An Analysis by Dr. Darini Rajasingham-Senanayake with Pascal Lottaz at Neutrality Studies

See full interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kkre0dQCJRw

In a recent discussion, Dr. Darini Rajasingham-Senanayake, a social and medical anthropologist with a focus on international development and political economy, provided an in-depth analysis of the current situation in Sri Lanka. She also discussed ongoing crises in South Asia, highlighting the impacts of digital colonialism in regime change operations and the role of international financial institutions like the IMF.

She discusses the recent face-off between nuclear armed India and Pakistan that started during the visit of US Vice President J.D Vance and his Indian Diaspora wife Usha and their children to India, when attacks were staged by Islamist terrorists in Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22.

She argues that Sri Lanka’s economic struggles are tied to a broader geopolitical conflict and the New Cold War between the United States and China. This is manifest in the form of hybrid economic proxy war in the South Asia Region. Stating that the geostrategic county’s Eurobond Debt trap is due to the predatory nature of private creditors, she calls for a reevaluation of the country’s debt situation and its foreign policy and flags the need for Odious Debt Cancellation in Global South countries.

The Current State of Sri Lanka

Dr. Rajasingham-Senanayake describes the situation in Sri Lanka as relatively calm, but warns that this calm may be the “calm before the storm.” The country is currently trapped in a cycle of debt, particularly with US dollar and euro bond obligations, which are set to come due in the next few years. This looming financial crisis is compounded by discussions of establishing a US spaceport and maritime security hub in Sri Lanka, given its strategic location in the Indian Ocean.

During the previous Cold War between the US and Soviet Union/ Russia, Sri Lanka had sought to steer a Non-Aligned Foreign Policy, but steering a middle course is increasingly difficult in the current era of Digital Colonialism, cyberwar operations and Debt Data manipulation by interested external and internal parties. National Data Security is a huge concern in a context of Data wipes of the Sri Lanka Government Cloud Storage system. She contends that the geostrategic country is experiencing hybrid economic and cyber operations amid International Financial Law fare.

Geostrategic Importance: Submarine Date Cable Routes in Seas of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s position at the center of Indian Ocean energy, trade and Submarine Data Cable routes makes it a focal point for international interests and three-way competition between the United States, India and China at this time. Almost 50% of global container traffic passes through its waters, leading to increased foreign interest and potential military presence. The country has effectively lost its economic sovereignty and policy autonomy to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Washington consensus following the Staged Default of 2022.

Discussions regarding a Space Port are to be contextualized alongside the Eurobond debt trap as US has always sought to establish military bases in Sri Lanka which is at the Center of the Indian Ocean. US bases have proliferated and already ring both the Eastern Indian Ocean region including the South China Sea and the Western Indian Ocean, including the Persian Gulf

Currently the US and UK have the huge Diego Garcia military base due Southwest of Sri Lanka.

The Regime Change and Its Implications

The regime change in Sri Lanka, which saw the ousting of the Rajapaksa family, was part of a broader pattern of political upheaval in South Asia. Dr. Rajasingham-Senanayake notes that the protests leading to this change and the Staged Default were funded by external entities, including the US Agency for International Development (USAID), National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and the Soros Foundation. The new government, led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka continued to pursue policies that align with IMF directives, despite the previous administration’s corruption.

The ruling NPP government led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka failed to do Due Diligence and review agreements drafted with Bondholders, other private creditors, the largest being BlackRock, and the IMF by the previous US-backed Ranil Wickramasinghe government that it had accused of corruption.

The Role of External Forces

The discussion highlights the interconnectedness of regional politics, particularly the simultaneous regime change in Pakistan, where Prime Minister Imran Khan was ousted and later imprisoned amid allegations of US involvement. Prime Minister Khan named Donald Lu, then US Under-Secretary for South and Central Asia. Similarly, Bangladesh last year saw a regime change. This pattern suggests a coordinated effort to reshape political landscapes in South Asia, often at the expense of local governance and sovereignty.

India the regional hegemon now appears to have a policy of ‘beggar thy Neightbourhood First” while capitalizing on Over the Horizon regime change operations and militarizing the Indian Ocean which was declared a ‘Zone of Peace’ free of nuclear weapons during the Cold War.

BlackRock and Adani Group which are is close to the regime in Delhi have profited from Sri Lanka’s staged default in 2022. Meanwhile in the wake of staged Islamist Terror attacks in Kashmir’s Pahalgam, India is metering out collective punishment to impoverished farmers in Pakistan by withholding Indus River waters and threatening Pakistan’s food security.

However, as the example of ASEAN in contrast to SAARC shows, no county can develop when its neighbourhood is in crisis and India may be digging its own grave, while trying to profit maximize in South Asia.

Economic Crisis, Donor Darling, and Debt Dynamics

Dr. Rajasingham-Senanayake challenges the narrative that Sri Lanka is bankrupt, arguing that it is one of the wealthiest countries in South Asia by all relevant metrics, including Purchasing Power Parity, GDP per capita, human development, social development. Physical Quality of Life Index, infrastructure, etc.  However, Sri Lanka was deemed bankrupt simply because of a purported lack of ‘exorbitantly privileged’ US dollars to buy oil and gas.

Sri Lanka is a lush and fertile tropical island, with extensive fisheries and marine resources, and blessed with Mother Nature’s largess. This includes two monsoons for crop rotation and plentiful harvests, and renewable energy. Arguably, the country suffers from a geostrategic ‘resource curse”. Rather, than being bankrupt, because of its strategic location it has been a Donor Darling” which has generated a culture of Foreign Aid and Experts induced Dutch Disease. The colonial mentality of the political and business elites has ensued a dependent economy without industrialization and diversification of markets.

Stating that the Sovereign Default in 2022 was staged also with a blockade on oil and gas reaching the country in 2022 causing supply chain disruption, queues and scarcities, she questions the adequacy of the US dollar to measure the real Wealth of Nations. Indeed, the status the dollar as the global reserve currency is increasingly challenged by the BRICS countries.

Staged Disaster and Lawfare ‘Make the Economy Scream’

The geostrategic country’s first ever Sovereign Default was CORODINATED and STAGED with international and internal actors and networks, amid distracting Arab-spring style, Aragalaya protests and regime change. The shadowy off-shore Hamilton Reserve Bank’s court case in New York and coordinated Rating Agency downgrades of the Sri Lanka rupee leading to rapid depreciation were part of a pattern of International Financial Lawfare.

A series of Staged disasters to Make the Economy Scream”, including Islamic State (ISIS), claimed terror attacks on Tourist Hotels and Churches to damage economy and society in 2019, followed by two years of WHO-sanctioned economically devastating Coivd-19 Lockdowns caused the county which had been listed as upper Middle Income Country (MIC) by the World Bank in 2019 to borrow from Predatory Private Creditors when the disasters occurred and Default in 2022.

Pumping and Dumping Countries into and out of Poverty: Economic Shocks, Data and Indices manipulation

The World Bank’s Upper MIC listing meant that Sri Lanka could not access concessionary borrowings that are available to Less Developed Countries. Rather, it was forced to borrow from private creditors at predatory interest rates when the disasters struck. This caused an Odious debt pile up.

The crisis is largely due to the predatory practices of private creditors which constitute the Supply-side of Odious Debt” and the IMF’s restructuring practices, which prioritize payments to these creditors over the needs of the Sri Lankan people.

The IMF’s Role: Mission Creep turns Illiquidity into Insolvency

A liquidity crisis was turned into insolvency as the IMF does not recognize the difference between illiquidity and insolvency. Meanwhile, the IMF’s EFF and mission and mandate creep into Domestic Debt Restructure has enabled turning an illiquidity crisis into a insolvency as part of a wider disinformation game and psychological operation to claim that the country is ‘Bankrupt” an There is NO alternative to the IMF.

Moreover, the IMF’s involvement and mission and mandate creep into Domestic Debt Restructure and appropriation of retirement funds to pay bond holders, while claiming to rescue local banks has been criticized as a mechanism that reinforces colonial structures rather than alleviating economic distress. So too the privatization of the Central Bank, the austerity measures, high taxation and sell off of strategic infrastructure would shrink the economy and retard growth.

Dr. Pascal Lottaz likened the situation to a drug addiction, where Sri Lanka is compelled to seek more US dollars from the Predatory Hedge Funds (the largest being BlackRock), private creditors and International Sovereign Bondholders (ISB) to pay off existing ISB debts, perpetuating a cycle of dependency and economic hardship.

The IMF overseen ISB debt restructure seems like a corruption racket also given the beneficiary bondholders names are secret.

The Need for Alternative Solutions

The discussion raises critical questions about the future of Sri Lanka’s economic policy and the need for reform of the international financial system and IMF, as well as the need to De-dollarize to de-colonize. There are after all 56 other Global South countries in Eurobond debt traps and the IMF’s bailout business.

Dr. Rajasingham-Senanayake suggests that the country should explore alternatives to the IMF, such as engaging with China for currency swaps or seeking support from the BRICS nations and the New Development Bank. However, she notes that Sri Lanka’s historical ties to the West and colonial mentality may hinder such initiatives.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka must look East and diversify its markets and products, especially industrialize its fisheries and Rare Earth Minerals Sector including Graphite, Titanium and Zircon.

The Geopolitical Landscape

The geopolitical dynamics in South Asia are complex, with India, China, and the US vying for influence. Dr. Rajasingham-Senanayake warns that Sri Lanka’s attempts to maintain a neutral stance may be undermined by external pressures, particularly from the West, which has a history of intervening in the region.

There is an ongoing power and wealth shift from the Global North to the Global South; from the West to the East, and the current hybrid economic proxy wars which are part of the new Cold War waged by the US on China are causing the current turbulence in South Asia.

Conclusion

In an era of Digital Colonialism and cyberwar operations, Sri Lanka’s Debt Data manipulation by interested parties and Data Security is a huge concern in a context of Data wipes and manipulation of the Sri Lanka Government Cloud Storage system at this time.

Dr. Darini Rajasingham-Senanayake’s analysis of Sri Lanka’s current crisis underscores the intricate interplay of local politics, international finance, and geopolitical strategy. As the country navigates these challenges, the need for a reevaluation of its foreign policy and economic strategies becomes increasingly urgent. The discussion serves as a reminder of the broader implications of digital colonialism, through the Digital Economy and Surveillance for Full Spectrum Dominance of countries and populations and the importance of sovereignty in the face of external pressure.

See full interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kkre0dQCJRw

Shenali D Waduge

To the Prime Minister and Members of the Canadian Parliament,

We, the citizens of Sri Lanka, write to express deep concern over the growing political narrative emerging from Canada that seeks to label Sri Lanka with charges of genocide—without credible legal basis, independent verification, or contextual understanding. These allegations are largely promoted by LTTE-affiliated diaspora groups and run counter to global counterterrorism designations of the LTTE as one of the world’s most brutal terrorist organizations.

We respectfully ask: How can a country with an unresolved history of its own genocide—against its First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples—sit in judgment of others without first reconciling its own past and present injustices?

Canada’s Indigenous Genocide: A Documented and Ongoing Crime

• Colonial Seizure: Canada is a settler-colonial state. Indigenous peoples have lived in what is now called Canada for over12,000 years. European colonization began in the late 1400s, with permanent French and British settlement from the early 1600s. Over centuries, Indigenous land was systematically seized, cultures suppressed, and treaties violated. Euro-Christian settler institutions were imposed without consent, undermining native governance and sovereignty.
• Residential Schools (1880s–1996): More than150,000 Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their families and placed in church-run residential schools aimed at cultural erasure. Over 6,000 children are believed to have died from abuse, starvation, neglect, or disease. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2015) labelled this a form of cultural genocide—recent mass graves only confirm its horror.
• Indian Act (1876–Present): This colonial-era legislation still exists. It strips Indigenous autonomy, imposes federally controlled councils, governs land rights, and defines legal status” in a way that sustains systemic marginalization.
• Poverty, Incarceration, and Water Crises: Indigenous people compriseover 30% of Canada’s prison population, despite making up less than 5% of the total. Dozens of First Nations communities still lack access to clean water, proper housing, and health services—shocking in a G7 democracy.
• MMIWG Genocide Declaration: A 2019 National Inquiry officially declared thatCanada’s treatment of Indigenous women and girls constitutes genocide, citing systemic neglect, racism, and failure of justice institutions.

Sri Lanka’s Record: A Contrast in Democratic Maturity

• Universal Franchise Since 1931: Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) granted universal suffrage to all adults—men and women—regardless of ethnicity, decades before Canada (1940 for women, 1960 for status Indians).
• No Apartheid Laws: Sri Lanka has no equivalent to Canada’s Indian Act. Tamils have held the nation’s highest offices, including Chief Justice, Central Bank Governor, Foreign Minister, and Leader of the Opposition.
• Victory Over Terrorism: The Sri Lankan military defeated theLTTE, not the Tamil people. The LTTE was globally banned for suicide bombings, use of child soldiers, and civilian massacres. Over 300,000 Tamil civilians were rescued, not killed. Did these LTTE affiliated groups prevent a single Tamil child being turned into a child soldier by LTTE over 3 decades?

Hypocrisy in Canada’s Foreign Policy

Is Canada’s vocal support for LTTE-aligned narratives rooted in human rights—or vote-bank politics in Tamil diaspora-heavy electorates like Ontario and British Columbia?

Consider Patrick Brown, disqualified from the 2022 Canadian Conservative leadership race amid finance irregularities tied to promises of Tamil jobs and recognition of Tamil genocide.” As Brampton Mayor, he funded the Tamil Genocide Memorial, promoting a biased narrative that aligns with pro-LTTE groups—not human rights principles.

The same diaspora circles support both the Khalistan separatist movement and LTTE commemorations—an alarming convergence of radical ideologies Canada allows on its soil.

Tamil Genocide Education Week – Indoctrination, Not Education

In 2021, the Ontario Legislative Assembly passed a bill institutionalizing Tamil Genocide Education Week, which mandates teaching children an unverified, politicized narrative as historical fact. This initiative:

• Whitewashes LTTE terrorism.
• Rewrites history through a distorted lens.
• Pressures educators and students to conform to a diaspora-driven myth, not historical reality.

No credible international tribunal has declared a genocide in Sri Lanka. Teaching this narrative in schools violates educational neutrality and truth.

Double Standards in Sanctions Policy

Canada has placed unjust sanctions on decorated Sri Lankan military leaders—individuals who led the humanitarian rescue of civilians from a ruthless terror group. These are war heroes, not war criminals.

Meanwhile, Canadian institutions that oversaw the systematic abuse, death, and cultural destruction of Indigenous children remain largely unpunished.

This double standard reveals that Canada’s moral posturing is not rooted in justice—but in diaspora appeasement and geopolitical expedience.

A Call for Reflection and Honesty

Before Canada lectures others on reconciliation and justice, we urge your government to:

• Acknowledge your genocide as genocide (not only is there evidence of past atrocities, there is also evidence of ongoing atrocities & discriminations against Canada
• Uplift Indigenous communities beyond symbolic gestures.
• Cease endorsing diaspora-driven propaganda that distorts Sri Lanka’s history.
• End sanctions on Sri Lanka’s war heroes and restore foreign policy integrity.

Until then, moral credibility must be earned—not assumed.

Instead of erecting monuments for terrorists, Canada must honor the actual victims of its own genocide—the Indigenous children and communities who were stripped of life, language, land, and dignity. In the absence of this, we would like to propose:

Shenali D Waduge

On behalf of Concerned Citizens of Sri Lanka

ජර්මානු වෛද්‍ය විද්‍යාලයේ මහාචාර්ය නිශාන් සී විජේසිංහගේ

 සෙම්බුමලේ සෑයට නැගෙනහිර දෙසින් බඹරගල වන සෙනසුන, උතුරු දෙසින් දෙඹරගල වන සෙනසුන, බටහිර දිසාවෙන් වසන්වැව චෛත්‍යය, ඊසාන දිසාවෙන් තිරියාය සහ රංගිරි උල්පත නමැති ඓතිහාසික බොදු බිම් මේ පුදබිම වටා ඇති සිද්ධස්‌ථානවලින් කිහිපයකි. 

“විඩුඩබ” කියන කුමාරයා ශාක්‍ය වංශිකයන්ව සමූල ඝාතනය කරන්නට යන අවස්ථාවේ භාග්‍යවතුන් වහන්සේ විසින් සෘධියෙන් ඔවුන්ගේ රථ මේ ගලේ එරෙන්නට සල්ස්වපු වෙලාවේ ඇතිවූ ලකුණුයි.

ශාක්‍ය වංශිකයන් තරම් මානය නිසා හිස උදුම්මාගත් තවත් ජන කොටසක්‌ බුදුරදුන් දිවමන් කළ ඉන්දියාවේ නොසිsටි තරම්ය. බුද්ධ කාලයේ දඹදිව රාජ්‍යයන් 16 කට බෙදී තිබුණ අතර ශාක්‍ය වංශිකයන්ගේ පාලනය යටතේ පැවතියේ කුඩා ජනපදය නැතහොත් කුඩා රාජ්‍යයන්ය. එසේ වුවද, ඔවුන්ගේ කුල අභිමානය නම් කිසිසේත් සුළු පටු එකක්‌ නොවූයේය. 

නිසැක ලෙසම අතට පත් විය යුතුව තිබූ සක්‌විති රජකමත් තවුසකුව වෙසෙන කළ මහා රජවරු දෙපාමුල ප්‍රදානය කළ ඒ ඒ මහා රාජ්‍ය පදවියත් පා ගැටුණු දුහුවිල්ලක්‌ තරම් නොසළකා පිළිකෙව් කළ ගෞතම තාපසයන් වූද ලෝක සත්‍යය අවබෝධ කර තුන්ලෝකාග්‍ර තත්ත්වයට පත් සම්මා සම්බුදු රජාණන් වූද ශාක්‍ය සිංහයාණන් වහන්සේට යමා මහ පෙළහර දක්‌වන්නට සිදුවූයේද මේ ශාක්‍යයන් තුළ තිබූ පුහුමානය නිසාවෙනි.

පසේනදී රජු බුදුරජාණන් වහන්සේට බොහෝ ගෞරව කළ මහරජකු විය. ඒ නිසාම බුදුරදුන්ගේ වංශය වූ ශාක්‍ය වංශයෙන් කුමරියක්‌ විවාහ කර ගැනීම ප්‍රසේනජිත් රජුගේ අපේක්‍ෂාව විය. එසේ වුවද කුල මානයෙන් ඉදිමුණ ශාක්‍යයෝ පසේනදී රජු අයත් කෝසල කුලය පහත් එක්‌ක යෑයි සලකන ලදී. නමුදු පසේනදී රජු බලවත් වූ බැවිනුත් තම තමන්ගේ රාජ්‍යයන් වලින් පසේනදී රජුට කප්පම් ගෙවූ බැවිනුත් රජුගේ අපේක්‍ෂාව එකහෙළාම ප්‍රතික්‍ෂේප කිරීමට ශාක්‍යයන්ට කොහෙත්ම ශක්‌තියක්‌ නොවීය.

අවසානයේ සියලු ශාක්‍ය ප්‍රධානීන් එක්‌ව එක්‌ කූටෝපායයක්‌ යොදනු ලැබීය. එනම් මහානාම ශාක්‍යයා නිසා දාසියකගේ කුසින් උපන් වාසභ ඛත්තියා නම් කුමරිය තමන්ගේම දුවක්‌ ලෙස හඳුන්වා රජුට සරණ පාවා දීමය. පසේනදී රජුගේ අමාත්‍යයෝ ද වාසභඛත්තියාට කැමැති වූ අතර ඇය මහානාම රජු සමග එකට හිඳ ආහාර අනුභව කරනු දුටු බැවින් රජුගේ දියණියක බවත් විශ්වාස කළහ. ප්‍රතිඵලය වූයේ පසේනදී කෝසල හා වාසභ ඛත්තියා අතර විවාහය සිදුවීම වූ අතර රජු විසින් වාසභ ඛත්තියාට අග මෙහෙසිය තනතුර ප්‍රදානය කරන ලදී.

කලක්‌ ගත විය. වාසභඛත්තියා බිසවගේ පුත් විඩුඩභ දැන් සොළොස්‌ වියෑතිය. දිනක්‌ ඒ කුමරා පිරිවරද සමග තමන්ගේ සීයා (ශාක්‍යයන්) දකින්නට ගියේය. පුරහලේදී විඩුඩභ කුමරු පිළිගෙන නිසි සැලකිලි දැක්‌වූ ශාක්‍යයෝ ඔහු පිටව ගිය පසු කුමරා හිඳගත් ආසනය ජලයෙන් සෝදා හැරියහ. ඉක්‌මනින්ම මේ පුවත විඩුඩභ කණ වැකුණු අතර කරුණු සොයා බැලීමේදී තමන් දාසියකගේ පුතකු බවද වැටහී ගියේය. බලවත් රජ කුමරකු වූ තමා හිඳගත් ආසනය ජලයෙන් සෝදා පවිත්‍ර කිරීම ගැන නයකු සේ කිපුණේය. පළි ගැනීමේ වෛරයෙන් පිරී ගියේය.

විඩුඩභ මුලින්ම කළේ නිසි වයස්‌ එළැඹි කල කෝසළ රාජ්‍යය බලෙන්ම සියතට ගෙන මහලු ප්‍රසේනජිත් රජු සැවැත් නුවරින් පිට මං කිරීමය. වෙස්‌ වලාගෙන තම බෑණා වූ අජාසත් වෙත ගමන් ඇරඹූ පසේනදී රජු නොයෙක්‌ දුක්‌ ගැහැට විඳ අතරමග විශ්‍රාම ශාලාවකදී මරණයට පත් විය.

පියාගේ මරණයෙන් පසු තම රාජ්‍ය බලය තවත් තහවුරු කරගත් විඩුඩභ හිතයට දැවෙමින් තිබූ පලිය ගැනීමට ශාක්‍ය සංහාරය පිණිස යාමට සැරසුණද දෙවරක්‌ම තිලෝගුරු බුදු පියාණන්ගේ මැදිහත්වීම මත එය වැළකී ගියේය. තෙවන වර බුදුරදුන්ටද කිසිවක්‌ කිරීමට ඉඩ නොතැබූ හෙතෙම තම අදහස වහා ක්‍රියාත්මක කළේය.

විඩුඩභගේ මේ ප්‍රහාරය කොතෙක්‌ දරුණු වීද යත් පලාගිය හා යටත්ව පිහිට පැතූ ස්‌වල්ප දෙනා හැරුණවිට ළමා ළපටීන් ඇතුළු සියලු ශාක්‍යයෝ සමූල ඝාතනය කිරීමට විඩුඩභ සමත් විය. ශාක්‍යයන්ගේ ලේ ගෙන තම ආසනය සේදූ විඩුඩභ එතෙක්‌ තමා තුළ පැසවමින් තිබූ වෛරයේ පලිය ගත්තේය. 

ජයග්‍රාහී විඩුඩභ මහත් තේජසින් යුතුව ආපසු පිරිවර සහිතව තම රාජ්‍යය කරා යාමට පැමිණ රෑ බෝවුණ බැවින් අචිරවතී ගංගාව අසබඩ කඳවුර බැන්දේ පසුදා ගඟ තරණය කර විජයග්‍රාහකයකු ලෙස තම රාජ්‍යයට යාම පිණිසය. එහෙත් සිතු දේ නොම විය නොසිතූදේම සිදුවිය. එදා රෑ හිටි ගමන් මේඝ ගර්ජනා අකුණු ගැසීම් හා චණ්‌ඩ මාරුතය සහිත මහා අකල් වර්ෂාවක්‌ වහින්න පටන් ගත්තේය. ඒ මහා අකල් වැස්‌සෙන් අචිරවතී ගඟ දෙගොඩ තලා ගැලීය සැඬ පහර දරුණු විය. බිහිසුණු ඒ රැයේ ගඟ අසබඩ කඳවුරු ලා සිටි විඩුඩභ රජු සිය සියලු පිරිවරත් සමග ගඟ දියට හසු වී ජීවිතක්‍ෂයට පත් වීය.

රන් පොකුණ ආරක්ෂා කිරීමට ජීවය දෙන ජලය සපයන වැවෙන් යන බෝක්කුව බහිරව ආරක්ෂාවට පවරනලදි.

ලන්දේසීන් සහ බ්‍රිතාන්‍යයන් මෙම නිධන් සොයා ගැනීමට අසමත් විය. ඒ නිසා ඔවුන් සම්බාධක ගෙනාවේ මේ බෞද්ධ ජාතියේ බෞද්ධ උරුමය සහ නැගීම වළක්වන්නයි.

එබැවින් අධ්‍යාත්මික ඥානය දුන් ගංජා ශාකය තහනම් විය.

ජර්මානු වෛද්‍ය විද්‍යාලයේ මහාචාර්යවරයෙකු ලෙස මම කිව යුත්තේ “ගංජා ශාකයේ කිසිදු නිකොටින් ද්‍රව්‍යයක් අඩංගු නොවන අතර එය කිසිදු ඔපියොයිඩ් වර්ගයකට අයත් නොවන බවයි.

මෙම ශාකය අපගේ බෞද්ධ ජාතීන්ගේ අධ්‍යාත්මික ඥානාලෝකයේ බලය විය.

Prof.Hudson McLean 

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නැණස NENASA 🇱🇰

වීරත්වය කුමක්දැයි ලොවට කියා දුන් අපේ කාලයේ විරුවන් පිළිඹඳ ඔබ කිසිදා නෑසූ කථා එකතුව පරම වීර විභූෂණයෙන් පුදලද විරුවන්ගේ අවසන් මෙහෙයුම් පිළිඹඳව අප විසින් මෙතෙක් ඉදිරිපත් කර ඇති වීඩියෝ සියල්ල මෙතැනින්: “වීරත්වයේ පළමු පාඩම” – අපි කවුරුත් පසුබහින්නෙ නෑ, සේරම ඉවර වෙන්න උඩින් බෝම්බ දාන්න | Kokavil (1990)    • “වීරත්වයේ පළමු පාඩම” – අපි කවුරුත් පසුබහින…   අලිමංකඩ රැකගන්නට මහමුහුදෙන් පැමිණ දියත්කළ වික්‍රමය | Operation Balavegaya 1991 (සජීවී දසුන් සමඟින්)    • අලිමංකඩ රැකගන්නට මහමුහුදෙන් පැමිණ දියත්කළ …   පුනරීන් වැලිකතර රුධිරයෙන් ගිනියම් කළ මාරාන්තික සටන | Battle of Pooneryn (1993)    • පුනරීන් වැලිකතර රුධිරයෙන් ගිනියම් කළ මාරාන…   සහෝදර සෙබළුන්ගේ දිවි බේරන්නට මහ සයුරට බිලිවූ නාවික විරුවන්ගේ කතාව | Heroics Over Chalai (1996)    • සහෝදර සෙබළුන්ගේ දිවි බේරන්නට මහ සයුරට බිලි…   විශේෂ බලකා මහවිරු ලෆීර්ගේ අවසන් මෙහෙයුම – The last attempt to save Besieged Mullativu Camp (1996)    • විශේෂ බලකා මහවිරු ලෆීර්ගේ අවසන් මෙහෙයුම – …   කමාන්ඩෝ විරුවන්ට අවාසනාව කැන්දූ ජයසිකුරු මෙහෙයුමේ මන්නකුලම් සටන | Worst Ever Commando Debacle (1997)    • කමාන්ඩෝ විරුවන්ට අවාසනාව කැන්දූ ජයසිකුරු ම…  

Nava Thakuria

In the decisive war against Pakistan in 1971, India won and a new nation was born, but a small State in eastern part of Bharat had to pay a heavy price with millions of East Pakistan refugees, for which Assam  still cries but nobody cares. With an absorbent border with Bangladesh and unconvincing political will from the government, augmented by continued callous attitude of majority Asomiya people, the situation remains grim even today. New Delhi supported the Mukti Bahini (the freedom aspiring Bengalis of East Pakistan) in their movement against West Pakistan and finally the atrocious Pakistan forces had to surrender on 16 December 1971. But the newly born sovereign country was not approached to return back its millions of refugees and migrants from the eastern Indian localities.

The situation turned so complicated that when a kind of accord was signed in 1985 to address the historic Assam agitation, the cut-off year for detecting illegal migrants in the State had to be compromised (slipping to 25 March 1971 from the national base year). The argument was that the Bangladesh government in Dhaka was not ready to accept East Pakistani nationals. Hence it was not possible to deport those illegal migrants (mostly Muslims) from India. Pressure was mounted on the young agitators to accept all those illegal migrants as Indians. But the question remains why the agitators (members of  All Assam Students Union and Asom Gana Sangram Parishad) did not ask the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi (who was present on the occasion) to sign the memorandum of settlement (drifted  as Assam Accord). Nobody in Assam questioned the central government why Assam was dumped with all the migrants (logically turned Indians) and no other States were asked to share the burden.

As any Union minister did not sign the so-called accord, it was not necessary to debate  in the Parliament. No Parliamentarian even raised the issue, why a tiny State was left to accept nearly 2.5 millions of new-found Indians. Precisely little was written in the mainstream media and also the intellectuals avoided talking about the injustice to the Asomiya community by imposing the huge burden. Probably it was not realized, if all the refugees/migrants were dumped in Assam, its negative implications would surface some day for  the entire nation. Not to blame others, the very Assamese political analysts, journalist-writers and social activists did not highlight the menace properly at that time and almost everybody turned ‘happier than ever’ with a new government of Asom Gana Parishad (led by mostly former AASU leaders) in Dispur.

You can say everyone emerged a ‘winner in the anti-foreigner movement and post-agitation era’ except the common dwellers of Assam, who continued crying for justice. The water in Brahmaputra kept flowing and soon the menace of demographic changes hit the State severely to wake up those ‘happy’ individuals. Not only Assam, many other parts of the country also faced the music of hazardous illegal Bangladeshi migrants in recent times. Strong observations by the apex court and subsequent  actions (may not be sufficient) by the government become now visible. The growing anti-Pakistani wave among the countrymen after the Pahalgam terror attack in the Kashmir valley made the situation more charged and suddenly the illegal migrants from Bangladesh became a national concern (even though it should/could have taken place a few decades back).

The issue of India’s role in Bangladesh Liberation War came alive with a commanding message from Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, where he categorically stated that the then Congress government led by Indira Gandhi lost a historic opportunity in the process. India’s military victory  was decisive and historic that  broke Pakistan in two parts (creating Bangladesh), but it was only a part of the primary goal. The soldiers delivered a stunning battlefield success, however India’s political leadership failed to secure lasting strategic gains out of the situation, asserted the saffron leader. What could have been a new regional order was reduced to a one-sided act of generosity, said CM Sarma, adding, had Mrs Gandhi been alive today, the nation would have questioned her for mishandling the decisive military victory materialized by the Indian armed forces!

The Bharatiya Janata Party leader pointed out that no agreement was signed with Dhaka for sending back those  illegal migrants and as a result Assam as well as other north-eastern States and West Bengal have to face unchecked population pressure instigating political instability and social unrest. Moreover, India supported a secular Bangladesh, but in 1988  Islam was declared their state religion, and now the political Islam thrives in the populous country undermining the very values New Delhi fought to protect, stated Sarma, adding that  Hindus, once over 20% of Bangladesh’s population have currently dwindled to below  8% ‘due to systematic discrimination and violence’.

Reacting to the recent Congress outbursts over the ‘abrupt ceasefire’ of aggression against Pakistan (generated after the 22 April 2025 Pahalgam massacre of 26 innocent civilians by the Pakistan sponsored Islamist terrorists), where it was tried to establish that Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned  soft unlike his predecessor Mrs Gandhi during the Bangladesh Mukti Juddho, the outspoken Assamese politician reiterated that New Delhi lost an opportunity to negotiate on Siliguri corridor (Chicken’s Neck, the narrow strip of land connecting North-east with the rest of India).  Sarma also questioned why the Gandhi-led government did not secure access to the strategic Chittagong port in Bangladesh and also reclaim the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Mentionable is that the opposition Congress, which made a hue and cry after the government agreed to cease the military escalation against Pakistan, opined that the former premier defeated Pakistani forces led by General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi in Bangladesh to divide the Islamic Republic. The country’s oldest political party also raised a serious question, if PM Modi accepted the ceasefire proposal from Islamabad on 10 May following  the direction of US President Donald J. Trump, who incidentally made a series of astonishing comments on social media about the de-escalation between the two neighbouring nuclear-armed south Asian nations taking some credits for himself over the resolution.

Lately, a large number of Indians come out wishing to divide Pakistan again (repeating Bangladesh episode in Balochistan) and indirectly expressed unhappiness over the cessation of armed confrontations against Islamabad even though they admit Operation Sindoor and follow-up aggressions achieved success. Meanwhile, the Baloch community of India came asking New Delhi to  extend support to their causes by raising the issue of Balochistan at the national and international levels. They also appealed to the lawmakers for adopting a resolution in the Parliament recognizing the legitimate freedom struggle of Balochs and facilitate entry of Baloch political activists in exile granting asylum. Under the banner of Baloch Welfare Association, they sought permission to establish  a Balochistan Representative Office (or Embassy) in India. They also pleaded to

The Baloch people have lived in India for centuries. We proudly call this land our home. Our ancestors stood shoulder to shoulder with Indian revolutionaries, sacrificing their lives in the fight for independence from British colonialism. Our Love for India is not recent, but inherited, lived, and cherished through generations,” said a letter of Baloch Welfare Association  to the PMO, adding that ‘a free and democratic Balochistan will not only bring peace to Balochs but also serve India’s long-term strategic, security, and geopolitical interest in south Asia. The people of Balochistan always look for India with hope and the Indian Balochs wish to see this historic connection transformed into a reality. Days back, Free Balochistan Movement chief Hyrbyair Marri requested  New Delhi  to hand over Jinnah’s House in Mumbai to the Baloch people. From the iconic bungalow, where Pakistan’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah made plans to divide Bharat, the Balochs should be allowed to plan for the independence of Balochistan, stated Marri.

New Delhi remains silent on supporting the independence of Balochistan, even though the Baloch freedom fighters mentioned about the birth of Bangladesh with the help of Indian armed forces. The Baloch leaders based in different parts of the globe continue urging New Delhi for the necessary support and recognition for Balochistan.  However it will be a matter of observation, if New Delhi gives consent to their wish, as the development will disappoint the Communist regime of China,  which has launched a series of economic activities in Pakistan comprising the Balochistan localities. Even Iran and Afghanistan will get entangled  with the independence of Balochistan, as both the neighboring countries support a sizable Baloch population in their territories.

Nonetheless, the emergence of Balochistan may hardly affect any Indian State as the prerequisite (primarily no border sharing) is missing here unlike that of Bangladesh.

Truth with Chamuditha

චාමලී මදනායක සමග චමුදිත සමරවික්‍රම. Chamali Madanayake On Truth with Chamuditha

Courtesy Hiru News

Dr. Deepal Perera, a specialist at the Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital, has warned of an increase in cases of influenza, chikungunya, and dengue among children.

The specialist noted that the rise in dengue and chikungunya cases is attributable to the recent rains brought by adverse weather conditions.

Dr. Perera stressed the importance of focusing on destroying mosquito breeding sites, as dengue can be fatal, and chikungunya can cause prolonged joint pain for many months after recovery.

Pregnant mothers and the elderly are at risk of severe illness if they contract chikungunya.

The doctor also pointed out that this condition could affect children born to pregnant mothers.

Meanwhile, there is also a current increase in influenza cases.

Specialist Dr. Deepal Perera urged the public to pay close attention to this disease as it can spread rapidly among children.

 lanka C news

රුසියාවේ පැවැති බ්‍රික්ස් සමුළුවට සහභාගී වන ලෙස ජනාධිපති අනුර දිසානායක මහතාට තමන් පසුගිය ඔක්තොම්බර් මාසයේදී ආරාධනා කළ බව කොළඹ සිටින ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ රුසියා තානාපති ලෙවන් ජගර්යන් මහතා සඳහන් කරයි.

රුසියානු ජනාධිපති වැල්දීමීට් පුටීන්ගේ ආරාධනාව ලිඛිතව තමන් ජනාධිපති අනුර දිසානායක මහතාට භාර දුන් බවත් නමුත් ඉදිරි මැතිවරණය පැවැත්වෙන නිසා තමන්ට ඊට සහභාගි වීමට නොහැකි වනු ඇතැයි අනුර දිසානායක ජනාධිපතිවරයා දැන්වූ බවත් හෙතෙම සඳහන් කළේය.

‘ජාත්‍යන්තර නීතිය තුළ බලය භාවිත කිරීම රුසියනු දෘෂ්ටිකෝණ’ මැයෙන් කොළඹ පැවති සමුළුවකදී ඔහු මෙම අදහස් පල කලේය.#

මම පසුගේ වසරේ ඔක්තොම්බර් පළමුවෙනිදා ඔබේ අභිනව ජනපති අනුර කුමාර රිසානායක මහතා හමුවීමට ගියා. එහිදී මම රුසියා ජනාධිපතිතුමාගේ ආරාධනා පත්‍රය භාර දෙන්නු ලැබුවා

එහි තිබුණේ රුසියාවේ පැවැත්වෙන බ්‍රික්ස් සමුළුවට පැමිණෙන ලෙසට කළ ආරාධනයයි.

අපි සාකච්ඡාව පැවැත්තුවේ භාෂා පරිවර්තකයෙක් මාර්ගයෙන්. මම හිතනවා භාෂා පරිවර්තකයා නිවැරදි ලෙස ප්‍රකාශ කළ දේ සන්නිවේදනය කරන්න ඇති කියලා

එහෙදී ජනපති ප්‍රකාශ කළා ඔහුට ඉදිරි පැවැත්වෙන මහමැතිවරණය නිසා පැමිණීමට නොහැකි බව.

පළමුව රටක් බ්‍රික්ස් සමඟ එක්වෙනවා නම් ඊට අනුගමනය කළ යුතු පියවරයන් තිබෙනවා.

සාමාජිකත්වය ඇතුළු අනෙකුත් පියවරයන් සඳහා අනෙකුත් සාමාජික රටවල අනුමතියද අවශ්‍යයි.

රුෂියාවෙන් පමණක් බැහැ. රුසියාව චීනය ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට සහය ලබා දෙනවා.

ඔබ මේ සඳහා උනන්දුවක් දක්වනවා. ඔබ මේ සඳහා උනන්දුයිද. නමුත් මට ඒ ගැන නම් හැඟින්නේ නැහැ.

නමුත් ඔබ මේ සඳහා දැන් එහි වත්මන් සභාපති දරන බ‍්‍රසීලය සමග සාකච්ඡා කළ යුතුයි.ඒ ඔබේ රජය විසින් තීරණය කළ යුතු දෙයක්”

Courtesy Xinhua

People take part in the 2025 Dragon Boat Festival China-Sri Lanka Friendship Cup Dragon Boat Championship in Kotte, Sri Lanka, on May 31, 2025. In a gesture of sports diplomacy and cultural exchange, the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka has donated five 12-person international-standard dragon boats to Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The donation was formally made on Saturday at the 2025 Dragon Boat Festival China-Sri Lanka Friendship Cup Dragon Boat Championship.(Photo by Ajith Perera/Xinhua)

COLOMBO, June 1 (Xinhua) — In a gesture of sports diplomacy and cultural exchange, the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka has donated five 12-person international-standard dragon boats to Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

The donation was formally made on Saturday at the 2025 Dragon Boat Festival China-Sri Lanka Friendship Cup Dragon Boat Championship.

The championship, held at the Diyawanna Oya Amateur Rowing Association of Sri Lanka (ARASL) Rowing Center in Kotte, a suburb of Colombo, featured a diverse field, including school and university teams, the Sri Lankan Armed Forces, and five teams from Jaffna comprising 75 young athletes, a significant representation for northern regional participation. Altogether 22 teams from Sri Lanka, featuring over 310 athletes, and two from China took part.

Speaking to Xinhua, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, S.K. Gamage, expressed gratitude for China’s support.

Gamage emphasized that events like the Dragon Boat Festival are crucial for deepening the longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and China. “We have a long history of friendship with China. We want to improve and continue it,” he said.

Addressing the gathering, Gamage added, “This is not merely a sports event, it is a powerful symbol of friendship, culture, and cooperation between our two nations.”

Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong spoke of the global significance of the Dragon Boat Festival and the values it embodies.

“Dragon boat racing is one of the oldest and most culturally significant traditions of the festival. It symbolizes teamwork, perseverance, and the collective pursuit of universal values such as peace, development, and justice,” he said.

Qi described this championship as “a new starting point to further deepen sports and cultural exchanges between China and Sri Lanka and to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between our peoples.”

Rear Admiral HNS Perera, president of the National Association for Canoeing and Kayaking in Sri Lanka, described the event as a bridge between tradition and modernity.

“This is more than a sporting event; it is a celebration of culture, heritage, and most importantly, friendship,” he said, adding that the boats donated by China would greatly assist the development of water sports in Sri Lanka, particularly for youth in under-resourced regions like Jaffna. ■

People take part in the 2025 Dragon Boat Festival China-Sri Lanka Friendship Cup Dragon Boat Championship in Kotte, Sri Lanka, on May 31, 2025. In a gesture of sports diplomacy and cultural exchange, the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka has donated five 12-person international-standard dragon boats to Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

The donation was formally made on Saturday at the 2025 Dragon Boat Festival China-Sri Lanka Friendship Cup Dragon Boat Championship.(Photo by Ajith Perera/Xinhua)

People take part in the 2025 Dragon Boat Festival China-Sri Lanka Friendship Cup Dragon Boat Championship in Kotte, Sri Lanka, on May 31, 2025. In a gesture of sports diplomacy and cultural exchange, the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka has donated five 12-person international-standard dragon boats to Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

The donation was formally made on Saturday at the 2025 Dragon Boat Festival China-Sri Lanka Friendship Cup Dragon Boat Championship.(Photo by Ajith Perera/Xinhua)

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

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The 1955 Bandung Conference was a key moment when newly free countries met to decide their path in a divided world. The then Ceylon’s Prime Minister Sir John Kotelawala deserves credit for defending small nation rights against big power attitudes. The Bandung idea actually came from Sir John’s 1954 Colombo Conference. Yet, when the bigger meeting happened in Indonesia, he was expected to follow India’s lead instead of speaking for his own country.

Nehru came to Bandung wanting to bring Communist China into the neutral countries group and fight American influence in Asia. He expected smaller nations like Ceylon to simply agree with India’s plans – a typical Big Brother attitude. 

Most important moment

Sir John’s most important moment came in his controversial speech. Instead of only criticising Western colonialism like everyone expected, he boldly said that Communism was another form of imperialism equal to Western colonialism.” He compared Soviet control over Eastern Europe to old colonial practices. This directly challenged Nehru’s plan to present China as just another victim of imperialism. Sir John understood that true neutrality meant criticising all forms of control, no matter who was doing it.

The most telling moment of Sir John’s heroic stance came in his personal confrontation with Nehru, as referred below :

When the Indian Prime Minister approached him with the paternalistic question, Why did you do it? Why did not you show me your speech before you gave it?” – treating the Ceylon leader like a subordinate requiring approval – Sir John’s response was swift and dignified: Why should I? Do you show me yours before you give them?”

This exchange encapsulated the fundamental issue at stake. Nehru’s question revealed an assumption that India, as the larger power, had the right to preview and potentially veto the positions of smaller neighbours. His tone carried the paternal advice of a senior statesman in an Asian power to a less scholarly, stubborn prime minister of a lesser-known island.” Sir John’s retort was not merely defensive but assertively equal, demanding reciprocity in what should have been a relationship between sovereign equals.

The Island’s Crucial Geographic Advantage and Regional Dominance

Sri Lanka, blessed with outstanding ports at Colombo and Trincomalee, stands as the natural centre of the Indian Ocean and serves as the key to the entire regional security framework. India possesses a long coastline that remains exposed and vulnerable to attack from naval aircraft. The Japanese strikes on Colombo and Trincomalee in 1942 clearly demonstrated this weakness.

As military experts have noted, Ceylon acts as the pivot of the Indian Ocean; in our modern age of aviation, Ceylon’s position commanding both sea and air routes holds critical significance.” It’s worth noting that even military planners from the 1600s, along with the British Empire, recognised Ceylon’s essential role in controlling Indian Ocean defences.

Two Hundred Years On: The Same Strategic Logic, Different Players

Speaking about Ceylon’s military value in protecting India, Prime Minister William Pitt, ‘the Younger’ [1759 –1806 the prime minister of Great Britain from 1783, and then first prime minister of the United Kingdom from January 1801], told the British Parliament in 1802 that gaining control of the island was the most precious colonial territory we possess anywhere in the world, providing our Indian territories with protection they had never enjoyed since we first established them there.” For Britain, Ceylon wasn’t just important for defending India – it was a crucial connection in Britain’s worldwide shipping network.

Early Indian Ambitions and Sri Lankan Concerns

During the 1940s, prominent Indian National Congress leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, along with writers such as Panikkar, had suggested that Sri Lanka should join closely with India, likely as a self-governing part of an Indian union.” However, once Sri Lanka gained independence, such statements caused great worry and fear among Ceylon’s leaders, who firmly rejected this idea.

To calm the concerns of Sri Lanka’s leadership, Nehru sent a special statement promising the island that India had good intentions and would not interfere in its independent existence. Later, in Colombo during the Commonwealth Foreign Ministers meeting in January 1950, Nehru declared: some people worry that the large nation of India might want to take over or swallow up Ceylon. I promise you that if anyone has such thoughts, they are completely mistaken.” He later called the fear of some Ceylonese that India might invade or absorb Ceylon complete foolishness.”

Diplomatic Assurances

Even with such promises, D.S. Senanayake, Sri Lanka’s first Prime Minister, always considered India as the homeland – the country from which both his people, the Sinhalese, and Buddhism had originated. Yet he clearly understood the risks of having nearby a population of 350 million people pushed outward by living standards much lower than those in Ceylon, and who could, under dangerous leadership, become hostile.

On September 7, 1954, in Ceylon’s Parliament, Kotelawala expressed his concern about various statements in one of Panikkar’s books saying that India must control Trincomalee for security reasons.” I have also heard that Mr. Panikkar is said to speak for Pandit Nehru. He supposedly understands Pandit Nehru’s thinking and has claimed that India, Ceylon, and Burma must follow an ‘Asian Monroe Doctrine’ where India will be the parent to the two children Burma and Ceylon. We reject that parental guidance and their so-called protection.”-Hansard

However, Panikkar denied making any such statements in his writings. Nehru also rejected the idea that Panikkar represented his views.

Sri Lanka’s strategic location made it valuable to larger powers, but this same position could be used for the island’s own benefit rather than surrendering it to regional dominance. 

The Danger of Demographic Pressure

Senanayake’s concern about India’s massive population and lower living standards represented a realistic assessment of potential migration and economic pressures that could overwhelm a smaller neighbour. Speaking along the same lines in 1955, Sir John Kotelawala warned, The moment Ceylon gets rid of all Englishmen completely, the island will fall under India’s control.” This represented a complete change in his thinking within just two months. Previously, he had believed that having Ceylon’s two closest neighbours as fellow Commonwealth members served as her primary protection against any chance of attack from nearby enemies.”

Rejecting Paternalistic Protection 

Kotelawala’s firm rejection of any fatherly advice” or protection” from India demonstrated that true independence means making one’s own security arrangements rather than accepting junior status. The reference to British presence as a counterbalance showed that small nations sometimes need external partnerships to maintain independence from dominating neighbours.

These concerns from the 1950s remain relevant today. Sri Lanka’s strategic position in the Indian Ocean continues to attract the attention of major powers. The island nation must balance its relationships carefully, ensuring that economic cooperation and regional partnerships don’t compromise its sovereignty.

The courage, wisdom, and resolve of leaders like D.S. Senanayake, Sir John Kotelawala, and Mahinda Rajapaksa [notwithstanding his other shortcomings and controversial legacy] to defy major powers have time and again safeguarded this small nation’s sovereignty.

Geographic advantages should be used for national benefit, not surrendered to larger neighbours.  Diplomatic assurances must be balanced against realistic assessments of power dynamics. True independence requires the ability to say no” to unwanted influence, regardless of the source. Sri Lanka’s experience shows that maintaining independence requires constant vigilance, strategic thinking, and the courage to resist pressure from larger powers who may view smaller neighbours as naturally falling within their sphere of influence.

Courtesy The Island

Mid-level police officers have expressed concern over alleged attempts by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) to politicise the network of Public Safety Committees (PSCs) being established in every Grama Niladhari (GN) division across the country.

According to police headquarters sources, concerns have intensified following reports that individuals affiliated to the JVP—distinct even from the broader National People’s Power (NPP) alliance—are being positioned on these grassroots committees under political pressure, in certain districts.

Each police station has been tasked with setting up PSCs for the GN divisions under its purview. This system dates back to war years, but the structure of the committees has undergone periodic revisions under various Inspectors General of Police (IGPs). The latest update was introduced in March by Acting IGP Attorney-at-Law Priyantha Weerasuriya, replacing a previous directive issued by former IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon.

A circular issued by the Ministry of Public Security, dated April 8, mandates the formation of 14,022 Public Safety Committees before June 20. Each committee must include at least 25 members, with a chairperson and vice-chairperson elected from among them. The Grama Niladhari of the area serves as the committee secretary. Representatives from local religious institutions, sports clubs, trade associations, and civil society organisations also have representation.

Traditionally, applications are invited from residents and displayed for public scrutiny before vetting by police,” a senior officer explained. But now, a new directive says two members from the ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ project should be included on each committee. These appointees have turned out to be JVP members in almost all areas.”

Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala last week confirmed that

Acting IGP Weerasuriya had already relayed the directive to all senior officers, stressing the committees’ role in fostering community-police relations, reducing crime, combating narcotics, and promoting interfaith harmony.

Each PSC includes retired public servants, former police and military officers, youth representatives, and a police officer. Members will serve a three-year term, with regular reviews by the Officer-in-Charge of each station and bi-monthly assessments by Assistant Superintendents of Police.

Despite its intentions, the rollout has sparked internal tensions, with one senior police source warning, Any attempt to politicize these bodies risks undermining their credibility and the community’s trust in law enforcement.”

by Saman Indrajith and Norman Palihawadane ✍️

Shenali Waduge

Lack of Credible Evidence Supporting Genocide Allegations. The 1948 Genocide Convention defines genocide as acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group. Allegations against Sri Lanka often cite high civilian casualties during the final stages of the civil war. However, these figures, such as the oft-quoted 40,000 deaths, are based on estimates without substantiated evidence. The UN Panel of Experts’ report itself acknowledges that these numbers are not verified and are derived from extrapolations and unverified sources. Without concrete evidence of intent to destroy a particular group, the criteria for genocide are not met.

Questionable Credibility of UN and OHCHR Reports

The reports produced by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) regarding Sri Lanka’s armed conflict are fundamentally flawed in methodology and violate basic evidentiary standards under international law. These documents heavily rely on anonymous testimonies, hearsay, and overseas secondary sources, many of which are linked to LTTE-affiliated individuals or interest groups. The refusal to disclose raw data and reliance on unverified allegations render these reports inadmissible in any fair judicial forum.

The 2015 OISL report (paragraphs 1100–1102) admits it faced “serious constraints,“ could not conduct investigations in Sri Lanka, and depended on confidential sources it could not verify. Even worse, the OHCHR sealed these “witness statements” for 10 to 30 years, effectively denying the accused—especially military officers—the right tocross-examination, timely rebuttal, or due process. This amounts to an unprecedented breach of natural justice.

The danger of such political manipulation of international justice is evident from the case of Slobodan Milošević, who was imprisoned for years before dying in custody, only to be posthumously exonerated. This should serve as a global warning. Sri Lanka’s war veterans must not be subjected to trial by media or political vendetta, based on secretive, flawed, and unverifiable accusations.

Undermining of Domestic Reconciliation by International Overreach

In May 2010, Sri Lanka appointed the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) to investigate the war, assess reconciliation needs, and recommend reforms. The LLRC conducted public hearings and produced a comprehensive report.

Yet in June 2010, then-UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon unilaterally appointed a Panel of Experts” (PoE) on accountability in Sri Lanka. This panel had nomandate from the Security Council or General Assembly. According to the UN’s own Office of Legal Affairs, Ban did not have the legal authority to initiate such an inquiry without proper authorization, making the panel’s legitimacy highly questionable. (Source: Internal UN memo reported by Inner City Press and referenced by Sir Desmond de Silva QC).

Despite being legally informal and advisory, the PoE’s report was later weaponized in UNHRC resolutions and diplomatic pressure campaigns. This sequence of events illustrates how Sri Lanka’s sovereign reconciliation mechanisms were deliberately overridden by an externally driven agenda.

Double Standards in Global Counterterrorism and Foreign Political Hypocrisy

Sri Lanka is being selectively targeted for defeating the LTTE, one of the world’s deadliest terrorist organizations. While Sri Lanka is condemned for ending the war, Western countries allow open glorification of the LTTE on their own soil, including:

• Members of Parliament and Mayors laying wreaths for LTTE terrorists
• LTTE martyr day” events held in public venues
• Diaspora propaganda being used as evidence” by foreign politicians

Would any Western democracy tolerate wreaths being laid for Al-Qaeda or ISIS fighters? Why is such behavior normalized when the LTTE is involved—a group that recruited children, used human shields, killed civilians, and assassinated world leaders?

This blatant double standard undermines global norms on counterterrorism. It also signals that some terrorist groups can be “rehabilitated” through political lobbying—a dangerous precedent.

Civilian Casualties: The LTTE’s Responsibility

The Sri Lankan military is accused of killing civilians, yet credible international statements from 2009 place the blame clearly on the LTTE:

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (13 May 2009):

The LTTE is using civilians as human shields and not allowing them to leave.”

UN High Commissioner Navi Pillay (18 March 2009):

The LTTE must stop recruiting civilians, especially children, and allow them to leave.”

UNICEF, ICRC, and the EU all condemned the LTTE’s use of civilians as hostages and their obstruction of evacuations.

The Sri Lankan Armed Forces:

• Created No Fire Zones
• Facilitated humanitarian corridors
• Lost 6,621 soldiersto avoid civilian casualties
• Repeatedly offered the LTTE chances tosurrender, which were refused

The LTTE used civilians as human shields, shot at those fleeing, and prolonged the war. Reports that fail to differentiate between armed civilian combatants and genuine non-combatants result in distorted casualty figures. The LTTE’s own armed civilian militia blurred the line between civilians and combatants.

The Danger of Diaspora-Driven Propaganda

Many third-party organizations and UN reports rely heavily on diaspora testimonies, especially from LTTE-sympathetic networks. These groups not only influenced UN narratives but also funded international advocacy campaigns to pressure diplomatic institutions. The fact that such actors are allowed to shape UN processes raises serious questions about the independence of international justice mechanisms.

The campaign against Sri Lanka is not grounded in objective fact or law. It is based on politically driven reports, double standards, and questionable evidence. The same UN that failed to act during the LTTE’s 30-year reign of terror is now condemning the very forces that ended it.

If international justice is to retain credibility, it must apply the same standards to all. Sri Lanka’s soldiers should not be vilified for achieving what much of the world could not: the defeat of terrorism without foreign boots on the ground.

This rebuttal is not a denial of wartime suffering. It is a demand for legal clarity, evidentiary integrity, and international fairness.

To accuse a nation & its National Army of genocide based on secret statements and politically manipulated data is not justice—it is a betrayal of justice itself.

Shenali Waduge

Shenali Waduge

The Myth that shaped a Movement: For decades, the claim that people are born gay” has been the foundation of modern LGBTQIA+ activism. As a result it has unfairly shaped court decisions, education policy, and international diplomacy. Many people have been misled to believe that being gay is something you’re born with—but science doesn’t back that up. Despite decades of research and billions of dollars in funding, no credible scientific evidence has confirmed the existence of a gay gene.” If so,  who & why is this ideology being pushed globally?

The Genetic Studies: What They Really Show

The Hamer Study (1993)

One of the earliest studies that gained international attention was by Dean Hamer, who suggested a possible genetic link to homosexuality through the Xq28 region of the X chromosome. However, subsequent attempts to replicate his findings failed. Even Hamer himself later admitted, We knew it was speculative at best.”

The Sanders & GWAS Study (2019)

The largest-ever genetic study on sexual orientation, published in Science (2019), analyzed the DNA of over 470,000 individuals. The conclusion was definitive:

There is no single ‘gay gene’… Genetic variants associated with same-sex behavior account for less than 1% of the variance in sexual behavior.”

(Ganna et al., Science, 2019)

This means genetics alone cannot explain or predict homosexuality.

Environmental and psychological factors must play a significant role.

Environmental, Developmental, and Social Factors

Childhood Trauma and Abuse

Studies consistently show elevated rates of childhood trauma, sexual abuse, and family dysfunction among individuals who later identify as homosexual.

• A 2001 study found 46% of homosexual men reported childhood sexual abuse, compared to 7% of heterosexual men. (Archives of Sexual Behavior, Tomeo et al., 2001)
• The study emphasized a strong correlation between early trauma and adult same-sex attraction, challenging the assumption of innateness.
• Additionally, it reported that male victims of childhood sexual abuse were 75 times more likelyto engage in same-sex sexual behavior later in life, suggesting a strong environmental influence.

Family Dynamics and Early Sexualization – Collateral Damage

Family structure, absent fathers, and exposure to sexual content early in life are more common in LGBTQIA+ populations. While these factors don’t cause” homosexuality directly, they are strong environmental correlates.

Why the ‘Born This Way’ Argument Fails Legally and Morally

Even if sexual behavior were biological, that alone wouldn’t justify legal or moral legitimacy.

• Aggression, addiction, and even pedophilia have been linked to brain structure or genetic factors—yet no one argues these should be accepted as moral norms.
• Human dignity is not contingent on biology—it is based on free will, conscience, and accountability.

Furthermore, many individuals experience fluidity in sexual orientation.

Studies show a significant percentage of individuals who identify as homosexual in youth later return to heterosexual relationships. (Diamond, Sexual Fluidity, 2008)

Sexual choices, especially when they are fluid and impermanent, cannot be enshrined as a permanent human right. To do so is to grant legal sanctity to behaviors that may change, evolve, or even reverse—causing profound confusion in law, education, and society.

Sexual preferences, especially those known to shift over time, cannot be codified as universal human rights—particularly when their impermanence undermines the legal consistency and moral clarity of such recognition.

Science Hijacked by Ideology

Many scientists and medical professionals who question the genetic basis of homosexuality face professional blacklisting, censorship, or academic silencing.

• Grants are often denied for studies that might challenge LGBTQIA+ orthodoxy.
• Research institutions fear backlash and reputational damage.

Science is no longer neutral. It is selectively promoted when it serves a political agenda.

The Whitehead Findings: No Genetic Blueprint for Homosexuality

Dr. Neil E. Whitehead, a PhD in biochemistry, systematically examined over 10,000 scientific papers and studies in My Genes Made Me Do It! (2013). His central conclusions include:

• No Gay Gene”: Identical twin studies show that if one twin is homosexual, the other is only about 10–20% likely to be as well—even though they share 100% of their genes.
• Sexual Orientation is Not Fixed: Many individuals change orientation over time, contrary to the born this way” narrative.
• Environmental Influence Dominates: Early trauma, family structure, and social factors are more determinative than any biological cause.
• Science Has Been Politicized: Media and activists frequently distort findings to suit ideological ends, suppressing dissenting scientific voices.

Whitehead’s work provides one of the most thorough refutations of the gay gene” claim. It highlights the dangers of using flawed science to reshape law and culture.

Satinover’s Warning: Ideology Over Evidence

Dr. Jeffrey Satinover, in Homosexuality and the Politics of Truth (1996), presents a compelling analysis of how ideology has overtaken scientific integrity in the discourse on sexuality. Drawing from his background in psychiatry and neuroscience, Satinover argues:

• There is no scientific proofthat homosexuality is innate or immutable.
• Early trauma, emotional detachment, and gender identity confusion are common developmental patterns among those with same-sex attraction.
• Activist movements havedeliberately misused scientific research to normalize behaviors and reframe moral questions as civil rights issues.
• Psychiatric and religious institutions have been pressured and coercedinto affirming homosexuality regardless of evidence or conscience.

Satinover emphasizes that truth is not hate, and that compassion must be rooted in honesty—not compliance with ideological demands.

Policy Manipulation: The Case of Sri Lanka’s Penal Code

This ideology has now reached Sri Lanka presently through the Human Rights Commission’s recommendation to repeal Sections 365 and 365A of the Penal Code—laws that previously criminalized same-sex acts, particularly those deemed against the order of nature.”

The proposed repeal would not only legalize same-sex relations but also eliminate provisions that criminalize carnal acts involving children under 16—effectively weakening protections for minors in the name of rights advocacy. This radical shift is being driven by foreign-funded NGOs and embassies under the banner of human rights, not through public mandate or democratic debate.

It is another example of how unproven science is used to justify sweeping legal and cultural changes with long-term consequences.

Truth Matters More Than Narrative: A Warning to Government, Lawmakers, and Judiciary

There is no gay gene. The narrative that people are born gay has become an ideological dogma, not a scientific fact. It has been used to rewrite laws, redefine morality, and silence dissent.

To Sri Lanka’s government, legislature, judiciary, and the Human Rights Commission: promoting the idea that children are born gay—and indoctrinating that view through legal reforms and educational curricula—does harm – irreversible harm.

It does not foster diversity. It fosters confusion.

You are not protecting children—you are violating their fundamental rights to natural development, family guidance, and psychological well-being.

Parents are being pushed out of their rightful role, and children are being subjected to premature identity shaping under political pressure.

These actions also contravene the teachings and moral obligations of the Buddha Sasana, which regard natural conduct and moral discipline as sacred. By turning away from this, you invite moral decline and cultural collapse echoed in all the other traditional religions practiced in Sri Lanka as well.

Every public servant—from the President to the village official—is bound by Sri Lanka’s Penal Code and Constitution to uphold the moral fabric of society. Abandoning this duty under foreign ideological pressure constitutes a delict of duty—a legal and moral betrayal of the people, the children, and the nation’s civilizational heritage.

Truth must take precedence over politics. Heritage must prevail over ideological colonization.

Shenali Waduge

References

• Hamer et al., Science, 1993
• Ganna et al., Science, 2019. DOI: 10.1126/science.aat7693
• Tomeo et al., Archives of Sexual Behavior, 2001. DOI: 10.1023/A:1010274731650
• Satinover, J., Homosexuality and the Politics of Truth, 1996
• Whitehead, N. E., My Genes Made Me Do It!, 2013

චානක බණ්ඩාරගේ

සිංහල බෞද්ධ අත්තිවාරමක් (foundation) තිබෙන ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ සිංහලයන්ට අමතරව ද්‍රවිඩ, මුස්ලිම්, බර්ගර්, ආදිවාසින් (මොවුන් සිංහල බෞද්ධයන්ගේම කොටසක් වැනි වෙති), මැලේ ආදීහු ජීවත් වෙති. ඔවුන් සියල්ල මෙහි ජීවත් විය යුතුය. එහි කිසිදු ප්‍රශ්ණනයක් නොමැත. අප සියළු දෙනාම ශ්‍රී ලාංකිකයෝය.

ද්‍රවිඩ ජාතිකයෙකුට කිලිනොච්චි අත් හැර ගම්පහ පදිංචි වීමට හැකියාවක් ඇත. මුස්ලිම් ජාතිකයෙකුට අක්කරෙයිපත්තු  අත්හැර තංගල්ලේ පදිංචි විය හැක. නමුත්, ගම්පහ හෝ තංගල්ලේ වෙසෙන සිංහලයෙකුට කිලිනොච්චි හෝ අක්කරෙයිපත්තු ඉඩමක් මිලදී ගෙන නිවසක් සදා ගැනීමේ හැකියාව නැත/ඉතාම අපහසුය..

මෙය සාධාරණද?

නිදහසේ තමන් කැමති තැනක ජීවත්වීම (freedom of movement) අපගේ ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ  14වෙනි වගන්තියෙන් සියළු රටවැසියන්ට ලබාදී ඇති අයිතියකි. ශ්‍රී ලංකාව විසින් අත්සන් කර ඇති International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966 නමැති ජාත්‍යාන්තර ප්‍රඥප්තියේද මේ බව තදින්ම සඳහන් වේ.

නියම ‘සන්හිඳියාව’ වන්නේ රටවැසියෙකුට තමන් කැමති ඕනෑම පළාතක ජීවත්වීමේ අයිතිය හිමිවීමයි.

මැලේසියාවේ, ඕස්ත්‍රේලියාවේ (ඒකීය රටවල්) පුරවැසියන් එම රටවල ඕනෑම ප්‍රදේශයක වාසය කිරීමේ නිදහස භුක්ති විඳී. සීඩ්නි වල පදිංචි ඔනෑම ඕස්ත්‍රේලියානුවෙක් ‘හෙට සිට මම උතුරේ ඩාර්වින් වල පදිංචියට යනවා’ කියා තීරණය කල හොත් එම තීරණය ක්‍රියාත්මක කිරීමේ නිදහස ඔහුට/ඇයට ඇත. ඔහුට/ඇයට ඒ පිළිබඳව එම රටේ උතුරේ මහ ඇමතිගෙන් අවසර ලබා ගත යුතු නැත. ඩාර්වින්වල කිසිම බලධාරියෙක් ඔහුට/ඇයට එසේ පැමිණ ජීවත්වීම ගැන තහංචි දමන්නේ නැත.

ශ්‍රී ලංකාවද ඒකීය රාජ්‍යක් වේ. එහෙත්, කොළඹ පදිංචි සිංහලයෙක් ‘හෙට සිට මම යාපනයේ පදිංචියට යනවා’ කියා තීරණය කළහොත්? එවැන්නක් සිදුවීමේ වාතාවරණය මේ රටේ නැත හෝ ඉතා අපහසුය.

සිංහලයෙකුට අවශ්‍ය නම් කිලිනොච්චියේ, පේදුරු තුඩුවේ, මඩකලපුවේ, අක්කරෙයිපත්තුවේ ඉඩමක් මිලදී ගෙන එහි නිවසක් තනා සිය පවුල සමඟ නිදහසේ ජීවත්වීමේ උපරිම හැකියාව තිබිය යුතුයි.

මෙය අද මේ රටේ ප්‍රධානම මානව හිමිකම් (human rights) ප්‍රශ්ණයයි.

මෙයටත් වඩා වෙනත් අසාධාරනයක් වේද?

ඇතැම් TNA, පොන්නම්බලම්, සිද්ධාර්තන් වැනි මන්ත්‍රීවරුන් විසින් කරන ලද කථාවලින් මනා ලෙස පිළිබිඹුවන්නේ ඔවුන් උතුරට සිංහලයන් පැමිණ වාසය කිරීමට තරයේ විරුද්ධ බවයි. 

දකුණේ ඕනෑම තැනක ද්‍රවිඩයන්ට ජිවත්විය හැකි නම්, සිංහලයන්ට උතුරේ/නැගෙනහිර ජීවත්වීමට නොහැකි මන්දැයි මේ ජාතිවාදීන්ගෙන් කෙලින්ම ඇසීමට තරම් පිට කොන්දක් ඇති එකදු දේශපාලනඥයෙක් වත් අද පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ නොමැත.  

එදා KMPරාජරත්න, APජයසුරිය, සිරිල් මැතිව්, ගාමිණි ජයසුරිය, දොස්තර නෙවිල් ප්‍රනාන්දු වැනි මන්ත්‍රීවරුන්‌ කෙලින්ම මෙවැනි සිංහල අයිතීන් ගැන පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ අභීතව හඬ නැගුහ.

1994 පසු තිබු සියළු රජයන් ඉතා සුක්ෂම ලෙස   ‘සිංහල’’, බෞද්ධ’ ලෙස රට හැඳින්වීමට එදිරිව කටයුතු කලහ.

අද, මේ රටේ ඇත්තේ පළාත් 9ක් නොව 7ක් යයි සිතන තරමට සිංහලයෝ උතුර, නැගෙනහිර පිළිබඳව ආශාවන් අත්හැර ඇත්තා සේය. එම පළාත් දෙක පිළිබඳව ඔවුන් තුල ආධ්‍යාත්මික වූ බැඳීමක්/ඇල්මක් නොමැත. ඔවුන්ගේ සම්පුර්ණ අවධානය යොමු වී ඇත්තේ තමන් ජීවත්වෙන පළාත් 7 පිළිබඳවය. උතුර, නැගෙනහිර (මෙය මේ රටේ 1/3 ක භුමි කොටසකි, මුහුදු තීරයෙන් 2/3ක් පමණ වේ) ඉඩම්/දේපල තමන්ට කිසිදා ලබා ගැනීමට නොහැකි දේ ලෙස ඔවුන් සලකත්.

ප්‍රභාකරන් විසින් 1970 අග සහ 1980 මුල උතුරේ සිංහලයන් පලවා හරින විට එහි අඩු තරමින් සිංහල ස්ථිර පදිංචිකරුවෝ 50,000 තරමවත් සිටි බවට එහි එකල ජිවත් වූ වැසියෝ පවසත්. යාපනයේ පමණක් සිංහලයෝ 20,000 ස්ථිර පදිංචි කරුවන් ලෙස සිටි බවට කියති. යාපනයේ බේකරි කර්මාන්තය මුළුමනින්ම වාගේ තිබුනේ සිංහලයන් අතය. යාපනයේ එළවලු, මාළු වැනි වෙළදාම් වල සිංහලයෝ ඉදිරියෙන්ම සිටියහ. නමුත් අද දකුණු වවුනියාව සහ  වවුනියාව දිස්ත්‍රික්කයේ නැගෙනහිරට වෙන්නට ඇති බෝගස්වැව, වෙහෙරතැන්න,  නන්දිමිත්‍රගම, නාමල්ගම, වැලිඔය, හැලඹවැව, ජනකපුර වැනි ප්‍රදේශ අත්හල පසු, වවුනියාවෙන් ඔබ්බට, උතුරු  පළාතේ ස්ථිරව ජිවත්වන මුළු සිංහල ගහණය 500ක් වත් නැති තරම්ය.

ප්‍රභාකරන් විසින් උතුරෙන් එලවා දමන ලද සිංහලයන්, මුස්ලිමානුවන් නැවතත් එම ප්‍රදේශවලට යාමට ඉතා අශාවෙන් සිටිත්. නමුත් ඔවුන්ව එම ප්‍රදේශවල නැවත පදිිංචි කිරිම පිළිබඳව  2009 යුධ ජයග්‍රණයෙන් පසු රජයන් සැලකිල්ලක් දැක්වුවේ නැත.  ප්‍රභාකරන් විසින් පන්නා දමන ලද උතුරේ සිංහල පවුල් 50ක් පමණ, 2010දී යාපනයේ තම ඉඩම් ආපසු ලබා දෙන ලෙස ඉල්ලා යාපනය (පැරණි) දුම්රිය ස්ථානයේ දින ගණනාවක් රැඳී සිටියදී ඔවුන්ව ශ්‍රී ලංගම බස් වලට පටවා බලෙන්ම ආපසු මිහින්තලේට යවනු ලැබුවේ එවකට තිබු රජය මඟිනි (එවකට සිටී ආරක්ෂක ලේකම් 2019 දී රටේ ජනාධිපති විය). ඔවුන් නොගියේ නම් අත්අඩංගුවට ගන්නා බවට එක් සිංහල පොලිස් ASP වරයෙක් ඔවුන් ඉදිරියට පැමිණ තර්ජනය කර කියා සිටියේය. නමුත්, ඒ අතර සිටී විරෝධාර සිංහලයන් කිහිප දෙනක් තමන් කිසිම ලෙසකින් ආපසු දකුණට නොයන බවට ශපත කරමින් උතුරේම රැඳී සිටියහ. රජයේ කිසිම ආධාරයක් නොමැතිව නාවට්කුලි සිංහල ගම්මානය (යාපනයට කිලෝ මීටර් 7) බලෙන්ම  බිහි කර ගත්තේ ඒ අය විසිනි. මේ අයව එම ගමින් එළවීමට TNA/දෙමළ පක්ෂ සහ දෙමළ පළාත් සභාව නොකළ දෙයක් නැත. මේ ගමට අදත් සෑම රජයකින්ම (මධ්‍යම ඇතුළු) ලැබෙන්නේ කුඩම්මාගේ සැලකිලිය. ඇතැම් මිනිසුන් තවමත් සිටින්නේ ටකරං මඩු වලය.

මේ ටකරං මඩු ගෙවල් සහ නාවට්කුලි ගමේ වෙනත් අඩුපාඩු යහපාලන රජයේ ප්‍රබල ඇමතිවරයෙක්ට (ක්‍රීඩාවකින් රටට ජය ලබා දුන්) මේ ලියුම්කරු පෞද්ගලිකවම පෙන්වීය (2016). ඔහු සමඟ මෙම ලියුම්කරු මුළු නාවට්කුලි ගම පුරාම ඇවිද්දේය – සියළු අඩුපාඩු පෙන්වීය. අප ඉල්ලන දෙය ලිඛිතව ඉදිරිපත් කරන මෙන් එතුමා දැන්වීය. ඒ දෙය ඔහුගේ එකී උතුරු සංචාරයෙන් දින 2ක් තුල ලබා දුනිමි.  නමුත් ඔහුගෙන් කිසිදු පිළිතුරක් ලැබුනේ නැත, එම ගමට ඔහු කිසිත් නොකළේය.

එතුමා නාවට්කුලි පැමිණි කාලයේම එම රජයේ එවකට සිටී බුද්ධ ශාසන සහ අධිකරණ ඇමති නාවට්කුලි ගමට පුද්ගලික සංචාරයක් සේ පැමිණ, එහි පන්සලට රජයෙන් සැළකිය යුතු මුල්‍යමය අධාරයක් ලබා දී ගිය බව ද මෙහි පැවසිය යුතුය.

යාපනයට දුම්රියෙන් යනවිට නාවට්කුලි පන්සලේ යෝධ චෛත්‍ය  රාජයානෝ දුම්රිය මගීන්ට දක්නට ලැබෙන ඉතා මනරම් දසුනකි.

වසර කිහිපයකට් උඩදී  අනුරාධපුරයේ සිට සිංහලයෙක් තම කිට්ටු ඥාතියෙක් වෙසෙන නිසා උතුරට පැමිණ නාවට්කුලී සිංහල ගම්මානයේ පදිංචි වීමට උත්සහ දැරීය.  එහි ඉඩමක් මිලදී ගෙන නිවසක් තනා ගැනීම හෝ තියෙන නිවසක් මිලදී ගැනීම නොව, සිය ඥාතියා සමඟ එම නිවසෙහිම  ජීවත්වීමයි ඒ අයගේ අරමුණ වුයේ.

ග්‍රාම සේවක මට්ටමේ සිට එම අයට පැමිණියේ ‘කැපිළිය’. කිසිම රජයේ දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවක් ඒ අයගේ නව පදිංචිය ලියාපදිංචි කිරීමට සහාය නොදුණි. උවමනාවෙන්ම දෙමළෙන් දෙමළ නොතේරන ඒ අය සමඟ කථා කළහ. අවසානයේ සියළු බලාපොරොත්තු අත් හැර ඒ අය නැවත අනුරාධපුරය බලා ගියහ.  එසේ යාම පිණිස බලධාරීන් කටයුතු කළහ.

නාවට්කුලිය සිංහල ගම් වැසියෙකු උදෑසන ආහාර කරත්තයක් ඉතා සාර්ථකව පවත්වා ගෙන යද්දී උතුරු ප්‍රාන්ත රජයේ නිලධාරීහු විවිධ උපක්‍රම යොදා  ඔහුගේ එම ස්වයං රැකියා ව්‍යාපාරය නැවත්වුහ. ඔහු අද එම ගමද අත් හැර දමා ගාල්ලේ පදිංචිය. කළින් අනුරාධපුරයේ නිවසේ සිට අයිස් ක්‍රීම් සදා ඉහල පළපුරුද්දක් ඇති සිංහල අයෙකුට නාවට්කුලි සිය නිවසේ සිට අයිස් ක්‍රීම් කර්මාන්තයේ නියැලීමේ අවස්ථාව ප්‍රාන්ත රාජ්‍ය නිලධාරින් විසින් ලබා නොදුනි. සිංහල ගමේ නායකයෙකු වූ ඔහු අද සිය නාවට්කුලි නිවසද විකුණා දමා (ද්‍රවිඩ අයෙකුට) මැදවච්චියේ පදිංචිය.

2009 මැයි 19 වනදා යුධ ජයග්‍රහණයෙන් පසුව කල යුතුව තිබුනේ මෙම රටේ මෙතෙක් පැවතියේ ත්‍රස්තවාදී යුද්ධයක් බවත්, එය දැන් අවසන් බවත්, සියළු ජාතින් සාමයෙන්, සමගියෙන්, සහෝදරත්වයෙන් ලංකාවේ සෑම පලාතකම මින් ඉදිරියට  වාසය කල හැකි බවට ප්‍රකාශ කර, ඒ අනුව ජාතික ප්‍රතිපත්ති සකස් කිරීමය. 1987දී 13වන ව්‍යවස්ථා සංශෝදනය ගෙන ආවේ එදා රටේ පැවතී ත්‍රස්තවාදී යුද්ධය නිසා බවත් යුද්ධය අවසන් වීම නිසා එය ජනමත විචාරණයක් මඟින් අවලංගු කල යුතු බවට සියළු  ජනතාව දැනුවත් කල යුතුව තිබුණි. එදා එවැනි ඉල්ලීමක්  කළා නම් සිංහල, ද්‍රවිඩ, මුස්ලිම් බොහෝ දෙනා එවන් ජනමත විචාරණයකට කැමැත්ත පල කිරීමට ඉඩ තිබුණි. 13වන සංශෝධනය අවලංගු කලානම් පළාත් සභා නමැති කිසිම වැඩකට නැති සුදු අලියා අහෝසි වී යනවා පමණක් නොව (පළාත් සභා 9ම අහෝසි වීමකි), උතුරු පළාත් සභාවට චන්දයක් පැවැත්වීමට අවශ්‍යතාවයක් නොවීමෙන් අප හොඳින්ම දැන සිටි කරුණක් වන සිංහලයාට එරෙහි වන ජාතිවාදී ආණ්ඩුවක් උතුරේ බලයට පැමිණීමෙන් වළක්වා ගත හැකිවීමට තිබුණි.

නැවතත් මෙවැනි  ජනමත විචාරණයක් 2013 අග භාගයේදී උතුරු පළාත් සභා මැතිවරණය පැවැත්වීමට පෙර 2012/2013 දී පැවැත්වීමට රට තුල දැඩි ඉල්ලුමක් තිබුනත් එවක තිබු රජය ඒ ගැන කිසි සැලකිල්ලක් දැක්වුයේ නැත. එයට අවශ්‍ය වුයේ කෙසේ හෝ  උතුරු පළාත් සභා මැතිවරණය පැවැත්වීමය. එහි ප්‍රථිපලයක් ලෙස සිංහලයන්ට උතුරට ගොස් පදිංචි වීමට තිබු කුඩා අවස්ථාව පවා දැන් අහිමි වී ගොස් තිබේ.

විග්නේස්වරන් උතුරේ TNA මහා ඇමති අපේක්ෂක බවට එම පෙරමුණ ප්‍රකාශ කලේ මැතිවරණයට බොහෝ කලකටත් උඩ දීය. ඔහු පැමිණ ජාතිවාදීව හැසිරෙන බව එකළ නොදත්තේ පොඩි ළමයෙක් පමණි.

TNA පෙරමුණ පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ LTTE හඬ මෙන් කටයුතු කල බව කාටත් මතකය.

දැක්මක් නැති පාලකයන් නිසා සිංහලයා මේ රටේ බොහෝ අසරණ තත්ත්වයට පත්ව සිටිත්.

විග්නේස්වරන් මහ ඇමතිවරයා කාලයේ උතුරේ ප්‍රසිද්ධ ස්ථානයක නව බුදු පිළිමයක් ස්ථාපනය කිරීම පවා තහනම් කටයුත්තක් බවට පත් විය.  පන්සලක චෛත්‍යයක් සදා ගැනීම වැනි කටයුත්තකට පවා උතුරේ සිංහල බෞද්ධයන්ට උසාවි අවසර ලබා ගැනීමට යාමට සිදුවීම ප්‍රශ්න බරපතල බව පෙන්වන්නකි.

කවදාවත් නොසිටී දෙමළ රජවරුන්ගේ පිළිම විග්නේස්වරන් මහත්  වියදම් දරා යාපනයේ පිහිටවිය. කඩු, කිණිසි වැනි දේ රැගත් රෞද්‍ර වැනි පෙනුමැති  දැවැන්ත  තරුණ ද්‍රවිඩ පිළිම උතුරට පිවිසෙන සෑම නගර ද්වාරයකම වාගේ ඔහු පිහිට විය. මේවාට මුදල් සැපයුයේ මධ්‍යම රජයද?

සිංහල ජාතිකයෙකුට උතුරේ (සහ ඇතැම් නැගෙනහිර) ඉඩම් කොටසක් මිලදී ගැනීමට, බද්දට ගැනීමට, ගොවිපලක් ආරම්භ කිරීමට අද නොහැකිය/ඉතාම අපහසුය. මේවා මේ රටේ දැවැන්ත, දැවෙනම ප්‍රශ්ණය. නමුත් ඒවා ප්‍රශ්ණ නොවන ආකාරයෙන් පෙන්වා රජයන් කටයුතු කරයි. වර්ගවාදී ජාතික ප්‍රතිපත්තියක් අදහන TNA සහ බෙදුම්වාදී ද්‍රවිඩ දේශපාලඥයනට අවශ්‍ය ලෙස උතුරේ කටයුතු සිදුකිරීමට සියළු රජයන් මේ දක්වා ඉඩ ලබා දී තිබේ.  

ප්‍රභාකරන් උතුරේ සිටි මුස්ලිමානුවන් ලක්ෂයකට වඩා පිරිසක් දකුණට එලවා දැමුවේය. යුද්ධයෙන් පසු පුත්තලමේ සිටි මුස්ලිමානු සරණාගතයන් ආපසු උතුරට (මන්නාරමට) රැගෙන යාම හරිය. ඔවුන් එසේ ගියා කියා දකුණේ සිංහලයෝ මැසිවිලි නගති – සමහර සිංහලයන්ට යථාර්ථය ගැන අවබෝධයක් නැත.

තේසවලාමේ නිසා සිංහලයන්ට උතුරේ ඉඩම් මිලදී ගත නොහැකිය යන බොරු තර්කයක් TNA පවසයි.  උතුරේ තේසවලාමේ නිතීයට අයත් වනුයේ සීමිත ඉඩම් කාණ්ඩයක් පමණි. එකී ඉඩම් වුවද නිවැරදි නිතීමය ක්‍රමවේදයක් එකී ඉඩම් හිමියන් විසින් අනුගමනය කිරීමෙන් පසු තේසවලාමේ පැවරීමකට ලක් නොවුනහොත්, ඒවා ඉන් පසු සිංහලයනට වුවද මිලදී ගත හැක.

නිවැරදි නීති උපදෙස් ලබාගෙන, තේසවලමේ  නීතියට කෙලින්ම හසු නොවන, උතුරේ ඉඩම් මිලදී ගෙන ඉදිරියට යාමට සිංහලයා කටයුතු කල යුතුවේ.  රජය මෙයට සහාය ලබා දිය යුතුයි.

සිංහලයන්ට උතුරේ ගොවිපලවල්, ව්‍යාපාර පටන් ගැනීමට, එසේ නොමැති නම් උතුරේ වූ නිස්කලංක පරිසරයේ ජීවත්වීමට, එවැනි දේ කැමති අයට අවස්ථාව රජය සැලසිය යුතුවේ. නියම සංහිඳියාව යනු මෙයයි. නමුත් අද සිදුවන්නේ එයට ඉඳුරාම විරුද්ධ දෙයකි. එසේ යන අයව වැලැක්වීම සහ ඒ අයට අවශ්‍ය පහසුකම් නොලැබීමයි.

සිංහලයන්ට උතුරේ පදිංචි විමට ඉඩ නොදීමෙන් රජයන් සහ ද්‍රවිඩ  දේශපාලනඥයන් ජාතික සහ අන්තර් ජාතික නීති කඩ කරත්.

උතුරේ සහ නැගෙනහිර අනාගත මිනිස් වාසස්ථාන ප්‍රධාන ජාතින් තුනටම ඉඩ දෙන පරිද්දෙන් සිදු කලයුතු වේ. මෙවැනි ප්‍රතිපත්තියක් අනුගමනය කිරීම රටේ සුභසිද්ධියට ඉවහල් වෙන්නකි.

මෙවැනි ප්‍රතිපත්තියක් සැලසුම් කර ක්‍රියාවට නැංවිය හැක්කේ මධ්‍යම රජයටයි. දැන් පවත්නා මධ්‍යම රජය ද්‍රවිඩ දේශපාලනඥයන් සමඟ සමීපව වැඩ කරන බැවින් මෙම රජයට ඉතා හොඳින් මේ ක්‍රියාදාමය ආරම්භ කල හැකියි.

එදා බොරැල්ලේ  වනාතමුල්ල, මට්ටක්කුලියේ සමිට්පුර 95% පමණ සිංහල බෞද්ධ වූ විශාල නාගරික ගම්මානයන්ය. පන්සල් වලින් නැඟුන සාධු නාදය, පිරිත් සජ්ජායනා වලින් ඒ ප්‍රදේශ සුපිරිසිඳුවත් විය. අද ඒවායෙහි සිංහල බෞද්ධයන්  50%ක් වත් නැති තරමි. කෝවිල්, විවිධ පල්ලි හතු පිපෙන්නාක් මෙන් බිහිවී ඇත; බිහිවෙමින් පවතී. ජාතික නිදහස ගැන කථා කරන නිවාස ඇමතිවරයෙක් යටතේ සහශ්‍ර පුර, මුවදොර උයන වැනි යෝධ නාගරික ව්‍යාපෘති වල (7,000- 8,000 එහා ජනයා ජීවත්වෙන)  සෑම විටම වාගේ සිංහල, දෙමළ, මුස්ලිම් 1/3 අනුපාතයට බෙදෙන පරිදි ජනයා පදිංචි කරවනු ලැබිය. මේවා ඔහුගේ වීර, වංශවත් වික්‍රමයන්ය. ප්‍රේමදාස ජනාධිතුමා මිනිසුන් පදිංචි කලේ/රජයේ පත්වීම් දුන්නේ රටේ ජාතික ජනගහන අනුපාතයනටය (74%, 18%, 8%).

කොටහේන, මෝදර, මට්ටක්කුලිය, මාලිගාවත්ත, වැල්ලවත්ත, කොම්පඥය වීදිය වැනි ප්‍රදේශවල අද සිංහලයා නැත්තටම නැති තරම්ය. 1960 ගණන් වල සිංහලයා 60% වඩා සිටියහ. මේ සමහර ප්‍රදේශවල සිංහලයන් 25%ක් වත් අද ඇද්ද?

කොළඹ නගර සභා බල ප්‍රදේශය තුල සිංහලයා අද සුළු ජාතියක් බවට පත්වී හමාර නොවේද?

නමුත්, මේ ගැන අප කිසිදු ජාතියකටවත් දොස් නොකියමු. සියල්ල දරා ගෙන, සියළු දෙනාටම ආදරයෙන් සළකමු.

උතුර තුල යම් දිනක ‘සිංහල වැල්ලවත්තක්’, ‘සිංහල කොටහේනක්’ බිහි වුවහොත් රට සංහිඳියාව අතින් උපරිම ප්‍රථිපල ලබා ඇතැයි අපට එදිනට ඉමහත් අභිමානයෙන් යුතුව කිව හැකි වේ. කිලිනොච්චියේ සහ මුලතිවු වල මෙවැනි සිංහල ජනාවාස 2ක් ඇති කිරීමට  මධ්‍යම රජය සහ රටට අවංකව ආදරය කරන උතුරු දේශපාලනඥයන්ට ක්‍රියා නොකර සිටීමට කිසිම හේතුවක් නැත.

මෙම ලිපියෙන් මුලිකවම පෙන්වා දීමට අදහස් කලේ උතුරේ නව සිංහලයන් පදිංචි විය යුතු අතර ඒ සඳහා රජයන් (සහ වෙනත් රාජ්‍ය නොවන) ආයතන උනන්දුවෙන් කටයුතු කල යුතු බවයි. එවැන්නක් කළහොත් එයින් රටේ සියළු ජාතීන්ට වන සෙත කියා නිම කල නොහැකිය. අනාගතයයේදී  ජාතිවාදී යුද්ධයක් නැවත මෙරට ඇති නොවීමට ඇති හොඳම පිළියමකි එය. වසර 30ක් පැවති යුද්ධය ඇති වීමට ප්‍රධාන හේතුවක් වුයේ උතුරේ සිංහලයන් නොසිටීමය. ප්‍රභාකරන් සහ ඔහුගේ අනුගාමිකයන් හට සිංහලයන් ගැන හොඳ අවබෝධයක් තිබුනේ නැත. ඔවුහු බොහෝ දෙනෙක් සිංහල කථා කිරීමට පවා නොපුළුවන් විය. රජයන් මඟින් සිංහලුන් උතුරෙන් ඉවත් කිරීමට වෑයම් කරන්නේ නම් උතුරේ දෙමළ ජනයාට සිංහලුන් ගැන හොඳ අවබෝධයක් ලබා ගැනීමට නොහැකි වනු ඇත. එය සංහිඳියා ක්‍රියාමාර්ගය සාර්ථක නොවීමට මුලිකම  හේතුවක් වනු ඇත.

මන්නාරම මුරුන්කන්හි නරි කාඩු (විකුම් පුර) සහ මඩුහි මඩු පාර  සිංහල ගම්මාන

මෙවා සිංහල වැසියන් ජීවත්වෙන ගම්මානයි. මේවායේ බොහෝ සිංහල අය පාරම්පරිකව එම ප්‍රදේශයේ ජීවත් වූ අයයි.  ඒ අය දෙමල කථා කරති.  දෙමළ නොදන්නා සිංහලයෝද මේ ගම් වල ජීවත් වෙති.

ප්‍රභාකරන් විසින් උතුරෙන් සිංහලයන් එළවීමේ ත්‍රස්‌තවාදී වැඩපිළිවෙල යටතේ මෙම ගමේ බොහෝ දෙනෙක් උතුර අත් හැර උතුරු මැද පලාතට ගියහ. 2009 යුද්ධය අවසන් වීමෙන් පසු මේ සිංහලයන්ගෙන් සමහරෙක් ආපසු නරි කාඩු/මඩු පාර  ගම්මාන වෙත ආහ.

මෙම ගම් 2ට වැදුණු තදබල පහරක් වුයේ ගමේ ළමුන් පාසැල් ගිය මඩු පාර සිංහල මහා විද්‍යාලය විග්නේස්වරන්ගේ උතුරු පළාත් සභාව විසින් 2018දී වසා දැමීමයි. එය වසර ගණනාවක් පැරණි, සියළු පහසුකම් වලින් හෙබි උසස් විදුහලක් විය. එය අක්කර ගණනාවක ඉතා මනරම් භූමියකි.

ප්‍රභාකරන් යාපනයේ සිංහල මහා විද්‍යාලය විනාශ කර දැමිය. මෛත්‍රීපාල සේනානායක, KB රත්නායක – හිටපු ඇමතිවරු එහි ආදී ශිෂ්‍යයන්ය. ඒ හිස් භුමිය අදත් රජය සතුය (යාපනය මහ රෝහලට යාබද). අද පවත්නා ජාජබ  රජය එහි සිංහල මහා විද්‍යාලය යළි ස්ථාපිත කරත්ද?

විග්නේස්වරන්ගේ TNA පළාත් සභා රජය විසින් කිසි හිතක් පපුවක් නොමැතිව අගනා මඩු පාර සිංහල මහා විද්‍යාලය වසා දමන ලදී.

මේ අසාධාරණ වසා දැමීම පිළිබඳව අප එවකට වූ යහපාලන රජය දැනුවත් කළෙමු. නමුත් කිසිත් සිදුවුයේ නැත.

තම දරුවන්ට සිංහලෙන් අධ්‍යාපනය ලබා දීමේ හැකියාව නොමැති නිසා නරි කාඩු, මඩු පාර සිංහල ගම්වල සිංහලයන් සමහරෙක් ආපසු උතුරු මැද පළාත බලා ගියහ. මිනිසුනට වගා කිරීමට ඉඩම් නොමැති කම නිසාද මේ ගම් අත් හැර දකුණට ආපසු ගිය සිංහලයෝ වුහ.

2023දී  රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ ජනාධිපතිතුමා ප්‍රතිපාදන ලබාදී මෙම පාසැල නැවත විවෘත කර දුන්නේය. මන්නාරම සිලාවතුර පාසැලද නැවත එතුමා විවෘත කිරීමට කටයුතු කළේය. ඒ කර්තව්‍යනට මෙම ලියුම්කරුද සම්බන්ධය. අද අප ඉතා අමාරුවෙන් මන්නාරම සිංහල මහා විද්‍යාලය පවත්වා ගෙන යමු.

පහසුකම් දෙන්නේ නම් විලච්චිය, මහ විලච්චි වැනි ප්‍රදේශවල සිංහලයෝ විශාල ලෙස තම දරුවන් කැටුව නරිකාඩු, මඩු පාරේ පදිංචියට පැමිණීමට සුදානම්ය. ඒ තම සිංහල දරුවනට සිංහලයෙන් අධ්‍යාපනය ලබා දීමටය. නමුත් මේ අයගේ ඒම වළක්වන්නේ ද්‍රවිඩ රජයේ නිලධාරින්ය. දෙමළ කථා කරන පුත්තලම් ප්‍රදේශයේ සිට මඩු පාරේ පදිංචියට පැමිණි සිංහලයනට ‘අස්වැසුම’ රජයේ ප්‍රතිලාභය ලබා නොදෙත්. ඔවුන් පැමිණ දැන් වසරකටත් වැඩිය. මේ අය ආපසු යා හැක. කිසිම ආදායමක් නොමැති නිසා සිය දරුවන් රැගෙන ආපසු දකුණට ගිය සිංහල පවුල් කිහිපයකි – නිට්ටඹුව, කුරුනෑගල වැනි පළාත් වලින් පැමිණි.

නමුත් මේ අය ආපසු මන්නාරමට පැමිණීමට සුදානමින් සිටිත්.

ඉඩම්, නිවාස, රැකියා, අස්වැසුම ආධාර – මේ කිසිත් නොමැතිව මේ අය දරු පවුල් සමඟ උතුරට පැමිණ කෙසේ නම් නව ජීවීතයක් ආරම්භ කරත්ද?

තත්ත්වය මෙසේ තිබියදී නිවාස සංගණනයක්ය කියා වසර කිහිපයකට පෙර නරි කාඩු අයත් වෙන නානාත්තාන් දිස්ත්‍රික් සහකාර ලේකම් ආයතනයේ නිලධාරින් එම ගමට ගොස් එහි වැසියන්ගෙන් වසා තබා ඇති නිවාස පිළිබඳව නොයෙක් ප්‍රශ්ණ අසා ඇත. ‘මේ ගෙවල් අපරාදේ, අනිත් අයට (දෙමළ) ගෙවල් නෑ, මේක මහ අපරාධයක්” වැනි දේ ඔවුන් කියා ඇත.

වසා තිබෙන නිවෙස් හැර, ඒවායේ දෙමල ජනයා පදිංචි කරාවිද යන බිය සිංහල ගම් වැසියන් තුල ඇත.

මෙම කාරණය ගැන මෙම ලියුම්කරු වාර්ථා කරන්නේ ඔහුට ගම්වැසියන් විසින් පවසන ලද කථාවය.

මෙම ලියුම්කරු මෙම  ගම්මානවල බොහෝ කාලයක සිට ප්‍රජා සංවර්ධන වැඩ කටයුතු සිදු කර ඇති නිසා නිර්භවම පවසන්නේ – අද උතුරේ පදිංචි සිංහලයාට තම ප්‍රශ්ණ කීමට කිසිම සිංහල නිලධාරියෙක් නොමැති බවත් සිංහලයන් වාසය කරන මේ ප්‍රදේශවල රජයේ ආයතනවල සිංහලෙන් කිසිම වැඩක් නොකරන බවත්ය.

1987 සිට 2018 දක්වා එක් දිගට (වසර 31ක්), සැමදාම උතුරේ ආණ්ඩුකාරයා වුයේ සිංහල අයෙකි. මේ තත්ත්වය වෙනස් කලේ ජනාධිපති මෛත්‍රීපාල සිරිසේනයි – 2018දීය. ඉන්පසු පැමිණි සියළු ආණ්ඩුකාරයන් වුයේ දෙමළ අයයි. උතුරේ ආණ්ඩුකාරයා දෙමළ විය යුතු බවට නව සම්ප්‍රදායක් දැන් බිහිවී තිබෙන බවක් පෙනේ. උතුරේ සිංහලයාගේ ප්‍රශ්ණ නිසියාකාර ලෙස කියන්නේ කාහටද?

සිංහලයා මේ රටේ විඳින මෙම ජාතිවාදය ගැන කිසිවෙක් කථා නොකරයි/නොපිළිගනී.

මෙම ලියුම්කරු  ගෝලීය ශ්‍රී ලාංකික එකමුතුවේ (Sri Lanka Support Group) ආරම්භක/වර්තමාන සභාපතිවරයා වේ. සිංහල සංවර්ධන සංවිධානයේ (ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ 1980 මැද භාගයේ ලියාපදිංචි කරන ලද) වත්මන් සභාපතිවරයා වේ. sinhalasanvardhanasanvidhanaya@gmail.com

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Colombo, May 31 (Daily Mirror)- A Parliamentary delegation from Sri Lanka, led by Deputy Speaker Rizvie Salih visited India from 25-31 May 2025 for an orientation programme at India’s Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE).

The delegation comprised 20 Members of Parliament (MP) representing various political parties and four officials of the Sri Lankan Parliament, including the Secretary General.

The delegation was the inaugural batch to undergo the orientation programme at India’s Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE) in New Delhi. 

This is following the announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent visit to Sri Lanka in April 2025, offering 700 customised training slots annually for Sri Lankan professionals.

The visiting delegation called on Speaker of Lok Sabha, Shri Om Birla. 

Under the orientation programme, the delegation had interactive sessions on legislative and budgetary processes, system of Parliamentary Committees and other related matters between the two democracies. Several senior MPs, Parliamentary officials, Media persons shared insights on Indian polity with the Sri Lankan delegation.

Lanka Leader

ශ්‍රී ලංකා සිවිල් ගුවන් සේවා අධිකාරියේ සභාපති ලෙස වර්තමාන රජය විසින් පත් කළ සුනිල් ජයරත්න මහතා සිවිල් ගුවන්සේවා අධිකාරිය සම්බන්ධයෙන් දැනුම්වත් භාවයකින් තොරව කටයුතු කිරීම හේතුවෙන් මේ වන විට අර්බුදයක් නිර්මාණය වී තිබේ.

පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී හර්ෂ ද සිල්වා මහතා ඉකුත් දා රජයේ මුදල් පිළිබඳ කාරක සභාවේ දී පැවසුවේ කාරක සභාවේ අනුමැතිය ලබා ගැනීමට ඉදිරිපත් කර තිබූ රෙගුලාසි කිහිපයක් සම්බන්ධයෙන් සභාපතිවරයා අවබෝධයකින් තොරව කරුණු දක්වා ඇති බවය.

මෙහිදී මත්තල, යාපනය සහ රත්මලාන ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපොළවල් සඳහා අපගමන බදු සහනයක් ලබාදීමට අදාලව රෙගුලාසි  රජයේ මුදල් පිළිබඳ කාරක සභාව හමුවට ඉදිරිපත් කර තිබිණි.

එහෙත් එම රෙගුලාසි සම්බන්ධයෙන් කරුණු දැක්වීමට  සිවිල් ගුවන් සේවා අධිකාරියේ සභාපති අපොහොසත් වීම හේතුවෙන් එහිදී දැඩි දෝෂ දර්ශනයට ලක්විය.

සිවිල් ගුවන් සේවා අධිකාරියේ සභාපතිවරයා  පැවසුවේ මෙහිදී සාකච්ඡා කෙරෙන කරුණු සම්බන්ධව තමන් මුදල් පිළිබඳ කාරක සභාව හමුවට පැමිණෙන තුරුම දැන නොසිටි බවයි.

මෙහිදී හර්ෂ ද සිල්වා මහතා පැවසුවේ මෙම ආයතනයේ සභාපතිවරයා ලෙස එම ආයතනය ගැන කරුණු නොදැන සිටීම පුදුමයට කරුණක් බවය.

සිවිල් ගුවන් සේවා අධිකාරියේ සභාපති ලෙස රජය විසින් පත් කළ සුනිල් ජයරත්න මහතා  රේගු දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවේ වසර 37ක් පමණ රාජකාරි සිදුකළ පුද්ගලයකි. 

ඔහු ශ්‍රී ජයවර්ධනපුර විශ්ව විද්‍යාලයෙන් සහ ඕස්ට්‍රේලියාවේ කැන්බරා විශ්ව විද්‍යාලයෙන් රේගු නීතිය සහ කළමනාකරණය පිළිබඳ පශ්චාත් උපාධිධාරියෙකු වේ.

කෙසේ වුවද මෙරට සිවිල් ගුවන් සේවාව සම්බන්ධයෙන් ඔහුගේ අවබෝධය සම්බන්ධයෙන් මේ වනවිට විවිධ පාර්ශ්ව ප්‍රශ්න කරමින් සිටිති.

මෙම තනතුරු වලට මෙවැනි පුද්ගලයන් තෝරා ගැනීම පිළිබඳව මේ වන විට සමාජයේ දැඩි කතාබහක් නිර්මාණය වී ඇති අතර, සිවිල් ගුවන්සේවා අධිකාරියේ සේවකයන් අනාවරණය කරන්නේ ජනාධිපති ලේකම් වරයාගේ හිතවතුන් මෙම තනතුරු වලට පත්කිරීම හරහා මෙවැනි තත්ත්වයක් නිර්මාණය වී ඇති බවය.

Lanka Leader

සිවිල් ගුවන්සේවා අධිකාරියේ සභාපතිවරයා එම තනතුරට සදුසුදැයි යළි සලකා බැලිය යුතුව ඇති බව රජයේ මුදල් පිළිබඳ තාරක සභාවේ සභාපති හර්ෂ ද සිල්වා මහතා පවසයි.

කාරක සභාවේ අනුමැතිය ලබා ගැනීමට ඉදිරිපත් කර තිබූ රෙගුලාසි කිහිපයක් සම්බන්ධයෙන් අවබෝධයකින් තොරව කරුණු දැක්වීම හේතුවෙන් ඒ මහතා ඒ බව පැවසීය.

කෙසේ වුවද, මෙම තනතුරු වලට මෙවැනි පුද්ගලයන් තෝරා ගැනීම පිළිබඳව මේ වන විට සමාජයේ දැඩි කතාබහක් නිර්මාණය වී ඇති අතර, සිවිල් ගුවන්සේවා අධිකාරියේ සේවකයන් අනාවරණය කරන්නේ ජනාධිපති ලේකම් වරයාගේ හිතවතුන් මෙම තනතුරු වලට පත්කිරීම හරහා මෙවැනි තත්ත්වයක් නිර්මාණය වී ඇති බවය.

මෙම කරුණු අනාවරණය වන වීඩියෝව පහළින්..

Courtesy Adaderana

May 31, 2025   09:53 pm

The 72nd edition of the Miss World pageant concluded with a glittering ceremony at the HITEX Exhibition Centre in Hyderabad on Saturday night. 

Miss Thailand, Opal Suchata Chuangsri, was crowned Miss World 2025, becoming the latest beauty queen to win the prestigious global title. 

The 22-year-old from Phuket stood out with her confidence, grace and commitment to women’s health awareness. 

She was honoured with the crown after an intense competition featuring over 100 contestants from across the world.

Hasset Dereje Admassu from Ethiopia emerged as the top contestant from the Africa region and secured the position of first runner-up. Representing Europe, Poland’s Maja Klajda claimed the second runner-up title.

Aurélie Joachim, who represented Martinique, was the leading finalist from her continent and concluded the winners’ list as the third runner-up.

Opal, a political science student at Thammasat University, is fluent in Thai, English and Chinese. She has been actively involved in public service, especially her campaign titled Opal For Her”, which focuses on spreading awareness about breast health and promoting routine check-ups among women.

The grand finale was co-hosted by former Miss World Stephanie Del Valle and Indian anchor Sachin Kumbhar. The event also featured high-energy performances by Bollywood stars jacqueline Fernandez and Ishaan Khatter.

With this victory, Thailand once again finds itself in the global spotlight, celebrating Opal’s remarkable achievement and the message of empowerment she carries forward.

Source: Udayavani
–Agencies 

Courtesy Adaderana

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasized his unwavering commitment to fulfilling his fundamental responsibility of elevating Sri Lanka’s international standing not as a criminal state protected by political patronage, but as a well-governed and law-abiding nation.

President Dissanayake pointed out that although Sri Lanka is a resource-rich and naturally blessed country, previous rulers failed to lead it toward prosperity due to a lack of coherent planning. The President stressed that the current government is steadily and systematically rebuilding the national economy with a strong focus on stability and long-term development, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake made these remarks this afternoon (30), while attending the religious ceremony to declare open the Relic Chamber (Dathu Mandiraya) and unveiling of the Meth Bodhisattva statue at the Siri Samadhi Maha Viharaya in Pahaminiyagama, Galkiriyagama.

The President participated in the event at the invitation of the Venerable Kagama Sirinanda Thero. Following the opening of the Relic Chamber, the President had the honour of offering the first floral tribute as part of the proceedings.

At the subsequent ceremony, addressing the gathering President Dissanayake stated that he has never acted out of personal ambition or for positional gain. Instead, as a leader who genuinely understands the hardships faced by the people, he remains fully committed to building a prosperous nation on behalf of all citizens, according to the PMD.

The President emphasized that the government is currently working to establish the rule of law and create a common country for everyone. He assured that the responsibility of protecting future generations from drug menace is being diligently fulfilled. Furthermore, steps are being taken to strengthen the institutional framework required to combat the trafficking of illegal drugs and related crimes effectively.

President Dissanayake highlighted that the Maha Sangha including the religious leaders in the country, holds a significant responsibility in nurturing a healthy and compassionate citizenry essential for building the prosperous nation everyone aspires to. He acknowledged and appreciated the valuable social and religious contributions of Ven. Kagama Sirinanda Thero in this regard, it added.

The event was graced by prominent religious leaders including the Anuradhapura Atamasthanadhipathi, Chief Sanghanayaka of Nuwara Kalaviya Ven. Pallégama Hemarathana Nayaka Thera, The Tri-Nikaya Maha Sangha, led by Venerable Mahalakotwe Wimaladhamma Thero, the Chief Sangha Nayaka for the Matale District of the Malwatta Chapter of the Siam Maha Nikaya. Also present were Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Wasantha Samarasinghe and Member of Parliament Thilina Samarakoon, among others.

–PMD

Udaya Gammanpila

HT Travel

Welcome to our travel diary as we uncover the secrets of Sri Lanka – the mesmerizing Teardrop Isle nestled in the Indian Ocean. From ancient temples hidden in the jungle to golden beaches kissed by turquoise waves, this travel diary captures the essence of a land rich in culture, history, and natural beauty. Follow our travel diary as we journey through misty mountains, bustling markets, and serene tea plantations. Each chapter of this travel diary brings you closer to the heart of Sri Lanka, revealing stories that go beyond the typical tourist trail. Don’t miss this unforgettable travel diary experience!

Shenali D Waduge

The date was July 10, 1991. The battlefield: Elephant Pass. The threat: a deadly armored bulldozer storming through the final defense line.  The fear: LTTE about to penetrate Elephant Pass camp. Behind the barricades stood hundreds of soldiers. In front stood just one man – a 24 year old Gamini Kularatna from Hasalaka with a grenade in hand knowing what he had to do & knowing he would not return. Knowing he had no time to say good byes & with one final act, he prevented a massacre with his life.

He didn’t shout slogans. He didn’t wait for orders.
He acted — selflessly & fearlessly.

Why did Gamini Kularatne join the army?

He could have taken up any job that paid a salary & was safer too. He could have hidden from war as many did. But he didn’t. He chose the hardest path. He chose duty over fear. He chose country over life.

It was at a decisive period of brutal bloodshed. He knew full well that death was a reality. But he stepped forward to serve & protect. This was no war video game or war movie.

How many of today’s youth would make such a choice today if they were in his circumstance?

Ask yourself:
Would You?

Let’s ask ourselves — and more importantly, let today’s youth ask themselves: Would I do what he did? Would I leave the comforts of my home, knowing I may never return, just so that others may live in peace?

Or have we become too soft, too disconnected from our own soil, our own heritage?

This question must be posed by all teachers & universities to the students to answer.

Today, too many of our youth are lost in their phones, their vanity, their parties, their instant pleasures. We chase likes and followers, but not values. We demand rights, but not responsibilities or duties. We indulge ourselves but fail our families and ignore our nation. How many live in selfishness & avarice?

Hasalaka Gamini didn’t have a smartphone. But he had something far greater — a spine.

But he had clarity, purpose, and a heart.

He didn’t need a viral video. His sacrifice made him immortal.

He didn’t tweet. He didn’t post selfies. He acted when it mattered.

He gave his life without asking for applause or for dollars & plaques.

The Buddhist Warrior Spirit: Strength without hate, courage without cruelty

The Buddha did not advocate violence — yet he did not call for cowardice.
He recognised that life involves struggle, and that sometimes, even the righteous must stand firm to protect the innocent.

But the Buddhist concept of strength is deeply rooted in self-restraint. The true warrior is not one who destroys others — it is one who conquers the self, who defeats anger, pride, hatred, and ego.

Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal law.”
(Dhammapada, v.5)

Unlike ideologies that glorify mass conversion, forced belief, or the cleansing” of others, Buddhism offers a path of compassion, even in resistance.

Hasalaka Gamini: The Buddhist Warrior in action

Hasalaka Gamini’s sacrifice was not an act of hatred.
He did not charge into battle to dominate. He acted to protect.
He acted so that others could live.

He did not yell religious slogans. He did not see the enemy as subhuman.
His was not a war of vengeance — it was a war of defence.

That is the Buddhist Warrior Spirit.
To stand between danger and the defenceless.
To act with clarity, not cruelty.
To give — even life — so that others may breathe in peace.

The Buddhist Warrior is not a Conqueror — He is a Guardian

In Buddhism:

• A warrior must fight only asa last resort.
• The motive must never be greed or revenge — only protection.
• The action must be accompanied bycompassion and moral discipline.

This is why the Buddha praised those who ruled justly, with Dhamma.

Compare this to faiths or regimes that claimed divine right to kill, enslave, or subjugate. In Buddhist ethics, power without compassion is evil.
Victory without virtue is meaningless.

Ancient Sri Lankan Kings as Buddhist Warriors

Kings like Dutugemunu, though remembered for war, are also revered because of humility after victory.
After defeating King Elara — a just South Indian ruler — King Dutugemunu built a monument over Elara’s tomb, ordering that all who passed bow in respect. That is Buddhist warrior culture — honour in victory, dignity for the fallen, and remembrance of humanity even in war.

Elara was no Prabakaran: History cannot confuse the two. Elara though foreign governed with justice. He is praised for fairness & dignity. A cow had come to King Elara mourning the loss of her calf which had been run over by Elara’s son in his chariot. Elara ordered his own son to be executed to uphold justice. This is not to be taken as a legal precedent but a moral parable about the ruler upholding justice even at the cost of personal grief. This act etched Elara’s name as a just ruler.

Thus, Elara’s leadership is in stark contrast to tyrant Prabakaran who killed his own people, ethnically cleansed Sinhalese & Muslims, he who used children as warriors. Prabakaran sacrificed others for his personal glory.

Hasalaka Gamini is not like any ordinary soldier.
He did not act in vengeance.
He gave his life not to destroy an enemy — but to protect his fellow men.

He didn’t hate — he sacrificed.

Why Today’s Youth Must Learn the Buddhist Warrior Path

The youth of today face battles of a different kind:

• A battle against nihilism.
• A battle against cultural amnesia.
• A battle against self-destruction, addiction, and indifference.

They may never hold a weapon — but they must learn to hold the shield of values, the sword of truth, and the armor of discipline.

Hasalaka Gamini fought not out of rage, but out of love — for his country, his brothers-in-arms, and the peace he never got to see.

That is the Buddhist warrior spirit:
Not to destroy the world — but to protect it, even at the cost of yourself

From the Dhammapada (Verse 103):

Though one may conquer a thousand men in battle a thousand times,

greater still is he who conquers himself.”

Hasalaka Gamini’s true victory was not over an enemy, but over fear, hesitation, and the instinct for self-preservation.

He conquered himself — his own life — for the sake of others. That is the ultimate act of courage taught in Buddhism.

The Dasa Raja Dharma — the ten duties of a righteous leader — include generosity (dāna), morality (sīla), and courage (vīriya). While these were meant for rulers, they are also a standard for every citizen who wants to live a life of meaning.

He did not live long. But he lived well. He lived bravely.

Are You Living Bravely?

To the youth of today — we ask you:

• What have you done for this nation?
• Have you ever placed the needs of your country before your own comfort?
• Do you even know the names of those who died for your right to scroll in peace?
• Have you contributed to your family, your community, your land — or are you simply existing, consuming, and complaining?

You don’t have to die for your country. But are you even willing to live for it?

A Final Word

Hasalaka Gamini never asked, What’s in it for me?”
He asked, What do I owe this nation that gave me life?”
And he gave everything.

What will you give?

Sri Lanka does not need more celebrities.

Sri Lanka needs heroes — of discipline, service, integrity, and truth.

Sri Lanka doesn’t need more showmen. It needs guardians — of values, of culture, of truth.

If Hasalaka Gamini’s name stirs something in your soul — let it.

Let it wake you from the fog of modern numbness.

There’s a Sri Lanka that still needs defending — not just with weapons, but with values, work, vision, innovation and pride.

Will you rise? Or will you scroll past this too?

This land — blessed by the Dhamma, soaked in sacrifice — still needs defending.

Not just from enemies with guns,
But from forgetfulness. From indifference.
From our own moral decay that plagues society at all levels.

Will you rise? Or will you scroll past this too?

Choose. Your choice will make a difference to yourself, your family, your community & most of all your Nation.

Shenali D Waduge

Dilrook Kannangara

Influenced by China, Sri Lanka joined China’s attempts to push the trilingual inscription to be recognized by UNESCO. This is part of China’s soft power projection and also part of a plan to link the modern One Belt One Road to a historic parallel. The inscription found in Galle, Sri Lanka, contains Chinese, Persian and Malayalee/Tamil writing. It praises gods venerated by the people in China, Persia and south India at that time. The purpose of the inscription was to inform outsiders to Sri Lanka, in a language they understood, the peaceful nature of Zheng He’s commercial exploits through free trade and the formality or requirement of honoring the Buddhist Shrine at Sripada (falsely known as Adam’s Peak”) by outsiders who come in to the island.  

The key here is that none of these languages were spoken in the island. Hence, the need for this inscription.

Zheng He omitted languages spoken in the island at that time as that would not have served any purpose. A visitor who spoke the language spoken in the island (Sinhala) at that time would have been able to easily talk their way around the island and get to know the respected customs through their own conversations. Hence there was no need to include the Sinhala language. Chinese, Persian and Malayalam/Tamil were not spoken in the island at that time and these travelers who visited the island needed guidance.  

Although present day China wants to project him as a peaceful diplomat, in reality most events surrounding him and his exploits were violent. Diplomacy was also a trick Zheng He used when other avenues failed and he didn’t hesitate to revert back to violence when it suited the mission.

Who Was Zheng He?

Zheng He was a Muslim born Ma (Mohammed) He in 1371 in China’s Yunnan Province. He grew up listening to fascinating stories narrated by his father and grandfather about their journey to Mecca for Muslim Hajj pilgrimage. In 1382 when Ma He was just 11 years old Chinese Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty attacked Muslims in China. Ma He’s entire family was killed and he along with other Muslim boys of the region were captured and castrated so that they would not father children. As a result, Ma He became a eunuch. He was assigned as a servant of Prince Zhu Di.

Ma He won the admiration of the prince and in 1404 was honored with the Chinese name Zheng. That’s how Ma (Mohammed) He became Zheng He. Soon thereafter Zheng He led China’s exploitative treasure voyages to Arabia exploiting treasure along the way. Zheng commanded world’s largest known commercial naval fleet of over 300 ships manned by 27,000 sailors at its peak. This created many vassal states in Asia and Africa paying tributes to the Chinese Ming dynasty. Zheng died in 1433 in Kozhikode in Kerala.

Zheng He didn’t entirely ditch his Muslim heritage and played a key role in spreading Islam in Malaysia and Indonesia. He militarily intervened in their internal wars to help Muslims win those wars and constructed a number of mosques. However, he had to venerate Buddhist beliefs first and foremost as he was under the direct command of the Chinese Emperor who was a Buddhist. He cultivated close ties with Kerala in his commercial pursuits and came to respect Hindu gods venerated in Kerala.

Historical Context, Middle Kingdom and Potential Challengers to Chinese Naval Power

By the early 14^th century Persia (Iran) was under the invasion of Turkman who ruled it from 1378 to 1501. Persians (Iranians) were persecuted and subjects of Turkman rulers. Zheng He cultivating strong ties with the Persians shows his political maneuvering of exploiting oppressed, subjugated and defeated peoples’ support to achieve his own goals and objectives.

Similarly, during this time, the Tamil country (Tamil Nadu) was under the Vijayanagar empire of Karnataka. Kerala was a rare nation that didn’t succumb to external empires and Zheng He maintained strong relations with Kerala. But he also developed strong ties with oppressed Tamils in Tamil Nadu who were ruled over by the Vijayanagar Empire (Kannada).

This is another reason to include these oppressed and subjugated people’s languages in the inscription along with Chinese. In doing so, Zheng He cleverly exploited these subjugated peoples’ support for the Middle Kingdom (China) and built a trading buffer against the powerful Turkman and Vijayanagar empires with which China had limited constructive relations at that time.

Jaffna peninsula was also under the Vijayanagar empire. Sinhala rulers relied on Nissanka Alakeshvara of Kerala Malayalam ethnicity (though born in Tamil Nadu) to keep the Vijayanagar empire at bay and to eliminate Tamils who made their way into the island (both Tamil Nadu and Jaffna peninsula were under the same Kannada king’s rule). For the record this was a mode of operating the world over at that time when the Geneva Conventions were not present. This was a clever ploy by Sinhala rulers to eliminate Tamils (who were subjects and slaves of the Vijayanagar Empire) from the rest of the island without confronting Kannadiga rulers. It worked. Following the success, Alakeshvara became a Sinhala Buddhist by the name Agalakkonara and his dynasty was an important element of the Sinhala military. It must be emphasized that Sinhala rulers only had a problem with Tamils and not with the Vijayanagar Empire. Kannada rule over the Jaffna peninsula was tolerated and allowed to continue despite the elimination of Tamils from the rest of the island.

Crafty Political Interactions with Sri Lanka

Zheng He had a complex relationship with Sri Lanka aimed at advancing Chinese imperial ambitions.

His fleet first arrived in Sri Lanka in 1405 to the Beruwala port which was a key transit port with a significant Muslim presence at that time before they were exterminated by the Portuguese in 1567 following the Goan Inquisition and except for 4,000 all remaining Muslims were expelled from the island in 1626. However, before those events, in 1405 the significant Muslim presence in Beruwala helped Zheng He’s peaceful expedition as he too was a Muslim. He worshipped at the Buddhist Shrine in Sri Pada and made valuable offerings.

However, following this initial voyage, his approach turned political. Zheng He exploited local political situation to his advantage. In 1410 Zheng He erected his trilingual inscription in Galle, Sri Lanka which was a key international commercial port. Other than Chinese, it contained languages of oppressed people – Persian and Tamil – who were used as a political tool by Zheng in his plan.

A year later in 1411 his troops confronted the Sinhala army. A description of the battle in a Chinese record in 1515 described how the Chinese troops decimated part of the Sinhala army in a battle like “killing worms” and how women and children were not spared in the villages where the battle took place. This clearly proves the Chinese expedition was bloody and not peaceful. Agalakkonara (a descendant of Nissanka Agalakkonara) who was a key military figure and a prince was captured along with other Sinhalas and taken prisoner to China. Although he was pardoned by the Chinese Emperor, the interruption led to the coronation of King Parakramabahu the Sixth in Sri Lanka. Zheng He put his weight behind the young king and proposed a plan to make him the king of the entire island. It involved teaming up with deposed Tamil royalty from Tamil Nadu to expel the Vijayanagar Empire from the island.

Meanwhile Agalakkonara was married to a Chinese woman with whom he lived until his demise. His grave was marked as a Sinhala prince courtesy the Ming dynasty. It was recently recovered and his 19^th descendant visited the island. (Refer to Xu Shi Yin’e).

King Parakramabahu the Sixth unified the island and maintained goods relations with both China and Tamil Nadu. However, these good relations quickly crumbled upon his death. Had Agalakkonara remained in Sri Lanka, even temporary good relations with Tamil Nadu would not have been possible. This was achieved through cunning and deceit.

Zheng He’s inscription also proves that the Shrine at the Sri Pada Mountain was a Buddhist only shrine. He also venerated at the Vibheeshana Shrine in Devinuwara (Matara). God Vibheeshana is often confused with the Hindu god Vishnu. The inscription also mentions visiting a mosque somewhere in the island.

The trilingual inscriptions proves that ancient Sri Lanka did not have Chinese, Persian or Malayam/Tamil speaking people. Hence the need to communicate with sailors who spoke these languages via the plaque so they will not offend the locals and safely continue their oceanic journey. Violence against Zheng He, his Muslim family, his community and the violence He used against the islanders don’t make the inscription anything diplomatic. Far from it; rather a remnant of exploitation and violence exported by a gluttonous treasure fleet that sailed its last voyage not very long after the death of Zheng He.

Dr. Chula Rajapakse MNZM, FRCP/FRACP Spokesperson, USLA

The United Sri Lanka Association (USLA)  Wellington NZ continued it’s unbroken record of commemorating and honoring the Ranaviru for their sacrifices of life,  limb, blood , sweat and toil to rescue Sri Lanka from terror that enabled all to enjoy the unrestricted freedoms all have enjoyed since 18^th of May 2009 .

President of USLA  Mr. Ranjaith Nanayakkaa commenced proceedings with a two minutes silence followed by lighting of lamps in memory of the Ranaviru  in which all attendees participated.

In his address  USLA President traced many of the factors that lead to the conflict & the many high points in the three decade long rescue . He also recalled the many efforts USLA made during the war to help their rescue efforts, especially with constant countering of misinformation. After the end of the war, USLA sent many donations of funds and equipment like computers and medical equipment for the well fare of the Ranaviru, now being housed in the many Seth Maduras” through out the country.

SL’s newly appointed High Commissioner  in Wellington,  HE Mr. Prasanna Gamage followed with a very erudite discourse , for the benefit  especially of the young audience present, and traced the many reasons for the SL economy lagging behind similar countries and economies despite Sri Lanka’s many resources and advantages .

USLA spokesperson. Dr. Chula Rajapakse  who followed congratulated the President and management committee of USLA  for their unwavering resolve to hold this commemoration , which was more than he could credit Colombo with. However, he observed , that when HE the President graced Colombo’s commemoration , lead in by the red motor cycle escort, it served as a much more respectful and appropriate tribute to the Ranaviru  than what a Deputy Minister could have done, as was the plan till the last minute.

The spokesperson also observed that living in NZ as he does, he is constantly reminded of the need to commemorate the ranaviru sacrifices, at the ANZAC commemorations annually on the 25^th of April , three weeks before Ranaviru day. Here the sacrifices of soldiers from over one hundred and fifteen years earlier,  at Gillapoli at start of first world war , are the main focus of commemoration . All the inspirational speeches at these commemorations reinforce  the importance of not forgetting these sacrifices , to which they owe their current freedoms  and the importance of passing on this awareness to the younger generation.

In recent years consequently   more and more young folk have been attending. Additionally the Governor General  and the Prime Minister are always present at these events., Another object lesson for Sri Lanka.

Reflecting further, Dr Rajapakse added , the Ranaviru sacrifices were made to ensure that the integrity of Sri Lanka was maintained. Whilst terrorism was the challenge then, Economy is the challenge now. A low hanging fruit that has come to the rescue of this is tourism. However, the potential contribution from NZ to this end , remains stifled due to the  difficulty of air access from NZ to SL.

In this regard the irony is that four Emirates  double decker A 380 planes carrying about 500 passengers each  leaves Auckland every night, on their way to Dubai, paying $2000 per plane for emergency landing rights at the Hambantota  Mattala Airport, as it is the only airport in it’s flight path with a runway long enough to land these big planes , once it leaves the shores of Australia.

Turning to the SL HC he urged Sri Lanka  to raise with Emirates Airline the possibility of one of these planes in turn, dropping off and picking up passengers from Down Under”  at  Mattala, with little additional expense  or disruption to the flights and passengers, but hugely impacting on connectivity.

This drop off has the potential to  bring in significant additional custom to Emirates and could eventually cater to the difficult to reach south Indian traffic too, if connections between Mattala and south indian destinations become a reality in the future. Mattala is very well situated , better than Colombo, to cater to the tourism destinations of the Yala national park, south western and eastern costal destinations and central hot spot of Ella,  all with good motor way connections with Mattala.

The meeting was followed by an Elle tournament in memory of the ranaviru , in which the young attendees participated enthusiastically. This too is expected to be an annual event.

Dr. Chula Rajapakse MNZM

FRCP/FRACP

Spokesperson, USLA

25.4.25

Kaarige Channel Eka | Dharmasri Kariyawasam

ආණ්ඩුව පසුගිය අප්‍රේල් 05 දා ඉන්දියාවත් සමඟ අත්සන් කරන ලද ආරක්ෂක සහයෝගිතා ගිවිසුම තව මත් රටට අනාවරණය කළේ නැත. මේ වීඩියෝව මඟින් ඒ ගිවිසුම හෙළිදරවු කරනු ලැබේ. එමෙන් ම ගිවිසුමේ ඇති වගන්ති මඟින් ලංකාවේ ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාව උල්ලංඝනය වන ආකාරයත් රටේ ජාතික ආරක්ෂාව, ස්වාධීනත්වය සහ ස්වෛරීභාවය අහිමි වන ආකාරයත් මේ වීඩියෝවෙන් විස්තර කෙරෙයි. ඔබට අවශ්‍ය නම් https://economynext.com වෙබ් අඩවියෙන් මේ ගිවිසුම බාගත (download) කර ගත හැකි ය.

Kanthar Balanathan, Australia

USA:

Humanity knows how the migrants into the USA carried out the genocide of the Red Indians and conquered the land. Since then they have been attentive to establishing the USA as the leader of the world. The USA destroyed the South America and the rest of the countries. If a leader does not agree with their philosophy, then he/she is eliminated. Right from inception, the USA and the UK do not want India to be abreast of technological advancement and become self-sufficient. What they do is indirectly hit India via crude methods.

The current war between countries portrays a similar third-world student’s jealousy politics. India has forgotten its stature in world politics and where it stands. Firstly, Narendra Modi is not suitable to be the Prime Minister of a technologically developing country. Modi cannot be equated to Vajbay, Indra Gandhi or Rajiv Gandhi. Where India is failing or sprouting to be failed is that India is interested in space exploration which does not provide any return on investment. Well, when there are people in the USA sleeping on the road, why cannot India advance in space exploration; one can say? However, the purpose of the exploration of India is nothing but a luxury with no return.

Indian students study in the USA, UK, Ukraine etc. Why cannot they study in India for the expenditure they expend and save on foreign exchange for development? FOOLS. If there are not sufficient Universities, India can build Universities for the foreign exchange they spend for the students studying overseas. Plan for further development on research and development.

Trump

It is told or written that Trump’s mother is a Scottish woman who emigrated to the USA in 1930. His father is a New Yorker who is the son of a German immigrant. Nazi Hitler’s bloodline, maybe??. No wonder he is anti-immigrant. The joke is that Trump owned a hotel and theoretically he was responsible for selling tea and coffee in a hotel. Whereas Modi was selling tea and coffee in a tea shop at the Delhi Railway station and became the CM of Gujarat. That’s democracy to elect people with a lack of intelligence.

The topic of moving and settling on Mars did affect the stock prices (maybe). That’s the intelligence of humanity.

Asia:

People can recollect that China murdered millions of Muslims in China and even now that is happening according to the news. Muslims are oppressed and their ideology is different. However, how is China interested and helping Pakistan? It is all because of the access to the Arabian Sea for their business and export via Pakistan. Pakistanis are idiots because they are focused on being hostile to Indians. Muslims are safer in India than in Pakistan. Who are the Pakistanis? Pakistanis are nothing but invaders who invaded the Indus Valley and conquered India. Muslims are generally honest with high integrity. The story of Kashmir is that before granting independence to India, the British shifted about 40,000 Muslims from Pakistan to Kashmir. This is what the British did before granting independence to most of their slave countries. Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, etc. Why is that? The British wanted those countries to depend on Britain in the future. Nigeria was ordering spare parts through a company called, Crown Agents” which was the Royal affiliation. This brought business to the Crown. Similarly, the British were controlling their slave countries. Today, the Mayor of several counties are Muslims. The Royals are in a mess.

Britain does not appreciate India being abreast of technological advancement. Germany did help India with various technical issues and development. Similarly, the USA does not want India to grow in technological advancement. Rajiv Gandhi introduced digital technology to India which USA and GB did not like.

USA and GB could not limit India’s progress. Playing politics LTTE was introduced and Rajiv Gandhi was eliminated. This is where my focus on LTTE, directed me to analyse and find out that the West was responsible for fostering and assembling up and the destruction of the LTTE. LTTE was used to limit the growth of India. Switzerland and Canada accepted most of the LTTE leftouts. Today Canada is supporting the Tamils because of the hatred of the USA on LTTE and Tamils. The inner constituents between the USA and Canada are boiling and the Canadians hate the USA. The USA wants Canada to be the 51^st state of the USA. There are inner secrets as to why the USA wants Canada and Greenland to be part of the USA. After all, people in the USA are invaders only. Trump is another maniac who should be running a Circus with Trump as the Joker. How did he earn so many millions? How did Ellon Musk earn millions? Today both of them are protecting the millioners and not the American citizens.

Stock markets are the theory behind Capitalism that makes people accrue wealth. I did a paper on The Random Character of Stock Market Prices”, investigating the Market Price Behaviour & Random Walk, supervised by Professor Dr Martin Young.

The USA does not like the Muslims. GB does not like the Muslims. However, unfortunately, or fortunately Muslims have become Mayors of several counties. The USA supports Pakistan. Why? China doesn’t like Muslims and they mass murdered several thousands of Muslims in China. Even with the severe hatred in mind, why is the USA supporting Pakistan? And why is China supporting Pakistan? The inner secretive mind of the UK, USA China and Pakistan is to destabilise India. When Sri Lanka became a republic against the wish of the UK in 1972, the UK intended to destroy SL. How did they do it? UK supported LTTE and made India support and help LTTE. Somehow the West organized the elimination of the late PM Rajiv Gandhi as RG was an asset for the growth of India. Finally, the West destroyed LTTE and blamed SL as genocide. The shortfall in the perception of some Tamils is prompting and activating them to campaign against Sri Lanka. However, they visit SL on holidays, build luxury houses for them to stay when they visit SL etc.

Middle East:

Israel is destroying Palestine, Lebonan and Gazza. In theory, the planned destruction of the area may be initiated and executed by the USA through Israel. Cannot the so-called UN offer an amicable solution for the existence of Palestine and Gazza? How many millions of Muslims and Christians are murdered and assets destroyed in Gazza and Lebonan? In practice, the USA is hiding behind as a good leader to the world, while practically eliminating people whom they do not like. Similar destruction was initiated and executed by the USA and UK in Iraq. They walked in with a flimsy cause, for the wealth in Iraq. The USA does not want Iran to prosper and grow with abreast of technological advancement, hence they initiate a flimsy reason to attack Iran.

The USA has bombs that could penetrate the ground to destroy bunkers. So much of ethnic hatred and what can we say about this act? Genocide and ethnic cleansing??

Africa:

Currently, a similar underground secretive assault has been initiated in Burkina Faso. It is all for the assets underground in Burkina Faso. France is another country with a Donkey/mule attitude. Most of the African countries have chased out the West and they are trying to recuperate independently with the help of China.

Russia:

Russia is a large continent with tremendous resources. Still, they are interested in commanding countries under their control for wealth. The Ukraine war, in the name of NATO fear, is nothing but for the wealth within Ukraine. Does Russia realise that a meteor on the Russian continent will destroy half of Russia? Russia also plays an indirect war pattern of creating enmity between nations for their advantage. Russia is a friendly country with China. Russia is also friendly with India. Why should China hate India? Is that because of the behaviour of Indians?

Conclusion:

Powerful countries are attempting to achieve their objectives by triggering war indirectly through their so-called (friendly enemies).

However, one thing is sure. Earth may end up similar to the surface of Mars if a war erupts. Already the earth is on the wobble path.

Proper intelligent leaders should rise in countries to understand the tricks and trades of the superpowers.

NDB Bank PLC

NDB Bank is proud to announce its partnership with the Coconut Cultivation Board (CCB) for the Kapruka Ayojana Credit Scheme, a transformative financial solution designed to boost coconut cultivation and integrated farming systems across Sri Lanka. This strategic initiative reinforces NDB’s unwavering commitment to supporting the nation’s agricultural sector and empowering local farmers to become key contributors to national economic growth.

Sri Lanka’s coconut industry plays a vital role in both domestic livelihood and export revenue generation. In response to the growing need for increased production and sustainable development in this sector, the Kapruka Ayojana Credit Scheme has been introduced to provide farmers with the financial resources necessary for cultivating new coconut plantations, rejuvenating existing lands, and adopting modern, productive agricultural practices.

Under this scheme, eligible farmers can access loan facilities of up to Rs. 7 million at a highly concessionary annual interest rate of just 8%, with a repayment period of up to 5 years, including a grace period of up to 12 months. This initiative is not merely a loan—it’s a long-term investment in the future of agriculture, rural development, and economic stability.

The Kapruka Ayojana Credit Scheme offers financing for a wide range of activities including:

– New coconut planting and replanting with intercropping

– Soil and moisture conservation

– Fertilizing, mulching, and crop protection

– Establishment of agro wells and irrigation systems

– Coconut-based integrated farming systems including livestock and equipment

– Nursery development and provision of farm machinery

– Viable large-scale coconut farming projects (subject to technical evaluation)

Speaking on the initiative, Indika Ranaweera, Vice President, SME, Middle Markets and Business Banking stated, At NDB, we understand that the strength of our nation lies in the prosperity of our farming communities. The Kapruka Ayojana Credit Scheme reflects our promise to enable sustainable agricultural development, drive productivity, and contribute meaningfully to Sri Lanka’s economy. Through accessible and affordable financing, we aim to unlock the true potential of our coconut growers.”

As a responsible financial partner to Sri Lankan farmers, NDB Bank ensures that every step of the process—from loan application to disbursement—is handled with transparency, professionalism, and care. With a widespread network of branches and a dedicated team of officers, the Bank stands ready to guide and support every aspiring coconut farmer towards success.

Farmers interested in applying for the Kapruka Ayojana Credit Scheme are encouraged to visit their nearest NDB Bank branch to learn more and begin their journey towards agricultural excellence.

Dr. Teale N. Phelps Bondaroff Director of Research OceansAsia

Close to five million smuggled seahorses worth an estimated CAD$29 million were seized by authorities over a 10-year span, according to a new study that warns the scale of the trade is far larger than current data suggest.

Published today in Conservation Biology, the study analyzed online seizure records from 2010 to 2021 and found smuggling incidents in 62 countries, with dried seahorses, widely used in traditional medicine, most commonly intercepted at airports in passenger baggage or shipped in sea cargo.

The nearly 300 seizures we analyzed were based only on online records and voluntary disclosures including government notices and news stories. This means that what we’re seeing is just the tip of the iceberg,” said first author Dr. Sarah Foster, research associate at UBC’s Project Seahorse and focal point for trade in the International Union for Conservation of Nature global expert group on seahorses and their relatives.

Seahorses were often seized alongside other illegally traded products such as elephant ivory and pangolin scales, showing marine life is smuggled just like terrestrial wildlife in global networks.

The team also found emerging trade routes for dried seahorses involving Europe and Latin America, in addition to major destinations like China and Hong Kong. Trade routes appear to be diversifying, and so must enforcement efforts,” said co-author Syd Ascione, a research biologist at Project Seahorse.

Legal trade of seahorses

International seahorse trade is allowed with permits certifying it does not harm wild populations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), an agreement among 184 countries, including Canada and the European Union. But barriers like proving the trade is sustainable make permits difficult to obtain, moving the trade underground.

The researchers also noted that data about seizures is scarce, particularly for marine life, and enforcement efforts often focus on larger, more charismatic animals like elephants or tigers.

All countries must step up with strong deterrents — good detective work, determined enforcement, and meaningful penalties — to shut down the illegal seahorse trade,” said senior author Dr. Teale Phelps Bondaroff, director of research at OceansAsia.At the same time, we must continue using innovative research and investigation methods to uncover hidden networks and outpace traffickers.”

Stepping up enforcement

The study found that most seizures of seahorses occurred in transit or destination countries, highlighting the potential efficacy of enforcement efforts at those points.

Airports were the most common places where seahorses were seized, with passenger baggage accounting for the highest number of cases. However, the largest seizures by volume were found in sea cargo, highlighting the need for countries to keep a close eye on illegal wildlife moving by sea.

Customs and other enforcement agencies made the vast majority of reported seizures, but only seven per cent of these had information on legal penalties, leaving it unclear as to how often seizures lead to punishment.

Values for seized seahorses were provided in 34 records. Using these, the researchers estimated the average value per seahorse was about CAD$7, for a total of CAD$29 million over 10 years.

Seahorses are used in traditional medicine and can be a valuable income source for fishers, so efforts to reduce illegal trade need both a carrot and a stick, said Dr. Foster. We need to make sustainable, legal trade viable enough that people obey the laws, and ensure that we also have sufficient deterrents to stop illegal activity.”

Seahorses are a symbol of ocean biodiversity and protecting them helps everyone involved, she added. We’ve done work with traditional medicine traders in Hong Kong, and when we ask them, ‘How long do you want seahorses around?’, they say ‘Forever, they’re really important!’ And we agree.”

Media Contact:

Alex Walls (she/her)Media Relations Specialist

University of British Columbia

alex.walls@ubc.ca

Dr. Teale N. Phelps Bondaroff (he/him)

Director of Research

OceansAsia

teale@oceansasia.org

+1-778-678-8325 (Vancouver, Canada Time Zone)

Interview language(s): English (Foster, Phelps Bondaroff)

Images and b-roll are available for media use here

Courtesy Daily mirror

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