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A total of 2,796 more COVID-19 patients were detected within today increasing the number of patients reported in Sri Lanka to 327,019, the Government Information Department said.
The Covid-19 death toll exceeded 5,000 mark with 98 more deaths being reported today, the Government Information Department said.
Accordingly, a total of 98 more COVID-19 related deaths that occurred yesterday (06) were confirmed by the Director-General of Health Services today pushing the death toll to 5,017.
According to the Government Information Department,51 females and 47 males are among the deceased.
The Community Policing Division of the Sri Lanka Police has commenced an operation to trace those who have not been vaccinated with even a single dose in the Colombo city, Police Spokesman SDIG Ajith Rohana said.
He said they had observed that a number of people in the Colombo city had not received the vaccine against COVID-19 owing to several reasons.
However, the police personnel attached to the Community Policing Division will trace such individuals from today and take them to the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium with their consent,” he said.
The Police Spokesman also requested those who have not still been vaccinated in Colombo city to get the vaccine without further delay and hesitation.
The President has decided to allow anyone over the age of 30 to receive the first dose at any of the centres where the second vaccine is given.
The decision was taken during a meeting with the COVID Suppression Special Committee on Vaccination and Operations at the Presidential Secretariat this morning.
He said there has been an escalation in the number of patients visiting hospitals in several major cities, including Colombo, on a daily basis due to COVID symptoms.
Meanwhile, SPC Chairman (Consultant Neurosurgeon) Dr. Prasanna Gunasena said both doses have been ordered to be given to the entire population of the country over the age of 18 before September. The government is ready for even a third dose. However, it was unfortunate that there was a lack of support from the public to prevent the spread of the disease.
There are around 120 protests held across the country during the past month. At least 1,500 people attended each protest. However, according to intelligence sources, this mobilization without following health advice has accelerated the spread of COVID across the country.
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. – Albert Einstein
Sri Lanka is in dire economic strife, its politicians are a discredited lot, and are produced by a system that perpetuates corruption, inefficiency and ineffectiveness. Inter community harmony is as facile as the cloak of ritualism that passes as Buddhism. A new governance model is needed that meets the inherent psyche of its people, and which lessens the power of politicians and enhances the real power of people.
It is strongly suggested that the concept of a Union of Regions authored by late Dr Neelan Tiruchelvam is given serious consideration. Dr Tiruchelvam was murdered by the LTTE for bringing forth this proposal, but mercifully the murderous LTTE is no more. The climate is right to revisit this proposal and build on it to introduce a governance model that can take the country towards the future and not to its dark past. People are sick and tired of the current system and what it produces as politicians. The system has to change if it is to produce the undoubted talent that the country has, and which remains and will remain silent on account of the flaws in the current system.
At the outset, readers could perhaps consider the possibility, some might say the reality, that the ethnic issue involving the Tamil and Sinhala communities in Sri Lanka was created by the leaders of these two communities, and not by the Sinhala & Tamil communities in the country. True, they had grievances but at the time of the creation of the contemporary issue, which one could identify with the British colonial period, they were not unmanageable and compared to what it became over time, miniscule in extent and intensity. It could be argued that a mole hill became a mountain over time, and a volcanic mountain that that. It erupted in 1983 in the hands of the then government. The rest, as they say, is history.
To the best of the writer’s knowledge, Sinhala and Tamil people have not engaged in any major conflict between them even during the times of Kings and Queens of the country. The island is replete with a history of invasions from India from time to time to gain control of local Kingdoms, conquer territory and battles fought by the country’s Kings to defeat invaders.
The population of the country comprises of migrants mainly from India who arrived at different times throughout history with the indigenous people of the country being the Aadi Vasi people or the Veddah’s. In this context, the rest are all occupiers who have made the island their home.
But, has it been the home for Tamils in recent times? Their ethnicity has rendered them targets for violence. State sponsored goons demonstrated in 1983 in no uncertain terms that Tamils were not safe in the country, except in areas where they were the majority. It also sent rightful signals to the Tamil community that the State could repeat such inhuman acts whenever and wherever they chose.
In looking for a solution to the conflict, what perhaps is paramount is how Tamils could be safe in their homes and workplaces wherever they live in the country. This has to be the aspiration of all Sri Lankans.
In contemporary Sri Lanka, it needs to be mentioned that in any discussion concerning the Tamil ethnic issue in Sri Lanka, there are different aspirational dimensions amongst the Tamils that needs to be considered depending on the Tamil group concerned, that is, whether it is the group referred to as Sri Lankan Tamils who are the Tamils from India with a very long history in the island, in particular the Northern part of the island, or the more recent arrivals from India who are domiciled mostly in the central part of the country, who are also referred to as plantation Tamils.
All are Sri Lankan Tamils now but the ethnic issue that has drained the country for decades concerns the former category, although the latter category too has their grievances and aspirations.
The Tamil community in Sri Lanka is not a homogenous community, although both groups have faced issues in common, primarily with regard to their safety and security in the country.
The writer wishes to suggest a discussion on a way forward for all Tamils, and the country as a whole, having regarded some of the reasons that were responsible for creating the problem, and as Einstein said, to explore a way forward with a mindset that the problems cannot be solved with the same thinking that were used to create the problem.
No doubt many people and groups contributed, wittingly or unwittingly, to creating the problem beginning with the British Colonialists. Tamil politicians as well Sinhala politicians too contributed to creating the problem, and some, still continue to do so. One can add sections of the Maha Sangha too for adding fuel to the fire and from a contemporary perspective, that they still influence the perpetuation of the problem. Then, there is the powerful Tamil Diaspora, or at least a section of it, which continues to perpetuate the problem. The first point for discussion could be that the factors that contributed, and, used to create the problem, are still being used to as the basis to find a solution to the contemporary situation, and whether this is what the country should be doing.
One can argue that the context to the problem creation had some differences during the colonial and post-colonial period, when, during the colonial period, the Sri Lankan Tamil and Sinhalese politicians were more concerned about a common enemy, the British colonialists, rather than each other, although seeds were being sown towards the creation of the problem.
Much has been written, still being written, discussed and debated about a solution that the Sri Lankan Tamils in the North and East are seeking based primarily on self-determination for Tamils living in the North and the East, within a merged province.
The goal of self-determination for the North and East within the framework of the political governance model introduced by the British colonialists, the Westminster model, is a phenomenon that had little relevance prior to that as the governance models that preceded the Westminster model were decentralised, lose structures. On the whole, for a variety of reasons, there were varying degrees of ipso facto self-determination for Kingdoms and other forms of governance bodies that existed within the island.
In the context of this historical perspective, the British colonial masters, and the country’s Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim political elite who worked with them to introduce the Donoughmore constitution followed by the Soulbury constitution, removed the inherent, historical nature of governance in the country. Sri Lankans continued on this trajectory when introducing the 1972 and 1978 constitutions.
Fissures began to appear in these models after independence, and Sinhala, and primarily Buddhist, domination of governance led to widening of these fissures. Attempts were made by some political leaders to address these fissures with proposals like regional councils (Bandaranaike/Chelvanayakam Pact), District Councils (Senanayake/Chelvanayakam Pact) and the Union of Regions bill (Kumaratunga/Tiruchelvam proposals) and finally the introduction of Provincial Councils at the behest of India.
In the absence of an acceptable solution to the conflict, the problem escalated to violent means of achieving a separate State within the island as the solution. While there cannot be any justification for this violence perpetrated by the LTTE, which became the sole armed as well as the unarmed political group campaigning for Tamil” demands, the fundamental aspirational mindset amongst Tamils in the North and East was never understood or addressed.
During the period of LTTE dominance, efforts were made by various parties to find a negotiated solution. The most noteworthy of all was the effort by Norway to mediate between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government to find such a solution. It failed, and the full scale war between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government Armed forces saw the military demise of the LTTE in 2009.
In a very interesting and revealing article titled Let Us Be Clear On What We Buried In Nandikadal Lagoon by Sanjeewa Ranaweera published in the Colombo Telegraph on the 26th of July 2021 (https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/let-us-be-clear-that-what-we-buried-in-nandikadal-lagoon/), the Norwegian led peace process is comprehensively summarised. The role played by Eric Solheim is also examined and an interview with him also included as part of the article.
The article as well as the Solheim interview portrays the dynamics and thinking of the LTTE leader Prabakaran, and the political ideologue and Prabakaran’s adviser and confidante Anton Balasingham, and the highlights strategies adopted by Ranil Wickramasinghe, then Prime Minister, to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.
One is not sure whether these strategies were aimed at finding a solution to the conflict with the LTTE, or whether they were directed towards finding a solution to the conflict with the Tamils and their aspirations. The reason for saying this is because if the objective of the strategy was the latter, then, there would have been an acceptance that the LTTE was the sole representative of the Tamils as no other Tamil political entity from Sri Lanka was associated with the effort made by Prime Minister Wickramasinghe. Such an acceptance would have meant an acceptance of the LTTE political philosophy as well as their violent tactics. This is mentioned not as a critique of the effort, but to highlight it as one of the many problems that were created in the perpetuation of the ethnic conflict. It is also revealing that Anton Balasingham had reportedly been consistently taking the position that a solution had to be found through negotiation and not through violent means.
Given this backdrop, and moving forward to the future rather than looking backwards to the past to look for a solution, and with the benefit of hindsight, a solution has to be found which stands the test of time in a future that will be so different to the past when the problem was created in the first place.
The future will be one of currently unimaginable technology, innovation and life styles. Governance models will change and those governing will have to change. Most of the types currently in political governance will become Dinosaurs when looking at the future. Some may say they already are!
Religious traditions, cultural traditions of course will continue as they have for centuries, albeit perhaps with less conviction as it is already happening.
In respect of political governance models in Sri Lanka so far, they have fundamentally failed to chart a peaceful, contented path towards the future. There is mistrust and degrees of animosity amongst communities and a decline in values.
The primary community conflict is with the Tamil community and this can only be addressed through a governance mechanism that provides a degree of self-determination, not just for its sake, but because the models that does not provide it, but which have been tried and tested, have failed to ensure the safety and security of the Tamil community and even the Muslim community, and affected the country as a whole.
In this context, it is strongly suggested that the conceptual framework of the Union of Regions model authored by late Dr Neelan Tiruchelvam is considered as the framework to move onto the future.
It will assist in negating the negatives of the provincial council system including ineffective, costly duplication and lessen the politicisation of administrative activity.
Regional governments within the framework of a national governance model, provided its primary function would be to engage in policy settings to maximise resources in the region both material and human, and to ensure the safety and security of people in the region, by people from the region, would address the issue of self-determination substantially, and assist in decentralising governance power far more effectively than the current model.
Personality centric, highly centralised models will not work and Sri Lanka will be saddled with all associated drawbacks in its attempt to move onto the future. Hopefully, it will dawn on the current set of politicians that the model in operation has been diminished because of them, and by them, and the model has precluded efficient, honest and credible persons from participating in the model.
A new model based on the framework of a Union of Regions should not replicate the negatives of the current system. The thinking should be directed to the future and not the baggage of the past or even the present.
Courtesy Island newspaper, Sri Lanka
What Malaysia’s raging COVID-19 crisis tells us about failed leadership.
Family members of a victim of COVID-19 pray at a hospital mortuary before burial, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on May 23, 2021 [Reuters/Lim Huey Teng]
The horrific and heartbreaking scenes at Malaysian hospitals are akin to a disaster movie. An overwhelmed healthcare system and overworked medical staff have struggled to cope with the exponential growth in COVID-19 admissions.
Canvas beds have been put up in hospital car parks, several patients have had to share the same oxygen canister, and some life-saving procedures had to be performed on hospital floors. Doctors have reported that whole families have been admitted together to hospitals and some have died together.
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To keep up with the rising death counts, bodies have had to be stacked up on trolleys and pushed to the morgues. Volunteer undertakers have been handling nearly 30 times more bodies than they did last year.
Now, I just have no emotions, it is what it is … death has become so frequent that you become numb,” one front-line worker told Malaysian outlet Malaysiakini.
Malaysia’s biggest COVID-19 fear was becoming a mini-India and unfortunately, it has come true. Its daily infection and death counts per capita surpassed India’s peak. At the end of July, Malaysia’s daily cases per million people stood at 515.9 and its daily deaths per million were at 4.95; by contrast, at its peak, India reached 283.50 cases and 3.04 deaths. The country also has the highest per-million cases in Asia, and one of the highest per-million deaths in Southeast Asia.
This is a dramatic reversal of fortunes for a country once deemed the role model in handling the pandemic. Just a year ago, Malaysia celebrated as local transmissions reached zero for a few days, garnering praise from foreign experts, academics, and organisations such as the World Health Organization. The Malaysian government’s swift actions to implement a full-scale lockdown, invest in testing and medical facilities, and deploy proactive communication with the public resulted in fewer cases than in the rest of Southeast Asia.
Malaysia’s director-general of health, Dr Noor Hisham, was given the highest civilian honour and was named alongside the US’s Dr Anthony Fauci and New Zealand’s Ashley Bloomfield as the top health officials in the battle against COVID-19.
But the country’s success was also its curse.
Not unlike India’s early celebration of success, Malaysia was too quick to self-congratulate for containing the virus. The government grew overconfident with the good results of its anti-pandemic measures in 2020 and in August decided to hold a state-wide election in Malaysia’s poorest state, Sabah.
During the campaign period, airlines increased flight frequency to ferry politicians and supporters in and out of the state. In total, 257 rallies were approved and many were held with little social distancing, mask-wearing or adherence to health guidelines. On election day, 1.1 million voters turned up at polling stations.
Researchers from the National University of Singapore found that the Sabah election contributed 70 percent of cases in the state itself and at least 64 percent in the rest of the country.
In the following months, as the number of cases continued to rise, the government engaged in rounds of denialism, stating that the situation was still manageable” and under control”. Interstate travel was allowed and restrictions loosened in December, although the country experienced a nearly tenfold increase in cumulative cases from October to December.
In January, medical professionals wrote an open letter to Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin about the impending disaster at hospitals if the contagion were not controlled. But government complacency meant little effort was made to avert it. Restrictions were half-hearted and unscientific, and when a nationwide blanket lockdown finally came in June, it could not stop record-high infections numbers, with cases nearing a million – in a country of only 32 million.
Apart from its complacency, the health emergency of 2021 also uncovered the absence of a unified chain of command in Muhyiddin’s government. His cabinet comprises ministers from different parties who are political rivals and therefore, are mistrustful and uncooperative in their collective work. Public spats between the different factions of the prime minister’s party, BERSATU, and UMNO, the largest party in government, have resulted in contradictory decisions and confusing policies.
In May, as the health crisis was accelerating, Zahid Hamidi, the president of UMNO, asked the public not to link Muhyiddin’s failures to his party, despite UMNO being a member of the coalition government. It is true that [we] are part of [the] government … [but] most of our views and advice about COVID-19 do not get much attention,” he said.
As the situation worsened, so did cabinet infighting. In June, Defence Minister Ismail Sabri from the UMNO party posted a photo of himself with the cryptic caption I have closed the front door but …” The image implied that the lockdown measures he introduced were ineffective because Azmin Ali, the international trade minister from the BERSATU party, continued to allow non-essential industries to operate.
Many Malaysians were furious after local media outlets reported that non-essential businesses like photography studios, electronic goods factories, and leather furniture workshops were able to obtain an approval letter from Azmin’s ministry to continue work.
Confusion about contradictory policies, such as the temporary closure of some malls and bazaars and the issuance of police permissions to travel, have only worsened the situation. Clear communication and policies were absent when they were most needed.
Another contributing factor to the massive COVID-19 crisis is the government’s diminishing legitimacy, which has resulted in low public compliance with anti-pandemic measures. Instead of acting as role models, ministers and elected officials have consistently broken COVID-19 rules, giving rise to claims of double standards.
Ministers are exempted from the compulsory 14-day quarantine period upon return from overseas, while members of parliament have been allowed to travel abroad freely. There have been reports of officials not abiding by lockdown restrictions, including ministers dining at restaurants when it was not allowed. When they have been caught in violation of the anti-pandemic measures, punishment has been far lesser than what ordinary Malaysians would have faced.
These incidents have fed growing public resentment, which has discouraged many Malaysians from abiding by the COVID-19 rules. Inter-district and inter-state travel bans have been ignored, while barricades set up by the police have been burned as a form of defiance.
This anger and frustration came to a boil when hundreds of mostly young protesters took to the streets to demand the prime minister’s resignation. The rally, featuring banners, placards, black flags, and effigies of dead bodies”, passed through Kuala Lumpur’s major roads on July 31.
But perhaps the most significant indication that the government has lost legitimacy is that Malaysians are increasingly looking to each other for help as the pandemic has left them impoverished and desperate.
Many, including the prime minister, believe that the poorest 40 percent of Malaysian society, called the B40 (bottom 40 percent), has now expanded to B50. Average salaries have fallen for the first time since 2010, cutting across all demographics. Suicide cases have soared, and the number of calls to distress hotlines has risen to concerning levels. Millions are out of work and trapped at home with little savings.
Having lost faith that the authorities can provide for them, families have started putting up white flags to ask their neighbours for help. Whole communities have mobilised to provide for those struggling to cope. Ordinary people have set up food banks nationwide to help others.
One mini-market owner in the small town of Johor Bahru set up a rack in front of her shop as a makeshift food bank. Though many came and took what they needed, the supplies never seemed to run out. Then she realised that the food bank was quietly replenished by nameless and faceless donors on her behalf.
Stories like this one demonstrate Malaysians’ resilience and the strength of their community spirit. When this pandemic is all over, those who survive will celebrate this spirit for helping them pull through, and not the failed policies of a chaotic government.
In a situation where videos and photos circulating online of patients lying in hospital corridors raising alarm among the public and medical community, the Health Ministry said they were not reported of any incidents where there is massive congestion at hospitals as shown in pictures and videos.
Addressing a news briefing at the Health Promotion Bureau, Deputy Director General of Health Services Dr. Hemantha Herath said all hospitals have been informed to act in times of an emergency situation of this nature.
It is difficult to say whether people in those pictures being circulated are all COVID patients. Normally, COVID patients are kept in sealed wards where outsiders are not allowed to enter. Even health officials have to wear personal protective equipment when entering the wards,” he underscored.
He said wards in several hospitals where COVID patients are treated are overflowed. However, there is a system in all the hospitals to act when situations of such a nature happen.
To my knowledge, the relevant authorities at the hospitals where the capacity has exceed have taken prompt measures to accommodate the patients and to ensure that they are treated well,” he added.
Dr. Herath said this is nothing to do with the lack of beds at hospitals to treat COVID patients.
The Director General of Health Services has given necessary instructions to the concerned hospitals to allocate more beds for COVID patients act swiftly at emergency situations,” Dr. Herath added.
The June 10, 1962 edition of the Times of Ceylon contained the following tales about the tooth relic, the Burma connection and other legends surrounding the relic. Excerpts from the article:
Maligawa Tusker steps on the Pavada carrying the casket of relics
A recent statement in the popular ‘Believe it or Not’ series that a broom made
with the hair of King Bayinnaung of Burma and his Queen was being used to sweep
the Temple of the Sacred Tooth at Kandy, seemed to have been received with some
seriousness in Ceylon because the “Sunday Times” published a
refutation of the statement.
In Burma, however, it caused only amusement because the absurdity of the statement was at once noticed by the average Burmese newspaper reader for Bayinnaung lived and died before the Temple at Kandy was built.
The refutation that human hair had too evil a smell to be used as a broom in the temple, also puzzled the Burmese reader firstly, because the Relic originally arrived in Ceylon hidden in a woman’s hair, and secondly because in Burma brooms made of human hair are never meant to be used in relic chambers and special shrine rooms where the gods themselves come to worship.
Bayinnaung was one of the greatest kings of Burma and also one of the great patrons of Buddhism. He united not only the whole of Burma into a single kingdom but also conquered the whole of Indo-China and parts of China and India, thus establishing the Second Burmese Empire.
He built a magnificent palace at Pegu and dazzled with his power and glory such hardened European travellers as Caesar Frederic, the Venetian, and Ralph Fitch the Englishman, who left to posterity glowing accounts of the Second Burmese Empire and its founder.
The Portuguese documents of the period referred to him with awe as Great Braginoco and he was the one oriental despot to whom the Portuguese of those days showed respect and consideration.
Bayinnaung came to the throne of Burma in 1552, the very same year that Dhammapala came to the throne of Kotte, already shaken by the ill wind of Portuguese power.
In the midst of his victories, Bayinnaung was perturbed by the news of the “raid” on Kotte by the Portuguese Viceroy soon after Dhammapala came to the throne, and in 1554, he sent an embassy to Kotte to enquire after the safety of the Sacred Tooth, in the face of persistent rumours that the Relic was no longer in its Temple.
The embassy returned with the good news that although the Temple had been despoiled and damaged by the Portuguese “raid”, the Sacred Tooth itself was safe. Bayinnaung in 1555 sent back another mission, bearing gifts for the Temple.
The mission included among its members leading craftsmen who were building his great palace at Pegu. Under the instruction of the King, the Burmese Ambassador bought a piece of land and donated it as an endowment to keep lights always burning in the Temple. The King also sent a broom made of his own hair and the hair of his chief queen to sweep the steps of the Temple.
The mission returned only after the craftsmen had repaired and re-decorated the damaged Temple.
The Burmese mission during its stay was royally entertained by the Regent Tammita Suriya who had lately replaced Vidiye Bandara, King Dhammapala’s own father. Before leaving the Burmese Ambassador promised all necessary assistance to help the Regent defend the Sacred Relic and its Temple.
We now know from Sinhalese sources that by that time the Sacred Relic was no longer in the Temple, but the Burmese could not know that because it was a well guarded secret and it may well be that the Regent himself did not know. It was a period of stress and uncertainty and of conflicting rumours.
In 1560, a Portuguese ship arrived at the port of Pegu with the disturbing news that the Portuguese had captured the Sacred Tooth. The King learned from the Captain the following circumstances of the capture.
The father of Dhammapla and erstwhile Regent, Lord Vidiye Bandara, had arrived in Jaffna, fleeing from the Portuguese and had been killed with the result that all his treasures fell into the hands of the King of Jaffna, then the King of Jaffna himself had been captured by the Portuguese and among the treasures of Bandara was found the Sacred Tooth Relic.
Bayinnaung, after hearing the story, believed that the Tooth now at Goa was the genuine one. One cannot accuse Bayinnaung of being too credulous, because the Portuguese themselves really thought that the Tooth in their possession was the genuine one, and perhaps even some of their Sinhalese contemporaries themselves shared in this opinion.
After all, Vidiye Bandara was known to be a bold and ambitious man who would not hesitate to carry off from the Temple the Sacred Tooth, fully aware of the prevailing belief “that he who held the Tooth would hold Ceylon.” Bayinnaung at once chartered the ship and loaded it with treasures assessed by the Portuguese to be worth eight lakhs of rupees at prices prevailing at that time, sent it to Goa with an ambassador with full plenipotentiary powers to buy the Relic at any cost.
Flying the Burmese flag of a golden Peacock on a white background, the ship arrived at a port near Jaffna where the Burmese Ambassador made further inquiries as to whether the captured Tooth was a genuine one. Fully satisfied of its genuineness, the ambassador proceeded in the chartered ship to Goa.
The Burmese Ambassador met the Viceroy of Goa and asking for the Tooth, offered to sign, in addition to the eight lakhs worth of treasure brought on the ship, a contract in perpetuity to supply a shipload of rice, whenever necessary, to the Portuguese garrison at Malacca. The Captain of the chartered ship proved to be an eloquent advocate on behalf of the Burmese offer.
The Viceroy whose treasury was almost empty at the time was very much interested, but unfortunately, the Archbishop heard about the matter and rushing to the vice-regal lodge, argued with him, pointing out that the main purpose of the Portuguese intervention in the East was to save the souls of its pagan inhabitants. The Viceroy, in return pleaded that with an empty treasury nothing could be done.
The Viceroy, in fear of ex-communication summoned his advisory council and for days there was a bitter debate between the priests and the soldiers.
The Archbishop and the other priests referred to the Sacred Tooth as “that accursed thing”, and they were of the belief that it had to be destroyed in full view of onlookers, so as to demonstrate to all Buddhists that the Relic had no supernatural powers.
Finally, on an appointed day and hour, in the square before the great Cathedral, the Archbishop solemnly placed the Tooth in a mortar, ground it to powder and burnt the powder in a brazier. The brazier was taken to the river and the ashes cast on the waters.
G. E. Harvey, in describing the scene, stated that the Burmese envoys had a look of horror on their faces as they watched the proceedings. In actual fact, the look was one of utter surprise because they were now sure that the Relic was merely a replica and not genuine. Harvey, with due sarcasm, also stated that according to the Burmese envoys, the Tooth had slipped through the bottom of the mortar, mounted up into the sky, flown 750 miles to Kandy, and alighted on a lotus there.
The Burmese as a race are sceptical of miracles, but as devout Buddhists, certain beliefs are ingrained in them and one of such beliefs is that no relic of the Buddha can be destroyed by any external agency. Just as a Buddha would die only a natural death. Therefore, the Burmese envoys were surprised to see the supposed Tooth ground into powder.
So the Burmese embassy sailed back to Burma, but on the way they touched at Kotte and suggested to their old friend, the Regent, that should disorders continue in the kingdom, the Tooth together with the Alms Bowl, could be sent to Pegu for safe custody. Dhammapla, by then had become a Christian, but the Burmese seemed to have thought that he did so for political reasons only and he would always remain a guardian of Buddhism as his name implied.
Historians have commented on the fact that Dhammapala, in spite of his baptism, remained ever popular with his people, and that was perhaps because like the Burmese envoys, they never could believe that Don Juan Dhammapala would ever be Don Juan rather than Dharmapala.
It may be mentioned also that the sole aim of Bayinnaung in endeavouring to procure the Tooth, was to save it for future generations of Buddhists to worship.
The ship finally reached Pegu safely in 1562, and the fact that this treasure ship could sale the Portuguese infested seas without molestation, testified how high was the prestige of the Burmese King.
In 1567, a mission from Kotte arrived, bringing with it a stone Alms Bowl which the mission assured was the genuine Begging Bowl of the Buddha, which had reposed together with the Sacred Tooth for many centuries. Bayinnaung showered the mission with rich presents.
It must always remain a matter of conjecture as to whether the Alms Bowl gifted to Bayinnaung was the genuine relic or otherwise. The Sinhalese sources do not seem to mention this particular mission, let alone its gift of the Alms Bowl .
On the one hand, one could argue that no Sinhalese king would part with such a priceless treasure. On the other hand, one could argue also that as Dhammapala was a devout Christian, he did not value it much.
It may well be also that either Dhammapala or his trusted Tammita, the former Regent and now the Chief Chamberlain, wanted the Alms Bowl to be taken to a place of safety across the sea from the scene of strife and struggle, especially as Colombo was now the capital.
There is one curious feature regarding this Alms Bowl: it disappeared from public worship in Ceylon about this time and Sinhalese sources, including the Mahavamsa, suddenly ceased to mention it. Both Hocart and Geiger noticed this, and the latter commented thus:
“The Sinhalese Kings liked to keep the palladium of the Kingdom (namely, the Tooth and the Bowl Relics) in their immediate neighbourhood. It is remarkable how in the later part of the Mahavamsa the Pattadhatu – the Bowl Relic – is relegated to the background and how the whole religious and political interest centres in the Dathadhatu – the Tooth Relic”.
Nell in his “Annals of the Tooth Relic” stated that during the troublous times at Kotte the Bowl Relic was for security secretly removed to Senkadagala (Kandy), just as the Tooth Relic was removed to Delgamuwa. However, he cited no authority for his statement regarding the Bowl.
In any case, when Portuguese power had waned, it was only the Tooth Relic which emerged for public worship.
Doubtless Bayinnaung was approached by emissaries from other Sinhalese kings for assistance and in 1574, he sent another embassy to Dhammapala with the suggestion that the friendship between the two kingdoms be sealed by his marriage to Dhammapala’s daughter.
In fact, Dhammapala was childless, but we do not know whether this fact was known to the Burmese.
In any case Dhammapala offered an “adopted daughter” to be Bayinnaung’s queen. The Burmese ambassador was overjoyed, and made his preparations to return to Pegu with the supposed princess, but there was some delay.
The venerable monks who accompanied the embassy expressed to Lord Chamberlain Tammita their burning desire to worship the Tooth before they left the shores of Ceylon. The Chamberlain took the Burmese monks and envoys to a place some distance from Colombo and under an oath of secrecy, they were one night ushered to a secret shrine and shown the Tooth Relic to worship.
The embassy and the princess arrived in Pegu in due course, where she was accorded the highest honours and inducted as one of the three chief queens. Learning that the Tooth was still with Dhammapala, Bayinnaung sent back the embassy in haste, with much treasure and with the request that the Relic be gifted to him.
After obtaining the Tooth Relic from Tammita himself, the embassy returned to Pegu in 1576. The arrival of the Tooth was a joyous occasion for the King and the people of Pegu. Bayinnaung received on his head the Sacred Relic, and surrounded by the vassal kings of his empire and his lords and ladies, he led the procession round the city.
Then the King enshrined the Alms Bowl which he had kept in a temporary temple in his palace and the Tooth in the great Mahazedi Pagoda. However, another Sinhalese mission arrived in great haste, this time, from the King of Kandy. The mission asked for Bayinnaung’s help and assistance for their King to conquer Colombo and punish Dhammapala and Tammita, whom the mission accused of treachery and insult to Bayinnaung for palming off a common maid-of-honour as a Sinhalese princess and a piece of the horn of a stag as the Sacred Tooth.
“Great King” announced to the Sinhalese ambassador “our master has a real daughter and also the genuine Tooth”.
But Bayinnaung was not interested, and saying that in the Burmese viewpoint only Dhammapala was rightful King of Ceylon, dismissed the embassy courteously but curtly.
Bayinnaung continued to extend his friendship and patronage to Dhammapla and in the great siege of Colombo during 1579-81, he sent his crack regiments consisting of Burmese, Mon and Siamese veterans to the beleaguered city.
In 1582, Bayinnaung died and the son who succeeded him proved to be a great soldier but a poor administrator and soon in the far-flung marches of his dominions.
Kinglets and Viceroys began to plot, and on the high seas, the Portuguese began to wonder whether their dream of empire should cover Pegu after all.
Then Siam and the neighbouring provinces declared their independence, and even the Burmese provinces and Toungoo in Middle Burma and Arakan on the western sea-board, became kingdoms on their own.
When news came from Ceylon that Vimaladharmasuriya who became King of Kandy in 1592, had brought the Sacred Tooth Relic from Delagamuwa and had installed it in a specially built temple, in the corridors of the great Pegun Palace itself, men dared to express their doubt as to the genuineness of the Tooth enshrined in Bayinnaung’s great pagoda.
When further news came that Vimaladharmasuriya had invited a mission of Burmese monks from the new Kingdom of Arakan to worship the Tooth Relic and also to re-establish the Buddhist Order in Ceylon, even those who belonged to the inner circle of the King of Pegu felt weary and despondent.
Finally in 1600, on an appointed date, the armies of Arakan, Toungoo, Siam and a Portuguese adventurer by the name of Phillip de Britto converged on Pegu from all four directions and after a great siege, conquered it.
As the Portuguese, the Siamese and the soldiers of Arakan were busy looting the great palace of its untold treasures the Toungoo army quietly slipped out of the city to the Mahazedi Pagoda five miles away, and breaking it open, took away the Sacred Alms Bowl and the Tooth Relic to Toungoo where they were enshrined in another pagoda.
De Britto who had made himself King of Syriam was impaled, and thousands watched him suffering in agony until he died three days later.
All the surviving Portuguese including De Britto’s queen herself were sold as slaves. Arakan submitted and escaped lightly because Anaukpetlun appreciated its action in sending the mission of monks to Kandy.
On his way back, Anaukpetlun broke open the Pagoda at Toungoo and took away the Alms Bowl and the Tooth to Ava, where they were re-enshrined.
His successor, Tharlun (1629-48) thought the Pagoda was not magnificent enough and sent his craftsmen to Ceylon to study the dimensions and the structure of the Maha Thuparama Dagoba at Anuradhapura.
These craftsmen on their return built at Sagaing across the River Irrawaddy from Ava, a full-sized replica of that Ceylon Dagoba, which came to be known as “Kaunghmudaw” or the “Royal Deed of Merit”. In that magnificent pagoda, the Alms Bowl and the Sacred Tooth have reposed up to the present day.
Courtesy: Sunday Times (April 06, 1997)
පරිසර හිතකාමී සූර්යකෝෂ භාවිතය ශ්රී ලංකාව වැනි සූර්ය තාපය බහුලව ලැබෙන රටකට විදුලි අවශ්යතාවය ජනනය කිරීම සදහා භාවිතා කළ හැකි ජනප්රිය විකල්පයකි. එමගින් ගෘහස්ත හා ආයතනික විදුලිබල අවශ්යතාවයන් අවම පිරිවැයකින් සපුරා ගත හැකිය.
නිපුණතා සංවර්ධන වෘත්තීය අධ්යාපන පර්යේෂණ හා නව නිපැයුම් රාජ්ය අමාත්යාංශයේ වෘත්තීය පුහුණු ආයතන වල සුර්ය කෝෂ ස්ථාපනය කරමින් පරිසර හිතකාමි සූර්ය බලශක්තියෙන් විදුලිය උත්පාදනය කරමින් එම ආයතන ක්රියාත්මක කිරිම පිලිබදව රාජ්ය අමාත්ය විශේෂඥ වෛද්ය සීතා අරඹේපොල මහත්මියගේ අවධානය යොමු වු අතර අමාත්යතුමියගේ ඉල්ලීම මත ඒ සම්බන්ධ සාකච්ඡාවක් අද (06) සූර්යබල, සුළං හා ජලවිදුලි ජනන ව්යාපෘති සංවර්ධන රාජ්ය අමාත්ය දුමින්ද දිසානායක මහතා සමග සුනිත්ය බල ශක්ති අධිකාරි පරිශ්රයේ පැවැත්විණි.
මෙහිදී අදහස් දැක්වූ අමාත්යතුමිය
” අපි ස්තුතිවන්ත වෙනවා දුමින්ද දිසානායක අමාත්යතුමන්ට, කෙටි දැනුම් දීමකින් මේ පිළිබඳව සාකච්ඡාවක් ලබා දීම පිළිබඳව. අතිගරු ජනාධිපතිතුමන්ගේ තීන්දු තීරණ යථාර්ථයක් බවට පත් කිරීමේ මෙම ක්රියාවලියේ එක් අවස්ථාවක් ලෙස මෙම අවස්ථාව සලකිය හැකියි. අපේ සමහර ආයතනවල දැනටමත් ආරම්භ කරලා තියනවා මෙම වැඩපිළිවෙළ. කාර්මික විද්යාලයේ අධ්යක්ෂ ජනරාල්තුමා මේ වන විටත් එතුමාගේ ආයතනික වපසරිය තුළ ආයතනවලට සූර්ය බල ශක්තිය ලබා දීම පිළිබඳ වැඩපිළිවෙළක්. ඒ අනුව එයට සහයෝගය දෙන්න මට හිතුණා. එතුමන්ලා ගන්නාවු තනි තනි උත්සාහයන්වලට අමාත්යාංශ මට්ටමින් සහයෝගය ලබා දිය යුතුයි. අපේ වෘත්තීය පුහුණු ආයතන රාශියක් තියනවා. ඒවායේ විශාල වපසරියක් සමග විශාල ඉඩම් ප්රමාණයක් තියනවා අපට. ඒ නිසා අපට මෙම සූර්ය බල ශක්තිය ලබා ගැනීමේ වැඩිපිළිවෙළ මැනවින් ක්රියාත්මක කළ හැකියි.”
ඒ අනුව අදහස් දැක්වූ සූර්යබල, සුළං හා ජල විදුලි ජනන ව්යාපෘති සංවර්ධන රාජ්ය අමාත්ය දුමින්ද දිසානායක මහතා
”අමාත්යතුමිය පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේදී මගෙන් ඉල්ලීමක් කළා වෘත්තීය පුහුණු මධ්යස්ථානවල සූර්ය බල ශක්තිය භාවිතා කිරීමේ වැඩපිළිවෙළක් සකස් කර දෙන ලෙස. මෙයින් විශාල මුදලක් රජයට ඉතිරි කර ගැනීමේ හැකියාව පවතිනවා. මෙය ක්රියාත්මක අවශ්ය සහයෝගය අපට ලබාදෙන්න පුළුවන් ඒ වගේම වෘත්තීය පුහුණු ආයතන හරහා මෙම ක්ෂේත්රයට හොද වෘත්තීය පුහුණුවක් ඇති කරන්න ඕන”
ඒ අනුව මෙහි පලමු අදියර වශයෙන් තෝරාගත් වෘත්තීය පුහුණු මධ්යස්ථාන කිහිපයක සුර්ය කෝෂ පද්ධති නොමිලේ සවි කරදීමට ඒකගත්වය පල කළ කරන ලදි. මේ වන විට ජාතික ආධුනිකත්ව හා කාර්මික පුහුණු කිරිමේ අධිකාරිය (NAITA) මගින් කෙරිගෙන යන සුර්ය ප්රකාශ වොල්ටීයතා තාක්ෂණ ශිල්පි (Solar photovoltaic systems technician) NVQ 3 හා NVQ 4 මට්ටමේ පාඨමාලා තවදුරටත් ශක්තිමක් කරමින් විදුලිකාර්මිකයන් දසදහසක් බිහිකිරිමට මෙම සාකච්ඡාවේදි අවධානය යොමු විය
කෙටි කාලීන පාඨමාලා ලෙස ක්ෂේත්රයේ අවශ්යතාව අනුව ආධුනිකයින් පුහුණු කිරීම ආරම්භ කිරීමට මෙන්ම පුහුණුව අවසානයේ රැකියාව සුරක්ෂිත කිරීමට තීරණය කෙරිණි . නුදුරේදී එයට අවශ්ය අවබෝධතා ගිවිසුම අමාත්යාංශ අතර අත්සන් කැරෙනු ඇත. එයට අමතරව ඔවුන්ට සුදුසු ආරක්ෂික ඇදුම් (overall kit) සහ උපකරණ කට්ටල (Tool kit) ලබාදීමට කටයුතු යොදනු ලැබේ .
සූර්යබල, සුළං හා ජලවිදුලි ජනන ව්යාපෘති සංවර්ධන රාජ්ය අමාත්යංශය ආරම්භ කරන සුර්ය කෝෂ සවිකිරිමේ ව්යාපෘති සදහා වෘත්තීය පුහුණු පාඨමාලා හදාරා අවසන් වන ආධුනිකයින් එක්කරගනිමින් ක්ෂේත්ර පුහුණුව ලබා දීමටත් අවසානයේදි රැකියා ලබාදීමටත් රාජ්ය අමාත්ය දුමින්ද දිසානායක මහතා මෙම සාකච්ඡාවේදි එකගතාවය පල කරන ලදි.
මෙම අවස්ථාව සඳහා නිපුණතා සංවර්ධන වෘත්තීය අධ්යාපන පර්යේෂණ හා නව නිපැයුම් රාජ්ය අමාත්යාංශ ලේකම් දීපා ලියනගේ මහත්මිය, සූර්යබල, සුළං හා ජල විදුලි ජනන ව්යාපෘති සංවර්ධන රාජ්ය අමාත්යාංශ ලේකම් හේමන්ත සමරකෝන් මහතා, සුනිත්ය බලශක්ති අධිකාරියේ සභාපති සුලක්ෂණ ජයවර්ධන ඇතුඵ වෘත්තීය පුහුණු අධිකාරිය, ජාතික ආධුනිකත්ව හා කාර්මික පුහුණු කිරිමේ අධිකාරිය, කාර්මික අධ්යාපන හා පුහුණු කිරිමේ දෙපාර්තුමේන්තුව යන ආයතන වල ප්රධානීන් සහභාගී වූහ.
මාධ්ය ඒකකය
නිපුණතා සංවර්ධන වෘත්තීය අධ්යාපන පර්යේෂණ හා නව නිපැයුම් රාජ්ය අමාත්යාංශය
රුධිරයේ ඔක්සිජන් මට්ටම මැන ගැනීම පහසු කරන ස්පන්දන ඔක්සිමීටර් (PULSE OXIMETER) 300ක් ආචාර්ය බෝදාගම චන්දිම නාහිමියෝ අද (06) දින අරලියගහ මන්දිරයේ දී ගරු අග්රාමාත්ය මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ මහතාට භාර දුන්හ.
කොවිඩ් ආසාදිත වී ප්රතිකාරවලට යොමුවන රෝගීන්ගේ පහසුව සඳහා බෙදා දීමට මෙම ස්පන්දන ඔක්සිමීටර් තොගය පරිත්යාග කෙරිණි.
වසංගත තත්ත්වයට මුහුණ දෙමින් කොවිඩ් රෝගය පාලනය කිරීම උදෙසා රජය ගෙනයන එන්නත්කරණ වැඩපිළිවෙල අගය කරන බව කැලණිය මානෙල්වත්ත විහාරාධිපති, නාගානන්ද අන්තර්ජාතික බෞද්ධ අධ්යන ආයතනයේ උපකුලපති හා තායිවානයේ ප්රධාන සංඝනායක ආචාර්ය බෝදාගම චන්දිම නාහිමියෝ මෙහි දී පැවසූහ.
එන්නත්කරණය ඔස්සේ ජනතාවගේ ජීවිත ආරක්ෂා කර ගැනීමට ප්රමුඛත්වය දී කටයුතු කරන බව පෙන්වා දුන් අග්රාමාත්යතුමා, රජය ගෙන යන එන්නත්කරණ වැඩපිළිවෙල ශක්තිමත් කිරීමට මෙන්ම ප්රතිකාර කටයුතු වෙනුවෙන් විවිධ ස්වෙච්ඡා සංවිධාන සහ පෞද්ගලික ආයතනවලින් ලැබෙන දායකත්වය ද අගය කළේය.
This is the place where we can find REAL PHILOSOPHY OF THE LORD BUDDHA -Jethawanarama Forest Monastery-
The emergence of COVID-19 in December 2019 in China spread like wildfire. In January 2020, despite China imposing a lockdown in Wuhan, the virus spread to the mainland and eventually worldwide. The pandemic has affected millions of people worldwide.
The death rate is over four million up to date. Sri Lanka managed to control the initial stages of the pandemic, where even the WHO commended the actions taken by the Sri Lanka Government. People had to stay at home, and workers had to work from home during the lockdown period to control the epidemic.
The Government decided to pay substantially to those who depended on a daily wage. Unfortunately, the Opposition Parties and the JVP continue with adverse comments in criticising the Government rather than supporting it during the pandemic. With the Delta variant, there appears to be a new wave causing countless deaths.
Health authorities strongly emphasise how to refrain from getting infected by the coronavirus. However, many tend to ignore such instructions, and as a result, the number of Covid-19 cases has increased. With all such restrictions and despite those who defied health instructions, the Government recently decided to ease restrictions to a certain degree and ‘open’ the country for economic purposes with special conditions in force.
Once the pandemic began to spread throughout the world, various countries started developing numerous vaccines of different types. Some vaccines were sent free of charge to Sri Lanka by friendly countries, and the rest had to be purchased by the Government. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed the health authorities to end the vaccination programme by the end of August 2021, as Sri Lanka is already receiving adequate supplies.
On 20th July 2021, Sri Lanka took the lead in the world community relating to vaccination programmes. The Sri Lankan Government has now embarked on a vigorous vaccination programme. Though it has not been made mandatory by law, rumours have unsettled those reluctant to be vaccinated. It is rumoured that a vaccination card will have to be produced to board public transport when seeking treatment at hospitals etc. Critics maintain this is equivalent to an illegal mandatory requirement adopted by public bodies.
Public Opinion
Most people harbour a reluctance to get vaccinated owing to the fear of long-term side effects. Their view is that compulsive vaccination cannot be made mandatory as it stifles the freedom of choice of the masses. Some even say it violates freedom of choice due to the provisions enshrined in the Sri Lankan Constitution! Critics also say it goes against good social ethics and makes an entire society cow down by restrictions.
Indeed, it is their understandable fear as each one should have the freedom to choose because it concerns one’s body and life. In the UK, for instance, anyone has the space to tell their GP or a consultant doctor that, “No, I am not going to listen to your instructions because this is my body, and it is my life – and you cannot take decisions on my life and my body.” But it is a different kettle of fish in Sri Lanka.
Critics against vaccination maintain that “unusual blood clots are a possible side effect of the vaccine”, and studies have proved it to be so. Blood clots in circulation are deadly as they may precipitate pulmonary embolism, strokes, and heart attacks! The development of blood clots places lives in danger, and what about other risk factors yet to come? Therefore, critics claim that guidelines should be given to service providers such as hospitals, transport organisations, cinema halls etc., not to demand vaccination cards and allow people to exercise their choice.
Strikes and protests
Due to the non-availability of toxic fertiliser for this Kanne, the opposition and the JVP have organised protests and strikes through trade unions, including the education sector, against the Kotelawela National Defence University (KNDU) Bill. Protest campaigns have taken place in different parts of the country. The Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) General Secretary was arrested during such a demonstration and moved to the Mullaitivu Quarantine facility for breaking health guidelines. The Police proceeded to control people as they were gathering while ignoring the law.
By behaving so, health authorities say another cluster may break out soon! Meanwhile, the online education system crashed when teachers withdrew in support of the protesters breaking health regulations. The Police naturally had to take appropriate action and send them to quarantine centres. People have a different opinion on Police behaviour in a chaotic state of affairs. The demonstrators had to be carried by the Police taking risks to their own lives whenever they submitted meekly.
The Government had no option but to utilise Army personnel under the circumstances to vaccinate people rather than sending them home being irritated and frustrated. It resulted in Sri Lanka coming on top of the list amongst vaccinated countries. Public opinion is that ‘with any dispute with the Government, the protesters should take it up with the regime and not interfere with online education of innocent children.
Meanwhile, social media has gone viral with criticism that some of the JVP stalwarts’ children are studying in overseas countries while they turn a blind eye to the helpless children in Sri Lanka. Therefore, it is crystal clear what the opposition and the JVP are playing a political game to make the present Government unpopular.
Homoeopathy, Ayurveda, and Traditional Treatment
A few Homoeopathy drugs are highly effective against the COVID-19 virus and cure those afflicted with the disease, immaterial of the variants, within 48 hours, with no complications or hospitalisation, says Dr. Mass R. Usuf (President of the National Association of Homoeopaths & Affiliates). He furthers advises that the Government Homoeopathic Hospital in Welisara can be utilised as a centre to cure those affected by Covid-19 – with mortality reduced to zero and fast recovery with no severe complications! Thousands of people would prefer to have homoeopathic, ayurvedic treatment or traditional methods rather than being subjected to vaccination and making their bodies vulnerable to serious side effects.
It is especially so among those who believe in conventional medicine, which has been in existence from time immemorial, state that Sri Lankans had weathered many an infectious disease in the past. With the onslaught of COVID19, many Homoeopaths, Ayurvedic doctors, traditional doctors (vedamahattayas) have invented numerous methods to fight against the Covid-19 virus and its variants, enabling a boosted immune system to fight against any infection and as a prophylactic.
The latest is a germ killer inhaler, using rare traditional herbs available in this country where our ancestors used to combat any epidemic. It is available in the local market and is said to address any virus, be it COVID-19 or any other variant – obviously more convenient than gobbling. It would violate human rights to compel the masses to undergo vaccination by law or by an illegal mandatory requirement adopted by public bodies. Critics are getting ready for setting up an anti-vaccination lobby to resort to legal action against any such moves!
(tilakfernando@gmail.com)
Colombo, August 6 (newsin.asia): Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has pointed out that a rash of protest rallies across the island recently has contributed to the spurt in the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
The intelligence agencies have found that the spurt giving rise of unprecedented congestion in the hospitals is due to the over 120 demonstrations across the country with over 1500 people participating in each of them, the President said on Friday.
People getting together in this manner without following health guidelines have led to the rapid spread of COVID-19, the agencies had told him. There has been an increase in the number of patients being treated at hospitals in several major cities including Colombo with COVID-19 symptoms.
The President emphasized that the patients should not be inconvenienced due to the congestion. He said that intermediate treatment centers have been set up in several major cities recently. The President pointed out the need to refer those who show symptoms first to the Intermediate Treatment Centers and then to the hospitals after monitoring the patient’s condition.
The President made these remarks at a meeting held with the Special Committee on Prevention of COVID 19 Outbreak on vaccination drive and its future plans, at the Presidential Secretariat today (06).
Many of the personnel who are involved in the operations to contain the COVID-19 virus spread take indigenous medicines daily and this has greatly contributed to enhance immunization, said Indigenous Medicine Promotion State Minister Sisira Jayakody. He stated that even if the vaccine is administered, taking indigenous medicines daily with steam inhalation will help minimize the risk of contracting the virus.
President Rajapaksa further stated that it is the responsibility of health professionals to constantly advise the public through the media to avoid contracting the virus.
It was also decided to provide facilities for anyone over the age of 30 to receive the first dose at any of the vaccination centers that administer the second dose. Vaccines have been ordered to provide both doses to all citizens over the age of 18 before September. The government is even prepared for a third dose.
Consultant Neurosurgeon Dr. Prasanna Gunasena said it is disappointing to note the lack of support from the public to prevent the spread of the virus.
View of South India and Sri Lanka from the payload bay of the Space Shuttle in earth orbit. Source: NASA, Wikipedia Commons.
Deployment of Indian troops in Sri Lanka and establishing of provincial councils by the 13th Amendment to the Constitution are two of the main results of the Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement (ISLA) signed on July 29, 1987. The 34th anniversary of the ISLA gives an opportunity to assess its achievements, failures, and its relevance today to the bilateral ties between the two countries.
As far as Sri Lanka is concerned ISLA and the deployment and subsequent withdrawal of the Indian Peace Keeping Forces (IPKF) are part of history, without any relevance to its current developments and communal relations.
However, some Indian foreign policy analysts believe the ISLA is yet alive and provides an ideal instrument for India to undertake actions in its best national interest. Old IPKF hand, Col. (Retd) Rajinder Singh Sidhu said in a recent article that Sri Lanka is being recalcitrant in meeting its full obligations under the Accord. This is in direct contrast to the alacrity shown by it in meeting the sensitivities of China even to the extent of amending its constitution. There is thus a case for India to secure its interests by more forceful interjection with the Government of Sri Lanka,” he said.
The IPKF was doomed from the very beginning as it failed to disarm the Tamil militants within 48 hours of assignment, the very first task given to it. However, the IPKF cannot be blamed as it was due to India’s failure to understand the terrorist leader Prabhakaran and his devious designs. The LTTE refused to surrender arms as agreed under the ISLA. Prabhakaran was airlifted by the Indian air Force from Bangalore to Jaffna on July 30, 1987 and was compelled to tell his people that he had accepted the ISLA, which envisaged the disarming of Tamil militants in two days. India was well aware the IPKF operation was doomed from the very onset. The LTTE had double-crossed them.
Two Cabinet Ministers trusted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi are old Sri Lanka hands who served in Colombo and played a crucial role in ISLA and IPKF in the 1980s. External Affairs Minister Subramaniam Jaishankar and Petroleum & Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Puri were posted at the Indian High Commission in Colombo in that crucial decade. As first secretary (political) in the Indian mission in Colombo, Puri played an important role by discussing the ISLA draft with Prabhakaran and finally getting Prabhakaran to travel to New Delhi to meet Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, who persuaded him to accept the ISLA.
Jaishankar succeeded Puri as First Secretary in the high commission and during the tenure he was also the political adviser. That was the most difficult period for India, as the IPKF had to fight the LTTE for more than two years during which they lost the loyalty of the Tamil population in the North and East. Finally, President Ranasinghe Premadasa gave the IPKF quit notice and the last batch of IPKF left in March 1990. Within 3 years Rajiv Gandhi and Premadasa were assassinated on the orders of Prabhakaran.
Minister Hardeep Puri in his book on Sri Lanka experiences, titled Perilous Interventions, acknowledged that the decision to deploy the IPKF in Sri Lanka to implement the accord was, in hindsight, perceived as a high-level policy failure, and rightly so.”
The ISLA ran into trouble when the IPKF was instructed to implement the most important clause, A cessation of hostilities will come into effect all over the island within 48 hours of signing of this agreement. All arms presently held by militant groups will be surrendered. The process of surrendering arms and the confinement of security personnel moving back to barracks shall be completed within 72 hours of the cessation of hostilities coming into effect.”
The LTTE refused to surrender arms and after a series of negotiations and arm-twisting, five truckloads of old weapons, ranging from homemade bombs to rusting anti-aircraft cannons were surrendered in August 1987. Prabhakaran refused to attend the much Media-hyped surrender ceremony in Jaffna and his political deputy, Dilip Yogi, instead of symbolically surrendering his German Luger pistol, silently placed it on a table and Defence Secretary, Gen. Sepala Attygalle, placed his hand on the pistol to complete the symbolic exchange. This is a token gesture,” IPKF Commander, Lt. Gen. Depinder Singh said. A beginning,” he expressed the hope.
However, India as well as Sri Lankan forces were aware that the LTTE had not surrendered its vast stocks of weapons. The Indian High Commissioner J N Dixit told media later, Our troops are only half an hour away by air if any trouble arises,” obviously a warning to the LTTE. Two months later fighting broke out between the IPKF and the LTTE.
Prime Minister Gandhi also warned Prabhakaran. If the LTTE does not agree and wants to take on the Indian Army, we will finish them within a week or 10 days,” he said. However, the war between IPKF and LTTE lasted a little over two years and claimed the lives of 1,240 Indian officers and soldiers and left over 3,000 maimed.
Although there were several peace proposals from India since 1983, serious talks on ISLA started only after the invasion of Sri Lankan airspace in June 1987 by India in its notorious ‘parippu’ (dhal) drop. In few weeks the ISLA draft was prepared and it had many ambiguities leading to uncertainties. Many clauses were one-sided and lacked reciprocity. The ISLA clause that This agreement and the annexure thereto shall come into force upon signature”, is also indicative of the urgency, as are the short timelines for accomplishing the political and military resolutions within the Accord.
Four most important clauses were not in the ISLA, but they were included in two letters exchanged by President J.R. Jayewardene and Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The ISLA also states, Residual matters not finalised during the above negotiations shall be resolved between India and Sri Lanka within a period of six weeks of signing this agreement.”
The Government of India will underwrite and guarantee the resolutions, and co-operate in the implementation of these proposals,” the ISLA stated, but when IPKF left Sri Lanka in 1990, fully armed LTTE cadres were controlling the North and East, enjoying the amnesty and facilities given by President Premadasa.
President Jayewardene fulfilled Sri Lanka’s obligations under the ISLA by passing the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and holding of Provincial Council elections, where former militant Vartharaja Perumal became the Chief Minister of the temporarily amalgamated North and East Provincial Council. The LTTE boycotted the elections and took up arms against IPKF and later against Sri Lankan forces until the terror group was annihilated in 2009. The Supreme Court later found the amalgamation of North and East was unconstitutional and temporary merger was held null and void.
Two Indian cabinet ministers Puri and Jaishankar are among the most knowledgeable experts on what went wrong with ISLA, IPKF debacle and the Provincial Councils Act enacted as a result of ISLA, and they will be happy to leave the subject for historians, researchers and retired armed force members to debate without getting New Delhi and Colombo involved.
HEINEKEN LANKA today announced the commencement of local brewing operations of its flagship beer brand – Heineken® in Sri Lanka. With this, Sri Lanka joins an elite group of 60 countries that have the license and approvals from its global parent for local manufacturing operations. This move signifies the importance of the Sri Lankan market to the Dutch international brewer and comes at a time when the country needs it the most.
Marking its largest investment into the country to date, HEINEKEN will ensure that all locally manufactured beer is produced on par with international standards under the guidance of a Heineken® appointed Brewing Expert. Made with 100% Pure Malt, Heineken® is all about great social connections & enjoyment of life.
This move to manufacture Heineken® locally is in line with the Sri Lankan government’s vision to reduce imports, thus saving on much needed foreign exchange and to offer discerning Sri Lankan consumers’ access to premium, world class brews at significantly more cost-effective prices. Furthermore, this will also bring about greater consumer choice in the market. We believe Sri Lanka has the potential to be a key player for HEINEKEN in the Asia Pacific region and look forward to seeing its success along with equitable market conditions.
Maud Meijboom van-Wel, Managing Director of HEINEKEN Lanka Limited
Today, HEINEKEN is the world’s most international brewer and is the leading developer and marketer of premium beer and cider brands across the globe. Led by the Heineken® brand, the Group boasts a portfolio of over 300 brands, a global presence in more than 190 countries and is committed to further increasing its exposure in emerging markets.
About Heineken Lanka
Heineken Lanka Limited is the second largest manufacturer and distributor of beer in Sri Lanka. Heineken Lanka operates a brewery in Mawathagama, Kurunegala, which has been in continuous operation for the past 20+ years. The company has a staff strength of 200 permanent employees and is home to a brand portfolio of 6 iconic beers.
Sri Lanka will mandate a 70 percent renewable energy share by 2030 forcing state-run Ceylon Electricity Board to prepare a long term generation plan to that effect, renewable energy minister Duminda Dissanayake said.
We have decided to produce 70 percent of the electricity from renewable energy by 2030,” State Minister for Renewable Energy Duminda Dissanayake told parliament.
The balance 30 percent will be from other sources. After 2030 the balance will also be from renewable sources and we will go to 100 percent.”
The first thing we have to do is for the Honorable (Cabinet) Minister to gazette the 70 percent for the CEB to make their long term generation expansion plan (LTGEP).”
The Sustainable Energy Authority has prepared a plan on how to go to 70 percent renewable energy by 2030 and given it to the minister.
Sri Lankan authorities tightened coronavirus restrictions Friday as reports emerged of Covid patients dying while awaiting admission to overcrowded hospitals.
The government said state ceremonies and public gatherings were banned until September 1 because of the growing health crisis.
Public servants had previously been asked to return to work from Monday but that order has now been revoked and bosses told to decide who should report for duty on-site.
The fresh curbs come after the number of coronavirus deaths and infections in the last week doubled from a month ago.
Sri Lankan television anchor Thilakshani Maduwanthi shared images online of the state-run Colombo South hospital that showed three patients sharing a single bed.
She said two patients died in front of her and overworked staff were treating people under trees as the hospital could not cope with the influx.
“What we reported about India where people died outside overcrowded hospitals a few months ago is now happening right before my eyes,” she said in a widely shared Facebook post.
Other posts on social media showed bodies piling up at two hospitals outside the capital.
Private gatherings have not been banned but the government has increased restrictions on attendance.
Only 25 mourners will be allowed at funerals, down from 150, and weddings will be cut to 150 people from 500.
Sri Lanka eased Covid restrictions last month as the government stepped up a vaccination rollout.
Just over 10 million people out of the population of 21 million have been given at least one jab, while 2.67 million had received both as of Thursday.
Despite the vaccination campaign, the number of infections has more than doubled to a daily average of about 2,500, with the daily death toll above 80.
Sri Lanka has recorded 4,817 coronavirus deaths to date and almost 325,000 infections, according to official data.
But experts say the true figure is much higher.
The new wave comes after the government relaxed restrictions in April to allow celebrations for the traditional Sinhala and Tamil New Year.
Regulations were tightened once more in May and eased again on July 10.
Most Lankans would by now have forgotten the poorest prime minister the world ever had, the late Dr W. Dahanayake. W” was a poor man’s politician. When he lost his Galle seat as prime minister in the 1960 elections, he packed his suitcase and asked his Secretary, Mr. Bradman Weerakoon, to drop him off at the Fort Railway Station to take a train to Galle. Bradman told him that it was his responsibility, to see that he got home safely and provided him with a ‘pool’ vehicle in which the former PM drove to Galle where he lived with his twin brother K. Dahanayake. He had no vehicle of his own, nor did he have a house, and it was his twin brother K” who provided him free accommodation with an office room in front.
W. Dahanayake commenced his political career with local politics becoming the first Mayor of Galle in 1939. Later he contested the State Council seat of Bibile in 1944 and won. But he returned to contest his home constituency of Galle at the first Parliamentary election of 1947. His opponent was businessman and planter H.W.Amarasuriya, one of the richest men in the South, spending a lot of money on his campaign. At his political meetings W, said in Sinhala I’ll shake the money tree. Pick up what falls and vote for me”. In Sinhala ” Mama Salli Gaha hollanawa. Sahodarawaruni, vetena salli ahulagena mata chande denna”.
In 1956 he was reelected to Galle from the MEP, headed by the late Mr. S.W.R.D Bandaranaike, who chose him as Minister of Education in the new Government. As Minister he provided a free bun to all school children, earning the nick name Bunis Mama”. In 1957 W” was invited as the chief guest for the Richmond College annual prize giving and I recall the Principal Mr E.R. de Silva saying in his welcome speech ’The two Dahnayakes ( including his twin brother K”) were one class lower than I, but when I reached the Senior Cambridge form they had already passed the exam as both were brilliant students who had earned double promotions.”
As Prime Minister in 1960 he lost to bus magnate W.D.S. Abeygunawardena (Patti Mahattaya) but returned to Parliament a few months later at the election which followed the then government losing the vote on the Throne Speech . In 1965 he became the Minister of Home Affairs. He was always the poor man’s politician. Anyone could walk into his office at Richmond Hill Road, Galle, and meet him to discuss their problems and obtain relief. Any number of free calls were permitted on his official phone with no questions asked. He was present at any funeral, wedding or public function in Galle even if uninvited. He traveled by bus and train. Once I met him in a bus to Imaduwa and he asked e where I was going. I told him I was going for the funeral of an old teacher in my village school at Imaduwa. He said he too was going there and asked me what I knew of the teacher as he wanted to make a speech at the funeral. He did that, delivering an oration in good Sinhala using the information I had provided.
He had no wealth but had a big heart. Whether rich or poor, a high a government servant or day labourer, anybody with a problem who sought his help was always assisted. A man with great values, he lived by them everyday and did what he could for all who came to him. His values had nothing to do with the outcome of his good deeds, wealth or position of the beneficiary, but in accordance with the standards he lived by – service to the public, honesty, accountability, fairness, independence, dependability, loyalty and other noble principles .
He goes into history as the only Government Minister who never went abroad, never leaving these shores during his long political career which must surely be a world record. My cousin Gerald De Alwis who served as a senior public servant in the Galle Kachcheri (later retired as Director Land Reforms Commission) has this to say : ” The GA Galle. Mr Navaratnarajah one day asked Daha, ” Sir, how is it that you being one of the most senior politicians never went abroad?” His prompt response was Socrates never left Athens”.
During Mrs. Bandaranaike’s 1970-77 regime there were severe controls on sale of textiles. In protest he walked into Parliament in a span-cloth (Amude”). He will also go down in history as the politician who made the longest speech in Parliament extending over 13 hours. My cousin Gerald in his Memoirs sums up Daha’s career thus : He was a shining star in the galaxy of politicians and added lustre to his vocation.” He was a statesman par- excellence, whose dedication to service to the common man was sometimes misunderstood by many public servants, a man who used poditricks” in politics.
Srilanka can be proud of politicians of his caliber rather than talk about Presidents of other countries, like Uruguay. Whilst today some politicians make use of their positions to amass wealth for generations to come, especially in our country, he would remain a shining example and a role model to all budding politicians.
Richmond College Galle can be proud of this politician who was poor and humble and never sought high positions , but preferred to abide by his principles and live with a clear conscience. Daha was a good listener. He was a polite person who listened with care to ensure that he respects the thoughts, feelings and ideas of others, whatever their status or skills.
It is my belief that he never sought approval but always did what he thought was right. He had immense confidence in himself and did not care whether anybody liked him or not, but was happy to serve all even if they disliked him.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has directed the Health Minister and health authorities to formulate a mechanism to prevent Covid patients from being inconvenienced in Hospitals.
He directed the Health Minister, State Health Ministers and health officials to directly involve in the matter, the Presidential Media Division (PMD) said.
He made this direction at the COVID meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat this morning.
The President has stressed the need to refer symptomatic patients to intermediate treatment centres and admit them to hospitals after assessing their condition.
Intelligence services have pointed out that there had been 120 protests during the last month and that at least 1,500 people had participated in each protest, the PMD said.
They have also observed that these mass gatherings without following health guidelines have resulted in the spread of the disease. (AS)
Posts claiming that there is a bomb threat in two leading five-star hotels in Colombo and in places in Bambalapitiya, Wellawatta, Mirihana, Nugegoda, Mount Lavinia and Dehiwala are completely false and people have been urged not to panic, the Police told Daily Mirror a short while ago.
Army Commander General Shavendra Silva also confirmed that these reports were false and the panic had spread as a result of a post, which had circulated on social media, soon after the Easter attacks in 2019, being re-edited and circulated once again.
Police said an investigation had already been launched into the incident.
As Sri Lanka’s daily COVID-19 cases count continues to soar, the Ministry of Health has decided to triage the virus-infected patients for hospitalization on priority basis.
Accordingly, a set of guidelines has been issued by the ministry on providing home-based care for asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic patients.
These low-risk patients will be allowed to home-quarantine at their own discretion.
As per the guidelines:
01. MOH in the area is responsible for triaging the virus-infected individuals who need home-based care and institutional health care.
02. The patients eligible for home-based care;
– Should be aged between 02 – 65 years
– Should be isolated in a separate room with sanitary facilities and adequate ventilation allocated for them
– Should not have uncontrolled comorbidities such as morbid obesity (BMI>30), diabetes, hypertension, chronic heart/lung/renal diseases or other medical conditions
– Should not be suffering from immunocompromised status or not on long-term immunosuppressive therapy
– Should have adequate self-care or caregiver support at home
– Should have proper communication facilities and the ability to communicate (patient or caregiver)
– Should have given informed consent
– *in the case of a pregnant woman, the gestational period should be less than 24 weeks
03. The MOH of the area should register the low-risk patients in the Patient Home Isolation and Management System (PHIMS). The MOH will then hand over the responsibility of the patient to the Call Centre and the Medical Care Team through the PHIMS.
04. These teams will be supervised by the Consultant Family Physicians in coordination with the other specialists in relative specialities.
05. The call centre will coordinate with the patient and a medical care team assigned for home-care management. An assigned medical officer in the medical care team will conduct an initial assessment and daily monitoring of the patient.
06. This remote assessment and daily monitoring care carried out through the telephone consultations by the Standardized Screening Tool and the findings will be recorded in the PHIMS. Subsequent remote assessment will be done daily or more frequently as required.
07. Following parameters will be assessed and recorded in the PHIMS by the medical care team:
– PCR/RAT positive date or date of initial symptoms
– Fever
– Breathing difficulty on rest or mild exertion
– Feeling unwell or any other significant symptoms
– Symptoms of dehydration
– Symptoms of uncontrolled underlying comorbidities
08. Following red flag symptoms will be considered for immediate admission to a hospital:
– Progressive worsening of persisting symptoms
– Difficulty in breathing at rest or after mild exertion
– SpO2 at rest is below 96% or less than 94% after mild exertion (if pulse oximeter is available)
– Persistent chest pain or heaviness
– Symptoms of dehydration
– Altered mental state (confusion/drowsiness.irritability)
09. Patients in the PHIMS requiring hospitalization will be identified early by a medical care team supervised by a Consultant Family Physician and will be handed over to a Specialist Medical Officer/Medical Officer nominated by the Regional Director of Health Services. This medical officer will arrange the patient’s transportation to the hospital in coordination with the relevant hospitals which have appropriate facilities.
10. The patients who are in the home-based management will be given the following instructions:
– Reassurance
– Advice on important non-pharmacological management (rest, fluid and balanced diet)
– Advice on pharmacological management for symptoms
– Encourage for proper monitoring and control of comorbidities and continuation of optimized treatment
– NOT take any NSAIDs or Systemic Steroids
– If a patient is on long-term steroids, it should be continued and specialised opinions need to be taken.
– If a caregiver provides services to a patient, she/he should wear personal protective equipment and take other hygienic measures
– Any caregiver should avoid contact with potentially contaminated items (such as towels, clothes) and hand hygiene should be maintained
– Advise the patient to contact the call centre through 1390 if any emergency arises
11. Appropriate waste disposal should be ensured by the Public Health Inspector (PHI) of the area to prevent spread of infection within the household.
12. The home-quarantined patient can be discharged on the 14th day of illness. If symptoms persist, the patient will be monitored until the symptoms resolve.
13. Patients who violate health instructions during the home care management will be admitted to ICC or hospital by the MOH. If a patient refuses to get admitted, the MOH can evacuate the patient without any consent and take legal action according to the Quarantine Ordinance. The MOH could seek the assistance of the police in the area if required.
14. Duration of home-quarantine period for other household members of the patient is 14 days from the positive PCR date of index case. However, if a household member becomes a first contact of the patient during the period of quarantine, he or she should undergo an extended period of quarantine for 14 days from the date of becoming the first contact. Exit RAT should be done for the negative members at the end of quarantined period.
15. Symptoms of possible post COVID syndrome should be advised to every patient on discharge from home-based care and the patient should be asked to report to the MOH of the area without any delay if such symptom appears.
A misleading post on an impending explosion in Mirihana, Nugegoda, Mount Lavinia, Dehiwala, Wellawatta and Bambalapitiya areas is circulating in social media, says the police spokesman.
Probes carried out into the matter have uncovered that a certain individual had created the relevant post on April 25, 2019, Senior DIG Ajith Rohana stated further.
According to him, this same person had recirculated the post recently.
There is no cause for panic,” the police spokesman said in a statement.
Further investigations in this regard are being carried out under the supervision of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Mount Lavinia.
Sri Lanka has registered 98 more COVID-19 related fatalities confirmed by the Director General of Health Services on Thursday (August 05).
The new development has pushed the official death toll from the virus outbreak in Sri Lanka to 4,919.
According to the data released by the Department of Government Information, the latest victims confirmed today include 54 males and 44 females.
As many as 70 deaths have been reported among the elderly people who are aged above 60 years. In addition, one youth and 27 people aged between 30-59 years are also among the new victims.
A total of 884 more people were tested positive for COVID-19 today (August 06), increasing the daily count of positive cases to 2,794.
According to the Government Information Department, 2,792 of the new cases reported today have been associated with the New Year cluster.
The new development has brought Sri Lanka’s confirmed coronavirus cases tally to 324,223.
Epidemiology Unit’s data showed that as many as 288,307 patients who were infected with the virus have regained health so far. Meanwhile, the death toll now stands at 4,919.
More than 31,000 active cases are currently under medical care at selected hospitals and treatment centres across the country
People have followed ideologies and their leaders but there has been no party that has been this disruptive & destructive of a country’s progress. While everyone has every right to choose their political ideology/principles etc, when a party infiltrates and influences the cream of the future, it is cause for concern. Just as we question these mischief makers, we are also pointing fingers at successive governments & the university system for not dealing with the issue for the betterment of the nation.
Why has our university education deteriorated over the years?
Why are our university students more interested in demonstrating & protesting?
What have they given back to the nation for the free education they have received?
How many of these protestors and mischief makers are employed as lecturers within the university system & underground fueling the chaos?
How much of this ideological influence has penetrated to university education ultimately dissolving the talents of the talented that enter?
How many non-JVP end up JVP because of no choice?
How many of them have destroyed their future taking a path that has led them nowhere?
The JVP is the richest political party in Sri Lanka – how a presumed Marxist party can become the richest political party collecting money from tin cans is everybody’s question, but it also clearly identifies JVP as the hired Man-Friday during elections. The funds suffice for political parties to use the JVP underground systems and people to do the campaign for the likely winning contender or likely opposition contender. All depends on the auction. There is little to argue against this notion as JVP role in helping every government that has come to power is clear in its own campaign slogans & statements of its leaders. However, people who earn their own living have every right to choose the political party & ideology they wish to follow.
The same yardstick, however cannot be applied to university students – 90% coming from rural homes and entering a new environment & habitat foreign from the humble lifestyles they led and the simple lives they lived. Enveloping these ignorant and innocent have been peanuts even to some lecturers whose characters are best left for another topic altogether.
In the face of these opportunists and influencers the life of a talented flower ends up going waste and the child ends up nothing that his/her parents aspired them to become. No parent overjoyed that their child has entered university wishes to see them picketing on the streets when there are many more things to demand within the university premises.
We know how many innocent students fell victim to ragging – the type of ragging taking place cannot be written. Hiring houses for ragging, physical and sexual humiliation are just some of the ghastly ordeals students have had to endure all in the name of ‘welcoming’ the new batches. Any student who wants to torture can get a transfer to the prison. Any student abusing the rights of another student should be dismissed. The university authorities must define and make clear what is ACCEPTABLE RAGGING and anyone indulging in any acts beyond this has to be immediately expelled or transferred to a Raggers University where the state can have these raggers have a go at each other and do no harm to innocent students! Obviously these miscreants know they will not get employment in any corporate sector and state sector may also find them taboo unless under influence they get a job – so what is their future likely to be – joining the JVP political wing? This circular curse cannot continue.
We do not need to tell the university apparatus how simple it is to catch the culprits who abuse & indulge in ragging and torture – it does not require gazettes or Parliamentary Bills. Why are the culprits not thrown out? Why are these culprits in university for years holding positions and not passing out? Throwing out the mischief makers no sooner they are found guilty of malpractice is the easiest way to drain the swamp and the university can easily create the conducive environment for studies enabling the students to find their talents & infuse a mentality of not learning to demand only. The JVP infiltration in the university has created a bunch of university pass-outs who think jobs have to be offered no sooner they pass, pensionable salaries must be given and the state has to continue to molly-cuddle them. This mentality has to change and the university system is tasked not just to lecture but to create students who are keen to apply what they learn to raising the nation and in turn raising themselves. It is when a student is able to showcase his/her ability, that people become aware of his/her talents and necessary funding or assistance is given. Simply shouting on street corners and demanding only, is not going to get them anywhere.
Having come from rural homes, these students must realize that it is the scoring system that has enabled them to get an edge over other students from urban areas who not only sat the same exam but scored higher than them. While these high mark scorers are not able to enter universities, low scoring students from rural areas are given the chance to enter. They should not spoil this chance. It is also noteworthy that these students may lack the finesse that is generally accepted for work environments, however there are plenty of corporate, state and even voluntary assistance to help these students with soft skills. More are likely to come forward if the university system get rid of the JVP and its branches operating inside the universities ruining the lives of tomorrow’s future generations. With JVP forced out and the universities given room to bring out the talents of students, more people are likely to come forward to assist these students for they know that the soft skill services offered by them will not go in vain and end up as a street protest.
So the biggest question is why are every government not taking the bull by the horns?
Why are they approaching this issue in a knee-jerk attitude?
Firstly, the government must realize that the assets of the nation are the children and its young adults. No nation wants to see a bunch of ruffians brainwashed to picket. We cannot watch until the JVP finds space even inside schools. Therefore, the government must come up with a national plan which doesn’t gather dust after elections and lies at the bottom of the files of the Education Minister and the University big wigs. Is it that none of them are interested to resolve this problem or do they wish it to continue? Do they not want to see our talented youth go far. We are yet to have a R&D se up in Sri Lanka brought to the level of foreign universities that can present annual papers for different issues prevailing in Sri Lanka. There is so much that the universities and the students can do and there are enough and more talented youth able to do – the problem is a bunch of rascals are not allowing them to.
What ails the universities in Sri Lanka? we all know the answer
Is the problem unsolvable? No
Why is it not being solved? Who knows?
Should it be solved? Of course
When will it be solved? Anyone’s guess
But the clock is ticking and we should not idle any longer, unless we want to see a bunch of rioters everyday extending even to schools!
Shenali D Waduge
There are many lessons to learn from history. A look back in time will reveal occasions that companies forced governments to invade or create regime change in nations because government policies were impacting their profit & presence in countries. US corporates in South America, assassination of Iran’s Mossadegh are just a handful of examples that come to mind. The important point is that corporates have silently been influencing governments to the point of even dislodging governments. Today, corporates (nowhere near squeaky clean) are even taking governments to court. With the corporate owned media carrying on a systematic campaign to showcase the inefficiency of governments & their apparatus – we should wonder what they are up to now!
Many of the global companies relocate to third world nations, not to do any favor to them but because these countries are advantageous to them – they pay fewer taxes, they can employ cheap labor and there is less regulations while they can easily exploit local conditions. This is the haven and heaven away from home where most likely the opposite prevails. So if Western companies are relocating to third world nations, there is a good reason for them to do so and it isn’t out of any heart wrenching desire to help the Third World. That is likely to come at the bottom of their priority list. Accenture is a good example – it has relocated to various parts of the world & operates its franchises via a Swiss holding company incorporates in Bermuda – it has close to 400,000 employees working in 55 countries/200 cities. These are virtually STATELESS COMPANIES or METANATIONALS.
https://fee.org/articles/do-big-corporations-control-america/notice how increasing numbers of politicians & public servants are joining big corporates no sooner they retire! How much conflict of interest have they been privy to while in office in favor of these corporates!
Essentially what it means is that their heart is not in any one nation leave alone their birthhome and they wish to only profit from wherever they are located in. Their loyalty in essence is to none but themselves. This is quite the opposite from the General Motors theme ‘what was good fo our country was good for General Motors’. All of the global companies fish for countries to relocate depending on how ‘friendly’ and ‘free’ regulations are. Their pals in the international monetary agencies help them via demands upon governments to make their nation ‘investor friendly’ and building up a mythical scenario amongst citizens that government apparatus is not friendly for the foreign investors & more ‘liberalizations’ are required. Plenty of locals are co-opted easily to parrot this requirement. These are the supposed ‘experts’ to whom governments have to listen as they are the ‘policy makers’.
https://www.famcap.com/the-worlds-750-biggest-family-businesses/– this list of 750 family—run businesses across the world are either fully private or the family holds at least 30% shares in the public company & annual revenues exceeding $2.6billion.
These metanational corporates are very sleazy – they are virtually above the law. They ensure they register in a country that gives them legal protection, they have their corporate management in a country that suits the upper echelons, they have their financial assets where they know no one can touch and spread staff as they see fit. How else do corporates big guns hold trillions of dollars in tax-free offshore accounts? Can we call this ‘stateless income’? President Obama called them ‘Corporate deserters’ for hoarding money (article by Parag Khanna) The 10 biggest banks is said to control almost 50% of assets worldwide.
Companies use the strength of their balance sheets to borrow money from banks and then use the cash to buy their own shares from the stock market This inflates the value of the remaining stock, consequently increasing the net worth of the largest shareholders.
Bigpharma is owned by investment funds. Institutional investors are holding our health – connected through their shareholders! What an investment the covid vaccines are!
Public companies too are owned by large institutional investors & this in turn will create many ownership links to create virtual common ownerships!
Common shareholders are said to own 50% of a company while they also hold stakes in rival pharma companies. Bayer the makers of Asprin was collectively owned by Swiss-based Novartis& German-Bayer (50% each)
Pfizer, J&J & Merck hold shares in Vanguard, SSGA & BlackRock investment companies. Pfizer & AstraZeneca are also connected. Together they control drug prices – nothing that customers can complain about as they are all one big cartel & buy over generic brands, where they cannot they refuse to share patents. Health is unfortunately a money making machine.
It would be good if governments woke up to ground realities.
The sovereignty of nations today is interlinked to supply chains & demand & supply. When countries have failed in self-sufficiency their dependency for import-export makes them reliant on global institutes/companies and this in turn gives upper edge for metanational corporates to enter as ‘foreign investors’ but in reality more than they give to a nation – they take away, unseen, unnoticed and unaware to the government & the populace as no one is really bothered to monitor what the foreign investor has really given against what he is annually taking away out of the country. A mental scenario of taboo to question them is circulated amongst the populace. With everything becoming ‘virtual’ and reliance on computer systems – will governance be from the ‘clouds’!
https://theconversation.com/who-is-more-powerful-states-or-corporations-99616
how enticing are these PPP deals or is it simply an interim-maneuver until corporates can take control over state enterprises and state assets. The Made in ….. will become just a tag-line for a final lproduct will have parts sourced from all corners of the world. There nothing ‘British’ in anything ‘British’ nowadays!
If international companies are increasingly becoming ‘divorced’ from the nation-state they started out their enterprise having relocated to various countries around the world & profiting from each, those they employ invariably encapsulates the same mentality. With this notion gaining currency, is this a subtle alternate way to burying the nation-state system as we know these very global corporates are pushing for the one-world governance under their control. The end objective is to have rulers & the ruled.
When companies smell the power they can yield over governments and countries – it is dangerous. They have no affinity nor is there any legal hold over them. They essentially control the food we eat, the medicines we take and the supply chain that dictates our existence. All that corporates do not have are standing armies. But, let’s not forget for bananas governments have been overthrown in South America and Africa, for oil leaders have been assassinated or regimes overthrown, to pilfer diamonds and resources, dictators have been propped to power – there is nothing that corporates cannot get governments to do. Look at how games have fallen prey to corporates & their sponsorships. No longer is a cricket a game & players are just pawns of brands that own them. What happens if a country-owned company starts buying ports in different countries similar to Dubai Ports World acquiring the British company that operated ports in US? The nationality of corporates should remain national and not international for national-sovereignty to prevail.
Governments/Politicians and the Political system may not be perfect but it is based on some form of people representation which demands the People to correct its flaws & nuances. However, corporate control largely for personal/shareholder profit is rarely concerned about equitable distribution or welfare of the masses. Corporates are not squeaky clean either & there is no international mechanism to rope them for their white-collar crimes too – many of these crimes often get ignored & overlooked based on the power they yield over the propaganda communicated about them (which they control) & the strength of their influence over the systems that accuse them.
Corporates can have key roles but they cannot be allowed to take over & control the nation-state!
Shenali D Waduge
එන්නත්කරණ වැඩසටහන ශක්තිමත් කිරීම සඳහා ප්රවාහන අපහසුතා ඇති ජනතාව වෙනුවෙන් නොමිලේ ගමන්වාර 50000ක් ලබා දෙන්නැයි ගරු අග්රාමාත්ය මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ මහතා අද (05) දින කළ ඉල්ලීමට ශ්රී ලංකා රතු කුරුස සමාජය (SLRCS) සහ ඌබර් ශ්රී ලංකා (UBER SRI LANKA) සමාගම එකඟතාව පළ කළේය.
කොළඹ, ගම්පහ,කළුතර සහ මහනුවර දිස්ත්රික්කයන්හි කොවිඩ් ප්රතිකාර රාජකාරීවල නිරත වෛද්යවරුන්, හෙද හෙදියන් සහ සෞඛ්ය කාර්ය මණ්ඩල සඳහා මේ වනවිට ක්රියාත්මක නොමිලේ ප්රවාහන පහසුකම් සැපයීමේ වැඩසටහනේ ප්රගතිය දැනුම් දීමේ හමුව අරලියගහ මන්දිරයේ දී පැවති අතරවාරයේ මෙම එකඟතාවය පළවිය.
ශ්රී ලංකා රතු කුරුස සමාජයේ සභාපති ජගත් අබේසිංහ මහතාගේ ප්රධානත්වයෙන් යුතුව ඌබර් ශ්රී ලංකා සහ ශ්රී ලංකා රතු කුරුස සමාජයේ නියෝජිතයෝ පැමිණ අග්රාමාත්යතුමාට අදාළ ව්යාපෘතියේ ප්රගතිය සැළ කළහ.
කොවිඩ් වසංගතයෙන් ජනතාව ආරක්ෂා කිරීම සඳහා දිවා රෑ නොබලා සේවා සපයන වෛද්යවරුන්, හෙද හෙදියන් ඇතුළු සෞඛ්ය කාර්ය මණ්ඩලවල කාර්ය භාරය මෙහි දී අගය කළ අග්රාමාත්යතුමා ශ්රී ලංකා රතු කුරුස සමාජය (SLRCS) සහ ඌබර් ශ්රී ලංකා (UBER SRI LANKA) සමාගම ඔවුන්ගේ සේවයට කරන ගෞරවයක් ලෙස නොමිලේ ප්රවාහන පහසුකම් සැලසීම ද අගය කළේය.
ජනතාවගේ ජීවිත ආරක්ෂා කර ගැනීම සඳහා එන්නත්කරණ ක්රියාවලිය ශක්තිමත් කළ යුතු බව පෙන්වා දුන් අග්රාමාත්යතුමා එන්නත් ලබා ගැනීමේ මධ්යස්ථාන වෙත පැමිණීම සඳහා ප්රවාහන පහසුකම් නොමැතිව අපහසුතාවයට පත්වන ජනතාව වෙනුවෙන් ද නොමිලේ ප්රවාහන සේවා සැපයීමේ වැදගත්කම පෙන්වා දුන්නේය.
මෙම අවස්ථාවට ශ්රී ලංකා රතු කුරුස සමාජයේ සභාපති ජගත් අබේසිංහ, ඌබර් ශ්රී ලංකා (UBER SRI LANKA) සමාගමේ මෙහෙයුම් කළමනාකරු එස්.ලියනගේ මහත්වරු ඇතුළු නියෝජිත පිරිසක් එක්ව සිටියහ.
රට හදන සෞභාග්යයේ දැක්ම බලගන්වමින් වාරී සෞභාග්යා ජාතික වැඩසටහන යටතේ ග්රාමීය වැව්/ අමුණු සංවර්ධනය කිරීමේ ව්යාපෘතියට සමගාමීව මිහින්තලය ප්රාදේශීය ලේකම් කොට්ඨාශයේ සියඹලාගස්වැව ගම්මානයේ වැව සංවර්ධනය කිරීම රාජ්යය අමාත්යය දුමින්ද දිසානායක මහතාගේ ප්රධානත්වයෙන් සමාරම්භ කෙරිණි.
ග්රාමීය කුඹුරු හා ආශ්රී ත වැව්, ජලාශ හා වාරී මාර්ග සංවර්ධන රාජ්යය අමාත්යංශයේ මූල්ය ප්රථිපාදන මගින් වාරී මාර්ග දෙපාර්තමේන්තුව මගින් මෙම ව්යාපෘතිය ක්රියාත්මක කරනු ලබයි, රුපියල් මිලියන නවයක වියදමින් මෙම වැව ප්රථිසංස්කරණය කටයුතු කිරීමට නියමිත අතර, මාස 03 ක් තුළ එහි වැඩ නිම කිරීමට නියමිතය.
මිහින්තලය ප්රාදේශීීය සභා ශ්රී ලංකා නිදහස් පක්ෂ මන්ත්රී චින්තන රුක්මන් මහතාගේ ඉල්ලීමක් මත මෙම වැව ප්රථිසංස්කරණය කිරීම සිදු කෙරේ.
මීට පෙර අක්කර 70 ක් පමණ මෙම වැව යටතේ වගා කර ඇති අතර, වැව ප්රථිසංස්කරණය කිරීම මගින් තවත් අක්කර 30 ක් අලුතින් අස්වැද්දීමේ හැකියාව පවතින බව එහිදී ගොවි සංවිධාන නියෝජිතයින් අමාත්යයවරයාට පැවසීය.ඒ අනුව එම ගම්මානයේ ඉඩම් නොමැති පවුල් වෙත අස්වැද්දිය හැකි නව ඉඩම් බෙදා දෙන ලෙසද අමාත්යයවරයා ප්රාදේශීය ලේකම්තුමන්ට උපදෙස් ලබා දුන්හ.
වසර ගණනාවකින් පිළිසකර නොවුණ සියඹලාගස්වැව ගම්මානයේ වැව ප්රථිසංස්කරණය කිරීමට කටයුතු කිරීම සම්බන්ධයෙන් ගොවි සංවිධානය අමාත්යයතුමන්ට තුති පුද කළහ.
මෙම අවස්ථාවට , ශ්රී ලංකා නිදහස් පක්ෂ මිහින්තලය ආසන සංවිධායක, හිටපු පළාත් සභා අමාත්යය සරත් ඉලංගසිංහ මහතා, ශ්රී ලංකා නිදහස් පක්ෂ දිස්ත්රික් නායක, හිටපු පළාත් සභා මන්ත්රී ආර්.එම්.බී ඥානතිලක මහතා, අනුරාධපුර නැගෙනහිර ආසන සංවිධායක, හිටපු නියෝජ්ය නගරාධිපති ප්රේමසිරි හෙට්ටිආරච්චි මහතා, මිහින්තලය ප්රාදේශීය සභා මන්ත්රී චින්තන රුක්මන් මහතා ඇතුළු ප්රාදේශීය දේශපාලඥයින්, අනුරාධපුර කලාප වාරිමාර්ග අධ්යක්ෂ ඉන්ජිනේරු එස්.ඩී. මැදිවක මහතා ඇතුළු වාරී මාර්ග නිළධාරීන්, මිහින්තලය ප්රාදේශීය ලේකම් සිරිමෙවන් ධර්මසේන යන මහත්වරුන් ඇතුළු ප්රදේශවාසීන් සහභාගී වූහ.
According to our Press Department U.K., thousands of British Muslims will gather together for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic for the UK’s longest running Islamic conference.
Ahmadi Muslims from across the UK will descend on the 200-acre Oakland Farm in Hampshire for three days of worship and gathering at the event known as the ‘Jalsa Salana’.
Prior to last year’s global pandemic, well over 35,000 people from all over the world attended the last Convention (Jalsa), held in 2019. This year, only UK residents who have been double vaccinated were permitted to enter the ballot to attend this gathering.
Roughly 4,000 of those lucky enough to have been selected in the ballot will attend one of the three-days of the event amid strict social distancing measures at the pop-up tent village from 6 to 8 August.
All attendees will need to show proof of double vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test result in order to gain entry. Face masks will be mandatory in all enclosed spaces, including the two marquees, each able to accommodate thousands of worshippers.
The highlight of the event will be the attendance of the global Islamic Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, who will deliver an address to attendees on each of the three days of the Convention. The objective of the event is to highlight the true peaceful teachings of Islam and to enable the participants to increase their knowledge and understanding of Islamic teachings and practices.
Abid Khan, Press Secretary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community said:
This is the first time since the pandemic started that our members from across the UK have been able to meet and worship together with our Caliph. So, whilst we are sad that due to social distancing measures it is still not possible for everyone to be here or for guests from abroad to attend, unquestionably this is a wonderful and joyous occasion for our community. As for those who can’t attend in person, I am sure they will be watching on TV both here in the UK and across the world and so in that sense it is a truly international event.”
The event will also be broadcast online and on the Community’s worldwide television station, Muslim Television Ahmadiyya (Sky 731), across its 19 television channels. Those unable to attend in person will gather to watch the proceedings together at Ahmadi Muslim mosques up and down the UK. This includes London’s first purpose-built mosque, The Fazl Mosque in Wandsworth, and the UK’s largest Mosque, Baitul-Futuh in Merton.
Colombo, August 5 (Daily Mirror): The Supreme Court on Thursday issued an Interim Order suspending the operation of Prevention of Terrorism (De-radicalization from holding violent extremist religious ideology) Regulations No. 01 of 2021, which was published by way of a gazette notification on 12 March, 2021.
This Interim Order will be effective until August 24, the next hearing date.
Supreme Court three-judge-bench comprising Justice Murdu Fernando, Justice Yasantha Kodagoda and Justice Shiran Gooneratna issued this order pursuant to three Fundamental Rights petitions challenging the legality of the Deradicalization Regulations were taken up for support.
Journalists and human rights activists Ruwan Laknath Jayakody, Kavindya Christopher Thomas, Centre for Policy Alternative and its Executive Director Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu and Shreen Saroor had filed Fundamental Rights petitions seeking a declaration that the Deradicalization Regulations is not legally valid.
The petitioners further sought a declaration that Deradicalization Regulations would permit room for the continuous or imminent infringement of fundamental rights guaranteed to surrenders, arrestees or detainees under Articles 10, 11 , 12(1), 12(2), 13(1) , 13(2) , 13(3) , 13(4) , 13(5) , 13(6) , 14(1)(a) , 14(1)(b), 14(1)(c) and/or 17 of the Constitution.
The Petitioners stated that the President had made regulations titled Prevention of Terrorism (De-radicalization from holding violent extremist religious ideology) Regulations No. 01 of 2021 issued under Section 27 of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act, No. 48 of 1979 (PTA).
The petitioners stated that individuals arrested in terms of these Regulations could be subjected to executive or administrative detention camouflaged as rehabilitation, without proper judicial evaluation of the evidence against the individuals arrested, surrenders or detainees.
They further alleged that Deradicalization Regulations run counter to the fundamental safeguards in the Constitution, international human rights norms, and interferes with the judicial power of the People.
Petitioners further alleged that they are yet unaware whether the Deradicalization Regulations have been placed before Parliament and duly approved as required by the PTA.
Senior Counsel Viran Corea with counsel Suren Fernando, Pulasthi Hewamanna and Manjula Balasooriya appeared for the petitioners. Additional Solicitor General Nerin Pulle with Senior State Counsel Awanthi Perera appeared for the Attorney General.
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