political actors of Ceylon’s United National Party?

A village monk, how much did Talduwa Somarama know of geo politics? Would he have killed a Prime Minister for an issue such as the parity of language for minorities when the Prime Minister had done something far greater for us? SWRD Bandaranaike had rid the British from their naval base in Trincomalee and returned the Trincomalee harbour back us. Could it not be perceived that the monk had been used as a pawn in a perceived threat of Socialism in Ceylon?

That what cannot be denied is that when the Buddhist monks, including Talduwa Somarama were assembled at Rosmead place, the Prime Minister’s residence, the last person to have seen the Prime Minister had been Bernhard Gufler; the US ambassador. Gufler had worked as a career officer for the US foreign service and after the second world war been instrumental in the winning over of Nazi Prisoners of War to serve American and European (Allied) interests in Europe and East Germany. He arrived in Ceylon, shortly after SWRD’s victory, when it was perceived that Ceylon, under the new Prime Minister was turning left. Gufler was no ordinary ambassador, he was an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary. In other words, an officer of the highest rank, clearly on a special mission. As ambassador James J. Lowenstein, in his interview with ambassador Dennis Kux describes his time in Ceylon, when he was just a political officer,

‘Ambassador Lampton Berry rarely came to office and was replaced by a career officer by the name of Bernhard Gufler, a German expert but had been the deputy commissioner of the mission before. He knew everybody in the place. He knew the country well.’

‘He (Gufler) had begun life in the foreign service. He was one of the people who were originally trained in Russian…..’

‘I went with Gufler to the Prime Minister as a note taker When I got there he said, ´´I don’t think I will take a note taker, stay in the car and wait for me.’’. He went in and came out and we left Bandaranaike’s house. As we drove out, there was a popping sound. When we got back to the embassy a friend from British mission, who was their intelligence said to me, ‘Chap’s been shot’. I said, ‘what chap?’. He said, ‘The PM old boy’. I said, ‘Really, that’s impossible, we just saw him’. ‘Well’, he said, ‘He was shot right after you saw him.’ And indeed, he was. I think Gufler was the last person who saw him alive, I can’t imagine anybody else could have gotten in there between Gufler’s departure and the time of that shot. ‘

Had SWRD’s murder been an American and British plan of action?

On answering the question as to what the US’ issues were in Ceylon. Löwenstein states,

‘I would say benign neglect. The issues were cold war issues. Chinese presence. Chinese and Russian economic and political penetration, the cultural wars, non-alignment’

It was believed that the death of the Prime Minister would hail the UNP back to power, the UNP members who SWRD called ‘Black Englishmen’. But, contrary to expectation SWRD’s widow became the new Prime Minister.  She may have faulted in leadership, but she did not return Trincomalee to the former colonial masters nor did she distance herself from non-alignment. Her loyalty to non- alignment’s charter ensured that India did not intervene in our local issues, despite local unrest. We were trusted and respected neighbours.   

But, seven years later, one of SWRD’s ‘white Englishmen’ won the election. JR Jayawardane. His nickname was Yankee Dickey. With no hesitation, JR began to destroyed that what an independent post-colonial nation had worked hard to achieve and to sustain; national sovereignty with mutual friendship with bordering countries.

Firstly, he handed Trincomalee to a US proxy; a Singaporean company.

Then he allowed for the operation of the voice of America in Sri Lanka.

Then, in utmost secrecy, in 1978, just a few months following his victory, he sent his finance minister Ronnie de Mel to Washington, USA, to hammer the first nail on the coffin of non-alignment.

In Memorandum of Conversation 482; Sri Lanka’s finance Minster’s call on the secretary;

‘De Mel sates that Jayawardane’s government has adopted a pragmatic and practical policy in many areas and the time had now come for it to be more practical and pragmatic in its foreign policy. It has studied with great care, president Carter’s State of the Union message. Particularly the reference to the US’ desire to cooperate with States of South Asian region’

Furthermore he states, While Sri Lanka would remained basically non-aligned it now wished to play a different role in the area…..It could play a useful role in working out some form of consultative process amongst them in the face of Soviet aggression…..

There was no such thing as basically non-aligned. Either one was non-aligned or not. And, Sri Lanka, was not facing, either in 1978 or in the years before, any kind of Soviet aggression. The Soviets had always assisted us in education, culture, commerce and industry. 

De Mel’s words as communicated by the foreign office states, President Jayawardane was prepared to take the initiative and that Sri Lanka was prepared to be responsive to Carter’s State of the Union address regarding the United States ‘’pursuing the possibility of gaining access to military facilities in the region in times of trouble’’ and in the event of open confrontation Sri Lanka would have ‘Only one friend, the United States.

That was an outright betrayal non-alignment. Yet, it does not end there.  

JR’s Sri Lanka was prepared to give the US access to naval and other facilities.

And finally, special emphasis was laid on the importace that the offer be kept secret. For a leak cold be damaging to the JR Jayawardane government.

JR’s betrayal damaged, not the government, but the nation and its people forever.

Paddy lands were confiscated and made into free trade zones. These zones had no labour movements, worker rights nor compensation for physical injury.  We became Asia’s Chile for in 1973, the Chilean Prime Minister Salvador Allende was assassinated by the CIA so that the United States could execute its Neo-Liberal agenda. It was a reign of terror with disappearances and torture, made possible by the military junta, with whom US and Chilean elite economists, executing the neo-liberal plan collaborated. They were known as the Chicago boys.

Was the purpose of Ronnie de Mel’s visit to Washington so that JR could implement the same Neo-Liberal agenda in our country? Was he preparing for a reign of terror too?

Yet, would we take it lightly if we were told that our government was building up its military arsenal against us? We would not. But what they planned could be done, through deception, by making us believe that the Tamil minority was preparing to create a separate Tamil state on our island.

And that is what the JR’s government did. They created ethnic conflict.

For the spread of lies and ethnic hatred, the Voice of America and the recently founded television stations proved its worth. Thus, ethnic harmony was shredded apart for the fruition of the Neo-Liberal plan; privatization, deregulation and the transfer of assets and control from the government sector to the private. Into the hands of JR’s clique; the neophyte Sinhala Buddhists who would achieve their objectives through the murder and the forced migration of our traditional urban traders; the Tamil trading communities.

The Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) was brought into being in 1979. Military medals and decorations created in 1981. A military Junta was being born, recruited only from Sinhala youth, who were indoctrinated into believing that Tamils, with whom we had shared this island since the birth of time, were our enemies. And had to be killed.

JR bragged a Dharmishta society. But it had no ahimsa. 

When the Colombo blew up in flames, JR’s goons and thugs, who were brought in by Sri Lanka transport board vehicles, burned Colombo with election lists in their hands. They knew which homes, shops, factories, stores and restaurants was Tamil owned and which were not. The burned, only those that were Tamil.

Our civil war no accident. It was not because 13 soldiers had been killed. It was planned.

When a friend of mine questioned the director of the Indian Research and Analysis wing (RAW) as to why India supported Tamil terrorism. His answer was, ‘Because your President aligned himself to the USA.’

When JR betrayed non-alignment, he created a volcano which has been erupting since fifty years. And our religion, born from the compassion of Mahavira and the Buddha, lost ahimsa.

By the time his war ended 100,000 civilians, 50 thousand fighters, 27,000 thousand cadres, 28,000 army personnel, 1000 policemen, and 60,000 suspected subverts captured, killed and disappeared. Satya; truth, was elusive, for the PTA act had no transparency, no justice and no law.

Neo Liberalism has turned inwards – it is killing its children

Now, having destroyed a multitude of sovereign nations for a Neo-Liberal agenda, while propagating an apparition called Democracy, neo- liberalism has now turned inwards and begun the destruction of the human future. Its children.

This is the religion of gender ideology. Gender ideology is not science, it is a religious cult spread through the fanatical fervour of privately funded Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) in the pockets of the American financial institutions and the super rich. This ideology is nudging children towards the delusional belief that sexual identity is like a yo-yo and could be changed at whim, through medical intervention.

I have written about it, in an essay titled ‘Live not by lives’, which was intended, not for those who have decided to undergo sexual transition as adults, but for parents who are too gullible as to not realize that this ideology has nothing to do with human rights advocacy, but is a crime against the child.

‘Live Not by Lies’ was met with abuse and anger. I have lost friends and have been condemned as a white Christian, although I am neither for merely declaring that the human species has two distinct genders. Most of us have eyes to see and a brain to think. Indeed, there is the rare hermaphrodite, but that is caused by natural privation, not because nature decided to have a third sex.

Parents are losing fast against this ideology for most online platforms, peer pressure and well-funded NGO crusaders, such as the USAID, the EU, the Family planning and Psychiatric Associations are crusading for the transitioning of children. Gender fluidity is not a natural compulsion, it is a digitally advocated surrealist ideology. It could belong to a Dali painting or a science fiction movie, but it is not reality. And when made reality, is accompanied with incredible pain and harm. It is a dangerous fad that inevitably leads to puberty blockers, cross sex hormones, mastectomies, castration, cosmetic surgeries and finally, to a life of pain killer and anti-depressants and sterility.

In our country, a mother’s movement is striving to bring awareness. And indeed, as expected, they are being denounced. No man is unflawed. None of these mothers claim to be unflawed, but they have gathered, from many walks of life, as mothers, in the effort to inform the general public about the harm done to our children with the fallacies being taught in schools, under the subject of sex education. Today’s sex education claims that the human species has more than two sexes and sex is not designed at birth. But by choice. And a child has the freedom to make that choice.

But what is a price of that freedom of choice?

We need to practice ‘ahimsa’ towards our children.

But those who dare to speak are targeted as homophobes and anti-gays. They are not anti-gay; they merely want to protect children. Homosexuality has been accepted in our society and some of the most creative and artistic people are of the gay community. No one are against them, on the contrary they are loved, respected and even adulated; for their brilliance, wit and creativity.

That what is happening with the gender ideology is an insult to homosexuality too. That they too are being nudged, no longer to be happy about loving a person of the same sex, but to transition his physical form so as to become a medically and surgically manipulated trans male or a trans woman.

Again, an adult has the capacity to reason and apply that reason to the decisions he or she makes. If he decides for a life of a transgender, it is the choice he has made after receiving the necessary information regarding causal effects of his decision. A minor does not belong to this category. A minor (mostly under 18 years of age) is legally incompetent and unable to enter contracts and handle his own affairs. Hence, unfit to make life changing decisions for not comprehending the consequences of his decisions. We have a duty to protect them.

The youth who are leaning towards transitioning know no history, no medicine nor the debilitating consequences of medical intervention.  They live in a world of science fiction, especially accentuated in the years of Covid policy and lock downs. These policies, ordered by the WHO and implemented by sovereign nations, disassociated children from friends, peers, families, activities, play and sports. Instead of calming them, policies pushed them towards computer screens where tech companies highlighted their fears, heightened their depression and nudged them towards digital platforms advocating trans gender ideologies as a way out of lock down misery.

Covid policy was a crime against everyman, but those who suffered the most were children. Their world ceased to be real and was made surreal. Their lives ceased to be based on empirical reality, instead; digital reality. Thereby, they lost touch with their parents and elders.

It was no accident. It was deliberate, orchestrated and planned. To create a generation of miserable and fearful children, susceptible to all the temptations of the medical industrial complex.

Such evil ideologies never came from the east. We are the regions that have born and cultivated ahimsa. But, since our economic deprivation we are forced, not only to take the west’s monies but to adopt their ideologies too. A Colombo 7 kid recently said to me, ‘gender ideology is good, it represents the rights of those who are stoned in our country for being gay’.

This kid goes to an international school, does not speak his parent’s mother tongue, orders Uber food instead of dining with family and spends his holidays in boutique and 5-star hotels and abroad. How would he know any normal man in this country, leave alone who is being stoned or lynched for being gay? This kid is disassociated from reality. He does not know that homosexuality was not considered a deprivation in our countries (we are not the prudish Chistian west) but an attribute. In a country that is still in awe of the arts, the gay community has been our finest artists. Furthermore, the occasional transvestite parties were places many loved to attend. They were lively, happy and carefree. While parenthood filled one with the burden of duty, gayness preserved the filigran beauty of the human creation.

Again, my argument is not brandishing adults who make informed choices, but children. How many of us have not, in school days, not been attracted to the same sex? What we used to call a crush? Like we got into it, we got out of it. Some of us became straight, a few gay. And some of us, despite early crushes, became parents and continued the species. And those crushes, happy memories of the age of childhood.

Today, there is no more age of childhood.

A child with a crush on another child of the same sex, before confiding in a parent or a friend, he checks out on internet what it means to have a crush on the same sex. Algorithms direct him to platforms which nudges him or her to think, that he could be gender fluid. That biological sex does not count. That the X and Y chromosome, the depositors of biological sex, is a lie. He is already self-diagnosed before being sent to a therapist. And then therapist then continues the charade. Parents are rendered helpless.

Biology does count. The whole edifice of gender theory is based on the fabricated research of a man named John Money whose own psychological trauma dealing with a violent father made him hate the male sex. He performed the castration of male babies when they could have lived lives as homosexuals or even straight, with a prescription of hormones that activated the pituitary gland in cases of retarded primary genitalia. John Money, the lore of Gender Theory and its dire consequences leading to the suicide and death of healthy children can be read and understood in John Colapinto’s book, ‘As nature made him.’  

What are we doing to our children? Are we removing them of agency? Are we no longer raising them through storytelling, play acting and reading so they may discern between reality and fantasy. Wherever I speak to the young, they are all in the trap of therapy. These kids are not mentally diseases, they are ordinary children whose anxieties are normal.

Recently I met a child whose anxiety had risen shorty before an exam. The parents, instead of descending from their high horse of parental ambition and placating the child, send the child to therapist. Thus, indicating to the child, that his natural instinct is a state of disease. Kids do not need therapists, they need play.

The therapist is dependent on an imagined diseased state of mind for his income. In the case of this child, he recommended psychiatric consultation which led to the prescription of brain altering, addictive psychiatric drugs. Drugs were followed by further therapy. Exams have always stressed children. Parents of yester year, instead of creating disease out of a natural state, encouraged children to go out and play and to do what kids usually did. This was the best stress remover. The child did not lose his agency, but created within him the power to overcome stressful situations. That was the first lesson of endurance.

Or, a child goes to a foreign university and has difficulty finding friends. He calls his parents saying he has no friends The parents, instead of urging him to join some kind of activity group, where he could meet likeminded, recommends therapy. If everything in life has been digitized and reduced, that what has done a reverse turn has been psychiatric diagnosis.

Psychiatric disease are not pathologies, they are inventions.  The DSM, or the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is not science, it is fiction. There, everything we once considered to be normal has now been categorized as disease. Shyness, introversion, apprehension, anxiousness, melancholia, loneliness. These are not fixed states, they are like the ebb and flow of the tides, normal and fluctuating sentiments, now considered psychiatric disorders. That poor child who just left an Asian family to go to a Canadian university, for the inability to make immediate friends is diagnosed as having social anxiety disorder, limited exposure to situations conductive to meeting people disorder and low self-esteem disorder. And since the child is now at the receiving end of drugs, his personality is bound to change and in little time would be diagnosed as a schizoid personality and prescribed even more detrimental psychiatric drugs. The chances that this child would return to his former self, is slim.

No one who goes to a foreign country makes friends immediately. Friendship requires time, effort and above all; will. Parental recommendation of therapy instead of joining a club or an activity group in which the child may participate is a supreme indication of their incompetence and the ease with which they transfer a child’s agency to a complete stranger.

Strangers do not know children, parents do.    

As Thomas Zsasz, the Hungarian American psychiatrist says, ‘The mental health apparatus of today is a gigantic apparatus of molestation. And its greatest victims are children.’

Do parents have no more influence on their children, are they no longer a child’s guide or seers? Have they been so disempowered by the digital revolution that they are unable to recollect the wisdom they received from mothers and grandmothers?

What is a woman? A woman is not just a birthing person as inclusive language (language of gender ideology) claims. A mother is far more; she is infinite. For us in the east, born into a heritage of ancient Vedic and puranic wisdom, creation occurs due to the moon’s interaction with the sun. The sun, while it is a symbol of male activity, the moon represents the mind, emotion, calm and intuition; the feminine principle.

The feminine principle is the seed that gives life to the male principle.

This feminine principle is, in the puranas, known as Jyoti; light.

She is none other than the supreme feminine goddess, Parvati, sitting in the middle of the Jyotilingam surrounded by the 7 rishis; the saptarishis or the seven seers. As Parashara, the author of Hora shastra; the science of Vedic astrology says, ‘each Rishi represents the energy of the 7 planets; Its intelligence and its rasa.’ Rasa is not merely taste, it is an essential life defining attribute. And Paravati, the divine mother is called Jyoti or light, for she absorbs the light of the seven Rishis. Jyoti in her maternal form is Saraswati. ‘Sa’, meaning all, ‘Rasa’, meaning quality and ‘Wati’, the possessor of the divine rasa.

That is the mother. And it is the rasa she receives from the Saptarishis she gives to her child through her nadi; pulse. 

The mother is light. She is the light which dispels darkness. In a mother, agni burns and it is its light that she emanates from her right eye as dharma, from the left as compassion, while her third eye, the ajna, is rooted in satya; truth.

She knows if her child is a girl or a boy. And when in doubt, she has the ability to dispel the darkness of doubt. That is ahimsa. A mother must accept responsibility. She must know that our ancient wisdom has, the many clues to a child’s distress. It is sometimes easily explained through the movements of the planets. One only needs to wait for them to pass, as distress is likely to pass.

The Cyberspace that controls and grabs children is a maze created and controlled by those to whom the confusion, mutilation and the sterility of children are of material advantage. To whom it brings profit. ‘Follow the trail of money’ says the journalist Jennifer Bilek in her book, ‘Transsexual, Transgender, Transhuman’.

Instead of falling into the hollow rhetoric of social justice, one must, if one’s intent is saving the life of children, seek truth. Truth is not contained cyberspace. Cyberspace that that what is controlled by algorithms developed for maximum profit. It is a space that denounces those who do not sway from truth as right-wing extremists, religious fanatics and Nazis. Saving a child from the injuries he causes to himself for he is just too young to know is not right-wing extremism. That is ahimsa. Do no harm.

The history of medicine has two theories. Miasma and Germ theory. Miasma theory is that of fortifying the immune system through nutrition while reducing the body from exposure to toxins. Germ theory blames microbial pathogens to be the cause of disease and creates poisons to kill it. The totalitarian activity around the recent Covid industry is the evidence of the conquest of germ theory upon public health. The nudging and transitioning of children towards self-damaging puberty blockers, cross sex hormones, castration, top and bottom surgeries is the continuation of germ theory on a mental level. It is the antithesis of ahimsa; our Asian heritage which loves children.

Manuka Wijesinghe. 31.3.25

(1) Who killed Hammarskjold, Susan Williams (2) Cold War Monks, Eugene Ford (3) Freedom’s Laboratory, Andra Wolf (4) The Carter Documents 

Further Reading.

Bad Therapy by Abigail Shreir. Transnation by Miriam Grossman, Transgender by Jennifer Bilek. Trans by Helen Joyce. 

Rohana R. Wasala

In the despicable absence of an urgent practical response on the part of the JVP Anura Kumara Dissanayake-led NPP government to the devastating 28th March earthquake in Myanmar, Hon. ex-president Ranil Wickremasinghe has made a very timely and sensible proposal regarding how to assist our disaster stricken fellow humans in that country. Hon. ex-president Mr. Wickremasinghe! Thank you very much for saving, at least to some extent, Sri Lanka’s still unsullied reputation as a sovereign state populated by a most humane and hospitable people. You have again demonstrated your remarkable ability to emerge as an able state level troubleshooter at critical moments, this time though, just by being a mentor. It is a pity that you don’t think of adopting a more universally acceptable, less anglophile version of principled politics that will endear  you to the general electorate and induce the true patriots of the country to elect you to the hot seat, where you will have the chance to show your true colours! 

The ordinary people of Myanmar (formerly called Burma) are remarkably humble, polite and kind-hearted just like our fellow ordinary Sri Lankans. There’s a natural cultural affinity between us two peoples because we have been sharing the same Theravada Buddhist religious culture for many centuries, especially from the 4th century CE, when Buddhism started making gradual inroads into the Irrawaddy Valley through trade with India. Whereas Buddhism almost completely disappeared from India, it flourished in Sri Lanka and Burma. Nearly 88% of the 55 million present Myanmar population profess Buddhism, which compares to 72% of the 22 million population in Sri Lanka. Wickremasinghe has been mindful enough to take a glance at the historicity of close Myanmar-Sri Lanka relations. And he didn’t mince his words while giving some details.

At the beginning of his statement in this connection (which I listened to in a video today, April 1, 2025), Ranil Wickremasinghe said that our government has expressed its sorrow (but little else, as could be understood in the context). Countries near and far from Myanmar including even partly affected Thailand, and India, China, and distant Australia have already provided emergency assistance.  Referring to the special connection we have with Myanmar as a fellow Theravada Buddhist country, he said that both the Amarapura and Ramanna nikayas brought the vital higher ordination ritual from there.We must help Myanmar especially because of this historic relationship. 

When Nepal, the birthplace of the Buddha, had an earthquake in 2015, we sent an army team to help. On that occasion, Sri Lanka was the second country to provide relief, India being the first, with China becoming the third country to come to Nepal’s help. Today, India, Thailand, Malaysia,  China and Australia have dispatched aid by now.  Last year Sri Lanka gave 1 million US Dollars for Gazan refugees, he remembered. So, we need to take a (meaningful) step now.

Wickremasinghe proposed that the army medical corps be sent to Myanmar immediately to set up a temporary hospital there. The necessary drugs and other materials may be collected from Buddhist and non-Buddhist donors in Colombo and other areas.

Emphasizing the ancient friendly relationship between Sri Lanka and Myanmar, Wickremasinghe mentioned that King Alaung Sithu I (of the Pagan Dynasty, 1090-1167 CE) sent help to (Prince Keerthi who later became) King Vijayabahu the Great (1055-1110 CE) to defeat and drive away from the island the occupying Cholas after a 17 year long military campaign. The grateful Lankan monarch Vijayabahu, during his reign, offered the Thihoshin Pagoda (name meaning ‘Lord of Lanka’ pagoda, according to Wikipedia) and a golden Buddha image to the Myanmar king. (This pagoda is situated in Pakokku in the Magway region, which is one of the six regions affected by the recent earthquake. I am unable to say whether it remains undamaged. Though the monument was initiated during Vijayabahu’s lifetime, the construction was completed during the reign of King Alaung Sithu I {Wikipedia}).

Wickremasinghe, in his statement, added that it was after this that a strong connection between Sri Lanka and Myanmar started. In some Buddhist temples in Myanmar there are paintings done by ancient Lankan painters, illustrating Jataka stories (Buddhist Birth stories). Among these, Wickremasinghe mentioned, there is a painting depicting the duel between (the occupying Chola king of Anuradhapura) Elara and (his young native challenger from Ruhuna prince) Dutugemunu. (Although Wickremasinghe did not talk about it, a fact well known is that there is a copy of our Mahavamsa in Myanmar. In reporting the ex-president’s speech, I have added my own information and information from other sources. I have put this within parentheses)

Let’s hope Hon. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is wise enough to derive some benefit from his predecessor’s mentoring in the name of our beloved Motherland.  

Rohana R. Wasala

 Lesantha Chathuranga

මගේ අංකය: JCPSM/Gen/2025 (14)
දිනය: 2025.03.31

අතිගරු ජනාධිපතිතුමා
ගරු අග්‍රාමාත්‍යතුමා
ගරු සෞඛ්‍ය හා ජනමාධ්‍ය අමාත්‍යතුමා
ගරු සෞඛ්‍ය හා ජනමාධ්‍ය නියෝජ්‍ය අමාත්‍යතුමා
සෞඛ්‍ය ලේකම්තුමා
සෞඛ්‍ය සේවා අධ්‍යක්ෂ ජනරාල්තුමා
අතිරේක ලේකම්තුමා (පාලන) II

සම සෞඛ්‍ය උපාධිධාරීන්ට එරෙහිව සිදුකල පහරදීම දැඩි පිළිකුලෙන් යුතුව හෙලා දැකීම සහ එම උපාධිධාරීන් කඩිනමින් රාජ්‍ය සේවයට බඳවා ගැනීම‍.

අධ්‍යාපන පොදු සහතික පත්‍ර උසස් පෙළ විභාගයේ ඉතාමත්ම ඉහල තරඟතාරී ප්‍රතිඵල මත විශ්ව විද්‍යාල වරම් ලැබ තම ජීවිතයේ වටිනාම කාලයෙන් අවරුදු 5ක් පමණ කැප කරමින් රාජ්‍ය සෞඛ්‍ය සේවාවේ අවශ්‍යතායට ගැළපෙන ඉහලම අධ්‍යාපන සුදුසුකම් සපුරාගත් මෙම සම සෞඛ්‍ය උපාධිධාරීන් තවත් අවුරුදු 5ක පමණ කාලයක් පුරා මෙරට සෞඛ්‍ය සේවාව විසින්ම නොසලකා හැරීම දෛවයේ සරදමකි.  

තවද, මෙලෙස තම ජීවිතයේ දශකයකට ආසන්න කාලයක් මෙම බලාපොරොත්තුව වෙනුවෙන් කටයුතු කල මෙම උපාධිධාරීන් සෞඛ්‍ය අමාත්‍යාංශයීය නිලධාරීවාදය මත ප්‍රමාද වෙමින් තිබෙන තම රැකියා අවස්ථාව ලබා දෙන ලෙස පසුගිය වසර කිහිපය මුළුල්ලේ සිදුකල සාධාරණ ඉල්ලීම් කිහිපයකට අදාල විසඳුම් නොමැතිවීමට ප්‍රතිචාර ලෙස ආරම්භ කල සාමකාමී විරෝධතාවය හමුවේ හෝ ඔවුන්ගේ ගැටළුවට අදාල නිසි විසඳුම් ලබාදීම වෙනුවට ඉතා මර්ධනකාරී ලෙස සිදුකල පහරදීම දැඩි පිළිකුලෙන් යුතුව හෙලා දකිමු.

සම සෞඛ්‍ය උපාධිධාරීන් සෞඛ්‍ය අමාත්‍යාංශයෙන් සිදු කරන ඉල්ලීම් ඉටු කිරීම සඳහා සෞඛ්‍ය අමාත්‍යාංශයට සෘජු වගකීමක් පවතින අතරම එය මීට වසර 25කට පමණ පෙර එවකට පැවති රජය සිදුකරනු ලැබූ ව්‍යුහාත්මක වෙසනකට අදාල ප්‍රතිපත්තිමය එකඟතාවයකි. එබැවින් සම සෞඛ්‍ය උපාධිධාරීන්ගේ ගැටළුව විසඳීම සඳහා සෞඛ්‍ය අමාත්‍යාංශයටත් රජයටත් මීට වඩා සක්‍රිය දායකත්වයක් ලබා දිය හැකි බව අප දැඩි ලෙස විශ්වාස කරමු.

නමුත් නිලධාරීවාදය මත ගොඩනැගී ඇති ප්‍රතිරෝධය මත ක්‍රියාත්මක වූ ඒකපාර්ශ්වික තීන්දු මත එය අපේක්ෂිත මට්ටමින් සිදූ නොවීම හේතුවෙන් අනාගතය පුරෝකථනය කරමින් මෙවන් තත්වයක් ඇති නොවීම සඳහා පිළියම් යෝජනා කරමින් කටයුතු කල පරිපූරක වෛද්‍ය වෘත්තීයවේදීන්ගේ ඒකාබද්ධ බල මණ්ඩලය සෞඛ්‍ය අමාත්‍යාංශය සමඟ මේ පිළිබඳව සාකච්ඡා ගණනාවක් සිදුකර ඇත. තම පෞද්ගලික උඩඟු කම පෙරදැරිව එම සාකච්ඡා වලට අදාල එඟතාවයන් ක්‍රියාත්මක නොකිරීමටත් එම ප්‍රතිපත්තිමය එකඟතාවයන් රාජ්‍ය සේවා කොමිෂන් සභාව මඟින් හෝ අභියෝගයට ලක් කිරීමටත්, නැවත හැරවීමට කටයුතු කල සෞඛ්‍ය අමාත්‍යාංශ නිලධාරීන් මෙම ගැටළුවට අදාල චූදිතයන් විය යුතු බව අප සෘජුව පෙන්වා දෙමු.

තවද වර්තමාන රජය බලයට පත්වීමට ආසන්න අවධියේදී විවිධ පාර්ශ්වයන්ගේ මැදිහත්වීම හරහා මෙම සිසුන් වෙත ලබා දුන් ප්‍රායෝගික නොවන අමුතු ආකාරයේ පොරොන්දු මත 2024 පෙබරවාරි මාසයට ආසන්න කාලයකදී සීමාවාසික පුහුණුවට ඇතුලත් වීමේ අවස්ථාව පවා මඟහැර ගැනීමට ඔවුන් පොළොඹවනු ලැබීය.

එබැවින් ශිෂ්‍ය ව්‍යාපාර සහ වෘත්තීය සමිති පිළිබඳ මනා සංවේදනය සහිත ජාතික ජන බලවේග රජය හමුවේ මෙම සිසුන්ගේ ගැටළුව කෙරෙහි ඉතා සාධනීය ප්‍රතිචාර දැක්වීමක් සිදු විය යුතු වුවත් වර්තමාන සෞඛ්‍ය අමාත්‍යවරයා සමඟ පැවති මුල් සාකච්ඡාවේදීම 2024 වර්ෂයේ පැවති තත්වයටම ඔවුන් ඇද දැමීමත්, අවසානයේ එම විසඳුමට එකඟ වන ලෙස ඔවුන්ට බලපෑම් කිරීමත්, විරෝධතාවය හමුවේ දරුණු ලෙස මර්ධනයට ලක් කිරීමත්, ශිෂ්‍ය ක්‍රියාකාරීන් නීතිය හමුවේ වැරදි කරුවන් ලෙස හංවඩු ගැසීමත්, ඔවුන් අත්අඩංගුවට ගනිමින් දරුණු අපරාධකරුවන් හා සමානව ප්‍රතිචාර දැක්වීමත් සිදුකර ඇත.

කෙසේ නමුත් සෞඛ්‍ය සේවාවේ අත්‍යාවශ්‍ය කාර්යභාරයකට වගකියන පරිපූරක වෛද්‍ය නිලධාරීන්ගේ සහ හෙද නිලධාරීන්ගේ ශිෂ්‍ය ප්‍රජාව වන මෙම සම සෞඛ්‍ය උපාධිධාරීන්ගේ  ගැටළුව විසඳීම සඳහා අප කෙටිකාලීන හා දීර්ඝකාලීන ලෙස වන පහත විසඳුම් යෝජනා කරමු.
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අදාල කෙටි කාලීන විසඳුම්:

1. සියළුම සම සෞඛ්‍ය උපාධිධාරීන් සීමාවාසික පුහුණුවට ඇතුලත් කර ගැනීම. මීට අදාල ප්‍රතිපත්තිමය එකඟතාව මේ වන විටත් ලැබී ඇතත් මෙතෙක් මෙම කටයුත්ත ක්‍රියාත්මක කිරීම සඳහා සෞඛ්‍ය අමාත්‍යාංශ නිළධාරීන්ගේ කිසිඳු සාධණීය මැදිහත්වීමත් ලැබී නොමැත. එබැවින් සෞඛ්‍ය අමාත්‍යවරයා ලෙස හා වර්තමාන රජය ලෙස ඒ පිළිබඳ සෘජු තීරණයක් ලබා ගත යුතු බව අප ඉතා ඕනෑ කමින් පෙන්වා දෙමු. අවශ්‍ය ප්‍රතිපාදන සපයා ගැනීම වෙනුවෙන් පහත යෝජනාව ඉදිරිපත් කරමු.
2. අපගේ දැඩි බලපෑම හමුවේ පරිපූරක වෛද්‍ය සේවාවට අදාල වෛද්‍ය රසායනාගාර විද්‍යාඥ ඩිප්ලෝමාධාරීන් පුහුණු කිරීම 2018 වසරේ සිට අත්හිටුවා ගැනීමට අපට හැකිවූ අතර මේ වන විට සමස්ථ පරිපූරක වෛද්‍ය සේවාවටම අදාල ඩිප්ලෝමා පුහුණු පාඨමාලාවන්ද අත්හිටුවීමට කටයුතු කර ඇත. ඒ හරහා සෞඛ්‍ය අමාත්‍යාංශ වැය ශීර්ෂය යටතේ වන සැලකිය යුතු ප්‍රතිපාදන ප්‍රමාණයක් ඉතිරි කිරීමට වෘත්තීය සංගම් ලෙස අප කටයුතු කර ඇති බැවින් එම ඩිප්ලෝමා පුහුණු ප්‍රතිපාදන භාවිතා කරමින් මේ වන විට පරිපූරක වෛද්‍ය සේවාවට අදාලව සුදුසුකම් සපුරා ඇති සියළුම සම සෞඛ්‍ය උපාධිධාරීන් සීමාවාසික පුහුණුවට බඳවා ගැනීම. අපගේ නිරීක්ෂණයන්ට අනූව නිලධාරීන්ගේ අකමැත්ත හැර වෙනත් කිසිඳු බාධාවක් ඊට එරෙහිව නොමැති බවද පෙන්වා දෙමු.
3. සීමාවාසික පුහුණුවට වෙනත් නම් හඳුන්වා නොදෙමින් එය සීමාවාසික පුහුණුව ලෙසින්ම ලබා දීම. මීට අදාලවද නිලධාරීන්ගේ අකමැත්ත හැර වෙනත් කිසිඳු බාධාවක් ඊට එරෙහිව නොමැති බවද පෙන්වා දෙමු.
4. සම සෞඛ්‍ය උපාධිධාරීන්ගේ සීමාවාසික පුහුණු දීමනාව ලෙස පරිපූරක වෛද්‍ය ඩිප්ලෝමාධාරීන්ගේ හා හෙද ඩිප්ලෝමාධාරීන්ගේ අභ්‍යාසලාභී පුහූණු දීමනාව ලබා දීමේ අසාධාරණ ප්‍රතිපත්තිය වෙනුවට වෛද්‍ය උපාධිධාරීන්ගේ සීමාවාසික පුහුණුවට අදාල දීමනාවේ අගය තීරණය කල නිර්ණායක මතම පදනම්ව සම සෞඛ්‍ය උපාධිධාරීන්ගේ සීමාවාසික පුහුණු දීමනාවට අදාල අගය තීරණය කිරීම.
5. පරිපූරක වෛද්‍ය සේවාවට අදාලව වසර 10කට අධික කාලයක් තිස්සේ යාවත්කාලීන නොවෙමින් පවතින අනුමත නිළධාරීන් සංඛ්‍යාව කඩිනමින් යාවත්කාලීන කිරීම. කාර්යමණ්ඩලය සමාලෝචනයන් අත්හිටුවීම එවක රජය විසින් ගනු ලැබූ තීරණයක් වන බැවින් ඊට අදාල ප්‍රතිතීන්දුවද වර්තමාන රජය විසින්ම ලබා ගත යුතු බව පෙන්වා දෙමු.

අදාල දීර්ඝකාලීන විසඳුම්:

පසුබිම: පරිපූරක වෛද්‍ය සේවාවේ එක් එක් වෘත්තීන්ට අදාලව ශ්‍රී ලංකා සුදුසුකම් රාමුවේ 6 වැනි මට්ටමේ සුදුසුකමක් වන ශාස්ත්‍රීය අගය 120 ලෙස ගැනෙන සිව් අවුරුදු ගෞරව උපාධියක් සම්පූර්ණ කරන මෙම සිසුන් සියළුම දෙනා සීමාවාසික පුහුණුවකට ඇතුලත් කර ගැනීම අත්‍යාවශ්‍ය වන අතර එය සැබවින්ම විශ්ව විද්‍යාලය විසින් කලමණාකරණය කල යුතු වේ. වෛද්‍ය උපධිධාරීන් සඳහා එලෙස සිදුකිරීමට අවශ්‍ය සියළුම ආකාරයේ සහය සහ ආශිර්වාදය ලබා දෙන මෙරට සෞඛ්‍ය සේවාව විසින්ම සම සෞඛ්‍ය උපාධීධාරීන්ගේ සීමාවාසික පුහුණුව සෞඛ්‍ය අමාත්‍යාංශය යටතේ පවත්වා ගනිමින් එහි ගුණාත්මක තත්වය හීන කිරීමත්, ජාත්‍යන්තර පිලිගැනීම අවම වන පරිදි සීමාවාසික පුහුණුවට වෙනත් නාමකරණයන් හඳුන්වා දීමත්, උපාධිධාරී බඳවා ගැනීමකට යෝග්‍ය පරිදි පවතින බඳවා ගැනීමේ පටිපාටිය සංශෝධනය නොකිරීමටත්, එම කර්තව්‍යය සඳහා ඉතාම මන්දගාමී ක්‍රියාපිළිවෙතක් අනුගමනය කිරීමත් තුල වර්තමානයේදී මෙම සම සෞඛ්‍ය උපාධිධාරීන්ගේ ගැටළුව නොවිසදිය හැකි මට්ටමේ ගැටළුවක් බවට පෙන්වා දීමටත් කටයුතු කර ඇත.

එබැවින් දීර්ඝකාලීන විසඳුම් වශයෙන් සම සෞඛ්‍ය උපාධිධාරීන්ගේ සමස්ථ ගැටළු සාකච්ඡා කර ඊට අදාල විසඳුම් යෝජනා කිරීම සඳහා පරිපූරක වෛද්‍ය වෘත්තීයවේදීන්ගේ ඒකාබද්ධ බලමණ්ඩලයේ නිල බලය තහවුරු කෙරෙන සහ විශ්ව විද්‍යාල ප්‍රතිපාදන කොමිෂන් සභාව, සෞඛ්‍ය විද්‍යා ස්ථාවර කමිටුව, සෞඛ්‍ය අමාත්‍යාංශය, මුදල් අමාත්‍යාංශය, ශ්‍රී ලංකා වෛද්‍ය සභාව වැනි පාර්ශවන් ඇතුලත් ජනාධිපති කමිටුවක් පත් කිරීමටත් මාසයක් ඇතුලත අදාල කමිටුවේ තීරණ ලබා දීමට බලය පවරමින් අදාල ජනාධිපති කමිටුව පත් කිරීමටත් කටයුතු කරන ලෙස අප යෝජනා කරමු.

මේ පිළිබඳ වන ඔබගේ කඩිනම් අවධානය ඉතා අගේ කොට සලකන අතරම අනවශ්‍ය වෘත්තීය ක්‍රියාමාර්ග වලින් තොර සාකච්ඡාමය විසඳුම් ලබා ගැනීමට අවශ්‍ය පහසුකම් සලසන ලෙසත් ඊට අදාලව අදාල සියළු පාර්ශ්වයන්ගේ සහභාගීත්වය තහවුරු කරමින් කඩිනම් සාකච්ඡාවක් ලබා දීමට කටයුතු කරන ලෙසත් ඉතා කාරුණිකව ඉල්ලා සිටිමි

ස්තුතියි!
මෙයට විශ්වාසී

G. A. Lesantha Chathuranga

MSc in Service Management, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

EMSc in Digital Marketing, Asia E University, Malaysia

BSc (Hons) In Biomedical Science, KAATSU International University, Sri Lanka

EDSMgt (UoC), HNDMLT (MoH), HNDIT (MoHE)

Medical Laboratory Technologist (MLT) Base Hospital – Balapitiya
Secretary of CMLS.SL & AHP | Executive Member of SLSMLS | General Secretary (SlagMLT) | Asst. Treasure (JCPSM)

Mobile (voice) – 0770094225
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Shenali D Waduge

PM Modi is due in Sri Lanka on 5^th April, the 44^th anniversary of the JVP 1^strebellion. JVP will be celebrating its 50^thanniversary which commenced against Indian expansionist agenda & unlikely to proceed to its 100^th year on the same theme. Unfortunately, that rebellion & thereafter the one opposed to the Indo-Lanka Accord in 1987 sacrificed thousands of young patriotic lives. Nonetheless, the Tamil militancy that India armed, trained & funded was defeated in May 2009 though its separatist ideology lives on. This is evident in the takeover of a Buddhist vihara destroyed by the Colonial Portuguese & on top of which a kovil has been built. Using constitutional amendments, what LTTE could not achieve by gun, separatists attempt to achieve politically to which the present Government is seen blindly appeasing to.

Prime Minister Modi knows too well how he ascended to power on the backdrop of a dispute regarding an ancient Hindu kovil & a Muslim mosque. In Sri Lanka, we have shown greater restraint amidst the plethora of animosities against Buddhists.

Let us remind PM Modi that the Gokanna Viharaya was destroyed in 1622 by the Portuguese. This is clearly written by the Portuguese historian Queyroz in his Book, The Temporal & Spiritual Conquest of Ceylon (page 66, 67).

Constantino de sa de Noronha dismantled these Pagodes making use of their stones to build a fortalice to close the harbor to the Chinhala; The event of the destruction of this Pagode was found engraved on a stone and being attested by the Ovuidor of Ceylon after it was translated by those most learned in the ancient characters of the Sinhalas it was sent his Majasty ran as follows (manua Raja Emperor of this Lankave, erected this pagoda to the god Vidia Malmanda in era …” (according to the computation it comes to 1300 years before coming of Christ There will come a nation called Francos who will demolish it and there will be no king in this island to rebuilt it anew) This stone was placed on the gate of the fortalice, there is no doubt that translator, meant the Portuguese.

The Trincomalee stone is also referred to by Valentyn in his XVI Chapter. A copy of the inscription was sent by the Dutch to the Sinhalese court to be translated. Queyroz mention that alleged conversion by Xavier of the chief priest of Trincomalee. He says of the place that it was the Rome of the East, attracted more worship than Ramanco, Xilavarao, Canjavaro, Tripli, Tremel, Jagarnati, Vixanati. He adds that the Temple had 30,000 amunams of paddy yielding two crops a year amounting to 4000 moyos. The chief priest at the temple is spoken as Turunanse.

The grate Bay of Trincomalee has made the place famous throughout modern world in the same way as its temple had spread its renown through ancient East. It was among the marines that the shrine commanded the great veneration, and it could be seen for many miles out at sea.

To expand its naval presence the colonial British eyed Trincomalee. Distortion of history was a key part of their divide & rule policy. Thus, in a gazette issued in 1831 1.CLR 63 a letter was published falsely claiming Gokanna Temple was a Hindu kovil.

The letter is presented below:

To the Editor of the Ceylon Government Gazette.

Sir, 

Among the various monuments of Hindu antiquity found in Ceylon and which induced the late and learned Sir Willliam Jones to express an opinion that the island was peopled time out of memory Hindu race”. The temple which was stood at Trincomalee is not to be forgotten, it would have remain the present day as a venerable relic, had not misguided religious Zeal of the Portuguese razed in to the ground in 1622 to supply materials for their fortifications.

Some time ago throughout the kindness of a friend of mine, I was obligingly put in possession of a small manuscript poem composed in Tamul by a Kaviraja vorothayen (a celebrated hard among the anceiant inhabitants of the Ceylon) which though enveloped in a cloud of fabe gives and account of the origin of the origin & history of this sacred edifice. I was consequently induced to translate it, have now the pleasure of the laying the same before the public for their information.”

The main objective to the British distorting history was to distance Sinhala Buddhists from Trincomalee so they could gain greater access to Trincomalee as they identified that only Sinhala Buddhists would defend their nation & territory & all that the nation stood for. The Portuguese demolished Buddhist sacred sites & also forced Sinhalese to leave areas where these Buddhist sites were situation. Thereafter, the lands were taken by the colonials & colonial settlement of South Indian Hindus began. That Sinhalese were systematically forced to leave lands in North & East is clearly stated in colonial British administrative policies.

Thus, Portuguese, Dutch & Colonial Britain have much to account & compensate the Sinhala Buddhists who had been originally living in the North & East.

In 1806 Governor Maitland did a tour of Trincomalee’s ancient artefacts along the coastal belt with then chief justice Alexander Johnston & decided to bring South Indian Hindus & settle them in North & East areas where the Sinhalese Buddhists had been chased out. Governor Maitland considered Trincomalee the Key to Asia and that the British held the key.

Alexander Johnston was renowned for establishing the Royal Asiatic Society in England & Ireland & while in Sri Lanka, establishing the Ceylon Council & becoming its President before becoming Chief Justice. Nevertheless, he intentionally ignored mentioning the stone inscriptions in Trincomalee that Portuguese used for their fortification.

However, Paul E Pieris, civil servant & historian is on record to state that the British destroyed the stone inscriptions in Trincomalee

As per Paul E Pieris,, the Chief Priest of the Gokanna Temple & several other theros who were residing at the Temple were forcibly converted by Father Xavier. On 18 July 1827 Alexander Johnston became the Vice President of the Royal Asiatic Society & wrote An Account of an inscription found in Trincomalee, in the Island of Ceylon” and gave a detailed account of Trincomalee but chose not to recount the stone inscriptions found & completely ignoring their actions against the Sinhala Buddhists who were living in the North & East prior to colonial alien settlements.

Eventually, with the blessings of India, in 1956 the Government of Sri Lanka took the Trincomalee Port from Britain while the present kovil was quickly established by ITAK through the Municipal Council without returning it to Gokanna Buddhist Temple. R. Sambanthan played a lead role in this & the distortion of history.

Thus, when Prime Minister Modi decides to hold a Hindu meditation at this site that was forcibly taken from the Sinhala Buddhists & promoted using false history & distortion of facts, it only shows to us, that the same expansionist & divisive policies carried out by the 3 colonial rulers are being continued by India. It also nullifies the claim presented to the world by PM Modi of his great respect & veneration to Buddha & Buddhist philosophy.

Even the Great Ruvanweliseya Buddhist Temple that PM Modi is scheduled to visit was also threatened by colonial British rule. The Colbrook Commission that divided Sri Lanka to 5 provinces gave Anuradhapura to Northern administrative rule and Polonnaruwa to Eastern administrative rule.

As per Cleghorn minute, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa was to be also included as Malabar homeland.

Thus, the threats to Kurundi Buddhist temple is nothing but another attempt to take over Buddhist sacred sites & turn them into Hindu kovils.

The British began changing their policy after the famous Panadura debates and renamed Nuwara Kalawiya as a new province. These examples require India to treat Sri Lanka as a sovereign state & not follow the same template as the colonial invaders.

When Cleghorn claimed North & East belonged to Malabars (who were from South India & brought as coolies to work in Sri Lanka by colonial rulers, & settled under colonial settlement scheme) Governor North realizing Cleghorn was writing nonsense sacked him & packed him back to England.

On 5 March 1799 Governor Sir Frederick North sent a letter to England (British East India Company Head Office 7/1/409 page)

Malabars are the inhabitants of the northern half of our territories, they are also divided in to the same as Singalese, the present disgrace of that nation at the Court of Candy, has depressed it even here, and from what I have seen, I am sure that it will be difficult, if not impossible to separate the politics of the inhabitants of these settlements, from those of the great Court as it here called”.

Is there any better explanation than the national unity that existed in then Ceylon at that time?

The Indian Economic & Social History Review 26.02.1989 magazine page 235 Prof Dagmar Helimann-Rajanayagam’s letter stated thus:

in the first year of the British rule in Ceylon, 300 temples were newly built in Jaffna”.

Journal of the Bishop of Colombo’s first visitation of Northern & eastern province of his diocese 1846”, Jaffna had only 159 villages, to erect 300 kovils was with the intent to transport Tamil Hindus from South India.

If not for Arumugam Navalar there would have been no hindu kovils with the conversions taking place. To secure Trincomalee Port, and use North as a listening post against India, Britain required to secure both North & East. The legacy of these divisive actions is what Sri Lanka is now reaping.

However, the rule of compassion that prevails yet in Sri Lanka cannot be defeated. It has survived the turmoils. The resilience remains. There is no Sinhala Tamil problem. It was only created for political gains. If at all you decide to defy the historical facts of Gokanna being a Buddhist temple & hold a Hindu meditation at least remember the factual history of the site.

History has a way of remind us the truth at one time or another. Truth will always win in the end.

Shenali D Waduge