Confronted with rising anger among workers, who forced the closure of an infected factory, Sri Lankan President Gotabhaya Rajapakse on Sunday announced an extension of a lockdown in selected areas and home quarantine” for suspected cases. At the same time, he tried to blame ordinary people for the resurging COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
Last week, the MAS Holdings-owned Bodyline garment factory, which employs about 6,000 workers, was compelled to close down. One member of a 200-strong team tested positive. When 145 team members were tested, another 34 were found to be infected. Workers’ opposition forced the factory to shut.
MAS is a giant company, with factories in 15 countries employing around 99,000 workers, producing apparel for international brands such as Victoria’s Secret, Marks & Spencer and Calvin Klein.
Nurses protesting in Kandy last July
Rajapakse made his announcement in a discussion with the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 at his office. The media ran reports painting those measures as the government intensifying the battle against rapid spread of COVID-19.” In reality, the decisions are aimed at continuing corporate operations, particularly factory production for exports, forcing workers to stay on the job.
Basil Rajapakse, the president’s younger brother, who heads the PTF, said on Monday: The majority opinion was to impose a nationwide curfew.” He added that health authorities wanted to stop everything at least for 10 days.” However, the lockdown was limited to the Western Province.”
Since one coronavirus infected worker was found accidentally on October 4 at a Brandix Fashion Wear factory at Minuwangoda, the number of cases nationally has rapidly increased, to over 12,000 with 24 deaths, as of Wednesday. These numbers understate the toll because the government is not conducting systematic testing.
The president extended a lockdown of the Western Province until November 9. Major commercial, industrial and administrative institutions are located in this province. In the North-Western Province some areas in the Kurunegala district have been isolated also.
However, these restrictions do not affect big business or state institutions. Last week, President Rajapakse told the cabinet that economic activities would continue without hindrance, despite the pandemic. The Colombo government and the ruling class are following similar, criminal pro-business policies as their counterparts in other countries.
After the country felt the impact of the global coronavirus earlier this year, Rajapakse declared that the government had uniquely handled the pandemic and was able to control it, unlike other countries. Over recent weeks this lie has been exposed as the pandemic began to spread.
During the last nine months the government has taken no measures to overhaul the health system, which has been increasingly run down during the past four decades under successive governments.
Last week, the head of the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak, Army Commander Shavendra Silva, said the first contacts of infected patients would undergo home quarantine but would not be sent to designated quarantine centres. That is because there is inadequate space and funds. Yesterday, it was reported that nearly 64,000 persons are already in home quarantine.”
The government is not recommending systematic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for people in home quarantine. Tests should only be conducted on the 10th day of quarantine, the president has ordered.
Rajapakse cynically emphasised the importance of conducting continuous and regular random tests.” Yet the government has just 25 PCR test machines, which can process about 8,000 samples daily, state health spokesman doctor Jayaruwan Bandara said. One machine was broken for days and only repaired this week.
An editorial in the pro-government Island newspaper indicated the run-down condition of the public health sector. It warned that limited intensive care units could be overwhelmed soon. The country has only 641 hospitals with 84,728 beds (3.9 beds per 1,000 persons),” it stated, and most of them were overflowing with patients even before the COVID-19 outbreak. They usually have patients lying under beds and in corridors.”
There are only 91 medical officers and 212 nurses per 100,000 persons. The editorial added: These numbers are not sufficient. Frontline health workers are burnt out, and some of them have even contracted COVID-19.”
Already, about 100 health workers, including doctors, nurses and other hospital employees, have been infected.
An incident recently reported in the Kaduwela area, near Colombo, demonstrated the impact of the government’s policies on the lives of the affected people. A man who tested positive for the virus had to stay at home for four days. When he called the relevant authorities, he was told there was no room in hospitals.” He spent all four days outside his house, fearing that his wife and children would become infected.
The government last week decided to use a low-cost Rapid Antibody Test (RAT), which is not widely endorsed by epidemiologists. Sri Lankan medical expert Ravi Rannan Eliya told the Daily Mirror: RAT tests are not as accurate as PCR, since a majority of those who tested positive are asymptomatic in Sri Lanka.”
Rajapakse is blaming ordinary people in order to cover up the responsibility of the government and the ruling class. At the meeting last Sunday he said: This is not a virus dropped by the government. It is a worldwide health issue. People have a great responsibility. Obviously this situation has arisen because the people have given up that responsibility.”
Rajapakse’s priority is propping up the corporate elite, not funding the health sector. The government has released to big business, via the Central Bank, funds totalling 178 billion rupees, but for 2021 the government has allocated only 159 billion rupees ($US873 million) for health expenditure.
At the same time, the government has set aside 500 billion rupees for the military and internal security agencies. The Rajapakse regime is preparing to suppress working class unrest.
The government is keeping the economy open for the benefit of the business elite, particularly for export production. Export Development Board chairman Prabhash Subasinghe last week said exporters should capitalise on the European Union’s recently extended Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP) tax concessions.
Sri Lankan exporters have a natural hedge because of the GSP,” while creating a cost advantage to the European importers,” Subasinghe said.
The EU is the biggest market for Sri Lankan exports, while the US is the largest importer of Sri Lankan textiles. Giant supply chains are reaping huge profits from apparel and other imports from sweatshops in Sri Lanka, as well as those in Bangladesh, Vietnam and other impoverished countries.
Foreign investors, some in partnership with local big business, are running factories in Board of Investment (BOI) approved operations, including in free trade zones (FTZ), amid the deadly pandemic, with the Rajapakse regime’s blessing.
Some 1,615 factories outside the FTZs employ 580,000 workers, while 133,000 workers are employed inside FTZs. According to the BOI figures, however, only 28,670 PCR tests have been conducted among these more than 700,000 workers. Even with such low numbers of tests, more than 1,500 workers have tested COVID-19 positive.
According to BOI director general Sanjaya Mohottala: All the factories in general are strictly adhering to health and safety guidelines. The BOI is strongly upholding the relevant regulations.”
The reality is the opposite. When the government announced the reopening of these factories at the end of April, the employers adopted minimum safety measures, only to abandon them within a few weeks.
It is on record that the Brandix Fashion Ware management did not allow workers at its Minuwangoda plant to seek medical treatment, even when hundreds of them showed symptoms of infection during September. When the company was compelled to carry out the testing of all workers in early October, more than 1,000 employees were found to be infected.
The only concern of the Rajapakse government and big business is the extraction of profit from workers’ labour power, not human lives.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is keen that a 10-day curfew now in force in Sri Lanka’s Western Province and some other areas be lifted Monday
Sri Lankan authorities will end a pandemic curfew imposed in parts of the country, saying people themselves should take the responsibility to avoid being infected the new coronavirus.
Army Commander Shavendra Silva heads a COVID-19 task force and he says President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is keen that a 10-day curfew now in force in Sri Lanka’s Western Province and some other areas be lifted Monday. Silva says the country’s economy can’t sustain continued closure, with daily wage earners and small businesses being particularly hit hard. He told Sri Lankans, The country must move forward and the responsibility is with you the public.” Sri Lanka is in the midst of a second wave of virus infections after the detection of large clusters centered on a garment factory and the country’s main wholesale fish market.
The Government Information Department has announced that there has been another 05 deaths due to Covid infection today (05).<
Accordingly the number of Covid infected deaths in the country has increased to 29.
The following deaths have been reported today.
46 year old male from Colombo -02, who died in hospital yesterday (04). He has been suffering from long term Kidney ailments.
68 year old female from Wellampitiya who died in hospital yesterday (04). She has been admitted to the Colombo National Hospital with chest pains.
58 year old female from Colombo -12 who has died at home and covid-19 infection confirmed after the post mortem. Cause of death reported as a heart attack caused by coronavirus.
73 year old female from Colombo -14 who has died at home and covid-19 infection confirmed after the post mortem. Cause of death reported as a lung infection caused by coronavirus.
74 year old male from Colombo -15 who has died at home and covid-19 infection confirmed after the post mortem. Cause of death reported as a heart attack caused by coronavirus.
Sri Lanka Association of Government Medical Laboratory Technologists stated that information regarding the stock of rapid antigen tests which is said to be brought down to Sri Lanka must be disclosed.
President of the Association Ravi Kumudesh stated the above while addressing the media today (05)
A new form of test that can diagnose Covid-19 in minutes is set to be rolled out across the globe, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced.
The test will provide results in 15-30 minutes, rather than hours or days, and dramatically expand the capacity to detect coronavirus cases in low- and middle-income countries, the global health body said on Monday.
It is hoped that will allow health care workers to get a better grip on where the virus is circulating in poorer countries and therefore assist containment efforts.
The development comes as the global death toll from Covid-19 continues to climb having now already surpassed the one million mark.
So, here’s what you need to know:
The antigen test will provide results in 15-30 minutes (AP)
How does the new test work?
The antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests are being produced by two drugs manufacturers – Abbott and SD Biosensor – and work by detecting proteins found on the surface of the virus.
The tests look similar to pregnancy tests and can yield results within 30 minutes, simply displaying two blue lines for a positive result.
How do they differ from other tests?
The main difference between rapid-antigen tests and nasal/throat swabs and finger-prick blood tests is the antigen tests do not require laboratory processing to produce results.
This means they are able to detect coronavirus infection within minutes, compared to the hours or days necessary for the genetic tests, known as PCR tests, to turnaround results.
They are also far cheaper, with each test costing just 5 US dollars (£3.90) each for low- and middle-income countries, however, they are generally considered less accurate than laboratory-based tests.
The companies which manufacture the tests claim they are about 97 per cent accurate, but that is in optimal conditions.
The non-profit Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (Find) puts their sensitivity between 80 per cent and 90 per cent in real-world conditions.
How important are these new tests in the fight against coronavirus?
The rapid antigen tests will be vital in improving the testing capacity of lower and middle-income countries who lack enough laboratory resources or trained health workers to properly carry out PCR tests.
They will also allow health care workers to get a better grip on where the virus is circulating in poorer countries, in hopes of following up with containment and other measures to stop it.
Peter Sands, executive director of the Global Fund, a partnership that works to end epidemics, said the tests represent a significant step” in the effort to combat and contain the virus on a global scale.
He said: They’re not a silver bullet, but hugely valuable as a complement to PCR tests.”
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus meanwhile hailed the antigen tests, described by the WHO as “highly portable, reliable, and easy to administer”, as good news” in the fight against Covid-19.
The WHO has agreed a deal with drugs manufacturers Abbott and SD Biosensor as well as the charitable Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, alongside other partners, to deploy 120 million rapid-diagnostic tests over six months.
The deal spans 133 countries, including several in Latin America, which is currently the hardest-hit region by the global pandemic in terms of fatality and infection rates.
Catharina Boehme, chief executive of Find, said the initial rollout would take place across 20 countries in Africa, starting in October this year.
What do the new tests mean for the UK?
While poorer countries will primarily benefit from the rapid-antigen tests, wealthier countries who have signed up to the Access to Covid tools initiative, which the UK has, will also be given access to them.
They represent a potential boon to the Government’s Operation Moonshot scheme for mass testing, though it is not clear if the UK intends to buy these tests.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock previously said mass testing was the nation’s best chance” of reducing social distancing measures without having a vaccine.
What have other people said about antigen tests?
Former prime minister Tony Blair has called on the Government to adopt the rapid antigen tests, saying they could enable an extra 300,000 coronavirus tests to be carried out every day within a few weeks.
However Baroness Dido Harding, the head of NHS Test and Trace, warned companies and individuals could be forced to foot the bill for the swift turnaround tests as they were too unreliable for use within the health service.
But she said those without symptoms might choose to pay for the tests to act as a kind of Covid-19 passport to allow them to take part in non-socially distanced activities.
A
simple solution to the tyranny of minoritarianism. This is just a personal
opinion for what it’s worth.
Post-independence
politics in Sri Lanka has been characterised by a continuous struggle between
exclusive minority communalism and inclusive majority nationalism, in the form
of roughly thirty years of cold war between the two and another thirty years of
open conflict, which ended with the defeat of armed separatism in 2009.
Minority communalism has gradually acquired a religious dimension with intensifying
fundamentalist Christian and Islamic subversive activities targeting Buddhists
and Hindus; Islamists have been active particularly since the early 1970s. On
top of this, Sri Lanka’s strategic geographic location has led global and
regional superpowers to be actively engaged in exploiting these anti-majority
movements to their advantage, thereby condemning Sri Lanka to constant
political destabilization, economic stagnation, threatened national security,
sovereignty and independence.
The
title is an English rendering of a line from a ‘freedom song’ written by
Tibetan Buddhist monk S. Mahinda Thera (1901-1951): ‘aesgedivalata hena
gahalada sihalunne?,’ lit., ‘Have the eyeballs of the Sinhalese been struck by
lightning?’. As an author and poet writing in Sinhala, he made a passionate
contribution to Ceylon’s independence movement in the 1930s and 40s decades by
inspiring nationalism among the Sinhalese, whom he criticized for what he
thought was their ignorant indifferent laid-back attitude towards the grave
injustices they, especially as Buddhists, were being subjected to under British
colonialism. Current happenings in the Sri Lankan political scene brought this
striking line of verse to my mind.
It
is a fact that in Sri Lanka there is a simmering problem of religious
fundamentalism, which is an incubus that takes away the peace of mind of the
majority population and disengages their attention from the more vitally
important problems that the country is facing as a nation. It is being used as
a weapon of destabilization by the powers that be that want to exploit Sri
Lanka’s strategic location in the Indian, lately Indo-Pacific, Ocean.
There are numerous fundamentalist Christian and Islamic sects that have been
active in the country for many decades. Fortunately, they are not of the type
that is likely to set the mainstream Christians and Muslims against Buddhist
Sinhalese and Hindu Tamils. Apparently, religious fundamentalists are a problem
to the respective mainstream Abrahamic religions as well, giving rise to
internecine doctrinal disputes.
Unlike
in the case of traditional Christians and Muslims, the fundamentalist attitude
to Buddhists and Hindus is not one of peaceful coexistence. They treat the
latter as spiritually misguided subjects ripe for conversion. The twofold
fundamentalist menace shows no sign of abating in the near future. The
most virulent form of religious fundamentalism that is posing a formidable
challenge to Sri Lanka’s intercommunal unity and peace right now is Islamist
extremism. Activist Buddhist monks and their lay followers claim, based on
evidence, that Jihadist agents have already infiltrated practically every
department of life in the Sri Lankan state. (It is upto the authorities
concerned to check this evidence.) The problem is worsening because politicians
of both the main parties seem to be following the Three Wise Monkeys’ example:
See no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil where evil is seen and heard, but
nothing is said against it.
An
online Sinhala news website, Lankacnews, reported October 24, 2020 that,
according to government sources, there was a possibility that state minister
portfolios will be given to two of the nine MPs of the Opposition who voted for
20A. I, for one, originally believed that this was not true; the website could
have been reporting an unfounded rumour or somebody’s fabrication. But, another
online publication, Colombo Telegraph, which is usually critical of the present
government, lamented in a headline: ‘20A Once Again Proved: Muslim Political
Opportunists Are Up for Sale’. Meanwhile, the more authoritative and reliable
website referred to at the beginning, Lankacnews, again reported (26) that
Diana Gamage, one of the nine SJB MPs who voted for 20A with the government, as
saying that she would like to accept, if offered, the post of minister for
child and women’s affairs though she did not support 20A in expectation of a
ministerial portfolio or any other reward. This faintly hints at such offers
having probably been made, after all. If that is true, isn’t it possible that
the Muslim MPs were enticed with even bigger quid pro quos? The marked
cordiality that minister Chamal and MP Rishad greeted each other with in that
picture that shocked us all would not help neutralize such speculation.
But
there was absolutely no need for horse trading with questionable characters in
the circumstances. What is the use of legislation passed with assistance from
wheeler-dealer politicians who the majority consider duplicitous? (In the case
of 20A, however, their help was not critical; their votes were actually
redundant.) Besides, these MPs were (and still are) in a politically vulnerable
situation of their own making in which they didn’t know (and still don’t know)
which way to look. The latest news I read about Hakeem was that he wanted to
launch an internal inquiry into why his four MPs violated his party’s policy of
opposing 20A! This is in spite of the fact that he had given his four MPs tacit
permission to vote for the amendment. National list MP Diana Gamage of the SJB
told a You Tube journalist that her leader Sajith Premadasa knew beforehand
that she was going to vote for the amendment, for her husband had phoned him
and told him the night before about her decision, though, later, like Hakeem in
the case of his MPs, Premadasa threatened to take disciplinary action against
her. There is no doubt that both Premadasa and Hakeem are partly trying to
salvage the little prestige that they ever had and that they have now
irretrievably lost. Be that as it may, until the government establishes clarity
in this respect, negative reflections will not stop. More important, what about
the just anger and frustration that the ambitious MPs of the SLPP and allied
parties must feel at the danger of some crooks of the Opposition who worked for
the downfall of Gotabaya and Mahinda getting ministerial positions that even
they were denied?
Doesn’t
this mean that a government which has got an overwhelming popular mandate to
rule by restoring law and order, national security, and political and economic
stability (all of which had appallingly deteriorated under the previous
administration) could not even take the first step towards that goal by
abolishing the controversial 19A and bringing in the stopgap 20A, without having
to buy over MPs or to engineer desertions from the Opposition benches? It is no
ordinary mandate: it is a doubly confirmed mandate in the form of a president
elected by 69.9 million voters and a prime minister leading an alliance
that won 144 seats in parliament, the kind of huge mandate that is not likely
to be repeated unless those who have been given that mandate act
sensibly. Whenever is Sri Lanka going to make headway as an independent
sovereign nation? Seventy-five percent of the voters are Sinhalese, who
don’t cast their vote on a communal basis. They overwhelmingly account for the
above people’s mandate. The passage of 20A with due amendments was what they
wanted. If a few anti-majority extremists were allowed to be in a position to
decide on its fate, who was to blame for that grievous anomaly? Wasn’t it the
fault of the Sinhalese MPs elected by their own people to serve the nation
whether they happen to sit in the Government or in the
Opposition?
The
appointment of two more ministers is constitutionally defensible thanks to a
clause that is being retained in 20A as a salutary feature from the now
abolished 19A, which set limits on the numbers of cabinet and state minister
portfolios respectively at 30 and 40. Currently, there are only 38 state
ministers; so, there are two vacancies. The Yahapalana coalition rechristened
itself as a national government in order to increase the number of ministers
beyond these limits until practically every government MP was some sort of
minister. Awarding ministerial positions to corruptible MPs as mere
political sinecures just to ensure their mechanical Ayes and Noes on
appropriate occasions in the legislature is a despicable ruse that must be put
an immediate end to. If it had to be resorted to particularly at this juncture
(when the undeniable fact of the majority community being victimized by a few
communalist opportunists is so evident), it was all due to there being not
enough patriotic Sinhala MPs in the Opposition (Not that all Sinhala MPs in the
Government are patriotic either. What I found as an independent observer living
abroad trying to penetrate the real motives and concerns that drove them as
revealed in their speeches and occasional acts during electioneering prior to
the August 5 general election was that nearly all of them, with a very few
exceptions, were unashamedly narrowly focused self-seekers worried only about
their personal ‘political careers’, not about their mandatory obligations to
the country/nation.
But
still there is time for them to think, and support, from wherever they are, the
only ‘philosopher ruler’ that we have got since independence in the
non-partisan GR (I believe GR is free from political ambitions that distort his
vision and that cause him to baulk at taking action when it is necessary but
difficult to do so).
Communalistic
behaviour is out of character for Sinhalese MPs. However, for the time being,
there is no alternative for them but to act as if they were communalists
themselves. On the contrary, right now, it looks as though most Sinhalese MPs
in parliament are behaving like willing dupes of some Islamist extremists or
their sympathisers; they seem to voluntarily assist the miscreants in their
stratagems. Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kirielle has asked the Speaker in
writing (as reported in the media October 31) that a special seating plan on
the government side be made for the nine SJB members that he claims have been
expelled from the party. Seven of these are Muslims, one Tamil, and one
Sinhalese. In effect, the SJB is palming off the extremists that it fostered
and used to prolong the Yahapalana misgovernance onto the government, in the
apparent vicious hope that they initiate a cankerous relationship with it.
Kirielle and the rest of the SJB hierarchy cannot be expected to take kindly to
this criticism, but this is my gut feeling.
State
minister Dayasiri Jayasekera has long been complaining that the SLFP MPs are
not receiving the recognition they deserve within the government. Its leader,
former president Sirisena, who was expecting an agrapalaya or an ultimate
reward got nothing, but the PM was reported to be ‘creating’ a suitable post
for him. Anyway, do these people worry as much about vital national issues
including the Grim Reaper abroad in the form of the Covid-19 pandemic? Are the
disgruntled SLFP’ers within government ranks trying to rock the boat? The
President twittered November 1st that he was presented with a locally produced
Lion Flag by state minister Dayasiri Jayasekera. A former provincial Governor
Rajith Tennekoon has complained that the Lion in this flag is holding the sword
by its blade, not by its hilt! and that this is a grave violation of the
Constitution, because disfigurement/distortion of the Flag is a criminal
offence. Probably, Tennekoon, who is another political activist, is exaggerating
an apparent shortcoming in the drawing of the flag. A careful look at the image
of the locally produced flag will reveal what I mean: the cross guard that
separates the blade from the grip part of the handle of the sword is not
properly drawn; it is as if it is not there. Having said this, it is a big
defect that must be corrected. Is it a result of a genuine oversight or of an
act of deliberate sabotage? Tennekoon’s demand that the circulation of this new
local flag be immediately halted must receive the attention of the
authorities.
The
few communalists and religious extremists that there are will try to cripple
the government whether they are in it or in the opposition. However, it is
clear that they get little support from the general public. Foreign
interventionist powers are laying siege to the country, but they can’t do much
damage if Sri Lankans manage to put their own house in order. In this all Sri
Lankans have a collective responsibility. Each community must be united within
it and act in solidarity with other communities as equal Sri Lankan citizens,
and this must be reflected among the MPs in parliament. Partisan politics must
be shelved for the time being. People of each faith must take responsibility
for and deal with the extremists among them, without giving in to their
extremist ideologies. If there is any terrorism, let the government security
apparatus deal with that. People of all faiths must be united as a single
nation. It will be of the strongest support for overcoming religious
fundamentalism in general and the Islamist terrorism in particular if Sinhalese
Buddhists and Tamil Hindus, who share similar peaceful nonviolent religious and
cultural values, overcome artificial divisions and enmities of the past and
decide to find refuge in each other as children of Mother Lanka against both
overt and covert aggression and oppression. That will be the end of meaningless
separatism as well.
President Trump is reported to be trying all sorts of methods not
to concede defeat. The more he tries his
pranks, the more does our Prime Minister’s image gets boosted.
Let us see what Prime Minister Mahinda did:
Sri Lanka: President Mahinda Rajapakse concedes defeat in election
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse this morning
conceded defeat to the pro-US opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena in
yesterday’s presidential election. Rajapakse reportedly left his official
residence, Temple Trees, and stated through a spokesman that he will
facilitate a smooth transfer of power.
Overall
results are to be announced this afternoon, but initial figures indicate
Sirisena received around 51.25 percent of the votes counted. Some 75 percent of
the 15 million eligible voters cast ballots.” (From WSWS.org)
With
the first indication of defeat Prime Minister Mahinda, packed his bags and ran to his home at
Medamulana.
The more President Trump
tries his tricks to linger longer. the more does he boost the image of
our Prime Minister as a true democrat.
France is keen on establishing more
people-to-people contact with Sri Lanka, through initiatives such as
scholarship and exchange programs. This was expressed by the Ambassador of
France in Sri Lanka Eric Lavertu when he met Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa
yesterday (Nov. 3) evening at Temple Trees.
The Ambassador mentioned that a number of
government sector employees are already pursuing advance studies at French
higher educational institutions and that the two countries could collaborate on
more student exchange programs.
During the courtesy call, the French
Ambassador also congratulated the Prime Minister on the election victory and
spoke highly about the Government’s handling of the pandemic.
We’re all in the same boat,” Ambassador
Lavertu said while opining that the low COVID-19 related death rate in Sri
Lanka is indicative of the good healthcare infrastructure that Sri Lanka has
invested in throughout the years.
Prime Minister Rajapaksa said that the
Government’s first priority is to deal with bringing the pandemic situation
under control. Thereafter, the focus will be on economic development, the Prime
Minister added.
In addition to France being keen to be a
part of the development of the Hambantota Port,” Ambassador Lavertu said that
France is also in the market for more Sri Lankan products, indicating a
potential to increase trade relations between the two countries. Both countries
are keen to further bilateral trade and investment. Currently, Sri Lanka’s
major exports to France include apparel, precious stones and pneumatic rubber
tires.
Some are aghast at the news trickling in that Basil Rajapaksa is
to be anointed with a Ministerial position.
But when one thinks of things actually done, Basil Rajapaksa
stands out.
It was no other than Basil that created a political party from
scratch when both Chandrika and Maithripala were holding on to the SLFP.
Again earlier when his brothers Gotabhaya and Mahinda had
won the war, there was a mass of some three hundred thousand refugees- Tamil
people moved from their hearth and homes, dragged at gun point as a human
shield by the LTTE when their forces were defeated and pushed from Batticaloa
in the South and Mannar and Vavuniya to the shores of Mullativu. It was
then Basil that took charge of finding temporary accomodation for them, finding
their homes and putting them back. Go to other parts of the world and one
can find refugees in tents without finding their roots for decades despite
attempts by the prestigious United Nation attempts.
Take what is happening right now- who directs the major operation
to provide food etc to people in their thousands, confined to the curfew areas.
I am certain that all these were difficult tasks. These
words come from a son of Mother Lanka who has experience in attending to
difficult tasks. I know what it takes to do something worthwhile. It was
I that designed and established the Youth Self Employment Programme in
Bangladesh, starting from scratch, without any funds, scraping the barrel for
savings in budgets to implement a new programme that has today stood the test
of time- three million youths guided to be self employed.
The achievements of Basil Rajapaksa detailed above, to me, show
him as a person of steel that can tackle our problems, a person who cannot be
derailed. Our Motherland needs him. I am fairly certain that our Motherland
will eventually grab him back.
Good Luck dear sir,
May I wish him luck and I am certain that Sri Lanka’s economy will
find a major contribution from him.
Biden moves closer to the presidency as Trump launches legal challenges
Former Vice President Joe Biden has moved to within 17 electoral votes of claiming the presidency by winning the state of Michigan, CNN projects, in the latest twist of a dramatic election clash with President Donald Trump that has left America’s political fate uncertain hours after polls closed.His breakthrough came as Trump’s campaign launched a flurry of lawsuits in several states designed to stop the former vice president from getting over the line, including challenging Pennsylvania’s vote count at the Supreme Court.
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ), the flagship of India-based Adani Group, is in the lead to develop the stalled East Container Terminal at Colombo port in Sri Lanka.
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ), the flagship of India-based Adani Group, is in the lead to develop the stalled East Container Terminal at Colombo port in Sri Lanka.
APSEZ and a local partner have secured in-principle approval to sign a deal with the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.
In the currently stalled project, the Sri Lanka Ports Authority will hold a majority stake.
Details regarding holding of the stakes are being established, following a review of the project.
A preliminary agreement for the project was signed by Adani in 2019. However, labour union protests due to concerns over foreign control had stopped the deal before parliamentary elections in August.
Following protests, the Sri Lankan Government had announced a review.
The project is being jointly developed by Sri Lanka, India, and Japan.
Last week, Sri Lanka Port Authority commenced operations at parts of the East Container Terminal that were constructed.
The government has provided more than Rs. 7.3 billion (Rs 7355.53 million) to provide relief to the people in the quarantine process to control the Covid-19 virus outbreak, the Government Information Department said today.
These funds have been allocated for the above activities up to now after the Covid-19 virus was reported in the Divulapitiya area again,” it said.
In addition, the Treasury also hopes to allocate further funds as necessary at the request of relevant parties, including Government Agents.
These funds have been allocated to provide relief packs to families quarantined in their own homes and to provide a relief allowance of Rs. 5,000 to low income families in areas where quarantine curfew has been enforced.
An amount of Rs.2721.27 million has been allocated for the Rs.5000/- relief allowance in the Gampaha District. Rs. 2333.60 million has been allocated for the Colombo District and Rs. 1310 million has been allocated for the Kalutara District for this purpose. An amount of Rs.469.57 million has been allocated for the families in need of relief in Kurunegala District and an amount of Rs. 128.39 million has been allocated for the Batticaloa District.
Accordingly, the government has allocated Rs. 6.9 billion (6962.83 million) during this period to provide an allowance of Rs. 5,000 to families who have lost their livelihoods due to the quarantine curfew.
In the process of providing dry ration packs to the families under home quarantine, a sum of Rs. 75 million has been allocated for the Colombo District. Gampaha and Kalutara districts are provided with Rs. 40 million each. A sum of Rs. 24.61 million has been provided for Kurunegala District and Rs .17.86 million was provided for Galle District. The amount allocated for the Batticaloa District with this purpose is Rs.15.92 million and the amount provided for the Nuwara Eliya District is Rs. 15.60 million. The government has spent a total of Rs. 336.54 million to provide dry ration packs to families under home quarantine in 20 districts.
In addition the government has provided Rs. 56.16 million to implement quarantine related activities in 11 districts.
A 79-year-old woman from Colombo 13 has been found to be infected with the COVID-19 virus posthumously, the Department of Government Information stated.
It is reported that she had been sick at her home for some time and had been suffering from chronic illnesses prior to her death.
The cause of death has been determined as a cardiac arrest caused by the COVID-19 virus infection.
Accordingly, she is counted as the 24th coronavirus-related death reported in Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, a 78-year-old male, also a resident of the Colombo 13 area, had succumbed to a head injury due to a fall at home.
He had been admitted to the Colombo National Hospital on November 02 and passed away yesterday (02).
A postmortem PCR examination had diagnosed the deceased with COVID-19.
However, as the cause of death is not related to COVID-19 infection, the death is not counted as a COVID-19 death, the Director-General of Health Services announced.
Total Covid-19 cases confirmed in Sri Lanka went past the grim milestone of 12,000 today (04) the Ministry of Health announced.
The latest spike in figures came after 274 more persons were tested positive for the virus.
Health Ministry’s data revealed that Sri Lanka has confirmed 12,018 novel coronavirus infections to date.
All the fresh positive cases have been linked to the Minuwangoda-Peliyagoda cluster, which registered a record total of 8,540 cases since the beginning of October.
The Government Information Department said 07 of the new patients were found from quarantine centres. The remaining 267 are contacts of earlier infections connected to the cluster.
Epidemiology Unit says 6,097 active cases continue to receive treatment at selected hospitals across the country.
Sri Lanka’s Covid-19 recoveries total meanwhile reached 5,858 earlier today, after 277 patients were discharged from hospitals as they have returned to health.
The country has also witnessed 23 deaths from the virus.
Sri Lanka witnessed the highest daily count of Covid-19 cases on the 23rd of October with a record total of 866 fresh positive cases. The second-highest was recorded on the 6th of October with 739 infections.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa stresses that the country cannot be kept under a lockdown until a cure is discovered for Covid-19.
During a meeting held today (04), the President noted that people should adhere to health guidelines and prepare to continue normal day-to-day life.
The President pointed out that medical health officers who interact closely with Covid-19 infected individuals are less likely to contract the virus because they follow proper hygiene practices.
The country can function as per usual if the public strictly follow the health guidelines, he stressed.
Speaking on the appeals for a countrywide lockdown, the President explained that people who get by with daily earnings will be affected the most by the move, not those who earn a monthly wage.
He also pointed out the importance of making correct decisions taking into account every aspect.
At a meeting with Prime Minister Mahinda
Rajapaksa this evening, World Bank Country Director for Maldives, Nepal and Sri
Lanka, Faris Hadad-Zervos, commended the Sri Lankan Government for how it has
dealt with the Coronavirus outbreak.
Expressing deep gratitude for the
relationship” that Sri Lanka and the World Bank share, Hadad-Zervos
congratulated the Prime Minister not only on the election (victory) but how
Sri Lanka has managed the pandemic.”
We wish you a speedy exit from this
situation,” he said. He was accompanied by the World Bank Country Manager for
Maldives and Sri Lanka, Chiyo Kanda.
The Sri Lankan delegation thanked the
World Bank for the many years of close cooperation and assured that the new
government will continue that relationship. It also appreciated the Bank for
the various assistance programs during the pandemic. The World Bank was the
first donor agency to come forward with assistance when the pandemic first
broke out early this year.
The Country Director said the World Bank
will assess how best to support Sri Lanka and to see how we can turn this
crisis into an opportunity.”
Asked about Sri Lanka’s priorities, Prime
Minister Rajapaksa responded by pointing to several key sectors the Government
would like to priorities after the current outbreak situation is under control:
Economic development, roads, drinking water, sanitation and agriculture.
In the area of agriculture, the two
delegations explored how farmers could be more empowered to produce value-added
products that could be marketed internationally as uniquely Sri Lankan brands.
The World Bank Country Director highlight Sri Lanka’s Ayurveda sector, noting
that there is a great international demand for Ayurvedic products.
Another area that was discussed was film
tourism. With a very well-developed tourism sector, Hadad-Zervos said a
possible next step for countries like Sri Lanka to increase tourism even
further is to attract the entertainment industry from around the world to use
Sri Lanka as the location for productions. Studies have shown that seeing a
location in a movie or television can have a significant impact on the number
of tourists visiting that location. One of the most successful examples of
film-induced tourism is New Zealand after being featured in the The Lord of the
Rings trilogy.
Prime Minister Rajapaksa said the
Ranminithenna Tele Cinema Village was establish — during his presidency — with
film tourism in mind. However, it was not put to good use during the past few
years. While there are examples of some popular films shot in Sri Lanka — such
as The Bridge on the River Kwai, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Water
— there is a lot of potential for growth, the two delegations agreed. The Prime
Minister expressed a keen interest on further collaborating with the World Bank
in this area.
Dr.S.M.S. Samarakoon, Head of Colombo University’s Deshiya Chikitsa Unit, says Ayurveda gives top priority to the prevention of disease.
Colombo, November 1: Here is an interview with Ayurvedic doctor, S.M.S. Samarakoon, senior lecturer and Head of the Deshiya Chikitsa Unit (Indigenous Medicine) at the Institute of Indigenous Medicine (IIM) of the University of Colombo, the affiliate academic body for Ayurveda and Indigenous Medicine in Sri Lanka. Dr. Samarakoon holds over 25 years of experience as a medical officer, lecturer and researcher in the field of Ayurveda and Deshiya Chikitsa of Sri Lanka, and is qualified from Sri Lankan and Indian universities. The detailed interview with Dr. Samarakoon is in the backdrop of Sri Lanka battling the second phase of the Covid-19 pandemic.
How do you observe the practical differences between Ayurveda and (Deshiya Chikitsa) Sinhala Wedakama that pre-dates Ayurveda?
Ayurveda is a complete medical system rooted in India and is a medical science as well as a way of life. Ayurveda gives top priority to the prevention of disease. In its preventive perspective, Ayurveda advices Satvavritta (How best to go about daily routines) for maintaining health, Sadvritta (moral conduct for maintaining mental and spiritual health), Dina charya (daily routines to maintain health) etc., In addition, Ayurveda advices what should be eaten and how, in order to be healthy.
In the curative aspect, Ayurveda has taught perfect treatment protocols (Chikitsa Sutra) along with proper dietary management (Pathya-Apathya) for every disease, with similar emphasis on health promotion. Positive health can be achieved through Rasayana (rejuvenation) and Vajikarana (aphrodisiacs) drugs and procedures. Rasayana is the process by which optimal nutrition of the essential body tissues (Saptadhatu) can be achieved.
Rasayana drugs promote good health, long life, memory, intellectual capacity, disease free life, youthfulness, good complexion, voice and optimal functioning of the sense organs. Some Rasayana drugs improve longevity termed, Prana-kamyarasayana, intellectual capacity termed Medha-kamyarasayana” and beauty and youthfulness termed, Sree-Kamyarasayana.
Vajikarana drugs enhance sexual potency of men. Infertility of men and women, subfertility of women, and sexual impotency can be cured by using Vajikarana drugs.
Deshiya Chikitsa or Indigenous medicine is the system of medicine inherent to the Sri Lankan community. The majority of physicians are Sinhalese, therefore it is named Sinhala wedakama”.
It is also called ‘Helawedakama.” Sinhala Wedakama is a cultural heritage of Sri Lanka, and King Ravana was a renowned physician. This medical system is well mixed with the Sinhala culture, Sinhala language and Buddhism.
During the pre-historic period indigenous medicine was in a hegemonic position in the country. The first full-fledged hospital of the world was built during King Pandukabhaya’s period in the pre-historic era. It is said to be the world’s first systematic hospital, the ruins of which are still found in Mihintale.
By the time of the Kingdom of Kotte, the influence of indigenous medicine gradually declined and was divided into narrow branches such as, Kadumbindumwedakama, Sarpavishawedakama, Unmadawedakama, Gedi-Wana-Pilikawedakama, Sarvangawedakama and more.
As we are close to India, the indigenous medicine of Sri Lanka may have been mixed with Ayurveda medicine.
But, Sri Lankan indigenous medicine is not part of Indian Ayurveda. It has its own identity. Indian Ayurveda is inspired by Hinduism, while Sri Lankan indigenous medicine flourished with Buddhism.
Where similarities are concerned, like Ayurveda, indigenous physicians of Sri Lanka treat patients based on the Tridosha Theory” considering the patient as a whole.
The unique feature of indigenous medicine of Lanka is that it’s not available in any Ayurveda textbook or Ayurveda pharmacopeia. Rathakalka (paste), Buddharajakalka (paste), Yasodharakalka (paste), Navarathnakalka (paste), Seetharamavati (pills), Mattuphaguliya (pills), Chandra kalka (paste), Yashtikalka (paste), Suranviduraguliya (pills), Jeevanadaguliya (pills), Siddhartha oil and Neelyadi oil are a few.
In these medicines, a single drug with different anupana” (vehicles) is used for different diseases. For example, the Navarathnakalka, a medicated paste can be prescribed for vomiting with lime juice, for loss of appetite with fresh ginger juice, for fever with dried ginger and coriander boiled water, etc. All these medicines are prescribed with different Anupana for different illnesses. Ayurveda and Deshiya Chikitsa are complimentary and supplementary to each other forming the Sri Lankan Ayurveda”.
Could you comment on the different reactions on the body through Sri Lankan/Ayurvedic methods, parallel to Allopathic drugs?
The majority of medicines used in Ayurvedic and indigenous medicine are natural and mainly plant-based. They are free from side effects and adverse effects. Their safety and efficacy are time-tested.
In Deshiya Chikitsa, the raw materials are collected by the physician himself, the drugs prepared by him or under his strict guidance, and are recommended by him, including the follow up.
Therefore, safety and efficacy are ensured. In Ayurveda too, except for a few herbo-mineral drugs all other drugs are herbal based.
Drugs act on the body through pharmacodynamic properties, such as Rasa (taste), Guna (properties), Vipaka (potency), Veerya (Specific potency) and Prabhava (un-explainable drug action). Modern allopathic drugs are chemicals. Therefore, when we use herbal drugs and Allopathic drugs simultaneously, the interactions reported are almost zero.
For example, when a patient suffering from several diseases such as, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, high cholesterol levels, etc. gets paralyzed due to a stroke, he is treated at an Ayurveda hospital and administered with Ayurvedic/indigenous medicine drugs, while initially continuing the Allopathic drugs. However, as the patient acquires relief, the Allopathic drugs can be gradually withdrawn.
Many Ayurveda drugs used for communicable diseases have anti-microbial and immune-modulatory effects. Such medicines have been used from early times when epidemics broke out.
These drugs can be used even for rapidly spreading epidemics. Coriander (Coriandrumsativum), Venivelgeta (Cosciniumfenestratum), Pathpadagam (Hedyotis corymbosa), Ginger (Zingiberofficinale), Turmeric (Curcuma longa), Tippili (Piper longum ), Neem (Azadirachtaindica), galangal (Alpiniagalanga) etc are some medicinal plants that have immune potentiating effects.
Could you speak of our Indigenous medicine (Wedakam) practitioners who were and are known to be carrying a medical heritage that is one of the oldest in the world?
I believe the true indigenous physician is a reservoir of traditional medical knowledge. Traditional knowledge is derived from generation to generation that forms part of the heritage of Indigenous people who are the guardians of indigenous knowledge. I have worked with our traditional doctors for long years.
They have well organised and evidence-based knowledge on medicinal plants, make their own medicines and are skillful in clinical practice. But, according to my experience, indigenous medical genealogies (Wedaparampara) have gradually declined subsequent to the Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte period.
I have identified a large number of genuine indigenous medical genealogies throughout the country, but today, only a few have survived. At the same time, the few existing Wedaparamparas are not training any new physicians.
Could you comment on the value of indigenous medicine and its specialists for the country?
Indigenous physicians have traditional knowledge which is time tested and scientific. That is why these knowledge systems are valued by global organisations such as the World Health Organization (WHO). These physicians have gained indigenous medical knowledge through a series of observations and by ‘trial and error’ over many centuries.
In any occupation, quacks may be seen and they use allopathic drugs. Similarly, in the Ayurveda and indigenous medical field too some fake doctors may be found.
But, well trained and registered indigenous physicians treat their patients silently. They have earned the recognition of the community because their treatments are socially accepted, safe and efficacious. We should encourage indigenous physicians to practice sustainably to preserve their inherent medical knowledge.
At present how many indigenous medical practitioners are there in Sri Lanka?
By 2018, there were 14,700 traditionally trained medical practitioners in Sri Lanka. Apart from the registered indigenous medical practitioners, there is a large number of non-registered practitioners whose practice is a rustic form of medicine.
Physicians are registered in the Ayurveda Medical Council (AMC) under different categories namely, Sarvanga (general; for common body ailments), Sarpavisha (snake bite treatment), Kadumbindum (for fractures and other orthopaedic casualties), Gedi-Wana-Pilika (for abscess and tumors), Davum-pilissum (for burns), Vidum-pilissum (therapeutic piercing and heat treatment), Akshiroga (for eye diseases), and Manasaroga (traditional psychiatric treatment).
There are other special branches such as Indigenous Veterinary medicine, treatment for Rabies, spiritual healing practices, treatment for childhood nutritional diseases and indigenous midwifery. These branches are not recognised for registration by the AMC.
In your view how could these physicians be strategically used through a national policy in the battle against the second phase of Covid-19?
The health sector in the country should consider the doctors and other manpower in the Ayurveda sector, especially in the Government Ayurveda hospitals and the indigenous physicians.
There are several qualified Ayurveda doctors posted at Government Ayurveda hospitals. In addition, many Ayurveda community medical officers are being posted in the community. They are ready to assist the health sector to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.
The phenomenon currently seen in Sri Lanka is that only a few of the Covid-19 patients suffer from serious symptoms and many patients may be asymptomatic and not serious. As we know, there is no particular drug effective against the Coronavirus yet.
However, given our rich medical heritage, we have faith in our medical system that we can overcome the Covid-19 pandemic. It will be prudent at a national level, to give an opportunity to Ayurveda doctors to treat patients at the Ayurveda hospital.
The unacceptable fact in this context is recommending traditional medicines at quarantine centres and for PCR positive cases in the hospitals by Allopathic doctors. Likewise, if Ayurveda doctors use allopathic drugs, it is unethical and unauthentic. Similarly, if Allopathic doctors recommend Ayurveda or herbal drugs to patients, that is also unethical and unauthentic.
These two systems should be integrated when necessary, for a collaborative effort and administered by the respective specialists in the two different medicinal branches, without imposing hegemonic powers. Whether it is Ayurveda or Allopathy it is for the benefit of mankind, not for maintaining one’s autonomy.
Ayurveda doctors and indigenous physicians must be incorporated in health care delivery. They have vast traditional knowledge and effective medicines for many diseases. They have effective traditional preventive measures which can be used even in situations like the current Covid-19 pandemic. Experts who decide the health policy of the country should take into account this situation seriously and carefully.
The State pays millions of rupees for Government Ayurveda doctors and other staff in the Ayurveda sector. Hence, the Government should make use of them for the good of the country, when the country needs them most. Traditional and Ayurvedic physicians can be trained to update them in treating evolving new diseases like the Coronavirus.
Dr. SMS Samarakoon
Could you comment on the link between medicine in general and the natural world – plants, minerals, animals and even the elements such as wind/fire?
Ayurveda and indigenous medicine are natural forms of medicines. Ayurveda teaches to live in harmony with nature. Everything in the universe whether living or non-living, is made up of five basic elements (Panchabhuta). The human body too consists of these five bhutas. Any change in the environment directly affects the human body. Wind, Sun, and Moon govern the entire universe. Wind is responsible for every movement of the universe. The Sun gives heat and dries up the environment.
The Moon gives moisture and cools the environment. When they are in a balanced state, the environment is in harmony. Similarly, Vata, Pitta, and Kapha govern the living body. Vata, Pitta and Kapha represent the Wind, Sun and Moon. When these three major environmental factors are imbalanced, the body’s Vata, Pitta and Kapha too become imbalanced.
In this manner, the environment provides causes for diseases, and we need medicine to overcome the body’s humoral imbalances.
The medicines are from the environment; in the form of plant, animal and mineral substances. Until humankind understands the nature of health and illness, they have to suffer emerging diseases.
Can Allopathy cure, diabetes mellitus? No. Can Allopathy cure cancer? No. It may control it but cannot cure it as a certainty. We must question why these diseases occur. They are due to misconduct and mis-consuming of drug, food and behaviour. Chemical and artificial drugs have no remedy for such diseases. The Allopathy system is now gradually realising this universal truth.
Many traditional medicine practitioners lament that Sri Lanka has lost a large percentage of its endemic and non-endemic herbs, and even common herbs such as turmeric that were grown in every household has today become scarce. Could you recommend how we could conserve and promote our medicinal herb cultivation?
We should be ashamed that we don’t have even turmeric and ginger in this country if they are not imported. Sri Lanka has a rich bio-diversity. Robert Knox, in his book, ‘A Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon’ says, the pharmacy of indigenous physicians is the forest”. We had almost every medicinal plant in the country.
Why did we not pursue a national priority in cultivating these plants? Turmeric, ginger and all medicinal plants that are fast becoming extinct can be cultivated here as before. Why do we import them? We should motivate the people and the farmers to cultivate them. Indigenous physicians should be encouraged to use self-prepared medicine by cultivating their own medicinal plants. When we cultivate essential medicinal plants in the country, we save money and contribute to the national economy.
There is currently a major tension in the country with what is described as the second phase of the Covid-19 pandemic. In this context, could you explain the Ayurvedic/Deshiya Chikitsa recognised stages of disease build up in the body?
Covid-19 is a virus belonging to the Coronavirus group which cause clinical features on mainly the respiratory system. Many patients may be asymptomatic.
The majority will get clinical features such as, mild fever, sore throat, cough etc. Only few patients reach the severe stage of the above features, such as high fever and respiratory distress. People who have already chronic diseases of the respiratory tract and other vulnerable people are more at risk of getting the disease. Immune compromised people are vulnerable.
In Ayurveda there are a group of diseases called Jvara” (fever). Jvara is sub-divided into many, based on doshic predominance; Vatajajavara, Pittajajvara and Kaphajajvara. The symptoms of Covid-19 bear more resemblance to Vata-kaphajvara. On the other hand, there are other varieties of fever such as, VishamaJvara and SannipatajaJvara. Based on the clinical features, we have to identify the doshic predominance when we plan treatment. We all have natural resistance in the body against diseases.
The natural resistance is nothing but the immunity of the body which is called Bala (strength). If your natural resistance is very strong and can overcome the virulence of the Coronavirus, you will not be a victim to the disease. If your resistance is good, you might have mild symptoms even if the virulence of the virus is high. If your immunity is low, you will get severe symptoms. To withstand against Covid-19, you have to enhance your Bala” or immunity by adopting a natural way of living with natural food and a calm mental status.
Can any virus that enters the body naturally leave the body if immunity has been successfully built (such as by taking authentic Sri Lankan traditional diet and some of the products that the Ministry of Indigenous Medicine has produced?
Yes, of course. Consume natural food; natural traditional Sri Lankan food free from unwanted and excess nutritional substances, and free from toxins. Eat more leafy vegetables, drink more water, get physical exercise, live a stress-free life, have a sound sleep daily and live happily. With the support of the above, the defence system of the body will boost, and you will be protected from any kind of foreign invasive disease.
Could you comment on the importance of a happy, content and non-stressful, non-fearful mental state for the fast recovery of any disease in the early stage of incubation in the body?
Yes, in general mental clarity is an important part of health. Ayurveda has placed much importance on the mental condition in defining health. All of the body’s physiological functions are governed by Tridosha”, and mental state is governed by Triguna”. Triguna is composed of Satva, Raja and Thamaguna.
Thamaguna should be improved to potentiate mental state. If you have a strong mental state, you will not be a victim of disease easily. Therefore, mental clarity or happiness speeds the recovery of disease. This is applicable to any epidemic too. During the lockdown period people need to be productively engaged. Living in dread of the pandemic and spreading panic would not do any good. Be wise and take all the health precautions but keep your mind calm.
Could you give your suggestions/comments on the handling of the second Covid-19 phase?
The second phase of Covid-19 seems more serious than the first. It is said the virulence of the virus is higher. More patients are being reported. In this stage, people should behave responsibly and follow safety measures strictly.
Very importantly, the health sector can give an opportunity to the Ayurvedic sector to look after Covid-19 patients. I personally know that almost all people in Sri Lanka follow at least some of the Ayurvedic advice to prevent themselves from diseases, especially in this pandemic context. There is a huge demand for Ayurvedic drugs these days. I see long queues at Ayurveda drug stores every day.
China seems to be the only country which had controlled the community spread of the virus so far. China is known for the use of the integrated method where traditional Chinese medicine is used with highly advanced Allopathic medicine. Your comments?
China has overcome this situation through the use of its well-integrated national medical system built upon traditional knowledge and appropriate advanced technology. Western medicine was introduced to China at the beginning of the 19th century. Then, there was a conflict between Chinese indigenous medicine and western medicine but soon a compromise was reached.
However, the Chinese indigenous medicine was not given its due place and acceptance until the People’s Republic of China was established in 1949. Subsequently, China has developed an advanced integrated health care system that prevails at present. Many other countries such as Vietnam and Malaysia today practice the integrated system of Chinese medicine. That is how the countries develop their own health policy.
In Sri Lanka we don’t have a national health policy in the sense of real nationalistic nature. Ayurveda and indigenous medicine of the country have been neglected. WHO has given due recognition to traditional medicine especially in primary health care. Health policy makers should take action to give proper recognition to traditional medicines for the benefit of the people.
Could you speak about the practice of steaming in the Deshiya Chikitsa system that can be used for the prevention of early influenza like stages in the body?
Using fumigation and steaming has been done since thousands of years by Ayurveda and indigenous physicians in the country. Those treatment methods are not new to them. There are a large number of time-tested recipes used for fumigation and steaming for diseases such as Covid-19
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone and a local partner received an in-principle approval to sign a deal with Sri Lanka Ports Authority, which will hold majority stake in the project
While the US presidential election is in full swing, the US State Secretary Mike Pompeo made a long trip to Asia that took him to India, Sri Lanka, Mal Dives, and Indonesia. It is America’s diplomatic convention that senior government officials would suspend their diplomatic activities when the presidential election comes to the home stretch. Still, Pompeo’s unconventional move came as no surprise as anyone could see through the real intention of his trip – to form a so-called Asian version of NATO to reinforce Trump’s anti-China stance and help him get reelected.
Before his four-leg Asian tour, Pompeo had just participated earlier this month in the quadrilateral China-bashing meeting attended by the US, Japan, India and Australia, laying bare his attempt to form an Asian NATO. But that is perhaps just Washington’s wishing thinking since the Asian countries that have enjoyed peaceful co-existence with China for long years are not necessarily willing to be its cat’s paw.
As it happened, even before Pompeo set off, there were large-scale protests in Sri Lanka opposing his visit and warning him not to interfere in the country’s sovereignty. Sri Lankan media quoted a senior official of Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry , who didn’t wish to be named, as saying that the president, prime minister, and foreign minister of Sri Lanka would all inform Pompeo that their country doesn’t need anyone from outside to tell them how to run the country. The unanimous opposition from Sri Lankan officials and civilians was a heavy slap on Pompeo’s face.
Coincidentally, Indonesia showed no interest in the Asian version of NATO and expressed its concerns about the US-Japan-India-Australia consultation held earlier this month. The Jakarta Post wrote, this will bring new turmoil to security and aggravate political tension.” It’s worth noting that Indonesia has repeatedly rejected America’s requests to land and refuel US military aircraft at its domestic airports this year.
It’s no surprise that Asian countries would backlash against Pompeo’s anti-China rhetoric as regional countries have the correct judgment of right and wrong, gains and losses. Previously, senior American officials claimed to be ready to work with Sri Lanka anytime and promised military assistance in the attempt to drag the country into its anti-China alliance,” but they never mentioned any details of cooperation, which fits America’s diplomatic custom to pay lip service only. Colombo knows only too well what Washington has in mind and has declared that the country, only committed to national development, especially infrastructure construction, would not join the anti-China alliance unless the US could offer investment as attractive as that from China.
Pompeo’s attempt to form the anti-China alliance is against the fundamental interests of countries in Asia and beyond. While the COVID-19 pandemic remains concerning and the world economy struggles to recover, what people need is solidarity in fighting the virus and actions of win-win cooperation, not the poison to international relations that Washington is peddling hard. The US has no intention of giving Sri Lanka any tangible help; it just wants the country to be its pawn and serve its political agenda. The so-called Asian NATO is nothing but a bulwark for it to rope in Asian countries to form a front against China. Should any country dare to show any sign of disobedience, what awaits it would be big sticks. Washington’s earlier coercion of Britain into casting off Huawei and the announcement of pulling its troops from Germany were tangible proof of its hegemonism and Cold War mentality.
Disclaimer: This article is originally published on china.com.cn and translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.
Peng Nian Assistant Fellow, National Institute for South China Sea Studies Courtesy ChinaUS Focus
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo recently made a four-nation tour of the Indo-Pacific that took him to India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia ahead of the U.S. presidential election. It was Pompeo’s latest diplomatic gambit to increase his influence within the Trump administration and play the China card” to help his benefactor win re-election. In the process, Pompeo further enhanced his image as a China hardliner.
Pompeo’s Indo-Pacific trip has been perceived as part of the ongoing U.S. effort to contain China in the region, given the intense confrontation between the two great powers. Several days before the tour, the State Department’s David R. Stilwell, U.S. assistant secretary for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and Dean R. Thompson, principal deputy assistant secretary for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, overtly urged Sri Lanka to make decisions to secure its economic independence for long-term prosperity and openly supported Indonesia and other claimant states for their demands in the South China Sea.
In New Delhi, the U.S. and India signed the long-negotiated Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA), which is the third major defense pact between their armed forces. Pompeo said both the U.S. and India must strengthen cooperation to address the China threat.
During his visit to Sri Lanka and Maldives, Pompeo expected to offer a 480 million USD Millennium Challenge Corporation grant to Sri Lanka and use the similar economic means to lure Maldives closer to the U.S. He also wants to foster a U.S.-Indonesia partnership and give incentives to Indonesia to counter China’s militarization of disputed South China Sea outposts.
Still, the U.S. will not succeed in containing China, either in the Indian Ocean or the Pacific region. First of all, while the U.S. may have enhanced maritime cooperation with India by reaching agreements on logistics, intelligence and information between the two armed forces — such as the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement, LEMOA, Communications Capability and Security Agreement and COMCASA — and conducted joint military excercises in the Indian Ocean, it has actually failed to establish a formal military alliance with India.
Given India’s independent foreign policy, it won’t join any camp that targets a third country, China included. So far, India has approached the U.S. with an attempt to balance China, and has not blindly followed America’s hostile lead. For instance, India has never joined U.S. freedom of navigation patrols in the South China Sea. It also refused to accept Trump’s offer to mediate the border dispute with China, so as to avoid U.S. interference.
Other major factors also undermine American efforts to contain China by making use of relations with India. The Indian economy has been severely damaged by the coronavirus pandemic, while China has become the first country to recover. Meanwhile, India’s military expansion is also adversely affected by its fiscal stringency. Currently, the top priority of the Indian government is to control the spread of the virus and provide enough medical services for its people, not to counter China.
For countries like Sri Lanka and Maldives, the best policy choice is to maintain balance between the great powers. As Rathindra Kuruwita, a researcher from Colombo, described Sri Lankan foreign policy over the last 15 years — especially after the end of the civil war in 2009 — as a series of desperate attempts to balance the interests of major powers that have interest in the country.
Both Sri Lanka and Maldives have become increasingly dependent on the Chinese economy and Chinese tourists, which contribute to their cordial relations over the past decade. To survive at a difficult time, given the spread of COVID-19, these countries need Chinese assistance. China provided $90 million in October and $500 million in low interest loans in March to help Sri Lanka cope with the pandemic. Meanwhile, the U.S. itself has been mired in the pandemic and has little to offer these countries.
As a powerful state in the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia, Indonesia has drawn rising attention from American strategists in recent years. The U.S. has encouraged it to play a big role both in the South China Sea and in its overall Indo-Pacific strategy. However, Jakarta wants to stay neutral in the China-U.S. power rivalry. Recently, Indonesian President Joko Widodo rejected a U.S. request to host the multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft P-8 Poseidon, which would be used to surveil Chinese positions in the South China Sea because Indonesia does not want to provoke China. It also gave a cold shoulder to the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy. Instead, it has pushed forward ASEAN’s Indo-Pacific Outlook, which emphasizes ASEAN centrality, the priority of economic prosperity and an inclusive and open Indo-Pacific region.
The Sri Lankans stranded in 150 safe houses in Saudi Arabia would be expatriated within 48 hours, National Operations Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) Head, Army Commander Shavendra Silva said.
The decision has been reached in the Task Force meeting under the directive of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Accordingly, stranded Sri Lankans would be expatriated as early as possible sending at least two flights to Saudi Arabia a day,” the Army Commander said.
This emergency measure is to be implemented in coordination with all stakeholders because the quarantine procedure previously conducted in 72 tri service-managed quarantine centers and hotels would cease to function with the departure of all quarantined individuals back to their homes within next two days. Such places could easily be used for those expatriates arriving home”, he added. (Sheain Fernandopulle)
